Effect of the addition of mixture of plant components on the mechanical properties of wheat bread

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wójcik, Monika; Dziki, Dariusz; Biernacka, Beata; Różyło, Renata; Miś, Antoni; Hassoon, Waleed H.

2017-10-01

Instrumental methods of measuring the mechanical properties of bread can be used to determine changes in the properties of it during storage, as well as to determine the effect of various additives on the bread texture. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the mixture of plant components on the physical properties of wheat bread. In particular, the mechanical properties of the crumb and crust were studied. A sensory evaluation of the end product was also performed. The mixture of plant components included: carob fiber, milled grain red quinoa and black oat (1:2:2) - added at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 % - into wheat flour. The results showed that the increase of the addition of the proposed additive significantly increased the water absorption of flour mixtures. Moreover, the use of the mixture of plant components above 5% resulted in the increase of bread volume and decrease of crumb density. Furthermore, the addition of the mixture of plant components significantly affected the mechanical properties of bread crumb. The hardness of crumb also decreased as a result of the mixture of plant components addition. The highest cohesiveness was obtained for bread with 10% of additive and the lowest for bread with 25% of mixture of plant components. Most importantly, the enrichment of wheat flour with the mixture of plant components significantly reduced the crust failure force and crust failure work. The results of sensory evaluation showed that the addition of the mixture of plant components of up to 10% had little effect on bread quality.

Multifunctional wall coating combining photocatalysis, self-cleaning and latent heat storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, S. S.; Barroso de Aguiar, J. L.

2018-02-01

Mortars, one of the most common construction materials, have not received any substantial modification for many decades. This has changed in recent years; new compositions are now being developed, with new properties, using nano-additives, fibres and capsules. In this work, surfaces with new and innovative functionalities that promote energy savings and improve air quality have been developed and studied. Incorporation of phase change materials (PCM) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles in construction products is currently under study by different research groups. However, these studies only address their incorporation separately. Adding new additives into the mortar’s matrix can be complex—due to microstructural modifications that will influence both fresh and hardened state properties. Moving from a single additive to multiple additions, as in this study, increases the system’s complexity. Only with a good understanding of the microstructural properties, it is possible to add multiple additives (including nano and microparticles) to mortars, without damaging its final quality. This work demonstrates that a higher additive content is not always a guarantee of better results; lower additions can often provide a better compromise between performance and final mechanical properties. The results presented in this paper confirmed this and show that combining PCM microcapsules and TiO2 nanoparticles open a new path in the development of mortars with multiple functionalities. In this study, a new material with depolluting, self-cleaning and heat storage was created. For the development of new and innovative mortars, a proper balance of multiple additives, supported by the study of microstructural changes, can lead to an optimization of the compositions, ensuring that the mortar’s final properties are not affected.

Effects of trace element addition on process stability during anaerobic co-digestion of OFMSW and slaughterhouse waste.

PubMed

Moestedt, J; Nordell, E; Shakeri Yekta, S; Lundgren, J; Martí, M; Sundberg, C; Ejlertsson, J; Svensson, B H; Björn, A

2016-01-01

This study used semi-continuous laboratory scale biogas reactors to simulate the effects of trace-element addition in different combinations, while degrading the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and slaughterhouse waste. The results show that the combined addition of Fe, Co and Ni was superior to the addition of only Fe, Fe and Co or Fe and Ni. However, the addition of only Fe resulted in a more stable process than the combined addition of Fe and Co, perhaps indicating a too efficient acidogenesis and/or homoacetogenesis in relation to a Ni-deprived methanogenic population. The results were observed in terms of higher biogas production (+9%), biogas production rates (+35%) and reduced VFA concentration for combined addition compared to only Fe and Ni. The higher stability was supported by observations of differences in viscosity, intraday VFA- and biogas kinetics as well as by the 16S rRNA gene and 16S rRNA of the methanogens. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

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.

Effect of polyglycerol esters additive on palm oil crystallization using focused beam reflectance measurement and differential scanning calorimetry.

PubMed

Saw, M H; Hishamuddin, E; Chong, C L; Yeoh, C B; Lim, W H

2017-01-01

The effect of 0.1-0.7% (w/w) of polyglycerol esters (PGEmix-8) on palm oil crystallization was studied using focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) to analyze the in-line changes of crystal size distribution during the crystallization. FBRM results show that 0.1-0.5% (w/w) of PGEmix-8 did not significantly affect nucleation but slightly retarded crystal growth. The use of 0.7% (w/w) additive showed greater heterogeneous nucleation compared to those with lower dosages of additive. Crystal growth was also greatly reduced when using 0.7% (w/w) dosage. The morphological study indicated that the palm oil crystals were smaller and more even in size than when more additive was added. Isothermal crystallization studies using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed increased inhibitory effects on palm oil crystal growth with increasing concentration of PGEmix-8. These results imply that PGEmix-8 is a nucleation enhancing and crystal growth retarding additive in palm oil crystallization at 0.7% (w/w) dosage. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A Note on the Kirchhoff and Additive Degree-Kirchhoff Indices of Graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yujun; Klein, Douglas J.

2015-06-01

Two resistance-distance-based graph invariants, namely, the Kirchhoff index and the additive degree-Kirchhoff index, are studied. A relation between them is established, with inequalities for the additive degree-Kirchhoff index arising via the Kirchhoff index along with minimum, maximum, and average degrees. Bounds for the Kirchhoff and additive degree-Kirchhoff indices are also determined, and extremal graphs are characterised. In addition, an upper bound for the additive degree-Kirchhoff index is established to improve a previously known result.

Communications systems checkout study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ginter, W. G.

1972-01-01

The results and conclusions of an engineering study of Space Station communications subsystem checkout are reported. The primary purpose of the study is to recommend specific guidelines and constraints for the design and utilization of the communications subsystem leading to a practical and effective means of onboard checkout implementation. Major study objectives are as follows: (1) identify candidate communications subsystem checkout concepts, (2) determine implementation impacts of feasible concepts, (3) evaluate practicality and effectiveness of alternative concepts, (4) propose baseline modifications to accommodate preferred concepts, and (5) recommend areas for additional investigation. In addition, study results are interpreted, where appropriate, in terms of their applicability to checkout of Shuttle-Orbiter communications subsystem.

Predicting long-term absenteeism from work in construction industry: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Hoonakker, Peter; van Duivenbooden, Cor

2012-01-01

In this study we examine whether the Work Ability Index (WAI) has additional value in predicting long-term absenteeism in construction industry. Results of the study show that the WAI has additional value in predicting absenteeism, but that the amount of explained variance is low. This is partly due to the definition of absenteeism in The Netherlands, where this study took place.

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.

Mechanism of wear and tribofilm formation with ionic liquids and ashless antiwear additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Vibhu

Increasingly stringent government regulation on emissions (EPA Emissions Standard Reference Guide and latest CAFE standards requiring an average fuel economy of 54.5 mpg (combined cars and trucks) by 2025) impose significant challenges to the automotive and lubricant industries calling for the development and implementation of lower viscosity ILSAC GF-5&6 and API-CJ4&5 oils which further limit the amount of SAPS and deposits in engines. Development of additives that result in lower ash content, volatility and anti-wear property plays a crucial role in being able to reach these standards. The current industrial additive technology i.e. zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) forms harmful deposits on catalytic convertor due to the volatility of Zn, S and P which, impairs its functionality and consequently results in higher emission from vehicles. In this research work, ionic liquids (IL's) that are non-volatile have been studied as new generation environment friendly antiwear additives along with other ashless anti-wear additives including boron based additives to overcome the current challenges of improving the fuel efficiency and reducing the amount of hazardous emissions. The goal of this thesis work is to study the tribological performance of selected IL's and develop a comprehensive understating of IL's chemistry and its consequences to their friction and wear outcomes. As first approach, various P, S and F based ionic liquids are studied for their tribological properties by analyzing the friction and wear results generated using standard tribological experiments. Following this, advanced surface characterization techniques such as X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy, SEM, Nano-indentation, SPM techniques are used to investigate the chemical-mechanical properties of the antiwear films. Results indicate that the tribological properties of ionic liquids depend on their solubility in base oil (BO) as well as their chemical interaction with the rubbing surfaces. To address the solubility issue of IL's in BO, ILs with longer alkyl chain structure were carefully selected which helped enhance the van der waals interaction between strongly polar ILs and non-polar base oil. The interaction of IL's with the metal surfaces was examined by analyzing the chemical-mechanical properties of the antiwear films formed. Results indicate that ionic liquids do react with the steel surfaces and form a protective antiwear film composed of iron polyphosphates i.e. short to medium chain length which results in improved wear protection. In addition, soluble boron additive (SB) chemistries were blended with ionic liquids to study the synergism between these two ashless antiwear chemistries. Addition of soluble boron additive (SB) to phosphorous based IL (P_DEHP) reduces the incubation time for antiwear film formation by forming boron oxide/boron phosphate film as early as the rubbing starts and subsequently a more durable iron phosphate film is formed providing long lasting wear protection. The synergistic interaction of boron chemistry with phosphorous based ionic liquids provides superior antiwear properties while eliminating volatile elements such as Zn and S from the additive technology.

Revealing the beneficial effect of protease supplementation to high gravity beer fermentations using "-omics" techniques

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Addition of sugar syrups to the basic wort is a popular technique to achieve higher gravity in beer fermentations, but it results in dilution of the free amino nitrogen (FAN) content in the medium. The multicomponent protease enzyme Flavourzyme has beneficial effect on the brewer's yeast fermentation performance during high gravity fermentations as it increases the initial FAN value and results in higher FAN uptake, higher specific growth rate, higher ethanol yield and improved flavour profile. Results In the present study, transcriptome and metabolome analysis were used to elucidate the effect on the addition of the multicomponent protease enzyme Flavourzyme and its influence on the metabolism of the brewer's yeast strain Weihenstephan 34/70. The study underlines the importance of sufficient nitrogen availability during the course of beer fermentation. The applied metabolome and transcriptome analysis allowed mapping the effect of the wort sugar composition on the nitrogen uptake. Conclusion Both the transcriptome and the metabolome analysis revealed that there is a significantly higher impact of protease addition for maltose syrup supplemented fermentations, while addition of glucose syrup to increase the gravity in the wort resulted in increased glucose repression that lead to inhibition of amino acid uptake and hereby inhibited the effect of the protease addition. PMID:21513553

Effects of Bi Addition on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Nanocrystalline Ag Coatings

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

Wang, Yuxin; Cheng, Guang; Tay, See Leng

Here in this study we investigated the effects of Bi addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of an electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ag coating. Microstructural features were investigated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicate that the addition of Bi introduced nanometer-scale Ag-Bi solid solution particles and more internal defects to the initial Ag microstructures. The anisotropic elastic-plastic properties of the Ag nanocrystalline coating with and without Bi addition were examined with nanoindentation experiments in conjunction with the recently-developed inverse method. The results indicate that the as-deposited nanocrystalline Ag coating contained high mechanical anisotropy. With the addition of 1 atomicmore » percent (at%) Bi, the anisotropy within Ag-Bi coating was very small, and yield strength of the nanocrystalline Ag-Bi alloy in both longitudinal and transverse directions were improved by over 100% compared to that of Ag. On the other hand, the strain-hardening exponent of Ag-Bi was reduced to 0.055 from the original 0.16 of the Ag coating. Furthermore, the addition of Bi only slightly increased the electrical resistivity of the Ag-Bi coating in comparison to Ag. Lastly, results of our study indicate that Bi addition is a promising method for improving the mechanical and physical performances of Ag coating for electrical contacts.« less

Effects of Bi Addition on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Nanocrystalline Ag Coatings

DOE PAGES

Wang, Yuxin; Cheng, Guang; Tay, See Leng; ...

2017-08-10

Here in this study we investigated the effects of Bi addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of an electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ag coating. Microstructural features were investigated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicate that the addition of Bi introduced nanometer-scale Ag-Bi solid solution particles and more internal defects to the initial Ag microstructures. The anisotropic elastic-plastic properties of the Ag nanocrystalline coating with and without Bi addition were examined with nanoindentation experiments in conjunction with the recently-developed inverse method. The results indicate that the as-deposited nanocrystalline Ag coating contained high mechanical anisotropy. With the addition of 1 atomicmore » percent (at%) Bi, the anisotropy within Ag-Bi coating was very small, and yield strength of the nanocrystalline Ag-Bi alloy in both longitudinal and transverse directions were improved by over 100% compared to that of Ag. On the other hand, the strain-hardening exponent of Ag-Bi was reduced to 0.055 from the original 0.16 of the Ag coating. Furthermore, the addition of Bi only slightly increased the electrical resistivity of the Ag-Bi coating in comparison to Ag. Lastly, results of our study indicate that Bi addition is a promising method for improving the mechanical and physical performances of Ag coating for electrical contacts.« less

Properties of High Strength Concrete Applied on Semarang - Bawen Highway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setiyawan, Prabowo; Antonius; Wedyowibowo, R. Hawik Jenny

2018-04-01

To fulfill the needs of highway construction then a high quality concrete is expected to be produced by a short time and high workability, therefore the addition of additive chemicals needs to be conducted. The objective of the study was to find out the properties of high quality concrete including slump value, compressive strength, flexural strength, elasticity modulus and stress-strain diagrams with the addition of fly ash and superplasticizer. There were five types of mixtures were made in this study with a fas (cement water factor) was 0,41 and an additional 15% of fly ash and a varied superplasticizer of 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 2% towards the weight/volume and cement/water. Test samples of cylinders and prisms or beams were tested in the laboratory at 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days. The test results were then compared with the test results made without additional additives. Based on the result of this research, it can be concluded that the increase of slump value due to the addition of 15% fly ash is 0,53 cm of the base slump value. The use of superplasticizer causes the weight of the type to be greater. The optimum dose of superplasticizer is 1,2%, it is still in the usage level according to the F-type admixture brochure (water reducing, high-range admixture) such as 0,6 % -1,5 %. All mixture types which use addition materials for flexural strength (fr'=45kg/cm2) can be achieved at 3 days.

Using Set Model for Learning Addition of Integers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lestari, Umi Puji; Putri, Ratu Ilma Indra; Hartono, Yusuf

2015-01-01

This study aims to investigate how set model can help students' understanding of addition of integers in fourth grade. The study has been carried out to 23 students and a teacher of IVC SD Iba Palembang in January 2015. This study is a design research that also promotes PMRI as the underlying design context and activity. Results showed that the…

Magnetic x-ray scattering studies of holmium using synchro- tron radiation

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

Gibbs, D.; Moncton, D.E.; D'Amico, K.L.

1985-07-08

We present the results of magnetic x-ray scattering experiments on the rare-earth metal holmium using synchrotron radiation. Direct high-resolution measurements of the nominally incommensurate magnetic satellite reflections reveal new lock-in behavior which we explain within a simple spin-discommensuration model. As a result of magnetoelastic coupling, the spin-discommensuration array produces additional x-ray diffraction satellites. Their observation further substantiates the model and demonstrates additional advantages of synchrotron radiation for magnetic-structure studies.

Atomistic modeling and simulation of the role of Be and Bi in Al diffusion in U-Mo fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofman, G. L.; Bozzolo, G.; Mosca, H. O.; Yacout, A. M.

2011-07-01

Within the RERTR program, previous experimental and modeling studies identified Si as the alloying addition to the Al cladding responsible for inhibiting Al interdiffusion in the UMo fuel. However, difficulties with reprocessing have rendered this choice inappropriate, leading to the need to study alternative elements. In this work, we discuss the results of an atomistic modeling effort which allows for the systematic study of several possible alloying additions. Based on the behavior observed in the phase diagrams, beryllium or bismuth additions suggest themselves as possible options to replace Si. The results of temperature-dependent simulations using the Bozzolo-Ferrante-Smith (BFS) method for the energetics for varying concentrations of either element are shown, indicating that Be could have a substantial effect in stopping Al interdiffusion, while Bi does not. Details of the calculations and the dependence of the role of each alloying addition as a function of temperature and concentration (of beryllium or bismuth in Al) are shown.

[Asymmetric confusability effect in recognition memory of cats pictures].

PubMed

Ando, M; Hakoda, Y

1999-06-01

Performance superiority of the addition of features in the stimuli over the deletion on recognition (asymmetric confusability effect) has been shown in previous studies (Pezdek, Maki, Valencia-Laver, Whetstone, Stoeckert, & Dougherty, 1988; Ando & Hakoda, 1998). We investigated the same effect by using a familiar living thing (cat) as a stimulus. Ten subjects were given a recognition task using pictures of cats with feature changes (additions, deletions, or no change). Results showed that the picture with deletions were easier to recognize than those with additions, which was opposite to the previous studies. Then, we examined the possibility that performance superiority of the deletions over the additions was mediated by the factor of impression. Another group of 18 subjects was asked to rate the impression scales consisting of a "typicality-reality factor", a "stability-balance factor", and a "grotesque-disgust factor". Results showed that there was a significant difference in impression ratings for each factor between the additions and the deletions, and that impression ratings predicted recognition performance well. It was concluded that performance superiority of the deletions over the additions was mediated by the factor of impression.

Additive noise-induced Turing transitions in spatial systems with application to neural fields and the Swift Hohenberg equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutt, Axel; Longtin, Andre; Schimansky-Geier, Lutz

2008-05-01

This work studies the spatio-temporal dynamics of a generic integral-differential equation subject to additive random fluctuations. It introduces a combination of the stochastic center manifold approach for stochastic differential equations and the adiabatic elimination for Fokker-Planck equations, and studies analytically the systems’ stability near Turing bifurcations. In addition two types of fluctuation are studied, namely fluctuations uncorrelated in space and time, and global fluctuations, which are constant in space but uncorrelated in time. We show that the global fluctuations shift the Turing bifurcation threshold. This shift is proportional to the fluctuation variance. Applications to a neural field equation and the Swift-Hohenberg equation reveal the shift of the bifurcation to larger control parameters, which represents a stabilization of the system. All analytical results are confirmed by numerical simulations of the occurring mode equations and the full stochastic integral-differential equation. To gain some insight into experimental manifestations, the sum of uncorrelated and global additive fluctuations is studied numerically and the analytical results on global fluctuations are confirmed qualitatively.

Grain-Size Based Additivity Models for Scaling Multi-rate Uranyl Surface Complexation in Subsurface Sediments

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

Zhang, Xiaoying; Liu, Chongxuan; Hu, Bill X.

This study statistically analyzed a grain-size based additivity model that has been proposed to scale reaction rates and parameters from laboratory to field. The additivity model assumed that reaction properties in a sediment including surface area, reactive site concentration, reaction rate, and extent can be predicted from field-scale grain size distribution by linearly adding reaction properties for individual grain size fractions. This study focused on the statistical analysis of the additivity model with respect to reaction rate constants using multi-rate uranyl (U(VI)) surface complexation reactions in a contaminated sediment as an example. Experimental data of rate-limited U(VI) desorption in amore » stirred flow-cell reactor were used to estimate the statistical properties of multi-rate parameters for individual grain size fractions. The statistical properties of the rate constants for the individual grain size fractions were then used to analyze the statistical properties of the additivity model to predict rate-limited U(VI) desorption in the composite sediment, and to evaluate the relative importance of individual grain size fractions to the overall U(VI) desorption. The result indicated that the additivity model provided a good prediction of the U(VI) desorption in the composite sediment. However, the rate constants were not directly scalable using the additivity model, and U(VI) desorption in individual grain size fractions have to be simulated in order to apply the additivity model. An approximate additivity model for directly scaling rate constants was subsequently proposed and evaluated. The result found that the approximate model provided a good prediction of the experimental results within statistical uncertainty. This study also found that a gravel size fraction (2-8mm), which is often ignored in modeling U(VI) sorption and desorption, is statistically significant to the U(VI) desorption in the sediment.« less

Drag reduction - Jet breakup correlation with kerosene-based additives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1980-01-01

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

Influence of additive L-phenylalanine on stabilization of metastable α-form of L-glutamic acid in cooling crystallization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quang, Khuu Chau; Nhan, Le Thi Hong; Huyen, Trinh Thi Thanh; Tuan, Nguyen Anh

2017-09-01

The influence of additive amino acid L-phenylalanine on stabilization of metastable α-form of L-glutamic acid was investigated in cooling crystallization. The present study found that the additive L-phenylalanine could be used to stabilize the pure metastable α-form in L-glutamic acid crystallization, where the additive concentration of 0.05-0.1 (g/L) was sufficient to stabilize the 100% wt metastable α-form in solid product at L-glutamic acid concentration of 30-45 (g/L). Additionally, the present results indicated that the adsorption of additive L-phenylalanine on the (001) surface of α-form was more favorable than that of the β-form molecular, so the nucleation sites of stable β-form was occupied by additive molecular, which resulted in inhibition of nucleation and growth of β-form, allowing stabilization of metastable α-form.

Recycling of red muds with the extraction of metals and special additions to cement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zinoveev, D. V.; Diubanov, V. G.; Shutova, A. V.; Ziniaeva, M. V.

2015-01-01

The liquid-phase reduction of iron oxides from red mud is experimentally studied. It is shown that, in addition to a metal, a slag suitable for utilization in the construction industry can be produced as a result of pyrometallurgical processing of red mud. Portland cement is shown to be produced from this slag with mineral additions and a high-aluminate expansion addition to cement.

On the relative importance of pool morphology and woody debris to distributions of shrimp in a Puerto Rican headwater stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pyron, M.; Covich, A.P.; Black, R.W.

1999-01-01

In this paper, we report the sizes and distributional orientation of woody debris in a headwater rainforest stream in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF), Puerto Rico. We also provide results of a 4-month study of a wood addition experiment designed to increase cover for benthic macroinvertebrates (freshwater shrimp). We added branch-sized woody debris to 20 pools in three streams. We trapped four species of freshwater shrimp (two species of benthic detritivores and two predatory shrimp species) during each of the 4 months following wood additions. An analysis of pool morphology (maximum depth, surface area and volume) provided a useful predictor of shrimp abundances. In general, numbers of shrimps increased with sizes of stream pools. A repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated no effect of woody debris additions on total numbers of shrimp per pool area. Two detritivore species (Atya lanipes, a filter feeder and Xiphocaris elongata, a shredder) decreased in abundance with increased woody debris and there was no statistical relationship between woody debris additions and predators (Macrobrachium carcinus and M. crenulatum). Small woody debris additions may have altered flow velocities that were important to filter-feeding Atya at the microhabitat scale, although the overall velocities within pools were not altered by wood additions. Lower numbers of Atya and Xiphocaris in two of the three streams may result from the occurrence of two predaceous fishes (American eel and mountain mullet) and more predatory Macrobrachium in these streams. One likely interpretation of the results of this study is that the stream pools in these study reaches had sufficient habitat structure provided by numerous rock crevices (among large rocks and boulders) to provide refuge from predators. Addition of woody debris did not add significantly to the existing structure. These results may not apply to stream channels with sand and gravel substrata where crevices and undercut banks are lacking and where woody debris often plays a major role by providing structure and refuge.

Development of High-Antifouling PPSU Ultrafiltration Membrane by Using Compound Additives: Preparation, Morphologies, and Filtration Resistant Properties

PubMed Central

Liu, Jie; Zhong, Zhencheng; Ma, Rui; Zhang, Weichen; Li, Jiding

2016-01-01

In this study, flat sheet asymmetric polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) ultrafiltration membranes with enhanced antifouling properties were prepared with a non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method through compound additives containing a polymeric pore-forming agent, a small molecular non-solvent and a surfactant. The formation processes of the porous asymmetric membranes with different kinds of additives were studied in detail, and the microstructure controllable preparation of membrane was achieved by establishing a bridge between the membrane preparation parameters and separation performances. All prepared membranes were characterized by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), contact angle analysis, porosity, maximum pore size, water and BSA solution permeability studies. The performance efficiency of the membrane was evaluated by using BSA as a model foulant in terms of permeability, solute rejection (R), Rm (membrane inherent resistance), Rc (cake layer resistance), and Rp (pore plugging resistance). The results showed that when the compound additives were used, the inter-connected pores were observed, maximum pore size, contact angle and membrane filtration resistance decreased, while the porosity increased. When PVP compound additives were added, the water flux increased from 80.4 to 148.1 L/(m2·h), the BSA rejection increased from 53.2% to 81.5%. A similar trend was observed for membranes with added PEG compound additives; the water flux and BSA rejection simultaneously increased. The filtration resistance decreased as a result of compound additives. The uniformity of membrane and the number of effective pores could be enhanced by adding compound additives through the cooperation of different additives. PMID:27338487

Development of High-Antifouling PPSU Ultrafiltration Membrane by Using Compound Additives: Preparation, Morphologies, and Filtration Resistant Properties.

PubMed

Liu, Jie; Zhong, Zhencheng; Ma, Rui; Zhang, Weichen; Li, Jiding

2016-06-21

In this study, flat sheet asymmetric polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) ultrafiltration membranes with enhanced antifouling properties were prepared with a non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method through compound additives containing a polymeric pore-forming agent, a small molecular non-solvent and a surfactant. The formation processes of the porous asymmetric membranes with different kinds of additives were studied in detail, and the microstructure controllable preparation of membrane was achieved by establishing a bridge between the membrane preparation parameters and separation performances. All prepared membranes were characterized by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), contact angle analysis, porosity, maximum pore size, water and BSA solution permeability studies. The performance efficiency of the membrane was evaluated by using BSA as a model foulant in terms of permeability, solute rejection (R), Rm (membrane inherent resistance), Rc (cake layer resistance), and Rp (pore plugging resistance). The results showed that when the compound additives were used, the inter-connected pores were observed, maximum pore size, contact angle and membrane filtration resistance decreased, while the porosity increased. When PVP compound additives were added, the water flux increased from 80.4 to 148.1 L/(m²·h), the BSA rejection increased from 53.2% to 81.5%. A similar trend was observed for membranes with added PEG compound additives; the water flux and BSA rejection simultaneously increased. The filtration resistance decreased as a result of compound additives. The uniformity of membrane and the number of effective pores could be enhanced by adding compound additives through the cooperation of different additives.

Using the theory of planned behavior to determine factors influencing processed foods consumption behavior

PubMed Central

Kim, Og Yeon; Shim, Soonmi

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to identify how level of information affected intention, using the Theory of Planned Behavior. SUBJECTS/METHODS The study was conducted survey in diverse community centers and shopping malls in Seoul, which yielded N = 209 datasets. To compare processed foods consumption behavior, we divided samples into two groups based on level of information about food additives (whether respondents felt that information on food additives was sufficient or not). We analyzed differences in attitudes toward food additives and toward purchasing processed foods, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intentions to processed foods between sufficient information group and lack information group. RESULTS The results confirmed that more than 78% of respondents thought information on food additives was insufficient. However, the group who felt information was sufficient had more positive attitudes about consuming processed foods and behavioral intentions than the group who thought information was inadequate. This study found people who consider that they have sufficient information on food additives tend to have more positive attitudes toward processed foods and intention to consume processed foods. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests increasing needs for nutrition education on the appropriate use of processed foods. Designing useful nutrition education requires a good understanding of factors which influence on processed foods consumption. PMID:24944779

Effects of sulfur-based hemostatic agents and gingival retraction cords handled with latex gloves on the polymerization of polyvinyl siloxane impression materials

PubMed Central

MACHADO, Carlos Eduardo Palhares; GUEDES, Carlos Gramani

2011-01-01

Objectives This study investigated the possible interactions between three addition silicone materials (Express®, Aquasil Ultra® and Adsil®), three hemostatic agents (ferric sulfate, StatGel FS®; aluminum sulfate, GelCord®; and aluminum chloride, Hemostop®) and gingival retraction cords previously handled with latex gloves to determine whether direct contact with medicaments or indirect contamination by latex in conditions similar to those found in clinical practice inhibit or affect the setting of the impression materials. Material and Methods A portable device for the simultaneous test of several specimens was specifically developed for this study. Polymerization inhibition was analyzed by examination of the impressions and the molded surface. Ten trials were performed for each addition silicone material used in the study, at a total of 240 study samples. Results All the samples tested (N=240) were nonreactive regardless of the type of combination used. Conclusions Aluminum sulfate, ferric sulfate and aluminum chloride hemostatic solutions did not show any inhibitory potential on the addition silicone samples under study, and there were no changes in polymerization as a result of contact between addition silicone and retraction cords handled with latex gloves. PMID:22230998

Effect of Nitrogen on Transformation Behaviors and Microstructure of V-N Microalloyed Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Baochun; Zhao, Tan; Li, Guiyan; Lu, Qiang

Multi-pass deformation simulation tests were performed on V-N microalloyed steels with different nitrogen addition by using a Gleeble-3800 thermo-mechanical simulator and the corresponding continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams were determined by thermal dilation method and metallographic method. The deformed austenite transformation behavior and resultant microstructure of the tested steels were studied. Furthermore, the effect of nitrogen addition on the transformation behavior and microstructure evolution was analyzed. The results show that the transformed microstructures in the three tested steels are ferrite, pearlite and bainite respectively while the transformation temperatures are not the same. For the two tested steel with higher nitrogen additions, higher ferrite start temperature and critical cooling rates are observed. Furthermore, an increase in nitrogen addition leads to increasing quantities of ferrite and the transformed ferrite is smaller in size. The hardness test results reveal that the hardness number increases with increasing nitrogen addition at low cooling rate while the value tends to be smaller due to increasing nitrogen addition at high cooling rate. Therefore, the hardness number of the steel with high nitrogen addition is not so sensitive to cooling rate as that of the steel with low nitrogen addition.

Can uptake length in strams be determined by nutrient addition experiments? Results from an interbiome comparison study

Treesearch

P. J Mulholland; J. L. Tanks; J. R. Webster; W. B. Bowden; W. K Dodds; S. V. Gregory; N. B Grimm; J. L. Meriam; J. L. Meyer; B. J. Peterson; H. M. Valett; W. M. Wollheim

2002-01-01

Nutrient uptake length is an important parnmeter tor quantifying nutrient cycling in streams. Although nutrient tracer additions are the preierred method for measuring uptake length under ambient nutrient concentrations, short-term nutrient addition experiments have more irequently been used to estimate uptake length in streams. Theoretical analysis of the relationship...

Comparison of oxytetracycline degradation behavior in pig manure with different antibiotic addition methods.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Chen, Guixiu; Liang, Juanboo; Zou, Yongde; Wen, Xin; Liao, Xindi; Wu, Yinbao

2015-12-01

Using manure collected from swine fed with diet containing antibiotics and antibiotic-free swine manure spiked with antibiotics are the two common methods of studying the degradation behavior of veterinary antibiotic in manure in the environment. However, few studies had been conducted to co-compare these two different antibiotic addition methods. This study used oxytetracycline (OTC) as a model antibiotic to study antibiotic degradation behavior in manure under the above two OTC addition methods. In addition, the role of microorganisms present in the manure on degradation behavior was also examined. The results showed that degradation half-life of OTC in manure from swine fed OTC (9.04 days) was significantly shorter than that of the manure directly treated with OTC (9.65 days). Concentration of 4-epi-OTC in manure from swine fed OTC peaked earlier than that in manure spiked with OTC, and the degradation rates of 4-epi-OTC and α-apo-OTC in the manure from swine fed OTC were faster, but the peak concentrations were lower, than those in manure spiked with OTC. Bacterial diversity and relative abundance of Bacillus cereus data demonstrated that sterilization of the manure before experiment significantly decreased OTC degradation rate in both of the addition methods. Results of the present study demonstrated that the presence of the metabolites (especially 4-epi-OTC) and microorganisms had significant influence on OTC degradation.

Experimental study of the effects of secondary air on the emissions and stability of a lean premixed combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roffe, G.; Raman, R. S. V.; Marek, C. J.

1982-01-01

A study of the effects of secondary air addition on the stability and emissions of a gas turbine combustor has been performed. Tests were conducted with two types of flameholders and varying amounts of dilution air addition. Results indicate that NO(x) decreases with increasing dilution air injection, whereas CO is independent of the amount of dilution air and is related to the gas temperature near the walls. The axial location of the dilution air addition has no effect on the performance or stability. Results also indicate that the amount of secondary air entrained by the flameholder recirculation zone is dependent on the amount of dilution air and flameholder geometry.

Efficiency and Flexibility of Indirect Addition in the Domain of Multi-Digit Subtraction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torbeyns, Joke; Ghesquiere, Pol; Verschaffel, Lieven

2009-01-01

This article discusses the characteristics of the indirect addition strategy (IA) in the domain of multi-digit subtraction. In two studies, adults' use of IA on three-digit subtractions with a small, medium, or large difference between the integers was analysed using the choice/no-choice method. Results from both studies indicate that adults…

A simulations approach for meta-analysis of genetic association studies based on additive genetic model.

PubMed

John, Majnu; Lencz, Todd; Malhotra, Anil K; Correll, Christoph U; Zhang, Jian-Ping

2018-06-01

Meta-analysis of genetic association studies is being increasingly used to assess phenotypic differences between genotype groups. When the underlying genetic model is assumed to be dominant or recessive, assessing the phenotype differences based on summary statistics, reported for individual studies in a meta-analysis, is a valid strategy. However, when the genetic model is additive, a similar strategy based on summary statistics will lead to biased results. This fact about the additive model is one of the things that we establish in this paper, using simulations. The main goal of this paper is to present an alternate strategy for the additive model based on simulating data for the individual studies. We show that the alternate strategy is far superior to the strategy based on summary statistics.

Spectra-temporal patterns underlying mental addition: an ERP and ERD/ERS study.

PubMed

Ku, Yixuan; Hong, Bo; Gao, Xiaorong; Gao, Shangkai

2010-03-12

Functional neuroimaging data have shown that mental calculation involves fronto-parietal areas that are composed of different subsystems shared with other cognitive functions such as working memory and language. Event-related potential (ERP) analysis has also indicated sequential information changes during the calculation process. However, little is known about the dynamic properties of oscillatory networks in this process. In the present study, we applied both ERP and event-related (de-)synchronization (ERS/ERD) analyses to EEG data recorded from normal human subjects performing tasks for sequential visual/auditory mental addition. Results in the study indicate that the late positive components (LPCs) can be decomposed into two separate parts. The earlier element LPC1 (around 360ms) reflects the computing attribute and is more prominent in calculation tasks. The later element LPC2 (around 590ms) indicates an effect of number size and appears larger only in a more complex 2-digit addition task. The theta ERS and alpha ERD show modality-independent frontal and parietal differential patterns between the mental addition and control groups, and discrepancies are noted in the beta ERD between the 2-digit and 1-digit mental addition groups. The 2-digit addition (both visual and auditory) results in similar beta ERD patterns to the auditory control, which may indicate a reliance on auditory-related resources in mental arithmetic, especially with increasing task difficulty. These results coincide with the theory of simple calculation relying on the visuospatial process and complex calculation depending on the phonological process. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Patient Experiences on Dutch Social Media to Supervise Health Care Services: Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

Engelen, Lucien JLPG; Verhoef, Lise M; van der Weide, Marian JA; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Kool, Rudolf B

2015-01-01

Background Social media has become mainstream and a growing number of people use it to share health care-related experiences, for example on health care rating sites. These users’ experiences and ratings on social media seem to be associated with quality of care. Therefore, information shared by citizens on social media could be of additional value for supervising the quality and safety of health care services by regulatory bodies, thereby stimulating participation by consumers. Objective The objective of the study was to identify the added value of social media for two types of supervision by the Dutch Healthcare Inspectorate (DHI), which is the regulatory body charged with supervising the quality and safety of health care services in the Netherlands. These were (1) supervision in response to incidents reported by individuals, and (2) risk-based supervision. Methods We performed an exploratory study in cooperation with the DHI and searched different social media sources such as Twitter, Facebook, and healthcare rating sites to find additional information for these incidents and topics, from five different sectors. Supervision experts determined the added value for each individual result found, making use of pre-developed scales. Results Searches in social media resulted in relevant information for six of 40 incidents studied and provided relevant additional information in 72 of 116 cases in risk-based supervision of long-term elderly care. Conclusions The results showed that social media could be used to include the patient’s perspective in supervision. However, it appeared that the rating site ZorgkaartNederland was the only source that provided information that was of additional value for the DHI, while other sources such as forums and social networks like Twitter and Facebook did not result in additional information. This information could be of importance for health care inspectorates, particularly for its enforcement by risk-based supervision in care of the elderly. Further research is needed to determine the added value for other health care sectors. PMID:25592481

The effect of hydroxyapatite addition on the mechanical properties of polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan biomaterials for bone scaffolds application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramahdita, Ghiska; Puspita, Debie Maya; Albab, Muh Fadhil; Alfata, Rowi; Sofyan, Nofrijon; Yuwono, Akhmad Herman

2018-02-01

The increasing number of bone fracture incident in Indonesia from year to year needs an urgent problem solving of the limited bone substitute which can meet the necessary criteria for that purpose. Motivated by this, therefore, the current study is focusing on the optimization of material properties used as bone scaffold. A biomaterial of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/chitosan-hydroxyapatite (HA) composite was successfully made by wet chemistry method, followed by freeze thawing and freeze drying. For comparison purposes, the percentage of HA has been varied from 0, 25 and 40 % (wt/v). The resulting composites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), compressive test, and swelling behavior. The results showed that the addition of HA up to 40% (wt/v) has yielded a porous structure with an average pore size of 42.39 µm. In addition, the compressive modulus was enhanced from 14 MPa for 0% HA to 143, and 191 MPa for composites with the addition of HA from 25 to 40% (wt/v). The addition of HA has also reduced the swelling ratio from 296% for the sample without HA to 85 and 78 % for sample with addition of HA from 25 to 40 (wt/v), respectively. The obtained results show that PVA/chitosan-HA in this study is potential to be used as scaffold in bone tissue engineering.

Study of Interaction between Cadmium and Bovine Serum Albumin with UV-Vis Spectrocopy Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suhartono, E.; Thalib, I.; Aflanie, I.; Noor, Z.; Idroes, R.

2018-05-01

This study aims to explain the interaction of cadmium (Cd) with serum albumin through visible light (UV-Vis) spectroscopy approach. This study is an in vitro experimental study using Cd with several concentrations and Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA). Each solution was then incubated for 10 min at 37°C, and measured the absorbance at 220-300 nm. The absorbance data is then presented in graphical form. From the graph, a linear equation will appear to calculate the value of metal binding constants (K) to proteins. Also, in this present study we analsyed the ratio between A220 and A220 to identify changes in the protein region especially tyrosine and peptide bonds. The results show that the addition of Cd in different concentrations could increase the absorbance with a constant value (K) = 1.634. Based on the result, it seems the addition of Cd in different concentrations will lead the reaction to form BSA-Cd. Also, the result shows that the ration of A220/A280 were decreased with the increasing of Cd concentration. In conclusion, the addition of Cd could interact and changes the protein structure in BSA.

Summary (Songbird ecology in southwestern ponderosa pine forests: A literature review)

Treesearch

William M. Block; Deborah M. Finch; Joseph L. Ganey; William H. Moir

1997-01-01

Most ornithological studies in Southwestern ponderosa pine forests have yielded results that are applicable only to the specific location and particular conditions of the study areas (for example, Green 1979 and Hurlbert 1984). In addition, varying interpretation of similar study results by investigators has limited our ability to extend or synthesize research results...

Research on Capacity Addition using Market Model with Transmission Congestion under Competitive Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katsura, Yasufumi; Attaviriyanupap, Pathom; Kataoka, Yoshihiko

In this research, the fundamental premises for deregulation of the electric power industry are reevaluated. The authors develop a simple model to represent wholesale electricity market with highly congested network. The model is developed by simplifying the power system and market in New York ISO based on available data of New York ISO in 2004 with some estimation. Based on the developed model and construction cost data from the past, the economic impact of transmission line addition on market participants and the impact of deregulation on power plant additions under market with transmission congestion are studied. Simulation results show that the market signals may fail to facilitate proper capacity additions and results in the undesirable over-construction and insufficient-construction cycle of capacity addition.

Parameters and pitfalls to consider in the conduct of food additive research, Carrageenan as a case study.

PubMed

Weiner, Myra L

2016-01-01

This paper provides guidance on the conduct of new in vivo and in vitro studies on high molecular weight food additives, with carrageenan, the widely used food additive, as a case study. It is important to understand the physical/chemical properties and to verify the identity/purity, molecular weight and homogeneity/stability of the additive in the vehicle for oral delivery. The strong binding of CGN to protein in rodent chow or infant formula results in no gastrointestinal tract exposure to free CGN. It is recommended that doses of high Mw non-caloric, non-nutritive additives not exceed 5% by weight of total solid diet to avoid potential nutritional effects. Addition of some high Mw additives at high concentrations to liquid nutritional supplements increases viscosity and may affect palatability, caloric intake and body weight gain. In in vitro studies, the use of well-characterized, relevant cell types and the appropriate composition of the culture media are necessary for proper conduct and interpretation. CGN is bound to media protein and not freely accessible to cells in vitro. Interpretation of new studies on food additives should consider the interaction of food additives with the vehicle components and the appropriateness of the animal or cell model and dose-response. Copyright © 2015 FMC Corporation. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The behavior of antibiotic resistance genes and arsenic influenced by biochar during different manure composting.

PubMed

Cui, Erping; Wu, Ying; Jiao, Yanan; Zuo, Yiru; Rensing, Christopher; Chen, Hong

2017-06-01

The effect of two different biochar types, rice straw biochar (RSB) and mushroom biochar (MB), on chicken manure composting was previously examined by monitoring the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and arsenic. The behavior of ARGs and arsenic in other kinds of manure composting with the same biochar types had not been examined. In this study, we added either RSB or MB to pig and duck manure composts to study the behavior of ARGs (tet genes, sul genes, and chloramphenicol resistance genes) and arsenic under the same experimental condition. The results showed that the average removal values of selected ARGs were respectively 2.56 and 2.09 log units in duck and pig manure compost without the addition of biochar. The effect of biochar addition on the average removal value of ARGs depended on the type of biochar and manure. For instance, in pig manure compost, MB addition increased the average removal value of ARGs, while RSB addition decreased. And both biochar additions had a negative influence on the average removal value of ARGs in duck manure compost. Analytical results also demonstrated that MB addition reduced total arsenic and the percentage of bioavailable arsenic more than RSB.

A novel model for through-silicon via (TSV) filling process simulation considering three additives and current density effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fuliang; Zhao, Zhipeng; Wang, Feng; Wang, Yan; Nie, Nantian

2017-12-01

Through-silicon via (TSV) filling by electrochemical deposition is still a challenge for 3D IC packaging, and three-component additive systems (accelerator, suppressor, and leveler) were commonly used in the industry to achieve void-free filling. However, models considering three additive systems and the current density effect have not been fully studied. In this paper, a novel three-component model was developed to study the TSV filling mechanism and process, where the interaction behavior of the three additives (accelerator, suppressor, and leveler) were considered, and the adsorption, desorption, and consumption coefficient of the three additives were changed with the current density. Based on this new model, the three filling types (seam void, ‘V’ shape, and key hole) were simulated under different current density conditions, and the filling results were verified by experiments. The effect of the current density on the copper ion concentration, additives surface coverage, and local current density distribution during the TSV filling process were obtained. Based on the simulation and experimental results, the diffusion-adsorption-desorption-consumption competition behavior between the suppressor, the accelerator, and the leveler were discussed. The filling mechanisms under different current densities were also analyzed.

Examination of the Mass Transfer of Additive Elements in Barium Titanate Ceramics during Sintering Process by Laser Ablation ICP-MS.

PubMed

Sakate, Daisuke; Iwazaki, Yoshiki; Kon, Yoshiaki; Yokoyama, Takaomi; Ohata, Masaki

2018-01-01

The mass transfer of additive elements during the sintering of barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) ceramic was examined by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) in the present study. An analytical sample consisting of two pellets of BaTiO 3 with different concentrations of additive elements of manganese (Mn) and holmium (Ho) as well as silicon (Si) as a sintering reagent was prepared and measured by LA-ICP-MS with small laser irradiated diameter of 10 μm to evaluate the distributions and concentrations of additive elements in order to examine their mass transfers. As results, enrichments of Mn and Si as an additive element and a sintering reagent, respectively, were observed on the adhesive surface between two BaTiO 3 pellets, even though Ho did not show a similar phenomenon. The mass transfers of additive elements of Mn and Ho were also examined, and Mn seemed to show a larger mass transfer than that of Ho during the sintering process for BaTiO 3 ceramics. The results obtained in this study shows the effectives of LA-ICP-MS for the future improvement of MLCCs.

[Nitrogen input altered testate amoebae community in peatland of Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China].

PubMed

Song, Li-hong; Yan, Xiu-min; Wang, Ke-hong; Zhu, Xiao-yan; Wu, Dong-hu

2015-02-01

In the present study, an in situ control experiment was carried out to explore the response of testate amoebae to exogenous nitrogen addition in peatland of Sanjiang Plain. The results showed that nitrogen addition increased the biomass of testate amoebae at lower levels (6 g N · m(-2)), while decreased it at higher levels (> 12 g N · m(-2)). At genus level, nitrogen addition significantly increased the biomass of Arcella and Phryganella, decreased the biomass of Euglypha. Only lower nitrogen addition significantly increased the biomass of Centropyxis. At species level, nitrogen addition significantly decreased the biomass of Euglypha rotunda, while the biomass of either Centropyxis cassis or Phryganella acropodia was increased by a lower nitrogen addition treatment. This study suggested that the response of peatland testate amoebae to nitrogen addition was species specific, which could potentially be used as an indicator for the environment of peatlands.

Impact of additional sulphur on structure, morphology and optical properties of SnS thin films by thermal evaporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banotra, Arun; Padha, Naresh; Kumar, Shiv; Kapoor, Ashok K.

2018-05-01

Thin films of SnS have been obtained from Sn and S powders which were mixed up using ball mill technique with and without evaporating additional sulphur prior to annealing at 523K. The obtained samples were taken for structural, optical, chemical and morphological studies. The X-ray diffraction reveals the formation of SnS phase on annealing in vacuum having S/Sn ratio of 0.67 obtained from EDAX. This deficit in `S' is removed by supplementing additional `S' of 200nm prior to annealing which results in the S/Sn ratio of 1.01. The optical transmission recorded from spectrophotometer used to study different optical parameters. Morphological results corroborate well with the XRD, EDAX and optical study. The obtained stoichiometric films were also tested for Ag/p-SnS Schottky diodes on In coated glass substrates using current voltage measurements.

Chemical and biological consequences of using carbon dioxide versus acid additions in ocean acidification experiments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yates, Kimberly K.; DuFore, Christopher M.; Robbins, Lisa L.

2013-01-01

Use of different approaches for manipulating seawater chemistry during ocean acidification experiments has confounded comparison of results from various experimental studies. Some of these discrepancies have been attributed to whether addition of acid (such as hydrochloric acid, HCl) or carbon dioxide (CO2) gas has been used to adjust carbonate system parameters. Experimental simulations of carbonate system parameter scenarios for the years 1766, 2007, and 2100 were performed using the carbonate speciation program CO2SYS to demonstrate the variation in seawater chemistry that can result from use of these approaches. Results showed that carbonate system parameters were 3 percent and 8 percent lower than target values in closed-system acid additions, and 1 percent and 5 percent higher in closed-system CO2 additions for the 2007 and 2100 simulations, respectively. Open-system simulations showed that carbonate system parameters can deviate by up to 52 percent to 70 percent from target values in both acid addition and CO2 addition experiments. Results from simulations for the year 2100 were applied to empirically derived equations that relate biogenic calcification to carbonate system parameters for calcifying marine organisms including coccolithophores, corals, and foraminifera. Calculated calcification rates for coccolithophores, corals, and foraminifera differed from rates at target conditions by 0.5 percent to 2.5 percent in closed-system CO2 gas additions, from 0.8 percent to 15 percent in the closed-system acid additions, from 4.8 percent to 94 percent in open-system acid additions, and from 7 percent to 142 percent in open-system CO2 additions.

Hazard assessment of hydraulic fracturing chemicals using an indexing method.

PubMed

Hu, Guangji; Liu, Tianyi; Hager, James; Hewage, Kasun; Sadiq, Rehan

2018-04-01

The rapid expansion of unconventional natural gas production has triggered considerable public concerns, particularly regarding environmental and human health (EHH) risks posed by various chemical additives used in hydraulic fracturing (HF) operations. There is a need to assess the potential EHH hazards of additives used in real-world HF operations. In this study, HF additive and fracturing fluid data was acquired, and EHH hazards were assessed using an indexing approach. The indexing system analyzed chemical toxicological data of different ingredients contained within additives and produced an aggregated EHH safety index for each additive, along with an indicator describing the completeness of the chemical toxicological data. The results show that commonly used additives are generally associated with medium-level EHH hazards. In each additive category, ingredients of high EHH concern were identified, and the high hazard designation was primarily attributed to ingredients' high aquatic toxicity and carcinogenic effects. Among all assessed additive categories, iron control agents were identified as the greatest EHH hazards. Lack of information, such as undisclosed ingredients and chemical toxicological data gaps, has resulted in different levels of assessment uncertainties. In particular, friction reducers show the highest data incompleteness with regards to EHH hazards. This study reveals the potential EHH hazards associated with chemicals used in current HF field operations and can provide decision makers with valuable information to facilitate sustainable and responsible unconventional gas production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The fracture and fragmentation behaviour of additively manufactured stainless steel 316L

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amott, Russell; Harris, Ernest; Winter, Ron; Stirk, Stewart; Chapman, David; Eakins, Daniel

2015-06-01

Expanding cylinder experiments using a gas gun technique allow investigations into the ductility of metals and the fracture and fragmentation mechanisms that occur during rapid tensile failure. These experiments allow the radial strain-rate of the expansion to be varied in the range 102 to 104 s-1. Presented here is a comparative study of the fracture and fragmentation behaviour of rapidly expanded stainless steel 316L cylinders manufactured from either wrought bar or by additive manufacturing techniques. The results show that in the strain-rate regime studied, an additively manufactured cylinder failed at a higher strain and produced larger fragment widths compared to cylinders manufactured from wrought bar. In addition, an investigation into the role of deliberate equispaced macroscopic voids introduced into a cylinder wall has been undertaken. Using the unique properties of additive manufacture, elongated voids were introduced to the cylinder wall at an angle of 45° to the cylinder radius, and the resulting fragment patterns will be discussed. A comparison of the expanding cylinder profiles with simulations using CTH will also be presented.

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.

Misconception on Addition and Subtraction of Fraction at Primary School Students in Fifth-Grade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trivena, V.; Ningsih, A. R.; Jupri, A.

2017-09-01

This study aims to investigate the mastery concept of the student in mathematics learning especially in addition and subtraction of fraction at primary school level. By using qualitative research method, the data were collected from 23 grade five students (10-11-year-old). Instruments included a test, that is accompanied by Certainty Response Index (CRI) and interview with students and teacher. The result of the test has been obtained, then processed by analyzing the student’s answers for each item and then grouped by the CRI categories that combined with the results of the interview with students and teacher. The results showed that student’s mastery-concept on additional and subtraction dominated by category ‘misconception’. So, we can say that mastery-concept on addition and subtraction of fraction at fifth-grade students is still low. Finally, the impact can make most of primary student think that learning addition and subtraction of fraction in mathematics is difficult.

Socioscientific Issues in Science Education: The Case of Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topcu, Mustafa Sami; Mugaloglu, Ebru Zeynep; Guven, Devrim

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to identify the foci and results of studies on socioscientific issues (SSI) conducted in Turkey. Additionally, the study aimed to compare the results of this study with ones conducted internationally. For this aim, a literary review of empirical studies related to SSI conducted in Turkey was carried out. Four criteria…

Positron annihilation studies of zirconia doped with metal cations of different valence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prochazka, I.; Cizek, J.; Melikhova, O.; Konstantinova, T. E.; Danilenko, I. A.; Yashchishyn, I. A.; Anwand, W.; Brauer, G.

2013-06-01

New results obtained by applying positron annihilation spectroscopy to the investigation of zirconia-based nanomaterials doped with metal cations of different valence are reported. The slow-positron implantation spectroscopy combined with Doppler broadening measurements was employed to study the sintering of pressure-compacted nanopowders of tetragonal yttria-stabilised zirconia (t-YSZ) and t-YSZ with chromia additive. Positronium (Ps) formation in t-YSZ was proven by detecting 3γ-annihilations of ortho-Ps and was found to gradually decrease with increasing sintering temperature. A subsurface layer with enhanced 3γ-annihilations, compared to the deeper regions, could be identified. Addition of chromia was found to inhibit Ps formation. In addition, first results of positron lifetime measurements on nanopowders of zirconia phase-stabilised with MgO and CeO2 are presented.

Cryopreservation of umbilical cord blood with a novel freezing solution that mimics intracellular ionic composition.

PubMed

Nicoud, Ian B; Clarke, Dominic M; Taber, Greta; Stolowski, Kristin M; Roberge, Sarah E; Song, Melissa K; Mathew, Aby J; Reems, Jo-Anna

2012-09-01

Cryopreservation protocols have remained relatively unchanged since the first umbilical cord blood banking program was established. This study evaluated the preservation efficacy of a novel intracellular-like cryopreservation solution (CryoStor, BioLife Solutions, Inc.), the rate of addition of two cryopreservation solutions to cord blood units (CBUs), and reduced final dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) concentration of 5%. Split-sample CBUs were cryopreserved with either an in-house 20% DMSO-based cryopreservation solution or CryoStor CS10 at a rate of 1 mL/min (n = 10; i.e., slow addition) or as a bolus injection (n = 6; i.e., fast addition). Infrared images of exothermic effects of the cryopreservation solutions were monitored relative to the rate of addition. Prefreeze and postthaw colony-forming unit assays, total nucleated cells, and CD34+ cell counts were compared. Maximum temperature excursions observed were less than 6°C, regardless of the rate of solution addition. Fast addition resulted in peak excursions approximately twice that of slow addition but the magnitude and duration were minimal and transient. Slow addition of CryoStor CS10 (i.e., final concentration ≤ 5% DMSO) resulted in significantly better postthaw CD34+ cell recoveries; no other metrics were significantly different. Fast addition of CryoStor resulted in similar postthaw metrics compared to slow addition of the in-house solution. Slow and fast addition of cryopreservation solutions result in mean temperature changes of approximately 3.3 to 4.45°C. Postthaw recoveries with CryoStor were equivalent to or slightly better than with the in-house cryopreservation solution. CryoStor also provides several advantages including reduced processing time, formulation consistency, and reduced DMSO in the frozen product (≤ 5%). © 2012 American Association of Blood Banks.

Making intelligent systems team players: Additional case studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T.; Schreckenghost, Debra L.; Rhoads, Ron W.

1993-01-01

Observations from a case study of intelligent systems are reported as part of a multi-year interdisciplinary effort to provide guidance and assistance for designers of intelligent systems and their user interfaces. A series of studies were conducted to investigate issues in designing intelligent fault management systems in aerospace applications for effective human-computer interaction. The results of the initial study are documented in two NASA technical memoranda: TM 104738 Making Intelligent Systems Team Players: Case Studies and Design Issues, Volumes 1 and 2; and TM 104751, Making Intelligent Systems Team Players: Overview for Designers. The objective of this additional study was to broaden the investigation of human-computer interaction design issues beyond the focus on monitoring and fault detection in the initial study. The results of this second study are documented which is intended as a supplement to the original design guidance documents. These results should be of interest to designers of intelligent systems for use in real-time operations, and to researchers in the areas of human-computer interaction and artificial intelligence.

Additive mixed effect model for recurrent gap time data.

PubMed

Ding, Jieli; Sun, Liuquan

2017-04-01

Gap times between recurrent events are often of primary interest in medical and observational studies. The additive hazards model, focusing on risk differences rather than risk ratios, has been widely used in practice. However, the marginal additive hazards model does not take the dependence among gap times into account. In this paper, we propose an additive mixed effect model to analyze gap time data, and the proposed model includes a subject-specific random effect to account for the dependence among the gap times. Estimating equation approaches are developed for parameter estimation, and the asymptotic properties of the resulting estimators are established. In addition, some graphical and numerical procedures are presented for model checking. The finite sample behavior of the proposed methods is evaluated through simulation studies, and an application to a data set from a clinic study on chronic granulomatous disease is provided.

Familial Vulnerability to ADHD Affects Activity in the Cerebellum in Addition to the Prefrontal Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulder, Martijn J.; Baeyens, Dieter; Davidson, Matthew C.; Casey, B. J.; Van Den Ban, Els; Van Engeland, Herman; Durston, Sarah

2008-01-01

The study examines whether cerebellar systems are sensitive to familial risk for ADHD in addition to frontostriatal circuitry. The results conclude that familial vulnerability to ADHD affects activity in both the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum.

[Supernumerary chromosomes in the karyotype of the Siberian spruce, P. obovata].

PubMed

Muratova, E N; Vladimirova, O S

2001-01-01

Results of karyological study of ornamental forms of Picea obovata Ledeb. are presented. Typical chromosome number (2n) is 24, but some trees have one or two additional chromosomes (2n = 24 + 1B; 2n = 24 + 2B). Heritability of additional chromosomes, pollen fertility, morphological features of cones, and seed quality in trees with and without additional chromosomes were studied. System of B-chromosomes is of importance for population and species adaptation and possibly plays a role in adaptation of P. obovata under introduction.

Annual impact of scribes on physician productivity and revenue in a cardiology clinic

PubMed Central

Bank, Alan J; Gage, Ryan M

2015-01-01

Objective Scribes are increasingly being used in clinics to assist physicians with documentation during patient care. The annual effect of scribes in a real-world clinic on physician productivity and revenue has not been evaluated. Methods We performed a retrospective study comparing the productivity during routine clinic visits of ten cardiologists using scribes vs 15 cardiologists without scribes. We tracked patients per hour and patients per year seen per physician. Average direct revenue (clinic visit) and downstream revenue (cardiovascular revenue in the 2 months following a clinic visit) were measured in 486 patients and used to calculate annual revenue generated as a result of increased productivity. Results Physicians with scribes saw 955 new and 4,830 follow-up patients vs 1,318 new and 7,150 follow-up patients seen by physicians without scribes. Physicians with scribes saw 9.6% more patients per hour (2.50±0.27 vs 2.28±0.15, P<0.001). This improved productivity resulted in 84 additional new and 423 additional follow-up patients seen, 3,029 additional work relative value units (wRVUs) generated, and an increased cardiovascular revenue of $1,348,437. Physicians with scribes also generated an additional revenue of $24,257 by producing clinic notes that were coded at a higher level. Total additional revenue generated was $1,372,694 at a cost of $98,588 for the scribes. Conclusion Physician productivity in a cardiology clinic was ∼10% higher for physicians using scribes. This improved productivity resulted in 84 additional new and 423 additional follow-up patients seen in 1 year. The use of scribes resulted in the generation of 3,029 additional wRVUs and an additional annual revenue of $1,372,694 at a cost of $98,588. PMID:26457055

High temporal resolution fluorescence measurements of a mitochondrial dye for detection of early stage apoptosis

PubMed Central

Iyer, Divya; Ray, Rachel D.; Pappas, Dimitri

2013-01-01

In the present study, early stage apoptosis is explored with high temporal resolution. In addition to monitoring early apoptosis induction in single cells by ultrasensitive confocal fluorescence microscopy (UCFM), the mitochondrial proteins release kinetics was explored. The current study shows development and optimization of a novel, rapid apoptosis assay to explore the earliest changes in cells by the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. We show that early apoptotic changes in the mitochondria begin nearly simultaneously with the addition of an apoptosis-inducing drug, such as staurosporine. With a temporal resolution of five minutes, this non-invasive analytical technique can elucidate the earliest apoptotic events in living cells. Moreover, our results show that the mitochondrial inter-membrane proteins are not involved in the extrinsic pathway of Ramos cells mediated by an anti-CD95 antibody. Additional techniques such as light microscopy and flow cytometry were employed to confirm the results obtained by ultrasensitive confocal fluorescence microscopy. The results of this study help to understand the earliest mechanisms of apoptosis induction in cells, enabling new methods of drug testing and dose-response analyses. PMID:23831722

Mechanical properties of PA6/PP compatibilized nanocomposites using a twin screw extruder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Almeida, M. F.; Correia, Aldina; e Silva, Eliana Costa; Lopes, I. Cristina

2017-11-01

In this article, a new approach to study the compatibilization effect of organophilic clays in PA6/PP polymer blends through experimental results of mechanical tests is presented. This study focus on the description of the interphase in compatibilization by addition of the organoclays C15A and C30B into the polymer PA6/PP blend by melt compounding using a Twin Screw Extruder. The experimental results variations are studied, by addition of the organoclays in uncompatibilized polymer blend, using non-parametric analysis of variance (Kruskal-Wallis Test). For all the experimental results, significant differences are identified between the types of polymer blends. It was observed the compatibilization effect of both organophilic clays, being the differences most evident in the presence of PP modified.

Application of biosurfactants, rhamnolipid, and surfactin, for enhanced biodegradation of diesel-contaminated water and soil.

PubMed

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

2008-02-28

This study investigated potential application of two biosurfactants, surfactin (SF) and rhamnolipid (RL), for enhanced biodegradation of diesel-contaminated water and soil with a series of bench-scale experiments. The rhamnolipid used in this study, a commonly isolated glycolipid biosurfactant, was produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa J4, while the surfactin, a lipoprotein type biosurfactant, was produced by Bacillus subtilis ATCC 21332. Both biosurfactants were able to reduce surface tension to less than 30 dynes/cm from 72 dynes/cm with critical micelle concentration (CMC) values of 45 and 50 mg/L for surfactin and rhamnolipid, respectively. In addition, the results of diesel dissolution experiments also demonstrated their ability in increasing diesel solubility with increased biosurfactant addition. In diesel/water batch experiments, an addition of 40 mg/L of surfactin significantly enhanced biomass growth (2500 mg VSS/L) as well as increased diesel biodegradation percentage (94%), compared to batch experiments with no surfactin addition (1000 mg VSS/L and 40% biodegradation percentage). Addition of surfactin more than 40 mg/L, however, decreased both biomass growth and diesel biodegradation efficiency, with a worse diesel biodegradation percentage (0%) at 400 mg/L of SF addition. Similar trends were also observed for both specific rate constants of biomass growth and diesel degradation, as surfactin addition increased from 0 to 400 mg/L. Addition of rhamnolipid to diesel/water systems from 0 to 80 mg/L substantially increased biomass growth and diesel biodegradation percentage from 1000 to 2500 mg VSS/L and 40 to 100%, respectively. Rhamnolipid addition at a concentration of 160 mg/L provided similar results to those of an 80 mg/L addition. Finally, potential application of surfactin and rhamnolipid in stimulating indigenous microorganisms for enhanced bioremediation of diesel-contaminated soil was also examined. The results confirmed their enhancing capability on both efficiency and rate of diesel biodegradation in diesel/soil systems.

Gadolinium doped ceria interlayers for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells cathodes: Enhanced reactivity with sintering aids (Li, Cu, Zn), and improved densification by infiltration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicollet, Clement; Waxin, Jenny; Dupeyron, Thomas; Flura, Aurélien; Heintz, Jean-Marc; Ouweltjes, Jan Pieter; Piccardo, Paolo; Rougier, Aline; Grenier, Jean-Claude; Bassat, Jean-Marc

2017-12-01

This paper reports the study of the densification of 20% Gd doped ceria (Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 (GDC)) interlayers in SOFC cathodes through two different routes: the well-known addition of sintering elements, and an innovative densification process by infiltration. First, Li, Cu, and Zn nitrates were added to GDC powders. The effect of these additives on the densification was studied by dilatometry on pellets, and show a large decrease of the sintering temperature from 1330 °C (pure GDC), down to 1080 °C, 950 °C, and 930 °C for Zn, Cu, and Li addition, respectively. However, this promising result does not apply to screen-printed layers, which are more porous than pellets and in which the shrinkage is constrained by the substrate. The second approach consists in preparing a pre-sintered GDC layer, which is subsequently infiltrated with Ce and Gd nitrates and sintered at 1250 °C to increase its density. Such an approach results in highly dense GDC interlayers. Using La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ (LSCF) as electrode, the influence of the interlayers on the cathode performance was studied. The addition of sintering aids dramatically increases the cell resistances, most likely because the additives increase the reactivity between GDC and either Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) or LSCF, thus losing the expected benefit related to the decrease of sintering temperatures. The interlayers prepared by infiltration do not induce additional resistances in the cell, which results in power densities of single cells 40-50% higher than those of cells prepared with commercial GDC interlayers, making this approach a valuable alternative to sintering aids.

Cost-efficacy in interventional cardiology; results from the EPISTENT study. Evaluation of Platelet IIb/IIIa Inhibitor For Stenting Trial.

PubMed

Zwart-van Rijkom, J E; van Hout, B A

2001-08-01

The EPISTENT study has demonstrated that the combined use of abciximab and stenting as an adjunct to PTCA leads to increased event-free survival compared to either using abciximab or stenting alone. However, this combined strategy may be costly and the additional costs have to be weighted against the additional effects. The 6-months efficacy data from the EPISTENT study are combined with Dutch estimates of unit costs. Adding a stent to a procedure with abciximab further decreases the number of revascularizations at an extra cost of Euros 12,000 (95% upper limit (u.l.) Euros 31,000) per additional major adverse cardiac event-free survivor. Adding abciximab to a stenting procedure decreases the incidence of myocardial infarctions at an extra cost of Euros 13,000 (95% u.l. Euros 27,000) per additional myocardial infarction-free survivor. In the subgroup of diabetics, adding abciximab improves revascularization rates as well, resulting in a cost-efficacy rate of Euros 2000 (95% u.l. Euros 25,000) per additional MACE-free survivor, with uncertainty regions indicating potential costs savings. The combination of stenting and abciximab costs about Euros 13,000 to avoid one event after PTCA. In diabetic patients the strategy may be cost-saving. Copyright 2001 The European Society of Cardiology.

A study of internal structure in components made by additive manufacturing process using 3 D X-ray tomography

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

Raguvarun, K., E-mail: prajagopal@iitm.ac.in; Balasubramaniam, Krishnan, E-mail: prajagopal@iitm.ac.in; Rajagopal, Prabhu, E-mail: prajagopal@iitm.ac.in

Additive manufacturing methods are gaining increasing popularity for rapidly and efficiently manufacturing parts and components in the industrial context, as well as for domestic applications. However, except when used for prototyping or rapid visualization of components, industries are concerned with the load carrying capacity and strength achievable by additive manufactured parts. In this paper, the wire-arc additive manufacturing (AM) process based on gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) has been examined for the internal structure and constitution of components generated by the process. High-resolution 3D X-ray tomography is used to gain cut-views through wedge-shaped parts created using this GTAW additive manufacturingmore » process with titanium alloy materials. In this work, two different control conditions for the GTAW process are considered. The studies reveal clusters of porosities, located in periodic spatial intervals along the sample cross-section. Such internal defects can have a detrimental effect on the strength of the resulting AM components, as shown in destructive testing studies. Closer examination of this phenomenon shows that defect clusters are preferentially located at GTAW traversal path intervals. These results highlight the strong need for enhanced control of process parameters in ensuring components with minimal defects and higher strength.« less

A study of internal structure in components made by additive manufacturing process using 3 D X-ray tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raguvarun, K.; Balasubramaniam, Krishnan; Rajagopal, Prabhu; Palanisamy, Suresh; Nagarajah, Romesh; Hoye, Nicholas; Curiri, Dominic; Kapoor, Ajay

2015-03-01

Additive manufacturing methods are gaining increasing popularity for rapidly and efficiently manufacturing parts and components in the industrial context, as well as for domestic applications. However, except when used for prototyping or rapid visualization of components, industries are concerned with the load carrying capacity and strength achievable by additive manufactured parts. In this paper, the wire-arc additive manufacturing (AM) process based on gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) has been examined for the internal structure and constitution of components generated by the process. High-resolution 3D X-ray tomography is used to gain cut-views through wedge-shaped parts created using this GTAW additive manufacturing process with titanium alloy materials. In this work, two different control conditions for the GTAW process are considered. The studies reveal clusters of porosities, located in periodic spatial intervals along the sample cross-section. Such internal defects can have a detrimental effect on the strength of the resulting AM components, as shown in destructive testing studies. Closer examination of this phenomenon shows that defect clusters are preferentially located at GTAW traversal path intervals. These results highlight the strong need for enhanced control of process parameters in ensuring components with minimal defects and higher strength.

Effects of In and Ni Addition on Microstructure of Sn-58Bi Solder Joint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mokhtari, Omid; Nishikawa, Hiroshi

2014-11-01

In this study, the effect of adding 0.5 wt.% and 1 wt.% In and Ni to Sn-58Bi solder on intermetallic compound (IMC) layers at the interface and the microstructure of the solder alloys were investigated during reflow and thermal aging by scanning electron microscopy and electron probe micro-analysis. The results showed that the addition of minor elements was not effective in suppressing the IMC growth during the reflow; however, the addition of 0.5 wt.% In and Ni was effective in suppressing the IMC layer growth during thermal aging. The thickening kinetics of the total IMC layer was analyzed by plotting the mean thickness versus the aging time on log-log coordinates, and the results showed the transition point from grain boundary diffusion control to a volume diffusion control mechanism. The results also showed that the minor addition of In can significantly suppress the coarsening of the Bi phase.

Influence of Cu Addition on the Structure, Mechanical and Corrosion Properties of Cast Mg-2%Zn Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lotfpour, M.; Emamy, M.; Dehghanian, C.; Tavighi, K.

2017-05-01

Effects of different concentrations of Cu on the structure, mechanical and corrosion properties of Mg-2%Zn alloy were studied by the use of x-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, standard tensile testing, polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The average grain size of the alloy decreased from above 1000 μm to about 200 μm with 5 wt.% Cu addition in as-cast condition. Microstructural studies revealed that Mg-2Zn- xCu alloys matrix typically consists of primary α-Mg and MgZnCu and Mg(Zn,Cu)2 intermetallics which are mainly found at the grain boundaries. The results obtained from mechanical testing ascertained that Cu addition increased the hardness values significantly. Although the addition of 0.5 wt.% Cu improved the ultimate tensile strength and elongation values, more Cu addition (i.e., 5 wt.%) weakened the tensile properties of the alloy by introducing semi-continuous network of brittle intermetallic phases. Based on polarization test results, it can be concluded that Cu eliminates a protective film on Mg-2%Zn alloy surface. Among Mg-2%Zn- x%Cu alloys, the one containing 0.1 wt.% Cu exhibited the best anti-corrosion property. However, further Cu addition increased the volume fraction of intermetallics culminating in corrosion rate enhancement due to the galvanic couple effect. EIS and microstructural analysis also confirmed the polarization results.

Effect of flavonols on wine astringency and their interaction with human saliva.

PubMed

Ferrer-Gallego, Raúl; Brás, Natércia F; García-Estévez, Ignacio; Mateus, Nuno; Rivas-Gonzalo, Julián C; de Freitas, Victor; Escribano-Bailón, M Teresa

2016-10-15

The addition of external phenolic compounds to wines in order to improve their sensory quality is an established winemaking practice. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of the addition of quercetin 3-O-glucoside on the astringency and bitterness of wines. Sensory results showed that the addition of this flavonol to wines results in an increase in astringency and bitterness. Additionally, flavonol-human salivary protein interactions were studied using fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and molecular dynamic simulations (MD). The apparent Stern-Volmer (KsvApp) and the apparent bimolecular quenching constants (kqApp) were calculated from fluorescence spectra. The KsvApp was 12620±390M(-1), and the apparent biomolecular constant was 3.94×10(12)M(-1)s(-1), which suggests that a complex was formed between the human salivary proteins and quercetin 3-O-glucoside. MD simulations showed that the quercetin 3-O-glucoside molecules have the ability to bind to the IB937 model peptide. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of furan derivatives on biohydrogen fermentation from wet steam-exploded cornstalk and its microbial community.

PubMed

Liu, Zhidan; Zhang, Chong; Wang, Linjun; He, Jianwei; Li, Baoming; Zhang, Yuanhui; Xing, Xin-Hui

2015-01-01

Understanding the role of furan derivatives, furfural (FUR) and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF), is important for biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, the effects of furan derivatives on hydrogen fermentation from wet steam-exploded cornstalk were investigated. The control experiments with only seed sludge indicated that HMF addition of up to 1g/L stimulated hydrogen production. Similar results were obtained using steam-exploded cornstalk as the feedstock. Hydrogen productivity was increased by up to 40% with the addition of HMF. In addition, over 90% of furan derivatives with an initial concentration below 1g/L were degraded. Pyosequencing showed that the addition of HMF and FUR resulted in different microbial communities. HMF led to a higher proportion of the genera Clostridium and Ruminococcaceae, supporting the increased hydrogen production. This study suggested that hydrogen fermentation could be a detoxifying step for steam-exploded cornstalk, and HMF and FUR exhibited different functions for hydrogen fermentation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Frictional properties of lubrication greases with the addition of nickel nanoparticles in pneumatic cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Ho; Lan, Chou-Wei; Guo, Jia-Bin

2011-12-01

This paper studies the influence of addition of 100 nm diameter nickel nano-particles on the friction properties of synthetic grease (Li base, VG100) in pneumatic cylinder. The friction force test of pneumatic cylinder equipment measures the frictional force between seal and cylinder bore in pneumatic cylinders. The lubricants with addition of nickel nano-particles were used for lubricating the contact interface between seal and cylinder bore. The friction force test equipment employ a load cell force sensor to measure the friction force between seals and cylinder bores. Results obtained from experimental tests are compared to determine the friction force between seals and cylinder bore in pneumatic cylinders. The study leads to the conclusion that the addition of nickel nano-particles to synthetic grease results in a decrease in friction force between seals and cylinder bores in pneumatic cylinder. This tribological behavior is closely related to the deposition of nano-particles on the rubbing surfaces

[Effects of nurses' perception of servant leadership on leader effectiveness, satisfaction and additional effort: focused on the mediating effects of leader trust and value congruence].

PubMed

Han, Sang Sook; Kim, Nam Eun

2012-02-01

This study was done to examine the effects of nurses' perception of servant leadership on leader effectiveness, satisfaction and promoting additional effort. The focus was the mediating effects of leader trust and value congruence. Data were collected from 361 RN-BSN students and nurses participating in nationally attended in-service training programs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural analysis with SPSS 17.0 windows program and Amos 7.0. Direct effects of nurses' perception of servant leadership were negative, but mediating effects of trust and value congruency were positively correlated with leader effectiveness, satisfaction and additional effort, that is servant leadership should be effective through mediating factors. The study results indicate that if the middle managers of nurses can build leader trust and value congruency between nurses through servant leadership, leader effectiveness, satisfaction and additional effort on the part of the nurses could result in a positive change in the long term.

The fracture and fragmentation behaviour of additively manufactured stainless steel 316L

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amott, R.; Harris, E. J.; Winter, R. E.; Stirk, S. M.; Chapman, D. J.; Eakins, D. E.

2017-01-01

Expanding cylinder experiments using a gas gun technique allow investigations into the ductility of metals and the fracture and fragmentation mechanisms that occur during rapid tensile failure. These experiments allow the radial strain-rate of the expansion to be varied in the range 102 to 104 s-1. Presented here is a comparative study of the fracture and fragmentation behaviour of rapidly expanded stainless steel 316L cylinders manufactured from either a wrought bar or additive manufacturing techniques. The results show that in the strain-rate regime studied, an additively manufactured cylinder failed at a higher strain and produced larger fragment widths when compared to cylinders manufactured from a wrought bar. In addition, an investigation into the role of macroscopic elongated voids that were introduced into the cylinder wall, at an angle of 45° to the cylinder radius, was undertaken. A comparison between experimental and simulated results (using the Eulerian hydrocode CTH) was also completed.

Improved quality of frozen boer goat semen with the addition of sweet orange essential oil on tris yolk and gentamicin extender

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitepu, S. A.; Zaituni, U.; Jaswandi; Hendri

2018-02-01

This research aimed to determine the extent of frozen semen quality Boer Goat by essential oils of sweet orange peel in tris yolk and gentamicin extender. Research has been conducted at the Laboratory Loka Penelitian Kambing Potong Sei Putih, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra in February 2017. This study used a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 5 replications. Treatments are 0.25; 0.5; 0.75 and 1% essential oils as additional diluent. The parameters were measured percentage Motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and viability Boer Goat frozen semen. The results showed that the addition of essential oils as diluent semen was significant (P <0.01) in the percentage motility, Viability, membrane integrity and acrosome integrity Boer Goat frozen semen. Motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and viability was significantly higher in all treated groups than the control group. The best results of all treatments In the study was the addition of essential oil as much as 1%.

Study of the Effect of Trace Mg Additions on Carbides in Die Steel H13

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ji; Li, Jing; Wang, Liang-liang; Zhu, Qin-tian

2016-09-01

Carbides in annealed steel H13 without magnesium and with a micro-addition of magnesium (0.0010%) are studied. Trace amounts of magnesium strengthen carbide segregation and reduce their size. Carbides phases M7C3, M6 C, and M(C, N) are detected in steel H13, and this agrees with results of thermodynamic calculations.

Microstructural Study Of Zinc Hot Dip Galvanized Coatings with Titanium Additions In The Zinc Melt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konidaris, S.; Pistofidis, N.; Vourlias, G.; Pavlidou, E.; Stergiou, A.; Stergioudis, G.; Polychroniadis, E. K.

2007-04-01

Zinc hot-dip galvanizing is a method for protecting iron and steel against corrosion. Galvanizing with pure Zn or Zn with additions like Ni, Al, Pb and Bi has been extensively studied, but there is a lack of scientific information about other additions. The present work examines the effect of a 0.5 wt% Ti addition in the Zn melt. The samples were exposed to accelerated corrosion in a salt spray chamber (SSC). The microstructure and chemical composition of the coatings were determined by Optical Microscopy, XRD and SEM associated with an EDS Analyzer. The results indicate that the coatings have a typical morphology, while Zn-Ti phases were also detected.

Using patient experiences on Dutch social media to supervise health care services: exploratory study.

PubMed

van de Belt, Tom H; Engelen, Lucien J L P G; Verhoef, Lise M; van der Weide, Marian J A; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Kool, Rudolf B

2015-01-15

Social media has become mainstream and a growing number of people use it to share health care-related experiences, for example on health care rating sites. These users' experiences and ratings on social media seem to be associated with quality of care. Therefore, information shared by citizens on social media could be of additional value for supervising the quality and safety of health care services by regulatory bodies, thereby stimulating participation by consumers. The objective of the study was to identify the added value of social media for two types of supervision by the Dutch Healthcare Inspectorate (DHI), which is the regulatory body charged with supervising the quality and safety of health care services in the Netherlands. These were (1) supervision in response to incidents reported by individuals, and (2) risk-based supervision. We performed an exploratory study in cooperation with the DHI and searched different social media sources such as Twitter, Facebook, and healthcare rating sites to find additional information for these incidents and topics, from five different sectors. Supervision experts determined the added value for each individual result found, making use of pre-developed scales. Searches in social media resulted in relevant information for six of 40 incidents studied and provided relevant additional information in 72 of 116 cases in risk-based supervision of long-term elderly care. The results showed that social media could be used to include the patient's perspective in supervision. However, it appeared that the rating site ZorgkaartNederland was the only source that provided information that was of additional value for the DHI, while other sources such as forums and social networks like Twitter and Facebook did not result in additional information. This information could be of importance for health care inspectorates, particularly for its enforcement by risk-based supervision in care of the elderly. Further research is needed to determine the added value for other health care sectors.

Surface molecular imprinting onto fluorescein-coated magnetic nanoparticlesvia reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization: A facile three-in-one system for recognition and separation of endocrine disrupting chemicals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ying; Dong, Cunku; Chu, Jia; Qi, Jingyao; Li, Xin

2011-01-01

In this study, we present a general protocol for the making of surface-imprinted magnetic fluorescence beads viareversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. The resulting composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The as-synthesized beads exhibited homogeneous polymer films (thickness of about 5.7 nm), spherical shape, high fluorescence intensity and magnetic property (Magnetization (Ms) = 3.67 emu g-1). The hybrids bind the original template 17β-estradiol with an appreciable selectivity over structurally related compounds. In addition, the resulting hybrids performed without obvious deterioration after five repeated cycles. This study therefore demonstrates the potential of molecularly imprinted polymers for the recognition and separation of endocrine disrupting chemicals.In this study, we present a general protocol for the making of surface-imprinted magnetic fluorescence beads viareversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. The resulting composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The as-synthesized beads exhibited homogeneous polymer films (thickness of about 5.7 nm), spherical shape, high fluorescence intensity and magnetic property (Magnetization (Ms) = 3.67 emu g-1). The hybrids bind the original template 17β-estradiol with an appreciable selectivity over structurally related compounds. In addition, the resulting hybrids performed without obvious deterioration after five repeated cycles. This study therefore demonstrates the potential of molecularly imprinted polymers for the recognition and separation of endocrine disrupting chemicals. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Supplementary figure S1. The hysteresis loop of Fe3O4 (a), Fe3O4@SiO2 (b), and Fe3O4@SiO2-Dye-SiO2 (c). See DOI: 10.1039/c0nr00614a

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.

Research in Observations of Oceanic Air/Sea Interaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Long, David G.; Arnold, David V.

1995-01-01

The primary purpose of this research has been: (1) to develop an innovative research radar scatterometer system capable of directly measuring both the radar backscatter and the small-scale and large-scale ocean wave field simultaneously and (2) deploy this instrument to collect data to support studies of air/sea interaction. The instrument has been successfully completed and deployed. The system deployment lasted for six months during 1995. Results to date suggest that the data is remarkably useful in air/sea interaction studies. While the data analysis is continuing, two journal and fifteen conference papers have been published. Six papers are currently in review with two additional journal papers scheduled for publication. Three Master's theses on this research have been completed. A Ph.D. student is currently finalizing his dissertation which should be completed by the end of the calendar year. We have received additional 'mainstream' funding from the NASA oceans branch to continue data analysis and instrument operations. We are actively pursuing results from the data expect additional publications to follow. This final report briefly describes the instrument system we developed and results to-date from the deployment. Additional detail is contained in the attached papers selected from the bibliography.

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

PubMed

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

2015-11-01

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

The influence of bioaugmentation and biosurfactant addition on bioremediation efficiency of diesel-oil contaminated soil: feasibility during field studies.

PubMed

Szulc, Alicja; Ambrożewicz, Damian; Sydow, Mateusz; Ławniczak, Łukasz; Piotrowska-Cyplik, Agnieszka; Marecik, Roman; Chrzanowski, Łukasz

2014-01-01

The study focused on assessing the influence of bioaugmentation and addition of rhamnolipids on diesel oil biodegradation efficiency during field studies. Initial laboratory studies (measurement of emitted CO2 and dehydrogenase activity) were carried out in order to select the consortium for bioaugmentation as well as to evaluate the most appropriate concentration of rhamnolipids. The selected consortium consisted of following bacterial taxa: Aeromonas hydrophila, Alcaligenes xylosoxidans, Gordonia sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas putida, Rhodococcus equi, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Xanthomonas sp. It was established that the application of rhamnolipids at 150 mg/kg of soil was most appropriate in terms of dehydrogenase activity. Based on the obtained results, four treatment methods were designed and tested during 365 days of field studies: I) natural attenuation; II) addition of rhamnolipids; III) bioaugmentation; IV) bioaugmentation and addition of rhamnolipids. It was observed that bioaugmentation contributed to the highest diesel oil biodegradation efficiency, whereas the addition of rhamnolipids did not notably influence the treatment process. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seeing the forest through the trees: improving decision making on the Iowa gambling task by shifting focus from short- to long-term outcomes

PubMed Central

Buelow, Melissa T.; Okdie, Bradley M.; Blaine, Amber L.

2013-01-01

Introduction: The present study sought to examine two methods by which to improve decision making on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT): inducing a negative mood and providing additional learning trials. Method: In the first study, 194 undergraduate students [74 male; Mage = 19.44 (SD = 3.69)] were randomly assigned to view a series of pictures to induce a positive, negative, or neutral mood immediately prior to the IGT. In the second study, 276 undergraduate students [111 male; Mage = 19.18 (SD = 2.58)] completed a delay discounting task and back-to-back administrations of the IGT. Results: Participants in an induced negative mood selected more from Deck C during the final trials than those in an induced positive mood. Providing additional learning trials resulted in better decision making: participants shifted their focus from the frequency of immediate gains/losses (i.e., a preference for Decks B and D) to long-term outcomes (i.e., a preference for Deck D). In addition, disadvantageous decision making on the additional learning trials was associated with larger delay discounting (i.e., a preference for more immediate but smaller rewards). Conclusions: The present results indicate that decision making is affected by negative mood state, and that decision making can be improved by increasing the number of learning trials. In addition, the current results provide evidence of a relationship between performance on the IGT and on a separate measure of decision making, the delay discounting task. Moreover, the present results indicate that improved decision making on the IGT can be attributed to shifting focus toward long-term outcomes, as evidenced by increased selections from advantageous decks as well as correlations between the IGT and delay discounting task. Implications for the assessment of decision making using the IGT are discussed. PMID:24151485

Estimating the Error of an Analog Quantum Simulator by Additional Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwenk, Iris; Zanker, Sebastian; Reiner, Jan-Michael; Leppäkangas, Juha; Marthaler, Michael

2017-12-01

We study an analog quantum simulator coupled to a reservoir with a known spectral density. The reservoir perturbs the quantum simulation by causing decoherence. The simulator is used to measure an operator average, which cannot be calculated using any classical means. Since we cannot predict the result, it is difficult to estimate the effect of the environment. Especially, it is difficult to resolve whether the perturbation is small or if the actual result of the simulation is in fact very different from the ideal system we intend to study. Here, we show that in specific systems a measurement of additional correlators can be used to verify the reliability of the quantum simulation. The procedure only requires additional measurements on the quantum simulator itself. We demonstrate the method theoretically in the case of a single spin connected to a bosonic environment.

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

PubMed Central

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

2015-01-01

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

Additive effects of word frequency and stimulus quality: the influence of trial history and data transformations.

PubMed

Balota, David A; Aschenbrenner, Andrew J; Yap, Melvin J

2013-09-01

A counterintuitive and theoretically important pattern of results in the visual word recognition literature is that both word frequency and stimulus quality produce large but additive effects in lexical decision performance. The additive nature of these effects has recently been called into question by Masson and Kliegl (in press), who used linear mixed effects modeling to provide evidence that the additive effects were actually being driven by previous trial history. Because Masson and Kliegl also included semantic priming as a factor in their study and recent evidence has shown that semantic priming can moderate the additivity of word frequency and stimulus quality (Scaltritti, Balota, & Peressotti, 2012), we reanalyzed data from 3 published studies to determine if previous trial history moderated the additive pattern when semantic priming was not also manipulated. The results indicated that previous trial history did not influence the joint influence of word frequency and stimulus quality. More important, and independent of Masson and Kliegl's conclusions, we also show how a common transformation used in linear mixed effects analyses to normalize the residuals can systematically alter the way in which two variables combine to influence performance. Specifically, using transformed, rather than raw reaction times, consistently produces more underadditive patterns. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

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.

Effect of salt addition on acid resistance response of Escherichia coli O157:H7 against acetic acid.

PubMed

Bae, Young-Min; Lee, Sun-Young

2017-08-01

A combination of salt and acid is commonly used in the production of many foods, such as pickles and fermented foods. However, in our previous studies, addition of salt significantly reduced the inhibitory effect of acetic acid against E. coli O157:H7 in laboratory media and pickled cucumbers. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effect of salt addition on the acid resistance (AR) response of E. coli O157:H7 after treatment with acetic acid. The combined effect of acetic acid and salt showed different results depending on media tested. Organic compounds such as yeast extract and tryptone were required to observe the antagonistic effect of salt and acetic acid in combination. However, use of an rpoS mutant or addition of chloramphenicol resulted in no changes in the antagonistic effect of acetic acid and salt. The addition of glutamate to phosphate buffer significantly increased the survival levels of E. coli O157:H7 after the acetic acid treatment; however, the survival levels were lower than those after the treatment with acetic acid alone. Thus, the addition of salt may increase the AR response of E. coli O157:H7; however, these survival mechanisms were not proven clearly. Therefore, further studies need to be performed to better understand the antagonism of acetic acid salt against E. coli O157:H7. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microstructure of Amorphous and Semi-Crystalline Polymers.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-07

of these materials. Further, the occurrence of nodular structures is difficult to reconcile with the results of studies of small angle neutron ...scattering and small angle neutron scattering studies of the same materials. Based on the combined results of these studies , it is suggested that the nodular...relevance here were reviewed by Flory.’ In addition to these, the results of studies using small angle neutron scattering’ and wide angle X-ray scattering

Effects of xanthan, guar, carrageenan and locust bean gum addition on physical, chemical and sensory properties of meatballs.

PubMed

Demirci, Zeynep Ozben; Yılmaz, Ismail; Demirci, Ahmet Şukru

2014-05-01

This study evaluated the effects of xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan and locust bean gum on physical, chemical and sensory properties of meatballs. Meatball samples were produced with three different formulations including of 0.5, 1, and 1.5% each gum addition and gum added samples were compared with the control meatballs. Physical and chemical analyses were carried out on raw and cooked samples separately. Moisture contents of raw samples decreased by addition of gums. There were significant decreases (p < 0.05) in moisture and fat contents of raw and cooked meatball samples formulated with gum when compared with control. Ash contents and texture values increased with gum addition to meatballs. Meatball redness decreased with more gum addition in raw and cooked meatball samples, which means that addition of gums resulted in a lighter-coloured product. According to sensory analysis results, locust bean gum added (1%) samples were much preferred by the panelists.

Mental additions and verbal-domain interference in children with developmental dyscalculia.

PubMed

Mammarella, Irene C; Caviola, Sara; Cornoldi, Cesare; Lucangeli, Daniela

2013-09-01

This study examined the involvement of verbal and visuo-spatial domains in solving addition problems with carrying in a sample of children diagnosed with developmental dyscalculia (DD) divided into two groups: (i) those with DD alone and (ii) those with DD and dyslexia. Age and stage matched typically developing (TD) children were also studied. The addition problems were presented horizontally or vertically and associated with verbal or visuo-spatial information. Study results showed that DD children's performance on mental calculation tasks was more impaired when they tackled horizontally presented addition problems compared to vertically presented ones that are associated to verbal domain involvement. The performance pattern in the two DD groups was found to be similar. The theoretical, clinical and educational implications of these findings are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using a Computer Game to Reinforce Skills in Addition Basic Facts in Second Grade.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraus, William H.

1981-01-01

A computer-generated game called Fish Chase was developed to present drill-and-practice exercises on addition facts. The subjects of the study were 19 second-grade pupils. The results indicate a computer game can be used effectively to increase proficiency with basic facts. (MP)

Elders' Life Stories: Impact on the Next Generation of Health Professionals

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to pilot an enhanced version of the “Share your Life Story” life review writing workshop. The enhanced version included the addition of an intergenerational exchange, based on the content of seniors' writings, with students planning careers in the health sciences. The researcher employed a mixed methods design. Preliminary results using descriptive analysis revealed an increase in positive images of aging and a decrease in negative images of aging among the five student participants. Qualitative results revealed six themes that illuminate the hows and whys of the quantitative results as well as additional program benefits. Feedback from students and seniors helped to refine the intergenerational protocol for a larger scale study. PMID:24027579

Comparing GWAS Results of Complex Traits Using Full Genetic Model and Additive Models for Revealing Genetic Architecture

PubMed Central

Monir, Md. Mamun; Zhu, Jun

2017-01-01

Most of the genome-wide association studies (GWASs) for human complex diseases have ignored dominance, epistasis and ethnic interactions. We conducted comparative GWASs for total cholesterol using full model and additive models, which illustrate the impacts of the ignoring genetic variants on analysis results and demonstrate how genetic effects of multiple loci could differ across different ethnic groups. There were 15 quantitative trait loci with 13 individual loci and 3 pairs of epistasis loci identified by full model, whereas only 14 loci (9 common loci and 5 different loci) identified by multi-loci additive model. Again, 4 full model detected loci were not detected using multi-loci additive model. PLINK-analysis identified two loci and GCTA-analysis detected only one locus with genome-wide significance. Full model identified three previously reported genes as well as several new genes. Bioinformatics analysis showed some new genes are related with cholesterol related chemicals and/or diseases. Analyses of cholesterol data and simulation studies revealed that the full model performs were better than the additive-model performs in terms of detecting power and unbiased estimations of genetic variants of complex traits. PMID:28079101

Analysis of Cycling Costs in Western Wind and Solar Integration Study

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

Jordan, G.; Venkataraman, S.

The Western Wind and Solar Integration Study (WWSIS) examined the impact of up to 30% penetration of variable renewable generation on the Western Electricity Coordinating Council system. Although start-up costs and higher operating costs because of part-load operation of thermal generators were included in the analysis, further investigation of additional costs associated with thermal unit cycling was deemed worthwhile. These additional cycling costs can be attributed to increases in capital as well as operations and maintenance costs because of wear and tear associated with increased unit cycling. This analysis examines the additional cycling costs of the thermal fleet by leveragingmore » the results of WWSIS Phase 1 study.« less

The influence of additives on the crystal habit of gibbsite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seyssiecq, Isabelle; Veesler, Stéphane; Pèpe, Gérard; Boistelle, Roland

1999-01-01

Crystallization of gibbsite (Al(OH) 3) is an important stage of the Bayer process, production of alumina from bauxite ores. In both pure or industrial supersaturated sodium aluminate solutions, gibbsite crystals are always agglomerated. In the present paper, we present results of a study concerning the influence of different polycarboxylic acids as crystal habit modifier for gibbsite. In pure solution, agglomerated hexagonal plates are observed. Whereas acicular and tabular morphologies are found in the presence of different additives. These results are discussed referring to the crystallographic structure of gibbsite. It is found that only oxygen atoms are present on gibbsite surface. This observation leads us to propose an additive way of acting by formation of a molecular complex between the growth unit and the carboxylic groups of the additive.

The effects of the sequential addition of synthesis parameters on the performance of alkali activated fly ash mortar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dassekpo, Jean-Baptiste Mawulé; Zha, Xiaoxiong; Zhan, Jiapeng; Ning, Jiaqian

Geopolymer is an energy efficient and sustainable material that is currently used in construction industry as an alternative for Portland cement. As a new material, specific mix design method is essential and efforts have been made to develop a mix design procedure with the main focus on achieving better compressive strength and economy. In this paper, a sequential addition of synthesis parameters such as fly ash-sand, alkaline liquids, plasticizer and additional water at well-defined time intervals was investigated. A total of 4 mix procedures were used to study the compressive performance on fly ash-based geopolymer mortar and the results of each method were analyzed and discussed. Experimental results show that the sequential addition of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium silicate (Na2SiO3), plasticizer (PL), followed by adding water (WA) increases considerably the compressive strengths of the geopolymer-based mortar. These results clearly demonstrate the high significant influence of sequential addition of synthesis parameters on geopolymer materials compressive properties, and also provide a new mixing method for the preparation of geopolymer paste, mortar and concrete.

Relevance of the 1-year dog study in assessing human health risks for registration of pesticides. An update to include pesticides registered in Japan.

PubMed

Kobel, Werner; Fegert, Ivana; Billington, Richard; Lewis, Richard; Bentley, Karin; Langrand-Lerche, Carole; Botham, Phil; Sato, Masako; Debruyne, Eric; Strupp, Christian; van Ravenzwaay, Bennard

2014-11-01

Over 400 active pesticides are registered in Japan (FAMIC 2013). The results of dog toxicity studies (usually, the 1-year study) were used by the Japanese regulatory authorities to establish the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for 45 pesticide active ingredients (about 9%). A retrospective review of ADIs established in Japan with dog studies as pivotal data for their derivation was performed: the ADIs were reassessed under the assumption that the 1-year dog study would not be available and an alternate ADI was derived based on the remaining toxicology database. In 35 of the 45 cases (77.8%) the ADI resulting from the absence of the 1-year dog study was no greater than twice the Japanese ADI, a difference considered not to be of biological significance. In 6 cases (13%) the resulting ADI was 2-5 times higher, which is considered of questionable biological relevance. On further evaluation of the database, three of these six cases were assessed as to clarify that there is no clear difference and for the other three additional studies to clarify that uncertain findings would have been required. In 3 of the 45 cases (7%) there may be a real difference within the ADI ratio of 2-5. Only in 1 case (2.2%) ADI was five times higher than that has been set. Accordingly, the absence of a 1-year dog study does not appear to influence the ADI derivation in a relevant manner in more than 98% of cases. For the four compounds with a real difference in ADI, consumer exposure would still be well below the alternative ADI. Therefore, a strong case can be made that the standard mandatory requirement to conduct a 1-year dog study, in addition to the 3-month study, is not justified and of no additional value in protecting human health. In addition, a substantial reduction in test animals could be achieved.

Activating situation schemas: the effects of multiple thematic roles on related verbs in a continuous priming paradigm.

PubMed

Herlofsky, Stacey M; Edmonds, Lisa A

2013-02-01

Extensive evidence has shown that presentation of a word (target) following a related word (prime) results in faster reaction times compared to unrelated words. Two primes preceding a target have been used to examine the effects of multiple influences on a target. Several studies have observed greater, or additive, priming effects of multiple related primes compared to single related primes. The present study aims to eliminate attentional factors that may have contributed to findings in previous studies that used explicitly presented primes and targets. Thus, a continuous priming paradigm where targets are unknown to participants is used with noun-noun-verb triads filling agent, patient, and action roles in situation schemas (tourist, car, rent). Results replicate priming of single nouns preceding related verbs but do not suggest an additive effect for two nouns versus one. The absence of additive priming suggests that attentional processes may have been a factor in previous research.

Explosive shock damage potential in space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mortimer, R. W.

1972-01-01

The effects of a pulse shape on the transient response of a cylindrical shell are presented. Uniaxial, membrane, and bending theories for isotropic shells were used in this study. In addition to the results of the analytical study, the preliminary results of an experimental study into the generation and measurement of shear waves in a cylindrical shell are included.

Annual impact of scribes on physician productivity and revenue in a cardiology clinic.

PubMed

Bank, Alan J; Gage, Ryan M

2015-01-01

Scribes are increasingly being used in clinics to assist physicians with documentation during patient care. The annual effect of scribes in a real-world clinic on physician productivity and revenue has not been evaluated. We performed a retrospective study comparing the productivity during routine clinic visits of ten cardiologists using scribes vs 15 cardiologists without scribes. We tracked patients per hour and patients per year seen per physician. Average direct revenue (clinic visit) and downstream revenue (cardiovascular revenue in the 2 months following a clinic visit) were measured in 486 patients and used to calculate annual revenue generated as a result of increased productivity. Physicians with scribes saw 955 new and 4,830 follow-up patients vs 1,318 new and 7,150 follow-up patients seen by physicians without scribes. Physicians with scribes saw 9.6% more patients per hour (2.50±0.27 vs 2.28±0.15, P<0.001). This improved productivity resulted in 84 additional new and 423 additional follow-up patients seen, 3,029 additional work relative value units (wRVUs) generated, and an increased cardiovascular revenue of $1,348,437. Physicians with scribes also generated an additional revenue of $24,257 by producing clinic notes that were coded at a higher level. Total additional revenue generated was $1,372,694 at a cost of $98,588 for the scribes. Physician productivity in a cardiology clinic was ∼10% higher for physicians using scribes. This improved productivity resulted in 84 additional new and 423 additional follow-up patients seen in 1 year. The use of scribes resulted in the generation of 3,029 additional wRVUs and an additional annual revenue of $1,372,694 at a cost of $98,588.

Cell proliferation and hair cell addition in the ear of the goldfish, Carassius auratus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lanford, P. J.; Presson, J. C.; Popper, A. N.

1996-01-01

Cell proliferation and hair cell addition have not been studied in the ears of otophysan fish, a group of species who have specialized hearing capabilities. In this study we used the mitotic S-phase marker bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) to identify proliferating cells in the ear of one otophysan species, Carassius auratus (the goldfish). Animals were sacrificed at 3 h or 5 days postinjection with BrdU and processed for immunocytochemistry. The results of the study show that cell proliferation occurs in all of the otic endorgans and results in the addition of new hair cells. BrdU-labeled cells were distributed throughout all epithelia, including the primary auditory endorgan (saccule), where hair cell phenotypes vary considerably along the rostrocaudal axis. This study lays the groundwork for our transmission electron microscopy study of proliferative cells in the goldfish ear (Presson et al., Hearing Research 100 (1996) 10-20) as well as future studies of hair cell development in this species. The ability to predict, based on epithelial location, the future phenotype of developing hair cells in the saccule of the goldfish make that endorgan a particularly powerful model system for the investigation of early hair cell differentiation.

[Effect of pectin additives from cotton on the physical development, nutrition and erythrocytes in infants].

PubMed

Salomov, I T; Ashurov, A R; Oblakulov, Kh M; Salomov, U I; Dzhalilov, B M

1994-01-01

The authors examined 156 babies on bottle feeding or breast and bottle feeding against control group of 60 babies whose diets were identical with the study group except additional intake of cotton-boll pectin. The latter was used for the first time as a biologically active ingredient of infant food (1 g per 100 ml of infant milk or food 3 times a day for 45-60 days). As a result of the pectin addition the infants of the study group had better nutritional status and physical development, their erythrocytic system was superior to that of the controls. It is stated that the addition of cotton-boll pectin to baby diet is beneficial for their health.

Enhanced sulfidation xanthate flotation of malachite using ammonium ions as activator.

PubMed

Wu, Dandan; Ma, Wenhui; Mao, Yingbo; Deng, Jiushuai; Wen, Shuming

2017-05-18

In this study, ammonium ion was used to enhance the sulfidation flotation of malachite. The effect of ammonium ion on the sulfidation flotation of malachite was investigated using microflotation test, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis, zeta potential measurements, and scanning electron microscope analysis (SEM). The results of microflotation test show that the addition of sodium sulfide and ammonium sulfate resulted in better sulfidation than the addition of sodium sulfide alone. The results of ICP analysis indicate that the dissolution of enhanced sulfurized malachite surface is significantly decreased. Zeta potential measurements indicate that a smaller isoelectric point value and a large number of copper-sulfide films formed on the malachite surface by enhancing sulfidation resulted in a large amount of sodium butyl xanthate absorbed onto the enhanced sulfurized malachite surface. EDS semi-quantitative analysis and XPS analysis show that malachite was easily sulfurized by sodium sulfide with ammonium ion. These results show that the addition of ammonium ion plays a significant role in the sulfidation of malachite and results in improved flotation performance.

Integrating Nonadditive Genomic Relationship Matrices into the Study of Genetic Architecture of Complex Traits.

PubMed

Nazarian, Alireza; Gezan, Salvador A

2016-03-01

The study of genetic architecture of complex traits has been dramatically influenced by implementing genome-wide analytical approaches during recent years. Of particular interest are genomic prediction strategies which make use of genomic information for predicting phenotypic responses instead of detecting trait-associated loci. In this work, we present the results of a simulation study to improve our understanding of the statistical properties of estimation of genetic variance components of complex traits, and of additive, dominance, and genetic effects through best linear unbiased prediction methodology. Simulated dense marker information was used to construct genomic additive and dominance matrices, and multiple alternative pedigree- and marker-based models were compared to determine if including a dominance term into the analysis may improve the genetic analysis of complex traits. Our results showed that a model containing a pedigree- or marker-based additive relationship matrix along with a pedigree-based dominance matrix provided the best partitioning of genetic variance into its components, especially when some degree of true dominance effects was expected to exist. Also, we noted that the use of a marker-based additive relationship matrix along with a pedigree-based dominance matrix had the best performance in terms of accuracy of correlations between true and estimated additive, dominance, and genetic effects. © The American Genetic Association 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Thermal and Tribological Properties of Jatropha Oil as Additive in Commercial Oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallardo-Hernández, E. A.; Lara-Hernández, G.; Nieto-Camacho, F.; Domínguez-Pacheco, A.; Cruz-Orea, A.; Hernández-Aguilar, C.; Contreras-Gallegos, E.; Torres, M. Vite; Flores-Cuautle, J. J. A.

2017-04-01

The recent use that has been given to bio-oil as an additive, in a commercial engine oil, raises the necessity to study its physical properties. The present study is aimed to obtain thermal properties of blends made with Jatropha-Curcas L. Oil, Crude, and Refined, at different concentrations using SAE40W oil (EO) as a lubricant base. By using photothermal techniques, thermal effusivity and diffusivity were obtained. The obtained results show that thermal effusivity increases from 455 Ws^{1/2}{\\cdot }m^{-2}{\\cdot }K^{-1} to 520 Ws^{1/2}{\\cdot }m^{-2}{\\cdot }K^{-1} as the percentage of additive increases as well, whereas thermal diffusivity values range from 7× 10^{-8}m2{\\cdot }s^{-1} to 10× 10^{-8}m2{\\cdot }s^{-1}. In the present study, four balls test was used in order to obtain friction coefficient and wear scar values for studied samples, the obtained results point out that in general refined Jatropha-Curcas L. oil presents smaller wear scars than the crude one.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression by Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg cells is associated with reduced overall survival in young adult patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

PubMed

Campos, Antonio Hugo; Vassallo, Jose; Soares, Fernando Augusto

2013-01-01

Previous studies have investigated the prognostic relevance of MMP9 in classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), with negative results. However, we have found that MMP9 immunoistochemical expression by Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg cells is associated with reduced overall survival in a subset of young adult Brazilian patients diagnosed with cHL. Additionally, we have observed that MMP9 expression by neoplastic cells in cHL is associated with EBV positivity. These results may support a rational basis for additional studies on the role of this metalloproteinase as a target for therapy in classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Using MicroCT to Assess Periodontal Regeneration Outcomes-Comparison of Image-Based and Histologic Results: A Case Report.

PubMed

Rebaudi, Alberto; Trisi, Paolo; Pagni, Giorgio; Wang, Hom-Lay

The purpose of this study was to compare microcomputed tomography (microCT) and histologic analysis outcomes of a periodontal regeneration of a human defect treated with a polylactic- and polyglycolic-acid copolymer. At 11 months following the grafting procedure, the root with the surrounding periodontal tissues was removed and analyzed using microCT and histologic techniques. The results suggest that microCT three-dimensional analysis may be used in synergy with two-dimensional histologic sections to provide additional information for studying the regeneration outcomes normally reported by histologic biopsies in humans. Additional data is needed to validate these findings.

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

[Comparative Study on Bowel Preparation Efficacy of Ascorbic Acid Containing Polyethylene Glycol by Adding Either Simethicone or 1 L of Water in Health Medical Examination Patients: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study].

PubMed

Yeo, Se Hwan; Kwak, Jae Hoon; Kim, Yeo Un; Kwon, Tae Ho; Park, Jeong Bae; Park, Jun Hyung; Lee, Yong Kook; Lim, Yun Jeong; Yang, Chang Heon

2016-04-25

There are no studies that looked into the bubble eliminating efficacy of polyethylene glycol with ascorbic acid (PEGA), which has been one of the shortcomings of polyethylene glycol (PEG). In this study, we compared newly introduced PEGA regimen by adding either simethicone or 1 L of water. A prospective randomized controlled study was carried out at Dongguk Universtiy Gyeongju Hospital from July 2014 to September 2014. A total of 90 patients were randomly assigned to 3 groups; PEGA group (n=30) which served as control, simethicone addition group (n=30) to which simethicone 400 mg was additionally prescribed, and water addition group (n=30) to whom additional 1 L of water was given. Cleansing effectiveness, gas elimination efficacy, side effects, and patient satisfaction were compared between the groups. PEGA group demonstrated the highest cleansing effectiveness, but there was no statistically significant difference among the groups. Simethicone addition group showed significantly lesser amount of bubbles than the other groups (2.57±2.05 vs. 1.10±1.83 vs. 2.60±2.84, p=0.017). The rates of side effects in each group were 20.00% vs. 16.77% vs. 53.33%. Water addition group had significantly more side effects than the PEGA group and the simethicone addition group (p=0.003). The patient satisfaction score of each group was 3.37±0.85 vs. 3.73±0.74 vs. 3.20±0.66 with simethicone addition group showing significantly higher satisfaction than water addition group (p=0.020). PEGA bowel preparation agent showed satisfactory bowel cleansing despite the decrease in dosage, and addition of simethicone resulted in better bubble elimination.

ACCEPTANCE OF FUNCTIONAL FOOD AMONG CHILEAN CONSUMERS: APPLE LEATHER.

PubMed

van Vliet, Maya; Adasme-Berrios, Cristian; Schnettler, Berta

2015-10-01

the aim of this study is to measure acceptance of a specific functional food: apple (fruit) leather, based on organoleptic characteristics and to identify consumer types and preferences for natural additives which increase the product's functionality and meet current nutritional needs. a sample of 800 consumers provided an evaluation of apple leather in terms of acceptance (liking). A sensorial panel was carried out using a 9-point hedonic scale. Cluster analysis was used to identify different acceptance-based consumer types. In addition, a conjoint analysis was carried out to determine preference for different additives. the cluster analysis resulted in four groups with significant differences in the average likings obtained from the sensory panel. Results indicate that the sweetness of the tested apple leather was evaluated best among all groups and, on average, color was rated as the worst attribute. However, overall likings differ significantly between groups. Results from the conjoint analysis indicate that, in general, consumers prefer natural additives included in the product which enhance functionality. although there is a "global acceptance" of the product, there are significant differences between groups. The results of the conjoint analysis indicate that, in general, consumers prefer the aggregation of natural additives which increase the product's functionality. Apple leather with natural additives, such as anticariogenics and antioxidants, can be considered a functional substitute of unhealthy snacks and/or sweets. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Meta-GWAS and Meta-Analysis of Exome Array Studies Do Not Reveal Genetic Determinants of Serum Hepcidin

PubMed Central

Galesloot, Tessel E.; van Dijk, Freerk; Geurts-Moespot, Anneke J.; Girelli, Domenico; Kiemeney, Lambertus A. L. M.; Sweep, Fred C. G. J.; Swertz, Morris A.; van der Meer, Peter; Camaschella, Clara; Toniolo, Daniela; Vermeulen, Sita H.; van der Harst, Pim; Swinkels, Dorine W.

2016-01-01

Serum hepcidin concentration is regulated by iron status, inflammation, erythropoiesis and numerous other factors, but underlying processes are incompletely understood. We studied the association of common and rare single nucleotide variants (SNVs) with serum hepcidin in one Italian study and two large Dutch population-based studies. We genotyped common SNVs with genome-wide association study (GWAS) arrays and subsequently performed imputation using the 1000 Genomes reference panel. Cohort-specific GWAS were performed for log-transformed serum hepcidin, adjusted for age and gender, and results were combined in a fixed-effects meta-analysis (total N 6,096). Six top SNVs (p<5x10-6) were genotyped in 3,821 additional samples, but associations were not replicated. Furthermore, we meta-analyzed cohort-specific exome array association results of rare SNVs with serum hepcidin that were available for two of the three cohorts (total N 3,226), but no exome-wide significant signal (p<1.4x10-6) was identified. Gene-based meta-analyses revealed 19 genes that showed significant association with hepcidin. Our results suggest the absence of common SNVs and rare exonic SNVs explaining a large proportion of phenotypic variation in serum hepcidin. We recommend extension of our study once additional substantial cohorts with hepcidin measurements, GWAS and/or exome array data become available in order to increase power to identify variants that explain a smaller proportion of hepcidin variation. In addition, we encourage follow-up of the potentially interesting genes that resulted from the gene-based analysis of low-frequency and rare variants. PMID:27846281

Morphology studies of hydrophobic silica on filter surface prepared via spray technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahfiq Zulkifli, Nazrul; Zaini Yunos, Muhamad; Ahmad, Azlinnorazia; Harun, Zawati; Akhair, Siti Hajar Mohd; Adibah Raja Ahmad, Raja; Hafeez Azhar, Faiz; Rashid, Abdul Qaiyyum Abd; Ismail, Al Emran

2017-08-01

This study investigated the effect of the hydrophobic surface treatment effect of air filter performance by using silica aerogel powder as an additive by using spray coating techniques. The membrane characterization tests were carried out on a filter prepared from different additive concentration. Studies on the cross-section and the distribution of particles on the membrane were carried out using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the surface morphology was investigated by x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results are shown by SEM and EDS that the microstructure filter, especially in the upper layer and sub-layer has been changed. The results also show an increase of hydrophobicity due to the increased quantity of silica aerogel powder.

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.

Comparison of carbon onions and carbon blacks as conductive additives for carbon supercapacitors in organic electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jäckel, N.; Weingarth, D.; Zeiger, M.; Aslan, M.; Grobelsek, I.; Presser, V.

2014-12-01

This study investigates carbon onions (∼400 m2 g-1) as a conductive additive for supercapacitor electrodes of activated carbon and compares their performance with carbon black with high or low internal surface area. We provide a study of the electrical conductivity and electrochemical behavior between 2.5 and 20 mass% addition of each of these three additives to activated carbon. Structural characterization shows that the density of the resulting film electrodes depends on the degree of agglomeration and the amount of additive. Addition of low surface area carbon black (∼80 m2 g-1) enhances the power handling of carbon electrodes but significantly lowers the specific capacitance even when adding small amounts of carbon black. A much lower decrease in specific capacitance is observed for carbon onions and the best values are seen for carbon black with a high surface area (∼1390 m2 g-1). The overall performance benefits from the addition of any of the studied additives only at either high scan rates and/or electrolytes with high ion mobility. Normalization to the volume shows a severe decrease in volumetric capacitance and only at high current densities nearing 10 A g-1 we can see an improvement of the electrode capacitance.

Mechanistic Study of Electrolyte Additives to Stabilize High-Voltage Cathode-Electrolyte Interface in Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Gao, Han; Maglia, Filippo; Lamp, Peter; Amine, Khalil; Chen, Zonghai

2017-12-27

Current developments of electrolyte additives to stabilize electrode-electrolyte interface in lithium-ion batteries highly rely on a trial-and-error search, which involves repetitive testing and intensive amount of resources. The lack of understandings on the fundamental protection mechanisms of the additives significantly increases the difficulty for the transformational development of new additives. In this study, we investigated two types of individual protection routes to build a robust cathode-electrolyte interphase at high potentials: (i) a direct reduction in the catalytic decomposition of the electrolyte solvent; and (ii) formation of a "corrosion inhibitor film" that prevents severely attack and passivation from protons that generated from the solvent oxidation, even the decomposition of solvent cannot be mitigated. Effect of two exemplary electrolyte additives, lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB) and 3-hexylthiophene (3HT), on LiNi 0.6 Mn 0.2 Co 0.2 O 2 (NMC 622) cathode were investigated to validate our hypothesis. It is demonstrated that understandings of both electrolyte additives and solvent are essential and careful balance between the cathode protection mechanism of additives and their side effects is critical to obtain optimum results. More importantly, this study opens up new directions of rational design of functional electrolyte additives for the next-generation high-energy-density lithium-ion chemistries.

Basic research for the geodynamics program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, Ivan I.

1988-01-01

Additional results are presented concerning a study that considers improvements over present Earth Rotation Parameter (ERP) determination methods by directly combining observations from various space geodetic systems in one adjustment. Earlier results are extended, showing that in addition to slight improvements in accuracy, substantial (a factor of three or more) improvements in precision and significant reductions in correlations between various parameters can be obtained (by combining Lunar Laser Ranging - LLR, Satellite Laser Ranging - SLR to Lageos, and Very Long Baseline Interferometry - VLBI data in one adjustment) as compared to results from individual systems. Smaller improvements are also seen over the weighted means of the individual system results. Although data transmission would not be significantly reduced, negligible additional computer time would be required if (standardized) normal equations were available from individual solutions. Suggestions for future work and implications for the New Earth Rotation Service (IERS) are also presented.

Enhanced Nitric Oxide Production during Lead (Pb2+) Exposure Recovers Protein Expression but not Presynaptic Localization of Synaptic Proteins in Developing Hippocampal Neurons

PubMed Central

Neal, April P.; Stansfield, Kirstie H.; Guilarte, Tomás R.

2012-01-01

We have previously reported that lead (Pb2+) exposure results in both presynaptic and postsynaptic changes in developing neurons as a result of inhibition of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). NMDAR inhibition by Pb2+ during synaptogenesis disrupts downstream trans-synaptic signaling of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and exogenous addition of BDNF can recover the effects of Pb2+ on both presynaptic protein expression and presynaptic vesicular release. NMDAR activity can modulate other trans-synaptic signaling pathways, such as nitric oxide (NO) signaling. Thus, it is possible that other trans-synaptic pathways in addition to BDNF signaling may be disrupted by Pb2+ exposure. The current study investigated whether exogenous addition of NO could recover the presynaptic vesicular proteins lost as a result of Pb2+ exposure during synaptogenesis, namely Synaptophysin (Syn) and Synaptobrevin (Syb). We observed that exogenous addition of NO during Pb2+ exposure results in complete recovery of whole-cell Syn levels and partial recovery of Syn and Syb synaptic targeting in Pb2+-exposed neurons. PMID:22265330

Transport of phosphocholine in higher plant cells: sup 31 P nuclear magnetic resonance studies

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

Gout, E.; Bligny, R.; Roby, C.

1990-06-01

Phosphocholine (PC) is an abundant primary form of organic phosphate that is transported in plant xylem sap. Addition of PC to the perfusate of compressed P{sub i}-starved sycamore cells monitored by {sup 31}P NMR spectroscopy resulted in an accumulation of PC and all the other phosphate esters in the cytoplasmic compartment. Addition of hemicholinium-3, an inhibitor of choline uptake, to the perfusate inhibited PC accumulation but not inorganic phosphate (P{sub i}). When the P{sub i}-starved cells were perfused with a medium containing either P{sub i} or PC, the resulting P{sub i} distribution in the cell was the same. Addition ofmore » choline instead of PC to the perfusate of compressed cells resulted in an accumulation of PC in the cytoplasmic compartment from choline kinase activity. In addition, PC phosphatase activity has been discovered associated with the cell wall. These results indicate that PC was rapidly hydrolyzed outside the cell and that choline and P{sub i} entered the cytosolic compartment where choline kinase re-forms PC.« less

A calorimetric and microstructural study of solidified toxic wastes. Part 2: A model for poisoning of OPC hydration

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

Hills, C.D.; Sollars, C.J.; Perry, R.

1994-01-01

During cement-based processing of certain hazardous wastes the hydration reactions thought to be responsible for solidification can be poisoned and appear to be retarded indefinitely. A number of wastes known to be capable of poisoning hydration were added to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and classified on the basis of interference effects observed. This paper reports the results from a characterization of these wastes and the subsequent addition to OPC of waste components identified as significant in single and combined additions. The effects of these additions were examined by conduction calorimetry and microstructural techniques. A comparison of results showed that itmore » was possible to reproduce the poisoning effects observed previously with real wastes by an addition of combined metal hydroxides only. These results suggest that poisoning results from the synergistic effects of compounds contained in the waste. A model, representing the early hydration of OPC, has been modified and is presented and its application in explaining poisoning of hydration is discussed.« less

Structural Mass Saving Potential of a 5-MW Direct-Drive Generator Designed for Additive Manufacturing

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

Sethuraman, Latha; Fingersh, Lee J; Dykes, Katherine L

As wind turbine blade diameters and tower height increase to capture more energy in the wind, higher structural loads results in more structural support material increasing the cost of scaling. Weight reductions in the generator transfer to overall cost savings of the system. Additive manufacturing facilitates a design-for-functionality approach, thereby removing traditional manufacturing constraints and labor costs. The most feasible additive manufacturing technology identified for large, direct-drive generators in this study is powder-binder jetting of a sand cast mold. A parametric finite element analysis optimization study is performed, optimizing for mass and deformation. Also, topology optimization is employed for eachmore » parameter-optimized design.The optimized U-beam spoked web design results in a 24 percent reduction in structural mass of the rotor and 60 percent reduction in radial deflection.« less

Laspartomycin, an acidic lipopeptide antibiotic with a unique peptide core.

PubMed

Borders, Donald B; Leese, Richard A; Jarolmen, Howard; Francis, Noreen D; Fantini, Amadeo A; Falla, Tim; Fiddes, John C; Aumelas, André

2007-03-01

Laspartomycin was originally isolated and characterized in 1968 as a lipopeptide antibiotic related to amphomycin. The molecular weight and structure remained unknown until now. In the present study, laspartomycin was purified by a novel calcium chelate procedure, and the structure of the major component (1) was determined. The structure of laspartomycin C (1) differs from that of amphomycin and all related antibiotics as a result of its peptide region being acidic rather than amphoteric and the amino acid branching into the side chain being diaminopropionic rather than diaminobutyric. In addition, the fatty acid side chain is 2,3-unsaturated compared to 3,4-unsaturated for amphomycin and other related antibiotics. Calcium ion addition to stabilize a particular conformer was found to be important for an enzymatic deacylation of the antibiotic. A peptide resulting from the deacylation was critical for chemical structure determination by NMR studies, which also involved addition of calcium ions to stabilize a conformer.

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

PubMed Central

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

2015-01-01

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

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 the surface energy of polymers.

Seasonality and nitrogen supply modify carbon partitioning in understory vegetation of a boreal coniferous forest.

PubMed

Hasselquist, N J; Metcalfe, D B; Marshall, J D; Lucas, R W; Högberg, P

2016-03-01

Given the strong coupling between the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles, there is substantial interest in understanding how N availability affects C cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, especially in ecosystems limited by N. However, most studies in temperate and boreal forests have focused on the effects of N addition on tree growth. By comparison, less is known about the effects of N availability on the cycling of C in understory vegetation despite some evidence that dwarf shrubs, mosses, and lichens play an important role in the forest C balance. In this study, we used an in situ 13CO2 pulse-labeling technique to examine the short-term dynamics of C partitioning in understory vegetation in three boreal Pinus sylvestris forest stands exposed to different rates of N addition: a low and high N addition that receive annual additions of NH4NO3 of 20 and 100 kg N/ha, respectively, and this is a typo. It should be an unfertilized control. Labeling was conducted at two distinct periods (early vs. late growing season), which provided a seasonal picture of how N addition affects C dynamics in understory vegetation. In contrast to what has been found in trees, there was no obvious trend in belowground C partitioning in ericaceous plants in response to N additions or seasonality. Increasing N addition led to a greater percentage of 13C being incorporated into ericaceous leaves with a high turnover, whereas high rates of N addition strongly reduced the incorporation of 13C into less degradable moss tissues. Addition of N also resulted in a greater percentage of the 13C label being respired back to the atmosphere and an overall reduction in total understory carbon use efficiency. Taken together, our results suggest a faster cycling of C in understory vegetation with increasing N additions; yet the magnitude of this general response was strongly dependent on the amount of N added and varied seasonally. These results provide some of the first in situ C and N partitioning estimates for plants growing under the complex web of resource limitations in the boreal understory.

Effectiveness of mifamurtide in addition to standard chemotherapy for high-grade osteosarcoma: a systematic review.

PubMed

Jimmy, Rincy; Stern, Cindy; Lisy, Karolina; White, Sarahlouise

2017-08-01

Osteosarcoma mostly occurs during the period of rapid bone growth in children and adolescents as high-grade osteosarcomas. Current treatment recommended for high-grade non-metastatic and metastatic and/or relapsed osteosarcoma involves neoadjuvant multiagent conventional chemotherapy, followed by surgical resection of macroscopically detected tumor and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. However, residual micrometastatic deposits that develop following surgery have shown resistance to postoperative/adjuvant chemotherapy. Therefore, there is a critical need for more effective and innovative therapeutic approaches such as immune stimulatory agents. The most extensively studied immune stimulatory agent in the treatment of osteosarcoma is mifamurtide. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of mifamurtide in addition to standard chemotherapy on survival outcomes. To present the best available evidence on the treatment of high-grade non-metastatic and metastatic osteosarcoma with mifamurtide in addition to standard chemotherapy. All populations of patients regardless of age, gender or ethnicity with high-grade, resectable, non-metastatic and metastatic osteosarcoma based on histological diagnosis. This review focused on intravenous infusion of either of the pharmaceutical formulations of mifamurtide (MTP-PE or L-MTP-PE) in addition to standard chemotherapy, and the comparator was chemotherapy alone. This review considered any experimental study design including randomized controlled trials, non-randomized trials and quasi-experimental studies. The primary outcomes of interest were event-free survival, overall survival and recurrence of osteosarcoma. Secondary outcomes that were considered included health-related quality of life and any mifamurtide-related adverse events. A search for published and unpublished literature in English was undertaken (seven published literature databases, four unpublished literature databases, and three government agency and organizational websites were searched). Studies published between 1990 to June 2016 were considered. A three-step strategy was developed using MeSH terminology and keywords to ensure that all relevant studies were included related to this review. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed by two reviewers, who appraised each study independently, using a standardized Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool. Data was extracted from the studies that were identified as meeting the criteria for methodological quality using the standard JBI data extraction tool. Due to the heterogeneity of populations and interventions in available studies, meta-analysis was not possible and results are presented in narrative form. Three papers outlining two studies involving 802 patients evaluated the effectiveness of mifamurtide in addition of chemotherapy. Results indicated no significant difference in event-free survival between the addition of mifamurtide to standard chemotherapy regimen and chemotherapy alone, both in non-metastatic and metastatic osteosarcoma patients. There was a significant difference in progression-free survival favoring the addition of mifamurtide in pulmonary metastatic and/or relapsed osteosarcoma. There was no significant difference in overall survival between the addition of mifamurtide and chemotherapy alone in metastatic osteosarcoma; however there was a significant difference favoring the addition of mifamurtide in non-metastatic osteosarcoma patients. The addition of mifamurtide resulted in a significant difference in survival after relapse in pulmonary metastatic and/or relapsed osteosarcoma patients. Both studies reported on mifamurtide-related adverse events - the first was reported as toxicity which included haematological, hepatic, renal, gastrointestinal disorders, cardiac, rhythm and nervous system disorders, ear disorders and others (infection, fever; and performance status) in metastatic osteosarcoma patients. Results were similar across all combined treatment regimens. Although no statistical analysis was undertaken, the figures suggest there were no significant differences between the treatment regimens. In the other study, mifamurtide-related adverse events were reported as clinical toxic effects of mifamurtide in relapsed osteosarcoma, which included chills, fever and headache for the initial dose of mifamurtide, while for the subsequent doses of mifamurtide all patients reported toxicity as delayed fatigue. The available evidence on the effectiveness of mifamurtide in addition to a standard chemotherapy regimen for the treatment of high-grade osteosarcoma is limited and therefore no definitive conclusions can be made.

Potential uncertainty reduction in model-averaged benchmark dose estimates informed by an additional dose study.

PubMed

Shao, Kan; Small, Mitchell J

2011-10-01

A methodology is presented for assessing the information value of an additional dosage experiment in existing bioassay studies. The analysis demonstrates the potential reduction in the uncertainty of toxicity metrics derived from expanded studies, providing insights for future studies. Bayesian methods are used to fit alternative dose-response models using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation for parameter estimation and Bayesian model averaging (BMA) is used to compare and combine the alternative models. BMA predictions for benchmark dose (BMD) are developed, with uncertainty in these predictions used to derive the lower bound BMDL. The MCMC and BMA results provide a basis for a subsequent Monte Carlo analysis that backcasts the dosage where an additional test group would have been most beneficial in reducing the uncertainty in the BMD prediction, along with the magnitude of the expected uncertainty reduction. Uncertainty reductions are measured in terms of reduced interval widths of predicted BMD values and increases in BMDL values that occur as a result of this reduced uncertainty. The methodology is illustrated using two existing data sets for TCDD carcinogenicity, fitted with two alternative dose-response models (logistic and quantal-linear). The example shows that an additional dose at a relatively high value would have been most effective for reducing the uncertainty in BMA BMD estimates, with predicted reductions in the widths of uncertainty intervals of approximately 30%, and expected increases in BMDL values of 5-10%. The results demonstrate that dose selection for studies that subsequently inform dose-response models can benefit from consideration of how these models will be fit, combined, and interpreted. © 2011 Society for Risk Analysis.

Improving the physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of camel meat burger patties using ginger extract and papain.

PubMed

Abdel-Naeem, Heba H S; Mohamed, Hussein M H

2016-08-01

The objective of the current study was to include tenderizing agents in the formulation of camel meat burger patties to improve the physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of the product. Camel meat burger patties were processed with addition of ginger extract (7%), papain (0.01%) and mixture of ginger extract (5%) and papain (0.005%) in addition to control. Addition of ginger, papain and their mixture resulted in significant (P<0.05) increase of the collagen solubility and sensory scores (juiciness, tenderness and overall acceptability) with significant (P<0.05) reduction of the shear force values. Ginger extract resulted in extensive fragmentation of myofibrils; however, papain extract caused noticeable destructive effect on connective tissue. Moreover, ginger and papain resulted in improvement of the lipid stability of treated burger patties during storage. Therefore, addition of ginger extract and papain powder during formulation of camel burger patties can improve their physico-chemical and sensory properties. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparative study of additive and subtractive manufacturing for dental restorations.

PubMed

Bae, Eun-Jeong; Jeong, Il-Do; Kim, Woong-Chul; Kim, Ji-Hwan

2017-08-01

Digital systems have recently found widespread application in the fabrication of dental restorations. For the clinical assessment of dental restorations fabricated digitally, it is necessary to evaluate their accuracy. However, studies of the accuracy of inlay restorations fabricated with additive manufacturing are lacking. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate and compare the accuracy of inlay restorations fabricated by using recently introduced additive manufacturing with the accuracy of subtractive methods. The inlay (distal occlusal cavity) shape was fabricated using 3-dimensional image (reference data) software. Specimens were fabricated using 4 different methods (each n=10, total N=40), including 2 additive manufacturing methods, stereolithography apparatus and selective laser sintering; and 2 subtractive methods, wax and zirconia milling. Fabricated specimens were scanned using a dental scanner and then compared by overlapping reference data. The results were statistically analyzed using a 1-way analysis of variance (α=.05). Additionally, the surface morphology of 1 randomly (the first of each specimen) selected specimen from each group was evaluated using a digital microscope. The results of the overlap analysis of the dental restorations indicated that the root mean square (RMS) deviation observed in the restorations fabricated using the additive manufacturing methods were significantly different from those fabricated using the subtractive methods (P<.05). However, no significant differences were found between restorations fabricated using stereolithography apparatus and selective laser sintering, the additive manufacturing methods (P=.466). Similarly, no significant differences were found between wax and zirconia, the subtractive methods (P=.986). The observed RMS values were 106 μm for stereolithography apparatus, 113 μm for selective laser sintering, 116 μm for wax, and 119 μm for zirconia. Microscopic evaluation of the surface revealed a fine linear gap between the layers of restorations fabricated using stereolithography apparatus and a grooved hole with inconsistent weak scratches when fabricated using selective laser sintering. In the wax and zirconia restorations, possible traces of milling bur passes were observed. The results indicate that the accuracy of dental restorations fabricated using the additive manufacturing methods is higher than that of subtractive methods. Therefore, additive manufacturing methods are a viable alternative to subtractive methods. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Addition of Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Whole Blood for Bio-Enhanced ACL Repair has No Benefit in the Porcine Model

PubMed Central

Proffen, Benedikt L.; Vavken, Patrick; Haslauer, Carla M.; Fleming, Braden C.; Harris, Chad E.; Machan, Jason T.; Murray, Martha M.

2015-01-01

Background Co-culture of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from the retropatellar fat pad and peripheral blood has been shown to stimulate anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) fibroblast proliferation and collagen production in vitro. Current techniques of bio-enhanced ACL repair in animal studies involve adding a biologic scaffold, in this case an extracellular matrix based scaffold saturated with autologous whole blood, to a simple suture repair of the ligament. Whether the enrichment of whole blood with MSCs would further improve the in vivo results of bio-enhanced ACL repair was investigated. Hypothesis/Purpose The hypothesis was that the addition of MSCs derived from adipose tissue or peripheral blood to the blood-extracellular matrix composite, which is used in bio-enhanced ACL repair to stimulate healing, would improve the biomechanical properties of a bio-enhanced ACL repair after 15 weeks of healing. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Twenty-four adolescent Yucatan mini-pigs underwent ACL transection followed by: 1) bio-enhanced ACL repair, 2) bio-enhanced ACL repair with the addition of autologous adipose-derived MSCs and 3) bio-enhanced ACL repair with the addition of autologous peripheral blood derived MSCs. After fifteen weeks of healing, structural properties of the ACL (yield & failure load, linear stiffness) were measured. Cell and vascular density were measured in the repaired ACL via histology, and its tissue structure was qualitatively evaluated using the Advanced Ligament Maturity Index. Results After fifteen weeks of healing, there were no significant improvements in the biomechanical or histological properties with the addition of adipose-derived MSCs. The only significant change with the addition of peripheral blood MSCs was an increase in knee anteroposterior (AP) laxity when measured at 30 degrees of flexion. Conclusions These findings suggest that the addition of adipose or peripheral blood MSCs to whole blood prior to saturation of an extracellular matrix carrier with the blood did not improve the functional results of bio-enhanced ACL repair after 15 weeks of healing in the pig model. Clinical Relevance Whole blood represents a practical biologic additive to ligament repair, and any other additive (including stem cells) should be demonstrated to be superior to this baseline before clinical use is considered. PMID:25549633

Methane production from acid hydrolysates of Agave tequilana bagasse: evaluation of hydrolysis conditions and methane yield.

PubMed

Arreola-Vargas, Jorge; Ojeda-Castillo, Valeria; Snell-Castro, Raúl; Corona-González, Rosa Isela; Alatriste-Mondragón, Felipe; Méndez-Acosta, Hugo O

2015-04-01

Evaluation of diluted acid hydrolysis for sugar extraction from cooked and uncooked Agave tequilana bagasse and feasibility of using the hydrolysates as substrate for methane production, with and without nutrient addition, in anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (AnSBR) were studied. Results showed that the hydrolysis over the cooked bagasse was more effective for sugar extraction at the studied conditions. Total sugars concentration in the cooked and uncooked bagasse hydrolysates were 27.9 g/L and 18.7 g/L, respectively. However, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural was detected in the cooked bagasse hydrolysate, and therefore, the uncooked bagasse hydrolysate was selected as substrate for methane production. Interestingly, results showed that the AnSBR operated without nutrient addition obtained a constant methane production (0.26 L CH4/g COD), whereas the AnSBR operated with nutrient addition presented a gradual methane suppression. Molecular analyses suggested that methane suppression in the experiment with nutrient addition was due to a negative effect over the archaeal/bacterial ratio. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Beneficial effect of mixture of additives amendment on enzymatic activities, organic matter degradation and humification during biosolids co-composting.

PubMed

Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Wang, Quan; Chen, Hongyu; Awasthi, Sanjeev Kumar; Wang, Meijing; Ren, Xiuna; Zhao, Junchao; Zhang, Zengqiang

2018-01-01

The objective of this study was to identify the effect of mixture of additives to improve the enzymatic activities, organic matter humification and diminished the bioavailability of heavy metals (HMs) during biosolids co-composting. In this study, zeolite (Z) (10%, 15% and 30%) with 1%lime (L) (dry weight basis of biosolids) was blended into the mixture of biosolids and wheat straw, respectively. The without any amendment and 1%lime applied treatments were run for comparison (Control). The Z+L addition resulted rapid organic matter degradation and humification with maximum enzymatic activities. In addition, higher dosage of Z+1%L amendment reduced the bioavailability of HMs (Cu and Zn) and improved the end product quality as compared to control and 1%L applied treatments. However, the 30%Z+1%L applied treatment showed maximum humification and low bioavailability of HMs but considering the economic feasibility and compost quality results, the treatment with 10%Z+1%L is recommended for biosolids co-composting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen fate and impacts in temperate forests: roles of mycorrhizae and pH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodale, Christine

2017-04-01

Chronic nitrogen deposition has long been expected to enhance forest carbon uptakeep and storage, although the magnitude and mechanisms of these responses have been uncertain and sometimes may vary by tree species or be confounded by other biogeochemical constraints. Recent results from a 15N tracer study in central New York State, USA, show that ectomycorrhizal tree species acquire more tracer than trees with arbuscular mycorrhizae, but that both types of trees take up only a small fraction of added N, acquired shortly after tracer addition. Most 15N remained in the soil, even five years after the addition. A recent N x pH addition experiment nearby shows that added N can slow decomposition, regardless of pH response, with greater responses in ectomycorrhizal than arbuscular dominated stands, and that some mature stands can also still increase growth. These results add to other observations from tracer and N addition studies as well as N deposition gradients and model analyses to improve estimates of the magnitude and persistence of ecosystem C storage in response to past and projected changes in atmospheric deposition.

How to build institutionalization on students: a pilot experiment on a didactical design of addition and subtraction involving negative integers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuadiah, N. F.; Suryadi, D.; Turmudi

2018-05-01

This study focuses on the design of a didactical situation in addition and subtraction involving negative integers at the pilot experiment phase. As we know, negative numbers become an obstacle for students in solving problems related to them. This study aims to create a didactical design that can assist students in understanding the addition and subtraction. Another expected result in this way is that students are introduced to the characteristics of addition and subtraction of integers. The design was implemented on 32 seventh grade students in one of the classes in a junior secondary school as the pilot experiment. Learning activities were observed thoroughly including the students’ responses that emerged during the learning activities. The written documentation of the students was also used to support the analysis in the learning activities. The results of the analysis showed that this method could help the students perform a large number of integer operations that could not be done with a number line. The teacher’s support as a didactical potential contract was still needed to encourage institutionalization processes. The results of the design analysis used as the basis of the revision are expected to be implemented by the teacher in the teaching experiment.

Tribological properties of coal slurries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fusaro, Robert L.; Schrubens, Dale L.

1987-01-01

A pin-on-disk tribometer was used to study the tribological properties of methyl alcohol-coal slurries. Friction coefficients, steel pin wear rates and wear surface morphological studies were conducted on AISI 440C HT and M-50 bearing steels which were slid dry and in solutions of methyl alcohol, methyl alcohol-fine coal particles, and methyl alcohol-fine coal particles-flocking additive. The latter was an oil derived from coal and originally intended to be added to the coal slurry to improve the sedimentation and rheology properties. The results of this study indicated that the addition of the flocking additive to the coal slurry markedly improved the tribological properties, especially wear. In addition, the type of steel was found to be very important in determining the type of wear that took place. Cracks and pits were found on the M-50 steel pin wear surfaces that slid in the coal slurries while 440C HT steel pins showed none.

A case study on topology optimized design for additive manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebisa, A. W.; Lemu, H. G.

2017-12-01

Topology optimization is an optimization method that employs mathematical tools to optimize material distribution in a part to be designed. Earlier developments of topology optimization considered conventional manufacturing techniques that have limitations in producing complex geometries. This has hindered the topology optimization efforts not to fully be realized. With the emergence of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, the technology that builds a part layer upon a layer directly from three dimensional (3D) model data of the part, however, producing complex shape geometry is no longer an issue. Realization of topology optimization through AM provides full design freedom for the design engineers. The article focuses on topologically optimized design approach for additive manufacturing with a case study on lightweight design of jet engine bracket. The study result shows that topology optimization is a powerful design technique to reduce the weight of a product while maintaining the design requirements if additive manufacturing is considered.

Effect of Additives on Green Sand Molding Properties using Design of Experiments and Taguchi's Quality Loss Function - An Experimental Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desai, Bhagyashree; Mokashi, Pavani; Anand, R. L.; Burli, S. B.; Khandal, S. V.

2016-09-01

The experimental study aims to underseek the effect of various additives on the green sand molding properties as a particular combination of additives could yield desired sand properties. The input parameters (factors) selected were water and powder (Fly ash, Coconut shell and Tamarind) in three levels. Experiments were planned using design of experiments (DOE). On the basis of plans, experiments were conducted to understand the behavior of sand mould properties such as compression strength, shear strength, permeability number with various additives. From the experimental results it could be concluded that the factors have significant effect on the sand properties as P-value found to be less than 0.05 for all the cases studied. The optimization based on quality loss function was also performed. The study revealed that the quality loss associated with the tamarind powder was lesser compared to other additives selected for the study. The optimization based on quality loss function and the parametric analysis using ANOVA suggested that the tamarind powder of 8 gm per Kg of molding sand and moisture content of 7% yield better properties to obtain sound castings.

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

PubMed

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

2017-07-01

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

Development of Ethnoscience Approach in The Module Theme Substance Additives to Improve the Cognitive Learning Outcome and Student’s entrepreneurship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudarmin; Febu, R.; Nuswowati, M.; Sumarni, W.

2017-04-01

Ethnoscience approach is an interesting research today. The purpose of this research is to develop approaches ethnoscience and modules ethnoscience theme additives based ethnoscience; as well as assess the feasibility and effectiveness of module theme additives based ethnoscience to improve learning outcomes and the entrepreneurial character of students. This type of research is the Research and Development (R & D). In this research consist of four stages, namely define, design, development and implementation. The subjects of this study were students of the School of MTs Maarif NU Brebes. Data were analyzed by descriptive qualitative and quantitative. The results showed that ethnoscience approach and the module theme substance additives used declared worthy of National Education Standards Agency (BNSP) with an average percentage of validation on the feasibility aspect of the content, language feasibility, and feasibility of presenting respectively for 94.3%, 86 % and 92% and a very decent entry criteria. The effect of the application modules substance additive based ethnoscience can improve on the cognitive learning classical amounted to 90.63%, and increased learning outcomes category was based on the scores of N-gain. Influence ethnoscience approach application and module theme substances additives based ethnoscience able to improve the entrepreneurial character of students. Based on the results of this study concluded that the ethnoscience approach and module theme substance additives based ethnoscience effective to improve learning outcomes and students’ entrepreneurship.

New Rare Earth Antiknock Additives that are Potential Substitutes for Tetraethyl Lead

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-12-01

alkyls would result in reduced environmental pollution by lead and possibly other noxious emissions. The results of these investigations are presented and assessed. Topics requiring study or further development are identified.

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.

Effects of feed additives on ileal mucosa-associated microbiota composition of broiler chickens.

PubMed

Ruiz, R; Peinado, M J; Aranda-Olmedo, I; Abecia, L; Suárez-Pereira, E; Ortiz Mellet, C; García Fernández, J M; Rubio, L A

2015-07-01

The effects of dietary supplementation with 2 recently developed feed additives on the composition of the mucosa-associated microbiota of the ileum were studied in growing broiler chickens. A total of 48 male 1-d-old broiler chickens of the Cobb 500 strain were distributed in 4 treatments with 2 replicates of 6 birds each. The 2 additives tested were a di-d-fructose dianhydride–enriched caramel (FC) and the garlic derivative propyl propane thiosulfonate (PTS-O). Dietary treatments were a control (commercial diet with no additive), INU (20 g inulin/kg diet), CAR (20 g FC/kg diet), and GAR (90 mgPTS-O/kg diet). As a result of this study, inulin supplementation resulted in lower (P < 0.05) and FC feeding resulted in higher (P < 0.05) Blautia coccoides/Eubacterium rectale log10 number of copies respect to controls. Higher (P < 0.05) bifidobacteria log10 number of copies with respect to the controls was determined in the ileal mucosa of birds fed the PTS-O–supplemented diet. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and PCR analysis on Bifidobacterium spp. revealed the presence of Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium pseudolongum, and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum in samples from chickens fed the control and the PTS-O–supplemented diet. Bifidobacterium longum was exclusively found in poultry fed the control diet, whereas B. pseudocatenulatum was found only in poultry fed the PTS-O–supplemented diet. This study showed that both PTS-O and FC were able to modulate the composition of the ileal mucosa-associated microbiota of growing broiler chickens. Finally, in addition to B. pseudolongum, the presence of B. longum and B. pseudocatenulatum, species not previously described in intestinal samples of broilers, was also demonstrated.

Perception Gaps on Food Additives among Various Groups in Korea: Food Experts, Teachers, Nutrition Teachers, Nongovernmental Organization Members, and General Consumers.

PubMed

Kang, Hee-Jin; Kim, Suna; Lee, Gunyoung; Lim, Ho Soo; Yun, Sang Soon; Kim, Jeong-Weon

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions and information needs of food experts, teachers, nutrition teachers, members of nongovernmental organizations, and general consumers concerning food additives. Questions in a survey format included perceptions, information needs, and preferred communication channels. The survey was conducted both off-line and on-line via e-mail and Google Drive in March 2015. The results indicated that most Korean consumers are concerned about the safety of using food additives in processed foods and do not recognize these additives as safe and useful materials as part of a modern diet. We also identified perception gaps among different groups regarding food additives. Nutrition teachers and members of nongovernmental organizations in Korea appeared to have a biased perception of food additives, which may cause general consumers to have a negative perception of food additives. The group of food experts did not have this bias. Governmental institutions must overcome the low confidence levels of various groups as an information provider about food additives. Based on the findings in this study, it will be possible to develop a strategy for risk communication about food additives for each group.

Different Resuscitation Strategies and Novel Pharmacologic Treatment with Valproic Acid in Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-25

which would thereby preserve long - term platelet function. Dekker et al. (2014a) demonstrated that the addition of VPA to FFP resuscita- tion results in...pharmacologic resuscitation: Results of a long - term survival study in a swine polytrauma model. Journal of Trauma, 70, 636–645. Anglin, C. O., Spence...Alam, H. B. (2015b). Addition of low-dose valproic acid to saline resuscita- tion provides neuroprotection and improves long - term outcomes in a large

Valuation of OSA process and folic acid addition as excess sludge minimization alternatives applied in the activated sludge process.

PubMed

Martins, C L; Velho, V F; Ramos, S R A; Pires, A S C D; Duarte, E C N F A; Costa, R H R

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of the oxic-settling-anaerobic (OSA)-process and the folic acid addition applied in the activated sludge process to reduce the excess sludge production. The study was monitored during two distinct periods: activated sludge system with OSA-process, and activated sludge system with folic acid addition. The observed sludge yields (Yobs) were 0.30 and 0.08 kgTSS kg(-1) chemical oxygen demand (COD), control phase and OSA-process (period 1); 0.33 and 0.18 kgTSS kg(-1) COD, control phase and folic acid addition (period 2). The Yobs decreased by 73 and 45% in phases with the OSA-process and folic acid addition, respectively, compared with the control phases. The sludge minimization alternatives result in a decrease in excess sludge production, without negatively affecting the performance of the effluent treatment.

Dissolution and mechanical behaviors of recrystallized carbamazepine from alcohol solution in the presence of additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nokhodchi, A.; Bolourtchian, N.; Dinarvand, R.

2005-02-01

Carbamazepine (CBZ) crystals were grown from pure ethanol solutions containing various additives (PEG 4000, PVP K30 or Tween 80). Physical characteristics of the crystals were studied for the morphology of crystals using scanning electron microscope, for the identification of polymorphism by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and FT-IR, and for thermodynamic properties using differential scanning calorimetery (DSC). The dissolution behaviour of various carbamazepine crystals was also studied by dissolution apparatus II at pH 7.4 containing 1% sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). The scanning electron micrograph (SEM) studies showed that the presence of the additives in the solutions growth medium affected the morphology and size of carbamazepine crystals. SEMs of untreated and treated carbamazepine crystals obtained from alcohol containing PEG 4000, PVP K30 or Tween 80 showed that the crystal shape of untreated carbamazepine is flaky or thin plate-like, whereas the crystals obtained from alcohol containing no additive, PEG 4000, PVP K30 or Tween 80 are polyhedral prismatic, block-shaped, polyhedral or hexagonal, respectively. XRPD, FT-IR and DSC results showed that the untreated CBZ was form III and recrystallization of CBZ in the absence or presence of the additives did not cause any polymorphic changes. The results showed that the higher dissolution rate and compact strength were observed for the crystals obtained in the presence of PVP K30. The presence of the additives in crystallization medium alters crystal morphology of carbamazepine, but only the samples crystallized in the presence of PVP K30 showed an improvement in dissolution rate and tensile strength.

Assessment of the influence of energy under-reporting on intake estimates of four food additives.

PubMed

Gilsenan, M B; Gibney, M J

2004-03-01

Under-reporting has been identified as an important source of uncertainty in food chemical exposure assessments. The objective of the present study was to assess the influence of under-reporting on food additive intake estimates. Dietary survey data were derived from the North-South Ireland Food Consumption Survey (2001). Data from the Republic of Ireland (n = 958) were used. Energy under-reporters were identified using a ratio of energy intakes to estimated basal metabolic rate. First, food categories (n = 26) included in an assessment of exposure of four food additives were created and patterns of food intakes (i.e. likelihood of consumption, frequency of consumption and reported portion size) between acceptable and under-reporters compared. Second, for each food additive, deterministic intake estimates for the total sample (i.e. acceptable and under-reporters), under-reporters and acceptable reporters were calculated and compared. Differential reporting of the majority of food categories between acceptable and under-reporters was recorded. Under-reporters were less likely to record the consumption of a given food and more likely to under-report the frequency of consumption and portion size compared with acceptable reporters. Food additive intake estimates amongst acceptable reporters were higher than corresponding intake estimates amongst the total sample of reporters and amongst under-reporters. With the exception of one food additive (erythrosine), ratios of upper percentile additive intakes amongst acceptable reporters to corresponding intake estimates amongst the total sample of reporters did not exceed 1.06 when results were expressed as total population or consumer-only intakes. Findings illustrated that energy under-reporting does not materially influence estimates of food additive exposure based on the four food additives studied. However, a number of situations were identified where the under-reporting might exert a more significant impact on resulting exposure estimates.

Grain-Size Based Additivity Models for Scaling Multi-rate Uranyl Surface Complexation in Subsurface Sediments

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

Zhang, Xiaoying; Liu, Chongxuan; Hu, Bill X.

The additivity model assumed that field-scale reaction properties in a sediment including surface area, reactive site concentration, and reaction rate can be predicted from field-scale grain-size distribution by linearly adding reaction properties estimated in laboratory for individual grain-size fractions. This study evaluated the additivity model in scaling mass transfer-limited, multi-rate uranyl (U(VI)) surface complexation reactions in a contaminated sediment. Experimental data of rate-limited U(VI) desorption in a stirred flow-cell reactor were used to estimate the statistical properties of the rate constants for individual grain-size fractions, which were then used to predict rate-limited U(VI) desorption in the composite sediment. The resultmore » indicated that the additivity model with respect to the rate of U(VI) desorption provided a good prediction of U(VI) desorption in the composite sediment. However, the rate constants were not directly scalable using the additivity model. An approximate additivity model for directly scaling rate constants was subsequently proposed and evaluated. The result found that the approximate model provided a good prediction of the experimental results within statistical uncertainty. This study also found that a gravel-size fraction (2 to 8 mm), which is often ignored in modeling U(VI) sorption and desorption, is statistically significant to the U(VI) desorption in the sediment.« less

The Continental Margins Program in Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cocker, M.D.; Shapiro, E.A.

1999-01-01

From 1984 to 1993, the Georgia Geologic Survey (GGS) participated in the Minerals Management Service-funded Continental Margins Program. Geological and geophysical data acquisition focused on offshore stratigraphic framework studies, phosphate-bearing Miocene-age strata, distribution of heavy minerals, near-surface alternative sources of groundwater, and development of a PC-based Coastal Geographic Information System (GIS). Seven GGS publications document results of those investigations. In addition to those publications, direct benefits of the GGS's participation include an impetus to the GGS's investigations of economic minerals on the Georgia coast, establishment of a GIS that includes computer hardware and software, and seeds for additional investigations through the information and training acquired as a result of the Continental Margins Program. These addtional investigations are quite varied in scope, and many were made possible because of GIS expertise gained as a result of the Continental Margins Program. Future investigations will also reap the benefits of the Continental Margins Program.From 1984 to 1993, the Georgia Geologic Survey (GGS) participated in the Minerals Management Service-funded Continental Margins Program. Geological and geophysical data acquisition focused on offshore stratigraphic framework studies, phosphate-bearing Miocene-age strata, distribution of heavy minerals, near-surface alternative sources of groundwater, and development of a PC-based Coastal Geographic Information System (GIS). Seven GGS publications document results of those investigations. In addition to those publications, direct benefits of the GGS's participation include an impetus to the GGS's investigations of economic minerals on the Georgia coast, establishment of a GIS that includes computer hardware and software, and seeds for additional investigations through the information and training acquired as a result of the Continental Margins Program. These additional investigations are quite varied in scope, and many were made possible because of GIS expertise gained as a result of the Continental Margins Program. Future investigations will also reap the benefits of the Continental Margins Program.

Better latent heat and specific heat of stearic acid with magnetite/graphene nanocomposite addition for thermal storage application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andiarto, R.; Nuryadin, M. K.; Taufik, A.; Saleh, R.

2017-04-01

In our previous study, the addition of Magnetite (Fe3O4) into Stearic acid (Sa) as an organic phase change material (PCM) shows an enhancement in the latent heat for thermal energy storage applications. The latent heat of the PCM can also be increased by adding graphene material. Therefore, in this research, the thermal properties of Sa have been studied by the sonication method for several different concentrations of Fe3O4/Graphene nanocomposite additions. The structural properties of all of the samples were observed by X-Ray diffraction (XRD). Melting-solidifying behavior and specific heat value were measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The thermal degradation process of all samples was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Based on the DSC results, the presence of Fe3O4/Graphene in the Sa enhances the latent heat up to 20%. The specific heat value of the mixture was also found to be increased as the concentration of Fe3O4/Graphene to Sa increased. The TGA results show a lowered thermal degradation process of the Sa by the addition of the Fe3O4/Graphene which indicates a higher thermal stability of the mixture. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that the addition of Fe3O4/Graphene to Sa improves both the sensible heat and the latent heat of the mixture which are very important for thermal energy storage applications

Antibacterial effects of fibrin glue-antibiotic mixtures.

PubMed

Kram, H B; Bansal, M; Timberlake, O; Shoemaker, W C

1991-02-01

In the present in vitro study, we investigated the duration of action and antibacterial effects of nonautologous fibrin glue (FG) combined with antibiotics (Abs) including Ciprofloxacin, Teicoplanin, Cefoxitin, and Gentamicin; the effect of FG alone on bacterial growth was also evaluated. The rate of Ab diffusion from combined FG-Ab clots was evaluated by separate elution with pooled human serum (HS) and normal saline (NS); supernatants were removed daily and assayed for active concentrations of each Ab. The effects of FG and combined FG-Ab clots on bacterial growth were evaluated by inoculating brain-heart infusion (BHI) with Staphylococcus aureus, followed by the addition of FG or FG-Ab clots; a separate set of studies was also performed with the addition of mouse lung homogenate (MLH) as well. The addition of Ab to FG clots resulted in continuous diffusion of the Ab into the surrounding HS or NS for up to 5 to 7 days; however, more than two-thirds of the Ab diffused out within 2 to 3 days regardless of the Ab used. The antibacterial effects of FG-Ciprofloxacin and FG-Teicoplanin clots were significant compared to those of FG clots not containing Ab. In addition, the presence of FG clots (in BHI) resulted in a reduction in bacterial growth compared to that of BHI alone. The addition of MLH to BHI resulted in increased bacterial growth, but this effect was inhibited by the presence of combined FG-Ab clots.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Hydrogen sulfide production by sulfate-reducing bacteria utilizing additives eluted from plastic resins.

PubMed

Tsuchida, Daisuke; Kajihara, Yusuke; Shimidzu, Nobuhiro; Hamamura, Kengo; Nagase, Makoto

2011-06-01

In the present study it was demonstrated that organic additives eluted from plastic resins could be utilized as substrates by sulfate-reducing bacteria. Two laboratory-scale experiments, a microcosm experiment and a leaching experiment, were conducted using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as a model plastic resin. In the former experiment, the conversion of sulfate to sulfide was evident in microcosms that received plasticized PVC as the sole carbon source, but not in those that received PVC homopolymer. Additionally, dissolved organic carbon accumulated only in microcosms that received plasticized PVC, indicating that the dissolved organic carbon originated from additives. In the leaching experiment, phenol and bisphenol A were found in the leached solutions. These results suggest that the disposal of waste plastics in inert waste landfills may result in the production of H(2)S.

Effects of L-arginine on solubilization and purification of plant membrane proteins.

PubMed

Arakawa, Junji; Uegaki, Masamichi; Ishimizu, Takeshi

2011-11-01

Biochemical analysis of membrane proteins is problematic at the level of solubilization and/or purification because of their hydrophobic nature. Here, we developed methods for efficient solubilization and purification of membrane proteins using L-arginine. The addition of 100 mM of basic amino acids (L-arginine, L-lysine, and L-ornithine) to a detergent-containing solubilization buffer enhanced solubilization (by 2.6-4.3 fold) of a model membrane protein-polygalacturonic acid synthase. Of all the amino acids, arginine was the most effective additive for solubilization of this membrane protein. Arginine addition also resulted in the best solubilization of other plant membrane proteins. Next, we examined the effects of arginine on purification of a model membrane protein. In anion-exchange chromatography, the addition of arginine to the loading and elution buffers resulted in a greater recovery of a membrane protein. In ultrafiltration, the addition of arginine to a protein solution significantly improved the recovery of a membrane protein. These results were thought to be due to the properties of arginine that prevent aggregation of hydrophobic proteins. Taken together, the results of our study showed that arginine is useful for solubilization and purification of aggregate-prone membrane proteins. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of Parental and Grandparental Major Depressive Disorder on Behavior Problems in Early Childhood: A Three-Generation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olino, Thomas M.; Pettit, Jeremy W.; Klein, Daniel N.; Allen, Nicholas B.; Seeley, John R.; Lewinsohn, Peter M.

2008-01-01

The study examines the influence of parental and grandparental major depressive disorder (MDD) on behavior problems in children. The results conclude that MDD in parents and grandparents may result in high levels of incorporation problems of MDD in children but don't indicate additional risk.

Efficient concepts for large erectable space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Card, M. F.; Bush, H. G.; Heard, W. L., Jr.; Mikulas, M. M., Jr.

1978-01-01

The status of Langley Research Center development of the nestable column concept is reviewed including results of member and truss component tests, and planned assembly studies. In addition, more recent studies of alternative member concepts are presented. Preliminary results on relative efficiency of several types of truss-type columns are compared and future test plans discussed.

Rheological parameters of dough with inulin addition and its effect on bread quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bojnanska, T.; Tokar, M.; Vollmannova, A.

2015-04-01

The rheological properties of enriched flour prepared with an addition of inulin were studied. The addition of inulin caused changes of the rheological parameters of the recorder curve. 10% and more addition significantly extended development time and on the farinogram were two peaks of consistency, what is a non-standard shape. With increasing addition of inulin resistance to deformation grows and dough is difficult to process, over 15% addition make dough short and unsuitable for making bread. Bread volume, the most important parameter, significantly decreased with inulin addition. Our results suggest a level of 5% inulin to produce a functional bread of high sensory acceptance and a level of 10% inulin produce a bread of satisfactory sensory acceptance. Bread with a level over 10% of inulin was unsatisfactory.

Can ligand addition to soil enhance Cd phytoextraction? A mechanistic model study.

PubMed

Lin, Zhongbing; Schneider, André; Nguyen, Christophe; Sterckeman, Thibault

2014-11-01

Phytoextraction is a potential method for cleaning Cd-polluted soils. Ligand addition to soil is expected to enhance Cd phytoextraction. However, experimental results show that this addition has contradictory effects on plant Cd uptake. A mechanistic model simulating the reaction kinetics (adsorption on solid phase, complexation in solution), transport (convection, diffusion) and root absorption (symplastic, apoplastic) of Cd and its complexes in soil was developed. This was used to calculate plant Cd uptake with and without ligand addition in a great number of combinations of soil, ligand and plant characteristics, varying the parameters within defined domains. Ligand addition generally strongly reduced hydrated Cd (Cd(2+)) concentration in soil solution through Cd complexation. Dissociation of Cd complex ([Formula: see text]) could not compensate for this reduction, which greatly lowered Cd(2+) symplastic uptake by roots. The apoplastic uptake of [Formula: see text] was not sufficient to compensate for the decrease in symplastic uptake. This explained why in the majority of the cases, ligand addition resulted in the reduction of the simulated Cd phytoextraction. A few results showed an enhanced phytoextraction in very particular conditions (strong plant transpiration with high apoplastic Cd uptake capacity), but this enhancement was very limited, making chelant-enhanced phytoextraction poorly efficient for Cd.

Does affective information influence domestic dogs' (Canis lupus familiaris) point-following behavior?

PubMed

Flom, Ross; Gartman, Peggy

2016-03-01

Several studies have examined dogs' (Canis lupus familiaris) comprehension and use of human communicative cues. Relatively few studies have, however, examined the effects of human affective behavior (i.e., facial and vocal expressions) on dogs' exploratory and point-following behavior. In two experiments, we examined dogs' frequency of following an adult's pointing gesture in locating a hidden reward or treat when it occurred silently, or when it was paired with a positive or negative facial and vocal affective expression. Like prior studies, the current results demonstrate that dogs reliably follow human pointing cues. Unlike prior studies, the current results also demonstrate that the addition of a positive affective facial and vocal expression, when paired with a pointing gesture, did not reliably increase dogs' frequency of locating a hidden piece of food compared to pointing alone. In addition, and within the negative facial and vocal affect conditions of Experiment 1 and 2, dogs were delayed in their exploration, or approach, toward a baited or sham-baited bowl. However, in Experiment 2, dogs continued to follow an adult's pointing gesture, even when paired with a negative expression, as long as the attention-directing gesture referenced a baited bowl. Together these results suggest that the addition of affective information does not significantly increase or decrease dogs' point-following behavior. Rather these results demonstrate that the presence or absence of affective expressions influences a dogs' exploratory behavior and the presence or absence of reward affects whether they will follow an unfamiliar adult's attention-directing gesture.

L2 Milestone 5433: Characterization of Dynamic Behavior of AM and Conventionally Processed Stainless Steel (316L and 304L)

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

Gray, George Thompson; Livescu, Veronica; Rigg, P. A.

For additive manufacturing (AM) of metallic materials, the certification and qualification paradigm needs to evolve as there currently exists no broadly accepted “ASTM- or DIN-type” additive manufacturing certified process or AM-material produced specifications. Accordingly, design, manufacture, and thereafter implementation and insertion of AM materials to meet engineering applications requires detailed quantification of the constitutive (strength and damage) properties of these evolving materials, across the spectrum of metallic AM methods, in comparison/contrast to conventionally-manufactured metals and alloys. This report summarizes the 316L SS research results and presents initial results of the follow-on study of 304L SS. For the AM-316L SS investigation,more » cylindrical samples of 316L SS were produced using a LENS MR-7 laser additive manufacturing system from Optomec (Albuquerque, NM) equipped with a 1kW Yb-fiber laser. The microstructure of the AM-316L SS was characterized in both the “as-built” Additively Manufactured state and following a heat-treatment designed to obtain full recrystallization to facilitate comparison with annealed wrought 316L SS. The dynamic shock-loading-induced damage evolution and failure response of all three 316L SS materials was quantified using flyer-plate impact driven spallation experiments at peak stresses of 4.5 and 6.35 GPa. The results of these studies are reported in detail in the first section of the report. Publication of the 316L SS results in an archival journal is planned. Following on from the 316L SS completed work, initial results on a study of AM 304L SS are in progress and presented herein. Preliminary results on the structure/dynamic spallation property behavior of AM-304L SS fabricated using both the directed-energy LENS and an EOS powder-bed AM techniques in comparison to wrought 304L SS is detailed in this Level 2 Milestone report.« less

ADME-Tox profiles of some food additives and pesticides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craciun, Dana; Modra, Dorina; Isvoran, Adriana

2015-12-01

Within this study we compute the Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity (ADME-Tox) profiles of several commonly used food additives and some pesticides. As expected, all the food additives considered in this study provided to be safe, their ADME-Tox profiles indicating that they have a good oral bioavailability and they do not produce phosphoslipidosis. The ADME-Tox profiles of the pesticides indicate that, with a few exceptions, they are highly toxic (some of them being not approved in the EU, but still used in other countries) and may cause many diseases. Our results are in good agreement with published data concerning the considered food additives and pesticides revealing that the ADME-Tox profiling method may be successfully used to test other chemicals than drug candidates.

Green Space, Violence, and Crime: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Bogar, Sandra; Beyer, Kirsten M

2016-04-01

To determine the state of evidence on relationships among urban green space, violence, and crime in the United States. Major bibliographic databases were searched for studies meeting inclusion criteria. Additional studies were culled from study references and authors' personal collections. Comparison among studies was limited by variations in study design and measurement and results were mixed. However, more evidence supports the positive impact of green space on violence and crime, indicating great potential for green space to shape health-promoting environments. Numerous factors influence the relationships among green space, crime, and violence. Additional research and standardization among research studies are needed to better understand these relationships. © The Author(s) 2015.

Effect of alkyl polyglucoside and nitrilotriacetic acid combined application on lead/pyrene bioavailability and dehydrogenase activity in co-contaminated soils.

PubMed

Chen, Tingru; Liu, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Xinying; Chen, Xiao; Tao, Kaiyun; Hu, Xiaoxin

2016-07-01

At present, few research focus on the phytoremediation for organic pollutants and heavy metals enhanced by surfactants and chelate agents in the combined contaminated soils or sediments. In this study, the effect of a novel combined addition of alkyl polyglucoside (APG) and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) into pyrene and lead (Pb) co-contaminated soils on bioaccessiblity of pyrene/Pb and dehydrogenase activities (DHA) was studied. Through the comparison of the results with the alone and combined application, synergistic effect on bioaccessiblity of pyrene and Pb was found while APG and NTA was applied together. Results also indicated a significant promotion on the DHA in mixed addition of APG and NTA. In addition, correlation and principal component analysis were performed to better understand the relationship among APG/NTA, bioaccessiblity of pyrene/Pb and the DHA. Results showed that APG and NTA can affect DHA directly by themselves but also can affect DHA indirectly by changing bioaccessible pyrene and exchangeable Pb. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study on thermal effects & sulfurized additives, in lubricating greases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Ami Atul

Lithium Base grease constitutes about 50% of market. The greases are developed to be able to work in multiple working conditions and have longer working life. Greases with extreme pressure additives and anti-wear additives have been developed as a solution to many of the applications. These developed greases are tested under ASTM D2266 testing conditions to meet the requirements. The actual working conditions, although, differ than the real testing conditions. The loading, speed and temperature conditions can be more harsh, or fluctuating in nature. The cyclic nature of the parameters cannot be directly related to the test performance. For this purpose studies on the performance under spectrum loading, variable speed and fluctuating temperature must be performed. This study includes tests to understand the effect of thermal variation on some of the most commonly used grease additives that perform well under ASTM D2266 testing conditions. The studied additives include most widely used industrial extreme pressure additive MoS2. Performance of ZDDP which is trying to replace MoS2 in its industrial applications has also been studied. The tests cover study of extreme pressure, anti-wear and friction modifier additives to get a general idea on the effects of thermal variation in three areas. Sulphur is the most common extreme pressure additive. Sulphur based MoS 2 is extensively used grease additive. Study to understand the tribological performance of this additive through wear testing and SEM/EDX studies has been done. This performance is also studied for other metallic sulfides like WS2 and sulphur based organic compound. The aim is to study the importance of the type of bond that sulphur shares in its additive's structure on its performance. The MoS2 film formation is found to be on the basis of the FeS formation on the substrate and protection through sacrificial monolayer deposition of the MoS2 sheared structure. The free Mo then tends to oxidise. An attempt to understand the effects of the addition of sulphur from a sulfurized olefin to MoS2 through mechanical processing has been conducted. This mechanically processed additive mixed is tested through regular ASTM D2266 test. The hypothesis was to make more shear able MoS 2 layers available by using the sulphur from the olefin to form the basic FeS layer that reduces the continuous wear rate. The results have been studied using SEM and EDX imaging.

Hospital marketing and the Internet: the adoption of an innovation.

PubMed

Shepherd, C David; Fell, Daniel

2003-01-01

Given the manner in which the Internet permeates today's society, it is easy to forget that the Internet as we know it is only about a decade old. Due to its newness, the Internet has provided an opportunity to view the manner in which marketers move to adopt such an innovation. To that end, since 1995 a series of studies has tracked the adoption and use of the Internet by hospital marketers. In addition to simply investigating the number of hospitals that utilize the Internet in their marketing efforts, the studies have addressed such questions as: How are hospitals using the Internet to market themselves?, What roadblocks have held hospitals back from adopting the Internet as a marketing tool?, and How happy are hospitals with their Internet investment? This manuscript details the most recent in this series of research studies. In addition, the authors compare the results of this study, conducted in the fall of 2002, with the results from the previous studies. As a result, this study provides a unique opportunity to observe the actual adoption of an innovation, the Internet, by hospital marketing professionals.

Photophysical studies on the interaction of acridinedione dyes with universal protein denaturant: guanidine hydrochloride.

PubMed

Kumaran, R; Varalakshmi, T; Malar, E J Padma; Ramamurthy, P

2010-09-01

Photophysical studies of photoinduced electron transfer (PET) and non-PET based acridinedione dyes with guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl) were carried out in water and methanol. Addition of GuHCl to photoinduced electron transfer (PET) based acridinedione dye (ADR 1) results in a fluorescence enhancement, whereas a non-PET based dye (ADR 2) shows no significant change in the fluorescence intensity and lifetime. Addition of GuHCl to ADR 1 dye in methanol results in single exponential decay behaviour, on the contrary a biexponential decay pattern was observed on the addition of GuHCl in water. Absorption and emission spectral studies of ADR 1 dye interaction with GuHCl reveals that the dye molecule is not in the protonated form in aqueous GuHCl solution, and the dye is confined to two distinguishable microenvironment in the aqueous phase. A large variation in the microenvironment around the dye molecule is created on the addition of GuHCl and this was ascertained by time-resolved area normalized emission spectroscopy (TRANES) and time-resolved emission spectroscopy (TRES). The dye molecule prefers to reside in the hydrophobic microenvironment, rather in the hydrophilic aqueous phase is well emphasized by time-resolved fluorescence lifetime studies. The mechanism of fluorescence enhancement of ADR 1 dye by GuHCl is attributed to the suppression of the PET process occurring through space.

Electrostatic Levitation for Studies of Additive Manufactured Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

SanSoucie, Michael P.; Rogers, Jan R.; Tramel, Terri

2014-01-01

The electrostatic levitation (ESL) laboratory at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center is a unique facility for investigators studying high temperature materials. The laboratory boasts two levitators in which samples can be levitated, heated, melted, undercooled, and resolidified. Electrostatic levitation minimizes gravitational effects and allows materials to be studied without contact with a container or instrumentation. The lab also has a high temperature emissivity measurement system, which provides normal spectral and normal total emissivity measurements at use temperature. The ESL lab has been instrumental in many pioneering materials investigations of thermophysical properties, e.g., creep measurements, solidification, triggered nucleation, and emissivity at high temperatures. Research in the ESL lab has already led to the development of advanced high temperature materials for aerospace applications, coatings for rocket nozzles, improved medical and industrial optics, metallic glasses, ablatives for reentry vehicles, and materials with memory. Modeling of additive manufacturing materials processing is necessary for the study of their resulting materials properties. In addition, the modeling of the selective laser melting processes and its materials property predictions are also underway. Unfortunately, there is very little data for the properties of these materials, especially of the materials in the liquid state. Some method to measure thermophysical properties of additive manufacturing materials is necessary. The ESL lab is ideal for these studies. The lab can provide surface tension and viscosity of molten materials, density measurements, emissivity measurements, and even creep strength measurements. The ESL lab can also determine melting temperature, surface temperatures, and phase transition temperatures of additive manufactured materials. This presentation will provide background on the ESL lab and its capabilities, provide an approach to using the ESL in supporting the development and modeling of the selective laser melting process for metals, and provide an overview of the results to date.

TiO2 induced structural modifications in Cs containing borosilicate glasses: Raman and infrared studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, M.; Banerjee, D.; Sudarsan, V.; Kshirsagar, R. J.

2018-04-01

Effect of TiO2 addition in Cs containing Sodium-borosilicate glasses is studied using Raman and infrared spectroscopic techniques. As revealed from infrared and Raman studies, TiO2 does not form segregated phase, but instead enters into the borosilicate network. It is further observed that TiO2 addition results in modifications of the borate and silicate structural units by transforming into tetraborates and metasilicate structural units. These structural modifications are responsible for Cs immobilization, leach rate and chemical durability of these glasses.

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

Education and coronary heart disease: mendelian randomisation study.

PubMed

Tillmann, Taavi; Vaucher, Julien; Okbay, Aysu; Pikhart, Hynek; Peasey, Anne; Kubinova, Ruzena; Pajak, Andrzej; Tamosiunas, Abdonas; Malyutina, Sofia; Hartwig, Fernando Pires; Fischer, Krista; Veronesi, Giovanni; Palmer, Tom; Bowden, Jack; Davey Smith, George; Bobak, Martin; Holmes, Michael V

2017-08-30

Objective  To determine whether educational attainment is a causal risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease. Design  Mendelian randomisation study, using genetic data as proxies for education to minimise confounding. Setting  The main analysis used genetic data from two large consortia (CARDIoGRAMplusC4D and SSGAC), comprising 112 studies from predominantly high income countries. Findings from mendelian randomisation analyses were then compared against results from traditional observational studies (164 170 participants). Finally, genetic data from six additional consortia were analysed to investigate whether longer education can causally alter the common cardiovascular risk factors. Participants  The main analysis was of 543 733 men and women (from CARDIoGRAMplusC4D and SSGAC), predominantly of European origin. Exposure  A one standard deviation increase in the genetic predisposition towards higher education (3.6 years of additional schooling), measured by 162 genetic variants that have been previously associated with education. Main outcome measure  Combined fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease (63 746 events in CARDIoGRAMplusC4D). Results  Genetic predisposition towards 3.6 years of additional education was associated with a one third lower risk of coronary heart disease (odds ratio 0.67, 95% confidence interval 0.59 to 0.77; P=3×10 -8 ). This was comparable to findings from traditional observational studies (prevalence odds ratio 0.73, 0.68 to 0.78; incidence odds ratio 0.80, 0.76 to 0.83). Sensitivity analyses were consistent with a causal interpretation in which major bias from genetic pleiotropy was unlikely, although this remains an untestable possibility. Genetic predisposition towards longer education was additionally associated with less smoking, lower body mass index, and a favourable blood lipid profile. Conclusions  This mendelian randomisation study found support for the hypothesis that low education is a causal risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease. Potential mechanisms could include smoking, body mass index, and blood lipids. In conjunction with the results from studies with other designs, these findings suggest that increasing education may result in substantial health benefits.

Education and coronary heart disease: mendelian randomisation study

PubMed Central

Vaucher, Julien; Okbay, Aysu; Pikhart, Hynek; Peasey, Anne; Kubinova, Ruzena; Pajak, Andrzej; Tamosiunas, Abdonas; Malyutina, Sofia; Hartwig, Fernando Pires; Fischer, Krista; Veronesi, Giovanni; Palmer, Tom; Bowden, Jack; Davey Smith, George; Bobak, Martin; Holmes, Michael V

2017-01-01

Objective To determine whether educational attainment is a causal risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease. Design Mendelian randomisation study, using genetic data as proxies for education to minimise confounding. Setting The main analysis used genetic data from two large consortia (CARDIoGRAMplusC4D and SSGAC), comprising 112 studies from predominantly high income countries. Findings from mendelian randomisation analyses were then compared against results from traditional observational studies (164 170 participants). Finally, genetic data from six additional consortia were analysed to investigate whether longer education can causally alter the common cardiovascular risk factors. Participants The main analysis was of 543 733 men and women (from CARDIoGRAMplusC4D and SSGAC), predominantly of European origin. Exposure A one standard deviation increase in the genetic predisposition towards higher education (3.6 years of additional schooling), measured by 162 genetic variants that have been previously associated with education. Main outcome measure Combined fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease (63 746 events in CARDIoGRAMplusC4D). Results Genetic predisposition towards 3.6 years of additional education was associated with a one third lower risk of coronary heart disease (odds ratio 0.67, 95% confidence interval 0.59 to 0.77; P=3×10−8). This was comparable to findings from traditional observational studies (prevalence odds ratio 0.73, 0.68 to 0.78; incidence odds ratio 0.80, 0.76 to 0.83). Sensitivity analyses were consistent with a causal interpretation in which major bias from genetic pleiotropy was unlikely, although this remains an untestable possibility. Genetic predisposition towards longer education was additionally associated with less smoking, lower body mass index, and a favourable blood lipid profile. Conclusions This mendelian randomisation study found support for the hypothesis that low education is a causal risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease. Potential mechanisms could include smoking, body mass index, and blood lipids. In conjunction with the results from studies with other designs, these findings suggest that increasing education may result in substantial health benefits. PMID:28855160

Overview of the CLIC detector and its physics potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ström, Rickard

2017-12-01

The CLIC detector and physics study (CLICdp) is an international collaboration that investigates the physics potential of the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC). CLIC is a high-energy electron-positron collider under development, aiming for centre-of-mass energies from a few hundred GeV to 3 TeV. In addition to physics studies based on full Monte Carlo simulations of signal and background processes, CLICdp performs cuttingedge hardware R&D. In this contribution CLICdp will present recent results from physics prospect studies, emphasising Higgs studies. Additionally the new CLIC detector model and the recently updated CLIC baseline staging scenario will be presented.

QCM and AFM Study of atomic scale polishing and roughening of surfaces exposed to nanoparticle suspensions of diamond, Al2O3 and SiO2.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krim, Jacqueline; Acharya, Biplav; Chestnut, Melanie; Marek, Antonin; Shendarova, Olga; Smirnov, Alex

The addition of nanoparticles to conventional automotive lubricants is known in many cases to result in increased energy efficiency, but the atomic scale mechanisms leading to the increased efficiency are yet to be established. To explore this issue, we studied surface uptake and nanotribological properties of nanoparticle suspensions of diamond, Al2O3 and SiO2 dispersed in water and/or oil (PAO6) in real time by means of an in situ Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) technique, with a focus on the impact of the suspension on the surface roughness and texture of the QCM electrode and how the results compared to macroscopic reductions in friction and increased energy efficiency for the same materials' combinations. The frequency and dissipative properties (mechanical resistance) of QCM's with both gold and nickel surface electrodes were first studied for immersed samples upon addition of the nanoparticles. Nanodiamonds resulted in an increased mechanical resistance while the addition of Al2O3 and SiO2 nanoparticles resulted in a decreased resistance, indicating a reduced resistance of the fluid to the motion of the QCM. Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) measurements were then performed on the QCM electrodes after exposure to the suspensions, to explore potential polishing and/or roughening effects. The results are closely linked to the macroscopic friction and wear attributes. Work supported by NSF.

Preparation of ultrafiltration membrane by phase separation coupled with microwave irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suryani, Puput Eka; Purnama, Herry; Susanto, Heru

2015-12-01

Preparation of low fouling ultrafiltration membrane is still a big challenge in the membrane field. In this paper, polyether sulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membranes were prepared by non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) coupled with microwave irradiation. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyethylene glycol methacrylate (PEGMA) were used as additives to improve membrane hydrophilicity. In this study, the concentration of additive, irradiation time and microwave power was varied. The membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, while the performances were tested by adsorptive and ultrafiltration fouling experiments. The results show that the irradiation time and irradiation power are very important parameter that influence the membrane characteristic. In addition, type and concentration of additive are other important parameters. The results suggest that microwave irradiation is the most important parameter influencing the membrane characteristic. Both pure water flux and fouling resistance increase with increasing irradiation time, power irradiation, and additive concentration. PES membrane with addition of 10% w/w PEG and irradiated by 130 W microwave power for 180 seconds is the best membrane performance.

Characterization of Sensory Differences in Mixing and Premium Rums Through the Use of Descriptive Sensory Analysis.

PubMed

Ickes, Chelsea M; Cadwallader, Keith R

2017-11-01

This study identified and quantitated perceived sensory differences between 7 premium rums and 2 mixing rums using a hybrid of the Quantitative Descriptive Analysis and Spectrum methods. In addition, the results of this study validated the previously developed rum flavor wheel created from web-based materials. Results showed that the use of the rum flavor wheel aided in sensory term generation, as 17 additional terms were generated after the wheel was provided to panelists. Thirty-eight sensory terms encompassing aroma, aroma-by-mouth, mouthfeel, taste and aftertaste modalities, were generated and evaluated by the panel. Of the finalized terms, only 5 did not exist previously on the rum flavor wheel. Twenty attributes were found to be significantly different among rums. The majority of rums showed similar aroma profiles with the exception of 2 rums, which were characterized by higher perceived intensities of brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, and chocolate aroma, caramel, maple, and vanilla aroma-by-mouth and caramel aftertaste. These results demonstrate the previously developed rum flavor wheel can be used to adequately describe the flavor profile of rum. Additionally, results of this study document the sensory differences among premium rums and may be used to correlate with analytical data to better understand how changes in chemical composition of the product affect sensory perception. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Application of seaweeds to develop new food products with enhanced shelf-life, quality and health-related beneficial properties.

PubMed

Roohinejad, Shahin; Koubaa, Mohamed; Barba, Francisco J; Saljoughian, Sania; Amid, Mehrnoush; Greiner, Ralf

2017-09-01

Edible seaweeds are a good source of antioxidants, dietary fibers, essential amino acids, vitamins, phytochemicals, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and minerals. Many studies have evaluated the gelling, thickening and therapeutic properties of seaweeds when they are used individually. This review gives an overview on the nutritional, textural, sensorial, and health-related properties of food products enriched with seaweeds and seaweed extracts. The effect of seaweed incorporation on properties of meat, fish, bakery, and other food products were highlighted in depth. Moreover, the positive effects of foods enriched with seaweeds and seaweed extracts on different lifestyle diseases such as obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes were also discussed. The results of the studies demonstrated that the addition of seaweeds, in powder or extract form, can improve the nutritional and textural properties of food products. Additionally, low-fat products with less calories and less saturated fatty acids can be prepared using seaweeds. Moreover, the addition of seaweeds also affected the health properties of food products. The results of these studies demonstrated that the health value, shelf-life and overall quality of foods can be improved through the addition of either seaweeds or seaweed extracts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical Characteristics, Chemical Composition, Organoleptic Test And The Number Of Microbes In The Biscuits With Addition Of Flour Banana Peels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernawati; Aryani, A.; Shintawati, R.

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study to analyze the physical characteristics, chemical composition and organoleptic test of biscuit flour with the addition of flour banana peel. Materials used are banana peels Kepok. Kepok banana peel has been found to contain high fiber food. Biscuit-making stage includes the formation of cream, adding flour and wheat flour dietary fiber from banana peels to concentrations of 0% as control, 25%, 50% and 75% of 100 grams of wheat flour; mixing; molding; baking in the oven for 20-25 minutes with a temperature of 180°C. Parameters to be measured, namely the physical characteristics include: hardness, softness, consistency, crispness. Furthermore, the biscuits were tested by chemical analysis (proximate). Organoleptic test include: aroma, taste, mouthfeel, aftertaste. Data were analyzed statistically using SAS computing programs. Physical and organoleptic test results biscuits with the addition of flour banana peels has sufficient level of preference between like-liked. Based on the results of the proximate analysis of biscuits with the addition of flour banana peels has generally been in accordance with the National Standards of Indonesia (SNI). Conclusion of the study that the addition of flour banana peels in biscuits has the potential to become functional foods that contain high fiber.

Structural and water diffusion of poly(acryl amide)/poly(vinyl alcohol) blend films: Experiment and molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

Wang, Yanen; Wei, Qinghua; Wang, Shuzhi; Chai, Weihong; Zhang, Yingfeng

2017-01-01

To study the effects of composition ratios and temperature on the diffusion of water molecules in PVA/PAM blend films, five simulation models of PVA/PAM with ten water molecules at different composition ratios (4/0, 3/1, 2/2, 1/3, 0/4) were constructed and simulated by using a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The diffusion behavior of water molecules in blends were investigated from the aspects of the diffusion coefficient, free volume, pair correlation function (PCF) and trajectories of water molecules, respectively. And the hydrophilicity of blend composite was studied based on the contact angle and equilibrium water content (EWC) of the blend films. The simulation results show that the diffusion coefficient of water molecules and fractional free volume (FFV) of blend membranes increase with the addition of PAM, and a higher temperature can also improve the diffusion of water molecules. Additionally, the analysis of PCFs reveals the main reason why the diffusion coefficient of water in blend system increases with the addition of PAM. The measurement results of contact angle and EWC of blend films indicate that the hydrophilicity of blend films decreases with the addition of PAM, but the EWC of blends increases with the addition of PAM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

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

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

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

Effect of substituted phenylnadimides on processing and properties of PMR polyimide composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alston, W. B.; Lauver, R. W.

1985-01-01

Three nitrophenylnadimide cure initiators and two phenylnadimides (without nitros) were evaluated as additives to PMR-15 resins and Celion 6000 graphite fiber composites. The results of a resin screening study eliminated all of the additives except 3-nitrophenylnadimide (NO2PN) for use as a low temperature curing additive for PMR-15. Thus, NO2PN and the two control additives were investigated in PMR-15 formulations from which Celion 6000 graphite fiber/PMR-15 composites were processed both with low temperature (274 C) and normal (316 C) cure cycles. Comparisons of the two processing cycles, the resultant glass transition temperatures (Tg), the ambient, 274 and 316 C composite mechanical properties determined before and after 316 C postcure, the 316 C thermo-oxidative weight losses and the retention of 316 C composite mechanical properties are presented. Empirical correlations of the type and amount of nadimide additives with processing parameters, Tg, composite mechanical properties, composite thermo-oxidative stability and long term retention of 316 C composite mechanical properties are also presented.

Crystal front shape control by use of an additional heater in a Czochralski sapphire single crystal growth system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hur, Min-Jae; Han, Xue-Feng; Choi, Ho-Gil; Yi, Kyung-Woo

2017-09-01

The quality of sapphire single crystals used as substrates for LED production is largely influenced by two defects: dislocation density and bubbles trapped in the crystal. In particular, the dislocation density has a higher value in sapphire grown by the Czochralski (CZ) method than by other methods. In the present study, we predict a decreased value for the convexity and thermal gradient at the crystal front (CF) through the use of an additional heater in an induction-heated CZ system. In addition, we develop a solute concentration model by which the location of bubble formation in CZ growth is calculated, and the results are compared with experimental results. We further calculate the location of bubble entrapment corresponding with the use of an additional heater. We find that sapphire crystal growth with an additional heater yields a decreased thermal gradient at the CF, together with decreased CF convexity, improved energy efficiency, and improvements in terms of bubble formation location.

Modification of Sr on 4004 Aluminum Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Erjun; Cao, Guojian; Feng, Yicheng; Wang, Liping; Wang, Guojun; Lv, Xinyu

2013-05-01

As a brazing foil, 4004 Al alloy has good welding performance. However, the high Si content decreases the plasticity of the alloy. To improve the plasticity of 4004 Al alloy and subsequently improve the productivity of 4004 Al foil or 434 composite foil, 4004 Al alloy was modified by Al-10%Sr master alloy. Modification effects of an additional amount of Sr, modification temperature, and holding time on 4004 aluminum alloy were studied by orthogonal design. The results showed that the greatest impact parameter of 4004 aluminum alloy modification was the additional amount of Sr, followed by holding time and modification temperature. The optimum modification parameters obtained by orthogonal design were as follows: Sr addition of 0.04%, holding time of 60 min, and modification temperature of 760°C. The effect of Sr addition on modification was analyzed in detail based on orthogonal results. With increasing of Sr addition, elongation of 4004 alloy increased at first, and decreased after reaching the maximum value.

Winston's "No Additives" campaign: "straight up"? "no bull"?

PubMed Central

Arnett, J J

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The author used data from a larger study to examine adolescents' and adults' responses to Winston cigarettes' "No Additives" advertising campaign. METHODS: The author analyzed responses from 400 adolescents ages 12-17 and 203 adults ages 30-50 who were asked what they believed the meaning of the "No Additives" slogan to be. The author also analyzed adolescents' responses to questions about four specific Winston "No Additives" ads. RESULTS: Two-thirds of adolescents and 27% of adults believed that "No Additives" meant one or more of the following: that Winston cigarettes are healthier than other cigarettes, that they are less likely to harm health, or that they are less likely to be addictive. Adolescents perceived the models in three ads to be younger than 25 years old. Among adolescent respondents, smokers were more likely than nonsmokers to like the ads and to believe the ads made smoking more appealing. CONCLUSIONS: The "No Additives" slogan was perceived by a majority of adolescents and about a quarter of adults as implying one or more health claims. The results of this analysis suggest that the Federal Trade Commission's action in requiring a disclaimer on the "No Additives" ads is well founded but the disclaimer should be strengthened. PMID:10670619

Chapter 7. Additional studies using CFIRP treatments: Douglas-fir genetics and ambrosia beetle log colonization.

Treesearch

Chris C. Maguire; W. Thomas Adams; Rick G. Kelsey

2005-01-01

As highlighted in previous chapters, the primary biological objectives of CFIRP were to assess impacts of diverse silvicultural treatments on vegetation structure and growth and on the abundance and diversity of wildlife. Stand conditions resulting from implementation of the CFIRP research design, however, provided for the overlay of additional research projects that...

Restrictions on Addition: Children's Interpretation of the Focus Particles "Auch" "Also" and "Nur" "Only" in German

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berger, Frauke; Hohle, Barbara

2012-01-01

Children up to school age have been reported to perform poorly when interpreting sentences containing restrictive and additive focus particles by treating sentences with a focus particle in the same way as sentences without it. Careful comparisons between results of previous studies indicate that this phenomenon is less pronounced for restrictive…

Hypnosis as an Adjunct to Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy for Obesity: A Meta-analytic Reappraisal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allison, David B.; Faith, Myles S.

1996-01-01

A meta-analysis for six weight-loss studies comparing the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) alone to CBT plus hypnotherapy. Notes that "the addition of hypnosis substantially enhanced treatment outcome." Concludes that the addition of hypnosis to CBT for weight loss results in, at most, a small enhancement of treatment…

HUMAN HEALTH DAMAGES FROM MOBILE SOURCE AIR POLLUTION: ADDITIONAL DELPHI DATA ANALYSIS. VOLUME II

EPA Science Inventory

The report contains the results of additional analyses of the data generated by a panel of medical experts for a study of Human Health Damages from Mobile Source Air Pollution (hereafter referred to as HHD) conducted by the California Air Resources Board in 1973-75 for the U.S. E...

Sidewalk undermining studies : phase III, field and model studies.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-01-01

The results of the early studies of the undermining problems are summarized in the initial portion of this report. Additionally, the design and use of a model sidewalk for testing procedures for preventing undermining are described. Based upon tests ...

Nucleation and growth of chimney pores during electron-beam additive manufacturing

DOE PAGES

Cordero, Zachary C.; Dinwiddie, Ralph B.; Immel, David; ...

2016-12-05

The nucleation and growth of chimney pores during powder-bed, electron-beam additive manufacturing is investigated using in-situ infrared thermography as well as microcomputed tomography of as-printed parts. The pores are found to nucleate at dimples on the part s surface, clearly demonstrating how process parameters can affect surface roughness, which can in turn affect the internal defect structure in an additive manufactured part. Based on the results of this study, several strategies for suppressing the formation of chimney pores are discussed.

Effect of primary-zone equivalence ratio and hydrogen addition on exhaust emission in a hydrocarbon-fueled combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norgren, C. T.; Ingebo, R. D.

1974-01-01

The effects of reducing the primary-zone equivalence ratio on the exhaust emission levels of oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and unburned hydrocarbons in experimental hydrocarbon-fueled combustor segments at simulated supersonic cruise and idle conditions were investigated. In addition, the effects of the injection of hydrogen fuel (up to 4 percent of the total weight of fuel) on the stability of the hydrocarbon flame and exhaust emissions were studied and compared with results obtained without hydrogen addition.

The effect of silver (Ag) addition to mechanical and electrical properties of copper alloy (Cu) casting product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felicia, Dian M.; Rochiem, R.; Laia, Standley M.

2018-04-01

Copper have good mechanical properties and good electrical conductivities. Therefore, copper usually used as electrical components. Silver have better electrical conductivities than copper. Female contact resistor is one of the electrical component used in circuit breaker. This study aims to analyze the effect of silver addition to hardness, strength, and electric conductivity properties of copper alloy. This study uses variation of 0; 0.035; 0.07; 0.1 wt. % Ag (silver) addition to determine the effect on mechanical properties and electrical properties of copper alloy through sand casting process. Modelling of thermal analysis and structural analysis was calculated to find the best design for the sand casting experiments. The result of Cu-Ag alloy as cast will be characterized by OES test, metallography test, Brinell hardness test, tensile test, and LCR meter test. The result of this study showed that the addition of silver increase mechanical properties of Cu-Ag. The maximum hardness value of this alloy is 83.1 HRB which is Cu-0.01 Ag and the lowest is 52.26 HRB which is pure Cu. The maximum strength value is 153.2 MPa which is Cu-0.07 Ag and the lowest is 94.6 MPa which is pure Cu. Silver addition decrease electrical properties of this alloy. The highest electric conductivity is 438.98 S/m which is pure Cu and the lowest is 52.61 S.m which is Cu-0.1 Ag.

Physical, thermal and mechanical study of MPC formulated with LG-MgO incorporating Phase Change Materials as admixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maldonado-Alameda, A.; Lacasta, A. M.; Giro-Paloma, J.; Chimenos, J. M.; Formosa, J.

2017-10-01

The high environmental impact generated by using of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) has lead to the search for alternative materials in the field of civil and building engineering. In addition, there is a tendency to develop cements from industrial by-products, thus reducing pollution and emissions generated by their production. One of the best positioned cements to compete with OPC is Magnesium Phosphate Cement (MPC). The present work studies different dosages of MPC mortars formulated with low-grade MgO by-product (sustainable MPC) incorporating Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials (MPCM) and air entraining additive (AEA) as admixtures (Thermal Sustainable MPC) to improve the thermal behaviour of the material. The aim is developed a new eco-friendly material that leads to reducing energy consumption in buildings. The study is focused on the physical, thermal, and mechanical characterization of TS-MPC mortars to assess their potential use as a thermal prefabricated panel. The results allow to relate the amount of the MPCM and the additive percentage with the thermal and mechanical properties of the TS- MPC. Furthermore, is important to highlight the influence of MPCM not only in the thermal behaviour but also on the increase of the porosity. The experimental results show that the addition of both additives contributes substantially to the improvement of the thermal behaviour of the mortars and converts them on a suitable material to reduce thermal oscillations in buildings.

Levels-of-growing-stock cooperative study in Douglas-fir: report no. 13—The Francis Study, 1963-90.

Treesearch

Gerald E. Hoyer; Norman A. Andersen; David Marshall

1996-01-01

Results of the Francis installation of the levels-of-growing-stock study in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), begun at stand age 15, are summarized together with results from additional first-thinning treatments started at age 25. To age 42 (5 years beyond the last planned thinning), total cubic-foot volume growth on this mid-site...

Training auscultatory skills: computer simulated heart sounds or additional bedside training? A randomized trial on third-year medical students

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The present study compares the value of additional use of computer simulated heart sounds, to conventional bedside auscultation training, on the cardiac auscultation skills of 3rd year medical students at Oslo University Medical School. Methods In addition to their usual curriculum courses, groups of seven students each were randomized to receive four hours of additional auscultation training either employing a computer simulator system or adding on more conventional bedside training. Cardiac auscultation skills were afterwards tested using live patients. Each student gave a written description of the auscultation findings in four selected patients, and was rewarded from 0-10 points for each patient. Differences between the two study groups were evaluated using student's t-test. Results At the auscultation test no significant difference in mean score was found between the students who had used additional computer based sound simulation compared to additional bedside training. Conclusions Students at an early stage of their cardiology training demonstrated equal performance of cardiac auscultation whether they had received an additional short auscultation course based on computer simulated training, or had had additional bedside training. PMID:20082701

Fragrance contact dermatitis in Korea: a joint study.

PubMed

An, Susun; Lee, Ai-Young; Lee, Cheol Heon; Kim, Do-Won; Hahm, Jeong Hee; Kim, Kea-Jeung; Moon, Kee-Chan; Won, Young Ho; Ro, Young-Suck; Eun, Hee Chul

2005-12-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of responses to selected fragrances in patients with suspected fragrance allergy and to evaluate the risk factors. 9 dermatology departments of university hospitals have participated in this study for the past 1 year. To determine allergic response to fragrances, 18 additional fragrances in addition to the Korean standard and a commercial fragrance series were patch-tested in patients with suspecting cosmetic contact dermatitis. Over 80% of the patients were women, and the most common site was the face. Cinnamic alcohol and sandalwood oil (Santalum album L.) showed high frequencies of positive responses. Of the specific fragrances, ebanol, alpha-isomethyl-ionone (methyl ionone-gamma) and Lyral (hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexane carboxdaldehyde) showed high positive responses. We compared the results obtained during this study with those of other studies and concluded that including additional fragrance allergens may be useful for the detection of fragrance allergy.

Mechanistic Study of Electrolyte Additives to Stabilize High-Voltage Cathode–Electrolyte Interface in Lithium-Ion Batteries

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

Gao, Han; Maglia, Filippo; Lamp, Peter

Current developments of electrolyte additives to stabilize electrode-electrolyte interface in Li-ion batteries highly rely on a trial-and-error search, which involves repetitive testing and intensive amount of resources. The lack of understandings on the fundamental protection mechanisms of the additives significantly increases the difficulty for the transformational development of new additives. In this study, we investigated two types of individual protection routes to build a robust cathode-electrolyte interphase at high potentials: (i) a direct reduction in the catalytic decomposition of the electrolyte solvent; and (ii) formation of a “corrosion inhibitor film” that prevents severely attack and passivation from protons that generatedmore » from the solvent oxidation, even the decomposition of solvent cannot not mitigated. Effect of three exemplary electrolyte additives: (i) lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB); (ii) 3-hexylthiophene (3HT); and (iii) tris(hexafluoro-iso-propyl)phosphate (HFiP), on LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 (NMC 622) cathode were investigated to validate our hypothesis. It is demonstrated that understandings of both electrolyte additives and solvent are essential and careful balance between the cathode protection mechanism of additives and their side effects is critical to obtain optimum results. More importantly, this study opens up new directions of rational design of functional electrolyte additives for the next generation high-energy density lithium-ion chemistries.« less

Laboratory Study on the Fatigue Resistance of Asphaltic Concrete Containing Titanium Dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buhari, Rosnawati; Ezree Abdullah, Mohd; Khairul Ahmad, Mohd; Azhar Tajudin, Saiful; Khatijah Abu Bakar, Siti

2018-03-01

This study aims to evaluate the fatigue performance of modified asphalt mixture using Indirect Tensile Fatigue Test. Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) powder in a form of rutile was used for producing asphalt concrete with lower mixing and compaction temperature compared to conventional hot mix asphalt without reducing its physical and mechanical also resistance to fatigue. The characteristic of the asphalt and modified asphalt was evaluated using penetration test, softening test and rotational viscosity test. Titanium dioxide of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% by weight of asphalt has been incorporated into unaged 80/100 asphalt mix in order to improvise its performance and to fulfill the objectives of this experimental study. As a result, TiO2 as an additive is potential to decrease the penetration and increasing the softening point of the asphalt. In terms of fatigue performance testing, addition TiO2 additive does help in improving the fatigue properties as it shows greater result than the control asphalt. In conclusion, TiO2 is great in improving fatigue properties.

The complexity of personality: advantages of a genetically sensitive multi-group design.

PubMed

Hahn, Elisabeth; Spinath, Frank M; Siedler, Thomas; Wagner, Gert G; Schupp, Jürgen; Kandler, Christian

2012-03-01

Findings from many behavioral genetic studies utilizing the classical twin design suggest that genetic and non-shared environmental effects play a significant role in human personality traits. This study focuses on the methodological advantages of extending the sampling frame to include multiple dyads of relatives. We investigated the sensitivity of heritability estimates to the inclusion of sibling pairs, mother-child pairs and grandparent-grandchild pairs from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study in addition to a classical German twin sample consisting of monozygotic- and dizygotic twins. The resulting dataset contained 1.308 pairs, including 202 monozygotic and 147 dizygotic twin pairs, along with 419 sibling pairs, 438 mother-child dyads, and 102 grandparent-child dyads. This genetically sensitive multi-group design allowed the simultaneous testing of additive and non-additive genetic, common and specific environmental effects, including cultural transmission and twin-specific environmental influences. Using manifest and latent modeling of phenotypes (i.e., controlling for measurement error), we compare results from the extended sample with those from the twin sample alone and discuss implications for future research.

Synthesis and Characterization of Nano Boron Nitride Reinforced Magnesium Composites Produced by the Microwave Sintering Method

PubMed Central

Seetharaman, Sankaranarayanan; Subramanian, Jayalakshmi; Tun, Khin Sandar; Hamouda, Abdelmagid S.; Gupta, Manoj

2013-01-01

In this study, magnesium composites with nano-size boron nitride (BN) particulates of varying contents were synthesized using the powder metallurgy (PM) technique incorporating microwave-assisted two-directional sintering followed by hot extrusion. The effect of nano-BN addition on the microstructural and the mechanical behavior of the developed Mg/BN composites were studied in comparison with pure Mg using the structure-property correlation. Microstructural characterization revealed uniform distribution of nano-BN particulates and marginal grain refinement. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) value of the magnesium matrix was improved with the addition of nano-sized BN particulates. The results of XRD studies indicate basal texture weakening with an increase in nano-BN addition. The composites showed improved mechanical properties measured under micro-indentation, tension and compression loading. While the tensile yield strength improvement was marginal, a significant increase in compressive yield strength was observed. This resulted in the reduction of tension-compression yield asymmetry and can be attributed to the weakening of the strong basal texture. PMID:28809252

Remote lift fan study program, volume 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A study program to select and conduct preliminary design of advanced technology lift fan systems to meet low noise goals of future V/STOL transport aircraft is discussed. This volume contains results of additional studies conducted to support the main preliminary design effort done under the Remote Lift Fan Study Program (Contract NAS3-14406) and a companion effort, the Integral Lift Fan Study (NAS3-14404). These results cover engine emission study, a review of existing engines for research aircraft application and support data for aircraft studies.

Interaction of Food Additives with Intestinal Efflux Transporters.

PubMed

Sjöstedt, Noora; Deng, Feng; Rauvala, Oskari; Tepponen, Tuomas; Kidron, Heidi

2017-11-06

Breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), multidrug resistance associated protein 2 (MRP2) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) are ABC transporters that are expressed in the intestine, where they are involved in the efflux of many drugs from enterocytes back into the intestinal lumen. The inhibition of BCRP, MRP2, and P-gp can result in enhanced absorption and exposure of substrate drugs. Food additives are widely used by the food industry to improve the stability, flavor, and consistency of food products. Although they are considered safe for consumption, their interactions with intestinal transporters are poorly characterized. Therefore, in this study, selected food additives, including preservatives, colorants, and sweeteners, were studied in vitro for their inhibitory effects on intestinal ABC transporters. Among the studied compounds, several colorants were able to inhibit BCRP and MRP2, whereas P-gp was fairly insensitive to inhibition. Additionally, one sweetener was identified as a potent inhibitor of BCRP. Dose-response studies revealed that the IC 50 values of the inhibitors were lower than the estimated intestinal concentrations after the consumption of beverages containing food colorants. This suggests that there is potential for previously unrecognized transporter-mediated food additive-drug interactions.

The functional architectures of addition and subtraction: Network discovery using fMRI and DCM.

PubMed

Yang, Yang; Zhong, Ning; Friston, Karl; Imamura, Kazuyuki; Lu, Shengfu; Li, Mi; Zhou, Haiyan; Wang, Haiyuan; Li, Kuncheng; Hu, Bin

2017-06-01

The neuronal mechanisms underlying arithmetic calculations are not well understood but the differences between mental addition and subtraction could be particularly revealing. Using fMRI and dynamic causal modeling (DCM), this study aimed to identify the distinct neuronal architectures engaged by the cognitive processes of simple addition and subtraction. Our results revealed significantly greater activation during subtraction in regions along the dorsal pathway, including the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), middle portion of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (mDLPFC), and supplementary motor area (SMA), compared with addition. Subsequent analysis of the underlying changes in connectivity - with DCM - revealed a common circuit processing basic (numeric) attributes and the retrieval of arithmetic facts. However, DCM showed that addition was more likely to engage (numeric) retrieval-based circuits in the left hemisphere, while subtraction tended to draw on (magnitude) processing in bilateral parietal cortex, especially the right intraparietal sulcus (IPS). Our findings endorse previous hypotheses about the differences in strategic implementation, dominant hemisphere, and the neuronal circuits underlying addition and subtraction. Moreover, for simple arithmetic, our connectivity results suggest that subtraction calls on more complex processing than addition: auxiliary phonological, visual, and motor processes, for representing numbers, were engaged by subtraction, relative to addition. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3210-3225, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Whiskey springs long-term coast redwood density management; final growth, sprout, and yield results

Treesearch

Lynn A. Webb; James L. Lindquist; Erik Wahl; Andrew Hubb

2012-01-01

Multi-decadal studies of commercial and precommercial thinning in redwood stands are rare and consequently of value. The Whiskey Springs study at Jackson Demonstration State Forest has a data set spanning 35 years. In addition to growth and yield response to commercial thinning, the results provide important information for evaluating regeneration and...

Quasi-additive estimates on the Hamiltonian for the one-dimensional long range Ising model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Littin, Jorge; Picco, Pierre

2017-07-01

In this work, we study the problem of getting quasi-additive bounds for the Hamiltonian of the long range Ising model, when the two-body interaction term decays proportionally to 1/d2 -α , α ∈(0,1 ) . We revisit the paper by Cassandro et al. [J. Math. Phys. 46, 053305 (2005)] where they extend to the case α ∈[0 ,ln3/ln2 -1 ) the result of the existence of a phase transition by using a Peierls argument given by Fröhlich and Spencer [Commun. Math. Phys. 84, 87-101 (1982)] for α =0 . The main arguments of Cassandro et al. [J. Math. Phys. 46, 053305 (2005)] are based in a quasi-additive decomposition of the Hamiltonian in terms of hierarchical structures called triangles and contours, which are related to the original definition of contours introduced by Fröhlich and Spencer [Commun. Math. Phys. 84, 87-101 (1982)]. In this work, we study the existence of a quasi-additive decomposition of the Hamiltonian in terms of the contours defined in the work of Cassandro et al. [J. Math. Phys. 46, 053305 (2005)]. The most relevant result obtained is Theorem 4.3 where we show that there is a quasi-additive decomposition for the Hamiltonian in terms of contours when α ∈[0,1 ) but not in terms of triangles. The fact that it cannot be a quasi-additive bound in terms of triangles lead to a very interesting maximization problem whose maximizer is related to a discrete Cantor set. As a consequence of the quasi-additive bounds, we prove that we can generalise the [Cassandro et al., J. Math. Phys. 46, 053305 (2005)] result, that is, a Peierls argument, to the whole interval α ∈[0,1 ) . We also state here the result of Cassandro et al. [Commun. Math. Phys. 327, 951-991 (2014)] about cluster expansions which implies that Theorem 2.4 that concerns interfaces and Theorem 2.5 that concerns n point truncated correlation functions in Cassandro et al. [Commun. Math. Phys. 327, 951-991 (2014)] are valid for all α ∈[0,1 ) instead of only α ∈[0 ,ln3/ln2 -1 ) .

A novel method for improving cerussite sulfidization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Qi-cheng; Wen, Shu-ming; Zhao, Wen-juan; Cao, Qin-bo; Lü, Chao

2016-06-01

Evaluation of flotation behavior, solution measurements, and surface analyses were performed to investigate the effects of chloride ion addition on the sulfidization of cerussite in this study. Micro-flotation tests indicate that the addition of chloride ions prior to sulfidization can significantly increase the flotation recovery of cerussite, which is attributed to the formation of more lead sulfide species on the mineral surface. Solution measurement results suggest that the addition of chloride ions prior to sulfidization induces the transformation of more sulfide ions from pulp solution onto the mineral surface by the formation of more lead sulfide species. X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive spectroscopy indicate that more lead sulfide species form on the mineral surface when chloride ions are added prior to sulfidization. These results demonstrate that the addition of chloride ions prior to sulfidization can significantly improve the sulfidization of cerussite, thereby enhancing the flotation performance.

Effect of Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate and Sodium Bromide Additives on Ni–W Nanocoatings.

PubMed

Das, Malay Kumar; Qin, Jiaqian; Zhang, Xinyu; Li, Rongxia; Thueploy, Adisak; Limpanart, Sarintorn; Boonyongmaneerat, Yuttanat; Ma, Mingzhen; Liu, Riping

2017-02-01

Nickel-tungsten (Ni–W) coatings were fabricated by electrodeposition method with varying quantities of sodium dodecyl sulphate and sodium bromide to examine the effects of the aforesaid additives on the coatings. The obtained nanocoatings were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and hardness tester. The hardness, tungsten content and grain size attained a maximum value at current density of 0.15 A/cm²,0.1 A/cm² and 0.1 A/cm², respectively. There was a pronounced impact of both the additives on the microstructure and morphology of the coatings. According to results, there are considerable difference in terms of the impact caused by the additives to the tungsten content, hardness and grain size of the coatings. The obtained results suggest that hardness of coatings is mainly contributed by W content in the deposits.

Adaptation to prolonged bedrest in man: A compendium of research. [bibliographies on clinical medicine and human pathology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenleaf, J. E.; Greenleaf, C. J.; Vanderveer, D.; Dorchak, K. J.

1976-01-01

A compilation of major studies that describe the clinical observations and elucidate the physiological mechanisms of the adaptive process of man undergoing prolonged bed rest is presented. Additional studies are included that provide background information in the form of reviews or summaries of the process. Wherever possible a detailed annotation is provided under the subheadings: (1) purpose, (2) procedure and methods, (3) results, and (4) conclusions. Additional references are provided in a selected bibliography.

Addition of aripiprazole to the clozapine may be useful in reducing anxiety in treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

PubMed

Chanachev, Aleksandar; Ansermot, Nicolas; Crettol Wavre, Séverine; Nowotka, Ute; Stamatopoulou, Maria-Eleni; Conus, Philippe; Eap, Chin B

2011-01-01

There exist many case reports and studies on the antipsychotic augmentation by aripirazole in partial responders to clozapine, the most seem to be finding a slight difference in the PANSS and CGI scores after the aripirazole addition. The results of our report are compatible with those of other studies but, we have found a considerable antianxiety action in both of the cases. The 5HT1A agonism of aripirazole could be hypothesized as mechanism contributing to this effect.

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

Virtual Surgical Planning for Inferior Alveolar Nerve Reconstruction.

PubMed

Miloro, Michael; Markiewicz, Michael R

2017-11-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the outcomes after preoperative virtual surgical planning (VSP) for inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) reconstruction in ablative mandibular surgery. We performed a retrospective evaluation of consecutive surgical cases using standard VSP for hard tissue resection and reconstructive surgery in addition to IAN VSP performed simultaneously during surgery. Cases were assessed regarding the planning time, additional costs involved, surgeon's subjective impression of the process, accuracy of the prediction during surgery, and operative time during surgery compared with cases performed without VSP. The study sample was composed of 5 cases of mandibular resection for benign disease, with bony, soft tissue, and neural reconstruction with the use of VSP. The addition of IAN reconstruction to the VSP session added no additional expense to the planning session but resulted in an additional 22.5 minutes (±7.5 minutes) for the webinar session. From a subjective standpoint, IAN VSP provided the surgeon with a discreet plan for surgery. From an objective standpoint, IAN VSP provided the exact length and diameter of nerve graft required for surgery, facilitated the surgeon's ability to visualize the actual nerve graft procedure, and limited the additional time required for simultaneous nerve reconstruction. Despite perceived prejudice against simultaneous IAN reconstruction with complex mandibular resection and reconstruction, the use of IAN VSP may facilitate the actual surgical procedure and result in considerably improved patient outcomes without considerable additional time or cost associated with this protocol. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Theoretical study on the reaction mechanisms of Michael chirality addition between propionaldehyde and nitroalkene catalyzed by an enantioselective catalyst.

PubMed

Zhou, Xinming; Li, Ling; Sun, Xuejun; Wang, Yajun; Du, Dongmei; Fu, Hui

2018-06-01

The asymmetric Michael addition between propionaldehyde and nitroalkene catalyzed by 8-(ethoxycarbonyl)-1,2,3,3a,8,8a-hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole-2-carboxylic acid has obtained relatively high yields and excellent enantioselectivities at room temperature. In this study, the molecular structures and optical activity of the most stable conformation I are optimized at B3LYP/6-311++ G(d,p) level. We find that levorotatory conformation I catalyzing the same Michael addition can produce laevo-product A and dextrorotatory conformation I' can obtain the dextral-product A'. These results have guiding significance for further studying on the new chemzymes and the mechanism of the obtained different chiral products. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

SEMIPARAMETRIC ADDITIVE RISKS REGRESSION FOR TWO-STAGE DESIGN SURVIVAL STUDIES

PubMed Central

Li, Gang; Wu, Tong Tong

2011-01-01

In this article we study a semiparametric additive risks model (McKeague and Sasieni (1994)) for two-stage design survival data where accurate information is available only on second stage subjects, a subset of the first stage study. We derive two-stage estimators by combining data from both stages. Large sample inferences are developed. As a by-product, we also obtain asymptotic properties of the single stage estimators of McKeague and Sasieni (1994) when the semiparametric additive risks model is misspecified. The proposed two-stage estimators are shown to be asymptotically more efficient than the second stage estimators. They also demonstrate smaller bias and variance for finite samples. The developed methods are illustrated using small intestine cancer data from the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) Program. PMID:21931467

Enhanced nitric oxide production during lead (Pb²⁺) exposure recovers protein expression but not presynaptic localization of synaptic proteins in developing hippocampal neurons.

PubMed

Neal, April P; Stansfield, Kirstie H; Guilarte, Tomás R

2012-02-23

We have previously reported that lead (Pb(2+)) exposure results in both presynaptic and postsynaptic changes in developing neurons as a result of inhibition of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). NMDAR inhibition by Pb(2+) during synaptogenesis disrupts downstream trans-synaptic signaling of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and exogenous addition of BDNF can recover the effects of Pb(2+) on both presynaptic protein expression and presynaptic vesicular release. NMDAR activity can modulate other trans-synaptic signaling pathways, such as nitric oxide (NO) signaling. Thus, it is possible that other trans-synaptic pathways in addition to BDNF signaling may be disrupted by Pb(2+) exposure. The current study investigated whether exogenous addition of NO could recover the presynaptic vesicular proteins lost as a result of Pb(2+) exposure during synaptogenesis, namely Synaptophysin (Syn) and Synaptobrevin (Syb). We observed that exogenous addition of NO during Pb(2+) exposure results in complete recovery of whole-cell Syn levels and partial recovery of Syn and Syb synaptic targeting in Pb(2+)-exposed neurons. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Addition of antioxidant from bamboo leaves as an effective way to reduce the formation of acrylamide in fried chicken wings.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; Xu, Weizhong; Wu, Xiaoqin; Zhang, Xiaoling; Zhang, Ying

2007-03-01

The efficiency of antioxidant from bamboo leaves on the reduction of acrylamide during thermal processing and optimization of levels of addition of antioxidant from bamboo leaves applied to fried chicken wings are reported. The authors optimized the method of the addition of antioxidant from bamboo leaves to fried chicken wings and the frying processing parameters, and also compared the relationship between the content of total flavonoids in three extracts (EBL(971), EBL(972) and antioxidant from bamboo leaves) and the extent of the reduction of acrylamide. The acrylamide levels were quantified by a validated liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry detection method and the sensory evaluation was performed in a double-blind manner. The results showed that nearly 57.8 and 59.0% of acrylamide in fried chicken wings were reduced when the antioxidant from bamboo leaves addition ratios were 0.1 and 0.5% (w/w), respectively. The maximum inhibitory rate was achieved when antioxidant from bamboo leaves was chosen as the additive with a total flavonoid content of 32% compared with other two extracts and antioxidant from bamboo leaves mixed with flour was selected as the method of addition. Sensory evaluation results showed that the odour and flavour of fried chicken wings with antioxidant from bamboo leaves treatments had no significant difference compared with normal food matrixes (p > 0.05) when the antioxidant from bamboo leaves addition ratio was <0.5% (w/w). Colour acceptability in the study of sensory evaluation was in good correspondence with colour formation of fried chicken wings in each test group. These results suggest that antioxidant from bamboo leaves could significantly reduce acrylamide formation in fried chicken wings and yet still retain the original flavour and odour of the fried products. This study could be regarded as a pioneer contribution to the reduction of acrylamide in various foods by natural antioxidants.

Exogenous nutrients and carbon resource change the responses of soil organic matter decomposition and nitrogen immobilization to nitrogen deposition

PubMed Central

He, Ping; Wan, Song-Ze; Fang, Xiang-Min; Wang, Fang-Chao; Chen, Fu-Sheng

2016-01-01

It is unclear whether exogenous nutrients and carbon (C) additions alter substrate immobilization to deposited nitrogen (N) during decomposition. In this study, we used laboratory microcosm experiments and 15N isotope tracer techniques with five different treatments including N addition, N+non-N nutrients addition, N+C addition, N+non-N nutrients+C addition and control, to investigate the coupling effects of non-N nutrients, C addition and N deposition on forest floor decomposition in subtropical China. The results indicated that N deposition inhibited soil organic matter and litter decomposition by 66% and 38%, respectively. Soil immobilized 15N following N addition was lowest among treatments. Litter 15N immobilized following N addition was significantly higher and lower than that of combined treatments during the early and late decomposition stage, respectively. Both soil and litter extractable mineral N were lower in combined treatments than in N addition treatment. Since soil N immobilization and litter N release were respectively enhanced and inhibited with elevated non-N nutrient and C resources, it can be speculated that the N leaching due to N deposition decreases with increasing nutrient and C resources. This study should advance our understanding of how forests responds the elevated N deposition. PMID:27020048

Assessment of dietary exposure in the French population to 13 selected food colours, preservatives, antioxidants, stabilizers, emulsifiers and sweeteners.

PubMed

Bemrah, Nawel; Leblanc, Jean-Charles; Volatier, Jean-Luc

2008-01-01

The results of French intake estimates for 13 food additives prioritized by the methods proposed in the 2001 Report from the European Commission on Dietary Food Additive Intake in the European Union are reported. These 13 additives were selected using the first and second tiers of the three-tier approach. The first tier was based on theoretical food consumption data and the maximum permitted level of additives. The second tier used real individual food consumption data and the maximum permitted level of additives for the substances which exceeded the acceptable daily intakes (ADI) in the first tier. In the third tier reported in this study, intake estimates were calculated for the 13 additives (colours, preservatives, antioxidants, stabilizers, emulsifiers and sweeteners) according to two modelling assumptions corresponding to two different food habit scenarios (assumption 1: consumers consume foods that may or may not contain food additives, and assumption 2: consumers always consume foods that contain additives) when possible. In this approach, real individual food consumption data and the occurrence/use-level of food additives reported by the food industry were used. Overall, the results of the intake estimates are reassuring for the majority of additives studied since the risk of exceeding the ADI was low, except for nitrites, sulfites and annatto, whose ADIs were exceeded by either children or adult consumers or by both populations under one and/or two modelling assumptions. Under the first assumption, the ADI is exceeded for high consumers among adults for nitrites and sulfites (155 and 118.4%, respectively) and among children for nitrites (275%). Under the second assumption, the average nitrites dietary exposure in children exceeds the ADI (146.7%). For high consumers, adults exceed the nitrite and sulfite ADIs (223 and 156.4%, respectively) and children exceed the nitrite, annatto and sulfite ADIs (416.7, 124.6 and 130.6%, respectively).

Influence of additional heat exchanger block on directional solidification system for growing multi-crystalline silicon ingot - A simulation investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagarajan, S. G.; Srinivasan, M.; Aravinth, K.; Ramasamy, P.

2018-04-01

Transient simulation has been carried out for analyzing the heat transfer properties of Directional Solidification (DS) furnace. The simulation results revealed that the additional heat exchanger block under the bottom insulation on the DS furnace has enhanced the control of solidification of the silicon melt. Controlled Heat extraction rate during the solidification of silicon melt is requisite for growing good quality ingots which has been achieved by the additional heat exchanger block. As an additional heat exchanger block, the water circulating plate has been placed under the bottom insulation. The heat flux analysis of DS system and the temperature distribution studies of grown ingot confirm that the established additional heat exchanger block on the DS system gives additional benefit to the mc-Si ingot.

Addition of Silica Fume to Improve Strength of Cement Paste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jiajian; Chen, Hongniao; Li, Gu

2018-03-01

This study measured the packing densities of 0 to 30% silica fume (SF) added cementitious materials and strength of the cementitious pastes with various water content. The results revealed that addition of silica fume up to a certain level has great effects on packing density and strength. In-depth analysis illustrated that a lower W/CM ratio would not always result in a higher cube strength, and the range between 0.05 and 0.07 µm would be the amount of water film thickness (WFT) for muximum strength.

Effect of Cr2O3 addition on the oxidation induration mechanism of Hongge vanadium titanomagnetite pellets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wei; Wang, Nan; Fu, Gui-qin; Chu, Man-sheng; Zhu, Miao-yong

2018-04-01

As part of a research project to develop a novel clean smelting process for the comprehensive utilization of Hongge vanadium titanomagnetite (HVTM), in this study, the effect of Cr2O3 addition on the oxidation induration mechanism of HVTM pellets (HVTMPs) was investigated in detail. The results showed that the compressive strength of the HVTMPs was greatly weakened by the Cr2O3 addition, mainly because of a substantial increase in the porosity of the HVTMPs. The Cr2O3 addition marginally affected the phase composition but greatly affected the microstructural changes of the HVTMPs. Increased amounts of Cr2O3 resulted in a decrease in the uniform distribution of the hematite grains and in an increase in the Fe-Cr solid solutions (Fe1.2Cr0.8O3 and Fe0.7Cr1.3O3) embedded in the hematite grains. Moreover, the compact hematite was destroyed by forming a dispersed structure and the hematite recrystallization was hindered during the oxidation induration, which adversely affected the compressive strength. On the basis of these results, a schematic was formulated to describe the oxidation induration mechanism with different amounts of added Cr2O3. This study provides theoretical and technical foundations for the effective production of HVTMPs and a reference for chromium-bearing minerals.

Assessment of food intake input distributions for use in probabilistic exposure assessments of food additives.

PubMed

Gilsenan, M B; Lambe, J; Gibney, M J

2003-11-01

A key component of a food chemical exposure assessment using probabilistic analysis is the selection of the most appropriate input distribution to represent exposure variables. The study explored the type of parametric distribution that could be used to model variability in food consumption data likely to be included in a probabilistic exposure assessment of food additives. The goodness-of-fit of a range of continuous distributions to observed data of 22 food categories expressed as average daily intakes among consumers from the North-South Ireland Food Consumption Survey was assessed using the BestFit distribution fitting program. The lognormal distribution was most commonly accepted as a plausible parametric distribution to represent food consumption data when food intakes were expressed as absolute intakes (16/22 foods) and as intakes per kg body weight (18/22 foods). Results from goodness-of-fit tests were accompanied by lognormal probability plots for a number of food categories. The influence on food additive intake of using a lognormal distribution to model food consumption input data was assessed by comparing modelled intake estimates with observed intakes. Results from the present study advise some level of caution about the use of a lognormal distribution as a mode of input for food consumption data in probabilistic food additive exposure assessments and the results highlight the need for further research in this area.

Lethal and sublethal effects of chlorine, phenol, and chlorine-phenol mixtures on the mud crab, Panopeus herbstii.

PubMed

Key, P B; Scott, G I

1986-11-01

The mud crab, Panopeus herbstii, was acutely exposed (96-hr) to chlorine-produced oxidants (CPO), phenol, and a CPO-phenolic mixture (1:1) to determine lethal and sublethal effects. The 96-hr (LC50) values were determined for each individual compound and mixture. Additionally, whole-animal respiration rates were measured following acute exposure to sublethal concentrations of each compound or mixture. Phenol uptake/depuration rates were measured in the phenol and CPO-phenol mixture concentrations. Results indicated 96-hr LC50 values of 1.06 mg/L for CPO (fiducial limits (FL) = 0.53-2.01 mg/L), 52.8 mg/L for phenol (FL = 45.6-64.5 mg/L), and 184.7 mg/L total toxicant units (TTU) for the CPO-phenol mixture (FL = 143.7-250.2 mg/L TTU). Statistical analysis indicated that the acute toxicity of the CPO-phenol mixture was less than additive. Sublethal studies indicated that only acute exposure to sublethal concentrations of CPO caused altered respiration rates. After 96-hr depuration, metabolic rates in all CPO-exposure crabs generally returned to control rates. Uptake/depuration rate studies indicated significantly lower phenol uptake rates in crabs exposed to the CPO-phenol mixture. These findings suggest that the less-than-additive toxicity of the CPO-phenol mixture may result from lowered uptake/depuration rate kinetics and indicate that the discharge of chlorinated-phenolic waste may not result in additive and/or synergistic interactions, but rather in less-than-additive effects on decapod aquatic species.

Dinuclear Tricyclic Transition State Model for Carbonyl Addition of Organotitanium Reagents: DFT Study on the Activity and Enantioselectivity of BINOLate Titanium Catalysts.

PubMed

Harada, Toshiro

2018-06-08

In the presence of a catalytic amount of chiral BINOL derivatives (or BINOLs), a mixture of various organometallic compounds with Ti(O i Pr) 4 undergoes enantioselective addition to aldehydes and ketones. Although the catalyst and reacting nucleophile of the reaction have been elucidated to be ( BINOLate)Ti 2 (O i Pr) 6 and RTi(O i Pr) 3 , respectively, little is known about the properties of short-lived intermediates and transition structures. In this work, the mechanism of this reaction is investigated with the aid of DFT (M06) calculations. The study provides support for the following mechanistic understandings: (i) The direct racemic reaction proceeds through a pathway involving initial aggregation of RTi(O i Pr) 3 with Ti(O i Pr) 4 followed by carbonyl addition of the resulting dinuclear aggregate. (ii) The enantioselective reaction takes place through a pathway involving initial ligand exchange of RTi(O i Pr) 3 with ( BINOLate)Ti 2 (O i Pr) 6 followed by the addition of the resulting chiral dinuclear titanium species via a chiral BINOLate-chelated, tricyclic transition structure. (iii) The enantioselective pathway is favorable not because BINOLate ligands accelerate the carbonyl addition but because the ligands stabilize the chiral dinuclear species against deaggregation through a chelating bridge. (iv) The chiral transition structure serves as a model accounting for the re-face addition generally observed in the reaction of aldehydes with ( R)- BINOLs.

Validation studies of the DOE-2 Building Energy Simulation Program. Final Report

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

Sullivan, R.; Winkelmann, F.

1998-06-01

This report documents many of the validation studies (Table 1) of the DOE-2 building energy analysis simulation program that have taken place since 1981. Results for several versions of the program are presented with the most recent study conducted in 1996 on version DOE-2.1E and the most distant study conducted in 1981 on version DOE-1.3. This work is part of an effort related to continued development of DOE-2, particularly in its use as a simulation engine for new specialized versions of the program such as the recently released RESFEN 3.1. RESFEN 3.1 is a program specifically dealing with analyzing themore » energy performance of windows in residential buildings. The intent in providing the results of these validation studies is to give potential users of the program a high degree of confidence in the calculated results. Validation studies in which calculated simulation data is compared to measured data have been conducted throughout the development of the DOE-2 program. Discrepancies discovered during the course of such work has resulted in improvements in the simulation algorithms. Table 2 provides a listing of additions and modifications that have been made to various versions of the program since version DOE-2.1A. One of the most significant recent changes in the program occurred with version DOE-2.1E. An improved algorithm for calculating the outside surface film coefficient was implemented. In addition, integration of the WINDOW 4 program was accomplished resulting in improved ability in analyzing window energy performance. Validation and verification of a program as sophisticated as DOE-2 must necessarily be limited because of the approximations inherent in the program. For example, the most accurate model of the heat transfer processes in a building would include a three-dimensional analysis. To justify such detailed algorithmic procedures would correspondingly require detailed information describing the building and/or HVAC system and energy plant parameters. Until building simulation programs can get this data directly from CAD programs, such detail would negate the usefulness of the program for the practicing engineers and architects who currently use the program. In addition, the validation studies discussed herein indicate that such detail is really unnecessary. The comparison of calculated and measured quantities have resulted in a satisfactory level of confidence that is sufficient for continued use of the DOE-2 program. However, additional validation is warranted, particularly at the component level, to further improve the program.« less

Parent-training programmes for improving maternal psychosocial health.

PubMed

Barlow, J; Coren, E

2004-01-01

Mental health problems are common and there is evidence to suggest that the origins of such problems lie in infancy and childhood. In particular, there is evidence from a range of studies to suggest that maternal psychosocial health can have a significant effect on the mother-infant relationship, and that this in turn can have consequences for both the short and long-term psychological health of the child. The use of parenting programmes is increasing in the UK and elsewhere and evidence of their effectiveness in improving outcomes for children has been provided. Evidence is now required of their effectiveness in improving outcomes for mothers. The objective of this review is to address whether group-based parenting programmes are effective in improving maternal psychosocial health including anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. A range of biomedical, social science, educational and general reference electronic databases were searched including MEDLINE, EMBASE CINAHL, PsychLIT, ERIC, ASSIA, Sociofile and the Social Science Citation Index. Other sources of information included the Cochrane Library (SPECTR, CENTRAL), and the National Research Register (NRR). Only randomised controlled trials were included in which participants had been randomly allocated to an experimental and a control group, the latter being a waiting-list, no-treatment or a placebo control group. Studies had to include at least one group-based parenting programme, and one standardised instrument measuring maternal psychosocial health. A systematic critical appraisal of all included studies was undertaken using a modified version of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published criteria. The treatment effect for each outcome in each study was standardised by dividing the mean difference in post-intervention scores for the intervention and treatment group, by the pooled standard deviation, to produce an effect size. Where appropriate the results were then combined in a meta-analysis using a fixed-effect model, and 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the significance of the findings. A total of 23 studies were included in the original review which was increased to 26 at the first udate (2003). Of these 20 provided sufficient data to calculate effect sizes. The 20 studies provided a total of 64 assessments of outcome on a range of aspects of psychosocial functioning including depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, social competence, social support, guilt, mood, automatic thoughts, dyadic adjustment, psychiatric morbidity, irrationality, anger and aggression, mood, attitude, personality, and beliefs. Data sufficient to combine in a meta-analysis existed for only five outcomes (depression; anxiety/stress; self-esteem; social support; and relationship with spouse/marital adjustment). The results of the meta-analyses show statistically significant results favouring the intervention group for depression; anxiety/stress; self-esteem; and relationship with spouse/marital adjustment. The meta-analysis of the social support data showed no evidence of effectiveness. Of the remaining data that it was not possible to combine in a meta-analysis, approximately 22% of the outcomes measured, showed significant differences between the intervention group and the control group. A further 40% showed non-significant differences favouring the intervention group. Approximately one-third of outcomes showed no evidence of effectiveness.A meta-analysis of the follow-up data on three outcomes was also conducted - depression, self-esteem and relationship with spouse/marital adjustment. The results show that there was a continued improvement in self-esteem, depression, and marital adjustment at follow-up, although the latter two findings were not statistically significant. This review has been updated (2003) with the addition of 3 new included studies. A number of additional excluded studies have also been added. There is one additional study awaiting 03) with the addition of 3 new included studies. A number of additional excluded studies have also been added. There is one additional study awaiting assessment and 2 ongoing studies listed for inclusion at a future update of this review. The size of effect for the main outcomes has not been substantially altered by this update. Additional sensitivity analyses to assess the impact of quasi randomised studies on the result have also been added. Where the quasi randomised studies are excluded from the analysis, the result was found to be slightly more conservative. It is suggested that parenting programmes can make a significant contribution to the short-term psychosocial health of mothers. However, there is currently a paucity of evidence concerning whether these results are maintained over time, and the limited follow-up data which are available show equivocal results. This points to the need for further evidence concerning the long-term effectiveness of parenting programmes on maternal mental health. Whilst the results of this review are positive overall, some studies showed no effect. Further research is needed to assess which factors contribute to successful outcomes in these programmes with particular attention being paid to the quality of delivery.These results suggest that parenting programmes have a potential role to play in the promotion of mental health.

Bis(tri-n-hexylsilyl oxide) silicon phthalocyanine: a unique additive in ternary bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic devices.

PubMed

Lessard, Benoît H; Dang, Jeremy D; Grant, Trevor M; Gao, Dong; Seferos, Dwight S; Bender, Timothy P

2014-09-10

Previous studies have shown that the use of bis(tri-n-hexylsilyl oxide) silicon phthalocyanine ((3HS)2-SiPc) as an additive in a P3HT:PC61BM cascade ternary bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic (BHJ OPV) device results in an increase in the short circuit current (J(SC)) and efficiency (η(eff)) of up to 25% and 20%, respectively. The previous studies have attributed the increase in performance to the presence of (3HS)2-SiPc at the BHJ interface. In this study, we explored the molecular characteristics of (3HS)2-SiPc which makes it so effective in increasing the OPV device J(SC) and η(eff. Initially, we synthesized phthalocyanine-based additives using different core elements such as germanium and boron instead of silicon, each having similar frontier orbital energies compared to (3HS)2-SiPc and tested their effect on BHJ OPV device performance. We observed that addition of bis(tri-n-hexylsilyl oxide) germanium phthalocyanine ((3HS)2-GePc) or tri-n-hexylsilyl oxide boron subphthalocyanine (3HS-BsubPc) resulted in a nonstatistically significant increase in JSC and η(eff). Secondly, we kept the silicon phthalocyanine core and substituted the tri-n-hexylsilyl solubilizing groups with pentadecyl phenoxy groups and tested the resulting dye in a BHJ OPV. While an increase in JSC and η(eff) was observed at low (PDP)2-SiPc loadings, the increase was not as significant as (3HS)2-SiPc; therefore, (3HS)2-SiPc is a unique additive. During our study, we observed that (3HS)2-SiPc had an extraordinary tendency to crystallize compared to the other compounds in this study and our general experience. On the basis of this observation, we have offered a hypothesis that when (3HS)2-SiPc migrates to the P3HT:PC61BM interface the reason for its unique performance is not solely due to its frontier orbital energies but also might be due to a high driving force for crystallization.

Improving information retrieval with multiple health terminologies in a quality-controlled gateway.

PubMed

Soualmia, Lina F; Sakji, Saoussen; Letord, Catherine; Rollin, Laetitia; Massari, Philippe; Darmoni, Stéfan J

2013-01-01

The Catalog and Index of French-language Health Internet resources (CISMeF) is a quality-controlled health gateway, primarily for Web resources in French (n=89,751). Recently, we achieved a major improvement in the structure of the catalogue by setting-up multiple terminologies, based on twelve health terminologies available in French, to overcome the potential weakness of the MeSH thesaurus, which is the main and pivotal terminology we use for indexing and retrieval since 1995. The main aim of this study was to estimate the added-value of exploiting several terminologies and their semantic relationships to improve Web resource indexing and retrieval in CISMeF, in order to provide additional health resources which meet the users' expectations. Twelve terminologies were integrated into the CISMeF information system to set up multiple-terminologies indexing and retrieval. The same sets of thirty queries were run: (i) by exploiting the hierarchical structure of the MeSH, and (ii) by exploiting the additional twelve terminologies and their semantic links. The two search modes were evaluated and compared. The overall coverage of the multiple-terminologies search mode was improved by comparison to the coverage of using the MeSH (16,283 vs. 14,159) (+15%). These additional findings were estimated at 56.6% relevant results, 24.7% intermediate results and 18.7% irrelevant. The multiple-terminologies approach improved information retrieval. These results suggest that integrating additional health terminologies was able to improve recall. Since performing the study, 21 other terminologies have been added which should enable us to make broader studies in multiple-terminologies information retrieval.

Effect of mineral additives (natural pozzolana and sand of dunes) by substitution of cement on the performance and durability of mortars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saidi, M.; Safi, B.

2016-04-01

The objective of our work consists of the study of the substitution effects of clinker by mineral additions such as: natural pozzolana (PZ) and the sand of dunes (SD) finely crushed on the mechanical properties and the durability of the mortars worked out according to various combinations containing these additions. The results from this research confirm that the substitution of 20% to 30% of cement APC (Artificial Portland Cement) by additions in binary cement (APC + PZ) or ternary (APC + PZ + SD) contributes positively to the mechanical strength of mortars and resistance to the chemical attacks in various corrosive conditions such as: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and nitric acid. The mechanical strength of the different variants is comparable to those of the APC. The test results of the weight loss and phenolphthalein shows that the chemical resistance of variants (PZ20) and (PZ20 with SD5) are larger compared to the reference mortar APC and other variants. This study shows that adding value by substituting a part of clinker. This substitution can save 20% to 30% of clinker used for the manufacture of cement; this will have a beneficial effect for cement and economically (less energy spent for the clinker burning). This study contributes to the protection of the environment as to produce one ton of clinker generates about one ton of CO2 is harmful to the atmosphere. Based on our results we will reduce from 20% to 30% CO2 gas responsible for the greenhouse effect.

Including non-additive genetic effects in Bayesian methods for the prediction of genetic values based on genome-wide markers

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Molecular marker information is a common source to draw inferences about the relationship between genetic and phenotypic variation. Genetic effects are often modelled as additively acting marker allele effects. The true mode of biological action can, of course, be different from this plain assumption. One possibility to better understand the genetic architecture of complex traits is to include intra-locus (dominance) and inter-locus (epistasis) interaction of alleles as well as the additive genetic effects when fitting a model to a trait. Several Bayesian MCMC approaches exist for the genome-wide estimation of genetic effects with high accuracy of genetic value prediction. Including pairwise interaction for thousands of loci would probably go beyond the scope of such a sampling algorithm because then millions of effects are to be estimated simultaneously leading to months of computation time. Alternative solving strategies are required when epistasis is studied. Methods We extended a fast Bayesian method (fBayesB), which was previously proposed for a purely additive model, to include non-additive effects. The fBayesB approach was used to estimate genetic effects on the basis of simulated datasets. Different scenarios were simulated to study the loss of accuracy of prediction, if epistatic effects were not simulated but modelled and vice versa. Results If 23 QTL were simulated to cause additive and dominance effects, both fBayesB and a conventional MCMC sampler BayesB yielded similar results in terms of accuracy of genetic value prediction and bias of variance component estimation based on a model including additive and dominance effects. Applying fBayesB to data with epistasis, accuracy could be improved by 5% when all pairwise interactions were modelled as well. The accuracy decreased more than 20% if genetic variation was spread over 230 QTL. In this scenario, accuracy based on modelling only additive and dominance effects was generally superior to that of the complex model including epistatic effects. Conclusions This simulation study showed that the fBayesB approach is convenient for genetic value prediction. Jointly estimating additive and non-additive effects (especially dominance) has reasonable impact on the accuracy of prediction and the proportion of genetic variation assigned to the additive genetic source. PMID:21867519

Short term feeding of a high fat diet exerts an additive effect on hepatocellular damage and steatosis in liver-specific PTEN knockout mice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hepatospecific deletion of PTEN results in constitutive activation of Akt and increased lipogenesis. In mice, the addition of a high fat diet (HFD) downregulates lipogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a HFD on hepatocellular damage induced by deletion of PTEN. Twelve-week...

Nitrogen and Sulfur Deposition Effects on Forest Biogeochemical Processes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodale, C. L.

2014-12-01

Chronic atmospheric deposition of nitrogen and sulfur have widely ranging biogeochemical consequences in terrestrial ecosystems. Both N and S deposition can affect plant growth, decomposition, and nitrous oxide production, with sometimes synergistic and sometimes contradictory responses; yet their separate effects are rarely isolated and their interactive biogeochemical impacts are often overlooked. For example, S deposition and consequent acidification and mortality may negate stimulation of plant growth induced by N deposition; decomposition can be slowed by both N and S deposition, though through different mechanisms; and N2O production may be stimulated directly by N and indirectly by S amendments. Recent advances in conceptual models and whole-ecosystem experiments provide novel means for disentangling the impacts of N and S in terrestrial ecosystems. Results from a new whole-ecosystem N x S- addition experiment will be presented in detail, examining differential response of tree and soil carbon storage to N and S additions. These results combine with observations from a broad array of long-term N addition studies, atmospheric deposition gradients, stable isotope tracer studies, and model analyses to inform the magnitude, controls, and stability of ecosystem C storage in response to N and S addition.

Trunk muscle activity during bridging exercises on and off a Swissball

PubMed Central

Lehman, Gregory J; Hoda, Wajid; Oliver, Steven

2005-01-01

Background A Swiss ball is often incorporated into trunk strengthening programs for injury rehabilitation and performance conditioning. It is often assumed that the use of a Swiss ball increases trunk muscle activity. The aim of this study was to determine whether the addition of a Swiss ball to trunk bridging exercises influences trunk muscle activity. Methods Surface electrodes recorded the myoelectric activity of trunk muscles during bridging exercises. Bridging exercises were performed on the floor as well as on a labile surface (Swiss ball). Results and Discussion During the prone bridge the addition of an exercise ball resulted in increased myoelectric activity in the rectus abdominis and external oblique. The internal oblique and erector spinae were not influenced. The addition of a swiss ball during supine bridging did not influence trunk muscle activity for any muscles studied. Conclusion The addition of a Swiss ball is capable of influencing trunk muscle activity in the rectus abdominis and external oblique musculature during prone bridge exercises. Modifying common bridging exercises can influence the amount of trunk muscle activity, suggesting that exercise routines can be designed to maximize or minimize trunk muscle exertion depending on the needs of the exercise population. PMID:16053529

Process simulation and comparison of biological conversion of syngas and hydrogen in biogas plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Awais Salman, Chaudhary; Schwede, Sebastian; Thorin, Eva; Yan, Jinyue

2017-11-01

Organic waste is a good source of clean energy. However, different fractions of waste have to be utilized efficiently. One way is to find pathways to convert waste into useful products via various available processes (gasification, pyrolysis anaerobic digestion, etc.) and integrate them to increase the combined efficiency of the process. The syngas and hydrogen produced from the thermal conversion of biomass can be upgraded to biomethane via biological methanation. The current study presents the simulation model to predict the amount of biomethane produced by injecting the hydrogen and syngas. Hydrogen injection is modelled both in-situ and ex-situ while for syngas solely the ex-situ case has been studied. The results showed that 85% of the hydrogen conversion was achieved for the ex-situ reactor while 81% conversion rate was achieved for the in-situ reactor. The syngas could be converted completely in the bio-reactor. However, the addition of syngas resulted in an increase of carbon dioxide. Simulation of biomethanation of gas addition showed a biomethane concentration of 87% while for hydrogen addition an increase of 74% and 80% for in-situ and ex-situ addition respectively.

Effect of molecular weight of polyethylene glycol on the rheological properties of fumed silica-polyethylene glycol shear thickening fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Mansi; Verma, Sanjeev K.; Biswas, Ipsita; Mehta, Rajeev

2018-05-01

The steady-shear viscosity and dynamic visco-elastic behavior of suspensions of 20 wt% fumed silica-polyethylene glycol (PEG200) shear thickening fluid (STF) with different concentrations of various molecular weight PEG (4600, 6000 and 10000) has been studied. The results demonstrate that with an increase in the molecular weight of dispersing medium, the shear thickening parameters are significantly enhanced. In steady-state rheology, addition of PEG6000 as an additive results in high shear thickening at both low and high temperatures whereas in dynamic state, PEG4600 gives high values of all dynamic parameters. Additionally, long polymer can interconnect several particles, acting as cross-links which explain the mechanism of the enhancement in viscosity. Interestingly, compositions having PEG10000 as additive exhibits shear thinning rheology. Long polymer chains increases hydrodynamic forces thus aggregation of particles increases. Also, the results demonstrate the effect of high molecular weight PEGs on the elasticity and stability of the STF, which is important with regard to high impact resisting applications.

Integrated Utilization of Sewage Sludge and Coal Gangue for Cement Clinker Products: Promoting Tricalcium Silicate Formation and Trace Elements Immobilization

PubMed Central

Yang, Zhenzhou; Zhang, Yingyi; Liu, Lili; Seetharaman, Seshadri; Wang, Xidong; Zhang, Zuotai

2016-01-01

The present study firstly proposed a method of integrated utilization of sewage sludge (SS) and coal gangue (CG), two waste products, for cement clinker products with the aim of heat recovery and environment protection. The results demonstrated that the incremental amounts of SS and CG addition was favorable for the formation of tricalcium silicate (C3S) during the calcinations, but excess amount of SS addition could cause the impediment effect on C3S formation. Furthermore, it was also observed that the C3S polymorphs showed the transition from rhombohedral to monoclinic structure as SS addition was increased to 15 wt %. During the calcinations, most of trace elements could be immobilized especially Zn and cannot be easily leached out. Given the encouraging results in the present study, the co-process of sewage sludge and coal gangue in the cement kiln can be expected with a higher quality of cement products and minimum pollution to the environment. PMID:28773400

Effects of nitrogen deposition on carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems of China: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Hao; Li, Dejun; Gurmesa, Geshere A; Yu, Guirui; Li, Linghao; Zhang, Wei; Fang, Huajun; Mo, Jiangming

2015-11-01

Nitrogen (N) deposition in China has increased greatly, but the general impact of elevated N deposition on carbon (C) dynamics in Chinese terrestrial ecosystems is not well documented. In this study we used a meta-analysis method to compile 88 studies on the effects of N deposition C cycling on Chinese terrestrial ecosystems. Our results showed that N addition did not change soil C pools but increased above-ground plant C pool. A large decrease in below-ground plant C pool was observed. Our result also showed that the impacts of N addition on ecosystem C dynamics depend on ecosystem type and rate of N addition. Overall, our findings suggest that 1) decreased below-ground plant C pool may limit long-term soil C sequestration; and 2) it is better to treat N-rich and N-limited ecosystems differently in modeling effects of N deposition on ecosystem C cycle. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microstructure, Tensile Properties, and Corrosion Behavior of Die-Cast Mg-7Al-1Ca- xSn Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Feng; Dong, Haikuo; Sun, Shijie; Wang, Zhi; Mao, Pingli; Liu, Zheng

2018-02-01

The microstructure, tensile properties, and corrosion behavior of die-cast Mg-7Al-1Ca- xSn ( x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 wt.%) alloys were studied using OM, SEM/EDS, tensile test, weight loss test, and electrochemical test. The experimental results showed that Sn addition effectively refined grains and intermetallic phases and increased the amount of intermetallic phases. Meanwhile, Sn addition to the alloys suppressed the formation of the (Mg,Al)2Ca phase and resulted in the formation of the ternary CaMgSn phase and the binary Mg2Sn phase. The Mg-7Al-1Ca-0.5Sn alloy exhibited best tensile properties at room temperature, while Mg-7Al-1Ca-1.0Sn alloy exhibited best tensile properties at elevated temperature. The corrosion resistance of studied alloys was improved by the Sn addition, and the Mg-7Al-1Ca-0.5Sn alloy presented the best corrosion resistance.

Attenuation of Glass Dissolution in the Presence of Natural Additives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sang, Jing C.; Barkatt, Aaron; OKeefe, John A.

1993-01-01

The study described here explored the dissolution kinetics of glasses in aqueous environments in systems which included a variety of natural crystalline solids in addition to the glass itself and the aqueous phase. The results demonstrated the possibility of a dramatic decrease in the rate of dissolution of silicate glass in the presence of certain varieties of olivine-based materials. This decrease in dissolution rate was shown to be due to the fact that these additives consist mostly of Mg-based material but also contain minor amounts of Al and Ca. The combined presence of Mg with these minor species affected the corrosion rate of the glass as a whole, including its most soluble components such as boron. The study has potentially important implications to the durability of glasses exposed to natural environments. The results may be relevant to the use of active backfill materials in burial sites for nuclear waste glasses as well as to better understanding of the environmental degradation of natural and ancient glasses.

Comparative study of imide-based Li salts as electrolyte additives for Li-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharova, Varvara; Moretti, Arianna; Diemant, Thomas; Varzi, Alberto; Behm, R. Jürgen; Passerini, Stefano

2018-01-01

Herein, we report the results of a detailed study on the use of different Li imide salts (LiTFSI, LiFSI, and LiFTFSI) as electrolyte additives for lithium-ion batteries. The introduction of lithium imide salts in the electrolyte is shown to considerably improve the first cycle coulombic efficiency and the long-term cycling stability of graphite/LiFePO4 cells. Using LiTFSI, a capacity fading of only ∼2% occurred over 600 cycles while the control cell with the state-of-the-art additive (VC) lost ∼20% of the initial capacity at 20 °C. The results of the XPS and impedance spectroscopy measurements of graphite electrodes show that, after the formation cycle, the SEI obtained in the presence of imide salts is thinner, contains more LiF and is less resistive than that obtained using VC. Despite the beneficial effect of the imide salts on the lithium-ion cell performance, a slightly reduced thermal stability of the SEI is observed.

Influence of various chlorine additives on the partitioning of heavy metals during low-temperature two-stage fluidized bed incineration.

PubMed

Peng, Tzu-Huan; Lin, Chiou-Liang

2014-12-15

In this study, a pilot-scale low-temperature two-stage fluidized bed incinerator was evaluated for the control of heavy metal emissions using various chlorine (Cl) additives. Artificial waste containing heavy metals was selected to simulate municipal solid waste (MSW). Operating parameters considered included the first-stage combustion temperature, gas velocity, and different kinds of Cl additives. Results showed that the low-temperature two-stage fluidized bed reactor can be an effective system for the treatment of MSW because of its low NO(x), CO, HCl, and heavy metal emissions. The NO(x) and HCl emissions could be decreased by 42% and 70%, respectively. Further, the results showed that heavy metal emissions were reduced by bed material adsorption and filtration in the second stage. Regarding the Cl addition, although the Cl addition would reduce the metal capture in the first-stage sand bed, but those emitted metals could be effectively captured by the filtration of second stage. No matter choose what kind of additive, metal emissions in the low-temperature two-stage system are still lower than in a traditional high-temperature one-stage system. The results also showed that metal emissions depend not only on the combustion temperature but also on the physicochemical properties of the different metal species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stress development in particulate, nano-composite and polymeric coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jindal, Karan

2009-12-01

The main goal of this research is to study the stress, structural and mechanical property development during the drying of particulate coatings, nano-composite coatings and VOC compliant refinish clearcoats. The results obtained during this research establish the mechanism for the stress development during drying in various coating systems. Coating stress was measured using a controlled environment stress apparatus based on cantilever deflection principle. The stress evolution in alumina coatings made of 0.4 mum size alumina particles was studied and the effect of a lateral drying was investigated. The stress does not develop until the later stages of drying. A peak stress was observed during drying and the peak stress originates due to the formation of pendular rings between the particles. Silica nanocomposite coatings were fabricated from suspension of nano sized silicon dioxide particles (20 nm) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer. The stress in silica nano-composite goes through maximum as the amount of polymer in the coating increases. The highest final stress was found to be ˜ 110MPa at a PVA content of 60 wt%. Observations from SEM, nitrogen gas adsorption, camera imaging, and nano-indentation were also studied to correlate the coatings properties during drying to measured stress. A model VOC compliant two component (2K) acrylic-polyol refinish clearcoat was prepared to study the effects of a new additive on drying, curing, rheology and stress development at room temperature. Most of the drying of the low VOC coatings occurred before appreciable (20%) crosslinking. Tensile stress developed in the same timeframe as drying and then relaxed over a longer time scale. Model low VOC coatings prepared with the additive had higher peak stresses than those without the additive. In addition, rheological data showed that the additive resulted in greater viscosity buildup during drying.

Preventing postsurgical dissatisfaction syndrome after rhinoplasty with propranolol: a pilot study.

PubMed

Gruber, Ronald P; Roberts, Christa; Schooler, Wesley; Pitman, Roger K

2009-03-01

Rhinoplasty patients are commonly anxious about their result when the splint is removed. A small group of them, however, are overtly unhappy with their appearance despite objectively satisfactory early results, cannot be reassured about their favorable long-term prognosis, and remain dissatisfied despite objectively satisfactory end results. The authors have termed this symptom complex "postsurgical dissatisfaction syndrome." In these patients, it seems that persistence of the original negative image of their appearance at the time of splint removal fails to yield to an improved self-image as healing progresses. The authors theorized that the syndrome is analogous to the persistence of negative emotional memories seen in posttraumatic stress disorder. In trauma-exposed patients, the beta-adrenergic blocker propranolol, when given within a few hours of the traumatic event, may reduce the subsequent emotional strength of the traumatic memory. The authors hypothesized that giving propranolol to postrhinoplasty patients with the above early symptomatology would reduce the likelihood of postsurgical dissatisfaction syndrome. A retrospective review of 1000 consecutive rhinoplasty patients identified 11 with early symptomatology. Of these 11 (not taking propranolol), nine (82 percent) developed postsurgical dissatisfaction syndrome. In addition, a prospective study was performed of nine additional patients with the same early symptomatology who were immediately treated with propranolol. In contrast, only three developed postsurgical dissatisfaction syndrome (p < 0.04). Results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 50 additional postrhinoplasty patients suggests that propranolol's effect is not due to anxiolysis. Propranolol given immediately after splint removal in anxious, unhappy cosmetic surgery patients may prevent postsurgical dissatisfaction syndrome. A double-blind study appears warranted.

Using a generalized additive model with autoregressive terms to study the effects of daily temperature on mortality

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Generalized Additive Model (GAM) provides a flexible and effective technique for modelling nonlinear time-series in studies of the health effects of environmental factors. However, GAM assumes that errors are mutually independent, while time series can be correlated in adjacent time points. Here, a GAM with Autoregressive terms (GAMAR) is introduced to fill this gap. Methods Parameters in GAMAR are estimated by maximum partial likelihood using modified Newton’s method, and the difference between GAM and GAMAR is demonstrated using two simulation studies and a real data example. GAMM is also compared to GAMAR in simulation study 1. Results In the simulation studies, the bias of the mean estimates from GAM and GAMAR are similar but GAMAR has better coverage and smaller relative error. While the results from GAMM are similar to GAMAR, the estimation procedure of GAMM is much slower than GAMAR. In the case study, the Pearson residuals from the GAM are correlated, while those from GAMAR are quite close to white noise. In addition, the estimates of the temperature effects are different between GAM and GAMAR. Conclusions GAMAR incorporates both explanatory variables and AR terms so it can quantify the nonlinear impact of environmental factors on health outcome as well as the serial correlation between the observations. It can be a useful tool in environmental epidemiological studies. PMID:23110601

Culture and neuroscience: additive or synergistic?

PubMed Central

Dapretto, Mirella; Iacoboni, Marco

2010-01-01

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

Pulse splitter-based nonlinear microscopy for live-cardiomyocyte imaging

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhonghai; Qin, Wan; Shao, Yonghong; Ma, Siyu; Borg, Thomas K.; Gao, Bruce Z.

2015-01-01

Second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy is a new imaging technique used in sarcomeric-addition studies. However, during the early stage of cell culture in which sarcomeric additions occur, the neonatal cardiomyocytes that we have been working with are very sensitive to photodamage, the resulting high rate of cell death prevents systematic study of sarcomeric addition using a conventional SHG system. To address this challenge, we introduced use of the pulse-splitter system developed by Na Ji et al. in our two photon excitation fluorescence (TPEF) and SHG hybrid microscope. The system dramatically reduced photodamage to neonatal cardiomyocytes in early stages of culture, greatly increasing cell viability. Thus continuous imaging of live cardiomyocytes was achieved with a stronger laser and for a longer period than has been reported in the literature. The pulse splitter-based TPEF-SHG microscope constructed in this study was demonstrated to be an ideal imaging system for sarcomeric addition-related investigations of neonatal cardiomyocytes in early stages of culture. PMID:25767692

School-based physical activity programs for promoting physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18.

PubMed

Dobbins, Maureen; Husson, Heather; DeCorby, Kara; LaRocca, Rebecca L

2013-02-28

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.9 million deaths worldwide are attributable to physical inactivity and at least 2.6 million deaths are a result of being overweight or obese. In addition, WHO estimates that physical inactivity causes 10% to 16% of cases each of breast cancer, colon, and rectal cancers as well as type 2 diabetes, and 22% of coronary heart disease and the burden of these and other chronic diseases has rapidly increased in recent decades. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence of the effectiveness of school-based interventions in promoting physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents. The search strategy included searching several databases to October 2011. In addition, reference lists of included articles and background papers were reviewed for potentially relevant studies, as well as references from relevant Cochrane reviews. Primary authors of included studies were contacted as needed for additional information. To be included, the intervention had to be relevant to public health practice (focused on health promotion activities), not conducted by physicians, implemented, facilitated, or promoted by staff in local public health units, implemented in a school setting and aimed at increasing physical activity, included all school-attending children, and be implemented for a minimum of 12 weeks. In addition, the review was limited to randomized controlled trials and those that reported on outcomes for children and adolescents (aged 6 to 18 years). Primary outcomes included: rates of moderate to vigorous physical activity during the school day, time engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity during the school day, and time spent watching television. Secondary outcomes related to physical health status measures including: systolic and diastolic blood pressure, blood cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), and pulse rate. Standardized tools were used by two independent reviewers to assess each study for relevance and for data extraction. In addition, each study was assessed for risk of bias as specified in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Where discrepancies existed, discussion occurred until consensus was reached. The results were summarized narratively due to wide variations in the populations, interventions evaluated, and outcomes measured. In the original review, 13,841 records were identified and screened, 302 studies were assessed for eligibility, and 26 studies were included in the review. There was some evidence that school-based physical activity interventions had a positive impact on four of the nine outcome measures. Specifically positive effects were observed for duration of physical activity, television viewing, VO2 max, and blood cholesterol. Generally, school-based interventions had little effect on physical activity rates, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, BMI, and pulse rate. At a minimum, a combination of printed educational materials and changes to the school curriculum that promote physical activity resulted in positive effects.In this update, given the addition of three new inclusion criteria (randomized design, all school-attending children invited to participate, minimum 12-week intervention) 12 of the original 26 studies were excluded. In addition, studies published between July 2007 and October 2011 evaluating the effectiveness of school-based physical interventions were identified and if relevant included. In total an additional 2378 titles were screened of which 285 unique studies were deemed potentially relevant. Of those 30 met all relevance criteria and have been included in this update. This update includes 44 studies and represents complete data for 36,593 study participants. Duration of interventions ranged from 12 weeks to six years.Generally, the majority of studies included in this update, despite being randomized controlled trials, are, at a minimum, at moderate risk of bias. The results therefore must be interpreted with caution. Few changes in outcomes were observed in this update with the exception of blood cholesterol and physical activity rates. For example blood cholesterol was no longer positively impacted upon by school-based physical activity interventions. However, there was some evidence to suggest that school-based physical activity interventions led to an improvement in the proportion of children who engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity during school hours (odds ratio (OR) 2.74, 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.01 to 3.75). Improvements in physical activity rates were not observed in the original review. Children and adolescents exposed to the intervention also spent more time engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (with results across studies ranging from five to 45 min more), spent less time watching television (results range from five to 60 min less per day), and had improved VO2max (results across studies ranged from 1.6 to 3.7 mL/kg per min). However, the overall conclusions of this update do not differ significantly from those reported in the original review. The evidence suggests the ongoing implementation of school-based physical activity interventions at this time, given the positive effects on behavior and one physical health status measure. However, given these studies are at a minimum of moderate risk of bias, and the magnitude of effect is generally small, these results should be interpreted cautiously. Additional research on the long-term impact of these interventions is needed.

Smartphone addiction proneness in relation to sleep and morningness-eveningness in German adolescents.

PubMed

Randler, Christoph; Wolfgang, Lucia; Matt, Katharina; Demirhan, Eda; Horzum, Mehmet Barış; Beşoluk, Şenol

2016-09-01

Background Mobile phones are an important part of adolescents' life. In this study, the relationships among smartphone addiction, age, gender, and chronotype of German adolescents were examined. Materials and methods Two studies focused on two different measures of smartphone addiction. The Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale (SAPS) was applied to 342 younger adolescents (13.39 ± 1.77; 176 boys, 165 girls, and 1 not indicated) in Study 1 and the Smartphone Addiction Scale was applied to 208 older adolescents (17.07 ± 4.28; 146 girls and 62 boys) in Study 2, both samples in southwest Germany. In addition, a demographic questionnaire and the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM) and sleep measures were implemented. Results The most remarkable result of this study was that morningness-eveningness (as measured by CSM scores) is an important predictor for smartphone addiction; even stronger than sleep duration. Evening oriented adolescents scored higher on both smartphone addiction scales. In addition, gender is an important predictor for smartphone addiction and girls are more prone to become addicted. In addition, while sleep duration on weekdays negatively predicted SAPS, age, sleep duration on weekends, and midpoint of sleep on weekdays and weekends did not predicted smartphone addiction in both scales. The analysis of covariance revealed statistically significant effects of the covariates gender and age in both studies, as well as the main effect of chronotype. According to the t-test results, girls had higher scores than boys in smartphone addiction. Conclusion Evening types and girls are more prone to become smartphone addicted.

Smartphone addiction proneness in relation to sleep and morningness–eveningness in German adolescents

PubMed Central

Randler, Christoph; Wolfgang, Lucia; Matt, Katharina; Demirhan, Eda; Horzum, Mehmet Barış; Beşoluk, Şenol

2016-01-01

Background Mobile phones are an important part of adolescents’ life. In this study, the relationships among smartphone addiction, age, gender, and chronotype of German adolescents were examined. Materials and methods Two studies focused on two different measures of smartphone addiction. The Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale (SAPS) was applied to 342 younger adolescents (13.39 ± 1.77; 176 boys, 165 girls, and 1 not indicated) in Study 1 and the Smartphone Addiction Scale was applied to 208 older adolescents (17.07 ± 4.28; 146 girls and 62 boys) in Study 2, both samples in southwest Germany. In addition, a demographic questionnaire and the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM) and sleep measures were implemented. Results The most remarkable result of this study was that morningness–eveningness (as measured by CSM scores) is an important predictor for smartphone addiction; even stronger than sleep duration. Evening oriented adolescents scored higher on both smartphone addiction scales. In addition, gender is an important predictor for smartphone addiction and girls are more prone to become addicted. In addition, while sleep duration on weekdays negatively predicted SAPS, age, sleep duration on weekends, and midpoint of sleep on weekdays and weekends did not predicted smartphone addiction in both scales. The analysis of covariance revealed statistically significant effects of the covariates gender and age in both studies, as well as the main effect of chronotype. According to the t-test results, girls had higher scores than boys in smartphone addiction. Conclusion Evening types and girls are more prone to become smartphone addicted. PMID:27499228

A Novel Glass Polyalkenoate Cement for Fixation and Stabilisation of the Ribcage, Post Sternotomy Surgery: An ex-Vivo Study

PubMed Central

Alhalawani, Adel M.F.; Curran, Declan J.; Pingguan-Murphy, Belinda; Boyd, Daniel; Towler, Mark R.

2013-01-01

This study investigates the use of gallium (Ga) based glass polyalkenoate cements (GPCs) as a possible alternative adhesive in sternal fixation, post sternotomy surgery. The glass series consists of a Control (CaO–ZnO–SiO2), and LGa-1 and LGa-2 which contain Ga at the expense of zinc (Zn) in 0.08 mol% increments. The additions of Ga resulted in increased working time (75 s to 137 s) and setting time (113 to 254 s). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis indicated that this was a direct result of increased unreacted poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and the reduction of crosslink formation during cement maturation. LGa samples (0.16 wt % Ga) resulted in an altered ion release profile, particularly for 30 days analysis, with maximum Ca2+, Zn2+, Si4+ and Ga3+ ions released into the distilled water. The additions of Ga resulted in increased roughness and decreased contact angles during cement maturation. The presence of Ga has a positive effect on the compressive strength of the samples with strengths increasing over 10 MPa at 7 days analysis compared to the 1 day results. The additions of Ga had relatively no effect on the flexural strength. Tensile testing of bovine sterna proved that the LGa samples (0.16 wt % Ga) are comparable to the Control samples. PMID:24956193

A Systematic Review of the Evidence for Impaired Cognitive Theory of Mind in Maltreated Children

PubMed Central

Benarous, Xavier; Guilé, Jean-Marc; Consoli, Angèle; Cohen, David

2015-01-01

Compared to the large number of studies exploring difficulties in emotion recognition in maltreated children, few (N = 12) have explored the cognitive aspect of theory of mind (ToM), i.e., the ability to understand others’ thoughts and intentions. A systematic review of these studies shows inconsistent results regarding cognitive ToM tasks. Youths with a history of maltreatment are more likely to fail at false-belief tasks (N = 2). However, results are less conclusive regarding other tasks (perspective-taking tasks, N = 4; and hostile attribution tasks, N = 7). Additionally, only one study controlled for potential psychopathology. Measures of psychopathology and other cognitive abilities, in addition to ToM, are required to establish a specific association between maltreatment and the cognitive dimension of ToM. PMID:26283975

A Systematic Review of the Evidence for Impaired Cognitive Theory of Mind in Maltreated Children.

PubMed

Benarous, Xavier; Guilé, Jean-Marc; Consoli, Angèle; Cohen, David

2015-01-01

Compared to the large number of studies exploring difficulties in emotion recognition in maltreated children, few (N = 12) have explored the cognitive aspect of theory of mind (ToM), i.e., the ability to understand others' thoughts and intentions. A systematic review of these studies shows inconsistent results regarding cognitive ToM tasks. Youths with a history of maltreatment are more likely to fail at false-belief tasks (N = 2). However, results are less conclusive regarding other tasks (perspective-taking tasks, N = 4; and hostile attribution tasks, N = 7). Additionally, only one study controlled for potential psychopathology. Measures of psychopathology and other cognitive abilities, in addition to ToM, are required to establish a specific association between maltreatment and the cognitive dimension of ToM.

Physico-chemical protection, rather than biochemical composition, governs the responses of soil organic carbon decomposition to nitrogen addition in a temperate agroecosystem.

PubMed

Tan, Wenbing; Wang, Guoan; Huang, Caihong; Gao, Rutai; Xi, Beidou; Zhu, Biao

2017-11-15

The heterogeneous responses of soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition in different soil fractions to nitrogen (N) addition remain elusive. In this study, turnover rates of SOC in different aggregate fractions were quantified based on changes in δ 13 C following the conversion of C 3 to C 4 vegetation in a temperate agroecosystem. The turnover of both total organic matter and specific organic compound classes within each aggregate fraction was inhibited by N addition. Moreover, the intensity of inhibition increases with decreasing aggregate size and increasing N addition level, but does not vary among chemical compound classes within each aggregate fraction. Overall, the response of SOC decomposition to N addition is dependent on the physico-chemical protection of SOC by aggregates and minerals, rather than the biochemical composition of organic substrates. The results of this study could help to understand the fate of SOC in the context of increasing N deposition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Silicon-Containing Additives on Concrete Waterproofness Property

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butakova, M. D.; Saribekyan, S. S.; Mikhaylov, A. V.

2017-11-01

The article studies the influence of silicon-containing additives on the property of the water resistance of concrete samples. It provides a review of the literature on common approaches and technologies improving concrete waterproofness and reinforced concrete structures. Normal hardening samples were obtained on the basis of concretes containing microsilica, aerosil or ash, or the combinations thereof. This research is aimed at the study of the complex modifier effect r on the basis of metakaolin, superplasticizer and silicon containing additives on the property of concrete water resistance. The need to use a superplasticizer to reduce the water-cement ratio and metakaolin as a hardening accelerator along with the set of strength is substantiated. This article describes a part of the results of the experiment conducted to find alternative options for colmatizing expensive additives used in the concreting foundations of private house-building. The implementation of the scientific work will not only clarify this area but will also broaden the knowledge of such additive as aerosol.

Technical note: In vitro digestibility of amylase-treated, ash-corrected neutral detergent fiber, with addition of sodium sulfite, at 240 hours with or without rumen fluid reinoculation.

PubMed

Palmonari, A; Canestrari, G; Bonfante, E; Fustini, M; Mammi, L; Formigoni, A

2017-02-01

Long-term in vitro fermentation (240 h) evaluating amylase-treated, ash-corrected neutral detergent fiber, with addition of sodium sulfite (aNDFom) digestibility is required to quantify the indigestible fiber fraction. It is commonly accepted to inoculate rumen fluid more than one time during such fermentations, every 96 h or at 120 h. However, no studies have been conducted to verify if the reinoculation is actually required to properly carry out the fermentation process. The current study aims to evaluate the effects of these procedures on aNDFom digestibility at 240 h. The study was conducted on a total of 24 forage samples (8 alfalfa hays, 8 grass hays, and 8 corn silages). Samples were digested in triplicate at 240 h in vitro. Rumen fluid was added twice (at 96 and 192 h) in treatment 1, after 120 h in treatment 2, whereas no addition was made in treatment 3. At the end of the fermentations, residual aNDFom was quantified to calculate digestibility. Among treatments, no difference was found in digestibility of aNDFom. Moreover, treatment 1 resulted in higher variability compared with other treatments. Results obtained in the current study show that subsequent addition of rumen fluid is not necessary for a proper estimation of aNDFom digestibility, and can be avoided. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Foam concrete of increased strength with the thermomodified peat additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2015-01-01

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

1995 National assessment of United States oil and gas resources; results, methodology, and supporting data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gautier, Donald L.; Dolton, G.L.; Takahashi, K.I.; Varnes, K.L.

1995-01-01

This report summarizes the results of a 3-year study of the oil and gas resources of the onshore and state waters of the United States by the U.S. Geological Survey. A parallel study of the Federal offshore is being conducted by the Minerals Management Service. Estimates are made of technically recoverable oil, including measured (proved) reserves, future additions to reserves in existing fields, and undiscovered resources. Estimates are also made of the technically recoverable conventional resources of natural gas in measured reserves, in anticipated growth of reserves in existing fields, and in undiscovered resources. Additionally, an assessment is made of recoverable resources in continuous-type (largely unconventional) accumulations in sandstones, shales, chalks, and coal beds.

Improving usability and pregnancy rates of a fertility monitor by an additional mobile application: results of a retrospective efficacy study of Daysy and DaysyView app.

PubMed

Koch, Martin C; Lermann, Johannes; van de Roemer, Niels; Renner, Simone K; Burghaus, Stefanie; Hackl, Janina; Dittrich, Ralf; Kehl, Sven; Oppelt, Patricia G; Hildebrandt, Thomas; Hack, Caroline C; Pöhls, Uwe G; Renner, Stefan P; Thiel, Falk C

2018-03-02

Daysy is a fertility monitor that uses the fertility awareness method by tracking and analyzing the individual menstrual cycle. In addition, Daysy can be connected to the application DaysyView to transfer stored personal data from Daysy to a smartphone or tablet (IOS, Android). This combination is interesting because as it is shown in various studies, the use of apps is increasing patients´ focus on their disease or their health behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate if by the additional use of an App and thereby improved usability of the medical device, it is possible to enhance the typical-use related as well as the method-related pregnancy rates. In the resultant group of 125 women (2076 cycles in total), 2 women indicated that they had been unintentionally pregnant during the use of the device, giving a typical-use related Pearl-Index of 1.3. Counting only the pregnancies which occurred as a result of unprotected intercourse during the infertile (green) phase, we found 1 pregnancy, giving a method-related Pearl-Index of 0.6. Calculating the pregnancy rate resulting from continuous use and unprotected intercourse exclusively on green days, gives a perfect-use Pearl-Index of 0.8. It seems that combining a specific biosensor-embedded device (Daysy), which gives the method a very high repeatable accuracy, and a mobile application (DaysyView) which leads to higher user engagement, results in higher overall usability of the method.

A Continuous Flow Column Study of the Anaerobic Transformation of a CAH Mixture of Tetrachloroethene and Carbon Tetrachloride Using Formate as an Electron Donor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semprini, L.; Azizian, M. F.; Kim, Y.

2011-12-01

Many groundwater sites are contaminated with mixtures of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) that represent a challenge when biological remediation processes are being considered. This is especially challenging when high concentrations of CAHs are present.Trichloromethane (CF), for example, has been observed to inhibit and potentially exert toxicity on reductive dehalogenation of tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE). Results will be presented from a continuous flow column study where the simultaneous transformation of PCE and carbon tetrachloride (CT) was achieved. The column was packed with a quartz sand and bioaugmented with the Evanite Culture (EV) that is capable of transforming PCE to ethene. The column was fed a synthetic groundwater that was amended with PCE to achieve an influent concentration near its solubility limit (0.10 mM) and formate (1.5 mM) that reacts to produce hydrogen as the ultimate electron donor. The column was operated for over 1600 days prior to the addition of CT. During this period PCE was transformed mainly to vinyl chloride (VC) and ethene (ETH) and minor amounts of cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) and TCE. The transformation extent achieved based on the column effluent concentrations ranged from about 50% ETH, 30% VC, and 20 cis-DCE up to 80% ETH and 20% VC. When the column was fed sulfate, it was completely transformed via sulfate reduction. Ferrous iron production from ferric iron reduction was observed early in the study. Acetate was also formed as a result of homoacetogenesis from hydrogen utilization. CT addition (0.015 mM) was started at 1600 days while PCE addition was continued. During the first 25 days of CT addition, CT concentrations gradually increased to 50% of the injection concentration and chloromethane (CM) and CF were observed as transformation products. CT concentrations then decreased with over 98% transformation achieved.CM was removed to below the detection limit and CF concentration decreases to about 0.003 mM, representing 20% of the CT transformed. Other transformation products have not been identified. Neither methane nor carbon monoxide have been detected as transformation products. The transformation of PCE to ethene actually improved after the addition of CT. Thus, neither CT nor CF are inhibiting the reductive dehalogenation of PCE. The improvement in PCE transformation extent coincided with an increase in the aqueous hydrogen concentration from 5 nM, prior to CT addition, to 150 nM after CT addition. This increase in hydrogen was associated with the inhibition in acetate production and the increase in formate concentrations from below detection to 1.0 mM after CT addition. The results indicate that there are likely benefits in adding formate to produce hydrogen when contaminants are present that can inhibit fermentation. The results from the column study are consistent with our observations in batch reactors using the EV culture.

I.v. and intraarterial hybrid digital subtraction angiography: clinical evaluation.

PubMed

Foley, W D; Beres, J; Smith, D F; Bell, R M; Milde, M W; Lipchik, E O

1986-09-01

Temporal/energy (hybrid) subtraction is a technique for removing soft-tissue motion artifact from digital subtraction angiograms. The diagnostic utility of hybrid subtraction for i.v. and intraarterial angiography was assessed in the first 9 months of operation of a dedicated production system. In i.v. carotid arteriography (N = 127), hybrid subtraction (H) provided a double-profile projection of the carotid bifurcation in an additional 14% of studies, compared with temporal subtraction (T) alone (H79:T48, p less than 0.001). However, a change in estimated percent stenosis or additional diagnostic information occurred in only 2% of studies. In i.v. abdominal arteriography (N = 23), hybrid subtraction, compared with temporal subtraction, provided a diagnostic examination in an additional 14% of studies (H20:T17); however, this difference is not statistically significant. An additional three i.v. abdominal angiograms were nondiagnostic. In intraarterial abdominal (N = 98) and pelvic (N = 60) angiography, hybrid subtraction provided a diagnostic examination in an additional 5% of studies (abdomen H94:T90, pelvis H58:T56); this difference was not statistically significant. An additional 5% of all intraarterial abdominal and pelvic digital subtraction angiographic studies were considered nondiagnostic. Hybrid subtraction provides a double-profile view of the carotid bifurcation in a significant number of patients. However, apart from some potential for improved i.v. abdominal arteriography, hybrid subtraction does not result in significant improvement in comparison to conventional temporal-subtraction techniques.

Ameliorating the biological impacts of childhood adversity: A review of intervention programs.

PubMed

Purewal Boparai, Sukhdip K; Au, Vanessa; Koita, Kadiatou; Oh, Debora Lee; Briner, Susan; Burke Harris, Nadine; Bucci, Monica

2018-05-01

Childhood adversity negatively impacts the biological development of children and has been linked to poor health outcomes across the life course. The purpose of this literature review is to explore and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions that have addressed an array of biological markers and physical health outcomes in children and adolescents affected by adversity. PubMed, CINAHL, PsychInfo, Sociological Abstracts databases and additional sources (Cochrane, WHO, NIH trial registries) were searched for English language studies published between January 2007 and September 2017. Articles with a childhood adversity exposure, biological health outcome, and evaluation of intervention using a randomized controlled trial study design were selected. The resulting 40 intervention studies addressed cortisol outcomes (n = 20) and a range of neurological, epigenetic, immune, and other outcomes (n = 22). Across institutional, foster care, and community settings, intervention programs demonstrated success overall for improving or normalizing morning and diurnal cortisol levels, and ameliorating the impacts of adversity on brain development, epigenetic regulation, and additional outcomes in children. Factors such as earlier timing of intervention, high quality and nurturant parenting traits, and greater intervention engagement played a role in intervention success. This study underlines progress and promise in addressing the health impacts of adversity in children. Ongoing research efforts should collect baseline data, improve retention, replicate studies in additional samples and settings, and evaluate additional variables, resilience factors, mediators, and long-term implications of results. Clinicians should integrate lessons from the intervention sciences for preventing and treating the health effects of adversity in children and adolescents. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effect of vital bleaching with solutions containing different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and pineapple extract as an additive on human enamel using reflectance spectrophotometer: An in vitro study

PubMed Central

Vejai Vekaash, Chitra Janardhanan; Kumar Reddy, Tripuravaram Vinay; Venkatesh, Kondas Vijay

2017-01-01

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the color change in human enamel bleached with three different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, containing pineapple extract as an additive in two different timings, using reflectance spectrophotometer. Background: The study aimed to investigate the bleaching efficacy on natural teeth using natural enzymes. Materials and Methods: Baseline color values of 10 randomly selected artificially stained incisors were obtained. The specimens were divided into three groups of 20 teeth each: Group 1 – 30% hydrogen peroxide, Group II – 20% hydrogen peroxide, and Group III – 10% hydrogen peroxide. One half of the tooth was bleached with hydrogen peroxide, and other was bleached with hydrogen peroxide and pineapple extract for 20 min (Subgroup A) and 10 min (Subgroup B). Statistical Analysis: The results were statistically analyzed using student's t-test. Results: The mean ΔE values of Group IA (31.62 ± 0.9), Group IIA (29.85 ± 1.2), and Group IIIA (28.65 ± 1.2) showed statistically significant higher values when compared to the mean Δ E values of Group 1A (25.02 ± 1.2), Group IIA (22.86 ± 1.1), and Group IIIA (16.56 ± 1.1). Identical results were obtained in Subgroup B. Conclusion: The addition of pineapple extract to hydrogen peroxide resulted in effective bleaching. PMID:29386782

Biomechanical Stability of Dental Implants in Augmented Maxillary Sites: Results of a Randomized Clinical Study with Four Different Biomaterials and PRF and a Biological View on Guided Bone Regeneration

PubMed Central

Angelo, Troedhan; Marcel, Wainwright; Andreas, Kurrek; Izabela, Schlichting

2015-01-01

Introduction. Bone regenerates mainly by periosteal and endosteal humoral and cellular activity, which is given only little concern in surgical techniques and choice of bone grafts for guided bone regeneration. This study investigates on a clinical level the biomechanical stability of augmented sites in maxillary bone when a new class of moldable, self-hardening calcium-phosphate biomaterials (SHB) is used with and without the addition of Platelet Rich Fibrin (aPRF) in the Piezotome-enhanced subperiosteal tunnel-technique (PeSPTT). Material and Methods. 82 patients with horizontal atrophy of anterior maxillary crest were treated with PeSPTT and randomly assigned biphasic (60% HA/40% bTCP) or monophasic (100% bTCP) SHB without or with addition of aPRF. 109 implants were inserted into the augmented sites after 8.3 months and the insertion-torque-value (ITV) measured as clinical expression of the (bio)mechanical stability of the augmented bone and compared to ITVs of a prior study in sinus lifting. Results. Significant better results of (bio)mechanical stability almost by two-fold, expressed by higher ITVs compared to native bone, were achieved with the used biomaterials and more constant results with the addition of aPRF. Conclusion. The use of SHB alone or combined with aPRF seems to be favourable to achieve a superior (bio)mechanical stable restored alveolar bone. PMID:25954758

Food-additive-induced urticaria: a survey of 838 patients with recurrent chronic idiopathic urticaria.

PubMed

Di Lorenzo, Gabriele; Pacor, Maria Luisa; Mansueto, Pasquale; Martinelli, Nicola; Esposito-Pellitteri, Maria; Lo Bianco, Claudia; Ditta, Vito; Leto-Barone, Maria Stefania; Napoli, Nicola; Di Fede, Gaetana; Rini, Giovambattista; Corrocher, Roberto

2005-11-01

Recurrent chronic idiopathic urticaria (RCIU) is a common skin condition that affects 0.1-3% of the population in the USA and Europe and accounts for nearly 75% of all 'ordinary' chronic urticaria (CU) cases. We studied 838 consecutive patients with RCIU referred to hospital between 1998 and 2003. Patients with known causes of CU were excluded. Clinical history, physical examination, and symptom diaries were evaluated during two periods, a diet-free period (1 week) and a food-additive-free diet (FAFD) period (4 weeks), respectively, and two double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC) challenges of six food additives were administered. The first DBPC challenge included a mixture of the six food additives (DBPCmixed) given to all patients. The second DBPC challenge comprised the single food additives, administered at increasing doses (DBPCsingle) to patients with a positive DBPCmixed test and 105 patients with a negative DBPCmixed test, as a control. The DBPCmixed challenge was positive in 116 patients. None of the 105 control patients had a positive DBPCsingle test. Only 31 DBPCsingle tests were positive in patients with positive DBPCmixed challenge. Twenty-four of the 116 patients showing a positive DBPCmixed challenge also had a positive DBPCsingle result. Our results confirmed that food additive hypersensitivity reactions occurred in few RCIU patients using DBPCsingle challenge. The combination of the results of FAFD and DBPCmixed challenge seems to be of considerable practical interest for allergists, internists and dermatologists, rather than the data of clinical history and the results of DBPCsingle challenge, in patients with RCIU. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Long-term results of Heller myotomy without an antireflux procedure in achalasic patients.

PubMed

Cortesini, Camillo; Cianchi, Fabio; Pucciani, Filippo

2002-01-01

Both open and laparoscopic myotomies have been used in the treatment of achalasia. Postoperative gastro-oesophageal reflux is among the commonly reported side effects of myotomy. The addition of an antireflux procedure to the standard surgical approach has given rise to controversy. The objective of our study was to determine whether or not an antireflux procedure should be used in addition to Heller myotomy. Over the period from 1980 to 1990, 94 patients (mean age: 47.9 years) with achalasia underwent Heller myotomy calibrated by intraoperative oesophageal manometry without fundoplication. In 1999-2000, all patients filled in a clinical questionnaire: all underwent radiographic oesophageal imaging, oesophageal manometry, ambulatory 24-h oesophageal pH monitoring, and oesophagogastroduodenoscopy, when necessary. Ten healthy age-matched subjects were compared in the manometric and radiological studies. Myotomy improved the clinical profiles and instrumental data results in all patients. Gastro-oesophageal reflux was present in 10 patients (10.6%); none of these 10 subjects presented oesophagitis. Heller open myotomy yields good long-term results. Intraoperative manometric calibration reduces the side effects of myotomy, such as gastro-oesophageal reflux. The addition of fundoplication is not justified in all patients.

Anaerobic hydrocarbon degradation in petroleum-contaminated harbor sediments under sulfate-reducing and artificially imposed iron-reducing conditions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coates, J.D.; Anderson, R.T.; Woodward, J.C.; Phillips, E.J.P.; Lovley, D.R.

1996-01-01

The potential use of iron(III) oxide to stimulate in-situ hydrocarbon degradation in anaerobic petroleum-contaminated harbor sediments was investigated. Previous studies have indicated that Fe(III)-reducing bacteria (FeRB) can oxidize some electron donors more effectively than sulfate- reducing bacteria (SRB). In contrast to previous results in freshwater sediments, the addition of Fe(III) to marine sediments from San Diego Bay, CA did not switch the terminal electron-accepting process (TEAP) from sulfate reduction to Fe-(III) reduction. Addition of Fe(III) also did not stimulate anaerobic hydrocarbon oxidation. Exposure of the sediment to air [to reoxidize Fe(II) to Fe(III)] followed by anaerobic incubation of the sediments, resulted in Fe-(III) reduction as the TEAP, but contaminant degradation was not stimulated and in some instances was inhibited. The difference in the ability of FeRB to compete with the SRB in the different sediment treatments was related to relative population sizes. Although the addition of Fe(III) did not stimulate hydrocarbon degradation, the results presented here as well as other recent studies demonstrate that there may be significant anaerobic hydrocarbon degradation under sulfate-reducing conditions in harbor sediments.

Structure-to-property relationships in addition cured polymers. 4: Correlations between thermo-oxidative weight losses of norbornenyl cured polyimide resins and their composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alston, William B.

1992-01-01

Relationships are identified between the thermo-oxidative stability (TOS) at 316 C of a wide variety of PMR (polymerization of monomeric reactants) addition cured polyimide resins and their corresponding graphite fiber composites. Weight loss results at 316 C confirmed the expected relationship of increasing aliphatic endcap content with decreasing TOS. Moreover, the resin TOS study also showed an unexpected linear correlation of decreasing weight loss to increasing ratio of benzylic diamine to aliphatic endcap in the range of the stoichiometries studied. Only after long term 316 C aging does the dianhydride used with the benzylic diamines become an additional factor in influencing the amount of PMR resin and composite weight losses. Also, the benzylic systems consistently showed much lower resin and composite weight losses at 316 C than the corresponding nonbenzylic norbornenyl resins and composites, except when the nonbenzylic diamine monomer does not contain a connecting group. Instead, this diamine resulted in a 316 C resin and composite weight loss that was only competitive with benzylic type diamines. Results show excellent correlation between TOS of all graphite fiber PMR composites and resins.

In vitro proliferation of human osteogenic cells in presence of different commercial bone substitute materials combined with enamel matrix derivatives

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Cellular reactions to alloplastic bone substitute materials (BSM) are a subject of interest in basic research. In regenerative dentistry, these bone grafting materials are routinely combined with enamel matrix derivatives (EMD) in order to additionally enhance tissue regeneration. Materials and methods The aim of this study was to evaluate the proliferative activity of human osteogenic cells after incubation over a period of seven days with commercial BSM of various origin and chemical composition. Special focus was placed on the potential additional benefit of EMD on cellular proliferation. Results Except for PerioGlas®, osteogenic cell proliferation was significantly promoted by the investigated BSM. The application of EMD alone also resulted in significantly increased cellular proliferation. However, a combination of BSM and EMD resulted in only a moderate additional enhancement of osteogenic cell proliferation. Conclusion The application of most BSM, as well as the exclusive application of EMD demonstrated a positive impact on the proliferation of human osteogenic cells in vitro. In order to increase the benefit from substrate combination (BSM + EMD), further studies on the interactions between BSM and EMD are needed. PMID:19909545

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.

Milk Production, Physiological Condition and Performance of Etawa Crossbreed Goats Feed by Ration Supplemented with Mangosteen Peel Flour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dzarnisa; Rachmadi, D.; Azhar, A.; Fakhrur Riza, R.; Hidayati, A.

2018-02-01

Study on the effect of the addition of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) peel flour on physiological condition and performance of Etawa crossbreed goats was done. This was to grant the use of mangosteen peel flour that rich of antioxidants and has variety good benefits for health as feed additive for cattle. This study used a Complete Randomized Block Design consisting of 4 treatment groups and 4 replications each. Subjects were 16 female Etawa crossbreed goats randomly designed into treatments group based on lactation periods. Subjects were feed with traditional rations (control, A), traditional rations and 2.5% mangosteen peel flour (B), tradition rations and 5% mangosteen peel flour (C), and traditional rations and 7,5 % mangosteen peel flour (D). Data on performance (milk production) and physiological condition (respiratory frequency, rectal temperature, and heart rate) obtained were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that the addition of mangosteen peel flour as food additive in the rations resulted in variations in the milk production, physiological condition (rectal temperature, heart rate and respiration frequency) and performances (daily weigh gain, food consumption, ration conversion and breast volume) of Etawa crossbreed goats, but significant effect was only observed in the respiration frequency. The addition of 2.5% mangosteen peel flour in the ration caused the best, expected effects on milk production physiological condition and performance of Etawa crossbreed goats.

The addition of tramadol as a second opioid may improve pain relief in severe osteoarthritis: a prospective study.

PubMed

Di Lorenzo, Luigi; Foti, Calogero; Forte, Alfonso Maria; Palmieri, Enzo; Formisano, Rita; Vatakencherry, Abraham; Pappagallo, Marco

2010-01-01

Opioid combination has been shown to reduce the need for escalating doses for the treatment of cancer pain. A prospective study was planned to evaluate the addition of tramadol to a stronger opioid for the treatment of severe pain as a result of osteoarthritis, previously uncontrolled by non-opioid analgesics or weak opioids. All subjects received tramadol 200 mg and tizanidine 2 mg. At 2 weeks, tramadol was discontinued for patients still reporting poor pain relief (effectiveness ≤50%), and a stronger opioid was titrated to a morphine equivalent amount (MEA) of 40-60 mg orally. After two additional weeks, patients were then divided into two groups: the Strong Opioid Group (SO) and the Tramadol plus the Strong Opioid Group (TSO). The SO group was allowed to escalate opioid dose for lack of effectiveness; the TSO group received tramadol 150 mg daily, thereafter additional strong opioid titration was allowed. A total of 74 patients were studied: SO (n = 40) and TSOG (n = 34). All patients eventually achieved pain relief quality, with both groups reporting similar Karnofsky Performance Scale effectiveness. The SO group achieved satisfactory pain relief (>50%) at an average daily oral MEA of 120 mg. TSO subjects achieved satisfactory pain relief (>50%) at an average daily oral MEA of 95 mg. The addition of tramadol provided a synergistic effect resulting in a 30-mg decrease in necessary morphine equivalents with fewer opioid-related adverse effects. © 2010 The Authors. Pain Practice © 2010 World Institute of Pain.

[Investigation of sleep disorders in the vicinity of high frequency transmitters].

PubMed

Leitgeb, N; Schröttner, J; Cech, R; Kerbl, R

2004-08-01

To investigate the potential impact of RF electromagnetic fields of transmitters on the sleep quality of nearby residents, a new study design is presented. In a double-blind crossover field study the effect of on-site shielding, rather than of additional exposure, is investigated. For improved sleep quality differentiation the polysomnographic parameters are expanded by additional parameters. The feasibility study showed that checking the raw data and correcting the software-generated results by visual reading of the polysomnographic recordings is essential. Long-term RF measurement showed that exposure may vary considerably throughout the night, as well as from one night to the next. This variation may be greater than the GSM contribution itself. Mostly, the contributions of USW radio frequency fields dominated over GSM. Thus, continuous broadband RF recording is required for reliable interpretation of the results, in particular with regard to the potential role of mobile telephony emissions. Results show that simple sleep monitoring systems based on single-channel EEG analysis without acces to original biosignals are not adequate for sleep studies.

Surfactant-induced assembly of enzymatically-stable peptide hydrogels

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

Jones, Brad H.; Martinez, Alina M.; Wheeler, Jill S.

The secondary structure of peptides in the presence of interacting additives is an important topic of study, having implications in the application of peptide science to a broad range of modern technologies. Surfactants constitute a class of biologically relevant compounds that are known to influence both peptide conformation and aggregation or assembly. In addition, we have characterized the secondary structure of a linear nonapeptide composed of a hydrophobic alanine/phenylalanine core flanked by hydrophilic acid/amine units. We show that the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) induces the formation of β-sheets and macroscopic gelation in this otherwise unstructured peptide. Through comparisonmore » to related additives, we propose that SDS-induced secondary structure formation is the result of amphiphilicity created by electrostatic binding of SDS to the peptide. In addition, we demonstrate a novel utility of surfactants in manipulating and stabilizing peptide nanostructures. SDS is used to simultaneously induce secondary structure in a peptide and to inhibit the activity of a model enzyme, resulting in a peptide hydrogel that is impervious to enzymatic degradation. These results complement our understanding of the behavior of peptides in the presence of interacting secondary molecules and provide new potential pathways for programmable organization of peptides by the addition of such components.« less

Surfactant-induced assembly of enzymatically-stable peptide hydrogels

DOE PAGES

Jones, Brad H.; Martinez, Alina M.; Wheeler, Jill S.; ...

2015-04-07

The secondary structure of peptides in the presence of interacting additives is an important topic of study, having implications in the application of peptide science to a broad range of modern technologies. Surfactants constitute a class of biologically relevant compounds that are known to influence both peptide conformation and aggregation or assembly. In addition, we have characterized the secondary structure of a linear nonapeptide composed of a hydrophobic alanine/phenylalanine core flanked by hydrophilic acid/amine units. We show that the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) induces the formation of β-sheets and macroscopic gelation in this otherwise unstructured peptide. Through comparisonmore » to related additives, we propose that SDS-induced secondary structure formation is the result of amphiphilicity created by electrostatic binding of SDS to the peptide. In addition, we demonstrate a novel utility of surfactants in manipulating and stabilizing peptide nanostructures. SDS is used to simultaneously induce secondary structure in a peptide and to inhibit the activity of a model enzyme, resulting in a peptide hydrogel that is impervious to enzymatic degradation. These results complement our understanding of the behavior of peptides in the presence of interacting secondary molecules and provide new potential pathways for programmable organization of peptides by the addition of such components.« less

Disinfection of Ebola Virus in Sterilized Municipal Wastewater

PubMed Central

Fischer, Robert J.; Casson, Leonard W.; de Carvalho, Nathalia Aquino; Haas, Charles N.; Munster, Vincent J.

2017-01-01

Concerns have been raised regarding handling of Ebola virus contaminated wastewater, as well as the adequacy of proposed disinfection approaches. In the current study, we investigate the inactivation of Ebola virus in sterilized domestic wastewater utilizing sodium hypochlorite addition and pH adjustment. No viral inactivation was observed in the one-hour tests without sodium hypochlorite addition or pH adjustment. No virus was recovered after 20 seconds (i.e. 4.2 log10 unit inactivation to detection limit) following the addition of 5 and 10 mg L-1 sodium hypochlorite, which resulted in immediate free chlorine residuals of 0.52 and 1.11 mg L-1, respectively. The addition of 1 mg L-1 sodium hypochlorite resulted in an immediate free chlorine residual of 0.16 mg L-1, which inactivated 3.5 log10 units of Ebola virus in 20 seconds. Further inactivation was not evident due to the rapid consumption of the chlorine residual. Elevating the pH to 11.2 was found to significantly increase viral decay over ambient conditions. These results indicate the high susceptibility of the enveloped Ebola virus to disinfection in the presence of free chlorine in municipal wastewater; however, we caution that extension to more complex matrices (e.g. bodily fluids) will require additional verification. PMID:28146555

Disinfection of Ebola Virus in Sterilized Municipal Wastewater.

PubMed

Bibby, Kyle; Fischer, Robert J; Casson, Leonard W; de Carvalho, Nathalia Aquino; Haas, Charles N; Munster, Vincent J

2017-02-01

Concerns have been raised regarding handling of Ebola virus contaminated wastewater, as well as the adequacy of proposed disinfection approaches. In the current study, we investigate the inactivation of Ebola virus in sterilized domestic wastewater utilizing sodium hypochlorite addition and pH adjustment. No viral inactivation was observed in the one-hour tests without sodium hypochlorite addition or pH adjustment. No virus was recovered after 20 seconds (i.e. 4.2 log10 unit inactivation to detection limit) following the addition of 5 and 10 mg L-1 sodium hypochlorite, which resulted in immediate free chlorine residuals of 0.52 and 1.11 mg L-1, respectively. The addition of 1 mg L-1 sodium hypochlorite resulted in an immediate free chlorine residual of 0.16 mg L-1, which inactivated 3.5 log10 units of Ebola virus in 20 seconds. Further inactivation was not evident due to the rapid consumption of the chlorine residual. Elevating the pH to 11.2 was found to significantly increase viral decay over ambient conditions. These results indicate the high susceptibility of the enveloped Ebola virus to disinfection in the presence of free chlorine in municipal wastewater; however, we caution that extension to more complex matrices (e.g. bodily fluids) will require additional verification.

Responses of Woody Plant Functional Traits to Nitrogen Addition: A Meta-Analysis of Leaf Economics, Gas Exchange, and Hydraulic Traits.

PubMed

Zhang, Hongxia; Li, Weibin; Adams, Henry D; Wang, Anzhi; Wu, Jiabing; Jin, Changjie; Guan, Dexin; Yuan, Fenghui

2018-01-01

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has been found to significantly affect plant growth and physiological performance in terrestrial ecosystems. Many individual studies have investigated how N addition influences plant functional traits, however these investigations have usually been limited to a single species, and thereby do not allow derivation of general patterns or underlying mechanisms. We synthesized data from 56 papers and conducted a meta-analysis to assess the general responses of 15 variables related to leaf economics, gas exchange, and hydraulic traits to N addition among 61 woody plant species, primarily from temperate and subtropical regions. Results showed that under N addition, leaf area index (+10.3%), foliar N content (+7.3%), intrinsic water-use efficiency (+3.1%) and net photosynthetic rate (+16.1%) significantly increased, while specific leaf area, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate did not change. For plant hydraulics, N addition significantly increased vessel diameter (+7.0%), hydraulic conductance in stems/shoots (+6.7%), and water potential corresponding to 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity ( P 50 , +21.5%; i.e., P 50 became less negative), while water potential in leaves (-6.7%) decreased (became more negative). N addition had little effect on vessel density, hydraulic conductance in leaves and roots, or water potential in stems/shoots. N addition had greater effects on gymnosperms than angiosperms and ammonium nitrate fertilization had larger effects than fertilization with urea, and high levels of N addition affected more traits than low levels. Our results demonstrate that N addition has coupled effects on both carbon and water dynamics of woody plants. Increased leaf N, likely fixed in photosynthetic enzymes and pigments leads to higher photosynthesis and water use efficiency, which may increase leaf growth, as reflected in LAI results. These changes appear to have downstream effects on hydraulic function through increases in vessel diameter, which leads to higher hydraulic conductance, but lower water potential and increased vulnerability to embolism. Overall, our results suggest that N addition will shift plant function along a tradeoff between C and hydraulic economies by enhancing C uptake while simultaneously increasing the risk of hydraulic dysfunction.

Psychophysiological interaction between superior temporal gyrus (STG) and cerebellum: An fMRI study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusoff, A. N.; Teng, X. L.; Ng, S. B.; Hamid, A. I. A.; Mukari, S. Z. M.

2016-03-01

This study aimed to model the psychophysiological interaction (PPI) between the bilateral STG and cerebellum (lobule VI and lobule VII) during an arithmetic addition task. Eighteen young adults participated in this study. They were instructed to solve single-digit addition tasks in quiet and noisy backgrounds during an fMRI scan. Results showed that in both hemispheres, the response in the cerebellum was found to be linearly influenced by the activity in STG (vice-versa) for both in-quiet and in-noise conditions. However, the influence of the cerebellum on STG seemed to be modulated by noise. A two-way PPI model between STG and cerebellum is suggested. The connectivity between the two regions during a simple addition task in a noisy condition is modulated by the participants’ higher attention to perceive.

Geometrical aspects of the tribological properties of graphite fiber reinforced polymide composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fusaro, R. L.

1982-01-01

A latin square statistical experimental test design was used to evaluate the effect of temperature, load and sliding speed on the tribological properties of graphite fiber reinforced polymide (GFRPI) composite specimens. Hemispherically tipped composite riders were slid against 440 C HT stainless steel disks. comparisons were made to previous studies in which hemispherically tipped 440 C HT stainless steel riders were slid against GFRPI composite disks and to studies in which GFRPI was used as a liner in plain spherical bearings. The results indicate that sliding surface geometry is especially important, in that different geometries can give completely different friction and wear results. Load, temperature, and sliding distance were found to influence the friction and wear results but sliding speed was found to have little effect. Experiments on GFRPI riders with 10 weight percent additions of graphite fluoride showed that this addition has no effect on friction and wear.

Number needed to treat and associated incremental costs of treatment with enzalutamide versus abiraterone acetate plus prednisone in chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

PubMed

Massoudi, Marjan; Balk, Mark; Yang, Hongbo; Bui, Cat N; Pandya, Bhavik J; Guo, Jenny; Song, Yan; Wu, Eric Q; Brown, Bruce; Barlev, Arie; Flanders, Scott

2017-02-01

Enzalutamide (ENZA) and abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AA) are approved second-generation hormone therapies for chemotherapy-naïve metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This study compared ENZA with AA in chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC by calculating the number needed to treat (NNT) and associated incremental costs to achieve one additional chemotherapy-naïve patient with mCRPC free of radiographic progression, chemotherapy, or death over a 1-year time horizon. Clinical outcomes were obtained from the PREVAIL and COU-AA-302 trials. Three outcomes were evaluated: radiographic progression-free survival, time to cytotoxic chemotherapy initiation, and overall survival at 1 year. NNT was calculated as the reciprocal of the outcome event rate difference for ENZA compared with AA. The incremental costs to achieve one additional outcome at 1 year were calculated as the difference in cost per treated patient multiplied by the NNT. Per-treated-patient costs were considered from a US payer perspective and included medications, monitoring, adverse events, post-progression treatments, and end-of-life care. Within a 1-year time horizon, the total cost per treated patient for ENZA was $2,666 less than AA. Compared with AA, treating 14 patients with ENZA resulted in one additional patient free of progression or death over 1 year; treating 26 patients with ENZA resulted in one additional patient with chemotherapy delayed over 1 year; and treating 91 patients with ENZA resulted in one additional patient free of death over 1 year. Therefore, ENZA is cost-effective compared with AA for all three outcomes evaluated, and the modeled results suggest ENZA is associated with potentially improved clinical outcomes in delaying chemotherapy initiation and disease progression for chemotherapy-naïve patients. The results are robust in sensitivity analyses, where the effect of changes in key model inputs and assumptions were tested. The results modeled in the present study suggest ENZA is cost-effective compared with AA for treating chemotherapy-naïve patients with mCRPC.

Experimental Study on Application of Boron Mud Secondary Resource to Oxidized Pellets Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Xiao-Jiao; Chu, Man-Sheng; Zhao, Jia-Qi; Chen, Shuang-Yin; Liu, Zheng-Gen; Wang, Si-Yuan

2017-07-01

In order to realize comprehensive and massive treatment of boron mud secondary resource, fundamental study on boron mud applied to oxidized pellets production as additive was carried out in the paper under laboratory conditions. The effects of boron mud on the performance of oxidized pellets were investigated systemically, and boron mud was combined with other boron-rich material innovatively. The results showed that, within certain limits, boron mud can improve properties of oxidized pellets. The bentonite content decreased to 0.3 % when adding 1.0 % boron mud additive and the pellets met blast furnace requirements. With the combination additive content 0.8 %, bentonite content can be further decreased to 0.2 %, and the pellets properties were better than base pellet. Therefore, it was an effective way to reduce environmental pollution and optimize blast furnace operation by developing boron mud secondary resource as pellets additive.

Genetic interactions contribute less than additive effects to quantitative trait variation in yeast

PubMed Central

Bloom, Joshua S.; Kotenko, Iulia; Sadhu, Meru J.; Treusch, Sebastian; Albert, Frank W.; Kruglyak, Leonid

2015-01-01

Genetic mapping studies of quantitative traits typically focus on detecting loci that contribute additively to trait variation. Genetic interactions are often proposed as a contributing factor to trait variation, but the relative contribution of interactions to trait variation is a subject of debate. Here we use a very large cross between two yeast strains to accurately estimate the fraction of phenotypic variance due to pairwise QTL–QTL interactions for 20 quantitative traits. We find that this fraction is 9% on average, substantially less than the contribution of additive QTL (43%). Statistically significant QTL–QTL pairs typically have small individual effect sizes, but collectively explain 40% of the pairwise interaction variance. We show that pairwise interaction variance is largely explained by pairs of loci at least one of which has a significant additive effect. These results refine our understanding of the genetic architecture of quantitative traits and help guide future mapping studies. PMID:26537231

Development of chitosan/pluronic F108/polyethersulfone (PES) nanofiltration (NF) membrane for oily wastewater treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamzah, Norzakiah; Rohani, Rosiah; Hassan, Abdul Rahman; Sharifuddin, Syazrin Syima; Isa, Mohd Hafez Mohd

2018-06-01

This study discusses a new finding for nanofiltration membrane development using phase inversion technique whereby polyethersulfone (PES) polymer was added with surfactant and additive. This research focuses on the development of a membrane that is efficient in treating oily wastewater and reducing membrane's low permeation flux issues. Five PES nanofiltration membranes were synthesized with pluronic F108 surfactant and different amounts of chitosan additive for each formulation. Subsequently, the effect of adding surfactant and additive on membrane performance was studied. Results showed that the membrane with the optimal amount of chitosan gave the highest flux and the rejection of oily wastewater with up to 90%. In addition, Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy technique was used to characterize and analyse the membrane's properties. Hence, the developed membranes were successfully characterized and proved to be a good treatment for oily wastewater.

Enhancement of the Mechanical Properties of Basalt Fiber-Wood-Plastic Composites via Maleic Anhydride Grafted High-Density Polyethylene (MAPE) Addition.

PubMed

Chen, Jinxiang; Wang, Yong; Gu, Chenglong; Liu, Jianxun; Liu, Yufu; Li, Min; Lu, Yun

2013-06-18

This study investigated the mechanisms, using microscopy and strength testing approaches, by which the addition of maleic anhydride grafted high-density polyethylene (MAPE) enhances the mechanical properties of basalt fiber-wood-plastic composites (BF-WPCs). The maximum values of the specific tensile and flexural strengths are achieved at a MAPE content of 5%-8%. The elongation increases rapidly at first and then continues slowly. The nearly complete integration of the wood fiber with the high-density polyethylene upon MAPE addition to WPC is examined, and two models of interfacial behavior are proposed. We examined the physical significance of both interfacial models and their ability to accurately describe the effects of MAPE addition. The mechanism of formation of the Model I interface and the integrated matrix is outlined based on the chemical reactions that may occur between the various components as a result of hydrogen bond formation or based on the principle of compatibility, resulting from similar polarity. The Model I fracture occurred on the outer surface of the interfacial layer, visually demonstrating the compatibilization effect of MAPE addition.

Effect of natural phenolics on the thermal and processing behaviour of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auriemma, Maria; Piscitelli, Amodio; Pasquino, Rossana; Cerruti, Pierfrancesco; Angelini, Stefania; Scarinzi, Gennaro; Malinconico, Mario; Grizzuti, Nino

2015-12-01

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is a biodegradable polymer, whose applicability is limited by its relatively poor mechanical properties and narrow processing window. In this paper, different natural phenol-based additives, including tannic acid (TA), grape bagasse extract (EP), and a lignocellulosic biomass (LC) were used as thermal and processing stabilizers for PHB. The thermal stability of both neat and doped PHB samples was studied by rheology and calorimetry. The experimental results showed that neat PHB massively degrades and that the addition of phenol additives enhances the thermal stability of PHB, preserving the polymer molecular weight after processing. This finding was in agreement with the slower decay in viscosity observed through rheological tests. Physical and chemical interactions between polymer and additive were considered as key factors to interpret the experimental data. LC affected the melt crystallization kinetics of PHB enhancing crystallization upon cooling. This finding suggests that LC was a heterogeneous nucleating agent, potentially able to control the physical aging of PHB. The described results are of interest for the development of sustainable alternatives to synthetic polymer additives, by increasing the applicability of bio-based materials.

Enhancement of proteolytic enzyme activity excreted from Bacillus stearothermophilus for a thermophilic aerobic digestion process.

PubMed

Kim, Young-Kee; Bae, Jin-Hye; Oh, Byung-Keun; Lee, Won Hong; Choi, Jeong-Woo

2002-04-01

Proteolysis is one of the main enzymatic reactions involved in waste activated sludge (WAS) digestion. In this study, proteases excreted from Bacillus stearothermophilus (ATCC 31197) were classified, and an enhancement of protease activity was achieved using economical chemical additives for WAS digestion. Proteases excreted from B. stearothermophilus were classified into two families: serine and metallo-proteases. Various metal ions were investigated as additives which could potentially enhance protease activity. It was observed that Ca2+ and Fe2+ could markedly activate these enzymes. These results were applied to thermophilic aerobic digestion (TAD) of industrial WAS using B. stearothermophilus. The addition of these divalent ions enhanced the degradation performance of the TAD process in terms of reducing the total suspended solids (TSSs), the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content, and the intracellular and extracellular protein concentrations. The best result, with respect to protein reduction in a digestion experiment, was obtained by the addition of 2 mM Ca2+. Therefore, a proposed TAD process activated by calcium addition can be successfully used for industrial and municipal WAS digestion to the upgrading of TAD process performance.

A new perspective on metals and other contaminants in fluoridation chemicals*

PubMed Central

Mullenix, Phyllis J

2014-01-01

Background: Fluoride additives contain metal contaminants that must be diluted to meet drinking water regulations. However, each raw additive batch supplied to water facilities does not come labeled with concentrations per contaminant. This omission distorts exposure profiles and the risks associated with accidents and routine use. Objectives: This study provides an independent determination of the metal content of raw fluoride products. Methods: Metal concentrations were analyzed in three hydrofluorosilicic acid (HFS) and four sodium fluoride (NaF) samples using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Arsenic levels were confirmed using graphite furnace atomic absorption analysis. Results: Results show that metal content varies with batch, and all HFS samples contained arsenic (4.9–56.0 ppm) or arsenic in addition to lead (10.3 ppm). Two NaF samples contained barium (13.3–18.0 ppm) instead. All HFS (212–415 ppm) and NaF (3312–3630 ppm) additives contained a surprising amount of aluminum. Conclusions: Such contaminant content creates a regulatory blind spot that jeopardizes any safe use of fluoride additives. PMID:24999851

Comparison of additives amendment for mitigation of greenhouse gases and ammonia emission during sewage sludge co-composting based on correlation analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Meijing; Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Wang, Quan; Chen, Hongyu; Ren, Xiuna; Zhao, Junchao; Li, Ronghua; Zhang, Zengqiang

2017-11-01

In this study, the pilot scale co-composting of sewage sludge (SS)+wheat straw amended with 10% (dry weight ratio of basis) of three different additives (zeolite, Ca-bentonite and medical stone) was conducted for 56days to evaluate the greenhouse gases (GHGs) and nitrogen conservation efficacy and its correlation with analyzed physicochemical, gaseous and biological parameters. The results indicated that all of three additives could adequately buffer pH, considerably increase temperature, and enhance organic matter degradation as well as reduce ammonia and GHGs emission. Particularly, zeolite amended treatment showed the maximum reduction of CH 4 emission by 88.45% and less amount of nitrogen loss by 28.80%, meanwhile reduced the maturity period by 2weeks. In addition, the redundancy analysis was confirmed most significant relationship between biological, GHGs, bacterial community and nutrients concentration in 10% zeolite applied treatment than other treatments. The result suggested 10% zeolite could be a suitable additive to improve the quality of sewage sludge composting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Polarization on Carbohydrate Hydration: A Comparative Study Using Additive and Polarizable Force Fields.

PubMed

Pandey, Poonam; Mallajosyula, Sairam S

2016-07-14

Carbohydrates are known to closely modulate their surrounding solvent structures and influence solvation dynamics. Spectroscopic investigations studying far-IR regions (below 1000 cm(-1)) have observed spectral shifts in the libration band (around 600 cm(-1)) of water in the presence of monosaccharides and polysaccharides. In this paper, we use molecular dynamics simulations to gain atomistic insight into carbohydrate-water interactions and to specifically highlight the differences between additive (nonpolarizable) and polarizable simulations. A total of six monosaccharide systems, α and β anomers of glucose, galactose, and mannose, were studied using additive and polarizable Chemistry at HARvard Macromolecular Mechanics (CHARMM) carbohydrate force fields. Solvents were modeled using three additive water models TIP3P, TIP4P, and TIP5P in additive simulations and polarizable water model SWM4 in polarizable simulations. The presence of carbohydrate has a significant effect on the microscopic water structure, with the effects being pronounced for proximal water molecules. Notably, disruption of the tetrahedral arrangement of proximal water molecules was observed due to the formation of strong carbohydrate-water hydrogen bonds in both additive and polarizable simulations. However, the inclusion of polarization resulted in significant water-bridge occupancies, improved ordered water structures (tetrahedral order parameter), and longer carbohydrate-water H-bond correlations as compared to those for additive simulations. Additionally, polarizable simulations also allowed the calculation of power spectra from the dipole-dipole autocorrelation function, which corresponds to the IR spectra. From the power spectra, we could identify spectral signatures differentiating the proximal and bulk water structures, which could not be captured from additive simulations.

Exogenous addition of H2 for an in situ biogas upgrading through biological reduction of carbon dioxide into methane.

PubMed

Mulat, Daniel Girma; Mosbæk, Freya; Ward, Alastair James; Polag, Daniela; Greule, Markus; Keppler, Frank; Nielsen, Jeppe Lund; Feilberg, Anders

2017-10-01

Biological reduction of CO 2 into CH 4 by exogenous addition of H 2 is a promising technology for upgrading biogas into higher CH 4 content. The aim of this work was to study the feasibility of exogenous H 2 addition for an in situ biogas upgrading through biological conversion of the biogas CO 2 into CH 4. Moreover, this study employed systematic study with isotope analysis for providing comprehensive evidence on the underlying pathways of CH 4 production and upstream processes. Batch reactors were inoculated with digestate originating from a full-scale biogas plant and fed once with maize leaf substrate. Periodic addition of H 2 into the headspace resulted in a completely consumption of CO 2 and a concomitant increase in CH 4 content up to 89%. The microbial community and isotope analysis shows an enrichment of hydrogenotrophic Methanobacterium and the key role of hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis for biogas upgrading to higher CH 4 content. Excess H 2 was also supplied to evaluate its effect on overall process performance. The results show that excess H 2 addition resulted in accumulation of H 2 , depletion of CO 2 and inhibition of the degradation of acetate and other volatile fatty acids (VFA). A systematic isotope analysis revealed that excess H 2 supply led to an increase in dissolved H 2 to the level that thermodynamically inhibit the degradation of VFA and stimulate homo-acetogens for production of acetate from CO 2 and H 2 . The inhibition was a temporary effect and acetate degradation resumed when the excess H 2 was removed as well as in the presence of stoichiometric amount of H 2 and CO 2 . This inhibition mechanism underlines the importance of carefully regulating the H 2 addition rate and gas retention time to the CO 2 production rate, H 2 -uptake rate and growth of hydrogenotrophic methanogens in order to achieve higher CH 4 content without the accumulation of acetate and other VFA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of proficiency test performance to determine clinical laboratory director qualifications.

PubMed

Howanitz, P J

1988-04-01

Many activities and policies influence laboratory test quality. Proficiency test results are one measure of laboratory quality, and during the past 25 years, five studies have examined the relationship of laboratory director educational requirements to proficiency test results. Data from three studies support the association between director qualifications and quality as measured by proficiency test performance, whereas no relationship was found in the other two studies. Possible reasons for conflicting results include differences in database size and demographics; in addition, proficiency test results may be inappropriate, although widely used, as the sole measure of laboratory director performance.

Spaceflight and Immune Responses of Rhesus Monkeys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sonnenfeld, Gerald

1997-01-01

In the grant period, we perfected techniques for determination of interleukin production and leukocyte subset analysis of rhesus monkeys. These results are outlined in detail in publication number 2, appended to this report. Additionally, we participated in the ARRT restraint test to determine if restraint conditions for flight in the Space Shuttle could contribute to any effects of space flight on immune responses. All immunological parameters listed in the methods section were tested. Evaluation of the data suggests that the restraint conditions had minimal effects on the results observed, but handling of the monkeys could have had some effect. These results are outlined in detail in manuscript number 3, appended to this report. Additionally, to help us develop our rhesus monkey immunology studies, we carried out preliminary studies in mice to determine the effects of stressors on immunological parameters. We were able to show that there were gender-based differences in the response of immunological parameters to a stressor. These results are outlined in detail in manuscript number 4, appended to this report.

Testing enhances subsequent learning in older but not in younger elementary school children.

PubMed

Aslan, Alp; Bäuml, Karl-Heinz T

2016-11-01

In adults, testing can enhance subsequent learning by reducing interference from the tested information. Here, we examined this forward effect of testing in children. Younger and older elementary school children and adult controls studied four lists of items in anticipation of a final cumulative recall test. Following presentation of each of the first three lists, participants were immediately tested on the respective list, or the list was re-presented for additional study. Results revealed that, compared to additional study, immediate testing of Lists 1-3 enhanced memory for the subsequently studied List 4 in adults and older elementary school children, but not in younger elementary school children. The findings indicate that the forward effect of testing is a relatively late-maturing phenomenon that develops over middle childhood and is still inefficient in the early elementary school years. Together with the results of other recent studies, these findings point to a more general problem in young children in combating interference. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

February 10, 2011, Phase Two of the Yellow Bluff Air Monitoring Study - Analytical Datasheets for Corrosion Classification Coupons

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Contains datasheets of results of Yellow Bluff Corrosion Classification Coupon Study. Monitoring was performed at the Primary, Background, and five additional residential Yellow Bluff sites from January 24-28, 2011.

Modelling the average velocity of propagation of the flame front in a gasoline engine with hydrogen additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smolenskaya, N. M.; Smolenskii, V. V.

2018-01-01

The paper presents models for calculating the average velocity of propagation of the flame front, obtained from the results of experimental studies. Experimental studies were carried out on a single-cylinder gasoline engine UIT-85 with hydrogen additives up to 6% of the mass of fuel. The article shows the influence of hydrogen addition on the average velocity propagation of the flame front in the main combustion phase. The dependences of the turbulent propagation velocity of the flame front in the second combustion phase on the composition of the mixture and operating modes. The article shows the influence of the normal combustion rate on the average flame propagation velocity in the third combustion phase.

The mitigating effect of calcification-dependent of utilization of inorganic carbon of Chara vulgaris Linn on NH4-N toxicity.

PubMed

Wang, Heyun; Ni, Leyi; Xie, Ping

2013-09-01

Increased ammonium (NH4-N) concentrations in water bodies have been reported to adversely affect the dominant species of submersed vegetation in meso-eutrophic waters worldwide. However calcareous plants were lowly sensitive to NH4-N toxicity. In order to make clear the function of calcification in the tolerance of calcareous plants to NH4-N stress, we studied the effects of increased HCO3(-) and additional NH4-N on calcification and utilization of dissolve inorganic carbon (DIC) in Chara vulgaris Linn in a 7-d sub-acute experiment (light:dark 12:12h) carried out in an open experimental system in lab. Results revealed that calcification was dependent of utilization of dissolve inorganic carbon. Additional HCO3(-) significantly decreased the increase of pH while additional NH4-N did not. And additional HCO3(-) significantly improved calcification while NH4-N did in versus in relation to the variation of DIC concentration. However, addition of both HCO3(-) and NH4-N increased utilization of DIC. This resulted in calcification to utilization of DIC ratio decreased under additional NH4-N condition while increased under additional HCO3(-) conditions in response to the variation of solution pH. In the present study, external HCO3(-) decreased the increase of solution pH by increasing calcification, which correspondingly mitigated the toxic effect of high NH4-N. And we argue that the mitigating effect of increased HCO3(-) on NH4-N toxicity is dependent of plant calcification, and it is a positive feedback mechanism, potentially leading to the dominance of calcareous plants in meso-eutrophic water bodies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of sulfur-based hemostatic agents and gingival retraction cords handled with latex gloves on the polymerization of polyvinyl siloxane impression materials.

PubMed

Machado, Carlos Eduardo Palhares; Guedes, Carlos Gramani

2011-01-01

This study investigated the possible interactions between three addition silicone materials (Express®, Aquasil Ultra® and Adsil®), three hemostatic agents (ferric sulfate, StatGel FS®; aluminum sulfate, GelCord®; and aluminum chloride, Hemostop®) and gingival retraction cords previously handled with latex gloves to determine whether direct contact with medicaments or indirect contamination by latex in conditions similar to those found in clinical practice inhibit or affect the setting of the impression materials. A portable device for the simultaneous test of several specimens was specifically developed for this study. Polymerization inhibition was analyzed by examination of the impressions and the molded surface. Ten trials were performed for each addition silicone material used in the study, at a total of 240 study samples. All the samples tested (N=240) were nonreactive regardless of the type of combination used. Aluminum sulfate, ferric sulfate and aluminum chloride hemostatic solutions did not show any inhibitory potential on the addition silicone samples under study, and there were no changes in polymerization as a result of contact between addition silicone and retraction cords handled with latex gloves.

The Influence of Feed Energy Density and a Formulated Additive on Rumen and Rectal Temperature in Hanwoo Steers

PubMed Central

Cho, Sangbuem; Mbiriri, David Tinotenda; Shim, Kwanseob; Lee, A-Leum; Oh, Seong-Jin; Yang, Jinho; Ryu, Chaehwa; Kim, Young-Hoon; Seo, Kang-Seok; Chae, Jung-Il; Oh, Young Kyoon; Choi, Nag-Jin

2014-01-01

The present study investigated the optimum blending condition of protected fat, choline and yeast culture for lowering of rumen temperature. The Box Benken experimental design, a fractional factorial arrangement, and response surface methodology were employed. The optimum blending condition was determined using the rumen simulated in vitro fermentation. An additive formulated on the optimum condition contained 50% of protected fat, 25% of yeast culture, 5% of choline, 7% of organic zinc, 6.5% of cinnamon, and 6.5% of stevioside. The feed additive was supplemented at a rate of 0.1% of diet (orchard grass:concentrate, 3:7) and compared with a control which had no additive. The treatment resulted in lower volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration and biogas than the control. To investigate the effect of the optimized additive and feed energy levels on rumen and rectal temperatures, four rumen cannulated Hanwoo (Korean native beef breed) steers were in a 4×4 Latin square design. Energy levels were varied to low and high by altering the ratio of forage to concentrate in diet: low energy (6:4) and high energy (4:6). The additive was added at a rate of 0.1% of the diet. The following parameters were measured; feed intake, rumen and rectal temperatures, ruminal pH and VFA concentration. This study was conducted in an environmentally controlled house with temperature set at 30°C and relative humidity levels of 70%. Steers were housed individually in raised crates to facilitate collection of urine and feces. The adaptation period was for 14 days, 2 days for sampling and 7 days for resting the animals. The additive significantly reduced both rumen (p<0.01) and rectal temperatures (p<0.001) without depressed feed intake. There were interactions (p<0.01) between energy level and additive on ruminal temperature. Neither additive nor energy level had an effect on total VFA concentration. The additive however, significantly increased (p<0.01) propionate and subsequently had lower acetate:propionate (A/P) ratios than non-additive supplementation. High concentrate diets had significantly lower pH. Interactions between energy and additive were observed (p<0.01) in ammonia nitrogen production. Supplementation of diets with the additive resulted in lower rumen and rectal temperatures, hence the additive showed promise in alleviating undesirable effects of heat stress in cattle. PMID:25358327

The influence of feed energy density and a formulated additive on rumen and rectal temperature in hanwoo steers.

PubMed

Cho, Sangbuem; Mbiriri, David Tinotenda; Shim, Kwanseob; Lee, A-Leum; Oh, Seong-Jin; Yang, Jinho; Ryu, Chaehwa; Kim, Young-Hoon; Seo, Kang-Seok; Chae, Jung-Il; Oh, Young Kyoon; Choi, Nag-Jin

2014-11-01

The present study investigated the optimum blending condition of protected fat, choline and yeast culture for lowering of rumen temperature. The Box Benken experimental design, a fractional factorial arrangement, and response surface methodology were employed. The optimum blending condition was determined using the rumen simulated in vitro fermentation. An additive formulated on the optimum condition contained 50% of protected fat, 25% of yeast culture, 5% of choline, 7% of organic zinc, 6.5% of cinnamon, and 6.5% of stevioside. The feed additive was supplemented at a rate of 0.1% of diet (orchard grass:concentrate, 3:7) and compared with a control which had no additive. The treatment resulted in lower volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration and biogas than the control. To investigate the effect of the optimized additive and feed energy levels on rumen and rectal temperatures, four rumen cannulated Hanwoo (Korean native beef breed) steers were in a 4×4 Latin square design. Energy levels were varied to low and high by altering the ratio of forage to concentrate in diet: low energy (6:4) and high energy (4:6). The additive was added at a rate of 0.1% of the diet. The following parameters were measured; feed intake, rumen and rectal temperatures, ruminal pH and VFA concentration. This study was conducted in an environmentally controlled house with temperature set at 30°C and relative humidity levels of 70%. Steers were housed individually in raised crates to facilitate collection of urine and feces. The adaptation period was for 14 days, 2 days for sampling and 7 days for resting the animals. The additive significantly reduced both rumen (p<0.01) and rectal temperatures (p<0.001) without depressed feed intake. There were interactions (p<0.01) between energy level and additive on ruminal temperature. Neither additive nor energy level had an effect on total VFA concentration. The additive however, significantly increased (p<0.01) propionate and subsequently had lower acetate:propionate (A/P) ratios than non-additive supplementation. High concentrate diets had significantly lower pH. Interactions between energy and additive were observed (p<0.01) in ammonia nitrogen production. Supplementation of diets with the additive resulted in lower rumen and rectal temperatures, hence the additive showed promise in alleviating undesirable effects of heat stress in cattle.

Patients' experiences of screening for type 2 diabetes: prospective qualitative study embedded in the ADDITION (Cambridge) randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Davies, Richard; Kinmonth, Ann-Louise; Griffin, Simon; Lawton, Julia

2007-01-01

Objectives To provide insight into factors that contribute to the anxiety reported in a quantitative study of the psychological effect of screening for type 2 diabetes. To explore expectations of and reactions to the screening experience of patients with positive, negative, and intermediate results. Design Prospective qualitative interview study of patients attending a screening programme for type 2 diabetes. Setting Seven general practices in the ADDITION (Cambridge) trial in the east of England. Participants 23 participants (aged 50-69) attending different stages in the screening process. Results Participants' perceptions changed as they progressed through the screening programme; the stepwise process seemed to help them adjust psychologically. The first screening test was typically considered unimportant and was attended with no thought about its implications. By the final diagnostic test, type 2 diabetes was considered a strong possibility, albeit a “mild” form. After diagnosis, people with screen detected type 2 diabetes tended to downplay its importance and talked confidently about their plans to control it. Participants with intermediate results seemed uncertain about their diagnosis, and those who screened negative were largely unaware of their remaining high risk. Conclusions This study helps in understanding the limited psychological impact of screening for type 2 diabetes quantified previously, in particular by the quantitative substudy of ADDITION (Cambridge). The findings have implications for implementing such a screening programme in terms of timing and content. PMID:17762000

Lack of genotoxicity in vivo for food color additive Allura Red AC.

PubMed

Bastaki, Maria; Farrell, Thomas; Bhusari, Sachin; Pant, Kamala; Kulkarni, Rohan

2017-07-01

Allura Red AC is an approved food color additive internationally with INS number 129, in the United States as food color subject to batch certification "Food, Drug, and Cosmetic" (FD&C) Red No. 40, and in Europe as food color additive with E number 129. In their evaluation of the color (2013), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) expressed concerns of potential genotoxicity, based primarily on one genotoxicity study that was not conducted according to Guidelines. The present in vivo genotoxicity study was conducted according to OECD Guidelines in response to EFSA's request for additional data. The animal species and strain, and the tissues examined were selected specifically to address the previously reported findings. The results show clear absence of genotoxic activity for Allura Red AC, in the bone marrow micronucleus assay and the Comet assay in the liver, stomach, and colon. These data addressed EFSA's concerns for genotoxicity. The Joint WHO/FAO Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) (2016) also reviewed the study and concluded that there is no genotoxicity concern for Allura Red AC. Negative findings in parallel genotoxicity studies on Tartrazine and Ponceau 4R (published separately) are consistent with lack of genotoxicity for azo dyes used as food colors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lack of genotoxicity in vivo for food color additive Tartrazine.

PubMed

Bastaki, Maria; Farrell, Thomas; Bhusari, Sachin; Pant, Kamala; Kulkarni, Rohan

2017-07-01

Tartrazine is approved as a food color additive internationally with INS number 102, in the United States as food color subject to batch certification "Food, Drug, and Cosmetic" (FD&C) Yellow No. 5, and in Europe as food color additive with E number 102. In their evaluation of the color (2013), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) expressed concerns of potential genotoxicity, based primarily on one genotoxicity study that was not conducted according to Guidelines. The present in vivo genotoxicity study was conducted according to OECD Guidelines in response to EFSA's request for additional data. The animal species and strain, and the tissues examined were selected specifically to address the previously reported findings. The results of this study show clear absence of genotoxic activity for Tartrazine, in the bone marrow micronucleus assay and the Comet assay in the liver, stomach, and colon. These data addressed EFSA's concerns for genotoxicity. The Joint WHO/FAO Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) (2016) also reviewed these data and concluded that there is no genotoxicity concern for Tartrazine. Negative findings in parallel genotoxicity studies on Allura Red AC and Ponceau 4R (published separately) are consistent with lack of genotoxicity for azo dyes used as food colors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Additive Partial Least Squares for efficient modelling of independent variance sources demonstrated on practical case studies.

PubMed

Luoma, Pekka; Natschläger, Thomas; Malli, Birgit; Pawliczek, Marcin; Brandstetter, Markus

2018-05-12

A model recalibration method based on additive Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression is generalized for multi-adjustment scenarios of independent variance sources (referred to as additive PLS - aPLS). aPLS allows for effortless model readjustment under changing measurement conditions and the combination of independent variance sources with the initial model by means of additive modelling. We demonstrate these distinguishing features on two NIR spectroscopic case-studies. In case study 1 aPLS was used as a readjustment method for an emerging offset. The achieved RMS error of prediction (1.91 a.u.) was of similar level as before the offset occurred (2.11 a.u.). In case-study 2 a calibration combining different variance sources was conducted. The achieved performance was of sufficient level with an absolute error being better than 0.8% of the mean concentration, therefore being able to compensate negative effects of two independent variance sources. The presented results show the applicability of the aPLS approach. The main advantages of the method are that the original model stays unadjusted and that the modelling is conducted on concrete changes in the spectra thus supporting efficient (in most cases straightforward) modelling. Additionally, the method is put into context of existing machine learning algorithms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using the theory of planned behavior to determine factors influencing processed foods consumption behavior.

PubMed

Seo, Sunhee; Kim, Og Yeon; Shim, Soonmi

2014-06-01

The purpose of this study is to identify how level of information affected intention, using the Theory of Planned Behavior. The study was conducted survey in diverse community centers and shopping malls in Seoul, which yielded N = 209 datasets. To compare processed foods consumption behavior, we divided samples into two groups based on level of information about food additives (whether respondents felt that information on food additives was sufficient or not). We analyzed differences in attitudes toward food additives and toward purchasing processed foods, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intentions to processed foods between sufficient information group and lack information group. The results confirmed that more than 78% of respondents thought information on food additives was insufficient. However, the group who felt information was sufficient had more positive attitudes about consuming processed foods and behavioral intentions than the group who thought information was inadequate. This study found people who consider that they have sufficient information on food additives tend to have more positive attitudes toward processed foods and intention to consume processed foods. This study suggests increasing needs for nutrition education on the appropriate use of processed foods. Designing useful nutrition education requires a good understanding of factors which influence on processed foods consumption.

Religiousness and preoperative anxiety: a correlational study

PubMed Central

Aghamohammadi Kalkhoran, Masoomeh; Karimollahi, Mansoureh

2007-01-01

Background Major life changes are among factors that cause anxiety, and one of these changes is surgery. Emotional reactions to surgery have specific effects on the intensity and velocity as well as the process of physical disease. In addition, they can cause delay in patients recovery. This study is aimed at determining the relationship between religious beliefs and preoperative anxiety. Methods This survey is a correlational study to assess the relationship between religious beliefs and preoperative anxiety of patients undergoing abdominal, orthopaedic, and gynaecologic surgery in educational hospitals. We used the convenience sampling method. The data collection instruments included a questionnaire containing the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and another questionnaire formulated by the researcher with queries on religious beliefs and demographic characteristics as well as disease-related information. Analysis of the data was carried out with SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results were arranged in three tables. Results The findings showed that almost all the subjects had high level of religiosity and moderate level of anxiety. In addition, there was an inverse relationship between religiosity and intensity of anxiety, though this was not statistically significant. Conclusion The results of this study can be used as evidence for presenting religious counselling and spiritual interventions for individuals undergoing stress. Finally, based on the results of this study, the researcher suggested some recommendations for applying results and conducting further research. PMID:17603897

Two-dimensional homogeneous isotropic fluid turbulence with polymer additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Anupam; Perlekar, Prasad; Pandit, Rahul

2015-03-01

We carry out an extensive and high-resolution direct numerical simulation of homogeneous, isotropic turbulence in two-dimensional fluid films with air-drag-induced friction and with polymer additives. Our study reveals that the polymers (a) reduce the total fluid energy, enstrophy, and palinstrophy; (b) modify the fluid energy spectrum in both inverse- and forward-cascade régimes; (c) reduce small-scale intermittency; (d) suppress regions of high vorticity and strain rate; and (e) stretch in strain-dominated regions. We compare our results with earlier experimental studies and propose new experiments.

Phase slip process and charge density wave dynamics in a one dimensional conductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habiballah, N.; Zouadi, M.; Arbaoui, A.; Qjani, M.; Dumas, J.

In this paper, we study the phase slip effect on the charge density wave (CDW) dynamics in a one-dimensional conductor in the weak pinning limit. A considerable enhancement of JCDW is observed in the presence of phase slips. In addition, a spatial dependence of the CDW current density JCDW is also studied showing that a decrease of JCDW with distance from the current contact occurs. The results are discussed in terms the relationship between additional phase slips and the mobility of phase dislocations nucleated at electrical contacts.

Addition of Aripiprazole to the Clozapine May Be Useful in Reducing Anxiety in Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Chanachev, Aleksandar; Ansermot, Nicolas; Crettol Wavre, Séverine; Nowotka, Ute; Stamatopoulou, Maria-Eleni; Conus, Philippe; Eap, Chin B.

2011-01-01

There exist many case reports and studies on the antipsychotic augmentation by aripirazole in partial responders to clozapine, the most seem to be finding a slight difference in the PANSS and CGI scores after the aripirazole addition. The results of our report are compatible with those of other studies but, we have found a considerable antianxiety action in both of the cases. The 5HT1A agonism of aripirazole could be hypothesized as mechanism contributing to this effect. PMID:22937411

Review of Video Prompting Studies for Persons with Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banda, Devender R.; Dogoe, Maud S.; Matuszny, Rose Marie

2011-01-01

We reviewed 18 video prompting studies that were conducted with persons with developmental disabilities. Results across the studies indicate that video prompting is a viable method for improving various domestic, vocational, and independent living skills. In addition, video prompting strategies facilitated maintenance and generalization of learned…

Lung Cancer Risk from Occupational and Environmental Radon and Role of Smoking in Two Czech Nested Case-Control Studies

PubMed Central

Tomasek, Ladislav

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the risk of lung cancer from combined exposure to radon and smoking. Methodologically, it is based on case-control studies nested within two Czech cohort studies of nearly 11,000 miners followed-up for mortality in 1952–2010 and nearly 12,000 inhabitants exposed to high levels of radon in homes, with mortality follow-up in 1960–2010. In addition to recorded radon exposure, these studies use information on smoking collected from the subjects or their relatives. A total of 1,029 and 370 cases with smoking information have been observed in the occupational and environmental (residential) studies, respectively. Three or four control subjects have been individually matched to cases according to sex, year of birth, and age. The combined effect from radon and smoking is analyzed in terms of geometric mixture models of which the additive and multiplicative models are special cases. The resulting models are relatively close to the additive interaction (mixing parameter 0.2 and 0.3 in the occupational and residential studies, respectively). The impact of the resulting model in the residential radon study is illustrated by estimates of lifetime risk in hypothetical populations of smokers and non-smokers. In comparison to the multiplicative risk model, the lifetime risk from the best geometric mixture model is considerably higher, particularly in the non-smoking population. PMID:23470882

Influence of polymethyl acrylate additive on the formation of particulate matter and NOX emission of a biodiesel-diesel-fueled engine.

PubMed

Monirul, Islam Mohammad; Masjuki, Haji Hassan; Kalam, Mohammad Abdul; Zulkifli, Nurin Wahidah Mohd; Shancita, Islam

2017-08-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the polymethyl acrylate (PMA) additive on the formation of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxide (NO X ) emission from a diesel coconut and/or Calophyllum inophyllum biodiesel-fueled engine. The physicochemical properties of 20% of coconut and/or C. inophyllum biodiesel-diesel blend (B20), 0.03 wt% of PMA with B20 (B20P), and diesel fuel were measured and compared to ASTM D6751, D7467, and EN 14214 standard. The test results showed that the addition of PMA additive with B20 significantly improves the cold-flow properties such as pour point (PP), cloud point (CP), and cold filter plugging point (CFPP). The addition of PMA additives reduced the engine's brake-specific energy consumption of all tested fuels. Engine emission results showed that the additive-added fuel reduce PM concentration than B20 and diesel, whereas the PM size and NO X emission both increased than B20 fuel and baseline diesel fuel. Also, the effect of adding PMA into B20 reduced Carbon (C), Aluminum (Al), Potassium (K), and volatile materials in the soot, whereas it increased Oxygen (O), Fluorine (F), Zinc (Zn), Barium (Ba), Chlorine (Cl), Sodium (Na), and fixed carbon. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) results for B20P showed the lower agglomeration than B20 and diesel fuel. Therefore, B20P fuel can be used as an alternative to diesel fuel in diesel engines to lower the harmful emissions without compromising the fuel quality.

Raman analysis of phonon modes in a short period AlN/GaN superlattice

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

Sarkar, Ketaki; Datta, Debopam; Gosztola, David J.

AlN/GaN-based optoelectronic devices have been the subject of intense research underlying the commercialization of efficient devices. Areas of considerable interest are the study of their lattice dynamics, phonon transport, and electron-phonon interactions specific to the interface of these heterostructures which results in additional optical phonon modes known as interface phonon modes. In this study, the framework of the dielectric continuum model (DCM) has been used to compare and analyze the optical phonon modes obtained from experimental Raman scattering measurements on AlN/GaN short-period superlattices. We have observed the localized E2(high), A1(LO) and the E1(TO) modes in superlattice measurements at frequencies shiftedmore » from their bulk values. To the best of our knowledge, the nanostructures used in these studies are among the smallest yielding useful Raman signatures for the interface modes. In addition, we have also identified an additional spread of interface phonon modes in the TO range resulting from the superlattice periodicity. The Raman signature contribution from the underlying AlxGa1-xN ternary has also been observed and analyzed. A temperature calibrationwas done based on Stokes/anti-Stokes ratio of A1(LO) using Raman spectroscopy in a broad operating temperature range. Good agreement between the experimental results and theoretically calculated calibration plot predicted using Bose-Einstein statistics was obtained.« less

Raman analysis of phonon modes in a short period AlN/GaN superlattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Ketaki; Datta, Debopam; Gosztola, David J.; Shi, Fengyuan; Nicholls, Alan; Stroscio, Michael A.; Dutta, Mitra

2018-03-01

AlN/GaN-based optoelectronic devices have been the subject of intense research underlying the commercialization of efficient devices. Areas of considerable interest are the study of their lattice dynamics, phonon transport, and electron-phonon interactions specific to the interface of these heterostructures which results in additional optical phonon modes known as interface phonon modes. In this study, the framework of the dielectric continuum model (DCM) has been used to compare and analyze the optical phonon modes obtained from experimental Raman scattering measurements on AlN/GaN short-period superlattices. We have observed the localized E2(high), A1(LO) and the E1(TO) modes in superlattice measurements at frequencies shifted from their bulk values. To the best of our knowledge, the nanostructures used in these studies are among the smallest yielding useful Raman signatures for the interface modes. In addition, we have also identified an additional spread of interface phonon modes in the TO range resulting from the superlattice periodicity. The Raman signature contribution from the underlying AlxGa1-xN ternary has also been observed and analyzed. A temperature calibration was done based on Stokes/anti-Stokes ratio of A1(LO) using Raman spectroscopy in a broad operating temperature range. Good agreement between the experimental results and theoretically calculated calibration plot predicted using Bose-Einstein statistics was obtained.

Effect of vital bleaching with solutions containing different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and pineapple extract as an additive on human enamel using reflectance spectrophotometer: An in vitro study.

PubMed

Vejai Vekaash, Chitra Janardhanan; Kumar Reddy, Tripuravaram Vinay; Venkatesh, Kondas Vijay

2017-01-01

This study aims to evaluate the color change in human enamel bleached with three different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, containing pineapple extract as an additive in two different timings, using reflectance spectrophotometer. The study aimed to investigate the bleaching efficacy on natural teeth using natural enzymes. Baseline color values of 10 randomly selected artificially stained incisors were obtained. The specimens were divided into three groups of 20 teeth each: Group 1 - 30% hydrogen peroxide, Group II - 20% hydrogen peroxide, and Group III - 10% hydrogen peroxide. One half of the tooth was bleached with hydrogen peroxide, and other was bleached with hydrogen peroxide and pineapple extract for 20 min (Subgroup A) and 10 min (Subgroup B). The results were statistically analyzed using student's t -test. The mean ΔE values of Group IA (31.62 ± 0.9), Group IIA (29.85 ± 1.2), and Group IIIA (28.65 ± 1.2) showed statistically significant higher values when compared to the mean Δ E values of Group 1A (25.02 ± 1.2), Group IIA (22.86 ± 1.1), and Group IIIA (16.56 ± 1.1). Identical results were obtained in Subgroup B. The addition of pineapple extract to hydrogen peroxide resulted in effective bleaching.

Storage of red blood cells in a novel polyolefin blood container: a pilot in vitro study.

PubMed

Gulliksson, H; Meinke, S; Ravizza, A; Larsson, L; Höglund, P

2017-01-01

The present general plasticizer di-2-ethylhexyl-phthalate in polyvinylchloride (PVC) blood bags is only physically dispersed in PVC and will therefore leach into blood components. The objective of this study was to perform a first preliminary red blood cell (RBC) storage evaluation in a new blood bag manufactured of polyolefin without any inclusion of potentially migrating substances. This is a RBC storage study for 42 days. Blood collection was performed in a polyolefin-based PVC-free blood bag. RBCs were prepared within 8 h. Two different RBC additive solutions were used, either PAGGS-M or PAGGG-M. We weekly measured pH, K + , glucose, lactate, haemolysis, red cell ATP and 2,3-DPG. RBC storage in PAGGS-M resulted in high haemolysis levels already after 21 days, exceeding the European maximum limit of 0·8%, and low ATP levels by the end of the storage period. With PAGGG-M, haemolysis exceeded 0·8% after 28 days of storage. For additional parameters, the results were comparable to those of previous studies in conventional blood bags. This is a first preliminary study of RBC storage in a new type of blood bags. PAGGG-M gave encouraging results except for its inability to prevent increased haemolysis. There will be room for further development of RBC additive solutions to address the haemolysis problems. Plasma should also be tested regarding the stability of coagulation and activation pathway variables. There may also be a potential for future use of the bag for preparation of pooled buffy-coat-derived platelets. © 2016 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

Delayed addition of nitrogen-rich substrates during composting of municipal waste: Effects on nitrogen loss, greenhouse gas emissions and compost stability.

PubMed

Nigussie, Abebe; Bruun, Sander; Kuyper, Thomas W; de Neergaard, Andreas

2017-01-01

Municipal waste is usually composted with an N-rich substrate, such as manure, to increase the N content of the product. This means that a significant amount of nitrogen can be lost during composting. The objectives of this study were (i) to investigate the effect of split addition of a nitrogen-rich substrate (poultry manure) on nitrogen losses and greenhouse gas emissions during composting and to link this effect to different bulking agents (coffee husks and sawdust), and (ii) to assess the effect of split addition of a nitrogen-rich substrate on compost stability and sanitisation. The results showed that split addition of the nitrogen-rich substrate reduced nitrogen losses by 9% when sawdust was used and 20% when coffee husks were used as the bulking agent. Depending on the bulking agent used, split addition increased cumulative N 2 O emissions by 400-600% compared to single addition. In contrast, single addition increased methane emissions by up to 50% compared to split addition of the substrate. Hence, the timing of the addition of the N-rich substrate had only a marginal effect on total non-CO 2 greenhouse gas emissions. Split addition of the N-rich substrate resulted in compost that was just as stable and effective at completely eradicating weed seeds as single addition. These findings therefore show that split addition of a nitrogen-rich substrate could be an option for increasing the fertilising value of municipal waste compost without having a significant effect on total greenhouse gas emissions or compost stability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What is the relationship between mental workload factors and cognitive load types?

PubMed

Galy, Edith; Cariou, Magali; Mélan, Claudine

2012-03-01

The present study tested the hypothesis of an additive interaction between intrinsic, extraneous and germane cognitive load, by manipulating factors of mental workload assumed to have a specific effect on either type of cognitive load. The study of cognitive load factors and their interaction is essential if we are to improve workers' wellbeing and safety at work. High cognitive load requires the individual to allocate extra resources to entering information. It is thought that this demand for extra resources may reduce processing efficiency and performance. The present study tested the effects of three factors thought to act on either cognitive load type, i.e. task difficulty, time pressure and alertness in a working memory task. Results revealed additive effects of task difficulty and time pressure, and a modulation by alertness on behavioral, subjective and psychophysiological workload measures. Mental overload can be the result of a combination of task-related components, but its occurrence may also depend on subject-related characteristics, including alertness. Solutions designed to reduce incidents and accidents at work should consider work organization in addition to task constraints in so far that both these factors may interfere with mental workload. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Creativity, visualization abilities, and visual cognitive style.

PubMed

Kozhevnikov, Maria; Kozhevnikov, Michael; Yu, Chen Jiao; Blazhenkova, Olesya

2013-06-01

Despite the recent evidence for a multi-component nature of both visual imagery and creativity, there have been no systematic studies on how the different dimensions of creativity and imagery might interrelate. The main goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between different dimensions of creativity (artistic and scientific) and dimensions of visualization abilities and styles (object and spatial). In addition, we compared the contributions of object and spatial visualization abilities versus corresponding styles to scientific and artistic dimensions of creativity. Twenty-four undergraduate students (12 females) were recruited for the first study, and 75 additional participants (36 females) were recruited for an additional experiment. Participants were administered a number of object and spatial visualization abilities and style assessments as well as a number of artistic and scientific creativity tests. The results show that object visualization relates to artistic creativity and spatial visualization relates to scientific creativity, while both are distinct from verbal creativity. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate that style predicts corresponding dimension of creativity even after removing shared variance between style and visualization ability. The results suggest that styles might be a more ecologically valid construct in predicting real-life creative behaviour, such as performance in different professional domains. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Mathematics Beliefs and Achievement of Elementary School Students in Japan and the United States: Results from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

House, J. Daniel

2006-01-01

Student self-beliefs are significantly related to several types of academic achievement. In addition, results from international assessments have indicated that students in Japan have typically scored above international averages (D. L. Kelly, I. V. S. Mullis, & M. O. Martin, 2000). In this study, the author examined relationships between…

Stability of a general mixed additive-cubic functional equation in non-Archimedean fuzzy normed spaces

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

Xu Tianzhou; Rassias, John Michael; Xu Wanxin

2010-09-15

We establish some stability results concerning the general mixed additive-cubic functional equation in non-Archimedean fuzzy normed spaces. In addition, we establish some results of approximately general mixed additive-cubic mappings in non-Archimedean fuzzy normed spaces. The results improve and extend some recent results.

Restrained shrinkage cracking of cementitious composites containing soft PCM inclusions: A paste (matrix) controlled response

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

Wei, Zhenhua; Falzone, Gabriel; Das, Sumanta

The addition of phase change materials (PCMs) has been proposed as a way to mitigate thermal cracking in cementitious materials. However, the addition of PCMs, i.e., soft inclusions, degrades the compressive strength of cementitious composites. From a strength-of-materials viewpoint, such reductions in strength are suspected to increase the tendency of cementitious materials containing PCMs to crack under load (e.g., volume instability-induced stresses resulting from thermal and/or hygral deformations). Based on detailed assessments of free and restrained shrinkage, elastic modulus, and tensile strength, this study shows that the addition of PCMs does not alter the cracking sensitivity of the material. Inmore » fact, the addition of PCMs (or other soft inclusions) enhances the cracking resistance as compared to a plain cement paste or composites containing equivalent dosages of (stiff) quartz inclusions. This is because composites containing soft inclusions demonstrate benefits resulting from crack blunting and deflection, and improved stress relaxation. As a result, although the tensile stress at failure remains similar, the time to failure (i.e., macroscopic cracking) of PCM-containing composites is considerably extended. More generally, the outcomes indicate that dosages of soft(er) inclusions, and the resulting decrease in compressive strength does not amplify the cracking risk of cementitious composites.« less

MicroCT parameters for multimaterial elements assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Araújo, Olga M. O.; Silva Bastos, Jaqueline; Machado, Alessandra S.; dos Santos, Thaís M. P.; Ferreira, Cintia G.; Rosifini Alves Claro, Ana Paula; Lopes, Ricardo T.

2018-03-01

Microtomography is a non-destructive testing technique for quantitative and qualitative analysis. The investigation of multimaterial elements with great difference of density can result in artifacts that degrade image quality depending on combination of additional filter. The aim of this study is the selection of parameters most appropriate for analysis of bone tissue with metallic implant. The results show the simulation with MCNPX code for the distribution of energy without additional filter, with use of aluminum, copper and brass filters and their respective reconstructed images showing the importance of the choice of these parameters in image acquisition process on computed microtomography.

A comparison of traditional anti-inflammation and anti-infection medicinal plants with current evidence from biomedical research: Results from a regional study

PubMed Central

Vieira, A.

2010-01-01

Background: In relation to pharmacognosy, an objective of many ethnobotanical studies is to identify plant species to be further investigated, for example, tested in disease models related to the ethnomedicinal application. To further warrant such testing, research evidence for medicinal applications of these plants (or of their major phytochemical constituents and metabolic derivatives) is typically analyzed in biomedical databases. Methods: As a model of this process, the current report presents novel information regarding traditional anti-inflammation and anti-infection medicinal plant use. This information was obtained from an interview-based ethnobotanical study; and was compared with current biomedical evidence using the Medline® database. Results: Of the 8 anti-infection plant species identified in the ethnobotanical study, 7 have related activities reported in the database; and of the 6 anti-inflammation plants, 4 have related activities in the database. Conclusion: Based on novel and complimentary results from the ethnobotanical and biomedical database analyses, it is suggested that some of these plants warrant additional investigation of potential anti-inflammatory or anti-infection activities in related disease models, and also additional studies in other population groups. PMID:21589754

[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).

Effect of Additional Suji Leaves and Turmeric Extract on Physicochemical Characteristic and Antioxidant Activity of Arenga-Canna Noodle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miftakhussolikhah; Ariani, D.; Herawati, ERN; Nastiti, A.; Angwar, M.; Pranoto, Y.

2017-12-01

Canna can be used as raw material for noodle but need a substitute material such as arenga starch. Arenga-canna noodle has dark appearance. Addition coloring agents from suji leaves and turmeric extract was done to improve product appearance and its functional characteristics. In this study, noodle was made with five variations of suji leaves and turmeric extract. Physical and chemical properties of noodle were analyzed. The results showed addition suji leaves extract and turmeric extract 0.4 g suji leaf/ml water and 0.06 g turmeric/ml water respectively, produce the best arenga-canna noodle quality. The addition of natural coloring agents increased antioxidant activity.

Does the model of additive effect in placebo research still hold true? A narrative review

PubMed Central

Berger, Bettina; Weger, Ulrich; Heusser, Peter

2017-01-01

Personalised and contextualised care has been turned into a major demand by people involved in healthcare suggesting to move toward person-centred medicine. The assessment of person-centred medicine can be most effectively achieved if treatments are investigated using ‘with versus without’ person-centredness or integrative study designs. However, this assumes that the components of an integrative or person-centred intervention have an additive relationship to produce the total effect. Beecher’s model of additivity assumes an additive relation between placebo and drug effects and is thus presenting an arithmetic summation. So far, no review has been carried out assessing the validity of the additive model, which is to be questioned and more closely investigated in this review. Initial searches for primary studies were undertaken in July 2016 using Pubmed and Google Scholar. In order to find matching publications of similar magnitude for the comparison part of this review, corresponding matches for all included reviews were sought. A total of 22 reviews and 3 clinical and experimental studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The results pointed to the following factors actively questioning the additive model: interactions of various effects, trial design, conditioning, context effects and factors, neurobiological factors, mechanism of action, statistical factors, intervention-specific factors (alcohol, caffeine), side-effects and type of intervention. All but one of the closely assessed publications was questioning the additive model. A closer examination of study design is necessary. An attempt in a more systematic approach geared towards solutions could be a suggestion for future research in this field. PMID:28321318

Does the model of additive effect in placebo research still hold true? A narrative review.

PubMed

Boehm, Katja; Berger, Bettina; Weger, Ulrich; Heusser, Peter

2017-03-01

Personalised and contextualised care has been turned into a major demand by people involved in healthcare suggesting to move toward person-centred medicine. The assessment of person-centred medicine can be most effectively achieved if treatments are investigated using 'with versus without' person-centredness or integrative study designs. However, this assumes that the components of an integrative or person-centred intervention have an additive relationship to produce the total effect. Beecher's model of additivity assumes an additive relation between placebo and drug effects and is thus presenting an arithmetic summation. So far, no review has been carried out assessing the validity of the additive model, which is to be questioned and more closely investigated in this review. Initial searches for primary studies were undertaken in July 2016 using Pubmed and Google Scholar. In order to find matching publications of similar magnitude for the comparison part of this review, corresponding matches for all included reviews were sought. A total of 22 reviews and 3 clinical and experimental studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The results pointed to the following factors actively questioning the additive model: interactions of various effects, trial design, conditioning, context effects and factors, neurobiological factors, mechanism of action, statistical factors, intervention-specific factors (alcohol, caffeine), side-effects and type of intervention. All but one of the closely assessed publications was questioning the additive model. A closer examination of study design is necessary. An attempt in a more systematic approach geared towards solutions could be a suggestion for future research in this field.

Paediatric Cochlear Implantation in Patients with Waardenburg Syndrome

PubMed Central

van Nierop, Josephine W.I.; Snabel, Rebecca R.; Langereis, Margreet; Pennings, Ronald J.E.; Admiraal, Ronald J.C.; Mylanus, Emmanuel A.M.; Kunst, Henricus P.M.

2016-01-01

Objective To analyse the benefit of cochlear implantation in young deaf children with Waardenburg syndrome (WS) compared to a reference group of young deaf children without additional disabilities. Method A retrospective study was conducted on children with WS who underwent cochlear implantation at the age of 2 years or younger. The post-operative results for speech perception (phonetically balanced standard Dutch consonant-vocal-consonant word lists) and language comprehension (the Reynell Developmental Language Scales, RDLS), expressed as a language quotient (LQ), were compared between the WS group and the reference group by using multiple linear regression analysis. Results A total of 14 children were diagnosed with WS, and 6 of them had additional disabilities. The WS children were implanted at a mean age of 1.6 years and the 48 children of the reference group at a mean age of 1.3 years. The WS children had a mean phoneme score of 80% and a mean LQ of 0.74 at 3 years post-implantation, and these results were comparable to those of the reference group. Only the factor additional disabilities had a significant negative influence on auditory perception and language comprehension. Conclusions Children with WS performed similarly to the reference group in the present study, and these outcomes are in line with the previous literature. Although good counselling about additional disabilities concomitant to the syndrome is relevant, cochlear implantation is a good rehabilitation method for children with WS. PMID:27245679

Treatment Study Plan for Nitrate Salt Waste Remediation Revision 1.0

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

Juarez, Catherine L.; Funk, David John; Vigil-Holterman, Luciana R.

2016-03-07

The two stabilization treatment methods that are to be examined for their effectiveness in the treatment of both the unremediated and remediated nitrate salt wastes include (1) the addition of zeolite and (2) cementation. Zeolite addition is proposed based on the results of several studies and analyses that specifically examined the effectiveness of this process for deactivating nitrate salts. Cementation is also being assessed because of its prevalence as an immobilization method used for similar wastes at numerous facilities around the DOE complex, including at Los Alamos. The results of this Treatment Study Plan will be used to provide themore » basis for a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permit modification request of the LANL Hazardous Waste Facility Permit for approval by the New Mexico Environment Department-Hazardous Waste Bureau (NMED-HWB) of the proposed treatment process and the associated facilities.« less

Dietary modulation of the effects of exposure to 56Fe particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabin, B. M.; Joseph, J. A.; Shukitt-Hale, B.; Carey, A. N.

On exploratory missions to other planets, astronauts will be exposed to galactic cosmic rays composed of protons and heavy particles, such as 56Fe. Long-term exposure to these particles can cause cancer. However, there are significant uncertainties in the risk estimates for the probability of developing heavy particle-induced cancer, and in the amount of shielding needed to provide an adequate level of radiation protection. The results of this preliminary study, using a ground-based model for exposure to cosmic rays, show reduced tumorigenesis in rats maintained on diets containing blueberry or strawberry extract prior to exposure to 56Fe particles. Because the study was not initially designed to evaluate tumorigenesis following exposure to 56Fe particles, additional research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of strawberry and blueberry supplementation. However, the preliminary results presented in this study suggest that diets containing antioxidant phytochemicals can provide additional radiation protection on interplanetary voyages.

New data on mitochondrial diversity and origin of Hemimysis anomala in the Laurentian Great Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Questel, Jennifer M.; Walsh, Maureen G.; Smith, Randall J.; Welsh, Amy B.

2012-01-01

The most recent Ponto-Caspian species to invade the Laurentian Great Lakes is the crustacean Hemimysis anomala, first reported in 2006. A previous study described three haplotype groups (A, B, C) of H. anomala in native and invaded areas within Europe, but only one haplotype (A1) in a sample from Lake Michigan. Our study expands these results to additional populations in the Great Lakes basin, and evaluates relationships among North American and European populations. A 549-bp fragment of themitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene was analyzed from populations of H. anomala in Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, and the St. Lawrence River.Two different haplotypes, A1 and B1,were observed in the sampled populations of H. anomala and in a previous analysis from H. anomala in Oneida Lake (New York). Our results, in contrast with a previous study, detect an additional haplotype in North America.

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--METALS IN WATER ANALYTICAL RESULTS

EPA Science Inventory

The Metals in Water data set contains analytical results for measurements of up to 11 metals in 314 water samples over 211 households. Sample collection was undertaken at the tap and any additional drinking water source used extensively within each residence. The primary metals...

Decrease in glutathione content in boar sperm after cryopreservation. Effect of the addition of reduced glutathione to the freezing and thawing extenders.

PubMed

Gadea, Joaquín; Sellés, Elena; Marco, Marco Antonio; Coy, Pilar; Matás, Carmen; Romar, Raquel; Ruiz, Salvador

2004-08-01

Although glutathione content in boar spermatozoa has been previously reported, the effect of reduced glutathione (GSH) on semen parameters and the fertilizing ability of boar spermatozoa after cryopreservation has never been evaluated. In this study, GSH content was determined in ejaculated boar spermatozoa before and after cryopreservation. Semen samples were centrifuged and GSH content in the resulting pellet monitored spectrophotometrically. The fertilizing ability of frozen-thawed boar sperm was also tested in vitro by incubating sperm with in vitro matured oocytes obtained from gilts. GSH content in fresh semen was 3.84 +/- 0.21 nM GSH/10(8) sperm. Following semen cryopreservation, there was a 32% decrease in GSH content (P < 0.0001). There were significant differences in sperm GSH content between different boars and after various preservation protocols (P = 0.0102 ). The effect of addition of GSH to the freezing and thawing extenders was also evaluated. Addition of 5 mM GSH to the freezing extender did not have a significant effect on standard semen parameters or sperm fertilizing ability after thawing. In contrast, when GSH was added to the thawing extender, a dose-dependent tendency to increase in sperm fertilizing ability was observed, although no differences were observed in standard semen parameters. In summary, (i) there was a loss in GSH content after cryopreservation of boar semen; (ii) addition of GSH to the freezing extender did not result in any improvement in either standard semen parameters or sperm fertilizing ability; and (iii) addition of GSH to the thawing extender resulted in a significant increase in sperm fertilizing ability. Nevertheless, future studies must conclude if this is the case for all boars. Furthermore, since addition of GSH to the thawing extender did not result in an improvement in standard semen parameters, this suggests that during the thawing process, GSH prevents damage of a sperm property that is critical in the fertilization process but that is not measured in the routine semen analysis.

3-D CSEM data inversion algorithm based on simultaneously active multiple transmitters concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dehiya, Rahul; Singh, Arun; Gupta, Pravin Kumar; Israil, Mohammad

2017-05-01

We present an algorithm for efficient 3-D inversion of marine controlled-source electromagnetic data. The efficiency is achieved by exploiting the redundancy in data. The data redundancy is reduced by compressing the data through stacking of the response of transmitters which are in close proximity. This stacking is equivalent to synthesizing the data as if the multiple transmitters are simultaneously active. The redundancy in data, arising due to close transmitter spacing, has been studied through singular value analysis of the Jacobian formed in 1-D inversion. This study reveals that the transmitter spacing of 100 m, typically used in marine data acquisition, does result in redundancy in the data. In the proposed algorithm, the data are compressed through stacking which leads to both computational advantage and reduction in noise. The performance of the algorithm for noisy data is demonstrated through the studies on two types of noise, viz., uncorrelated additive noise and correlated non-additive noise. It is observed that in case of uncorrelated additive noise, up to a moderately high (10 percent) noise level the algorithm addresses the noise as effectively as the traditional full data inversion. However, when the noise level in the data is high (20 percent), the algorithm outperforms the traditional full data inversion in terms of data misfit. Similar results are obtained in case of correlated non-additive noise and the algorithm performs better if the level of noise is high. The inversion results of a real field data set are also presented to demonstrate the robustness of the algorithm. The significant computational advantage in all cases presented makes this algorithm a better choice.

Identification of nanoscale ingredients in commercial food products and their induction of mitochondrially mediated cytotoxic effects on human mesenchymal stem cells.

PubMed

Athinarayanan, Jegan; Alshatwi, Ali A; Periasamy, Vaiyapuri S; Al-Warthan, Abdulrahman A

2015-02-01

Titanium dioxide (E171) and silicon dioxide (E551) are common additives found in food products, personal-care products, and many other consumer products used in daily life. Recent studies have reported that these food additives (manufactured E171 and E551) contain nanosized particles of less than 100 nm. However, the particle size distribution and morphology of added TiO2 and SiO2 particles are not typically stated on the package label. Furthermore, there is an increasing debate regarding health and safety concerns related to the use of synthetic food additives containing nanosized ingredients in consumer products. In this study, we identified the size and morphology of TiO2 and SiO2 particles in commercially available food products by using transmission electron microscope (TEM). In addition, the in vitro toxicological effects of E171 and E551 on human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), an adult stem cell-based model, were assessed using the MTT assay and a flow cytometry-based JC-1 assay. Our TEM results confirmed the presence of nanoscale ingredients in food products, and the in vitro toxicology results indicated that the nanoscale E171 and E551 ingredients induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity, changes in cellular morphology, and the loss of mitochondrial trans-membrane potential in hMSCs. These preliminary results clearly demonstrated that the nanoscale E171 and E551 particles had adverse effects on hMSCs by inducing oxidative stress-mediated cell death. Accordingly, further studies are needed to identify the specific pathway involved, with an emphasis on differential gene expression in hMSCs. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Dissemination Strategies to Improve Implementation of the PHS Smoking Cessation Guideline in MCH Public Health Clinics: Experimental Evaluation Results and Contextual Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manfredi, Clara; Cho, Young Ik; Warnecke, Richard; Saunders, Stephen; Sullivan, Myrtis

2011-01-01

We report results from an experimental study that tested the effectiveness of dissemination interventions to improve implementation of smoking cessation guidelines in maternal and child public health clinics. We additionally examine individual clinic results for contextual explanations not apparent from the experimental findings alone. Twelve…

Public health protection through bank filtration - Kearney Nebraska case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esseks, E.; Bellamy, W.; Heinemann, T.; Stocker, K.

2003-04-01

The investigation of Kearney's bank filtration system provides further evidence of this technology's capability to assist in providing public health protection, as it relates to drinking water. The results of hydrogeologic and treatment studies demonstrate the capabilities of the Platte River aquifer materials, in this locale, to remove pathogens and their surrogates. Continual monitoring and evaluations will establish the system’s longevity and continued treatment efficacy. The City of Kearney is located in south central Nebraska. The City owns and operates a public water system that serves approximately 24,889 people. The water system includes 12 wells located on Killgore Island in the Platte River. In 1994, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services System (Department) determined that 3 wells in the wellfield serving the City of Kearney were ground water under the direct influence of surface water. This determination was based on results of microscopic particulate analysis (MPA). The City of Kearney undertook the natural bank filtration study to determine whether natural bank filtration was occurring at the site and if the filtration was sufficient to meet pathogen treatment requirements designed to protect public health. A preliminary study was undertaken from June through October 1995. This coincided with the City’s peak pumping time, which may be the time when the influence of the River is greatest on the wellfield wells. Hydrogeologic studies assisted in selecting wells that were at highest risk based on shortest travel times and greatest differential head. Data collected included particle counts, MPAs, turbidity, coliform, centrifugate pellet evaluation (CPE) volumes, pH, conductivity, and temperature. Following analysis of data collected during the preliminary 18-week study the Department granted conditional approval of 2-log credit for removal of Giardia lamblia and 1-log credit for removal of viruses through bank filtration, pending the results of an additional 12-month study. Additional monitoring took place from October 1997 to October 1998. Results of the second study supported the findings of the original 18-week study. The Department finalized approval of the removal credits on December 16, 1999. This paper discusses the 2 studies, ongoing monitoring, decisions made by the Department, and issues the City and the Department have addressed and will be addressing with the addition of new treatment requirements to surface water treatment rules. In addition, this paper examines features of the Island wellfield that may explain the documented bank filtration treatment efficiencies.

January 18, 2011, Phase One of the Yellow Bluff Air Monitoring Study - Analytical Datasheets for Corrosion Classification Coupons

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Contains datasheets of results of Yellow Bluff Corrosion Classification Coupon Study. Monitoring was performed at the Primary, Background, and five additional residential Yellow Bluff sites from November 16, 2010 - December 16, 2010.

Iron binding to caseins in the presence of orthophosphate.

PubMed

Mittal, V A; Ellis, A; Ye, A; Edwards, P J B; Das, S; Singh, H

2016-01-01

As adding >5mM ferric chloride to sodium caseinate solutions results in protein precipitation, the effects of orthophosphate (0-64 mM) addition to sodium caseinate solution (2% w/v protein) on iron-induced aggregation of the caseins were studied at pH 6.8. Up to 20mM ferric chloride could be added to sodium caseinate solution containing 32 mM orthophosphate without any protein precipitation. The addition of iron to sodium caseinate solution containing orthophosphate reduced the diffusible phosphorus content in a concentration-dependent manner. Added iron appeared to interact simultaneously with phosphoserine on the caseins and inorganic phosphorus. The relative sizes of the casein aggregates were governed by the concentration of orthophosphate and the aggregates consisted of all casein fractions, even at the lowest level of ferric chloride addition (5mM). It is hypothesised that the addition of iron to caseins in the presence of orthophosphate results in the formation of colloidal structures involving casein-iron-orthophosphate interactions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biochar alters the resistance and resilience to drought in a tropical soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Chenfei; Zhu, Xiaolin; Fu, Shenglei; Méndez, Ana; Gascó, Gabriel; Paz-Ferreiro, Jorge

2014-05-01

Soil microbes play a key role in nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. Global change can alter soil microbial population composition and behavior. Biochar addition has been explored in the last years as a way to mitigate global warming. However, responses of microbial communities to biochar addition in particular in relation to abiotic disturbances are seldom documented. An example of these disturbances, which is predicted to be exacerbated with global warming, is regional drought. It has been known that fungal-based food webs are more resistant to drought than their bacterial counterparts. Our study found that biochar addition can increase the resistance of both the bacterial and fungal networks to drought. Contrary to expected, this result was not related to a change in the dominance of fungal or bacteria. In general, soil amended with biochar was characterized by a faster recovery of soil microbial properties to its basal values. Biochar addition to the soil also suppressed the Birch effect, a result that has not been previously reported.

Effects of Rhenium Addition on the Temporal Evolution of the Nanostructure and Chemistry of a Model Ni-Cr-Al Superalloy. 2; Analysis of the Coarsening Behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yoon, Kevin E.; Noebe, Ronald D.; Seidman, David N.

2007-01-01

The temporal evolution of the nanostructure and chemistry of a model Ni-8.5 at.% Cr-10 at.% Al alloy with the addition of 2 at.% Re was studied using transmission electron microscopy and atom-probe tomography in order to measure the number density and mean radius of the y' (LIZ) precipitates and the chemistry of the y'-precipitates and the y (fcc)-matrix. In this article, the coarsening behavior of the y'-precipitates is discussed in detail and compared with the Umantsev-Olson model for multi-component alloys. In addition, the experimental results are evaluated with PrecipiCalc(TradeMark) simulations. The results show that the diffusivities of the solute elements play a major role in the coarsening behavior of the y'-precipitates and that the addition of Re retards the coarsening kinetics and stabilizes the spheroidal morphology of the precipitates by reducing the interfacial energy.

Peat Soil Stabilization using Lime and Cement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zambri, Nadhirah Mohd; Ghazaly, Zuhayr Md.

2018-03-01

This paper presents a study of the comparison between two additive Lime and Cement for treating peat soil in term of stabilization. Peat and organic soils are commonly known for their high compressibility, extremely soft, and low strength. The aim of this paper is to determine the drained shear strength of treated peat soil from Perlis for comparison purposes. Direct Shear Box Test was conducted to obtain the shear strength for all the disturbed peat soil samples. The quick lime and cement was mixed with peat soil in proportions of 10% and 20% of the dry weight peat soil. The experiment results showed that the addition of additives had improved the strength characteristics of peat soil by 14% increment in shear strength. In addition, the mixture of lime with peat soil yield higher result in shear strength compared to cement by 14.07% and 13.5% respectively. These findings indicate that the lime and cement is a good stabilizer for peat soil, which often experienced high amount of moisture content.

Fabricaton of brick without burning process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zultiniar; Fadli, A.; Yenti, S. R.; Drastinawati; Thariq, M. R. A.

2018-04-01

Brick is a material with many applications on building materials. The purpose of this research is to study the effect of fly ash addition and hardening time on mechanical properties of brick produced. Brick was formed by mixing cement, clay, water and fly ash with addition point was 0;0,3;0,6;0,9;1,2 kg weight. Brick was dried at room temperature for 7, 14 and 21 days. The result showed that compressive strength with addition 0,6 kg fly ash for 21 days was the the strongest where that’s value was 9,375 N/mm2. The highest porosity was get in on 21,34 % with 1,2 fly ash addition. The result of TCLP showed that for Pb, Cu, Cr content was still below the quality standards based on PP No.85 TH 1999 and still considered harmless. Leachate value for Pb of 3,10 mg/L, 1,213 mg/L for Cr and 4,374 mg/L for Cu.

Electrochemical performance of tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate as a flame-retarding additive for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shim, Eun-Gi; Park, In-Jun; Nam, Tae-Heum; Kim, Jung-Gu; Kim, Hyun-Soo; Moon, Seong-In

2010-08-01

We studied tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) as a potential flame-retarding additive and its effect on the electrochemical cell performance of lithium-ion battery electrolytes. The electrochemical cell performance of additive-containing electrolytes in combination with a cell comprised of a LiCoO2 cathode and a mesocarbon microbeads anode was tested in coin cells. The cyclic voltammetry results show that the oxidation potential of TCEP-containing electrolyte is about 5.1 V (vs. Li/Li+). A cell with TCEP has a better electrochemical cell performance than a cell without TCEP in an initial charge and discharge test. In a cycling test, a cell containing a TCEP-containing electrolyte has a greater discharge capacity and better capacity retention than a TCEP-free electrolyte after cycling. The results confirm the promising potential of TCEP as a flame-retarding additive and as a means of improving the electrochemical cell performance of lithium-ion batteries.

Public risk perception of food additives and food scares. The case in Suzhou, China.

PubMed

Wu, Linhai; Zhong, Yingqi; Shan, Lijie; Qin, Wei

2013-11-01

This study examined the factors affecting public risk perception of food additive safety and possible resulting food scares using a survey conducted in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. The model was proposed based on literature relating to the role of risk perception and information perception of public purchase intention under food scares. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used for data analysis. The results showed that attitude towards behavior, subjective norm and information perception exerted moderate to high effect on food scares, and the effects were also mediated by risk perceptions of additive safety. Significant covariance was observed between attitudes toward behavior, subjective norm and information perception. Establishing an effective mechanism of food safety risk communication, releasing information of government supervision on food safety in a timely manner, curbing misleading media reports on public food safety risk, and enhancing public knowledge of the food additives are key to the development and implementation of food safety risk management policies by the Chinese government. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Food Characteristics and Food Additives on the Antimicrobial Effect of Garlic and Oregano Essential Oils.

PubMed

García-Díez, Juan; Alheiro, Joana; Pinto, Ana Luisa; Soares, Luciana; Falco, Virgilio; Fraqueza, Maria João; Patarata, Luis

2017-06-10

Utilization of essential oils (EOs) as antimicrobial agents against foodborne disease has gained importance, for their use as natural preservatives. Since potential interactions between EOs and food characteristics may affect their antimicrobial properties, the present work studies the influence of fat, protein, pH, a w and food additives on the antimicrobial effect of oregano and garlic EOs against Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. Results showed that protein, pH, a w , presence of beef extract, sodium lactate and nitrates did not influence their antimicrobial effect. In contrast, the presence of pork fat had a negative effect against both EOs associated with their dilution of the lipid content. The addition of food phosphates also exerts a negative effect against EOs probably associated with their emulsification properties as observed with the addition of fat. The results may help the food industry to select more appropriate challenges to guarantee the food safety of foodstuffs.

Comparative evaluation of effects of ozonated and chlorinated thermal discharges on estuarine and fresh water organisms. First quarterly progress report, April 1979

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

Guerra, C.R.; DelMonaco, J.L.; Singletary, J.H.

1979-01-01

The biological evaluation program incorporates three types of experimental tests: acute (96 hour) toxicity studies; behavioral (avoidance) response studies; and physiological (cough) response studies. In addition, specimens used in testing are examined for physical damage resulting from exposure to chlorine or ozoen. The objective of the acute (96 hour) toxicity study is to determine the respective lethal levels (LC/sub 50/) of chlorinated and ozonated waters. The objective of the behavioral (avoidance) response study is to determine what (if any) concentrations of ozone and of chlorine will be avoided. The objective of physiological (cough) response study is to determine what concentrationsmore » of ozone and of chlorine are physiologically detected. Ozonated and chlorinated waters were evaluated in all studies for both the addition of increased temperature and without it. Results indicate that ozone is less toxic than chlorine under the test conditions used. The lethal levels vary according to species of water quality measurements at Bergen Generating Station, New York are tabulated. (JBG)« less

Insights on the Host Stress, Fear and Growth Responses to the Deoxynivalenol Feed Contaminant in Broiler Chickens

PubMed Central

Ghareeb, Khaled; Awad, Wageha A.; Sid-Ahmed, Omer E.; Böhm, Josef

2014-01-01

Mycotoxins pose an important danger to human and animal health. Poultry feeds are frequently contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON) mycotoxin. It is thus of great importance to evaluate the effects of DON on the welfare related parameters in poultry industry. In the present study, the effects of contamination of broiler diet with 10 mg DON/kg feed on plasma corticosterone and heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratio as indicators of stress, tonic immobility duration as an index for fear response and growth performance of broiler chickens were studied. In addition, the effect of a microbial feed additive either alone or in combination with DON contamination on these different aspects was also evaluated. The results showed that DON feeding significantly affected the welfare related parameters of broiler chickens. The feeding of DON contaminated diet resulted in an elevation of plasma corticosterone, higher H/L ratio and increased the fear levels as indicated by longer duration of tonic immobility reaction. Furthermore, DON reduced the body weight and body weight gain during the starter phase definitely at the second and third week. However, during grower phase, feeding of DON decreased the body weight at the fourth week and reduced the body gain at the fifth week. Addition of the microbial feed additive, a commercial antidote for DON mycotoxin, was able to overcome DON effects on stress index (H/L ratio), fearfulness and growth parameters of broilers. In conclusion, we showed for the first time that the DON feeding increased the underlying fearfulness and physiological stress responses of broilers and resulted in a reduction in the welfare status as indicated by higher plasma corticosterone, higher H/L ratio and higher fearfulness. Additionally, feeding the microbial feed additive was effective in reducing the adverse effects of DON on the bird's welfare and can improve the performance of broiler chickens. PMID:24498179

Insights on the host stress, fear and growth responses to the deoxynivalenol feed contaminant in broiler chickens.

PubMed

Ghareeb, Khaled; Awad, Wageha A; Sid-Ahmed, Omer E; Böhm, Josef

2014-01-01

Mycotoxins pose an important danger to human and animal health. Poultry feeds are frequently contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON) mycotoxin. It is thus of great importance to evaluate the effects of DON on the welfare related parameters in poultry industry. In the present study, the effects of contamination of broiler diet with 10 mg DON/kg feed on plasma corticosterone and heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratio as indicators of stress, tonic immobility duration as an index for fear response and growth performance of broiler chickens were studied. In addition, the effect of a microbial feed additive either alone or in combination with DON contamination on these different aspects was also evaluated. The results showed that DON feeding significantly affected the welfare related parameters of broiler chickens. The feeding of DON contaminated diet resulted in an elevation of plasma corticosterone, higher H/L ratio and increased the fear levels as indicated by longer duration of tonic immobility reaction. Furthermore, DON reduced the body weight and body weight gain during the starter phase definitely at the second and third week. However, during grower phase, feeding of DON decreased the body weight at the fourth week and reduced the body gain at the fifth week. Addition of the microbial feed additive, a commercial antidote for DON mycotoxin, was able to overcome DON effects on stress index (H/L ratio), fearfulness and growth parameters of broilers. In conclusion, we showed for the first time that the DON feeding increased the underlying fearfulness and physiological stress responses of broilers and resulted in a reduction in the welfare status as indicated by higher plasma corticosterone, higher H/L ratio and higher fearfulness. Additionally, feeding the microbial feed additive was effective in reducing the adverse effects of DON on the bird's welfare and can improve the performance of broiler chickens.

Influence of hydrophobic surface treatment toward performance of air filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahfiq Zulkifli, Nazrul; Zaini Yunos, Muhamad; Ahmad, Azlinnorazia; Harun, Zawati; Akhair, Siti Hajar Mohd; Adibah Raja Ahmad, Raja; Hafeez Azhar, Faiz; Rashid, Abdul Qaiyyum Abd; Ismail, Al Emran

2017-08-01

This study investigated the performance of hydrophobic surface treatment by using silica aerogel powder via spray coating techniques. Hydrophobic properties were determined by measuring the level of the contact angle. Meanwhile, performance was evaluated in term of the hydrogen gas flow and humidity rejection. The results are shown by contact angle that the microstructure filter, especially in the upper layer and sub-layer has been changed. The results also show an increase of hydrophobicity due to the increased quantity of silica aerogel powder. Results also showed that the absorption and rejection filter performance filter has increased after the addition of silica aerogel powder. The results showed that with the addition of 5 grams of powder of silica aerogel have the highest result of wetting angle 134.11°. The highest humidity rejection found with 5 grams of powder of silica aerogel.

Hidden symmetries and supergravity solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santillan, Osvaldo P.

2012-04-01

The role of Killing and Killing-Yano tensors for studying the geodesic motion of the particle and the superparticle in a curved background is reviewed. Additionally, the Papadopoulos list [G. Papadopoulos, Class. Quantum Grav. 25, 105016 (2008)], 10.1088/0264-9381/25/10/105016 for Killing-Yano tensors in G structures is reproduced by studying the torsion types these structures admit. The Papadopoulos list deals with groups G appearing in the Berger classification, and we enlarge the list by considering additional G structures which are not of the Berger type. Possible applications of these results in the study of supersymmetric particle actions and in the AdS/CFT correspondence are outlined.

Free-volume Study in GeS2-Ga2S3-CsCl Chalcohalide Glasses Using Positron Annihilation Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klym, H.; Ingram, A.; Shpotyuk, O.; Szatanik, R.

Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy combined with Doppler broadening of annihilation radiation was applied to study free-volume entities in Ge-Ga-S glasses having different amount of CsCl additives. It is shown that the structural changes caused by CsCl additives can be adequately described by positron trapping modes determined within two-state model. The results testify in a favor of rather unchanged nature of corresponding free-volume voids responsible for positron trapping in the studied glasses, when mainly concentration of these traps is a subject to most significant changes with composition.

A research program to reduce interior noise in general aviation airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peschier, T. D.; Andrews, D.; Henderson, T.

1977-01-01

The relevance of KU-FRL test results in predicting (theoretically or semi-empirically) interior noise levels in general aviation aircraft was studied. As a result of this study, it was decided to make a few additions to the program. These additions are: (1) to use three (instead of two) noise sources in the plane wave tube to evaluate the influence of excitation spectrum on panel response, (2) to use theoretical and experimental data obtained in the course of the project to develop more efficient noise reduction materials (or procedures to apply these), or to develop guidelines for the design of such materials for procedures, and (3) to use nonstructural materials in the collection of specimens to be tested in the KU-FRL plane wave tube.

Improved stove interventions to reduce household air pollution in low and middle income countries: a descriptive systematic review.

PubMed

Thomas, Emma; Wickramasinghe, Kremlin; Mendis, Shanthi; Roberts, Nia; Foster, Charlie

2015-07-14

Household air pollution (HAP) resulting from the use of solid fuels presents a major public health hazard. Improved stoves have been offered as a potential tool to reduce exposure to HAP and improve health outcomes. Systematic information on stove interventions is limited. We conducted a systematic review of the current evidence of improved stove interventions aimed at reducing HAP in real life settings. An extensive search of ten databases commenced in April 2014. In addition, we searched clinical trial registers and websites for unpublished studies and grey literature. Studies were included if they reported on an improved stove intervention aimed at reducing HAP resulting from solid fuel use in a low or middle-income country. The review identified 5,243 records. Of these, 258 abstracts and 57 full texts were reviewed and 36 studies identified which met the inclusion criteria. When well-designed, implemented and monitored, stove interventions can have positive effects. However, the impacts are unlikely to reduce pollutant levels to World Health Organization recommended levels. Additionally, many participants in the included studies continued to use traditional stoves either instead of, or in additional to, new improved options. Current evidence suggests improved stove interventions can reduce exposure to HAP resulting from solid fuel smoke. Studies with longer follow-up periods are required to assess if pollutant reductions reported in the current literature are sustained over time. Adoption of new technologies is challenging and interventions must be tailored to the needs and preferences of the households of interest. Future studies require greater process evaluation to improve knowledge of implementation barriers and facilitators. The review was registered on Prospero (registration number CRD42014009796).

Emissions from a Diesel Engine using Fe-based Fuel Additives and a Sintered Metal Filtration System.

PubMed

Bugarski, Aleksandar D; Hummer, Jon A; Stachulak, Jozef S; Miller, Arthur; Patts, Larry D; Cauda, Emanuele G

2016-03-01

A series of laboratory tests were conducted to assess the effects of Fe-containing fuel additives on aerosols emitted by a diesel engine retrofitted with a sintered metal filter (SMF) system. Emission measurements performed upstream and downstream of the SMF system were compared, for cases when the engine was fueled with neat ultralow sulfur diesel (ULSD) and with ULSD treated with two formulations of additives containing Fe-based catalysts. The effects were assessed for four steady-state engine operating conditions and one transient cycle. The results showed that the SMF system reduced the average total number and surface area concentrations of aerosols by more than 100-fold. The total mass and elemental carbon results confirmed that the SMF system was indeed very effective in the removal of diesel aerosols. When added at the recommended concentrations (30 p.p.m. of iron), the tested additives had minor adverse impacts on the number, surface area, and mass concentrations of filter-out (FOut) aerosols. For one of the test cases, the additives may have contributed to measurable concentrations of engine-out (EOut) nucleation mode aerosols. The additives had only a minor impact on the concentration and size distribution of volatile and semi-volatile FOut aerosols. Metal analysis showed that the introduction of Fe with the additives substantially increased Fe concentration in the EOut, but the SMF system was effective in removal of Fe-containing aerosols. The FOut Fe concentrations for all three tested fuels were found to be much lower than the corresponding EOut Fe concentrations for the case of untreated ULSD fuel. The results support recommendations that these additives should not be used in diesel engines unless they are equipped with exhaust filtration systems. Since the tested SMF system was found to be very efficient in removing Fe introduced by the additives, the use of these additives should not result in a measurable increase in emissions of de novo generated Fe-containing aerosols. The findings from this study should promote a better understanding of the benefits and challenges of using sintered metal systems and fuel additives to control the exposure of underground miners and other workers to diesel aerosols and gases. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society 2015.

Emissions from a Diesel Engine using Fe-based Fuel Additives and a Sintered Metal Filtration System

PubMed Central

Bugarski, Aleksandar D.; Hummer, Jon A.; Stachulak, Jozef S.; Miller, Arthur; Patts, Larry D.; Cauda, Emanuele G.

2015-01-01

A series of laboratory tests were conducted to assess the effects of Fe-containing fuel additives on aerosols emitted by a diesel engine retrofitted with a sintered metal filter (SMF) system. Emission measurements performed upstream and downstream of the SMF system were compared, for cases when the engine was fueled with neat ultralow sulfur diesel (ULSD) and with ULSD treated with two formulations of additives containing Fe-based catalysts. The effects were assessed for four steady-state engine operating conditions and one transient cycle. The results showed that the SMF system reduced the average total number and surface area concentrations of aerosols by more than 100-fold. The total mass and elemental carbon results confirmed that the SMF system was indeed very effective in the removal of diesel aerosols. When added at the recommended concentrations (30 p.p.m. of iron), the tested additives had minor adverse impacts on the number, surface area, and mass concentrations of filter-out (FOut) aerosols. For one of the test cases, the additives may have contributed to measurable concentrations of engine-out (EOut) nucleation mode aerosols. The additives had only a minor impact on the concentration and size distribution of volatile and semi-volatile FOut aerosols. Metal analysis showed that the introduction of Fe with the additives substantially increased Fe concentration in the EOut, but the SMF system was effective in removal of Fe-containing aerosols. The FOut Fe concentrations for all three tested fuels were found to be much lower than the corresponding EOut Fe concentrations for the case of untreated ULSD fuel. The results support recommendations that these additives should not be used in diesel engines unless they are equipped with exhaust filtration systems. Since the tested SMF system was found to be very efficient in removing Fe introduced by the additives, the use of these additives should not result in a measurable increase in emissions of de novo generated Fe-containing aerosols. The findings from this study should promote a better understanding of the benefits and challenges of using sintered metal systems and fuel additives to control the exposure of underground miners and other workers to diesel aerosols and gases. PMID:26424805

[Crabtree effect caused by ketoses in isolated rat hepatocytes].

PubMed

Martínez, P; Carrascosa, J M; Núñez de Castro, I

1982-01-01

Oxygen uptake and glycolytic activity were studied in hepatocytes isolated from fed rats. The addition of fructose or tagatose resulted in a 38% and 31% inhibition of cellular respiration respectively. The addition of 10 mM D-glyceraldehyde caused a slight Crabtree effect. Glucose, L-sorbose, or glycerol failed to modify oxygen consumption. Only incubation in the presence of fructose showed a high aerobic glycolysis measured by lactate production.

Investigation of the fracture mechanics of boride composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clougherty, E. V.; Pober, R. L.; Kaufman, L.

1972-01-01

Significant results were obtained in fabrication studies of the role of metallic additives of Zr, Ti, Ni, Fe and Cr on the densification of ZrB2. All elemental additions lower the processing temperatures required to effect full densification of ZrB2. Each addition effects enhanced densification by a clearly distinguishable and different mechanism and the resulting fabricated materials are different. A significant improvement in strength and fracture toughness was obtained for the ZrB2/Ti composition. Mechanical characterization studies for the ZrB2/SiC/C composites and the new ZrB2/Metal materials produced data relevant to the effect of impacting load on measured impact energies, a specimen configuration for which controlled fracture could occur in a suitably hard testing apparatus, and fracture strength data. Controlled fracture--indicative of measurable fracture toughness--was obtained for the ZrB2-SiC-C composite, and a ZrB2/Ti composite fabricated from ZrB2 with an addition of 30 weight per cent Ti. The increased strength and toughness of the ZrB2/Ti composite is consistent with the presence of a significantly large amount of a fine grained acicular phase formed by reaction of Ti with ZrB2 during processing.

Analysis of traditional versus three-dimensional augmented curriculum on anatomical learning outcome measures.

PubMed

Peterson, Diana Coomes; Mlynarczyk, Gregory S A

2016-11-01

This study examined whether student learning outcome measures are influenced by the addition of three-dimensional and digital teaching tools to a traditional dissection and lecture learning format curricula. The study was performed in a semester long graduate level course that incorporated both gross anatomy and neuroanatomy curricula. Methods compared student examination performance on material taught using lecture and cadaveric dissection teaching tools alone or lecture and cadaveric dissection augmented with computerized three-dimensional teaching tools. Additional analyses were performed to examine potential correlations between question difficulty and format, previous student performance (i.e., undergraduate grade point average), and a student perception survey. The results indicated that students performed better on material in which three-dimensional (3D) technologies are utilized in conjunction with lecture and dissection methodologies. The improvement in performance was observed across the student population primarily on laboratory examinations. Although, student performance was increased, students did not perceive that the use of the additional 3D technology significantly influenced their learning. The results indicate that the addition of 3D learning tools can influence long-term retention of gross anatomy material and should be considered as a beneficial supplement for anatomy courses. Anat Sci Educ 9: 529-536. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

Additively Manufactured Device for Dynamic Culture of Large Arrays of 3D Tissue Engineered Constructs.

PubMed

Costa, Pedro F; Hutmacher, Dietmar W; Theodoropoulos, Christina; Gomes, Manuela E; Reis, Rui L; Vaquette, Cédryck

2015-04-22

The ability to test large arrays of cell and biomaterial combinations in 3D environments is still rather limited in the context of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This limitation can be generally addressed by employing highly automated and reproducible methodologies. This study reports on the development of a highly versatile and upscalable method based on additive manufacturing for the fabrication of arrays of scaffolds, which are enclosed into individualized perfusion chambers. Devices containing eight scaffolds and their corresponding bioreactor chambers are simultaneously fabricated utilizing a dual extrusion additive manufacturing system. To demonstrate the versatility of the concept, the scaffolds, while enclosed into the device, are subsequently surface-coated with a biomimetic calcium phosphate layer by perfusion with simulated body fluid solution. 96 scaffolds are simultaneously seeded and cultured with human osteoblasts under highly controlled bidirectional perfusion dynamic conditions over 4 weeks. Both coated and noncoated resulting scaffolds show homogeneous cell distribution and high cell viability throughout the 4 weeks culture period and CaP-coated scaffolds result in a significantly increased cell number. The methodology developed in this work exemplifies the applicability of additive manufacturing as a tool for further automation of studies in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mitochondrial Respiration in Human Colorectal and Breast Cancer Clinical Material Is Regulated Differently

PubMed Central

Koit, Andre; Ounpuu, Lyudmila; Klepinin, Aleksandr; Chekulayev, Vladimir; Timohhina, Natalja; Tepp, Kersti; Puurand, Marju; Truu, Laura; Heck, Karoliina; Valvere, Vahur; Guzun, Rita

2017-01-01

We conducted quantitative cellular respiration analysis on samples taken from human breast cancer (HBC) and human colorectal cancer (HCC) patients. Respiratory capacity is not lost as a result of tumor formation and even though, functionally, complex I in HCC was found to be suppressed, it was not evident on the protein level. Additionally, metabolic control analysis was used to quantify the role of components of mitochondrial interactosome. The main rate-controlling steps in HBC are complex IV and adenine nucleotide transporter, but in HCC, complexes I and III. Our kinetic measurements confirmed previous studies that respiratory chain complexes I and III in HBC and HCC can be assembled into supercomplexes with a possible partial addition from the complex IV pool. Therefore, the kinetic method can be a useful addition in studying supercomplexes in cell lines or human samples. In addition, when results from culture cells were compared to those from clinical samples, clear differences were present, but we also detected two different types of mitochondria within clinical HBC samples, possibly linked to two-compartment metabolism. Taken together, our data show that mitochondrial respiration and regulation of mitochondrial membrane permeability have substantial differences between these two cancer types when compared to each other to their adjacent healthy tissue or to respective cell cultures. PMID:28781720

A study on fibre addition to gluten free bread: its effects on bread quality and in vitro digestibility.

PubMed

Sciarini, L S; Bustos, M C; Vignola, M B; Paesani, C; Salinas, C N; Pérez, G T

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of fibre addition on gluten-free (GF) dough properties and bread technological quality, and on protein and starch in vitro digestibility. Soluble (Inulin, In) and insoluble fibres (oat fibre, OF, and type IV resistant starch, RSIV) were used at 5 and 10% substitution levels. Dough firmness increased when insoluble fibres were added, and decreased when In was used. Incorporation of insoluble fibres resulted into bread with a low specific volume (SBV) since firmer dough were more difficult to expand during proofing and baking. Staling rate was reduced after fibre addition, with the exception being OF 10%, as its lower SBV may have favoured molecule re-association. In general, protein and starch digestibility increased when fibres were added at 5%, and then decreased after further increasing the level. Fibres may have disrupted bread crumb structure, thus increasing digestibility, although the higher addition may have led to a physical and/or chemical impediment to digestion. Inulin has well-known physiological effects, while RS presented the most important effect on in vitro starch digestibility (GI). These results showed the possibility of adding different fibres to GF bread to decrease the GI and increase protein digestibility, while obtaining an overall high quality end-product.

Emission Studies in CI Engine using LPG and Palm Kernel Methyl Ester as Fuels and Di-ethyl Ether as an Additive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dora, Nagaraju; Jothi, T. J. Sarvoththama

2018-05-01

The present study investigates the effectiveness of using di-ethyl ether (DEE) as the fuel additive in engine performance and emissions. Experiments are carried out in a single cylinder four stroke diesel engine at constant speed. Two different fuels namely liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and palm kernel methyl ester (PKME) are used as primary fuels with DEE as the fuel additive. LPG flow rates of 0.6 and 0.8 kg/h are considered, and flow rate of DEE is varied to maintain the constant engine speed. In case of PKME fuel, it is blended with diesel in the latter to the former ratio of 80:20, and DEE is varied in the volumetric proportion of 1 and 2%. Results indicate that for the engine operating in LPG-DEE mode at 0.6 kg/h of LPG, the brake thermal efficiency is lowered by 26%; however, NOx is subsequently reduced by around 30% compared to the engine running with only diesel fuel at 70% load. Similarly, results of PKME blended fuel showed a drastic reduction in the NOx and CO emissions. In these two modes of operation, DEE is observed to be significant fuel additive regarding emissions reduction.

Nanocomposite SAC Solders: The Effect of Adding Ni and Ni-Sn Nanoparticles on Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu Solders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakymovych, A.; Švec, P.; Orovcik, L.; Bajana, O.; Ipser, H.

2018-01-01

This study investigates the effect of minor additions of Ni, Ni3Sn or Ni3Sn2 nanoparticles on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Cu/solder/Cu joints. The nanocomposite Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) solders with 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 wt.% metallic nanoparticles were prepared through a paste mixing method. The employed Ni and Ni-Sn nanoparticles were produced via a chemical reduction method. The microstructure of as-solidified Cu/solder/Cu joints was studied by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that additions of Ni and Ni-Sn nanoparticles to the SAC305 solder paste lead initially to a decrease in the average thickness of the intermetallic compound layer in the interface between solder and substrate, while further additions up to 2.0 wt.% did not induce any significant changes. In addition, shear strength and microhardness tests were performed to investigate the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties of the investigated solder joints. The results indicated an increase in both of these properties which was most significant for the solder joints using SAC305 with 0.5 wt.% Ni or Ni-Sn nanoparticles.

The Influence of Prefermentative Addition of Gallic Acid on the Phenolic Composition and Chromatic Characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon Wines.

PubMed

Liu, Yue; Zhang, Bo; He, Fei; Duan, Chang-Qing; Shi, Ying

2016-07-01

In this study, the prefermentative addition of gallic acid in Cabernet Sauvignon red winemaking was performed. The influence of gallic acid addition on wine phenolic composition, the ratio of copigmentation, and the color parameters were monitored throughout the winemaking process. The results showed that the prefermentative addition of gallic acid enhanced the extraction of total anthocyanins and the copigmentation effect, producing wines with more darkness, redness, yellowness, and saturation. Moreover, the addition of gallic acid contributed to the concentration of total phenolic acids. However, it had a negative effect on the concentrations of flavonols and flavan-3-ols in the final wines. Thus, the prefermentative addition of gallic acid at appropriate levels might be a promising enological technology to obtain wines with high color quality and aging potential. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Improving the environmental and performance characteristics of vehicles by introducing the surfactant additive into gasoline.

PubMed

Magaril, Elena; Magaril, Romen

2016-09-01

The operation of modern vehicles requires the introduction of package of fuel additives to ensure the required level of operating characteristics, some of which cannot be achieved by current oil refining methods. The use of additives allows flexibility of impact on the properties of the fuel at minimal cost, increasing the efficiency and environmental safety of vehicles. Among the wide assortment of additives available on the world market, many are surfactants. It has been shown that the introduction of some surfactants into gasoline concurrently reduces losses from gasoline evaporation, improves the mixture formation during injection of gasoline into the engine and improves detergent and anticorrosive properties. The surfactant gasoline additive that provides significant improvement in the quality of gasoline used and environmental and operating characteristics of vehicles has been developed and thoroughly investigated. The results of studies confirming the efficiency of the gasoline additive application are herein presented.

The quartile benefit plot: a middle ear surgery benefit assessment scheme.

PubMed

Schmerber, Sébastien; Karkas, Alexandre; Righini, Christian A; Chahine, Karim A

2008-05-01

The purpose of this study is to present a new method for the assessment of hearing improvement following stapes surgery, taking into account additional, previously omitted evaluation criteria. Retrospective. A quartile plot, based on the currently used Glasgow benefit plot, is structured to include two additional criteria of hearing assessment, namely the absence of postoperative sensorineural hearing loss and the closure of the air-bone gap to <10 dB. Pre- and postoperative hearing results of 132 patients diagnosed with bilateral otosclerosis and treated with bilateral stapes surgery were plotted on both the classical Glasgow benefit plot and the new quartile benefit plot. The difference in success assessment due to stricter assessment criteria is demonstrated. Functional success rate following bilateral stapes surgery as plotted on the traditional Glasgow benefit plot was 51.5%. Success rate for bilateral stapes surgery assessed on the new quartile plot with the addition of the two new criteria was 38.64%. The difference in success rates was found to be statistically significant. The basis of benefit assessment in stapes surgery solely on the mean deficit in air conduction results in overestimation of success rate. This study demonstrates that results that appear satisfactory when judged by the Glasgow benefit plot are of modest success when assessed by the new quartile plot. The quartile benefit plot presented in this paper provides a strict measure of presentation and evaluation of stapes surgery results.

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

PubMed

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

2015-01-01

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

Risks and Benefits of Multimodal Esophageal Cancer Treatments: A Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Sun, Lei; Zhao, Fen; Zeng, Yan; Yi, Cheng

2017-02-19

BACKGROUND Esophageal cancer has traditionally been associated with very poor outcomes. A number of therapies are available for the treatment and palliation of esophageal cancer, but little systematic evidence compares the efficacy of different treatment strategies. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate whether treatments in addition to radiotherapy could provide better efficacy and safety. MATERIAL AND METHODS We identified a total of 12 eligible studies with 18 study arms by searching PubMed, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Clinical Trials.gov without time or language restrictions. The final search was conducted on 17 August 2016. We calculated mean differences (MD) and risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for continuous and dichotomous data, respectively. Heterogeneity was calculated and reported using Tau², Chi², and I² analyses. RESULTS Twelve studies with 18 study arms were included in the analysis. Addition of surgery to chemo-radiotherapy resulted in improved median survival time (p=0.009) compared with chemo-radiotherapy alone, but all other outcomes were unaffected. Strikingly, and in contrast with patients with squamous cell carcinomas, the subset of patients with adenocarcinoma who received therapies in addition to radiotherapy showed a significant improvement in median survival time (p<0.0001), disease-free survival (p=0.007), 2-year survival rates (p=0.002), and 3-year survival rates (p=0.01). The incidence of adverse effects increased substantially with additional therapies. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis reveals stark differences in outcomes in patients depending on the type of carcinoma. Patients with squamous cell carcinoma should be educated about the risks and benefits of undergoing multiple therapies.

The effect of formulation additives on in vitro dissolution-absorption profile and in vivo bioavailability of telmisartan from brand and generic formulations.

PubMed

Borbás, Enikő; Nagy, Zsombor K; Nagy, Brigitta; Balogh, Attila; Farkas, Balázs; Tsinman, Oksana; Tsinman, Konstantin; Sinkó, Bálint

2018-03-01

In this study, brand and four generic formulations of telmisartan, an antihypertensive drug, were used in in vitro simultaneous dissolution-absorption, investigating the effect of different formulation additives on dissolution and on absorption through an artificial membrane. The in vitro test was found to be sensitive enough to show even small differences between brand and generic formulations caused by the use of different excipients. By only changing the type of filler from sorbitol to mannitol in the formulation, the flux through the membrane was reduced by approximately 10%. Changing the salt forming agent as well resulted in approximately 20% of flux reduction compared to the brand formulation. This significant difference was clearly shown in the published in vivo results as well. The use of additional lactose monohydrate in the formulation also leads to approximately 10% reduction in flux. The results show that by changing excipients, the dissolution of telmisartan was not altered significantly, but the flux through the membrane was found to be significantly changed. These results pointed out the limitations of traditional USP dissolution tests and emphasized the importance of simultaneously measuring dissolution and absorption, which allows the complex effect of formulation excipients on both processes to be measured. Moreover, the in vivo predictive power of the simultaneous dissolution-absorption test was demonstrated by comparing the in vitro fluxes to in vivo bioequivalence study results. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Citrus limonoids and curcumin additively inhibit human colon cancer cells.

PubMed

Chidambara Murthy, Kotamballi N; Jayaprakasha, G K; Patil, Bhimanagouda S

2013-04-30

In the current study, we examined the ability of limonoids, including limonin, limonin glucoside (LG) and curcumin, to inhibit proliferation of human colon cancer (SW480) cells. Additionally, we studied the effect of combining these two classes of natural compounds on inhibition of proliferation and the possible mode of cytotoxicity. The SW480 cells were treated with compounds individually and in combination to understand the effect on cell death, DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activity and the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 proteins. Results of cell proliferation assays suggest that combinations of limonoids with curcumin at three different ratios (1 : 3, 1 : 1 and 3 : 1) to a final concentration of 50 ppm demonstrated up to 96% inhibition of cell proliferation. The MTT assay results were also confirmed by counting viable cells. Further, incubation of cells with combinations of limonoids and curcumin resulted in elevation of total cellular caspase-3 activity by 3.5-4.0 fold along with a 2- to 4-fold increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. The expression of pro-caspase-3 and its cleaved products in cells treated with curcumin (individually or combination) indicates higher potency of the combination to induce apoptosis. For the first time, this study provides compelling evidence of the pharmacodynamic additive effect of limonoids and curcumin in inhibiting human colon cancer cells. The above results were also confirmed by fluorescence microscopy of SW480 cells treated with limonoids, curcumin and combination, after tagging with fluorescent probes. These results suggest that consumption of curcumin and limonoids together may offer greater protection against colon cancer.

Studies on nano-additive for the substitution of hazardous chemical substances in antifouling coatings for the protection of ship hulls.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiaodong; Fan, Weijie; Duan, Jizhou; Hou, Baorong

2014-07-01

Adhesion and growth of biofouling organisms have severe influence on the reliability, service life and environmental adaptability of marine ships. Based on the bactericidal capacity of cuprous oxide and photochemical effect of nano-additive, environment-friendly and efficient marine antifouling paints were prepared in this study. The evaluation of the antifouling paints was carried out by the laboratory method using bacteria and phytoplanktonic microorganisms as target organisms, as well as measurements with panels in shallow submergence in natural seawater. Results showed good agreement of all the tests, indicating the remarkable antifouling performance of the paints. To our knowledge, this was one of the first systematic studies on effects of nano-additive for the substitution of hazardous chemical substances in antifouling coatings for the protection of ship hulls by measurements on bacterial inhibition, algal adhesion and growth of large organisms.

Space station/base food system study. Volume 1: Systems design handbook

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1970-01-01

A description is given of the approach used in a study to identify and define engineering data for a spectrum of possible items and equipment comprising potential food systems. In addition, the material presented includes: (1) the study results containing the candidate concepts considered and technical data, performance characteristics, and sketches for each of the concepts by functional area; (2) human factors considerations for crew tasks; (3) shuttle supply interface requirements; (4) special food system study areas; and (5) recommendations and conclusions based on the study results.

[Determination of the Plant Origin of Licorice Oil Extract, a Natural Food Additive, by Principal Component Analysis Based on Chemical Components].

PubMed

Tada, Atsuko; Ishizuki, Kyoko; Sugimoto, Naoki; Yoshimatsu, Kayo; Kawahara, Nobuo; Suematsu, Takako; Arifuku, Kazunori; Fukai, Toshio; Tamura, Yukiyoshi; Ohtsuki, Takashi; Tahara, Maiko; Yamazaki, Takeshi; Akiyama, Hiroshi

2015-01-01

"Licorice oil extract" (LOE) (antioxidant agent) is described in the notice of Japanese food additive regulations as a material obtained from the roots and/or rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza uralensis, G. inflata or G. glabra. In this study, we aimed to identify the original Glycyrrhiza species of eight food additive products using LC/MS. Glabridin, a characteristic compound in G. glabra, was specifically detected in seven products, and licochalcone A, a characteristic compound in G. inflata, was detected in one product. In addition, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) (a kind of multivariate analysis) using the data of LC/MS or (1)H-NMR analysis was performed. The data of thirty-one samples, including LOE products used as food additives, ethanol extracts of various Glycyrrhiza species and commercially available Glycyrrhiza species-derived products were assessed. Based on the PCA results, the majority of LOE products was confirmed to be derived from G. glabra. This study suggests that PCA using (1)H-NMR analysis data is a simple and useful method to identify the plant species of origin of natural food additive products.

Studies of levels of biogenic amines in meat samples in relation to the content of additives.

PubMed

Jastrzębska, Aneta; Kowalska, Sylwia; Szłyk, Edward

2016-01-01

The impact of meat additives on the concentration of biogenic amines and the quality of meat was studied. Fresh white and red meat samples were fortified with the following food additives: citric and lactic acids, disodium diphosphate, sodium nitrite, sodium metabisulphite, potassium sorbate, sodium chloride, ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, propyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate (propyl gallate) and butylated hydroxyanisole. The content of spermine, spermidine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, tyramine, tryptamine and 2-phenylethylamine was determined by capillary isotachophoretic methods in meat samples (fresh and fortified) during four days of storage at 4°C. The results were applied to estimate the impact of the tested additives on the formation of biogenic amines in white and red meat. For all tested meats, sodium nitrite, sodium chloride and disodium diphosphate showed the best inhibition. However, cadaverine and putrescine were characterised by the biggest changes in concentration during the storage time of all the additives. Based on the presented data for the content of biogenic amines in meat samples analysed as a function of storage time and additives, we suggest that cadaverine and putrescine have a significant impact on meat quality.

U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--METALS IN WATER ANALYTICAL RESULTS

EPA Science Inventory

The Metals in Water data set contains analytical results for measurements of up to 11 metals in 98 water samples over 61 households. Sample collection was undertaken at the tap and any additional drinking water source used extensively within each residence. The primary metals o...

Constraints on Sources of Strong Crustal Magnetism in the Southern Highlands of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raymond, C. A.; Smrekar, S. E.

2001-01-01

Magnetic models, guided by results of gravity-topography admittance studies, suggest that the anomaly pattern in the central southern highlands of Mars results from large blocks of coherently magnetized crust separated by 'non-magnetic' areas. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Psychosocial Factors Influencing Inner City Black Diabetic Patients' Adherence with Insulin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uzoma, Catherine U.; Feldman, Robert H. L.

1989-01-01

Results from a study of 100 innercity adult Black diabetics indicate that perceived self-efficacy and age were strong predictors of adherence to an insulin regime. Additional psychosocial factors examined include perceived barriers to treatment, perceived severity of illness, and perceived social support. Results indicated gender differences. (IAH)

Influence of blood sampling methods on dopamine-receptor-blocking activities as determined by a radioreceptor assay.

PubMed

Lai, A A; Fleck, R J; Patzke, J V; Glueck, B G; Shaskan, E G; Rosenberg, B J

1982-01-01

The influence of blood collection methods on dopamine-receptor-blocking activities as determined by a radioreceptor assay kit was investigated. Thirty-one patients treated with one of six neuroleptic drugs (thioridazine, trifluoperazine, haloperidol, chlorpromazine, thiothixene, or fluphenazine) participated in this study. Blood samples were drawn from each patient into five different evacuated blood collection tubes made by the same manufacturer (red-stoppered tube containing no additives, lavender-stoppered tube containing EDTA, green-stoppered tube containing heparin, dark blue-stoppered tube containing no additives, and dark blue-stoppered tube containing heparin). The results show that for five drugs (chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, haloperidol, thiothixene, and trifluoperazine), the dark blue-stoppered tubes without additives resulted in significantly higher dopamine-receptor-blocking activities than the red-, lavender-, or green-stoppered tubes. For thioridazine, the green-stoppered tubes resulted in significantly higher blocking activities than the blue- and red-stoppered tubes. The possible effect of tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate, a plasticizer, on dopamine-receptor-blocking activities by neuroleptic drugs is discussed.

Effect of Hydrologic and Geochemical Conditions on Oxygen-Enhanced Bioremediation in a Gasoline-Contaminated Aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landmeyer, J.E.; Bradley, P.M.

2003-01-01

The effect of pre-existing factors, e.g., hydrologic, geochemical, and microbiological properties, on the results of oxygen addition to a reformulated gasoline-contaminated groundwater system was studied. Oxygen addition with an oxygen-release compound (a proprietary form of magnesium peroxide produced different results with respect to dissolved oxygen (DO) generation and contaminant decrease in the two locations. Oxygen-release compound injected at the former UST source area did not significantly change measured concentrations of DO, benzene, toluene, or MTBE. Conversely, oxygen-release compound injected 200 m downgradient of the former UST source area rapidly increased DO levels, and benzene, toluene, and MTBE concentrations decreased substantially. The different results could be related to differences in hydrologic and geochemical conditions that characterized the two locations prior to oxygen addition. The lack of recharge to ground water in the paved UST source area led to a much larger geochemical sink for DO compared to ground water in the unpaved area.

Infantile colic: a systematic review of medical and conventional therapies.

PubMed

Hall, Belinda; Chesters, Janice; Robinson, Anske

2012-02-01

Infantile colic is a prevalent and distressing condition for which there is no proven standard therapy. The aim of this paper is to review medical and conventional treatments for infantile colic. A systematic literature review was undertaken of studies on medical and conventional interventions for infantile colic from 1980 to March 2009. The results and methodological rigour of included studies were analysed using the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards Of Reporting Trials) 2001 statement checklist and Centre for Evidence Based Medicine critical appraisal tools. Nineteen studies and two literature reviews were included for review. Pharmacological studies on Simethicone gave conflicting results and with Dicyclomine hydrochloride and Cimetropium bromide results were favourable but side effects were noted along with issues in study methodology. Some nutritional studies reported favourable results for the use of hydrolysed formulas in bottle-fed infants or low-allergen maternal diets in breastfed infants but not for the use of additional fibre or lactase. There were several issues in regards to methodological rigour. Behavioural studies on the use of increased stimulation gave unfavourable results, whereas results from the use of decreased stimulation and contingent music were favourable. These studies demonstrated poor methodological rigour. There is some scientific evidence to support the use of a casein hydrolysate formula in formula-fed infants or a low-allergen maternal diet in breastfed infants with infantile colic. However, there is little scientific evidence to support the use of Simethicone, Dicyclomine hydrochloride, Cimetropium bromide, lactase, additional fibre or behavioural interventions. Further research of good methodological quality on low-allergenic formulas and maternal diets is indicated. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2011 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Nursing Education Follow-Up Study--1982 R.N.'s.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, David C.

In 1982, a follow-up study of nursing graduates of the Bakersfield College Registered Nursing (RN) program was conducted to obtain information that would lead to improvement in program quality and to a better match between supply and demand in the local nursing labor market. In addition, the study compared results with similar studies conducted…

Conservative Exposure Predictions for Rapid Risk Assessment of Phase-Separated Additives in Medical Device Polymers.

PubMed

Chandrasekar, Vaishnavi; Janes, Dustin W; Saylor, David M; Hood, Alan; Bajaj, Akhil; Duncan, Timothy V; Zheng, Jiwen; Isayeva, Irada S; Forrey, Christopher; Casey, Brendan J

2018-01-01

A novel approach for rapid risk assessment of targeted leachables in medical device polymers is proposed and validated. Risk evaluation involves understanding the potential of these additives to migrate out of the polymer, and comparing their exposure to a toxicological threshold value. In this study, we propose that a simple diffusive transport model can be used to provide conservative exposure estimates for phase separated color additives in device polymers. This model has been illustrated using a representative phthalocyanine color additive (manganese phthalocyanine, MnPC) and polymer (PEBAX 2533) system. Sorption experiments of MnPC into PEBAX were conducted in order to experimentally determine the diffusion coefficient, D = (1.6 ± 0.5) × 10 -11  cm 2 /s, and matrix solubility limit, C s  = 0.089 wt.%, and model predicted exposure values were validated by extraction experiments. Exposure values for the color additive were compared to a toxicological threshold for a sample risk assessment. Results from this study indicate that a diffusion model-based approach to predict exposure has considerable potential for use as a rapid, screening-level tool to assess the risk of color additives and other small molecule additives in medical device polymers.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-04-01

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

Effect of Additional Incentives for Aviation Biofuels: Results from the Biomass Scenario Model

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

Vimmerstedt, Laura J; Newes, Emily K

2017-12-05

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory supported the Department of Energy, Bioenergy Technologies Office, with analysis of alternative jet fuels in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration. Airlines for America requested additional exploratory scenarios within FAA analytic framework. Airlines for America requested additional analysis using the same analytic framework, the Biomass Scenario Model. The results were presented at a public working meeting of the California Air Resources Board on including alternative jet fuel in the Low Carbon Fuel Standard on March 17, 2017 (https://www.arb.ca.gov/fuels/lcfs/lcfs_meetings/lcfs_meetings.htm). This presentation clarifies and annotates the slides from the public working meeting, andmore » provides a link to the full data set. NREL does not advocate for or against the policies analyzed in this study.« less

Effect of Additional Incentives for Aviation Biofuels: Results from the Biomass Scenario Model

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

Vimmerstedt, Laura J; Newes, Emily K

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory supported the Department of Energy, Bioenergy Technologies Office, with analysis of alternative jet fuels in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration. Airlines for America requested additional exploratory scenarios within FAA analytic framework. Airlines for America requested additional analysis using the same analytic framework, the Biomass Scenario Model. The results were presented at a public working meeting of the California Air Resources Board on including alternative jet fuel in the Low Carbon Fuel Standard on March 17, 2017 (https://www.arb.ca.gov/fuels/lcfs/lcfs_meetings/lcfs_meetings.htm). This presentation clarifies and annotates the slides from the public working meeting, andmore » provides a link to the full data set. NREL does not advocate for or against the policies analyzed in this study.« less

Additive erosion reduction influences in the turbulent boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckingham, A. C.

1981-05-01

Results of a sequence of flow, heat and mass transfer calculations are presented which theoretically characterize the erosive environment at the wall surface of refractory metal coated and uncoated gun barrels. The theoretical results include analysis of the wall surface temperature, heat flux, and shear stress time histories on thin (10 mil.) Cr, Mo, Nb, and Ta plated steel barrel walls as uncoated steel walls. The calculations combine effects of a number of separate processes which were previously (and purposely) studied individually. These include solid particle additive concentrations, gas wall thermochemical influences, and transient turbulent wall boundary layer flow with multicomponent molecular diffusion and reactions from interaction of propellant combustion and the eroding surface. The boundary layer model includes particulate additive concentrations as well as propellant combustion products, considered for the present to be in the local thermochemical equilibrium.

Studies of CW lasing action in CO2-CO, N2O-CO, CO2-H2O, and N2O-H2O mixtures pumped by blackbody radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abel, Robert W.; Christiansen, Walter H.; Li, Jian-Guo

1988-01-01

A proof of principle experiment to evaluate the efficacy of CO and H2O in increasing the power output for N2O and CO2 lasing mixtures has been conducted and theoretically analyzed for a blackbody radiation-pumped laser. The results for N2O-CO, CO2-CO, N2O-H2O and CO2-H2O mixtures are presented. Additions of CO to the N2O lasant increased power up to 28 percent for N2O laser mixtures, whereas additions of CO to the CO2 lasant, and the addition of H2O to both the CO2 and N2O lasants, resulted in decreased output power.

Impact of early hearing screening and treatment on language development and education level: evaluation of 6 years of universal newborn hearing screening (ALGO) in Flanders, Belgium.

PubMed

Verhaert, N; Willems, M; Van Kerschaver, E; Desloovere, C

2008-05-01

Early intervention in hearing-impaired children may improve language outcomes and subsequent school and occupational performance. The objective of this study was to retrospectively analyze over 6 years the educational outcome and language development of a first cohort of children, detected by the Flemish universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) program based on automated auditory brainstem response (AABR), with the oldest children being in primary school. We studied 229 hearing-impaired children from 1998 till 2003. The following variables were considered: the age during the school year 2005-2006, the degree of hearing loss, additional impairments including presence of intellectual disability, school placement and early intervention. Analysis showed that 85.4% of the children with moderate, severe or profound hearing loss and no additional disability, older than 5.5 years, reach mainstream education. Further detailed description was provided for the outcomes of children with uni- and bilateral cochlear implants. Overall results stress that 46% of all children with a cochlear implant obtain mainstream education. Of all cochlear implant (CI) children above 5.5 years, without additional handicaps, 78.9% of children attend primary mainstream school. Data on language development show that up to 45% of the children with unilateral cochlear implant and no additional disabilities had normal to slight delay on language development. These data are fulfilling the goals stated by the JCIH and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in 2000. The role and impact of additional handicaps is discussed. The importance of early hearing loss identification and hearing therapy for appropriate language development is highlighted. Finally our preliminary results on children with bilateral cochlear implants without additional handicaps present an improved language development in comparison to unilateral CI-children. A vast majority of the children detected by the UNHS program, with moderate, severe or profound hearing loss and no additional disability, older than 5.5 years, reach mainstream education. Additional disabilities have a major influence.

Multivariate analysis of toxicity experimental results of environmental endpoints. (FutureToxII)

EPA Science Inventory

The toxicity of hundreds of chemicals have been assessed in laboratory animal studies through EPA chemical regulation and toxicological research. Currently, over 5000 laboratory animal toxicity studies have been collected in the Toxicity Reference Database (ToxRefDB). In addition...

Is Floral Longevity Influenced by Reproductive Costs and Pollination Success in Cohniella ascendens (Orchidaceae)?

PubMed Central

Abdala-Roberts, Luis; Parra-Tabla, Víctor; Navarro, Jorge

2007-01-01

Background and Aims Although studies have shown that pollen addition and/or removal decreases floral longevity, less attention has been paid to the relationship between reproductive costs and floral longevity. In addition, the influence of reproductive costs on floral longevity responses to pollen addition and/or removal has not yet been evaluated. Here, the orchid Cohniella ascendens is used to answer the following questions. (a) Does experimental removal of flower buds in C. ascendens increase flower longevity? (b) Does pollen addition and/or removal decrease floral longevity, and does this response depend on plant reproductive resource status? Methods To study the effect of reproductive costs on floral longevity 21 plants were selected from which we removed 50 % of the developing flower buds on a marked inflorescence. Another 21 plants were not manipulated (controls). One month later, one of four flowers on each marked inflorescence received one of the following pollen manipulation treatments: control, pollinia removal, pollination without pollinia removal or pollination with pollinia removal. The response variable measured was the number of days each flower remained open (i.e. longevity). Key Results The results showed significant flower bud removal and pollen manipulation effects on floral longevity; the interaction between these two factors was not significant. Flowers on inflorescences with previously removed flower buds remained open significantly longer than flowers on control inflorescences. On the other hand, pollinated flowers closed much faster than control and removed-pollinia flowers, the latter not closing significantly faster than control flowers, although this result was marginal. Conclusions The results emphasize the strong relationship between floral longevity and pollination in orchids, as well as the influence of reproductive costs on the former. PMID:17881335

Employee customer orientation in context: how the environment moderates the influence of customer orientation on performance outcomes.

PubMed

Grizzle, Jerry W; Zablah, Alex R; Brown, Tom J; Mowen, John C; Lee, James M

2009-09-01

This empirical study evaluated the moderating effects of unit customer orientation (CO) climate and climate strength on the relationship between service workers' level of CO and their performance of customer-oriented behaviors (COBs). In addition, the study examined whether aggregate COB performance influences unit profitability. Building on multisource, multilevel data, the study's results suggest that the influence of employee CO on employee COB performance is positive when the unit's CO climate is relatively high and that the constructs are unrelated when unit CO climate is relatively low. In addition, the data reveal that unit COB performance influences unit profitability by enhancing revenues without a concomitant increase in costs. The study's results underscore the theoretical importance of considering cross-level influencers of employee-level relationships and suggest that managers should focus on creating a climate that is supportive of COBs if their units are to profit from the recruitment, hiring, and retention of customer-oriented employees.

Effects of soil amendments on germination and emergence of downy brome (Bromus tectorum) and Hilaria jamesii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belnap, J.; Sherrod, S.K.; Miller, M.E.

2003-01-01

Downy brome is an introduced Mediterranean annual grass that now dominates millions of hectares of western U.S. rangelands. The presence of this grass has eliminated many native species and accelerated wildfire cycles. The objective of this study was to identify soil additives that allowed germination but inhibited emergence of downy brome, while not affecting germination or emergence of the native perennial grass Hilaria jamesii. On the basis of data from previous studies, we focused on additives that altered the availability of soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Most water-soluble treatments inhibited downy brome germination and emergence. We attribute the inhibitory effects of these treatments to excessive salinity and ion-specific effects of the additives themselves. An exception to this was oxalic acid, which showed no effect. Most water-insoluble treatments had no effect in soils with high P but did have an effect in soils with low P. Zeolite was effective regardless of P level, probably due to the high amounts of Na+ it added to the soil solution. Most treatments at higher concentrations resulted in lower downy brome emergence rates in soils currently dominated by downy brome than in uninvaded (but theoretically invadable) Hilaria soils. This difference is possibly attributable to inherent differences in labile soil P. In Stipa soils, where Stipa spp. grow, but which are generally considered to be uninvadable by downy brome, additions of high amounts of N resulted in lower emergence. This may have been an effect of NH4 + interference with uptake of K or other cations or toxicity of high N. We also saw a positive relationship between downy brome emergence and pH in Stipa soils. Hilaria development parameters were not as susceptible to the treatments, regardless of concentration, as downy brome. Our results suggest that there are additions that may be effective management tools for inhibiting downy brome in calcareous soils, including (1) high salt applications, (2) K-reducing additions (e.g., Mg), and (3) P-reducing additions.

Effect of additives on the volatility of elements in a DC arc during the atomic emission analysis of nickel(II) oxide

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

Zolotareva, N.I.; Kuzyakov, Yu.Ya.; Khlystova, A.D.

1986-10-20

The authors have studied the effect of traditional halogenating additives, AgCl, CdF/sub 2/, PTFE and that of an effective additive they have selected, ZnF/sub 2/, on the volatility of impurity elements, viz. tungsten, molybdenum, titanium, and zirconium from nickel (II) oxide, and determined the constants for the average relative volatility of the elements by the method of Kantor and Pungor. The results have been used to lower the limits of detection of the impurities cited in nickel(II) oxide.

Addition-type polyimides from solutions of monomeric reactants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delvigs, P.; Serafini, T. T.; Lightsey, G. R.

1972-01-01

The monomeric reactants approach was used to fabricate addition-type polyimide/graphite fiber composites with improved mechanical properties and thermal stability characteristics over those of composites derived from addition-type amide acid prepolymers. A screening study of 24 different monomer combinations was performed. The results of a more extensive investigation of a selected number of monomer combinations showed that the combination providing the best thermomechanical properties was 5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid monomethyl ester/4,4'-methylenedianiline/3,3'4,4'-benzophenone tetracarboxylic acid dimethyl ester at a molar ratio of 2/3.09/2.09.

Production and Isomeric Distribution of Xanthylium Cation Pigments and Their Precursors in Wine-like Conditions: Impact of Cu(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), Mn(II), Zn(II), and Al(III).

PubMed

Guo, Anque; Kontoudakis, Nikolaos; Scollary, Geoffrey R; Clark, Andrew C

2017-03-22

This study establishes the influence of Cu(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), Zn(II), Al(III), and Mn(II) on the oxidative production of xanthylium cations from (+)-catechin and either tartaric acid or glyoxylic acid in model wine systems. The reaction was studied at 25 °C using UHPLC and LC-HRMS for the analysis of phenolic products and their isomeric distribution. In addition to the expected products, a colorless product, tentatively assigned as a lactone, was detected for the first time. The results show the importance of Fe ions and a synergistic influence of Mn(II) in degrading tartaric acid to glyoxylic acid, whereas the other metal ions had minimal activity in this mechanistic step. Fe(II) and Fe(III) were shown to mediate the (+)-catechin-glyoxylic acid addition reaction, a role previously attributed to only Cu(II). Importantly, the study demonstrates that C-8 addition products of (+)-catechin are promoted by Cu(II), whereas C-6 addition products are promoted by Fe ions.

The Effect of LAB as Probiotic Starter Culture and Green Tea Extract Addition on Dry Fermented Pork Loins Quality.

PubMed

Neffe-Skocińska, Katarzyna; Jaworska, Danuta; Kołożyn-Krajewska, Danuta; Dolatowski, Zbigniew; Jachacz-Jówko, Luiza

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory quality of dry fermented pork loin produced with the addition of Lb. rhamnosus LOCK900 probiotic strain, 0.2% glucose, and 1.5% green tea extract. Three loins were prepared: control sample (P0: no additives), sample supplemented with glucose and probiotic strain (P1), and sample with glucose, green tea extract, and probiotic (P2). The samples were analyzed after 21 days of ripening and 180 days of storage. The results indicated that the highest count of LAB was observed both in the samples: with probiotic and with probiotic and green tea extract (7.00 log cfu/g after ripening; 6.00 log cfu/g after storage). The oxidation-reduction potential values were lower in the probiotic loin samples. Probiotic and green tea extract have not caused color changes of study loins during storage. The study demonstrated that an addition of probiotic and green tea extract to dry fermented loins is possible and had no impact on sensory quality after product storage.

Dynamic modulus of nanosilica modified porous asphalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arshad, A. K.; Masri, K. A.; Ahmad, J.; Samsudin, M. S.

2017-11-01

Porous asphalt (PA) is a flexible pavement layer with high interconnected air void contents and constructed using open-graded aggregates. Due to high temperature environment and increased traffic volume in Malaysia, PA may have deficiencies particularly in rutting and stiffness of the mix. A possible way to improve these deficiencies is to improve the asphalt binder used. Binder is normally modified using polymer materials to improve its properties. However, nanotechnology presently is being gradually used for asphalt modification. Nanosilica (NS), a byproduct of rice husk and palm oil fuel ash is used as additive in this study. The aim of this study is to enhance the rutting resistance and stiffness performance of PA using NS. This study focused on the performance of PA in terms of dynamic modulus with the addition of NS modified binder to produce better and more durable PA. From the result of Dynamic SPT Test, it shows that the addition of NS was capable in enhancing the stiffness and rutting resistance of PA. The addition of NS also increase the dynamic modulus value of PA by 50%.

The Effect of LAB as Probiotic Starter Culture and Green Tea Extract Addition on Dry Fermented Pork Loins Quality

PubMed Central

Jaworska, Danuta; Kołożyn-Krajewska, Danuta; Dolatowski, Zbigniew; Jachacz-Jówko, Luiza

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory quality of dry fermented pork loin produced with the addition of Lb. rhamnosus LOCK900 probiotic strain, 0.2% glucose, and 1.5% green tea extract. Three loins were prepared: control sample (P0: no additives), sample supplemented with glucose and probiotic strain (P1), and sample with glucose, green tea extract, and probiotic (P2). The samples were analyzed after 21 days of ripening and 180 days of storage. The results indicated that the highest count of LAB was observed both in the samples: with probiotic and with probiotic and green tea extract (7.00 log cfu/g after ripening; 6.00 log cfu/g after storage). The oxidation-reduction potential values were lower in the probiotic loin samples. Probiotic and green tea extract have not caused color changes of study loins during storage. The study demonstrated that an addition of probiotic and green tea extract to dry fermented loins is possible and had no impact on sensory quality after product storage. PMID:25961018

Parallel and serial computing tools for testing single-locus and epistatic SNP effects of quantitative traits in genome-wide association studies

PubMed Central

Ma, Li; Runesha, H Birali; Dvorkin, Daniel; Garbe, John R; Da, Yang

2008-01-01

Background Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers provide opportunities to detect epistatic SNPs associated with quantitative traits and to detect the exact mode of an epistasis effect. Computational difficulty is the main bottleneck for epistasis testing in large scale GWAS. Results The EPISNPmpi and EPISNP computer programs were developed for testing single-locus and epistatic SNP effects on quantitative traits in GWAS, including tests of three single-locus effects for each SNP (SNP genotypic effect, additive and dominance effects) and five epistasis effects for each pair of SNPs (two-locus interaction, additive × additive, additive × dominance, dominance × additive, and dominance × dominance) based on the extended Kempthorne model. EPISNPmpi is the parallel computing program for epistasis testing in large scale GWAS and achieved excellent scalability for large scale analysis and portability for various parallel computing platforms. EPISNP is the serial computing program based on the EPISNPmpi code for epistasis testing in small scale GWAS using commonly available operating systems and computer hardware. Three serial computing utility programs were developed for graphical viewing of test results and epistasis networks, and for estimating CPU time and disk space requirements. Conclusion The EPISNPmpi parallel computing program provides an effective computing tool for epistasis testing in large scale GWAS, and the epiSNP serial computing programs are convenient tools for epistasis analysis in small scale GWAS using commonly available computer hardware. PMID:18644146

The influence of supplemented Curcuma in feed formulation to improve growth rate and feed efficiency of catfish (Clarias sp.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ulum, M. M.; Zubaidah, M.; Arief, M.; Prayogo

2018-04-01

Catfish (Clarias sp.) is very potential to be developed as a food fish. The use of the feed additive in feed intended to improve the health, productivity and compliance with animal nutrition. Feed additive is to use ginger are derived from nature.The purpose of this study was to determine the potential increase in feed formulation. The Curcuma effect on growth rate and feed efficiency of catfish (Clarias sp.). The method used experimental methods and design complete random with 4 treatments and 5 replications. The parameters examined in this study aregrowth rate and efficiency feed.The research showed that the ANOVA markedly dissimilar ( P< 0.05 ) against growth rate and efficiency feed catfishes. The average is 0.275 - 0.33 growth and the results efficiency feed catfishes of 60.70 % - 73.10 % and the results obtained temperature water quality around 27-30°C, pH 7-8, and DO 3.09-6.4. Based on this research cultivator of the suggested use flour curcuma as feed additive on formulations feed.

Effects of L-ascorbic acid on physicochemical characteristics of wheat starch.

PubMed

Majzoobi, Mahsa; Radi, Mohsen; Farahnaky, Asgar; Tongdang, Tawee

2012-03-01

The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of l-ascorbic acid, as a permitted additive in bakery products, on characteristics of wheat starch. Suspensions of wheat starch (30%, w/w) in water containing 140 mg/kg ascorbic acid before and after gelatinization were prepared and studied using different techniques. The results of scanning electron microscopy showed that some spots appeared on the surface of the starch granules as a result of the addition of ascorbic acid. However, no changes in the starch crystalline pattern and its degree of crystallinity were observed by X-ray diffraction technique. For ungelatinized samples, no difference in the pasting properties of the samples was determined by the rapid visco analyzer, whereas for the gelatinized samples, peak and final viscosities decreased for the samples contained ascorbic acid. Determination of the intrinsic viscosities of the samples showed that addition of ascorbic acid to the gelatinized samples reduced the intrinsic viscosity. In general, it was found that ascorbic acid had some degradation effects on wheat starch molecules particularly after gelatinization. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Modulating laser intensity profile ellipticity for microstructural control during metal additive manufacturing

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

Roehling, Tien T.; Wu, Sheldon S. Q.; Khairallah, Saad A.

Additively manufactured (AM) metals are often highly textured, containing large columnar grains that initiate epitaxially under steep temperature gradients and rapid solidification conditions. These unique microstructures partially account for the massive property disparity existing between AM and conventionally processed alloys. Although equiaxed grains are desirable for isotropic mechanical behavior, the columnar-to-equiaxed transition remains difficult to predict for conventional solidification processes, and much more so for AM. In this study, the effects of laser intensity profile ellipticity on melt track macrostructures and microstructures were studied in 316L stainless steel. Experimental results were supported by temperature gradients and melt velocities simulated usingmore » the ALE3D multi-physics code. As a general trend, columnar grains preferentially formed with increasing laser power and scan speed for all beam profiles. However, when conduction mode laser heating occurs, scan parameters that result in coarse columnar microstructures using Gaussian profiles produce equiaxed or mixed equiaxed-columnar microstructures using elliptical profiles. Furthermore, by modulating spatial laser intensity profiles on the fly, site-specific microstructures and properties can be directly engineered into additively manufactured parts.« less

Modulating laser intensity profile ellipticity for microstructural control during metal additive manufacturing

DOE PAGES

Roehling, Tien T.; Wu, Sheldon S. Q.; Khairallah, Saad A.; ...

2017-02-12

Additively manufactured (AM) metals are often highly textured, containing large columnar grains that initiate epitaxially under steep temperature gradients and rapid solidification conditions. These unique microstructures partially account for the massive property disparity existing between AM and conventionally processed alloys. Although equiaxed grains are desirable for isotropic mechanical behavior, the columnar-to-equiaxed transition remains difficult to predict for conventional solidification processes, and much more so for AM. In this study, the effects of laser intensity profile ellipticity on melt track macrostructures and microstructures were studied in 316L stainless steel. Experimental results were supported by temperature gradients and melt velocities simulated usingmore » the ALE3D multi-physics code. As a general trend, columnar grains preferentially formed with increasing laser power and scan speed for all beam profiles. However, when conduction mode laser heating occurs, scan parameters that result in coarse columnar microstructures using Gaussian profiles produce equiaxed or mixed equiaxed-columnar microstructures using elliptical profiles. Furthermore, by modulating spatial laser intensity profiles on the fly, site-specific microstructures and properties can be directly engineered into additively manufactured parts.« less

Reading Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities: An Observation Study Synthesis (1980-2014)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Melodee A.; Stevens, Elizabeth A.

2017-01-01

This article synthesizes observation studies investigating reading instruction for students with learning disabilities (LD) in Grades K-12. A systematic search of the literature between 1980 and 2014 resulted in the identification of 25 studies. In addition to replicating and extending E. A. Swanson's synthesis, the research questions of studies…

What are you trying to learn? Study designs and the appropriate analysis for your research question

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

One fundamental necessity in the entire process of a well-performed study is the experimental design. A well-designed study can help researchers understand and have confidence in their results and analyses, and additionally the agreement or disagreement with the stated hypothesis. This well-designed...

Marshall properties of asphalt concrete using crumb rubber modified of motorcycle tire waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siswanto, Henri; Supriyanto, Bambang; Pranoto, Chandra, Pria Rizky; Hakim, Arief Rahman

2017-09-01

The aim of this study is to explain the effect of Crumb Rubber Modified (CRM) of motorcycle tire waste on Marshall properties of asphalt mix. Two types of aggregate gradation, asphalt concrete wearing course (ACWC) and asphalt concrete base (ACB), and CRM passing #50 sieve size were used. Seven levels of CRM content were investigated in this study, namely 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 3%, 4.5%, and 6% by weight of aggregate. Marshall test is conducted on Marshall specimens. The specimens are tested in their optimum binder content (OBC). The results indicate that CRM addition of motorcycle tire waste increases the Marshall stability of the both mix, ACWC and ACB. In addition, 1% CRM addition of motorcycle tire waste of the total mix weight is the best mix.

The iconicity of picture communication symbols for children with English additional language and mild intellectual disability.

PubMed

Dada, Shakila; Huguet, Alice; Bornman, Juan

2013-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the iconicity of 16 Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) presented on a themed bed-making communication overlay for South African children with English as an additional language and mild intellectual disability. The survey involved 30 participants. The results indicated that, overall, the 16 symbols were relatively iconic to the participants. The authors suggest that the iconicity of picture symbols could be manipulated, enhanced, and influenced by contextual effects (other PCS used simultaneously on the communication overlay). In addition, selection of non-target PCS for target PCS were discussed in terms of postulated differences in terms of distinctiveness. Potential clinical implications and limitations of the study, as well as recommendations for future research, are discussed.

Chaos, Chaos Control and Synchronization of a Gyrostat System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

GE, Z.-M.; LIN, T.-N.

2002-03-01

The dynamic behavior of a gyrostat system subjected to external disturbance is studied in this paper. By applying numerical results, phase diagrams, power spectrum, period-T maps, and Lyapunov exponents are presented to observe periodic and choatic motions. The effect of the parameters changed in the system can be found in the bifurcation and parametric diagrams. For global analysis, the basins of attraction of each attractor of the system are located by employing the modified interpolated cell mapping (MICM) method. Several methods, the delayed feedback control, the addition of constant torque, the addition of periodic force, the addition of periodic impulse torque, injection of dither signal control, adaptive control algorithm (ACA) control and bang-bang control are used to control chaos effectively. Finally, synchronization of chaos in the gyrostat system is studied.

Effect of Zr, Nb and Ti addition on injection molded 316L stainless steel for bio-applications: Mechanical, electrochemical and biocompatibility properties.

PubMed

Gulsoy, H Ozkan; Pazarlioglu, Serdar; Gulsoy, Nagihan; Gundede, Busra; Mutlu, Ozal

2015-11-01

The research investigated the effect of Zr, Nb and Ti additions on mechanical, electrochemical properties and biocompatibility of injection molded 316L stainless steel. Addition of elemental powder is promoted to get high performance of sintered 316L stainless steels. The amount of additive powder plays a role in determining the sintered microstructure and all properties. In this study, 316L stainless steel powders used with the elemental Zr, Nb and Ti powders. A feedstock containing 62.5 wt% powders loading was molded at different injection molded temperature. The binders were completely removed from molded components by solvent and thermal debinding at different temperatures. The debinded samples were sintered at 1350°C for 60 min. Mechanical, electrochemical property and biocompatibility of the sintered samples were performed mechanical, electrochemical, SBF immersion tests and cell culture experiments. Results of study showed that sintered 316L and 316L with additives samples exhibited high corrosion properties and biocompatibility in a physiological environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theoretical and experimental studies on vibrational and nonlinear optic properties of guanidinium 3-nitrobenzoate. Differences and similarity between guanidinium 3-nitrobenzoate and guanidinium 4-nitrobenzoate complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drozd, Marek

2018-03-01

According to literature data two structures of guanidine with nitrobenzoic acids are known. For guanidinium 4-nitrobenzoate the detailed studies of X-ray structure, vibrational and theoretical properties were performed. This compound was classified as second harmonic generator with efficiency of 3.3 times that KDP, standard crystal. On the contrary to mentioned above results for the guanidinium 3-nitrobenzoate the basic X-ray diffraction study was performed, only. On the basis of established crystallographic results, the detailed investigation of geometry and vibrational properties were made on the basis of theoretical calculation. According to this data the equilibrium geometry of investigated molecule was established. On the basis of this calculation the detailed computational studies of vibrational properties were performed. The theoretical IR and Raman frequencies, intensities and PED analysis are presented. Additionally, the NBO charges, HOMO and LUMO shapes and NLO properties of titled crystal were calculated. On the basis of these results the crystal was classified as second order generator in NLO but with bigger efficiency that guanidinium 4-nitorobenzoate compound. The obtained data are compared with experimental crystallographic and vibrational results for real crystal of guanidinium 3-nitrobenzoate. Additionally, the theoretical vibrational spectra are compared with literature calculations of guanidinium 4-nitrobenzoate compound.

A twin study of specific bulimia nervosa symptoms.

PubMed

Mazzeo, S E; Mitchell, K S; Bulik, C M; Aggen, S H; Kendler, K S; Neale, M C

2010-07-01

Twin studies have suggested that additive genetic factors significantly contribute to liability to bulimia nervosa (BN). However, the diagnostic criteria for BN remain controversial. In this study, an item-factor model was used to examine the BN diagnostic criteria and the genetic and environmental contributions to BN in a population-based twin sample. The validity of the equal environment assumption (EEA) for BN was also tested. Participants were 1024 female twins (MZ n=614, DZ n=410) from the population-based Mid-Atlantic Twin Registry. BN was assessed using symptom-level (self-report) items consistent with DSM-IV and ICD-10 diagnostic criteria. Items assessing BN were included in an item-factor model. The EEA was measured by items assessing similarity of childhood and adolescent environment, which have demonstrated construct validity. Scores on the EEA factor were used to specify the degree to which twins shared environmental experiences in this model. The EEA was not violated for BN. Modeling results indicated that the majority of the variance in BN was due to additive genetic factors. There was substantial variability in additive genetic and environmental contributions to specific BN symptoms. Most notably, vomiting was very strongly influenced by additive genetic factors, while other symptoms were much less heritable, including the influence of weight on self-evaluation. These results highlight the importance of assessing eating disorders at the symptom level. Refinement of eating disorder phenotypes could ultimately lead to improvements in treatment and targeted prevention, by clarifying sources of variation for specific components of symptomatology.

A comparative analysis of multiple-choice and student performance-task assessment in the high school biology classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cushing, Patrick Ryan

This study compared the performance of high school students on laboratory assessments. Thirty-four high school students who were enrolled in the second semester of a regular biology class or had completed the biology course the previous semester participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to examinations of two formats, performance-task and traditional multiple-choice, from two content areas, using a compound light microscope and diffusion. Students were directed to think-aloud as they performed the assessments. Additional verbal data were obtained during interviews following the assessment. The tape-recorded narrative data were analyzed for type and diversity of knowledge and skill categories, and percentage of in-depth processing demonstrated. While overall mean scores on the assessments were low, elicited statements provided additional insight into student cognition. Results indicated that a greater diversity of knowledge and skill categories was elicited by the two microscope assessments and by the two performance-task assessments. In addition, statements demonstrating in-depth processing were coded most frequently in narratives elicited during clinical interviews following the diffusion performance-task assessment. This study calls for individual teachers to design authentic assessment practices and apply them to daily classroom routines. Authentic assessment should be an integral part of the learning process and not merely an end result. In addition, teachers are encouraged to explicitly identify and model, through think-aloud methods, desired cognitive behaviors in the classroom.

An experimental and theoretical study of the aerodynamic characteristics of some generic missile concepts at Mach numbers from 2 to 6.8

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spearman, M. Leroy; Braswell, Dorothy O.

1994-01-01

A study has been made of the experimental and theoretical aerodynamic characteristics for some generic high-speed missile concepts at Mach numbers from 2 to 6.8. The basic body for this study had a length-to-diameter ratio of 10 with the forward half being a modified blunted ogive and the rear half being a cylinder. Modifications made to the basic body included the addition of an after body flare, the addition of highly swept cruciform wings and the addition of highly swept aft tails. The effects of some controls were also investigated with all-moving wing controls on the flared body and trailing-edge flap controls on the winged body. The results indicated that the addition of a flare, wings, or tails to the basic body all provided static longitudinal stability with varying amounts of increased axial force. The control arrangements were effective in producing increments of normal-force and pitching-moment at the lower Mach numbers. At the highest Mach number, the flap control on the winged body was ineffective in producing normal-force or pitching-moment but the all-moving wing control on the flared body, while losing pitch effectiveness, still provided normal-force increments. Calculated results obtained through the use of hypersonic impact theory were in generally good agreement with experiment at the higher Mach numbers but were not accurate at the lower Mach numbers.

Consumer acceptance of an extruded soy-based high-protein breakfast cereal.

PubMed

Yeu, K; Lee, Y; Lee, S-Y

2008-01-01

Studies have shown the beneficial effects of soy and high-protein diets on weight loss. The objective of this study was to determine consumer acceptance of a soy-based high-protein breakfast cereal developed to be utilized for weight loss and control. Four formulations with soy flour content of 41%, 47%, 54%, and 60% (w/w) were processed by extrusion. The formulations met the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines to claim the role of soy protein in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and guidelines for high-protein and high-fiber foods. The effects of soy flour level, addition of cinnamon flavor, and evaluation with or without milk on acceptance were investigated. Overall acceptance of 3 of 8 cereal products was also compared to the acceptance of 5 commercial products in the "healthy" cereal category. Addition of up to 54% (w/w) soy flour resulted in comparable acceptance ratings to products with lower soy flour content. Addition of milk improved aroma and texture acceptance scores and addition of cinnamon flavor improved overall, aroma, and taste acceptance scores. Acceptance of the developed cereal products was not as high as the commercial products; however, it significantly increased when nutritional and cost information was presented. The results of this study demonstrated that with modification of the formulations, an acceptable high-protein soy-based cereal can be developed to increase protein consumption during breakfast meals, which can consequently aid in weight loss and control.

Preliminary Study Using Forward Reaction Control System Jets During Space Shuttle Entry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Restrepo, Carolina; Valasek, John

2006-01-01

Failure or degradation of the flight control system, or hull damage, can lead to loss of vehicle control during entry. Possible failure scenarios are debris impact and wing damage that could result in a large aerodynamic asymmetry which cannot be trimmed out without additional yaw control. Currently the space shuttle uses aerodynamic control surfaces and Reaction Control System jets to control attitude. The forward jets are used for orbital maneuvering only, while the aft jets are used for yaw control during entry. This paper develops a controller for using the forward reaction control system jets as an additional control during entry, and assesses its value and feasibility during failure situations. Forward-aft jet blending logic is created, and implemented on a simplified model of the space shuttle entry flight control system. The model is validated and verified on the nonlinear, six degree-of-freedom Shuttle Engineering Simulator. A rudimentary human factors study was undertaken using the forward cockpit simulator at Johnson Space Center, to assess flying qualities of the new system and pilot workload. Results presented in the paper show that the combination of forward and aft jets provides useful additional yaw control, in addition to potential fuel savings and the ability to balance the use of the fuel in the forward and aft tanks to meet availability constraints of both forward and aft fuel tanks. Piloted simulation studies indicated that using both sets of jets while flying a damaged space shuttle reduces pilot workload, and makes the vehicle more responsive.

Additive value of patch testing custom epoxy materials from the workplace at the occupational disease specialty clinic in Toronto.

PubMed

Houle, Marie-Claude; Holness, D Linn; Dekoven, Joel; Skotnicki, Sandy

2012-01-01

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) to epoxy resins is one of the major causes of occupationally induced ACD. Testing of custom epoxy materials from the workplace is often performed to diagnose ACD. The objective of this study was to investigate the additive value of patch testing custom-made epoxy materials. We retrospectively analyzed outcomes of 24 patients who were tested to custom epoxy resin materials between January 2002 and July 2011. For 11 patients (46%), the testing of their materials from work had no additional value (negative results). For 13 patients (54%), there was an additional value of testing custom allergens. Of those, 7 patients (54%) had positive reactions to custom epoxy materials that reinforced the test results found with the commercially available allergens, and 6 (46%) patients had positive reactions only to custom epoxy materials. Therefore, for 6 patients (25%), there was a definite additive value of testing custom epoxy materials because the allergy was discovered with custom testing and not with the commercially available allergens. Because of the high percentage (54%) of patients with additive value of patch testing custom epoxy materials, we think that the inclusion of actual workplace epoxy materials should be strongly considered when patch testing patients with occupational epoxy exposure.

Obesity and People with Disabilities: The Implications for Health Care Expenditures

PubMed Central

Anderson, Wayne L.; Wiener, Joshua M.; Khatutsky, Galina; Armour, Brian S.

2015-01-01

Objective This study estimates additional average health care expenditures for overweight and obesity for adults with disabilities vs. without. Design and Methods Descriptive and multivariate methods were used to estimate additional health expenditures by service type, age group, and payer using 2004–2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data. Results In 2007, 37% of community-dwelling Americans with disabilities were obese vs. 27% of the total population. People with disabilities had almost three times ($2,459) the additional average obesity cost of people without disabilities ($889). Prescription drug expenditures for obese people with disabilities were three times as high and outpatient expenditures were 74% higher. People with disabilities in the 45- to 64-year age group had the highest obesity expenditures. Medicare had the highest additional average obesity expenditures among payers. Among people with prescription drug expenditures, obese people with disabilities had nine times the prevalence of diabetes as normal weight people with disabilities. Overweight people with and without disabilities had lower expenditures than normal-weight people with and without disabilities. Conclusions Obesity results in substantial additional health care expenditures for people with disabilities. These additional expenditures pose a serious current and future problem, given the potential for higher obesity prevalence in the coming decade. PMID:23804319

Metagenomic characterization of the effect of feed additives on the gut microbiome and antibiotic resistome of feedlot cattle.

PubMed

Thomas, Milton; Webb, Megan; Ghimire, Sudeep; Blair, Amanda; Olson, Kenneth; Fenske, Gavin John; Fonder, Alex Thomas; Christopher-Hennings, Jane; Brake, Derek; Scaria, Joy

2017-09-25

In North America, antibiotic feed additives such as monensin and tylosin are added to the finishing diets of feedlot cattle to counter the ill-effects of feeding diets with rapidly digestible carbohydrates. While these feed additives have been proven to improve feed efficiency and reduce liver abscess incidence, how these products impact the gastrointestinal microbiota is not completely understood. In this study, we analyzed the impact of providing antibiotic feed additives to feedlot cattle using metagenome sequencing of treated and control animals. Our results indicate that use of antibiotic feed additives does not produce discernable changes at the phylum level. However, treated cattle had reduced abundance of gram-positive bacteria at the genus level. The abundance of Ruminococcus, Erysipelotrichaceae and Lachnospiraceae in the gut of treated steers was reduced. Functional analysis of the data indicates that there was only minimal impact due to the treatment in the rumen. Genes involved in detoxification were significantly increased in the rumen of AB steers. But the relative abundance of these genes was < 0.3%. However, our results did not show any correlation between the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes in the gut microbiota and the administration of antibiotic feed additives.

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

Interactions between imidazoline I2 receptor ligands and acetaminophen in adult male rats: antinociception and schedule-controlled responding

PubMed Central

Siemian, Justin N.; Li, Jiuzhou; Zhang, Yanan; Li, Jun-Xu

2015-01-01

Rationale Recent evidence suggests that imidazoline I2 receptor ligands are suitable for combination therapy with opioids. Quantitative analysis of I2 receptor ligands combined with non-opioid drugs is necessary for justification of alternative pain therapies. Objective This study systematically examined the anti-hyperalgesic and response rate-suppressing effects of selective I2 receptor ligands (2-BFI and phenyzoline) alone and in combination with acetaminophen. Methods Von Frey and Hargreaves tests were used to examine the anti-hyperalgesic effects of drugs in complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain in rats. Food-reinforced schedule-controlled responding was used to assess the rate-suppressing effects of study drugs. Dose-addition and isobolographic analyses were used to assess drug-drug interactions for all assays. Results 2-BFI (3.2–17.8 mg/kg, i.p.), phenyzoline (17.8–100 mg/kg, i.p.), and acetaminophen (56–178 mg/kg, i.p.) all dose-dependently produced significant antinociceptive effects. When studied as combinations, 2-BFI and acetaminophen produced infra-additive to additive interactions while phenyzoline and acetaminophen produced additive to supra-additive interactions. The same drug combinations suppressed response rate in a supra-additive manner. Conclusions Quantitative analysis of the anti-hyperalgesic and response rate-suppressing effects suggests that I2 receptor ligands are not well suited to combination therapy with acetaminophen. PMID:26613734

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

Characterization of Metal Powders Used for Additive Manufacturing.

PubMed

Slotwinski, J A; Garboczi, E J; Stutzman, P E; Ferraris, C F; Watson, S S; Peltz, M A

2014-01-01

Additive manufacturing (AM) techniques can produce complex, high-value metal parts, with potential applications as critical parts, such as those found in aerospace components. The production of AM parts with consistent and predictable properties requires input materials (e.g., metal powders) with known and repeatable characteristics, which in turn requires standardized measurement methods for powder properties. First, based on our previous work, we assess the applicability of current standardized methods for powder characterization for metal AM powders. Then we present the results of systematic studies carried out on two different powder materials used for additive manufacturing: stainless steel and cobalt-chrome. The characterization of these powders is important in NIST efforts to develop appropriate measurements and standards for additive materials and to document the property of powders used in a NIST-led additive manufacturing material round robin. An extensive array of characterization techniques was applied to these two powders, in both virgin and recycled states. The physical techniques included laser diffraction particle size analysis, X-ray computed tomography for size and shape analysis, and optical and scanning electron microscopy. Techniques sensitive to structure and chemistry, including X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive analytical X-ray analysis using the X-rays generated during scanning electron microscopy, and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy were also employed. The results of these analyses show how virgin powder changes after being exposed to and recycled from one or more Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) additive manufacturing build cycles. In addition, these findings can give insight into the actual additive manufacturing process.

Reduced turning frequency and delayed poultry manure addition reduces N loss from sugarcane compost.

PubMed

Bryndum, S; Muschler, R; Nigussie, A; Magid, J; de Neergaard, A

2017-07-01

Composting is an effective method to recycle biodegradable waste as soil amendment in smallholder farming systems. Although all essential plant nutrients are found in compost, a substantial amount of nitrogen is lost during composting. This study therefore investigated the potential of reducing N losses by (i) delaying the addition of nitrogen-rich substrates (i.e. poultry manure), and (ii) reducing the turning frequency during composting. Furthermore, we tested the effect of compost application method on nitrogen mineralization. Sugarcane-waste was composted for 54days with addition of poultry manure at the beginning (i.e. early addition) or after 21days of composting (delayed addition). The compost pile was then turned either every three or nine days. Composts were subsequently applied to soil as (i) homogeneously mixed, or (ii) stratified, and incubated for 28days to test the effect of compost application on nitrogen mineralization. The results showed that delayed addition of poultry manure reduced total nitrogen loss by 33% and increased mineral nitrogen content by >200% compared with early addition. Similarly, less frequent turning reduced total N loss by 12% compared with frequent turning. Stratified placement of compost did not enhance N mineralization compared to a homogeneous mixing. Our results suggested that simple modifications of the composting process (i.e. delayed addition and/or turning frequency) could significantly reduce N losses and improve the plant-nutritional value of compost. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crystal morphology modification by the addition of tailor-made stereocontrolled poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide).

PubMed

Munk, Tommy; Baldursdottir, Stefania; Hietala, Sami; Rades, Thomas; Kapp, Sebastian; Nuopponen, Markus; Kalliomäki, Katriina; Tenhu, Heikki; Rantanen, Jukka

2012-07-02

The use of additives in crystallization of pharmaceuticals is known to influence the particulate properties critically affecting downstream processing and the final product performance. Desired functionality can be build into these materials, e.g. via optimized synthesis of a polymeric additive. One such additive is the thermosensitive polymer poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM). The use of PNIPAM as a crystallization additive provides a possibility to affect viscosity at separation temperatures and nucleation and growth rates at higher temperatures. In this study, novel PNIPAM derivatives consisting of both isotactic-rich and atactic blocks were used as additives in evaporative crystallization of a model compound, nitrofurantoin (NF). Special attention was paid to possible interactions between NF and PNIPAM and the aggregation state of PNIPAM as a function of temperature and solvent composition. Optical light microscopy and Raman and FTIR spectroscopy were used to investigate the structure of the NF crystals and possible interaction with PNIPAM. A drastic change in the growth mechanism of nitrofurantoin crystals as monohydrate form II (NFMH-II) was observed in the presence of PNIPAM; the morphology of crystals changed from needle to dendritic shape. Additionally, the amphiphilic nature of PNIPAM increased the solubility of nitrofurantoin in water. PNIPAMs with varying molecular weights and stereoregularities resulted in similar changes in the crystal habit of the drug regardless of whether the polymer was aggregated or not. However, with increased additive concentration slower nucleation and growth rates of the crystals were observed. Heating of the crystallization medium resulted in phase separation of the PNIPAM. The phase separation had an influence on the achieved crystal morphology resulting in fewer, visually larger and more irregular dendritic crystals. No proof of hydrogen bond formation between PNIPAM and NF was observed, and the suggested mechanism for the observed dendritic morphology is related to the steric hindrance phenomenon. PNIPAM can be used as a crystallization additive with an obvious effect on the growth of NF crystals.

The role of starch and saliva in tribology studies and the sensory perception of protein-added yogurts.

PubMed

Morell, Pere; Chen, Jianshe; Fiszman, Susana

2017-02-22

Increasing the protein content of yogurts would be a good strategy for enhancing their satiating ability. However, the addition of protein can affect product palatability, contributing astringency or an inhomogeneous texture. Increasingly, studies mimicking oral tribology and oral lubrication have been attracting interest among food researchers because of their link with oral texture sensations. In the present study, four double-protein stirred yogurts were prepared by adding extra skimmed milk powder (MP) or whey protein concentrate (WPC) and by adding a physically modified starch to each (samples MPS and WPCS, respectively) to increase the consistency of the yogurts. The lubricating properties of the four yogurts were examined by tribological methods with the aim of relating these properties to the sensory perception described by flash profiling. Samples were also analysed after mixing with saliva. The tribology results clearly showed that addition of starch reduced the friction coefficient values regardless of the type of protein. Saliva addition produced a further decrease in the friction coefficient values in all the samples. Consequently, adding saliva is recommended when performing tribology measurements of foods in order to give a more realistic picture. The sensory results confirmed that the addition of starch reduced the astringent sensation, especially in sample WPC, while the MP and MPS samples were creamier and smoother. On the other hand, the astringency of sample WPC was not explained by the tribology results. Since this sample was described as "grainy", "gritty", "rough", "acid" and "sour", further studies are necessary to investigate the role of the number, size, shape and distribution of particles in yogurt samples, their role in astringency perception and their interaction with the perception of the tastes mentioned. Oral tribology has shown itself to be an in vitro technique that may aid a better understanding of the dynamics of in-mouth lubrication and the physical mechanisms underlying texture and mouthfeel perception.

Determination of the Pb, Cr, and Cd distribution patterns with various chlorine additives in the bottom ashes of a low-temperature two-stage fluidized bed incinerator by chemical sequential extraction.

PubMed

Peng, Tzu-Huan; Lin, Chiou-Liang; Wey, Ming-Yen

2015-09-15

A novel low-temperature two-stage fluidized bed (LTTSFB) incinerator has been successfully developed to control heavy-metal emissions during municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment. However, the characteristics of the residual metal patterns during this process are still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the metal patterns in the different partitions of the LTTSFB bottom ash by chemical sequential extraction. Artificial waste was used to simulate the MSW. Different parameters including the first-stage temperature, chloride additives, and operating gas velocity were also considered. Results indicated that during the low-temperature treatment process, a high metal mobility phase exists in the first-stage sand bed. The main patterns of Cd, Pb, and Cr observed were the water-soluble, exchangeable, and residual forms, respectively. With the different Cl additives, the results showed that polyvinyl chloride addition increased metal mobility in the LTTSFB bottom ash, while, sodium chloride addition may have reduced metal mobility due to the formation of eutectic material. The second-stage sand bed was found to have a lower risk of metal leaching. The results also suggested that, the residual ashes produced by the LTTSFB system must be taken into consideration given their high metal mobility. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of commercial and residual sorbents and silicates as additives on the stabilisation/solidification of organic and inorganic industrial waste.

PubMed

Coz, A; Andrés, A; Soriano, S; Viguri, J R; Ruiz, M C; Irabien, J A

2009-05-30

An environmental problem of the foundry activities is the management of industrial waste generated in different processes. The foundry sludge from gas wet cleaning treatment that contains organic and inorganic compounds and a high content of water is an interesting example. Due to their characteristics, they can be managed using different stabilisation/solidification (S/S) technologies prior to land disposal. The purpose of this work is to study S/S formulations in order to improve the control of the mobility of the pollutants and the ecotoxicity of the samples. Different mixtures of cement or lime as binders and additives (foundry sand, silica fume, sodium silicate, silicic acid, activated carbon and black carbon) have been used in order to reduce the mobility of the chemical and ecotoxicological regulated parameters and to compare the results for commercial and residual additives. The best results have been obtained with sorbents (activated carbon and black carbon) or sodium silicate. The results of the foundry sand ash as additive can conclude that it can be used as replacement in the cement products. However, silica fume in the samples with lime and siliceous resin sand as additives gives products that do not fulfil the regulated limits. Finally, some linear expressions between the chemical parameters and the quantity of material used in the samples have been obtained.

Effects of Environmental Factors on Soluble Expression of a Humanized Anti-TNF-α scFv Antibody in Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

Sina, Mohammad; Farajzadeh, Davoud; Dastmalchi, Siavoush

2015-01-01

Purpose: The bacterial cultivation conditions for obtaining anti-TNF-α single chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody as the soluble product in E. coli was investigated. Methods: To avoid the production of inclusion bodies, the effects of lactose, IPTG, incubation time, temperature, shaking protocol, medium additives (Mg+2, sucrose), pH, osmotic and heat shocks were examined. Samples from bacterial growth conditions with promising results of soluble expression of GST-hD2 scFv were affinity purified and quantified by SDS-PAGE and image processing for further evaluation. Results: The results showed that cultivation in LB medium under induction by low concentrations of lactose and incubation at 10 °C led to partial solubilization of the expressed anti-TNF-α scFv (GST-hD2). Other variables which showed promising increase in soluble expression of GST-hD2 were osmotic shock and addition of magnesium chloride. Furthermore, addition of sucrose to medium suppressed the expression of scFv completely. The other finding was that the addition of sorbitol decreased the growth rate of bacteria. Conclusion: It can be concluded that low cultivation temperature in the presence of low amount of inducer under a long incubation time or addition of magnesium chloride are the most effective environmental factors studied for obtaining the maximum solubilization of GST-hD2 recombinant protein. PMID:26819916

Enhanced CO2 adsorptive performance of PEI/SBA-15 adsorbent using phosphate ester based surfactants as additives.

PubMed

Cheng, Dandan; Liu, Yue; Wang, Haiqiang; Weng, Xiaole; Wu, Zhongbiao

2015-12-01

In this study, a series of polyetherimide/SBA-15: 2-D hexagonal P6mm, Santa Barbara USA (PEI/SBA-15) adsorbents modified by phosphoric ester based surfactants (including tri(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEP), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (BEP) and trimethyl phosphonoacetate (TMPA)) were prepared for CO2 adsorption. Experimental results indicated that the addition of TEP and BEP had positive effects on CO2 adsorption capacity over PEI/SBA-15. In particular, the CO2 adsorption amount could be improved by around 20% for 45PEI-5TEP/SBA-15 compared to the additive-free adsorbent. This could be attributed to the decrease of CO2 diffusion resistance in the PEI bulk network due to the interactions between TEP and loaded PEI molecules, which was further confirmed by adsorption kinetics results. In addition, it was also found that the cyclic performance of the TEP-modified adsorbent was better than the surfactant-free one. This could be due to two main reasons, based on the results of in situ DRIFT and TG-DSC tests. First and more importantly, adsorbed CO2 species could be desorbed more rapidly over TEP-modified adsorbent during the thermal desorption process. Furthermore, the enhanced thermal stability after TEP addition ensured lower degradation of amine groups during adsorption/desorption cycles. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The global status of freshwater fish age validation studies and a prioritization framework for future research

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pope, Kevin L.; Hamel, Martin J.; Pegg, Mark A.; Spurgeon, Jonathan J.

2016-01-01

Age information derived from calcified structures is commonly used to estimate recruitment, growth, and mortality for fish populations. Validation of daily or annual marks on age structures is often assumed, presumably due to a lack of general knowledge concerning the status of age validation studies. Therefore, the current status of freshwater fish age validation studies was summarized to show where additional effort is needed, and increase the accessibility of validation studies to researchers. In total, 1351 original peer-reviewed articles were reviewed from freshwater systems that studied age in fish. Periodicity and age validation studies were found for 88 freshwater species comprising 21 fish families. The number of age validation studies has increased over the last 30 years following previous calls for more research; however, few species have validated structures spanning all life stages. In addition, few fishes of conservation concern have validated ageing structures. A prioritization framework, using a combination of eight characteristics, is offered to direct future age validation studies and close the validation information gap. Additional study, using the offered prioritization framework, and increased availability of published studies that incorporate uncertainty when presenting research results dealing with age information are needed.

DNA damage in human germ cell exposed to the some food additives in vitro.

PubMed

Pandir, Dilek

2016-08-01

The use of food additives has increased enormously in modern food technology but they have adverse effects in human healthy. The aim of this study was to investigate the DNA damage of some food additives such as citric acid (CA), benzoic acid (BA), brilliant blue (BB) and sunset yellow (SY) which were investigated in human male germ cells using comet assay. The sperm cells were incubated with different concentrations of these food additives (50, 100, 200 and 500 μg/mL) for 1 h at 32 °C. The results showed for CA, BA, BB and SY a dose dependent increase in tail DNA%, tail length and tail moment in human sperm when compared to control group. When control values were compared in the studied parameters in the treatment concentrations, SY was found to exhibit the highest level of DNA damage followed by BB > BA > CA. However, none of the food additives affected the tail DNA%, tail length and tail moment at 50 and 100 μg/mL. At 200 μg/mL of SY, the tail DNA% and tail length of sperm were 95.80 ± 0.28 and 42.56 ± 4.66, for BB the values were 95.06 ± 2.30 and 39.56 ± 3.78, whereas for BA the values were 89.05 ± 2.78 and 31.50 ± 0.71, for CA the values were 88.59 ± 6.45 and 13.59 ± 2.74, respectively. However, only the highest concentration of the used food additives significantly affected the studied parameters of sperm DNA. The present results indicate that SY and BB are more harmful than BA and CA to human sperm in vitro.

Effects of cobalt, boron, and zirconium on the microstructure of Udimet 738. M.S. Thesis. Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakanishi, T. G.

1984-01-01

A structural study was carried out on Co modified Udimet 738 alloys containing 0.04, 0.10, and 0.20 wt % Zr at 0.01 and 0.03 wt % B levels. Samples in the as-cast and solution-treated conditions were exposed at 843 C to study structural stability. The structures produced by the interactions of Co, Zr, and B were studied by SEM, X-ray diffraction, and dispersive analysis techniques. The additions of large amounts of Zr and B were found to increase the solidification range of the U-738. Structural changes involved eutectic gamma prime islands, formation of low melting point compounds, and precipitation of borides and Zr rich phases. Boron and zirconium additions did not show substantial changes in mechanical properties. Removal of Co from the alloys resulted in reduction of the matrix solubility for carbon and increase in the gamma prime solvus. Structural instabilities found were continuous grain boundary M23C6 films, MC breakdown, and plate-like phases. Removal of cobalt resulted in a slight decrease in tensile and stress rupture properties. Detailed structural results presented.

Physical and rheological properties of Titanium Dioxide modified asphalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buhari, Rosnawati; Ezree Abdullah, Mohd; Khairul Ahmad, Mohd; Chong, Ai Ling; Haini, Rosli; Khatijah Abu Bakar, Siti

2018-03-01

Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) has been known as a useful photocatalytic material that is attributed to the several characteristics includes high photocatalytic activity compared with other metal oxide photocatalysts, compatible with traditional construction materials without changing any original performance. This study investigates the physical and rheological properties of modified asphalt with TiO2. Five samples of asphalt with different concentration of TiO2 were studied, namely asphalt 2%, 4%, 6% 8% and 10% TiO2. The tests includes are penetration, softening point, ductility, rotational viscosity and dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) test. From the results of this study, it is noted that addition of TiO2 has significant effect on the physical properties of asphalt. The viscosity tests revealed that asphalt 10% TiO2 has good workability among with reducing approximately 15°C compared to base asphalt. Based on the results from DSR measurements, asphalt 10% TiO2 has reduced temperature susceptibility and increase stiffness and elastic behaviour in comparison to base asphalt. As a result, TiO2 can be considered to be an additive to modify the properties of asphalt.

Influence of red wine fermentation oenological additives on inoculated strain implantation.

PubMed

Duarte, Filomena L; Alves, Ana Claudia; Alemão, Maria Filomena; Baleiras-Couto, M Margarida

2013-06-01

Pure selected cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae starters are regularly used in the wine industry. A survey of S. cerevisiae populations during red wine fermentations was performed in order to evaluate the influence of oenological additives on the implantation of the inoculated strain. Pilot scale fermentations (500 L) were conducted with active dry yeast (ADY) and other commercial oenological additives, namely two commercial fermentation activators and two commercial tannins. Six microsatellite markers were used to type S. cerevisiae strains. The methodology proved to be very discriminating as a great diversity of wild strains (48 genotypes) was detected. Statistical analysis confirmed a high detection of the inoculated commercial strain, and for half the samples an effective implantation of ADY (over 80 %) was achieved. At late fermentation time, ADY strain implantation in fermentations conducted with commercial additives was lower than in the control. These results question the efficacy of ADY addition in the presence of other additives, indicating that further studies are needed to improve knowledge on oenological additives' use.

Grapheme-colour synaesthesia yields an ordinary rather than extraordinary memory advantage: evidence from a group study.

PubMed

Rothen, Nicolas; Meier, Beat

2010-04-01

In synaesthesia, the input of one sensory modality automatically triggers an additional experience, not normally triggered by the input of that modality. Therefore, compared to non-synaesthetes, additional experiences exist and these may be used as retrieval cues when memory is tested. Previous case studies have suggested that synaesthesia may yield even extraordinary memory abilities. However, group studies found either a task-specific memory advantage or no performance advantage at all. The aim of the present study was to test whether grapheme-colour synaesthesia gives rise to a general memory benefit using a standardised memory test (Wechsler Memory Scale). The synaesthetes showed a performance advantage in episodic memory tests, but not in short-term memory tests. However, performance was still within the ordinary range. The results support the hypothesis that synaesthesia provides for a richer world of experience and as a consequence additional retrieval cues may be available and beneficial but not to the point of extraordinary memory ability.

Autonomy and the Student Experience in Introductory Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Nicholas Ron

The role of autonomy in the student experience in a large-enrollment undergraduate introductory physics course was studied from a Self-Determination Theory perspective with two studies. Study I, a correlational study, investigated whether certain aspects of the student experience correlated with how autonomy supportive (vs. controlling) students perceived their instructors to be. An autonomy supportive instructor acknowledges students' perspectives, feelings, and perceptions and provides students with information and opportunities for choice, while minimizing external pressures. It was found that the degree to which students perceived their instructors as autonomy supportive was positively correlated with student interest and enjoyment in learning physics (beta=0.31***) and negatively correlated with student anxiety about taking physics (beta=-0.23**). It was also positively correlated with how autonomous (vs. controlled) students' reasons for studying physics became over the duration of the course (i.e., studying physics more because they wanted to vs. had to; beta=0.24***). This change in autonomous reasons for studying physics was in turn positively correlated with student performance in the course (beta=0.17*). Additionally, the degree to which students perceived their instructors as autonomy supportive was directly correlated with performance for those students entering the course with relatively autonomous reasons for studying physics (beta=0.25**). In summary, students who perceived their instructors as more autonomy supportive tended to have a more favorable experience in the course. If greater autonomy support was in fact the cause of a more favorable student experience, as suggested by Self-determination Theory and experimental studies in other contexts, these results would have implications for instruction and instructor professional development in similar contexts. I discuss these implications. Study II, an experimental study, investigated the effect, on the student experience, of the number of opportunities for choice built into the course format. This was done by comparing two sets of classes. In one set of classes, students spent each class period working through a required series of activities. In the other set of classes, with additional choice, students were free to choose what to work on during nearly half of each class. It was found that the effect of additional choice on student interest and enjoyment in learning physics was significantly different for men vs. women, with a Cohen's d of 0.62 (0.16-1.08; 95% CI). Men became somewhat more interested with additional choice and women became less interested. This gender difference in interest and enjoyment as a result of additional choice could not be accounted for by differences in performance. It was also found that only in classes with additional choice did performance in the course correlate with the degree to which students reasons for studying physics became more autonomous during the quarter (beta=0.30*). I discuss the implications that these effects of additional choice have for instruction and course design in similar contexts.

The Variation Analysis of DNA Methylation in Wheat Carrying Gametocidal Chromosome 3C from Aegilops triuncialis

PubMed Central

Wang, Dan; Zhao, Jieyu; Bai, Yan; Ao, You; Guo, Changhong

2017-01-01

Gametocidal (Gc) chromosomes can ensure their preferential transmission by killing the gametes without themselves through causing chromosome breakage and therefore have been exploited as an effective tool for genetic breeding. However, to date very little is known about the molecular mechanism of Gc action. In this study, we used methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) technique to assess the extent and pattern of cytosine methylation alterations at the whole genome level between two lines of wheat Gc addition line and their common wheat parent. The results indicated that the overall levels of cytosine methylation of two studied Gc addition lines (CS–3C and CS–3C3C, 48.68% and 48.65%, respectively) were significantly increased when compared to common wheat CS (41.31%) and no matter fully methylated or hemimethylated rates enhanced in Gc addition lines. A set of 30 isolated fragments that showed different DNA methylation or demethylation patterns between the three lines were sequenced and the results indicated that 8 fragments showed significant homology to known sequences, of which three were homologous to MITE transposon (Miniature inverted–repeat transposable elements), LTR-retrotransposon WIS-1p and retrotransposon Gypsy, respectively. Overall, our results showed that DNA methylation could play a role in the Gc action. PMID:28796162

The Variation Analysis of DNA Methylation in Wheat Carrying Gametocidal Chromosome 3C from Aegilops triuncialis.

PubMed

Wang, Dan; Zhao, Jieyu; Bai, Yan; Ao, You; Guo, Changhong

2017-08-10

Gametocidal (Gc) chromosomes can ensure their preferential transmission by killing the gametes without themselves through causing chromosome breakage and therefore have been exploited as an effective tool for genetic breeding. However, to date very little is known about the molecular mechanism of Gc action. In this study, we used methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) technique to assess the extent and pattern of cytosine methylation alterations at the whole genome level between two lines of wheat Gc addition line and their common wheat parent. The results indicated that the overall levels of cytosine methylation of two studied Gc addition lines (CS-3C and CS-3C3C, 48.68% and 48.65%, respectively) were significantly increased when compared to common wheat CS (41.31%) and no matter fully methylated or hemimethylated rates enhanced in Gc addition lines. A set of 30 isolated fragments that showed different DNA methylation or demethylation patterns between the three lines were sequenced and the results indicated that 8 fragments showed significant homology to known sequences, of which three were homologous to MITE transposon (Miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements), LTR-retrotransposon WIS-1p and retrotransposon Gypsy , respectively. Overall, our results showed that DNA methylation could play a role in the Gc action.

The Impact of Hospital Mergers on Treatment Intensity and Health Outcomes

PubMed Central

Hayford, Tamara B

2012-01-01

Objective To analyze the impact of hospital mergers on treatment intensity and health outcomes. Data Hospital inpatient data from California for 1990 through 2006, encompassing 40 mergers. Study Design I used a geographic-based IV approach to determine the effect of a zip code's exposure to a merger. The merged facility's market share represents exposure, instrumented with combined premerge shares. Additional specifications include Herfindahl Index (HHI), instrumented with predicted change in HHI. Results The primary specification results indicate that merger completion is associated with a 3.7 percent increase in the utilization of bypass surgery and angioplasty and a 1.7 percent increase in inpatient mortality above averages in 2000 for the average zip code. Isolating the competition mechanism mutes the treatment intensity result slightly, but it more than doubles the merger exposure effect on inpatient mortality to a 3.9 percent increase. The competition mechanism is associated with a sizeable increase in number of procedures. Conclusions Unlike previous studies, this analysis finds that hospital mergers are associated with increased treatment intensity and higher inpatient mortality rates among heart disease patients. Access to additional outcome measures such as 30-day mortality and readmission rates might shed additional light on whether the relationship between these outcomes is causal. PMID:22098308

Microarray platform affords improved product analysis in mammalian cell growth studies

PubMed Central

Li, Lingyun; Migliore, Nicole; Schaefer, Eugene; Sharfstein, Susan T.; Dordick, Jonathan S.; Linhardt, Robert J.

2014-01-01

High throughput (HT) platforms serve as cost-efficient and rapid screening method for evaluating the effect of cell culture conditions and screening of chemicals. The aim of the current study was to develop a high-throughput cell-based microarray platform to assess the effect of culture conditions on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Specifically, growth, transgene expression and metabolism of a GS/MSX CHO cell line, which produces a therapeutic monoclonal antibody, was examined using microarray system in conjunction with conventional shake flask platform in a non-proprietary medium. The microarray system consists of 60 nl spots of cells encapsulated in alginate and separated in groups via an 8-well chamber system attached to the chip. Results show the non-proprietary medium developed allows cell growth, production and normal glycosylation of recombinant antibody and metabolism of the recombinant CHO cells in both the microarray and shake flask platforms. In addition, 10.3 mM glutamate addition to the defined base media results in lactate metabolism shift in the recombinant GS/MSX CHO cells in the shake flask platform. Ultimately, the results demonstrate that the high-throughput microarray platform has the potential to be utilized for evaluating the impact of media additives on cellular processes, such as, cell growth, metabolism and productivity. PMID:24227746

Supplemental Screening for Breast Cancer in Women With Dense Breasts: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

PubMed

Melnikow, Joy; Fenton, Joshua J; Whitlock, Evelyn P; Miglioretti, Diana L; Weyrich, Meghan S; Thompson, Jamie H; Shah, Kunal

2016-02-16

Screening mammography has lower sensitivity and specificity in women with dense breasts, who experience higher breast cancer risk. To perform a systematic review of reproducibility of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) density categorization and test performance and clinical outcomes of supplemental screening with breast ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) in women with dense breasts and negative mammography results. MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane database from January 2000 to July 2015. Studies reporting BI-RADS density reproducibility or supplemental screening results for women with dense breasts. Quality assessment and abstraction of 24 studies from 7 countries; 6 studies were good-quality. Three good-quality studies reported reproducibility of BI-RADS density; 13% to 19% of women were recategorized between "dense" and "nondense" at subsequent screening. Two good-quality studies reported that sensitivity of ultrasonography for women with negative mammography results ranged from 80% to 83%; specificity, from 86% to 94%; and positive predictive value (PPV), from 3% to 8%. The sensitivity of MRI ranged from 75% to 100%; specificity, from 78% to 94%; and PPV, from 3% to 33% (3 studies). Rates of additional cancer detection with ultrasonography were 4.4 per 1000 examinations (89% to 93% invasive); recall rates were 14%. Use of MRI detected 3.5 to 28.6 additional cancer cases per 1000 examinations (34% to 86% invasive); recall rates were 12% to 24%. Rates of cancer detection with DBT increased by 1.4 to 2.5 per 1000 examinations compared with mammography alone (3 studies). Recall rates ranged from 7% to 11%, compared with 7% to 17% with mammography alone. No studies examined breast cancer outcomes. Good-quality evidence was sparse. Studies were small and CIs were wide. Definitions of recall were absent or inconsistent. Density ratings may be recategorized on serial screening mammography. Supplemental screening of women with dense breasts finds additional breast cancer but increases false-positive results. Use of DBT may reduce recall rates. Effects of supplemental screening on breast cancer outcomes remain unclear. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Social and Demographic Effects of Anthropogenic Mortality: A Test of the Compensatory Mortality Hypothesis in the Red Wolf

PubMed Central

Sparkman, Amanda M.; Waits, Lisette P.; Murray, Dennis L.

2011-01-01

Whether anthropogenic mortality is additive or compensatory to natural mortality in animal populations has long been a question of theoretical and practical importance. Theoretically, under density-dependent conditions populations compensate for anthropogenic mortality through decreases in natural mortality and/or increases in productivity, but recent studies of large carnivores suggest that anthropogenic mortality can be fully additive to natural mortality and thereby constrain annual survival and population growth rate. Nevertheless, mechanisms underlying either compensatory or additive effects continue to be poorly understood. Using long-term data on a reintroduced population of the red wolf, we tested for evidence of additive vs. compensatory effects of anthropogenic mortality on annual survival and population growth rates, and the preservation and reproductive success of breeding pairs. We found that anthropogenic mortality had a strong additive effect on annual survival and population growth rate at low population density, though there was evidence for compensation in population growth at high density. When involving the death of a breeder, anthropogenic mortality was also additive to natural rates of breeding pair dissolution, resulting in a net decrease in the annual preservation of existing breeding pairs. However, though the disbanding of a pack following death of a breeder resulted in fewer recruits per litter relative to stable packs, there was no relationship between natural rates of pair dissolution and population growth rate at either high or low density. Thus we propose that short-term additive effects of anthropogenic mortality on population growth in the red wolf population at low density were primarily a result of direct mortality of adults rather than indirect socially-mediated effects resulting in reduced recruitment. Finally, we also demonstrate that per capita recruitment and the proportion of adults that became reproductive declined steeply with increasing population density, suggesting that there is potential for density-dependent compensation of anthropogenically-mediated population regulation. PMID:21738589

Identification of flavour additives in tobacco products to develop a flavour library

PubMed Central

Krüsemann, Erna JZ; Visser, Wouter F; Cremers, Johannes WJM; Pennings, Jeroen LA; Talhout, Reinskje

2018-01-01

Objectives This study combines chemical analysis and flavour descriptions of flavour additives used in tobacco products, and provides a starting point to build an extensive library of flavour components, useful for product surveillance. Methods Headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to compare 22 commercially available tobacco products (cigarettes and roll-your-own) expected to have a characterising flavour and 6 commercially available products not expected to have a characterising flavour with 5 reference products (natural tobacco leaves and research cigarettes containing no flavour additives). The flavour components naturally present in the reference products were excluded from components present in commercially available products containing flavour additives. A description of the remaining flavour additives was used for categorisation. Results GC-MS measurements of the 33 tobacco products resulted in an overview of 186 chemical compounds. Of these, 144 were solely present in commercially available products. These 144 flavour additives were described using 62 different flavour descriptors extracted from flavour databases, which were categorised into eight groups largely based on the definition of characterising flavours from the European Tobacco Product Directive: fruit, spice, herb, alcohol, menthol, sweet, floral and miscellaneous. Conclusions We developed a method to identify and describe flavour additives in tobacco products. Flavour additives consist of single flavour compounds or mixtures of multiple flavour compounds, and different combinations of flavour compounds can cause a certain flavour. A flavour library helps to detect flavour additives that are characteristic for a certain flavour, and thus can be useful for regulation of flavours in tobacco and related products. PMID:28190004

Science teachers' knowledge, beliefs, values, and concerns of teaching through inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assiri, Yahya Ibrahim

This study investigated elementary science teachers' knowledge, beliefs, values, and concerns of teaching through inquiry. A mixed-methods research design was utilized to address the research questions. Since this study was designed as a mixed-methods research approach, the researcher gathered two type of data: quantitative and qualitative. The study was conducted in Mohayel School District, Saudi Arabia. The information was collected from 51 participants using a questionnaire with multiple choice questions; also, 11 participants were interviewed. After collecting the data, descriptive and comparative approaches were used. In addition, themes and codes were used to obtain the results. The results indicated that the mean of elementary science teachers' knowledge was 51.23%, which was less than 60% which was the acceptable score. Also, the qualitative results showed that science teachers had a limited background of teaching through inquiry. In addition, the elementary science teachers had a high level of belief to teach science through inquiry since the mean was 3.99 out of 5.00. These quantitative results were confirmed by the qualitative data. Moreover, the overall mean of elementary science teachers was 4.01, which indicated that they believed in the importance of teaching science through inquiry which was also confirmed by the responses of teachers in the interviews. Also, the findings indicated that elementary school science teachers had concerns about teaching science through inquiry since the overall mean was 3.53. In addition, the interviewees mentioned that they faced some obstacles when they teach by inquiry, such as time, resources, class size, and the teachers' background. Generally, the results did not show any significant differences among elementary science teachers' knowledge, beliefs, values, and concerns depending on gender, level of education, and teaching experience. However, the findings indicated there was one significant difference which was the level of teaching experience between groups: (6-10) years and (11-15) years, and (16- more) and (11-15) years. In addition, the implications and suggestions for future research were provided to enhance teaching science through inquiry.

Improving basic and translational science by accounting for litter-to-litter variation in animal models

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Animals from the same litter are often more alike compared with animals from different litters. This litter-to-litter variation, or “litter effects”, can influence the results in addition to the experimental factors of interest. Furthermore, sometimes an experimental treatment can only be applied to whole litters rather than to individual offspring. An example is the valproic acid (VPA) model of autism, where VPA is administered to pregnant females thereby inducing the disease phenotype in the offspring. With this type of experiment the sample size is the number of litters and not the total number of offspring. If such experiments are not appropriately designed and analysed, the results can be severely biased as well as extremely underpowered. Results A review of the VPA literature showed that only 9% (3/34) of studies correctly determined that the experimental unit (n) was the litter and therefore made valid statistical inferences. In addition, litter effects accounted for up to 61% (p <0.001) of the variation in behavioural outcomes, which was larger than the treatment effects. In addition, few studies reported using randomisation (12%) or blinding (18%), and none indicated that a sample size calculation or power analysis had been conducted. Conclusions Litter effects are common, large, and ignoring them can make replication of findings difficult and can contribute to the low rate of translating preclinical in vivo studies into successful therapies. Only a minority of studies reported using rigorous experimental methods, which is consistent with much of the preclinical in vivo literature. PMID:23522086

Cardiotoxic (Arrhythmogenic) Effects of 1,1-Difluoroethane Due to Electrolyte Imbalance and Cardiomyocyte Damage.

PubMed

Joshi, Kaushal; Barletta, Michael; Wurpel, John

2017-06-01

Inhalant abuse is the intentional inhalation of chemical vapors to attain euphoric effects. Many common household products are abused by inhalation and one is 1,1-difluoroethane (DFE), which is a halogenated hydrocarbon used in refrigeration, dust-off spray, and airbrush painting. Although many human DFE abuse cases have been studied, the etiology and mechanism of sudden death is still unknown. In this study, an animal model was used to simulate the human conditions of DFE inhalation abuse that results in sudden death.Current research targets mechanistic studies involving electrolyte changes and cardiomyocyte damage after DFE administration in vivo. To investigate these changes, Sprague Dawley rats (N = 6) were exposed to 30 seconds of 20 L/min of DFE in multiple doses. Isoflurane acted as a control. Two additional groups, epinephrine and epinephrine + DFE, were included to simulate the clinical condition of DFE abuse. Plasma sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium levels were measured, followed by lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and cardiac troponin I levels. In addition, oxidative stress markers were also evaluated in all animal groups. Electrolyte levels showed a significant rise in plasma potassium and magnesium levels for the treated groups. In addition, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and cardiac troponin I levels in DFE and epinephrine + DFE administered rats were significantly elevated as compared with control. Some oxidative stress makers were also elevated significantly in treatment groups. Furthermore, histopathological analysis showed hyperemia/congestion in treated rats.These results support cardiotoxic effects indicating that DFE results in fatal arrhythmias, and the study can be important during clinical cases involving inhalant abuse.

Does Wearable Medical Technology With Video Recording Capability Add Value to On-Call Surgical Evaluations?

PubMed

Gupta, Sameer; Boehme, Jacqueline; Manser, Kelly; Dewar, Jannine; Miller, Amie; Siddiqui, Gina; Schwaitzberg, Steven D

2016-10-01

Background Google Glass has been used in a variety of medical settings with promising results. We explored the use and potential value of an asynchronous, near-real time protocol-which avoids transmission issues associated with real-time applications-for recording, uploading, and viewing of high-definition (HD) visual media in the emergency department (ED) to facilitate remote surgical consults. Study Design First-responder physician assistants captured pertinent aspects of the physical examination and diagnostic imaging using Google Glass' HD video or high-resolution photographs. This visual media were then securely uploaded to the study website. The surgical consultation then proceeded over the phone in the usual fashion and a clinical decision was made. The surgeon then accessed the study website to review the uploaded video. This was followed by a questionnaire regarding how the additional data impacted the consultation. Results The management plan changed in 24% (11) of cases after surgeons viewed the video. Five of these plans involved decision making regarding operative intervention. Although surgeons were generally confident in their initial management plan, confidence scores increased further in 44% (20) of cases. In addition, we surveyed 276 ED patients on their opinions regarding concerning the practice of health care providers wearing and using recording devices in the ED. The survey results revealed that the majority of patients are amenable to the addition of wearable technology with video functionality to their care. Conclusions This study demonstrates the potential value of a medically dedicated, hands-free, HD recording device with internet connectivity in facilitating remote surgical consultation. © The Author(s) 2016.

Effect of CaCl2 on the property of an anionic surfactant monolayer formed at the air/water interface: a molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Tiantian; You, Jing; Yu, Jiliang; Fan, Chengcheng; Ma, Yunfei; Cui, Yanjie; Gao, Shanshan; Li, Yongbin; Hu, Songqing; Liu, Huiqin

2017-12-01

Molecular dynamics simulation had been carried out to investigate the influence of CaCl2 on the aggregation behaviour of sodium dodecyl polyoxyethylene sulfonate (A12E2SO3) at the air/water interface. First, structure properties of A12E2SO3 monolayer was studied by analyzing the snapshots of the configuration and density profiles of different components in A12E2SO3 systems. Results showed that Ca2+ could replace some Na+ to combine with the hydrophilic headgroups. Besides, the addition of CaCl2 could reduce the thickness of water layer at the interface. Second, the interactions between A12E2SO3 headgroups and water molecules were studied through calculating radial distribution functions (RDFs) between water molecules and the sulfonate group, as well as the oxyethyl group. Results revealed that Ca2+ could penetrate the hydration layer of the sulfonate group, but could not enter the first hydration layer of the oxygen ethyl group close to the sulfonate group. The addition of CaCl2 could make the degree of hydration more orderly and the thickness of hydration layer in the headgroups of A12E2SO3 molecules increase. Third, the property of interface double layer was studied through analyzing RDFs of the headgroups and counterions. Results showed that the addition of CaCl2 could not only reduce the interaction between the headgroups and the counterions, but also compress the thickness of the electric double layer in A12E2SO3 system.

The Edison Environmental Center Permeable Pavement Site: Initial Results from a Stormwater Control Designed for Monitoring

EPA Science Inventory

There are few detailed studies of full-scale, replicated, actively-used permeable pavement systems. Practitioners need additional studies of permeable pavement systems in its intended application (parking lot, roadway, etc.) across a range of climatic events, daily usage conditio...

Water, temperature, and defoliation effects on perennial grassland respiration

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Changes in respiration can have a profound effect on ecosystem C balance. This talk will present results from eddy covariance studies describing environment and management effects on ecosystem C flux from cool- and warm-season perennial grasslands. In addition, stable C isotope studies that partitio...

A preliminary study of crack initiation and growth at stress concentration sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawicke, D. S.; Gallagher, J. P.; Hartman, G. A.; Rajendran, A. M.

1982-01-01

Crack initiation and propagation models for notches are examined. The Dowling crack initiation model and the E1 Haddad et al. crack propagation model were chosen for additional study. Existing data was used to make a preliminary evaluation of the crack propagation model. The results indicate that for the crack sizes in the test, the elastic parameter K gave good correlation for the crack growth rate data. Additional testing, directed specifically toward the problem of small cracks initiating and propagating from notches is necessary to make a full evaluation of these initiation and propagation models.

On the asymptotic improvement of supervised learning by utilizing additional unlabeled samples - Normal mixture density case

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shahshahani, Behzad M.; Landgrebe, David A.

1992-01-01

The effect of additional unlabeled samples in improving the supervised learning process is studied in this paper. Three learning processes. supervised, unsupervised, and combined supervised-unsupervised, are compared by studying the asymptotic behavior of the estimates obtained under each process. Upper and lower bounds on the asymptotic covariance matrices are derived. It is shown that under a normal mixture density assumption for the probability density function of the feature space, the combined supervised-unsupervised learning is always superior to the supervised learning in achieving better estimates. Experimental results are provided to verify the theoretical concepts.

Fish scale collagen sponge incorporated with Macrotyloma uniflorum plant extract as a possible wound/burn dressing material.

PubMed

Muthukumar, Thangavelu; Prabu, P; Ghosh, Kausik; Sastry, Thotapalli Parvathaleswara

2014-01-01

Application of plant extracts for the burn/wound treatment is followed over the decades as a common practice and it is an important aspect in clinical management. In this study porous collagen sponges (CS) were prepared using fish scales and were incorporated with mupirocin (CSM) and extracts of Macrotyloma uniflorum (CSPE) separately to impart antimicrobial activity to the sponges. The results showed that the addition of plant extract increased the tensile strength of CSPE and stability against collagenase enzyme. FTIR studies have shown the incorporation of plant extract in CSPE, SEM studies have revealed the porous nature of the sponges and XRD patterns have shown the retention of collagen triple helical structure even after the addition of plant extract. CSPE and CSM have exhibited antimicrobial properties. The sponges prepared were analysed for their in vitro biocompatibility studies using fibroblasts and keratinocyte cell lines and the results have shown their biocompatible nature. Based on the results obtained, CS, CSM and CSPE may be tried as a burn/wound dressing materials, initially, in small animals in vivo. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Progression of aging in Mexico: the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) 2012

PubMed Central

Wong, Rebeca; Michaels-Obregón, Alejandra; Palloni, Alberto; Gutiérrez-Robledo, Luis Miguel; González-González, César; López-Ortega, Mariana; Téllez-Rojo, Martha María; Mendoza-Alvarado, Laura Rosario

2015-01-01

Objective To describe the third wave of the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), completed in 2012, and present preliminary results. Materials and methods Descriptive analyses by gender and age group of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health conditions and health behaviors, as well as social support and life satisfaction measures are presented. In addition, external validations are presented by comparing MHAS 2012 indicators with other national data sources. Results For the panel of older adults in the sample, the rate of health care insurance coverage increased greatly between 2001 and 2012, a significantly higher change in rural compared to urban areas. The results for 2012 are consistent with the previous two waves for the main indicators of health and physical disability prevalence, risk factors, and behaviors. Conclusions The MHAS offers a unique opportunity to study aging in Mexico, as well as to complete cross-national comparisons. The cumulative number of deaths in the cohort should support the study of mortality and its association with health outcomes and behaviors over the life cycle. In addition, the sub-samples of objective markers will enable methodological research on self-reports and associations of biomarkers in old age with similar health outcomes and behaviors. PMID:26172238

Enhancement of the Mechanical Properties of Basalt Fiber-Wood-Plastic Composites via Maleic Anhydride Grafted High-Density Polyethylene (MAPE) Addition

PubMed Central

Chen, Jinxiang; Wang, Yong; Gu, Chenglong; Liu, Jianxun; Liu, Yufu; Li, Min; Lu, Yun

2013-01-01

This study investigated the mechanisms, using microscopy and strength testing approaches, by which the addition of maleic anhydride grafted high-density polyethylene (MAPE) enhances the mechanical properties of basalt fiber-wood-plastic composites (BF-WPCs). The maximum values of the specific tensile and flexural strengths areachieved at a MAPE content of 5%–8%. The elongation increases rapidly at first and then continues slowly. The nearly complete integration of the wood fiber with the high-density polyethylene upon MAPE addition to WPC is examined, and two models of interfacial behavior are proposed. We examined the physical significance of both interfacial models and their ability to accurately describe the effects of MAPE addition. The mechanism of formation of the Model I interface and the integrated matrix is outlined based on the chemical reactions that may occur between the various components as a result of hydrogen bond formation or based on the principle of compatibility, resulting from similar polarity. The Model I fracture occurred on the outer surface of the interfacial layer, visually demonstrating the compatibilization effect of MAPE addition. PMID:28809285

Synthesis of Quaternary Ammonium Salts Based on Diketopyrrolopyrroles Skeletons and Their Applications in Copper Electroplating.

PubMed

Chen, Biao; Xu, Jie; Wang, Limin; Song, Longfeng; Wu, Shengying

2017-03-01

A series of DPP derivatives bearing quaternary ammonium salt centers with different lengths of carbon chains have been designed and synthesized. Their inhibition actions on copper electroplating were first investigated. A total of four diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) derivatives showed different inhibition capabilities on copper electroplating. To investigate interactions between metal surface and additives, we used quantum chemical calculations. Static and dynamic surface tension of four DPP derivatives had been measured, and the results showed DPP-10C (1c) with a faster-decreasing rate of dynamic surface tension among the four derivatives, which indicated higher adsorption rate of additive on the cathode surface and gives rise to stronger inhibiting effect of copper electrodeposition. Then, DPP-10C (1c) as the representative additive, was selected for the systematic study of the leveling influence during microvia filling through comprehensive electroplating tests. In addition, field-emission scanning electron microscope images and X-ray diffraction results showed the surface morphology, which indicated that addition of DPP derivative (1c) could lead a fine copper deposit and cause the preferential orientations of copper deposits to change from [220] to [111], which happened in particular at higher concentrations.

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.

The Effect of Ca Content on the Microstructure, Hardness and Tensile Properties of AZ81 Mg Cast Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allameh, S. H.; Emamy, M.

2017-05-01

The effects of various Ca contents (0.1-4 wt.%) on the microstructure and tensile properties of AZ81 magnesium alloy were investigated with the contribution of an analytical method. Ca addition (up to 1.0 wt.%) refined the alloy microstructure but further addition of Ca resulted in a coarse structure and introduced large dendrites within the grains. The changes in the microstructures revealed that Al4Ca, Al2Ca, τ-Mg32(A1,Zn)49 and ɛ-MgZn intermetallics are formed in the alloy as a result of Ca addition and Al consumption. The assessment of tensile properties of AZ81-1.0 wt.%Ca alloy showed the optimum values of yield strength and ultimate tensile strength, while AZ81-0.7 wt.%Ca alloy showed maximum elongation. The reduction in tensile properties of the cast alloy by the addition of more Ca was attributed to grain coarsening and evolution of a network of intermetallic compounds. FF study of tensile fractured surfaces indicated that Ca addition encourages brittle mode of fracture propagating through precipitated intermetallics in the structure.

Convergent and divergent pathways decoding hierarchical additive mechanisms in treating cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying-Ying; Li, Hai-Xia; Chen, Yin-Ying; Fang, Hong; Yu, Ya-Nan; Liu, Jun; Jing, Zhi-Wei; Wang, Zhong; Wang, Yong-Yan

2014-03-01

Cerebral ischemia is considered to be a highly complex disease resulting from the complicated interplay of multiple pathways. Disappointedly, most of the previous studies were limited to a single gene or a single pathway. The extent to which all involved pathways are translated into fusing mechanisms of a combination therapy is of fundamental importance. We report an integrative strategy to reveal the additive mechanism that a combination (BJ) of compound baicalin (BA) and jasminoidin (JA) fights against cerebral ischemia based on variation of pathways and functional communities. We identified six pathways of BJ group that shared diverse additive index from 0.09 to 1, which assembled broad cross talks from seven pathways of BA and 16 pathways of JA both at horizontal and vertical levels. Besides a total of 60 overlapping functions as a robust integration background among the three groups based on significantly differential subnetworks, additive mechanism with strong confidence by networks altered functions. These results provide strong evidence that the additive mechanism is more complex than previously appreciated, and an integrative analysis of pathways may suggest an important paradigm for revealing pharmacological mechanisms underlying drug combinations. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of Sr Additive Amount and Holding Time on Microstructure of A390 Aluminum Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J. H.; Xing, S. M.; Han, Q. Y.; Guo, Q.; Wang, R. F.

2017-11-01

The microstructure of A390 alloy under different Sr additive amounts and holding times was studied by means of direct reading spectrum analysis, energy spectrum analysis, optical microscope and electron microscope. The results show that Sr has a good modification to eutectic Si, while it has a negative effect on primary silicon. The Sr addition will increase the size of primary silicon. When the addition amount of Al-10Sr alloy is 0.6%, the modification of eutectic silicon is the optimum. The Sr has a short incubation period and a fine modification at 10min, but it is more serious burning rate in small furnace smelting, and the modification effect disappears basically after 100min.

Effect of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Addition on the Properties of Hydrothermal Derived Calcium Phosphate Cement for Bone Filling Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razali, N. N.; Sopyan, I.; Mel, M.; Salleh, H. M.; Rahman, M. M.; Singh, R.

2017-06-01

The effect of addition of poly(vinyl alcohol) on hydrothermal derived calcium phosphate cement has been studied. The precursors used to prepare the cement were calcium oxide (CaO) and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (NH4H2PO4); the reaction was conducted in water at 80-100°C. To improve properties of CPC, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) of 1wt% and 2wt% was added to the liquid phase of CPC and the results were compared to CPC without PVA addition. The addition of PVA was proved to bring remarkable effects on cohesion, setting time and mechanical strength of CPC which make it suitable physically for injectable bone filler applications.

TiO2 anode materials for lithium-ion batteries with different morphology and additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiang; Ng, Yip Hang; Leung, Yu Hang; Liu, Fangzhou; Djurišic, Aleksandra B.; Xie, Mao Hai; Chan, Wai Kin

2014-03-01

Electrochemical performances of different TiO2 nanostructures, TiO2/CNT composite and TiO2 with titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) treatment anode were investigated. For different TiO2 nanostructures, we investigated vertically aligned TiO2 nanotubes on Ti foil and TiO2 nanotube-powders fabricated by rapid breakdown anodization technique. The morphology of the prepared samples was characterized by scanning probe microscopy (SEM). The electrochemical lithium storage abilities were studied by galvanostatic method. In addition, carbon nanotubes (CNT) additives and solution treatment process of TiO2 anode were investigated, and the results show that the additives and treatment could enhance the cycling performance of the TiO2 anode on lithium ion batteries.

Religiousness and preoperative anxiety: a correlational study.

PubMed

Kalkhoran, Masoomeh Aghamohammadi; Karimollahi, Mansoureh

2007-06-29

Major life changes are among factors that cause anxiety, and one of these changes is surgery. Emotional reactions to surgery have specific effects on the intensity and velocity as well as the process of physical disease. In addition, they can cause delay in patients recovery. This study is aimed at determining the relationship between religious beliefs and preoperative anxiety. This survey is a correlational study to assess the relationship between religious beliefs and preoperative anxiety of patients undergoing abdominal, orthopaedic, and gynaecologic surgery in educational hospitals. We used the convenience sampling method. The data collection instruments included a questionnaire containing the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and another questionnaire formulated by the researcher with queries on religious beliefs and demographic characteristics as well as disease-related information. Analysis of the data was carried out with SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results were arranged in three tables. The findings showed that almost all the subjects had high level of religiosity and moderate level of anxiety. In addition, there was an inverse relationship between religiosity and intensity of anxiety, though this was not statistically significant. The results of this study can be used as evidence for presenting religious counselling and spiritual interventions for individuals undergoing stress. Finally, based on the results of this study, the researcher suggested some recommendations for applying results and conducting further research.

Design, methodology, and baseline data of the Personalized Addition Lenses Clinical Trial (PACT)

PubMed Central

Yu, Xinping; Zhang, Binjun; Bao, Jinhua; Zhang, Junxiao; Wu, Ge; Xu, Jinling; Zheng, Jingwei; Drobe, Björn; Chen, Hao

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to describe the design, methods, and baseline characteristics of children enrolled in the Personalized Addition lenses Clinical Trial (PACT). PACT aims to test the myopia control efficacy of progressive addition lenses (PALs) with personalized addition values compared with standard (+2.00 D) addition PALs and single vision lenses (SVLs). Methods: PACT is a randomized, controlled, double-masked clinical trial. Two hundred eleven myopic Chinese children (7–12 years) were enrolled and randomized into 1 of the 3 following groups: personalized addition PALs; +2.00 addition PALs; and SVLs. Personalized addition values were determined based on the highest addition that satisfied Sheard criterion. Axial length and other biometric data were also recorded. Results: At baseline, no differences were found between the right and left eyes for any of the main parameters. The enrolled children were 9.7 ± 1.1 years’ old with cycloplegic autorefraction (right eye [OD]: −2.36 ± 0.64 D), near phoria (1.0 ± 5.0 prism diopter esophoria), lag of accommodation (1.40 ± 0.50 D) and axial length (OD: 24.58 ± 0.74 mm). The personalized addition values ranged from +0.75 to +3.00 (average ± SD: 2.19 ± 0.73 D). Conclusion: PACT is a clinical trial evaluating whether myopia progression in children can be slowed by wearing personalized addition PALs compared with fixed addition PALs and SVLs as measured by cycloplegic autorefraction and axial length. Baseline data were comparable with those of previous myopia control studies in children. Subjects will be followed up every 6 months for 2 years. PMID:28296722

Leadership and Management Education and Training (LMET) Effectiveness: A Pilot Study for Evaluation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

under examination. In addition, the necessity to conduct an efficient yet thorough evaluation further compounds the decision maker’s dilemma . One...addition, each school developed its own curriculum and style resulting in wide differences between schools as to what was actually being presented . 22...James L. Holloway, III, and top Navy leaders found themselves in a dilemma . A comprehensive review and examination of existing leadership and manage

Rab10 Disruption Results in Delayed OPC Maturation.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhao-Huan; Zhao, Wei-Qian; Ma, Fan-Fei; Zhang, Hui; Xu, Xiao-Hui

2017-10-01

Oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) maturation requires membrane addition for myelin sheath formation. Since the Rab system has been shown to contribute to membrane addition in other cell types, in this study, we explored the role of Rab in OPC maturation. SiRNA and shRNA techniques and conditional knockout mice provided in vitro and in vivo evidence that Rab10 is involved in OPC maturation and may affect myelination during OPC development.

A preliminary study on the reduction of limonite ore by using rice husk as a reducing agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maksum, Ahmad; Husein, Michael Kelvin E.; Permana, Sulaksana; Rustandi, Andi; Wahyuadi Soedarsono, Johny

2018-03-01

The abundant of rice husk in Indonesia has encouraged researchers to study the feasibility of rice husk for substituting material that is more expensive or dangerous. In previous study, silica with a purity of 99.9% has been obtained from rice husk with calcinations process. Nevertheless, the gases resulting from the process were not used and left useless. Therefore, in this study, those gases derived from rice husk calcinations process were used as reducing agents during the ferronickel (Fe-Ni) production through a direct reduction process. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the amount of rice husk in the pellets on the increase of nickel content in the limonite reduction process. The limonite ore were crushed to the size of less than 150 mesh using disc-mill, and then were mixed with rice husk powder (10, 20, 30 in wt % mass) before being pelletized using bentonite as a binder. The resulted pellets were roasted at 500°C for 60 minutes and then quenched in water media. After drying process, the reduction process of 40g pellets was conducted at 1000°C for 90 minutes with 20g rice husk in furnace. The effects of additional rice husk on the direct reduction of limonite ore pellets were qualitatively analyzed by using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and quantitatively by Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Both analysis results showed that the reduction process followed the reaction scheme: Fe2O3→Fe3O4→FeO and NiO phase was detected in the sample with 20% rice husk addition. The optimum concentration of Ni 1.23% was obtained for 20% rice husk addition.

Solar energy system economic evaluation: Fern Tunkhannock, Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-09-01

The economic performance of an Operational Test Site (OTS) is described. The long term economic performance of the system at its installation site and extrapolation to four additional selected locations to demonstrate the viability of the design over a broad range of environmental and economic conditions is reported. Topics discussed are: system description, study approach, economic analysis and system optimization, and technical and economical results of analysis. Data for the economic analysis are generated through evaluation of the OTS. The simulation is based on the technical results of the seasonal report simulation. In addition localized and standard economic parameters are used for economic analysis.

Solar energy system economic evaluation: Fern Tunkhannock, Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The economic performance of an Operational Test Site (OTS) is described. The long term economic performance of the system at its installation site and extrapolation to four additional selected locations to demonstrate the viability of the design over a broad range of environmental and economic conditions is reported. Topics discussed are: system description, study approach, economic analysis and system optimization, and technical and economical results of analysis. Data for the economic analysis are generated through evaluation of the OTS. The simulation is based on the technical results of the seasonal report simulation. In addition localized and standard economic parameters are used for economic analysis.

Effects of Biochar Addition on CO2 and N2O Emissions following Fertilizer Application to a Cultivated Grassland Soil

PubMed Central

Chen, Jingjing; Kim, Hyunjin; Yoo, Gayoung

2015-01-01

Carbon (C) sequestration potential of biochar should be considered together with emission of greenhouse gases when applied to soils. In this study, we investigated CO2 and N2O emissions following the application of rice husk biochars to cultivated grassland soils and related gas emissions tos oil C and nitrogen (N) dynamics. Treatments included biochar addition (CHAR, NO CHAR) and amendment (COMPOST, UREA, NO FERT). The biochar application rate was 0.3% by weight. The temporal pattern of CO2 emissions differed according to biochar addition and amendments. CO2 emissions from the COMPOST soils were significantly higher than those from the UREA and NO FERT soils and less CO2 emission was observed when biochar and compost were applied together during the summer. Overall N2O emission was significantly influenced by the interaction between biochar and amendments. In UREA soil, biochar addition increased N2O emission by 49% compared to the control, while in the COMPOST and NO FERT soils, biochar did not have an effect on N2O emission. Two possible mechanisms were proposed to explain the higher N2O emissions upon biochar addition to UREA soil than other soils. Labile C in the biochar may have stimulated microbial N mineralization in the C-limited soil used in our study, resulting in an increase in N2O emission. Biochar may also have provided the soil with the ability to retain mineral N, leading to increased N2O emission. The overall results imply that biochar addition can increase C sequestration when applied together with compost, and might stimulate N2O emission when applied to soil amended with urea. PMID:26020941

Preparation and Characterization of SN-38-Encapsulated Phytantriol Cubosomes Containing α-Monoglyceride Additives.

PubMed

Ali, Md Ashraf; Noguchi, Shuji; Iwao, Yasunori; Oka, Toshihiko; Itai, Shigeru

2016-01-01

SN-38 is a potent active metabolite of irinotecan that has been considered as an anticancer candidate. However, the clinical development of this compound has been hampered by its poor aqueous solubility and chemical instability. In this study, we developed SN-38-encapsulated cubosomes to resolve these problems. Six α-monoglyceride additives, comprising monocaprylin, monocaprin, monolaurin, monomyristin, monopalmitin, and monostearin, were used to prepare phytantriol (PHYT) cubosomes by probe sonication. The mean particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential values of these systems were around 190-230 nm, 0.19-0.25 and -17 to -22 mV, respectively. Small-angle X-ray scattering analyses confirmed that the SN-38-encapsulated cubosomes existed in the Pn̄3m space group both with and without the additives. The monoglyceride additives led to around a two-fold increase in the solubility of SN-38 compared with the PHYT cubosome. The drug entrapment efficiency of PHYT cubosomes with additives was greater than 97%. The results of a stability study at 25°C showed no dramatic changes in the particle size or polydispersity index characteristics, with at least 85% of the SN-38 existing in its active lactone form after 10 d, demonstrating the high stability of the cubosome nanoparticles. Furthermore, approximately 55% of SN-38 was slowly released from the cubosomes with additives over 96 h in vitro under physiological conditions. Taken together, these results show that the SN-38-encapsulated PHYT cubosome particles are promising drug carriers that should be considered for further in vivo experiments, including drug delivery to tumor cells using the enhanced permeability and retention effect.

Efficacy of feed additives to reduce the effect of naturally occurring mycotoxins fed to turkey hen poults reared to 6 weeks of age.

PubMed

Tilley, J E N; Grimes, J L; Koci, M D; Ali, R A; Stark, C R; Nighot, P K; Middleton, T F; Fahrenholz, A C

2017-12-01

Corn with naturally occurring aflatoxin (AF), wheat with naturally occurring doxynivalenol (DON), and barley with naturally occurring zearalenone (ZEA) were used to make rations for feeding turkey hen poults to 6 weeks of age. Control rations with equal amounts of corn, wheat, and barley were also fed. The control rations did contain some DON while both sets of rations contained ZEA. Within each grain source, there were 4 treatments: the control ration plus 3 rations each with a different feed additive which were evaluated for the potential to lessen potential mycotoxin effects on bird performance and physiology. The additives were Biomin BioFix (2 lb/ton), Kemin Kallsil (4 lb/ton), and Nutriad UNIKE (3 lb/ton). The mycotoxin rations reduced poult body weight (2.31 vs. 2.08 ± 0.02 kg) and increased (worsened) poult feed conversion (1.47 vs. 1.51 ± 0.01) at 6 wk. Feeding the poults the mycotoxin feed also resulted in organ and physiological changes typical of feeding dietary aflatoxin although a combined effect of AF, DON, and ZEA which cannot be dismissed. The feed additives resulted in improved feed conversion to 6 wk in both grain treatment groups. The observed physiological effect of feeding the additives was to reduce relative gizzard weight for both groups and to lessen the increase in relative kidney weight for the birds fed the mycotoxin feed. In conclusion, the feed additives used in this study did alleviate the effect of dietary mycotoxins to some degree, especially with respect to feed conversion. Further studies of longer duration are warranted. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Vegephy: impact of vegetable oils used as extemporaneous additives on pesticide residues and their crop protection potential.

PubMed

Rousseau, G; Coutanceau, P; Lebeau, F; Pigeon, O; Ducat, N; De Vos, P

2013-01-01

Within the framework of the VEGEPHY project set up to assess the effect of refined oils used as extemporaneous additives, both alone and in combination with oligosaccharides (guar, xanthan and carboxymethyl cellulose), on the quality of plant protection treatments for wheat, a study was conducted on the effect of combinations of additives on the level of pesticide residues in wheat plants and grain and their impact on treatment efficiency. The use of some of these additives gave efficiency results that were comparable with those obtained with additives that are currently used but are not bio-based. The use of refined oils as extemporaneous additives, both alone and combined with oligosaccharides, led to better penetration by the pesticide as well as longer persistence of its activity. The experiments were conducted with fungicides, herbicides, plant growth regulators and various types of formulation (EC, SC and WG). The results obtained were conclusive, but they did depend on the physico-chemical properties of the active substance. The risk of exceeding the maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides was also evaluated. Even where the MRLs had not been not exceeded, the experiments showed that in some cases the treatment with these additives could lead to pesticide residues up to two times higher than those measured for the treatment without additives. It would be necessary, therefore, to reduce the treatment dose associated with the additive and/or have a long enough pre-harvest interval to avoid exceeding the MRLs. The use of green additives could be a useful and easy way to attain the European Union (EU) goal of reducing pesticide use by improving the retention of active substances on the plant and reducing the number of treatments.

Testing the effectiveness of family therapeutic assessment: a case study using a time-series design.

PubMed

Smith, Justin D; Wolf, Nicole J; Handler, Leonard; Nash, Michael R

2009-11-01

We describe a family Therapeutic Assessment (TA) case study employing 2 assessors, 2 assessment rooms, and a video link. In the study, we employed a daily measures time-series design with a pretreatment baseline and follow-up period to examine the family TA treatment model. In addition to being an illustrative addition to a number of clinical reports suggesting the efficacy of family TA, this study is the first to apply a case-based time-series design to test whether family TA leads to clinical improvement and also illustrates when that improvement occurs. Results support the trajectory of change proposed by Finn (2007), the TA model's creator, who posits that benefits continue beyond the formal treatment itself.

Dust Ejection Induced by Small Meteoroids Impacting Martian Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shuvalov, Valery

2001-01-01

The objective of this study is numerical modeling of meteoroid impact on the martian surface and determination of the resulting dust cloud parameters. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Regional chloride distribution in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system from Long Island, New York, to North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Charles, Emmanuel

2016-08-31

Although additional offshore chloride data are available compared to 27 years ago (1989), the offshore information remains sparse, resulting in less confidence in the offshore interpretations than in the onshore interpretations. Regionally, the 250- and 10,000-mg/L isochlors tend to map progressively eastward from the deepest to the shallowest aquifers across the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system but with some exceptions. The additional data, conceptual understanding, and interpretations in the vicinity of the buried Chesapeake Bay impact structure in eastern Virginia resulted in substantial refinement of isochlors in that area. Overall, the interpretations in this study are updates of the previous regional study from 1989 but do not comprise major differences in interpretation and do not indicate regional movement of the freshwater-saltwater interface since then.

Prepreg cure monitoring using diffuse reflectance-FTIR. [Fourier Transform Infrared Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, P. R.; Chang, A. C.

1984-01-01

An in situ diffuse reflectance-Fourier transform infrared technique was developed to determine infrared spectra of graphite fiber prepregs as they were being cured. A bismaleimide, an epoxy, and addition polyimide matrix resin prepregs were studied. An experimental polyimide adhesive was also examined. Samples were positioned on a small heater at the focal point of diffuse reflectance optics and programmed at 15 F/min while FTIR spectra were being scanned, averaged, and stored. An analysis of the resulting spectra provided basic insights into changes in matrix resin molecular structure which accompanied reactions such as imidization and crosslinking. An endo-exothermal isomerization involving reactive end-caps was confirmed for the addition polyimide prepregs. The results of this study contribute to a fundamental understanding of the processing of composites and adhesives. Such understanding will promote the development of more efficient cure cycles.

A synchrotron study of microstructure gradient in laser additively formed epitaxial Ni-based superalloy

DOE PAGES

Xue, Jiawei; Zhang, Anfeng; Li, Yao; ...

2015-10-08

Laser additive forming is considered to be one of the promising techniques to repair single crystal Ni-based superalloy parts to extend their life and reduce the cost. Preservation of the single crystalline nature and prevention of thermal mechanical failure are two of the most essential issues for the application of this technique. Here we employ synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction to evaluate the quality in terms of crystal orientation and defect distribution of a Ni-based superalloy DZ125L directly formed by a laser additive process rooted from a single crystalline substrate of the same material. We show that a disorientation gradient caused bymore » a high density of geometrically necessary dislocations and resultant subgrains exists in the interfacial region between the epitaxial and stray grains. This creates a potential relationship of stray grain formation and defect accumulation. In conclusion, the observation offers new directions on the study of performance control and reliability of the laser additive manufactured superalloys.« less

Operational momentum in large-number addition and subtraction by 9-month-olds.

PubMed

McCrink, Koleen; Wynn, Karen

2009-08-01

Recent studies on nonsymbolic arithmetic have illustrated that under conditions that prevent exact calculation, adults display a systematic tendency to overestimate the answers to addition problems and underestimate the answers to subtraction problems. It has been suggested that this operational momentum results from exposure to a culture-specific practice of representing numbers spatially; alternatively, the mind may represent numbers in spatial terms from early in development. In the current study, we asked whether operational momentum is present during infancy, prior to exposure to culture-specific representations of numbers. Infants (9-month-olds) were shown videos of events involving the addition or subtraction of objects with three different types of outcomes: numerically correct, too large, and too small. Infants looked significantly longer only at those incorrect outcomes that violated the momentum of the arithmetic operation (i.e., at too-large outcomes in subtraction events and too-small outcomes in addition events). The presence of operational momentum during infancy indicates developmental continuity in the underlying mechanisms used when operating over numerical representations.

Influence of biochar on heavy metals and microbial community during composting of river sediment with agricultural wastes.

PubMed

Chen, Yaoning; Liu, Yao; Li, Yuanping; Wu, Yanxin; Chen, Yanrong; Zeng, Guangming; Zhang, Jiachao; Li, Hui

2017-11-01

Studies were performed to evaluate influence of biochar addition on physico-chemical process, heavy metals transformation and bacterial community diversity during composting of sediment with agricultural wastes. Simultaneously, the relationships between those parameters including heavy metals and bacterial community compositions were evaluated by redundancy analysis (RDA). The results show that the extraction efficiency of DTPA extractable heavy metals decreased in both piles, and reduced more in pile with biochar addition about 0.1-2.96%. Biochar addition dramatically influenced the bacterial community structure during the composting process. Moreover, the bacterial community composition was significantly correlated with C/N ratio, water soluble carbon (WSC), and organic matter (OM) (P<0.05) in pile with biochar addition; while significantly correlated with temperature, WSC, and C/N ratio in pile which was free of biochar. This study would provide some valuable information for improving the composting for disposal of river sediment with heavy metals contamination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.