Anonymous Partnerships among MSM and Transgender Women (TW) Recently Diagnosed with HIV and other STIs in Lima, Peru: An individual and dyad-level analysis

PubMed Central

Perez-Brumer, Amaya G.; Oldenburg, Catherine E.; Segura, Eddy R.; Sanchez, Jorge; Lama, Javier R.; Clark, Jesse L.

2016-01-01

Objectives Partner notification (PN) following STI diagnosis is a key strategy for controlling HIV/STI transmission. Anonymous partnerships are an important barrier to PN and often associated with high-risk sexual behaviour. Limited research has examined the profile of MSM and TW who engage in anonymous sex. To better understand anonymous partnership practices in Lima, Peru, we assessed participant- and partnership-level characteristics associated with anonymous sex among a sample of MSM and TW recently diagnosed with HIV/STI. Methods MSM and TW diagnosed with HIV/STI within the past month completed a cross-sectional survey regarding anticipated PN practices. Participants reported sexual partnership types and characteristics of up to 3 of their most recent partners. Using a Poisson generalised estimating equation (GEE) model we assessed participant- and partnership-level characteristics associated with anonymous partnerships. Results Among 395 MSM and TW with HIV/STI, 36.0% reported at least one anonymous sexual partner in the past three months (mean of 8.6 anonymous partners per participant; SD 17.0). Of the 971 partnerships reported, 118 (12.2%) were anonymous and the majority (84.8%) were with male partners, followed by 11.0% with female partners, and 4.2% with transgender/travesti partners. Partner-level characteristics associated with increased likelihood of having an anonymous partner included female (aPR 2.28, 95% CI 1.05 to 4.95, P=0.04) or transgender/travesti (aPR 4.03, 95% CI 1.51 to 10.78, P=0.006) partner gender. Conclusions By assessing both individual- and dyadic-level factors, these results represent an important step in understanding the complexity of partnership interactions and developing alternative partner notification strategies for Latin America. PMID:26912910

Skeletal age estimation for forensic purposes: A comparison of GP, TW2 and TW3 methods on an Italian sample.

PubMed

Pinchi, Vilma; De Luca, Federica; Ricciardi, Federico; Focardi, Martina; Piredda, Valentina; Mazzeo, Elena; Norelli, Gian-Aristide

2014-05-01

Paediatricians, radiologists, anthropologists and medico-legal specialists are often called as experts in order to provide age estimation (AE) for forensic purposes. The literature recommends performing the X-rays of the left hand and wrist (HW-XR) for skeletal age estimation. The method most frequently employed is the Greulich and Pyle (GP) method. In addition, the so-called bone-specific techniques are also applied including the method of Tanner Whitehouse (TW) in the latest versions TW2 and TW3. To compare skeletal age and chronological age in a large sample of children and adolescents using GP, TW2 and TW3 methods in order to establish which of these is the most reliable for forensic purposes. The sample consisted of 307 HW-XRs of Italian children or adolescents, 145 females and 162 males aged between 6 and 20 years. The radiographies were scored according to the GP, TW2RUS and TW3RUS methods by one investigator. The results' reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Student t-test were performed to search for significant differences between skeletal and chronological ages. The distributions of the differences between estimated and chronological age, by means of boxplots, show how median differences for TW3 and GP methods are generally very close to 0. Hypothesis tests' results were obtained, with respect to the sex, both for the entire group of individuals and people grouped by age. Results show no significant differences among estimated and chronological age for TW3 and, to a lesser extent, GP. The TW2 proved to be the worst of the three methods. Our results support the conclusion that the TW2 method is not reliable for AE for forensic purpose. The GP and TW3 methods have proved to be reliable in males. For females, the best method was found to be TW3. When performing forensic age estimation in subjects around 14 years of age, it could be advisable to use and associate the TW3 and GP methods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Targeting TWIST1 through loss of function inhibits tumorigenicity of human glioblastoma.

PubMed

Mikheev, Andrei M; Mikheeva, Svetlana A; Severs, Liza J; Funk, Cory C; Huang, Lei; McFaline-Figueroa, José L; Schwensen, Jeanette; Trapnell, Cole; Price, Nathan D; Wong, Stephen; Rostomily, Robert C

2018-05-13

Twist1 (TW) is a bHLH transcription factor (TF) and master regulator of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). In vitro, TW promotes mesenchymal change, invasion and self-renewal in glioblastoma (GBM) cells. However the potential therapeutic relevance of TW has not been established through loss of function studies in human GBM cell xenograft models. The effects of TW loss of function (gene editing and knock down) on inhibition of tumorigenicity of U87MG and GBM4 glioma stem cells were tested in orthotopic xenograft models and conditional knockdown in established flank xenograft tumors. RNAseq and the analysis of tumors investigated putative TW associated mechanisms. Multiple bioinformatics tools revealed significant alteration of ECM, membrane receptors, signaling transduction kinases and cytoskeleton dynamics leading to identification of PI3K/AKT signaling. We experimentally show alteration of AKT activity and periostin (POSTN) expression in vivo and/or in vitro. For the first time we show that effect of TW knockout inhibits AKT activity in U87MG cells in vivo independent of PTEN mutation. The clinical relevance of TW and candidate mechanisms was established by analysis of the TCGA and ENCODE databases. TW expression was associated with decreased patient survival and LASSO regression analysis identified POSTN as one of top targets of TW in human GBM. While we previously demonstrated the role of TW in promoting EMT and invasion of glioma cells, these studies provide direct experimental evidence supporting pro-tumorigenic role of TW independent of invasion in vivo and the therapeutic relevance of targeting TW in human GBM. Further, the role of TW driving POSTN expression and AKT signaling suggests actionable targets, which could be leveraged to mitigate the oncogenic effects of TW in GBM. Molecular Oncology (2018) © 2018 The Authors. Published by FEBS Press and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Characterization of Traveling Wave Ion Mobility Separations in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

DOE PAGES

Hamid, Ahmed M.; Ibrahim, Yehia M.; Garimella, Venkata BS; ...

2015-10-28

We report on the development and characterization of a new traveling wave-based Structure for Lossless Ion Manipulations (TW-SLIM) for ion mobility separations (IMS). The TW-SLIM module uses parallel arrays of rf electrodes on two closely spaced surfaces for ion confinement, where the rf electrodes are separated by arrays of short electrodes, and using these TWs can be created to drive ion motion. In this initial work, TWs are created by the dynamic application of dc potentials. The capabilities of the TW-SLIM module for efficient ion confinement, lossless ion transport, and ion mobility separations at different rf and TW parameters aremore » reported. The TW-SLIM module is shown to transmit a wide mass range of ions (m/z 200–2500) utilizing a confining rf waveform (~1 MHz and ~300 V p-p) and low TW amplitudes (<20 V). Additionally, the short TW-SLIM module achieved resolutions comparable to existing commercially available low pressure IMS platforms and an ion mobility peak capacity of ~32 for TW speeds of <210 m/s. TW-SLIM performance was characterized over a wide range of rf and TW parameters and demonstrated robust performance. In conclusion, the combined attributes of the flexible design and low voltage requirements for the TW-SLIM module provide a basis for devices capable of much higher resolution and more complex ion manipulations.« less

Characterization of Traveling Wave Ion Mobility Separations in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

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

Hamid, Ahmed M.; Ibrahim, Yehia M.; Garimella, Venkata BS

We report on the development and characterization of a new traveling wave-based Structure for Lossless Ion Manipulations (TW-SLIM) for ion mobility separations (IMS). The TW-SLIM module uses parallel arrays of rf electrodes on two closely spaced surfaces for ion confinement, where the rf electrodes are separated by arrays of short electrodes, and using these TWs can be created to drive ion motion. In this initial work, TWs are created by the dynamic application of dc potentials. The capabilities of the TW-SLIM module for efficient ion confinement, lossless ion transport, and ion mobility separations at different rf and TW parameters aremore » reported. The TW-SLIM module is shown to transmit a wide mass range of ions (m/z 200–2500) utilizing a confining rf waveform (~1 MHz and ~300 V p-p) and low TW amplitudes (<20 V). Additionally, the short TW-SLIM module achieved resolutions comparable to existing commercially available low pressure IMS platforms and an ion mobility peak capacity of ~32 for TW speeds of <210 m/s. TW-SLIM performance was characterized over a wide range of rf and TW parameters and demonstrated robust performance. In conclusion, the combined attributes of the flexible design and low voltage requirements for the TW-SLIM module provide a basis for devices capable of much higher resolution and more complex ion manipulations.« less

Characterizing TW Hydra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokal, Kimberly R.; Deen, Casey P.; Mace, Gregory N.; Lee, Jae-Joon; Oh, Heeyoung; Kim, Hwihyun; Kidder, Benjamin T.; Jaffe, Daniel T.

2018-02-01

At 60 pc, TW Hydra (TW Hya) is the closest example of a star with a gas-rich protoplanetary disk, though TW Hya may be relatively old (3–15 Myr). As such, TW Hya is especially appealing for testing our understanding of the interplay between stellar and disk evolution. We present a high-resolution near-infrared spectrum of TW Hya obtained with the Immersion GRating INfrared Spectrometer (IGRINS) to re-evaluate the stellar parameters of TW Hya. We compare these data to synthetic spectra of magnetic stars produced by MoogStokes, and use sensitive spectral line profiles to probe the effective temperature, surface gravity, and magnetic field. A model with {T}{eff}=3800 K, {log} g=4.2, and B=3.0 kG best fits the near-infrared spectrum of TW Hya. These results correspond to a spectral type of M0.5 and an age of 8 Myr, which is well past the median life of gaseous disks.

Degradation and induction specificity in actinomycetes that degrade p-nitrophenol.

PubMed Central

Hanne, L F; Kirk, L L; Appel, S M; Narayan, A D; Bains, K K

1993-01-01

We have isolated two soil bacteria (identified as Arthrobacter aurescens TW17 and Nocardia sp. strain TW2) capable of degrading p-nitrophenol (PNP) and numerous other phenolic compounds. A. aurescens TW17 contains a large plasmid which correlated with the PNP degradation phenotype. Degradation of PNP by A. aurescens TW17 was induced by preexposure to PNP, 4-nitrocatechol, 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol, or m-nitrophenol, whereas PNP degradation by Nocardia sp. strain TW2 was induced by PNP, 4-nitrocatechol, phenol, p-cresol, or m-nitrophenol. A. aurescens TW17 initially degraded PNP to hydroquinone and nitrite. Nocardia sp. strain TW2 initially converted PNP to hydroquinone or 4-nitrocatechol, depending upon the inducing compound. PMID:8250573

TW-01, a piperazinedione-derived compound, inhibits Ras-mediated cell proliferation and angioplasty-induced vascular restenosis

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

Lin, Chao-Feng

Purpose: Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and restenosis. This study investigated piperazinedione derived compound TW-01-mediated inhibitory effects on VSMC proliferation and intimal hyperplasia. Methods: Cell proliferation was determined using [{sup 3}H]-thymidine incorporation and MTT assay; cell cycle distribution was measured using flow cytometry; proteins and mRNA expression were determined using western blotting and RT-PCR analyses; DNA binding activity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), as measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA); in vivo effects of TW-01 were determined using balloon angioplasty in the rat. Results: TW-01 significantly inhibited cell proliferation. At themore » concentrations used, no cytotoxic effects were observed. Three predominant signaling pathways were inhibited by TW-01: (a) extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation and its downstream effectors of c-fos, c-jun, and c-myc; (b) DNA binding activity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB); and, (c) Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) and cell cycle progression. Furthermore, TW-01 also inhibited Ras activation, a shared upstream event of each of these signaling cascades. In vascular injury studies, oral administration of TW-01 significantly suppressed intimal hyperplasia induced by balloon angioplasty. Conclusion: The present study suggests that TW-01 might be a potential candidate for atherosclerosis treatment. - Highlights: • TW-01significantly inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. • TW-01 inhibits ERK, Akt and Ras pathway and DNA binding activity of NF-κB. • TW-01 significantly suppresses intimal hyperplasia induced by balloon angioplasty. • TW-01 might be a potential candidate for atherosclerosis treatment.« less

Read-Through Proteins of Group 4 RNA Bacteriophages TW19 and TW28

PubMed Central

Aoi, Takeshi; Kaesberg, Paul

1976-01-01

Group 4 phages TW19 and TW28 of Escherichia coli possess a “read-through” (IIb) protein, although group 2 phage GA does not. This may have implications concerning the evolution and classification of RNA phages. Images PMID:978795

Socialization Patterns and Their Association with Unprotected Anal Intercourse, HIV, and Syphilis Among High-Risk Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women in Peru

PubMed Central

Verre, MC; Peinado, J; Segura, ER; Clark, JC; Gonzales, P; Benites, C; Cabello, R; Sanchez, J; Lama, JR

2014-01-01

The association of socialization patterns with unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) and HIV/STI prevalence remains underexplored in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) in developing country settings. We evaluated the correlation of UAI, HIV, and syphilis with MSM/TW venue attendance and social network size among high-risk MSM and TW in Peru according to self-reported sexual identity. Frequency of venue attendance and MSM/TW social network size were lowest among heterosexual MSM and highest among TW respondents. Attendance (frequent or occasional) at MSM/TW venues was associated with increased odds of insertive UAI among heterosexual participants. Frequent venue attendance was associated with increased odds of receptive UAI among gay/homosexual, bisexual, and TW participants. Further investigation of the differing socialization patterns and associations with HIV/STI transmission within subgroups of Peruvian MSM and TW will enable more effective prevention interventions for these populations. PMID:24788782

Socialization patterns and their associations with unprotected anal intercourse, HIV, and syphilis among high-risk men who have sex with men and transgender women in Peru.

PubMed

Verre, Michael C; Peinado, Jesus; Segura, Eddy R; Clark, Jesse; Gonzales, Pedro; Benites, Carlos; Cabello, Robinson; Sanchez, Jorge; Lama, Javier R

2014-10-01

The association of socialization patterns with unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) and HIV/STI prevalence remains underexplored in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) in developing country settings. We evaluated the correlation of UAI, HIV, and syphilis with MSM/TW venue attendance and social network size among high-risk MSM and TW in Peru according to self-reported sexual identity. Frequency of venue attendance and MSM/TW social network size were lowest among heterosexual MSM and highest among TW respondents. Attendance (frequent or occasional) at MSM/TW venues was associated with increased odds of insertive UAI among heterosexual participants. Frequent venue attendance was associated with increased odds of receptive UAI among gay/homosexual, bisexual, and TW participants. Further investigation of the differing socialization patterns and associations with HIV/STI transmission within subgroups of Peruvian MSM and TW will enable more effective prevention interventions for these populations.

Risk behaviors and HIV care continuum outcomes among criminal justice-involved HIV-infected transgender women and cisgender men: Data from the Seek, Test, Treat, and Retain Harmonization Initiative.

PubMed

Beckwith, Curt G; Kuo, Irene; Fredericksen, Rob J; Brinkley-Rubinstein, Lauren; Cunningham, William E; Springer, Sandra A; Loeliger, Kelsey B; Franks, Julie; Christopoulos, Katerina; Lorvick, Jennifer; Kahana, Shoshana Y; Young, Rebekah; Seal, David W; Zawitz, Chad; Delaney, Joseph A; Crane, Heidi M; Biggs, Mary L

2018-01-01

Transgender persons are highly victimized, marginalized, disproportionately experience incarceration, and have alarmingly increased rates of HIV infection compared to cis-gender persons. Few studies have examined the HIV care continuum outcomes among transgender women (TW), particularly TW who are involved with the criminal justice (CJ) system. To improve our understanding of HIV care continuum outcomes and risk behaviors among HIV-infected TW who are involved with the CJ system, we analyzed data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse-supported Seek, Test, Treat, Retain (STTR) Data Harmonization Initiative. Baseline data were pooled and analyzed from three U.S. STTR studies to examine HIV risk and care continuum indicators among CJ-involved HIV-infected TW compared to cisgender men (CM), matched on age (within 5 years) and study at a ratio of 1:5. Eighty-eight TW and 440 CM were included in the study. Among matched participants, TW were more likely to report crack and cocaine use compared to CM (40%,16% respectively, p<0.001); both TW and CM reported high rates of condomless sex (58%, 64%, respectively); TW were more likely than CM to have more than one sexual partner (OR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1.6, 5.2; p<0.001) and have engaged in exchange sex (OR = 3.9, 95% CI: 2.3, 6.6; p<0.001). There were no significant differences between TW and CM in the percentage currently taking ART (52%, 49%, respectively), the mean percent adherence to ART (77% for both groups), and the proportion who achieved viral suppression (61%, 58%, respectively). HIV-infected CJ-involved TW and CM had similar use of ART and viral suppression but TW were more likely than matched CM to engage in exchange sex, have multiple sexual partners, and use crack/cocaine. TW and CM had similarly high rates of condomless sex and use of other drugs. TW require tailored risk reduction interventions, however both CJ-involved TW and CM require focused attention to reduce HIV risk and improve HIV continuum of care outcomes.

Test wells TW1 and TW2, and TW3, White Sands Missile Range, Otero County, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Myers, R.G.; Pinckley, K.M.

1987-01-01

Three test wells, TW1, TW2, and TW3, were drilled at White Sands Missile Range in south-central New Mexico in July, August, and October 1983 as part of a joint military training program sponsored by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army in July, August, and October 1983. The test wells were drilled as exploratory and monitoring wells for the toxic waste storage facility at White Sands Missile Range. Information obtained from these wells includes lithologic logs for all wells and borehole-geophysical logs for the cased wells. (Author 's abstract)

Tangled nature model of evolutionary dynamics reconsidered: Structural and dynamical effects of trait inheritance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersen, Christian Walther; Sibani, Paolo

2016-05-01

Based on the stochastic dynamics of interacting agents which reproduce, mutate, and die, the tangled nature model (TNM) describes key emergent features of biological and cultural ecosystems' evolution. While trait inheritance is not included in many applications, i.e., the interactions of an agent and those of its mutated offspring are taken to be uncorrelated, in the family of TNMs introduced in this work correlations of varying strength are parametrized by a positive integer K . We first show that the interactions generated by our rule are nearly independent of K . Consequently, the structural and dynamical effects of trait inheritance can be studied independently of effects related to the form of the interactions. We then show that changing K strengthens the core structure of the ecology, leads to population abundance distributions better approximated by log-normal probability densities, and increases the probability that a species extant at time tw also survives at t >tw . Finally, survival probabilities of species are shown to decay as powers of the ratio t /tw , a so-called pure aging behavior usually seen in glassy systems of physical origin. We find a quantitative dynamical effect of trait inheritance, namely, that increasing the value of K numerically decreases the decay exponent of the species survival probability.

Municipal wastewater affects adipose deposition in male mice and increases 3T3-L1 cell differentiation

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

Biasiotto, Giorgio; Zanella, Isabella; Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia

Trace concentration of EDs (endocrine disrupting compounds) in water bodies caused by wastewater treatment plant effluents is a recognized problem for the health of aquatic organisms and their potential to affect human health. In this paper we show that continuous exposure of male mice from early development to the adult life (140 days) to unrestricted drinking of wastewater collected from a municipal sewage treatment plant, is associated with an increased adipose deposition and weight gain during adulthood because of altered body homeostasis. In parallel, bisphenol A (BPA) at the administration dose of 5 μg/kg/body weight, shows an increasing effect onmore » total body weight and fat mass. In vitro, a solid phase extract (SPE) of the wastewater (eTW), caused stimulation of 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation at dilutions of 0.4 and 1 % in the final culture medium which contained a concentration of BPA of 40 nM and 90 nM respectively. Pure BPA also promoted adipocytes differentiation at the concentration of 50 and 80 μM. BPA effect in 3T3-L1 cells was associated to the specific activation of the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) in undifferentiated cells and the estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) in differentiated cells. BPA also activated the Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor gamma (PPARγ) upregulating a minimal 3XPPARE luciferase reporter and the PPARγ-target promoter of the aP2 gene in adipose cells, while it was not effective in preadipocytes. The pure estrogen receptor agonist diethylstilbestrol (DES) played an opposite action to that of BPA inhibiting PPARγ activity in adipocytes, preventing cell differentiation, activating ERα in preadipocytes and inhibiting ERα and ERβ regulation in adipocytes. The results of this work show that the drinking of chemically-contaminated wastewater promotes fat deposition in male mice and that EDs present in sewage are likely responsible for this effect through a nuclear receptor-mediated mechanism. - Highlights: • Sewage watewaters (TW) sampled from a Municipal Treatment Sewage Plant are biologically active in mice and in vitro. • In male mice TW promotes an increase in adipose mass deposition following exposure from foetal to adult life. A similar effect is produced by BPA. • The expression of key genes of the adipose metabolism is increased in epidydimal fat both by TW and BPA. • An extract from the TW which concentrated the contained chemicals by a factor of 1000, is able to stimulate 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation. • The major chemicals contained in the TW, bisphenol A and nonylphenol, are able to promote adipocyte differentiation at the low environmentally relevant doses as are found in the TW.« less

Real-time observation of rotational twin formation during molecular-beam epitaxial growth of GaAs on Si (111) by x-ray diffraction

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

Suzuki, Hidetoshi, E-mail: hsuzuki@cc.miyazaki-u.ac.jp; Nakata, Yuka; Takahasi, Masamitu

2016-03-15

The formation and evolution of rotational twin (TW) domains introduced by a stacking fault during molecular-beam epitaxial growth of GaAs on Si (111) substrates were studied by in situ x-ray diffraction. To modify the volume ratio of TW to total GaAs domains, GaAs was deposited under high and low group V/group III (V/III) flux ratios. For low V/III, there was less nucleation of TW than normal growth (NG) domains, although the NG and TW growth rates were similar. For high V/III, the NG and TW growth rates varied until a few GaAs monolayers were deposited; the mean TW domain sizemore » was smaller for all film thicknesses.« less

Comparison of Tracheal Wash and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cytology in 154 Horses With and Without Respiratory Signs in a Referral Hospital Over 2009−2015

PubMed Central

Rossi, Heini; Virtala, Anna-Maija; Raekallio, Marja; Rahkonen, Emmi; Rajamäki, Minna M.; Mykkänen, Anna

2018-01-01

Most equine lower respiratory diseases present as increased airway neutrophilia, which can be detected in tracheal wash (TW) or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology samples. The aim was to compare the TW and BALF results in a population of client-owned horses with and without clinical respiratory disease signs. A secondary aim was to determine the sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of TW and BALF neutrophilia in detecting respiratory disease. The cutoff values for neutrophils were also evaluated. Retrospective data from 154 horses of various breeds that had been subject to both TW and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) sampling at rest during 2009−2015 were used. The horses were divided into three groups based on the presenting signs, physical examination, and endoscopy mucus score. Neutrophil counts of >20% in TW and >5% in BAL were considered abnormal. Cytology results between groups, correlations between TW and BALF cell types, and tracheal mucus score were analyzed. Two graph receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the neutrophil percentage values of TW and BALF were created to determine the optimal cutoff values and to calculate the diagnostic Se and Sp for diagnosing airway inflammation in horses with and without clinical respiratory signs. The Se and Sp of TW and BALF neutrophil percentages were further estimated using a two-test one-population Bayesian latent class model. The two tests showed substantial agreement, and only 17.5% of the horses were classified differently (healthy vs. diseased). The neutrophil percentage was found to correlate between TW and BALF. The Se and Sp of TW were generally higher than for BAL when estimated with area under the curve or Bayesian model. Cutoff values of 17.7% for TW and 7% for BALF were indicated by the ROCs. We conclude that TW is a more sensitive and specific method in our patient population. We suggest that the current neutrophil cutoff values of 20% for TW and 5% for BALF would still be appropriate to use in clinical diagnosis of airway inflammation. However, further studies with other cell types and in other populations are warranted to determine the best sampling method for individual horses. PMID:29632867

Anonymous partnerships among MSM and transgender women (TW) recently diagnosed with HIV and other STIs in Lima, Peru: an individual-level and dyad-level analysis.

PubMed

Perez-Brumer, Amaya G; Oldenburg, Catherine E; Segura, Eddy R; Sanchez, Jorge; Lama, Javier R; Clark, Jesse L

2016-02-24

Partner notification (PN) following sexually transmitted disease (STI) diagnosis is a key strategy for controlling HIV/STI transmission. Anonymous partnerships are an important barrier to PN and often associated with high-risk sexual behaviour. Limited research has examined the profile of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) who engage in anonymous sex. To better understand anonymous partnership practices in Lima, Peru, we assessed participant-level and partnership-level characteristics associated with anonymous sex among a sample of MSM and TW recently diagnosed with HIV/STI. MSM and TW diagnosed with HIV/STI within the past month completed a cross-sectional survey regarding anticipated PN practices. Participants reported sexual partnership types and characteristics of up to three of their most recent partners. Using a Poisson generalised estimating equation model, we assessed participant-level and partnership-level characteristics associated with anonymous partnerships. Among 395 MSM and TW with HIV/STI, 36.0% reported at least one anonymous sexual partner in the past 3 months (mean of 8.6 anonymous partners per participant; SD 17.0). Of the 971 partnerships reported, 118 (12.2%) were anonymous and the majority (84.8%) were with male partners, followed by 11.0% with female partners and 4.2% with transgender/travesti partners. Partner-level characteristics associated with increased likelihood of having an anonymous partner included female (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 2.28, 95% CI 1.05 to 4.95, p=0.04) or transgender/travesti (aPR 4.03, 95% CI 1.51 to 10.78, p=0.006) partner gender. By assessing both individual-level and dyadic-level factors, these results represent an important step in understanding the complexity of partnership interactions and developing alternative PN strategies for Latin America. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Response of Volume Transport through the Taiwan and Tsushima Straits to the Wind Fields in the East China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuno, T.; Liu, C. T.; Fukudome, K.; Chen, H. W.; Ichikawa, K.; Doong, D. J.; Senjyu, T.

2016-02-01

Circulation in the shelf region of the East China Sea is strongly controlled by the volume transport (VT) through the Taiwan Strait (TwS). It is well known that the VT through TwS has a significant seasonal variation, large in summer and small in winter. Based on a time series of the current field obtained by ADCP installed on a ferry boat crossing the TwS, from Keelung to Matsu Island in Taiwan, it had been investigated that the seasonal variations have a good correlation with the local wind around the TwS. The VT through the TwS had been compared with that through Tsushima Strait (TsS), and the results using the data from 2009 to 2012 were presented in the last OSM. In this study the monitoring data were extended further to 2014 and the difference of VTs between TwS and TsS was compared with wind fields and Ekman transport for not only seasonal variation but also shorter time scale variations. Ekman transport across the shelf break with time scales shorter than one month has a good correlation with the difference of VTs between TwS and TsS, that is, net transport across the shelf break of the East China Sea. The correlation is much better with VT through TwS rather than through TsS. Onshoreward net transport due to the Ekman transport may decrease the VT through TwS, which means that the VT through TwS is not only related to the local wind but also wind field over the East China Sea.

Long-term effect of early nutrition on endocrine parameters and liver and endometrial gene expression of the members of the somatotrophic axis in Hereford heifers.

PubMed

Guggeri, D; Meikle, A; Carriquiry, M; De Barbieri, I; Montossi, F; Viñoles, C

2018-04-23

This study compared the effect of different management systems on endocrine parameters, and gene expression of members of the somatotrophic axis in the liver and endometrium of beef heifers. Twenty-two 709-days-old heifers submitted to Early Weaning (EW, n = 8), Traditional Weaning (TW, n = 7) and TW plus creep feeding (TW+CF, n = 7) were used. Animals were synchronized with two prostaglandin (PG) injections at 11-day interval (Oestrus = Day 0). Blood samples were collected daily for progesterone (P4) determination, and endometrial and liver biopsies on Days 7 and 16 for transcript determination of members of the somatotrophic axis. Progesterone concentrations were greater on Days 15 and 16 (p < .02) of the cycle in TW+CF than TW and EW heifers. On Day 7, TW+CF heifers expressed greater liver total growth hormone receptor transcripts than TW heifers (p = .05) and greater insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein 3 mRNA than both EW and TW groups (p < .05). On Days 7 and 16, TW+CF expressed more endometrial IGF1 mRNA than the other groups (p < .01). We conclude that increasing the plane of nutrition of nursing calves may have a long-term effect on the functioning of the somatotrophic axis both in the liver and in the endometrium. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Description of durancin TW-49M, a novel enterocin B-homologous bacteriocin in carrot-isolated Enterococcus durans QU 49.

PubMed

Hu, C-B; Zendo, T; Nakayama, J; Sonomoto, K

2008-09-01

To characterize the novel bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus durans. Enterococcus durans QU 49 was isolated from carrot and expressed bactericidal activity over 20-43 degrees C. Bacteriocins were purified to homogeneity using the three-step purification method, one of which, termed durancin TW-49M, was an enterocin B-homologous peptide with most identical residues occurring in the N-terminus. Durancin TW-49M was more tolerant in acidic than in alkali. DNA sequencing analysis revealed durancin TW-49M was translated as a prepeptide of the double-glycine type. Durancin TW-49M and enterocin B expressed similar antimicrobial spectra, in which no significant variation due to the diversity in their C-termini was observed. Durancin TW-49M, a novel nonpediocin-like class II bacteriocin, was characterized to the amino acid and genetic levels. The diverse C-terminal parts of durancin TW-49M and enterocin B were hardly to be suggested as the place determining the target cell specificity. This is the first and comprehensive study of a novel bacteriocin produced by Ent. durans. The high homology at the N-terminal halves between durancin TW-49M and enterocin B makes them suitable to study the structure-function relationship of bacteriocins and their immunity proteins.

"Unspoken Agreements": Perceived Acceptability of Couples HIV Testing and Counseling (CHTC) Among Cisgender Men with Transgender Women Partners.

PubMed

Reisner, Sari L; Menino, David; Leung, Kingsley; Gamarel, Kristi E

2018-06-23

Transgender women (TW) are one of the highest risk groups for HIV infection globally; however, the HIV testing needs of their cisgender (non-transgender) male partners remain largely unknown. This study sought to examine the perceived acceptability of couples HIV testing and counseling (CHTC) for TW-male dyads from the perspective of cisgender men who partner with TW. Between September 2016 and June 2017, 19 cisgender men (mean age = 40.1, SD = 12.8) who currently have, or have ever had a TW partner completed an in-depth semi-structured phone interview and brief survey to gather data on acceptability of CHTC, as well as perceived barriers and facilitators to CHTC for TW-male couples. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed and integrated with survey data. Acceptability of CHTC was high in the sample (89.5%) but was complex and largely contingent on: (1) monogamy and commitment as critical precursors to CHTC acceptability; (2) risk perception and level of comfort with CHTC; (3) understandings of sexual agreements; and (4) personal relationships versus other TW-male relationships. Findings have implications for culturally-adapting and implementing CHTC in real-world settings for TW-male couples, as well as for meeting the individual HIV testing needs of cisgender men who partner with TW.

The c-axis charge traveling wave in a coupled system of Josephson junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukrinov, Yu. M.; Hamdipour, M.

2012-05-01

We demonstrate a manifestation of the charge traveling wave along the c axis (TW) in current voltage characteristics of coupled Josephson junctions in high- T c superconductors. The branches related to the TW with different wavelengths are found for the stacks with different number of Josephson junctions at different values of system's parameters. Transitions between the TW branches and the outermost branch are observed. The electric charge in the superconducting layers and charge-charge correlation functions for TW and outermost branches show different behavior with bias current. We propose an experimental testing of the TW branching by microwave irradiation.

Extending laser plasma accelerators into the mid-IR spectral domain with a next-generation ultra-fast CO 2 laser

DOE PAGES

Pogorelsky, I. V.; Babzien, M.; Ben-Zvi, I.; ...

2016-01-20

Here we discuss how expanding the scope of relativistic plasma research to wavelengths longer than λ/≈0.8₋1.1μm covered by conventional mode-locked solid-state lasers would offer attractive opportunities due to the quadratic scaling of the ponderomotive electron energy and critical plasma density with λ. Answering this quest, a next-generation mid-IR laser project is being advanced at the BNL ATF as a part of the user facility upgrade. We discuss the technical approach to this conceptually new 100 TW, 100 fs, λ=9₋11 μm CO 2 laser BESTIA (Brookhaven Experimental Supra-Terawatt Infrared at ATF) that encompasses several innovations applied for the first time tomore » molecular gas lasers. BESTIA will enable new regimes of laser plasma accelerators. One for example is shock-wave ion acceleration from gas jets. We review ongoing efforts to achieve stable, monoenergetic proton acceleration by dynamically shaping the plasma density profile from a hydrogen gas target with laser-produced blast waves. At its full power, 100 TW BESTIA promises to achieve proton beams at energy exceeding 200 MeV. In addition to ion acceleration in over-critical plasma, the ultra-intense mid-IR laser BESTIA will open new opportunities in driving wakefields in tenuous plasmas, expanding the landscape of Laser Wake Field Accelerator (LWFA) studies into unexplored long-wavelength spectral domain. Simple wavelength scaling suggests that a 100-TW CO2 laser beam will be capable to efficiently generate plasma “bubbles” thousand times bigger in volume compared to a near-IR solid state laser of an equivalent power. Combined with a femtosecond electron linac available at the ATF, this wavelength scaling will facilitate study of external seeding and staging of LWFA.« less

Coexistence and interfacial properties of a triangle-well mimicking the Lennard-Jones fluid and a comparison with noble gases.

PubMed

Bárcenas, M; Reyes, Y; Romero-Martínez, A; Odriozola, G; Orea, P

2015-02-21

Coexistence and interfacial properties of a triangle-well (TW) fluid are obtained with the aim of mimicking the Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential and approach the properties of noble gases. For this purpose, the scope of the TW is varied to match vapor-liquid densities and surface tension. Surface tension and coexistence curves of TW systems with different ranges were calculated with replica exchange Monte Carlo and compared to those data previously reported in the literature for truncated and shifted (STS), truncated (ST), and full Lennard-Jones (full-LJ) potentials. We observed that the scope of the TW potential must be increased to approach the STS, ST, and full-LJ properties. In spite of the simplicity of TW expression, a remarkable agreement is found. Furthermore, the variable scope of the TW allows for a good match of the experimental data of argon and xenon.

Comprehensive Transcriptome Analysis of Developing Xylem Responding to Artificial Bending and Gravitational Stimuli in Betula platyphylla

PubMed Central

Wang, Chao; Zhang, Nan; Gao, Caiqiu; Cui, Zhiyuan; Sun, Dan; Yang, Chuanping; Wang, Yucheng

2014-01-01

Betula platyphylla Suk (birch) is a fast-growing woody species that is important in pulp industries and the biofuels. However, as an important pulp species, few studies had been performed on its wood formation. In the present study, we investigated the molecular responses of birch xylem to artificial bending and gravitational stimuli. After trunks of birch trees were subjected to bending for 8 weeks, the cellulose content was significantly greater in tension wood (TW) than in opposite wood (OW) or normal wood (NW), whereas the lignin content in TW was significantly lower than that in OW and NW. In addition, TW grew more rapidly than OW and generated TW-specific fibers with an additional G-layer. Three transcriptome libraries were constructed from TW, OW and NW of B. platyphylla, respectively, after the plants were subjected to artificial bending. Overall, 80,909 nonredundant unigenes with a mean size of 768 nt were assembled. Expression profiles were generated, and 9,684 genes were found to be significantly differentially expressed among the TW, OW and NW libraries. These included genes involved in secondary cell wall structure, wood composition, and cellulose or lignin biosynthesis. Our study showed that during TW formation, genes involved in cellulose synthesis were induced, while the expression of lignin synthesis-related genes decreased, resulting in increased cellulose content and decreased lignin levels in TW. In addition, fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins play important role in TW formation. These findings may provide important insights into wood formation at the molecular level. PMID:24586282

Tropheryma whipplei Infection (Whipple Disease) in the USA.

PubMed

Hujoel, Isabel A; Johnson, David H; Lebwohl, Benjamin; Leffler, Daniel; Kupfer, Sonia; Wu, Tsung-Teh; Murray, Joseph A; Rubio-Tapia, Alberto

2018-03-23

Whipple disease (WD) is an infection caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whipplei (TW). Few cases have been reported in the USA. To report on the demographics, clinical manifestations, diagnostic findings, treatment, and outcomes of TW infection. Cases of TW infection diagnosed from 1995 to 2010 were identified in three US referral centers and from 1995 to 2015 in one. Definite classic WD was defined by positive periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining and probable WD by specific positive TW polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of intestinal specimens. Localized infections were defined by a positive TW PCR result from samples of other tissues/body fluids. Among the 33 cases of TW infections, 27 (82%) were male. Median age at diagnosis was 53 years (range 11-75). Diagnosis was supported by a positive TW PCR in 29 (88%) and/or a positive PAS in 16 (48%) patients. Classic WD was the most frequent presentation (n = 18, 55%), with 14 definite and 4 probable cases. Localized infections (n = 15, 45%) affected the central nervous system (n = 7), joints (n = 4), heart (n = 2), eye (n = 1), and skeletal muscle (n = 1). Blood PCR was negative in 9 of 17 (53%) cases at diagnosis. Ceftriaxone intravenously followed by trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole orally was the most common regimen (n = 23, 70%). Antibiotic therapy resulted in clinical response in 24 (73%). TW infection can present as intestinal or localized disease. Negative small bowel PAS and PCR do not exclude the diagnosis of TW infection, and blood PCR is insensitive for active infection.

Citizen science shows systematic changes in the temperature difference between air and inland waters with global warming

PubMed Central

Weyhenmeyer, Gesa A.; Mackay, Murray; Stockwell, Jason D.; Thiery, Wim; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Augusto-Silva, Pétala B.; Baulch, Helen M.; de Eyto, Elvira; Hejzlar, Josef; Kangur, Külli; Kirillin, Georgiy; Pierson, Don C.; Rusak, James A.; Sadro, Steven; Woolway, R. Iestyn

2017-01-01

Citizen science projects have a long history in ecological studies. The research usefulness of such projects is dependent on applying simple and standardized methods. Here, we conducted a citizen science project that involved more than 3500 Swedish high school students to examine the temperature difference between surface water and the overlying air (Tw-Ta) as a proxy for sensible heat flux (QH). If QH is directed upward, corresponding to positive Tw-Ta, it can enhance CO2 and CH4 emissions from inland waters, thereby contributing to increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. The students found mostly negative Tw-Ta across small ponds, lakes, streams/rivers and the sea shore (i.e. downward QH), with Tw-Ta becoming increasingly negative with increasing Ta. Further examination of Tw-Ta using high-frequency temperature data from inland waters across the globe confirmed that Tw-Ta is linearly related to Ta. Using the longest available high-frequency temperature time series from Lake Erken, Sweden, we found a rapid increase in the occasions of negative Tw-Ta with increasing annual mean Ta since 1989. From these results, we can expect that ongoing and projected global warming will result in increasingly negative Tw-Ta, thereby reducing CO2 and CH4 transfer velocities from inland waters into the atmosphere. PMID:28262715

Citizen science shows systematic changes in the temperature difference between air and inland waters with global warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weyhenmeyer, Gesa A.; Mackay, Murray; Stockwell, Jason D.; Thiery, Wim; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Augusto-Silva, Pétala B.; Baulch, Helen M.; de Eyto, Elvira; Hejzlar, Josef; Kangur, Külli; Kirillin, Georgiy; Pierson, Don C.; Rusak, James A.; Sadro, Steven; Woolway, R. Iestyn

2017-03-01

Citizen science projects have a long history in ecological studies. The research usefulness of such projects is dependent on applying simple and standardized methods. Here, we conducted a citizen science project that involved more than 3500 Swedish high school students to examine the temperature difference between surface water and the overlying air (Tw-Ta) as a proxy for sensible heat flux (QH). If QH is directed upward, corresponding to positive Tw-Ta, it can enhance CO2 and CH4 emissions from inland waters, thereby contributing to increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. The students found mostly negative Tw-Ta across small ponds, lakes, streams/rivers and the sea shore (i.e. downward QH), with Tw-Ta becoming increasingly negative with increasing Ta. Further examination of Tw-Ta using high-frequency temperature data from inland waters across the globe confirmed that Tw-Ta is linearly related to Ta. Using the longest available high-frequency temperature time series from Lake Erken, Sweden, we found a rapid increase in the occasions of negative Tw-Ta with increasing annual mean Ta since 1989. From these results, we can expect that ongoing and projected global warming will result in increasingly negative Tw-Ta, thereby reducing CO2 and CH4 transfer velocities from inland waters into the atmosphere.

Computational Modeling and Simulation of Film-Condensation

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-18

different cases considered in the present work. Table 2: Four different cases corresponding to various thermal boundary conditions ( CWT : constant wall...temperature; UHF: uniform heat flux; and CHT: convection heat transfer) on the channel walls. Cases (a) (b) (c) (d) Top wall BC CWT : Tw2>Tsat UHF: qw...CHT: h & T∞ >Tsat CHT Bottom Wall BC CWT : Tw1<Tsat CWT : Tw1<Tsat CWT : Tw1<Tsat UHF: qw   Page 12 of 18   In the above table, T y

Achieving High Resolution Ion Mobility Separations Using Traveling Waves in Compact Multiturn Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

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

Hamid, Ahmed M.; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.; Ibrahim, Yehia M.

We report on ion mobility separations (IMS) achievable using traveling waves in a Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (TW-SLIM) module having a 44-cm path length and sixteen 90º turns. The performance of the TW-SLIM module was evaluated for ion transmission, and ion mobility separations with different RF, TW parameters and SLIM surface gaps in conjunction with mass spectrometry. In this work TWs were created by the transient and dynamic application of DC potentials. The TW-SLIM module demonstrated highly robust performance and the ion mobility resolution achieved even with sixteen close spaced turns was comparable to a similar straight path TW-SLIMmore » module. We found an ion mobility peak capacity of ~ 31 and peak generation rate of 780 s-1 for TW speeds of <210 m/s using the current multi-turn TW-SLIM module. The separations achieved for isomers of peptides and tetrasaccharides were found to be comparable to those from a ~ 0.9-m drift tube-based IMS-MS platform operated at the same pressure (4 torr). The combined attributes of flexible design, low voltage requirements and lossless ion transmission through multiple turns for the present TW-SLIM module provides a basis for SLIM devices capable of achieving much greater ion mobility resolutions via greatly extended ion path lengths and compact serpentine designs that do not significantly impact the instrumentation profile, a direction described in a companion manuscript.« less

Whole genome-wide transcript profiling to identify differentially expressed genes associated with seed field emergence in two soybean low phytate mutants.

PubMed

Yuan, Fengjie; Yu, Xiaomin; Dong, Dekun; Yang, Qinghua; Fu, Xujun; Zhu, Shenlong; Zhu, Danhua

2017-01-18

Seed germination is important to soybean (Glycine max) growth and development, ultimately affecting soybean yield. A lower seed field emergence has been the main hindrance for breeding soybeans low in phytate. Although this reduction could be overcome by additional breeding and selection, the mechanisms of seed germination in different low phytate mutants remain unknown. In this study, we performed a comparative transcript analysis of two low phytate soybean mutants (TW-1 and TW-1-M), which have the same mutation, a 2 bp deletion in GmMIPS1, but show a significant difference in seed field emergence, TW-1-M was higher than that of TW-1 . Numerous genes analyzed by RNA-Seq showed markedly different expression levels between TW-1-M and TW-1 mutants. Approximately 30,000-35,000 read-mapped genes and ~21000-25000 expressed genes were identified for each library. There were ~3900-9200 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in each contrast library, the number of up-regulated genes was similar with down-regulated genes in the mutant TW-1and TW-1-M. Gene ontology functional categories of DEGs indicated that the ethylene-mediated signaling pathway, the abscisic acid-mediated signaling pathway, response to hormone, ethylene biosynthetic process, ethylene metabolic process, regulation of hormone levels, and oxidation-reduction process, regulation of flavonoid biosynthetic process and regulation of abscisic acid-activated signaling pathway had high correlations with seed germination. In total, 2457 DEGs involved in the above functional categories were identified. Twenty-two genes with 20 biological functions were the most highly up/down- regulated (absolute value Log2FC >5) in the high field emergence mutant TW-1-M and were related to metabolic or signaling pathways. Fifty-seven genes with 36 biological functions had the greatest expression abundance (FRPM >100) in germination-related pathways. Seed germination in the soybean low phytate mutants is a very complex process, which involves a series of physiological, morphological and transcriptional changes. Compared with TW-1, TW-1-M had a very different gene expression profile, which included genes related to plant hormones, antioxidation, anti-stress and energy metabolism processes. Our research provides a molecular basis for understanding germination mechanisms, and is also an important resource for the genetic analysis of germination in low phytate crops. Plant hormone- and antioxidation-related genes might strongly contribute to the high germination rate in the TW-1-M mutant.

26 CFR 1.416-1 - Questions and answers on top-heavy plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

..., employers under common control or affiliated service group. A partner of a partnership will not be treated... employees, former key employees, and non-key employees. (b) All employers that are aggregated under section... as key employees, as former key employees, or as non-key employees. See Question and Answer T-12 for...

26 CFR 1.416-1 - Questions and answers on top-heavy plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., employers under common control or affiliated service group. A partner of a partnership will not be treated... employees, former key employees, and non-key employees. (b) All employers that are aggregated under section... as key employees, as former key employees, or as non-key employees. See Question and Answer T-12 for...

76 FR 6146 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-03

...: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T.W. Alexander... 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Open: February 17... Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive...

Solid waste management of temple floral offerings by vermicomposting using Eisenia fetida

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

Singh, Akanksha, E-mail: bhuaks29@gmail.com; Jain, Akansha, E-mail: akansha007@rediffmail.com; Sarma, Birinchi K., E-mail: birinchi_ks@yahoo.com

2013-05-15

Highlights: ► Effective management of temple floral offerings using E. fetida. ► Physico-chemical properties in TW VC were better especially EC, C/N, C/P and TK. ► TW VC as plant growth promoter at much lower application rates than KW and FYW VC. - Abstract: Recycling of temple waste (TW) mainly comprising of floral offerings was done through vermitechnology using Eisenia fetida and its impact on seed germination and plant growth parameters was studied by comparing with kitchen waste (KW) and farmyard waste (FYW) vermicompost (VC). The worm biomass was found to be maximum in TW VC compared to KW andmore » FYW VCs at both 40 and 120 days old VCs. Physico-chemical analysis of worm-worked substrates showed better results in TW VC especially in terms of electrical conductivity, C/N, C/P and TK. 10% TW VC–water extract (VCE) showed stimulatory effect on germination percentage of chickpea seeds while KW and FYW VCE proved effective at higher concentration. Variation in growth parameters was also observed with change in the VC–soil ratio and TW VC showed enhanced shoot length, root length, number of secondary roots and total biomass at 12.5% VC compared to KW and FYW VC.« less

HIV Status Communication with Sex Partners and Associated Factors Among High-Risk MSM and Transgender Women in Lima, Peru.

PubMed

Konda, Kelika A; Castillo, Rostislav; Leon, Segundo R; Silva-Santisteban, Alfonso; Salazar, Ximena; Klausner, Jeffrey D; Coates, Thomas J; Cáceres, Carlos F

2017-01-01

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) are key populations in the HIV epidemic. HIV status communication between sex partners can inform decisions regarding sexual behavior. MSM and TW were asked about HIV status communication with sex partners at baseline, 9- and 18-months. GEE models assessed associations with HIV status communication at baseline using prevalence ratios (PRs) and longitudinally using odds ratios (ORs). At baseline, those who had previously had an HIV test, disclosed their HIV status to 42 % of their sex partners. HIV status communication was associated with knowing their sex partner's HIV status at baseline (aPR 5.20) and longitudinally (aOR 1.86). HIV positivity at baseline was negatively associated with HIV status communication during follow-up (aOR 0.55). All reported aPRs and aORs have p < 0.05. Interventions promoting HIV status communication and more frequent HIV testing should be explored as current efforts are insufficient.

Disk Accretion in the 10 Myr Old T Tauri Stars TW Hydrae and Hen 3-600A.

PubMed

Muzerolle; Calvet; Briceño; Hartmann; Hillenbrand

2000-05-20

We have found that two members of the TW Hydrae association, TW Hydrae and Hen 3-600A, are still actively accreting, based on the ballistic infall signature of their broad Halpha emission profiles. We present the first quantitative analysis of accretion in these objects and conclude that the same accretion mechanisms which operate in the well-studied 1 Myr old T Tauri stars can and do occur in older (10 Myr) stars. We derive the first estimates of the disk mass accretion rate in TW Hya and Hen 3-600A, which are 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than the average rates in 1 Myr old objects. The decrease in accretion rates over 10 Myr, as well as the low fraction of TW Hya association objects still accreting, points to significant disk evolution, possibly linked to planet formation. Given the multiplicity of the Hen 3-600 system and the large UV excess of TW Hya, our results show that accretion disks can be surprisingly long lived in spite of the presence of companions and significant UV ionizing flux.

Silicate Emission in the TW Hydrae Association

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitko, Michael L.; Lynch, David K.; Russell, Ray W.

2000-11-01

The TW Hydrae association is the nearest young stellar association. Among its members are HD 98800, HR 4796A, and TW Hydrae itself, the nearest known classical T Tauri star. We have observed these three stars spectroscopically between 3 and 13 μm. In TW Hya, the spectrum shows a silicate emission feature that is similar to many other young stars' with protostellar disks. The 11.2 μm feature indicative of significant amounts of crystalline olivine is not as strong as in some young stars and solar system comets. In HR 4796A, the thermal emission in the silicate feature is very weak, suggesting little in the way of (small silicate) grains near the star. The silicate band of HD 98800 (observed by us, but also reported by Sylvester & Skinner) is intermediate in strength between TW Hya and HR 4796A.

Ion Mobility Derived Collision Cross Sections to Support Metabolomics Applications

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Metabolomics is a rapidly evolving analytical approach in life and health sciences. The structural elucidation of the metabolites of interest remains a major analytical challenge in the metabolomics workflow. Here, we investigate the use of ion mobility as a tool to aid metabolite identification. Ion mobility allows for the measurement of the rotationally averaged collision cross-section (CCS), which gives information about the ionic shape of a molecule in the gas phase. We measured the CCSs of 125 common metabolites using traveling-wave ion mobility-mass spectrometry (TW-IM-MS). CCS measurements were highly reproducible on instruments located in three independent laboratories (RSD < 5% for 99%). We also determined the reproducibility of CCS measurements in various biological matrixes including urine, plasma, platelets, and red blood cells using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with TW-IM-MS. The mean RSD was < 2% for 97% of the CCS values, compared to 80% of retention times. Finally, as proof of concept, we used UPLC–TW-IM-MS to compare the cellular metabolome of epithelial and mesenchymal cells, an in vitro model used to study cancer development. Experimentally determined and computationally derived CCS values were used as orthogonal analytical parameters in combination with retention time and accurate mass information to confirm the identity of key metabolites potentially involved in cancer. Thus, our results indicate that adding CCS data to searchable databases and to routine metabolomics workflows will increase the identification confidence compared to traditional analytical approaches. PMID:24640936

A coherent through-wall MIMO phased array imaging radar based on time-duplexed switching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Qingchao; Chetty, Kevin; Brennan, Paul; Lok, Lai Bun; Ritchie, Matthiew; Woodbridge, Karl

2017-05-01

Through-the-Wall (TW) radar sensors are gaining increasing interest for security, surveillance and search and rescue applications. Additionally, the integration of Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (MIMO) techniques with phased array radar is allowing higher performance at lower cost. In this paper we present a 4-by-4 TW MIMO phased array imaging radar operating at 2.4 GHz with 200 MHz bandwidth. To achieve high imaging resolution in a cost-effective manner, the 4 Tx and 4 Rx elements are used to synthesize a uniform linear array (ULA) of 16 virtual elements. Furthermore, the transmitter is based on a single-channel 4-element time-multiplexed switched array. In transmission, the radar utilizes frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) waveforms that undergo de-ramping on receive to allow digitization at relatively low sampling rates, which then simplifies the imaging process. This architecture has been designed for the short-range TW scenarios envisaged, and permits sufficient time to switch between antenna elements. The paper first outlines the system characteristics before describing the key signal processing and imaging algorithms which are based on traditional Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processing. These techniques are implemented in LabVIEW software. Finally, we report results from an experimental campaign that investigated the imaging capabilities of the system and demonstrated the detection of personnel targets. Moreover, we show that multiple targets within a room with greater than approximately 1 meter separation can be distinguished from one another.

AmeriFlux US-Tw2 Twitchell Corn

DOE Data Explorer

Baldocchi, Dennis [University of California, Berkeley

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Tw2 Twitchell Corn. Site Description - The Twitchell Corn site is a corn field on peat soil. The tower was installed on May 17, 2012 and was equipped to analyze energy, H2O and CO2 fluxes. The field was planted in early May 2012 and harvested in early November 2012. The field was fallow during the non-growing season. The variety of corn used was ES-7477 hybrid corn commercialized by Eureka seeds. The site is near US-Tw1, US-Tw3 and US-Twt sites.

76 FR 1149 - T.W. Phillips Pipeline Corp.; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-07

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. AC11-19-000] T.W. Phillips Pipeline Corp.; Notice of Filing December 30, 2010. Take notice that on December 17, 2010, T.W. Phillips Pipeline Corp. submitted a request for a waiver of the reporting requirement to file the FERC Form 2-A for...

Serum and urine chromium as indices of chromium status in tannery workers

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

Randall, J.A.; Gibson, R.S.

Serum and urinary Cr levels of a selected group of men exposed to CrIII in four Southern Ontario tanneries were compared with those of men not exposed to Cr. Fasted blood samples were obtained from 72 tannery workers (TW; mean age +/- SD = 36 +/- 12 years) and from 52 controls (CS; mean age +/- SD = 41 +/- 13 years). Serum Cr levels as determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry were significantly higher (P = 0.0001) for TW (median 0.49 ng/ml, range 0.37-0.81) than for CS (median 0.15 ng/ml, range 0.12-0.20). Urine samples were collected from 49more » TW and 43 CS on a Friday pm and from 42 TW on a Monday am. Urinary creatine (Cre) was determined by the Jaffe reaction. For Friday samples, the median urinary Cr/Cre ratio was significantly higher (P = 0.0001) for TW (median 0.83 ng/mg, range 0.48-1.82) than for CS (median 0.18 ng/mg, range 0.13-0.26). For TW, Cr/Cre was correlated with serum Cr (r = 0.72, P = 0.0001). Neither urinary Cr/Cre nor serum Cr was correlated with length of employment in the tanning industry. There were significant differences in serum Cr levels and urinary Cr/Cre ratios among TW employed in different areas of the tanneries. For TW, the median urinary Cr/Cre ratio for Monday morning samples was significantly lower than for Friday afternoon samples (P = 0.03). These data indicate that CrIII is absorbed and that serum and urine Cr in tannery workers may be indices of Cr exposure and status.« less

Serum and urine chromium as indices of chromium status in tannery workers.

PubMed

Randall, J A; Gibson, R S

1987-05-01

Serum and urinary Cr levels of a selected group of men exposed to CrIII in four Southern Ontario tanneries were compared with those of men not exposed to Cr. Fasted blood samples were obtained from 72 tannery workers (TW; mean age +/- SD = 36 +/- 12 years) and from 52 controls (CS; mean age +/- SD = 41 +/- 13 years). Serum Cr levels as determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry were significantly higher (P = 0.0001) for TW (median 0.49 ng/ml, range 0.37-0.81) than for CS (median 0.15 ng/ml, range 0.12-0.20). Urine samples were collected from 49 TW and 43 CS on a Friday pm and from 42 TW on a Monday am. Urinary creatine (Cre) was determined by the Jaffe reaction. For Friday samples, the median urinary Cr/Cre ratio was significantly higher (P = 0.0001) for TW (median 0.83 ng/mg, range 0.48-1.82) than for CS (median 0.18 ng/mg, range 0.13-0.26). For TW, Cr/Cre was correlated with serum Cr (r = 0.72, P = 0.0001). Neither urinary Cr/Cre nor serum Cr was correlated with length of employment in the tanning industry. There were significant differences in serum Cr levels and urinary Cr/Cre ratios among TW employed in different areas of the tanneries. For TW, the median urinary Cr/Cre ratio for Monday morning samples was significantly lower than for Friday afternoon samples (P = 0.03). These data indicate that CrIII is absorbed and that serum and urine Cr in tannery workers may be indices of Cr exposure and status.

China's research status in emergency medicine: a 15-year survey of literature.

PubMed

Wang, Weiwei; Jiang, Ting; Li, Chunyu; Chen, Jun; Cao, Kejiang; Qi, Lian-wen; Li, Ping; Zhu, Wei; Zhu, Baoli; Chen, Yan

2016-03-01

To investigate the research status of emergency medicine in China through literature search of international emergency medicine journals and retrospectively compare the outputs of emergency medicine articles of the 3 major regions of China-Mainland (ML), Taiwan (TW), and Hong Kong (HK). Emergency medicine journals were selected category from Science Citation Index Expand. Articles from the ML, TW, and HK were retrieved from PubMed database. The total number of articles, publication types, research contents, impact factors (IF), and articles published in each journal were conducted for quantity and quality comparisons. A total of 1760 articles from 19 emergency medicine journals were searched, of which 395 were from ML, 1210 from TW, and 155 from HK. Accumulated IF of articles from TW (2451.109) was much higher than that of ML (851.832) and HK (328.579), whereas the average IF of articles from TW (2.02) was the lowest. The number of case reports was the highest, which was, 69 from ML, 637 from TW, and 25 from HK, respectively. Although emergency medicine was involved with multiple organs and multiple systems, the reports of trauma accounted for 25% of the research contents. The total number of articles from both China and the rest of the world increased significantly from 2000 to 2014, especially ML. The total number of articles from TW was still much more than that of ML and HK, whereas the quality of articles from TW was not as good as ML and HK. Case report had the highest share of publication types, whereas the proportions of meta-analysis and observational study were the lowest. As for research contents, the proportion of trauma was still the highest. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in river water temperature between 1980 and 2012 in Yongan watershed, eastern China: Magnitude, drivers and models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Dingjiang; Hu, Minpeng; Guo, Yi; Dahlgren, Randy A.

2016-02-01

Climate warming is expected to have major impacts on river water quality, water column/hyporheic zone biogeochemistry and aquatic ecosystems. A quantitative understanding of spatio-temporal air (Ta) and water (Tw) temperature dynamics is required to guide river management and to facilitate adaptations to climate change. This study determined the magnitude, drivers and models for increasing Tw in three river segments of the Yongan watershed in eastern China. Over the 1980-2012 period, Tw in the watershed increased by 0.029-0.046 °C yr-1 due to a ∼0.050 °C yr-1 increase of Ta and changes in local human activities (e.g., increasing developed land and population density and decreasing forest area). A standardized multiple regression model was developed for predicting annual Tw (R2 = 0.88-0.91) and identifying/partitioning the impact of the principal drivers on increasing Tw:Ta (76 ± 1%), local human activities (14 ± 2%), and water discharge (10 ± 1%). After normalizing water discharge, climate warming and local human activities were estimated to contribute 81-95% and 5-19% of the observed rising Tw, respectively. Models forecast a 0.32-1.76 °C increase in Tw by 2050 compared with the 2000-2012 baseline condition based on four future scenarios. Heterogeneity of warming rates existed across seasons and river segments, with the lower flow river and dry season demonstrating a more pronounced response to climate warming and human activities. Rising Tw due to changes in climate, local human activities and hydrology has a considerable potential to aggravate river water quality degradation and coastal water eutrophication in summer. Thus it should be carefully considered in developing watershed management strategies in response to climate change.

Epoxy composites based on inexpensive tire waste filler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmetli, Gulnare; Gungor, Ahmet; Kocaman, Suheyla

2014-05-01

Tire waste (TW) was recycled as raw material for the preparation of DGEBA-type epoxy composite materials. The effects of filler amount and epoxy type on the mechanical properties of the composites were investigated. Tensile strength and Young's modulus of the composites with NPEL were generally higher than composites with NPEF. The appropriate mass level for TW in both type composites was found to be 20 wt%. The equilibrium water sorption of NPEL/TW and NPEF/TW composites for 14-day immersion was determined as 0.10 % and 0.21 %, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for characterization of the composites.

Petroleum systems of the San Joaquin Basin Province -- geochemical characteristics of gas types: Chapter 10 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lillis, Paul G.; Warden, Augusta; Claypool, George E.; Magoon, Leslie B.

2008-01-01

The San Joaquin Basin Province is a petroliferous basin filled with predominantly Late Cretaceous to Pliocene-aged sediments, with organic-rich marine rocks of Late Cretaceous, Eocene, and Miocene age providing the source of most of the oil and gas. Previous geochemical studies have focused on the origin of the oil in the province, but the origin of the natural gas has received little attention. To identify and characterize natural gas types in the San Joaquin Basin, 66 gas samples were analyzed and combined with analyses of 15 gas samples from previous studies. For the purpose of this resource assessment, each gas type was assigned to the most likely petroleum system. Three general gas types are identified on the basis of bulk and stable carbon isotopic composition—thermogenic dry (TD), thermogenic wet (TW) and biogenic (B). The thermogenic gas types are further subdivided on the basis of the δ13C values of methane and ethane and nitrogen content into TD-1, TD-2, TD-Mixed, TW-1, TW-2, and TW-Mixed. Gas types TD-1 and TD-Mixed, a mixture of biogenic and TD-1 gases, are produced from gas fields in the northern San Joaquin Basin. Type TD-1 gas most likely originated from the Late Cretaceous to Paleocene Moreno Formation, a gas-prone source rock. The biogenic component of the TD-Mixed gas existed in the trap prior to the influx of thermogenic gas. For the assessment, these gas types were assigned to the Winters- Domengine Total Petroleum System, but subsequent to the assessment were reclassified as part of the Moreno-Nortonville gas system. Dry thermogenic gas produced from oil fields in the southern San Joaquin Basin (TD-2 gas) most likely originated from the oil-prone source rock of Miocene age. These samples have low wetness values due to migration fractionation or biodegradation. The thermogenic wet gas types (TW-1, TW-2, TW-Mixed) are predominantly associated gas produced from oil fields in the southern and central San Joaquin Basin. Type TW-1 gas most likely originates from source rocks within the Eocene Kreyenhagen Formation or the Eocene Tumey formation of Atwill (1935). Type TW-2 gas most likely originates from the Miocene Monterey Formation and equivalents. TW-Mixed gas is likely a mixture of biogenic and wet thermogenic gas (TW-1 or TW-2) derived from source rocks mentioned above. The thermogenic wet gas types are included in the corresponding Eocene or Miocene total petroleum systems. Type B gas is a dry, nonassociated gas produced from the Pliocene San Joaquin Formation in the central and southern San Joaquin Basin. This gas type most likely originated from Pliocene marine source rocks as a product of methanogenesis, and defines the Neogene Nonassociated Gas Total Petroleum System.

Spectroscopic Investigation of TW Dra: Improved Stellar and System Parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tkachenko, A.; Lehmann, H.; Mkrtichian, D.

2010-12-01

We investigate the Algol-type system TW Dra by means of the new computer program Shellspec07_inverse which is specially designed for the fine-tuning of stellar and system parameters of eclipsing binaries. We derive precise atmospheric and system parameters of TW Dra with an accuracy comparable to that expected from photometric data, and give a short comparison of our results with previous determinations.

Root-Zone Redox Dynamics - In Search for the Cause of Damage to Treated-Wastewater Irrigated Orchards in Clay Soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yalin, David; Shenker, Moshe; Schwartz, Amnon; Assouline, Shmuel; Tarchitzky, Jorge

2016-04-01

Treated wastewater (TW) has become a common source of water for agriculture. However recent findings raise concern regarding its use: a marked decrease (up to 40%) in yield appeared in orchards irrigated with TW compared with fresh water (FW) irrigated orchards. These detrimental effects appeared predominantly in orchards cultivated in clay soils. The association of the damage with clay soils rather than sandy soils led us to hypothesize that the damage is linked to soil aeration problems. We suspected that in clay soils, high sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and high levels of organic material, both typical of TW, may jointly lead to an extreme decrease in soil oxygen levels, so as to shift soil reduction-oxidation (redox) state down to levels that are known to damage plants. Two-year continuous measurement of redox potential, pH, water tension, and oxygen were conducted in the root-zone (20-35 cm depth) of avocado trees planted in clay soil and irrigated with either TW or FW. Soil solution composition was sampled periodically in-situ and mineral composition was sampled in tree leaves and woody organs biannually. In dry periods the pe+pH values indicated oxic conditions (pe+pH>14), and the fluctuations in redox values were small in both TW and FW plots. Decreases in soil water tension following irrigation or rain were followed by drops in soil oxygen and pe+pH values. TW irrigated plots had significantly lower minimum pe+pH values compared with FW-irrigated plots, the most significant differences occurred during the irrigation season rather than the rain season. A linear correlation appeared between irrigation volume and reduction severity in TW-irrigated plots, but not in the FW plots, indicating a direct link to the irrigation regime in TW-irrigated plots. The minimum pe+pH values measured in the TW plots are indicative of suboxic conditions (9

Saturation wind power potential and its implications for wind energy.

PubMed

Jacobson, Mark Z; Archer, Cristina L

2012-09-25

Wind turbines convert kinetic to electrical energy, which returns to the atmosphere as heat to regenerate some potential and kinetic energy. As the number of wind turbines increases over large geographic regions, power extraction first increases linearly, but then converges to a saturation potential not identified previously from physical principles or turbine properties. These saturation potentials are >250 terawatts (TW) at 100 m globally, approximately 80 TW at 100 m over land plus coastal ocean outside Antarctica, and approximately 380 TW at 10 km in the jet streams. Thus, there is no fundamental barrier to obtaining half (approximately 5.75 TW) or several times the world's all-purpose power from wind in a 2030 clean-energy economy.

Epoxy composites based on inexpensive tire waste filler

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

Ahmetli, Gulnare, E-mail: ahmetli@selcuk.edu.tr; Gungor, Ahmet, E-mail: ahmetli@selcuk.edu.tr; Kocaman, Suheyla, E-mail: ahmetli@selcuk.edu.tr

2014-05-15

Tire waste (TW) was recycled as raw material for the preparation of DGEBA-type epoxy composite materials. The effects of filler amount and epoxy type on the mechanical properties of the composites were investigated. Tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the composites with NPEL were generally higher than composites with NPEF. The appropriate mass level for TW in both type composites was found to be 20 wt%. The equilibrium water sorption of NPEL/TW and NPEF/TW composites for 14-day immersion was determined as 0.10 % and 0.21 %, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for characterization ofmore » the composites.« less

Testing our scenario of a failed wind in TW Hya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canizares, Claude

2017-09-01

We recently discovered variability in X-ray indicators of accretion in the CTTS TW Hya. We seek to use this to understand the physics of accretion in our upcoming HST observations. We have been granted 7 HST orbits to monitor the C IV 155 nm doublet in TW Hya, the closest CTTS, to correlate i) the hot wind ii) the cool wind iii) the photometric period iv) the accretion. In existing HETGS data of TW Hya we see variability in emission lines from the accretion shock on the star. However, the densities in Ne IX and O VII indicate that today's shock models are incomplete. A hot wind is the most promising candidate for this missing component.

HIV Prevention and Primary Care for Transgender Women in a Community-Based Clinic

PubMed Central

Melendez, Rita M.; Pinto, Rogério M.

2012-01-01

Male-to-female transgender individuals, or transgender women (TW), are at high risk for HIV infection and face multiple barriers to HIV care. Advocates agree that numerous factors need to be addressed concurrently to prevent HIV infection in TW, including primary health care. This article examines how a community-based clinic that offers free or low-cost care addresses the health care needs of TW. A total of 20 TW who attended a health care clinic dedicated to community-based health were interviewed regarding best practices for HIV prevention and primary care. In-depth interviews were conducted, transcribed, coded, and analyzed. Factors reported to be effective for HIV prevention and primary care included (a) access to health care in settings not dedicated to serving transgender and/or gay communities, (b) a friendly atmosphere and staff sensitivity, and (c) holistic care including hormone therapy. Community-based health care settings can be ideal locales for HIV prevention and primary care for TW. PMID:19732697

Solid waste management of temple floral offerings by vermicomposting using Eisenia fetida.

PubMed

Singh, Akanksha; Jain, Akansha; Sarma, Birinchi K; Abhilash, P C; Singh, Harikesh B

2013-05-01

Recycling of temple waste (TW) mainly comprising of floral offerings was done through vermitechnology using Eisenia fetida and its impact on seed germination and plant growth parameters was studied by comparing with kitchen waste (KW) and farmyard waste (FYW) vermicompost (VC). The worm biomass was found to be maximum in TW VC compared to KW and FYW VCs at both 40 and 120days old VCs. Physico-chemical analysis of worm-worked substrates showed better results in TW VC especially in terms of electrical conductivity, C/N, C/P and TK. 10% TW VC-water extract (VCE) showed stimulatory effect on germination percentage of chickpea seeds while KW and FYW VCE proved effective at higher concentration. Variation in growth parameters was also observed with change in the VC-soil ratio and TW VC showed enhanced shoot length, root length, number of secondary roots and total biomass at 12.5% VC compared to KW and FYW VC. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative study of the chemical profiling, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of essential oils of different parts of Thymus willdenowii Boiss & Reut.

PubMed

Ouknin, Mohamed; Romane, Abderrahmane; Costa, Jean; Majidi, Lhou

2018-02-27

The analysis of Thymus willdenowii Boiss & Reut essential oils (TW EOs) shows 33 components accounting for (96.3-97.7%) of all identified. The main constituents of TW EOs were thymol (35.5-47.3%), p-cymene (13.9-23.8%), γ-terpinene (8.9-20.3%). The antioxidant assays revealed that all TW EOs tested showed strong activities, the antimicrobial effect of TW EOs has been tested against isolated clinical strains of Proteus mirabilis (ATCC 35659), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Candida albicans (ATCC 10231), Bacillus cereus (ATCC 10876), and Aspergillus brasilliensis (ATCC 16404). The antimicrobial test indicates that TW EOs show an inhibition effect against all the tested bacteria with a MIC of 6.9 to 27.6 μg/mL -1 . These results proving that the essential oils extracted from Thymus willdenowii Boiss & Reut may be a new potential source of natural antimicrobial applied in pharmaceutical and food industries.

IRF4 haploinsufficiency in a family with Whipple’s disease

PubMed Central

Guérin, Antoine; Kerner, Gaspard; Marr, Nico; Markle, Janet G; Fenollar, Florence; Wong, Natalie; Boughorbel, Sabri; Avery, Danielle T; Ma, Cindy S; Bougarn, Salim; Bouaziz, Matthieu; Béziat, Vivien; Della Mina, Erika; Oleaga-Quintas, Carmen; Lazarov, Tomi; Worley, Lisa; Nguyen, Tina; Patin, Etienne; Deswarte, Caroline; Martinez-Barricarte, Rubén; Boucherit, Soraya; Ayral, Xavier; Edouard, Sophie; Boisson-Dupuis, Stéphanie; Rattina, Vimel; Bigio, Benedetta; Vogt, Guillaume; Geissmann, Frédéric; Quintana-Murci, Lluis; Chaussabel, Damien; Tangye, Stuart G; Raoult, Didier; Abel, Laurent; Bustamante, Jacinta

2018-01-01

Most humans are exposed to Tropheryma whipplei (Tw). Whipple’s disease (WD) strikes only a small minority of individuals infected with Tw (<0.01%), whereas asymptomatic chronic carriage is more common (<25%). We studied a multiplex kindred, containing four WD patients and five healthy Tw chronic carriers. We hypothesized that WD displays autosomal dominant (AD) inheritance, with age-dependent incomplete penetrance. We identified a single very rare non-synonymous mutation in the four patients: the private R98W variant of IRF4, a transcription factor involved in immunity. The five Tw carriers were younger, and also heterozygous for R98W. We found that R98W was loss-of-function, modified the transcriptome of heterozygous leukocytes following Tw stimulation, and was not dominant-negative. We also found that only six of the other 153 known non-synonymous IRF4 variants were loss-of-function. Finally, we found that IRF4 had evolved under purifying selection. AD IRF4 deficiency can underlie WD by haploinsufficiency, with age-dependent incomplete penetrance. PMID:29537367

Partner-Level Factors Associated with Insertive and Receptive Condomless Anal Intercourse Among Transgender Women in Lima, Peru.

PubMed

Satcher, Milan F; Segura, Eddy R; Silva-Santisteban, Alfonso; Sanchez, Jorge; Lama, Javier R; Clark, Jesse L

2017-08-01

Condomless anal intercourse among transgender women (TW) in Peru has been shown to vary by the type of partner involved (e.g. primary vs. casual vs. transactional sex partner), but no previous studies have explored variations in partner-level patterns of condom use according to type of anal intercourse. We evaluated the relationship between partnership characteristics and condom use during insertive (IAI) versus receptive anal intercourse (RAI) among TW with recent, non-female partners. Condomless IAI was more common with transactional and casual sex partners and by TW who self-reported HIV-uninfected serostatus (p < 0.05), alcohol use disorders, or substance use before sex. Condomless RAI was more common with primary partners and by TW who described their HIV serostatus as unknown (p < 0.05). Examining partner-level differences between condomless IAI and RAI reveals distinct patterns of HIV/STI risk among TW, suggesting a need for HIV prevention strategies tailored to the specific contexts of partners, practices, and networks.

NEW EVIDENCE SUPPORTING MEMBERSHIP FOR TW NOR IN LYNGA 6 AND THE CENTAURUS SPIRAL ARM

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

Majaess, Daniel; Turner, David; Moni Bidin, Christian

2011-11-10

The putative association between the 10{sub .}{sup d}8 classical Cepheid TW Nor and the open cluster Lynga 6 has generated considerable debate in the literature. New JHK{sub s} photometry in tandem with existing radial velocities for Lynga 6 stars implies cluster membership for TW Nor and establishes the variable as a high-weight calibrator for classical Cepheid relations. Fundamental mean parameters determined for Lynga 6 are: d = 1.91 {+-} 0.10 kpc, E(J - H) = 0.38 {+-} 0.02, and log {tau} = 7.9 {+-} 0.1. The Benedict et al./Turner Galactic VI{sub c} Wesenheit function was revised using TW Nor's newmore » parameters: W{sub VI,0} (- 3.37 {+-} 0.08)log P{sub 0} - 2.48 {+-} 0.08. TW Nor/Lynga 6 lie beyond the Sagittarius-Carina spiral arm and occupy the Centaurus arm, along with innumerable young Cepheids and clusters (e.g., VW Cen and VVV CL070).« less

Report of China's innovation increase and research growth in radiation oncology.

PubMed

Zhu, Hongcheng; Yang, Xi; Qin, Qin; Bian, Kangqi; Zhang, Chi; Liu, Jia; Cheng, Hongyan; Sun, Xinchen

2014-06-01

To investigate the research status of radiation oncology in China through survey of literature in international radiation oncology journals and retrospectively compare the outputs of radiation oncology articles of the three major regions of China-Mainland (ML), Taiwan (TW) and Hong Kong (HK). Radiation oncology journals were selected from "oncology" and "radiology, nuclear & medical image" category from Science Citation Index Expand (SCIE). Articles from the ML, TW and HK were retrieved from MEDLINE. The number of total articles, clinical trials, case reports, impact factors (IF), institutions and articles published in each journals were conducted for quantity and quality comparisons. A total 818 articles from 13 radiation oncology journals were searched, of which 427 are from ML, 259 from TW, and 132 from HK. Ninety-seven clinical trials and 5 case reports are reported in China. Accumulated IF of articles from ML (1,417.11) was much higher than that of TW (1,003.093) and HK (544.711), while the average IF of articles from ML is the lowest. The total number of articles from China especially ML increased significantly in the last decade. The number of articles published from the ML has exceeded those from TW and HK. However, the quality of articles from TW and HK is better than that from ML.

Effects of immersion in cool water on lung-exhaled nitric oxide at rest and during exercise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pendergast, D. R.; Krasney, J. A.; DeRoberts, D.; Farhi, L. E. (Principal Investigator)

1999-01-01

Lung nitric oxide (NO) has been postulated to relax airway and vascular smooth muscle at rest and during exercise. As a cold environment is a common cause of respiratory distress, lung exhaled NO was measured during skin and core body cooling at rest and during a progressive cycle exercise. Ten healthy male subjects were immersed in water at a water temperature (Tw) which was thermal neutral (35 degrees C) at 30 degrees C Tw, at which only skin temperature is decreased; and at 20 degrees C Tw, at which the core temperature is decreased (0.05 degrees C). At rest, V(O), and V(E) increased while exhaled NO concentration [NO] and the rate of expiration of NO (V(NO)) decreased with decreased Tw. V(O2) and ventilation (V(E)) increased with workload (W) and the values at all Tw were not different, whereas, [NO] decreased with W and the values during exercise were progressively less at all Ws as Tw declined. These results indicate that lung NO output is reduced in a graded fashion during body cooling at rest and during exercise. This suggests that lower lung NO may contribute to airway obstruction in cold environments and NO may contribute to regulation of lung heat and water exchange.

Biochemical response of crayfish Astacus leptodactylus exposed to textile wastewater treated by indigenous white rot fungus Coriolus versicolor.

PubMed

Aksu, Onder; Yildirim, Nuran Cikcikoglu; Yildirim, Numan; Danabas, Durali; Danabas, Seval

2015-02-01

The discharge of textile effluents into the environment without appropriate treatment poses a serious threat for the aquatic organisms. The present study was undertaken to investigate biochemical response of crayfish Astacus leptodactylus exposed to textile wastewater (TW) treated by indigenous white rot fungus Coriolus versicolor. Glutathione S-transferase (GST), cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), and acetylcholinesterase (AchE) levels in hepatopancreas and abdomen tissues of crayfish exposed to untreated, treated, and diluted rates (1/10) in both TW during 24 and 96 h were tested. Physiochemical parameters (electrical conductivity (EC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), pH, and total dissolved solid (TDS)) of TW were determined before and after treatment. Physiochemical parameters of TW decreased after treatment. The GST activity and AchE were generally increased, but CYP1A1 activity was decreased in hepatopancreas tissue of crayfish exposed to different kinds of untreated TW. After treatment by indigenous white rot fungus (C. versicolor), GST and CYP1A1 activities were returned to control values, while AchE activities were increasing further. In this study, only GST and CYP1A1 activities of A. leptodactylus confirmed the efficiency of TW treatment with C. versicolor.

Muscle fatigue during intermittent exercise in individuals with mental retardation.

PubMed

Zafeiridis, Andreas; Giagazoglou, Paraskevi; Dipla, Konstantina; Salonikidis, Konstantinos; Karra, Chrisanthi; Kellis, Eleftherios

2010-01-01

This study examined fatigue profile during intermittent exercise in 10 men with mild to moderate mental retardation (MR) and 10 men without mental retardation (C). They performed 4 x 30s maximal knee extensions and flexions with 1-min rest on an isokinetic dynamometer. Peak torque of flexors (PTFL) and extensors (PTEX), total work (TW), and lactate were measured. Fatigue was calculated as the magnitude of decline (%) in PTFL, PTEX, and TW and as rate of decline (linear slope) in TW from 1st to 4th set. MR had lower PTFL, PTEX, TW, and lactate throughout the protocol than C, while pre-motor time was greater in MR vs. C (p<0.05). MR demonstrated a delayed pattern of reduction in muscular performance. Lower values were observed in MR vs. C in the magnitude of decline for PTEX and TW and the rate of decline for TW. In conclusion, MR exhibit a different fatigue profile during intermittent exercise than C. The lower magnitude and decline rate in neuromuscular performance in MR during intermittent exercise is associated with their lower peak strength, short-term anaerobic capacity, and lactate accumulation. Rehabilitation and sport professionals should consider the differences in fatigue profile when designing intermittent exercise programs for MR. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global structure and seasonal variability of the migrating terdiurnal tide in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Jia; Xu, Jiyao; Chang, Loren C.; Wu, Qian; Liu, Han-Li; Lu, Xian; Russell, James

2013-12-01

The morphology of the migrating terdiurnal tide with zonal wavenumber 3 (TW3) in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) is revealed using the TIMED satellite datasets from the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) and the TIMED Doppler Interferometer (TIDI) instruments from 2002 to 2009, as well as the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIME-GCM). The annual mean structures of the TW3 from the TIME-GCM clearly resemble the first real symmetric (3,3) Hough mode. The TW3 temperature and zonal wind components have three peaks at midlatitudes and near the equator, while the TW3 meridional wind components show four peaks at mid and low latitudes. These features are consistent with those resolved in SABER temperature and TIDI zonal wind above ~95 km. TW3 components in the TIME-GCM are stronger during winter and spring months at midlatitudes, which is in agreement with previous ground-based radar measurements. On the other hand, TW3 components of temperature, zonal and meridional winds from SABER and TIDI display different seasonal variations at different altitudes and latitudes. The results presented in this paper will provide an observational basis for further modeling study of terdiurnal tide impacts on the thermosphere and ionosphere.

Accounting for Sampling Error in Genetic Eigenvalues Using Random Matrix Theory.

PubMed

Sztepanacz, Jacqueline L; Blows, Mark W

2017-07-01

The distribution of genetic variance in multivariate phenotypes is characterized by the empirical spectral distribution of the eigenvalues of the genetic covariance matrix. Empirical estimates of genetic eigenvalues from random effects linear models are known to be overdispersed by sampling error, where large eigenvalues are biased upward, and small eigenvalues are biased downward. The overdispersion of the leading eigenvalues of sample covariance matrices have been demonstrated to conform to the Tracy-Widom (TW) distribution. Here we show that genetic eigenvalues estimated using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) in a multivariate random effects model with an unconstrained genetic covariance structure will also conform to the TW distribution after empirical scaling and centering. However, where estimation procedures using either REML or MCMC impose boundary constraints, the resulting genetic eigenvalues tend not be TW distributed. We show how using confidence intervals from sampling distributions of genetic eigenvalues without reference to the TW distribution is insufficient protection against mistaking sampling error as genetic variance, particularly when eigenvalues are small. By scaling such sampling distributions to the appropriate TW distribution, the critical value of the TW statistic can be used to determine if the magnitude of a genetic eigenvalue exceeds the sampling error for each eigenvalue in the spectral distribution of a given genetic covariance matrix. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

Relationship between cardiopulmonary responses and isokinetic moments: the optimal angular velocity for muscular endurance

PubMed Central

Lee, Chan-Bok; Eun, Denny; Kim, Kang-Ho; Park, Jae-Wan; Jee, Yong-Seok

2017-01-01

Most protocols for testing and rehabilitation for recovery and improvement of muscular endurance have been set at 180°/sec, 240°/sec, and 300°/sec. These protocols can cause confusion to clinical providers or other researchers. This study was aimed at investigating the optimal isokinetic angular speed for measuring or developing muscular endurance after assessing the relationship between cardiopulmonary responses and isokinetic moments. This study was conducted with 31 male and female college students. Graded exercise test and body composition were measured as well as the isokinetic moments of the knee muscles at three angular speeds: 180°/sec, 240°/sec, and 300°/sec. The specific isokinetic moments of knee muscles that were measured included: peak torque (PT) and total work (TW) on extensor (e) and flexor (f) of knee joints, which were denoted as ePT180, fPT180, eTW180, fTW180, ePT240, fPT240, eTW240, fTW240, ePT300, fPT300, eTW300, and fTW300 according to the three angular speeds. Spearman correlation test was used to examine the relationship between the sum means of cardiopulmonary responses and the variables of isokinetic moments. This study confirmed that the optimal angular speed for testing or training for muscular endurance was 180°/sec, which showed a stronger relationship between cardiopulmonary responses and isokinetic moments. Therefore, this angular speed is recommended for testing and training for muscular endurance of the knee joints. PMID:28503531

Tissue welding tonsillectomy provides an enhanced recovery compared to that after monopolar electrocautery technique in adults: a prospective randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Silvola, Juha; Salonen, Aarre; Nieminen, Jouko; Kokki, Hannu

2011-02-01

We have compared tonsillectomy (TE) with tissue welding (TW) technology using a specially designed forceps versus conventional monopolar electrocautery to evaluate whether this new technology may improve recovery after TE. This was a single-blind, randomized clinical trial with two parallel groups. Sixty healthy adult day-surgery patients were allocated into the TW-TE group (n = 31) and the monopolar electrocautery-TE group (n = 29). We recorded intraoperative events and short- and long-term recovery for 2 weeks postoperatively. The patients and study nurses evaluating patients during recovery were blinded to the operation method used. All patients in the TW-TE group completed the study as per protocol, but in the monopolar electrocautery-TE group, there was one drop-out in the hospital and another after discharge. There was no difference in the perioperative parameters and early recovery between the two groups. After discharge, recovery was significantly faster in the TW group than in the monopolar group: (1) the duration of postoperative pain was 2 days shorter, and (2) activities of normal daily living were less affected, and (3) the need for hospital contacts after discharge, and (4) the incidence of postoperative bleeding was less in the TW group than that in the monopolar group. No patients in the TW group developed secondary bleeding versus three patients in the monopolar group requiring electrocautery to control bleeding. In conclusion; our results indicate that, TW technique may provide reduced pain, faster recovery, and fewer complications compared to electrocautery TE.

Relationship between cardiopulmonary responses and isokinetic moments: the optimal angular velocity for muscular endurance.

PubMed

Lee, Chan-Bok; Eun, Denny; Kim, Kang-Ho; Park, Jae-Wan; Jee, Yong-Seok

2017-04-01

Most protocols for testing and rehabilitation for recovery and improvement of muscular endurance have been set at 180°/sec, 240°/sec, and 300°/sec. These protocols can cause confusion to clinical providers or other researchers. This study was aimed at investigating the optimal isokinetic angular speed for measuring or developing muscular endurance after assessing the relationship between cardiopulmonary responses and isokinetic moments. This study was conducted with 31 male and female college students. Graded exercise test and body composition were measured as well as the isokinetic moments of the knee muscles at three angular speeds: 180°/sec, 240°/sec, and 300°/sec. The specific isokinetic moments of knee muscles that were measured included: peak torque (PT) and total work (TW) on extensor (e) and flexor (f) of knee joints, which were denoted as ePT180, fPT180, eTW180, fTW180, ePT240, fPT240, eTW240, fTW240, ePT300, fPT300, eTW300, and fTW300 according to the three angular speeds. Spearman correlation test was used to examine the relationship between the sum means of cardiopulmonary responses and the variables of isokinetic moments. This study confirmed that the optimal angular speed for testing or training for muscular endurance was 180°/sec, which showed a stronger relationship between cardiopulmonary responses and isokinetic moments. Therefore, this angular speed is recommended for testing and training for muscular endurance of the knee joints.

The Concomitant Use of Diuretics, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (Triple Whammy), Extreme Heat, and In-Hospital Acute Kidney Injury in Older Medical Patients.

PubMed

Mangoni, Arduino A; Kholmurodova, Feruza; Mayner, Lidia; Hakendorf, Paul; Woodman, Richard J

2017-11-01

We investigated whether the concomitant use of diuretics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (triple whammy, TW) predicts in-hospital acute kidney injury (AKI) and whether admission during recorded periods of extreme heat influences this association. We retrospectively collected data on patient characteristics and use of TW/non-TW drugs on admission, AKI (increase in serum creatinine ≥ 27 µmol/l either within the first 48 h of admission or throughout hospitalization, primary outcome), length of stay (LOS), and mortality (secondary outcomes) in medical patients ≥65 years admitted (1) during five consecutive heat waves (HWs) between 2007 and 2009 (n = 382) or (2) either before or after each HW, matched for HW period, age, and admission day of the week (non-HW, controls, n = 1339). Number of TW and non-TW drugs, co-morbidities, number of daily admissions, incidence of in-hospital AKI, LOS, and mortality were similar in the HW and non-HW groups. After adjusting for clinical and demographic confounders, logistic regression showed that TW use did not predict AKI within 48 h of admission either during non-HW periods (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.34-1.83, P = 0.58) or during HWs (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.21-2.97, P = 0.97). Similar results were observed when AKI was captured throughout hospitalization. TW use did not predict LOS or mortality irrespective of environmental temperature on admission. TW use on admission did not predict in-hospital AKI, LOS, or mortality in older medical patients admitted either during periods of normal environmental temperature or during HWs.

Scientific publications in critical care medicine journals from Chinese authors: a 10-year survey of the literature.

PubMed

Li, Zhi; Liao, Zhuan; Wu, Fei-Xiang; Yang, Li-Qun; Sun, Yu-Ming; Yu, Wei-Feng

2010-10-01

People of Chinese ethnicity are the largest population in the world. Critical care medicine in China is developing rapidly and has achieved great advances in recent 20 years. The research contribution in critical care medicine among Chinese individuals in the three major regions of China--Mainland (ML), Hong Kong (HK), and Taiwan (TW)--is unknown. Articles published in 18 journals on critical care medicine originating from ML, TW, and HK from 1999 to 2008 were retrieved from the PubMed database and Science Citation Index Expanded. Quantity and quality analyses were conducted for the total numbers of articles, clinical trials, randomized controlled trials, impact factors (IF), citations, and articles published in high-impact journals. There were 932 articles from ML (268), TW (506), and HK (158) from 1999 to 2008. The annual total numbers of articles of the three regions increased gradually from 1999 to 2008 (from 57 to 157). From 2002 onward, the number of articles published from ML exceeded that from HK, but TW still has the dominance in both annual and total number of articles published compared with ML and HK. The accumulated IF of articles from TW (1676.67) was higher than that from ML (708.25) and HK (449.51). TW had the highest average IF of 3.31 followed by HK of 2.85 and ML of 2.64. HK had the highest average citations of each article of 10.73, followed by TW of 6.74 and ML of 5.34. The Journal of Trauma was the most popular journal in the three regions. The total numbers of articles in China increased markedly from 1999 to 2008. TW published the most number of articles, clinical trials, and randomised controlled trials among the three regions. The Journal of Trauma was the most popular journal in the three regions.

Design of Restoration Method Based on Compressed Sensing and TwIST Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Fei; Piao, Yan

2018-04-01

In order to improve the subjective and objective quality of degraded images at low sampling rates effectively,save storage space and reduce computational complexity at the same time, this paper proposes a joint restoration algorithm of compressed sensing and two step iterative threshold shrinkage (TwIST). The algorithm applies the TwIST algorithm which used in image restoration to the compressed sensing theory. Then, a small amount of sparse high-frequency information is obtained in frequency domain. The TwIST algorithm based on compressed sensing theory is used to accurately reconstruct the high frequency image. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm achieves better subjective visual effects and objective quality of degraded images while accurately restoring degraded images.

Optimization and evaluation of multiple gating beam delivery in a synchrotron-based proton beam scanning system using a real-time imaging technique.

PubMed

Yamada, Takahiro; Miyamoto, Naoki; Matsuura, Taeko; Takao, Seishin; Fujii, Yusuke; Matsuzaki, Yuka; Koyano, Hidenori; Umezawa, Masumi; Nihongi, Hideaki; Shimizu, Shinichi; Shirato, Hiroki; Umegaki, Kikuo

2016-07-01

To find the optimum parameter of a new beam control function installed in a synchrotron-based proton therapy system. A function enabling multiple gated irradiation in the flat top phase has been installed in a real-time-image gated proton beam therapy (RGPT) system. This function is realized by a waiting timer that monitors the elapsed time from the last gate-off signal in the flat top phase. The gated irradiation efficiency depends on the timer value, Tw. To find the optimum Tw value, gated irradiation efficiency was evaluated for each configurable Tw value. 271 gate signal data sets from 58 patients were used for the simulation. The highest mean efficiency 0.52 was obtained in TW=0.2s. The irradiation efficiency was approximately 21% higher than at TW=0s, which corresponds to ordinary synchrotron operation. The irradiation efficiency was improved in 154 (57%) of the 271 cases. The irradiation efficiency was reduced in 117 cases because the TW value was insufficient or the function introduced an unutilized wait time for the next gate-on signal in the flat top phase. In the actual treatment of a patient with a hepatic tumor at Tw=0.2s, 4.48GyE irradiation was completed within 250s. In contrast, the treatment time of ordinary synchrotron operation was estimated to be 420s. The results suggest that the multiple gated-irradiation function has potential to improve the gated irradiation efficiency and to reduce the treatment time. Copyright © 2016 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scientific publications on systematic review and meta-analysis from Chinese authors: a 10-year survey of the English literature.

PubMed

Yang, Zhiping; Wu, Qiong; Wu, Kaichun; Fan, Daiming

2012-03-01

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are playing an increasingly important role in clinical research and practice. This study aimed to measure the scientific production of systematic review and meta-analysis from the three major regions of China: the Mainland (ML), Hong Kong (HK), and Taiwan (TW). English articles on systematic review and meta-analysis from ML, HK, and TW from 2001 to 2010 were retrieved from the PubMed database. The total number of articles, impact factors (IF), and articles published in high-impact journals were conducted for quantity and quality comparisons among the three regions. There were 1 587 published articles from ML (1 292), HK (203), and TW (92) during the past ten years. The annual total numbers of articles in the three regions increased significantly from 2001 to 2010 (from 13 to 677). The number of articles from ML has exceeded that from TW since 2001, and surpassed that from HK in 2003. The accumulated IF of articles from ML (3 488.24) was higher than those from HK (493.16) and TW (216.39). HK had the highest average IF of 3.31, followed by ML of 2.90 and TW of 2.85. Researchers from HK published a larger proportion of papers in high-impact journals than those from ML and TW. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was the most popular journal in China. Chinese authors have been very active to enhance the systematic review and meta-analysis research over the past ten years, especially in ML. The gap between ML and the other two regions has been narrowed. But there is still considerable room for Chinese authors to improve their studies on systematic review and meta-analysis.

Behaviour during transportation predicts stress response and lower airway contamination in horses

PubMed Central

Raidal, Sharanne L.; Knight, Peter; Celi, Pietro; Jeffcott, Leo; Muscatello, Gary

2018-01-01

This study aimed to document the effects of an eight hour journey on behavioural, clinical, haematological, environmental and respiratory parameters, and to identify possible associations between factors. Twelve horses underwent clinical examination, respiratory endoscopy with tracheal wash (TW) aspiration, and collection of venous and arterial blood before (BJ) and after the journey (AJ). TW were submitted for conventional quantitative bacteriological evaluation and genetic microbiome analyses. Behaviour was assessed in stables prior to transportation and throughout the journey. Transportation caused mild, but significant, effects on fluid and electrolyte balance and an acute phase response, characterized by neutrophilia, hyperfibrinogenaemia and hyperglobulinaemia. The proportion of neutrophils in TW, tracheal mucus and TW bacterial concentration was increased AJ, with preferential replication of Pasteurellaceae. Horse behaviour en route predicted clinical and respiratory outcomes. The frequency of stress related behaviours was greatest in the first hour of the journey, and balance-related behaviours were most common in the final hour of the journey. Horses which lowered their heads less frequently en route and showed more stress-related behaviours had higher physiological stress (serum cortisol and heart rate on arrival), increased tracheal mucus and inflammation scores, and higher TW bacterial concentration AJ (P<0.05). Six horses with abnormal lung auscultation AJ proved to have had higher tracheal inflammation scores at preloading (P = 0.017), an overall higher concentration of bacteria in their TW (P = 0.013), and an increased percentage of neutrophils in TW at five days AJ (P = 0.003) in comparison to the other horses. While transport-related health problems are multifactorial, clinical examination, including auscultation and endoscopic inspection of the lower respiratory tract before and after journey, and behavioural observation en route may identify animals at increased risk of transport associated respiratory disease. PMID:29566072

Simplified radius, ulna, and short bone-age assessment procedure using grouped-Tanner-Whitehouse method.

PubMed

Hsieh, Chi-Wen; Liu, Tzu-Chiang; Wang, Jui-Kai; Jong, Tai-Lang; Tiu, Chui-Mei

2011-08-01

The Tanner-Whitehouse III (TW3) method is popular for assessing children's bone age, but it is time-consuming in clinical settings; to simplify this, a grouped-TW algorithm (GTA) was developed. A total of 534 left-hand roentgenograms of subjects aged 2-15 years, including 270 training and 264 testing datasets, were evaluated by a senior pediatrician. Next, GTA was used to choose the appropriate candidate of radius, ulna, and short bones and to classify the bones into three groups by data mining. Group 1 was composed of the maturity pattern of the radius and the middle phalange of the third and fifth digits and three weights were obtained by data mining, yielding a result similar to that of TW3. Subsequently, new bone-age assessment tables were constructed for boys and girls by linear regression and fuzzy logic. In addition, the Bland-Altman plot was utilized to compare accuracy between the GTA, the Greulich-Pyle (GP), and the TW3 method. The relative accuracy between the GTA and the TW3 was 96.2% in boys and 95% in girls, with an error of 1 year, while that between the assessment results of the GP and TW3 was about 87%, with an error of 1 year. However, even if the three weights were not optimally processed, GTA yielded a marginal result with an accuracy of 78.2% in boys and 79.6% in girls. GTA can efficiently simplify the complexity of the TW3 method, while maintaining almost the same accuracy. The relative accuracy between the assessment results of GTA and GP can also be marginal. © 2011 The Authors. Pediatrics International © 2011 Japan Pediatric Society.

Spitzer Spectroscopy of the Transition Object TW Hya

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-24

results bear on our understanding of the evolutionary state of the TW Hya disk . Subject headings: (stars:) circumstellar matter — (stars:) planetary systems... protoplanetary disks — stars: pre-main sequence — (stars: individual) TW Hya 1. Introduction Spectroscopy with the Spitzer Space Telescope has...region of the disk . (2) If a planet has formed with a mass sufficient to open a gap (∼ 1MJ), gas will be cleared in the vicinity of its orbit, but gap

A unique polysaccharide containing 3-O-methylarabinose and 3-O-methylgalactose from Tinospora sinensis.

PubMed

Nagar, Shipra; Hensel, Andreas; Mischnick, Petra; Kumar, Vineet

2018-08-01

Tinospora sinensis (Lour.) Merrill is of great therapeutic significance in Indian traditional medicine. Crude polysaccharides were isolated from methanol pre-extracted stems of dried material by successive extractions with cold water, hot water and NaOH (0.25 mol/L) in 0.98, 0.55 and 0.70 % yields respectively. Cold water soluble polysaccharides (CWSP) were purified and fractionated by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel. Neutral polysaccharides were further fractionated on Sepharose CL6B to yield three fractions TW1, TW2, TW3. The study further focuses on structural elucidation of TW1. TW1 was obtained in 0.8 % yield relative to CWSP, with MW of 1.6 × 10 5  Da. It was composed of 3-O-methyl-arabinose, 3-O-methyl-galactose and galactose in molar ratio of 1.0:6.3:0.9 respectively. Based on per-deuteromethylation, NMR and ESI-MS analyses, TW1 was composed of 1,4-linked 3-O-methyl-β-d-galactopyranose and β-d-galactopyranose backbone with branching at O-6 of 3-O-methyl-β-d-galactosyl residues by 1,5-linked 3-O-methyl-α-l-arabinofuranoside chains. 3-O-methyl-arabinose and 3-O-methyl-galactose have first ever been reported in any polysaccharide and Tinospora genus, respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential aquaculture probiont Lactococcus lactis TW34 produces nisin Z and inhibits the fish pathogen Lactococcus garvieae.

PubMed

Sequeiros, Cynthia; Garcés, Marisa E; Vallejo, Marisol; Marguet, Emilio R; Olivera, Nelda L

2015-04-01

Bacteriocin-producing Lactococcus lactis TW34 was isolated from marine fish. TW34 bacteriocin inhibited the growth of the fish pathogen Lactococcus garvieae at 5 AU/ml (minimum inhibitory concentration), whereas the minimum bactericidal concentration was 10 AU/ml. Addition of TW34 bacteriocin to L. garvieae cultures resulted in a decrease of six orders of magnitude of viable cells counts demonstrating a bactericidal mode of action. The direct detection of the bacteriocin activity by Tricine-SDS-PAGE showed an active peptide with a molecular mass ca. 4.5 kDa. The analysis by MALDI-TOF-MS detected a strong signal at m/z 2,351.2 that corresponded to the nisin leader peptide mass without the initiating methionine, whose sequence STKDFNLDLVSVSKKDSGASPR was confirmed by MS/MS. Sequence analysis of nisin structural gene confirmed that L. lactis TW34 was a nisin Z producer. This nisin Z-producing strain with probiotic properties might be considered as an alternative in the prevention of lactococcosis, a global disease in aquaculture systems.

Speed selection for traveling-wave solutions to the diffusion-reaction equation with cubic reaction term and Burgers nonlinear convection.

PubMed

Sabelnikov, V A; Lipatnikov, A N

2014-09-01

The problem of traveling wave (TW) speed selection for solutions to a generalized Murray-Burgers-KPP-Fisher parabolic equation with a strictly positive cubic reaction term is considered theoretically and the initial boundary value problem is numerically solved in order to support obtained analytical results. Depending on the magnitude of a parameter inherent in the reaction term (i) the term is either a concave function or a function with the inflection point and (ii) transition from pulled to pushed TW solution occurs due to interplay of two nonlinear terms; the reaction term and the Burgers convection term. Explicit pushed TW solutions are derived. It is shown that physically observable TW solutions, i.e., solutions obtained by solving the initial boundary value problem with a sufficiently steep initial condition, can be determined by seeking the TW solution characterized by the maximum decay rate at its leading edge. In the Appendix, the developed approach is applied to a non-linear diffusion-reaction equation that is widely used to model premixed turbulent combustion.

X-Ray Spectroscopy of the Nearby, Classical T Tauri Star TW Hydrae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kastner, Joel H.; Huenemoerder, David P.; Schulz, Norbert S.; Weintraub, David A.

1999-11-01

We present ASCA and ROSAT X-ray observations of the classical T Tauri star TW Hya, the namesake of a small association that, at a distance of ~50 pc, represents the nearest known region of recent star formation. Analysis of ASCA and ROSAT spectra indicates characteristic temperatures of ~1.7 and ~9.7 MK for the X-ray-emitting region(s) of TW Hya, with emission lines of highly ionized Fe dominating the spectrum at energies of ~1 keV. The X-ray data show variations in X-ray flux on timescales of <~1 hr as well as indications of changes in the X-ray-absorbing column on timescales of several years, suggesting that flares and variable obscuration are responsible for the large-amplitude optical variability of TW Hya on short and long timescales, respectively. Comparison with model calculations suggests that TW Hya produces sufficient hard X-ray flux to produce significant ionization of molecular gas within its circumstellar disk; such X-ray ionization may regulate both protoplanetary accretion and protoplanetary chemistry.

Hydrophysical Evaluation of Wells TW-B, TW-7, UE-6d, U-2gg PSE 3A, U-10L 1, and UE-6e in Yucca Flat

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

Pohlmann, Karl; Healey, John; Lyles, Bred

This study evaluated six wells in Yucca Flat in support of the Underground Test Area (UGTA) Activity conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Accessibility and groundwater sampling conditions were assessed and if conditions permitted, samples were collected for tritium analysis. Four of the wells, TW-B, UE-6d, UE-6e, and TW-7 were sampled in support of UGTA responses to recommendations made by the Yucca Flat/Climax Mine External Peer Review Committee (Navarro, 2016). In addition to its role in support of these responses, TW-7 was included because it is listed in the NNSS Integratedmore » Groundwater Sampling Plan (DOE, 2014) as a required sampling location, although it had not been sampled since 1994. U-2gg PSE 3A and U-10L 1 were evaluated to determine whether deteriorating well conditions can be addressed so that these wells can be used as additional sampling points in Yucca Flat.« less

Solar Electricity and Solar Fuels: Status and Perspectives in the Context of the Energy Transition.

PubMed

Armaroli, Nicola; Balzani, Vincenzo

2016-01-04

The energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables is already ongoing, but it will be a long and difficult process because the energy system is a gigantic and complex machine. Key renewable energy production data show the remarkable growth of solar electricity technologies and indicate that crystalline silicon photovoltaics (PV) and wind turbines are the workhorses of the first wave of renewable energy deployment on the TW scale around the globe. The other PV alternatives (e.g., copper/indium/gallium/selenide (CIGS) or CdTe), along with other less mature options, are critically analyzed. As far as fuels are concerned, the situation is significantly more complex because making chemicals with sunshine is far more complicated than generating electric current. The prime solar artificial fuel is molecular hydrogen, which is characterized by an excellent combination of chemical and physical properties. The routes to make it from solar energy (photoelectrochemical cells (PEC), dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells (DSPEC), PV electrolyzers) and then synthetic liquid fuels are presented, with discussion on economic aspects. The interconversion between electricity and hydrogen, two energy carriers directly produced by sunlight, will be a key tool to distribute renewable energies with the highest flexibility. The discussion takes into account two concepts that are often overlooked: the energy return on investment (EROI) and the limited availability of natural resources-particularly minerals-which are needed to manufacture energy converters and storage devices on a multi-TW scale. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Understanding Engagement in HIV Risk and Prevention Research Among Black Young Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women in the District of Columbia.

PubMed

Glick, Sara Nelson; Houston, Ebony; Peterson, James; Kuo, Irene; Magnus, Manya

2016-08-01

To develop optimal methods to study sexual health among black young men who have sex with men and transgender women (BYMSM/TW). We conducted a mixed-methods prospective study to identify recruitment and retention strategies for BYMSM/TW (age 16-21) in Washington D.C., and describe HIV risk behaviors and context. Incentivized peer referral was highly productive, and 60% of BYMSM/TW were retained for 3 months. Participants reported high levels of sexual risk, homophobia, racism, and maternal support. BYMSM/TW studies should utilize a combination of peer-based, in-person, and technology-based recruiting strategies. Additional research is needed to leverage mobile technology and social media to enhance retention.

Saturation wind power potential and its implications for wind energy

PubMed Central

Jacobson, Mark Z.; Archer, Cristina L.

2012-01-01

Wind turbines convert kinetic to electrical energy, which returns to the atmosphere as heat to regenerate some potential and kinetic energy. As the number of wind turbines increases over large geographic regions, power extraction first increases linearly, but then converges to a saturation potential not identified previously from physical principles or turbine properties. These saturation potentials are >250 terawatts (TW) at 100 m globally, approximately 80 TW at 100 m over land plus coastal ocean outside Antarctica, and approximately 380 TW at 10 km in the jet streams. Thus, there is no fundamental barrier to obtaining half (approximately 5.75 TW) or several times the world’s all-purpose power from wind in a 2030 clean-energy economy. PMID:23019353

Keys to Transition: The California Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearly, Patt

This publication addresses basic issues related to the concept of transition as it is applied to students with disabilities in California. Following a pretest (and its answer key), the document uses a question and answer format to discuss common concerns about transition, normalization, the school role, the "Bridges" model developed by…

77 FR 4806 - Dominion Transmission, Inc.; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-31

... the physical parameters, including total natural gas inventory, reservoir pressure, reservoir and... the construction and operation of wells TW-210 and TW-211. Dominion estimates that the proposed wells...

Understanding Engagement in HIV Risk and Prevention Research Among Black Young Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women in the District of Columbia

PubMed Central

Houston, Ebony; Peterson, James; Kuo, Irene; Magnus, Manya

2016-01-01

Abstract Purpose: To develop optimal methods to study sexual health among black young men who have sex with men and transgender women (BYMSM/TW). Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods prospective study to identify recruitment and retention strategies for BYMSM/TW (age 16–21) in Washington D.C., and describe HIV risk behaviors and context. Results: Incentivized peer referral was highly productive, and 60% of BYMSM/TW were retained for 3 months. Participants reported high levels of sexual risk, homophobia, racism, and maternal support. Conclusion: BYMSM/TW studies should utilize a combination of peer-based, in-person, and technology-based recruiting strategies. Additional research is needed to leverage mobile technology and social media to enhance retention. PMID:26651365

Hohlraum energetics scaling to 520 TW on the National Ignition Facilitya)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kline, J. L.; Callahan, D. A.; Glenzer, S. H.; Meezan, N. B.; Moody, J. D.; Hinkel, D. E.; Jones, O. S.; MacKinnon, A. J.; Bennedetti, R.; Berger, R. L.; Bradley, D.; Dewald, E. L.; Bass, I.; Bennett, C.; Bowers, M.; Brunton, G.; Bude, J.; Burkhart, S.; Condor, A.; Di Nicola, J. M.; Di Nicola, P.; Dixit, S. N.; Doeppner, T.; Dzenitis, E. G.; Erbert, G.; Folta, J.; Grim, G.; Glenn, S.; Hamza, A.; Haan, S. W.; Heebner, J.; Henesian, M.; Hermann, M.; Hicks, D. G.; Hsing, W. W.; Izumi, N.; Jancaitis, K.; Jones, O. S.; Kalantar, D.; Khan, S. F.; Kirkwood, R.; Kyrala, G. A.; LaFortune, K.; Landen, O. L.; Lagin, L.; Larson, D.; Pape, S. Le; Ma, T.; MacPhee, A. G.; Michel, P. A.; Miller, P.; Montincelli, M.; Moore, A. S.; Nikroo, A.; Nostrand, M.; Olson, R. E.; Pak, A.; Park, H. S.; Patel, J. P.; Pelz, L.; Ralph, J.; Regan, S. P.; Robey, H. F.; Rosen, M. D.; Ross, J. S.; Schneider, M. B.; Shaw, M.; Smalyuk, V. A.; Strozzi, D. J.; Suratwala, T.; Suter, L. J.; Tommasini, R.; Town, R. P. J.; Van Wonterghem, B.; Wegner, P.; Widmann, K.; Widmayer, C.; Wilkens, H.; Williams, E. A.; Edwards, M. J.; Remington, B. A.; MacGowan, B. J.; Kilkenny, J. D.; Lindl, J. D.; Atherton, L. J.; Batha, S. H.; Moses, E.

2013-05-01

Indirect drive experiments have now been carried out with laser powers and energies up to 520 TW and 1.9 MJ. These experiments show that the energy coupling to the target is nearly constant at 84% ± 3% over a wide range of laser parameters from 350 to 520 TW and 1.2 to 1.9 MJ. Experiments at 520 TW with depleted uranium hohlraums achieve radiation temperatures of ˜330 ± 4 eV, enough to drive capsules 20 μm thicker than the ignition point design to velocities near the ignition goal of 370 km/s. A series of three symcap implosion experiments with nearly identical target, laser, and diagnostics configurations show the symmetry and drive are reproducible at the level of ±8.5% absolute and ±2% relative, respectively.

[Tropheryma whipplei and Whipple disease: false positive PCR detections of Tropheryma whipplei in diagnostic samples are rare].

PubMed

Le Scanff, J; Gaultier, J B; Durand, D Vital; Durieu, I; Celard, M; Benito, Y; Vandenesch, F; Rousset, H

2008-11-01

PCR can be used to detect T. whipplei (Tw) in samples from variable tissue types and body fluids. We report clinical, evolutive characteristics and final diagnosis in patients with positive Tw PCR assay. Retrospective study of Tw PCR realized since 10years in a microbiology laboratory. Twenty-five Tw PCR assays were positive among 200 realized. Diagnosis was not confirmed in six cases. One patient was missing for follow up. Eighteen patients presented with Whipple's disease. Among these 18 patients, 14 had a classic Whipple's disease, three patients presented an endocarditis and one patient isolated neurological manifestations. Ten patients presented fever, seven a weight loss and 12 joint involvement. Four patients presented cutaneous manifestations, only six had gastrointestinal symptoms. Neurological involvement was reported in five cases, pulmonary symptoms in four cases, cardiac involvement in six cases and ocular signs in two cases. Anemia was reported in four patients and elevated levels of acute-phase reactants in 14 cases. Positive predictive value of Tw PCR for Whipple's disease diagnosis was 75%. Thirteen patients had a good evolution with antibiotics. Three patients presented recurrence and two cases with cardiovascular involvement died. Whipple's disease is rare but often mentioned in internist experience. The diagnosis should be every time confirmed. Tw PCR assay is an important diagnostic tool but is not sufficient to establish the diagnosis and must be interpreted with histopathology and immunohistochemical testing results.

DPSSL pumped 20-TW Ti:sapphire laser system for DD fusion experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekine, T.; Hatano, Y.; Takeuchi, Y.; Kawashima, T.

2016-03-01

A diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) pumped 20-TW output Ti:sapphire laser system has been developed. A diode-pumped Nd:glass laser with output energy of 12.7 J in 527 nm was used as a pump source for a 20-TW Ti:sapphire amplifier. A CeLiB6O10 nonlinear optical crystal was used as a frequency doubler of the Nd:glass DPSSL[1]. Figure 1 shows typical output pulse energy of the 20-TW amplifier as a function of pumping energy and a near field pattern. A 1.65 J pulse energy was obtained by 4.5 J pump energy. The amplified seed pulse is compressed to typically 60 fs as shown in Fig. 1 by a vacuumed pulse compressor with 80% of transmissivity. Encircled energy ratio, into a circled with 8 μm diameter area, of far field pattern focused by off-axis parabolic mirror with F# of 3 is numerically evaluated to 40% at TW class output condition. Then focal intensity would reach to 1018W/cm2. This all- DPSSL system contributes for stable and continual investigation of laser induced plasma experiment. We have succeeded continual and high efficient generation of DD fusion neutron from CD nano-particles by cluster fusion scheme using the 20-TW laser. A yield of ∼105 neutrons per shot was stably observed during continuous 100 shots with repetition rate of 0.1Hz.

Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope study of the well-known Algol-type binary TW Dra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Wen-Ping; Qian, Sheng-Bang; Zejda, Miloslav; Zhu, Li-Ying; Li, Lin-Jia

2016-06-01

By using the Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) from 2014 December 2 to December 4, the first near-UV light curve of the well-known Algol-type binary TW Dra is reported, which is analyzed with the 2013 version of the W-D code. Our solutions confirmed that TW Dra is a semi-detached binary system where the secondary component fills its Roche lobe. The mass ratio and a high inclination are obtained (q = 0.47, i = 86.68°). Based on 589 available data spanning more than one century, the complex period changes are studied. Secular increase and three cyclical changes are found in the corresponding orbital period analysis. The secular increase changes reveal mass transfer from the secondary component to the primary one at a rate of 6.8 × 10-7 M ⊙ yr-1. One large cyclical change of 116.04 yr may be caused by disturbance of visual component ADS 9706B orbiting TW Dra (ADS 9706A), while the other two cyclical changes with shorter periods of 22.47 and 37.27 yr can be explained as the result of two circumbinary companions that are orbiting around TW Dra, where the two companions are in simple 3 : 5 orbit-rotation resonances. TW Dra itself is a basic binary in a possible sextuple system with the configuration (1 + 1) + (1 + 1) + (1 + 1), which further suggests that multiplicity may be a fairly common phenomenon in close binary systems.

Ultra-High Resolution Ion Mobility Separations Utilizing Traveling Waves in a 13 m Serpentine Path Length Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations Module

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

Deng, Liulin; Ibrahim, Yehia M.; Hamid, Ahmed M.

We report the development and initial evaluation of a 13-m path length Structures for Lossless Manipulations (SLIM) module for achieving high resolution separations using traveling waves (TW) with ion mobility (IM) spectrometry. The TW SLIM module was fabricated using two mirror-image printed circuit boards with appropriately configured RF, DC and TW electrodes and positioned with a 2.75-mm inter-surface gap. Ions were effective confined between the surfaces by RF-generated pseudopotential fields and moved losslessly through a serpentine path including 44 “U” turns using TWs. The ion mobility resolution was characterized at different pressures, gaps between the SLIM surfaces, TW and RFmore » parameters. After initial optimization the SLIM IM-MS module provided about 5-fold higher resolution separations than present commercially available drift tube or traveling wave IM-MS platforms. Peak capacity and peak generation rates achieved were 246 and 370 s-1, respectively, at a TW speed of 148 m/s. The high resolution achieved in the TW SLIM IM-MS enabled e.g., isomeric sugars (Lacto-N-fucopentaose I and Lacto-N-fucopentaose II) to be baseline resolved, and peptides from a albumin tryptic digest much better resolved than with existing commercial IM-MS platforms. The present work also provides a foundation for the development of much higher resolution SLIM devices based upon both considerably longer path lengths and multi-pass designs.« less

Terawatt x-ray free-electron-laser optimization by transverse electron distribution shaping

DOE PAGES

Emma, C.; Wu, J.; Fang, K.; ...

2014-11-03

We study the dependence of the peak power of a 1.5 Å Terawatt (TW), tapered x-ray free-electron laser (FEL) on the transverse electron density distribution. Multidimensional optimization schemes for TW hard x-ray free-electron lasers are applied to the cases of transversely uniform and parabolic electron beam distributions and compared to a Gaussian distribution. The optimizations are performed for a 200 m undulator and a resonant wavelength of λ r = 1.5 Å using the fully three-dimensional FEL particle code GENESIS. The study shows that the flatter transverse electron distributions enhance optical guiding in the tapered section of the undulator andmore » increase the maximum radiation power from a maximum of 1.56 TW for a transversely Gaussian beam to 2.26 TW for the parabolic case and 2.63 TW for the uniform case. Spectral data also shows a 30%–70% reduction in energy deposited in the sidebands for the uniform and parabolic beams compared with a Gaussian. An analysis of the transverse coherence of the radiation shows the coherence area to be much larger than the beam spotsize for all three distributions, making coherent diffraction imaging experiments possible.« less

The Impact of Problem Sets on Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Myeong Hwan; Cho, Moon-Heum; Leonard, Karen Moustafa

2012-01-01

The authors examined the role of problem sets on student learning in university microeconomics. A total of 126 students participated in the study in consecutive years. independent samples t test showed that students who were not given answer keys outperformed students who were given answer keys. Multiple regression analysis showed that, along with…

Phylogenetic and Evolutionary History of Influenza B Viruses, which Caused a Large Epidemic in 2011–2012, Taiwan

PubMed Central

Yang, Ji-Rong; Huang, Yuan-Pin; Chang, Feng-Yee; Hsu, Li-Ching; Lin, Yu-Cheng; Huang, Hsiang-Yi; Wu, Fu-Ting; Wu, Ho-Sheng; Liu, Ming-Tsan

2012-01-01

The annual recurrence of the influenza epidemic is considered to be primarily associated with immune escape due to changes to the virus. In 2011–2012, the influenza B epidemic in Taiwan was unusually large, and influenza B was predominant for a long time. To investigate the genetic dynamics of influenza B viruses during the 2011–2012 epidemic, we analyzed the sequences of 4,386 influenza B viruses collected in Taiwan from 2004 to 2012. The data provided detailed insight into the flux patterns of multiple genotypes. We found that a re-emergent TW08-I virus, which was the major genotype and had co-circulated with the two others, TW08-II and TW08-III, from 2007 to 2009 in Taiwan, successively overtook TW08-II in March and then underwent a lineage switch in July 2011. This lineage switch was followed by the large epidemic in Taiwan. The whole-genome compositions and phylogenetic relationships of the representative viruses of various genotypes were compared to determine the viral evolutionary histories. We demonstrated that the large influenza B epidemic of 2011–2012 was caused by Yamagata lineage TW08-I viruses that were derived from TW04-II viruses in 2004–2005 through genetic drifts without detectable reassortments. The TW08-I viruses isolated in both 2011–2012 and 2007–2009 were antigenically similar, indicating that an influenza B virus have persisted for 5 years in antigenic stasis before causing a large epidemic. The results suggest that in addition to the emergence of new variants with mutations or reassortments, other factors, including the interference of multi-types or lineages of influenza viruses and the accumulation of susceptible hosts, can also affect the scale and time of an influenza B epidemic. PMID:23071751

New Insights into the Changes of the Proteome and Microbiome of Shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei) Stored in Acidic Electrolyzed Water Ice.

PubMed

Zhao, Li; Zhang, Zhaohuan; Wang, Meng; Sun, Jiangping; Li, Huan; Malakar, Pradeep K; Liu, Haiquan; Pan, Yingjie; Zhao, Yong

2018-05-16

Acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) ice is a novel technique for prolonging the shelf life of foods, but there is limited knowledge of its preservation mechanism. A proteomics approach and 16S rRNA-based Illumina sequencing were employed to investigate the changes of key proteins and bacterial communities in shrimp stored in AEW ice and tap water ice (TW ice) for 7 days. Compared with TW ice, AEW ice markedly retards the degradation of myofibrillar proteins in shrimp, including myosin, actin, and tropomyosin. Moreover, sarcoplasmatic proteins that participate in the carbohydrate catabolic process and amino acid metabolism were also influenced. Furthermore, the growth of spoilage bacteria, which includes the genera Psychrobacter, Shewanella, and Flavobacterium, was significantly inhibited by AEW ice, and the inhibition rates at day 7 were 71.6, 47.8, and 100%, respectively ( p < 0.05). Further correlation analysis showed the links between spoilage bacteria and protein changes can be broken by AEW ice treatment. Collectively, our findings indicated AEW ice can improve the quality of shrimp via previously undescribed mechanisms, which retarded the degradation of myofibrillar proteins and inhibited the growth of spoilage bacteria.

TW Hydrae Family of Stars

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-04-19

A sky map taken by NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, shows the location of the TW Hydrae family, or association, of stars, which lies about 175 light-years from Earth and is centered in the Hydra constellation.

Metagenomic analysis reveals significant changes of microbial compositions and protective functions during drinking water treatment.

PubMed

Chao, Yuanqing; Ma, Liping; Yang, Ying; Ju, Feng; Zhang, Xu-Xiang; Wu, Wei-Min; Zhang, Tong

2013-12-19

The metagenomic approach was applied to characterize variations of microbial structure and functions in raw (RW) and treated water (TW) in a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) at Pearl River Delta, China. Microbial structure was significantly influenced by the treatment processes, shifting from Gammaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria in RW to Alphaproteobacteria in TW. Further functional analysis indicated the basic metabolic functions of microorganisms in TW did not vary considerably. However, protective functions, i.e. glutathione synthesis genes in 'oxidative stress' and 'detoxification' subsystems, significantly increased, revealing the surviving bacteria may have higher chlorine resistance. Similar results were also found in glutathione metabolism pathway, which identified the major reaction for glutathione synthesis and supported more genes for glutathione metabolism existed in TW. This metagenomic study largely enhanced our knowledge about the influences of treatment processes, especially chlorination, on bacterial community structure and protective functions (e.g. glutathione metabolism) in ecosystems of DWTPs.

Seeing the landscape for the trees: Metrics to guide riparian shade management in river catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Matthew F.; Wilby, Robert L.

2015-05-01

Rising water temperature (Tw) due to anthropogenic climate change may have serious consequences for river ecosystems. Conservation and/or expansion of riparian shade could counter warming and buy time for ecosystems to adapt. However, sensitivity of river reaches to direct solar radiation is highly heterogeneous in space and time, so benefits of shading are also expected to be site specific. We use a network of high-resolution temperature measurements from two upland rivers in the UK, in conjunction with topographic shade modeling, to assess the relative significance of landscape and riparian shade to the thermal behavior of river reaches. Trees occupy 7% of the study catchments (comparable with the UK national average) yet shade covers 52% of the area and is concentrated along river corridors. Riparian shade is most beneficial for managing Tw at distances 5-20 km downstream from the source of the rivers where discharge is modest, flow is dominated by near-surface hydrological pathways, there is a wide floodplain with little landscape shade, and where cumulative solar exposure times are sufficient to affect Tw. For the rivers studied, we find that approximately 0.5 km of complete shade is necessary to off-set Tw by 1°C during July (the month with peak Tw) at a headwater site; whereas 1.1 km of shade is required 25 km downstream. Further research is needed to assess the integrated effect of future changes in air temperature, sunshine duration, direct solar radiation, and downward diffuse radiation on Tw to help tree planting schemes achieve intended outcomes.

A Hybrid Constant and Oscillatory Field Ion Mobility Analyzer in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

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

Prabhakaran Nair Syamala Amma, Aneesh; Hamid, Ahme

2018-02-28

Ion mobility (IM) spectrometry is becoming an important approach for analyzing molecular ions in the gas phase with applications that span a multitude of scientific areas. There are a variety of IM-based approaches that utilize either constant or oscillatory electric fields. Here, we explore the combination of constant and oscillatory fields applied in a single device to affect the separation and filtering of ions based on their mobilities. The mobility analyzer allows confining and manipulating ions utilizing a combination of radio frequency (RF), direct current (DC) fields, and traveling waves (TW) in a structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM) module.more » In this work, we have investigated theoretically and experimentally the concept for continuous filtering of ions based on their mobilities where ions are mobility separated and selected by a combination of TW and constant fields providing opposing forces on the ions. The SLIM module was composed of two surfaces with mirror-image arrays of electrodes and had two regions where the different TW and opposing DC fields could be applied. By appropriately choosing the DC gradient and TW parameters for the two sections, it is possible to transmit ions of a selected mobility while filtering out others. The filtering capabilities are determined by the applied DC gradient and the TW parameters, such as frequency, amplitude and the TW sequence (i.e., the duty cycle of the traveling wave). The effect of different parameters on the sensitivity and the IM resolution of the device have been investigated.« less

Scientific publications in respiratory journals from Chinese authors in various parts of North Asia: a 10-year survey of literature.

PubMed

Ye, Bo; Du, Ting-Ting; Xie, Ting; Ji, Jun-Tao; Zheng, Zhao-Hong; Liao, Zhuan; Hu, Liang-Hao; Li, Zhao-Shen

2014-02-28

Respiratory disease remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in China. However, little is known about the research status of respirology in three major regions of China-Mainland (ML), Hong Kong (HK) and Taiwan (TW). A 10-year survey of literature was conducted to compare the three regions' outputs in the research of respirology. A bibliometric study. China. A literature search in PubMed database, updated as of September 2012, led to the identification of the related articles from 2000 to 2009. The number of total articles, randomised controlled trials, case reports, meta-analysis, impact factors (IF), citations and articles published in top general medicine journals was collected for quantity and quality comparisons. 2208 articles were collected, 814 from ML, 909 from TW and 485 from HK. The total number of articles from the three regions has increased significantly from 2000 to 2009. The number of articles published per year from ML has exceeded that from HK in 2005 and TW in 2008. The accumulated IF of articles from TW (3192.417) was much higher than that from ML (2409.956) and HK (1898.312). HK got the highest average IF of respirology articles and the majority of articles were published in top general medicine journals. The total number of published articles from the three major regions of China has increased notably from 2000 to 2009. The annual number of publications by ML researchers exceeded those from TW and HK. However, the quality of articles from TW and HK is better than that from ML.

Scientific publications in nephrology and urology journals from Chinese authors in East Asia: a 10-year survey of the literature.

PubMed

Xu, Jing; Mao, Zhi-Guo; Kong, Mei; Hu, Liang-Hao; Ye, Chao-Yang; Xu, Cheng-Gang; Rong, Shu; Sun, Li-Jun; Wu, Jun; Dai, Bing; Chen, Dong-Ping; Zhu, Yu-Xian; Zhang, Yi-Xiang; Zhang, Yu-Qiang; Zhao, Xue-Zhi; Mei, Chang-Lin

2011-04-08

Diseases of the kidneys and genitourinary tract are common health problems that affect people of all ages and demographic backgrounds. In this study, we compared the quantity and quality of nephrological and urological articles published in international journals from the three major regions of China: the mainland (ML), Hong Kong (HK), and Taiwan (TW). Nephrological and urological articles originating from ML, TW, and HK that were published in 61 journals from 1999-2008 were retrieved from the PubMed database. We recorded the numbers of total articles, clinical trials, randomized controlled trials, case reports, impact factors (IF), citations, and articles published in the leading general-medicine journals. We used these data to compare the quantity and quality of publication output from the three regions. The total number of articles increased significantly from 1999 to 2008 in the three regions. The number of articles from ML has exceeded that from HK since 2004, and surpassed that from TW in 2008. Publications from TW had the highest accumulated IF, total citations of articles, and the most articles published in leading general-medicine journals. However, HK publications had the highest average IF. Although ML produced the largest quantity of articles, it exhibited the lowest quality among the three regions. The number of nephrological and urological publications originating from the three major regions of China increased significantly from 1999 to 2008. The annual number of publications by ML researchers exceeded those from TW and HK. However, the quality of articles from TW and HK was higher than that from ML.

A Hybrid Constant and Oscillatory Field Ion Mobility Analyzer Using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

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

Prabhakaran, Aneesh; Hamid, Ahmed M.; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.

Ion mobility (IM) spectrometry is becoming an important approach for analyzing molecular ions in the gas phase with applications that span a multitude of scientific areas. There are a variety of IM-based approaches that utilize either constant or oscillatory electric fields. Here, we explore the combination of constant and oscillatory fields applied in a single device to affect the separation and filtering of ions based on their mobilities. The mobility analyzer allows confining and manipulating ions utilizing a combination of radio frequency (RF), direct current (DC) fields, and traveling waves (TW) in a structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM) module.more » In this work, we have investigated theoretically and experimentally the concept for continuous filtering of ions based on their mobilities where ions are mobility separated and selected by a combination of TW and constant fields providing opposing forces on the ions. The SLIM module was composed of two surfaces with mirror-image arrays of electrodes and had two regions where the different TW and opposing DC fields could be applied. By appropriately choosing the DC gradient and TW parameters for the two sections, it is possible to transmit ions of a selected mobility while filtering out others. The filtering capabilities are determined by the applied DC gradient and the TW parameters, such as frequency, amplitude and the TW sequence (i.e., the duty cycle of the traveling wave). The effect of different parameters on the sensitivity and the IM resolution of the device have been investigated.« less

Redshifted X-rays from the material accreting onto TW Hydrae: Evidence of a low-latitude accretion spot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Argiroffi, C.; Drake, J. J.; Bonito, R.; Orlando, S.; Peres, G.; Miceli, M.

2017-10-01

Context. High resolution spectroscopy, providing constraints on plasma motions and temperatures, is a powerful means to investigate the structure of accretion streams in classical T Tauri stars (CTTS). In particular, the accretion shock region, where the accreting material is heated to temperatures of a few million degrees as it continues its inward bulk motion, can be probed by X-ray spectroscopy. Aims: In an attempt to detect for the first time the motion of this X-ray-emitting post-shock material, we searched for a Doppler shift in the deep Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating observation of the CTTS TW Hya. This test should unveil the nature of this X-ray emitting plasma component in CTTS and constrain the accretion stream geometry. Methods: We searched for a Doppler shift in the X-ray emission from TW Hya with two different methods: by measuring the position of a selected sample of emission lines and by fitting the whole TW Hya X-ray spectrum, allowing the line-of-sight velocity to vary. Results: We found that the plasma at T 2 - 4 MK has a line-of-sight velocity of 38.3 ± 5.1 km s-1 with respect to the stellar photosphere. This result definitively confirms that this X-ray-emitting material originates in the post-shock region, at the base of the accretion stream, and not in coronal structures. The comparison of the observed velocity along the line of sight, 38.3 ± 5.1 km s-1, with the inferred intrinsic velocity of the post shock of TW Hya, vpost ≈ 110 - 120 km s-1, indicates that the footpoints of the accretion streams on TW Hya are located at low latitudes on the stellar surface. Conclusions: Our results indicate that complex magnetic field geometries, such as those of TW Hya, permit low-latitude accretion spots. Moreover, since on TW Hya the redshift of the soft X-ray emission is very similar to that of the narrow component of the C iv resonance doublet at 1550 Å, then the plasma at 2 - 4 MK and that at 0.1 MK likely originate in the same post-shock regions.

When There Isn't a Right Answer: Interpretation and Reasoning, Key Skills for Twenty-First Century Geoscience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bond, Clare Elizabeth; Philo, Chris; Shipton, Zoe Kai

2011-01-01

A key challenge in university geoscience teaching is to give students the skills to cope with uncertainty. Professional geoscientists can rarely be certain of the "right answer" to problems posed by most geological datasets, and reasoning through this uncertainty, being intelligently flexible in interpreting data which are limited in resolution…

HPV vaccine knowledge and acceptability among Peruvian men who have sex with men and transgender women: A pilot, qualitative study.

PubMed

Galea, Jerome T; Monsour, Emmi; Nureña, César R; Blas, Magaly M; Brown, Brandon

2017-01-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection globally and is responsible for a variety of cancers in men and women. An effective HPV vaccine licensed for use in girls and boys has been indicated for-but is not widely implemented in-men who have sex with men (MSM). Limited data are available for transgender women (TW). We explored the social and behavioral aspects related to HPV vaccine uptake and participation in HPV vaccine studies among Peruvian MSM and TW. Focus groups and individual in-depth interviews were conducted to obtain the knowledge, thoughts, and opinions from Peruvian MSM and TW regarding HPV vaccination. Data were analyzed using systematic comparative and descriptive content analysis. Three focus groups and fifteen individual in-depth interviews were conducted among 36 MSM and TW. Participant mean age was 26 years (range 18-40). Though many participants were unfamiliar with HPV vaccination, most expressed positive attitudes. Participants expressed concerns about the potential for stigma when disclosing HPV vaccination. Peruvian MSM and TW felt that HPV vaccination would be acceptable to themselves and their peers. Nonetheless, vaccine intake may be impeded by potential stigma. Findings from this study may guide HPV vaccine implementation in similar populations.

HPV vaccine knowledge and acceptability among Peruvian men who have sex with men and transgender women: A pilot, qualitative study

PubMed Central

Monsour, Emmi; Nureña, César R.; Blas, Magaly M.; Brown, Brandon

2017-01-01

Purpose Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection globally and is responsible for a variety of cancers in men and women. An effective HPV vaccine licensed for use in girls and boys has been indicated for—but is not widely implemented in—men who have sex with men (MSM). Limited data are available for transgender women (TW). We explored the social and behavioral aspects related to HPV vaccine uptake and participation in HPV vaccine studies among Peruvian MSM and TW. Methods Focus groups and individual in-depth interviews were conducted to obtain the knowledge, thoughts, and opinions from Peruvian MSM and TW regarding HPV vaccination. Data were analyzed using systematic comparative and descriptive content analysis. Results Three focus groups and fifteen individual in-depth interviews were conducted among 36 MSM and TW. Participant mean age was 26 years (range 18–40). Though many participants were unfamiliar with HPV vaccination, most expressed positive attitudes. Participants expressed concerns about the potential for stigma when disclosing HPV vaccination. Conclusion Peruvian MSM and TW felt that HPV vaccination would be acceptable to themselves and their peers. Nonetheless, vaccine intake may be impeded by potential stigma. Findings from this study may guide HPV vaccine implementation in similar populations. PMID:28245234

Elevated body temperature and increased blood vessel sensitivity in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

PubMed

Price, J M; Wilmoth, F R

1990-04-01

Body temperature (BT) was significantly greater in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) than in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats regardless of the time of day, length of rectal probe, sex, age, or commercial vendor. Bath temperature (theta) for excised aortic rings was controlled by a thermoelectric Peltier module with an accuracy of 0.1 degree C. At peak force in individual contractions of norepinephrine (NE) dose-response experiments, theta was changed from 37 to 39 degrees C. Active and resting wall tension (Tw) were increased, and the mean effective dose (ED50) was decreased in the SHR aorta with and without endothelium. For the WKY aorta, active and resting Tw were increased, but ED50 was the same with and without endothelium. These results were supported by experiments where theta was decreased from 39 to 37 degrees C and by experiments on Sprague-Dawley rats. Potassium dose-response experiments with aorta from SHR and WKY rats show an increase in sensitivity at 39 degrees C, but active Tw is the same at 39 and 37 degrees C. When compared at the BT of each rat, the NE ED50 was lower and resting Tw was higher in the SHR aorta than in the WKY aorta, but active Tw was the same.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Has Earth's Plate Tectonics Led to Rapid Core Cooling?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Montserrat Navarro, A.; Morgan, J. P.; Vannucchi, P.; Connolly, J. A.

2016-12-01

Earth's mantle and core are convecting planetary heat engines. The mantle convects to lose heat from secular cooling, internal radioactivity, and core heatflow across its base. Its convection generates plate tectonics, volcanism, and the loss of 35 TW of mantle heat through Earth's surface. The core convects to lose heat from secular cooling, small amounts of internal radioactivity, and the freezing-induced growth of a compositionally denser inner core. Until recently, the geodynamo was thought to be powered by 4 TW of heatloss across the core-mantle boundary. More recent determinations of the outer core's thermal conductivity (Pozzo et al., 2012; Gomi et al., 2013) would imply that >15 TW of power should conduct down its adiabat. Secular core cooling has been previously thought to be too slow for this, based on estimates for the Clapeyron Slope for high-pressure freezing of an idealized pure-iron core (cf. Nimmo, 2007). The 500-1000 kg m-3 seismically-inferred jump in density between the liquid outer core and solid inner core allows a direct estimate of the Clapeyron Slope for the outer core's actual composition which contains 0.08±0.02 lighter elements (S,Si,O,Al, H,…) mixed into a Fe-Ni alloy. A PREM-like 600 kg m-3 density jump yields a Clapeyron Slope for which there has been 774K of core cooling during the freezing and growth of the inner core, cooling that has been releasing an average of 21 TW of power during the past 3 Ga. If so, core cooling could easily have powered Earth's long-lived geodynamo. Another implication is that the present-day mantle is strongly `bottom-heated', and diapiric mantle plumes should dominate deep mantle upwelling. This mode of core and mantle convection is consistent with slow, 37.5K/Ga secular cooling of Earth's mantle linked to more rapid secular cooling of the core (cf. Morgan, Rüpke, and White, 2016). Efficient plate subduction, hence plate tectonics, is a key ingredient for such rapid secular core cooling.We also show how a more complete thermodynamic version of Birch's accretional energy calculation predicts that accretion with FeNi-sinking-linked differentiation between an Earth-like mantle and core would naturally generate a core that, post-accretion, was both hotter than overlying mantle and 1000K hotter than today.

11. Detail of Bed Plate Showing Name of Manufacturer (T.W. ...

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

11. Detail of Bed Plate Showing Name of Manufacturer (T.W. Phillips Manufacturing Co.), Looking Southwest - Heckert Oil Pumping Jack, 0.6 mile North of Connoquenessing Creek, 0.15 mile East of Powder Mill Creek, Renfrew, Butler County, PA

Kinematic variability, fractal dynamics and local dynamic stability of treadmill walking

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Motorized treadmills are widely used in research or in clinical therapy. Small kinematics, kinetics and energetics changes induced by Treadmill Walking (TW) as compared to Overground Walking (OW) have been reported in literature. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the differences between OW and TW in terms of stride-to-stride variability. Classical (Standard Deviation, SD) and non-linear (fractal dynamics, local dynamic stability) methods were used. In addition, the correlations between the different variability indexes were analyzed. Methods Twenty healthy subjects performed 10 min TW and OW in a random sequence. A triaxial accelerometer recorded trunk accelerations. Kinematic variability was computed as the average SD (MeanSD) of acceleration patterns among standardized strides. Fractal dynamics (scaling exponent α) was assessed by Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) of stride intervals. Short-term and long-term dynamic stability were estimated by computing the maximal Lyapunov exponents of acceleration signals. Results TW did not modify kinematic gait variability as compared to OW (multivariate T2, p = 0.87). Conversely, TW significantly modified fractal dynamics (t-test, p = 0.01), and both short and long term local dynamic stability (T2 p = 0.0002). No relationship was observed between variability indexes with the exception of significant negative correlation between MeanSD and dynamic stability in TW (3 × 6 canonical correlation, r = 0.94). Conclusions Treadmill induced a less correlated pattern in the stride intervals and increased gait stability, but did not modify kinematic variability in healthy subjects. This could be due to changes in perceptual information induced by treadmill walking that would affect locomotor control of the gait and hence specifically alter non-linear dependencies among consecutive strides. Consequently, the type of walking (i.e. treadmill or overground) is important to consider in each protocol design. PMID:21345241

Peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin: effective in patients with hepatitis C who failed interferon alfa/ribavirin therapy.

PubMed

Poynard, Thierry; Colombo, Massimo; Bruix, Jordi; Schiff, Eugene; Terg, Ruben; Flamm, Steven; Moreno-Otero, Ricardo; Carrilho, Flair; Schmidt, Warren; Berg, Thomas; McGarrity, Thomas; Heathcote, E Jenny; Gonçales, Fernando; Diago, Moises; Craxi, Antonio; Silva, Marcelo; Bedossa, Pierre; Mukhopadhyay, Pabak; Griffel, Louis; Burroughs, Margaret; Brass, Clifford; Albrecht, Janice

2009-05-01

Treatment with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin produces a sustained virologic response (SVR) in approximately 60% of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. Alternate options are needed for patients who relapse or do not respond to therapy. This prospective, international, multicenter, open-label study evaluated efficacy and safety of peginterferon alfa-2b (1.5 microg/kg/wk) plus weight-based ribavirin (800-1400 mg/day) in 2333 chronic HCV-infected patients with significant fibrosis/cirrhosis whose previous interferon alfa/ribavirin therapy failed. Patients with undetectable HCV-RNA at treatment week (TW) 12 received 48 weeks of therapy; patients with detectable HCV-RNA at TW12 could enter maintenance studies at TW18; 188 patients with low/detectable HCV-RNA at TW12 continued therapy at the investigator's request. Overall, 22% of the patients attained SVR (56% with undetectable HCV-RNA and 12% with low/detectable HCV-RNA at TW12). SVR was better in relapsers (38%) than nonresponders (14%), regardless of previous treatment, and in patients previously treated with interferon-alfa/ribavirin (25%) than peginterferon alfa-ribavirin (17%). Predictors of response in patients with undetectable HCV-RNA at TW12 were genotype (2/3 vs 1, respectively; odds ratio [OR] 2.4; P < .0001), fibrosis score (F2 vs F4; OR, 2.2; F3 vs F4; OR, 1.7; P < .0001), and baseline viral load (< or =600,000 vs >600,000 IU/mL; OR, 1.4; P = .0223). These factors plus previous treatment and response were overall predictors of SVR. Safety was similar among fibrosis groups. Peginterferon alfa-2b plus weight-based ribavirin is effective and safe in patients who failed interferon alfa/ribavirin therapy. Genotype, baseline viral load, and fibrosis stage were predictors of response.

Simulation study of the sub-terawatt laser wakefield acceleration operated in self-modulated regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsieh, C.-Y.; Lin, M.-W.; Chen, S.-H.

2018-02-01

Laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) can be accomplished by introducing a sub-terawatt (TW) laser pulse into a thin, high-density gas target. In this way, the self-focusing effect and the self-modulation that happened on the laser pulse produce a greatly enhanced laser peak intensity that can drive a nonlinear plasma wave to accelerate electrons. A particle-in-cell model is developed to study sub-TW LWFA when a 0.6-TW laser pulse interacts with a dense hydrogen plasma. Gas targets having a Gaussian density profile or a flat-top distribution are defined for investigating the properties of sub-TW LWFA when conducting with a gas jet or a gas cell. In addition to using 800-nm laser pulses, simulations are performed with 1030-nm laser pulses, as they represent a viable approach to realize the sub-TW LWFA driven by high-frequency, diode-pumped laser systems. The peak density which allows the laser peak power PL˜2 Pc r of self-focusing critical power is favourable for conducting sub-TW LWFA. Otherwise, an excessively high peak density can induce an undesired filament effect which rapidly disintegrates the laser field envelope and violates the process of plasma wave excitation. The plateau region of a flat-top density distribution allows the self-focusing and the self-modulation of the laser pulse to develop, from which well-established plasma bubbles can be produced to accelerate electrons. The process of electron injection is complicated in such high-density plasma conditions; however, increasing the length of the plateau region represents a straightforward method to realize the injection and acceleration of electrons within the first bubble, such that an improved LWFA performance can be accomplished.

Mapping of the Pim-1 oncogene in mouse t-haplotypes and its use to define the relative map positions of the tcl loci t0(t6) and tw12 and the marker tf (tufted).

PubMed

Ark, B; Gummere, G; Bennett, D; Artzt, K

1991-06-01

Pim-1 is an oncogene activated in mouse T-cell lymphomas induced by Moloney and AKR mink cell focus (MCF) viruses. Pim-1 was previously mapped to chromosome 17 by somatic cell hybrids, and subsequently to the region between the hemoglobin alpha-chain pseudogene 4 (Hba-4ps) and the alpha-crystalline gene (Crya-1) by Southern blot analysis of DNA obtained from panels of recombinant inbred strains. We have now mapped Pim-1 more accurately in t-haplotypes by analysis of recombinant t-chromosomes. The recombinants were derived from Tts6tf/t12 parents backcrossed to + tf/ + tf, and scored for recombination between the loci of T and tf. For simplicity all t-complex lethal genes properly named tcl-tx are shortened to tx. The Pim-1 gene was localized 0.6 cM proximal to the tw12 lethal gene, thus placing the Pim-1 gene 5.2 cM distal to the H-2 region in t-haplotypes. Once mapped, the Pim-1 gene was used as a marker for further genetic analysis of t-haplotypes. tw12 is so close to tf that even with a large number of recombinants it was not possible to determine whether it is proximal or distal to tf. Southern blot analysis of DNA from T-tf recombinants with a separation of tw12 and tf indicated that tw12 is proximal to tf. The mapping of two allelic t-lethals, t0 and t6 with respect to tw12 and tf has also been a problem.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The isokinetic strength profile of elite soccer players according to playing position

PubMed Central

Grygorowicz, Monika; Hojszyk, Radosław; Jadczak, Łukasz

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare isokinetic strength performance profiles in elite soccer players across different field positions. A total of 111 elite international players of Polish Ekstraklasa (the top division in Poland) were examined during the 2010–2015 seasons. The players were classified into six positional roles: central defenders (CD), external defenders (ED), central midfielders (CM), external midfielders (EM), forwards (F), and goalkeepers (G). The concentric isokinetic strength (peak torque [PT] of quadriceps and hamstrings, H/Q ratios) was calculated for the dominant leg and the non-dominant leg at angular velocity of 1.05 rad ·s–1, whereas to assess isokinetic muscle endurance, the total work [TW] at angular velocity of 4.19 rad ·s–1, was taken into consideration. The results showed that isokinetic strength performance varies significantly among players in different playing positions. The analysis of PT for quadriceps (PT-Q) and hamstrings (PT-H) generally showed that the goalkeepers and central midfielders had lower strength levels compared to other playing positions. In the case of PT-H and hamstring/quadricep (H/Q) peak torque ratios, statistically significant differences were also noted for the legs, where mean values noted for the dominant leg were higher than for the non-dominant leg. For TW for quadriceps (TW-Q) and hamstrings (TW-H), statistically significant differences were noted only between playing positions. TW-Q values for goalkeepers were lower than for central defenders and external midfielders. TW-H values for goalkeepers were lower than for central midfielders, central defenders and external midfielders. This study showed that specific functional activity of players in individual positions on the field influences the varied profile of isokinetic strength performance. PMID:28759603

Partitional measurement of capillary and arteriovenous anastomotic blood flow in the human finger by laser-Doppler-flowmeter.

PubMed

Hirata, K; Nagasaka, T; Noda, Y

1988-01-01

This study was made to see whether changes in blood flow through the capillaries and arteriovenous anastomoses (AVA's) of the human finger can be measured by noninvasive flowmetry. Total finger blood flow (FBF) was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography; blood flow was measured by a laser-Doppler flowmeter (ADVANCE, ALF-2100, Tokyo, Japan) using probes with optic fiber separations of 0.3 mm (LDF-0.3) and 0.7 mm (LDF-0.7). The maximum sensitivities for LDF-0.3 and LDF-0.7 were at depths of 0.8 and 1.2 mm from the tissue surface respectively. Two series of experiments were performed on separate days. In the first series the test hand was immersed in a water bath whose temperature (Tw) was 25 degrees C at an ambient temperature (Ta) of 25 degrees C. Tw was raised to 35 degrees C (local hand warming), which was then followed by an increase in Ta to 35 degrees C (whole body warming). FBF, LDF-0.3, and LDF-0.7 increased during these thermal stimulations. However, the relationship of FBF to LDF-0.3 showed two different regression lines. In contrast, the relationship of FBF to LDF-0.7 showed a single regression line. In the second series, with Ta at 35 degrees C, the test hand was immersed in a water bath at Tw 35 degrees C. Tw was then raised every 10 min by 2 degrees C steps from 35 to 41 degrees C. At Tw 39-41 degrees C, FBF and LDF-0.7 in the test hand were significantly decreased compared with those at Tw 35 degrees C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of coffee and caffeine anhydrous on strength and sprint performance

PubMed Central

TREXLER, ERIC T.; SMITH-RYAN, ABBIE E.; ROELOFS, ERICA J.; HIRSCH, KATIE R.; MOCK, MEREDITH G.

2015-01-01

Caffeine and coffee are widely used among active individuals to enhance performance. The purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of acute coffee (COF) and caffeine anhydrous (CAF) intake on strength and sprint performance. Fifty-four resistance-trained males completed strength testing, consisting of one-rep max (1RM) and repetitions to fatigue (RTF) at 80% of 1RM for leg press (LP) and bench press (BP). Participants then completed five, ten-second cycle ergometer sprints separated by one minute of rest. Peak power (PP) and total work (TW) were recorded for each sprint. At least 48 hours later, participants returned and ingested a beverage containing CAF (300 mg flat dose; yielding 3–5 mg/kg bodyweight), COF (8.9 g; 303 mg caffeine), or placebo (PLA; 3.8 g noncaloric flavoring) 30 minutes before testing. LP 1RM was improved more by COF than CAF (p=0.04), but not PLA (p=0.99). Significant interactions were not observed for BP 1RM, BP RTF, or LP RTF (p>0.05). There were no sprint × treatment interactions for PP or TW (p>0.05). 95% confidence intervals revealed a significant improvement in sprint 1 TW for CAF, but not COF or PLA. For PLA, significant reductions were observed in sprint 4 PP, sprint 2 TW, sprint 4 TW, and average TW; significant reductions were not observed with CAF or COF. Neither COF nor CAF improved strength outcomes more than PLA, while both groups attenuated sprint power reductions to a similar degree. Coffee and caffeine anhydrous may be considered suitable pre-exercise caffeine sources for high-intensity exercise. PMID:26394649

Effects of coffee and caffeine anhydrous on strength and sprint performance.

PubMed

Trexler, Eric T; Smith-Ryan, Abbie E; Roelofs, Erica J; Hirsch, Katie R; Mock, Meredith G

2016-09-01

Caffeine and coffee are widely used among active individuals to enhance performance. The purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of acute coffee (COF) and caffeine anhydrous (CAF) intake on strength and sprint performance. Fifty-four resistance-trained males completed strength testing, consisting of one-rep max (1RM) and repetitions to fatigue (RTF) at 80% of 1RM for leg press (LP) and bench press (BP). Participants then completed five, 10-second cycle ergometer sprints separated by one minute of rest. Peak power (PP) and total work (TW) were recorded for each sprint. At least 48 hours later, participants returned and ingested a beverage containing CAF (300 mg flat dose; yielding 3-5 mg/kg bodyweight), COF (8.9 g; 303 mg caffeine), or placebo (PLA; 3.8 g non-caloric flavouring) 30 minutes before testing. LP 1RM was improved more by COF than CAF (p = .04), but not PLA (p = .99). Significant interactions were not observed for BP 1RM, BP RTF, or LP RTF (p > .05). There were no sprint × treatment interactions for PP or TW (p > .05). 95% confidence intervals revealed a significant improvement in sprint 1 TW for CAF, but not COF or PLA. For PLA, significant reductions were observed in sprint 4 PP, sprint 2 TW, sprint 4 TW, and average TW; significant reductions were not observed with CAF or COF. Neither COF nor CAF improved strength outcomes more than PLA, while both groups attenuated sprint power reductions to a similar degree. Coffee and caffeine anhydrous may be considered suitable pre-exercise caffeine sources for high-intensity exercise.

The isokinetic strength profile of elite soccer players according to playing position.

PubMed

Śliwowski, Robert; Grygorowicz, Monika; Hojszyk, Radosław; Jadczak, Łukasz

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare isokinetic strength performance profiles in elite soccer players across different field positions. A total of 111 elite international players of Polish Ekstraklasa (the top division in Poland) were examined during the 2010-2015 seasons. The players were classified into six positional roles: central defenders (CD), external defenders (ED), central midfielders (CM), external midfielders (EM), forwards (F), and goalkeepers (G). The concentric isokinetic strength (peak torque [PT] of quadriceps and hamstrings, H/Q ratios) was calculated for the dominant leg and the non-dominant leg at angular velocity of 1.05 rad ·s-1, whereas to assess isokinetic muscle endurance, the total work [TW] at angular velocity of 4.19 rad ·s-1, was taken into consideration. The results showed that isokinetic strength performance varies significantly among players in different playing positions. The analysis of PT for quadriceps (PT-Q) and hamstrings (PT-H) generally showed that the goalkeepers and central midfielders had lower strength levels compared to other playing positions. In the case of PT-H and hamstring/quadricep (H/Q) peak torque ratios, statistically significant differences were also noted for the legs, where mean values noted for the dominant leg were higher than for the non-dominant leg. For TW for quadriceps (TW-Q) and hamstrings (TW-H), statistically significant differences were noted only between playing positions. TW-Q values for goalkeepers were lower than for central defenders and external midfielders. TW-H values for goalkeepers were lower than for central midfielders, central defenders and external midfielders. This study showed that specific functional activity of players in individual positions on the field influences the varied profile of isokinetic strength performance.

The impacts of irrigation with transferred and saline reclaimed water in the soil biological quality of two citrus species: Adaptations to low water availability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bastida, Felipe; Abadía, Joaquín; García, Carlos; Torres, Irene; Ruiz Navarro, Antonio; José Alarcón, Juan; Nicolás, Emilio

2017-04-01

Mediterranean agroecosystems are limited by the availability of water and hence it is fundamental to find new water sources for sustainable agriculture in the face of climate change. Here, the effects of irrigation with water from different sources were analyzed in the soil microbial community and plant status of grapefruit and mandarin trees in a Mediterranean agro-ecosystem located in south-east of Spain. Four irrigation treatments were evaluated: i) water with an average electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.1 dS m-1 from the "Tagus-Segura" water-transfer canal (TW); ii) reclaimed water (EC = 3.21 dS m-1) from a wastewater-treatment-plant (RW); iii) irrigation with TW, except in the second stage of fruit development, when RW was applied (TWc); and iv) irrigation with RW except in the second stage, when TW was used (RWc). Phospholipid fatty acids indicated that microbial biomass was greater under grapefruit than under mandarin. In the case of grapefruit, TW showed a lower bacterial biomass than RW, RWc, and TWc, while RW showed the lowest values in the mandarin soil. In grapefruit soil, β-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase activities, related to C cycling, were greater in RW and TWc than in TW and RWc. In mandarin soil, the greatest activity of these enzymes was found in TWc. The saline stress induced lower net photosynthesis (A) and stomatal conductance (gs) in plants of RW, RWc and TWc in comparison with TW. The annual use of reclaimed water or the combined irrigation with TWc positively influenced the soil biological quality of a grapefruit agro-ecosystem. Conversely, the mandarin soil community was more sensitive to the annual irrigation with RW.

Optimization of Answer Keys for Script Concordance Testing: Should We Exclude Deviant Panelists, Deviant Responses, or Neither?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gagnon, Robert; Lubarsky, Stuart; Lambert, Carole; Charlin, Bernard

2011-01-01

The Script Concordance Test (SCT) uses a panel-based, aggregate scoring method that aims to capture the variability of responses of experienced practitioners to particular clinical situations. The use of this type of scoring method is a key determinant of the tool's discriminatory power, but deviant answers could potentially diminish the…

Chapter 06: Identification key

Treesearch

Alex Wiedenhoeft

2011-01-01

The key is written to guide you through the identification process in the most efficient and accurate way possible. It presents you with a numbered series of questions and asks you to answer them. The answers you provide will be based on your interpretations of the anatomical characters in your unknown specimen and will lead you to a new set of questions. Each time you...

Merchandise Display, a Distributive Education Manual and Answer Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatchett, Melvin S.

This revised manual in basic merchandise display for trainees in distributive education, together with a separate answer key, contains 23 self-study assignments, each with training objectives, questions to answer, and student projects. Developed by a distributive education coordinator, these assignments cover a wide range of topics, from the…

Rheological properties of aging thermosensitive suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purnomo, Eko H.; van den Ende, Dirk; Mellema, Jorrit; Mugele, Frieder

2007-08-01

Aging observed in soft glassy materials inherently affects the rheological properties of these systems and has been described by the soft glassy rheology (SGR) model [S. M. Fielding , J. Rheol. 44, 323 (2000)]. In this paper, we report the measured linear rheological behavior of thermosensitive microgel suspensions and compare it quantitatively with the predictions of the SGR model. The dynamic moduli [ G'(ω,t) and G″(ω,t) ] obtained from oscillatory measurements are in good agreement with the model. The model also predicts quantitatively the creep compliance J(t-tw,tw) , obtained from step stress experiments, for the short time regime [(t-tw)

Mesoscopic fluctuations and intermittency in aging dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sibani, P.

2006-01-01

Mesoscopic aging systems are characterized by large intermittent noise fluctuations. In a record dynamics scenario (Sibani P. and Dall J., Europhys. Lett., 64 (2003) 8) these events, quakes, are treated as a Poisson process with average αln (1 + t/tw), where t is the observation time, tw is the age and α is a parameter. Assuming for simplicity that quakes constitute the only source of de-correlation, we present a model for the probability density function (PDF) of the configuration autocorrelation function. Beside α, the model has the average quake size 1/q as a parameter. The model autocorrelation PDF has a Gumbel-like shape, which approaches a Gaussian for large t/tw and becomes sharply peaked in the thermodynamic limit. Its average and variance, which are given analytically, depend on t/tw as a power law and a power law with a logarithmic correction, respectively. Most predictions are in good agreement with data from the literature and with the simulations of the Edwards-Anderson spin-glass carried out as a test.

Volumetric Two-photon Imaging of Neurons Using Stereoscopy (vTwINS)

PubMed Central

Song, Alexander; Charles, Adam S.; Koay, Sue Ann; Gauthier, Jeff L.; Thiberge, Stephan Y.; Pillow, Jonathan W.; Tank, David W.

2017-01-01

Two-photon laser scanning microscopy of calcium dynamics using fluorescent indicators is a widely used imaging method for large scale recording of neural activity in vivo. Here we introduce volumetric Two-photon Imaging of Neurons using Stereoscopy (vTwINS), a volumetric calcium imaging method that employs an elongated, V-shaped point spread function to image a 3D brain volume. Single neurons project to spatially displaced “image pairs” in the resulting 2D image, and the separation distance between images is proportional to depth in the volume. To demix the fluorescence time series of individual neurons, we introduce a novel orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm that also infers source locations within the 3D volume. We illustrate vTwINS by imaging neural population activity in mouse primary visual cortex and hippocampus. Our results demonstrate that vTwINS provides an effective method for volumetric two-photon calcium imaging that increases the number of neurons recorded while maintaining a high frame-rate. PMID:28319111

Uptake of a Partner Notification Model for HIV Among Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender Women in Tijuana, Mexico.

PubMed

Semple, Shirley J; Pines, Heather A; Strathdee, Steffanie A; Vera, Alicia Harvey; Rangel, Gudelia; Magis-Rodriguez, Carlos; Patterson, Thomas L

2017-11-20

Undiagnosed HIV infection is common among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) in Latin America. We examined uptake of a partner notification (PN) model among MSM and TW in Tijuana, Mexico. Forty-six HIV-positive MSM/TW enrolled as index patients, and reported 132 MSM/TW sexual partners for PN. Of notified partners (90/132), 39% declined eligibility screening or participation, 39% tested for HIV, and of those 28% were newly-diagnosed HIV-positive. Partners who were seen by the index patient more than once in the past 4 months and those who primarily had sex with the index patient in one of their homes were more likely to be notified via PN (76% vs. 50%; p = 0.01 and 86% vs. 64%, p = 0.02, respectively). Lower than expected PN uptake was associated with problems identifying index patients, obtaining reliable partner contact information, and engaging notified partners.

Post-exposure Prophylaxis Awareness, Knowledge, Access and Use Among Three Populations in New York City, 2016-17.

PubMed

Koblin, Beryl A; Usher, DaShawn; Nandi, Vijay; Tieu, Hong-Van; Bravo, Eddie; Lucy, Debbie; Miles, London; Ortiz, Geneva; Kindlon, Marcia J; Parisi, Donna M; Frye, Victoria

2018-06-01

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a cost-effective, but underused HIV prevention strategy. PEP awareness, knowledge, access, and usage was assessed among young men of color who have sex with men (YMSMOC; n = 177), transgender women (TW; n = 182), and cisgender women of color (CWOC; n = 170) in New York City. 59% were aware of PEP: 80% among YMSMOC, 63% among TW and 34% among CWOC (p < 0.001). 13% had ever used PEP. PEP awareness was higher among YMSMOC with a recent HIV test and lower among those with ≥ 4 partners. PEP awareness was lower among TW who anticipated stigma and reported barriers to taking PEP, and higher among TW who exchanged sex for resources. Among CWOC, more barriers to taking PEP reduced the odds of PEP awareness. PEP education and outreach needs to be deliberate about population-specific campaigns, with a need to focus on reducing PEP stigma and other barriers which impede PEP access.

Ecotoxicological risks associated with tannery effluent wastewater.

PubMed

Shakir, Lubna; Ejaz, Sohail; Ashraf, Muhammad; Qureshi, Naureen Aziz; Anjum, Aftab Ahmad; Iltaf, Imran; Javeed, Aqeel

2012-09-01

The problem of water pollution acquires greater relevance in the context of a developing agrarian economy like Pakistan. Even though, the leather industry is a leading economic sector in Pakistan, there is an increasing environmental concern regarding tanneries because they produce large amounts of potentially toxic wastewater containing both trivalent and hexavalent chromium, which are equally hazardous for human population, aquaculture and agricultural activities in the area. Therefore, we defined the scope of the present study as to employ different bioassays to determine the eco-toxic potential of tannery effluent wastewater (TW) and its chromium based components, i.e., potassium dichromate (K(2)Cr(2)O(7)) and chromium sulfate Cr(2)(SO(4))(3). Particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis of TW was carried out to determine the concentration of chromium in TW and then equal concentrations of hexavalent (K(2)Cr(2)O(7)) and trivalent chromium Cr(2)(SO(4))(3) were obtained for this study. Cytotoxicity assay, artemia bioassay and phytotoxicity assay was utilized to investigate the eco-toxicological potential of different concentrations of TW, K(2)Cr(2)O(7) and Cr(2)(SO(4))(3). All the dilutions of TW, K(2)Cr(2)O(7) and Cr(2)(SO(4))(3) presented concentration dependent cytotoxic effects in these assays. The data clearly represents that among all three tested materials, different dilutions of K(2)Cr(2)O(7) caused significantly more damage (P<0.001) to vero cell, brine shrimp and germination of maize seeds. Interestingly, the overall toxicity effects of TW treated groups were subsequent to K(2)Cr(2)O(7) treated group. Based on biological evidences presented in this article, it is concluded that hexavalent chromium (K(2)Cr(2)O(7)) and TW has got significant eco-damaging potential clearly elaborating that environmental burden in district Kasur is numerous and high levels of chromium is posing a considerable risk to the human population, aquaculture and agricultural industry that can obliterate ecosystem surrounding the tanneries. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Earth's Fiercely Cooling Core - 24 TW

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgan, Jason P.; Vannucchi, Paola

2014-05-01

Earth's mantle and core are convecting planetary heat engines. The mantle convects to lose heat from slow cooling, internal radioactivity, and core heatflow across its base. Its convection generates plate tectonics, volcanism, and the loss of ~35 TW of mantle heat through Earth's surface. The core convects to lose heat from slow cooling, small amounts of internal radioactivity, and the freezing-induced growth of a compositionally denser inner core. Core convection produces the geodynamo generating Earth's geomagnetic field. The geodynamo was thought to be powered by ~4 TW of heatloss across the core-mantle boundary, a rate sustainable (cf. Gubbins et al., 2003; Nimmo, 2007) by freezing a compositionally denser inner core over the ~3 Ga that Earth is known to have had a strong geomagnetic field (cf. Tarduno, 2007). However, recent determinations of the outer core's thermal conductivity(Pozzo et al., 2012; Gomi et al., 2013) indicate that >15 TW of power should conduct down its adiabat. Conducted power is unavailable to drive thermal convection, implying that the geodynamo needs a long-lived >17 TW power source. Core cooling was thought too weak for this, based on estimates for the Clapeyron Slope for high-pressure freezing of an idealized pure-iron core. Here we show that the ~500-1000 kg/m3 seismically-inferred jump in density between the liquid outer core and solid inner core allows us to directly infer the core-freezing Clapeyron Slope for the outer core's actual composition which contains ~8±2% lighter elements (S,Si,O,Al, H,…) mixed into a Fe-Ni alloy. A PREM-like 600 kg/m3 - based Clapeyron Slope implies there has been ~774K of core cooling during the freezing and growth of the inner core, releasing ~24 TW of power during the past ~3 Ga. If so, core cooling can easily power Earth's long-lived geodynamo. Another major implication of ~24 TW heatflow across the core-mantle boundary is that the present-day mantle is strongly 'bottom-heated', and diapiric mantle plumes should dominate deep mantle upwelling.

A new grafting technique for tympanoplasty: tympanoplasty with a boomerang-shaped chondroperichondrial graft (TwBSCPG).

PubMed

Dündar, Rıza; Soy, Fatih Kemal; Kulduk, Erkan; Muluk, Nuray Bayar; Cingi, Cemal

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was to introduce a new grafting technique in tympanoplasty that involves use of a boomerang-shaped chondroperichondrial graft (BSCPG). The anatomical and functional results were evaluated. A new tympanoplasty with boomerang-shaped chondroperichondrial graft (TwBSCPG) technique was used in 99 chronic otitis media patients with central or marginal perforation of the tympanic membrane and a normal middle ear mucosa. All 99 patients received chondroperichondrial cartilage grafts with a boomerang-shaped cartilage island left at the anterior and inferior parts. Postoperative follow-ups were conducted at months 1, 6, and 12. Preoperative and postoperative audiological examinations were performed and air-bone gaps were calculated according to the pure-tone averages (PTAs) of the patients. In the preoperative period, most (83.8%) air-bone gaps were ≥ 16 dB; after operating using the TwBSCPG technique, the air-bone gaps decreased to 0-10 dB in most patients (77.8%). In the TwBSCPG patients, the mean preoperative air-bone gap was 22.02 ± 6.74 dB SPL. Postoperatively, the mean postoperative air-bone gap was 8.70 ± 5.74 dB SPL. The TwBSCPG technique therefore decreased the postoperative air-bone gap compared to that preoperatively (p = 0.000, z = -8.645). At the 1-month follow-up, there were six graft perforations and one graft retraction. At the 6-month follow-up, there were nine graft perforations and three graft retractions. At 12 months, there were seven graft perforations and four graft retractions. During the first year after the boomerang tympanoplasty surgery, graft lateralization was not detected in any patient. Retractions were grade 1 according to the Sade classification and were localized to the postero-superior quadrant of the tympanic membrane. The TwBSCPG technique has benefits with respect to postoperative anatomical and audiological results. It prevents perforation of the tympanic membrane at the anterior quadrant and avoids graft lateralization due to placement of the graft under the manubrium mallei. Given these benefits, the TwBSCPG technique seems to be a good alternative for grafting in tympanoplasties.

Efficacy and Safety of Tripterygium Wilfordii Hook F on Psoriasis Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

PubMed

Lv, Meng; Deng, Jingwen; Tang, Nan; Zeng, Yuejin; Lu, Chuanjian

2018-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune-mediated skin disease that is characterized by persistent localized erythematous scaly plaque. Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF), a well-known Chinese medicine that has been used for centuries in China to treat immune diseases, inflammation, and tumor, is accompanied by a degree of toxic effects. Its clinical efficacy and safety on psoriasis are incompletely understood. To summarize evidence concerning the efficacy and safety of TwHF in treating psoriasis . Methods . EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, Springer, Cochrane Library, CNKI, CBM, Wanfang, and VIP database were searched up to October 2017. The included literature was assessed and extracted by two independent reviewers. To enhance the available evidence, a systematic review was performed to examine all relevant published literature relating to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of TwHF. Relative ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and a meta-analysis was conducted with RevMan 5.3 software. Twenty eligible RCTs with 1872 participants were included for systematic review and meta-analysis. Studies were assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The meta-analysis of add-on effect of TwHF conferred benefit for psoriasis: combination treatment with compound glycyrrhizin (four studies, OR = 0.34, 95% CI 0.22-0.52, P < 0.00001, I 2 = 0%), combination treatment with acitretin (three studies, OR = 0.25, 95% CI 0.10-0.63, P = 0.003, I 2 = 50%), and combination treatment with compound amino-polypeptide tablet (three studies, OR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.22-0.63, P = 0.0002, I 2 = 0%). Despite several mild side effects of TwHF, there is evidence that TwHF is an effective therapy for psoriasis. However, the conclusions are limited by the small number of included trials. More well-designed RCTs with extensive follow-up periods are warranted to clarify the effects and safety of TwHF in treating psoriasis. This review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42016041363).

HBsAg plasma level kinetics: a new role for an old marker as a therapy response predictor in vertically infected children on combination therapy.

PubMed

Carey, I; Bruce, M; Horner, M; Zen, Y; D'Antiga, L; Bansal, S; Vergani, D; Mieli-Vergani, G

2015-04-01

We aimed to investigate the ability of HBsAg plasma level kinetics to predict therapy response by studying 23 children with infancy-acquired chronic hepatitis B (CHB) during combination sequential therapy with lead-in lamivudine (LAM) and add-on interferon-α (IFN-α) [5 responders (R = anti-HBs seroconversion) and 18 nonresponders (NR)] and to assess their relationship with pretreatment intrahepatic HBV-DNA and cccDNA and HBsAg and HBcAg liver expression. Plasma HBsAg levels were measured in samples before (treatment week 0 = TW0), during (TW9, TW28, TW52) and after (follow-up week = FUW24) therapy by Abbott ARCHITECT(®) assay [log10 IU/mL]. Baseline liver HBV-DNA and cccDNA were quantified by real-time TaqMan PCR [log10 copies/ng genomic DNA]. HBsAg and HBcAg liver expression was evaluated by immunostaining of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens [number of positive cells/1000 hepatocytes]. All results are presented as medians. Plasma: at baseline, on-treatment and during follow-up, HBsAg levels were lower in R than NR (TW0: 4.36 vs 4.75;TW28: 2.44 vs 4.35;TW52: 0 vs 4.08 and FUW24: 0.17 vs 4.35, all P < 0.05). Liver: baseline HBV-DNA (3.82 vs 4.71, P = 0.16) and cccDNA (1.98 vs 2.26, P = 0.18) tended to be lower in R than NR, HBsAg expression was lower in R than NR (0.5 vs 4.7, P = 0.03), and HBcAg expression was similar between R and NR. There were positive correlations between plasma HBsAg levels and liver HBV-DNA (r = 0.44, P = 0.04), cccDNA (r = 0.41, P = 0.04) and HBsAg liver expression (r = 0.38, P = 0.05). Lower baseline HBsAg plasma levels, lower HBsAg expression in liver and on-treatment decline of plasma HBsAg levels heralds HBsAg clearance and response to treatment in tolerant children with CHB. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

MetaABC--an integrated metagenomics platform for data adjustment, binning and clustering.

PubMed

Su, Chien-Hao; Hsu, Ming-Tsung; Wang, Tse-Yi; Chiang, Sufeng; Cheng, Jen-Hao; Weng, Francis C; Kao, Cheng-Yan; Wang, Daryi; Tsai, Huai-Kuang

2011-08-15

MetaABC is a metagenomic platform that integrates several binning tools coupled with methods for removing artifacts, analyzing unassigned reads and controlling sampling biases. It allows users to arrive at a better interpretation via series of distinct combinations of analysis tools. After execution, MetaABC provides outputs in various visual formats such as tables, pie and bar charts as well as clustering result diagrams. MetaABC source code and documentation are available at http://bits2.iis.sinica.edu.tw/MetaABC/ CONTACT: dywang@gate.sinica.edu.tw; hktsai@iis.sinica.edu.tw Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

A continuous high-throughput bioparticle sorter based on 3D traveling-wave dielectrophoresis.

PubMed

Cheng, I-Fang; Froude, Victoria E; Zhu, Yingxi; Chang, Hsueh-Chia; Chang, Hsien-Chang

2009-11-21

We present a high throughput (maximum flow rate approximately 10 microl/min or linear velocity approximately 3 mm/s) continuous bio-particle sorter based on 3D traveling-wave dielectrophoresis (twDEP) at an optimum AC frequency of 500 kHz. The high throughput sorting is achieved with a sustained twDEP particle force normal to the continuous through-flow, which is applied over the entire chip by a single 3D electrode array. The design allows continuous fractionation of micron-sized particles into different downstream sub-channels based on differences in their twDEP mobility on both sides of the cross-over. Conventional DEP is integrated upstream to focus the particles into a single levitated queue to allow twDEP sorting by mobility difference and to minimize sedimentation and field-induced lysis. The 3D electrode array design minimizes the offsetting effect of nDEP (negative DEP with particle force towards regions with weak fields) on twDEP such that both forces increase monotonically with voltage to further increase the throughput. Effective focusing and separation of red blood cells from debris-filled heterogeneous samples are demonstrated, as well as size-based separation of poly-dispersed liposome suspensions into two distinct bands at 2.3 to 4.6 microm and 1.5 to 2.7 microm, at the highest throughput recorded in hand-held chips of 6 microl/min.

Evidence for non-self-similarity of microearthquakes recorded at a Taiwan borehole seismometer array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yen-Yu; Ma, Kuo-Fong; Kanamori, Hiroo; Song, Teh-Ru Alex; Lapusta, Nadia; Tsai, Victor C.

2016-08-01

We investigate the relationship between seismic moment M0 and source duration tw of microearthquakes by using high-quality seismic data recorded with a vertical borehole array installed in central Taiwan. We apply a waveform cross-correlation method to the three-component records and identify several event clusters with high waveform similarity, with event magnitudes ranging from 0.3 to 2.0. Three clusters—Clusters A, B and C—contain 11, 8 and 6 events with similar waveforms, respectively. To determine how M0 scales with tw, we remove path effects by using a path-averaged Q. The results indicate a nearly constant tw for events within each cluster, regardless of M0, with mean values of tw being 0.058, 0.056 and 0.034 s for Clusters A, B and C, respectively. Constant tw, independent of M0, violates the commonly used scaling relation {t_w} ∝ M_0^{1/3}. This constant duration may arise either because all events in a cluster are hosted on the same isolated seismogenic patch, or because the events are driven by external factors of constant duration, such as fluid injections into the fault zone. It may also be related to the earthquake nucleation size.

Chronic exposure to contaminated drinking water stimulates PPAR expression in mice livers.

PubMed

Shi, Peng; Zhang, Xu-Xiang; Zhang, Zongyao; Zhang, Yan; Wu, Bing; Cheng, Shupei; Li, Aimin

2012-07-01

Mice were fed with source water (SW) and tap water (TW) for 90 d to evaluate hepatotoxicity induced by the drinking water. Histopathologic observation showed no obvious damage to hepatic tissue in the SW and TW groups. However, microarray analysis indicated that the SW and TW exposures affected many metabolic pathways, among which PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors) signaling was most susceptible. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that both PPAR-α and PPAR-γ were significantly increased in the exposure groups compared to control. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that PPAR-α expression level was increased from 23.37±0.53 ng g(-1) liver weight in control group to 26.60±1.43 ng g(-1) liver weight in SW group and 27.68±1.10 ng g(-1) liver weight in TW group (p<0.05). For PPAR-γ, the expression level was also significantly enhanced from 0.83±0.07 ng g(-1) liver weight in control group to 1.11±0.20 ng g(-1) liver weight in SW group and 1.16±0.07 ng g(-1) liver weight in TW group (p<0.05). The SW and DW posed no obvious hepatotoxicity on mice and PPAR-α/-γ could be used as a novel biomarker to assess public health risk induced by slightly contaminated drinking water. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical efficacy and safety following dose tapering of ciclosporin in cats with hypersensitivity dermatitis.

PubMed

Roberts, Elizabeth S; Tapp, Tiffany; Trimmer, Ann; Roycroft, Linda; King, Stephen

2016-11-01

Objectives This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of reducing ciclosporin (CsA) dosing frequency from daily to every other day (EOD) or twice a week (TW) according to clinical response in cats with hypersensitivity dermatitis (HD) and treated with CsA. Methods One hundred and ninety-one cats with HD were given 7 mg/kg CsA daily for at least 4 weeks. Depending on clinical response, the dosing frequency was tapered from daily to EOD over the next 4 weeks and further to TW for an additional 4 weeks. Safety was evaluated through physical examinations, clinical pathology and the monitoring of adverse events (AEs). Results The majority of cats were able to have their dose of CsA tapered to either EOD (15.5%) or TW (62.9%) according to the clinical response. Observed AEs were most frequently mild and self-limiting vomiting and diarrhea. A higher percentage of AEs occurred with daily administration (73%) compared with other dosing regimens (27%). Conclusions and relevance Following 4 weeks of daily dosing at 7 mg/kg, CsA may be tapered to EOD or TW while maintaining the desired therapeutic response in cats with HD. Additionally, CsA appears to be well tolerated with fewer AEs at EOD or TW dosing. Establishing the lowest effective dosing frequency of CsA improves the drug's safety profile.

Correlation between PET/CT parameters and KRAS expression in colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Chen, Shang-Wen; Chiang, Hua-Che; Chen, William Tzu-Liang; Hsieh, Te-Chun; Yen, Kuo-Yang; Chiang, Shu-Fen; Kao, Chia-Hung

2014-08-01

The objective of this study was to correlate the association between mutated KRAS and wild-type colorectal cancer (CRC) by using various F-FDG PET-related parameters. One hundred twenty-one CRC patients who had undergone preoperative PET/CT were included in this study. Several PET/CT-related parameters, including SUVmax and various thresholds of metabolic tumor volume, total lesion glycolysis, and PET/CT-based tumor width, were measured. Tumor- and PET/CT-related parameters were correlated with genomic expression between KRAS mutant and wild-type groups, using a Mann-Whitney U test and logistic regression analysis. Colorectal cancer tumors with a mutated KRAS exhibited higher SUVmax and an increased accumulation of FDG among several threshold methods. Multivariate analysis showed that SUVmax and using a 40% threshold level for maximal uptake of TW (TW40%) were the 2 predictors of KRAS mutations. The odds ratio was 1.23 for SUVmax (P = 0.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.52) and 1.15 for TW40% (P = 0.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.30). The accuracy of SUVmax for predicting mutated KRAS was higher in patients with colon or sigmoid colon cancers, whereas it was TW40% in those with rectal cancers. SUVmax and TW40% were associated in CRC with KRAS mutations. PET/CT parameters can supplement genomic analysis to determine KRAS expression in CRC.

Keys to Success: School Facilities Primer, Questions & Answers 101.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brady, Jim

This publication provides answers to basic questions to help school board members more fully address the complexities of the planning, design, and construction process in order to maximize the goal of student success. The 101 questions and answers are in the areas of: facility planning; learning environment; information technology; safe schools;…

77 FR 18252 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-27

... Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle... issues. Place: Nat. Inst. of Environmental Health Sciences, Building 101, Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T. W..., Rodbell Auditorium, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Contact Person: Gwen W...

Correction to: Tanner-Whitehouse Skeletal Ages in Male Youth Soccer Players: TW2 or TW3?

PubMed

Malina, Robert M; Coelho-E-Silva, Manuel J; Figueiredo, António J; Philippaerts, Renaat M; Hirose, Norikazu; Reyes, Maria Eugenia Peña; Gilli, Giulio; Benso, Andrea; Vaeyens, Roel; Deprez, Dieter; Guglielmo, Luiz G A; Buranarugsa, Rojapon

2018-04-01

An Online First version of this article was made available online at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40279-017-0799-7 on 29 October 2017. Errors were subsequently identified in the article, and the following corrections should be noted.

Astronomers See First Stages of Planet-Building Around Nearby Star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2005-06-01

Interstellar travelers might want to detour around the star system TW Hydrae to avoid a messy planetary construction site. Astronomer David Wilner of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) and his colleagues have discovered that the gaseous protoplanetary disk surrounding TW Hydrae holds vast swaths of pebbles extending outward for at least 1 billion miles. These rocky chunks should continue to grow in size as they collide and stick together until they eventually form planets. Dust Disk Graphic Artist's Conception of Dusty Disk Around Young Star TW Hydrae CREDIT: Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF (Click on image for larger version 1.8 MB) "We're seeing planet building happening right before our eyes," said Wilner. "The foundation has been laid and now the building materials are coming together to make a new solar system." Wilner used the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array to measure radio emissions from TW Hydrae. He detected radiation from a cold, extended dust disk suffused with centimeter-sized pebbles. Such pebbles are a prerequisite for planet formation, created as dust collects together into larger and larger clumps. Over millions of years, those clumps grow into planets. "We're seeing an important step on the path from interstellar dust particles to planets," said Mark Claussen (NRAO), a co-author on the paper announcing the discovery. "No one has seen this before." A dusty disk like that in TW Hydrae tends to emit radio waves with wavelengths similar to the size of the particles in the disk. Other effects can mask this, however. In TW Hydrae, the astronomers explained, both the relatively close distance of the system and the stage of the young star's evolution are just right to allow the relationship of particle size and wavelength to prevail. The scientists observed the young star's disk with the VLA at several centimeter-range wavelengths. "The strong emission at wavelengths of a few centimeters is convincing evidence that particles of about the same size are present," Claussen said. Not only does TW Hydrae show evidence of ongoing planet formation, it also shows signs that at least one giant planet may have formed already. Wilner's colleague, Nuria Calvet (CfA), has created a computer simulation of the disk around TW Hydrae using previously published infrared observations. She showed that a gap extends from the star out to a distance of about 400 million miles - similar to the distance to the asteroid belt in our solar system. The gap likely formed when a giant planet sucked up all the nearby material, leaving a hole in the middle of the disk. Located about 180 light-years away in the constellation Hydra the Water Snake, TW Hydrae consists of a 10 million-year-old star about four-fifths as massive as the Sun. The protoplanetary disk surrounding TW Hydrae contains about one-tenth as much material as the Sun -- more than enough to form one or more Jupiter-sized worlds. "TW Hydrae is unique," said Wilner. "It's nearby, and it's just the right age to be forming planets. We'll be studying it for decades to come." This research was published in the June 20, 2005, issue of the Astrophysical Journal Letters. Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) is a joint collaboration between the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Harvard College Observatory. CfA scientists, organized into six research divisions, study the origin, evolution and ultimate fate of the universe. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Does therapeutic writing help people with long-term conditions? Systematic review, realist synthesis and economic considerations.

PubMed

Nyssen, Olga P; Taylor, Stephanie J C; Wong, Geoff; Steed, Elizabeth; Bourke, Liam; Lord, Joanne; Ross, Carol A; Hayman, Sheila; Field, Victoria; Higgins, Ailish; Greenhalgh, Trisha; Meads, Catherine

2016-04-01

Writing therapy to improve physical or mental health can take many forms. The most researched model of therapeutic writing (TW) is unfacilitated, individual expressive writing (written emotional disclosure). Facilitated writing activities are less widely researched. Databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Linguistics and Language Behaviour Abstracts, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, were searched from inception to March 2013 (updated January 2015). Four TW practitioners provided expert advice. Study procedures were conducted by one reviewer and checked by a second. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomised comparative studies were included. Quality was appraised using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Unfacilitated and facilitated TW studies were analysed separately under International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision chapter headings. Meta-analyses were performed where possible using RevMan version 5.2.6 (RevMan 2012, The Cochrane Collaboration, The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark). Costs were estimated from a UK NHS perspective and three cost-consequence case studies were prepared. Realist synthesis followed Realist and Meta-narrative Evidence Synthesis: Evolving Standards guidelines. To review the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of TW for people with long-term conditions (LTCs) compared with no writing, or other controls, reporting any relevant clinical outcomes. To conduct a realist synthesis to understand how TW might work, and for whom. From 14,658 unique citations, 284 full-text papers were reviewed and 64 studies (59 RCTs) were included in the final effectiveness reviews. Five studies examined facilitated TW; these were extremely heterogeneous with unclear or high risk of bias but suggested that facilitated TW interventions may be beneficial in individual LTCs. Unfacilitated expressive writing was examined in 59 studies of variable or unreported quality. Overall, there was very little or no evidence of any benefit reported in the following conditions (number of studies): human immunodeficiency virus (six); breast cancer (eight); gynaecological and genitourinary cancers (five); mental health (five); asthma (four); psoriasis (three); and chronic pain (four). In inflammatory arthropathies (six) there was a reduction in disease severity [n = 191, standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.96 to -0.26] in the short term on meta-analysis of four studies. For all other LTCs there were either no data, or sparse data with no or inconsistent, evidence of benefit. Meta-analyses conducted across all of the LTCs provided no evidence that unfacilitated emotional writing had any effect on depression at short- (n = 1563, SMD -0.06, 95% CI -0.29 to 0.17, substantial heterogeneity) or long-term (n = 778, SMD -0.04 95% CI -0.18 to 0.10, little heterogeneity) follow-up, or on anxiety, physiological or biomarker-based outcomes. One study reported costs, no studies reported cost-effectiveness and 12 studies reported resource use; and meta-analysis suggested reduced medication use but no impact on health centre visits. Estimated costs of intervention were low, but there was insufficient evidence to judge cost-effectiveness. Realist synthesis findings suggested that facilitated TW is a complex intervention and group interaction contributes to the perception of benefit. It was unclear from the available data who might benefit most from facilitated TW. Difficulties with developing realist synthesis programme theory meant that mechanisms operating during TW remain obscure. Overall, there is little evidence to support the therapeutic effectiveness or cost-effectiveness of unfacilitated expressive writing interventions in people with LTCs. Further research focused on facilitated TW in people with LTCs could be informative. This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42012003343. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Overview: Development of the National Ignition Facility and the Transition to a User Facility for the Ignition Campaign and High Energy Density Scientific Research

DOE PAGES

Moses, E. I.; Lindl, J. D.; Spaeth, M. L.; ...

2017-03-23

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has been operational since March 2009 and has been transitioning to a user facility supporting ignition science, high energy density stockpile science, national security applications, and fundamental science. The facility has achieved its design goal of 1.8 MJ and 500 TW of 3ω light on target, and has performed target experiments with 1.9 MJ at peak powers of 410 TW. The National Ignition Campaign (NIC), established by the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration in 2005, was responsible for transitioning NIF from a construction project to a national user facility. Besidesmore » the operation and optimization of the use of the NIF laser, the NIC program was responsible for developing capabilities including target fabrication facilities; cryogenic layering capabilities; over 60 optical, X-ray, and nuclear diagnostic systems; experimental platforms; and a wide range of other NIF facility infrastructure. This study provides a summary of some of the key experimental results for NIF to date, an overview of the NIF facility capabilities, and the challenges that were met in achieving these capabilities. Finally, they are covered in more detail in the papers that follow.« less

Overview: Development of the National Ignition Facility and the Transition to a User Facility for the Ignition Campaign and High Energy Density Scientific Research

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

Moses, E. I.; Lindl, J. D.; Spaeth, M. L.

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has been operational since March 2009 and has been transitioning to a user facility supporting ignition science, high energy density stockpile science, national security applications, and fundamental science. The facility has achieved its design goal of 1.8 MJ and 500 TW of 3ω light on target, and has performed target experiments with 1.9 MJ at peak powers of 410 TW. The National Ignition Campaign (NIC), established by the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration in 2005, was responsible for transitioning NIF from a construction project to a national user facility. Besidesmore » the operation and optimization of the use of the NIF laser, the NIC program was responsible for developing capabilities including target fabrication facilities; cryogenic layering capabilities; over 60 optical, X-ray, and nuclear diagnostic systems; experimental platforms; and a wide range of other NIF facility infrastructure. This study provides a summary of some of the key experimental results for NIF to date, an overview of the NIF facility capabilities, and the challenges that were met in achieving these capabilities. Finally, they are covered in more detail in the papers that follow.« less

Parieto-occipital lobe epilepsy caused by a POLG1 compound heterozygous A467T/W748S genotype.

PubMed

Roshal, David; Glosser, David; Zangaladze, Andro

2011-06-01

We describe a 16-year-old woman with a rare POLG1 A467T/W748S genotype, with a wide range of neurological manifestations, including focal parieto-occipital lobe seizures, migraine headaches, cerebellar ataxia, sensory-motor axonal neuropathy, and impairment of visual perception and cognitive function. Treatment of epilepsy in patients with a POLG1 compound heterozygous A467T/W748S genotype is very challenging; the epilepsy may preferentially respond to sodium channel blockers. The POLG1-related syndrome has a variable clinical course, and disease morbidity and mortality may be correlated with the genotype. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validity and Reliability of Tympanometric Measures for Pediatric Patients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karzon, Roanne G.

1991-01-01

Sensitivity and specificity of static acoustic admittance (SAA) and tympanometric width (TW) were assessed for 116 pediatric patients. A statistically significant change in SAA was observed in immediate repeat measures. No significant change across the two sequential measures was observed for TW, peak pressure, or the estimate of ear canal volume.…

75 FR 13282 - Pesticide Products; Registration Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-19

.... Company name and address: Arysta LifeScience, North Americal LLC, 15401 Weston Parkway, Suite 150, Cary... CropScience, P.O. Box 12014, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Active...: EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0262. Company name and address: Bayer CropScience, P.O. Box 12014, 2T.W. Alexander...

75 FR 11884 - Pesticide Products; Registration Applications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-12

.... Company Name and Address: Arysta LifeScience North America, 15401 Weston Parkway, Suite 150, Cary, NC... Number: EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0279. Company Name and Address: Bayer CropScience, P.O. Box 12014, 2 T.W...: Bayer CropScience, P.O. Box 12014, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Active...

Sampling Methodologies for Epidemiologic Surveillance of Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women in Latin America: An Empiric Comparison of Convenience Sampling, Time Space Sampling, and Respondent Driven Sampling

PubMed Central

Clark, J. L.; Konda, K. A.; Silva-Santisteban, A.; Peinado, J.; Lama, J. R.; Kusunoki, L.; Perez-Brumer, A.; Pun, M.; Cabello, R.; Sebastian, J. L.; Suarez-Ognio, L.; Sanchez, J.

2014-01-01

Alternatives to convenience sampling (CS) are needed for HIV/STI surveillance of most-at-risk populations in Latin America. We compared CS, time space sampling (TSS), and respondent driven sampling (RDS) for recruitment of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) in Lima, Peru. During concurrent 60-day periods from June–August, 2011, we recruited MSM/TW for epidemiologic surveillance using CS, TSS, and RDS. A total of 748 participants were recruited through CS, 233 through TSS, and 127 through RDS. The TSS sample included the largest proportion of TW (30.7 %) and the lowest percentage of subjects who had previously participated in HIV/STI research (14.9 %). The prevalence of newly diagnosed HIV infection, according to participants’ self-reported previous HIV diagnosis, was highest among TSS recruits (17.9 %) compared with RDS (12.6 %) and CS (10.2 %). TSS identified diverse populations of MSM/TW with higher prevalences of HIV/STIs not accessed by other methods. PMID:24362754

Sampling methodologies for epidemiologic surveillance of men who have sex with men and transgender women in Latin America: an empiric comparison of convenience sampling, time space sampling, and respondent driven sampling.

PubMed

Clark, J L; Konda, K A; Silva-Santisteban, A; Peinado, J; Lama, J R; Kusunoki, L; Perez-Brumer, A; Pun, M; Cabello, R; Sebastian, J L; Suarez-Ognio, L; Sanchez, J

2014-12-01

Alternatives to convenience sampling (CS) are needed for HIV/STI surveillance of most-at-risk populations in Latin America. We compared CS, time space sampling (TSS), and respondent driven sampling (RDS) for recruitment of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) in Lima, Peru. During concurrent 60-day periods from June-August, 2011, we recruited MSM/TW for epidemiologic surveillance using CS, TSS, and RDS. A total of 748 participants were recruited through CS, 233 through TSS, and 127 through RDS. The TSS sample included the largest proportion of TW (30.7 %) and the lowest percentage of subjects who had previously participated in HIV/STI research (14.9 %). The prevalence of newly diagnosed HIV infection, according to participants' self-reported previous HIV diagnosis, was highest among TSS recruits (17.9 %) compared with RDS (12.6 %) and CS (10.2 %). TSS identified diverse populations of MSM/TW with higher prevalences of HIV/STIs not accessed by other methods.

Effect of endurance exercise on respiratory muscle function in patients with cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Reilly, Charles C; Ward, Katie; Jolley, Caroline J; Frank, Lucy A; Elston, Caroline; Moxham, John; Rafferty, Gerrard F

2012-03-15

During exercise, patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) dynamically hyperinflate, which imposes both elastic and threshold loads on the inspiratory muscles and places them at a mechanical disadvantage due to muscle shortening. Conversely, dynamic hyperinflation imposes a progressively resistive load and lengthens the expiratory muscles potentially increasing their susceptibility to develop low frequency fatigue (LFF). The aim of the study was to determine whether high intensity endurance exercise leads to the development of LFF in either the diaphragm or expiratory abdominal wall muscles in patients with CF. Ten patients and ten healthy individuals were studied. Twitch transdiaphragmatic pressure (TwP(di)) and twitch abdominal pressure (TwT(10)) were measured before and after exhaustive endurance cycle exercise at 80% of their previously determined maximum work rate. There was no difference in TwP(di) or TwT(10) at 20, 40 or 60 min post exercise compared to pre-exercise resting values in any of the participants, indicating that overt LFF of the respiratory muscles did not develop. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simulated swimming: a useful tool for evaluation the VO2 max of swimmers in the laboratory.

PubMed Central

Kimura, Y; Yeater, R A; Martin, R B

1990-01-01

This study was designed to develop a simulated swimming exercise (SS) so that peak VO2 would be assessed on swimmers in a laboratory setting. The subjects assumed a prone position on an incline bench and performed arm cranking on a Monark Rehab Trainer while performing a flutter kick against tension supplied by elastic cords. The SS test was compared to four peak VO2 tests: treadmill running (RN), tethered swimming (TW), bicycle ergometry (B), and arm cranking (AC). Eleven male varsity swimmers underwent each of the five VO2 max tests, and maximal cardiorespiratory indicators (HR, VE, VO2, O2 pulse, and RQ) were measured. The percentage of peak VO2 obtained during SS was compared to RN, TW, B, and AC. The SS test achieved 78 percent of RN, 91 percent of TW, 81 percent of B, and 124 percent of AC. There were no significant differences in VO2 in ml/kg.min between SS and TW. As expected, RN and B were significantly higher, while AC was lower. Ten subjects performed the SS test twice on two separate days within one week. The reliability of VO2 max in ml/kg.min was 0.95. the validity of VO2 max in ml/kg.min in the SS test vs. RN was 0.68. The SS test is reliable and can be used as effectively as TW to assess the VO2 max of swimmers in a laboratory setting. PMID:2078808

Dissociated time course between peak torque and total work recovery following bench press training in resistance trained men.

PubMed

Ferreira, Diogo V; Gentil, Paulo; Ferreira-Junior, João B; Soares, Saulo R S; Brown, Lee E; Bottaro, Martim

2017-10-01

To evaluate the time course of peak torque and total work recovery after a resistance training session involving the bench press exercise. Repeated measures with a within subject design. Twenty-six resistance-trained men (age: 23.7±3.7years; height: 176.0±5.7cm; mass: 79.65±7.61kg) performed one session involving eight sets of the bench press exercise performed to momentary muscle failure with 2-min rest between sets. Shoulder horizontal adductors peak torque (PT), total work (TW), delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and subjective physical fitness were measured pre, immediately post, 24, 48, 72 and 96h following exercise. The exercise protocol resulted in significant pectoralis major DOMS that lasted for 72h. Immediately after exercise, the reduction in shoulder horizontal adductors TW (25%) was greater than PT (17%). TW, as a percentage of baseline values, was also less than PT at 24, 48 and 96h after exercise. Additionally, PT returned to baseline at 96h, while TW did not. Resistance trained men presented dissimilar PT and TW recovery following free weight bench press exercise. This indicates that recovery of maximal voluntary contraction does not reflect the capability to perform multiple contractions. Strength and conditioning professionals should be cautious when evaluating muscle recovery by peak torque, since it can lead to the repetition of a training session sooner than recommended. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Transition from tube feeding to oral feeding: experience in a tertiary care paediatric cardiology unit.

PubMed

Shine, Anne Marie; Finn, Daragh Gerard; Allen, Noeleen; McMahon, Colin J

2018-05-02

Home enteral tube feeding (HETF) is imperative for many infants and children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Tube weaning (TW) facilitates the progression from tube feeding to oral diet. There is limited literature on TW practices, protocols and success for children with CHD that have been tube fed. The objective of this study is to assess the process of weaning HETF in a tertiary referral centre for paediatric CHD. Specifically, we aimed to assess the duration of HETF, duration of TW and the interventions involved. We retrospectively reviewed the medical and dietetic records of all infants and children that were successfully weaned off HETF over a 12-month period from January 2015 to December 2015. There were 30 children included in the study, 9 boys and 21 girls. The diagnoses included 15 septal defects, 8 univentricular diagnosis and other diagnoses in 7 children. The median age at initiation of enteral tube feeding was 45 days (range 2-169). The median duration to wean from enteral tube feeding was 52 days (range 2-359). Number of dietetic consults required for successful TW varied among patients, median 5 (range 2-23). The number of days required for successful TW was associated with age and duration on HETF. Dietetic interventions included discontinuation of nutrient dense feeds, altering feed schedule and reduction of feed volume. Weaning HETF is possible in the outpatient setting. Early and frequent dietetic intervention is recommended to ensure prompt discontinuation of HETF when appropriate.

Alkaline phosphatase activity in airway fluid obtained by tracheal wash from adult horses.

PubMed

Viscardi, Vanessa; Jorge, Maria Luisa L A; Silva, Katia M; Sad, Eliene P; Fonseca, Ana Beatriz M; Alencar, Nayro X; Lessa, Daniel Augusto B

2016-06-01

Collection of fluid from the lower respiratory tract (LRT) plays an important role in both the pathophysiological investigation and diagnosis of respiratory tract disease. Enzymes such as ALP are, among others, indicators of cell damage or death, type II pneumocyte proliferation, and neutrophil invasion, and have been useful as biomarkers of respiratory disease in other species. The purpose of this study was to determine and compare tracheal wash (TW) ALP activity in healthy horses and horses with LRT inflammation (LRTI) determined by TW cytology profile. Tracheal washes were collected from asymptomatic adult geldings to measure ALP activity. The horses were allocated to the healthy group or the group with LRT inflammation based on differential leukocyte counts of TW preparations. Horses with > 20% neutrophils and > 1% eosinophils were allocated to the LRTI group, the horses with < 20% neutrophils and < 1% eosinophils were the controls. Tracheal wash ALP activity, measured using a semiautomatic chemistry analyzer, was statistically significantly higher in 18 horses with LRTI (18.9 ± 11.2 × 10(3) U/L) than in healthy horses (10.3 ± 5.9 × 10(3) U/L) (P = .021). Determining tracheal wash ALP activity is a simple, inexpensive and safe technique that can be used to facilitate the early diagnosis of equine respiratory disease, since it is higher in asymptomatic adult horses with a TW cytology profile consistent with LRT inflammation than in healthy adult horses with a normal TW cytology profile. © 2016 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

Surgery Goes Social: The Extent and Patterns of Social Media Utilization by Major Trauma, Acute and Critical Care Surgery Societies

PubMed Central

Khalifeh, Jawad M.; Kaafarani, Haytham M. A.

2017-01-01

Context and Aims: The evolving influence of social media in trauma, acute, and critical care surgery (TACCS) cannot be ignored. We sought to investigate the extent and patterns of use of social networks by major regional, national and international TACCS societies. Materials and Methods: The two leading social networking sites, Facebook (FB) and Twitter (TW), were thoroughly examined for the presence of official accounts for each of the major TACCS societies. An official FB or TW account was defined as one which has a blue verified badge and/or is linked the society's official website. For societies with confirmed official accounts, the extent and patterns of use of the two platforms were systematically examined over a 2-week period through: (1) manual inspection of the societies’ FB and TW pages, (2) the SQLite database containing downloaded samples of posts, and (3) the TW analytics database, symplur.com. Standardized social media metrics were calculated for each society. Posted content was categorized as being: (1) society news updates, (2) event announcements, or (3) general medical information. Results: From a total of 64 TACCS societies, only 27 (42%) had FB and/or TW accounts. Ten out of the 12 American societies had accounts compared to 13/39 of European, 2/9 of Australasian, and 0/2 of international societies. For the societies with social media presence, the mean numbers of monthly tweets and FB posts per society were 22 and 8, respectively. We summarize the FB and TW activity of the studied TACCS societies. Most tweets/posts were society news updates and event announcements intended to the society's constituents not the general public. A text cloud was constructed to summarize the major featured topics. Conclusion: Less than half of the TACCS societies are currently using social media; those that do are arguably underutilizing its potential. Non-American societies in particular lag behind in their use of social networking. PMID:28855771

Microbiological, chemical and physical quality of drinking water for commercial turkeys: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Di Martino, G; Piccirillo, A; Giacomelli, M; Comin, D; Gallina, A; Capello, K; Buniolo, F; Montesissa, C; Bonfanti, L

2018-04-17

Drinking water for poultry is not subject to particular microbiological, chemical and physical requirements, thereby representing a potential transmission route for pathogenic microorganisms and contaminants and/or becoming unsuitable for water-administered medications. This study assessed the microbiological, chemical and physical drinking water quality of 28 turkey farms in North-Eastern Italy: 14 supplied with tap water (TW) and 14 with well water (WW). Water salinity, hardness, pH, ammonia, sulphate, phosphate, nitrate, chromium, copper and iron levels were also assessed. Moreover, total bacterial count at 22°C, presence and enumeration of Enterococcus spp. and E. coli, presence of Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. were quantified. A water sample was collected in winter and in summer at 3 sampling sites: the water source (A), the beginning (B) and the end (C) of the nipple line (168 samples in total). Chemical and physical quality of both TW and WW sources was mostly within the limits of TW for humans. However, high levels of hardness and iron were evidenced in both sources. In WW vs. TW, sulphate and salinity levels were significantly higher, whilst pH and nitrate levels were significantly lower. At site A, microbiological quality of WW and TW was mostly within the limit of TW for humans. However, both sources had a significantly lower microbiological quality at sites B and C. Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype Kentucky was isolated only twice from WW. Campylobacter spp. were rarely isolated (3.6% of farms); however, Campylobacter spp. farm-level prevalence by real-time PCR was up to 43% for both water sources. Winter posed at higher risk than summer for Campylobacter spp. presence in water, whereas no significant associations were found with water source, site, recirculation system, and turkey age. Low salinity and high hardness were significant risk factors for C. coli and C. jejuni presence, respectively. These results show the need of improving sanitization of drinking water pipelines for commercial turkeys.

Surgery Goes Social: The Extent and Patterns of Social Media Utilization by Major Trauma, Acute and Critical Care Surgery Societies.

PubMed

Khalifeh, Jawad M; Kaafarani, Haytham M A

2017-01-01

The evolving influence of social media in trauma, acute, and critical care surgery (TACCS) cannot be ignored. We sought to investigate the extent and patterns of use of social networks by major regional, national and international TACCS societies. The two leading social networking sites, Facebook (FB) and Twitter (TW), were thoroughly examined for the presence of official accounts for each of the major TACCS societies. An official FB or TW account was defined as one which has a blue verified badge and/or is linked the society's official website. For societies with confirmed official accounts, the extent and patterns of use of the two platforms were systematically examined over a 2-week period through: (1) manual inspection of the societies' FB and TW pages, (2) the SQLite database containing downloaded samples of posts, and (3) the TW analytics database, symplur.com. Standardized social media metrics were calculated for each society. Posted content was categorized as being: (1) society news updates, (2) event announcements, or (3) general medical information. From a total of 64 TACCS societies, only 27 (42%) had FB and/or TW accounts. Ten out of the 12 American societies had accounts compared to 13/39 of European, 2/9 of Australasian, and 0/2 of international societies. For the societies with social media presence, the mean numbers of monthly tweets and FB posts per society were 22 and 8, respectively. We summarize the FB and TW activity of the studied TACCS societies. Most tweets/posts were society news updates and event announcements intended to the society's constituents not the general public. A text cloud was constructed to summarize the major featured topics. Less than half of the TACCS societies are currently using social media; those that do are arguably underutilizing its potential. Non-American societies in particular lag behind in their use of social networking.

Response to inadequate dialysis in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients. Results from the 2000 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) ESRD Peritoneal Dialysis Clinical Performance Measures (PD-CPM) Project.

PubMed

Rocco, Michael V; Frankenfield, Diane L; Prowant, Barbara; Frederick, Pamela; Flanigan, Michael J

2003-04-01

It is not known if patient prescriptions are being changed if patients are receiving an inadequate dose of peritoneal dialysis. Data from the 2000 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid were used to obtain data on dialysis adequacy and dialysis prescriptions. A total of 359 of 1,268 (28%) adult peritoneal dialysis patients had a total weekly Kt/V urea (twKt/V) less than 2.0 and 436 of 1,245 (35%) patients had a total weekly creatinine clearance (twCrCl) less than 60 L/wk/1.73 m2, defined as "inadequate dialysis." Among chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients, 81 of 188 (43%) patients had inadequate dialysis and a change in the peritoneal dialysis prescription within 6 months of the initial adequacy value. Among cycler patients, 106 of 197 (54%) patients had inadequate dialysis and a change in the prescription. Thirty-six of 46 (78%) CAPD patients and 48 of 56 (86%) cycler patients had an improvement in twKt/V after the prescription was revised. Thirty-two of 42 (76%) CAPD patients and 45 of 57 (79%) cycler patients had an improvement in twCrCl after the prescription was changed. For these patients, twKt/V increased from 1.6 +/- 0.3 to 2.1 +/- 0.5, with an increase in the peritoneal Kt/V urea from 1.5 +/- 0.3 to 1.9 +/- 0.4. Similarly, twCrCl increased from 46.3 +/- 7.5 to 59.1 +/- 10.6 L/wk/1.73 m2 with an increase in the peritoneal CrCl dose from 42.0 +/- 9.1 to 52.7 +/- 9.9 L/wk/1.73 m2. About half of peritoneal dialysis patients with inadequate dialysis did not have a prescription change and could benefit from modifications in their dialysis prescription.

A Modification to the Computer Generated Acquisition Documents System (CGADS) for Microcomputer Use in a Program Office Environment.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-09-01

FILL. MOVE ALPHA-RESPONSE TO RESPONSE. 221C-RUN-TASKS-EXIT. EXIT. 2220-DISPLAY-TASK-MENU. PERFORM 5000- OETER -NISC-TASK-VALS. MOVE 1 TO ANSWER-FILE-KEY...INDEX-FIELD-2 ELSE MOVE 4 TO ANSWER-FILE-KEY SUBTRACT 200 FROM INDEX-FIELD-2. 5000- OETER -MISC-TASK-VALS. IF AREA-NUMBER a ŕ" MOVE 1 TO TASK-FILE-REC-NUM

HealthMpowerment.org: Building Community through a Mobile-Optimized, Online Health Promotion Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B.; Muessig, Kathryn E.; Pike, Emily C.; LeGrand, Sara; Baltierra, Nina; Rucker, Alvin Justin; Wilson, Patrick

2015-01-01

Background: Both young Black men who have sex with men as well as young Black transgender women (YBMSM/TW) continue to experience a significant increase in HIV incidence. HealthMpowerment.org (HMP) is a mobile phone-optimized, online intervention for both YBMSM/TW to build community and facilitate supportive relationships. Methods: To assess the…

78 FR 24197 - Product Cancellation Order for Certain Pesticide Registrations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-24

...; NY050002; OH030003). IN 46268-1054. 66330 Arysta Life Science North America, LLC, 15401 Weston Parkway... (ME090004) Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Dr., P.O. Box 12014, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. 432 Bayer Environmental Science, 2 T.W. Alexander Dr., P.O. Box 12014, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. 675...

Videoconferencing a Stroke Assessment Training Workshop: Effectiveness, Acceptability, and Cost

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Patricia A.; Huijbregts, Maria; French, Esme; Taylor, Denise; Reinikka, Kirsti; Berezny, Laura; Fry, Sherri; Grunin, Anna; Harvey, Melissa

2008-01-01

Introduction: Videoconferencing (VC) is becoming a common method for the delivery of continuing education (CE) to clinicians in remote locations. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness, acceptability, and costs of a full-day training workshop (TW) delivered through two different formats: face-to-face (FTF) and VC. The TW was…

26 CFR 1.416-1 - Questions and answers on top-heavy plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

..., employers under common control or affiliated service group. A partner of a partnership will not be treated... preceding plan years) of key employees, former key employees, and non-key employees. (b) All employers that... aggregated must be categorized as key employees, as former key employees, or as non-key employees. See...

26 CFR 1.416-1 - Questions and answers on top-heavy plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

..., employers under common control or affiliated service group. A partner of a partnership will not be treated... preceding plan years) of key employees, former key employees, and non-key employees. (b) All employers that... aggregated must be categorized as key employees, as former key employees, or as non-key employees. See...

26 CFR 1.416-1 - Questions and answers on top-heavy plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

..., employers under common control or affiliated service group. A partner of a partnership will not be treated... preceding plan years) of key employees, former key employees, and non-key employees. (b) All employers that... aggregated must be categorized as key employees, as former key employees, or as non-key employees. See...

Legal Challenges and Pitfalls for Start-up Companies - 48 Common Questions and Answers.

PubMed

Staehelin, Matthias

2014-12-01

Transforming a business idea into reality requires a legal implementation plan. The following 48 questions and answers address key issues that typically arise in start-up situations. Early planning can help avoid costly mistakes.

Comparison of body's center of mass motion relative to center of pressure between treadmill and over-ground walking.

PubMed

Lu, Hsuan-Lun; Lu, Tung-Wu; Lin, Hsiu-Chen; Chan, Wing P

2017-03-01

Treadmills have been used in rehabilitation settings to provide convenient protocols and continuous monitoring of movement over multiple cycles at well-controlled speeds for gait and balance training. However, the potential differences in the movement control may affect the translation of the training outcomes to real life over-ground walking (OW). The similarities and differences in the balance control between treadmill walking (TW) and OW have largely been unexplored. The current study bridged the gap by comparing the motions of the body's center of mass (COM) relative to the center of pressure (COP) between TW and OW, in terms of the COM-COP inclination angle (IA) and its rate of change (RCIA). The movement of the COM and COP separately were quite different between OW and TW, but when describing the COM motion relative to the COP, the COM motions became similar qualitatively with similar butterfly patterns. However, significantly increased peak values in themediolateral RCIA and greater ranges of mediolateral IA were found during TW (p<0.004). In the sagittal plane, the posterior velocity of the belt led to an anterior RCIA (posterior RCIA in OW) with increasing anterior IA during early double-limb support phase, and reduced posterior RCIA (p<0.009) with an increased anterior IA (p<0.001) during the remainder of the phase. These differences between TW and OW may have to be taken into account in future designs of strategies to optimize the translation of treadmill gait training outcomes into real life over-ground walking. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Tunnel widening prevention with the allo-Achilles tendon graft in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Surgical tips and short term followup

PubMed Central

Suh, Dong Won; Han, Seung Beom; Yeo, Woo Jin; Lee, Won Hee; Kwon, Jae Ho; Kyung, Bong Soo

2017-01-01

Background: Tunnel widening (TW) after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction can be a serious complication, and there is controversy over how to prevent it. This study aimed to suggest surgical approaches to prevent TW using an allo-Achilles tendon graft, and then to evaluate TW after these surgical tips were applied. Materials and Methods: Sixty two patients underwent ACL reconstruction with an allo-Achilles tendon graft. Four surgical approaches were used: Making a tibial tunnel by bone impaction, intraarticular reamer application, bone portion application for the femoral tunnel, and an additional bone plug application for the tibial tunnel. After more than 1-year, followup radiographs including anteroposterior and lateral views were taken in 29 patients encompassing thirty knees. The diameter of the tunnels at postoperation day 1 (POD1) and at followup was measured and compared. Results: In 18 knees (60%), there were no visible femoral tunnel margins on the radiographs at POD1 or followup. In the other 12 cases, which had visible femoral tunnel margins on followup radiographs, the mean femoral tunnel diameter was 8.6 mm. In the tibial tunnel, the mean diameters did not increase on all three levels (proximal, middle, and distal), and there was no statistically significant difference between the diameters at POD1 and followup. Conclusion: The suggested tips for surgery involving an allo-Achilles tendon graft can effectively prevent TW after ACL reconstruction according to this case series. These surgical tips can prevent TW. PMID:28400663

The exploration of medical resources utilization among inguinal hernia repair in Taiwan diagnosis-related groups.

PubMed

Yan, Yu-Hua; Kung, Chih-Ming; Chen, Yi

2017-11-09

This study centered on differences in medical costs, using the Taiwan diagnosis-related groups (Tw-DRGs) on medical resource utilization in inguinal hernia repair (IHR) in hospitals with different ownership to provide suitable reference information for hospital administrators. The 2010-2011 data for three hospitals under different ownership were extracted from the Taiwan National Health Insurance claims database. A retrospective method was applied to analyze the age, sex, length of stay, diagnosis and surgical procedure code, and the change in financial risk of medical costs in IHR cases after introduction of Tw-DRGs. The study calculated the cost using Tw-DRG payment principles, and compared it with estimated inpatient medical costs calculated using the fee-for-service policy. There were 723 IHR cases satisfying the Tw-DRGs criteria. Cost control in the medical care corporation hospital (US$764.2/case) was more efficient than that in the public hospital (US$902.7/case) or nonprofit proprietary hospital (US$817.1/case) surveyed in this study. For IHR, anesthesiologists in the public hospital preferred to use general anesthesia (86%), while those in the two other hospitals tended to administer spinal anesthesia. We also discovered the difference in anesthesia cost was high, at US$80.2/case on average. Because the Tw-DRG-based reimbursement system produces varying hospital costs, hospital administrators should establish a financial risk assessment system as early as possible to improve healthcare quality and financial management efficiency. This would then benefit the hospital, patient, and Bureau of National Health Insurance.

Olympic weightlifting training causes different knee muscle-coactivation adaptations compared with traditional weight training.

PubMed

Arabatzi, Fotini; Kellis, Eleftherios

2012-08-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of an Olympic weightlifting (OL) and traditional weight (TW) training program on muscle coactivation around the knee joint during vertical jump tests. Twenty-six men were assigned randomly to 3 groups: the OL (n = 9), the TW (n = 9), and Control (C) groups (n = 8). The experimental groups trained 3 d · wk(-1) for 8 weeks. Electromyographic (EMG) activity from the rectus femoris and biceps femoris, sagittal kinematics, vertical stiffness, maximum height, and power were collected during the squat jump, countermovement jump (CMJ), and drop jump (DJ), before and after training. Knee muscle coactivation index (CI) was calculated for different phases of each jump by dividing the antagonist EMG activity by the agonist. Analysis of variance showed that the CI recorded during the preactivation and eccentric phases of all the jumps increased in both training groups. The OL group showed a higher stiffness and jump height adaptation than the TW group did (p < 0.05). Further, the OL showed a decrease or maintenance of the CI recorded during the propulsion phase of the CMJ and DJs, which is in contrast to the increase in the CI observed after TW training (p < 0.05). The results indicated that the altered muscle activation patterns about the knee, coupled with changes of leg stiffness, differ between the 2 programs. The OL program improves jump performance via a constant CI, whereas the TW training caused an increased CI, probably to enhance joint stability.

Barriers and facilitators of HIV vaccine and prevention study participation among Young Black MSM and transwomen in New York City

PubMed Central

Koblin, Beryl; Vazquez, Tasha; Nandi, Vijay; Tieu, Hong-Van

2017-01-01

Background Black men who have sex with men (MSM), and Transwomen (TW) shoulder disproportionate burden of HIV. However, they are unrepresented in HIV vaccine trials. We investigated the perceptions of that factors associated with HIV vaccine trials participation among Black MSM and TW in New York. Methods Self-administered online questionnaires were administered to 18–29 years of NYC residents who identified as Black MSM and TW, assessing demographics, awareness and willingness to participate in HIV vaccine trials, barriers and facilitators associated with willingness, and sexual behaviors. Frequency summation was performed to determine barriers and facilitators, and logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors association with expressed willingness. Results Black MSM and TW who reported engaging in risk behaviors had a 61% lower likelihood of participating in HIV vaccine trials when compared to those who did not report engaging in any risk behavior. Facilitators associated with trial participation were: cash compensation, confidentiality regarding participation, public transportation vouchers, gift cards, and food or grocery vouchers as potential facilitators for trial participation. Conversely, fear of side effects from the vaccine, concerns about testing positive on routine HIV testing due to an HIV vaccine, limited knowledge of research trials, and fear of being judged as HIV-positive were perceived as barriers. Conclusions These findings provided insights into the considerations and perceptions of Black MSM and TW towards HIV vaccine trials. However, further studies are needed to delineate the complex mechanisms underlying the decision-making process and establish approaches to increase study participation in this population. PMID:28723970

77 FR 58136 - Notice of Receipt of Requests To Voluntarily Cancel Certain Pesticide Registrations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-19

...; Zionsville Rd., Indianapolis, ND020003; NY050002; OH030003. IN 46268-1054. 66330 Arysta Life Science North...., 410 Swing Rd., PO Box 18300, Greensboro, NC 27419-8300. 264; ME090004 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Dr., P.O. Box 12014, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. 432 Bayer Environmental Science, 2 T.W...

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Perceived Source of Infection Among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) and Transgender Women (TW) Recently Diagnosed with HIV and/or STI in Lima, Peru.

PubMed

Blair, Cheríe S; Segura, Eddy R; Perez-Brumer, Amaya G; Sanchez, Jorge; Lama, Javier R; Clark, Jesse L

2016-10-01

Risk perception and health behaviors result from individual-level factors influenced by specific partnership contexts. We explored individual- and partner-level factors associated with partner-specific perceptions of HIV/STI risk among 372 HIV/STI-positive MSM and transgender women (TW) in Lima, Peru. Generalized estimating equations explored participants' perception of their three most recent partner(s) as a likely source of their HIV/STI diagnosis. Homosexual/gay (PR = 2.07; 95 % CI 1.19-3.61) or transgender (PR = 2.84; 95 % CI 1.48-5.44) partners were more likely to be considered a source of infection than heterosexual partners. Compared to heterosexual respondents, gay and TW respondents were less likely to associate their partner with HIV/STI infection, suggesting a cultural link between gay or TW identity and perceived HIV/STI risk. Our findings demonstrate a need for health promotion messages tailored to high-risk MSM partnerships addressing how perceived HIV/STI risk aligns or conflicts with actual transmission risks in sexual partnerships and networks.

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Perceived Source of Infection among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) and Transgender Women (TW) Recently Diagnosed with HIV and/or STI in Lima, Peru

PubMed Central

Blair, Cheríe S; Segura, Eddy R; Perez-Brumer, Amaya G; Sanchez, Jorge; Lama, Javier R; Clark, Jesse L

2016-01-01

Risk perception and health behaviors result from individual-level factors influenced by specific partnership contexts. We explored individual- and partner-level factors associated with partner-specific perceptions of HIV/STI risk among 372 HIV/STI-positive MSM and transgender women (TW) in Lima, Peru. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) explored participants’ perception of their three most recent partner(s) as a likely source of their HIV/STI diagnosis. Homosexual/gay (PR = 2.07; 95% CI 1.19-3.61) or transgender (PR = 2.84; 95% CI 1.48-5.44) partners were more likely to be considered a source of infection than heterosexual partners. Compared to heterosexual respondents, gay and TW respondents were less likely to associate their partner with HIV/STI infection, suggesting a cultural link between gay or TW identity and perceived HIV/STI risk. Our findings demonstrate a need for health promotion messages tailored to high-risk MSM partnerships addressing how perceived HIV/STI risk aligns or conflicts with actual transmission risks in sexual partnerships and networks. PMID:26767533

Body weight support during robot-assisted walking: influence on the trunk and pelvis kinematics.

PubMed

Swinnen, Eva; Baeyens, Jean-Pierre; Hens, Gerrit; Knaepen, Kristel; Beckwée, David; Michielsen, Marc; Clijsen, Ron; Kerckhofs, Eric

2015-01-01

Efficacy studies concerning robot assisted gait rehabilitation showed limited clinical benefits. A changed kinematic pattern might be responsible for this. Little is known about the kinematics of the trunk and pelvis during robot assisted treadmill walking (RATW). The aim of this study was to assess the trunk and pelvis kinematics of healthy subjects during RATW, with different amounts of body weight support (BWS) compared to regular treadmill walking (TW). Eighteen healthy participants walked on a treadmill, while kinematics were registered by an electromagnetic tracking device. Hereafter, the kinematics of pelvis and trunk were registered during RATW (guidance force 30%) with 0%, 30% and 50% BWS. Compared to TW, RATW showed a decrease in the following trunk movements: axial rotation, anteroposterior flexion, lateral and anteroposterior translation. Besides, a decrease in lateral tilting and all translation of the pelvis was found when comparing RATW with TW. Furthermore, the anteroposterior tilting of the pelvis increased during RATW. In general, there was a decrease in trunk and pelvis movement amplitude during RATW compared with regular TW. Though, it is not known if these changes are responsible for the limited efficacy of robot assisted gait rehabilitation. Further research is indicated.

Response properties in the adsorption-desorption model on a triangular lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šćepanović, J. R.; Stojiljković, D.; Jakšić, Z. M.; Budinski-Petković, Lj.; Vrhovac, S. B.

2016-06-01

The out-of-equilibrium dynamical processes during the reversible random sequential adsorption (RSA) of objects of various shapes on a two-dimensional triangular lattice are studied numerically by means of Monte Carlo simulations. We focused on the influence of the order of symmetry axis of the shape on the response of the reversible RSA model to sudden perturbations of the desorption probability Pd. We provide a detailed discussion of the significance of collective events for governing the time coverage behavior of shapes with different rotational symmetries. We calculate the two-time density-density correlation function C(t ,tw) for various waiting times tw and show that longer memory of the initial state persists for the more symmetrical shapes. Our model displays nonequilibrium dynamical effects such as aging. We find that the correlation function C(t ,tw) for all objects scales as a function of single variable ln(tw) / ln(t) . We also study the short-term memory effects in two-component mixtures of extended objects and give a detailed analysis of the contribution to the densification kinetics coming from each mixture component. We observe the weakening of correlation features for the deposition processes in multicomponent systems.

Brittle deformation and exhumation mechanisms in the core of the Eastern Alps, The Tauern Window

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertrand, Audrey; Garcia, Sebastian; Rosenberg, Claudio

2010-05-01

The Tauern Window (TW) is a Tertiary structural and thermal dome located in the core of the Eastern Alpine orogen and in front of the Dolomite indenter. The Penninic basement and cover units within the TW attained their thermal peak about 30 Myr ago (e.g., Selverstone et al., 1992) followed by cooling and exhumation from Early Oligocene to late Miocene time (e.g., Grundmann and Morteani, 1985). Most exhumation was partly accommodated by two normal faults at the western and eastern ends of the TW (Brenner and Katschberg faults, respectively). Although these normal faults are well described in the literature, their roles in the exhumation of the TW are still under debate: Exhumation accommodated primarily by folding and erosion (e.g., Rosenberg et al., 2004) versus exhumation mainly accommodated by Brenner and Katschberg normal faulting (e.g., Selverstone, 1988; Ratschbacher et al., 1989). New fault-slip data from the TW allow us to reconstruct paleostress axes by inversion and to constrain the relative roles of the folding and orogen-parallel extension during the late deformation history of the TW, in the brittle-field. Our results show little evidence of compression and a clear zoning of the paleostress field in the TW. In the central part of the TW, the σ1 direction is sub-horizontal N-S to NE-SW (strike-slip), whereas it is steep in the footwall of the Brenner and the Katschberg normal faults. Local variability of the σ3 direction are observed; indeed, the σ3 direction varies from E-W to WNW-ESE along the Brenner fault, to NW-SE along the Jaufen fault, the inferred southern continuation of the Brenner fault (Schneider et al., this session). Along the Katschberg fault, the σ3 direction is mainly NNW-SSE oriented, which is consistent with extension in front of a triangular dead zone shape induced by the WSW-striking Dolomites indenter. Nearly no evidence of a stress field compatible with upright folding (D2 phase of deformation) was found in the brittle domain. Taken together, our results suggest that the brittle crust of the TW was mostly affected by a strike-slip state of stress, which grades into extension at the eastern and western margins of the dome. This suggests that the inverse regime associated with the upright folds terminated before these structures entered the brittle field. Hence, the strike-slip regime postdates in a short time-span the reverse one. The brittle crust of the TW affected by the pure-compressional regime may have been eroded or perhaps there was never any compression after the crust was exhumed to above the ductile-brittle transition. References Grundmann, G., and Morteani, G., 1985, The young uplift and thermal history of the central Eastern Alps (Austria/Italy), evidence from apatite fission track ages. Jahrb. der Geo. Bundesanstalt, 128, 197-216. Ratschbacher, L., Frisch, W., Neubauer, F., Schmid, S. M., and Neugebauer, J., 1989, Extension in compressional orogenic belts: The eastern Alps. Geology, 17, 404-407. Rosenberg, C. L., Brun, J.-P., and Gapais, D., 2004, An indentation model of the Eastern Alps and the origin of the Tauern Window. Geology, 32, 997-1000. Schneider, S., Bertrand, A. & Rosenberg, C.L. The Jaufental Fault: a kinematic link between the Tauern Window and south-Alpine Indentation. Abstract EGU2010. Selverstone, J., 1988, Evidence for East-West crustal extension in the eastern Alps: implications for the unroofing history of the Tauern Window. Tectonics, 7, 87-105. Selverstone, J., Franz, G., Thomas, S., Getty, S., 1992. Fluid variability in 2 GPa eclogites as an indicator of fluid behavior during subduction. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 112, 341-357.

PV FAQs: Does the world have enough materials for PV to help address climate change?

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

Not Available

2005-06-01

In the ongoing discussion of what needs to be done to stabilize atmospheric CO2 by mid-century (Hoffert 1998), one possible option would be to add about 10-20 terawatts (trillion watts, or TW) of photovoltaics (PV) in place of conventional sources. PV would help because, unlike burning fossil fuels, it produces no CO2. However, 10-20 TW is an enormous amount of energy. In peak Watts, the way PV installations are generally rated, it is about 50-100 TWpeak (TWp) of PV. Would we have enough materials to make this much PV? As we explain in this PV FAQ, we think our planetmore » has enough feedstock materials for PV to meet the ''TW challenge.''« less

Getting Ready for the "School of the Future": Key Questions and Tentative Answers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ott, Michela; Pozzi, Francesca

This paper explores some key aspects of "today's school", as opposed to those that have characterized "yesterday's school", with the final aim of shedding light on "tomorrow's school". In this direction, the paper puts forward tentative answers to some key questions related to the new characteristics and roles of teachers and students (main actors of the learning process) and the new features/ potentialities of contemporary educational tools which, in turn, require the enactment of innovative pedagogical approaches and educational methods. The emerging picture of the present learning landscape helps in figuring out a future situation where learning possibilities are substantially increased.

The effect of a short-term high-intensity circuit training program on work capacity, body composition, and blood profiles in sedentary obese men: a pilot study.

PubMed

Miller, Matthew B; Pearcey, Gregory E P; Cahill, Farrell; McCarthy, Heather; Stratton, Shane B D; Noftall, Jennifer C; Buckle, Steven; Basset, Fabien A; Sun, Guang; Button, Duane C

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine how a high-intensity circuit-training (HICT) program affects key physiological health markers in sedentary obese men. Eight obese (body fat percentage >26%) males completed a four-week HICT program, consisting of three 30-minute exercise sessions per week, for a total of 6 hours of exercise. Participants' heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), rating of perceived exertion, total work (TW), and time to completion were measured each exercise session, body composition was measured before and after HICT, and fasting blood samples were measured before throughout, and after HICT program. Blood sample measurements included total cholesterol, triacylglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, and insulin. Data were analyzed by paired t-tests and one-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Statistical significance was set to P < 0.05. Data analyses revealed significant (P < 0.05) improvements in resting HR (16% decrease), systolic BP (5.5% decrease), TW (50.7%), fat tissue percentage (3.6%), lean muscle tissue percentage (2%), cholesterol (13%), triacylglycerol (37%), and insulin (18%) levels from before to after HICT program. Overall, sedentary obese males experienced a significant improvement in biochemical, physical, and body composition characteristics from a HICT program that was only 6 hours of the total exercise.

29 CFR 2509.75-8 - Questions and answers relating to fiduciary responsibility under the Employee Retirement Income...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... answers, relating them to the appropriate sections of the Act, is also provided. Index Key to question... reason to doubt the competence, integrity or responsibility of such persons. FR-12 Q: How many...

29 CFR 2509.75-8 - Questions and answers relating to fiduciary responsibility under the Employee Retirement Income...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... answers, relating them to the appropriate sections of the Act, is also provided. Index Key to question... reason to doubt the competence, integrity or responsibility of such persons. FR-12 Q: How many...

29 CFR 2509.75-8 - Questions and answers relating to fiduciary responsibility under the Employee Retirement Income...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... answers, relating them to the appropriate sections of the Act, is also provided. Index Key to question... reason to doubt the competence, integrity or responsibility of such persons. FR-12 Q: How many...

Revisiting TW Hydrae association in light of Gaia-DR1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teixeira, R.; Gonoretzky, E. R.; Ducourant, C.; Galli, P. A. B.; Krone-Martins, A. G. O.

2018-04-01

TW Hydrae is a very young and nearby association with about 30 known members which is an excellent target for studies on stellar evolution since several of its members present a particular interest (planetary system, brown dwarfs, etc.). With the new data from TGAS and the Gaia DR1 eventually combined with others astrometric data we intend to improve our kinematic knowledge of this association.

Undetectable HCV-RNA at treatment-week 8 results in high-sustained virological response in HCV G1 treatment-experienced patients with advanced liver disease: the International Italian/Spanish Boceprevir/Peginterferon/Ribavirin Name Patients Program.

PubMed

Bruno, S; Bollani, S; Zignego, A L; Pascasio, J M; Magni, C; Ciancio, A; Caremani, M; Mangia, A; Marenco, S; Piovesan, S; Chemello, L; Babudieri, S; Moretti, A; Gea, F; Colletta, C; Perez-Alvarez, R; Forns, X; Larrubia, J R; Arenas, J; Crespo, J; Calvaruso, V; Ceccherini Silberstein, F; Maisonneuve, P; Craxì, A; Calleja, J L

2015-05-01

In many countries, first-generation protease inhibitors (PIs)/peginterferon/ribavirin (P/R) still represent the only treatment option for HCV-infected patients. Subjects with advanced disease and previous failure to P/R urgently need therapy, but they are under-represented in clinical trials. All treatment-experienced F3/4 Metavir patients who received boceprevir (BOC)+P/R in the Italian-Spanish Name Patient Program have been included in this study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis (MLR) was used to identify baseline and on-treatment predictors of SVR and adverse events (AEs). Four hundred and sixteen patients, mean age 57.7 (range 25-78 years), 70% males, 69.5% (289/416) F4, 14% (41/289) Child-Pugh class A6, 24% (70/289) with varices and 42% (173/416) prior null responders to P/R, were analysed. Overall, SVR rate (all 381 patients who received one dose of BOC) was 49%, (58% in F3, 45% in F4, 61% in relapsers, 51% in partial, 38% in null responders, and 72% in subjects with undetectable HCV-RNA at treatment-week (TW)8. Among patients with TW8 HCV-RNA ≥ 1000 IU/L, SVR was 8% (negative predictive value = 92%). Death occurred in 3 (0.8%) patients, while decompensation and infections were observed in 2.9% and 11%, respectively. At MLR, SVR predictors were TW4 HCV-RNA ≥ 1log10 -decline from baseline, undetectable TW8 HCV-RNA, prior relapse, albumin levels ≥3.5 g/dL and platelet counts ≥100 000/μL. Metavir F4, Child-Pugh A6, albumin, platelets, age and female gender were associated with serious and haematological AEs. Among treatment-experienced patients with advanced liver disease eligible for IFN-based therapy, TW8 HCV-RNA characterised the subset with either high or poor likelihood of achieving SVR. Using TW8 HCV-RNA as a futility rule, BOC/P/R appears to have a favourable benefit-risk profile. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exercising divers' thermal protection as a function of water temperature.

PubMed

Pendergast, David R; Mollendorf, Joseph

2011-01-01

Physiological adjustments and passive thermal insulation are not sufficient to protect divers in the cold and warm waters experienced by sport, professional and military divers. In a previous study of resting subjects, divers were protected by actively heated/cooled water that perfused a six-zone (head, torso, arms, hands, legs and feet) tube suit. Subsequently a self-contained diver thermal protection system (DTPS) was developed and used in this study to test male divers (n = 8) wearing a 6-mm foam neoprene wetsuit in water temperatures (T(W)) of 10 degrees C-39 degrees C at 4 feet in depth. The DTPS is a scuba backpack containing five thermoelectric devices that heat/cool water to 30 degrees C, six pumps that circulate the water through a six-zone tube suit via two manifolds, and an electronic controller. Skin temperatures (T(S), n = 17) and core temperature (T(C), capsule) were measured. The DTPS and each zone of the tube suit were also instrumented. Divers were tested with the DTPS operational (protected) and turned off (unprotected) for 90 minutes. In the unprotected condition, T(S) decreased and approached T(W), while T(C) trended to decrease over the exposure time. Mean T(S) as a function of T(W) was T(S) = 0.44 T(W) + 21.23 degrees C while unprotected, but T(S) = 0.19 T(W) + 27.1 degrees C when the diver was protected. The average total heating/cooling power required to protect the diver was 166 +/- 78W, 86 +/- 95W, 9 +/- 75W, 72 +/- 45W, 135 +/- 73W, 279 +/- 87W and 336 +/- 95W at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 39 degrees C water temperatures, respectively. This power requirement was nominally split 4%, 22%, 22%, 14%, 25% and 13% for head, torso, arms, hands, legs and feet, respectively. While unprotected, divers T(S) and T(C) did not remain within acceptable limits in T(W) below 25 degrees C or above 30 degrees C. When using the DTPS, however, they did remain within acceptable limits, and the divers reported they were comfortable.

High impact of sleeping problems on quality of life in transgender individuals: A cross-sectional multicenter study

PubMed Central

Auer, Matthias K.; Liedl, Anita; Fuss, Johannes; Nieder, Timo; Briken, Peer; Stalla, Günter K.; Hildebrandt, Thomas

2017-01-01

Introduction Studies in the general population suggest that determinants of QoL are often sex-dependent. Sex-dependent analyses of QoL in transgender populations have not been performed so far. Aim To identify sex-specific and potentially modifiable determinants of QoL in transgender patients Methods In this cross-sectional multicentre study including 82 transwomen (TW) and 72 transmen (TM) at different treatment stages, we investigated potential determinants for QoL focusing on the impact of mood (BDI, STAI-X), sleep quality (PSQI), chronic pain (GPQ), body image (FBeK) and social support (SSS). Main outcome measure Health-related quality of life measured with the Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36). Results The age-adjusted SF-36 total score and its subscales did not significantly differ between TM and TW. Using a multivariate regression analysis approach, we identified common but also sex-dependent determinants for QoL (Adjusted R2 = 0.228; 0.650 respectively). Accounting for general characteristics such as age, BMI and treatment status, sleep quality according to the PSQI was an independent and strong determinant of QoL in both sexes (β = -0.451, p = 0.003 TM; β = -0.320; p = 0.0029 TW). Chronic pain was a significant independent predictor of QoL in TM (β = -0.298; p = 0.042) but not in TW. In contrast, anxiety (β = -0.451; p< 0.001) being unemployed (β = -0.206; p = 0.020) and insecurity about the own appearance (FBeK) (β = -0.261; p = 0.01) were independent predictors of QoL in TW. The rate of those reporting high sleep disturbances (PSQI ≥5) was high with 79.2% in TW and 81.2% in TM. Accordingly, age-adjusted QoL was also significantly lower in those reporting poor sleep in both sexes. Conclusions Sleep strongly affected QoL in both genders, while other factors, like pain and body image, seem to be gender specific in transgender individuals. PMID:28199359

Long-term secular trend of skeletal maturation of Taiwanese children between agricultural (1960s) and contemporary (after 2000s) generations using the Tanner-Whitehouse 3 (TW3) method.

PubMed

Hsieh, Chi-Wen; Liu, Tzu-Chiang; Jong, Tai-Lang; Tiu, Chui-Mei

2013-01-01

The Tanner-Whitehouse (TW) method is one of the well-known techniques in determining the bone age. According to the objectivity of TW3, the secular trend was investigated to discover whether the skeletal maturation of Taiwanese children between two generations was different. The large-scale database of Taiwan was collected. The first group, called mid-1960s, included 265 boys and 295 girls in the agricultural generation (between 1966 and 1967). The second group, called mid-2000s, includes 114 boys and 616 girls in the contemporary generation (after 2000s). The bone age was determined by three radiologists using the carpals-only system of the TW3 method and by two physicians using the Greulich and Pyle method. A comparison of the means (independent-samples t-test) was applied by examining the difference of the children's skeletal maturation between the two generations in the same chronological age. The significant difference was considered while the p-value was 0.05 or less (95% confidence interval). A significant difference of the mean bone age (by, on average, three radiologists using the TW3 method) between the mid-1960s and mid-2000s in the same gender and chronological age was presented by the independent-samples t-test (p<0.001 with 95% confidence interval), and the bone age, determined by the TW3 method, of the mid-2000s group was higher than that of the mid-1960s group. This scenario corresponded with the children's bone age determined by pediatricians. Besides, it deserved to notice that the bone age of boys in the mid-2000s was larger than that of the girls in the mid-1960s. Furthermore, by comparing the environmental condition, we suspect that the difference of bone age of children between the two generations was attributed to the discrepancy in nutrition and socioeconomic variation during the four decades in Taiwan. The study presents that the secular trend of skeletal maturation of children in the mid-2000s is faster than that in the mid-1960s.

Partial deletions of the W chromosome due to reciprocal translocation in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

PubMed

Abe, H; Seki, M; Ohbayashi, F; Tanaka, N; Yamashita, J; Fujii, T; Yokoyama, T; Takahashi, M; Banno, Y; Sahara, K; Yoshido, A; Ihara, J; Yasukochi, Y; Mita, K; Ajimura, M; Suzuki, M G; Oshiki, T; Shimada, T

2005-08-01

In the silkworm, Bombyx mori (female, ZW; male, ZZ), femaleness is determined by the presence of a single W chromosome, irrespective of the number of autosomes or Z chromosomes. The W chromosome is devoid of functional genes, except the putative female-determining gene (Fem). However, there are strains in which chromosomal fragments containing autosomal markers have been translocated on to W. In this study, we analysed the W chromosomal regions of the Zebra-W strain (T(W;3)Ze chromosome) and the Black-egg-W strain (T(W;10)+(w-2) chromosome) at the molecular level. Initially, we undertook a project to identify W-specific RAPD markers, in addition to the three already established W-specific RAPD markers (W-Kabuki, W-Samurai and W-Kamikaze). Following the screening of 3648 arbitrary 10-mer primers, we obtained nine W-specific RAPD marker sequences (W-Bonsai, W-Mikan, W-Musashi, W-Rikishi, W-Sakura, W-Sasuke, W-Yukemuri-L, W-Yukemuri-S and BMC1-Kabuki), almost all of which contained the border regions of retrotransposons, namely portions of nested retrotransposons. We confirmed the presence of eleven out of twelve W-specific RAPD markers in the normal W chromosomes of twenty-five silkworm strains maintained in Japan. These results indicate that the W chromosomes of the strains in Japan are almost identical in type. The Zebra-W strain (T(W;3)Ze chromosome) lacked the W-Samurai and W-Mikan RAPD markers and the Black-egg-W strain (T(W;10)+(w-2) chromosome) lacked the W-Mikan RAPD marker. These results strongly indicate that the regions containing the W-Samurai and W-Mikan RAPD markers or the W-Mikan RAPD marker were deleted in the T(W;3)Ze and T(W;10)+(w-2) chromosomes, respectively, due to reciprocal translocation between the W chromosome and the autosome. This deletion apparently does not affect the expression of Fem; therefore, this deleted region of the W chromosome does not contain the putative Fem gene.

Multi-Generational Drinking of Bottled Low Mineral Water Impairs Bone Quality in Female Rats

PubMed Central

Zeng, Hui; Wang, Lingqiao; Wang, Dahua; Luo, Jiaohua; Zhang, Liang; Huang, Yujing; Chen, Ji-an; Shu, Weiqun

2015-01-01

Background Because of reproductions and hormone changes, females are more sensitive to bone mineral loss during their lifetime. Bottled water has become more popular in recent years, and a large number of products are low mineral water. However, research on the effects of drinking bottled low mineral water on bone health is sparse. Objective To elucidate the skeletal effects of multi-generational bottled water drinking in female rats. Methods Rats continuously drank tap water (TW), bottled natural water (bNW), bottled mineralized water (bMW), or bottled purified water (bPW) for three generations. Results The maximum deflection, elastic deflection, and ultimate strain of the femoral diaphysis in the bNW, bMW, and bPW groups and the fracture strain in the bNW and bMW groups were significantly decreased. The tibiae calcium levels in both the bNW and bPW groups were significantly lower than that in the TW group. The tibiae and teeth magnesium levels in both the bNW and bPW groups were significantly lower than those in the TW group. The collagen turnover markers PICP (in both bNW and bPW groups) were significantly lower than that in the TW group. In all three low mineral water groups, the 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D levels were significantly lower than those in the TW group. Conclusion Long-term drinking of low mineral water may disturb bone metabolism and biochemical properties and therefore weaken biomechanical bone properties in females. Drinking tap water, which contains adequate minerals, was found to be better for bone health. To our knowledge, this is the first report on drinking bottled low mineral water and female bone quality on three generation model. PMID:25803851

Two-year survival analysis of twisted wire fixed retainer versus spiral wire and fiber-reinforced composite retainers: a preliminary explorative single-blind randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Sobouti, Farhad; Rakhshan, Vahid; Saravi, Mahdi Gholamrezaei; Zamanian, Ali; Shariati, Mahsa

2016-03-01

Traditional retainers (both metal and fiber-reinforced composite [FRC]) have limitations, and a retainer made from more flexible ligature wires might be advantageous. We aimed to compare an experimental design with two traditional retainers. In this prospective preliminary clinical trial, 150 post-treatment patients were enrolled and randomly divided into three groups of 50 patients each to receive mandibular canine-to-canine retainers made of FRC, flexible spiral wire (FSW), and twisted wire (TW). The patients were monitored monthly. The time at which the first signs of breakage/debonding were detected was recorded. The success rates of the retainers were compared using chi-squared, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox proportional-hazard regression analyses (α = 0.05). In total, 42 patients in the FRC group, 41 in the FSW group, and 45 in the TW group completed the study. The 2-year failure rates were 35.7% in the FRC group, 26.8% in the FSW group, and 17.8% in the TW group. These rates differed insignificantly (chi-squared p = 0.167). According to the Kaplan-Meier analysis, failure occurred at 19.95 months in the FRC group, 21.37 months in the FSW group, and 22.36 months in the TW group. The differences between the survival rates in the three groups were not significant (Cox regression p = 0.146). Although the failure rate of the experimental retainer was two times lower than that of the FRC retainer, the difference was not statistically significant. The experimental TW retainer was successful, and larger studies are warranted to verify these results.

Two-year survival analysis of twisted wire fixed retainer versus spiral wire and fiber-reinforced composite retainers: a preliminary explorative single-blind randomized clinical trial

PubMed Central

Sobouti, Farhad; Rakhshan, Vahid; Saravi, Mahdi Gholamrezaei; Zamanian, Ali

2016-01-01

Objective Traditional retainers (both metal and fiber-reinforced composite [FRC]) have limitations, and a retainer made from more flexible ligature wires might be advantageous. We aimed to compare an experimental design with two traditional retainers. Methods In this prospective preliminary clinical trial, 150 post-treatment patients were enrolled and randomly divided into three groups of 50 patients each to receive mandibular canine-to-canine retainers made of FRC, flexible spiral wire (FSW), and twisted wire (TW). The patients were monitored monthly. The time at which the first signs of breakage/debonding were detected was recorded. The success rates of the retainers were compared using chi-squared, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox proportional-hazard regression analyses (α = 0.05). Results In total, 42 patients in the FRC group, 41 in the FSW group, and 45 in the TW group completed the study. The 2-year failure rates were 35.7% in the FRC group, 26.8% in the FSW group, and 17.8% in the TW group. These rates differed insignificantly (chi-squared p = 0.167). According to the Kaplan-Meier analysis, failure occurred at 19.95 months in the FRC group, 21.37 months in the FSW group, and 22.36 months in the TW group. The differences between the survival rates in the three groups were not significant (Cox regression p = 0.146). Conclusions Although the failure rate of the experimental retainer was two times lower than that of the FRC retainer, the difference was not statistically significant. The experimental TW retainer was successful, and larger studies are warranted to verify these results. PMID:27019825

f-Mode Secular Instabilities in Deleptonizing Fizzlers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imamura, James N.; Durisen, Richard H.

2004-12-01

Fizzlers are intermediate states that may form between white dwarf and neutron star densities during the collapse of massive rotating stars. This paper studies the gravitational radiation reaction (GRR) driven f-mode secular instabilities of fizzlers with angular momentum distributions h(mc) appropriate to the core collapse of massive rotating stars, where h is the specific angular momentum and mc is the cylindrical mass fraction. For core collapses that maintain axial symmetry, the h(mc) of the remnant reflects the conditions in the precollapse stellar core, and, thus, the h(mc) will resemble that of a uniformly rotating star supported by the pressure of relativistically degenerate electrons. Such an h(mc) concentrates most angular momentum toward the equatorial region of the object. The onset of f-mode secular instabilities in such fizzlers is affected strongly by the h(mc), whereas instability depends only weakly on compressibility. For a broad range of fizzler equations of state and the core h(mc), the f-mode secular instability thresholds drop to T/W~0.034-0.042, 0.019-0.021, and 0.012-0.0135, for m=2, 3, and 4, respectively. These same thresholds with the Maclaurin spheroid h(mc) are T/W=0.13-0.15, 0.10-0.11, and 0.08-0.09, respectively. The growth times τgw for GRR-driven m=2 modes are long. For fizzlers with specific angular momentum J/M~1.5×1016 cm2 s-1 and T/W<~0.24 (ρc<~1014 g cm-3), τgw>400 s. For these fizzlers, τgw>>τde, the deleptonization timescale, and GRR-driven secular instabilities will not grow along a deleptonizing fizzler sequence except, possibly, at T/W near the dynamic bar mode instability threshold, T/W~0.27.

Comparison of Wipe Materials and Wetting Agents for Pesticide Residue Collection from Hard Surfaces

PubMed Central

Deziel, Nicole C.; Viet, Susan M.; Rogers, John W.; Camann, David E.; Marker, David A.; Heikkinen, Maire S. A.; Yau, Alice Y.; Stout, Daniel M.; Dellarco, Michael

2011-01-01

Different wipe materials and wetting agents have been used to collect pesticide residues from surfaces, but little is known about their comparability. To inform the selection of a wipe for the National Children’s Study, the analytical feasibility, collection efficiency, and precision of Twillwipes wetted with isopropanol (TI), Ghost Wipes (GW), and Twillwipes wetted with water (TW), and were evaluated. Wipe samples were collected from stainless steel surfaces spiked with high and low concentrations of 27 insecticides, including organochlorines, organophosphates, and pyrethroids. Samples were analyzed by GC/MS/SIM. No analytical interferences were observed for any of the wipes. The mean percent collection efficiencies across all pesticides for the TI, GW, and TW were 69.3%, 31.1%, and 10.3% at the high concentration, respectively, and 55.6%, 22.5%, and 6.9% at the low concentration, respectively. The collection efficiencies of the TI were significantly greater than that of GW or TW (p<0.0001). Collection efficiency also differed significantly by pesticide (p<0.0001) and spike concentration (p<0.0001). The pooled coefficients of variation (CVs) of the collection efficiencies for the TI, GW, and TW at high concentration were 0.08, 0.17, and 0.24, respectively. The pooled CV of the collection efficiencies for the TI, GW, and TW at low concentration were 0.15, 0.19, and 0.36, respectively. The TI had significantly lower CVs than either of the other two wipes (p=0.0008). Though the TI was superior in terms of both accuracy and precision, it requires multiple preparation steps, which could lead to operational challenges in a large-scale study. PMID:21816452

Der II. Hauptsatz der Wärmelehre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heintze, Joachim

Wir haben in (4.44) den II. Hauptsatz als empirische Tatsache folgendermaßen formuliert: (i) Wärmeenergie geht von selbst nur von einem wärmeren Körper auf einen kälteren über, niemals in der umgekehrten Richtung. Nun werden wir beweisen, dass sich aus diesem Prinzip folgende äquivalente Formulierungen für den II. Hauptsatz ableiten lassen: (ii) Es ist unmöglich, ein Perpetuum mobile zweiter Art zu bauen, d. h. eine Maschine, die fortlaufend Wärmeenergie vollständig in mechanische Arbeit umsetzen kann. Eine Wärmekraftmaschine, die einen Kreisprozess mit der höchsten Temperatur Tw und der niedrigsten Temperatur Tk durchläuft, hat höchstens den Carnotschen Wirkungsgrad c = (Tw - Tk)/Tw. Wenn in der Maschine nur reversible Prozesse ablaufen, die gesamte Wärmezufuhr bei der Temperatur Tw erfolgt und ausschließlich bei der Temperatur Tw gekühlt wird, ist ihr Wirkungsgrad = C. Es gibt keine Wärmekraftmaschine, die eine bessere Ausnutzung der Wärmeenergie ermöglicht. (iv) In jedem thermodynamischen System existiert die Zustandsgröße Entropie, definiert durch ihr Differential dS = (dQrev)/T . Entropie kann erzeugt, aber nicht vernichtet werden. Bei Zustandsänderungen, die in einem abgeschlossenen System ablaufen, nimmt die Entropie entweder zu (irreversible Prozesse), oder sie bleibt konstant (reversible Prozesse). Im Anschluss an (iii) werden wir zur Definition der thermodynamischen Temperatur und bei der Diskussion von (iv) zu einem tieferen Verständnis der Entropie gelangen. Es zeigt sich, dass die Entropie das eigentliche Bindeglied zwischen Mechanik und Wärmelehre darstellt. Am Ende des Kapitels werden wir einige Anwendungen des II. Hauptsatzes betrachten.

Wetting Transition of Nonpolar Neutral Molecule System on a Neutral and Atomic Length Scale Roughness Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Shiqi

2018-03-01

One recently proposed new method for accurately determining wetting temperature is applied to the wetting transition occurring in a single component nonpolar neutral molecule system near a neutral planar substrate with roughness produced by cosinusoidal modulation(s). New observations are summarized into five points: (i) for a planar substrate superimposed with one cosinusoidal modulation, with increasing of the periodicity length or the surface attraction force field, or decreasing of the amplitude, wetting temperature T_W drops accordingly and the three parameters show multiplication effect; moreover, both the periodicity length and amplitude effect curves display pole phenomena and saturation phenomena, and the T_W saturation occurs at small (for case of large amplitude) or large (for case of small amplitude) periodicity length side, respectively. (ii) In the case of the planar substrate superimposed with two cosinusoidal modulations with equal periodicity length, the initial phase difference is critical issue that influences the T_W, which decreases with the initial phase difference. (iii) In the case of the planar substrate superimposed with two cosinusoidal modulations with zero phase difference, change of the T_W with one periodicity length under the condition of another periodicity length unchanged is non-monotonous. (iv) When the parameters are chosen such that the T_W draws ever closer to the bulk critical temperature, wetting transition on the roughness substrate eventually does not occur. (v) The present microscopic calculation challenges traditional macroscopic theory by confirming that the atomic length scale roughness always renders the surface less hydrophilic and whereas the mesoscopical roughness renders the surface more hydrophilic. All of these observations summarized can be reasonably explained by the relative strength of the attraction actually enjoyed by the surface gas molecules to the attraction the gas molecules can get when in bulk.

The electrolytic inferior vena cava model (EIM) to study thrombogenesis and thrombus resolution with continuous blood flow in the mouse

PubMed Central

Diaz, Jose A.; Alvarado, Christine M.; Wrobleski, Shirley K.; Slack, Dallas W.; Hawley, Angela E.; Farris, Diana M.; Henke, Peter K.; Wakefield, Thomas W.; Myers, Daniel D.

2016-01-01

Summary Previously, we presented the electrolytic inferior vena cava (IVC) model (EIM) during acute venous thrombosis (VT). Here, we present our evaluation of the EIM for chronic VT time points in order to determine whether this model allows for the study of thrombus resolution. C57BU6 mice (n=191) were utilised. In this model a copper-wire, inserted into a 25-gauge needle, is placed in the distal IVC and another subcutaneously. An electrical current (250 µAmp/15 minutes) activates the endothelial cells, inducing thrombogenesis. Ultrasound, thrombus weight (TW), vein wall leukocyte counts, vein wall thickness/fibrosis scoring, thrombus area and soluble P-selectin (sP-sel) were performed at baseline, days 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 11 and 14, post EIM. A correlation between TW and sP-sel was also determined. A thrombus formed in each mouse undergoing EIM. Blood flow was documented by ultrasound at all time points. IVC thrombus size increased up to day 2 and then decreased over time, as shown by ultrasound, TW, and sP-sel levels. TW and sP-sel showed a strong positive correlation (r=0.48, p<0.0002). Vein wall neutrophils were the most common cell type present in acute VT (up to day 2) with monocytes becoming the most prevalent in chronic VT (from day 6 to day 14). Thrombus resolution was demonstrated by ultrasound, TW and thrombus area. In conclusion, the EIM produces a non-occlusive and consistent IVC thrombus, in the presence of constant blood flow, allowing for the study of VT at both acute and chronic time points. Thrombus resolution was demonstrated by all modalities utilised in this study. PMID:23571406

Spatially Resolved Spectroscopy and Coronagraphic Imaging of the TW Hydrae Circumstellar Disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberge, Aki; Weinberger, Alycia J.; Malumuth, Eliot M.

2005-04-01

We present the first spatially resolved spectrum of scattered light from the TW Hydrae protoplanetary disk. This nearly face-on disk is optically thick, surrounding a classical T Tauri star in the nearby 10 Myr old TW Hya association. The spectrum was taken with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) STIS CCD, providing resolution R~360 over the wavelength range 5250-10300 Å. Spatially resolved spectroscopy of circumstellar disks is difficult because of the high contrast ratio between the bright star and faint disk. Our novel observations provide optical spectra of scattered light from the disk between 40 and 155 AU from the star. The scattered light has the same color as the star (gray scattering) at all radii except the innermost region. This likely indicates that the scattering dust grains are larger than about 1 μm all the way out to large radii. From the spectroscopic data, we also obtained radial profiles of the integrated disk brightness at two position angles, over almost the same region as previously observed in HST WFPC2 and NICMOS coronagraphic images (35 to 173 AU from the star). The profiles have the same shape as the earlier ones, but show a small azimuthal asymmetry in the disk not previously noted. Our STIS broadband coronagraphic images of TW Hya confirm the reality of this asymmetry, and show that the disk surface brightness inside 140 AU has a sinusoidal dependence on azimuthal angle. The maximum brightness occurs at a position angle of 233.6d+/-5.7d east of north. This might be caused by the combination of forward scattering and an increase in inclination in the inner region of the disk, suggesting that the TW Hya disk has a warp like that seen in the β Pictoris debris disk.

Genetic Alterations in Colorectal Cancer Have Different Patterns on 18F-FDG PET/CT.

PubMed

Chen, Shang-Wen; Lin, Chien-Yu; Ho, Cheng-Man; Chang, Ya-Sian; Yang, Shu-Fen; Kao, Chia-Hung; Chang, Jan-Gowth

2015-08-01

The aim of this study was to understand the association between various genetic mutation and (18)F-FDG PET-related parameters in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). One hundred three CRC patients who had undergone preoperative PET/CTs were included in this study. Several PET/CT-related parameters, including SUV(max), and various thresholds of metabolic tumor volume, total lesion glycolysis, and PET/CT-based tumor width (TW) were measured. Using high-resolution melting methods for genetic mutation analysis, tumor- and PET/CT-related parameters were correlated with various genetic alterations including TP53, KRAS, APC, BRAF, and PIK3CA. Mann-Whitney U test and logistic regression analysis were carried out for this analysis. Genetic alterations in TP53, KRAS, and APC were found in 41 (40%), 34 (33%), and 27 (26%) of tumors, respectively. PIK3CA and BRAF were exhibited by 5 and 4 of the patients with CRC. TP53 mutants exhibited higher SUV(max). The odds ratio was 1.28 (P = 0.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.61). Tumors with a mutated KRAS had an increased accumulation of FDG using a 40% threshold level for maximal uptake of TW (TW(40%)), whereas the odds ratio was 1.15 (P = 0.001; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.24). The accuracy of SUV(max) greater than 10 in predicting TP53 mutation was 60%, whereas that for TW(40%) for KRAS was 61%. Increased SUV(max) and TW(40%) were associated in CRC tumors with TP53 and KRAS mutations, respectively. Further studies are required because of the low predictive accuracy.

Myoclonus epilepsy, retinitis pigmentosa, leukoencephalopathy and cerebral calcifications associated with a novel m.5513G>A mutation in the MT-TW gene.

PubMed

Cardaioli, Elena; Mignarri, Andrea; Cantisani, Teresa Anna; Malandrini, Alessandro; Nesti, Claudia; Rubegni, Anna; Funel, Niccola; Federico, Antonio; Santorelli, Filippo Maria; Dotti, Maria Teresa

2018-06-02

We sequenced the mitochondrial genome from a 40-year-old woman with myoclonus epilepsy, retinitis pigmentosa, leukoencephalopathy and cerebral calcifications. Histological and biochemical features of mitochondrial respiratory chain dysfunction were present. Direct sequencing showed a novel heteroplasmic mutation at nucleotide 5513 in the MT-TW gene that encodes tRNA Trp . Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism analysis confirmed that about 80% of muscle mtDNA harboured the mutation while it was present in minor percentages in mtDNA from other tissues. The mutation is predicted to disrupt a highly conserved base pair within the aminoacyl acceptor stem of the tRNA. This is the 17° mutation in MT-TW gene and expands the known causes of late-onset mitochondrial diseases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enterocin TW21, a novel bacteriocin from dochi-isolated Enterococcus faecium D081821.

PubMed

Chang, S-Y; Chen, Y-S; Pan, S-F; Lee, Y-S; Chang, C-H; Chang, C-H; Yu, B; Wu, H-C

2013-09-01

Purification and characterization of a novel bacteriocin produced by strain Enterococcus faecium D081821. Enterococcus faecium D081821, isolated from the traditional Taiwanese fermented food dochi (fermented black beans), was previously found to produce a bacteriocin against Listeria monocytogenes and some Gram-positive bacteria. This bacteriocin, termed enterocin TW21, was purified from culture supernatant by ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sep-Pak C18 cartridge, ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. Mass spectrometry analysis showed the mass of the peptide to be approximately 5300·6 Da. The N-terminal amino acid sequencing yielded a partial sequence NH2 -ATYYGNGVYxNTQK by Edman degradation, and it contains the consensus class IIa bacteriocin motif YGNGV in the N-terminal region. The open reading frame (ORF) encoding the bacteriocin was identified from the draft genome sequence of Enterococcus faecium D081821, and sequence analysis of this peptide indicated that enterocin TW21 is a novel bacteriocin. Enterococcus faecium D081821 produced a bacteriocin named enterocin TW21, the molecular weight and amino acid sequence both revealed it to be a novel bacteriocin. A new member of class IIa bacteriocin was identified. This bacteriocin shows great inhibitory ability against L. monocytogenes and could be applied as a natural food preservative. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

PEERING INTO THE GIANT-PLANET-FORMING REGION OF THE TW HYDRAE DISK WITH THE GEMINI PLANET IMAGER

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

Rapson, Valerie A.; Kastner, Joel H.; Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A.

2015-12-20

We present Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) adaptive optics near-infrared images of the giant-planet-forming regions of the protoplanetary disk orbiting the nearby (D = 54 pc), pre-main-sequence (classical T Tauri) star TW Hydrae. The GPI images, which were obtained in coronagraphic/polarimetric mode, exploit starlight scattered off small dust grains to elucidate the surface density structure of the TW Hya disk from ∼80 AU to within ∼10 AU of the star at ∼1.5 AU resolution. The GPI polarized intensity images unambiguously confirm the presence of a gap in the radial surface brightness distribution of the inner disk. The gap is centered near ∼23 AU,more » with a width of ∼5 AU and a depth of ∼50%. In the context of recent simulations of giant-planet formation in gaseous, dusty disks orbiting pre-main-sequence stars, these results indicate that at least one young planet with a mass ∼0.2 M{sub J} could be present in the TW Hya disk at an orbital semimajor axis similar to that of Uranus. If this (proto)planet is actively accreting gas from the disk, it may be readily detectable by GPI or a similarly sensitive, high-resolution infrared imaging system.« less

Selective Internal Heat Distribution in Modified Trombe Wall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szyszka, Jerzy; Kogut, Janusz; Skrzypczak, Izabela; Kokoszka, Wanda

2017-12-01

At present, the requirements for thermal insulation of the external walls in buildings are being increased. There is a need to reduce energy consumption for heating rooms during the winter season. This may be achieved by increasing the thermal resistance of the outer partitions, using solutions that utilize either recuperation or solar radiation. The most popular systems include either solar collectors, or heat pump links or ground exchangers. Trombe walls (TW) are a very promising passive heating system, which requires little or no effort to operate, and may be very convenient in different climate conditions. A typical TW consists of a masonry wall painted a dark, heat absorbing paint colour and faced with a single or double layer of glass. The principle of operation is based on the photothermal conversion of solar radiation. There are various modifications of TW. They may improve the energy efficiency in relation to the climate conditions in which they operate. The hybrid solutions are also known. The efficiency of walls is related to the use of proper materials. In TW, the compromise should be sought between the thermal resistance and the ability to distribute heat from the absorbed energy of solar radiation. The paper presents an overview of the most commonly used solutions and discusses its own concept dedicated to the climate conditions of Central Europe.

Physiological Interpretation of the Slope during an Isokinetic Fatigue Test.

PubMed

Bosquet, L; Gouadec, K; Berryman, N; Duclos, C; Gremeaux, V; Croisier, J-L

2015-07-01

To assess the relationship between selected measures (the slope and average performance) obtained during a high intensity isokinetic fatigue test of the knee (FAT) and relevant measures of anaerobic and aerobic capacities. 20 well-trained cyclists performed 3 randomly ordered sessions involving a FAT consisting in 30 reciprocal maximal concentric contractions of knee flexors and extensors at 180°.s(-1), a maximal continuous graded exercise test (GXT), and a Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT). The slope calculated from peak torque (PT) and total work (TW) of knee extensors was highly associated to maximal PT (r=-0.86) and maximal TW (r=-0.87) measured during FAT, and moderately associated to peak power output measured during the WAnT (r=-0.64 to -0.71). Average PT and average TW were highly associated to maximal PT (r=0.93) and maximal TW (r=0.96), to mean power output measured during WAnT (r=0.83-0.90) and moderately associated to maximal oxygen uptake (0.58-0.67). In conclusion, the slope is mainly determined by maximal anaerobic power, while average performance is a composite measure depending on both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems according to proportions that are determined by the duration of the test. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Improving the therapeutic window of retinal photocoagulation by spatial and temporal modulation of the laser beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sramek, Christopher; Leung, Loh-Shan; Leng, Theodore; Brown, Jefferson; Paulus, Yannis M.; Schuele, Georg; Palanker, Daniel

2011-02-01

Decreasing the pulse duration helps confine damage, shorten treatment time, and minimize pain during retinal photocoagulation. However, the safe therapeutic window (TW), the ratio of threshold powers for thermomechanical rupture of Bruch's membrane and mild coagulation, also decreases with shorter exposures. Two potential approaches toward increasing TW are investigated: (a) decreasing the central irradiance of the laser beam and (b) temporally modulating the pulse. An annular beam with adjustable central irradiance was created by coupling a 532-nm laser into a 200-μm core multimode optical fiber at a 4-7 deg angle to normal incidence. Pulse shapes were optimized using a computational model, and a waveform generator was used to drive a PASCAL photocoagulator (532 nm), producing modulated laser pulses. Acute thresholds for mild coagulation and rupture were measured in Dutch-Belted rabbit in vivo with an annular beam (154-163 μm retinal diameter) and modulated pulse (132 μm, uniform irradiance ``flat-top'' beam) with 2-50 ms pulse durations. Thresholds with conventional constant-power pulse and a flat-top beam were also determined. Both annular beam and modulated pulse provided a 28% increase in TW at 10-ms duration, affording the same TW as 20-ms pulses with conventional parameters.

Long-distance dispersal or postglacial contraction? Insights into disjunction between Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains and Taiwan in a cold-adapted herbaceous genus, Triplostegia.

PubMed

Niu, Yan-Ting; Ye, Jian-Fei; Zhang, Jin-Long; Wan, Ji-Zhong; Yang, Tuo; Wei, Xiao-Xin; Lu, Li-Min; Li, Jian-Hua; Chen, Zhi-Duan

2018-01-01

Current disjunct patterns can result from long-distance dispersal or postglacial contraction. We herein investigate the evolutionary history of Triplostegia to elucidate the disjunction between the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountain region (HHM) and Taiwan (TW). Genetic structure of Triplostegia was investigated for 48 populations using sequences from five chloroplast loci and the ribosomal nuclear internal transcribed spacer. Divergence time estimation, ancestral area reconstruction, and species distribution modeling (SDM) were employed to examine the biogeographic history of Triplostegia . Substantial genetic differentiation among populations from southwestern China (SW), Central China (CC), and TW was detected. Triplostegia was inferred to have originated in SW, and diversification began during the late Miocene; CC was colonized in the mid-Pliocene, and TW was finally colonized in the early Pleistocene. SDM suggested an expansion of climatically suitable areas during the Last Glacial Maximum and range contraction during the Last interglacial in Triplostegia . Disjunction between HHM and TW in Triplostegia is most likely the consequence of topographic isolation and postglacial contraction. The potential climatic suitability areas for Triplostegia by 2070s (2061-2080) are predicted to slightly shrink and move northward. With continued global warming and human-induced deforestation, extinction risk may increase for the cold-adapted species, and appropriate strategies should be employed for ecosystem conservation.

On the existence of another source of heat production for the earth and planets, and its connection with gravitomagnetism.

PubMed

Elbeze, Alexandre Chaloum

2013-01-01

Recent revised estimates of the Earth's surface heat flux are in the order of 47 TW. Given that its internal radiogenic (mantle and crust) heat production is estimated to be around 20 TW, the Earth has a thermal deficit of around 27 TW. This article will try to show that the action of the gravitational field of the Sun on the rotating masses of the Earth is probably the source of another heat production in order of 54TW, which would satisfy the thermal balance of our celestial body and probably explain the reduced heat flow Qo. We reach this conclusion within the framework of gravitation implied by Einstein's special and general relativity theory (SR, GR). Our results show that it might possible, in principle, to calculate the heat generated by the action of the gravitational field of celestial bodies on the Earth and planets of the Solar System (a phenomenon that is different to that of the gravitational tidal effect from the Sun and the Moon). This result should help physicists to improve and develop new models of the Earth's heat balance, and suggests that contrary to cooling, the Earth is in a phase of thermal balance, or even reheating.

Advertising, a Distributive Education Manual and Answer Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Charles H.; Cyrus, Cinda L.

This revised manual for individualized instruction of distributive education trainees at the high school or junior college level in basic advertising and sales promotion activities includes 15 self-study assignments, teaching suggestions, and a bibliography. Together with a separate answer key, each assignment provides student questions and…

Consistent Query Answering of Conjunctive Queries under Primary Key Constraints

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pema, Enela

2014-01-01

An inconsistent database is a database that violates one or more of its integrity constraints. In reality, violations of integrity constraints arise frequently under several different circumstances. Inconsistent databases have long posed the challenge to develop suitable tools for meaningful query answering. A principled approach for querying…

HIV prevalence, sociodemographic characteristics, and sexual behaviors among transwomen in Mexico City.

PubMed

Colchero, M Arantxa; Cortés-Ortiz, María Alejandra; Romero-Martínez, Martín; Vega, Hamid; González, Andrea; Román, Ricardo; Franco-Núñez, Aurora; Bautista-Arredondo, Sergio

2015-01-01

To present results from HIV testing, knowledge of HIV status and socioeconomic factors associated with the probability of having a HIV positive result among transwomen (TW) in Mexico. In 2012, we conducted an HIV seroprevalence survey to 585 TW in Mexico City in three strata: gathering places, the Condesa HIV Clinic and in four detention centers. We estimated the prevalence of HIV in each strata and applied a probit model to the overall sample to analyze factors associated with the probability of a HIV positive result. The prevalence of HIV was 19.8% in meeting places; 31.9% in detention centers and 64% among the participants of the clinic. Age, low education and number of sexual partners was positively associated with HIV. Results from the study provide relevant information to design HIV prevention interventions tailored to the needs of the TW population.

Pedestal cleaning for high laser pulse contrast ratio with a 100 TW class laser system.

PubMed

Fourmaux, S; Payeur, S; Buffechoux, S; Lassonde, P; St-Pierre, C; Martin, F; Kieffer, J C

2011-04-25

Laser matter interaction at relativistic intensities using 100 TW class laser systems or higher is becoming more and more widespread. One of the critical issues of such laser systems is to let the laser pulse interact at high intensity with the solid target and avoid any pre-plasma. Thus, a high Laser Pulse Contrast Ratio (LPCR) parameter is of prime importance. We present the LPCR characterization of a high repetition 100 TW class laser system. We demonstrate that the generated Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) degrades the overall LPCR performance. We propose a simple way to clean the pulse after the first amplification stage by introducing a solid state saturable absorber which results in a LPCR improvement to better than 10(10) with only a 30% energy loss at a 10 Hz repetition rate. We finally correlated this cleaning method with experimental results.

Track-weighted functional connectivity (TW-FC): a tool for characterizing the structural-functional connections in the brain.

PubMed

Calamante, Fernando; Masterton, Richard A J; Tournier, Jacques-Donald; Smith, Robert E; Willats, Lisa; Raffelt, David; Connelly, Alan

2013-04-15

MRI provides a powerful tool for studying the functional and structural connections in the brain non-invasively. The technique of functional connectivity (FC) exploits the intrinsic temporal correlations of slow spontaneous signal fluctuations to characterise brain functional networks. In addition, diffusion MRI fibre-tracking can be used to study the white matter structural connections. In recent years, there has been considerable interest in combining these two techniques to provide an overall structural-functional description of the brain. In this work we applied the recently proposed super-resolution track-weighted imaging (TWI) methodology to demonstrate how whole-brain fibre-tracking data can be combined with FC data to generate a track-weighted (TW) FC map of FC networks. The method was applied to data from 8 healthy volunteers, and illustrated with (i) FC networks obtained using a seeded connectivity-based analysis (seeding in the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex, PCC, known to be part of the default mode network), and (ii) with FC networks generated using independent component analysis (in particular, the default mode, attention, visual, and sensory-motor networks). TW-FC maps showed high intensity in white matter structures connecting the nodes of the FC networks. For example, the cingulum bundles show the strongest TW-FC values in the PCC seeded-based analysis, due to their major role in the connection between medial frontal cortex and precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex; similarly the superior longitudinal fasciculus was well represented in the attention network, the optic radiations in the visual network, and the corticospinal tract and corpus callosum in the sensory-motor network. The TW-FC maps highlight the white matter connections associated with a given FC network, and their intensity in a given voxel reflects the functional connectivity of the part of the nodes of the network linked by the structural connections traversing that voxel. They therefore contain a different (and novel) image contrast from that of the images used to generate them. The results shown in this study illustrate the potential of the TW-FC approach for the fusion of structural and functional data into a single quantitative image. This technique could therefore have important applications in neuroscience and neurology, such as for voxel-based comparison studies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Serum, Urine, and Hair Chromium Levels as Indices of Chromium Exposure and the Relationship of these Indices to Serum Lipid and Insulin Levels.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randall, Janis Avril

Concentrations of chromium (Cr) in hair, serum, and urine, and serum concentrations of insulin and lipids of a selected group of men exposed to trivalent Cr (Cr III) were compared with those of men not exposed to Cr. Seventy -three tannery workers (TW) (mean age 37 +/- 12 years) from four Southern Ontario tanneries and fifty-two control subjects (CS) (mean age 41 +/- 13 years), matched for age, race, and socioeconomic status, from the Guelph and Toronto areas participated. The median hair and serum Cr concentrations for the TW were significantly higher (p < 0.01) than for the CS (hair Cr 453 vs 124 ng/g; serum Cr 0.49 vs 0.15 ng/ml). Median urinary Cr/creatinine ratios (Cr/Cre) for the TW on Monday morning (0.83 ng/mg) and Friday afternoon (0.68 ng/mg) were also significantly higher (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, respectively) than the median urinary Cr/Cre ratio for the urine samples collected on a Friday afternoon from the CS (0.18 ng/mg). For the TW, the median Friday urinary Cr/Cre ratio was significantly higher (p = 0.03) than the corresponding Monday Cr/Cre ratio. For the TW, urinary Cr/Cre ratios (Monday and Friday) were correlated significantly and positively with both Cr concentrations in serum (r = 0.45, p < 0.01; r = 0.71, p < 0.01, respectively) and in hair (r = 0.43, p < 0.01; r = 0.64, p < 0.01, respectively). Concentrations of Cr in hair and in serum were also significantly correlated (r = 0.52, p < 0.01). There were no significant differences between the TW and CS in serum concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), or triglycerides, or in calculated values for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, %HDL-C, and TC/HDL-C. Likewise, no significant differences in serum insulin concentrations were noted between the two groups. Results of this study indicate that Cr III, from compounds used in the leather tanning industry, is absorbed and retained. Absorption of Cr III had no significant effect on serum insulin concentrations or serum lipid profiles. These results also suggest that concentrations of Cr in hair, serum, and urine are valid biological indices of industrial exposure to Cr III.

Reuse potential of laundry greywater for irrigation based on growth, water and nutrient use of tomato

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misra, R. K.; Patel, J. H.; Baxi, V. R.

2010-05-01

SummaryGreywater is considered as a valuable resource with a high reuse potential for irrigation of household lawns and gardens. However, there are possibilities of surfactant and sodium accumulation in soil from reuse of greywater which may affect agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability adversely. We conducted a glasshouse experiment to examine variation in growth, water and nutrient use of tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Grosse Lisse) using tap water (TW), laundry greywater (GW) and solutions of low and high concentration of a detergent surfactant (LC and HC, respectively) as irrigation treatments. Each treatment was replicated five times using a randomised block design. Measurements throughout the experiment showed greywater to be significantly more alkaline and saline than the other types of irrigation water. Although all plants received 16 irrigations over a period of 9 weeks until flowering, there were little or no significant effects of irrigation treatments on plant growth. Soil water retention following irrigation reduced significantly when plants were irrigated with GW or surfactant solutions on only three of 12 occasions. On one occasion, water use measured as evapotranspiration (ET) with GW irrigation was similar to TW, but it was significantly higher than the plants receiving HC irrigation. At harvest, various components of plant biomass and leaf area for GW irrigated plants were found to be similar or significantly higher than the TW irrigated plants with a common trend of GW ⩾ TW > LC ⩾ HC. Whole-plant concentration was measured for 12 essential plant nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Mo and B) and Na (often considered as a beneficial nutrient). Irrigation treatments affected the concentration of four nutrients (P, Fe, Zn and Na) and uptake of seven nutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe and B) significantly. Uptake of these seven nutrients by tomato was generally in the order GW ⩾ TW > HC ⩾ LC. GW irrigated plants had the highest concentration of P, Na and Fe which were 39-85% higher than the TW irrigated plants. Compared with tap water irrigated plants, greywater irrigated plants removed only 6% excess B, but substantially greater quantity of Na (83%) and Fe (86%). These results suggest that laundry greywater has a promising potential for reuse as irrigation water to grow tomato.

Terawatt-scale photovoltaics: Trajectories and challenges

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

Haegel, Nancy M.; Margolis, Robert; Buonassisi, Tonio

The annual potential of solar energy far exceeds the world's total energy consumption. However, the vision of photovoltaics (PVs) providing a substantial fraction of global electricity generation and total energy demand is far from being realized. What technical, infrastructure, economic, and policy barriers need to be overcome for PVs to grow to the multiple terawatt (TW) scale? Here, we assess realistic future scenarios and make suggestions for a global agenda to move toward PVs at a multi-TW scale.

Neutralizing Antibody Fails to Impact the Course of Ebola Virus Infection in Monkeys

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-19

endothelial cells. Am J Pathol 163: 2371–2382. 16. Geisbert TW, Hensley LE , Jahrling PB, Larsen T, Geisbert JB, et al. (2003) Treatment of Ebola virus...Hernandez HJ, Thomas WD Jr, et al. (2005) Development and characterization of a severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus -neutralizing human...Citation: Oswald WB, Geisbert TW, Davis KJ, Geisbert JB, Sullivan NJ, et al. (2007) Neutralizing antibody fails to impact the course of Ebola virus

Terawatt-scale photovoltaics: Trajectories and challenges

DOE PAGES

Haegel, Nancy M.; Margolis, Robert; Buonassisi, Tonio; ...

2017-04-13

The annual potential of solar energy far exceeds the world's total energy consumption. However, the vision of photovoltaics (PVs) providing a substantial fraction of global electricity generation and total energy demand is far from being realized. What technical, infrastructure, economic, and policy barriers need to be overcome for PVs to grow to the multiple terawatt (TW) scale? Here, we assess realistic future scenarios and make suggestions for a global agenda to move toward PVs at a multi-TW scale.

Conceptual design of 100 TW solid state laser system

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

McMordie, J.A.

1995-12-31

Currently the main solid state laser facilities used for plasma physics research in the United Kingdom are the VULCAN laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the HELEN facility at the Atomic Weapons Establishment. In the future it is proposed to replace HELEN with a new 100 TW facility to come on line early in the next century. A brief review is given of the VULCAN and HELEN. Then the authors discuss the design for the HELEN replacement.

Nonhomologous Pairing in Mice Heterozygous for a t Haplotype Can Produce Recombinant Chromosomes with Duplications and Deletions

PubMed Central

Sarvetnick, Nora; Fox, Howard S.; Mann, Elizabeth; Mains, Paul E.; Elliott, Rosemary W.; Silver, Lee M.

1986-01-01

We have investigated the structure and properties of a chromosomal product recovered from a rare recombination event between a t haplotype and a wild-type form of mouse chromosome 17. Our embryological and molecular studies indicate that this chromosome (twLub2 ) is characterized by both a deletion and duplication of adjacent genetic material. The deletion appears to be responsible for a dominant lethal maternal effect and a recessive embryonic lethality. The duplication provides an explanation for the twLub2 suppression of the dominant T locus phenotype. A reanalysis of previously described results with another chromosome 17 variant called TtOrl indicates a structure for this chromosome that is reciprocal to that observed for twLub2. We have postulated the existence of an inversion over the proximal portion of all complete t haplotypes in order to explain the generation of the partial t haplotypes t wLub2 and TtOrl. This proximal inversion and the previously described distal inversion are sufficient to account for all of the recombination properties that are characteristic of complete t haplotypes. The structures determined for twLub2 and TtOrl indicate that rare recombination can occur between nonequivalent genomic sequences within the inverted proximal t region when wild-type and t chromosomes are paired in a linear, nonhomologous configuration. PMID:3732789

Discovery of an M9.5 Candidate Brown Dwarf in the TW Hydrae Association: DENIS J124514.1-442907

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Looper, Dagny L.; Burgasser, Adam J.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Swift, Brandon J.

2007-11-01

We report the discovery of a fifth candidate substellar system in the ~5-10 Myr TW Hydrae association: DENIS J124514.1-442907. This object has a NIR spectrum remarkably similar to that of 2MASS J1139511-315921, a known TW Hydrae brown dwarf, with low surface gravity features such as a triangular-shaped H band, deep H2O absorption, weak alkali lines, and weak hydride bands. We find an optical spectral type of M9.5 and estimate a mass of <~24 MJup, assuming an age of ~5-10 Myr. While the measured proper motion for DENIS J124514.1-442907 is inconclusive as a test for membership, its position in the sky is coincident with the TW Hydrae association. A more accurate proper-motion measurement, higher resolution spectroscopy for radial velocity, and a parallax measurement are needed to derive the true space motion and to confirm its membership. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. This Letter includes data gathered with the 6.5 m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile.

Squeezing of Ion Populations and Peaks in Traveling Wave Ion Mobility Separations and Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations using Compression Ratio Ion Mobility Programming

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

Garimella, Venkata BS; Hamid, Ahmed M.; Deng, Liulin

In this work, we report an approach for spatial and temporal gas phase ion population manipulation, and demonstrate its application for the collapse of the ion distributions in ion mobility (IM) separations into tighter packets providing higher sensitivity measurements in conjunction with mass spectrometry (MS). We do this for ions moving from a conventionally traveling wave (TW)-driven region to a region where the TW is intermittently halted or ‘stuttered’. This approach causes the ion packets spanning a number of TW-created traveling traps (TT) to be redistributed into fewer TT, resulting in spatial compression. The degree of spatial compression is controllablemore » and determined by the ratio of stationary time of the TW in the second region to its moving time. This compression ratio ion mobility programming (CRIMP) approach has been implemented using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) in conjunction with MS. CRIMP with the SLIM-MS platform is shown to provide increased peak intensities, reduced peak widths, and improved S/N ratios with MS detection. CRIMP also provides a foundation for extremely long path length and multi-pass IM separations in SLIM providing greatly enhanced IM resolution by reducing the detrimental effects of diffusional peak broadening due to increasing peak widths.« less

Hydrocarbon Emission Rings in Protoplanetary Disks Induced by Dust Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergin, Edwin A.; Du, Fujun; Cleeves, L. Ilsedore; Blake, G. A.; Schwarz, K.; Visser, R.; Zhang, K.

2016-11-01

We report observations of resolved C2H emission rings within the gas-rich protoplanetary disks of TW Hya and DM Tau using the Atacama Large Millimeter Array. In each case the emission ring is found to arise at the edge of the observable disk of millimeter-sized grains (pebbles) traced by submillimeter-wave continuum emission. In addition, we detect a C3H2 emission ring with an identical spatial distribution to C2H in the TW Hya disk. This suggests that these are hydrocarbon rings (I.e., not limited to C2H). Using a detailed thermo-chemical model we show that reproducing the emission from C2H requires a strong UV field and C/O > 1 in the upper disk atmosphere and outer disk, beyond the edge of the pebble disk. This naturally arises in a disk where the ice-coated dust mass is spatially stratified due to the combined effects of coagulation, gravitational settling and drift. This stratification causes the disk surface and outer disk to have a greater permeability to UV photons. Furthermore the concentration of ices that transport key volatile carriers of oxygen and carbon in the midplane, along with photochemical erosion of CO, leads to an elemental C/O ratio that exceeds unity in the UV-dominated disk. Thus the motions of the grains, and not the gas, lead to a rich hydrocarbon chemistry in disk surface layers and in the outer disk midplane.

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

Bergin, Edwin A.; Du, Fujun; Schwarz, K.

We report observations of resolved C{sub 2}H emission rings within the gas-rich protoplanetary disks of TW Hya and DM Tau using the Atacama Large Millimeter Array. In each case the emission ring is found to arise at the edge of the observable disk of millimeter-sized grains (pebbles) traced by submillimeter-wave continuum emission. In addition, we detect a C{sub 3}H{sub 2} emission ring with an identical spatial distribution to C{sub 2}H in the TW Hya disk. This suggests that these are hydrocarbon rings (i.e., not limited to C{sub 2}H). Using a detailed thermo-chemical model we show that reproducing the emission frommore » C{sub 2}H requires a strong UV field and C/O > 1 in the upper disk atmosphere and outer disk, beyond the edge of the pebble disk. This naturally arises in a disk where the ice-coated dust mass is spatially stratified due to the combined effects of coagulation, gravitational settling and drift. This stratification causes the disk surface and outer disk to have a greater permeability to UV photons. Furthermore the concentration of ices that transport key volatile carriers of oxygen and carbon in the midplane, along with photochemical erosion of CO, leads to an elemental C/O ratio that exceeds unity in the UV-dominated disk. Thus the motions of the grains, and not the gas, lead to a rich hydrocarbon chemistry in disk surface layers and in the outer disk midplane.« less

ACER Chemistry Test Item Collection. ACER Chemtic Year 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Council for Educational Research, Hawthorn.

The chemistry test item banks contains 225 multiple-choice questions suitable for diagnostic and achievement testing; a three-page teacher's guide; answer key with item facilities; an answer sheet; and a 45-item sample achievement test. Although written for the new grade 12 chemistry course in Victoria, Australia, the items are widely applicable.…

Automatic Classification of Question & Answer Discourse Segments from Teacher's Speech in Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanchard, Nathaniel; D'Mello, Sidney; Olney, Andrew M.; Nystrand, Martin

2015-01-01

Question-answer (Q&A) is fundamental for dialogic instruction, an important pedagogical technique based on the free exchange of ideas and open-ended discussion. Automatically detecting Q&A is key to providing teachers with feedback on appropriate use of dialogic instructional strategies. In line with this, this paper studies the…

Drugstore Selling and Merchandising, a Distributive Education Manual and Answer Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, J. David

This manual on drugstore selling and merchandising, together with a separate answer key, is intended for trainees in distributive education. The 18 self-study assignments, developed by an instructional coordinator with the aid of college professors and leaders in business, cover a wide range of topics, from effective sales techniques to specific…

Shenqi Fuzheng Injection Alleviates the Transient Worsening Caused by Steroids Pulse Therapy in Treating Myasthenia Gravis

PubMed Central

Qi, Guo-Yan; Liu, Peng

2013-01-01

Purpose. To evaluate the treatment effect and side effect of Shenqi Fuzheng Injection (SFI) on alleviating transient worsening of myasthenia gravis (MG) symptoms caused by high-dose steroids pulse therapy. Methods. Sixty-six consecutive patients with MG were randomly divided into two groups: the treatment group treated with SFI and methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MPT) and the control group treated with MPT alone. The severity of MG before, during, and after MPT and the duration of transient worsening (TW) were evaluated and compared with the clinical absolute scoring (AS) and relative scoring (RS) system. Results. Twenty-nine patients experienced TW in each group. At TW, the AS was significantly increased (P < 0.000) in both groups compared with baseline data, with the AS increase in the treatment group (16.8 ± 2) significantly smaller (P < 0.05) than in the control group (24.9 ± 2.5). At the end of the treatment course, the AS for the treatment group was significantly decreased (7.5 ± 0.9) compared with at TW, although no significant difference compared with the control (9.7 ± 1.1). The TW lasted 1–6 days (mean 3.7) for the treatment group, significantly shorter (P < 0.05) than 2–12 days (mean 7.8) for the control. The RS for the treatment group at the end of treatment was 43.8%–100% (mean 76.8% ± 2.6%), significantly better than the control group: 33.3%–100% (mean 67.2 ± 3.6%). Slight side effects (18.75%) included maldigestion and rash in the treatment group. Conclusion. SFI has a better treatment effect and few side effects and can alleviate the severity and shorten the duration of the transient worsening of MG during steroids pulse therapy. PMID:24348721

Altering Work to Rest Ratios Differentially Influences Fatigue Indices During Repeated Sprint Ability Testing.

PubMed

La Monica, Michael B; Fukuda, David H; Beyer, Kyle S; Hoffman, Mattan W; Miramonti, Amelia A; Riffe, Josh J; Baker, Kayla M; Fragala, Maren S; Hoffman, Jay R; Stout, Jeffrey R

2016-02-01

This study examined the influence of recovery time on fatigue indices, performance (total work [TW], peak power [PP], and mean power [MP]), and oxygen consumption during repeated sprint ability (RSA) on a cycle ergometer. Eight recreationally-trained men performed 3 RSA protocols consisting of 10 × 6 s sprints with 12 s, 18 s, and 24 s rest intervals between each sprint. Fatigue indices were determined as percent decrement (%Dec) and rate of decline using either a log transform method or standard slope approach for TW, PP, and MP during respective RSA protocols. The maximal VO2 value in response to given sprint intervals and the minimal VO2 value in response to given rest periods (VO2 work and VO2 rest, respectively) were recorded. A repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze all variables. Average VO2 work was not different among rest interval trials. Average VO2 rest with 12 s rest was greater than 18 s and 24 s (2.16 ± 0.17 L · min(-1), 1.91 ± 0.18 L · min(-1), 1.72 ± 0.15 L · min(-1), respectively), while 18 s was greater than 24 s. Average TW and MP were greater with 24 s rest than 12 s (4,604.44 ± 915.98 J vs. 4,305.46 ± 727.17 J, respectively), with no differences between RSA protocols for PP. No differences in %Dec were observed. Both methods of calculating rates of decline per sprint for PP and TW were greater during 12 s than 18 s or 24 s. Since changes were only noted between the 12 s and 24 s protocols, a 6 s differential in rest intervals may not be enough to elicit alterations in TW, PP, MP, or %Dec in RSA performance. Rate of decline may be a more sensitive measure of fatigue than %Dec.

Bayesian decision support for coding occupational injury data.

PubMed

Nanda, Gaurav; Grattan, Kathleen M; Chu, MyDzung T; Davis, Letitia K; Lehto, Mark R

2016-06-01

Studies on autocoding injury data have found that machine learning algorithms perform well for categories that occur frequently but often struggle with rare categories. Therefore, manual coding, although resource-intensive, cannot be eliminated. We propose a Bayesian decision support system to autocode a large portion of the data, filter cases for manual review, and assist human coders by presenting them top k prediction choices and a confusion matrix of predictions from Bayesian models. We studied the prediction performance of Single-Word (SW) and Two-Word-Sequence (TW) Naïve Bayes models on a sample of data from the 2011 Survey of Occupational Injury and Illness (SOII). We used the agreement in prediction results of SW and TW models, and various prediction strength thresholds for autocoding and filtering cases for manual review. We also studied the sensitivity of the top k predictions of the SW model, TW model, and SW-TW combination, and then compared the accuracy of the manually assigned codes to SOII data with that of the proposed system. The accuracy of the proposed system, assuming well-trained coders reviewing a subset of only 26% of cases flagged for review, was estimated to be comparable (86.5%) to the accuracy of the original coding of the data set (range: 73%-86.8%). Overall, the TW model had higher sensitivity than the SW model, and the accuracy of the prediction results increased when the two models agreed, and for higher prediction strength thresholds. The sensitivity of the top five predictions was 93%. The proposed system seems promising for coding injury data as it offers comparable accuracy and less manual coding. Accurate and timely coded occupational injury data is useful for surveillance as well as prevention activities that aim to make workplaces safer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

Herschel-PACS observation of the 10 Myr old T Tauri disk TW Hya. Constraining the disk gas mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thi, W.-F.; Mathews, G.; Ménard, F.; Woitke, P.; Meeus, G.; Riviere-Marichalar, P.; Pinte, C.; Howard, C. D.; Roberge, A.; Sandell, G.; Pascucci, I.; Riaz, B.; Grady, C. A.; Dent, W. R. F.; Kamp, I.; Duchêne, G.; Augereau, J.-C.; Pantin, E.; Vandenbussche, B.; Tilling, I.; Williams, J. P.; Eiroa, C.; Barrado, D.; Alacid, J. M.; Andrews, S.; Ardila, D. R.; Aresu, G.; Brittain, S.; Ciardi, D. R.; Danchi, W.; Fedele, D.; de Gregorio-Monsalvo, I.; Heras, A.; Huelamo, N.; Krivov, A.; Lebreton, J.; Liseau, R.; Martin-Zaidi, C.; Mendigutía, I.; Montesinos, B.; Mora, A.; Morales-Calderon, M.; Nomura, H.; Phillips, N.; Podio, L.; Poelman, D. R.; Ramsay, S.; Rice, K.; Solano, E.; Walker, H.; White, G. J.; Wright, G.

2010-07-01

Planets are formed in disks around young stars. With an age of ~10 Myr, TW Hya is one of the nearest T Tauri stars that is still surrounded by a relatively massive disk. In addition a large number of molecules has been found in the TW Hya disk, making TW Hya the perfect test case in a large survey of disks with Herschel-PACS to directly study their gaseous component. We aim to constrain the gas and dust mass of the circumstellar disk around TW Hya. We observed the fine-structure lines of [O i] and [C ii] as part of the open-time large program GASPS. We complement this with continuum data and ground-based 12 CO 3-2 and 13CO 3-2 observations. We simultaneously model the continuum and the line fluxes with the 3D Monte-Carlo code MCFOST and the thermo-chemical code ProDiMo to derive the gas and dust masses. We detect the [O i] line at 63 μm. The other lines that were observed, [O i] at 145 μm and [C ii] at 157 μm, are not detected. No extended emission has been found. Preliminary modeling of the photometric and line data assuming [ 12CO] /[ 13CO] = 69 suggests a dust mass for grains with radius <1 mm of ~1.9 × 10-4 M⊙ (total solid mass of 3 × 10-3 M⊙) and a gas mass of (0.5-5) × 10-3 M⊙. The gas-to-dust mass may be lower than the standard interstellar value of 100. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by Principal Investigator consortia. It is open for proposals for observing time from the worldwide astronomical community.Appendix is only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Flexible, Mechanically Durable Aerogel Composites for Oil Capture and Recovery.

PubMed

Karatum, Osman; Steiner, Stephen A; Griffin, Justin S; Shi, Wenbo; Plata, Desiree L

2016-01-13

More than 30 years separate the two largest oil spills in North American history (the Ixtoc I and Macondo well blowouts), yet the responses to both disasters were nearly identical in spite of advanced material innovation during the same time period. Novel, mechanically durable sorbents could enable (a) sorbent use in the open ocean, (b) automated deployment to minimize workforce exposure to toxic chemicals, and (c) mechanical recovery of spilled oils. Here, we explore the use of two mechanically durable, low-density (0.1-0.2 g cm(-3)), highly porous (85-99% porosity), hydrophobic (water contact angles >120°), flexible aerogel composite blankets as sorbent materials for automated oil capture and recovery: Cabot Thermal Wrap (TW) and Aspen Aerogels Spaceloft (SL). Uptake of crude oils (Iraq and Sweet Bryan Mound oils) was 8.0 ± 0.1 and 6.5 ± 0.3 g g(-1) for SL and 14.0 ± 0.1 and 12.2 ± 0.1 g g(-1) for TW, respectively, nearly twice as high as similar polyurethane- and polypropylene-based devices. Compound-specific uptake experiments and discrimination against water uptake suggested an adsorption-influenced sorption mechanism. Consistent with that mechanism, chemical extraction oil recoveries were 95 ± 2 (SL) and 90 ± 2% (TW), but this is an undesirable extraction route in decentralized oil cleanup efforts. In contrast, mechanical extraction routes are favorable, and a modest compression force (38 N) yielded 44.7 ± 0.5% initially to 42.0 ± 0.4% over 10 reuse cycles for SL and initially 55.0 ± 0.1% for TW, degrading to 30.0 ± 0.2% by the end of 10 cycles. The mechanical integrity of SL deteriorated substantially (800 ± 200 to 80 ± 30 kPa), whereas TW was more robust (380 ± 80 to 700 ± 100 kPa) over 10 uptake-and-compression extraction cycles.

Beneficial effect of sulphate-bicarbonate-calcium water on gallstone risk and weight control.

PubMed

Corradini, Stefano Ginanni; Ferri, Flaminia; Mordenti, Michela; Iuliano, Luigi; Siciliano, Maria; Burza, Maria Antonella; Sordi, Bruno; Caciotti, Barbara; Pacini, Maria; Poli, Edoardo; Santis, Adriano De; Roda, Aldo; Colliva, Carolina; Simoni, Patrizia; Attili, Adolfo Francesco

2012-03-07

To investigate the effect of drinking sulphate-bicarbonate-calcium thermal water (TW) on risk factors for atherosclerosis and cholesterol gallstone disease. Postmenopausal women with functional dyspepsia and/or constipation underwent a 12 d cycle of thermal (n = 20) or tap (n = 20) water controlled drinking. Gallbladder fasting volume at ultrasound, blood vitamin E, oxysterols (7-β-hydroxycholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol), bile acid (BA), triglycerides, total/low density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured at baseline and at the end of the study. Food consumption, stool frequency and body weight were recorded daily. Blood lipids, oxysterols and vitamin E were not affected by either thermal or tap water consumption. Fasting gallbladder volume was significantly (P < 0.005) smaller at the end of the study than at baseline in the TW (15.7 ± 1.1 mL vs 20.1 ± 1.7 mL) but not in the tap water group (19.0 ± 1.4 mL vs 19.4 ± 1.5 mL). Total serum BA concentration was significantly (P < 0.05) higher at the end of the study than at baseline in the TW (5.83 ± 1.24 μmol vs 4.25 ± 1.00 μmol) but not in the tap water group (3.41 ± 0.46 μmol vs 2.91 ± 0.56 μmol). The increased BA concentration after TW consumption was mainly accounted for by glycochenodeoxycholic acid. The number of pasta (P < 0.001), meat (P < 0.001) and vegetable (P < 0.005) portions consumed during the study and of bowel movements per day (P < 0.05) were significantly higher in the TW than in the tap water group. Body weight did not change at the end of the study as compared to baseline in both groups. Sulphate-bicarbonate-calcium water consumption has a positive effect on lithogenic risk and intestinal transit and allows maintenance of a stable body weight despite a high food intake.

Influence of Upper-Body Exercise on the Fatigability of Human Respiratory Muscles

PubMed Central

TILLER, NICHOLAS B.; CAMPBELL, IAN G.; ROMER, LEE M.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose Diaphragm and abdominal muscles are susceptible to contractile fatigue in response to high-intensity, whole-body exercise. This study assessed whether the ventilatory and mechanical loads imposed by high-intensity, upper-body exercise would be sufficient to elicit respiratory muscle fatigue. Methods Seven healthy men (mean ± SD; age = 24 ± 4 yr, peak O2 uptake [V˙O2peak] = 31.9 ± 5.3 mL·kg−1·min−1) performed asynchronous arm-crank exercise to exhaustion at work rates equivalent to 30% (heavy) and 60% (severe) of the difference between gas exchange threshold and V˙O2peak. Contractile fatigue of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles was assessed by measuring pre- to postexercise changes in potentiated transdiaphragmatic and gastric twitch pressures (Pdi,tw and Pga,tw) evoked by supramaximal magnetic stimulation of the cervical and thoracic nerves, respectively. Results Exercise time was 24.5 ± 5.8 min for heavy exercise and 9.8 ± 1.8 min for severe exercise. Ventilation over the final minute of heavy exercise was 73 ± 20 L·min−1 (39% ± 11% maximum voluntary ventilation) and 99 ± 19 L·min−1 (53% ± 11% maximum voluntary ventilation) for severe exercise. Mean Pdi,tw did not differ pre- to postexercise at either intensity (P > 0.05). Immediately (5–15 min) after severe exercise, mean Pga,tw was significantly lower than pre-exercise values (41 ± 13 vs 53 ± 15 cm H2O, P < 0.05), with the difference no longer significant after 25–35 min. Abdominal muscle fatigue (defined as ≥15% reduction in Pga,tw) occurred in 1/7 subjects after heavy exercise and 5/7 subjects after severe exercise. Conclusions High-intensity, upper-body exercise elicits significant abdominal, but not diaphragm, muscle fatigue in healthy men. The increased magnitude and prevalence of fatigue during severe-intensity exercise is likely due to additional (nonrespiratory) loading of the thorax. PMID:28288012

Influence of Upper-Body Exercise on the Fatigability of Human Respiratory Muscles.

PubMed

Tiller, Nicholas B; Campbell, Ian G; Romer, Lee M

2017-07-01

Diaphragm and abdominal muscles are susceptible to contractile fatigue in response to high-intensity, whole-body exercise. This study assessed whether the ventilatory and mechanical loads imposed by high-intensity, upper-body exercise would be sufficient to elicit respiratory muscle fatigue. Seven healthy men (mean ± SD; age = 24 ± 4 yr, peak O2 uptake [V˙O2peak] = 31.9 ± 5.3 mL·kg·min) performed asynchronous arm-crank exercise to exhaustion at work rates equivalent to 30% (heavy) and 60% (severe) of the difference between gas exchange threshold and V˙O2peak. Contractile fatigue of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles was assessed by measuring pre- to postexercise changes in potentiated transdiaphragmatic and gastric twitch pressures (Pdi,tw and Pga,tw) evoked by supramaximal magnetic stimulation of the cervical and thoracic nerves, respectively. Exercise time was 24.5 ± 5.8 min for heavy exercise and 9.8 ± 1.8 min for severe exercise. Ventilation over the final minute of heavy exercise was 73 ± 20 L·min (39% ± 11% maximum voluntary ventilation) and 99 ± 19 L·min (53% ± 11% maximum voluntary ventilation) for severe exercise. Mean Pdi,tw did not differ pre- to postexercise at either intensity (P > 0.05). Immediately (5-15 min) after severe exercise, mean Pga,tw was significantly lower than pre-exercise values (41 ± 13 vs 53 ± 15 cm H2O, P < 0.05), with the difference no longer significant after 25-35 min. Abdominal muscle fatigue (defined as ≥15% reduction in Pga,tw) occurred in 1/7 subjects after heavy exercise and 5/7 subjects after severe exercise. High-intensity, upper-body exercise elicits significant abdominal, but not diaphragm, muscle fatigue in healthy men. The increased magnitude and prevalence of fatigue during severe-intensity exercise is likely due to additional (nonrespiratory) loading of the thorax.

Space Shuttle Program Tin Whisker Mitigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nishimi, Keith

2007-01-01

The discovery of tin whiskers (TW) on space shuttle hardware led to a program to investigate and removal and mitigation of the source of the tin whiskers. A Flight Control System (FCS) avionics box failed during vehicle testing, and was routed to the NASA Shuttle Logistics Depot for testing and disassembly. The internal inspection of the box revealed TW growth visible without magnification. The results of the Tiger Team that was assembled to investigate and develop recommendations are reviewed in this viewgraph presentation.

An Application of Response Surface Methodology to a Macroeconomic Model.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-12-01

L21,ILI,ISl ,KI,SBI,PYl ,MI,P11,Q1 double precision TE,TW,TC,TN,TR,G,W2,R2,T,H,NP,NL,N8,NE,FR, :: & PF,LB A double precision CLI, SCLI ,PCL1IDL1 ,WlLl...TCLI-TNLI- SCLI )*PILI/PRLI) & .0.012*FR)+0.5*R1 PR=0.5*(-131. 17+2.32.PI)+0.5*PR *The monetary sector is omitted (See Chapter IV) C L1=0.5*(0.14*(M-TW

Photochemical Ignition Studies. 3. Ignition by Efficient and Resonant Multiphoton Photochemical Formation of Microplasmas

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

Fragments," Chem. Phys., Vol. 33, p. 161, 1978. 5. R.C. Sausa, A.J. Alfano , and A.W. Miziolek, "ArF Laser Photoproduction and Sensitive Detection of Carbon...Unlversity/APL Chemical Propulsion I Purdue University Information Agency Department of Chomistry ATTN: TW. Christian ATTN: H. Grant Johns Hopkins...of Chemistry ATTN: T.W. Christian ATTN: E. Grant Johns Hopkins Road West Lafayette, IN 47906 Laurel, MD 20707 2 Purdue University University of

Key Competencies, Assessment and Learning Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Keryn; Wright, Jocelyn; Carr, Margaret; Peters, Sally

2013-01-01

Developed in response to a strong interest in the use of Learning Stories in schools, this resource is designed to answer some common questions asked by teachers. The assessment of Key Competencies is a topic that deserves a lot of discussion. A Key Competency is complex: it includes social, emotional, cognitive and cultural aspects, and is…

Do Facilitated Online Dual Credit Classes Result in Deep Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stark Education Partnership, 2015

2015-01-01

This study, with funding from the Jennings Foundation, sought to answer the following broad research question: Do facilitated online dual credit courses result in deep learning? The answer to this question is key to addressing barriers many students face in bridging from high school to college. This report includes a descriptive case study that…

Working with Second Language Learners: Answers to Teachers' Top Ten Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cary, Stephen

This book aims to provide practical, research-informed answers to the questions most frequently asked by teachers of second language learners. Every question targets one of the key instructional issues teachers must address to ensure success for their second language students. Included among the questions are: How do I assess a student's English?…

Damping efficiency of the Tchamwa-Wielgosz explicit dissipative scheme under instantaneous loading conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahéo, Laurent; Grolleau, Vincent; Rio, Gérard

2009-11-01

To deal with dynamic and wave propagation problems, dissipative methods are often used to reduce the effects of the spurious oscillations induced by the spatial and time discretization procedures. Among the many dissipative methods available, the Tchamwa-Wielgosz (TW) explicit scheme is particularly useful because it damps out the spurious oscillations occurring in the highest frequency domain. The theoretical study performed here shows that the TW scheme is decentered to the right, and that the damping can be attributed to a nodal displacement perturbation. The FEM study carried out using instantaneous 1-D and 3-D compression loads shows that it is useful to display the damping versus the number of time steps in order to obtain a constant damping efficiency whatever the size of element used for the regular meshing. A study on the responses obtained with irregular meshes shows that the TW scheme is only slightly sensitive to the spatial discretization procedure used. To cite this article: L. Mahéo et al., C. R. Mecanique 337 (2009).

Photoionization models for the wind from TW Vir

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kallman, T.

1985-01-01

Line profiles are examined for the resonance doublets of the ions C IV, Si IV, and N V in the spectrum of the dwarf nova TW Virginis as observed by Cordova and Mason (1982). Line strengths depend on the abundances of the scattering ions and hence on the physical characteristics in the stellar wind. Results of the study show that the observed UV line ratios from TW Vir cannot be produced by photoionization by either an unattenuated single bremsstrahlung or by a single blackbody spectrum. Satisfactory values of the abundance ratios can be produced by bremsstrahlung spectra extending into the X-ray region which have low-energy cutoffs near the N IV threshold energy at 77 eV and have fluxes corresponding to an ionization parameter xi-sub-br of about 10. A finding that the flux in the soft X-ray bremsstrahlung component must exceed the EUV blackbody flux by at least an order of magnitude has implications for theories of the continuum emission from cataclysmic variables.

Electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity of hcp Fe-Ni alloys under high pressure: Implications for thermal convection in the Earth's core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomi, Hitoshi; Hirose, Kei

2015-10-01

We measured the electrical resistivity of Fe-Ni alloys (iron with 5, 10, and 15 wt.% nickel) using four-terminal method in a diamond-anvil cell up to 70 GPa at 300 K. The results demonstrate that measured resistivity increases linearly with increasing nickel impurity concentration, as predicted by the Matthiessen's rule. The impurity resistivity is predominant at ambient temperature; the incorporation of 5 wt.% nickel into iron doubles the electrical resistivity at 60 GPa. Such impurity effect becomes minor at high temperature of the Earth's core because of the resistivity "saturation". We also calculated that >0.9 TW heat flow is necessary at the top of the inner core for thermal convection in the inner core. It requires the CMB heat flow of ∼30 TW, which is much higher than recent estimates of 5-15 TW. This means that purely thermal convection does not occur in the inner core.

Correlates of HIV Testing Among Transgender Women in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

PubMed

Bao, An; Colby, Donn J; Trang, Toan; Le, Bao Quoc; Dinh, Thien Duc; Nguyen, Quan Hoang; Hoang, Huyen Thi; Friedman, M Reuel; Stall, Ron

2016-12-01

HIV prevalence among transgender women (TW) in Ho Chi Minh City is estimated at 18 %. However, no evidence-based programs or surveillance data exist in Vietnam specific to HIV testing uptake. We examined prevalence and correlates of past-year HIV testing among TW (n = 204) recruited in 2015 via snowball sampling. 59.3 % reported HIV testing in the previous year. In adjusted models, factors positively associated with HIV testing included consistent condom use during sex work with male clients; STI testing in past year; sex with casual partners in the past month; and experiences of police harassment. Factors negatively associated with recent HIV testing included daily/weekly alcohol use and post-traumatic stress symptoms. This study found significant associations between greater safety in sexual behaviors and higher rates of HIV testing. Targeted and specific services are needed for TW in Vietnam in order to address sexual risk behaviors and provide appropriate access to regular HIV testing.

Laser Wakefield Acceleration Experiments Using HERCULES Laser

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

Matsuoka, T.; McGuffey, C.; Dollar, F.

2009-07-25

Laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) in a supersonic gas-jet using a self-guided laser pulse was studied by changing laser power and plasma electron density. The recently upgraded HERCULES laser facility equipped with wavefront correction enables a peak intensity of 6.1x10{sup 19} W/cm{sup 2} at laser power of 80 TW to be delivered to the gas-jet using F/10 focusing optics. We found that electron beam charge was increased significantly with an increase of laser power from 30 TW to 80 TW and showed density threshold behavior at a fixed laser power. We also studied the influence of laser focusing conditions by changingmore » the f-number of the optics to F/15 and found an increase in density threshold for electron production compared to the F/10 configuration. The analysis of different phenomena such as betatron motion of electrons, side scattering of the laser pulse for different focusing conditions, the influence of plasma density down ramp on LWFA are shown.« less

Groundwater-soil-crop relationship with respect to arsenic contamination in farming villages of Bangladesh--a preliminary study.

PubMed

Kurosawa, Kiyoshi; Egashira, Kazuhiko; Tani, Masakazu; Jahiruddin, M; Moslehuddin, Abu Zofar Md; Rahman, Zulfikar Md

2008-11-01

To clarify the groundwater-soil-crop relationship with respect to arsenic (As) contamination, As concentration was measured in tubewell (TW) water, surface soil from farmyards and paddy fields, and fresh taro (Colocasia esculenta) leaves from farmyards in the farming villages of Bangladesh. The As concentration in TW water from farmyards was at least four times higher than the Bangladesh drinking water standard, and the concentration in fresh taro leaves was equal to or higher than those reported previously for leafy vegetables in Bangladesh. As concentration of surface soils in both farmyards and paddy fields was positively correlated with that of the TW water. Further, the concentration in surface soil was positively correlated with levels in fresh taro leaves in the farmyard. This study, therefore, clarified the groundwater-soil-crop relationship in farmyards and the relationship between groundwater-soil in paddy fields to assess the extent of As contamination in Bangladeshi villages.

Nano-graphene oxide and vitamin D delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahdavi, Reza; Solati-Hashjin, Mehran; Omidi, Meisam; Khojasteh, Arash; Fayyazbakhsh, Fateme

2018-01-01

One of the most interesting and recent insights into biomimetic scaffold nano-biomaterial is smart scaffolding with targeted drug delivery ability. In recent decades, the use of graphene-based materials, such as nano-graphene oxide (nGO), as a drug carrier with amphiphilic properties, has attracted considerable attention of scientists and researchers in this field. In addition, one of the important global problems is increased vitamin D deficiency, particularly in pregnant and postmenopausal women. Therefore, in this work, by considering hydrophobic properties of vitamin D, we attempted to examine its loading and release both in the presence of surfactant and surfactant-free nGO-aqueous solution. At first, nGO powder was synthesized by the modified Hummer's method. After the preparation of vitamin D and Tween 80 (TW) solution, they were added to nGO aqueous solution. Simultaneously, the next vitamin D and nGO aqueous solution was prepared in a surfactant-free mode. In order to evaluate the loading content, both solutions were centrifuged, and their supernatant was analyzed by UV-Visible spectroscopy. Additionally, FTIR spectroscopy was employed to determine the TW 80 effects on vitamin D and nGO. The results have shown that vitamin D loading in surfactant-free solution was approximately 0% while in the presence of TW 80 it was 75.37% ± 4.12. Therefore, the combination of vitamin D, TW 80, and nGO can be a suitable candidate for carrying hydrophobic drugs in smart scaffolding, especially in bone tissue engineering.

The genotyping of infectious bronchitis virus in Taiwan by a multiplex amplification refractory mutation system reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

PubMed

Huang, Shr-Wei; Ho, Chia-Fang; Chan, Kun-Wei; Cheng, Min-Chung; Shien, Jui-Hung; Liu, Hung-Jen; Wang, Chi-Young

2014-11-01

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV; Avian coronavirus) causes acute respiratory and reproductive and urogenital diseases in chickens. Following sequence alignment of IBV strains, a combination of selective primer sets was designed to individually amplify the IBV wild-type and vaccine strains using a multiplex amplification refractory mutation system reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (ARMS RT-PCR) approach. This system was shown to discriminate the IBV wild-type and vaccine strains. Moreover, an ARMS real-time RT-PCR (ARMS qRT-PCR) was combined with a high-resolution analysis (HRMA) to establish a melt curve analysis program. The specificity of the ARMS RT-PCR and the ARMS qRT-PCR was verified using unrelated avian viruses. Different melting temperatures and distinct normalized and shifted melting curve patterns for the IBV Mass, IBV H120, IBV TW-I, and IBV TW-II strains were detected. The new assays were used on samples of lung and trachea as well as virus from allantoic fluid and cell culture. In addition to being able to detect the presence of IBV vaccine and wild-type strains by ARMS RT-PCR, the IBV Mass, IBV H120, IBV TW-I, and IBV TW-II strains were distinguished using ARMS qRT-PCR by their melting temperatures and by HRMA. These approaches have acceptable sensitivities and specificities and therefore should be able to serve as options when carrying out differential diagnosis of IBV in Taiwan and China. © 2014 The Author(s).

Avian Influenza Vaccination in Chickens and Pigs with Replication-Competent Adenovirus–Free Human Recombinant Adenovirus 5

PubMed Central

Toro, Haroldo; van Ginkel, Frederik W.; Tang, De-chu C.; Schemera, Bettina; Rodning, Soren; Newton, Joseph

2010-01-01

SUMMARY Protective immunity to avian influenza (AI) virus can be elicited in chickens by in ovo or intramuscular vaccination with replication-competent adenovirus (RCA)-free human recombinant adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) encoding AI virus H5 (AdTW68.H5) or H7 (AdCN94.H7) hemagglutinins. We evaluated bivalent in ovo vaccination with AdTW68.H5 and AdCN94.H7 and determined that vaccinated chickens developed robust hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody levels to both H5 and H7 AI strains. Additionally, we evaluated immune responses of 1-day-old chickens vaccinated via spray with AdCN94.H7. These birds showed increased immunoglobulin A responses in lachrymal fluids and increased interleukin-6 expression in Harderian gland–derived lymphocytes. However, specific HI antibodies were not detected in the sera of these birds. Because pigs might play a role as a “mixing vessel” for the generation of pandemic influenza viruses we explored the use of RCA-free adenovirus technology to immunize pigs against AI virus. Weanling piglets vaccinated intramuscularly with a single dose of RCA-free AdTW68.H5 developed strong systemic antibody responses 3 wk postvaccination. Intranasal application of AdTW68.H5 in piglets resulted in reduced vaccine coverage, i.e., 33% of pigs (2/6) developed an antibody response, but serum antibody levels in those successfully immunized animals were similar to intramuscularly vaccinated animals. PMID:20521636

Deep Imaging Search for Planets Forming in the TW Hya Protoplanetary Disk with the Keck/NIRC2 Vortex Coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruane, G.; Mawet, D.; Kastner, J.; Meshkat, T.; Bottom, M.; Femenía Castellá, B.; Absil, O.; Gomez Gonzalez, C.; Huby, E.; Zhu, Z.; Jenson-Clem, R.; Choquet, É.; Serabyn, E.

2017-08-01

Distinct gap features in the nearest protoplanetary disk, TW Hya (distance of 59.5 ± 0.9 pc), may be signposts of ongoing planet formation. We performed long-exposure thermal infrared coronagraphic imaging observations to search for accreting planets, especially within dust gaps previously detected in scattered light and submillimeter-wave thermal emission. Three nights of observations with the Keck/NIRC2 vortex coronagraph in L‧ (3.4-4.1 μm) did not reveal any statistically significant point sources. We thereby set strict upper limits on the masses of non-accreting planets. In the four most prominent disk gaps at 24, 41, 47, and 88 au, we obtain upper mass limits of 1.6-2.3, 1.1-1.6, 1.1-1.5, and 1.0-1.2 Jupiter masses (M J), assuming an age range of 7-10 Myr for TW Hya. These limits correspond to the contrast at 95% completeness (true positive fraction of 0.95) with a 1% chance of a false positive within 1″ of the star. We also approximate an upper limit on the product of the planet mass and planetary accretion rate of {M}{{p}}\\dot{M}≲ {10}-8 {M}{{J}}2 {{yr}}-1 implying that any putative ˜0.1 M J planet, which could be responsible for opening the 24 au gap, is presently accreting at rates insufficient to build up a Jupiter mass within TW Hya’s pre-main-sequence lifetime.

41 CFR Appendix A to Subpart D of... - 3-Key Points and Principles

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Principles A Appendix A to Subpart D of Part 102 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... Subpart D of Part 102-3—Key Points and Principles This appendix provides additional guidance in the form of answers to frequently asked questions and identifies key points and principles that may be applied...

41 CFR Appendix A to Subpart C of... - 3-Key Points and Principles

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Principles A Appendix A to Subpart C of Part 102 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... 102-3—Key Points and Principles This appendix provides additional guidance in the form of answers to frequently asked questions and identifies key points and principles that may be applied to situations not...

10 Questions to Answer for Technology to Succeed in Your School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gosmire, Doreen; Grady, Marilyn L.

2007-01-01

Few principals claim to be technology experts. Most aspire to design a map that leads their schools to success with educational technology. However, the key to success on the journey is not knowing everything or becoming a technology expert. It is about asking the right questions, exploring the answers to those questions, and creating a road map…

Evidence report : chronic kidney disease and commercial motor vehicle driver safety

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-11-05

The purpose of this evidence report is to address several key questions posed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). FMCSA developed each of these key questions so that the answers will provide information useful in updating its ...

Preliminary Investigations on the Fate of Terrestrial Sediments in the Coastal Ocean Discharged From Taiwanese Small Mountainous Rivers

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

Central University 300 Jung-da Rd., Jhongli, Taiwan 32001 phone: +886-3-422-3354, fax: +886-3-422-2894, email: kkliu@ncu.edu.tw Wen-Son Chiang...Tainan Hydraulics Laboratory, National Cheng-Kung University 500 An-Ming Road Sec. 3, Tainan, Taiwan 701 phone: +886-6-237-1938 ext 232, fax: +886-6...Taoyuan, Taiwan 32001 phone: +886-3-422-7151 ext 65690, fax: +886-3-422-2894, email: hchien@ncu.edu.tw Shu-Kun Hsu Department of Earth Science

The Western Tauern Window (Eastern Alps): Timing and Interplay of Folds and Sinistral Shear Zones as Result of South-Alpine Indentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Susanne; Rosenberg, Claudio; Hammerschmidt, Konrad

2010-05-01

The Tauern Window (TW) is the only domain within the Eastern Alps where deep crustal, Tertiary metamorphic rocks were exhumed to surface. The window is bounded by large-scale faults, partly considered to be responsible for its exhumation (e.g., Selverstone 1988, Fügenschuh 1997), and it is also cross cut internally by large-scale shear zones, whose significance in terms of type and timing of deformation, exhumation, and large-scale kinematic links is the subject of our investigation. These shear zones (Ahorn, Olperer, Greiner, Ahrntal) are widespread throughout the western TW, from the mm- to the km-scale. They are sinistral and located in the steep limbs of upright antiforms, forming a mylonitic foliation, that strikes parallel to the axial planes of these upright folds. We present new structural and geochronological data, obtained by in-situ dating of microstructurally defined syn- and postkinematic grains, to constrain the duration and termination of folding and sinistral shearing. Previous dating suggested initiation of shearing contemporaneous to nappe stacking between 32-and 30Ma, ongoing until 15Ma (Glodny et al., 2008). However, the fabric of the dated grains was not related to deformation phases defined from structural overprinting relationships, and the classical separation technique did not allow to separate synkinematic from pre- and post- kinematic grains. The northern margin of the western TW is pervasively overprinted by the Ahorn Shear Zone (Rosenberg & Schneider 2008), which shows S-side up kinematic indicators in addition to the sinistral ones, and a pronounced southward increase in metamorphic grade from lower greenschist facies to amphibolite facies conditions, within 2km. Phengites of the mylonitic foliation dated with the Rb/Sr in-situ technique, yield formation ages of 14-24Ma . The southern margin of the western TW is overprinted by the sinistral Ahrntal Fault (Schneider et al. 2009), which cuts discordantly several nappes from the Zentralgneiss to the Upper Austroalpine units. Within the Upper Penninic nappes N-side up kinematic indicators occur, in addition to the sinistral ones. Newly formed biotites of Zentralgneiss rocks have been dated with the Rb/Sr technique (Kitzig et al. 2009), yielding 18-20Ma for their formation during sinistral deformation. Fine-grained phengites from the axial plane foliation of the upright folds were dated with the K/Ar method, yielding 14-17Ma. Ar/Ar in-situ LA analyses of sinistral mylonites (Ahorn, Olperer and Greiner) yield formation ages of syn-kinematic phengites between 24-12Ma. These grains are overgrown by post-kinematic phengites of 12-9Ma. Northeast of the western TW, sinistral shear is accommodated by the brittle sinistral SEMP Fault system, whose activity has been dated to 17Ma (Peresson & Decker 1997). Several sinistral shear zones (Ahorn, Greiner, Ahrntal) of the western TW may coalesce into the SEMP Fault (e.g., Linzer et al., 2002). In the west, the Ahorn Shear Zone terminates nearly 10km east of the Brenner Fault, into a NW-striking fold belt. The Ahrntal Fault continues into the Jaufen Fault, which merges with the brittle sinistral Giudicarie Fault. Motion along the Giudicarie Fault initiated in the Miocene (Stipp et al., 2004), or already in the Oligocene (Müller et al 2001). Based on these results, a temporal, kinematic and geometric continuity between sinistral shearing along the Giudicarie Fault, along the SEMP Fault, and throughout the western TW, can be assessed. The sinistral shear zones of the western TW are kinematically linked to upright folds, hence to crustal thickening. Upright folding and sinistral shearing were active since 24Ma and terminated at 12Ma. In summary, the sinistral displacements of the Giudicarie System appear to be partitioned into upright folds and sinistral, transpressive shear zones in the western Tauern Window, both of which contribute to its exhumation. The coalescence of the sinistral shear zones into the SEMP Fault System coincides with the eastern termination of the ENE-striking upright folds, possibly indicating transfer of shortening into a strike-slip displacement. Therefore, the western TW as a whole, represents a Miocene, sinistral transpressive belt, accommodating sinistral displacements associated with South-Alpine indentation by folding and sinistral shearing, and transferring these into sinistral movements associated with lateral escape along the SEMP System, until 12 Ma.

Health Impacts of Estrogens in the Environment, Considering Complex Mixture Effects

PubMed Central

Filby, Amy L.; Neuparth, Teresa; Thorpe, Karen L.; Owen, Richard; Galloway, Tamara S.; Tyler, Charles R.

2007-01-01

Background Environmental estrogens in wastewater treatment work (WwTW) effluents are well established as the principal cause of reproductive disruption in wild fish populations, but their possible role in the wider health effects of effluents has not been established. Objectives We assessed the contribution of estrogens to adverse health effects induced in a model fish species by exposure to WwTW effluents and compared effects of an estrogen alone and as part of a complex mixture (i.e., spiked into effluent). Methods Growth, genotoxic, immunotoxic, metabolic, and endocrine (feminized) responses were compared in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed for 21 days to a potent estrogenic effluent, a weakly estrogenic effluent before and after spiking with a steroidal estrogen [17α-ethinyl-estradiol (EE2)], and to EE2 alone. Results In addition to endocrine disruption, effluent exposure induced genotoxic damage, modulated immune function, and altered metabolism; many of these effects were elicited in a sex-specific manner and were proportional to the estrogenic potencies of the effluents. A key finding was that some of the responses to EE2 were modified when it was present in a complex mixture (i.e., spiked into effluent), suggesting that mixture effects may not be easily modeled for effluent discharges or when the chemicals impact on a diverse array of biological axes. Conclusion These data reveal a clear link between estrogens present in effluents and diverse, adverse, and sex-related health impacts. Our findings also highlight the need for an improved understanding of interactive effects of chemical toxicants on biological systems for understanding health effects of environmental mixtures. PMID:18087587

Internal tide generation by abyssal hills using analytical theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melet, Angélique; Nikurashin, Maxim; Muller, Caroline; Falahat, S.; Nycander, Jonas; Timko, Patrick G.; Arbic, Brian K.; Goff, John A.

2013-11-01

Internal tide driven mixing plays a key role in sustaining the deep ocean stratification and meridional overturning circulation. Internal tides can be generated by topographic horizontal scales ranging from hundreds of meters to tens of kilometers. State of the art topographic products barely resolve scales smaller than ˜10 km in the deep ocean. On these scales abyssal hills dominate ocean floor roughness. The impact of abyssal hill roughness on internal-tide generation is evaluated in this study. The conversion of M2 barotropic to baroclinic tidal energy is calculated based on linear wave theory both in real and spectral space using the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission SRTM30_PLUS bathymetric product at 1/120° resolution with and without the addition of synthetic abyssal hill roughness. Internal tide generation by abyssal hills integrates to 0.1 TW globally or 0.03 TW when the energy flux is empirically corrected for supercritical slope (i.e., ˜10% of the energy flux due to larger topographic scales resolved in standard products in both cases). The abyssal hill driven energy conversion is dominated by mid-ocean ridges, where abyssal hill roughness is large. Focusing on two regions located over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the East Pacific Rise, it is shown that regionally linear theory predicts an increase of the energy flux due to abyssal hills of up to 100% or 60% when an empirical correction for supercritical slopes is attempted. Therefore, abyssal hills, unresolved in state of the art topographic products, can have a strong impact on internal tide generation, especially over mid-ocean ridges.

Physical parameters of late M-type members of Chamaeleon I and TW Hydrae Association: dust settling, age dispersion and activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayo, A.; Barrado, D.; Allard, F.; Henning, T.; Comerón, F.; Morales-Calderón, M.; Rajpurohit, A. S.; Peña Ramírez, K.; Beamín, J. C.

2017-02-01

Although mid-to-late type M dwarfs are the most common stars in our stellar neighbourhood, our knowledge of these objects is still limited. Open questions include the evolution of their angular momentum, internal structures, dust settling in their atmospheres and age dispersion within populations. In addition, at young ages, late-type Ms have masses below the hydrogen burning limit and therefore are key objects in the debate on the brown dwarf mechanism of formation. In this work, we determine and study in detail the physical parameters of two samples of young, late M-type sources belonging to either the Chamaeleon I dark cloud or the TW Hydrae Association and compare them with the results obtained in the literature for other young clusters and also for older, field, dwarfs. We used multiwavelength photometry to construct and analyse SEDs to determine general properties of the photosphere and disc presence. We also used low-resolution optical and near-infrared spectroscopy to study activity, accretion, gravity and effective temperature sensitive indicators. We propose a Virtual Observatory-based spectral index that is both temperature and age sensitive. We derived physical parameters using independent techniques confirming the already common feature/problem of the age/luminosity spread. In particular, we highlight two brown dwarfs showing very similar temperatures but clearly different surface gravity (explained invoking extreme early accretion). We also show how, despite large improvement in the dust treatment in theoretical models, there is still room for further progress in the simultaneous reproduction of the optical and near-infrared features of these cold young objects.

The toxicological significance of post-mortem drug concentrations in bile.

PubMed

Ferner, Robin E; Aronson, Jeffrey K

2018-01-01

Some authors have proposed that post-mortem drug concentrations in bile are useful in estimating concentrations in blood. Both The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT) and the US Federal Aviation Administration recommend that samples of bile should be obtained in some circumstances. Furthermore, standard toxicological texts compare blood and bile concentrations, implying that concentrations in bile are of forensic value. To review the evidence on simultaneous measurements of blood and bile drug concentrations reported in the medical literature. We made a systematic search of EMBASE 1980-2016 using the search terms ("bile/" OR "exp drug bile level/concentration/") AND "drug blood level/concentration/", PubMed 1975-2017 for ("bile[tw]" OR "biliary[tw]") AND ("concentration[tw]" OR "concentrations[tw]" OR "level[tw]" OR "levels[tw]") AND "post-mortem[tw]" and also MEDLINE 1990-2016 for information on drugs whose biliary concentrations were mentioned in standard textbooks. The search was limited to human studies without language restrictions. We also examined recent reviews, indexes of relevant journals and citations in Web of Science and Google Scholar. We calculated the bile:blood concentration ratio. The searches together yielded 1031 titles with abstracts. We scanned titles and abstracts for relevance and retrieved 230, of which 161 were considered further. We excluded 49 papers because: the paper reported only one case (30 references); the data referred only to a metabolite (1); the work was published before 1980 (3); the information concerned only samples taken during life (10); or the paper referred to a toxin or unusual recreational drug (5). The remaining 112 papers provided data for analysis, with at least two observations for each of 58 drugs. Bile:blood concentration ratios: Median bile:blood concentration ratios varied from 0.18 (range 0.058-0.32) for dextromoramide to 520 (range 0.62-43,000) for buprenorphine. Median bile concentrations exceeded blood concentrations by one order of magnitude for several drugs, including dihydrocodeine, quetiapine and sildenafil; and by two orders of magnitude of for buprenorphine, colchicine and 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), among others. The minimum and maximum values for the ratio differed by a factor of three or more in three-quarters of the cases where data were available and by a factor of 10 or more for over half of the analytes. The data were difficult to find. Medline does not explicitly index the term "drug bile concentration". It may well be that other reports exist, although they would not alter our major conclusion. Many of the papers that contributed data failed to specify the source of the blood samples or the post-mortem interval, so that no judgment was possible regarding post-mortem redistribution in whole blood or bile. For most drugs, there are wide ranges of bile:blood concentration ratios, which means that bile and blood concentrations are generally poorly correlated. Bile concentration measurements cannot readily be used to establish post-mortem blood concentrations; nor can they be extrapolated to ante-mortem concentrations. However, because drug concentrations in bile often exceed those in blood, bile may allow qualitative identification of drugs present, even when the blood concentration is below the limit of detection.

A Gap in TW Hydrae's Disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-01-01

Located a mere 176 light-years away, TW Hydrae is an 8-million-year-old star surrounded by a nearly face-on disk of gas and dust. Recent observations have confirmed the existence of a gap within that disk a particularly intriguing find, since gaps can sometimes signal the presence of a planet.Gaps and PlanetsNumerical simulations have shown that newly-formed planets orbiting within dusty disks can clear the gas and dust out of their paths. This process results in pressure gradients that can be seen in the density structure of the disk, in the form of visible gaps, rings, or spirals.For this reason, finding a gap in a protoplanetary disk can be an exciting discovery. Previous observations of the disk around TW Hydrae had indicated that there might be a gap present, but they were limited in their resolution; despite TW Hydraes relative nearness, attempting to observe the dim light scattered off dust particles in a disk surrounding a distant, bright star is difficult!But a team led by Valerie Rapson (Rochester Institute of Technology, Dudley Observatory) recently set out to follow up on this discovery using a powerful tool: the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI).New ObservationsComparison of the actual image of TW Hydraes disk from GPI (right) to a simulated scattered-light image from a model of a ~0.2 Jupiter-mass planet orbiting in the disk at ~21 AU (left) in two different bands (top: J, bottom: K1).[Adapted from Rapson et al. 2015]GPI is an instrument on the Gemini South Telescope in Chile. Its near-infrared imagers, equipped with extreme adaptive optics, allowed it to probe the disk from ~80 AU all the way in to ~10 AU from the central star, with an unprecedented resolution of ~1.5 AU.These observations from GPI allowed Rapson and collaborators to unambiguously confirm the presence of a gap in TW Hydraes disk. The gap lies at a distance of ~23 AU from the central star (roughly the same distance as Uranus to the Sun), and its ~5 AU wide.Modeled PossibilitiesThere are a number of other potential explanations for this gap for instance, the inner disk could be casting a shadow on the outer disk, or the gap could be a natural consequence of how grains fragment and evolve within the disk.Nevertheless, an orbiting planet embedded in the disk may well be the cause.When Rapson and collaborators ran numerical simulations of a planet orbiting within a disk like TW Hydraes, they found that a planet of 0.16 Jupiter masses, orbiting at a distance of 21 AU, reproduces the observations well.With any luck, well be able to learn more with additional observations in the future. Deeper images may reveal additional features that point to a planet shaping the disk structure. And if the planet is actively accreting gas in the disk, we may even be able to directly image the planet!CitationValerie A. Rapson et al 2015 ApJ 815 L26. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/815/2/L26

Beneficial effect of sulphate-bicarbonate-calcium water on gallstone risk and weight control

PubMed Central

Corradini, Stefano Ginanni; Ferri, Flaminia; Mordenti, Michela; Iuliano, Luigi; Siciliano, Maria; Burza, Maria Antonella; Sordi, Bruno; Caciotti, Barbara; Pacini, Maria; Poli, Edoardo; Santis, Adriano De; Roda, Aldo; Colliva, Carolina; Simoni, Patrizia; Attili, Adolfo Francesco

2012-01-01

AIM: To investigate the effect of drinking sulphate-bicarbonate-calcium thermal water (TW) on risk factors for atherosclerosis and cholesterol gallstone disease. METHODS: Postmenopausal women with functional dyspepsia and/or constipation underwent a 12 d cycle of thermal (n = 20) or tap (n = 20) water controlled drinking. Gallbladder fasting volume at ultrasound, blood vitamin E, oxysterols (7-β-hydroxycholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol), bile acid (BA), triglycerides, total/low density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured at baseline and at the end of the study. Food consumption, stool frequency and body weight were recorded daily. RESULTS: Blood lipids, oxysterols and vitamin E were not affected by either thermal or tap water consumption. Fasting gallbladder volume was significantly (P < 0.005) smaller at the end of the study than at baseline in the TW (15.7 ± 1.1 mL vs 20.1 ± 1.7 mL) but not in the tap water group (19.0 ± 1.4 mL vs 19.4 ± 1.5 mL). Total serum BA concentration was significantly (P < 0.05) higher at the end of the study than at baseline in the TW (5.83 ± 1.24 μmol vs 4.25 ± 1.00 μmol) but not in the tap water group (3.41 ± 0.46 μmol vs 2.91 ± 0.56 μmol). The increased BA concentration after TW consumption was mainly accounted for by glycochenodeoxycholic acid. The number of pasta (P < 0.001), meat (P < 0.001) and vegetable (P < 0.005) portions consumed during the study and of bowel movements per day (P < 0.05) were significantly higher in the TW than in the tap water group. Body weight did not change at the end of the study as compared to baseline in both groups. CONCLUSION: Sulphate-bicarbonate-calcium water consumption has a positive effect on lithogenic risk and intestinal transit and allows maintenance of a stable body weight despite a high food intake. PMID:22408352

Effect of opacifiers and UV absorbers on pigmented maxillofacial silicone elastomer, part 2: mechanical properties after artificial aging.

PubMed

Nguyen, Caroline Tram; Chambers, Mark S; Powers, John M; Kiat-Amnuay, Sudarat

2013-06-01

There are reports of dissatisfaction with color instability and reduced lifetime of extraoral maxillofacial prostheses. Previous studies showed that UV mineral-based light-protecting agent (LP) improved color stability of MDX4-4210/Type A silicone elastomer. However, effects of this agent and opacifiers on mechanical properties of the elastomer are unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of 2 commonly used opacifiers and LP, a new opacifier, when combined with pigments on the mechanical properties of MDX4-4210/Type A silicone elastomer before and after artificial aging. Two commonly used opacifiers, titanium white dry pigment (TW) and silicone intrinsic white (SW) and LP were each combined with MDX4-4210/type A. Artists' oil pigment was then combined with the LP and TW groups, and silicone intrinsic pigments were combined with the SW group with 5 colors (no pigment=control, red, yellow, blue, or a combination of the 3 pigments). Ten dumbbell-shaped and 10 trouser-shaped specimens of each opacifier + pigment mixture, plus a control group with no opacifier and no pigment, were made for a total of 320 specimens. Half of the specimens (n=5) were aged in a chamber at 450 kJ/m(2). Specimens were tested for hardness (ASTM D2240), tensile strength (ASTM D412), tear strength (ASTM D624), and percentage elongation in a universal testing machine. A 3-way ANOVA and the Fisher PLSD test were performed (α=.05) for each mechanical property. After accelerated aging, values of Shore A hardness were the lowest for LP with all 5 pigments and the control, followed by SW and TW (P<.001). After accelerated aging, tear strength, tensile strength, and elongation decreased significantly (P<.001) for LP, whereas changes for SW and TW varied depending on the pigment. The mechanical properties of specimens with the light-protecting opacifier were adversely affected after being subjected to artificial aging. SW and TW preserved the mechanical properties of silicone in this study. Copyright © 2013 The Editorial Council of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Therapeutic Non-Toxic Doses of TNF Induce Significant Regression in TNFR2-p75 Knockdown Lewis Lung Carcinoma Tumor Implants

PubMed Central

Sasi, Sharath P.; Bae, Sanggyu; Song, Jin; Perepletchikov, Aleksandr; Schneider, Douglas; Carrozza, Joseph; Yan, Xinhua; Kishore, Raj; Enderling, Heiko; Goukassian, David A.

2014-01-01

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) binds to two receptors: TNFR1/p55-cytotoxic and TNFR2/p75-pro-survival. We have shown that tumor growth in p75 knockout (KO) mice was decreased more than 2-fold in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLCs). We hypothesized that selective blocking of TNFR2/p75 LLCs may sensitize them to TNF-induced apoptosis and affect the tumor growth. We implanted intact and p75 knockdown (KD)-LLCs (>90%, using shRNA) into wild type (WT) mice flanks. On day 8 post-inoculation, recombinant murine (rm) TNF-α (12.5 ng/gr of body weight) or saline was injected twice daily for 6 days. Tumor volumes (tV) were measured daily and tumor weights (tW) on day 15, when study was terminated due to large tumors in LLC+TNF group. Tubular bones, spleens and peripheral blood (PB) were examined to determine possible TNF toxicity. There was no significant difference in tV or tW between LLC minus (-) TNF and p75KD/LLC-TNF tumors. Compared to 3 control groups, p75KD/LLC+TNF showed >2-5-fold decreases in tV (p<0.001) and tW (p<0.0001). There was no difference in tV or tW end of study vs. before injections in p75KD/LLC+TNF group. In 3 other groups tV and tW were increased 2.7-4.5-fold (p<0.01, p<0.0002 and p<0.0001). Pathological examination revealed that 1/3 of p75KD/LLC+rmTNF tumors were 100% necrotic, the remaining revealed 40-60% necrosis. No toxicity was detected in bone marrow, spleen and peripheral blood. We concluded that blocking TNFR2/p75 in LLCs combined with intra-tumoral rmTNF injections inhibit LLC tumor growth. This could represent a novel and effective therapy against lung neoplasms and a new paradigm in cancer therapeutics. PMID:24664144

A novel pre-surgical maxillary orthodontic device using β-titanium wire for wide unilateral cleft lip and palate patients: preliminary study of its efficacy and impact for the maxillary formation.

PubMed

Taniguchi, Maki; Oyama, Tomoki; Kiya, Koichiro; Sone, Yumiko; Ishii, Nobuyuki; Hosokawa, Ko

2014-02-01

For patients with a wide, complete, unilateral cleft lip and palate, pre-surgical maxillary orthodontic treatments have been used to reduce the alveolar gap before cheiloplasty. However, most of these treatments are complicated and laborious for patients and for medical professionals. Thus, we developed an original pre-surgical orthodontic device made with two separate acrylic resin plates connected with a spring-shaped β-titanium wire (β-TW). When the device was applied on the palate, each segment of the maxilla was automatically aligned for our target formation with the elastic force of β-titanium alloy. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the new device and the size of the maxilla in comparison with the conventional Hotz procedures. A total of 47 patients with a wide unilateral cleft lip and palate were retrospectively evaluated; 33 patients were treated with our new device (β-TW plate group) and 14 were treated with a Hotz plate (HP group). We evaluated the alveolar gap reduction and the size of the maxilla between the two groups, obtaining intraoral maxillary impressions at birth, at 3 months and 1 year. The width of the alveolar gap in the β-TW plate group was significantly reduced compared with that in the HP group 1 month after the treatment (p < 0.001). The alveolar gap reduction continued until the age of 1 year (p = 0.02). By contrast, no significant difference in the maxillary size was observed between the two groups at any examination period. Our treatment protocol using the β-TW plate was not only easy and simple to apply but it was also cost-effective, with highly predictable outcomes. Moreover, it provided the ideal alveolar cleft reduction without detrimental collapse of the alveolar segments. Therefore, we consider our β-TW plate device to be useful for application in pre-surgical orthodontic treatments. Copyright © 2013 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance Measurements of the MicroPET FOCUS 120 for Iodine-124 Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taleb, Dounia; Bahri, Mohamed Ali; Warnock, Geoffrey; Salmon, Eric; Luxen, André; Plenevaux, Alain; Anizan, Nadège; Seret, Alain

2012-10-01

This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the microPET FOCUS 120 for 124I in terms of counting rate capability and image quality using the NEMA NU 4-2008 methodology. Scanner sensitivity was measured for 124I for comparison and reached 75 cps/kBq, respectively, with the usual 350-650 keV energy window (EW) and 6 ns time window (TW). The noise equivalent count rate (NECR) index was defined as: NECR = RT2 /(RP +RGP) ( T = true, P = prompt, GP = γ-prompt). A rat phantom maximum NECR of 48 kcps was obtained for the 250-590 keV EW with 6 ns TW. An almost identical maximum NECR of 43 kcps was recorded for 350-590 and 350-650 keV EW and 6 ns TW. The 2 ns TW reduced the sensitivity and NECR by 40-50% for all EW. The mouse phantom NECR study was limited because of the maximum available activity concentration of 124I. The 250-590 keV EW showed the largest scatter and γ-prompt plus scatter fractions with 25.7% and 43%, respectively, for the rat phantom and 12.2% and 27% for the mouse phantom. With the 350-590 keV EW, these fractions decreased to 20% and 33.5% for the rat phantom and to 10% and 21% for the mouse phantom. The image quality was investigated with the NEMA NU 4-2008 dedicated phantom for four (two analytic and two iterative) 2D or 3D reconstruction methods. The lowest spillover ratios (SOR) for the phantom non-emitting regions were obtained for the 350-590 and 350-650 keV EWs. Recovery coefficients (RC) of the hot rods were the highest for the 350-590 keV EW except for the 1 mm rod. Scatter correction led to a large decrease in RC. The combination of the 350-590 keV EW with 6 ns TW appeared to be a good compromise between counting rate capability and image quality for the FOCUS 120, especially when maximum a posteriori reconstruction was used without scatter correction. Moreover this combination enabled the best quantification with an error as low as 0.36%.

Laser Driven Compression Equations of State and Hugoniot Pressure Measurements in Thick Solid Metallic Targets at ˜0.17-13 TW/cm2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remo, John L.

2010-10-01

An electro-optic laser probe was developed to obtain parameters for high energy density equations of state (EoS), Hugoniot pressures (PH), and strain rates for high energy density laser irradiation intensity, I, experiments at ˜170 GW/cm2 (λ = 1064 nm) to ˜13 TW/cm2 (λ = 527 nm) on Al, Cu, Ti, Fe, Ni metal targets in a vacuum. At I ˜7 TW/cm2 front surface plasma pressures and temperatures reached 100's GPa and over two million K. Rear surface PH ranged from 7-120 GPa at average shock wave transit velocities 4.2-8.5 km/s, depending on target thickness and I. A surface plasma compression ˜100's GPa generated an impulsive radial expanding shock wave causing compression, rarefactions, and surface elastic and plastic deformations depending on I. A laser/fiber optic system measured rear surface shock wave emergence and particle velocity with ˜3 GHz resolution by monitoring light deflection from diamond polished rear surfaces of malleable metallic targets, analogous to an atomic force microscope. Target thickness, ˜0.5-2.9 mm, prevented front surface laser irradiation penetration, due to low radiation skin depth, from altering rear surface reflectivity (refractive index). At ˜10 TW electromagnetic plasma pulse noise generated from the target chamber overwhelmed detector signals. Pulse frequency analysis using Moebius loop antennae probed transient noise characteristics. Average shock (compression) and particle (rear surface displacement) velocity measurements determined rear surface PH and GPa) EoS that are compared with gas guns.

Comparison of Models for the Prediction of Medical Costs of Spinal Fusion in Taiwan Diagnosis-Related Groups by Machine Learning Algorithms.

PubMed

Kuo, Ching-Yen; Yu, Liang-Chin; Chen, Hou-Chaung; Chan, Chien-Lung

2018-01-01

The aims of this study were to compare the performance of machine learning methods for the prediction of the medical costs associated with spinal fusion in terms of profit or loss in Taiwan Diagnosis-Related Groups (Tw-DRGs) and to apply these methods to explore the important factors associated with the medical costs of spinal fusion. A data set was obtained from a regional hospital in Taoyuan city in Taiwan, which contained data from 2010 to 2013 on patients of Tw-DRG49702 (posterior and other spinal fusion without complications or comorbidities). Naïve-Bayesian, support vector machines, logistic regression, C4.5 decision tree, and random forest methods were employed for prediction using WEKA 3.8.1. Five hundred thirty-two cases were categorized as belonging to the Tw-DRG49702 group. The mean medical cost was US $4,549.7, and the mean age of the patients was 62.4 years. The mean length of stay was 9.3 days. The length of stay was an important variable in terms of determining medical costs for patients undergoing spinal fusion. The random forest method had the best predictive performance in comparison to the other methods, achieving an accuracy of 84.30%, a sensitivity of 71.4%, a specificity of 92.2%, and an AUC of 0.904. Our study demonstrated that the random forest model can be employed to predict the medical costs of Tw-DRG49702, and could inform hospital strategy in terms of increasing the financial management efficiency of this operation.

Tissue temperature profile in the human forearm during thermal stress at thermal stability.

PubMed

Ducharme, M B; VanHelder, W P; Radomski, M W

1991-11-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of a range of water temperatures (Tw from 15 to 36 degrees C) on the tissue temperature profile of the resting human forearm at thermal stability. Tissue temperature (Tti) was continuously monitored by a calibrated multicouple probe during 3 h of immersion of the forearm. The probe was implanted approximately 9 cm distal from the olecranon process along the ulnar ridge. Tti was measured every 5 mm, from the longitudinal axis of the forearm (determined from computed tomography scanning) to the skin surface. Along with Tti, skin temperature (Tsk), rectal temperature (Tre), and blood flow were measured during the immersions. For all temperature conditions, the temperature profile inside the limb was linear as a function of the radial distance from the forearm axis (P less than 0.001). Temperature gradient measured in the forearm ranged from 0.2 +/- 0.1 degrees C C cm (Tw = 36 degrees C) to 2.3 +/- 0.5 degrees C cm (Tw = 15 degrees C). The maximal Tti was measured in all cases at the longitudinal axis of the forearm and was in all experimental conditions lower than Tre. On immersion at Tw less than 36 degrees C, the whole forearm can be considered to be part of the shell of the body. With these experimental data, mathematical equations were developed to predict, with an accuracy of at least 0.6 degrees C, the Tti at any depth inside the forearm at steady state during thermal stress.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

On the formation of TW Crv optical radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimansky, V. V.; Mitrofanova, A. A.; Borisov, N. V.; Fabrika, S. N.; Galeev, A. I.

2016-10-01

We present the analysis of the optical radiation of the young pre-cataclysmic variable TW Crv. Spectroscopic and photometric observations were obtained at the SAO RAS 6-m BTA telescope and at the Russian-Turkish RTT-150 telescope. The light curves of the system posses nearly sinusoidal shapes with the amplitudes of Δ m > 0.m7, what is typical for young pre-cataclysmic variables with sdO-subdwarfs and orbit inclinations of less than 45◦. The optical spectrum contains dominant radiation of the hot subdwarf with the HI and He II absorption lines and strong emission lines, which are formed in the atmosphere of the secondary owing to the reflection effects. Radial velocities of the cool star were measured by analyzing the λλ 4630-4650 Å Bowen blend, which for the first time allowed to determine the component masses. A numerical simulation of the light curves and spectra of TW Crv, obtaining a complete set of systems fundamental parameters was carried out. The hot star parameters prompt its belonging to the sdOsubdwarf class at the stage of transition to the cooling white dwarf sequence. The absence of its observable planetary nebula is caused by a long-lasting evolution of the system after the common envelope state. The secondary component has a luminosity excess, which is typical for other young sdO-subdwarf precataclysmic variables. Its position on the " age-luminosity excess" diagram points at the accuracy of the obtained set of TW Crv fundamental parameters and at the similarity of its evolutionary and physical conditions with that of other BE UMa-type objects.

Expressed sequence tags from poplar wood tissues--a comparative analysis from multiple libraries.

PubMed

Déjardin, A; Leplé, J-C; Lesage-Descauses, M-C; Costa, G; Pilate, G

2004-01-01

Xylogenesis involves successive developmental processes--cambial division, cell expansion and differentiation, cell death--each occurring along a gradient from the cambium to the pith of the stem. Taking advantage of the high level of organisation of wood tissues, we isolated cambial zone (CZ), differentiating xylem (DX) and mature xylem (MX) from both tension wood (TW) and opposite wood (OW) of bent poplars. Four different cDNA libraries were then constructed and used to generate 10,062 EST, reflecting the genes expressed in the different wood tissues. For the most abundant clusters, the EST distributions were compared between libraries in order to identify genes specific or over-represented at some specific developmental stages. They clearly showed a developmental shift between CZ and DX, whereas there is a continuity of development between DX and MX. CZ was mainly characterized by clusters of genes involved in cell cycle, protein synthesis and fate. Interestingly, two clusters with no assigned function were found specific to the cambial zone. In DX and MX, clusters were mostly involved in methylation of lignin precursors and microtubule cytoskeleton. In addition, in DX, EST from TW and OW were compared: five clusters of arabinogalactan proteins, one for sucrose synthase and one for fructokinase were specific or over-represented in TW. Moreover, a putative transcription factor and a cluster of unknown function were also identified in DX-TW. The informative comparison of multiple libraries prepared from wood tissues led to the identification of genes--some with still unknown functions--putatively involved in xylogenesis and tension wood formation.

Immunosuppressant discovery from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook f: the novel triptolide analog (5R)-5-hydroxytriptolide (LLDT-8)

PubMed Central

Tang, Wei; Zuo, Jian-ping

2012-01-01

The Chinese traditional herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook f (TwHF) has been widely used in the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Over the past few decades, great efforts have been made to explore modern preparations of TwHF with higher efficacy, solubility, and lower toxicity. In this study, we reviewed several examples both of naturally occurring compounds and their derivatives in TwHF, and summarized the preclinical evaluations with regard to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. All of the candidate compounds described herein have been or are currently in clinical trials. Although some studies encountered problems, the data still provided valuable references for future studies. (5R)-5-hydroxytriptolide (LLDT-8, Leitengshu) is a novel triptolide derivative with potent immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory activities developed at Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica. Indeed, a Phase I clinical trial for this compound has been completed in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The results will provide the basis for the further exploration of this ancient herb and encourage the research and development of valuable traditional Chinese medicine. PMID:22922344

Effect of gravity waves on the North Atlantic circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eden, Carsten

2017-04-01

The recently proposed IDEMIX (Internal wave Dissipation, Energy and MIXing) parameterisation for the effect of gravity waves offers the possibility to construct consistent ocean models with a closed energy cycle. This means that the energy available for interior mixing in the ocean is only controlled by external energy input from the atmosphere and the tidal system and by internal exchanges. A central difficulty is the unknown fate of meso-scale eddy energy. In different scenarios for that eddy dissipation, the parameterized internal wave field provides between 2 and 3 TW for interior mixing from the total external energy input of about 4 TW, such that a transfer between 0.3 and 0.4 TW into mean potential energy contributes to drive the large-scale circulation in the model. The impact of the different mixing on the meridional overturning in the North Atlantic is discussed and compared to hydrographic observations. Furthermore, the direct energy exchange of the wave field with the geostrophic flow is parameterized in extended IDEMIX versions and the sensitivity of the North Atlantic circulation by this gravity wave drag is discussed.

Isolated terawatt attosecond hard X-ray pulse generated from single current spike.

PubMed

Shim, Chi Hyun; Parc, Yong Woon; Kumar, Sandeep; Ko, In Soo; Kim, Dong Eon

2018-05-10

Isolated terawatt (TW) attosecond (as) hard X-ray pulse is greatly desired for four-dimensional investigations of natural phenomena with picometer spatial and attosecond temporal resolutions. Since the demand for such sources is continuously increasing, the possibility of generating such pulse by a single current spike without the use of optical or electron delay units in an undulator line is addressed. The conditions of a current spike (width and height) and a modulation laser pulse (wavelength and power) is also discussed. We demonstrate that an isolated TW-level as a hard X-ray can be produced by a properly chosen single current spike in an electron bunch with simulation results. By using realistic specifications of an electron bunch of the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory X-ray Free-Electron Laser (PAL-XFEL), we show that an isolated, >1.0 TW and ~36 as X-ray pulse at 12.4 keV can be generated in an optimized-tapered undulator line. This result opens a new vista for current XFEL operation: the attosecond XFEL.

Multivariate Welch t-test on distances

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Motivation: Permutational non-Euclidean analysis of variance, PERMANOVA, is routinely used in exploratory analysis of multivariate datasets to draw conclusions about the significance of patterns visualized through dimension reduction. This method recognizes that pairwise distance matrix between observations is sufficient to compute within and between group sums of squares necessary to form the (pseudo) F statistic. Moreover, not only Euclidean, but arbitrary distances can be used. This method, however, suffers from loss of power and type I error inflation in the presence of heteroscedasticity and sample size imbalances. Results: We develop a solution in the form of a distance-based Welch t-test, TW2, for two sample potentially unbalanced and heteroscedastic data. We demonstrate empirically the desirable type I error and power characteristics of the new test. We compare the performance of PERMANOVA and TW2 in reanalysis of two existing microbiome datasets, where the methodology has originated. Availability and Implementation: The source code for methods and analysis of this article is available at https://github.com/alekseyenko/Tw2. Further guidance on application of these methods can be obtained from the author. Contact: alekseye@musc.edu PMID:27515741

Do Subjective Alcohol Screening Tools Correlate with Biomarkers Among High-Risk Transgender Women and Men Who Have Sex with Men in Lima, Peru?

PubMed

Herrera, M C; Konda, K A; Leon, S R; Brown, B; Calvo, G M; Salvatierra, H J; Caceres, C F; Klausner, J D; Deiss, R

2017-11-01

Alcohol abuse can influence sexual risk behavior; however, its measurement is not straightforward. This study compared self-reported alcohol use, via the AUDIT and CAGE, with levels of phosphatidylethanol (Peth), a phospholipid biomarker that forms with chronic, heavy drinking, among high-risk MSM and TW in Lima, Peru. Chi square, Fisher's exact, Wilcoxon ranksum tests compared the instruments. Receiver operating curves determined sensitivity and specificity of the self-reported measures. Among 69 MSM and 17 TW, PEth was positive for 86% (95% CI 77-93%) of participants, while 67% reported binge-drinking in the last 2 weeks. The AUDIT classified 25% as hazardous drinkers while CAGE identified 6% as problem drinkers. Self-reported binge drinking was more sensitive than the AUDIT for PEth positivity (71% vs. 27%, p = 0.022). Among high-risk MSM and TW in Lima, validated, self-report measures of alcohol abuse underestimated biological measures. Further research correlating bio-markers and self-reported alcohol abuse measures is needed.

X-ray power and yield measurements at the refurbished Z machine

DOE PAGES

Jones, M. C.; Ampleford, D. J.; Cuneo, M. E.; ...

2014-08-04

Advancements have been made in the diagnostic techniques to measure accurately the total radiated x-ray yield and power from z-pinch loads at the Z Machine with high accuracy. The Z-accelerator is capable of outputting 2MJ and 330 TW of x-ray yield and power, and accurately measuring these quantities is imperative. We will describe work over the past several years which include the development of new diagnostics, improvements to existing diagnostics, and implementation of automated data analysis routines. A set of experiments were conducted on the Z machine where the load and machine configuration were held constant. During this shot series,more » it was observed that total z-pinch x-ray emission power determined from the two common techniques for inferring the x-ray power, Kimfol filtered x-ray diode diagnostic and the Total Power and Energy diagnostic gave 450 TW and 327 TW respectively. Our analysis shows the latter to be the more accurate interpretation. More broadly, the comparison demonstrates the necessity to consider spectral response and field of view when inferring xray powers from z-pinch sources.« less

Strong tW scattering at the LHC

DOE PAGES

Dror, Jeff Asaf; Farina, Marco; Salvioni, Ennio; ...

2016-01-13

Deviations of the top electroweak couplings from their Standard Model values imply that certain amplitudes for the scattering of third generation fermions and longitudinally polarized vector bosons or Higgses diverge quadratically with momenta. This high-energy growth is a genuine signal of models where the top quark is strongly coupled to the sector responsible for electroweak symmetry breaking. We propose to profit from the high energies accessible at the LHC to enhance the sensitivity to non-standard top-Z couplings, which are currently very weakly constrained. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach, we perform a detailed analysis of tW → tW scattering, which can be probed at the LHC via pp→more » $$t\\bar{t}$$Wj. By recasting a CMS analysis at 8 TeV, we derive the strongest direct bounds to date on the Ztt couplings. We also design a dedicated search at 13 TeV that exploits the distinctive features of the $$t\\bar{t}$$Wj signal. Lastly, we present other scattering processes in the same class that could provide further tests of the top-Higgs sector.« less

High-throughput prediction of tablet weight and trimethoprim content of compound sulfamethoxazole tablets for controlling the uniformity of dosage units by NIR.

PubMed

Dong, Yanhong; Li, Juan; Zhong, Xiaoxiao; Cao, Liya; Luo, Yang; Fan, Qi

2016-04-15

This paper establishes a novel method to simultaneously predict the tablet weight (TW) and trimethoprim (TMP) content of compound sulfamethoxazole tablets (SMZCO) by near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy with partial least squares (PLS) regression for controlling the uniformity of dosage units (UODU). The NIR spectra for 257 samples were measured using the optimized parameter values and pretreated using the optimized chemometric techniques. After the outliers were ignored, two PLS models for predicting TW and TMP content were respectively established by using the selected spectral sub-ranges and the reference values. The TW model reaches the correlation coefficient of calibration (R(c)) 0.9543 and the TMP content model has the R(c) 0.9205. The experimental results indicate that this strategy expands the NIR application in controlling UODU, especially in the high-throughput and rapid analysis of TWs and contents of the compound pharmaceutical tablets, and may be an important complement to the common NIR on-line analytical method for pharmaceutical tablets. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing the water quality response to an alternative sewage disposal strategy at bathing sites on the east coast of Ireland.

PubMed

Bedri, Zeinab; O'Sullivan, John J; Deering, Louise A; Demeter, Katalin; Masterson, Bartholomew; Meijer, Wim G; O'Hare, Gregory

2015-02-15

A three-dimensional model is used to assess the bathing water quality of Bray and Killiney bathing sites in Ireland following changes to the sewage management system. The model, firstly calibrated to hydrodynamic and water quality data from the period prior to the upgrade of the Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW), was then used to simulate Escherichia coli (E. coli) distributions for discharge scenarios of the periods prior to and following the upgrade of the WwTW under dry and wet weather conditions. E. coli distributions under dry weather conditions demonstrate that the upgrade in the WwTW has remarkably improved the bathing water quality to a Blue Flag status. The new discharge strategy is expected to drastically reduce the rainfall-related incidents in which environmental limits of the Bathing Water Directive are breached. However, exceedances to these limits may still occur under wet weather conditions at Bray bathing site due to storm overflows that may still be discharged through two sea outfalls offshore of Bray bathing site. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introductory Biology Students’ Use of Enhanced Answer Keys and Reflection Questions to Engage in Metacognition and Enhance Understanding

PubMed Central

Sabel, Jaime L.; Dauer, Joseph T.; Forbes, Cory T.

2017-01-01

Providing feedback to students as they learn to integrate individual concepts into complex systems is an important way to help them to develop robust understanding, but it is challenging in large, undergraduate classes for instructors to provide feedback that is frequent and directed enough to help individual students. Various scaffolds can be used to help students engage in self-regulated learning and generate internal feedback to improve their learning. This study examined the use of enhanced answer keys with added reflection questions and instruction as scaffolds for engaging undergraduate students in self-regulated learning within an introductory biology course. Study findings show that both the enhanced answer keys and reflection questions helped students to engage in metacognition and develop greater understanding of biological concepts. Further, students who received additional instruction on the use of the scaffolds changed how they used them and, by the end of the semester, were using the scaffolds in significantly different ways and showed significantly higher learning gains than students who did not receive the instruction. These findings provide evidence for the benefit of designing scaffolds within biology courses that will support students in engaging in metacognition and enhancing their understanding of biological concepts. PMID:28645893

Influence of inspiratory resistive loading on expiratory muscle fatigue in healthy humans.

PubMed

Peters, Carli M; Welch, Joseph F; Dominelli, Paolo B; Molgat-Seon, Yannick; Romer, Lee M; McKenzie, Donald C; Sheel, A William

2017-09-01

What is the central question of this study? This study is the first to measure objectively both inspiratory and expiratory muscle fatigue after inspiratory resistive loading to determine whether the expiratory muscles are activated to the point of fatigue when specifically loading the inspiratory muscles. What is the main finding and its importance? The absence of abdominal muscle fatigue suggests that future studies attempting to understand the neural and circulatory consequences of diaphragm fatigue can use inspiratory resistive loading without considering the confounding effects of abdominal muscle fatigue. Expiratory resistive loading elicits inspiratory as well as expiratory muscle fatigue, suggesting parallel coactivation of the inspiratory muscles during expiration. It is unknown whether the expiratory muscles are likewise coactivated to the point of fatigue during inspiratory resistive loading (IRL). The purpose of this study was to determine whether IRL elicits expiratory as well as inspiratory muscle fatigue. Healthy male subjects (n = 9) underwent isocapnic IRL (60% maximal inspiratory pressure, 15 breaths min -1 , 0.7 inspiratory duty cycle) to task failure. Abdominal and diaphragm contractile function was assessed at baseline and at 3, 15 and 30 min post-IRL by measuring gastric twitch pressure (P ga,tw ) and transdiaphragmatic twitch pressure (P di,tw ) in response to potentiated magnetic stimulation of the thoracic and phrenic nerves, respectively. Fatigue was defined as a significant reduction from baseline in P ga,tw or P di,tw . Throughout IRL, there was a time-dependent increase in cardiac frequency and mean arterial blood pressure, suggesting activation of the respiratory muscle metaboreflex. The P di,tw was significantly lower than baseline (34.3 ± 9.6 cmH 2 O) at 3 (23.2 ± 5.7 cmH 2 O, P < 0.001), 15 (24.2 ± 5.1 cmH 2 O, P < 0.001) and 30 min post-IRL (26.3 ± 6.0 cmH 2 O, P < 0.001). The P ga,tw was not significantly different from baseline (37.6 ± 17.1 cmH 2 O) at 3 (36.5 ± 14.6 cmH 2 O), 15 (33.7 ± 12.4 cmH 2 O) and 30 min post-IRL (32.9 ± 11.3 cmH 2 O). Inspiratory resistive loading elicits objective evidence of diaphragm, but not abdominal, muscle fatigue. Agonist-antagonist interactions for the respiratory muscles appear to be more important during expiratory versus inspiratory loading. © 2017 The Authors. Experimental Physiology © 2017 The Physiological Society.

Electrical interactions in the cell: Asymmetric screening in a watery antiverse.

PubMed

Doerr, T P; Yu, Yi-Kuo

2014-05-01

The problem of electrostatics in biomolecular systems presents an excellent opportunity for cross-disciplinary science and a context in which fundamental physics is called for to answer complex questions. Due to the large density in biological cells of charged biomacromolecules such as protein factors and DNA, it is challenging to understand quantitatively the electric forces in these systems. Two questions are especially puzzling. First, how is it that such a dense system of charged molecules does not simply aggregate in random and non-functional ways? Second, since some mechanism apparently prevents such aggregation, how is it that binding of biomolecules still occurs so reliably? Recognizing the role of water as a universal solvent in living systems is key to understanding these questions. We present a simplified physical model in which water is regarded as a medium of high dielectric constant that nevertheless exhibits the key features essential for answering the two questions presented. The answer to the first question lies in the strong screening ability of water, which reduces the energy scale of the electrostatic interactions. Furthermore, our model reveals the existence of asymmetric screening, a pronounced asymmetry between the screening for a system with like charges and that for a system with opposite charges, and this provides an answer to the second question.

Electrical interactions in the cell: Asymmetric screening in a watery antiverse

PubMed Central

Doerr, T. P.; Yu, Yi-Kuo

2014-01-01

The problem of electrostatics in biomolecular systems presents an excellent opportunity for cross-disciplinary science and a context in which fundamental physics is called for to answer complex questions. Due to the large density in biological cells of charged biomacromolecules such as protein factors and DNA, it is challenging to understand quantitatively the electric forces in these systems. Two questions are especially puzzling. First, how is it that such a dense system of charged molecules does not simply aggregate in random and non-functional ways? Second, since some mechanism apparently prevents such aggregation, how is it that binding of biomolecules still occurs so reliably? Recognizing the role of water as a universal solvent in living systems is key to understanding these questions. We present a simplified physical model in which water is regarded as a medium of high dielectric constant that nevertheless exhibits the key features essential for answering the two questions presented. The answer to the first question lies in the strong screening ability of water, which reduces the energy scale of the electrostatic interactions. Furthermore, our model reveals the existence of asymmetric screening, a pronounced asymmetry between the screening for a system with like charges and that for a system with opposite charges, and this provides an answer to the second question. PMID:25125701

Fission track ages and Exhumation mechanisms of the Tauern Window, Eastern Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertrand, Audrey; Rosenberg, Claudio; Garcia, Sebastian

2010-05-01

The Tauern Window (TW) is a thermal and structural dome which exposes Penninic basement, its cover units as well as parts of the overlying Austroalpine basement in the central part of the Eastern Alps. The peak of metamorphism was attained approximately at 30Ma (Selverstone et .al, 1992), followed by cooling and exhumation throughout Miocene time. Most of the tertiary exhumation of the Eastern Alps was localized in the TW, from Early Oligocene to late Miocene time. A current debate centers on the exhumation mechanisms of Penninic rocks in the core of the TW, namely to assess whether orogen-parallel extension (e.g., Selverstone, 1988) or a combination of folding and erosion (eg., Rosenberg et al., 2004) with subordinate extension were the controlling processes. E-W extension is well documented at the western (Brenner Fault) and eastern (Katschberg Fault) margins of the window (e.g., Behrmann, 1988; Selverstone, 1988; Genser and Neubauer, 1989). In contrast, upright folding dominates the internal structure of the dome, and in particular along its western part, where fold amplitudes, mostly eroded during folding, attained up to 10 km. This study attempts to assess the relative importance of folding and erosion and of orogen-parallel extension during exhumation by analyzing the spatial and temporal cooling patterns of apatite and zircon fission track ages. The compilation of published apatite and zircon fission track ages indicates a concentric younging of both the apatite and zircon ages toward the core of the TW. The concentric isochrones follow the map trace of the axial planes of the upright folds of the western and eastern TW. This cooling pattern is in contrast to the one expected by a process of extensional unroofing, which in map view would results in isochrons parallel to the extensional faults and progressively younging towards them (e.g., Foster et al., 2001). We therefore propose that folding and erosion were primarily responsible for exhuming the Penninic units in the core of the TW and that orogen-parallel extension played a subordinate role during unroofing. New fission track ages, complementing the published ones, will be used to obtain a detailed 3D pattern of cooling, especially in the central TW. This pattern, combined with a thermal model, will allow us to discuss the relative importance of the afore mentioned two end-members exhumation mechanisms and to relate them to the temporal evolution of the exhumation processes. References Behrmann, J. H., 1988, Crustal-scale extension in a convergent orogen: The Sterzing-Steinach mylonite zone in the Eastern Alps. Geodynamica Acta, 2, 63-73. Foster, D. A., Schafer, C., Fanning, M.C., and Hyndmann D. W., 2001, Relationships between crustal partial melting, plutonism, orogeny, and exhumation: Idaho-Bitterroot batholith. Tectonophysics, 342, 313-350. Genser, J. and Neubauer, F., 1989, Low angle normal faults at the eastern margin of the Tauern window (Eastern Alps). Mitteilungen der Österreichische Geologische Gesellschaft, 81, 233-243. Rosenberg, C. L., Brun, J.-P., and Gapais, D., 2004, An indentation model of the Eastern Alps and the origin of the Tauern Window. Geology, 32, 997-1000. Selverstone, J., 1988, Evidence for East-West crustal extension in the eastern Alps: implications for the unroofing history of the Tauern Window. Tectonics, 7, 87-105. Selverstone, J., Franz, G., Thomas, S., Getty, S., 1992. Fluid variability in 2 GPa eclogites as an indicator of fluid behavior during subduction. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 112, 341-357.

Deep-Sea Water Containing Selenium Provides Intestinal Protection against Duodenal Ulcers through the Upregulation of Bcl-2 and Thioredoxin Reductase 1

PubMed Central

Yang, Chih-Ching; Yao, Chien-An; Lin, Yi-Ruu; Yang, Jyh-Chin; Chien, Chiang-Ting

2014-01-01

Deep-sea water (DSW), which is rich in micronutrients and minerals and with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities, may be developed as marine drugs to provide intestinal protection against duodenal ulcers. We determined several characteristics in the modified DSW. We explored duodenal pressure, oxygenation, microvascular blood flow, and changes in pH and oxidative redox potential (ORP) values within the stomach and duodenum in response to tap water (TW, hardness: 2.48 ppm), DSW600 (hardness: 600 ppm), and DSW1200 (hardness: 1200 ppm) in Wistar rats and analyzed oxidative stress and apoptosis gene expressions by cDNA and RNA microarrays in the duodenal epithelium. We compared the effects of drinking DSW, MgCl2, and selenium water on duodenal ulcers using pathologic scoring, immunohistochemical analysis, and Western blotting. Our results showed DSW has a higher pH value, lower ORP value, higher scavenging H2O2 and HOCl activity, higher Mg2+ concentrations, and micronutrients selenium compared with TW samples. Water infusion significantly increased intestinal pressure, O2 levels, and microvascular blood flow in DSW and TW groups. Microarray showed DSW600, DSW1200, selenium water upregulated antioxidant and anti-apoptotic genes and downregulated pro-apoptotic gene expression compared with the TW group. Drinking DSW600, DSW1200, and selenium water but not Mg2+ water significantly enhanced Bcl-2 and thioredoxin reductase 1 expression. Bax/Bcl-2/caspase 3/poly-(ADP-ribose)-polymerase signaling was activated during the pathogenesis of duodenal ulceration. DSW drinking reduced ulcer area as well as apoptotic signaling in acetic acid-induced duodenal ulcers. DSW, which contains selenium, provides intestinal protection against duodenal ulcers through the upregulation of Bcl-2 and thioredoxin reductase 1. PMID:24984066

Tetrandrine Induces Apoptosis in Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma NPC-TW 039 Cells by Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Ca2+/Calpain Pathways.

PubMed

Liu, Kuo-Ching; Lin, Ya-Jing; Hsiao, Yung-Ting; Lin, Meng-Liang; Yang, Jiun-Long; Huang, Yi-Ping; Chu, Yung-Lin; Chung, Jing-Gung

2017-11-01

Tetrandrine is an alkaloid extracted from a traditional China medicine plant, and is considered part of food therapy as well. In addition, it has been widely reported to induce apoptotic cell death in many human cancer cells. However, the mechanism of Tetrandrine on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells (NPC) is still questioned. In our study, we examined whether Tetrandrine can induce apoptosis of NPC-TW 039 cells. We found that cell morphology was changed after treatment with different concentrations of Tetrandrine. Further, we indicated that the NPC-TW 039 cells viability decreased in a Tetrandrine dose-dependent manner. We also found that tetrandrine induced cell cycle arrest in G 0 /G 1 phase. Tetrandrine induced DNA condensation by DAPI staining as well. In addition, we found that Tetrandrine induced Ca 2+ release in the cytosol. At the same time, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress occurred. Then we used western blotting to examine the protein expression which is associated with mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathways and caspase-dependent pathways. To further examine whether Ca 2+ was released or not with Tetrandrine induced-apoptosis, we used the chelator of Ca 2+ and showed that cell viability increased. At the same time, caspase-3 expression was decreased. Furthermore, confocal microscopy examination revealed that Tetrandrine induced expression of ER stress-related proteins GADD153 and GRP78. Our results indicate that Tetrandrine induces apoptosis through calcium-mediated ER stress and caspase pathway in NPC-TW 039 cells. In conclusion, Tetrandrine may could be used for treatment of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma in future. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Genetic Transformation System for Woody Plant Tripterygium wilfordii and Its Application to Product Natural Celastrol.

PubMed

Zhao, Yujun; Zhang, Yifeng; Su, Ping; Yang, Jian; Huang, Luqi; Gao, Wei

2017-01-01

Tripterygium wilfordii is a perennial woody liana medicinal plant with several crucial biological activities. Although studies on tissue culture have previously been conducted, research on genetic transformation is much more challenging and therefore results in slower progress. In the present study, a highly efficient transformation system involving the particle bombardment of T. wilfordii with the reporter egfp gene using the PDS-1000/He system was established. A total of seven parameters affecting the genetic transformation were investigated using an L 18 (6 × 3 6 )-type orthogonal array. The result indicated that DNA delivery conditions of 3-cm target distance, 1100 psi helium pressure, 28 mmHg chamber vacuum pressure, three times number of bombardment, CaCl 2 as precipitation agent, 2 μg plasmid DNA concentration and 48 h post-bombardment incubation time were optimal for T. wilfordii cell suspensions transformation. The average transformation efficiency was 19.17%. Based on this transformation system, the overexpression of two T. wilfordii farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase genes ( TwFPSs ) was performed in cell suspensions. Integration of the TwFPSs in the genome was verified by PCR analysis and also by Southern blotting using hygromycin gene as a probe. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis showed that the expression of TwFPS1&2 was highly up regulated in transgenic cell suspensions compared with control cells. The detection of metabolites showed that TwFPS1 & 2 could highly increase the celastrol content (973.60 μg/g) in transgenic cells. These results indicated that this transformation system is an effective protocol for characterizing the function of genes in the terpenoid biosynthetic pathway.

Can spatial statistical river temperature models be transferred between catchments?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Faye L.; Fryer, Robert J.; Hannah, David M.; Malcolm, Iain A.

2017-09-01

There has been increasing use of spatial statistical models to understand and predict river temperature (Tw) from landscape covariates. However, it is not financially or logistically feasible to monitor all rivers and the transferability of such models has not been explored. This paper uses Tw data from four river catchments collected in August 2015 to assess how well spatial regression models predict the maximum 7-day rolling mean of daily maximum Tw (Twmax) within and between catchments. Models were fitted for each catchment separately using (1) landscape covariates only (LS models) and (2) landscape covariates and an air temperature (Ta) metric (LS_Ta models). All the LS models included upstream catchment area and three included a river network smoother (RNS) that accounted for unexplained spatial structure. The LS models transferred reasonably to other catchments, at least when predicting relative levels of Twmax. However, the predictions were biased when mean Twmax differed between catchments. The RNS was needed to characterise and predict finer-scale spatially correlated variation. Because the RNS was unique to each catchment and thus non-transferable, predictions were better within catchments than between catchments. A single model fitted to all catchments found no interactions between the landscape covariates and catchment, suggesting that the landscape relationships were transferable. The LS_Ta models transferred less well, with particularly poor performance when the relationship with the Ta metric was physically implausible or required extrapolation outside the range of the data. A single model fitted to all catchments found catchment-specific relationships between Twmax and the Ta metric, indicating that the Ta metric was not transferable. These findings improve our understanding of the transferability of spatial statistical river temperature models and provide a foundation for developing new approaches for predicting Tw at unmonitored locations across multiple catchments and larger spatial scales.

Effects of permafrost melting on CO2 and CH4 exchange of a poorly drained black spruce lowland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wickland, K.P.; Striegl, Robert G.; Neff, J.C.; Sachs, T.

2006-01-01

Permafrost melting is occurring in areas of the boreal forest region where large amounts of carbon (C) are stored in organic soils. We measured soil respiration, net CO2 flux, and net CH4 flux during May-September 2003 and March 2004 in a black spruce lowland in interior Alaska to better understand how permafrost thaw in poorly drained landscapes affects land-atmosphere CO2 and CH4 exchange. Sites included peat soils underlain by permafrost at ???0.4 m depth (permafrost plateau, PP), four thermokarst wetlands (TW) having no permafrost in the upper 2.2 m, and peat soils bordering the thermokarst wetlands having permafi7ost at ???0.5 in depth (thermokarst edges, TE). Soil respiration rates were not significantly different among the sites, and 5-cm soil temperature explained 50-91% of the seasonal variability in soil respiration within the sites. Groundcover vegetation photosynthesis (calculated as net CO2 minus soil respiration) was significantly different among the sites (TW > TE > PP), which can be partly attributed to the difference in photosynthetically active radiation reaching the ground at each site type. Methane emission rates were 15 to 28 times greater fi7om TW than from TE and PP. We modeled annual soil respiration and groundcover vegetation photosynthesis using soil temperature and radiation data, and CH4 flux by linear interpolation. We estimated all sites as net C gas sources to the atmosphere (not including tree CO2 uptake at PP and TE), although the ranges in estimates when accounting for errors were large enough that TE and TW may have been net C sinks. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.

Diel variation of selenium and arsenic in a wetland of the Great Salt Lake, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dicataldo, G.; Johnson, W.P.; Naftz, D.L.; Hayes, D.F.; Moellmer, W.O.; Miller, T.

2011-01-01

Diel (24-h) changes in Se and As concentrations in a freshwater wetland pond bordering the Great Salt Lake (GSL) were examined. Selenium concentrations (filtered and unfiltered) changed on a diel basis, i.e., were depleted during early morning and enriched during daytime over August 17-18. During the May 24-25, 2006 and September 29-30 diel studies, no significant 24-h trends were observed in Se concentrations compared to August, which showed daily maximums up to 59% greater than the daily minimum. Both filtered and unfiltered As concentrations also varied on a diel cycle, with increased concentrations during early morning and decreased concentrations during daytime. Filtered As concentrations increased 110% during the May 24-25, 2006 diel study. Selenium varied in phase with pH, dissolved O2 (DO), and water temperature (Tw) whereas As varied opposite to Se, pH, DO and Tw. Changes in pH, DO and Tw showed a direct linear correlation (r=0.74, 0.75, and 0.55, respectively) to filtered Se. Also pH, DO and Tw were inversely correlated to filtered As concentration (r=-0.88, -0.87, and -0.84, respectively). Equilibrium geochemical speciation and sorption models were used to examine the potential oxidation state changes in Se and As, and sorption and desorption reactions corresponding to the observed 24-h variations in pe and pH. In this wetland it was postulated that diel Se variation was driven by sorption and desorption due to photosynthesis-induced changes in pH and redox conditions. Diel variations of As were hypothesized to be linked to pH-driven sorption and desorption as well as co-precipitation and co-dissolution with mineral phases of Mn. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of discrete-electrode arrangement on traveling-wave electroosmotic pumping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Weiyu; Shao, Jinyou; Ren, Yukun; Wu, Yupan; Wang, Chunhui; Ding, Haitao; Jiang, Hongyuan; Ding, Yucheng

2016-09-01

Traveling-wave electroosmotic (TWEO) pumping arises from the action of an imposed traveling-wave (TW) electric field on its own induced charge in the diffuse double layer, which is formed on top of an electrode array immersed in electrolyte solutions. Such a traveling field can be merely realized in practice by a discrete electrode array upon which the corresponding voltages of correct phase are imposed. By employing the theory of linear and weakly nonlinear double-layer charging dynamics, a physical model incorporating both the nonlinear surface capacitance of diffuse layer and Faradaic current injection is developed herein in order to quantify the changes in TWEO pumping performance from a single-mode TW to discrete electrode configuration. Benefiting from the linear analysis, we investigate the influence of using discrete electrode array to create the TW signal on the resulting fluid motion, and several approaches are suggested to improve the pumping performance. In the nonlinear regime, our full numerical analysis considering the intervening isolation spacing indicates that a practical four-phase discrete electrode configuration of equal electrode and gap width exhibits stronger nonlinearity than expected from the idealized pump applied with a single-mode TW in terms of voltage-dependence of the ideal pumping frequency and peak flow rate, though it has a much lower pumping performance. For model validation, pumping of electrolytes by TWEO is achieved over a confocal spiral four-phase electrode array covered by an insulating microchannel; measurement of flow velocity indicates the modified nonlinear theory considering moderate Faradaic conductance is indeed a more accurate physical description of TWEO. These results offer useful guidelines for designing high-performance TWEO microfluidic pumps with discrete electrode array.

Thermopower Wave-Driven Hybrid Supercapacitor Charging System.

PubMed

Shin, Dongjoon; Hwang, Hayoung; Yeo, Taehan; Seo, Byungseok; Choi, Wonjoon

2016-11-16

The development of new energy sources and harvesting methods has increased with the rapid development of multiscale wireless and portable systems. A thermopower wave (TW) is a potential portable energy source that exhibits a high power density. TWs generate electrical energy via the transport of charges inside micro- or nanostructured materials. This transport is induced by self-propagating combustion. Despite the high specific power of TWs, the generation of energy by TWs is transient, making a TW device a one-time use source, which is a critical limitation on the further advancement of this technology. Herein, we first report the development of a hybrid supercapacitor charging system driven by consecutive TWs to accumulate multiple amounts of energy generated by the repetitive combustion of the chemical fuel. In this study, hybrid layers composed of a supercapacitor (poly(vinyl alcohol)/MnO 2 /nickel) and solid fuel layer (nitrocellulose film) were fabricated as one integrated platform. Combustion was initiated by the ignition of the fuel layer, resulting in the production of electrical energy, attributed to the potential difference between two electrodes, and the transport of charges inside one of the electrodes. Electrical energy could simultaneously and directly charge the supercapacitor, and the discharged voltage could be significantly increased in comparison with the voltage level before the application of a TW. Furthermore, the application of multiple TWs in succession in the hybrid supercapacitor charging system successfully allowed for stack voltage amplification, which was synchronized to each TW. The results of this study could be used to understand the underlying phenomena for charging supercapacitors with the variation of thermal energy and to advance the application of TWs as more efficient, practical energy sources.

[Emissions of greenhouse gas and ammonia from the full process of sewage sludge composting and land application of compost].

PubMed

Zhong, Jia; Wei, Yuan-Song; Zhao, Zhen-Feng; Ying, Mei-Juan; Zhou, Guo-Sheng; Xiong, Jian-Jun; Liu, Pei-Cai; Ge, Zhen; Ding, Gang-Qiang

2013-11-01

There is a great uncertainty of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction and nitrogen conservation from the full process of sludge composting and land application of compost in China due to the lack of emission data of GHG such as N2O and CH4 and ammonia (NH3). The purpose of this study is to get emission characteristics of GHGs and NH3 from the full process with on-site observation. Results showed that the total GHG emission factor from full process of the turning windrow (TW) system (eCO2/dry sludge, 196.21 kg x t(-1)) was 1.61 times higher of that from the ATP system. Among the full process, N2O was mostly from the land application of compost, whereas CH4 mainly resulted from the sludge composting. In the sludge composting of ATP, the GHG emission equivalence of the ATP (eCO2/dry sludge, 12.47 kg x t(-1) was much lower than that of the TW (eCO2/dry sludge, 86.84 kg x t(-1)). The total NH3 emission factor of the TW (NH3/dry sludge, 6.86 kg x t(-1)) was slightly higher than that of the ATP (NH3/dry sludge, 6.63 kg x t(-1)). NH3 was the major contributor of nitrogen loss in the full process. During the composting, the nitrogen loss as NH3 from both TW and ATP was nearly the same as 30% of TN loss from raw materials, and the N and C loss caused by N2O and CH4 were negligible. These results clearly showed that the ATP was a kind of environmentally friendly composting technology.

Vacuum-Ultraviolet photoionization studies of the microhydrationof DNA bases (Guanine, Cytosine, Adenine and Thymine)

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

Belau, L.; Wilson, K.R.; Leone, S.R.

2007-01-22

In this work, we report on a photoionization study of the microhydration of the four DNA bases. Gas-phase clusters of water with DNA bases [guanine (G), cytosine (C), adenine (A), and thymine (T)] are generated via thermal vaporization of the bases and expansion of the resultant vapor in a continuous supersonic jet expansion of water seeded in Ar. The resulting clusters are investigated by single-photon ionization with tunable vacuum-ultraviolet synchrotron radiation and mass analyzed using reflectron mass spectrometry. Photoionization efficiency (PIE) curves are recorded for the DNA bases and the following water (W) clusters: G, GW{sub n} (n = 1-3);more » C, CW{sub n} (n = 1-3); A, AW{sub n} (n = 1,2); and T, TW{sub n} (n = 1-3). Appearance energies (AE) are derived from the onset of these PIE curves (all energies in eV): G (8.1 {+-} 0.1), GW (8.0 {+-} 0.1), GW{sub 2} (8.0 {+-} 0.1), and GW{sub 3} (8.0); C (8.65 {+-} 0.05), CW (8.45 {+-} 0.05), CW{sub 2} (8.4 {+-} 0.1), and CW{sub 3} (8.3 {+-} 0.1); A (8.30 {+-} 0.05), AW (8.20 {+-} 0.05), and AW{sub 2} (8.1 {+-} 0.1); T (8.90 {+-} 0.05); and TW (8.75 {+-} 0.05), TW{sub 2} (8.6 {+-} 0.1), and TW{sub 3} (8.6 {+-} 0.1). The AEs of the DNA bases decrease slightly with the addition of water molecules (up to three) but do not converge to values found for photoinduced electron removal from DNA bases in solution.« less

Growing Trend of China's Contribution to Global Diabetes Research

PubMed Central

Zhao, Xiyan; Guo, Liangqing; Yuan, Mingze; He, Xinhui; Lin, Yiqun; Gu, Chengjuan; Li, Qingwei; Zhao, Linhua; Tong, Xiaolin

2016-01-01

Abstract China, as a rapidly developing country with the largest population in the world, is playing an increasingly important role in diabetes research. There are >10,000 diabetes doctors who care for a large population of diabetic patients. The quantity and quality of research on diabetes from 3 major regions of China, including Mainland China (ML), Taiwan (TW), and Hong Kong (HK), is unknown. We aimed to analyze the contributions of each of these 3 regions to diabetes research. Articles on diabetes originating from ML, TW, and HK that were published from 2005 to 2014 were retrieved from the Web of Science. The quantity of articles, citations, article types, and articles published in high-impact journals were analyzed. A total of 9302 articles were retrieved from the 3 regions of China. There were 6775 from ML, 1993 from TW, and 534 from HK, with an increasing trend in publications from 2005 to 2014. After 2006, the number of publications from ML exceeded TW and HK. The largest total number of citations (48,296) was from ML. The highest mean citations, however, were from HK (15.90). PLoS One was the most popular journal in all 3 regions. The greatest number of RCTs, clinical trials, meta-analyses, and articles published in high-impact journals were from ML. There has been a significant increase in the number of articles published on diabetes research from China during the past 10 years. Most of the articles were published by authors in ML, and an increasing trend began in 2006. HK had the highest quality research output in terms of mean citations per article. PMID:27149452

Energy Sprawl or Energy Efficiency: Climate Policy Impacts on Natural Habitat for the United States of America

PubMed Central

McDonald, Robert I.; Fargione, Joseph; Kiesecker, Joe; Miller, William M.; Powell, Jimmie

2009-01-01

Concern over climate change has led the U.S. to consider a cap-and-trade system to regulate emissions. Here we illustrate the land-use impact to U.S. habitat types of new energy development resulting from different U.S. energy policies. We estimated the total new land area needed by 2030 to produce energy, under current law and under various cap-and-trade policies, and then partitioned the area impacted among habitat types with geospatial data on the feasibility of production. The land-use intensity of different energy production techniques varies over three orders of magnitude, from 1.9–2.8 km2/TW hr/yr for nuclear power to 788–1000 km2/TW hr/yr for biodiesel from soy. In all scenarios, temperate deciduous forests and temperate grasslands will be most impacted by future energy development, although the magnitude of impact by wind, biomass, and coal to different habitat types is policy-specific. Regardless of the existence or structure of a cap-and-trade bill, at least 206,000 km2 will be impacted without substantial increases in energy efficiency, which saves at least 7.6 km2 per TW hr of electricity conserved annually and 27.5 km2 per TW hr of liquid fuels conserved annually. Climate policy that reduces carbon dioxide emissions may increase the areal impact of energy, although the magnitude of this potential side effect may be substantially mitigated by increases in energy efficiency. The possibility of widespread energy sprawl increases the need for energy conservation, appropriate siting, sustainable production practices, and compensatory mitigation offsets. PMID:19707570

G-fibre cell wall development in willow stems during tension wood induction

PubMed Central

Gritsch, Cristina; Wan, Yongfang; Mitchell, Rowan A. C.; Shewry, Peter R.; Hanley, Steven J.; Karp, Angela

2015-01-01

Willows (Salix spp.) are important as a potential feedstock for bioenergy and biofuels. Previous work suggested that reaction wood (RW) formation could be a desirable trait for biofuel production in willows as it is associated with increased glucose yields, but willow RW has not been characterized for cell wall components. Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan (FLA) proteins are highly up-regulated in RW of poplars and are considered to be involved in cell adhesion and cellulose biosynthesis. COBRA genes are involved in anisotropic cell expansion by modulating the orientation of cellulose microfibril deposition. This study determined the temporal and spatial deposition of non-cellulosic polysaccharides in cell walls of the tension wood (TW) component of willow RW and compared it with opposite wood (OW) and normal wood (NW) using specific antibodies and confocal laser scanning microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the expression patterns of an FLA gene (SxFLA12) and a COBRA-like gene (SxCOBL4) were compared using RNA in situ hybridization. Deposition of the non-cellulosic polysaccharides (1–4)-β-D-galactan, mannan and de-esterified homogalacturonan was found to be highly associated with TW, often with the G-layer itself. Of particular interest was that the G-layer itself can be highly enriched in (1–4)-β-D-galactan, especially in G-fibres where the G-layer is still thickening, which contrasts with previous studies in poplar. Only xylan showed a similar distribution in TW, OW, and NW, being restricted to the secondary cell wall layers. SxFLA12 and SxCOBL4 transcripts were specifically expressed in developing TW, confirming their importance. A model of polysaccharides distribution in developing willow G-fibre cells is presented. PMID:26220085

Demographics, Behaviors, and Sexual Health Characteristics of High Risk Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender Women Who Use Social Media to Meet Sex Partners in Lima, Peru.

PubMed

Chow, Jeremy Y; Konda, Kelika A; Calvo, Gino M; Klausner, Jeffrey D; Cáceres, Carlos F

2017-03-01

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) in Peru bear a disproportionate burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In a context of quickly expanding communication technology, increasing numbers of MSM and TW are using social media applications to seek sex partners. Understanding social media users and their sex partnering practices is needed to update HIV and STI prevention programming. In Lima, Peru, 312 MSM and 89 TW from 2 STI clinics underwent HIV and STI testing and participated in a survey of demographics, behaviors, sexual health, and social media practices. χ, t tests, and Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare those with and without recent social media sex partners. Men who have sex with men with social media sex partners were younger, more educated, and more likely to identify as gay. They were significantly more likely to report greater numbers of sex partners, including anonymous sex partners; sex in higher-risk venues, orgies, and have rectal Neisseria gonorrhoeae or Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Transgender women with social media sex partners were also younger, more likely to participate in sex work, and have a lower rate of rapid plasma reagin positivity or history of syphilis. Participants reported using several social media sites including sexual hook-up applications, websites for gay men, pornographic websites, and chat sites, but the most common was Facebook. Prevention strategies targeting Peruvian MSM and TW who use social media are needed to address higher-risk sexual behavior and the high burden of STIs.

Torsion-wagging tunneling and vibrational states in hydrazine determined from its ab initio potential energy surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Łodyga, Wiesław; Makarewicz, Jan

2012-05-01

Geometries, anharmonic vibrations, and torsion-wagging (TW) multiplets of hydrazine and its deuterated species are studied using high-level ab initio methods employing the second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) as well as the coupled cluster singles and doubles model including connected triple corrections, CCSD(T), in conjunction with extended basis sets containing diffuse and core functions. To describe the splitting patterns caused by tunneling in TW states, the 3D potential energy surface (PES) for the large-amplitude TW modes is constructed. Stationary points in the 3D PES, including equivalent local minima and saddle points are characterized. Using this 3D PES, a flexible Hamiltonian is built numerically and then employed to solve the vibrational problem for TW coupled motion. The calculated ground state rav structure is expected to be more reliable than the experimental one that has been determined using a simplified structural model. The calculated fundamental frequencies allowed resolution of the assignment problems discussed earlier in the literature. The determined energy barriers, including the contributions from the small-amplitude vibrations, to the tunneling of the symmetric and antisymmetric wagging mode of 1997 cm-1 and 3454 cm-1, respectively, are in reasonable agreement with the empirical estimates of 2072 cm-1 and 3312 cm-1, respectively [W. Łodyga et al. J. Mol. Spectrosc. 183, 374 (1997), 10.1006/jmsp.1997.7271]. However, the empirical torsion barrier of 934 cm-1 appears to be overestimated. The ab initio calculations yield two torsion barriers: cis and trans of 744 cm-1 and 2706 cm-1, respectively. The multiplets of the excited torsion states are predicted from the refined 3D PES.

Mitochondrial Respiration Is Reduced in Atherosclerosis, Promoting Necrotic Core Formation and Reducing Relative Fibrous Cap Thickness.

PubMed

Yu, Emma P K; Reinhold, Johannes; Yu, Haixiang; Starks, Lakshi; Uryga, Anna K; Foote, Kirsty; Finigan, Alison; Figg, Nichola; Pung, Yuh-Fen; Logan, Angela; Murphy, Michael P; Bennett, Martin

2017-12-01

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage is present in murine and human atherosclerotic plaques. However, whether endogenous levels of mtDNA damage are sufficient to cause mitochondrial dysfunction and whether decreasing mtDNA damage and improving mitochondrial respiration affects plaque burden or composition are unclear. We examined mitochondrial respiration in human atherosclerotic plaques and whether augmenting mitochondrial respiration affects atherogenesis. Human atherosclerotic plaques showed marked mitochondrial dysfunction, manifested as reduced mtDNA copy number and oxygen consumption rate in fibrous cap and core regions. Vascular smooth muscle cells derived from plaques showed impaired mitochondrial respiration, reduced complex I expression, and increased mitophagy, which was induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein. Apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE -/- ) mice showed decreased mtDNA integrity and mitochondrial respiration, associated with increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. To determine whether alleviating mtDNA damage and increasing mitochondrial respiration affects atherogenesis, we studied ApoE -/- mice overexpressing the mitochondrial helicase Twinkle (Tw + /ApoE -/- ). Tw + /ApoE -/- mice showed increased mtDNA integrity, copy number, respiratory complex abundance, and respiration. Tw + /ApoE -/- mice had decreased necrotic core and increased fibrous cap areas, and Tw + /ApoE -/- bone marrow transplantation also reduced core areas. Twinkle increased vascular smooth muscle cell mtDNA integrity and respiration. Twinkle also promoted vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and protected both vascular smooth muscle cells and macrophages from oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. Endogenous mtDNA damage in mouse and human atherosclerosis is associated with significantly reduced mitochondrial respiration. Reducing mtDNA damage and increasing mitochondrial respiration decrease necrotic core and increase fibrous cap areas independently of changes in reactive oxygen species and may be a promising therapeutic strategy in atherosclerosis. © 2017 The Authors.

An in vitro biomechanical comparison of two fixation methods for transverse osteotomies of the medial proximal forelimb sesamoid bones in horses.

PubMed

Wilson, D A; Keegan, K G; Carson, W L

1999-01-01

This study compared the mechanical properties of the normal intact suspensory apparatus and two methods of fixation for repair of transverse, midbody fractures of the proximal sesamoid bones of adult horses: transfixation wiring (TW) and screws placed in lag fashion (LS). An in vitro, paired study using equine cadaver limbs mounted in a loading apparatus was used to test the mechanical properties of TW and LS. Seventeen paired (13 repaired, 4 normal) equine cadaver limbs consisting of the suspensory apparatus third metacarpal bone, and first and second phalanges. The two methods of repair and normal intact specimens were evaluated in single cycle-to-failure loading. Yield failure was defined to occur at the first notable discontinuity (>50 N) in the load-displacement curve, the first visible failure as evident on the videotape, or a change in the slope of the moment-fetlock angle curve. Ultimate failure was defined to occur at the highest load resisted by the specimen. Corresponding resultant force and force per kg of body weight on the suspensory apparatus, fetlock joint moment, and angle of fetlock dorsiflexion were calculated by use of specimen dimensions and applied load. These were compared along with specimen stiffness, and ram displacement. Load on the suspensory apparatus, load on the suspensory apparatus per kg of body weight, moment, applied load, and angle of fetlock dorsiflexion at yield failure were significantly greater for the TW-repaired than for the LS-repaired specimens. A 3 to 5 mm gap was observed before yield failure in most TW-repaired osteotomies. Transfixation wiring provided greater strength to yield failure than screws placed in lag fashion in single cycle load-to-failure mechanical testing of repaired transverse osteotomized specimens of the medial proximal forelimb sesamoid bone.

Improvement of the Asia-Pacific TWSTFT network solutions by using DPN results.

PubMed

Lin, Huang-Tien; Huang, Yi-Jiun; Liao, Chia-Shu; Chu, Fang-Dar; Tseng, Wen-Hung

2012-03-01

Two major time and frequency transfer techniques, two-way satellite time and frequency transfer (TWSTFT) and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS: GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, etc.), are used for the generation of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)/International Atomic Time (TAI). These time and frequency transfer links comprise a worldwide network and the utilization of the highly redundant time and frequency data is an important topic. Two methods, either TW-only network (i.e., TWSTFT) or single-link combination of TW and Global Positioning System (GPS), have been developed for combining the redundant data from different techniques. In our previous study, we have proposed a feasible method, utilizing full time-transfer network data, to improve the results of TWSTFT network. The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) has recently developed a software-based two-way time-transfer modem using a dual pseudo-random noise (DPN) signal. The first international DPN TWSTFT experiment, using these modems, was performed between NICT (Japan) and Telecommunication Laboratories (TL; Taiwan)and its ability to improve the time transfer precision was demonstrated. In comparison with the conventional NICT–TLTWSTFT link, the DPN time transfer results have higher precision and lower diurnal effects. The estimation also shows that DPN is comparable to GPS precise point positioning (PPP).Because the DPN results show better performance than the conventional TWSTFT results, we would adopt the DPN data for the NICT–TL link and solve the TW+DPN network solutions by using our proposed method. The concept of this application is similar to the so-called multi-technique-network time/frequency transfer. The encouraging results confirm that the TWSTFT network performance can benefit from DPN data by improving short-term stabilities and reducing diurnal effects.The results of TW+PPP network solutions are also illustrated.

Energy sprawl or energy efficiency: climate policy impacts on natural habitat for the United States of America.

PubMed

McDonald, Robert I; Fargione, Joseph; Kiesecker, Joe; Miller, William M; Powell, Jimmie

2009-08-26

Concern over climate change has led the U.S. to consider a cap-and-trade system to regulate emissions. Here we illustrate the land-use impact to U.S. habitat types of new energy development resulting from different U.S. energy policies. We estimated the total new land area needed by 2030 to produce energy, under current law and under various cap-and-trade policies, and then partitioned the area impacted among habitat types with geospatial data on the feasibility of production. The land-use intensity of different energy production techniques varies over three orders of magnitude, from 1.9-2.8 km(2)/TW hr/yr for nuclear power to 788-1000 km(2)/TW hr/yr for biodiesel from soy. In all scenarios, temperate deciduous forests and temperate grasslands will be most impacted by future energy development, although the magnitude of impact by wind, biomass, and coal to different habitat types is policy-specific. Regardless of the existence or structure of a cap-and-trade bill, at least 206,000 km(2) will be impacted without substantial increases in energy efficiency, which saves at least 7.6 km(2) per TW hr of electricity conserved annually and 27.5 km(2) per TW hr of liquid fuels conserved annually. Climate policy that reduces carbon dioxide emissions may increase the areal impact of energy, although the magnitude of this potential side effect may be substantially mitigated by increases in energy efficiency. The possibility of widespread energy sprawl increases the need for energy conservation, appropriate siting, sustainable production practices, and compensatory mitigation offsets.

Spectral and Temporal Characteristics of LS PEG and TW PIC Using XMM-NEWTON Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talebpour Sheshvan, Nasrin; Balman, Solen

2016-07-01

We report the analysis of archival XMM-Newton X-ray observations of LS Peg and TW Pic. These are Cataclysmic Variables (CVs) suggested as Intermediate Polars (IPs), but unconfirmed in the X-rays. Identification of several periodic oscillations in the optical band hint them as IPs. Unlike the previous spectral analysis on the EPIC-MOS data by fitting a hot optically thin plasma emission model with a single temperature for LS Peg, we simultaneously fitted all EPIC spectrum (pn+MOS) using a composite model of absorption for interstellar medium (tbabs) with two different partial covering absorbers (pcfabs) including a multitemperature plasma emission component (cevmkl) and a Gaussian emission line at 6.4 keV. TW Pic is best modeled in a similar manner with only one partial covering absorber and an extra Gaussian emission line at 6.7 keV. LS Peg has a maximum plasma temperature of ˜14.8 keV with an X-ray luminosity of ˜5×10^{32}ergs ^{-1} translating to an accretion rate of ˜1.27×10^{-10}M _{⊙}yr ^{-1}. TW Pic shows kT _{max} ˜38.7 keV with an X-ray luminosity around 1.6×10^{33}ergs ^{-1} at an accretion rate of ˜4×10^{-10}M _{⊙}yr ^{-1}. In addition, we discuss orbital modulations in the X-rays and power spectral analysis, and derive the EPIC pn spectra for orbital minimum and orbital maximum phases for both sources. We elaborate on the geometry of accretion and absorption in the X-ray emitting regions of both sources with articulation on the magnetic nature.

High Dispersion Line Profile Studies of TW HYA and Other Pre-Main Sequence Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linsky, Jeffrey L.

1984-07-01

We propose to extend our study of line profiles in T Tauri stars by obtaining a 16 hour SWP-HI spectrum of TW Hya and 6-8 hour LWP-HI spectra of TW Hya, AK Sco, CoD -35 10525 and CoD -33 10685. High dispersion spectra of pre-main sequence (PMS) stars provide unique information on line widths, shifts, and asymmetries, as well as evidence for mass outflow, circumstellar absorption, and diagnostics for the temperature structure of the outer atmosphere layers of these complex yet incredibly important objects. We have previously obtained and studied line profiles in RU Lupi and the prototype star T Tau. RU Lupi has line profiles that are dominated by the wind expansion, for example the MgII and FeII multiplet UV1 profiles are unique in that they have a classical P Cygni shape, whereas T Tau has more symmetric emission profiles indicative of a chromosphere and hotter layers not dominated by expansion. TW Hya is different from these two previously studied stars in that it may be the brightest known example of a post-T Tauri star, and hence less active and older than the other PMS stars. We intend to compare its line profiles with those of RU Lupi and T Tauri in order to understand the differences in the non-thermal mass motions, wind expansion, and thermal structures of these three very different T Tau stars. The requested LWPHI spectra are to obtain MgII and FeII multiplet UV1. profiles of 4 different T Tauri objects so as to infer the expansion and thermal structure in their chromospheric layers.

PCR analysis is superior to histology for diagnosis of Whipple's disease mimicking seronegative rheumatic diseases.

PubMed

Lehmann, P; Ehrenstein, B; Hartung, W; Dragonas, C; Reischl, U; Fleck, M

2017-03-01

The diagnosis of Whipple's disease (WD) is commonly confirmed by histology demonstrating Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS)-positive macrophages in the duodenal mucosa. Analysis of intestinal tissue or other specimens using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a more sensitive method. However, the relevance of positive PCR findings is still controversial. Therefore, we evaluated the relevance of histology and PCR findings to establishing the diagnosis of WD in a series of WD patients initially presenting with suspected rheumatic diseases. Between 2006 and 2014, 20 patients with seronegative rheumatic diseases tested positive for Tropheryma whipplei (Tw) by PCR and/or histology and were enrolled in a retrospective analysis of the diagnostic value of both procedures. Seven of the 20 cases (35%) were diagnosed with 'classic' WD as indicated by PAS-positive macrophages. In the remaining 13 patients, the presence of Tw was detected by intestinal (n = 10) or synovial PCR analysis (n = 3). Two of the 20 patients (10%) with evidence of Tw did not respond to antibiotic therapy. They were not considered to suffer from WD. Therefore, relying only on histological findings of intestinal biopsies would have missed 11 (61%) of the 18 patients with WD in our cohort. In comparison, PCR of intestinal biopsies detected Tw-DNA in 14 (93%) of the 15 WD patients evaluated. Patients with a positive histology did not differ from PCR-positive patients with regard to sex, age, or duration of disease, but more often presented with gastrointestinal symptoms. A substantial number of WD patients present without typical intestinal histology findings. Additional PCR analysis of intestinal tissue or synovial fluid increased the sensitivity of the diagnostic evaluation and should be considered particularly in patients presenting with atypical seronegative rheumatic diseases and a high-risk profile for WD.

Foot-Ground Reaction Force During Resistance Exercise in Parabolic Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Stuart M. C.; Cobb, Kendall; Loehr, James A.; Nguyen, Daniel; Schneider, Suzanne M.

2003-01-01

An interim Resistance Exercise Device (iRED) was designed to provide resistive exercise as a countermeasure to space flight-induced loss of muscle strength and endurance as well as decreased bone mineral density. The purpose of this project was to compare foot-ground reaction force during iRED exercise in normal gravity (l-g) versus micro gravity (O-g) achieved during parabolic flight. METHODS: Four subjects performed three exercises using the iRED (squat, heel raise, and deadlift) during I-g and O-g at a moderate intensity (60% of maximum strength during deadlift exercise). Foot-ground reaction force was measured in three axes (x,y,z) using a force plate, and the magnitude of the resultant force vector was calculated (r = X 2 + y2 + Z2 ). Range of motion (ROM) was measured using a linear encoder. Peak force (PkF) and total work (TW) were calculated using a customized computer program. Paired t-tests were used to test if significant differences (p.::::0.05) were observed between I-g and O-g exercise. RESULTS: PkF and TW measured in the resultant axis were significantly less in O-g for each of the exercises tested. During O-g, PkF was 42-46% and TW was 33- 37% of that measured during I-g. ROM and average time to complete each repetition were not different from I-g to O-g. CONCLUSIONS: When performing exercises in which body mass is a portion of the resistance during I-g, PkF and TW measured during resistive exercise were reduced approximately 60-70% during O-g. Thus, a resistive exercise device during O-g will be required to provided higher resistances to induce a similar training stimulus to that on Earth.

A Flexible Question-and-Answer Task for Measuring Speech Understanding.

PubMed

Best, Virginia; Streeter, Timothy; Roverud, Elin; Mason, Christine R; Kidd, Gerald

2016-11-24

This report introduces a new speech task based on simple questions and answers. The task differs from a traditional sentence recall task in that it involves an element of comprehension and can be implemented in an ongoing fashion. It also contains two target items (the question and the answer) that may be associated with different voices and locations to create dynamic listening scenarios. A set of 227 questions was created, covering six broad categories (days of the week, months of the year, numbers, colors, opposites, and sizes). All questions and their one-word answers were spoken by 11 female and 11 male talkers. In this study, listeners were presented with question-answer pairs and asked to indicate whether the answer was true or false. Responses were given as simple button or key presses, which are quick to make and easy to score. Two preliminary experiments are presented that illustrate different ways of implementing the basic task. In the first experiment, question-answer pairs were presented in speech-shaped noise, and performance was compared across subjects, question categories, and time, to examine the different sources of variability. In the second experiment, sequences of question-answer pairs were presented amidst competing conversations in an ongoing, spatially dynamic listening scenario. Overall, the question-and-answer task appears to be feasible and could be implemented flexibly in a number of different ways. © The Author(s) 2016.

A Flexible Question-and-Answer Task for Measuring Speech Understanding

PubMed Central

Streeter, Timothy; Roverud, Elin; Mason, Christine R.; Kidd, Gerald

2016-01-01

This report introduces a new speech task based on simple questions and answers. The task differs from a traditional sentence recall task in that it involves an element of comprehension and can be implemented in an ongoing fashion. It also contains two target items (the question and the answer) that may be associated with different voices and locations to create dynamic listening scenarios. A set of 227 questions was created, covering six broad categories (days of the week, months of the year, numbers, colors, opposites, and sizes). All questions and their one-word answers were spoken by 11 female and 11 male talkers. In this study, listeners were presented with question-answer pairs and asked to indicate whether the answer was true or false. Responses were given as simple button or key presses, which are quick to make and easy to score. Two preliminary experiments are presented that illustrate different ways of implementing the basic task. In the first experiment, question-answer pairs were presented in speech-shaped noise, and performance was compared across subjects, question categories, and time, to examine the different sources of variability. In the second experiment, sequences of question-answer pairs were presented amidst competing conversations in an ongoing, spatially dynamic listening scenario. Overall, the question-and-answer task appears to be feasible and could be implemented flexibly in a number of different ways. PMID:27888257

Illustrated Plant Identification Keys: An Interactive Tool to Learn Botany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silva, Helena; Pinho, Rosa; Lopes, Lisia; Nogueira, Antonio J. A.; Silveira, Paulo

2011-01-01

An Interactive Dichotomous Key (IDK) for 390 "taxa" of vascular plants from the Ria de Aveiro, available on a website, was developed to help teach botany to school and universitary students. This multimedia tool includes several links to Descriptive and Illustrated Glossaries. Questionnaires answered by high-school and undergraduate students about…

Radiology Aide. Instructor Key [and] Student Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartwein, Jon; Dunham, John

This manual can be used independently by students in secondary health occupations programs or by persons receiving on-the-job training in a radiology department. The manual includes an instructor's key that provides answers to the activity sheets and unit evaluations. The manual consists of the following five units: (1) orientation to radiology;…

Answering the Oregon challenge : climate change

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-13

This paper outlines Gov. Kulongoski's agenda concerning the issue of climate change. It addresses several key topics: greenhouse gas reduction, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable transportation.

WATER VAPOR IN THE PROTOPLANETARY DISK OF DG Tau

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

Podio, L.; Dougados, C.; Thi, W.-F.

2013-03-20

Water is key in the evolution of protoplanetary disks and the formation of comets and icy/water planets. While high-excitation water lines originating in the hot inner disk have been detected in several T Tauri stars (TTSs), water vapor from the outer disk, where most water ice reservoirs are stored, was only reported in the nearby TTS TW Hya. We present spectrally resolved Herschel/HIFI observations of the young TTS DG Tau in the ortho- and para-water ground-state transitions at 557 and 1113 GHz. The lines show a narrow double-peaked profile, consistent with an origin in the outer disk, and are {approx}19-26more » times brighter than in TW Hya. In contrast, CO and [C II] lines are dominated by emission from the envelope/outflow, which makes H{sub 2}O lines a unique tracer of the disk of DG Tau. Disk modeling with the thermo-chemical code ProDiMo indicates that the strong UV field, due to the young age and strong accretion of DG Tau, irradiates a disk upper layer at 10-90 AU from the star, heating it up to temperatures of 600 K and producing the observed bright water lines. The models suggest a disk mass of 0.015-0.1 M{sub Sun }, consistent with the estimated minimum mass of the solar nebula before planet formation, and a water reservoir of {approx}10{sup 2}-10{sup 3} Earth oceans in vapor and {approx}100 times larger in the form of ice. Hence, this detection supports the scenario of ocean delivery on terrestrial planets by the impact of icy bodies forming in the outer disk.« less

Gas and dust in the TW Hydrae association as seen by the Herschel Space Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riviere-Marichalar, P.; Pinte, C.; Barrado, D.; Thi, W. F.; Eiroa, C.; Kamp, I.; Montesinos, B.; Donaldson, J.; Augereau, J. C.; Huélamo, N.; Roberge, A.; Ardila, D.; Sandell, G.; Williams, J. P.; Dent, W. R. F.; Menard, F.; Lillo-Box, J.; Duchêne, G.

2013-07-01

Context. Circumstellar discs are the places where planets form, therefore knowledge of their evolution is crucial for our understanding of planet formation. The Herschel Space Observatory is providing valuable data for studying disc systems, thanks to its sensitivity and wavelength coverage. This paper is one of several devoted to analysing and modelling Herschel-PACS observations of various young stellar associations from the GASPS open time key programme. Aims: The aim of this paper is to elucidate the gas and dust properties of circumstellar discs in the ~10 Myr TW Hya association (TWA) using new far-infrared (IR) imaging and spectroscopy from Herschel-PACS. Methods: We obtained far-IR photometric data at 70, 100, and 160 μm of 14 TWA members; spectroscopic observations centred on the [OI] line at 63.18 μm were also obtained for 9 of the 14. The new photometry for each star was incorporated into its full spectral energy distribution. Results: We detected excess IR emission that is characteristic of circumstellar discs from five TWA members, and computed upper limits for another nine. Two TWA members (TWA 01 and TWA 04B) also show [OI] emission at 63.18 μm. Discs in the TWA association display a variety of properties, with a wide range of dust masses and inner radii, based on modified blackbody modelling. Both transitional and debris discs are found in the sample. Models for sources with a detected IR excess give dust masses in the range from ~0.15 M⊕ to ~63 M⊕. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.

Microstructured snow targets for high energy quasi-monoenergetic proton acceleration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schleifer, E.; Nahum, E.; Eisenmann, S.; Botton, M.; Baspaly, A.; Pomerantz, I.; Abricht, F.; Branzel, J.; Priebe, G.; Steinke, S.; Andreev, A.; Schnuerer, M.; Sandner, W.; Gordon, D.; Sprangle, P.; Ledingham, K. W. D.; Zigler, A.

2013-05-01

Compact size sources of high energy protons (50-200MeV) are expected to be key technology in a wide range of scientific applications 1-8. One promising approach is the Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA) scheme 9,10, holding record level of 67MeV protons generated by a peta-Watt laser 11. In general, laser intensity exceeding 1018 W/cm2 is required to produce MeV level protons. Another approach is the Break-Out Afterburner (BOA) scheme which is a more efficient acceleration scheme but requires an extremely clean pulse with contrast ratio of above 10-10. Increasing the energy of the accelerated protons using modest energy laser sources is a very attractive task nowadays. Recently, nano-scale targets were used to accelerate ions 12,13 but no significant enhancement of the accelerated proton energy was measured. Here we report on the generation of up to 20MeV by a modest (5TW) laser system interacting with a microstructured snow target deposited on a Sapphire substrate. This scheme relax also the requirement of high contrast ratio between the pulse and the pre-pulse, where the latter produces the highly structured plasma essential for the interaction process. The plasma near the tip of the snow target is subject to locally enhanced laser intensity with high spatial gradients, and enhanced charge separation is obtained. Electrostatic fields of extremely high intensities are produced, and protons are accelerated to MeV-level energies. PIC simulations of this targets reproduce the experimentally measured energy scaling and predict the generation of 150 MeV protons from laser power of 100TW laser system18.

On the Performance of Quorum Replication on the Internet

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-31

ISP in Cambridge, MA MA2 ISP in Cambridge, MA MA3 ISP in Martha’s Vineyard, MA MA4 ISP in Massachusetts, MA MD ISP in Laurel, MD MEX National...1523 171 96% 58% MA2 28% 742 1517 230 94% 59% NC 32% 465 616 255 90% 63% ISR2 3% 424 70 400 100% 97% UT1 27% 979 1847 189 96% 55% MA1 29% 645 712 238... MA2 UT2 UT1 CA1 AUS NC NZ TW KR CA2 CA3 Fig. 4. Our crumbling wall quorum system. of the first row are in North America. TW, which has lossy

AmeriFlux US-Tw1 Twitchell Wetland West Pond

DOE Data Explorer

Baldocchi, Dennis [University of California, Berkeley

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Tw1 Twitchell Wetland West Pond. Site Description - The Twitchell Wetland site is a 7.4-acre restored wetland on Twitchell Island, that is managed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In the fall of 1997, the site was permanently flooded to a depth of approximately 25 cm. The wetland was almost completely covered by cattails and tules by the third growing season. A flux tower equipped to analyze energy, H2O, CO2, and CH4 fluxes was installed on May 17, 2012.

Period variations of Algol-type eclipsing binaries AD And, TWCas and IV Cas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parimucha, Štefan; Gajdoš, Pavol; Kudak, Viktor; Fedurco, Miroslav; Vaňko, Martin

2018-04-01

We present new analyses of variations in O – C diagrams of three Algol-type eclipsing binary stars: AD And, TW Cas and IV Cas. We have used all published minima times (including visual and photographic) as well as newly determined ones from our and SuperWasp observations. We determined orbital parameters of 3rd bodies in the systems with statistically significant errors, using our code based on genetic algorithms and Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations. We confirmed the multiple nature of AD And and the triple-star model of TW Cas, and we proposed a quadruple-star model of IV Cas.

Two-photon absorption in SiO{sub 2}- and (SiO{sub 2} + GeO{sub 2})-based fibres at a wavelength of 349 nm

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

Chunaev, D S; Karasik, A Ya

2014-06-30

The nonlinear two-photon light absorption coefficients have been measured in an optical fibre with a quartz glass (SiO{sub 2}) core and in a fibre with a germanosilicate glass (SiO{sub 2} + GeO{sub 2}) core. The two-photon absorption coefficient β measured at a wavelength of 349 nm in the (SiO{sub 2} + GeO{sub 2})-based fibre (13.7 cm TW{sup -1}) multiply exceeds that for the pure quartz glass optical fibre (0.54 cm TW{sup -1}). (nonlinear optical phenomena)

An efficient method to improve the production of methane from anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge.

PubMed

Li, Xiaolan; Xu, Xueqin; Huang, Shansong; Zhou, Yun; Jia, Haijiang

2017-10-01

Methane production from waste activated sludge (WAS) anaerobic digestion is always low due to slow hydrolysis rate and inappropriate ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C/N). In this work, a novel approach, i.e., co-digestion of WAS and tobacco waste (TW) using ozone pretreatment, to greatly enhance the production of methane is reported. Experimental results showed the optimal C/N and ozone dosage for methane production was 24:1 and 90 mg/g suspended solids, and the corresponding methane production was 203.6 mL/g volatile suspended solids, which was 1.3-fold that in mono-WAS digestion. Further investigation showed the co-digestion of WAS and TW was beneficial to the consumptions of protein and cellulose; also, the presence of ozone enhanced the disruption of organic substrates and production of short chain fatty acids, which provided sufficient digestion substrates for methane generation. Analysis of microbial community structure suggested that members of the phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the dominant species when ozone pretreatment was applied. The findings obtained in this work might be of great importance for the treatment of WAS and TW.

Ultra-high field MRI for primate imaging using the travelling-wave concept.

PubMed

Mallow, Johannes; Herrmann, Tim; Kim, Kyoung-Nam; Stadler, Joerg; Mylius, Judith; Brosch, Michael; Bernarding, Johannes

2013-08-01

Ultra-high field (UHF) neuroimaging is usually conducted with volume transmit (Tx) and phased array receive (Rx) coils, both tightly enclosing the object. The travelling-wave (TW) concept allows a remote excitation offering more flexible experimental setups. To investigate the feasibility of primate MRI in horizontal UHF MRI, we first compared the distribution of the electromagnetic fields in an oil phantom and then verified the concept with an in vivo experiment. In the phantom experiments an in-house circularly polarized hybrid birdcage coil and a self-developed patch antenna were used for Tx and an eight-element phased array antenna for Rx. B1+ fields were calculated and measured for both approaches. For in vivo experiments the Rx part was replaced with an optimized three-element phased array head coil. The SAR was calculated using field simulation. In the phantom the field distribution was homogenous in a central volume of interest of about 10 cm diameter. The TW concept showed a slightly better homogeneity. Examination of a female crab-eating macaque led to homogeneous high-contrast images with a good delineation of anatomical details. The TW concept opens up a new approach for MRI of medium-sized animals in horizontal UHF scanners.

Testing our scenario of a failed wind for TW Hya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guenther, Hans

2017-08-01

Young, accreting low-mass stars show strong, broad and asymmetric FUV emission lines. When multiple observations of the same wavelength region exist, we often see that the flux and profile of these lines change strongly between the observations. Observationally, this is poorly characterized, and theoretically, neither the lines profiles nor their variability can be explained. In 2011 we tried to remedy this situation by monitoring the classical Tauri star TW Hya for 10 orbits with HST/COS. At the time, the literature suggested that the variability could be due to a hot stellar wind and thus we distributed the observations over one month, which would have been the appropriate time scale. As it turns out, this assumption appears to have been wrong. The data we received clearly shows that no hot wind is present and that all variability happens on much shorter time scales. In this proposal, we show that we have done a thorough analysis of the existing data and we have a model to explain it. Now, we ask for additional monitoring of TW Hya to cover the time scale of a few hours - as we now know this is the relevant time scale to understand the variability.

Fixed-time artificial insemination with estradiol and progesterone for Bos indicus cows II: strategies and factors affecting fertility.

PubMed

Sá Filho, O G; Meneghetti, M; Peres, R F G; Lamb, G C; Vasconcelos, J L M

2009-07-15

In Experiments 1, 2, and 3, we evaluated the effects of temporary weaning (TW), equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) treatments on results of a fixed-time artificial insemination (TAI) protocol in postpartum Bos indicus cows. In Experiment 1, treatment with 400 IU eCG or with TW for 48 h consistently improved pregnancy rates (PRs) at TAI, but, in Experiment 2, FSH treatment was less effective than eCG or TW. In Experiment 3, the inclusion of eCG treatment in cows subjected to TW did not improve PRs. We concluded that TW or 400 IU eCG should be included in the TAI protocol in postpartum Bos indicus cows to enhance fertility. In Experiment 4, we used records from heifers and cows treated with the proposed protocol during the 2006-2007 (n=27,195) and 2007-2008 (n=36,838) breeding seasons from multiple locations in Brazil to evaluate factors potentially affecting PRs. Overall PR at TAI was 49.6% (31,786 of 64,033). Pregnancy rate differed (P<0.01) among farm within location (results ranging between 26.8% and 68.0%; P<0.01), cow group within farm, by breed (Bos indicus, 48.3% [26,123 of 54,145]; Bos taurus, 61.7% [3652 of 5922]; and crossbred Bos indicus x Bos taurus, 50.7% [2011 of 3966]), category (nulliparous, 39.6% [2095 of 5290]; suckled primiparous, 45.2% [3924 of 8677]; suckled multiparous, 51.8% [24,245 of 46,767]; and nonsuckled multiparous, 46.1% [1522 of 3299]), body condition score at TAI (< or =2.5, 43.0% [3409 of 7923]; 3.0, 49.6% [18,958 of 38,229]; and > or =3.5, 52.7% [9419 of 17,881]). Days postpartum at beginning of protocol did not affect PR (30 to 60 d, 47.6% [4228 of 8881]; 61 to 90 d, 51.7% [16,325 to 31,572]; and 91 to 150 d, 50.8% [7616 to 14,991]; P>0.1). Pregnancy rate was also consistently affected (P<0.01) by sire (results ranging from 7.2% to 77.3%) and artificial insemination technician (results ranging from 15.1% to 81.8%).

Unbiased millimeter-wave line surveys of TW Hya and V4046 Sgr: The enhanced C{sub 2}H and CN abundances of evolved protoplanetary disks

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

Kastner, Joel H.; Punzi, Kristina; Hily-Blant, Pierre

2014-09-20

We have conducted the first comprehensive millimeter-wave molecular emission line surveys of the evolved circumstellar disks orbiting the nearby, roughly solar-mass, pre-main-sequence (T Tauri) stars, TW Hya (D = 54 pc) and V4046 Sgr AB (D = 73 pc). Both disks are known to retain significant residual gaseous components despite the advanced ages of their host stars (∼8 Myr and ∼21 Myr, respectively). Our unbiased broadband radio spectral surveys of the TW Hya and V4046 Sgr disks were performed with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment 12 m telescope, and are intended to yield a complete census of the bright molecular emissionmore » lines in the range 275-357 GHz (1.1-0.85 mm). We find that lines of {sup 12}CO, {sup 13}CO, HCN, CN, and C{sub 2}H, all of which lie in the higher frequency (>330 GHz) range, constitute the strongest molecular emission from both disks in the spectral region surveyed. The molecule C{sub 2}H is detected here for the first time in both disks, as is CS in the TW Hya disk. The survey results also include the first measurements of the full suite of the hyperfine transitions of CN N = 3 → 2 and C{sub 2}H N = 4 → 3 in both disks. Modeling of these CN and C{sub 2}H hyperfine complexes in the spectrum of TW Hya indicates that the emission from both species is optically thick and may originate from very cold (≲10 K) disk regions. The latter result, if confirmed, would suggest the efficient production of CN and C{sub 2}H in the outer disk and/or near the disk midplane. It furthermore appears that the fractional abundances of CN and C{sub 2}H are significantly enhanced in these evolved protoplanetary disks, relative to the fractional abundances of the same molecules in the environments of deeply embedded protostars. These results, combined with previous determinations of the enhanced abundances of other species (such as HCO{sup +}) in T Tauri star disks, underscore the importance of properly accounting for high-energy (FUV and X-ray) radiation from the central T Tauri star when modeling protoplanetary disk gas chemistry and physical conditions.« less

Dual Language Development and Disorders: A Handbook on Bilingualism and Second Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Genesee, Fred; Paradis, Johanne; Crago, Martha B.

2004-01-01

This book dispels many myths about dual language development and answers key questions that might arise as you work with children and their parents. Student profiles, definitions of key terms, and "clinical implications" sections for selected chapters make this a valuable reference for in-practice SLPs and educators, an accessible resource for…

3D Models of Immunotherapy

Cancer.gov

This collaborative grant is developing 3D models of both mouse and human biology to investigate aspects of therapeutic vaccination in order to answer key questions relevant to human cancer immunotherapy.

Our evolving universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longair, Malcolm S.

Our Evolving Universe is a lucid, non-technical and infectiously enthusiastic introduction to current astronomy and cosmology. Highly illustrated throughout with the latest colour images from the world's most advanced telescopes, it also provides a colourful view of our Universe. Malcolm Longair takes us on a breathtaking tour of the most dramatic recent results astronomers have on the birth of stars, the hunt for black holes and dark matter, on gravitational lensing and the latest tests of the Big Bang. He leads the reader right up to understand the key questions that future research in astronomy and cosmology must answer. A clear and comprehensive glossary of technical terms is also provided. For the general reader, student or professional wishing to understand the key questions today's astronomers and cosmologists are trying to answer, this is an invaluable and inspiring read.

2.5 TW, two-cycle IR laser pulses via frequency domain optical parametric amplification.

PubMed

Gruson, V; Ernotte, G; Lassonde, P; Laramée, A; Bionta, M R; Chaker, M; Di Mauro, L; Corkum, P B; Ibrahim, H; Schmidt, B E; Legaré, F

2017-10-30

Broadband optical parametric amplification in the IR region has reached a new milestone through the use of a non-collinear Frequency domain Optical Parametric Amplification system. We report a laser source delivering 11.6 fs pulses with 30 mJ of energy at a central wavelength of 1.8 μm at 10 Hz repetition rate corresponding to a peak power of 2.5 TW. The peak power scaling is accompanied by a pulse shortening of about 20% upon amplification due to the spectral reshaping with higher gain in the spectral wings. This source paves the way for high flux soft X-ray pulses and IR-driven laser wakefield acceleration.

Exploring Individual and Structural Factors Associated with Employment Among Young Transgender Women of Color Using a No-Cost Transgender Legal Resource Center.

PubMed

Hill, Brandon J; Rosentel, Kris; Bak, Trevor; Silverman, Michael; Crosby, Richard; Salazar, Laura; Kipke, Michele

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore individual and structural factors associated with employment among young transgender women (TW) of color. Sixty-five trans women of color were recruited from the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund to complete a 30-min interviewer-assisted survey assessing sociodemographics, housing, workplace discrimination, job-seeking self-efficacy, self-esteem, perceived public passability, and transactional sex work. Logistic regression models revealed that stable housing (structural factor) and job-seeking self-efficacy (individual factor) were significantly associated with currently being employed. Our findings underscore the need for multilevel approaches to assist TW of color gain employment.

Effect of magnetic field on the physical properties of water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Youkai; Wei, Huinan; Li, Zhuangwen

2018-03-01

In this study, the effect of magnetic field (MF) on the partial physical properties of water are reported, tap water (TW) and 4 types of magnetized water (MW) were measured in the same condition. It was found that the properties of TW were changed following the MF treatment, shown as the increase of evaporation amount, the decrease of specific heat and boiling point after magnetization, the changes depend on the magnetization effect. In addition, magnetic field strength (MFS) has a marked influence on the magnetization effect, the optimal magnetizing condition was determined as the MFS of 300 mT. The findings of this study offered a facile approach to improve cooling and power generation efficiency in industrial.

Recent Results from ArgoNeuT and Status of MicroBooNE

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

Szelc, Andrzej

2015-07-10

Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) detectors hold the key to answering the outstanding questions about the role of neutrinos in the Standard Model of Particle physics and beyond. Their fine granularity combined with calorimetric capabilities allows for precision measurements that answering these questions will require. Here, we discuss the recent results from the ArgoNeuT experiment as well as the status and prospects for MicroBooNE, both a part of the US-based LArTPC neutrino program.

Single Top Production at Next-to-Leading Order in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory.

PubMed

Zhang, Cen

2016-04-22

Single top production processes at hadron colliders provide information on the relation between the top quark and the electroweak sector of the standard model. We compute the next-to-leading order QCD corrections to the three main production channels: t-channel, s-channel, and tW associated production, in the standard model including operators up to dimension six. The calculation can be matched to parton shower programs and can therefore be directly used in experimental analyses. The QCD corrections are found to significantly impact the extraction of the current limits on the operators, because both of an improved accuracy and a better precision of the theoretical predictions. In addition, the distributions of some of the key discriminating observables are modified in a nontrivial way, which could change the interpretation of measurements in terms of UV complete models.

Three-dimensional simulations of rapidly rotating core-collapse supernovae: finding a neutrino-powered explosion aided by non-axisymmetric flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takiwaki, Tomoya; Kotake, Kei; Suwa, Yudai

2016-09-01

We report results from a series of three-dimensional (3D) rotational core-collapse simulations for 11.2 and 27 M⊙ stars employing neutrino transport scheme by the isotropic diffusion source approximation. By changing the initial strength of rotation systematically, we find a rotation-assisted explosion for the 27 M⊙ progenitor , which fails in the absence of rotation. The unique feature was not captured in previous two-dimensional (2D) self-consistent rotating models because the growing non-axisymmetric instabilities play a key role. In the rapidly rotating case, strong spiral flows generated by the so-called low T/|W| instability enhance the energy transport from the proto-neutron star (PNS) to the gain region, which makes the shock expansion more energetic. The explosion occurs more strongly in the direction perpendicular to the rotational axis, which is different from previous 2D predictions.

Viral metagenomics, protein structure, and reverse genetics: Key strategies for investigating coronaviruses.

PubMed

Johnson, Bryan A; Graham, Rachel L; Menachery, Vineet D

2018-04-01

Viral metagenomics, modeling of protein structure, and manipulation of viral genetics are key approaches that have laid the foundations of our understanding of coronavirus biology. In this review, we discuss the major advances each method has provided and discuss how future studies should leverage these strategies synergistically to answer novel questions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Roadmap for Early Childhood and K-12 Data Linkages: Key Focus Areas to Ensure Quality Implementation. Quality Implementation Roadmaps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Data Quality Campaign, 2016

2016-01-01

Every state can create secure, robust linkages between early childhood and K-12 data systems, and effectively use the information from these linkages to implement initiatives to support programs and children, answer key policy questions, and be transparent about how the state's early childhood investments prepare students for success in school and…

Indian Education Policies in Five Northwest Region States. Issues & Answers. REL 2009-081

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smiley, Richard; Sather, Susan

2009-01-01

In this comprehensive effort to study Indian education policies, the report categorizes the policies of five Northwest Region states based on 13 key policies identified in the literature and describes the legal methods used to adopt them, such as statutes, regulations, and executive orders. The study found that six of the key policies had been…

Barriers and decisions when answering clinical questions at the point of care: a grounded theory study.

PubMed

Cook, David A; Sorensen, Kristi J; Wilkinson, John M; Berger, Richard A

2013-11-25

Answering clinical questions affects patient-care decisions and is important to continuous professional development. The process of point-of-care learning is incompletely understood. To understand what barriers and enabling factors influence physician point-of-care learning and what decisions physicians face during this process. Focus groups with grounded theory analysis. Focus group discussions were transcribed and then analyzed using a constant comparative approach to identify barriers, enabling factors, and key decisions related to physician information-seeking activities. Academic medical center and outlying community sites. Purposive sample of 50 primary care and subspecialist internal medicine and family medicine physicians, interviewed in 11 focus groups. Insufficient time was the main barrier to point-of-care learning. Other barriers included the patient comorbidities and contexts, the volume of available information, not knowing which resource to search, doubt that the search would yield an answer, difficulty remembering questions for later study, and inconvenient access to computers. Key decisions were whether to search (reasons to search included infrequently seen conditions, practice updates, complex questions, and patient education), when to search (before, during, or after the clinical encounter), where to search (with the patient present or in a separate room), what type of resource to use (colleague or computer), what specific resource to use (influenced first by efficiency and second by credibility), and when to stop. Participants noted that key features of efficiency (completeness, brevity, and searchability) are often in conflict. Physicians perceive that insufficient time is the greatest barrier to point-of-care learning, and efficiency is the most important determinant in selecting an information source. Designing knowledge resources and systems to target key decisions may improve learning and patient care.

General Information about Melanoma

MedlinePlus

... Screening Research Melanoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version General Information About Melanoma Go to Health Professional Version Key ... the PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board . Clinical Trial Information A clinical trial is a study to answer ...

The Consumption of Bicarbonate-Rich Mineral Water Improves Glycemic Control

PubMed Central

Murakami, Shinnosuke; Goto, Yasuaki; Ito, Kyo; Hayasaka, Shinya; Kurihara, Shigeo; Soga, Tomoyoshi; Tomita, Masaru; Fukuda, Shinji

2015-01-01

Hot spring water and natural mineral water have been therapeutically used to prevent or improve various diseases. Specifically, consumption of bicarbonate-rich mineral water (BMW) has been reported to prevent or improve type 2 diabetes (T2D) in humans. However, the molecular mechanisms of the beneficial effects behind mineral water consumption remain unclear. To elucidate the molecular level effects of BMW consumption on glycemic control, blood metabolome analysis and fecal microbiome analysis were applied to the BMW consumption test. During the study, 19 healthy volunteers drank 500 mL of commercially available tap water (TW) or BMW daily. TW consumption periods and BMW consumption periods lasted for a week each and this cycle was repeated twice. Biochemical tests indicated that serum glycoalbumin levels, one of the indexes of glycemic controls, decreased significantly after BMW consumption. Metabolome analysis of blood samples revealed that 19 metabolites including glycolysis-related metabolites and 3 amino acids were significantly different between TW and BMW consumption periods. Additionally, microbiome analysis demonstrated that composition of lean-inducible bacteria was increased after BMW consumption. Our results suggested that consumption of BMW has the possible potential to prevent and/or improve T2D through the alterations of host metabolism and gut microbiota composition. PMID:26798400

Predictive evaluation of pharmaceutical properties of direct compression tablets containing theophylline anhydrate during storage at high humidity by near-infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Otsuka, Yuta; Yamamoto, Masahiro; Tanaka, Hideji; Otsuka, Makoto

2015-01-01

Theophylline anhydrate (TA) in tablet formulation is transformed into monohydrate (TH) at high humidity and the phase transformation affected dissolution behavior. Near-infrared spectroscopic (NIR) method is applied to predict the change of pharmaceutical properties of TA tablets during storage at high humidity. The tablet formulation containing TA, lactose, crystalline cellulose and magnesium stearate was compressed at 4.8 kN. Pharmaceutical properties of TA tables were measured by NIR, X-ray diffraction analysis, dissolution test and tablet hardness. TA tablet was almost 100% transformed into TH after 24 hours at RH 96%. The pharmaceutical properties of TA tablets, such as tablet hardness, 20 min dissolution amount (D20) and increase of tablet weight (TW), changed with the degree of hydration. Calibration models for TW, tablet hardness and D20 to predict the pharmaceutical properties at high-humidity conditions were developed on the basis of the NIR spectra by partial least squares regression analysis. The relationships between predicted and actual measured values for TW, tablet hardness and D20 had straight lines, respectively. From the results of NIR-chemometrics, it was confirmed that these predicted models had high accuracy to monitor the tablet properties during storage at high humidity.

Does testis weight decline towards the Subarctic? A case study on the common frog, Rana temporaria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hettyey, Attila; Laurila, Anssi; Herczeg, Gábor; Jönsson, K. Ingemar; Kovács, Tibor; Merilä, Juha

2005-04-01

Interpopulation comparisons of variation in resource availability and in allocation patterns along altitudinal and latitudinal gradients allow insights into the mechanisms shaping the life history of animals. Patterns of between-population differences in female life history traits have been studied intensively across a wide range of taxa, but similar investigations in males have remained scarce. To study if testis weight—a measure of reproductive investment—varies on a geographical scale in anurans, we focussed on the variation in relative testis weight (RelTW) and asymmetry in 22 populations of the common frog Rana temporaria along a 1,600-km latitudinal transect across the Scandinavian peninsula. We found that RelTW decreased towards the north. Body mass and body length both had independent positive effects on testes mass. We found evidence for directional asymmetry (DA) in testis weight with the right testis being larger than the left. The level of DA in testis weight was not related to latitude, but both body mass and testes mass had independent positive effects on asymmetry. We discuss the northwards decrease in RelTW in terms of a decreased reproductive investment as a possible consequence of harsher environmental conditions, and perhaps also, weaker sexual selection in the north than in the south.

tWH associated production at the LHC.

PubMed

Demartin, Federico; Maier, Benedikt; Maltoni, Fabio; Mawatari, Kentarou; Zaro, Marco

2017-01-01

We study Higgs boson production in association with a top quark and a W boson at the LHC. At NLO in QCD, tWH interferes with [Formula: see text] and a procedure to meaningfully separate the two processes needs to be employed. In order to define tWH production for both total rates and differential distributions, we consider the diagram removal and diagram subtraction techniques that have been previously proposed for treating intermediate resonances at NLO, in particular in the context of tW production. These techniques feature approximations that need to be carefully taken into account when theoretical predictions are compared to experimental measurements. To this aim, we first critically revisit the tW process, for which an extensive literature exists and where an analogous interference with [Formula: see text] production takes place. We then provide robust results for total and differential cross sections for tW and tWH at 13 TeV, also matching short-distance events to a parton shower. We formulate a reliable prescription to estimate the theoretical uncertainties, including those associated to the very definition of the process at NLO. Finally, we study the sensitivity to a non-Standard-Model relative phase between the Higgs couplings to the top quark and to the W boson in tWH production.

Preliminary experimental results of tungsten wire-array Z-pinches on primary test stand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xian-Bin; Zhou, Shao-Tong; Dan, Jia-Kun; Ren, Xiao-Dong; Wang, Kun-Lun; Zhang, Si-Qun; Li, Jing; Xu, Qiang; Cai, Hong-Chun; Duan, Shu-Chao; Ouyang, Kai; Chen, Guang-Hua; Ji, Ce; Wei, Bing; Feng, Shu-Ping; Wang, Meng; Xie, Wei-Ping; Deng, Jian-Jun; Zhou, Xiu-Wen; Yang, Yi

2015-07-01

The Primary Test Stand (PTS) developed at the China Academy of Engineering Physics is a 20 TW pulsed power driver, which can deliver a ˜10 MA, 70 ns rise-time (10%-90%) current to a short-circuit load and has important applications in Z-pinch driven inertial confinement fusion and high energy density physics. Preliminary results of tungsten wire-array Z-pinch experiments on PTS are presented. The load geometries investigated include 15-mm-tall cylindrical single and nested arrays with diameter ranging from 13 mm to 30 mm, consisting of 132-300 tungsten wires with 5-10 μm in diameter. Multiple diagnostics were fielded to characterize the x-ray radiation from wire-array Z pinches. The x-ray peak power (˜50 TW) and total radiated energy (˜500 kJ) were obtained from a single 20-mm-diam array with 80-ns stagnation time. The highest x-ray peak power up to 80 TW with 2.4 ns FWHM was achieved by using a nested array with 20-mm outer diameter, and the total x-ray energy from the nested array is comparable to that of single array. Implosion velocity estimated from the time-resolved image measurement exceeds 30 cm/μs. The detailed experimental results and other findings are presented and discussed.

Why does the universe expand?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padmanabhan, T.

2010-11-01

The purpose of the paper is fivefold: (a) Argue that the question in the title can be presented in a meaningful manner and that it requires an answer. (b) Discuss the conventional answers and explain why they are unsatisfactory. (c) Suggest that a key ingredient in the answer could be the instability arising due to the ‘wrong’ sign in the Hilbert action for the kinetic energy term corresponding to expansion factor. (d) Describe how this idea connects up with another peculiar feature of our universe, viz. it spontaneously became more and more classical in the course of evolution. (e) Provide a speculative but plausible scenario, based on the thermodynamic perspective of gravity, in which one has the hope for relating the thermodynamic and cosmological arrows of time.

Psychometric properties of the World Health Organization quality of life assessment – brief in methadone patients: a validation study in northern Taiwan

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Quality of life (QOL) is an important outcome measure in the treatment of heroin addiction. The Taiwan version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment (WHOQOL-BREF [TW]) has been developed and studied in various groups, but not specifically in a population of injection drug users. The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-BREF (TW) in a sample of injection drug users undergoing methadone maintenance treatment. Methods A total of 553 participants were interviewed and completed the instrument. Item-response distributions, internal consistency, corrected item-domain correlation, criterion-related validity, and construct validity through confirmatory factor analysis were evaluated. Results The frequency distribution of the 4 domains of the WHOQOL-BREF (TW) showed no floor or ceiling effects. The instrument demonstrated adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were higher than 0.7 across the 4 domains) and all items had acceptable correlation with the corresponding domain scores (r = 0.32-0.73). Correlations (p < 0.01) of the 4 domains with the 2 benchmark items assessing overall QOL and general health were supportive of criterion-related validity. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded marginal goodness-of-fit between the 4-domain model and the sample data. Conclusions The hypothesized WHOQOL-BREF measurement model was appropriate for the injection drug users after some adjustments. Despite different patterns found in the confirmatory factor analysis, the findings overall suggest that the WHOQOL-BREF (TW) is a reliable and valid measure of QOL among injection drug users and can be utilized in future treatment outcome studies. The factor structure provided by the study also helps to understand the QOL characteristics of the injection drug users in Taiwan. However, more research is needed to examine its test-retest reliability and sensitivity to changes due to treatment. PMID:24325611

Effects of drift gas on collision cross sections of a protein standard in linear drift tube and traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Jurneczko, Ewa; Kalapothakis, Jason; Campuzano, Iain D G; Morris, Michael; Barran, Perdita E

2012-10-16

There has been a significant increase in the use of ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) to investigate conformations of proteins and protein complexes following electrospray ionization. Investigations which employ traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry (TW IM-MS) instrumentation rely on the use of calibrants to convert the arrival times of ions to collision cross sections (CCS) providing "hard numbers" of use to structural biology. It is common to use nitrogen as the buffer gas in TW IM-MS instruments and to calibrate by extrapolating from CCS measured in helium via drift tube (DT) IM-MS. In this work, both DT and TW IM-MS instruments are used to investigate the effects of different drift gases (helium, neon, nitrogen, and argon) on the transport of multiply charged ions of the protein myoglobin, frequently used as a standard in TW IM-MS studies. Irrespective of the drift gas used, recorded mass spectra are found to be highly similar. In contrast, the recorded arrival time distributions and the derived CCS differ greatly. At low charge states (7 ≤ z ≤ 11) where the protein is compact, the CCS scale with the polarizability of the gas; this is also the case for higher charge states (12 ≤ z ≤ 22) where the protein is more unfolded for the heavy gases (neon, argon, and nitrogen) but not the case for helium. This is here interpreted as a different conformational landscape being sampled by the lighter gas and potentially attributable to increased field heating by helium. Under nanoelectrospray ionization (nESI) conditions, where myoglobin is sprayed from an aqueous solution buffered to pH 6.8 with 20 mM ammonium acetate, in the DT IM-MS instrument, each buffer gas can yield a different arrival time distribution (ATD) for any given charge state.

Effects of initial graft tension on femoral tunnel widening after anatomic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a bone-patellar tendon-bone graft.

PubMed

Taketomi, Shuji; Inui, Hiroshi; Tahara, Keitaro; Shirakawa, Nobuyuki; Tanaka, Sakae; Nakagawa, Takumi

2017-09-01

The effects of initial graft tension upon tunnel widening (TW) following anatomic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have not been elucidated. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively investigate the effect of two different graft-tensioning protocols upon femoral TW following anatomic ACL reconstruction using a bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) graft and a three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) model. Forty-three patients who underwent isolated ACL reconstruction using BPTB grafts were included in this study. In 18 out of the 43 patients, the graft was fixed at full knee extension with manual maximum pull (Group H). These patients were compared with 25 patients in whom the BPTB graft was fixed at full knee extension with 80-N pull (Group L). Tunnel aperture area was measured using 3D CT 1 week and 1 year postoperatively, thus enabling us to calculate the percentage change in the area of femoral tunnel aperture. Clinical assessment was performed 1 year postoperatively, corresponding to the time period of CT assessment, and involved the evaluation of Lysholm score, anterior knee stability using a KneeLax3 arthrometer, and the pivot-shift test. When measured at 1 year postoperatively, the mean area of the femoral tunnel aperture had increased by 78.6 ± 36.8% in Group H when compared with at 1 week postoperatively, whereas that of Group L had increased by 27.7 ± 32.3%. Furthermore, TW (%) in Group H was significantly greater than that of Group L (P < 0.001). No significant differences were detected between the two groups with regard to any of the clinical outcomes evaluated. High levels of initial graft tension resulted in greater TW of the femoral tunnel aperture following anatomical ACL reconstruction using BPTB grafts. However, such levels of graft tension did not affect clinical outcome.

Nitrogen speciation and phosphorus fractionation dynamics in a lowland Chalk catchment.

PubMed

Yates, C A; Johnes, P J

2013-02-01

A detailed analysis of temporal and spatial trends in nitrogen (N) speciation and phosphorus (P) fractionation in the Wylye, a lowland Chalk sub-catchment of the Hampshire Avon, UK is presented, identifying the sources contributing to nutrient enrichment, and temporal variability in the fractionation of nutrients in transit from headwaters to lower reaches of the river. Samples were collected weekly from ten monitoring stations with daily sampling at three further sites over one year, and monthly inorganic N and total reactive P (TRP) concentrations at three of the ten weekly monitoring stations over a ten year period are also presented. The data indicate significant daily and seasonal variation in nutrient fractionation in the water column, resulting from plant uptake of dissolved organic and inorganic nutrient fractions in the summer months, increased delivery of both N and P from diffuse sources in the autumn to winter period and during high flow events, and lack of dilution of point source discharges to the Wylye from septic tank, small package Sewage Treatment Works (STW) and urban Waste Water Treatment Works (WwTW) during the summer low flow period. Weekly data show that contributing source areas vary along the river with headwater N and P strongly influenced by diffuse inorganic N and particulate P fluxes, and SRP and organic-rich point source contributions from STW and WwTW having a greater influence in the lower reaches. Long-term data show a decrease in TRP concentrations at all three monitoring stations, with the most pronounced decrease occurring downstream from Warminster WwTW, following the introduction of P stripping at the works in 2001. Inorganic N demonstrates no statistically significant change over the ten year period of record in the rural headwaters, but an increase in the lower reaches downstream from the WwTW which may be due to urban expansion in the lower catchment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural and Functional Studies of Influenza Virus A/H6 Hemagglutinin.

PubMed

Ni, Fengyun; Kondrashkina, Elena; Wang, Qinghua

2015-01-01

In June 2013, the first human infection by avian influenza A(H6N1) virus was reported in Taiwan. This incident raised the concern for possible human epidemics and pandemics from H6 viruses. In this study, we performed structural and functional investigation on the hemagglutinin (HA) proteins of the human-infecting A/Taiwan/2/2013(H6N1) (TW H6) virus and an avian A/chicken/Guangdong/S1311/2010(H6N6) (GD H6) virus that transmitted efficiently in guinea pigs. Our results revealed that in the presence of HA1 Q226, the triad of HA1 S137, E190 and G228 in GD H6 HA allows the binding to both avian- and human-like receptors with a slight preference for avian receptors. Its conservation among the majority of H6 HAs provides an explanation for the broader host range of this subtype. Furthermore, the triad of N137, V190 and S228 in TW H6 HA may alleviate the requirement for a hydrophobic residue at HA1 226 of H2 and H3 HAs when binding to human-like receptors. Consequently, TW H6 HA has a slight preference for human receptors, thus may represent an intermediate towards a complete human adaptation. Importantly, the triad observed in TW H6 HA is detected in 74% H6 viruses isolated from Taiwan in the past 14 years, suggesting an elevated threat of H6 viruses from this region to human health. The novel roles of the triad at HA1 137, 190 and 228 of H6 HA in binding to receptors revealed here may also be used by other HA subtypes to achieve human adaptation, which needs to be further tested in laboratory and closely monitored in field surveillance.

HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection Incidence and Associated Risk Factors Among High-Risk MSM and Male-to-Female Transgender Women in Lima, Peru.

PubMed

Castillo, Rostislav; Konda, Kelika A; Leon, Segundo R; Silva-Santisteban, Alfonso; Salazar, Ximena; Klausner, Jeffrey D; Coates, Thomas J; Cáceres, Carlos F

2015-08-15

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and male-to-female transgender women (TW) are at increased risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We evaluated factors associated with incidence of HIV, HSV-2, and chlamydia and gonorrhea (anal and pharyngeal). We used data from the Comunidades Positivas trial with MSM/TW who have sex with men in Lima, Peru. Participants were asked about sexual risk behaviors and underwent HIV/STI testing at baseline and 9- and 18-month follow-ups. We used discrete time proportional hazards regression to calculate hazard ratios for variables associated with incidence of each STI. Among 718 MSM/TW, HIV incidence was 3.6 cases per 100 person-years. HIV incidence was associated with having an incident STI adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 3.73. Unprotected receptive anal intercourse was associated with incident anal chlamydia (aHR 2.20). An increased number of sexual partners increased incident HSV-2 (aHR 3.15 for 6-14 partners and 3.97 for 15-46 partners compared with 0-2 partners). The risk of anal gonorrhea decreased with each sexually active year (aHR 0.94) and increased for unprotected compensated sex (aHR 2.36). The risk of pharyngeal gonorrhea also decreased with each year since sexual debut (aHR 0.95). The risk of anal chlamydia decreased with each sexually active year (aHR 0.96); the risk increased with reports of unprotected sex work (aHR 1.61) and unprotected receptive anal sex (aHR 2.63). All aHRs have P values <0.05. MSM/TW experience high incidence of HIV. Up-to-date prevalence and incidence information and identifying factors associated with infection can help develop a more effective combination prevention response.

General Information about Liver (Hepatocellular) Cancer

MedlinePlus

... condition or to keep cancer from starting. General Information About Liver (Hepatocellular) Cancer Key Points Liver cancer ... PDQ Screening and Prevention Editorial Board . Clinical Trial Information A clinical trial is a study to answer ...

[Understanding questions: a specific difficulty in children with pragmatic communication and language disorders].

PubMed

Monfort, I; Monfort, M

2010-03-03

The question-answer schema is the basis for communicative interaction and is therefore a fundamental aim of the work carried out with children with severe communication and language impairment. Answering questions requires basic skills that enable the listener to identify intonation and facial expression, as well as skills in interpreting intentions and in understanding linguistic content. Some questions can rest on contextual-social keys and others may be based on lexical or structural keys. Some questions, however, call for a more complex understanding, such as 'what' and 'who' questions. Here, we propose an analysis of the skills involved in understanding questions and the consequences on intervention strategies. Intervention in understanding questions should combine different approaches (cognitive, social, linguistic) depending on the type of question, the specific difficulties the child has and the context.

Uncertainties in water chemistry in disks: An application to TW Hydrae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamp, I.; Thi, W.-F.; Meeus, G.; Woitke, P.; Pinte, C.; Meijerink, R.; Spaans, M.; Pascucci, I.; Aresu, G.; Dent, W. R. F.

2013-11-01

Context. This paper discusses the sensitivity of water lines to chemical processes and radiative transfer for the protoplanetary disk around TW Hya. The study focuses on the Herschel spectral range in the context of new line detections with the PACS instrument from the Gas in Protoplanetary Systems project (GASPS). Aims: The paper presents an overview of the chemistry in the main water reservoirs in the disk around TW Hya. It discusses the limitations in the interpretation of observed water line fluxes. Methods: We use a previously published thermo-chemical Protoplanetary Disk Model (ProDiMo) of the disk around TW Hya and study a range of chemical modeling uncertainties: metallicity, C/O ratio, and reaction pathways and rates leading to the formation of water. We provide results for the simplified assumption of Tgas = Tdust to quantify uncertainties arising for the complex heating/cooling processes of the gas and elaborate on limitations due to water line radiative transfer. Results: We report new line detections of p-H2O (322-211) at 89.99 μm and CO J = 18-17 at 144.78 μm for the disk around TW Hya. Disk modeling shows that the far-IR fine structure lines ([O i], [C ii]) and molecular submm lines are very robust to uncertainties in the chemistry, while the water line fluxes can change by factors of a few. The water lines are optically thick, sub-thermally excited and can couple to the background continuum radiation field. The low-excitation water lines are also sensitive to uncertainties in the collision rates, e.g. with neutral hydrogen. The gas temperature plays an important role for the [O i] fine structure line fluxes, the water line fluxes originating from the inner disk as well as the high excitation CO, CH+ and OH lines. Conclusions: Due to their sensitivity on chemical input data and radiative transfer, water lines have to be used cautiously for understanding details of the disk structure. Water lines covering a wide range of excitation energies provide access to the various gas phase water reservoirs (inside and outside the snow line) in protoplanetary disks and thus provide important information on where gas-phase water is potentially located. Experimental and/or theoretical collision rates for H2O with atomic hydrogen are needed to diminish uncertainties from water line radiative transfer. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.Appendices are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Reliability assessment of ballistic jump squats and bench throws.

PubMed

Alemany, Joseph A; Pandorf, Clay E; Montain, Scott J; Castellani, John W; Tuckow, Alexander P; Nindl, Bradley C

2005-02-01

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the test-retest reliability and coefficient of variation of 2 novel physical performance tests. Ten healthy men (22.0 +/- 3.0 years, 87.0 +/- 8.0 kg, 20.0 +/- 5.0% body fat) performed 30 continuous and dynamic jump squats (JS) and bench throws (BT) on 4 separate occasions. The movements were performed under loaded conditions utilizing 30% of subject's predetermined 1 repetition maximum in the back squat and bench press. Mean power (MP; W), peak power (PP; W), mean velocity (MV; m.s(-1)), peak velocity (PV; m.s(-1)), and total work (TW; J) were assessed using a ballistic measurement system (Innervations Inc., Muncie, IN). Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance with Duncan's post hoc test when mean differences were p < or = 0.05. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and within-subject coefficient of variation (CV%) were also calculated. All values are presented as mean +/- SE. BT variables were statistically similar across the 4 sessions: MP (350.0 +/- 13.9 W), PP (431.4 +/- 18.5 W) MV (1.6 +/- 0.03 m.s(-1)), PV (2.0 +/- 0.03 m.s(-1)), and TW (199.1 +/- 7.2 J). For JS, session 3 PP (1,669.8 +/- 111.2 W) was significantly greater vs. sessions 1, 2, and 4 (1,601.2 +/- 58.4 W). Session 4 MP (1,403.2 +/- 88.6 W) and MV (1.9 +/- 0.1 m.s(-1)) for JS were significantly lower during sessions 1, 2, and 3 (MP: 1,479.4.5 +/- 44.8 W, MV: 2.0 +/- 0.05 m.s(-1)). TW (834.7 +/- 24.3 J) and PV (2.2 +/- 0.04 m.s(-1)) were statistically similar during all sessions for JS. The CVs ranged from 3.0 to 7.6% for the BT and 3.2 to 5.7% for the JS. ICCs for MP, PP, MV, PV, and TW were 0.92, 0.95, 0.94, 0.91, and 0.95, respectively, during BT. ICCs during JS for MP, PP, MV, PV, and TW were 0.96, 0.98, 0.94, 0.94, and 0.89, respectively. The results of the current study support the use of a 30 continuous and dynamic BT protocol as a reliable upper-body physical performance test, which can be administered with minimal practice. Slightly greater variability for JS was observed, although the test had high reliability.

Innovative video tailoring for dietary change: final results of the Good for you! cluster randomized trial.

PubMed

Gans, Kim M; Risica, Patricia Markham; Dulin-Keita, Akilah; Mello, Jennifer; Dawood, Mahin; Strolla, Leslie O; Harel, Ofer

2015-10-07

Effective, low-cost approaches are needed to enhance dietary behavior change. While both video and tailoring technology have been effective interventions to improve diet, these approaches have never been combined to study the effectiveness of tailored videos. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the results of Good For You!, a randomized trial that tested the efficacy of innovative, individually tailored videos in helping worksite employees decrease dietary fat and increase fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake. Worksites were matched on approximate size, type of company and workforce composition and randomized to one of three experimental conditions: Non-Tailored written information (NT) (n = 14), Tailored Written information (TW) (n = 14), or Tailored Written + Tailored Video (TW + TV) (n = 15). Evaluation was conducted at baseline, 4 and 7 months. We used the NCI Fat Screener and an adapted Food Habits Questionnaire (FHQ) to estimate fat intake and fat-related behaviors, the NCI F&V Screener and F&V Habits Questionnaire (FVHQ) to measure F&V intake and behaviors. Generalized linear models were examined for all outcome measurements. 2525 worksite employees were recruited. At 4 months, dietary fat intake decreased significantly more for TW (-2.95 %) and TW + TV (-3.14%) compared with NT (-2.42%). FHQ scores decreased significantly more for TW + TV than the other two groups. Fruit intake increased the most for TW + TV compared to NT and TW. Both TW (1.30 cups) and TW + TV (1.59 cups) increased F&V intake significantly more than NT (0.78 cups). TW + TV showed the largest increase in F&V behaviors on the FVFQ. At 8 months, dietary fat change continued to be significantly better for TW + TV (-3.48%) than NT (3.01%). F&V intake increased significantly more for the TW + TV group (1.38 cups) compared to the NT group (1.04 cups) and FVHQ changes were significantly greater in TW + TV and TW than for NT. The tailored intervention participants were more likely to decrease fat and increase F&V intake. The TW + TV group was generally the stronger of the two tailored interventions, especially at the longer term follow-up, demonstrating the promise of tailored video as an intervention to change eating habits. Future studies should explore newer channels and technologies in addition to DVDs for delivering tailored video interventions such as the internet and smart phones. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00301678.

Country News.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Population Education Newsletter and Forum, 1987

1987-01-01

Reports on the progress of population education programs in various countries in Asia and the Pacific region. Describes current developments in Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Maldives, and Viet Nam. (TW)

Overhead Projector Demonstrations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolb, Doris, Ed.

1987-01-01

Describes several chemistry demonstrations that use an overhead projector. Some of the demonstrations deal with electrochemistry, and another deals with the reactions of nonvolatile immiscible liquid in water. (TW)

Optically Transparent Wood from a Nanoporous Cellulosic Template: Combining Functional and Structural Performance.

PubMed

Li, Yuanyuan; Fu, Qiliang; Yu, Shun; Yan, Min; Berglund, Lars

2016-04-11

Optically transparent wood (TW) with transmittance as high as 85% and haze of 71% was obtained using a delignified nanoporous wood template. The template was prepared by removing the light-absorbing lignin component, creating nanoporosity in the wood cell wall. Transparent wood was prepared by successful impregnation of lumen and the nanoscale cellulose fiber network in the cell wall with refractive-index-matched prepolymerized methyl methacrylate (MMA). During the process, the hierarchical wood structure was preserved. Optical properties of TW are tunable by changing the cellulose volume fraction. The synergy between wood and PMMA was observed for mechanical properties. Lightweight and strong transparent wood is a potential candidate for lightweight low-cost, light-transmitting buildings and transparent solar cell windows.

Predicting Complex Organic Molecule Emission from TW Hya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vissapragada, Shreyas; Walsh, Catherine

2017-01-01

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has significantly increased our ability to observe the rich chemical inventory of star and planet formation. ALMA has recently been used to detect CH3OH (methanol) and CH3CN (methyl cyanide) in protoplanetary disks; these molecules may be vital indicators of the complex organic ice reservoir in the comet-forming zone. We have constructed a physiochemical model of TW Hya, a well-studied protoplanetary disk, to explore the different formation mechanisms of complex ices. By running our model through a radiative transfer code and convolving with beam sizes appropriate for ALMA, we have obtained synthetic observations of methanol and methyl cyanide. Here, we compare and comment on these synthetic observations, and provide astrochemical justification for their spatial distributions.

Exploring Individual and Structural Factors Associated with Employment Among Young Transgender Women of Color Using a No-Cost Transgender Legal Resource Center

PubMed Central

Hill, Brandon J.; Rosentel, Kris; Bak, Trevor; Silverman, Michael; Crosby, Richard; Salazar, Laura; Kipke, Michele

2017-01-01

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore individual and structural factors associated with employment among young transgender women (TW) of color. Methods: Sixty-five trans women of color were recruited from the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund to complete a 30-min interviewer-assisted survey assessing sociodemographics, housing, workplace discrimination, job-seeking self-efficacy, self-esteem, perceived public passability, and transactional sex work. Results: Logistic regression models revealed that stable housing (structural factor) and job-seeking self-efficacy (individual factor) were significantly associated with currently being employed. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the need for multilevel approaches to assist TW of color gain employment. PMID:28795154

A Gaia DR2 Confirmation that 2MASS J12074836–3900043 is a Member of the TW HYA Association

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gagné, Jonathan; Gonzales, Eileen C.; Faherty, Jacqueline K.

2018-05-01

We use new data from Gaia DR2 to confirm that the young L1 $\\gamma$ candidate member of the TW Hya association (TWA) is now a bona fide member with a model-dependent mass estimate of ~15 $M_{Jup}$. The ambiguous M9 $\\gamma$ candidate member 2MASS J12474428---3816464 also gets a higher Bayesian membership probability for TWA membership as a result of Gaia DR2 data and a new radial velocity measurement, but it remains unclear whether it is a true member of TWA or if it is an unrelated young interloper, because it is separated by 4.6 km/s from the locus of TWA members in UVW space.

Embryonal carcinoma antigen and the T/t locus of the mouse.

PubMed Central

Kemler, R; Babinet, C; Condamine, H; Gachelin, G; Guenet, J L; Jacob, F

1976-01-01

The presence of the F9 antigen and of four other antigens related to the T/t locus of the mouse was investigated by immunofluorescence on preimplantation embryos. In morulae heterozygous for any of these t haplotypes, both the appropriate t antigen and the F9 antigen are expressed. The F9 antigen segregates among the progeny of crosses producing embryos homozygous for some (tw32 and tw5) but not for other haplotypes. It is concluded that (i) whatever the time of action of a t haplotype, its corresponding antigen is expressed during cleavage and (ii) the F9 antigen is specified by a gene(s) in the region of the T/t locus. Images PMID:1069295

Tanning (For Teens)

MedlinePlus

... associate with old people: the eye problem cataracts. Sun Smarts Staying out of the sun altogether may seem like the only logical answer. ... a hermit? The key is to enjoy the sun sensibly, finding a balance between sun protection and ...

The Online Underworld.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scrogan, Len

1988-01-01

Discusses some of the misuses of telecommunicating using school computers, including online piracy, hacking, phreaking, online crime, and destruction boards. Suggests ways that schools can deal with these problems. (TW)

Computer Series, 88.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, John W., Ed.

1987-01-01

Describes two experiments in college chemistry which use microcomputers. One experiment deals with chemical oscillations, while the other involves colorimeter titration with laser excitation and computer-interfaced endpoint detection. (TW)

Imaging's insights into human violence.

PubMed

Church, Elizabeth J

2014-01-01

Following every well-publicized act of incomprehensible violence, the news media rush to interview neighbors, family members, and experts in an attempt to discover what could have led an individual to commit such a barbarous act. Certain stock answers are reiterated: video games, bullying, violent films, mental illness, the availability of guns, and a society that is increasingly both anonymous and callous. Might imaging be one of the more valuable keys to unlocking the mysteries of violent, aggressive people? This article explores these questions and their complex answers in the context of violent individuals.

Comparison between Long-Menu and Open-Ended Questions in computerized medical assessments. A randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Rotthoff, Thomas; Baehring, Thomas; Dicken, Hans-Dieter; Fahron, Urte; Richter, Bernd; Fischer, Martin R; Scherbaum, Werner A

2006-01-01

Background Long-menu questions (LMQs) are viewed as an alternative method for answering open-ended questions (OEQs) in computerized assessment. So far this question type and its influence on examination scores have not been studied sufficiently. However, the increasing use of computerized assessments will also lead to an increasing use of this question type. Using a summative online key feature (KF) examination we evaluated whether LMQs can be compared with OEQs in regard to the level of difficulty, performance and response times. We also evaluated the content for its suitability for LMQs. Methods We randomized 146 fourth year medical students into two groups. For the purpose of this study we created 7 peer-reviewed KF-cases with a total of 25 questions. All questions had the same content in both groups, but nine questions had a different answer type. Group A answered 9 questions with an LM type, group B with an OE type. In addition to the LM answer, group A could give an OE answer if the appropriate answer was not included in the list. Results The average number of correct answers for LMQs and OEQs showed no significant difference (p = 0.93). Among all 630 LM answers only one correct term (0.32%) was not included in the list of answers. The response time for LMQs did not significantly differ from that of OEQs (p = 0.65). Conclusion LMQs and OEQs do not differ significantly. Compared to standard multiple-choice questions (MCQs), the response time for LMQs and OEQs is longer. This is probably due to the fact that they require active problem solving skills and more practice. LMQs correspond more suitable to Short answer questions (SAQ) then to OEQ and should only be used when the answers can be clearly phrased, using only a few, precise synonyms. LMQs can decrease cueing effects and significantly simplify the scoring in computerized assessment. PMID:17032439

Bats, balls, and substitution sensitivity: cognitive misers are no happy fools.

PubMed

De Neys, Wim; Rossi, Sandrine; Houdé, Olivier

2013-04-01

Influential work on human thinking suggests that our judgment is often biased because we minimize cognitive effort and intuitively substitute hard questions by easier ones. A key question is whether or not people realize that they are doing this and notice their mistake. Here, we test this claim with one of the most publicized examples of the substitution bias, the bat-and-ball problem. We designed an isomorphic control version in which reasoners experience no intuitive pull to substitute. Results show that people are less confident in their substituted, erroneous bat-and-ball answer than in their answer on the control version that does not give rise to the substitution. Contrary to popular belief, this basic finding indicates that biased reasoners are not completely oblivious to the substitution and sense that their answer is questionable. This calls into question the characterization of the human reasoner as a happy fool who blindly answers erroneous questions without realizing it.

Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder: A Consensus Report of the Mind Exchange Program

PubMed Central

Antinori, Andrea; Arendt, Gabriele; Grant, Igor; Letendre, Scott; Chair; Muñoz-Moreno, Jose A.; Eggers, Christian; Brew, Bruce; Brouillette, Marie-Josée; Bernal-Cano, Francisco; Carvalhal, Adriana; Christo, Paulo Pereira; Cinque, Paola; Cysique, Lucette; Ellis, Ronald; Everall, Ian; Gasnault, Jacques; Husstedt, Ingo; Korten, Volkan; Machala, Ladislav; Obermann, Mark; Ouakinin, Silvia; Podzamczer, Daniel; Portegies, Peter; Rackstraw, Simon; Rourke, Sean; Sherr, Lorraine; Streinu-Cercel, Adrian; Winston, Alan; Wojna, Valerie; Yazdanpannah, Yazdan; Arbess, Gordon; Baril, Jean-Guy; Begovac, Josip; Bergin, Colm; Bonfanti, Paolo; Bonora, Stefano; Brinkman, Kees; Canestri, Ana; Cholewińska-Szymańska, Graźyna; Chowers, Michal; Cooney, John; Corti, Marcelo; Doherty, Colin; Elbirt, Daniel; Esser, Stefan; Florence, Eric; Force, Gilles; Gill, John; Goffard, Jean-Christophe; Harrer, Thomas; Li, Patrick; de Kerckhove, Linos Van; Knecht, Gaby; Matsushita, Shuzo; Matulionyte, Raimonda; McConkey, Sam; Mouglignier, Antoine; Oka, Shinichi; Penalva, Augusto; Riesenberg, Klaris; Sambatakou, Helen; Tozzi, Valerio; Vassallo, Matteo; Wetterberg, Peter; Drapato, Alicia Wiercińska

2013-01-01

Many practical clinical questions regarding the management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) remain unanswered. We sought to identify and develop practical answers to key clinical questions in HAND management. Sixty-six specialists from 30 countries provided input into the program, which was overseen by a steering committee. Fourteen questions were rated as being of greatest clinical importance. Answers were drafted by an expert group based on a comprehensive literature review. Sixty-three experts convened to determine consensus and level of evidence for the answers. Consensus was reached on all answers. For instance, good practice suggests that all HIV patients should be screened for HAND early in disease using standardized tools. Follow-up frequency depends on whether HAND is already present or whether clinical data suggest risk for developing HAND. Worsening neurocognitive impairment may trigger consideration of antiretroviral modification when other causes have been excluded. The Mind Exchange program provides practical guidance in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of HAND. PMID:23175555

Heterochromia

MedlinePlus

... chromosome studies , may be done to confirm the diagnosis. Alternative Names Differently colored eyes; Eyes - different colors Images Heterochromia References Lee BS, Samuelson TW. Glaucoma associated with pseudoexfoliation syndrome. In: Yanoff M, Duker ...

Metabolism. Part III: Lipids.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodner, George M.

1986-01-01

Describes the metabolic processes of complex lipids, including saponification, activation and transport, and the beta-oxidation spiral. Discusses fatty acid degradation in regard to biochemical energy and ketone bodies. (TW)

Turbo marketing through time compression.

PubMed

Kotler, P; Stonich, P J

1991-01-01

A host of advantages will flow to companies that learn to make and deliver goods and services faster than their competitors. However, four key questions must be answered to determine if a turbo marketing approach is suitable for your company.

ASIME 2016 White Paper: Answers to Questions from the Asteroid Miners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galache, Jl; Graps, A. L.; Asime 2016 Contributors, 30

2017-09-01

The aim of the Asteroid Science Intersections with In-Space Mine Engineering (ASIME) 2016 conference on September 21-22, 2016 in Luxembourg City was to provide an environment for the detailed discussion of the specific properties of asteroids, with the engineering needs of space missions that utilise asteroids. The ASIME 2016 Conference produced a layered record of discussions from the asteroid scientists and the asteroid miners to understand each other's key concerns and to address key scientific questions from the asteroid mining companies: Planetary Resources, Deep Space Industries and TransAstra. These Questions were the focus of the two-day conference, were addressed by scientists inside and outside of the ASIME 2016 Conference and were the focus of this White Paper. The answers in this White Paper point to the Science Knowledge Gaps (SKGs) for advancing the asteroid in-space resource utilisation domain.

Achieving HIV risk reduction through HealthMpowerment.org, a user-driven eHealth intervention for young Black men who have sex with men and transgender women who have sex with men

PubMed Central

Muessig, Kathryn E.; Baltierra, Nina B.; Pike, Emily C.; LeGrand, Sara; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B.

2014-01-01

Young, Black men who have sex with men and transgender women who have sex with men (YBMSM/TW) are at disproportionate risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (HIV/STI). HealthMpowerment.org (HMP) is a mobile phone optimised online intervention that utilises behaviour change and gaming theories to reduce risky sexual behaviours and build community among HIV-positive and negative YBMSM/TW. The intervention is user-driven, provides social support, and utilises a point reward system. A four-week pilot trial was conducted with a diverse group of 15 YBMSM/TW. During exit interviews, participants described how HMP components led to behaviour changes such as asking partners' sexual history, increased condom use, and HIV/STI testing. The user-driven structure, interactivity, and rewards appeared to facilitate sustained user engagement and the mobile platform provided relevant information in real-time. Participants described the reward elements of exceeding their previous scores and earning points toward prizes as highly motivating. HMP showed promise for being able to deliver a sufficient intervention dose and we found a trend toward higher dose received and more advanced stages of behaviour change. In this pilot trial, HMP was well accepted and demonstrates promise for translating virtual intervention engagement into actual behaviour change to reduce HIV risk behaviours. PMID:25593616

Achieving HIV risk reduction through HealthMpowerment.org, a user-driven eHealth intervention for young Black men who have sex with men and transgender women who have sex with men.

PubMed

Muessig, Kathryn E; Baltierra, Nina B; Pike, Emily C; LeGrand, Sara; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B

Young, Black men who have sex with men and transgender women who have sex with men (YBMSM/TW) are at disproportionate risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (HIV/STI). HealthMpowerment.org (HMP) is a mobile phone optimised online intervention that utilises behaviour change and gaming theories to reduce risky sexual behaviours and build community among HIV-positive and negative YBMSM/TW. The intervention is user-driven, provides social support, and utilises a point reward system. A four-week pilot trial was conducted with a diverse group of 15 YBMSM/TW. During exit interviews, participants described how HMP components led to behaviour changes such as asking partners' sexual history, increased condom use, and HIV/STI testing. The user-driven structure, interactivity, and rewards appeared to facilitate sustained user engagement and the mobile platform provided relevant information in real-time. Participants described the reward elements of exceeding their previous scores and earning points toward prizes as highly motivating. HMP showed promise for being able to deliver a sufficient intervention dose and we found a trend toward higher dose received and more advanced stages of behaviour change. In this pilot trial, HMP was well accepted and demonstrates promise for translating virtual intervention engagement into actual behaviour change to reduce HIV risk behaviours.

Molecular epidemiological studies on foot-and-mouth disease type O Taiwan viruses from the 1997 epidemic.

PubMed

Tsai, C P; Pan, C H; Liu, M Y; Lin, Y L; Chen, C M; Huang, T S; Cheng, I C; Jong, M H; Yang, P C

2000-06-01

Sequence diversity was assessed of the complete VP1 gene directly amplified from 49 clinical specimens during an explosive foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Taiwan. Type O Taiwan FMD viruses are genetically highly homogenous, as seen by the minute divergence of 0.2-0.9% revealed in 20 variants. The O/HCP-0314/TW/97 and O/TCP-022/TW/97 viral variants dominated FMD outbreaks and were prevalent in most affected pig-raising areas. Comparison of deduced amino acid sequences around the main neutralizable antigenic sites on the VP1 polypeptide showed no significant antigenic variation. However, the O/CHP-158/TW/97 variant had an alternative critical residue at position 43 in antigenic site 3, which may be due to selective pressure in the field. Two vaccine production strains (O1/Manisa/Turkey/69 and O1/Campos/Brazil/71) probably provide partial heterologous protection of swine against O Taiwan viruses. The type O Taiwan variants clustered in sublineage A1 of four main lineages in the phylogenetic tree. The O/Hong Kong/9/94 and O/1685/Moscow/Russia/95 viruses in sublineage A2 are closely related to the O Taiwan variants. The causative agent for the 1997 epidemic presumably originated from a single common source of type O FMD viruses prevalent in neighboring areas.

Best facilitated cortical activation during different stepping, treadmill, and robot-assisted walking training paradigms and speeds: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy neuroimaging study.

PubMed

Kim, Ha Yeon; Yang, Sung Phil; Park, Gyu Lee; Kim, Eun Joo; You, Joshua Sung Hyun

2016-01-01

Robot-assisted and treadmill-gait training are promising neurorehabilitation techniques, with advantages over conventional gait training, but the neural substrates underpinning locomotor control remain unknown particularly during different gait training modes and speeds. The present optical imaging study compared cortical activities during conventional stepping walking (SW), treadmill walking (TW), and robot-assisted walking (RW) at different speeds. Fourteen healthy subjects (6 women, mean age 30.06, years ± 4.53) completed three walking training modes (SW, TW, and RW) at various speeds (self-selected, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0  km/h). A functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) system determined cerebral hemodynamic changes associated with cortical locomotor network areas in the primary sensorimotor cortex (SMC), premotor cortex (PMC), supplementary motor area (SMA), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and sensory association cortex (SAC). There was increased cortical activation in the SMC, PMC, and SMA during different walking training modes. More global locomotor network activation was observed during RW than TW or SW. As walking speed increased, multiple locomotor network activations were observed, and increased activation power spectrum. This is the first empirical evidence highlighting the neural substrates mediating dynamic locomotion for different gait training modes and speeds. Fast, robot-assisted gait training best facilitated cortical activation associated with locomotor control.

High prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in anal and pharyngeal sites among a community-based sample of men who have sex with men and transgender women in Lima, Peru

PubMed Central

Leon, Segundo R; Segura, Eddy R; Konda, Kelika A; Flores, Juan A; Silva-Santisteban, Alfonso; Galea, Jerome T; Coates, Thomas J; Klausner, Jeffrey D; Caceres, Carlos F

2016-01-01

Objectives This study aimed to characterise the epidemiology of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) in Lima, Peru. Setting Cross-sectional study in Lima, Peru. Participants We recruited a group of 510 MSM and 208 TW for a subsequent community-based randomised controlled trial. The presence of CT and NG were evaluated using Aptima Combo2 in pharyngeal and anal swabs. We also explored correlates of these infections. Primary and secondary outcome measures: Study end points included overall prevalence of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae in anal and pharyngeal sites. Results Overall prevalence of CT was 19% (95% CI 16.1% to 22.1%) and 4.8% (95% CI 3.3% to 6.6%) in anal and pharyngeal sites, respectively, while prevalence of NG was 9.6% (95% CI 7.5% to 12.0%) and 6.5% (95% CI 4.8% to 8.5%) in anal and pharyngeal sites, respectively. Conclusions The prevalence of each infection declined significantly among participants older than 34 years (p<0.05). Efforts towards prevention and treatment of extraurogenital chlamydial and gonococcal infections in high-risk populations like MSM and TW in Lima, Peru, are warranted. Trial registration number NCT00670163; Results. PMID:26739719

Synthesis of highly conductive thin-walled Al-doped ZnO single-crystal microtubes by a solid state method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Shuopeng; Wang, Yue; Wang, Qiang; Xing, Cheng; Yan, Yinzhou; Jiang, Yijian

2018-06-01

ZnO has attracted considerable attention in fundamental studies and practical applications for the past decade due to its outstanding performance in gas sensing, photocatalytic degradation, light harvesting, UV-light emitting/lasing, etc. The large-sized thin-walled ZnO (TW-ZnO) microtube with stable and rich VZn-related acceptors grown by optical vapor supersaturated precipitation (OVSP) is a novel multifunctional optoelectronic material. Unfortunately, the OVSP cannot achieve doping due to the vapor growth process. To obtain doped TW-ZnO microtubes, a solid state method is introduced in this work to achieve thin-walled Al-doping ZnO (TW-ZnO:Al) microtubes with high electrical conductivity. The morphology and microstructures of ZnO:Al microtubes are similar to undoped ones. The Al3+ ions are confirmed to substitute Zn2+ sites and Zn(0/-1) vacancies in the lattice of ZnO by EDS, XRD, Raman and temperature-dependent photoluminescence analyses. The Al dopant acting as a donor level offers massive free electrons to increase the carrier concentrations. The resistivity of the ZnO:Al microtube is reduced down to ∼10-3 Ω·cm, which is one order of magnitude lower than that of the undoped microtube. The present work provides a simple way to achieve doped ZnO tubular components for potential device applications in optoelectronics.

Molecular cloning and functional identification of sterol C24-methyltransferase gene from Tripterygium wilfordii.

PubMed

Guan, Hongyu; Zhao, Yujun; Su, Ping; Tong, Yuru; Liu, Yujia; Hu, Tianyuan; Zhang, Yifeng; Zhang, Xianan; Li, Jia; Wu, Xiaoyi; Huang, Luqi; Gao, Wei

2017-09-01

Sterol C24-methyltransferase (SMT) plays multiple important roles in plant growth and development. SMT1, which belongs to the family of transferases and transforms cycloartenol into 24-methylene cycloartenol, is involved in the biosynthesis of 24-methyl sterols. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a sterol C24-methyltransferase from Tripterygium wilfordii ( TwSMT1 ). TwSMT1 (GenBank access number KU885950) is a 1530 bp cDNA with a 1041 bp open reading frame predicted to encode a 346-amino acid, 38.62 kDa protein. The polypeptide encoded by the SMT1 cDNA was expressed and purified as a recombinant protein from Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and showed SMT activity. The expression of TwSMT1 was highly up-regulated in T. wilfordii cell suspension cultures treated with methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Tissue expression pattern analysis showed higher expression in the phellem layer compared to the other four organs (leaf, stem, xylem and phloem), which is about ten times that of the lowest expression in leaf. The results are meaningful for the study of sterol biosynthesis of T. wilfordii and will further lay the foundations for the research in regulating both the content of other main compounds and growth and development of T. wilfordii.

Determination of trace metals in drinking water in Irbid City-Northern Jordan.

PubMed

Alomary, Ahmed

2013-02-01

Drinking water samples from Irbid, the second populated city in Jordan were analyzed for trace metals (As, Ba, Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Se) content. The study was undertaken to determine if the metal concentrations were within the national and international guidelines. A total of 90 drinking water samples were collected from Al-Yarmouk University area. The samples were collected from three different water types: tap water (TW), home-purified water (HPW), and plant-purified water (PPW). All the samples were analyzed for trace metals using an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. All the samples analyzed were within the United States Environmental Protection Agency admissible pH limit (6.5-8.5). The results showed that concentrations of the trace metals vary significantly between the three drinking water types. The results showed that HPW samples have the lowest level of trace metals and the concentrations of some essential trace metals in these samples are less than the recommended amounts. Slight differences in the metal contents were found between HPW samples, little differences between PPW samples; however, significant differences were found between TW samples. Although some TW samples showed high levels of trace metals, however, the mean level of most elements determined in the samples were well within the Jordanian standards as well as the World Health Organization standards for drinking water.

Overview of High Power Vacuum Dry RF Load Designs

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

Krasnykh, Anatoly

2015-08-27

A specific feature of RF linacs based on the pulsed traveling wave (TW) mode of operation is that only a portion of the RF energy is used for the beam acceleration. The residual RF energy has to be terminated into an RF load. Higher accelerating gradients require higher RF sources and RF loads, which can stably terminate the residual RF power. RF feeders (from the RF source though the accelerating section to the load) are vacuumed to transmit multi-megawatt high power RF. This overview will outline vacuumed RF loads only. A common method to terminate multi-MW RF power is tomore » use circulated water (or other liquid) as an absorbing medium. A solid dielectric interface (a high quality ceramic) is required to separate vacuum and liquid RF absorber mediums. Using such RF load approaches in TW linacs is troubling because there is a fragile ceramic window barrier and a failure could become catastrophic for linac vacuum and RF systems. Traditional loads comprising of a ceramic disk have limited peak and average power handling capability and are therefore not suitable for high gradient TW linacs. This overview will focus on ''vacuum dry'' or ''all-metal'' loads that do not employ any dielectric interface between vacuum and absorber. The first prototype is an original design of RF loads for the Stanford Two-Mile Accelerator.« less

High-amylose sodium carboxymethyl starch matrices for oral, sustained drug-release: formulation aspects and in vitro drug-release evaluation.

PubMed

Brouillet, F; Bataille, B; Cartilier, L

2008-05-22

High-amylose sodium carboxymethyl starch (HASCA), produced by spray-drying (SD), was previously shown to have interesting properties as a promising pharmaceutical sustained drug-release tablet excipient for direct compression, including ease of manufacture and high crushing strength. This study describes the effects of some important formulation parameters, such as compression force (CF), tablet weight (TW), drug-loading and electrolyte particle size, on acetaminophen-release performances from sustained drug-release matrix tablets based on HASCA. An interesting linear relationship between TW and release time was observed for a typical formulation of the system consisting of 40% (w/w) acetaminophen as model drug and 27.5% NaCl as model electrolyte dry-mixed with HASCA. Application of the Peppas and Sahlin model gave a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in drug-release from the HASCA matrix system, which is mainly controlled by surface gel layer formation. Indeed, augmenting TW increased the contribution of the diffusion mechanism. CFs ranging from 1 to 2.5 tonnes/cm(2) had no significant influence on the release properties of tablets weighing 400 or 600 mg. NaCl particle size did not affect the acetaminophen-release profile. Finally, these results prove that the new SD process developed for HASCA manufacture is suitable for obtaining similar-quality HASCA in terms of release and compression performances.

Is It Acute Stroke or Not - A Prospective Observational Study from a Multidisciplinary Emergency Department.

PubMed

Wolf, Marc E; Chatzikonstantinou, Anastasios; Grüttner, Joachim; Ebert, Anne D; Walter, Thomas; Hennerici, Michael G; Fatar, Marc

2016-01-01

Acute stroke is a medical emergency with various clinical presentations. Since the introduction of systemic thrombolytic treatment, stroke diagnosis has been made quickly and with great caution, and the trend of rapid presentation at hospitals has increased. In our multidisciplinary Emergency Department, we prospectively collected and analysed data of consecutive patients presenting with suspected acute stroke (SAS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Four hundred ten patients (200 men, mean age 68 ± 16, range 17-93 years) with SAS were admitted of which 105 were prehospitally announced as within the time-window for thrombolytic treatment (TW). Diagnosis of acute stroke/TIA was retained in 147 (35.9%). The initially reported TW <4.5 h was wrong in 35.3%. Thrombolysis was performed in 27 patients (23.5% of ischemic stroke patients; 6.6% of all SAS). Diagnosis of another neurologic disease was made in 62 (15.1%). Major differential diagnoses came from the field of internal medicine, psychiatry or otorhinolaryngology. One hundred fifty patients (36.6%) were rapidly discharged. About half the number of our patients admitted for SAS did not suffer from an acute neurologic disease. Residual symptoms post-stroke might be partly responsible for initial misinterpretation. The crucial difference between symptom onset and symptom recognition needs to be emphasized to improve the prehospital assessment of the TW. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Dinosaur Connection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donovan, Christine S.

1988-01-01

Provides background information, lesson plans, bulletin board activities, and a learning center description, all dealing with dinosaurs. Includes clip art for the learning center and reproducible "stamps" about some endangered species. (TW)

Software Reviews.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Classroom Computer Learning, 1988

1988-01-01

Provides reviews of three software packages including "MusicShapes,""For Comment," and "Colortrope," which were developed for music, writing, and science, respectively. Includes information on grade levels, publishers, hardware needed, and cost. (TW)

The Amateur Scientist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Jearl

1988-01-01

Discusses some of the physical processes involved in the freezing of water. Traces the work of a variety of researchers who have discovered numerous variables involved in the complexities of ice. (TW)

Software Reviews.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wulfson, Stephen, Ed.

1988-01-01

Reviews seven instructional software packages covering a variety of topics. Includes: "Science Square-Off"; "The Desert"; "Science Courseware: Physical Science"; "Odell Lake"; "Safety First"; "An Experience in Artificial Intelligence"; and "Master Mapper." (TW)

Introductory Biology Students' Use of Enhanced Answer Keys and Reflection Questions to Engage in Metacognition and Enhance Understanding.

PubMed

Sabel, Jaime L; Dauer, Joseph T; Forbes, Cory T

2017-01-01

Providing feedback to students as they learn to integrate individual concepts into complex systems is an important way to help them to develop robust understanding, but it is challenging in large, undergraduate classes for instructors to provide feedback that is frequent and directed enough to help individual students. Various scaffolds can be used to help students engage in self-regulated learning and generate internal feedback to improve their learning. This study examined the use of enhanced answer keys with added reflection questions and instruction as scaffolds for engaging undergraduate students in self-regulated learning within an introductory biology course. Study findings show that both the enhanced answer keys and reflection questions helped students to engage in metacognition and develop greater understanding of biological concepts. Further, students who received additional instruction on the use of the scaffolds changed how they used them and, by the end of the semester, were using the scaffolds in significantly different ways and showed significantly higher learning gains than students who did not receive the instruction. These findings provide evidence for the benefit of designing scaffolds within biology courses that will support students in engaging in metacognition and enhancing their understanding of biological concepts. © 2017 J. L. Sabel et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Process-Response Modeling and the Scientific Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fichter, Lynn S.

1988-01-01

Discusses the process-response model (PRM) in its theoretical and practical forms. Describes how geologists attempt to reconstruct the process from the response (the geologic phenomenon) being studied. (TW)

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids: Testing for Toxic Constituents of Comfrey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vollmer, John J.; And Others

1987-01-01

Discusses the possibilities of toxins present in medicinal herbs. Describes an experiment in which toxic constituents can be selectively detected by thin-layer chromatography and NMR spectroscopy. (TW)

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Equivalent width of 21 RR Lyrae stars (Pancino+, 2015)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pancino, E.; Britavskiy, N.; Romano, D.; Cacciari, C.; Mucciarelli, A.; Clementini, G.

2015-02-01

Equivalent widths and atomic data of the absorption lines used in the abundance analysis, for each separate exposure at different phases. Observations of 15 RR Lyrae stars (DR And, X Ari, TW Boo, RZ Cam, RX Cet, U Com, RV CrB, SW CVn, UZ CVn, AE Dra, SZ Gem, VX Her, DH Hya, TU UMa, and RV UMa) and one BL Her star (UY Eri) were carried out with SARG@TNG, operated on the island of La Palma, Spain, during two separate runs in 2009 March and between September and November. Eight stars (SW Aqr, TW Cap, DH Hya, V Ind, SS Leo, V716 Oph, BK Tuc, and UV Vir) were observed with UVES@VLT, between 2009 April and August in service mode. (3 data files).

AmeriFlux US-Tw3 Twitchell Alfalfa

DOE Data Explorer

Baldocchi, Dennis [University of California, Berkeley

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Tw3 Twitchell Alfalfa. Site Description - The Twitchell Alfalfa site is an alfalfa field owned by the state of California and leased to third parties for farming. The tower was installed on May 24, 2013. This site and the surrounding region are part of the San Joaquin - Sacramento River Delta drained beginning in the 1850's and subsequently used for agriculture. The field has been alfalfa for X years…., Crop rotation occurs every 5-6 years. The site is harvested by mowing and bailing several times per year. The field is fallow typically between November and February. The site is irrigated by periodically-flooded ditches surrounding the field. The site is irrigated by raising, and subsequently lowering the water table??

Impulsions laser femtosecondes intenses à contraste élevé dans le bleu-vert par amplification directe dans un milieu gazeux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uteza, O.; Tcheremiskine, V.; Clady, R.; Coustillier, G.; Sentis, M.; Spiga, Ph.; Mikheev, L. D.

2005-06-01

Cet article présente la conception d'une chaîne laser femtoseconde TW visible, associant (i) un oscillateur solide Ti:Sa opéré à 950 nm, (ii) un amplificateur optique à dérive de fréquence permettant l'amplification du signal à 950 nm au niveau de plusieurs dizaines de mJ, (iii) un système doubleur pour convertir le signal à 475 nm et l'injecter dans le milieu amplificateur XeF (C-A), (iv) un milieu gazeux excimères XeF (C-A) permettant l'amplification directe du signal à 475 nm à plusieurs centaines de mJ et ainsi l'obtention d'impulsions TW visibles à contraste élevé.

On the Origin of Banded Structure in Dusty Protoplanetary Discs: HL Tau and TW Hya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boley, Aaron C.

2017-10-01

We present simulations of planet-planetesimal interactions that can reproduce major and minor banded structure in the HL Tau and TW Hya discs provided that small grains trace the dynamically cold planetesimal population. The consequences of the model and its limitations will be discussed. In particular, the model requires that planetesimals form throughout the disc at early times, that planetesimal-planetesimal collisions are predominately among the cold population, and that pebble accretion leads to mass redistribution of the small grains onto planetesimals before the grains can undergo significant radial drift. The meteortic record may suggest that a similar process occurred in the Solar System. The model implies that grain size distributions inferred from submm/mm studies may reflect early debris processes rather than grain growth.

A Study of Precataclysmic Binaries Through Theoretic Modeling of Light Curves and Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitrofanova, A. A.; Shimansky, V. V.; Borisov, N. V.

2017-06-01

The article presents results of three pre-cataclysmic binaries (PN G068.1+11.0, TW Crv and RE J2013+4002) investigation. Spectroscopic and photometric observations were obtained on BTA and Zeiss-1000 of SAO RAS and on RTT-150. We used the modeling of light curves and spectra to determine the fundamental parameters for all three systems. The PN G068.1+11.0 parameters were obtained with the use of the evolutionary tracks for the nuclei of planetary nebulae of different masses. According to the results of the study, it was found that the secondary components of PN G068.1+11.0 and TW Crv have luminosity excess, but secondary component of RE J2013+4002 doesn't have one.

Innovative Remediation Technologies: Field-Scale Demonstration Projects in North America, 2nd Edition

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report consolidates key reference information in a matrix that allows project mangers to quickly identify new technologies that may answer their cleanup needs and contacts for obtaining technology demonstration results and other information.

Computers for Interactive Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grabowski, Barbara; Aggen, William

1984-01-01

Analyzes features of computer-based interactive video including sophisticated answer judging, diagnostic feedback, simulation, animation, audible tones, touch sensitive screen, function keys, and video enhancements, and matches these to the characteristics and pedagogical styles of learners. The learner characteristics discussed include internal…

Error behaviors associated with loss of competency in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Marson, D C; Annis, S M; McInturff, B; Bartolucci, A; Harrell, L E

1999-12-10

To investigate qualitative behavioral changes associated with declining medical decision-making capacity (competency) in patients with AD. Qualitative measures can yield clinical information about functional changes in neurologic disease not available through quantitative measures. Normal older controls (n = 21) and patients with mild and moderate probable AD (n = 72) were compared using a standardized competency measure and neuropsychological measures. A system of 16 qualitative error scores representing conceptual domains of language, executive dysfunction, affective dysfunction, and compensatory responses was used to analyze errors produced on the competency measure. Patterns of errors were examined across groups. Relationships between error behaviors and competency performance were determined, and neurocognitive correlates of specific error behaviors were identified. AD patients demonstrated more miscomprehension, factual confusion, intrusions, incoherent responses, nonresponsive answers, loss of task, and delegation than controls. Errors in the executive domain (loss of task, nonresponsive answer, and loss of detachment) were key predictors of declining competency performance by AD patients. Neuropsychological analyses in the AD group generally confirmed the conceptual domain assignments of the qualitative scores. Loss of task, nonresponsive answers, and loss of detachment were key behavioral changes associated with declining competency of AD patients and with neurocognitive measures of executive dysfunction. These findings support the growing linkage between executive dysfunction and competency loss.

Response switching and self-efficacy in Peer Instruction classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Kelly; Schell, Julie; Ho, Andrew; Lukoff, Brian; Mazur, Eric

2015-06-01

Peer Instruction, a well-known student-centered teaching method, engages students during class through structured, frequent questioning and is often facilitated by classroom response systems. The central feature of any Peer Instruction class is a conceptual question designed to help resolve student misconceptions about subject matter. We provide students two opportunities to answer each question—once after a round of individual reflection and then again after a discussion round with a peer. The second round provides students the choice to "switch" their original response to a different answer. The percentage of right answers typically increases after peer discussion: most students who answer incorrectly in the individual round switch to the correct answer after the peer discussion. However, for any given question there are also students who switch their initially right answer to a wrong answer and students who switch their initially wrong answer to a different wrong answer. In this study, we analyze response switching over one semester of an introductory electricity and magnetism course taught using Peer Instruction at Harvard University. Two key features emerge from our analysis: First, response switching correlates with academic self-efficacy. Students with low self-efficacy switch their responses more than students with high self-efficacy. Second, switching also correlates with the difficulty of the question; students switch to incorrect responses more often when the question is difficult. These findings indicate that instructors may need to provide greater support for difficult questions, such as supplying cues during lectures, increasing times for discussions, or ensuring effective pairing (such as having a student with one right answer in the pair). Additionally, the connection between response switching and self-efficacy motivates interventions to increase student self-efficacy at the beginning of the semester by helping students develop early mastery or to reduce stressful experiences (i.e., high-stakes testing) early in the semester, in the hope that this will improve student learning in Peer Instruction classrooms.

Impact assessment and recommendation of alternative conjunctive water use strategies for salt affected agricultural lands through a field scale decision support system - a case study.

PubMed

Kaur, Ravinder; Paul, Madhumita; Malik, Rashmi

2007-06-01

Conjunctive use of saline/non-saline irrigation waters is generally aimed at minimizing yield losses and enhancing flexibility of cropping, without much alteration in farming operations. Recommendation of location-specific suitable conjunctive water use plans requires assessment of their long-term impacts on soil salinization/sodification and crop yield reductions. This is conventionally achieved through long-term field experiments. However such impact evaluations are site specific, expensive and time consuming. Appropriate decision support systems (DSS) can be time-efficient and cost-effective means for such long-term impact evaluations. This study demonstrates the application of one such (indigenously developed) DSS for recommending best conjunctive water use plans for a, rice-wheat growing, salt affected farmer's field in Gurgaon district of Haryana (India). Before application, the DSS was extensively validated on several farmers and controlled experimental fields in Gurgaon and Karnal districts of Haryana (India). Validation of DSS showed its potential to give realistic estimates of root zone soil salinity (with R = 0.76-0.94; AMRE = 0.03-0.06; RMSPD = 0.51-0.90); sodicity (with R = 0.99; AMRE = 0.02; RMSPD = 0.84) and relative crop yield reductions (AMRE = 0.24), under existing (local) resource management practices. Long term (10 years) root zone salt build ups and associated rice/wheat crop yield reductions, in a salt affected farmer's field, under varied conjunctive water use scenarios were evaluated with the validated DSS. It was observed that long-term applications of canal (CW) and tube well (TW) waters in a cycle and in 1:1 mixed mode, during Kharif season, predicted higher average root zone salt reductions (2-9%) and lower rice crop yield reductions (4-5%) than the existing practice of 3-CW, 3-TW, 3-CW. Besides this, long-term application of 75% CW mixed with 25% TW, during Rabi season, predicted about 17% lower average root-zone salt reductions than the cyclic applications of (1-CW, 1-TW, 2-CW) and (2-CW, 1-TW, 1-CW, i.e., existing irrigation strategy). However, average wheat crop yield reductions (16-17%) simulated under all these strategies were almost at par. In general, cyclic-conjunctive water use strategies emerged as better options than the blending modes. These results were in complete confirmation with actual long-term conjunctive water use experiments on similar soils. It was thus observed that such pre-validated tools could be efficient means for designing, local resource and target crop yield-specific, appropriate conjunctive water use plans for irrigated agricultural lands.

Towards a TWSTFT network time transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Z.

2008-12-01

TWSTFT (Two Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer, TW hereafter) is a major technique used in TAI (International Atomic Time) generation. More than two-thirds of TAI clocks and almost all the primary frequency standards are transferred using TW. Up to now, the only geometry in TAI time transfer is single-link. However, the TAI TW time transfer data are highly redundant. In general, for an N-point network, there are N(N - 1)/2 independently measured links. Among them, only N - 1 will be used. We then have (N2 - 3N + 2)/2 redundant links. As a function of N, the redundant measurements increase quickly (cf figure 1 and table 1). At present, for the European-American network N = 13, but only 12 out of a total of 78 measured links are used in TAI. For the Asia-Pacific regions, N = 8. Full use of the high redundancy is an effective way to improve TAI without new cost. The sum of three TW links that form a closed triangle is the triangle closure. Theoretically a closure is expected to be zero if there are no measurement errors, namely the triangle closure condition. A non-zero closure is a true error and an index of the time link quality. A redundant link sets a geometric constraint. There are (N2 - 3N + 2)/2 independent conditions in a network. In 2006, Jiang and Petit (Proc. EFTF 2006 pp 468-75) proposed a mathematical model to adjust the closures to zero by global network processing. In consequence, time transfer between any two points through any link(s) in the network gives exactly the same result with the same uncertainty. This is the so-called network time transfer. In this paper, the author introduces his recent works on completing the network model by adding the calibration, the uncertainty estimation and the quality assessment using GPS PPP (time transfer by precise point positioning (PPP hereafter)) (Kouba and Héroux 2001 GPS Solut. 5 12-28, Ray and Senior 2005 Metrologia 42 215-32, Orgiazzi et al 2005 Proc. IEEE FCS 2005 pp 337-45, Defraigne et al 2007 Proc. EFTF 2007 pp 909-13, Petit and Jiang 2008 Int. J. Navig. Obs. 2008 1-8). As an independent technique with higher short-term stability, PPP is then a good reference to evaluate the improvement in the network time transfer. The gain is at least 30%. The new method also gives a solution for the high redundancy in the TAI international TW time transfer network. The TAI software Tsoft is operational to perform the network time transfer.

Brushing up on Dinosaurs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisburd, Stefi

1986-01-01

Describes new methods of reconstruction of dinosaurs using skeletons, mummified skin, and muscle scars, along with clay and paint. Examines some inaccuracies in dinosaur's physical characteristics and behaviors suggested by recent findings. (TW)

Breast cancer information communicated on a public online platform: an analysis of 'Yahoo! Answer Japan'.

PubMed

Ohigashi, An; Ahmed, Salim; Afzal, Arfan R; Shigeta, Naoko; Tam-Tham, Helen; Kanda, Hideyuki; Ishikawa, Yoshihiro; Turin, Tanvir C

2017-06-01

INTRODUCTION Japan is a developed country with high use of Internet and online platforms for health information. 'Yahoo! Answer Japan' is the most commonly used question-and-answer service in Japan. AIM To explore the information users seek regarding breast cancer from the 'Yahoo! Answer Japan' web portal. METHODS The 'Yahoo! Answer Japan' portal was searched for the key word 'breast cancer' and all questions searched for the period of 1 January to 31 December 2014 were obtained. The selected questions related to human breast cancer and were not advertisements or promotional material. The questions were categorized using a coding schema. High and low access of the questions were defined by the number of view-counts. RESULTS Among the 2392 selected questions, six major categories were identified; (1) suspected breast cancer, (2) breast cancer screening, (3) treatment of breast cancer, (4) life with breast cancer, (5) prevention of breast cancer and (6) others. The highest number of questions were treatment related (28.8%) followed by suspected breast cancer-related questions (23.4%) and screening-related questions (20%). Statistical analysis revealed that the treatment-related questions were more likely to be highly accessed. CONCLUSION Content analysis of Internet question-answer communities is important, as questions posted on these sites would serve as a rich source of direct reflection regarding the health-related information needs of the general population.

Mars Science with Small Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calvin, W. M.; Miralles, C.; Clark, B. C.; Wilson, G. R.

2000-01-01

The Mars program has articulated a strategy to answer the question "Could Life have arisen on Mars?" by pursuing an in depth understanding of the location, persistence and expression of water in the surface and sub-surface environments. In addition to the need to understand the role of water in climate and climate history, detailed understanding of the surface and interior of the planet is required as well. Return of samples from the Martian surface is expected to provide key answers and site selection to maximize the science gleaned from samples becomes critical. Current and past orbital platforms have revealed a surface and planetary history of surprising complexity. While these remote views significantly advance our understanding of the planet it is clear that detailed regional surveys can both answer specific open questions as well as provide initial reconnaissance for subsequent landed operations.

Understanding Gas-Phase Ammonia Chemistry in Protoplanetary Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambers, Lauren; Oberg, Karin I.; Cleeves, Lauren Ilsedore

2017-01-01

Protoplanetary disks are dynamic regions of gas and dust around young stars, the remnants of star formation, that evolve and coagulate over millions of years in order to ultimately form planets. The chemical composition of protoplanetary disks is affected by both the chemical and physical conditions in which they develop, including the initial molecular abundances in the birth cloud, the spectrum and intensity of radiation from the host star and nearby systems, and mixing and turbulence within the disk. A more complete understanding of the chemical evolution of disks enables a more complete understanding of the chemical composition of planets that may form within them, and of their capability to support life. One element known to be essential for life on Earth is nitrogen, which often is present in the form of ammonia (NH3). Recent observations by Salinas et al. (2016) reveal a theoretical discrepancy in the gas-phase and ice-phase ammonia abundances in protoplanetary disks; while observations of comets and protostars estimate the ice-phase NH3/H2O ratio in disks to be 5%, Salinas reports a gas-phase NH3/H2O ratio of ~7-84% in the disk surrounding TW Hydra, a young nearby star. Through computational chemical modeling of the TW Hydra disk using a reaction network of over 5000 chemical reactions, I am investigating the possible sources of excess gas-phase NH3 by determining the primary reaction pathways of NH3 production; the downstream chemical effects of ionization by ultraviolet photons, X-rays, and cosmic rays; and the effects of altering the initial abundances of key molecules such as N and N2. Beyond providing a theoretical explanation for the NH3 ice/gas discrepancy, this new model may lead to fuller understanding of the gas-phase formation processes of all nitrogen hydrides (NHx), and thus fuller understanding of the nitrogen-bearing molecules that are fundamental for life as we know it.

Effects of ballates, step aerobics, and walking on balance in women aged 50-75 years.

PubMed

Clary, Sarah; Barnes, Cathleen; Bemben, Debra; Knehans, Allen; Bemben, Michael

2006-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of Ballates training (strengthening of the central core musculature by the inception of balance techniques) compared to more traditional exercise programs, such as step aerobics and walking, on balance in women aged 50- 75 years. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three supervised training groups (1 hour/day, 3 days/week, 13 weeks), Ballates (n = 12), step aerobics (n = 17), or walking (n =15). Balance was measured by four different methods (modified Clinical Test for the Sensory Interaction on Balance - mCTSIB; Unilateral Stance with Eyes Open - US-EO or Eyes Closed - US-EC; Tandem Walk - TW; Step Quick Turn - SQT) using the NeuroCom Balance Master. A 2-way (Group and Trial) repeated measures ANOVA and post-hoc Bonferroni Pair-wise Comparisons were used to evaluate changes in the dependent variables used to describe stability and balance (sway velocity, turn sway, speed, and turn time). Measures of static postural stability and dynamic balance were similar for the three groups prior to training. Following the different exercise interventions, sway velocity on firm and foam surfaces (mCTSIB) with eyes closed (p < 0.05) increased for the Ballates group while the other two exercise groups either maintained or decreased their sway velocity following the training, therefore suggesting that these two groups either maintained or improved their balance. There were significant improvements in speed during the TW test (p < 0.01), and turn time (p < 0.01) and sway (p < 0.05) during the SQT test for each of the three groups. In general, all three training programs improved dynamic balance, however, step aerobics and walking programs resulted in be better improvements in postural stability or static balance when compared to the Ballates program. Key PointsExercise training can improve balanceNeed to consider both static and dynamic aspects of balance individuallyImproved balance can reduce the risk of fall.

Making Web Sites an Effective Recruitment Asset: Content Management Solutions Keep Web Sites Fresh and Relevant--and Students Engaged. Noel-Levitz White Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noel-Levitz, Inc, 2009

2009-01-01

Have you updated your Web site today? Is it possible that answering "yes" to this simple question is the key to the success of your marketing and recruiting efforts? In the current recruitment arena, the ability to update and maintain this one high-value asset (your Web site) might be the key to the potency of your institutional…

Starting a hospital-based home health agency: Part II--Key success factors.

PubMed

Montgomery, P

1993-09-01

In Part II of a three-part series, the financial, technological and legislative issues of a hospital-based home health-agency are discussed. Beginning a home healthcare service requires intensive research to answer key environmental and operational questions--need, competition, financial projections, initial start-up costs and the impact of delayed depreciation. Assessments involving technology, staffing, legislative and regulatory issues can help project service volume, productivity and cost-control.

Reviews.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Chemical Education, 1987

1987-01-01

Provides a review of both the Apple and IBM versions of ENZPACK, a software package which is designed to assist in the teaching of enzyme kinetics in courses where this topic is treated in some depth. (TW)

Software Reviews.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wulfson, Stephen, Ed.

1987-01-01

Reviews seven computer software programs that can be used in science education programs. Describes courseware which deals with muscles and bones, terminology, classifying animals without backbones, molecular structures, drugs, genetics, and shaping the earth's surface. (TW)

Tested Demonstrations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, George L., Ed.

1987-01-01

Provides instructions on conducting four demonstrations for the chemistry classroom. Outlines procedures for demonstrations dealing with coupled oscillations, the evaporation of liquids, thioxanthone sulfone radical anion, and the control of variables and conservation of matter. (TW)

Our Changing Atmosphere.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clearing, 1988

1988-01-01

Summarizes what is known about two major variables involved in certain types of chemical pollution that seem to be changing the structure of the Earth's atmosphere. Discusses the greenhouse effect and the ozone layer. (TW)

Reviews.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science Teacher, 1987

1987-01-01

Provides reviews of four computer software packages designed for use in science education. Describes courseware dealing with a variety of tips for teaching physics concepts, chemical reactions in an aqueous solution, mitosis and meiosis, and photosynthesis. (TW)

Software Reviews.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wulfson, Stephen, Ed.

1987-01-01

Provides reviews of six computer software programs designed for use in elementary science education programs. Provides the title, publisher, grade level, and descriptions of courseware on ant farms, drugs, genetics, beachcombing, matter, and test generation. (TW)

Precision and Disclosure in Text and Voice Interviews on Smartphones

PubMed Central

Antoun, Christopher; Ehlen, Patrick; Fail, Stefanie; Hupp, Andrew L.; Johnston, Michael; Vickers, Lucas; Yan, H. Yanna; Zhang, Chan

2015-01-01

As people increasingly communicate via asynchronous non-spoken modes on mobile devices, particularly text messaging (e.g., SMS), longstanding assumptions and practices of social measurement via telephone survey interviewing are being challenged. In the study reported here, 634 people who had agreed to participate in an interview on their iPhone were randomly assigned to answer 32 questions from US social surveys via text messaging or speech, administered either by a human interviewer or by an automated interviewing system. 10 interviewers from the University of Michigan Survey Research Center administered voice and text interviews; automated systems launched parallel text and voice interviews at the same time as the human interviews were launched. The key question was how the interview mode affected the quality of the response data, in particular the precision of numerical answers (how many were not rounded), variation in answers to multiple questions with the same response scale (differentiation), and disclosure of socially undesirable information. Texting led to higher quality data—fewer rounded numerical answers, more differentiated answers to a battery of questions, and more disclosure of sensitive information—than voice interviews, both with human and automated interviewers. Text respondents also reported a strong preference for future interviews by text. The findings suggest that people interviewed on mobile devices at a time and place that is convenient for them, even when they are multitasking, can give more trustworthy and accurate answers than those in more traditional spoken interviews. The findings also suggest that answers from text interviews, when aggregated across a sample, can tell a different story about a population than answers from voice interviews, potentially altering the policy implications from a survey. PMID:26060991

Precision and Disclosure in Text and Voice Interviews on Smartphones.

PubMed

Schober, Michael F; Conrad, Frederick G; Antoun, Christopher; Ehlen, Patrick; Fail, Stefanie; Hupp, Andrew L; Johnston, Michael; Vickers, Lucas; Yan, H Yanna; Zhang, Chan

2015-01-01

As people increasingly communicate via asynchronous non-spoken modes on mobile devices, particularly text messaging (e.g., SMS), longstanding assumptions and practices of social measurement via telephone survey interviewing are being challenged. In the study reported here, 634 people who had agreed to participate in an interview on their iPhone were randomly assigned to answer 32 questions from US social surveys via text messaging or speech, administered either by a human interviewer or by an automated interviewing system. 10 interviewers from the University of Michigan Survey Research Center administered voice and text interviews; automated systems launched parallel text and voice interviews at the same time as the human interviews were launched. The key question was how the interview mode affected the quality of the response data, in particular the precision of numerical answers (how many were not rounded), variation in answers to multiple questions with the same response scale (differentiation), and disclosure of socially undesirable information. Texting led to higher quality data-fewer rounded numerical answers, more differentiated answers to a battery of questions, and more disclosure of sensitive information-than voice interviews, both with human and automated interviewers. Text respondents also reported a strong preference for future interviews by text. The findings suggest that people interviewed on mobile devices at a time and place that is convenient for them, even when they are multitasking, can give more trustworthy and accurate answers than those in more traditional spoken interviews. The findings also suggest that answers from text interviews, when aggregated across a sample, can tell a different story about a population than answers from voice interviews, potentially altering the policy implications from a survey.

To pave or not to pave?

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-10-01

The Issue : Two key questions must be answered when developing a gravel : road maintenance plan: : 1. What is the best way to maintain a gravel road? : 2. When should the roadway be upgraded to a paved surface? : These are not easy questions because ...

Effect of opacifiers and UV absorbers on pigmented maxillofacial silicone elastomer, part 1: color stability after artificial aging.

PubMed

Han, Ying; Powers, John M; Kiat-Amnuay, Sudarat

2013-06-01

Much dissatisfaction with the color instability and reduced lifetime of extraoral maxillofacial prostheses due to degradation has been reported. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of a UV mineral-based light protecting agent (LP) on the color stability of pigmented maxillofacial silicone elastomer MDX-4210/Type A after artificial aging to 2 widely used opacifiers. Forty-five groups were established (n=225 total). Three different types of opacifiers (LP, titanium white dry pigment [TW], or silicone intrinsic white [SW]) were added to silicone MDX-4210/type A at 3 concentrations (5%, 10%, or 15%) and subsequently combined with each of 5 colors (no pigments [control], red, blue, yellow, or mixed pigments). Artists' oil pigment was used with LP and TW, while intrinsic silicone pigment was used to color SW. Before and after an energy exposure of 450 kJ/m(2), CIE L*a*b* values were measured with a spectrophotometer. The CIELAB 50:50% perceptibility (ΔE*=1.1) and acceptability threshold (ΔE*=3.0) were used to interpret color changes (ΔE*). Color differences after aging were subjected to 3-way ANOVA. Means were compared by the Fisher PLSD intervals at α=.05. The ΔE* values of all groups were below the acceptability threshold of ΔE*=3.0, except for the control group of SW at 10%, which showed the greatest color change (ΔE*=3.1). When mixed pigment groups were considered, at 5% concentration, LP showed the smallest color change, followed by SW and TW (P<.05); at 10%, no significant differences among the 3 opacifiers were noted (P>.05); at 15%, LP showed the smallest color change, followed by TW and SW (P<.05). All 3 opacifiers at all concentrations protected pigmented silicone MDX4-4210/Type A from color degradation. The LP group showed the smallest color changes. Copyright © 2013 The Editorial Council of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Nominal ISOMERs (Incorrect Spellings Of Medicines Eluding Researchers)—variants in the spellings of drug names in PubMed: a database review

PubMed Central

Aronson, Jeffrey K

2016-01-01

Objective To examine how misspellings of drug names could impede searches for published literature. Design Database review. Data source PubMed. Review methods The study included 30 drug names that are commonly misspelt on prescription charts in hospitals in Birmingham, UK (test set), and 30 control names randomly chosen from a hospital formulary (control set). The following definitions were used: standard names—the international non-proprietary names, variant names—deviations in spelling from standard names that are not themselves standard names in English language nomenclature, and hidden reference variants—variant spellings that identified publications in textword (tw) searches of PubMed or other databases, and which were not identified by textword searches for the standard names. Variant names were generated from standard names by applying letter substitutions, omissions, additions, transpositions, duplications, deduplications, and combinations of these. Searches were carried out in PubMed (30 June 2016) for “standard name[tw]” and “variant name[tw] NOT standard name[tw].” Results The 30 standard names of drugs in the test set gave 325 979 hits in total, and 160 hidden reference variants gave 3872 hits (1.17%). The standard names of the control set gave 470 064 hits, and 79 hidden reference variants gave 766 hits (0.16%). Letter substitutions (particularly i to y and vice versa) and omissions together accounted for 2924 (74%) of the variants. Amitriptyline (8530 hits) yielded 18 hidden reference variants (179 (2.1%) hits). Names ending in “in,” “ine,” or “micin” were commonly misspelt. Failing to search for hidden reference variants of “gentamicin,” “amitriptyline,” “mirtazapine,” and “trazodone” would miss at least 19 systematic reviews. A hidden reference variant related to Christmas, “No-el”, was rare; variants of “X-miss” were rarer. Conclusion When performing searches, researchers should include misspellings of drug names among their search terms. PMID:27974346

[The application of contralateral acupuncture for rehabilitation after acute closed achilles tendon rupture].

PubMed

Zhang, Dawei; Ye, Xiangming; Zhang, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Wenjie

2017-03-12

To observe the differences of affected-side ankle plantar flexors function and clinical efficacy between contralateral acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training and rehabilitation training alone for patients with acute closed achilles tendon rupture. Seventy-four patients with acute closed achilles tendon rupture were randomly assigned to an observation group and a control group, 37 cases in each group. Patients in the both groups were treated with routine rehabilitation training after the operation for 12 weeks; besides, patients in the observation group were treated with contralateral acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Chengshan (BL 57), Taixi (KI 3) before rehabilitation training in the first 6 weeks. The treatment were given once a day, 5 times as 1 course with 2 d at the interval. The Biodex System 4 multi-joint dynamometers system was applied to test and compare affected-side plantar flexion peak torque (PFPT), peak torque/body weight (PT/BW) and total work (TW) after 6 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks. The efficacy evaluation was conducted after 6 weeks and 12 weeks, and the follow-up visit was conducted 12 weeks after end of treatment. The PFPT, PT/BW, TW in the observation group were significantly superior to those in the control group after 8 weeks and 12 weeks of treatment (all P <0.05); compared with those after 6 weeks, the PFPT, PT/BW, TW were significantly increased after 8 weeks of treatment (all P <0.05); compared with those after 6 weeks and 8 weeks, the PFPT, PT/BW, TW were significantly increased after 12 weeks of treatment (all P <0.05). After 12 weeks of treatment and at follow-up visit, the clinical excellent and effective rates in the observation group were higher than those in the control group[89.2% (33/37) vs 70.3% (26/37), 94.6% (35/37) vs 75.7% (28/37), both P <0.05]. During the postoperative rehabilitation of acute closed achilles tendon rupture, the contralateral acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training could improve ankle plantar flexors function and clinical efficacy better than rehabilitation training only.

A general analysis of Wtb anomalous couplings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Qing-Hong; Yan, Bin; Yu, Jiang-Hao; Zhang, Chen

2017-06-01

We investigate new physics effects on the Wtb effective couplings in a model-independent framework. The new physics effects can be parametrized by four independent couplings, , , and . We further introduce a set of parameters x 0, x m , x p and x 5 which exhibit a linear relation to the single top production cross sections. Using recent data for the t-channel single top production cross section σ t , tW associated production cross section σ tW, s-channel single top production cross section σ s , and W-helicity fractions F 0, F L and F R collected at the 8 TeV LHC and Tevatron, we perform a global fit to impose constraints on the top quark effective couplings. Our global fitting results show that the top quark effective couplings are strongly correlated. We show that (i) improving the measurements of σ t and σ tW is important in constraining the correlation of (,) and (,); (ii) and are anti-correlated, and are sensitive to all the four experiments; (iii) and are also anti-correlated, and are sensitive to the F 0 and F L measurements; (iv) the correlation between and is sensitive to the precision of the σ t , σ tW and F 0 measurements. The effective Wtb couplings are studied in three kinds of new physics models: the G(221) = SU(2)1 ⊗ SU(2)2 ⊗ U(1) X models, the vector-like quark models and the Littlest Higgs model with and without T-parity. We show that the Wtb couplings in the left-right model and the un-unified model are sensitive to the ratio of gauge couplings when the new heavy gauge boson’s mass (M W‧) is less than several hundred GeV, but the constraint is loose if M W‧ > 1 TeV. Furthermore, the Wtb couplings in vector-like quark models and the Littlest Higgs models are sensitive to the mixing angles of new heavy particles and SM particles. Supported by National Science Foundation of China (11275009, 11675002, 11635001), National Science Foundation (PHY-1315983, PHY-1316033) and DOE (DE- SC0011095)

Are we developing walkable suburbs through urban planning policy? Identifying the mix of design requirements to optimise walking outcomes from the 'Liveable Neighbourhoods' planning policy in Perth, Western Australia.

PubMed

Hooper, Paula; Knuiman, Matthew; Bull, Fiona; Jones, Evan; Giles-Corti, Billie

2015-05-16

Planning policy makers and practitioners are requesting clearer guidance on the 'essential' ingredients as assessed by public health researchers to ensure suburban neighbourhood environments are designed to promote active living behaviours such as walking. To identify the combination of design requirements from the 'Liveable Neighbourhoods' (LN) planning policy in Perth, Western Australia that were optimally supportive of walking. K-means cluster analysis identified groups of developments with homogeneous LN features from its community design (CD), movement network (MN), lot layout (LL) and public parkland (PP) elements. Walking behaviours measured using the Neighbourhood Physical Activity Questionnaire were compared between participants resident in the different clusters, adjusting for demographic characteristics, self-selection factors, stage of construction and scale of development. Compared with participants living in the referent cluster of 'poor CD and PP developments' those living in: 'MN and LL developments' had higher odds of doing any (OR = 1.74; 95 % CI = 1.22, 2.48) and ≥60 min walking for recreation (WR) (OR = 2.05; 1.46, 2.88); 'PP developments' had increased odds of doing any WR (OR = 3.53; 2.02, 6.17), ≥60 min WR (OR = 3.37; 1.98, 5.74) and any total walking (TW) (OR = 2.35; 1.36, 4.09); 'CD-MN developments' had increased odds of doing any walking for transport (WT) (OR = 2.64; 1.38, 5.06), ≥60 min WT (OR = 1.98; 1.09, 3.61), any TW (OR = 1.71; 1.44, 2.03), ≥60 min TW (OR = 1.77; 1.14, 2.76) and ≥150 min TW (OR = 1.47; 1.15, 1.86). This study is the first to have empirically identified a mix of specific and distinguishing planning policy neighbourhood design requirements to optimise walking outcomes. These findings will assist in the assessment of urban plans for greenfield suburban developments designed to promote walking and physical activity.

Nominal ISOMERs (Incorrect Spellings Of Medicines Eluding Researchers)-variants in the spellings of drug names in PubMed: a database review.

PubMed

Ferner, Robin E; Aronson, Jeffrey K

2016-12-14

 To examine how misspellings of drug names could impede searches for published literature.  Database review.  PubMed.  The study included 30 drug names that are commonly misspelt on prescription charts in hospitals in Birmingham, UK (test set), and 30 control names randomly chosen from a hospital formulary (control set). The following definitions were used: standard names-the international non-proprietary names, variant names-deviations in spelling from standard names that are not themselves standard names in English language nomenclature, and hidden reference variants-variant spellings that identified publications in textword (tw) searches of PubMed or other databases, and which were not identified by textword searches for the standard names. Variant names were generated from standard names by applying letter substitutions, omissions, additions, transpositions, duplications, deduplications, and combinations of these. Searches were carried out in PubMed (30 June 2016) for "standard name[tw]" and "variant name[tw] NOT standard name[tw]."  The 30 standard names of drugs in the test set gave 325 979 hits in total, and 160 hidden reference variants gave 3872 hits (1.17%). The standard names of the control set gave 470 064 hits, and 79 hidden reference variants gave 766 hits (0.16%). Letter substitutions (particularly i to y and vice versa) and omissions together accounted for 2924 (74%) of the variants. Amitriptyline (8530 hits) yielded 18 hidden reference variants (179 (2.1%) hits). Names ending in "in," "ine," or "micin" were commonly misspelt. Failing to search for hidden reference variants of "gentamicin," "amitriptyline," "mirtazapine," and "trazodone" would miss at least 19 systematic reviews. A hidden reference variant related to Christmas, "No-el", was rare; variants of "X-miss" were rarer.  When performing searches, researchers should include misspellings of drug names among their search terms. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Source apportionment of ambient non-methane hydrocarbons in Hong Kong: application of a principal component analysis/absolute principal component scores (PCA/APCS) receptor model.

PubMed

Guo, H; Wang, T; Louie, P K K

2004-06-01

Receptor-oriented source apportionment models are often used to identify sources of ambient air pollutants and to estimate source contributions to air pollutant concentrations. In this study, a PCA/APCS model was applied to the data on non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) measured from January to December 2001 at two sampling sites: Tsuen Wan (TW) and Central & Western (CW) Toxic Air Pollutants Monitoring Stations in Hong Kong. This multivariate method enables the identification of major air pollution sources along with the quantitative apportionment of each source to pollutant species. The PCA analysis identified four major pollution sources at TW site and five major sources at CW site. The extracted pollution sources included vehicular internal engine combustion with unburned fuel emissions, use of solvent particularly paints, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or natural gas leakage, and industrial, commercial and domestic sources such as solvents, decoration, fuel combustion, chemical factories and power plants. The results of APCS receptor model indicated that 39% and 48% of the total NMHCs mass concentrations measured at CW and TW were originated from vehicle emissions, respectively. 32% and 36.4% of the total NMHCs were emitted from the use of solvent and 11% and 19.4% were apportioned to the LPG or natural gas leakage, respectively. 5.2% and 9% of the total NMHCs mass concentrations were attributed to other industrial, commercial and domestic sources, respectively. It was also found that vehicle emissions and LPG or natural gas leakage were the main sources of C(3)-C(5) alkanes and C(3)-C(5) alkenes while aromatics were predominantly released from paints. Comparison of source contributions to ambient NMHCs at the two sites indicated that the contribution of LPG or natural gas at CW site was almost twice that at TW site. High correlation coefficients (R(2) > 0.8) between the measured and predicted values suggested that the PCA/APCS model was applicable for estimation of sources of NMHCs in ambient air.

The transect method: a novel approach to on-farm welfare assessment of commercial turkeys

PubMed Central

Marchewka, Joanna; Estevez, Inma; Vezzoli, Giuseppe; Ferrante, Valentina; Makagon, Maja M.

2015-01-01

Currently, no animal-based protocol for on-farm welfare assessment of commercial turkeys is available. The birds’ size and flighty nature make obtaining a representative sample using traditional methods difficult. The transect walks (TW) approach provides a potential alternative for on-farm assessments of turkey welfare. We compared the TW approach with a traditional method, and data collected as the birds were moved out of the house during the load out process (L). Ten commercial 19- to 20-week-old Hybrid turkey flocks were evaluated (1 flock/house/farm). Half of the flocks were housed on farms deemed as “faring well” by the company, the other half were on “suboptimal” farms. Each house was subdivided longitudinally into 4 transects. Two observers walked the transects in random order, recording the total number of birds per transect that were immobile; lame; aggressive towards a mate; interacting with humans; with visible head, vent, or back wounds; engaging in mounting behaviors; small; featherless; dirty; sick; terminal; or dead. Flocks were re-evaluated on the same day using the individual sampling method (S), where randomly selected birds were scored as they took 10 steps. Flocks were re-assessed within 48 h of the transect evaluation, as birds were funneled out of the house during load out. Using ANOVAs we determined the effects of observers, method, management, and their interactions on proportions of turkeys per house within each category. Outcome parameters were not affected by management (P > 0.05 for all) or observer (P > 0.05 for most), but an assessment method effect was detected (P < 0.05). S differed from the 2 other methods (P < 0.05) for most parameters except aggression towards a mate, back wounds, dirty, sick, and vent wounds. Differences were not detected between data collected using TW and during L, except for dead (P = 0.0007) and immobile (P = 0.007). Results suggest that the TW method is a promising tool for on-farm turkey welfare assessment as it produced results similar to those obtained at L when all birds could be scored individually. PMID:25577791

The transect method: a novel approach to on-farm welfare assessment of commercial turkeys.

PubMed

Marchewka, Joanna; Estevez, Inma; Vezzoli, Giuseppe; Ferrante, Valentina; Makagon, Maja M

2015-01-01

Currently, no animal-based protocol for on-farm welfare assessment of commercial turkeys is available. The birds' size and flighty nature make obtaining a representative sample using traditional methods difficult. The transect walks (TW) approach provides a potential alternative for on-farm assessments of turkey welfare. We compared the TW approach with a traditional method, and data collected as the birds were moved out of the house during the load out process (L). Ten commercial 19- to 20-week-old Hybrid turkey flocks were evaluated (1 flock/house/farm). Half of the flocks were housed on farms deemed as "faring well" by the company, the other half were on "suboptimal" farms. Each house was subdivided longitudinally into 4 transects. Two observers walked the transects in random order, recording the total number of birds per transect that were immobile; lame; aggressive towards a mate; interacting with humans; with visible head, vent, or back wounds; engaging in mounting behaviors; small; featherless; dirty; sick; terminal; or dead. Flocks were re-evaluated on the same day using the individual sampling method (S), where randomly selected birds were scored as they took 10 steps. Flocks were re-assessed within 48 h of the transect evaluation, as birds were funneled out of the house during load out. Using ANOVAs we determined the effects of observers, method, management, and their interactions on proportions of turkeys per house within each category. Outcome parameters were not affected by management (P>0.05 for all) or observer (P>0.05 for most), but an assessment method effect was detected (P<0.05). S differed from the 2 other methods (P<0.05) for most parameters except aggression towards a mate, back wounds, dirty, sick, and vent wounds. Differences were not detected between data collected using TW and during L, except for dead (P=0.0007) and immobile (P=0.007). Results suggest that the TW method is a promising tool for on-farm turkey welfare assessment as it produced results similar to those obtained at L when all birds could be scored individually. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Poultry Science Association.

Chemistry 300. Administration Manual for Supervising Teachers, Provincial Examination, Answer Key--Multiple-Choice and Written-Answer Questions, and Provincial Summary Report = Chimie 300. Guide d'administration a l'intention des surveillants d'examen, Examen provincial, Cle de correction--Questions choix multiple et Questions responses ouvertes, et Rapport sommaire provincial.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manitoba Dept. of Education and Training, Winnipeg.

This collection of manuals contains the Manitoba Provincial Chemistry Examination for students seeking credit in Senior 4 Chemistry (Chemistry 300) and instructions for its use and grading. The examination is based on the Core Topics of the Senior 4 Chemistry course and accounts for 30% of the student's final grade in the course. The examination…

[About History of Scientific Clinical Schools in Russia: Certain Disputable Issues of Methodology of Studying Problem].

PubMed

Borodulin, V I; Gliantsev, S P

2017-07-01

The article considers particular key methodological aspects of problem of scientific clinical school in national medicine. These aspects have to do with notion of school, its profile, issues of pedagogues, teachings and followers, subsidiary schools and issue of ethical component of scientific school. The article is a polemic one hence one will find no definite answers to specified questions. The reader is proposed to ponder over answers independently adducing examples of pro and contra. The conclusion is made about necessity of studying scientific schools in other areas of medicine and further elaboration of problem.

Crafty Corner.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naturescope, 1986

1986-01-01

Contains three projects that relate to plants and animals of wetlands. Includes instructions and patterns for making cattails, pitcher plants (that really catch flies), and stand-up wetland animals such as insects, birds, crabs, and alligators. (TW)

Science Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Science Review, 1987

1987-01-01

Describes 20 teaching activities and experiments appropriate for use with various secondary school science classes. Instructional activities include the study of catalase, raising bees, a game about equilibrium, spectrometers, lead iodide, resonance, graphing, and electromagnetic waves. (TW)

Controlling Indoor Air Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nero, Anthony V, Jr.

1988-01-01

Discusses the health risks posed by indoor air pollutants, such as airborne combustion products, toxic chemicals, and radioactivity. Questions as to how indoor air might be regulated. Calls for new approaches to environmental protection. (TW)

Using a CAI Network for Statewide Remediation: GRI in South Carolina.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rumford, John

1988-01-01

Describes South Carolina's Governor's Remediation Initiative (GRI), an instructional management system that links diagnostic tests and teaching modules for use by high school mathematics and reading laboratories. (TW)

Laboratory Scale Electrodeposition. Practice and Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruno, Thomas J.

1986-01-01

Discusses some aspects of electrodeposition and electroplating. Emphasizes the materials, techniques, and safety precautions necessary to make electrodeposition work reliably in the chemistry laboratory. Describes some problem-solving applications of this process. (TW)

Molecular Phylogeny of the Animal Kingdom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, Katharine G.; And Others

1988-01-01

A rapid sequencing method for ribosomal RNA was applied to the resolution of evolutionary relationships among Metazoa. Describes the four groups (chordates, echinoderms, arthropods, and eucoelomate protostomes) that radiated from the coelomates. (TW)

Acid Precipitation in the Pacific Northwest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, John; Kozak, David

1988-01-01

Discusses the causes, sources, and problems associated with acid deposition in the Pacific Northwest. Includes a learning activity about acid rain, "Deadly Skies," which was adapted from the Project WILD Aquatic Supplement. (TW)

A MASSIF Effort To Determine The Mass-Luminosity Relation for Stars of Various Ages, Metallicities, and Evolution States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henry, Todd J.; Beedict, G. Fritz; Gies, Douglas R.; Golimowski, David A.; Ianna, Philip A.; Mason, Brian; McArthur, Barbara; Nelan, Edmund; Torres, Guillermo

2004-01-01

The MASSIF (Masses and Stellar Systems with Interferometry) Team will use SIM to investigate the mass content of the Galaxy - from huge stars to barely glimmering brown dwarfs, and from hot white dwarfs to exotic black holes. We will target various samples of the Galactic population to determine and relate the fundamental characteristics of mass, luminosity, age, composition, and multiplicity - attributes that together yield an extensive understanding of the stars. Our samples will include distant clusters that span a factor of 5000 in age, and commonplace stars and substellar objects that lurk near the Sun. The principal goals of the MASSIF Key Project are to (1) define the mass-luminosity relation for main sequence stars in five fundamental clusters so that effects of age and metallicity can be mapped (Trapezium, TW Hydrae, Pleiades, Hyades, and M67), and (2) determine accurate masses for representative examples of nearly every type of star, stellar descendant or brown dwarf in the Galaxy.

An Audio Architecture Integrating Sound and Live Voice for Virtual Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-09-01

implementation of a virtual environment. As real world training locations become scarce and training budgets are trimmed, training system developers ...look more and more towards virtual environments as the answer. Virtual environments provide training system developers with several key benefits

The Practical Guide to Classroom Literacy Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barone, Diane M.; Taylor, Joan M.

2006-01-01

Whether it is standardized test data, student journals, or informal classroom question and answer, assessments provide invaluable, ongoing diagnostic information for making key instructional decisions. In this engaging and comprehensive resource, the authors demonstrate practical ways for embedding test preparation into teaching by integrating…

The Importance of Geodetically Controlled Data Sets: THEMIS Controlled Mosaics of Mars, a Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fergason, R. L.; Weller, L.

2018-04-01

Accurate image registration is necessary to answer questions that are key to addressing fundamental questions about our universe. To provide such a foundational product for Mars, we have geodetically controlled and mosaicked THEMIS IR images.

Ancient Magnetic Reversals: Clues to the Geodynamo.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Kenneth A.

1988-01-01

Discusses the question posed by some that the earth's magnetic field may reverse. States that rocks magnetized by ancient fields may offer clues to the underlying reversal mechanism in the earth's core. (TW)

Notes: Water Flow and Chemical Retardation in Soils: A Simple Effective Laboratory Demonstration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, R. S.; And Others

1988-01-01

Describes a laboratory demonstration that illustrates principles of miscible displacement and chemical retardation in soils. Discusses how the experimental apparatus can be constructed from readily available materials. (TW)

Interacting with the Environment--Eddyville School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Jeff; Owen, Sarah

1988-01-01

Describes some of the aspects of the environmental education program at a K-12 school located in the Coast Range of Oregon. Discusses activities relating to wildlife biology, forestry, beekeeping, pesticides, and land use. (TW)

Tidal Energy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Impact of Science on Society, 1987

1987-01-01

States that tidal power projects are feasible in a relatively limited number of locations around the world. Claims that together they could theoretically produce the energy equivalent to more than one million barrels of oil per year. (TW)

Wind Energy: A Maturing Power Supply Possibility.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, Erik Lundtang; And Others

1987-01-01

Suggests that wind energy for electrification will prove to be an appropriate technology with very positive socioeconomic benefits, especially in developing countries. Provides examples of projects conducted by a Danish wind research laboratory. (TW)

Energy from Biomass.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carioca, J. O. B.; And Others

1987-01-01

Discusses how biomass in the form of fuelwood, crop residues, and animal dung can be converted into fuels such as biogas and ethanol to replace or supplement fossil fuels. Argues for future decentralized, integrated biomass energy development. (TW)

Asthma and school

MedlinePlus

... 28, 2018. Jackson DJ, Lemanske RF, Guilbert TW. Management of asthma in infants and children. In: Adkinson NF Jr, Bochner BS, Burks AW, et al, eds. Middleton's Allergy: Principles and Practice . 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; ...

Talking Rocks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Dale; Corley, Brenda

1987-01-01

Discusses some of the ways that rocks can be used to enhance children's creativity and their interest in science. Suggests the creation of a dramatic production involving rocks. Includes basic information on sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. (TW)

Salinity Energy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitt, Walter R.

1987-01-01

Discussed are the costs of deriving energy from the earth's natural reserves of salt. Argues that, as fossil fuel supplies become more depleted in the future, the environmental advantages of salinity power may prove to warrant its exploitation. (TW)

Dissection on a Micro Scale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, Nadine

1986-01-01

Describes procedures for examining a beetle's anatomy with microsurgical tools. Instructions for experimental exercises dealing with the insect's structure and digestive enzymes are outlined. Tips on how to make a microscalpel are also included. (TW)

Mammals of the Sea.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naturescope, 1986

1986-01-01

Presents information on sea mammals, including definitions and characteristics of cetaceans, pinnipeds, and sirenians. Contains descriptions of the teaching activities "Whale Music,""Draw A Whale to Scale,""Adopt a Sea Mammal," and "Sea Mammal Sleuths." (TW)

Astronomy Books of 1985: The Technical List.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraknoi, Andrew

1986-01-01

Consists of the second part of the 1985 annotated review of technical books done by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. This listing was primarily designed for graduate students or research scientists. (TW)

Water Works.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van De Walle, Carol

1988-01-01

Describes a two-day field trip, along with follow-up classroom activities and experiments which relate to water resources and water quality. Discusses how trips to a lake and water treatment facilities can enhance appreciation of water. (TW)

Classroom-Community Salmon Enhancement Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hubbard-Gray, Sarah

1988-01-01

Describes a program in the Bellevue (Washington) public schools in which elementary and middle school teachers and students raise coho and Chinook salmon in the classroom and later release them into a nearby stream. (TW)

Relativistic Electron Acceleration with Ultrashort Mid-IR Laser Pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feder, Linus; Woodbury, Daniel; Shumakova, Valentina; Gollner, Claudia; Miao, Bo; Schwartz, Robert; Pugžlys, Audrius; Baltuška, Andrius; Milchberg, Howard

2017-10-01

We report the first results of laser plasma wakefield acceleration driven by ultrashort mid-infrared laser pulses (λ = 3.9 μm , pulsewidth 100 fs, energy <20 mJ, peak power <1 TW), which enables near- and above-critical density interactions with moderate-density gas jets. We present thresholds for electron acceleration based on critical parameters for relativistic self-focusing and target width, as well as trends in the accelerated beam profiles, charge and energy spectra which are supported by 3D particle-in-cell simulations. These results extend earlier work with sub-TW self-modulated laser wakefield acceleration using near IR drivers to the Mid-IR, and enable us to capture time-resolved images of relativistic self-focusing of the laser pulse. This work supported by DOE (DESC0010706TDD, DESC0015516); AFOSR(FA95501310044, FA95501610121); NSF(PHY1535519); DHS.

TW HYA ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP AND NEW WISE-DETECTED CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS

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

Schneider, Adam; Song, Inseok; Melis, Carl, E-mail: aschneid@physast.uga.edu, E-mail: song@physast.uga.edu, E-mail: cmelis@ucsd.edu

2012-07-20

We assess the current membership of the nearby, young TW Hydrae association and examine newly proposed members with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) to search for infrared excess indicative of circumstellar disks. Newly proposed members TWA 30A, TWA 30B, TWA 31, and TWA 32 all show excess emission at 12 and 22 {mu}m providing clear evidence for substantial dusty circumstellar disks around these low-mass, {approx}8 Myr old stars that were previously shown to likely be accreting circumstellar material. TWA 30B shows large amounts of self-extinction, likely due to an edge-on disk geometry. We also confirm previously reported circumstellar disksmore » with WISE and determine a 22 {mu}m excess fraction of 42{sup +10}{sub -{sub 9}}% based on our results.« less

A Global Assessment of Oceanic Heat Loss: Conductive Cooling and Hydrothermal Redistribution of Heat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasterok, D. P.; Chapman, D. S.; Davis, E. E.

2011-12-01

A new dataset of ~15000 oceanic heat flow measurements is analyzed to determine the conductive heat loss through the seafloor. Many heat flow values in seafloor younger than 60 Ma are lower than predicted by models of conductively cooled lithosphere. This heat flow deficit is caused by ventilated hydrothermal circulation discharging at crustal outcrops or through thin sedimentary cover. Globally filtering of heat flow data to retain sites with sediment cover >400 m thick and located >60 km from the nearest seamount minimizes the effect of hydrothermal ventilation. Filtered heat flow exhibit a much higher correlation coefficient with seafloor age (up to 0.95 for filtered data in contrast to 0.5 for unfiltered data) and lower variability (reduction by 30%) within an age bin. A small heat flow deficit still persists at ages <25 Ma, possibly as a result of global filtering limitations and incomplete thermal rebound following sediment burial. Detailed heat flow surveys co-located with seismic data can identify environments favoring conductive heat flow; heat flow collected in these environments is higher than that determined by the global dataset, and is more consistent with conductive cooling of the lithosphere. The new filtered data analysis and a growing number of site specific surveys both support estimates of global heat loss in the range 40-47 TW. The estimated hydrothermal deficit is consistent with estimates from geochemical studies ~7 TW, but is a few TW lower than previous estimates derived from heat flow determinations.

Walking with robot assistance: the influence of body weight support on the trunk and pelvis kinematics.

PubMed

Swinnen, Eva; Baeyens, Jean-Pierre; Knaepen, Kristel; Michielsen, Marc; Hens, Gerrit; Clijsen, Ron; Goossens, Maggie; Buyl, Ronald; Meeusen, Romain; Kerckhofs, Eric

2015-05-01

The goal was to assess in healthy participants the three-dimensional kinematics of the pelvis and the trunk during robot-assisted treadmill walking (RATW) at 0%, 30% and 50% body weight support (BWS), compared with treadmill walking (TW). 18 healthy participants walked (2 kmph) on a treadmill with and without robot assistance (Lokomat; 60% guidance force; 0%, 30% and 50% BWS). After an acclimatisation period (four minutes), trunk and pelvis kinematics were registered in each condition (Polhemus Liberty [240 Hz]). The results were analysed using a repeated measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction, with the level of suspension as within-subject factor. During RATW with BWS, there were significantly (1) smaller antero-posterior and lateral translations of the trunk and the pelvis; (2) smaller antero-posterior flexion and axial rotation of the trunk; (3) larger lateral flexion of the trunk; and (4) larger antero-posterior tilting of the pelvis compared with TW. There are significant differences in trunk and pelvis kinematics in healthy persons during TW with and without robot assistance. These data are relevant in gait rehabilitation, relating to normal balance regulation. Additional research is recommended to further assess the influence of robot assistance on human gait. The trunk and pelvis moves in a different way during walking with robot assistance. The data suggest that the change in movement is due to the robot device and the harness of the suspension system more than due to the level of suspension itself.

Chasing Shadows: Rotation of the Azimuthal Asymmetry in the TW Hya Disk

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

Debes, John H.; Poteet, Charles A.; Hines, Dean

2017-02-01

We have obtained new images of the protoplanetary disk orbiting TW Hya in visible, total intensity light with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on the Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ), using the newly commissioned BAR5 occulter. These HST /STIS observations achieved an inner working angle of ∼0.″2, or 11.7 au, probing the system at angular radii coincident with recent images of the disk obtained by ALMA and in polarized intensity near-infrared light. By comparing our new STIS images to those taken with STIS in 2000 and with NICMOS in 1998, 2004, and 2005, we demonstrate that TW Hya’smore » azimuthal surface brightness asymmetry moves coherently in position angle. Between 50 au and 141 au we measure a constant angular velocity in the azimuthal brightness asymmetry of 22.°7 yr{sup −1} in a counterclockwise direction, equivalent to a period of 15.9 yr assuming circular motion. Both the (short) inferred period and lack of radial dependence of the moving shadow pattern are inconsistent with Keplerian rotation at these disk radii. We hypothesize that the asymmetry arises from the fact that the disk interior to 1 au is inclined and precessing owing to a planetary companion, thus partially shadowing the outer disk. Further monitoring of this and other shadows on protoplanetary disks potentially opens a new avenue for indirectly observing the sites of planet formation.« less

Histological study on the effect of electrolyzed reduced water-bathing on UVB radiation-induced skin injury in hairless mice.

PubMed

Yoon, Kyung Su; Huang, Xue Zhu; Yoon, Yang Suk; Kim, Soo-Ki; Song, Soon Bong; Chang, Byung Soo; Kim, Dong Heui; Lee, Kyu Jae

2011-01-01

Electrolyzed reduced water (ERW), functional water, has various beneficial effects via antioxidant mechanism in vivo and in vitro. However there is no study about beneficial effects of ERW bathing. This study aimed to determine the effect of ERW bathing on the UVB-induced skin injury in hairless mice. For this purpose, mice were irradiated with UVB to cause skin injury, followed by individually taken a bath in ERW (ERW-bathing) and tap water (TW-bathing) for 21 d. We examined cytokines profile in acute period, and histological and ultrastructural observation of skin in chronic period. We found that UVB-mediated skin injury of ERW-bathing group was significantly low compared to TW control group in the early stage of experiment. Consistently, epidermal thickening as well as the number of dermal mast cell was significantly lowered in ERW-bathing group. Defection of corneocytes under the scanning electron microscope was less observed in ERW-bathing group than in TW-bathing group. Further, the level of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-12p70 in ERW group decreased whereas those of IL-10 increased. Collectively, our data indicate that ERW-bathing significantly reduces UVB-induced skin damage through influencing pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokine balance in hairless mice. This suggests that ERW-bathing has a positive effect on acute UVB-mediated skin disorders. This is the first report on bathing effects of ERW in UVB-induced skin injury.

Prediction of adult height by Tanner-Whitehouse method in young Caucasian male athletes.

PubMed

Ostojic, S M

2013-04-01

Although the accuracy of final height prediction using skeletal age development has been confirmed in many studies for children treated for congenital primary hypothyroidism, short normal children, constitutionally tall children, no studies compared the predicted adult height at young age with final stature in athletic population. In this study, the intention was to investigate to what extent the Tanner-Whitehouse (TW) method is adequate for prediction of final stature in young Caucasian male athletes. Prospective observational study. Plain radiographs of the left hand and wrist were obtained from 477 athletic children (ranging in age from 8.0 to 17.9 years) who came to the outpatient clinic between 2000 and 2011 for adult height estimation, with no orthopedic trauma suspected. Adult height was estimated using bone age rates according to TW method. Height was measured both at baseline and follow-up (at the age of 19 years). No significant difference was found between the estimated adult height (184.9 ± 9.7 cm) and final stature (185.6 ± 9.6 cm) [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.61-3.01, P = 0.55]. The relationship between estimated and final adult height was high (r = 0.96). Bland-Altman analysis confirmed that the 95% of differences between estimated adult height and final stature lie between limits of agreement (mean ± 2 SD) (-5.84 and 4.52 cm). TW method is an accurate method of predicting adult height in male normal-growing athletic boys.

New members of the TW Hydrae Association and two accreting M-dwarfs in Scorpius-Centaurus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Simon J.; Lawson, Warrick A.; Bento, Joao

2015-11-01

We report the serendipitous discovery of several young mid-M stars found during a search for new members of the 30-40 Myr-old Octans Association. Only one of the stars may be considered a possible Octans(-Near) member. However, two stars have proper motions, kinematic distances, radial velocities, photometry and Li I λ6708 measurements consistent with membership in the 8-10 Myr-old TW Hydrae Association. Another may be an outlying member of TW Hydrae but has a velocity similar to that predicted by membership in Octans. We also identify two new lithium-rich members of the neighbouring Scorpius-Centaurus OB Association (Sco-Cen). Both exhibit large 12 and 22 μm excesses and strong, variable Hα emission which we attribute to accretion from circumstellar discs. Such stars are thought to be incredibly rare at the ˜16 Myr median age of Sco-Cen and they join only one other confirmed M-type and three higher mass accretors outside of Upper Scorpius. The serendipitous discovery of two accreting stars hosting large quantities of circumstellar material may be indicative of a sizeable age spread in Sco-Cen, or further evidence that disc dispersal and planet formation time-scales are longer around lower mass stars. To aid future studies of Sco-Cen, we also provide a newly compiled catalogue of 305 early-type Hipparcos members with spectroscopic radial velocities sourced from the literature.

The Application of Root Mean Square Electrocardiography (RMS ECG) for the Detection of Acquired and Congenital Long QT Syndrome

PubMed Central

Lux, Robert L.; Sower, Christopher Todd; Allen, Nancy; Etheridge, Susan P.; Tristani-Firouzi, Martin; Saarel, Elizabeth V.

2014-01-01

Background Precise measurement of the QT interval is often hampered by difficulty determining the end of the low amplitude T wave. Root mean square electrocardiography (RMS ECG) provides a novel alternative measure of ventricular repolarization. Experimental data have shown that the interval between the RMS ECG QRS and T wave peaks (RTPK) closely reflects the mean ventricular action potential duration while the RMS T wave width (TW) tracks the dispersion of repolarization timing. Here, we tested the precision of RMS ECG to assess ventricular repolarization in humans in the setting of drug-induced and congenital Long QT Syndrome (LQTS). Methods RMS ECG signals were derived from high-resolution 24 hour Holter monitor recordings from 68 subjects after receiving placebo and moxifloxacin and from standard 12 lead ECGs obtained in 97 subjects with LQTS and 97 age- and sex-matched controls. RTPK, QTRMS and RMS TW intervals were automatically measured using custom software and compared to traditional QT measures using lead II. Results All measures of repolarization were prolonged during moxifloxacin administration and in LQTS subjects, but the variance of RMS intervals was significantly smaller than traditional lead II measurements. TW was prolonged during moxifloxacin and in subjects with LQT-2, but not LQT-1 or LQT-3. Conclusion These data validate the application of RMS ECG for the detection of drug-induced and congenital LQTS. RMS ECG measurements are more precise than the current standard of care lead II measurements. PMID:24454918

The application of root mean square electrocardiography (RMS ECG) for the detection of acquired and congenital long QT syndrome.

PubMed

Lux, Robert L; Sower, Christopher Todd; Allen, Nancy; Etheridge, Susan P; Tristani-Firouzi, Martin; Saarel, Elizabeth V

2014-01-01

Precise measurement of the QT interval is often hampered by difficulty determining the end of the low amplitude T wave. Root mean square electrocardiography (RMS ECG) provides a novel alternative measure of ventricular repolarization. Experimental data have shown that the interval between the RMS ECG QRS and T wave peaks (RTPK) closely reflects the mean ventricular action potential duration while the RMS T wave width (TW) tracks the dispersion of repolarization timing. Here, we tested the precision of RMS ECG to assess ventricular repolarization in humans in the setting of drug-induced and congenital Long QT Syndrome (LQTS). RMS ECG signals were derived from high-resolution 24 hour Holter monitor recordings from 68 subjects after receiving placebo and moxifloxacin and from standard 12 lead ECGs obtained in 97 subjects with LQTS and 97 age- and sex-matched controls. RTPK, QTRMS and RMS TW intervals were automatically measured using custom software and compared to traditional QT measures using lead II. All measures of repolarization were prolonged during moxifloxacin administration and in LQTS subjects, but the variance of RMS intervals was significantly smaller than traditional lead II measurements. TW was prolonged during moxifloxacin and in subjects with LQT-2, but not LQT-1 or LQT-3. These data validate the application of RMS ECG for the detection of drug-induced and congenital LQTS. RMS ECG measurements are more precise than the current standard of care lead II measurements.

High prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in anal and pharyngeal sites among a community-based sample of men who have sex with men and transgender women in Lima, Peru.

PubMed

Leon, Segundo R; Segura, Eddy R; Konda, Kelika A; Flores, Juan A; Silva-Santisteban, Alfonso; Galea, Jerome T; Coates, Thomas J; Klausner, Jeffrey D; Caceres, Carlos F

2016-01-06

This study aimed to characterise the epidemiology of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) in Lima, Peru. Cross-sectional study in Lima, Peru. We recruited a group of 510 MSM and 208 TW for a subsequent community-based randomised controlled trial. The presence of CT and NG were evaluated using Aptima Combo2 in pharyngeal and anal swabs. We also explored correlates of these infections. Study end points included overall prevalence of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae in anal and pharyngeal sites. Overall prevalence of CT was 19% (95% CI 16.1% to 22.1%) and 4.8% (95% CI 3.3% to 6.6%) in anal and pharyngeal sites, respectively, while prevalence of NG was 9.6% (95% CI 7.5% to 12.0%) and 6.5% (95% CI 4.8% to 8.5%) in anal and pharyngeal sites, respectively. The prevalence of each infection declined significantly among participants older than 34 years (p<0.05). Efforts towards prevention and treatment of extraurogenital chlamydial and gonococcal infections in high-risk populations like MSM and TW in Lima, Peru, are warranted. NCT00670163; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Theater Missile Defense Extended Test Range Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement - Eglin Gulf Test Range. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-07-01

potential sites including those in the Florida Keys. P-E-0006.02 Biology-Keys 3.3.3.4 The coral reef is not within the region of influence of the...Region 4 P-W-0065 Musselman, David P-W-0021 Orlandi, Robin; Board of Directors of Reef Relief P-W-0014 Percy, George W.; Division of Historical...answer above. P-W-0007.03 Florida Keys- reef 3.3.3.3 Comment noted. P-W-0007.04 Launch emissions 3.1.14.4 3.3.14.4 The balance of the hydrogen

Key Impact Factors on Dam Break Fatalities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, D.; Yu, Z.; Song, Y.; Han, D.; Li, Y.

2016-12-01

Dam failures can lead to catastrophes on human society. However, there is a lack of research about dam break fatalities, especially on the key factors that affect fatalities. Based on the analysis of historical dam break cases, most studies have used the regression analysis to explore the correlation between those factors and fatalities, but without implementing optimization to find the dominating factors. In order to understand and reduce the risk of fatalities, this study has proposed a new method to select the impact factors on the fatality. It employs an improved ANN (Artificial Neural Network) combined with LOOCV (Leave-one-out cross-validation) and SFS (Stepwise Forward Selection) approach to explore the nonlinear relationship between impact factors and life losses. It not only considers the factors that have been widely used in the literature but also introduces new factors closely involved with fatalities. Dam break cases occurred in China from 1954 to 2013 are summarized, within which twenty-five cases are selected with a comprehensive coverage of geographic position and temporal variation. Twelve impact factors are taken into account as the inputs, i.e., severity of dam break flood (SF), population at risk (PR), public understanding of dam break (UB), warning time (TW), evacuation condition (EC), weather condition during dam break (WB), dam break mode (MB), water storage (SW), building vulnerability (VB), dam break time (TB), average distance from the affected area to the dam (DD) and preventive measures by government (PG).From those, three key factors of SF, MB and TB are chosen. The proposed method is able to extract the key factors, and the derived fatality model performs well in various types of dam break conditions.

Preparing for the Annual Audit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuehring, Bert

2002-01-01

Proposes several key questions that school district business officials should answer to prepare for an annual financial audit involving auditor information and resource needs, district and auditor monitoring and reporting on the audit progress, and reporting the results of the audit to the board of education. (PKP)

Linear Equations. [Student Worksheets for Vocational Agricultural Courses].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewell, Larry R.

This learning module provides students with practice in applying algebraic operations to vocational agriculture. The module consists of unit objectives, definitions, information, problems to solve, worksheets suitable for various levels of vocational agriculture instruction, and answer keys for the problems and worksheets. This module, which…

Common Fractions. [Student Worksheets for Vocational Agricultural Courses].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewell, Larry R.

This learning module provides students with practice in applying mathematical operations to vocational agriculture. The module consists of unit objectives, definitions, information, problems to solve, worksheets suitable for various levels of vocational agriculture instruction, and answer keys for the problems and worksheets. This module, which…

Australia: An Instructional Unit for Elementary Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duea, Joan; And Others

Designed to provide elementary teachers with materials for the study of Australia, this unit contains 19 lessons that include objectives, materials, procedures, suggested extension activities, and answer keys where needed. Following the 19 lessons are blackline masters for teacher transparencies, student worksheets, and extension activities. A…

A Menagerie of Tracks at Maryland: HARD, Enterprise, QA, and Genomics, Oh My!

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

mutually agreeable search strategy for acquiring the desired information. Like information need negotiation in a reference interview, clarification...answer key to identify relevant nuggets in system responses. The obvious downside of this approach is that the process requires human intervention

Charles Darwin's Botanical Investigations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harley, Suzanne M.

2010-01-01

Charles Darwin's botanical studies provide a way to expose students to his work that followed the publication of "On the Origin of Species." We can use stories from his plant investigations to illustrate key concepts in the life sciences and model how questions are asked and answered in science.

Visitors Abroad.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lepke, Helen; And Others

Seven German-American cross-cultural social situations are presented in English, each followed by a multiple-choice question concerning the etiquette or cultural implications of the actions. An answer key provides comments to stimulate class discussion. These everyday situations occur in Germany or the United States, and include eating at a…

The seven habits of highly effective project managers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warner, Mark; Summers, Richard

2016-08-01

Why do some astronomy projects succeed, while others fail? There are obviously many different factors that can and do influence the outcome of any given project, but one of the most prevalent characteristics among successful projects is the combined skills and qualifications of the project manager (PM) at their helms. But this begs an obvious question: what exactly makes a project manager "skilled and qualified?" Asked another way, are there common traits, philosophies, and/or techniques that the most successful PMs share, and if so, what are they? The short answer is yes, the majority successful engineering project managers have significant skills, habits, and character traits in common. The longer answer is there are at least seven of these key traits, or "habits" that many successful PMs share and, more importantly, implement within their respective projects. This paper presents these key factors, including thoughts on scope and quality management, cost and schedule control, project team structures, risk management strategies, stakeholder management, and general project execution.