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Rapid Fabrication of Lightweight SiC Optics using Reactive Atom Plasma (RAP) Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fiske, Peter S.

2006-01-01

Reactive Atom Plasma (RAP) processing is a non-contact, plasma-based processing technology that can be used to generate damage-free optical surfaces. We have developed tools and processes using RAP that allow us to shape extremely lightweight mirror Surfaces made from extremely hard-to-machine materials (e.g. SiC). We will describe our latest results using RAP in combination with other technologies to produce finished lightweight SiC mirrors and also discuss applications for RAP in the rapid fabrication of mirror segments for reflective and grazing incidence telescopes.
A new reactive atom plasma technology (RAPT) for precision machining: the etching of ULE optical surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fanara, Carlo; Shore, Paul; Nicholls, John R.; Lyford, Nicholas; Sommer, Phil; Fiske, Peter

2006-06-01

The next generation of 30-100 metre diameter extremely large telescopes (ELTs) requires large numbers of hexagonal primary mirror segments. As part of the Basic Technology programme run jointly by UCL and Cranfield University, a reactive atomic plasma technology (RAP(tm)) emerged from the US Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), is employed for the finishing of these surfaces. Results are presented on this novel etching technology. The Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) operated at atmospheric pressure using argon, activates the chemical species injected through its centre and promotes the fluorine-based chemical reactions at the surface. Process assessment trials on Ultra Low Expansion (ULE(tm)) plates, previously ground at high material removal rates, have been conducted. The quality of the surfaces produced on these samples using the RAP process are discussed. Substantial volumetric material removal rates of up to 0.446(21) mm 3/s at the highest process speed (1,200 mm/min) were found to be possible without pre-heating the substrate. The influences of power transfer, process speed and gas concentration on the removal rates have been determined. The suitability of the RAP process for revealing and removing sub-surface damage induced by high removal rate grinding is discussed. The results on SiC samples are reported elsewhere in this conference.
Phospholipase D1 regulates lymphocyte adhesion via upregulation of Rap1 at the plasma membrane.

PubMed

Mor, Adam; Wynne, Joseph P; Ahearn, Ian M; Dustin, Michael L; Du, Guangwei; Philips, Mark R

2009-06-01

Rap1 is a small GTPase that modulates adhesion of T cells by regulating inside-out signaling through LFA-1. The bulk of Rap1 is expressed in a GDP-bound state on intracellular vesicles. Exocytosis of these vesicles delivers Rap1 to the plasma membrane, where it becomes activated. We report here that phospholipase D1 (PLD1) is expressed on the same vesicular compartment in T cells as Rap1 and is translocated to the plasma membrane along with Rap1. Moreover, PLD activity is required for both translocation and activation of Rap1. Increased T-cell adhesion in response to stimulation of the antigen receptor depended on PLD1. C3G, a Rap1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor located in the cytosol of resting cells, translocated to the plasma membranes of stimulated T cells. Our data support a model whereby PLD1 regulates Rap1 activity by controlling exocytosis of a stored, vesicular pool of Rap1 that can be activated by C3G upon delivery to the plasma membrane.
Plasma levels of soluble interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein are reduced in obesity.

PubMed

Bozaoglu, Kiymet; Attard, Chantal; Kulkarni, Hemant; Cummings, Nik; Diego, Vincent P; Carless, Melanie A; Shields, Katherine A; Johnson, Matthew P; Kowlessur, Sudhir; Dyer, Thomas D; Comuzzie, Anthony G; Almasy, Laura; Zimmet, Paul; Moses, Eric K; Göring, Harald H H; Curran, Joanne E; Blangero, John; Jowett, Jeremy B M

2014-09-01

Adipokines actuate chronic, low-grade inflammation through a complex network of immune markers, but the current understanding of these networks is incomplete. The soluble isoform of the IL-1 receptor accessory protein (sIL1RAP) occupies an important position in the inflammatory pathways involved in obesity. The pathogenetic and clinical influences of sIL1RAP are unknown. The objective of the study was to elucidate whether plasma levels of sIL1RAP are reduced in obesity, using affluent clinical, biochemical, and genetic data from two diverse cohorts. The study was conducted in two cohorts: the San Antonio Family Heart Study (n = 1397 individuals from 42 families) and South Asians living in Mauritius, n = 230). Plasma sIL1RAP levels were measured using an ELISA. The genetic basis of sIL1RAP levels were investigated using both a large-scale gene expression profiling study and a genome-wide association study. A significant decrease in plasma sIL1RAP levels were observed in obese subjects, even after adjustment for age and sex. The sIL1RAP levels demonstrated a strong inverse association with obesity measures in both populations. All associations were more significant in females. Plasma sIL1RAP levels were significantly heritable, correlated with IL1RAP transcript levels (NM_134470), showed evidence for shared genetic influences with obesity measures and were significantly associated with the rs2885373 single-nucleotide polymorphism (P = 6.7 × 10(-23)) within the IL1RAP gene. Plasma sIL1RAP levels are reduced in obesity and can potentially act as biomarkers of obesity. Mechanistic studies are required to understand the exact contribution of sIL1RAP to the pathogenesis of obesity.
Plasma Levels of Soluble Interleukin 1 Receptor Accessory Protein Are Reduced in Obesity

PubMed Central

Attard, Chantal; Kulkarni, Hemant; Cummings, Nik; Diego, Vincent P.; Carless, Melanie A.; Shields, Katherine A.; Johnson, Matthew P.; Kowlessur, Sudhir; Dyer, Thomas D.; Comuzzie, Anthony G.; Almasy, Laura; Zimmet, Paul; Moses, Eric K.; Göring, Harald H. H.; Curran, Joanne E.; Blangero, John; Jowett, Jeremy B. M.

2014-01-01

Context: Adipokines actuate chronic, low-grade inflammation through a complex network of immune markers, but the current understanding of these networks is incomplete. The soluble isoform of the IL-1 receptor accessory protein (sIL1RAP) occupies an important position in the inflammatory pathways involved in obesity. The pathogenetic and clinical influences of sIL1RAP are unknown. Objective: The objective of the study was to elucidate whether plasma levels of sIL1RAP are reduced in obesity, using affluent clinical, biochemical, and genetic data from two diverse cohorts. Design, Setting, and Participants: The study was conducted in two cohorts: the San Antonio Family Heart Study (n = 1397 individuals from 42 families) and South Asians living in Mauritius, n = 230). Main Outcome Measures: Plasma sIL1RAP levels were measured using an ELISA. The genetic basis of sIL1RAP levels were investigated using both a large-scale gene expression profiling study and a genome-wide association study. Results: A significant decrease in plasma sIL1RAP levels were observed in obese subjects, even after adjustment for age and sex. The sIL1RAP levels demonstrated a strong inverse association with obesity measures in both populations. All associations were more significant in females. Plasma sIL1RAP levels were significantly heritable, correlated with IL1RAP transcript levels (NM_134470), showed evidence for shared genetic influences with obesity measures and were significantly associated with the rs2885373 single-nucleotide polymorphism (P = 6.7 × 10−23) within the IL1RAP gene. Conclusions: Plasma sIL1RAP levels are reduced in obesity and can potentially act as biomarkers of obesity. Mechanistic studies are required to understand the exact contribution of sIL1RAP to the pathogenesis of obesity. PMID:24915116
Plasma surface figuring of large optical components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jourdain, R.; Castelli, M.; Morantz, P.; Shore, P.

2012-04-01

Fast figuring of large optical components is well known as a highly challenging manufacturing issue. Different manufacturing technologies including: magnetorheological finishing, loose abrasive polishing, ion beam figuring are presently employed. Yet, these technologies are slow and lead to expensive optics. This explains why plasma-based processes operating at atmospheric pressure have been researched as a cost effective means for figure correction of metre scale optical surfaces. In this paper, fast figure correction of a large optical surface is reported using the Reactive Atom Plasma (RAP) process. Achievements are shown following the scaling-up of the RAP figuring process to a 400 mm diameter area of a substrate made of Corning ULE®. The pre-processing spherical surface is characterized by a 3 metres radius of curvature, 2.3 μm PVr (373nm RMS), and 1.2 nm Sq nanometre roughness. The nanometre scale correction figuring system used for this research work is named the HELIOS 1200, and it is equipped with a unique plasma torch which is driven by a dedicated tool path algorithm. Topography map measurements were carried out using a vertical work station instrumented by a Zygo DynaFiz interferometer. Figuring results, together with the processing times, convergence levels and number of iterations, are reported. The results illustrate the significant potential and advantage of plasma processing for figuring correction of large silicon based optical components.
cAMP regulates DEP domain-mediated binding of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor Epac1 to phosphatidic acid at the plasma membrane.

PubMed

Consonni, Sarah V; Gloerich, Martijn; Spanjaard, Emma; Bos, Johannes L

2012-03-06

Epac1 is a cAMP-regulated guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the small G protein Rap. Upon cAMP binding, Epac1 undergoes a conformational change that results in its release from autoinhibition. In addition, cAMP induces the translocation of Epac1 from the cytosol to the plasma membrane. This relocalization of Epac1 is required for efficient activation of plasma membrane-located Rap and for cAMP-induced cell adhesion. This translocation requires the Dishevelled, Egl-10, Pleckstrin (DEP) domain, but the molecular entity that serves as the plasma membrane anchor and the possible mechanism of regulated binding remains elusive. Here we show that Epac1 binds directly to phosphatidic acid. Similar to the cAMP-induced Epac1 translocation, this binding is regulated by cAMP and requires the DEP domain. Furthermore, depletion of phosphatidic acid by inhibition of phospholipase D1 prevents cAMP-induced translocation of Epac1 as well as the subsequent activation of Rap at the plasma membrane. Finally, mutation of a single basic residue within a polybasic stretch of the DEP domain, which abolishes translocation, also prevents binding to phosphatidic acid. From these results we conclude that cAMP induces a conformational change in Epac1 that enables DEP domain-mediated binding to phosphatidic acid, resulting in the tethering of Epac1 at the plasma membrane and subsequent activation of Rap.
Cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte antigen 4 receptor signaling for lymphocyte adhesion is mediated by C3G and Rap1.

PubMed

Kloog, Yoel; Mor, Adam

2014-03-01

T-lymphocyte adhesion plays a critical role in both inflammatory and autoimmune responses. The small GTPase Rap1 is the key coordinator mediating T-cell adhesion to endothelial cells, antigen-presenting cells, and virus-infected cells. We describe a signaling pathway, downstream of the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) receptor, leading to Rap1-mediated adhesion. We identified a role for the Rap1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor C3G in the regulation of T-cell adhesion and showed that this factor is required for both T-cell receptor (TCR)-mediated and CTLA-4-mediated T-cell adhesion. Our data indicated that C3G translocates to the plasma membrane downstream of TCR signaling, where it regulates activation of Rap1. We also showed that CTLA-4 receptor signaling mediates tyrosine phosphorylation in the C3G protein, and that this is required for augmented activation of Rap1 and increased adhesion mediated by leukocyte function-associated antigen type 1 (LFA-1). Zap70 is required for C3G translocation to the plasma membrane, whereas the Src family member Hck facilitates C3G phosphorylation. These findings point to C3G and Hck as promising potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of T-cell-dependent autoimmune disorders.
Cytotoxic-T-Lymphocyte Antigen 4 Receptor Signaling for Lymphocyte Adhesion Is Mediated by C3G and Rap1

PubMed Central

Kloog, Yoel

2014-01-01

T-lymphocyte adhesion plays a critical role in both inflammatory and autoimmune responses. The small GTPase Rap1 is the key coordinator mediating T-cell adhesion to endothelial cells, antigen-presenting cells, and virus-infected cells. We describe a signaling pathway, downstream of the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) receptor, leading to Rap1-mediated adhesion. We identified a role for the Rap1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor C3G in the regulation of T-cell adhesion and showed that this factor is required for both T-cell receptor (TCR)-mediated and CTLA-4-mediated T-cell adhesion. Our data indicated that C3G translocates to the plasma membrane downstream of TCR signaling, where it regulates activation of Rap1. We also showed that CTLA-4 receptor signaling mediates tyrosine phosphorylation in the C3G protein, and that this is required for augmented activation of Rap1 and increased adhesion mediated by leukocyte function-associated antigen type 1 (LFA-1). Zap70 is required for C3G translocation to the plasma membrane, whereas the Src family member Hck facilitates C3G phosphorylation. These findings point to C3G and Hck as promising potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of T-cell-dependent autoimmune disorders. PMID:24396067
Effect of fly ash on properties of crushed brick and reclaimed asphalt in pavement base/subbase applications.

PubMed

Mohammadinia, Alireza; Arulrajah, Arul; Horpibulsuk, Suksun; Chinkulkijniwat, Avirut

2017-01-05

Fly Ash (FA), an abundant by-product with no carbon footprint, is a potential stabilizer for enhancing the physical and geotechnical properties of pavement aggregates. In this research, FA was used in different ratios to stabilize crushed brick (CB) and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) for pavement base/subbase applications. The FA stabilization of CB and RAP was targeted to improve the strength and durability of these recycled materials for pavement base/subbase applications. The Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and resilient modulus (M R ) development of the stabilized CB and RAP aggregates was studied under room temperature and at an elevated temperatures of 40°C, and results compared with unbound CB and RAP. Analysis of atomic silica content showed that when the amount of silica and alumina crystalline was increased, the soil structure matrix deteriorated, resulting in strength reduction. The results of UCS and M R testing of FA stabilized CB and RAP aggregates indicated that FA was a viable binder for the stabilization of recycled CB and RAP. CB and RAP stabilized with 15% FA showed the highest UCS results at both room temperature and at 40°C. Higher temperature curing was also found to result in higher strengths. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Krit 1 interactions with microtubules and membranes are regulated by Rap1 and integrin cytoplasmic domain associated protein-1

PubMed Central

Béraud-Dufour, Sophie; Gautier, Romain; Albiges-Rizo, Corinne; Chardin, Pierre; Faurobert, Eva

2007-01-01

The small G protein Rap1 regulates diverse cellular processes such as integrin activation, cell adhesion, cell-cell junction formation and cell polarity. It is crucial to identify Rap1 effectors to better understand signalling pathways controlling these processes. Krit1, a FERM protein, was identified as a Rap1 partner in a yeast two-hydrid screen, but this interaction was not confirmed in subsequent studies. As evidence suggests a role for Krit1 in Rap1-dependent pathways, we readdressed this question. Here, we demonstrate by biochemical assays that Krit1 is a specific Rap1 effector. We show that, like other FERM proteins, Krit1 adopts two conformations: a closed conformation in which its N-terminal NPAY motif interacts with its C-terminus and an opened conformation bound to ICAP-1, a negative regulator of focal adhesion assembly. We show that a ternary complex can form in vitro between Krit1, Rap1 and ICAP-1 and that Rap1 binds Krit1 FERM domain in both closed and opened conformations. Unlike ICAP-1, Rap1 does not open Krit1. Using sedimentation assays, we show that Krit1 binds in vitro to microtubules through its N and C-termini and that Rap1 and ICAP-1 inhibit Krit1 binding to microtubules. Consistently, YFP-Krit1 localizes on CFP-labelled microtubules in BHK cells and is delocalized from microtubules upon co-expression with activated Rap1V12. Finally, we show that Krit1 binds to PIP2 containing liposomes and that Rap1 enhances this binding. Based on these results, we propose a model in which Krit1 would be delivered by microtubules to the plasma membrane where it would be captured by Rap1 and ICAP-1. PMID:17916086
SLAT promotes TCR-mediated, Rap1-dependent LFA-1 activation and adhesion through interaction of its PH domain with Rap1

PubMed Central

Côte, Marjorie; Fos, Camille; Canonigo-Balancio, Ann J.; Ley, Klaus; Bécart, Stéphane; Altman, Amnon

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT SLAT (also known as DEF6) promotes T cell activation and differentiation by regulating NFAT-Ca2+ signaling. However, its role in TCR-mediated inside-out signaling, which induces integrin activation and T cell adhesion, a central process in T cell immunity and inflammation, has not been explored. Here, we show that SLAT is crucial for TCR-induced adhesion to ICAM-1 and affinity maturation of LFA-1 in CD4+ T cells. Mechanistic studies revealed that SLAT interacts, through its PH domain, with a key component of inside-out signaling, namely the active form of the small GTPase Rap1 (which has two isoforms, Rap1A and Rap1B). This interaction has been further shown to facilitate the interdependent recruitment of Rap1 and SLAT to the T cell immunological synapse upon TCR engagement. Furthermore, a SLAT mutant lacking its PH domain drastically inhibited LFA-1 activation and CD4+ T cell adhesion. Finally, we established that a constitutively active form of Rap1, which is present at the plasma membrane, rescues the defective LFA-1 activation and ICAM-1 adhesion in SLAT-deficient (Def6−/−) T cells. These findings ascribe a new function to SLAT, and identify Rap1 as a target of SLAT function in TCR-mediated inside-out signaling. PMID:26483383
SLAT promotes TCR-mediated, Rap1-dependent LFA-1 activation and adhesion through interaction of its PH domain with Rap1.

PubMed

Côte, Marjorie; Fos, Camille; Canonigo-Balancio, Ann J; Ley, Klaus; Bécart, Stéphane; Altman, Amnon

2015-12-01

SLAT (also known as DEF6) promotes T cell activation and differentiation by regulating NFAT-Ca(2+) signaling. However, its role in TCR-mediated inside-out signaling, which induces integrin activation and T cell adhesion, a central process in T cell immunity and inflammation, has not been explored. Here, we show that SLAT is crucial for TCR-induced adhesion to ICAM-1 and affinity maturation of LFA-1 in CD4(+) T cells. Mechanistic studies revealed that SLAT interacts, through its PH domain, with a key component of inside-out signaling, namely the active form of the small GTPase Rap1 (which has two isoforms, Rap1A and Rap1B). This interaction has been further shown to facilitate the interdependent recruitment of Rap1 and SLAT to the T cell immunological synapse upon TCR engagement. Furthermore, a SLAT mutant lacking its PH domain drastically inhibited LFA-1 activation and CD4(+) T cell adhesion. Finally, we established that a constitutively active form of Rap1, which is present at the plasma membrane, rescues the defective LFA-1 activation and ICAM-1 adhesion in SLAT-deficient (Def6(-/-)) T cells. These findings ascribe a new function to SLAT, and identify Rap1 as a target of SLAT function in TCR-mediated inside-out signaling. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.
Targets of B-cell antigen receptor signaling: the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/glycogen synthase kinase-3 signaling pathway and the Rap1 GTPase.

PubMed

Gold, M R; Ingham, R J; McLeod, S J; Christian, S L; Scheid, M P; Duronio, V; Santos, L; Matsuuchi, L

2000-08-01

In this review, we discuss the role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and Rap 1 in B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling. PI3K produces lipids that recruit pleckstrin homology domain-containing proteins to the plasma membrane. Akt is a kinase that the BCR activates in this manner. Akt phosphorylates several transcription factors as well as proteins that regulate apoptosis and protein synthesis. Akt also regulates glycogen synthase kinase-3, a kinase whose substrates include the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT)cl and beta-catenin transcriptional activators. In addition to Akt, PI3K-derived lipids also regulate the activity and localization of other targets of BCR signaling. Thus, a key event in BCR signaling is the recruitment of PI3K to the plasma membrane where its substrates are located. This is mediated by binding of the Src homology (SH) 2 domains in PI3K to phosphotyrosine-containing sequences on membrane-associated docking proteins. The docking proteins that the BCR uses to recruit PI3K include CD19, Cbl, Gab1, and perhaps Gab2. We have shown that Gab1 colocalizes PI3K with SH2 domain-containing inositol phosphatase (SHIP) and SHP2, two enzymes that regulate PI3K-dependent signaling. In contrast to PI3K, little is known about the Rap1 GTPase. We showed that the BCR activates Rap1 via phospholipase C-dependent production of diacylglycerol. Since Rap1 is thought to regulate cell adhesion and cell polarity, it may be involved in B-cell migration.
Radil controls neutrophil adhesion and motility through β2-integrin activation

PubMed Central

Liu, Lunhua; Aerbajinai, Wulin; Ahmed, Syed M.; Rodgers, Griffin P.; Angers, Stephane; Parent, Carole A.

2012-01-01

Integrin activation is required to facilitate multiple adhesion-dependent functions of neutrophils, such as chemotaxis, which is critical for inflammatory responses to injury and pathogens. However, little is known about the mechanisms that mediate integrin activation in neutrophils. We show that Radil, a novel Rap1 effector, regulates β1- and β2-integrin activation and controls neutrophil chemotaxis. On activation and chemotactic migration of neutrophils, Radil quickly translocates from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane in a Rap1a-GTP–dependent manner. Cells overexpressing Radil show a substantial increase in cell adhesion, as well as in integrin/focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation, and exhibit an elongated morphology, with severe tail retraction defects. This phenotype is effectively rescued by treatment with either β2-integrin inhibitory antibodies or FAK inhibitors. Conversely, knockdown of Radil causes severe inhibition of cell adhesion, β2-integrin activation, and chemotaxis. Furthermore, we found that inhibition of Rap activity by RapGAP coexpression inhibits Radil-mediated integrin and FAK activation, decreases cell adhesion, and abrogates the long-tail phenotype of Radil cells. Overall, these studies establish that Radil regulates neutrophil adhesion and motility by linking Rap1 to β2-integrin activation. PMID:23097489
Radil controls neutrophil adhesion and motility through β2-integrin activation.

PubMed

Liu, Lunhua; Aerbajinai, Wulin; Ahmed, Syed M; Rodgers, Griffin P; Angers, Stephane; Parent, Carole A

2012-12-01

Integrin activation is required to facilitate multiple adhesion-dependent functions of neutrophils, such as chemotaxis, which is critical for inflammatory responses to injury and pathogens. However, little is known about the mechanisms that mediate integrin activation in neutrophils. We show that Radil, a novel Rap1 effector, regulates β1- and β2-integrin activation and controls neutrophil chemotaxis. On activation and chemotactic migration of neutrophils, Radil quickly translocates from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane in a Rap1a-GTP-dependent manner. Cells overexpressing Radil show a substantial increase in cell adhesion, as well as in integrin/focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation, and exhibit an elongated morphology, with severe tail retraction defects. This phenotype is effectively rescued by treatment with either β2-integrin inhibitory antibodies or FAK inhibitors. Conversely, knockdown of Radil causes severe inhibition of cell adhesion, β2-integrin activation, and chemotaxis. Furthermore, we found that inhibition of Rap activity by RapGAP coexpression inhibits Radil-mediated integrin and FAK activation, decreases cell adhesion, and abrogates the long-tail phenotype of Radil cells. Overall, these studies establish that Radil regulates neutrophil adhesion and motility by linking Rap1 to β2-integrin activation.
TRPM8 inhibits endothelial cell migration via a non-channel function by trapping the small GTPase Rap1

PubMed Central

Grolez, Guillaume P.; Bernardini, Michela; Richard, Elodie; Scianna, Marco; Lemonnier, Loic; Munaron, Luca; Mattot, Virginie; Prevarskaya, Natalia; Gkika, Dimitra

2017-01-01

Endothelial cell adhesion and migration are critical steps of the angiogenic process, whose dysfunction is associated with tumor growth and metastasis. The TRPM8 channel has recently been proposed to play a protective role in prostate cancer by impairing cell motility. However, the mechanisms by which it could influence vascular behavior are unknown. Here, we reveal a novel non-channel function for TRPM8 that unexpectedly acts as a Rap1 GTPase inhibitor, thereby inhibiting endothelial cell motility, independently of pore function. TRPM8 retains Rap1 intracellularly through direct protein–protein interaction, thus preventing its cytoplasm–plasma membrane trafficking. In turn, this mechanism impairs the activation of a major inside-out signaling pathway that triggers the conformational activation of integrin and, consequently, cell adhesion, migration, in vitro endothelial tube formation, and spheroid sprouting. Our results bring to light a novel, pore-independent molecular mechanism by which endogenous TRPM8 expression inhibits Rap1 GTPase and thus plays a critical role in the behavior of vascular endothelial cells by inhibiting migration. PMID:28550110
Disruption of mTORC1 in Macrophages Decreases Chemokine Gene Expression and Atherosclerosis

PubMed Central

Ai, Ding; Jiang, Hongfeng; Westerterp, Marit; Murphy, Andrew J.; Wang, Mi; Ganda, Anjali; Abramowicz, Sandra; Welch, Carrie; Almazan, Felicidad; Zhu, Yi; Miller, Yury I; Tall, Alan R.

2014-01-01

Rationale The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) inhibitor, rapamycin, has been shown to decrease atherosclerosis, even while increasing plasma LDL levels. This suggests an anti-atherogenic effect possibly mediated by modulation of inflammatory responses in atherosclerotic plaques. Objective To assess the role of macrophage mTORC1 in atherogenesis. Methods and Results We transplanted bone marrow from mice in which a key mTORC1 adaptor, Raptor, was deleted in macrophages by Cre/loxP recombination (Mac-RapKO mice) into Ldlr-/- mice and then fed them the Western-type diet (WTD). Atherosclerotic lesions from Mac-RapKO mice showed decreased infiltration of macrophages, lesion size and chemokine gene expression compared with control mice. Treatment of macrophages with minimally modified LDL (mmLDL) resulted in increased levels of chemokine mRNAs and STAT3 phosphorylation; these effects were reduced in Mac-RapKO macrophages. While wild-type and Mac-RapKO macrophages showed similar STAT3 phosphorylation on Tyr705, Mac-RapKO macrophages showed decreased STAT3 Ser727 phosphorylation in response to mmLDL treatment and decreased Ccl2 promoter binding of STAT3. Conclusions The results demonstrate cross-talk between nutritionally-induced mTORC1 signaling and mmLDL-mediated inflammatory signaling via combinatorial phosphorylation of STAT3 in macrophages, leading to increased STAT3 activity on the CCL2 (MCP-1)promoter with pro-atherogenic consequences. PMID:24687132
Catheter-Based Renal Sympathetic Denervation Significantly Inhibits Atrial Fibrillation Induced by Electrical Stimulation of the Left Stellate Ganglion and Rapid Atrial Pacing

PubMed Central

Po, Sunny S.; Wang, Huan; Zhang, Ling; Zhang, Feng; Wang, Kun; Zhou, Qina

2013-01-01

Background Sympathetic activity involves the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF). Renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) decreases sympathetic renal afferent nerve activity, leading to decreased central sympathetic drive. The aim of this study was to identify the effects of RSD on AF inducibility induced by hyper-sympathetic activity in a canine model. Methods To establish a hyper-sympathetic tone canine model of AF, sixteen dogs were subjected to stimulation of left stellate ganglion (LSG) and rapid atrial pacing (RAP) for 3 hours. Then animals in the RSD group (n = 8) underwent radiofrequency ablation of the renal sympathetic nerve. The control group (n = 8) underwent the same procedure except for ablation. AF inducibility, effective refractory period (ERP), ERP dispersion, heart rate variability and plasma norepinephrine levels were measured at baseline, after stimulation and after ablation. Results LSG stimulation combined RAP significantly induced higher AF induction rate, shorter ERP, larger ERP dispersion at all sites examined and higher plasma norepinephrine levels (P<0.05 in all values), compared to baseline. The increased AF induction rate, shortened ERP, increased ERP dispersion and elevated plasma norepinephrine levels can be almost reversed by RSD, compared to the control group (P<0.05). LSG stimulation combined RAP markedly shortened RR-interval and standard deviation of all RR-intervals (SDNN), Low-frequency (LF), high-frequency (HF) and LF/HF ratio (P<0.05). These changes can be reversed by RSD, compared to the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions RSD significantly reduced AF inducibility and reversed the atrial electrophysiological changes induced by hyper-sympathetic activity. PMID:24223140
RAP workshop : Buda-TxAPA, Texas, August 27, 2009.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-08-27

Presentation Outline : RAP overview : RAP stockpile survey: state of practice : RAP processing and RAP variability : RAP characterization : RAP mix design : Field performance of Texas high RAP test sections

Rap1 and Rap2 Antagonistically Control Endothelial Barrier Resistance

PubMed Central

Pannekoek, Willem-Jan; Linnemann, Jelena R.; Brouwer, Patricia M.; Bos, Johannes L.; Rehmann, Holger

2013-01-01

Rap1 and Rap2 are closely related proteins of the Ras family of small G-proteins. Rap1 is well known to regulate cell-cell adhesion. Here, we have analysed the effect of Rap-mediated signalling on endothelial permeability using electrical impedance measurements of HUVEC monolayers and subsequent determination of the barrier resistance, which is a measure for the ease with which ions can pass cell junctions. In line with its well-established effect on cell-cell junctions, depletion of Rap1 decreases, whereas activation of Rap1 increases barrier resistance. Despite its high sequence homology with Rap1, depletion of Rap2 has an opposite, enhancing, effect on barrier resistance. This effect can be mimicked by depletion of the Rap2 specific activator RasGEF1C and the Rap2 effector MAP4K4, establishing Rap2 signalling as an independent pathway controlling barrier resistance. As simultaneous depletion or activation of both Rap1 and Rap2 results in a barrier resistance comparable to control cells, Rap1 and Rap2 control barrier resistance in a reciprocal manner. This Rap1-antagonizing effect of Rap2 is established independent of junctional actin formation. These data establish that endothelial barrier resistance is determined by the combined antagonistic actions of Rap1 and Rap2. PMID:23469100
Effect of renal sympathetic denervation on atrial substrate remodeling in ambulatory canines with prolonged atrial pacing.

PubMed

Wang, Xule; Zhao, Qingyan; Huang, He; Tang, Yanhong; Xiao, Jinping; Dai, Zixuan; Yu, Shengbo; Huang, Congxin

2013-01-01

We have previously demonstrated that catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) could suppress atrial fibrillation (AF) in canines with short-time rapid right atrial pacing (RAP). However, the role of renal denervation on atrial remodeling is unclear. The aim of the present study was to explore the long-term effect of RSD on the atrial remodeling during prolonged RAP. Twenty mongrel dogs were implanted with a high-frequency cardiac pacemaker with a transvenous lead inserted into the right atrial appendage. The dogs were divided into three groups: a sham-operated group (n = 6), the chronic RAP (CRAP) group (n = 7), and the CRAP+RSD group (n = 7). In the CRAP+RSD group, a pacemaker was implanted 6 weeks after RSD was performed bilaterally for recovery. RAP was maintained for 5 weeks in CRAP group and CRAP+RSD group. The plasma levels of Angiotensin II and aldosterone were significantly increased in CRAP group compared with sham-operated group, but the increasing trend was inhibited in CRAP+RSD group compared with CRAP group (P<0.05). Similarly, RSD suppressed the increasing trend that prolonged RAP produced in the left atrial levels of ANP, TNF-α and IL-6. Compared with the sham-operated group, the CRAP group had significantly increased levels of caspase-3, bax and Cx40 whereas the level of Bcl-2 decreased (P<0.05). RSD markedly reduced the upregulation of caspase-3, bax and Cx40 and the downregulation of Bcl-2 expression compared with the CRAP group (P<0.05). Picric acid-sirius red staining study suggested that RSD could markedly alleviate the lesion degree of cardic fibrosis induced by CRAP (P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry results showed that the densities of TH- and GAP43- positive nerves were significantly elevated in the CRAP group compared with the sham-operated group, while RSD operation signicantly inhibited the these changes produced by CRAP. These findings suggest that renal denervation could suppress the atrial remodeling after prolonged RAP in ambulatory canines.
Effect of Renal Sympathetic Denervation on Atrial Substrate Remodeling in Ambulatory Canines with Prolonged Atrial Pacing

PubMed Central

Wang, Xule; Zhao, Qingyan; Huang, He; Tang, Yanhong; Xiao, Jinping; Dai, Zixuan; Yu, Shengbo; Huang, Congxin

2013-01-01

We have previously demonstrated that catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) could suppress atrial fibrillation (AF) in canines with short-time rapid right atrial pacing (RAP). However, the role of renal denervation on atrial remodeling is unclear. The aim of the present study was to explore the long-term effect of RSD on the atrial remodeling during prolonged RAP. Twenty mongrel dogs were implanted with a high-frequency cardiac pacemaker with a transvenous lead inserted into the right atrial appendage. The dogs were divided into three groups: a sham-operated group (n = 6), the chronic RAP (CRAP) group (n = 7), and the CRAP+RSD group (n = 7). In the CRAP+RSD group, a pacemaker was implanted 6 weeks after RSD was performed bilaterally for recovery. RAP was maintained for 5 weeks in CRAP group and CRAP+RSD group. The plasma levels of Angiotensin II and aldosterone were significantly increased in CRAP group compared with sham-operated group, but the increasing trend was inhibited in CRAP+RSD group compared with CRAP group (P<0.05). Similarly, RSD suppressed the increasing trend that prolonged RAP produced in the left atrial levels of ANP, TNF-α and IL-6. Compared with the sham-operated group, the CRAP group had significantly increased levels of caspase-3, bax and Cx40 whereas the level of Bcl-2 decreased (P<0.05). RSD markedly reduced the upregulation of caspase-3, bax and Cx40 and the downregulation of Bcl-2 expression compared with the CRAP group (P<0.05). Picric acid–sirius red staining study suggested that RSD could markedly alleviate the lesion degree of cardic fibrosis induced by CRAP (P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry results showed that the densities of TH- and GAP43- positive nerves were significantly elevated in the CRAP group compared with the sham-operated group, while RSD operation signicantly inhibited the these changes produced by CRAP. These findings suggest that renal denervation could suppress the atrial remodeling after prolonged RAP in ambulatory canines. PMID:23724069
Identification of a transcriptional activation domain in yeast repressor activator protein 1 (Rap1) using an altered DNA-binding specificity variant

PubMed Central

Johnson, Amanda N.; Weil, P. Anthony

2017-01-01

Repressor activator protein 1 (Rap1) performs multiple vital cellular functions in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These include regulation of telomere length, transcriptional repression of both telomere-proximal genes and the silent mating type loci, and transcriptional activation of hundreds of mRNA-encoding genes, including the highly transcribed ribosomal protein- and glycolytic enzyme-encoding genes. Studies of the contributions of Rap1 to telomere length regulation and transcriptional repression have yielded significant mechanistic insights. However, the mechanism of Rap1 transcriptional activation remains poorly understood because Rap1 is encoded by a single copy essential gene and is involved in many disparate and essential cellular functions, preventing easy interpretation of attempts to directly dissect Rap1 structure-function relationships. Moreover, conflicting reports on the ability of Rap1-heterologous DNA-binding domain fusion proteins to serve as chimeric transcriptional activators challenge use of this approach to study Rap1. Described here is the development of an altered DNA-binding specificity variant of Rap1 (Rap1AS). We used Rap1AS to map and characterize a 41-amino acid activation domain (AD) within the Rap1 C terminus. We found that this AD is required for transcription of both chimeric reporter genes and authentic chromosomal Rap1 enhancer-containing target genes. Finally, as predicted for a bona fide AD, mutation of this newly identified AD reduced the efficiency of Rap1 binding to a known transcriptional coactivator TFIID-binding target, Taf5. In summary, we show here that Rap1 contains an AD required for Rap1-dependent gene transcription. The Rap1AS variant will likely also be useful for studies of the functions of Rap1 in other biological pathways. PMID:28196871
Role of angiotensin II in dynamic renal blood flow autoregulation of the conscious dog

PubMed Central

Just, Armin; Ehmke, Heimo; Wittmann, Uwe; Kirchheim, Hartmut R

2002-01-01

The influence of angiotensin II (ANGII) on the dynamic characteristics of renal blood flow (RBF) was studied in conscious dogs by testing the response to a step increase in renal artery pressure (RAP) after a 60 s period of pressure reduction (to 50 mmHg) and by calculating the transfer function between physiological fluctuations in RAP and RBF. During the RAP reduction, renal vascular resistance (RVR) decreased and upon rapid restoration of RAP, RVR returned to baseline with a characteristic time course: within the first 10 s, RVR rose rapidly by 40 % of the initial change (first response, myogenic response). A second rise began after 20–30 s and reached baseline after an overshoot at 40 s (second response, tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF)). Between both responses, RVR rose very slowly (plateau). The transfer function had a low gain below 0.01 Hz (high autoregulatory efficiency) and two corner frequencies at 0.026 Hz (TGF) and at 0.12 Hz (myogenic response). Inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) lowered baseline RVR, but not the minimum RVR at the end of the RAP reduction (autoregulation-independent RVR). Both the first and second response were reduced, but the normalised level of the plateau (balance between myogenic response, TGF and possible slower mechanisms) and the transfer gain below 0.01 Hz were not affected. Infusion of ANGII after ramipril raised baseline RVR above the control condition. The first and second response and the transfer gain at both corner frequencies were slightly augmented, but the normalised level of the plateau was not affected. It is concluded that alterations of plasma ANGII within a physiological range do not modulate the relative contribution of the myogenic response to the overall short-term autoregulation of RBF. Consequently, it appears that ANGII augments not only TGF, but also the myogenic response. PMID:11773325
Survey of owner motivations and veterinary input of owners feeding diets containing raw animal products

PubMed Central

Willis, Susan; Shepherd, Megan L.

2017-01-01

Background The practice of feeding of diets containing raw animal products (RAP) to pets (dogs and cats) is discouraged by veterinary organizations and governmental public health organizations. Nevertheless, the practice of feeding RAP to pets is increasing in popularity. Pet owner motivations for feeding RAP diets to pets have not been explored and the benefits of RAP diets remain largely anecdotal. We hypothesized that pet owners feeding RAP diets would not rely on veterinary advice in choosing their pet’s diet. We also hypothesized that these owners would have lower levels of trust in veterinary advice with respect to nutrition relative to pet owners not feeding RAP. Methods An anonymous web-based survey was developed to identify pet owner motivations for feeding RAP diets, and to characterize the veterinarian-client relationships of individuals feeding RAP diets. Results There were 2,337 respondents and 2,171 completed surveys. Of survey respondents, 804 reported feeding RAP at the time of the survey. While 20% of pet owners feeding RAP relied on online resources to determine what or how much RAP to feed, only 9% reported consulting with a veterinarian in making decisions about feeding RAP. Pet owners feeding RAP reported lower levels of trust in veterinary advice both ‘in general’ and ‘with respect to nutrition’ than pet owners not feeding RAP. Most pet owners reported that a discussion regarding their pet’s nutrition does not occur at every veterinary appointment. Discussion Pet owners feeding a RAP diet have lower trust in veterinary advice than pet owners not feeding a RAP diet. Owners feeding RAP are more reliant on online resources than their own veterinarian in deciding what and how much RAP to feed. Pet owners perceive that nutrition is not discussed at most veterinary appointments. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the veterinarian-client communication with regards to nutrition. PMID:28265510
Allosteric Activation of Bacterial Swi2/Snf2 (Switch/Sucrose Non-fermentable) Protein RapA by RNA Polymerase

PubMed Central

Kakar, Smita; Fang, Xianyang; Lubkowska, Lucyna; Zhou, Yan Ning; Shaw, Gary X.; Wang, Yun-Xing; Jin, Ding Jun; Kashlev, Mikhail; Ji, Xinhua

2015-01-01

Members of the Swi2/Snf2 (switch/sucrose non-fermentable) family depend on their ATPase activity to mobilize nucleic acid-protein complexes for gene expression. In bacteria, RapA is an RNA polymerase (RNAP)-associated Swi2/Snf2 protein that mediates RNAP recycling during transcription. It is known that the ATPase activity of RapA is stimulated by its interaction with RNAP. It is not known, however, how the RapA-RNAP interaction activates the enzyme. Previously, we determined the crystal structure of RapA. The structure revealed the dynamic nature of its N-terminal domain (Ntd), which prompted us to elucidate the solution structure and activity of both the full-length protein and its Ntd-truncated mutant (RapAΔN). Here, we report the ATPase activity of RapA and RapAΔN in the absence or presence of RNAP and the solution structures of RapA and RapAΔN either ligand-free or in complex with RNAP. Determined by small-angle x-ray scattering, the solution structures reveal a new conformation of RapA, define the binding mode and binding site of RapA on RNAP, and show that the binding sites of RapA and σ70 on the surface of RNAP largely overlap. We conclude that the ATPase activity of RapA is inhibited by its Ntd but stimulated by RNAP in an allosteric fashion and that the conformational changes of RapA and its interaction with RNAP are essential for RNAP recycling. These and previous findings outline the functional cycle of RapA, which increases our understanding of the mechanism and regulation of Swi2/Snf2 proteins in general and of RapA in particular. The new structural information also leads to a hypothetical model of RapA in complex with RNAP immobilized during transcription. PMID:26272746
Src homology 2-domain containing leukocyte-specific phosphoprotein of 76 kDa is mandatory for TCR-mediated inside-out signaling, but dispensable for CXCR4-mediated LFA-1 activation, adhesion, and migration of T cells.

PubMed

Horn, Jessica; Wang, Xiaoqian; Reichardt, Peter; Stradal, Theresia E; Warnecke, Nicole; Simeoni, Luca; Gunzer, Matthias; Yablonski, Deborah; Schraven, Burkhart; Kliche, Stefanie

2009-11-01

Engagement of the TCR or of chemokine receptors such as CXCR4 induces adhesion and migration of T cells via so-called inside-out signaling pathways. The molecular processes underlying inside-out signaling events are as yet not completely understood. In this study, we show that TCR- and CXCR4-mediated activation of integrins critically depends on the membrane recruitment of the adhesion- and degranulation-promoting adapter protein (ADAP)/Src kinase-associated phosphoprotein of 55 kDa (SKAP55)/Rap1-interacting adapter protein (RIAM)/Rap1 module. We further demonstrate that the Src homology 2 domain containing leukocyte-specific phosphoprotein of 76 kDa (SLP76) is crucial for TCR-mediated inside-out signaling and T cell/APC interaction. Besides facilitating membrane recruitment of ADAP, SKAP55, and RIAM, SLP76 regulates TCR-mediated inside-out signaling by controlling the activation of Rap1 as well as Rac-mediated actin polymerization. Surprisingly, however, SLP76 is not mandatory for CXCR4-mediated inside-out signaling. Indeed, both CXCR4-induced T cell adhesion and migration are not affected by loss of SLP76. Moreover, after CXCR4 stimulation, the ADAP/SKAP55/RIAM/Rap1 module is recruited to the plasma membrane independently of SLP76. Collectively, our data indicate a differential requirement for SLP76 in TCR- vs CXCR4-mediated inside-out signaling pathways regulating T cell adhesion and migration.
40 CFR 270.135 - What must the Director include in a draft RAP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... draft RAP? 270.135 Section 270.135 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... Action Plans (RAPs) Getting A Rap Approved § 270.135 What must the Director include in a draft RAP? If the Director prepares a draft RAP, it must include the: (a) Information required under § 270.110(a...
40 CFR 270.135 - What must the Director include in a draft RAP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... draft RAP? 270.135 Section 270.135 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... Action Plans (RAPs) Getting A Rap Approved § 270.135 What must the Director include in a draft RAP? If the Director prepares a draft RAP, it must include the: (a) Information required under § 270.110(a...
40 CFR 270.135 - What must the Director include in a draft RAP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... draft RAP? 270.135 Section 270.135 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... Action Plans (RAPs) Getting A Rap Approved § 270.135 What must the Director include in a draft RAP? If the Director prepares a draft RAP, it must include the: (a) Information required under § 270.110(a...
40 CFR 270.135 - What must the Director include in a draft RAP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... draft RAP? 270.135 Section 270.135 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... Action Plans (RAPs) Getting A Rap Approved § 270.135 What must the Director include in a draft RAP? If the Director prepares a draft RAP, it must include the: (a) Information required under § 270.110(a...
40 CFR 270.135 - What must the Director include in a draft RAP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... draft RAP? 270.135 Section 270.135 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... Action Plans (RAPs) Getting A Rap Approved § 270.135 What must the Director include in a draft RAP? If the Director prepares a draft RAP, it must include the: (a) Information required under § 270.110(a...
Rap-Music Attitude and Perception Scale: A Validation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyson, Edgar H.

2006-01-01

Objective: This study tests the validity of the Rap-music Attitude and Perception (RAP) Scale, a 1-page, 24-item measure of a person's thoughts and feelings surrounding the effects and content of rap music. The RAP was designed as a rapid assessment instrument for youth programs and practitioners using rap music and hip hop culture in their work…
Podocyte-specific RAP1GAP expression contributes to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis–associated glomerular injury

PubMed Central

Potla, Uma; Ni, Jie; Vadaparampil, Justin; Yang, Guozhe; Leventhal, Jeremy S.; Campbell, Kirk N.; Chuang, Peter Y.; Morozov, Alexei; He, John C.; D’Agati, Vivette D.; Klotman, Paul E.; Kaufman, Lewis

2014-01-01

Injury to the specialized epithelial cells of the glomerulus (podocytes) underlies the pathogenesis of all forms of proteinuric kidney disease; however, the specific genetic changes that mediate podocyte dysfunction after injury are not fully understood. Here, we performed a large-scale insertional mutagenic screen of injury-resistant podocytes isolated from mice and found that increased expression of the gene Rap1gap, encoding a RAP1 activation inhibitor, ameliorated podocyte injury resistance. Furthermore, injured podocytes in murine models of disease and kidney biopsies from glomerulosclerosis patients exhibited increased RAP1GAP, resulting in diminished glomerular RAP1 activation. In mouse models, podocyte-specific inactivation of Rap1a and Rap1b induced massive glomerulosclerosis and premature death. Podocyte-specific Rap1a and Rap1b haploinsufficiency also resulted in severe podocyte damage, including features of podocyte detachment. Over-expression of RAP1GAP in cultured podocytes induced loss of activated β1 integrin, which was similarly observed in kidney biopsies from patients. Furthermore, preventing elevation of RAP1GAP levels in injured podocytes maintained β1 integrin–mediated adhesion and prevented cellular detachment. Taken together, our findings suggest that increased podocyte expression of RAP1GAP contributes directly to podocyte dysfunction by a mechanism that involves loss of RAP1-mediated activation of β1 integrin. PMID:24642466
Rap G protein signal in normal and disordered lymphohematopoiesis

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

Minato, Nagahiro, E-mail: minato@imm.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp

2013-09-10

Rap proteins (Rap1, Rap2a, b, c) are small molecular weight GTPases of the Ras family. Rap G proteins mediate diverse cellular events such as cell adhesion, proliferation, and gene activation through various signaling pathways. Activation of Rap signal is regulated tightly by several specific regulatory proteins including guanine nucleotide exchange factors and GTPase-activating proteins. Beyond cell biological studies, increasing attempts have been made in the past decade to define the roles of Rap signal in specific functions of normal tissue systems as well as in cancer. In the immune and hematopoietic systems, Rap signal plays crucial roles in the developmentmore » and function of essentially all lineages of lymphocytes and hematopoietic cells, and importantly, deregulated Rap signal may lead to unique pathological conditions depending on the affected cell types, including various types of leukemia and autoimmunity. The phenotypical studies have unveiled novel, even unexpected functional aspects of Rap signal in cells from a variety of tissues, providing potentially important clues for controlling human diseases, including malignancy.« less
"Everybody Gotta Have a Dream": Rap-centered Aspirations among Young Black Males Involved in Rap Music Production - A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Foster, B Brian

Youth express diverse desires for their educational and occupational futures. Sometimes these aspirations are directed towards somewhat unconventional careers such as rapping and other types of involvement in rap music production. Although many studies have examined traditional educational and occupational aspirations, less is known about the factors that give rise to rap-centered aspirations and how individuals pursue them, particularly as they transition to early adulthood. Drawing on 54 semi- and unstructured interviews with 29 black young men involved in rap music production, I find that rap-centered aspirations are shaped by a range of factors, most notably feedback regarding one's rap skills, access to recording and production equipment, and the financial means to maintain involvement in rap music production while also ensuring personal and family economic stability. The young men in the study attached different meanings to their aspirations and sometimes recast their motivations for participating in rap music production in response to various social and economic factors.
Synergistic regulation of competence development in Bacillus subtilis by two Rap-Phr systems.

PubMed

Bongiorni, Cristina; Ishikawa, Shu; Stephenson, Sophie; Ogasawara, Naotake; Perego, Marta

2005-07-01

The 11 Rap proteins of Bacillus subtilis comprise a conserved family of tetratricopeptide (TPR)-containing regulatory proteins. Their activity is inhibited by specific Phr pentapeptides produced from the product of phr genes through an export-import maturation process. We found that one of the proteins, namely RapF, is involved in the regulation of competence to DNA transformation. The ComA response regulator and transcription factor for initiation of competence development is the target of RapF. Specific binding of RapF to the carboxy-terminal DNA-binding domain of ComA inhibits the response regulator's ability to bind its target DNA promoters. The PhrF C-terminal pentapeptide, QRGMI, inhibits RapF activity. The activity of RapF and PhrF in regulating competence development is analogous to the previously described activity of RapC and PhrC (L. J. Core and M. Perego, Mol. Microbiol. 49:1509-1522, 2003). In fact, the RapF and PhrF pair of proteins acts synergistically with RapC and PhrC in the overall regulation of the ComA transcription factor. Since the transcription of the RapC- and RapF-encoding genes is positively regulated by their own target ComA, an autoregulatory circuit must exist for the competence transcription factor in order to modulate its activity.
The Fluids RAP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nedyalkov, Ivaylo

2016-11-01

After fifteen years of experience in rap, and ten in fluid mechanics, "I am coming here with high-Reynolds-number stamina; I can beat these rap folks whose flows are... laminar." The rap relates fluid flows to rap flows. The fluid concepts presented in the song have varying complexity and the listeners/viewers will be encouraged to read the explanations on a site dedicated to the rap. The music video will provide an opportunity to share high-quality fluid visualizations with a general audience. This talk will present the rap lyrics, the vision for the video, and the strategy for outreach. Suggestions and comments will be welcomed.
Differential Processing of Propeptide Inhibitors of Rap Phosphatases in Bacillus subtilis†

PubMed Central

Jiang, Min; Grau, Roberto; Perego, Marta

2000-01-01

In the phosphorelay signal transduction system for sporulation initiation in Bacillus subtilis, the opposing activities of histidine kinases and aspartyl phosphate phosphatases determine the cell's decision whether to continue with vegetative growth or to initiate the differentiation process. Regulated dephosphorylation of the Spo0A and Spo0F response regulators allows a variety of negative signals from physiological processes that are antithetical to sporulation to impact on the activation level of the phosphorelay. Spo0F∼P is the known target of two related phosphatases, RapA and RapB. In addition to RapA and RapB, a third member of the Rap family of phosphatases, RapE, specifically dephosphorylated the Spo0F∼P intermediate in response to competence development. RapE phosphatase activity was found to be controlled by a pentapeptide (SRNVT) generated from within the carboxy-terminal domain of the phrE gene product. A synthetic PhrE pentapeptide could (i) complement the sporulation deficiency caused by deregulated RapE activity of a phrE mutant and (ii) inhibit RapE-dependent dephosphorylation of Spo0F∼P in in vitro experiments. The PhrE pentapeptide did not inhibit the phosphatase activity of RapA and RapB. These results confirm previous conclusions that the specificity for recognition of the target phosphatase is contained within the amino acid sequence of the pentapeptide inhibitor. PMID:10629174

Synergistic Regulation of Competence Development in Bacillus subtilis by Two Rap-Phr Systems† ‡

PubMed Central

Bongiorni, Cristina; Ishikawa, Shu; Stephenson, Sophie; Ogasawara, Naotake; Perego, Marta

2005-01-01

The 11 Rap proteins of Bacillus subtilis comprise a conserved family of tetratricopeptide (TPR)-containing regulatory proteins. Their activity is inhibited by specific Phr pentapeptides produced from the product of phr genes through an export-import maturation process. We found that one of the proteins, namely RapF, is involved in the regulation of competence to DNA transformation. The ComA response regulator and transcription factor for initiation of competence development is the target of RapF. Specific binding of RapF to the carboxy-terminal DNA-binding domain of ComA inhibits the response regulator's ability to bind its target DNA promoters. The PhrF C-terminal pentapeptide, QRGMI, inhibits RapF activity. The activity of RapF and PhrF in regulating competence development is analogous to the previously described activity of RapC and PhrC (L. J. Core and M. Perego, Mol. Microbiol. 49:1509-1522, 2003). In fact, the RapF and PhrF pair of proteins acts synergistically with RapC and PhrC in the overall regulation of the ComA transcription factor. Since the transcription of the RapC- and RapF-encoding genes is positively regulated by their own target ComA, an autoregulatory circuit must exist for the competence transcription factor in order to modulate its activity. PMID:15968044
“Everybody Gotta Have a Dream”: Rap-centered Aspirations among Young Black Males Involved in Rap Music Production – A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Foster, B. Brian

2015-01-01

Youth express diverse desires for their educational and occupational futures. Sometimes these aspirations are directed towards somewhat unconventional careers such as rapping and other types of involvement in rap music production. Although many studies have examined traditional educational and occupational aspirations, less is known about the factors that give rise to rap-centered aspirations and how individuals pursue them, particularly as they transition to early adulthood. Drawing on 54 semi- and unstructured interviews with 29 black young men involved in rap music production, I find that rap-centered aspirations are shaped by a range of factors, most notably feedback regarding one’s rap skills, access to recording and production equipment, and the financial means to maintain involvement in rap music production while also ensuring personal and family economic stability. The young men in the study attached different meanings to their aspirations and sometimes recast their motivations for participating in rap music production in response to various social and economic factors. PMID:26005703
Structural Basis of Response Regulator Dephosphorylation by Rap Phosphatases

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

V Parashar; N Mirouze; D Dubnau

2011-12-31

Bacterial Rap family proteins have been most extensively studied in Bacillus subtilis, where they regulate activities including sporulation, genetic competence, antibiotic expression, and the movement of the ICEBs1 transposon. One subset of Rap proteins consists of phosphatases that control B. subtilis and B. anthracis sporulation by dephosphorylating the response regulator Spo0F. The mechanistic basis of Rap phosphatase activity was unknown. Here we present the RapH-Spo0F X-ray crystal structure, which shows that Rap proteins consist of a 3-helix bundle and a tetratricopeptide repeat domain. Extensive biochemical and genetic functional studies reveal the importance of the observed RapH-Spo0F interactions, including the catalyticmore » role of a glutamine in the RapH 3-helix bundle that inserts into the Spo0F active site. We show that in addition to dephosphorylating Spo0F, RapH can antagonize sporulation by sterically blocking phosphoryl transfer to and from Spo0F. Our structure-function analysis of the RapH-Spo0F interaction identified Rap protein residues critical for Spo0F phosphatase activity. This information enabled us to assign Spo0F phosphatase activity to a Rap protein based on sequence alone, which was not previously possible. Finally, as the ultimate test of our newfound understanding of the structural requirements for Rap phosphatase function, a non-phosphatase Rap protein that inhibits the binding of the response regulator ComA to DNA was rationally engineered to dephosphorylate Spo0F. In addition to revealing the mechanistic basis of response regulator dephosphorylation by Rap proteins, our studies support the previously proposed T-loop-Y allostery model of receiver domain regulation that restricts the aromatic 'switch' residue to an internal position when the {beta}4-{alpha}4 loop adopts an active-site proximal conformation.« less
The Ras-related Protein, Rap1A, Mediates Thrombin-stimulated, Integrin-dependent Glioblastoma Cell Proliferation and Tumor Growth*

PubMed Central

Sayyah, Jacqueline; Bartakova, Alena; Nogal, Nekeisha; Quilliam, Lawrence A.; Stupack, Dwayne G.; Brown, Joan Heller

2014-01-01

Rap1 is a Ras family GTPase with a well documented role in ERK/MAP kinase signaling and integrin activation. Stimulation of the G-protein-coupled receptor PAR-1 with thrombin in human 1321N1 glioblastoma cells led to a robust increase in Rap1 activation. This response was sustained for up to 6 h and mediated through RhoA and phospholipase D (PLD). Thrombin treatment also induced a 5-fold increase in cell adhesion to fibronectin, which was blocked by down-regulating PLD or Rap1A or by treatment with a β1 integrin neutralizing antibody. In addition, thrombin treatment led to increases in phospho-focal adhesion kinase (tyrosine 397), ERK1/2 phosphorylation and cell proliferation, which were significantly inhibited in cells treated with β1 integrin antibody or Rap1A siRNA. To assess the role of Rap1A in tumor formation in vivo, we compared growth of 1321N1 cells stably expressing control, Rap1A or Rap1B shRNA in a mouse xenograft model. Deletion of Rap1A, but not of Rap1B, reduced tumor mass by >70% relative to control. Similar observations were made with U373MG glioblastoma cells in which Rap1A was down-regulated. Collectively, these findings implicate a Rap1A/β1 integrin pathway, activated downstream of G-protein-coupled receptor stimulation and RhoA, in glioblastoma cell proliferation. Moreover, our data demonstrate a critical role for Rap1A in glioblastoma tumor growth in vivo. PMID:24790104
Critical role for Epac1 in inflammatory pain controlled by GRK2-mediated phosphorylation of Epac1.

PubMed

Singhmar, Pooja; Huo, XiaoJiao; Eijkelkamp, Niels; Berciano, Susana Rojo; Baameur, Faiza; Mei, Fang C; Zhu, Yingmin; Cheng, Xiaodong; Hawke, David; Mayor, Federico; Murga, Cristina; Heijnen, Cobi J; Kavelaars, Annemieke

2016-03-15

cAMP signaling plays a key role in regulating pain sensitivity. Here, we uncover a previously unidentified molecular mechanism in which direct phosphorylation of the exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 1 (EPAC1) by G protein kinase 2 (GRK2) suppresses Epac1-to-Rap1 signaling, thereby inhibiting persistent inflammatory pain. Epac1(-/-) mice are protected against inflammatory hyperalgesia in the complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) model. Moreover, the Epac-specific inhibitor ESI-09 inhibits established CFA-induced mechanical hyperalgesia without affecting normal mechanical sensitivity. At the mechanistic level, CFA increased activity of the Epac target Rap1 in dorsal root ganglia of WT, but not of Epac1(-/-), mice. Using sensory neuron-specific overexpression of GRK2 or its kinase-dead mutant in vivo, we demonstrate that GRK2 inhibits CFA-induced hyperalgesia in a kinase activity-dependent manner. In vitro, GRK2 inhibits Epac1-to-Rap1 signaling by phosphorylation of Epac1 at Ser-108 in the Disheveled/Egl-10/pleckstrin domain. This phosphorylation event inhibits agonist-induced translocation of Epac1 to the plasma membrane, thereby reducing Rap1 activation. Finally, we show that GRK2 inhibits Epac1-mediated sensitization of the mechanosensor Piezo2 and that Piezo2 contributes to inflammatory mechanical hyperalgesia. Collectively, these findings identify a key role of Epac1 in chronic inflammatory pain and a molecular mechanism for controlling Epac1 activity and chronic pain through phosphorylation of Epac1 at Ser-108. Importantly, using the Epac inhibitor ESI-09, we validate Epac1 as a potential therapeutic target for chronic pain.
RapA, SWI/SNF subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase promotes the release of nascent RNA from transcription complexes

PubMed Central

Yawn, Brandon; Zhang, Lin; Mura, Cameron; Sukhodolets, Maxim V.

2009-01-01

RapA, a prokaryotic member of the SWI/SNF protein superfamily, is an integral part of the RNA polymerase transcription complex. RapA’s function and catalytic mechanism have been linked to nucleic acid remodeling. In this work we show that mutations in the interface between RapA’s SWI/SNF and double-stranded nucleic acid-binding domains significantly alter ATP hydrolysis in purified RapA. The effects of individual mutations on ATP hydrolysis loosely correlated with RapA’s nucleic acid-remodeling activity, indicating that the interaction between these domains may be important for the RapA-mediated remodeling of nonproductive transcription complexes. In this study we introduced a model system for in vitro transcription of a full-length E. coli gene (slyD). To study the function of RapA, we fractionated and identified in vitro transcription reaction intermediates in the presence or absence of RapA. These experiments demonstrated that RapA contributes to the formation of free RNA species during in vitro transcription. This work further refines our models for RapA function in vivo and establishes a new role in RNA management for a representative of the SWI/SNF protein superfamily. PMID:19580329
Rap Music Genres and Deviant Behaviors in French-Canadian Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miranda, Dave; Claes, Michel

2004-01-01

This study investigated the links between the preference for 4 rap music genres (American rap, French rap, hip hop/soul, and gangsta/hardcore rap) and 5 types of deviant behaviors in adolescence (violence, theft, street gangs, mild drug use, and hard drug use). The effects of peers' deviancy, violent media, and importance given to lyrics were…
The Ras-related protein, Rap1A, mediates thrombin-stimulated, integrin-dependent glioblastoma cell proliferation and tumor growth.

PubMed

Sayyah, Jacqueline; Bartakova, Alena; Nogal, Nekeisha; Quilliam, Lawrence A; Stupack, Dwayne G; Brown, Joan Heller

2014-06-20

Rap1 is a Ras family GTPase with a well documented role in ERK/MAP kinase signaling and integrin activation. Stimulation of the G-protein-coupled receptor PAR-1 with thrombin in human 1321N1 glioblastoma cells led to a robust increase in Rap1 activation. This response was sustained for up to 6 h and mediated through RhoA and phospholipase D (PLD). Thrombin treatment also induced a 5-fold increase in cell adhesion to fibronectin, which was blocked by down-regulating PLD or Rap1A or by treatment with a β1 integrin neutralizing antibody. In addition, thrombin treatment led to increases in phospho-focal adhesion kinase (tyrosine 397), ERK1/2 phosphorylation and cell proliferation, which were significantly inhibited in cells treated with β1 integrin antibody or Rap1A siRNA. To assess the role of Rap1A in tumor formation in vivo, we compared growth of 1321N1 cells stably expressing control, Rap1A or Rap1B shRNA in a mouse xenograft model. Deletion of Rap1A, but not of Rap1B, reduced tumor mass by >70% relative to control. Similar observations were made with U373MG glioblastoma cells in which Rap1A was down-regulated. Collectively, these findings implicate a Rap1A/β1 integrin pathway, activated downstream of G-protein-coupled receptor stimulation and RhoA, in glioblastoma cell proliferation. Moreover, our data demonstrate a critical role for Rap1A in glioblastoma tumor growth in vivo. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
Structural Basis of Rap Phosphatase Inhibition by Phr Peptides

PubMed Central

Gallego del Sol, Francisca; Marina, Alberto

2013-01-01

Two-component systems, composed of a sensor histidine kinase and an effector response regulator (RR), are the main signal transduction devices in bacteria. In Bacillus, the Rap protein family modulates complex signaling processes mediated by two-component systems, such as competence, sporulation, or biofilm formation, by inhibiting the RR components involved in these pathways. Despite the high degree of sequence homology, Rap proteins exert their activity by two completely different mechanisms of action: inducing RR dephosphorylation or blocking RR binding to its target promoter. However the regulatory mechanism involving Rap proteins is even more complex since Rap activity is antagonized by specific signaling peptides (Phr) through a mechanism that remains unknown at the molecular level. Using X-ray analyses, we determined the structure of RapF, the anti-activator of competence RR ComA, alone and in complex with its regulatory peptide PhrF. The structural and functional data presented herein reveal that peptide PhrF blocks the RapF-ComA interaction through an allosteric mechanism. PhrF accommodates in the C-terminal tetratricopeptide repeat domain of RapF by inducing its constriction, a conformational change propagated by a pronounced rotation to the N-terminal ComA-binding domain. This movement partially disrupts the ComA binding site by triggering the ComA disassociation, whose interaction with RapF is also sterically impaired in the PhrF-induced conformation of RapF. Sequence analyses of the Rap proteins, guided by the RapF-PhrF structure, unveil the molecular basis of Phr recognition and discrimination, allowing us to relax the Phr specificity of RapF by a single residue change. PMID:23526880
RAP2.4a Is Transported through the Phloem to Regulate Cold and Heat Tolerance in Papaya Tree (Carica papaya cv. Maradol): Implications for Protection Against Abiotic Stress.

PubMed

Figueroa-Yañez, Luis; Pereira-Santana, Alejandro; Arroyo-Herrera, Ana; Rodriguez-Corona, Ulises; Sanchez-Teyer, Felipe; Espadas-Alcocer, Jorge; Espadas-Gil, Francisco; Barredo-Pool, Felipe; Castaño, Enrique; Rodriguez-Zapata, Luis Carlos

2016-01-01

Plants respond to stress through metabolic and morphological changes that increase their ability to survive and grow. To this end, several transcription factor families are responsible for transmitting the signals that are required for these changes. Here, we studied the transcription factor superfamily AP2/ERF, particularly, RAP2.4 from Carica papaya cv. Maradol. We isolated four genes (CpRap2.4a, CpRAap2.4b, CpRap2.1 and CpRap2.10), and an in silico analysis showed that the four genes encode proteins that contain a conserved APETALA2 (AP2) domain located within group I and II transcription factors of the AP2/ERF superfamily. Semiquantitative PCR experiments indicated that each CpRap2 gene is differentially expressed under stress conditions, such as extreme temperatures. Moreover, genetic transformants of tobacco plants overexpressing CpRap2.4a and CpRap2.4b genes show a high level of tolerance to cold and heat stress compared to non-transformed plants. Confocal microscopy analysis of tobacco transgenic plants showed that CpRAP2.4a and CpRAP2.4b proteins were mainly localized to the nuclei of cells from the leaves and roots and also in the sieve elements. Moreover, the movement of CpRap2.4a RNA in tobacco grafting was analyzed. Our results indicate that CpRap2.4a and CpRap2.4b RNA in the papaya tree have a functional role in the response to stress conditions such as exposure to extreme temperatures via direct translation outside the parental RNA cell.
RAP2.4a Is Transported through the Phloem to Regulate Cold and Heat Tolerance in Papaya Tree (Carica papaya cv. Maradol): Implications for Protection Against Abiotic Stress

PubMed Central

Arroyo-Herrera, Ana; Rodriguez-Corona, Ulises; Sanchez-Teyer, Felipe; Espadas-Alcocer, Jorge; Espadas-Gil, Francisco; Barredo-Pool, Felipe; Castaño, Enrique; Rodriguez-Zapata, Luis Carlos

2016-01-01

Plants respond to stress through metabolic and morphological changes that increase their ability to survive and grow. To this end, several transcription factor families are responsible for transmitting the signals that are required for these changes. Here, we studied the transcription factor superfamily AP2/ERF, particularly, RAP2.4 from Carica papaya cv. Maradol. We isolated four genes (CpRap2.4a, CpRAap2.4b, CpRap2.1 and CpRap2.10), and an in silico analysis showed that the four genes encode proteins that contain a conserved APETALA2 (AP2) domain located within group I and II transcription factors of the AP2/ERF superfamily. Semiquantitative PCR experiments indicated that each CpRap2 gene is differentially expressed under stress conditions, such as extreme temperatures. Moreover, genetic transformants of tobacco plants overexpressing CpRap2.4a and CpRap2.4b genes show a high level of tolerance to cold and heat stress compared to non-transformed plants. Confocal microscopy analysis of tobacco transgenic plants showed that CpRAP2.4a and CpRAP2.4b proteins were mainly localized to the nuclei of cells from the leaves and roots and also in the sieve elements. Moreover, the movement of CpRap2.4a RNA in tobacco grafting was analyzed. Our results indicate that CpRap2.4a and CpRap2.4b RNA in the papaya tree have a functional role in the response to stress conditions such as exposure to extreme temperatures via direct translation outside the parental RNA cell. PMID:27764197
Single Rapamycin Administration Induces Prolonged Downward Shift in Defended Body Weight in Rats

PubMed Central

Hebert, Mark; Licursi, Maria; Jensen, Brittany; Baker, Ashley; Milway, Steve; Malsbury, Charles; Grant, Virginia L.; Adamec, Robert; Hirasawa, Michiru; Blundell, Jacqueline

2014-01-01

Manipulation of body weight set point may be an effective weight loss and maintenance strategy as the homeostatic mechanism governing energy balance remains intact even in obese conditions and counters the effort to lose weight. However, how the set point is determined is not well understood. We show that a single injection of rapamycin (RAP), an mTOR inhibitor, is sufficient to shift the set point in rats. Intraperitoneal RAP decreased food intake and daily weight gain for several days, but surprisingly, there was also a long-term reduction in body weight which lasted at least 10 weeks without additional RAP injection. These effects were not due to malaise or glucose intolerance. Two RAP administrations with a two-week interval had additive effects on body weight without desensitization and significantly reduced the white adipose tissue weight. When challenged with food deprivation, vehicle and RAP-treated rats responded with rebound hyperphagia, suggesting that RAP was not inhibiting compensatory responses to weight loss. Instead, RAP animals defended a lower body weight achieved after RAP treatment. Decreased food intake and body weight were also seen with intracerebroventricular injection of RAP, indicating that the RAP effect is at least partially mediated by the brain. In summary, we found a novel effect of RAP that maintains lower body weight by shifting the set point long-term. Thus, RAP and related compounds may be unique tools to investigate the mechanisms by which the defended level of body weight is determined; such compounds may also be used to complement weight loss strategy. PMID:24787262
Recycled asphalt pavement - fly ash geopolymers as a sustainable pavement base material: Strength and toxic leaching investigations.

PubMed

Hoy, Menglim; Horpibulsuk, Suksun; Rachan, Runglawan; Chinkulkijniwat, Avirut; Arulrajah, Arul

2016-12-15

In this research, a low-carbon stabilization method was studied using Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) and Fly Ash (FA) geopolymers as a sustainable pavement material. The liquid alkaline activator (L) is a mixture of sodium silicate (Na 2 SiO 3 ) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and high calcium FA is used as a precursor to synthesize the FA-RAP geopolymers. Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) of RAP-FA blend and RAP-FA geopolymer are investigated and compared with the requirement of the national road authorities of Thailand. The leachability of the heavy metals is measured by Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and compared with international standards. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis of RAP-FA blend indicates the Calcium Aluminate (Silicate) Hydrate (C-A-S-H) formation, which is due to a reaction between the high calcium in RAP and high silica and alumina in FA. The low geopolymerization products (N-A-S-H) of RAP-FA geopolymer at NaOH/Na 2 SiO 3 =100:0 are detected at the early 7days of curing, hence its UCS is lower than that of RAP-FA blend. The 28-day UCS of RAP-FA geopolymers at various NaOH/Na 2 SiO 3 ratios are significantly higher than that of the RAP-FA blend, which can be attributed to the development of geopolymerization reactions. With the input of Na 2 SiO 3 , the highly soluble silica from Na 2 SiO 3 reacted with leached silica and alumina from FA and RAP and with free calcium from FA and RAP; hence the coexistence of N-A-S-H gel and C-A-S-H products. Therefore, the 7-day UCS values of RAP-FA geopolymers increase with decreasing NaOH/Na 2 SiO 3 ratio. TCLP results demonstrated that there is no environmental risk for both RAP-FA blends and RAP-FA geopolymers in road construction. The geopolymer binder reduces the leaching of heavy metal in RAP-FA mixture. The outcomes from this research will promote the move toward increased applications of recycled materials in a sustainable manner in road construction. Copyright Â© 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The transcription factor Rap1p is required for tolerance to cell-wall perturbing agents and for cell-wall maintenance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Azad, Gajendra Kumar; Singh, Vikash; Baranwal, Shivani; Thakare, Mayur Jankiram; Tomar, Raghuvir S

2015-01-02

Yeast repressor activator protein (Rap1p) is involved in genomic stability and transcriptional regulation. We explored the function of Rap1p in yeast physiology using Rap1p truncation mutants. Our results revealed that the N-terminal truncation of Rap1p (Rap1ΔN) leads to hypersensitivity towards elevated temperature and cell-wall perturbing agents. Cell wall analysis showed an increase in the chitin and glucan content in Rap1ΔN cells as compared with wild type cells. Accordingly, mutant cells had a twofold thicker cell wall, as observed by electron microscopy. Furthermore, Rap1ΔN cells had increased levels of phosphorylated Slt2p, a MAP kinase of the cell wall integrity pathway. Mutant cells also had elevated levels of cell wall integrity response transcripts. Taken together, our findings suggest a connection between Rap1p and cell wall homeostasis. Copyright © 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Use of reclaimed asphalt pavement in concrete pavement slabs.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-10-01

This study evaluated the feasibiltiy of using RAP as aggregate replacement in concrete for use in pavement. Four different RAPs from FDOT approved RAP sources were used. Concrete mixtures with 0%, 20%, 40%, 70%, and 100% aggregate replacement by RAP ...
Chance Encounters: Rap Music as a Relational and Pedagogical Resource in Clinical Pastoral Education.

PubMed

Gilmore, Jeremy

2018-03-01

Music has long been regarded as a valuable tool for educators. Over the last three decades, rap music has grown to become a global phenomenon. However, due to historical and cultural factors, rap music is often underutilized in Clinical Pastoral Education. This article discusses the social significance of rap music, highlights how rap music informed my supervision of a clinical pastoral education student, and examines Chance the Rapper's mixtape Coloring Book as a case study on the utilization of rap music as a relational and pedagogical resource in spiritual education.
Performance Evaluation of Hot Mix Asphalt with Different Proportions of RAP Content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamil Arshad, Ahmad; Awang, Haryati; Shaffie, Ekarizan; Hashim, Wardati; Rahman, Zanariah Abd

2018-03-01

Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) is old asphalt pavement that has been removed from a road by milling or full depth removal. The use of RAP in hot mix asphalt (HMA) eliminates the need to dispose old asphalt pavements and conserves asphalt binders and aggregates, resulting in significant cost savings and benefits to society. This paper presents a study on HMA with different RAP proportions carried out to evaluate the volumetric properties and performance of asphalt mixes containing different proportions of RAP. Marshall Mix Design Method was used to produce control mix (0% RAP) and asphalt mixes containing 15% RAP, 25% RAP and 35% RAP in accordance with Specifications for Road Works of Public Works Department, Malaysia for AC14 dense graded asphalt gradation. Volumetric analysis was performed to ensure that the result is compliance with specification requirements. The resilient modulus test was performed to measure the stiffness of the mixes while the Modified Lottman test was conducted to evaluate the moisture susceptibility of these mixes. The Hamburg wheel tracking test was used to evaluate the rutting performance of these mixes. The results obtained showed that there were no substantial difference in Marshall Properties, moisture susceptibility, resilient modulus and rutting resistance between asphalt mixes with RAP and the control mix. The test results indicated that recycled mixes performed as good as the performance of conventional HMA in terms of moisture susceptibility and resilient modulus. It is recommended that further research be carried out for asphalt mixes containing more than 35% RAP material.
Balanced RAP/RAS mix design and performance evaluation for project - specific service conditions.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-01-01

This presentation summarizes Projects 0-6092/0-6614. It includes accomplishments, best practices, field performance data of RAP/RAS test sections, balanced RAP/RAS mix design for project-specific conditions, and approaches for improving RAP/RAS mix p...
Ratio of Systolic Blood Pressure to Right Atrial Pressure, a Novel Marker to Predict Morbidity and Mortality in Acute Systolic Heart Failure.

PubMed

Omar, Hesham R; Charnigo, Richard; Guglin, Maya

2017-04-01

Congestion is the main contributor to heart failure (HF) morbidity and mortality. We assessed the combined role of congestion and decreased forward flow in predicting morbidity and mortality in acute systolic HF. The Evaluation Study of Congestive Heart Failure and Pulmonary Artery Catheterization Effectiveness trial data set was used to determine if the ratio of simultaneously measured systolic blood pressure (SBP)/right atrial pressure (RAP) on admission predicted HF rehospitalization and 6-month mortality. One hundred ninety-five patients (mean age 56.5 years, 75% men) who received pulmonary artery catheterization were studied. The RAP, SBP, and SBP/RAP had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.593 (p = 0.0205), 0.585 (p = 0.0359), and 0.621 (p = 0.0026), respectively, in predicting HF rehospitalization. The SBP/RAP was a superior marker of HF rehospitalization compared with RAP alone (difference in AUC 0.0289, p = 0.0385). The optimal criterion of SBP/RAP <11 provided the highest combined sensitivity (77.1%) and specificity (50.9%) in predicting HF rehospitalization. The SBP/RAP had an AUC 0.622, p = 0.0108, and a cut-off value of SBP/RAP <8 had a sensitivity of 61.9% and specificity 64.1% in predicting mortality. Multivariate analysis showed that an SBP/RAP <11 independently predicted rehospitalization for HF (estimated odds ratio 3.318, 95% confidence interval 1.692 to 6.506, p = 0.0005) and an SBP/RAP <8 independently predicted mortality (estimated hazard ratio 2.025, 95% confidence interval 1.069 to 3.833, p = 0.030). In conclusion, SBP/RAP ratio is a marker that identifies a spectrum of complications after hospitalization of patients with decompensated systolic HF, starting with increased incidence of HF rehospitalization at SBP/RAP <11 to increased mortality with SBP/RAP <8. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Cytoplasmic RAP1 mediates cisplatin resistance of non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Xiao, Lu; Lan, Xiaoying; Shi, Xianping; Zhao, Kai; Wang, Dongrui; Wang, Xuejun; Li, Faqian; Huang, Hongbiao; Liu, Jinbao

2017-05-18

Cytotoxic chemotherapy agents (e.g., cisplatin) are the first-line drugs to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) but NSCLC develops resistance to the agent, limiting therapeutic efficacy. Despite many approaches to identifying the underlying mechanism for cisplatin resistance, there remains a lack of effective targets in the population that resist cisplatin treatment. In this study, we sought to investigate the role of cytoplasmic RAP1, a previously identified positive regulator of NF-κB signaling, in the development of cisplatin resistance in NSCLC cells. We found that the expression of cytoplasmic RAP1 was significantly higher in high-grade NSCLC tissues than in low-grade NSCLC; compared with a normal pulmonary epithelial cell line, the A549 NSCLC cells exhibited more cytoplasmic RAP1 expression as well as increased NF-κB activity; cisplatin treatment resulted in a further increase of cytoplasmic RAP1 in A549 cells; overexpression of RAP1 desensitized the A549 cells to cisplatin, and conversely, RAP1 depletion in the NSCLC cells reduced their proliferation and increased their sensitivity to cisplatin, indicating that RAP1 is required for cell growth and has a key mediating role in the development of cisplatin resistance in NSCLC cells. The RAP1-mediated cisplatin resistance was associated with the activation of NF-κB signaling and the upregulation of the antiapoptosis factor BCL-2. Intriguingly, in the small portion of RAP1-depleted cells that survived cisplatin treatment, no induction of NF-κB activity and BCL-2 expression was observed. Furthermore, in established cisplatin-resistant A549 cells, RAP1 depletion caused BCL2 depletion, caspase activation and dramatic lethality to the cells. Hence, our results demonstrate that the cytoplasmic RAP1-NF-κB-BCL2 axis represents a key pathway to cisplatin resistance in NSCLC cells, identifying RAP1 as a marker and a potential therapeutic target for cisplatin resistance of NSCLC.

YBX1 is a modulator of MIA/CD-RAP-dependent chondrogenesis.

PubMed

Schmid, Rainer; Meyer, Katharina; Spang, Rainer; Schittek, Birgit; Bosserhoff, Anja Katrin

2013-01-01

MIA/CD-RAP is a small, secreted protein involved in cartilage differentiation and melanoma progression. We recently revealed that p54(nrb) acts as a mediator of MIA/CD-RAP action to promote chondrogenesis and the progression of malignant melanoma. As the molecular mechanism of MIA/CD-RAP action in cartilage has not been defined in detail until now, we aimed to understand the regulation of p54(nrb) transcription in chondrogenesis. We concentrated on the previously described MIA/CD-RAP-dependent regulatory region in the p54(nrb) promoter and characterized the transcriptional regulation of p54(nrb) by MIA/CD-RAP in cartilage. A series of truncated p54(nrb) promoter constructs and mutagenesis analysis revealed that the transcription factor YBX1, which has not been investigated in chondrogenesis thus far, is the mediator of MIA/CD-RAP dependent activation of p54(nrb) transcription. A systematic analysis of genes carrying this binding site in their promoter region revealed further potential MIA/CD-RAP-regulated genes that have been implicated in cartilage differentiation. In summary, we described the effects of MIA/CD-RAP on transcriptional regulation in chondrocytes. Understanding the regulation of p54(nrb) via YBX1 contributes to the understanding of chondrogenesis. Uncovering new downstream effectors that function via the activation of YBX1 supports the important role of MIA/CD-RAP in these processes.
Recycled asphalt pavement - fly ash geopolymer as a sustainable stabilized pavement material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horpibulsuk, S.; Hoy, M.; Witchayaphong, P.; Rachan, R.; Arulrajah, A.

2017-11-01

Strength, durability, microstructure and leachate characteristics of Recycled Asphalt Pavement and Fly Ash (RAP-FA) geopolymers and RAP-FA blends as a sustainable pavement material are evaluated in this paper. The strength development of the stabilized materials with and without effect wetting-drying (w-d) cycles was determined by Unconfined Compression Strength (UCS) test. The mineralogical and microstructural changes of the stabilized material were analyzed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The leachability of the heavy metals were measured by Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and compared with international standard. The results show that both RAP-FA blend and RAP-FA geopolymer increase with increasing the number of w-d cycles (C), reaching its peak at 6 w-d cycles. The XRD and SEM analyses indicate that the strength development of RAP-FA blend occurs due to stimulation of the chemical reaction between the high amount to Calcium in RAP and the high amount of Silica and Alumina in FA leaching to production of Calcium Aluminium (Silicate) Hydrate, while the geopolymerization reaction is observed in RAP-FA geopolymer. For C> 6, the significant macro- and micro-cracks developed during w-d cycles cause strength reduction for both RAP-FA blend and geopolymer. The TCLP results demonstrate that there is no environmental risk for these stabilized materials. Furthermore, FA-geopolymer can reduce the leachability of heavy metal in RAP-FA blend. The outcome from this research confirms the viability of using RAP-FA blend and RAP-FA geopolymer as alternative sustainable pavement materials.
The PDZ domain of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor PDZGEF directs binding to phosphatidic acid during brush border formation.

PubMed

Consonni, Sarah V; Brouwer, Patricia M; van Slobbe, Eleonora S; Bos, Johannes L

2014-01-01

PDZGEF is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the small G protein Rap. It was recently found that PDZGEF contributes to establishment of intestinal epithelial polarity downstream of the kinase Lkb1. By binding to phosphatidic acid enriched at the apical membrane, PDZGEF locally activates Rap2a resulting in induction of brush border formation via a pathway that includes the polarity players TNIK, Mst4 and Ezrin. Here we show that the PDZ domain of PDZGEF is essential and sufficient for targeting PDZGEF to the apical membrane of polarized intestinal epithelial cells. Inhibition of PLD and consequently production of phosphatidic acid inhibitis targeting of PDZGEF to the plasma membrane. Furthermore, localization requires specific positively charged residues within the PDZ domain. We conclude that local accumulation of PDZGEF at the apical membrane during establishment of epithelial polarity is mediated by electrostatic interactions between positively charged side chains in the PDZ domain and negatively charged phosphatidic acid.
The PDZ Domain of the Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor PDZGEF Directs Binding to Phosphatidic Acid during Brush Border Formation

PubMed Central

Consonni, Sarah V.; Brouwer, Patricia M.; van Slobbe, Eleonora S.; Bos, Johannes L.

2014-01-01

PDZGEF is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the small G protein Rap. It was recently found that PDZGEF contributes to establishment of intestinal epithelial polarity downstream of the kinase Lkb1. By binding to phosphatidic acid enriched at the apical membrane, PDZGEF locally activates Rap2a resulting in induction of brush border formation via a pathway that includes the polarity players TNIK, Mst4 and Ezrin. Here we show that the PDZ domain of PDZGEF is essential and sufficient for targeting PDZGEF to the apical membrane of polarized intestinal epithelial cells. Inhibition of PLD and consequently production of phosphatidic acid inhibitis targeting of PDZGEF to the plasma membrane. Furthermore, localization requires specific positively charged residues within the PDZ domain. We conclude that local accumulation of PDZGEF at the apical membrane during establishment of epithelial polarity is mediated by electrostatic interactions between positively charged side chains in the PDZ domain and negatively charged phosphatidic acid. PMID:24858808
Using Chou's general PseAAC to analyze the evolutionary relationship of receptor associated proteins (RAP) with various folding patterns of protein domains.

PubMed

Muthu Krishnan, S

2018-05-14

The receptor-associated protein (RAP) is an inhibitor of endocytic receptors that belong to the lipoprotein receptor gene family. In this study, a computational approach was tried to find the evolutionarily related fold of the RAP proteins. Through the structural and sequence-based analysis, found various protein folds that are very close to the RAP folds. Remote homolog datasets were used potentially to develop a different support vector machine (SVM) methods to recognize the homologous RAP fold. This study helps in understanding the relationship of RAP homologs folds based on the structure, function and evolutionary history. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
RAP80, ubiquitin and SUMO in the DNA damage response.

PubMed

Lombardi, Patrick M; Matunis, Michael J; Wolberger, Cynthia

2017-08-01

A decade has passed since the first reported connection between RAP80 and BRCA1 in DNA double-strand break repair. Despite the initial identification of RAP80 as a factor localizing BRCA1 to DNA double-strand breaks and potentially promoting homologous recombination, there is increasing evidence that RAP80 instead suppresses homologous recombination to fine-tune the balance of competing DNA repair processes during the S/G 2 phase of the cell cycle. RAP80 opposes homologous recombination by inhibiting DNA end-resection and sequestering BRCA1 into the BRCA1-A complex. Ubiquitin and SUMO modifications of chromatin at DNA double-strand breaks recruit RAP80, which contains distinct sequence motifs that recognize ubiquitin and SUMO. Here, we review RAP80's role in repressing homologous recombination at DNA double-strand breaks and how this role is facilitated by its ability to bind ubiquitin and SUMO modifications.
Perform an investigation of the effects of increased reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) levels in dense graded friction courses : [summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-04-01

The Florida Department of Transportation currently allows up to 20% recycled asphalt : pavement (RAP) in asphalt mixes to be used for roadway surfaces. The abundance of RAP and : savings in cost and to natural resources make increased use of RAP desi...
Applied stretch initiates directional invasion through the action of Rap1 GTPase as a tension sensor.

PubMed

Freeman, Spencer A; Christian, Sonja; Austin, Pamela; Iu, Irene; Graves, Marcia L; Huang, Lin; Tang, Shuo; Coombs, Daniel; Gold, Michael R; Roskelley, Calvin D

2017-01-01

Although it is known that a stiffening of the stroma and the rearrangement of collagen fibers within the extracellular matrix facilitate the movement of tumor cells away from the primary lesion, the underlying mechanisms responsible are not fully understood. We now show that this invasion, which can be initiated by applying tensional loads to a three-dimensional collagen gel matrix in culture, is dependent on the Rap1 GTPases (Rap1a and Rap1b, referred to collectively as Rap1). Under these conditions Rap1 activity stimulates the formation of focal adhesion structures that align with the tensional axis as single tumor cells move into the matrix. These effects are mediated by the ability of Rap1 to induce the polarized polymerization and retrograde flow of actin, which stabilizes integrins and recruits vinculin to preformed adhesions, particularly those near the leading edge of invasive cells. Rap1 activity also contributes to the tension-induced collective invasive elongation of tumor cell clusters and it enhances tumor cell growth in vivo Thus, Rap1 mediates the effects of increased extracellular tension in multiple ways that are capable of contributing to tumor progression when dysregulated. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.
CDK5RAP2 Is an Essential Scaffolding Protein of the Corona of the Dictyostelium Centrosome.

PubMed

Pitzen, Valentin; Askarzada, Sophie; Gräf, Ralph; Meyer, Irene

2018-04-23

Dictyostelium centrosomes consist of a nucleus-associated cylindrical, three-layered core structure surrounded by a corona consisting of microtubule-nucleation complexes embedded in a scaffold of large coiled-coil proteins. One of them is the conserved CDK5RAP2 protein. Here we focus on the role of Dictyostelium CDK5RAP2 for maintenance of centrosome integrity, its interaction partners and its dynamic behavior during interphase and mitosis. GFP-CDK5RAP2 is present at the centrosome during the entire cell cycle except from a short period during prophase, correlating with the normal dissociation of the corona at this stage. RNAi depletion of CDK5RAP2 results in complete disorganization of centrosomes and microtubules suggesting that CDK5RAP2 is required for organization of the corona and its association to the core structure. This is in line with the observation that overexpressed GFP-CDK5RAP2 elicited supernumerary cytosolic MTOCs. The phenotype of CDK5RAP2 depletion was very reminiscent of that observed upon depletion of CP148, another scaffolding protein of the corona. BioID interaction assays revealed an interaction of CDK5RAP2 not only with the corona markers CP148, γ-tubulin, and CP248, but also with the core components Cep192, CP75, and CP91. Furthermore, protein localization studies in both depletion strains revealed that CP148 and CDK5RAP2 cooperate in corona organization.
Effect of Rap1 binding on DNA distortion and potassium permanganate hypersensitivity.

PubMed

Le Bihan, Yann-Vaï; Matot, Béatrice; Pietrement, Olivier; Giraud-Panis, Marie-Josèphe; Gasparini, Sylvaine; Le Cam, Eric; Gilson, Eric; Sclavi, Bianca; Miron, Simona; Le Du, Marie-Hélène

2013-03-01

Repressor activator protein 1 (Rap1) is an essential factor involved in transcription and telomere stability in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Its interaction with DNA causes hypersensitivity to potassium permanganate, suggesting local DNA melting and/or distortion. In this study, various Rap1-DNA crystal forms were obtained using specifically designed crystal screens. Analysis of the DNA conformation showed that its distortion was not sufficient to explain the permanganate reactivity. However, anomalous data collected at the Mn edge using a Rap1-DNA crystal soaked in potassium permanganate solution indicated that the DNA conformation in the crystal was compatible with interaction with permanganate ions. Sequence-conservation analysis revealed that double-Myb-containing Rap1 proteins all carry a fully conserved Arg580 at a position that may favour interaction with permanganate ions, although it is not involved in the hypersensitive cytosine distortion. Permanganate reactivity assays with wild-type Rap1 and the Rap1[R580A] mutant demonstrated that Arg580 is essential for hypersensitivity. AFM experiments showed that wild-type Rap1 and the Rap1[R580A] mutant interact with DNA over 16 successive binding sites, leading to local DNA stiffening but not to accumulation of the observed local distortion. Therefore, Rap1 may cause permanganate hypersensitivity of DNA by forming a pocket between the reactive cytosine and Arg580, driving the permanganate ion towards the C5-C6 bond of the cytosine.
The Effect of Rap/Hip-Hop Music on Young Adult Smoking: An Experimental Study.

PubMed

Harakeh, Zeena; Bogt, Tom F M Ter

2018-02-16

Music may influence young people's behavior through its lyrics. Substance use references occur more frequently in rap/hip-hop than in other music genres. The aim was to examine whether the exposure to rap/hip-hop lyrics referring to substance use affected cigarette smoking. An experiment with a 3-group between subject design was conducted among 74 daily-smoking young adults ranging in age from 17 to 25 years old. Three conditions were tested in a mobile lab (camper vehicle) from May to December 2011, i.e., regular chart pop music (N = 28), rap/hip-hop with non-frequent references to substance use (N = 24), and rap/hip-hop with frequent references to substance use (N = 22). One-way ANOVA showed that participants listening to substance use infused rap/hip-hop songs felt significantly less pleasant, liked the songs less, and comprehended the songs less compared to participants listening to pop songs. Poisson loglinear analyses revealed that compared to the pop music condition, none of the two rap/hip-hop music conditions had a significant effect on acute smoking. Thus, contrary to expectations, the two different rap/hip-hop conditions did not have a significantly different effect on acute smoking. Listening to rap/hip-hop, even rap hip/hop with frequent referrals to substance use (primarily alcohol and drug use, and general smoking referrals), does not seem to encourage cigarette smoking among Dutch daily-smoking young adults, at least short term.
Ultrastructural and biochemical localization of N-RAP at the interface between myofibrils and intercalated disks in the mouse heart.

PubMed

Zhang, J Q; Elzey, B; Williams, G; Lu, S; Law, D J; Horowits, R

2001-12-11

N-RAP is a recently discovered muscle-specific protein found at cardiac intercalated disks. Double immunogold labeling of mouse cardiac muscle reveals that vinculin is located immediately adjacent to the fascia adherens region of the intercalated disk membrane, while N-RAP extends approximately 100 nm further toward the interior of the cell. We partially purified cardiac intercalated disks using low- and high-salt extractions followed by density gradient centrifugation. Immunoblots show that this preparation is highly enriched in desmin and junctional proteins, including N-RAP, talin, vinculin, beta1-integrin, N-cadherin, and connexin 43. Electron microscopy and immunolabeling demonstrate that N-RAP and vinculin are associated with the large fragments of intercalated disks that are present in this preparation, which also contains numerous membrane vesicles. Detergent treatment of the partially purified intercalated disks removed the membrane vesicles and extracted vinculin and beta1-integrin. Further separation on a sucrose gradient removed residual actin and myosin and yielded a fraction morphologically similar to fasciae adherentes that was highly enriched in N-RAP, N-cadherin, connexin 43, talin, desmin, and alpha-actinin. The finding that N-RAP copurifies with detergent-extracted intercalated disk fragments even though beta-integrin and vinculin have been completely removed suggests that N-RAP association with the adherens junction region is mediated by the cadherin system. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that recombinant N-RAP fragments bind alpha-actinin in a gel overlay assay. In addition, immunofluorescence shows that N-RAP remains bound at the ends of isolated, detergent-treated cardiac myofibrils. These results demonstrate that N-RAP remains tightly bound to myofibrils and fasciae adherentes during biochemical purification and may be a key constituent in the mechanical link between these two structures.
Epac2-Rap1 Signaling Regulates Reactive Oxygen Species Production and Susceptibility to Cardiac Arrhythmias

PubMed Central

Yang, Zhaokang; Kirton, Hannah M.; Al-Owais, Moza; Thireau, Jérôme; Richard, Sylvain; Peers, Chris

2017-01-01

Abstract Aims: In the heart, β1-adrenergic signaling involves cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) acting via both protein kinase-A (PKA) and exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac): a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the small GTPase Rap1. Inhibition of Epac-Rap1 signaling has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for both cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, previous work suggests that impaired Rap1 signaling may have detrimental effects on cardiac function. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of Epac2-Rap1 signaling on the heart using both in vivo and in vitro approaches. Results: Inhibition of Epac2 signaling induced early afterdepolarization arrhythmias in ventricular myocytes. The underlying mechanism involved an increase in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of the late sodium current (INalate). Arrhythmias were blocked by inhibition of INalate or the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, mitoTEMPO. In vivo, inhibition of Epac2 caused ventricular tachycardia, torsades de pointes, and sudden death. The in vitro and in vivo effects of Epac2 inhibition were mimicked by inhibition of geranylgeranyltransferase-1, which blocks interaction of Rap1 with downstream targets. Innovation: Our findings show for the first time that Rap1 acts as a negative regulator of mitochondrial ROS production in the heart and that impaired Epac2-Rap1 signaling causes arrhythmias due to ROS-dependent activation of INalate. This has implications for the use of chemotherapeutics that target Epac2-Rap1 signaling. However, selective inhibition of INalate provides a promising strategy to prevent arrhythmias caused by impaired Epac2-Rap1 signaling. Conclusion: Epac2-Rap1 signaling attenuates mitochondrial ROS production and reduces myocardial arrhythmia susceptibility. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 117–132. PMID:27649969
RapA2 Is a Calcium-binding Lectin Composed of Two Highly Conserved Cadherin-like Domains That Specifically Recognize Rhizobium leguminosarum Acidic Exopolysaccharides*

PubMed Central

Abdian, Patricia L.; Caramelo, Julio J.; Ausmees, Nora; Zorreguieta, Angeles

2013-01-01

In silico analyses have revealed a conserved protein domain (CHDL) widely present in bacteria that has significant structural similarity to eukaryotic cadherins. A CHDL domain was shown to be present in RapA, a protein that is involved in autoaggregation of Rhizobium cells, biofilm formation, and adhesion to plant roots as shown by us and others. Structural similarity to cadherins suggested calcium-dependent oligomerization of CHDL domains as a mechanistic basis for RapA action. Here we show by circular dichroism spectroscopy, light scattering, isothermal titration calorimetry, and other methods that RapA2 from Rhizobium leguminosarum indeed exhibits a cadherin-like β-sheet conformation and that its proper folding and stability are dependent on the binding of one calcium ion per protein molecule. By further in silico analysis we also reveal that RapA2 consists of two CHDL domains and expand the range of CHDL-containing proteins in bacteria and archaea. However, light scattering assays at various concentrations of added calcium revealed that RapA2 formed neither homo-oligomers nor hetero-oligomers with RapB (a distinct CHDL protein), indicating that RapA2 does not mediate cellular interactions through a cadherin-like mechanism. Instead, we demonstrate that RapA2 interacts specifically with the acidic exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by R. leguminosarum in a calcium-dependent manner, sustaining a role of these proteins in the development of the biofilm matrix made of EPS. Because EPS binding by RapA2 can only be attributed to its two CHDL domains, we propose that RapA2 is a calcium-dependent lectin and that CHDL domains in various bacterial and archaeal proteins confer carbohydrate binding activity to these proteins. PMID:23235153
PSD-Zip70 Deficiency Causes Prefrontal Hypofunction Associated with Glutamatergic Synapse Maturation Defects by Dysregulation of Rap2 Activity.

PubMed

Mayanagi, Taira; Yasuda, Hiroki; Sobue, Kenji

2015-10-21

Dysregulation of synapse formation and plasticity is closely related to the pathophysiology of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is particularly important for executive functions such as working memory, cognition, and emotional control, which are impaired in the disorders. PSD-Zip70 (Lzts1/FEZ1) is a postsynaptic density (PSD) protein predominantly expressed in the frontal cortex, olfactory bulb, striatum, and hippocampus. Here we found that PSD-Zip70 knock-out (PSD-Zip70KO) mice exhibit working memory and cognitive defects, and enhanced anxiety-like behaviors. These abnormal behaviors are caused by impaired glutamatergic synapse transmission accompanied by tiny-headed immature dendritic spines in the PFC, due to aberrant Rap2 activation, which has roles in synapse formation and plasticity. PSD-Zip70 modulates the Rap2 activity by interacting with SPAR (spine-associated RapGAP) and PDZ-GEF1 (RapGEF) in the postsynapse. Furthermore, suppression of the aberrant Rap2 activation in the PFC rescued the behavioral defects in PSD-Zip70KO mice. Our data demonstrate a critical role for PSD-Zip70 in Rap2-dependent spine synapse development in the PFC and underscore the importance of this regulation in PFC-dependent behaviors. PSD-Zip70 deficiency causes behavioral defects in working memory and cognition, and enhanced anxiety due to prefrontal hypofunction. This study revealed that PSD-Zip70 plays essential roles in glutamatergic synapse maturation via modulation of the Rap2 activity in the PFC. PSD-Zip70 interacts with both SPAR (spine-associated RapGAP) and PDZ-GEF1 (RapGEF) and modulates the Rap2 activity in postsynaptic sites. Our results provide a novel Rap2-specific regulatory mechanism in synaptic maturation involving PSD-Zip70. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/3514327-14$15.00/0.
The effect of baseline pressure errors on an intracranial pressure-derived index: results of a prospective observational study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In order to characterize the intracranial pressure-volume reserve capacity, the correlation coefficient (R) between the ICP wave amplitude (A) and the mean ICP level (P), the RAP index, has been used to improve the diagnostic value of ICP monitoring. Baseline pressure errors (BPEs), caused by spontaneous shifts or drifts in baseline pressure, cause erroneous readings of mean ICP. Consequently, BPEs could also affect ICP indices such as the RAP where in the mean ICP is incorporated. Methods A prospective, observational study was carried out on patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) undergoing ICP monitoring as part of their surveillance. Via the same burr hole in the scull, two separate ICP sensors were placed close to each other. For each consecutive 6-sec time window, the dynamic mean ICP wave amplitude (MWA; measure of the amplitude of the single pressure waves) and the static mean ICP, were computed. The RAP index was computed as the Pearson correlation coefficient between the MWA and the mean ICP for 40 6-sec time windows, i.e. every subsequent 4-min period (method 1). We compared this approach with a method of calculating RAP using a 4-min moving window updated every 6 seconds (method 2). Results The study included 16 aSAH patients. We compared 43,653 4-min RAP observations of signals 1 and 2 (method 1), and 1,727,000 6-sec RAP observations (method 2). The two methods of calculating RAP produced similar results. Differences in RAP ≥0.4 in at least 7% of observations were seen in 5/16 (31%) patients. Moreover, the combination of a RAP of ≥0.6 in one signal and <0.6 in the other was seen in ≥13% of RAP-observations in 4/16 (25%) patients, and in ≥8% in another 4/16 (25%) patients. The frequency of differences in RAP >0.2 was significantly associated with the frequency of BPEs (5 mmHg ≤ BPE <10 mmHg). Conclusions Simultaneous monitoring from two separate, close-by ICP sensors reveals significant differences in RAP that correspond to the occurrence of BPEs. As differences in RAP are of magnitudes that may alter patient management, we do not advocate the use of RAP in the management of neurosurgical patients. PMID:25052470
Rap and Race: It's Got a Nice Beat, but What about the Message?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Rachel E.

2003-01-01

Examined racial differences in black and white adolescents' preferences for and interpretations of rap music. Surveys of midwestern U.S. adolescents highlighted limited racial differences in the popularity of rap music. African American youth were more committed to rap and more likely to see it as life affirming. Though both groups had favorable…
Local cost structures and the economics of robot assisted radical prostatectomy.

PubMed

Scales, Charles D; Jones, Peter J; Eisenstein, Eric L; Preminger, Glenn M; Albala, David M

2005-12-01

Robot assisted prostatectomy (RAP) is more costly than traditional radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) under the cost structures at certain hospitals. However, this finding may not be the case in all care settings. We investigated the sensitivity of RAP and RRP inpatient costs to variations in length of stay (LOS), local hospitalization costs and robotic case volume in the specialist and generalist settings. We developed a model of RAP vs RRP costs in the specialist and generalist settings using published data on operative time and LOS, and cost data from our academic medical center. All inpatient cost centers were included, namely surgery costs, professional fees, postoperative care, robotic equipment and service. Extensive 1 and 2-way sensitivity analyses were performed. Our base case model demonstrated a cost premium for RAP vs RRP of USD $783 and $195 in the specialist and generalist settings, respectively. Sensitivity analysis of our model assumptions demonstrated that RAP could achieve cost equivalence with RRP at a surgical volume of 10 cases weekly. If case volume increased to 14 cases weekly, RAP would be less expensive than RRP in some practice settings in which RAP LOS was less than 1.5 days. The inpatient costs of robotic assisted prostatectomy are volume dependent and cost equivalence with generalist radical retropubic prostatectomy is possible at higher volume RAP specialty centers. While RAP may be cost competitive with RRP at high cost hospitals or high volume RAP specialist centers, this procedure would exist at a cost premium to RRP in other practice settings.
Lifespan extension and cancer prevention in HER-2/neu transgenic mice treated with low intermittent doses of rapamycin

PubMed Central

Popovich, Irina G; Anisimov, Vladimir N; Zabezhinski, Mark A; Semenchenko, Anna V; Tyndyk, Margarita L; Yurova, Maria N; Blagosklonny, Mikhail V

2014-01-01

Target of Rapamycin (TOR) is involved in cellular and organismal aging. Rapamycin extends lifespan and delays cancer in mice. It is important to determine the minimum effective dose and frequency of its administration that still extends lifespan and prevents cancer. Previously we tested 1.5 mg/kg of rapamycin given subcutaneously 6 times per two weeks followed by a two-week break (1.5 × 6/bi-weekly schedule: total of 6 injections during a 4-week period). This intermittent treatment prolonged lifespan and delayed cancer in cancer-prone female FVB/N HER-2/neu mice. Here, the dose was decreased from 1.5 mg/kg to 0.45 mg/kg per injection. This treatment was started at the age of 2 months (group Rap-2), 4 months (Rap-4), and 5 months (Rap-5). Three control groups received the solvent from the same ages. Rapamycin significantly delayed cancer and decreased tumor burden in Rap-2 and Rap-5 groups, increased mean lifespan in Rap-4 and Rap-5 groups, and increased maximal lifespan in Rap-2 and Rap-5 groups. In Rap-4 group, mean lifespan extension was achieved without significant cancer prevention. The complex relationship between life-extension and cancer-prevention depends on both the direct effect of rapamycin on cancer cells and its anti-aging effect on the organism, which in turn prevents cancer indirectly. We conclude that total doses of rapamycin that are an order of magnitude lower than standard total doses can detectably extend life span in cancer-prone mice. PMID:24556924
Lifespan extension and cancer prevention in HER-2/neu transgenic mice treated with low intermittent doses of rapamycin.

PubMed

Popovich, Irina G; Anisimov, Vladimir N; Zabezhinski, Mark A; Semenchenko, Anna V; Tyndyk, Margarita L; Yurova, Maria N; Blagosklonny, Mikhail V

2014-05-01

Target of Rapamycin (TOR) is involved in cellular and organismal aging. Rapamycin extends lifespan and delays cancer in mice. It is important to determine the minimum effective dose and frequency of its administration that still extends lifespan and prevents cancer. Previously we tested 1.5 mg/kg of rapamycin given subcutaneously 6 times per two weeks followed by a two-week break (1.5 × 6/bi-weekly schedule: total of 6 injections during a 4-week period). This intermittent treatment prolonged lifespan and delayed cancer in cancer-prone female FVB/N HER-2/neu mice. Here, the dose was decreased from 1.5 mg/kg to 0.45 mg/kg per injection. This treatment was started at the age of 2 months (group Rap-2), 4 months (Rap-4), and 5 months (Rap-5). Three control groups received the solvent from the same ages. Rapamycin significantly delayed cancer and decreased tumor burden in Rap-2 and Rap-5 groups, increased mean lifespan in Rap-4 and Rap-5 groups, and increased maximal lifespan in Rap-2 and Rap-5 groups. In Rap-4 group, mean lifespan extension was achieved without significant cancer prevention. The complex relationship between life-extension and cancer-prevention depends on both the direct effect of rapamycin on cancer cells and its anti-aging effect on the organism, which in turn prevents cancer indirectly. We conclude that total doses of rapamycin that are an order of magnitude lower than standard total doses can detectably extend life span in cancer-prone mice.

Rap Music Use, Perceived Peer Behavior, and Sexual Initiation Among Ethnic Minority Youth.

PubMed

Johnson-Baker, Kimberly A; Markham, Christine; Baumler, Elizabeth; Swain, Honora; Emery, Susan

2016-03-01

Research shows that rap music use is associated with risky sexual behavior in ethnic minority youth; however, it is unknown whether rap music use impacts sexual initiation specifically and, if so, which factors mediate this impact. Thus, we investigated the longitudinal relationship between hours spent listening to rap music in seventh grade and sexual initiation in ninth grade. We also examined the role of perceived peer sexual behavior as a potential mediator of this relationship. We analyzed data from students (n = 443) enrolled in a school-based randomized controlled trial of a sexual health education curriculum collected at baseline and at 18-month follow-up. Rap music use and perceived peer sexual behavior were assessed in seventh grade, whereas sexual initiation was assessed in ninth grade. Univariate, multivariate, and mediation analyses were conducted. At baseline, rap music use was significantly associated with race/ethnicity, parental music rules, and sexual behavior, but not with gender or parental education. Rap music use was a significant predictor of sexual initiation on univariate analysis but not multivariate analysis. Mediation analysis showed that the association between hours spent listening to rap music and sexual initiation was significantly mediated by perceived peer sexual behavior. Rap music use in early adolescence significantly impacts sexual initiation in late adolescence, partially mediated by perceived peer sexual behavior. More research is needed to understand how rap music influences perceptions of peer sexual behavior, which, in turn, influence early sexual initiation. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Rap1 GTPase is required for mouse lens epithelial maintenance and morphogenesis

PubMed Central

Maddala, Rupalatha; Nagendran, Tharkika; Lang, Richard A.; Morozov, Alexei; Rao, Ponugoti V.

2015-01-01

Rap1, a Ras-like small GTPase, plays a crucial role in cell-matrix adhesive interactions, cell-cell junction formation, cell polarity and migration. The role of Rap1 in vertebrate organ development and tissue architecture, however, remains elusive. We addressed this question in a mouse lens model system using a conditional gene targeting approach. While individual germline deficiency of either Rap1a or Rap1b did not cause overt defects in mouse lens, conditional double deficiency (Rap1 cKO) prior to lens placode formation led to an ocular phenotype including microphthalmia and lens opacification in embryonic mice. The embryonic Rap1 cKO mouse lens exhibited striking defects including loss of E-cadherin- and ZO-1-based cell-cell junctions, disruption of paxillin and β1-integrin-based cell adhesive interactions along with abnormalities in cell shape and apical-basal polarity of epithelium. These epithelial changes were accompanied by increased levels of α-smooth muscle actin, vimentin and N-cadherin, and expression of transcriptional suppressors of E-cadherin (Snai1, Slug and Zeb2), and a mesenchymal metabolic protein (Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase). Additionally, while lens differentiation was not overtly affected, increased apoptosis and dysregulated cell cycle progression were noted in epithelium and fibers in Rap1 cKO mice. Collectively these observations uncover a requirement for Rap1 in maintenance of lens epithelial phenotype and morphogenesis. PMID:26212757
Laboratory and field evaluation of hot mix asphalt with high contents of reclaimed asphalt pavement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Winkle, Clinton Isaac

Currently in Iowa, the amount of RAP materials allowed for the surface layer is limited to 15% by weight. The objective of this project was to develop quality standards for inclusion of RAP content higher than 15% in asphalt mixtures. To meet Superpave mix design requirements, it was necessary to fractionate the RAP materials. Based on the extensive sieve-by-sieve analysis of RAP materials, the optimum sieve size to fractionate RAP materials was identified. To determine if the higher percentage of RAP materials than 15% can be used in Iowa's state highway, three test sections with 30.0%, 35.5% and 39.2% of RAP materials were constructed on Highway 6 in Iowa City. The construction of the field test sections was monitored and the cores were obtained to measure field densities of test sections. Field mixtures collected from test sections were compacted in the laboratory in order to test the moisture sensitivity using a Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device. The binder was extracted from the field mixtures with varying amounts of RAP materials and tested to determine the effects of RAP materials on the PG grade of a virgin binder. Field cores were taken from the various mix designs to determine the percent density of each test section. A condition survey of the test sections was then performed to evaluate the short-term performance.
Multiple Rap1 effectors control Epac1-mediated tightening of endothelial junctions.

PubMed

Pannekoek, Willem-Jan; Vliem, Marjolein J; Bos, Johannes L

2018-02-17

Epac1 and Rap1 mediate cAMP-induced tightening of endothelial junctions. We have previously found that one of the mechanisms is the inhibition of Rho-mediated tension in radial stress fibers by recruiting the RhoGAP ArhGAP29 in a complex containing the Rap1 effectors Rasip1 and Radil. However, other mechanisms have been proposed as well, most notably the induction of tension in circumferential actin cables by Cdc42 and its GEF FGD5. Here, we have investigated how Rap1 controls FGD5/Cdc42 and how this interconnects with Radil/Rasip1/ArhGAP29. Using endothelial barrier measurements, we show that Rho inhibition is not sufficient to explain the barrier stimulating effect of Rap1. Indeed, Cdc42-mediated tension is induced at cell-cell contacts upon Rap1 activation and this is required for endothelial barrier function. Depletion of potential Rap1 effectors identifies AF6 to mediate Rap1 enhanced tension and concomitant Rho-independent barrier function. When overexpressed in HEK293T cells, AF6 is found in a complex with FGD5 and Radil. From these results we conclude that Rap1 utilizes multiple pathways to control tightening of endothelial junctions, possibly through a multiprotein effector complex, in which AF6 functions to induce tension in circumferential actin cables.
40 CFR 270.200 - How may I renew my RAP if it is expiring?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How may I renew my RAP if it is expiring? 270.200 Section 270.200 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... renew my RAP if it is expiring? If you wish to renew your expiring RAP, you must follow the process for...
40 CFR 270.150 - How will the Director make a final decision on my RAP application?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How will the Director make a final... PROGRAM Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) Getting A Rap Approved § 270.150 How will the Director make a final decision on my RAP application? (a) The Director must consider and respond to any significant comments...
40 CFR 270.230 - May I perform remediation waste management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the area where the remediation wastes originated... management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the area where the remediation wastes originated? (a) You may request a RAP for remediation waste management activities at a location removed from the...
40 CFR 270.230 - May I perform remediation waste management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the area where the remediation wastes originated... management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the area where the remediation wastes originated? (a) You may request a RAP for remediation waste management activities at a location removed from the...
RAP "Rapid Refresh" Products

Science.gov Websites

HOME PAGE Image of NCEP Logo WHERE AMERICA'S CLIMATE AND WEATHER SERVICES BEGIN NCEP Products Inventory Image of horizontal rule Rapid Refresh (RAP) Products Updated: 11/28/2016 * Information about the rap.tccz.awp243fxx.grib2 Not Available RAP - BUFR Sounding products Model Runs every hour (00z-23z) Filename Inventory
Atomic Precision Plasma Processing - Modeling Investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauf, Shahid

2016-09-01

Sub-nanometer precision is increasingly being required of many critical plasma processes in the semiconductor industry. Some of these critical processes include atomic layer etch and plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition. Accurate control over ion energy and ion / radical composition is needed during plasma processing to meet the demanding atomic-precision requirements. While improvements in mainstream inductively and capacitively coupled plasmas can help achieve some of these goals, newer plasma technologies can expand the breadth of problems addressable by plasma processing. Computational modeling is used to examine issues relevant to atomic precision plasma processing in this paper. First, a molecular dynamics model is used to investigate atomic layer etch of Si and SiO2 in Cl2 and fluorocarbon plasmas. Both planar surfaces and nanoscale structures are considered. It is shown that accurate control of ion energy in the sub-50 eV range is necessary for atomic scale precision. In particular, if the ion energy is greater than 10 eV during plasma processing, several atomic layers get damaged near the surface. Low electron temperature (Te) plasmas are particularly attractive for atomic precision plasma processing due to their low plasma potential. One of the most attractive options in this regard is energetic-electron beam generated plasma, where Te <0.5 eV has been achieved in plasmas of molecular gases. These low Te plasmas are computationally examined in this paper using a hybrid fluid-kinetic model. It is shown that such plasmas not only allow for sub-5 eV ion energies, but also enable wider range of ion / radical composition. Coauthors: Jun-Chieh Wang, Jason Kenney, Ankur Agarwal, Leonid Dorf, and Ken Collins.
Rap Phosphatase of Virulence Plasmid pXO1 Inhibits Bacillus anthracis Sporulation†

PubMed Central

Bongiorni, Cristina; Stoessel, Ricarda; Shoemaker, Dorinda; Perego, Marta

2006-01-01

This study shows that the Bacillus anthracis pXO1 virulence plasmid carries a Rap-Phr system, BXA0205, which regulates sporulation initiation in this organism. The BXA0205Rap protein was shown to dephosphorylate the Spo0F response regulator intermediate of the phosphorelay signal transduction system that regulates the initiation of the developmental pathway in response to environmental, metabolic, and cell cycle signals. The activity of the Rap protein was shown to be inhibited by the carboxy-terminal pentapeptide generated through an export-import processing pathway from the associated BXA0205Phr protein. Deregulation of the Rap activity by either overexpression or lack of the Phr pentapeptide resulted in severe inhibition of sporulation. Five additional Rap-Phr encoding systems were identified on the chromosome of B. anthracis, one of which, BA3790-3791, also affected sporulation initiation. The results suggest that the plasmid-borne Rap-Phr system may provide a selective advantage to the virulence of B. anthracis. PMID:16385039
Rap phosphatase of virulence plasmid pXO1 inhibits Bacillus anthracis sporulation.

PubMed

Bongiorni, Cristina; Stoessel, Ricarda; Shoemaker, Dorinda; Perego, Marta

2006-01-01

This study shows that the Bacillus anthracis pXO1 virulence plasmid carries a Rap-Phr system, BXA0205, which regulates sporulation initiation in this organism. The BXA0205Rap protein was shown to dephosphorylate the Spo0F response regulator intermediate of the phosphorelay signal transduction system that regulates the initiation of the developmental pathway in response to environmental, metabolic, and cell cycle signals. The activity of the Rap protein was shown to be inhibited by the carboxy-terminal pentapeptide generated through an export-import processing pathway from the associated BXA0205Phr protein. Deregulation of the Rap activity by either overexpression or lack of the Phr pentapeptide resulted in severe inhibition of sporulation. Five additional Rap-Phr encoding systems were identified on the chromosome of B. anthracis, one of which, BA3790-3791, also affected sporulation initiation. The results suggest that the plasmid-borne Rap-Phr system may provide a selective advantage to the virulence of B. anthracis.
Cultural Studies and Rap: The Poetry of an Urban Lyricist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parmar, Priya

2005-01-01

In this article, the author explores the many other faces of rap that do not get the media exposure that they rightfully deserve. As this article attempts to reveal, rap music, as a form of cultural pedagogy and critical literacy, is only one way to achieve the goals of a "critical education." Rap lyrics can also be used as a tool to help the…
40 CFR 270.230 - May I perform remediation waste management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false May I perform remediation waste management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the area where the remediation wastes originated... Plans (RAPs) Obtaining A Rap for An Off-Site Location § 270.230 May I perform remediation waste...
Activation of the Small GTPase Rap1 Inhibits Choroidal Neovascularization by Regulating Cell Junctions and ROS Generation in Rats.

PubMed

Li, Jiajia; Zhang, Rong; Wang, Caixia; Wang, Xin; Xu, Man; Ma, Jingxue; Shang, Qingli

2018-03-30

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a common vision-threatening complication associated with many fundus diseases. The retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell junction barrier has critical functions in preventing CNV, and oxidative stress can cause compromise of barrier integrity and induce angiogenesis. Rap1, a small guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase), is involved in regulating endothelial and epithelial cell junctions. In this work, we explored the function and mechanism of Rap1 in CNV in vivo. A laser-induced rat CNV model was developed. Rap1 was activated through intravitreal injection of the Rap1 activator 8CPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP (8CPT). At 14 days after laser treatment, CNV size in RPE/choroid flat mounts was measured by fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran staining. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cell junction proteins in RPE/choroid tissues were analyzed by western blots and quantitative real-time PCR assays. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) in RPE cells were detectedbydichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate assays. The antioxidant apocynin was intraperitoneally injected into rats. Activating Rap1 by 8CPT significantly reduced CNV size and VEGF expression in the rat CNV model. Rap1 activation enhanced protein and mRNA levels of ZO-1 and occludin, two tight junction proteins in the RPE barrier. In addition, reducing ROS generation by injection of apocynin, a NADPH oxidase inhibitor, inhibited CNV formation. Rap1 activation reduced ROS generation and expression of NADPH oxidase 4. Rap1 activation inhibits CNV through regulating barrier integrity and ROS generation of RPE in vivo, and selectively activating Rap1 may be a way to reduce vision loss from CNV.
The effect of retrograde autologous priming on intraoperative blood product transfusion in coronary artery bypass grafting.

PubMed

Nanjappa, A; Gill, J; Sadat, U; Colah, S; Abu-Omar, Y; Nair, S

2013-11-01

Retrograde autologous priming (RAP) of the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit could reduce the degree of haemodilution associated with priming with acellular solutions. However, there is no strong evidence to prove that the practice of RAP reduced intraoperative packed red cell (PRC) or blood product transfusion. To evaluate the effect of RAP on intraoperative PRC usage in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This study is a prospective, observational study on patients who underwent first-time, isolated CABG using CPB between April 2012 and July 2012. Two groups of patients were identified: 1. Non-RAP group (n=128) and 2. RAP group (n=73). The primary outcome for the study was the amount of PRC and blood product usage between the induction of anaesthesia and the cessation of CPB. Use of PRC and blood products in the operating room was comparable in both groups. Univariate logistic regression showed that RAP was not an independent predictor of PRC or blood product transfusion (p=0.43). Multivariate logistic regression showed that CPB time, preoperative haemoglobin (Hb) levels and creatinine clearance were independent predictors of blood product transfusion. Practising RAP with mean volumes of 300 ml does not necessarily reduce PRC and other blood product transfusion requirements during CABG. In our practice, RAP was performed, aiming at displacing CPB circuit prime volume with which the perfusionist felt comfortable and dictated by haemodynamic parameters prior to commencing CPB. We presume this is the case in many units around the world. This practice, in our opinion, is not enough to achieve the benefits of RAP, if any, in the form of a reduction of packed red cell transfusion requirements. The true advantages of RAP in cardiac surgery need to be studied in a prospective, randomized, controlled trial.
Differential and brain region-specific regulation of Rap-1 and Epac in depressed suicide victims.

PubMed

Dwivedi, Yogesh; Mondal, Amal C; Rizavi, Hooriyah S; Faludi, Gabor; Palkovits, Miklos; Sarosi, Andrea; Conley, Robert R; Pandey, Ghanshyam N

2006-06-01

Depression is a major public health problem. Despite many years of research, the molecular mechanisms associated with depression remain unclear. Rap-1, activated in response to many extracellular stimuli, is one of the major substrates of protein kinase A, which participates in myriad physiologic functions in the brain, including cell survival and synaptic plasticity. Rap-1 is also activated directly by cyclic adenosine monophosphate through Epac, and thus participates in mediating physiologic functions independent of protein kinase A. To examine whether the pathogenesis of depression is associated with altered activation and expression of Rap-1, as well as expression of Epac, in depressed suicide victims. Postmortem study. Tissues were obtained from the Lenhossek Human Brain Program, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary, and the Brain Collection Program of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Baltimore. Postmortem brains of 28 depressed suicide victims and 28 nonpsychiatric control subjects. Examination of brain tissues. Rap-1 activation as well as messenger RNA and protein levels of Rap-1 and Epac in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum. Rap-1 activation was significantly reduced (P<.001) in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in the suicide group. This was associated with significant reductions in Rap-1 messenger RNA and protein levels (P<.001). In contrast, protein level of only Epac-2 (P<.001) but not Epac-1 (P = .89) was significantly increased in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of these subjects. These changes were present whether the 2 cohorts were analyzed together or separately. None of the measures showed any significant change in cerebellum in the suicide group. Given the importance of Rap-1 in neuroprotection and synaptic plasticity, our findings of differential regulation of Rap-1 and Epac between brain regions suggest the relevance of these molecules in the pathophysiology of depression.
Mutation of praR in Rhizobium leguminosarum enhances root biofilms, improving nodulation competitiveness by increased expression of attachment proteins

PubMed Central

Frederix, Marijke; Edwards, Anne; Swiderska, Anna; Stanger, Andrew; Karunakaran, Ramakrishnan; Williams, Alan; Abbruscato, Pamela; Sanchez-Contreras, Maria; Poole, Philip S; Downie, J Allan

2014-01-01

In Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae, quorum-sensing is regulated by CinR, which induces the cinIS operon. CinI synthesizes an AHL, whereas CinS inactivates PraR, a repressor. Mutation of praR enhanced biofilms in vitro. We developed a light (lux)-dependent assay of rhizobial attachment to roots and demonstrated that mutation of praR increased biofilms on pea roots. The praR mutant out-competed wild-type for infection of pea nodules in mixed inoculations. Analysis of gene expression by microarrays and promoter fusions revealed that PraR represses its own transcription and mutation of praR increased expression of several genes including those encoding secreted proteins (the adhesins RapA2, RapB and RapC, two cadherins and the glycanase PlyB), the polysaccharide regulator RosR, and another protein similar to PraR. PraR bound to the promoters of several of these genes indicating direct repression. Mutations in rapA2, rapB, rapC, plyB, the cadherins or rosR did not affect the enhanced root attachment or nodule competitiveness of the praR mutant. However combinations of mutations in rapA, rapB and rapC abolished the enhanced attachment and nodule competitiveness. We conclude that relief of PraR-mediated repression determines a lifestyle switch allowing the expression of genes that are important for biofilm formation on roots and the subsequent initiation of infection of legume roots. PMID:24942546
Utilization of recycled asphalt concrete with warm mix asphalt and cost-benefit analysis.

PubMed

Oner, Julide; Sengoz, Burak

2015-01-01

The asphalt paving industries are faced with two major problems. These two important challenges are generated with an increase in demand for environmentally friendly paving mixtures and the problem of rapidly rising raw materials. Recycling of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is a critical necessity to save precious aggregates and reduce the use of costly bitumen. Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) technology provides not only the option of recycling asphalt pavement at a lower temperature than the temperature maintained in hot mixtures but also encourages the utilization of RAP and therefore saves energy and money. This paper describes the feasibility of utilizing three different WMA additives (organic, chemical and water containing) at recommended contents with different percentages of RAP. The mechanical properties and cost-benefit analysis of WMA containing RAP have been performed and compared with WMA without RAP. The results indicated that, 30%, 10% and 20% can be accepted as an optimum RAP addition related to organic, chemical and water containing additives respectively and organic additive with 30% RAP content has an appreciable increase in tensile strength over the control mix. It was also concluded that the RAP with WMA technology is the ability to reduce final cost compared to HMA and WMA mixtures.
Utilization of Recycled Asphalt Concrete with Warm Mix Asphalt and Cost-Benefit Analysis

PubMed Central

Oner, Julide; Sengoz, Burak

2015-01-01

The asphalt paving industries are faced with two major problems. These two important challenges are generated with an increase in demand for environmentally friendly paving mixtures and the problem of rapidly rising raw materials. Recycling of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is a critical necessity to save precious aggregates and reduce the use of costly bitumen. Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) technology provides not only the option of recycling asphalt pavement at a lower temperature than the temperature maintained in hot mixtures but also encourages the utilization of RAP and therefore saves energy and money. This paper describes the feasibility of utilizing three different WMA additives (organic, chemical and water containing) at recommended contents with different percentages of RAP. The mechanical properties and cost-benefit analysis of WMA containing RAP have been performed and compared with WMA without RAP. The results indicated that, 30%, 10% and 20% can be accepted as an optimum RAP addition related to organic, chemical and water containing additives respectively and organic additive with 30% RAP content has an appreciable increase in tensile strength over the control mix. It was also concluded that the RAP with WMA technology is the ability to reduce final cost compared to HMA and WMA mixtures. PMID:25574851

A computational model-based validation of Guyton's analysis of cardiac output and venous return curves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mukkamala, R.; Cohen, R. J.; Mark, R. G.

2002-01-01

Guyton developed a popular approach for understanding the factors responsible for cardiac output (CO) regulation in which 1) the heart-lung unit and systemic circulation are independently characterized via CO and venous return (VR) curves, and 2) average CO and right atrial pressure (RAP) of the intact circulation are predicted by graphically intersecting the curves. However, this approach is virtually impossible to verify experimentally. We theoretically evaluated the approach with respect to a nonlinear, computational model of the pulsatile heart and circulation. We developed two sets of open circulation models to generate CO and VR curves, differing by the manner in which average RAP was varied. One set applied constant RAPs, while the other set applied pulsatile RAPs. Accurate prediction of intact, average CO and RAP was achieved only by intersecting the CO and VR curves generated with pulsatile RAPs because of the pulsatility and nonlinearity (e.g., systemic venous collapse) of the intact model. The CO and VR curves generated with pulsatile RAPs were also practically independent. This theoretical study therefore supports the validity of Guyton's graphical analysis.
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.
40 CFR 270.140 - What else must the Director prepare in addition to the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... addition to the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? 270.140 Section 270.140 Protection of Environment... the Director prepare in addition to the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? Once the Director has prepared the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny, he must then: (a) Prepare a statement of basis that...
40 CFR 270.140 - What else must the Director prepare in addition to the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... addition to the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? 270.140 Section 270.140 Protection of Environment... the Director prepare in addition to the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? Once the Director has prepared the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny, he must then: (a) Prepare a statement of basis that...
40 CFR 270.140 - What else must the Director prepare in addition to the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... addition to the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? 270.140 Section 270.140 Protection of Environment... the Director prepare in addition to the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? Once the Director has prepared the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny, he must then: (a) Prepare a statement of basis that...
40 CFR 270.140 - What else must the Director prepare in addition to the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... addition to the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? 270.140 Section 270.140 Protection of Environment... the Director prepare in addition to the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? Once the Director has prepared the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny, he must then: (a) Prepare a statement of basis that...
40 CFR 270.145 - What are the procedures for public comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? 270.145 Section 270.145 Protection of Environment... procedures for public comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? (a) The Director must: (1) Send... for the public to submit written comments on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny within at least...
40 CFR 270.145 - What are the procedures for public comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? 270.145 Section 270.145 Protection of Environment... procedures for public comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? (a) The Director must: (1) Send... for the public to submit written comments on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny within at least...
40 CFR 270.145 - What are the procedures for public comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? 270.145 Section 270.145 Protection of Environment... procedures for public comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? (a) The Director must: (1) Send... for the public to submit written comments on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny within at least...
40 CFR 270.145 - What are the procedures for public comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? 270.145 Section 270.145 Protection of Environment... procedures for public comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? (a) The Director must: (1) Send... for the public to submit written comments on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny within at least...
40 CFR 270.145 - What are the procedures for public comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? 270.145 Section 270.145 Protection of Environment... procedures for public comment on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny? (a) The Director must: (1) Send... for the public to submit written comments on the draft RAP or notice of intent to deny within at least...
The amount of parenchyma and living fibers affects storage of nonstructural carbohydrates in young stems and roots of temperate trees.

PubMed

Plavcová, Lenka; Hoch, Günter; Morris, Hugh; Ghiasi, Sara; Jansen, Steven

2016-04-01

Concentrations of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) are used as proxies for the net carbon balance of trees and as indicators of carbon starvation resulting from environmental stress. Woody organs are the largest NSC-storing compartments in forest ecosystems; therefore, it is essential to understand the factors that affect the size of this important storage pool. In wood, NSC are predominantly deposited in ray and axial parenchyma (RAP); however, direct links between nutrient storage and RAP anatomy have not yet been established. Here, we tested whether the NSC storage capacity of wood is influenced by the amount of RAP. We measured NSC concentrations and RAP fractions in root and stem sapwood of 12 temperate species sampled at the onset of winter dormancy and in stem sapwood of four tropical trees growing in an evergreen lowland rainforest. The patterns of starch distribution were visualized by staining with Lugol's solution. The concentration of NSCs in sapwood of temperate trees scales tightly with the amount of RAP and living fibers (LFs), with almost all RAP and LFs being densely packed with starch grains. In contrast, the tropical species had lower NSC concentrations despite their higher RAP and LFs fraction and had considerable interspecific differences in starch distribution. The differences in RAP and LFs abundance affect the ability of sapwood to store NSC in temperate trees, whereas a more diverse set of functions of RAP might be pronounced in species growing in a tropical environment with little seasonality. © 2016 Botanical Society of America.
Analysis of repeated signals during shell fights in the hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus

PubMed Central

Briffa, M.; Elwood, R. W.; Dick, J. T. A.

1998-01-01

Shell exchanges between hermit crabs may occur after a period of shell rapping, when the initiating or attacking crab brings its shell rapidly and repeatedly into contact with the shell of the non-initiator or defender, in a series of bouts. There are two opposing models of hermit crab shell exchange and the function of shell rapping. The negotiation model views shell exchange as a mutualistic activity, in which the initiator supplies information about the quality of its shell via the fundamental frequency of the rapping sound. The aggression model views shell rapping as either detrimental to the defending crab, or as providing it with information about the initiator's ability or motivation to continue, or both. The negotiation model makes no predictions about the temporal pattern of rapping, but under the aggression model it would be expected that crabs that rapped more vigorously would be more likely to effect an exchange. Repeating the signal could be expected under either model. Crabs that achieve an exchange rap more vigorously, rapping is more persistent when a clear gain in shell quality may be achieved, and the vigour is greater when the relative resource-holding potential (or 'fighting ability') is high. These findings support the aggression model rather than the negotiation model. Contrary to the predictions of game theory, crabs that do not effect an exchange appear to signal that they are about to give up. The data suggest that rapping is performed repeatedly because the accumulation of all of the performances acts as a signal of stamina.
Mutation of praR in Rhizobium leguminosarum enhances root biofilms, improving nodulation competitiveness by increased expression of attachment proteins.

PubMed

Frederix, Marijke; Edwards, Anne; Swiderska, Anna; Stanger, Andrew; Karunakaran, Ramakrishnan; Williams, Alan; Abbruscato, Pamela; Sanchez-Contreras, Maria; Poole, Philip S; Downie, J Allan

2014-08-01

In Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae, quorum-sensing is regulated by CinR, which induces the cinIS operon. CinI synthesizes an AHL, whereas CinS inactivates PraR, a repressor. Mutation of praR enhanced biofilms in vitro. We developed a light (lux)-dependent assay of rhizobial attachment to roots and demonstrated that mutation of praR increased biofilms on pea roots. The praR mutant out-competed wild-type for infection of pea nodules in mixed inoculations. Analysis of gene expression by microarrays and promoter fusions revealed that PraR represses its own transcription and mutation of praR increased expression of several genes including those encoding secreted proteins (the adhesins RapA2, RapB and RapC, two cadherins and the glycanase PlyB), the polysaccharide regulator RosR, and another protein similar to PraR. PraR bound to the promoters of several of these genes indicating direct repression. Mutations in rapA2, rapB, rapC, plyB, the cadherins or rosR did not affect the enhanced root attachment or nodule competitiveness of the praR mutant. However combinations of mutations in rapA, rapB and rapC abolished the enhanced attachment and nodule competitiveness. We conclude that relief of PraR-mediated repression determines a lifestyle switch allowing the expression of genes that are important for biofilm formation on roots and the subsequent initiation of infection of legume roots. © 2014 The Authors. Molecular Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Properties of asphalt mixtures containing RAP.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-12-01

A typical NHDOT Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) concrete mixture contains at least 15% Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP). The increasing cost of virgin asphalt and aggregate has increased the interest in using higher percentages of RAP in HMA mixtures. The purp...
Characterization of low-temperature properties of plant-produced rap mixtures in the Northeast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medeiros, Marcelo S., Junior

The dissertation outlined herein results from a Federal Highway Administration sponsored project intended to investigate the impacts of high percentages of RAP material in the performance of pavements under cold climate conditions. It is comprised of two main sections that were incorporated into the body of this dissertation as Part I and Part II. In Part I a reduced testing framework for analysis of HMA mixes was proposed to replace the IDT creep compliance and strength testing by dynamic modulus and fatigue tests performed on an AMPT device. A continuum damage model that incorporates the nonlinear constitutive behavior of the HMA mixtures was also successfully implemented and validated. Mixtures with varying percentages of reclaimed material (RAP) ranging from 0 to 40% were used in this research effort in order to verify the applicability of the proposed methodology to RAP mixtures. Part II is concerned with evaluating the effects of various binder grades on the properties of plant-produced mixtures with various percentages of RAP. The effects of RAP on mechanical and rheological properties of mixtures and extracted binders were studied in order to identify some of the deficiencies in the current production methodologies. The results of this dissertation will help practitioners to identify optimal RAP usage from a material property perspective. It also establishes some guidelines and best practices for the use of higher RAP percentages in HMA.
Renal Arterial Pseudoaneurysm and Renal Arteriovenous Fistula Following Partial Nephrectomy.

PubMed

Chen, Jinchao; Yang, Min; Wu, Pengjie; Li, Teng; Ning, Xianghui; Peng, Shuanghe; Wang, Jiangyi; Qi, Nienie; Gong, Kan

2018-01-01

Renal arterial pseudoaneurysm (RAP) and renal arteriovenous fistula (RAVF) are rare but can cause fatal bleeding. A retrospective review was conducted for patients undergoing partial nephrectomy (PN) in our department. The clinical features and treatment methods were analysed, and the relationships between RAP/RAVF and the surgical methods and R.E.N.A.L. score were investigated. Eleven patients were diagnosed with RAP/RAVF (9 with RAP and 2 with RAVF). The incidence of RAP/RAVF after laparoscopic PN showed no significant difference compared to that after open PN (p = 0.47). A low R.E.N.A.L. score was present in 6 patients, while an intermediate/high score was present in the other 5 patients. The major clinical manifestations included haematuria and haemorrhagic shock, and the median time of occurrence was 8 days after the operation. Six patients underwent an ultrasound examination. Of the 4 patients who underwent enhanced CT, 2 patients were diagnosed with RAP. All 11 patients were diagnosed by renal angiography and were cured after super-selective arterial embolization. The serum creatinine levels before and after embolization showed no significant differences (p = 0.14). RAP/RAVF may not have any relationship with the surgical procedure or R.E.N.A.L. score. Renal angiography and super-selective arterial embolization are the preferred methods for diagnosing and treating RAP/RAVF. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.
A Histidine pH sensor regulates activation of the Ras-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor RasGRP1.

PubMed

Vercoulen, Yvonne; Kondo, Yasushi; Iwig, Jeffrey S; Janssen, Axel B; White, Katharine A; Amini, Mojtaba; Barber, Diane L; Kuriyan, John; Roose, Jeroen P

2017-09-27

RasGRPs are guanine nucleotide exchange factors that are specific for Ras or Rap, and are important regulators of cellular signaling. Aberrant expression or mutation of RasGRPs results in disease. An analysis of RasGRP1 SNP variants led to the conclusion that the charge of His 212 in RasGRP1 alters signaling activity and plasma membrane recruitment, indicating that His 212 is a pH sensor that alters the balance between the inactive and active forms of RasGRP1. To understand the structural basis for this effect we compared the structure of autoinhibited RasGRP1, determined previously, to those of active RasGRP4:H-Ras and RasGRP2:Rap1b complexes. The transition from the autoinhibited to the active form of RasGRP1 involves the rearrangement of an inter-domain linker that displaces inhibitory inter-domain interactions. His 212 is located at the fulcrum of these conformational changes, and structural features in its vicinity are consistent with its function as a pH-dependent switch.
Development of laboratory mix design procedures for RAP mixes.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the amount of blending that occurs between RAP and virgin asphalt : binders in plant produced HMA in which RAP is incorporated. This objective was accomplished by testing plant : produced mixture from three...

Validation of RAP and/or RAS in hydraulic cement concrete : technical report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-01

The increasing maintenance and rehabilitation actions lead to considerable amounts of reclaimed asphalt pavement : (RAP) left in stockpiles in the United States. The possible use of RAP in Portland cement concrete (PCC) as aggregate : replacement not...
Detection of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) in bituminous mixtures

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-06-01

The overall goal of this study was to assist the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) in identifying and developing methods for quality assurance of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) containing recycled asphalt pavement (RAP). Although the use of RAP can...
Determining asphalt content for recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) materials.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-07-01

The State of Oregon uses significant amounts of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) in dense-graded mixes on State : highways. The design process for these mixes relies on accurately knowing the amount of asphalt cement in the RAP : materials being used....
40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart C of... - Alternative Testing Methods Approved for Analyses Under the Safe Drinking Water Act

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Absorption D 3697-07 Atomic Absorption; Furnace 3113 B Axially viewed inductively coupled plasma-atomic... C Hydride Atomic Absorption 3114 B D 2972-08 B Axially viewed inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (AVICP-AES) 200.5, Revision 4.2. Barium Inductively Coupled Plasma 3120 B Atomic...
Rapeseed protein-derived antioxidant peptide RAP alleviates renal fibrosis through MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways in diabetic nephropathy.

PubMed

Zhang, Mingyan; Yan, Zhibin; Bu, Lili; An, Chunmei; Wang, Dan; Liu, Xin; Zhang, Jianfeng; Yang, Wenle; Deng, Bochuan; Xie, Junqiu; Zhang, Bangzhi

2018-01-01

Kidney fibrosis is the main pathologic change in diabetic nephropathy (DN), which is the major cause of end-stage renal disease. Current therapeutic strategies slow down but cannot reverse the progression of renal dysfunction in DN. Plant-derived bioactive peptides in foodstuffs are widely used in many fields because of their potential pharmaceutical and nutraceutical benefits. However, this type of peptide has not yet been studied in renal fibrosis of DN. Previous studies have indicated that the peptide YWDHNNPQIR (named RAP), a natural peptide derived from rapeseed protein, has an antioxidative stress effect. The oxidative stress is believed to be associated with DN. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacologic effects of RAP against renal fibrosis of DN and high glucose (HG)-induced mesangial dysfunction. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin and high-fat diet in C57BL/6 mice and these mice were treated by subcutaneous injection of different doses of RAP (0.1 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg, every other day) or PBS for 12 weeks. Later, functional and histopathologic analyses were performed. Parallel experiments verifying the molecular mechanism by which RAP alleviates DN were carried out in HG-induced mesangial cells (MCs). RAP improved the renal function indices, including 24-h albuminuria, triglyceride, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen levels, but did not lower blood glucose levels in DN mice. RAP also simultaneously attenuated extracellular matrix accumulation in DN mice and HG-induced MCs. Furthermore, RAP reduced HG-induced cell proliferation, but it showed no toxicity in MCs. Additionally, RAP inhibited the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways. RAP can attenuate fibrosis in vivo and in vitro by antagonizing the MAPK and NF-κB pathways.
A Rhizobium leguminosarum CHDL- (Cadherin-Like-) Lectin Participates in Assembly and Remodeling of the Biofilm Matrix

PubMed Central

Vozza, Nicolás F.; Abdian, Patricia L.; Russo, Daniela M.; Mongiardini, Elías J.; Lodeiro, Aníbal R.; Molin, Søren; Zorreguieta, Angeles

2016-01-01

In natural environments most bacteria live in multicellular structures called biofilms. These cell aggregates are enclosed in a self-produced polymeric extracellular matrix, which protects the cells, provides mechanical stability and mediates cellular cohesion and adhesion to surfaces. Although important advances were made in the identification of the genetic and extracellular factors required for biofilm formation, the mechanisms leading to biofilm matrix assembly, and the roles of extracellular proteins in these processes are still poorly understood. The symbiont Rhizobium leguminosarum requires the synthesis of the acidic exopolysaccharide and the PrsDE secretion system to develop a mature biofilm. PrsDE is responsible for the secretion of the Rap family of proteins that share one or two Ra/CHDL (cadherin-like-) domains. RapA2 is a calcium-dependent lectin with a cadherin-like β sheet structure that specifically recognizes the exopolysaccharide, either as a capsular polysaccharide (CPS) or in its released form [extracellular polysaccharide (EPS)]. In this study, using gain and loss of function approaches combined with phenotypic and microscopic studies we demonstrated that RapA lectins are involved in biofilm matrix development and cellular cohesion. While the absence of any RapA protein increased the compactness of bacterial aggregates, high levels of RapA1 expanded distances between cells and favored the production of a dense matrix network. Whereas endogenous RapA(s) are predominantly located at one bacterial pole, we found that under overproduction conditions, RapA1 surrounded the cell in a way that was reminiscent of the capsule. Accordingly, polysaccharide analyses showed that the RapA lectins promote CPS formation at the expense of lower EPS production. Besides, polysaccharide analysis suggests that RapA modulates the EPS size profile. Collectively, these results show that the interaction of RapA lectins with the polysaccharide is involved in rhizobial biofilm matrix assembly and remodeling. PMID:27790205
Mutations in CDK5RAP2 cause Seckel syndrome.

PubMed

Yigit, Gökhan; Brown, Karen E; Kayserili, Hülya; Pohl, Esther; Caliebe, Almuth; Zahnleiter, Diana; Rosser, Elisabeth; Bögershausen, Nina; Uyguner, Zehra Oya; Altunoglu, Umut; Nürnberg, Gudrun; Nürnberg, Peter; Rauch, Anita; Li, Yun; Thiel, Christian Thomas; Wollnik, Bernd

2015-09-01

Seckel syndrome is a heterogeneous, autosomal recessive disorder marked by prenatal proportionate short stature, severe microcephaly, intellectual disability, and characteristic facial features. Here, we describe the novel homozygous splice-site mutations c.383+1G>C and c.4005-9A>G in CDK5RAP2 in two consanguineous families with Seckel syndrome. CDK5RAP2 (CEP215) encodes a centrosomal protein which is known to be essential for centrosomal cohesion and proper spindle formation and has been shown to be causally involved in autosomal recessive primary microcephaly. We establish CDK5RAP2 as a disease-causing gene for Seckel syndrome and show that loss of functional CDK5RAP2 leads to severe defects in mitosis and spindle organization, resulting in cells with abnormal nuclei and centrosomal pattern, which underlines the important role of centrosomal and mitotic proteins in the pathogenesis of the disease. Additionally, we present an intriguing case of possible digenic inheritance in Seckel syndrome: A severely affected child of nonconsanguineous German parents was found to carry heterozygous mutations in CDK5RAP2 and CEP152. This finding points toward a potential additive genetic effect of mutations in CDK5RAP2 and CEP152.
Mutations in CDK5RAP2 cause Seckel syndrome

PubMed Central

Yigit, Gökhan; Brown, Karen E; Kayserili, Hülya; Pohl, Esther; Caliebe, Almuth; Zahnleiter, Diana; Rosser, Elisabeth; Bögershausen, Nina; Uyguner, Zehra Oya; Altunoglu, Umut; Nürnberg, Gudrun; Nürnberg, Peter; Rauch, Anita; Li, Yun; Thiel, Christian Thomas; Wollnik, Bernd

2015-01-01

Seckel syndrome is a heterogeneous, autosomal recessive disorder marked by prenatal proportionate short stature, severe microcephaly, intellectual disability, and characteristic facial features. Here, we describe the novel homozygous splice-site mutations c.383+1G>C and c.4005-9A>G in CDK5RAP2 in two consanguineous families with Seckel syndrome. CDK5RAP2 (CEP215) encodes a centrosomal protein which is known to be essential for centrosomal cohesion and proper spindle formation and has been shown to be causally involved in autosomal recessive primary microcephaly. We establish CDK5RAP2 as a disease-causing gene for Seckel syndrome and show that loss of functional CDK5RAP2 leads to severe defects in mitosis and spindle organization, resulting in cells with abnormal nuclei and centrosomal pattern, which underlines the important role of centrosomal and mitotic proteins in the pathogenesis of the disease. Additionally, we present an intriguing case of possible digenic inheritance in Seckel syndrome: A severely affected child of nonconsanguineous German parents was found to carry heterozygous mutations in CDK5RAP2 and CEP152. This finding points toward a potential additive genetic effect of mutations in CDK5RAP2 and CEP152. PMID:26436113
Sumoylation of Rap1 mediates the recruitment of TFIID to promote transcription of ribosomal protein genes

PubMed Central

Chymkowitch, Pierre; Nguéa P, Aurélie; Aanes, Håvard; Koehler, Christian J.; Thiede, Bernd; Lorenz, Susanne; Meza-Zepeda, Leonardo A.; Klungland, Arne; Enserink, Jorrit M.

2015-01-01

Transcription factors are abundant Sumo targets, yet the global distribution of Sumo along the chromatin and its physiological relevance in transcription are poorly understood. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we determined the genome-wide localization of Sumo along the chromatin. We discovered that Sumo-enriched genes are almost exclusively involved in translation, such as tRNA genes and ribosomal protein genes (RPGs). Genome-wide expression analysis showed that Sumo positively regulates their transcription. We also discovered that the Sumo consensus motif at RPG promoters is identical to the DNA binding motif of the transcription factor Rap1. We demonstrate that Rap1 is a molecular target of Sumo and that sumoylation of Rap1 is important for cell viability. Furthermore, Rap1 sumoylation promotes recruitment of the basal transcription machinery, and sumoylation of Rap1 cooperates with the target of rapamycin kinase complex 1 (TORC1) pathway to promote RPG transcription. Strikingly, our data reveal that sumoylation of Rap1 functions in a homeostatic feedback loop that sustains RPG transcription during translational stress. Taken together, Sumo regulates the cellular translational capacity by promoting transcription of tRNA genes and RPGs. PMID:25800674
Direct TFIIA-TFIID Protein Contacts Drive Budding Yeast Ribosomal Protein Gene Transcription*

PubMed Central

Layer, Justin H.; Weil, P. Anthony

2013-01-01

We have previously shown that yeast TFIID provides coactivator function on the promoters of ribosomal protein-encoding genes (RPGs) by making direct contact with the transactivator repressor activator protein 1 (Rap1). Further, our structural studies of assemblies generated with purified Rap1, TFIID, and TFIIA on RPG enhancer-promoter DNA indicate that Rap1-TFIID interaction induces dramatic conformational rearrangements of enhancer-promoter DNA and TFIID-bound TFIIA. These data indicate a previously unknown yet critical role for yeast TFIIA in the integration of activator-TFIID contacts with promoter conformation and downstream preinitiation complex formation and/or function. Here we describe the use of systematic mutagenesis to define how specific TFIIA contacts contribute to these processes. We have verified that TFIIA is required for RPG transcription in vivo and in vitro, consistent with the existence of a critical Rap1-TFIIA-TFIID interaction network. We also identified essential points of contact for TFIIA and Rap1 within the Rap1 binding domain of the Taf4 subunit of TFIID. These data suggest a mechanism for how interactions between TFIID, TFIIA, and Rap1 contribute to the high rate of transcription initiation seen on RPGs in vivo. PMID:23814059
Analysis of the usage of rubberized asphalt in hot mix asphalt using Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwidarma Nataadmadja, Adelia; Prahara, Eduardi; Sumbung, Pierre Christian

2017-12-01

There has been an increasing demand in using more environmentally friendly materials in pavement construction. One of the alternative materials that have been widely used is the Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) aggregates. The RAP aggregates are derived from the crushed and screened pavement materials that contain asphalt and aggregates. This material is usually combined with natural aggregates and virgin asphalt binder to construct a new pavement. There have been numerous positive feedbacks in using this material although RAP aggregates also have certain weaknesses, such as questionable interaction between virgin and recycled materials and increased stiffness of RAP binder. Moreover, there has been a push on using rubber as an additive to asphalt binder to improve the welfare of rubber farmers. This research combines the usage of both latex and RAP as the ingredients to design hot mix asphalt (HMA) as latex could help in improving the flexibility of HMA and the interaction between the virgin and recycled materials. The main objective of this research is to find a suitable percentage of RAP aggregates to be used in HMA with certain percentage of latex as the binder additive.
REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS: lonization and quenching of excited atoms with the production of fast electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolokolov, N. B.; Blagoev, A. B.

1993-03-01

Studies of reactions involving excited atoms, which result in the release of electrons with energies exceeding the mean plasma electron energy, are reviewed. Particular attention is devoted to plasma electron spectroscopy (PES) which combines the advantages of studies of elementary plasma processes with those of traditional electron spectroscopy. Data obtained by investigating the following reactions are reported: chemoionization with the participation of two excited inert-gas atoms, Penning ionization of atoms and molecules by metastable helium atoms, and electron quenching of excited inert-gas atoms and mercury atoms. The effect of processes in which fast electrons are emitted on plasma properties is discussed.
Literature review : performance of RAP/RAS mixes and new direction.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-04-01

In the last several years reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) have been : widely used in asphalt mixes in Texas. The use of RAP/RAS can significantly reduce the initial cost of : asphalt mixtures, conserve energy, and...
Validation of RAP and/or RAS in hydraulic cement concrete : project summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-01-31

Reclaimed or recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) : and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) have been : widely used in hot-mix asphalt (HMA) in Texas. : However, a high volume of RAP is still available : in stockpiles along the Texas Department of : Transport...
LRP1 influences trafficking of N-type calcium channels via interaction with the auxiliary α2δ-1 subunit

PubMed Central

Kadurin, Ivan; Rothwell, Simon W.; Lana, Beatrice; Nieto-Rostro, Manuela; Dolphin, Annette C.

2017-01-01

Voltage-gated Ca2+ (CaV) channels consist of a pore-forming α1 subunit, which determines the main functional and pharmacological attributes of the channel. The CaV1 and CaV2 channels are associated with auxiliary β- and α2δ-subunits. The molecular mechanisms involved in α2δ subunit trafficking, and the effect of α2δ subunits on trafficking calcium channel complexes remain poorly understood. Here we show that α2δ-1 is a ligand for the Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Receptor-related Protein-1 (LRP1), a multifunctional receptor which mediates trafficking of cargoes. This interaction with LRP1 is direct, and is modulated by the LRP chaperone, Receptor-Associated Protein (RAP). LRP1 regulates α2δ binding to gabapentin, and influences calcium channel trafficking and function. Whereas LRP1 alone reduces α2δ-1 trafficking to the cell-surface, the LRP1/RAP combination enhances mature glycosylation, proteolytic processing and cell-surface expression of α2δ-1, and also increase plasma-membrane expression and function of CaV2.2 when co-expressed with α2δ-1. Furthermore RAP alone produced a small increase in cell-surface expression of CaV2.2, α2δ-1 and the associated calcium currents. It is likely to be interacting with an endogenous member of the LDL receptor family to have these effects. Our findings now provide a key insight and new tools to investigate the trafficking of calcium channel α2δ subunits. PMID:28256585
Relationship of right- to left-sided ventricular filling pressures in advanced heart failure: insights from the ESCAPE trial.

PubMed

Drazner, Mark H; Velez-Martinez, Mariella; Ayers, Colby R; Reimold, Sharon C; Thibodeau, Jennifer T; Mishkin, Joseph D; Mammen, Pradeep P A; Markham, David W; Patel, Chetan B

2013-03-01

Although right atrial pressure (RAP) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) are correlated in heart failure, in a sizeable minority of patients, the RAP and PCWP are not tightly coupled. The basis of this variability in the RAP/PCWP ratio, and whether it conveys prognostic value, is not known. We analyzed the Evaluation Study of Congestive Heart Failure and Pulmonary Artery Catheterization Effectiveness (ESCAPE) trial database. Baseline characteristics, including echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular (RV) structure and function, and invasively measured hemodynamic parameters, were compared among tertiles of the RAP/PCWP ratio. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models assessed the association of RAP/PCWP ratio with the primary ESCAPE outcome (6-month death or hospitalization [days]) adjusting for systolic blood pressure, blood urea nitrogen, 6-minute walk distance, and PCWP. The RAP/PCWP tertiles were 0.27 to 0.4 (tertile 1); 0.41 to 0.615 (tertile 2), and 0.62 to 1.21 (tertile 3). Increasing RAP/PCWP was associated with increasing median right atrial area (23, 26, 29 cm2, respectively; P<0.005), RV area in diastole (21, 27, 27 cm2, respectively; P<0.005), and pulmonary vascular resistance (2.4, 2.9, 3.6 woods units, respectively; P=0.003), and lower RV stroke work index (8.6, 8.4, 5.5 g·m/m2 per beat, respectively; P<0.001). RAP/PCWP ratio was associated with death or hospitalization within 6 months (hazard ratio, 1.16 [1, 1.4]; P<0.05). Increased RAP/PCWP ratio was associated with higher pulmonary vascular resistance, reduced RV function (manifest as a larger right atrium and ventricle and lower RV stroke work index), and an increased risk of adverse outcomes in patients with advanced heart failure.
Effects of using nursing home residents to serve as group activity leaders: lessons learned from the RAP project.

PubMed

Skrajner, Michael J; Haberman, Jessica L; Camp, Cameron J; Tusick, Melanie; Frentiu, Cristina; Gorzelle, Gregg

2014-03-01

Previous research has demonstrated that persons with early to moderate stage dementia are capable of leading small group activities for persons with more advanced dementia. In this study, we built upon this previous work by training residents in long-term care facilities to fill the role of group activity leaders using a Resident-Assisted Programming (RAP) training regimen. There were two stages to the program. In the first stage, RAP training was provided by researchers. In the second stage, RAP training was provided to residents by activities staff members of long-term care facilities who had been trained by researchers. We examine the effects of RAP implemented by researchers and by activities staff member on long-term care resident with dementia who took part in these RAP activities. We also examined effects produced by two types of small group activities: two Montessori-based activities and an activity which focuses on persons with more advanced dementia, based on the work of Jitka Zgola. Results demonstrate that levels of positive engagement seen in players during RAP (resident-led activities) were typically higher than those observed during standard activities programming led by site staff. In general, Montessori-Based Dementia Programming® produced more constructive engagement than Zgola-based programming (ZBP), though ZBP did increase a positive form of engagement involving observing activities with interest. In addition, RAP implemented by activities staff members produced effects that were, on the whole, similar to those produced when RAP was implemented by researchers. Implications of these findings for providing meaningful social roles for persons with dementia residing in long-term care, and suggestions for further research in this area, are discussed.
MaRAP2-4, a waterlogging-responsive ERF from Mentha, regulates bidirectional sugar transporter AtSWEET10 to modulate stress response in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Phukan, Ujjal J; Jeena, Gajendra Singh; Tripathi, Vineeta; Shukla, Rakesh Kumar

2018-01-01

As waterlogging and successive events severely influence growth and development of economically important plants, we attempted to characterize the role of a waterlogging-responsive group I (A-6) ethylene response factor (MaRAP2-4) from Mentha arvensis. Waterlogging, ethylene and methyl jasmonate rapidly induced the expression of MaRAP2-4. MaRAP2-4 interacted with multiple cis-elements like dehydration response elements (DRE1/2), anoxia/jasmonic acid response element (JARE) and GCC box showing its involvement in multiple responses. MaRAP2-4 localizes in the nucleus and acts as a transcriptional activator. Truncation and internal deletion identified a 20 amino acids potential transactivation domain (PLPSSVDAKLEAICQSLAIN) in MaRAP2-4. MaRAP2-4 transgenic Arabidopsis showed enhanced waterlogging and subsequent oxidative stress tolerance. Microarray analysis revealed that within up-regulated genes 483, 212 and 132 promoters carry either single or multiple copies of DRE, JARE and GCC cis-element/s, respectively. Within these promoters, a large section belongs to carbohydrate metabolism/transport, including many SWEET transporters. Further analysis showed MaRAP2-4 specifically targets two positions in AtSWEEET10 promoter carrying DRE and/or GCC box that might regulate carbohydrate availability and waterlogging tolerance. These results demonstrate that MaRAP2-4 is a positive regulator of waterlogging tolerance, and as energy-consuming processes such as carbohydrate biosynthesis are reduced under waterlogging-induced hypoxia, sugar transport through SWEETs may be the primary option to make sugar available to the required tissue. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
[Cloning of VH and VL Gene of Human anti-IL1RAP McAb and Construction of Recombinant Chimeric Receptor].

PubMed

Yin, Ling-Ling; Ruan, Su-Hong; Tian, Yu; Zhao, Kai; Xu, Kai Lin

2015-10-01

To clone the variable region genes of human anti-IL1RAP (IL-1 receptor accessory protein) monoclonal antibodies (McAb) and to construct IL1RAP chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). The VH and VL DNA of IL1RAP single chain antibodies were amplified by RACE and overlap extension PCR from total RNA extracted from 3H6E10 and 10D8A7 hybridoma and ligated into specific IL1RAP single-chain variable fragments (scFv). CD8α transmembrane domain, CD137 intracellular domain, TCR ζ chain, human CD8α signal peptide and scFv-anti-IL1RAP were cloned into plasmid LV-lac. Recombinant lentiviruses were generated by co-transfection of recombinant plasmid LV-lac, pMD2. G, and psPAX2 helper vectors into 293FT packing cells. The VH and VL genes of 2 human anti-IL1RAP McAb were acquired. The 3H6E10 VH and VL genes consisted of 402 bp and 393 bp encoding 134 and 131 aminoacid residues, respectively; 10D8A7 VH and VL genes consisted of 423 bp and 381 bp encoding 141 and 127 amine acid residues, respectively. Recombinant expression vertors LV-3H6E10 scFv-ICD and LV-10D8A7 scFv-ICD (ICD: CD8α transmembrane domain-CD137 intracellular domain-TCR ζ chain) were constructed. The target fragments were demonstrated by sequencing analysis. Recombinant plasmids were transfected into 293FT cells and lentiviral particles were acquired. Human anti-IL1RAP recombinant receptors are constructed successfully and lay a good foundation for the construction of IL1RAP-CAR killer T cell vaccine.
Role of atrial natriuretic peptide in systemic responses to acute isotonic volume expansion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watenpaugh, Donald E.; Yancy, Clyde W.; Buckey, Jay C.; Lane, Lynda D.; Hargens, Alan R.; Blomqvist, C. G.

1992-01-01

A hypothesis is proposed that a temporal relationship exists between increases in cardiac filling pressure and plasma artrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) concentration and also between ANP elevation and vasodilation, fluid movement from plasma to interstitium, and increased urine volume (UV). To test the hypothesis, 30 ml/kg isotonic saline were infused in supine male subjects over 24 min and responses were monitored for 3 h postinfusion. Results show that at end infusion, mean arterial pressure (RAP), heart rate and plasma volume exhibited peak increases of 146, 23, and 27 percent, respectively. Mean plasma ANP and UV peaked (45 and 390 percent, respectively) at 30 min postinfusion. Most cardiovascular variables had returned toward control levels by 1 h postinfusion, and net reabsorption of extravascular fluid ensued. It is concluded that since ANP was not significantly increased until 30 min postinfusion, factors other than ANP initiate responses to intravascular fluid loading. These factors include increased vascular pressures, baroreceptor-mediated vasolidation, and hemodilution of plasma proteins. ANP is suggested to mediate, in part, the renal response to saline infusion.

40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart C of... - Alternative Testing Methods Approved for Analyses Under the Safe Drinking Water Act

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (AVICP-AES) 200.5, Revision 4.2. 2 Arsenic Atomic Absorption... inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (AVICP-AES) 200.5, Revision 4.2. 2 Barium Inductively Coupled Plasma 3120 B Atomic Absorption; Direct 3111 D Atomic Absorption; Furnace 3113 B 3113 B-04 Axially...
40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart C of... - Alternative Testing Methods Approved for Analyses Under the Safe Drinking Water Act

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (AVICP-AES) 200.5, Revision 4.2. 2 Arsenic Atomic Absorption... inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (AVICP-AES) 200.5, Revision 4.2. 2 Barium Inductively Coupled Plasma 3120 B Atomic Absorption; Direct 3111 D Atomic Absorption; Furnace 3113 B 3113 B-04 Axially...
Development of Mix Designs for RAP Concrete for Florida Concrete Test Road

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-12-01

The main objective of this study was to develop mix designs for concrete incorporating Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) materials to be used in the Florida Concrete Test Road. Two different FDOT-approved RAP sources were selected and used in this stu...
Development of low-cost open source 3D gel printer "RepRap SWIM-ER"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Kei; Basher, Samiul; Ota, Takafumi; Tase, Taishi; Takamatsu, Kyuichiro; Saito, Azusa; Khosla, Ajit; Kawakami, Masaru; Furuawa, Hidemitsu

2017-04-01

Gels are soft and wet materials having low friction, good biocompatibility, and material permeability. It is expected that gel materials will be used as new kinds of industrial materials in the engineering and medical applications. But it cannot build a complicated shape. Soft & Wet Matter Engineering Laboratory developed a 3D gel Printer "SWIM-ER", has enabled modeling of complex shapes of the gel. However, this is expensive. Therefore not all of the gel researchers and the companies have such a device. To solve this problem, we manufacture a low-cost open-source 3D gel printer "RepRap SWIM-ER" from the RepRap. We made the components required to manufacture the "RepRap SWIM-ER" from the 3D printer and chose a light source. In addition, we produced the P-DN gel for RepRap SWIM-ER and conducted the molding test to confirm whether RepRap SWIM-ER can used it.
Neuronal Rap1 Regulates Energy Balance, Glucose Homeostasis, and Leptin Actions.

PubMed

Kaneko, Kentaro; Xu, Pingwen; Cordonier, Elizabeth L; Chen, Siyu S; Ng, Amy; Xu, Yong; Morozov, Alexei; Fukuda, Makoto

2016-09-13

The CNS contributes to obesity and metabolic disease; however, the underlying neurobiological pathways remain to be fully established. Here, we show that the small GTPase Rap1 is expressed in multiple hypothalamic nuclei that control whole-body metabolism and is activated in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. Genetic ablation of CNS Rap1 protects mice from dietary obesity, glucose imbalance, and insulin resistance in the periphery and from HFD-induced neuropathological changes in the hypothalamus, including diminished cellular leptin sensitivity and increased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and inflammation. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of CNS Rap1 signaling normalizes hypothalamic ER stress and inflammation, improves cellular leptin sensitivity, and reduces body weight in mice with dietary obesity. We also demonstrate that Rap1 mediates leptin resistance via interplay with ER stress. Thus, neuronal Rap1 critically regulates leptin sensitivity and mediates HFD-induced obesity and hypothalamic pathology and may represent a potential therapeutic target for obesity treatment. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Preventing the activation or cycling of the Rap1 GTPase alters adhesion and cytoskeletal dynamics and blocks metastatic melanoma cell extravasation into the lungs.

PubMed

Freeman, Spencer A; McLeod, Sarah J; Dukowski, Janet; Austin, Pamela; Lee, Crystal C Y; Millen-Martin, Brandie; Kubes, Paul; McCafferty, Donna-Marie; Gold, Michael R; Roskelley, Calvin D

2010-06-01

The Rap1 GTPase is a master regulator of cell adhesion, polarity, and migration. We show that both blocking Rap1 activation and expressing a constitutively active form of Rap1 reduced the ability of B16F1 melanoma cells to extravasate from the microvasculature and form metastatic lesions in the lungs. This correlated with a decreased ability of the tumor cells to undergo transendothelial migration (TEM) in vitro and form dynamic, F-actin-rich pseudopodia that penetrate capillary endothelial walls in vivo. Using multiple tumor cell lines, we show that the inability to form these membrane protrusions, which likely promote TEM and extravasation, can be explained by altered adhesion dynamics and impaired cell polarization that result when Rap1 activation or cycling is perturbed. Thus, targeting Rap1 could be a useful approach for reducing the metastatic dissemination of tumor cells that undergo active TEM. Copyright 2010 AACR.
Rap1, Canoe and Mbt cooperate with Bazooka to promote zonula adherens assembly in the fly photoreceptor

PubMed Central

Burki, Mubarik

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT In Drosophila epithelial cells, apical exclusion of Bazooka (the Drosophila Par3 protein) defines the position of the zonula adherens (ZA), which demarcates the apical and lateral membrane and allows cells to assemble into sheets. Here, we show that the small GTPase Rap1, its effector Canoe (Cno) and the Cdc42 effector kinase Mushroom bodies tiny (Mbt), converge in regulating epithelial morphogenesis by coupling stabilization of the adherens junction (AJ) protein E-Cadherin and Bazooka retention at the ZA. Furthermore, our results show that the localization of Rap1, Cno and Mbt at the ZA is interdependent, indicating that their functions during ZA morphogenesis are interlinked. In this context, we find the Rap1-GEF Dizzy is enriched at the ZA and our results suggest that it promotes Rap1 activity during ZA morphogenesis. Altogether, we propose the Dizzy, Rap1 and Cno pathway and Mbt converge in regulating the interface between Bazooka and AJ material to promote ZA morphogenesis. PMID:29507112
Decoding telomere protein Rap1: Its telomeric and nontelomeric functions and potential implications in diabetic cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Cai, Yin; Kandula, Vidya; Kosuru, Ramoji; Ye, Xiaodong; Irwin, Michael G; Xia, Zhengyuan

2017-10-02

Mammalian Rap1, the most conserved telomere-interacting protein, beyond its role within nucleus for the maintenance of telomeric functions, is also well known for its pleiotropic functions in various physiological and pathological conditions associated with metabolism, inflammation and oxidative stress. For all these, nowadays Rap1 is the subject of critical investigations aimed to unveil its molecular signaling pathways and to scrutinize the applicability of its modulation as a promising therapeutic strategy with clinical relevance. However, the underlying intimate mechanisms of Rap1 are not extensively studied, but any modulation of this protein level has been associated with pathologies like inflammation, oxidative stress and deregulated metabolism. This is considerably important in light of the recent discovery of Rap1 modulation in diseases like cancer and cardiac metabolic disorders. In this review, we focus on both the telomeric and nontelomeric functions of Rap1 and its modulation in various health risks, especially on the heart.
Comprehensive Chemical Characterization of Rapé Tobacco Products: Nicotine, Un-ionized Nicotine, Tobacco-specific N’-Nitrosamines, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, and Flavor Constituents

PubMed Central

Stanfill, Stephen B.; da Silva, André Luiz Oliveira; Lisko, Joseph G.; Lawler, Tameka S.; Kuklenyik, Peter; Tyx, Robert E.; Peuchen, Elizabeth H.; Richter, Patricia; Watson, Clifford H.

2017-01-01

Rapé, a diverse group of smokeless tobacco products indigenous to South America, is generally used as a nasal snuff and contains substantial amount of plant material with or without tobacco. Previously uncharacterized, rapé contains addictive and harmful chemicals that may have public health implications for users. Here we report % moisture, pH and the levels of total nicotine, un-ionized nicotine, flavor-related compounds, tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for manufactured and hand-made rapé. Most rapé products were mildly acidic (pH 5.17 – 6.23) with total nicotine ranging from 6.32 to 47.6 milligram per gram of sample (mg/g). Calculated un-ionized nicotine ranged from 0.03 to 18.5 mg/g with the highest values associated with hand-made rapés (pH 9.75 – 10.2), which contain alkaline ashes. In tobacco-containing rapés, minor alkaloid levels and Fourier transform infrared spectra were used to confirm the presence of Nicotiana rustica, a high nicotine tobacco species. There was a wide concentration range of TSNAs and PAHs among the rapés analyzed. Several TSNAs and PAHs identified in the products are known or probable carcinogens according to the International Agency for Research in Cancer. Milligram quantities of some non-tobacco constituents, such as camphor, coumarin, and eugenol, warrant additional evaluation. PMID:25934468
Disease progression of acute pancreatitis in pediatric patients.

PubMed

Hao, Fabao; Guo, Hongjie; Luo, Qianfu; Guo, Chunbao

2016-05-15

Approximately 10% of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) progress to chronic pancreatitis. Little is known about the factors that affect recurrence of pancreatitis after an initial episode. We retrospectively investigated patients with AP, focusing on their outcomes and the predictors for disease progression. Between July 2003 and June 2015, we retrospectively enrolled first-time AP patients with medical records on disease etiology, severity (according to the Atlanta classifications), and recurrence of AP. Independent predictors of recurrent AP (RAP) and chronic pancreatitis were identified using the logistic regression model. Of the total 159 patients, 45 (28.3%) developed RAP, including two episodes of RAP in 19 patients, and 9 (5.7%) developed chronic pancreatitis. The median duration from the time of AP to the onset of RAP was 5.6 ± 2.3 months. RAP patients were identified as more common among patients with idiopathic first-time AP. The presence of severe ascites, pancreatic necrosis, and systemic complications was independent predictors of RAP in pediatric patients. Experiencing over two RAP episodes was the predictor for developing chronic pancreatitis. No influence of age or number of AP episodes was found on the occurrence of abdominal pain, pain severity, and the prevalence of any pain. Severity of first-time AP and idiopathic first-time AP are related to RAP. Recurrence increases risk for progression to chronic pancreatitis. The risk of recurrence increased with increasing numbers of AP episodes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Comprehensive chemical characterization of Rapé tobacco products: Nicotine, un-ionized nicotine, tobacco-specific N'-nitrosamines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and flavor constituents.

PubMed

Stanfill, Stephen B; Oliveira da Silva, André Luiz; Lisko, Joseph G; Lawler, Tameka S; Kuklenyik, Peter; Tyx, Robert E; Peuchen, Elizabeth H; Richter, Patricia; Watson, Clifford H

2015-08-01

Rapé, a diverse group of smokeless tobacco products indigenous to South America, is generally used as a nasal snuff and contains substantial amount of plant material with or without tobacco. Previously uncharacterized, rapé contains addictive and harmful chemicals that may have public health implications for users. Here we report % moisture, pH, and the levels of total nicotine, un-ionized nicotine, flavor-related compounds, tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for manufactured and hand-made rapé. Most rapé products were mildly acidic (pH 5.17-6.23) with total nicotine ranging from 6.32 to 47.6 milligram per gram of sample (mg/g). Calculated un-ionized nicotine ranged from 0.03 to 18.5 mg/g with the highest values associated with hand-made rapés (pH 9.75-10.2), which contain alkaline ashes. In tobacco-containing rapés, minor alkaloid levels and Fourier transform infrared spectra were used to confirm the presence of Nicotiana rustica, a high nicotine tobacco species. There was a wide concentration range of TSNAs and PAHs among the rapés analyzed. Several TSNAs and PAHs identified in the products are known or probable carcinogens according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Milligram quantities of some non-tobacco constituents, such as camphor, coumarin, and eugenol, warrant additional evaluation. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Determination of the PG binder grade to use in a RAP mix

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-04-01

The use of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) in new Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) has become routine in the part few years. This practice is spurred by the increased amounts of pavement being milled off prior to overlaying. Using RAP has economical and environ...
Unwrapping Rap: A Literacy of Lived Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Stephen G.

The adversarial forces of governmental censorship, freedom of expression, and capitalistic appropriation are engaged in an acrimonious debate over "Gangsta' Rap" that is being played out in the public spaces of popular culture. However, as a literacy of lived experience, Gangsta' Rap warrants critical investigation. Many postmodern…
Best practices for the design, evaluation and quality control of high percentage RAP mixes.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

Placing reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) back on the roadway is a common and popular technique in the paving industry. There are always challenges associated with this type of recycling, especially when the RAP content in the newly paved asphalt mix ...
Evaluation of cement and fly ash treated recycled asphalt pavement and aggregates for base construction : tech summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-12-01

INTRODUCTION: Many entities currently use recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) and other aggregates as base materials, temporary haul roads, and, in the case of RAP, hot mix asphalt construction. Several : states currently allow the use of RAP combined wi...
Evaluation of cement and fly ash treated RAP and aggregates for base construction : research project capsule

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-03-01

INTRODUCTION: Many entities currently use recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) and other aggregates as base material, temporary haul roads, and in hot mix asphalt construction. Several states allow the use of RAP combined with cement for stabilized base c...
Evaluation of cement and fly ash treated recycled asphalt pavement and aggregates for base construction.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-12-01

Many entities currently use recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) and other aggregates as base material, temporary haul roads, : and, in the case of RAP, hot mix asphalt construction. Several states currently allow the use of RAP combined with cement : for...
Initial evaluation and comparison of plasma damage to atomic layer carbon materials using conventional and low T{sub e} plasma sources

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

Jagtiani, Ashish V.; Miyazoe, Hiroyuki; Chang, Josephine

2016-01-15

The ability to achieve atomic layer precision is the utmost goal in the implementation of atomic layer etch technology. Carbon-based materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene are single atomic layers of carbon with unique properties and, as such, represent the ultimate candidates to study the ability to process with atomic layer precision and assess impact of plasma damage to atomic layer materials. In this work, the authors use these materials to evaluate the atomic layer processing capabilities of electron beam generated plasmas. First, the authors evaluate damage to semiconducting CNTs when exposed to beam-generated plasmas and compare thesemore » results against the results using typical plasma used in semiconductor processing. The authors find that the beam generated plasma resulted in significantly lower current degradation in comparison to typical plasmas. Next, the authors evaluated the use of electron beam generated plasmas to process graphene-based devices by functionalizing graphene with fluorine, nitrogen, or oxygen to facilitate atomic layer deposition (ALD). The authors found that all adsorbed species resulted in successful ALD with varying impact on the transconductance of the graphene. Furthermore, the authors compare the ability of both beam generated plasma as well as a conventional low ion energy inductively coupled plasma (ICP) to remove silicon nitride (SiN) deposited on top of the graphene films. Our results indicate that, while both systems can remove SiN, an increase in the D/G ratio from 0.08 for unprocessed graphene to 0.22 to 0.26 for the beam generated plasma, while the ICP yielded values from 0.52 to 1.78. Generally, while some plasma-induced damage was seen for both plasma sources, a much wider process window as well as far less damage to CNTs and graphene was observed when using electron beam generated plasmas.« less
Use of High-Volume Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) for Asphalt Pavement Rehabilitation Due to Increased Highway Truck Traffic from Freight Transportation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

A recent rise in asphalt binder prices has led state agencies and contractors to use higher quantities of Reclaimed : Asphalt Pavement (RAP). Besides being economic, sustainable, and environmentally friendly, RAP can be replaced : for a portion of ag...
Use of high-volume reclaimed asphalt pavement for asphalt pavement rehabilitation due to increasing highway truck traffic from freight transportation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

The objective of this research was to examine the effects that different methods of RAP stockpile fractionation had on : the volumetric mix design properties for high-RAP content surface mixes. The processing of RAP materials resulted in : the degrad...

Required Academic Proficiency (RAP) Program: Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ronacher, Karl; And Others

The Required Academic Proficiency (RAP) program was established by the Houston (Texas) Independent School District to reduce and remediate the academic failure of students. The purpose of the RAP program was twofold: (1) to provide supplemental instruction to students identified as being at risk of failing academic subjects; and (2) to provide…
Investigation of synergistic effects of warm mix asphalt and high fractionated reclaimed asphalt for safe, environmentally sustainable highway.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-11-01

To increase RAP materials by up to 75% by binder replacement, a fractionation method was applied to the RAP stockpile by : discarding RAP materials passing No. 16 sieve. This fractionation method was effective in improving volumetric properties : of ...
Thermodynamics between RAP/RAS and virgin aggregates during asphalt concrete production : a literature review.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-01

In hot-mix asphalt (HMA) plants, virgin aggregates are heated and dried separately before being mixed with : RAP/RAS and virgin asphalt binder. RAP/RAS materials are not heated or dried directly by a burner to avoid : burning of aged binder coating o...
Feeling the beat: the meaning of rap music for ethnically diverse Midwestern college students--a phenomenological study.

PubMed

Iwamoto, Derek K; Creswell, John; Caldwell, Leon

2007-01-01

Despite its national and international appeal, rap is considered one of the most controversial of music genres. Given the political charge it generates, rap music has spawned research across the social and health sciences. The majority of the research has investigated its impact on African Americans. Further, the research has tended to focus on negative aspects of the music; there has been a dearth of in-depth qualitative studies that explore how rap impacts the listener. Our phenomenological study explores that impact on ethnically diverse college students. Results indicate a profound psychological and educational effect and the discussion goes on to highlight the potential and innovative ways rap music can be utilized with adolescents in fields such as education, risk reduction programs, and counseling psychology.
Silencing of AtRAP, a target gene of a bacteria-induced small RNA, triggers antibacterial defense responses through activation of LSU2 and down-regulation of GLK1

PubMed Central

Wang, Huan; Seo, Jang-Kyun; Gao, Shang; Cui, Xinping; Jin, Hailing

2017-01-01

Summary Plants fine-tune their sophisticated immunity systems in response to pathogen infections. We previously showed that AtlsiRNA-1, a bacteria-induced plant endogenous small interfering RNA, silences the AtRAP gene, which encodes a putative RNA binding protein.In this study, we demonstrate that AtRAP functions as a negative regulator in plant immunity by characterizing molecular and biological responses of the knockout mutant and overexpression lines of AtRAP upon bacterial infection.AtRAP is localized in chloroplasts and physically interacts with Low Sulfur Upregulated 2 (LSU2), which positively regulates plant defense. Our results suggest that AtRAP negatively regulates defense responses by suppressing LSU2 through physical interaction. We also detected downregulation of the transcription factor GOLDEN2-LIKE 1 (GLK1) in atrap-1 using microarray analysis. The glk1 glk2 double mutant showed enhanced resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, which is consistent with a previous study showing enhanced resistance of a glk1 glk2 double mutant to Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis.Taken together, our data suggest that silencing of AtRAP by AtlsiRNA-1 upon bacterial infection triggers defense responses through regulation of LSU2 and GLK1. PMID:28656601
Sumoylation of Rap1 mediates the recruitment of TFIID to promote transcription of ribosomal protein genes.

PubMed

Chymkowitch, Pierre; Nguéa, Aurélie P; Aanes, Håvard; Koehler, Christian J; Thiede, Bernd; Lorenz, Susanne; Meza-Zepeda, Leonardo A; Klungland, Arne; Enserink, Jorrit M

2015-06-01

Transcription factors are abundant Sumo targets, yet the global distribution of Sumo along the chromatin and its physiological relevance in transcription are poorly understood. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we determined the genome-wide localization of Sumo along the chromatin. We discovered that Sumo-enriched genes are almost exclusively involved in translation, such as tRNA genes and ribosomal protein genes (RPGs). Genome-wide expression analysis showed that Sumo positively regulates their transcription. We also discovered that the Sumo consensus motif at RPG promoters is identical to the DNA binding motif of the transcription factor Rap1. We demonstrate that Rap1 is a molecular target of Sumo and that sumoylation of Rap1 is important for cell viability. Furthermore, Rap1 sumoylation promotes recruitment of the basal transcription machinery, and sumoylation of Rap1 cooperates with the target of rapamycin kinase complex 1 (TORC1) pathway to promote RPG transcription. Strikingly, our data reveal that sumoylation of Rap1 functions in a homeostatic feedback loop that sustains RPG transcription during translational stress. Taken together, Sumo regulates the cellular translational capacity by promoting transcription of tRNA genes and RPGs. © 2015 Chymkowitch et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.
Quantitative Assessment of RNA-Protein Interactions with High Throughput Sequencing - RNA Affinity Profiling (HiTS-RAP)

PubMed Central

Ozer, Abdullah; Tome, Jacob M.; Friedman, Robin C.; Gheba, Dan; Schroth, Gary P.; Lis, John T.

2016-01-01

Because RNA-protein interactions play a central role in a wide-array of biological processes, methods that enable a quantitative assessment of these interactions in a high-throughput manner are in great demand. Recently, we developed the High Throughput Sequencing-RNA Affinity Profiling (HiTS-RAP) assay, which couples sequencing on an Illumina GAIIx with the quantitative assessment of one or several proteins’ interactions with millions of different RNAs in a single experiment. We have successfully used HiTS-RAP to analyze interactions of EGFP and NELF-E proteins with their corresponding canonical and mutant RNA aptamers. Here, we provide a detailed protocol for HiTS-RAP, which can be completed in about a month (8 days hands-on time) including the preparation and testing of recombinant proteins and DNA templates, clustering DNA templates on a flowcell, high-throughput sequencing and protein binding with GAIIx, and finally data analysis. We also highlight aspects of HiTS-RAP that can be further improved and points of comparison between HiTS-RAP and two other recently developed methods, RNA-MaP and RBNS. A successful HiTS-RAP experiment provides the sequence and binding curves for approximately 200 million RNAs in a single experiment. PMID:26182240
Reduced Anthocyanins in Petioles codes for a GST anthocyanin transporter that is essential for the foliage and fruit coloration in strawberry.

PubMed

Luo, Huifeng; Dai, Cheng; Li, Yongping; Feng, Jia; Liu, Zhongchi; Kang, Chunying

2018-04-27

The red color of the foliage and fruit in strawberry comes from anthocyanins stored in the vacuole; however, how this anthocyanin accumulation is regulated remains unclear. A reduced anthocyanin in petioles (rap) mutant was identified in an N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenized population of YW5AF7, a white-fruited variety of the wild strawberry Fragaria vesca. The causative mutation was identified to be a premature stop codon in a glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene. In addition to the foliage coloration, RAP also mediates fruit pigmentation and acts downstream of the fruit-specific transcription factor FvMYB10. Among all eight GST genes in the same subfamily, RAP is most abundantly expressed in the ripening fruit. Expression analysis and transient expression assays demonstrated that RAP is the principal transporter of anthocyanins among the paralogs. Moreover, domain-swap experiments showed that both the N- and C-terminals of RAP are essential for the binding capability of anthocyanins. In addition, transient knock-down of RAP resulted in reduced fruit coloration in cultivated strawberry. Collectively, our results demonstrate that RAP encodes the principal GST transporter of anthocyanins in the strawberry foliage and fruit, and it could be modified to alter the fruit color in strawberry.
Bacillus subtilis RapA phosphatase domain interaction with its substrate, phosphorylated Spo0F, and its inhibitor, the PhrA peptide.

PubMed

Diaz, Alejandra R; Core, Leighton J; Jiang, Min; Morelli, Michela; Chiang, Christina H; Szurmant, Hendrik; Perego, Marta

2012-03-01

Rap proteins in Bacillus subtilis regulate the phosphorylation level or the DNA-binding activity of response regulators such as Spo0F, involved in sporulation initiation, or ComA, regulating competence development. Rap proteins can be inhibited by specific peptides generated by the export-import processing pathway of the Phr proteins. Rap proteins have a modular organization comprising an amino-terminal alpha-helical domain connected to a domain formed by six tetratricopeptide repeats (TPR). In this study, the molecular basis for the specificity of the RapA phosphatase for its substrate, phosphorylated Spo0F (Spo0F∼P), and its inhibitor pentapeptide, PhrA, was analyzed in part by generating chimeric proteins with RapC, which targets the DNA-binding domain of ComA, rather than Spo0F∼P, and is inhibited by the PhrC pentapeptide. In vivo analysis of sporulation efficiency or competence-induced gene expression, as well as in vitro biochemical assays, allowed the identification of the amino-terminal 60 amino acids as sufficient to determine Rap specificity for its substrate and the central TPR3 to TPR5 (TPR3-5) repeats as providing binding specificity toward the Phr peptide inhibitor. The results allowed the prediction and testing of key residues in RapA that are essential for PhrA binding and specificity, thus demonstrating how the widespread structural fold of the TPR is highly versatile, using a common interaction mechanism for a variety of functions in eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms.
Bacillus subtilis RapA Phosphatase Domain Interaction with Its Substrate, Phosphorylated Spo0F, and Its Inhibitor, the PhrA Peptide

PubMed Central

Diaz, Alejandra R.; Core, Leighton J.; Jiang, Min; Morelli, Michela; Chiang, Christina H.; Szurmant, Hendrik

2012-01-01

Rap proteins in Bacillus subtilis regulate the phosphorylation level or the DNA-binding activity of response regulators such as Spo0F, involved in sporulation initiation, or ComA, regulating competence development. Rap proteins can be inhibited by specific peptides generated by the export-import processing pathway of the Phr proteins. Rap proteins have a modular organization comprising an amino-terminal alpha-helical domain connected to a domain formed by six tetratricopeptide repeats (TPR). In this study, the molecular basis for the specificity of the RapA phosphatase for its substrate, phosphorylated Spo0F (Spo0F∼P), and its inhibitor pentapeptide, PhrA, was analyzed in part by generating chimeric proteins with RapC, which targets the DNA-binding domain of ComA, rather than Spo0F∼P, and is inhibited by the PhrC pentapeptide. In vivo analysis of sporulation efficiency or competence-induced gene expression, as well as in vitro biochemical assays, allowed the identification of the amino-terminal 60 amino acids as sufficient to determine Rap specificity for its substrate and the central TPR3 to TPR5 (TPR3-5) repeats as providing binding specificity toward the Phr peptide inhibitor. The results allowed the prediction and testing of key residues in RapA that are essential for PhrA binding and specificity, thus demonstrating how the widespread structural fold of the TPR is highly versatile, using a common interaction mechanism for a variety of functions in eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. PMID:22267516
Road Accident Prevention with Instant Emergency Warning Message Dissemination in Vehicular Ad-Hoc Network.

PubMed

Gokulakrishnan, P; Ganeshkumar, P

2015-01-01

A Road Accident Prevention (RAP) scheme based on Vehicular Backbone Network (VBN) structure is proposed in this paper for Vehicular Ad-hoc Network (VANET). The RAP scheme attempts to prevent vehicles from highway road traffic accidents and thereby reduces death and injury rates. Once the possibility of an emergency situation (i.e. an accident) is predicted in advance, instantly RAP initiates a highway road traffic accident prevention scheme. The RAP scheme constitutes the following activities: (i) the Road Side Unit (RSU) constructs a Prediction Report (PR) based on the status of the vehicles and traffic in the highway roads, (ii) the RSU generates an Emergency Warning Message (EWM) based on an abnormal PR, (iii) the RSU forms a VBN structure and (iv) the RSU disseminates the EWM to the vehicles that holds the high Risk Factor (RF) and travels in High Risk Zone (HRZ). These vehicles might reside either within the RSU's coverage area or outside RSU's coverage area (reached using VBN structure). The RAP scheme improves the performance of EWM dissemination in terms of increase in notification and decrease in end-to-end delay. The RAP scheme also reduces infrastructure cost (number of RSUs) by formulating and deploying the VBN structure. The RAP scheme with VBN structure improves notification by 19 percent and end-to-end delay by 14.38 percent for a vehicle density of 160 vehicles. It is also proved from the simulation experiment that the performance of RAP scheme is promising in 4-lane highway roads.
Road Accident Prevention with Instant Emergency Warning Message Dissemination in Vehicular Ad-Hoc Network

PubMed Central

P, Gokulakrishnan; P, Ganeshkumar

2015-01-01

A Road Accident Prevention (RAP) scheme based on Vehicular Backbone Network (VBN) structure is proposed in this paper for Vehicular Ad-hoc Network (VANET). The RAP scheme attempts to prevent vehicles from highway road traffic accidents and thereby reduces death and injury rates. Once the possibility of an emergency situation (i.e. an accident) is predicted in advance, instantly RAP initiates a highway road traffic accident prevention scheme. The RAP scheme constitutes the following activities: (i) the Road Side Unit (RSU) constructs a Prediction Report (PR) based on the status of the vehicles and traffic in the highway roads, (ii) the RSU generates an Emergency Warning Message (EWM) based on an abnormal PR, (iii) the RSU forms a VBN structure and (iv) the RSU disseminates the EWM to the vehicles that holds the high Risk Factor (RF) and travels in High Risk Zone (HRZ). These vehicles might reside either within the RSU’s coverage area or outside RSU’s coverage area (reached using VBN structure). The RAP scheme improves the performance of EWM dissemination in terms of increase in notification and decrease in end-to-end delay. The RAP scheme also reduces infrastructure cost (number of RSUs) by formulating and deploying the VBN structure. The RAP scheme with VBN structure improves notification by 19 percent and end-to-end delay by 14.38 percent for a vehicle density of 160 vehicles. It is also proved from the simulation experiment that the performance of RAP scheme is promising in 4-lane highway roads. PMID:26636576
Product (P1) from project 0-6738 : performance studies and future directions for mixes containing RAP and RAS.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-01-01

In recent years both reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) have been widely used in asphalt mixes by the asphalt paving industry in Texas. The use of RAP and RAS can save tax payers money, and it is also good for the...
Hip Hop Therapy: An Exploratory Study of a Rap Music Intervention with At-Risk and Delinquent Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyson, Edgar H.

2002-01-01

Presents an exploratory study of the therapeutic potential of "Hip-Hop" therapy, an "innovative synergy of rap music, bibliotherapy, and music therapy." Finds that the quantitative and qualitative results partially supported the hypothesis that under a specific set of conditions rap music would improve the therapeutic…
40 CFR 270.80 - What is a RAP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., store, or dispose of hazardous remediation waste (as defined in § 260.10 of this chapter) at a remediation waste management site. A RAP may only be issued for the area of contamination where the remediation wastes to be managed under the RAP originated, or areas in close proximity to the contaminated...
Affiliation and Alienation: Hip-Hop, Rap, and Urban Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emdin, Christopher

2010-01-01

The critiques of rap artists and other participants in hip-hop culture provide data for teachers and researchers to investigate the attitudes of US urban youth towards schooling. This study explores the complex relationships between hip-hop and science education by examining how rap lyrics project beliefs about schooling, the relevance of existing…
Development of quality standards for inclusion of high recycled asphalt pavement content in asphalt mixtures - phase II, [tech brief].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-03-01

The objective of this research is to 1) build a test section utilizing HMA : mix designs with up to 40% RAP materials, 2) evaluate the moisture : sensitivity of High-RAP mixtures, 3) characterize the low-temperature : fracture behavior of High-RAP mi...
Changing images of violence in Rap music lyrics: 1979-1997.

PubMed

Herd, Denise

2009-12-01

Rap music has been at the center of concern about the potential harmful effects of violent media on youth social behavior. This article explores the role of changing images of violence in rap music lyrics from the 1970s to the 1990s. The results indicate that there has been a dramatic and sustained increase in the level of violence in rap music. The percentage of songs mentioning violence increased from 27 per cent during 1979-1984 to 60 per cent during 1994-1997. In addition, portrayals of violence in later songs are viewed in a more positive light as shown by their increased association with glamor, wealth, masculinity, and personal prowess. Additional analyses revealed that genre, specifically gangster rap, is the most powerful predictor of the increased number of violent references in songs. The discussion suggests that violence in rap music has increased in response to the complex interplay of changing social conditions such as the elevated levels of youth violence in the 1980s and changing commercial practices within the music industry.
Analysis of the finescale timing of repeated signals: does shell rapping in hermit crabs signal stamina?

PubMed

Briffa; Elwood

2000-01-01

Hermit crabs, Pagurus bernhardus, sometimes exchange shells after a period of shell rapping, when the initiating or attacking crab brings its shell rapidly and repeatedly into contact with the shell of the noninitiator or defender in a series of bouts. Bouts are separated by pauses, and raps within bouts are separated by very short periods called 'gaps'. Since within-contest variation is missed when signals are studied by averaging performance rates over entire contests, we analysed the fine within-bout structure of this repeated, aggressive signal. We found that the pattern is consistent with high levels of fatigue in initiators. The duration of the gaps between individual raps increased both within bouts and from bout to bout, and we conclude that this activity is costly to perform. Furthermore, long pauses between bouts is correlated with increased vigour of rapping in the subsequent bout, which suggests that the pause allows for recovery from fatigue induced by rapping. These between-bout pauses may be assessed by noninitiators and provide a signal of stamina. Copyright 2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
Seedling emergence response of rare arable plants to soil tillage varies by species.

PubMed

Torra, Joel; Recasens, Jordi; Royo-Esnal, Aritz

2018-01-01

Very little information is available on emergence of rare arable plants (RAP) in relation to soil disturbance and seed burial conditions in Europe. This information is essential to design conservation and soil management strategies to prevent the decline of these species in agroecosystems. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of soil cultivation with burial time on the emergence and seed persistence of RAP. Seeds of 30 RAP species were collected from Spanish arable fields and subjected to two tillage treatments: (a) no soil disturbance, and (b) autumnal soil disturbance down to 10 cm depth every year. The treatments simulated no-till and tilled (disking), respectively. In plots under no-till, RAP seeds were sown at 1-cm depth. In the tilled plots, seeds were sown homogeneously mixed in the top 1-10 cm of soil. The trial was established every two consecutive seasons, and each trial was maintained for two years. Annual cumulative plant emergence was calculated each year; whereas the first trial was monitored for a third year to estimate seed longevity using a persistence index. The response in emergence of the 30 RAP to annual tillage varied among species. With burial time (number of years), higher emergence was observed for seeds sown in tilled soil. This was true across all species, and with strong season effects. The persistence index was correlated with seed weight, species with bigger seeds had low persistence indices while no pattern was observed for small seeded species. Most RAP species, particularly those with high persistence, showed induction of secondary dormancy processes, highlighting the importance of tillage to promote RAP emergence, and hence, seed bank replenishment. Therefore, as time passes the absence of soil tillage may represent a driver of RAP seed bank decline for those species with secondary dormancy processes. In conclusion, it is important to design soil management strategies, such as regular tillage to promote emergence, on a species basis to preserve RAP in Europe.

Infant information processing and family history of specific language impairment: converging evidence for RAP deficits from two paradigms

PubMed Central

Choudhury, Naseem; Leppanen, Paavo H.T.; Leevers, Hilary J.; Benasich, April A.

2007-01-01

An infant’s ability to process auditory signals presented in rapid succession (i.e. rapid auditory processing abilities [RAP]) has been shown to predict differences in language outcomes in toddlers and preschool children. Early deficits in RAP abilities may serve as a behavioral marker for language-based learning disabilities. The purpose of this study is to determine if performance on infant information processing measures designed to tap RAP and global processing skills differ as a function of family history of specific language impairment (SLI) and/or the particular demand characteristics of the paradigm used. Seventeen 6- to 9-month-old infants from families with a history of specific language impairment (FH+) and 29 control infants (FH−) participated in this study. Infants’ performance on two different RAP paradigms (head-turn procedure [HT] and auditory-visual habituation/recognition memory [AVH/RM]) and on a global processing task (visual habituation/recognition memory [VH/RM]) was assessed at 6 and 9 months. Toddler language and cognitive skills were evaluated at 12 and 16 months. A number of significant group differences were seen: FH+ infants showed significantly poorer discrimination of fast rate stimuli on both RAP tasks, took longer to habituate on both habituation/recognition memory measures, and had lower novelty preference scores on the visual habituation/recognition memory task. Infants’ performance on the two RAP measures provided independent but converging contributions to outcome. Thus, different mechanisms appear to underlie performance on operantly conditioned tasks as compared to habituation/recognition memory paradigms. Further, infant RAP processing abilities predicted to 12- and 16-month language scores above and beyond family history of SLI. The results of this study provide additional support for the validity of infant RAP abilities as a behavioral marker for later language outcome. Finally, this is the first study to use a battery of infant tasks to demonstrate multi-modal processing deficits in infants at risk for SLI. PMID:17286846
Rap1b Is an Effector of Axin2 Regulating Crosstalk of Signaling Pathways During Skeletal Development.

PubMed

Maruyama, Takamitsu; Jiang, Ming; Abbott, Alycia; Yu, H-M Ivy; Huang, Qirong; Chrzanowska-Wodnicka, Magdalena; Chen, Emily I; Hsu, Wei

2017-09-01

Recent identification and isolation of suture stem cells capable of long-term self-renewal, clonal expanding, and differentiating demonstrate their essential role in calvarial bone development, homeostasis, and injury repair. These bona fide stem cells express a high level of Axin2 and are able to mediate bone regeneration and repair in a cell autonomous fashion. The importance of Axin2 is further demonstrated by its genetic inactivation in mice causing skeletal deformities resembling craniosynostosis in humans. The fate determination and subsequent differentiation of Axin2+ stem cells are highly orchestrated by a variety of evolutionary conserved signaling pathways including Wnt, FGF, and BMP. These signals are often antagonistic of each other and possess differential effects on osteogenic and chondrogenic cell types. However, the mechanisms underlying the interplay of these signaling transductions remain largely elusive. Here we identify Rap1b acting downstream of Axin2 as a signaling interrogator for FGF and BMP. Genetic analysis reveals that Rap1b is essential for development of craniofacial and body skeletons. Axin2 regulates Rap1b through modulation of canonical BMP signaling. The BMP-mediated activation of Rap1b promotes chondrogenic fate and chondrogenesis. Furthermore, by inhibiting MAPK signaling, Rap1b mediates the antagonizing effect of BMP on FGF to repress osteoblast differentiation. Disruption of Rap1b in mice not only enhances osteoblast differentiation but also impairs chondrocyte differentiation during intramembranous and endochondral ossifications, respectively, leading to severe defects in craniofacial and body skeletons. Our findings reveal a dual role of Rap1b in development of the skeletogenic cell types. Rap1b is critical for balancing the signaling effects of BMP and FGF during skeletal development and disease. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Index of cerebrospinal compensatory reserve in hydrocephalus.

PubMed

Kim, Dong-Joo; Czosnyka, Zofia; Keong, Nicole; Radolovich, Danila K; Smielewski, Peter; Sutcliffe, Michael P F; Pickard, John D; Czosnyka, Marek

2009-03-01

An index of cerebrospinal compensatory reserve (RAP) has been introduced as a potential descriptor of neurological deterioration after head trauma. It is numerically computed as a linear correlation coefficient between the mean intracranial pressure and the pulse amplitude of the pressure waveform. We explore how RAP varies with different forms of physiological or nonphysiological intracranial volume loads in adult hydrocephalus, with and without a functioning cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt. A database of intracranial pressure recordings during CSF infusion studies and overnight monitoring in hydrocephalic patients was reviewed for clinical comparison of homogeneous subgroups of patients with hypothetical differences of pressure-volume compensatory reserve. The database includes 980 patients of mixed etiology: idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), 47%; postsubarachnoid hemorrhage NPH, 12%; noncommunicating hydrocephalus, 22%; others, 19%. All CSF compensatory parameters were calculated by using intracranial pressure waveforms. In NPH, RAP correlated strongly with the resistance to CSF outflow (r(s) = 0.35; P = 0.045), but weakly correlated with ventriculomegaly (r(s) = 0.13; P = 0.41). In idiopathic nonshunted NPH patients, RAP did not correlate significantly with elasticity calculated from the CSF infusion test (r(s) = 0.11; P = 0.21). During infusion studies, RAP increased in comparison to values recorded at baseline (from a median of 0.45-0.86, P = 0.14 * 10(-8)), indicating a narrowing of the volume-pressure compensatory reserve. During B-waves associated with the REM (rapid eye movement) phase of sleep, RAP increased from a median of 0.53 to 0.89; P = 1.2 * 10(-5). After shunting, RAP decreased (median before shunting, 0.59; median after shunting, 0.34; P = 0.0001). RAP also showed the ability to reflect the functional state of the shunt (patent shunt median, 0.36; blocked shunt median, 0.84; P = 0.0002). RAP appears to characterize pressure-volume compensatory reserve in patients with hydrocephalus.
Atomic Oxygen Durability Evaluation of Protected Polymers Using Thermal Energy Plasma Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, Bruce A.; Rutledge, Sharon K.; Degroh, Kim K.; Stidham, Curtis R.; Gebauer, Linda; Lamoreaux, Cynthia M.

1995-01-01

The durability evaluation of protected polymers intended for use in low Earth orbit (LEO) has necessitated the use of large-area, high-fluence, atomic oxygen exposure systems. Two thermal energy atomic oxygen exposure systems which are frequently used for such evaluations are radio frequency (RF) plasma ashers and electron cyclotron resonance plasma sources. Plasma source testing practices such as ample preparation, effective fluence prediction, atomic oxygen flux determination, erosion measurement, operational considerations, and erosion yield measurements are presented. Issues which influence the prediction of in-space durability based on ground laboratory thermal energy plasma system testing are also addressed.
Molecular Basis for Phosphorylation-dependent SUMO Recognition by the DNA Repair Protein RAP80.

PubMed

Anamika; Spyracopoulos, Leo

2016-02-26

Recognition and repair of double-stranded DNA breaks (DSB) involves the targeted recruitment of BRCA tumor suppressors to damage foci through binding of both ubiquitin (Ub) and the Ub-like modifier SUMO. RAP80 is a component of the BRCA1 A complex, and plays a key role in the recruitment process through the binding of Lys(63)-linked poly-Ub chains by tandem Ub interacting motifs (UIM). RAP80 also contains a SUMO interacting motif (SIM) just upstream of the tandem UIMs that has been shown to specifically bind the SUMO-2 isoform. The RAP80 tandem UIMs and SIM function collectively for optimal recruitment of BRCA1 to DSBs, although the molecular basis of this process is not well understood. Using NMR spectroscopy, we demonstrate that the RAP80 SIM binds SUMO-2, and that both specificity and affinity are enhanced through phosphorylation of the canonical CK2 site within the SIM. The affinity increase results from an enhancement of electrostatic interactions between the phosphoserines of RAP80 and the SIM recognition module within SUMO-2. The NMR structure of the SUMO-2·phospho-RAP80 complex reveals that the molecular basis for SUMO-2 specificity is due to isoform-specific sequence differences in electrostatic SIM recognition modules. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
Residual β activity of particulate (234)Th as a novel proxy for tracking sediment resuspension in the ocean.

PubMed

Lin, Wuhui; Chen, Liqi; Zeng, Shi; Li, Tao; Wang, Yinghui; Yu, Kefu

2016-06-02

Sediment resuspension occurs in the global ocean, which greatly affects material exchange between the sediment and the overlying seawater. The behaviours of carbon, nutrients, heavy metals, and other pollutants at the sediment-seawater boundary will further link to climate change, eutrophication, and marine pollution. Residual β activity of particulate (234)Th (RAP234) is used as a novel proxy to track sediment resuspension in different marine environments, including the western Arctic Ocean, the South China Sea, and the Southern Ocean. Sediment resuspension identified by high activity of RAP234 is supported by different lines of evidence including seawater turbidity, residence time of total (234)Th, Goldschmidt's classification, and ratio of RAP234 to particulate organic carbon. A conceptual model is proposed to elucidate the mechanism for RAP234 with dominant contributions from (234)Th-(238)U and (212)Bi-(228)Th. The 'slope assumption' for RAP234 indicated increasing intensity of sediment resuspension from spring to autumn under the influence of the East Asian monsoon system. RAP234 can shed new light on (234)Th-based particle dynamics and should benefit the interpretation of historical (234)Th-(238)U database. RAP234 resembles lithophile elements and has broad implications for investigating particle dynamics in the estuary-shelf-slope-ocean continuum and linkage of the atmosphere-ocean-sediment system.
Residual β activity of particulate 234Th as a novel proxy for tracking sediment resuspension in the ocean

PubMed Central

Lin, Wuhui; Chen, Liqi; Zeng, Shi; Li, Tao; Wang, Yinghui; Yu, Kefu

2016-01-01

Sediment resuspension occurs in the global ocean, which greatly affects material exchange between the sediment and the overlying seawater. The behaviours of carbon, nutrients, heavy metals, and other pollutants at the sediment-seawater boundary will further link to climate change, eutrophication, and marine pollution. Residual β activity of particulate 234Th (RAP234) is used as a novel proxy to track sediment resuspension in different marine environments, including the western Arctic Ocean, the South China Sea, and the Southern Ocean. Sediment resuspension identified by high activity of RAP234 is supported by different lines of evidence including seawater turbidity, residence time of total 234Th, Goldschmidt’s classification, and ratio of RAP234 to particulate organic carbon. A conceptual model is proposed to elucidate the mechanism for RAP234 with dominant contributions from 234Th-238U and 212Bi-228Th. The ‘slope assumption’ for RAP234 indicated increasing intensity of sediment resuspension from spring to autumn under the influence of the East Asian monsoon system. RAP234 can shed new light on 234Th-based particle dynamics and should benefit the interpretation of historical 234Th-238U database. RAP234 resembles lithophile elements and has broad implications for investigating particle dynamics in the estuary-shelf-slope-ocean continuum and linkage of the atmosphere-ocean-sediment system. PMID:27252085
Atomic Layer Epitaxy of Aluminum Nitride: Unraveling the Connection between Hydrogen Plasma and Carbon Contamination.

PubMed

Erwin, Steven C; Lyons, John L

2018-06-13

Atomistic control over the growth of semiconductor thin films, such as aluminum nitride, is a long-sought goal in materials physics. One promising approach is plasma-assisted atomic layer epitaxy, in which separate reactant precursors are employed to grow the cation and anion layers in alternating deposition steps. The use of a plasma during the growth-most often a hydrogen plasma-is now routine and generally considered critical, but the precise role of the plasma is not well-understood. We propose a theoretical atomistic model and elucidate its consequences using analytical rate equations, density functional theory, and kinetic Monte Carlo statistical simulations. We show that using a plasma has two important consequences, one beneficial and one detrimental. The plasma produces atomic hydrogen in the gas phase, which is important for removing methyl radicals left over from the aluminum precursor molecules. However, atomic hydrogen also leads to atomic carbon on the surface and, moreover, opens a channel for trapping these carbon atoms as impurities in the subsurface region, where they remain as unwanted contaminants. Understanding this dual role leads us to propose a solution for the carbon contamination problem which leaves the main benefit of the plasma largely unaffected.
Rap Music Literacy: A Case Study of Millennial Audience Reception to Rap Lyrics Depicting Independent Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moody-Ramirez, Mia; Scott, Lakia M.

2015-01-01

Using a feminist lens and a constructivist approach as the theoretical framework, we used rap lyrics and videos to help college students explore mass media's representation of the "independent" Black woman and the concept of "independence" in general. Students must be able to formulate their own concept of independence to…
Listening to Rap: Cultures of Crime, Cultures of Resistance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanner, Julian; Asbridge, Mark; Wortley, Scot

2009-01-01

This research compares representations of rap music with the self-reported criminal behavior and resistant attitudes of the music's core audience. Our database is a large sample of Toronto high school students (n = 3,393) from which we identify a group of listeners, whose combination of musical likes and dislikes distinguish them as rap univores.…
Ethnic Identity, Self-Esteem and Variability in Perceptions of Rap Music's Empowering and Risky Influences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Travis, Raphael; Bowman, Scott W.

2012-01-01

Violence, risky sexual behaviors, and substance use are critical targets for improved health behavior. Prior research has linked levels of exposure to rap music with a range of undesirable health behaviors. Contemporary research has also found health-enhancing and other "positive" correlations with rap music exposure. The present study examined…
Positive Use of Rap Music in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Edward

As an extension of African-Americans' rich language and musical heritage and abilities, rap music has some value in the educational setting. Rap music started as a dance fad beginning in the mid-1970s among Blacks and Hispanics in New York's outer boroughs. It is another generational brand of Black language and musical usage and an extension of…
40 CFR 270.85 - When do I need a RAP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... remediation wastes in a manner that requires a RCRA permit under § 270.1, you must either obtain: (1) A RCRA... that use combustion of hazardous remediation wastes at a remediation waste management site are not eligible for RAPs under this subpart. (c) You may obtain a RAP for managing hazardous remediation waste at...
STELLARATOR INJECTOR

DOEpatents

Post, R.F.

1962-09-01

A method and means are described for injecting energetic neutral atoms or molecular ions into dense magnetically collimated plasma columns of stellarators and the like in such a manner that the atoms or ions are able to significantly penetrate the column before being ionized by collision with the plasma constituent particles. Penetration of the plasma column by the neutral atoms or molecular ions is facilitated by superposition of two closely spaced magnetic mirrors on the plasma confinement field. The mirrors are moved apart to magnetically sweep plasma from a region between the mirrors and establish a relatively low plasma density therein. By virture of the low density, neutral atoms or molecular ions injected into the region significantly penetrate the plasma column before being ionized. Thereafter, the mirrors are diminished to permit the injected material to admix with the plasma in the remainder of the column. (AEC)
Combined Active Humoral and Cellular Immunization Approaches for the Treatment of Synucleinopathies.

PubMed

Rockenstein, Edward; Ostroff, Gary; Dikengil, Fusun; Rus, Florentina; Mante, Michael; Florio, Jazmin; Adame, Anthony; Trinh, Ivy; Kim, Changyoun; Overk, Cassia; Masliah, Eliezer; Rissman, Robert A

2018-01-24

Dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson's disease, and Multiple System Atrophy are age-related neurodegenerative disorders characterized by progressive accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) and jointly termed synucleinopathies. Currently, no disease-modifying treatments are available for these disorders. Previous preclinical studies demonstrate that active and passive immunizations targeting α-syn partially ameliorate behavioral deficits and α-syn accumulation; however, it is unknown whether combining humoral and cellular immunization might act synergistically to reduce inflammation and improve microglial-mediated α-syn clearance. Since combined delivery of antigen plus rapamycin (RAP) in nanoparticles is known to induce antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs), we adapted this approach to α-syn using the antigen-presenting cell-targeting glucan microparticle (GP) vaccine delivery system. PDGF-α-syn transgenic (tg) male and female mice were immunized with GP-alone, GP-α-syn (active humoral immunization), GP+RAP, or GP+RAP/α-syn (combined active humoral and Treg) and analyzed using neuropathological and biochemical markers. Active immunization resulted in higher serological total IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a anti-α-syn levels. Compared with mice immunized with GP-alone or GP-α-syn, mice vaccinated with GP+RAP or GP+RAP/α-syn displayed increased numbers of CD25-, FoxP3-, and CD4-positive cells in the CNS. GP-α-syn or GP+RAP/α-syn immunizations resulted in a 30-45% reduction in α-syn accumulation, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration. Mice immunized with GP+RAP/α-syn further rescued neurons and reduced neuroinflammation. Levels of TGF-β1 were increased with GP+RAP/α-syn immunization, while levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were reduced. We conclude that the observed effects of GP+RAP/α-syn immunization support the hypothesis that cellular immunization may enhance the effects of active immunotherapy for the treatment of synucleinopathies. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We show that a novel vaccination modality combining an antigen-presenting cell-targeting glucan particle (GP) vaccine delivery system with encapsulated antigen (α-synuclein) + rapamycin (RAP) induced both strong anti-α-synuclein antibody titers and regulatory T cells (Tregs). This vaccine, collectively termed GP+RAP/α-syn, is capable of triggering neuroprotective Treg responses in synucleinopathy models, and the combined vaccine is more effective than the humoral or cellular immunization alone. Together, these results support the further development of this multifunctional vaccine approach for the treatment of synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple systems atrophy. Copyright © 2018 the authors 0270-6474/18/381000-15$15.00/0.
Pilot trial of an expressive writing intervention with HIV-positive methamphetamine-using men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Carrico, Adam W; Nation, Austin; Gómez, Walter; Sundberg, Jeffrey; Dilworth, Samantha E; Johnson, Mallory O; Moskowitz, Judith T; Rose, Carol Dawson

2015-06-01

Among men who have sex with men (MSM), the co-occurrence of trauma and stimulant use has negative implications for HIV/AIDS prevention. HIV-positive, methamphetamine-using MSM were recruited to pilot test a 7-session, multicomponent resilient affective processing (RAP) intervention that included expressive writing exercises targeting HIV-related traumatic stress. An open-phase pilot with 10 participants provided support for feasibility of intervention delivery such that 99% of the RAP sessions were completed in a 1-month period. Subsequently, 23 additional participants were enrolled in a pilot randomized controlled trial of the RAP intervention (n = 12) versus an attention-control condition that included writing exercises about neutral topics (n = 11). Acceptability was evidenced by participants randomized to RAP expressing significantly more negative emotions in their writing and reporting greater likelihood of recommending expressive writing exercises to a friend living with HIV. Over the 3-month follow-up period, attention-control participants reported significant decreases in HIV-related traumatic stress while RAP intervention participants reported no significant changes. Compared to attention-control participants, those in the RAP intervention reported significant reductions in the frequency of methamphetamine use immediately following the 1-month RAP intervention period. Thematic analyses of RAP expressive writing exercises revealed that multiple negative life events characterized by social stigma or loss contribute to the complex nature of HIV-related traumatic stress. Findings support the feasibility and acceptability of an exposure-based intervention targeting HIV-related traumatic stress. However, more intensive intervention approaches that simultaneously target trauma and stimulant use will likely be needed to optimize HIV/AIDS prevention efforts with this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
Childhood predictors of recurrent abdominal pain in adolescence: A 13-year population-based prospective study.

PubMed

Helgeland, Helene; Sandvik, Leiv; Mathiesen, Kristin S; Kristensen, Hanne

2010-04-01

To investigate maternal and child emotional symptoms, physical health problems, and negative life events measured at children's age 18 months and 12 years as potential predictors for self-reported recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in adolescents (14 years). A population-based prospective study conducted at child health clinics (preventive health care) in Norway followed a cohort of 916 mothers with children from children's age 18 months until adolescence. Child self-report was obtained from 12 years of age. Outcome measure was adolescent self-reported RAP. Of 456 adolescents, 58 (13%) reported RAP. Of these, 36 (62%) were girls. By multivariate analyses, the following maternal factors predicted RAP in adolescence: psychological distress at children's age 18 months (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.3-4.8) and a maternal history of psychological distress at children's age 12 years (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.7-6.2). The following child factors measured at age 12 years predicted RAP in adolescence: abdominal (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.3-4.9) and extraintestinal pain (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2-4.4) by maternal report, self-reported frequent extraintestinal pain (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.4-5.9), and self-reported depressive symptoms (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.1-5.1). Negative life events and physical health in mothers and toddlers did not predict RAP. This is the first cohort study that finds maternal psychological distress in early childhood to predict RAP in their offspring 13 years later. Our results support that maternal psychological distress and preadolescent children's depressive and somatic symptoms may play a role in the development of RAP. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Performance of the RAPS4/RAPS4-QF for DSM-5 compared to DSM-IV alcohol use disorders in the general population: Data from the 2000-2010 National Alcohol Surveys.

PubMed

Cherpitel, Cheryl J; Ye, Yu

2015-06-01

A number of relatively short screening instruments have been developed for identifying alcohol use disorders (AUD), but performance has been evaluated against the standard Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental and Behavior Disorders (DSM) criteria, and it is not known how screening instruments may perform based on the newly formulated DSM-5 criteria, which is a radical departure from previous versions of the DSM. Analyzed here is the performance of the RAPS4/RAPS4-QF against DSM-5 criteria for AUD compared to DSM-IV dependence and abuse criteria. Sensitivity and specificity are analyzed in a merged sample of 21,386 respondents from three National Alcohol Surveys of the U.S. general population (2000, 2005, 2010). Sensitivity of the RAPS4 was lower for DSM-5 AUD (62.5%) than for DSM-IV dependence (88%), while the RAPS4-QF was higher for DSM-5 AUD (90.3%) than for DSM-IV abuse (81.3%), or abuse/dependence (85.8%), while maintaining good specificity (84%). Sensitivity of the RAPS4-QF was higher for males (92%) compared to females (86.6%) and highest for whites (93.8%) followed by Hispanics (84.2%) and blacks (82.4%). Screening instruments may not perform similarly for DSM-5 as for DSM-IV AUD, and data here suggest the RAPS4-QF may be a good instrument choice for identifying those meeting criteria for DSM-5 AUD. These data also suggest the need for additional research and a similar evaluation of other commonly used screening instruments for DSM-5 AUD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Multiscale imaging and characterization of the effect of mixing temperature on asphalt concrete containing recycled components.

PubMed

Cavalli, M C; Griffa, M; Bressi, S; Partl, M N; Tebaldi, G; Poulikakos, L D

2016-10-01

When producing asphalt concrete mixture with high amounts of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), the mixing temperature plays a significant role in the resulting spatial distribution of the components as well as on the quality of the resulting mixture, in terms of workability during mixing and compaction as well as in service mechanical properties. Asphalt concrete containing 50% RAP was investigated at mixing temperatures of 140, 160 and 180°C, using a multiscale approach. At the microscale, using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy the RAP binder film thickness was visualized and measured. It was shown that at higher mixing temperatures this film thickness was reduced. The reduction in film thickness can be attributed to the loss of volatiles as well as the mixing of RAP binder with virgin binder at higher temperatures. X-ray computer tomography was used to characterize statistically the distribution of the RAP and virgin aggregates geometric features: volume, width and shape anisotropy. In addition using X-ray computer tomography, the packing and spatial distribution of the RAP and virgin aggregates was characterized using the nearest neighbour metric. It was shown that mixing temperature may have a positive effect on the spatial distribution of the aggregates but did not affect the packing. The study shows a tendency for the RAP aggregates to be more likely distributed in clusters at lower mixing temperatures. At higher temperatures, they were more homogeneously distributed. This indicates a higher degree of blending both at microscale (binder film) and macroscale (spatial distribution) between RAP and virgin aggregates as a result of increasing mixing temperatures and the ability to quantify this using various imaging techniques. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2016 Royal Microscopical Society.
MiR-203 involves in neuropathic pain development and represses Rap1a expression in nerve growth factor differentiated neuronal PC12 cells.

PubMed

Li, Haixia; Huang, Yuguang; Ma, Chao; Yu, Xuerong; Zhang, Zhiyong; Shen, Le

2015-01-01

Although microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to play a role in numerous biological processes, their function in neuropathic pain is not clear. The rat bilateral sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (bCCI) is an established model of neuropathic pain, so we examined miRNA expression and function in the spinal dorsal horn in bCCI rats. Microarray and real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to examine the expression of miRNA in nerve system of bCCI rats, and the targets of miRNA were predicted by bioinformatic approaches. The function of specific miRNA was estimated through the methods of gene engineering. This study revealed substantially (∼10-fold) decreased miR-203 expression in the spinal dorsal horns but not the dorsal root ganglions, hippocampus, or anterior cingulate cortexes of bCCI rats. Rap1a protein expression was upregulated in bCCI rat spinal dorsal horns. We further verified that miR-203 directly targeted the 3'-untranslated region of the rap1a gene, thereby decreasing rap1a protein expression in neuron-like cells. Rap1a has diverse neuronal functions and their perturbation is responsible for several mental disorders. For example, Rap1a/MEK/ERK is involved in peripheral sensitization. These data suggest a potential role for miR-203 in regulating neuropathic pain development, and Rap1a is a validated target gene in vitro. Results from our study and others indicate the possibility that Rap1a may be involved in pain. We hope that these results can provide support for future research into miR-203 in gene therapy for neuropathic pain.

Telomere shortening triggers a feedback loop to enhance end protection

PubMed Central

Yang, Chia-Wei; Tseng, Shun-Fu; Yu, Chia-Jung; Chung, Chia-Yu; Chang, Cheng-Yen; Pobiega, Sabrina

2017-01-01

Abstract Telomere homeostasis is controlled by both telomerase machinery and end protection. Telomere shortening induces DNA damage sensing kinases ATM/ATR for telomerase recruitment. Yet, whether telomere shortening also governs end protection is poorly understood. Here we discover that yeast ATM/ATR controls end protection. Rap1 is phosphorylated by Tel1 and Mec1 kinases at serine 731, and this regulation is stimulated by DNA damage and telomere shortening. Compromised Rap1 phosphorylation hampers the interaction between Rap1 and its interacting partner Rif1, which thereby disturbs the end protection. As expected, reduction of Rap1–Rif1 association impairs telomere length regulation and increases telomere–telomere recombination. These results indicate that ATM/ATR DNA damage checkpoint signal contributes to telomere protection by strengthening the Rap1–Rif1 interaction at short telomeres, and the checkpoint signal oversees both telomerase recruitment and end capping pathways to maintain telomere homeostasis. PMID:28575419
Development of atomic radical monitoring probe and its application to spatial distribution measurements of H and O atomic radical densities in radical-based plasma processing

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

Takahashi, Shunji; Katagiri Engineering Co., Ltd., 3-5-34 Shitte Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0003; Takashima, Seigo

2009-09-01

Atomic radicals such as hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) play important roles in process plasmas. In a previous study, we developed a system for measuring the absolute density of H, O, nitrogen, and carbon atoms in plasmas using vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy (VUVAS) with a compact light source using an atmospheric pressure microplasma [microdischarge hollow cathode lamp (MHCL)]. In this study, we developed a monitoring probe for atomic radicals employing the VUVAS with the MHCL. The probe size was 2.7 mm in diameter. Using this probe, only a single port needs to be accessed for radical density measurements. We successfullymore » measured the spatial distribution of the absolute densities of H and O atomic radicals in a radical-based plasma processing system by moving the probe along the radial direction of the chamber. This probe allows convenient analysis of atomic radical densities to be carried out for any type of process plasma at any time. We refer to this probe as a ubiquitous monitoring probe for atomic radicals.« less
Surface interaction of polyimide with oxygen ECR plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naddaf, M.; Balasubramanian, C.; Alegaonkar, P. S.; Bhoraskar, V. N.; Mandle, A. B.; Ganeshan, V.; Bhoraskar, S. V.

2004-07-01

Polyimide (Kapton-H), was subjected to atomic oxygen from an electron cyclotron resonance plasma. An optical emission spectrometer was used to characterize the atomic oxygen produced in the reactor chamber. The energy of the ions was measured using a retarding field analyzer, placed near the substrate. The density of atomic oxygen in the plasma was estimated using a nickel catalytic probe. The surface wettability of the polyimide samples monitored by contact angle measurements showed considerable improvement when treated with plasma. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies showed that the atomic oxygen in the plasma is the main specie affecting the surface chemistry and adhesion properties of polyimide. The improvement in the surface wettability is attributed to the high degree of cross-linking and large concentration of polar groups generated in the surface region of polyimide, after plasma treatment. The changes in the surface region of polyimide were observed by atomic force microscopic analysis.
Spatial Concentrations of Silicon Atoms in RF Discharges of Silane.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-02-18

regions. These profiles were much more sensitive to plasma chemistry changes than profiles obtained from plasma emission. Experiments with nitrogen...addition demonstrated significant changes in the silicon atom profiles near the sheath boundary. Originator supplied keywords include: rf discharge, silane, plasma chemistry , silicon atom, laser-induced fluorescence.
Stop the Violence: Overcoming Self-Destruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Nelson, Ed.

The story of the Stop the Violence movement among rap music artists and music industry colleagues is told, along with the story of a video that was produced as part of this initiative. The Stop the Violence project grew out of the reaction to violence among concert goers at a 1987 rap concert on Long Island (New York). Rap musicians have joined…
Feeling the Beat: The Meaning of Rap Music for Ethnically Diverse Midwestern College Students--A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iwamoto, Derek K.; Creswell, John; Caldwell, Leon

2007-01-01

Despite its national and international appeal, rap is considered one of the most controversial of music genres. Given the political charge it generates, rap music has spawned research across the social and health sciences. The majority of the research has investigated its impact on African Americans. Further, the research has tended to focus on…
Whats the Rap about Ecstasy? Popular Music Lyrics and Drug Trends among American Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diamond, Sarah; Bermudez, Rey; Schensul, Jean

2006-01-01

Trends in ecstasy use in America during the past decade were reflected in mainstream, American rap-music lyrics between 1996 and 2003. Drawing on communication and cultural studies theory, this article provides a content analysis of 69 rap songs mentioning the club drug ecstasy. The songs are coded according to whether they contain positive, mixed…
Infant Information Processing and Family History of Specific Language Impairment: Converging Evidence for RAP Deficits from Two Paradigms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choudhury, Naseem; Leppanen, Paavo H. T.; Leevers, Hilary J.; Benasich, April A.

2007-01-01

An infant's ability to process auditory signals presented in rapid succession (i.e. rapid auditory processing abilities [RAP]) has been shown to predict differences in language outcomes in toddlers and preschool children. Early deficits in RAP abilities may serve as a behavioral marker for language-based learning disabilities. The purpose of this…
Experiential Learning in the Age of Web 2.0: The Rap Video Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Mark

2018-01-01

The following experiential-learning innovation for Web 2.0 allows students to engage in creativity that is focused on writing poetry about a course-related topic and then recording a three-minute rap video based on this poetry. The rap video project described in this article offers students an opportunity to apply critical- and creative-thinking…
Testing and refining the Science in Risk Assessment and Policy (SciRAP) web-based platform for evaluating the reliability and relevance of in vivo toxicity studies.

PubMed

Beronius, Anna; Molander, Linda; Zilliacus, Johanna; Rudén, Christina; Hanberg, Annika

2018-05-28

The Science in Risk Assessment and Policy (SciRAP) web-based platform was developed to promote and facilitate structure and transparency in the evaluation of ecotoxicity and toxicity studies for hazard and risk assessment of chemicals. The platform includes sets of criteria and a colour-coding tool for evaluating the reliability and relevance of individual studies. The SciRAP method for evaluating in vivo toxicity studies was first published in 2014 and the aim of the work presented here was to evaluate and develop that method further. Toxicologists and risk assessors from different sectors and geographical areas were invited to test the SciRAP criteria and tool on a specific set of in vivo toxicity studies and to provide feedback concerning the scientific soundness and user-friendliness of the SciRAP approach. The results of this expert assessment were used to refine and improve both the evaluation criteria and the colour-coding tool. It is expected that the SciRAP web-based platform will continue to be developed and enhanced to keep up to date with the needs of end-users. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
RasGRP3 limits Toll-like receptor-triggered inflammatory response in macrophages by activating Rap1 small GTPase.

PubMed

Tang, Songqing; Chen, Taoyong; Yu, Zhou; Zhu, Xuhui; Yang, Mingjin; Xie, Bin; Li, Nan; Cao, Xuetao; Wang, Jianli

2014-08-14

Host immune cells can detect and destruct invading pathogens via pattern-recognition receptors. Small Rap GTPases act as conserved molecular switches coupling extracellular signals to various cellular responses, but their roles as regulators in Toll-like receptor (TLR) signalling have not been fully elucidated. Here we report that Ras guanine nucleotide-releasing protein 3 (RasGRP3), a guanine nucleotide-exchange factor activating Ras and Rap1, limits production of proinflammatory cytokines (especially IL-6) in macrophages by activating Rap1 on activation by low levels of TLR agonists. We demonstrate that RasGRP3, a dominant member of RasGRPs in macrophages, impairs TLR3/4/9-induced IL-6 production and relieves dextrane sulphate sodium-induced colitis and collagen-induced arthritis. In RasGRP3-deficient RAW264.7 cells obtained by CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, TLR3/4/9-induced activation of Rap1 was inhibited while ERK1/2 activation was enhanced. Our study suggests that RasGRP3 limits inflammatory response by activating Rap1 on low-intensity pathogen infection, setting a threshold for preventing excessive inflammatory response.
The new economics of radical prostatectomy: cost comparison of open, laparoscopic and robot assisted techniques.

PubMed

Lotan, Yair; Cadeddu, Jeffrey A; Gettman, Matthew T

2004-10-01

We evaluated the costs components of laparoscopic (LRP) and robot assisted prostatectomy (RAP), and compared their costs to those of open radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). A model was created using commercially available software to compare the costs of treatment with LRP, RAP or RRP. Hospital costs were obtained from a large county hospital. A literature search was performed to determine typical (average) robot costs, length of stay and operative time for RRP, LRP and RAP. We limited our analysis to mature series and included only the most recent efforts. The cost of the robot was estimated at 1,200,000 dollars with a 100,000 dollars yearly maintenance contract. It was assumed that the robot would be used across specialities for a total of 300 cases yearly in a 7-year period. We performed a series of 1 and 2-way sensitivity analyses to evaluate the costs of LRP, RAP and RRP, while varying robot costs, the number of robotic cases, hospital length of stay, operative time and cost of laparoscopic/robotic equipment. RRP was the most cost-effective approach with a cost advantage of 487 dollars and 1,726 dollars over LRP and RAP, respectively. If we excluded the initial cost of purchasing a robot, the cost difference between RRP and RAP was 1,155 dollars. This large difference in RRP and RAP costs resulted from a cost of 857 dollars per case to pay for robot purchase and maintenance, and the high cost of 1,705 dollars for equipment per case. An even shorter RAP operative time (140 vs 160 minutes) and length of stay (1.2 vs 2.5 days) did not compensate for the added expenditure. LRP cost more than RRP primarily due to equipment costs (533 dollars) since the shorter hospital stay (1.3 vs 2.5 days) was compensated for by longer operative time (200 vs 160 minutes). The costs of new technology are typically borne out in the first years of use and RAP is no exception with high robot costs for purchase, maintenance and operative equipment overshadowing savings gained by shorter length of stay. While RRP is currently the least costly approach, LRP has proved to be almost as cost competitive as RRP, whereas RAP will require a significant decrease in the cost of the device and maintenance fees.
Assessing the impact of electrolyte conductivity and viscosity on the reactor cost and pressure drop of redox-active polymer flow batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iyer, Vinay A.; Schuh, Jonathon K.; Montoto, Elena C.; Pavan Nemani, V.; Qian, Shaoyi; Nagarjuna, Gavvalapalli; Rodríguez-López, Joaquín; Ewoldt, Randy H.; Smith, Kyle C.

2017-09-01

Redox-active small molecules, used traditionally in redox flow batteries (RFBs), are susceptible to crossover and require expensive ion exchange membranes (IEMs) to achieve long lifetimes. Redox-active polymer (RAP) solutions show promise as candidate electrolytes to mitigate crossover through size-exclusion, enabling the use of porous separators instead of IEMs. Here, poly(vinylbenzyl ethyl viologen) is studied as a surrogate RAP for RFBs. For oxidized RAPs, ionic conductivity varies weakly between 1.6 and 2.1 S m-1 for RAP concentrations of 0.13-1.27 mol kg-1 (monomeric repeat unit per kg solvent) and 0.32 mol kg-1 LiBF4 with a minor increase upon reduction. In contrast, viscosity varies between 1.8 and 184.0 mPa s over the same concentration range with weakly shear-thinning rheology independent of oxidation state. Techno-economic analysis is used to quantify reactor cost as a function of electrolyte transport properties for RAP concentrations of 0.13-1.27 mol kg-1, assuming a hypothetical 3V cell and facile kinetics. Among these concentrations, reactor cost is minimized over a current density range of 600-1000 A m-2 with minimum reactor cost between 11-17 per kWh, and pumping pressures below 10 kPa. The predicted low reactor cost of RAP RFBs is enabled by sustained ionic mobility in spite of the high viscosity of concentrated RAP solutions.
Trypanosoma brucei RAP1 maintains telomere and subtelomere integrity by suppressing TERRA and telomeric RNA:DNA hybrids.

PubMed

Nanavaty, Vishal; Sandhu, Ranjodh; Jehi, Sanaa E; Pandya, Unnati M; Li, Bibo

2017-06-02

Trypanosoma brucei causes human African trypanosomiasis and regularly switches its major surface antigen, VSG, thereby evading the host's immune response. VSGs are monoallelically expressed from subtelomeric expression sites (ESs), and VSG switching exploits subtelomere plasticity. However, subtelomere integrity is essential for T. brucei viability. The telomeric transcript, TERRA, was detected in T. brucei previously. We now show that the active ES-adjacent telomere is transcribed. We find that TbRAP1, a telomere protein essential for VSG silencing, suppresses VSG gene conversion-mediated switching. Importantly, TbRAP1 depletion increases the TERRA level, which appears to result from longer read-through into the telomere downstream of the active ES. Depletion of TbRAP1 also results in more telomeric RNA:DNA hybrids and more double strand breaks (DSBs) at telomeres and subtelomeres. In TbRAP1-depleted cells, expression of excessive TbRNaseH1, which cleaves the RNA strand of the RNA:DNA hybrid, brought telomeric RNA:DNA hybrids, telomeric/subtelomeric DSBs and VSG switching frequency back to WT levels. Therefore, TbRAP1-regulated appropriate levels of TERRA and telomeric RNA:DNA hybrid are fundamental to subtelomere/telomere integrity. Our study revealed for the first time an important role of a long, non-coding RNA in antigenic variation and demonstrated a link between telomeric silencing and subtelomere/telomere integrity through TbRAP1-regulated telomere transcription. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.
The Immediate Effects of Homicidal, Suicidal, and Nonviolent Heavy Metal and Rap Songs on the Moods of College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballard, Mary E.; Coates, Steven

1995-01-01

Examined the impact of homicidal, suicidal, and nonviolent heavy metal and rap songs on the moods of male college undergraduates. Students (n=164) completed mood inventories after listening to 1 of 6 songs. Results show no effects of these songs on suicidal ideation, anxiety, or self-esteem. Rap songs elicited greater angry responses than heavy…
Roles of JnRAP2.6-like from the transition zone of black walnut in hormone signaling

Treesearch

Zhonglian Huang; Peng Zhao; Jose Medina; Richard Meilan; Keith Woeste

2013-01-01

An EST sequence, designated JnRAP2-like, was isolated from tissue at the heartwood/sapwood transition zone (TZ) in black walnut (Juglans nigra L). The deduced amino acid sequence of JnRAP2-like protein consists of a single AP2- containing domain with significant similarity to conserved AP2/ERF DNA-binding domains in other...
The ability of GAP1IP4BP to function as a Rap1 GTPase-activating protein (GAP) requires its Ras GAP-related domain and an arginine finger rather than an asparagine thumb.

PubMed

Kupzig, Sabine; Bouyoucef-Cherchalli, Dalila; Yarwood, Sam; Sessions, Richard; Cullen, Peter J

2009-07-01

GAP1(IP4BP) is a member of the GAP1 family of Ras GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) that includes GAP1(m), CAPRI, and RASAL. Composed of a central Ras GAP-related domain (RasGRD), surrounded by amino-terminal C2 domains and a carboxy-terminal PH/Btk domain, these proteins, with the notable exception of GAP1(m), possess an unexpected arginine finger-dependent GAP activity on the Ras-related protein Rap1 (S. Kupzig, D. Deaconescu, D. Bouyoucef, S. A. Walker, Q. Liu, C. L. Polte, O. Daumke, T. Ishizaki, P. J. Lockyer, A. Wittinghofer, and P. J. Cullen, J. Biol. Chem. 281:9891-9900, 2006). Here, we have examined the mechanism through which GAP1(IP4BP) can function as a Rap1 GAP. We show that deletion of domains on either side of the RasGRD, while not affecting Ras GAP activity, do dramatically perturb Rap1 GAP activity. By utilizing GAP1(IP4BP)/GAP1(m) chimeras, we establish that although the C2 and PH/Btk domains are required to stabilize the RasGRD, it is this domain which contains the catalytic machinery required for Rap1 GAP activity. Finally, a key residue in Rap1-specific GAPs is a catalytic asparagine, the so-called asparagine thumb. By generating a molecular model describing the predicted Rap1-binding site in the RasGRD of GAP1(IP4BP), we show that mutagenesis of individual asparagine or glutamine residues that lie in close proximity to the predicted binding site has no detectable effect on the in vivo Rap1 GAP activity of GAP1(IP4BP). In contrast, we present evidence consistent with a model in which the RasGRD of GAP1(IP4BP) functions to stabilize the switch II region of Rap1, allowing stabilization of the transition state during GTP hydrolysis initiated by the arginine finger.
Arc plasma generator of atomic driver for steady-state negative ion source.

PubMed

Ivanov, A A; Belchenko, Yu I; Davydenko, V I; Ivanov, I A; Kolmogorov, V V; Listopad, A A; Mishagin, V V; Putvinsky, S V; Shulzhenko, G I; Smirnov, A

2014-02-01

The paper reviews the results of development of steady-state arc-discharge plasma generator with directly heated LaB6 cathode. This arc-discharge plasma generator produces a plasma jet which is to be converted into an atomic one after recombination on a metallic plate. The plate is electrically biased relative to the plasma in order to control the atom energies. Such an intensive jet of hydrogen atoms can be used in negative ion sources for effective production of negative ions on a cesiated surface of plasma grid. All elements of the plasma generator have an augmented water cooling to operate in long pulse mode or in steady state. The thermo-mechanical stresses and deformations of the most critical elements of the plasma generator were determined by simulations. Magnetic field inside the discharge chamber was optimized to reduce the local power loads. The first tests of the steady-state arc plasma generator prototype have performed in long-pulse mode.
Micro determination of plasma and erythrocyte copper by atomic absorption spectrophotometry

PubMed Central

Blomfield, Jeanette; Macmahon, R. A.

1969-01-01

The free and total plasma copper and total erythrocyte copper levels have been determined by simple, yet sensitive and highly specific methods, using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. For total copper determination, the copper was split from its protein combination in plasma or red cells by the action of hydrochloric acid at room temperature. The liberated copper was chelated by ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate and extracted into n-butyl acetate by shaking and the organic extract was aspirated into the atomic absorption spectrophotometer flame. The entire procedure was carried out in polypropylene centrifuge tubes, capped during shaking. For the free plasma copper measurement the hydrochloric acid step was omitted. Removal of the plasma or erythrocyte proteins was found to be unnecessary, and, in addition, the presence of trichloracetic acid caused an appreciable lowering of absorption. Using a double-beam atomic absorption spectrophotometer and scale expansion × 10, micro methods have been derived for determining the total copper of plasma or erythrocytes with 0·1 ml of sample, and the free copper of plasma with 0·5 ml. The macro plasma copper method requires 2 ml of plasma and is suitable for use with single-beam atomic absorption spectrophotometers. With blood from 50 blood donors, normal ranges of plasma and erythrocyte copper have been determined. PMID:5776543
Summary of Coating Surveys on the Four Air Command Frigates (Zeven Provincien Class) (Onderzoek naar de conditie van de coatingsystemen op vier luchtcommandofregatten (Zeven Provincien Klasse))

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-26

of these inspections have been drafted into the following extensive reports for each frigate: * TQS-RAP-07-855/ gge of March 30, 2007 for Hr.Ms...34Evertsen" (LCF 4) * TQS-RAP-07-856/ gge of March 30, 2007 for Hr.Ms. "Tromp" (LCF 2) • TQS-RAP-07-857/ gge of March 30, 2007 for Hr.Ms. "De Ruyter" (LCF 3...34 TQS-RAP-08-3316/ gge of January 10, 2008 for Hr.Ms. -Zeven Provincien" (LCF 1) Each report consists of a description of results and all protocols made

Spontaneous evolution of rydberg atoms into an ultracold plasma

PubMed

Robinson; Tolra; Noel; Gallagher; Pillet

2000-11-20

We have observed the spontaneous evolution of a dense sample of Rydberg atoms into an ultracold plasma, in spite of the fact that each of the atoms may initially be bound by up to 100 cm(-1). When the atoms are initially bound by 70 cm(-1), this evolution occurs when most of the atoms are translationally cold, <1 mK, but a small fraction, approximately 1%, is at room temperature. Ionizing collisions between hot and cold Rydberg atoms and blackbody photoionization produce an essentially stationary cloud of cold ions, which traps electrons produced later. The trapped electrons rapidly collisionally ionize the remaining cold Rydberg atoms to form a cold plasma.
Atom-atom inelastic collisions and three-body atomic recombination in weakly ionized argon plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, C. G.; Kunc, J. A.

1989-01-01

A stationary collisional-radiative model including both inelastic electron-atom and atom-atom collisions is used to examine nonequilibrium weakly ionized argon plasmas with atomic densities 10 to the 16th to 10 to the 20th/cu cm, temperatures below 6000 K, and with different degrees of radiation trapping. It is shown that three-body atomic recombination becomes important at high particle densities. Comparison is made between the present approach and Thomson's theory for atomic recombination.
Efficient acceleration of neutral atoms in laser produced plasma

DOE PAGES

Dalui, M.; Trivikram, T. M.; Colgan, James Patrick; ...

2017-06-20

Recent advances in high-intensity laser-produced plasmas have demonstrated their potential as compact charge particle accelerators. Unlike conventional accelerators, transient quasi-static charge separation acceleration fields in laser produced plasmas are highly localized and orders of magnitude larger. Manipulating these ion accelerators, to convert the fast ions to neutral atoms with little change in momentum, transform these to a bright source of MeV atoms. The emittance of the neutral atom beam would be similar to that expected for an ion beam. Since intense laser-produced plasmas have been demonstrated to produce high-brightness-low-emittance beams, it is possible to envisage generation of high-flux, low-emittance, highmore » energy neutral atom beams in length scales of less than a millimeter. Here, we show a scheme where more than 80% of the fast ions are reduced to energetic neutral atoms and demonstrate the feasibility of a high energy neutral atom accelerator that could significantly impact applications in neutral atom lithography and diagnostics.« less
Theoretical modeling of laser-induced plasmas using the ATOMIC code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colgan, James; Johns, Heather; Kilcrease, David; Judge, Elizabeth; Barefield, James, II; Clegg, Samuel; Hartig, Kyle

2014-10-01

We report on efforts to model the emission spectra generated from laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). LIBS is a popular and powerful method of quickly and accurately characterizing unknown samples in a remote manner. In particular, LIBS is utilized by the ChemCam instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory. We model the LIBS plasma using the Los Alamos suite of atomic physics codes. Since LIBS plasmas generally have temperatures of somewhere between 3000 K and 12000 K, the emission spectra typically result from the neutral and singly ionized stages of the target atoms. We use the Los Alamos atomic structure and collision codes to generate sets of atomic data and use the plasma kinetics code ATOMIC to perform LTE or non-LTE calculations that generate level populations and an emission spectrum for the element of interest. In this presentation we compare the emission spectrum from ATOMIC with an Fe LIBS laboratory-generated plasma as well as spectra from the ChemCam instrument. We also discuss various physics aspects of the modeling of LIBS plasmas that are necessary for accurate characterization of the plasma, such as multi-element target composition effects, radiation transport effects, and accurate line shape treatments. The Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC5206NA25396.
Interacting with a security system: The Argus user interface

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

Behrin, E.; Davis, G.E.

1993-12-31

In the mid-1980s the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) developed the Argus Security System. Key requirements were to eliminate the telephone as a verification device for opening and closing alarm stations and to allow need-to-know access through local enrollment at alarm stations. Resulting from these requirements was an LLNL-designed user interface called the Remote Access Panel (RAP). The Argus RAP interacts with Argus field processors to allow secure station mode changes and local station enrollment, provides user direction and response, and assists station maintenance personnel. It consists of a tamper-detecting housing containing a badge reader, a keypad with sight screen,more » special-purpose push buttons and a liquid-crystal display. This paper discusses Argus system concepts, RAP design, functional characteristics and its physical configurations. The paper also describes the RAP`s use in access-control booths, it`s integration with biometrics and its operation for multi-person-rule stations and compartmented facilities.« less
In vivo topography of Rap1p-DNA complex at Saccharomyces cerevisiae TEF2 UAS(RPG) during transcriptional regulation.

PubMed

De Sanctis, Veronica; La Terra, Sabrina; Bianchi, Alessandro; Shore, David; Burderi, Luciano; Di Mauro, Ernesto; Negri, Rodolfo

2002-04-26

We have analyzed in detail the structure of RAP1-UAS(RPG) complexes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells using multi-hit KMnO(4), UV and micrococcal nuclease high-resolution footprinting. Three copies of the Rap1 protein are bound to the promoter simultaneously in exponentially growing cells, as shown by KMnO(4) multi-hit footprinting analysis, causing extended and diagnostic changes in the DNA structure of the region containing the UAS(RPG). Amino acid starvation does not cause loss of Rap1p from the complex; however, in vivo UV-footprinting reveals the occurrence of structural modifications of the complex. Moreover, low-resolution micrococcal nuclease digestion shows that the chromatin of the entire region is devoid of positioned nucleosomes but is susceptible to changes in accessibility to the nuclease upon amino acid starvation. The implications of these results for the mechanism of Rap1p action are discussed. (c) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Telomere shortening triggers a feedback loop to enhance end protection.

PubMed

Yang, Chia-Wei; Tseng, Shun-Fu; Yu, Chia-Jung; Chung, Chia-Yu; Chang, Cheng-Yen; Pobiega, Sabrina; Teng, Shu-Chun

2017-08-21

Telomere homeostasis is controlled by both telomerase machinery and end protection. Telomere shortening induces DNA damage sensing kinases ATM/ATR for telomerase recruitment. Yet, whether telomere shortening also governs end protection is poorly understood. Here we discover that yeast ATM/ATR controls end protection. Rap1 is phosphorylated by Tel1 and Mec1 kinases at serine 731, and this regulation is stimulated by DNA damage and telomere shortening. Compromised Rap1 phosphorylation hampers the interaction between Rap1 and its interacting partner Rif1, which thereby disturbs the end protection. As expected, reduction of Rap1-Rif1 association impairs telomere length regulation and increases telomere-telomere recombination. These results indicate that ATM/ATR DNA damage checkpoint signal contributes to telomere protection by strengthening the Rap1-Rif1 interaction at short telomeres, and the checkpoint signal oversees both telomerase recruitment and end capping pathways to maintain telomere homeostasis. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.
Evaluation of the combined effects of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), reclaimed asphalt shingles (RAS), and different virgin binder sources on the performance of blended binders for mixes with higher percentages of RAP and RAS : a research report from t

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-11-01

This report summarizes the main findings from a project funded by the National Center for : Sustainable Transportation (NCST) to investigate the use of higher percentages of reclaimed : asphalt pavement (RAP) and reclaimed asphalt shingles (RAS) as a...
An Action Research Study on the Influence of Gangsta Rap on Academic and Behavioral Issues of 5th Grade African-American Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Shaun; Boes, Susan R.; Chibbaro, Julie S.

2015-01-01

This small action research study (ARS) began with a review of the literature examining the relationship of gangsta rap in regards to academic achievement, self-esteem, decision-making, identity issues and development of young African American males. The purpose of the ARS was to examine the correlation between gangsta rap and its influence on 5th…
An Educational Exploration of Homophobia and Sexism in Rap and Hip Hop: Homo-Thugs and Divas in da House

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiu, Nicholas

2005-01-01

In this paper, the author explores the connections between hip hop and rap, sexism and homophobia, and children and teens. He describes the implications or potential consequences of sexism and homophobia within the music and media culture of hip hop and rap (with the focus on how it affects young viewers and fans in terms of gender [identity]…
Evaluation of the combined effects of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), reclaimed asphalt shingles (RAS), and different virgin binder sources on the performance of blended binders for mixes with higher percentages of RAP and RAS : a national center for su

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-11-01

This report summarizes the main findings from a project funded by the National Center for : Sustainable Transportation (NCST) to investigate the use of higher percentages of reclaimed : asphalt pavement (RAP) and reclaimed asphalt shingles (RAS) as a...
40 CFR Appendix C to Part 136 - Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometric Method for Trace Element Analysis of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic... to Part 136—Inductively Coupled Plasma—Atomic Emission Spectrometric Method for Trace Element... technique. Samples are nebulized and the aerosol that is produced is transported to the plasma torch where...
40 CFR Appendix C to Part 136 - Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometric Method for Trace Element Analysis of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic... to Part 136—Inductively Coupled Plasma—Atomic Emission Spectrometric Method for Trace Element... technique. Samples are nebulized and the aerosol that is produced is transported to the plasma torch where...
Apical accumulation of the Sevenless receptor tyrosine kinase during Drosophila eye development is promoted by the small GTPase Rap1.

PubMed

Baril, Caroline; Lefrançois, Martin; Sahmi, Malha; Knævelsrud, Helene; Therrien, Marc

2014-08-01

The Ras/MAPK-signaling pathway plays pivotal roles during development of metazoans by controlling cell proliferation and cell differentiation elicited, in several instances, by receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). While the internal mechanism of RTK-driven Ras/MAPK signaling is well understood, far less is known regarding its interplay with other co-required signaling events involved in developmental decisions. In a genetic screen designed to identify new regulators of RTK/Ras/MAPK signaling during Drosophila eye development, we identified the small GTPase Rap1, PDZ-GEF, and Canoe as components contributing to Ras/MAPK-mediated R7 cell differentiation. Rap1 signaling has recently been found to participate in assembling cadherin-based adherens junctions in various fly epithelial tissues. Here, we show that Rap1 activity is required for the integrity of the apical domains of developing photoreceptor cells and that reduced Rap1 signaling hampers the apical accumulation of the Sevenless RTK in presumptive R7 cells. It thus appears that, in addition to its role in cell-cell adhesion, Rap1 signaling controls the partitioning of the epithelial cell membrane, which in turn influences signaling events that rely on apico-basal cell polarity. Copyright © 2014 by the Genetics Society of America.
Fish community structure in natural and engineered habitats in the Kansas River

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, K.; Gerken, J.; Paukert, Craig P.; Makinster, Andrew S.

2010-01-01

We investigated fish assemblage structure in engineered (rip-rap) and natural habitats (log jams and mud banks) in the Kansas River USA to determine if natural structures had higher abundance and diversity of fishes at a local spatial scale. A total of 439 randomly selected sites were boat electrofished from May to August 2005 and 2006. Mean species diversity and richness were significantly higher in rip-rap than log jams and mud banks. Mean relative abundance (CPUE; number of fish collected per hour electrofishing) of six of the 15 most common fishes (>1% of total catch) were most abundant in rip-rap, two were most abundant in log jams, and none in mud banks. Rip-rap had the highest relative abundance of fluvial specialist and macrohabitat generalists, whereas mean CPUE of fluvial dependents was highest in log jams. Although a discriminant function analysis indicated that nine size classes (eight species) discriminated among three habitat types, the high misclassification rate (38%) suggested a high degree of fish assemblage overlap among the habitats. Although previous work has suggested that engineered structures (rip-rap) and urbanization are linked to reduced biotic diversity or reduced growth of fish species, our results suggest that at a local scale rip-rap may not have the same negative impacts on fish assemblages.
Fish community structure in natural and engineered habitats in the Kansas river

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, K.; Gerken, J.; Paukert, C.; Makinster, A.

2010-01-01

We investigated fish assemblage structure in engineered (rip-rap) and natural habitats (log jams and mud banks) in the Kansas River USA to determine if natural structures had higher abundance and diversity of fishes at a local spatial scale. A total of 439 randomly selected sites were boat electrofished from May to August 2005 and 2006. Mean species diversity and richness were significantly higher in rip-rap than log jams and mud banks. Mean relative abundance (CPUE; number of fish collected per hour electrofishing) of six of the 15 most common fishes (>1% of total catch) were most abundant in rip-rap, two were most abundant in log jams, and none in mud banks. Rip-rap had the highest relative abundance of fluvial specialist and macrohabitat generalists, whereas mean CPUE of fluvial dependents was highest in log jams. Although a discriminant function analysis indicated that nine size classes (eight species) discriminated among three habitat types, the high misclassification rate (38%) suggested a high degree of fish assemblage overlap among the habitats. Although previous work has suggested that engineered structures (rip-rap) and urbanization are linked to reduced biotic diversity or reduced growth of fish species, our results suggest that at a local scale rip-rap may not have the same negative impacts on fish assemblages.
Site-specific bioalkylation of rapamycin by the RapM 16-O-methyltransferase.

PubMed

Law, Brian J C; Struck, Anna-Winona; Bennett, Matthew R; Wilkinson, Barrie; Micklefield, Jason

2015-05-01

The methylation of natural products by S -adenosyl methionine (AdoMet, also known as SAM)-dependent methyltransferase enzymes is a common tailoring step in many biosynthetic pathways. The introduction of methyl substituents can affect the biological and physicochemical properties of the secondary metabolites produced. Recently it has become apparent that some AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases exhibit promiscuity and will accept AdoMet analogues enabling the transfer of alternative alkyl groups. In this study we have characterised a methyltransferase, RapM, which is involved in the biosynthesis of the potent immunosuppressive agent rapamycin. We have shown that recombinant RapM regioselectively methylates the C16 hydroxyl group of desmethyl rapamycin precursors in vitro and is promiscuous in accepting alternative co-factors in addition to AdoMet. A coupled enzyme system was developed, including a mutant human enzyme methionine adenosyl transferase (MAT), along with RapM, which was used to prepare alkylated rapamycin derivatives (rapalogs) with alternative ethyl and allyl ether groups, derived from simple S -ethyl or S -allyl methionine analogues. There are two other methyltransferases RapI and RapQ which provide methyl substituents of rapamycin. Consequently, using the enzymatic approach described here, it should be possible to generate a diverse array of alkylated rapalogs, with altered properties, that would be difficult to obtain by traditional synthetic approaches.
Approaches towards the enhanced production of Rapamycin by Streptomyces hygroscopicus MTCC 4003 through mutagenesis and optimization of process parameters by Taguchi orthogonal array methodology.

PubMed

Dutta, Subhasish; Basak, Bikram; Bhunia, Biswanath; Sinha, Ankan; Dey, Apurba

2017-05-01

The present research was conducted to define the approaches for enhanced production of rapamycin (Rap) by Streptomyces hygroscopicus microbial type culture collection (MTCC) 4003. Both physical mutagenesis by ultraviolet ray (UV) and chemical mutagenesis by N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) have been applied successfully for the improvement of Rap production. Enhancing Rap yield by novel sequential UV mutagenesis technique followed by fermentation gives a significant difference in getting economically scalable amount of this industrially important macrolide compound. Mutant obtained through NTG mutagenesis (NTG-30-27) was found to be superior to others as it initially produced 67% higher Rap than wild type. Statistical optimization of nutritional and physiochemical parameters was carried out to find out most influential factors responsible for enhanced Rap yield by NTG-30-27 which was performed using Taguchi orthogonal array approach. Around 72% enhanced production was achieved with nutritional factors at their assigned level at 23 °C, 120 rpm and pH 7.6. Results were analysed in triplicate basis where validation and purification was carried out using high performance liquid chromatography. Stability study and potency of extracted Rap was supported by turbidimetric assay taking Candida albicans MTCC 227 as test organism.
On-line atomic data access

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, David R.; Nash, Jeffrey K.

1996-07-01

The need for atomic data is one which continues to expand in a wide variety of applications including fusion energy, astrophysics, laser-produced plasma research, and plasma processing. Modern computer database and communications technology enables this data to be placed on-line and obtained by users over the INTERNET. Presented here is a summary of the observations and conclusions regarding such on-line atomic data access derived from a forum held at the Tenth APS Topical Conference on Atomic Processes in Plasmas.
An Atypical Phr Peptide Regulates the Developmental Switch Protein RapH ▿ †

PubMed Central

Mirouze, Nicolas; Parashar, Vijay; Baker, Melinda D.; Dubnau, David A.; Neiditch, Matthew B.

2011-01-01

Under conditions of nutrient limitation and high population density, the bacterium Bacillus subtilis can initiate a variety of developmental pathways. The signaling systems regulating B. subtilis differentiation are tightly controlled by switch proteins called Raps, named after the founding members of the family, which were shown to be response regulator aspartate phosphatases. A phr gene encoding a secreted pentapeptide that regulates the activity of its associated Rap protein was previously identified downstream of 8 of the chromosomally encoded rap genes. We identify and validate here the sequence of an atypical Phr peptide, PhrH, by in vivo and in vitro analyses. Using a luciferase reporter bioassay combined with in vitro experiments, we found that PhrH is a hexapeptide (TDRNTT), in contrast to the other characterized Phr pentapeptides. We also determined that phrH expression is driven by a promoter lying within rapH. Unlike the previously identified dedicated σH-driven phr promoters, it appears that phrH expression most likely requires σA. Furthermore, we show that PhrH can antagonize both of the known activities of RapH: the dephosphorylation of Spo0F and the sequestration of ComA, thus promoting the development of spores and the competent state. Finally, we propose that PhrH is the prototype of a newly identified class of Phr signaling molecules consisting of six amino acids. This class likely includes PhrI, which regulates RapI and the expression, excision, and transfer of the mobile genetic element ICEBs1. PMID:21908671

Oral sirolimus: A possible treatment for refractory angina pectoris in the elderly.

PubMed

Mischie, Alexandru; Chanseaume, Sylvain; Gaspard, Philippe; Andrei, Catalina Liliana; Sinescu, Crina; Schiariti, Michele

2016-11-01

Refractory angina pectoris (RAP) is a clinical problem, frequently encountered in the elderly, associated with high health-care costs. Until recently, the goal of RAP treatment aimed at improving the quality of life (QoL) because it was thought that mortality rates were not different between stable angina pectoris and RAP. Our purpose was at determining whether any mortality rate difference exists and whether any novel therapeutical solution might be translated into clinical practice. We therefore performed a literature review to assess current optimal treatment of RAP patients, including all studies involving the use of oral sirolimus and stents, although no consistent evidence was found for any specific treatment to improve survival, apart from minor QoL amelioration. A large mortality difference was seen between RAP and stable angina pectoris. On the other hand, therapeutic approaches to RAP patients showed frequent complications and several contraindications, depending on the procedure. We propose to inhibit instead of stimulating angiogenesis, by giving oral sirolimus, an immunosuppressive drug, thereby decreasing the atherosclerotic process and its evolution. Sirolimus was shown to decrease left ventricular mass (thus indirectly decreasing myocardial oxygen needs and consumption). It might stop and, in some cases, even enable regression of plaque progression. Sirolimus side effects are mild to moderate and wash-out rapidly at treatment discontinuation. Compared with current therapies sirolimus treatment is more health-care cost efficient. It should be important to design a trial in RAP patients powered to reduce mortality and QoL increase. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Model polymer etching and surface modification by a time modulated RF plasma jet: role of atomic oxygen and water vapor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luan, P.; Knoll, A. J.; Wang, H.; Kondeti, V. S. S. K.; Bruggeman, P. J.; Oehrlein, G. S.

2017-01-01

The surface interaction of a well-characterized time modulated radio frequency (RF) plasma jet with polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(vinyl alcohol) as model polymers is investigated. The RF plasma jet shows fast polymer etching but mild chemical modification with a characteristic carbonate ester and NO formation on the etched surface. By varying the plasma treatment conditions including feed gas composition, environment gaseous composition, and treatment distance, we find that short lived species, especially atomic O for Ar/1% O2 and 1% air plasma and OH for Ar/1% H2O plasma, play an essential role for polymer etching. For O2 containing plasma, we find that atomic O initiates polymer etching and the etching depth mirrors the measured decay of O atoms in the gas phase as the nozzle-surface distance increases. The etching reaction probability of an O atom ranging from 10-4 to 10-3 is consistent with low pressure plasma research. We also find that adding O2 and H2O simultaneously into Ar feed gas quenches polymer etching compared to adding them separately which suggests the reduction of O and OH density in Ar/O2/H2O plasma.
Expansion of an ultracold Rydberg plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forest, Gabriel T.; Li, Yin; Ward, Edwin D.; Goodsell, Anne L.; Tate, Duncan A.

2018-04-01

We report a systematic experimental and numerical study of the expansion of ultracold Rydberg plasmas. Specifically, we have measured the asymptotic expansion velocities, v0, of ultracold neutral plasmas (UNPs) which evolve from cold, dense samples of Rydberg rubidium atoms using ion time-of-flight spectroscopy. From this, we have obtained values for the effective initial plasma electron temperature, Te ,0=mionv02/kB (where mion is the Rb+ ion mass), as a function of the original Rydberg atom density and binding energy, Eb ,i. We have also simulated numerically the interaction of UNPs with a large reservoir of Rydberg atoms to obtain data to compare with our experimental results. We find that for Rydberg atom densities in the range 107-109 cm-3, for states with principal quantum number n >40 , Te ,0 is insensitive to the initial ionization mechanism which seeds the plasma. In addition, the quantity kBTe ,0 is strongly correlated with the fraction of atoms which ionize, and is in the range 0.6 ×| Eb ,i|≲ kBTe ,0≲2.5 ×|Eb ,i| . On the other hand, plasmas from Rydberg samples with n ≲40 evolve with no significant additional ionization of the remaining atoms once a threshold number of ions has been established. The dominant interaction between the plasma electrons and the Rydberg atoms is one in which the atoms are deexcited, a heating process for electrons that competes with adiabatic cooling to establish an equilibrium where Te ,0 is determined by their Coulomb coupling parameter, Γe˜0.01 .
EFFECTS OF LASER RADIATION ON MATTER. LASER PLASMA: Investigation of the populations of excited states of barium atoms in a laser plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burimov, V. N.; Zherikhin, A. N.; Popkov, V. L.

1995-02-01

Laser-induced fluorescence was used in an investigation of the populations of the ground and excited (6s5d 3D1 and 3D2) states of Ba atoms in a plasma formed by laser ablation of Y—Ba—Cu—O target. A nonequilibrium velocity distribution of the atoms was detected. At large distances from the target about 4% of the atoms were in an excited state.
Experiences with lead/acid battery management in remote-area power-supply (RAPS) systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, S. J.; Pryor, T. L.; Dymond, M. S.; Remmer, D. P.

Battery management and general storage performance and cost remain major problems in remote-area power-supply (RAPS) systems utilizing renewable energy sources. A brief review of field experiences with lead/acid batteries is presented, together with results from battery tests carried out in the laboratory. It is recommended that further collaboration between battery manufacturers and system designers is established to develop improved storage systems for RAPS applications.
Anthrax edema toxin disrupts distinct steps in Rab11-dependent junctional transport

PubMed Central

Guichard, Annabel; Jain, Prashant; Moayeri, Mahtab; Cruz-Moreno, Beatriz; Leppla, Stephen H.; Nizet, Victor

2017-01-01

Various bacterial toxins circumvent host defenses through overproduction of cAMP. In a previous study, we showed that edema factor (EF), an adenylate cyclase from Bacillus anthracis, disrupts endocytic recycling mediated by the small GTPase Rab11. As a result, cargo proteins such as cadherins fail to reach inter-cellular junctions. In the present study, we provide further mechanistic dissection of Rab11 inhibition by EF using a combination of Drosophila and mammalian systems. EF blocks Rab11 trafficking after the GTP-loading step, preventing a constitutively active form of Rab11 from delivering cargo vesicles to the plasma membrane. Both of the primary cAMP effector pathways -PKA and Epac/Rap1- contribute to inhibition of Rab11-mediated trafficking, but act at distinct steps of the delivery process. PKA acts early, preventing Rab11 from associating with its effectors Rip11 and Sec15. In contrast, Epac functions subsequently via the small GTPase Rap1 to block fusion of recycling endosomes with the plasma membrane, and appears to be the primary effector of EF toxicity in this process. Similarly, experiments conducted in mammalian systems reveal that Epac, but not PKA, mediates the activity of EF both in cell culture and in vivo. The small GTPase Arf6, which initiates endocytic retrieval of cell adhesion components, also contributes to junctional homeostasis by counteracting Rab11-dependent delivery of cargo proteins at sites of cell-cell contact. These studies have potentially significant practical implications, since chemical inhibition of either Arf6 or Epac blocks the effect of EF in cell culture and in vivo, opening new potential therapeutic avenues for treating symptoms caused by cAMP-inducing toxins or related barrier-disrupting pathologies. PMID:28945820
Anthrax edema toxin disrupts distinct steps in Rab11-dependent junctional transport.

PubMed

Guichard, Annabel; Jain, Prashant; Moayeri, Mahtab; Schwartz, Ruth; Chin, Stephen; Zhu, Lin; Cruz-Moreno, Beatriz; Liu, Janet Z; Aguilar, Bernice; Hollands, Andrew; Leppla, Stephen H; Nizet, Victor; Bier, Ethan

2017-09-01

Various bacterial toxins circumvent host defenses through overproduction of cAMP. In a previous study, we showed that edema factor (EF), an adenylate cyclase from Bacillus anthracis, disrupts endocytic recycling mediated by the small GTPase Rab11. As a result, cargo proteins such as cadherins fail to reach inter-cellular junctions. In the present study, we provide further mechanistic dissection of Rab11 inhibition by EF using a combination of Drosophila and mammalian systems. EF blocks Rab11 trafficking after the GTP-loading step, preventing a constitutively active form of Rab11 from delivering cargo vesicles to the plasma membrane. Both of the primary cAMP effector pathways -PKA and Epac/Rap1- contribute to inhibition of Rab11-mediated trafficking, but act at distinct steps of the delivery process. PKA acts early, preventing Rab11 from associating with its effectors Rip11 and Sec15. In contrast, Epac functions subsequently via the small GTPase Rap1 to block fusion of recycling endosomes with the plasma membrane, and appears to be the primary effector of EF toxicity in this process. Similarly, experiments conducted in mammalian systems reveal that Epac, but not PKA, mediates the activity of EF both in cell culture and in vivo. The small GTPase Arf6, which initiates endocytic retrieval of cell adhesion components, also contributes to junctional homeostasis by counteracting Rab11-dependent delivery of cargo proteins at sites of cell-cell contact. These studies have potentially significant practical implications, since chemical inhibition of either Arf6 or Epac blocks the effect of EF in cell culture and in vivo, opening new potential therapeutic avenues for treating symptoms caused by cAMP-inducing toxins or related barrier-disrupting pathologies.
Geeksta Rap: An Example of the Utilization of Elements of Popular Culture in Science Education and Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, F.; Otto, A.

2003-12-01

Science education and outreach efforts must compete for the attention of students in an environment filled with many distractions. Many of the most compelling of these distractions arise from popular culture. Rather than bemoaning this situation, we propose that we make use of some of those elements of popular culture which garner the most attention. In particular, we propose that we utilize the popularity of current hip-hop and rap music in science education and outreach efforts. To that end, we present some examples of what we call `geeksta rap' and discuss some of the considerations relevant for its preparation. We also discuss various uses of `geeksta rap' in science education and outreach.
Somatization symptoms in pediatric abdominal pain patients: relation to chronicity of abdominal pain and parent somatization.

PubMed

Walker, L S; Garber, J; Greene, J W

1991-08-01

Symptoms of somatization were investigated in pediatric patients with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) and comparison groups of patients with organic etiology for abdominal pain and well patients. Somatization scores were higher in RAP patients than well patients at the clinic visit, and higher than in either well patients or organic patients at a 3-month followup. Higher somatization scores in mothers and fathers were associated with higher somatization scores in RAP patients, but not in organic or well patients. Contrary to the findings of Ernst, Routh, and Harper (1984), chronicity of abdominal pain in RAP patients was not significantly associated with their level of somatization symptoms. Psychometric information about the Children's Somatization Inventory is presented.
Changes in the prevalence of alcohol in rap music lyrics 1979-2009.

PubMed

Herd, Denise

2014-02-01

This study examines the prevalence and context of alcohol references in rap music lyrics from 1979 through 2009. Four hundred nine top-ranked rap music songs released were sampled from Billboard magazine rating charts. Songs were analyzed using systematic content analysis and were coded for alcohol beverage types and brand names, drinking behaviors, drinking contexts, attitudes towards alcohol, and consequences of drinking. Trends were analyzed using regression analyses. The results of the study reveal significant increases in the presence of alcohol in rap songs; a decline in negative attitudes towards alcohol; decreases in consequences attributed to alcohol; increases in the association of alcohol with glamour and wealth, drugs, and nightclubs; and increases in references to liquor and champagne.
The relationship between heavy metal and rap music and adolescent turmoil: real or artifact?

PubMed

Took, K J; Weiss, D S

1994-01-01

Adolescents and their parents were surveyed to investigate the association between heavy metal and rap music and adolescent psychosocial turmoil. Subjects were asked about current and past psychosocial functioning, as well as their music preferences. Adolescents who preferred heavy metal and rap music were compared with those who preferred other types of music. Results indicated that adolescents who preferred heavy metal and rap had a higher incidence of below-average school grades, school behavior problems, sexual activity, drug and alcohol use, and arrests. However, when gender was controlled, only below-average current and elementary school grades and a history of counseling in elementary school for school problems remained significant. Implications of these findings are discussed.
RAP/RAS workshop.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-01-01

: RAP & RAS increases mix stiffness : : Most WMA additives decrease stiffness : : Tear-Off shingles are stiffer than Man-waste shingles : : Using multiple recycled bins improves consistency : : Finer RAS material improves consiste...
The hourly updated US High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) storm-scale forecast model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, Curtis; Dowell, David; Benjamin, Stan; Weygandt, Stephen; Olson, Joseph; Kenyon, Jaymes; Grell, Georg; Smirnova, Tanya; Ladwig, Terra; Brown, John; James, Eric; Hu, Ming

2016-04-01

The 3-km convective-allowing High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) is a US NOAA hourly updating weather forecast model that use a specially configured version of the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) model and assimilate many novel and most conventional observation types on an hourly basis using Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI). Included in this assimilation is a procedure for initializing ongoing precipitation systems from observed radar reflectivity data (and proxy reflectivity from lightning and satellite data), a cloud analysis to initialize stable layer clouds from METAR and satellite observations, and special techniques to enhance retention of surface observation information. The HRRR is run hourly out to 15 forecast hours over a domain covering the entire conterminous United States using initial and boundary conditions from the hourly-cycled 13km Rapid Refresh (RAP, using similar physics and data assimilation) covering North America and a significant part of the Northern Hemisphere. The HRRR is continually developed and refined at NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory, and an initial version was implemented into the operational NOAA/NCEP production suite in September 2014. Ongoing experimental RAP and HRRR model development throughout 2014 and 2015 has culminated in a set of data assimilation and model enhancements that will be incorporated into the first simultaneous upgrade of both the operational RAP and HRRR that is scheduled for spring 2016 at NCEP. This presentation will discuss the operational RAP and HRRR changes contained in this upgrade. The RAP domain is being expanded to encompass the NAM domain and the forecast lengths of both the RAP and HRRR are being extended. RAP and HRRR assimilation enhancements have focused on (1) extending surface data assimilation to include mesonet observations and improved use of all surface observations through better background estimates of 2-m temperature and dewpoint including projection of 2-m temperature observations through the model boundary layer and (2) extending the use of radar observations to include both radial velocity and 3-D retrieval of rain hydrometeors from observed radar reflectivities in the warm-season. The RAP hybrid EnKF 3D-variational data assimilation will increase weighting of GFS ensemble-based background error covariance estimation and introduce this hybrid data assimilation configuration in the HRRR. Enhancement of RAP and HRRR model physics include improved land surface and boundary layer prediction using the updated Mellor-Yamada-Nakanishi-Niino (MYNN) parameterization scheme, Grell-Freitas-Olson (GFO) shallow and deep convective parameterization, aerosol-aware Thompson microphysics and upgraded Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) land-surface model. The presentation will highlight improvements in the RAP and HRRR model physics to reduce certain systematic forecast biases including a warm and dry daytime bias over the central and eastern CONUS during the warm season along with improved convective forecasts in more weakly-forced diurnally-driven events. Examples of RAP and HRRR forecast improvements will be demonstrated through both retrospective and real-time verification statistics and case-study examples.
Fluid loss, venous congestion, and worsening renal function in acute decompensated heart failure.

PubMed

Aronson, Doron; Abassi, Zaid; Allon, Eyal; Burger, Andrew J

2013-06-01

To investigate the relationship between decongestion, central venous pressure, and risk of worsening renal function (WRF) in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). We studied 475 patients with ADHF, of whom 238 underwent right heart catheterization. Right atrial pressure (RAP) was measured at baseline and at 24 h. Net fluid loss was recorded in the first 24 h. WRF was defined as a >0.3 mg/dL increase in serum creatinine above baseline. WRF occurred in 84 catheterized patients (35.3%). There was a weak correlation between baseline RAP and baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = -0.17, P = 0.009). The amount of fluid removed during the first 24 h did not correlate with the magnitude of RAP reduction (r = 0.06, P = 0.35). No association was observed between WRF and baseline RAP [odds ratio (OR) 1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80-1.41, P = 0.68 per 6.6 mmHg] or the decrease in RAP (adjusted OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.85-1.49, P = 0.40 per 5.3 mmHg reduction in RAP). In contrast, smaller net fluid loss was strongly associated with increased WRF risk. Compared with the first net fluid loss tertile, the adjusted OR was 1.85 (95% CI 0.90-3.80, P = 0.10) and 2.58 (95% CI 1.27-5.25; P = 0.009) for the second and third tertile, respectively (P for trend <0.0001). Smaller early net fluid loss is associated with increased risk for WRF. RAP is not a reliable surrogate of the magnitude of decongestion and risk of WRF. Future research is necessary to determine if targeting congestion may help prevent WRF.
[Effect of total alkaloids of Rubus alceaefolius on oxidative stress in rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease].

PubMed

Zheng, Haiyin; Zhao, Jinyan; Liu, Yan; Zheng, Yuqing; Wu, Juan; Hong, Zhenfeng

2011-09-01

To study the effects of total alkaloids of Rubus alceaefolius (RAP) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rats and explore its possible mechanisms. Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into six groups: control group, model group, compound methionine and choline bitartrate tablets (CMCB)group and three RAP groups treated respectively with low, middle and high dose of RAP. The NAFLD model was induced by feeding fat-rich food. NAFLD rats were administrated with 0.35 g x kg(-1) CMCB and 0.36, 0.72, 1.44 g x kg(-1) RAP for 4 weeks respectively. The weight index of liver was measured. Hepatic histolog ical changes were observed. The concentration in serum of aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino tranferase (ALT), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined. The mRNA expressions of SOD, MDA, TNF-alpha and IL-6 in hepatic tissue were detected. Compared with the model group, degree of steatosis of hepatic lobule was improved, the weight index of liver was decreased, serum levels of ALT, AST, TNF-alpha and IL-6 were significantly lower in the high and middle dose RAP group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The levels of SOD and MDA in hepatic tissue were lower in the high dose RAP group (P < 0.05). The mRNA expressions of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in hepatic tissue were decreased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). RAP can protect liver in experimental NAFLD, and its possible mechanisms may be concerned with clearing the oxygen free radical, reducing the product of lipid peroxidation, inhibiting the release of inflammatory cytokines and reducing nflammatory response.
Some historic and current aspects of plasma diagnostics using atomic spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutton, Roger; Zou, Yaming; Andersson, Martin; Brage, Tomas; Martinson, Indrek

2010-07-01

In this paper we give a short introduction to the use of atomic spectroscopy in plasma diagnostics. Both older works and exciting new branches of atomic physics, which have relevance to diagnostics, are discussed. In particular we focus on forbidden lines in Be-like ions, lines sensitive to magnetic fields and levels which have a lifetime dependence on the nuclear spin of the ion, i.e. f-dependent lifetimes. Finally we mention a few examples of where tokamaks, instead of needing atomic data, actually provide new data and lead to developments in atomic structure studies. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Nicol J Peacock (1931-2008), a distinguished plasma scientist who contributed much to the field of spectroscopy applied to plasma, and in particular, fusion plasma diagnostics. During the final stages of the preparation of this paper Professor Indrek Martinson passed away peacefully in his sleep on 14 November 2009. Indrek will be greatly missed by many people, both for his contributions to atomic spectroscopy and for his great kindness and friendliness, which many of us experienced.
Matrix-Assisted Plasma Atomization Emission Spectrometry for Surface Sampling Elemental Analysis

PubMed Central

Yuan, Xin; Zhan, Xuefang; Li, Xuemei; Zhao, Zhongjun; Duan, Yixiang

2016-01-01

An innovative technology has been developed involving a simple and sensitive optical spectrometric method termed matrix-assisted plasma atomization emission spectrometry (MAPAES) for surface sampling elemental analysis using a piece of filter paper (FP) for sample introduction. MAPAES was carried out by direct interaction of the plasma tail plume with the matrix surface. The FP absorbs energy from the plasma source and releases combustion heating to the analytes originally present on its surface, thus to promote the atomization and excitation process. The matrix-assisted plasma atomization excitation phenomenon was observed for multiple elements. The FP matrix served as the partial energy producer and also the sample substrate to adsorb sample solution. Qualitative and quantitative determinations of metal ions were achieved by atomic emission measurements for elements Ba, Cu, Eu, In, Mn, Ni, Rh and Y. The detection limits were down to pg level with linear correlation coefficients better than 0.99. The proposed MAPAES provides a new way for atomic spectrometry which offers advantages of fast analysis speed, little sample consumption, less sample pretreatment, small size, and cost-effective. PMID:26762972
Generation and acceleration of neutral atoms in intense laser plasma experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tata, Sheroy; Mondal, Angana; Sarkar, Shobhik; Ved, Yash; Lad, Amit D.; Pasley, John; Colgan, James; Krishnamurthy, M.

2017-10-01

The interaction of a high intensity (>=1018 W/cm2), high contrast (>=109), ultra-short (30fs) laser with solid targets generates a highly dense hot plasma. The quasi-static electric fields in such plasmas are well known for ion acceleration via the target normal sheath acceleration process. Under such conditions charge reduction to generate fast neutral atoms is almost inhibited. Improvised Thomson parabola spectrometry with improved signal to noise ratio has enabled us to measure the signals of fast neutral atoms and negative ions having energies in excess of tens of keV. A study on the neutralization of accelerated protons in plasma shows that the neutral atom to all particle ratio rises sharply from a few percent at the highest detectable energy to 50 % at 15 keV. Using usual charge transfer reactions the generation of neutral atoms can not be explained, thus we conjecture that the neutralization of the accelerated ions is not from the hot dense region of the plasma but neutral atom formation takes place by co-propagating ions with low energy electrons enhancing the effective neutral ratio.
Differential roles of the infralimbic and prelimbic areas of the prefrontal cortex in reconsolidation of a traumatic memory.

PubMed

Levin, Natali; Kritman, Milly; Maroun, Mouna; Akirav, Irit

2017-09-01

Studies about reconsolidation of conditioned fear memories have shown that pharmacological manipulation at memory reactivation can attenuate or enhance the subsequent expression of the conditioned fear response. Here we examined the effects of a single injection of the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin (Rap) into the infralimbic (IL) and prelimbic (PL) areas [which compose the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (PFC)] on reconsolidation and extinction of a traumatic fear memory. We found opposite effects of Rap infused into the PL and IL on reconsolidation and extinction: intra-PL Rap and systemic Rap impaired reconsolidation and facilitated extinction whereas intra-IL Rap enhanced reconsolidation and impaired extinction. These effects persisted at least 10 days after reactivation. Shock exposure induced anxiety-like behavior and impaired working memory and intra-IL and -PL Rap normalized these effects. Finally, when measured after fear retrieval, shocked rats exhibited reduced and increased phosphorylated p70s6K levels in the IL and basolateral amygdala, respectively. No effect on phosphorylated p70s6K levels was observed in the PL. The study points to the differential roles of the IL and PL in memory reconsolidation and extinction. Moreover, inhibiting mTOR via rapamycin following reactivation of a fear memory may be a novel approach in attenuating enhanced fear memories. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.
HPK1 competes with ADAP for SLP-76 binding and via Rap1 negatively affects T-cell adhesion.

PubMed

Patzak, Irene M; Königsberger, Sebastian; Suzuki, Akira; Mak, Tak W; Kiefer, Friedemann

2010-11-01

The hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) signals into MAPK and NFκB pathways downstream of immunoreceptors, but enigmatically is a negative regulator of leukocytes. Here, we report a novel role for HPK1 in regulating the activation of the adhesion molecule leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1). Upon TCR stimulation, mediated by binding of adhesion and degranulation promoting adaptor protein (ADAP) to SLP-76, a ternary complex composed of ADAP/55-kDa src kinase associated phosphoprotein (SKAP-55) and RIAM translocates to the membrane and causes membrane recruitment of the active small GTPase Ras-related protein 1 (Rap1). Active Rap1, via its binding to RapL (regulator for cell adhesion and polarization enriched in lymphoid tissues), mediates LFA-1 integrin activation. We show here that HPK1, which also binds SLP-76, compete with ADAP for SLP-76 binding. In addition, HPK1 dampens Rap1 activation, resulting in decreased LFA-1 activity. Analysis of HPK1-deficient T cells revealed increased ADAP recruitment to SLP-76 and elevated Rap1 activation in those cells, leading to increased adhesion to ICAM-1 and cell spreading. Altogether, these results describe a novel function for HPK1 in linking TCR signaling to cell adhesion regulation and provide a mechanistic explanation for the negative regulatory role of HPK1 in T-cell biology.

Right atrial pressure predicts worsening renal function in patients with acute right ventricular myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Ivey-Miranda, Juan Betuel; Posada-Martínez, Edith Liliana; Almeida-Gutiérrez, Eduardo; Borrayo-Sánchez, Gabriela; Flores-Umanzor, Eduardo

2018-08-01

Right ventricular myocardial infarction (RVMI) is associated with serious complications in the short-term. Worsening renal function (WRF) is a frequent and dangerous complication. We investigated if right atrial pressure (RAP) predicts WRF in these patients. We prospectively studied patients with RVMI. RAP was obtained invasively at admission to coronary care unit. Blood samples were extracted from patients at baseline and every 24h for creatinine measurements for seven days. We defined WRF as an increase of 25% or 0.5mg/dl in serum creatinine during the first seven days compared to baseline creatinine. We included forty-five patients (age 68±10years, male 71%). WRF occurred in 51%. The best cut-off value of RAP for WRF prediction was 11mmHg. RAP ≥11mmHg was associated with WRF at univariate analysis (OR 5.5, 95% CI 1.27-24.3, p=0.023) and multivariate analysis (OR 6.1, 95% CI 1.07-35.4, p=0.042). RAP ≥11mmHg improved reclassification and discrimination after usual prediction with the Mehran score (net reclassification improvement 64.8%, p=0.030; integrated discrimination improvement 7.5%, p=0.037). In patients with RVMI, RAP ≥11mmHg predicted WRF and improved discrimination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Rap1 and Canoe/afadin are essential for establishment of apical–basal polarity in the Drosophila embryo

PubMed Central

Choi, Wangsun; Harris, Nathan J.; Sumigray, Kaelyn D.; Peifer, Mark

2013-01-01

The establishment and maintenance of apical–basal cell polarity is critical for assembling epithelia and maintaining organ architecture. Drosophila embryos provide a superb model. In the current view, apically positioned Bazooka/Par3 is the initial polarity cue as cells form during cellularization. Bazooka then helps to position both adherens junctions and atypical protein kinase C (aPKC). Although a polarized cytoskeleton is critical for Bazooka positioning, proteins mediating this remained unknown. We found that the small GTPase Rap1 and the actin-junctional linker Canoe/afadin are essential for polarity establishment, as both adherens junctions and Bazooka are mispositioned in their absence. Rap1 and Canoe do not simply organize the cytoskeleton, as actin and microtubules become properly polarized in their absence. Canoe can recruit Bazooka when ectopically expressed, but they do not obligatorily colocalize. Rap1 and Canoe play continuing roles in Bazooka localization during gastrulation, but other polarity cues partially restore apical Bazooka in the absence of Rap1 or Canoe. We next tested the current linear model for polarity establishment. Both Bazooka and aPKC regulate Canoe localization despite being “downstream” of Canoe. Further, Rap1, Bazooka, and aPKC, but not Canoe, regulate columnar cell shape. These data reshape our view, suggesting that polarity establishment is regulated by a protein network rather than a linear pathway. PMID:23363604
The Rap GTPase Activator Drosophila PDZ-GEF Regulates Cell Shape in Epithelial Migration and Morphogenesis▿

PubMed Central

Boettner, Benjamin; Van Aelst, Linda

2007-01-01

Epithelial morphogenesis is characterized by an exquisite control of cell shape and position. Progression through dorsal closure in Drosophila gastrulation depends on the ability of Rap1 GTPase to signal through the adherens junctional multidomain protein Canoe. Here, we provide genetic evidence that epithelial Rap activation and Canoe effector usage are conferred by the Drosophila PDZ-GEF (dPDZ-GEF) exchange factor. We demonstrate that dPDZ-GEF/Rap/Canoe signaling modulates cell shape and apicolateral cell constriction in embryonic and wing disc epithelia. In dPDZ-GEF mutant embryos with strong dorsal closure defects, cells in the lateral ectoderm fail to properly elongate. Postembryonic dPDZ-GEF mutant cells generated in mosaic tissue display a striking extension of lateral cell perimeters in the proximity of junctional complexes, suggesting a loss of normal cell contractility. Furthermore, our data indicate that dPDZ-GEF signaling is linked to myosin II function. Both dPDZ-GEF and cno show strong genetic interactions with the myosin II-encoding gene, and myosin II distribution is severely perturbed in epithelia of both mutants. These findings provide the first insight into the molecular machinery targeted by Rap signaling to modulate epithelial plasticity. We propose that dPDZ-GEF-dependent signaling functions as a rheostat linking Rap activity to the regulation of cell shape in epithelial morphogenesis at different developmental stages. PMID:17846121
Performance of Noninvasive Assessment in the Diagnosis of Right Heart Failure After Left Ventricular Assist Device.

PubMed

Joly, Joanna M; El-Dabh, Ashraf; Marshell, Ramey; Chatterjee, Arka; Smith, Michelle G; Tresler, Margaret; Kirklin, James K; Acharya, Deepak; Rajapreyar, Indranee N; Tallaj, José A; Pamboukian, Salpy V

2018-06-01

Right heart failure (RHF) after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is associated with poor outcomes. Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) defines RHF as elevated right atrial pressure (RAP) plus venous congestion. The purpose of this study was to examine the diagnostic performance of the noninvasive INTERMACS criteria using RAP as the gold standard. We analyzed 108 patients with LVAD who underwent 341 right heart catheterizations (RHC) between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2013. Physical exam, echocardiography, and laboratory data at the time of RHC were collected. Conventional two-by-two tables were used and missing data were excluded. The noninvasive INTERMACS definition of RHF is 32% sensitive (95% CI, 0.21-0.44) and 97% specific (95% CI, 0.95-0.99) for identifying elevated RAP. Clinical assessment failed to identify two-thirds of LVAD patients with RAP > 16 mm Hg. More than half of patients with elevated RAP did not have venous congestion, which may represent a physiologic opportunity to mitigate the progression of disease before end-organ damage occurs. One-quarter of patients who met the noninvasive definition of RHF did not actually have elevated RAP, potentially exposing patients to unnecessary therapies. In practice, if any component of the INTERMACS definition is present or equivocal, our data suggest RHC is warranted to establish the diagnosis.
A global analysis of parenchyma tissue fractions in secondary xylem of seed plants.

PubMed

Morris, Hugh; Plavcová, Lenka; Cvecko, Patrick; Fichtler, Esther; Gillingham, Mark A F; Martínez-Cabrera, Hugo I; McGlinn, Daniel J; Wheeler, Elisabeth; Zheng, Jingming; Ziemińska, Kasia; Jansen, Steven

2016-03-01

Parenchyma is an important tissue in secondary xylem of seed plants, with functions ranging from storage to defence and with effects on the physical and mechanical properties of wood. Currently, we lack a large-scale quantitative analysis of ray parenchyma (RP) and axial parenchyma (AP) tissue fractions. Here, we use data from the literature on AP and RP fractions to investigate the potential relationships of climate and growth form with total ray and axial parenchyma fractions (RAP). We found a 29-fold variation in RAP fraction, which was more strongly related to temperature than with precipitation. Stem succulents had the highest RAP values (mean ± SD: 70.2 ± 22.0%), followed by lianas (50.1 ± 16.3%), angiosperm trees and shrubs (26.3 ± 12.4%), and conifers (7.6 ± 2.6%). Differences in RAP fraction between temperate and tropical angiosperm trees (21.1 ± 7.9% vs 36.2 ± 13.4%, respectively) are due to differences in the AP fraction, which is typically three times higher in tropical than in temperate trees, but not in RP fraction. Our results illustrate that both temperature and growth form are important drivers of RAP fractions. These findings should help pave the way to better understand the various functions of RAP in plants. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.
Images of sexual stereotypes in rap videos and the health of African American female adolescents.

PubMed

Peterson, Shani H; Wingood, Gina M; DiClemente, Ralph J; Harrington, Kathy; Davies, Susan

2007-10-01

This study sought to determine whether perceiving portrayals of sexual stereotypes in rap music videos was associated with adverse health outcomes among African American adolescent females. African American female adolescents (n = 522) were recruited from community venues. Adolescents completed a survey consisting of questions on sociodemographic characteristics, rap music video viewing habits, and a scale that assessed the primary predictor variable, portrayal of sexual stereotypes in rap music videos. Adolescents also completed an interview that assessed the health outcomes and provided urine for a marijuana screen. In logistic regression analyses, adolescents who perceived more portrayals of sexual stereotypes in rap music videos were more likely to engage in binge drinking (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.32-11.04, p = 0.01), test positive for marijuana (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.19-9.85, p = 0.02), have multiple sexual partners (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.01-3.71, p = 0.04), and have a negative body image (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.02-2.26, p = 0.04). This is one of the first studies quantitatively examining the relationship between cultural images of sexual stereotypes in rap music videos and a spectrum of adverse health outcomes in African American female adolescents. Greater attention to this social issue may improve the health of all adolescent females.
Site-specific bioalkylation of rapamycin by the RapM 16-O-methyltransferase† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5sc00164a

PubMed Central

Law, Brian J. C.; Struck, Anna-Winona; Bennett, Matthew R.; Wilkinson, Barrie

2015-01-01

The methylation of natural products by S-adenosyl methionine (AdoMet, also known as SAM)-dependent methyltransferase enzymes is a common tailoring step in many biosynthetic pathways. The introduction of methyl substituents can affect the biological and physicochemical properties of the secondary metabolites produced. Recently it has become apparent that some AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases exhibit promiscuity and will accept AdoMet analogues enabling the transfer of alternative alkyl groups. In this study we have characterised a methyltransferase, RapM, which is involved in the biosynthesis of the potent immunosuppressive agent rapamycin. We have shown that recombinant RapM regioselectively methylates the C16 hydroxyl group of desmethyl rapamycin precursors in vitro and is promiscuous in accepting alternative co-factors in addition to AdoMet. A coupled enzyme system was developed, including a mutant human enzyme methionine adenosyl transferase (MAT), along with RapM, which was used to prepare alkylated rapamycin derivatives (rapalogs) with alternative ethyl and allyl ether groups, derived from simple S-ethyl or S-allyl methionine analogues. There are two other methyltransferases RapI and RapQ which provide methyl substituents of rapamycin. Consequently, using the enzymatic approach described here, it should be possible to generate a diverse array of alkylated rapalogs, with altered properties, that would be difficult to obtain by traditional synthetic approaches. PMID:29403635
Effects of laser radiation field on energies of hydrogen atom in plasmas

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

Bahar, M. K., E-mail: mussiv58@gmail.com

2015-09-15

In this study, for the first time, the Schrödinger equation with more general exponential cosine screened Coulomb (MGECSC) potential is solved numerically in the presence of laser radiation field within the Ehlotzky approximation using the asymptotic iteration method. The MGECSC potential includes four different potential forms in consideration of different sets of the parameters in the potential. By applying laser field, the total interaction potential of hydrogen atom embedded in plasmas converts to double well-type potential. The plasma screening effects under the influence of laser field as well as confinement effects of laser field on hydrogen atom in Debye andmore » quantum plasmas are investigated by solving the Schrödinger equation with the laser-dressed MGECSC potential. It is resulted that since applying a monochromatic laser field on hydrogen atom embedded in a Debye and quantum plasma causes to shift in the profile of the total interaction potential, the confinement effects of laser field on hydrogen atom in plasmas modeled by the MGECSC potential change localizations of energy states.« less
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Itoh, Masahiko; Nelson, Celeste M.; Myers, Connie A.

Maintenance of apico-basal polarity in normal breast epithelial acini requires a balance between cell proliferation, cell death, and proper cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix signaling. Aberrations in any of these processes can disrupt tissue architecture and initiate tumor formation. Here we show that the small GTPase Rap1 is a crucial element in organizing acinar structure and inducing lumen formation. Rap1 activity in malignant HMT-3522 T4-2 cells is appreciably higher than in S1 cells, their non-malignant counterparts. Expression of dominant-negative Rap1 resulted in phenotypic reversion of T4-2 cells, led to formation of acinar structures with correct apico-basal polarity, and dramatically reduced tumormore » incidence despite the persistence of genomic abnormalities. The resulting acini contained prominent central lumina not observed when other reverting agents were used. Conversely, expression of dominant-active Rap1 in T4-2 cells inhibited phenotypic reversion and led to increased invasiveness and tumorigenicity. Thus, Rap1 acts as a central regulator of breast architecture, with normal levels of activation instructing apical polarity during acinar morphogenesis, and increased activation inducing tumor formation and progression to malignancy.« less
Dynamin2 controls Rap1 activation and integrin clustering in human T lymphocyte adhesion

PubMed Central

Eppler, Felix J.

2017-01-01

Leukocyte trafficking is crucial to facilitate efficient immune responses. Here, we report that the large GTPase dynamin2, which is generally considered to have a key role in endocytosis and membrane remodeling, is an essential regulator of integrin-dependent human T lymphocyte adhesion and migration. Chemical inhibition or knockdown of dynamin2 expression significantly reduced integrin-dependent T cell adhesion in vitro. This phenotype was not observed when T cells were treated with various chemical inhibitors which abrogate endocytosis or actin polymerization. We furthermore detected dynamin2 in signaling complexes and propose that it controls T cell adhesion via FAK/Pyk2- and RapGEF1-mediated Rap1 activation. In addition, the dynamin2 inhibitor-induced reduction of lymphocyte adhesion can be rescued by Rap1a overexpression. We demonstrate that the dynamin2 effect on T cell adhesion does not involve integrin affinity regulation but instead relies on its ability to modulate integrin valency. Taken together, we suggest a previously unidentified role of dynamin2 in the regulation of integrin-mediated lymphocyte adhesion via a Rap1 signaling pathway. PMID:28273099
Abdominal Pain

MedlinePlus

... and Recurrent or Functional Abdominal Pain (RAP or FAP) What is abdominal pain? Abdominal pain , or stomachache, ... recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) or functional abdominal pain (FAP)? If your health care provider has ruled out ...
Surface conversion techniques for low energy neutral atom imagers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quinn, J. M.

1995-01-01

This investigation has focused on development of key technology elements for low energy neutral atom imaging. More specifically, we have investigated the conversion of low energy neutral atoms to negatively charged ions upon reflection from specially prepared surfaces. This 'surface conversion' technique appears to offer a unique capability of detecting, and thus imaging, neutral atoms at energies of 0.01 - 1 keV with high enough efficiencies to make practical its application to low energy neutral atom imaging in space. Such imaging offers the opportunity to obtain the first instantaneous global maps of macroscopic plasma features and their temporal variation. Through previous in situ plasma measurements, we have a statistical picture of large scale morphology and local measurements of dynamic processes. However, with in situ techniques it is impossible to characterize or understand many of the global plasma transport and energization processes. A series of global plasma images would greatly advance our understanding of these processes and would provide the context for interpreting previous and future in situ measurements. Fast neutral atoms, created from ions that are neutralized in collisions with exospheric neutrals, offer the means for remotely imaging plasma populations. Energy and mass analysis of these neutrals provides critical information about the source plasma distribution. The flux of neutral atoms available for imaging depends upon a convolution of the ambient plasma distribution with the charge exchange cross section for the background neutral population. Some of the highest signals are at relatively low energies (well below 1 keV). This energy range also includes some of the most important plasma populations to be imaged, for example the base of the cleft ion fountain.
Oral theophylline in chronic heart failure

PubMed Central

Al-Damluji, S.; Johnston, A.; Spurrell, R. A. J.; Nathan, A. W.; Banim, S. O.; Camm, A. J.

1982-01-01

Theophylline choline 600 mg was given as a single oral dose to nine patients in chronic left ventricular failure due to myocardial dysfunction. Cardiac output, left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP) and right atrial pressure (RAP) were measured with a pulmonary artery thermodilution catheter for the following 3 hr. Continuous recordings of cardiac rhythm were made throughout the study. Mean cardiac index increased from 1·75 (±0·14 s.e. mean) to 2·04 (±0·11) 1/min/m2 (P<0·02), mean LVFP fell from 27 (±2·4) to 22 (±1·5) mmHg (P<0·01), mean RAP fell from 5 (±1·3) to 3 (±2·0) mmHg (P<0·05) and mean systemic arterial pressure rose from 80 (±3) to 86 (±3·5) mmHg (P<0·05). There were no significant changes in heart rate or systemic vascular resistance; thus the increase in cardiac output was probably due to a positive inotropic effect. Side effects were seen in two patients, both of whom proved to have toxic plasma theophylline concentrations. This study demonstrated a beneficial acute haemodynamic effect of oral theophylline in chronic cardiac failure. PMID:7111101
Assimilation of GOES satellite-based convective initiation and cloud growth observations into the Rapid Refresh and HRRR systems to improve aviation forecast guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mecikalski, John; Smith, Tracy; Weygandt, Stephen

2014-05-01

Latent heating profiles derived from GOES satellite-based cloud-top cooling rates are being assimilated into a retrospective version of the Rapid Refresh system (RAP) being run at the Global Systems Division. Assimilation of these data may help reduce the time lag for convection initiation (CI) in both the RAP model forecasts and in 3-km High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model runs that are initialized off of the RAP model grids. These data may also improve both the location and organization of developing convective storm clusters, especially in the nested HRRR runs. These types of improvements are critical for providing better convective storm guidance around busy hub airports and aviation corridor routes, especially in the highly congested Ohio Valley - Northeast - Mid-Atlantic region. Additional work is focusing on assimilating GOES-R CI algorithm cloud-top cooling-based latent heating profiles directly into the HRRR model. Because of the small-scale nature of the convective phenomena depicted in the cloud-top cooling rate data (on the order of 1-4 km scale), direct assimilation of these data in the HRRR may be more effective than assimilation in the RAP. The RAP is an hourly assimilation system developed at NOAA/ESRL and was implemented at NCEP as a NOAA operational model in May 2012. The 3-km HRRR runs hourly out to 15 hours as a nest within the ESRL real-time experimental RAP. The RAP and HRRR both use the WRF ARW model core, and the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) is used within an hourly cycle to assimilate a wide variety of observations (including radar data) to initialize the RAP. Within this modeling framework, the cloud-top cooling rate-based latent heating profiles are applied as prescribed heating during the diabatic forward model integration part of the RAP digital filter initialization (DFI). No digital filtering is applied on the 3-km HRRR grid, but similar forward model integration with prescribed heating is used to assimilate information from radar reflectivity, lightning flash density and the satellite based cloud-top cooling rate data. In the current HRRR configuration, 4 15-min cycles of latent heating are applied during a pre-forecast hour of integration. This is followed by a final application of GSI at 3-km to fit the latest conventional observation data. At the conference, results from a 5-day retrospective period (July 5-10, 2012) will be shown, focusing on assessment of data impact for both the RAP and HRRR, as well as the sensitivity to various assimilation parameters, including assumed heating strength. Emphasis will be given to documenting the forecast impacts for aviation applications in the Eastern U.S.
40 CFR 98.90 - Definition of the source category.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... uses plasma-generated fluorine atoms and other reactive fluorine-containing fragments, that chemically... thin films are cleaned periodically using plasma-generated fluorine atoms and other reactive fluorine-containing fragments. (3) Any electronics production process in which wafers are cleaned using plasma...
40 CFR 98.90 - Definition of the source category.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... uses plasma-generated fluorine atoms and other reactive fluorine-containing fragments, that chemically... thin films are cleaned periodically using plasma-generated fluorine atoms and other reactive fluorine-containing fragments. (3) Any electronics production process in which wafers are cleaned using plasma...
40 CFR 98.90 - Definition of the source category.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... uses plasma-generated fluorine atoms and other reactive fluorine-containing fragments, that chemically... thin films are cleaned periodically using plasma-generated fluorine atoms and other reactive fluorine-containing fragments. (3) Any electronics production process in which wafers are cleaned using plasma...
40 CFR 98.90 - Definition of the source category.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... uses plasma-generated fluorine atoms and other reactive fluorine-containing fragments, that chemically... thin films are cleaned periodically using plasma-generated fluorine atoms and other reactive fluorine-containing fragments. (3) Any electronics production process in which wafers are cleaned using plasma...
Numerical simulation of physicochemical interactions between oxygen atom and phosphatidylcholine due to direct irradiation of atmospheric pressure nonequilibrium plasma to biological membrane with quantum mechanical molecular dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, Satoshi; Yoshida, Taketo; Tochikubo, Fumiyoshi

2017-10-01

Plasma medicine is one of the most attractive applications using atmospheric pressure nonequilibrium plasma. With respect to direct contact of the discharge plasma with a biological membrane, reactive oxygen species play an important role in induction of medical effects. However, complicated interactions between the plasma radicals and membrane have not been understood well. In the present work, we simulated elemental processes at the first stage of physicochemical interactions between oxygen atom and phosphatidylcholine using the quantum mechanical molecular dynamics code in a general software AMBER. The change in the above processes was classified according to the incident energy of oxygen atom. At an energy of 1 eV, the abstraction of a hydrogen atom and recombination to phosphatidylcholine were simultaneously occurred in chemical attachment of incident oxygen atom. The exothermal energy of the reaction was about 80% of estimated one based on the bond energies of ethane. An oxygen atom over 10 eV separated phosphatidylcholine partially. The behaviour became increasingly similar to physical sputtering. The reaction probability of oxygen atom was remarkably high in comparison with that of hydrogen peroxide. These results suggest that we can uniformly estimate various physicochemical dynamics of reactive oxygen species against membrane lipids.
Tungsten devices in analytical atomic spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Xiandeng; Jones, Bradley T.

2002-04-01

Tungsten devices have been employed in analytical atomic spectrometry for approximately 30 years. Most of these atomizers can be electrically heated up to 3000 °C at very high heating rates, with a simple power supply. Usually, a tungsten device is employed in one of two modes: as an electrothermal atomizer with which the sample vapor is probed directly, or as an electrothermal vaporizer, which produces a sample aerosol that is then carried to a separate atomizer for analysis. Tungsten devices may take various physical shapes: tubes, cups, boats, ribbons, wires, filaments, coils and loops. Most of these orientations have been applied to many analytical techniques, such as atomic absorption spectrometry, atomic emission spectrometry, atomic fluorescence spectrometry, laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry, metastable transfer emission spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and microwave plasma atomic spectrometry. The analytical figures of merit and the practical applications reported for these techniques are reviewed. Atomization mechanisms reported for tungsten atomizers are also briefly summarized. In addition, less common applications of tungsten devices are discussed, including analyte preconcentration by adsorption or electrodeposition and electrothermal separation of analytes prior to analysis. Tungsten atomization devices continue to provide simple, versatile alternatives for analytical atomic spectrometry.

Exploratory Advanced Research Program : Research Associates Program 2014

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-31

Since 1954, the National Research Council (NRC) has conducted the Research Associateship Program (RAP) in cooperation with sponsoring Federal laboratories and other approved participating research organizations. RAP provides highly skilled and exceed...
Exploratory Advanced Research Program : Research Associates Program 2016

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-02-01

Since 1954, the National Research Council (NRC) has conducted the Research Associateship Program (RAP) in cooperation with sponsoring Federal laboratories and other approved participating research organizations. RAP provides highly skilled and exceed...
Ultracold neutral plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyon, M.; Rolston, S. L.

2017-01-01

By photoionizing samples of laser-cooled atoms with laser light tuned just above the ionization limit, plasmas can be created with electron and ion temperatures below 10 K. These ultracold neutral plasmas have extended the temperature bounds of plasma physics by two orders of magnitude. Table-top experiments, using many of the tools from atomic physics, allow for the study of plasma phenomena in this new regime with independent control over the density and temperature of the plasma through the excitation process. Characteristic of these systems is an inhomogeneous density profile, inherited from the density distribution of the laser-cooled neutral atom sample. Most work has dealt with unconfined plasmas in vacuum, which expand outward at velocities of order 100 m/s, governed by electron pressure, and with lifetimes of order 100 μs, limited by stray electric fields. Using detection of charged particles and optical detection techniques, a wide variety of properties and phenomena have been observed, including expansion dynamics, collective excitations in both the electrons and ions, and collisional properties. Through three-body recombination collisions, the plasmas rapidly form Rydberg atoms, and clouds of cold Rydberg atoms have been observed to spontaneously avalanche ionize to form plasmas. Of particular interest is the possibility of the formation of strongly coupled plasmas, where Coulomb forces dominate thermal motion and correlations become important. The strongest impediment to strong coupling is disorder-induced heating, a process in which Coulomb energy from an initially disordered sample is converted into thermal energy. This restricts electrons to a weakly coupled regime and leaves the ions barely within the strongly coupled regime. This review will give an overview of the field of ultracold neutral plasmas, from its inception in 1999 to current work, including efforts to increase strong coupling and effects on plasma properties due to strong coupling.
Changes in the prevalence of alcohol use in rap song lyrics, 1979-97.

PubMed

Herd, Denise

2005-09-01

This paper explores the role of changing images of drinking and alcoholic beverage use in rap music from its beginnings in the United States in the late 1970s to the late 1990s. A sample of 341 rap music song lyrics released from 1979 to 1997 were selected using Billboard and Gavin rating charts. Song lyrics were coded for music genres, alcohol beverage types and brand names, drinking behaviors, drinking contexts, intoxication, attitudes towards alcohol and consequences of drinking. From 1979 to 1997, songs with references to alcohol increased fivefold (from 8 to 44%); those exhibiting positive attitudes rose from 43% to 73%; and brand name mentions increased from 46% to 71%. There were also significant increases in songs mentioning champagne and liquor (mainly expensive brand names) when comparing songs released after 1994 with those from previous years. In addition, there were significant increases in references to alcohol to signify glamour and wealth, and using alcohol with drugs and for recreational purposes. The findings also showed that alcohol use in rap music was much more likely to result in positive than negative consequences. Many of these findings are consistent with the idea that rap music has been profoundly affected by commercial forces and the marketing of alcoholic beverages. In addition, it is possible that the increase in references to alcoholic beverages in rap music, particularly spirits, is a reflection of a broader advertising culture which increasingly associates African Americans with alcohol use.
Redox Active Polymers as Soluble Nanomaterials for Energy Storage.

PubMed

Burgess, Mark; Moore, Jeffrey S; Rodríguez-López, Joaquín

2016-11-15

It is an exciting time for exploring the synergism between the chemical and dimensional properties of redox nanomaterials for addressing the manifold performance demands faced by energy storage technologies. The call for widespread adoption of alternative energy sources requires the combination of emerging chemical concepts with redesigned battery formats. Our groups are interested in the development and implementation of a new strategy for nonaqueous flow batteries (NRFBs) for grid energy storage. Our motivation is to solve major challenges in NRFBs, such as the lack of membranes that simultaneously allow fast ion transport while minimizing redox active species crossover between anolyte (negative electrolyte) and catholyte (positive electrolyte) compartments. This pervasive crossover leads to deleterious capacity fade and materials underutilization. In this Account, we highlight redox active polymers (RAPs) and related polymer colloids as soluble nanoscopic energy storing units that enable the simple but powerful size-exclusion concept for NRFBs. Crossover of the redox component is suppressed by matching high molecular weight RAPs with simple and inexpensive nanoporous commercial separators. In contrast to the vast literature on the redox chemistry of electrode-confined polymer films, studies on the electrochemistry of solubilized RAPs are incipient. This is due in part to challenges in finding suitable solvents that enable systematic studies on high polymers. Here, viologen-, ferrocene- and nitrostyrene-based polymers in various formats exhibit properties that make amenable their electrochemical exploration as solution-phase redox couples. A main finding is that RAP solutions store energy efficiently and reversibly while offering chemical modularity and size versatility. Beyond the practicality toward their use in NRFBs, the fundamental electrochemistry exhibited by RAPs is fascinating, showing clear distinctions in behavior from that of small molecules. Whereas RAPs conveniently translate the redox properties of small molecules into a nanostructure, they give rise to charge transfer mechanisms and electrolyte interactions that elicit distinct electrochemical responses. To understand how the electrochemical characteristics of RAPs depend on molecular features, including redox moiety, macromolecular size, and backbone structure, a range of techniques has been employed by our groups, including voltammetry at macro- and microelectrodes, rotating disk electrode voltammetry, bulk electrolysis, and scanning electrochemical microscopy. RAPs rely on three-dimensional charge transfer within their inner bulk, which is an efficient process and allows quantitative electrolysis of particles of up to ∼800 nm in radius. Interestingly, we find that interactions between neighboring pendants create unique opportunities for fine-tuning their electrochemical reactivity. Furthermore, RAP interrogation toward the single particle limit promises to shed light on fundamental charge storage mechanisms.
In-Field Performance Testing of the Fork Detector for Quantitative Spent Fuel Verification

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

Gauld, Ian C.; Hu, Jianwei; De Baere, P.

Expanding spent fuel dry storage activities worldwide are increasing demands on safeguards authorities that perform inspections. The European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) require measurements to verify declarations when spent fuel is transferred to difficult-to-access locations, such as dry storage casks and the repositories planned in Finland and Sweden. EURATOM makes routine use of the Fork detector to obtain gross gamma and total neutron measurements during spent fuel inspections. Data analysis is performed by modules in the integrated Review and Analysis Program (iRAP) software, developed jointly by EURATOM and the IAEA. Under the frameworkmore » of the US Department of Energy–EURATOM cooperation agreement, a module for automated Fork detector data analysis has been developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) using the ORIGEN code from the SCALE code system and implemented in iRAP. EURATOM and ORNL recently performed measurements on 30 spent fuel assemblies at the Swedish Central Interim Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel (Clab), operated by the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB). The measured assemblies represent a broad range of fuel characteristics. Neutron count rates for 15 measured pressurized water reactor assemblies are predicted with an average relative standard deviation of 4.6%, and gamma signals are predicted on average within 2.6% of the measurement. The 15 measured boiling water reactor assemblies exhibit slightly larger deviations of 5.2% for the gamma signals and 5.7% for the neutron count rates, compared to measurements. These findings suggest that with improved analysis of the measurement data, existing instruments can provide increased verification of operator declarations of the spent fuel and thereby also provide greater ability to confirm integrity of an assembly. These results support the application of the Fork detector as a fully quantitative spent fuel verification technique.« less
Similar hemodynamic decongestion with vasodilators and inotropes: systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of 35 studies on acute heart failure.

PubMed

Ishihara, Shiro; Gayat, Etienne; Sato, Naoki; Arrigo, Mattia; Laribi, Said; Legrand, Matthieu; Placido, Rui; Manivet, Philippe; Cohen-Solal, Alain; Abraham, William T; Jessup, Mariell; Mebazaa, Alexandre

2016-12-01

Acute heart failure (AHF) with reduced left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is often a biventricular congested state. The comparative effect of vasodilators and inotropes on the right- and/or left-sided congestion is unknown. A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of AHF studies using pulmonary artery catheter were performed using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library. Data from 35 studies, including 3016 patients, were studied. Included patients had a weighted mean age of 60 years, left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 24 %, and plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) of 892 pg/ml. Both the left- and right-ventricular filling pressures were elevated: weighted mean pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) was 25 mmHg (range 17-31 mmHg) and right atrial pressure (RAP) 12 mmHg (range 7-18 mmHg). Vasodilators and inotropes had similar beneficial effects on PAWP [-6.3 mmHg (95 % CI -7.4 to -5.2 mmHg) and -5.8 mmHg (95 % CI -7.6 to -4.0 mmHg), respectively] and RAP [-2.9 mmHg (95 % CI -3.8 to -2.1 mmHg) and -2.8 mmHg (95 % CI -3.8 to -1.7 mmHg), respectively]. Among inotropes, inodilators, such as levosimendan, have greater beneficial effect on the left-ventricular filling pressure than dobutamine. Drug-induced improvement of PAWP tightly paralleled that of RAP with all studied drugs (r 2 = 0.90, p < 0.001). Vasodilators and inotropes had no short-term effect of renal function. The left- and right-sided filling pressures are similarly improved by vasodilators or inotropes, in AHF with reduced LVEF.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Rap1 Myb-type domain in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PubMed Central

Mukherjee, Koel; Pandey, Dev Mani; Vidyarthi, Ambarish Saran

2012-01-01

Telomere is a nucleoprotein complex that plays important role in stability and their maintenance and consists of random repeats of species specific motifs. In budding Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Repressor Activator Protein 1 (Rap1) is a sequence specific protein that involved in transcriptional regulation. Rap1 consist of three active domains like N-terminal BRCT-domain, DNA-binding domain and C-terminal RCT-domain. In this study the unknown 3D structure of Myb-type domain (having 61 residues) within DNAbinding domain was modeled by Modeller7, and verified using different online bioinformatics tools (ProCheck, WhatIf, Verify3D). Dynamics of Myb-type domain of Rap1was carried out through simulation studies using GROMACS software. Time dependent interactions among the molecules were analyzed by Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD), Radius of Gyration (Rg) and Root Mean Square Fluctuation (RMSF) plots. Motional properties in reduced dimension were also performed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Result indicated that Rap1 interacts with DNA major groove through its Helix Turn Helix motifs. Helix 3 was rigid, less amount of fluctuation was found as it interacts with DNA major groove. Helix2 and N-terminal having considerable fluctuation in the time scale. PMID:23144544
Prospective analysis of completely stentless robot-assisted pyeloplasty in children.

PubMed

Casale, Pasquale; Lambert, Sarah

2010-01-01

Robot-assisted pyeloplasty (RAP) is emerging as an effective tool for treatment of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) in the pediatric population. Typically stents are utilized for RAP and removed four weeks after the procedure. We present our prospective experience with stentless RAP. Twenty children between the ages of 12 and 113 months (mean age 56 months) underwent transperitoneal RAP for UPJO utilizing the DaVinci surgical system. Outcome measures included operative time, length of hospital stay, and resolution of obstruction by ultrasonography, magnetic resonance urography (MRU), and/or diuretic radionuclide imaging (DRI). All patients successfully underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty without conversion to pure laparoscopy or open procedure. Mean operative time was 124.7 min with a mean console time of 82.3 min. The mean hospital stay was 18 h. Of the 20 patients, 13/20 (65%) had resolution or improvement in the degree of hydronephrosis. The other patients had no evidence of obstruction based upon follow-up MRU or DRI. Stentless RAP is a safe and effective option for surgical treatment of UPJO. A larger prospective long-term cohort is needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of the stentless approach.
Epidemiology of Recurrent Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis: Similarities and Differences.

PubMed

Machicado, Jorge D; Yadav, Dhiraj

2017-07-01

Emerging data in the past few years suggest that acute, recurrent acute (RAP), and chronic pancreatitis (CP) represent a disease continuum. This review discusses the similarities and differences in the epidemiology of RAP and CP. RAP is a high-risk group, comprised of individuals at varying risk of progression. The premise is that RAP is an intermediary stage in the pathogenesis of CP, and a subset of RAP patients during their natural course transition to CP. Although many clinical factors have been identified, accurately predicting the probability of disease course in individual patients remains difficult. Future studies should focus on providing more precise estimates of the risk of disease transition in a cohort of patients, quantification of clinical events during the natural course of disease, and discovery of biomarkers of the different stages of the disease continuum. Availability of clinically relevant endpoints and linked biomarkers will allow more accurate prediction of the natural course of disease over intermediate- or long-term-based characteristics of an individual patient. These endpoints will also provide objective measures for use in clinical trials of interventions that aim to alter the natural course of disease.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Rap1 Myb-type domain in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Koel; Pandey, Dev Mani; Vidyarthi, Ambarish Saran

2012-01-01

Telomere is a nucleoprotein complex that plays important role in stability and their maintenance and consists of random repeats of species specific motifs. In budding Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Repressor Activator Protein 1 (Rap1) is a sequence specific protein that involved in transcriptional regulation. Rap1 consist of three active domains like N-terminal BRCT-domain, DNA-binding domain and C-terminal RCT-domain. In this study the unknown 3D structure of Myb-type domain (having 61 residues) within DNAbinding domain was modeled by Modeller7, and verified using different online bioinformatics tools (ProCheck, WhatIf, Verify3D). Dynamics of Myb-type domain of Rap1was carried out through simulation studies using GROMACS software. Time dependent interactions among the molecules were analyzed by Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD), Radius of Gyration (Rg) and Root Mean Square Fluctuation (RMSF) plots. Motional properties in reduced dimension were also performed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Result indicated that Rap1 interacts with DNA major groove through its Helix Turn Helix motifs. Helix 3 was rigid, less amount of fluctuation was found as it interacts with DNA major groove. Helix2 and N-terminal having considerable fluctuation in the time scale.
Fatigue performance of asphalt pavements containing RAS and RAP.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-01-01

Rising oil and gas prices spurs development of methods and technologies for reducing fuel consumption and increased use of : recycled materials. With increased environmental awareness, using reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and reclaimed asphalt : sh...
Preliminary investigation of RAP and RAS in HMAC.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-02-01

laboratory study was undertaken to investigate how various proportions of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and reclaimed asphalt shingles (RAS) added to hot mixed asphalt concrete (HMAC) mixtures affect the Superpave performance grade of the blended ...
Evaluation of reclaimed asphalt pavement for surface mixtures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-03-01

The Indiana Department of Transportation has successfully used Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) for decades because of its economic : and environmental benefits. Because of uncertainties regarding the types of aggregates contained in RAP and their re...
Development of a multidimensional measure for recurrent abdominal pain in children: population-based studies in three settings.

PubMed

Malaty, Hoda M; Abudayyeh, Suhaib; O'Malley, Kimberly J; Wilsey, Michael J; Fraley, Ken; Gilger, Mark A; Hollier, David; Graham, David Y; Rabeneck, Linda

2005-02-01

Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is a common problem in children and adolescents. Evaluation and treatment of children with RAP continue to challenge physicians because of the lack of a psychometrically sound measure for RAP. A major obstacle to progress in research on RAP has been the lack of a biological marker for RAP and the lack of a reliable and valid clinical measure for RAP. The objectives of this study were (1) to develop and test a multidimensional measure for RAP (MM-RAP) in children to serve as a primary outcome measure for clinical trials, (2) to evaluate the reliability of the measure and compare its responses across different populations, and (3) to examine the reliabilities of the measure scales in relation to the demographic variables of the studied population. We conducted 3 cross-sectional studies. Two studies were clinic-based studies that enrolled children with RAP from 1 pediatric gastroenterology clinic and 6 primary care clinics. The third study was a community-based study in which children from 1 elementary and 2 middle schools were screened for frequent episodes of abdominal pain. The 3 studies were conducted in Houston, Texas. Inclusion criteria for the clinic-based studies were (1) age of 4 to 18 years; (2) abdominal pain that had persisted for 3 or more months; (3) abdominal pain that was moderate to severe and interfered with some or all regular activities; (4) abdominal pain that may or may not be accompanied by upper-gastrointestinal symptoms; and (5) children were accompanied by a parent or guardian who was capable of giving informed consent, and children over the age of 10 years were capable of giving informed assent. The community-based study used standardized questionnaires that were offered to 1080 children/parents from the 3 participating schools; 700 completed and returned the questionnaires (65% response rate). The questionnaire was designed to elicit data concerning the history of abdominal pain or discomfort. A total of 160 children met Apley's criteria and were classified as having RAP. Inclusion criteria were identical to those criteria for the clinic-based studies. Participating children in the 3 studies received a standardized questionnaire that asked about socioeconomic variables, abdominal pain (intensity; frequency; duration; nature of abdominal pain, if present, and possible relationships with school activities; and other upper gastrointestinal symptoms). We used 4 scales for the MM-RAP: pain intensity scale (3 items), nonpain symptoms scale (12 items), disability scale (3 items), and satisfaction scale (2 items). Age 7 was used as a cutoff point for the analysis as the 7-year-olds have been shown to exhibit more sophisticated knowledge of illness than younger children. A total of 295 children who were aged 4 to 18 years participated in the study: 155 children from the pediatric gastroenterology clinics, 82 from the primary care clinics, and 58 from the schools. The interitem consistency (Cronbach's coefficient alpha) for the pain intensity items, nonpain symptoms items, disability items, and satisfaction items were 0.75, 0.81, 0.80, and 0.78, respectively, demonstrating good reliability of the measure. The internal consistencies of the 4 scales did not significantly differ between younger (< or =7 years) and older (>7 years) children. There was also no significant variation in the coefficient alpha of each of the 4 scales in relation to gender or the level of the parent's education. Reliability was identical for the pain-intensity items (0.74) among children who sought medical attention from primary care or pediatric gastroenterology clinics. The intercorrelations of factor scores among the 4 scales showed a strong relationship among the factors but not high enough that correlations would be expected to be measuring the same items. The results of the factor analysis identified 5 components instead of 4 components representing the 4 scales. The 12 items of the nonpain symptoms scale were classified into 2 components; 1 component included heartburn, burping, passing gas, bloating, problem with ingestion of milk, bad breath, and sour taste (nonpain symptoms I), and the other included nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation (nonpain symptoms II). The program ordered the 5 components on the basis of the percentage of the total variance explained by each component and consequently by the strength of each components in the following order: nonpain symptoms I, pain intensity, pain disability, satisfaction, and nonpain symptoms II. Of the 20 items that composed the MM-RAP, 17 met the inclusion criteria of having a correlation of > or =0.40 on the primary factor analyses. The 3 items that assessed pain intensity met the inclusion criteria as well as the 2 items that assessed satisfaction. Two of the 3 items that assessed disability met the inclusion criteria; however, the missed school item did not. The sleep problem and the loss of appetite items in the nonpain items also did not meet the inclusion criteria in both components of the nonpain symptoms scale. However, the loss of appetite item met the inclusion criteria in the disability scale with a correlation of 0.6. The 2 items that did not meet the inclusion criteria (missed school days and sour taste) will be eliminated in the revised measure for RAP. The MM-RAP demonstrated good reliability evidence in population samples. Children who have RAP and are seen at pediatric gastroenterology or primary care pediatric clinics have similar responses, showing that the measure performed well across several populations. Age did not affect the reliability of responses. The MM-RAP included 4 dimensions, each with several items that may identify disease-specific dimensions. In addition, dividing the nonpain symptoms scale into 2 components instead of 1 component could assist in creating a disease-specific measure. The present study focused exclusively on developing the multidimensional measure for RAP in children that could assist physicians in evaluating the efficacy of RAP treatment independent of psychological evaluations. In addition, the measure was designed for use in clinical trials that evaluate the efficacy of RAP treatment and to allow comparison between intervention studies. In conclusion, we were able to identify 4 dimensions of RAP in children (pain intensity, nonpain symptoms, pain disability, and satisfaction with health). We demonstrated that these dimensions can be measured in a reliable manner that is applicable to children who experience RAP in various settings.
Development of RAP Tag, a Novel Tagging System for Protein Detection and Purification.

PubMed

Fujii, Yuki; Kaneko, Mika K; Ogasawara, Satoshi; Yamada, Shinji; Yanaka, Miyuki; Nakamura, Takuro; Saidoh, Noriko; Yoshida, Kanae; Honma, Ryusuke; Kato, Yukinari

2017-04-01

Affinity tag systems, possessing high affinity and specificity, are useful for protein detection and purification. The most suitable tag for a particular purpose should be selected from many available affinity tag systems. In this study, we developed a novel affinity tag called the "RAP tag" system, which comprises a mouse antirat podoplanin monoclonal antibody (clone PMab-2) and the RAP tag (DMVNPGLEDRIE). This system is useful not only for protein detection in Western blotting, flow cytometry, and sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, but also for protein purification.
ALICE: A non-LTE plasma atomic physics, kinetics and lineshape package

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, E. G.; Pérez-Callejo, G.; Rose, S. J.

2018-03-01

All three parts of an atomic physics, atomic kinetics and lineshape code, ALICE, are described. Examples of the code being used to model the emissivity and opacity of plasmas are discussed and interesting features of the code which build on the existing corpus of models are shown throughout.
Microwave plasma generation of hydrogen atoms for rocket propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, R.; Filpus, J.; Morin, T.; Snellenberger, R.; Asmussen, J.; Hawley, M.; Kerber, R.

1981-01-01

A flow microwave plasma reaction system is used to study the conversion of hydrogen to hydrogen atoms as a function of pressure, power density, cavity tuning, cavity mode, and time in the plasma zone. Hydrogen atom concentration is measured down-stream from the plasma by NOCl titration. Extensive modeling of the plasma and recombination zones is performed with the plasma zone treated as a backmix reaction system and the recombination zone treated as a plug flow. The thermodynamics and kinetics of the recombination process are examined in detail to provide an understanding of the conversion of recombination energy to gas kinetic energy. It is found that cavity tuning, discharge stability, and optimum power coupling are critically dependent on the system pressure, but nearly independent of the flow rate.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Srikannathasan, Velupillai; English, Grant; Bui, Nhat Khai

Crystal structures of type VI secretion system-associated immunity proteins, a peptidoglycan endopeptidase and a complex of the endopeptidase and its cognate immunity protein are reported together with assays of endopeptidase activity and functional assessment. Some Gram-negative bacteria target their competitors by exploiting the type VI secretion system to extrude toxic effector proteins. To prevent self-harm, these bacteria also produce highly specific immunity proteins that neutralize these antagonistic effectors. Here, the peptidoglycan endopeptidase specificity of two type VI secretion-system-associated effectors from Serratia marcescens is characterized. These small secreted proteins, Ssp1 and Ssp2, cleave between γ-d-glutamic acid and l-meso-diaminopimelic acid with differentmore » specificities. Ssp2 degrades the acceptor part of cross-linked tetratetrapeptides. Ssp1 displays greater promiscuity and cleaves monomeric tripeptides, tetrapeptides and pentapeptides and dimeric tetratetra and tetrapenta muropeptides on both the acceptor and donor strands. Functional assays confirm the identity of a catalytic cysteine in these endopeptidases and crystal structures provide information on the structure–activity relationships of Ssp1 and, by comparison, of related effectors. Functional assays also reveal that neutralization of these effectors by their cognate immunity proteins, which are called resistance-associated proteins (Raps), contributes an essential role to cell fitness. The structures of two immunity proteins, Rap1a and Rap2a, responsible for the neutralization of Ssp1 and Ssp2-like endopeptidases, respectively, revealed two distinct folds, with that of Rap1a not having previously been observed. The structure of the Ssp1–Rap1a complex revealed a tightly bound heteromeric assembly with two effector molecules flanking a Rap1a dimer. A highly effective steric block of the Ssp1 active site forms the basis of effector neutralization. Comparisons with Ssp2–Rap2a orthologues suggest that the specificity of these immunity proteins for neutralizing effectors is fold-dependent and that in cases where the fold is conserved sequence differences contribute to the specificity of effector–immunity protein interactions.« less
Retroperitoneal and transperitoneal robot-assisted pyeloplasty in adults: techniques and results.

PubMed

Cestari, Andrea; Buffi, Nicolò Maria; Lista, Giuliana; Sangalli, Mattia; Scapaticci, Emanuele; Fabbri, Fabio; Lazzeri, Massimo; Rigatti, Patrizio; Guazzoni, Giorgio

2010-11-01

The surgical management of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) has dramatically evolved over the past 20 yr due to the development of new technology. Our aim was to report the feasibility and efficacy of robot-assisted pyeloplasty (RAP) performed by either the retroperitoneal or the transperitoneal approach. A stage 2 investigative study was conducted including development (stage 2a) and exploration (stage 2b) of transperitoneal and retroperitoneal RAP performed in 55 patients at an urban tertiary university department of urology. Retroperitoneal RAP was performed with the patient in full flank position using a 12-mm Hasson-style optical port at the tip of the 12th rib, plus two operative 8-mm robotic trocars and an assistant 5-mm port. The stenotic ureteropelvic junction was excised, the ureter was spatulated, and a dismembered pyeloplasty was performed in all cases. Transperitoneal RAP was performed with the patients in the 60° flank position. The optical port is in the umbilical area, plus two 8-mm operative robotic ports and one 5-mm assistant port. The pyeloplasty technique is similar to the retroperitoneoscopic approach. In both groups, the stent can be positioned in an anterograde or retrograde fashion. Success consisted of no evidence of obstruction on computed tomography urography or mercaptoacetyltriglycine-3 diuretic renal scan, no postoperative symptoms, and no further treatment. Thirty-six patients underwent retroperitoneoscopic RAP and 19 transperitoneal RAP for UPJO. All the procedures were completed with robotic assistance. The overall objective success (measured by diuretic renal scan and/or imaging techniques) was 96% with two cases of recurrence (both in the retroperitoneal group). The main limitation was the short follow-up, although all patients reached at least a 6-mo follow-up. RAP performed either retroperitoneally or transperitoneally was revealed as a feasible and reproducible surgical option for the treatment of UPJO, offering a subjective optimal plasty reconfiguration at short follow-up. Copyright © 2010 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

No longer 'flying blind': how access has changed emergency mental health care in rural and remote emergency departments, a qualitative study.

PubMed

Saurman, Emily; Kirby, Sue E; Lyle, David

2015-04-14

Mental health presentations are considered to be a difficult aspect of emergency care. Although emergency department (ED) staff is qualified to provide emergency mental health care, for some, such presentations pose a challenge to their training, confidence, and time. Providing access to relevant and responsive specialist mental health care can influence care and management for these patients. The Mental Health Emergency Care-Rural Access Program (MHEC-RAP) is a telepsychiatry program that was established to improve access to specialist emergency mental health care across rural and remote western NSW, Australia. This study uses interviews with ED providers to understand their experience of managing emergency mental health patients and their use of MHEC-RAP. The lens of access was applied to assess program impact and inform continuing program development. With MHEC-RAP, these ED providers are no longer 'flying blind'. They are also more confident to manage and care for emergency mental health patients locally. For these providers, access to specialists who are able to conduct assessments and provide relevant and responsive advice for emergency mental health presentations was valued. Assessing the fit between the consumer and service as a requirement for the development, evaluation, and ongoing management of the service should result in decisions about design and delivery that achieve improved access to care and meet the needs of their consumers. The experience of these providers prior to MHEC-RAP is consistent with that reported in other rural and remote populations suggesting that MHEC-RAP could address limitations in access to specialist care and change the provision of emergency mental health care elsewhere. MHEC-RAP has not only provided access to specialist mental health care for local ED providers, but it has changed their practice and perspective. MHEC-RAP could be adapted for implementation elsewhere. Provider experience confirms that the program is accessible and offers insights to those considering how to establish an emergency telepyschiatry service in other settings.
Improved performance of reclaimed asphalt pavement mixes.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-08-07

Utilization of RAP in asphalt pavements has become an important strategy to help offset rising : raw material prices and to improve the sustainability of our transportation infrastructure. The : South Dakota DOT began to routinely use RAP in mainl...
High RAP mixes design methodology with balanced performance.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-11-01

"The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) can significantly reduce the increasing cost of hot-mix asphalt paving, conserve energy, and protect the environment. This report presents a comprehensive study focusing...
Determination of usable residual asphalt binder in RAP.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

For current recycled mix designs, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) assumes 100% contribution of : working binder from Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) materials when added to Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA). However, it is : unclear if this assu...
Effect of Bio based rejuvenator on mix design, Energy consumption and GHG Emission of High RAP Mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullahi Ahmad, Kabiru; Ezree Abdullah, Mohd; Hassan, Norhidayah Abdul; Usman, Nura; Hassan, Mohd Rosli Mohd; Bilema, Munder A. M.; Modibbo Saeed, Saeed; Batari, Ahmad

2018-04-01

Concerns about the cost, availability, and environmental impact of using petroleum-based materials have led to increased usage of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Mean-while, the demand of the road industry to decrease the energy consumptions and reduce the release of greenhouse gases as well as other harmful gases, which cause serious air pollution has increased due to the amount of energy consumed is a major component of pavement construction that significantly contributes to the total cost. This paper evaluates the effects of Biobased rejuvenator known as JCO on the required heat energy and the amount of CO2 produced to increase the temperature of RAP and virgin aggregates and one binder from 25C to the point of mixing. The results showed that incorporating Biobased rejuvenator (JCO) can potentially reduce the required heat energy and amount of greenhouse gas produced by RAP and virgin, respectively.
BSE Rap: intergenerational ties to save lives.

PubMed

Ehmann, J L

1993-09-01

This article presents an innovative public-education strategy that was created to promote breast health awareness and early breast cancer detection among minority and low-income adolescent females. Given the importance of teaching breast self-examination (BSE), program development focused on creation of the BSE Rap, a lively music-video presentation. Increasing adolescents' knowledge and awareness of BSE is viewed as a springboard for disseminating information to their mothers and grandmothers. Funding was obtained for production of a video and a breast health diary, which are the program's key components. Marketing strategies included contacts with community organizations and healthcare professionals. Program evaluations reveal that the BSE Rap serves as a positive motivator for participants to discuss BSE and mammography with their mothers and grandmothers. The BSE Rap offers oncology nurses the opportunity to save lives using a unique and creative tool that focuses on intergenerational ties.
Observing heliospheric neutral atoms at 1 AU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heerikhuisen, Jacob; Pogorelov, Nikolai; Florinski, Vladimir; Zank, Gary

2006-09-01

Although in situ observations of distant heliospheric plasma by the Voyagers has proven to be extremely enlightening, such point observations need to be complemented with global measurements taken remotely to obtain a complete picture of the heliosphere and local interstellar environment. Neutral atoms, with their contempt for magnetic fields, provide useful probes of the plasma that generated them. However, there will be a number of ambiguities in neutral atom readings that require a deeper understanding of the plasma processes generating neutral atoms, as well as the loss mechanisms on their flight to the observation point. We introduce a procedure for generating all-sky maps of energetic H-atoms, calculated directly in our Monte-Carlo neutral atom code. Results obtained for a self-consistent axisymmetric MHD-Boltzmann calculation, as well as several non-selfconsistent 3D sky maps, will be presented.
Plasma/Neutral-Beam Etching Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langer, William; Cohen, Samuel; Cuthbertson, John; Manos, Dennis; Motley, Robert

1989-01-01

Energies of neutral particles controllable. Apparatus developed to produce intense beams of reactant atoms for simulating low-Earth-orbit oxygen erosion, for studying beam-gas collisions, and for etching semiconductor substrates. Neutral beam formed by neutralization and reflection of accelerated plasma on metal plate. Plasma ejected from coaxial plasma gun toward neutralizing plate, where turned into beam of atoms or molecules and aimed at substrate to be etched.
Atomic structure data based on average-atom model for opacity calculations in astrophysical plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trzhaskovskaya, M. B.; Nikulin, V. K.

2018-03-01

Influence of the plasmas parameters on the electron structure of ions in astrophysical plasmas is studied on the basis of the average-atom model in the local thermodynamic equilibrium approximation. The relativistic Dirac-Slater method is used for the electron density estimation. The emphasis is on the investigation of an impact of the plasmas temperature and density on the ionization stages required for calculations of the plasmas opacities. The level population distributions and level energy spectra are calculated and analyzed for all ions with 6 ≤ Z ≤ 32 occurring in astrophysical plasmas. The plasma temperature range 2 - 200 eV and the density range 2 - 100 mg/cm3 are considered. The validity of the method used is supported by good agreement between our values of ionization stages for a number of ions, from oxygen up to uranium, and results obtained earlier by various methods among which are more complicated procedures.
Male discrimination of receptive and unreceptive female calls by temporal features

PubMed Central

Elliott, Taffeta M.; Kelley, Darcy B.

2012-01-01

Summary In murky, crowded ponds in South Africa, female clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis (Daudin), vocalize to signal reproductive state. Female calls consist of acoustically similar clicks delivered in trains with characteristic rates. The rapping call of a sexually receptive female has a more rapid click rate [81 ms mean interclick interval (ICI)] than the ticking call of an unreceptive female (219 ms ICI). Rapping stimulates male advertisement calling, whereas ticking suppresses an already calling male. We examined how males label and discriminate female click rates. A labeling boundary experiment revealed that males perceive click rates between the means of rapping and ticking as lying on a continuum. They respond to 98 and 160 ms ICI as though to rapping and ticking, respectively. However, calling evoked by a click rate equally common to both calls (120 ms ICI) did not differ from the response to either rapping or ticking. A second experiment evaluated whether males discriminate click rates both labeled as ticking (180 and 219 ms ICI). Ticking suppresses advertising males, and suppressed males habituate (resume calling) to prolonged ticking. Both ticking stimuli suppressed males with equal effectiveness, and males habituated in equivalent amounts of time. When the stimulus was switched during habituation, no dishabituation occurred. We conclude that male labeling of click trains as rapping or ticking reflects an ambiguity resulting from the overlap in ICIs naturally occurring in the calls. Males do not respond differentially to click rates within the ticking category. Males thus combine discriminating and non-discriminating strategies in responding to the salient feature of female calls. PMID:17690231
Representative Agricultural Pathways and Climate Impact Assessment for Pacific Northwest Agricultural Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MU, J.; Antle, J. M.; Zhang, H.; Capalbo, S. M.; Eigenbrode, S.; Kruger, C.; Stockle, C.; Wolfhorst, J. D.

2013-12-01

Representative Agricultural Pathways (RAPs) are projections of plausible future biophysical and socio-economic conditions used to carry out climate impact assessments for agriculture. The development of RAPs iss motivated by the fact that the various global and regional models used for agricultural climate change impact assessment have been implemented with individualized scenarios using various data and model structures, often without transparent documentation or public availability. These practices have hampered attempts at model inter-comparison, improvement, and synthesis of model results across studies. This paper aims to (1) present RAPs developed for the principal wheat-producing region of the Pacific Northwest, and to (2) combine these RAPs with downscaled climate data, crop model simulations and economic model simulations to assess climate change impacts on winter wheat production and farm income. This research was carried out as part of a project funded by the USDA known as the Regional Approaches to Climate Change in the Pacific Northwest (REACCH). The REACCH study region encompasses the major winter wheat production area in Pacific Northwest and preliminary research shows that farmers producing winter wheat could benefit from future climate change. However, the future world is uncertain in many dimensions, including commodity and input prices, production technology, and policies, as well as increased probability of disturbances (pests and diseases) associated with a changing climate. Many of these factors cannot be modeled, so they are represented in the regional RAPS. The regional RAPS are linked to global agricultural and shared social-economic pathways, and used along with climate change projections to simulate future outcomes for the wheat-based farms in the REACCH region.
Performance of high RAP pavement sections in NH.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

This report summarizes the University of New Hampshire (UNH) results of test pavements used to : determine the effect of using higher amounts of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) in Hot Mix Asphalt : (HMA). : The New Hampshire Department of Transportat...
Evaluation of the engineering characteristics of RAP/Aggregate blends.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-07-01

"This report describes results from a research program that was structured to evaluate the : suitability of using reclaimed and recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) as an additive to crushed : angular aggregate or pit run granular soils. Research and test...
Effects of recycled shingles and increased RAP percentages : [research brief].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

As asphalt binder becomes more expensive, the use of recycled asphalt materials becomes : more attractive. Recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) offer a partial substitute for virgin aggregate and binder in asphalt pavem...
Durable superpave mixes in Kansas.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-05-01

Approximately 89% of 11,000 miles of Kansas roads are surfaced with asphalt. Hundreds of thousands of tons : of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) are produced annually in the United States, including in Kansas. This bulk : volume of RAP must be econom...
Laboratory testing and economic analysis of high RAP warm mixed asphalt.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-03-24

This report contains laboratory testing, economic analysis, literature review, and information obtained from multiple producers throughout the state of Mississippi regarding the use of high RAP (50 % to 100%) mixtures containing warm mix additives. T...
Charge-free low-temperature method of forming thin film-based nanoscale materials and structures on a substrate

DOEpatents

Hoffbauer, Mark [Los Alamos, NM; Mueller, Alex [Santa Fe, NM

2008-07-01

A method of forming a nanostructure at low temperatures. A substrate that is reactive with one of atomic oxygen and nitrogen is provided. A flux of neutral atoms of at least one of nitrogen and oxygen is generated within a laser-sustained-discharge plasma source and a collimated beam of energetic neutral atoms and molecules is directed from the plasma source onto a surface of the substrate to form the nanostructure. The energetic neutral atoms and molecules in the plasma have an average kinetic energy in a range from about 1 eV to about 5 eV.
Precise control of atomic nitrogen production in an electron cyclotron resonance plasma using N2/noble gas mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Z. Y.; Newman, N.

1998-07-01

The atomic nitrogen flux and impacting ion kinetic energy are two important parameters which influence the quality of deposited nitride films using reactive growth. In this letter, a method is described to control the flux and kinetic energy of atomic and molecular nitrogen ions using an electron cyclotron resonance plasma with N2/Ar and N2/Ne gas mixtures. The results clearly show that the addition of neon to nitrogen plasma can remarkably enhance the production rate of atomic nitrogen due to Penning ionization involving the metastable state of Ne. In contrast, the addition of argon significantly decreases the rate.
Influence of inelastic Rydberg atom-atom collisional process on kinetic and optical properties of low-temperature laboratory and astrophysical plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klyucharev, A. N.; Bezuglov, N. N.; Mihajlov, A. A.; Ignjatović, Lj M.

2010-11-01

Elementary processes in plasma phenomena traditionally attract physicist's attention. The channel of charged-particle formation in Rydberg atom-atom thermal and sub-thermal collisions (the low temperature plasmas conditions) leads to creation of the molecular ions - associative ionization (AI). atomic ions - Penning-like ionization (PI) and the pair of the negative and positive ions. In our universe the chemical composition of the primordial gas consists mainly of Hydrogen and Helium (H, H-, H+, H2, He,He+). Hydrogen-like alkali-metal Lithium (Li, Li+,Li-) and combinations (HeH+, LiH-, LiH+). There is a wide range of plasma parameters in which the Rydberg atoms of the elements mentioned above make the dominant contribution to ionization and that process may be regarded as a prototype of the elementary process of light excitation energy transformation into electric one. The latest stochastic version of chemi-ionisation (AI+PI) on Rydberg atom-atom collisions extends the treatment of the "dipole resonant" model by taking into account redistribution of population over a range of Rydberg states prior to ionization. This redistribution is modelled as diffusion within the frame of stochastic dynamic of the Rydberg electron in the Rydberg energy spectrum. This may lead to anomalies of Rydberg atom spectra. Another result obtained in recent time is understanding that experimental results on chemi-ionization relate to the group of mixed Rydberg atom closed to the primary selected one. The Rydberg atoms ionisation theory today makes a valuable contribution in the deterministic and stochastic approaches correlation in atomic physic.
Atomic processes and equation of state of high Z plasmas for EUV sources and their effects on the spatial and temporal evolution of the plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasaki, Akira; Sunahara, Atushi; Furukawa, Hiroyuki; Nishihara, Katsunobu; Nishikawa, Takeshi; Koike, Fumihiro

2016-03-01

Laser-produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources have been intensively investigated due to potential application to next-generation semiconductor technology. Current studies focus on the atomic processes and hydrodynamics of plasmas to develop shorter wavelength sources at λ = 6.x nm as well as to improve the conversion efficiency (CE) of λ = 13.5 nm sources. This paper examines the atomic processes of mid-z elements, which are potential candidates for λ = 6.x nm source using n=3-3 transitions. Furthermore, a method to calculate the hydrodynamics of the plasmas in terms of the initial interaction between a relatively weak prepulse laser is presented.

Method to estimate the electron temperature and neutral density in a plasma from spectroscopic measurements using argon atom and ion collisional-radiative models.

PubMed

Sciamma, Ella M; Bengtson, Roger D; Rowan, W L; Keesee, Amy; Lee, Charles A; Berisford, Dan; Lee, Kevin; Gentle, K W

2008-10-01

We present a method to infer the electron temperature in argon plasmas using a collisional-radiative model for argon ions and measurements of electron density to interpret absolutely calibrated spectroscopic measurements of argon ion (Ar II) line intensities. The neutral density, and hence the degree of ionization of this plasma, can then be estimated using argon atom (Ar I) line intensities and a collisional-radiative model for argon atoms. This method has been tested for plasmas generated on two different devices at the University of Texas at Austin: the helicon experiment and the helimak experiment. We present results that show good correlation with other measurements in the plasma.
AtomDB Progress Report: Atomic data and new models for X-ray spectroscopy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Randall K.; Foster, Adam; Brickhouse, Nancy S.; Stancil, Phillip C.; Cumbee, Renata; Mullen, Patrick Dean; AtomDB Team

2018-06-01

The AtomDB project collects atomic data from both theoretical and observational/experimental sources, providing both a convenient interface (http://www.atomdb.org/Webguide/webguide.php) as well as providing input to spectral models for many types of astrophysical X-ray plasmas. We have released several updates to AtomDB in response to the Hitomi data, including new data for the Fe K complex, and have expanded the range of models available in AtomDB to include the Kronos charge exchange models from Mullen at al. (2016, ApJS, 224, 2). Combined with the previous AtomDB charge exchange model (http://www.atomdb.org/CX/), these data enable a velocity-dependent model for X-ray and EUV charge exchange spectra. We also present a new Kappa-distribution spectral model, enabling plasmas with non-Maxwellian electron distributions to be modeled with AtomDB. Tools are provided within pyAtomDB to explore and exploit these new plasma models. This presentation will review these enhancements and describe plans for the new few years of database and code development in preparation for XARM, Athena, and (hopefully) Arcus.
Modeling the heating and atomic kinetics of a photoionized neon plasma experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lockard, Tom E.

Motivated by gas cell photoionized plasma experiments performed by our group at the Z facility of Sandia National Laboratories, we discuss in this dissertation a modeling study of the heating and ionization of the plasma for conditions characteristic of these experiments. Photoionized plasmas are non-equilibrium systems driven by a broadband x-ray radiation flux. They are commonly found in astrophysics but rarely seen in the laboratory. Several modeling tools have been employed: (1) a view-factor computer code constrained with side x-ray power and gated monochromatic image measurements of the z-pinch radiation, to model the time-history of the photon-energy resolved x-ray flux driving the photoionized plasma, (2) a Boltzmann self-consistent electron and atomic kinetics model to simulate the electron distribution function and configuration-averaged atomic kinetics, (3) a radiation-hydrodynamics code with inline non-equilibrium atomic kinetics to perform a comprehensive numerical simulation of the experiment and plasma heating, and (4) steady-state and time-dependent collisional-radiative atomic kinetics calculations with fine-structure energy level description to assess transient effects in the ionization and charge state distribution of the plasma. The results indicate that the photon-energy resolved x-ray flux impinging on the front window of the gas cell is very well approximated by a linear combination of three geometrically-diluted Planckian distributions. Knowledge of the spectral details of the x-ray drive turned out to be important for the heating and ionization of the plasma. The free electrons in the plasma thermalize quickly relative to the timescales associated with the time-history of the x-ray drive and the plasma atomic kinetics. Hence, electrons are well described by a Maxwellian energy distribution of a single temperature. This finding is important to support the application of a radiation-hydrodynamic model to simulate the experiment. It is found that the computed plasma heating compares well with experimental observation when the effects of the windows, hydrodynamics, and non-equilbirium neon emissivity and opacity are employed. The atomic kinetics shows significant time-dependent effects because the timescale of the x-ray drive is too short compared to that of the photoionization process. These modeling and simulation results are important to test theory and modeling assumptions and approximations, and also to provide guidance on data interpretation and analysis.
Renewed Interest in Apprenticeship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Darius R.; Gauss, Patricia A.

1994-01-01

Describes Alberta's registered apprenticeship plan (RAP), a three-year program in which students spend part of their time in school and part in industry as a registered apprenticeship. Compares RAP to the federal youth apprenticeship proposed in the United States and the European model. (JOW)
Laboratory evaluation of characteristics of recycled asphalt pavement in Kansas.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-09-01

The main objective of this research was to evaluate characteristics of milled Recycled Asphalt : Pavements (RAP) collected from selected milled roadways in Kansas. The RAP was collected from three : selected milled roadways including K-25 in Grant Co...
Implementation of MEPDG for asphalt pavement with RAP.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

This study explored the potential of using high reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) content with hot mix asphalt (HMA) in base and surface courses for conditions prevailing in Oklahoma. A total of eight Superpave mixes (four mixes for each of two field ...
Preliminary investigation of RAP and RAS in HMAC : final report, February 2010.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-02-01

A laboratory study was undertaken to investigate how various proportions of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and reclaimed asphalt shingles (RAS) added to hot mixed asphalt concrete (HMAC) mixtures affect the Superpave performance grade of the blende...
Improving Quality Control of Asphalt Pavement with RAP Using a Portable Infrared Spectroscopy Device

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-04-01

This project has investigated the effectiveness of a Portable Infrared Spectrometer (PIRS) device in estimating percent of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) and its contribution into oxidative aging of a new asphalt mixture immediately after productio...
Fundamental evaluation of the interaction between RAS/RAP and virgin asphalt binders.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-08-01

A comprehensive laboratory testing program was conducted in this research project to examine the blending between reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP)/recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) and virgin asphalt binders and to evaluate the factors that may affect ...
Evaluation of stone/RAP interlayers under accelerated loading : technical summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-08-01

The primary objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of using an untreated RAP interlayer in lieu of a stone interlayer in a soil-cement asphalt pavement structure under accelerated loading. The secondary objective was to investigat...
Durable superpave mixes in Kansas : technical summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-05-01

Approximately 89% of 11,000 miles of Kansas roads are surfaced with asphalt. Hundreds of thousands of tons of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) are produced annually in the United States, including in Kansas. This bulk volume of RAP must be economical...
Research notes : recycling roads and roofs.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-06-01

One objective of the larger study is to develop recommendations for a design process for selecting the grade of virgin asphalt binder for HMAC mixtures containing RAP or RAS, or combinations of RAP and RAS, such that the blended binder meets the desi...
Effect of recovered binders from recycled shingles and increased RAP percentages on resultant binder PG.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-12-01

This research evaluated the properties of recycled asphalt binders from Wisconsin sources. Continuous grading : properties were measured for 18 recycled binder sources: 12 reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) sources and 6 recycled : asphalt shingle sour...
Efficient transcription of the glycolytic gene ADH1 and three translational component genes requires the GCR1 product, which can act through TUF/GRF/RAP binding sites.

PubMed Central

Santangelo, G M; Tornow, J

1990-01-01

Glycolytic gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is thought to be activated by the GCR and TUF proteins. We tested the hypothesis that GCR function is mediated by TUF/GRF/RAP binding sites (UASRPG elements). We found that UASRPG-dependent activation of a heterologous gene and transcription of ADH1, TEF1, TEF2, and RP59 were sensitive to GCR1 disruption. GCR is not required for TUF/GRF/RAP expression or in vitro DNA-binding activity. Images PMID:2405258
Artificial intelligence and expert systems in-flight software testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demasie, M. P.; Muratore, J. F.

1991-01-01

The authors discuss the introduction of advanced information systems technologies such as artificial intelligence, expert systems, and advanced human-computer interfaces directly into Space Shuttle software engineering. The reconfiguration automation project (RAP) was initiated to coordinate this move towards 1990s software technology. The idea behind RAP is to automate several phases of the flight software testing procedure and to introduce AI and ES into space shuttle flight software testing. In the first phase of RAP, conventional tools to automate regression testing have already been developed or acquired. There are currently three tools in use.
From CNTNAP2 to Early Expressive Language in Infancy: The Mediation Role of Rapid Auditory Processing.

PubMed

Riva, Valentina; Cantiani, Chiara; Benasich, April A; Molteni, Massimo; Piazza, Caterina; Giorda, Roberto; Dionne, Ginette; Marino, Cecilia

2018-06-01

Although it is clear that early language acquisition can be a target of CNTNAP2, the pathway between gene and language is still largely unknown. This research focused on the mediation role of rapid auditory processing (RAP). We tested RAP at 6 months of age by the use of event-related potentials, as a mediator between common variants of the CNTNAP2 gene (rs7794745 and rs2710102) and 20-month-old language outcome in a prospective longitudinal study of 96 Italian infants. The mediation model examines the hypothesis that language outcome is explained by a sequence of effects involving RAP and CNTNAP2. The ability to discriminate spectrotemporally complex auditory frequency changes at 6 months of age mediates the contribution of rs2710102 to expressive vocabulary at 20 months. The indirect effect revealed that rs2710102 C/C was associated with lower P3 amplitude in the right hemisphere, which, in turn, predicted poorer expressive vocabulary at 20 months of age. These findings add to a growing body of literature implicating RAP as a viable marker in genetic studies of language development. The results demonstrate a potential developmental cascade of effects, whereby CNTNAP2 drives RAP functioning that, in turn, contributes to early expressive outcome.
Are genetic variants in the platelet-derived growth factor [beta] gene associated with chronic pancreatitis?

PubMed

Muddana, Venkata; Park, James; Lamb, Janette; Yadav, Dhiraj; Papachristou, Georgios I; Hawes, Robert H; Brand, Randall; Slivka, Adam; Whitcomb, David C

2010-11-01

Platelet-derived growth factor [beta] (PDGF-[beta]) is a major signal in proliferation and matrix synthesis through activated pancreatic stellate cells, leading to fibrosis of the pancreas. Recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) seems to predispose to chronic pancreatitis (CP) in some patients but not others. We tested the hypothesis that 2 known PDGF-[beta] polymorphisms are associated with progression from RAP to CP. We also tested the hypothesis that PDGF-[beta] polymorphisms in combination with environmental risk factors such as alcohol and smoking are associated with CP. Three hundred eighty-two patients with CP (n = 176) and RAP (n = 206) and 251 controls were evaluated. Platelet-derived growth factor [beta] polymorphisms +286 A/G (rs#1800818) seen in 5'-UTR and +1135 A/C (rs#1800817) in first intron were genotyped using single-nucleotide polymorphism polymerase chain reaction approach and confirmed by DNA sequencing. The genotypic frequencies for PDGF-[beta] polymorphisms in positions +286 and +1135 were found to be similar in controls and patients with RAP and CP. There was no difference in genotypic frequencies among RAP, CP, and controls in subjects in the alcohol and smoking subgroups. Known variations in the PDGF-[beta] gene do not have a significant effect on promoting or preventing fibrogenesis in pancreatitis. Further evaluation of this important pathway is warranted.
Transfer parameters for ICRP's Reference Animals and Plants in a terrestrial Mediterranean ecosystem.

PubMed

Guillén, J; Beresford, N A; Baeza, A; Izquierdo, M; Wood, M D; Salas, A; Muñoz-Serrano, A; Corrales-Vázquez, J M; Muñoz-Muñoz, J G

2018-06-01

A system for the radiological protection of the environment (or wildlife) based on Reference Animals and Plants (RAPs) has been suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). To assess whole-body activity concentrations for RAPs and the resultant internal dose rates, transfer parameters are required. However, transfer values specifically for the taxonomic families defined for the RAPs are often sparse and furthermore can be extremely site dependent. There is also a considerable geographical bias within available transfer data, with few data for Mediterranean ecosystems. In the present work, stable element concentrations (I, Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, P, S, K. Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Cs, Ba, Tl, Pb and U) in terrestrial RAPs, and the corresponding whole-body concentration ratios, CR wo , were determined in two different Mediterranean ecosystems: a Pinewood and a Dehesa (grassland with disperse tree cover). The RAPs considered in the Pinewood ecosystem were Pine Tree and Wild Grass; whereas in the Dehesa ecosystem those considered were Deer, Rat, Earthworm, Bee, Frog, Duck and Wild Grass. The CR wo values estimated from these data are compared to those reported in international compilations and databases. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Influence of the plasma environment on atomic structure using an ion-sphere model

DOE PAGES

Belkhiri, Madeny Jean; Fontes, Christopher John; Poirier, Michel

2015-09-03

Plasma environment effects on atomic structure are analyzed using various atomic structure codes. To monitor the effect of high free-electron density or low temperatures, Fermi-Dirac and Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics are compared. After a discussion of the implementation of the Fermi-Dirac approach within the ion-sphere model, several applications are considered. In order to check the consistency of the modifications brought here to extant codes, calculations have been performed using the Los Alamos Cowan Atomic Structure (cats) code in its Hartree-Fock or Hartree-Fock-Slater form and the parametric potential Flexible Atomic Code (fac). The ground-state energy shifts due to the plasma effects for themore » six most ionized aluminum ions have been calculated using the fac and cats codes and fairly agree. For the intercombination resonance line in Fe 22+, the plasma effect within the uniform electron gas model results in a positive shift that agrees with the MCDF value of B. Saha et al.« less
Influence of the plasma environment on atomic structure using an ion-sphere model

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

Belkhiri, Madeny Jean; Fontes, Christopher John; Poirier, Michel

Plasma environment effects on atomic structure are analyzed using various atomic structure codes. To monitor the effect of high free-electron density or low temperatures, Fermi-Dirac and Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics are compared. After a discussion of the implementation of the Fermi-Dirac approach within the ion-sphere model, several applications are considered. In order to check the consistency of the modifications brought here to extant codes, calculations have been performed using the Los Alamos Cowan Atomic Structure (cats) code in its Hartree-Fock or Hartree-Fock-Slater form and the parametric potential Flexible Atomic Code (fac). The ground-state energy shifts due to the plasma effects for themore » six most ionized aluminum ions have been calculated using the fac and cats codes and fairly agree. For the intercombination resonance line in Fe 22+, the plasma effect within the uniform electron gas model results in a positive shift that agrees with the MCDF value of B. Saha et al.« less

[Atomic/ionic fluorescence in microwave plasma torch discharge with excitation of high current and microsecond pulsed hollow cathode lamp: Ca atomic/ionic fluorescence spectrometry].

PubMed

Gong, Zhen-bin; Liang, Feng; Yang, Peng-yuan; Jin, Qin-han; Huang, Ben-li

2002-02-01

A system of atomic and ionic fluorescence spectrometry in microwave plasma torch (MPT) discharge excited by high current microsecond pulsed hollow cathode lamp (HCMP HCL) has been developed. The operation conditions for Ca atomic and ionic fluorescence spectrometry have been optimized. Compared with atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS) in argon microwave induced plasma (MIP) and MPT with the excitation of direct current and conventional pulsed HCL, the system with HCMP HCL excitation can improve AFS and ionic fluorescence spectrometry (IFS) detection limits in MPT atomizer and ionizer. Detection limits (3 sigma) with HCMP HCL-MPT-AFS/IFS are 10.1 ng.mL-1 for Ca I 422.7 nm, 14.6 ng.mL-1 for Ca II 393.4 nm, and 37.4 ng.mL-1 for Ca II 396.8 nm, respectively.
Partially ionized hydrogen plasma in strong magnetic fields.

PubMed

Potekhin, A Y; Chabrier, G; Shibanov, Y A

1999-08-01

We study the thermodynamic properties of a partially ionized hydrogen plasma in strong magnetic fields, B approximately 10(12)-10(13) G, typical of neutron stars. The properties of the plasma depend significantly on the quantum-mechanical sizes and binding energies of the atoms, which are strongly modified by thermal motion across the field. We use new fitting formulas for the atomic binding energies and sizes, based on accurate numerical calculations and valid for any state of motion of the atom. In particular, we take into account decentered atomic states, neglected in previous studies of thermodynamics of magnetized plasmas. We also employ analytic fits for the thermodynamic functions of nonideal fully ionized electron-ion Coulomb plasmas. This enables us to construct an analytic model of the free energy. An ionization equilibrium equation is derived, taking into account the strong magnetic field effects and the nonideality effects. This equation is solved by an iteration technique. Ionization degrees, occupancies, and the equation of state are calculated.
[Spectra and thermal analysis of the arc in activating flux plasma arc welding].

PubMed

Chai, Guo-Ming; Zhu, Yi-Feng

2010-04-01

In activating flux plasma arc welding the welding arc was analyzed by spectra analysis technique, and the welding arc temperature field was measured by the infrared sensing and computer image technique. The distribution models of welding arc heat flow density of activating flux PAW welding were developed. The composition of welding arc affected by activated flux was studied, and the welding arc temperature field was studied. The results show that the spectral lines of argon atom and ionized argon atom of primary ionization are the main spectra lines of the conventional plasma welding arc. The spectra lines of weld metal are inappreciable in the spectra lines of the conventional plasma welding arc. The gas particle is the main in the conventional plasma welding arc. The conventional plasma welding arc is gas welding arc. The spectra lines of argon atom and ionized argon atom of primary ionization are intensified in the activating flux plasma welding arc, and the spectra lines of Ti, Cr and Fe elements are found in the activating flux plasma welding arc. The welding arc temperature distribution in activating flux plasma arc welding is compact, the outline of the welding arc temperature field is narrow, the range of the welding arc temperature distribution is concentrated, the welding arc radial temperature gradient is large, and the welding arc radial temperature gradient shows normal Gauss distribution.
Mechanical Properties of Portland Cement Concrete With Recycled Asphalt Pavement as Partial Replacement for Coarse Aggregate

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-06-01

Finding constructive uses for construction waste byproducts contributes to green engineering principles. One such plentiful material is recycled asphalt pavement (RAP). This report looks at the mechanical viability of including RAP in a high strength...
Daily Routines and Crime: Using Routine Activities as Measures of Hirschi's Involvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawdon, James E.

1999-01-01

Reconstitutes the "involvement" aspect of T. Hirschi's bond theory to substitute routine-activity patterns (RAPs) for involvement. Self-reports of 108 college freshmen suggest that involvement reconstituted as RAPs is an effective predictor of minor acts of delinquency. (SLD)
Evaluation of stone/RAP interlayers under accelerated loading : construction report : interim report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-03-01

Three test lanes were constructed at the Louisiana Pavement Research Facility to study the performance of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) as a stress relieving layer between the cement treated base and asphalt concrete layers in lieu of crushed ston...
Testing protocols to ensure performance of high asphalt binder replacement mixes using RAP and RAS.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) in asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures can reduce demand for virgin aggregates and asphalt binder, bringing environmental and economic benefits. However, replacing virgin asph...
Possibility of reconstruction of dental plaster cast from 3D digital study models

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Objectives To compare traditional plaster casts, digital models and 3D printed copies of dental plaster casts based on various criteria. To determine whether 3D printed copies obtained using open source system RepRap can replace traditional plaster casts in dental practice. To compare and contrast the qualities of two possible 3D printing options – open source system RepRap and commercially available 3D printing. Design and settings A method comparison study on 10 dental plaster casts from the Orthodontic department, Department of Stomatology, 2nd medical Faulty, Charles University Prague, Czech Republic. Material and methods Each of 10 plaster casts were scanned by inEos Blue scanner and the printed on 3D printer RepRap [10 models] and ProJet HD3000 3D printer [1 model]. Linear measurements between selected points on the dental arches of upper and lower jaws on plaster casts and its 3D copy were recorded and statistically analyzed. Results 3D printed copies have many advantages over traditional plaster casts. The precision and accuracy of the RepRap 3D printed copies of plaster casts were confirmed based on the statistical analysis. Although the commercially available 3D printing enables to print more details than the RepRap system, it is expensive and for the purpose of clinical use can be replaced by the cheaper prints obtained from RepRap printed copies. Conclusions Scanning of the traditional plaster casts to obtain a digital model offers a pragmatic approach. The scans can subsequently be used as a template to print the plaster casts as required. Using 3D printers can replace traditional plaster casts primarily due to their accuracy and price. PMID:23721330
Nitric oxide blunts myogenic autoregulation in rat renal but not skeletal muscle circulation via tubuloglomerular feedback

PubMed Central

Just, Armin; Arendshorst, William J

2005-01-01

This rat renal blood flow (RBF) study quantified the impact of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition on the myogenic response and the balance of autoregulatory mechanisms in the time domain following a 20 mmHg-step increase or decrease in renal arterial pressure (RAP). When RAP was increased, the myogenic component of renal vascular resistance (RVR) rapidly rose within the initial 7–10 s, exhibiting an ∼5 s time constant and providing ∼36% of perfect autoregulation. A secondary rise between 10 and 40 s brought RVR to 95% total autoregulatory efficiency, reflecting tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) and possibly one or two additional mechanisms. The kinetics were similar after the RAP decrease. Inhibition of NOS (by l-NAME) increased RAP, enhanced the strength (79% autoregulation) and doubled the speed of the myogenic response, and promoted the emergence of RVR oscillations (∼0.2 Hz); the strength (52%) was lower at control RAP. An equi-pressor dose of angiotensin II had no effect on myogenic or total autoregulation. Inhibition of TGF (by furosemide) abolished the l-NAME effect on the myogenic response. RVR responses during furosemide treatment, assuming complete inhibition of TGF, suggest a third mechanism that contributes 10–20% and is independent of TGF, slower than the myogenic response, and abolished by NOS inhibition. The hindlimb circulation displayed a solitary myogenic response similar to the kidney (35% autoregulation) that was not enhanced by l-NAME. We conclude that NO normally restrains the strength and speed of the myogenic response in RBF but not hindlimb autoregulation, an action dependent on TGF, thereby allowing more and slow RAP fluctuations to reach glomerular capillaries. PMID:16223765
Feasibility of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Myocardial Revascularization Therapy for Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients and Refractory Angina Pectoris Patients.

PubMed

Myojo, Masahiro; Ando, Jiro; Uehara, Masae; Daimon, Masao; Watanabe, Masafumi; Komuro, Issei

2017-04-06

Extracorporeal shockwave myocardial revascularization (ESMR) is one of the new treatment options for refractory angina pectoris (RAP), and some studies have indicated its effectiveness. A single-arm prospective trial to assess the feasibility of ESMR using Cardiospec for patients with post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and RAP was designed and performed. The patients were treated with 9 sessions of ESMR to the ischemic areas for 9 weeks. The feasibility measures included echocardiography; cardiac magnetic resonance imaging; troponin T, creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), and brain natriuretic peptide testing; and a Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) survey. Three post-AMI patients and 3 RAP patients were enrolled. The post-AMI patients had already undergone revascularization with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the acute phase. In two patients, adverse events requiring admission occurred: one a lumbar disc hernia in a post-AMI patient and the other congestive heart failure resulting in death in an RAP patient. No apparent elevations in CK-MB and troponin T levels during the trial were observed. Echocardiography revealed no remarkable changes of ejection fraction; however, septal E/E' tended to decrease after treatments (11.6 ± 4.8 versus 9.2 ± 2.8, P = 0.08). Concerning the available SAQ scores for two RAP patients, one patient reported improvements in angina frequency and treatment satisfaction and the other reported improvements in physical limitations and angina stability. In this feasibility study, ESMR seems to be a safe treatment for both post-AMI patients and RAP patients. The efficacy of ESMR for post-AMI patients remains to be evaluated with additional studies.
The best marker for guiding the clinical management of patients with raised intracranial pressure-the RAP index or the mean pulse amplitude?

PubMed

Hall, Allan; O'Kane, Roddy

2016-10-01

Raised intracranial pressure is a common problem in a variety of neurosurgical conditions including traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus and intracranial haemorrhage. The clinical management of these patients is guided by a variety of haemodynamic, biochemical and clinical factors. However to date there is no single parameter that is used to guide clinical management of patients with raised intracranial pressure (ICP). However, the role of ICP indices, specifically the mean pulse amplitude (AMP) and RAP index [correlation coefficient (R) between AMP amplitude (A) and mean ICP pressure (P); index of compensatory reserve], as an indicator of true ICP has been investigated. Whilst the RAP index has been used both as a descriptor of neurological deterioration in TBI patients and as a way of characterising the compensatory reserve in hydrocephalus, more recent studies have highlighted the limitation of the RAP index due to the influence that baseline effect errors have on the mean ICP, which is used in the calculation of the RAP index. These studies have suggested that the ICP mean pulse amplitude may be a more accurate marker of true intracranial pressure due to the fact that it is uninfluenced by the mean ICP and, therefore, the AMP may be a more reliable marker than the RAP index for guiding the clinical management of patients with raised ICP. Although further investigation needs to be undertaken in order to fully assess the role of ICP indices in guiding the clinical management of patients with raised ICP, the studies undertaken to date provide an insight into the potential role of ICP indices to treat raised ICP proactively rather than reactively and therefore help prevent or minimise secondary brain injury.
Multicenter Approach to Recurrent Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis in the United States: The North American Pancreatitis Study 2 (NAPS2)

PubMed Central

Whitcomb, David C.; Yadav, Dhiraj; Adam, Slivka; Hawes, Robert H.; Brand, Randall E.; Anderson, Michelle A.; Money, Mary E.; Banks, Peter A.; Bishop, Michele D.; Baillie, John; Sherman, Stuart; DiSario, James; Burton, Frank R.; Gardner, Timothy B.; Amann, Stephen T.; Gelrud, Andres; Lo, Simon K.; DeMeo, Mark T.; Steinberg, William M.; Kochman, Michael L.; Etemad, Babak; Forsmark, Christopher E.; Elinoff, Beth; Greer, Julia B.; O’Connell, Michael; Lamb, Janette; Barmada, M. Michael

2008-01-01

Background Recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) are complex syndromes associated with numerous etiologies, clinical variables and complications. We developed the North American Pancreatitis Study 2 (NAPS2) to be sufficiently powered to understand the complex environmental, metabolic and genetic mechanisms underlying RAP and CP. Methods Between August 2000 and September 2006, a consortium of 20 expert academic and private sites prospectively ascertained 1,000 human subjects with RAP or CP, plus 695 controls (spouse, family, friend or unrelated). Standardized questionnaires were completed by both the physicians and study subjects and blood was drawn for genomic DNA and biomarker studies. All data were double-entered into a database and systematically reviewed to minimize errors and include missing data. Results A total of 1,000 subjects (460 RAP, 540 CP) and 695 controls who completed consent forms and questionnaires and donated blood samples comprised the final dataset. Data were organized according to diagnosis, supporting documentation, etiological classification, clinical signs and symptoms (including pain patterns and duration, and quality of life), past medical history, family history, environmental exposures (including alcohol and tobacco use), medication use and therapeutic interventions. Upon achieving the target enrollment, data were organized and classified to facilitate future analysis. The approaches, rationale and datasets are described, along with final demographic results. Conclusion The NAPS2 consortium has successfully completed a prospective ascertainment of 1,000 subjects with RAP and CP from the USA. These data will be useful in elucidating the environmental, metabolic and genetic conditions, and to investigate the complex interactions that underlie RAP and CP. PMID:18765957
Effects of Percutaneous LVAD Support on Right Ventricular Load and Adaptation.

PubMed

Yourshaw, Jeffrey P; Mishra, Prabodh; Armstrong, M Christopher; Ramu, Bhavadharini; Craig, Michael L; Van Bakel, Adrian B; Steinberg, Daniel H; DiSalvo, Thomas G; Tedford, Ryan J; Houston, Brian A

2018-04-30

Both operative and hemodynamic mechanisms have been implicated in right heart failure (RHF) following surgical left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. We investigated the effects of percutaneous LVAD (pLVAD; Impella®, Abiomed) support on right ventricular (RV) load and adaptation. We reviewed all patients receiving a pLVAD for cardiogenic shock at our institution between July 2014 and April 2017, including only those with pre- and post-pLVAD invasive hemodynamic measurements. Hemodynamic data was recorded immediately prior to pLVAD implantation and up to 96 h post-implantation. Twenty-five patients were included. Cardiac output increased progressively during pLVAD support. PAWP improved early post-pLVAD but did not further improve during continued support. Markers of RV adaptation (right ventricular stroke work index, right atrial pressure (RAP), and RAP to pulmonary artery wedge pressure ratio (RAP:PAWP)) were unchanged acutely implant but progressively improved during continued pLVAD support. Total RV load (pulmonary effective arterial elastance; E A ) and resistive RV load (pulmonary vascular resistance; PVR) both declined progressively. The relationship between RV load and RV adaptation (E A /RAP and E A /RAP:PAWP) was constant throughout. Median vasoactive-inotrope score declined after pLVAD placement and continued to decline throughout support. Percutaneous LVAD support in patients with cardiogenic shock did not acutely worsen RV adaptation, in contrast to previously described hemodynamic effects of surgically implanted durable LVADs. Further, RV load progressively declined during support, and the noted RV adaptation improvement was load-dependent as depicted by constant E A /RA and E A /RAP:PAWP relationships. These findings further implicate the operative changes associated with surgical LVAD implantation in early RHF following durable LVAD.
Two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence measurements of atomic nitrogen in a radio-frequency atmospheric-pressure plasma jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagenaars, E.; Gans, T.; O'Connell, D.; Niemi, K.

2012-08-01

The first direct measurements of atomic nitrogen species in a radio-frequency atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) are presented. Atomic nitrogen radicals play a key role in new plasma medicine applications of APPJs. The measurements were performed with a two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence diagnostic, using 206.65 nm laser photons for the excitation of ground-state N atoms and observing fluorescence light around 744 nm. The APPJ was run with a helium gas flow of 1 slm and varying small admixtures of molecular nitrogen of 0-0.7 vol%. A maximum in the measured N concentration was observed for an admixture of 0.25 vol% N2.
Photon calorimeter

DOEpatents

Chow, Tze-Show

1988-04-22

A photon calorimeter is provided that comprises a laminar substrate that is uniform in density and homogeneous in atomic composition. A plasma-sprayed coating, that is generally uniform in density and homogeneous in atomic composition within the proximity of planes that are parallel to the surfaces of the substrate, is applied to either one or both sides of the laminar substrate. The plasma-sprayed coatings may be very efficiently spectrally tailored in atomic number. Thermocouple measuring junctions, are positioned within the plasma-sprayed coatings. The calorimeter is rugged, inexpensive, and equilibrates in temperature very rapidly. 4 figs.
Dynamics of the formation and loss of boron atoms in a H2/B2H6 microwave plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duluard, C. Y.; Aubert, X.; Sadeghi, N.; Gicquel, A.

2016-09-01

For further improvements in doped-diamond deposition technology, an understanding of the complex chemistry in H2/CH4/B2H6 plasmas is of general importance. In this context, a H2/B2H6 plasma ignited by microwave power in a near resonant cavity at high pressure (100-200 mbar) is studied to measure the B-atom density in the ground state. The discharge is ignited in the gas mixture (0-135 ppm B2H6 in H2) by a 2.45 GHz microwave generator, leading to the formation of a hemispheric plasma core, surrounded by a faint discharge halo filling the remaining reactor volume. Measurements with both laser induced fluorescence and resonant absoption with a boron hollow cathode lamp indicate that the B-atom density is higher in the halo than in the plasma core. When the absorption line-of-sight is positioned in the halo, the absorption is so strong that the upper detection limit is reached. To understand the mechanisms of creation and loss of boron atoms, time-resolved absorption measurements have been carried out in a pulsed plasma regime (10 Hz, duty cycle 50%). The study focuses on the influence of the total pressure, the partial pressure of B2H6, as well as the source power, on the growth and decay rates of boron atoms when the plasma is turned off.
Laboratory Studies of Thermal Energy Charge Transfer of Silicon and Iron Ions in Astrophysical Plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kwong, Victor H. S.

1997-01-01

The laser ablation/ion storage facility at the UNLV Physics Department is dedicated to the study of atomic processes in low temperature plasmas. Our current program is directed to the study of charge transfer of multiply charged ions and neutrals that are of importance to astrophysics at energies less than 1 eV (about 10(exp 4) K). Specifically, we measure the charge transfer rate coefficient of ions such as N(2+), Si(3+), Si(3+), with helium and Fe(2+) with molecular and atomic hydrogen. All these ions are found in a variety of astrophysical plasmas. Their electron transfer reactions with neutral atoms can affect the ionization equilibrium of the plasma.
Estimation of low temperature properties of RAP binder without extraction : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-04-01

In recent years, the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) as a component of asphalt mixtures has : become a common practice. For many years, researchers and DOT officials have questioned the adverse : effects, if any, of using solvents to extract ...
Modeling the performance properties of RAS and RAP blended asphalt mixes using chemical compositional information.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-01-01

Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) can improve the sustainability of asphalt concrete (AC) due to cost savings and environmental factors, but it is necessary to ensure that pavement performance is not compromised. To...
RapTOR: Automated Sequencing Library Preparation and Suppression for Rapid Pathogen Characterization (7th Annual SFAF Meeting, 2012)

ScienceCinema

Lane, Todd

2018-05-18

Todd Lane on "RapTOR: Automated sequencing library preparation and suppression for rapid pathogen characterization" at the 2012 Sequencing, Finishing, Analysis in the Future Meeting held June 5-7, 2012 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Hidden Worries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reclaiming Children and Youth, 2013

2013-01-01

Sometimes children are stressed about seemingly small events that escalate into problem behavior. In this article, an insightful teacher discusses restoration of emotional balance by mobilizing positive support from both school and family using A Response Ability Pathways (RAP) intervention. The RAP techniques and how they can be used are…
Effect of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement on Binder Properties Using the Superpave System

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-09-01

While the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in asphalt mixes is common practice within many state departments of transportation, the evolution of the Superpave system has prompted a need for specific Superpave guidelines for the use of RAP. In ...
RapTOR: Automated Sequencing Library Preparation and Suppression for Rapid Pathogen Characterization (7th Annual SFAF Meeting, 2012)

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

Lane, Todd

2012-06-01

Todd Lane on "RapTOR: Automated sequencing library preparation and suppression for rapid pathogen characterization" at the 2012 Sequencing, Finishing, Analysis in the Future Meeting held June 5-7, 2012 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Perform an investigation of the effects of increased reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) levels in dense graded friction courses.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-04-01

In this study, a total of 28 mixture combinations were designed and evaluated to : determine the maximum allowable amount of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) : material in friction courses without jeopardizing pavement cracking performance. The : exp...
Balanced RAP/RAS mix design and performance evaluation system for project-specific service conditions.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-01

The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) can significantly reduce the increasing cost of hot-mix asphalt paving, conserve energy, and protect the environment. However, the premature cracking problem has been a s...
A comparison of the effects of hard rock and easy listening on the frequency of observed inappropriate behaviors: control of environmental antecedents in a large public area.

PubMed

Harris, C S; Bradley, R J; Titus, S K

1992-01-01

Observation of clients at a state mental health hospital by direct care staff indicated that they appeared to act in more inappropriate ways when "hard rock" or "rap" music was played in an open courtyard than when "easy listening" or "country" music was played. A study was conducted to compare the inappropriate behavior of clients when hard rock and rap music were played (21 days), followed by easy listening and country and western music (21 days). This comparison was followed by a reversal phase in which hard rock and rap music were again played (18 days). The behaviors of the clients were observed and recorded via a controlled methodology. The results demonstrated that more inappropriate behavior was observed under conditions in which hard rock and rap music were played than when easy listening and country western music were played. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Representative Agricultural Pathways: A Trans-Disciplinary Approach to Agricultural Model Inter-comparison, Improvement, Climate Impact Assessment and Stakeholder Engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antle, J. M.; Valdivia, R. O.; Claessens, L.; Nelson, G. C.; Rosenzweig, C.; Ruane, A. C.; Vervoort, J.

2013-12-01

The global change research community has recognized that new pathway and scenario concepts are needed to implement impact and vulnerability assessment that is logically consistent across local, regional and global scales. For impact and vulnerability assessment, new socio-economic pathway and scenario concepts are being developed. Representative Agricultural Pathways (RAPs) are designed to extend global pathways to provide the detail needed for global and regional assessment of agricultural systems. In addition, research by the Agricultural Model Inter-comparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) shows that RAPs provide a powerful way to engage stakeholders in climate-related research throughout the research process and in communication of research results. RAPs are based on the integrated assessment framework developed by AgMIP. This framework shows that both bio-physical and socio-economic drivers are essential components of agricultural pathways and logically precede the definition of adaptation and mitigation scenarios that embody associated capabilities and challenges. This approach is based on a trans-disciplinary process for designing pathways and then translating them into parameter sets for bio-physical and economic models that are components of agricultural integrated assessments of climate impact, adaptation and mitigation. RAPs must be designed to be part of a logically consistent set of drivers and outcomes from global to regional and local. Global RAPs are designed to be consistent with higher-level global socio-economic pathways, but add key agricultural drivers such as agricultural growth trends that are not specified in more general pathways, as illustrated in a recent inter-comparison of global agricultural models. To create pathways at regional or local scales, further detail is needed. At this level, teams of scientists and other experts with knowledge of the agricultural systems and regions work together through a step-wise process. Experiences from AgMIP Regional Teams, and from the project on Regional Approaches to Climate Change in the Pacific Northwest, are used to discuss how the RAPs procedures can be further developed and improved, and how RAPs can help engage stakeholders in climate-related research throughout the research process and in communication of research results.
Database and Related Activities in Japan

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

Murakami, Izumi; Kato, Daiji; Kato, Masatoshi

2011-05-11

We have constructed and made available atomic and molecular (AM) numerical databases on collision processes such as electron-impact excitation and ionization, recombination and charge transfer of atoms and molecules relevant for plasma physics, fusion research, astrophysics, applied-science plasma, and other related areas. The retrievable data is freely accessible via the internet. We also work on atomic data evaluation and constructing collisional-radiative models for spectroscopic plasma diagnostics. Recently we have worked on Fe ions and W ions theoretically and experimentally. The atomic data and collisional-radiative models for these ions are examined and applied to laboratory plasmas. A visible M1 transition ofmore » W{sup 26+} ion is identified at 389.41 nm by EBIT experiments and theoretical calculations. We have small non-retrievable databases in addition to our main database. Recently we evaluated photo-absorption cross sections for 9 atoms and 23 molecules and we present them as a new database. We established a new association ''Forum of Atomic and Molecular Data and Their Applications'' to exchange information among AM data producers, data providers and data users in Japan and we hope this will help to encourage AM data activities in Japan.« less
Database and Related Activities in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murakami, Izumi; Kato, Daiji; Kato, Masatoshi; Sakaue, Hiroyuki A.; Kato, Takako; Ding, Xiaobin; Morita, Shigeru; Kitajima, Masashi; Koike, Fumihiro; Nakamura, Nobuyuki; Sakamoto, Naoki; Sasaki, Akira; Skobelev, Igor; Tsuchida, Hidetsugu; Ulantsev, Artemiy; Watanabe, Tetsuya; Yamamoto, Norimasa

2011-05-01

We have constructed and made available atomic and molecular (AM) numerical databases on collision processes such as electron-impact excitation and ionization, recombination and charge transfer of atoms and molecules relevant for plasma physics, fusion research, astrophysics, applied-science plasma, and other related areas. The retrievable data is freely accessible via the internet. We also work on atomic data evaluation and constructing collisional-radiative models for spectroscopic plasma diagnostics. Recently we have worked on Fe ions and W ions theoretically and experimentally. The atomic data and collisional-radiative models for these ions are examined and applied to laboratory plasmas. A visible M1 transition of W26+ ion is identified at 389.41 nm by EBIT experiments and theoretical calculations. We have small non-retrievable databases in addition to our main database. Recently we evaluated photo-absorption cross sections for 9 atoms and 23 molecules and we present them as a new database. We established a new association "Forum of Atomic and Molecular Data and Their Applications" to exchange information among AM data producers, data providers and data users in Japan and we hope this will help to encourage AM data activities in Japan.
The Challenges of Plasma Modeling: Current Status and Future Plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, A. R.; Smith, R. K.; Brickhouse, N. S.; Kallman, T. R.; Witthoeft, M. C.

2010-12-01

Successfully modeling X-ray emission from astrophysical plasmas requires a wide range of atomic data to be rapidly accessible by modeling codes, enabling calculation of synthetic spectra for fitting with observations. Over many years the astrophysical databases have roughly kept pace with the advances in detector and spectrometer technology. We outline here the basic atomic processes contributing to the emission from different types of plasmas and briefly touch on the difference between the methods used to calculate this data. We then discuss in more detail the different issues addressed by atomic databases in regards to what data to store and how to make it accessible. Finally, the question of the effect of uncertainties in atomic data is explored, as a reminder to observers that atomic data is not known to infinite precision, and should not be treated as such.
Accelerated procedure to solve kinetic equation for neutral atoms in a hot plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokar, Mikhail Z.

2017-12-01

The recombination of plasma charged components, electrons and ions of hydrogen isotopes, on the wall of a fusion reactor is a source of neutral molecules and atoms, recycling back into the plasma volume. Here neutral species participate, in particular, in charge-exchange (c-x) collisions with the plasma ions and, as a result, atoms of high energies with chaotically directed velocities are generated. Some fraction of these hot atoms hit the wall. Statistical Monte Carlo methods normally used to model c-x atoms are too time consuming for reasonably small level of accident errors and extensive parameter studies are problematic. By applying pass method to evaluate integrals from functions, including the ion velocity distribution, an iteration approach to solve one-dimensional kinetic equation [1], being alternative to Monte Carlo procedure, has been tremendously accelerated, at least by a factor of 30-50 [2]. Here this approach is developed further to solve the 2-D kinetic equation, applied to model the transport of c-x atoms in the vicinity of an opening in the wall, e.g., the entrance of the duct guiding to a diagnostic installation. This is necessary to determine firmly the energy spectrum of c-x atoms penetrating into the duct and to assess the erosion of the installation there. The results of kinetic modeling are compared with those obtained with the diffusion description for c-x atoms, being strictly relevant under plasma conditions of low temperature and high density, where the mean free path length between c-x collisions is much smaller than that till the atom ionization by electrons. It is demonstrated that the previous calculations [3], done with the diffusion approximation for c-x atoms, overestimate the erosion rate of Mo mirrors in a reactor by a factor of 3 compared to the result of the present kinetic study.
Rhythmic artifact of physiotherapy in intensive care unit EEG recordings.

PubMed

Young, Bryan; Raihan, Syed; Ladak, H; Kelly, Martin

2007-06-01

Intensive care unit EEG recordings are often contaminated by artifacts that are unseen elsewhere and are usually not documented. One is the rhythmic artifact of physiotherapy (RAP), which can follow the frequency of chest percussion or vibration with either fundamental or harmonic sinusoidal wave forms, affecting single or multiple channels. The occipital electrodes are the most commonly affected, but others can be involved separately or in combination. RAP can easily be mistaken for cerebrally originating rhythms, including seizures. RAP is most easily detected by examining the ECG channel, which usually captures the artifact, but video EEG provides another means, at least for chest percussion.
Photometric redshift estimation based on data mining with PhotoRApToR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavuoti, S.; Brescia, M.; De Stefano, V.; Longo, G.

2015-03-01

Photometric redshifts (photo-z) are crucial to the scientific exploitation of modern panchromatic digital surveys. In this paper we present PhotoRApToR (Photometric Research Application To Redshift): a Java/C ++ based desktop application capable to solve non-linear regression and multi-variate classification problems, in particular specialized for photo-z estimation. It embeds a machine learning algorithm, namely a multi-layer neural network trained by the Quasi Newton learning rule, and special tools dedicated to pre- and post-processing data. PhotoRApToR has been successfully tested on several scientific cases. The application is available for free download from the DAME Program web site.
Information-theoretic measures of hydrogen-like ions in weakly coupled Debye plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zan, Li Rong; Jiao, Li Guang; Ma, Jia; Ho, Yew Kam

2017-12-01

Recent development of information theory provides researchers an alternative and useful tool to quantitatively investigate the variation of the electronic structure when atoms interact with the external environment. In this work, we make systematic studies on the information-theoretic measures for hydrogen-like ions immersed in weakly coupled plasmas modeled by Debye-Hückel potential. Shannon entropy, Fisher information, and Fisher-Shannon complexity in both position and momentum spaces are quantified in high accuracy for the hydrogen atom in a large number of stationary states. The plasma screening effect on embedded atoms can significantly affect the electronic density distributions, in both conjugate spaces, and it is quantified by the variation of information quantities. It is shown that the composite quantities (the Shannon entropy sum and the Fisher information product in combined spaces and Fisher-Shannon complexity in individual space) give a more comprehensive description of the atomic structure information than single ones. The nodes of wave functions play a significant role in the changes of composite information quantities caused by plasmas. With the continuously increasing screening strength, all composite quantities in circular states increase monotonously, while in higher-lying excited states where nodal structures exist, they first decrease to a minimum and then increase rapidly before the bound state approaches the continuum limit. The minimum represents the most reduction of uncertainty properties of the atom in plasmas. The lower bounds for the uncertainty product of the system based on composite information quantities are discussed. Our research presents a comprehensive survey in the investigation of information-theoretic measures for simple atoms embedded in Debye model plasmas.
Rap and Technology Teach the Art of Argument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fink, Rosalie

2017-01-01

How can teachers integrate rap and technology strategies to teach students with learning disabilities the art of persuasive argument writing? This teacher research study presents creative new approaches for teaching argument writing. Strategies used in the study helped college freshmen with learning disabilities (LD) succeed in developing…
Laboratory evaluation of asphalt concrete mixtures containing high contents of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and binder.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-11-01

This study investigated the effect of added asphalt : binder content on the performance and volumetric p : roperties of : asphalt concrete mixtures containing reclaimed asph : alt pavement (RAP) in the amounts of 0%, 20%, and 4 : 0%. A laboratory- : ...
37 CFR 202.16 - Preregistration of copyrights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... comedy, soft rock, heavy metal, gospel, rap, hip-hop, blues, jazz), the titles of the musical... lyrics, if any, the genre of the work (for example, classical, pop, musical comedy, soft rock, heavy metal, gospel, rap, hip-hop, blues, jazz), the performer, principal recording location, record label...
37 CFR 202.16 - Preregistration of copyrights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... comedy, soft rock, heavy metal, gospel, rap, hip-hop, blues, jazz), the titles of the musical... lyrics, if any, the genre of the work (for example, classical, pop, musical comedy, soft rock, heavy metal, gospel, rap, hip-hop, blues, jazz), the performer, principal recording location, record label...
37 CFR 202.16 - Preregistration of copyrights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... comedy, soft rock, heavy metal, gospel, rap, hip-hop, blues, jazz), the titles of the musical... lyrics, if any, the genre of the work (for example, classical, pop, musical comedy, soft rock, heavy metal, gospel, rap, hip-hop, blues, jazz), the performer, principal recording location, record label...
Evaluation of field-produced hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures with fractionated recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) : 2007 Illinois tollway field mix trials.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-10-01

To test the fractionated recycled asphalt pavement (FRAP) materials, the Illinois Tollway, working through its : contractors and consultants, developed and conducted a project on the applicability and feasibility of using : increased RAP contents thr...

Feasibility of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) use as road base and subbase material.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current state of the practice with regard to the use of reclaimed asphalt : pavement (RAP) material for road base and subbase applications and the potential for such use by the Virginia Department of :...
Creative Technology and Rap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ch'ien, Evelyn

2011-01-01

This paper describes how a linguistic form, rap, can evolve in tandem with technological advances and manifest human-machine creativity. Rather than assuming that the interplay between machines and technology makes humans robotic or machine-like, the paper explores how the pressure of executing artistic visions using technology can drive…
The non-receptor tyrosine kinase Lyn controls neutrophil adhesion by recruiting the CrkL–C3G complex and activating Rap1 at the leading edge

PubMed Central

He, Yuan; Kapoor, Ashish; Cook, Sara; Liu, Shubai; Xiang, Yang; Rao, Christopher V.; Kenis, Paul J. A.; Wang, Fei

2011-01-01

Establishing new adhesions at the extended leading edges of motile cells is essential for stable polarity and persistent motility. Despite recent identification of signaling pathways that mediate polarity and chemotaxis in neutrophils, little is known about molecular mechanisms governing cell–extracellular-matrix (ECM) adhesion in these highly polarized and rapidly migrating cells. Here, we describe a signaling pathway in neutrophils that is essential for localized integrin activation, leading edge attachment and persistent migration during chemotaxis. This pathway depends upon Gi-protein-mediated activation and leading edge recruitment of Lyn, a non-receptor tyrosine kinase belonging to the Src kinase family. We identified the small GTPase Rap1 as a major downstream effector of Lyn to regulate neutrophil adhesion during chemotaxis. Depletion of Lyn in neutrophil-like HL-60 cells prevented chemoattractant-induced Rap1 activation at the leading edge of the cell, whereas ectopic expression of Rap1 largely rescued the defects induced by Lyn depletion. Furthermore, Lyn controls spatial activation of Rap1 by recruiting the CrkL–C3G protein complex to the leading edge. Together, these results provide novel mechanistic insights into the poorly understood signaling network that controls leading edge adhesion during chemotaxis of neutrophils, and possibly other amoeboid cells. PMID:21628423
Self-assembled amphiphilic zein-lactoferrin micelles for tumor targeted co-delivery of rapamycin and wogonin to breast cancer.

PubMed

Sabra, Sally A; Elzoghby, Ahmed O; Sheweita, Salah A; Haroun, Medhat; Helmy, Maged W; Eldemellawy, Maha A; Xia, Ying; Goodale, David; Allan, Alison L; Rohani, Sohrab

2018-07-01

Protein-based micelles have shown significant potential for tumor-targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs. In this light, self-assembled nanocarriers based on GRAS (Generally recognized as safe) amphiphilic protein co-polymers were synthesized via carbodiimide coupling reaction. The new nano-platform is composed of the following key components: (i) hydrophobic zein core to encapsulate the hydrophobic drugs rapamycin (RAP) and wogonin (WOG) with high encapsulation efficiency, (ii) hydrophilic lactoferrin (Lf) corona to enhance the tumor targeting, and prolong systemic circulation of the nanocarriers, and (iii) glutaraldehyde (GLA)-crosslinking to reduce the particle size and improve micellar stability. Zein-Lf micelles showed relatively rapid release of WOG followed by slower diffusion of RAP from zein core. This sequential release may aid in efflux pump inhibition by WOG thus sensitizing tumor cells to RAP action. Interestingly, these micelles showed good hemocompatibility as well as enhanced serum stability owing to the brush-like architecture of Lf shell. Moreover, this combined nano-delivery system maximized synergistic cytotoxicity of RAP and WOG in terms of tumor inhibition in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and Ehrlich ascites tumor animal model as a result of enhanced active targeting. Collectively, GLA-crosslinked zein-Lf micelles hold great promise for combined RAP/WOG delivery to breast cancer with reduced drug dose, minimized side effects and maximized anti-tumor efficacy. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Rapamycin nanoparticles localize in diseased lung vasculature and prevent pulmonary arterial hypertension.

PubMed

Segura-Ibarra, Victor; Amione-Guerra, Javier; Cruz-Solbes, Ana S; Cara, Francisca E; Iruegas-Nunez, David A; Wu, Suhong; Youker, Keith A; Bhimaraj, Arvind; Torre-Amione, Guillermo; Ferrari, Mauro; Karmouty-Quintana, Harry; Guha, Ashrith; Blanco, Elvin

2017-05-30

Vascular remodeling resulting from pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) leads to endothelial fenestrations. This feature can be exploited by nanoparticles (NP), allowing them to extravasate from circulation and accumulate in remodeled pulmonary vessels. Hyperactivation of the mTOR pathway in PAH drives pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation. We hypothesized that rapamycin (RAP)-loaded NPs, an mTOR inhibitor, would accumulate in diseased lungs, selectively targeting vascular mTOR and preventing PAH progression. RAP poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEG-PCL) NPs were fabricated. NP accumulation and efficacy were examined in a rat monocrotaline model of PAH. Following intravenous (IV) administration, NP accumulation in diseased lungs was verified via LC/MS analysis and confocal imaging. Pulmonary arteriole thickness, right ventricular systolic pressures, and ventricular remodeling were determined to assess the therapeutic potential of RAP NPs. Monocrotaline-exposed rats showed increased NP accumulation within lungs compared to healthy controls, with NPs present to a high extent within pulmonary perivascular regions. RAP, in both free and NP form, attenuated PAH development, with histological analysis revealing minimal changes in pulmonary arteriole thickness and no ventricular remodeling. Importantly, NP-treated rats showed reduced systemic side effects compared to free RAP. This study demonstrates the potential for nanoparticles to significantly impact PAH through site-specific delivery of therapeutics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Performance of subjects with and without severe mental illness on a clinical test of problem solving.

PubMed

Marshall, R C; McGurk, S R; Karow, C M; Kairy, T J; Flashman, L A

2006-06-01

Severe mental illness is associated with impairments in executive functions, such as conceptual reasoning, planning, and strategic thinking all of which impact problem solving. The present study examined the utility of a novel assessment tool for problem solving, the Rapid Assessment of Problem Solving Test (RAPS) in persons with severe mental illness. Subjects were 47 outpatients with severe mental illness and an equal number healthy controls matched for age and gender. Results confirmed all hypotheses with respect to how subjects with severe mental illness would perform on the RAPS. Specifically, the severely mentally ill subjects (1) solved fewer problems on the RAPS, (2) when they did solve problems on the test, they did so far less efficiently than their healthy counterparts, and (3) the two groups differed markedly in the types of questions asked on the RAPS. The healthy control subjects tended to take a systematic, organized, but not always optimal approach to solving problems on the RAPS. The subjects with severe mental illness used some of the problem solving strategies of the healthy controls, but their performance was less consistent and tended to deteriorate when the complexity of the problem solving task increased. This was reflected by a high degree of guessing in lieu of asking constraint questions, particularly if a category-limited question was insufficient to continue the problem solving effort.
Reading acceleration training changes brain circuitry in children with reading difficulties

PubMed Central

Horowitz-Kraus, Tzipi; Vannest, Jennifer J; Kadis, Darren; Cicchino, Nicole; Wang, Yingying Y; Holland, Scott K

2014-01-01

Introduction Dyslexia is characterized by slow, inaccurate reading. Previous studies have shown that the Reading Acceleration Program (RAP) improves reading speed and accuracy in children and adults with dyslexia and in typical readers across different orthographies. However, the effect of the RAP on the neural circuitry of reading has not been established. In the current study, we examined the effect of the RAP training on regions of interest in the neural circuitry for reading using a lexical decision task during fMRI in children with reading difficulties and typical readers. Methods Children (8–12 years old) with reading difficulties and typical readers were studied before and after 4 weeks of training with the RAP in both groups. Results In addition to improvements in oral and silent contextual reading speed, training-related gains were associated with increased activation of the left hemisphere in both children with reading difficulties and typical readers. However, only children with reading difficulties showed improvements in reading comprehension, which were associated with significant increases in right frontal lobe activation. Conclusions Our results demonstrate differential effects of the RAP on neural circuits supporting reading in both children with reading difficulties and typical readers and suggest that the intervention may stimulate use of typical neural circuits for reading and engage compensatory pathways to support reading in the developing brain of children with reading difficulties. PMID:25365797
Quantitative assessment of RNA-protein interactions with high-throughput sequencing-RNA affinity profiling.

PubMed

Ozer, Abdullah; Tome, Jacob M; Friedman, Robin C; Gheba, Dan; Schroth, Gary P; Lis, John T

2015-08-01

Because RNA-protein interactions have a central role in a wide array of biological processes, methods that enable a quantitative assessment of these interactions in a high-throughput manner are in great demand. Recently, we developed the high-throughput sequencing-RNA affinity profiling (HiTS-RAP) assay that couples sequencing on an Illumina GAIIx genome analyzer with the quantitative assessment of protein-RNA interactions. This assay is able to analyze interactions between one or possibly several proteins with millions of different RNAs in a single experiment. We have successfully used HiTS-RAP to analyze interactions of the EGFP and negative elongation factor subunit E (NELF-E) proteins with their corresponding canonical and mutant RNA aptamers. Here we provide a detailed protocol for HiTS-RAP that can be completed in about a month (8 d hands-on time). This includes the preparation and testing of recombinant proteins and DNA templates, clustering DNA templates on a flowcell, HiTS and protein binding with a GAIIx instrument, and finally data analysis. We also highlight aspects of HiTS-RAP that can be further improved and points of comparison between HiTS-RAP and two other recently developed methods, quantitative analysis of RNA on a massively parallel array (RNA-MaP) and RNA Bind-n-Seq (RBNS), for quantitative analysis of RNA-protein interactions.
The autoimmune disease-associated SNP rs917997 of IL18RAP controls IFNγ production by PBMC.

PubMed

Myhr, Courtney B; Hulme, Maigan A; Wasserfall, Clive H; Hong, Peter J; Lakshmi, Priya Saikumar; Schatz, Desmond A; Haller, Michael J; Brusko, Todd M; Atkinson, Mark A

2013-08-01

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by aberrant T cell responses. Innate immune activation defects may facilitate a T helper 1 (Th1) phenotype. The cytokine IL-18 synergizes with IL-12 to induce IFNγ production and Th1 differentiation. The IL-18R subunit (IL18RAP) SNP rs917997 has been linked to decreased IL18RAP gene expression. Prior reports link rs917997 allele A with protection from T1D, and conversely with susceptibility to Celiac disease. However, few studies have investigated the IL-18 pathway in T1D. In this study, we analyzed responsiveness to IL-18 in T1D, and the effect of rs917997 genotype on IL18RAP gene expression post-activation. Upon IL-12 and IL-18 treatment, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from subjects carrying susceptibility alleles at rs917997 produced higher levels of IFNγ than those with protective genotypes. Additionally, the SNP modified IL18RAP surface protein expression by NK cells and gene expression in activated T cells. Taken together, these data suggest that the disease-associated rs917997 allele G permits hyperresponsiveness to IL-18, providing a novel target for therapeutic intervention in T1D. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Open-Source Wax RepRap 3-D Printer for Rapid Prototyping Paper-Based Microfluidics.

PubMed

Pearce, J M; Anzalone, N C; Heldt, C L

2016-08-01

The open-source release of self-replicating rapid prototypers (RepRaps) has created a rich opportunity for low-cost distributed digital fabrication of complex 3-D objects such as scientific equipment. For example, 3-D printable reactionware devices offer the opportunity to combine open hardware microfluidic handling with lab-on-a-chip reactionware to radically reduce costs and increase the number and complexity of microfluidic applications. To further drive down the cost while improving the performance of lab-on-a-chip paper-based microfluidic prototyping, this study reports on the development of a RepRap upgrade capable of converting a Prusa Mendel RepRap into a wax 3-D printer for paper-based microfluidic applications. An open-source hardware approach is used to demonstrate a 3-D printable upgrade for the 3-D printer, which combines a heated syringe pump with the RepRap/Arduino 3-D control. The bill of materials, designs, basic assembly, and use instructions are provided, along with a completely free and open-source software tool chain. The open-source hardware device described here accelerates the potential of the nascent field of electrochemical detection combined with paper-based microfluidics by dropping the marginal cost of prototyping to nearly zero while accelerating the turnover between paper-based microfluidic designs. © 2016 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.
Rasip1 regulates vertebrate vascular endothelial junction stability through Epac1-Rap1 signaling

PubMed Central

Wilson, Christopher W.; Parker, Leon H.; Hall, Christopher J.; Smyczek, Tanya; Mak, Judy; Crow, Ailey; Posthuma, George; De Mazière, Ann; Sagolla, Meredith; Chalouni, Cecile; Vitorino, Philip; Roose-Girma, Merone; Warming, Søren; Klumperman, Judith; Crosier, Philip S.

2013-01-01

Establishment and stabilization of endothelial tubes with patent lumens is vital during vertebrate development. Ras-interacting protein 1 (RASIP1) has been described as an essential regulator of de novo lumenogenesis through modulation of endothelial cell (EC) adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM). Here, we show that in mouse and zebrafish embryos, Rasip1-deficient vessels transition from an angioblast cord to a hollow tube, permit circulation of primitive erythrocytes, but ultimately collapse, leading to hemorrhage and embryonic lethality. Knockdown of RASIP1 does not alter EC-ECM adhesion, but causes cell-cell detachment and increases permeability of EC monolayers in vitro. We also found that endogenous RASIP1 in ECs binds Ras-related protein 1 (RAP1), but not Ras homolog gene family member A or cell division control protein 42 homolog. Using an exchange protein directly activated by cyclic adenosine monophosphate 1 (EPAC1)-RAP1–dependent model of nascent junction formation, we demonstrate that a fraction of the RASIP1 protein pool localizes to cell-cell contacts. Loss of RASIP1 phenocopies loss of RAP1 or EPAC1 in ECs by altering junctional actin organization, localization of the actin-bundling protein nonmuscle myosin heavy chain IIB, and junction remodeling. Our data show that RASIP1 regulates the integrity of newly formed blood vessels as an effector of EPAC1-RAP1 signaling. PMID:23886837
Atomic precision etch using a low-electron temperature plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorf, L.; Wang, J.-C.; Rauf, S.; Zhang, Y.; Agarwal, A.; Kenney, J.; Ramaswamy, K.; Collins, K.

2016-03-01

Sub-nm precision is increasingly being required of many critical plasma etching processes in the semiconductor industry. Accurate control over ion energy and ion/radical composition is needed during plasma processing to meet these stringent requirements. Described in this work is a new plasma etch system which has been designed with the requirements of atomic precision plasma processing in mind. In this system, an electron sheet beam parallel to the substrate surface produces a plasma with an order of magnitude lower electron temperature Te (~ 0.3 eV) and ion energy Ei (< 3 eV without applied bias) compared to conventional radio-frequency (RF) plasma technologies. Electron beam plasmas are characterized by higher ion-to-radical fraction compared to RF plasmas, so a separate radical source is used to provide accurate control over relative ion and radical concentrations. Another important element in this plasma system is low frequency RF bias capability which allows control of ion energy in the 2-50 eV range. Presented in this work are the results of etching of a variety of materials and structures performed in this system. In addition to high selectivity and low controllable etch rate, an important requirement of atomic precision etch processes is no (or minimal) damage to the remaining material surface. It has traditionally not been possible to avoid damage in RF plasma processing systems, even during atomic layer etch. The experiments for Si etch in Cl2 based plasmas in the aforementioned etch system show that damage can be minimized if the ion energy is kept below 10 eV. Layer-by-layer etch of Si is also demonstrated in this etch system using electrical and gas pulsing.
Excitation of atoms and ions in plasmas by ultra-short electromagnetic pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astapenko, V. A.; Sakhno, S. V.; Svita, S. Yu; Lisitsa, V. S.

2017-02-01

The problem of atoms and ions diagnostics in rarefied and dense plasmas by ultrashort laser pulses (USP) is under consideration. The application of USP provides: 1) excitation from ground states due to their carrier frequency high enough, 2) penetration into optically dense media due to short pulses duration. The excitation from ground atomic states increases sharply populations of excited atomic states in contrast with standard laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy based on radiative transitions between excited atomic states. New broadening parameter in radiation absorption, namely inverse pulse duration time 1/τ appears in addition to standard line-shape width in the profile G(ω). The Lyman-beta absorption spectra for USP are calculated for Holtsmark static broadening mechanism. Excitation of highly charged H-like ions in hot plasmas is described by both Gaussian shapes for Doppler broadening and pulse spectrum resulting in analytical absorption line-shape. USP penetration into optically thick media and corresponding excitation probability are calculated. It is shown a great effect of USP duration on excitation probabilities in optically thick media. The typical situations for plasma diagnostics by USP are discussed in details.
Collisional-radiative nonequilibrium in partially ionized atomic nitrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kunc, J. A.; Soon, W. H.

1989-01-01

A nonlinear collisional-radiative model for determination of nonequilibrium production of electrons, excited atoms, and bound-bound, dielectronic and continuum line intensities in stationary partially ionized atomic nitrogen is presented. Populations of 14 atomic levels and line intensities are calculated in plasma with T(e) = 8000-15,000 K and N(t) = 10 to the 12th - 10 to the 18th/cu cm. Transport of radiation is included by coupling the rate equations of production of the electrons and excited atoms with the radiation escape factors, which are not constant but depend on plasma conditions.
Determination of atomic oxygen fluence using spectrophotometric analysis of infrared transparent witness coupons for long duration exposure tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Podojil, Gregg M.; Jaworske, Donald A.

1993-01-01

Atomic oxygen degradation is one of several major threats to the durability of spaceborne systems in low Earth orbit. Ground-based simulations are conducted to learn how to minimize the adverse effects of atomic oxygen exposure. Assessing the fluence of atomic oxygen in test chambers such as a plasma asher over long periods of time is necessary for accurate determination of atomic oxygen exposure. Currently, an atomic oxygen susceptible organic material such as Kapton is placed next to samples as a witness coupon and its mass loss is monitored and used to determine the effective atomic oxygen fluence. However, degradation of the Kapton witness coupons occurs so rapidly in plasma ashers that for any long term test many witness coupons must be used sequentially in order to keep track of the fluence. This necessitates opening vacuum to substitute fresh coupons. A passive dosimetry technique was sought to monitor atomic oxygen exposure over longer periods without the need to open the plasma asher to the atmosphere. This paper investigates the use of spectrophotometric analysis of durable IR transparent witness coupons to measure atomic oxygen exposure for longer duration testing. The method considered would be conductive to making in situ measurements of atomic oxygen fluence.
Neuronal Rap1 regulates energy balance, glucose homeostasis, and leptin actions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Central Nervous System (CNS) contributes to obesity and metabolic disease; however, the underlying neurobiological pathways remain to be fully established. Here, we show that the small GTPase Rap1 is expressed in multiple hypothalamic nuclei that control whole-body metabolism and is activated in...
Hybrid Texts: Fifth Graders, Rap Music, and Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christianakis, Mary

2011-01-01

Consistent with a sociocritical frame and the analytic tools of hybridity theory, this article explicates how urban fifth-grade children made language hybrids using rap and poetry to participate in classroom literacy. Ethnographic data from a yearlong study illustrate two key findings. First, standards-based and canon-driven writing models…
A Health Newsletter To Teach Science Knowledge: BioRAP!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Froman, Robin D.; Owen, Steven V.; Del Rio-Parent, Lourdes

This research describes the evaluation of a science curriculum newsletter called BioRAP which serves as a vehicle to teach current health science content. The research objectives were to estimate the relationships of socioeconomic status, ethnic group, gender, grade, student ability, and classroom use characteristics with student knowledge and…
Characterization of Alaskan hot-mix asphalt containing reclaimed asphalt pavement material : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-06-01

In order to properly characterize Alaskan HMA materials containing RAP, this study evaluated properties of 3 asphalt binders typically : used in Alaska, PG 52-28, PG 52-40, and PG 58-34, and 11 HMA mixtures containing up to 35% RAP that were either p...
Escaping Embarrassment: Face-Work in the Rap Cipher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jooyoung

2009-01-01

How do individuals escape embarrassing moments in interaction? Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork, in-depth interviews, and video recordings of weekly street corner ciphers (impromptu rap sessions), this paper expands Goffman's theory of defensive and protective face-work. The findings reveal formulaic and indirect dimensions of face-work. First,…

Rap and Resistance: A Social Movement of the Wu-Tang Clan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chasteen, Amy L.; Shriver, Thomas

1998-01-01

Examines specific collective identity and political expression of the rap group the Wu-Tang Clan. Reveals a multi-layered political strategy that has been conscientiously designed and implemented to instigate a social movement. Prioritizes the voices of marginalized Black peoples and provides raw narratives about oppression. (MMU)
Creating the Infrastructure for Organizational Change with RAP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Julie; Milstein, Mindy; Robinson, Consuela

2012-01-01

In order to thrive, organizations must undergo significant change at various points in their development. Such is the case with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Emotional Disability Services in the beginning process of implementing Response Ability Pathways (RAP) with staff and students. The impetus for change originated from an…
Rapping in Catalan in Class and the Empowerment of the Learner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aliagas, Cristina; Fernández, Júlia-Alba; Llonch, Pau

2016-01-01

Despite the well-known educational possibilities afforded by "Rhythm And Poetry" (RAP) for the development of musical, lyrical and critical skills [Morrell, E., & Duncan-Andrade, J. M. R. (2002). Promoting Academic Literacy with Urban Youth through Engaging Hip-hop Culture. "The English Journal," 91(6), 88-92. Retrieved…
"My Mom and Her Boyfriend Fuss": A Five-Minute RAP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laursen, Erik K.; Whindleton, Kendra

2012-01-01

Unresolved issues from home often spill over into behavior problems at school. This article discusses the five-minute RAP techniques: (1) connect; (2) clarify; and (3) restore. The authors present a case study wherein this brief restorative intervention had been a successful alternative to punishment and exclusion.
Measurements and kinetic modeling of atomic species in fuel-oxidizer mixtures excited by a repetitive nanosecond pulse discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winters, C.; Eckert, Z.; Yin, Z.; Frederickson, K.; Adamovich, I. V.

2018-01-01

This work presents the results of number density measurements of metastable Ar atoms and ground state H atoms in diluted mixtures of H2 and O2 with Ar, as well as ground state O atoms in diluted H2-O2-Ar, CH4-O2-Ar, C3H8-O2-Ar, and C2H4-O2-Ar mixtures excited by a repetitive nanosecond pulse discharge. The measurements have been made in a nanosecond pulse, double dielectric barrier discharge plasma sustained in a flow reactor between two plane electrodes encapsulated within dielectric material, at an initial temperature of 500 K and pressures ranging from 300 Torr to 700 Torr. Metastable Ar atom number density distribution in the afterglow is measured by tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, and used to characterize plasma uniformity. Temperature rise in the reacting flow is measured by Rayleigh scattering. H atom and O atom number densities are measured by two-photon absorption laser induced fluorescence. The results are compared with kinetic model predictions, showing good agreement, with the exception of extremely lean mixtures. O atoms and H atoms in the plasma are produced mainly during quenching of electronically excited Ar atoms generated by electron impact. In H2-Ar and O2-Ar mixtures, the atoms decay by three-body recombination. In H2-O2-Ar, CH4-O2-Ar, and C3H8-O2-Ar mixtures, O atoms decay in a reaction with OH, generated during H atom reaction with HO2, with the latter produced by three-body H atom recombination with O2. The net process of O atom decay is O + H → OH, such that the decay rate is controlled by the amount of H atoms produced in the discharge. In extra lean mixtures of propane and ethylene with O2-Ar the model underpredicts the O atom decay rate. At these conditions, when fuel is completely oxidized by the end of the discharge burst, the net process of O atom decay, O + O → O2, becomes nearly independent of H atom number density. Lack of agreement with the data at these conditions is likely due to diffusion of H atoms from the partially oxidized regions near the side walls of the reactor into the plasma. Although significant fractions of hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels are oxidized by O atoms produced in the plasma, chain branching remains a minor effect at these relatively low temperature conditions.
Problem-solving by traumatically brain injured and neurologically intact subjects on an adaptation of the twenty questions test.

PubMed

Marshall, Robert C; Karow, Colleen M; Morelli, Claudia A; Iden, Kristin K; Dixon, Judith

2003-07-01

RAPS (Rapid Assessment of Problem-Solving) is a clinical measure for assessing verbal problem-solving in hard-to-test patients or those that may not be able to tolerate a longer, more detailed assessment. The design of the test is based on Mosher and Hornsby's Twenty Question test, but RAPS contains several modifications to facilitate its use with brain-injured individuals. This study used RAPS to compare the verbal problem-solving ability of subjects that were neurologically intact and subjects that had chronic traumatic brain injuries. Twenty-one adults that were neurologically intact (NI) and 21 adults that had incurred a traumatic brain injury (TBI) matched for age, gender and education took part in the study. Before being tested with RAPS, participants signed an IRB-approved consent form and completed a battery of neurocognitive measures. RAPS entailed the solving of three verbal problems. Each problem involved an array of 32 pictures of common objects (e.g. football) arranged in a 4x 8 grid. The subjects were instructed to ask yes/no questions to determine which picture the examiner was 'thinking of '. Three scores were computed for each problem solved: number of questions asked, percentage of constraint-seeking questions, and question-asking efficiency scores for the first four questions. No learning effects across the problems were found for any of the RAPS measures. Scores were averaged across the three problems to determine group effects. Groups of TBI and NI subjects did not differ significantly in the number of questions asked in solving RAPS problems. Members of the NI group asked significantly more constraint-seeking questions (e.g. Is it an animal?) than those in the TBI group, and the subjects that had incurred brain injuries did more guessing than the NI group. Over 70% of the time, guessing took place after the semantic category containing the target picture was known to the subject. Guesses took the form of pseudo-constraint questions (e.g. Is it the animal with a long neck?) rather than frank guesses (e.g. Is it the giraffe?). These trends were seen for both groups. Question-asking efficiency scores, computed for the first four questions of each problem, reflected the amount of information gained by the subjects' questions. It was anticipated that subjects' questioning strategies would target larger rather than smaller number of pictures and systematically reduce the number of total pictures under consideration. Question-asking efficiency scores were significantly higher for the group of NI subjects. Both groups increased question-asking efficiency scores across the first four questions, and there was no significant group x question interaction. Further analysis of the question-asking efficiency scores revealed that questions from the group of NI subjects tended to target multiple categories of pictures and larger single semantic categories of pictures on the 32-item problem-solving board, whereas those from the group of TBI subjects often targeted smaller categories or portions of categories. Two meta-cognitive functions, planning and strategy shifting, appeared to explain most of the differences in the verbal problem-solving performance between the groups. Both groups, however, demonstrated a range of abilities on RAPS. Until a larger normative database for RAPS is available, it behooves clinicians using the test to analyse results on an individual basis, to consider the subject's pre-morbid problem-solving ability and to weigh those factors associated with brain injury that could affect RAPS performance.
Investigation of an alternating current plasma as an element selective atomic emission detector for high-resolution capillary gas chromatography and as a source for atomic absorption and atomic emission spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ombaba, Jackson M.

This thesis deals with the construction and evaluation of an alternating current plasma (ACP) as an element-selective detector for high resolution capillary gas chromatography (GC) and as an excitation source for atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and atomic emission spectrometry (AES). The plasma, constrained in a quartz discharge tube at atmospheric pressure, is generated between two copper electrodes and utilizes helium as the plasma supporting gas. The alternating current plasma power source consists of a step-up transformer with a secondary output voltage of 14,000 V at a current of 23 mA. The device exhibits a stable signal because the plasma is self-seeding and reignites itself every half cycle. A tesla coil is not required to commence generation of the plasma if the ac voltage applied is greater than the breakdown voltage of the plasma-supporting gas. The chromatographic applications studied included the following: (1) the separation and selective detection of the organotin species, tributyltin chloride (TBT) and tetrabutyltin (TEBT), in environmental matrices including mussels (Mvutilus edullus) and sediment from Boston Harbor, industrial waste water and industrial sludge, and (2) the detection of methylcyclopentadienyl manganesetricarbonyl (MMT) and similar compounds used as gasoline additives. An ultrasonic nebulizer (common room humidifier) was utilized as a sample introduction device for aqueous solutions when the ACP was employed as an atomization source for atomic absorption spectrometry and as an excitation source for atomic emission spectrometry. Plasma diagnostic parameters studied include spatial electron number density across the discharge tube, electronic, excitation and ionization temperatures. Interference studies both in absorption and emission modes were also considered. Figures of merits of selected elements both in absorption and emission modes are reported. The evaluation of a computer-aided optimization program, Drylab GC, using spearmint oil and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard mixture as probes is also discussed. The program supplied by LC Resources (Lafayette, CA) is used for separation optimization and prediction of gas chromatographic parameters. Column dead-time and average plate number were used as input data in conjunction with the retention times and peak areas of solutes at two different temperature programming rates. Once input data are entered into an IBM or IBM compatible personal computer, the program produces a 'relative resolution map' (RRM) which guides the analyst in selecting the most favorable temperature programming rate for the separation.
Photon Calorimeter

DOEpatents

Chow, Tze-Show

1989-01-01

A photon calorimeter (20, 40) is provided that comprises a laminar substrate (10, 22, 42) that is uniform in density and homogeneous in atomic composition. A plasma-sprayed coating (28, 48, 52), that is generally uniform in density and homogeneous in atomic composition within the proximity of planes that are parallel to the surfaces of the substrate, is applied to either one or both sides of the laminar substrate. The plasma-sprayed coatings may be very efficiently spectrally tailored in atomic number. Thermocouple measuring junctions (30, 50, 54) are positioned within the plasma-sprayed coatings. The calorimeter is rugged, inexpensive, and equilibrates in temperature very rapidly.
Spectroscopy and atomic physics of highly ionized Cr, Fe, and Ni for tokamak plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feldman, U.; Doschek, G. A.; Cheng, C.-C.; Bhatia, A. K.

1980-01-01

The paper considers the spectroscopy and atomic physics for some highly ionized Cr, Fe, and Ni ions produced in tokamak plasmas. Forbidden and intersystem wavelengths for Cr and Ni ions are extrapolated and interpolated using the known wavelengths for Fe lines identified in solar-flare plasmas. Tables of transition probabilities for the B I, C I, N I, O I, and F I isoelectronic sequences are presented, and collision strengths and transition probabilities for Cr, Fe, and Ni ions of the Be I sequence are given. Similarities of tokamak and solar spectra are discussed, and it is shown how the atomic data presented may be used to determine ion abundances and electron densities in low-density plasmas.
Electron impact ionization in plasma technologies; studies on atomic boron and BN molecule

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

Joshi, Foram M., E-mail: foram29@gmail.com; Joshipura, K. N., E-mail: knjoshipura22@gmail.com; Chaudhari, Asha S., E-mail: ashaschaudhari@gmail.com

2016-05-06

Electron impact ionization plays important role in plasma technologies. Relevant cross sections on atomic boron are required to understand the erosion processes in fusion experiments. Boronization of plasma exposed surfaces of tokomaks has proved to be an effective way to produce very pure fusion plasmas. This paper reports comprehensive theoretical investigations on electron scattering with atomic Boron and Boron Nitride in solid phases. Presently we determine total ionization cross-section Q{sub ion} and the summed-electronic excitation cross section ΣQ{sub exc} in a standard quantum mechanical formalism called SCOP and CSP-ic methods. Our calculated cross sections are examined as functions of incidentmore » electron energy along with available comparisons.« less
A spectral study of a radio-frequency plasma-generated flux of atomic oxygen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Batten, Carmen E.; Brown, Kenneth G.; Lewis, Beverley W.

1994-01-01

The active environment of a radio-frequency (RF) plasma generator, with and without low-pressure oxygen, has been characterized through the identification of emission lines in the spectral region from 250 to 900 nm. The environment is shown to be dependent on the partial pressure of oxygen and the power applied to the RF generator. Atomic oxygen has been found in significant amounts as well as atomic hydrogen and the molecular oxygen species O2((sup 1)Sigma). The only charged species observed was the singly charged molecular ion O2(+). With a polymer specimen in the plasma chamber, carbon monoxide was also observed. The significance of these observations with respect to previous studies using this type of generator to stimulate material degradation in space is discussed. The possibility of using these generators as atomic oxygen sources in the development of oxygen atom fluorescence sensors is explored.
Importance of atomic oxygen in preheating zone in plasma-assisted combustion of a steady-state premixed burner flame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaima, K.; Akashi, H.; Sasaki, K.

2015-09-01

It is widely believed that electron impact processes play essential roles in plasma-assisted combustion. However, the concrete roles of high-energy electrons have not been fully understood yet. In this work, we examined the density of atomic oxygen in a premixed burner flame with the superposition of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). The density of atomic oxygen in the reaction zone was not affected by the superposition of DBD, indicating that the amount of atomic oxygen produced by combustion reactions was much larger than that produced by electron impact processes. On the other hand, in the preheating zone, we observed high-frequency oscillation of the density of atomic oxygen at the timings of the pulsed current of DBD. The oscillation suggests the rapid consumption of additional atomic oxygen by combustion reactions. A numerical simulation using Chemkin indicates the shortened ignition delay time when adding additional atomic oxygen in the period of low-temperature oxidation. The present results reveals the importance of atomic oxygen, which is produced by the effect of high-energy electrons, in the preheating zone in plasma-assisted combustion of the steady-state premixed burner flame.
Atomic Oxygen Textured Polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, Bruce A.; Rutledge, Sharon K.; Hunt, Jason D.; Drobotij, Erin; Cales, Michael R.; Cantrell, Gidget

1995-01-01

Atomic oxygen can be used to microscopically alter the surface morphology of polymeric materials in space or in ground laboratory facilities. For polymeric materials whose sole oxidation products are volatile species, directed atomic oxygen reactions produce surfaces of microscopic cones. However, isotropic atomic oxygen exposure results in polymer surfaces covered with lower aspect ratio sharp-edged craters. Isotropic atomic oxygen plasma exposure of polymers typically causes a significant decrease in water contact angle as well as altered coefficient of static friction. Such surface alterations may be of benefit for industrial and biomedical applications. The results of atomic oxygen plasma exposure of thirty-three (33) different polymers are presented, including typical morphology changes, effects on water contact angle, and coefficient of static friction.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dutta, S.; Saha, J. K.; Chandra, R.

The Rayleigh-Ritz variational technique with a Hylleraas basis set is being tested for the first time to estimate the structural modifications of a lithium atom embedded in a weakly coupled plasma environment. The Debye-Huckel potential is used to mimic the weakly coupled plasma environment. The wave functions for both the helium-like lithium ion and the lithium atom are expanded in the explicitly correlated Hylleraas type basis set which fully takes care of the electron-electron correlation effect. Due to the continuum lowering under plasma environment, the ionization potential of the system gradually decreases leading to the destabilization of the atom. Themore » excited states destabilize at a lower value of the plasma density. The estimated ionization potential agrees fairly well with the few available theoretical estimates. The variation of one and two particle moments, dielectric susceptibility and magnetic shielding constant, with respect to plasma density is also been discussed in detail.« less
ZnO synthesis by high vacuum plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition using dimethylzinc and atomic oxygen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, Teresa M.; Hand, Steve; Leaf, Jackie; Wolden, Colin A.

2004-09-01

Zinc oxide thin films were produced by high vacuum plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition (HVP-CVD) from dimethylzinc (DMZn) and atomic oxygen. HVP-CVD is differentiated from conventional remote plasma-enhanced CVD in that the operating pressures of the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source and the deposition chamber are decoupled. Both DMZn and atomic oxygen effuse into the deposition chamber under near collisionless conditions. The deposition rate was measured as a function of DMZn and atomic oxygen flux on glass and silicon substrates. Optical emission spectroscopy and quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS) were used to provide real time analysis of the ICP source and the deposition chamber. The deposition rate was found to be first order in DMZn pressure and zero order in atomic oxygen density. All films demonstrated excellent transparency and were preferentially orientated along the c-axis. The deposition chemistry occurs exclusively through surface-mediated reactions, since the collisionless transport environment eliminates gas-phase chemistry. QMS analysis revealed that DMZn was almost completely consumed, and desorption of unreacted methyl radicals was greatly accelerated in the presence of atomic oxygen. Negligible zinc was detected in the gas phase, suggesting that Zn was efficiently consumed on the substrate and walls of the reactor.
Low Earth orbit atomic oxygen simulation for durability evaluation of solar reflector surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Degroh, Kim K.; Banks, Bruce A.

1992-01-01

To evaluate the performance and durability of solar reflector surfaces in the atomic oxygen environment typical of low Earth orbit (LEO), one must expose the reflector surface either directly to LEO or to ground-laboratory atomic oxygen environments. Although actual LEO exposures are most desired, such opportunities are typically scarce, expensive, and of limited duration. As a result, ground-laboratory exposures must be relied upon as the most practical long-term durability evaluation technique. Plasma ashers are widely used as LEO simulation facilities by producing atomic oxygen environments for durability evaluation of potential spacecraft materials. Atomic oxygen arrival differs between ground and space exposure in that plasma asher exposure produces isotropic arrival and space solar tracking produces sweeping arrival. Differences in initial impact reaction probability occur, dependent upon the energy and species existing in these environments. Due to the variations in ground-laboratory and space atomic oxygen, quantification of in-space performance based on plasma asher testing is not straightforward. The various atomic oxygen interactions that can occur with reflector surfaces, such as undercutting in organic substrates at protective coating defect sites, ground-laboratory techniques recommended for evaluating the atomic oxygen durability of reflectors based on asher exposures, and computational techniques which make use of ground-laboratory atomic oxygen exposure to predict in-space LEO durability are addressed.
Field performance of RAS test sections and laboratory investigation of impact of rejuvenators on engineering properties of RAP/RAS mixes.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-04-01

In the last several years, recycled asphalt shingles (RAS), in addition to reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), : have been widely used in Texas. The use of RAS can significantly reduce the cost of asphalt mixtures, conserve : energy, and protect the en...
Reinforcing Alcohol Prevention (RAP) Program: A Secondary School Curriculum to Combat Underage Drinking and Impaired Driving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Will, Kelli England; Sabo, Cynthia Shier

2010-01-01

The Reinforcing Alcohol Prevention (RAP) Program is an alcohol prevention curriculum developed in partnership with secondary schools to serve their need for a brief, evidence-based, and straightforward program that aligned with state learning objectives. Program components included an educational lesson, video, and interactive activities delivered…
The RAP: A Recreational Activities Project, Academic Service-Learning Course and Qualitative Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Kathlyn

2008-01-01

The author (a university instructor) and her community partner (a public school teacher) have collaborated in teaching an academic service-learning course in special education. This collaboration, the RAP (recreational activities project), was completed by university undergraduate students and young adults with cognitive impairment and/or…
Social Context and Musical Content of Rap Music, 1979-1995

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lena, Jennifer C.

2006-01-01

There is a link between the context of production and the content of rap music singles. This research finds that when independent labels owned most of the charted singles, lyrics emphasized features of the local environment and hostility to corporate music production and values. In contrast, the major-label dominated market featured lyrics…

An Impact Evaluation of the Resource Access Projects, 1981-1982.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Empson, Judith V.; And Others

In 1976, the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) designed the Resource Access Project (RAP) to strengthen services that Head Start programs provide to handicapped preschool children. Today, 15 RAPs are sponsored by public and private agencies and universities throughout the country. The ACYF-funded network of projects links…
The Relationship between Heavy Metal and Rap Music and Adolescent Turmoil: Real or Artifact?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Took, Kevin J.; Weiss, David S.

1994-01-01

Investigated association between 87 adolescents' music preferences and psychosocial turmoil. Adolescents who preferred heavy metal and rap music had higher incidence of below-average school grades, school behavior problems, sexual activity, drug and alcohol use, and arrests. When gender was controlled, only below-average school grades and history…
Illuminating Chaucer through Poetry, Manuscript Illuminations, and a Critical Rap Album

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Tom Liam

2007-01-01

Drawing connections between Chaucer, Eminem, and social issues, New York City high school teacher Tom Liam Lynch helped students become familiar with "The Canterbury Tales." Students wrote poems of rhymed couplets about today's social and political issues, created illuminated manuscripts, and recorded a rap CD. A book and album were…
The Rap on Hip-Hop

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piekarski, Bill

2004-01-01

From its humble origins some 30 years ago in New York's bombed-out, poverty-ravaged South Bronx, hip-hop has risen to become a dominant cultural force both here and abroad. Strictly defined, the term refers to the entire cultural constellation that accompanies rap music, which in 2001 surpassed country music as the most popular musical genre in…
Effects of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) Contents and Sources on Dynamic Modulus (|E*|) and Fatigue Performance of Asphalt Mixtures in Georgia

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-09-01

This report presents the effect of RAP contents and sources on the dynamic modulus and the performance of Georgia asphalt concrete mixtures. Asphalt concrete mixtures were prepared based on two Job Mix Formulas from North and South with 12.5mm nomina...
EVALUATION OF THE REAL-TIME AIR-QUALITY MODEL USING THE RAPS (REGIONAL AIR POLLUTION STUDY) DATA BASE. VOLUME 1. OVERVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

The theory and programming of statistical tests for evaluating the Real-Time Air-Quality Model (RAM) using the Regional Air Pollution Study (RAPS) data base are fully documented in four report volumes. Moreover, the tests are generally applicable to other model evaluation problem...
GCR1, a transcriptional activator in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, complexes with RAP1 and can function without its DNA binding domain.

PubMed Central

Tornow, J; Zeng, X; Gao, W; Santangelo, G M

1993-01-01

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, efficient expression of glycolytic and translational component genes requires two DNA binding proteins, RAP1 (which binds to UASRPG) and GCR1 (which binds to the CT box). We generated deletions in GCR1 to test the validity of several different models for GCR1 function. We report here that the C-terminal half of GCR1, which includes the domain required for DNA binding to the CT box in vitro, can be removed without affecting GCR1-dependent transcription of either the glycolytic gene ADH1 or the translational component genes TEF1 and TEF2. We have also identified an activation domain within a segment of the GCR1 protein (the N-terminal third) that is essential for in vivo function. RAP1 and GCR1 can be co-immunoprecipitated from whole cell extracts, suggesting that they form a complex in vivo. The data are most consistent with a model in which GCR1 is attracted to DNA through contact with RAP1. Images PMID:8508768
Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis: International State-of-the-Science Conference With Recommendations.

PubMed

Guda, Nalini M; Muddana, Venkata; Whitcomb, David C; Levy, Philippe; Garg, Pramod; Cote, Gregory; Uc, Aliye; Varadarajulu, Shyam; Vege, Santhi S; Chari, Suresh T; Forsmark, Chris E; Yadav, Dhiraj; Reddy, D Nageshwar; Tenner, Scott; Johnson, Colin D; Akisik, Fatih; Saluja, Ashok K; Lerch, Markus M; Mallery, J Shawn; Freeman, Martin L

2018-07-01

Recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) is a clinically significant problem globally. The etiology remains unclear in approximately 10% to 15% of patients despite a thorough workup. Data on natural history and efficacy of treatments are limited. We aimed to establish criteria for diagnosis, evaluate the causative factors, and arrive at a consensus on the appropriate workup and management of patients with RAP. The organizing committee was formed, and a set of questions was developed based on the current evidence, controversies, and topics that needed further research. After a vetting process, these topics were assigned to a group of experts from around the world with special interest in RAP. Data were presented as part of a workshop on RAP organized as a part of the annual meeting of the America Pancreatic Association. Pretest and Posttest questions were administered, and the responses were tabulated by the current Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation system. The consensus guidelines were established in the format of a diagnostic algorithm. Several deficiencies were identified with respect to data on etiology, treatment efficacies, and areas that need immediate research.
End-joining inhibition at telomeres requires the translocase and polySUMO-dependent ubiquitin ligase Uls1.

PubMed

Lescasse, Rachel; Pobiega, Sabrina; Callebaut, Isabelle; Marcand, Stéphane

2013-03-20

In eukaryotes, permanent inhibition of the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair pathway at telomeres ensures that chromosome ends do not fuse. In budding yeast, binding of Rap1 to telomere repeats establishes NHEJ inhibition. Here, we show that the Uls1 protein is required for the maintenance of NHEJ inhibition at telomeres. Uls1 protein is a non-essential Swi2/Snf2-related translocase and a Small Ubiquitin-related Modifier (SUMO)-Targeted Ubiquitin Ligase (STUbL) with unknown targets. Loss of Uls1 results in telomere-telomere fusions. Uls1 requirement is alleviated by the absence of poly-SUMO chains and by rap1 alleles lacking SUMOylation sites. Furthermore, Uls1 limits the accumulation of Rap1 poly-SUMO conjugates. We propose that one of Uls1 functions is to clear non-functional poly-SUMOylated Rap1 molecules from telomeres to ensure the continuous efficiency of NHEJ inhibition. Since Uls1 is the only known STUbL with a translocase activity, it can be the general molecular sweeper for the clearance of poly-SUMOylated proteins on DNA in eukaryotes.
Brief report: Moving prevention into schools: The impact of a trauma-informed school-based intervention.

PubMed

Mendelson, Tamar; Tandon, S Darius; O'Brennan, Lindsey; Leaf, Philip J; Ialongo, Nicholas S

2015-08-01

Adolescents in disadvantaged communities have high rates of exposure to stress and trauma, which can negatively impact emotion regulation and executive functioning, increasing likelihood of school problems. This pilot study evaluated RAP Club, a 12-session school-based trauma-informed group intervention co-facilitated by a mental health counselor and young adult community member that utilizes evidence-based cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness strategies. Seventh and eighth graders at two urban public schools serving low-income communities were assigned to receive RAP Club (n = 29) or regular school programming (n = 20). RAP Club improved teacher-rated emotion regulation, social and academic competence, classroom behavior, and discipline. Higher program dose predicted improvements in several teacher-rated outcomes. Student self-report outcomes, however, did not vary by study group or dose. Even students with low baseline depression showed improvement in teacher-rated outcomes following program participation, supporting a model of universal program delivery to all students. Findings suggest RAP Club merits further study. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Re-active Passive (RAP) Devices for Control of Noise Transmission through a Panel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carneal, James P.; Giovanardi, Marco; Fuller, Chris R.; Palumbo, Daniel L.

2008-01-01

Re-Active Passive (RAP) devices have been developed to control low frequency (<1000 Hz) noise transmission through a panel. These devices use a combination of active, re-active, and passive technologies packaged into a single unit to control a broad frequency range utilizing the strength of each technology over its best suited frequency range. The RAP device uses passive constrained layer damping to cover the relatively high frequency range (>200 Hz), reactive distributed vibration absorber) to cover the medium frequency range (75 to 250 Hz), and active control for controlling low frequencies (<200 Hz). The device was applied to control noise transmission through a panel mounted in a transmission loss test facility. Experimental results are presented for the bare panel, and combinations of passive treatment, reactive treatment, and active control. Results indicate that three RAP devices were able to increase the overall broadband (15-1000 Hz) transmission loss by 9.4 dB. These three devices added a total of 285 grams to the panel mass of 6.0 kg, or approximately 5%, not including control electronics.
CDK5RAP2 gene and tau pathophysiology in late-onset sporadic Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Miron, Justin; Picard, Cynthia; Nilsson, Nathalie; Frappier, Josée; Dea, Doris; Théroux, Louise; Poirier, Judes

2018-06-01

Because currently known Alzheimer's disease (AD) single-nucleotide polymorphisms only account for a small fraction of the genetic variance in this disease, there is a need to identify new variants associated with AD. Our team performed a genome-wide association study in the Quebec Founder Population isolate to identify novel protective or risk genetic factors for late-onset sporadic AD and examined the impact of these variants on gene expression and AD pathology. The rs10984186 variant is associated with an increased risk of developing AD and with a higher CDK5RAP2 mRNA prevalence in the hippocampus. On the other hand, the rs4837766 variant, which is among the best cis-expression quantitative trait loci in the CDK5RAP2 gene, is associated with lower mild cognitive impairment/AD risk and conversion rate. The rs10984186 risk and rs4837766 protective polymorphic variants of the CDK5RAP2 gene might act as potent genetic modifiers for AD risk and/or conversion by modulating the expression of this gene. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Surface Phenomena During Plasma-Assisted Atomic Layer Etching of SiO2.

PubMed

Gasvoda, Ryan J; van de Steeg, Alex W; Bhowmick, Ranadeep; Hudson, Eric A; Agarwal, Sumit

2017-09-13

Surface phenomena during atomic layer etching (ALE) of SiO 2 were studied during sequential half-cycles of plasma-assisted fluorocarbon (CF x ) film deposition and Ar plasma activation of the CF x film using in situ surface infrared spectroscopy and ellipsometry. Infrared spectra of the surface after the CF x deposition half-cycle from a C 4 F 8 /Ar plasma show that an atomically thin mixing layer is formed between the deposited CF x layer and the underlying SiO 2 film. Etching during the Ar plasma cycle is activated by Ar + bombardment of the CF x layer, which results in the simultaneous removal of surface CF x and the underlying SiO 2 film. The interfacial mixing layer in ALE is atomically thin due to the low ion energy during CF x deposition, which combined with an ultrathin CF x layer ensures an etch rate of a few monolayers per cycle. In situ ellipsometry shows that for a ∼4 Å thick CF x film, ∼3-4 Å of SiO 2 was etched per cycle. However, during the Ar plasma half-cycle, etching proceeds beyond complete removal of the surface CF x layer as F-containing radicals are slowly released into the plasma from the reactor walls. Buildup of CF x on reactor walls leads to a gradual increase in the etch per cycle.
Measurement of OH, NO, O and N atoms in helium plasma jet for ROS/RNS controlled biomedical processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yonemori, Seiya; Kamakura, Taku; Ono, Ryo

2014-10-01

Atmospheric-pressure plasmas are of emerging interest for new plasma applications such as cancer treatment, cell activation and sterilization. In those biomedical processes, reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) are said that they play significant role. It is though that active species give oxidative stress and induce biomedical reactions. In this study, we measured OH, NO, O and N atoms using laser induced fluorescence (LIF) measurement and found that voltage polarity affect particular ROS. When negative high voltage was applied to the plasma jet, O atom density was tripled compared to the case of positive applied voltage. In that case, O atom density was around 3 × 1015 [cm-3] at maximum. In contrast, OH and NO density did not change their density depending on the polarity of applied voltage, measured as in order of 1013 and 1014 [cm-3] at maximum, respectively. From ICCD imaging measurement, it could be seen that negative high voltage enhanced secondary emission in plasma bullet propagation and it can affect the effective production of particular ROS. Since ROS/RNS dose can be a quantitative criterion to control plasma biomedical application, those measurement results is able to be applied for in vivo and in vitro plasma biomedical experiments. This study is supported by the Grant-in-Aid for Science Research by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology.
Tunable bandgap energy of fluorinated nanocrystals for flash memory applications produced by low-damage plasma treatment.

PubMed

Huang, Chi-Hsien; Lin, Chih-Ting; Wang, Jer-Chyi; Chou, Chien; Ye, Yu-Ren; Cheng, Bing-Ming; Lai, Chao-Sung

2012-11-30

A plasma system with a complementary filter to shield samples from damage during tetrafluoromethane (CF(4)) plasma treatment was proposed in order to incorporate fluorine atoms into gadolinium oxide nanocrystals (Gd(2)O(3)-NCs) for flash memory applications. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed that fluorine atoms were successfully introduced into the Gd(2)O(3)-NCs despite the use of a filter in the plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition system to shield against several potentially damaging species. The number of incorporated fluorine atoms can be controlled by varying the treatment time. The optimized memory window of the resulting flash memory devices was twice that of devices treated by a filterless system because more fluorine atoms were incorporated into the Gd(2)O(3)-NCs film with very little damage. This enlarged the bandgap energy from 5.48 to 6.83 eV, as observed by ultraviolet absorption measurements. This bandgap expansion can provide a large built-in electric field that allows more charges to be stored in the Gd(2)O(3)-NCs. The maximum improvement in the retention characteristic was >60%. Because plasma damage during treatment is minimal, maximum fluorination can be achieved. The concept of simply adding a filter to a plasma system to prevent plasma damage exhibits great promise for functionalization or modification of nanomaterials for advanced nanoelectronics while introducing minimal defects.
Population kinetics on K alpha lines of partially ionized Cl atoms.

PubMed

Kawamura, Tohru; Nishimura, Hiroaki; Koike, Fumihiro; Ochi, Yoshihiro; Matsui, Ryoji; Miao, Wen Yong; Okihara, Shinichiro; Sakabe, Shuji; Uschmann, Ingo; Förster, Eckhart; Mima, Kunioki

2002-07-01

A population kinetics code was developed to analyze K alpha emission from partially ionized chlorine atoms in hydrocarbon plasmas. Atomic processes are solved under collisional-radiative equilibrium for two-temperature plasmas. It is shown that the fast electrons dominantly contribute to ionize the K-shell bound electrons (i.e., inner-shell ionization) and the cold electrons to the outer-shell bound ones. Ratios of K alpha lines of partially ionized atoms are presented as a function of cold-electron temperature. The model was validated by observation of the K alpha lines from a chlorinated plastic target irradiated with 1 TW Ti:sapphire laser pulses at 1.5 x 10(17) W/cm(2), inferring a plasma temperature of about 100 eV on the target surface.
An Industry Viewpoint on Electron Energy Distribution Function Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ventzek, Peter

2011-10-01

It is trite to note that plasmas play a key role in industrial technology. Lighting, laser, film coating and now medical technology require plasma science for their sustenance. One field stands out by virtue of its economic girth and impact. Semiconductor manufacturing and process science enabling its decades of innovation owe significant debt to progress in low temperature plasma science. Today, technology requires atomic level control from plasmas. Mere layers of atoms delineate good and bad device performance. While plasma sources meet nanoscale specifications over 100s cm scale dimensions, achieving atomic level control from plasmas is hindered by the absence of direct control of species velocity distribution functions. EEDF control translates to precise control of species flux and velocities at surfaces adjacent to the plasma. Electron energy distribution function (eedf) control is a challenge that, if successfully met, will have a huge impact on nanoscale device manufacturing. This lunchtime talk will attempt to provide context to the research advances presented at this Workshop. Touched on will be areas of new opportunity and the risks associated with missing these opportunities.
The International Colloquium on Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sugar, J.; Leckrone, D.

1993-01-01

This was the fourth in a series of colloquia begun at the University of Lund, Sweden in 1983 and subsequently held in Toledo, Ohio and Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The purpose of these meetings is to provide an international forum for communication between major users of atomic spectroscopic data and the providers of these data. These data include atomic wavelengths, line shapes, energy levels, lifetimes, and oscillator strengths. Speakers were selected from a wide variety of disciplines including astrophysics, laboratory plasma research, spectrochemistry, and theoretical and experimental atomic physics.
Forbidden line emission from highly ionized atoms in tokamak plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feldman, U.; Doschek, G. A.; Bhatia, A. K.

1982-01-01

Considerable interest in the observation of forbidden spectral lines from highly ionized atoms in tokamak plasmas is related to the significance of such observations for plasma diagnostic applications. Atomic data for the elements Ti Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, and Kr have been published by Feldman et al. (1980) and Bhatia et al. (1980). The present investigation is concerned with collisional excitation rate coefficients and radiative decay rates, which are interpolated for ions of elements between calcium, and krypton and for levels of the 2s2 2pk, 2s 2p(k+1), and 2p(k+2) configurations, and for the O I, N I, C I, B I, and Be I isoelectronic sequences. The provided interpolated atomic data can be employed to calculate level populations and relative line intensities for ions of the considered sequences, taking into account levels of the stated configurations. Important plasma diagnostic information provided by the forbidden lines includes the ion temperature
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gabriel, O.; Harskamp, W. E. N. van; Schram, D. C.

The cascaded arc is a plasma source providing high fluxes of excited and reactive species such as ions, radicals and rovibrationally excited molecules. The plasma is produced under pressures of some kPa in a direct current arc with electrical powers up to 10 kW. The plasma leaves the arc channel through a nozzle and expands with supersonic velocity into a vacuum-chamber kept by pumps at low pressures. We investigated the case of a pure hydrogen plasma jet with and without an applied axial magnetic field that confines ions and electrons in the jet. Highly excited molecules and atoms were detectedmore » by means of laser-induced fluorescence and optical emission spectroscopy. In case of an applied magnetic field the atomic state distribution of hydrogen atoms shows an overpopulation between the electronic states p = 5, 4 and 3. The influence of the highly excited hydrogen molecules on H{sup -} ion formation and a possible mechanism involving this negative ion and producing atomic hydrogen in state p = 3 will be discussed.« less

Atomic oxygen production scaling in a nanosecond-pulsed externally grounded dielectric barrier plasma jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sands, Brian; Schmidt, Jacob; Ganguly, Biswa; Scofield, James

2014-10-01

Atomic oxygen production is studied in a capillary dielectric barrier plasma jet that is externally grounded and driven with a 20-ns risetime positive unipolar pulsed voltage at pulse repetition rates up to 25 kHz. The power coupled to the discharge can be easily increased by increasing the pulse repetition rate. At a critical turnover frequency, determined by the net energy density coupled to the discharge, the plasma chemistry abruptly changes. This is indicated by increased plasma conductance and a transition in reactive oxygen species production from an ozone-dominated production regime below the turnover frequency to atomic-oxygen-dominated production at higher pulse rates. Here, we characterize atomic oxygen production scaling using spatially- and temporally-resolved two-photon absorption laser-induced-fluorescence (TALIF). Quantitative results are obtained via calibration with xenon using a similar laser excitation and collection system. These results are compared with quantitative ozone and discharge power measurements using a helium gas flow with oxygen admixtures up to 3%.
Analysis of cystic fibrosis gener product (CFTR) function in patients with pancreas divisum and recurrent acute pancreatitis.

PubMed

Gelrud, Andres; Sheth, Sunil; Banerjee, Subhas; Weed, Deborah; Shea, Julie; Chuttani, Ram; Howell, Douglas A; Telford, Jennifer J; Carr-Locke, David L; Regan, Meredith M; Ellis, Lynda; Durie, Peter R; Freedman, Steven D

2004-08-01

The mechanism by which pancreas divisum may lead to recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis in a subset of individuals is unknown. Abnormalities of the cystic fibrosis gene product (CFTR) have been implicated in the genesis of idiopathic chronic pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to determine if CFTR function is abnormal in patients with pancreas divisum and recurrent acute pancreatitis (PD/RAP). A total of 69 healthy control subjects, 12 patients with PD/RAP, 16 obligate heterozygotes with a single CFTR mutation, and 95 patients with cystic fibrosis were enrolled. CFTR function was analyzed by nasal transepithelial potential difference testing in vivo. The outcomes of the PD/RAP patients following endoscopic and surgical treatments were concomitantly analyzed. Direct measurement of CFTR function in nasal epithelium in response to isoproterenol demonstrated that the values for PD/RAP were intermediate between those observed for healthy controls and cystic fibrosis patients. The median value was 13 mV for PD/RAP subjects, which was statistically different from healthy controls (22 mV, p= 0.001) and cystic fibrosis pancreatic sufficient (-1 mV, p < 0.0001) and pancreatic insufficient (-3 mV, p < 0.0001) patients. These results suggest a link between CFTR dysfunction and recurrent acute pancreatitis in patients with pancreas divisum and may explain why a subset of patients with pancreas divisum develops recurrent acute pancreatitis. Copyright 2004 American College of Gastroenterology
Sequential sentinel SNP Regional Association Plots (SSS-RAP): an approach for testing independence of SNP association signals using meta-analysis data.

PubMed

Zheng, Jie; Gaunt, Tom R; Day, Ian N M

2013-01-01

Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) frequently incorporate meta-analysis within their framework. However, conditional analysis of individual-level data, which is an established approach for fine mapping of causal sites, is often precluded where only group-level summary data are available for analysis. Here, we present a numerical and graphical approach, "sequential sentinel SNP regional association plot" (SSS-RAP), which estimates regression coefficients (beta) with their standard errors using the meta-analysis summary results directly. Under an additive model, typical for genes with small effect, the effect for a sentinel SNP can be transformed to the predicted effect for a possibly dependent SNP through a 2×2 2-SNP haplotypes table. The approach assumes Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for test SNPs. SSS-RAP is available as a Web-tool (http://apps.biocompute.org.uk/sssrap/sssrap.cgi). To develop and illustrate SSS-RAP we analyzed lipid and ECG traits data from the British Women's Heart and Health Study (BWHHS), evaluated a meta-analysis for ECG trait and presented several simulations. We compared results with existing approaches such as model selection methods and conditional analysis. Generally findings were consistent. SSS-RAP represents a tool for testing independence of SNP association signals using meta-analysis data, and is also a convenient approach based on biological principles for fine mapping in group level summary data. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/University College London.
C3G dynamically associates with nuclear speckles and regulates mRNA splicing.

PubMed

Shakyawar, Dhruv Kumar; Muralikrishna, Bhattiprolu; Radha, Vegesna

2018-05-01

C3G (Crk SH3 domain binding guanine nucleotide releasing factor) (Rap guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1), essential for mammalian embryonic development, is ubiquitously expressed and undergoes regulated nucleocytoplasmic exchange. Here we show that C3G localizes to SC35-positive nuclear speckles and regulates splicing activity. Reversible association of C3G with speckles was seen on inhibition of transcription and splicing. C3G shows partial colocalization with SC35 and is recruited to a chromatin and RNase-sensitive fraction of speckles. Its presence in speckles is dependent on intact cellular actin cytoskeleton and is lost on expression of the kinase Clk1. Rap1, a substrate of C3G, is also present in nuclear speckles, and inactivation of Rap signaling by expression of GFP-Rap1GAP alters speckle morphology and number. Enhanced association of C3G with speckles is seen on glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta inhibition or differentiation of C2C12 cells to myotubes. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown of C3G resulted in altered splicing activity of an artificial gene as well as endogenous CD44. C3G knockout clones of C2C12 as well as MDA-MB-231 cells showed reduced protein levels of several splicing factors compared with control cells. Our results identify C3G and Rap1 as novel components of nuclear speckles and a role for C3G in regulating cellular RNA splicing activity.
Combating the stress of residency: one school's approach.

PubMed

Dabrow, Sharon; Russell, Stephen; Ackley, Karen; Anderson, Eric; Fabri, Peter Jeff

2006-05-01

Residency is a time of stress and turmoil for many residents. The stresses are varied and great, often involving both personal and professional issues. One institutional mechanism that has been shown to help residents cope with stress is the use of residents' wellness, or assistance, programs. The University of South Florida (USF) College of Medicine developed the USF Residency Assistance Program (RAP) in 1997, modeled after business employee assistance programs but tailored to enhance the well-being of residents. The program was developed in an organized, thoughtful manner starting with a Request for Proposals to all local employee assistance programs and the selection of one of these to run the program. The RAP is broad-based, readily available, easily accessible, totally voluntary and confidential, and not reportable to the state board of medicine. It is well integrated into all residency programs and has had excellent acceptance from the administration; information about access to the RAP is available to all residents through multiple venues. The cost is minimal, at only seven cents a day per resident. The authors present data from the eight years the RAP has been operating, including information on program use, referral rates, acceptance, and types of problems encountered. One suicide occurred during this time period, and the RAP provided a significant role in grief counseling. Assistance programs are critical to the well-being of residents. The USF program presents a model that can be used by other programs around the country.
Tertiapin-Q removes a mechanosensitive component of muscarinic control of the sinoatrial pacemaker in the rat.

PubMed

Han, SuYoung; Wilson, Suzanne J; Bolter, Chris P

2010-09-01

1. In an isolated right atrial preparation, an increase in right atrial pressure (RAP) produces an increase in atrial rate. This rate response is larger and occurs faster when there is background vagal or muscarinic stimulation. 2. We hypothesized that in the latter situation, an increase in RAP antagonizes the effect of muscarinic stimulation through stretch inactivation of the mechanosensitive muscarinic potassium current I(K,ACh). 3. In two groups of bath-mounted right atria isolated from male Wistar rats (control n = 12; 300 nmol/L tertiapin-Q treated (to block I(K,ACh)) n = 10), we examined the change in atrial rate when RAP was raised from 2 to 8 mmHg; oxotremorine-M (oxo-M; from 10 to 500 nmol/L) was added to incrementally activate muscarinic receptors. 4. In both control and tertiapin-Q-treated groups, oxo-M reduced atrial rate, but its effect was less ( approximately 40-50%) in the latter group (P < 0.001). In control preparations, responses to an increase in RAP became progressively larger and quicker as the concentration of oxo-M was increased, whereas in tertiapin-Q treated preparations oxo-M did not affect either the amplitude or the speed of the response (P < 0.0001 for both). 5. The results support the hypothesis that atrial stretch antagonizes muscarinic slowing by its effect on I(K,ACh). We suggest that through this mechanism, parasympathetic control of heart rate may be modulated continuously by RAP.
Mortality in American Hip-Hop and Rap Recording Artists, 1987-2014.

PubMed

Lawson, Carl J

2015-12-01

The deaths of American hip-hop and rap recording artists often receive considerable media attention. However, these artists' deaths have not been examined as a distinct group like the deaths of rock, classical, jazz, and pop music artists. This is a seminal epidemiological analysis on the deaths of an understudied group, American hip-hop and rap music recording artists. Media reports were analyzed of the deaths of American hip-hop and rap music recording artists that occurred from January 1, 1987 to December 31, 2014. The decedents' age, sex, race, cause of death, stage names, and city and state of death were recorded for analysis. The most commonly reported cause of death was homicide. The 280 deaths were categorized as homicide (55%), unintentional injury (13%), cardiovascular (7%), undetermined/undisclosed (7%), cancer (6%), other (5%), suicide (4%), and infectious disease (3%). The mean reported age at death was 30 yrs (range 15-75) and the median was 29 yrs; 97% were male and 92% were black. All but one of the homicides were committed with firearms. Homicide was the most commonly reported cause of death. Public health focus and guidance for hip-hop and rap recording artists should mirror that for African-American men and adolescent males ages 15-54 yrs, for whom the leading causes of death are homicide, unintentional injury, and heart disease. Given the preponderance of homicide deaths in this analysis, premature mortality reduction efforts should focus on violence prevention and conflict mitigation.
Development of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) in the Fellow Eye of Patients with AMD Treated by Treat-and-Extend Intravitreal Therapy with Aflibercept.

PubMed

Mimura, Kensuke; Matsumoto, Hidetaka; Morimoto, Masahiro; Akiyama, Hideo

2018-01-01

To evaluate the development of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in the fellow eye in patients with unilateral nAMD treated by a treat-and-extend (TAE) regimen with intravitreal aflibercept injections. We retrospectively studied 104 patients with treatment-naïve unilateral nAMD. We assessed best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and exudative changes in the treated eyes and development of nAMD in the fellow eye for 2 years. The subjects included 46 patients with typical AMD (tAMD), 44 with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), and 14 with retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP). BCVA was significantly improved after the loading phase in all subtypes. Forty-six patients (44.2%) had no recurrence within 2 years after the loading phase, including 12 (26.1%) with tAMD, 23 (52.2%) with PCV, and 11 (78.6%) with RAP (p < 0.01). Eleven patients (10.6%) developed nAMD in the fellow eye within 2 years, including 4 (8.7%) with tAMD, 0 (0%) with PCV, and 7 (50.0%) with RAP (p < 0.001). Patients with RAP had significantly more frequent development of nAMD in the fellow eye compared to other subtypes, while they showed significantly less recurrence during the TAE regimen with intravitreal aflibercept injections. Development of nAMD in the fellow eye should be monitored in RAP when the injection interval is extended. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Mechanism for Ring-Opening of Aromatic Polymers by Remote Atmospheric Pressure Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, Eleazar; Barankin, Michael; Guschl, Peter; Hicks, Robert

2009-10-01

A low-temperature, atmospheric pressure oxygen and helium plasma was used to treat the surfaces of polyetheretherketone, polyphenylsulfone, polyethersulfone, and polysulfone. These aromatic polymers were exposed to the afterglow of the plasma, which contained oxygen atoms, and to a lesser extent metastable oxygen (^1δg O2) and ozone. After less than 2.5 seconds treatment, the polymers were converted from a hydrophobic state with a water contact angle of 85±5 to a hydrophilic state with a water contact angle of 13±5 . It was found that plasma activation increased the bond strength to adhesives by as much as 4 times. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that between 7% and 27% of the aromatic carbon atoms on the polymer surfaces was oxidized and converted into aldehyde and carboxylic acid groups. Analysis of polyethersulfone by internal reflection infrared spectroscopy showed that a fraction of the aromatic carbon atoms were transformed into C=C double bonds, ketones, and carboxylic acids after plasma exposure. It was concluded that the oxygen atoms generated by the atmospheric pressure plasma insert into the double bonds on the aromatic rings, forming a 3-member epoxy ring, which subsequently undergoes ring opening and oxidation to yield an aldehyde and a carboxylic acid group.
Carbon-, sulfur-, and phosphorus-based charge transfer reactions in inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grindlay, Guillermo; Gras, Luis; Mora, Juan; de Loos-Vollebregt, Margaretha T. C.

2016-01-01

In this work, the influence of carbon-, sulfur-, and phosphorus-based charge transfer reactions on the emission signal of 34 elements (Ag, Al, As, Au, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, I, In, Ir, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Pd, Pt, S, Sb, Se, Sr, Te, and Zn) in axially viewed inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry has been investigated. To this end, atomic and ionic emission signals for diluted glycerol, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid solutions were registered and results were compared to those obtained for a 1% w w- 1 nitric acid solution. Experimental results show that the emission intensities of As, Se, and Te atomic lines are enhanced by charge transfer from carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus ions. Iodine and P atomic emission is enhanced by carbon- and sulfur-based charge transfer whereas the Hg atomic emission signal is enhanced only by carbon. Though signal enhancement due to charge transfer reactions is also expected for ionic emission lines of the above-mentioned elements, no experimental evidence has been found with the exception of Hg ionic lines operating carbon solutions. The effect of carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus charge transfer reactions on atomic emission depends on (i) wavelength characteristics. In general, signal enhancement is more pronounced for electronic transitions involving the highest upper energy levels; (ii) plasma experimental conditions. The use of robust conditions (i.e. high r.f. power and lower nebulizer gas flow rates) improves carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus ionization in the plasma and, hence, signal enhancement; and (iii) the presence of other concomitants (e.g. K or Ca). Easily ionizable elements reduce ionization in the plasma and consequently reduce signal enhancement due to charge transfer reactions.
SERAPHIN haemodynamic substudy: the effect of the dual endothelin receptor antagonist macitentan on haemodynamic parameters and NT-proBNP levels and their association with disease progression in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

PubMed Central

Galiè, Nazzareno; Jansa, Pavel; Pulido, Tomás; Channick, Richard N.; Delcroix, Marion; Ghofrani, Hossein-Ardeschir; Le Brun, Franck-Olivier; Mehta, Sanjay; Perchenet, Loïc; Rubin, Lewis J.; Sastry, B.K.S.; Simonneau, Gérald; Sitbon, Olivier; Souza, Rogério; Torbicki, Adam

2017-01-01

Aims The effect of macitentan on haemodynamic parameters and NT-proBNP levels was evaluated in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients in the SERAPHIN study. Association between these parameters and disease progression, assessed by the primary endpoint (time to first morbidity/mortality event), was explored. Methods and results Of the 742 randomized patients, 187 with right heart catheterization at baseline and month 6 participated in a haemodynamic sub-study. Prespecified endpoints included change from baseline to month 6 in cardiac index (CI), right atrial pressure (RAP), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), mixed-venous oxygen saturation, and NT-proBNP. Exploratory analyses examined associations between CI, RAP, and NT-proBNP and disease progression using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression models. Macitentan improved CI, RAP, mPAP, PVR and NT-proBNP vs. placebo at month 6. Absolute levels of CI, RAP and NT-proBNP at baseline and month 6, but not their changes, were associated with morbidity/mortality events. Patients with CI > 2.5 L/min/m2, RAP < 8 mmHg, or NT-proBNP < 750 fmol/ml at month 6 had a lower risk of morbidity/mortality than those not meeting these thresholds (HR 0.49, 95% CL 0.28–0.86; HR 0.72, 95% CL 0.42–1.22; and HR 0.22, 95% CL 0.15–0.33, respectively). Conclusions For all treatment groups, baseline and month 6 values of CI, RAP, and NT-proBNP, but not their changes, were associated with morbidity/mortality events, confirming their relevance in predicting disease progression in patients with PAH. By improving those parameters, macitentan increased the likelihood of reaching threshold values associated with lower risk of morbidity/mortality. PMID:28329315
Investigation of Self Consolidating Concrete Containing High Volume of Supplementary Cementitious Materials and Recycled Asphalt Pavement Aggregates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patibandla, Varun chowdary

The use of sustainable technologies such as supplementary cementitiuous materials (SCMs), and/or recycled materials is expected to positively affect the performance of concrete mixtures. However, it is important to study and qualify such mixtures and check if the required specifications of their intended application are met before they can be implemented in practice. This study presents the results of a laboratory investigation of Self Consolidating concrete (SCC) containing sustainable technologies. A total of twelve concrete mixtures were prepared with various combinations of fly ash, slag, and recycled asphalt pavement (RAP). The mixtures were divided into three groups with constant water to cementitiuous materials ratio of 0.37, and based on the RAP content; 0, 25, and 50% of coarse aggregate replaced by RAP. All mixtures were prepared to achieve a target slump flow equal to or higher than 500 mm (24in). A control mixture for each group was prepared with 100% Portland cement whereas all other mixtures were designed to have up to 70% of portland cement replaced by a combination of supplementary cementitiuous materials (SCMs) such as class C fly ash and granulated blast furnace slag. The properties of fresh concrete investigated in this study include flowability, deformability; filling capacity, and resistance to segregation. In addition, the compressive strength at 3, 14, and 28 days, the tensile strength, and the unrestrained shrinkage up to 80 days was also investigated. As expected the inclusion of the sustainable technologies affected both fresh and hardened concrete properties. Analysis of the experimental data indicated that inclusion of RAP not only reduces the ultimate strength, but it also affected the compressive strength development rate. Moreover, several mixes satisfied compressive strength requirements for pavements and bridges; those mixes included relatively high percentages of SCMs and RAP. Based on the results obtained in this study, it is not recommended to replace the coarse aggregate in SCC by more than 25% RAP.
Phosphorylation of Synaptic GTPase-activating Protein (synGAP) by Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase II (CaMKII) and Cyclin-dependent Kinase 5 (CDK5) Alters the Ratio of Its GAP Activity toward Ras and Rap GTPases*

PubMed Central

Walkup, Ward G.; Washburn, Lorraine; Sweredoski, Michael J.; Carlisle, Holly J.; Graham, Robert L.; Hess, Sonja; Kennedy, Mary B.

2015-01-01

synGAP is a neuron-specific Ras and Rap GTPase-activating protein (GAP) found in high concentrations in the postsynaptic density (PSD) fraction from the mammalian forebrain. We have previously shown that, in situ in the PSD fraction or in recombinant form in Sf9 cell membranes, synGAP is phosphorylated by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), another prominent component of the PSD. Here, we show that recombinant synGAP (r-synGAP), lacking 102 residues at the N terminus, can be purified in soluble form and is phosphorylated by cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) as well as by CaMKII. Phosphorylation of r-synGAP by CaMKII increases its HRas GAP activity by 25% and its Rap1 GAP activity by 76%. Conversely, phosphorylation by CDK5 increases r-synGAP's HRas GAP activity by 98% and its Rap1 GAP activity by 20%. Thus, phosphorylation by both kinases increases synGAP activity; CaMKII shifts the relative GAP activity toward inactivation of Rap1, and CDK5 shifts the relative activity toward inactivation of HRas. GAP activity toward Rap2 is not altered by phosphorylation by either kinase. CDK5 phosphorylates synGAP primarily at two sites, Ser-773 and Ser-802. Phosphorylation at Ser-773 inhibits r-synGAP activity, and phosphorylation at Ser-802 increases it. However, the net effect of concurrent phosphorylation of both sites, Ser-773 and Ser-802, is an increase in GAP activity. synGAP is phosphorylated at Ser-773 and Ser-802 in the PSD fraction, and its phosphorylation by CDK5 and CaMKII is differentially regulated by activation of NMDA-type glutamate receptors in cultured neurons. PMID:25533468
SERAPHIN haemodynamic substudy: the effect of the dual endothelin receptor antagonist macitentan on haemodynamic parameters and NT-proBNP levels and their association with disease progression in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

PubMed

Galiè, Nazzareno; Jansa, Pavel; Pulido, Tomás; Channick, Richard N; Delcroix, Marion; Ghofrani, Hossein-Ardeschir; Le Brun, Franck-Olivier; Mehta, Sanjay; Perchenet, Loïc; Rubin, Lewis J; Sastry, B K S; Simonneau, Gérald; Sitbon, Olivier; Souza, Rogério; Torbicki, Adam

2017-04-14

The effect of macitentan on haemodynamic parameters and NT-proBNP levels was evaluated in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients in the SERAPHIN study. Association between these parameters and disease progression, assessed by the primary endpoint (time to first morbidity/mortality event), was explored. Of the 742 randomized patients, 187 with right heart catheterization at baseline and month 6 participated in a haemodynamic sub-study. Prespecified endpoints included change from baseline to month 6 in cardiac index (CI), right atrial pressure (RAP), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), mixed-venous oxygen saturation, and NT-proBNP. Exploratory analyses examined associations between CI, RAP, and NT-proBNP and disease progression using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression models. Macitentan improved CI, RAP, mPAP, PVR and NT-proBNP vs. placebo at month 6. Absolute levels of CI, RAP and NT-proBNP at baseline and month 6, but not their changes, were associated with morbidity/mortality events. Patients with CI > 2.5 L/min/m2, RAP < 8 mmHg, or NT-proBNP < 750 fmol/ml at month 6 had a lower risk of morbidity/mortality than those not meeting these thresholds (HR 0.49, 95% CL 0.28-0.86; HR 0.72, 95% CL 0.42-1.22; and HR 0.22, 95% CL 0.15-0.33, respectively). For all treatment groups, baseline and month 6 values of CI, RAP, and NT-proBNP, but not their changes, were associated with morbidity/mortality events, confirming their relevance in predicting disease progression in patients with PAH. By improving those parameters, macitentan increased the likelihood of reaching threshold values associated with lower risk of morbidity/mortality. © The Author 2017. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology
Two biomarker-directed randomized trials in European and Chinese patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer: the BRCA1-RAP80 Expression Customization (BREC) studies.

PubMed

Moran, T; Wei, J; Cobo, M; Qian, X; Domine, M; Zou, Z; Bover, I; Wang, L; Provencio, M; Yu, L; Chaib, I; You, C; Massuti, B; Song, Y; Vergnenegre, A; Lu, H; Lopez-Vivanco, G; Hu, W; Robinet, G; Yan, J; Insa, A; Xu, X; Majem, M; Chen, X; de Las Peñas, R; Karachaliou, N; Sala, M A; Wu, Q; Isla, D; Zhou, Y; Baize, N; Zhang, F; Garde, J; Germonpre, P; Rauh, S; ALHusaini, H; Sanchez-Ronco, M; Drozdowskyj, A; Sanchez, J J; Camps, C; Liu, B; Rosell, R

2014-11-01

In a Spanish Lung Cancer Group (SLCG) phase II trial, the combination of BRCA1 and receptor-associated protein 80 (RAP80) expression was significantly associated with outcome in Caucasian patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The SLCG therefore undertook an industry-independent collaborative randomized phase III trial comparing nonselected cisplatin-based chemotherapy with therapy customized according to BRCA1/RAP80 expression. An analogous randomized phase II trial was carried out in China under the auspices of the SLCG to evaluate the effect of BRCA1/RAP80 expression in Asian patients. Eligibility criteria included stage IIIB-IV NSCLC and sufficient tumor specimen for molecular analysis. Randomization to the control or experimental arm was 1 : 1 in the SLCG trial and 1 : 3 in the Chinese trial. In both trials, patients in the control arm received docetaxel/cisplatin; in the experimental arm, patients with low RAP80 expression received gemcitabine/cisplatin, those with intermediate/high RAP80 expression and low/intermediate BRCA1 expression received docetaxel/cisplatin, and those with intermediate/high RAP80 expression and high BRCA1 expression received docetaxel alone. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Two hundred and seventy-nine patients in the SLCG trial and 124 in the Chinese trial were assessable for PFS. PFS in the control and experimental arms in the SLCG trial was 5.49 and 4.38 months, respectively [log rank P = 0.07; hazard ratio (HR) 1.28; P = 0.03]. In the Chinese trial, PFS was 4.74 and 3.78 months, respectively (log rank P = 0.82; HR 0.95; P = 0.82). Accrual was prematurely closed on the SLCG trial due to the absence of clinical benefit in the experimental over the control arm. However, the BREC studies provide proof of concept that an international, nonindustry, biomarker-directed trial is feasible. Thanks to the groundwork laid by these studies, we expect that ongoing further research on alternative biomarkers to elucidate DNA repair mechanisms will help define novel therapeutic approaches. NCT00617656/GECP-BREC and ChiCTR-TRC-12001860/BREC-CHINA. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Method for the rapid synthesis of large quantities of metal oxide nanowires at low temperatures

DOEpatents

Sunkara, Mahendra Kumar [Louisville, KY; Vaddiraju, Sreeram [Mountain View, CA; Mozetic, Miran [Ljubljan, SI; Cvelbar, Uros [Idrija, SI

2009-09-22

A process for the rapid synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles at low temperatures and methods which facilitate the fabrication of long metal oxide nanowires. The method is based on treatment of metals with oxygen plasma. Using oxygen plasma at low temperatures allows for rapid growth unlike other synthesis methods where nanomaterials take a long time to grow. Density of neutral oxygen atoms in plasma is a controlling factor for the yield of nanowires. The oxygen atom density window differs for different materials. By selecting the optimal oxygen atom density for various materials the yield can be maximized for nanowire synthesis of the metal.
Low-frequency, self-sustained oscillations in inductively coupled plasmas used for optical pumping

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

Coffer, J.; Encalada, N.; Huang, M.

We have investigated very low frequency, on the order of one hertz, self-pulsing in alkali-metal inductively-coupled plasmas (i.e., rf-discharge lamps). This self-pulsing has the potential to significantly vary signal-to-noise ratios and (via the ac-Stark shift) resonant frequencies in optically pumped atomic clocks and magnetometers (e.g., the atomic clocks now flying on GPS and Galileo global navigation system satellites). The phenomenon arises from a nonlinear interaction between the atomic physics of radiation trapping and the plasma's electrical nature. To explain the effect, we have developed an evaporation/condensation theory (EC theory) of the self-pulsing phenomenon.
Hydrogen atom kinetics in capacitively coupled plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nunomura, Shota; Katayama, Hirotaka; Yoshida, Isao

2017-05-01

Hydrogen (H) atom kinetics has been investigated in capacitively coupled very high frequency (VHF) discharges at powers of 16-780 mW cm-2 and H2 gas pressures of 0.1-2 Torr. The H atom density has been measured using vacuum ultra violet absorption spectroscopy (VUVAS) with a micro-discharge hollow cathode lamp as a VUV light source. The measurements have been performed in two different electrode configurations of discharges: conventional parallel-plate diode and triode with an intermediate mesh electrode. We find that in the triode configuration, the H atom density is strongly reduced across the mesh electrode. The H atom density varies from ˜1012 cm-3 to ˜1010 cm-3 by crossing the mesh with 0.2 mm in thickness and 36% in aperture ratio. The fluid model simulations for VHF discharge plasmas have been performed to study the H atom generation, diffusion and recombination kinetics. The simulations suggest that H atoms are generated in the bulk plasma, by the electron impact dissociation (e + H2 \\to e + 2H) and the ion-molecule reaction (H2 + + H2 \\to {{{H}}}3+ + H). The diffusion of H atoms is strongly limited by a mesh electrode, and thus the mesh geometry influences the spatial distribution of the H atoms. The loss of H atoms is dominated by the surface recombination.
Deviation from Normal Boltzmann Distribution of High-lying Energy Levels of Iron Atom Excited by Okamoto-cavity Microwave-induced Plasmas Using Pure Nitrogen and Nitrogen-Oxygen Gases.

PubMed

Wagatsuma, Kazuaki

2015-01-01

This paper describes several interesting excitation phenomena occurring in a microwave-induced plasma (MIP) excited with Okamoto-cavity, especially when a small amount of oxygen was mixed with nitrogen matrix in the composition of the plasma gas. An ion-to-atom ratio of iron, which was estimated from the intensity ratio of ion to atomic lines having almost the same excitation energy, was reduced by adding oxygen gas to the nitrogen MIP, eventually contributing to an enhancement in the emission intensities of the atomic lines. Furthermore, Boltzmann plots for iron atomic lines were observed in a wide range of the excitation energy from 3.4 to 6.9 eV, indicating that plots of the atomic lines having lower excitation energies (3.4 to 4.8 eV) were well fitted on a straight line while those having more than 5.5 eV deviated upwards from the linear relationship. This overpopulation would result from any other excitation process in addition to the thermal excitation that principally determines the Boltzmann distribution. A Penning-type collision with excited species of nitrogen molecules probably explains this additional excitation mechanism, in which the resulting iron ions recombine with captured electrons, followed by cascade de-excitations between closely-spaced excited levels just below the ionization limit. As a result, these high-lying levels might be more populated than the low-lying levels of iron atom. The ionization of iron would be caused less actively in the nitrogen-oxygen plasma than in a pure nitrogen plasma, because excited species of nitrogen molecule, which can provide the ionization energy in a collision with iron atom, are consumed through collisions with oxygen molecules to cause their dissociation. It was also observed that the overpopulation occurred to a lesser extent when oxygen gas was added to the nitrogen plasma. The reason for this was also attributed to decreased number density of the excited nitrogen species due to collisions with oxygen molecule.
Method for atmospheric pressure reactive atom plasma processing for surface modification

DOEpatents

Carr, Jeffrey W [Livermore, CA

2009-09-22

Reactive atom plasma processing can be used to shape, polish, planarize and clean the surfaces of difficult materials with minimal subsurface damage. The apparatus and methods use a plasma torch, such as a conventional ICP torch. The workpiece and plasma torch are moved with respect to each other, whether by translating and/or rotating the workpiece, the plasma, or both. The plasma discharge from the torch can be used to shape, planarize, polish, and/or clean the surface of the workpiece, as well as to thin the workpiece. The processing may cause minimal or no damage to the workpiece underneath the surface, and may involve removing material from the surface of the workpiece.

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

Yang, Wei; Zhao, Shu-Xia; Liu, Yong-Xin

The F-atom kinetics in SF{sub 6} and SF{sub 6}/Ar inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs) were investigated using a global model. This report particularly focuses on the effects of ICP power and Ar fraction on F-atom density and its main production and loss mechanisms. The results are presented for a relatively wide pressure range of 1–100 mTorr. Very different behaviors were observed for Ar fractions in the low- and high-pressure limits, which can be attributed to different electron kinetics. In addition, the authors found that increasing the Ar fraction in the SF{sub 6}/Ar plasma has almost the same effects on the F-atommore » kinetics as increasing the power in the SF{sub 6} plasma. This is because a high electron density occurs in both cases. Moreover, it was confirmed that, for both sample types, a cycle of F atoms formed in the bulk plasma. The source of these is F{sub 2} molecules that are first formed on the chamber wall and then emitted. Finally, the simulations of F-atom kinetics are validated by quantitatively comparing the calculated electron and F-atom densities with identical experimental discharge conditions.« less
Distribution of Fe atom density in a dc magnetron sputtering plasma source measured by laser-induced fluorescence imaging spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibagaki, K.; Nafarizal, N.; Sasaki, K.; Toyoda, H.; Iwata, S.; Kato, T.; Tsunashima, S.; Sugai, H.

2003-10-01

Magnetron sputtering discharge is widely used as an efficient method for thin film fabrication. In order to achieve the optimized fabrication, understanding of the kinetics in plasmas is essential. In the present work, we measured the density distribution of sputtered Fe atoms using laser-induced fluorescence imaging spectroscopy. A dc magnetron plasma source with a Fe target was used. An area of 20 × 2 mm in front of the target was irradiated by a tunable laser beam having a planar shape. The picture of laser-induced fluorescence on the laser beam was taken using an ICCD camera. In this way, we obtained the two-dimensional image of the Fe atom density. As a result, it has been found that the Fe atom density observed at a distance of several centimeters from the target is higher than that adjacent to the target, when the Ar gas pressure was relatively high. It is suggested from this result that some gas-phase production processes of Fe atoms are available in the plasma. This work has been performed under the 21st Century COE Program by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan.
Development of optical diagnostics for performance evaluation of arcjet thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cappelli, Mark A.

1995-01-01

Laser and optical emission-based measurements have been developed and implemented for use on low-power hydrogen arcjet thrusters and xenon-propelled electric thrusters. In the case of low power hydrogen arcjets, these laser induce fluorescence measurements constitute the first complete set of data that characterize the velocity and temperature field of such a device. The research performed under the auspices of this NASA grant includes laser-based measurements of atomic hydrogen velocity and translational temperature, ultraviolet absorption measurements of ground state atomic hydrogen, Raman scattering measurements of the electronic ground state of molecular hydrogen, and optical emission based measurements of electronically excited atomic hydrogen, electron number density, and electron temperature. In addition, we have developed a collisional-radiative model of atomic hydrogen for use in conjunction with magnetohydrodynamic models to predict the plasma radiative spectrum, and near-electrode plasma models to better understand current transfer from the electrodes to the plasma. In the final year of the grant, a new program aimed at developing diagnostics for xenon plasma thrusters was initiated, and results on the use of diode lasers for interrogating Hall accelerator plasmas has been presented at recent conferences.
Signal enhancement of neutral He emission lines by fast electron bombardment of laser-induced He plasma

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

Suyanto, Hery; Pardede, Marincan; Hedwig, Rinda

2016-08-15

A time-resolved spectroscopic study is performed on the enhancement signals of He gas plasma emission using nanosecond (ns) and picosecond (ps) lasers in an orthogonal configuration. The ns laser is used for the He gas plasma generation and the ps laser is employed for the ejection of fast electrons from a metal target, which serves to excite subsequently the He atoms in the plasma. The study is focused on the most dominant He I 587.6 nm and He I 667.8 nm emission lines suggested to be responsible for the He-assisted excitation (HAE) mechanism. The time-dependent intensity enhancements induced by themore » fast electrons generated with a series of delayed ps laser ablations are deduced from the intensity time profiles of both He emission lines. The results clearly lead to the conclusion that the metastable excited triplet He atoms are actually the species overwhelmingly produced during the recombination process in the ns laser-induced He gas plasma. These metastable He atoms are believed to serve as the major energy source for the delayed excitation of analyte atoms in ns laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) using He ambient gas.« less
Influence Of Inelastic Ridberg Atom-Atom Collisional Process On Kinetic And Optical Properties Of Low-Temperature Laboratory And Astrophysical Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klyucharev, A. N.; Bezuglov, N. N.; Mihajlov, A. A.; Ignjatovic, Lj. M.

2010-07-01

Elementary processes in plasma phenomena traditionally attract physicist`s attention. The channel of charged-particle formation in Rydberg Atom-Atom thermal and subthermal collisions (the low temperature plasmas conditions) leads to creation of the molecular ions - associative ionization (AI), atomic ions - penning-like ionization (PI) and the pair of the negative and positive ions. In our universe the chemical composition of the primordial gas consists mainly of Hydrogen and Helium (H, H- , H+, H2, He, He+ ), Hydrogen-like alkali-metal Litium (Li, Li+, Li-) and combinations (HeH+ , LiH- , LiH+). There is a wide range of plasma parameters in which the Rydberg Atoms of the elements called above make the dominant construction to ionization and that process may be regarded as a prototype of the elementary process of light excitation energy transformation into electric one. The first series of quantitative measurements of the rate constants for Rydberg Atoms starts in 1978 (Devdariani, Klyucharev et al.). The method of AI and PI calculations, so-called "dipole resonant" mechanism proposed in 1971 (Smirnov, Mihaylov) was used in semiclassical (Mihailov and Janev 1981) and quantum mechanical theories (Duman, Shmatov, 1980). The latest stochastic version of chemi-ionisation (AI+PI) on Rydberg Atom - Atom collisions extends the treatment of the "dipole resonant" model by taking into account redistribution of population over a range of Rydberg states prior to ionization. This redistribution is modeled as diffusion in the frame of stochastic dynamic of the Rydberg electron in the Rydberg energy spectrum (Bezuglov, Borodin, Klyucharev et al. 1997). Such approach makes it possible to operate on efficiently of inelastic collisional processes and sometimes to operate on time of Rydberg Atoms life. This may lead to anomalies of Rydberg Atoms spectra. Another result obtained in recent time is understanding that experimental results on chemi-ionization relate to the group of mixed Rydberg Atom closed to the primary selected one. The Rydberg Atoms ionisaton theory today makes a valuable contribution in the deterministic and stochastic approaches correlation in atomic physic.
An Impact Evaluation of the Resource Access Projects 1980-1981.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Empson, Judith V.; And Others

This report presents findings of the fifth impact evaluation of Head Start's 15 Resource Access Projects (RAPs), offering data for the 1980-81 program year. RAPs are the designated liaison between Head Start grantees and state and local education systems, and they also train Head Start staff to work with handicapped children and their families.…
A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of a School-Based Depression Prevention Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merry, Sally; McDowell, Heather; Wild, Chris J.; Bir, Julliet; Cunliffe, Rachel

2004-01-01

Objective: To conduct a placebo-controlled study of the effectiveness of a universal school-based depression prevention program. Method: Three hundred ninety-two students age 13 to 15 from two schools were randomized to intervention (RAP-Kiwi) and placebo programs run by teachers. RAP-Kiwi was an 11-session manual-based program derived from…
Multilingual Codeswitching in Quebec Rap: Poetry, Pragmatics and Performativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarkar, Mela; Winer, Lise

2006-01-01

Quebec rap lyrics stand out on the world Hip-Hop scene by virtue of the ease and rapidity with which performers in this multilingual, multiethnic youth community codeswitch, frequently among three or more languages or language varieties (usually over a French and/or English base) in the same song. We construct a framework for understanding…
Hegemony, Hope, and the Harlem Renaissance: Taking Hip Hop Culture Seriously

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Robert J., Jr.

2005-01-01

Adult education instructors and administrators, who typically are not members of the hip hop generation, often have little knowledge and understanding of rap music (also known as gangsta rap) and hip hop culture, and consequently do not take the black popular cultural phenomenon seriously as it relates to adult education. Adult educators,…
Trends in German Hip Hop Music and Its Usefulness for the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Johannes

2008-01-01

German hip hop music has proved productive, especially since 2000 when rap in Germany experienced something like a first crisis. As a response, German hip hop artists and record labels have ventured off in several different directions including other musical genres, different topics, and new approaches to German rap. This article discusses the…
Migrant Rap in the Periphery: Performing Politics of Belonging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leppänen, Sirpa; Westinen, Elina

2017-01-01

Focusing on a YouTube performance by an emergent Finnish Somali rapper and the audience responses it has generated, this paper looks at ways in which rap music engages with the issue of belonging. Drawing on recent theorizations of belonging as a multi-dimensional, contingent and fluid process, along with sociolinguistic work on globalization and…
EVALUATION OF THE REAL-TIME AIR-QUALITY MODEL USING THE RAPS (REGIONAL AIR POLLUTION STUDY) DATA BASE. VOLUME 3. PROGRAM USER'S GUIDE

EPA Science Inventory

The theory and programming of statistical tests for evaluating the Real-Time Air-Quality Model (RAM) using the Regional Air Pollution Study (RAPS) data base are fully documented in four volumes. Moreover, the tests are generally applicable to other model evaluation problems. Volu...
EVALUATION OF THE REAL-TIME AIR-QUALITY MODEL USING THE RAPS (REGIONAL AIR POLLUTION STUDY) DATA BASE. VOLUME 4. EVALUATION GUIDE

EPA Science Inventory

The theory and programming of statistical tests for evaluating the Real-Time Air-Quality Model (RAM) using the Regional Air Pollution Study (RAPS) data base are fully documented in four volumes. Moreover, the tests are generally applicable to other model evaluation problems. Volu...
University-Community Collaboration to Promote Healthy Mothers and Infants: The Relationships and Parenting Support (RAPS) Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Patricia Hrusa; Oravecz, Linda M.

2016-01-01

Research highlights the vulnerability of Black mothers and their infants, who experience higher rates of stress, preterm birth, low birth weight, and infant mortality than other racial groups. This article describes the development and implementation of the Relationships and Parenting Support (RAPS) Program, a community-based, family-focused…
Regenerable Air Purification System for Gas-Phase Contaminant Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Constantinescu, Ileana C.; Qi, Nan; LeVan, M. Douglas; Finn, Cory K.; Finn, John E.; Luna, Bernadette (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

A regenerable air purification system (RAPS) that uses water vapor to displace adsorbed contaminants from an. adsorbent column into a closed oxidation loop is under development through cooperative R&D between Vanderbilt University and NASA Ames Research Center. A unit based on this design can be used for removing trace gas-phase contaminants from spacecraft cabin air or from polluted process streams including incinerator exhaust. Recent work has focused on fabrication and operation of a RAPS breadboard at NASA Ames, and on measurement of adsorption isotherm data for several important organic compounds at Vanderbilt. These activities support the use and validation of RAPS modeling software also under development at Vanderbilt, which will in turn be used to construct a prototype system later in the project.
Atomic Force Microscope Investigations of Bacterial Biofilms Treated with Gas Discharge Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vandervoort, Kurt; Zelaya, Anna; Brelles-Marino, Graciela

2012-02-01

We present investigations of bacterial biofilms before and after treatment with gas discharge plasmas. Gas discharge plasmas represent a way to inactivate bacteria under conditions where conventional disinfection methods are often ineffective. These conditions involve biofilm communities, where bacteria grow embedded in an exopolysaccharide matrix, and cooperative interactions between cells make organisms less susceptible to standard inactivation methods. In this study, biofilms formed by the opportunistic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa were imaged before and after plasma treatment using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Through AFM images and micromechanical measurements we observed bacterial morphological damage and reduced AFM tip-sample surface adhesion following plasma treatment.
Excited level populations and excitation kinetics of nonequilibrium ionizing argon discharge plasma of atmospheric pressure

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

Akatsuka, Hiroshi

2009-04-15

Population densities of excited states of argon atoms are theoretically examined for ionizing argon plasma in a state of nonequilibrium under atmospheric pressure from the viewpoint of elementary processes with collisional radiative model. The dependence of excited state populations on the electron and gas temperatures is discussed. Two electron density regimes are found, which are distinguished by the population and depopulation mechanisms for the excited states in problem. When the electron impact excitation frequency for the population or depopulation is lower than the atomic impact one, the electron density of the plasma is considered as low to estimate the populationmore » and depopulation processes. Some remarkable characteristics of population and depopulation mechanisms are found for the low electron density atmospheric plasma, where thermal relaxation by atomic collisions becomes the predominant process within the group of close-energy states in the ionizing plasma of atmospheric pressure, and the excitation temperature is almost the same as the gas temperature. In addition to the collisional relaxation by argon atoms, electron impact excitation from the ground state is also an essential population mechanism. The ratios of population density of the levels pairs, between which exists a large energy gap, include information on the electron collisional kinetics. For high electron density, the effect of atomic collisional relaxation becomes weak. For this case, the excitation mechanism is explained as electron impact ladderlike excitation similar to low-pressure ionizing plasma, since the electron collision becomes the dominant process for the population and depopulation kinetics.« less
Charge-free method of forming nanostructures on a substrate

DOEpatents

Hoffbauer; Mark , Akhadov; Elshan

2010-07-20

A charge-free method of forming a nanostructure at low temperatures on a substrate. A substrate that is reactive with one of atomic oxygen and nitrogen is provided. A flux of neutral atoms of least one of oxygen and nitrogen is generated within a laser-sustained-discharge plasma source and a collimated beam of energetic neutral atoms and molecules is directed from the plasma source onto a surface of the substrate to form the nanostructure. The energetic neutral atoms and molecules in the beam have an average kinetic energy in a range from about 1 eV to about 5 eV.
The measurement of argon metastable atoms in the barrier discharge plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghildina, Anna R.; Mikheyev, Pavel Anatolyevich; Chernyshov, Aleksandr Konstantinovich; Lunev, Nikolai Nikolaevich; Azyazov, Valeriy Nikolaevich

2018-04-01

The mandatory condition for efficient operation of an optically-pumped all-rare-gas laser (OPRGL) is the presence of rare gas metastable atoms in the discharge plasma with number density of the order of 1012-1013 cm-3. This requirement mainly depends on the choice of a discharge system. In this study the number density values of argon metastable atoms were obtained in the condition of the dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) at an atmospheric pressure.
Quantitative Phase Analysis of Plasma-Treated High-Silica Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosmachev, P. V.; Abzaev, Yu. A.; Vlasov, V. A.

2018-06-01

The paper presents the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the crystal structure of SiO2 in two modifications, namely quartzite and quartz sand before and after plasma treatment. Plasma treatment enables the raw material to melt and evaporate after which the material quenches and condenses to form nanoparticles. The Rietveld refinement method is used to identify the lattice parameters of SiO2 phases. It is found that after plasma treatment SiO2 oxides are in the amorphous state, which are modeled within the microcanonical ensemble. Experiments show that amorphous phases are stable, and model X-ray reflection intensities approximate the experimental XRD patterns with fine precision. Within the modeling, full information is obtained for SiO2 crystalline and amorphous phases, which includes atom arrangement, structural parameters, atomic population of silicon and oxygen atoms in lattice sites.

Atomic oxygen beam source for erosion simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuthbertson, J. W.; Langer, W. D.; Motley, R. W.; Vaughn, J. A.

1991-01-01

A device for the production of low energy (3 to 10 eV) neutral atomic beams for surface modification studies is described that reproduces the flux of atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit. The beam is produced by the acceleration of plasma ions onto a negatively biased plate of high-Z metal; the ions are neutralized and reflected by the surface, retaining some fraction of their incident kinetic energy, forming a beam of atoms. The plasma is generated by a coaxial RF exciter which produces a magnetically-confined (4 kG) plasma column. At the end of the column, ions fall through the sheath to the plate, whose bias relative to the plasma can be varied to adjust the beam energy. The source provides a neutral flux approximately equal to 5 x 10(exp 16)/sq cm at a distance of 9 cm and a fluence approximately equal to 10(exp 20)/sq cm in five hours. The composition and energy of inert gas beams was diagnosed using a mass spectometer/energy analyzer. The energy spectra of the beams demonstrate energies in the range 5 to 15 eV, and qualitatively show expected dependences upon incident and reflecting atom species and potential drop. Samples of carbon film, carbon-based paint, Kapton, mylar, and teflon exposed to atomic O beams show erosion quite similar to that observed in orbit on the space shuttle.
Novel Cyclosilazane-Type Silicon Precursor and Two-Step Plasma for Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition of Silicon Nitride.

PubMed

Park, Jae-Min; Jang, Se Jin; Lee, Sang-Ick; Lee, Won-Jun

2018-03-14

We designed cyclosilazane-type silicon precursors and proposed a three-step plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process to prepare silicon nitride films with high quality and excellent step coverage. The cyclosilazane-type precursor, 1,3-di-isopropylamino-2,4-dimethylcyclosilazane (CSN-2), has a closed ring structure for good thermal stability and high reactivity. CSN-2 showed thermal stability up to 450 °C and a sufficient vapor pressure of 4 Torr at 60 °C. The energy for the chemisorption of CSN-2 on the undercoordinated silicon nitride surface as calculated by density functional theory method was -7.38 eV. The PEALD process window was between 200 and 500 °C, with a growth rate of 0.43 Å/cycle. The best film quality was obtained at 500 °C, with hydrogen impurity of ∼7 atom %, oxygen impurity less than 2 atom %, low wet etching rate, and excellent step coverage of ∼95%. At 300 °C and lower temperatures, the wet etching rate was high especially at the lower sidewall of the trench pattern. We introduced the three-step PEALD process to improve the film quality and the step coverage on the lower sidewall. The sequence of the three-step PEALD process consists of the CSN-2 feeding step, the NH 3 /N 2 plasma step, and the N 2 plasma step. The H radicals in NH 3 /N 2 plasma efficiently remove the ligands from the precursor, and the N 2 plasma after the NH 3 plasma removes the surface hydrogen atoms to activate the adsorption of the precursor. The films deposited at 300 °C using the novel precursor and the three-step PEALD process showed a significantly improved step coverage of ∼95% and an excellent wet etching resistance at the lower sidewall, which is only twice as high as that of the blanket film prepared by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition.
Pulsed high energy synthesis of fine metal powders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witherspoon, F. Douglas (Inventor); Massey, Dennis W. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

Repetitively pulsed plasma jets generated by a capillary arc discharge at high stagnation pressure (>15,000 psi) and high temperature (>10,000 K) are utilized to produce 0.1-10 .mu.m sized metal powders and decrease cost of production. The plasma jets impact and atomize melt materials to form the fine powders. The melt can originate from a conventional melt stream or from a pulsed arc between two electrodes. Gas streams used in conventional gas atomization are replaced with much higher momentum flux plasma jets. Delivering strong incident shocks aids in primary disintegration of the molten material. A series of short duration, high pressure plasma pulses fragment the molten material. The pulses introduce sharp velocity gradients in the molten material which disintegrates into fine particles. The plasma pulses have peak pressures of approximately one kilobar. The high pressures improve the efficiency of disintegration. High gas flow velocities and pressures are achieved without reduction in gas density. Repetitively pulsed plasma jets will produce powders with lower mean size and narrower size distribution than conventional atomization techniques.
Recurrent abdominal pain in childhood urolithiasis.

PubMed

Polito, Cesare; La Manna, Angela; Signoriello, Giuseppe; Marte, Antonio

2009-12-01

Our goal was to establish the clinical presentation and features of pain attacks in children with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) and urolithiasis. We compared the rate of previous appendectomy among 100 consecutive patients with that of 270 control subjects. We also compared the frequency of pain attacks with that reported by children with functional or organic gastrointestinal RAP. Fifty-three patients had no history of dysuria or gross hematuria, and only 35 had hematuria at the first visit; 41 patients were evaluated for urolithiasis only because of a family history of kidney stones associated with RAP. Twenty-nine patients had been previously hospitalized for abdominal symptoms. Sixteen patients and 4 control subjects (1.5%) had undergone a previous appendectomy (P < .0001). Two to 28 months before the diagnosis of urolithiasis, 37 patients underwent abdominal ultrasonography, which did not show urinary stones. Sixty-nine percent of subjects younger than 8 years of age had central/diffuse abdominal pain. The mean frequency of pain attacks was 4 to 9 times lower than in patients with functional or organic gastrointestinal RAP. Because of the inconstant occurrence of dysuria and hematuria, the location of pain in areas other than the flank, and the lack of calculi shown on imaging studies performed after pain attacks, the urologic origin of pain may be overlooked and ineffective procedures performed. The possibility of urolithiasis should be considered in children with RAP who have a family history of urolithiasis and/or infrequent pain attacks, even when dysuria and hematuria are lacking, and in younger children even when pain is not lateral.
Rice Annotation Project Database (RAP-DB): an integrative and interactive database for rice genomics.

PubMed

Sakai, Hiroaki; Lee, Sung Shin; Tanaka, Tsuyoshi; Numa, Hisataka; Kim, Jungsok; Kawahara, Yoshihiro; Wakimoto, Hironobu; Yang, Ching-chia; Iwamoto, Masao; Abe, Takashi; Yamada, Yuko; Muto, Akira; Inokuchi, Hachiro; Ikemura, Toshimichi; Matsumoto, Takashi; Sasaki, Takuji; Itoh, Takeshi

2013-02-01

The Rice Annotation Project Database (RAP-DB, http://rapdb.dna.affrc.go.jp/) has been providing a comprehensive set of gene annotations for the genome sequence of rice, Oryza sativa (japonica group) cv. Nipponbare. Since the first release in 2005, RAP-DB has been updated several times along with the genome assembly updates. Here, we present our newest RAP-DB based on the latest genome assembly, Os-Nipponbare-Reference-IRGSP-1.0 (IRGSP-1.0), which was released in 2011. We detected 37,869 loci by mapping transcript and protein sequences of 150 monocot species. To provide plant researchers with highly reliable and up to date rice gene annotations, we have been incorporating literature-based manually curated data, and 1,626 loci currently incorporate literature-based annotation data, including commonly used gene names or gene symbols. Transcriptional activities are shown at the nucleotide level by mapping RNA-Seq reads derived from 27 samples. We also mapped the Illumina reads of a Japanese leading japonica cultivar, Koshihikari, and a Chinese indica cultivar, Guangluai-4, to the genome and show alignments together with the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and gene functional annotations through a newly developed browser, Short-Read Assembly Browser (S-RAB). We have developed two satellite databases, Plant Gene Family Database (PGFD) and Integrative Database of Cereal Gene Phylogeny (IDCGP), which display gene family and homologous gene relationships among diverse plant species. RAP-DB and the satellite databases offer simple and user-friendly web interfaces, enabling plant and genome researchers to access the data easily and facilitating a broad range of plant research topics.
Paediatricians' perceptions of a potential online psychosocial intervention for children with recurrent abdominal pain.

PubMed

Boixadós, Mercè; Hernández Encuentra, Eulàlia; Nieto Luna, Ruben; Huguet, Anna; Aumatell, Eva

2014-06-01

To evaluate paediatricians' perceived effectiveness of an online psychosocial intervention for children with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP). Also, to explore which elements of this intervention they would consider necessary when applied in the clinical context. A total of 131 paediatricians affiliated to Catalan and Balearic paediatric societies completed an online survey about how effective they would perceive an online psychosocial intervention for RAP (for reducing pain intensity, reducing disability and preventing chronicity) and how this intervention should be carried out. They were asked about the perceived effectiveness of the standard medical treatments they routinely applied for RAP and also their opinion of face-to-face psychosocial interventions. A face-to face psychosocial intervention was considered better (to reduce pain intensity, reduce disability and prevent chronic pain) than an online psychological intervention and the standard medical treatment. Online and face-to-face psychosocial interventions are considered equally useful for children with mild disability, but a face-to-face psychosocial intervention is considered better for those with moderate and severe levels of disability. Paediatricians considered that an online psychosocial intervention for children with RAP should be simple and consistent; it should provide easy access for users; and its interface should be easy to use and attractive. Paediatricians show a positive attitude towards a potential online psychosocial intervention for children and adolescents with RAP. However, they do not use the Internet for offering health care, and they would prefer a face-to-face psychosocial intervention. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2014 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).
Penile rehabilitation protocol after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: assessment of compliance with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor therapy and effect on early potency.

PubMed

Lee, Daniel J; Cheetham, Philippa; Badani, Ketan K

2010-02-01

Therapy (case series). 4. To evaluate factors that affect compliance in men who enroll in a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5I) protocol after nerve-sparing robot-assisted prostatectomy (RAP), and report on short-term outcomes, as PDE5Is may help restore erectile function after RAP and patient adherence to the regimen is a factor that potentially can affect outcome. We prospectively followed 77 men who had nerve-sparing RAP and enrolled in a postoperative penile rehabilitation protocol. The men received either sildenafil citrate or tadalafil three times weekly. The minimum follow-up was 8 weeks. Potency was defined as erection adequate for penetration and complete intercourse. Compliance was defined as men adhering to the regimen for > or =2 months. The mean age of the cohort was 57.8 years and the median follow-up was 8 months. In all, 32% of the men discontinued the therapy <2 months after RAP and were deemed noncompliant with an additional 39% discontinuing therapy by 6 months, with the high cost of medication being the primary reason (65%). Long-term compliance and preoperative erectile dysfunction were independent predictors of potency return after adjusting for age and nerve sparing. The high cost of medication remains a significant barrier to maintaining therapy. Noncompliance to PDE5I therapy in a tertiary care centre was much higher than reported in clinical trial settings. With longer-term follow-up, we need to further define the factors that improve overall recovery of sexual function after RAP.
Targeted decay of a regulatory small RNA by an adaptor protein for RNase E and counteraction by an anti-adaptor RNA

PubMed Central

Göpel, Yvonne; Papenfort, Kai; Reichenbach, Birte; Vogel, Jörg; Görke, Boris

2013-01-01

Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) are well established to regulate diverse cellular processes, but how they themselves are regulated is less understood. Recently, we identified a regulatory circuit wherein the GlmY and GlmZ sRNAs of Escherichia coli act hierarchically to activate mRNA glmS, which encodes glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN6P) synthase. Although the two sRNAs are highly similar, only GlmZ is a direct activator that base-pairs with the glmS mRNA, aided by protein Hfq. GlmY, however, does not bind Hfq and activates glmS indirectly by protecting GlmZ from RNA cleavage. This complex regulation feedback controls the levels of GlmS protein in response to its product, GlcN6P, a key metabolite in cell wall biosynthesis. Here, we reveal the molecular basis for the regulated turnover of GlmZ, identifying RapZ (RNase adaptor protein for sRNA GlmZ; formerly YhbJ) as a novel type of RNA-binding protein that recruits the major endoribonuclease RNase E to GlmZ. This involves direct interaction of RapZ with the catalytic domain of RNase E. GlmY binds RapZ through a secondary structure shared by both sRNAs and therefore acts by molecular mimicry as a specific decoy for RapZ. Thus, in analogy to regulated proteolysis, RapZ is an adaptor, and GlmY is an anti-adaptor in regulated turnover of a regulatory small RNA. PMID:23475961
Overview of ICRP Committee 5: protection of the environment.

PubMed

Larsson, C-M

2016-06-01

Protection of the environment is integral to the system of radiological protection, as outlined in the 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP, Publication 103). The Commission's activities in this area are mainly pursued by Committee 5 and its associated Task Groups. Publication 91 broadly outlines the approach to radiological protection of the environment, and its alignment with approaches to environmental protection from hazardous substances in general. Publications 108 and 114 provide the cornerstones of the environmental protection system and relevant databases. Publication 124 considers its application in planned, existing, and emergency exposure situations. The system centres on 12 Reference Animals and Plants (RAPs) with broad relevance for environmental protection based on their ubiquity and significance as well as other criteria, as described in Publication 108 The databases comprise general biology of the RAPs, transfer parameters, dose conversion coefficients, and effects data. Derived Consideration Reference Levels (DCRLs) were established for each RAP; a DCRL represents a band of dose rates that might result in some deleterious effects in individuals of that type of RAP. Newly established Task Group 99 will compile the RAP-specific reference information into monographs, with the view of updating information and improving the applicability of the system in different exposure situations. For certain scenarios, more precise and ecosystem-specific protection benchmarks may be justified, which would have to be informed by consideration of representative organisms (i.e. representative of a particular ecosystem and relevant to the specific scenario; Publication 124). Committee 5 will explore this further, making use of a limited number of case studies. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics.
Influence of Plasma Environment on K-Line Emission in Highly Ionized Iron Atoms Evaluated Using a Debye-Huckel Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deprince, J.; Fritzsche, S.; Kallman, T. R.; Palmeri, P.; Quinet, P.

2017-01-01

The influence of plasma environment on the atomic parameters associated with the K-vacancy states has been investigated theoretically for several iron ions. To do this, a time-averaged Debye-Huckel potential for both the electron-nucleus and electron-electron interactions has been considered in the framework of relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock computations. More particularly, the plasma screening effects on ionization potentials, K-thresholds, transition energies, and radiative rates have been estimated in the astrophysical context of accretion disks around black holes. In the present paper, we describe the behavior of those atomic parameters for Ne-, Na-, Ar-, and K-like iron ions.
Doppler effects on 3-D non-LTE radiation transport and emission spectra.

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

Giuliani, J. L.; Davis, J.; DasGupta, A.

2010-10-01

Spatially and temporally resolved X-ray emission lines contain information about temperatures, densities, velocities, and the gradients in a plasma. Extracting this information from optically thick lines emitted from complex ions in dynamic, three-dimensional, non-LTE plasmas requires self-consistent accounting for both non-LTE atomic physics and non-local radiative transfer. We present a brief description of a hybrid-structure spectroscopic atomic model coupled to an iterative tabular on-the-spot treatment of radiative transfer that can be applied to plasmas of arbitrary material composition, conditions, and geometries. The effects of Doppler line shifts on the self-consistent radiative transfer within the plasma and the emergent emission andmore » absorption spectra are included in the model. Sample calculations for a two-level atom in a uniform cylindrical plasma are given, showing reasonable agreement with more sophisticated transport models and illustrating the potential complexity - or richness - of radially resolved emission lines from an imploding cylindrical plasma. Also presented is a comparison of modeled L- and K-shell spectra to temporally and radially resolved emission data from a Cu:Ni plasma. Finally, some shortcomings of the model and possible paths for improvement are discussed.« less
COMPARISON OF FEMTOSECOND AND NANOSECOND TWO PHOTON ABSORPTION LASER INDUCED FLUORESCENCE (TALIF) OF ATOMIC OXYGEN IN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE PLASMAS

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

OXYGEN IN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE PLASMAS James D. Scofield (AFRL/RQQE) and James R. Gord (AFRL/RQTC) Electrical Systems Branch, Power and Control...Division (AFRL/RQQE) Combustion Branch, Turbine Engine Division (AFRL/RQTC) Jacob B. Schmidt and Sukesh Roy Spectral Energies LLC Brian Sands...LASER-INDUCED FLUORESCENCE (TALIF) OF ATOMIC OXYGEN IN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE PLASMAS 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER In-house 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM
Study of axial double layer in helicon plasma by optical emission spectroscopy and simple probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, ZHAO; Wanying, ZHU; Huihui, WANG; Qiang, CHEN; Chang, TAN; Jiting, OUYANG

2018-07-01

In this work we used a passive measurement method based on a high-impedance electrostatic probe and an optical emission spectroscope (OES) to investigate the characteristics of the double layer (DL) in an argon helicon plasma. The DL can be confirmed by a rapid change in the plasma potential along the axis. The axial potential variation of the passive measurement shows that the DL forms near a region of strong magnetic field gradient when the plasma is operated in wave-coupled mode, and the DL strength increases at higher powers in this experiment. The emission intensity of the argon atom line, which is strongly dependent on the metastable atom concentration, shows a similar spatial distribution to the plasma potential along the axis. The emission intensity of the argon atom line and the argon ion line in the DL suggests the existence of an energetic electron population upstream of the DL. The electron density upstream is much higher than that downstream, which is mainly caused by these energetic electrons.
Atomic-scale and pit-free flattening of GaN by combination of plasma pretreatment and time-controlled chemical mechanical polishing

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

Deng, Hui; Endo, Katsuyoshi; Yamamura, Kazuya, E-mail: yamamura@upst.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp

2015-08-03

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) combined with atmospheric-pressure plasma pretreatment was applied to a GaN (0001) substrate. The irradiation of a CF{sub 4}-containing plasma was proven to be very useful for modifying the surface of GaN. When CMP was conducted on a plasma-irradiated surface, a modified layer of GaF{sub 3} acted as a protective layer on GaN by preventing the formation of etch pits. Within a short duration (8 min) of CMP using a commercially available CeO{sub 2} slurry, an atomically flat surface with a root mean square (rms) roughness of 0.11 nm was obtained. Moreover, etch pits, which are inevitably introduced inmore » conventional CMP, could not be observed at the dislocation sites on the polished GaN surface. It was revealed that CMP combined with the plasma pretreatment was very effective for obtaining a pit-free and atomically flat GaN surface.« less
FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: Contrasting characteristics of sub-microsecond pulsed atmospheric air and atmospheric pressure helium-oxygen glow discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh, J. L.; Liu, D. X.; Iza, F.; Rong, M. Z.; Kong, M. G.

2010-01-01

Glow discharges in air are often considered to be the ultimate low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasmas for numerous chamber-free applications. This is due to the ubiquitous presence of air and the perceived abundance of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in air plasmas. In this paper, sub-microsecond pulsed atmospheric air plasmas are shown to produce a low concentration of excited oxygen atoms but an abundance of excited nitrogen species, UV photons and ozone molecules. This contrasts sharply with the efficient production of excited oxygen atoms in comparable helium-oxygen discharges. Relevant reaction chemistry analysed with a global model suggests that collisional excitation of O2 by helium metastables is significantly more efficient than electron dissociative excitation of O2, electron excitation of O and ion-ion recombination. These results suggest different practical uses of the two oxygen-containing atmospheric discharges, with air plasmas being well suited for nitrogen and UV based chemistry and He-O2 plasmas for excited atomic oxygen based chemistry.
A collisional-radiative model for low-pressure weakly magnetized Ar plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xi-Ming; Tsankov, Tsanko; Czarnetzki, Uwe; Marchuk, Oleksandr

2016-09-01

Collisional-radiative (CR) models are widely investigated in plasma physics for describing the kinetics of reactive species and for optical emission spectroscopy. This work reports a new Ar CR model used in low-pressure (0.01-10 Pa) weakly magnetized (<0.1 Tesla) plasmas, including ECR, helicon, and NLD discharges. In this model 108 realistic levels are individually studied, i.e. 51 lowest levels of the Ar atom and 57 lowest levels of the Ar ion. We abandon the concept of an ``effective level'' usually adopted in previous models for glow discharges. Only in this way the model can correctly predict the non-equilibrium population distribution of close energy levels. In addition to studying atomic metastable and radiative levels, this model describes the kinetic processes of ionic metastable and radiative levels in detail for the first time. This is important for investigation of plasma-surface interaction and for optical diagnostics using atomic and ionic line-ratios. This model could also be used for studying Ar impurities in tokamaks and astrophysical plasmas.
A non-LTE kinetic model for quick analysis of K-shell spectra from Z-pinch plasmas

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

Li, J., E-mail: s.duan@163.com; Huang, X. B., E-mail: s.duan@163.com; Cai, H. C., E-mail: s.duan@163.com

Analyzing and modeling K-shell spectra emitted by low-to moderate-atomic number plasma is a useful and effective way to retrieve temperature density of z-pinch plasmas. In this paper, a non-LTE population kinetic model for quick analysis of K-shell spectra was proposed. The model contains ionization stages from bare nucleus to neutral atoms and includes all the important atomic processes. In the present form of the model, the plasma is assumed to be both optically thin and homogeneous with constant temperature and density, and only steady-state situation is considered. According to the detailed calculations for aluminum plasmas, contours of ratios of certainmore » K-shell lines in electron temperature and density plane as well as typical synthesized spectra were presented and discussed. The usefulness of the model is demonstrated by analyzing the spectrum from a neon gas-puff Z-pinch experiment performed on a 1 MA pulsed-power accelerator.« less
BCA-kMC Hybrid Simulation for Hydrogen and Helium Implantation in Material under Plasma Irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Shuichi; Ito, Atsushi; Sasao, Mamiko; Nakamura, Hiroaki; Wada, Motoi

2015-09-01

Ion implantation by plasma irradiation into materials achieves the very high concentration of impurity. The high concentration of impurity causes the deformation and the destruction of the material. This is the peculiar phenomena in the plasma-material interaction (PMI). The injection process of plasma particles are generally simulated by using the binary collision approximation (BCA) and the molecular dynamics (MD), while the diffusion of implanted atoms have been traditionally solved by the diffusion equation, in which the implanted atoms is replaced by the continuous concentration field. However, the diffusion equation has insufficient accuracy in the case of low concentration, and in the case of local high concentration such as the hydrogen blistering and the helium bubble. The above problem is overcome by kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) which represents the diffusion of the implanted atoms as jumps on interstitial sites in a material. In this paper, we propose the new approach ``BCA-kMC hybrid simulation'' for the hydrogen and helium implantation under the plasma irradiation.
Cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc determination in precipitation: A comparison of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and graphite furnace atomization atomic absorption spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reddy, M.M.; Benefiel, M.A.; Claassen, H.C.

1987-01-01

Selected trace element analysis for cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in precipitation samples by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission Spectrometry (ICP) and by atomic absorption spectrometry with graphite furnace atomization (AAGF) have been evaluated. This task was conducted in conjunction with a longterm study of precipitation chemistry at high altitude sites located in remote areas of the southwestern United States. Coefficients of variation and recovery values were determined for a standard reference water sample for all metals examined for both techniques. At concentration levels less than 10 micrograms per liter AAGF analyses exhibited better precision and accuracy than ICP. Both methods appear to offer the potential for cost-effective analysis of trace metal ions in precipitation. ?? 1987 Springer-Verlag.
Laser sustained discharge nozzle apparatus for the production of an intense beam of high kinetic energy atomic species

DOEpatents

Cross, Jon B.; Cremers, David A.

1988-01-01

Laser sustained discharge apparatus for the production of intense beams of high kinetic energy atomic species. A portion of the plasma resulting from a laser sustained continuous optical discharge which generates energetic atomic species from a gaseous source thereof is expanded through a nozzle into a region of low pressure. The expanded plasma contains a significant concentration of the high kinetic energy atomic species which may be used to investigate the interaction of surfaces therewith. In particular, O-atoms having velocities in excess of 3.5 km/s can be generated for the purpose of studying their interaction with materials in order to develop protective materials for spacecraft which are exposed to such energetic O-atoms during operation in low earth orbit.

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