Evaluation of the thermodynamic properties of hydrated metal oxide nanoparticles by INS techniques

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

Spencer, Elinor; Ross, Dr. Nancy; Parker, Stewart F.

2013-01-01

In this contribution we will present a detailed methodology for the elucidation of the following aspects of the thermodynamic properties of hydrated metal oxide nanoparticles from high-resolution, low-temperature inelastic neutron scattering (INS) data: (i) the isochoric heat capacity and entropy of the hydration layers both chemi- and physisorbed to the particle surface; (ii) the magnetic contribution to the heat capacity of the nanoparticles. This will include the calculation of the vibrational density of states (VDOS) from the raw INS spectra, and the subsequent extraction of the thermodynamic data from the VDOS. This technique will be described in terms of amore » worked example namely, cobalt oxide (Co3O4 and CoO). To complement this evaluation of the physical properties of metal oxide nanoparticle systems, we will emphasise the importance of high-resolution, high-energy INS for the determination of the structure and dynamics of the water species, namely molecular (H2O) and dissociated water (OH, hydroxyl), confined to the oxide surfaces. For this component of the chapter we will focus on INS investigations of hydrated isostructural rutile (a-TiO2) and cassiterite (SnO2) nanoparticles. We will complete this discussion of nanoparticle analysis by including an appraisal of the INS instrumentation employed in such studies with particular focus on TOSCA [ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), U.K.] and the newly developed spectrometer SEQUOIA [SNS, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), U.S.A].« less

Variable Temperature Blackbodies via Variable Conductance: Thermal Design, Modelling and Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melzack, N.; Jones, E.; Peters, D. M.; Hurley, J. G.; Watkins, R. E. J.; Fok, S.; Sawyer, C.; Marchetaux, G.; Acreman, A.; Winkler, R.; Lowe, D.; Theocharous, T.; Montag, V.; Gibbs, D.; Pearce, A. B.; Bishop, G.; Newman, E.; Keen, S.; Stokes, J.; Pearce, A.; Stamper, R.; Cantell-Hynes, A.

2017-02-01

This paper presents the overall design for large (˜ 400 mm aperture) reference blackbody cavities currently under development at the Science and Technology Facilities Council Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Space Department (STFC RAL Space), in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). These blackbodies are designed to operate in vacuum over a temperature range from 160 K to 370 K, with an additional capability to operate at ˜ 100 K as a point of near-zero radiance. This is a challenging problem for a single blackbody. The novel thermal design presented in this paper enables one target that can physically achieve and operate successfully at both thermal extremes, whilst also meeting stringent temperature gradient requirements. The overall blackbody design is based upon a helium gas-gap heat switch and modified to allow for variable thermal conductance. The blackbody design consists of three main concentric cylinder components—an inner cavity (aluminium alloy), a radiation shield (aluminium) and an outer liquid nitrogen (LN2) jacket (stainless steel). The internal surface of the cavity is the effective radiating surface. There is a helium gas interspace surrounding the radiation shield and enclosed by the LN2 jacket and the inner cavity. The blackbodies are now at a mature stage of development. In this paper, the overall design, focusing upon the thermal design solution, is detailed. This paper will also concern the full-scale prototype breadboard model, for which results on thermal stability, spatial gradients and other sensitivities will be presented.

Calibration approach and plan for the sea and land surface temperature radiometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, David L.; Nightingale, Tim J.; Mortimer, Hugh; Middleton, Kevin; Edeson, Ruben; Cox, Caroline V.; Mutlow, Chris T.; Maddison, Brian J.; Coppo, Peter

2014-01-01

The sea and land surface temperature radiometer (SLSTR) to be flown on the European Space Agency's (ESA) Sentinel-3 mission is a multichannel scanning radiometer that will continue the 21 year dataset of the along-track scanning radiometer (ATSR) series. As its name implies, measurements from SLSTR will be used to retrieve global sea surface temperatures to an uncertainty of <0.3 K traced to international standards. To achieve, these low uncertainties require an end-to-end instrument calibration strategy that includes prelaunch calibration at subsystem and instrument level, on-board calibration systems, and sustained postlaunch activities. The authors describe the preparations for the prelaunch calibration activities, including the spectral response, the instrument level alignment tests, and the solar and infrared radiometric calibrations. A purpose built calibration rig has been designed and built at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory space department (RAL Space) that will accommodate the SLSTR instrument, the infrared calibration sources, and the alignment equipment. The calibration rig has been commissioned and results of these tests will be presented. Finally, the authors will present the planning for the on-orbit monitoring and calibration activities to ensure that the calibration is maintained. These activities include vicarious calibration techniques that have been developed through previous missions and the deployment of ship-borne radiometers.

The 40 and 50 GHz propagation experiments at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK, using the ITALSAT beacons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodroffe, J. M.; Davies, P. G.; Ladd, D. N.; Norbury, John R.

1994-01-01

This paper describes the current experimental program and future plans for the reception of transmissions from the 18.7, 39.6, and 49.5 GHz beacons from the ITALSAT satellite by the Radio Communications Research Unit at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK. The Radio Communications Research Unit, which has had considerable experience in developing experimental millimetric equipment for propagation studies, has initiated the development of a single-channel receiver and a triple-channel receiver to measure propagation effects at 49.5 GHz and 39.6 GHz respectively. The initial location of the receivers will be at Chilbolton, Hampshire, UK.

Remote access laboratories in Australia and Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ku, H.; Ahfock, T.; Yusaf, T.

2011-06-01

Remote access laboratories (RALs) were first developed in 1994 in Australia and Switzerland. The main purposes of developing them are to enable students to do their experiments at their own pace, time and locations and to enable students and teaching staff to get access to facilities beyond their institutions. Currently, most of the experiments carried out through RALs in Australia are heavily biased towards electrical, electronic and computer engineering disciplines. However, the experiments carried out through RALs in Europe had more variety, in addition to the traditional electrical, electronic and computer engineering disciplines, there were experiments in mechanical and mechatronic disciplines. It was found that RALs are now being developed aggressively in Australia and Europe and it can be argued that RALs will develop further and faster in the future with improving Internet technology. The rising costs of real experimental equipment will also speed up their development because by making the equipment remotely accessible, the cost can be shared by more universities or institutions and this will improve their cost-effectiveness. Their development would be particularly rapid in large countries with small populations such as Australia, Canada and Russia, because of the scale of economy. Reusability of software, interoperability in software implementation, computer supported collaborative learning and convergence with learning management systems are the required development of future RALs.

Webb Instrument Undergoes Alignment Testing

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-18

The Mid-Infrared Instrument, a component of NASA James Webb Space Telescope, underwent alignment testing at the Science and Technology Facilities Council Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Space in Oxfordshire, England.

Webb Instrument Inside Test Chamber

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-18

The Mid-Infrared Instrument, a component of NASA James Webb Space Telescope, underwent testing inside the thermal space test chamber at the Science and Technology Facilities Council Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Space in Oxfordshire, England.

Editorial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansur, Louis K.

2018-08-01

The Thirteenth International Workshop on Spallation Materials Technology (IWSMT-13) was held at Chattanooga, Tennessee, October 30 to November 4, 2016. The meeting was organized by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, with participation from the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Sciences, European Spallation Source, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institut, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and other institutes. The meeting included 52 presentations, of which 9 peer-reviewed full papers are published in this special issue.

Performance comparison of small-pixel CdZnTe radiation detectors with gold contacts formed by sputter and electroless deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, S. J.; Baker, M. A.; Duarte, D. D.; Schneider, A.; Seller, P.; Sellin, P. J.; Veale, M. C.; Wilson, M. D.

2017-06-01

Recent improvements in the growth of wide-bandgap semiconductors, such as cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe or CZT), has enabled spectroscopic X/γ-ray imaging detectors to be developed. These detectors have applications covering homeland security, industrial analysis, space science and medical imaging. At the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) a promising range of spectroscopic, position sensitive, small-pixel Cd(Zn)Te detectors have been developed. The challenge now is to improve the quality of metal contacts on CdZnTe in order to meet the demanding energy and spatial resolution requirements of these applications. The choice of metal deposition method and fabrication process are of fundamental importance. Presented is a comparison of two CdZnTe detectors with contacts formed by sputter and electroless deposition. The detectors were fabricated with a 74 × 74 array of 200 μm pixels on a 250 μm pitch and bump-bonded to the HEXITEC ASIC. The X/γ-ray emissions from an 241Am source were measured to form energy spectra for comparison. It was found that the detector with contacts formed by electroless deposition produced the best uniformity and energy resolution; the best pixel produced a FWHM of 560 eV at 59.54 keV and 50% of pixels produced a FWHM better than 1.7 keV . This compared with a FWHM of 1.5 keV for the best pixel and 50% of pixels better than 4.4 keV for the detector with sputtered contacts.

Absolute Radiometric Calibration of EUNIS-06

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, R. J.; Rabin, D. M.; Kent, B. J.; Paustian, W.

2007-01-01

The Extreme-Ultraviolet Normal-Incidence Spectrometer (EUNIS) is a soundingrocket payload that obtains imaged high-resolution spectra of individual solar features, providing information about the Sun's corona and upper transition region. Shortly after its successful initial flight last year, a complete end-to-end calibration was carried out to determine the instrument's absolute radiometric response over its Longwave bandpass of 300 - 370A. The measurements were done at the Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory (RAL) in England, using the same vacuum facility and EUV radiation source used in the pre-flight calibrations of both SOHO/CDS and Hinode/EIS, as well as in three post-flight calibrations of our SERTS sounding rocket payload, the precursor to EUNIS. The unique radiation source provided by the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) had been calibrated to an absolute accuracy of 7% (l-sigma) at 12 wavelengths covering our bandpass directly against the Berlin electron storage ring BESSY, which is itself a primary radiometric source standard. Scans of the EUNIS aperture were made to determine the instrument's absolute spectral sensitivity to +- 25%, considering all sources of error, and demonstrate that EUNIS-06 was the most sensitive solar E W spectrometer yet flown. The results will be matched against prior calibrations which relied on combining measurements of individual optical components, and on comparisons with theoretically predicted 'insensitive' line ratios. Coordinated observations were made during the EUNIS-06 flight by SOHO/CDS and EIT that will allow re-calibrations of those instruments as well. In addition, future EUNIS flights will provide similar calibration updates for TRACE, Hinode/EIS, and STEREO/SECCHI/EUVI.

96 Week Follow-Up of HIV-Infected Patients in Rescue with Raltegravir Plus Optimized Backbone Regimens: A Multicentre Italian Experience

PubMed Central

Capetti, Amedeo; Landonio, Simona; Meraviglia, Paola; Di Biagio, Antonio; Lo Caputo, Sergio; Sterrantino, Gaetana; Ammassari, Adriana; Menzaghi, Barbara; Franzetti, Marco; De Socio, Giuseppe Vittorio; Pellicanò, Giovanni; Mazzotta, Elena; Soria, Alessandro; Meschiari, Marianna; Trezzi, Michele; Sasset, Lolita; Celesia, Benedetto Maurizio; Zucchi, Patrizia; Melzi, Sara; Ricci, Elena; Rizzardini, Giuliano

2012-01-01

Background Long term efficacy of raltegravir (RAL)-including regimens in highly pre-treated HIV-1-infected patients has been demonstrated in registration trials. However, few studies have assessed durability in routine clinical settings. Methods Antiretroviral treatment-experienced patients initiating a RAL-containing salvage regimen were enrolled. Routine clinical and laboratory follow-up was performed at baseline, week 4, 12, and every 12 weeks thereafter. Data were censored at week 96. Results Out of 320 patients enrolled, 292 (91.25%) subjects maintained their initial regimen for 96 weeks; 28 discontinued prematurely for various reasons: death (11), viral failure (8), adverse events (5), loss to follow-up (3), consent withdrawal (1). Eight among these 28 subjects maintained RAL but changed the accompanying drugs. The mean CD4+ T-cell increase at week 96 was 227/mm3; 273 out of 300 patients (91%), who were still receiving RAL at week 96, achieved viral suppression (HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL). When analyzing the immuno-virologic outcome according to the number of drugs used in the regimen, 2 (n = 45), 3 (n = 111), 4 (n = 124), or >4 (n = 40), CD4+ T-cell gain was similar across strata: +270, +214, +216, and +240 cells/mm3, respectively, as was the proportion of subjects with undetectable viral load. Laboratory abnormalities (elevation of liver enzymes, total cholesterol and triglycerides) were rare, ranging from 0.9 to 3.1%. The mean 96-week total cholesterol increase was 23.6 mg/dL. Conclusions In a routine clinical setting, a RAL-based regimen allowed most patients in salvage therapy to achieve optimal viral suppression for at least 96 weeks, with relevant immunologic gain and very few adverse events. PMID:22808029

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-11-01

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

Target studies for the neutrino factory at the Rutherford Appleton laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drumm, Paul; Densham, Chris; Bennett, Roger

2001-10-01

Target studies at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have concentrated on studies of a solid heavy metal target. The suggestion to use a radiatively cooled target which rotates in beam was made shortly after the first NuFact workshop as a means of dissipating large amounts of power at a high temperature, and as an alternative to the proposed water-cooled rotating band and liquid metal jet targets. This paper examines the proposed drive scheme for the target ring, which uses induced currents and magnetic forces to both levitate and drive the target. Estimates of the power required to levitate and drive the target ring and the forces exerted on the moving ring as it enters the target capture solenoid are given. One of the principle concerns in the operation of a solid target is the severe shock stress experienced due to the impact of an intense energetic proton beam in a short time compared to the transit time of sound in the material. Calculations of the stresses induced in the target ring and their evolution with time as well as an initial estimation of the expected power densities and stresses in an existing high power density target are presented.

Raloxifene reduces skeletal fractures in an animal model of osteogenesis imperfecta.

PubMed

Berman, Alycia G; Wallace, Joseph M; Bart, Zachary R; Allen, Matthew R

2016-01-01

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disease of Type I collagen and collagen-associated pathways that results in brittle bone behavior characterized by fracture and reduced mechanical properties. Based on previous work in our laboratory showing that raloxifene (RAL) can significantly improve bone mechanical properties through non-cellular mechanisms, we hypothesized that raloxifene would improve the mechanical properties of OI bone. In experiment 1, tibiae from female wild type (WT) and homozygous oim mice were subjected to in vitro soaking in RAL followed by mechanical tests. RAL soaking resulted in significantly higher post-yield displacement (+75% in WT, +472% in oim; p<0.004), with no effect on ultimate load or stiffness, in both WT and oim animals. In experiment 2, eight-week old WT and oim male mice were treated for eight weeks with saline vehicle (VEH) or RAL. Endpoint measures included assessment of in vivo skeletal fractures, bone density/geometry and mechanical properties. In vivo skeletal fractures of the femora, assessed by micro CT imaging, were significantly lower in oim-RAL (20%) compared to oim-VEH (48%, p=0.047). RAL led to significantly higher DXA-based BMD (p<0.01) and CT-based trabecular BV/TV in both WT and oim animals compared to those treated with VEH. Fracture toughness of the femora was lower in oim mice compared to WT and improved with RAL in both genotypes. These results suggest that raloxifene reduces the incidence of fracture in this mouse model of oim. Furthermore, they suggest that raloxifene's effects may be the result of both cellular (increased bone mass) and non-cellular (presumably changes in hydration) mechanisms, raising the possibility of using raloxifene, or related compounds, as a new approach for treating bone fragility associated with OI. Copyright © 2016 International Society of Matrix Biology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ras-Related Small GTPases RalA and RalB Regulate Cellular Survival After Ionizing Radiation

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

Kidd, Ambrose R.; Snider, Jared L.; Martin, Timothy D.

2010-09-01

Purpose: Oncogenic activation of Ras renders cancer cells resistant to ionizing radiation (IR), but the mechanisms have not been fully characterized. The Ras-like small GTPases RalA and RalB are downstream effectors of Ras function and are critical for both tumor growth and survival. The Ral effector RalBP1/RLIP76 mediates survival of mice after whole-body irradiation, but the role of the Ral GTPases themselves in response to IR is unknown. We have investigated the role of RalA and RalB in cellular responses to IR. Methods and Materials: RalA, RalB, and their major effectors RalBP1 and Sec5 were knocked down by stable expressionmore » of short hairpin RNAs in the K-Ras-dependent pancreatic cancer-derived cell line MIA PaCa-2. Radiation responses were measured by standard clonogenic survival assays for reproductive survival, {gamma}H2AX expression for double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs), and poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) cleavage for apoptosis. Results: Knockdown of K-Ras, RalA, or RalB reduced colony-forming ability post-IR, and knockdown of either Ral isoform decreased the rate of DSB repair post-IR. However, knockdown of RalB, but not RalA, increased cell death. Surprisingly, neither RalBP1 nor Sec5 suppression affected colony formation post-IR. Conclusions: Both RalA and RalB contribute to K-Ras-dependent IR resistance of MIA PaCa-2 cells. Sensitization due to suppressed Ral expression is likely due in part to decreased efficiency of DNA repair (RalA and RalB) and increased susceptibility to apoptosis (RalB). Ral-mediated radioresistance does not depend on either the RalBP1 or the exocyst complex, the two best-characterized Ral effectors, and instead may utilize an atypical or novel effector.« less

Remote Access Laboratories in Australia and Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ku, H.; Ahfock, T.; Yusaf, T.

2011-01-01

Remote access laboratories (RALs) were first developed in 1994 in Australia and Switzerland. The main purposes of developing them are to enable students to do their experiments at their own pace, time and locations and to enable students and teaching staff to get access to facilities beyond their institutions. Currently, most of the experiments…

Two Years of the STEREO Heliospheric Imagers: Invited Review

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

impact of CMEs and CIRs on planets. The very nature of this area of research—which brings together aspects of solar physics, space -environmentphysics...Include area code) Standard Form 298 (Rev 8/98) Prescribed by ANSI Sid Z39 18 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES (Continued) 1. Space Science and Technology...Department, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, 0X11OQX UK. 2. Space Environment Physics Group, School of Physics

Adventures in Laser Produced Plasma Research

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

Key, M

2006-01-13

In the UK the study of laser produced plasmas and their applications began in the universities and evolved to a current system where the research is mainly carried out at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Central Laser Facility ( CLF) which is provided to support the universities. My own research work has been closely tied to this evolution and in this review I describe the history with particular reference to my participation in it.

Ral-Arf6 crosstalk regulates Ral dependent exocyst trafficking and anchorage independent growth signalling.

PubMed

Pawar, Archana; Meier, Jeremy A; Dasgupta, Anwesha; Diwanji, Neha; Deshpande, Neha; Saxena, Kritika; Buwa, Natasha; Inchanalkar, Siddhi; Schwartz, Martin Alexander; Balasubramanian, Nagaraj

2016-09-01

Integrin dependent regulation of growth factor signalling confers anchorage dependence that is deregulated in cancers. Downstream of integrins and oncogenic Ras the small GTPase Ral is a vital mediator of adhesion dependent trafficking and signalling. This study identifies a novel regulatory crosstalk between Ral and Arf6 that controls Ral function in cells. In re-adherent mouse fibroblasts (MEFs) integrin dependent activation of RalA drives Arf6 activation. Independent of adhesion constitutively active RalA and RalB could both however activate Arf6. This is further conserved in oncogenic H-Ras containing bladder cancer T24 cells, which express anchorage independent active Ral that supports Arf6 activation. Arf6 mediates active Ral-exocyst dependent delivery of raft microdomains to the plasma membrane that supports anchorage independent growth signalling. Accordingly in T24 cells the RalB-Arf6 crosstalk is seen to preferentially regulate anchorage independent Erk signalling. Active Ral we further find uses a Ral-RalBP1-ARNO-Arf6 pathway to mediate Arf6 activation. This study hence identifies Arf6, through this regulatory crosstalk, to be a key downstream mediator of Ral isoform function along adhesion dependent pathways in normal and cancer cells. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mass spectroscopic phosphoprotein mapping of Ral Binding protein 1 (RalBP1/Rip1/RLIP76)

PubMed Central

Herlevsen, Mikael C; Theodorescu, Dan

2009-01-01

RalBP1, a multifunctional protein implicated in cancer cell proliferation, radiation and chemoresistance and ligand dependent receptor internalization, is upregulated in bladder cancer and is a downstream effector of RalB, a GTPase associated with metastasis. RalBP1 can be regulated by phosphorylation by protein kinase C (PKC). No studies have comprehensively mapped RalBP1 phosphorylation sites or whether RalB affects these. We identified fourteen phosphorylation sites of RalBP1 in human bladder carcinoma UMUC-3 and embryonic kidney derived 293T cells. The phosphorylated residues are concentrated at the N-terminus. Ten of the first 100 amino acids of the primary structure were phosphorylated. Nine were serine residues, and one a threonine. We evaluated the effect of RalB overexpression on RalBP1 phosphorylation and found the largest change in phosphorylation status at S463 and S645. Further characterization of these sites will provide novel insights on RalBP1 biology, its functional relationship to RalB and possible avenues for therapeutic intervention. PMID:17706599

Cytotoxicity of All-Trans-Retinal Increases Upon Photodegradation†

PubMed Central

Różanowska, Małgorzata; Handzel, Kinga; Boulton, Michael E.; Różanowski, Bartosz

2013-01-01

All-trans-retinal (AtRal) can accumulate in the retina as a result of excessive exposure to light. The purpose of this study was to compare cytotoxicity of AtRal and photodegraded AtRal (dAtRal) on cultured human retinal pigment epithelial cells in dark and upon exposure to visible light. AtRal was degraded by exposure to visible light. Cytotoxicity was monitored by imaging of cell morphology, propidium iodide staining of cells with permeable plasma membrane and measurements of reductive activity of cells. Generation of singlet oxygen photosensitized by AtRal and dAtRal was monitored by time-resolved measurements of characteristic singlet oxygen phosphorescence. Photodegradation of AtRal resulted in a decrease in absorption of visible light and accumulation of the degradation products with absorption maximum at ~330 nm. Toxicity of dAtRal was concentration-dependent and was greater during irradiation with visible light than in dark. DAtRal was more cytotoxic than AtRal both in dark and during exposure to visible light. Photochemical properties of dAtRal indicate that it may be responsible for the maximum in the action spectra of retinal photodamage recorded in animals. In conclusion, photodegradation products of AtRal may impose a significant threat to the retina and therefore their roles in retinal pathology need to be explored. PMID:22515697

New prospects of VESUVIO applied to measurements in water mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez Palomino, L. A.; Dawidowski, J.; Blostein, J. J.; Cuello, G. J.

2014-12-01

We present new measurements on mixtures of light and heavy water in the spectrometer VESUVIO (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK), and analyze them from the perspective of different kind of applications. We perform a single detector analysis and show the multiple scattering and attenuation corrections with the aim to employ them in mass- spectrometry. We also show the capabilities to perform transmission measurements to determine total cross sections of an acceptable quality by means of its transmission monitor.

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.

Operational Experience with the MICE Spectrometer Solenoid System

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

Feher, Sandor; Bross, Alan; Hanlet, Pierrick

The Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment located at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in England utilizes a supercon-ducting solenoid system for the muon cooling channel that also holds particle tracking detectors and muon absorbers inside their bores. The solenoid system installation was completed in summer of 2015 and after commissioning the system it has been running successfully. As a result, this paper summarizes the commissioning results and operational experience with the magnets focusing on the per-formance of the two Spectrometer Solenoids built by the US.

Operational Experience with the MICE Spectrometer Solenoid System

DOE PAGES

Feher, Sandor; Bross, Alan; Hanlet, Pierrick

2018-01-11

The Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment located at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in England utilizes a supercon-ducting solenoid system for the muon cooling channel that also holds particle tracking detectors and muon absorbers inside their bores. The solenoid system installation was completed in summer of 2015 and after commissioning the system it has been running successfully. As a result, this paper summarizes the commissioning results and operational experience with the magnets focusing on the per-formance of the two Spectrometer Solenoids built by the US.

Comparison of the In Vivo Pharmacokinetics and In Vitro Dissolution of Raltegravir in HIV Patients Receiving the Drug by Swallowing or by Chewing

PubMed Central

Baldelli, Sara; Cerea, Matteo; Landonio, Simona; Meraviglia, Paola; Simioni, Emanuela; Cozzi, Valeria; Fucile, Serena; Gazzaniga, Andrea; Clementi, Emilio; Galli, Massimo; Rizzardini, Giuliano; Gervasoni, Cristina

2012-01-01

The pharmacokinetics of raltegravir (RAL) in HIV patients is characterized by high interpatient/intrapatient variability. We investigated the potential contribution of the drug pharmaceutical formulation to RAL pharmacokinetics. We first compared in vivo the pharmacokinetics of RAL for 67 patients to whom the drug was administered by swallowing the intact tablet with those obtained from 13 HIV-infected patients who chewed the RAL tablet due to swallowing difficulties. Subsequently, we evaluated in vitro the dissolution of RAL tablets under different conditions. In the in vivo study, we found that patients given RAL by chewing the tablets presented pharmacokinetic profiles characterized by significantly higher RAL absorption than did patients receiving the drug by swallowing. The in vitro studies showed that when the whole tablets were exposed to an acidic medium, the release of RAL was very low, whereas when the tablets were crushed, the profiles presented significantly higher concentrations of RAL. Crushed tablets tested in water or in a pH 6.8 buffer exhibited prompt and complete dissolution of RAL. HIV-infected patients receiving RAL by chewing the tablet showed higher drug absorption and reduced pharmacokinetic variability compared with patients swallowing the intact tablet. This is related to problems in tablet disintegration and to erratic drug absorption. The amelioration of the RAL pharmaceutical formulation could improve drug pharmacokinetics. PMID:22964253

75 FR 82228 - IFR Altitudes; Miscellaneous Amendments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-30

... Is Amended To Read in Part Shirt, OH FIX *Gloom, OH FIX 3000 *4000--MRA *Gloom, OH FIX Appleton, OH VORTAC..... 3000 *4000--MRA Appleton, OH VORTAC Mansfield, OH VORTAC.... 3000 Mansfield, OH VORTAC Dryer... in Part Lee County, FL VORTAC Jocks, FL FIX 2600 Jocks, FL FIX *Crowd, FL FIX **2300 *5000--MRA...

Stuart Appleton Courtis: Tester, Reformer and Progressive.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johanningmeier, E. V.

The career of Stuart Appleton Courtis in the growth of testing and educational measurement parallels the development of progressive education in the first half of the twentieth century. In 1909 he developed the standardized Courtis Arithmetic Test, Series A, the first objective test used in any city public schools. Continuing his work in testing,…

The Effect of Ionospheric Models on Electromagnetic Pulse Locations

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

Fenimore, Edward E.; Triplett, Laurie A.

2014-07-01

Locations of electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) determined by time-of-arrival (TOA) often have outliers with significantly larger errors than expected. In the past, these errors were thought to arise from high order terms in the Appleton-Hartree equation. We simulated 1000 events randomly spread around the Earth into a constellation of 22 GPS satellites. We used four different ionospheres: “simple” where the time delay goes as the inverse of the frequency-squared, “full Appleton-Hartree”, the “BobRD integrals” and a full raytracing code. The simple and full Appleton-Hartree ionospheres do not show outliers whereas the BobRD and raytracing do. This strongly suggests that the causemore » of the outliers is not additional terms in the Appleton-Hartree equation, but rather is due to the additional path length due to refraction. A method to fix the outliers is suggested based on fitting a time to the delays calculated at the 5 GPS frequencies with BobRD and simple ionospheres. The difference in time is used as a correction to the TOAs.« less

Which Way In? The RalF Arf-GEF Orchestrates Rickettsia Host Cell Invasion

PubMed Central

Rennoll-Bankert, Kristen E.; Rahman, M. Sayeedur; Gillespie, Joseph J.; Guillotte, Mark L.; Kaur, Simran J.; Lehman, Stephanie S.; Beier-Sexton, Magda; Azad, Abdu F.

2015-01-01

Bacterial Sec7-domain-containing proteins (RalF) are known only from species of Legionella and Rickettsia, which have facultative and obligate intracellular lifestyles, respectively. L. pneumophila RalF, a type IV secretion system (T4SS) effector, is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) of ADP-ribosylation factors (Arfs), activating and recruiting host Arf1 to the Legionella-containing vacuole. In contrast, previous in vitro studies showed R. prowazekii (Typhus Group) RalF is a functional Arf-GEF that localizes to the host plasma membrane and interacts with the actin cytoskeleton via a unique C-terminal domain. As RalF is differentially encoded across Rickettsia species (e.g., pseudogenized in all Spotted Fever Group species), it may function in lineage-specific biology and pathogenicity. Herein, we demonstrate RalF of R. typhi (Typhus Group) interacts with the Rickettsia T4SS coupling protein (RvhD4) via its proximal C-terminal sequence. RalF is expressed early during infection, with its inactivation via antibody blocking significantly reducing R. typhi host cell invasion. For R. typhi and R. felis (Transitional Group), RalF ectopic expression revealed subcellular localization with the host plasma membrane and actin cytoskeleton. Remarkably, R. bellii (Ancestral Group) RalF showed perinuclear localization reminiscent of ectopically expressed Legionella RalF, for which it shares several structural features. For R. typhi, RalF co-localization with Arf6 and PI(4,5)P2 at entry foci on the host plasma membrane was determined to be critical for invasion. Thus, we propose recruitment of PI(4,5)P2 at entry foci, mediated by RalF activation of Arf6, initiates actin remodeling and ultimately facilitates bacterial invasion. Collectively, our characterization of RalF as an invasin suggests that, despite carrying a similar Arf-GEF unknown from other bacteria, different intracellular lifestyles across Rickettsia and Legionella species have driven divergent roles for RalF during infection. Furthermore, our identification of lineage-specific Arf-GEF utilization across some rickettsial species illustrates different pathogenicity factors that define diverse agents of rickettsial diseases. PMID:26291822

Herpetofauna at the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch

Treesearch

Roger C. Cogan

2013-01-01

A rich diversity of amphibian and reptile species occurs at the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch, an 8000-acre sanctuary for native biota and research facility in the semi-arid grasslands of southeastern Arizona, created in 1969 and managed by the National Audubon Society since 1980. Nine species of amphibians and 42 species of reptiles have been identified by staff...

The front end test stand high performance H- ion source at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

PubMed

Faircloth, D C; Lawrie, S; Letchford, A P; Gabor, C; Wise, P; Whitehead, M; Wood, T; Westall, M; Findlay, D; Perkins, M; Savage, P J; Lee, D A; Pozimski, J K

2010-02-01

The aim of the front end test stand (FETS) project is to demonstrate that chopped low energy beams of high quality can be produced. FETS consists of a 60 mA Penning Surface Plasma Ion Source, a three solenoid low energy beam transport, a 3 MeV radio frequency quadrupole, a chopper, and a comprehensive suite of diagnostics. This paper details the design and initial performance of the ion source and the laser profile measurement system. Beam current, profile, and emittance measurements are shown for different operating conditions.

EFFECTS OF LASER RADIATION ON MATTER: Calculation of the gain of a C VI laser plasma expanding as a cylinder and a cylindrical layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulov, A. V.; Derzhiev, V. I.; Zhidkov, A. G.; Pritula, A. G.; Chekmezov, A. N.; Yakovlenko, Sergei I.

1990-08-01

Calculations are reported of the gain due to the 3-2 transition in the C VI ion in an expanding plasma cylinder or a cylindrical layer. Under the conditions in the experiments at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (Chilton, England) amplification was observed as a result of evaporation of a fairly thin (~ 0.1 μm) cylindrical layer. A peak of the gain was reached in a relatively short time (~ 0.1 ns).

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

Zhu, Xue; Wang, Ke, E-mail: wangke@jsinm.org; Zhang, Kai

Delayed clearance of free form all-trans-retinal (atRAL) is estimated be the key cause of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells injury during the pathogenesis of retinopathies such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are far from clear. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxicity effect and underlying molecular mechanism of atRAL on human retinal pigment epithelium ARPE-19 cells. The results indicated that atRAL could cause cell dysfunction by inducing oxidative and nitrosative stresses in ARPE-19 cells. The oxidative stress induced by atRAL was mediated through up-regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, activating mitochondrial-dependent and MAPKs signalingmore » pathways, and finally resulting in apoptosis of ARPE-19 cells. The NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin could partly attenuated ROS generation, indicating that NADPH oxidase activity was involved in atRAL-induced oxidative stress in ARPE-19 cells. The nitrosative stress induced by atRAL was mainly reflected in increasing nitric oxide (NO) production, enhancing iNOS, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expressions, and promoting monocyte adhesion. Furthermore, above effects could be dramatically blocked by using a nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) inhibitor SN50, indicated that atRAL-induced oxidative and nitrosative stresses were mediated by NF-κB. The results provide better understanding of atRAL-induced toxicity in human RPE cells. - Highlights: • atRAL induces oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis in ARPE-19 cells. • atRAL induces oxidative stress-mediated inflammation in ARPE-19 cells. • NF-κB is involved in atRAL-induced oxidative and nitrosative stresses.« less

A family affair: A Ral-exocyst-centered network links Ras, Rac, Rho signaling to control cell migration.

PubMed

Zago, Giulia; Biondini, Marco; Camonis, Jacques; Parrini, Maria Carla

2017-05-12

Cell migration is central to many developmental, physiologic and pathological processes, including cancer progression. The Ral GTPases (RalA and RalB) which act down-stream the Ras oncogenes, are key players in the coordination between membrane trafficking and actin polymerization. A major direct effector of Ral, the exocyst complex, works in polarized exocytosis and is at the center of multiple protein-protein interactions that support cell migration by promoting protrusion formation, front-rear polarization, and extra-cellular matrix degradation. In this review we describe the recent advancements in deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying this role of Ral via exocyst on cell migration. Among others, we will discuss the recently identified cross-talk between Ral and Rac1 pathways: exocyst binds to a negative regulator (the RacGAP SH3BP1) and to the major effector (the Wave Regulatory Complex, WRC) of Rac1, the master regulator of protrusions. Next challenge will be to better characterize the dynamics in space and in time of these molecular interplays, to better understand the pleiotropic functions of Ral in both normal and cancer cells.

Evaluation of availability of water from drift aquifers near the Pomme de Terre and Chippewa rivers, western Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delin, G.N.

1987-01-01

The model was used to simulate the effects of below-normal precipitation (drought) and hypothetical increases in ground-water development. Model results indicate that reduced recharge and increased pumping during a three-year extended drought probably would lower water levels 2 to 6 feet regionally in the surficial aquifer and in the Appleton and Benson-middle aquifers and as much as 11 feet near aquifer boundaries. Ground-water discharge to the Pomme de Terre and Chippewa Rivers in the modeled area probably would be reduced during the simulated drought by 15.2 and 7.4 cubic feet per second, respectively, compared to 1982 conditions. The addition of 30 hypothetical wells in the Benson-middle aquifer near Benson, pumping a total of 810 million gallons per year, resulted in water-level declines of as much as 1.3 and 2.7 feet in the surficial and Benson-middle aquifers, respectively. The addition of 28 hypothetical wells in the Appleton aquifer east and southeast of Appleton, pumping a total of 756 million gallons per year, lowered water levels in the surficial and Appleton confined aquifers as much as 5 feet.

Robotic Versus Video-assisted Lobectomy/Segmentectomy for Lung Cancer: A Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Liang, Hengrui; Liang, Wenhua; Zhao, Lei; Chen, Difei; Zhang, Jianrong; Zhang, Yiyin; Tang, Shiyan; He, Jianxing

2017-06-16

: Objective: To compare the safety/efficacy of the robotic-assisted lobectomy/segmentectomy (RAL/S) with the video-assisted lobectomy/segmentectomy (VAL/S) for radical lung cancer resection. It remains uncertain whether the newly developed RAL/S is comparable with the VAL/S. A comprehensive search of online databases was performed. Perioperative outcomes were synthesized. Cumulative meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the temporal trend of pooled outcomes. Specific subgroups (propensity score matching studies, pure lobectomy studies) were examined. Analysis of 14 studies including a total of 7438 patients was performed. RAL/S was performed on 3239 patients, whereas the other 4199 patients underwent VAL/S. The 30-day mortality [0.7% vs 1.1%; odds ratio (OR) 0.53, P = 0.045] and conversion rate to open surgery (10.3% vs 11.9%; OR 0.57, P < 0.001) were significantly lower in patients who underwent RAL/S than VAL/S. Meanwhile, the postoperative complications (27.5% vs 28.2%; OR 0.95, P = 0.431), operation time [176.63 vs 162.74 min; standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.30, P = 0.086], duration of hospitalization (4.90 vs 5.23 days; SMD -0.08, P = 0.292), days to tube removal (4.10 vs 3.53 days; SMD 0.25, P = 0.120), retrieved lymph node (11.96 vs 10.67; SMD 0.46, P = 0.381), and retrieved lymph node station (4.98 vs 4.32; SMD 0.83, P = 0.261) were similar between the 2 groups. The cumulative meta-analyses suggested that the relative effects between 2 groups have already stabilized. All outcomes of subgroup and overall analyses were similar. This up-to-date meta-analysis confirms that RAL/S is a feasible and safe alternative to VAL/S for radical resection of lung cancer. Future studies should focus on the long-term benefits and cost effectiveness of RAL/S compared with VAL/S.

Recent H- diagnostics, plasma simulations, and 2X scaled Penning ion source developments at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrie, S. R.; Faircloth, D. C.; Smith, J. D.; Sarmento, T. M.; Whitehead, M. O.; Wood, T.; Perkins, M.; Macgregor, J.; Abel, R.

2018-05-01

A vessel for extraction and source plasma analyses is being used for Penning H- ion source development at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. A new set of optical elements including an einzel lens has been installed, which transports over 80 mA of H- beam successfully. Simultaneously, a 2X scaled Penning source has been developed to reduce cathode power density. The 2X source is now delivering a 65 mA H- ion beam at 10% duty factor, meeting its design criteria. The long-term viability of the einzel lens and 2X source is now being evaluated, so new diagnostic devices have been installed. A pair of electrostatic deflector plates is used to correct beam misalignment and perform fast chopping, with a voltage rise time of 24 ns. A suite of four quartz crystal microbalances has shown that the cesium flux in the vacuum vessel is only increased by a factor of two, despite the absence of a dedicated cold trap. Finally, an infrared camera has demonstrated good agreement with thermal simulations but has indicated unexpected heating due to beam loss on the downstream electrode. These types of diagnostics are suitable for monitoring all operational ion sources. In addition to experimental campaigns and new diagnostic tools, the high-performance VSim and COMSOL software packages are being used for plasma simulations of two novel ion thrusters for space propulsion applications. In parallel, a VSim framework has been established to include arbitrary temperature and cesium fields to allow the modeling of surface physics in H- ion sources.

Science in Service to Society - A Review of Applied Science & Decision Support Development Serving Multiple Economic Sectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahoney, W. P., III

2015-12-01

For more than 30 years, the Research Applications Laboratory (RAL) of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has conducted fundamental and applied research focused on developing decision support tools spanning multiple end-user groups representing a variety of economic sectors. Technology transfer is a primary mission of the laboratory where innovation is a key attribute and multidisciplinary research and development are the norm. Application areas include, aviation, surface transportation, wind and solar energy prediction, climate, weather and health, numerical weather prediction, biological and chemical plume dispersion for homeland security, flood prediction and water resource management, soil condition and crop maturity prediction among other application areas. The majority of the developed capabilities have been operationalized by the public, private, and academic sectors. Several commercial companies have been successfully formed around the technologies (e.g., Weather Information Technologies, Inc., Peak Weather Resources, Inc., and Global Weather Corporation) and many existing companies have improved their products by utilizing the RAL-developed weather system advancements (The Weather Channel, WSI, Schneider Electric, Xcel Energy, United Airlines, Vaisala, Panasonic, Idaho Power, etc.). The economic benefit estimates of implementing these technologies have ranged from billions of dollars in avoided commercial aircraft accidents over the last 30 years to 10s of millions of dollars of annual savings by state departments of transportation via more efficient ice and snow maintenance operations. Research and development at RAL is connected to the Broader Impacts Criterion of NSF and its focus on research that results in significant economic or societal impact. This talk will describe our research-to-operations process and discuss several technology transfer examples that have led to commercial opportunities.

Robotic longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy for chronic pancreatitis: Comparison of clinical outcomes and cost to the open approach.

PubMed

Kirks, Russell C; Lorimer, Patrick D; Fruscione, Michael; Cochran, Allyson; Baker, Erin H; Iannitti, David A; Vrochides, Dionisios; Martinie, John B

2017-09-01

This study compares clinical and cost outcomes of robot-assisted laparoscopic (RAL) and open longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy (LPJ) for chronic pancreatitis. Clinical and cost data were retrospectively compared between open and RAL LPJ performed at a single center from 2008-2015. Twenty-six patients underwent LPJ: 19 open and 7 RAL. Two robot-assisted cases converted to open were included in the open group for analysis. Patients undergoing RAL LPJ had less intraoperative blood loss, a shorter surgical length of stay, and lower medication costs. Operation supply cost was higher in the RAL group. No difference in hospitalization cost was found. Versus the open approach, RAL LPJ performed for chronic pancreatitis shortens hospitalization and reduces medication costs; hospitalization costs are equivalent. A higher operative cost for RAL LPJ is mitigated by a shorter hospitalization. Decreased morbidity and healthcare resource economy support use of the robotic approach for LPJ when appropriate. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Long-term immunologic and virologic responses on raltegravir-containing regimens among ART-experienced participants in the HIV Outpatient Study

PubMed Central

Buchacz, Kate; Wiegand, Ryan; Armon, Carl; Chmiel, Joan S.; Wood, Kathleen; Brooks, John T.; Palella, Frank J.

2015-01-01

Objectives Raltegravir (RAL)-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART) produced better immunologic and virologic responses than optimized background ART in clinical trials of heavily ART-experienced patients, but few data exist on long-term outcomes in routine HIV care. Methods We studied ART-experienced HIV outpatient study (HOPS) participants seen at 10 US HIV-specialty clinics during 2007–2011. We identified patients who started (baseline date) either continuous ≥30 days of RAL-containing or RAL-sparing ART, and used propensity score (PS) matching methods to account for baseline clinical and demographic differences. We used Kaplan–Meier methods and log-rank tests for the matched subsets to evaluate probability of death, achieving HIV RNA <50 copies/ml, and CD4 cell count (CD4) increase of ≥50 cells mm−3 during follow-up. Results Among 784 RAL-exposed and 1062 RAL-unexposed patients, 472 from each group were matched by PS. At baseline, the 472 RAL-exposed patients (mean nadir CD4, 205 cells mm−3; mean baseline CD4, 460 cells mm−3; HIV RNA <50 copies ml−1 in 61%; mean years on prescribed ART, 7.5) were similar to RAL unexposed. During a mean follow-up of over 3 years, mortality rates and immunologic and virologic trajectories did not differ between the two groups. Among patients with detectable baseline HIV RNA levels, 76% of RAL-exposed and 63% of RAL-unexposed achieved HIV RNA <50 copies ml−1 (P=0.51); 69 and 58%, respectively, achieved a CD4 increase ≥50 cells mm−3 (P=0.70). Discussion In our large cohort of US ART-experienced patients with a wide spectrum of clinical history, similar outcomes were observed when prescribed RAL containing versus other contemporary ART. PMID:26126549

Selected retinoids: determination by isocratic normal-phase HPLC.

PubMed

Klvanova, J; Brtko, J

2002-09-01

Retinol (ROL), retinal (RAL) and retinoic acid (RA) are physiologically active forms of vitamin A. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) can be formed by oxidation from all-trans retinal (ATRAL). Isomerization of RA is considered to be an important metabolic pathway of retinoids. RA isomers transactivate various response pathways via their cognate nuclear receptors that act as ligand inducible transcription factors. The aim of this study was to establish a rapid and simple method for determination of ATRA, 13-cis retinoic acid (13CRA) and ATRAL by HPLC. In our laboratory, we slightly modified the method of Miyagi et al. (2001) and separated ATRA, 13CRA and ATRAL by simple isocratic normal phase HPLC. Both retinoic acid isomers and ATRAL were eluted within 13 min and all components were well resolved. The coefficients of variation (C.V.) for RAs and RAL were from 3.0 to 5.4 %.

Ral GTPase and the exocyst regulate autophagy in a tissue-specific manner.

PubMed

Tracy, Kirsten; Velentzas, Panagiotis D; Baehrecke, Eric H

2016-01-01

Autophagy traffics cellular components to the lysosome for degradation. Ral GTPase and the exocyst have been implicated in the regulation of stress-induced autophagy, but it is unclear whether they are global regulators of this process. Here, we investigate Ral function in different cellular contexts in Drosophila and find that it is required for autophagy during developmentally regulated cell death in salivary glands, but does not affect starvation-induced autophagy in the fat body. Furthermore, knockdown of exocyst subunits has a similar effect, preventing autophagy in dying cells but not in cells of starved animals. Notch activity is elevated in dying salivary glands, this change in Notch signaling is influenced by Ral, and decreased Notch function influences autophagy. These data indicate that Ral and the exocyst regulate autophagy in a context-dependent manner, and that in dying salivary glands, Ral mediates autophagy, at least in part, by regulation of Notch. © 2015 The Authors.

Ral signaling pathway in health and cancer.

PubMed

Moghadam, Adel Rezaei; Patrad, Elham; Tafsiri, Elham; Peng, Warner; Fangman, Benjamin; Pluard, Timothy J; Accurso, Anthony; Salacz, Michael; Shah, Kushal; Ricke, Brandon; Bi, Danse; Kimura, Kyle; Graves, Leland; Najad, Marzieh Khajoie; Dolatkhah, Roya; Sanaat, Zohreh; Yazdi, Mina; Tavakolinia, Naeimeh; Mazani, Mohammad; Amani, Mojtaba; Ghavami, Saeid; Gartell, Robyn; Reilly, Colleen; Naima, Zaid; Esfandyari, Tuba; Farassati, Faris

2017-12-01

The Ral (Ras-Like) signaling pathway plays an important role in the biology of cells. A plethora of effects is regulated by this signaling pathway and its prooncogenic effectors. Our team has demonstrated the overactivation of the RalA signaling pathway in a number of human malignancies including cancers of the liver, ovary, lung, brain, and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Additionally, we have shown that the activation of RalA in cancer stem cells is higher in comparison with differentiated cancer cells. In this article, we review the role of Ral signaling in health and disease with a focus on the role of this multifunctional protein in the generation of therapies for cancer. An improved understanding of this pathway can lead to development of a novel class of anticancer therapies that functions on the basis of intervention with RalA or its downstream effectors. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Molecular pharmacodynamics of emixustat in protection against retinal degeneration

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jianye; Kiser, Philip D.; Badiee, Mohsen; Palczewska, Grazyna; Dong, Zhiqian; Golczak, Marcin; Tochtrop, Gregory P.; Palczewski, Krzysztof

2015-01-01

Emixustat is a visual cycle modulator that has entered clinical trials as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This molecule has been proposed to inhibit the visual cycle isomerase RPE65, thereby slowing regeneration of 11-cis-retinal and reducing production of retinaldehyde condensation byproducts that may be involved in AMD pathology. Previously, we reported that all-trans-retinal (atRAL) is directly cytotoxic and that certain primary amine compounds that transiently sequester atRAL via Schiff base formation ameliorate retinal degeneration. Here, we have shown that emixustat stereoselectively inhibits RPE65 by direct active site binding. However, we detected the presence of emixustat-atRAL Schiff base conjugates, indicating that emixustat also acts as a retinal scavenger, which may contribute to its therapeutic effects. Using agents that lack either RPE65 inhibitory activity or the capacity to sequester atRAL, we assessed the relative importance of these 2 modes of action in protection against retinal phototoxicity in mice. The atRAL sequestrant QEA-B-001-NH2 conferred protection against phototoxicity without inhibiting RPE65, whereas an emixustat derivative incapable of atRAL sequestration was minimally protective, despite direct inhibition of RPE65. These data indicate that atRAL sequestration is an essential mechanism underlying the protective effects of emixustat and related compounds against retinal phototoxicity. Moreover, atRAL sequestration should be considered in the design of next-generation visual cycle modulators. PMID:26075817

Vaccination of Gerbils with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 Concurrently or as a Fusion Protein Confers Consistent and Improved Protection against Brugia malayi Infection.

PubMed

Arumugam, Sridhar; Wei, Junfei; Liu, Zhuyun; Abraham, David; Bell, Aaron; Bottazzi, Maria Elena; Hotez, Peter J; Zhan, Bin; Lustigman, Sara; Klei, Thomas R

2016-04-01

The Brugia malayi Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 proteins are orthologous to Onchocerca volvulus Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2, and which were selected as the best candidates for the development of an O. volvulus vaccine. The B. malayi gerbil model was used to confirm the efficacy of these Ov vaccine candidates on adult worms and to determine whether their combination is more efficacious. Vaccine efficacy of recombinant Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 administered individually, concurrently or as a fusion protein were tested in gerbils using alum as adjuvant. Vaccination with Bm-103 resulted in worm reductions of 39%, 34% and 22% on 42, 120 and 150 days post infection (dpi), respectively, and vaccination with Bm-RAL-2 resulted in worm reductions of 42%, 22% and 46% on 42, 120 and 150 dpi, respectively. Vaccination with a fusion protein comprised of Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 resulted in improved efficacy with significant reduction of worm burden of 51% and 49% at 90 dpi, as did the concurrent vaccination with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2, with worm reduction of 61% and 56% at 90 dpi. Vaccination with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 as a fusion protein or concurrently not only induced a significant worm reduction of 61% and 42%, respectively, at 150 dpi, but also significantly reduced the fecundity of female worms as determined by embryograms. Elevated levels of antigen-specific IgG were observed in all vaccinated gerbils. Serum from gerbils vaccinated with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 individually, concurrently or as a fusion protein killed third stage larvae in vitro when combined with peritoneal exudate cells. Although vaccination with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 individually conferred protection against B. malayi infection in gerbils, a more consistent and enhanced protection was induced by vaccination with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 fusion protein and when they were used concurrently. Further characterization and optimization of these filarial vaccines are warranted.

Vaccination of Gerbils with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 Concurrently or as a Fusion Protein Confers Consistent and Improved Protection against Brugia malayi Infection

PubMed Central

Arumugam, Sridhar; Wei, Junfei; Liu, Zhuyun; Abraham, David; Bell, Aaron; Bottazzi, Maria Elena; Hotez, Peter J.; Zhan, Bin; Lustigman, Sara; Klei, Thomas R.

2016-01-01

Background The Brugia malayi Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 proteins are orthologous to Onchocerca volvulus Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2, and which were selected as the best candidates for the development of an O. volvulus vaccine. The B. malayi gerbil model was used to confirm the efficacy of these Ov vaccine candidates on adult worms and to determine whether their combination is more efficacious. Methodology and Principle Findings Vaccine efficacy of recombinant Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 administered individually, concurrently or as a fusion protein were tested in gerbils using alum as adjuvant. Vaccination with Bm-103 resulted in worm reductions of 39%, 34% and 22% on 42, 120 and 150 days post infection (dpi), respectively, and vaccination with Bm-RAL-2 resulted in worm reductions of 42%, 22% and 46% on 42, 120 and 150 dpi, respectively. Vaccination with a fusion protein comprised of Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 resulted in improved efficacy with significant reduction of worm burden of 51% and 49% at 90 dpi, as did the concurrent vaccination with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2, with worm reduction of 61% and 56% at 90 dpi. Vaccination with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 as a fusion protein or concurrently not only induced a significant worm reduction of 61% and 42%, respectively, at 150 dpi, but also significantly reduced the fecundity of female worms as determined by embryograms. Elevated levels of antigen-specific IgG were observed in all vaccinated gerbils. Serum from gerbils vaccinated with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 individually, concurrently or as a fusion protein killed third stage larvae in vitro when combined with peritoneal exudate cells. Conclusion Although vaccination with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 individually conferred protection against B. malayi infection in gerbils, a more consistent and enhanced protection was induced by vaccination with Bm-103 and Bm-RAL-2 fusion protein and when they were used concurrently. Further characterization and optimization of these filarial vaccines are warranted. PMID:27045170

Phosphatidic Acid Produced by RalA-activated PLD2 Stimulates Caveolae-mediated Endocytosis and Trafficking in Endothelial Cells.

PubMed

Jiang, Ying; Sverdlov, Maria S; Toth, Peter T; Huang, Long Shuang; Du, Guangwei; Liu, Yiyao; Natarajan, Viswanathan; Minshall, Richard D

2016-09-23

Caveolae are the primary route for internalization and transendothelial transport of macromolecules, such as insulin and albumin. Caveolae-mediated endocytosis is activated by Src-dependent caveolin-1 (Cav-1) phosphorylation and subsequent recruitment of dynamin-2 and filamin A (FilA), which facilitate vesicle fission and trafficking, respectively. Here, we tested the role of RalA and phospholipase D (PLD) signaling in the regulation of caveolae-mediated endocytosis and trafficking. The addition of albumin to human lung microvascular endothelial cells induced the activation of RalA within minutes, and siRNA-mediated down-regulation of RalA abolished fluorescent BSA uptake. Co-immunoprecipitation studies revealed that albumin induced the association between RalA, Cav-1, and FilA; however, RalA knockdown with siRNA did not affect FilA recruitment to Cav-1, suggesting that RalA was not required for FilA and Cav-1 complex formation. Rather, RalA probably facilitates caveolae-mediated endocytosis by activating downstream effectors. PLD2 was shown to be activated by RalA, and inhibition of PLD2 abolished Alexa-488-BSA uptake, indicating that phosphatidic acid (PA) generated by PLD2 may facilitate caveolae-mediated endocytosis. Furthermore, using a PA biosensor, GFP-PASS, we observed that BSA induced an increase in PA co-localization with Cav-1-RFP, which could be blocked by a dominant negative PLD2 mutant. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy studies of Cav-1-RFP also showed that fusion of caveolae with the basal plasma membrane was dependent on PLD2 activity. Thus, our results suggest that the small GTPase RalA plays an important role in promoting invagination and trafficking of caveolae, not by potentiating the association between Cav-1 and FilA but by stimulating PLD2-mediated generation of phosphatidic acid. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Plan Representations for Distributed Planning and Execution

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

Edinburgh AIAI, School of Informatics Appleton Tower, Crichton Street Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom EH8 9LE EOARD GRANT 09-3090...Edinburgh Appleton Tower, Crichton Street Edinburgh, Scotland , United Kingdom EH8 9LE 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER N/A...α → abandon α 5 4 pe rf or m in g 8 7 pe rf or m in g → abandon α 6 Figure 14: Abandoning Execution pecially negative effects, e.g. when a robot

Prolonged lobar hypoxia in vivo enhances the responsivity of isolated pulmonary veins to hypoxia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheehan, D. W.; Farhi, L. E.; Russell, J. A.

1992-01-01

The hypoxic response of pulmonary vessels isolated from eight sheep whose right apical lobes (RAL) had inspired 100% N2 for 20 h was studied. The RAL of these conscious sheep inspired hypoxic gas and the remainder of the lung inspired air. During hypoxia, RAL perfusion was 33 +/- 3% of its air value, carotid arterial PO2 averaged 86 +/- 3 mm Hg and pulmonary perfusion pressure was not significantly different from the initial control period when the RAL inspired air. At the end of the hypoxic exposure, the sheep were killed, and pulmonary artery and vein rings (0.5 to 2 mm inner diameter) were isolated from both the RAL and the right cardiac lobe, which served as the control lobe (CL). Arteries from the RAL and CL did not contract in response to 6% O2/6% CO2/88% N2 (hypoxia). In contrast, RAL veins did contract vigorously in response to hypoxia, whereas CL veins did not contract or contracted only minimally. Rubbing of the endothelium or prior incubation of RAL veins with catalase (1,200 units/ml), indomethacin (10(-5) M), or the thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 (TxA2/PGH2) receptor antagonist, SQ 29,548 (3 X 10(-6) M) each significantly reduced the response to hypoxia. RAL veins were also found to be more reactive than CL veins to the prostaglandin endoperoxide analogue U46619. We conclude that prolonged lobar hypoxia in vivo increases the responsivity of isolated pulmonary veins to hypoxia. These contractions may result from an increase in reactive O2 species, which in turn modify production of, metabolism of, and/or tissue responsivity to TxA2/PGH2.

Styrene maleic acid encapsulated raloxifene micelles for management of inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Greish, Khaled; Taha, Safa; Jasim, Anfal; Elghany, Sara Abd; Sultan, Ameera; AlKhateeb, Ali; Othman, Manal; Jun, Fang; Taurin, Sebastien; Bakhiet, Moiz

2017-12-01

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises a group of disorders that manifest through chronic inflammation of the colon and small intestine. Although the exact cause of IBD is still unclear, dysfunctional immunoregulation involving overproduction of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, and IL-6 have been implicated in pathogenesis. Current therapy relies on immunosuppression, cytotoxic drugs, and monoclonal antibodies against TNF-α. These classes of drugs have severe side-effects, especially when used for long duration. Our previous work with raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, has shown that the drug, and to a greater extent its micellar formulation, has a significant suppressive effect on NF-κB, an essential immune-regulator. This finding directed the current work towards testing the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of raloxifene using cell lines, as well as testing the potential use of the styrene maleic acid (SMA) micelles loaded with raloxifene (SMA-Ral) against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced colitis in an in vivo model of IBD. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with TNF-α was shown to protect the cells from the cytotoxic effect of raloxifene (42 vs. 10% cell death, with TNF-α. Treating CaCo-2 cells with both free and SMA-Ral improved cell survival after exposure to 2% DDS with significantly higher protection with SMA-Ral. Treatment of U-937 with SMA-Ral and free-Ral resulted in down-regulation of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and MIP1α, with greater inhibition of the SMA-Ral, compared to free Ral. Balb/c mice treated with raloxifene and SMA-Ral showed weight gain at 14 days, compared to the control group (122, and 115% respectively). Treatment with raloxifene prevented DSS-induced diarrhea in 6/6 of free raloxifene treated mice and in 5/6 mice treated with SMA-Ral. Control group of DSS-treated mice showed average colon length of 7.4 cm compared to 13 cm in the control group. The average colon length was 12.3 and 11.5 cm for raloxifene and SMA-Ral treated groups, respectively. Furthermore, inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α were reduced in serum of animals treated with free-Ral and SMA-Ral. Raloxifene and its micellar formulation warrants further studies to understand their effect on the treatment of colitis. Graphical abstract SMA-Raloxifene preparation and its in vivo and in vitro effect on colitis.

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

Ernest A. Mancini

The University of Alabama in cooperation with Texas A&M University, McGill University, Longleaf Energy Group, Strago Petroleum Corporation, and Paramount Petroleum Company are undertaking an integrated, interdisciplinary geoscientific and engineering research project. The project is designed to characterize and model reservoir architecture, pore systems and rock-fluid interactions at the pore to field scale in Upper Jurassic Smackover reef and carbonate shoal reservoirs associated with varying degrees of relief on pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. The project effort includes the prediction of fluid flow in carbonate reservoirs through reservoir simulation modeling that utilizes geologic reservoir characterization andmore » modeling and the prediction of carbonate reservoir architecture, heterogeneity and quality through seismic imaging. The primary objective of the project is to increase the profitability, producibility and efficiency of recovery of oil from existing and undiscovered Upper Jurassic fields characterized by reef and carbonate shoals associated with pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs. The principal research effort for Year 3 of the project has been reservoir characterization, 3-D modeling, testing of the geologic-engineering model, and technology transfer. This effort has included six tasks: (1) the study of seismic attributes, (2) petrophysical characterization, (3) data integration, (4) the building of the geologic-engineering model, (5) the testing of the geologic-engineering model and (6) technology transfer. This work was scheduled for completion in Year 3. Progress on the project is as follows: geoscientific reservoir characterization is completed. The architecture, porosity types and heterogeneity of the reef and shoal reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been characterized using geological and geophysical data. The study of rock-fluid interactions has been completed. Observations regarding the diagenetic processes influencing pore system development and heterogeneity in these reef and shoal reservoirs have been made. Petrophysical and engineering property characterization has been completed. Porosity and permeability data at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been analyzed, and well performance analysis has been conducted. Data integration is up to date, in that, the geological, geophysical, petrophysical and engineering data collected to date for Appleton and Vocation Fields have been compiled into a fieldwide digital database. 3-D geologic modeling of the structures and reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields has been completed. The models represent an integration of geological, petrophysical and seismic data. 3-D reservoir simulation of the reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields has been completed. The 3-D geologic models served as the framework for the simulations. The geologic-engineering models of the Appleton and Vocation Field reservoirs have been developed. These models are being tested. The geophysical interpretation for the paleotopographic feature being tested has been made, and the study of the data resulting from drilling of a well on this paleohigh is in progress. Numerous presentations on reservoir characterization and modeling at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been made at professional meetings and conferences and a short course on microbial reservoir characterization and modeling based on these fields has been prepared.« less

RAP-1 and the RAL-1/exocyst pathway coordinate hypodermal cell organization in Caenorhabditis elegans

PubMed Central

Frische, Ester W; Pellis-van Berkel, Wendy; van Haaften, Gijs; Cuppen, Edwin; Plasterk, Ronald H A; Tijsterman, Marcel; Bos, Johannes L; Zwartkruis, Fried J T

2007-01-01

The small Ras-like GTPase Rap1 has been identified as a regulator of integrin activation and cadherin-mediated cell–cell contacts. Surprisingly, null mutants of RAP-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans are viable and fertile. In a synthetic lethal RNAi screen with C. elegans rap-1 mutants, the Ras-like GTPase ral-1 emerged as one of seven genes specifically required for viability. Depletion of exoc-8 and sec-5, encoding two putative RAL-1 effectors and members of the exocyst complex, also caused lethality of rap-1 mutants, but did not affect wild-type worms. The RAP-1 and the RAL-1/exocyst pathway appear to coordinate hypodermal cell movement and elongation during embryonic development. They mediate their effect in part through targeting the α-catenin homologue HMP-1 to the lateral membrane. Genetic interactions show that the RAP-1 and RAL-1/exocyst pathway also act in parallel during larval stages. Together these data provide in vivo evidence for the exocyst complex as a downstream RAL-1 effector in cell migration. PMID:17989692

RAP-1 and the RAL-1/exocyst pathway coordinate hypodermal cell organization in Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Frische, Ester W; Pellis-van Berkel, Wendy; van Haaften, Gijs; Cuppen, Edwin; Plasterk, Ronald H A; Tijsterman, Marcel; Bos, Johannes L; Zwartkruis, Fried J T

2007-12-12

The small Ras-like GTPase Rap1 has been identified as a regulator of integrin activation and cadherin-mediated cell-cell contacts. Surprisingly, null mutants of RAP-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans are viable and fertile. In a synthetic lethal RNAi screen with C. elegans rap-1 mutants, the Ras-like GTPase ral-1 emerged as one of seven genes specifically required for viability. Depletion of exoc-8 and sec-5, encoding two putative RAL-1 effectors and members of the exocyst complex, also caused lethality of rap-1 mutants, but did not affect wild-type worms. The RAP-1 and the RAL-1/exocyst pathway appear to coordinate hypodermal cell movement and elongation during embryonic development. They mediate their effect in part through targeting the alpha-catenin homologue HMP-1 to the lateral membrane. Genetic interactions show that the RAP-1 and RAL-1/exocyst pathway also act in parallel during larval stages. Together these data provide in vivo evidence for the exocyst complex as a downstream RAL-1 effector in cell migration.

Acceptance, Prevalence and Indications for Robot-Assisted Laparoscopy - Results of a Survey Among Urologists in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

PubMed

Imkamp, Florian; Herrmann, Thomas R W; Tolkach, Yuri; Dziuba, Sebastian; Stolzenburg, Jens U; Rassweiler, Jens; Sulser, Tullio; Zimmermann, Uwe; Merseburger, Axel S; Kuczyk, Markus A; Burchardt, Martin

2015-01-01

Robotic-assisted laparoscopy (RAL) is being widely accepted in the field of urology as a replacement for conventional laparoscopy (CL). Nevertheless, the process of its integration in clinical routines has been rather spontaneous. To determine the prevalence of robotic systems (RS) in urological clinics in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the acceptance of RAL among urologists as a replacement for CL and its current use for 25 different urological indications. To elucidate the practice patterns of RAL, a survey at hospitals in Germany, Austria and Switzerland was conducted. All surgically active urology departments in Germany (303), Austria (37) and Switzerland (84) received a questionnaire with questions related to the one-year period prior to the survey. The response rate was 63%. Among the participants, 43% were universities, 45% were tertiary care centres, and 8% were secondary care hospitals. A total of 60 RS (Germany 35, Austria 8, Switzerland 17) were available, and the majority (68%) were operated under public ownership. The perception of RAL and the anticipated superiority of RAL significantly differed between robotic and non-robotic surgeons. For only two urologic indications were more than 50% of the procedures performed using RAL: pyeloplasty (58%) and transperitoneal radical prostatectomy (75%). On average, 35% of robotic surgeons and only 14% of non-robotic surgeons anticipated RAL superiority in some of the 25 indications. This survey provides a detailed insight into RAL implementation in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. RAL is currently limited to a few urological indications with a small number of high-volume robotic centres. These results might suggest that a saturation of clinics using RS has been achieved but that the existing robotic capacities are being utilized ineffectively. The possible reasons for this finding are discussed, and certain strategies to solve these problems are offered. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Los Alamos nEDM Experiment and Demonstration of Ramsey's Method on Stored UCNs at the LANL UCN Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clayton, Steven; Chupp, Tim; Cude-Woods, Christopher; Currie, Scott; Ito, Takeyasu; Liu, Chen-Yu; Long, Joshua; MacDonald, Stephen; Makela, Mark; O'Shaughnessy, Christopher; Plaster, Brad; Ramsey, John; Saunders, Andy; LANL nEDM Collaboration

2017-09-01

The Los Alamos National Laboratory ultracold neutron (UCN) source was recently upgraded for a factor of 5 improvement in stored density, providing the statistical precision needed for a room temperature neutron electric dipole moment measurement with sensitivity 3 ×10-27 e . cm, a factor 10 better than the limit set by the Sussex-RAL-ILL experiment. Here, we show results of a demonstration of Ramsey's separated oscillatory fields method on stored UCNs at the LANL UCN source and in a geometry relevant for a nEDM measurement. We argue a world-leading nEDM experiment could be performed at LANL with existing technology and a short lead time, providing a physics result with sensitivity intermediate between the current limit set by Sussex-RAL-ILL, and the anticipated limit from the complex, cryogenic nEDM experiment planned for the next decade at the ORNL Spallation Neutron Source (SNS-nEDM). This work was supported by the Los Alamos LDRD Program, Project 20140015DR.

Critical Contribution of RAL GTPases to Growth and Survival of Breast Cancer Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-01

similar to the NFkB p50 dimerization domain that falls into the IPT/TIG family of protein domains (Fukai et al., 2003). Given that GTP-bound RalB and TBK1...RalB and Sec5 are required for IRF-3 but not p65 responsiveness to TLR3 activation. HBECs were cotransfected with a plasmid expressing GFP together with...RalA andSec8 were not limiting for this response (Figures 6D and 6E). Poly(I:C)-induced mobilization of p65 NFkB nuclear accumulation is independent of

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

Ernest A. Mancini

The University of Alabama in cooperation with Texas A&M University, McGill University, Longleaf Energy Group, Strago Petroleum Corporation, and Paramount Petroleum Company are undertaking an integrated, interdisciplinary geoscientific and engineering research project. The project is designed to characterize and model reservoir architecture, pore systems and rock-fluid interactions at the pore to field scale in Upper Jurassic Smackover reef and carbonate shoal reservoirs associated with varying degrees of relief on pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. The project effort includes the prediction of fluid flow in carbonate reservoirs through reservoir simulation modeling which utilizes geologic reservoir characterization andmore » modeling and the prediction of carbonate reservoir architecture, heterogeneity and quality through seismic imaging. The primary objective of the project is to increase the profitability, producibility and efficiency of recovery of oil from existing and undiscovered Upper Jurassic fields characterized by reef and carbonate shoals associated with pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs. The principal research effort for Year 2 of the project has been reservoir characterization, 3-D modeling and technology transfer. This effort has included six tasks: (1) the study of rockfluid interactions, (2) petrophysical and engineering characterization, (3) data integration, (4) 3-D geologic modeling, (5) 3-D reservoir simulation and (6) technology transfer. This work was scheduled for completion in Year 2. Overall, the project work is on schedule. Geoscientific reservoir characterization is essentially completed. The architecture, porosity types and heterogeneity of the reef and shoal reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been characterized using geological and geophysical data. The study of rock-fluid interactions is near completion. Observations regarding the diagenetic processes influencing pore system development and heterogeneity in these reef and shoal reservoirs have been made. Petrophysical and engineering property characterization has been essentially completed. Porosity and permeability data at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been analyzed, and well performance analysis has been conducted. Data integration is up to date, in that, the geological, geophysical, petrophysical and engineering data collected to date for Appleton and Vocation Fields have been compiled into a fieldwide digital database. 3-D geologic modeling of the structures and reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields has been completed. The model represents an integration of geological, petrophysical and seismic data. 3-D reservoir simulation of the reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields has been completed. The 3-D geologic model served as the framework for the simulations. A technology workshop on reservoir characterization and modeling at Appleton and Vocation Fields was conducted to transfer the results of the project to the petroleum industry.« less

Vibrational Stark effect spectroscopy reveals complementary electrostatic fields created by protein-protein binding at the interface of Ras and Ral.

PubMed

Walker, David M; Hayes, Ellen C; Webb, Lauren J

2013-08-07

Electrostatic fields at the interface of the GTPase H-Ras (Ras) docked with the Ras binding domain of the protein Ral guanine nucleoside dissociation stimulator (Ral) were measured with vibrational Stark effect (VSE) spectroscopy. Nine residues on the surface of Ras that participate in the protein-protein interface were systematically mutated to cysteine and subsequently converted to cyanocysteine in order to introduce a nitrile VSE probe into the protein-protein interface. The absorption energy of the nitrile was measured both on the surface of Ras in its monomeric state, then after incubation with the Ras binding domain of Ral to form the docked complex. Boltzmann-weighted structural snapshots of the nitrile-labeled Ras protein were generated both in monomeric and docked configurations from molecular dynamics simulations using enhanced sampling of the cyanocysteine side chain's χ2 dihedral angle. These snapshots were used to determine that on average, most of the nitrile probes were aligned along the Ras surface, parallel to the Ras-Ral interface. The average solvent-accessible surface areas (SASA) of the cyanocysteine side chain were found to be <60 Å(2) for all measured residues, and was not significantly different whether the nitrile was on the surface of the Ras monomer or immersed in the docked complex. Changes in the absorption energy of the nitrile probe at nine positions along the Ras-Ral interface were compared to results of a previous study examining this interface with Ral-based probes, and found a pattern of low electrostatic field in the core of the interface surrounded by a ring of high electrostatic field around the perimeter of the interface. These data are used to rationalize several puzzling features of the Ras-Ral interface.

A one-year follow-up on the effects of raloxifene on thyroid function in postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Ceresini, Graziano; Morganti, Simonetta; Rebecchi, Isabella; Bertone, Luca; Ceda, Gian Paolo; Bacchi-Modena, Alberto; Sgarabotto, Mariapaola; Baldini, Monica; Ablondi, Fabrizio; Valenti, Giorgio; Braverman, Lewis E

2004-01-01

Estrogens increase serum thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) and total thyroxine (TT4) concentrations. Serum free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations, however, remain normal. Raloxifene (RAL) is a selective estrogen receptor modulator used to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis. Data on the long-term effects of RAL on thyroid physiology are scanty. We evaluated the effects of RAL administration for 1 year on thyroid function in osteopenic, postmenopausal women. Fifty osteopenic, postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to receive either RAL (60 mg/day, n = 25) or placebo (PL, n = 25) for 1 year, in a double-blind study. Measurements of serum TBG, TT4, FT4, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid hormone-binding ratio (THBR), FT4 index (FT4-I) and TT4/TBG ratio were carried out at baseline and after 4 and 12 months of therapy. Baseline values were similar in both treatment groups. Serum TBG concentrations were increased during RAL treatment from baseline values of 29.60 +/- 0.9 microg/mL to 31.45 +/- 1.33 and 32.34 +/- 1.37 microg/mL at 4 months and 1 year, respectively (P < 0.05, baseline v 1-year values) but were unchanged during PL treatment. A small, insignificant increase in TT4 and TSH concentrations occurred in the RAL group and no changes in the PL group. All other values were unchanged during either treatment. These results demonstrate that RAL significantly increased serum TBG levels, but the changes were small and not accompanied by changes in FT4-I, FT4, or TSH concentrations, suggesting that long-term RAL treatment is unlikely to clinically affect the thyroid status in euthyroid, postmenopausal women.

Opportunities Gained and Lost: J.E.B. Stuart’s Cavalry Operations in the Seven Days Campaign

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-04-07

Four Years With General Lee, (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1878), p. 41. 4Report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of ...19Wailter H. Taylor, Four Years With General Lee, (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1878), p. 41 and Report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the...101 v CHAPTER 1 A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF STUART As the passage from "Riding a Raid" on the preceding page suggests, there was a considerable amount

Incidence of cancer and overall risk of mortality in individuals treated with raltegravir-based and non-raltegravir-based combination antiretroviral therapy regimens.

PubMed

Cozzi-Lepri, A; Zangerle, R; Machala, L; Zilmer, K; Ristola, M; Pradier, C; Kirk, O; Sambatakou, H; Fätkenheuer, G; Yust, I; Schmid, P; Gottfredsson, M; Khromova, I; Jilich, D; Flisiak, R; Smidt, J; Rozentale, B; Radoi, R; Losso, M H; Lundgren, J D; Mocroft, A

2018-02-01

There are currently few data on the long-term risk of cancer and death in individuals taking raltegravir (RAL). The aim of this analysis was to evaluate whether there is evidence for an association. The EuroSIDA cohort was divided into three groups: those starting RAL-based combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on or after 21 December 2007 (RAL); a historical cohort (HIST) of individuals adding a new antiretroviral (ARV) drug (not RAL) to their cART between 1 January 2005 and 20 December 2007, and a concurrent cohort (CONC) of individuals adding a new ARV drug (not RAL) to their cART on or after 21 December 2007. Baseline characteristics were compared using logistic regression. The incidences of newly diagnosed malignancies and death were compared using Poisson regression. The RAL cohort included 1470 individuals [with 4058 person-years of follow-up (PYFU)] compared with 3787 (4472 PYFU) and 4467 (10 691 PYFU) in the HIST and CONC cohorts, respectively. The prevalence of non-AIDS-related malignancies prior to baseline tended to be higher in the RAL cohort vs. the HIST cohort [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.31; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.95-1.80] and vs. the CONC cohort (aOR 1.89; 95% CI 1.37-2.61). In intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis (events: RAL, 50; HIST, 45; CONC, 127), the incidence of all new malignancies was 1.11 (95% CI 0.84-1.46) per 100 PYFU in the RAL cohort vs. 1.20 (95% CI 0.90-1.61) and 0.83 (95% CI 0.70-0.99) in the HIST and CONC cohorts, respectively. After adjustment, there was no evidence for a difference in the risk of malignancies [adjusted rate ratio (RR) 0.73; 95% CI 0.47-1.14 for RALvs. HIST; RR 0.95; 95% CI 0.65-1.39 for RALvs. CONC] or mortality (adjusted RR 0.87; 95% CI 0.53-1.43 for RALvs. HIST; RR 1.14; 95% CI 0.76-1.72 for RALvs. CONC). We found no evidence for an oncogenic risk or poorer survival associated with using RAL compared with control groups. © 2017 The Authors. HIV Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British HIV Association.

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

Ernest A. Mancini

The University of Alabama, in cooperation with Texas A&M University, McGill University, Longleaf Energy Group, Strago Petroleum Corporation, and Paramount Petroleum Company, has undertaken an integrated, interdisciplinary geoscientific and engineering research project. The project is designed to characterize and model reservoir architecture, pore systems and rock-fluid interactions at the pore to field scale in Upper Jurassic Smackover reef and carbonate shoal reservoirs associated with varying degrees of relief on pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. The project effort includes the prediction of fluid flow in carbonate reservoirs through reservoir simulation modeling which utilizes geologic reservoir characterization andmore » modeling and the prediction of carbonate reservoir architecture, heterogeneity and quality through seismic imaging. The primary goal of the project is to increase the profitability, producibility and efficiency of recovery of oil from existing and undiscovered Upper Jurassic fields characterized by reef and carbonate shoals associated with pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs. Geoscientific reservoir property, geophysical seismic attribute, petrophysical property, and engineering property characterization has shown that reef (thrombolite) and shoal reservoir lithofacies developed on the flanks of high-relief crystalline basement paleohighs (Vocation Field example) and on the crest and flanks of low-relief crystalline basement paleohighs (Appleton Field example). The reef thrombolite lithofacies have higher reservoir quality than the shoal lithofacies due to overall higher permeabilities and greater interconnectivity. Thrombolite dolostone flow units, which are dominated by dolomite intercrystalline and vuggy pores, are characterized by a pore system comprised of a higher percentage of large-sized pores and larger pore throats. Rock-fluid interactions (diagenesis) studies have shown that although the primary control on reservoir architecture and geographic distribution of Smackover reservoirs is the fabric and texture of the depositional lithofacies, diagenesis (chiefly dolomitization) is a significant factor that preserves and enhances reservoir quality. The evaporative pumping mechanism is favored to explain the dolomitization of the thrombolite doloboundstone and dolostone reservoir flow units at Appleton and Vocation Fields. Geologic modeling, reservoir simulation, and the testing and applying the resulting integrated geologic-engineering models have shown that little oil remains to be recovered at Appleton Field and a significant amount of oil remains to be recovered at Vocation Field through a strategic infill drilling program. The drive mechanisms for primary production in Appleton and Vocation Fields remain effective; therefore, the initiation of a pressure maintenance program or enhanced recovery project is not required at this time. The integrated geologic-engineering model developed for a low-relief paleohigh (Appleton Field) was tested for three scenarios involving the variables of present-day structural elevation and the presence/absence of potential reef thrombolite lithofacies. In each case, the predictions based upon the model were correct. From this modeling, the characteristics of the ideal prospect in the basement ridge play include a low-relief paleohigh associated with dendroidal/chaotic thrombolite doloboundstone and dolostone that has sufficient present-day structural relief so that these carbonates rest above the oil-water contact. Such a prospect was identified from the modeling, and it is located northwest of well Permit No. 3854B (Appleton Field) and south of well No. Permit No.11030B (Northwest Appleton Field).« less

Composite operators in the hopping parameter expansion in the free quark model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunszt, Z.

1983-11-01

I have calculated hopping parameter series of meson and baryon propagators up to O(K32) in the Wilson formulation of the free quark model. The position of branch point singularities has been found with the help of Padé approximants. The values of the position of the singularities in K agreed with the exact values within 1-2% in case of mesons and 4-5% in case of baryons. It is argued that in QCD at the cross-over region the systematic errors of the method must be even smaller. Part of this work has been done while the author was visiting the Rutherford and Appleton Laboratories, UK.

Studies of ˜ps laser driven plasmas in line focus geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tallents, G. J.; Al-Hadithi, Y.; Dwivedi, L.; Behjat, A.; Demir, A.; Holden, M.; Krishnan, J.; Zhang, J.; Key, M. H.; Neely, D.; Norreys, P. A.; Lewis, C. L. S.; MacPhee, A. G.

1995-05-01

Measurements of X-ray emission along linear plasmas produced in short pulse (2-12 ps) experiments using the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory glass (1.06 μm) and KrF (0.268 μm) lasers are interpreted to provide information about the uniformity and lateral and axial energy transport of X-ray laser gain media. For fiber targets, the difficulties of achieving uniform irradiation and accurate plasma length measurements are illustrated and discussed. For slab targets, it is shown that the ratio of the distance between the critical density surface and the ablation surface to the laser focal width controls lateral transport in a similar manner as for spot focus experiments.

Picosecond excimer laser-plasma x-ray source for microscopy, biochemistry, and lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turcu, I. C. Edmond; Ross, Ian N.; Trenda, P.; Wharton, C. W.; Meldrum, R. A.; Daido, Hiroyuki; Schulz, M. S.; Fluck, P.; Michette, Alan G.; Juna, A. P.; Maldonado, Juan R.; Shields, Harry; Tallents, Gregory J.; Dwivedi, L.; Krishnan, J.; Stevens, D. L.; Jenner, T.; Batani, Dimitri; Goodson, H.

1994-02-01

At Rutherford Appleton Laboratory we developed a high repetition rate, picosecond, excimer laser system which generates a high temperature and density plasma source emitting approximately 200 mW (78 mW/sr) x ray average power at h(nu) approximately 1.2 KeV or 0.28 KeV < h(nu) < 0.53 KeV (the `water window'). At 3.37 nm wavelength the spectral brightness of the source is approximately 9 X 1011 photons/s/mm2/mrad2/0.1% bandwidth. The x-ray source serves a large user community for applications such as: scanning and holographic microscopy, the study of the biochemistry of DNA damage and repair, microlithography and spectroscopy.

TD-60 links RalA GTPase function to the CPC in mitosis

PubMed Central

Papini, Diana; Langemeyer, Lars; Abad, Maria A.; Kerr, Alastair; Samejima, Itaru; Eyers, Patrick A.; Jeyaprakash, A. Arockia; Higgins, Jonathan M. G.; Barr, Francis A.; Earnshaw, William C.

2015-01-01

TD-60 (also known as RCC2) is a highly conserved protein that structurally resembles the Ran guanine exchange factor (GEF) RCC1, but has not previously been shown to have GEF activity. TD-60 has a typical chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) distribution in mitotic cells, but associates with integrin complexes and is involved in cell motility during interphase. Here we show that TD-60 exhibits GEF activity, in vitro and in cells, for the small GTPase RalA. TD-60 or RalA depletion causes spindle abnormalities in prometaphase associated with abnormal centromeric accumulation of CPC components. TD-60 and RalA apparently work together to contribute to the regulation of kinetochore–microtubule interactions in early mitosis. Importantly, several mitotic phenotypes caused by TD-60 depletion are reverted by the expression of a GTP-locked mutant, RalA (Q72L). The demonstration that a small GTPase participates in the regulation of the CPC reveals a level of mitotic regulation not suspected in previous studies. PMID:26158537

Robot-assisted laparoscopic (RAL) procedures in general surgery.

PubMed

Alimoglu, Orhan; Sagiroglu, Julide; Atak, Ibrahim; Kilic, Ali; Eren, Tunc; Caliskan, Mujgan; Bas, Gurhan

2016-09-01

Robotics was introduced in clinical practice more than two decades ago, and it has gained remarkable popularity for a wide variety of laparoscopic procedures. We report our results of robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) in the most commonly applied general surgical procedures. Ninety seven patients underwent RALS from 2009 to 2012. Indications for RALS were cholelithiasis, gastric carcinoma, splenic tumors, colorectal carcinoma, benign colorectal diseases, non-toxic nodular goiter and incisional hernia. Records of patients were analyzed for demographic features, intraoperative and postoperative complications and conversion to open surgery. Forty six female and 51 male patients were operated and mean age was 58,4 (range: 25-88). Ninety three out of 97 procedures (96%) were completed robotically, 4 were converted to open surgery and there were 15 postoperative complications. There was no mortality. Wide variety of procedures of general surgery can be managed safely and effectively by RALS. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Structure of RalF, an ADP-Ribosylation Factor Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor from Legionella pneumophila, Reveals the Presence of a Cap over the Active Site

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

Amor,J.; Swails, J.; Zhu, X.

2005-01-01

The Legionella pneumophila protein RalF is secreted into host cytosol via the Dot/Icm type IV transporter where it acts to recruit ADP-ribosylation factor (Arf) to pathogen-containing phagosomes in the establishment of a replicative organelle. The presence in RalF of the Sec7 domain, present in all Arf guanine nucleotide exchange factors, has suggested that recruitment of Arf is an early step in pathogenesis. We have determined the crystal structure of RalF and of the isolated Sec7 domain and found that RalF is made up of two domains. The Sec7 domain is homologous to mammalian Sec7 domains. The C-terminal domain forms amore » cap over the active site in the Sec7 domain and contains a conserved folding motif, previously observed in adaptor subunits of vesicle coat complexes. The importance of the capping domain and of the glutamate in the 'glutamic finger,' conserved in all Sec7 domains, to RalF functions was examined using three different assays. These data highlight the functional importance of domains other than Sec7 in Arf guanine nucleotide exchange factors to biological activities and suggest novel mechanisms of regulation of those activities.« less

Changes in Liver Steatosis After Switching From Efavirenz to Raltegravir Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

PubMed

Macías, Juan; Mancebo, María; Merino, Dolores; Téllez, Francisco; Montes-Ramírez, M Luisa; Pulido, Federico; Rivero-Juárez, Antonio; Raffo, Miguel; Pérez-Pérez, Montserrat; Merchante, Nicolás; Cotarelo, Manuel; Pineda, Juan A

2017-09-15

Antiretroviral drugs with a lower potential to induce hepatic steatosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection need to be identified. We compared the effect of switching efavirenz (EFV) to raltegravir (RAL) on hepatic steatosis among HIV-infected patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) receiving EFV plus 2 nucleoside analogues. HIV-infected patients on EFV plus tenofovir/emtricitabine or abacavir/lamivudine with NAFLD were randomized 1:1 to switch from EFV to RAL (400 mg twice daily), maintaining nucleoside analogues unchanged, or to continue with EFV plus 2 nucleoside analogues. At baseline, eligible patients should show controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) values ≥238 dB/m. Changes in hepatic steatosis at 48 weeks of follow-up over baseline levels were measured by CAP. Overall, 39 patients were included, and 19 of them were randomized to switch to RAL. At week 48, median CAP for the RAL group was 250 (Q1-Q3, 221-277) dB/m and 286 (Q1-Q3, 269-314) dB/m for the EFV group (P = .035). The median decrease in CAP values was -20 (Q1-Q3, -67 to 15) dB/m for the RAL arm and 30 (Q1-Q3, -17 to 49) dB/m for the EFV group (P = .011). CAP values <238 dB/m at week 48 were observed in 9 (47%) patients on RAL and 3 (15%) individuals on EFV (P = .029). After 48 weeks, HIV-infected individuals switching EFV to RAL showed decreases in the degree of hepatic steatosis, as measured by CAP, compared with those continuing with EFV. In addition, the proportion of patients without significant hepatic steatosis after 48 weeks was greater for those who switched to RAL. NCT01900015. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Total Raltegravir Concentrations in Cerebrospinal Fluid Exceed the 50-Percent Inhibitory Concentration for Wild-Type HIV-1▿

PubMed Central

Croteau, David; Letendre, Scott; Best, Brookie M.; Ellis, Ronald J.; Breidinger, Sheila; Clifford, David; Collier, Ann; Gelman, Benjamin; Marra, Christina; Mbeo, Gilbert; McCutchan, Allen; Morgello, Susan; Simpson, David; Way, Lauren; Vaida, Florin; Ueland, Susan; Capparelli, Edmund; Grant, Igor

2010-01-01

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders continue to be common. Antiretrovirals that achieve higher concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are associated with better control of HIV and improved cognition. The objective of this study was to measure total raltegravir (RAL) concentrations in CSF and to compare them with matched concentrations in plasma and in vitro inhibitory concentrations. Eighteen subjects with HIV-1 infection were enrolled based on the use of RAL-containing regimens and the availability of CSF and matched plasma samples. RAL was measured in 21 CSF and plasma pairs by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and HIV RNA was detected by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). RAL concentrations were compared to the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) for wild-type HIV-1 (3.2 ng/ml). Volunteers were predominantly middle-aged white men with AIDS and without hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection. The median concurrent CD4+ cell count was 276/μl, and 28% of CD4+ cell counts were below 200/μl. HIV RNA was detectable in 38% of plasma specimens and 4% of CSF specimens. RAL was present in all CSF specimens, with a median total concentration of 14.5 ng/ml. The median concentration in plasma was 260.9 ng/ml, with a median CSF-to-plasma ratio of 0.058. Concentrations in CSF correlated with those in with plasma (r2, 0.24; P, 0.02) but not with the postdose sampling time (P, >0.50). RAL concentrations in CSF exceeded the IC50 for wild-type HIV in all specimens by a median of 4.5-fold. RAL is present in CSF and reaches sufficiently high concentrations to inhibit wild-type HIV in all individuals. As a component of effective antiretroviral regimens or as the main antiretroviral, RAL likely contributes to the control of HIV replication in the nervous system. PMID:20876368

Cancer du sein bilatéral synchrone au Maroc: caractéristiques épidémiologiques et cliniques

PubMed Central

Boufettal, Houssine; Samouh, Naïma

2015-01-01

Préciser la fréquence, les facteurs de risque et le pronostic du cancer du sein bilatéral, à partir d'une étude rétrospective de 22 cas de cancer du sein bilatéral synchrone dans un pays du Maghreb. De 2002 à 2010, 625 patientes étaient prises en charge pour cancer du sein au service de Gynécologie-Obstétrique «C» du centre hospitalier universitaire de Casablanca. 22 cas de cancer bilatéral synchrone étaient diagnostiqués. Nos résultats sont comparés avec ceux de la littérature. La fréquence de la bilatéralité du cancer du sein synchrone était de 3,52% (22/625). L'intervalle de temps moyen entre les deux cancers est de 4 mois (0 à 6 mois). Les patientes âgées de moins de 40 ans lors du premier cancer avaient six fois plus de risque de développer un cancer au niveau du sein controlatéral que les femmes âgées de plus de 40 ans. Les patientes atteintes d'une tumeur T3 ou T4 avaient un risque neuf fois plus élevé que les autres. 90,9% (2/22) des cas des premiers cancers sont des adénocarcinomes infiltrants. Les types histologiques du premier et du douzième cancer étaient identiques dans 86,4% (19/22) des cas. Quant au pronostic, il dépend à la fois du stade du premier et du deuxième cancer et le traitement de ce dernier doit obéir aux mêmes règles du traitement du premier cancer. L'incidence du cancer bilatéral synchrone du sein est de 3,52% dans notre série. Le cancer du sein unilatéral constitue un facteur de risque de développement d'un cancer du sein controlatéral. Une surveillance à vie est nécessaire au cours d'un cancer du sein pour détecter un cancer controlatéral. PMID:26090066

Spacecraft Environmental Interactions Technology 1983

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-01-01

sr. 144 S+ +. + ’ J9 • "=• _Z7 `16~ r’r f,"::,irC 14 0 ral Irl -r -4: 3J’ r. .4 1 .. i. . Figure 3. - Isocontour maps as in figiire 1 for the average ...Geophysics Laboratory ....... . . . . . . . . . .. 125 AVERAGE AND WORST-CASE SPECIFICATIONS OF PRECIPITATING AURORAL ELECTRON ENVIRONMENT David A...force now, In volume S we d( ’elop a road- map of how a technology program would co-tinue to develop the technology base required for the specific

[Arf6, RalA and BIRC5 protein expression in non small cell lung cancer].

PubMed

Knizhnik, A V; Kovaleva, O B; Laktionov, K K; Mochal'nikova, V V; Komel'kov, A V; Chevkina, E M; Zborovskaia, I B

2011-01-01

Evaluation of tumor markers expression pattern which determines individual progression parameters is one of the major topics in molecular oncopathology research. This work presents research on expression analysis of several Ras-Ral associated signal transduction pathway proteins (Arf6, RalA and BIRC5) in accordance with clinical criteria in non small cell lung cancer patients. Using Western-blot analysis and RT-PCR Arf6, RalA and BIRC5 expression has been analyzed in parallel in 53 non small cell lung cancer samples of different origin. Arf6 protein expression was elevated in 55% non small cell lung cancer tumor samples in comparison with normal tissue. In the group of squamous cell lung cancer Arf6 expression elevation was observed more often. RalA protein expression was decreased in comparison to normal tissue samples in 64% of non small cell lung cancer regardless to morphological structure. Correlation between RalA protein expression decrease and absence of regional metastases was revealed for squamous cell lung cancer. BIRC5 protein expression in tumor samples versus corresponding normal tissue was 1.3 times more often elevated in the squamous cell lung cancer group (in 76% tumor samples). At the same time elevation of BIRC5 expression was fixed only in 63% of adenocarcinoma tumor samples. A statistically significant decrease (p = 0.0158) of RalA protein expression and increase (p = 0.0498) of Arf6 protein expression in comparison with normal tissue was found for T1-2N0M0 and T1-2N1-2M0 groups of squamous cell lung cancer correspondingly.

Impact of resistance mutations on inhibitor binding to HIV-1 integrase

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

Chen, Qi; Buolamwini, John K.; Smith, Jeremy C.

2013-11-08

Here, HIV-1 integrase (IN) is essential for HIV-1 replication, catalyzing two key reaction steps termed 3' processing and strand transfer. Therefore, IN has become an important target for antiviral drug discovery. However, mutants have emerged, such as E92Q/N155H and G140S/Q148H, which confer resistance to raltegravir (RAL), the first IN strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) approved by the FDA, and to the recently approved elvitegravir (EVG). To gain insights into the molecular mechanisms of ligand binding and drug resistance, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of homology models of the HIV-1 IN and four relevant mutants complexed with viral DNA and RAL.more » The results show that the structure and dynamics of the 140s loop, comprising residues 140 to 149, are strongly influenced by the IN mutations. In the simulation of the G140S/Q148H double mutant, we observe spontaneous dissociation of RAL from the active site, followed by an intrahelical swing-back of the 3' -OH group of nucleotide A17, consistent with the experimental observation that the G140S/Q148H mutant exhibits the highest resistance to RAL compared to other IN mutants. An important hydrogen bond between residues 145 and 148 is present in the wild-type IN but not in the G140S/Q148H mutant, accounting for the structural and dynamical differences of the 140s' loop and ultimately impairing RAL binding in the double mutant. End-point free energy calculations that broadly capture the experimentally known RAL binding profiles elucidate the contributions of the 140s' loop to RAL binding free energies and suggest possible approaches to overcoming drug resistance.« less

Treatment with integrase inhibitor suggests a new interpretation of HIV RNA decay curves that reveals a subset of cells with slow integration

DOE PAGES

Cardozo, Erwing Fabian; Andrade, Adriana; Mellors, John W.; ...

2017-07-05

The kinetics of HIV-1 decay under treatment depends on the class of antiretrovirals used. Mathematical models are useful to interpret the different profiles, providing quantitative information about the kinetics of virus replication and the cell populations contributing to viral decay. We modeled proviral integration in short- and long-lived infected cells to compare viral kinetics under treatment with and without the integrase inhibitor raltegravir (RAL). We fitted the model to data obtained from participants treated with RAL-containing regimes or with a four-drug regimen of protease and reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Our model explains the existence and quantifies the three phases of HIV-1more » RNA decay in RAL-based regimens vs. the two phases observed in therapies without RAL. Our findings indicate that HIV-1 infection is mostly sustained by short-lived infected cells with fast integration and a short viral production period, and by long-lived infected cells with slow integration but an equally short viral production period. We propose that these cells represent activated and resting infected CD4+ T-cells, respectively, and estimate that infection of resting cells represent ~4% of productive reverse transcription events in chronic infection. RAL reveals the kinetics of proviral integration, showing that in short-lived cells the pre-integration population has a half-life of ~7 hours, whereas in long-lived cells this half-life is ~6 weeks. We also show that the efficacy of RAL can be estimated by the difference in viral load at the start of the second phase in protocols with and without RAL. Altogether, we provide a mechanistic model of viral infection that parsimoniously explains the kinetics of viral load decline under multiple classes of antiretrovirals.« less

Treatment with integrase inhibitor suggests a new interpretation of HIV RNA decay curves that reveals a subset of cells with slow integration

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

Cardozo, Erwing Fabian; Andrade, Adriana; Mellors, John W.

The kinetics of HIV-1 decay under treatment depends on the class of antiretrovirals used. Mathematical models are useful to interpret the different profiles, providing quantitative information about the kinetics of virus replication and the cell populations contributing to viral decay. We modeled proviral integration in short- and long-lived infected cells to compare viral kinetics under treatment with and without the integrase inhibitor raltegravir (RAL). We fitted the model to data obtained from participants treated with RAL-containing regimes or with a four-drug regimen of protease and reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Our model explains the existence and quantifies the three phases of HIV-1more » RNA decay in RAL-based regimens vs. the two phases observed in therapies without RAL. Our findings indicate that HIV-1 infection is mostly sustained by short-lived infected cells with fast integration and a short viral production period, and by long-lived infected cells with slow integration but an equally short viral production period. We propose that these cells represent activated and resting infected CD4+ T-cells, respectively, and estimate that infection of resting cells represent ~4% of productive reverse transcription events in chronic infection. RAL reveals the kinetics of proviral integration, showing that in short-lived cells the pre-integration population has a half-life of ~7 hours, whereas in long-lived cells this half-life is ~6 weeks. We also show that the efficacy of RAL can be estimated by the difference in viral load at the start of the second phase in protocols with and without RAL. Altogether, we provide a mechanistic model of viral infection that parsimoniously explains the kinetics of viral load decline under multiple classes of antiretrovirals.« less

Carboxyl-terminal isoprenylation of ras-related GTP-binding proteins encoded by rac1, rac2, and ralA.

PubMed

Kinsella, B T; Erdman, R A; Maltese, W A

1991-05-25

Membrane localization of p21ras is dependent upon its posttranslational modification by a 15-carbon farnesyl group. The isoprenoid is linked to a cysteine located within a conserved carboxyl-terminal sequence termed the "CAAX" box (where C is cysteine, A is an aliphatic amino acid, and X is any amino acid). We now show that three GTP-binding proteins encoded by the recently identified rac1, rac2, and ralA genes also undergo isoprenoid modification. cDNAs coding for each protein were transcribed in vitro, and the RNAs were translated in reticulocyte lysates. Incorporation of isoprenoid precursors, [3H]mevalonate or [3H]farnesyl pyrophosphate, indicated that the translation products were modified by isoprenyl groups. A protein recognized by an antibody to rac1 also comigrated with a protein metabolically labeled by a product of [3H] mevalonate in cultured cells. Gel permeation chromatography of radiolabeled hydrocarbons released from the rac1, rac2, and ralA proteins by reaction with Raney nickel catalyst indicated that unlike p21Hras, which was modified by a 15-carbon moiety, the rac and ralA translation products were modified by 20-carbon isoprenyl groups. Site-directed mutagenesis established that the isoprenylated cysteines in the rac1, rac2, and ralA proteins were located in the fourth position from the carboxyl terminus. The three-amino acid extension distal to the cysteine was required for this modification. The isoprenylation of rac1 (CSLL), ralA (CCIL), and the site-directed mutants rac1 (CRLL) and ralA (CSIL), demonstrates that the amino acid adjacent to the cysteine need not be aliphatic. Therefore, proteins with carboxyl-terminal CXXX sequences that depart from the CAAX motif should be considered as potential targets for isoprenoid modification.

Current controversies in pediatric urologic robotic surgery.

PubMed

Trevisani, Lorenzo F M; Nguyen, Hiep T

2013-01-01

Minimally invasive surgeries such as conventional laparoscopic surgery and robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) have significant advantages over the traditional open surgical approach including lower pain medication requirements and decreased length of hospitalization. However, open surgery has demonstrated better success rates and shorter surgery time when compared to the other modalities. Currently, it is unclear which approach has better long-term clinical outcomes, greater benefits and less cost. There are limited studies in the literature comparing these three different surgical approaches. In this review, we will evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of RALS compared to conventional laparoscopic surgery and open surgery for commonly performed pediatric urological procedures such as pyeloplasty, ureteral reimplantation, complete and partial nephrectomy, bladder augmentation and creation of continent catheterizable channels. Although it is not yet possible to demonstrate the superiority of one single surgical modality over another, RALS has been shown to be feasible, well tolerated and advantageous in reconstructive urological procedures. With experience, the outcomes of RALS are improving, justifying its usage. However, cost remains a significant issue, limiting the accessibility of RALS, which in the future may improve with market competition and device innovation.

A pupal transcriptomic screen identifies Ral as a target of store-operated calcium entry in Drosophila neurons.

PubMed

Richhariya, Shlesha; Jayakumar, Siddharth; Abruzzi, Katharine; Rosbash, Michael; Hasan, Gaiti

2017-02-14

Transcriptional regulation by Store-operated Calcium Entry (SOCE) is well studied in non-excitable cells. However, the role of SOCE has been poorly documented in neuronal cells with more complicated calcium dynamics. Previous reports demonstrated a requirement for SOCE in neurons that regulate Drosophila flight bouts. We refine this requirement temporally to the early pupal stage and use RNA-sequencing to identify SOCE mediated gene expression changes in the developing Drosophila pupal nervous system. Down regulation of dStim, the endoplasmic reticular calcium sensor and a principal component of SOCE in the nervous system, altered the expression of 131 genes including Ral, a small GTPase. Disruption of Ral function in neurons impaired flight, whereas ectopic expression of Ral in SOCE-compromised neurons restored flight. Through live imaging of calcium transients from cultured pupal neurons, we confirmed that Ral does not participate in SOCE, but acts downstream of it. These results identify neuronal SOCE as a mechanism that regulates expression of specific genes during development of the pupal nervous system and emphasizes the relevance of SOCE-regulated gene expression to flight circuit maturation.

The effects of strength training and raloxifene on bone health in aging ovariectomized rats.

PubMed

Stringhetta-Garcia, Camila Tami; Singulani, Monique Patrício; Santos, Leandro Figueiredo; Louzada, Mário Jefferson Quirino; Nakamune, Ana Cláudia Stevanato; Chaves-Neto, Antonio Hernandes; Rossi, Ana Cláudia; Ervolino, Edilson; Dornelles, Rita Cássia Menegati

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of strength training (ST) and raloxifene (Ral), alone or in combination, on the prevention of bone loss in an aging estrogen-deficient rat model. Aging Wistar female rats were ovariectomized at 14months and allocated to four groups: (1) non-trained and treated with vehicle, NT-Veh; (2) strength training and treated with vehicle, ST-Veh; (3) non-trained and treated with raloxifene, NT-Ral; and (4) strength training and treated with raloxifene, ST-Ral. ST was performed on a ladder three times per week and Ral was administered daily by gavage (1mg/kg/day), both for 120days. Areal bone mineral density (aBMD), strength, microarchitecture, and biomarkers (osteocalcin, OCN; osteoprotegerin, OPG; and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, TRAP) were assessed. Immunohistochemistry was performed for runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osterix (OSX), OCN, OPG, TRAP, and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL). The rats that performed ST (ST-Veh) or were treated with Ral (NT-Ral) showed significant improvements in aBMD (p=0.001 and 0.004), bone strength (p=0.001), and bone microarchitecture, such as BV/TV (%) (p=0.001), BS/TV (mm(2)/mm(3)) (p=0.023 and 0.002), Conn.Dn (1/mm(3)) (p=0.001), Tb.N (1/mm) (p=0.012 and 0.011), Tb.Th (1/mm) (p=0.001), SMI (p=0.001 and 0.002), Tb.Sp (p=0.001), and DA (p=0.002 and 0.007); there was also a significant decrease in plasma levels of OCN (p=0.001 and 0.002) and OPG (p=0.003 and 0.014), compared with animals in the NT-Veh group. Ral, with or without ST, promoted an increased immunolabeling pattern for RUNX2 (p=0.0105 and p=0.0006) and OSX (p=0.0105), but a reduced immunolabeling pattern for TRAP (p=0.0056) and RANKL (p=0.033 and 0.004). ST increased the immunolabeling pattern for RUNX2 (p=0.0105), and association with Ral resulted in an increased immunolabeling pattern for OPG (p=0.0034) and OCN (p=0.0024). In summary, ST and Ral administration in aged, estrogen-deficient Wistar female rats is associated with a decrease in bone turnover marker plasma levels, increased activity of cells that promote osteoblastogenesis, and decreased activity of cells that promote osteoclastogenesis; these are correlated with higher aBMD, bone strength, and bone microarchitecture at the femoral neck. The results indicate that strength training and Ral are potential tools to reduce the risk of fractures at clinically relevant sites. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selective Deuteron Acceleration and Neutron Production on the Vulcan PW Laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krygier, A. G.; Morrison, J. T.; Freeman, R. R.; Ahmed, H.; Green, J. A.; Alejo, A.; Kar, S.; Vassura, L.

2014-10-01

Fast neutron sources are important for a variety of applications including radiography and the detection of sensitive materials. Here we report on the results of an experiment using the Vulcan PW laser at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory to produce a nearly pure deuterium ion beam via Target Normal Sheath Acceleration. The typical contaminants are suppressed by freezing a μ m's thick layer of heavy water vapor (D2 O) onto a cryogenic target during the shot sequence. Neutrons were generated by colliding the accelerated deuterons were into secondary targets made of deuterated plastic in the pitcher-catcher arrangement. Absolute yields for deuterium ions and neutrons are reported. This work is supported by DOE Contract DE-FC02-04ER54789.

The new high field photoexcitation muon spectrometer at the ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokoyama, K.; Lord, J. S.; Murahari, P.; Wang, K.; Dunstan, D. J.; Waller, S. P.; McPhail, D. J.; Hillier, A. D.; Henson, J.; Harper, M. R.; Heathcote, P.; Drew, A. J.

2016-12-01

A high power pulsed laser system has been installed on the high magnetic field muon spectrometer (HiFi) at the International Science Information Service pulsed neutron and muon source, situated at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK. The upgrade enables one to perform light-pump muon-probe experiments under a high magnetic field, which opens new applications of muon spin spectroscopy. In this report we give an overview of the principle of the HiFi laser system and describe the newly developed techniques and devices that enable precisely controlled photoexcitation of samples in the muon instrument. A demonstration experiment illustrates the potential of this unique combination of the photoexcited system and avoided level crossing technique.

Time-resolved measurements of the angular distribution of lasing at 23.6 nm in Ne-like germanium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kodama, R.; Neely, D.; Dwivedi, L.; Key, M. H.; Krishnan, J.; Lewis, C. L. S.; O'Neill, D.; Norreys, P.; Pert, G. J.; Ramsden, S. A.; Tallents, G. J.; Uhomoibhi, J.; Zhang, J.

1992-06-01

The time dependence of the angular distribution of soft X-ray lasing at 23.6 nm in Ne-like germanium has been measured using a streak camera. Slabs of germanium have been irradiated over ≈ 22 mm length × 100 μm width with three line focussed beams of the SERC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory VULCAN laser at 1.06 μm wavelength. The laser beam sweeps in time towards the target surface plane and the divergence broadens with time. The change of the peak intensity pointing and the broadening of the profile with time are consistent with expectations of the time dependence of refraction and divergence due to density gradients in the plasma.

The new high field photoexcitation muon spectrometer at the ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source.

PubMed

Yokoyama, K; Lord, J S; Murahari, P; Wang, K; Dunstan, D J; Waller, S P; McPhail, D J; Hillier, A D; Henson, J; Harper, M R; Heathcote, P; Drew, A J

2016-12-01

A high power pulsed laser system has been installed on the high magnetic field muon spectrometer (HiFi) at the International Science Information Service pulsed neutron and muon source, situated at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK. The upgrade enables one to perform light-pump muon-probe experiments under a high magnetic field, which opens new applications of muon spin spectroscopy. In this report we give an overview of the principle of the HiFi laser system and describe the newly developed techniques and devices that enable precisely controlled photoexcitation of samples in the muon instrument. A demonstration experiment illustrates the potential of this unique combination of the photoexcited system and avoided level crossing technique.

Therapy-Emergent Drug Resistance to Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors in HIV-1 Patients: A Subgroup Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials

PubMed Central

Wang, Hongren; Huang, Xiaojun; Qin, Zhen; Deng, Zhaomin; Luo, Jun; Wang, Baoning; Li, Mingyuan

2016-01-01

Background Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) are a novel class of anti-HIV agents that show high activity in inhibiting HIV-1 replication. Currently, licensed INSTIs include raltegravir (RAL), elvitegravir (EVG) and dolutegravir (DTG); these drugs have played a critical role in AIDS therapy, serving as additional weapons in the arsenal for treating patients infected with HIV-1. To date, long-term data regarding clinical experience with INSTI use and the emergence of resistance remain scarce. However, the literature is likely now sufficiently comprehensive to warrant a meta-analysis of resistance to INSTIs. Methods Our team implemented a manuscript retrieval protocol using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) via the Web of Science, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. We screened the literature based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and then performed a quality analysis and evaluation using RevMan software, Stata software, and the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE). We also performed a subgroup analysis. Finally, we calculated resistance rates and risk ratios (RRs) for the three types of drugs. Results We identified 26 references via the database search. A meta-analysis of the RAL data revealed that the resistance rate was 3.9% (95% CI = 2.9%-4.9%) for the selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, the RAL resistance rate reached 40.9% (95% CI = 8.8%-72.9%) for the selected observational studies (OBSs). The rates of resistance to RAL that were associated with HIV subtypes A, B, and C as well as with more complex subtypes were 0.1% (95% CI = -0.7%-0.9%), 2.5% (95% CI = 0.5%-4.5%), 4.6% (95% CI = 2.7%-6.6%) and 2.2% (95% CI = 0.7%-3.7%), respectively. The rates of resistance to EVG and DTG were 1.2% (95% CI = 0.2%-2.2%) and 0.1% (95% CI = -0.2%-0.5%), respectively. Furthermore, we found that the RRs for antiviral resistance were 0.414 (95% CI = 0.210–0.816) between DTG and RAL and 0.499 (95% CI = 0.255–0.977) between EVG and RAL. When RAL was separately co-administered with nuclear nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) or protease inhibitors (PIs), the rates of resistance to RAL were 0.2% (95% CI = -0.1%-0.5%) and 0.2% (95% CI = -0.2%-0.6%), respectively. The ten major integrase mutations (including N155H, Y143C/R, Q148H/R, Y143Y/H, L74L/M, E92Q, E138E/A, Y143C, Q148Q and Y143S) can reduce the sensitivity of RAL and EVG. The resistance of DTG is mainly shown in 13 integrase mutations (including T97T/A, E138E/D, V151V/I, N155H, Q148, Y143C/H/R, T66A and E92Q). Conclusions Our results reveal that the DTG resistance rate was lower than the RAL resistance rate in a head-to-head comparison. Moreover, we confirmed that the EVG resistance rate was lower than the RAL resistance rate. In addition, our results revealed that the resistance rate of RAL was lower than that of efavirenz. The rates of resistance to RAL, EVG and DTG were specifically 3.9%, 1.2% and 0.1%, respectively. Compared with other types of antiviral drugs, the rates of resistance to INSTIs are generally lower. Unfortunately, the EVG and DTG resistance rates could not be compared because of a lack of data. PMID:27532886

Comparison of the learning curves and frustration level in performing laparoscopic and robotic training skills by experts and novices.

PubMed

Passerotti, Carlo C; Franco, Felipe; Bissoli, Julio C C; Tiseo, Bruno; Oliveira, Caio M; Buchalla, Carlos A O; Inoue, Gustavo N C; Sencan, Arzu; Sencan, Aydin; do Pardo, Rogerio Ruscitto; Nguyen, Hiep T

2015-07-01

Robotic assistance may provide for distinct technical advantages over conventional laparoscopic technique. The goals of this study were (1) to objectively evaluate the difference in the learning curves by novice and expert surgeons in performing fundamental laparoscopic skills using conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS) and robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) and (2) to evaluate the surgeons' frustration level in performing these tasks. Twelve experienced and 31 novices in laparoscopy were prospectively evaluated in performing three standardized laparoscopic tasks in five consecutive, weekly training sessions. Analysis of the learning curves was based on the magnitude, rate, and quickness in performance improvement. The participant's frustration and mood were also evaluated during and after every session. For the novice participants, RALS allowed for shorter time to task completion and greater accuracy. However, significant and rapid improvement in performance as measured by magnitude, rate, and quickness at each session was also seen with CLS. For the experienced surgeons, RALS only provided a slight improvement in performance. For all participants, the use of RALS was associated with less number of sessions in which they felt frustrated, less number of frustration episodes during a session, lower frustration score during and after the session, and higher good mood score. The advantages of RALS may be of most benefit when doing more complex tasks and by less experienced surgeons. RALS should not be used as a replacement for CLS but rather in specific situations in which it has the greatest advantages.

A pupal transcriptomic screen identifies Ral as a target of store-operated calcium entry in Drosophila neurons

PubMed Central

Richhariya, Shlesha; Jayakumar, Siddharth; Abruzzi, Katharine; Rosbash, Michael; Hasan, Gaiti

2017-01-01

Transcriptional regulation by Store-operated Calcium Entry (SOCE) is well studied in non-excitable cells. However, the role of SOCE has been poorly documented in neuronal cells with more complicated calcium dynamics. Previous reports demonstrated a requirement for SOCE in neurons that regulate Drosophila flight bouts. We refine this requirement temporally to the early pupal stage and use RNA-sequencing to identify SOCE mediated gene expression changes in the developing Drosophila pupal nervous system. Down regulation of dStim, the endoplasmic reticular calcium sensor and a principal component of SOCE in the nervous system, altered the expression of 131 genes including Ral, a small GTPase. Disruption of Ral function in neurons impaired flight, whereas ectopic expression of Ral in SOCE-compromised neurons restored flight. Through live imaging of calcium transients from cultured pupal neurons, we confirmed that Ral does not participate in SOCE, but acts downstream of it. These results identify neuronal SOCE as a mechanism that regulates expression of specific genes during development of the pupal nervous system and emphasizes the relevance of SOCE-regulated gene expression to flight circuit maturation. PMID:28195208

Study of aerodynamic technology for VSTOL fighter/attack aircraft: Horizontal attitude concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, S. H.

1978-01-01

A horizontal attitude VSTOL (HAVSTOL) supersonic fighter attack aircraft powered by RALS turbofan propulsion system is analyzed. Reaction control for subaerodynamic flight is obtained in pitch and yaw from the RALS and roll from wingtip jets powered by bleed air from the RALS duct. Emphasis is placed on the development of aerodynamic characteristics and the identification of aerodynamic uncertainties. A wind tunnel program is shown to resolve some of the uncertainties. Aerodynamic data developed are static characteristics about all axes, control effectiveness, drag, propulsion induced effects and reaction control characteristics.

Uterine preservation in pelvic organ prolapse using robot assisted laparoscopic sacrohysteropexy: quality of life and technique.

PubMed

Mourik, Sarah L; Martens, Jolise E; Aktas, Mustafa

2012-11-01

Measuring quality of life of women with disorders of the pelvic floor is crucial when evaluating a therapy. The aim of this study is to profile health related quality of life of women with pelvic organ prolapse who are treated with robot assisted laparoscopic sacrohysteropexy (RALS). We also compare the operative characteristics and learning curve in this study with the current literature and describe the surgical technique. A prospective cohort study in a teaching hospital in The Netherlands. Fifty women with uterovaginal prolapse were treated with RALS. This study presents the largest cohort in Europe treated by RALS to date. Quality of life was assessed pre- and post-operatively using the UDI/IIQ validated self-questionnaire designed for Dutch-speaking patients. Clinical and operative data were prospectively collected up to 29 months. RALS was performed with preservation of the uterus. Statistical analysis of categorical data was performed with the paired T-test. Descriptive statistics were computed with the use of standard methods for means, median and proportions. Before operation, overall wellbeing was scored at 67.7% and after surgery this improved to 82.1% (p=0.03). Feelings of nervousness, frustration and embarrassment reduced significantly. Sexual functioning improved, but not significantly. The mean operative time was 223 (103-340) min. Operative time decreased significantly with gained experience and became comparable to the operative time for abdominal sacrocolpopexy and classic laparoscopy. Average blood loss was less than 50 ml and patients had a mean hospital stay of 2 days. Of all women, 95.2% were very satisfied with the result after RALS. Health related quality of life improves significantly after RALS. There are high rates of patient satisfaction. RALS proves to be a safe and effective treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. Operative time is comparable to abdominal sacrocolpopexy and classic laparoscopy in the current literature. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vibrational Stark effect spectroscopy at the interface of Ras and Rap1A bound to the Ras binding domain of RalGDS reveals an electrostatic mechanism for protein-protein interaction.

PubMed

Stafford, Amy J; Ensign, Daniel L; Webb, Lauren J

2010-11-25

Electrostatic fields at the interface of the Ras binding domain of the protein Ral guanine nucleotide dissociation stimulator (RalGDS) with the structurally analogous GTPases Ras and Rap1A were measured with vibrational Stark effect (VSE) spectroscopy. Eleven residues on the surface of RalGDS that participate in this protein-protein interaction were systematically mutated to cysteine and subsequently converted to cyanocysteine in order to introduce a nitrile VSE probe in the form of the thiocyanate (SCN) functional group. The measured SCN absorption energy on the monomeric protein was compared with solvent-accessible surface area (SASA) calculations and solutions to the Poisson-Boltzmann equation using Boltzmann-weighted structural snapshots from molecular dynamics simulations. We found a weak negative correlation between SASA and measured absorption energy, indicating that water exposure of protein surface amino acids can be estimated from experimental measurement of the magnitude of the thiocyanate absorption energy. We found no correlation between calculated field and measured absorption energy. These results highlight the complex structural and electrostatic nature of the protein-water interface. The SCN-labeled RalGDS was incubated with either wild-type Ras or wild-type Rap1A, and the formation of the docked complex was confirmed by measurement of the dissociation constant of the interaction. The change in absorption energy of the thiocyanate functional group due to complex formation was related to the change in electrostatic field experienced by the nitrile functional group when the protein-protein interface forms. At some locations, the nitrile experiences the same shift in field when bound to Ras and Rap1A, but at others, the change in field is dramatically different. These differences identify residues on the surface of RalGDS that direct the specificity of RalGDS binding to its in vivo binding partner, Rap1A, through an electrostatic mechanism.

Multiple Genetic Pathways Involving Amino Acid Position 143 of HIV-1 Integrase Are Preferentially Associated with Specific Secondary Amino Acid Substitutions and Confer Resistance to Raltegravir and Cross-Resistance to Elvitegravir

PubMed Central

Frantzell, Arne; Fransen, Signe; Petropoulos, Christos J.

2013-01-01

Y143C,R substitutions in HIV-1 integrase define one of three primary raltegravir (RAL) resistance pathways. Here we describe clinical isolates with alternative substitutions at position 143 (Y143A, Y143G, Y143H, and Y143S [Y143A,G,H,S]) that emerge less frequently, and we compare the genotypic and phenotypic profiles of these viruses to Y143C,R viruses to reconcile the preferential selection of Y143C,R variants during RAL treatment. Integrase amino acid sequences and RAL susceptibility were characterized in 117 patient isolates submitted for drug resistance testing and contained Y143 amino acid changes. The influence of specific Y143 substitutions on RAL susceptibility and their preferential association with particular secondary substitutions were further defined by evaluating the composition of patient virus populations along with a large panel of site-directed mutants. Our observations demonstrate that the RAL resistance profiles of Y143A,G,H,S viruses and their association with specific secondary substitutions are similar to the well-established Y143C profile but distinct from the Y143R profile. Y143R viruses differ from Y143A,C,G,H,S viruses in that Y143R confers a greater reduction in RAL susceptibility as a single substitution, consistent with a lower resistance barrier. Among Y143A,C,G,H,S viruses, the higher prevalence of Y143C viruses is the result of a lower genetic barrier than that of the Y143A,G,S viruses and a lower resistance barrier than that of the Y143H viruses. In addition, Y143A,C,G,H,S viruses require multiple secondary substitutions to develop large reductions in RAL susceptibility. Patient-derived viruses containing Y143 substitutions exhibit cross-resistance to elvitegravir. PMID:23733474

Hydrogeology of confined-drift aquifers near the Pomme de Terre and Chippewa rivers, western Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delin, G.N.

1986-01-01

A ground-water-flow model indicated that increased pumping from two of the confined aquifers simulated, the Appleton and Benson-middle aquifers, would not adversely affect water levels. The addition of 30 hypothetical wells in the Benson-middle aquifer, pumping a total of approximately 792 million gallons per year, resulted in regional water-level declines of as much as 1.4 and 2.7 feet in the surficial and Benson-middle aquifers, respectively. The addition of 28 hypothetical wells in the Appleton aquifer, pumping a total of approximately 756 million gallons per year, lowered water levels as much as 5 feet in the surficial and Appleton aquifers. Simulations of reduced recharge and increased pumping, which could represent a 3-year drought, probably would lower water levels 2 to 6 feet regionally in the surficial and confined aquifers and as much as 11 feet near aquifer boundaries. Ground-water discharge to the Pomme de Terre and Chippewa Rivers in the southern part of the study area probably would be reduced by approximately 15.2 and 7.4 cubic feet per second, respectively, as a result of the simulated drought. Mean discharge of the Pomme de Terre and Chippewa Rivers is 104 and 267 cubic feet per second, respectively.

Diagnostic experiments at a 3 MeV test stand at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (United Kingdom).

PubMed

Gabor, C; Faircloth, D C; Lee, D A; Lawrie, S R; Letchford, A P; Pozimski, J K

2010-02-01

A front end is currently under construction consisting of a H(-) Penning ion source (65 keV, 60 mA), low energy beam transport (LEBT), and radio frequency quadrupole (3 MeV output energy) with a medium energy beam transport suitable for high power proton applications. Diagnostics can be divided either in destructive techniques such as beam profile monitor, pepperpot, slit-slit emittance scanner (preferably used during commissioning) or nondestructive, permanently installed devices such as photodetachment-based techniques. Another way to determine beam distributions is a scintillator with charge-coupled device camera. First experiments have been performed to control the beam injection into the LEBT. The influence of beam parameters such as particle energy and space-charge compensation on the two-dimensional distribution and profiles will be presented.

Unmatter Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smarandache, Florentin

2015-11-01

``Unmatter Plasma'' is a novel form of plasma, exclusively made of matter and its antimatter counterpart. An experiment (2015) on matter-antimatter plasma [or unmatter plasma] was recently successful at the Astra Gemini laser facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxford, United Kingdom. The experiment that was made has produced electron-positron plasma. The positron is the antimatter of the electron, having an opposite charge of the electron, but the other properties are the same. Unmatter is considered as a combination of matter and antimatter. For example electron-positron is a type of unmatter. We coined the word ``unmatter'' (2004) that means neither matter nor antimatter, but something in between. Besides matter and antimatter there may exist unmatter (as a new form of matter) in accordance with the neutrosophy theory that between an entity and its opposite there exist intermediate entities.

Thermal neutron radiative capture on cadmium as a counting technique at the INES beam line at ISIS: A preliminary investigation of detector cross-talk.

PubMed

Festa, G; Grazzi, F; Pietropaolo, A; Scherillo, A; Schooneveld, E M

2017-12-01

Experimental tests are presented that assess the cross-talk level among three scintillation detectors used as neutron counters exploiting the thermal neutron radiative capture on Cd. The measurements were done at the INES diffractometer operating at the ISIS spallation neutron source (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK). These tests follow a preliminary set of measurements performed on the same instrument to study the effectiveness of this thermal neutron counting strategy in neutron diffraction measurements, typically performed on INES using squashed 3 He filled gas tubes. The experimental data were collected in two different geometrical configurations of the detectors and compared to results of Monte Carlo simulations, performed using the MCNP code. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The NERC Data Assimilation Research Centre and Envisat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LAHOZ, W. A.

2001-12-01

The NERC Data Assimilation Research Centre (DARC), a Centre of Excellence in Earth Observation, has been recently set up in the UK. DARC is a distributed centre, with participation from the universities of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and Edinburgh, and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. It has strong links with the UK Met Office, and with European data assimilation groups. One of the remits of DARC is the exploitation of research satellite data (e.g. from ESA's Envisat, due to be launched in November 2001). This presentation will describe the participation of DARC in the Envisat programme. This participation involves: (1) the calibration/validation of Envisat data using an NWP assimilation system, and (2) the production of 4-d quality-controlled datasets of temperature, ozone and water vapour from Envisat using an NWP assimilation system.

Theoretical study on phase-locking of a radial array CO2 laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yonggen

2014-11-01

The phase-locking of the radial array CO2 laser (RAL) is introduced based on the injection-locking principle. The characteristic parameters of laser beams used in the phase-locking are described, and the coupling coefficient c00 between the injected mode and the eigenmode of RAL is calculated. The laser modes from RAL are the low-order Hermite Gaussian modes due to the diffraction loss. The analytical formula for the output beam through an ABCD optical system is derived according Collins formula. The numerical examples are given to illustrate our analytical results.

Substitutions at Amino Acid Positions 143, 148, and 155 of HIV-1 Integrase Define Distinct Genetic Barriers to Raltegravir Resistance In Vivo

PubMed Central

Fransen, Signe; Gupta, Soumi; Frantzell, Arne; Petropoulos, Christos J.

2012-01-01

Mutations at amino acids 143, 148, and 155 in HIV-1 integrase (IN) define primary resistance pathways in subjects failing raltegravir (RAL)-containing treatments. Although each pathway appears to be genetically distinct, shifts in the predominant resistant virus population have been reported under continued drug pressure. To better understand this dynamic, we characterized the RAL susceptibility of 200 resistant viruses, and we performed sequential clonal analysis for selected cases. Patient viruses containing Y143R, Q148R, or Q148H mutations consistently exhibited larger reductions in RAL susceptibility than patient viruses containing N155H mutations. Sequential analyses of virus populations from three subjects revealed temporal shifts in subpopulations representing N155H, Y143R, or Q148H escape pathways. Evaluation of molecular clones isolated from different time points demonstrated that Y143R and Q148H variants exhibited larger reductions in RAL susceptibility and higher IN-mediated replication capacity (RC) than N155H variants within the same subject. Furthermore, shifts from the N155H pathway to either the Q148R or H pathway or the Y143R pathway were dependent on the amino acid substitution at position 148 and the secondary mutations in Y143R- or Q148R- or H-containing variants and correlated with reductions in RAL susceptibility and restorations in RC. Our observations in patient viruses were confirmed by analyzing site-directed mutations. In summary, viruses that acquire mutations defining the 143 or 148 escape pathways are less susceptible to RAL and exhibit greater RC than viruses containing 155 pathway mutations. These selective pressures result in the displacement of N155H variants by 143 or 148 variants under continued drug exposure. PMID:22553340

Differential Penetration of Raltegravir throughout Gastrointestinal Tissue: Implications for Eradication and Cure

PubMed Central

Patterson, Kristine B.; Prince, Heather A.; Stevens, Trenton; Shaheen, Nicholas J.; Dellon, Evan S.; Madanick, Ryan D.; Jennings, Steven; Cohen, Myron S.; Kashuba, Angela D.M.

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate the concentration of the integrase strand inhibitor raltegravir (RAL) throughout gastrointestinal (GI) tissue, especially gutassociated lymphoid tissue (GALT), as an adjunct to current prevention and cure strategies. Design Open-label pharmacokinetic study Methods HIV-negative men received RAL 400 mg twice daily for 7 days. Seven blood plasma (BP) specimens were collected over 12-hr intervals; timed tissue specimens from terminal ileum, splenic flexure, and rectum were also obtained by colonoscopy following the first dose (FD) and on Day 7 [Multiple Dose (MD)]. RAL concentrations were measured by validated LC-MS assay with 1 ng/mL lower limit of detection. Data were analyzed by noncompartmental methods (WinNonlin 6). Tissue exposures are reported as composite medians and tissue density of 1.04 g/mL is assumed for comparisons. Results Fourteen men completed evaluations. Median (range) age was 24 (19–49) yrs and BMI 25 (19–31) kg/m2. After the FD, AUC-0-12h was highest in the terminal ileum (594 μg*h/mL). Exposures were 160, 68 and 39-fold greater than BP at the terminal ileum, splenic flexure and rectum, respectively. After multiple doses, exposure was highest at the splenic flexure (2240 μg*h/mL); exposure at the terminal ileum and rectum were equivalent (both 788 μg*h/mL). Following multiple doses, exposures were 160–650-fold greater than BP throughout the colon. Conclusions RAL rapidly disseminates into GI tissue and concentrations remain significantly higher than BP. RAL exposure in GI tissue remains higher than any ARV investigated to date. These data suggest that RAL should result in full suppression of viral replication in GI tissue and GALT. PMID:23945503

Functional PDF Signaling in the Drosophila Circadian Neural Circuit Is Gated by Ral A-Dependent Modulation.

PubMed

Klose, Markus; Duvall, Laura; Li, Weihua; Liang, Xitong; Ren, Chi; Steinbach, Joe Henry; Taghert, Paul H

2016-05-18

The neuropeptide PDF promotes the normal sequencing of circadian behavioral rhythms in Drosophila, but its signaling mechanisms are not well understood. We report daily rhythmicity in responsiveness to PDF in critical pacemakers called small LNvs. There is a daily change in potency, as great as 10-fold higher, around dawn. The rhythm persists in constant darkness and does not require endogenous ligand (PDF) signaling or rhythmic receptor gene transcription. Furthermore, rhythmic responsiveness reflects the properties of the pacemaker cell type, not the receptor. Dopamine responsiveness also cycles, in phase with that of PDF, in the same pacemakers, but does not cycle in large LNv. The activity of RalA GTPase in s-LNv regulates PDF responsiveness and behavioral locomotor rhythms. Additionally, cell-autonomous PDF signaling reversed the circadian behavioral effects of lowered RalA activity. Thus, RalA activity confers high PDF responsiveness, providing a daily gate around the dawn hours to promote functional PDF signaling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional PDF Signaling in the Drosophila Circadian Neural Circuit is Gated by Ral A-Dependent Modulation

PubMed Central

Liang, Xitong; Ren, Chi; Steinbach, Joe Henry; Taghert, Paul H.

2016-01-01

The neuropeptide PDF promotes the normal sequencing of circadian behavioral rhythms in Drosophila, but its signaling mechanisms are not well understood. We report daily rhythmicity in responsiveness to PDF in critical pacemakers called small LNvs. There is a daily change in potency, as great as 10-fold higher, around dawn. The rhythm persists in constant darkness, does not require endogenous ligand (PDF) signaling, or rhythmic receptor gene transcription. Furthermore, rhythmic responsiveness reflects the properties of the pacemaker cell type, not the receptor. Dopamine responsiveness also cycles, in phase with that of PDF, in the same pacemakers, but does not cycle in large LNv. The activity of RalA GTPase in s-LNv regulates PDF responsiveness and behavioral locomotor rhythms. Additional, cell autonomous PDF signaling reversed the circadian behavioral effects of lowered RalA activity. Thus RalA activity confers high PDF responsiveness, providing a daily gate around the dawn hours to promote functional PDF signaling. PMID:27161526

76 FR 38208

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-29

.... Fork of Root R. (Sheldon Township), Houston, 11000468 Swift County Gethsemane Episcopal Church, 40 N. Hering St., Appleton, 11000469 Traverse County District No. 44 School, U.S. 75 (Taylor Township...

Lipid Emulsion Administered Intravenously or Orally Attenuates Triglyceride Accumulation and Expression of Inflammatory Markers in the Liver of Nonobese Mice Fed Parenteral Nutrition Formula123

PubMed Central

Ito, Kyoko; Hao, Lei; Wray, Amanda E.; Ross, A. Catharine

2013-01-01

The accumulation of hepatic TG and development of hepatic steatosis (HS) is a serious complication of the use of parenteral nutrition (PN) formulas containing a high percentage of dextrose. But whether fat emulsions or other nutrients can ameliorate the induction of HS by high-carbohydrate diets is still uncertain. We hypothesized that administration of a lipid emulsion (LE; Intralipid) and/or the vitamin A metabolite retinal (RAL) will reduce hepatic TG accumulation and attenuate indicators of inflammation. C57BL/6 male mice were fed PN formula as their only source of hydration and nutrition for 4–5 wk. In Expt. 1, mice were fed PN only or PN plus treatment with RAL (1 μg/g orally), LE (200 μL i.v.), or both LE and RAL. In Expt. 2, LE was orally administered at 4 and 13.5% of energy to PN-fed mice. All PN mice developed HS compared with mice fed normal chow (NC) and HS was reduced by LE. The liver TG mass was lower in the PN+LE and PN+RAL+LE groups compared with the PN and PN+RAL groups (P < 0.01) and in the 4% and 13.5% PN+LE groups compared with PN alone. Hepatic total retinol was higher in the RAL-fed mice (P < 0.0001), but RAL did not alter TG mass. mRNA transcripts for fatty acid synthase (Fasn) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (Srebpf1) were higher in the PN compared with the NC mice, but FAS protein and Srebpf1 mRNA were lower in the PN+LE groups compared with PN alone. The inflammation marker serum amyloid P component was also reduced. In summary, LE given either i.v. or orally may be sufficient to reduce the steatotic potential of orally fed high-dextrose formulas and may suppress the early development of HS during PN therapy. PMID:23325918

Characterization of raloxifene glucuronidation. Potential role of UGT1A8 genotype on raloxifene metabolism in vivo

PubMed Central

Sun, Dongxiao; Jones, Nathan R; Manni, Andrea; Lazarus, Philip

2014-01-01

Raloxifene is a 2nd-generation selective estrogen receptor modulator used for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and the prevention of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Raloxifene is extensively metabolized by glucuronidation to form raloxifene-6-glucuronide (ral-6-Gluc) and raloxifene-4′-glucuronide (ral-4′-Gluc). The goal of the present study was to determine whether functional polymorphisms in active UGTs could play a role in altered raloxifene glucuronidation in vivo. Using homogenates from HEK293 UGT-overexpressing cell lines, raloxifene was shown to be glucuronidated primarily by the hepatic UGTs 1A1 and 1A9 and the extra-hepatic UGTs 1A8 and 1A10; no detectable raloxifene glucuronidation activity was found for UGT2B enzymes. Functional UGT1A1 transcriptional promoter genotypes were significantly (ptrend=0.005) associated with ral-6-Gluc formation in human liver microsomes, and, consistent with the decreased raloxifene glucuronidation activities observed in vitro with cell line over-expressing UGT1A8 variants, the UGT1A8*2 variant was significantly (p=0.023) correlated with total raloxifene glucuronide formation in human jejunum homogenates. While ral-4′-Gluc exhibited 1/100th the anti-estrogenic activity of raloxifene itself as measured by binding to the estrogen receptor, raloxifene glucuronides comprised ∼99% of the circulating raloxifene dose in raloxifene-treated subjects, with ral-4′-Gluc comprising ∼70% of raloxifene glucuronides. Plasma ral-6-Gluc (ptrend=0.0025), ral-4′-Gluc (ptrend=0.001), and total raloxifene glucuronides (ptrend=0.001) were increased in raloxifene-treated subjects who were predicted slow metabolizers [UGT1A8 (*1/*3)] vs intermediate metabolizers [UGT1A8 (*1/*1) or UGT1A8 (*1/*2)] vs fast metabolizers [UGT1A8 (*2/*2). These data suggest that raloxifene metabolism may be dependent on UGT1A8 genotype and that UGT1A8 genotype may play an important role in overall response to raloxifene. PMID:23682072

Muscular Dystrophy

MedlinePlus

... Gardner-Medwin D. Variability in clinical, genetic and protein abnormalities in manifesting carriers of Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy . Neuromuscul. Disord. Jan 1993;3(1):57-64. 3. Bushby KM, Appleton R, Anderson ...

Study of the effects of neutron irradiation on silicon strip detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guibellino, P.; Panizza, G.; Hall, G.; Sotthibandhu, S.; Ziock, H. J.; Ferguson, P.; Sommer, W. F.; Edwards, M.; Cartiglia, N.; Hubbard, B.; Lesloe, J.; Pitzl, D.; O'Shaughnessy, K.; Rowe, W.; Sadoziski, H. F.-W.; Seiden, A.; Spencer, E.

1992-05-01

Silicon strip detectors and test structures were exposed to neutron fluences up to Φ = 6.1 × 10 14 n/cm 2, using the ISIS neutron source at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (UK). In this paper we report some of our results concerning the effects of displacement damage, with a comparison of devices made of silicon of different resistivity. The various samples exposed showed a very similar dependence of the leakage current on the fluence received. We studied the change of effective doping concentration, and observed a behaviour suggesting the onset of type inversion at a fluence of ˜ 2.0 × 10 13 n/cm 2, a value which depends on the initial doping concentration. The linear increase of the depletion voltage for fluences higher than the inversion point could eventually determine the maximum fluence tolerable by silicon detectors.

Electron volt spectroscopy on a pulsed neutron source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newport, R. J.; Penfold, J.; Williams, W. G.

1984-07-01

The principal design aspects of a pulsed source neutron spectrometer in which the scattered neutron energy is determined by a resonance absorption filter difference method are discussed. Calculations of the accessible dynamic range, resolution and spectrum simulations are given for the spectrometer on a high intensity pulsed neutron source, such as the spallation neutron source (SNS) now being constructed at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Special emphasis is made of the advantage gained by placing coarse and fixed energy-sensitive filters before and after the scatterer; these enhance the inelastic/elastic descrimination of the method. A brief description is given of a double difference filter method which gives a superior difference peak shape, as well as a better energy transfer resolution. Finally, some first results of scattering from zirconium hydride, obtained on a test spectrometer, are presented.

Central Radar System, Over-the-Horizon Backscatter

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-09

1,2-Dibromo-3- chloropropane (DBCP) 0.3 TABLE 41-6 (Continued). MINNESOTA RECOMMENDED ALLOWABLE LIMITS (RAL) FOR DRINKING WATER WELLS Compound RAL (ug/ 1 ...TABLE OF CONTENTS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS OVERVIEW ............ TECHNICAL STUDY 1 FACILITIES...TECHNICAL STUDY 10 0 TECHNICAL STUDY 1 CENTRAL RADAR SYSTEM OVER-THE-HORIZON BACKSCATTER RADAR PROGRAM 0 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Rétinoschisis maculaire bilatéral associé à un rétinoschisis périphérique unilatéral

PubMed Central

Oummad, Hanane; Elkaddoumi, Maryama; Maré, Josiane; Lezrek, Mounir; Cherkaoui, Ouafae

2017-01-01

Le retinoschisis juvénile lié au chromosome X est une affection héréditaire qui affecte habituellement les garçons avec de rare cas d’atteinte du sexe féminin. Les premières manifestations cliniques apparaissent généralement au cours de la première décennie. Il est responsable d’une baisse d’acuité visuelle d’importance variable et lentement progressive. Cette évolution peut être émaillée d’hémorragies dans le vitré et de décollements de rétine volontiers récidivants. Nous présentons le cas d’un patient âgé de 17ans. Au fond d'œil on retrouve remaniement maculaire microkystique stellaire bilatéral, centré sur la fovéola, associé à des schisis périphériques avec décollement de rétine et déchirure des feuillets interne et externe unilatéral. PMID:29158861

The Immunomodulatory Role of Adjuvants in Vaccines Formulated with the Recombinant Antigens Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2 against Onchocerca volvulus in Mice.

PubMed

Hess, Jessica A; Zhan, Bin; Torigian, April R; Patton, John B; Petrovsky, Nikolai; Zhan, Tingting; Bottazzi, Maria Elena; Hotez, Peter J; Klei, Thomas R; Lustigman, Sara; Abraham, David

2016-07-01

In some regions in Africa, elimination of onchocerciasis may be possible with mass drug administration, although there is concern based on several factors that onchocerciasis cannot be eliminated solely through this approach. A vaccine against Onchocerca volvulus would provide a critical tool for the ultimate elimination of this infection. Previous studies have demonstrated that immunization of mice with Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2, when formulated with alum, induced protective immunity. It was hypothesized that the levels of protective immunity induced with the two recombinant antigens formulated with alum would be improved by formulation with other adjuvants known to enhance different types of antigen-specific immune responses. Immunizing mice with Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2 in conjunction with alum, Advax 2 and MF59 induced significant levels of larval killing and host protection. The immune response was biased towards Th2 with all three of the adjuvants, with IgG1 the dominant antibody. Improved larval killing and host protection was observed in mice immunized with co-administered Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2 in conjunction with each of the three adjuvants as compared to single immunizations. Antigen-specific antibody titers were significantly increased in mice immunized concurrently with the two antigens. Based on chemokine levels, it appears that neutrophils and eosinophils participate in the protective immune response induced by Ov-103, and macrophages and neutrophils participate in immunity induced by Ov-RAL-2. The mechanism of protective immunity induced by Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2, with the adjuvants alum, Advax 2 and MF59, appears to be multifactorial with roles for cytokines, chemokines, antibody and specific effector cells. The vaccines developed in this study have the potential of reducing the morbidity associated with onchocerciasis in humans.

Raloxifene analog (LY117018 HCL) ameliorates cyclosporin A-induced osteopenia in oophorectomized rats.

PubMed

Bowman, A R; Sass, D A; Marshall, I; Ma, Y F; Liang, H; Jee, W S; Epstein, S

1996-08-01

Cyclosporin A (CsA) administered to the oophorectomized (Ox) rat exacerbates the high turnover osteopenia associated with estrogen deficiency. 17 beta-estradiol replacement therapy prevent this bone loss. The aim of this study was to see whether an estrogen-like compound, Raloxifene analog (LY117018 HCL, Ral) could likewise ameliorate CsA-induced osteopenia in the Ox rat. Sixty 6-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats, divided into five groups, underwent oophorectomy. One group acted as a basal group and the others received either vehicle (group B), CsA 15 mg/kg/day (group C), Ral 3 mg/kg/day (group D), or CsA 15 mg/kg/day and Ral 3 mg/kg/day (group E) for 28 days by gavage. A sixth sham operated group of 12 rats received vehicle only (group A). Rats were weighed and bled on days 0, 14, and 28 for measurement of ionized calcium, glucose, osteocalcin (BGP), 17 beta-estradiol, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25[OH]2D3). Tibiae were removed on day 28 for bone histomorphometry after double tetracycline and calcein labeling. Oophorectomy caused a significant gain in weight in groups B and C which was prevented by Ral in groups D and E. Randomized blood glucose levels and 1,25(OH)2D3 levels were elevated in both CsA-treated groups. Blood ionized calcium levels were lower in vehicle (group B) compared with sham (group A) on day 28. Ox (group B) had significantly higher serum BGP levels compared with sham-operated rats. Serum BGP levels were further elevated in group C compared with vehicle and were lowered in both Ral-treated groups to vehicle levels by day 28. Bone histomorphometry revealed a high turnover osteopenia with increased parameters of bone formation and resorption and loss of cancellous bone volume postoophorectomy (group B). CsA (group C) exacerbated the effects of oophorectomy. Ral (group D) completely prevented the high turnover osteopenia caused by oophorectomy and was able to attenuate substantially the effects of CsA in the Ox rat (group E). Ral therapy ameliorated CsA-induced osteopenia in the Ox rat and might prove a useful agent in preventing bone loss in postmenopausal women receiving CsA.

Raltegravir plus abacavir/lamivudine in virologically suppressed HIV-1-infected patients: 48-week results of the KIRAL study.

PubMed

Troya, Jesús; Montejano, Rocio; Ryan, Pablo; Gómez, Cristina; Matarranz, Mariano; Cabello, Alfonso; Vera, Francisco; Sepúlveda, María Antonia; Santos, Ignacio; Samperiz, Gloria; Bachiller, Pablo; Boix, Vicente; Barrufet, Pilar; Cervero, Miguel; Sanz, José; Solís, Javier; Yllescas, María; Valencia, Eulalia

2018-01-01

Long-term combination antiretroviral therapy often results in toxicity/tolerability problems, which are one of the main reasons for switching treatment. Despite the favorable profile of raltegravir (RAL), data on its combination with abacavir/lamivudine (ABC/3TC) are scarce. Based on clinical data, we evaluated this regimen as a switching strategy. Multicenter, non-controlled, retrospective study including all virologically suppressed HIV-1-infected patients who had switched to RAL+ABC/3TC. We evaluated effectiveness (defined as maintenance of HIV-1-RNA <50 copies/mL at 48 weeks) safety, tolerability, laboratory data, and CD4+ count at week 48 of this switching strategy. The study population comprised 467 patients. Median age was 49 years (IQR: 45-53). Males accounted for 75.4%. Median CD4+ count at baseline was 580 cells/μL (IQR, 409). The main reasons for switching were toxicity/tolerability problems (197; 42.2%) and physician's criteria (133; 28.5%). At week 48, HIV-1 RNA remained at <50 copies/mL in 371/380 (97.6%; 95%CI: 96.4-99.0) when non-virological failure was censured. Virological failure was recorded in 1.9% patients and treatment failure in 20.5% of patients (96/467 [95%CI, 16.9-24.2]). The main reasons for treatment failure included switch to fixed-dose combination regimens (31; 6.6%), toxicity/poor tolerability (27; 5.8%), and physician's decision (17; 3.6%). A total of 73 adverse events were detected in 64 patients (13.7%). These resolved in 43 patients (67.2%). Of the 33 cases related or likely related to treatment, 30 were Grade-1 (90.9%). CD4+ count and renal, hepatic, and lipid profiles remained clinically stable over the 48 weeks. Our findings suggest that RAL+ABC/3TC could be an effective, safe/tolerable, and low-toxicity option for virologically suppressed HIV-1-infected patients.

Using container orchestration to improve service management at the RAL Tier-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lahiff, Andrew; Collier, Ian

2017-10-01

In recent years container orchestration has been emerging as a means of gaining many potential benefits compared to a traditional static infrastructure, such as increased utilisation through multi-tenancy, improved availability due to self-healing, and the ability to handle changing loads due to elasticity and auto-scaling. To this end we have been investigating migrating services at the RAL Tier-1 to an Apache Mesos cluster. In this model the concept of individual machines is abstracted away and services are run in containers on a cluster of machines, managed by schedulers, enabling a high degree of automation. Here we describe Mesos, the infrastructure deployed at RAL, and describe in detail the explicit example of running a batch farm on Mesos.

Study of turbine bypass remote augmentor lift system for V/STOL aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheridan, A. E.

1985-01-01

The airframe design and engine/aircraft integration were emphasized in a NASA comparative study of turbofan and turbine bypass engine (TBE) with remote augmentor lift systems (RALS) for supersonic V/STOL aircraft. Functional features of the TBE are reviewed, noting the enhanced cycle efficiency and reduced afterbody drag compared to the turbojets. The present studies examied performance levels for aircraft with fleet defense and secondary anti-surface warfare roles, carrying AMRAAM and AIM missiles. TBE engine cycles were configured for hover and up-and-away flight from deck launch, and all tests were done from a conceptual design viewpoint. The results indicate that the TBE-RALS is superior to turbofan-RALS aircraft in both gross take-off weight and life cycle cost.

The error analysis of Lobular and segmental division of right liver by volume measurement.

PubMed

Zhang, Jianfei; Lin, Weigang; Chi, Yanyan; Zheng, Nan; Xu, Qiang; Zhang, Guowei; Yu, Shengbo; Li, Chan; Wang, Bin; Sui, Hongjin

2017-07-01

The aim of this study is to explore the inconsistencies between right liver volume as measured by imaging and the actual anatomical appearance of the right lobe. Five healthy donated livers were studied. The liver slices were obtained with hepatic segments multicolor-infused through the portal vein. In the slices, the lobes were divided by two methods: radiological landmarks and real anatomical boundaries. The areas of the right anterior lobe (RAL) and right posterior lobe (RPL) on each slice were measured using Photoshop CS5 and AutoCAD, and the volumes of the two lobes were calculated. There was no statistically significant difference between the volumes of the RAL or RPL as measured by the radiological landmarks (RL) and anatomical boundaries (AB) methods. However, the curves of the square error value of the RAL and RPL measured using CT showed that the three lowest points were at the cranial, intermediate, and caudal levels. The U- or V-shaped curves of the square error rate of the RAL and RPL revealed that the lowest value is at the intermediate level and the highest at the cranial and caudal levels. On CT images, less accurate landmarks were used to divide the RAL and RPL at the cranial and caudal layers. The measured volumes of hepatic segments VIII and VI would be less than their true values, and the measured volumes of hepatic segments VII and V would be greater than their true values, according to radiological landmarks. Clin. Anat. 30:585-590, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

Adams, D.; Alekou, A.; Apollonio, M.

Here, the international Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) will perform a systematic investigation of ionization cooling with muon beams of momentum between 140 and 240\\,MeV/c at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory ISIS facility. The measurement of ionization cooling in MICE relies on the selection of a pure sample of muons that traverse the experiment. To make this selection, the MICE Muon Beam is designed to deliver a beam of muons with less thanmore » $$\\sim$$1% contamination. To make the final muon selection, MICE employs a particle-identification (PID) system upstream and downstream of the cooling cell. The PID system includes time-of-flight hodoscopes, threshold-Cherenkov counters and calorimetry. The upper limit for the pion contamination measured in this paper is $$f_\\pi < 1.4\\%$$ at 90% C.L., including systematic uncertainties. Therefore, the MICE Muon Beam is able to meet the stringent pion-contamination requirements of the study of ionization cooling.« less

High-energy synchrotron X-ray radiography of shock-compressed materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rutherford, Michael E.; Chapman, David J.; Collinson, Mark A.; Jones, David R.; Music, Jasmina; Stafford, Samuel J. P.; Tear, Gareth R.; White, Thomas G.; Winters, John B. R.; Drakopoulos, Michael; Eakins, Daniel E.

2015-06-01

This presentation will discuss the development and application of a high-energy (50 to 250 keV) synchrotron X-ray imaging method to study shock-compressed, high-Z samples at Beamline I12 at the Diamond Light Source synchrotron (Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, UK). Shock waves are driven into materials using a portable, single-stage gas gun designed by the Institute of Shock Physics. Following plate impact, material deformation is probed in-situ by white-beam X-ray radiography and complimentary velocimetry diagnostics. The high energies, large beam size (13 x 13 mm), and appreciable sample volumes (~ 1 cm3) viable for study at Beamline I12 compliment existing in-house pulsed X-ray capabilities and studies at the Dynamic Compression Sector. The authors gratefully acknowledge the ongoing support of Imperial College London, EPSRC, STFC and the Diamond Light Source, and AWE Plc.

Characterization of Bivoj/DiPOLE 100: HiLASE 100-J/10-Hz diode pumped solid state laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilar, Jan; De Vido, Mariastefania; Divoky, Martin; Mason, Paul; Hanus, Martin; Ertel, Klaus; Navratil, Petr; Butcher, Thomas; Slezak, Ondrej; Banerjee, Saumyabrata; Phillips, Jonathan; Smith, Jodie; Lucianetti, Antonio; Hernandez-Gomez, Cristina; Edwards, Chris; Collier, John; Mocek, Tomas

2018-02-01

The HiLASE "Bivoj" laser system developed at CLF Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in collaboration with HiLASE team as DiPOLE100 was relocated to Dolni Brezany near Prague, Czechia at the end of 2015 and fully re-commissioned at the end of 2016. In 2016, the system demonstrated average output power of 1kW generating pulses of 105 J at 10 Hz repetition rate for the first time in the world. Since then the system has been subjected to several testing campaigns in order to determine some of its key characteristics. Beam quality, wavefront quality, pointing stability, energy stability and experience with long term operation of 1 kW laser are presented. In addition, depolarization effects have been detected inside the main amplifier. Details on these results along with numerical simulations are presented.

Pion contamination in the MICE muon beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, D.; Alekou, A.; Apollonio, M.; Asfandiyarov, R.; Barber, G.; Barclay, P.; de Bari, A.; Bayes, R.; Bayliss, V.; Bertoni, R.; Blackmore, V. J.; Blondel, A.; Blot, S.; Bogomilov, M.; Bonesini, M.; Booth, C. N.; Bowring, D.; Boyd, S.; Brashaw, T. W.; Bravar, U.; Bross, A. D.; Capponi, M.; Carlisle, T.; Cecchet, G.; Charnley, C.; Chignoli, F.; Cline, D.; Cobb, J. H.; Colling, G.; Collomb, N.; Coney, L.; Cooke, P.; Courthold, M.; Cremaldi, L. M.; DeMello, A.; Dick, A.; Dobbs, A.; Dornan, P.; Drews, M.; Drielsma, F.; Filthaut, F.; Fitzpatrick, T.; Franchini, P.; Francis, V.; Fry, L.; Gallagher, A.; Gamet, R.; Gardener, R.; Gourlay, S.; Grant, A.; Greis, J. R.; Griffiths, S.; Hanlet, P.; Hansen, O. M.; Hanson, G. G.; Hart, T. L.; Hartnett, T.; Hayler, T.; Heidt, C.; Hills, M.; Hodgson, P.; Hunt, C.; Iaciofano, A.; Ishimoto, S.; Kafka, G.; Kaplan, D. M.; Karadzhov, Y.; Kim, Y. K.; Kuno, Y.; Kyberd, P.; Lagrange, J.-B.; Langlands, J.; Lau, W.; Leonova, M.; Li, D.; Lintern, A.; Littlefield, M.; Long, K.; Luo, T.; Macwaters, C.; Martlew, B.; Martyniak, J.; Mazza, R.; Middleton, S.; Moretti, A.; Moss, A.; Muir, A.; Mullacrane, I.; Nebrensky, J. J.; Neuffer, D.; Nichols, A.; Nicholson, R.; Nugent, J. C.; Oates, A.; Onel, Y.; Orestano, D.; Overton, E.; Owens, P.; Palladino, V.; Pasternak, J.; Pastore, F.; Pidcott, C.; Popovic, M.; Preece, R.; Prestemon, S.; Rajaram, D.; Ramberger, S.; Rayner, M. A.; Ricciardi, S.; Roberts, T. J.; Robinson, M.; Rogers, C.; Ronald, K.; Rubinov, P.; Rucinski, P.; Sakamato, H.; Sanders, D. A.; Santos, E.; Savidge, T.; Smith, P. J.; Snopok, P.; Soler, F. J. P.; Speirs, D.; Stanley, T.; Stokes, G.; Summers, D. J.; Tarrant, J.; Taylor, I.; Tortora, L.; Torun, Y.; Tsenov, R.; Tunnell, C. D.; Uchida, M. A.; Vankova-Kirilova, G.; Virostek, S.; Vretenar, M.; Warburton, P.; Watson, S.; White, C.; Whyte, C. G.; Wilson, A.; Winter, M.; Yang, X.; Young, A.; Zisman, M.

2016-03-01

The international Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) will perform a systematic investigation of ionization cooling with muon beams of momentum between 140 and 240 MeV/c at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory ISIS facility. The measurement of ionization cooling in MICE relies on the selection of a pure sample of muons that traverse the experiment. To make this selection, the MICE Muon Beam is designed to deliver a beam of muons with less than ~1% contamination. To make the final muon selection, MICE employs a particle-identification (PID) system upstream and downstream of the cooling cell. The PID system includes time-of-flight hodoscopes, threshold-Cherenkov counters and calorimetry. The upper limit for the pion contamination measured in this paper is fπ < 1.4% at 90% C.L., including systematic uncertainties. Therefore, the MICE Muon Beam is able to meet the stringent pion-contamination requirements of the study of ionization cooling.

Characterisation of the high dynamic range Large Pixel Detector (LPD) and its use at X-ray free electron laser sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veale, M. C.; Adkin, P.; Booker, P.; Coughlan, J.; French, M. J.; Hart, M.; Nicholls, T.; Schneider, A.; Seller, P.; Pape, I.; Sawhney, K.; Carini, G. A.; Hart, P. A.

2017-12-01

The STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have delivered the Large Pixel Detector (LPD) for MHz frame rate imaging at the European XFEL. The detector system has an active area of 0.5 m × 0.5 m and consists of a million pixels on a 500 μm pitch. Sensors have been produced from 500 μm thick Hammamatsu silicon tiles that have been bump bonded to the readout ASIC using a silver epoxy and gold stud technique. Each pixel of the detector system is capable of measuring 105 12 keV photons per image readout at 4.5 MHz. In this paper results from the testing of these detectors at the Diamond Light Source and the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) are presented. The performance of the detector in terms of linearity, spatial uniformity and the performance of the different ASIC gain stages is characterised.

Pion contamination in the MICE muon beam

DOE PAGES

Adams, D.; Alekou, A.; Apollonio, M.; ...

2016-03-01

Here, the international Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) will perform a systematic investigation of ionization cooling with muon beams of momentum between 140 and 240\\,MeV/c at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory ISIS facility. The measurement of ionization cooling in MICE relies on the selection of a pure sample of muons that traverse the experiment. To make this selection, the MICE Muon Beam is designed to deliver a beam of muons with less thanmore » $$\\sim$$1% contamination. To make the final muon selection, MICE employs a particle-identification (PID) system upstream and downstream of the cooling cell. The PID system includes time-of-flight hodoscopes, threshold-Cherenkov counters and calorimetry. The upper limit for the pion contamination measured in this paper is $$f_\\pi < 1.4\\%$$ at 90% C.L., including systematic uncertainties. Therefore, the MICE Muon Beam is able to meet the stringent pion-contamination requirements of the study of ionization cooling.« less

Towards high-resolution neutron imaging on IMAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minniti, T.; Tremsin, A. S.; Vitucci, G.; Kockelmann, W.

2018-01-01

IMAT is a new cold-neutron imaging facility at the neutron spallation source ISIS at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, U.K.. The ISIS pulsed source enables energy-selective and energy-resolved neutron imaging via time-of-flight (TOF) techniques, which are available in addition to the white-beam neutron radiography and tomography options. A spatial resolution of about 50 μm for white-beam neutron radiography was achieved early in the IMAT commissioning phase. In this work we have made the first steps towards achieving higher spatial resolution. A white-beam radiography with 18 μm spatial resolution was achieved in this experiment. This result was possible by using the event counting neutron pixel detector based on micro-channel plates (MCP) coupled with a Timepix readout chip with 55 μm sized pixels, and by employing an event centroiding technique. The prospects for energy-selective neutron radiography for this centroiding mode are discussed.

New large volume hydrothermal reaction cell for studying chemical processes under supercritical hydrothermal conditions using time-resolved in situ neutron diffraction.

PubMed

Ok, Kang Min; O'Hare, Dermot; Smith, Ronald I; Chowdhury, Mohammed; Fikremariam, Hanna

2010-12-01

The design and testing of a new large volume Inconel pressure cell for the in situ study of supercritical hydrothermal syntheses using time-resolved neutron diffraction is introduced for the first time. The commissioning of this new cell is demonstrated by the measurement of the time-of-flight neutron diffraction pattern for TiO(2) (Anatase) in supercritical D(2)O on the POLARIS diffractometer at the United Kingdom's pulsed spallation neutron source, ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. The sample can be studied over a wide range of temperatures (25-450 °C) and pressures (1-355 bar). This novel apparatus will now enable us to study the kinetics and mechanisms of chemical syntheses under extreme environments such as supercritical water, and in particular to study the crystallization of a variety of technologically important inorganic materials.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of dolutegravir plus backbone compared with raltegravir plus backbone, darunavir+ritonavir plus backbone and efavirenz/tenofovir/emtricitabine in treatment naïve and experienced HIV-positive patients.

PubMed

Restelli, Umberto; Rizzardini, Giuliano; Antinori, Andrea; Lazzarin, Adriano; Bonfanti, Marzia; Bonfanti, Paolo; Croce, Davide

2017-01-01

In January 2014, the European Medicines Agency issued a marketing authorization for dolutegravir (DTG), a second-generation integrase strand transfer inhibitor for HIV treatment. The study aimed at determining the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the use of DTG+backbone compared with raltegravir (RAL)+backbone, darunavir (DRV)+ritonavir(r)+backbone and efavirenz/tenofovir/emtricitabine (EFV/TDF/FTC) in HIV-positive treatment-naïve patients and compared with RAL+backbone in treatment-experienced patients, from the Italian National Health Service's point of view. A published Monte Carlo Individual Simulation Model (ARAMIS-DTG model) was used to perform the analysis. Patients pass through mutually exclusive health states (defined in terms of diagnosis of HIV with or without opportunistic infections [OIs] and cardiovascular disease [CVD]) and successive lines of therapy. The model considers costs (2014) and quality of life per monthly cycle in a lifetime horizon. Costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) are dependent on OI, CVD, AIDS events, adverse events and antiretroviral therapies. In treatment-naïve patients, DTG dominates RAL; compared with DRV/r, the ICER obtained is of 38,586 €/QALY (6,170 €/QALY in patients with high viral load) and over EFV/TDF/FTC, DTG generates an ICER of 33,664 €/QALY. In treatment-experienced patients, DTG compared to RAL leads to an ICER of 12,074 €/QALY. The use of DTG+backbone may be cost effective in treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients compared with RAL+backbone and in treatment-naïve patients compared with DRV/r+backbone and EFV/TDF/FTC considering a threshold of 40,000 €/QALY.

Simultaneous Measurement of Etravirine, Maraviroc and Raltegravir in Pigtail Macaque Plasma, Vaginal Secretions and Vaginal Tissue using a LC-MS/MS Assay

PubMed Central

Blakney, Anna K.; Jiang, Yonghou; Whittington, Dale; Woodrow, Kim A.

2016-01-01

Etravirine (ETR), maraviroc (MVC) and raltegravir (RAL) are promising antiretroviral drugs being used in HIV treatment and may be interesting for prevention applications such as oral or topical pre-exposure prophylaxis. Here we describe a sensitive and accurate method for the simultaneous detection of ETR, MVC and RAL from pigtail macaque plasma, vaginal secretions, and vaginal tissue. This method is characterized by a straightforward precipitation extraction method, a limit of quantification <0.5 ng mL−1 for all three antiretrovirals bolstered by a corresponding internal standard for each drug analyte, and short run time. Quantification is performed using positive ion electrospray triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. This method was validated over clinically relevant ranges for the three ARV drugs in all three matrices: 0.1–100 ng mL−1 for ETR, 0.05–100 ng mL−1 for MVC and 1–100 ng mL−1 for RAL. Our method is accurate and precise, with measured mean inter-assay precision (%CV) and accuracy (% bias) of 5.08% and 1.96%, respectively, while the mean intra-assay precision and accuracy were 3.44% and 1.08 %. The overall post-extraction recovery for ETR, MVC and RAL was >94% in all cases. We also show that extracted biological samples are stable after storage at room temperature or 4 °C and after three freeze/thaw cycles. This is the first analytical method capable of quantifying ETR, MVC and RAL in biological matrices relevant for pre-clinical testing of oral or topical HIV prevention methods in pigtailed macaques. PMID:27236000

Behavioral Task Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

and related tech- nologies . Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Neisser , U . (1967) . Cognitive psychology. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts...behavior (see Neisser [1967] for a review of the early stages of information processing). The result is a characterization of human tasks as involving

Elevated soil lead concentrations in residential yards in Appleton, WI, a small Midwestern city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, J. J.; Knudsen, A. C.

2010-12-01

Elevated soil lead concentrations are well documented in large urban areas, having been attributed to a combination of leaded-paint, leaded-gasoline, and industrial emissions. Fewer studies, however, have been conducted in smaller communities. We analyzed 200 surface soils in the neighborhood near Lawrence University’s campus in Appleton, WI (population ~70,000). Like many larger cities Appleton has a historic city-center. However, it is has no high-density housing or commercial districts and has not seen heavy traffic. The socioeconomic pressures that lead to disrepair of inner city neighborhoods have been less prevalent here as well. At each property 3 integrated samples were taken, one adjacent to the front of the house, one in the front lawn, and one between the road and sidewalk. We correlated building and property traits (e.g. structure age, distance from road, exterior type, exterior condition, direction of exposure, and assessed home value) with soil lead concentrations determined by XRF and subsequently, mapped these data for geospatial patterns. Soil lead concentrations in the city park and campus greens were typically less than 100 ppm. The highest lead concentrations are close to campus, which has a number of civil war era buildings and homes. High lead concentrations (averaging over 1,000 ppm near the home, with concentrations as high as 10,000 ppm) were associated with aging, poorly maintained structures as expected. However, a number of well-maintained structures also show substantially elevated concentrations. These soil lead concentrations are not dissimilar to those found in much larger cities such as New Orleans, Milwaukee, and Chicago. Lead levels dropped quickly as distance from the house increased suggesting that the contamination is from lead paint and not from gasoline exhaust. Furthermore, samples taken adjacent to the main arterial through town exhibited relatively low, but slightly elevated lead levels (~250 ppm). Not surprisingly, these concentrations are in line with those typically found in suburban settings, rather than urban settings. Studying the nature and distribution of soil lead contamination in a smaller city such as Appleton will allow for a better understanding of the public health risks in this and similar cities. Additionally, with fewer likely contributors to soil lead contamination, this study allows a clearer connection to be drawn between one primary factor, paint, and the distribution of soil lead.

Surface chemistry of the Moon: New views from Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer and future potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narendranath, Shyama; Athiray, Subramania; Parameswaran, Sreekumar; Grande, Manuel

2015-04-01

X-ray remote sensing is an established technique for chemical mapping of atmosphere-less inner solar system bodies. Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer (C1XS) [Grande et al, 2009], on-board the first Indian lunar mission Chandrayaan-1 [Bhandari et al, 2004], was flown with the objective [Crawford et al, 2009] of globally mapping the abundances of the major rock-forming elements Mg, Al, Si, Ca ,Ti and Fe with a spatial resolution of 25 km on the lunar surface. The instrument was developed by the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), UK in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). X-ray fluorescence (XRF) observations measure the abundance irrespective of the mineral structure. XRF spectral analysis can uniquely identify and quantify elemental signatures from all commonly occurring elements. C1XS is one of the first instruments to unambiguously map the abundance of elements from Na to Fe at scales of tens of kilometers. Because of the exceptionally low solar activity in 2009, the strongest solar flare observed was of C3 class and hence global mapping could not be achieved. However from the available coverage of ~ 5%, we have determined elemental abundances accurately through a detailed calibration of the instrument and inversion methodology [Narendranath et al, 2010; Athiray et al, 2013]. The end-to-end capacity to derive independent and accurate global surface chemical abundances using x-ray signatures was clearly demonstrated with C1XS. We present results from a comprehensive analysis of all data from C1XS with emphasis on the new finding of enhanced sodium in the southern lunar highlands that suggests possible new lithologies [Narendranath et al, 2011; Athiray et al, 2014]. It is generally believed that lunar highlands are mainly composed of plagioclase feldspar with lower amounts of the mafic minerals. Plagioclase in lunar samples have been found to have an anorthite content as high as An98 with the average highlands estimated to be An95. Lower anorthite content (as low as An70) plagioclase grains have been found in lunar samples but is much rarer. C1XS measurements especially of Na, Al and Ca reveal larger regions of low An than previously thought of. We provide evidence for this from quantitative estimates of elemental abundances. Further, we present the development of Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft x-ray Spectrometer (CLASS) [Narendranath et al, 2014] to be flown on the second Indian lunar mission (~2018) which would continue from where C1XS left off but with a greater sensitivity and better spatial resolution.

Spallation Neutron Source Materials Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sommer, W. F.

1998-04-01

Operation of accelerator facilities such as Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE), ISIS at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, the Swiss Institute Neutron Source (SINQ) at Paul Scherrer Institute, and others has provided valuable information on materials performance in high energy particle beams and high energy neutron environments. The Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) project is sponsoring an extensive series of tests on the effect of spallation neutron source environments to physical and mechanical properties of candidate materials such as nickel-based alloys, stainless steel alloys, aluminum alloys and solid target materials such as tungsten. Measurements of corrosion rates of these candidate materials during irradiation and while in contact with flowing coolant water are being made. The APT tests use the irradiation facility in the beam stop area of the LANSCE accelerator using 800 MeV protons as well as the neutron flux-spectrum generated as these protons interact with targets. The initial irradiations were completed in summer 1997, exposing materials to a fluence approaching 4-6 x 10^21 protons/cm^2. Sample retrieval is now underway. Mechanical properties measurements are being conducted at several laboratories. Studies on components used in service have also been initiated.

Modeling and Measuring Charge-Sharing in Hard X-ray Imagers Using HEXITEC CdTe Detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, Daniel F.; Christe, Steven D.; Shih, Albert Y.; Baumgartner, Wayne H.; Wilson, Matthew D.; Seller, Paul; Gaskin, Jessica A.; Inglis, Andrew

2017-01-01

The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory's HEXITEC ASIC has been designed to provide fine pixelated X-ray spectroscopic imaging in combination with a CdTe or CZT detector layer. Although HEXITEC's small pixels enable higher spatial resolution as well as higher spectral resolution via the small-pixel effect, they also increase the probability of charge sharing, a process which degrades spectral performance by dividing the charge induced by a single photon among multiple pixels. In this paper, we investigate the effect of this process on a continuum X-ray spectrum below the Cd and Te fluorescence energies (23 keV). This is done by comparing laboratory measurements with simulations performed with a custom designed model of the HEXITEC ASIC. We find that the simulations closely match the observations implying that we have an adequate understanding of both charge sharing and the HEXITEC ASIC itself. These results can be used to predict the distortion of a spectrum measured with HEXITEC and will help determine to what extent it can be corrected. They also show that models like this one are important tools in developing and interpreting observations from ASICs like HEXITEC.

Conceptual design, evaluation and research identification for Remote Augmented Propulsive Lift Systems (RALS) with ejectors for VTOL aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willis, W. S.; Konarski, M.; Sutherland, M. V.

1982-01-01

Ejector concepts for use with a remote augmented lift system (RALS) exhaust nozzle were studied. A number of concepts were considered and three were selected as having the greatest promise of providing the desired aircraft and exhaust gas cooling and lift enhancement. A scale model test program is recommended to explore the effects of the more important parameters on ejector performance.

Evolution and the origin of the visual retinoid cycle in vertebrates.

PubMed

Kusakabe, Takehiro G; Takimoto, Noriko; Jin, Minghao; Tsuda, Motoyuki

2009-10-12

Absorption of a photon by visual pigments induces isomerization of 11-cis-retinaldehyde (RAL) chromophore to all-trans-RAL. Since the opsins lacking 11-cis-RAL lose light sensitivity, sustained vision requires continuous regeneration of 11-cis-RAL via the process called 'visual cycle'. Protostomes and vertebrates use essentially different machinery of visual pigment regeneration, and the origin and early evolution of the vertebrate visual cycle is an unsolved mystery. Here we compare visual retinoid cycles between different photoreceptors of vertebrates, including rods, cones and non-visual photoreceptors, as well as between vertebrates and invertebrates. The visual cycle systems in ascidians, the closest living relatives of vertebrates, show an intermediate state between vertebrates and non-chordate invertebrates. The ascidian larva may use retinochrome-like opsin as the major isomerase. The entire process of the visual cycle can occur inside the photoreceptor cells with distinct subcellular compartmentalization, although the visual cycle components are also present in surrounding non-photoreceptor cells. The adult ascidian probably uses RPE65 isomerase, and trans-to-cis isomerization may occur in distinct cellular compartments, which is similar to the vertebrate situation. The complete transition to the sophisticated retinoid cycle of vertebrates may have required acquisition of new genes, such as interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein, and functional evolution of the visual cycle genes.

Raloxifene therapy interacts with serum osteoprotegerin in postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Messalli, Enrico M; Mainini, Giampaolo; Scaffa, Cono; Cafiero, Angela; Salzillo, Pier Luigi; Ragucci, Angelo; Cobellis, Luigi

2007-01-20

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a protein expressed by osteoblasts that, linking the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB (RANK) ligand (RANKL), produced by osteoblasts, blocks the process of osteoclastic differentiation and modulates osteoclastic apoptosis. Raloxifene (RAL) stimulates the production of OPG from osteoblasts, as demonstrated in vitro, carring out their antiresorption activity, at least in part, as means of the OPG/RANK/RANKL system. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vivo if the RAL treatment of postmenopausal women was associated to changes in serum OPG; moreover, to evaluate the serum changes of bone turnover modulators interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-telopeptides of type-1 collagen (CrossLaps). A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study was designed. A group of consecutive healthy postmenopausal women (n=40) referred to II Menopause Centre of the Department of Gynaecology of Second University of Naples for climacteric syndrome was enrolled and divided in two groups: (n=20) postmenopausal women received for 6 months oral raloxifene (60 mg/day) versus (n=20) postmenopausal women received placebo tablets. Serum OPG levels in postmenopausal women after RAL treatment are statistically significant increased (P<0.001) versus baseline (P=0.007) versus placebo. These in vivo data demonstrate that RAL could improve osteoporosis, also through an increase of OPG production by osteoblasts.

HPLC/UV quantitation of retinal, retinol, and retinyl esters in serum and tissues

PubMed Central

Kane, Maureen A.; Folias, Alexandra E.; Napoli, Joseph L.

2008-01-01

We report robust HPLC/UV methods for quantifying retinyl esters (RE), retinol (ROL) and retinal (RAL) applicable to diverse biological samples, with lower limits of detection of 0.7 pmol, 0.2 pmol, and 0.2 pmol, respectively, and linear ranges >3 orders of magnitude. These assays function well with small, complex biological samples (10–20 mg tissue). Coefficients of variation range from: intra-day, 5.9–10.0%; inter-day, 5.9–11.0%. Quantification of endogenous RE, ROL, and RAL in mouse serum and tissues (liver, kidney, adipose, muscle, spleen, testis, skin, brain, and brain regions) reveals utility. Ability to discriminate spatial concentrations of ROL and RE is illustrated with C57BL/6 mouse brain loci (hippocampus, cortex, olfactory bulb, thalamus, cerebellum, and striatum.) We also developed a method to distinguish isomeric forms of ROL to investigate precursors of retinoic acid. The ROL isomer assay has limits of detection between 3.5–4.5 pmol and a similar linear range and % CV as the ROL/RE and RAL assays. The assays described here provide for sensitive and rigorous quantification of endogenous RE, ROL, and RAL to elucidate retinoid homeostasis in disease states, such as Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cancer. PMID:18410739

Combining Low-Level Perception and Expectations in Conceptual Learning

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-12

human representation and processing of visual information. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman, 1982. U . Neisser , Cognitive Psychology. New York: Appleton...expectation that characters are from a standard alphabet enables correct identification of characters which would otherwise be ambiguous ( Neisser , 1966

7 CFR 301.91-3 - Regulated areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Hancock County. The entire townships of Gouldsboro, Serrento, Sullivan, Winter Harbor, 7th Southern... townships of Appleton, Camden, Cushing, Friendship, Hope, Owls Head, Rockland City, Rockport, South Thomaston, St. George, Thomaston, Union, Warren, and Washington. Lincoln County. The entire townships of...

A free-jet Hg target operating in a high magnetic field intersecting a high-power proton beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graves, Van; Spampinato, Philip; Gabriel, Tony; Kirk, Harold; Simos, Nicholas; Tsang, Thomas; McDonald, Kirk; Peter Titus; Fabich, Adrian; Haseroth, Helmut; Lettry, Jacques

2006-06-01

A proof-of-principal experiment to investigate the interaction of a proton beam, high magnetic field, and high-Z target is planned to take place at CERN in early 2007. This experiment is part of the Muon Collider Collaboration, with participants from Brookhaven National Laboratory, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, European Organization for Nuclear Research-CERN, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. An unconstrained mercury jet target system that interacts with a high power (1 MW) proton beam in a high magnetic field (15 T) is being designed. The Hg jet diameter is 1-cm with a velocity up to 20 m/s. A laser optical diagnostic system will be incorporated into the target design to permit observation of the dispersal of the jet resulting from interaction with a 24 GeV proton beam with up to 20×1012 ppp. The target system includes instruments for sensing mercury vapor, temperature, flow rate, and sump tank level, and the means to position the jet relative to the magnetic axis of a solenoid and the proton beam. The design considerations for the system include all issues dealing with safely handling approximately 23 l of Hg, transporting the target system and the mercury to CERN, decommissioning the experiment, and returning the mildly activated equipment and Hg to the US.

A free-jet Hg target operating in a high magnetic field intersecting a high-power proton beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Graves; Spampinato, Philip; Gabriel, Tony; Kirk, Harold; Simos, Nicholas; Tsang, Thomas; McDonald, Kirk; Peter Titus; Fabich, Adrian; Haseroth, Helmut; Lettry, Jacques

2006-06-01

A proof-of-principal experiment to investigate the interaction of a proton beam, high magnetic field, and high- Z target is planned to take place at CERN in early 2007. This experiment is part of the Muon Collider Collaboration, with participants from Brookhaven National Laboratory, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, European Organization for Nuclear Research-CERN, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. An unconstrained mercury jet target system that interacts with a high power (1 MW) proton beam in a high magnetic field (15 T) is being designed. The Hg jet diameter is 1-cm with a velocity up to 20 m/s. A laser optical diagnostic system will be incorporated into the target design to permit observation of the dispersal of the jet resulting from interaction with a 24 GeV proton beam with up to 20×10 12 ppp. The target system includes instruments for sensing mercury vapor, temperature, flow rate, and sump tank level, and the means to position the jet relative to the magnetic axis of a solenoid and the proton beam. The design considerations for the system include all issues dealing with safely handling approximately 23 l of Hg, transporting the target system and the mercury to CERN, decommissioning the experiment, and returning the mildly activated equipment and Hg to the US.

1. Photocopy of a drawing (original in the Collection of ...

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

1. Photocopy of a drawing (original in the Collection of the PL&C, Shelf 124, Drawing 2915)--ca. 1830--PLAN OF LOCKS, MACHINE SHOP, APPLETON AND LOWELL COMPANIES WITH CANALS - Pawtucket Canal, Swamp Locks, Pawtucket & Merrimack Canals, Lowell, Middlesex County, MA

77 FR 41783 - American River Power VII, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-16

...-wide by 20-foot-high reinforced concrete powerhouse, containing two 2.5-megawatt (MW) turbine/generator... feasibility of the proposed Lower Appleton Dam Hydroelectric Water Power Project No. 14389, to be located at...

Science Teacher Education: An International Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abell, Sandra K., Ed.

This book presents reform efforts in science teacher education from an international perspective. Chapters include: (1) "International Perspectives on Science Teacher Education: An Introduction" (Sandra K. Abell); (2) "The Development of Preservice Elementary Science Teacher Education in Australia" (Ken Appleton, Ian S. Ginns,…

The effect of tamoxifen and raloxifene on estrogen metabolism and endometrial cancer risk.

PubMed

Williams-Brown, Marian Y; Salih, Sana M; Xu, Xia; Veenstra, Timothy D; Saeed, Muhammad; Theiler, Shaleen K; Diaz-Arrastia, Concepcion R; Salama, Salama A

2011-09-01

Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) demonstrate differential endometrial cancer (EC) risk. While tamoxifen (TAM) use increases the risk of endometrial hyperplasia and malignancy, raloxifene (RAL) has neutral effects on the uterus. How TAM increases the risk of EC and why TAM and RAL differentially modulate the risk for EC, however, remain elusive. Here, we tested the hypothesis that TAM increases the risk for EC, at least in part, by enhancing the local estrogen biosynthesis and directing estrogen metabolism towards the formation of genotoxic and hormonally active estrogen metabolites. In addition, the differential effects of TAM and RAL in EC risk are attributed to their differential effect on estrogen metabolism/metabolites. The endometrial cancer cell line (Ishikawa cells) and the nonmalignant immortalized human endometrial glandular cell line (EM1) were used for the study. The profile of estrogen/estrogen metabolites (EM), depurinating estrogen-DNA adducts, and the expression of estrogen-metabolizing enzymes in cells treated with 17β-estradiol (E2) alone or in combination with TAM or RAL were investigated using high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS(2)), ultraperformance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), and Western blot analysis, respectively. TAM significantly increased the total EM and enhanced the formation of hormonally active and carcinogenic estrogen metabolites, 4-hydroxestrone (4-OHE1) and 16α-hydroxyestrone, with concomitant reduction in the formation of antiestrogenic and anticarcinogenic 2-hydroxyestradiol and 2-methoxyestradiol. Furthermore, TAM increased the formation of depurinating estrogen-DNA adducts 4-OHE1 [2]-1-N7Guanine and 4-OHE1 [2]-1-N3 Adenine. TAM-induced alteration in EM and depurinating DNA adduct formation is associated with altered expression of estrogen metabolizing enzymes CYP1A1, CYP1B1, COMT, NQO1, and SF-1 as revealed by Western blot analysis. In contrast to TAM, RAL has minimal effect on EM, estrogen-DNA adduct formation, or estrogen-metabolizing enzymes expression. These data show that TAM perturbs the balance of estrogen-metabolizing enzymes and alters the disposition of estrogen metabolites, which can explain, at least in part, the mechanism for TAM-induced EC. These results also implicate the differential effect of TAM and RAL on estrogen metabolism/metabolites as a potential mechanism for their disparate effects on the endometrium. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low-temperature co-purification of NO x and Hg0 from simulated flue gas by Ce x Zr y Mn z O2/r-Al2O3: the performance and its mechanism.

PubMed

Lu, Pei; Yue, Huifang; Xing, Yi; Wei, Jianjun; Zeng, Zheng; Li, Rui; Wu, Wanrong

2018-05-11

In this study, series of Ce x Zr y Mn z O 2 /r-Al 2 O 3 catalysts were prepared by impregnation method and explored to co-purification of NO x and Hg 0 at low temperature. The physical and chemical properties of the catalysts were investigated by XRD, BET, FTIR, NH 3 -TPD, H 2 -TPR, and XPS. The experimental results showed that 10% Ce 0.2 Zr 0.3 Mn 0.5 O 2 /r-Al 2 O 3 yielded higher conversion on co-purification of NO x and Hg 0 than the other prepared catalysts at low temperature, especially at 200-300 °C. 91% and 97% convert rate of NO x and Hg 0 were obtained, respectively, when 10% Ce 0.2 Zr 0.3 Mn 0.5 O 2 /r-Al 2 O 3 catalyst was used at 250 °C. Moreover, the presence of H 2 O slightly decreased the removal of NO x and Hg 0 owing to the competitive adsorption of H 2 O and Hg 0 . When SO 2 was added, the removal of Hg 0 first increased slightly and then presented a decrease due to the generation of SO 3 and (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 . The results of NH 3 -TPD indicated that the strong acid of 10% Ce 0.2 Zr 0.3 Mn 0.5 O 2 /r-Al 2 O 3 improved its high-temperature activity. XPS and H 2 -TPR results showed there were high-valence Mn and Ce species in 10% Ce 0.2 Zr 0.3 Mn 0.5 O 2 /r-Al 2 O 3 , which could effectively promote the removal of NO x and Hg 0 . Therefore, the mechanisms of Hg 0 and NO x removal were proposed as Hg (ad) + [O] → HgO (ad), and 2NH 3 /NH 4 + (ad) + NO 2 (ad) + NO (g) → 2 N 2  + 3H 2 O/2H + , respectively. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

77 FR 2972 - Thunder Bay Power Company, Thunder Bay Power, LLC, et al.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-20

... Hydro, LLC. Dayton Fox River, LaSalle County, IL. P-2347-049 Midwest Hydro, Inc. Midwest Hydro, LLC... FR, Neenah Paper FR, Middle Appleton Dam Lower Fox River, LLC and N.E.W. LLC and N.E.W. Outagamie...

Benchmarking Glucose Results through Automation: The 2009 Remote Automated Laboratory System Report

PubMed Central

Anderson, Marcy; Zito, Denise; Kongable, Gail

2010-01-01

Background Hyperglycemia in the adult inpatient population remains a topic of intense study in U.S. hospitals. Most hospitals have established glycemic control programs but are unable to determine their impact. The 2009 Remote Automated Laboratory System (RALS) Report provides trends in glycemic control over 4 years to 576 U.S. hospitals to support their effort to manage inpatient hyperglycemia. Methods A proprietary software application feeds de-identified patient point-of-care blood glucose (POC-BG) data from the Medical Automation Systems RALS-Plus data management system to a central server. Analyses include the number of tests and the mean and median BG results for intensive care unit (ICU), non-ICU, and each hospital compared to the aggregate of the other hospitals. Results More than 175 million BG results were extracted from 2006–2009; 25% were from the ICU. Mean range of BG results for all inpatients in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 was 142.2–201.9, 145.6–201.2, 140.6–205.7, and 140.7–202.4 mg/dl, respectively. The range for ICU patients was 128–226.5, 119.5–219.8, 121.6–226.0, and 121.1–217 mg/dl, respectively. The range for non-ICU patients was 143.4–195.5, 148.6–199.8, 145.2–201.9, and 140.7–203.6 mg/dl, respectively. Hyperglycemia rates of >180 mg/dl in 2008 and 2009 were examined, and hypoglycemia rates of <40 mg/dl (severe) and <70 mg/dl (moderate) in both 2008 and 2009 were calculated. Conclusions From these data, hospitals can determine the current state of glycemic control in their hospital and in comparison to other hospitals. For many, glycemic control has improved. Automated POC-BG data management software can assist in this effort. PMID:21129348

Retinaldehyde/hyaluronic acid fragments: a synergistic association for the management of skin aging.

PubMed

Cordero, Andres; Leon-Dorantes, Gladys; Pons-Guiraud, Annick; Di Pietro, Anonio; Asensi, Santiago Vidal; Walkiewicz-Cyraska, Barbara; Litvik, Radek; Turlier, Virginie; Mery, Sophie; Merial-Kieny, Christelle

2011-06-01

Retinaldehyde (RAL) was proven effective in treating photodamaged skin. Topical treatments with specific intermediate-size hyaluronate fragments (HAFi, 50-400 kDa) have been shown to stimulate keratinocytes proliferation and epidermal hyperplasia. The aim of this open, multicentric, international study was to assess the efficacy of the combination RAL-HAFi in the correction of skin photoaging. Either RAL 0.05%-HAFi 0.5% (Eluage® cream; group 1) or RAL 0.05%-HAFi 1% (Eluage® antiwrinkle concentrate; group 2) or both products (group 3) were applied daily to the 1462 subjects during 90 days. Overall photoaging severity was evaluated in the three groups by the dermatologists at D0, D30, and D90 based on the Larnier's scale. Wrinkles and/or furrows and clinical signs of aging were evaluated using a 4-point scale. The skin microrelief of the crow's feet, evaluated by optical profilometry, was performed in subjects from group 3. The 3-month application significantly improved overall photoaging through decrease of the Larnier's score in the three groups (P<0.001). At D90, significant improvement of wrinkles was shown in groups 2 and 3 [forehead wrinkles (-19% and -10%, respectively, P<0.001), nasolabial folds (-20% and -16%, P<0.001), crow's feet (-27% in the two groups, P<0.001), and perioral wrinkles (-34% and -23%, P<0.001)]. Clinical signs of photoaging on the entire face improved significantly in groups 1 and 3 [elasticity (-32% and -33%, respectively, P<0.001), hyperpigmentation (-34% and -31%, P<0.001), and ptosis (-18% and -22%; P<0.001)]. Results were confirmed using an optical profilometry technique. Products were very well tolerated. This clinical study showed the efficacy and value of the RAL-HAFi combination in the management of aging skin in a large cohort of patients. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identification of the 11-cis-specific retinyl-ester synthase in retinal Müller cells as multifunctional O-acyltransferase (MFAT)

PubMed Central

Kaylor, Joanna J.; Cook, Jeremy D.; Makshanoff, Jacob; Bischoff, Nicholas; Yong, Jennifer; Travis, Gabriel H.

2014-01-01

Absorption of a photon by a rhodopsin or cone-opsin pigment isomerizes its 11-cis-retinaldehyde (11-cis-RAL) chromophore to all-trans-retinaldehyde (all-trans-RAL), which dissociates after a brief period of activation. Light sensitivity is restored to the resulting apo-opsin when it recombines with another 11-cis-RAL. Conversion of all-trans-RAL to 11-cis-RAL is carried out by an enzyme pathway called the visual cycle in cells of the retinal pigment epithelium. A second visual cycle is present in Müller cells of the retina. The retinol isomerase for this noncanonical pathway is dihydroceramide desaturase (DES1), which catalyzes equilibrium isomerization of retinol. Because 11-cis-retinol (11-cis-ROL) constitutes only a small fraction of total retinols in an equilibrium mixture, a subsequent step involving selective removal of 11-cis-ROL is required to drive synthesis of 11-cis-retinoids for production of visual chromophore. Selective esterification of 11-cis-ROL is one possibility. Crude homogenates of chicken retinas rapidly convert all-trans-ROL to 11-cis-retinyl esters (11-cis-REs) with minimal formation of other retinyl-ester isomers. This enzymatic activity implies the existence of an 11-cis-specific retinyl-ester synthase in Müller cells. Here, we evaluated multifunctional O-acyltransferase (MFAT) as a candidate for this 11-cis-RE-synthase. MFAT exhibited much higher catalytic efficiency as a synthase of 11-cis-REs versus other retinyl-ester isomers. Further, we show that MFAT is expressed in Müller cells. Finally, homogenates of cells coexpressing DES1 and MFAT catalyzed the conversion of all-trans-ROL to 11-cis-RP, similar to what we observed with chicken-retina homogenates. MFAT is therefore an excellent candidate for the retinyl-ester synthase that cooperates with DES1 to drive synthesis of 11-cis-retinoids by mass action. PMID:24799687

Cost-effectiveness analysis of dolutegravir plus backbone compared with raltegravir plus backbone, darunavir+ritonavir plus backbone and efavirenz/tenofovir/emtricitabine in treatment naïve and experienced HIV-positive patients

PubMed Central

Restelli, Umberto; Rizzardini, Giuliano; Antinori, Andrea; Lazzarin, Adriano; Bonfanti, Marzia; Bonfanti, Paolo; Croce, Davide

2017-01-01

Background In January 2014, the European Medicines Agency issued a marketing authorization for dolutegravir (DTG), a second-generation integrase strand transfer inhibitor for HIV treatment. The study aimed at determining the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the use of DTG+backbone compared with raltegravir (RAL)+backbone, darunavir (DRV)+ritonavir(r)+backbone and efavirenz/tenofovir/emtricitabine (EFV/TDF/FTC) in HIV-positive treatment-naïve patients and compared with RAL+backbone in treatment-experienced patients, from the Italian National Health Service’s point of view. Materials and methods A published Monte Carlo Individual Simulation Model (ARAMIS-DTG model) was used to perform the analysis. Patients pass through mutually exclusive health states (defined in terms of diagnosis of HIV with or without opportunistic infections [OIs] and cardiovascular disease [CVD]) and successive lines of therapy. The model considers costs (2014) and quality of life per monthly cycle in a lifetime horizon. Costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) are dependent on OI, CVD, AIDS events, adverse events and antiretroviral therapies. Results In treatment-naïve patients, DTG dominates RAL; compared with DRV/r, the ICER obtained is of 38,586 €/QALY (6,170 €/QALY in patients with high viral load) and over EFV/TDF/FTC, DTG generates an ICER of 33,664 €/QALY. In treatment-experienced patients, DTG compared to RAL leads to an ICER of 12,074 €/QALY. Conclusion The use of DTG+backbone may be cost effective in treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients compared with RAL+backbone and in treatment-naïve patients compared with DRV/r+backbone and EFV/TDF/FTC considering a threshold of 40,000 €/QALY. PMID:28721059

Opticien Célèbre. André Maréchal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haidar, Riad

2017-12-01

Physicien français spécialisé en optique, professeur à la faculté des sciences de l'université de Paris, André Maréchal a également été délégué général à la recherche scientifique et technique, et directeur général de l'Institut d'Optique. On lui doit notamment des résultats remarquables sur la théorie des aberrations et de la diffraction.

An Automated System for Comprehensive Assessment of Visual Field Sensitivity.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-01

act to degrade this basic configuration; e.g., pathology, such as glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa ; environmental extremes, such as hypoxia...and B. Appleton. 1971. Effects of hypoxia on visual performance and retinal vascular state. Journal of Applied Physiology. 31: 357蘺. Kobrick, J. L

SuperHERO: Design of a New Hard X-Ray Focusing Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaskin, Jessica; Elsner, Ronald; Ramsey, Brian; Wilson-Hodge, Colleen; Tennant, Allyn; Christe, Steven; Shih, Albert; Kiranmayee, Kilaru; Swartz, Douglas; Seller, Paul;

Characterisation of the high dynamic range Large Pixel Detector (LPD) and its use at X-ray free electron laser sources

DOE PAGES

Veale, M. C.; Adkin, P.; Booker, P.; ...

2017-12-04

The STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have delivered the Large Pixel Detector (LPD) for MHz frame rate imaging at the European XFEL. The detector system has an active area of 0.5 m × 0.5 m and consists of a million pixels on a 500 μm pitch. Sensors have been produced from 500 μm thick Hammamatsu silicon tiles that have been bump bonded to the readout ASIC using a silver epoxy and gold stud technique. Each pixel of the detector system is capable of measuring 10 5 12 keV photons per image readout at 4.5 MHz. In this paper results from themore » testing of these detectors at the Diamond Light Source and the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) are presented. As a result, the performance of the detector in terms of linearity, spatial uniformity and the performance of the different ASIC gain stages is characterised.« less

Characterisation of the high dynamic range Large Pixel Detector (LPD) and its use at X-ray free electron laser sources

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

Veale, M. C.; Adkin, P.; Booker, P.

The STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have delivered the Large Pixel Detector (LPD) for MHz frame rate imaging at the European XFEL. The detector system has an active area of 0.5 m × 0.5 m and consists of a million pixels on a 500 μm pitch. Sensors have been produced from 500 μm thick Hammamatsu silicon tiles that have been bump bonded to the readout ASIC using a silver epoxy and gold stud technique. Each pixel of the detector system is capable of measuring 10 5 12 keV photons per image readout at 4.5 MHz. In this paper results from themore » testing of these detectors at the Diamond Light Source and the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) are presented. As a result, the performance of the detector in terms of linearity, spatial uniformity and the performance of the different ASIC gain stages is characterised.« less

In situ detection of the activation of Rac1 and RalA small GTPases in mouse adipocytes by immunofluorescent microscopy following in vivo and ex vivo insulin stimulation.

PubMed

Takenaka, Nobuyuki; Nihata, Yuma; Ueda, Sho; Satoh, Takaya

2017-11-01

Rac1 has been implicated in insulin-dependent glucose uptake by mechanisms involving plasma membrane translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 in skeletal muscle. Although the uptake of glucose is also stimulated by insulin in adipose tissue, the role for Rac1 in adipocyte insulin signaling remains controversial. As a step to reveal the role for Rac1 in adipocytes, we aimed to establish immunofluorescent microscopy to detect the intracellular distribution of activated Rac1. The epitope-tagged Rac1-binding domain of a Rac1-specific target was utilized as a probe that specifically recognizes the activated form of Rac1. Rac1 activation in response to ex vivo and in vivo insulin stimulations in primary adipocyte culture and mouse white adipose tissue, respectively, was successfully observed by immunofluorescent microscopy. These Rac1 activations were mediated by phosphoinositide 3-kinase. Another small GTPase RalA has also been implicated in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Similarly to Rac1, immunofluorescent microscopy using an activated RalA-specific polypeptide probe allowed us to detect intracellular distribution of insulin-activated RalA in adipocytes. These novel approaches to visualize the activation status of small GTPases in adipocytes will largely contribute to the understanding of signal transduction mechanisms particularly for insulin action. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Crossing the Line: Collusion or Collaboration in University Group Work?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutherland-Smith, Wendy

2013-01-01

"Almost everyone has difficulty identifying where collaboration stops and collusion begins." (Carroll & Appleton, 2001, p.15) In both policy and practice, collusion is a perplexing area of academic integrity. Students are expected to learn to work collaboratively in university courses, yet are often required to submit assessment…

78 FR 43142 - Lightweight Thermal Paper From the People's Republic of China: Rescission of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-19

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-920] Lightweight Thermal Paper... lightweight thermal paper from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') because Appleton Papers Inc... antidumping duty order on lightweight thermal paper from the PRC.\\1\\ The period of review (``POR'') is...

75 FR 9397 - Lightweight Thermal Paper From the People's Republic of China: Rescission of Countervailing Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-02

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-570-921] Lightweight Thermal Paper... opportunity to request an administrative review of the countervailing duty order on lightweight thermal paper...), the Department received a timely request from Appleton Papers, Inc., the petitioner, to conduct an...

Students' Perception of Engagement in a Third-Grade Writing Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spinks, James D., Jr.

2012-01-01

Educators have been challenged for many years to engage their students, but often students still seem to be disengaged (Klem & Connell, 2004). Research indicates student engagement is critical to student achievement and success in school (Appleton, 2008; Connell, Spencer, & Aber, 1994; Easton, 2008; Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris,…

Canadian Civil-Military Relations, 1939-1941: A Case Study in Strategic Dialogue

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

second case study, and the subject of a companion Technical Memorandum, will examine the debates about military power in 1940 in the context of the...their influence in national strategic discussions. The second case study, and the subject of a companion Technical Memorandum, examines the...comprendre ce qui arrive ou devrait arriver. Un examen du rôle joué par le Général H.D.G. Crerar, le chef d’état-major général en 1940-1941, dans les

Chemical analysis of acoustically levitated drops by Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

Tuckermann, Rudolf; Puskar, Ljiljana; Zavabeti, Mahta; Sekine, Ryo; McNaughton, Don

2009-07-01

An experimental apparatus combining Raman spectroscopy with acoustic levitation, Raman acoustic levitation spectroscopy (RALS), is investigated in the field of physical and chemical analytics. Whereas acoustic levitation enables the contactless handling of microsized samples, Raman spectroscopy offers the advantage of a noninvasive method without complex sample preparation. After carrying out some systematic tests to probe the sensitivity of the technique to drop size, shape, and position, RALS has been successfully applied in monitoring sample dilution and preconcentration, evaporation, crystallization, an acid-base reaction, and analytes in a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy colloidal suspension.

Adiponectin and the steatosis marker Chi3L1 decrease following switch to raltegravir compared to continued PI/NNRTI-based antiretroviral therapy.

PubMed

Offor, Obiageli; Utay, Netanya; Reynoso, David; Somasunderam, Anoma; Currier, Judith; Lake, Jordan

2018-01-01

People with HIV are at for metabolic syndrome (MetS) and fatty liver disease, but the role of Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is poorly understood. MetS and fatty liver disease been associated with changes in adiponectin, soluble ST2 (sST2), chitinase 3-like 1 (Chi3L1), hyaluronic acid (HA), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), lysyl oxidase-like-2 (LOXL2) and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) concentrations in HIV-uninfected populations. Protease (PI) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) may contribute to these comorbidities, but the effects of switching from PI- or NNRTI to raltegravir (RAL) on these biomarkers is unknown. Cryopreserved plasma was obtained from a completed, prospective trial of HIV-infected women with central adiposity on NNRTI- or PI-based ART during which they were randomized to remain on their current ART or switch to a RAL based regimen. Biomarker concentrations were quantified using ELISA and Multiplex assays at baseline and 24 weeks after randomization. Wilcoxon-signed rank test evaluated within-group changes, Spearman and linear regression models evaluated correlations between biomarkers and clinical covariates. Participants had a median age of 43 years, CD4+ T lymphocyte count 558 cells/mm3 and BMI 32 kg/m2; 35% met criteria for MetS. At baseline, higher adiponectin levels correlated with higher Chi3L1 levels (r = 0.42, p = 0.02), as did declines after 24 weeks (r = 0.40, p = 0.03). Changes in sST2 correlated with changes in Chi3L1 (r = 0.43, p = 0.02) and adiponectin (r = 0.40, p = 0.03). Adiponectin and Chi3L1 levels decreased significantly in women switched to RAL vs continue PI/NNRTI. In women with HIV and central obesity, the hepatic steatosis/fibrosis marker Chi3L1 and adiponectin decrease in conjunction with sST2 decreases following switch to RAL. Whether switching from NNRTI/PI-based regimens to RAL can improve hepatic steatosis and dysmetabolism requires further study. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00656175.

The comparative evaluation of xanthan gel with chlorhexidine (Chlosite) in smokers and non-smokers: A clinical and microbiological assessment

PubMed Central

Chandra, Chetan; Valavalkar, Narayan; Vandana, K. L.

2011-01-01

Background and Objectives: Prevention of the periodontal disease progression is the primary goal of periodontal therapy. When conventional therapy is found inadequate to attain periodontal health in chronic periodontitis, local antimicrobial agents have been used as an adjunct with scaling and root planning (SRP) which has reproduced encouraging results. Hence, this study was undertaken to evaluate the new sustained released local drug Chlosite clinically and microbiologically in smokers and non-smokers. Materials and Methods: The patients were grouped into experimental group A treated with SRP plus Chlosite (SRP + CHL), experimental group B treated with Chlosite alone (CHL), and control group C treated only with SRP alone. A total number of 141 sites from six patients (67 sites from three non-smoker patients and 74 sites from three smoker patients) participated in this study. The clinical parameters, Plaque index (PI), Gingival index (GI), Bleeding index (BI), and Relative attachment level (RAL), were recorded and subgingival plaque samples were collected and subjected to microbiological analysis. Results: On comparison of smokers and non-smokers, in SRP group, non-smokers showed a higher reduction in BI and GI and smokers showed a higher reduction in PI. There was no significant gain in RAL of both smokers and non-smokers. In SRP + CHL group, non-smokers showed a higher reduction in relation to BI and GI and smokers showed a higher reduction in relation to PI. There was no significant gain in RAL of both smokers and non-smokers. In CHL group, both smokers and non-smokers showed a nonsignificant reduction in BI, GI, and RAL, but smokers showed a significant reduction in PI as compared with non-smokers. All the groups showed reduction in the microbial count of Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Tannerella forsythia which were found to be statistically not significant when it was compared between non-smokers and smokers. Interpretation and Conclusion: In this study, all treatment groups were found to be efficacious in the treatment of periodontal disease as demonstrated by improvement in PI, GI, BI, and RAL. Combination of SRP and Chlosite resulted in added benefits compared with the two treatment groups. PMID:22028508

Bone Mineral Density and Vitamin D Levels in HIV Treatment-Naïve African American Individuals Randomized to Receive HIV Drug Regimens.

PubMed

Cook, Paul P; Stang, Alexandra Te; Walker, Lia R; Akula, Shaw M; Cook, Fiona J

2016-11-01

Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is associated with a decrease in bone mineral density (BMD). Treatment with efavirenz is associated with vitamin D deficiency. We compared the effects of efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (EFV/FTC/TDF) with the effects of raltegravir, darunavir, and ritonavir (RAL/DRV/r) on BMD and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels in HIV-infected, antiretroviral treatment-naïve African American subjects. This was a pilot study at a single HIV clinic. Forty HIV treatment-naïve African American subjects were screened, 35 of whom were randomized to receive either EFV/FTC/TDF or RAL/DRV/r. All of the subjects received supplemental vitamin D 3 and calcium. CD4 counts, HIV RNA, parathyroid hormone, osteocalcin, N-telopeptide, and 25(OH)D levels were obtained at baseline and at 8, 24, 36, and 48 weeks. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry of the spine and hip was performed at baseline and at week 48. Of the 35 subjects enrolled, 10 patients receiving each regimen completed the study. Median baseline 25(OH)D levels were decreased and similar in both groups. All of the patients had plasma HIV RNA <50 copies per milliliter by week 24. By week 48, there was a sustained increase in 25(OH)D in the RAL/DRV/r group ( P = 0.0004) but not in the EFV/FTC/TDF group ( P = 0.78). There were reductions in BMD of the mean total hip ( P = 0.002) and the mean femoral neck ( P = 0.004) in the EFV/FTC/TDF group but not in the RAL/DRV/r group. Treatment of African American patients with HIV using EFV/FTC/TDF is associated with a reduction in BMD of the hip and sustained reductions of 25(OH)D not seen in the group that received RAL/DRV/r. This phenomenon may have long-term consequences on bone integrity in this population.

75 FR 14574 - Lightweight Thermal Paper From the People's Republic of China: Rescission of the 2008-2009...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-26

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-920] Lightweight Thermal Paper... administrative review of the antidumping duty order on lightweight thermal paper (``LWTP'') from the People's... 19 CFR 351.213(b), the Department received a timely request from Appleton Papers, Inc. (``petitioner...

76 FR 20951 - Lightweight Thermal Paper from Germany: Notice of Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-14

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-428-840] Lightweight Thermal Paper... antidumping duty order on lightweight thermal paper (thermal paper) from Germany for the period of review (POR... November 30, 2010, the Department received a timely request filed on behalf of Appleton Papers Inc...

Insights into the Biosynthesis of 12-Membered Resorcylic Acid Lactones from Heterologous Production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The phytotoxic fungal polyketides lasiodiplodin and resorcylide inhibit human blood coagulation factor XIIIa, mineralocorticoid receptors, and prostaglandin biosynthesis. These secondary metabolites belong to the 12-membered resorcylic acid lactone (RAL12) subclass of the benzenediol lactone (BDL) family. Identification of genomic loci for the biosynthesis of lasiodiplodin from Lasiodiplodia theobromae and resorcylide from Acremonium zeae revealed collaborating iterative polyketide synthase (iPKS) pairs whose efficient heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae provided a convenient access to the RAL12 scaffolds desmethyl-lasiodiplodin and trans-resorcylide, respectively. Lasiodiplodin production was reconstituted in the heterologous host by co-expressing an O-methyltransferase also encoded in the lasiodiplodin cluster, while a glutathione-S-transferase was found not to be necessary for heterologous production. Clarification of the biogenesis of known resorcylide congeners in the heterologous host helped to disentangle the roles that biosynthetic irregularities and chemical interconversions play in generating chemical diversity. Observation of 14-membered RAL homologues during in vivo heterologous biosynthesis of RAL12 metabolites revealed “stuttering” by fungal iPKSs. The close global and domain-level sequence similarities of the orthologous BDL synthases across different structural subclasses implicate repeated horizontal gene transfers and/or cluster losses in different fungal lineages. The absence of straightforward correlations between enzyme sequences and product structural features (the size of the macrocycle, the conformation of the exocyclic methyl group, or the extent of reduction by the hrPKS) suggest that BDL structural variety is the result of a select few mutations in key active site cavity positions. PMID:24597618

Safety and efficacy of dolutegravir in treatment-experienced subjects with raltegravir-resistant HIV type 1 infection: 24-week results of the VIKING Study.

PubMed

Eron, Joseph J; Clotet, Bonaventura; Durant, Jacques; Katlama, Christine; Kumar, Princy; Lazzarin, Adriano; Poizot-Martin, Isabelle; Richmond, Gary; Soriano, Vincent; Ait-Khaled, Mounir; Fujiwara, Tamio; Huang, Jenny; Min, Sherene; Vavro, Cindy; Yeo, Jane

2013-03-01

Dolutegravir (DTG; S/GSK1349572), a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase inhibitor, has limited cross-resistance to raltegravir (RAL) and elvitegravir in vitro. This phase IIb study assessed the activity of DTG in HIV-1-infected subjects with genotypic evidence of RAL resistance. Subjects received DTG 50 mg once daily (cohort I) or 50 mg twice daily (cohort II) while continuing a failing regimen (without RAL) through day 10, after which the background regimen was optimized, when feasible, for cohort I, and at least 1 fully active drug was mandated for cohort II. The primary efficacy end point was the proportion of subjects on day 11 in whom the plasma HIV-1 RNA load decreased by ≥0.7 log(10) copies/mL from baseline or was <400 copies/mL. A rapid antiviral response was observed. More subjects achieved the primary end point in cohort II (23 of 24 [96%]), compared with cohort I (21 of 27 [78%]) at day 11. At week 24, 41% and 75% of subjects had an HIV-1 RNA load of <50 copies/mL in cohorts I and II, respectively. Further integrase genotypic evolution was uncommon. Dolutegravir had a good, similar safety profile with each dosing regimen. Dolutegravir 50 mg twice daily with an optimized background provided greater and more durable benefit than the once-daily regimen. These data are the first clinical demonstration of the activity of any integrase inhibitor in subjects with HIV-1 resistant to RAL.

Phase and structural behavior of SmAlO{sub 3}–RAlO{sub 3} (R = Eu, Gd) systems

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

Ohon, N.; Vasylechko, L., E-mail: crystal-lov@polynet.lviv.ua; Prots, Yu.

2014-02-01

Highlights: • Continuous solid solutions exist in the SmAlO{sub 3}–RAlO{sub 3} (R = Eu, Gd) systems. • Lattice parameter crossover was found in solid solutions Sm{sub 1−x}R{sub x}AlO{sub 3} (R = Eu, Gd). • Thermally induced lattice crossovers occur in Sm{sub 0.9}R{sub 0.1}AlO{sub 3} at elevated temperatures. • First-order structural phase transition Pbnm↔R3{sup ¯}c was found in Sm{sub 1−x}R{sub x}AlO{sub 3} (R = Eu, Gd). • Phase diagram of the systems SmAlO{sub 3}–EuAlO{sub 3} and SmAlO{sub 3}–GdAlO{sub 3} has been constructed. - Abstract: Phase and structural behavior in the SmAlO{sub 3}–RAlO{sub 3} (R = Eu, Gd) systems has been studiedmore » in a whole concentration range by means of laboratory X-ray diffraction, in situ synchrotron powder diffraction and differential thermal analysis techniques. Continuous solid solutions with orthorhombic perovskite structure have been found in both systems. Peculiarity of the solid solutions of Sm{sub 1−x}Eu{sub x}AlO{sub 3} and Sm{sub 1−x}Gd{sub x}AlO{sub 3} is the existence of two lattice parameter crossovers in each system occurred at x{sub Eu} = 0.07 and 0.62 and at x{sub Gd} = 0.04 and 0.33, respectively. The temperature induced lattice crossovers in the Sm{sub 0.9}Eu{sub 0.1}AlO{sub 3} and Sm{sub 0.9}Gd{sub 0.1}AlO{sub 3} samples have been found at 387 and 922 K and at 501 and 894 K. First-order reversible structural phase transformations Pbnm↔R3{sup ¯}c have been detected in both systems at the elevated temperatures. The temperatures of these transitions increase linearly with the decreasing of the samarium content. Phase diagrams of the pseudo-binary systems SmAlO{sub 3}–EuAlO{sub 3} and SmAlO{sub 3}–GdAlO{sub 3} have been constructed.« less

The President’s Identity Theft Task Force Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

effeCtIve, RISk-BASed ReSPOnSeS tO dAtA BReACheS SUffeRed By fedeRAl AGenCIeS Issue Data Breach Guidance to Agencies Publish a “Routine Use...and developing a data breach response plan. The FTC will continue to seek opportunities to work with state and local officials and policymakers...of fiscal year 2008. ReCOMMendAtIOn 4: enSURe effeCtIve, RISk-BASed ReSPOnSeS tO dAtA BReACheS SUffeRed By fedeRAl AGenCIeS The Task Force

75 FR 59217 - Certain Coated Paper Suitable for High-Quality Print Graphics Using Sheet-Fed Presses From the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-27

...'') Pulp Purchases as Market Economy Purchases (``MEPs'') Comment 17: Whether to Accept APP-China's ME... Group,'' or ``APP-China,'' alleged that the Department made ministerial errors in its Preliminary Determination. On May 13, 2010, APP-China and Appleton Coated LLC, NewPage Corporation, S.D. Warren Company d/b...

Forest genetic research at the Institute of Paper Chemistry

Treesearch

Dean W. Einspahr

1970-01-01

Forest genetics research is carried on in the Genetics and Physiology Group at The Institute of Paper Chemistry. The Institute is located in Appleton, Wisconsin, and has a staff of approximately 300 people. It is a nonprofit research and educational institution that was started in 1929 and is affiliated with Lawrence University. The Institute is a graduate school...

Atomic Data for Fusion. Volume 5: Collisions of Carbon and Oxygen Ions with Electrons, H, H2 and He

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-02-01

Atomico Bariloche , 8400 San Carlos De Bariloche, Argentina 438. Dr. S. V. Mirnov, I. V. Kurchatov Institute Of, Atomic Energy, Ulitsa Kurchatova, 46...Bldg. R25, Space and Astrophysics Div., Rutherford Appleton Lab., Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX1I OQX, United Kingdom 437. Dr. W. Meckbach, Centro

Conserved electrostatic fields at the Ras-effector interface measured through vibrational Stark effect spectroscopy explain the difference in tilt angle in the Ras binding domains of Raf and RalGDS.

PubMed

Walker, David M; Wang, Ruifei; Webb, Lauren J

2014-10-07

Vibrational Stark effect (VSE) spectroscopy was used to measure the electrostatic fields present at the interface of the human guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) Ras docked with the Ras binding domain (RBD) of the protein kinase Raf. Nine amino acids located on the surface of Raf were selected for labeling with a nitrile vibrational probe. Eight of the probe locations were situated along the interface of Ras and Raf, and one probe was 2 nm away on the opposite side of Raf. Vibrational frequencies of the nine Raf nitrile probes were compared both in the monomeric, solvated protein and when docked with wild-type (WT) Ras to construct a comprehensive VSE map of the Ras-Raf interface. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations employing an umbrella sampling strategy were used to generate a Boltzmann-weighted ensemble of nitrile positions in both the monomeric and docked complexes to determine the effect that docking has on probe location and orientation and to aid in the interpretation of VSE results. These results were compared to an identical study that was previously conducted on nine nitrile probes on the RBD of Ral guanidine dissociation stimulator (RalGDS) to make comparisons between the docked complexes formed when either of the two effectors bind to WT Ras. This comparison finds that there are three regions of conserved electrostatic fields that are formed upon docking of WT Ras with both downstream effectors. Conservation of this pattern in the docked complex then results in different binding orientations observed in otherwise structurally similar proteins. This work supports an electrostatic cause of the known binding tilt angle between the Ras-Raf and Ras-RalGDS complexes.

Safety and Efficacy of Dolutegravir in Treatment-Experienced Subjects With Raltegravir-Resistant HIV Type 1 Infection: 24-Week Results of the VIKING Study

PubMed Central

Eron, Joseph J.; Clotet, Bonaventura; Durant, Jacques; Katlama, Christine; Kumar, Princy; Lazzarin, Adriano; Poizot-Martin, Isabelle; Richmond, Gary; Soriano, Vincent; Ait-Khaled, Mounir; Fujiwara, Tamio; Huang, Jenny; Min, Sherene; Vavro, Cindy; Yeo, Jane; Walmsley, Sharon L.; Cox, Joseph; Reynes, Jacques; Morlat, Philippe; Vittecoq, Daniel; Livrozet, Jean-Michel; Fernández, Pompeyo Viciana; Gatell, Jose M.; DeJesus, Edwin; DeVente, Jerome; Lalezari, Jacob P.; McCurdy, Lewis H.; Sloan, Louis A.; Young, Benjamin; LaMarca, Anthony; Hawkins, Trevor

2013-01-01

Background. Dolutegravir (DTG; S/GSK1349572), a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase inhibitor, has limited cross-resistance to raltegravir (RAL) and elvitegravir in vitro. This phase IIb study assessed the activity of DTG in HIV-1–infected subjects with genotypic evidence of RAL resistance. Methods. Subjects received DTG 50 mg once daily (cohort I) or 50 mg twice daily (cohort II) while continuing a failing regimen (without RAL) through day 10, after which the background regimen was optimized, when feasible, for cohort I, and at least 1 fully active drug was mandated for cohort II. The primary efficacy end point was the proportion of subjects on day 11 in whom the plasma HIV-1 RNA load decreased by ≥0.7 log10 copies/mL from baseline or was <400 copies/mL. Results. A rapid antiviral response was observed. More subjects achieved the primary end point in cohort II (23 of 24 [96%]), compared with cohort I (21 of 27 [78%]) at day 11. At week 24, 41% and 75% of subjects had an HIV-1 RNA load of <50 copies/mL in cohorts I and II, respectively. Further integrase genotypic evolution was uncommon. Dolutegravir had a good, similar safety profile with each dosing regimen. Conclusion. Dolutegravir 50 mg twice daily with an optimized background provided greater and more durable benefit than the once-daily regimen. These data are the first clinical demonstration of the activity of any integrase inhibitor in subjects with HIV-1 resistant to RAL. PMID:23225901

Walter B. Cannon's World War I experience: treatment of traumatic shock then and now.

PubMed

Ryan, Kathy L

2018-06-01

Walter B. Cannon (1871-1945), perhaps America's preeminent physiologist, volunteered for service with the Army Expeditionary Force (AEF) during World War I. He initially served with Base Hospital No. 5, a unit made up of Harvard clinicians, before moving forward to the front lines to serve at a casualty clearing station run by the British. During his time there, he performed research on wounded soldiers to understand the nature and causes of traumatic shock. Subsequently, Cannon performed animal experimentation on the causes of traumatic shock in the London laboratory of Dr. William Bayliss before being assigned to the AEF Central Medical Laboratory in Dijon, France, where he continued his experimental studies. During this time, he also developed and taught a curriculum on resuscitation of wounded soldiers to medical providers. Although primarily a researcher and teacher, Cannon also performed clinical duties throughout the war, serving with distinction under fire. After the war, Cannon wrote a monograph entitled Traumatic Shock (New York: Appleton, 1923), which encapsulated the knowledge that had been gained during the war, both from direct observation of wounded soldiers, as well as laboratory experimentation on the causes and treatment of traumatic shock. In his monograph, Cannon elucidates a number of principles concerning hemorrhagic shock that were later forgotten, only to be "rediscovered" during the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. This paper summarizes Cannon's wartime experiences and the knowledge gained concerning traumatic shock during World War I, with a comparison of current combat casualty care practices and knowledge to that which Cannon and his colleagues understood a century ago.

Neutron detection devices with 6LiF converter layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finocchiaro, Paolo; Cosentino, Luigi; Meo, Sergio Lo; Nolte, Ralf; Radeck, Desiree

2018-01-01

The demand for new thermal neutron detectors as an alternative to 3He tubes in research, industrial, safety and homeland security applications, is growing. These needs have triggered research and development activities about new generations of thermal neutron detectors, characterized by reasonable efficiency and gamma rejection comparable to 3He tubes. In this paper we show the state of art of a promising lowcost technique, based on commercial solid state silicon detectors coupled with thin neutron converter layers of 6LiF deposited onto carbon fiber substrates. Several configurations were studied with the GEANT4 simulation code, and then calibrated at the PTB Thermal Neutron Calibration Facility. The results show that the measured detection efficiency is well reproduced by the simulations, therefore validating the simulation tool in view of new designs. These neutron detectors have also been tested at neutron beam facilities like ISIS (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK) and n_TOF (CERN) where a few samples are already in operation for beam flux and 2D profile measurements. Forthcoming applications are foreseen for the online monitoring of spent nuclear fuel casks in interim storage sites.

H- beam transport experiments in a solenoid low energy beam transport.

PubMed

Gabor, C; Back, J J; Faircloth, D C; Izaola, Z; Lawrie, S R; Letchford, A P

2012-02-01

The Front End Test Stand (FETS) is located at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and aims for a high current, fast chopped 3 MeV H(-) ion beam suitable for future high power proton accelerators like ISIS upgrade. The main components of the front end are the Penning ion source, a low energy beam transport line, an radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) and a medium energy beam transport (MEBT) providing also a chopper section and rebuncher. FETS is in the stage of commissioning its low energy beam transport (LEBT) line consisting of three solenoids. The LEBT has to transport an H(-) high current beam (up to 60 mA) at 65 keV. This is the injection energy of the beam into the RFQ. The main diagnostics are slit-slit emittance scanners for each transversal plane. For optimizing the matching to the RFQ, experiments have been performed with a variety of solenoid settings to better understand the actual beam transport. Occasionally, source parameters such as extractor slit width and beam energy were varied as well. The paper also discusses simulations based on these measurements.

Yeast cell metabolism investigated by CO{_2} production and soft X-ray irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masini, A.; Batani, D.; Previdi, F.; Milani, M.; Pozzi, A.; Turcu, E.; Huntington, S.; Takeyasu, H.

1999-01-01

Results obtained using a new technique for studying cell metabolism are presented. The technique, consisting in CO2 production monitoring, has been applied to Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells. Also the cells were irradiated using the soft X-ray laser-plasma source at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory with the aim of producing a damage of metabolic processes at the wall level, responsible for fermentation, without great interference with respiration, taking place in mitochondria, and DNA activity. The source was calibrated with PIN diodes and X-ray spectrometers and used Teflon stripes as target, emitting X-rays at about 0.9 keV, with a very low penetration in biological material. X-ray doses delivered to the different cell compartments were calculated following a Lambert-Bouguet-Beer law. Immediately after irradiation, the damage to metabolic activity was measured again by monitoring CO2 production. Results showed a general reduction in gas production by irradiated samples, together with non-linear and non-monotone response to dose. There was also evidence of oscillations in cell metabolic activity and of X-ray induced changes in oscillation frequency.

High-temperature long-lasting stability assessment of a single-crystal diamond detector under high-flux neutron irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilotti, R.; Angelone, M.; Marinelli, M.; Milani, E.; Verona-Rinati, G.; Verona, C.; Prestopino, G.; Montereali, R. M.; Vincenti, M. A.; Schooneveld, E. M.; Scherillo, A.; Pietropaolo, A.

2016-11-01

An innovative diamond detector layout is presented that is designed to operate at high temperature under intense neutron and gamma fluxes. It is made of a 500 μm “electronic grade” diamond film with 100 nm thick Ag metal contacts deposited onto each surface of the film by means of thermal evaporation. A 2 μ \\text{m} thick layer of 6LiF has been deposited on top of one of the two Ag contacts to make the detector sensitive to thermal neutrons. The device was tested at the ISIS spallation neutron source (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK) using the INES beam line. The detector was continuously irradiated for 100 hours in vacuum (p = 10-5 \\text{mbar}) , exposed to a neutron flux of about 106 n cm-2 s-1 at a temperature T =150 ^\\circ \\text{C} . The aim of this experiment was to study the time dependence of the diamond detector performance while operating at high temperature under irradiation, providing a first experimental proof of reliable continuous operation for 100 hours at high temperature in a harsh environment.

Transport of energy by ultraintense laser-generated electrons in nail-wire targets

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

Ma, T.; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550; Key, M. H.

2009-11-15

Nail-wire targets (20 {mu}m diameter copper wires with 80 {mu}m hemispherical head) were used to investigate energy transport by relativistic fast electrons generated in intense laser-plasma interactions. The targets were irradiated using the 300 J, 1 ps, and 2x10{sup 20} W{center_dot}cm{sup -2} Vulcan laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. A spherically bent crystal imager, a highly ordered pyrolytic graphite spectrometer, and single photon counting charge-coupled device gave absolute Cu K{alpha} measurements. Results show a concentration of energy deposition in the head and an approximately exponential fall-off along the wire with about 60 {mu}m 1/e decay length due to resistive inhibition.more » The coupling efficiency to the wire was 3.3{+-}1.7% with an average hot electron temperature of 620{+-}125 keV. Extreme ultraviolet images (68 and 256 eV) indicate additional heating of a thin surface layer of the wire. Modeling using the hybrid E-PLAS code has been compared with the experimental data, showing evidence of resistive heating, magnetic trapping, and surface transport.« less

Is robotic sacrocolpopexy a marketing gimmick or a technological advancement?

PubMed

Kim, Ja-Hong; Anger, Jennifer T

2010-07-01

Robot-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (RALS) is a new surgical technique for the treatment of symptomatic vaginal vault prolapse that is rapidly gaining popularity among both urologists and gynecologists. This article will summarize the available published data to assess the potential advantages and disadvantages of this new procedure and its current role in female pelvic floor reconstruction. The literature on RALS is limited mainly to single-institution retrospective studies, which suggest minimal morbidity, technical feasibility, and short-term efficacy comparable to open abdominal sacrocolpopexy. What remains uncertain is whether this approach will be superior to the other established minimally invasive transvaginal and laparoscopic approaches in terms of subjective and objective outcomes and quality of life. Other relevant issues, such as overall cost-effectiveness and extended application for multicompartment defects and uterine-sparing procedures, remain largely unexplored. The use of RALS will likely continue to expand secondary to increased access and the popularity of the robotic apparatus among both surgeons and patients. Well designed large randomized multicenter comparative studies based on validated measurement instruments are needed to evaluate its advantage over conventional approaches, including open abdominal sacrocolpopexy and various transvaginal and laparoscopic techniques.

The deployment of a large scale object store at the RAL Tier-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewhurst, A.; Johnson, I.; Adams, J.; Canning, B.; Vasilakakos, G.; Packer, A.

2017-10-01

Since 2014, the RAL Tier-1 has been working on deploying a Ceph backed object store. The aim is to replace Castor for disk-only storage. This new service must be scalable to meet the data demands of the LHC to 2020 and beyond. As well as offering access protocols the LHC experiments currently use, it must also provide industry standard access protocols. In order to keep costs down the service must use erasure coding rather than replication to ensure data reliability. This paper will present details of the storage service setup, which has been named Echo, as well as the experience gained from running it. The RAL Tier-1 has also been developing XrootD and GridFTP plugins for Ceph. Both plugins are built on top of the same libraries that write striped data into Ceph and therefore data written by one protocol will be accessible by the other. In the long term we hope the LHC experiments will migrate to industry standard protocols, therefore these plugins will only provide the features needed by the LHC experiments. This paper will report on the development and testing of these plugins.

A Quality System for Education: Using Quality and Productivity Techniques To Save Our Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spanbauer, Stanley J.; Hillman, Jo

This book provides a case study of the implementation of a quality improvement model to improve educational services at Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC), in Appleton, Wisconsin. Chapter 1 describes the early stages of the implementation of the quality processes at FVTC. Chapter 2 discusses the role of the chief administrator as mentor and…

Might dolutegravir be part of a functional cure for HIV?

PubMed

Wainberg, Mark A; Han, Ying-Shan; Mesplède, Thibault

2016-05-01

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has greatly decreased HIV-related morbidity and mortality. However, HIV can establish viral reservoirs that evade both the immune system and ART. Dolutegravir (DTG) is a second-generation integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) related to the first-generation INSTIs raltegravir (RAL) and elvitegravir (EVG). DTG shows a higher genetic barrier to the development of HIV-1 resistance than RAL and EVG. More interestingly, clinical resistance mutations to DTG in treatment-naïve patients have not been observed to date. This review summarizes recent studies on strategies toward a cure for HIV, explores resistance profiles of DTG, and discusses how DTG might help in finding a functional cure for HIV.

Research in Science Education, Volume 1990. Selected Refereed Papers from the Annual Conference of the Australasian Science Education Research Association (21st, Perth, Western Australia, July 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Paul L., Ed.

1990-01-01

This book contains selected refereed papers from the 21st Annual Conference of the Australasian Science Education Research Association. The papers are as follows: "A Learning Model for Science Education: Developing Teaching Strategies" (Appleton); "Researching Balance between Cognition and Affect in Science Teaching" (Baird et…

The Effect of Dispositional Optimism on Health Outcomes in Patient with Heart Failure

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-08

neurohormonal response is triggered (Appleton, 2004; Dyer & Fifer, 2003). This leads to the activation of the renin-angiotension- aldosterone system...constructs should be examined as a way that psychological well-being may promote healthy 15 physiological function, and also buffer against the...development of chronic disease. Specifically, they posit that continued physiological hyperarousal resulting from psychosocial stress is one of the

The Research Ranch: what do you do with a grassland besides raise cows?

Treesearch

Linda Kennedy; Jane H. Bock

2005-01-01

For most of the past 10,000 years, semi-arid grasslands of Southeastern Arizona have not been heavily impacted by large herds of hoofed animals. This began to change in the 1500s with the introduction of domestic livestock, primarily cattle. Impacts of this major ecological force on a native system were widespread. In 1968, Frank and Ariel Appleton created an outdoor...

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

Ernest A. Mancini

The University of Alabama in cooperation with Texas A&M University, McGill University, Longleaf Energy Group, Strago Petroleum Corporation, and Paramount Petroleum Company are undertaking an integrated, interdisciplinary geoscientific and engineering research project. The project is designed to characterize and model reservoir architecture, pore systems and rock-fluid interactions at the pore to field scale in Upper Jurassic Smackover reef and carbonate shoal reservoirs associated with varying degrees of relief on pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. The project effort includes the prediction of fluid flow in carbonate reservoirs through reservoir simulation modeling which utilizes geologic reservoir characterization andmore » modeling and the prediction of carbonate reservoir architecture, heterogeneity and quality through seismic imaging. The primary objective of the project is to increase the profitability, producibility and efficiency of recovery of oil from existing and undiscovered Upper Jurassic fields characterized by reef and carbonate shoals associated with pre-Mesozoic basement paleohighs. The principal research effort for Year 1 of the project has been reservoir description and characterization. This effort has included four tasks: (1) geoscientific reservoir characterization, (2) the study of rock-fluid interactions, (3) petrophysical and engineering characterization and (4) data integration. This work was scheduled for completion in Year 1. Overall, the project work is on schedule. Geoscientific reservoir characterization is essentially completed. The architecture, porosity types and heterogeneity of the reef and shoal reservoirs at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been characterized using geological and geophysical data. The study of rock-fluid interactions has been initiated. Observations regarding the diagenetic processes influencing pore system development and heterogeneity in these reef and shoal reservoirs have been made. Petrophysical and engineering property characterization is progressing. Data on reservoir production rate and pressure history at Appleton and Vocation Fields have been tabulated, and porosity data from core analysis has been correlated with porosity as observed from well log response. Data integration is on schedule, in that, the geological, geophysical, petrophysical and engineering data collected to date for Appleton and Vocation Fields have been compiled into a fieldwide digital database for reservoir characterization, modeling and simulation for the reef and carbonate shoal reservoirs for each of these fields.« less

Ifhasa aljaynum albshry: Dirasat faqhiat tatbiqia (mrkz Qatar lilwirathat anmwdhjaan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawood, Zainab Abdulqader

This field case study focuses on Upper Jurassic (Oxfordian) Smackover hydrocarbon reservoir characterization, modeling and evaluation at Fishpond Field, Escambia County, Alabama, eastern Gulf Coastal Plain of North America. The field is located in the Conecuh Embayment area, south of the Little Cedar Creek Field in Conecuh County and east of Appleton Field in Escambia County. In the Conecuh Embayment, Smackover microbial buildups commonly developed on Paleozoic basement paleohighs in an inner to middle carbonate ramp setting. The microbial and associated facies identified in Fishpond Field are: (F-1) peloidal wackestone, (F-2) peloidal packstone, (F-3) peloidal grainstone, (F-4) peloidal grainstone/packstone, (F-5) microbially-influenced wackestone, (F-6) microbially-influenced packstone, (F-7) microbial boundstone, (F-8) oolitic grainstone, (F-9) shale, and (F-10) dolomitized wackestone/packstone. The Smackover section consists of an alternation of carbonate facies, including F-1 through F-8. The repetitive vertical trend in facies indicates variations in depositional conditions in the area as a result of changes in water depth, energy conditions, salinity, and/or water chemistry due to temporal variations or changes in relative sea level. Accommodation for sediment accumulation also was produced by a change in base level due to differential movement of basement rocks as a result of faulting and/or subsidence due to burial compaction and extension. These changes in base level contributed to the development of a microbial buildup that ranges between 130-165 ft in thickness. The Fishpond Field carbonate reservoir includes a lower microbial buildup interval, a middle grainstone/packstone interval and an upper microbial buildup interval. The Fishpond Field has sedimentary and petroleum system characteristics similar to the neighboring Appleton and Little Cedar Creek Fields, but also has distinct differences from these Smackover fields. The characteristics of the petroleum trap and reservoir at Fishpond Field requires modification of the exploration strategy presently in use to identify Smackover reservoirs productive of hydrocarbons in the Conecuh Embayment area. The complexity of the geologic history of the petroleum trap and reservoir development at Fishpond Field distinguishes this field from the Appleton basement paleohigh and related microbial buildup and the Little Cedar Creek stratigraphic trap and associated inner ramp microbial buildups.

Exocyst sec5 regulates exocytosis of newcomer insulin granules underlying biphasic insulin secretion.

PubMed

Xie, Li; Zhu, Dan; Kang, Youhou; Liang, Tao; He, Yu; Gaisano, Herbert Y

2013-01-01

The exocyst complex subunit Sec5 is a downstream effector of RalA-GTPase which promotes RalA-exocyst interactions and exocyst assembly, serving to tether secretory granules to docking sites on the plasma membrane. We recently reported that RalA regulates biphasic insulin secretion in pancreatic islet β cells in part by tethering insulin secretory granules to Ca(2+) channels to assist excitosome assembly. Here, we assessed β cell exocytosis by patch clamp membrane capacitance measurement and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to investigate the role of Sec5 in regulating insulin secretion. Sec5 is present in human and rodent islet β cells, localized to insulin granules. Sec5 protein depletion in rat INS-1 cells inhibited depolarization-induced release of primed insulin granules from both readily-releasable pool and mobilization from the reserve pool. This reduction in insulin exocytosis was attributed mainly to reduction in recruitment and exocytosis of newcomer insulin granules that undergo minimal docking time at the plasma membrane, but which encompassed a larger portion of biphasic glucose stimulated insulin secretion. Sec5 protein knockdown had little effect on predocked granules, unless vigorously stimulated by KCl depolarization. Taken together, newcomer insulin granules in β cells are more sensitive than predocked granules to Sec5 regulation.

Relationship of cariogenic bacteria levels with periodontal status and root surface caries in elderly Japanese.

PubMed

Saotome, Yasuhiko; Tada, Akio; Hanada, Nobuhiro; Yoshihara, Akihiro; Uematsu, Hiroshi; Miyazaki, Hideo; Senpuku, Hidenobu

2006-12-01

The relationship of the levels of cariogenic bacterial species with periodontal status and decayed root surfaces was investigated in elderly Japanese subjects. Three hundred and sixty-eight individuals (each 75 years old) were examined for periodontal status (pocket depth, attachment loss), root surface caries and salivary levels of mutans streptococci (MS) and lactobacilli (LB). Values >4 mm of attachment loss (rAL4) and for average attachment loss (aAL) of sites measured were significantly higher in subjects with LB than those without. Multiple regression analysis also showed a correlation between aAL and rAL4 values with the presence of LB (aAL p = 0.003; rAL4 p = 0.002). Further, multiple regression analysis of interacting factors regarding decayed root surfaces showed that LB carriers had a greater incidence of decayed root surface caries (p = 0.003), while MS and LB levels were correlated to the number of decayed root surfaces (LB p = 0.010; MS p = 0.026). Our results indicate that considerable attachment loss elevates the possibility of having LB, thus increasing the risk of root surface caries. It was also found that LB and MS measurements may be useful indicators of decayed root surfaces in elderly individuals with attachment loss.

[Analysis of costs and cost-effectiveness of preferred GESIDA/National AIDS Plan regimens for initial antiretroviral therapy in human immunodeficiency virus infected adult patients in 2013].

PubMed

Blasco, Antonio Javier; Llibre, Josep M; Arribas, José Ramón; Boix, Vicente; Clotet, Bonaventura; Domingo, Pere; González-García, Juan; Knobel, Hernando; López, Juan Carlos; Lozano, Fernando; Miró, José M; Podzamczer, Daniel; Santamaría, Juan Miguel; Tuset, Montserrat; Zamora, Laura; Lázaro, Pablo; Gatell, Josep M

2013-11-01

The GESIDA and National AIDS Plan panel of experts have proposed "preferred regimens" of antiretroviral treatment (ART) as initial therapy in HIV infected patients for 2013. The objective of this study is to evaluate the costs and effectiveness of initiating treatment with these "preferred regimens". An economic assessment of costs and effectiveness (cost/effectiveness) was performed using decision tree analysis models. Effectiveness was defined as the probability of having viral load <50copies/mL at week48, in an intention-to-treat analysis. Cost of initiating treatment with an ART regime was defined as the costs of ART and its consequences (adverse effects, changes of ART regime and drug resistance analyses) during the first 48weeks. The perspective of the analysis is that of the National Health System was applied, only taking into account differential direct costs: ART (official prices), management of adverse effects, resistance studies, and determination of HLA B*5701. The setting is Spain and the costs are those of 2013. A sensitivity deterministic analysis was performed, constructing three scenarios for each regimen: baseline, most favourable, and most unfavourable cases. In the baseline case scenario, the cost of initiating treatment ranges from 6,747euros for TDF/FTC+NVP to 12,059euros for TDF/FTC+RAL. The effectiveness ranges between 0.66 for ABC/3TC+LPV/r and ABC/3TC+ATV/r, and 0.87 for TDF/FTC+RAL and ABC/3TC+RAL. Effectiveness, in terms of cost/effectiveness, varies between 8,396euros and 13,930euros per responder at 48weeks, for TDF/FTC/RPV and TDF/FTC+RAL, respectively. Taking ART at official prices, the most effective regimen was TDF/FTC/RPV, followed by the rest of non-nucleoside containing regimens. The sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of these findings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Comparisons of low-intensity versus moderate-intensity combined aerobic and resistance training on body composition, muscle strength, and functional performance in older women.

PubMed

Shiotsu, Yoko; Yanagita, Masahiko

2018-06-01

This study aimed to examine the effects of exercise order of combined aerobic and low- or moderate-intensity resistance training into the same session on body composition, functional performance, and muscle strength in healthy older women. Furthermore, this study compared the effects of different (low- vs moderate-) intensity combined training. A total of 60 healthy older women (age 61-81 y) were randomly assigned to five groups that performed aerobic exercise before low-intensity resistance training (AR-L, n = 12) or after resistance training (RA-L, n = 12), performed aerobic exercise before moderate-intensity resistance training (AR-M, n = 12) or after resistance training (RA-M, n = 12), or nonintervention control conditions (CON, n = 12). Body composition, functional performance, and muscle strength were evaluated before and after the 10-week training. No effects of exercise order of combined aerobic and low- or moderate-intensity resistance training (AR-L vs RA-L, AR-M vs RA-M) were observed in body composition, functional performance, or muscle strength, whereas the effects of training intensity of combined training (AR-L vs AR-M, RA-L vs RA-M) were observed on functional performance. All combined trainings significantly increased muscle strength and gait ability (P < 0.01, respectively). Functional reach test significantly increased in the AR-M and RA-M groups (P < 0.01, respectively), and there were significant group differences between AR-L and AR-M (P = 0.002), RA-L and RA-M (P = 0.014). Preliminary findings suggest that combined aerobic and low- or moderate-intensity resistance training increases muscle strength and improves gait ability, regardless of the exercise order. Also, greater improvement in dynamic balance capacity, a risk factor associated with falling, is observed in moderate-intensity combined training.

The effects of estrogen receptors α- and β-specific agonists and antagonists on cell proliferation and energy metabolism in human bone cell line.

PubMed

Somjen, D; Katzburg, S; Sharon, O; Grafi-Cohen, M; Knoll, E; Stern, N

2011-02-01

In cultured human osteoblasts estradiol-17β (E2) modulated DNA synthesis, the specific activity of creatine kinase BB (CK), 12 and 15 lipoxygenase (LO) mRNA expression and formation of 12- and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE). We now investigate the response of human bone cell line (SaOS2) to phytoestrogens and estrogen receptors (ER)-specific agonists and antagonists. Treatment of SaSO2 with E2, 2,3-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionitrile (DPN; ERβ-specific agonist), 4,4',4″-[4-propyl-(1H)-pyrazol-1,3,5-triyl] tris-phenol (PPT; ERα-specific agonist), biochainin A (BA), daidzein (D), genistein (G) and raloxifene (Ral) showed increased DNA synthesis and CK. Ral inhibited completely all stimulations except DPN and to some extent D. The ERα-specific antagonist methyl-piperidino-pyrazole (MPP) and the ERβ-specific antagonist 4-[2-phenyl-5,7-bis (tri-fluoro-methyl) pyrazolo [1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-yl] phenol (PTHPP) inhibited DNA synthesis, CK and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation induced by estrogens according to their receptors affinity. The LO inhibitor baicaleine inhibited only E2, DPN and G's effects. E2 and Ral unlike all other compounds had no effect on ERα mRNA expression, while ERβ mRNA expression was stimulated by all compounds. All compounds modulated the expression of 12LO and 15LO mRNA, except E2, PPT and Ral for 12LO, and 12- and 15-HETE productions and stimulated ROS formation which was inhibited by NADPH oxidase inhibitors diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI) and N-acetyl cysteine and the estrogen inhibitor ICI. DPI did not affect hormonal-induced DNA and CK. In conclusion, we provide evidence for the separation of mediation via ERα and ERβ pathways in the effects of estrogenic compounds on osteoblasts, but the role of LO/HETE/ROS is unclear. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Impact of novel techniques on minimally invasive adrenal surgery: trends and outcomes from a contemporary international large series in urology.

PubMed

Pavan, Nicola; Autorino, Riccardo; Lee, Hak; Porpiglia, Francesco; Sun, Yinghao; Greco, Francesco; Jeff Chueh, S; Han, Deok Hyun; Cindolo, Luca; Ferro, Matteo; Chen, Xiang; Branco, Anibal; Fornara, Paolo; Liao, Chun-Hou; Miyajima, Akira; Kyriazis, Iason; Puglisi, Marco; Fiori, Cristian; Yang, Bo; Fei, Guo; Altieri, Vincenzo; Jeong, Byong Chang; Berardinelli, Francesco; Schips, Luigi; De Cobelli, Ottavio; Chen, Zhi; Haber, Georges-Pascal; He, Yao; Oya, Mototsugu; Liatsikos, Evangelos; Brandao, Luis; Challacombe, Benjamin; Kaouk, Jihad; Darweesh, Ithaar

2016-10-01

To evaluate contemporary international trends in the implementation of minimally invasive adrenalectomy and to assess contemporary outcomes of different minimally invasive techniques performed at urologic centers worldwide. A retrospective multinational multicenter study of patients who underwent minimally invasive adrenalectomy from 2008 to 2013 at 14 urology institutions worldwide was included in the analysis. Cases were categorized based on the minimally invasive adrenalectomy technique: conventional laparoscopy (CL), robot-assisted laparoscopy (RAL), laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS), and mini-laparoscopy (ML). The rates of the four treatment modalities were determined according to the year of surgery, and a regression analysis was performed for trends in all surgical modalities. Overall, a total of 737 adrenalectomies were performed across participating institutions and included in this analysis: 337 CL (46 % of cases), 57 ML (8 %), 263 LESS (36 %), and 80 RA (11 %). Overall, 204 (28 %) operations were performed with a retroperitoneal approach. The overall number of adrenalectomies increased from 2008 to 2013 (p = 0.05). A transperitoneal approach was preferred in all but the ML group (p < 0.001). European centers mostly adopted CL and ML techniques, whereas those from Asia and South America reported the highest rate in LESS procedures, and RAL was adopted to larger extent in the USA. LESS had the fastest increase in utilization at 6 %/year. The rate of RAL procedures increased at slower rates (2.2 %/year), similar to ML (1.7 %/year). Limitations of this study are the retrospective design and the lack of a cost analysis. Several minimally invasive surgical techniques for the management of adrenal masses are successfully implemented in urology institutions worldwide. CL and LESS seem to represent the most commonly adopted techniques, whereas ML and RAL are growing at a slower rate. All the MIS techniques can be safely and effectively performed for a variety of adrenal disease.

Selected CNS Outcomes Among INSTI Antiretrovirals

PubMed Central

Wohl, David; Mills, Anthony; Mera, Robertino; Piontkowsky, David

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Higher rates of neuropsychiatric events among patients on dolutegravir (DTG) compared with other integrase inhibitors (INSTIs) have been reported from clinic cohorts and one blinded trial. We compared select neurological and psychiatric events in a large sample of patients treated with different INSTIs. Methods The Quintiles IMS database, which includes pharmacy and medical claims records, was examined for HIV infected patients treated from 2006 to 2016 with DTG (TIVICAY/TRIUMEQ), elvitegravir (EVG, STRIBILD), or raltegravir (RAL, ISENTRESS). The dependent variable outcomes were insomnia/sleep disturbance and depression. A propensity score was created to adjust for variables associated with treatment with a particular INSTI including age, gender, year of initial INSTI exposure, and enrollment time. Multivariate Poisson mixed models were used to generate incidence rate ratios (IRRs). Results Records for 54,151 distinct HIV-infected patients treated with DTG, EVG, or RAL were identified. In the multivariate model the rate of insomnia/sleep disturbance events was significantly higher for patients treated with DTG vs. EVG (IRR 1.21 [95% CI 1.09–1.33, P < 0.001]), but was not significantly different when comparing DTG to RAL (IRR 1.04 [95% CI 0.94–1.14, P = 0.459]). Likewise, the rate of incident depression was significantly higher for patients treated with DTG vs. EVG (IRR 1.18 [95% CI 1.09–1.27, P < 0.001], but not when comparing DTG to RAL (IRR 0.93 [95% CI 0.87 – 1.01, P = 0.068]). Conclusion In this analysis using a large healthcare database, significantly higher adjusted rates of both incident insomnia/sleep disturbances (21% more) and depression (18% more) were found among patients treated with DTG compared with EVG. In contrast, a significant difference in the rates of either outcome was not observed when comparing DTG and RAL. Further studies are warranted to determine the risk of neuropsychiatric events in patients treated with different INSTIs. Disclosures D. Wohl, Gilead Sciences: Consultant and Investigator, Consulting fee and Research grant; Viiv: Consultant and Investigator, Consulting fee and Research grant; Janssen: Consultant, Consulting fee; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultant, Consulting fee; A. Mills, Gilead Sciences: Consultant, Investigator and Speaker’s Bureau, Consulting fee, Research grant and Speaker honorarium; Viiv: Consultant and Investigator, Consulting fee and Research grant; Merck: Consultant, Investigator and Speaker’s Bureau, Consulting fee, Research grant and Speaker honorarium; Janssen: Investigator, Research grant; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Investigator, Research grant; Sangamo Bio Sciences: Investigator, Research grant; R. Mera, Gilead Sciences: Employee and Shareholder, Salary; D. Piontkowsky, Gilead Sciences: Employee and Shareholder, Salary

Testing and Comparison of Imaging Detectors for Electrons in the Energy Range 10-20 keV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matheson, J.; Moldovan, G.; Kirkland, A.; Allinson, N.; Abrahams, J. P.

2017-11-01

Interest in direct detectors for low-energy electrons has increased markedly in recent years. Detection of electrons in the energy range up to low tens of keV is important in techniques such as photoelectron emission microscopy (PEEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) on scanning electron microscopes (SEMs). The PEEM technique is used both in the laboratory and on synchrotron light sources worldwide. The ubiquity of SEMs means that there is a very large market for EBSD detectors for materials studies. Currently, the most widely used detectors in these applications are based on indirect detection of incident electrons. Examples include scintillators or microchannel plates (MCPs), coupled to CCD cameras. Such approaches result in blurring in scintillators/phosphors, distortions in optical systems, and inefficiencies due the limited active area of MCPs. In principle, these difficulties can be overcome using direct detection in a semiconductor device. Growing out of a feasibility study into the use of a direct detector for use on an XPEEM, we have built at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory a system to illuminate detectors with an electron beam of energy up to 20 keV . We describe this system in detail. It has been used to measure the performance of a custom back-thinned monolithic active pixel sensor (MAPS), a detector based on the Medipix2 chip, and a commercial detector based on MCPs. We present a selection of the results from these measurements and compare and contrast different detector types.

Generation and Transport of Hot Electrons in Cone-Wire Targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beg, Farhat

2009-11-01

We present results from a series of experiments where cone-wire targets in various configurations were employed both to assess hot electron coupling efficiency, and to reveal the source temperature of the hot electrons. Initial experiments were performed on the Vulcan petawatt laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Titan laser at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Results with aluminum cones joined to Cu wires of diameters from 10 to 40 μm show that the laser coupling efficiency to electron energy within the wire is proportional to the cross sectional area of the wire. In addition, coupling into the wire was observed to decrease with the laser prepulse and cone-wall thickness. More recently, this study was extended, using the OMEGA EP laser. The resulting changes in coupling energy give indications of the scaling as we approach FI-relevant conditions. Requirements for FI scale fast ignition cone parameters: tip thickness, wall thickness, laser prepulse and laser pulse length, will be discussed. In collaboration with T. Yabuuchi, T. Ma, D. Higginson, H. Sawada, J. King, M.H. Key, K.U. Akli, Al Elsholz, D. Batani, H. Chen, R.R. Freeman, L. Gizzi, J. Green, S. Hatchett, D. Hey, P. Jaanimagi, J. Koch, K. L. Lancaster, D.Larson, A.J. MacKinnon, H. McLean, A. MacPhee, P.A. Norreys, P.K Patel, R. B. Stephens, W. Theobald, R. Town, M. Wei, S. Wilks, Roger Van Maren, B. Westover and L. VanWoerkom.

Neutron Scattering Measurements of Carbon Dioxide Adsorption in Pores within the Marcellus Shale: Implications for Sequestration.

PubMed

Stefanopoulos, Konstantinos L; Youngs, Tristan G A; Sakurovs, Richard; Ruppert, Leslie F; Bahadur, Jitendra; Melnichenko, Yuri B

2017-06-06

Shale is an increasingly viable source of natural gas and a potential candidate for geologic CO 2 sequestration. Understanding the gas adsorption behavior on shale is necessary for the design of optimal gas recovery and sequestration projects. In the present study neutron diffraction and small-angle neutron scattering measurements of adsorbed CO 2 in Marcellus Shale samples were conducted on the Near and InterMediate Range Order Diffractometer (NIMROD) at the ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory along an adsorption isotherm of 22 °C and pressures of 25 and 40 bar. Additional measurements were conducted at approximately 22 and 60 °C at the same pressures on the General-Purpose Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (GP-SANS) instrument at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The structures investigated (pores) for CO 2 adsorption range in size from Å level to ∼50 nm. The results indicate that, using the conditions investigated densification or condensation effects occurred in all accessible pores. The data suggest that at 22 °C the CO 2 has liquid-like properties when confined in pores of around 1 nm radius at pressures as low as 25 bar. Many of the 2.5 nm pores, 70% of 2 nm pores, most of the <1 nm pores, and all pores <0.25 nm, are inaccessible or closed to CO 2 , suggesting that despite the vast numbers of micropores in shale, the micropores will be unavailable for storage for geologic CO 2 sequestration.

Study of the Effects of Drugs upon the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-06-01

ed. The C.V. Mosby Company, St . Louis, 1971. Spence, 3.T., Underwood, B.3., Duncan, C.P., and Cotton, J.W. Elementary Statistics. Appleton- Century ...I.I)" ,,,- 20. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY OF ABSTRACT 21 . ABSTRACT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION C3 UNCLASSIFIED/UNLIMITED 0 SAME AS RPT. - OTIC USERS...50, resistance units - -. ° ! U { {{{{{{ {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ { {{{{ I {{{ {{{{ { {{{{{{ {{{{{{{ {{{{{ 21 3. Calibration of the Buxco Data Logger Model DL

Gender Integration of a Traditionally Male Field: A Definition of the Occupation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

Statistical Theory of Racism and Sexism ," American Economic Review 62 (Sept. 1972), 659-661. Tyler, L. The Psychology of Sex Differences, N.Y. Appleton...34 statistical discrimination." whereby the gender of the applicant is used as an Indicator of interior characteristics which are too...Awareness of Dying. Chicago: Aldine, 1965. • The Discovery of Grounded Theory . Chicago: Aldine, 1967. Goffman, Erving. Asylums. Garden City: Doubleday

Military Leadership as an Element of National Power

DTIC Science & Technology

1966-04-08

security, regularity, and specificity of work operations. In a remarkable book entitled Dialogues sur le Commandcment, Andre Maurois has created a... Maurois , Andre . Captains and Kings. New York: Appleton, 1925. (A series of dialogues on command between "The Lieutenant" and "The Philosopher. This...work deserves to be better known by students of the military mind.) 66. Maurois , Andre . Marshal Lyautey. London; Bodley Head, 1931. (The standard

[Difficulties medical care of persons placed under hand of justice].

PubMed

Brahmy, Betty

2013-01-01

The "contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté", french, national mechanism of prevention is an independant authorithy in charge of making sure since 2008 that rights of deprivation of freedom people--particularly access to health--are respected, in any place they are in captivity. The reports of the controllers present that the care of these persons is still a subject of concern as well for them--as the number of letters received by the Contrôleur général shows--as for professionals working in these places. The exercising of these health professionals in these institutions is a care mission to be done in a real partnership with the other actors.

SunBlock '99: Young Scientists Investigate the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh, R. W.; Pike, C. D.; Mason, H.; Young, P.; Ireland, J.; Galsgaard, K.

1999-10-01

SunBlock `99 is a Web-based Public Understanding of Science and educational project which seeks to present the very latest solar research as seen through the eyes of young British scientists. These ``solar guides'' discuss not only their scientific interests, but also their extra-curricular activities and the reasons they chose scientific careers; in other words the human face of scientific research. The SunBlock '99 pages gather a range of solar images and movies from current solar space observatories and discuss the underlying physics and its relationship to the school curriculum. The instructional level is pitched at UK secondary school children (aged 13-16 years). It is intended that the material should not only provide a visually appealing introduction to the study of the Sun, but that it should help bridge the often wide gap between classroom science lessons and the research scientist `out in the field'. SunBlock '99 is managed by a team from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the Universities of St Andrews and Cambridge, together with educational consultants. The production has, in part, been sponsored by PPARC and the Millennium Mathematics Project. Web site addresss: http://www.sunblock99.org.uk

Absolute efficiency calibration of 6LiF-based solid state thermal neutron detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finocchiaro, Paolo; Cosentino, Luigi; Lo Meo, Sergio; Nolte, Ralf; Radeck, Desiree

2018-03-01

The demand for new thermal neutron detectors as an alternative to 3He tubes in research, industrial, safety and homeland security applications, is growing. These needs have triggered research and development activities about new generations of thermal neutron detectors, characterized by reasonable efficiency and gamma rejection comparable to 3He tubes. In this paper we show the state of the art of a promising low-cost technique, based on commercial solid state silicon detectors coupled with thin neutron converter layers of 6LiF deposited onto carbon fiber substrates. A few configurations were studied with the GEANT4 simulation code, and the intrinsic efficiency of the corresponding detectors was calibrated at the PTB Thermal Neutron Calibration Facility. The results show that the measured intrinsic detection efficiency is well reproduced by the simulations, therefore validating the simulation tool in view of new designs. These neutron detectors have also been tested at neutron beam facilities like ISIS (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK) and n_TOF (CERN) where a few samples are already in operation for beam flux and 2D profile measurements. Forthcoming applications are foreseen for the online monitoring of spent nuclear fuel casks in interim storage sites.

Factors determining electrostatic fields in molecular dynamics simulations of the Ras/effector interface.

PubMed

Ensign, Daniel L; Webb, Lauren J

2011-12-01

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we explore geometric and physical factors contributing to calculated electrostatic fields at the binding surface of the GTPase Ras with a spectroscopically labeled variant of a downstream effector, the Ras-binding domain of Ral guanine nucleotide dissociation stimulator (RalGDS). A related system (differing by mutation of one amino acid) has been studied in our group using vibrational Stark effect spectroscopy, a technique sensitive to electrostatic fields. Electrostatic fields were computed using the AMBER 2003 force field and averaged over snapshots from molecular dynamics simulation. We investigate geometric factors by exploring how the orientation of the spectroscopic probe changes on Ras-effector binding. In addition, we explore the physical origin of electrostatic fields at our spectroscopic probe by comparing contributions to the field from discrete components of the system, such as explicit solvent, residues on the Ras surface, and residues on the RalGDS surface. These models support our experimental hypothesis that vibrational Stark shifts are caused by Ras binding to its effector and not the structural rearrangements of the effector surface or probe reorientation on Ras-effector binding, for at least some of our experimental probes. These calculations provide physical insight into the origin, magnitude, and importance of electrostatic fields in protein-protein interactions and suggest new experiments to probe the field's role in protein docking. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloureterostomy in infants with duplex systems and upper pole hydronephrosis: Variations in double-J ureteral stenting techniques.

PubMed

Baek, Minki; Au, Jason; Huang, Gene O; Koh, Chester J

2017-04-01

We describe our experience with robot-assisted laparoscopic (RAL) pyeloureterostomy in infants with duplex systems and upper pole hydronephrosis with an emphasis on the various double J (DJ) ureteral stent placement techniques. We used our RAL pyeloureterostomy technique in two female infants with duplex systems and upper pole hydronephrosis. For case 1, we introduced the DJ stent and placed it in the recipient lower pole ureter during the robotic operation in an antegrade fashion. For case 2, we inserted the DJ stent during retrograde pyelography prior to the robotic procedure in a retrograde fashion, and the proximal portion of the stent was placed across the anastomosis into the upper pole renal pelvis. Postoperatively, each of the patients were discharged on postoperative day 1 without complications. The postoperative renal ultrasound at 3 months demonstrated marked improvement of the right upper pole hydronephrosis in both patients. RAL pyeloureterostomy represents a minimally invasive option for upper tract reconstruction of duplex systems with upper pole hydronephrosis in infants. The DJ stent can be placed at the beginning or during the procedure. The stent can be placed in the lower pole ureter or across the anastomosis into the upper pole renal pelvis. Copyright © 2017 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Collaborative Operations for Personnel Recovery

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-01

ADDRESS(ES) Artificial Intelligence Applications Institute The University of Edinburgh Appleton Tower, Crichton St. Edinburgh EH8 9LE, UK 8...this issue, • M is a symbol denoting a primitive plan modification activity, and • O1,…,On are plan-space objects, i.e. they are issues, nodes...of this type represents the fact that the plan-space object O was introduced into the plan as part of performing the plan modification activity M

A Computerized System for Measuring Detection Sensitivity over the Visual Field,

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-06-01

variety of conditions can act to degrade this basic configuration of detection capability; e.g., pathology, such as glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa ...the central line of sight involving the retinal fovea is clearly the locus of greatest visual resolution under photopic viewing conditions, the...Skills. 1974; 41:467-474. 6. Kobrick JL, Appleton S. Effects of hypoxia on visual performance and retinal vascular state. J. Appl. Physiol. 1971; 31:357

Droplet heteroepitaxy of zinc-blende vs. wurtzite GaN quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reese, C.; Jeon, S.; Hill, T.; Jones, C.; Shusterman, S.; Yacoby, Y.; Clarke, R.; Deng, H.; Goldman, Rs

We have developed a GaN droplet heteroepitaxy process based upon plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. Using various surface treatments and Ga deposition parameters, we have demonstrated polycrystalline, zinc-blende (ZB), and wurtzite (WZ) GaN quantum dots (QDs) on Si(001), r-Al2O3, Si(111), and c-GaN substrates. For the polar substrates (i.e. Si(111) and c-GaN), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and coherent Bragg rod analysis reveals the formation of coherent WZ GaN QDs with nitridation-temperature-dependent sizes and densities. For the non-polar substrates (i.e. Si(001) and r-Al2O3) , QDs with strong near-band photoluminescence emission are observed and ZB GaN QD growth on Si(001) is demonstrated for the first time.

Integrated Modeling and Carbonate Reservoir Analysis, Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation, Fishpond Field, Southwest Alabama

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owen, Alexander Emory

This field case study focuses on Upper Jurassic (Oxfordian) Smackover hydrocarbon reservoir characterization, modeling and evaluation at Fishpond Field, Escambia County, Alabama, eastern Gulf Coastal Plain of North America. The field is located in the Conecuh Embayment area, south of the Little Cedar Creek Field in Conecuh County and east of Appleton Field in Escambia County. In the Conecuh Embayment, Smackover microbial buildups commonly developed on Paleozoic basement paleohighs in an inner to middle carbonate ramp setting. The microbial and associated facies identified in Fishpond Field are: (F-1) peloidal wackestone, (F-2) peloidal packstone, (F-3) peloidal grainstone, (F-4) peloidal grainstone/packstone, (F-5) microbially-influenced wackestone, (F-6) microbially-influenced packstone, (F-7) microbial boundstone, (F-8) oolitic grainstone, (F-9) shale, and (F-10) dolomitized wackestone/packstone. The Smackover section consists of an alternation of carbonate facies, including F-1 through F-8. The repetitive vertical trend in facies indicates variations in depositional conditions in the area as a result of changes in water depth, energy conditions, salinity, and/or water chemistry due to temporal variations or changes in relative sea level. Accommodation for sediment accumulation also was produced by a change in base level due to differential movement of basement rocks as a result of faulting and/or subsidence due to burial compaction and extension. These changes in base level contributed to the development of a microbial buildup that ranges between 130-165 ft in thickness. The Fishpond Field carbonate reservoir includes a lower microbial buildup interval, a middle grainstone/packstone interval and an upper microbial buildup interval. The Fishpond Field has sedimentary and petroleum system characteristics similar to the neighboring Appleton and Little Cedar Creek Fields, but also has distinct differences from these Smackover fields. The characteristics of the petroleum trap and reservoir at Fishpond Field requires modification of the exploration strategy presently in use to identify Smackover reservoirs productive of hydrocarbons in the Conecuh Embayment area. The complexity of the geologic history of the petroleum trap and reservoir development at Fishpond Field distinguishes this field from the Appleton basement paleohigh and related microbial buildup and the Little Cedar Creek stratigraphic trap and associated inner ramp microbial buildups.

Azole-based chemoprophylaxis of invasive fungal infections in paediatric patients with acute leukaemia: an internal audit.

PubMed

Yunus, Sara; Pieper, Stephanie; Kolve, Hedwig; Goletz, Grazyna; Jürgens, Heribert; Groll, Andreas H

2014-03-01

Children and adolescents with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and recurrent acute leukaemias (RALs) are at high risk of life-threatening invasive fungal infections (IFIs). We analysed implementation, safety and efficacy of a standard operating procedure for oral, azole-based, mould-active antifungal prophylaxis. Patients with AML and RALs aged ≥13 years received 200 mg of posaconazole three times daily and patients aged 2-12 years received 200 mg of voriconazole two times daily from the completion of chemotherapy until haematopoietic recovery. Algorithms for fever or focal findings in all patients with haematological malignancies included blood cultures, high-resolution CT and other appropriate imaging, serial serum galactomannan, invasive diagnostics and pre-emptive therapy with change in class if on antifungal medication. From 2006 to 2010, 40 patients (0.8-17 years; 21 males) with newly diagnosed AML (n = 31) or RAL (n = 9) were admitted, of whom 36 received a total of 149 courses of chemotherapy (reasons for exclusion: contraindications and early death ≤3 days). Azole prophylaxis was given in 87.2% (n = 130/149) of episodes. Pre-emptive antifungal therapy for pulmonary infiltrates was initiated in 5/36 (13.9%) patients or 6/130 (4.6%) episodes for a duration of 3-22 days. No proven or probable IFIs occurred. Adverse events (AEs) were common but mostly low grade and reversible. Three courses (2.3%) were discontinued due to AEs. In simultaneously admitted new patients with acute lymphatic leukaemia (ALL; n = 101) and paediatric lymphomas (n = 29) not receiving standard antifungal prophylaxis, proven/probable IFIs occurred in 4 patients with ALL (4.0%) and 7/130 patients (5.4%) received pre-emptive therapy. Azole-based, mould-active antifungal prophylaxis in high-risk paediatric patients with AML and RALs was satisfactorily implemented, well tolerated and effective. The low rate of IFIs in patients with ALL/lymphoma supports the lack of a general indication for prophylaxis in this population in the presence of a diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm.

Intensification of antiretroviral treatment with raltegravir for pregnant women living with HIV at high risk of vertical transmission.

PubMed

Puthanakit, Thanyawee; Thepnarong, Nattawan; Chaithongwongwatthana, Surasith; Anugulruengkitt, Suvaporn; Anunsittichai, Orawan; Theerawit, Tuangtip; Ubolyam, Sasiwimol; Pancharoen, Chitsanu; Phanuphak, Praphan

2018-04-01

Objectives:  The rate of vertical HIV transmission for women at high risk of HIV transmission stands at approximately 7.6%. In the present study we describe infant infection rates in women who had received raltegravir (RAL) intensification during pregnancy to a standard three-drug antiretroviral (ART) regimen in Thailand. Methods:  This prospective cohort study enrolled HIV-1-positive pregnant women at high risk of vertical transmission, as defined by (1) ART initiation at a gestational age (GA) ≥32 weeks or (2) HIV-1 RNA >1000 copies/mL at GA of 32-38 weeks while on ART. Women received a standard three-drug ART regimen with RAL intensification (400 mg twice daily) until delivery and continued on a three-drug ART regimen after delivery. Plasma HIV-1 RNA testing was performed before intensification and at delivery. Infant HIV-1 status was determined using DNA PCR at birth, and at 1, 2 and 4 months of life. Results:  Between February 2016 and November 2017, 154 pregnant women on ART were enrolled into the study with a median CD4 cell count and plasma HIV-1 RNA level of 382 cells/mm 3 and 4.0 log 10 copies/mL, respectively. The three-drug combination consisted of either a lopinavir/ritonavir- (53%) or efavirenz-based (43%) regimen. Median GA at time of RAL initiation was 34 weeks (interquartile range [IQR] 33-36) and median duration was 21 days (IQR 8-34). The proportion of women who had a plasma HIV-1 RNA <50 and <1000 copies/mL at delivery was 45% and 76%, respectively. There were six infants with HIV infection, three in utero and three peripartum. Overall vertical transmission rate was 3.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-8.2). Conclusion:  The majority of high-risk pregnant women living with HIV-1 who had received RAL intensification achieved viral suppression at delivery with a relatively low rate of vertical transmission. This intensification strategy represents an option for prevention in HIV-positive women at high risk of vertical transmission.

Motion Based Target Acquisition and Evaluation in an Adaptive Machine Vision System

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-05-01

paths in facial recognition and learning. Annals of Neurology, 22, 41-45. Tolman, E.C. (1932) Purposive behavior in Animals and Men. New York: Appleton...Learned scan paths are the active processes of perception. Rizzo et al. (1987) studied the fixation patterns of two patients with impaired facial ... recognition and learning and found an increase in the randomness of the scan patterns compared to controls, indicating that the cortex was failing to direct

The Role of Attention in Information Processing Implications for the Design of Displays

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

processing system. Psychological Review, J, 214-255. Neisser , U . (1967). Cognitive Rsycholo&X. New York, NY: Appleton- Century-Crofts. Neisser , U . (1969...in the visual display is now an important part of a number of attention models. A related model suggested by Neisser (1967) is that successful...to filter attenuation theory have been proposed by Neisser (1967, 1969). According to Neisser’s theory, selective attention is an active process of

Submarine Warfare in the 20th & 21st Centuries: A Bibliography

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-12-01

International studies series ser. no. 02-019). 49 p. Bailey, Thomas Andrew and Paul B. Ryan. The Lusitania disaster: an episode in modern warfare and...verlagshandlung, 1939. 212 p. Ellis, Frederick D. The tragedy of the Lusitania : embracing authentic stories by the survivors and eye-witnesses of the disaster...warfare; a study of its methods and spirit, including the crime of the " Lusitania ," a record of observations and evidence. New York, London, D. Appleton

Active Urbanization and Channel Adjustment in Apple Creek, Appleton, WI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, J. J.

2002-12-01

Headwaters of the Apple Creek watershed have been and continue to be rapidly developed as part of the City of Appleton's long-term growth plan. Concurrent with early development, and prior to development over the past 4 years, two regional stormwater management facilities were constructed. Cross-sectional surveys and core transects were used to determine channel response to urbanization mitigated by stormwater management. The reach immediately downstream of the first pond complex has a narrow, but well established, wooded riparian zone and has not changed in size or shape over the past two years. An engineered reach approximately one mile downstream, however has exhibited widespread bed aggradation. Cross-sectional area decreased an average of 51% over the past four years. Despite the use of sediment and erosion control BMPs, sediment concentrations exceeding 1000 mg/L during base flow are not uncommon downstream of construction sites adjacent to the stream. The artificially widened channel, a reduction in stream gradient, and the backwater effect from downstream ponds caused much of this sediment to remain within the engineered reach. It is estimated that approximately 21,000 Mg of sediment is stored in this mile-long reach. As this sediment migrates downstream, the forebay of the second set of stormwater ponds will begin to fill, reducing storage capacity and thereby limiting its effectiveness in mitigating peak discharges and sequestering nutrients.

Neutron scattering measurements of carbon dioxide adsorption in pores within the Marcellus Shale: Implications for sequestration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stefanopoulos, Konstantinos L.; Youngs, Tristan G. A.; Sakurovs, Richard; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Bahadur, Jitendra; Melnichenko, Yuri B.

2017-01-01

Shale is an increasingly viable source of natural gas and a potential candidate for geologic CO2sequestration. Understanding the gas adsorption behavior on shale is necessary for the design of optimal gas recovery and sequestration projects. In the present study neutron diffraction and small-angle neutron scattering measurements of adsorbed CO2 in Marcellus Shale samples were conducted on the Near and InterMediate Range Order Diffractometer (NIMROD) at the ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory along an adsorption isotherm of 22 °C and pressures of 25 and 40 bar. Additional measurements were conducted at approximately 22 and 60 °C at the same pressures on the General-Purpose Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (GP-SANS) instrument at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The structures investigated (pores) for CO2 adsorption range in size from Å level to ∼50 nm. The results indicate that, using the conditions investigated densification or condensation effects occurred in all accessible pores. The data suggest that at 22 °C the CO2 has liquid-like properties when confined in pores of around 1 nm radius at pressures as low as 25 bar. Many of the 2.5 nm pores, 70% of 2 nm pores, most of the <1 nm pores, and all pores <0.25 nm, are inaccessible or closed to CO2, suggesting that despite the vast numbers of micropores in shale, the micropores will be unavailable for storage for geologic CO2 sequestration.

Lyme Disease (For Kids)

MedlinePlus

... side or close that eye. This is called Bell's palsy, or facial nerve paralysis (say: puh-RAL-uh- ... purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995- The Nemours Foundation. All ...

The association between shallow vestibular depth and peri-implant parameters: a retrospective 6 years longitudinal study.

PubMed

Halperin-Sternfeld, Michal; Zigdon-Giladi, Hadar; Machtei, Eli E

2016-03-01

The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the association between shallow vestibular depth (VD) and peri-implant parameters. Peri-implant parameters were evaluated in 61 periodontal patients under regular supportive periodontal therapy. Clinical parameters included gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), peri-implant pocket depths (PPD), mucosal recession (MR), relative attachment level (RAL), width and thickness of keratinized mucosa (KMW, KMT) and VD. Radiographic bone level (RBL) was measured on peri-apical radiographs. Sites with shallow VD (≤ 4 mm) were associated with higher MR (0.91 mm versus 0.47 mm, p ≤ 0.009), higher RAL (4.23 mm versus 3.59 mm, p ≤ 0.0001) and higher RBL (2.18 mm versus 1.7 mm, p = 0.05) when compared with adequate vestibular depth sites (VD > 4 mm). Moreover, sites with shallow VD presented lower KMW compared with sites with adequate VD (1.24 mm versus 2.38 mm, respectively, p ≤ 0.0001). Slightly greater BOP, and GI were recorded for the shallow VD compared with adequate sites. According to multivariate analysis, factors that could predict RAL included: VD, GI, age, supporting periodontal therapy, implant type and design. Based on this study, inadequate vestibular depth around dental implants may be associated with increased peri-implant bone loss and mucosal recession. Further prospective and intervention studies will be required to fully understand this phenomenon. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Common HEP UNIX Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taddei, Arnaud

After it had been decided to design a common user environment for UNIX platforms among HEP laboratories, a joint project between DESY and CERN had been started. The project consists in 2 phases: 1. Provide a common user environment at shell level, 2. Provide a common user environment at graphical level (X11). Phase 1 is in production at DESY and at CERN as well as at PISA and RAL. It has been developed around the scripts originally designed at DESY Zeuthen improved and extended with a 2 months project at CERN with a contribution from DESY Hamburg. It consists of a set of files which are customizing the environment for the 6 main shells (sh, csh, ksh, bash, tcsh, zsh) on the main platforms (AIX, HP-UX, IRIX, SunOS, Solaris 2, OSF/1, ULTRIX, etc.) and it is divided at several "sociological" levels: HEP, site, machine, cluster, group of users and user with some levels which are optional. The second phase is under design and a first proposal has been published. A first version of the phase 2 exists already for AIX and Solaris, and it should be available for all other platforms, by the time of the conference. This is a major collective work between several HEP laboratories involved in the HEPiX-scripts and HEPiX-X11 working-groups.

European Scientific Notes. Volume 34. Number 5,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-31

rrr--England4s Cold WLnter of 1978-79 N.V. Burt 214 Appleton Lab Looks to the Future P. Fire 216 Ii]i 10 m Allen Clark Research Centre- Plessey Rsearch ...activities range (MTR) facilities, Dr. J.R ’Nor- will continue at Slough in support of bury has designed and begun to operate work which is now going... experimental link at Slough upper-atmosphere balloon projects, has been operated under computer con- about 10 deal with ionospheric propaga- trol at

Theory and Evaluation of Battlefield Visualization in Context

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

Georgia, 15-19 Oct 2000. SA Technologies, Inc. Neisser , U . (1967). Cognitive Psychology. Appleton-Century-Crofts: New York. Novak, J. and Wurst, M...On the other hand, reflective cognition is the term used in cognitive psychology ( Neisser , 1967) to describe conscious and thoughtful reaction to...Situation Awareness Model I n f o r m a t i o n B o u n d a r i e s 2009 ICCRTS, Washington, DC, June 15-17 Situation Und erst and ing Situation Awa

Shaking up the Joint? When Mark Chassin takes over as president of the Joint Commission next year, sources say, don't expect business as usual.

PubMed

Robeznieks, Andis

2007-08-06

The Joint Commission named Mark Chassin as its new president last week. He will take the reins from Dennis O'Leary on Jan. 1. John Toussaint, left, president of ThedaCare in Appleton, Wis., says Chassin has his work cut out for him at the Joint Commission. "The idea of compliance with processes that aren't working, in my opinion, needs to change".

Developing fine-pixel CdTe detectors for the next generation of high-resolution hard x-ray telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christe, Steven

Over the past decade, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has been improving the angular resolution of hard X-ray (HXR; 20 "70 keV) optics to the point that we now routinely manufacture optics modules with an angular resolution of 20 arcsec Half Power Diameter (HDP), almost three times the performance of NuSTAR optics (Ramsey et al. 2013; Gubarev et al. 2013a; Atkins et al. 2013). New techniques are currently being developed to provide even higher angular resolution. High angular resolution HXR optics require detectors with a large number of fine pixels in order to adequately sample the telescope point spread function (PSF) over the entire field of view. Excessively over-sampling the PSF will increase readout noise and require more processing with no appreciable increase in image quality. An appropriate level of over-sampling is to have 3 pixels within the HPD. For the HERO mirrors, where the HPD is 26 arcsec over a 6-m focal length converts to 750 μm, the optimum pixel size is around 250 μm. At a 10-m focal length these detectors can support a 16 arcsec HPD. Of course, the detectors must also have high efficiency in the HXR region, good energy resolution, low background, low power requirements, and low sensitivity to radiation damage (Ramsey 2001). The ability to handle high counting rates is also desirable for efficient calibration. A collaboration between Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), MSFC, and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) in the UK is developing precisely such detectors under an ongoing, funded APRA program (FY2015 to FY2017). The detectors use the RALdeveloped Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) dubbed HEXITEC, for High Energy X-Ray Imaging Technology. These HEXITEC ASICs can be bonded to 1- or 2- mm-thick Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) or Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride (CZT) to create a fine (250 μm pitch) HXR detector (Jones et al. 2009; Seller et al. 2011). The objectives of this funded effort are to develop and test a HEXITEC-based detector system through the (1) design, manufacture, and test of front-end electronics instrument boards and (2) calibration of the detectors to assess their performance and (3) vibration and environmental testing. By the end of this program, multiple detector assemblies will be built and characterized, and can be used as part of future instruments. We propose to augment the existing effort with the development of an anti-coincidence shield for these HEXITEC-based detector assemblies to maximize sensitivity. Designing the anti-coincidence shield is enabled by the addition of a new team member, Wayne Baumgartner, who has recently and fortuitously joined the existing effort. Dr. Baumgartner has valuable and relevant past experience with a similar shield systems developed for NuSTAR and the InFOCμS x-ray telescope. We are asking for a modest amount of additional funding in this proposal year, as it coincides with a key time in the characterization and environmental testing of the detector assemblies. Characterization and environmental testing of the bare assemblies is already funded under the current effort. The addition of this active shield will allow for a more complete detector module vibration and environment test at the end of the existing development program so that this project results in a detector system with a demonstrated TRL of 6: "System/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment."

Fabrication, Testing and Modeling of the MICE Superconducting Spectrometer Solenoids

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

Virostek, S.P.; Green, M.A.; Trillaud, F.

2010-05-16

The Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE), an international collaboration sited at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK, will demonstrate ionization cooling in a section of realistic cooling channel using a muon beam. A five-coil superconducting spectrometer solenoid magnet will provide a 4 tesla uniform field region at each end of the cooling channel. Scintillating fiber trackers within the 400 mm diameter magnet bore tubes measure the emittance of the beam as it enters and exits the cooling channel. Each of the identical 3-meter long magnets incorporates a three-coil spectrometer magnet section and a two-coil section to match the solenoid uniformmore » field into the other magnets of the MICE cooling channel. The cold mass, radiation shield and leads are currently kept cold by means of three two-stage cryocoolers and one single-stage cryocooler. Liquid helium within the cold mass is maintained by means of a re-condensation technique. After incorporating several design changes to improve the magnet cooling and reliability, the fabrication and acceptance testing of the spectrometer solenoids have proceeded. The key features of the spectrometer solenoid magnets, the development of a thermal model, the results of the recently completed tests, and the current status of the project are presented.« less

MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF RARE EARTH ALUMINUM COMPOUNDS WITH MgCu$sub 2$ STRUCTURE

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

Williams, H.J.; Wernick, J.H.; Nesbitt, E.A.

1962-03-01

The magnetic moments of some RAl/sub 2/ (R = rare earth element) cubic Laves phase compounds were measured at temperatures from 1.4 to 300 deg K. The measurements indicate that the spin moments of the rare earth ions are coupled ferromagnetically. The Curie points of the RAl/sub 2/ compounds are found to be uniformly higher than the corresponding Laves compounds, ROs/sub 2/, Rlr/sub 2/ and RRu/sub 2/. Solid solutions of some of the compounds were also investigated. For example, in the Gd/sub x/Pr/sub (1-x)/Al/sub 2/ compounds, the magnetic moments of the Gd ions are antiparallel to those of the Prmore » ions because J is antiparallel to S in the ground state of the Pr ion. Compensation points were observed in this system. (auth)« less

Direct, Differential Effects of Tamoxifen, 4-Hydroxytamoxifen, and Raloxifene on Cardiac Myocyte Contractility and Calcium Handling

PubMed Central

Asp, Michelle L.; Martindale, Joshua J.; Metzger, Joseph M.

2013-01-01

Tamoxifen (Tam), a selective estrogen receptor modulator, is in wide clinical use for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. High Tam doses have been used for treatment of gliomas and cancers with multiple drug resistance, but long QT Syndrome is a side effect. Tam is also used experimentally in mice for inducible gene knockout in numerous tissues, including heart; however, the potential direct effects of Tam on cardiac myocyte mechanical function are not known. The goal of this study was to determine the direct, acute effects of Tam, its active metabolite 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4OHT), and related drug raloxifene (Ral) on isolated rat cardiac myocyte mechanical function and calcium handling. Tam decreased contraction amplitude, slowed relaxation, and decreased Ca2+ transient amplitude. Effects were primarily observed at 5 and 10 μM Tam, which is relevant for high dose Tam treatment in cancer patients as well as Tam-mediated gene excision in mice. Myocytes treated with 4OHT responded similarly to Tam-treated cells with regard to both contractility and calcium handling, suggesting an estrogen-receptor independent mechanism is responsible for the effects. In contrast, Ral increased contraction and Ca2+ transient amplitudes. At 10 μM, all drugs had a time-dependent effect to abolish cellular contraction. In conclusion, Tam, 4OHT, and Ral adversely and differentially alter cardiac myocyte contractility and Ca2+ handling. These findings have important implications for understanding the Tam-induced cardiomyopathy in gene excision studies and may be important for understanding effects on cardiac performance in patients undergoing high-dose Tam therapy. PMID:24205315

Multilabel learning via random label selection for protein subcellular multilocations prediction.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao; Li, Guo-Zheng

2013-01-01

Prediction of protein subcellular localization is an important but challenging problem, particularly when proteins may simultaneously exist at, or move between, two or more different subcellular location sites. Most of the existing protein subcellular localization methods are only used to deal with the single-location proteins. In the past few years, only a few methods have been proposed to tackle proteins with multiple locations. However, they only adopt a simple strategy, that is, transforming the multilocation proteins to multiple proteins with single location, which does not take correlations among different subcellular locations into account. In this paper, a novel method named random label selection (RALS) (multilabel learning via RALS), which extends the simple binary relevance (BR) method, is proposed to learn from multilocation proteins in an effective and efficient way. RALS does not explicitly find the correlations among labels, but rather implicitly attempts to learn the label correlations from data by augmenting original feature space with randomly selected labels as its additional input features. Through the fivefold cross-validation test on a benchmark data set, we demonstrate our proposed method with consideration of label correlations obviously outperforms the baseline BR method without consideration of label correlations, indicating correlations among different subcellular locations really exist and contribute to improvement of prediction performance. Experimental results on two benchmark data sets also show that our proposed methods achieve significantly higher performance than some other state-of-the-art methods in predicting subcellular multilocations of proteins. The prediction web server is available at >http://levis.tongji.edu.cn:8080/bioinfo/MLPred-Euk/ for the public usage.

Relationships between IgE/IgG4 Epitopes, Structure and Function in Anisakis simplex Ani s 5, a Member of the SXP/RAL-2 Protein Family

PubMed Central

García-Mayoral, María Flor; Treviño, Miguel Angel; Pérez-Piñar, Teresa; Caballero, María Luisa; Knaute, Tobias; Umpierrez, Ana

2014-01-01

Background Anisakiasis is a re-emerging global disease caused by consumption of raw or lightly cooked fish contaminated with L3 Anisakis larvae. This zoonotic disease is characterized by severe gastrointestinal and/or allergic symptoms which may misdiagnosed as appendicitis, gastric ulcer or other food allergies. The Anisakis allergen Ani s 5 is a protein belonging to the SXP/RAL-2 family; it is detected exclusively in nematodes. Previous studies showed that SXP/RAL-2 proteins are active antigens; however, their structure and function remain unknown. The aim of this study was to elucidate the three-dimensional structure of Ani s 5 and its main IgE and IgG4 binding regions. Methodology/Principal Findings The tertiary structure of recombinant Ani s 5 in solution was solved by nuclear magnetic resonance. Mg2+, but not Ca2+, binding was determined by band shift using SDS-PAGE. IgE and IgG4 epitopes were elucidated by microarray immunoassay and SPOTs membranes using sera from nine Anisakis allergic patients. The tertiary structure of Ani s 5 is composed of six alpha helices (H), with a Calmodulin like fold. H3 is a long, central helix that organizes the structure, with H1 and H2 packing at its N-terminus and H4 and H5 packing at its C-terminus. The orientation of H6 is undefined. Regarding epitopes recognized by IgE and IgG4 immunoglobulins, the same eleven peptides derived from Ani s 5 were bound by both IgE and IgG4. Peptides 14 (L40-K59), 26 (A76-A95) and 35 (I103-D122) were recognized by three out of nine sera. Conclusions/Significance This is the first reported 3D structure of an Anisakis allergen. Magnesium ion binding and structural resemblance to Calmodulin, suggest some putative functions for SXP/RAL-2 proteins. Furthermore, the IgE/IgG4 binding regions of Ani s 5 were identified as segments localized on its surface. These data will contribute towards a better understanding of the interactions that occur between immunoglobulins and allergens and, in turn, facilitate the design of novel diagnostic tests and immunotherapeutic strategies. PMID:24603892

HIV lipodystrophy in participants randomised to lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) +2-3 nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (N(t)RTI) or LPV/r + raltegravir as second-line antiretroviral therapy.

PubMed

Martin, Allison; Moore, Cecilia L; Mallon, Patrick W G; Hoy, Jennifer F; Emery, Sean; Belloso, Waldo H; Phanuphak, Praphan; Ferret, Samuel; Cooper, David A; Boyd, Mark A

2013-01-01

To compare changes over 48 weeks in body fat, lipids, Metabolic Syndrome and cardiovascular disease risk between patients randomised 1:1 to lopinavir/ritonavir (r/LPV) plus raltegravir (RAL) compared to r/LPV plus 2-3 nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (N(t)RTIs) as second-line therapy. Participants were HIV-1 positive (>16 years) failing first-line treatment (2 consecutive HIV RNA >500 copies/mL) of NNRTI +2N(t)RTI. Whole body dual energy x-ray absorptiometry was performed at baseline and week 48. Data were obtained to calculate the Metabolic Syndrome and Framingham cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk score. Linear regression was used to compare mean differences between arms. Logistic regression compared incidence of metabolic syndrome. Associations between percent limb fat changes at 48 weeks with baseline variables were assessed by backward stepwise multivariate linear regression. Analyses were adjusted for gender, body mass index and smoking status. 210 participants were randomised. The mean (95% CI) increase in limb fat over 48 weeks was 15.7% (5.3, 25.9) or 0.9 kg (0.2, 1.5) in the r/LPV+N(t)RTI arm and 21.1% (11.1, 31,1) or 1.3 kg (0.7, 1.9) in the r/LPV+RAL arm, with no significant difference between treatment arms (-5.4% [-0.4 kg], p>0.1). Increases in total body fat mass (kg) and trunk fat mass (kg) were also similar between groups. Total:HDL cholesterol ratio was significantly higher in the RAL arm (mean difference -0.4 (1.4); p = 0.03), there were no other differences in lipid parameters between treatment arms. There were no statistically significant differences in CVD risk or incidence of Metabolic Syndrome between the two treatment arms. The baseline predictors of increased limb fat were high viral load, high insulin and participant's not taking lipid lowering treatment. In patients switching to second line therapy, r/LPV combined with RAL demonstrated similar improvements in limb fat as an N(t)RTI + r/LPV regimen, but a worse total:HDL cholesterol ratio over 48 weeks. This clinical trial is registered on Clinicaltrials.gov, registry number NCT00931463 http://clinicaltrials.gov/ ct2/show/NCT00931463?term = NCT00931463&rank = 1.

A Concept Exploration Program in Fast Ignition Inertial Fusion — Final Report

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

Stephens, Richarad Burnite; Freeman, Richard R.; Van Woekom, L. D.

The Fast Ignition (FI) approach to Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) holds particular promise for fusion energy because the independently generated compression and ignition pulses allow ignition with less compression, resulting in (potentially) higher gain. Exploiting this concept effectively requires an understanding of the transport of electrons in prototypical geometries and at relevant densities and temperatures. Our consortium, which included General Atomics (GA), The Ohio State University (OSU), the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), University of California, Davis (UC-Davis), and Princeton University under this grant (~$850K/yr) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) under a companion grant, won awards in 2000,more » renewed in 2005, to investigate the physics of electron injection and transport relevant to the FI concept, which is crucial to understand electron transport in integral FI targets. In the last two years we have also been preparing diagnostics and starting to extend the work to electron transport into hot targets. A complementary effort, the Advanced Concept Exploration (ACE) program for Fast Ignition, was funded starting in 2006 to integrate this understanding into ignition schemes specifically suitable for the initial fast ignition attempts on OMEGA and National Ignition Facility (NIF), and during that time these two programs have been managed as a coordinated effort. This result of our 7+ years of effort has been substantial. Utilizing collaborations to access the most capable laser facilities around the world, we have developed an understanding that was summarized in a Fusion Science & Technology 2006, Special Issue on Fast Ignition. The author lists in the 20 articles in that issue are dominated by our group (we are first authors in four of them). Our group has published, or submitted 67 articles, including 1 in Nature, 2 Nature Physics, 10 Physical Review Letters, 8 Review of Scientific Instruments, and has been invited to give numerous talks at national and international conferences (including APS-DPP, IAEA, FIW). The advent of PW capabilities – at Rutherford Appleton Lab (UK) and then at Titan (LLNL) (2005 and 2006, respectively), was a major step toward experiments in ultra-high intensity high-energy FI relevant regime. The next step comes with the activation of OMEGA EP at LLE, followed shortly by NIF-ARC at LLNL. These capabilities allow production of hot dense material for electron transport studies. In this transitional period, considerable effort has been spent in developing the necessary tools and experiments for electron transport in hot and dense plasmas. In addition, substantial new data on electron generation and transport in metallic targets has been produced and analyzed. Progress in FI detailed in §2 is related to the Concept Exploration Program (CEP) objectives; this section is a summary of the publications and presentations listed in §5. This work has benefited from the synergy with work on related Department of Energy (DOE) grants, the Fusion Science Center and the Fast Ignition Advanced Concept Exploration grant, and from our interactions with overseas colleagues, primarily at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK, and the Institute for Laser Engineering in Japan.« less

Acute HIV infection (AHI) in a specialized clinical setting: case-finding, description of virological, epidemiological and clinical characteristics.

PubMed

Ammassari, Adriana; Abbate, Isabella; Orchi, Nicoletta; Pinnetti, Carmela; Rozera, Gabriella; Libertone, Raffaella; Pierro, Paola; Martini, Federico; Puro, Vincenzo; Girardi, Enrico; Antinori, Andrea; Capobianchi, Maria Rosaria

2014-01-01

Diagnosis of HIV infection during early stages is mandatory to catch up with the challenge of limiting HIV viral replication and reservoirs formation, as well as decreasing HIV transmissions by immediate cART initiation. Aims were to describe (a) virological characteristics of AHI identified, (b) epidemiological and clinical factors associated with being diagnosed with AHI. Cross-sectional, retrospective study. All individuals diagnosed with AHI according to Fiebig's staging between Jan 2013 and Mar 2014 at the INMI "L. Spallanzani" were included. Serum samples reactive to a fourth generation HIV-1/2 assay (Architect HIV Ag/Ab Combo, Abbott) were retested with another fourth generation assay (VIDAS DUO HIV Ultra, Biomérieux) and underwent confirmation with HIV-1 WB (New Lav I Bio-Rad) and/or with Geenius confirmatory assay (Bio-Rad). WHO criteria (two env products reactivity) were used to establish positivity of confirmatory assays. In case of clinically suspected AHI, HIV-1 RNA (Real time, Abbott) and p24 assay (VIDAS HIV P24 Bio-Rad) were also performed. Avidity test was carried out, on confirmed positive samples lacking p31 reactivity, to discriminate between recent (true Fiebig V phase) and late infections; to avoid possible misclassifications, clinical data were also used. Demographic, epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data are routinely, and anonymously recorded in the SENDIH and SIREA studies. During the study period, we observed 483 newly HIV diagnosed individuals, of whom 40 were identified as AHI (8.3%). Fiebig classification showed: 7 stage II/III, 13 stage IV, 20 stage V. Demographic, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics of patients are shown in the Table. Overall, the study population had a median S/Co ratio at fourth generation EIA (Architect) of 49.50 (IQR, 23.54-98.05): values were significantly lower in Fiebig II-IV than in Fiebig V (38.68 [IQR, 20.08-54.84] vs 75.72 [IQR, 42.66-249.80], p=0.01). Overall, median HIV-1 RNA was 5.44 log copies/mL (IQR, 4.29-6.18) and the value observed in Fiebig phase II-IV was higher than that found in Fiebig stage V (6.10 [IQR, 5.49-7.00] vs 4.69 [3.71-5.44], p<0.001). Median CD4+ cell count was 596/mmc (IQR, 410-737). cART was started in 26 patients: TDF/FTC/DRV/r/RAL=18; TDF/FTC/DRV/r=2; TDF/FTC/ATV/r=2; TDF+FTC+EFV=2; TDF/FTC/RAL=1; DRV/r+RAL=1. Integration of careful epidemiological investigation, partner notification, and technical advances in virological testing are key elements in AHI case-finding. Significant differences were found between Fiebig stages II-IV and Fiebig V with regard to virological exams.

Human Operator Control Strategy Model.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

of attention. In S. Kornblum (Ed.), Attention and performance IV. New York: Academic Press, 1973. Neisser , U . Cognitive psychology. New York: Appleton...AD-AO84 695 GEORGIA INST OF TECH ATLANTA ENGINEERING EXPRIMENT -ETC FIG 5/9 HIMAM OPERA OR CONTROL STR TEGY MODEL. ( U ) APR 80 H F ENGLER, E L...EEEEEEEEEEEEEE. AFIIRL-𔃻-79-60 AIR FOR E i11A OPERHA MRI (A)NIE0, 1~) .1, 10- H Ed .I a e.l U jigim-ring [ill- fitu, ,,l-l4mhJ A %dllat .t.,-,r ia

Propagation Modelling and Decision Aids for Communications, Radar and Navigation Systems (La Modelisation de la Propagation et Aides a la Decision Pour les Sysemes de elecommunicaions, de Radar et de Navigation)

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-09-01

the refractive index i. can be density, temperature , ion composition, ionospheric determined from a simplified form of the Appleton- electric field...see Cannon 119941. the electron density profile is based upon the underlying neutral composition. temperature and wind together with electric field...in many of the newer HF predictions decision software , NSSDC/WDC-A-R&S 90-19, National Space aids. They also provide a very useful stand alone

Management of the ventriculo-peritoneal shunt in pediatric patients during robot-assisted laparoscopic urologic procedures.

PubMed

Marchetti, Pablo; Razmaria, Aria; Zagaja, Greg P; Gundeti, Mohan S

2011-02-01

Infection or malfunction of ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunts is a severe complication during laparoscopic surgery involving the gastrointestinal or urinary tract. It has been recently suggested to externalize the shunt or convert into a ventriculo-atrial shunt to prevent this complication with laparoscopic approach. Herein, we present a novel technique for management of the VP shunt during robot-assisted laparoscopic (RAL) urologic procedures. After port placement and diagnostic peritoneoscopy, an Endopouch bag (Ethicon Endo-Surgery) was inserted into the peritoneal cavity and the distal end of the shunt was placed into the pouch. The Endopouch suture was synched around the shunt and the pouch was placed in the subhepatic space during the surgery. The intraperitoneal pressure was maintained at 12 mm Hg during the entire procedure. Metronidazole, gentamicin, and vancomycin were administered as prophylaxis. Following the completion of the surgery and profuse irrigation of the peritoneal cavity, the shunt was repositioned within the peritoneum. We evaluated perioperative shunt-related complications. We used this technique in four patients with VP shunt undergoing RAL cystoplasty and appendicovesicostomy and/or colonic enema channel formation. The average age of the patient at surgery was 10.8 (7-14) years. One patient was converted to open because of failure to progress due to multiple adhesions and the shunt was externalized temporarily. At a mean follow-up of 13 (3-20) months, no shunt-related complications were seen. In our preliminary experience, the use of an intracorporeal Endopouch bag with controlled pneumoperitoneal pressure to protect the VP shunt may be an effective alternative to prevent complications related to it during RAL urologic surgery involving the gastrointestinal or urinary tract. Further studies will be needed to confirm our results.

Effectiveness and Risk Factors for Virological Outcome of Raltegravir-Based Therapy for Treatment-Experienced HIV-Infected Patients.

PubMed

Mata-Marín, José Antonio; Smeke, Ariane Estrella Weiser; Rodriguez, Mariana Rotzinger; Chávez-García, Marcelino; Banda-Lara, Marco Isaac; Rios, Alma Minerva Pérez; Nuñez-Rodríguez, Nohemí; Domínguez-Hermosillo, Juan Carlos; Sánchez, Alberto Chaparro; Juarez-Kasusky, Irene; Herrera, Javier Enrique Cruz; Ramírez, Jorge Luis Sandoval; Gaytán-Martínez, Jesús

2017-03-01

We evaluated the effectiveness of a raltegravir (RAL)-containing regimen plus an optimized background regimen in HIV-1 highly treatment-experienced patients. A retrospective cohort, multicentre study was conducted. Adult (>16 years old) HIV treatment-experience patients starting therapy with a RAL-containing regimen were included. Effectiveness was evaluated as the percentage of patients with an undetectable HIV-1 RNA viral load (<50 and <200 copies/mL) after 48 weeks, and changes in CD4+ cell counts. We evaluated the risk factors associated with treatment failure. Of the 107 patients in the cohort, 86% were men, the median age was 45 years [interquartile range (IQR) 40-52] and the median number of previous regimens was six (IQR 4-7). After 48 weeks of treatment, 73% (IQR 63-80%) of patients (n = 78) had a viral load of <50 copies/mL and 85% (IQR 77-90%) (n = 91) had <200 copies/mL. In a logistic regression model, risk factors associated with a virological outcome of HIV-1 RNA of <200 copies/mL were age >40 years [odds ratio (OR) 5.61; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.61-18.84; P = 0.006] and use of tenofovir in the regimen (OR 0.16; 95% CI 0.03-0.80; P = 0.026). In this Mexican cohort, RAL achieved high rates of virological suppression and an increase in CD4+ cell count in highly treatment-experienced patients infected with HIV-1. Age >40 years was associated with a good virological outcome, contrary to tenofovir use, which was associated with a poor virological outcome.

Evaluation of Turmeric Chip Compared with Chlorhexidine Chip as a Local Drug Delivery Agent in the Treatment of Chronic Periodontitis: A Split Mouth Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Singh, Abhilasha; Sridhar, Raja; Shrihatti, Ravi; Mandloy, Akash

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect of chlorhexidine (CHX) chip and turmeric chip as a local drug delivery (LDD) agent in the treatment of patients with chronic periodontitis. A total of 120 sites with pocket depths 5-8 mm were chosen as a split mouth design at 3 sites in the same patient. Selected sites were randomly divided into three groups to receive CHX chip in addition to scaling and root planing (SRP) in group A, turmeric chip in addition to SRP in group B, and SRP only in group C. Clinical parameters, that is, plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth (PPD), and relative attachment level (RAL) were recorded at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months interval. On applying statistical analysis, results revealed that there was a significant reduction in all the clinical parameters, that is, PI, GI, PPD, and gain in RAL from baseline to 1 month and 3 months in all the three groups. These results were found to be significantly high in the CHX group and turmeric group than in the SRP group. Also, the results in both the test groups were maintained till the end of the study periods, but SRP group showed a significant deterioration after 1 month as was seen by increase in PPD and decrease in RAL scores after 3 months in the SRP group. Both the treatment modalities with the application of LDD as an adjunct to SRP proved to be equally beneficial in the treatment of chronic periodontitis.

Fresh from the Ornamental Garden: Hips of Selected Rose Cultivars Rich in Phytonutrients.

PubMed

Cunja, Vlasta; Mikulic-Petkovsek, Maja; Weber, Nika; Jakopic, Jerneja; Zupan, Anka; Veberic, Robert; Stampar, Franci; Schmitzer, Valentina

2016-02-01

Morphological parameters (size, weight, color), the content of sugars, organic acids, lycopene, β-carotene, and phenolics were determined in hips of Rosa canina (RCA), Rosa sweginzowii (RSW), Rosa rugosa (RUG), and selected ornamental Rosa cultivars Fru Dagmar Hastrup (FDH), Repandia (REP), Veilchenblau (RVB), Aloha (RAL), Bonica (BON), and Golden Gate (RGG). Although traditionally used RCA hips contained the highest amount of cyanidin-3-glucoside (83 μg/g DW) and were the reddest (h° = 17.5), they did not stand out in other analyzed parameters. RGG climber had the biggest hips (8.86 g), which also contained highest sugar levels (50.9 g/100 g DW). RAL stood out as the cultivar rich in organic acids (33.9 g/100 g DW), mainly because of high quinic acid content (17.6 g/100g DW). FDH and RSW hips were characterized by particularly high ascorbic acid levels (4325 mg/100 g DW and 4711 mg/100 g DW). Other ornamental cultivars contained low amounts of ascorbic acid compared to the analyzed species. The phenolic profile was species/cultivars-specific. The greatest diversity of phenolic compounds was detected in RUG and FDH hips (55 and 54 different tentatively identified compounds with HPLC/MS). Flavanols represented the main phenolic class in most of the investigated species/cultivars and RGG hips contained the highest amount of catechin and proanthocyandin derivatives (15855 μg/g DW). Altogether RAL hips contained the highest quantity of phenolics (44746 μg/g DW) mainly due to high levels of hydrolysable tannins compared to other species/cultivars. Although small, hips of BON and REP were most abundant regarding β-carotene and lycopene content, respectively. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

The Visual Cycle in the Inner Retina of Chicken and the Involvement of Retinal G-Protein-Coupled Receptor (RGR).

PubMed

Díaz, Nicolás M; Morera, Luis P; Tempesti, Tomas; Guido, Mario E

2017-05-01

The vertebrate retina contains typical photoreceptor (PR) cones and rods responsible for day/night vision, respectively, and intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) involved in the regulation of non-image-forming tasks. Rhodopsin/cone opsin photopigments in visual PRs or melanopsin (Opn4) in ipRGCs utilizes retinaldehyde as a chromophore. The retinoid regeneration process denominated as "visual cycle" involves the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) or Müller glial cells. Opn4, on the contrary, has been characterized as a bi/tristable photopigment, in which a photon of one wavelength isomerizes 11-cis to all-trans retinal (Ral), with a second photon re-isomerizing it back. However, it is unknown how the chromophore is further metabolized in the inner retina. Nor is it yet clear whether an alternative secondary cycle occurs involving players such as the retinal G-protein-coupled receptor (RGR), a putative photoisomerase of unidentified inner retinal activity. Here, we investigated the role of RGR in retinoid photoisomerization in Opn4x (Xenopus ortholog) (+) RGC primary cultures free of RPE and other cells from chicken embryonic retinas. Opn4x (+) RGCs display significant photic responses by calcium fluorescent imaging and photoisomerize exogenous all-trans to 11-cis Ral and other retinoids. RGR was found to be expressed in developing retina and in primary cultures; when its expression was knocked down, the levels of 11-cis, all-trans Ral, and all-trans retinol in cultures exposed to light were significantly higher and those in all-trans retinyl esters lower than in dark controls. The results support a novel role for RGR in ipRGCs to modulate retinaldehyde levels in light, keeping the balance of inner retinal retinoid pools.

Efficacy of platelet rich fibrin in the treatment of human intrabony defects with or without bone graft: A randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Chandradas, Nikhil D.; Ravindra, Shivamurthy; Rangaraju, Vivekananda M.; Jain, Sheetal; Dasappa, Shivaprasad

2016-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of platelet rich fibrin (PRF) with or without bone graft [demineralized bone matrix (DBM) graft] in the treatment of intrabony defects based on clinical and radiographic parameters. Materials and Methods: Thirty six intrabony defects in 36 patients were randomly divided into three different groups and were treated with group A (PRF with DBM) or group B (PRF alone) or group C [open flap debridement (OFD)]. Clinical parameters such as plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), relative attachment level (RAL), and gingival recession (GR) were assessed at baseline and 9 months postoperatively; radiographic parameters such as linear bone growth (LBG) and percentage in bone fill (%BF) were calculated by using the image analysis software. Comparisons of groups were analyzed using Kruskal–Wallis analysis of variance test. Pair-wise comparison of groups was done by Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Mean PD reduction and RAL gain were greater in group A (4.25 ± 1.48, 3.92 ± 0.90) and group B (3.82 ± 0.75, 3.27 ± 0.65) than control (3.00 ± 1.21, 2.25 ± 0.62). Furthermore, statistically significant improvement in LBG and %BF was found in group A (3.47 ± 0.53, 61.53 ± 4.54) compared to group B (2.55 ± 0.61, 49.60 ± 14.08) and group C (1.21 ± 0.80, 24.69 ± 15.59). Conclusions: The study demonstrated that PRF improves clinical and radiological parameters compared to OFD alone in intrabony defects. Addition of DBM enhances the effects of PRF in RAL gain and radiographic defect fill. PMID:27652249

Investigation of Mesospheric Metal Emission Signals from SCIAMACHY Limb Measurements

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-31

Mg seasonal variations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 5.3 Mg annual mean...19 5.4 Mg+ monthly means . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 5.5 Mg+ seasonal variations ...ground, which have a good vertical and tempo - ral resolution. Valuable information on mesospheric temperatures, wind speeds and wave propagation effects

Minimally invasive colorectal surgery: status and technical specifications.

PubMed

Keller, D S; Ibarra, S; Haas, E M

2015-10-01

Laparoscopy was the most significant technologic advance in colorectal surgery in the last quarter century. The safety, feasibility and oncologic equivalence have been proven, and undisputed clinical benefits have also been demonstrated over open approaches. Despite proven benefits, laparoscopic has not dominated the market, especially for colon and rectal cancer cases. Adaptations in laparoscopic technique were developed to increase use of minimally invasive surgery. Concurrently, there has been a paradigm shift toward less invasive technologies to further optimize patient outcomes. From these needs, hand assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS), single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS), and robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) were applied to colorectal surgery. Each platform has unique costs and benefits, and similar outcomes when likened to each other in comparative studies. However, conventional laparoscopy, HALS, SILS, and RALS actually serve a complementary role as tools to increase the use of minimally invasive colorectal surgery. The goal of this paper is to review the history, current status, technical specifications, and evolution of the major minimally invasive platforms for colorectal surgery.

Pulmonary hypoxic vasoconstriction: how strong? How fast?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheehan, D. W.; Klocke, R. A.; Farhi, L. E.

1992-01-01

We have developed a minimally invasive technique for studying regional blood flow in conscious sheep, bypassing the complications of open-chest surgery, flow probes and tracer infusion. We quantitate regional perfusion continuously on the basis of regional clearance of methane (methane is produced in the sheep rumen, enters the circulation and is eliminated nearly completely (greater than 95%) in the lung). Tracheal intubation with a dual-lumen catheter isolates the gas exchange of the right apical lobe (RAL; less than 15% of the lung) from that of the remainder of the lung, which serves as a control (CL). We measure RAL and CL methane elimination by entraining expirates in constant flows, sampled continuously for methane. Results obtained with this technique and from regional oxygen uptake are in excellent agreement. We have found that hypoxic vasoconstriction is far more potent and stable during eucapnic hypoxia than during hypocapnic hypoxia. The time course of the vasoconstriction suggests that many of the data in the literature may have been obtained prior to steady state.

Medicine patent pool--pharma philanthropy or PR?

PubMed

De Luca, Carmela

2015-01-01

Merck recently signed an agreement with The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to license intellectual property relating to pediatric formulations of its integrase HIV drug, raltegravir (Ral) (the 'Agreement'). The Agreement is alleged to clear the way for cheaper formulations for use in developing and some middle income countries and allows for the development of novel pediatric formulations of Ral as well as novel combinations. Merck's license is royalty free and under the terms of the Agreement, manufacturers anywhere in the world who meet the quality assurance criteria, can manufacture and sell pediatric versions of the drug in the licensed countries under the agreed conditions without paying a royalty to Merck. The Agreement covers at least 92 countries and MPP reports that 98.1% of children with HIV in the developing world live in the included countries. The Agreement has been criticized as a public relations exercise. The article asks if the criticism is justified and explores several aspects of the Agreement in addressing the question.

Fabrication of an r-Al2Ti intermetallic matrix composite reinforced with α-Al2O3 ceramic by discontinuous mechanical milling for thermite reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosleh, A.; Ehteshamzadeh, M.; Taherzadeh Mousavian, R.

2014-10-01

In this study, a powder mixture with an Al/TiO2 molar ratio of 10/3 was used to form an r-Al2Ti intermetallic matrix composite (IMC) reinforced with α-Al2O3 ceramic by a novel milling technique, called discontinuous mechanical milling (DMM) instead of milling and ignition of the produced thermite. The results of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) of samples with varying milling time indicate that this fabrication process requires considerable mechanical energy. It is shown that Al2Ti-Al2O3 IMC with small grain size was produced by DMM after 15 h of ball milling. Peaks for γ-TiAl as well as Al2Ti and Al2O3 are observed in XRD patterns after DMM followed by heat treatment. The microhardness of the DMM-treated composite produced after heat treatment was higher than Hv 700.

A Comprehensive Validation Approach Using The RAVEN Code

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

Alfonsi, Andrea; Rabiti, Cristian; Cogliati, Joshua J

2015-06-01

The RAVEN computer code , developed at the Idaho National Laboratory, is a generic software framework to perform parametric and probabilistic analysis based on the response of complex system codes. RAVEN is a multi-purpose probabilistic and uncertainty quantification platform, capable to communicate with any system code. A natural extension of the RAVEN capabilities is the imple- mentation of an integrated validation methodology, involving several different metrics, that represent an evolution of the methods currently used in the field. The state-of-art vali- dation approaches use neither exploration of the input space through sampling strategies, nor a comprehensive variety of metrics neededmore » to interpret the code responses, with respect experimental data. The RAVEN code allows to address both these lacks. In the following sections, the employed methodology, and its application to the newer developed thermal-hydraulic code RELAP-7, is reported.The validation approach has been applied on an integral effect experiment, representing natu- ral circulation, based on the activities performed by EG&G Idaho. Four different experiment configurations have been considered and nodalized.« less

Improving the efficiency of x-ray lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tallents, Gregory J.; Zeitoun, Philippe; Behjat, A.; Demir, A.; Holden, M.; Krishnan, J.; Lewis, Ciaran L. S.; MacPhee, Andrew G.; Warwick, P. J.; Nantel, Marc; Jamelot, Gerard; Rus, Bedrich; Jaegle, Pierre; Klisnick, Annie; Goedtkindt, P.; Carillon, Antoine; Fill, Ernst E.; Li, Yuelin; Pretzler, Georg; Schloegl, Dieter; Steingruber, Juergen; Neely, David; Norreys, Peter A.; Key, Michael H.; Zhang, Jie; Pert, Geoffrey J.; Healy, S. B.; Plowes, J. A.

1995-09-01

Current successful approaches for achieving soft x-ray lasing typically require pumping laser pulses of duration approximately ns and energy approximately kJ (collisionally pumped schemes) or approximately ps pulses and powers of approximately several TW (recombination-pumped schemes). For applications, it is important to improve the efficiency of soft x-ray lasers and so reduce the required power of pumping lasers. The effect of pre- pulse on neon-like collisionally pumped lasers has been investigated using the LULI laser (Ecole Polytechnique, France). A small pre-pulse level approximately 10-3 of the main pulse energy was found to increase the J equals 0 minus 1 neon-like zinc laser output at 21 nm by an order-of-magnitude with a comparable increase in efficiency. A double pumping laser pulse on neon-like yttrium lasing output at 15 nm obtained with the VULCAN laser (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, England) was also found to increase the x-ray lasing efficiency. With adiabatically cooled recombination lasing, it is shown that approximately 2 ps pulses are optimum for achieving the desired ionization balance for lasing output. The possibility of achieving recombination lasing at short wavelengths on lithium-like ions with longer pulse lasers has been investigated using the ASTERIX laser (Max-Planck Quantenoptik, Germany). These results are presented and interpreted to provide possible directions for improving the efficiency of x-ray lasers.

MACROMOLECULAR ADDUCTION BY TRICHLOROACETONITRILE IN THE FISCHER 344 RAT FOLLOWING ORAL GAVAGE

EPA Science Inventory

Male Fischer 344 rats were administered 1- or 2-[14C]-trichloroacetonitrile (TCAN) by ral gavage. NA was isolated from the liver, kidneys and stomach and several protein fractions (globin, albumin and blobulins) were isolated from blood. CAN binds to both the DNA and the blood pr...

Three-Dimensional Evolution of Erupted Flux Ropes from the Sun (2-20 Solar Radii) to 1 AU

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

public release; distribution unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES Preprint, Solar Phys., 2013 14. ABSTRACT 15. SUBJECT TERMS 16. SECURITY ...NASA GSFC (USA), RAL and University of Birmingham (UK), MPS(Germany), CSL (Belgium), IOTA and IAS (France). References Brueckner, G.E., Howard, R.A

Tracking Streamer Blobs Into the Heliosphere

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-20

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT Same as Report (SAR) 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 10 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON a. REPORT...NASA/GSFC (US), RAL (UK), UB- HAM (UK), MPS (Germany), CSL (Belgium), IOTA (France), and IAS (France). In the US, funding was provided by NASA, in the

The Temperature-Dependent Nature of Coronal Dimmings

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

opening-up, of flux and can be observed both off-limb and on-disk. 15. SUBJECT TERMS 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT...international consortium of the NRL, LMSAL and NASA GSFC (USA), RAL and U. Bham (UK), MPS (Germany), CSL (Belgium), IOTA and IAS (France). This work was

9 CFR 72.13 - Permitted dips and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... proprietary brands of permitted dips—as well the use of compressed air, vat management techniques, and other... proprietary brands of a Dioxathion (Delnav ®) emulsifiable concentrate used at a concentration of 0.125 to 0.150 percent. 4 (2) Approved proprietary brands of coumaphos (Co-Ral ®), 25 percent wettable powder or...

Sciences and society

ScienceCinema

None

2017-12-09

J.Luns des Pays-Bas, ancien sécétaire général de NATO (OTAN=Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique Nord) parle du passé, présent et future de la défense européenne et des relations est et ouest

Performance of Hearing Protectors in Impulse Noise

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-09-01

report: ADPO10340 thru ADP010346 UNCLASSIFIED 3-1 Performance of Hearing Protectors in Impulse Noise K. Buck French German Research Institute BP 34...5 rue du G6n~ral Cassagnou 68301 Saint-Louis CEDEX France Summary adapted to the high levels to which the devices will The present paper describes the

Structure-Guided Optimization of HIV Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Integrase mutations can reduce the effectiveness of the first-generation FDA-approved integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs), raltegravir (RAL) and elvitegravir (EVG). The second-generation agent, dolutegravir (DTG), has enjoyed considerable clinical success; however, resistancecausing mutations that diminish the efficacy of DTG have appeared. Our current findings

Examining the Antecedents of Social Networking Sites Use among CEGEP Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doleck, Tenzin; Bazelais, Paul; Lemay, David John

2017-01-01

Investigations in technology acceptance in education has largely overlooked certain unique populations like students from the "Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel" (CEGEP) system. In studies examining CEGEP students' use of technology, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) perspective has not been taken into account, nor have…

Institutionalizing Community-Based Learning and Research: The Case for External Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shrader, Elizabeth; Saunders, Mary Anne; Marullo, Sam; Benatti, Sylvia; Weigert, Kathleen Maas

2008-01-01

Conversations continue as to whether and how community-based learning and research (CBLR) can be most effectively integrated into the mission and practice of institutions of higher education (IHEs). In 2005, eight District of Columbia- (DC-) area universities affiliated with the Community Research and Learning (CoRAL) Network engaged in a planning…

Theoretical Investigation of Optical Computing Based on Neural Network Models.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-29

34 Cognitive and Psychological Computation with Neu- ral Models," IEEE Trans. Sys., Man, and cyber., SMC-13, p. 799, 1983. 20’ K. Nakano, "Association-A...7),482(1986). 211 F. Rosenblatt, Principles of Neurodynamics : Perceptron and the The- ory of Brain Mechanisms, Spartan Books, Washington,(1961). 22

The Longitudinal Properties of a Solar Energetic Particle Event Investigated Using Modern Solar Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-10

and white light) and the longitudinal extent of the SEP event in the heliosphere. 15. SUBJECT TERMS 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION...The STEREO SECCHI data are pro- duced by a consortium of RAL (UK), NRL (USA), LMSAL (USA), GSFC (USA), MPS (Germany), CSL (Belgium), IOTA (France

Efficacy of Subgingivally Delivered 1.2% Atorvastatin in the Treatment of Chronic Periodontitis in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Kumari, Minal; Martande, Santosh S; Pradeep, A R; Naik, Savitha B

2016-11-01

The present study was designed to evaluate effectiveness of 1.2% atorvastatin (ATV) gel, as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of intrabony defects in chronic periodontitis (CP) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (t2DM). Seventy-five patients were categorized into two treatment groups: 1) SRP plus 1.2% ATV and 2) SRP plus placebo. Clinical parameters including modified sulcus bleeding index, probing depth (PD), and relative attachment level (RAL) were recorded at baseline and 3, 6, and 9 months. Percentage radiographic defect depth reduction was evaluated using computer-aided software at baseline and 6 and 9 months. Mean PD reduction and mean RAL gain was greater in the ATV group than the placebo group at 3, 6, and 9 months. Furthermore, ATV group sites presented with a significantly greater percentage of radiographic defect depth reduction at 6 and 9 months. Locally delivered ATV was found to be effective in treatment of intrabony defects in CP in patients with t2DM.

A remote augmentor lift system with a turbine bypass engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fishbach, L. H.; Franciscus, L. C.

1982-01-01

Two supersonic vertical takeoff or landing (VTOL) aircraft engine types, a conventional medium bypass ratio turbofan, and a turbine bypass turbojet were studied. The aircraft assumed was a clipped delta wing with canard configuration. A VTOL deck launched intercept, DLI, mission with Mach 1.6 dash and cruise segments was used as the design mission. Several alternate missions requiring extended subsonic capabilities were analyzed. Comparisons were made between the turbofan (TF) and the turbine bypass turbojet (TBE) engines in airplane types using a Remote Augmented Lift Systems, RALS and a Lift plus Lift Cruise system (L+LC). The figure of merit was takeoff gross weight for the VTOL DLI mission. The results of the study show that the turbine bypass turbojet and the conventional turbofan are competitive engines for both type of aircraft in terms of takeoff gross weight and range. However, the turbine bypass turbojet would be a simpler engine and may result in more attractive life cycle costs and reduced maintenance. The RALS and L+LC airplane types with either TBE or TF engines have approximately the same aircraft takeoff gross weight.

Complex robotic reconstructive surgical procedures in children with urologic abnormalities.

PubMed

Orvieto, Marcelo A; Gundeti, Mohan S

2011-07-01

Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) is evolving rapidly in the pediatric surgical field. The unique attributes of the robotic interface makes this technology ideal for children with congenital anomalies who often require reconstructive procedures. Furthermore, the system can generate extremely delicate movements in a confined working space such as the one generally found in the pediatric population. Herein, we critically review the current experience with RALS placing a special emphasis in children undergoing complex reconstructive surgical procedures worldwide. A total of 42 original manuscripts on a variety of robot-assisted urologic surgical procedures in children were identified from a MEDLINE database search. Complex reconstructive procedures that are being currently performed include reoperative pyeloplasty, pyeloplasty in infants, pyelolithotomy, ureteropyelostomy/ureterostomy, bladder augmentation with or without appendico-vesicostomy, bladder neck sling procedure, among others. Initial results with robot assistance are encouraging and have demonstrated safety comparable to open procedures and outcomes at least equivalent to standard laparoscopy. Future development of smaller instruments, incorporating tactile feedback, will likely overcome current limitations and spread out the use of this technique in younger children and more advanced procedures.

ATSR - The Along Track Scanning Radiometer For ERS-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llewellyn-Jones, David T.; Mutlow, C. T.

1990-04-01

The ATSR instrument is an advanced imaging radiometer designed to measure global sea surface temperature to an accuracy of the order of 0.3C from the ESA's ERS-1 satellite, due to be launched in late 1990. The instrument is designed to achieve a very precise correction for atmospheric effects through the use of carefully selected spectral bands, and a new "along-track" scanning technique. This involves viewing the same geophysical scene at two different angles, hence using two different atmospheric paths, so that the difference in radiative signal from the two scenes is due only to atmospheric effects, which can then be quantitatively estimated. ATSR is also a high performance radiometer, and embodies two important technological features; the first of these is the use of closed-cycle coolers, especially developed for space applications, and which were used to cool the sensitive infrared detectors. The radiometer also incorporates two purpose-designed on-board blackbody calibration targets which will also be described in detail. These two features enable the instrument to meet the stringent requirements of sensitivity and absolute radiometric accuracy demanded by this application. ATSR also incorporates a passive nadir-viewing two-channel microwave sounder. Measurements from this instrument will enable total atmospheric water vapour to be inferred, which will not only lead to improved SST retrievals, but will also considerably improve the atmospheric range correction required by the ERS-1 radar altimeter. ATSR is provided by a consortium of research institutes including the University of Oxford, Department of Atmospheric Oceanic and Planetary Physics, who are primarily responsible for scientific calibration of the instrument; University College London's Mullard Space Science Laboratory, who are responsible for the development of the blackbodies; the UK Meteorological Office, whose contributions include the focal plane assembly; the French laboratory CRPE, who are responsible for providing the microwave part of ATSR. Some of the industrial development work has been funded by the Department of Trade and Industry. There is also a significant contribution from Australia in the area of digital electronics. The ATSR consortium is co-ordinated and led by the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

HR Public meeting

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

Heuer, Rolf; Catherin, Anne-Sylvie; Vuillemin, Vin

2010-06-25

Cher(e)s collègues, En collaboration avec le Département HR, le Directeur général a le plaisir de vous convier à une réunion publique qui se tiendra le vendredi 25 juin 2010 à 9h30 dans l’Amphithéâtre principal (Bâtiment 500)*. Un café d’accueil y sera servi à partir de 9h. Cette réunion abordera les thèmes suivants : • Valeurs de l’Organisation (Directeur général) • Code de Conduite (Directeur général / Anne-Sylvie Catherin) • Création du nouveau rôle d’Ombudsperson (Vincent Vuillemin); Ces présentations seront suivies d’une séance de questions-réponses. Nous espérons vous retrouver nombreux le 25 juin ! Meilleures salutations, Anne-Sylvie Catherin Chef du Départementmore » des Ressources humaines *Cette réunion sera retransmise simultanément dans l’Amphithéâtre BE de Prévessin (Bâtiment 864) et également disponible à l’adresse suivante : http://webcast.cern.ch. Dear colleagues, In collaboration with HR Department, the Director-General would like to invite you to an information meeting which will be held on Friday 25 June 2010 at 9:30 am in the Main Auditorium (Building 500)*. A welcome coffee will be available from 9:00 am. During this meeting, information will be given about: • Organization’s values (Director-General) • Code of Conduct (Director-General / Anne-Sylvie Catherin) • New Ombudsperson role (Vincent Vuillemin) These presentations will be followed by a questions & answers session. We look forward to seeing you all on 25 June! Best regards, Anne-Sylvie Catherin Head, Human Resources Department. This meeting will be simultaneously retransmitted in BE Auditorium (Building 864) and available at the following address: http://webcast.cern.ch.« less

HR Public meeting

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

None

2010-10-12

Cher(e)s collègues, En collaboration avec le Département HR, le Directeur général a le plaisir de vous convier à une réunion publique qui se tiendra le vendredi 25 juin 2010 à 9h30 dans l’Amphithéâtre principal (Bâtiment 500)*. Un café d’accueil y sera servi à partir de 9h. Cette réunion abordera les thèmes suivants : Valeurs de l’Organisation (Directeur général); Code de Conduite (Directeur général / Anne-Sylvie Catherin); Création du nouveau rôle d’Ombudsperson (Vincent Vuillemin) Ces présentations seront suivies d’une séance de questions-réponses. Nous espérons vous retrouver nombreux le 25 juin ! Meilleures salutations, Anne-Sylvie Catherin Chef du Département des Ressources humainesmore » *Cette réunion sera retransmise simultanément dans l’Amphithéâtre BE de Prévessin (Bâtiment 864) et également disponible à l’adresse suivante : http://webcast.cern.ch [Dear colleagues, In collaboration with HR Department, the Director-General would like to invite you to an information meeting which will be held on Friday 25 June 2010 at 9:30 am in the Main Auditorium (Building 500)*. A welcome coffee will be available from 9:00 am. During this meeting, information will be given about: Organization’s values (Director-General); Code of Conduct (Director-General / Anne-Sylvie Catherin); New Ombudsperson role (Vincent Vuillemin); These presentations will be followed by a questions & answers session. We look forward to seeing you all on 25 June! Best regards, Anne-Sylvie Catherin Head, Human Resources Department *This meeting will be simultaneously retransmitted in BE Auditorium (Building 864) and available at the following address: http://webcast.cern.ch.« less

Syndrome de poland: à propos d’un cas et revue de la litterature

PubMed Central

Benzalim, Meriam; Berghalout, Laila; Elfakir, Sophia; Jalal, Hicham

2017-01-01

Le syndrome de Poland est une malformation congénitale rare associant à des degrés divers des anomalies thoraciques et du membre supérieur homolatéral. Nous rapportons le cas d'une fillette de 7 ans, explorée pour dépression de l'hémithorax gauche avec masse sous claviculaire homolatérale. La tomodensitométrie a montré que la déformation de la paroi thoracique était liée à l'absence des chefs à insertion sterno-costale du muscle pectoralis major gauche avec agénésie du pectoralis minor et hypoplasie des arcs antérieurs des six premières côtes correspondantes. Ces anomalies étaient rapportées à un syndrome de Poland. Un bilan général fait d'échographie abdominale, radiographies des deux mains, a été réalisé chez la patiente n'ayant révélé aucune malformation associée. Le syndrome de Poland résulte d'un défaut d'approvisionnement sanguin des éléments musculosquelettiques de la paroi thoracique pendant la vie fœtale. Il existe de nombreuses variantes du syndrome de Poland qui peuvent être mieux détectées par la TDM qui doit être réalisée chaque fois qu'il est disponible, sans omettre le rôle de la radiologie général dans la détection des malformations associées. La caractéristique de ce syndrome est l'agénésie des faisceaux sternocostaux du muscle pectoralis major. Son étiologie reste inconnue et discutée. Une anomalie vasculaire en serait la cause, sans que le primum movens de cette anomalie vasculaire soit connu. PMID:28450991

New series of triple molybdates AgA{sub 3}R(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} (A=Mg, R=Cr, Fe; A=Mn, R=Al, Cr, Fe, Sc, In) with framework structures and mobile silver ion sublattices

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

Kotova, Irina Yu.; Buryat State University, Smolin St. 24a, Ulan-Ude 670000, Buryat Republic; Solodovnikov, Sergey F.

Triple molybdates AgA{sub 3}R(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} (A=Mg, R=Cr, Fe; A=Mn, R=Al, Cr, Fe, Sc, In) of the NaMg{sub 3}In(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} type were synthesized and single crystals of AgMg{sub 3}R(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} (R=Cr, Fe) were grown. In their structures, the MoO{sub 4} tetrahedra, pairs and trimers of edge-shared (Mg, R)O{sub 6} octahedra are connected by common vertices to form a 3D framework. Large framework cavities involve Ag{sup +} cations disordered on three nearby positions with CN=3+1 or 4+1. Alternating (Mg, R)O{sub 6} octahedra and MoO{sub 4} tetrahedra in the framework form quadrangular windows penetrable for Ag{sup +} at elevated temperatures.more » Above 653–673 K, the newly obtained molybdates demonstrate abrupt reduction of the activation energy to 0.4–0.6 eV. At 773 K, AgMg{sub 3}Al(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} shows electric conductivity 2.5·10{sup −2} S/cm and E{sub a}=0.39 eV compatible with characteristics of the best ionic conductors of the NASICON type. - Graphical abstract: Triple molybdates AgA{sub 3}R(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} (A=Mg, R=Cr, Fe; A=Mn, R=Al, Cr, Fe, Sc, In) of the NaMg{sub 3}In(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} type were synthesized, AgMg{sub 3}R(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} (R=Cr, Fe) were structurally characterized, ion-conductive properties of AgMg{sub 3}Al(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} were measured. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Triple molybdates AgA{sub 3}R(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} (A=Mg, R=Cr, Fe; A=Mn, R=Al, Cr, Fe, Sc, In) of the NaMg{sub 3}In(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} type were synthesized. • Single crystals of AgMg{sub 3}R(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} (R=Cr, Fe) were grown and their crystal structures were determined. • Disordering Ag{sup +} ions and penetrable framework structures of AgMg{sub 3}R(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} (R=Cr, Fe) suggest 2D-character of silver-ion mobility. • Measured ion-conductive properties of AgMg{sub 3}Al(MoO{sub 4}){sub 5} are compatible with characteristics of the best ionic conductors of the NASICON type.« less

Computer-Based Aids for Learning, Job Performance, and Decision-Making in Military Applications: Emergent Technology and Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-12-01

Educational Psychology (pp. 47–62). New York, NY: Macmillan. Neisser , U . (1967). Cognitive psychology. New York, NY: Appleton, Century, Crofts. Noja, G.P...J. D. Fletcher I N S T I T U T E F O R D E F E N S E A N A L Y S E S IDA Document D-2786 Log: H 02-002085 December 2002 Approved for public...material may be reproduced by or for the U.S. Government pursuant to the copyright license under the clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 (NOV 95). I N S T I T U T

77 FR 62231 - Excelerate Liquefaction Solutions I, LLC, Nutreco Canada Inc., JM & RAL Energy Inc...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-12

... During August 2012 AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, Department of Energy (DOE). ACTION: Notice of orders. SUMMARY: The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy gives notice that during August 2012... Web site at http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/gasregulation/authorizations/Orders-2012.html . They...

U.S. EPA, Pesticide Product Label, RL 2 DUST CONTAINS CO-RAL, 03/02/1987

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2011-04-21

... rul .. · orT dato 1. ';1:i~ oi'r1' ('atiar. ;-'. r ti.Cf' r:'·-3 I"~"rt."Ij ranI"! C"''''i"1! "!lr:,.,t i (~:'J i!1 ,.,r;' 'ct j Vf" ,~, :u;mi t:t('.4 u.,r( r "';, ~i'· n"' ... r,...( I)!",' ...

U. S. Naval Forces, Vietnam Monthly Historical Supplement for August 1969

DTIC Science & Technology

1969-11-01

not called on for fire support. The ground troops kiled seven VC., captured two VC suspects and ibherated 17 civilian prisoners. In aditonairsupport... kiled j .0 in July!, eighteen 7C were ca-turcd, "" and one VS ralIlied. Yarire casualties were almost identical to those 4 of July .- th fifteen

The Role of Attachment in Facebook Usage: A Study of Canadian College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teo, Timothy; Doleck, Tenzin; Bazelais, Paul

2018-01-01

Considering the increasingly ubiquitous and frequent use of Facebook among college students, this study sought to explicate and unravel the salient determinants of Facebook use. Specifically, the main goal was to ascertain the factors influencing "Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel" (CEGEP) students' Facebook use, for which…

ANALYSIS OF ANDROGEN- AND EGF-RECEPTOR EXPRESSION IN THE FETAL RAT PHALLUS AFTER EXPOSURE TO VINCLOZOLIN

EPA Science Inventory

Analysis of Androgen- and EGF-Receptor Expression in the Fetal Rat Phallus After Exposure to Vinclozolin
Cynthia Wolf1,2, Barbara Abbott1, Gerald A. LeBlanc2, and L. Earl Gray, Jr.1
1USEPA, ORD, NHEERL, RTD, RTP, NC 27711, 2NCSU, Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Ral...

Monitoring Responsibilities for Serious Incidents Involving Private Security Contractors Once U.S. Military Forces Leave Iraq Have Not Been Determined

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-29

SPECIAL INSPE CTOR GENE RAL FOR IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION 400 Army Navy Drive • Arlington, Virginia 22202 July 29, 2011 LETTER FOR...11-019) In September 2007, Blackwater , Inc., a private security contractor (PSC) under contract with the Department of State (DoS), was involved in

Ductility recovery in structural materials for spallation targets by post-irradiation annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, J.; Jung, P.; Rödig, M.; Ullmaier, H.; Bauer, G. S.

2005-08-01

Low temperature irradiation embrittlement is one of the major criteria to determine the lifetime of spallation targets. Embrittlement is especially high at low service temperatures, e.g. 250 °C in liquid-mercury sources. It was the aim of the present study to investigate the effect of post-irradiation annealing on the mechanical properties of irradiated structural materials. The specimens used were obtained from spent target components of operating spallation facilities (Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, LANSCE, and the Spallation Neutron Source at Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, ISIS). The investigated materials include a nickel-based alloy (IN718), an austenitic stainless steel (AISI 304L), a martensitic stainless steel (DIN 1.4926) and a refractory metal (Ta) which experienced 800 MeV proton irradiation to fluences of several 10 25 p/m 2. The specimens were annealed from 300 °C to 700 °C for 1 to 10 h, respectively, and their mechanical property changes were subsequently investigated at room temperature and 250 °C by tensile testing and fracture surface analysis conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the ductility recovered to a large degree in 304L and DIN 1.4926 materials while their strength remained almost unchanged. Especially for DIN 1.4926, the ductility recovery is remarkable already at 400 °C. Together with its favorable thermo-mechanical properties, this makes martensitic steel a candidate for structural materials of spallation targets.

46 CFR Appendix A to Part 520 - Standard Terminology and Codes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... DTB Firkin FIR Flo-Bin FLO Frame FRM Flask FSK Forward Reel FWR Garment on Hanger GOH Heads of Beef... Private Vehicle POV Pipe Rack PRK Quarters of Beef QTR Rail (semiconductor) RAL Rack RCK Reel REL Roll ROL Reverse Reel RVR Sack SAK Shook SHK Sides of Beef SID Skid SKD Skid, Elev, Lift Trk SKE Sleeve SLV Spin...

46 CFR Appendix A to Part 520 - Standard Terminology and Codes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... DTB Firkin FIR Flo-Bin FLO Frame FRM Flask FSK Forward Reel FWR Garment on Hanger GOH Heads of Beef... Private Vehicle POV Pipe Rack PRK Quarters of Beef QTR Rail (semiconductor) RAL Rack RCK Reel REL Roll ROL Reverse Reel RVR Sack SAK Shook SHK Sides of Beef SID Skid SKD Skid, Elev, Lift Trk SKE Sleeve SLV Spin...

46 CFR Appendix A to Part 520 - Standard Terminology and Codes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... DTB Firkin FIR Flo-Bin FLO Frame FRM Flask FSK Forward Reel FWR Garment on Hanger GOH Heads of Beef... Private Vehicle POV Pipe Rack PRK Quarters of Beef QTR Rail (semiconductor) RAL Rack RCK Reel REL Roll ROL Reverse Reel RVR Sack SAK Shook SHK Sides of Beef SID Skid SKD Skid, Elev, Lift Trk SKE Sleeve SLV Spin...

46 CFR Appendix A to Part 520 - Standard Terminology and Codes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... DTB Firkin FIR Flo-Bin FLO Frame FRM Flask FSK Forward Reel FWR Garment on Hanger GOH Heads of Beef... Private Vehicle POV Pipe Rack PRK Quarters of Beef QTR Rail (semiconductor) RAL Rack RCK Reel REL Roll ROL Reverse Reel RVR Sack SAK Shook SHK Sides of Beef SID Skid SKD Skid, Elev, Lift Trk SKE Sleeve SLV Spin...

46 CFR Appendix A to Part 520 - Standard Terminology and Codes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... DTB Firkin FIR Flo-Bin FLO Frame FRM Flask FSK Forward Reel FWR Garment on Hanger GOH Heads of Beef... Private Vehicle POV Pipe Rack PRK Quarters of Beef QTR Rail (semiconductor) RAL Rack RCK Reel REL Roll ROL Reverse Reel RVR Sack SAK Shook SHK Sides of Beef SID Skid SKD Skid, Elev, Lift Trk SKE Sleeve SLV Spin...

CSIR Contribution to Defining Adaptive Capacity in the Context of Environmental Change

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-31

Pollution rates Cultural norms Roads Agricultu ral practises / norms Level of Income Access to safe water Gender based discriminati on Fear of...internal conflicts Civil rights Quality of nutrition Status of environm ental policies Spiritual practises Dams Food for sale ... Fertility rates Literacy rates These developed categories are currently being tested by using both qualitative and

U.S. EPA, Pesticide Product Label, VETERINARIAN TYPE DISINFECTANT, 10/22/1980

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2011-04-14

nlR[< I Itl'\\S fOJ;: !'S! GENER,\\l CI ,\\SSl F IrATI,·" i t ',j 3 It is ;1 viol"t{"l' tf r .. rl"ral ,.~". fl' ., .. pl'~duct in aI I9I11:nnf"r in.''1l ... • . t.·:1t '.·It" It l.ht"'liny. L ...

The Validation of Cloud Retrieval Algorithms Using Synthetic Datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokhanovsky, Alexander; Fischer, Jurgen; Linstrot, Rasmus; Meirink, Jan Fokke; Poulsen, Caroline; Preusker, Rene; Siddans, Richard; Thomas, Gareth; Arnold, Chris; Grainger, Roy; Lilli, Luca; Rozanov, Vladimir

2012-11-01

We have performed the inter-comparison study of cloud property retrievals using algorithms initially developed for AATSR (ORAC, RAL-Oxford University), AVHRR and SEVIRI (CPP, KNMI), SCIAMACHY/GOME (SACURA, University of Bremen), and MERIS (ANNA, Free University of Berlin). The accuracy of retrievals of cloud optical thickness (COT), effective radius (ER) of droplets, and cloud top height (CTH) is discussed.

Investigating the Predictive Power of TAM: A Case Study of CEGEP Students' Intentions to Use Online Learning Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bazelais, Paul; Doleck, Tenzin; Lemay, David John

2018-01-01

The purpose of this research is to investigate pre-university science "Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel" (CEGEP) students' behavioral intentions towards using online learning technologies. Heretofore, CEGEP students' use of technology has received scant attention, yet online learning technologies are found to play an…

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

Li, Chen; Shen, Xuan; Yang, Yurong

Perovskite RAlO 3 (R = La, Nd, Sm, and Gd) films have been deposited epitaxially on (001) TiO 2-terminated SrTiO 3 substrates. In this paper, it is observed that the two-dimensional transport characteristics at the RAlO 3/SrTiO 3 interfaces are very sensitive to the species of rare-earth element, that is to chemical strain. Although electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements show that electron transfer occurs in all the four polar/nonpolar heterostructures, the amount of electrons transferred across SmAlO 3/SrTiO 3 and GdAlO 3/SrTiO 3 interfaces are much less than those across LaAlO 3/SrTiO 3 and NdAlO 3/SrTiO 3 interfaces. First-principles calculationsmore » reveal the competition between ionic polarization and electronic polarization in the polar layers in compensating the build-in polarization due to the polar discontinuity at the interface. Finally, in particular, a large ionic polarization is found in SmAlO 3/SrTiO 3 and GdAlO 3/SrTiO 3 systems (which experience the largest tensile epitaxial strain), hence reducing the amount of electrons transferred.« less

An appraisal of ground water for irrigation in the Appleton area, west-central Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, Steven P.

1976-01-01

Mathematical models of a part of the aquifer were made to evaluate the effects of 20 successive years of ground-water withdrawal for three irrigation-development patterns. It was estimated that the present annual withdrawal rate of 1,410 acre-ft (1.74 hm3) would result in water-level declines of less than 3 feet (0.9 m). However, annual withdrawals of 8,450 acre-ft (10.4 hm3) would cause aquifer dewatering and decreased well yields in some places. After a new state of equilibrium was established in response to withdrawals, most of the withdrawal would be supplied by diverted base flow from the Pomme de Terre River.

Wanderings of the 'Simply Perfect' Burnham Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lattis, James

2017-08-01

S.W. Burnham's 6-inch Clark refractor, in service from 1870, quickly became famous as a potent double star catcher. It was the instrument he used for the site survey of Lick Observatory in 1879. Sold to Washburn Observatory, it travelled to Caroline Island with Edward Holden to search for Vulcan during the total solar eclipse of May 1883. Back in Madison, it was used by George Comstock for his measurements of refraction and aberration. In the late 1950s it was used at the Knuijt Observatory in Appleton, Wisconsin. Travels and transformations of this famous telescope have spread its parts widely as astronomical relics, and it even remains in active service today.

HR Public meeting

ScienceCinema

None

2018-05-24

Cher(e)s collègues, En collaboration avec le Département HR, le Directeur général a le plaisir de vous convier à une réunion publique qui se tiendra le vendredi 25 juin 2010 à 9h30 dans l’Amphithéâtre principal (Bâtiment 500)*. Un café d’accueil y sera servi à partir de 9h. Cette réunion abordera les thèmes suivants : Valeurs de l’Organisation (Directeur général); Code de Conduite (Directeur général / Anne-Sylvie Catherin); Création du nouveau rôle d’Ombudsperson (Vincent Vuillemin) Ces présentations seront suivies d’une séance de questions-réponses. Nous espérons vous retrouver nombreux le 25 juin ! Meilleures salutations, Anne-Sylvie Catherin Chef du Département des Ressources humaines *Cette réunion sera retransmise simultanément dans l’Amphithéâtre BE de Prévessin (Bâtiment 864) et également disponible à l’adresse suivante : http://webcast.cern.ch [Dear colleagues, In collaboration with HR Department, the Director-General would like to invite you to an information meeting which will be held on Friday 25 June 2010 at 9:30 am in the Main Auditorium (Building 500)*. A welcome coffee will be available from 9:00 am. During this meeting, information will be given about: Organization’s values (Director-General); Code of Conduct (Director-General / Anne-Sylvie Catherin); New Ombudsperson role (Vincent Vuillemin); These presentations will be followed by a questions & answers session. We look forward to seeing you all on 25 June! Best regards, Anne-Sylvie Catherin Head, Human Resources Department *This meeting will be simultaneously retransmitted in BE Auditorium (Building 864) and available at the following address: http://webcast.cern.ch.

CdTe focal plane detector for hard x-ray focusing optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seller, Paul; Wilson, Matthew D.; Veale, Matthew C.; Schneider, Andreas; Gaskin, Jessica; Wilson-Hodge, Colleen; Christe, Steven; Shih, Albert Y.; Gregory, Kyle; Inglis, Andrew; Panessa, Marco

2015-08-01

The demand for higher resolution x-ray optics (a few arcseconds or better) in the areas of astrophysics and solar science has, in turn, driven the development of complementary detectors. These detectors should have fine pixels, necessary to appropriately oversample the optics at a given focal length, and an energy response also matched to that of the optics. Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have developed a 3-side buttable, 20 mm x 20 mm CdTe-based detector with 250 μm square pixels (80x80 pixels) which achieves 1 keV FWHM @ 60 keV and gives full spectroscopy between 5 keV and 200 keV. An added advantage of these detectors is that they have a full-frame readout rate of 10 kHz. Working with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and Marshall Space Flight Center, 4 of these 1mm-thick CdTe detectors are tiled into a 2x2 array for use at the focal plane of a balloon-borne hard-x-ray telescope, and a similar configuration could be suitable for astrophysics and solar space-based missions. This effort encompasses the fabrication and testing of flightsuitable front-end electronics and calibration of the assembled detector arrays. We explain the operation of the pixelated ASIC readout and measurements, front-end electronics development, preliminary X-ray imaging and spectral performance, and plans for full calibration of the detector assemblies. Work done in conjunction with the NASA Centers is funded through the NASA Science Mission Directorate Astrophysics Research and Analysis Program.

Evaluating Evapotranspiration of a crop mosaic using microwave scintillometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohard, J. M.; Barral, H.; Coulaud, C.; Mercier, B.; Cappelaere, B.; Demarty, J.; Arpin-Pont, F.; Bradford, J.

2017-12-01

Evapotranspiration (ET) remains particularly difficult to quantify, especially on complex and heterogeneous landscapes. Since the 1990s, scintillometry has been recognized as an accurate method to estimate turbulent fluxes at km² scales compatible with a satellite pixel or a hydrological model mesh. If optic scintillometry is today considered to be an accomplished technique to measure spatially integrated sensible heat fluxes and to indirectly derive ET through the energy budget equation, very few results have been published using microwave (MW) scintillometry to derive ET more directly at km² scales for lack of reliable instruments. The recent development of new sensors operating in the microwave (MW) range and the formalization of new algorithms for the treatment of turbulent correlations revive dreams of reliable and continuous measurements of the evapotranspiration at the landscape scale. This study presents a long term evapotranspiration series measured over a crop mosaic with the combination of two scintillometers (Two-wavelength method) operating, one in the near infra-red (BLS2000, Scintec) and the other in radiofrequencies (94GHz) developed in collaboration with the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (UK). These instruments have been installed in the Critical Zone observatory Oracle, located east of Paris in the Seine Catchment, and have run continuously since May 2016. This first ET series shows the robustness of both the MW scintillometer and the two wavelength method in this context. Scintillation ET will be presented and compared with Eddy Covariance measurements carried out on different landcover types within the scintillometer footprint, with regard to the energy balance closure.

CdTe Focal Plane Detector for Hard X-Ray Focusing Optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seller, Paul; Wilson, Matthew D.; Veale, Matthew C.; Schneider, Andreas; Gaskin, Jessica; Wilson-Hodge, Colleen; Christe, Steven; Shih, Albert Y.; Inglis, Andrew; Panessa, Marco

2015-01-01

The demand for higher resolution x-ray optics (a few arcseconds or better) in the areas of astrophysics and solar science has, in turn, driven the development of complementary detectors. These detectors should have fine pixels, necessary to appropriately oversample the optics at a given focal length, and an energy response also matched to that of the optics. Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have developed a 3-side buttable, 20 millimeter x 20 millimeter CdTe-based detector with 250 micrometer square pixels (80 x 80 pixels) which achieves 1 kiloelectronvolt FWHM (Full-Width Half-Maximum) @ 60 kiloelectronvolts and gives full spectroscopy between 5 kiloelectronvolts and 200 kiloelectronvolts. An added advantage of these detectors is that they have a full-frame readout rate of 10 kilohertz. Working with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and Marshall Space Flight Center, 4 of these 1 millimeter-thick CdTe detectors are tiled into a 2 x 2 array for use at the focal plane of a balloon-borne hard-x-ray telescope, and a similar configuration could be suitable for astrophysics and solar space-based missions. This effort encompasses the fabrication and testing of flight-suitable front-end electronics and calibration of the assembled detector arrays. We explain the operation of the pixelated ASIC readout and measurements, front-end electronics development, preliminary X-ray imaging and spectral performance, and plans for full calibration of the detector assemblies. Work done in conjunction with the NASA Centers is funded through the NASA Science Mission Directorate Astrophysics Research and Analysis Program.

Measurement of electromagnetic pulses generated during interactions of high power lasers with solid targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Marco, M.; Krása, J.; Cikhardt, J.; Pfeifer, M.; Krouský, E.; Margarone, D.; Ahmed, H.; Borghesi, M.; Kar, S.; Giuffrida, L.; Vrana, R.; Velyhan, A.; Limpouch, J.; Korn, G.; Weber, S.; Velardi, L.; Delle Side, D.; Nassisi, V.; Ullschmied, J.

2016-06-01

A target irradiated with a high power laser pulse, blows off a large amount of charge and as a consequence the target itself becomes a generator of electromagnetic pulses (EMP) owing to high return current flowing to the ground through the target holder. The first measurement of the magnetic field induced by the neutralizing current reaching a value of a few kA was performed with the use of an inductive target probe at the PALS Laser Facility (Cikhardt et al. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85 (2014) 103507). A full description of EMP generation should contain information on the spatial distribution and temporal variation of the electromagnetic field inside and outside of the interaction chamber. For this reason, we consider the interaction chamber as a resonant cavity in which different modes of EMP oscillate for hundreds of nanoseconds, until the EMP is transmitted outside through the glass windows and EM waves are attenuated. Since the experimental determination of the electromagnetic field distribution is limited by the number of employed antennas, a mapping of the electromagnetic field has to be integrated with numerical simulations. Thus, this work reports on a detailed numerical mapping of the electromagnetic field inside the interaction chamber at the PALS Laser Facility (covering a frequency spectrum from 100 MHz to 3 GHz) using the commercial code COMSOL Multiphysics 5.2. Moreover we carried out a comparison of the EMP generated in the parallelepiped-like interaction chamber used in the Vulcan Petawatt Laser Facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, against that produced in the spherical interaction chamber of PALS.

Voltage-induced swelling and deswelling of weak polybase brushes.

PubMed

Weir, Michael P; Heriot, Sasha Y; Martin, Simon J; Parnell, Andrew J; Holt, Stephen A; Webster, John R P; Jones, Richard A L

2011-09-06

We have investigated a novel method of remotely switching the conformation of a weak polybase brush using an applied voltage. Surface-grafted polyelectrolyte brushes exhibit rich responsive behavior and show great promise as "smart surfaces", but existing switching methods involve physically or chemically changing the solution in contact with the brush. In this study, high grafting density poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) brushes were grown from silicon surfaces using atom transfer radical polymerization. Optical ellipsometry and neutron reflectivity were used to measure changes in the profiles of the brushes in response to DC voltages applied between the brush substrate and a parallel electrode some distance away in the surrounding liquid (water or D(2)O). Positive voltages were shown to cause swelling, while negative voltages in some cases caused deswelling. Neutron reflectometry experiments were carried out on the INTER reflectometer (ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK) allowing time-resolved measurements of polymer brush structure. The PDMAEMA brushes were shown to have a polymer volume fraction profile described by a Gaussian-terminated parabola both in the equilibrium and in the partially swollen states. At very high positive voltages (in this study, positive bias means positive voltage to the brush-bearing substrate), the brush chains were shown to be stretched to an extent comparable to their contour length, before being physically removed from the interface. Voltage-induced swelling was shown to exhibit a wider range of brush swelling states in comparison to pH switching, with the additional advantages that the stimulus is remotely controlled and may be fully automated. © 2011 American Chemical Society

The Grip of Gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gondhalekar, Prabhakar

2001-09-01

Gravity is one of the most inexplicable forces of nature, controlling everything, from the expansion of the Universe to the ebb and flow of ocean tides. The search for the laws of motion and gravitation began more than two thousand years ago, a quest that Prabhakar Gondhalekar recounts in The Grip of Gravity. Beginning with Aristotle and concluding with Planck, Gondhalekar outlines a 'genealogy' of gravity and lucidly explains how previous explanations have shaped the most recent development in the field, string theory. In this work, physicist and astronomer Gondhalekar describes experiments, both planned and proposed, and clearly explains natural phenomena like ocean tides, seasons, ice ages, the formation of planets, stars, and exotic objects like black holes and neutron stars, which are all controlled by gravity. Including anecdotes and thumb-nail sketches of the personalities involved, The Grip of Gravity provides an introduction to the foundation of modern physics and shows how the current developments in string theory may lead to a new and radical interpretation of gravity. Prabhakar Gondhalekar is an Honorary Fellow in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College, London. Until his retirement in 1998, he was the head of the Space Astronomy Group at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, where he had been a researcher for 18 years. His research has included a number of topics in galactic and extragalactic astronomy, with his major work focusing on the interstellar medium and active galactic nuclei. Gondhalekar has been awarded Royal Society, Leverhulme Trust, and NATO Research Fellowships to do research in universities in the United States and Israel.

Gain measurements and spatial coherence in neon-like x-ray lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishnan, J.; Cairns, C.; Dwivedi, L.; Holden, M.; Key, M. H.; Lewis, C. L. S.; MacPhee, A.; Neely, D.; Norreys, P. A.; Pert, G. J.; Ramsden, S. A.; Smith, C. G.; Tallents, G. J.; Zhang, J.

1995-05-01

Many of the applications with x-ray lasers require high quality output radiation with properties such as short wavelength and a high degree of coherence (longitudinal and spatial). Ne-like Yttrium (Z=39) is potentially a bright and monochromatic XUV lasing medium. The output at 15.5 nm is monochromatic due to the overlap of the J=2-1 and J=0-1 lines. A gain coefficient of 3±1 was obtained at 15.5 nm by irradiating 100 μm wide yttrium stripes at 6×1013 W/cm2 with 1.06 μm, 650 ps pulses from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory VULCAN laser. We have investigated improving x-ray laser spatial coherence utilizing a series of amplifiers instead of the standard double target configuration. An ``injector-amplifier'' scheme was successfully demonstrated with the Ne-like Ge x-ray laser. A spatially small and coherent part of the 23 nm beam from the standard double target geometry has been relayed using a W/Si multilayer mirror onto a single or double target configuration situated at a distance of ˜1.5 m from the mirror and pumped by two 150 mm diameter beams of VULCAN laser. A beam ``foot-print monitor'' was employed with a flat mirror to relay 23 nm output onto a film pack to record the spatial variation of the x-ray laser beam. Analyzing the fringes obtained through a cross-wire placed in front of the beam shows that an increase in spatial coherence was achieved by adding amplifiers to the x-ray laser beam line.

PRIVACYGRID: Supporting Anonymous Location Queries in Mobile Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

continued price reduction of location tracking de- vices, location - based services (LBSs) are widely recognized as an important feature of the future computing... location - based services can operate completely anonymously, such as “when I pass a gas station, alert me with the unit price of the gas”. Others can...Anonymous Usage of Location - Based Services Through Spatial and Tempo- ral Cloaking. In Proceedings of the International Con- ference on Mobile

Surface Hardening by Laser Skin Melting

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-07-01

typical cross-sectional view of a melt region. Various solutions includina Murakami’s reaqent, Vilella’s reagent and an oxalic acid solution were used...each type selectively revealinq different microstructu- ral features. A second etch in an oxalic acid/hydrochloric acid solution was used in the...genization due to vigorous hydrothermal mixing and liquid super- heating. Computations by Greenwald (13) from a heat flow model are graphically represented

Learned Tactics for Asset Allocation

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

based on off-policy and on-policy tempo - ral difference learning [6, 31, 47]. The basic prin- ciple that unifies MARL techniques is to identify and...patterns with regu- larities such as symmetry, repetition, and repetition with variation [49, 50, 54]. For example, simply by in- cluding a Gaussian...tactics and policies while still exhibiting variation across the policy geometry. In other words, policies are spread across the substrate in a

Long-term effect of the combined use of powered toothbrush and triclosan dentifrice in periodontal maintenance patients.

PubMed

Bogren, Anna; Teles, Ricardo P; Torresyap, Gay; Haffajee, Anne D; Socransky, Sigmund S; Jönsson, Kerstin; Wennström, Jan L

2008-02-01

To test the hypothesis of a superior clinical and microbiological effect of the combined use of powered toothbrush+triclosan-containing dentifrice compared with manual toothbrush+regular fluoride-containing dentifrice in periodontal maintenance patients. A total of 128 periodontitis subjects involved in recall programmes were randomized to use either powered toothbrush with triclosan-dentifrice (test) or manual toothbrush and standard dentifrice (control). Supportive periodontal treatment was provided at baseline and every 6 months. Plaque, bleeding on probing (BoP), probing pocket depth (PPD) and relative attachment level (RAL) were scored at baseline, 1, 2 and 3 years. Subgingival plaque samples were taken and analysed for their content of 40 bacterial species at each examination interval. All analyses were performed by "intention-to-treat" protocol. Both groups showed significant reduction in BoP, PPD and in mean total counts of the 40 bacterial species between baseline and 3 years, while plaque score and RAL remained almost unchanged. No significant differences between the two prevention programmes were found for any of the clinical outcome variables or in mean counts of the various bacterial species. The study failed to demonstrate superior clinical and microbiological effects of powered toothbrush+triclosan dentifrice compared with manual toothbrush+standard fluoride-dentifrice in periodontitis-susceptible patients on regular maintenance therapy.

Chemical strain-dependent two-dimensional transport at R AlO 3 / SrTiO 3 interfaces ( R = La , Nd , Sm , and Gd )

DOE PAGES

Li, Chen; Shen, Xuan; Yang, Yurong; ...

2016-12-27

Perovskite RAlO 3 (R = La, Nd, Sm, and Gd) films have been deposited epitaxially on (001) TiO 2-terminated SrTiO 3 substrates. In this paper, it is observed that the two-dimensional transport characteristics at the RAlO 3/SrTiO 3 interfaces are very sensitive to the species of rare-earth element, that is to chemical strain. Although electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements show that electron transfer occurs in all the four polar/nonpolar heterostructures, the amount of electrons transferred across SmAlO 3/SrTiO 3 and GdAlO 3/SrTiO 3 interfaces are much less than those across LaAlO 3/SrTiO 3 and NdAlO 3/SrTiO 3 interfaces. First-principles calculationsmore » reveal the competition between ionic polarization and electronic polarization in the polar layers in compensating the build-in polarization due to the polar discontinuity at the interface. Finally, in particular, a large ionic polarization is found in SmAlO 3/SrTiO 3 and GdAlO 3/SrTiO 3 systems (which experience the largest tensile epitaxial strain), hence reducing the amount of electrons transferred.« less

Vaccines to combat river blindness: expression, selection and formulation of vaccines against infection with Onchocerca volvulus in a mouse model

PubMed Central

Hess, Jessica A.; Zhan, Bin; Bonne-Année, Sandra; Deckman, Jessica M.; Bottazzi, Maria Elena; Hotez, Peter J.; Klei, Thomas R.; Lustigman, Sara; Abraham, David

2014-01-01

Human onchocerciasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Onchocerca volvulus and an important cause of blindness and chronic disability in the developing world. Although mass drug administration of ivermectin has had a profound effect on control of the disease, additional tools are critically needed including the need for a vaccine against onchocerciasis. The objectives of the present study were to: (i) select antigens with known vaccine pedigrees as components of a vaccine; (ii) produce the selected vaccine antigens under controlled conditions, using two expression systems and in one laboratory and (iii) evaluate their vaccine efficacy using a single immunization protocol in mice. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that joining protective antigens as a fusion protein or in combination, into a multivalent vaccine, would improve the ability of the vaccine to induce protective immunity. Out of eight vaccine candidates tested in this study, Ov-103, Ov-RAL-2 and Ov-CPI-2M were shown to reproducibly induce protective immunity when administered individually, as fusion proteins or in combination. Although there was no increase in the level of protective immunity induced by combining the antigens into one vaccine, these antigens remain strong candidates for inclusion in a vaccine to control onchocerciasis in humans. PMID:24907553

International Aviation (Selected Articles).

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-04-12

and advanced quality control. ,onclusions 10 ____ -c ’~-, nznu i’’ hrm ,~ :~~r i f aviation rcli~cts and ral-eLn -ecr 7conomld ethe’ :’orlnnzs and...have basically attained or approached .he level of foreign countries. The successful development of directional conden- sation technique means that...attenuation, softness , and light weight in addition to an advantage that no metal reflection lining is required. Once such materials are developed, radar

Relating Sensitivity and Criterion Effects to the Internal Mechanisms of Visual Spatial Attention

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-30

Hughes & Zimba , 1987; Rizzolatti, Riggio, Descola & *, .. Umilta, 1987). Further, deficits for uncued locations are a function 4. of the distance...Wilson, 1986; Rizzolatti, et. al., 1987; Hughes & Zimba , 1987, argue that this effect depends upon the use of an articulated visual field). Distance...Hughes, H. & Zimba , L. (1987) Nat,ral boundaries for the spatial spread of directed visual attention. Neuropsychologia, 25, 5-18. O Jonides, J. (1976

Differential Effector Engagement by Oncogenic KRAS. | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

KRAS can bind numerous effector proteins, which activate different downstream signaling events. The best known are RAF, phosphatidylinositide (PI)-3' kinase, and RalGDS families, but many additional direct and indirect effectors have been reported. We have assessed how these effectors contribute to several major phenotypes in a quantitative way, using an arrayed combinatorial siRNA screen in which we knocked down 41 KRAS effectors nodes in 92 cell lines.

Army Logistician. Volume 35, Issue 5, September-October 2003

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-10-01

Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per...and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information...designed to deliver performance-enhancing natu- ral food elements to troops in the field. The gel con- tains a mixture of glucose and maltodextrin —a

World Epidemiology Review, Number 104

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-06

EL DIA in Spanish 26 Jul 78 p 10 [Text] Canelones—A meeting held at the premises of the Commercial and Social Center was attended by members of the...and dis- cussions on subjects of the specialty, as well as receptions in the Argen- tine Embassy and a series of social activities for those attending...courses and gene- ral activities. At times, use is made of infrastructures of the Ministry of Public Health or of other organizations. Social

Williams AFB, Arizona Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO) Parts A-F.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-21

N;I 1-L 9AL CLIMATOLOGY BRANCH ~.w~ .’ ETAC LJS. H A~(I EATV UMDT 2 f wEATHER SERVICE/MAC SEE FIRST HUMDIT 2 114 1 LLIAMS AFB AZ 69-70,73-80 JUL...4622 USAPETAC ’ol 0-87-5(01.A) , I roFql CL,-RAL CLIMATOLOGY BRANCH EATV 2 AFETAC SRVIE/ACATIVE UUTO HUMIDITY SEE FIRST PAGE Z Cl)4 AILLIAMS AFS AZ

Factors Required for Successful Future Research in Decision Making

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-06-01

to democracy and a market economy. The characteristics that this transition has in common with a complex system operating in its chaotic regime i...the Center for Science and Industrial Policy, Moscow. 4 T. J. Gordon and R. Pratt ! r • � .... 11ral Scanning, The� Hill Encyclopedia of Market ...foresight successful if it helped a firm beat a competitor or to secure greater market share. Some organizations rely on external futures

Reptiles and Amphibians of Fairchild Air Force Base, WA

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-10

calling, free swimming larvae, and metamorph emer- gence, respectively. General survey methods included the use of timed au- ral surveys, automated...influence metamorph success or use . Although the majority of adult spotted frogs were found in ditches, it is inter- esting to note that a large...number of metamorphs were found within a pond (at UTM 451650 5272683) that had not had any prior evidence of amphibian use . This pond had very little

HR Public meeting

ScienceCinema

Heuer, Rolf; Catherin, Anne-Sylvie; Vuillemin, Vin

2018-05-25

Cher(e)s collègues, En collaboration avec le Département HR, le Directeur général a le plaisir de vous convier à une réunion publique qui se tiendra le vendredi 25 juin 2010 à 9h30 dans l’Amphithéâtre principal (Bâtiment 500)*. Un café d’accueil y sera servi à partir de 9h. Cette réunion abordera les thèmes suivants : • Valeurs de l’Organisation (Directeur général) • Code de Conduite (Directeur général / Anne-Sylvie Catherin) • Création du nouveau rôle d’Ombudsperson (Vincent Vuillemin); Ces présentations seront suivies d’une séance de questions-réponses. Nous espérons vous retrouver nombreux le 25 juin ! Meilleures salutations, Anne-Sylvie Catherin Chef du Département des Ressources humaines *Cette réunion sera retransmise simultanément dans l’Amphithéâtre BE de Prévessin (Bâtiment 864) et également disponible à l’adresse suivante : http://webcast.cern.ch. Dear colleagues, In collaboration with HR Department, the Director-General would like to invite you to an information meeting which will be held on Friday 25 June 2010 at 9:30 am in the Main Auditorium (Building 500)*. A welcome coffee will be available from 9:00 am. During this meeting, information will be given about: • Organization’s values (Director-General) • Code of Conduct (Director-General / Anne-Sylvie Catherin) • New Ombudsperson role (Vincent Vuillemin) These presentations will be followed by a questions & answers session. We look forward to seeing you all on 25 June! Best regards, Anne-Sylvie Catherin Head, Human Resources Department. This meeting will be simultaneously retransmitted in BE Auditorium (Building 864) and available at the following address: http://webcast.cern.ch.

U.S. Security Assistance Programs in Southern Africa: Are They Supporting National Objectives?

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-01

YIO (Include .-iea Codi’, SACS ’-/uLLCC IaxwelI AFB Al- 36112 (205) 293-2483 UL) j7 ()phi 1473 33 AV",, EDITION OF 1 JAN 73 IS OBSOLETE, -UJLASSIF lED...34 (8: p. 6-9) Th e CPD is soml~etimes re-ferred to as the Consolidated Data Report and is I-.ral ly an u..pdate of the AISA The heart of the AIASA is

A New Therapeutic Paradigm for Breast Cancer Exploiting Low Dose Estrogen-Induce Apoptosis

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

pulmonary embolism , DVT, transient ischemic attack, osteoporotic fractures , cataracts, death and quality of life (Vogel, Costantino et al. 2006...transplanting 1 mm3 tumor pieces (from other tumor bearing animals) into recipient mouse axillary mammary fat pads. This procedure was also used to...per site into the axillary mammary fat pads to generate tumors. In culture, MCF-7/RAL2 were maintained in phenol red-free MEM supplemented with 1 µM

Two-photon exchange correction to the hyperfine splitting in muonic hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomalak, Oleksandr

2017-12-01

We reevaluate the Zemach, recoil and polarizability corrections to the hyperfine splitting in muonic hydrogen expressing them through the low-energy proton structure constants and obtain the precise values of the Zemach radius and two-photon exchange (TPE) contribution. The uncertainty of TPE correction to S energy levels in muonic hydrogen of 105 ppm exceeds the ppm accuracy level of the forthcoming 1S hyperfine splitting measurements at PSI, J-PARC and RIKEN-RAL.

Comparative analysis of the role of small G proteins in cell migration and cell death: Cytoprotective and promigratory effects of RalA

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

Jeon, Hyejin; Zheng, Long Tai; Lee, Shinrye

2011-08-15

Small G protein superfamily consists of more than 150 members, and is classified into six families: the Ras, Rho, Rab, Arf, Ran, and RGK families. They regulate a wide variety of cell functions such as cell proliferation/differentiation, cytoskeletal reorganization, vesicle trafficking, nucleocytoplasmic transport and microtubule organization. The small G proteins have also been shown to regulate cell death/survival and cell shape. In this study, we compared the role of representative members of the six families of small G proteins in cell migration and cell death/survival, two cellular phenotypes that are associated with inflammation, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. Our results show thatmore » small G proteins of the six families differentially regulate cell death and cell cycle distribution. In particular, our results indicate that Rho family of small G proteins is antiapoptotic. Ras, Rho, and Ran families promoted cell migration. There was no significant correlation between the cell death- and cell migration-regulating activities of the small G proteins. Nevertheless, RalA was not only cytoprotective against multiple chemotherapeutic drugs, but also promigratory inducing stress fiber formation, which was accompanied by the activation of Akt and Erk pathways. Our study provides a framework for further systematic investigation of small G proteins in the perspectives of cell death/survival and motility in inflammation and cancer.« less

Ptosis congénital: expérience d'un centre de soins tertiaires Marocain et mise au point

PubMed Central

Handor, Hanan; Hafidi, Zouheir; Bencherif, Moulayzahid; Amrani, Youssef; Belmokhtar, Adil; Laghmari, Mina; Daoudi, Rajae

2014-01-01

Le ptosis congénital constitue la malposition palpébrale la plus fréquente de l'enfant. Le but de ce travail est de rapporter l'expérience de notre service dans la prise en charge de cette affection. Cette étude analyse les données épidémiologiques, cliniques et thérapeutiques des patients opérés pour ptosis congénital dans notre service entre Janvier 2005 et Décembre 2012. 44 patients (48 yeux) ont été opérés. La médiane d'âge était de 10 ans et une prédominance masculine a été retrouvée. Le ptosis était unilatéral et isolé dans 40 cas (90,90 %), bilatéral et associé à un syndrome de blépharophimosis dans 3 cas et à un syndrome de fibrose congénitale des muscles oculomoteurs dans un cas. Une amblyopie a été notée dans 11 cas (25%). La résection du muscle releveur de la paupière supérieure était la technique chirurgicale la plus utilisée (81,81%). Les résultats postopératoires étaient bons dans 33 cas (75%). PMID:25767669

Coupling Bacterial Activity Measurements with Cell Sorting by Flow Cytometry.

PubMed

Servais; Courties; Lebaron; Troussellier

1999-08-01

> Abstract A new procedure to investigate the relationship between bacterial cell size and activity at the cellular level has been developed; it is based on the coupling of radioactive labeling of bacterial cells and cell sorting by flow cytometry after SYTO 13 staining. Before sorting, bacterial cells were incubated in the presence of tritiated leucine using a procedure similar to that used for measuring bacterial production by leucine incorporation and then stained with SYTO 13. Subpopulations of bacterial cells were sorted according to their average right-angle light scatter (RALS) and fluorescence. Average RALS was shown to be significantly related to the average biovolume. Experiments were performed on samples collected at different times in a Mediterranean seawater mesocosm enriched with nitrogen and phosphorus. At four sampling times, bacteria were sorted in two subpopulations (cells smaller and larger than 0.25 µm(3)). The results indicate that, at each sampling time, the growth rate of larger cells was higher than that of smaller cells. In order to confirm this tendency, cell sorting was performed on six subpopulations differing in average biovolume during the mesocosm follow-up. A clear increase of the bacterial growth rates was observed with increasing cell size for the conditions met in this enriched mesocosm.http://link.springer-ny.com/link/service/journals/00248/bibs/38n2p180.html

Dreams of personality disordered subjects.

PubMed

Guralnik, O; Levin, R; Schmeidler, J

1999-01-01

Dreams provide access to underlying personality structure, defensive and adaptive functions, and they elucidate the psychological forces that lead to overt symptomatic behavior. Two hundred three dreams of 39 personality disordered patients were factor analyzed and compared with Hall and Van de Castle's normative data (Hall C, Van de Castle RI [1966] The content analysis of dreams. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts). Results included a five-factor solution that sheds light on some core issues of the dreamers. Comparisons between the groups resulted in the personality-disordered group demonstrating more estrangement in their dreams, fewer interactions, and more emotionality. In their interactions, they demonstrated a lower ratio of aggressive interactions yet a higher tendency to view themselves as the aggressor. Results are related to theoretical literature on personality and defensive styles, mostly from a psychodynamic perspective.

On the Distribution of Ion Density Depletion Along Magnetic Field Lines as Deduced Using C-NOFS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dao, E.; Kelley, M. C.; Hysell, D. L.; Retterer, J. M.; Su, Y.-J.; Pfaff, Robert F.; Roddy, P. A.; Ballenthin, J. O.

2012-01-01

To investigate ion density depletion along magnetic field lines, we compare in situ-measured ion density fluctuations as seen from C/NOFS and compare them to the field-line-integrated depletion of the whole bubble as inferred from electric field measurements. Results show that, within C/NOFS' range, local measurement of the normalized density depletion, (Delta)n/n(sub 0), near the apex may be far less than at other points on the same field line. We argue that the distribution of (Delta)n/n(sub 0) is a weighted distribution concentrated at latitudes of the Appleton anomalies and becomes more heavily weighted the closer the field-aligned bubble rises to the peak of the anomalies. A three-dimensional simulation of an ionospheric bubble verifies our arguments.

Data management and database framework for the MICE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martyniak, J.; Nebrensky, J. J.; Rajaram, D.; MICE Collaboration

2017-10-01

The international Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE) currently operating at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK, is designed to demonstrate the principle of muon ionization cooling for application to a future Neutrino Factory or Muon Collider. We present the status of the framework for the movement and curation of both raw and reconstructed data. A raw data-mover has been designed to safely upload data files onto permanent tape storage as soon as they have been written out. The process has been automated, and checks have been built in to ensure the integrity of data at every stage of the transfer. The data processing framework has been recently redesigned in order to provide fast turnaround of reconstructed data for analysis. The automated reconstruction is performed on a dedicated machine in the MICE control room and any reprocessing is done at Tier-2 Grid sites. In conjunction with this redesign, a new reconstructed-data-mover has been designed and implemented. We also review the implementation of a robust database system that has been designed for MICE. The processing of data, whether raw or Monte Carlo, requires accurate knowledge of the experimental conditions. MICE has several complex elements ranging from beamline magnets to particle identification detectors to superconducting magnets. A Configuration Database, which contains information about the experimental conditions (magnet currents, absorber material, detector calibrations, etc.) at any given time has been developed to ensure accurate and reproducible simulation and reconstruction. A fully replicated, hot-standby database system has been implemented with a firewall-protected read-write master running in the control room, and a read-only slave running at a different location. The actual database is hidden from end users by a Web Service layer, which provides platform and programming language-independent access to the data.

Inflammatory and immunological profiles in patients with COPD: relationship with FEV 1 reversibility.

PubMed

Queiroz, Cleriston Farias; Lemos, Antonio Carlos Moreira; Bastos, Maria de Lourdes Santana; Neves, Margarida Célia Lima Costa; Camelier, Aquiles Assunção; Carvalho, Natália Barbosa; Carvalho, Edgar Marcelino de

2016-01-01

To determine whether COPD severity correlates with sputum cell counts, atopy, and asthma. This was a cross-sectional study involving 37 patients with COPD and 22 healthy subjects with normal lung function (controls). Sputum cell counts were determined by microscopy after centrifugation of samples. Skin prick tests were performed, and serum cytokines were determined by ELISA. Patients were stratified by bronchodilator response: a non-reversible airflow limitation (nonRAL) group comprised 24 patients showing no significant post-bronchodilator change in FEV1; and a partially reversible airflow limitation (partialRAL) group comprised 13 patients showing FEV1 reversibility (post-bronchodilator FEV1 increase ≥ 12%). The proportion of eosinophils in sputum was higher in the partialRAL group than in the nonRAL group (p < 0.01), and there was an inverse correlation between the proportion of eosinophils and FEV1 (p < 0.05). However, none of the patients had a history of asthma and skin prick test results did not differ between the two groups. In the patient sputum samples, neutrophils predominated. Serum levels of TNF, IL-6, IL-8, and RANTES (CCL5) were higher in patients than in controls (p < 0.001) but did not differ between the two patient groups. COPD patients with partial FEV1 reversibility appear to have higher sputum eosinophil counts and greater airway hyperresponsiveness than do those with no FEV1 reversibility. However, we found that COPD severity did not correlate with atopy or with the cytokine profile. Determinar se a gravidade da DPOC se correlaciona com a contagem de células no escarro, atopia e asma. Estudo transversal com 37 pacientes com DPOC e 22 indivíduos saudáveis com função pulmonar normal (controles). As contagens de células no escarro foram determinadas por microscopia após a centrifugação das amostras. Foram realizados testes cutâneos de puntura, e as citocinas séricas foram determinadas por ELISA. Os pacientes foram estratificados pela resposta ao broncodilatador: o grupo de limitação ao fluxo aéreo não reversível (LFAnr) envolveu 24 pacientes sem alteração significativa do VEF1 pós-broncodilatador, e o grupo de limitação ao fluxo aéreo parcialmente reversível (LFApr) envolveu 13 pacientes com reversibilidade do VEF1 (aumento do VEF1 pós-broncodilatador ≥ 12%). A proporção de eosinófilos no escarro foi maior no grupo LFApr do que no LFAnr (p < 0,01), e houve uma correlação inversa entre a proporção de eosinófilos e VEF1 (p < 0,05). Entretanto, nenhum dos pacientes apresentou histórico de asma e os resultados dos testes cutâneos não diferiram entre os dois grupos. Nas amostras de escarro dos pacientes, os neutrófilos predominaram. Os níveis séricos de TNF, IL-6, IL-8 e RANTES (CCL5) foram maiores nos pacientes que nos controles (p < 0,001), mas não diferiram entre os dois grupos de pacientes. Pacientes com DPOC e reversibilidade parcial do VEF1 parecem apresentar maiores contagens de eosinófilos no escarro e maior hiper-responsividade das vias aéreas que aqueles sem reversibilidade do VEF1. Entretanto, a gravidade da DPOC não se correlacionou com atopia ou perfil das citocinas.

Warrant Officer Senior Course WOSC Evaluation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

Finance 2 Principles of Economics II I Managerial Accounting (Graduate) I Marketing Management (Graduate) I Principles of Biology 2 Number of Students...34? ’)rocesi, T he 3’’?~- ’ ADP.’- Gon~wcrslo, i li tAdniastr: ja-ln Cili- an Porsonel Management 7 Sl1pplV 0-: --i i 2 Li Support Structlirk! (,r,. ral L.~ i...ing, a ontapuivar* d Ar,2a Soviet Irw CiS Class 81-1 SUBJECT HOURS Techniques of Management I Transactional Analysis 2 Economic Approach and Linear

Non-kinetic Targeting Risk Assessment Methodology (NKTRAM)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-22

kinetic inetic Targe J TGTs & E ement of ris s and dama ian / non-co Treaty Orga kinetic enga rce ( IATF ) t of selecting perational and prioritiza c...t e activities. T c engagemen is often inapp of a tank, is and Major S ( IATF ). ssessm opose a non ral Damage / munitions ting Risk As ) staff...prototype stage and is classified. As such, it will not be discussed or identified within this SL. In November 2013, the IATF red teamed the prototype

V2010 Security Planning and Operations: A Social Network Study of Key Information Sharing Relationships

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

la scurit. Je vous remercie de votre temps et de votre contribution. Susan G. McIntyre Knowledge Management/ Gestion du savoir...National Defence, 2011 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2011 DRDC CSS TR 2011...avantages du renforcement de la communication horizontale au sein du gouvernement fédéral, surtout en présence d’organismes de

What Should Users Expect from Information Storage and Retrieval Systems of the 1980’s

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-01

cide dcentrer sur ls marchE de l1information secondaire, on doit d~finir Is secteur , rschercher des appuis (coop~rants) pour couvrir cc secteur ...inutiles. Ii appartient bien entendu chaque Gouvernemant dlapprdcier sea prioritds, mais en se plagant dans Is cadre tracE. GOUVERNEMENT ET SECTEUR PRIVE A...directive A76 salon laqualle le Gouvernament f~d~ral slappuiera sur Is secteur priv6 pour publiar at dissminar llinformation scientifique at technique

Hurricane Impact on Gulf Coast Barriers.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

advaince and huge late-ral extent, Frederic de- ye Ii ped a large ,.toriin so rge. After en is~.in g Dauphin [,land, Alabama, Fredi’ric made landfill near...stratification Each set is some 10 to 20 cr0 These fans are characterized byv wide con tinhi-its upper-flow thick . Tahular cross-stratif aioofviblthcnsisa...Note lth ndward mingration swash bars along the fan crest . (See fig 1:3 P’,intFtlicati)n of thi, oblique aerial photo). Photo taken March 12. 19N

Through the Lens of Cultural Awareness: A Primer for US Armed Forces Deploying to Arab and Middle Eastern Countries

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

Willingness to Compromise •Risk Avoidance •Time to Decision •Etc. The “What” ral Variation Behaviors •Context Sensitivity Values •Individualism vs ...Collectivism •Power Distance •Formality vs . informality •Uncertainty Avoidance •Relationship vs . Deal Focus •Long-term vs . Short term orientation •Time...Orientation Cognition •Reasoning Styles Cultural Variations Behaviors •Context Sensitivity Values •Individualism vs . Collectivism •Power Distance •Formality

American Psychological Association 1989 Annual Convention on Sustained Operations Research: A Blend of Psychology and Physiology Held in New Orleans, Louisiana on 11-15 August 1989

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-27

is important to note also that as interdisciplinary studies have gained in -kj ’- popularity, theories incorporating physical and behavi6ral hypothesis...have gained strength due to approaches which focus multiple measures on single factors. Th( study of military sustained performance/operations...related fields of study . These environmental and interdisciplinary areas of study are typically sleep deprivation, work load, exercise physiology

Development of a WRF-RTFDDA-based high-resolution hybrid data-assimilation and forecasting system toward to operation in the Middle East

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Wu, W.; Zhang, Y.; Kucera, P. A.; Liu, Y.; Pan, L.

2012-12-01

Weather forecasting in the Middle East is challenging because of its complicated geographical nature including massive coastal area and heterogeneous land, and regional spare observational network. Strong air-land-sea interactions form multi-scale weather regimes in the area, which require a numerical weather prediction model capable of properly representing multi-scale atmospheric flow with appropriate initial conditions. The WRF-based Real-Time Four Dimensional Data Assimilation (RTFDDA) system is one of advanced multi-scale weather analysis and forecasting facilities developed at the Research Applications Laboratory (RAL) of NCAR. The forecasting system is applied for the Middle East with careful configuration. To overcome the limitation of the very sparsely available conventional observations in the region, we develop a hybrid data assimilation algorithm combining RTFDDA and WRF-3DVAR, which ingests remote sensing data from satellites and radar. This hybrid data assimilation blends Newtonian nudging FDDA and 3DVAR technology to effectively assimilate both conventional observations and remote sensing measurements and provide improved initial conditions for the forecasting system. For brevity, the forecasting system is called RTF3H (RTFDDA-3DVAR Hybrid). In this presentation, we will discuss the hybrid data assimilation algorithm, and its implementation, and the applications for high-impact weather events in the area. Sensitivity studies are conducted to understand the strength and limitations of this hybrid data assimilation algorithm.

Vaccines to combat river blindness: expression, selection and formulation of vaccines against infection with Onchocerca volvulus in a mouse model.

PubMed

Hess, Jessica A; Zhan, Bin; Bonne-Année, Sandra; Deckman, Jessica M; Bottazzi, Maria Elena; Hotez, Peter J; Klei, Thomas R; Lustigman, Sara; Abraham, David

2014-08-01

Human onchocerciasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Onchocerca volvulus and an important cause of blindness and chronic disability in the developing world. Although mass drug administration of ivermectin has had a profound effect on control of the disease, additional tools are critically needed including the need for a vaccine against onchocerciasis. The objectives of the present study were to: (i) select antigens with known vaccine pedigrees as components of a vaccine; (ii) produce the selected vaccine antigens under controlled conditions, using two expression systems and in one laboratory and (iii) evaluate their vaccine efficacy using a single immunisation protocol in mice. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that joining protective antigens as a fusion protein or in combination, into a multivalent vaccine, would improve the ability of the vaccine to induce protective immunity. Out of eight vaccine candidates tested in this study, Ov-103, Ov-RAL-2 and Ov-CPI-2M were shown to reproducibly induce protective immunity when administered individually, as fusion proteins or in combination. Although there was no increase in the level of protective immunity induced by combining the antigens into one vaccine, these antigens remain strong candidates for inclusion in a vaccine to control onchocerciasis in humans. Copyright © 2014 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated Payload Data Handling Systems Using Software Partitioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Alun; Hann, Mark; Wishart, Alex

2015-09-01

An integrated Payload Data Handling System (I-PDHS) is one in which multiple instruments share a central payload processor for their on-board data processing tasks. This offers a number of advantages over the conventional decentralised architecture. Savings in payload mass and power can be realised because the total processing resource is matched to the requirements, as opposed to the decentralised architecture here the processing resource is in effect the sum of all the applications. Overall development cost can be reduced using a common processor. At individual instrument level the potential benefits include a standardised application development environment, and the opportunity to run the instrument data handling application on a fully redundant and more powerful processing platform [1]. This paper describes a joint program by SCISYS UK Limited, Airbus Defence and Space, Imperial College London and RAL Space to implement a realistic demonstration of an I-PDHS using engineering models of flight instruments (a magnetometer and camera) and a laboratory demonstrator of a central payload processor which is functionally representative of a flight design. The objective is to raise the Technology Readiness Level of the centralised data processing technique by address the key areas of task partitioning to prevent fault propagation and the use of a common development process for the instrument applications. The project is supported by a UK Space Agency grant awarded under the National Space Technology Program SpaceCITI scheme. [1].

Current status of medical and veterinary entomology in France: endangered discipline or promising science?

PubMed

Cuisance, Dominique; Antoine Rioux, Jean

2004-09-01

Following alarming statements (French Senate, Académie des Sciences) on the present situation concerning entomology and systematics in France, the Conseil Général Vétérinaire designated one of us (D.C.) to carry out a survey on the status of medical and veterinary entomology (MVE) with respect to research orientations and university curricula. Around 100 participants, including scientists, teachers and several directors of research and educational bodies, were interviewed and filled in questionnaires for this survey. On the basis of the results, it was concluded that the deterioration of MVE in France is associated with: (1) the hasty reorganisation of training and research in the life sciences, leading to the disappearance of several disciplines. Hence, the postgraduate DEA degree in entomology was eliminated, and even the name 'entomology' no longer appears in teaching programmes or on research contracts; (2) France's withdrawal from action research programmes in developing countries. Although these programmes were efficient in controlling outbreaks of major endemic diseases, integrated pest and vector management programmes have been replaced by basic health care ('Health for everyone in 2000') and vaccination programmes; (3) the general shift from field to laboratory research, focused mainly on molecular mechanisms. The survey results confirmed generally acknowledged trends concerning many points and highlighted several specific problems, such as the disappearance of systematics experts. Several potential solutions are proposed.

The cause of outliers in electromagnetic pulse (EMP) locations

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

Fenimore, Edward E.

2014-10-02

We present methods to calculate the location of EMP pulses when observed by 5 or more satellites. Simulations show that, even with a good initial guess and fitting a location to all of the data, there are sometime outlier results whose locations are much worse than most cases. By comparing simulations using different ionospheric transfer functions (ITFs), it appears that the outliers are caused by not including the additional path length due to refraction rather than being caused by not including higher order terms in the Appleton-Hartree equation. We suggest ways that the outliers can be corrected. These correction methodsmore » require one to use an electron density profile along the line of sight from the event to the satellite rather than using the total electron content (TEC) to characterize the ionosphere.« less

Study of ionospheric irregularities from Kolhapur (16.4°N, 74.2°E)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, A. K.; Chavan, G. A.; Gaikwad, H. P.; Gurav, O. B.; Nade, D. P.; Nikte, S. S.; Ghodpage, R. N.; Patil, P. T.

2018-04-01

The paper reports night time observations of ionospheric irregularities made through amplitude scintillation of 251 MHz signal at Kolhapur (16.4°N, 74.2°E), an equatorial Appleton anomaly region using spaced antenna system. Monthly and night time percentage of occurrence of scintillations, during increasing solar cycle from January 2011 to August 2015, is discussed. The parameters such as-maximum cross-correlation function (CI), Fade Rate are also studied. The percentage occurrence is observed to be higher in post sunset period and during equinoctial months than in winter and summer months. Scintillation occurrence is observed to be suppressed during increasing solar activity. CI shows seasonal changes. Percentage of occurrence of CI ≥ 0.5 decreases with increase in solar activity and fade rate also shows solar activity dependence.

Growth of L-band scintillation at anomaly crest station in association with strong TEC gradient: A study covering wide solar activity period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, K.; Devi, M.; Barbara, A. K.; Zahan, Y.

2018-01-01

The paper aims at to study the sources associated with growth of L band scintillation over Guwahati, an Appleton anomaly region. Starting with the analysis of diurnal and seasonal characteristic features of scintillation from a minimum sunspot number (Rz) of 10 to a maximum of 140, the paper shows that scintillations are more likely to develop during high solar activity period. It also highlights the explosive increase in occurrence of scintillation from post sunset to pre midnight hours in vernal equinoctial months when the background TEC is 50% more than on a normal day, accompanied by enhanced TEC decay rate. The role of equatorial anomaly effects through EXB drift processes are brought into discussion as possible sources on the growth of small scale irregularities leading to such scintillations.

Growth of L-band scintillation at anomaly crest station in association with strong TEC gradient: A study covering wide solar activity period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, K.; Devi, M.; Barbara, A. K.; Zahan, Y.

2018-07-01

The paper aims at to study the sources associated with growth of L band scintillation over Guwahati, an Appleton anomaly region. Starting with the analysis of diurnal and seasonal characteristic features of scintillation from a minimum sunspot number (Rz) of 10 to a maximum of 140, the paper shows that scintillations are more likely to develop during high solar activity period. It also highlights the explosive increase in occurrence of scintillation from post sunset to pre midnight hours in vernal equinoctial months when the background TEC is 50% more than on a normal day, accompanied by enhanced TEC decay rate. The role of equatorial anomaly effects through EXB drift processes are brought into discussion as possible sources on the growth of small scale irregularities leading to such scintillations.

Surgeons' perceptions and injuries during and after urologic laparoscopic surgery.

PubMed

Gofrit, Ofer N; Mikahail, Albert A; Zorn, Kevin C; Zagaja, Gregory P; Steinberg, Gary D; Shalhav, Arieh L

2008-03-01

The biomechanical and mental strains placed on the surgeon while performing laparoscopic procedures are significantly higher compared with open surgical techniques. We undertook this study to assess the prevalence of surgeons' deleterious perceptions or injuries related to laparoscopic urologic surgery. Members of endourological society were mailed a questionnaire evaluating their laparoscopic experience, total number of standard laparoscopic surgeries (SLS), hand-assisted laparoscopic surgeries (HALS), and robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgeries (RALS) they performed. The subjects reported any neuromuscular or arthritic injuries sustained during laparoscopic surgery, and graded the degree of pain, numbness, and fatigue they experienced. A total of 73 urologists completed the questionnaires. The average responder was 44 years old, had completed a median of 117 procedures, and was performing 3 laparoscopic surgeries per week. Neuromuscular or arthritic symptoms during surgery were reported by 22 responders (30%), the most common was finger paresthesia (18%). At the conclusion of HALS, 45% of the surgeons suffered from hand and wrist numbness and 37% reported pain in these areas. A significant association was observed between the risk of sustaining injury during surgery and the total number of laparoscopic procedures performed by the responder (P = 0.016). RALS was the procedure least associated with injuries, and HALS the most. The laparoscopic operating theater is a hostile ergonomic environment. Surgeons' awareness of the common injuries associated with laparoscopic surgery and careful equipment adjustments before surgery are mandatory to minimize injury. Future improvements in instrument design according to ergonomic principles are highly warranted.

Performance characterization of the EarthCARE BBR Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proulx, C.; Allard, M.; Pope, T.; Tremblay, B.; Williamson, F.; Julien, C.; Larouche, C.; Delderfield, J.; Parker, D.

2017-11-01

The Broadband Radiometer (BBR) is an instrument being developed for the ESA EarthCARE satellite. The BBR instrument objective is to provide measurements of the reflected short-wave (0.25-4.0 μm) and emitted long-wave (4.0-50 μm) top of the atmosphere (TOA) radiance over three along-track views (forward, nadir and backward). The instrument has three fixed telescopes, one for each view, each containing a broadband detector. The BBR instrument is led by SEA in the UK with RAL responsible for the BBR optics unit (OU) while EADS Astrium is the EarthCARE prime contractor. A detailed description of the instrument is provided in [1]. The BBR detectors consist in three dedicated assemblies under the responsibility of INO. The detectors development started in 2008 and led to the design and implementation of a new gold black deposition facility at INO [2], in parallel with the preliminary and detailed design phases of the detector assemblies. As of today, two breadboard models and one engineering model have been delivered to RAL. In the BBR OU each detector mechanically interfaces with the telescope and electrically with the front-end electronics (FEE). The detectors' development is now at the Critical Design Review (CDR) level. This paper first provides a description of the detector design along with its principles of operation. It further presents and discusses measurement and analysis results for the performance characterization of the engineering model in the context of the applicable requirements. Detector-level qualification planning is finally discussed.

Correlation of alkaline phosphatase activity to clinical parameters of inflammation in smokers suffering from chronic periodontitis.

PubMed

Grover, Vishakha; Malhotra, Ranjan; Kapoor, Anoop; Bither, Rupika; Sachdeva, Sonia

2016-01-01

Current clinical periodontal diagnostic techniques emphasize the assessment of clinical and radiographic signs of periodontal diseases which can provide a measure of history of disease. Hence, new methodologies for early identification and determination of periodontal disease activity need to be explored which will eventually result in expedited treatment. To evaluate the correlation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) to clinical parameters of periodontal inflammation in smokers with chronic periodontitis. Study population included 15 smoker male patients in the age group of 35-55 years suffering from moderate generalized chronic periodontitis with history of smoking present. Following parameters were evaluated at baseline, 1 month and 3 months after scaling and root planing: plaque index, bleeding index, probing pocket depth (PD), relative attachment level (RAL), and GCF ALP activity. Independent variables for measurements over time were analyzed by using Wilcoxon signed rank test. A statistically significant reduction in all the clinical parameters and GCF ALP activity was observed from baseline to 1 month and 3 months. A correlation was observed between change in GCF ALP activity and PD reduction as well as gain in RAL at 3 months. The present study emphasizes that total ALP activity could be used as a marker for periodontal disease activity in smokers. Estimation of changes in the levels of this enzyme has a potential to aid in the detection of progression of periodontal disease and monitoring the response to periodontal therapy.

Efficacy and tolerability of switching to a dual therapy with darunavir/ritonavir plus raltegravir in HIV-infected patients with HIV-1 RNA ≤50 cp/mL.

PubMed

Madeddu, Giordano; Rusconi, Stefano; Cozzi-Lepri, Alessandro; Di Giambenedetto, Simona; Bonora, Stefano; Carbone, Alessia; De Luca, Andrea; Gianotti, Nicola; Di Biagio, Antonio; Antinori, Andrea

2017-08-01

Nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) toxicity may represent a threat for long-term success of combined antiretroviral therapy. Some studies have suggested a possible improvement of NRTI-related toxicity after switching to NRTI-sparing regimens. We aimed to explore the efficacy and tolerability of switching to darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r) plus raltegravir (RAL) while having a viral load (VL) ≤50 copies/mL in the clinical setting. Treatment-experienced HIV 1-infected patients enrolled in the ICONA Foundation Study cohort were included if they switched their current regimen to DRV/r + RAL with a HIV-RNA ≤50 copies/mL. Different definitions of virological failure (VF) and treatment failure (TF) were employed. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models were performed to estimate time to event probability. We included 72 HIV-infected patients, 22 (31%) of these were female, 31 (43%) men who have sex with men (MSM) amd 15 (21%) had hepatitis co-infections. Median age was 44 (IQR: 35-50) years amd CD4 count was 389 (IQR 283-606) cells/mmc. Median follow-up time for TF was 24 (IQR 9-31) months. Twenty-five discontinuations occurred (60% simplifications); only 2 (8%) were toxicity-driven (lipid elevations). The probability of VF (confirmed VL >50 copies/mL) was estimated at 7% [95% confidence interval (CI) 1-13%] by 12 and 9% (95% CI 2-16%) by 24 months. When considering TF, we found a probability of stop/intensification/single VL > 200 copies/mL of 13% (95% CI 1-17%) and 22% (95% CI 11-33%) by 12 and 24 months. Female gender (adjusted relative hazard, ARH = 0.10; 95% CI 0.01-0.74; p = 0.024) and older age (AHR = 0.50 per 10 years older; 95% CI 0.25-0.99; p = 0.045) were associated with a lower risk of TF. A previous PI failure was strongly associated with TF (AHR = 52.6, 95% CI 3.6-779; p = 0.004). DRV/r + RAL is a valuable NRTI-sparing option, especially in female and older patients, with a relatively low risk of VF and good tolerability after 2 years since start in an ART-experienced population. However, previous PI-failure should be a limiting factor for this strategy.

Cost-utility analysis of the fixed-dose combination of dolutegravir/abacavir/lamivudine as initial treatment of HIV+ patients in Spain.

PubMed

Moreno Guillen, Santiago; Losa García, Juan Emilio; Berenguer Berenguer, Juan; Martínez Sesmero, José Manuel; Cenoz Gomis, Santiago; Graefenhain, Ruth; Lopez Sanchez-Cambronero, David; Parrondo Garcia, Francisco Javier

2017-09-01

Fixed-dose combinations of antiretroviral drugs have meant an important step forward in simplifying treatment and improving compliance and has led to an increased effectiveness of therapy, a viral load decrease and improving the quality of life of patients. The single-table formulation of dolutegravir with abacavir and lamivudine (DTG/ABC/3TC) is a highly efficacious and well-tolerated once-daily regimen for HIV-infected patients. The objective of the study was to assess the incremental cost-utility ratio of the fixed-dose combination of (DTG/ABC/3TC) versus the combinations emtricitabine/tenofovir/efavirenz (FTC/TDF/EFV), and darunavir/r (DRV/r) or raltegravir (RAL) with emtricitabine/tenofovir (FTC/TDF) or abacavir/lamivudine (ABC/3TC) as initial antiretroviral therapy in patients infected with HIV-1 from the perspective of the Spanish National Health System. The ARAMIS model, which uses a microsimulation approach to simulate the individual changes in each patient from the start of treatment to death through a Markov chain of descriptive health states of the disease, was adapted to Spain. The alternatives used for comparison were the fixed-dose combination of emtricitabine/tenofovir/efavirenz (FTC/TDF/EFV), and the fixed- dose combinations of emtricitabine/tenofovir (FTC/TDF) or abacavir/lamivudine (ABC/3TC) with darunavir/r (DRV/r) or raltegravir (RAL). The probability of achieving virological suppression by the treatments included in the model was obtained from clinical trials SINGLE, SPRING-2 and FLAMINGO and the costs were expressed in € (2015). The model use the perspective of the Spanish National Health System, with a lifetime horizon and a discount rate of 3% was applied to cost and effectiveness. Treatment initiation with DTG/ABC/3TC was dominant when it was compared with treatment initiation with all the comparators: vs. FTC/TDF/EFV (-67 210.71€/QALY), vs. DRV/r + FTC/TDF or ABC/3TC (-1 787 341.44€/QALY), and vs. RAL + FTC/TDF or ABC/3TC (-1 005 117.13€/QALY). All the sensitivity analyses performed showed the consistency of these findings. With the premises considered, treatment initiation with DTG/ABC/3TC STR appears to be the most cost-effective option in ARTnaïve HIV infected patients from the Spanish Health System perspective. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Cave Buttes Dam Foundation Report. Gila River Basin: Phoenix, Arizona and Vicinity (Including New River).

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-01

bedrock. Reservoir deposits are rich in silt and clay as shown by the plastic nature of material behind Cave Creek Dam. Recent alluvium is directly...formation and the zone I, impervious material. Then rolling with the rubber tired equipment would fill voids and small cracks with the clayey, plastic ...Assoclates US " 2 t 64urvey air J.1y 1969. ___OSOWRS g.Aorizatnfa( conirol ji 45 on G1A - EEA fSI Alaon~ral ieodtc Survey Dafum. Yerftci 4 1 -5 AtE

A New Optical Technique for Rapid Determination of Creep and Fatigue Thresholds at High Temperature.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-04-01

measurements, made far away from the crack tip, produced much smoother and more sensible results. Measurements by Macha et al (16) agree very well with...dependent upon the measurement positin. It becomes independent of position far enough away from the tip; this is consistent with the results of Macha , et...D. E. Macha , W. N. Sharpe, Jr., and A. P. ’ral(11, ’.., "A Laser Interferometry Method for ,xp.rim,-rit;a1 Stress Intensity Factor Calibration", AST

The Selection of a Marine Artillery Battery Fire Direction Computer System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

yhsical Characteristics: Tbe VI provi-ds s h gen er al physical characteri-sti-cs of the BCS. The total weight of the BCS is based on ti,: eg’±ipment...twenty special fanc -tion keys. Six of the special function keys arc- currently spares and will be programmed -o support the P31 software aiditions...close to the weapon or mounted on the weapon. Phs- ga C aacteri sti cs: Table XIV provides the gen e ral physical charactaristics of the FCC. The act

Artificial Intelligence -- Research and Applications.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-06-01

Determination of Minimum Cost Paths," IEEE Trans. Sys . Sci. Cybernetics, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 100-107. Hendrix, G. (1975), "Expanding the Utility of Semantic...PLANS E , IN, 7979 IZ)’. TE.R ATE RECOGNITION LASEHTAED LOCATION SENP PARTS ANO AAlYI CONIP E TELOMPL T FP NET SSTEMCOMPRS SY -STy 7974 ’T S ST7p -TO...EXTNDE 1: OUBLE -ETNE %AT,,RAL ~C’v LA ~t PB IV P6 TO T4 %~ ’ F" _______________________________________ SY ~STEM 7’j NTJt, E EPAk AAII IJ Aii SASSEVELY

In Situ/on-Site Biodegradation of Refined Oils and Fuels (A Technology Review). Volume 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

209. Atlas, R.M. and Bartha, R. 1972a. Biodegradation of petroleum in seawater at low temperatures. Can. J . Microbiol. 18:1851-1855. Atlas, R.M. and...Becking, L.G.M., Kaplan, I.R., and Moore, 0. 1960. Limits of the natu- ral environment in terms of pH and oxidation-reduction potentials. J . Geolo- gy. 68...of subsurface mi- croorganisms. Abstr. Ann. Mtg. Amer. Soc. Microbiol. p. 192. Ballester, A. and Castelvi, J . 1980. J . Invest. Pes. 44:1. 115

Spectroscopic Constants for Selected Homonuclear Diatomic Molecules. Volume 1. A through I

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-02-16

n 00 ro O ro ro rg p - ro o in o o (M... P W en n ) + 3 W < n u + 13 W u ^ o o (M "*• tn en en TTT m in in o i n ^< •x) 00 < n I II in o >—i X oo - SO...00 —1 R) O •- 0 O n « .2 P A-25 I ^IIMHPWJ::"«!! As,. Perturbations and Genr ral Information Potential energy curves (67.10): State V

Virtual Interfaces: Research and Application (Les Interfaces Virtuelles entre Recherche et Applications).

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-05-01

actuel. Trois types de contraintes ont pu 8tre distingu6s A chaque avion pr6sent dans le secteur a~rien du contr~leur, on associe toutes les...assurant la s6curit6 des vols. simulateur implique en g6n6ral la prdsencc dc trois catdgories d’acteurs Los 6changyes entre contr~leur et pilote se...d’informations suivants interventions en phonic des pilotes d’avions presents dans le secteur de contr-blc. Pour cc faire, 1) utilisant des liaisons de donn

A Field Study of Air Force Organization Structures.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-05-01

t.ral 1z,,- contract . 66-1 and 66-5 are the numbered regulations ... eo coer’. , of design. Contract refers to the design used in a facility where...REPORT NUMBER (S) 5 MONITORING ORGANIZATION RLPORT NuMHLF1H’ LMDC-TR-34-4 6& NAME OF PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Fr. O IE SYMBOL 7a NAME OF MONITORING ORGANIZA...assi f ied 22& NAME OF RESPONSIBLE IN0IVIO~jA. 22t, TELEPHONE NUMBER 22c OFF ICE SY(MBOL Capt Jeffrey S. Austin (0)2373 MCA DOD FORM 1473,83 APR

Draft Environmental Statement/Environmental Impact Report. North Bay Aqueduct (Phase II Facilities) Solano County, California.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

be Blow-off pipes in urban areas will be required to "clear" Cache Slough for the fenced to screen them from children , intake would be approximately...tip of Grand numbers of school-aged children . Island southeast of the intake locations. This disposal site, which would probably be best reached by...ind shel I h eads to Porno , Cent ral Wiat un , Wappo :in(I ’e()Ll! litrn Ma idu groups (Davis, 1974 :34-35). of the most distinctive asp~ect.,- of

Proceedings of the ARO Workshop on Analytical and Computational Issues in Logistics R & D Held at George Washington University, Washington, DC on 7-9 May 1984. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-12-01

with more gene - ral arrival process or service-time distribution, with attention restricted to critical-number policies, have been studied by Adler...points of their respective intervals. This method proved quite satisfactory for df’s that possess no sharp peaks or severe skewness. The method is...then (animal is carnivore))) (rule id6 (if (animal has pointed teeth ) (animal has claws) (animal has forward eyes)) (then (animal is carnivore

Advanced Avionics and the Military Aircraft Man/Machine Interface.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-07-01

voiture au bas c~t6 de la route, angle d’incidence de l’aile, etc ... Le domaine de variation de chacun de ces param~tres de fonctionnement est en gdn6...ral limit6. Les limites, du domaine autoris6 sont bien souvent floues ; en toute rigueur il faut adniettre qu’au milieu du domaine autoristi, la...rapidement catastrophique 11 est n6anmoihs commode de parler de limite de domaine autoris6 pour chaque para- m~tre de fonctionnement tout en gardant A

Obama Speaks to ISS and STS-133 Crews

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-03

President Barack Obama makes a phone call with the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station from the Oval Office, March 3, 2011. Listening in the background are, from left: Ted Wackler, Acting Chief of Staff, Office of Science and Technology; Damon Wells, Assistant Director for Aeronautics and Space, Office of Science and Technology; and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton) This photograph is provided by THE WHITE HOUSE as a courtesy and may be printed by the subject(s) in the photograph for personal use only. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not otherwise be reproduced, disseminated or broadcast, without the written permission of the White House Photo Office. This photograph may not be used in any commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.

Remote Sensing of the Ionosphere and Plasmasphere from Space Using Radiowaves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mannucci, Anthony J.

2008-01-01

Topics include the scientific context, trans-ionospheric and sounding, small-scale structure, plasmasphere, fast and slow tomography, and pseudo-imaging. Individual slides focus on where geospace science stands today, variability in inner magnetosphere electric fields, Appleton-Hartree formula, phase and range ionospheric observables, examples of leveling, large ionization changes during storms, new mid-latitude phenomena, ionospheric sounding, COSMIC CERTO/Tri-band beacon, LEO-ground radio tomography, irregularity measurements, COSMIC, critical sensor data from COSMIC GPS limb sounding, occultation geometry, comparison of calibrated slant TEC measurements for 26 June 2006, historic examples of Abel electron density profiles, comparison of UCAR and JPL Able profiles of 26 June 2006, validating UCAR and JPL Abel profiles using Arecibo ISR measurements for 26 June 2006, E-region from GPS/MET 1995, Abel versus gradient assisted retrieval, 3000 profiles/day, plasmasphere, JASON TEC above satellite, GPS equatorial plasmasphere measurements, April 2002 geomagnetic storm, and space-based GPS tomography.

Explanation of the computer listings of Faraday factors for INTASAT users

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nesterczuk, G.; Llewellyn, S. K.; Bent, R. B.; Schmid, P. E.

1974-01-01

Using a simplified form of the Appleton-Hartree formula for the phase refractive index, a relationship was obtained between the Faraday rotation angle along the angular path and the total electron content along the vertical path, intersecting the angular at the height of maximum electron density. Using the second mean value theorem of integration, the function B cosine theta second chi was removed from under the integral sign and replaced by a 'mean' value. The mean value factors were printed on the computer listing for 39 stations receiving signals from the INTASAT satellite during the specified time period. The data is presented by station and date. Graphs are included to demonstrate the variation of the Faraday factor with local time and season, with magnetic latitude, elevation and azimuth angles. Other topics discussed include a description of the bent ionospheric model, the earth's magnetic field model, and the sample computer listing.

X-Ray Detector Research at MSFC for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaskin, Jessica

2006-01-01

NASA's Vision for Space Exploration has specific goals aimed at exploring the Solar System. This vision, under presidential mandate includes landing humans on the moon before the end of the next decade, paving the way for eventual journeys to Mars and beyond. The first missions to the moon will be in the form of both Orbiters and Landers, with the goal of paving the way for human return. One of the instruments we are currently working on,in collaboration with Brookhaven National Laboratory, is a lunar orbiter fluorescent x-ray spectrometer to finely map the light elements (down to Carbon) on surface of the moon. Funded NASA s Planetary Instrument Definition and Development Program the instrument is based on silicon drift detector arrays read out by custom ASICs. These offer the promise of high spectral resolution, necessary for resolving weak lines against a strong background continuum, and very low power requirements, necessary for large areas (greater than 500 square centimeters) required for future lunar missions. Further, the inherent radiation hardness of these detectors makes them ideal candidates for exploring the Jovian system, where the harsh radiation environment from Jupiter s radiation belts creates unfavorable detector conditions. Looking beyond our solar system, in the hard x-ray regime (20-80keV.), we are studying Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride pixilated detectors as feasible candidates for focal plane detectors of a hard x-ray telescope. This energy region bridges the gap between thermal and non-thermal x-ray emission from astronomical sources, will allow us to better understand supernovae nucleosynthesis (such as through the Ti-44 lines at 68keV and 78keV), Active Galactic Nuclei and other compact objects, more completely. The detectors that we are characterizing are 2mm in thickness and are pixilated with a 16x16 array of 300 micrometer pitch pixels (50micometer gap). These detectors are designed at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, material is from eV Products, and polymer flip-chip assembly was performed by a commercial vendor. An energy resolution of 2.0% at 60keV (or better) should allow us to sufficiently distinguish lines of interest from background continuum, and the detector spatial resolution should be fine enough to over-sample the focal spot from the x-ray focusing optics by about a factor of two. Full technical details of these developments will be presented.

Assessment of periodontal bone level revisited: a controlled study on the diagnostic accuracy of clinical evaluation methods and intra-oral radiography.

PubMed

Christiaens, Véronique; De Bruyn, Hugo; Thevissen, Eric; Koole, Sebastiaan; Dierens, Melissa; Cosyn, Jan

2018-01-01

The accuracy of analogue and especially digital intra-oral radiography in assessing interdental bone level needs further documentation. The aim of this study was to compare clinical and radiographic bone level assessment to intra-surgical bone level registration (1) and to identify the clinical variables rendering interdental bone level assessment inaccurate (2). The study sample included 49 interdental sites in 17 periodontitis patients. Evaluation methods included vertical relative probing attachment level (RAL-V), analogue and digital intra-oral radiography and bone sounding without and with flap elevation. The latter was considered the true bone level. Five examiners evaluated all radiographs. Significant underestimation of the true bone level was observed for all evaluation methods pointing to 2.7 mm on average for analogue radiography, 2.5 mm for digital radiography, 1.8 mm for RAL-V and 0.6 mm for bone sounding without flap elevation (p < 0.001). Radiographic underestimation of the true bone level was higher in the (pre)molar region (p ≤ 0.047) and increased with defect depth (p < 0.001). Variation between clinicians was huge (range analogue radiography 2.2-3.2 mm; range digital radiography 2.1-3.0 mm). All evaluation methods significantly underestimated the true bone level. Bone sounding was most accurate, whereas intra-oral radiographs were least accurate. Deep periodontal defects in the (pre)molar region were most underrated by intra-oral radiography. Bone sounding had the highest accuracy in assessing interdental bone level.

Maladie de Takayasu et polyarthrite rhumatoïde: une association rare - à propos d'une observation

PubMed Central

Frikha, Faten; Maazoun, Fatma; Snoussi, Mouna; Abid, Leila; Abid, Hanen; Bouassida, Walid; Kaddour, Neila; Bahloul, Zouhir

2012-01-01

L'artérite de Takayasu ou maladie de Takayasu (MT) et la polyarthrite rhumatoïde (PR) et sont deux maladies inflammatoires chroniques et leur association a été rapportée dans la littérature à travers quelques observations de cas sporadiques. Nous rapportons une nouvelle observation d'une telle association. Une patiente âgée de 44 ans, diagnostiquée avec une polyarthrite rhumatoïde à facteur rhumatoïde positif, qui a développé des céphalées avec des vertiges de caractère permanent. L'examen révélait un pouls radial et huméral abolis à droite, un souffle carotidien bilatéral et une tension artérielle imprenable à droite. L'artériographie a confirmé la présence d'une atteinte de l'arc aortique type MT. Le diagnostic d'une maladie de Takayasu associée à une polyarthrite rhumatoïde était retenu. La patiente était traitée par une corticothérapie (prednisone à la dose de 0,5 mg/kg par jour) et un traitement de fond par Méthotrexate avec une bonne réponse initiale. A travers notre observation et une revue de la littérature, les caractéristiques épidémiologiques, étiopathogéniques, cliniques, thérapeutiques et évolutives de cette association seront discutées. PMID:22937201

Radiation resistant fiber Bragg grating in random air-line fibers for sensing applications in nuclear reactor cores.

PubMed

Zaghloul, Mohamed A S; Wang, Mohan; Huang, Sheng; Hnatovsky, Cyril; Grobnic, Dan; Mihailov, Stephen; Li, Ming-Jun; Carpenter, David; Hu, Lin-Wen; Daw, Joshua; Laffont, Guillaume; Nehr, Simon; Chen, Kevin P

2018-04-30

This paper reports the testing results of radiation resistant fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in random air-line (RAL) fibers in comparison with FBGs in other radiation-hardened fibers. FBGs in RAL fibers were fabricated by 80 fs ultrafast laser pulse using a phase mask approach. The fiber Bragg gratings tests were carried out in the core region of a 6 MW MIT research reactor (MITR) at a steady temperature above 600°C and an average fast neutron (>1 MeV) flux >1.2 × 10 14 n/cm 2 /s. Fifty five-day tests of FBG sensors showed less than 5 dB reduction in FBG peak strength after over 1 × 10 20 n/cm 2 of accumulated fast neutron dose. The radiation-induced compaction of FBG sensors produced less than 5.5 nm FBG wavelength shift toward shorter wavelength. To test temporal responses of FBG sensors, a number of reactor anomaly events were artificially created to abruptly change reactor power, temperature, and neutron flux over short periods of time. The thermal sensitivity and temporal responses of FBGs were determined at different accumulated doses of neutron flux. Results presented in this paper reveal that temperature-stable Type-II FBGs fabricated in radiation-hardened fibers can survive harsh in-pile conditions. Despite large parameter drift induced by strong nuclear radiation, further engineering and innovation on both optical fibers and fiber devices could lead to useful fiber sensors for various in-pile measurements to improve safety and efficiency of existing and next generation nuclear reactors.

The Hereptofauna of Letterkenny Army Depot, South-Central Pennsylvania: A Starting Point to the Long-Term Monitoring and Management of Amphibians and Reptiles

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

Journal of Kansas Herpetology Number 34 (June 2010) 11 www.cnah.org/khs ARtIClES tHE HERpEtofAUNA of lEttERKENNY ARMY dEpot, SoUtH-CENtRAl...compare the herpetological commu- nity currently present at the site with that expected from prior literature (felbaum, 1995; Hulse et al., 2001; tetra...Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 Journal of Kansas Herpetology Number 34 (June 2010) 12 www.cnah.org/khs agricultural and other

Natural Hazards and Research Needs in Coastal and Ocean Engineering, Summary and Recommendations to the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research,

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-11-01

1,746 N. RAL HAZARDS AND RESEARCH NEEDS IN COASTAL AND OCEAN I ENEERING SUMMA..W NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION WA ;NG ON OC 1NAVE F AL NOV 84 FG02 N N...and Research Needs in Coastal and Ocean Engineering Summary and Recommendations to the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research A T...Recommendations to the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research by the Ad Hoc Committee for the Civil and Environmental Engineering

Problem Definition Studies on Potential Environmental Pollutants. V. Physical, Chemical, Toxicological, and Biological Properties of Seven Chemicals used in Pyrotechnic Compositions

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-10-01

obLrved in raLs treated it 500 mg/animal for three days. Produces cystic changes in rat kidneys. Vat Yellow 4 No definitive infrrmation retrieved on... pulmonary function, and oxygen consumption. Exposure to a nominal concentration of 2.5 mg/L (260 ppm) for B hours showed no toxic signs during exposure or for...to 260 ppmn icxachlzroethane showed severe s’gns of irritation, no changeq ii pulmonary function could be detectt-d.o4’ Six- tek exposure to 260 ppm

Transformation in the French Air Force in an Era of Change

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

Abria.indd 6 10/30/08 1:15:37 PM Transformation in the French Air Force in an Era of Change Général d’armée aérienne Stéphane Abrial, chef...l’armée l’air,” sponsored by the Centre d’études stratégiques aérospatiales, 3 June 2008. The French Air Force, like all defense organizations...related to our equipment, because the French aircraft Gen Stéphane Abrial is the chief of staff of the French Air Force. He completed the French Air

Preface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendonça, J. T.; Shukla, P. K.; Eliasson, B.; Rodrigues, J. A.; Rodrigues

2013-08-01

The ``International Topical Conference on Plasma Science: Advanced Plasma Concepts'' was hosted by Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon and the University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal, during the period 24-28 September 2012. The conference was organized by Padma Kant Shukla, (Ruhr University Bochum, Germany), Robert Bingham (RAL, United Kingdom) and José Tito Mendonça, (IST, Portugal). The scientific activity belongs to a series of successful meetings, which started at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, in 1989, and which has also been taking place at various other locations, including Faro and Lisbon in Portugal, and Santorini in Greece.

Etiologie Rare de Sinusites Nosocomiales en Milieu de Reanimation - A Propos d'une Observation

PubMed Central

Messadi, A.A.; Oueslati, S.; Thabet, L.; Bousselmi, K.; Menif, E.

2006-01-01

Summary Les sinusites nosocomiales ne sont pas rares en réanimation. Elles surviennent en général dans les suites d'une intubation nasotrachéale voire même orotrachéale. Le tubage gastrique peut être à lui seul à l'origine d'une sinusite nosocomiale. Nous rapportons le cas d'une patiente hospitalisée qui a été victime de brûlures étendues chez qui la sonde nasogastrique a été à l'origine d'une pansinusite dont l'issue a été fatale. PMID:21991055

Demonstration of the Origin of Human Mast Cells from CD34+ Bone Marrow Progenitor Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

culture media sexi -ral tixixesovxer the agaxosc surf-~c. Total poured off, anid the reixiiig adherenxt cells were -cultured In cornm- cell counts were...ined bilue . Resi ills we-re explressed xis Itire percent Iage of cit her noxrmalx goat sern o xr gx xx IgGO (0,5 i, ’ ) I Ix at room cells st...hixIxri- aiixre - ;it ixialer lysis w%*is per-~- foxrmed ’loxverify the rcinxv~dl xIli- (1)2. (1119 ixx ("D2(1. 4A 17,oxr (𔃻)1. p it cells

Installation Restoration Program for Eglin AFB, Florida. Phase 2. Field Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-01

of t jest l-iianja-erent pra-ct ices w .hien are discussed in Section D.5 5.1.4 Landfill L)-26 In Dotn NoveM( Der and tebruary samplI igs, ioX" results...to analy.ze 6rounawater samp los tronm La’nd ti I v)-ZIt for organional I ides in the base/ neut ral extractaLeI, organics section of the priority...the gasoline tank was not filled near wells or the van and any spillage was allowed to evaporate before moving the pump. During use, the pump was

Vibrationally Excited Ions: Quenching Reaction Enhancement, Lifetimes

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

affinities in our lad- A,.=Af exp( - AS/IR) = I .IX 10𔄃 cm’ S_ with limits der . Any change it. P.A.(Br), ither due to a change in bet~een 7.Sx l3 9and...8217K P Huber and G Hereberg. C oeto of Drateooc Molecules ( Van "M Tubs’, G JasAay. N D Toeddy. and B. B. Fergusn. Ini J Mass Nostrand-Reinhold. New York...objectives and it seemed possible .aat neut - rals such as N,. Xe and CF, might provide suitable monitor gases for vibra- tionally excited HBr*. For HBr

The effects of return current and target charging in short pulse high intensity laser interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beg, Farhat

2003-10-01

Since the introduction of the technique of chirped pulse amplification (CPA), peak laser intensities have increased dramatically. It is now possible to perform laser-plasma interaction experiments at intensities approaching 1021 Wcm-2. The electrons in the field of such lasers are highly relativistic (gamma 31) and the temperature of the hot electron distribution produced in a plasma at such extreme intensities can exceed 10 MeV. Since the resulting beam current exceeds the Alfvén limit, a neutralizing return current of cold plasma electrons moving in the opposite direction is produced. Another source of return current is that due to the escape of very energetic electrons from the target, which then creates a large electrostatic potential due to charge separation. These return currents can cause significant ohmic heating. We present results from experiments performed at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory using the VULCAN laser facility (I> 5 x1019 Wcm-2). Single wire targets were used and in some shots a secondary wire or foil was placed near the target. Three main observations were made: (i) generation of a Z-pinch in the wire due to the return current, (ii) optical transition radiation at 2w and (iii) proton emission from both the primary wire target and the secondary wire or foil. The Z-pinch was observed to be m=0 unstable. The current was estimated to be about 0.8 MA using simple energy balance considerations. Intense second harmonic emission due to coherent optical transition radiation from both the primary target and secondary objects was observed and is likely due to electron bunches accelerated by the ponderomotive jxB force of the laser. The proton emission from the secondary wire or foil was likely due to field emission of electrons from the these objects in response to the large potential produced from charging of the primary target. Results of simulations to model these interactions will also be presented.

The ESIS query environment pilot project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuchs, Jens J.; Ciarlo, Alessandro; Benso, Stefano

1993-01-01

The European Space Information System (ESIS) was originally conceived to provide the European space science community with simple and efficient access to space data archives, facilities with which to examine and analyze the retrieved data, and general information services. To achieve that ESIS will provide the scientists with a discipline specific environment for querying in a uniform and transparent manner data stored in geographically dispersed archives. Furthermore it will provide discipline specific tools for displaying and analyzing the retrieved data. The central concept of ESIS is to achieve a more efficient and wider usage of space scientific data, while maintaining the physical archives at the institutions which created them, and has the best background for ensuring and maintaining the scientific validity and interest of the data. In addition to coping with the physical distribution of data, ESIS is to manage also the heterogenity of the individual archives' data models, formats and data base management systems. Thus the ESIS system shall appear to the user as a single database, while it does in fact consist of a collection of dispersed and locally managed databases and data archives. The work reported in this paper is one of the results of the ESIS Pilot Project which is to be completed in 1993. More specifically it presents the pilot ESIS Query Environment (ESIS QE) system which forms the data retrieval and data dissemination axis of the ESIS system. The others are formed by the ESIS Correlation Environment (ESIS CE) and the ESIS Information Services. The ESIS QE Pilot Project is carried out for the European Space Agency's Research and Information center, ESRIN, by a Consortium consisting of Computer Resources International, Denmark, CISET S.p.a, Italy, the University of Strasbourg, France and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories in the U.K. Furthermore numerous scientists both within ESA and space science community in Europe have been involved in defining the core concepts of the ESIS system.

Transport of high intensity laser-generated hot electrons in cone coupled wire targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beg, Farhat

2008-04-01

In this talk, we present results from a series of experiments where cone-wire targets were employed both to assess hot electron coupling efficiency, and to reveal the source temperature of the hot electrons. Experiments were performed on the petawatt laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. A 500J, 1ps laser (I ˜ 4 x 10^20 W/cm-2) was focused by an f/3 off-axis parabolic mirror into hollow aluminum cones joined at their tip to Cu wires of diameters from 10 to 40 μm. The three main diagnostics fielded were a copper Kalpha Bragg crystal imager, a single hit CCD camera spectrometer and a Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG) spectrometer. The resulting data were cross-calibrated to obtain the absolute Kalpha yield. Comparison of the axially diminishing absolute Cu Kα intensity with modeling shows that the penetration of the hot electrons is consistent with one dimensional ohmic potential limited transport (1/e length ˜ 100 μm). The laser coupling efficiency to electron energy within the wire is shown to be proportional to the cross sectional area of the wire, reaching 15% for 40 μm wires. We find that the hot electron temperature within the wire was <=750 keV, significantly lower than that predicted by the ponderomotive scaling. A comparison of the experimental results with 2D hybrid PIC simulations using e-PLAS code will be presented and relevance to Fast Ignition will be discussed at the meeting. *In collaboration with J.A. King, M.H. Key, K.U. Akli, R.R. Freeman, J. Green, S. P. Hatchett, D. Hey, P. Jaanimagi, J. Koch, K. L. Lancaster, T. Ma, A.J. MacKinnon, A. MacPhee, R. Mason, P.A. Norreys, P.K Patel, T. Phillips, R. Stephens, W. Theobald, R.P.J. Town, M. Wei, L. Van Woerkom, B. Zhang.

All-Manganite Tunnel Junctions with Interface-Induced Barrier Magnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sefrioui, Zouhair

2011-03-01

The recent discovery of several unexpected phases at complex oxide interfaces is providing new insights into the physics of strongly correlated electron systems. The possibility of tailoring the electronic structure of such interfaces has triggered a great technological drive to functionalize them into devices. In this communication, we describe an alternative strategy to produce spin filtering by inducing a ferromagnetic insulating state in an ultrathin antiferromagnetic layer in contact with a ferromagnetic layer. This artificially induced spin filtering persists up to relatively high temperatures and operates at high applied bias voltages. The results suggest that after playing a key role in exchange-bias for spin-valves, uncompensated moments at engineered antiferromagnetic interfaces represent a novel route for generating highly spin-polarized currents with antiferromagnets. Work done in collaboration with M. Bibes, C. Carrétéro, A. Barthélémy (Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS/Thales, Campus de Polytechnique, 1, Avenue A. Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau (France) and Université Paris-Sud, 91045 Orsay (France)), F.A. Cuellar, C. Visani, A. Rivera-Calzada, , C. León, J. Santamaria (Grupo de Física de Materiales Complejos, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain)), M.J. Calderón, L. Brey (Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain)), K. March, M. Walls, D. Imhoff (Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay (France)), R. Lopez Anton, T.R. Charlton (ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Oxon OX11 0QX (United Kingdom)), E. Iborra (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Telecomunicaciones, 28040 Madrid (Spain)), F. Ott (Léon Brillouin, CEA/CNRS, UMR 12, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France)). This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry for Science and Education programs MAT2008 06517, and the Réseau Thématique de Recherche Avancée (RTRA) ``Triangle de la Physique.''

La forme pseudo tumorale de la tuberculose primitive du nasopharynx: à propos de deux nouvelles observations et revue de la littérature

PubMed Central

Touati, Mohammed; Aljalil, Abdelfettah; Chihani, Mehdi; Bouchentouf, Rachid; Bouaity, Brahim; Ammar, Haddou

2013-01-01

La tuberculose primitive du nasopharynx est rare, nous présentons deux observations révélées par un aspect pseudo tumoral et à travers lesquelles nous soulevons le problème de diagnostic différentiel avec les lésions malignes du nasopharynx. La première observation concerne un jeune patient de 22 ans hospitalisé pour obstruction nasale bilatérale évoluant dans un contexte d'apyrexie et de conservation de l’état général. La nasofibrosopie et le scanner ont monté un processus tumoral évoquant une hypertrophie des végétations adénoïdes. Le deuxième cas est celui d'un homme de 45 ans tabagique chronique qui a présenté une adénopathie latérocervicale droite, une obstruction nasale et une otite séromuqueuse homolatérale. La nasophibroscopie et le scanner on montré un bourgeon tumoral postéro latéral droit du nasopharynx évoquant un carcinome nasopharyngé. Les biopsies du nasopharynx et les études histologiques, chez les deux patients, ont confirmé le diagnostic de tuberculose. La recherche d'autres localisations était négative. Le pronostic était favorable après 6 mois de traitement antibacillaire. La tuberculose primitive du cavum est rare, elle revêt le plus souvent des formes pseudotumorales et pose des problèmes de diagnostic différentiel avec les tumeurs nasopharyngées, son pronostic sous traitement antibacillaire est. PMID:23565310

Temperature dependence of local structural changes around transition metal centers Cr3+ and Mn2+ in RAl3(BO3)4 crystals studied by EMR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Açıkgöz, Muhammed; Rudowicz, Czesław; Gnutek, Paweł

2017-11-01

Theoretical investigations are carried out to determine the temperature dependence of the local structural parameters of Cr3+ and Mn2+ ions doped into RAl3(BO3)4 (RAB, R = Y, Eu, Tm) crystals. The zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameters (ZFSPs) obtained from the spin Hamiltonian (SH) analysis of EMR (EPR) spectra serve for fine-tuning the theoretically predicted ZFSPs obtained using the semi-empirical superposition model (SPM). The SPM analysis enables to determine the local structure changes around Cr3+ and Mn2+ centers in RAB crystals and explain the observed temperature dependence of the ZFSPs. The local monoclinic C2 site symmetry of all Al sites in YAB necessitates consideration of one non-zero monoclinic ZFSP (in the Stevens notation, b21) for Cr3+ ions. However, the experimental second-rank ZFSPs (D =b20 , E = 1 / 3b22) were expressed in a nominal principal axis system. To provide additional insight into low symmetry aspects, the distortions (ligand's distances ΔRi and angular distortions Δθi) have been varied while preserving monoclinic site symmetry, in such way as to obtain the calculated values (D, E) close to the experimental ones, while keeping b21 close to zero. This procedure yields good matching of the calculated ZFSPs and the experimental ones, and enables determination of the corresponding local distortions. The present results may be useful in future studies aimed at technological applications of the Huntite-type borates with the formula RM3(BO3)4. The model parameters determined here may be utilized for ZFSP calculations for Cr3+ and Mn2+ ions at octahedral sites in single-molecule magnets and single-chain magnets.

Ras and relatives--job sharing and networking keep an old family together.

PubMed

Ehrhardt, Annette; Ehrhardt, Götz R A; Guo, Xuecui; Schrader, John W

2002-10-01

Many members of the Ras superfamily of GTPases have been implicated in the regulation of hematopoietic cells, with roles in growth, survival, differentiation, cytokine production, chemotaxis, vesicle-trafficking, and phagocytosis. The well-known p21 Ras proteins H-Ras, N-Ras, K-Ras 4A, and K-Ras 4B are also frequently mutated in human cancer and leukemia. Besides the four p21 Ras proteins, the Ras subfamily of the Ras superfamily includes R-Ras, TC21 (R-Ras2), M-Ras (R-Ras3), Rap1A, Rap1B, Rap2A, Rap2B, RalA, and RalB. They exhibit remarkable overall amino acid identities, especially in the regions interacting with the guanine nucleotide exchange factors that catalyze their activation. In addition, there is considerable sharing of various downstream effectors through which they transmit signals and of GTPase activating proteins that downregulate their activity, resulting in overlap in their regulation and effector function. Relatively little is known about the physiological functions of individual Ras family members, although the presence of well-conserved orthologs in Caenorhabditis elegans suggests that their individual roles are both specific and vital. The structural and functional similarities have meant that commonly used research tools fail to discriminate between the different family members, and functions previously attributed to one family member may be shared with other members of the Ras family. Here we discuss similarities and differences in activation, effector usage, and functions of different members of the Ras subfamily. We also review the possibility that the differential localization of Ras proteins in different parts of the cell membrane may govern their responses to activation of cell surface receptors.

The deviations of the Al6Li3Cu quasicrystal from icosahedral symmetry : a reminiscence of a cubic crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donnadieu, Patricia

1994-05-01

The (Al6Li3Cu) (T2) quasicrystals are known to exhibit large deviations from the icosahedral symmetry. Series of electron diffraction patterns are used to investigate these imperfections in as-cast T, samples. A detailed analysis of the 5-fold and 3-fold symmetry diffraction patterns shows that they are compatible with the m3 point group instead of the m35 icosahedral group. This symmetry reduction is interprétéd as reminiscent of the cubic approximant phase (R-Al5Li3Cu) rather than of higher order approximant phases. This interpretation is supported by previous observations on crystal/quasicrystal phase transformation in the AlLiCu system. Les quasicristaux de phase T2(Al6Li3Cu) montrent d'importantes déviations à la symétrie icosaédrique. Ces imperfections sont mises en évidence par diffraction électronique dans des échantillons de phase T2 brut de coulée. Un examen détaillé des diagrammes de diffraction de symétrie d'ordre 3 et 5 révèle qu'ils sont compatibles avec le groupe ponctuel m3 au lieu du groupe de l'icosaèdre (m35). Cette réduction de symétrie est interprétée comme une réminiscence de la phase cubique approximante (R-Al5Li3Cu) et non l'apparition d'approximant d'ordre plus élevé. Cette interprétation est suggérée par des observations antérieures sur la transformation cristal/quasicristal dans le système AlLiCu.

The mucin MUC4 is a transcriptional and post-transcriptional target of K-ras oncogene in pancreatic cancer. Implication of MAPK/AP-1, NF-κB and RalB signaling pathways.

PubMed

Vasseur, Romain; Skrypek, Nicolas; Duchêne, Belinda; Renaud, Florence; Martínez-Maqueda, Daniel; Vincent, Audrey; Porchet, Nicole; Van Seuningen, Isabelle; Jonckheere, Nicolas

2015-12-01

The membrane-bound mucinMUC4 is a high molecularweight glycoprotein frequently deregulated in cancer. In pancreatic cancer, one of the most deadly cancers in occidental countries, MUC4 is neo-expressed in the preneoplastic stages and thereafter is involved in cancer cell properties leading to cancer progression and chemoresistance. K-ras oncogene is a small GTPase of the RAS superfamily, highly implicated in cancer. K-ras mutations are considered as an initiating event of pancreatic carcinogenesis and K-ras oncogenic activities are necessary components of cancer progression. However, K-ras remains clinically undruggable. Targeting early downstream K-ras signaling in cancer may thus appear as an interesting strategy and MUC4 regulation by K-ras in pancreatic carcinogenesis remains unknown. Using the Pdx1-Cre; LStopL-K-rasG12D mouse model of pancreatic carcinogenesis, we show that the in vivo early neo-expression of the mucin Muc4 in pancreatic intraepithelial neoplastic lesions (PanINs) induced by mutated K-ras is correlated with the activation of ERK, JNK and NF-κB signaling pathways. In vitro, transfection of constitutively activated K-rasG12V in pancreatic cancer cells led to the transcriptional upregulation of MUC4. This activation was found to be mediated at the transcriptional level by AP-1 and NF-κB transcription factors via MAPK, JNK and NF-κB pathways and at the posttranscriptional level by a mechanism involving the RalB GTPase. Altogether, these results identify MUC4 as a transcriptional and post-transcriptional target of K-ras in pancreatic cancer. This opens avenues in developing new approaches to target the early steps of this deadly cancer.

DNA adduct formation in mice following dermal application of smoke condensates from cigarettes that burn or heat tobacco

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

Lee, C.K.; Brown, B.G.; Reed, E.A.

A prototype cigarette that heats tobacco (test cigarette), developed by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, has yielded consistently negative results in several in vivo and in vitro genetic toxicology tests. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential of cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) from the test cigarette to induce DNA adducts in mouse tissues and compare the results with those obtained with CSC from a reference tobacco-burning cigarette (1R4F). CD-1 mice were skin-painted with CSF from reference and test cigarettes three times a week for 4 weeks. The highest mass of CSC applied was 180 mg tar permore » week per animal for both reference and test cigarette. DNA adducts were analyzed in skin and lung tissues using the [sup 32]P-postlabeling method with the P[sub 1] nuclease modification. Distinct diagonal radioactive zones (DRZ) were observed in the DNA from both skin and lung tissues of animals dosed with reference CSC, whereas no corresponding DRZ were observed from the DNA of animals dosed with either test CSC or acetone (solvent control). The relative adduct labeling (RAL) values of skin and lung DNA from reference CSC-treated animals were significantly greater than those of the test CSC-treated animals. The RAL values of the test CSC-treated animals were no greater than those of solvent controls. The negative results in DNA adduct assays with test CSC are consistent with all previous results of in vivo and in vitro genetic toxicology testing on this cigarette and provide additional evidence that smoke condensate from the test cigarette is not genotoxic. 31 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Er:YAG laser in the treatment of periodontal sites with recurring chronic inflammation: a 12-month randomized, controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Krohn-Dale, Ivar; Bøe, Olav E; Enersen, Morten; Leknes, Knut N

2012-08-01

The objective of this randomized, controlled clinical trial was to compare the clinical and microbiological effects of pocket debridement using erbium-doped: yttrium, aluminium and garnet (Er:YAG) laser with conventional debridement in maintenance patients. Fifteen patients, all smokers, having at least four teeth with residual probing depth (PD) ≥ 5 mm were recruited. Two pockets in two jaw quadrants were randomly assigned to subgingival debridement using an Er:YAG laser (test) or ultrasonic scaler/curette (control) at 3-month intervals. Relative attachment level (RAL), PD, bleeding on probing and dental plaque were recorded at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. Microbiological subgingival samples were taken at the same time points and analysed using a checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization technique. A significant decrease in PD took place in both treatments from baseline to 12 months (p < 0.01). In the control, the mean initial PD decreased from 5.4 to 4.0 mm at 12 months. For the test, a similar decrease occurred. No significant between-treatment differences were shown at any time point. The mean RAL showed no overall significant inter- or intra-treatment differences (p > 0.05). No significant between-treatment differences were observed in subgingival microbiological composition or total pathogens. The results failed to support that an Er:YAG laser may be superior to conventional debridement in the treatment of smokers with recurring chronic inflammation. This appears to be the first time that repeated Er-YAG laser instrumentation has been compared with mechanical instrumentation of periodontal sites with recurring chronic inflammation over a clinically relevant time period. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Structural basis of recognition of farnesylated and methylated KRAS4b by PDEδ.

PubMed

Dharmaiah, Srisathiyanarayanan; Bindu, Lakshman; Tran, Timothy H; Gillette, William K; Frank, Peter H; Ghirlando, Rodolfo; Nissley, Dwight V; Esposito, Dominic; McCormick, Frank; Stephen, Andrew G; Simanshu, Dhirendra K

2016-11-01

Farnesylation and carboxymethylation of KRAS4b (Kirsten rat sarcoma isoform 4b) are essential for its interaction with the plasma membrane where KRAS-mediated signaling events occur. Phosphodiesterase-δ (PDEδ) binds to KRAS4b and plays an important role in targeting it to cellular membranes. We solved structures of human farnesylated-methylated KRAS4b in complex with PDEδ in two different crystal forms. In these structures, the interaction is driven by the C-terminal amino acids together with the farnesylated and methylated C185 of KRAS4b that binds tightly in the central hydrophobic pocket present in PDEδ. In crystal form II, we see the full-length structure of farnesylated-methylated KRAS4b, including the hypervariable region. Crystal form I reveals structural details of farnesylated-methylated KRAS4b binding to PDEδ, and crystal form II suggests the potential binding mode of geranylgeranylated-methylated KRAS4b to PDEδ. We identified a 5-aa-long sequence motif (Lys-Ser-Lys-Thr-Lys) in KRAS4b that may enable PDEδ to bind both forms of prenylated KRAS4b. Structure and sequence analysis of various prenylated proteins that have been previously tested for binding to PDEδ provides a rationale for why some prenylated proteins, such as KRAS4a, RalA, RalB, and Rac1, do not bind to PDEδ. Comparison of all four available structures of PDEδ complexed with various prenylated proteins/peptides shows the presence of additional interactions due to a larger protein-protein interaction interface in KRAS4b-PDEδ complex. This interface might be exploited for designing an inhibitor with minimal off-target effects.

Japanese structure survey of radiation oncology in 2009 based on institutional stratification of the Patterns of Care Study.

PubMed

Teshima, Teruki; Numasaki, Hodaka; Nishio, Masamichi; Ikeda, Hiroshi; Sekiguchi, Kenji; Kamikonya, Norihiko; Koizumi, Masahiko; Tago, Masao; Ando, Yutaka; Tsukamoto, Nobuhito; Terahara, Atsuro; Nakamura, Katsumasa; Murakami, Masao; Takahashi, Mitsuhiro; Nishimura, Tetsuo

2012-09-01

The ongoing structure of radiation oncology in Japan in terms of equipment, personnel, patient load and geographic distribution was evaluated in order to radiation identify and improve any deficiencies. A questionnaire-based national structure survey was conducted from March 2010 to January 2011 by the Japanese Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (JASTRO). These data were analyzed in terms of the institutional stratification of the Patterns of Care Study (PCS). The total numbers of new cancer patients and total of cancer patients (new and repeat) treated with radiation in 2009 were estimated at 201,000 and 240,000, respectively. The type and numbers of systems in actual use consisted of Linac (816), telecobalt (9), Gamma Knife (46), (60)Co remote afterloading system (RALS) (29) and (192)Ir RALS systems (130). The Linac systems used dual energy function for 586 (71.8%), 3DCRT for 663 (81.3%) and IMRT for 337 units (41.3%). There were 529 JASTRO-certified radiation oncologists (ROs), 939.4 full-time equivalent (FTE) ROs, 113.1 FTE medical physicists and 1836 FTE radiation therapists. The frequency of interstitial radiation therapy use for prostate and of intensity-modulated radiotherapy increased significantly. PCS stratification can clearly identify the maturity of structures based on their academic nature and caseload. Geographically, the more JASTRO-certified physicians there were in a given area, the more radiation therapy tended to be used for cancer patients. In conclusion, the Japanese structure has clearly improved during the past 19 years in terms of equipment and its use, although a shortage of manpower and variations in maturity disclosed by PCS stratification remained problematic in 2009.

Lateral temperature spread of monopolar, bipolar and ultrasonic instruments for robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery.

PubMed

Hefermehl, Lukas J; Largo, Remo A; Hermanns, Thomas; Poyet, Cédric; Sulser, Tullio; Eberli, Daniel

2014-08-01

To assess critical heat spread of cautery instruments used in robot-assisted laparoscopic (RAL) surgery. Thermal spread along bovine musculofascial tissues was examined by infrared camera, histology and enzyme assay. Currently used monopolar, bipolar and ultrasonic laparoscopic instruments were investigated at various power settings and application times. The efficacy of using an additional Maryland clamp as a heat sink was evaluated. A temperature of 45 °C was considered the threshold temperature for possible nerve damage. Monopolar instruments exhibited a mean (sem) critical thermal spread of 3.5 (2.3) mm when applied at 60 W for 1 s. After 2 s, the spread was >20 mm. For adjustable bipolar instruments the mean (sem) critical thermal spread was 2.2 (0.6) mm at 60 W and 1 s, and 3.6 (1.3) mm at 2 s. The PK and LigaSure forceps had mean (sem) critical thermal spreads of 3.9 (0.8) and 2.8 (0.6) mm respectively, whereas the ultrasonic instrument reached 2.9 (0.8) mm. Application of an additional Maryland clamp as a heat sink, significantly reduced the thermal spread. Histomorphometric analyses and enzyme assay supported these findings. All coagulation devices used in RAL surgery have distinct thermal spreads depending on power setting and application time. Cautery may be of concern due to lateral temperature spread, causing potential damage to sensitive structures including nerves. Our results provide surgeons with a resource for educated decision-making when using coagulation devices during robotic procedures. © 2013 The Authors. BJU International © 2013 BJU International.

Applying Convergent Immunity to Innovative Vaccines Targeting Staphylococcus aureus

PubMed Central

Yeaman, Michael R.; Filler, Scott G.; Schmidt, Clint S.; Ibrahim, Ashraf S.; Edwards, John E.; Hennessey, John P.

2014-01-01

Recent perspectives forecast a new paradigm for future “third generation” vaccines based on commonalities found in diverse pathogens or convergent immune defenses to such pathogens. For Staphylococcus aureus, recurring infections and a limited success of vaccines containing S. aureus antigens imply that native antigens induce immune responses insufficient for optimal efficacy. These perspectives exemplify the need to apply novel vaccine strategies to high-priority pathogens. One such approach can be termed convergent immunity, where antigens from non-target organisms that contain epitope homologs found in the target organism are applied in vaccines. This approach aims to evoke atypical immune defenses via synergistic processes that (1) afford protective efficacy; (2) target an epitope from one organism that contributes to protective immunity against another; (3) cross-protect against multiple pathogens occupying a common anatomic or immunological niche; and/or (4) overcome immune subversion or avoidance strategies of target pathogens. Thus, convergent immunity has a potential to promote protective efficacy not usually elicited by native antigens from a target pathogen. Variations of this concept have been mainstays in the history of viral and bacterial vaccine development. A more far-reaching example is the pre-clinical evidence that specific fungal antigens can induce cross-kingdom protection against bacterial pathogens. This trans-kingdom protection has been demonstrated in pre-clinical studies of the recombinant Candida albicans agglutinin-like sequence 3 protein (rAls3) where it was shown that a vaccine containing rAls3 provides homologous protection against C. albicans, heterologous protection against several other Candida species, and convergent protection against several strains of S. aureus. Convergent immunity reflects an intriguing new approach to designing and developing vaccine antigens and is considered here in the context of vaccines to target S. aureus. PMID:25309545

Combating Narco-Terrorism in West Africa

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-15

eral court for coordinating the ale of cocaine to Los Zeta" by w .. ing West A f1ica 10 lau nder drug IT’loney e~timated up to S200 million a month...allied \\\\ith al Queda. In Scplc tllbl’r ~01 1. Clcnl’ral Carter r. I lam . l ’ )t\\FR ICOM Commander. ’>latcd that he wu’> concerned uhnutlhrcc ,\\fri...ten.:~pt i n g. money lau ndering. ptlll’olthcir coa’t line. C\\ en Lhnugh rno’l ol 1hc counlric’ ;dung the cn:t’>t do not ha\\ L’ Guinea. The! L’ .S

Aura Satellite Mission: Oxford/RAL Spring School in Quantitative Earth Observation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Douglass, Anne

2005-01-01

The four instruments on Aura are providing new and exciting measurements of stratospheric and tropospheric ozone, species that contribute to ozone production and loss, and long-lived gases such as nitrous oxide and methane that provide information about atmospheric transport. These discussions of atmospheric chemistry will start with the basic principles of ozone production and loss. Aura data will be used where possible to illustrate the pertinent atmospheric processes. Three-dimensional model simulations will be used both to illustrate present capabilities in constituent modeling and to demonstrate how observations are used to evaluate and improve models and our ability to predict future ozone evolution.

Assessment of the Anthropometric Accommodation Requirements of Non-Pilot Aircrew in the CC-150 Polaris, CP-140 Aurora, CH-149 Cormorant and CC-130 Hercules Aircraft (Exigences Anthropometriques Pour le Personnel Navigant dans le CC-150 Polaris, CP-140 Aurora, CH-149 Cormorant et CC-130 Hercules)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

et planification en ressources humaines militaires a aboli la norme de taille minimum des Forces Canadiennes. On a conclu que "les...015; Defence R&D Canada – Toronto; October 2008. Introduction ou contexte : En février 2002, le directeur général – politiques et planification en...arming cables. ....................................................... 6 Figure 4 Reach of full throttle (left) and fire bottle T -handles (right

Production of pulsed ultra slow muons and first /μSR experiments on thin metallic and magnetic films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Träger, K.; Breitrück, A.; Trigo, M. Diaz; Grossmann, A.; Jungmann, K.; Merkel, J.; Meyer, V.; Neumayer, P.; Pachl, B.; zu Putlitz, G.; Santra, R.; William, L.; Allodi, G.; Bucci, C.; Renzi, R. De; Galli, F.; Guidi, G.; Shiroka, T.; Eaton, G. H.; King, P. J. C.; Scott, C. A.; Williams, G. W.; Roduner, E.; Scheuermann, R.; Charlton, M. C.; Donnelly, P.; Pareti, L.; Turilli, G.

2000-08-01

At ISIS, RAL (UK) we have produced a pulsed ultra-slow muon beam (E≲20 eV) and performed the first μSR experiments. Thanks to the pulsed feature, the implantation time is automatically determined and, by adjusting the final muon energy between ∼8 keV and 20 eV, depth slicing experiments are possible down to monolayers distances. We report slicing experiments across a 20 nm copper film on quartz substrate with evidence for a 2 nm copper oxide surface layer. A preliminary experiment on a hexagonal cobalt film suggests the existence of muon precession in the local magnetic field.

The mediating role of psychological need satisfaction in relationships between types of passion for sport and athlete burnout.

PubMed

Curran, Thomas; Appleton, Paul R; Hill, Andrew P; Hall, Howard K

2013-01-01

Research indicates that obsessive and harmonious passion can explain variability in burnout through various mediating processes (e.g., Vallerand, Paquet, Phillippe, & Charest, 2010). The current study extended previous research (Curran, Appleton, Hill, & Hall, 2011; Gustafsson, Hassmén, & Hassmén, 2011) by testing a model in which the effects of passion for sport on athlete burnout were mediated by psychological need satisfaction. One hundred and seventy-three academy soccer players completed self-report measures of passion for sport, psychological need satisfaction, and athlete burnout. Results indicated that psychological need satisfaction mediated the relationship between harmonious passion and athlete burnout but not obsessive passion and athlete burnout. The findings indicate that the inverse relationship between harmonious passion and burnout can be explained by higher levels of psychological need satisfaction. However, this was not the case for obsessive passion, which was not associated with psychological need satisfaction or most symptoms of athlete burnout.

Global Scale Observations of Ionospheric Instabilities from GPS in Low Earth Orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kramer, Leonard; Goodman, John L.

2003-01-01

The GPS receiver used for navigation on the Space Shuttle exhibits range rate noise which appears to result from scintillation of the satellite signals by irregularities in ionospheric plasma. The noise events cluster in geographic regions previously identified as susceptible to instability and disturbed ionospheric conditions. These mechanisms are reviewed in the context of the GPS observations. Range rate data continuously monitored during the free orbiting phase of several space shuttle missions reveals global scale distribution of ionospheric irregularities. Equatorial events cluster +/- 20 degrees about the magnetic equator and polar events exhibit hemispheric asymmetry suggesting influence of off axis geomagnetic polar oval system. The diurnal, seasonal and geographic distribution is compared to previous work concerning equatorial spread F, Appleton anomaly and polar oval. The observations provide a succinct demonstration of the utility of space based ionospheric monitoring using GPS. The susceptability of GPS receivers to scintillation represents 'an unanticipated technical risk not factored into the selection of receivers for the United States space program.

Spectroscopic characterizations of organic/inorganic nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Govani, Jayesh R.

2009-12-01

In the present study, pure and 0.3 wt%, 0.4 wt%, as well as 0.5 wt% L-arginine doped potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystals were grown using solution growth techniques and further subjected to infrared (IR) absorption and Raman studies for confirmation of chemical group functionalization for investigating the incorporation mechanism of the L-arginine organic material into the KDP crystal structure. Infrared spectroscopic analysis suggests that structural changes are occurring for the L-arginine molecule as a result of its interaction with the KPD crystal. Infrared spectroscopic technique confirms the disturbance of the N-H, C-H and C-N bonds of the amino acid, suggesting successful incorporation of L-arginine into the KDP crystals. Raman analysis also reveals modification of the N-H, C-H and C-N bonds of the amino acid, implying successful inclusion of L-arginine into the KDP crystals. With the help of Gaussian software, a prediction of possible incorporation mechanisms of the organic material was obtained from comparison of the simulated infrared and Raman vibrational spectra with the experimental results. Furthermore, we also studied the effect of L-arginine doping on the thermal stability of the grown KDP crystal by employing Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). TGA suggests that increasing the level of L-arginine doping speeds the decomposition process and it weakens the KDP crystal, which indicates successful doping of the KDP crystals with L-arginine amino acid. Urinary stones are one of the oldest and most widely spread diseases in humans, animals and birds. Many remedies have been employed through the ages for the treatment of urinary stones. Recent medicinal measures reflect the modern advances, which are based on surgical removal, percutaneous techniques and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Although these procedures are valuable, they are quite expensive for most people. Furthermore, recurrence of these diseases is awfully frequent with these procedures and the patients have to be subjected to careful follow up for several years. In contrast, in traditional therapeutic systems, most of the remedies were taken from plants and they proved to be helpful. However, the rationale behind their use is not thoroughly established through systematic pharmacological and clinical studies. In this regard, in the present investigation, with a view towards acquiring more insights, we have performed a detailed study of kidney stone formation and growth inhibition based on a traditional medicine approach with herbal extracts. The intricacy of calculi formation (i.e. nucleation, transformation, and aggregation) in a natural system such as urine is replicated to a certain extent in the present study by using a simplified single diffusion gel growth technique. Crystals were synthesized in a static gel environment without and with the presence of 1% and 2% concentration of Rotula Aquatica Lour (RAL) herbal extracts and further subjected to Raman, infrared absorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and photoluminescence to analyze the effects of RAL on the growth of manganese-based calculi. Raman spectroscopy clearly provided an indication of the newberyite type of crystal as well as information on the chemical interaction between crystal and inhibitor. It also indicates the presence of organic components due to the RAL plant material. Infrared absorption spectroscopy indicates the presence of a strong reflecting component in the inhibitor as well as the newberyite type of crystal. XPS results indicated the presence of metallic zinc in the crystal with inhibitor. Furthermore, a considerable increase in the intensity of the magnesium and oxygen lines are noticed with the addition of the herbal extract, which suggest that the inhibitor chemical composition includes a substantial quantity of Mg and O. XPS analysis also demonstrates the presence of modified phosphorus oxidation states and suggest that they might make a contribution, too. The photoluminescence spectra of the crystal with inhibitor indicate the presence of chlorophyll, and hence, confirm the presence of Mg. This study provides evidence of Mg- and Zn-related inhibition of urinary calculi formation with the addition of RAL herbal extract, contributing, from the spectroscopic point of view, to an intricate subject. Our present investigation might serve as an important source of information on this tantalizing and multifaceted problem, which is not yet completely understood. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Evaluation of Ground-Water and Boron Sources by Use of Boron Stable-Isotope Ratios, Tritium, and Selected Water-Chemistry Constituents near Beverly Shores, Northwestern Indiana, 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buszka, Paul M.; Fitzpatrick, John A.; Watson, Lee R.; Kay, Robert T.

2007-01-01

Concentrations of boron greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) 900 ?g/L removal action level (RAL) standard were detected in water sampled by the USEPA in 2004 from three domestic wells near Beverly Shores, Indiana. The RAL regulates only human-affected concentrations of a constituent. A lack of well logs and screened depth information precluded identification of whether water from sampled wells, and their boron sources, were from human-affected or natural sources in the surficial aquifer, or associated with a previously defined natural, confined aquifer source of boron from the subtill or basal sand aquifers. A geochemically-based classification of the source of boron in ground water could potentially determine the similarity of boron to known sources or mixtures between known sources, or classify whether the relative age of the ground water predated the potential sources of contamination. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the USEPA, investigated the use of a geochemical method that applied boron stable isotopes, and concentrations of boron, tritium, and other constituents to distinguish between natural and human-affected sources of boron in ground water and thereby determine if the RAL was applicable to the situation. Boron stable-isotope ratios and concentrations of boron in 17 ground-water samples and tritium concentrations in 9 ground-water samples collected in 2004 were used to identify geochemical differences between potential sources of boron in ground water near Beverly Shores, Indiana. Boron and d11B analyses for this investigation were made on unacidified samples to assure consistency of the result with unacidified analyses of d11B values from other investigations. Potential sources of boron included surficial-aquifer water affected by coal-combustion products (CCP) or domestic-wastewater, upward discharge of ground water from confined aquifers, and unaffected water from the surficial aquifer that was distant from human-affected boron sources. Boron concentrations in potential ground-water sources of boron were largest (15,700 to 24,400 ?g/L) in samples of CCP-affected surficial aquifer water from four wells at a CCP landfill and smallest (27 to 63 ?g/L) in three wells in the surficial aquifer that were distant from human-affected boron sources. Boron concentrations in water from the basal sand aquifer ranged from 656 ?g/L to 1,800 ?g/L. Boron concentrations in water from three domestic-wastewater-affected surficial aquifer wells ranged from 84 to 387 ?g/L. Among the representative ground-water samples, boron concentrations from all four samples of CCP-affected surficial aquifer water and four of five samples of water from the basal sand aquifer had concentrations greater than the RAL. A comparison of boron concentrations in acid-preserved and unacidified samples indicated that boron concentrations reported for this investigation may be from about 11 to 16 percent less than would be reported in a standard analysis of an acidified sample. The stable isotope boron-11 was most enriched in comparison to boron-10 in ground water from a confined aquifer, the basal sand aquifer (d11B, 24.6 to 34.0 per mil, five samples); it was most depleted in CCP-affected water from the surficial aquifer (d11B, 0.1 to 6.6 per mil, four samples). Domestic-wastewater-affected water from the surficial aquifer (d11B, 8.7 to 11.7 per mil, four samples) was enriched in boron-11, in comparison to individual samples of a borax detergent additive and a detergent with perborate bleach; it was intermediate in composition between basal sand aquifer water and CCP-affected water from the surficial aquifer. The similarity between a ground-water sample from the surficial aquifer and a hypothetical mixture of unaffected surficial aquifer and basal sand aquifer waters indicates the potential for long-term upward discharge of ground water into the surficial aquifer from one or more confined aquifers. Est

[The role of neurotrophic factors in regeneration of the nervous system].

PubMed

Machaliński, Bogusław; Lażewski-Banaszak, Piotr; Dąbkowska, Elżbieta; Paczkowska, Edyta; Gołąb-Janowska, Monika; Nowacki, Przemysław

2012-01-01

Neurotrophic factors regulate survival, development, and function of nervous tissue. They act via two different classes of receptors and activation of various signaling pathways in the target cells. Illumination of their physiological role in the maintenance of central nervous system homeostasis as well as regeneration of damaged tissue have ignited expectations to heal neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic late-ral sclerosis and Parkinson disease. Advances in pharmaco-therapy, gene therapy, and stem cell biology have enabled development of novel therapies with application of regenerating cell transplantation. In the foreseeable future, it may lead to the establishment of safe and effective ways of treatment of these severe and currently incurable diseases.

[Care and anthropology: a thinking process].

PubMed

Rohrbach Viadas, Cécilia

2007-09-01

Caring for human beings, calls for relating unity and diversity in order to respect the equality of cultures and to recognize their cultural differences. Cultural difference is, however, privileged by recent publications within the culture caring domain, based on cultural relativism and disregarding the unity of humanity, transcultu-ral nursing theory is the case. For this reason, some historical elements related to the two original anthropological theories are included in this text to understand the philosophical and ethical implications of transcultural nursing theory. The objective of this article is to analyse six recent publications within the caring and anthropology field, through a reflexive method identifying two different caring traditions and demonstrating their philosophical and ethical reach for caring practice.

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

Pirozhkov, A. S.; Mori, M.; Yogo, A.

High-power laser contrast is challenging to measure, especially in the real target irradiation conditions. We present a convenient and relatively simple contrast diagnostic technique based on the measurement of target specular reflectivity at full laser power. The reflectivity remains high even at intensities above 10{sup 19} W/cm{sup 2} in the case of a high-contrast prepulse-free laser. On the contrary, the specular reflectivity drops in the case of lower contrast, due to the beam break-up and increased absorption caused by the preformed plasma. The technique was demonstrated using three different laser systems with several contrast conditions: Astra (CLF, RAL), TiS lasermore » at APRI, GIST, and J-KAREN (APRC, JAEA).« less

A control method for bilateral teleoperating systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strassberg, Yesayahu

1992-01-01

The thesis focuses on control of bilateral master-slave teleoperators. The bilateral control issue of teleoperators is studied and a new scheme that overcomes basic unsolved problems is proposed. A performance measure, based on the multiport modeling method, is introduced in order to evaluate and understand the limitations of earlier published bilateral control laws. Based on the study evaluating the different methods, the objective of the thesis is stated. The proposed control law is then introduced, its ideal performance is demonstrated, and conditions for stability and robustness are derived. It is shown that stability, desired performance, and robustness can be obtained under the assumption that the deviation of the model from the actual system satisfies certain norm inequalities and the measurement uncertainties are bounded. The proposed scheme is validated by numerical simulation. The simulated system is based on the configuration of the RAL (Robotics and Automation Laboratory) telerobot. From the simulation results it is shown that good tracking performance can be obtained. In order to verify the performance of the proposed scheme when applied to a real hardware system, an experimental setup of a three degree of freedom master-slave teleoperator (i.e. three degree of freedom master and three degree of freedom slave robot) was built. Three basic experiments were conducted to verify the performance of the proposed control scheme. The first experiment verified the master control law and its contribution to the robustness and performance of the entire system. The second experiment demonstrated the actual performance of the system while performing a free motion teleoperating task. From the experimental results, it is shown that the control law has good performance and is robust to uncertainties in the models of the master and slave.

Effect of scaling and root planing on erythrocyte count, hemoglobin and hematocrit in patients with chronic periodontal disease.

PubMed

Malhotra, Ranjan; Kapoor, Anoop; Grover, Vishakha; Grover, Deepak; Kaur, Aaswin

2012-01-01

Anemia of chronic disease, a cytokine-mediated anemia, is a frequent complication of many chronic inflammatory conditions. The present clinical trial was aimed to evaluate the effect of chronic periodontal disease on erythrocyte count, hemoglobin and hematocrit and the changes produced in these parameters after the provision of periodontal therapy. 40 systemically healthy non-smoker male subjects in the age group of 25 to 50 years suffering with chronic periodontal disease were selected and categorized into 2 groups. Group A was categorized as chronic generalized gingivitis, and Group B was categorized as chronic generalized periodontitis on the basis of clinical findings. The clinical parameters Gingival Index (GI), Probing Pock et Depth (PPD) and Relative Attachment Level (RAL) and laboratory blood investigations viz erythrocyte count (EC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT) and red cell indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC) were recorded at baseline. Complete oral prophylaxis was performed for all patients. Patients were recalled after 3 weeks and 3 months. The clinical and hematological parameters were re-evaluated to analyze the changes after provision of phase I therapy. The mean values of EC, Hb and HCT were significantly lower in Group B in comparison to Group A, and showed a significantly greater increase at 3 months of observation. However, the values of MCV, MCH and MCHC showed a non significant change during the same observation period in both the groups. Lower values of EC, Hb and HCT in Group B showed that mild anemia is associated with chronic generalized periodontitis, which tends to improve after provision of periodontal therapy. Minimal changes in MCV, MCH and MCHC indicated that the lower values are not due to any vitamin and mineral deficiencies, but secondary to the chronic inflammatory changes associated with chronic periodontal disease.

Assessment of congruence and impingement of the hip joint in professional ballet dancers: a motion capture study.

PubMed

Charbonnier, Caecilia; Kolo, Frank C; Duthon, Victoria B; Magnenat-Thalmann, Nadia; Becker, Christoph D; Hoffmeyer, Pierre; Menetrey, Jacques

2011-03-01

Early hip osteoarthritis in dancers could be explained by femoroacetabular impingements. However, there is a lack of validated noninvasive methods and dynamic studies to ascertain impingement during motion. Moreover, it is unknown whether the femoral head and acetabulum are congruent in typical dancing positions. The practice of some dancing movements could cause a loss of hip joint congruence and recurrent impingements, which could lead to early osteoarthritis. Descriptive laboratory study. Eleven pairs of female dancer's hips were motion captured with an optical tracking system while performing 6 different dancing movements. The resulting computed motions were applied to patient-specific hip joint 3-dimensional models based on magnetic resonance images. While visualizing the dancer's hip in motion, the authors detected impingements using computer-assisted techniques. The range of motion and congruence of the hip joint were also quantified in those 6 recorded dancing movements. The frequency of impingement and subluxation varied with the type of movement. Four dancing movements (développé à la seconde, grand écart facial, grand écart latéral, and grand plié) seem to induce significant stress in the hip joint, according to the observed high frequency of impingement and amount of subluxation. The femoroacetabular translations were high (range, 0.93 to 6.35 mm). For almost all movements, the computed zones of impingement were mainly located in the superior or posterosuperior quadrant of the acetabulum, which was relevant with respect to radiologically diagnosed damaged zones in the labrum. All dancers' hips were morphologically normal. Impingements and subluxations are frequently observed in typical ballet movements, causing cartilage hypercompression. These movements should be limited in frequency. The present study indicates that some dancing movements could damage the hip joint, which could lead to early osteoarthritis.

EphA2 Expression Is a Key Driver of Migration and Invasion and a Poor Prognostic Marker in Colorectal Cancer.

PubMed

Dunne, Philip D; Dasgupta, Sonali; Blayney, Jaine K; McArt, Darragh G; Redmond, Keara L; Weir, Jessica-Anne; Bradley, Conor A; Sasazuki, Takehiko; Shirasawa, Senji; Wang, Tingting; Srivastava, Supriya; Ong, Chee Wee; Arthur, Ken; Salto-Tellez, Manuel; Wilson, Richard H; Johnston, Patrick G; Van Schaeybroeck, Sandra

2016-01-01

EphA2, a member of the Eph receptor tyrosine kinases family, is an important regulator of tumor initiation, neovascularization, and metastasis in a wide range of epithelial and mesenchymal cancers; however, its role in colorectal cancer recurrence and progression is unclear. EphA2 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in stage II/III colorectal tumors (N = 338), and findings correlated with clinical outcome. The correlation between EphA2 expression and stem cell markers CD44 and Lgr5 was examined. The role of EphA2 in migration/invasion was assessed using a panel of KRAS wild-type (WT) and mutant (MT) parental and invasive colorectal cancer cell line models. Colorectal tumors displayed significantly higher expression levels of EphA2 compared with matched normal tissue, which positively correlated with high CD44 and Lgr5 expression levels. Moreover, high EphA2 mRNA and protein expression were found to be associated with poor overall survival in stage II/III colorectal cancer tissues, in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Preclinically, we found that EphA2 was highly expressed in KRASMT colorectal cancer cells and that EphA2 levels are regulated by the KRAS-driven MAPK and RalGDS-RalA pathways. Moreover, EphA2 levels were elevated in several invasive daughter cell lines, and downregulation of EphA2 using RNAi or recombinant EFNA1 suppressed migration and invasion of KRASMT colorectal cancer cells. These data show that EpHA2 is a poor prognostic marker in stage II/III colorectal cancer, which may be due to its ability to promote cell migration and invasion, providing support for the further investigation of EphA2 as a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

EphA2 expression is a key driver of migration and invasion and a poor prognostic marker in colorectal cancer

PubMed Central

Blayney, Jaine K.; McArt, Darragh G.; Redmond, Keara L.; Weir, Jessica-Anne; Bradley, Conor A.; Sasazuki, Takehiko; Shirasawa, Senji; Wang, Tingting; Srivastava, Supriya; Ong, Chee Wee; Arthur, Ken; Salto-Tellez, Manuel; Wilson, Richard H.

2015-01-01

Purpose EphA2, a member of the Eph receptor tyrosine kinases family, is an important regulator of tumour initiation, neo-vascularization and metastasis in a wide range of epithelial and mesenchymal cancers, however its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) recurrence and progression is unclear. Experimental Design EphA2 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in stage II/III colorectal tumours (N=338), and findings correlated with clinical outcome. The correlation between EphA2 expression and stem cell markers CD44 and Lgr5 was examined. The role of EphA2 in migration/invasion was assessed using a panel of KRAS wild-type (WT) and mutant (MT) parental and invasive CRC cell line models. Results Colorectal tumours displayed significantly higher expression levels of EphA2 compared with matched normal tissue, which positively correlated with high CD44 and Lgr5 expression levels. Moreover, high EphA2 mRNA and protein expression were found to be associated with poor overall survival in stage II/III CRC tissues, in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Pre-clinically, we found that EphA2 was highly expressed in KRASMT CRC cells and that EphA2 levels are regulated by the KRAS-driven MAPK and RalGDS-RalA pathways. Moreover, EphA2 levels were elevated in several invasive daughter cell lines and down-regulation of EphA2 using RNAi or recombinant EFNA1, suppressed migration and invasion of KRASMT CRC cells. Conclusions These data show that EpHA2 is a poor prognostic marker in stage II/III CRC, which may be due to its ability to promote cell migration and invasion, providing support for the further investigation of EphA2 as a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target. PMID:26283684

A new dermocosmetic containing retinaldehyde, delta-tocopherol glucoside and glycylglycine oleamide for managing naturally aged skin: results from in vitro to clinical studies

PubMed Central

Rouvrais, Céline; Bacqueville, Daniel; Bogdanowicz, Patrick; Haure, Marie-José; Duprat, Laure; Coutanceau, Christine; Castex-Rizzi, Nathalie; Duplan, Hélène; Mengeaud, Valérie; Bessou-Touya, Sandrine

2017-01-01

Introduction Natural aging of skin tissues, the addition of the cumulative action of the time and radiation exposure result in skin atrophy, wrinkles and degeneration of the extracellular matrix (ECM). The aim of the study was to investigate the beneficial effect of a combination containing retinaldehyde (RAL), delta-tocopherol glucoside (delta-TC) and glycylglycine ole-amide (GGO) and of a dermocosmetic containing the combination. Materials and methods The protective effect of the combination was assessed through in vitro gene expression of ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated fibroblasts. A skin aging assay using UV light on ex vivo skin samples and a clinical study conducted in 36 women aged from 35 to 55 years with a minimum of level 4 to a maximum of level 6 on the crow’s feet photoscale assessed the antiaging effect of the dermocosmetic. Results When added to UV-irradiated fibroblasts, the combination substantially improved the ECM in activating the elastin fiber production (fibrillin 2, fibulin 1 and 5 and lysyl oxidase-like 2) as well as that of proteins involved in the cellular ECM interactions (integrin b1, paxillin and actin a2). An ex vivo photodamaged human skin model showed that the dermocosmetic formulation containing the combination of the active ingredients protected the elastic network against UV-induced alterations including both elastin and fibrillin-rich fibers in the dermis. A daily application of the dermocosmetic for 2 months on naturally aged skin resulted in a statistically significant improvement (p<0.05) of visible signs of aging comprising crow’s feet, wrinkles and periocular fine lines. Finally, the formulation was well tolerated. Conclusion The dermocosmetic containing RAL, delta-TC and GGO provides a substantial benefit in the daily care of naturally aged skin in women aged 35–55 years. PMID:28203099

Costs and cost-efficacy analysis of the 2017 GESIDA/Spanish National AIDS Plan recommended guidelines for initial antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected adults.

PubMed

Rivero, Antonio; Pérez-Molina, José Antonio; Blasco, Antonio Javier; Arribas, José Ramón; Asensi, Víctor; Crespo, Manuel; Domingo, Pere; Iribarren, José Antonio; Lázaro, Pablo; López-Aldeguer, José; Lozano, Fernando; Martínez, Esteban; Moreno, Santiago; Palacios, Rosario; Pineda, Juan Antonio; Pulido, Federico; Rubio, Rafael; Santos, Jesús; de la Torre, Javier; Tuset, Montserrat; Gatell, Josep M

2018-05-01

GESIDA and the Spanish National AIDS Plan panel of experts have recommended preferred (PR), alternative (AR) and other regimens (OR) for antiretroviral therapy (ART) as initial therapy in HIV-infected patients for 2017. The objective of this study was to evaluate the costs and the efficiency of initiating treatment with PR and AR. Economic assessment of costs and efficiency (cost-efficacy) based on decision tree analyses. Efficacy was defined as the probability of reporting a viral load <50copies/mL at week 48, in an intention-to-treat analysis. Cost of initiating treatment with an ART regimen was defined as the costs of ART and its consequences (adverse effects, changes of ART regimen and drug resistance studies) during the first 48 weeks. The payer perspective (National Health System) was applied considering only differential direct costs: ART (official prices), management of adverse effects, resistance studies and HLA B*5701 screening. The setting was Spain and the costs correspond to those of 2017. A deterministic sensitivity analysis was conducted, building three scenarios for each regimen: base case, most favourable and least favourable. In the base case scenario, the cost of initiating treatment ranged from 6882 euro for TFV/FTC/RPV (AR) to 10,904 euros for TFV/FTC+RAL (PR). The efficacy varied from 0.82 for TFV/FTC+DRV/p (AR) to 0.92 for TAF/FTC/EVG/COBI (PR). The efficiency, in terms of cost-efficacy, ranged from 7923 to 12,765 euros per responder at 48 weeks, for ABC/3TC/DTG (PR) and TFV/FTC+RAL (PR), respectively. Considering ART official prices, the most efficient regimen was ABC/3TC/DTG (PR), followed by TFV/FTC/RPV (AR) and TAF/FTC/EVG/COBI (PR). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

A network model for the specification of vulval precursor cells and cell fusion control in Caenorhabditis elegans

PubMed Central

Weinstein, Nathan; Mendoza, Luis

2013-01-01

The vulva of Caenorhabditis elegans has been long used as an experimental model of cell differentiation and organogenesis. While it is known that the signaling cascades of Wnt, Ras/MAPK, and NOTCH interact to form a molecular network, there is no consensus regarding its precise topology and dynamical properties. We inferred the molecular network, and developed a multivalued synchronous discrete dynamic model to study its behavior. The model reproduces the patterns of activation reported for the following types of cell: vulval precursor, first fate, second fate, second fate with reversed polarity, third fate, and fusion fate. We simulated the fusion of cells, the determination of the first, second, and third fates, as well as the transition from the second to the first fate. We also used the model to simulate all possible single loss- and gain-of-function mutants, as well as some relevant double and triple mutants. Importantly, we associated most of these simulated mutants to multivulva, vulvaless, egg-laying defective, or defective polarity phenotypes. The model shows that it is necessary for RAL-1 to activate NOTCH signaling, since the repression of LIN-45 by RAL-1 would not suffice for a proper second fate determination in an environment lacking DSL ligands. We also found that the model requires the complex formed by LAG-1, LIN-12, and SEL-8 to inhibit the transcription of eff-1 in second fate cells. Our model is the largest reconstruction to date of the molecular network controlling the specification of vulval precursor cells and cell fusion control in C. elegans. According to our model, the process of fate determination in the vulval precursor cells is reversible, at least until either the cells fuse with the ventral hypoderm or divide, and therefore the cell fates must be maintained by the presence of extracellular signals. PMID:23785384

Analysis of the costs and cost-effectiveness of the guidelines recommended by the 2018 GESIDA/Spanish National AIDS Plan for initial antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected adults.

PubMed

Pérez-Molina, José Antonio; Martínez, Esteban; Blasco, Antonio Javier; Arribas, José Ramón; Domingo, Pere; Iribarren, José Antonio; Knobel, Hernando; Lázaro, Pablo; López-Aldeguer, José; Lozano, Fernando; Mariño, Ana; Miró, José M; Moreno, Santiago; Negredo, Eugenia; Pulido, Federico; Rubio, Rafael; Santos, Jesús; de la Torre, Javier; Tuset, Montserrat; von Wichmann, Miguel A; Gatell, Josep M

2018-06-05

The GESIDA/National AIDS Plan expert panel recommended preferred regimens (PR), alternative regimens (AR) and other regimens (OR) for antiretroviral treatment (ART) as initial therapy in HIV-infected patients for 2018. The objective of this study was to evaluate the costs and the efficiency of initiating treatment with PR and AR. Economic assessment of costs and efficiency (cost-effectiveness) based on decision tree analyses. Effectiveness was defined as the probability of reporting a viral load <50copies/mL at week 48, in an intention-to-treat analysis. Cost of initiating treatment with an ART regimen was defined as the costs of ART and its consequences (adverse effects, changes of ART regimen, and drug-resistance studies) over the first 48 weeks. The payer perspective (National Health System) was applied considering only differential direct costs: ART (official prices), management of adverse effects, studies of resistance, and HLA B*5701 testing. The setting was Spain and the costs correspond to those of 2018. A deterministic sensitivity analysis was conducted, building three scenarios for each regimen: base case, most favourable and least favourable. In the base-case scenario, the cost of initiating treatment ranges from 6788 euros for TAF/FTC/RPV (AR) to 10,649 euros for TAF/FTC+RAL (PR). The effectiveness varies from 0.82 for TAF/FTC+DRV/r (AR) to 0.91 for TAF/FTC+DTG (PR). The efficiency, in terms of cost-effectiveness, ranges from 7814 to 12,412 euros per responder at 48 weeks, for ABC/3TC/DTG (PR) and TAF/FTC+RAL (PR), respectively. Considering ART official prices, the most efficient regimen was ABC/3TC/DTG (PR), followed by TAF/FTC/RPV (AR) and TAF/FTC/EVG/COBI (AR). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

The Legionella pneumophila global regulatory protein LetA affects DotA and Mip.

PubMed

Shi, Chunwei; Forsbach-Birk, Vera; Marre, Reinhard; McNealy, Tamara L

2006-02-01

Several genes have been identified in Legionella pneumophila which are necessary for its virulence properties. These genes include the dot/icm type IV secretion system (T4SS), mip and letA. Genes of the dot/icm system, in particular dotA, have been found to be essential for intracellular growth. The macrophage infectivity protein (Mip) is also necessary for full virulence of the bacteria. Although these genes are well characterized, the regulation of such virulence factors is not. The LetA transcriptional activator interacts with the global regulator CsrA in controlling the switch from the replicative, non-infectious to the transmissive, highly infectious form of L. pneumophila. Regulation by LetA of the dot/icm genes has also been previously postulated. Here we show that the letA mutation exerts effects not only on DotA but on a substrate of the secretion system, RalF as well. LetA was found to be necessary for full transcriptional expression of the dotA and ralF genes. Although at the transcriptional level dotA was reduced, this did not result in a decrease of DotA protein in whole cell lysates. The letA mutation, however, does result in decreased amounts of the DotA protein found in the membrane and increased amounts in the culture supernatant. Additionally, the letA mutation dramatically decreased the secretion of Mip. This work demonstrates the participation of the global regulatory protein LetA in the regulation of an essential part of the dot/icm T4SS. Also shown is the presence of secreted Mip and a decrease in this secretion in the letA(-) strain. Exactly how LetA is regulating these virulence factors remains to be elucidated but it obviously occurs at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.

Element Specific Imaging Using Muonic X-rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hillier, Adrian; Ishida, Katsu; Seller, Paul; Veale, Matthew C.; Wilson, Matthew D.

The RIKEN-RAL facility provides a source of negative muons that can be used to non-destructively determine the elemental composition of bulk samples. A negative muon can replace an electron in an atom and subsequently transition to lower orbital positions. As with conventional X-ray fluorescence, an X-ray photon is emitted with a characteristic energy to enable the transition between orbitals of an atom. As the mass of a negative muon is much greater than that of an electron, a higher energy X-ray photon is emitted when the negative muon transitions between orbitals compared to conventional X-ray fluorescence. The higher energy muonic X-rays are able to escape large samples even when they are emitted from lower Z atoms, making muonic X-rays fluorescence a unique method to characterize the elemental content of a sample. In a typical experiment a section of a sample will be probed with negative muons with the muon momentum tuned to interact at a desired depth in the sample. A small number of single element high purity Ge detectors are positioned to capture up to one photon each from each of the forty muon pulses per second at the RIKEN-RAL facility. This can provide a high resolution and high dynamic range X-ray energy spectrum when collected for several hours but can only provide a spatial average or single point elemental distribution per collection. Here, an STFC developed CdTe detector with 80 × 80 energy resolving channels has been used to demonstrate the ability to image the elemental distribution of a test sample. A test sample of C, Al, and Fe2O3 was positioned close to the detector surface and each of the 250 µm pitch pixels recorded a muonic X-ray energy spectrum. Results are presented to show the principal of this new technique and potential improvements to provide higher resolution and larger area elemental imaging using muonic X-rays are discussed.

Helicons, History, High Technology and Heliacs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boswell, Rod

1998-11-01

Helicon waves depend basically on the Hall effect and propagate between the ion and electron gyro frequencies: they are whistlers masquerading under another name hence their history goes back to the great war and subsequently involved such people as Appleton, Hartree and Storey. Considerable experimental and theoretical research was carried out on linear propagation during the 1960's and at the end of the decade it was discovered that the wave could actually heat the plasma electrons and increase the ionisation rate considerably. Nothing much happened during the 1970's but in the early 1980's it was realised that this high density source could be used for processing thin films and an increasing number of papers were published, which continues to this day. The first experiments on using helicons to create and heat toroidal plasmas were carried out at the end of the 1980's in a small heliac. Recent experiments with helicon excitation in the large heliac H1 at the ANU have shown that the ion temperature increases with the wave power. This mystery is being actively investigated.

Similarities and differences in dream content at the cross-cultural, gender, and individual levels.

PubMed

William Domhoff, G; Schneider, Adam

2008-12-01

The similarities and differences in dream content at the cross-cultural, gender, and individual levels provide one starting point for carrying out studies that attempt to discover correspondences between dream content and various types of waking cognition. Hobson and Kahn's (Hobson, J. A., & Kahn, D. (2007). Dream content: Individual and generic aspects. Consciousness and Cognition, 16, 850-858.) conclusion that dream content may be more generic than most researchers realize, and that individual differences are less salient than usually thought, provides the occasion for a review of findings based on the Hall and Van de Castle (Hall, C., & Van de Castle, R. (1966). The content analysis of dreams. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.) coding system for the study of dream content. Then new findings based on a computationally intensive randomization strategy are presented to show the minimum sample sizes needed to detect gender and individual differences in dream content. Generally speaking, sample sizes of 100-125 dream reports are needed because most dream elements appear in less than 50% of dream reports and the magnitude of the differences usually is not large.

Ionosphere Plasma State Determination in Low Earth Orbit from International Space Station Plasma Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kramer, Leonard

2014-01-01

A plasma diagnostic package is deployed on the International Space Station (ISS). The system - a Floating Potential Measurement Unit (FPMU) - is used by NASA to monitor the electrical floating potential of the vehicle to assure astronaut safety during extravehicular activity. However, data from the unit also reflects the ionosphere state and seems to represent an unutilized scientific resource in the form of an archive of scientific plasma state data. The unit comprises a Floating Potential probe and two Langmuir probes. There is also an unused but active plasma impedance probe. The data, at one second cadence, are collected, typically for a two week period surrounding extravehicular activity events. Data is also collected any time a visiting vehicle docks with ISS and also when any large solar events occur. The telemetry system is unusual because the package is mounted on a television camera stanchion and its data is impressed on a video signal that is transmitted to the ground and streamed by internet to two off center laboratory locations. The data quality has in the past been challenged by weaknesses in the integrated ground station and distribution systems. These issues, since mid-2010, have been largely resolved and the ground stations have been upgraded. Downstream data reduction has been developed using physics based modeling of the electron and ion collecting character in the plasma. Recursive algorithms determine plasma density and temperature from the raw Langmuir probe current voltage sweeps and this is made available in real time for situational awareness. The purpose of this paper is to describe and record the algorithm for data reduction and to show that the Floating probe and Langmuir probes are capable of providing long term plasma state measurement in the ionosphere. Geophysical features such as the Appleton anomaly and high latitude modulation at the edge of the Auroral zones are regularly observed in the nearly circular, 51 deg inclined, 400 km altitude ISS orbit. Evidence of waves in the ion collection current data is seen in geographic zones known to exhibit the spread-F phenomenon. An anomaly in the current collection characteristic of the cylindrical probe appears also too be organized by the geomagnetic field.

Neutrino Factory Targets and the MICE Beam

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

Walaron, Kenneth Andrew

2007-01-01

The future of particle physics in the next 30 years must include detailed study of neutrinos. The first proof of physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics is evident in results from recent neutrino experiments which imply that neutrinos have mass and flavour mixing. The Neutrino Factory is the leading contender to measure precisely the neutrino mixing parameters to probe beyond the Standard Model physics. Significantly, one must look to measure the mixing angle θ 13 and investigate the possibility of leptonic CP violation. If found this may provide a key insight into the origins of the matter/anti- mattermore » asymmetry seen in the universe, through the mechanism of leptogenesis. The Neutrino Factory will be a large international multi-billion dollar experiment combining novel new accelerator and long-baseline detector technology. Arguably the most important and costly features of this facility are the proton driver and cooling channel. This thesis will present simulation work focused on determining the optimal proton driver energy to maximise pion production and also simulation of the transport of this pion °ux through some candidate transport lattices. Bench-marking of pion cross- sections calculated by MARS and GEANT4 codes to measured data from the HARP experiment is also presented. The cooling channel aims to reduce the phase-space volume of the decayed muon beam to a level that can be e±ciently injected into the accelerator system. The Muon Ionisation Cooling Experiment (MICE) hosted by the Rutherford Appleton laboratory, UK is a proof-of-principle experiment aimed at measuring ionisation cooling. The experiment will run parasitically to the ISIS accelerator and will produce muons from pion decay. The MICE beamline provides muon beams of variable emittance and momentum to the MICE experiment to enable measurement of cooling over a wide range of beam conditions. Simulation work in the design of this beamline is presented in this thesis as are results from an experiment to estimate the °ux from the target into the beamline acceptance.« less

Microstructure/Oxidation/Microhardness Correlations in Gamma-Based and Tau-Based Al-Ti-Cr Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brady, Michael P.; Smialek, J. L.; Humphrey, D. L.

1994-01-01

The relationships between alloy microstructure and air oxidation kinetics and alloy microstructure and microhardness in the Al-Ti-Cr system for exposures at 800 C and 1000 C were investigated. The relevant phases were identified as tau (Ll2), gamma (LIO), r-Al2Ti, TiCrAl (laves), and Cr2AI. Protective alumina formation was associated with tau, Al-rich TiCrAl, and gamma/TiCrAl mixtures. Brittleness was associated with the TiCrAl phase and tau decomposition to A12Ti + Cr2AI. It was concluded that two-phase gamma + TiCrAl alloys offer the greatest potential for oxidation resistance and room temperature ductility in the Al-Ti-Cr system.

Structural Health Monitoring 2007: Quantification, Validation, and Implementation

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-01

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Localisation humérale d'une tumeur à cellules géantes récidivantes (à propos d'un cas)

PubMed Central

Nader, Youssef; Serghini, Issam; Koulali, Idrissi Khalid; Salahi, Hicham; Galwia, Farid

2015-01-01

Les auteurs rapportent un cas de localisation rare d'une tumeur à cellules géantes au niveau de la palette humérale du coude droit chez un militaire de 36 ans de sexe masculin, la radio standard montrait une image kystique ne soufflant pas la corticale. L'examen anatomo-pathologique a permis d’ établir le diagnostic et le traitement a fait appel: au début a une Exérèse chirurgicale totale et une greffe osseuse par un greffon iliaque de la totalité de la palette huméral qui s'est compliquée à 6 mois de recule d une récidive locale. PMID:25995809

Investigation of dielectric substrates on electrical and optical performance of wafer-scale graphene using non-contact methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dong; Ning, Jing; Zhang, Jincheng; Guo, Lixin; Hao, Yue

2017-10-01

Here we systemically discussed the influence of dielectric substrates on the surface morphology, electrical and optical performance of transferred graphene. The electrical properties were investigated using a microwave-probing technique without metal-graphene contact. We found that a complex mechanism governed the influence of the surface properties of the dielectric substrates, such as morphology, hydrophilicity, crystallinity, and polarization, on the performance of the graphene. We also found that graphene on r-Al2O3 was more effective for graphene-based devices with a high carrier mobility of ˜5000 cm2 V-1 s-1. This provides a new method to choose the most suitable substrate for fabricating graphene-based devices.

Robotic-Assisted Minimally Invasive Surgery for Gynecologic and Urologic Oncology

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Executive Summary Objective An application was received to review the evidence on the ‘The Da Vinci Surgical System’ for the treatment of gynecologic malignancies (e.g. endometrial and cervical cancers). Limitations to the current standard of care include the lack of trained physicians on minimally invasive surgery and limited access to minimally invasive surgery for patients. The potential benefits of ‘The Da Vinci Surgical System’ include improved technical manipulation and physician uptake leading to increased surgeries, and treatment and management of these cancers. The demand for robotic surgery for the treatment and management of prostate cancer has been increasing due to its alleged benefits of recovery of erectile function and urinary continence, two important factors of men’s health. The potential technical benefits of robotic surgery leading to improved patient functional outcomes are surgical precision and vision. Clinical Need Uterine and cervical cancers represent 5.4% (4,400 of 81,700) and 1.6% (1,300 of 81,700), respectively, of incident cases of cancer among female cancers in Canada. Uterine cancer, otherwise referred to as endometrial cancer is cancer of the lining of the uterus. The most common treatment option for endometrial cancer is removing the cancer through surgery. A surgical option is the removal of the uterus and cervix through a small incision in the abdomen using a laparoscope which is referred to as total laparoscopic hysterectomy. Risk factors that increase the risk of endometrial cancer include taking estrogen replacement therapy after menopause, being obese, early age at menarche, late age at menopause, being nulliparous, having had high-dose radiation to the pelvis, and use of tamoxifen. Cervical cancer occurs at the lower narrow end of the uterus. There are more treatment options for cervical cancer compared to endometrial cancer, however total laparoscopic hysterectomy is also a treatment option. Risk factors that increase the risk for cervical cancer are multiple sexual partners, early sexual activity, infection with the human papillomavirus, and cigarette smoking, whereas barrier-type of contraception as a risk factor decreases the risk of cervical cancer. Prostate cancer is ranked first in men in Canada in terms of the number of new cases among all male cancers (25,500 of 89,300 or 28.6%). The impact on men who develop prostate cancer is substantial given the potential for erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence. Prostate cancer arises within the prostate gland, which resides in the male reproductive system and near the bladder. Radical retropubic prostatectomy is the gold standard treatment for localized prostate cancer. Prostate cancer affects men above 60 years of age. Other risk factors include a family history of prostate cancer, being of African descent, being obese, consuming a diet high in fat, physical inactivity, and working with cadium. The Da Vinci Surgical System The Da Vinci Surgical System is a robotic device. There are four main components to the system: 1) the surgeon’s console, where the surgeon sits and views a magnified three-dimensional image of the surgical field; 2) patient side-cart, which sits beside the patient and consists of three instrument arms and one endoscope arm; 3) detachable instruments (endowrist instruments and intuitive masters), which simulate fine motor human movements. The hand movements of the surgeon’s hands at the surgeon’s console are translated into smaller ones by the robotic device and are acted out by the attached instruments; 4) three-dimensional vision system: the camera unit or endoscope arm. The main advantages of use of the robotic device are: 1) the precision of the instrument and improved dexterity due to the use of “wristed” instruments; 2) three-dimensional imaging, with improved ability to locate blood vessels, nerves and tissues; 3) the surgeon’s console, which reduces fatigue accompanied with conventional laparoscopy surgery and allows for tremor-free manipulation. The main disadvantages of use of the robotic device are the costs including instrument costs ($2.6 million in US dollars), cost per use ($200 per use), the costs associated with training surgeons and operating room personnel, and the lack of tactile feedback, with the trade-off being increased visual feedback. Research Questions For endometrial and cervical cancers, 1. What is the effectiveness of the Da Vinci Surgical System vs. laparoscopy and laparotomy for women undergoing any hysterectomy for the surgical treatment and management of their endometrial and cervical cancers? 2. What are the incremental costs of the Da Vinci Surgical System vs. laparoscopy and laparotomy for women undergoing any hysterectomy for the surgical treatment and management of their endometrial and cervical cancers? For prostate cancer, 3. What is the effectiveness of robotically-assisted radical prostatectomy using the Da Vinci Surgical System vs. laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and retropubic radical prostatectomy for the surgical treatment and management of prostate cancer? 4. What are the incremental costs of robotically-assisted radical prostatectomy using the Da Vinci Surgical System vs. laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and retropubic radical prostatectomy for the surgical treatment and management of prostate cancer? Research Methods Literature Search Search Strategy A literature search was performed on May 12, 2010 using OVID MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, OVID EMBASE, Wiley Cochrane, CINAHL, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination/International Agency for Health Technology Assessment for studies published from January 1, 2000 until May 12, 2010. Abstracts were reviewed by a single reviewer and, for those studies meeting the eligibility criteria, full-text articles were obtained. Reference lists were also examined for any additional relevant studies not identified through the search. Articles with unknown eligibility were reviewed with a second clinical epidemiologist, then a group of epidemiologists until consensus was established. The quality of evidence was assessed as high, moderate, low or very low according to GRADE methodology. Inclusion Criteria English language articles (January 1, 2000-May 12, 2010) Journal articles that report on the effectiveness or cost-effectiveness for the comparisons of interest using a primary data source (e.g. obtained in a clinical setting) Journal articles that report on the effectiveness or cost-effectiveness for the comparisons of interest using a secondary data source (e.g. hospital- or population-based registries) Study design and methods must be clearly described Health technology assessments, systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials and/or cohort studies, case-case studies, regardless of sample size, cost-effectiveness studies Exclusion Criteria Duplicate publications (with the more recent publication on the same study population included) Non-English papers Animal or in-vitro studies Case reports or case series without a referent or comparison group Studies on long-term survival which may be affected by treatment Studies that do not examine the cancers (e.g. advanced disease) or outcomes of interest Outcomes of Interest For endometrial and cervical cancers, Primary outcomes: Morbidity factors - Length of hospitalization - Number of complications* Peri-operative factors - Operation time - Amount of blood loss* - Number of conversions to laparotomy* Number of lymph nodes recovered For prostate cancer, Primary outcomes: Morbidity factors - Length of hospitalization - Amount of morphine use/pain* Peri-operative factors - Operation time - Amount of blood loss* - Number of transfusions* - Duration of catheterization - Number of complications* - Number of anastomotic strictures* Number of lymph nodes recovered Oncologic factors - Proportion of positive surgical margins Long-term outcomes - Urinary continence - Erectile function Summary of Findings Robotic use for gynecologic oncology compared to: Laparotomy: benefits of robotic surgery in terms of shorter length of hospitalization and less blood loss. These results indicate clinical effectiveness in terms of reduced morbidity and safety, respectively, in the context of study design limitations. The beneficial effect of robotic surgery was shown in pooled analysis for complications, owing to increased sample size. More work is needed to clarify the role of complications in terms of safety, including improved study designs, analysis and measurement. Laparoscopy: benefits of robotic surgery in terms of shorter length of hospitalization, less blood loss and fewer conversions to laparotomy likely owing to the technical difficulty of conventional laparoscopy, in the context of study design limitations. Clinical significance of significant findings for length of hospitalizations and blood loss is low. Fewer conversions to laparotomy indicate clinical effectiveness in terms of reduced morbidity. Robotic use for urologic oncology, specifically prostate cancer, compared to: Retropubic surgery: benefits of robotic surgery in terms of shorter length of hospitalization and less blood loss/fewer individuals requiring transfusions. These results indicate clinical effectiveness in terms of reduced morbidity and safety, respectively, in the context of study design limitations. There was a beneficial effect in terms of decreased positive surgical margins and erectile dysfunction. These results indicate clinical effectiveness in terms of improved cancer control and functional outcomes, respectively, in the context of study design limitations. Surgeon skill had an impact on cancer control and functional outcomes. The results for complications were inconsistent when measured as either total number of complications, pain management or anastomosis. There is some suggestion that robotic surgery is safe with respect to less post-operative pain management required compared to retropubic surgery, however improved study design and measurement of complications need to be further addressed. Clinical significance of significant findings for length of hospitalizations is low. Laparoscopy: benefits of robotic surgery in terms of less blood loss and fewer individuals requiring transfusions likely owing to the technical difficulty of conventional laparoscopy, in the context of study design limitations. Clinical significance of significant findings for blood loss is low. The potential link between less blood loss, improved visualization and improved functional outcomes is an important consideration for use of robotics. All studies included were observational in nature and therefore the results must be interpreted cautiously. Economic Analysis The objective of this project was to assess the economic impact of robotic-assisted laparoscopy (RAL) for endometrial, cervical, and prostate cancers in the province of Ontario. A budget impact analysis was undertaken to report direct costs associated with open surgery (OS), endoscopic laparoscopy (EL) and robotic-assisted laparoscopy (RAL) based on clinical literature review outcomes, to report a budget impact in the province based on volumes and costs from administrative data sets, and to project a future impact of RAL in Ontario. A cost-effectiveness analysis was not conducted because of the low quality evidence from the clinical literature review. Hospital costs were obtained from the Ontario Case Costing Initiative (OCCI) for the appropriate Canadian Classification of Health Intervention (CCI) codes restricted to selective ICD-10 diagnostic codes after consultation with experts in the field. Physician fees were obtained from the Ontario Schedule of Benefits (OSB) after consultation with experts in the field. Fees were costed based on operation times reported in the clinical literature for the procedures being investigated. Volumes of procedures were obtained from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) administrative databases. Direct costs associated with RAL, EL and OS included professional fees, hospital costs (including disposable instruments), radiotherapy costs associated with positive surgical margins in prostate cancer and conversion to OS in gynecological cancer. The total cost per case was higher for RAL than EL and OS for both gynecological and prostate cancers. There is also an acquisition cost associated with RAL. After conversation with the only supplier in Canada, hospitals are looking to spend an initial 3.6M to acquire the robotic surgical system Previous volumes of OS and EL procedures were used to project volumes into Years 1-3 using a linear mathematical expression. Burden of OS and EL hysterectomies and prostatectomies was calculated by multiplying the number of cases for that year by the cost/case of the procedure. The number of procedures is expected to increase in the next three years based on historical data. RAL is expected to capture this market by 65% after consultation with experts. If it’s assumed that RAL will capture the current market in Ontario by 65%, the net impact is expected to be by Year 3, 3.1M for hysterectomy and 6.7M for prostatectomy procedures respectively in the province. RAL has diffused in the province with four surgical systems in place in Ontario, two in Toronto and two in London. RAL is a more expensive technology on a per case basis due to more expensive robot specific instrumentation and physician labour reflected by increased OR time reported in the clinical literature. There is also an upfront cost to acquire the machine and maintenance contract. RAL is expected to capture the market at 65% with project net impacts by Year 3 of 3.1M and 6.7M for hysterectomy and prostatectomy respectively. PMID:23074405

The DOSIS -Experiment onboard the Columbus Laboratory of the International Space Station -Overview and first mission results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reitz, Guenther; Berger, Thomas; Kürner, Christine; Burmeister, Sünke; Hajek, Michael; Bilski, Pawel; Horwacik, Tomasz; Vanhavere, Filip; Spurny, Frantisek; Jadrnickova, Iva; Pálfalvi, József K.; O'Sullivan, Denis; Yasuda, Nakahiro; Uchihori, Yukio; Kitamura, Hisashi; Kodaira, Satoshi; Yukihara, Eduardo; Benton, Eric; Zapp, Neal; Gaza, Ramona; Zhou, Dazhuang; Semones, Edward; Roed, Yvonne; Boehme, Matthias; Haumann, Lutz

Besides the effects of the microgravity environment, and the psychological and psychosocial problems encountered in confined spaces, radiation is the main health detriment for long dura-tion human space missions. The radiation environment encountered in space differs in nature from that on earth, consisting mostly of high energetic ions from protons up to iron, resulting in radiation levels far exceeding the ones encountered on earth for occupational radiation workers. Accurate knowledge of the physical characteristics of the space radiation field in dependence on the solar activity, the orbital parameters and the different shielding configurations of the International Space Station ISS is therefore needed. The DOSIS (Dose Distribution inside the ISS) experiment, under the project and science lead of DLR, aims for the spatial and tempo-ral measurement of the radiation field parameters inside the European Columbus laboratory onboard the International Space Station. This goal is achieved by applying a combination of passive (Thermo-and Optical luminescence detectors and Nuclear track etch detectors) and active (silicon telescope) radiation detectors. The passive radiation detectors -so called pas-sive detector packages (PDP) are mounted at eleven positions within the Columbus laboratory -aiming for a spatial dose distribution measurement of the absorbed dose, the linear energy transfer spectra and the dose equivalent with an average exposure time of six months. Two active silicon telescopes -so called Dosimetry Telescopes (DOSTEL 1 and DOSTEL 2) together with a Data and Power Unit (DDPU) are mounted within the DOSIS Main Box at a fixed loca-tion beneath the European Physiology Module (EPM) rack. The DOSTEL 1 and DOSTEL 2 detectors are positioned at a 90 angle to each other for a precise measurement of the temporal and spatial variation of the radiation field, especially during crossing of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA). The DOSIS hardware was launched with the Space Shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station on 15 July 2009 and installed by European Astronaut Frank de Winne on 18 July 2009. The first PDP set was downloaded after an exposure time of 124 days in November 2009 and a second PDP set was installed in November 2009. The active part of the instrument suit is working since July 2009. The presentation will give an overview about the DOSIS experiment as well as first results from the passive and active radiation detector measurements. The Austrian activities within this experiment were supported by the Austrian Space Appli-cations Programme (ASAP) of the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology under contract no. 819643. The Polish contribution to this work was supported by the Min-istry of Science and Higher Education, grant No. DWM/N118/ESA/2008. The Hungarian contribution was supported by the ESA PECS grant No. C98066.

Differential Effector Engagement by Oncogenic KRAS.

PubMed

Yuan, Tina L; Amzallag, Arnaud; Bagni, Rachel; Yi, Ming; Afghani, Shervin; Burgan, William; Fer, Nicole; Strathern, Leslie A; Powell, Katie; Smith, Brian; Waters, Andrew M; Drubin, David; Thomson, Ty; Liao, Rosy; Greninger, Patricia; Stein, Giovanna T; Murchie, Ellen; Cortez, Eliane; Egan, Regina K; Procter, Lauren; Bess, Matthew; Cheng, Kwong Tai; Lee, Chih-Shia; Lee, Liam Changwoo; Fellmann, Christof; Stephens, Robert; Luo, Ji; Lowe, Scott W; Benes, Cyril H; McCormick, Frank

2018-02-13

KRAS can bind numerous effector proteins, which activate different downstream signaling events. The best known are RAF, phosphatidylinositide (PI)-3' kinase, and RalGDS families, but many additional direct and indirect effectors have been reported. We have assessed how these effectors contribute to several major phenotypes in a quantitative way, using an arrayed combinatorial siRNA screen in which we knocked down 41 KRAS effectors nodes in 92 cell lines. We show that every cell line has a unique combination of effector dependencies, but in spite of this heterogeneity, we were able to identify two major subtypes of KRAS mutant cancers of the lung, pancreas, and large intestine, which reflect different KRAS effector engagement and opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stability of the Mézard-Parisi Solution for Random Manifolds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlucci, D. M.; de Dominicis, C.; Temesvari, T.

1996-08-01

The eigenvalues of the Hessian associated with random manifolds are constructed for the general case of R steps of replica symmetry breaking. For the Parisi limit Rrightarrow infty (continuum replica symmetry breaking) which is relevant for the manifold dimension D<2, they are shown to be non negative. Les valeurs propres de la hessienne, associée avec une variété aléatoire, sont construites dans le cas général de R étapes de brisure de la symétrie des répliques. Dans la limite de Parisi, Rrightarrow infty (brisure continue de la symétrie des répliques) qui est pertinente pour la dimension de la variété D<2, on montre qu'elles sont non négatives.

A study of the origin of large magnetic field coupled electric polarization in HoAl(BO3)4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Tian; Zhang, Han; Tyson, Trevor; Chen, Zhiqiang; Abeykoon, Milinda; Nelson, Christie; Bezmaternykh, Leonard

2015-03-01

The multiferroic system RAl(BO3)4 is known to exhibit a strong coupling of magnetic field to the electrical polarization. Recently a giant magnetoelectric effect was found in HoAl3(BO3)4 system. This phenomenon is considered quite interesting because the value discovered is significantly higher than reported values of linear magnetoelectric or even multiferroic compounds. We are conducting detailed structural measurements to understand the coupling. We are exploring the local and long range structure in these systems using x-ray PDF, XAFS and single crystal diffraction measurement between 10 K and 400 K. Structural parameters including lattice parameters and ADPs are being determined over the full temperature range. This work is supported by DOE Grant DE-FG02-07ER46402.

RAL Low-cost Ionosonde System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stamper, R.; Davis, C. J.; Bradford, W. J.; Hapgood, M. A.; McCrea, I. W.

2009-04-01

Ionosondes continue to be important for the study of the ionosphere; they are relatively cheap and simple to install and operate, so can be distributed widely across the globe; they can give information on plasma density, structure and motion; their direct measurements of electron densities are also important for calibrating other more complicated observation methods such as incoherent scatter radar, satellite beacon tomography and radio occultation. The low cost of sounders, however, is relative to facilities such as space-based instrumentation and incoherent scatter radars; one type of ionosonde widely used for monitoring costs in excess of €150,000, representing a significant investment for many organisations. A new instrument design is under development at RAL for a low-power sounder using pulse-coding techniques to get good signal-to-noise. The design uses COTS components wherever possible, and has a projected cost in the region of €6,000 for the simplest version, making such a system accessible to all. The design is tiered so that the simplest version would give information about layer heights and electron densities, but adding multiple receivers would enable plasma velocities and echo direction to be determined, increasing the science output. The intention is that sounders of this new design be installed widely, in particular in developing nations. This would be especially beneficial for study of the equatorial and low-latitude ionosphere, which is relatively poorly understood because of a relative lack of instrumentation in this region. A wide range of studies would be enabled or enhanced by a much denser network of ionosondes across Africa, South America and Asia including: study of planetary-scale oscillations and gravity waves in the ionosphere; investigation of longitudinal variation in the equatorial electrojet and equatorial anomaly; examination of mechanisms for vertical coupling in the atmosphere with, for example, global thunderstorm activity being concentrated in Africa and South America; the study of ionospheric scintillation mechanisms and occurrence in the equatorial region; thorough characterisation of ionospheric variability on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales across a wide range of longitudes.

RAL Low-Cost Ionosonde System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stamper, R.; Davis, C.; Bradford, J.

2005-12-01

Ionosondes continue to be important for the study of the ionosphere; they are relatively cheap and simple to install and operate, so can be distributed widely across the globe; they can give information on plasma density, structure and motion; their direct measurements of electron densities are also important for calibrating other more complicated observation methods such as incoherent scatter radar, satellite beacon tomography and radio occultation. The low cost of sounders, however, is relative to facilities such as space-based instrumentation and incoherent scatter radars; one type of ionosonde widely used for monitoring costs in excess of 200,000, representing a significant investment for many organisations. A new instrument design is under development at RAL for a low-power sounder using pulse-coding techniques to get good signal-to-noise. The design uses COTS components wherever possible, and has a projected cost in the region of 7,500 for the simplest version, making such a system accessible to all. The design is tiered so that the simplest version would give information about layer heights and electron densities, but adding multiple receivers would enable plasma velocities and echo direction to be determined, increasing the science output. The intention is that sounders of this new design be installed widely, in particular in developing nations. This would be especially beneficial for study of the equatorial and low-latitude ionosphere, which is relatively poorly understood because of a relative lack of instrumentation in this region. A wide range of studies would be enabled or enhanced by a much denser network of ionosondes across Africa, South America and Asia including: study of planetary-scale oscillations and gravity waves in the ionosphere; investigation of longitudinal variation in the equatorial electrojet and equatorial anomaly; examination of mechanisms for vertical coupling in the atmosphere with, for example, global thunderstorm activity being concentrated in Africa and South America; the study of ionospheric scintillation mechanisms and occurrence in the equatorial region; thorough characterisation of ionospheric variability on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales across a wide range of longitudes.

Self-reported recreational exercise combining regularity and impact is necessary to maximize bone mineral density in young adult women: a population-based study of 1,061 women 25 years of age.

PubMed

Callréus, M; McGuigan, F; Ringsberg, K; Akesson, K

2012-10-01

Recreational physical activity in 25-year-old women in Sweden increases bone mineral density (BMD) in the trochanter by 5.5% when combining regularity and impact. Jogging and spinning were especially beneficial for hip BMD (6.4-8.5%). Women who enjoyed physical education in school maintained their higher activity level at age 25. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of recreational exercise on BMD and describe how exercise patterns change with time in a normal population of young adult women. In a population-based study of 1,061 women, age 25 (±0.2), BMD was measured at total body (TB-BMD), femoral neck (FN-BMD), trochanter (TR-BMD), and spine (LS-BMD). Self-reported physical activity status was assessed by questionnaire. Regularity of exercise was expressed as recreational activity level (RAL) and impact load as peak strain score (PSS). A permutation (COMB-RP) was used to evaluate combined endurance and impacts on bone mass. More than half of the women reported exercising on a regular basis and the most common activities were running, strength training, aerobics, and spinning. Seventy percent participated in at least one activity during the year. Women with high RAL or PSS had higher BMD in the hip (2.6-3.5%) and spine (1.5-2.1%), with the greatest differences resulting from PSS (p < 0.001-0.02). Combined regularity and impact (high-COMB-RP) conferred the greatest gains in BMD (FN 4.7%, TR 5.5%, LS 3.1%; p < 0.001) despite concomitant lower body weight. Jogging and spinning were particularly beneficial for hip BMD (+6.4-8.5%). Women with high-COMB-RP scores enjoyed physical education in school more and maintained higher activity levels throughout compared to those with low scores. Self-reported recreational levels of physical activity positively influence BMD in young adult women but to maximize BMD gains, regular, high-impact exercise is required. Enjoyment of exercise contributes to regularity of exercising which has short- and long-term implications for bone health.

Costs and cost-effectiveness analysis of 2015 GESIDA/Spanish AIDS National Plan recommended guidelines for initial antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected adults.

PubMed

Berenguer, Juan; Rivero, Antonio; Blasco, Antonio Javier; Arribas, José Ramón; Boix, Vicente; Clotet, Bonaventura; Domingo, Pere; González-García, Juan; Knobel, Hernando; Lázaro, Pablo; López, Juan Carlos; Llibre, Josep M; Lozano, Fernando; Miró, José M; Podzamczer, Daniel; Tuset, Montserrat; Gatell, Josep M

2016-01-01

GESIDA and the AIDS National Plan panel of experts suggest a preferred (PR), alternative (AR) and other regimens (OR) for antiretroviral treatment (ART) as initial therapy in HIV-infected patients for 2015. The objective of this study is to evaluate the costs and the effectiveness of initiating treatment with these regimens. Economic assessment of costs and effectiveness (cost/effectiveness) based on decision tree analyses. Effectiveness was defined as the probability of reporting a viral load <50 copies/mL at week 48, in an intention-to-treat analysis. Cost of initiating treatment with an ART regimen was defined as the costs of ART and its consequences (adverse effects, changes of ART regimen, and drug resistance studies) during the first 48 weeks. The payer perspective (National Health System) was applied, only taking into account differential direct costs: ART (official prices), management of adverse effects, studies of resistance, and HLA B*5701 testing. The setting is Spain and the costs correspond to those of 2015. A deterministic sensitivity analysis was conducted, building three scenarios for each regimen: base case, most favourable and least favourable. In the base case scenario, the cost of initiating treatment ranges from 4663 Euros for 3TC+LPV/r (OR) to 10,902 Euros for TDF/FTC+RAL (PR). The effectiveness varies from 0.66 for ABC/3TC+ATV/r (AR) and ABC/3TC+LPV/r (OR), to 0.89 for TDF/FTC+DTG (PR) and TDF/FTC/EVG/COBI (AR). The efficiency, in terms of cost/effectiveness, ranges from 5280 to 12,836 Euros per responder at 48 weeks, for 3TC+LPV/r (OR) and RAL+DRV/r (OR), respectively. The most efficient regimen was 3TC+LPV/r (OR). Among the PR and AR, the most efficient regimen was TDF/FTC/RPV (AR). Among the PR regimes, the most efficient was ABC/3TC+DTG. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Peroxidase-mediated dealkylation of tamoxifen, detected by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, and activation to form DNA adducts.

PubMed

Gaikwad, Nilesh W; Bodell, William J

2012-01-15

Tamoxifen (TAM) is extensively used for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. Associated with TAM treatment is a two- to eightfold increase in risk of endometrial cancer. To understand the mechanisms associated with this increased risk several pathways for TAM metabolism and DNA adduct formation have been studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of peroxidase enzymes in the metabolism of TAM and its activation to form DNA adducts. Using advanced tandem mass spectrometry we have investigated the peroxidase-mediated metabolism of TAM. Incubation of TAM with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and H(2)O(2) produced multiple metabolites. Electrospray ionization-MS/MS analysis of the metabolites demonstrated a peak at 301.3m/z with daughter ions at 183.0, 166.9, 128.9, and 120.9m/z, which identified the metabolite as metabolite E (ME). The levels of ME were significantly inhibited by the addition of ascorbic acid to the incubation mixture. Co-incubation of either TAM or ME and DNA with HRP and H(2)O(2) produced three DNA adducts with a RAL of 1.97±0.01×10(-7) and 8.45±2.7×10(-7). Oxidation of ME with MnO(2) produced metabolite E quinone methide (MEQM). Furthermore, incubation of either TAM or ME with HRP and H(2)O(2) resulted in formation of MEQM. Reaction of calf thymus DNA with MEQM produced three DNA adducts with a RAL of 9.8±1.0×10(-7). Rechromatography analyses indicated that DNA adducts 1, 2, and 3 formed in the HRP activation of either TAM or ME were the same as those formed by the chemical reaction of DNA with MEQM. The results of these studies demonstrate that peroxidase enzymes can both metabolize TAM to form the primary metabolite ME and activate ME to a quinone methide intermediate, which reacts with DNA to form adducts. It is possible that peroxidase enzymes or peroxidase-like activity in endometrium could contribute to the formation of DNA damage and genotoxic effects in endometrium after TAM administration. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Costs and cost-efficacy analysis of the 2014 GESIDA/Spanish National AIDS Plan recommended guidelines for initial antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected adults.

PubMed

Blasco, Antonio Javier; Llibre, Josep M; Berenguer, Juan; González-García, Juan; Knobel, Hernando; Lozano, Fernando; Podzamczer, Daniel; Pulido, Federico; Rivero, Antonio; Tuset, Montserrat; Lázaro, Pablo; Gatell, Josep M

2015-03-01

GESIDA and the National AIDS Plan panel of experts suggest preferred (PR) and alternative (AR) regimens of antiretroviral treatment (ART) as initial therapy in HIV-infected patients for 2014. The objective of this study is to evaluate the costs and the efficiency of initiating treatment with these regimens. An economic assessment was made of costs and efficiency (cost/efficacy) based on decision tree analyses. Efficacy was defined as the probability of reporting a viral load <50 copies/mL at week 48, in an intention-to-treat analysis. Cost of initiating treatment with an ART regimen was defined as the costs of ART and its consequences (adverse effects, changes of ART regimen, and drug resistance studies) during the first 48 weeks. The payer perspective (National Health System) was applied by considering only differential direct costs: ART (official prices), management of adverse effects, studies of resistance, and HLA B*5701 testing. The setting is Spain and costs correspond to those of 2014. A sensitivity deterministic analysis was conducted, building three scenarios for each regimen: base case, most favourable and least favourable. In the base case scenario, the cost of initiating treatment ranges from 5133 Euros for ABC/3TC+EFV to 11,949 Euros for TDF/FTC+RAL. The efficacy varies between 0.66 for ABC/3TC+LPV/r and ABC/3TC+ATV/r, and 0.89 for TDF/FTC/EVG/COBI. Efficiency, in terms of cost/efficacy, ranges from 7546 to 13,802 Euros per responder at 48 weeks, for ABC/3TC+EFV and TDF/FTC+RAL respectively. Considering ART official prices, the most efficient regimen was ABC/3TC+EFV (AR), followed by the non-nucleoside containing PR (TDF/FTC/RPV and TDF/FTC/EFV). The sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of these findings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Costs and cost-efficacy analysis of the 2016 GESIDA/Spanish AIDS National Plan recommended guidelines for initial antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected adults.

PubMed

Rivero, Antonio; Pérez-Molina, José Antonio; Blasco, Antonio Javier; Arribas, José Ramón; Crespo, Manuel; Domingo, Pere; Estrada, Vicente; Iribarren, José Antonio; Knobel, Hernando; Lázaro, Pablo; López-Aldeguer, José; Lozano, Fernando; Moreno, Santiago; Palacios, Rosario; Pineda, Juan Antonio; Pulido, Federico; Rubio, Rafael; de la Torre, Javier; Tuset, Montserrat; Gatell, Josep M

2017-02-01

GESIDA and the AIDS National Plan panel of experts suggest preferred (PR), alternative (AR), and other regimens (OR) for antiretroviral treatment (ART) as initial therapy in HIV-infected patients for the year 2016. The objective of this study is to evaluate the costs and the efficacy of initiating treatment with these regimens. Economic assessment of costs and efficiency (cost/efficacy) based on decision tree analyses. Efficacy was defined as the probability of reporting a viral load <50copies/mL at week 48 in an intention-to-treat analysis. Cost of initiating treatment with an ART regimen was defined as the costs of ART and its consequences (adverse effects, changes of ART regimen, and drug resistance studies) during the first 48 weeks. The payer perspective (National Health System) was applied, only taking into account differential direct costs: ART (official prices), management of adverse effects, studies of resistance, and HLA B*5701 testing. The setting is Spain and the costs correspond to those of 2016. A sensitivity deterministic analysis was conducted, building three scenarios for each regimen: base case, most favourable, and least favourable. In the base case scenario, the cost of initiating treatment ranges from 4663 Euros for 3TC+LPV/r (OR) to 10,894 Euros for TDF/FTC+RAL (PR). The efficacy varies from 0.66 for ABC/3TC+ATV/r (AR) and ABC/3TC+LPV/r (OR), to 0.89 for TDF/FTC+DTG (PR) and TDF/FTC/EVG/COBI (AR). The efficiency, in terms of cost/efficacy, ranges from 5280 to 12,836 Euros per responder at 48 weeks, for 3TC+LPV/r (OR), and RAL+DRV/r (OR), respectively. Despite the overall most efficient regimen being 3TC+LPV/r (OR), among the PR and AR, the most efficient regimen was ABC/3TC/DTG (PR). Among the AR regimes, the most efficient was TDF/FTC/RPV. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Séroprévalence du virus de l'herpès humain-8 chez des patients VIH positif à l'hôpital général de Yaoundé – Cameroun

PubMed Central

Jacky, Njiki Bikoï; Paul, Ndom; Lilian, Mupang; Sylvie, Agokeng Demanou

2015-01-01

L'épidémiologie de l'infection par le virus herpès humain de type 8 (HHV8) associée à celle à VIH, reste encore méconnue au Cameroun, bien que le pays soit considéré comme une zone endémique pour ces deux virus. L'objectif de ce travail était de ressortir le profil de la séroprévalence du HHV8 au sein de notre population d'étude. 57 personnes ont été recrutées à l'Hôpital Général de Yaoundé et suivies sur une durée 12 mois. Des anticorps IgG anti-HHV8 ont été déterminés par ELISA. Des paramètres autres, tels que l'âge, le sexe, le stade des maladies (SK et VIH/SIDA), le protocole ARV, ainsi que les taux de CD4 ont été utilisés pour déterminer les variables associées à la séropositivité au HHV8. Cette association a été évaluée par le test khi carré. La séroprévalence du HHV8 était de 90% dans notre population en début d'étude et de 74% douze mois plus tard, une séroprévalence qui restait élevée quelque soit le profil clinique, la tranche d'âge, le sexe ou le taux de CD4+ de l'individu. Aucune variable de l'étude n'était significativement associée à la séropositivité du HHV8. Le virus HHV8 semblait circuler au sein de notre population d'étude. Cependant l'on constate, douze mois plus tard, l'absence de manifestations cliniques du SK chez les patients VIH+ positifs, malgré des titres très élevés en IgG anti-HHV8. PMID:26090027

Characterization of Inherent Particles and Mechanism of Thermal Stress Induced Particle Formation in HSV-2 Viral Vaccine Candidate.

PubMed

Li, Lillian; Kirkitadze, Marina; Bhandal, Kamaljit; Roque, Cristopher; Yang, Eric; Carpick, Bruce; Rahman, Nausheen

2017-11-10

Vaccine formulations may contain visible and/or subvisible particles, which can vary in both size and morphology. Extrinsic particles, which are particles not part of the product such as foreign contaminants, are generally considered undesirable and should be eliminated or controlled in injectable products. However, biological products, in particular vaccines, may also contain particles that are inherent to the product. Here we focus on the characterization of visible and subvisible particles in a live, replication-deficient viral vaccine candidate against HSV genital herpes in an early developmental stage. HSV-2 viral vaccine was characterized using a panel of analytical methods, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), Western blot, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), micro-flow imaging (MFI), dynamic light scattering (DLS), right angle light scattering (RALS), and intrinsic fluorescence. Particles in HSV-2 vaccine typically ranged from hundreds of nanometers to hundreds of micrometers in size and were determined to be inherent to the product. The infectious titer did not correlate with any trend in subvisible particle concentration and size distribution as shown by DLS, MFI, and TEM under stressed conditions. This suggested that particle changes in the submicron range were related to HSV-2 virion structure and had direct impact on biological activity. It was also observed that subvisible and visible particles could induce aggregation in the viral product. The temperature induced aggregation was observed by RALS, intrinsic fluorescence, and DLS. The increase of subvisible particle size with temperature could be fitted to a two-step thermokinetic model. Visible and subvisible particles were found to be inherent to the HSV-2 viral vaccine product. The mechanism of protein aggregation was discussed and a two-step thermokinetic aggregation profile was proposed. The approaches reported in this study may be applied to a variety of vaccines and other biological products, as a way to assess the consistency of the manufacturing process and identify key product quality attributes. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

La prise en charge du pneumothorax spontané: à propos de 138 cas

PubMed Central

Habibi, Bouchra; Achachi, Leila; Hayoun, Sohaib; Raoufi, Mohammed; Herrak, Laila; Ftouh, Mustapha El

2017-01-01

Le pneumothorax est définit par la présence d’air dans la cavité pleurale. L’objectif de notre étude rétrospective du pneumothorax spontanés au servie de pneumologie à l’hôpital Ibn Sina rabat (2009-2011) est de déterminer le profil épidémiologique, clinique, radiologique, thérapeutique et évolutif. Il s’agit de 138 patients: 128 hommes et 10 femmes (17 à 83 ans), un âge moyen de 44,5 +/- 17,4 ans; sexe ratio 12/8. Le tabagisme est noté chez 81,2%. La symptomatologie clinique est la douleur thoracique (92%), la dyspnée (60%). Et sur la radiographie thoracique: on trouve un PNO (pneumothorax) unilatéral total (110 cas); partiel (10 cas); localisé (6 cas); bilatéral (4 cas); à droite dans 51,4% et à gauche dans 45,7%. On a recensé 70% de pneumothorax spontanés primitifs et 30% de PNO secondaire à (BPCO 44%, et tuberculose pulmonaire 39%). La prise en charge initiale est l’hospitalisation de tous les patients : le drainage thoracique (95%), l’exsufflation à l’aiguille (1%). Le repos et l’O2 (4%). Le retour du poumon à la paroi a été obtenu avant 10 jours chez 63%. L’évolution est favorable chez 89%. Et les complications immédiates: l’emphysème sous cutané (5 cas); une infection (6 cas) et 3 décès (arrêt cardio-respiratoire); les complications à distance sont les récidives dans 11,6%; une 1ère récidive chez 13 cas (drainage thoracique chez 11 cas et oxygénothérapie chez 2 cas) et une 2ème récidive chez 3 cas (recours à la chirurgie). Ce travail montre l’intérêt du drainage thoracique et la surveillance dans la prise en charge du pneumothorax pour éviter les complications et surtout pour éviter les récidives avec un éventuel recours à la chirurgie. PMID:28533875

Spiritual Health: A Concept Analysis.

PubMed

Jaberi, Azita; Momennasab, Marzieh; Yektatalab, Shahrzad; Ebadi, Abbas; Cheraghi, Mohammad Ali

2017-03-10

Spiritual health has attracted a lot of attention in health-related and nursing sciences and numerous researches. Yet, this concept has remained complex and ambiguous, and there is no consensus in this regard. This ambiguity can be challenging for holistic nursing; therefore, clarification of the concept is required for development of nursing knowledge. The present study aimed to explore the concept of spiritual health in health-related and nursing literature. Walker and Avant (Strategies for theory construction in nursing, Appleton & Lange, Norwalk, 1995) concept analysis method was used in this study. The results were categorized as antecedents, attributes, and outcomes of spiritual health. The critical attributes extracted for spiritual health included transcendence, purposefulness and meaningfulness, faithfulness, harmonious interconnectedness, integrative power, multidimensionality, and holistic being. Besides, the antecedents of spiritual health included capability and potentiality for transcendence, and spiritual awareness. Finally, well-being and moral development were the outcomes of spiritual health. Spiritual health is one of the basic aspects of health and providing a clear theoretical definition can result in a common understanding of this concept for nurses. Clarifying this concept would also be useful for provision of spiritual care interventions and development of nursing theories.

On the ionospheric impact of recent storm events on satellite-based augmentation systems in middle and low-latitude sectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Komjathy, Attila; Sparks, Lawrence; Mannucci, Anthony J.; Pi, Xiaoqing

2003-01-01

The Ionospheric correction algorithms have been characterized extensively for the mid-latitude region of the ionosphere where benign conditions usually exist. The United States Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) for civil aircraft navigation is focused primarily on the Conterminous United States (CONUS). Other Satellite-based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) include the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and the Japanese Global Navigation Satellite System (MSAS). Researchers are facing a more serious challenge in addressing the ionospheric impact on navigation using SBAS in other parts of the world such as the South American region on India. At equatorial latitudes, geophysical conditions lead to the so-called Appleton-Hartree (equatorial) anomaly phenomenon, which results in significantly larger ionospheric range delays and range delay spatial gradients than is observed in the CONUS or European sectors. In this paper, we use GPS measurements of geomagnetic storm days to perform a quantitative assessment of WAAS-type ionospheric correction algorithms in other parts of the world such as the low-latitude Brazil and mid-latitude Europe. For the study, we access a world-wide network of 400+ dual frequency GPS receivers.

Non-polar a-plane ZnO films grown on r-Al2O3 substrates using GaN buffer layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, C. X.; Chen, W.; Pan, X. H.; Chen, S. S.; Ye, Z. Z.; Huang, J. Y.

2016-09-01

In this work, GaN buffer layer has been used to grow non-polar a-plane ZnO films by laser-assisted and plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The thickness of GaN buffer layer ranges from ∼3 to 12 nm. The GaN buffer thickness effect on the properties of a-plane ZnO thin films is carefully investigated. The results show that the surface morphology, crystal quality and optical properties of a-plane ZnO films are strongly correlated with the thickness of GaN buffer layer. It was found that with 6 nm GaN buffer layer, a-plane ZnO films display the best crystal quality with X-ray diffraction rocking curve full-width at half-maximum of only 161 arcsec for the (101) reflection.

Al x Ga1‑ x N-based semipolar deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akaike, Ryota; Ichikawa, Shuhei; Funato, Mitsuru; Kawakami, Yoichi

2018-06-01

Deep ultraviolet (UV) emission from Al x Ga1‑ x N-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) fabricated on semipolar (1\\bar{1}02) (r-plane) AlN substrates is presented. The growth conditions are optimized. A high NH3 flow rate during metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy yields atomically flat Al y Ga1‑ y N (y > x) on which Al x Ga1‑ x N/Al y Ga1‑ y N multiple quantum wells with abrupt interfaces and good periodicity are fabricated. The fabricated r-Al x Ga1‑ x N-based LED emits at 270 nm, which is in the germicidal wavelength range. Additionally, the emission line width is narrow, and the peak wavelength is stable against the injection current, so the semipolar LED shows promise as a UV emitter.

Raman acoustic levitation spectroscopy of red blood cells and Plasmodium falciparum trophozoites.

PubMed

Puskar, Ljiljana; Tuckermann, Rudolf; Frosch, Torsten; Popp, Jürgen; Ly, Vanalysa; McNaughton, Don; Wood, Bayden R

2007-09-01

Methods to probe the molecular structure of living cells are of paramount importance in understanding drug interactions and environmental influences in these complex dynamical systems. The coupling of an acoustic levitation device with a micro-Raman spectrometer provides a direct molecular probe of cellular chemistry in a containerless environment minimizing signal attenuation and eliminating the affects of adhesion to walls and interfaces. We show that the Raman acoustic levitation spectroscopic (RALS) approach can be used to monitor the heme dynamics of a levitated 5 microL suspension of red blood cells and to detect hemozoin in malaria infected cells. The spectra obtained have an excellent signal-to-noise ratio and demonstrate for the first time the utility of the technique as a diagnostic and monitoring tool for minute sample volumes of living animal cells.

Influence of the astrophysical requirements on dilution refrigerator design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirbi, Adriana; Pouilloux, Benjamin; Benoit, Alain; Lamarre, Jean-Michel

1999-12-01

A 300 K to 0.1 K space prototype is developed in cooperation with CRTBT, IAS Air Liquide and RAL, under CNES and ESA contracts, to demonstrate the feasibility of such a cooling system. The heart of the system is a 4 K to 0.1 K open cycle dilution refrigerator circulating 3He and 4He. All the tests are now completed. The design of this system is chosen like the nominal solution for PLANCK/HFI instrument. Since scientific requirements have changed, the design of the prototype has to be adjusted to receive the focal plane of HFI (High Frequency Instrument) instrument of PLANCK. The main goal is to optimise 3He consumption without degrading both mechanical and thermal performances. This paper presents the prototype architecture, the dilution refrigerator and the associated tests. The suitability to PLANCK mission is also assessed.

Observing Trace Gases Of The Arctic And Subarctic Stratosphere By TELIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jian; Schreier, Franz; Doicu, Adrian; Vogt, Peter; Birk, Manfred; Wagner, Georg; Trautmann, Thomas

2013-12-01

The Terahertz and submillimeter Limb Sounder (TELIS) is a balloon-borne cryogenic heterodyne spectrometer developed by a consortium of European institutes, which was mounted together with the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding - Balloon (MIPAS- B) and the mini- Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (mini-DOAS) instruments on a stratospheric gondola. The TELIS instrument is designed to monitor the vertical distribution of stratospheric state parameters associated with ozone destruction and climate change in Arctic and subarctic areas. The broad spectral coverage of TELIS is achieved by utilizing three frequency channels: a tunable 1.8THz channel based on a solid state local oscillator and a hot electron bolometer as mixer, a 480-650GHz channel with the Superconducting Integrated Receiver (SIR) technology, and a highly compact 500 GHz channel developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON), and the Rutherford Apple- ton Laboratory (RAL), respectively. Furthermore, an ex- tended spectral range is observed by the combination of TELIS and MIPAS-B, which can be employed for cross validation of several gas concentrations. Between 2009 and 2011 three successful scientific flights have been launched in Kiruna, Sweden and all relevant atmospheric gas species were seen by TELIS over an altitude range of 10-32.5 km. For estimation of concentration profiles from TELIS measurements, a constrained nonlinear least squares fitting framework along with var- ious Tikhonov-type regularization methods has been developed. In this work we present recent retrieval results from latest calibrated spectra during the 2010 flight. Emphasis is placed on ozone (O3) and hydrogen chloride (HCl), and error issues pertaining to the main instrumental uncertainty terms including nonlinearity in the calibration procedure, sideband ratio and pointing offset are investigated. The retrieved profiles are validated against other limb sounding instruments, e.g. the Superconducting Submillimeter-Wave Limb-Emission Sounder (SMILES), the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS), and MIPAS-B.

Plasma Accelerators Race to 10 GeV and Beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katsouleas, Tom

2005-10-01

This paper reviews the concepts, recent progress and current challenges for realizing the tremendous electric fields in relativistic plasma waves for applications ranging from tabletop particle accelerators to high-energy physics. Experiments in the 90's on laser-driven plasma wakefield accelerators at several laboratories around the world demonstrated the potential for plasma wakefields to accelerate intense bunches of self-trapped particles at rates as high as 100 GeV/m in mm-scale gas jets. These early experiments offered impressive gradients but large energy spread (100%) and short interaction lengths. Major breakthroughs have recently occurred on both fronts. Three groups (LBL-US, LOA-France and RAL-UK) have now entered a new regime of laser wakefield acceleration resulting in 100 MeV mono-energetic beams with up to nanoCoulombs of charge and very small angular spread. Simulations suggest that current lasers are just entering this new regime, and the scaling to higher energies appears attractive. In parallel with the progress in laser-driven wakefields, particle-beam driven wakefield accelerators are making large strides. A series of experiments using the 30 GeV beam of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) has demonstrated high-gradient acceleration of electrons and positrons in meter-scale plasmas. The UCLA/USC/SLAC collaboration has accelerated electrons beyond 1 GeV and is aiming at 10 GeV in 30 cm as the next step toward a ``plasma afterburner,'' a concept for doubling the energy of a high-energy collider in a few tens of meters of plasma. In addition to wakefield acceleration, these and other experiments have demonstrated the rich physics bounty to be reaped from relativistic beam-plasma interactions. This includes plasma lenses capable of focusing particle beams to the highest density ever produced, collective radiation mechanisms capable of generating high-brightness x-ray beams, collective refraction of particles at a plasma interface, and acceleration of intense proton beams from laser-irradiated foils.

The ISO Long Wavelength Spectrometer line spectrum of VY Canis Majoris and other oxygen-rich evolved stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polehampton, E. T.; Menten, K. M.; van der Tak, F. F. S.; White, G. J.

2010-02-01

Context. The far-infrared spectra of circumstellar envelopes around various oxygen-rich stars were observed using the ISO Long Wavelength Spectrometer (LWS). These have been shown to be spectrally rich, particularly in water lines, indicating a high H2O abundance. Aims: We have examined high signal-to-noise ISO LWS observations of the luminous supergiant star, VY CMa, with the aim of identifying all of the spectral lines. By paying particular attention to water lines, we aim to separate the lines due to other species, in particular, to prepare for forthcoming observations that will cover the same spectral range using Herschel PACS and at higher spectral resolution using Herschel HIFI and SOFIA. Methods: We have developed a fitting method to account for blended water lines using a simple weighting scheme to distribute the flux. We have used this fit to separate lines due to other species which cannot be assigned to water. We have applied this approach to several other stars which we compare with VY CMa. Results: We present line fluxes for the unblended H2O and CO lines, and present detections of several possible ν2=1 vibrationally excited water lines. We also identify blended lines of OH, one unblended and several blended lines of NH3, and one possible detection of H3O+. Conclusions: The spectrum of VY CMa shows a detection of emission from virtually every water line up to 2000 K above the ground state, as well as many additional higher energy and some vibrationally excited lines. A simple rotation diagram analysis shows large scatter (probably due to some optically thick lines). The fit gives a rotational temperature of 670+210-130 K, and lower limit on the water column density of (7.0±1.2) × 1019 cm-2. We estimate a CO column density ~100 times lower, showing that water is the dominant oxygen carrier. The other stars that we examined have similar rotation temperatures, but their H2O column densities are an order of magnitude lower (as are the mass loss rates). Based on observations with ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA Member States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) with the participation of ISAS and NASA.Current address: Space Science Department, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK

Development of a Complimentary Low Temperature Decontamination Technique for Spacecraft Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pottage, Thomas; Bennett, Allan; Walker, James; Fowler, Chantal; Weber, Christina; Rohr, Thomas; Kminek, Gerhard

Dry heat microbial reduction (DHMR) is one of the current processes used to ensure that the microbial burden of a spacecraft lander meets the predetermined levels set out within the COSPAR policy regarding planetary protection. DHMR involves heating the craft or compo-nents to approximately 110-125C for over 6-30hrs, and was previously used to decontaminate the entire Viking lander spacecraft and parts of almost all other spacecrafts sent to Mars after-wards. This process, whilst proving effective and reproducible is not compatible with the some highly sensitive sensor and electronic components of a modern spacecraft. For these components an alternative method for low temperature decontamination needs to be identified. The Health Protection Agency, UK, investigated three gaseous decontamination technologies in a project funded by European Space Agency. These technologies consisted of two hydrogen peroxide technologies (Vapour Hydrogen Peroxide, Steris Inc. and Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour, Bioquell Ltd.) and one chlorine dioxide (ClorDiSys) system. The technologies were chosen after a comprehensive literature study identified them as the most suitable technologies for the decontamination process. An environmental chamber (20m3 ) was used as the test chamber to expose two commercially available biological indicators, three naturally occurring organisms chosen by ESA and a range of spacecraft materials to each of the technologies. The commercial biological indicators, Bacil-lus atrophaeus and Geobacillus sterothermophilus, were exposed to 3 varying concentrations of each of the technologies in order to attempt to achieve a 6-log reduction in recoverable organ-isms. After these results were obtained the most efficacious cycle was chosen for each technology and the naturally occurring organisms and materials to be tested were exposed to three cy-cles. Whilst the microbial enumeration was completed at the HPA, material compatibility was undertaken at ESTEC and residue analysis at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories, UK. The results demonstrate that a concentration of approximately 1.1mg/l of hydrogen peroxide injected into the test chamber (35o C) is adequate to demonstrate a 6-log reduction in biological organism recovery for all of the 5 organisms tested over a 20 min period using the Steris generator. The final phase of the work is currently underway and will be incorporated into the final presentation.

Convergence and conflict: anthropology, psychiatry and feminism in the early writings of Madeleine Pelletier (1874-1939).

PubMed

Gordon, Felicia

2008-06-01

This paper reviews the early career and psychiatric writings of Madeleine Pelletier (1874-1939), between 1901 and 1906. Pelletier, a committed feminist and socialist, was the first woman to remove the barriers to women entering the French psychiatric profession, successfully passing the examination for the l'internat des hôpitaux psychiatriques in 1903. Her involvement in La Société d'Anthropologie de Paris and the Institut Général de Psychologie provided a forum for her interest in psychology, both normal and abnormal. She turned increasingly to sociological explanations for mental illness, unwilling to accept the determinism inherent in degeneration theory. Although her career in psychiatry was cut short in 1906, her training and her debating skills, honed in the rationalism of the scientific and Free Masonic societies that she frequented, stood her in good stead in her subsequent career as a political militant.

Comportement instationnaire des thermoéléments à effet Peltier multi-étages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monchoux, F.; Zély, D.; Cordier, A.

1995-01-01

The analysis of thermoelectric phenomena is possible based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Integration of the thermal balance equation leads to an analytical solution for the non-stationnary behaviour. The influence to Thomson effect is commmented. The model, introduced in the complete software TRNSYS, permits the modelling of complex systems including such elements in their thermal regulation. La thermodynamique des processus irréversibles permet l'analyse des phénomènes thermoélectriques. Par intégration de l'équation de bilan thermique, on a obtenu une solution analytique pour le régime non stationnaire donnant la température en tous points et le flux absorbé. On a analysé l'influence de l'effet Thomson. Le modèle a été inclu dans le code plus général TRNSYS qui permet la modélisation de systèmes complexes.

Recherches sur l'histoire de l'astronomie ancienne

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tannery, Paul

2015-04-01

Préface; 1. Ce que les Hellènes ont appelé astronomie; 2. Ce que les Hellènes ont appelé astrologie (cont.); 3. Les mathématiciens alexandrins; 4. Les postulats de l'astronomie d'après Ptlolémée et les auteurs élémentaires; 5. La sphéricité de la terre et la mesure de sa circonférence; 6. Le mouvement général des planètes; 7. Les cercles de la sphère; 8. La longueur de l'année solaire; 9. Les tables du soleil; 10. Les périodes d'Hipparque pour les mouvements lunaires; 11. Les tables de la lune; 12. Les parallaxes du soleil et de la lune; 13. Les prédictions d'éclipses; 14. La théorie des planètes; 15. Le catalogue des fixes; Appendice; Errata.

Workshop on Models for Plasma Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1993-09-01

A meeting was held at St. Johns College, Oxford from Monday 27th to Thursday 30th of September 1993 to bring together a group of physicists working on computational modelling of plasma spectroscopy. The group came from the UK, France, Israel and the USA. The meeting was organized by myself, Dr. Steven Rose of RAL and Dr. R.W. Lee of LLNL. It was funded by the U.S. European Office of Aerospace Research and Development and by LLNL. The meeting grew out of a wish by a group of core participants to make available to practicing plasma physicists (particularly those engaged in the design and analysis of experiments) sophisticated numerical models of plasma physics. Additional plasma physicists attended the meeting in Oxford by invitation. These were experimentalists and users of plasma physics simulation codes whose input to the meeting was to advise the core group as to what was really needed.

La reconstruction du sourcil par greffon composite du cuir chevelu: une astuce pour faciliter la technique

PubMed Central

El Omari, Mounia; El Mazouz, Samir; Gharib, Noureddine; EL Abbassi, Abdallah

2015-01-01

Les sourcils jouent un rôle important dans l’équilibre esthétique du visage. Leur reconstruction ou ophriopoïése, après séquelle de brûlure fait partie intégrante du programme de réhabilitation de la face brûlée. Plusieurs techniques ont été décrites. Nous insistons ici sur l'intérêt d'une technique simple, à la portée de tous les chirurgiens, et dont la méthode et les résultats peuvent être améliorés par un dessin bien planifié des zones donneuse et receveuse: la greffe composite prélevée au niveau du cuir chevelu dessinée à l'aide d'un calque du sourcil controlatéral. PMID:26401195

La carence en vitamine D chez l'adulte au Gabon: cas isolé ou problème méconnu?

PubMed Central

Ntyonga-Pono, Marie-Pierrette

2014-01-01

La carence en vitamine D chez l'adulte est un sujet d'actualité à cause de ses multiples effets et de son extension de par le monde. Cependant elle est peu explorée au Gabon et en Afrique centrale en général. Le but de cet article qui rapporte trois cas documentés de carence en vitamine D chez l'adulte au Gabon, est d'attirer l'attention sur l'existence de ce problème même en zone équatoriale ensoleillée. Vu les implications de cette carence dans diverses pathologies osseuses, cardio-vasculaires, métaboliques, infectieuses, auto-immunes, néoplasiques..., des recherches plus approfondies sont nécessaires pour cerner le problème et prendre des mesures appropriées. PMID:25815104

Prospects for a Muon Spin Resonance Facility in the MuCool Test Area

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

Johnstone, John A.

2017-04-12

This paper investigates the feasibility of re-purposing the MuCool Test Area beamline and experimental hall to support a Muon Spin Resonance facility, which would make it the only such facility in the US. This report reviews the basic muon production concepts studied and operationally implemented at TRIUMF, PSI, and RAL and their application to the MTA facility. Two scenarios were determined feasible. One represents an initial minimal-shielding and capital-cost investment stage with a single secondary muon beamline that transports the primary beam to an existing high-intensity beam absorber located outside of the hall. Another, upgraded stage, involves an optimized productionmore » target pile and high-intensity absorber installed inside the experimental hall and potentially multiple secondary muon lines. In either scenario, with attention to target design, the MTA can host enabling and competitive Muon Spin Resonance experiments« less

Pre-Consolidation Supply Demand Patterns of NARF North Island and Local Customers of the Naval Supply Center, San Diego.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

DGSC Gen-ral Consumables 9H 20 ? ISO Army FAP) Armament Supplies 1 91 16,533 ?-1SO Oden ALC) Consumables I SU 24 USA? Consumables 9J 8,931 FMSO...3. 5424, 545 1 Iso ? 10 7 5115. 33 9 4c182 54l1q,3 C ’S So &Z lit:57 13. .339 54, 1 103 7~ t7 Si 4 ~ C 5.5 .3.97 70 5 541 2 14) V ’’-1 749 g 7I 3 63...182 3584 043o.l0 CC 72 -�l. ISO 513d ., d S0 I~il" i. 3.0 it T Z6.6 4.0 Isis 5 5vO3 .3. S t t,. . 43 23 Z.9d :j, b 0:.4565 12 &Vic3. )a: . 21! f 71

Temporal properties of fear extinction--does time matter?

PubMed

Golkar, Armita; Bellander, Martin; Öhman, Arne

2013-02-01

Fear extinction can be defined as the weakening of the expression of a conditioned response (CR) by extended experience of nonreinforcement. Conceptually, two distinct models have been invoked to account for extinction. R. A. Rescorla and A. R. Wagner (1972, A theory of Pavlovian conditioning: Variations in the effectiveness of reinforcement and nonreinforcement, in A. H. B. W. F. Prokasy (Ed.), Classical conditioning: II. Current research and theory, pp. 64-99, New York, NY, Appleton-Century-Crofts) postulated that the number of exposure trials is the primary determinant of CR decrement, whereas C. R. Gallistel and J. Gibbon (2000, Time, rate, and conditioning, Psychological Review, Vol. 107, pp. 289-344) proposed that the decisive event is the cumulated exposure time to the nonreinforced conditioned stimulus (CS) elapsed after the last CS reinforcement. We evaluated these two accounts in a human differential fear conditioning study in which CR was measured with the fear-potentiated startle response. Cumulated duration of nonreinforcement fails to explain our findings, whereas the number of trials appeared critical. In fact, many CS trials with a duration shorter than the acquisition CS duration facilitated within-session extinction, but this effect did not predict the recovery of fear. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Wageningen Urban Rainfall Experiment 2014 (WURex14): Experimental Setup and First Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uijlenhoet, R.; Overeem, A.; Leijnse, H.; Hazenberg, P.

2014-12-01

Microwave links from cellular communication networks have been shown to be able to provide valuable information concerning the space-time variability of rainfall. In particular over urban areas, where network densities are generally high, they have the potential to complement existing dedicated infrastructure to measure rainfall (gauges, radars). In addition, microwave links provide a great opportunity for ground-based rainfall measurement for those land surface areas of the world where gauges and radars are generally lacking, e.g. Africa, Latin America, and large parts of Asia. Such information is not only crucial for water management and agriculture, but also for instance for ground validation of space-borne rainfall estimates such as those provided by the recently launched core satellite of the GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement) mission. WURex14 is dedicated to address several errors and uncertainties associated with such quantitative precipitation estimates in detail. The core of the experiment is provided by two co-located microwave links installed between two major buildings on the Wageningen University campus, approximately 2 km apart: a 38 GHz commercial microwave link, kindly provided to us by T-Mobile NL, and a 38 GHz dual-polarization research microwave link from RAL. Transmitting and receiving antennas have been attached to masts installed on the roofs of the two buildings, about 30 m above the ground. This setup has been complemented with a Scintec infrared Large-Aperture Scintillometer, installed over the same path, as well as a Parsivel optical disdrometer, located close to the mast on the receiving end of the links. During the course of the experiment, a 26 GHz RAL research microwave link was added to the experimental setup. Temporal sampling of the received signals was performed at a rate of 20 Hz. In addition, two time-lapse cameras have been installed on either side of the path to monitor the wetness of the antennas as well as the state of the atmosphere. Approximately halfway along the link path a rain gauge from the KNMI operational network is located. Finally, data is available from several commercial microwave links in the vicinity of the experimental setup, as well as from the KNMI weather radars. We report on the first results from this experiment, collected during the Summer and Fall of 2014.

Wageningen Urban Rainfall Experiment 2014 (WURex14): Experimental Setup and First Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Leth, Thomas; Uijlenhoet, Remko; Overeem, Aart; Leijnse, Hidde; Hazenberg, Pieter

2015-04-01

Microwave links from cellular communication networks have been shown to be able to provide valuable information concerning the space-time variability of rainfall. In particular over urban areas, where network densities are generally high, they have the potential to complement existing dedicated infrastructure to measure rainfall (gauges, radars). In addition, microwave links provide a great opportunity for ground-based rainfall measurement for those land surface areas of the world where gauges and radars are generally lacking, e.g. Africa, Latin America, and large parts of Asia. Such information is not only crucial for water management and agriculture, but also for instance for ground validation of space-borne rainfall estimates such as those provided by the recently launched core satellite of the GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement) mission. WURex14 is dedicated to address several errors and uncertainties associated with such quantitative precipitation estimates in detail. The core of the experiment is provided by two co-located microwave links installed between two major buildings on the Wageningen University campus, approximately 2 km apart: a 38 GHz commercial microwave link, kindly provided to us by T-Mobile NL, and a 38 GHz dual-polarization research microwave link from RAL. Transmitting and receiving antennas have been attached to masts installed on the roofs of the two buildings, about 30 m above the ground. This setup has been complemented with a Scintec infrared Large-Aperture Scintillometer, installed over the same path, as well as a Parsivel optical disdrometer, located close to the mast on the receiving end of the links. During the course of the experiment, a 26 GHz RAL research microwave link was added to the experimental setup. Temporal sampling of the received signals was performed at a rate of 20 Hz. In addition, two time-lapse cameras have been installed on either side of the path to monitor the wetness of the antennas as well as the state of the atmosphere. Approximately halfway along the link path a rain gauge from the KNMI operational network is located. Finally, data is available from several commercial microwave links in the vicinity of the experimental setup, as well as from the KNMI weather radars. We report on the first results from this experiment, collected during the Summer and Fall of 2014.

Les traumatismes de l’étage antérieur de la base du crane: à propos d'une série de 136 cas

PubMed Central

Bouchaouch, Abdelali; Hassani, Fahd Derkaoui; Abboud, Hilal; Mukengeshay, Jeff Ntalaja; El Fatemi, Nizare; Gana, Rachid; El Maaqili, Moulay Rchid; El Abbadi, Najia; Bellakhdar, Fouad

2015-01-01

Les traumatismes de l’étage antérieur de la base du crâne représentent 15 à 20% des traumatismes crâniens en général. Ils menacent les structures neuro-encéphaliques sus jacentes et sont très souvent responsables de brèches ostéo-méningées exposant au risque infectieux. Notre travail a concerné 136 dossiers exploitables de traumatisme de l’étage antérieur de la base du crâne colligés sur une période de 10 ans entre janvier 2003 et décembre 2012. Le diagnostic a été suspecté devant les signes cliniques évocateurs (ecchymose péri-orbitaire, rhinorrhée…) et a été confirmé dans la plupart des cas par la TDM. Le traitement idéal est la fermeture chirurgicale de la brèche en association aux moyens médicaux (vaccination, anti-épileptiques, mesures de réanimation…) Le moment idéal de la réparation est au-delà de la 72ème heure après la diminution de l'oedème cérébral en cas d'absence d'une lésion intracrânienne nécessitant une intervention en urgence. Notre équipe ne pratiquant pas la voie endoscopique, l'abord frontal est souvent indiqué. Le pronostic dépend des lésions cérébrales associées et surtout de la présence d'une brèche dont le diagnostic et la réparation doivent être les plus rapides et les plus précis possibles. Ainsi toute rhinorrhée post-traumatique nécessite une exploration systématique, le timing idéal: c'est la disparition de l'oedème cérébral pour faciliter l'exploration, ceci est en général possible à partir de la 72ème heure sauf dans les cas associés à une autre lésion intra crânienne nécessitant une exploration en urgence. PMID:26327992

GeneXpert MTB/RIF dans le dépistage de la tuberculose pulmonaire à l’Hôpital Provincial Général de Référence de Bukavu, à l’Est de la République Démocratique du Congo: quelles leçons tirées après 10 mois d’utilisation?

PubMed Central

Lupande, David; Kaishusha, David; Mihigo, Carine; Itongwa, Moise; Yenga, Gustave; Katchunga, Philippe

2017-01-01

Introduction En Afrique subsaharienne, les méthodes de diagnostic de la tuberculose sont insuffisantes et reposent essentiellement sur la microscopie. Elles constituent un réel frein pour le contrôle de la tuberculose. La présente étude voudrait évaluer les performances du GeneXpert MTB/RIF vis à vis de la microscopie classique de Ziehl-Neelsen à l’Hôpital Provincial Général de Référence de Bukavu, à l’Est de la République Démocratique du Congo après 10 mois d’utilisation. Méthodes Les résultats de la coloration au Ziehl-Neelsen et de la biologie moléculaire sur GeneXpert MTB/RIF de 452 patients suspects de tuberculose ont été colligés. La validité d’un test par rapport à l’autre dans la détection de la tuberculose a été étudiée. Résultats Dans le groupe entier, la fréquence de la tuberculose pulmonaire était de 16.3%. La positivité était significativement plus élevée pour le GeneXpert MTB/RIF que pour le Ziehl-Neelsen dans le groupe entier (15.9% vs 9.3%, p= 0.03) et chez les séropositifs pour le VIH (52.0% vs 24.0%; p = 0.007). Cependant, la sensibilité de GeneXpert MTB/RIF comparé au Ziehl-Neelsen n’était pas maximale (95.2%). Enfin, GeneXpert MTB/RIF a détecté 20.8% de résistance à la rifampicine. Conclusion La présente étude confirme la supériorité de GeneXpert MTB/RIF sur la coloration de Ziehl-Neelsen dans la détection de la tuberculose et dans la prédiction de la multi résistance. Son utilisation systématique couplée au Ziehl-Neelsen permettrait de mieux contrôler la tuberculose en Afrique subSaharienne. PMID:29187929

Microstructure evolution and coercivity enhancement in Nd-Fe-B thin films diffusion-processed by R-Al alloys (R=Nd, Pr)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Yigao; Yang, Yang; Zhang, Tongbo; Fu, Yanqing; Jiang, Qingzheng; Ma, Shengcan; Zhong, Zhenchen; Cui, Weibin; Wang, Qiang

2018-05-01

Diffusion process by Nd-Al and Pr-Al alloys was compared and investigated in Nd-Fe-B thin films. Enhanced coercivity 2.06T and good squareness was obtained by using Pr85Al15 and Nd85Al15 alloys as diffusion sources. But the coercivity of diffusion-processed thin films by Pr70Al30 and Pr55Al45 alloys decreased to 2.04T and 1.82T. High ambient coercivity of 2.26T was achieved in diffusion-processed thin film by Nd70Al30 leading to an improved coercivity thermal stability because Nd2Fe14B grains were enveloped by Nd-rich phase as seen by transmission electron microscopy Nd-loss image. Meanwhile, microstructure-dependent parameters α and Neff were improved. However, high content of Al in diffusion-processed thin film by Nd55Al45 lead to degraded texture and coercivity.

Quantification of small GTPase glucosylation by clostridial glucosylating toxins using multiplexed MRM analysis.

PubMed

Junemann, Johannes; Lämmerhirt, Chantal M; Polten, Felix; Just, Ingo; Gerhard, Ralf; Genth, Harald; Pich, Andreas

2017-05-01

Large clostridial toxins mono-O-glucosylate small GTPases of the Rho and Ras subfamily. As a result of glucosylation, the GTPases are inhibited and thereby corresponding downstream signaling pathways are disturbed. Current methods for quantifying the extent of glucosylation include sequential [ 14 C]glucosylation, sequential [ 32 P]ADP-ribosylation, and Western Blot detection of nonglucosylated GTPases, with neither method allowing the quantification of the extent of glucosylation of an individual GTPase. Here, we describe a novel MS-based multiplexed MRM assay to specifically quantify the glucosylation degree of small GTPases. This targeted proteomics approach achieves a high selectivity and reproducibility, which allows determination of the in vivo substrate pattern of glucosylating toxins. As proof of principle, GTPase glucosylation was analyzed in CaCo-2 cells treated with TcdA, and glucosylation kinetics were determined for RhoA/B, RhoC, RhoG, Ral, Rap1, Rap2, (H/K/N)Ras, and R-Ras2. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Proton induced activity in graphite - comparison between measurement and simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiselev, Daniela; Bergmann, Ryan; Schumann, Dorothea; Talanov, Vadim; Wohlmuther, Michael

2018-06-01

The Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) operates the Meson production target stations E and M with 590 MeV protons at currents of up to 2.4 mA. Both targets consist of polycrystalline graphite and rotate with 1 Hz due to the high power deposition (40 kW at 2 mA) in Target E. The graphite wheel is regularly exchanged and disposed as radioactive waste after a maximum of 3 to 4 years in operation, which corresponds to about 30 to 40 Ah of proton fluence. For disposal, the nuclide inventory of the long-lived isotopes (T1/2 > 60 d) has to be calculated and reported to the authorities. Measurements of gamma emitters, as well as 3H, 10Be and 14C, were carried out using different techniques. The measured specific activities are compared to Monte Carlo particle transport simulations performed with MCNPX2.7.0 using the BERTINI-DRESNER-RAL (default model in MCNPX2.7.0) and INCL4.6/ABLA07 as nuclear reaction models.

Un cas isolé de tuberculose appendiculaire

PubMed Central

Mountassir, Moujahid; Ennafae, Issam; Kechna, Hicham; Berrada, Samir; El Kandry, Siffedine

2011-01-01

La tuberculose est une affection qui sévit à l’état endémique dans notre pays, elle demeure un problème majeur de santé publique .la tuberculose appendiculaire primitive est une affection très rare. Nous rapportons le cas d'un patient de sexe masculin âgé de 17 ans, admis au service pour une prise en charge d'une douleur de la fosse iliaque droite évoluant dans un contexte fébrile avec conservation de l’état général posant le diagnostic d'une appendicite aigue. Une appendicectomie a été réalisée ; le compte rendu anatomopathologique était en faveur d'une tuberculose appendiculaire isolée. Le patient a été mis sous traitement anti-bacillaire complémentaire pendant neuf mois avec une bonne évolution clinique. Le diagnostic de tuberculose doit être évoqué en premier surtout dans les pays d'endémie tuberculeuse. PMID:22355426

Étude comparative de l’innocuité de deux vaccins commerciaux contre la babésiose canine provoquée par Babesia canis

PubMed Central

Freyburger, L.; Lemaitre, L.; Médaille, C.; Oberli, F.; Fanchon, L.; Bergamo, P.

2011-01-01

L’innocuité de deux vaccins commercialisés en France contre la babésiose canine – Nobivac Piro® (NP) et Pirodog® (P) – a été étudiée. Leur impact local, général et biochimique a été comparé, en conditions expérimentales maîtrisées, sur un groupe témoin (T) et deux groupes vaccinés deux fois à 21 jours d’intervalle. Tous les chiens ont présenté une réaction locale modérée. Cependant, le groupe NP a présenté une réaction locale significativement plus intense que le groupe P. Ceci est objectivé par les paramètres cliniques et biologiques. Aucune différence statistiquement significative n’est mise en évidence entre les évolutions des groupes P et T. PMID:22091461

[Sex education : representations of 13- to 15-year-old junior high school children and slow learners].

PubMed

Berger, Dominique; Rochigneux, Jean-Claude; Bernard, Sandie; Morand, Josette; Mougniotte, Alain

2015-01-01

In France, the National Education system has attributed an important health and sex education role to its teachers, based on a global and positive vision of sexuality Parents, teachers, public services and specialized resources each have a role to play in sex education for children and adolescents so that each young person can receive an education allowing him or her to enjoy a healthy sexuality. This study investigated the individual representations of sexuality, declared practices and knowledge of junior high schoolchildren and Section d'Enseignement G6n6ral et Professionnel Adapt6 (SEGPA) students, a structure for children with serious learning difficulties. The study methodology was based on administration of questionnaires (n = 524) to the two cohorts concerned. The secondary objective was to compare these two populations and identify the specificities of SEGPA pupils. The conclusions of this study should allow adults in charge of sex education in junior high schools and SEGPA to adapt sex education tools.

Anti–odor activity of milk kefir on organosulphur polysulfide cyclic compounds in petai (parkia speciosa hassk)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurniati, T.; Windayani, N.; Listiawati, M.

2018-05-01

This study aims to assess the activity of milk kefir whey in neutralizing odor-causing cyclic polysulfide compounds in petai (Parkia speciosa Hassk.). RAL designs used to determine the optimum fermentation conditions. The data obtained were processed using SPSS 20. Results showed the characteristics of the microbes in the kefir grains include lactic acid bacteria consisting of genus Lactobacillus and yeast of the genus Candida and Saccharomyces. The optimum fermentation conditions using cow’s milk kefir grain starter obtained in the fermentation time of 24 hours at a concentration of 5% kefir grain. Whey kefir which is produced have high levels of fat, protein, carbohydrates, fiber and lactic acid respectively 1.81; 4.35; 5.59; 0.26 and 0.16%, pH 4.4; a density of 1.0628 g/mL and 7.9368 cP viscosity. Kefir milk whey actively reduced the level of petai smell significantly different at the level of α = 0.05.

The Relationship Between High-Order Aberration and Anterior Ocular Biometry During Accommodation in Young Healthy Adults

PubMed Central

Ke, Bilian; Mao, Xinjie; Jiang, Hong; He, Jichang; Liu, Che; Li, Min; Yuan, Ying

2017-01-01

Purpose This study investigated the anterior ocular anatomic origin of high-order aberration (HOA) components using optical coherence tomography and a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. Methods A customized system was built to simultaneously capture images of ocular wavefront aberrations and anterior ocular biometry. Relaxed, 2-diopter (D) and 4-D accommodative states were repeatedly measured in 30 young subjects. Custom software was used to correct optical distortions and measure biometric parameters from the images. Results The anterior ocular biometry changed during 2-D accommodation, in which central lens thickness, ciliary muscle thicknesses at 1 mm posterior to the scleral spur (CMT1), and the maximum value of ciliary muscle thickness increased significantly, whereas anterior chamber depth, CMT3, radius of anterior lens surface curvature (RAL), and radius of posterior lens surface curvature (RPL) decreased significantly. The changes in the anterior ocular parameters during 4-D accommodation were similar to those for the 2-D accommodation. \\begin{document}\

An investigation of the ionospheric F region near the EIA crest in India using OI 777.4 and 630.0 nm nightglow observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parihar, Navin; Radicella, Sandro Maria; Nava, Bruno; Migoya-Orue, Yenca Olivia; Tiwari, Prabhakar; Singh, Rajesh

2018-05-01

Simultaneous observations of OI 777.4 and OI 630.0 nm nightglow emissions were carried at a low-latitude station, Allahabad (25.5° N, 81.9° E; geomag. lat. ˜ 16.30° N), located near the crest of the Appleton anomaly in India during September-December 2009. This report attempts to study the F region of ionosphere using airglow-derived parameters. Using an empirical approach put forward by Makela et al. (2001), firstly, we propose a novel technique to calibrate OI 777.4 and 630.0 nm emission intensities using Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate/Formosa Satellite Mission 3 (COSMIC/FORMOSAT-3) electron density profiles. Next, the electron density maximum (Nm) and its height (hmF2) of the F layer have been derived from the information of two calibrated intensities. Nocturnal variation of Nm showed the signatures of the retreat of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) and the midnight temperature maximum (MTM) phenomenon that are usually observed in the equatorial and low-latitude ionosphere. Signatures of gravity waves with time periods in the range of 0.7-3.0 h were also seen in Nm and hmF2 variations. Sample Nm and hmF2 maps have also been generated to show the usefulness of this technique in studying ionospheric processes.

Distributed Application of the Unified Noah LSM with Hydrologic Flow Routing on an Appalachian Headwater Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, M.; Kumar, S.; Gochis, D.; Yates, D.; McHenry, J.; Burnet, T.; Coats, C.; Condrey, J.

2006-05-01

Collaboration between scientists at UMBC-GEST and NASA-GSFC, the NCAR Research Applications Laboratory (RAL), and Baron Advanced Meteorological Services (BAMS), has produced a modeling framework for the application of traditional land surface models (LSMs) in a distributed hydrologic system which can be used for diagnosis and prediction of routed stream discharge hydrographs. This collaboration is oriented on near-term system implementation across Romania for flood and flash-flood analyses and forecasting as part of the World Bank-funded Destructive Waters Abatement (DESWAT) program. Meteorological forcing from surface observations, model analyses and numerical forecasts are employed in the NASA-GSFC Land Information System (LIS) to drive the Unified Noah LSM with Noah-Distributed components, stream network delineation and routing schemes original to this work. The Unified Noah LSM is the outgrowth of a joint modeling effort between several research partners including NCAR, the NOAA National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), and the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA). At NCAR, hydrologically-oriented extensions to the Noah LSM have been developed for LSM applications in a distributed domain in order to address the lateral redistribution of soil moisture by surface and subsurface flow processes. These advancements have been integrated into the NASA-GSFC Land Information System (LIS) and coupled with an original framework for hydraulic channel network definition and specification, linkages with the Noah-Distributed overland and subsurface flow framework, and distributed cell- to-cell (or link-node) hydraulic routing. This poster presents an overview of the system components and their organization, as well as results of the first U.S. case study performed with this system under various configurations. The case study simulated precipitation events over a headwater basin in the southern Appalachian Mountains in October 2005 following the landfall of Tropical Storm Tammy in South Carolina. These events followed on a long dry period in the region, lending to the demonstration of watershed response to strong precipitation forcing under nearly ideal and easily-specified initial conditions. The results presented here will compare simulated versus observed streamflow conditions at various locations in the test watershed using a selection of routing methods.

Subdivision of the Cambrian-Ordovician Upper Sandstone Aquifer'' in the Fox Cities area, east-central Wisconsin

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

Erikson, K.A.; Smith, G.L.

The informally-named Upper Sandstone Aquifer,'' a lithologically heterogeneous unit, has been subdivided into three thinner hydrostratigraphic units, the Upper Cambrian Jordan Formation (sandstone), the Lower Ordovician Prairie du Chien Group (dolomite), and the Middle Ordovician St. Peter Formation (mostly sandstone). Reevaluation of the Upper Sandstone Aquifer'' in the Fox Cities area (Appleton, Neenah, Menasha) was based on detailed analysis of 125 geologic well logs and 200 well-construction reports. Isopach maps and geologic cross-sections of these units in the Fox Cities area show extreme variations in thickness over short lateral distances. Although the Jordan Formation has a uniform thickness of 13more » m (40 ft), the Prairie du Chien Group varies from 0--88 m (0--275 ft). The St. Peter Formation varies in thickness from 0--108 m (0--335 ft). The Prairie du Chien Group is relatively thin or absent in the Fox Cities area in locations where the overlying St. Peter Formation is relatively thick. St Peter can be further subdivided into Readstown, Tonti, and Glenwood Members. The Readstown Member is a lithologically heterogeneous unit of variable thickness and distribution. The Tonti Member is a poorly cemented, fine-medium quartz arenite with which is lumped the Glenwood Member, a conglomeratic, silty medium-coarse sandstone. Maximum St. Peter thicknesses represent filled paleokarst depressions developed on top of the Prairie du Chien Group, with profound implications for estimates of hydraulic conductivity.« less

Maintaining US Space Weather Capabilities after DMSP: Research to Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machuzak, J. S.; Gentile, L. C.; Burke, W. J.; Holeman, E. G.; Ober, D. M.; Wilson, G. R.

2012-12-01

The first Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) spacecraft was launched in 1972; the last is scheduled to fly in 2020. Presently, there is no replacement for the space-weather monitoring sensors that now fly on DMSP. The present suite has provided comprehensive, long-term records that constitute a critical component of the US space weather corporate memory. Evolving operational needs and research accomplishments justify continued collection of space environmental data. Examples include measurements to: (1) Monitor the Dst index in real time as a driver of next-generation satellite drag models; (2) Quantify electromagnetic energy fluxes from deep space to the ionosphere/ thermosphere that heat neutrals, drive disturbance-dynamo winds and degrade precise orbit determinations; (3) Determine strengths of stormtime electric fields at high and low latitudes that lead to severe blackouts and spacecraft anomalies; (4) Specify variability of plasma density irregularities, equatorial plasma bubbles, and the Appleton anomaly to improve reliability of communication, navigation and surveillance links; (5) Characterize energetic particle fluxes responsible for auroral clutter and radar degradation; (6) Map regions of L-Band scintillation for robust GPS applications; and (7) Update the World Magnetic Field Model needed to maintain guidance system superiority. These examples illustrate the utility of continued space environment awareness. Comprehensive assessments of both operational requirements and research advances are needed to make informed selections of sensors and spacecraft that support future capabilities. A proposed sensor set and satellite constellation to provide the needed measurement capabilities will be presented.

Prenatal diagnosis of Chiari malformation with syringomyelia in the second trimester.

PubMed

Iruretagoyena, Jesus Igor; Trampe, Barbara; Shah, Dinesh

2010-02-01

Routine anatomic ultrasound performed in the second trimester has a detection rate of approximately 70-90% for fetal congenital abnormalities (Nyberg and Souter, J Ultrasound Med 2001;6:655-674). The central nervous system abnormalities are one of the most common ones detected. Chiari malformation is among the CNS abnormalities diagnosed in the fetal period (Bianchi et al., Fetology - diagnosis and management of the fetal patient, McGraw-Hill, 2000). The Arnold-Chiari malformation was first described in 1883 by Cleland (Romero et al., Prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies, Appleton and Lange, 1988). It is characterised by the prolapse of the hindbrain structures below the level of the foramen magnum. It can be associated with skeletal abnormalities and neurological dysfunction. In type I, a lip of cerebellum is downwardly displaced with the tonsils, but the fourth ventricle remains in the posterior fossa. This condition may coexist with syringomyelia, which is a cyst formation on the cervical portion of the spinal cord (Creasy et al., Maternal fetal medicine principles and practice, 2004). We present a case where Chiari type 1 and syringomyelia detected at 18 weeks of gestation. The reason for referral to our center was an abnormal inward posturing of both upper and lower extremities (minimal gross movement and almost inexistent range of motion on fetal joints). On further fetal evaluation, an abnormal brain ultrasound was identified. Prenatal diagnosis of Chiari type 1 malformation and syringomyelia is almost nonexistent when reviewing the literature is the reason why this case is presented.

Design of high-order HTS dual-band bandpass filters with receiver subsystem for future mobile communication systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekiya, N.

2016-08-01

We have developed two high-order high-temperature superconducting (HTS) dual-band bandpass filters (BPFs) with a receiver subsystem for future mobile communication systems. They feature stub-loaded hair-pin resonators with two types of microstrip lines between them. One has a six-pole design, and the other has an eight-pole design. Both were designed to operate at 2.15 GHz with a 43-MHz (2%) bandwidth for the lower passband and at 3.50 GHz with a 70-MHz (2%) bandwidth for the upper one. They were fabricated using YBa2Cu3Oy thin film on a CeO2-bufferd r-Al2O3 substrate. The measured results for both filters agree well with the simulated ones. The HTS dual-band BPF receiver subsystem uses a pulse tube cryocooler and a wideband low noise amplifier (LNA). We measured the frequency response of the six-pole dual-band BPF with and without a wideband LNA with a gain of 10 dB. The measured return losses were close.

Experimental aerodynamic characteristics of two V/STOL fighter/attack aircraft configurations at Mach numbers from 0.4 to 1.4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelms, W. P.; Durston, D. A.; Lummus, J. R.

1980-01-01

A wind tunnel test was conducted to measure the aerodynamic characteristics of two horizontal attitude takeoff and landing V/STOL fighter/attack aircraft concepts. In one concept, a jet diffuser ejector was used for the vertical lift system; the other used a remote augmentation lift system (RALS). Wind tunnel tests to investigate the aerodynamic uncertainties and to establish a data base for these types of concepts were conducted over a Mach number range from 0.2 to 2.0. The present report covers tests, conducted in the 11 foot transonic wind tunnel, for Mach numbers from 0.4 to 1.4. Detailed effects of varying the angle of attack (up to 27 deg), angle of sideslip (-4 deg to +8 deg), Mach number, Reynolds number, and configuration buildup were investigated. In addition, the effects of wing trailing edge flap deflections, canard incidence, and vertical tail deflections were explored. Variable canard longitudinal location and different shapes of the inboard nacelle body strakes were also investigated.

Lésions concomitantes aux genoux flottants et gravite

PubMed Central

Eone, Daniel Handy; Lamah, Léopold; Bayiha, Jean Emile; Ondoa, Danielle Larissa Essomba; Nonga, Bernadette Ngo; Ibrahima, Farikou; Bahebeck, Jean

2016-01-01

Le genou flottant est issu d’un traumatisme de haute énergie, dont la genèse suggère de vaste dégâts aussi bien sur le plan locorégional que général. Faisant référence au polytaumatisme. Le but de notre étude était de recenser toutes les lésions concomitantes au genou flottant dans notre milieu de pratique et d’évaluer la sévérité. Nous avons mené une étude descriptive et rétrospective couvrant une période de 14 ans et 9 mois. Sur un échantillon de 75 genoux flottants, avec une moyenne d’âge de 35 ans. Soixante six patients avaient obtenu un score d’ISS supérieur ou égal à 16 donc qualifié de polytraumatisé. Les traumatismes crâniens, les lésions thoraciques et abdominales retrouvés en même temps que le genou flottant exigent une réanimation adéquate. PMID:28292046

Effect of bio-organomineral fertilizer on the growth of chili (Capsicum annum l.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nofiyanto, R. T.; Wati, V. R.; Setiawati, S. R.; Noviandi, W. D.; Kuscahyanti, A.; Fuskhah, E.

2018-01-01

The productivity of chili in 2014-2015 has decreased by 29,411 tons due to conversion of agricultural land. One of the efforts to increase the production of chili is by using latosol acid as a cultivation area. The low fertility of latosol land can be overcome by fertilizing. The purpose of this research was to investigate the role of duckweed and Methylobacterium on chili production which cultivated at latosol soil. The design used was Completely Randomized Design (RAL) with 6 treatments and 4 replications. The treatment consisted of P0 = control, P1 = 50 kg / ha, P2 = 100 kg / ha, P3 = 150 kg / ha, P4 = 200 kg / ha, and P5 = 250 kg / ha. Assamed data were analyzed by using variance analysis (ANOVA), Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) with confidence level 95% was used for further analysis. The results showed that fertilizer application can increase the fertility of latosol soil, percentage of chili pepper plant life, height, number of productive branches, number of flower, and amount of fruit.

V/STOL propulsion control analysis: Phase 2, task 5-9

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Typical V/STOL propulsion control requirements were derived for transition between vertical and horizontal flight using the General Electric RALS (Remote Augmented Lift System) concept. Steady-state operating requirements were defined for a typical Vertical-to-Horizontal transition and for a typical Horizontal-to-Vertical transition. Control mode requirements were established and multi-variable regulators developed for individual operating conditions. Proportional/Integral gain schedules were developed and were incorporated into a transition controller with capabilities for mode switching and manipulated variable reassignment. A non-linear component-level transient model of the engine was developed and utilized to provide a preliminary check-out of the controller logic. An inlet and nozzle effects model was developed for subsequent incorporation into the engine model and an aircraft model was developed for preliminary flight transition simulations. A condition monitoring development plan was developed and preliminary design requirements established. The Phase 1 long-range technology plan was refined and restructured toward the development of a real-time high fidelity transient model of a supersonic V/STOL propulsion system and controller for use in a piloted simulation program at NASA-Ames.

Reconstruction d’une Carbonisation du Pouce par Lambeau Chinois

PubMed Central

Khales, A.; Achbouk, J.A.; Moussaoui, A.; Belmir, R.; Tourabi, K.; Oufkir, A.; Ihrai, H.

2010-01-01

Summary La main en tant qu’organe majeur de la préhension peut être le siège de brûlures graves qui compromettent sa fonction. Bien qu’elle ne représente que 2% de la surface corporelle la brûlure de la main est grave et difficile à traiter, vu la vulnérabilité et la complexité de son appareil locomoteur. Nous rapportons dans ce travail le cas d’un patient victime d’une carbonisation de la main. Huit mois après le parage et la couverture par lambeau inguinal, le patient bénéficie d’une reconstruction du pouce par lambeau chinois associé à une greffe osseuse. Le résultat s’est avéré satisfaisant. Le lambeau chinois prouve par son apport vasculaire et par sa facilité technique qu’il est un moyen très intéressant dans la reconstruction du pouce - ou des doigts en général - surtout dans un contexte de brûlure. PMID:21991226

Enabling Object Storage via shims for Grid Middleware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cadellin Skipsey, Samuel; De Witt, Shaun; Dewhurst, Alastair; Britton, David; Roy, Gareth; Crooks, David

2015-12-01

The Object Store model has quickly become the basis of most commercially successful mass storage infrastructure, backing so-called ”Cloud” storage such as Amazon S3, but also underlying the implementation of most parallel distributed storage systems. Many of the assumptions in Object Store design are similar, but not identical, to concepts in the design of Grid Storage Elements, although the requirement for ”POSIX-like” filesystem structures on top of SEs makes the disjunction seem larger. As modern Object Stores provide many features that most Grid SEs do not (block level striping, parallel access, automatic file repair, etc.), it is of interest to see how easily we can provide interfaces to typical Object Stores via plugins and shims for Grid tools, and how well experiments can adapt their data models to them. We present evaluation of, and first-deployment experiences with, (for example) Xrootd-Ceph interfaces for direct object-store access, as part of an initiative within GridPP[1] hosted at RAL. Additionally, we discuss the tradeoffs and experience of developing plugins for the currently-popular Ceph parallel distributed filesystem for the GFAL2 access layer, at Glasgow.

Towards a true aerosol-and-cloud retrieval scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Gareth; Poulsen, Caroline; Povey, Adam; McGarragh, Greg; Jerg, Matthias; Siddans, Richard; Grainger, Don

2014-05-01

The Optimal Retrieval of Aerosol and Cloud (ORAC) - formally the Oxford-RAL Aerosol and Cloud retrieval - offers a framework that can provide consistent and well characterised properties of both aerosols and clouds from a range of imaging satellite instruments. Several practical issues stand in the way of achieving the potential of this combined scheme however; in particular the sometimes conflicting priorities and requirements of aerosol and cloud retrieval problems, and the question of the unambiguous identification of aerosol and cloud pixels. This presentation will present recent developments made to the ORAC scheme for both aerosol and cloud, and detail how these are being integrated into a single retrieval framework. The implementation of a probabilistic method for pixel identification will also be presented, for both cloud detection and aerosol/cloud type selection. The method is based on Bayesian methods applied the optimal estimation retrieval output of ORAC and is particularly aimed at providing additional information in the so-called "twilight zone", where pixels can't be unambiguously identified as either aerosol or cloud and traditional cloud or aerosol products do not provide results.

Le patrimoine astronomique provençal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rous, M.; Figon, P.; Guyot, S.

2012-12-01

L'OSU OAMP/Institut Pythéas porte les missions de conservation, inventaire et valorisation du patrimoine. Suite à la fusion de l'Observatoire de Marseille et du Laboratoire d'Astronomie Spatiale en 2000 pour créer le Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, le déménagement des équipes sur le site de Château-Gombert en 2008 a soulevé le problème du devenir des collections des deux sites d'origine. Nous ferons le bilan des actions passées en matière de conservation et de valorisation de ce riche patrimoine : versement à l'inventaire général du Ministère de la Culture, classement de 22 instruments au titre des Monuments Historiques, inventaire et numérisation des archives anciennes, montage d'expositions et réalisation du catalogue Telescopium, 400 ans de lunettes et de télescopes. Nous présenterons les actions en cours: mesures de conservation préventive, inventaire des archives et des instruments. Nous parlerons enfin des projets: création d'un espace d'exposition permanente, participation à des expositions temporaires.

The proton radius puzzle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonesini, Maurizio

2017-12-01

The FAMU (Fisica degli Atomi Muonici) experiment has the goal to measure precisely the proton Zemach radius, thus contributing to the solution of the so-called proton radius "puzzle". To this aim, it makes use of a high-intensity pulsed muon beam at RIKEN-RAL impinging on a cryogenic hydrogen target with an high-Z gas admixture and a tunable mid-IR high power laser, to measure the hyperfine (HFS) splitting of the 1S state of the muonic hydrogen. From the value of the exciting laser frequency, the energy of the HFS transition may be derived with high precision ( 10-5) and thus, via QED calculations, the Zemach radius of the proton. The experimental apparatus includes a precise fiber-SiPMT beam hodoscope and a crown of eight LaBr3 crystals and a few HPGe detectors for detection of the emitted characteristic X-rays. Preliminary runs to optimize the gas target filling and its operating conditions have been taken in 2014 and 2015-2016. The final run, with the pump laser to drive the HFS transition, is expected in 2018.

Prospects for a Muon Spin Resonance Facility in the Fermilab MuCool Test Area

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

Johnstone, John A.; Johnstone, Carol

This paper investigates the feasibility of re-purposing the MuCool Test Area (MTA) beamline and experimental hall to support a Muon Spin Resonance (MuSR) facility, which would make it the only such facility in the US. This report reviews the basic muon production concepts studied and operationally implemented at TRIUMF, PSI, and RAL and their application in the context of the MTA facility. Two scenarios were determined feasible. One, an initial minimal-shielding and capital-cost investment stage with a single secondary muon beamline that utilizes an existing high- intensity beam absorber and, another, upgraded stage, that implements an optimized production target pile,more » a proximate high-intensity absorber, and optimized secondary muon lines. A unique approach is proposed which chops or strips a macropulse of H$^-$ beam into a micropulse substructure – a muon creation timing scheme – which allows Muon Spin Resonance experiments in a linac environment. With this timing scheme, and attention to target design and secondary beam collection, the MTA can host enabling and competitive Muon Spin Resonance experiments.« less

Resistance Analyses of Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors within Phase 3 Clinical Trials of Treatment-Naive Patients

PubMed Central

White, Kirsten L.; Raffi, Francois; Miller, Michael D.

2014-01-01

The integrase (IN) strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs), raltegravir (RAL), elvitegravir (EVG) and dolutegravir (DTG), comprise the newest drug class approved for the treatment of HIV-1 infection, which joins the existing classes of reverse transcriptase, protease and binding/entry inhibitors. The efficacy of first-line regimens has attained remarkably high levels, reaching undetectable viral loads in 90% of patients by Week 48; however, there remain patients who require a change in regimen due to adverse events, virologic failure with emergent resistance or other issues of patient management. Large, randomized clinical trials conducted in antiretroviral treatment-naive individuals are required for drug approval in this population in the US, EU and other countries, with the primary endpoint for virologic success at Week 48. However, there are differences in the definition of virologic failure and the evaluation of drug resistance among the trials. This review focuses on the methodology and tabulation of resistance to INSTIs in phase 3 clinical trials of first-line regimens and discusses case studies of resistance. PMID:25054884

Spondylodiscite granulomateuse: surtout la tuberculose mais ne pas omettre le lymphome

PubMed Central

Zinebi, Ali; Rkiouak, Adil; Akhouad, Yousef; Reggad, Ahmed; Kasmy, Zohour; Boudlal, Mostafa; Lho, Abdelhamid Nait; Rabhi, Moncef; Sinaa, Mohamed; Ennibi, Khalid; Chaari, Jilali

2016-01-01

Les douleurs lombaires relèvent d'étiologies multiples dont le diagnostic peut être source de grandes difficultés. Le lymphome rachidien primitif est rare et son diagnostic nécessite une biopsie souvent scanoguidée. Un homme de 30 ans, était hospitalisé pour lombalgies inflammatoires évoluant dans un contexte d'altération de l'état général avec à l'examen des douleurs à la palpation des apophyses épineux L2L3, sans syndrome tumoral périphérique. Le bilan biologique montrait un syndrome inflammatoire. Le bilan morphologique était en faveur d'une spondylodiscite. La première biopsie montrait une ostéite granulomateuse. L'aggravation clinique et radiologique sous anti bacillaire a mené à reconsidérer le diagnostic et la deuxième biopsie confirme le diagnostic du lymphome. Le diagnostic de tuberculose osseuse en particulier vertébrale nécessite une confirmation bactériologique et ou histologique pour ne pas méconnaître un lymphome osseux primitif. PMID:28292061

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

Pirozhkov, A.S.; Kando, M.; Esirkepov, T.Zh.

We propose a new mechanism of high-order harmonic generation during an interaction of a high-intensity laser pulse with underdense plasma. A tightly focused laser pulse creates a cavity in plasma pushing electrons aside and exciting the wake wave and the bow wave. At the joint of the cavity wall and the bow wave boundary, an annular spike of electron density is formed. This spike surrounds the cavity and moves together with the laser pulse. Collective motion of electrons in the spike driven by the laser field generates high-order harmonics. A strong localization of the electron spike, its robustness to oscillationsmore » imposed by the laser field and, consequently, its ability to produce high-order harmonics is explained by catastrophe theory. The proposed mechanism explains the experimental observations of high-order harmonics with the 9 TW J-KAREN laser (JAEA, Japan) and the 120 TW Astra Gemini laser (CLF RAL, UK) [A. S. Pirozhkov, et al., arXiv:1004.4514 (2010); A. S. Pirozhkov et al, AIP Proceedings, this volume]. The theory is corroborated by high-resolution two-and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations.« less

Fréquence et facteurs de risque maternels de la mort fœtale in utero à Kamina, République Démocratique du Congo

PubMed Central

Kangulu, Ignace Bwana; A'Nkoy, Albert Mwembo Tambwe; Lumbule, John Ngoy; Umba, Elie Kilolo Ngoy; Nzaji, Michel Kabamba; Kayamba, Prosper Kalenga Muenze

2016-01-01

Introduction La mort fœtale in utero constitue un problème fréquent dans la pratique obstétricale. Les objectifs de cette étude étaient de déterminer la fréquence et d'identifier les facteurs de risque de la mort fœtale in utero à l'Hôpital Général de Référence de Kamina. Méthodes L’étude était effectuée en deux temps. En premier lieu, une étude descriptive transversale sur 379 accouchements qui avait permis de déterminer la fréquence de la mort fœtale in utero. La détermination des facteurs de risque était faite à l'aide d'une étude cas-témoins dans laquelle les caractéristiques de 53 morts in utero ont été comparées à 106 témoins constitués des naissances vivantes et à terme. Résultats La fréquence de la mort fœtale in utero à l'Hôpital Général de Référence de Kamina était de 13,9%. Après ajustement, l’âge maternel de plus de 35 ans (OR = 6,23; IC= (1,30-29,80)), l'antécédent de mort fœtale in utero (OR = 3,13; IC= (1,06-9,27)) et la maladie au cours de la grossesse (OR = 31,6, IC= (7,66-130,71)) ont été retenus comme facteurs significativement associés à l'augmentation de la survenue de la mort fœtale. L'instruction élevée de la mère (OR = 0,11; IC= IC= [0,03-0,42]) et la résidence à Kamina (OR = 0,23; IC= (0,08-0,62)) diminuaient ce risque. Conclusion La fréquence de la mort fœtale in utero était de 13,9%. L’âge maternel avancé l'antécédent de mort in utero et la maladie au cours de la grossesse étaient associés à la mort fœtale in utero mais par contre, l'instruction élevée de la femme et la résidence à Kamina diminuaient le risque. La surveillance des gestantes à risque, le dépistage et la prise en charge des maladies pendant la grossesse s'avèrent nécessaires dans la perspective de réduire la fréquence de la mort fœtale in utero dans notre milieu. PMID:27279941