Predicting cattle age from eye lens weight and nitrogen content, dentition, and United States Department of Agriculture maturity score.

PubMed

Raines, C R; Dikeman, M E; Unruh, J A; Hunt, M C; Knock, R C

2008-12-01

This research explores the relationship between generally accepted and alternative cattle age-prediction methods and chronological age. Cattle (n = 386) of documented ages ranging from 370 to 1,115 d of age were used. Dentition (DEN), USDA maturity score (MS), lens weight (LW), and lens total N (LN) content were used as possible predictors of age. Correlations with age were determined: LW (r = 0.77); DEN (r = 0.74); LN (r = 0.71); and MS (r = 0.64). Stepwise backward regression was used to generate an age prediction equation: Age (mo) = -21.79 + 17.23(LW, g) + 0.038(DEN). By this equation, 38% of cattle

Evolutionary Relationships of Endemic/Epidemic and Sylvatic Dengue Viruses

PubMed Central

Wang, Eryu; Ni, Haolin; Xu, Renling; Barrett, Alan D. T.; Watowich, Stanley J.; Gubler, Duane J.; Weaver, Scott C.

2000-01-01

Endemic/epidemic dengue viruses (DEN) that are transmitted among humans by the mosquito vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are hypothesized to have evolved from sylvatic DEN strains that are transmitted among nonhuman primates in West Africa and Malaysia by other Aedes mosquitoes. We tested this hypothesis with phylogenetic studies using envelope protein gene sequences of both endemic/epidemic and sylvatic strains. The basal position of sylvatic lineages of DEN-1, -2, and -4 suggested that the endemic/epidemic lineages of these three DEN serotypes evolved independently from sylvatic progenitors. Time estimates for evolution of the endemic/epidemic forms ranged from 100 to 1,500 years ago, and the evolution of endemic/epidemic forms represents relatively recent events in the history of DEN evolution. Analysis of envelope protein amino acid changes predicted to have accompanied endemic/epidemic emergence suggested a role for domain III in adaptation to new mosquito and/or human hosts. PMID:10708439

Late winter and early spring home range and habitat use of the endangered Carolina northern flying squirrel in western North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ford, W. Mark; Kelly, Christine A.; Rodrigue, Jane L.; Odom, Richard H.; Newcomb, Douglas; Gilley, L. Michelle; Diggins, Corinne A.

2014-01-01

The Carolina northern flying squirrel Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus is an endangered subspecies that is restricted to high elevation forests in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Owing to rugged terrain and nocturnal habits, the subspecies’ natural history, home range characteristics and habitat preferences are poorly known. We radio-tracked 3 female and 2 male Carolina northern flying squirrels during late winter through spring 2012 in the Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina, USA. Tracked squirrels used 13 yellow birch Betula alleghaniensis and 9 red spruce Picea rubens as diurnal dens. Ten of the yellow birch dens were in cavities, whereas the remainders were dreys. Conversely, 8 of the red spruce dens were dreys and one was in a cavity. Mean (±SE) female 95 and 50% adaptive kernel home ranges were 6.50 ± 2.19 and 0.93 ± 0.33 ha, respectively, whereas the corresponding values for males were 12.6 ± 0.9 and 1.45 ± 0.1 ha, respectively. Squirrels used red spruce stands with canopies >20 m more than expected based on availability at the landscape and home range scales. Results should be interpreted cautiously because of small sample sizes and seasonal observations; however, they provide evidence that although northern hardwoods such as yellow birch are an important den habitat component, mature red spruce-dominated habitats with complex structure provide foraging habitats and are also den habitat. Our findings support efforts to improve the structural condition of extant red spruce forests and/or increase red spruce acreage to potentially benefit Carolina northern flying squirrels.

Where to deliver baits for deworming urban red foxes for Echinococcus multilocularis control: new protocol for micro-habitat modeling of fox denning requirements.

PubMed

Ikeda, Takako; Yoshimura, Masashi; Onoyama, Keiichi; Oku, Yuzaburo; Nonaka, Nariaki; Katakura, Ken

2014-08-06

Deworming wild foxes by baiting with the anthelmintic praziquantel is being established as a preventive technique against environmental contamination with Echinococcus multilocularis eggs. Improvement of the cost-benefit performance of baiting treatment is required urgently to raise and maintain the efficacy of deworming. We established a spatial model of den site selection by urban red foxes, the definitive host, to specify the optimal micro-habitats for delivering baits in a new modeling approach modified for urban fox populations. The model was established for two cities (Obihiro and Sapporo) in Hokkaido, Japan, in which a sylvatic cycle of E. multilocularis is maintained. The two cities have different degrees of urbanization. The modeling process was designed to detect the best combination of key environmental factors and spatial scale that foxes pay attention to most (here named 'heeding range') when they select den sites. All possible models were generated using logistic regression analysis, with "presence" or "absence" of fox den as the objective variable, and nine landscape categories customized for urban environments as predictor variables to detect the best subset of predictors. This procedure was conducted for each of ten sizes of concentric circles from dens and control points to detect the best circle size. Out of all models generated, the most parsimonious model was selected using Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) inspection. Our models suggest that fox dens in Obihiro are located at the center of a circle with 500 m radius including low percentages of wide roads, narrow roads, and occupied buildings, but high percentages of green covered areas; the dens in Sapporo within 300 m radius with low percentages of wide roads, occupied buildings, but high percentages of riverbeds and green covered areas. The variation of the models suggests the necessity of accumulating models for various types of cities in order to reveal the patterns of the model. Our denning models indicating suitable sites for delivering baits will improve the cost-benefit performance of the campaign. Our modeling protocol is suitable for the urban landscapes, and for extracting the heeding range when they select the den sites.

Spatial organization of northern flying squirrels, Glaucomys sabrinus: Territoriality in females?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, J.R.; Vuren, D.H.V.; Kelt, D.A.; Johnson, M.L.

2011-01-01

We determined home-range overlap among northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) to assess their spatial organization. We found extensive home-range overlap among females, and though this overlap could reflect social behavior, we found no evidence of attraction among females, with only one instance of den sharing. Instead, our results suggest that females share foraging areas but may be territorial in portions of the home range, especially around den trees and during young-rearing. Home-range overlap could also result from, the extrinsic effect of forest fragmentation due to timber harvest, which might impede dispersal and force squirrels to cluster on remaining fragments of suitable habitat.

Home range, den selection and habitat use of Carolina northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diggins, Corinne A.; Silvis, Alexander; Kelly, Christine A.; Ford, W. Mark

2017-01-01

Context: Understanding habitat selection is important for determining conservation and management strategies for endangered species. The Carolina northern flying squirrel (CNFS; Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus) is an endangered subspecies found in the high-elevation montane forests of the southern Appalachians, USA. The primary use of nest boxes to monitor CNFS has provided biased information on habitat use for this subspecies, as nest boxes are typically placed in suitable denning habitat.Aims: We conducted a radio-telemetry study on CNFS to determine home range, den site selection and habitat use at multiple spatial scales.Methods: We radio-collared 21 CNFS in 2012 and 2014–15. We tracked squirrels to diurnal den sites and during night-time activity.Key results: The MCP (minimum convex polygon) home range at 95% for males was 5.2 ± 1.2 ha and for females was 4.0 ± 0.7. The BRB (biased random bridge) home range at 95% for males was 10.8 ± 3.8 ha and for females was 8.3 ± 2.1. Den site (n = 81) selection occurred more frequently in montane conifer dominate forests (81.4%) vs northern hardwood forests or conifer–northern hardwood forests (9.9% and 8.7%, respectively). We assessed habitat selection using Euclidean distance-based analysis at the 2nd order and 3rd order scale. We found that squirrels were non-randomly selecting for habitat at both 2nd and 3rd order scales.Conclusions: At both spatial scales, CNFS preferentially selected for montane conifer forests more than expected based on availability on the landscape. Squirrels selected neither for nor against northern hardwood forests, regardless of availability on the landscape. Additionally, CNFS denned in montane conifer forests more than other habitat types.Implications: Our results highlight the importance of montane conifer to CNFS in the southern Appalachians. Management and restoration activities that increase the quality, connectivity and extent of this naturally rare forest type may be important for long-term conservation of this subspecies, especially with the impending threat of anthropogenic climate change.

Molecular studies with Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762), mosquito transmitting the dengue virus.

PubMed

Pereira, Luciana Patrícia Lima Alves; Brito, Maria Cristiane Aranha; Araruna, Felipe Bastos; de Andrade, Marcelo Souza; Moraes, Denise Fernandes Coutinho; Borges, Antônio Carlos Romão; do Rêgo Barros Pires Leal, Emygdia Rosa

2017-08-01

Dengue is an infectious viral disease, which can present a wide clinical picture, ranging from oligo or asymptomatic forms, to bleeding and shock, and can progress to death. The disease problem has increased in recent years, especially in urban and suburban areas of tropical and subtropical regions. There are five dengue viruses, called serotypes (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, DEN-4, and DEN-5), which belong to the Flaviviridae family and are transmitted to humans through infected mosquito bites, with the main vector the Aedes aegypti mosquito (Linnaeus, 1762). Studies performed with Ae. aegypti, aimed at their identification and analysis of their population structure, are fundamental to improve understanding of the epidemiology of dengue, as well for the definition of strategic actions that reduce the transmission of this disease. Therefore, considering the importance of such research to the development of programs to combat dengue, the present review considers the techniques used for the molecular identification, and evaluation of the genetic variability of Ae. aegypti.

Despotism and risk of infanticide influence grizzly bear den-site selection.

PubMed

Libal, Nathan S; Belant, Jerrold L; Leopold, Bruce D; Wang, Guiming; Owen, Patricia A

2011-01-01

Given documented social dominance and intraspecific predation in bear populations, the ideal despotic distribution model and sex hypothesis of sexual segregation predict adult female grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) will avoid areas occupied by adult males to reduce risk of infanticide. Under ideal despotic distribution, juveniles should similarly avoid adult males to reduce predation risk. Den-site selection and use is an important component of grizzly bear ecology and may be influenced by multiple factors, including risk from conspecifics. To test the role of predation risk and the sex hypothesis of sexual segregation, we compared adult female (n = 142), adult male (n = 36), and juvenile (n = 35) den locations in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA. We measured elevation, aspect, slope, and dominant land cover for each den site, and used maximum entropy modeling to determine which variables best predicted den sites. We identified the global model as the best-fitting model for adult female (area under curve (AUC) = 0.926) and elevation as the best predictive variable for adult male (AUC = 0.880) den sites. The model containing land cover and elevation best-predicted juvenile (AUC = 0.841) den sites. Adult females spatially segregated from adult males, with dens characterized by higher elevations (mean= 1,412 m, SE = 52) and steeper slopes (mean = 21.9°, SE = 1.1) than adult male (elevation: mean = 1,209 m, SE = 76; slope: mean = 15.6°, SE = 1.9) den sites. Juveniles used a broad range of landscape attributes but did not avoid adult male denning areas. Observed spatial segregation by adult females supports the sex hypothesis of sexual segregation and we suggest is a mechanism to reduce risk of infanticide. Den site selection of adult males is likely related to distribution of food resources during spring.

Activity rhythms and distribution of natal dens for red foxes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wenyang, Zhou; Wanhong, Wei; Biggins, Dean E.

1995-01-01

The red fox, Vulpes vulpes, was investigated with snow tracking, radiotracking and directive observation at the Haibei Research Station of Alpine Meadow Ecosystem, Academia Sinica, from March to September 1994. The objectives of this study were to determine the distribution and use of natal dens, activity rhythms, and home range sizes for the foxes.

Remote identification of potential polar bear maternal denning habitat in northern Alaska using airborne LiDAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, B. M.; Durner, G. M.; Stoker, J.; Shideler, R.; Perham, C.; Liston, G. E.

2013-12-01

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) populations throughout the Arctic are being threatened by reductions in critical sea ice habitat. Throughout much of their range, polar bears give birth to their young in winter dens that are excavated in snowdrifts. New-born cubs, which are unable to survive exposure to Arctic winter weather, require 2-3 months of the relatively warm, stable, and undisturbed environment of the den for their growth. In the southern Beaufort Sea (BS), polar bears may den on the Alaskan Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP).The proportion of dens occurring on land has increased because of reductions in stable multi-year ice, increases in unconsolidated ice, and lengthening of the fall open-water period. Large portions of the ACP are currently being used for oil and gas activities and proposed projects will likely expand this footprint in the near future. Since petroleum exploration and development activities increase during winter there is the potential for human activities to disturb polar bears in maternal dens. Thus, maps showing the potential distribution of terrestrial denning habitat can help to mitigate negative interactions. Prior remote sensing efforts have consisted of manual interpretation of vertical aerial photography and automated classification of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture (IfSAR) derived digital terrain models (DTM) (5-m spatial resolution) focused on the identification of snowdrift forming landscape features. In this study, we assess the feasibility of airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data (2-m spatial resolution) for the automated classification of potential polar bear maternal denning habitat in a 1,400 km2 area on the central portion of the ACP. The study region spans the BS coast from the Prudhoe Bay oilfield in the west to near Point Thompson in the east and extends inland from 10 to 30 km. Approximately 800 km2 of the study area contains 19 known den locations, 51 field survey sites with information on bank height and slope that were previously used to identify potential habitat, photo-interpreted denning habitat, and an IfSAR DTM. When compared to the known den locations, the photo-interpreted dataset identified all 19 sites (100%), the classified IfSAR dataset identified 18 of the 19 sites (95%), and the classified LiDAR data identified all 19 sites (100%). When compared to the 51 field survey locations located along coast, river, and lake banks, the photo-interpreted dataset correctly identified 88%, the IfSAR 75%, and the LiDAR 96%. While all methods performed reasonably well, LiDAR performed best and in addition to identifying potential habitat along river, coast, and lake bluffs, it also resolved potential habitat along pingos, erosional landscape remnants, beaded stream gulches, thermo-erosional gullies, thermokarst pits, sand dunes, and human infrastructure. These comparisons highlight the utility of using LiDAR data for the identification of potential polar bear maternal denning habitat on the Alaskan ACP.

A spring aerial census of red foxes in North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sargeant, A.B.; Pfeifer, W.K.; Allen, S.H.

1975-01-01

Systematic aerial searches were flown on transects to locate adult red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), pups, and rearing dens on 559.4 km2 (six townships) in eastern North Dakota during mid-May and mid-June each year from 1969 through 1973 and during mid-April 1969 and early May 1970. The combined sightings of foxes and fox dens from the mid-May and mid-June searches were used to identify individual fox families. The number of fox families was used as the measurement of density. Dens, highly visible during the mid-May searches, were the most reliable family indicator; 84 percent of 270 families identified during the study were represented by dens. Adult foxes second in importance, were most observable during the mid-May searches when 20 to 35 percent of those estimated to be available were sighted. Adult sightings during other search periods ranged from 4 to 17 percent of those available. Pup sightings were the most variable family indicator, but they led to the discovery of some dens. Sources of error for which adjustment factors were determined are: den moves exceeding criterion established for the spacing of dens in a single family, overestimation of the number of fox families living near township boundaries, and the percentage of fox families overlooked during the aerial searches. These adjustment factors appeared to be largely compensatory.

Assessing the spreading patterns of dengue infection and chikungunya fever outbreaks in lower southern Thailand using a geographic information system.

PubMed

Ditsuwan, Thanittha; Liabsuetrakul, Tippawan; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi; Thammapalo, Suwich; McNeil, Edward

2011-04-01

The aims of this study were to assess the incidence of dengue infection (DEN) and chikungunya fever (CHIK) and determine the direction and speed of CHIK between August 2008 and June 2009 in lower southern Thailand. The National Communicable Disease Surveillance System database and a geographic information system containing data on case locations were combined. R and ArcView were used for identifying incidence, direction, and speed of disease outbreaks. A total of 27,166 patients were identified, of which 3319 and 23,847 had DEN and CHIK, with incidences of 73 and 521 per 100,000, respectively. The direction of the CHIK outbreak moved from south to north with a median speed of 7.5 km per week. CHIK cases increased after 6 weeks of increasing cumulative rainfall with variation of average daily temperatures (23.7-30.7 degrees C) per week. There was no clear association of DEN with climate variables. The combination of surveillance and geographic information system data of DEN and CHIK can be used to determine the speed and direction of disease spread. DEN is endemic, but CHIK is an emerging disease. Because of the rapid spread of CHIK, strict and timely integrated vector control programs after case notification must be implemented. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Space and habitat use by black bears in the Elwha valley prior to dam removal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sager-Fradkin, K.A.; Jenkins, K.J.; Happe, P.J.; Beecham, J.J.; Wright, R.G.; Hoffman, R.A.

2008-01-01

Dam removal and subsequent restoration of salmon to the Elwha River is expected to cause a shift in nutrient dynamics within the watershed. To document how this influx of nutrients and energy may affect black bear (Ursus americanus) ecology, we used radio-telemetry to record movements of 11 male and two female black bears in the Elwha Valley from 2002-06. Our objective was to collect baseline data on bear movements prior to dam removal. We calculated annual home ranges, described seasonal timing of den entry and emergence, and described seasonal patterns of distribution and habitat use. Adaptive kernel home ranges were larger formales (mean = 151.1 km2, SE = 21.4) than females (mean = 38.8 km2, SE = 13.0). Males ranged widely and frequently left the watershed during late summer. Further, they exhibited predictable and synchronous patterns of elevation change throughout each year. Bears entered their winter dens between 8 October and 15 December and emerged from dens between 10 March and 9 May. Male bears used low-elevation conifer and hardwood forests along the Elwha floodplain during spring, mid- to high-elevation forests and meadows during early summer, high-elevation forests, meadows and shrubs during late summer, and mid-elevation forests, shrubs and meadows during fall. Data acquired during this study provide important baseline information for comparison after dam removal, when bears may alter their late summer and fall movement and denning patterns to take advantage of energy-rich spawning salmon.

Denning chronology and design of effective bear management units

USGS Publications Warehouse

Inman, R.M.; Costello, C.M.; Jones, D.E.; Inman, K.H.; Thompson, B.C.; Quigley, H.B.

2007-01-01

Reports on the effectiveness of using late fall hunting seasons to reduce the proportion of female black bears (Ursus americanus) in the harvest are limited, and the geographic scale over which the technique functions as intended has not been examined. During 1992-2000, we radio-equipped black bears in New Mexico, USA, obtained estimates of 175 den entry and 137 den emergence dates, and used New Mexico Department of Game and Fish harvest data (1985-2000) to test for differences in proportion of females in the harvest relative to denning chronology. Bears in northern New Mexico entered dens earlier and emerged later than bears in southern New Mexico (P ??? 0.001). In northern New Mexico bears displayed the typical pattern of earlier entry and later emergence by reproductive females, proportion of females in the harvest varied over time as expected, and late fall seasons were effective (P ??? 0.10). In contrast, denning chronology did not differ by sex in southern New Mexico, proportion of females in the harvest did not change over time, and late fall seasons were not effective (P ??? 0.18). Manipulation of hunting season dates to influence female mortality can be an effective tool, however our study provides an example of an area where denning chronology did not differ by sex and late seasons were not effective. We also observed regional differences in timing of entrance and emergence, which suggest that scale of application may be key. In management jurisdictions that encompass ecologically distinct areas, cover a wide range of latitudes, or are mountainous, successful use of the technique may depend on knowledge of denning chronology at multiple locations and appropriate designation of hunting unit boundaries, season dates, and data analysis units.

Taphonomic and zooarchaeological implications of spotted hyena (crocuta crocuta) bone accumulations in kenya: A modern behavioral ecological approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lansing, S.W.; Cooper, S.M.; Boydston, E.E.; Holekamp, K.E.

2009-01-01

The significant impact of extant carnivores, particularly spotted hyenas, on the depo-sitional history and physical characteristics of archaeofaunal and paleontological assemblages is well recognized. We focus on the behavioral ecology of extant spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) in relation to bone accumulations produced by one East African clan at communal dens. Limbs and skulls of prey animals more frequently appear at dens than do other carcass portions. These items reflect the relative abundance of prey species near dens; carnivore remains are poorly represented. Comparative analysis reveals that bones are deposited far more slowly (<7 carcass portions per month) and accumulations tend to be smaller at Crocuta dens than at dens of either brown (Para-hyaena brunnea) or striped (Hyaena hyaena) hyenas. We propose that extant Crocuta bone accumu-lation rates and sizes are likely affected by prey species abundance, clan size, social interactions within the clan, and the type and availability of den sites. We also suggest that the potential for intraspecific behavioral variability in bone accumulation patterns is important when comparisons are made among spotted hyena populations and across hyena species. For example, accumulation patterns may be dramatically influenced by the temporal span, potentially ranging from days to hundreds or thousands of years, in which bones are collected, depending on the species-specific history of occupation at a given site. Understanding the behavioral and ecological variability likely to influence bone accumulation patterns at dens used by different hyaenids will allow taphonomists and zooarchaeologists to refine their knowledge of mechanisms underlying site formation pro-cesses and potential causes of variability in deeper-time den assemblages. ?? 2009 The Paleontological Society.

A Probabilistic Wake Vortex Lateral Transport Model Using Data from SFO and DEN

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mellman, George R.; Delisi, Donald P.

2008-01-01

In a previous report, we considered the behavior of the lateral position of vortices as a function of time after vortex formation for Out of Ground Effects (OGE) data for aircraft landing at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). We quantified the spread in lateral position as a function of time and examined how predictable lateral position is under a variety of assumptions. The combination of spread and predictability allowed us to derive probability distribution functions (PDFs) for lateral position given observed crosswind (CW) velocities. In this study, we examine the portability of these PDFs with respect to other landing sites. To this end, we consider OGE data obtained by the Federal Aviation Administration for landings at Denver International Airport (DEN) between 04/05/2006 and 06/03/2006. We consider vortices from both B733 (Boeing 737 models 200-500) and B757 (Boeing 757) aircraft. The data set contains 635 B733 landings and 506 B757 landings. The glide slope altitude for these measurements was 280 m, determined by the average initial vortex observation adjusted for a 3-second delay in the initial observation. The comparable SFO altitude was 158 m. We note that the principal mechanism for lateral transport in the OGE regime is advection by the ambient wind. This implies that a simple crosswind correction may be effective in explaining much of the variation in the lateral transport data. In this study, we again consider the use of ASOS data and average Lidar crosswind data over the vortex altitude range to predict vortex location as a function of time.

Factors affecting settling, survival, and viability of black bears reintroduced to Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wear, B.J.; Eastridge, R.; Clark, J.D.

2005-01-01

We used radiotelemetry and population modeling techniques to examine factors related to population establishment of black bears (Ursus americanus) reintroduced to Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Arkansas. Our objectives were to determine whether settling (i.e., establishment of a home range at or near the release site), survival, recruitment, and population viability were related to age class of reintroduced bears, presence of cubs, time since release, or number of translocated animals. We removed 23 adult female black bears with 56 cubs from their winter dens at White River NWR and transported them 160 km to man-made den structures at Felsenthal NWR during spring 2000–2002. Total movement and average circuity of adult females decreased from 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year post-emergence (F2,14 =19.7, P < 0.001 and F2,14 =5.76, P=0.015, respectively). Mean first-year post-release survival of adult female bears was 0.624 (SE = 0.110, SEinterannual = 0.144), and the survival rate of their cubs was 0.750 (SE = 0.088, SEinterannual = 0.109). The homing rate (i.e., the proportion of bears that returned to White River NWR) was 13%. Annual survival for female bears that remained at the release site and survived >1-year post-release increased to 0.909 (SE = 0.097, SEinterannual=0.067; Z=3.5, P < 0.001). Based on stochastic population growth simulations, the average annual growth rate (λ) was 1.093 (SD = 0.053) and the probability of extinction with no additional stockings ranged from 0.56-1.30%. The bear population at Felsenthal NWR is at or above the number after which extinction risk declines dramatically, although additional releases of bears could significantly decrease time to population reestablishment. Poaching accounted for at least 3 of the 8 adult mortalities that we documented; illegal kills could be a significant impediment to population re-establishment at Felsenthal NWR should poaching rates escalate.

Land Use Regression Modeling of Outdoor Noise Exposure in Informal Settlements in Western Cape, South Africa.

PubMed

Sieber, Chloé; Ragettli, Martina S; Brink, Mark; Toyib, Olaniyan; Baatjies, Roslyn; Saucy, Apolline; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Dalvie, Mohamed Aqiel; Röösli, Martin

2017-10-20

In low- and middle-income countries, noise exposure and its negative health effects have been little explored. The present study aimed to assess the noise exposure situation in adults living in informal settings in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. We conducted continuous one-week outdoor noise measurements at 134 homes in four different areas. These data were used to develop a land use regression (LUR) model to predict A-weighted day-evening-night equivalent sound levels (L den ) from geographic information system (GIS) variables. Mean noise exposure during day (6:00-18:00) was 60.0 A-weighted decibels (dB(A)) (interquartile range 56.9-62.9 dB(A)), during night (22:00-6:00) 52.9 dB(A) (49.3-55.8 dB(A)) and average L den was 63.0 dB(A) (60.1-66.5 dB(A)). Main predictors of the LUR model were related to road traffic and household density. Model performance was low (adjusted R 2 = 0.130) suggesting that other influences than those represented in the geographic predictors are relevant for noise exposure. This is one of the few studies on the noise exposure situation in low- and middle-income countries. It demonstrates that noise exposure levels are high in these settings.

Home range defense in the red fox, Vulpes vulpes L

USGS Publications Warehouse

Preston, E.M.

1975-01-01

This paper describes the home range defense behavior observed when nonresident male red foxes were introduced into established home ranges of resident male-female pairs. In 12 observation periods, four intruders were introduced to each of three mated pairs which had been given three weeks to acclimate to a 4.05-hectare, fenced enclosure. The residents centered their activities around a natural den and the frequency of intruder-resident encounters decreased rapidly with increasing distance from the den. The primary home range defense was continual harassment of the intruders by the resident males through agonistic displays and chases. Physical contact was rare. Even though the resident males were dominant in less than a majority of the interactions observed, they were usually successful in displacing the intruders within a few hours. The resident females seldom interacted with the intruders.

Rectification of thermal fluctuations in ideal gases.

PubMed

Meurs, P; Van den Broeck, C; Garcia, A

2004-11-01

We calculate the systematic average speed of the adiabatic piston and a thermal Brownian motor, introduced by C. Van den Broeck, R, Kawai and P. Meurs [Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 090601 (2004)], by an expansion of the Boltzmann equation and compare with the exact numerical solution.

The DenA/DEN1 Interacting Phosphatase DipA Controls Septa Positioning and Phosphorylation-Dependent Stability of Cytoplasmatic DenA/DEN1 during Fungal Development

PubMed Central

Schinke, Josua; Kolog Gulko, Miriam; Christmann, Martin; Valerius, Oliver; Stumpf, Sina Kristin; Stirz, Margarita; Braus, Gerhard H.

2016-01-01

DenA/DEN1 and the COP9 signalosome (CSN) represent two deneddylases which remove the ubiquitin-like Nedd8 from modified target proteins and are required for distinct fungal developmental programmes. The cellular DenA/DEN1 population is divided into a nuclear and a cytoplasmatic subpopulation which is especially enriched at septa. DenA/DEN1 stability control mechanisms are different for the two cellular subpopulations and depend on different physical interacting proteins and the C-terminal DenA/DEN1 phosphorylation pattern. Nuclear DenA/DEN1 is destabilized during fungal development by five of the eight CSN subunits which target nuclear DenA/DEN1 for degradation. DenA/DEN1 becomes stabilized as a phosphoprotein at S243/S245 during vegetative growth, which is necessary to support further asexual development. After the initial phase of development, the newly identified cytoplasmatic DenA/DEN1 interacting phosphatase DipA and an additional developmental specific C-terminal phosphorylation site at serine S253 destabilize DenA/DEN1. Outside of the nucleus, DipA is co-transported with DenA/DEN1 in the cytoplasm between septa and nuclei. Deletion of dipA resulted in increased DenA/DEN1 stability in a strain which is unresponsive to illumination. The mutant strain is dysregulated in cytokinesis and impaired in asexual development. Our results suggest a dual phosphorylation-dependent DenA/DEN1 stability control with stabilizing and destabilizing modifications and physical interaction partner proteins which function as control points in the nucleus and the cytoplasm. PMID:27010942

Assurance of neuroattenuation of a live vaccine against West Nile virus: a comprehensive study of neuropathogenesis after infection with chimeric WN/DEN4Δ30 vaccine in comparison to two parental viruses and a surrogate flavivirus reference vaccine.

PubMed

Maximova, Olga A; Speicher, James M; Skinner, Jeff R; Murphy, Brian R; St Claire, Marisa C; Ragland, Danny R; Herbert, Richard L; Pare, Dan R; Moore, Rashida M; Pletnev, Alexander G

2014-05-30

The upsurge of West Nile virus (WNV) human infections in 2012 suggests that the US can expect periodic WNV outbreaks in the future. Availability of safe and effective vaccines against WNV in endemic areas, particularly for aging populations that are at high risk of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND), could be beneficial. WN/DEN4Δ30 is a live, attenuated chimeric vaccine against WNV produced by replacement of the genes encoding the pre-membrane and envelope protein genes of the vaccine virus against dengue virus type 4 (DEN4Δ30) with corresponding sequences derived from a wild type WNV. Following intrathalamic inoculation of nonhuman primates (NHPs), a comprehensive neuropathogenesis study was performed and neurovirulence of WN/DEN4Δ30 vaccine candidate was compared to that of two parental viruses (i.e., WNV and DEN4Δ30), as well as to that of an attenuated flavivirus surrogate reference (i.e., yellow fever YF 17D). Clinical and virological data, as well as results of a semi-quantitative histopathological analysis, demonstrated that WN/DEN4Δ30 vaccine is highly attenuated for the central nervous system (CNS) of NHPs in comparison to a wild type WNV. Importantly, based on the virus replicative ability in the CNS of NHPs and the degree of induced histopathological changes, the level of neuroattenuation of WN/DEN4Δ30 vaccine was similar to that of YF 17D, and therefore within an acceptable range. In addition, we show that the DEN4Δ30 vaccine tested in this study also has a low neurovirulence profile. In summary, our results demonstrate a high level of neuroattenuation of two vaccine candidates, WN/DEN4Δ30 and DEN4Δ30. We also show here a remarkable sensitivity of our WNV-NY99 NHP model, as well as striking resemblance of the observed neuropathology to that seen in human WNND. These results support the use of this NHP model for translational studies of WNV neuropathogenesis and/or testing the effectiveness of vaccines and therapeutic approaches. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Assurance of neuroattenuation of a live vaccine against West Nile virus: A comprehensive study of neuropathogenesis after infection with chimeric WN/DEN4Δ30 vaccine in comparison to two parental viruses and a surrogate flavivirus reference vaccine

PubMed Central

Maximova, Olga A.; Speicher, James M.; Skinner, Jeff R.; Murphy, Brian R.; St Claire, Marisa C.; Ragland, Danny R.; Herbert, Richard L.; Pare, Dan R.; Moore, Rashida M.; Pletnev, Alexander G.

2014-01-01

The upsurge of West Nile virus (WNV) human infections in 2012 suggests that the US can expect periodic WNV outbreaks in the future. Availability of safe and effective vaccines against WNV in endemic areas, particularly for aging populations that are at high risk of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND), could be beneficial. WN/DEN4Δ30 is a live, attenuated chimeric vaccine against WNV produced by replacement of the genes encoding the pre-membrane and envelope protein genes of the vaccine virus against dengue virus type 4 (DEN4Δ30) with corresponding sequences derived from a wild type WNV. Following intrathalamic inoculation of nonhuman primates (NHPs), a comprehensive neuropathogenesis study was performed and neurovirulence of WN/DEN4Δ30 vaccine candidate was compared to that of two parental viruses (i.e., WNV and DEN4Δ30), as well as to that of an attenuated flavivirus surrogate reference (i.e., yellow fever YF 17D). Clinical and virological data, as well as results of a semi-quantitative histopathological analysis, demonstrated that WN/DEN4Δ30 vaccine is highly attenuated for the central nervous system (CNS) of NHPs in comparison to a wild type WNV. Importantly, based on the virus replicative ability in the CNS of NHPs and the degree of induced histopathological changes, the level of neuroattenuation of WN/DEN4Δ30 vaccine was similar to that of YF 17D, and therefore within an acceptable range. In addition, we show that the DEN4Δ30 vaccine tested in this study also has a low neurovirulence profile. In summary, our results demonstrate a high level of neuroattenuation of two vaccine candidates, WN/DEN4Δ30 and DEN4Δ30. We also show here a remarkable sensitivity of our WNV-NY99 NHP model, as well as striking resemblance of the observed neuropathology to that seen in human WNND. These results support the use of this NHP model for translational studies of WNV neuropathogenesis and/or testing the effectiveness of vaccines and therapeutic approaches. PMID:24736001

Brown bear-human interactions associated with deer hunting on Kodiak Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnes, Victor G.

1994-01-01

I compared distribution and range of brown bears (Ursus arctos middendorffi) with temporal and spatial distribution of Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) hunting activity on westside Kodiak Island, Alaska, to examine impacts of deer hunting on bears. Mean number of bears that annually ranged ≤5 km from the coast, >5 km inland from the coast, or in both areas was 10, 8, and 11, respectively. Bears that exclusively or seasonally occupied the coast zone were usually classed as having moderate or high potential to interact with hunters because most hunter access and effort (>95%) was via the coast. Bears that ranged exclusively inland were considered unlikely to encounter hunters. Animals that ranged in both zones often (39%) moved inland during fall (Oct-Dec) and most bears (70%) denned in the inland zone. Females that denned near the coast entered dens later (x̄ = 22 Nov) than females that denned inland (x̄ = 12 Nov). Two radio-collared bears were known to raid deer-hunting camps and 9 other marked bears were observed by hunters or were located <200 m from hunting camps. Deer-hunter surveys revealed that more than two-thirds of the deer harvest occurred during October-November. About half of the hunters observed at least 1 bear during their hunt. Seven to 21% of the respondents reported having a threatening encounter with a bear and 5-26% reported losing deer meat to bears. Human-induced mortality to radio-collared bears occurred more often near the coast (5) than inland (3); 7 bears were harvested by sport hunters and 1 was killed (nonsport) in a Native village. Deer hunters killed 2 unmarked females in defense of life or property situations in the study area. High bear densities and concentrated deer-hunting activity combine to make conflicts unavoidable. Adverse impacts to bears can be minimized by maintaining low levels of human activity in inland areas and improving hunter awareness of bear ecology and behavior.

Does exposure to aircraft noise increase the mortality from cardiovascular disease in the population living in the vicinity of airports? Results of an ecological study in France.

PubMed

Evrard, Anne-Sophie; Bouaoun, Liacine; Champelovier, Patricia; Lambert, Jacques; Laumon, Bernard

2015-01-01

The impact of aircraft noise on health is of growing concern. We investigated the relationship between this exposure and mortality from cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke. We performed an ecological study on 161 communes (commune being the smallest administrative unit in France) close to the following three major French airports: Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Lyon Saint-Exupéry, and Toulouse-Blagnac. The mortality data were provided by the French Center on Medical Causes of Death for the period 2007-2010. Based on the data provided by the French Civil Aviation Authority, a weighted average exposure to aircraft noise (L den AEI) was computed at the commune level. A Poisson regression model with commune-specific random intercepts, adjusted for potential confounding factors including air pollution, was used to investigate the association between mortality rates and L den AEI. Positive associations were observed between L den AEI and mortality from cardiovascular disease [adjusted mortality rate ratio (MRR) per 10 dB(A) increase in L den AEI = 1.18; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11-1.25], coronary heart disease [MRR = 1.24 (1.12-1.36)], and myocardial infarction [MRR = 1.28 (1.11-1.46]. Stroke mortality was more weakly associated with L den AEI [MRR = 1.08 (0.97-1.21]. These significant associations were not attenuated after the adjustment for air pollution. The present ecological study supports the hypothesis of an association between aircraft noise exposure and mortality from cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and myocardial infarction. However, the potential for ecological bias and the possibility that this association could be due to residual confounding cannot be excluded.

American black bear denning behavior: Observations and applications using remote photography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bridges, A.S.; Fox, J.A.; Olfenbuttel, C.; Vaughan, M.B.

2004-01-01

Researchers examining American black bear (Ursus americanus) denning behavior have relied primarily on den-site visitation and radiotelemetry to gather data. Repeated den-site visits are time-intensive and may disturb denning bears, possibly causing den abandonment, whereas radiotelemetry is sufficient only to provide gross data on den emergence. We used remote cameras to examine black bear denning behavior in the Allegheny Mountains of western Virginia during March-May 2003. We deployed cameras at 10 den sites and used 137 pictures of black bears. Adult female black bears exhibited greater extra-den activity than we expected prior to final den emergence, which occurred between April 12 and May 6, 2003. Our technique provided more accurate den-emergence estimation than previously published methodologies. Additionally, we observed seldom-documented behaviors associated with den exits and estimated cub age at den emergence. Remote cameras can provide unique insights into denning ecology, and we describe their potential application to reproductive, survival, and behavioral research.

Chikungunya Detection during Dengue Outbreak in Sumatra, Indonesia: Clinical Manifestations and Virological Profile.

PubMed

Sasmono, R Tedjo; Perkasa, Aditya; Yohan, Benediktus; Haryanto, Sotianingsih; Yudhaputri, Frilasita A; Hayati, Rahma F; Ma'roef, Chairin Nisa; Ledermann, Jeremy P; Aye Myint, Khin Saw; Powers, Ann M

2017-11-01

Chikungunya fever (CHIK) is an acute viral infection caused by infection with chikungunya virus (CHIKV). The disease affects people in areas where certain Aedes species mosquito vectors are present, especially in tropical and subtropical countries. Indonesia has witnessed CHIK disease since the early 1970s with sporadic outbreaks occurring throughout the year. The CHIK clinical manifestation, characterized by fever, headache, and joint pain, is similar to that of dengue (DEN) disease. During a molecular study of a DEN outbreak in Jambi, Sumatra, in early 2015, DENV-negative samples were evaluated for evidence of CHIKV infection. Among 103 DENV-negative samples, eight samples were confirmed (7.8%) as positive for CHIKV by both molecular detection and virus isolation. The mean age of the CHIK patients was 21.3 ± 9.1 (range 11-35 years). The clinical manifestations of the CHIK patients were mild and mimicked DEN, with fever and headache as the main symptoms. Only three out of eight patients presented with classical joint pain. Sequencing of the envelope glycoprotein E1 gene and phylogenetic analysis identified all CHIKV isolates as belonging to the Asian genotype. Overall, our study confirms sustained endemic CHIKV transmission and the presence of multiple arboviruses circulating during a DEN outbreak in Indonesia. The co-circulation of arboviruses poses a public health threat and is likely to cause misdiagnosis and underreporting of CHIK in DEN-endemic areas such as Indonesia.

Red fox prey demands and implications to prairie duck production

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sargeant, A.B.

1978-01-01

Experiments were conducted during spring and summer with 33 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) to determine prey demands, feeding characteristics, and growth rates using natural foods. Pups began eating prey the 4th week after birth. Then, prey consumption averaged 1.38 and 1.90 kg/pup/week for weeks 5-8 and 9-12 of the denning season respectively, and 2.54 kg/pup/week for the postdenning period. Feeding by adults averaged 2.25 kg/adult/week. Free water was not needed by either pups or adults. About 90 percent of the prey offered to pups on simulated natural diets was consumed, remains varied with prey availability and prey type. Prey biomass required by a typical fox family was estimated at 18.5 kg/km2 for the 12-week denning season and 2.4 kg/km2/week for the postdenning period. Because of the large prey demands, ducks could represent a small part of the foxes' diet and yet be of consequence to the productivity of particular species. An example is provided for the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos).

Increased Land Use by Chukchi Sea Polar Bears in Relation to Changing Sea Ice Conditions

PubMed Central

Rode, Karyn D.; Wilson, Ryan R.; Regehr, Eric V.; St. Martin, Michelle; Douglas, David C.; Olson, Jay

2015-01-01

Recent observations suggest that polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are increasingly using land habitats in some parts of their range, where they have minimal access to their preferred prey, likely in response to loss of their sea ice habitat associated with climatic warming. We used location data from female polar bears fit with satellite radio collars to compare land use patterns in the Chukchi Sea between two periods (1986–1995 and 2008–2013) when substantial summer sea-ice loss occurred. In both time periods, polar bears predominantly occupied sea-ice, although land was used during the summer sea-ice retreat and during the winter for maternal denning. However, the proportion of bears on land for > 7 days between August and October increased between the two periods from 20.0% to 38.9%, and the average duration on land increased by 30 days. The majority of bears that used land in the summer and for denning came to Wrangel and Herald Islands (Russia), highlighting the importance of these northernmost land habitats to Chukchi Sea polar bears. Where bears summered and denned, and how long they spent there, was related to the timing and duration of sea ice retreat. Our results are consistent with other studies supporting increased land use as a common response of polar bears to sea-ice loss. Implications of increased land use for Chukchi Sea polar bears are unclear, because a recent study observed no change in body condition or reproductive indices between the two periods considered here. This result suggests that the ecology of this region may provide a degree of resilience to sea ice loss. However, projections of continued sea ice loss suggest that polar bears in the Chukchi Sea and other parts of the Arctic may increasingly use land habitats in the future, which has the potential to increase nutritional stress and human-polar bear interactions. PMID:26580809

Increased Land Use by Chukchi Sea Polar Bears in Relation to Changing Sea Ice Conditions.

PubMed

Rode, Karyn D; Wilson, Ryan R; Regehr, Eric V; St Martin, Michelle; Douglas, David C; Olson, Jay

2015-01-01

Recent observations suggest that polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are increasingly using land habitats in some parts of their range, where they have minimal access to their preferred prey, likely in response to loss of their sea ice habitat associated with climatic warming. We used location data from female polar bears fit with satellite radio collars to compare land use patterns in the Chukchi Sea between two periods (1986-1995 and 2008-2013) when substantial summer sea-ice loss occurred. In both time periods, polar bears predominantly occupied sea-ice, although land was used during the summer sea-ice retreat and during the winter for maternal denning. However, the proportion of bears on land for > 7 days between August and October increased between the two periods from 20.0% to 38.9%, and the average duration on land increased by 30 days. The majority of bears that used land in the summer and for denning came to Wrangel and Herald Islands (Russia), highlighting the importance of these northernmost land habitats to Chukchi Sea polar bears. Where bears summered and denned, and how long they spent there, was related to the timing and duration of sea ice retreat. Our results are consistent with other studies supporting increased land use as a common response of polar bears to sea-ice loss. Implications of increased land use for Chukchi Sea polar bears are unclear, because a recent study observed no change in body condition or reproductive indices between the two periods considered here. This result suggests that the ecology of this region may provide a degree of resilience to sea ice loss. However, projections of continued sea ice loss suggest that polar bears in the Chukchi Sea and other parts of the Arctic may increasingly use land habitats in the future, which has the potential to increase nutritional stress and human-polar bear interactions.

Increased land use by Chukchi Sea polar bears in relation to changing sea ice conditions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rode, Karyn D.; Wilson, Ryan R.; Regehr, Eric V.; St. Martin, Michelle; Douglas, David C.; Olson, Jay

2015-01-01

Recent observations suggest that polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are increasingly using land habitats in some parts of their range, where they have minimal access to their preferred prey, likely in response to loss of their sea ice habitat associated with climatic warming. We used location data from female polar bears fit with satellite radio collars to compare land use patterns in the Chukchi Sea between two periods (1986–1995 and 2008–2013) when substantial summer sea-ice loss occurred. In both time periods, polar bears predominantly occupied sea-ice, although land was used during the summer sea-ice retreat and during the winter for maternal denning. However, the proportion of bears on land for > 7 days between August and October increased between the two periods from 20.0% to 38.9%, and the average duration on land increased by 30 days. The majority of bears that used land in the summer and for denning came to Wrangel and Herald Islands (Russia), highlighting the importance of these northernmost land habitats to Chukchi Sea polar bears. Where bears summered and denned, and how long they spent there, was related to the timing and duration of sea ice retreat. Our results are consistent with other studies supporting increased land use as a common response of polar bears to sea-ice loss. Implications of increased land use for Chukchi Sea polar bears are unclear, because a recent study observed no change in body condition or reproductive indices between the two periods considered here. This result suggests that the ecology of this region may provide a degree of resilience to sea ice loss. However, projections of continued sea ice loss suggest that polar bears in the Chukchi Sea and other parts of the Arctic may increasingly use land habitats in the future, which has the potential to increase nutritional stress and human-polar bear interactions.

Hierarchical den selection of Canada lynx in western Montana

Treesearch

John R. Squires; Nicholas J. Decesare; Jay A. Kolbe; Leonard F. Ruggiero

2008-01-01

We studied den selection of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis; hereafter lynx) at multiple ecological scales based on 57 dens from 19 females located in western Montana, USA, between 1999 and 2006. We considered 3 spatial scales in this analysis, including den site (11-m-radius circle surrounding dens), den area (100-m-radius circle), and den environ (1-...

Hypertonic Saline Reduces Vascular Leakage in a Mouse Model of Severe Dengue

PubMed Central

Tan, Kar Wai; Angeli, Veronique; Moochhala, Shabbir; Ooi, Eng Eong; Alonso, Sylvie

2013-01-01

Dengue (DEN) is a mosquito-borne viral disease and represents a serious public health threat and an economical burden throughout the tropics. Dengue clinical manifestations range from mild acute febrile illness to severe DEN hemorrhagic fever/DEN shock syndrome (DHF/DSS). Currently, resuscitation with large volumes of isotonic fluid remains the gold standard of care for DEN patients who develop vascular leakage and shock. Here, we investigated the ability of small volume of hypertonic saline (HTS) suspensions to control vascular permeability in a mouse model of severe DEN associated with vascular leakage. Several HTS treatment regimens were considered and our results indicated that a single bolus of 7.5% NaCl at 4 mL per kg of body weight administered at the onset of detectable vascular leakage rapidly and significantly reduced vascular leak for several days after injection. This transient reduction of vascular leakage correlated with reduced intestine and liver damage with restoration of the hepatic functions, and resulted in delayed death of the infected animals. Mechanistically, we showed that HTS did not directly impact on the viral titers but resulted in lower immune cells counts and decreased systemic levels of soluble mediators involved in vascular permeability. In addition, we demonstrated that neutrophils do not play a critical role in DEN-associated vascular leakage and that the therapeutic effect of HTS is not mediated by its impact on the neutrophil counts. Together our data indicate that HTS treatment can transiently but rapidly reduce dengue-associated vascular leakage, and support the findings of a recent clinical trial which evaluated the efficacy of a hypertonic suspension to impact on vascular permeability in DSS children. PMID:23637867

Recurrence, mortality, and dispersal of prairie striped skunks, Mephitis mephitis, and implications to rabies epizootiology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sargeant, A.B.; Greenwood, R.J.; Piehl, J.L.; Bicknell, W.B.

1982-01-01

Detailed study of radio-equipped individuals of the Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) in a North Dakota population provided insight into possible mechanisms for spread of rabies during spring and summer. Annual recurrence rates of 138 skunks marked on a study area averaged 11% for adult males, 43% for adult females and 9% for kits. Population changes were from mortality (including rabies) and dispersal. Five instances of adult dispersal (four by males) were recorded; maximum straight-line distance was 119 km. Some males initiated dispersal in spring. Communal denning by adults occurred rarely after whelping began but resulted in intraspecific conflict. Evidence of intraspecific and interspecific strife leading to kit mortality and some adult mortality was found at dens of 9 of 40 litters studied.

CheckDen, a program to compute quantum molecular properties on spatial grids.

PubMed

Pacios, Luis F; Fernandez, Alberto

2009-09-01

CheckDen, a program to compute quantum molecular properties on a variety of spatial grids is presented. The program reads as unique input wavefunction files written by standard quantum packages and calculates the electron density rho(r), promolecule and density difference function, gradient of rho(r), Laplacian of rho(r), information entropy, electrostatic potential, kinetic energy densities G(r) and K(r), electron localization function (ELF), and localized orbital locator (LOL) function. These properties can be calculated on a wide range of one-, two-, and three-dimensional grids that can be processed by widely used graphics programs to render high-resolution images. CheckDen offers also other options as extracting separate atom contributions to the property computed, converting grid output data into CUBE and OpenDX volumetric data formats, and perform arithmetic combinations with grid files in all the recognized formats.

Den use by arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) in a subarctic region of western Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anthony, R. Michael

1996-01-01

Distribution, abundance, and use of arctic fox dens located in coastal tundra communities of the Yukon–Kuskokwim delta were determined in studies from 1985 to 1990. Dens were denser and less complex than those described in studies conducted above the Arctic Circle. Eighty-three dens of varying complexity were found in the 52-km2 study area. Nineteen dens were used by arctic foxes for whelping or rearing pups. Three females relocated litters to multiple dens; a maximum of four dens were used concurrently by pups from one litter. Although red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were common in the region, their use of dens in the study area was minimal. Differences in vegetation at den sites and nearby unoccupied sites were minimal. Furthermore, den sites could not be distinguished from non-den sites during aerial surveys.

Detecting denning polar bears with Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) imagery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amstrup, Steven C.; York, G.; McDonald, T.L.; Nielson, R.; Simac, K.

2004-01-01

Polar bears give birth in snow dens in midwinter and remain in dens until early spring. The survival and development of cubs is dependent on a stable environment within the maternal den. To mitigate potential disruption of polar bear denning by existing and proposed petroleum activities, we used forward-looking infrared (FLIR) viewing to try to detect heat rising from dens.We flew transects over dens of radio-collared females with FLIR imager-equipped aircraft, recorded weather conditions at each observation, and noted whether the den was detected.We surveyed 23 dens on 67 occasions (1 to 7 times each). Nine dens were always detected, and 10 dens visited more than once were detected on some flights but not on others. Four dens were never detected (17 percent), but three of those were visited only under marginal conditions. The odds of detecting a den were 4.8 times greater when airborne moisture (snow, blowing snow, fog, etc.) was absent than when it was present, and they increased 3-fold for every 1?C increase in temperature-dew point spread. The estimated probability of detecting dens in sunlight was 0. Data suggested that FLIR surveys conducted during optimal conditions for detection can produce detection rates approaching 90 percent and thus can be an important management and mitigation tool. polar bear, infrared imagery, maternal denning, human impacts, management

Polar bear maternity denning in the Beaufort Sea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amstrup, Steven C.; Gardner, Craig L.

1994-01-01

The distribution of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) is circumpolar in the NOrthern Hemisphere, but known locations of maternal dens are concentrated in relatively few, widely scattered locations. Denning is either uncommon or unknown within gaps. To understand effects of industrial development and propose increases in hunting, the temporal and spatial distribution of denning in the Beaufort Sea must be known. We caputred and radiocollared polar bears between 1981 and 1991 and determined tht denning in the Beaufort Sea region was sufficient to account for the estimated population there. Of 90 dend, 48 were on drifting pack ice, 38 on land, and 4 on land-fast ice. The portions of dens on land was higher (P= 0.029) in later compared with earlier years of the study. Bears denning on pack ice drifting as far as 997 km (x=385km) while in dens. there was no difference in cun production by bears denning on land and pack ice (P =0.66). Mean entry and exit dates were 11 November and 5 April for land dens and 22 November and 26 March for pack-ice dens. Female polar bears captured in the Beaufort Sea appeared to be isolated from those caught eat of Cape Bathurst in Canada. Of 35 polar bears that denned along the mainland coast of Alaska and Canada 80% denned between 137 00'W snf 146 59'W. Bears followed to >1 den did not reuse sites and consecutive dens were 20-1,304 km apart. However radio-collared bears are largely faithful to substrate (pack-ice, land, and land-fast ice) and the general geographic area of previous dens. Bears denning on land may be vunerable to human activities such as hunting and industrial development. However, predictable denning chronology and alck of site fidelity indicate that many potential impacts on denning polar bears could be mitigated.

Raccoon (Procyon lotor) diurnal den use within an intensively managed forest in central West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Owen, Sheldon F.; Berl, Jacob L.; Edwards, John W.; Ford, W. Mark; Wood, Petra Bohall

2015-01-01

Intensive forest management may influence the availability of suitable den sites for large den-seeking species, such as Procyon lotor (Raccoon). As part of a Raccoon ecology study on an industrial forest in the Allegheny Mountains of central West Virginia, we radio-tracked 32 Raccoons to 175 diurnal den sites to determine relative use of dens that included cavity trees, rock dens, log piles, slash piles, and exposed limbs. Patterns of den use significantly differed between sexes and among seasons. Overall, we recorded 58 cavity dens in 12 tree species with 7 maternal dens found in 5 tree species. Raccoons selected larger-diameter den trees than available cavity trees and non-cavity trees. Because the abundance of suitable tree cavities is known to influence Raccoon densities and recruitment at fine spatial scales and female Raccoons in this study used tree cavities as maternal den sites, the continued harvest of large-diameter trees (i.e., those capable of developing den cavities) without replacement may impact Raccoon recruitment within intensively managed forests throughout the central Appalachians.

Collar temperature sensor data reveal long-term patterns in southern Beaufort Sea polar bear den distribution on pack ice and land

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, Jay W; Rode, Karyn D.; Eggett, Dennis L.; Smith, T.S.; Wilson, R. R.; Durner, George M.; Fischbach, Anthony S.; Atwood, Todd C.; Douglas, David C.

2017-01-01

In response to a changing climate, many species alter habitat use. Polar bears Ursus maritimus in the southern Beaufort Sea have increasingly used land for maternal denning. To aid in detecting denning behavior, we developed an objective method to identify polar bear denning events using temperature sensor data collected by satellite-linked transmitters deployed on adult females between 1985 and 2013. We then applied this method to determine whether southern Beaufort Sea polar bears have continued to increase land denning with recent sea-ice loss and examined whether sea-ice conditions affect the distribution of dens between pack-ice and coastal substrates. Because land use in summer and autumn has also increased, we examined potential associations between summering substrate and denning substrate. Statistical process control methods applied to temperature-sensor data identified denning events with 94.5% accuracy in comparison to direct observations (n = 73) and 95.7% accuracy relative to subjective classifications based on temperature, location, and activity sensor data (n = 116). We found an increase in land-based denning during the study period. The frequency of land denning was directly related to the distance that sea ice retreated from the coast. Among females that denned, all 14 that summered on land subsequently denned there, whereas 29% of the 69 bears summering on ice denned on land. These results suggest that denning on land may continue to increase with further loss of sea ice. While the effects that den substrate have on nutrition, energetics, and reproduction are unclear, more polar bears denning onshore will likely increase human-bear interactions.

Remote identification of polar bear maternal den habitat in northern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Durner, George M.; Amstrup, Steven C.; Ambrosius, Ken J.

2001-01-01

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) give birth in dens of ice and snow to protect their altricial young. During the snow-free season, we visited 25 den sites located previously by radiotelemetry and characterized the den site physiognomy. Seven dens occurred in habitats with minimal relief. Eighteen dens (72%) were in coastal and river banks. These "banks" were identifiable on aerial photographs. We then searched high-resolution aerial photographs (n = 3000) for habitats similar to those of the 18 dens. On aerial photos, we mapped 1782 km of bank habitats suitable for denning. Bank habitats comprised 0.18% of our study area between the Colville River and the Tamayariak River in northern Alaska. The final map, which correctly identified 88% of bank denning habitat in this region, will help minimize the potential for disruptions of maternal dens by winter petroleum exploration activities.

Habitat characteristics of polar bear terrestrial maternal den sites in northern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Durner, George M.; Amstrup, Steven C.; Fischbach, Anthony S.

2003-01-01

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) give birth to and nurture their young in dens of ice and snow. During 1999-2001, we measured the structure of 22 dens on the coastal plain of northern Alaska after polar bear families had evacuated their dens in the spring. During the summers of 2001 and 2002, we revisited the sites of 42 maternal and autumn exploratory dens and recorded characteristics of the under-snow habitat. The structure of polar bear snow dens was highly variable. Most were simple chambers with a single entrance/egress tunnel. Others had multiple chambers and additional tunnels. Thickness of snow above and below dens was highly variable, but most dens were overlain by less than 1 m of snow. Dens were located on, or associated with, pronounced landscape features (primarily coastal and river banks, but also a lake shore and an abandoned oil field gravel pad) that are readily distinguished from the surrounding terrain in summer and catch snow in early winter. Although easily identified, den landforms in northern Alaska were more subtle than den habitats in many other parts of the Arctic. The structure of polar bear dens in Alaska was strikingly similar to that of dens elsewhere and has remained largely unchanged in northern Alaska for more than 25 years. Knowledge of den structure and site characteristics will allow resource managers to identify habitats with the greatest probability of holding dens. This information may assist resource managers in preventing negative impacts of mineral exploration and extraction on polar bears.

Enhancement of preneoplastic lesion yield by Chios Mastic Gum in a rat liver medium-term carcinogenesis bioassay

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

Doi, Kenichiro; Wei, Min; Kitano, Mitsuaki

2009-01-01

The mastic (Pistacia lentiscus var. chia) tree is native throughout the Mediterranean region and has long proved a source of food additives and medical treatments. To investigate the modifying effects of Chios Mastic Gum on rat liver carcinogenesis, 6-week-old male F344 rats were subjected to the established rat liver medium-term carcinogenesis bioassay (Ito-test). At the commencement, rats (groups 1-4) were intraperitoneally injected with 200 mg/kg body weight of diethylnitrosamine (DEN). After two weeks, mastic was added to CRF (Charles River Formula)-1 powdered basal diet at doses of 0, 0.01, 0.1 and 1% in groups 1-4, respectively. At week 3, allmore » rats were underwent two-thirds partial hepatectomy. The experiment was terminated at week 8. As results show, liver weights were significantly increased in a mastic dose-dependent manner among groups 1-4. The numbers (/cm{sup 2}) and the areas (mm{sup 2}/cm{sup 2}) of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive cell foci ({>=} 0.2 mm in diameter) were significantly increased in the DEN-1% group compared to the DEN-alone group, along with the average areas per foci and larger-sized foci ({>=} 0.4 mm). 5-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) + GST-P double-immunohistochemistry showed the highest BrdU-labeling indices within GST-P foci in the DEN-1% group. 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels in liver DNA did not vary, while real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of livers revealed many up- or down-regulated genes in the DEN-1% group. In conclusion, this is the first report to display a promotion potential of Chios Mastic Gum on the formation of preneoplastic lesions in the established rat liver medium-term carcinogenesis bioassay.« less

Vector competence of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) for the DEN2-FJ10 and DEN2-FJ11 strains of the dengue 2 virus in Fujian, China.

PubMed

Guo, Xiao-Xia; Li, Chun-Xiao; Zhang, Ying-Mei; Xing, Dan; Dong, Yan-De; Zhang, Heng-Duan; Qin, Cheng-Feng; Zhao, Tong-Yan

2016-09-01

Dengue is an acute, emerging, infectious disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes that has become a serious global public health problem. The DEN2-FJ10 and DEN2-FJ11 strains of the dengue 2 virus were originally isolated from the serum of a patient with dengue fever in Fujian Province, China, in 1999. Our data provide the first assessment of the vector competence of Aedes mosquitoes with respect to the DEN2-FJ10 and DEN2-FJ11 strains of the dengue virus. There were significant differences in the replication rates of these two viral strains in Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti (P<0.05); replication of the DEN2-FJ10 strain was greater in Ae. aegypti than in Ae. albopictus 5 days post infection whereas replication of the DEN2-FJ11 was greater in Ae. albopictus than in Ae. aegypti 7 days post infection. The replicative ability of the DEN2-FJ11 strain was greater than that of the DEN2-FJ10 strain in infected Ae. albopictus. In infected Ae. aegypti, rapid proliferation of the DEN2-FJ10 strain occurred earlier than in the DEN2-FJ11 strain. There were no significant differences in the midgut and salivary gland infection rates of Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti with respect to either viral strain. Although the DEN2-FJ10 and DEN2-FJ11 strains differ in their virulence to neonatal rats, there was no significant difference in the ability of either Ae. albopictus or Ae. aegypti to transmit the DEN2-FJ10 and DEN2-FJ10 strains of the dengue 2 virus (P>0.05). In summary, our results indicate that Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti mosquitoes are moderately competent vectors of the DEN2-FJ10 and DEN2-FJ11 strains of the dengue virus and provide the first evidence of the effect of these two viral strains on the vector competence of mosquitoes in China. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Live Attenuated Chimeric West Nile Virus Vaccine, rWN/DEN4Δ30, Is Well Tolerated and Immunogenic in Flavivirus-Naive Older Adult Volunteers.

PubMed

Pierce, Kristen K; Whitehead, Stephen S; Kirkpatrick, Beth D; Grier, Palmtama L; Jarvis, Adrienne; Kenney, Heather; Carmolli, Marya P; Reynolds, Cynthia; Tibery, Cecilia M; Lovchik, Janece; Janiak, Anna; Luke, Catherine J; Durbin, Anna P; Pletnev, Alexander G

2017-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is a major cause of mosquito-borne illness in the United States. Human disease ranges from mild febrile illness to severe fatal neurologic infection. Adults aged >60 years are more susceptible to neuroinvasive disease accompanied by a high mortality rate or long-lasting neurologic sequelae. A chimeric live attenuated West Nile virus vaccine, rWN/DEN4Δ30, was shown to be safe and immunogenic in healthy adults aged 18-50 years. This study evaluated rWN/DEN4Δ30 in flavivirus-naive adults aged 50-65 years and found it to be safe and immunogenic. Outbreaks of WNV infection tend to be unpredictable, and a safe and effective vaccine will be an important public health tool. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Den-site characteristics of black bears in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldwin, R.A.; Bender, L.C.

2008-01-01

We compared historic (1985-1992) and contemporary (2003-2006) black bear (Ursus americanus) den locations in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), Colorado, USA, for habitat and physiographic attributes of den sites and used maximum entropy modeling to determine which factors were most influential in predicting den-site locations. We observed variability in the relationship between den locations and distance to trails and elevation over rime. Locations of historic den sites were most associated with slope, elevation, and covertype, whereas contemporary sites were associated with slope, distance to roads, aspect, and canopy height. Although relationships to covariates differed between historic and contemporary periods, preferred den-site characteristics consistently included steep slopes and factors associated with greater snow depth. Distribution of den locations shifted toward areas closer to human developments, indicating little negative influence of this factor on den-site selection by black bears in RMNP.

A female black bear denning habitat model using a geographic information system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, J.D.; Hayes, S.G.; Pledger, J.M.

1998-01-01

We used the Mahalanobis distance statistic and a raster geographic information system (GIS) to model potential black bear (Ursus americanus) denning habitat in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas. The Mahalanobis distance statistic was used to represent the standard squared distance between sample variates in the GIS database (forest cover type, elevation, slope, aspect, distance to streams, distance to roads, and forest cover richness) and variates at known bear dens. Two models were developed: a generalized model for all den locations and another specific to dens in rock cavities. Differences between habitat at den sites and habitat across the study area were represented in 2 new GIS themes as Mahalanobis distance values. Cells similar to the mean vector derived from the known dens had low Mahalanobis distance values, and dissimilar cells had high values. The reliability of the predictive model was tested by overlaying den locations collected subsequent to original model development on the resultant den habitat themes. Although the generalized model demonstrated poor reliability, the model specific to rock dens had good reliability. Bears were more likely to choose rock den locations with low Mahalanobis distance values and less likely to choose those with high values. The model can be used to plan the timing and extent of management actions (e.g., road building, prescribed fire, timber harvest) most appropriate for those sites with high or low denning potential. 

Landward and eastward shift of Alaskan polar bear denning associated with recent sea ice changes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fischbach, Anthony S.; Amstrup, Steven C.; Douglas, David C.

2007-01-01

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the northern Alaska region den in coastal areas and on offshore drifting ice. We evaluated changes in the distribution of polar bear maternal dens between 1985 and 2005, using satellite telemetry. We determined the distribution of maternal dens occupied by 89 satellite collared female polar bears between 137°W and 167°W longitude. The proportion of dens on pack ice declined from 62% in 1985–1994 to 37% in 1998–2004 (P = 0.044) and among pack ice dens fewer occurred in the western Beaufort Sea after 1998. We evaluated whether hunting, attraction to bowhead whale remains, or changes in sea ice could explain changes in den distribution. We concluded that denning distribution changed in response to reductions in stable old ice, increases in unconsolidated ice, and lengthening of the melt season. In consort, these changes have likely reduced the availability and quality of pack ice denning habitat. Further declines in sea ice availability are predicted. Therefore, we expect the proportion of polar bears denning in coastal areas will continue to increase, until such time as the autumn ice retreats far enough from shore that it precludes offshore pregnant females from reaching the Alaska coast in advance of denning.

Reconnaissance study of late quaternary faulting along cerro GoDen fault zone, western Puerto Rico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mann, P.; Prentice, C.S.; Hippolyte, J.-C.; Grindlay, N.R.; Abrams, L.J.; Lao-Davila, D.

2005-01-01

The Cerro GoDen fault zone is associated with a curvilinear, continuous, and prominent topographic lineament in western Puerto Rico. The fault varies in strike from northwest to west. In its westernmost section, the fault is ???500 m south of an abrupt, curvilinear mountain front separating the 270- to 361-m-high La CaDena De San Francisco range from the Rio A??asco alluvial valley. The Quaternary fault of the A??asco Valley is in alignment with the bedrock fault mapped by D. McIntyre (1971) in the Central La Plata quadrangle sheet east of A??asco Valley. Previous workers have postulated that the Cerro GoDen fault zone continues southeast from the A??asco Valley and merges with the Great Southern Puerto Rico fault zone of south-central Puerto Rico. West of the A??asco Valley, the fault continues offshore into the Mona Passage (Caribbean Sea) where it is characterized by offsets of seafloor sediments estimated to be of late Quaternary age. Using both 1:18,500 scale air photographs taken in 1936 and 1:40,000 scale photographs taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1986, we iDentified geomorphic features suggestive of Quaternary fault movement in the A??asco Valley, including aligned and Deflected drainages, apparently offset terrace risers, and mountain-facing scarps. Many of these features suggest right-lateral displacement. Mapping of Paleogene bedrock units in the uplifted La CaDena range adjacent to the Cerro GoDen fault zone reveals the main tectonic events that have culminated in late Quaternary normal-oblique displacement across the Cerro GoDen fault. Cretaceous to Eocene rocks of the La CaDena range exhibit large folds with wavelengths of several kms. The orientation of folds and analysis of fault striations within the folds indicate that the folds formed by northeast-southwest shorTening in present-day geographic coordinates. The age of Deformation is well constrained as late Eocene-early Oligocene by an angular unconformity separating folDed, Deep-marine middle Eocene rocks from transgressive, shallow-marine rocks of middle-upper Oligocene age. Rocks of middle Oligocene-early Pliocene age above unconformity are gently folDed about the roughly east-west-trending Puerto Rico-Virgin Islands arch, which is well expressed in the geomorphology of western Puerto Rico. Arching appears ongoing because onshore and offshore late Quaternary oblique-slip faults closely parallel the complexly Deformed crest of the arch and appear to be related to exTensional strains focused in the crest of the arch. We estimate ???4 km of vertical throw on the Cerro GoDen fault based on the position of the carbonate cap north of the fault in the La CaDena De San Francisco and its position south of the fault inferred from seismic reflection data in Mayaguez Bay. Based on these observations, our interpretation of the kinematics and history of the Cerro GoDen fault zone incluDes two major phases of motion: (1) Eocene northeast-southwest shorTening possibly accompanied by left-lateral shearing as Determined by previous workers on the Great Southern Puerto Rico fault zone; and (2) post-early Pliocene regional arching of Puerto Rico accompanied by normal offset and right-lateral shear along faults flanking the crest of the arch. The second phase of Deformation accompanied east-west opening of the Mona rift and is inferred to continue to the present day. ?? 2005 Geological Society of America.

Mapping polar bear maternal denning habitat in the National Petroleum Reserve -- Alaska with an IfSAR digital terrain model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Durner, George M.; Simac, Kristin S.; Amstrup, Steven C.

2013-01-01

The National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (NPR-A) in northeastern Alaska provides winter maternal denning habitat for polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and also has high potential for recoverable hydrocarbons. Denning polar bears exposed to human activities may abandon their dens before their young are able to survive the severity of Arctic winter weather. To ensure that wintertime petroleum activities do not threaten polar bears, managers need to know the distribution of landscape features in which maternal dens are likely to occur. Here, we present a map of potential denning habitat within the NPR-A. We used a fine-grain digital elevation model derived from Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IfSAR) to generate a map of putative denning habitat. We then tested the map’s ability to identify polar bear denning habitat on the landscape. Our final map correctly identified 82% of denning habitat estimated to be within the NPR-A. Mapped denning habitat comprised 19.7 km2 (0.1% of the study area) and was widely dispersed. Though mapping denning habitat with IfSAR data was as effective as mapping with the photogrammetric methods used for other regions of the Alaskan Arctic coastal plain, the use of GIS to analyze IfSAR data allowed greater objectivity and flexibility with less manual labor. Analytical advantages and performance equivalent to that of manual cartographic methods suggest that the use of IfSAR data to identify polar bear maternal denning habitat is a better management tool in the NPR-A and wherever such data may be available.

A Model for Real-Time Data Reputation Via Cyber Telemetry

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

TIME DATA REPUTATION VIA CYBER TELEMETRY by Beau M. Houser June 2016 Thesis Advisor: Dorothy E. Denning Co-Advisor: Phyllis Schneck...information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and...Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE A MODEL FOR REAL- TIME DATA REPUTATION VIA CYBER TELEMETRY 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Beau M

Den site activity patterns of adult male and female swift foxes, Vulpes velox, in Northwestern Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lemons, P.R.; Ballard, W.B.; Sullivan, R.M.; Sovada, M.A.

2003-01-01

Activity of Swift Foxes (Vulpes velox) at den sites was studied in northwestern Texas during pup rearing seasons in 2000 and 2001 to determine role of males in parental care. Twenty-four percent of radio-collared females with a potential to breed successfully raised pups to eight weeks of age. We intensively monitored presence and absence of male and female Swift Foxes at two den sites each year. Females were present >2.6 times more at den sites than males during the pup rearing season. Female and male Swift Foxes largely stayed at dens during diurnal hours and were active away from dens during nocturnal and crepuscular hours. Females and males spent 12.4% and 3.0% more time at dens before pups emerged, than after pups emerged, respectively. Following depredation of one male parent, the female spent 29% less time at the den site. Decrease in time spent at the den by the female following loss of her mate suggested that loss of one parent might severely impact recruitment of Swift Foxes. Our observations indicated that intense Coyote (Canis latrans) depredation may severely impact pup-rearing success as well as the parental care within Swift Fox family groups.

Polar bear maternal den habitat in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Durner, George M.; Amstrup, Steven C.; Ambrosius, Ken J.

2006-01-01

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) give birth during mid-winter in dens of ice and snow. Denning polar bears subjected to human disturbances may abandon dens before their altricial young can survive the rigors of the Arctic winter. Because the Arctic coastal plain of Alaska is an area of high petroleum potential and contains existing and planned oil field developments, the distribution of polar bear dens on the plain is of interest to land managers. Therefore, as part of a study of denning habitats along the entire Arctic coast of Alaska, we examined high-resolution aerial photographs (n = 1655) of the 7994 km2 coastal plain included in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and mapped 3621 km of bank habitat suitable for denning by polar bears. Such habitats were distributed uniformly and comprised 0.29% (23.2 km2) of the coastal plain between the Canning River and the Canadian border. Ground-truth sampling suggested that we had correctly identified 91.5% of bank denning habitats on the ANWR coastal plain. Knowledge of the distribution of these habitats will help facilitate informed management of human activities and minimize disruption of polar bears in maternal dens.

Aberrant methylation accounts for cell adhesion-related gene silencing during 3-methylcholanthrene and diethylnitrosamine induced multistep rat lung carcinogenesis associated with overexpression of DNA methyltransferases 1 and 3a

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

Liu Wenbin; Cui Zhihong; Ao Lin

To evaluate the significance of alterations in cell adhesion-related genes methylation during lung multistep carcinogenesis induced by the genotoxic carcinogens 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA) and diethylnitrosamine (DEN), tissue samples microdissected from MCA/DEN-induced rat lung carcinogenesis model were subjected to methylation-specific PCR to evaluate the DNA methylation status of CADM1, TIMP3, E-cadherin and N-cadherin. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine protein expression of CADM1, TIMP3, N-cadherin and the DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) 1, 3a and 3b. E-cadherin hypermethylation was not detected in any tissue. CADM1, TIMP3 and N-cadherin hypermethylation was correlated with the loss of their protein expression during the progression of pathologic lesions. Themore » prevalence of DNA methylation of at least one gene and the average number of methylated genes increased with the histological progression. DNMT1 and DNMT3a protein expression increased progressively during the stages of lung carcinogenesis, whereas DNMT3b overexpression was only found in several samples. Furthermore, DNMT1 protein expression levels were correlated with CADM1 methylation, and DNMT3a protein expression levels were correlated with CADM1, TIMP3 and N-cadherin methylation. The average number of methylated genes during carcinogenesis was significantly correlated with DNMT1 and DNMT3a protein expression levels. Moreover, mRNA expression of CADM1 significantly increased after treatment with DNMT inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine in CADM1-methylated primary tumor cell lines. Our findings suggest that an accumulation of hypermethylation accounts for cell adhesion-related gene silencing is associated with dynamic changes in the progression of MCA/DEN-induced rat lung carcinogenesis. We suggest that DNMT1 and DNMT3a protein overexpression may be responsible for this aberrant DNA methylation.« less

Den use and selection by northern flying squirrels in fragmented landscapes

Treesearch

Sanjay Pyare; Winston P. Smith; Colin S. Shanley

2010-01-01

We studied den use and den-habitat selection by the Prince of Wales Island flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus griseifrons) at multiple spatial scales in fragmented temperate rain-forest habitats because of the role dens play in the distribution, reproduction, and population density of this endemic subspecies. We observed differences in spatial...

Temporal distribution of dengue virus serotypes in Colombian endemic area and dengue incidence. Re-introduction of dengue-3 associated to mild febrile illness and primary infection.

PubMed

Ocazionez, Raquel Elvira; Cortés, Fabián Mauricio; Villar, Luis Angel; Gómez, Sergio Yebrail

2006-11-01

We have investigated the temporal distribution of dengue (DEN) virus serotypes in the department (state) of Santander, Colombia, in relation to dengue incidence, infection pattern, and severity of disease. Viral isolation was attended on a total of 1452 acute serum samples collected each week from 1998 to 2004. The infection pattern was evaluated in 596 laboratory-positive dengue cases using an IgG ELISA, and PRNT test. The dengue incidence was documented by the local health authority. Predominance of DEN-1 in 1998 and DEN-3 re-introduction and predominance in 2001-2003 coincided with outbreaks. Predominance of DEN-2 in 2000-2001 coincided with more dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). DEN-4 was isolated in 2000-2001 and 2004 but was not predominant. There was an annual increase of primary dengue infections (from 13.7 to 81.4%) that correlated with frequency of DEN-3 (r = 0.83; P = 0.038). From the total number of primary dengue infections DEN-3 (81.3%) was the most frequent serotype. DHF was more frequent in DEN-2 infected patients than in DEN-3 infected patients: 27.5 vs 10.9% (P < 0.05). DEN-3 viruses belonged to subtype C (restriction site-specific-polymerase chain reaction) like viruses isolated in Sri-Lanka and other countries in the Americas. Our findings show the importance of continuous virological surveillance to identify the risk factors of dengue epidemics and severity.

Defining space use and movements of Canada lynx with global positioning system telemetry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burdett, C.L.; Moen, R.A.; Niemi, G.J.; Mech, L.D.

2007-01-01

Space use and movements of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) are difficult to study with very-high-frequency radiocollars. We deployed global positioning system (GPS) collars on 11 lynx in Minnesota to study their seasonal space-use patterns. We estimated home ranges with minimum-convex-polygon and fixed-kernel methods and estimated core areas with area/probability curves. Fixed-kernel home ranges of males (range = 29-522 km2) were significantly larger than those of females (range = 5-95 km2) annually and during the denning season. Some male lynx increased movements during March, the month most influenced by breeding activity. Lynx core areas were predicted by the 60% fixed-kernel isopleth in most seasons. The mean core-area size of males (range = 6-190 km2) was significantly larger than that of females (range = 1-19 km2) annually and during denning. Most female lynx were reproductive animals with reduced movements, whereas males often ranged widely between Minnesota and Ontario. Sensitivity analyses examining the effect of location frequency on home-range size suggest that the home-range sizes of breeding females are less sensitive to sample size than those of males. Longer periods between locations decreased home-range and core-area overlap relative to the home range estimated from daily locations. GPS collars improve our understanding of space use and movements by lynx by increasing the spatial extent and temporal frequency of monitoring and allowing home ranges to be estimated over short periods that are relevant to life-history characteristics. ?? 2007 American Society of Mammalogists.

Magnetic nanoparticles are highly toxic to chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum, dengue virus (DEN-2), and their mosquito vectors.

PubMed

Murugan, Kadarkarai; Wei, Jiang; Alsalhi, Mohamad Saleh; Nicoletti, Marcello; Paulpandi, Manickam; Samidoss, Christina Mary; Dinesh, Devakumar; Chandramohan, Balamurugan; Paneerselvam, Chellasamy; Subramaniam, Jayapal; Vadivalagan, Chithravel; Wei, Hui; Amuthavalli, Pandiyan; Jaganathan, Anitha; Devanesan, Sandhanasamy; Higuchi, Akon; Kumar, Suresh; Aziz, Al Thabiani; Nataraj, Devaraj; Vaseeharan, Baskaralingam; Canale, Angelo; Benelli, Giovanni

2017-02-01

A main challenge in parasitology is the development of reliable tools to prevent or treat mosquito-borne diseases. We investigated the toxicity of magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) produced by Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense (strain MSR-1) on chloroquine-resistant (CQ-r) and sensitive (CQ-s) Plasmodium falciparum, dengue virus (DEN-2), and two of their main vectors, Anopheles stephensi and Aedes aegypti, respectively. MNP were studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. They were toxic to larvae and pupae of An. stephensi, LC 50 ranged from 2.563 ppm (1st instar larva) to 6.430 ppm (pupa), and Ae. aegypti, LC 50 ranged from 3.231 ppm (1st instar larva) to 7.545 ppm (pupa). MNP IC 50 on P. falciparum were 83.32 μg ml -1 (CQ-s) and 87.47 μg ml -1 (CQ-r). However, the in vivo efficacy of MNP on Plasmodium berghei was low if compared to CQ-based treatments. Moderate cytotoxicity was detected on Vero cells post-treatment with MNP doses lower than 4 μg ml -1 . MNP evaluated at 2-8 μg ml -1 inhibited DEN-2 replication inhibiting the expression of the envelope (E) protein. In conclusion, our findings represent the first report about the use of MNP in medical and veterinary entomology, proposing them as suitable materials to develop reliable tools to combat mosquito-borne diseases.

How does signal fade on photo-stimulable storage phosphor imaging plates when scanned with a delay and what is the effect on image quality?

PubMed

Ang, Dan B; Angelopoulos, Christos; Katz, Jerald O

2006-11-01

The goals of this in vitro study were to determine the effect of signal fading of DenOptix photo-stimulable storage phosphor imaging plates scanned with a delay and to determine the effect on the diagnostic quality of the image. In addition, we sought to correlate signal fading with image spatial resolution and average pixel intensity values. Forty-eight images were obtained of a test specimen apparatus and scanned at 6 delayed time intervals: immediately scanned, 1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, 72 hours, and 168 hours. Six general dentists using Vixwin2000 software performed a measuring task to determine the location of an endodontic file tip and root apex. One-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used to determine the effect of signal fading (delayed scan time) on diagnostic image quality and average pixel intensity value. There was no statistically significant difference in diagnostic image quality resulting from signal fading. No difference was observed in spatial resolution of the images. There was a statistically significant difference in the pixel intensity analysis of an 8-step aluminum wedge between immediate scanning and 24-hour delayed scan time. There was an effect of delayed scanning on the average pixel intensity value. However, there was no effect on image quality and raters' ability to perform a clinical identification task. Proprietary software of the DenOptix digital imaging system demonstrates an excellent ability to process a delayed scan time signal and create an image of diagnostic quality.

Atypical den use of Carolina Northern Flying Squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus) in the southern Appalachian Mountains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diggins, Corinne A.; Kelly, Christine A.; Ford, W. Mark

2015-01-01

Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus (Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel) is a federally endangered subspecies that occurs in high elevation forests of the southern Appalachian Mountains. Denning sites may be a limiting factor for this subspecies in areas where cavity trees are not abundant or where interspecific competition from other tree squirrels occurs. This shortage can result in use of unusual denning sites, such as subterranean dens. Herein, we report atypical denning habits of radio-collared Carolina Northern Flying Squirrels in southwestern Virginia and western North Carolina from 2008 to 2011 and 2014. Increased knowledge of denning habitats may be beneficial for conservation and habitat management of this subspecies, particularly in sub-optimal or degraded habitats.

Vole abundance and reindeer carcasses determine breeding activity of Arctic foxes in low Arctic Yamal, Russia.

PubMed

Ehrich, Dorothee; Cerezo, Maite; Rodnikova, Anna Y; Sokolova, Natalya A; Fuglei, Eva; Shtro, Victor G; Sokolov, Aleksandr A

2017-09-16

High latitude ecosystems are at present changing rapidly under the influence of climate warming, and specialized Arctic species at the southern margin of the Arctic may be particularly affected. The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), a small mammalian predator endemic to northern tundra areas, is able to exploit different resources in the context of varying tundra ecosystems. Although generally widespread, it is critically endangered in subarctic Fennoscandia, where a fading out of the characteristic lemming cycles and competition with abundant red foxes have been identified as main threats. We studied an Arctic fox population at the Erkuta Tundra Monitoring site in low Arctic Yamal (Russia) during 10 years in order to determine which resources support the breeding activity in this population. In the study area, lemmings have been rare during the last 15 years and red foxes are nearly absent, creating an interesting contrast to the situation in Fennoscandia. Arctic fox was breeding in nine of the 10 years of the study. The number of active dens was on average 2.6 (range 0-6) per 100 km 2 and increased with small rodent abundance. It was also higher after winters with many reindeer carcasses, which occurred when mortality was unusually high due to icy pastures following rain-on-snow events. Average litter size was 5.2 (SD = 2.1). Scat dissection suggested that small rodents (mostly Microtus spp.) were the most important prey category. Prey remains observed at dens show that birds, notably waterfowl, were also an important resource in summer. The Arctic fox in southern Yamal, which is part of a species-rich low Arctic food web, seems at present able to cope with a state shift of the small rodent community from high amplitude cyclicity with lemming dominated peaks, to a vole community with low amplitude fluctuations. The estimated breeding parameters characterized the population as intermediate between the lemming fox and the coastal fox ecotype. Only continued ecosystem-based monitoring will reveal their fate in a changing tundra ecosystem.

[Dengue hemorrhagic fever serotype and infection pattern in a Colombian endemic area].

PubMed

Ocazionez, Raquel E; Gómez, Sergio Y; Cortés, Fabián M

2007-01-01

Describing the relationship between viral serotypes, infection pattern and dengue hemorrhagic fever. 1,545 febrile patients were studied from 1998-2004 in the Santander department of Colombia. Dengue infection was confirmed by IgM ELISA and the virus was isolated in C6/36 cells. Infection pattern was established by detecting IgG antibodies in acute serum. Neutralising antibody titres were investigated in dengue cases occurring during years when less (1998) and more (2001) dengue hemorrhagic cases were reported by using PRNT. DEN-1 predominance in 1998 and the re-introduction of DEN-3 in 2001 coincided with an epidemic. DEN-2 infection caused more hemorrhagic cases than DEN-3 infection (24,5 % cf 11,2 %; p<0.05). DEN-2 was more associated with secondary infection than DEN-3 (56,8 % cf 15,7 %; p<0.001). An annual decrease of DHF was correlated with decreased DEN-2 dominance (r=0.95; p= 0.01), and secondary infection (r=0.9; p=0.03) and increased DEN-3 predominance (r=-0.91; p=0.03). There were no differences in neutralising antibody titres amongst analysed cases. DEN-1 neutralising antibodies presented the highest titres. Change in relative dengue virus serotype abundance was associated with changed infection pattern and DHF frequency. Continuing virological surveillance should become a priority for preventing dengue hemorrhagic fever in endemic areas.

Vegetative characteristics of swift fox denning and foraging sites in southwestern South Dakota

Treesearch

Daniel W. Uresk; Kieth E. Severson; Jody Javersak

2003-01-01

Vegetative characteristics of swift fox (Vulpes velox) denning and foraging habitats were studied in southwestern South Dakota. We followed 14 radio-collared foxes over a two-year period and identified 17 den sites and 82 foraging sites. Height-density of vegetation (visual obstruction reading, VOR) was determined on each den and foraging site and on...

Phenotyping of peripheral blood mononuclear cells during acute dengue illness demonstrates infection and increased activation of monocytes in severe cases compared to classic dengue fever

PubMed Central

Durbin, Anna P.; Vargas, Maria José; Wanionek, Kimberli; Hammond, Samantha N.; Gordon, Aubree; Rocha, Crisanta; Balmaseda, Angel; Harris, Eva

2008-01-01

In vitro studies have attempted to identify dengue virus (DEN) target cells in peripheral blood; however, extensive phenotyping of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from dengue patients has not been reported. PBMCs collected from hospitalized children suspected of acute dengue were analyzed for DEN prM, CD32, CD86, CD14, CD11c, CD16, CD209, CCR7, CD4, and CD8 by flow cytometry to detect DEN antigen in PBMCs and to phenotype DEN-positive cells. DEN prM was detected primarily in activated monocytes (CD14+, CD32+, CD86+, CD11c+). A subset of samples analyzed for DEN nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) confirmed that approximately half of DEN antigen-positive cells contained replicating virus. A higher percentage of PBMCs from DHF patients expressed prM, CD86, CD32, and CD11c than did those from DF patients. Increased activation of monocytes and greater numbers of DEN-infected cells were associated with more severe dengue, implicating a role for monocyte activation in dengue immunopathogenesis. PMID:18452966

Dens invaginatus in primary maxillary molar: a rare case report and review of literature.

PubMed

Bansal, Arpana V; Bansal, Abhinav; Kulkarni, Vinaya Kumar; Dhar, Reema Sharma

2012-05-01

Dens invaginatus is a rare developmental anomaly. It is unusual to find this anomaly in primary dentition. Diagnosis of this dens invaginatus is important due to possible pulpal involvement. Not only that, simultaneous presence of other dental anomaly may require long-term treatment planning. Dens invaginatus can be detected clinically in the tooth presenting unusual crown morphology or radiographically as radiopacity within tooth. This article describes one of the first case reports of dens invaginatus in primary maxillary second molar in a 5-year-old female patient. How to cite this article: Bansal AV, Bansal A, Kulkarni VK, Dhar RS. Dens Invaginatus in Primary Maxillary Molar: A Rare Case Report and Review of Literature. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2012;5(2):139-141.

Factors influencing Dipylidium sp. infection in a free-ranging social carnivore, the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta)☆

PubMed Central

East, Marion L.; Kurze, Christoph; Wilhelm, Kerstin; Benhaiem, Sarah; Hofer, Heribert

2013-01-01

We provide the first genetic sequence data for a Dipylidium species from a wild carnivore plus an analysis of the effects of ecological, demographic, physiological and behavioural factors on Dipylidium sp. infection prevalence in a social carnivore, the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta), in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Our sequence data from a mitochondrial gene fragment (1176 base pair long) had a similarity of between 99% and 89% to Dipylidium caninum. We determined infection prevalence in 146 faecal samples from 124 known animals in three social groups (termed clans) using molecular screening and Dipylidium proglottid presence. Our analysis revealed significantly higher infection prevalence in juveniles (55%) than adults (15.8%), indicating that predominantly juveniles maintained infection in clans. The likelihood of infection in juveniles significantly: (1) increased as the number of adults and older juveniles (>6 months) at communal dens increased, implying a positive relationship between this factor and the size of the intermediate host (probably a flea species) population at communal dens; (2) decreased as the number of younger juveniles (<6 months) increased, suggesting that the chance of susceptible juveniles ingesting infected fleas during self-grooming declined as the number of infected fleas per younger juvenile declined; and (3) decreased during periods of low prey abundance in clan territories when an increased reliance on long-distances foraging excursions reduces the number of clan members visiting communal dens, possibly resulting in a decline in flea populations at dens. Long-distance foraging also increases the intervals (in days) between nursing visits by lactating females to their offspring. Lengthy intervals between milk intake by infected juveniles may reduce adult Dipylidium fecundity and hence decrease infection prevalence in the den flea population. Our study provides useful insights into Dipylidium epidemiology in a social carnivore population subject to large fluctuations in prey abundance. PMID:24533344

Factors influencing Dipylidium sp. infection in a free-ranging social carnivore, the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta).

PubMed

East, Marion L; Kurze, Christoph; Wilhelm, Kerstin; Benhaiem, Sarah; Hofer, Heribert

2013-12-01

We provide the first genetic sequence data for a Dipylidium species from a wild carnivore plus an analysis of the effects of ecological, demographic, physiological and behavioural factors on Dipylidium sp. infection prevalence in a social carnivore, the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta), in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Our sequence data from a mitochondrial gene fragment (1176 base pair long) had a similarity of between 99% and 89% to Dipylidium caninum. We determined infection prevalence in 146 faecal samples from 124 known animals in three social groups (termed clans) using molecular screening and Dipylidium proglottid presence. Our analysis revealed significantly higher infection prevalence in juveniles (55%) than adults (15.8%), indicating that predominantly juveniles maintained infection in clans. The likelihood of infection in juveniles significantly: (1) increased as the number of adults and older juveniles (>6 months) at communal dens increased, implying a positive relationship between this factor and the size of the intermediate host (probably a flea species) population at communal dens; (2) decreased as the number of younger juveniles (<6 months) increased, suggesting that the chance of susceptible juveniles ingesting infected fleas during self-grooming declined as the number of infected fleas per younger juvenile declined; and (3) decreased during periods of low prey abundance in clan territories when an increased reliance on long-distances foraging excursions reduces the number of clan members visiting communal dens, possibly resulting in a decline in flea populations at dens. Long-distance foraging also increases the intervals (in days) between nursing visits by lactating females to their offspring. Lengthy intervals between milk intake by infected juveniles may reduce adult Dipylidium fecundity and hence decrease infection prevalence in the den flea population. Our study provides useful insights into Dipylidium epidemiology in a social carnivore population subject to large fluctuations in prey abundance.

Seasonal and annual movements of radio-collared polar bears ( Ursus maritimus) in northeast Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Born, E. W.; Wiig, Ø.; Thomassen, J.

1997-01-01

The distribution and movements of polar bears ( Ursus maritimus) in the Northeast Water (NEW) area (NE Greenland) were studied from 28 May 1993 to 31 May 1995, using satellite telemetry. Between 28 May and 17 June 1993 satellite-linked radio transmitters were attached to eight adult females in the NEW area between approximately 79° and approximately 80°30'N. By 31 May 1995 the mean duration of transmission (excluding one radio that quit on day of attachment) was 688.4 days (SD = 65.1, range: 541-718 days). These seven females generally showed a high degree of fidelity to the area between 78° and 81°N and 10°W and the northeast Greenland coast. The average distance between capture site in 1993 and spring relocation site in 1994 and 1995 was 116.5 km (SD = 81.9, range: 3.8-210.7 km, N = 7) and 85.4 km (SD = 35.4, range: 38.7-121.8 km, N = 5), respectively. The minimum polygon home range estimates averaged 72,263 km 2 (SD = 71,059, range: 5,567-195,648 km 2, N = 7). Relocations were concentrated on the shore-fast ice and on the pack ice over the continental shelf. This local movement pattern may be facilitated by an anticyclonal gyre of the surface water between 78° and 81°N, and a slowing of the south-flowing East Greenland current. A male bear marked in 1993 at the NEW was taken by hunters in Scoresby Sund (approximately 70°N) in February 1995, indicating that some exchange does occur with southern areas of eastern Greenland. Maternity and temporary dens were located on the coast close to the NEW. Apparently the NEW area is suitable polar bear habitat, in that the bears have access to ringed seals on the fast ice, and on pack ice adjacent to the polynya.

Entropy and time: A search for Denning's resting place

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beech, Martin

2013-04-01

The interminable scientific literature reveals William Frederick Denning (1848-1931) as one of the great practitioners of meteor astronomy: he wrote widely on the subject and dedicated innumerable hours to his observations. But who was Denning? What can we learn of his life, living and death. Glimpses of Denning the man do exist, but he is largely a man of translucency and unknowns. The journey recounted here reflects upon a recent search for Denning's final resting place, but, once again, it is found that time and circumstance have erased virtually all of the physical history.

Denning behaviour of non-gravid wolves, Canis lupus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mech, L.D.; Phillips, M.K.; Smith, D.W.; Kreeger, T.J.

1996-01-01

Wild wolves (Canis lupus) that had produced pups in earlier years but were not currently pregnant, and ovariectomized captive wolves, dug dens during and after the whelping season even though they produced no pups. These observations suggest that den digging is not a function of pregnancy or of ovarian estrogen or progesterone. We hypothesize that increasing prolactin in spring elicits or mediates den-digging behavior.

Comparison of the effectiveness of two protocols of antirabies bait distribution for foxes (Vulpes vulpes).

PubMed

Vuillaume, P; Bruyere, V; Aubert, M

1998-01-01

In a plateau and hill region of France (the Doubs), two protocols of rabies vaccine bait distribution targeted at foxes were compared: helicopter distribution of vaccine baits alone (control zone) and a combined aerial distribution by helicopter with an additional deposit of vaccine baits at fox den entrances by foot (test zone). In the test zone covering an area of 436 km2, baits were distributed by helicopter at a rate of 13.4 baits/km2. Additionally, an average of 11.4 vaccine baits at the entrances of 871 fox dens were terrestrially distributed by 110 persons (9,964 baits). In this test zone, 90% of the young foxes were marked with tetracycline which permitted estimation of the bait consumption; however, only 38% had significant titre of rabies antibodies and less than one fox cub per 2.4 of those having consumed at least one bait were immunized. In the control zone, these percentages were significantly lower: respectively, 35 and 17% and one fox cub per 4.2. The relative lack of benefit between bait uptake and rate of immunological response may be due to maternal immunity which could have interfered with fox cub active immunization. A booster effect following a second distribution of baits by foot may be suggested in both adult foxes and their offspring. That these baits needed to be terrestrially distributed in order to obtain a booster effect is uncertain. Terrestrial distribution at fox den entrances is difficult to do and entails additional expenses not incurred in aerial distribution. The cost of terrestrial vaccination is 3.5 times higher than classical aerial vaccination and takes 63.5 times longer. A cost effective analysis of this type of supplementary terrestrial intervention determined that bait deposit at den entrances can be recommended for restricted areas, where residual focii exist, as a complement to the aerial distribution of baits.

[Identification of Dens Draconis and Os Draconis by XRD method].

PubMed

Chen, Guang-Yun; Wu, Qi-Nan; Shen, Bei; Chen, Rong

2012-04-01

To establish an XRD method for evaluating the quality of Os Draconis and Dens Draconis and applying in judgement of the counterfeit. Dens Draconis, Os Draconis and the counterfeit of Os Draconis were analyzed by XRD. Their diffraction patterns were clustered analysis and evaluated their similarity degree. Established the analytical method of Dens Draconis and Os Draconis basing the features fingerprint information of the 10 common peaks by XRD pattern. Obtained the XRD pattern of the counterfeit of Os Draconis. The similarity degree of separate sources of Dens Draconis was high,while the similarity degree of separate sources of Os Draconis was significant different from each other. This method can be used for identification and evaluation of Os Draconis and Dens Draconis. It also can be used for identification the counterfeit of Os Draconis effectively.

In vitro and in vivo antiviral properties of sulfated galactomannans against yellow fever virus (BeH111 strain) and dengue 1 virus (Hawaii strain).

PubMed

Ono, Lucy; Wollinger, Wagner; Rocco, Iray M; Coimbra, Terezinha L M; Gorin, Philip A J; Sierakowski, Maria-Rita

2003-11-01

Two galactomannans, one extracted from seeds of Mimosa scabrella, having a mannose to galactose ratio of 1.1, and another with a 1.4 ratio from seeds of Leucaena leucocephala, were sulfated. The products from M. scabrella (BRS) and L. leucocephala (LLS) had a degree of sulfation of 0.62 and 0.50, and an average molecular weight of 620x10(3) and 574x10(3) gmol(-1), respectively. Their activities against yellow fever virus (YFV; BeH111 strain) and dengue 1 virus (DEN-1; Hawaii strain) were evaluated. This was carried out in young mice following intraperitoneal infection with YFV. At a dose of 49 mgkg(-1), BRS and LLS gave protection against death in 87.7 and 96.5% of the mice, respectively. When challenged with 37.5 LD50 of YFV, mice previously inoculated with BRS+virus or LLS+virus, showed 93.3 and 100% resistance, respectively, with neutralization titers similar to mice injected with 25 LD50 of formaldehyde-inactivated YFV. In vitro experiments with YFV and DEN-1 in C6/36 cell culture assays in 24-well microplates showed that concentrations that produced a 100-fold decrease in virus titer of YFV were 586 and 385 mgl(-1) for BRS and LLS, respectively. For DEN-1 they were 347 and 37 mgl(-1), respectively. Sulfated galactomannans, thus demonstrate in vitro and in vivo activity against flaviviruses.

Catalogue of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal den locations in the Beaufort Sea and neighboring regions, Alaska, 1910-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Durner, George M.; Fischbach, Anthony S.; Amstrup, Steven C.; Douglas, David C.

2010-01-01

This report presents data on the approximate locations and methods of discovery of 392 polar bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal dens found in the Beaufort Sea and neighboring regions between 1910 and 2010 that are archived by the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska. A description of data collection methods, biases associated with collection method, primary time periods, and spatial resolution are provided. Polar bears in the Beaufort Sea and nearby regions den on both the sea ice and on land. Standardized VHF surveys and satellite radio telemetry data provide a general understanding of where polar bears have denned in this region over the past 3 decades. Den observations made during other research activities and anecdotal reports from other government agencies, coastal residents, and industry personnel also are reported. Data on past polar bear maternal den locations are provided to inform the public and to provide information for natural resource agencies in planning activities to avoid or minimize interference with polar bear maternity dens.

Remote identification of maternal polar bear (Ursus maritimus) denning habitat on the Colville River Delta, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blank, Justin J.

High resolution digital aerial photographs (1 foot pixel size) of the Colville River Delta, Alaska were examined in 3D, with the use of a digital photogrammetric workstation. Topographic features meeting the criteria required for adequate snow accumulation, and subsequent construction of terrestrial polar bear maternal dens, were identified and digitized into an ArcGIS line shapefile. Effectiveness, efficiency, and accuracy were improved when compared to previous polar bear denning habitat efforts which utilized contact photo prints and a pocket stereoscope in other geographic areas of northern Alaska. Accuracy of photograph interpretation was systematically evaluated visually from the air with the use of a helicopter and physically on the ground. Results show that the mapping efforts were successful in identifying den habitat 91.3% of the time. Knowledge denning habitat can improve and inform decision making by managers and regulators when considering travel and development in the study area. An understanding of polar bear denning habitat extent and location will be a crucial tool for planning activities within the study area in a way that minimizes conflicts with maternal dens.

Diethylnitrosamine initiation does not alter clofibric acid-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in the rat.

PubMed

Michel, Cecile; Desdouets, Chantal; Slaoui, Mohamed; Isaacs, Kevin Robert; Roberts, Ruth Angela; Boitier, Eric

2007-09-01

Clofibric acid (CLO) is a nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogen in rodents that causes altered hepatocellular foci and/or neoplasms. Initiation by DNA-damaging agents such as diethylnitrosamine (DEN) accelerates focus and tumor appearance and could therefore significantly contribute to shortening of the regulatory 2-year rodent carcinogenicity bioassays. However, it is crucial to evaluate the histological and molecular impact of initiation with DEN on hepatocarcinogenesis promoted by CLO. Male F344 rats were given a single nonnecrogenic injection of DEN (0 or 30 mg/kg) followed by Control diet or CLO (5000 ppm) in diet for up to 20 months. Histopathology and gene expression profiling were performed in liver tumors and surrounding nontumoral liver tissues. The molecular signature of DEN was characterized and its histopathological and immunohistopathological effects on focus and tumor types were also determined. Although foci and tumors appeared earlier in the DEN+CLO-treated group compared to the group treated with CLO alone, DEN had little impact on gene expression in nontumoral tissues since the gene expression profiles were highly similar between Control and DEN-treated rats, and DEN+CLO- and CLO-treated rats. Finally, tumors obtained from DEN+CLO and CLO-treated groups displayed highly correlated gene expression profiles (r>0.83, independently of the time-point). The pathways involved in tumor development revealed by Gene Ontology functional analysis are similar when driven either by spontaneous initiation or by a chemically induced initiation step. Our work described here may contribute to the design optimization of shorter preclinical tests for the evaluation of the nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogenic potential of drugs under development.

Expression of heat shock protein 72 in atrophied rat skeletal muscles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oishi, Y.; Ishihara, A.; Talmadge, R. J.; Ohira, Y.; Taniguchi, K.; Matsumoto, H.; Roy, R. R.; Edgerton, V. R.

2001-01-01

Changes in the expression of heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) in response to atrophic-inducing perturbations of muscle involving chronic mechanical unloading and denervation were determined. Adult male Wistar rats were assigned randomly to a sedentary cage control (CON), hind limb unloading (HU, via tail suspension), HU plus tenotomy (HU + TEN), HU plus denervation (HU + DEN), or HU + TEN + DEN group. Tenotomy and DEN involved cutting the Achilles tendon and removing a segment of the sciatic nerve, respectively. After 5 days, HSP72 levels in the soleus of the HU + DEN and HU + TEN + DEN groups were 42 (P < 0.05) and 53% (P < 0.01) less than CON, respectively. Soleus weight decreased in both groups. Heat shock protein 72 levels in the plantaris of the HU + TEN, HU + DEN, and HU + TEN + DEN groups were 31, 25, and 30% lower than CON, respectively (P < 0.05). Plantaris weight decreased in the HU + DEN and HU + TEN + DEN, but not in the HU + TEN group. Hind limb unloading alone had little effect on the HSP72 level in either muscle. Reduced levels of HSP72 were associated with a decreased soleus (r=0.62, P < 0.01) and plantaris (r=0.78, P < 0.001) weight. These results indicate that the levels of HSP72 in both a slow and a fast rat plantarflexor are responsive to a chronic decrease in the levels of loading and/or activation and suggest that the neuromuscular activity level and the presence of innervation of a muscle are important factors that induce HSP72 expression.

Boden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfeiffer, Eva-Maria; Eschenbach, Annette; Munch, Jean Charles

Auch wenn die Risiken bisher kaum quantifizierbar sind, ist davon auszugehen, dass aufgrund der Einbindung des Bodens in die Energie-, Wasser- und Stoffkreisläufe die zu erwartenden Temperatur- und Niederschlagsänderungen die Funktionen dieser zentralen Lebensgrundlage auch in Deutschland gefährden. Nach einer Darstellung der Vielfältigkeit von Böden geht es in diesem Kapitel um mögliche Änderungen der Standortfunktion von Böden und der Leistungen im Ökosystem sowie um den Bodenwasserhaushalt. An herausgehobener Stelle diskutieren die Autoren die Klimafunktion von Böden und stellen mögliche Strategien zu ihrem Schutz vor. Eine große Rolle spielt die Verschränkung mit den anderen Themenbereichen von Teil III, etwa Landwirtschaft, Forstwirtschaft und Wasser.

Modeling and experimental assessment of a buried Leu–Ile mutation in dengue envelope domain III

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

Kulkarni, Manjiri R.; Numoto, Nobutaka; Ito, Nobutoshi

Envelope protein domain III (ED3) of the dengue virus is important for both antibody binding and host cell interaction. Here, we focused on how a L387I mutation in the protein core could take place in DEN4 ED3, but cannot be accommodated in DEN3 ED3 without destabilizing its structure. To this end, we modeled a DEN4-L387I structure using the Penultimate Rotamer Library and taking the DEN4 ED3 main-chain as a fixed template. We found that three out of seven Ile{sup 387} conformers fit in DEN4 ED3 without introducing the severe atomic clashes that are observed when DEN3 serotype’s ED3 is usedmore » as a template. A more extensive search using 273 side-chain rotamers of the residues surrounding Ile{sup 387} confirmed this prediction. In order to assess the prediction, we determined the crystal structure of DEN4-L387I at 2 Å resolution. Ile{sup 387} indeed adopted one of the three predicted rotamers. Altogether, this study demonstrates that the effects of single mutations are to a large extent successfully predicted by systematically modeling the side-chain structures of the mutated as well as those of its surrounding residues using fixed main-chain structures and assessing inter-atomic steric clashes. More accurate and reliable predictions require considering sub-angstrom main-chain deformation, which remains a challenging task. - Highlights: • We mutated L387I of DEN4 ED3 and examined its effects on structure and stability. • We modeled the side-chain of Ile{sup 387} using DEN4 ED3's structure as a template. • We determined the crystal structure of DEN4-L387I and confirmed the modeling. • Side-chain repacking occurring around Ile{sup 387} involved >3 inter-connected residues. • These results explained why L387I mutation in DEN4 ED3 conserves thermostability.« less

Audiogram of a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kastelein, Ronald A.; Hagedoorn, Monique; Au, Whitlow W. L.; de Haan, Dick

2003-02-01

The underwater hearing sensitivity of a striped dolphin was measured in a pool using standard psycho-acoustic techniques. The go/no-go response paradigm and up-down staircase psychometric method were used. Auditory sensitivity was measured by using 12 narrow-band frequency-modulated signals having center frequencies between 0.5 and 160 kHz. The 50% detection threshold was determined for each frequency. The resulting audiogram for this animal was U-shaped, with hearing capabilities from 0.5 to 160 kHz (8 13 oct). Maximum sensitivity (42 dB re 1 μPa) occurred at 64 kHz. The range of most sensitive hearing (defined as the frequency range with sensitivities within 10 dB of maximum sensitivity) was from 29 to 123 kHz (approximately 2 oct). The animal's hearing became less sensitive below 32 kHz and above 120 kHz. Sensitivity decreased by about 8 dB per octave below 1 kHz and fell sharply at a rate of about 390 dB per octave above 140 kHz.

Factors affecting date of implantation, parturition, and den entry estimated from activity and body temperature in free-ranging brown bears.

PubMed

Friebe, Andrea; Evans, Alina L; Arnemo, Jon M; Blanc, Stéphane; Brunberg, Sven; Fleissner, Günther; Swenson, Jon E; Zedrosser, Andreas

2014-01-01

Knowledge of factors influencing the timing of reproduction is important for animal conservation and management. Brown bears (Ursus arctos) are able to vary the birth date of their cubs in response to their fat stores, but little information is available about the timing of implantation and parturition in free-ranging brown bears. Body temperature and activity of pregnant brown bears is higher during the gestation period than during the rest of hibernation and drops at parturition. We compared mean daily body temperature and activity levels of pregnant and nonpregnant females during preimplantation, gestation, and lactation. Additionally we tested whether age, litter size, primiparity, environmental conditions, and the start of hibernation influence the timing of parturition. The mean date of implantation was 1 December (SD = 12), the mean date of parturition was 26 January (SD = 12), and the mean duration of the gestation period was 56 days (SD = 2). The body temperature of pregnant females was higher during the gestation and lactation periods than that of nonpregnant bears. The body temperature of pregnant females decreased during the gestation period. Activity recordings were also used to determine the date of parturition. The parturition dates calculated with activity and body temperature data did not differ significantly and were the same in 50% of the females. Older females started hibernation earlier. The start of hibernation was earlier during years with favorable environmental conditions. Dates of parturition were later during years with good environmental conditions which was unexpected. We suggest that free-ranging pregnant brown bears in areas with high levels of human activities at the beginning of the denning period, as in our study area, might prioritize investing energy in early denning than in early parturition during years with favorable environmental conditions, as a strategy to prevent disturbances caused by human.

Factors Affecting Date of Implantation, Parturition, and Den Entry Estimated from Activity and Body Temperature in Free-Ranging Brown Bears

PubMed Central

Friebe, Andrea; Evans, Alina L.; Arnemo, Jon M.; Blanc, Stéphane; Brunberg, Sven; Fleissner, Günther; Swenson, Jon E.; Zedrosser, Andreas

2014-01-01

Knowledge of factors influencing the timing of reproduction is important for animal conservation and management. Brown bears (Ursus arctos) are able to vary the birth date of their cubs in response to their fat stores, but little information is available about the timing of implantation and parturition in free-ranging brown bears. Body temperature and activity of pregnant brown bears is higher during the gestation period than during the rest of hibernation and drops at parturition. We compared mean daily body temperature and activity levels of pregnant and nonpregnant females during preimplantation, gestation, and lactation. Additionally we tested whether age, litter size, primiparity, environmental conditions, and the start of hibernation influence the timing of parturition. The mean date of implantation was 1 December (SD = 12), the mean date of parturition was 26 January (SD = 12), and the mean duration of the gestation period was 56 days (SD = 2). The body temperature of pregnant females was higher during the gestation and lactation periods than that of nonpregnant bears. The body temperature of pregnant females decreased during the gestation period. Activity recordings were also used to determine the date of parturition. The parturition dates calculated with activity and body temperature data did not differ significantly and were the same in 50% of the females. Older females started hibernation earlier. The start of hibernation was earlier during years with favorable environmental conditions. Dates of parturition were later during years with good environmental conditions which was unexpected. We suggest that free-ranging pregnant brown bears in areas with high levels of human activities at the beginning of the denning period, as in our study area, might prioritize investing energy in early denning than in early parturition during years with favorable environmental conditions, as a strategy to prevent disturbances caused by human. PMID:24988486

Dendrimer-encapsulated nanoparticle-core micelles as a modular strategy for particle-in-a-box-in-a-box nanostructures.

PubMed

Ten Hove, J B; Wang, J; van Leeuwen, F W B; Velders, A H

2017-12-07

The hierarchically controlled synthesis and characterization of self-assembling macromolecules and particles are key to explore and exploit new nanomaterials. Here we present a versatile strategy for constructing particle-in-a-box-in-a-box systems by assembling dendrimer-encapsulated gold nanoparticles (DENs) into dendrimicelles. This is realized by combining positively charged PAMAM dendrimers with a negative-neutral block copolymer. The number of particles per dendrimicelle can be controlled by mixing DENs with empty PAMAM dendrimers. The dendrimicelles are stable in solution for months and provide improved resistance for the nanoparticles against degradation. The dendrimicelle strategy provides a flexible platform with a plethora of options for variation in the type of nanoparticles, dendrimers and block copolymers used, and hence is tunable for applications ranging from nanomedicine to catalysis.

Identifying polar bear resource selection patterns to inform offshore development in a dynamic and changing Arctic

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Ryan R.; Horne, Jon S.; Rode, Karyn D.; Regehr, Eric V.; Durner, George M.

2014-01-01

Although sea ice loss is the primary threat to polar bears (Ursus maritimus), little can be done to mitigate its effects without global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Other factors, however, could exacerbate the impacts of sea ice loss on polar bears, such as exposure to increased industrial activity. The Arctic Ocean has enormous oil and gas potential, and its development is expected to increase in the coming decades. Estimates of polar bear resource selection will inform managers how bears use areas slated for oil development and to help guide conservation planning. We estimated temporally-varying resource selection patterns for non-denning adult female polar bears in the Chukchi Sea population (2008–2012) at two scales (i.e., home range and weekly steps) to identify factors predictive of polar bear use throughout the year, before any offshore development. From the best models at each scale, we estimated scale-integrated resource selection functions to predict polar bear space use across the population's range and determined when bears were most likely to use the region where offshore oil and gas development in the United States is slated to occur. Polar bears exhibited significant intra-annual variation in selection patterns at both scales but the strength and annual patterns of selection differed between scales for most variables. Bears were most likely to use the offshore oil and gas planning area during ice retreat and growth with the highest predicted use occurring in the southern portion of the planning area. The average proportion of predicted high-value habitat in the planning area was >15% of the total high-value habitat for the population during sea ice retreat and growth and reached a high of 50% during November 2010. Our results provide a baseline on which to judge future changes to non-denning adult female polar bear resource selection in the Chukchi Sea and help guide offshore development in the region. Lastly, our study provides a framework for assessing potential impacts of offshore oil and gas development to other polar bear populations around the Arctic.

Systemübersicht Common Rail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reif, Konrad

Die Anforderungen an die Einspritzsysteme des Dieselmotors steigen ständig. Höhere Drücke, schnellere Schaltzeiten und eine flexible Anpassung des Einspritzverlaufs an den Betriebszustand des Motors machen den Dieselmotor sparsam, sauber und leistungsstark. So haben Dieselmotoren auch den Einzug in die automobile Oberklasse gefunden.

Noise-Induced Sleep Disturbance in Residences Near Two Civil Airports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fidell, Sanford; Howe, Richard R.; Tabachnick, Barbara G.; Pearsons, Karl S.; Sneddon, Matthew D.

1995-01-01

A large-scale field study of noise-induced sleep disturbance was conducted in the vicinities of Stapleton International Airport (DEN) and Denver International Airport (DIA) in anticipation of the closure of the former and opening of the latter. Both indoor and outdoor measurements of aircraft and other nighttime noises were made during four time periods. Measurements were made in 57 homes located as close as feasible to the runway ends of the two airports. Sleep disturbance was measured by several indices of behaviorally confirmed awakening (button pushes upon awakening) and body movement (as measured with wrist-worn actimeters). A total of 2717 subject-nights of observations were made over the course of the study. Although average noise event levels measured outdoors decreased markedly at DEN after closure of the airport and increased slightly at DIA after its opening, indoor noise event levels varied much less in homes near both airports. No large differences were observed in noise-induced sleep disturbance at either airport. Indoor sound exposure levels of noise events were, however, closely related to and good predictors of actimetrically defined motility and arousal.

Natural vertical transmission of dengue viruses by Aedes aegypti in Bolivia

PubMed Central

Le Goff, G.; Revollo, J.; Guerra, M.; Cruz, M.; Barja Simon, Z.; Roca, Y.; Vargas Florès, J.; Hervé, J.P.

2011-01-01

The natural transmission of dengue virus from an infected female mosquito to its progeny, namely the vertical transmission, was researched in wild caught Aedes aegypti during an important outbreak in the town of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Mosquitoes were collected at the preimaginal stages (eggs, larvae and pupae) then reared up to adult stage for viral detection using molecular methods. Dengue virus serotypes 1 and 3 were found to be co-circulating with significant higher prevalence in male than in female mosquitoes. Of the 97 pools of Ae. aegypti (n = 635 male and 748 female specimens) screened, 14 pools, collected in February-May in 2007, were found positive for dengue virus infection: five DEN-1 and nine DEN-3. The average true infection rate (TIR) and minimum infection rate (MIR) were respectively 1.08% and 1.01%. These observations suggest that vertical transmission of dengue virus may be detected in vectors at the peak of an outbreak as well as several months before an epidemic occurs in human population. PMID:21894270

A comparison of photograph-interpreted and IfSAR-derived maps of polar bear denning habitat for the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Durner, George M.; Atwood, Todd C.

2018-05-11

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in Alaska use the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for maternal denning. Pregnant bears den in snow banks for more than 3 months in winter during which they give birth to and nurture young. Denning is one of the most vulnerable times in polar bear life history as the family group cannot simply walk away from a disturbance without jeopardizing survival of newly born cubs. The ANWR includes the “1002 Area”, a region recently opened for oil and gas exploration by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). As a part of its mission, the DOI “… protects and manages the Nation's natural resources …” and is therefore responsible for conserving polar bears and encouraging development of energy potential. Because future industrial activities could overlap habitats used by denning polar bears, identifying these habitats can inform the decisions of resource managers tasked to develop resources and protect polar bears. To help inform these efforts, we qualitatively compared the distribution of denning habitat identified by two different methods: previously published habitat from manual interpretation of aerial photographs, and habitat derived by computer interrogation of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IfSAR) digital terrain models (DTM). Because photograph-interpreted methods depicted denning habitat as a line and IfSAR-derived methods depicted habitat as a polygon, we assessed agreement between the two methods with distance measurements. We found that 77.5 percent of IfSAR-derived denning habitat (79.6 km2 ; 1.2 percent of the 6,837.0 km2 1002 Area) was within 600 m of photograph-interpreted habitat (3,026.9 km), including 53.9 percent within 200 m. This distribution differed from that of randomly distributed points, as only 49.4 percent of these occurred within 600 m of photograph-interpreted habitat, including 18.3 percent within 200 m. Both methods appear to identify the major physiographic features that polar bears might select for denning. IfSAR-derived methods identified habitat at greater frequency beyond major landscape features such as coastal bluffs, river banks and lakeshores, were more likely to identify isolated pockets of putative denning habitat, and were easier to implement than deriving habitat from photograph-interpretive efforts. However, previous research suggests that photograph-interpretation methods may identify denning habitat more correctly than computer interrogation of IfSAR DTMs. Future work should quantify the distribution of IfSAR-derived denning habitat relative to actual landscape features and polar bear maternal dens in the 1002 Area, and investigate the feasibility of habitat identification from finer grained DTMs.

Dual stimuli-sensitive dendrimers: Photothermogenic gold nanoparticle-loaded thermo-responsive elastin-mimetic dendrimers.

PubMed

Fukushima, Daichi; Sk, Ugir Hossain; Sakamoto, Yasuhiro; Nakase, Ikuhiko; Kojima, Chie

2015-08-01

Dendrimers are synthetic macromolecules with unique structures that can work as nanoplatforms for both photothermogenic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and thermosensitive elastin-like peptides (ELPs) with valine-proline-glycine-valine-glycine (VPGVG) repeats. In this study, photothermogenic AuNPs were loaded into thermo-responsive elastin-mimetic dendrimers (dendrimers conjugating ELPs at their periphery) to produce dual stimuli-sensitive nanoparticles. Polyamidoamine G4 dendrimers were modified with acetylated VPGVG and (VPGVG)2, and the resulting materials were named ELP1-den and ELP2-den, respectively. The AuNPs were prepared by the reduction of Au ions using a dendrimer-nanotemplated method. The AuNP-loaded elastin-mimetic dendrimers exhibited photothermal properties. ELP1-den and ELP2-den showed similar temperature-dependent changes in their conformations. Phase transitions were observed at around 55°C and 35°C for the AuNP-loaded ELP1-den and AuNP-loaded ELP2-den, respectively, but not for the corresponding PEGylated dendrimer. In contrast to the AuNP-loaded PEGylated dendrimer, AuNP-loaded ELP2-den readily associated with cells and induced efficient photocytotoxicity at 37°C. The cell association and the photocytotoxicity properties of AuNP-loaded ELP2-den could be controlled by temperature. These results therefore suggest that dual stimuli-sensitive dendrimer nanoparticles of this type could be used for photothermal therapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Short- and long-term movements of painted lobster ( Panulirus versicolor) on a coral reef at Northwest Island, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frisch, A. J.

2007-06-01

Understanding movements of palinurid (spiny) lobsters is important to fisheries management. However, movement data obtained with mark-capture techniques are often influenced by artefacts (e.g., displacement, tag-loss, tag-induced injury). To avoid these problems, a novel approach was employed to investigate the movements of an important coral reef palinurid, the painted lobster ( Panulirus versicolor). Eighty adult individuals were captured by hand near Northwest Island, Australia. Each lobster was tagged internally (with elastomer) and externally (with plastic zip-ties) to enable both short- (1-10 days) and long-term (6-24 months) observations. Shortly thereafter, all lobsters were manually returned to their shelters (dens). After 6-24 months, 44 lobsters were recaptured, giving an overall recapture rate of 55%. All of these individuals were recaptured within 500 m of their original den, thus indicating a high level of site-fidelity for this species. Short-term observations revealed that individuals moved frequently to and from nearby dens, and that male lobsters typically moved further than female lobsters. It is hypothesized that male lobsters move about their home range more actively, perhaps to seek mating opportunities or to defend resources. The significance of these observations is discussed with respect to the management of this important fishery resource.

Impact of the German Harz Mountain Weichselian ice-shield and valley glacier development onto Palaeolithic and megafauna disappearances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diedrich, C.

2013-12-01

Three Pleistocene stages are recorded by 3D Google-Earth geomorphology, cave sediments, river terraces, megafauna, archaeological sites of the Harz Mountain Range and its forelands of northern Germany (central Europe, peak 1141 a.s.l.). Late Pleistocene glaciation stages are modeled preliminary in valley elevations between 407 and 760 a.s.l., starting all southeast below the Brocken Ice Field (above 750 a.s.l.). The 14-11 km long Oder and Bode Valley glaciers left typical moraines, kames, or dead ice depressions, such as fluvial cave relic sediments. The Bode River glacier passed during the LGM the Rübeland Caves, where it deposited reworked kames/lateral moraines in the Baumann's Cave, which floods mixed a Neanderthal camp, leopard lair and cave bear den area. 60 km downstream, fluvial to aeolian deposits were trapped in the gypsum karst doline Westeregeln (Neanderthal camp/hyena den). Late Aurignacians replaced in the region Neanderthals, but a gap of Late Palaeolithic (Gravettian-Magdalenian - 26,000-16,000 BP) settlement, and latest starting speleothem genesis (around 24,260 ± 568 BP) correlate to the LGM, when an "arctic reindeer fauna" with alpine elements (ibex, chamois) accumulated in bone assemblages of a wolverine, polar fox, mustelid, such as European eagle owl dens, which allow landscape reconstructions.

Variability and regulation of denitrification in an Upper Mississippi River backwater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Strauss, E.A.; Richardson, W.B.; Cavanaugh, J.C.; Bartsch, L.A.; Kreiling, Rebecca M.; Standorf, A.J.

2006-01-01

Sediments in the backwaters of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) are highly organic and provide an optimal environment for N removal. We monitored an 8.6-ha UMR backwater site near La Crosse, Wisconsin, for nearly 3 y to assess temporal variability, seasonal trends, and the factors regulating denitrification. We measured rates of unamended denitrification (DEN) and denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) rates at ambient temperature and DEA at 30 degrees C (DEA30). Seasonal mean (+/- 1 SE) DEN rates ranged from 0.041 +/- 0.015 to 0.47 +/- 0.23 mu g N cm(-2) h(-1)and were highest in winter and lowest in autumn. Seasonal rates of DEA exhibited a different pattern with the highest rates in summer (25.6 +/- 3.4 mu g N cm(-2) h(-1)) and the lowest rates in winter (10.6 +/- 2.1 mu g N cm(-2) h(-1)). The overall mean DEA30 rate was 31.0 +/- 1.9 mu g N cm(-2) h(-1) but showed no significant seasonal pattern. Short-term (weekly) and seasonal variability exhibited by rates of DEN and DEA were best explained by water-column NO3- concentration and temperature, respectively. No environmental variables explained a significant amount of variability in DEA30. Our results suggest that nutrient (i.e., NO3-) availability and temperature are both regulators of denitrification, with NO3- concentration being the most important limiting factor in this system. The high DEN rates during winter were in response to elevated NO3- concentrations resulting from a chain reaction beginning with algal blooms creating oxic conditions that stimulated nitrification. Increasing hydrological connectivity in large rivers as a river management tool to reduce N flux to downstream areas may be beneficial.

Dietary plasticity in a nutrient-rich system does not influence brown bear (Ursus arctos) body condition or denning

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mangipane, Lindsey S.; Belant, Jerrold L.; Lafferty, Diana J. R.; Gustine, David D.; Hiller, Tim L.; Colvin, Michael E.; Mangipane, Buck A.; Hilderbrand, Grant V.

2018-01-01

Behavioral differences within a population can allow use of a greater range of resources among individuals. The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a generalist omnivore that occupies diverse habitats and displays considerable plasticity in food use. We evaluated whether brown bear foraging that resulted in deviations from a proposed optimal diet influenced body condition and, in turn, denning duration in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska. To assess assimilated diet, we used sectioned guard hair samples (n = 23) collected in autumn to determine stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios. To index proportional contributions of meat and vegetation to assimilated diets, we compared the carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) values of hair samples with the values identified for major food categories. We then compared percentage body fat and body mass in relation to the proportion of assimilated meat in the diet using linear models. We also examined the influence of autumn percentage body fat and mass on denning duration. Percentage body fat was not influenced by the proportion of assimilated meat in the diet. Additionally, percentage body fat and body mass did not influence denning duration. However, body mass of bears assimilating proportionately more meat was greater than bears assimilating less meat. Our results provide support for previous findings that larger bears consume higher amounts of protein to maintain their body size and therefore forage further from the proposed optimal diet. Additionally, our results demonstrate that individuals can achieve similar biological outcomes (e.g., percentage body fat) despite variable foraging strategies, suggesting that individuals within generalist populations may confer an adaptive advantage through behavioral plasticity.

Exclusion by interference competition? The relationship between red and arctic foxes.

PubMed

Tannerfeldt, Magnus; Elmhagen, Bodil; Angerbjörn, Anders

2002-07-01

The distribution of many predators may be limited by interactions with larger predator species. The arctic fox in mainland Europe is endangered, while the red fox is increasing its range in the north. It has been suggested that the southern distribution limit of the arctic fox is determined by interspecific competition with the red fox. This has been criticised, on the basis that the species co-exist on a regional scale. However, if the larger red fox is superior and interspecific competition important, the arctic fox should avoid close contact, especially during the breeding season. Consequently, the distribution of breeding dens for the two species would be segregated on a much smaller spatial and temporal scale, in areas where they are sympatric. We tested this hypothesis by analysing den use of reproducing arctic and red foxes over 9 years in Sweden. High quality dens were inhabited by reproducing arctic foxes more often when no red foxes bred in the vicinity. Furthermore, in two out of three cases when arctic foxes did reproduce near red foxes, juveniles were killed by red foxes. We also found that breeding arctic foxes occupied dens at higher altitudes than red foxes did. In a large-scale field experiment, red foxes were removed, but the results were not conclusive. However, we conclude that on the scale of individual territories, arctic foxes avoid areas with red foxes. Through interspecific interference competition, the red fox might thus be excluding the arctic fox from breeding in low altitude habitat, which is most important in years when food abundance is limited and competition is most fierce. With high altitude refuges being less suitable, even small-scale behavioural effects could scale up to significant effects at the population level.

DENEDDYLASE1 Protein Counters Automodification of Neddylating Enzymes to Maintain NEDD8 Protein Homeostasis in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Mergner, Julia; Kuster, Bernhard; Schwechheimer, Claus

2017-03-03

In eukaryotes, the conjugation of the ubiquitin-like protein NEDD8 onto protein targets is an important post-translational modification. The best understood neddylation targets are the cullins, scaffold subunits of E3 ubiquitin ligases, where neddylation as well as deneddylation, facilitated by the protease activity of the CSN ( C OP9 s ig n alosome), are required to control ubiquitin ligase assembly, function, and ultimately substrate degradation. Little is known about the role of other deneddylating enzymes besides CSN and the role of neddylation and deneddylation of their substrates. We previously characterized Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with defects in the conserved NEDD8-specific protease DEN1 ( DENEDDYLASE 1). These mutants display only subtle growth phenotypes despite the strong accumulation of a broad range of neddylated proteins. Specifically, we identified AXR1 (AUXIN-RESISTANT1), a subunit of the heterodimeric NAE (E1 NEDD8-ACTIVATING ENZYME), as highly neddylated in den1 mutants. Here, we examined the mechanism and consequences of AXR1 neddylation in more detail. We find that AXR1 as well as other neddylation enzymes are autoneddylated at multiple lysines. NAE autoneddylation can be linked to reduced NCE (E2 NEDD8-CONJUGATING ENZYME) NEDD8 thioester levels, either by critically reducing the pool of free NEDD8 or by reducing NAE activity. In planta , increasing NEDD8 gene dosage is sufficient to suppress den1 mutant phenotypes. We therefore suggest that DEN1 serves to recover diverted NEDD8 moieties from autoneddylated NAE subunits, and possibly also other neddylated proteins, to maintain NEDD8 pathway activity toward other NEDD8-dependent processes such as cullin E3 ligase regulation. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

HyDEn: A Hybrid Steganocryptographic Approach for Data Encryption Using Randomized Error-Correcting DNA Codes

PubMed Central

Regoui, Chaouki; Durand, Guillaume; Belliveau, Luc; Léger, Serge

2013-01-01

This paper presents a novel hybrid DNA encryption (HyDEn) approach that uses randomized assignments of unique error-correcting DNA Hamming code words for single characters in the extended ASCII set. HyDEn relies on custom-built quaternary codes and a private key used in the randomized assignment of code words and the cyclic permutations applied on the encoded message. Along with its ability to detect and correct errors, HyDEn equals or outperforms existing cryptographic methods and represents a promising in silico DNA steganographic approach. PMID:23984392

Measurements and Predictions for a Distributed Exhaust Nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kinzie, Kevin W.; Brown, Martha C.; Schein, David B.; Solomon, W. David, Jr.

2001-01-01

The acoustic and aerodynamic performance characteristics of a distributed exhaust nozzle (DEN) design concept were evaluated experimentally and analytically with the purpose of developing a design methodology for developing future DEN technology. Aerodynamic and acoustic measurements were made to evaluate the DEN performance and the CFD design tool. While the CFD approach did provide an excellent prediction of the flowfield and aerodynamic performance characteristics of the DEN and 2D reference nozzle, the measured acoustic suppression potential of this particular DEN was low. The measurements and predictions indicated that the mini-exhaust jets comprising the distributed exhaust coalesced back into a single stream jet very shortly after leaving the nozzles. Even so, the database provided here will be useful for future distributed exhaust designs with greater noise reduction and aerodynamic performance potential.

Arctic foxes as ecosystem engineers: increased soil nutrients lead to increased plant productivity on fox dens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gharajehdaghipour, Tazarve; Roth, James D.; Fafard, Paul M.; Markham, John H.

2016-04-01

Top predators can provide fundamental ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, and their impact can be even greater in environments with low nutrients and productivity, such as Arctic tundra. We estimated the effects of Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) denning on soil nutrient dynamics and vegetation production near Churchill, Manitoba in June and August 2014. Soils from fox dens contained higher nutrient levels in June (71% more inorganic nitrogen, 1195% more extractable phosphorous) and in August (242% more inorganic nitrogen, 191% more extractable phosphorous) than adjacent control sites. Inorganic nitrogen levels decreased from June to August on both dens and controls, whereas extractable phosphorous increased. Pup production the previous year, which should enhance nutrient deposition (from urine, feces, and decomposing prey), did not affect soil nutrient concentrations, suggesting the impact of Arctic foxes persists >1 year. Dens supported 2.8 times greater vegetation biomass in August, but δ15N values in sea lyme grass (Leymus mollis) were unaffected by denning. By concentrating nutrients on dens Arctic foxes enhance nutrient cycling as an ecosystem service and thus engineer Arctic ecosystems on local scales. The enhanced productivity in patches on the landscape could subsequently affect plant diversity and the dispersion of herbivores on the tundra.

Arctic foxes as ecosystem engineers: increased soil nutrients lead to increased plant productivity on fox dens.

PubMed

Gharajehdaghipour, Tazarve; Roth, James D; Fafard, Paul M; Markham, John H

2016-04-05

Top predators can provide fundamental ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, and their impact can be even greater in environments with low nutrients and productivity, such as Arctic tundra. We estimated the effects of Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) denning on soil nutrient dynamics and vegetation production near Churchill, Manitoba in June and August 2014. Soils from fox dens contained higher nutrient levels in June (71% more inorganic nitrogen, 1195% more extractable phosphorous) and in August (242% more inorganic nitrogen, 191% more extractable phosphorous) than adjacent control sites. Inorganic nitrogen levels decreased from June to August on both dens and controls, whereas extractable phosphorous increased. Pup production the previous year, which should enhance nutrient deposition (from urine, feces, and decomposing prey), did not affect soil nutrient concentrations, suggesting the impact of Arctic foxes persists >1 year. Dens supported 2.8 times greater vegetation biomass in August, but δ(15)N values in sea lyme grass (Leymus mollis) were unaffected by denning. By concentrating nutrients on dens Arctic foxes enhance nutrient cycling as an ecosystem service and thus engineer Arctic ecosystems on local scales. The enhanced productivity in patches on the landscape could subsequently affect plant diversity and the dispersion of herbivores on the tundra.

Arctic foxes as ecosystem engineers: increased soil nutrients lead to increased plant productivity on fox dens

PubMed Central

Gharajehdaghipour, Tazarve; Roth, James D.; Fafard, Paul M.; Markham, John H.

2016-01-01

Top predators can provide fundamental ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, and their impact can be even greater in environments with low nutrients and productivity, such as Arctic tundra. We estimated the effects of Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) denning on soil nutrient dynamics and vegetation production near Churchill, Manitoba in June and August 2014. Soils from fox dens contained higher nutrient levels in June (71% more inorganic nitrogen, 1195% more extractable phosphorous) and in August (242% more inorganic nitrogen, 191% more extractable phosphorous) than adjacent control sites. Inorganic nitrogen levels decreased from June to August on both dens and controls, whereas extractable phosphorous increased. Pup production the previous year, which should enhance nutrient deposition (from urine, feces, and decomposing prey), did not affect soil nutrient concentrations, suggesting the impact of Arctic foxes persists >1 year. Dens supported 2.8 times greater vegetation biomass in August, but δ15N values in sea lyme grass (Leymus mollis) were unaffected by denning. By concentrating nutrients on dens Arctic foxes enhance nutrient cycling as an ecosystem service and thus engineer Arctic ecosystems on local scales. The enhanced productivity in patches on the landscape could subsequently affect plant diversity and the dispersion of herbivores on the tundra. PMID:27045973

Safety of direct endoscopic necrosectomy in patients with gastric varices

PubMed Central

Storm, Andrew C; Thompson, Christopher C

2016-01-01

AIM: To determine the feasibility and safety of transgastric direct endoscopic necrosectomy (DEN) in patients with walled-off necrosis (WON) and gastric varices. METHODS: A single center retrospective study of consecutive DEN for WON was performed from 2012 to 2015. All DEN cases with gastric fundal varices noted on endoscopy, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during the admission for DEN were collected for analysis. In all cases, external urethral sphincter (EUS) with doppler was used to exclude the presence of intervening gastric varices or other vascular structures prior to 19 gauge fine-needle aspiration (FNA) needle access into the cavity. The tract was serially dilated to 20 mm and was entered with an endoscope for DEN. Pigtail stents were placed to facilitate drainage of the cavity. Procedure details were recorded. Comprehensive chart review was performed to evaluate for complications and WON recurrence. RESULTS: Fifteen patients who underwent DEN for WON had gastric varices at the time of their procedure. All patients had an INR < 1.5 and platelets > 50. Of these patients, 11 had splenic vein thrombosis and 2 had portal vein thrombosis. Two patients had isolated gastric varices, type 1 and the remaining 13 had > 5 mm gastric submucosal varices on imaging by CT, MRI or EUS. No procedures were terminated without completing the DEN for any reason. One patient had self-limited intraprocedural bleeding related to balloon dilation of the tract. Two patients experienced delayed bleeding at 2 and 5 d post-op respectively. One required no therapy or intervention and the other received 1 unit transfusion and had an EGD which revealed no active bleeding. Resolution rate of WON was 100% (after up to 2 additional DEN in one patient) and no patients required interventional radiology or surgical interventions. CONCLUSION: In patients with WON and gastric varices, DEN using EUS and doppler guidance may be performed safely. Successful resolution of WON does not appear to be compromised by the presence of gastric varices, with similar rates of resolution and only minor bleeding events. Experienced centers should not consider gastric varices a contraindication to DEN. PMID:27247707

An adenovirus prime/plasmid boost strategy for induction of equipotent immune responses to two dengue virus serotypes.

PubMed

Khanam, Saima; Rajendra, Pilankatta; Khanna, Navin; Swaminathan, Sathyamangalam

2007-02-15

Dengue is a public health problem of global significance for which there is neither an effective antiviral therapy nor a preventive vaccine. It is a mosquito-borne viral disease, caused by dengue (DEN) viruses, which are members of the Flaviviridae family. There are four closely related serotypes, DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4, each of which is capable of causing disease. As immunity to any one serotype can potentially sensitize an individual to severe disease during exposure to a heterologous serotype, the general consensus is that an effective vaccine should be tetravalent, that is, it must be capable of affording protection against all four serotypes. The current strategy of creating tetravalent vaccine formulations by mixing together four monovalent live attenuated vaccine viruses has revealed the phenomenon of viral interference leading to the manifestation of immune responses biased towards a single serotype. This work stems from the emergence of (i) the DEN virus envelope (E) domain III (EDIII) as the most important region of the molecule from a vaccine perspective and (ii) the adenovirus (Ad) as a promising vaccine vector platform. We describe the construction of a recombinant, replication-defective Ad (rAd) vector encoding a chimeric antigen made of in-frame linked EDIIIs of DEN virus serotypes 2 and 4. Using this rAd vector, in conjunction with a plasmid vector encoding the same chimeric bivalent antigen, in a prime-boost strategy, we show that it is possible to elicit equipotent neutralizing and T cell responses specific to both DEN serotypes 2 and 4. Our data support the hypothesis that a DEN vaccine targeting more than one serotype may be based on a single DNA-based vector to circumvent viral interference. This work lays the foundation for developing a single Ad vector encoding EDIIIs of all four DEN serotypes to evoke a balanced immune response against each one of them. Thus, this work has implications for the development of safe and effective tetravalent dengue vaccines.

Evaluation of the severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mouse as an animal model for dengue viral infection.

PubMed

Wu, S J; Hayes, C G; Dubois, D R; Windheuser, M G; Kang, Y H; Watts, D M; Sieckmann, D G

1995-05-01

Severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice reconstituted with human peripheral blood lymphocytes (hu-PBL) were evaluated as an animal model for demonstrating dengue (DEN) viral infection. Reconstituted mice (hu-PBL-SCID) that demonstrated successful engraftment by the presence of serum titers of human immunoglobulin (Ig) were inoculated intraperitoneally with DEN virus serotype 1 (DEN-1). Serial blood samples were taken postinoculation and assayed for virus in C6/36 cells. The identity of all viral isolates was confirmed by an immunofluorescence antibody assay using DEN-1 monoclonal antibody. A total of six experiments were performed using different procedures of reconstitution and infection, and in three of these experiments, DEN-1 virus was recovered from the hu-PBL-SCID mice. In the first successful experiment, DEN-1 virus was recovered on postinoculation day (PID) 24 from blood, spleen, thymus, and lung tissues of one of eight hu-PBL-SCID mice. A second group of eight hu-PBL-SCID mice were inoculated with human monocytes infected in vitro with DEN-1 virus. Virus was recovered from the blood of mice between PID 15 and 23, and from lung tissue of one of these mice. In a third experiment, seven SCID mice were treated initially with anti-asialo GM1 antibody to eliminate natural killer cells, and then were injected simultaneously with a mixture of hu-PBL and DEN-1 virus. Virus was demonstrated in the blood of one mouse on PID 38, and in another mouse on PID 8, 12, 20, 24, and 36.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Hepatoprotective effect of engineered silver nanoparticles coated bioactive compounds against diethylnitrosamine induced hepatocarcinogenesis in experimental mice.

PubMed

Prasannaraj, Govindaraj; Venkatachalam, Perumal

2017-02-01

Nanoparticle based drug delivery can rapidly improves the therapeutic potential of anti-cancer agents. The present study focused to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized using aqueous extracts of Andrographis paniculata leaves (ApAgNPs) and Semecarpus anacardium nuts (SaAgNPs) against diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced liver cancer in mice model. The physico-chemical properties of synthesized AgNPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrum, Zeta potential and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analysis. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption spectrum revealed a strong peak at 420nm for both SaAgNPs and ApAgNPs. FTIR results exhibited the presence of possible functional groups in the synthesized AgNPs. TEM analysis determined the hexagonal, and spherical shape of the synthesized silver nanoparticles. The XRD and SAED pattern confirmed the crystalline nature and crystalline size of the AgNPs. EDX result clearly showed strong silver signals in the range between 2 and 4keV. Zeta potential measurements indicated a sharp peak at -3.93 and -13.8mV for ApAgNPs and SaAgNPs, respectively. DLS measurement expressed the particle size distribution was 70 and 60nm for ApAgNPs and SaAgNPs, respectively. DEN (20mg/kg b.wt.) was subjected to induce liver cancer in mice for 8weeks and treated with biosynthesized silver nanoparticles. Interestingly, ApAgNPs and SaAgNPs treated DEN induced animal groups show a decreased level of aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) activity and elevated level of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity over untreated DEN control animals group. Histopathological investigation reveals decreased fat accumulation, appearance of binucleated cells in nanoparticle treated animals and showed mere normal cells induced by DEN. Argyrophilic nucleolar organiser region (AgNORs) had a significant decrease in number of acidic proteins and mast cells assay showed decrease of metachromatic cells in nanoparticles treated animal groups over control. Present results strongly suggest that biomolecule coated silver nanoparticles exposure showed potential hepatoprotective effect against DEN induced liver cancer and could be used as an effective anticancer nanodrug. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Degradable Implantate: Entwicklungsbeispiele

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffieux, Kurt; Wintermantel, Erich

Resorbierbare Implantate werden seit mehreren Jahrzehnten in der Implantologie eingesetzt. Bekannt wurden diese Biomaterialien mit dem Aufkommen von sich selbst auflösenden Nahtfäden auf der Basis von synthetisch hergestellten Polylactiden und Polyglycoliden in den 70er Jahren. In einem nächsten Schritt wurden Implantate wie Platten und Schrauben zur Gewebefixation aus den gleichen Biomaterialien hergestellt.

Die Struktur von schlankem Materialfluss mit Lean Production Kanban und Innovationen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheid, Wolf-Michael

In der Literatur wird Materialfluss überwiegend in Spezialdisziplinen betrachtet, etwa der Steuerungslogik, der Logistiktechnik oder dem Supply Chain Management. Ein charakterisierendes Merkmal des Materialflusses ist jedoch, dass er sich aus vielfältigen Einzelbausteinen zusammensetzt, die alle harmonisch abgestimmt sein müssen. Die maximal erreichbare Effizienz wird nicht durch Höchstleistungen in dem einen oder anderen Spezialthema bestimmt, sondern durch das schwächste Glied im gesamten komplexen Netzwerk. Den Schnittstellen zwischen den betroffenen Fachbereichen in einem Unternehmen kommt hier eine ganz besondere Bedeutung zu: Erst ein harmonischer Einklang ermöglicht hohe Effektivität. Dies setzt umfassendes Verständnis für interdisziplinäre Notwendigkeiten, ein hohes Maß an Abstimmung mit den operativen Prozessen und letztlich einen einvernehmlichen Umgang und den Respekt vor den Problemstellungen des Anderen voraus.

Deformable complex network for refining low-resolution X-ray structures

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

Zhang, Chong; Wang, Qinghua; Ma, Jianpeng, E-mail: jpma@bcm.edu

2015-10-27

A new refinement algorithm called the deformable complex network that combines a novel angular network-based restraint with a deformable elastic network model in the target function has been developed to aid in structural refinement in macromolecular X-ray crystallography. In macromolecular X-ray crystallography, building more accurate atomic models based on lower resolution experimental diffraction data remains a great challenge. Previous studies have used a deformable elastic network (DEN) model to aid in low-resolution structural refinement. In this study, the development of a new refinement algorithm called the deformable complex network (DCN) is reported that combines a novel angular network-based restraint withmore » the DEN model in the target function. Testing of DCN on a wide range of low-resolution structures demonstrated that it constantly leads to significantly improved structural models as judged by multiple refinement criteria, thus representing a new effective refinement tool for low-resolution structural determination.« less

Habitat characteristics at den sites of the Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra)

Treesearch

William J. Zielinski; John E. Hunter; Robin Hamlin; Keith M. Slauson; M. J. Mazurek

2010-01-01

The Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra) is a federally listed endangered species, but has been the subject of few studies. Mountain beavers use burrows that include a single subterranean den. Foremost among the information needs for this subspecies is a description of the above-ground habitat features associated with dens. Using...

A grid-enabled web service for low-resolution crystal structure refinement.

PubMed

O'Donovan, Daniel J; Stokes-Rees, Ian; Nam, Yunsun; Blacklow, Stephen C; Schröder, Gunnar F; Brunger, Axel T; Sliz, Piotr

2012-03-01

Deformable elastic network (DEN) restraints have proved to be a powerful tool for refining structures from low-resolution X-ray crystallographic data sets. Unfortunately, optimal refinement using DEN restraints requires extensive calculations and is often hindered by a lack of access to sufficient computational resources. The DEN web service presented here intends to provide structural biologists with access to resources for running computationally intensive DEN refinements in parallel on the Open Science Grid, the US cyberinfrastructure. Access to the grid is provided through a simple and intuitive web interface integrated into the SBGrid Science Portal. Using this portal, refinements combined with full parameter optimization that would take many thousands of hours on standard computational resources can now be completed in several hours. An example of the successful application of DEN restraints to the human Notch1 transcriptional complex using the grid resource, and summaries of all submitted refinements, are presented as justification.

Identification of polar bear den habitat in northern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amstrup, Steven C.; Garner, Gerald W.; Derocher, Andrew E.; Garner, Gerald W.; Lunn, Nicholas J.; Wiig, Øystein; Derocher, Andrew E.; Garner, Gerald W.; Lunn, Nicholas J.; Wiig, Øystein

1998-01-01

The goal of this project is to refine the information collected previously on maternal denning, into digital maps that show where polar bears are likely to create future dens in northern Alaska. Such maps will allow a priori recommendations regarding timing and geographic locations of proposed human developments; and hence provide managers with an important mitigation and management tool.

Coexistence of true talon cusp and double dens invaginatus in a single tooth: a rare case report and review of the literature.

PubMed

Nu Nu Lwin, Hnin; Phyo Kyaw, Pyae; Wai Yan Myint Thu, Sai

2017-12-01

Co-occurrence of a talon cusp and double dens invaginatus is an extremely rare developmental dental anomaly. This case report represents a talon cusp with two dens invaginatus on a maxillary right lateral incisor. Early identification is needed for prevention of potential problems on the affected or opposing tooth.

View east along Wolf Den Road showing residences on the ...

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

View east along Wolf Den Road showing residences on the north side of the road - Brooklyn Green, North Green, South Green, & West Green, parts of Brown Road, Canterbury Road (Route 169), Hartford Road (Route 6), Hyde Road, Pomfret Road (Route 169), Prince Hill Road, Providence Road (Route 6), Wauregan Road (Routes 169 & 205), & Wolf Den Road, Brooklyn, Windham County, CT

View northwest along Wolf Den Road showing residences on the ...

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

View northwest along Wolf Den Road showing residences on the north side of the road - Brooklyn Green, North Green, South Green, & West Green, parts of Brown Road, Canterbury Road (Route 169), Hartford Road (Route 6), Hyde Road, Pomfret Road (Route 169), Prince Hill Road, Providence Road (Route 6), Wauregan Road (Routes 169 & 205), & Wolf Den Road, Brooklyn, Windham County, CT

Dietary fructose enhances the incidence of precancerous hepatocytes induced by administration of diethylnitrosamine in rat

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the association between a high-fructose diet and HCC is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated whether a high-fructose diet affects hepatocarcinogenesis induced by administration of diethylnitrosamine (DEN). Methods Seven-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed standard chow (controls), a high-fat diet (54% fat), or a high-fructose diet (66% fructose) for 8 weeks. All rats were given DEN at 50 μg/L in drinking water during the same period. Precancerous hepatocytes were detected by immunostaining of the placental form of glutathione-S-transferase (GST-P). The number of GST-P-positive hepatocytes was assessed in liver specimens. Results Serum levels of total cholesterol were similar among the three groups, but serum triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, and insulin levels were higher in the high-fructose group compared to the high-fat group. In contrast, hepatic steatosis was more severe in the high-fat group compared with the high-fructose and control groups, but the incidence of GST-P-positive specimens was significantly higher in the high-fructose group compared to the other two groups. The average number of GST-P-positive hepatocytes in GST-P positive specimens in the high-fructose group was also higher than those in the other two groups. This high prevalence of GST-P-positive hepatocytes was accompanied by higher levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine in serum and liver tissue. Conclusions These results indicate that dietary fructose, rather than dietary fat, increases the incidence of precancerous hepatocytes induced by administration of DEN via insulin resistance and oxidative stress in rat. Thus, excessive fructose intake may be a potential risk factor for hepatocarcinogenesis. PMID:24321741

‘Neanderthal bone flutes’: simply products of Ice Age spotted hyena scavenging activities on cave bear cubs in European cave bear dens

PubMed Central

Diedrich, Cajus G.

2015-01-01

Punctured extinct cave bear femora were misidentified in southeastern Europe (Hungary/Slovenia) as ‘Palaeolithic bone flutes’ and the ‘oldest Neanderthal instruments’. These are not instruments, nor human made, but products of the most important cave bear scavengers of Europe, hyenas. Late Middle to Late Pleistocene (Mousterian to Gravettian) Ice Age spotted hyenas of Europe occupied mainly cave entrances as dens (communal/cub raising den types), but went deeper for scavenging into cave bear dens, or used in a few cases branches/diagonal shafts (i.e. prey storage den type). In most of those dens, about 20% of adult to 80% of bear cub remains have large carnivore damage. Hyenas left bones in repeating similar tooth mark and crush damage stages, demonstrating a butchering/bone cracking strategy. The femora of subadult cave bears are intermediate in damage patterns, compared to the adult ones, which were fully crushed to pieces. Hyenas produced round–oval puncture marks in cub femora only by the bone-crushing premolar teeth of both upper and lower jaw. The punctures/tooth impact marks are often present on both sides of the shaft of cave bear cub femora and are simply a result of non-breakage of the slightly calcified shaft compacta. All stages of femur puncturing to crushing are demonstrated herein, especially on a large cave bear population from a German cave bear den. PMID:26064624

Raccoon Use of Den Trees and Plant Associations in Western Mesophytic Forests: Tree Attributes and Availability or Landscape Heterogeneity?

Treesearch

Winston P. Smith; Keith M. Endres

2012-01-01

We monitored 15 radio-collared raccoons (Procyon lotor) on Davies Island in March 1987 - May 1988 to determine the extent to which individual tree attributes or spatial configuration of plant associations (habitat types) across the land-scape influenced den use. Of 1091 verified den sites, 428 were in tree cavities. Raccoon occurrence among 4 cover...

Physikgeschichte Das Rätsel bleibt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, Dieter

2002-05-01

Die jüngst erfolgte Veröffentlichung von Dokumenten aus dem Privatarchiv der Familie Bohr [1] über den geheimnisumwitterten Besuch von Werner Heisenberg in Kopenhagen im September 1941 hat in den deutschen Medien große Resonanz gefunden [2]. Tatsächlich verraten uns die jetzt veröffentlichten Dokumente sehr viel mehr über die Zeit ihres Entstehens als über den Besuch selbst.

Wolfgang Pauli

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enz, Charles P.

2000-11-01

Wolfgang Pauli gehört zu den bedeutendsten Physikern des 20. Jahrhunderts. Erst das von ihm entdeckte Ausschließungsprinzip erklärt den Aufbau des Periodensystems der Elemente. Darüber hinaus legte er den Grundstein für die Quantenfeldtheorie. Privat zeigte sich Pauli als bissiger und humorvoller Mensc gleichermaßen, und sein Hang zur Psychoanalyse lässt ihn überdies als interessante Persönlichkeit erscheinen.

Efficient surface enhanced Raman scattering on confeito-like gold nanoparticle-adsorbed self-assembled monolayers.

PubMed

Chang, Chia-Chi; Imae, Toyoko; Chen, Liang-Yih; Ujihara, Masaki

2015-12-28

Confeito-like gold nanoparticles (AuNPs; average diameter = 80 nm) exhibiting a plasmon absorption band at 590 nm were adsorbed through immersion-adsorption on two self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES-SAM) and polystyrene spheres coated with amine-terminated poly(amido amine) dendrimers (DEN/PS-SAM). The surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect on the SAM substrates was examined using the molecules of a probe dye, rhodamine 6G (R6G). The Raman scattering was strongly intensified on both substrates, but the enhancement factor (>10,000) of the AuNP/DEN/PS-SAM hierarchy substrate was 5-10 times higher than that of the AuNP/APTES-SAM substrate. This strong enhancement is attributed to the large surface area of the substrate and the presence of hot spots. Furthermore, analyzing the R6G concentration dependence of SERS suggested that the enhancement mechanism effectively excited the R6G molecules in the first layer on the hot spots and invoked the strong SERS effect. These results indicate that the SERS activity of confeito-like AuNPs on SAM substrates has high potential in molecular electronic devices and ultrasensitive analyses.

Road traffic noise, air pollution and myocardial infarction: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Bodin, Theo; Björk, Jonas; Mattisson, Kristoffer; Bottai, Matteo; Rittner, Ralf; Gustavsson, Per; Jakobsson, Kristina; Östergren, Per-Olof; Albin, Maria

2016-07-01

Both road traffic noise and air pollution have been linked to cardiovascular disease. However, there are few prospective epidemiological studies available where both road traffic noise and air pollution have been analyzed simultaneously. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between road traffic noise, air pollution and incident myocardial infarction in both current (1-year average) and medium-term (3-year average) perspective. This study was based on a stratified random sample of persons aged 18-80 years who answered a public health survey in Skåne, Sweden, in 2000 (n = 13,512). The same individuals received a repeated survey in 2005 and 2010. Diagnoses of myocardial infarction (MI) were obtained from medical records for both inpatient and outpatient specialized care. The endpoint was first MI during 2000-2010. Participants with prior myocardial infarction were excluded at baseline. Yearly average levels of noise (L DEN) and air pollution (NO x ) were estimated using geographic information system for residential address every year until censoring. The mean exposure levels for road traffic noise and air pollution in 2005 were L DEN 51 dB(A) and NO x 11 µg/m(3), respectively. After adjustment for individual confounders (age, sex, body mass index, smoking, education, alcohol consumption, civil status, year, country of birth and physical activity), a 10-dB(A) increase in current noise exposure did not increase the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for MI, 0.99 (95 % CI 0.86-1.14). Neither did a 10-μg/m(3) increase in current NO x increase the risk of MI, 1.02 (95 % CI 0.86-1.21). The IRR for MI associated with combined exposure to road traffic noise >55 dB(A) and NO x >20 µg/m(3) was 1.21 (95 % CI 0.90-1.64) compared to <55 dB(A) and <20 µg/m(3). This study did not provide evidence for an increased risk of MI due to exposure to road traffic noise or air pollution at moderate average exposure levels.

Experiments and Analyses of Distributed Exhaust Nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kinzie, Kevin W.; Schein, David B.; Solomon, W. David, Jr.

2002-01-01

Experimental and analytical aeroacoustic properties of several distributed exhaust nozzle (DEN) designs are presented. Significant differences between the designs are observed and correlated back to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) flowfield predictions. Up to 20 dB of noise reduction on a spectral basis and 10 dB on an overall sound pressure level basis are demonstrated from the DEN designs compared to a round reference nozzle. The most successful DEN designs acoustically show a predicted thrust loss of approximately 10% compared to the reference nozzle. Characteristics of the individual mini-jet nozzles that comprise the DEN such as jet-jet shielding and coalescence are shown to play a major role in the noise signature.

[Dens invaginatus. Review of the literature and diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines].

PubMed

Baumgart, Manuela; Hänni, Stefan; Suter, Beat; Schaffner, Markus; Lussi, Adrian

2009-01-01

Dens invaginatus is a clinically relevant malformation of teeth resulting from an infolding of enamel and dentine into the dental structure during tooth formation, hence the former denomination "dens in dente". The dens invaginatus shows multiple morphological variations of crown and root formation. This frequently leads to caries, pulpal and periodontal involvement with necrosis and loss of attachment. Therefore, early diagnosis and prevention are of utmost importance. Due to the complexity of the malformation, treatment options in former days were limited. This article presents a profound review of the literature regarding etiology, epidemiology and histology. It discusses clinical appearance and diagnosis and it provides guidelines for decision-making and treatment of invaginated teeth.

Endodontic, surgical and periodontal treatment of dens invaginatus. Case report.

PubMed

Castellarin, M; Demitri, V; Politi, M

2001-01-01

The aim of this paper is to propose a single stage global treatment of endodontic, periapical and periodontal lesions in a lateral maxillary incisor with dens invaginatus. A 24 year-old woman presenting a lateral maxillary incisor with dens invaginatus in association with periapica1 and periodontal lesions underwent simultaneous surgical, endodontic and periodontal regenerative procedures. At 2, 6, 12, 18 months follow-up the radiographic healing appeared to be improved and the periapical lesion healed completely 1 year after surgical intervention. Surgery in association with endodontic and periodontal procedures represents the treatment of choice to maximize long term prognosis in cases of dens invaginatus with chronic periapical and periodontal lesions.

Ebenen des Verstehens: Überlegungen zu einem Verfahren zum Wurzelziehen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winter, Martin

Wir bemühen uns, insbesondere bei Kindern, den Lernprozess auch im Mathematikunterricht durch den Einsatz von Materialien zu unterstützen. Die Arbeitsschritte dienen dabei oft der Vorbereitung oder Herleitung von Verfahren - in der Hoffnung, dass durch die Veranschaulichung Zusammenhänge besser verstanden werden. Worin dann das Verstehen besteht, wenn im Ergebnis ein Verfahren von den Kindern erfolgreich abgearbeitet wird, ist nicht unmittelbar zu sehen.

Dose-related cell proliferation in medaka (Oryzias latipes) after N-nitrosodiethylamine exposure

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

Ortego, L.S.; Hawkins, W.E.; Walker, W.W.

1994-12-31

Cell proliferation is important in toxic and carcinogenic mechanisms. Carcinogens such as N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) that cause necrotizing injury stimulate cell proliferation as part of an injury-repair mechanism. A stimulus to cell division in an organ with a low rate of cell division, such as the liver, may initiate or enhance the carcinogenicity of a chemical. The authors examined the effect of DEN exposure on cell proliferation in the liver of medaka (Oryzias latipes). Two age groups (6 and 56 days post-hatch) were exposed to DEN continuously at 5 doses (0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, and 20.0 ppm) for 28 days. Cellmore » proliferation was measured using the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) assay two months post-initiation of DEN exposure. The assay involves monoclonal antibody detection of PCNA, an auxiliary protein of DNA polymerase delta which is, expressed during cell division. Results suggested that cell proliferation paralleled the DEN dose and that age at initiation of exposure did not affect this relationship. The increase in cell proliferation appeared to be a sustained response from that initiated during DEN exposure. The study suggests that cell proliferation in medaka is an important component in carcinogenesis and is related to carcinogen exposure dose.« less

Endodontic retreatment of dens invaginatus presenting with gutta-percha overfilling at the attached gingiva and chronic apical periodontitis: unusual clinical report.

PubMed

Robazza, Carlos Roberto Colombo; Alves e Motta, Julio Cesar; de Carli, Marina Lara; de Oliveira Pedreira, Fernanda Rafaelly; Hanemann, Joao Adolfo Costa

2013-05-01

This work describes the retreatment of an unusual case of dens invaginatus with gutta-percha overfilling at the gingival mucosa and chronic apical periodontitis in a 34-year-old woman. Initial periapical radiograph showed the presence of type II dens invaginatus with poor quality obturation, root perforation and chronic apical periodontitis of tooth 22. Dens invaginatus is a tooth malformation caused by infolding of the dental papilla during tooth development. This anomaly has been associated with increased prevalence of pulpal and periapical diseases. Conventional endodontic retreatment was performed using rotary files and calcium hydroxide paste as intracanal dressing. After 7 days, root canal was filled with guttapercha points and Sealapex® sealer. Obturation was radiographically followed and, after 3 years, absence of fistula and periapical radiolucency was observed, thus conventional endodontic therapy proved to be successful. Conventional endodontic retreatment of type II dens invaginatus has been successful for a 3-year period, showing a better treatment alternative. Conservative endodontic retreatment of dens invaginatus should be considered to promote periapical healing with complete reconstitution of bone and periodontal ligament regeneration without signs of recurrence over a period of 3 years. Moreover, it preserves the entire tooth.

Diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis is suppressed in lecithin:retinol acyltransferase-deficient mice primarily through retinoid actions immediately after carcinogen administration.

PubMed

Shirakami, Yohei; Gottesman, Max E; Blaner, William S

2012-02-01

Loss of retinoid-containing lipid droplets upon hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation is one of the first events in the development of liver disease leading to hepatocellular carcinoma. Although retinoid stores are progressively lost from HSCs during the development of hepatic disease, how this affects hepatocarcinogenesis is unclear. To investigate this, we used diethylnitrosamine (DEN) to induce hepatic tumorigenesis in matched wild-type (WT) and lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) knockout (KO) mice, which lack stored retinoid and HSC lipid droplets. Male 15-day-old WT or Lrat KO mice were given intraperitoneal injections of DEN (25 mg/kg body wt). Eight months later, Lrat KO mice showed significantly less liver tumor development compared with WT mice, characterized by less liver tumor incidence and smaller tumor size. Two days after DEN injection, lower serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and decreased hepatic levels of cyclin D1 were observed in Lrat KO mice. Lrat KO mice also exhibited increased levels of retinoic acid-responsive genes, including p21, lower levels of cytochrome P450 enzymes required for DEN bioactivation and higher levels of the DNA repair enzyme O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), both before and after DEN treatment. Our results indicate that Lrat KO mice are less susceptible to DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis due to increased retinoid signaling and higher expression of p21, which is accompanied by altered hepatic levels of DEN-activating enzymes and MGMT in Lrat KO mice also contribute to decreased cancer initiation and suppressed liver tumor development.

Rapid detection and differentiation of dengue virus serotypes by NS1 specific reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay in patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Hyderabad, India.

PubMed

Neeraja, M; Lakshmi, V; Lavanya, Vanjari; Priyanka, E N; Parida, M M; Dash, P K; Sharma, Shashi; Rao, P V Lakshmana; Reddy, Gopal

2015-01-01

Early and rapid detection of dengue virus (DENV) infection during the acute phase of illness is crucial for proper patient management and prevention of the spread of the infection. In the present study, the standardization and validation of a one step, four tube reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay (RT-LAMP) for rapid detection and serotyping of the DENV targeting NS1 gene using the Genie® II flourometer was carried out. The performance of the RT-LAMP was compared to RT-PCR, CDC 1-4 Real time PCR and the NS1 antigen ELISA, IgM and IgG anti DENV antibodies. Acute DENV infection was confirmed in 250/300 patients suspected clinically of DENV infection. RT- LAMP and CDC 1-4 Real time PCR assay was positive in 148/250 patients, while 92/250 patients were positive for anti- Dengue IgM and IgG antibodies. The RT-LAMP assay and the CDC real-time RT-PCR assay showed high concordance (k=1.0). The detection rate of acute DENV infection improved to 96% (240/250) when the results of RT-LAMP were combined with NS1 Ag, IgM and IgG ELISA. The RT-LAMP had a detection limit of 100 copies for DEN-1 and DEN-2, 10 copies for DEN-3 and DEN-4 compared to 1000 copies for DEN-1 and DEN-2, 100 copies for DEN-3 and DEN-4 by the conventional RT-PCR. The assay showed 100% specificity. The RT-LAMP assay developed in this study has potential use for early clinical diagnosis, serotyping and surveillance of DENV infection in endemic countries such as India. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a novel mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis using a high-fat, choline-deficient diet and intraperitoneal injection of diethylnitrosamine.

PubMed

Kishida, Norihiro; Matsuda, Sachiko; Itano, Osamu; Shinoda, Masahiro; Kitago, Minoru; Yagi, Hiroshi; Abe, Yuta; Hibi, Taizo; Masugi, Yohei; Aiura, Koichi; Sakamoto, Michiie; Kitagawa, Yuko

2016-06-13

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is increasing, and its clinicopathological features are well established. Several animal models of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis have been developed to facilitate its study; however, few fully recapitulate all its clinical features, which include insulin resistance, inflammation, fibrosis, and carcinogenesis. Moreover, these models require a relatively long time to produce hepatocellular carcinoma reliably. The aim of this study was to develop a mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis that develops quickly and reflects all clinically relevant features. Three-week-old C57BL/6J male mice were fed either a standard diet (MF) or a choline-deficient, high-fat diet (HFCD). The mice in the MF + diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and HFCD + DEN groups received a one-time intraperitoneal injection of DEN at the start of the respective feeding protocols. The mice in the HFCD and HFCD + DEN groups developed obesity early in the experiment and insulin resistance after 12 weeks. Triglyceride levels peaked at 8 weeks for all four groups and decreased thereafter. Alanine aminotransferase levels increased every 4 weeks, with the HFCD and HFCD + DEN groups showing remarkably high levels; the HFCD + DEN group presented the highest incidence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The levels of fibrosis and steatosis varied, but they tended to increase every 4 weeks in the HFCD and HFCD + DEN groups. Computed tomography scans indicated that all the HFCD + DEN mice developed hepatic tumors from 20 weeks, some of which were glutamine synthetase-positive. The nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-hepatocellular carcinoma model we describe here is simple to establish, results in rapid tumor formation, and recapitulates most of the key features of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. It could therefore facilitate further studies of the development, oncogenic potential, diagnosis, and treatment of this condition.

First Experimental In Vivo Model of Enhanced Dengue Disease Severity through Maternally Acquired Heterotypic Dengue Antibodies

PubMed Central

Ng, Jowin Kai Wei; Zhang, Summer Lixin; Tan, Hwee Cheng; Yan, Benedict; Maria Martinez Gomez, Julia; Tan, Wei Yu; Lam, Jian Hang; Tan, Grace Kai Xin; Ooi, Eng Eong; Alonso, Sylvie

2014-01-01

Dengue (DEN) represents the most serious arthropod-borne viral disease. DEN clinical manifestations range from mild febrile illness to life-threatening hemorrhage and vascular leakage. Early epidemiological observations reported that infants born to DEN-immune mothers were at greater risk to develop the severe forms of the disease upon infection with any serotype of dengue virus (DENV). From these observations emerged the hypothesis of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of disease severity, whereby maternally acquired anti-DENV antibodies cross-react but fail to neutralize DENV particles, resulting in higher viremia that correlates with increased disease severity. Although in vitro and in vivo experimental set ups have indirectly supported the ADE hypothesis, direct experimental evidence has been missing. Furthermore, a recent epidemiological study has challenged the influence of maternal antibodies in disease outcome. Here we have developed a mouse model of ADE where DENV2 infection of young mice born to DENV1-immune mothers led to earlier death which correlated with higher viremia and increased vascular leakage compared to DENV2-infected mice born to dengue naïve mothers. In this ADE model we demonstrated the role of TNF-α in DEN-induced vascular leakage. Furthermore, upon infection with an attenuated DENV2 mutant strain, mice born to DENV1-immune mothers developed lethal disease accompanied by vascular leakage whereas infected mice born to dengue naïve mothers did no display any clinical manifestation. In vitro ELISA and ADE assays confirmed the cross-reactive and enhancing properties towards DENV2 of the serum from mice born to DENV1-immune mothers. Lastly, age-dependent susceptibility to disease enhancement was observed in mice born to DENV1-immune mothers, thus reproducing epidemiological observations. Overall, this work provides direct in vivo demonstration of the role of maternally acquired heterotypic dengue antibodies in the enhancement of dengue disease severity and offers a unique opportunity to further decipher the mechanisms involved. PMID:24699622

Telemetry experiments with a hibernating black bear

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Craighead, J. J.; Varney, J. R.; Sumner, J. S.; Craighead, F. C., Jr.

1972-01-01

The objectives of this research were to develop and test telemetry equipment suitable for monitoring physiological parameters and activity of a hibernating bear in its den, to monitor this data and other environmental information with the Nimbus 3 IRLS data collection system, and to refine immobilizing, handling, and other techniques required in future work with wild bears under natural conditions. A temperature-telemetering transmitter was implanted in the abdominal cavity of a captive black bear and body temperature data was recorded continuously during a 3 month hibernation period. Body temperatures ranging between 37.5 and 31.8 C were observed. Body temperature and overall activity were influenced by disturbances and ambient den temperature. Nychthemeral temperature changes were not noticable. A load cell weight recording device was tested for determining weight loss during hibernation. Monitoring of data by satellite was not attempted. The implanted transmitter was removed and the bear was released with a radiolocation collar at the conclusion of the experiment.

Fragmentation alters stream fish community structure in dendritic ecological networks.

PubMed

Perkin, Joshuah S; Gido, Keith B

2012-12-01

Effects of fragmentation on the ecology of organisms occupying dendritic ecological networks (DENs) have recently been described through both conceptual and mathematical models, but few hypotheses have been tested in complex, real-world ecosystems. Stream fishes provide a model system for assessing effects of fragmentation on the structure of communities occurring within DENs, including how fragmentation alters metacommunity dynamics and biodiversity. A recently developed habitat-availability measure, the "dendritic connectivity index" (DCI), allows for assigning quantitative measures of connectivity in DENs regardless of network extent or complexity, and might be used to predict fish community response to fragmentation. We characterized stream fish community structure in 12 DENs in the Great Plains, USA, during periods of dynamic (summer) and muted (fall) discharge regimes to test the DCI as a predictive model of fish community response to fragmentation imposed by road crossings. Results indicated that fish communities in stream segments isolated by road crossings had reduced species richness (alpha diversity) relative to communities that maintained connectivity with the surrounding DEN during summer and fall. Furthermore, isolated communities had greater dissimilarity (beta diversity) to downstream sites notisolated by road crossings during summer and fall. Finally, dissimilarity among communities within DENs decreased as a function of increased habitat connectivity (measured using the DCI) for summer and fall, suggesting that communities within highly connected DENs tend to be more homogeneous. Our results indicate that the DCI is sensitive to community effects of fragmentation in riverscapes and might be used by managers to predict ecological responses to changes in habitat connectivity. Moreover, our findings illustrate that relating structural connectivity of riverscapes to functional connectivity among communities might aid in maintaining metacommunity dynamics and biodiversity in complex dendritic ecosystems.

Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Annual Progress Report Fiscal Year 1982.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-01

antibacterial activity . Fed. Proc. 4787, 1981. 11. Collins, H.H., D.F. Keren, P. Gemski, S.B. Formal, -.--| W.D. Zollinger, and G.H. Lowell...murlne myeloma cells. The fused cells will be subjected to specific selection by growth in selective media. The survivors from actively growing cell...prototype dengue virus strains. DEN-1 (Hawaiian), DEN-2 (New Guinea C), ÜEN-3 ( Philippines H-87), and DEN-4 ( Philippines H-241). Lymphocyte

Fluorescent, Plasmonic, and Radiotherapeutic Properties of the 177Lu–Dendrimer-AuNP–Folate–Bombesin Nanoprobe Located Inside Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Mendoza-Nava, Héctor; Ramírez, Flor de María; Ocampo-García, Blanca; Santos-Cuevas, Clara; Azorín-Vega, Erika; Jiménez-Mancilla, Nallely; Luna-Gutiérrez, Myrna; Isaac-Olivé, Keila

2017-01-01

The integration of fluorescence and plasmonic properties into one molecule is of importance in developing multifunctional imaging and therapy nanoprobes. The aim of this research was to evaluate the fluorescent properties and the plasmonic–photothermal, therapeutic, and radiotherapeutic potential of 177Lu–dendrimer conjugated to folate and bombesin with gold nanoparticles in the dendritic cavity (177Lu–DenAuNP–folate–bombesin) when it is internalized in T47D breast cancer cells. The intense near-Infrared (NIR) fluorescence emitted at 825 nm from the conjugate inside cells corroborated the usefulness of DenAuNP–folate–bombesin for optical imaging. After laser irradiation, the presence of the nanosystem in cells caused a significant increase in the temperature of the medium (46.8°C, compared to 39.1°C without DenAuNP–folate–bombesin, P < 0.05), resulting in a significant decrease in cell viability (down to 16.51% ± 1.52%) due to the 177Lu–DenAuNP–folate–bombesin plasmonic properties. After treatment with 177Lu–DenAuNP–folate–bombesin, the T47D cell viability decreased 90% because of the radiation-absorbed dose (63.16 ± 4.20 Gy) delivered inside the cells. The 177Lu–DenAuNP–folate–bombesin nanoprobe internalized in cancer cells exhibited properties suitable for optical imaging, plasmonic–photothermal therapy, and targeted radiotherapy. PMID:28654384

Prolonged local retention of subcutaneously injected polymers monitored by noninvasive SPECT imaging.

PubMed

Kojima, Chie; Niki, Yuichiro; Ogawa, Mikako; Magata, Yasuhiro

2014-12-10

Polymers are widely applied to drug delivery systems because polymers are generally excreted from the body more slowly than small molecules. Subcutaneous injection is one plausible means of administration. In this study, the in vivo behaviors of subcutaneously injected polymers, linear poly(glutamic acid) (Poly-Glu), acetylated dendrimer (Ac-den) and collagen peptide-conjugated dendrimer (CP-den), were investigated. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging was used to noninvasively monitor the in vivo behaviors. Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) was conjugated to these polymers, which were labeled with radioactive (111)In. These (111)In-DTPA-bearing polymers (Poly-Glu-DTPA, Ac-den-DTPA and CP-den-DTPA) and unconjugated DTPA were subcutaneously injected into tumor-bearing mice, which were subjected to SPECT imaging. These (111)In-DTPA-bearing polymers were largely retained at the injection site for at least 1 day, whereas the unconjugated DTPA was rapidly cleared from the whole body through excretion. Poly-Glu-DTPA and Ac-den-DTPA were partly accumulated in the kidney (and the liver), but the CP-den-DTPA was not. However, these (111)In-DTPA-bearing polymers were accumulated in the liver and the kidney following intravenous administration. These results indicate that the subcutaneously injected polymers did not largely gain substantial access to the systemic circulation, which is useful for a depot of drug around the injection site. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Direct endoscopic necrosectomy versus step-up approach for walled-off pancreatic necrosis: comparison of clinical outcome and health care utilization.

PubMed

Kumar, Nitin; Conwell, Darwin L; Thompson, Christopher C

2014-11-01

Infected walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WOPN) is a complication of acute pancreatitis requiring intervention. Surgery is associated with considerable morbidity. Percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD), initial therapy in the step-up approach, minimizes complications. Direct endoscopic necrosectomy (DEN) has demonstrated safety and efficacy. We compared outcome and health care utilization of DEN versus step-up approach. This was a matched cohort study using a prospective registry. Twelve consecutive DEN patients were matched with 12 step-up approach patients. Outcomes were clinical resolution after primary therapeutic modality, new organ failure, mortality, endocrine or exocrine insufficiency, length of stay, and health care utilization. Clinical resolution in 11 of 12 patients after DEN versus 3 of 12 step-up approach patients after PCD (P < 0.01). Nine step-up approach patients required surgery; 7 of these experienced complications. Direct endoscopic necrosectomy resulted in less new antibiotic use, pulmonary failure, endocrine insufficiency, and shorter length of stay (P < 0.05). Health care utilization was lower after DEN by 5.2:1 (P < 0.01). Direct endoscopic necrosectomy may be superior to step-up approach for WOPN with suspected or established infection. Primary PCD generally delayed definitive therapy. Given the higher efficacy, shorter length of stay, and lower health care utilization, DEN could be the first-line therapy for WOPN, with primary PCD for inaccessible or immature collections.

Partial complementation of the UV sensitivity of E. coli and yeast excision repair mutants by the cloned denV gene of bacteriophage T4.

PubMed

Chenevert, J M; Naumovski, L; Schultz, R A; Friedberg, E C

1986-04-01

The denV gene of bacteriophage T4 was reconstituted from two overlapping DNA fragments cloned in M13 vectors. The coding region of the intact gene was tailored into a series of plasmid vectors containing different promoters suitable for expression of the gene in E. coli and in yeast. Induction of the TAC promoter with IPTG resulted in overexpression of the gene, which was lethal to E. coli. Expression of the TACdenV gene in the absence of IPTG, or the use of the yeast GAL1 or ADH promoters resulted in partial complementation of the UV sensitivity of uvrA, uvrB, uvrC and recA mutants of E. coli and rad1, rad2, rad3, rad4 and rad10 mutants of S. cerevisiae. The extent of denV-mediated reactivation of excision-defective mutants was approximately equal to that of photoreactivation of such strains. Excision proficient E. coli cells transformed with a plasmid containing the denV gene were slightly more resistant to ultraviolet (UV) radiation than control cells without the denV gene. On the other hand, excision proficient yeast cells were slightly more sensitive to killing by UV radiation following transformation with a plasmid containing the denV gene. This effect was more pronounced in yeast mutants of the RAD52 epistasis group.

Surgical orthodontic treatment of an impacted canine in the presence of dens invaginatus and follicular cyst.

PubMed

Spallarossa, Marialuce; Canevello, Carola; Silvestrini Biavati, Francesca; Laffi, Nicola

2014-01-01

Introduction. "Dens invaginatus" is a dental anomaly which originates from the invagination of the ameloblastic epithelium into the lingual surface of the dental crown during the odontogenesis. It can cause early pulpal necrosis, abscesses, retention or dislocation of contiguous elements, cysts, and internal resorptions. It normally affects the upper lateral incisors. In the following study the authors will discuss the etiology, the physiopathology, and the surgical-orthodontic management of a rare case of impacted canine associated with dens invaginatus and follicular cyst, with the aim of highlighting the importance of taking any therapeutic decision based on the data available in the literature. Case Report. The present study describes a combined surgical-orthodontic treatment of an impacted canine associated with a lateral incisor (2.2) suffering from type III dens invaginatus with radicular cyst, in a 15-year-old patient. Discussion. When treating a dens invaginatus there are different therapeutic solutions: they depend on the gravity of the anomaly and on the association with the retention of a permanent tooth. The aesthetic and functional restoration becomes extremely important when performing a surgical-orthodontic repositioning.

A mid-holocene fauna from Bear Den Cave, Sequoia National Park, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mead, Jim I.; McGinnis, Thomas W.; Keeley, Jon E.

2006-01-01

Test excavation of floor fill deposits in the first room in Bear Den Cave, Sequoia National Park, produced fossiliferous sediments down to at least 40 cm depth. Radiocarbon analysis of charcoal from this layer indicates an early-middle Holocene age of 7220 CAL BP. The fossil accumulation represents prey recovered from generations of ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) dung. Microvertebrate remains include salamanders, lizards, snakes, and mammals. The recovery of Aneides ferreus/vagransfrom early-middle Holocene deposits in Bear Den Cave is a first for this species group. Equally interesting is the recovery of Plethodon sp. Neither taxa live in the Sierra Nevada today. The fossil-rich deposits of Bear Den Cave indicate that future paleoecological studies will be productive in Sequoia National Park.

Tourismus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matzarakis, Andreas; Lohmann, Martin

Für den Tourismus haben Klima und Wetter eine große Relevanz: als Treiber des Verhaltens wie auch als Angebotsfaktor. Wetter und Klima sind demnach sowohl Bestandteil des touristischen Angebotes als auch limitierende Faktoren des Tourismus und Steuergrößen für die touristische Nachfrage. Insofern liegt es nahe, dass dieser Sektor vom Klimawandel betroffen sein wird. Der Tourismus ist aber auch ein Faktor, der seinerseits erheblich auf das Klima und den Klimawandel zurückwirkt. Dabei ist der Klimawandel aber nur einer von vielen voneinander abhängig erscheinenden Einflussfaktoren, denen der Sektor "Tourismus" ausgesetzt ist. Das heißt, es handelt sich um ein komplexes Wirkungsgefüge. Das Kapitel widmet sich den Klimawandelfolgen im Tourismus und macht diese beispielhaft an den Regionen "Küsten" sowie "Mittel- und Hochgebirge" fest, um Anpassungsmöglichkeiten anzufügen.

Die Grundlagen der Fernsehtechnik: Systemtheorie und Technik der Bildübertragung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahler, Gerhard

Umfassende Einführung in die Grundlagen der Bewegtbild-Übertragung von den Anfängen bis zum heutigen Stand des digitalen Fernsehens mit einer aus der Praxis entstandenen systemtheoretischen Analyse. Die kompakte und anschaulich bebilderte Darstellung mit elementaren mathematischen Beschreibungen macht es dem Leser leicht, sich in die Bildübertragungstechnik einzuarbeiten. Thematische Einheiten erweitern den Wissensstoff - u.a. zu den Themen visuelle Wahrnehmung, mehrdimensionale Signaldarstellung, Farbmetrik, Digitalisierung, Elektronenoptik - und zeigen deren Anwendung auf die elektronische Bildübertragung.

Franz Xaver Eder (1914 - 2009) Wanderer zwischen den Welten

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindner, Sigrid; Hoffmann, Dieter

In seinem Essay "Die Struktur des historischen Universums" vergleicht Siegfried Kracauer die Mikrogeschichte mit den Großaufnahmen etwa von der Hand einer Figur, wie sie in Spielfilmen zwischengeschnitten werden.

Smart Meter Rollout: Intelligente Messsysteme als Schnittstelle zum Kunden im Smart Grid und Smart Market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vortanz, Karsten; Zayer, Peter

Das Gesetz zur Digitalisierung der Energiewende ist verabschiedet. Ab 2017 sind moderne Messeinrichtungen (mME) und intelligente Messsysteme (iMSys) zu verbauen und zu betreiben. Der "deutsche Weg" für die Einführung von Smart Metern sieht einen stufenweisen Rollout sowie ein Höchstmaß an Informations- und Datensicherheit vor. Dabei spielen iMSys und mME eine wichtige Rolle bei der Neugestaltung der intelligenten Netze (Smart Grids) und des neuen Marktmodells (Smart Market). Dieser Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit den neuen Gesetzen, den Marktrollen und ihren Aufgaben, Datenschutz und Datensicherheit, dem iMSys als sichere Lösung, dem sicheren Betrieb von Smart Meter Gateways, Smart Grid - Smart Market, dem Zusammenspiel zwischen reguliertem Bereich und Markt, den Einsatzbereichen der iMSys sowie den Auswirkungen auf Prozesse und Systeme und gibt Handlungsempfehlungen.

Mikrodaten und statistische Auswertungsmethoden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hujer, Reinhard

Mit der zunehmenden Verfügbarkeit immer größerer Querschnitts- und Längschnittsdatensätze für Personen, Haushalte und Betriebe sowie deren Verknüpfungen hat sich die mikroökonometrische Forschung in den vergangenen Jahren rasant weiterentwickelt. Dies gilt sowohl aus methodischer als auch aus empirischer, anwendungsorientierter Sicht. Mikrodaten und mikroökonometrische Ansätze dienen dazu, aktuelle, politikrelevante Fragen aufzugreifen, sie zu analysieren und fundierte politische Empfehlungen zu geben, beispielsweise im Rahmen der Arbeitsmarkt- und Sozialpolitik, der Finanzanalyse und der Marketingforschung. Die Deutsche Statistische Gesellschaft (DStatG) und deren Mitglieder haben sich in den Ausschüssen und in Hauptversammlungen kontinuierlich mit den Weiterentwicklungen der mikroökonometrischen Methodik und den empirischen Anwendungen befasst. Zahlreiche Publikationen von Mitgliedern der DStatG haben entscheidend zum kritischen Diskurs und zum wissenschaftlichen Fortschritt in diesem Bereich beigetragen.

Fox Den Disease: An Interesting Case Following Delayed Diagnosis.

PubMed

Stehr, Ryan C; Kim, Nicholas; LoGiudice, John A; Ludwig, Kirk

2015-06-01

Pyoderma fistulans sinifica, also known as fox den disease, is a rare and poorly understood inflammatory disorder of the skin and subcutaneous tissues. This disorder is often mistaken for other inflammatory skin disorders and treated inappropriately. The authors describe the case of a 53-year-old male who presented to the colorectal surgery service with a longstanding diagnosis of perirectal Crohn's disease. Despite aggressive immunosuppression and numerous surgical procedures, the patient continued to have unrelenting purulent drainage from the skin of his buttocks. Following wide excision of the affected skin and subcutaneous tissues by the colorectal surgeon, the plastic surgery team reconstructed the 30 cm x 55 cm wound using a combination of local flaps and skin grafts. The initial pathology report of the excised specimen confirmed the presence of nonspecific abscesses and inflammation. Upon special request by the plastic surgery team, the sample was resectioned with the specific intent of establishing a diagnosis of fox den disease. The additional slides met the criteria for an unequivocal diagnosis of fox den disease. Immunosuppression was discontinued and the patient healed his wounds without complication. Fox den disease is often overlooked because of the obscurity of the disease and the special histological sectioning needed to establish a diagnosis. In this case, the patient was unnecessarily treated with immunosuppressive drugs for more than 3 decades because of a misdiagnosis. With increased awareness of fox den disease, perhaps its pathophysiology can be better elucidated as more patients are appropriately diagnosed and treated.

A Prototype Regional GSI-based EnKF-Variational Hybrid Data Assimilation System for the Rapid Refresh Forecasting System: Dual-Resolution Implementation and Testing Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Yujie; Xue, Ming; Zhu, Kefeng; Wang, Mingjun

2018-05-01

A dual-resolution (DR) version of a regional ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF)-3D ensemble variational (3DEnVar) coupled hybrid data assimilation system is implemented as a prototype for the operational Rapid Refresh forecasting system. The DR 3DEnVar system combines a high-resolution (HR) deterministic background forecast with lower-resolution (LR) EnKF ensemble perturbations used for flow-dependent background error covariance to produce a HR analysis. The computational cost is substantially reduced by running the ensemble forecasts and EnKF analyses at LR. The DR 3DEnVar system is tested with 3-h cycles over a 9-day period using a 40/˜13-km grid spacing combination. The HR forecasts from the DR hybrid analyses are compared with forecasts launched from HR Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) 3D variational (3DVar) analyses, and single LR hybrid analyses interpolated to the HR grid. With the DR 3DEnVar system, a 90% weight for the ensemble covariance yields the lowest forecast errors and the DR hybrid system clearly outperforms the HR GSI 3DVar. Humidity and wind forecasts are also better than those launched from interpolated LR hybrid analyses, but the temperature forecasts are slightly worse. The humidity forecasts are improved most. For precipitation forecasts, the DR 3DEnVar always outperforms HR GSI 3DVar. It also outperforms the LR 3DEnVar, except for the initial forecast period and lower thresholds.

Different induction of LPA receptors by chemical liver carcinogens regulates cellular functions of liver epithelial WB-F344 cells.

PubMed

Hirane, Miku; Ishii, Shuhei; Tomimatsu, Ayaka; Fukushima, Kaori; Takahashi, Kaede; Fukushima, Nobuyuki; Honoki, Kanya; Tsujiuchi, Toshifumi

2016-11-01

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling via LPA receptors (LPA 1 to LPA 6 ) mediates a variety of cellular functions, including cell motility. In the present study, we investigated the effects of LPA receptors on cell motile activity during multi-stage hepatocarcinogenesis in rat liver epithelial WB-F344 cells treated with chemical liver carcinogens. Cells were treated with a initiator (N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN)) and three promoters (phenobarbital (PB), okadaic acid (OA) and clofibrate) every 24 h for 2 days. Cell motile activity was elevated by DEN, correlating with Lpar3 expression. PB, OA, and clofibrate elevated Lpar1 expression and inhibited cell motile activity. To evaluate the effects of long-term treatment on cell motility, cells were treated with DEN and/or PB for at least 6 months. Lpar3 expression and cell motile activity were significantly elevated by the long-term DEN treatment with or without further PB treatment. In contrast, long-term PB treatment with or without further DEN elevated Lpar1 expression and inhibited cell motility. When the synthesis of extracellular LPA was blocked by a potent ATX inhibitor S32826 before cell motility assay, the cell motility induced by DEN and PB was markedly suppressed. These results suggest that activation of the different LPA receptors may regulate the biological functions of cells treated with chemical carcinogens. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Zu einer inhaltsorientierten Theorie des Lernens und Lehrens der biologischen Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallin, Anita

Der Zweck dieser Studie (zwecks Überblick siehe dazu Abb. 9.1) war zu untersuchen, wie die Schüler der Sekundarstufe II ein Verständnis von der Theorie der biologischen Evolution entwickeln. Vom Ausgangspunkt "Vorurteile der Schüler“ ausgehend wurden Unterrichtssequenzen entwickelt und drei verschiedene Lernexperimente in einem zyklischen Prozess durchgeführt. Das Wissen der Schüler wurde vor, während und nach den Unterrichtssequenzen mit Hilfe von schriftlichen Tests, Interviews und Diskussionsrunden in kleinen Gruppen abgefragt. Etwa 80 % der Schüler hatten vor dem Unterricht alternative Vorstellungen von Evolution, und in dem Nachfolgetest erreichten circa 75 % ein wissenschaftliches Niveau. Die Argumentation der Schüler in den verschiedenen Tests wurde sorgfältig unter Rücksichtnahme auf Vorurteile, der konzeptionellen Struktur der Theorie der Evolution und den Zielen des Unterrichts analysiert. Daraus konnten Einsichten in solche Anforderungen an Lehren und Lernen gewonnen werden, die Herausforderungen an Schüler und Lehrer darstellen, wenn sie anfangen, evolutionäre Biologie zu lernen oder zu lehren. Ein wichtiges Ergebnis war, dass das Verständnis existierender Variation in einer Population der Schlüssel zum Verständnis von natürlicher Selektion ist. Die Ergebnisse sind in einer inhaltsorientierten Theorie zusammengefasst, welche aus drei verschiedenen Aspekten besteht: 1) den inhaltsspezifischen Aspekten, die einzigartig für jedes wissenschaftliche Feld sind; 2) den Aspekten, die die Natur der Wissenschaft betreffen; und 3) den allgemeinen Aspekten. Diese Theorie kann in neuen Experimenten getestet und weiter entwickelt werden.

Joint DEnKF-albedo assimilation scheme that considers the common land model subgrid heterogeneity and a snow density-based observation operator for improving snow depth simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jianhui; Zhang, Feifei; Zhao, Yi; Shu, Hong; Zhong, Kaiwen

2016-07-01

For the large-area snow depth (SD) data sets with high spatial resolution in the Altay region of Northern Xinjiang, China, we present a deterministic ensemble Kalman filter (DEnKF)-albedo assimilation scheme that considers the common land model (CoLM) subgrid heterogeneity. In the albedo assimilation of DEnKF-albedo, the assimilated albedos over each subgrid tile are estimated with the MCD43C1 bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) parameters product and CoLM calculated solar zenith angle. The BRDF parameters are hypothesized to be consistent over all subgrid tiles within a specified grid. In the SCF assimilation of DEnKF-albedo, a DEnKF combining a snow density-based observation operator considers the effects of the CoLM subgrid heterogeneity and is employed to assimilate MODIS SCF to update SD states over all subgrid tiles. The MODIS SCF over a grid is compared with the area-weighted sum of model predicted SCF over all the subgrid tiles within the grid. The results are validated with in situ SD measurements and AMSR-E product. Compared with the simulations, the DEnKF-albedo scheme can reduce errors of SD simulations and accurately simulate the seasonal variability of SD. Furthermore, it can improve simulations of SD spatiotemporal distribution in the Altay region, which is more accurate and shows more detail than the AMSR-E product.

Unexpected storm-time nightside plasmaspheric density enhancement at low L shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, X.; Bortnik, J.; Denton, R. E.; Yue, C.

2017-12-01

We have developed a three-dimensional dynamic electron density (DEN3D) model in the inner magnetosphere using a neural network approach. The DEN3D model can provide spatiotemporal distribution of the electron density at any location and time that spacecraft observations are not available. Given DEN3D's good performance in predicting the structure and dynamic evolution of the plasma density, the salient features of the DEN3D model can be used to gain further insight into the physics. For instance, the DEN3D models can be used to find unusual phenomena that are difficult to detect in observations or simulations. We report, for the first time, an unexpected plasmaspheric density increase at low L shell regions on the nightside during the main phase of a moderate storm during 12-16 October 2004, as opposed to the expected density decrease due to storm-time plasmaspheric erosion. The unexpected density increase is first discovered in the modeled electron density distribution using the DEN3D model, and then validated using in-situ density measurements obtained from the IMAGE satellite. The density increase was likely caused by increased earthward transverse field plasma transport due to enhanced nightside ExB drift, which coincided with enhanced solar wind electric field and substorm activity. This is consistent with the results of physics-based simulation SAMI3 model which show earthward enhanced plasma transport and electron density increase at low L shells during storm main phase.

Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (South Atlantic): Bluefish

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-04-01

Invertebrates (South Atlantic) BLUEFISH AA I.,,bWU . . Coastal Ecology Group *Fish and Wildlife Service Waterways Experiment Station U.S. Department of the...Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (South Atlantic) BLUEFISH by J. Douglas Oliver, Michael J. Van Den Avyle, and Earl L. Bozeman, Jr. Georgia...Marine Fisheries Service, Panama City, Florida,for reviewing this manuscript. vi Figure 1. Bluefish . BLUEFISH NOMENCLATURE/TAXONOMY/RANGE westward to

Experimente ueber den Einflusse von Metaboliten und Antimetaboliten am Modell von Trichomonas Vaginalis. IX. Mitteilung: Experimente mit Enzymen (Experiments on the Influence of Metabolites and Antimetabolites on the Model of Trichomonas Vaginalis. IX. Communication: Experiments on Enzymes),

DTIC Science & Technology

some enzymes to trichomonas. The following enzymes were used for experiment: pepsin, trypsin, distaste, urease and lysozyme. Tests were performed...obtained in the experiments with urease . Trichomonas growth under addition of lysozyme was within the range of the control cultures. (Modified author abstract)

Surgical Orthodontic Treatment of an Impacted Canine in the Presence of Dens Invaginatus and Follicular Cyst

PubMed Central

Canevello, Carola; Laffi, Nicola

2014-01-01

Introduction. “Dens invaginatus” is a dental anomaly which originates from the invagination of the ameloblastic epithelium into the lingual surface of the dental crown during the odontogenesis. It can cause early pulpal necrosis, abscesses, retention or dislocation of contiguous elements, cysts, and internal resorptions. It normally affects the upper lateral incisors. In the following study the authors will discuss the etiology, the physiopathology, and the surgical-orthodontic management of a rare case of impacted canine associated with dens invaginatus and follicular cyst, with the aim of highlighting the importance of taking any therapeutic decision based on the data available in the literature. Case Report. The present study describes a combined surgical-orthodontic treatment of an impacted canine associated with a lateral incisor (2.2) suffering from type III dens invaginatus with radicular cyst, in a 15-year-old patient. Discussion. When treating a dens invaginatus there are different therapeutic solutions: they depend on the gravity of the anomaly and on the association with the retention of a permanent tooth. The aesthetic and functional restoration becomes extremely important when performing a surgical-orthodontic repositioning. PMID:24963421

First evidence of gregarious denning in opossums (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae), with notes on their social behaviour

PubMed Central

Astúa, Diego; Carvalho, Rafael A.; Maia, Paula F.; Magalhães, Arthur R.; Loretto, Diogo

2015-01-01

The Didelphidae are considered solitary opossums with few social interactions, usually limited to mating-related or mother–pouch young interactions. Anecdotal reports suggest that additional interactions occur, including den sharing by a few individuals, usually siblings. Here, we report novel observations that indicate opossums are more social than previously thought. These include nest sharing by males and females of Marmosa paraguayana, Gracilinanus microtarsus and Marmosops incanus prior to the onset of the breeding season and without signs of sexual activity; this is taken to indicate early pair-bonding matching and cooperative nest building. We also recorded den sharing among recently weaned siblings of Didelphis aurita and Caluromys philander. In addition, we observed 13 individuals of Didelphis albiventris representing three age classes resting without agonistic interactions in a communal den. These are the first reports of gregarious behaviour involving so many individuals, which are either unrelated or represent siblings from at least two litters, already weaned, sharing the same den with three adults. Sociality in opossums is probably more complex than previously established, and field experimental designs combining the use of artificial nests with camera traps or telemetry may help to gauge the frequency and extent of these phenomena. PMID:26085500

Crowned dens syndrome diagnosed on ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT.

PubMed

Monet, Antoine; Massonnat, Richard; Merino, Bertrand; Riviere, Annalisa; Richez, Christophe

2014-12-01

An 87-year-old woman with corticosteroid-resistant polymyalgia rheumatica underwent ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT for suspected giant cell arteritis or neoplastic disease. FDG uptake in the immediate vicinity of the odontoid process, with a crownlike calcification, was identified on the CT scan on the posterior side of the dens, thus confirming the diagnosis of crowned dens syndrome. Because this rare syndrome is frequently misdiagnosed, nuclear physicians should be aware of the signs and symptoms of this condition, which may call for the use of PET/CT imagery.

Symmetriebrechung und Emergenz in der Kosmologie.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mainzer, K.

Seit der Antike wird der Aufbau des Universums mit einfachen und regulären (symmetrischen) Grundstrukturen verbunden. Diese Annahme liegt selbst noch den Standardmodellen der relativistischen Kosmologie zugrunde. Demgegenüber läßt sich die Emergenz neuer Strukturen von den Elementarteilchen über Moleküle bis zu den komplexen Systemen des Lebens als Symmetriebrechung verstehen. Symmetriebrechung und strukturelle Komplexität bestimmen die kosmische Evolution. Damit zeichnet sich ein fachübergreifendes Forschungsprogramm von Physik, Chemie und Biologie ab, in dem die Evolution des Universums untersucht werden kann.

Lack of gp130 expression in hepatocytes attenuates tumor progression in the DEN model.

PubMed

Hatting, M; Spannbauer, M; Peng, J; Al Masaoudi, M; Sellge, G; Nevzorova, Y A; Gassler, N; Liedtke, C; Cubero, F J; Trautwein, C

2015-03-05

Chronic liver inflammation is a crucial event in the development and growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Compelling evidence has shown that interleukin-6 (IL-6)/gp130-dependent signaling has a fundamental role in liver carcinogenesis. Thus, in the present study we aimed to investigate the role of gp130 in hepatocytes for the initiation and progression of HCC. Hepatocyte-specific gp130 knockout mice (gp130(Δhepa)) and control animals (gp130(f/f)) were treated with diethylnitrosamine (DEN). The role of gp130 for acute injury (0-144 h post treatment), tumor initiation (24 weeks) and progression (40 weeks) was analyzed. After acute DEN-induced liver injury we observed a reduction in the inflammatory response in gp130(Δhepa) animals as reflected by decreased levels of IL-6 and oncostatin M. The loss of gp130 slightly attenuated the initiation of HCC 24 weeks after DEN treatment. In contrast, 40 weeks after DEN treatment, male and female gp130(Δhepa) mice showed smaller tumors and reduced tumor burden, indicating a role for hepatocyte-specific gp130 expression during HCC progression. Oxidative stress and DNA damage were substantially and similarly increased by DEN in both gp130(f/f) and gp130(Δhepa) animals. However, gp130(Δhepa) livers revealed aberrant STAT5 activation and decreased levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ), pSMAD2/3 and SMAD2, whereas phosphorylation of STAT3 at Tyr705 and Ser727 was absent. Our results indicate that gp130 deletion in hepatocytes reduces progression, but not HCC initiation in the DEN model. Gp130 deletion resulted in STAT3 inhibition but increased STAT5 activation and diminished TGF-dependent signaling. Hence, blocking gp130 in hepatocytes might be an interesting therapeutic target to inhibit the growth of HCC.

Corticosterone and the transition from courtship behavior to dispersal in male red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis).

PubMed

Cease, Arianne J; Lutterschmidt, Deborah I; Mason, Robert T

2007-01-01

Seasonal modulation of baseline glucocorticoid concentrations as well as the sensitivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays an important role in supporting critical life-history events such as seasonal reproduction and migration. Despite numerous studies on adrenocortical modulation, little is known about the exact timing of this seasonal modulation with respect to critical life-history stages. We tested the hypothesis that seasonal modulation of the HPA axis during the spring mating season in male red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) is temporally linked to the mechanisms regulating dispersal. We compared hormonal responses to capture stress in courting male red-sided garter snakes collected from the den site and den perimeter to those of dispersing snakes collected 0.6 km from the den. We also investigated possible changes in steroid hormones during the spring mating season. These studies support previous findings that plasma androgen and corticosterone concentrations significantly decline over the mating season. Our results demonstrate that males 0.6 km into a 15-20 km route to the feeding grounds have lower baseline corticosterone concentrations than male snakes actively courting at the den. Dispersing males also exhibit a typical stress response marked by a significant increase in corticosterone while actively courting males do not. Capture stress did not significantly influence androgen concentrations of either courting or dispersing male red-sided garter snakes. There were no significant differences in body composition indices among male snakes collected from the den, den perimeter, or 0.6 km away from the den. However, we did observe a significant negative correlation between baseline corticosterone levels and body composition indices. These data suggest that breeding is a distinct stage accompanied by specific physiological parameters that differ from those during dispersal to the feeding grounds. Our results indicate that declining baseline corticosterone concentrations may play a role in the behavioral switch between actively courting and dispersing (i.e., feeding) in the late spring.

Infectious diseases in Yellowstone’s canid community

USGS Publications Warehouse

Almberg, Emily S.; Cross, Paul C.; Mech, L. David; Smith, Doug W.; Sheldon, Jennifer W.; Crabtree, Robert L.

2011-01-01

Each summer Yellowstone Wolf Project staff visit den sites to monitor the success of wolf reproduction and pup rearing behavior. For the purposes of wolf monitoring, Yellowstone National Park (YNP) is divided into two study areas, the northern range and the interior, each distinguished by their ecological and physiographical differences. The 1,000 square kilometer northern range, characterized by lower elevations (1,500–2,200 m), serves as prime winter habitat for ungulates and supports a higher density of wolves than the interior (20–99 wolves/1,000 km2 versus 2–11 wolves/1,000 km2). The interior of the park encompasses 7,991 square kilometers, is higher in elevation, receives higher annual snowfall, and generally supports lower densities of wolves and ungulates. During the Yellowstone Wolf Project’s 2005 observations on the northern range, researchers noticed that some wolf pups were disappearing and those that remained were unusually listless. The Slough Creek pups, at first numbering 18, dwindled to three survivors. Similar findings were mirrored at other den sites across the northern range. When annual den surveys were conducted in late July, all that remained were scattered piles of bones and fur. Coyotes suffered similar setbacks in 2005, with many of the survivors exhibiting neurological shakes and tremors. The park’s canids had been affected by something, but what? Prompted by what seemed to be a disease outbreak, the Yellowstone Wolf Project, the Yellowstone Ecological Research Center (YERC), and the University of Minnesota decided to take several collaborative approaches toward improving our understanding of the presence and role of infectious disease in Yellowstone’s canid community. Several serological studies have been conducted in the past among the park’s coyotes (Gese et al. 1997) and cougars (Biek 2006), providing a helpful foundation on which to build and compare. A serological survey was conducted, using serum samples collected during routine wolf and coyote captures over a period of 18 years (Almberg et al. 2009). Simulation models were used to explore the dynamics of canine distemper virus (Almberg et al. 2010)—one of the more prominent pathogens in terms of its effects on its hosts—and several long-term pathogen surveillance projects were initiated which are intended to someday provide a foundation for more advanced genetic-based analyses of pathogen dynamics. Since these initial efforts, the group has also expanded the research to include a study of sarcoptic mange, which began affecting wolves and coyotes in YNP in 2006 and 2007.

24. Typical 1bedroom apartment, from entry hall, den (right) bedroom ...

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

24. Typical 1-bedroom apartment, from entry hall, den (right) bedroom (left), and kitchen (not shown) on left. - Techwood Homes, Building No. 5, 467 Techwood Drive & 114-120 Pine Street, Atlanta, Fulton County, GA

Biokompatible Implantate und Neuentwicklungen in der Gynäkologie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobs, Volker R.; Kiechle, Marion

Für den Einsatz in der Gynäkologie stehen heute eine Vielzahl unterschiedlicher, biokompatibler Materialien und Implantate zur Verfügung. Auf eine Auswahl soll hier näher eingegangen werden, die die verschiedenen Materialien und Bauweisen repräsentieren. So sind Brustimplantate seit fast vier Jahrzehnten im Gebrauch für die Brustvergrösserung und den Brustwiederaufbau. Material, Bauweisen und medizinische Aspekte einschliesslich der kontroversen Diskussion um Silikon werden im folgenden erläutert. Neuere Entwicklungen von Verhütungstechniken für permanente Sterilisation wie den Filshie ClipTM für transabdominalen und den STOPTM für intraluminalen Verschluss der Eileiter oder die intrauterin plazierte Hormonspirale MirenaTM für zeitlich begrenzte Verhütung werden beschrieben. Eine neue Perspektive zur Verhinderung postoperativer intraabdominaler Adhäsionen stellt Spray-GelTM, ein Zweikomponenten Hydrogel aus Polyethylenglykol, dar.

Energy as a Service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pell, Wolfgang

Energie wird zum Gebrauchsgegenstand, zur Commodity und rückt doch in den Blickpunkt der Aufmerksamkeit. Volkswirtschaftliche, politische, gesellschaftliche und betriebswirtschaftliche Ansprüche lassen Services rund um die Energieversorgung (Energy-related Services) entstehen. Convenience Services, die den Ansprüchen der Konsumenten gerecht werden, wie Visualisierung von (dezentraler) Energieerzeugung und -verbrauch auf Basis digitaler Smart Meter, die den analogen Ferraris-Zähler ersetzen, sowie optimierter Energieeinsatz halten in Haushalten als digitalisierten Standorten (Smart Sites) Einzug. Energieoptimierung auf Basis des Paradigmas "Verbrauch folgt Erzeugung" stellt Nachfrageflexibilität industrieller Prozesse (Demand Response) als Energie-Effizienz-Faktor in den Vordergrund und lässt Services wie ihre Vermarktung als Regelenergie zur Stabilisierung der Netzfrequenz entstehen. Ein Innovation Action Plan liefert einen Ausblick, wohin die Integration neuer Technologien, die Steigerung der Kundennähe und die Entwicklung neuer Geschäftsmodelle die Energiewirtschaft führen kann. Mit Eco-Home und Power-Pool werden zwei konkrete Beispiele für Energy as a Service vorgestellt.

Urban residential road traffic noise and hypertension: a cross-sectional study of adult population.

PubMed

Banerjee, Dibyendu; Das, Partha P; Fouzdar, Anjan

2014-12-01

Results from studies involving exposure to road traffic noise and risk of hypertension are diverse and have seldom reached statistical significance. This study was designed with the aim of investigating whether there is any association between road traffic noise and prevalence of hypertension in an urban adult population. Similar studies have never been reported from India. A cross-sectional study was performed on 909 adults (533 female and 376 male) aged 18-80 years residing in close proximity to roadways in Asansol City. Time-weighted equivalent noise level (L den) was estimated using a standard modeling platform. Odds for hypertension in relation to traffic noise exposure were estimated by univariate and multifactorial logistic regression. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for self-reported hypertension was 1.99 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.66-2.39) per 5 dB(A) increase of L den (range 55.1-77.9). A gender-related risk difference was observed among the male (OR 1.81 (1.42-2.31)) and female (OR 2.18 (1.66-2.88)) respondents. For increase in 9 years of age, the odds of hypertension risk increased by 60 % (OR 1.66 (1.43-1.91) among those exposed above L den 60 dB(A). Vulnerable subgroups were female aged 35-54 years and male aged 45-54 years. The study suggests that a threshold exposure to road traffic noise at L den > 65 dB(A) for men and L den > 60 dB(A) in women may be associated with the occurrence of hypertension.

Behavioral Immunity Suppresses an Epizootic in Caribbean Spiny Lobsters.

PubMed

Butler, Mark J; Behringer, Donald C; Dolan, Thomas W; Moss, Jessica; Shields, Jeffrey D

2015-01-01

Sociality has evolved in a wide range of animal taxa but infectious diseases spread rapidly in populations of aggregated individuals, potentially negating the advantages of their social interactions. To disengage from the coevolutionary struggle with pathogens, some hosts have evolved various forms of "behavioral immunity"; yet, the effectiveness of such behaviors in controlling epizootics in the wild is untested. Here we show how one form of behavioral immunity (i.e., the aversion of diseased conspecifics) practiced by Caribbean spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) when subject to the socially transmitted PaV1 virus, appears to have prevented an epizootic over a large seascape. We capitalized on a "natural experiment" in which a die-off of sponges in the Florida Keys (USA) resulted in a loss of shelters for juvenile lobsters over a ~2500km2 region. Lobsters were thus concentrated in the few remaining shelters, presumably increasing their exposure to the contagious virus. Despite this spatial reorganization of the population, viral prevalence in lobsters remained unchanged after the sponge die-off and for years thereafter. A field experiment in which we introduced either a healthy or PaV1-infected lobster into lobster aggregations in natural dens confirmed that spiny lobsters practice behavioral immunity. Healthy lobsters vacated dens occupied by PaV1-infected lobsters despite the scarcity of alternative shelters and the higher risk of predation they faced when searching for a new den. Simulations from a spatially-explicit, individual-based model confirmed our empirical results, demonstrating the efficacy of behavioral immunity in preventing epizootics in this system.

Behavioral Immunity Suppresses an Epizootic in Caribbean Spiny Lobsters

PubMed Central

Butler, Mark J.; Behringer, Donald C.; Dolan, Thomas W.; Moss, Jessica; Shields, Jeffrey D.

2015-01-01

Sociality has evolved in a wide range of animal taxa but infectious diseases spread rapidly in populations of aggregated individuals, potentially negating the advantages of their social interactions. To disengage from the coevolutionary struggle with pathogens, some hosts have evolved various forms of “behavioral immunity”; yet, the effectiveness of such behaviors in controlling epizootics in the wild is untested. Here we show how one form of behavioral immunity (i.e., the aversion of diseased conspecifics) practiced by Caribbean spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) when subject to the socially transmitted PaV1 virus, appears to have prevented an epizootic over a large seascape. We capitalized on a "natural experiment" in which a die-off of sponges in the Florida Keys (USA) resulted in a loss of shelters for juvenile lobsters over a ~2500km2 region. Lobsters were thus concentrated in the few remaining shelters, presumably increasing their exposure to the contagious virus. Despite this spatial reorganization of the population, viral prevalence in lobsters remained unchanged after the sponge die-off and for years thereafter. A field experiment in which we introduced either a healthy or PaV1-infected lobster into lobster aggregations in natural dens confirmed that spiny lobsters practice behavioral immunity. Healthy lobsters vacated dens occupied by PaV1-infected lobsters despite the scarcity of alternative shelters and the higher risk of predation they faced when searching for a new den. Simulations from a spatially-explicit, individual-based model confirmed our empirical results, demonstrating the efficacy of behavioral immunity in preventing epizootics in this system. PMID:26061629

Road traffic noise, air pollution components and cardiovascular events.

PubMed

de Kluizenaar, Yvonne; van Lenthe, Frank J; Visschedijk, Antoon J H; Zandveld, Peter Y J; Miedema, Henk M E; Mackenbach, Johan P

2013-01-01

Traffic noise and air pollution have been associated with cardiovascular health effects. Until date, only a limited amount of prospective epidemiological studies is available on long-term effects of road traffic noise and combustion related air pollution. This study investigates the relationship between road traffic noise and air pollution and hospital admissions for ischemic heart disease (IHD: International Classification of Diseases (ICD9) 410-414) or cerebrovascular disease (cerebrovascular event [CVE]: ICD9 430-438). We linked baseline questionnaire data to 13 years of follow-up on hospital admissions and road traffic noise and air pollution exposure, for a large random sample (N = 18,213) of inhabitants of the Eindhoven region, Netherlands. Subjects with cardiovascular event during follow-up on average had higher road traffic noise day, evening, night level (L den) and air pollution exposure at the home. After adjustment for confounders (age, sex, body mass index, smoking, education, exercise, marital status, alcohol use, work situation, financial difficulties), increased exposure did not exert a significant increased risk of hospital admission for IHD or cerebrovascular disease. Relative risks (RRs) for a 5 (th) to 95 (th) percentile interval increase were 1.03 (0.88-1.20) for L den; 1.04 (0.90-1.21) for particulate matter (PM 10 ); 1.05 (0.91-1.20) for elemental carbon (EC); and 1.12 (096-1.32) for nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) in the full model. While the risk estimate seemed highest for NO 2 , for a 5 (th) to 95 (th) percentile interval increase, expressed as RRs per 1 μg/m 3 increases, hazard ratios seemed highest for EC (RR 1.04 [0.92-1.18]). In the subgroup of study participants with a history of cardiovascular disease, RR estimates seemed highest for noise exposure (1.19 [0.87-1.64] for L den); in the subgroup of elderly RR seemed highest for air pollution exposure (RR 1.24 [0.93-1.66] for NO 2 ).

BOK promotes chemical-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in mice.

PubMed

Rabachini, Tatiana; Fernandez-Marrero, Yuniel; Montani, Matteo; Loforese, Giulio; Sladky, Valentina; He, Zhaoyue; Bachmann, Daniel; Wicki, Simone; Villunger, Andreas; Stroka, Deborah; Kaufmann, Thomas

2018-03-01

BCL-2-related ovarian killer (BOK) is a conserved and widely expressed BCL-2 family member with sequence homology to pro-apoptotic BAX and BAK, but with poorly understood pathophysiological function. Since several members of the BCL-2 family are critically involved in the regulation of hepatocellular apoptosis and carcinogenesis we aimed to establish whether loss of BOK affects diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in mice. Short-term exposure to DEN lead to upregulation of BOK mRNA and protein in the liver. Of note, induction of CHOP and the pro-apoptotic BH3-only proteins PUMA and BIM by DEN was strongly reduced in the absence of BOK. Accordingly, Bok -/- mice were significantly protected from DEN-induced acute hepatocellular apoptosis and associated inflammation. As a consequence, Bok -/- animals were partially protected against chemical-induced hepatocarcinogenesis showing fewer and, surprisingly, also smaller tumors than WT controls. Gene expression profiling revealed that downregulation of BOK results in upregulation of genes involved in cell cycle arrest. Bok -/- hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) displayed higher expression levels of the cyclin kinase inhibitors p19 INK4d and p21 cip1 . Accordingly, hepatocellular carcinoma in Bok -/- animals, BOK-deficient human HCC cell lines, as well as non-transformed cells, showed significantly less proliferation than BOK-proficient controls. We conclude that BOK is induced by DEN, contributes to DEN-induced hepatocellular apoptosis and resulting hepatocarcinogenesis. In line with its previously reported predominant localization at the endoplasmic reticulum, our findings support a role of BOK that links the cell cycle and cell death machineries upstream of mitochondrial damage.

The Advantages of Hybrid 4DEnVar in the Context of the Forecast Sensitivity to Initial Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Hyo-Jong; Shin, Seoleun; Ha, Ji-Hyun; Lim, Sujeong

2017-11-01

Hybrid four-dimensional ensemble variational data assimilation (hybrid 4DEnVar) is a prospective successor to three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVar) in operational weather prediction centers currently developing a new weather prediction model and those that do not operate adjoint models. In experiments using real observations, hybrid 4DEnVar improved Northern Hemisphere (NH; 20°N-90°N) 500 hPa geopotential height forecasts up to 5 days in a NH summer month compared to 3DVar, with statistical significance. This result is verified against ERA-Interim through a Monte Carlo test. By a regression analysis, the sensitivity of 5 day forecast is associated with the quality of the initial condition. The increased analysis skill for midtropospheric midlatitude temperature and subtropical moisture has the most apparent effect on forecast skill in the NH including a typhoon prediction case. Through attributing the analysis improvements by hybrid 4DEnVar separately to the ensemble background error covariance (BEC), its four-dimensional (4-D) extension, and climatological BEC, it is revealed that the ensemble BEC contributes to the subtropical moisture analysis, whereas the 4-D extension does to the midtropospheric midlatitude temperature. This result implies that hourly wind-mass correlation in 6 h analysis window is required to extract the potential of hybrid 4DEnVar for the midlatitude temperature analysis to the maximum. However, the temporal ensemble correlation, in hourly time scale, between moisture and another variable is invalid so that it could not work for improving the hybrid 4DEnVar analysis.

Psychosis associated with acute recreational drug toxicity: a European case series.

PubMed

Vallersnes, Odd Martin; Dines, Alison M; Wood, David M; Yates, Christopher; Heyerdahl, Fridtjof; Hovda, Knut Erik; Giraudon, Isabelle; Dargan, Paul I

2016-08-18

Psychosis can be associated with acute recreational drug and novel psychoactive substance (NPS) toxicity. However, there is limited data available on how common this is and which drugs are most frequently implicated. We describe a European case series of psychosis associated with acute recreational drug toxicity, and estimate the frequency of psychosis for different recreational drugs. The European Drug Emergencies Network (Euro-DEN) collects data on presentations to Emergency Departments (EDs) with acute recreational drug and NPS toxicity at 16 centres in ten countries. Euro-DEN data from October 2013 through September 2014 was retrospectively searched, and cases with psychosis were included. The proportion of cases with psychosis per drug was calculated in the searched Euro-DEN dataset. Psychosis was present in 348 (6.3 %) of 5529 cases. The median (interquartile range) age was 29 (24-38) years, 276 (79.3 %) were male and 114 (32.8 %) were admitted to psychiatric ward. The drugs most commonly reported were cannabis in 90 (25.9 %) cases, amphetamine in 87 (25.0 %) and cocaine in 56 (16.1 %). More than one drug was taken in 189 (54.3 %) cases. Psychosis was frequent in those ED presentations involving tryptamines (4/7; 57.1 %), methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) (6/22; 27.3 %), methylphenidate (6/26; 23.1 %), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) (18/86; 20.9 %), psilocybe mushrooms (3/16; 18.8 %), synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (4/26; 15.4 %) and amphetamine (87/593; 14.7 %), but less common in those involving mephedrone (14/245; 5.7 %), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) (20/461; 4.3 %) and methedrone (3/92; 3.3 %). Amphetamine was the most frequent drug associated with psychosis when only one agent was reported, with psychosis occurring in 32.4 % of these presentations. The frequency of psychosis in acute recreational drug toxicity varies considerably between drugs, but is a major problem in amphetamine poisoning. In rapidly changing drug markets and patterns of use, the Euro-DEN sentinel network contributes to measuring the scale of drug-related harms in Europe beyond other more established indicators.

21. Typical 2bedroom apartment with entry into den, hallway with ...

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

21. Typical 2-bedroom apartment with entry into den, hallway with bathroom and bedrooms (right). Entry to kitchen (left). - Techwood Homes, Building No. 5, 467 Techwood Drive & 114-120 Pine Street, Atlanta, Fulton County, GA

27. Typical 2bedroom apartment with entry into den, hallway with ...

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

27. Typical 2-bedroom apartment with entry into den, hallway with bathroom and bedrooms (left), entry to kitchen (right) - Techwood Homes, Building No. 6, 465 Techwood Drive & 119-125 Hunnicutt Street, Atlanta, Fulton County, GA

Genetics Home Reference: Leber congenital amaurosis

MedlinePlus

... FP, van den Hurk JA, den Hollander AI. Molecular genetics of Leber congenital amaurosis. Hum Mol Genet. 2002 ... J. Leber congenital amaurosis: comprehensive survey of the genetic ... as a strategy for molecular diagnosis. Hum Mutat. 2004 Apr;23(4):306- ...

Effects of anisotropy in permeability on the two-phase flow and heat transfer in a porous cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X. L.; Nguyen, T. Hung; Kahawita, R.

Zusammenfassung In der Arbeit wird über die Ergebnisse einer numerischen Studie, betreffend die stationäre Konvektionsströmung und den stationären Wärmeübergang in einer rechteckigen, mit einem porösen, phasenveränderlichen Medium (PCM) verfüllten Kavität, berichtet. Den zwei vertikalen Berandungen der Kavität sind zwei, den Schmelzpunkt des PCM einschließende Temperaturen aufgeprägt, während die beiden horizontalen Berandungen adiabat gehalten werden. Das poröse Medium ist durch einen anisotropen Permeabilitätstensor charakterisiert, dessen Hauptachsen bezüglich des Gravitationsvektors beliebig orientiert sein können. Das Problem ist durch das Seitenverhältnis A, die Rayleigh-Zahl Ra, das Anisotropienverhältnis R und den Orientierungswinkel Θ des Permeabilitätstensor bestimmt. Hauptaugenmerk gilt dem Einfluß der anisotropen Permeabilität auf das Strömungsverhalten und den Wärme-übergang beim Phasenwechselprozeß flüssig/fest. Die Lösungsmethode basiert auf dem Kontrollvolumenprinzip in Verbindung mit der Landau-Transformation über welche das irreguläre Strömungsgebiet in ein rechteckiges abgebildet wird. Ergebnisse bezüglich Strömungsfeld, Temperaturverteilung, Phasengrenzenort und Wärmeübergang werden fürA=2,5Ra=40 0<=Θ<=π 0,25<=R<=4 mitgeteilt. Es zeigte sich, daß der Gleichgewichtszustand des Phasenwechselsprozesses fest/flüssig sowohl durch das Anisotropieverhältnis R als auch durch den Orientierungswinkel Θ des Permeabilitätstensors wesentlich beeinflußt werden kann. Zum einen existiert bei festgehaltenen ParameternA, Ra undR eine optimale Orientierung Θmax, bei der die Stromstärke, das Flüssigkeitsvolumen und der Wärmestrom Maximalwerte erreichen, während für Θmin=Θmax+π/2 Minimalwerte resultieren. Ist das anisotrope Medium entlang der Optimalrichtung Θmax orientiert, so ergibt sich zum anderen, daß eine Vergrößerung der in diese Richtung fallenden Permeabilitätskomponente die Stromstärke und den Wärmestrom in gleichem Maße erhöht, während eine Vergrößerung der anderen Permeabilitätskomponente nur vernachlässigbaren Einfluß hat. In den untersuchten Parameterbereichen lag die Optimalrichtung zwischen dem Gravitationsvektor und der Hauptstromrichtung.

Upper cervical injuries: Clinical results using a new treatment algorithm

PubMed Central

Joaquim, Andrei F.; Ghizoni, Enrico; Tedeschi, Helder; Yacoub, Alexandre R. D.; Brodke, Darrel S.; Vaccaro, Alexander R.; Patel, Alpesh A.

2015-01-01

Introduction: Upper cervical injuries (UCI) have a wide range of radiological and clinical presentation due to the unique complex bony, ligamentous and vascular anatomy. We recently proposed a rational approach in an attempt to unify prior classification system and guide treatment. In this paper, we evaluate the clinical results of our algorithm for UCI treatment. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort series of patients with UCI was performed. The primary outcome was the AIS. Surgical treatment was proposed based on our protocol: Ligamentous injuries (abnormal misalignment, facet perched or locked, increase atlanto-dens interval) were treated surgically. Bone fractures without ligamentous injuries were treated with a rigid cervical orthosis, with exception of fractures in the dens base with risk factors for non-union. Results: Twenty-three patients treated initially conservatively had some follow-up (mean of 171 days, range from 60 to 436 days). All of them were neurologically intact. None of the patients developed a new neurological deficit. Fifteen patients were initially surgically treated (mean of 140 days of follow-up, ranging from 60 to 270 days). In the surgical group, preoperatively, 11 (73.3%) patients were AIS E, 2 (13.3%) AIS C and 2 (13.3%) AIS D. At the final follow-up, the American Spine Injury Association (ASIA) score was: 13 (86.6%) AIS E and 2 (13.3%) AIS D. None of the patients had neurological worsening during the follow-up. Conclusions: This prospective cohort suggested that our UCI treatment algorithm can be safely used. Further prospective studies with longer follow-up are necessary to further establish its clinical validity and safety. PMID:25788816

Determination of Neutron Spectra in a Graphite Sphere for Fusion Reactor Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashter, I. B.; Cooper, P. N.

Calculated and experimental results for the neutron spectra at different radii in a graphite sphere irradiated with 14.1 MeV neutrons were shown to be in satisfactory agreement over the energy range 14.1 to 1.8 MeV neutrons. A group of curves were constructed which gives the radius of a graphite sphere shield required to attenuate the neutron intensity to a certain value. The data set used in the present work, with carbon-12 cross section, is shown to be useful for spherical calculations.Translated AbstractDie Bestimmung der Neutronenspektren in einer GraphitkugelDie Übereinstimmung experimentell bestimmter und berechneter Neutronenspektren in Abhängigkeit vom Ort in einer Graphitkugel wird in einem Energiebereich von 14,1 bis 1,8 MeV (bei einer Ausgangsenergie von 14,1 MeV je Neutron) gezeigt. Eine Gruppe von Kurven wird konstruiert, die den für eine bestimmte Dämpfung der Neutronenintensität notwendigen Radius einer Graphitkugel angeben. Es wird nachgewiesen, daß die in der Arbeit benutzte Datenbank für den 12C-Wirkungsquerschnitt in sphärischen Geometrien anwendbar ist.

Sexually dimorphic patterns of space use throughout ontogeny in the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boydston, E.E.; Kapheim, K.M.; Van Horn, R. C.; Smale, L.; Holekamp, K.E.

2005-01-01

Observational and telemetry data were used in a geographic information system database to document the ontogenetic development of sexually dimorphic patterns of space use among free-living spotted hyenas Crocuta crocuta in Kenya. No measures of space use were sexually dimorphic among den-dwelling cubs, nor were sex differences apparent among hyenas that had ceased using dens for shelter until these animals were c. 30 months of age. Significant sex differences emerged late in the third year of life, and persisted throughout the remainder of the life span; males were found farther from the geographic centre of the natal territory than were females, and the mean size of individual 95% utility distributions was larger for males than females. Most dispersal events by radio-collared males were preceded by a series of exploratory excursions outside the natal territory. All collared males dispersed, but no collared females did so. Most dispersing males moved only one or two home ranges away at dispersal, roughly 8-10 km distant from the natal territory, before settling in a new social group. ?? 2005 The Zoological Society of London.

Dragons' Den: promoting healthcare research and innovation.

PubMed

Mazhindu, Deborah; Gregory, Siobhan

2015-07-01

The changing health and social care landscape, and, in particular, the financial challenges affecting the NHS, can present difficulties for staff looking for funding to support innovation and new ways of working. One method of competitive tendering that is becoming more accepted as a way of allocating funds, encouraging staff engagement and developing innovation for research is a format based the BBC television series, Dragons' Den. This article describes how Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust, London, has developed a 'Dragons' Den initiative' of annual competitive research funding allocation to ensure that some of the most dynamic practice in the trust is captured.

Assessment of Forecast Sensitivity to Observation and Its Application to Satellite Radiances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ide, K.

2017-12-01

The Forecast sensitivity to observation provides practical and useful metric for the assessment of observation impact without conducting computationally intensive data denial experiments. Quite often complex data assimilation systems use a simplified version of the forecast sensitivity formulation based on ensembles. In this talk, we first present the comparison of forecast sensitivity for 4DVar, Hybrid-4DEnVar, and 4DEnKF with or without such simplifications using a highly nonlinear model. We then present the results of ensemble forecast sensitivity to satellite radiance observations for Hybrid-4DEnVart using NOAA's Global Forecast System.

Superadiabaticity of the lowermost part of the mantle thermally controlled by the post-perovskite phase transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuen, D. A.; Monnereau, M.

2005-12-01

There is increasing evidence of superadiabaticity in the lowermost portion of the mantle, from 500 to 700 km above the core-mantle boundary, from both seismology ( e.g Cammarano et al., 2005 ) and mineral physics ( e.g. da Silva et al, 2000 ). This may be caused by a blanketing effect due to a dense chemical layer ( e.g. Kellogg et al., 1999) or an accumulation of recycled crust ( Coltice and Ricard, 1999). The temperature-dependence of radiative thermal conductivity may also contribute to this superadiabatic state ( van den Berg et al., 2004 ). We have found also the post-perovskite( PPV) phase transition may also be a contributor to this phenomenon. From 3-D spherical-shell anelastic compressible convection including a deep phase change, the PPV, we have demonstrated that as long as the CMB temperature, T-cmb is higher than the temperature intercept of the PPV at the CMB pressure , T-i, the horizontally averaged temperature gradient in the the thermal boundary layer is equal to the Clapeyron slope of the PPV i.e. 6.25 K/km for a Clapeyron slope of 8 MPa/K, which corresponds to a core heat-flux of around 5 TW. This superadiabatic effect disappears, as soon as the CMB temperature becomes lower than T-i, due to secular cooling. This phenomenon is restricted to a range of temperature of above T-i. We have found that T-cmb can be as high as 4000 K for this superadiabatic condition to prevail. Such a phenomenon would prevent a double-crossing of the phase change by the horizontally averaged temperature profile, as proposed by Hernlund et al. ( 2005), at least in the range of the physical parameters of PPV transition , as measured by laboratory experiments and derived by ab initio calculations ( Tsuchiya et al., 2004 )

Nonsurgical Management of an Immature Maxillary Central Incisor with Type III Dens Invaginatus Using MTA Plug: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Norouzi, Negar; Kazem, Majid; Gohari, Atefeh

2017-01-01

Dens invaginatus is a developmental anomaly, caused by deepening of the enamel organ into the dental papilla before calcification of the dental tissues. Teeth with dens invagination are susceptible to early caries and pulp necrosis within a few years of eruption or even before root end closure. This article reports two immature maxillary central incisors with type I and III dens invaginatus which had necrotic pulp and a large periradicular lesion, that were treated successfully by nonsurgical root canal treatment. After apical plug placement, the remaining space was backfilled using warm vertical gutta-percha technique and the crowns were restored by composite restoration. At 6 months of follow up the patient was asymptomatic and probing depths were less than 3 mm. In addition, the reduction in the size of apical radiolucencies was observed by radiographic examinations. This case report revealed that even type III des invaginatus with an open apex and large periapical lesion, can be treated non-surgically using MTA as an apical plug. Although this case report presents a favorable result, further studies with long term follow-up periods are encouraged to support the use of nonsurgical endodontic treatment for type III dens invaginatus. PMID:29225653

Protective Effect of Boiled and Freeze-dried Mature Silkworm Larval Powder Against Diethylnitrosamine-induced Hepatotoxicity in Mice.

PubMed

Cho, Jae-Min; Kim, Kee-Young; Ji, Sang-Deok; Kim, Eun-Hee

2016-09-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a representative inflammation-associated cancer and known to be the most frequent tumors. HCC may also induce important pro- and anti-tumor immune reactions. However, the underlying mechanisms are unsatisfactorily identified. We investigated the protective effect of boiled and freeze-dried mature silkworm larval powder (BMSP) on diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Mice were fed with diet containing BMSP (0.1, 1, and 10 g/kg) for two weeks and DEN (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) was injected 18 hours before the end of this experiment. Liver toxicity was determined in serum and histopathological examination was assessed in the liver tissues. Infiltration of immune cells and expressions of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines were also examined. Pretreatment with BMSP reduced necrotic and histopathological changes induced by DEN in the liver. Measurement of serum biochemical indicators, the levels of alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase, showed that pretreatment with BMSP also decreased DEN-induced hepatotoxicity. In addition, BMSP inhibited the macrophage and CD31 infiltration in a dose-dependent manner. The expressions of interleukin-1β, IFN-γ and chemokines for T cell activation were decreased in BMSP pretreatment groups. BMSP may have a protective effect against acute liver injury by inhibiting necrosis and inflammatory response in DEN-treated mice.

Epidemiology of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever in a cohort of adults living in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.

PubMed

Porter, Kevin R; Beckett, Charmagne G; Kosasih, Herman; Tan, Ratna Irsiana; Alisjahbana, Bachti; Rudiman, Pandji Irani Fianza; Widjaja, Susana; Listiyaningsih, Erlin; Ma'Roef, Chairin Nisa; McArdle, James L; Parwati, Ida; Sudjana, Primal; Jusuf, Hadi; Yuwono, Djoko; Wuryadi, Suharyono

2005-01-01

A prospective study of dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) was conducted in a cohort of adult volunteers from two textile factories located in West Java, Indonesia. Volunteers in the cohort were bled every three months and were actively followed for the occurrence of dengue (DEN) disease. The first two years of the study showed an incidence of symptomatic DEN disease of 18 cases per 1,000 person-years and an estimated asymptomatic/ mild infection rate of 56 cases per 1,000 person-years in areas of high disease transmission. In areas where no symptomatic cases were detected, the incidence of asymptomatic or mild infection was 8 cases per 1,000 person-years. Dengue-2 virus was the predominant serotype identified, but all four serotypes were detected among the cohort. Four cases of DHF and one case of dengue shock syndrome (DSS) were identified. Three of the four DHF cases were due to DEN-3 virus. The one DSS case occurred in the setting of a prior DEN-2 virus infection, followed by a secondary infection with DEN-1 virus. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a longitudinal cohort study of naturally acquired DF and DHF in adults.

Validation of a preclinical model of diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatic neoplasia in Yucatan miniature pigs

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Jennifer; Tinkey, Peggy T.; Avritscher, Rony; Van Pelt, Carolyn; Eskandari, Ghazaleh; George, Suraj Konnath; Xiao, Lianchun; Cressman, Erik; Morris, Jeffrey S.; Rashid, Asif; Kaseb, Ahmed O.; Amin, Hesham M.; Uthamanthil, Rajesh

2016-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to reduce time to tumor onset in a diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) swine model via partial liver embolization (PLE) and to characterize the model for use in translational research. Methods Eight Yucatan miniature pigs were injected intraperitoneally with either saline (n=2) or DEN (n=6) solution weekly for 12 weeks. Three of the DEN-treated pigs underwent PLE. Animals underwent periodic radiological evaluation, liver biopsy, and blood sampling, and full necropsy was performed at study termination (~29 months). Results All DEN-treated pigs developed hepatic adenoma and HCC. PLE accelerated the time to adenoma development but not to HCC development. Biomarker analysis results showed that IGF1 levels decreased in all DEN-treated pigs, as functional liver capacity decreased with progression of HCC. VEGF and IL-6 levels were positively correlated with disease progression. Immunohistochemical probing of HCC tissues demonstrated the expression of several important survival-promoting proteins. Conclusion To our knowledge, we are the first to demonstrate accelerated development of hepatic neoplasia in Yucatan miniature pigs. Our HCC swine model closely mimics the human condition (i.e., progressive disease stages and expression of relevant molecular markers) and is a viable translational model. PMID:27305144

Psychometric properties of DAPonDEN: definitions, attitudes and practices in relation to diarrhea during enteral nutrition questionnaire.

PubMed

Majid, Hazreen A; Bin Sidek, Muhamad Adam; Chinna, Karuthan

2013-01-01

To investigate the psychometric properties of the developed 21 item questionnaire to measure definitions, attitudes and management practices in relation to diarrhea during enteral nutrition (DAPonDEN). Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis from a cross sectional study of 102 nurses aged 18 and over, conducted from December 2011 to February 2012 in Malaysia. Face and content validity of DAPonDEN were first evaluated by few expert panels and patients. For this study, adult nurses were recruited from the adult wards. In the final model, three items in DAPonDEN were dropped. In the exploratory factor analysis, five factors were extracted that explained a total of 55% of the variation in the remaining 18 items. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value was 0.723. For definition, there were two underlying factors: 'Key items in defining diarrhea' and 'non-key items in defining diarrhea'. For attitude there was a single factor. For practice, there were two underlying factors: 'enteral nutrition (EN) related' and 'awareness related'. The items in each of the underlying dimensions seem to measure the respective concepts for definition, attitude and practices adequately. The 18-items DAPonDEN instrument can be a suitable education tool to be used in relation to diarrhea during EN. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization of dengue virus 2 growth in megakaryocyte–erythrocyte progenitor cells

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

Clark, Kristina B.; Hsiao, Hui-Mien; Bassit, Leda

Megakaryocyte–erythrocyte progenitor (MEP) cells are potential in vivo targets of dengue virus (DENV); the virus has been found associated with megakaryocytes ex vivo and platelets during DENV-induced thrombocytopenia. We report here that DENV serotype 2 (DENV2) propagates well in human nondifferentiated MEP cell lines (Meg01 and K562). In comparison to virus propagated in Vero cells, viruses from MEP cell lines had similar structure and buoyant density. However, differences in MEP-DENV2 stability and composition were suggested by distinct protein patterns in western blot analysis. Also, antibody neutralization of envelope domain I/II on MEP-DENV2 was reduced relative to that on Vero-DENV2. Infectiousmore » DENV2 was produced at comparable kinetics and magnitude in MEP and Vero cells. However, fewer virion structures appeared in electron micrographs of MEP cells. We propose that DENV2 infects and produces virus efficiently in megakaryocytes and that megakaryocyte impairment might contribute to dengue disease pathogenesis. - Highlights: • DenV replicates efficiently in undifferentiated megakaryocyte–erythrocyte progenitors. • MEP produced DenV differs in protein content from Vero produced DenV. • MEP produced DenV may be more difficult to neutralize relative to Vero DenV.« less

Protective Effect of Ethanolic Extract of Tabernaemontana divaricata (L.) R. Br. against DEN and Fe NTA Induced Liver Necrosis in Wistar Albino Rats

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

This study is an attempt to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of Tabernaemontana divaricata against DEN and Fe NTA induced liver necrosis in rats. Ethanolic extract of the whole plant of Tabernaemontana divaricata at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight and 5-fluorouracil (standard drug) was orally administered to male Wistar Albino rats once daily for 24 weeks, simultaneously treated with the carcinogen DEN and Fe NTA. In simultaneously treated animals, the plant extract significantly decreased the levels of uric acid, bilirubin, AST, ALT, and ALP in serum and increased the levels of liver marker enzymes in liver. Treatment with the extracts resulted in a significant increase in the levels of antioxidants accompanied by a marked reduction in the levels of malondialdehyde when compared to DEN and Fe NTA treated group. When compared with 200 mg/kg bw rats, 400 mg/kg bw rats and 5-fluorouracil treated rats showed better results in all the parameters. The histopathological studies confirmed the protective effects of extract against DEN and Fe NTA induced liver necrosis. Thus, it could be concluded that the use of Tabernaemontana divaricata extract in the treatment of carcinogen induced hepatic necrosis. PMID:25136566

DenHunt - A Comprehensive Database of the Intricate Network of Dengue-Human Interactions

PubMed Central

Arjunan, Selvam; Sastri, Narayan P.; Chandra, Nagasuma

2016-01-01

Dengue virus (DENV) is a human pathogen and its etiology has been widely established. There are many interactions between DENV and human proteins that have been reported in literature. However, no publicly accessible resource for efficiently retrieving the information is yet available. In this study, we mined all publicly available dengue–human interactions that have been reported in the literature into a database called DenHunt. We retrieved 682 direct interactions of human proteins with dengue viral components, 382 indirect interactions and 4120 differentially expressed human genes in dengue infected cell lines and patients. We have illustrated the importance of DenHunt by mapping the dengue–human interactions on to the host interactome and observed that the virus targets multiple host functional complexes of important cellular processes such as metabolism, immune system and signaling pathways suggesting a potential role of these interactions in viral pathogenesis. We also observed that 7 percent of the dengue virus interacting human proteins are also associated with other infectious and non-infectious diseases. Finally, the understanding that comes from such analyses could be used to design better strategies to counteract the diseases caused by dengue virus. The whole dataset has been catalogued in a searchable database, called DenHunt (http://proline.biochem.iisc.ernet.in/DenHunt/). PMID:27618709

DenHunt - A Comprehensive Database of the Intricate Network of Dengue-Human Interactions.

PubMed

Karyala, Prashanthi; Metri, Rahul; Bathula, Christopher; Yelamanchi, Syam K; Sahoo, Lipika; Arjunan, Selvam; Sastri, Narayan P; Chandra, Nagasuma

2016-09-01

Dengue virus (DENV) is a human pathogen and its etiology has been widely established. There are many interactions between DENV and human proteins that have been reported in literature. However, no publicly accessible resource for efficiently retrieving the information is yet available. In this study, we mined all publicly available dengue-human interactions that have been reported in the literature into a database called DenHunt. We retrieved 682 direct interactions of human proteins with dengue viral components, 382 indirect interactions and 4120 differentially expressed human genes in dengue infected cell lines and patients. We have illustrated the importance of DenHunt by mapping the dengue-human interactions on to the host interactome and observed that the virus targets multiple host functional complexes of important cellular processes such as metabolism, immune system and signaling pathways suggesting a potential role of these interactions in viral pathogenesis. We also observed that 7 percent of the dengue virus interacting human proteins are also associated with other infectious and non-infectious diseases. Finally, the understanding that comes from such analyses could be used to design better strategies to counteract the diseases caused by dengue virus. The whole dataset has been catalogued in a searchable database, called DenHunt (http://proline.biochem.iisc.ernet.in/DenHunt/).

A Comprehensive Context for Mobile-Code Deployment

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

18 Gal, Probst, Franz, 2003 Freund, Mitchell, 1999 Sohr, 1999, 2001 Microsoft, 2000 LSDRG, 2002 Dean, Felten, Balfanz , Wallach, 2003 Govindavajhala...D. Balfanz . Java security: Web browsers and beyond. In D. E. Denning and P. J. Denning, editors, Internet Besieged: Countering Cyberspace Scofflaws

Retrospektive Analyse von Zufallsbefunden, die bei Patienten mit kutanem malignen Malignom durch (18) F-Fluordeoxyglucose-PET/CT erhoben wurden.

PubMed

Conrad, Franziska; Winkens, Thomas; Kaatz, Martin; Goetze, Steven; Freesmeyer, Martin

2016-08-01

Bei der (18) F-Fluordeoxyglucose-Positronenemissionstomographie/Computertomographie (FDG-PET/CT) ergeben sich häufig Zufallsbefunde. In der vorliegenden Studie konzentrierten wir uns auf mittels FDG-PET/CT erhaltene Zufallsbefunde bei Patienten mit kutanem Melanom und überprüften deren Relevanz hinsichtlich weiterer diagnostischer Maßnahmen und Interventionen. Die Krankenakten von 181 konsekutiven Melanom-Patienten wurden retrospektiv ausgewertet, um das Management von Zufallsbefunden zu dokumentieren. Der Schwerpunkt lag dabei auf den histologischen Befunden. Bei 33 von 181 (18 %) Patienten lagen 39 relevante Zufallsbefunde vor, und zwar im Kolorektalbereich (n = 15 Patienten), in der Schilddrüse (n = 8), der Prostata (n = 2), dem Bewegungsapparat (n = 2), in Lymphknoten (n = 2), der Parotis (n = 1), den Mandeln (n = 1), den Nieren (n = 1) und der Gallenblase (n = 1). Bei 25 Patienten schlossen sich weitere diagnostische Verfahren an, wobei in 21 Fällen ein klinisches Korrelat nachgewiesen wurde. Bei 16 von 21 Patienten ergab sich eine Neoplasie, darunter fünf maligne Läsionen (vier Kolonkarzinome und ein Prostatakarzinom). Die Malignome wurden frühzeitig diagnostiziert und in der Mehrzahl der Fälle erfolgreich entfernt. Der Einsatz der FDG-PET/CT als Routine-Diagnostik wird in den Leitlinien empfohlen und ist indiziert bei malignem Melanom ab Stadium IIC. In dieser Studie wurden auf effektive Weise ansonsten nicht erkannte Krebserkrankungen, insbesondere Kolonkarzinome, detektiert. In den meisten Fällen war eine frühe Intervention möglich. Zufallsbefunde durch FDG-PET/CT sollten, unter Berücksichtigung des Zustands und der Wünsche des Patienten, mit den geeigneten diagnostischen Maßnahmen abgeklärt werden. © 2016 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Clock gene Per2 as a controller of liver carcinogenesis

PubMed Central

Mteyrek, Ali; Filipski, Elisabeth; Guettier, Catherine; Okyar, Alper; Lévi, Francis

2016-01-01

Environmental disruption of molecular clocks promoted liver carcinogenesis and accelerated cancer progression in rodents. We investigated the specific role of clock gene Period 2 (Per2) for liver carcinogenesis and clock-controlled cellular proliferation, genomic instability and inflammation. We assessed liver histopathology, and determined molecular and physiology circadian patterns in mice on chronic diethylnitrosamine (DEN) exposure according to constitutive Per2 mutation. First, we found that Per2m/m liver displayed profound alterations in proliferation gene expression, including c-Myc derepression, phase-advanced Wee1, and arrhythmic Ccnb1 and K-ras mRNA expressions, as well as deregulated inflammation, through arrhythmic liver IL-6 protein concentration, in the absence of any DEN exposure. These changes could then make Per2m/m mice more prone to subsequently develop liver cancers on DEN. Indeed, primary liver cancers were nearly fourfold as frequent in Per2m/m mice as compared to wild-type (WT), 4 months after DEN exposure. The liver molecular clock was severely disrupted throughout the whole carcinogenesis process, including the initiation stage, i.e. within the initial 17 days on DEN. Per2m/m further exhibited increased c-Myc and Ccnb1 mean 24h expressions, lack of P53 response, and arrhythmic ATM, Wee1 and Ccnb1 expressions. DEN-induced tumor related inflammation was further promoted through increased protein concentrations of liver IL-6 and TNF-α as compared to WT during carcinogenesis initiation. Per2 mutation severely deregulated liver gene or protein expressions related to three cancer hallmarks, including uncontrolled proliferation, genomic instability, and tumor promoting inflammation, and accelerated liver carcinogenesis several-fold. Clock gene Per2 acted here as a liver tumor suppressor from initiation to progression. PMID:27494874

Assimilating MODIS-based albedo and snow cover fraction into the Common Land Model to improve snow depth simulation with direct insertion and deterministic ensemble Kalman filter methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jianhui; Shu, Hong

2014-09-01

This study assesses the analysis performance of assimilating the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-based albedo and snow cover fraction (SCF) separately or jointly into the physically based Common Land Model (CoLM). A direct insertion method (DI) is proposed to assimilate the black and white-sky albedos into the CoLM. The MODIS-based albedo is calculated with the MODIS bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model parameters product (MCD43B1) and the solar zenith angle as estimated in the CoLM for each time step. Meanwhile, the MODIS SCF (MOD10A1) is assimilated into the CoLM using the deterministic ensemble Kalman filter (DEnKF) method. A new DEnKF-albedo assimilation scheme for integrating the DI and DEnKF assimilation schemes is proposed. Our assimilation results are validated against in situ snow depth observations from November 2008 to March 2009 at five sites in the Altay region of China. The experimental results show that all three data assimilation schemes can improve snow depth simulations. But overall, the DEnKF-albedo assimilation shows the best analysis performance as it significantly reduces the bias and root-mean-square error (RMSE) during the snow accumulation and ablation periods at all sites except for the Fuyun site. The SCF assimilation via DEnKF produces better results than the albedo assimilation via DI, implying that the albedo assimilation that indirectly updates the snow depth state variable is less efficient than the direct SCF assimilation. For the Fuyun site, the DEnKF-albedo scheme tends to overestimate the snow depth accumulation with the maximum bias and RMSE values because of the large positive innovation (observation minus forecast).

Cell expression patterns of CD147 in N-diethylnitrosamine/phenobarbital-induced mouse hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Lu, Meng; Wu, Jiao; He, Feng; Wang, Xi-Long; Li, Can; Chen, Zhi-Nan; Bian, Huijie

2015-02-01

Overexpression of CD147/basigin in hepatic cells promotes the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Whether CD147 also expressed in liver non-parenchymal cells and associated with HCC development was unknown. The aim of the study was to explore time-dependent cell expression patterns of CD147 in a widely accepted N-diethylnitrosamine/phenobarbital (DEN/PB)-induced HCC mouse model. Liver samples collected at month 1-12 of post-DEN/PB administration were assessed the localization of CD147 in hepatocytes, endothelial cells, hepatic stellate cells, and macrophages. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that CD147 was upregulated in liver tumors during month 1-8 of DEN/PB induction. Expression of CD147 was positively correlated with cytokeratin 18, a hepatocyte marker (r = 0.7857, P = 0.0279), CD31 (r = 0.9048, P = 0.0046), an endothelial cell marker, and CD68, a macrophage marker (r = 0.7619, P = 0.0368). A significant correlation was also observed between CD147 and alpha-smooth muscle actin (r = 0.8857, P = 0.0333) at DEN/PB initiation and early stage of tumor formation. Immunofluorescence and fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that CD147 co-expressed with cytokeratin 18, CD31, alpha-smooth muscle actin, and CD68. Moreover, there existed positive correlations between CD147 and microvessel density (r = 0.7857, P = 0.0279), CD147 and Ki-67 (r = 0.9341, P = 0.0022) in the development of DEN/PB-induced HCC. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that CD147 was upregulated in the liver parenchymal and mesenchymal cells and involved in angiogenesis and tumor cell proliferation in the development of DEN/PB-induced HCC.

A cost-effective traffic data collection system based on the iDEN mobile telecommunication network.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-10-01

This report describes a cost-effective data collection system for Caltrans 170 traffic signal : controller. The data collection system is based on TCP/IP communication over existing : low-cost mobile communication networks and Motorola iDEN1 mobile...

Astronauts Lodewijk van den Berg observes growth of crystals in VCGS

NASA Image and Video Library

1985-04-30

51B-06-010 (29 April-6 May 1985) --- Lodewijk van den Berg, 51-B payload specialist, observes the growth of mercuric iodide crystal in the vapor crystal growth system (VCGS) on the Spacelab 3 science module aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger.

Funkmesstechnik

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plaßmann, Wilfried

Ein Hauptgebiet der Funkmesstechnik ist durch den Begriff RADAR (radio detection and ranging gekennzeichnet. Bei diesem Verfahren werden impulsförmige elektromagnetische Wellen von einer Antenne ausgesendet und an Körpern oder Stoffverteilungen (Wolken) reflektiert. Die Sendeantenne wird auf Empfang umgeschaltet, und anhand des Echos sind Rückschlüsse auf die Lage und die Beschaffenheit der Körper oder der Stoffverteilungen möglich. Angewendet wird die Radartechnik bei der Kontrolle und der Sicherung des Land-, Wasser- und Flugverkehrs, in der Meteorologie zur Wetterprognose, in der Astrologie und im militärischen Bereich.

Surgical management of lateral incisor with type II dens invaginatus and a periapical pathosis: A case report with 1-year follow-up.

PubMed

Lakshmi, V Naga; Varma, K Madhu; Sajjan, Girija S; Rambabu, Tanikonda

2017-01-01

Dens invaginatus is a relatively common dental malformation resulting from an infolding of enamel organ into the dental papilla varying in depth into the tooth tissues. Complex morphological anatomy associated with the pulpal pathology presents inaccessibility to completely remove the necrotic pulp tissues and hence poses challenges in rendering endodontic treatment. A combination of nonsurgical and surgical management in treating such cases is advisable depending on the presented variations. The present case reports the surgical endodontic treatment of an immature maxillary lateral incisor with type II dens invaginatus and periapical pathology.

Surgical management of lateral incisor with type II dens invaginatus and a periapical pathosis: A case report with 1-year follow-up

PubMed Central

Lakshmi, V. Naga; Varma, K. Madhu; Sajjan, Girija S.; Rambabu, Tanikonda

2017-01-01

Dens invaginatus is a relatively common dental malformation resulting from an infolding of enamel organ into the dental papilla varying in depth into the tooth tissues. Complex morphological anatomy associated with the pulpal pathology presents inaccessibility to completely remove the necrotic pulp tissues and hence poses challenges in rendering endodontic treatment. A combination of nonsurgical and surgical management in treating such cases is advisable depending on the presented variations. The present case reports the surgical endodontic treatment of an immature maxillary lateral incisor with type II dens invaginatus and periapical pathology. PMID:28761255

Personen- und Güterverkehr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flämig, Heike; Gertz, Carsten; Mühlhausen, Thorsten

Im Jahr 2010 war in Deutschland der Verkehrssektor für fast 20 % der energiebedingten Treibhausgase verantwortlich. Das Klima hat sich bereits so weit verändert, dass zur Sicherung der Funktion der Verkehrssysteme auch Anpassungsmaßnahmen notwendig sind. Diese Maßnahmen müssen durch verkehrsreduzierende bzw. -beeinflussende Maßnahmen ergänzt werden. Ausgehend von den Emissionen im Verkehrssektor und möglichen Minderungen schlägt das Kapitel den Bogen zu Optionen der Anpassung an den Klimawandel, die ausführlich und konkret dargestellt werden. Besonders betrachtet werden die mannigfaltigen Gefahren der Rückkopplung sowie die vielfältigen Wechselwirungen mit anderen Themengebieten und Sektoren.

Unfallaufnahme und Datenerhebung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brösdorf, Klaus-Dieter; Moser, Andreas; Burg, Jürgen

Unfälle ereignen sich in unterschiedlichen Schweregraden. Man unterscheidet zwischen Unfälle mit nur Sachschaden und in Unfälle mit Personenschaden. Gemäß Statistik [1] machten in Deutschland im Jahr 2005 Unfälle mit Personenschaden (336.619) etwa 15 % der Gesamtanzahl der polizeilich erfassten Unfälle (2.253.992) aus. In den amtlichen Statistiken sind nur polizeilich erfasste Unfälle enthalten. Eine größere Zahl von Unfällen, insbesondere leichtere Unfälle, wird offensichtlich polizeilich nicht gemeldet. Mit den Daten der Versicherungswirtschaft wird die Anzahl der Kfz-Schäden pro Jahr in Deutschland mit 8.673.000 angegeben [2].

Dens of northern flying squirrels in the Pacific Northwest.

Treesearch

A.B. Carey; T.M. Wilson; C.C. Maguire; B.L. Biswell

1997-01-01

Silvicultural prescriptions to enhance northern flying squirrel (Glaucoinys sabrinus) habitat have been suggested as an aid for recovery of the threatened northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina). Flying squirrels are hypothesized to be limited by den sites (cavities in trees) and by food (truffles). However, no...

Nest Boxes Artificial Homes for Woodland Mammals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decker, Daniel J.; Kelley, John W.

1983-01-01

Provides instructions for constructing artificial "homes" for squirrels, raccoons, and rabbits. These include squirrel dens constructed from discarded automobile tires and squirrel nest boxes, raccoon dens, and rabbit burrows constructed from wood. Includes a chart giving dimensions of materials needed and suggestions on where to place the…

Genetics Home Reference: bare lymphocyte syndrome type II

MedlinePlus

... 6. Citation on PubMed Gobin SJ, Peijnenburg A, van Eggermond M, van Zutphen M, van den Berg R, van den Elsen PJ. The RFX complex is crucial ... D, Szöllosi J, Jenei A. Bare lymphocyte syndrome: an opportunity to discover our immune system. Immunol Lett. ...

Legislative Environmental Impact Statement: Small Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Program.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-11-01

beautiful shiner, and Apache trout) and four federal-candidate species (desert pupfish, Sonora chub, loach minnow, and flat-tailed horned lizard) occur...Archaeology. A Class I Inventory of Prehistoric Resources. Ethnoscience, Billings, Montana. 9-13 INV Den Beste, Ken and Lois Den Beste 1976 Backgrounded

Patterns of Cellular Immunity Associated with Experimental Infection with rDEN2Δ30 (Tonga/74) Support Its Suitability as a Human Dengue Virus Challenge Strain

PubMed Central

Grifoni, Alba; Angelo, Michael; Sidney, John; Paul, Sinu; Peters, Bjoern; de Silva, Aruna D.; Phillips, Elizabeth; Mallal, Simon; Diehl, Sean A.; Botten, Jason; Boyson, Jonathan; Kirkpatrick, Beth D.; Whitehead, Stephen S.; Durbin, Anna P.; Sette, Alessandro

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT A deletion variant of the dengue virus (DENV) serotype 2 (DENV2) Tonga/74 strain lacking 30 nucleotides from its 3′ untranslated region (rDEN2Δ30) has previously been established for use in a controlled human DENV challenge model. To evaluate if this model is appropriate for the derivation of correlates of protection for DENV vaccines on the basis of cellular immunity, we wanted to compare the cellular immune response to this challenge strain to the response induced by natural infection. To achieve this, we predicted HLA class I- and class II-restricted peptides from rDEN2Δ30 and used them in a gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay to interrogate CD8+ and CD4+ T cell responses in healthy volunteers infected with rDEN2Δ30. At the level of CD8 responses, vigorous ex vivo responses were detected in approximately 80% of donors. These responses were similar in terms of the magnitude and the numbers of epitopes recognized to the responses previously observed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from donors from regions where DENV is hyperendemic. The similarity extended to the immunodominance hierarchy of the DENV nonstructural proteins, with NS3, NS5, and NS1 being dominant in both donor cohorts. At the CD4 level, the responses to rDEN2Δ30 vaccination were less vigorous than those to natural DENV infection and were more focused on nonstructural proteins. The epitopes recognized following rDEN2Δ30 infection and natural infection were largely overlapping for both the CD8 (100%) and CD4 (85%) responses. Finally, rDEN2Δ30 induced stronger CD8 responses than other, more attenuated DENV isolates. IMPORTANCE The lack of a known correlate of protection and the failure of a neutralizing antibody to correlate with protection against dengue virus have highlighted the need for a human DENV challenge model to better evaluate the candidate live attenuated dengue vaccines. In this study, we sought to characterize the immune profiles of rDEN2Δ30-infected subjects and to compare the profiles with those for subjects from areas where DENV is hyperendemic. Our data demonstrate that T cell responses to rDENV2Δ30 are largely similar to those to natural infection in terms of specificity, highlighting that the response to this virus in humans is appropriate as a model for the T cell response to primary DENV2 infection. PMID:28148797

Adaptive responses and disruptive effects: how major wildfire influences kinship-based social interactions in a forest marsupial.

PubMed

Banks, Sam C; Blyton, Michaela D J; Blair, David; McBurney, Lachlan; Lindenmayer, David B

2012-02-01

Environmental disturbance is predicted to play a key role in the evolution of animal social behaviour. This is because disturbance affects key factors underlying social systems, such as demography, resource availability and genetic structure. However, because natural disturbances are unpredictable there is little information on their effects on social behaviour in wild populations. Here, we investigated how a major wildfire affected cooperation (sharing of hollow trees) by a hollow-dependent marsupial. We based two alternative social predictions on the impacts of fire on population density, genetic structure and resources. We predicted an adaptive social response from previous work showing that kin selection in den-sharing develops as competition for den resources increases. Thus, kin selection should occur in burnt areas because the fire caused loss of the majority of hollow-bearing trees, but no detectable mortality. Alternatively, fire may have a disruptive social effect, whereby postfire home range-shifts 'neutralize' fine-scale genetic structure, thereby removing opportunities for kin selection between neighbours. Both predictions occurred: the disruptive social effect in burnt habitat and the adaptive social response in adjacent unburnt habitat. The latter followed a massive demographic influx to unburnt 'refuge' habitat that increased competition for dens, leading to a density-related kin selection response. Our results show remarkable short-term plasticity of animal social behaviour and demonstrate how the social effects of disturbance extend into undisturbed habitat owing to landscape-scale demographic shifts. We predicted long-term changes in kinship-based cooperative behaviour resulting from the genetic and resource impacts of forecast changes to fire regimes in these forests. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Quantitative Assessment of Molecular Dynamics Sampling for Flexible Systems.

PubMed

Nemec, Mike; Hoffmann, Daniel

2017-02-14

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is a natural method for the study of flexible molecules but at the same time is limited by the large size of the conformational space of these molecules. We ask by how much the MD sampling quality for flexible molecules can be improved by two means: the use of diverse sets of trajectories starting from different initial conformations to detect deviations between samples and sampling with enhanced methods such as accelerated MD (aMD) or scaled MD (sMD) that distort the energy landscape in controlled ways. To this end, we test the effects of these approaches on MD simulations of two flexible biomolecules in aqueous solution, Met-Enkephalin (5 amino acids) and HIV-1 gp120 V3 (a cycle of 35 amino acids). We assess the convergence of the sampling quantitatively with known, extensive measures of cluster number N c and cluster distribution entropy S c and with two new quantities, conformational overlap O conf and density overlap O dens , both conveniently ranging from 0 to 1. These new overlap measures quantify self-consistency of sampling in multitrajectory MD experiments, a necessary condition for converged sampling. A comprehensive assessment of sampling quality of MD experiments identifies the combination of diverse trajectory sets and aMD as the most efficient approach among those tested. However, analysis of O dens between conventional and aMD trajectories also reveals that we have not completely corrected aMD sampling for the distorted energy landscape. Moreover, for V3, the courses of N c and O dens indicate that much higher resources than those generally invested today will probably be needed to achieve convergence. The comparative analysis also shows that conventional MD simulations with insufficient sampling can be easily misinterpreted as being converged.

Enhancement of DEN-induced liver tumorigenesis in heme oxygenase-1 G143H mutant transgenic mice

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

Jin, Jianfeng; Wang, Dayong; Xiao, Haifeng

Heme oxygenase (HO) is the rate-limiting enzyme in heme metabolism. HO-1 exhibits anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory function via the actions of its metabolite, respectively. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that HO-1 is implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of several types of cancer. However, whether HO-1 takes part in healthy-premalignant-malignant transformation is still undefined. In this study, we took advantage of transgenic mice which over-expressed HO-1 dominant negative mutant (HO-1 G143H) and observed its susceptibility to DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. Our results indicate that HO-1 G143H mutant accelerates the progression of tumorigenesis and tumor growth. The mechanism is closely related to enhancementmore » of ROS production which induce more hepatocytes death and secretion of inflammatory cytokines, proliferation of surviving hepatocytes. Our result provides the direct evidence that HO-1 plays an important protective role in liver carcinogenesis. Alternatively, we suggest the possible explanation on effect of HO-1 promoter polymorphism which involved in tumorigenesis. - Highlights: • Enhancement of DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in HO-1 G143H Tg mice. • HO-1G143H mutant enhanced DEN-induced ROS production and liver injury. • HO-1G143H mutant aggravated DEN-induced changes of inflammatory factors and cell proliferation.« less

Chikungunya and dengue virus infections during pregnancy: seroprevalence, seroincidence and maternal-fetal transmission, southern Thailand, 2009-2010.

PubMed

Laoprasopwattana, K; Suntharasaj, T; Petmanee, P; Suddeaugrai, O; Geater, A

2016-01-01

Limited information is available on the seroprevalence of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection and maternal-fetal transmission incidence of CHIKV and dengue virus (DENV) infections during the 2008-2009 CHIKV outbreak in southern Thailand. A community-based post-epidemic seroprevalence study was conducted in parturient women admitted to the Thepa District Hospital in Songkhla Province, Thailand, for delivery from November 2009 to May 2010. The women were tested for chikungunya (CHIK) IgM/IgG and dengue (DEN) IgM/IgG. Cord blood samples were also tested for CHIK IgM or DEN IgM in women who tested positive for CHIK IgM or DEN IgM, respectively. The seroprevalence of CHIKV infection (CHIK IgM or IgG positive) was 227/319 (71·2%) with pre-outbreak seroprevalence (IgM-/IgG+) of 43·6% and the seroprevalence of DENV infection was 288/319 (90·3%). Complications during pregnancy, newborn outcomes and congenital anomalies were not different in those who had recent, remote or no CHIKV infections. None of the newborns whose mothers were CHIK or DEN IgM positive had cord blood positive for both CHIK and DEN IgM. In conclusion, both CHIKV and DENV are endemic in southern Thailand; during the recent CHIKV outbreak CHIK seroprevalence increased from 43·6% to 71·2%.

Orally administered lycopene attenuates diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats by modulating Nrf-2/HO-1 and Akt/mTOR pathways.

PubMed

Sahin, Kazim; Orhan, Cemal; Tuzcu, Mehmet; Sahin, Nurhan; Ali, Shakir; Bahcecioglu, Ibrahim H; Guler, Osman; Ozercan, Ibrahim; Ilhan, Necip; Kucuk, Omer

2014-01-01

Hepatocarcinogenesis is one of the most prevalent and lethal cancers. We studied the mechanisms underlying the inhibition of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis by lycopene in rats. Hepatocarcinogenesis was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of DEN followed by promotion with phenobarbital for 24 successive wk. The rats were given lycopene (20 mg/kg body weight) 3 times a week orally for 4 wk prior to initiation, and the treatment was continued for 24 consecutive wk. Lycopene reduced incidence, number, size, and volume of hepatic nodules. Serum alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and malondialdehyde (MDA) considerably increased and hepatic antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) and glutathione decreased in DEN-treated rats when compared with the control group. Lycopene significantly reversed these biochemical changes and increased the expression of NF-E-2-related factor-2)/heme oxygenase-1, and it decreased NF-κB/cyclooxygenase-2, inhibiting the inflammatory cascade and activating antioxidant signaling (P < 0.05). Lycopene also decreased DEN-induced increases in phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR), phosphorylated p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1, phosphorylated 4E-binding protein 1, and protein kinase B (P < 0.05). Lycopene is an active chemopreventive agent that offers protection against DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis by inhibiting NF-κB and mTOR pathways.

Trophic cascades linking wolves (Canis lupus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and small mammals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, B.J.; Harlow, H.J.; Harlow, T.S.; Biggins, D.; Ripple, W.J.

2012-01-01

When large carnivores are extirpated from ecosystems that evolved with apex predators, these systems can change at the herbivore and plant trophic levels. Such changes across trophic levels are called cascading effects and they are very important to conservation. Studies on the effects of reintroduced wolves in Yellowstone National Park have examined the interaction pathway of wolves (Canis lupus L., 1758) to ungulates to plants. This study examines the interaction effects of wolves to coyotes to rodents (reversing mesopredator release in the absence of wolves). Coyotes (Canis latrans Say, 1823) generally avoided areas near a wolf den. However, when in the proximity of a den, they used woody habitats (pine or sage) compared with herbaceous habitats (grass or forb or sedge)- when they were away from the wolf den. Our data suggested a significant increase in rodent numbers, particularly voles (genus Microtus Schrank, 1798), during the 3-year study on plots that were within 3 km of the wolf den, but we did not detect a significant change in rodent numbers over time for more distant plots. Predation by coyotes may have depressed numbers of small mammals in areas away from the wolf den. These factors indicate a top-down effect by wolves on coyotes and subsequently on the rodents of the area. Restoration of wolves could be a powerful tool for regulating predation at lower trophic levels.

Occult spinal canal stenosis due to C-1 hypoplasia in children with Down syndrome.

PubMed

Matsunaga, Shunji; Imakiire, Takanori; Koga, Hiroaki; Ishidou, Yasuhiro; Sasaki, Hiromi; Taketomi, Eiji; Higo, Masaru; Tanaka, Hiroshi; Komiya, Setsuro

2007-12-01

Little has been published about subclinical spinal canal stenosis due to C-1 hypoplasia in patients with Down syndrome. In this paper the authors performed a matched comparison study with cross-sectional survey to investigate occult spinal canal stenosis due to C-1 hypoplasia in children with Down syndrome. A total of 102 children with Down syndrome ranging in age from 10 to 15 years were matched according to age and physique with 176 normal children. In all participants, the anteroposterior (AP) diameter of C-1 and the atlas-dens interval (ADI) were measured on plain lateral x-ray images of the cervical spine. The cross-sectional area of the atlas was also measured from a cross-sectional computed tomography image of C-1. Eight children (6.7%) with Down syndrome developed atlantoaxial subluxation associated with myelopathy. The difference in the ADI between the patients and controls was not statistically significant. The average AP diameter of the atlas and the spinal canal area along the cross-section of the atlas were significantly smaller in children with Down syndrome than those in the control group. Atlantoaxial instability and occult spinal canal stenosis due to C-1 hypoplasia in patients with Down syndrome may significantly increase the risk of myelopathy.

Seroepidemiologic study on the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spp. infections in black bears (Ursus americanus) in Pennsylvania, USA.

PubMed

Dubey, Jitender P; Brown, Justin; Ternent, Mark; Verma, Shiv K; Hill, Dolores E; Cerqueira-Cézar, Camila K; Kwok, Oliver C H; Calero-Bernal, Rafael; Humphreys, Jan G

2016-10-15

The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii and the metazoan Trichinella spp. infect virtually all warm-blooded animals, including birds, humans, livestock, and marine mammals. Both parasitic infections can cause serious illness in human beings and can be acquired by ingesting under-cooked meat harboring infective stages. Approximately 3500 black bears (Ursus americanus) are legally-harvested each year in Pennsylvania, USA during the November hunting season. Among animals found infected with T. gondii, the prevalence of T. gondii is the highest among black bears in the USA; however, little is currently known of epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in this host species. Serum samples were collected during the winters of 2015 and 2016 from adult female bears and their nursing cubs or yearlings while they were still in their dens. Additionally, archived sera from bear samples collected throughout the year, including hunter-harvested bears in November and trapped bears in the summer, were serologically tested. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT, cut-off 1:25) and antibodies to Trichinella spp. were assayed using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Overall, T. gondii antibodies were found in 87.6% (206/235) of adults, and 44.1% (30/68) of yearlings. In March 2015/2016 sampling, antibodies to T. gondii were found in 94% (30/32) adult female bears while in their den. Antibodies were detected in 5% (3/66) of the nursing cubs in the dens of these sows. One positive cub had a MAT titer of 1:160 and two were positive at the 1:25 dilution but not at 1:50. The adult females of these cubs had MAT titers ranging from 1:400 to 1:3200. Antibodies to Trichinella spp. were found in 3% (6/181) of adults and 3.6% (1/28) of yearlings; these 7 bears were also seropositive for T. gondii. No antibodies to Trichinella spp. were detected in the sera of 44 nursing cubs tested. The finding of T. gondii antibodies in only 3 of 66 cubs, and higher antibody titers in their respective sows indicates that the colostrally-acquired antibodies wane to undetectable levels by 8-10 weeks, while the cubs are still in the den. The results indicate that there is no transplacental transmission of T. gondii, that antibodies acquired from colostrum are largely undetectable by the time cubs emerge from the den, and nearly that 50% of bears acquire infection postnatally by 10 months of age. This is the first report of disappearance of transcolostral antibodies of any infection in bears. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Rede und Gesinnung (Speech and Ways of Thinking)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kienzle, Bertram

1974-01-01

Analyzes some of the basic ideas in Georg Franklin's book "Versuch einer neuen Lehre von den vornehmsten Gegenstanden der deutschen Sprachlehre; nach den Regeln der Vernunftlehre in sechs Abhandlungen verfasst" (1778) and compares them to those of such modern linguists and philosophers a s Searle, Austin and Wunderlich. Concludes that…

Analysis of mobile phone design features affecting radiofrequency power absorbed in a human head phantom.

PubMed

Kuehn, Sven; Kelsh, Michael A; Kuster, Niels; Sheppard, Asher R; Shum, Mona

2013-09-01

The US FCC mandates the testing of all mobile phones to demonstrate compliance with the rule requiring that the peak spatial SAR does not exceed the limit of 1.6 W/kg averaged over any 1 g of tissue. These test data, measured in phantoms with mobile phones operating at maximum antenna input power, permitted us to evaluate the variation in SARs across mobile phone design factors such as shape and antenna design, communication technology, and test date (over a 7-year period). Descriptive statistical summaries calculated for 850 MHz and 1900 MHz phones and ANOVA were used to evaluate the influence of the foregoing factors on SARs. Service technology accounted for the greatest variability in compliance test SARs that ranged from AMPS (highest) to CDMA, iDEN, TDMA, and GSM (lowest). However, the dominant factor for SARs during use is the time-averaged antenna input power, which may be much less than the maximum power used in testing. This factor is largely defined by the communication system; e.g., the GSM phone average output can be higher than CDMA by a factor of 100. Phone shape, antenna type, and orientation of a phone were found to be significant but only on the order of up to a factor of 2 (3 dB). The SAR in the tilt position was significantly smaller than for touch. The side of the head did not affect SAR levels significantly. Among the remaining factors, external antennae produced greater SARs than internal ones, and brick and clamshell phones produced greater SARs than slide phones. Assuming phone design and usage patterns do not change significantly over time, we have developed a normalization procedure and formula that permits reliable prediction of the relative SAR between various communication systems. This approach can be applied to improve exposure assessment in epidemiological research. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fracture strength of orthodontic mini-implants

PubMed Central

Assad-Loss, Tatiana Feres; Kitahara-Céia, Flávia Mitiko Fernandes; Silveira, Giordani Santos; Elias, Carlos Nelson; Mucha, José Nelson

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed at evaluating the design and dimensions of five different brands of orthodontic mini-implants, as well as their influence on torsional fracture strength. Methods: Fifty mini-implants were divided into five groups corresponding to different manufactures (DEN, RMO, CON, NEO, SIN). Twenty-five mini-implants were subjected to fracture test by torsion in the neck and the tip, through arbors attached to a Universal Mechanical Testing Machine. The other 25 mini-implants were subjected to insertion torque test into blocks of pork ribs using a torquimeter and contra-angle handpiece mounted in a surgical motor. The shape of the active tip of the mini-implants was evaluated under microscopy. The non-parametric Friedman test and Snedecor’s F in analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to evaluate the differences between groups. Results: The fracture torque of the neck ranged from 23.45 N.cm (DEN) to 34.82 N.cm (SIN), and of the tip ranged from 9.35 N.cm (CON) to 24.36 N.cm (NEO). Insertion torque values ranged from 6.6 N.cm (RMO) to 10.2 N.cm (NEO). The characteristics that most influenced the results were outer diameter, inner diameter, the ratio between internal and external diameters, and the existence of milling in the apical region of the mini-implant. Conclusions: The fracture torques were different for both the neck and the tip of the five types evaluated. NEO and SIN mini-implants showed the highest resistance to fracture of the neck and tip. The fracture torques of both tip and neck were higher than the torque required to insert mini-implants. PMID:28746487

A Rare Bilateral Presentation of Multiple Dens Invaginatus, Shovel-Shaped Incisor and Talon Cusp With Mesiodens.

PubMed

Hegde, S; Jain, M; Shubha, A B

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper is to describe a unique and unusual case of concomitant appearance of morphological dental anomalies in the maxillary anterior region, along with its management in a patient with no systemic abnormality. This case report describes the clinical and radiographic features of talon cusp, dens invaginatus, shovel-shaped incisors and a supernumerary tooth occurring in a single patient, which is a rare presentation. All 4 permanent maxillary incisors had dens invaginatus, the permanent maxillary canines showed the presence of talon cusps, the permanent maxillary central incisors were shovel-shaped and an erupted mesiodens was also observed. Treatment included restorative, surgical and orthodontic approaches.

76 FR 13453 - Marine Mammals; Incidental Take During Specified Activities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-11

... and interactions between polar bears, Pacific walruses, and Industry; recent studies of potential... activity and location. For example, an LOA issued in response to a request to conduct activities in areas with known, active bear dens or a history of polar bear denning, may be conditioned to require one or...

Estimating Performance of Single Bus, Shared Memory Multiprocessors

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-05-01

Chandy78] K.M. Chandy, C.M. Sauer, "Approximate methods for analyzing queuing network models of computing systems," Computing Surveys, vol10 , no 3...Denning78] P. Denning, J. Buzen, "The operational analysis of queueing network models", Computing Sur- veys, vol10 , no 3, September 1978, pp 225-261

Systematic revelation of the protective effect and mechanism of Cordycep sinensis on diethylnitrosamine-induced rat hepatocellular carcinoma with proteomics.

PubMed

Wang, Pei-Wen; Hung, Yu-Chiang; Li, Wen-Tai; Yeh, Chau-Ting; Pan, Tai-Long

2016-09-13

Cordyceps sinensis (C. sinensis) has been reported to treat liver diseases. Here, we investigated the inhibitory effect of C. sinensis on hepatocarcinoma in a diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced rat model with functional proteome tools.In the DEN-exposed group, levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were increased while C. sinensis application remarkably inhibited the activities of these enzymes. Histopathological analysis also indicated that C. sinensis could substantially restore hypertrophic hepatocytes caused by DEN, suggesting that C. sinensis is effective in preventing DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis.We therefore comprehensively delineated the global protein alterations using a proteome platform. The most meaningful changes were found among proteins involved in oxidative stress and detoxification. Meanwhile, C. sinensis application could attenuate the carbonylation level of several enzymes as well as chaperone proteins. Network analysis implied that C. sinensis could obviously alleviate hepatocarcinoma via modulating redox imbalance, protein ubiquitination and tumor growth-associated transcription factors.Our findings provide new insight into the potential effects of C. sinensis in preventing carcinogenesis and might help in developing novel therapeutic strategies against chemical-induced hepatocarcinoma.

Successful Ultra-Conservative Management of a Mandibular Premolar with Dens Invaginatus.

PubMed

Abazarpour, Ramin; Parirokh, Masoud; Farhadi, Aida; Jalali, Zahra; Kheirabadi, Nasir

2017-01-01

Dens invaginatus is one of the most common anomalies of tooth structure. It is caused by the invagination of the crown surface during odontogenesis that enters the pulp chamber of the affected tooth. Depending on the complexity of invagination, the tooth might present with pulp necrosis, open apex and a complicated root canal system. This case report presents an Oehlers' type 2 dens-invaginatus in a mandibular premolar with chronic apical abscess. In most cases, dens invaginatus is removed during treatment. However, in this case report, based on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) evaluation, non-surgical treatment and maintenance of the invaginated segment was chosen in order to prevent compromising the tooth structure and its susceptibility to future root fracture. This is a new treatment approach and has not been performed in previous reports. Calcium-enriched mixture (CEM) cement was used as an apical plug followed by gutta-percha in warm vertical compaction for root canal obturation. The case was followed up for 36 months after treatment. This report highlights the importance of selecting the appropriate treatment approach based on CBCT evaluation.

Successful Ultra-Conservative Management of a Mandibular Premolar with Dens Invaginatus

PubMed Central

Abazarpour, Ramin; Parirokh, Masoud; Farhadi, Aida; Jalali, Zahra; Kheirabadi, Nasir

2017-01-01

Dens invaginatus is one of the most common anomalies of tooth structure. It is caused by the invagination of the crown surface during odontogenesis that enters the pulp chamber of the affected tooth. Depending on the complexity of invagination, the tooth might present with pulp necrosis, open apex and a complicated root canal system. This case report presents an Oehlers’ type 2 dens-invaginatus in a mandibular premolar with chronic apical abscess. In most cases, dens invaginatus is removed during treatment. However, in this case report, based on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) evaluation, non-surgical treatment and maintenance of the invaginated segment was chosen in order to prevent compromising the tooth structure and its susceptibility to future root fracture. This is a new treatment approach and has not been performed in previous reports. Calcium-enriched mixture (CEM) cement was used as an apical plug followed by gutta-percha in warm vertical compaction for root canal obturation. The case was followed up for 36 months after treatment. This report highlights the importance of selecting the appropriate treatment approach based on CBCT evaluation. PMID:28808472

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- An alligator is spotted sunning on the muddy bank of a canal in KSC. Nearly 5,000 alligators can be found in canals, ponds, and waterways throughout the Center and the surrounding Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. The Wildlife Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-01-08

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- An alligator is spotted sunning on the muddy bank of a canal in KSC. Nearly 5,000 alligators can be found in canals, ponds, and waterways throughout the Center and the surrounding Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. The Wildlife Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles.

Systematic revelation of the protective effect and mechanism of Cordycep sinensis on diethylnitrosamine-induced rat hepatocellular carcinoma with proteomics

PubMed Central

Wang, Pei-Wen; Hung, Yu-Chiang; Li, Wen-Tai; Yeh, Chau-Ting; Pan, Tai-Long

2016-01-01

Cordyceps sinensis (C. sinensis) has been reported to treat liver diseases. Here, we investigated the inhibitory effect of C. sinensis on hepatocarcinoma in a diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced rat model with functional proteome tools. In the DEN-exposed group, levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were increased while C. sinensis application remarkably inhibited the activities of these enzymes. Histopathological analysis also indicated that C. sinensis could substantially restore hypertrophic hepatocytes caused by DEN, suggesting that C. sinensis is effective in preventing DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. We therefore comprehensively delineated the global protein alterations using a proteome platform. The most meaningful changes were found among proteins involved in oxidative stress and detoxification. Meanwhile, C. sinensis application could attenuate the carbonylation level of several enzymes as well as chaperone proteins. Network analysis implied that C. sinensis could obviously alleviate hepatocarcinoma via modulating redox imbalance, protein ubiquitination and tumor growth–associated transcription factors. Our findings provide new insight into the potential effects of C. sinensis in preventing carcinogenesis and might help in developing novel therapeutic strategies against chemical-induced hepatocarcinoma. PMID:27531890

Potential preventive effect of carvacrol against diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in rats.

PubMed

Jayakumar, Subramaniyan; Madankumar, Arumugam; Asokkumar, Selvamani; Raghunandhakumar, Subramanian; Gokula dhas, Krishnan; Kamaraj, Sattu; Divya, Michael Georget Josephine; Devaki, Thiruvengadam

2012-01-01

Antioxidants are one of the key players in tumorigenesis, several natural and synthetic antioxidants were shown to have anticancer effects. The aim of the present study is to divulge the chemopreventive nature of carvacrol during diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver cancer in male wistar albino rats. Administration of DEN to rats resulted in increased relative liver weight and serum marker enzymes aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γGT). The levels of lipid peroxides elevated (in both serum and tissue) with subsequent decrease in the final body weight and tissue antioxidants like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR). Carvacrol supplementation (15 mg/kg body weight) significantly attenuated these alterations, thereby showing potent anticancer effect in liver cancer. Histological observations and transmission electron microscopy studies were also carried out, which added supports to the chemopreventive action of the carvacrol against DEN-induction during liver cancer progression. These findings suggest that carvacrol prevents lipid peroxidation, hepatic cell damage, and protects the antioxidant system in DEN-induced hepatocellular carcinogenesis.

A comparison of outcomes between a lumen-apposing metal stent with electrocautery-enhanced delivery system and a bi-flanged metal stent for drainage of walled-off pancreatic necrosis.

PubMed

Bekkali, Noor L H; Nayar, Manu K; Leeds, John S; Charnley, Richard M; Huggett, Matthew T; Oppong, Kofi W

2017-12-01

 Bi-flanged metal stents (BFMS) have shown promise in the drainage of walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WON), but their placement requires multiple steps and the use of other devices. More recently, a novel device consisting of a combined lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) and electrocautery-enhanced delivery system has been introduced. The aim of this study was to compare the placement and outcomes of the two devices.  This was a retrospective review of consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic ultrasound-guided placement of BFMS or LAMS for drainage of symptomatic WON. Data from procedures between October 2012 and December 2016 were taken from a prospectively maintained database. We compared technical and clinical success, procedure time, costs, and composite end point of significant events (adverse events, stent migration, additional percutaneous drainage) between BFMS and LAMS.  72 consecutive patients underwent placement of BFMS (40 patients, 44 stents) or LAMS (32 patients, 33 stents). Technical success was 91 % for BFMS and 97 % for LAMS. Clinical success was 65 % vs. 78 %, respectively. Median in-room procedure time was significantly shorter in the LAMS group (45 minutes [range 30 - 80]) than in the BFMS group (62.5 minutes [range 35 - 135]; P  < 0.001) and fewer direct endoscopic necrosectomies (DEN) were performed (median 1 [0 - 2.0] vs. 2 [0 - 3.7], respectively; P  = 0.005). If only inpatients were considered (35 BFMS and 19 LAMS), there was no significant difference in DEN 2 (range 0 - 11) and 2 (range 0 - 8), respectively. The composite end point of 32 % vs. 24 % was not significantly different. Median procedural costs for all patients with successful stent placement for WON treatment was €4427 (range 1630 - 12 926) for BFMS vs. €3500 (range 2509 - 13 393) for LAMS ( P  = 0.10).  LAMS was superior to BFMS in terms of procedure time, with comparable adverse events, success, and costs.

Technische Systeme für den Herzersatz und die Herzunterstützung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schöb, Reto; Loree, Howard M.

Herzkrankheiten verursachen allein in den Vereinigten Staaten jährlich mehr als 700’000 Todesfälle. Ungefähr 3 Millionen Patienten in den U.S.A. leiden gemäss der American Heart Association (AHA) und dem National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) an kongestivem Herzversagen (Congestive Heart Failure, CHF), welches eine chronische, sehr entkräftende und degenerative Krankheit ist: Das Herz ist dabei unfähig, hinreichend Blut zu den Organen des Körpers zu pumpen. Über 400’000 Fälle von CHF werden jedes Jahr diagnostiziert. Ähnliche Zahlen werden für Europa und Japan zusammen geschätzt. Basierend auf Daten vom AHA und NHLBI beträgt die fünfjährige Überlebensrate für CHF-Patienten lediglich etwa 50% [1]. 70’000-120’000 dieser Patienten könnten von einer Herzverpflanzung profitieren. 1999 wurden in den USA aber nur 2185 Herztransplantationen durchgeführt während die Warteliste über 4000 Patienten beträgt [2]. Ein akuter Mangel an Spenderherzen und die enormen Kosten (250’000-400’000 USD pro Patient) sind die begrenzenden Faktoren für Herztransplantationen [3]. Dies bedeutet, dass eine riesige Anzahl von Patienten durch ein zuverlässiges und verschleissfreies, nichtthrombotisches, total implantierbares, künstliches Herz gerettet werden könnten. Bis heute jedoch kein derartiges Implantat kommerziell verfügbar.

Spatial heterogeneity in human activities favors the persistence of wolves in agroecosystems.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Mohsen; López-Bao, José Vicente; Kaboli, Mohammad

2014-01-01

As human populations expand, there is increasing demand and pressure for land. Under this scenario, behavioural flexibility and adaptation become important processes leading to the persistence of large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes such as agroecosystems. A growing interest has recently emerged on the outcome of the coexistence between wolves and humans in these systems. It has been suggested that spatial heterogeneity in human activities would be a major environmental factor modulating vulnerability and persistence of this contentious species in agroecosystems. Here, we combined information from 35 den sites detected between 2011 and 2012 in agroecosystems of western Iran (Hamedan province), a set of environmental variables measured at landscape and fine spatial scales, and generalized linear models to identify patterns of den site selection by wolves in a highly-modified agroecosystem. On a landscape level, wolves selected a mixture of rangelands with scattered dry-farms on hillsides (showing a low human use) to locate their dens, avoiding areas with high densities of settlements and primary roads. On a fine spatial scale, wolves primarily excavated dens into the sides of elevated steep-slope hills with availability of water bodies in the vicinity of den sites, and wolves were relegated to dig in places with coarse-soil particles. Our results suggest that vulnerability of wolves in human-dominated landscapes could be compensated by the existence of spatial heterogeneity in human activities. Such heterogeneity would favor wolf persistence in agroecosystems favoring a land sharing model of coexistence between wolves and people.

Spatial Heterogeneity in Human Activities Favors the Persistence of Wolves in Agroecosystems

PubMed Central

Ahmadi, Mohsen; López-Bao, José Vicente; Kaboli, Mohammad

2014-01-01

As human populations expand, there is increasing demand and pressure for land. Under this scenario, behavioural flexibility and adaptation become important processes leading to the persistence of large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes such as agroecosystems. A growing interest has recently emerged on the outcome of the coexistence between wolves and humans in these systems. It has been suggested that spatial heterogeneity in human activities would be a major environmental factor modulating vulnerability and persistence of this contentious species in agroecosystems. Here, we combined information from 35 den sites detected between 2011 and 2012 in agroecosystems of western Iran (Hamedan province), a set of environmental variables measured at landscape and fine spatial scales, and generalized linear models to identify patterns of den site selection by wolves in a highly-modified agroecosystem. On a landscape level, wolves selected a mixture of rangelands with scattered dry-farms on hillsides (showing a low human use) to locate their dens, avoiding areas with high densities of settlements and primary roads. On a fine spatial scale, wolves primarily excavated dens into the sides of elevated steep-slope hills with availability of water bodies in the vicinity of den sites, and wolves were relegated to dig in places with coarse-soil particles. Our results suggest that vulnerability of wolves in human-dominated landscapes could be compensated by the existence of spatial heterogeneity in human activities. Such heterogeneity would favor wolf persistence in agroecosystems favoring a land sharing model of coexistence between wolves and people. PMID:25251567

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 15 Crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-30

ISS015-E-05977 (1 May 2007) --- Den Helder, Netherlands is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 15 crewmember on the International Space Station. The city and harbor of Den Helder in the northern Netherlands has been the home port of the Dutch Royal Navy for over 175 years. Its favorable location provides access to the North Sea, and has made it an important commercial shipping port in addition to its strategic role. Bright red agricultural fields to the south of Den Helder indicate another noteworthy aspect of the region--commercial farming of tulips and hyacinth. This image is an oblique view--the camera is oriented at an angle relative to "straight down"--of the Den Helder region taken from the space station, which was located to the southeast, near Dulmen, Germany (approximately 225 kilometers away in terms of ground distance) when the image was acquired. In addition to the manmade structures of the Den Helder urban area (reddish gray to gray street grids) and dockyards to the east of the city, several striking geomorphic features are visible. The extensive gray mudflats, with their prominent branching pattern (top right), indicate that this image was acquired at low tide, and suggest the general low elevation of the region. Parallel wave patterns along the mudflats and in the Marsdiep strait are formed as water interacts with the sea bottom between Den Helder and Texel Island during tidal flow. Some ship wakes are also visible. According to scientists, the bright white-gray triangular region at the southern tip of Texel Island (bottom center) is a dune field, consisting mainly of eolian (windborne) sands deposited during the last Ice Age. Subsequent sea level rise and shoreline processes have mobilized and re-deposited these sands into their current configuration -- including a new dune field island to the southwest of Texel (bottom center).

Liver tumor promoting effect of etofenprox in rats and its possible mechanism of action.

PubMed

Hojo, Yuri; Shiraki, Ayako; Tsuchiya, Takuma; Shimamoto, Keisuke; Ishii, Yuji; Suzuki, Kazuhiko; Shibutani, Makoto; Mitsumori, Kunitoshi

2012-01-01

To investigate the liver tumor-promoting effects of etofenprox (ETF), a pyrethroid-like insecticide, 6 week-old male F344 rats were given an intraperitoneal injection of N-diethylnitrosamine (DEN). After 2 weeks from the DEN treatment, 12 rats per group received a powdered diet containing 0, 0.25, 0.50, or 1.0% ETF for 8 weeks. At the time of 2nd week of ETF administration, all animals were subjected to two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PH). One rat per group except for the 0.25% ETF group died due to surgical operation of PH. The number and area of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P) positive foci significantly increased in the livers of DEN-initiated rats given 0.50% and 1.0% ETF compared with the DEN-alone group. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis revealed that the mRNA expression of phase I enzymes Cyp2b1/2, phase II enzymes such as Akr7a3, Gsta5, Ugt1a6, Nqo1 significantly increased in the DEN+ETF groups. The immunohistochemistry showed the translocation of CAR from the cytoplasm to the nuclei of hepatocytes in the ETF-treated groups. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production increased in microsomes isolated from the livers of ETF-treated rats, and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) levels and 8- hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) content significantly increased in all of the ETF-treated groups and DEN+1.0% ETF group, respectively. The results of the present study indicate that ETF has a liver tumor-promoting activity in rats, and suggest that ETF activates the constitutive active/androstane receptor (CAR) and enhances microsomal ROS production, resulting in the upregulation of Nrf2 gene batteries; such an oxidative stress subsequently induces liver tumor-promoting effects by increased cellular proliferation.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids Ameliorate Fibrosis and Suppress Tumor Growth in a Rat Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Liver Cirrhosis

PubMed Central

Cha, Jung Hoon; Bae, Si Hyun; Kim, Hye Lim; Park, Na Ri; Choi, Eun Suk; Jung, Eun Sun; Choi, Jong Young; Yoon, Seung Kew

2013-01-01

Purpose Recent studies have revealed that branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) reduce the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with obesity and hepatitis C virus infection by improving insulin resistance (IR). The aim of this study was to examine the anti-cancer and anti-fibrotic effects of BCAA on the development of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC and liver cirrhosis in a rat model. Methods Male SD rats received weekly intraperitoneal injections of DEN (50 mg/kg of body weight) for 16 weeks to induce HCC. They were fed a diet containing 3% casein, 3% or 6% BCAA for 13 weeks beginning 6 weeks after DEN administration. DEN was used to induce HCC through stepwise development from cirrhosis to HCC. The effect of BCAA was evaluated in tumor tissues by histopathologic analyses, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and Western blotting. Results The mean area and number of dysplastic nodules (DNs) and tumors in the casein group tended to be larger than those in the BCAA group 16 weeks after DEN administration. The mean fibrotic area in the BCAA group was smaller than that in the casein group. The BCAA group showed decreased mRNA levels for markers of fibrosis, angiogenesis, and apoptosis inhibition. Compared with the casein group, the BCAA group had lower levels of α-smooth muscle actin, vascular endothelial growth factor, p-β-catenin, p-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and caspase-3 protein expression, as well as a higher level of cleaved caspase-3 protein expression. Conclusions BCAA supplementation of the diet ameliorated liver fibrosis and HCC development in a DEN-induced rat model of HCC with liver cirrhosis, but not in the IR model. These results provide a rationale for anti-fibrosis and chemoprevention using BCAA treatment for HCC with liver cirrhosis, as well as decreasing the ammonia level. PMID:24223741

An Efficient and Reliable Statistical Method for Estimating Functional Connectivity in Large Scale Brain Networks Using Partial Correlation

PubMed Central

Wang, Yikai; Kang, Jian; Kemmer, Phebe B.; Guo, Ying

2016-01-01

Currently, network-oriented analysis of fMRI data has become an important tool for understanding brain organization and brain networks. Among the range of network modeling methods, partial correlation has shown great promises in accurately detecting true brain network connections. However, the application of partial correlation in investigating brain connectivity, especially in large-scale brain networks, has been limited so far due to the technical challenges in its estimation. In this paper, we propose an efficient and reliable statistical method for estimating partial correlation in large-scale brain network modeling. Our method derives partial correlation based on the precision matrix estimated via Constrained L1-minimization Approach (CLIME), which is a recently developed statistical method that is more efficient and demonstrates better performance than the existing methods. To help select an appropriate tuning parameter for sparsity control in the network estimation, we propose a new Dens-based selection method that provides a more informative and flexible tool to allow the users to select the tuning parameter based on the desired sparsity level. Another appealing feature of the Dens-based method is that it is much faster than the existing methods, which provides an important advantage in neuroimaging applications. Simulation studies show that the Dens-based method demonstrates comparable or better performance with respect to the existing methods in network estimation. We applied the proposed partial correlation method to investigate resting state functional connectivity using rs-fMRI data from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (PNC) study. Our results show that partial correlation analysis removed considerable between-module marginal connections identified by full correlation analysis, suggesting these connections were likely caused by global effects or common connection to other nodes. Based on partial correlation, we find that the most significant direct connections are between homologous brain locations in the left and right hemisphere. When comparing partial correlation derived under different sparse tuning parameters, an important finding is that the sparse regularization has more shrinkage effects on negative functional connections than on positive connections, which supports previous findings that many of the negative brain connections are due to non-neurophysiological effects. An R package “DensParcorr” can be downloaded from CRAN for implementing the proposed statistical methods. PMID:27242395

Kalman filters for assimilating near-surface observations into the Richards equation - Part 2: A dual filter approach for simultaneous retrieval of states and parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medina, H.; Romano, N.; Chirico, G. B.

2014-07-01

This study presents a dual Kalman filter (DSUKF - dual standard-unscented Kalman filter) for retrieving states and parameters controlling the soil water dynamics in a homogeneous soil column, by assimilating near-surface state observations. The DSUKF couples a standard Kalman filter for retrieving the states of a linear solver of the Richards equation, and an unscented Kalman filter for retrieving the parameters of the soil hydraulic functions, which are defined according to the van Genuchten-Mualem closed-form model. The accuracy and the computational expense of the DSUKF are compared with those of the dual ensemble Kalman filter (DEnKF) implemented with a nonlinear solver of the Richards equation. Both the DSUKF and the DEnKF are applied with two alternative state-space formulations of the Richards equation, respectively differentiated by the type of variable employed for representing the states: either the soil water content (θ) or the soil water matric pressure head (h). The comparison analyses are conducted with reference to synthetic time series of the true states, noise corrupted observations, and synthetic time series of the meteorological forcing. The performance of the retrieval algorithms are examined accounting for the effects exerted on the output by the input parameters, the observation depth and assimilation frequency, as well as by the relationship between retrieved states and assimilated variables. The uncertainty of the states retrieved with DSUKF is considerably reduced, for any initial wrong parameterization, with similar accuracy but less computational effort than the DEnKF, when this is implemented with ensembles of 25 members. For ensemble sizes of the same order of those involved in the DSUKF, the DEnKF fails to provide reliable posterior estimates of states and parameters. The retrieval performance of the soil hydraulic parameters is strongly affected by several factors, such as the initial guess of the unknown parameters, the wet or dry range of the retrieved states, the boundary conditions, as well as the form (h-based or θ-based) of the state-space formulation. Several analyses are reported to show that the identifiability of the saturated hydraulic conductivity is hindered by the strong correlation with other parameters of the soil hydraulic functions defined according to the van Genuchten-Mualem closed-form model.

An Efficient and Reliable Statistical Method for Estimating Functional Connectivity in Large Scale Brain Networks Using Partial Correlation.

PubMed

Wang, Yikai; Kang, Jian; Kemmer, Phebe B; Guo, Ying

2016-01-01

Currently, network-oriented analysis of fMRI data has become an important tool for understanding brain organization and brain networks. Among the range of network modeling methods, partial correlation has shown great promises in accurately detecting true brain network connections. However, the application of partial correlation in investigating brain connectivity, especially in large-scale brain networks, has been limited so far due to the technical challenges in its estimation. In this paper, we propose an efficient and reliable statistical method for estimating partial correlation in large-scale brain network modeling. Our method derives partial correlation based on the precision matrix estimated via Constrained L1-minimization Approach (CLIME), which is a recently developed statistical method that is more efficient and demonstrates better performance than the existing methods. To help select an appropriate tuning parameter for sparsity control in the network estimation, we propose a new Dens-based selection method that provides a more informative and flexible tool to allow the users to select the tuning parameter based on the desired sparsity level. Another appealing feature of the Dens-based method is that it is much faster than the existing methods, which provides an important advantage in neuroimaging applications. Simulation studies show that the Dens-based method demonstrates comparable or better performance with respect to the existing methods in network estimation. We applied the proposed partial correlation method to investigate resting state functional connectivity using rs-fMRI data from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (PNC) study. Our results show that partial correlation analysis removed considerable between-module marginal connections identified by full correlation analysis, suggesting these connections were likely caused by global effects or common connection to other nodes. Based on partial correlation, we find that the most significant direct connections are between homologous brain locations in the left and right hemisphere. When comparing partial correlation derived under different sparse tuning parameters, an important finding is that the sparse regularization has more shrinkage effects on negative functional connections than on positive connections, which supports previous findings that many of the negative brain connections are due to non-neurophysiological effects. An R package "DensParcorr" can be downloaded from CRAN for implementing the proposed statistical methods.

Effect of the Army Oral Health Maintenance Program (AOHMP) on the Dental Health Status of Army Personnel. AOHMP Evaluation Study. Part 3. Dental Care Requirements of Active Duty Army Personnel, 1978

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-06-01

endodontics , crown and bridge, full and partial dentures, and periodontal therapy , account for about one- third of the time requirements for the...Examiners indicated the numbers of restorations, extractions, teeth needing endodontic therapy , units of crown and bridge, complete den- tures...might be that lieutenants and captains are in a younger age range where the removal of third molars is usually recommended. (3) In the care need areas

Application of a Modified Time Delay Spectrometry Technique in Modeling of Underwater Acoustic Propagation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-03-01

W.B. Anderson) 1 Keyport, Washington 98345 7. Director, David W. Taylor Naval Ships 1 and Development Center Detachment Puget Sound Attn: George...Monterey, California 93943-5000 Sa IIAME ’) F NDN1G, SPONSOQ;NG 8ab OF ,CE SvM9OL 9 PROCUJREMENT ,NSTR MET *DEN’ CATiON .,.M4[R ORCA ’.:ZAr ON j Iapplecaboe...analysis of sound propagating by multiple paths in an ocean at short ranges has been conducted using a Modified Time Delay Spectrometry (TDS) technique

The Influence of the Outdoor Environment: Den-Making in Three Different Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canning, Natalie

2010-01-01

This small-scale research examined den-making in three different settings in the UK. The research consisted of non-participant, narrative observations of children aged between 3- and 5-years and early years practitioners involved in supporting them in their play. Content analysis revealed common themes: the impact of the environment on the way…

Modelling dendritic ecological networks in space: An integrated network perspective

Treesearch

Erin E. Peterson; Jay M. Ver Hoef; Dan J. Isaak; Jeffrey A. Falke; Marie-Josee Fortin; Chris E. Jordan; Kristina McNyset; Pascal Monestiez; Aaron S. Ruesch; Aritra Sengupta; Nicholas Som; E. Ashley Steel; David M. Theobald; Christian E. Torgersen; Seth J. Wenger

2013-01-01

Dendritic ecological networks (DENs) are a unique form of ecological networks that exhibit a dendritic network topology (e.g. stream and cave networks or plant architecture). DENs have a dual spatial representation; as points within the network and as points in geographical space. Consequently, some analytical methods used to quantify relationships in other types of...

Comparative Neuropathogenesis and Neurovirulence of Attenuated Flaviviruses in Nonhuman Primates▿ †

PubMed Central

Maximova, Olga A.; Ward, Jerrold M.; Asher, David M.; St. Claire, Marisa; Finneyfrock, Brad W.; Speicher, James M.; Murphy, Brian R.; Pletnev, Alexander G.

2008-01-01

Based on previous preclinical evaluation in mice and monkeys, the chimeric TBEV/DEN4Δ30 virus, carrying the prM and E protein genes from a highly virulent Far Eastern strain of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) on the backbone of a nonneuroinvasive dengue type 4 virus (DEN4), has been identified as a promising live attenuated virus vaccine candidate against disease caused by TBEV. However, prior to use of this vaccine candidate in humans, its neurovirulence in nonhuman primates needed to be evaluated. In the present study, we compared the neuropathogeneses of the chimeric TBEV/DEN4Δ30 virus; Langat virus (LGTV), a former live TBEV vaccine; and yellow fever 17D virus vaccine (YF 17D) in rhesus monkeys inoculated intracerebrally. TBEV/DEN4Δ30 and YF 17D demonstrated remarkably similar spatiotemporal profiles of virus replication and virus-associated histopathology in the central nervous system (CNS) that were high in cerebral hemispheres but progressively decreased toward the spinal cord. In contrast, the neurovirulence of LGTV exhibited the reverse profile, progressing from the site of inoculation toward the cerebellum and spinal cord. Analysis of the spatiotemporal distribution of viral antigens in the CNS of monkeys revealed a prominent neurotropism associated with all three attenuated viruses. Nevertheless, TBEV/DEN4Δ30 virus exhibited higher neurovirulence in monkeys than either LGTV or YF 17D, suggesting insufficient attenuation. These results provide insight into the neuropathogenesis associated with attenuated flaviviruses that may guide the design of safe vaccines. PMID:18353947

Influence of Japanese Regulatory Action on Denosumab-Related Hypocalcemia Using Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report Database.

PubMed

Takeyama, Mayu; Sai, Kimie; Imatoh, Takuya; Segawa, Katsunori; Hirasawa, Noriyasu; Saito, Yoshiro

2017-01-01

The anti-receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) antibody, Denosumab (DEN), was approved in April 2012 in Japan, but a Dear Healthcare Professional Letter of Rapid Safety Communication was released in September, 2012 by the regulatory authority because of the severe hypocalcemia risks. Currently, the effectiveness of this regulatory action has not been evaluated and, therefore, this study aimed to assess its impact on DEN-induced hypocalcemia using the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database (JADER). The case reports from April 2012 to September 2014 were collected from the JADER, which included 151642 adverse events for the primary suspected drugs. The reporting odds ratio (ROR) of hypocalcemia as a signal of the target adverse event was analyzed for DEN and zoledronic acid (ZOL, a reference drug). Changes in RORs were compared between the pre- (Pre, April 2012 to September 2012) and post- (Post 1, October 2012 to September 2013 and Post 2, October 2013 to September 2014) periods of the regulatory action. A decrease in the hypocalcemia ROR was observed for DEN in the post-periods, especially Post 2. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a significant decrease in hypocalcemia signal in Post 1 (p=0.0306 vs. Pre) and Post 2 (p=0.0054 vs. Pre). ZOL caused no significant changes in ROR of hypocalcemia, and none of the drugs caused ROR changes in jaw osteonecrosis (a reference adverse event). This study suggests that the regulatory action against hypocalcemia in DEN effectively decreased hypocalcemia signal. Further studies using medical information databases are needed to confirm this result.

Neue Laser und Strahlquellen - alte und neue Risiken?

PubMed

Paasch, Uwe; Schwandt, Antje; Seeber, Nikolaus; Kautz, Gerd; Grunewald, Sonja; Haedersdal, Merete

2017-05-01

Die Entwicklungen im Bereich dermatologischer Laser, hochenergetischer Blitzlampen, LED und neuer Energie- und Strahlquellen der letzten Jahre haben gezeigt, dass mit neuen Wellenlängen, Konzepten und Kombinationen zusätzliche, zum Teil über den ästhetischen Bereich hinaus gehende therapeutische Optionen für den Dermatologen erschlossen werden konnten. Wurden bisher zum Beispiel mit fraktionalen Lasern Falten behandelt, sind eben diese Systeme heute in Kombination mit Medikamenten wichtige Werkzeuge bei der Behandlung von Narben, bei Feldkanzerisierung und epithelialen Tumoren. Die Anforderungen an den die Indikation stellenden und vorzugsweise therapierenden Arzt steigen mit der immer komplexer werdenden Technik und den zunehmenden Komorbiditäten und Komedikationen einer älter werdenden Patientenklientel. Parallel etabliert wurden, zunächst für einige wenige Indikationen, Geräte für die Heimanwendung, die sich durch geringe Leistung und spezielle Sicherheitsvorkehrungen zur Vermeidung von Unfällen, Risiken und Nebenwirkungen auszeichnen. Trotz der reduzierten Effizienz solcher Selbstbehandlungsmaßnahmen steigt die Wahrscheinlichkeit einer Fehlanwendung, da die Grundvoraussetzung für eine korrekte Therapie, nämlich die exakte Diagnose und Indikationsstellung, nicht vorausgesetzt werden kann. Bei einer Haarentfernung können so Pigmenttumoren, bei einer Faltentherapie neoplastische Hautveränderungen adressiert und zu erwartende, unvorhergesehene und neue Nebenwirkungen und Komplikationen induziert werden. In diesem Szenario ist es wichtig, alle potenziellen Anwender dieser neuen Technologien vor deren Einsatz so zu qualifizieren, dass den Therapierten maximale Therapiesicherheit bei höchster Effizienz unter dem Leitbild diagnosis certa - ullae therapiae fundamentum garantiert wird. © 2017 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Size-dependent avoidance of a strong magnetic anomaly in Caribbean spiny lobsters.

PubMed

Ernst, David A; Lohmann, Kenneth J

2018-03-01

On a global scale, the geomagnetic field varies predictably across the Earth's surface, providing animals that migrate long distances with a reliable source of directional and positional information that can be used to guide their movements. In some locations, however, magnetic minerals in the Earth's crust generate an additional field that enhances or diminishes the overall field, resulting in unusually steep gradients of field intensity within a limited area. How animals respond to such magnetic anomalies is unclear. The Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus , is a benthic marine invertebrate that possesses a magnetic sense and is likely to encounter magnetic anomalies during migratory movements and homing. As a first step toward investigating whether such anomalies affect the behavior of lobsters, a two-choice preference experiment was conducted in which lobsters were allowed to select one of two artificial dens, one beneath a neodymium magnet and the other beneath a non-magnetic weight of similar size and mass (control). Significantly more lobsters selected the control den, demonstrating avoidance of the magnetic anomaly. In addition, lobster size was found to be a significant predictor of den choice: lobsters that selected the anomaly den were significantly smaller as a group than those that chose the control den. Taken together, these findings provide additional evidence for magnetoreception in spiny lobsters, raise the possibility of an ontogenetic shift in how lobsters respond to magnetic fields, and suggest that magnetic anomalies might influence lobster movement in the natural environment. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Assessment of jawbone trabecular bone structure amongst osteoporotic women by cone-beam computed tomography: the OSTEOSYR project.

PubMed

Barngkgei, Imad; Al Haffar, Iyad; Shaarani, Eyad; Khattab, Razan; Mashlah, Ammar

2016-11-01

To assess the trabecular bone structure of jawbones and the dens (the odontoid process of the second cervical vertebra) amongst osteoporotic and nonosteoporotic women using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Analysis of the dens trabecular bone structure aimed to test the validity of CBCT in such analysis. Thirty-eight women who went under dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) examination were scanned by CBCT. Cuboids from different areas of jawbones and the dens were extracted from each scan. Trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular separation (Tb.S), bone volume fraction (BV/TV), specific bone surface (BS/TV) and connectivity density were calculated. Student's t-test, Pearson correlation, and logistic regression analysis were used to explore differences in these measures between groups. Jawbone-derived measures showed insignificant differences (P > 0.05) between osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic groups, and weak correlations with femoral neck and lumbar vertebrae T-scores (r ≤ 0.4). Dens-derived measures, however, resulted in the opposite (r = 0.34-0.38 [P value = 0.02-0.036] and r = 0.48-0.61 [P value ≤ 0.003]) and the highest accuracy of osteoporosis prediction: 84.2% and 78.9% respectively. Trabecular bone structure of the mandible and maxilla is not affected in osteoporosis as assessed by CBCT. Dens trabecular bone analysis revealed the opposite, so some trabecular bone measures may be assessed by CBCT, which may aid in predicting osteoporosis. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

An evaluation of independent component analyses with an application to resting-state fMRI

PubMed Central

Matteson, David S.; Ruppert, David; Eloyan, Ani; Caffo, Brian S.

2013-01-01

Summary We examine differences between independent component analyses (ICAs) arising from different as-sumptions, measures of dependence, and starting points of the algorithms. ICA is a popular method with diverse applications including artifact removal in electrophysiology data, feature extraction in microarray data, and identifying brain networks in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). ICA can be viewed as a generalization of principal component analysis (PCA) that takes into account higher-order cross-correlations. Whereas the PCA solution is unique, there are many ICA methods–whose solutions may differ. Infomax, FastICA, and JADE are commonly applied to fMRI studies, with FastICA being arguably the most popular. Hastie and Tibshirani (2003) demonstrated that ProDenICA outperformed FastICA in simulations with two components. We introduce the application of ProDenICA to simulations with more components and to fMRI data. ProDenICA was more accurate in simulations, and we identified differences between biologically meaningful ICs from ProDenICA versus other methods in the fMRI analysis. ICA methods require nonconvex optimization, yet current practices do not recognize the importance of, nor adequately address sensitivity to, initial values. We found that local optima led to dramatically different estimates in both simulations and group ICA of fMRI, and we provide evidence that the global optimum from ProDenICA is the best estimate. We applied a modification of the Hungarian (Kuhn-Munkres) algorithm to match ICs from multiple estimates, thereby gaining novel insights into how brain networks vary in their sensitivity to initial values and ICA method. PMID:24350655

Die physikalischen Umweltwissenschaften und das Militär Zur Erforschung Grönlands im Kalten Krieg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heymann, Matthias

Die modernen Umweltwissenschaften stehen heute im Mittelpunkt von Forschungsförderung und öffentlicher Aufmerksamkeit. Im Zuge des seit den 1970er Jahren erwachten Interesses am globalen Wandel der Umwelt und den damit verknüpften Problemen, ist ihre Bedeutung rasch gestiegen. Viele Wurzeln der modernen Umweltwissenschaften liegen jedoch im Kalten Krieg.

Forschungspolitik USA weisen zunehmend ausländische Physikstudenten ab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bührke, Thomas

2003-11-01

In keinem anderen Land der Erde ist der Anteil ausländischer Studenten im Fach Physik größer als in den USA. Nach den Terroranschlägen vom 11. September werden jedoch zunehmend ausländische Studenten, insbesondere aus China und dem mittleren Osten, abgewiesen - zum Leidwesen der Studenten und der Universitäten.http://www.aip.org/statistics

Aus Wirtschaft und Betrieb. Biomasse: Gewinnung und Verarbeitung mit Profilschal-maschinen

Treesearch

P. Koch

1977-01-01

1963 wurden in den Südstaaten der USA nur 30% der oberund unterirdischen Biomasse der geernteten sog. Southern pines für Schnittholz und Zellstoff verwertet bzw. als getrockneies, gehobletes und abgelängtes Schnittholz oder als Kraftpapier verkauft. Keine der zusammen mit den Kiefern vorkommenden Laubholzarten wurde bisher in nennenswertem Umfan verwertet. Auch heute...

Polar bear research in the Beaufort Sea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amstrup, Steven C.; Durner, George M.; Wiig, Øystein; Born, Erik W.; Garner, Gerald W.; Wiig, Øystein; Born, Erik W.; Garner, Gerald W.

1995-01-01

Current research is designed to determine the status of the polar bear population in the Beaufort Sea and adjacent areas. One goal is to determine how polar bears are distributed relative to each other and habitat features, and to define population boundaries. Another goal is to determine the population size and trend, and assess how present and future management issues may affect thetrend. Specific objectives of the research include the need to:Determine the movements of individuals comprising the polar bear population that uses the Beaufort Sea. Determine hoe movements vary by season and by year, and whether they can be modeled so as to allow meaningful census and mitigation efforts.Improve estimates of size of the Beaufort Sea population relative to the capacity of the environment to sustain it.Determine factors regulating the rate of recruitment of new bears into the population.Determine the distribution of polar bear dens in northern Alaska and whether denning habitats may be a limiting factor on reproductive success.Determine the timing of den entrance and emergence.Determine the relative success rates (thus the reproductive significance) of dens in various locations.This report summaries the progress towards those objectives that has been made since the last meeting of the PBSG in 1988.

Arzt und Hobby-Astronom in stürmischen Zeiten Der Büchernachlass des Doktor Johannes Häringshauser, Viertelsmedicus in Mistelbach (1630-1641) in der Melker Stiftsbibliothek.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davison, Giles; Glaßner, Gottfried

2009-06-01

Auf der Suche nach astronomischer Literatur stieß Giles Davison in der Melker Stiftsbibliothek auf den Namen "Doctor Johannes Häringshauser“ als Besitzer seltener und interessanter astronomischer Werke u.a. von Johannes Regiomontan, Georg von Peuerbach, Michael Mästlin, Johannes Kepler und Daniel Sennert. Weitere in den Jahren 2007-2009 durchgeführte Nachforschungen ergaben, dass es sich um den von 1630-1641 in Mistelbach, Niederösterreich, als Landschaftsarzt tätigen Vater des Melker Konventualen und Bibliothekars Sigismund Häringshauser (1631-1698) handelt. Er wurde 1603 als Sohn des aus Magdeburg stammenden Apothekers Johannes Häringshauser geboren und starb 1642 in Mistelbach. Johannes Häringshauser Sen. bekleidete von 1613-1640 eine Reihe wichtiger Ämter in der Wiener Stadtregierung und starb 1647. Der Studienaufenthalt von Dr. Johannes Häringshauser Jun. in Padua (1624-1626) dürfte das Interesse für Astronomie geweckt haben, das sich in seiner in die Bestände der Melker Stiftsbibliothek eingegangenen Privatbibliothek widerspiegelt. Der Großteil der 10 dem Fachbereich der Astronomie und Astrologie zuzuweisenden Titel wurde von ihm in den Jahren 1636 und 1637 erworben.

Different mutation patterns of mitochondrial DNA displacement-loop in hepatocellular carcinomas induced by N-nitrosodiethylamine and a choline-deficient l-amino acid-defined diet in rats.

PubMed

Onishi, Mariko; Sokuza, Yui; Nishikawa, Tomoki; Mori, Chiharu; Uwataki, Kimiko; Honoki, Kanya; Tsujiuchi, Toshifumi

2007-10-12

Mutations of the mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) displacement loop (D-loop) were investigated to clarify different changes of exogenous and endogenous liver carcinogenesis in rats. We induced hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) in rats with N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) and a choline-deficient l-amino acid-defined (CDAA) diet. DNAs were extracted from 10 HCCs induced by DEN and 10 HCCs induced by the CDAA diet. To identify mutations in mtDNA D-loop, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis, followed by nucleotide sequencing, was performed. Mutations were detected in 5 out of 10 HCCs (50%) induced by DEN. Four out of 5 mutations were G/C to A/T transitions at positions 15707, 15717, 15930, and 16087, and one T/A to C/G transition at position 15559. By contrast, no mutations were found in 10 HCCs induced by the CDAA diet. These results demonstrated that mutations in mtDNA D-loop occur in rat HCCs induced by DEN but not by the CDAA diet, suggesting that mtDNA D-loop is a target of exogenous liver carcinogenesis in rats.

Novel Functional Complexity of Polycystin-1 by GPS Cleavage In Vivo: Role in Polycystic Kidney Disease

PubMed Central

Kurbegovic, Almira; Kim, Hyunho; Xu, Hangxue; Yu, Shengqiang; Cruanès, Julie; Maser, Robin L.; Boletta, Alessandra; Trudel, Marie

2014-01-01

Polycystin-1 (Pc1) cleavage at the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) proteolytic site (GPS) is required for normal kidney morphology in humans and mice. We found a complex pattern of endogenous Pc1 forms by GPS cleavage. GPS cleavage generates not only the heterodimeric cleaved full-length Pc1 (Pc1cFL) in which the N-terminal fragment (NTF) remains noncovalently associated with the C-terminal fragment (CTF) but also a novel (Pc1) form (Pc1deN) in which NTF becomes detached from CTF. Uncleaved Pc1 (Pc1U) resides primarily in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), whereas both Pc1cFL and Pc1deN traffic through the secretory pathway in vivo. GPS cleavage is not a prerequisite, however, for Pc1 trafficking in vivo. Importantly, Pc1deN is predominantly found at the plasma membrane of renal epithelial cells. By functional genetic complementation with five Pkd1 mouse models, we discovered that CTF plays a crucial role in Pc1deN trafficking. Our studies support GPS cleavage as a critical regulatory mechanism of Pc1 biogenesis and trafficking for proper kidney development and homeostasis. PMID:24958103

Steppe lion remains imported by Ice Age spotted hyenas into the Late Pleistocene Perick Caves hyena den in northern Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diedrich, Cajus G.

2009-05-01

Upper Pleistocene remains of the Ice Age steppe lion Panthera leo spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) have been found in the Perick Caves, Sauerland Karst, NW Germany. Bones from many hyenas and their imported prey dating from the Lower to Middle Weichselian have also been recovered from the Perick Cave hyena den. These are commonly cracked or exhibit deep chew marks. The absence of lion cub bones, in contrast to hyena and cave bear cub remains in the Perick Caves, and other caves of northern Germany, excludes the possibility that P. leo spelaea used the cave for raising cubs. Only in the Wilhelms Cave was a single skeleton of a cub found in a hyena den. Evidence of the chewing, nibbling and cracking of lion bones and crania must have resulted from the importation and destruction of lion carcasses (4% of the prey fauna). Similar evidence was preserved at other hyena den caves and open air sites in Germany. The bone material from the Perick and other Central European caves points to antagonistic hyena and lion conflicts, similar to clashes of their modern African relatives.

Recent observations of intraspecific predation and cannibalism among polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amstrup, Steven C.; Stirling, I.; Smith, T.S.; Perham, C.; Thiemann, G.W.

2006-01-01

Intraspecific killing has been reported among polar bears (Ursus maritimus), brown bears (U. arctos), and black bears (U. americanus). Although cannibalism is one motivation for such killings, the ecological factors mediating such events are poorly understood. Between 24 January and 10 April 2004, we confirmed three instances of intraspecific predation and cannibalism in the Beaufort Sea. One of these, the first of this type ever reported for polar bears, was a parturient female killed at her maternal den. The predating bear was hunting in a known maternal denning area and apparently discovered the den by scent. A second predation event involved an adult female and cub recently emerged from their den, and the third involved a yearling male. During 24 years of research on polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea region of northern Alaska and 34 years in northwestern Canada, we have not seen other incidents of polar bears stalking, killing, and eating other polar bears. We hypothesize that nutritional stresses related to the longer ice-free seasons that have occurred in the Beaufort Sea in recent years may have led to the cannibalism incidents we observed in 2004. ?? Springer-Verlag 2006.

[Sequence analysis of LEAFY homologous gene from Dendrobium moniliforme and application for identification of medicinal Dendrobium].

PubMed

Xing, Wen-Rui; Hou, Bei-Wei; Guan, Jing-Jiao; Luo, Jing; Ding, Xiao-Yu

2013-04-01

The LEAFY (LFY) homologous gene of Dendrobium moniliforme (L.) Sw. was cloned by new primers which were designed based on the conservative region of known sequences of orchid LEAFY gene. Partial LFY homologous gene was cloned by common PCR, then we got the complete LFY homologous gene Den LFY by Tail-PCR. The complete sequence of DenLFY gene was 3 575 bp which contained three exons and two introns. Using BLAST method, comparison analysis among the exon of LFY homologous gene indicted that the DenLFY gene had high identity with orchids LFY homologous, including the related fragment of PhalLFY (84%) in Phalaenopsis hybrid cultivar, LFY homologous gene in Oncidium (90%) and in other orchid (over 80%). Using MP analysis, Dendrobium is found to be the sister to Oncidium and Phalaenopsis. Homologous analysis demonstrated that the C-terminal amino acids were highly conserved. When the exons and introns were separately considered, exons and the sequence of amino acid were good markers for the function research of DenLFY gene. The second intron can be used in authentication research of Dendrobium based on the length polymorphism between Dendrobium moniliforme and Dendrobium officinale.

Babao Dan attenuates hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting hepatic stellate cells activation and proliferation via TLR4 signaling pathway.

PubMed

Liang, Lei; Yang, Xue; Yu, Yang; Li, Xiaoyong; Wu, Yechen; Shi, Rongyu; Jiang, Jinghua; Gao, Lu; Ye, Fei; Zhao, Qiudong; Li, Rong; Wei, Lixin; Han, Zhipeng

2016-12-13

Babao Dan (BBD), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used as a complementary and alternative medicine to treat chronic liver diseases. In this study, we aimed to observe the protective effect of BBD on rat hepatic fibrosis induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and explore it possible mechanism. BBD was administrated while DEN was given. After eight weeks, values of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) indicated that BBD significantly protected liver from damaging by DEN and had no obvious side effect on normal rat livers. Meanwhile, BBD attenuated hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in DEN-induced rat livers through histopathological examination and hepatic hydroxyproline content. Furthermore, we found that BBD inhibited hepatic stellate cells activation and proliferation without altering the concentration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in portal vein. In vitro study, serum from BBD treated rats (BBD-serum) could also significantly suppress LPS-induced HSCs activation through TLR4/NF-κB pathway. In addition, BBD-serum also inhibited the proliferation of HSCs by regulating TLR4/ERK pathway. Our study demonstrated that BBD may provide a new therapy strategy of hepatic injury and hepatic fibrosis.

Conspecific scent trailing by garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) during autumn Further evidence for use of pheromones in den location.

PubMed

Costanzo, J P

1989-11-01

Adult garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis), collected in October near a traditional, communal hibernaculum in central Wisconsin, were acclimated to autumnal conditions and subjected to laboratory tests to determine whether they could follow scent trails of a conspecific. Graded responses were obtained, but 75% of the sample showed at least some inclination to follow scent trails. The results suggest that pheromone cues may be used by male and female garter snakes to locate traditional dens during autumnal migrations. Evidence from this and other studies suggests that pheromones are probably used in conjunction with other homing mechanisms and that the role of pheromones in den location may be more important in younger snakes and in populations inhabiting northern latitudes.

Verbrennungsmotoren

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreiner, Klaus

Das Kapitel "Verbrennungsmotoren" gibt eine Einführung in das wichte und große Gebiet der Verbrennungsmotoren. Leserinnen und Lesern, die noch nie etwas über Verbrennungsmotoren gehört haben, wird empfohlen, zunächst den Abschnitt 1 zu lesen. Dieser ist bewusst einfach und anschaulich geschrieben, um den Zugang zum Thema zu erleichtern. Danach können gezielt weitergehende Informationen in den Abschnitten 2 bis 9 studiert werden. Diese Abschnitte wurden so verfasst, dass man sie nicht nacheinander lesen muss. Grundlage ist jeweils nur der Abschnitt 1. Dieser selbst ist so verfasst, dass das Wichtigste ganz am Anfang steht. Je weiter hinten man in diesem Abschnitt ankommt, umso spezieller werden die Themen. Bei nur begrenztem Interesse an dem Thema Verbrennungsmotoren kann man das Lesen des Abschnitts 1 jederzeit abbrechen und hat trotzdem das bis dahin Wichtigste erfahren.

Euthanasia for Detainees in Belgium.

PubMed

Devolder, Katrien

2016-07-01

In 2011, Frank Van Den Bleeken became the first detainee to request euthanasia under Belgium's Euthanasia Act of 2002. This article investigates whether it would be lawful and morally permissible for a doctor to accede to this request. Though Van Den Bleeken has not been held accountable for the crimes he committed, he has been detained in an ordinary prison, without appropriate psychiatric care, for more than 30 years. It is first established that Van Den Bleeken's euthanasia request plausibly meets the relevant conditions of the Euthanasia Act and that, consequently, a doctor could lawfully fulfill it. Next, it is argued that autonomy-based reasons for euthanizing him outweigh complicity-based reasons against doing so, and that, therefore, it is also morally permissible for a doctor to carry out the euthanasia request.

Rückwärtsintegration - Zu den Verhältnissen Gymnasium, Hochschule und Arbeitswelt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmid, Gerhard; Heppner, Winfried; Focht, Eva

In seiner 2007 erschienen Sammlung von Vorträgen und Essays beschäftigt sich Wolfgang Frühwald, mit der Frage "Wieviel Wissen brauchen wir?“ [1] Die Kernproblematik moderner Wissenschaft und Forschung sieht der Autor, emeritierter Ordinarius für Neuere Deutsche Literaturwissenschaft und von 1992 bis 1997 Präsident der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft, einerseits in der zunehmenden Spezialisierung der Wissenschaftsbereiche, andererseits in der Gefahr der Abkoppelung der Naturwissenschaften von den Geisteswissenschaften. Wiederholt plädiert er dafür, über der rasanten Entwicklung beispielsweise in der Biologie und Physik, die historische, gesellschaftliche und besonders die ethische Dimension der Forschung nicht zu übersehen und fordert eine übergeordnete Theorie der Wissenschaft, die nur im Dialog zwischen den einzelnen Fachgebieten zu entwickeln sei.

Implications of Harvest on the Boundaries of Protected Areas for Large Carnivore Viewing Opportunities.

PubMed

Borg, Bridget L; Arthur, Stephen M; Bromen, Nicholas A; Cassidy, Kira A; McIntyre, Rick; Smith, Douglas W; Prugh, Laura R

2016-01-01

The desire to see free ranging large carnivores in their natural habitat is a driver of tourism in protected areas around the globe. However, large carnivores are wide-ranging and subject to human-caused mortality outside protected area boundaries. The impact of harvest (trapping or hunting) on wildlife viewing opportunities has been the subject of intense debate and speculation, but quantitative analyses have been lacking. We examined the effect of legal harvest of wolves (Canis lupus) along the boundaries of two North American National Parks, Denali (DNPP) and Yellowstone (YNP), on wolf viewing opportunities within the parks during peak tourist season. We used data on wolf sightings, pack sizes, den site locations, and harvest adjacent to DNPP from 1997-2013 and YNP from 2008-2013 to evaluate the relationship between harvest and wolf viewing opportunities. Although sightings were largely driven by wolf population size and proximity of den sites to roads, sightings in both parks were significantly reduced by harvest. Sightings in YNP increased by 45% following years with no harvest of a wolf from a pack, and sightings in DNPP were more than twice as likely during a period with a harvest buffer zone than in years without the buffer. These findings show that harvest of wolves adjacent to protected areas can reduce sightings within those areas despite minimal impacts on the size of protected wolf populations. Consumptive use of carnivores adjacent to protected areas may therefore reduce their potential for non-consumptive use, and these tradeoffs should be considered when developing regional wildlife management policies.

Implications of Harvest on the Boundaries of Protected Areas for Large Carnivore Viewing Opportunities

PubMed Central

Borg, Bridget L.; Arthur, Stephen M.; Bromen, Nicholas A.; Cassidy, Kira A.; McIntyre, Rick; Smith, Douglas W.; Prugh, Laura R.

2016-01-01

The desire to see free ranging large carnivores in their natural habitat is a driver of tourism in protected areas around the globe. However, large carnivores are wide-ranging and subject to human-caused mortality outside protected area boundaries. The impact of harvest (trapping or hunting) on wildlife viewing opportunities has been the subject of intense debate and speculation, but quantitative analyses have been lacking. We examined the effect of legal harvest of wolves (Canis lupus) along the boundaries of two North American National Parks, Denali (DNPP) and Yellowstone (YNP), on wolf viewing opportunities within the parks during peak tourist season. We used data on wolf sightings, pack sizes, den site locations, and harvest adjacent to DNPP from 1997–2013 and YNP from 2008–2013 to evaluate the relationship between harvest and wolf viewing opportunities. Although sightings were largely driven by wolf population size and proximity of den sites to roads, sightings in both parks were significantly reduced by harvest. Sightings in YNP increased by 45% following years with no harvest of a wolf from a pack, and sightings in DNPP were more than twice as likely during a period with a harvest buffer zone than in years without the buffer. These findings show that harvest of wolves adjacent to protected areas can reduce sightings within those areas despite minimal impacts on the size of protected wolf populations. Consumptive use of carnivores adjacent to protected areas may therefore reduce their potential for non-consumptive use, and these tradeoffs should be considered when developing regional wildlife management policies. PMID:27124729

Den use and activity patterns in female Canada lynx (Lynx Canadensis) in the northern Rocky Mountains

Treesearch

Lucretia E. Olson; John R. Squires; Nicholas J. DeCesare; Jay A. Kolbe

2011-01-01

Knowledge of female behavior while rearing young can have important implications for species conservation. We located dens and analyzed activity (defined as movement between consecutive GPS locations) for nine female lynx with kittens in the northcentral Rocky Mountains in 2005 and 2007. We used GPS tracking collars to quantify the percentage of time a female spent...

Organizational Use of a Framework for Innovation Adoption

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

in current processes , the eight practices identified by Denning and Dunham’s The Innovator’s Way, Essential Practices For Successful Innovation (2010...framework for identifying gaps in current processes , the eight practices identified by Denning and Dunham’s The Innovator’s Way, Essential Practices For...60 2. Methods to Use within the Eight Practice Framework ..................63 a. Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP) for Executing

Inhibition of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase switches Smad3 signaling from oncogenesis to tumor- suppression in rat hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Nagata, Hiromitsu; Hatano, Etsuro; Tada, Masaharu; Murata, Miki; Kitamura, Koji; Asechi, Hiroyuki; Narita, Masato; Yanagida, Atsuko; Tamaki, Nobuyuki; Yagi, Shintaro; Ikai, Iwao; Matsuzaki, Koichi; Uemoto, Shinji

2009-06-01

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) signaling involves both tumor-suppression and oncogenesis. TGF-beta activates the TGF-beta type I receptor (TbetaRI) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), which differentially phosphorylate the mediator Smad3 to become COOH-terminally phosphorylated Smad3 (pSmad3C) and linker-phosphorylated Smad3 (pSmad3L). TbetaRI-dependent pSmad3C transmits a tumor-suppressive TGF-beta signal, while JNK-dependent pSmad3L promotes carcinogenesis in human chronic liver disorders. The aim of this study is to elucidate how SP600125, a JNK inhibitor, affected rat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, while focusing on the domain-specific phosphorylation of Smad3. The rats received subcutaneous injections of either SP600125 or vehicle 11 times weekly together with 100 ppm N-diethylnitrosamine (DEN) administration for 56 days and were sacrificed in order to evaluate HCC development 28 days after the last DEN administration. The number of tumor nodules greater than 3 mm in diameter and the liver weight/body weight ratio were significantly lower in the SP600125-treated rats than those in the vehicle-treated rats (7.9 +/- 0.8 versus 17.7 +/- 0.9: P < 0.001; 6.3 +/- 1.2 versus 7.1 +/- 0.2%: P < 0.05). SP600125 significantly prolonged the median survival time in rats with DEN-induced HCC (113 versus 97 days: log-rank P = 0.0018). JNK/pSmad3L/c-Myc was enhanced in the rat hepatocytes exposed to DEN. However, TbetaRI/pSmad3C/p21(WAF1) was impaired as DEN-induced HCC developed and progressed. The specific inhibition of JNK activity by SP600125 suppressed pSmad3L/c-Myc in the damaged hepatocytes and enhanced pSmad3C/p21(WAF1), acting as a tumor suppressor in normal hepatocytes. Administration of SP600125 to DEN-treated rats shifted hepatocytic Smad3-mediated signal from oncogenesis to tumor suppression, thus suggesting that JNK could be a therapeutic target of human HCC development and progression.

DensToolKit: A comprehensive open-source package for analyzing the electron density and its derivative scalar and vector fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solano-Altamirano, J. M.; Hernández-Pérez, Julio M.

2015-11-01

DensToolKit is a suite of cross-platform, optionally parallelized, programs for analyzing the molecular electron density (ρ) and several fields derived from it. Scalar and vector fields, such as the gradient of the electron density (∇ρ), electron localization function (ELF) and its gradient, localized orbital locator (LOL), region of slow electrons (RoSE), reduced density gradient, localized electrons detector (LED), information entropy, molecular electrostatic potential, kinetic energy densities K and G, among others, can be evaluated on zero, one, two, and three dimensional grids. The suite includes a program for searching critical points and bond paths of the electron density, under the framework of Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules. DensToolKit also evaluates the momentum space electron density on spatial grids, and the reduced density matrix of order one along lines joining two arbitrary atoms of a molecule. The source code is distributed under the GNU-GPLv3 license, and we release the code with the intent of establishing an open-source collaborative project. The style of DensToolKit's code follows some of the guidelines of an object-oriented program. This allows us to supply the user with a simple manner for easily implement new scalar or vector fields, provided they are derived from any of the fields already implemented in the code. In this paper, we present some of the most salient features of the programs contained in the suite, some examples of how to run them, and the mathematical definitions of the implemented fields along with hints of how we optimized their evaluation. We benchmarked our suite against both a freely-available program and a commercial package. Speed-ups of ˜2×, and up to 12× were obtained using a non-parallel compilation of DensToolKit for the evaluation of fields. DensToolKit takes similar times for finding critical points, compared to a commercial package. Finally, we present some perspectives for the future development and growth of the suite.

Do Disk Galaxies Have Different Central Velocity Dispersions At A Given Rotation Velocity?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danilovich, Taissa; Jones, H.; Mould, J.; Taylor, E.; Tonini, C.; Webster, R.

2011-05-01

Hubble's classification of spiral galaxies was one dimensional. Actually it was 1.5 dimensional, as he distinguished barred spirals. Van den Bergh's was two dimensional: spirals had luminosity classes too. Other schemes are summarized at http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/G/galaxyclassification.html A more quantitative approach is to classify spiral galaxies by rotation velocity. Their central velocity dispersion (bulge) tends to be roughly one half of their rotation velocity (disk). There is a trend from σ/W = 0.8 to σ/W = 0.2 as one goes from W = 100 to 500 km/s, where W is twice the rotation velocity. But some fraction of spirals have a velocity dispersion up to a factor of two larger than that. In hierarchical galaxy formation models, the relative contributions of σ and W depend on the mass accretion history of the galaxy, which determines the mass distribution of the dynamical components such as disk, bulge and dark matter halo. The wide variety of histories that originate in the hierarchical mass assembly produce at any value of W a wide range of σ/W, that reaches high values in more bulge- dominated systems. In a sense the two classifiers were both right: spirals are mostly one dimensional, but σ/W (bulge to disk ratio) is often larger than average. Is this a signature of merger history?

Late Pleistocene steppe lion Panthera leo spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) footprints and bone records from open air sites in northern Germany - Evidence of hyena-lion antagonism and scavenging in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diedrich, Cajus G.

2011-07-01

Bone remains and a trackway of Pantheraichnus bottropensis nov. ichg. ichnsp. of the Late Pleistocene lion Panthera leo spelaea ( Goldfuss, 1810) have been recovered from Bottrop and other open air sites in northern Germany. Some of these bones are from open air hyena den sites. A relative high proportion of lion bones (20%) exhibit bite, chew or nibble marks, or bone crushing and nibbling caused by a large carnivore. Repeated patterns of similar bone damage have been compared to bone remains found at hyena dens in gypsum karst areas and cave sites in northern Germany. Ice Age spotted hyenas have been the main antagonists and the main scavengers on lion carcasses. The remains appear to have been imported often by hyenas into their communal dens, supporting the theory of strong hyena-lion antagonism, similar to the well documented antagonism between modern African lions and spotted hyenas. Most of the lion bones from the open air hyena den at Bottrop are probably a result of such antagonism, as are the rare remains of these carnivores found within large hyena prey bone accumulations along the Pleistocene rivers. The Emscher River terrace also has the largest quantity of hyena remains from open air river terrace sites in northern Germany. Their cub remains, and incomplete chewed prey bones from mammoths and woolly rhinoceroses, typical of hyena activity, underline the character of these sites as cub-raising and communal dens, where their prey was accumulated along the riverbanks in a similar manner to modern African hyenas.

Serotype-Specific Structural Differences in the Protease-Cofactor Complexes of the Dengue Virus Family

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

Chandramouli, Sumana; Joseph, Jeremiah S.; Daudenarde, Sophie

With an estimated 40% of the world population at risk, dengue poses a significant threat to human health, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Preventative and curative efforts, such as vaccine development and drug discovery, face additional challenges due to the occurrence of four antigenically distinct serotypes of the causative dengue virus (DEN1 to -4). Complex immune responses resulting from repeat assaults by the different serotypes necessitate simultaneous targeting of all forms of the virus. One of the promising targets for drug development is the highly conserved two-component viral protease NS2B-NS3, which plays an essential role in viral replication bymore » processing the viral precursor polyprotein into functional proteins. In this paper, we report the 2.1-{angstrom} crystal structure of the DEN1 NS2B hydrophilic core (residues 49 to 95) in complex with the NS3 protease domain (residues 1 to 186) carrying an internal deletion in the N terminus (residues 11 to 20). While the overall folds within the protease core are similar to those of DEN2 and DEN4 proteases, the conformation of the cofactor NS2B is dramatically different from those of other flaviviral apoprotease structures. The differences are especially apparent within its C-terminal region, implicated in substrate binding. The structure reveals for the first time serotype-specific structural elements in the dengue virus family, with the reported alternate conformation resulting from a unique metal-binding site within the DEN1 sequence. We also report the identification of a 10-residue stretch within NS3pro that separates the substrate-binding function from the catalytic turnover rate of the enzyme. Implications for broad-spectrum drug discovery are discussed.« less

Smartes System für die Energiewende - der Übertragungsnetzbetreiber in der digitalen Zukunft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pflaum, Rainer; Egeler, Tobias

Die Übertragungsnetze stellen eine zuverlässige Versorgung von Haushalt, Gewerbe und Industrie mit elektrischer Energie sicher und sind damit Grundlage einer modernen Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Die mittlerweile unumkehrbaren Entwicklungen der nationalen und europäischen Energiewende stellen den Übertragungsnetzbetreiber in seinen Kernaufgaben, dem Bau und Betrieb von Netzen, dem Markt- und Netzzugang und der Integration der erneuerbaren Energien vor neue und große Herausforderungen. Verbrauchsnahe dezentrale Erzeugung wie verbrauchsferne zentrale Erzeugung muss im Sinne der Gewährleistung der Systemstabilität gemanagt und in Einklang mit dem Verbrauch gebracht werden. Erneuerbare Energien müssen zudem in einem solchen System ihren Beitrag zur System- und Marktintegration leisten. All das erfordert mehr Daten, um in einem Gesamtsystem dynamische Reaktionsmöglichkeiten gewährleisten zu können. Erst die "Digitalisierung" schafft dabei die notwendigen Voraussetzungen die Komplexität zu stemmen. Die Digitalisierung stellt daher ein Kernelement dieses Wandels des Übertragungsnetzbetreibers dar, die einerseits mit zum Entstehen der neuen Herausforderungen beiträgt, andererseits aber auch hilft Werkzeuge bereitzustellen, diesen Herausforderungen zu begegnen. Im folgenden Beitrag wird aufgezeigt, wie die Digitalisierung die Aufgaben und Instrumente des Übertragungsnetzbetreibers verändern. Ausgehend von den heutigen Aufgaben eines Übertragungsnetzbetreibers und dem gültigen Rechtsrahmen werden unter dem Begriff "Notwendiges Set für morgen" smarte Elemente und Werkzeuge beschrieben, die bereits heute im Einsatz sind oder in den nächsten Jahren notwendig werden. Im Anschluss erfolgt anhand einiger Beispiele aus unterschiedlichen Bereichen eine Konkretisierung der Einsatzzwecke der Digitalisierung beim Übertragungsnetzbetreiber. Ein kurzer Ausblick mit Fokus auf den weiteren Veränderungsprozess rundet den Beitrag ab.

Implantate und Verfahren in der Augenheilkunde

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuhann, Tobias H.

Das in der Medizin mit am häufigsten verwendete Implantat weltweit ist die Intraokulare Linse (IOL). Die Gründe hierfür sind vielschichtig: einmal haben die Operationstechniken in den letzten 30 Jahren eine wesentliche Steigerung an Gleichmäßigkeit, Erfolg und Effizienz erfahren, zum anderen verursachen die gestiegenen Anforderungen des Alltags in den Industrienationen und im Berufsleben den höheren Anspruch an das Sehvermögen. Ist die menschliche Linse Ursache für schlechtes Sehvermögen, besteht meist eine Trübung des Linsenproteins. Diese Trübung nennt wird Volksmund Grauer Star genannt, wissenschaftlich die Katarakt (cataracta). Es gibt unterschiedliche Formen wie angeborene (congenita) oder erworbene, traumatische, krankheitsoder altersbedingte Formen [45]. Wird die eingetrübte Linse nun mittels moderner Operationsverfahren entfernt, muss für Ersatz dieses lichtbrechenden Mediums gesorgt werden [2].

Statistik in Naturwissenschaft und Technik

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilrich, Peter-Theodor

Mit dem Aufschwung von Naturwissenschaft und Technik zu Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts entstand die mathematische Statistik, angeregt aus der Geodäsie (wie die Methode der kleinsten Quadrate) und der Anthropologie (wie die statistische Analyse mehrdimensionaler Beobachtungen und ihrer stochastischen Abhängigkeiten). Im Gegensatz zu den Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, in denen Daten vorwiegend aus Beobachtungsstudien gewonnen werden, stehen in den Naturwissenschaften Experimente im Vordergrund. Daher gehört die statistische Versuchsplanung zu den insbesondere in Naturwissenschaft und Technik angewendeten statistischen Methoden, aber auch die Extremwertstatistik und Lebensdaueranalysen sowie die Methoden der räumlichen Statistik (insbesondere in der Umweltforschung). Im 20. Jahrhundert wurden Stichprobenpläne und Regelkarten (Kontrollkarten) zur Prozessregelung als Hilfsmittel der statistischen Qualitätssicherung entwickelt. Diese Methodenbündel, mit denen sich der Ausschuss Statistik in Naturwissenschaft und Technik immer wieder befasst, werden im Folgenden vorgestellt.

Honors and Theater: Spinoza's Pedagogical Experience and His Relation to F. Van Den Enden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rovere, Maxime

2018-01-01

Franciscus Van den Enden (1602-1674) is commonly considered as the man who taught Latin to B. de Spinoza (1632-1677). It is unknown if he actually taught him something else, but we do know he used a pedagogy of his own and made the young philosopher aware of the importance of pedagogical issues. The present article helps to document their…

KSC-02pd0358

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-03-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In one of the many waterholes on KSC, a large alligator lies covered with green algae as he basks in the sun. Nearly 5,000 alligators can be found in canals, ponds and waterways throughout the Center and surrounding areas. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens

Citizen in Uniform: Democratic Germany and the Changing Bundeswehr

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-09

explanation than a definition of the concept.27 4 Maj. Petra McGregor, USAF, provides the following description: “Innere Fuehrung is…understood as a...the great majority of Germans opposed rearmament.” 11 Klaus-Juergen Bremm, Hans-Hubertus Mack, Martin Rink, Entschieden fuer den Frieden: 50 Jahre...Ordnung (Muenchen: R. Oldenbourg, 2007), VII-VIII; Klaus-Juergen Bremm, Hans-Hubertus Mack, Martin Rink, Entschieden fuer den Frieden, 3-4; [German

Hüftgelenks-Endoprothesen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widmer, Markus; von Felten-Rösler, Ursula; Wintermantel, Erich

Die Hüftgelenk-Endoprothese wird im vorliegenden Buch als herausragendes Beispiel eines lasttragenden orthopädischen Implantates aufgeführt. Lasttragende Implantate werden in dieser Monographie den metabolisch induktiven Implantaten gegenübergestellt, bei denen Kräfte eine untergeordnete Rolle sowohl in der Werkstoffentwicklung als auch beim späteren Einsatz im Empfängerorganismus darstellen. Zu den metabolisch induktiven Implantaten werden beispielsweise Zellträger und “drug-release”-Systeme gerechnet.

UNICORN (Version III) Methodology.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-10-01

rAD-A124 766 UNICORN CYERSION’III) NETHODOLOGYMU SCIENCE / APPLICATIONS INC ENGLEWOOD CO L M BLACKWELL ET AL. OCT 76 SAI-76-648-DEN DCAII-75-C-802...1ii4 4% 83 02 010GZ SAI-76-048-DEN .. UNICORN (VERSION III) METHODOLOGY TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM by core L. M. Blackwell . IF’l 4 H. E. Hock T. A. Kriz D...6 DISCUSSION .. ... ..... ..... ..... ..... ...... 7 FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS--THE UNICORN METHODOLOGY .. .. ... ..... 9

1.3 micrometers Wavelength Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser Fabricated by Orientation-Mismatched Wafer Bonding: A Prospect for Polarization Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-01

mismatched wafer bonding: A prospect for polarization control Yae L. Okuno,a) Jon Geske , Kian-Giap Gan, Yi-Jen Chiu, Steven P. DenBaars, and John E. Bowers...Uomi, M. Aoki, and T. Tsuchiya, IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 33, 959 ~1997!. 20 Y. L. Okuno, J. Geske , Y.-J. Chiu, S. P. DenBaars, and J. E. Bowers, Proc

Rater Biases in Genetically Informative Research Designs: Comment on Bartels, Boomsma, Hudziak, van Beijsterveldt, and van den Oord (2007)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoyt, William T.

2007-01-01

Rater biases are of interest to behavior genetic researchers, who often use ratings data as a basis for studying heritability. Inclusion of multiple raters for each sibling pair (M. Bartels, D. I. Boomsma, J. J. Hudziak, T. C. E. M. van Beijsterveldt, & E. J. C. G. van den Oord, 2007) is a promising strategy for controlling bias variance and may…

Hepatoprotective activity of bacoside A against N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced liver toxicity in adult rats.

PubMed

Janani, Panneerselvam; Sivakumari, Kanakarajan; Parthasarathy, Chandrakesan

2009-10-01

N-Nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) is a notorious carcinogen, present in many environmental factors. DEN induces oxidative stress and cellular injury due to enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species; free radical scavengers protect the membranes from DEN-induced damage. The present study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of bacoside A (the active principle isolated from Bacopa monniera Linn.) on carcinogen-induced damage in rat liver. Adult male albino rats were pretreated with 15 mg/kg body weight/day of bacoside A orally (for 14 days) and then intoxicated with single necrogenic dose of N-nitrosodiethylamine (200 mg/kg bodyweight, intraperitonially) and maintained for 7 days. The liver weight, lipid peroxidation (LPO), and activity of serum marker enzymes (aspartate transaminases, alanine transaminases, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) were markedly increased in carcinogen-administered rats, whereas the activities of marker enzymes were near normal in bacoside A-pretreated rats. Activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutatione-S-transferase, and reduced glutathione) in liver also decreased in carcinogen-administered rats, which were significantly elevated in bacoside A-pretreated rats. It is concluded that pretreatment of bacoside A prevents the elevation of LPO and activity of serum marker enzymes and maintains the antioxidant system and thus protects the rats from DEN-induced hepatotoxicity.

Fatigue Crack Propagation from Notched Specimens of 304 SS in elevated Temperature Aqueous Environment

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

Wire, G. L.; Mills, W. J.

2002-08-01

Fatigue crack propagation (FCP) rates for 304 stainless steel (304SS) were determined in 24 degree C and 288 degree C air and 288 degree C water using double-edged notch (DEN) specimens of 304 stainless steel (304 SS). Test performed at matched loading conditions in air and water at 288 degree C with 20-6- cc h[sub]2/kg h[sub]2O provided a direct comparison of the relative crack growth rates in air and water over a wide range of crack growth rates. The DEN crack extension ranged from short cracks (0.03-0.25 mm) to long cracks up to 4.06 mm, which are consistent with conventionalmore » deep crack tests. Crack growth rates of 304 SS in water were about 12 times the air rate. This 12X environmental enhancement persisted to crack extensions up to 4.06 mm, far outside the range associated with short crack effects. The large environmental degradation for 304 SS crack growth is consistent with the strong reduction of fatigue life in high hydrogen water. Further, very similar environmental effects w ere reported in fatigue crack growth tests in hydrogen water chemistry (HWC). Most literature data in high hydrogen water show only a mild environmental effect for 304 SS, of order 2.5 times air or less, but the tests were predominantly performed at high cyclic stress intensity or equivalently, high air rates. The environmental effect in low oxygen environments at low stress intensity depends strongly on both the stress ratio, R, and the load rise time, T[sub]r, as recently reported for austenitic stainless steel in BWR water. Fractography was performed for both tests in air and water. At 288 degree C in water, the fracture surfaces were crisply faceted with a crystallographic appearance, and showed striations under high magnification. The cleavage-like facets on the fracture surfaces suggest that hydrogen embrittlement is the primary cause of accelerated cracking.« less

Integrating conservation management, species protection, and economic viability into sustainable land use practices for the Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) in the Appalachian and Northern Andes Mountains

Treesearch

Brian W. Smith; Jorge Botero; Jeff L. Larkin; Amanda D. Rodewald; Petra B. Wood; Patrick N. Angel; Scott E. Eggerud

2012-01-01

We monitored 15 radio-collared raccoons (Procyon lotor) on Davies Island in March 1987 - May 1988 to determine the extent to which individual tree attributes or spatial configuration of plant associations (habitat types) across the land-scape influenced den use. Of 1091 verified den sites, 428 were in tree cavities. Raccoon occurrence among 4 cover...

New species and records of cunaxid mites (Acari: Cunaxidae) from soil in Southern Brazil.

PubMed

Rocha, Matheus Dos Santos; Rodrigues, Everton Nei Lopes; Ferla, Noeli Juarez

2015-07-02

Neocunaxoides promatae sp. nov., Bonzia flechtmanni sp. nov. and Dactyloscirus multiscutus sp. nov. are described from soil and leaf litter in Atlantic rainforest and Atlantic Araucaria forest in natural environments in São Francisco de Paula municipality, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. In addition, the species Pulaeus quadrisolenidius Castro & Den Heyer 2009 and Lupaeus lectus Castro & Den Heyer (2009) are registered for the first time in this State.

Developing an Effective and Efficient Real Time Strategy Agent for Use as a Computer Generated Force

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

Coello, Carlos A., Gary B. Lamont, and David A. Van Veldhuizen . Evolution- ary Algorithms for Solving Multi-Objective Problems (Genetic and...Practice. Oxford Univer- sity Press, 1996. 4. Bakkes, Sander, Philip Kerbusch, Pieter Spronck, and Jaap van den Herik. “Au- tomatically Evaluating...Pieter Spronck, and Jaap van den Herik. “Phase-dependent Evaluation in RTS games”. Proceedings of the 19th Belgian-Dutch Conference on Artificial

East Europe Report, Political, Sociological and Military Affairs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-12-14

Education ( J . Vorsatz; BOERSENBLATT FUER DEN DEUTSCHEN BUCHHANDEL, No 43, 23 Oct 84) 15 Cool Reception of Immigrants in FRG Noted (C.-C...HIGHER EDUCATION Leipzig BOERSENBLATT FUER DEN DEUTSCHEN BUCHHANDEL in German No 43, 23 Oct 84 pp 811-815 [Article by J . Vorsatz: "Position...Man in the World Today"] LText J T^ Hungarian Academy of Sciences arranged an academic conference in Budapest be- tween Februaiy 28 and March I

SensInDenT-Noncontact Sensors Integrated Into Dental Treatment Units.

PubMed

Teichmann, Daniel; Teichmann, Maren; Weitz, Philippe; Wolfart, Stefan; Leonhardt, Steffen; Walter, Marian

2017-02-01

This paper presents the first system design (SensInDenT) for noncontact cardiorespiratory monitoring during dental treatment. The system is integrated into a dental treatment unit, and combines sensors based on electromagnetic, optical, and mechanical coupling at different sensor locations. The measurement principles and circuits are described and a system overview is presented. Furthermore, a first proof of concept is provided by taking measurements in healthy volunteers under laboratory conditions.

JPRS Report, East Europe.

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-19

how maintainable a building is, really met until the invention of the internal combustion how modernizable. In the future these qualities must be...Academy of the GDR], 1. "Bericht des Zentralkomitees der SED an den XI. Bauakademie, Berlin, 1981, p 12. Parteitag der SED" [Report of the Central...by all-around brigades highly skilled in a number of trades, combinable small 3. Cf. "Bericht des Zentralkomitees der SED an den XI. units from Kreis

Use of multiple den sites by Eurasian badgers, Meles meles, in a Mediterranean habitat.

PubMed

Loureiro, Filipa; Rosalino, Luís Miguel; Macdonald, David W; Santos-Reis, Margarida

2007-10-01

Den sites are a conspicuous feature of Eurasian badgers, Meles meles, and in many environments include large communal burrows used by several group members. In Serra de Grândola, southwest Portugal, nine badgers from three social groups were captured and radio collared from 2000 to 2004. A total of 1,787 locations of badgers in their resting sites were registered along with a brief description of the type of site and weather conditions. Resting sites were grouped according to structure (burrows, shrubs, rocks, hollow trees and man-made structures) and function (main, secondary and occasional). Although main setts were the most frequently used shelter (62.25%), an average of 14 (SD 7.55) resting sites were used in each territory. The pattern of use varied seasonally, showing differences according to sex and social group. Overall, females used more than twice as many occasional resting sites as did males. Generally burrows, predominantly main setts, were most frequently used during winter and autumn, whilst non-burrow shelters were preferred during spring and summer, when the weather was hot, dry and not windy. Proximity to food patches had no apparent influence on the location of resting sites. Our results offered no support for the foraging-related hypotheses that multiple resting sites are a means of conserving energy or of maintaining proximity to rich food patches. We suggest that other factors such as thermoregulation needs, disturbance, and reproductive status, could be influencing the observed pattern of resting-site use by badgers in Serra de Grândola.

Numerical solutions of pulsating flow and heat transfer characteristics in a channel with a backward-facing step

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valencia, A.; Hinojosa, L.

The incompressible laminar flow of air and heat transfer in a channel with a backward-facing step is studied for steady cases and for pulsatile inlet conditions. For steady flows the influence of the inlet velocity profile, the height of the step and the Reynolds number on the reattachment length is investigated. A parabolic entrance profile was used for pulsatile flow. It was found with amplitude of oscillation of one by Re=100 that the primary vortex breakdown through one pulsatile cycle. The wall shear rate in the separation zone varied markedly with pulsatile flows and the wall heat transfer remained relatively constant. The time-average pulsatile heat transfer at the walls was greater as with steady flow with the same mean Reynolds number. Zusammenfassung Es wird eine zweidimensionale numerische Untersuchung des instationären Wärmeübergangs und Druckverlustes im laminar durchströmten Spaltkanal mit einer plötzlichen Kanalerweiterung dargelegt und zwar für stationäre und periodische Geschwindigkeitsprofile am Eintritt des Kanals. Für stationäre Strömungen wurden die Form des Eintrittsprofils, die Reynoldszahl und die Kanalerweiterung variiert. Als Lösung der Navier/Stokes-und der Energiegleichungen mit periodischen Randbedingungen resultiert eine oszillierende Strömung, die das Aufplatzen des Primärwirbels in einer Schwingungsperiode zur Folge hat. Der Einfluß dieser Oszillation auf den Wärmeübergang und den Strömungsverlust wurde für die maximale Amplitude und für Re=100 eingehend untersucht.

Environmental complex mixture toxicity assessment.

PubMed

Gardner, H S; Brennan, L M; Toussaint, M W; Rosencrance, A B; Boncavage-Hennessey, E M; Wolfe, M J

1998-12-01

Trichloroethylene (TCE) was found as a contaminant in the well supplying water to an aquatic testing laboratory. The groundwater was routinely screened by a commercial laboratory for volatile and semivolatile compounds, metals, herbicides, pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency methods. Although TCE was the only reportable peak on the gas chromatograph, with average concentrations of 0.200 mg/l, other small peaks were also present, indicating the possibility that the contamination was not limited to TCE alone. A chronic 6-month carcinogenicity assay was conducted on-site in a biomonitoring trailer, using the Japanese medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) in an initiation-promotion protocol, with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) as the initiator and the TCE-contaminated groundwater as a promoter. Study results indicated no evidence of carcinogenic potential of the groundwater without initiation. There was, however, a tumor-promotional effect of the groundwater after DEN initiation. A follow-up laboratory study was conducted using reagent grade TCE added to carbon-filtered groundwater to simulate TCE concentrations comparable to those found in the contaminated groundwater. Study results indicated no promotional effects of TCE. These studies emphasize the necessity for on-site bioassays to assess potential environmental hazards. In this instance, chemical analysis of the groundwater identified TCE as the only reportable contaminant, but other compounds present below reportable limits were noted and may have had a synergistic effect on tumor promotion observed with the groundwater exposure. Laboratory toxicity testing of single compounds can produce toxicity data specific to that compound for that species but cannot take into account the possible toxic effects of mixtures of compounds.

Evidence for Pliocene and Quaternary landscape development on open sections of the Langenlois brick-yard (Lower Austria)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaburova, I.; Hofer, I.; Terhorst, B.; Fladerer, F. A.; Ottner, F.; Roetzel, R.

2009-04-01

The study area is located in the abandoned brick-yard of Langenlois, 8 km NE to the city of Krems in Lower Austria where thick fluvial sediments from the Pliocene and Pleistocene loess and loess-like deposits on top of the Upper Pliocene or Early Pleistocene gravel are present. J. Fink (1976) investigated the older S exposed sections of the brick-yard and described several fluvial layers at the base of the exposure, followed by two brownish paleosols, a reddish and well-developed paleosol complex which in the upper part is overlain by loess. In the upper south-eastern part of the section described by Fink (1976) an intense erosional phase represented by a fluvial channel refilled with reddish sands is visible. This study presents the results from the W exposed section of the brick-yard, where five upper Pliocene and Pleistocene sedimentary units could be documented. The sequences show a thickness of 5 m in average and extend about a distance of 100 m. Within these sequences a gradual shift from fluvial to terrestrial-aeolian influence characterises the sedimentary structure. Field survey, sedimentary and mineralogical analyses combined with palaeontological data allow to reconstruct the Pliocene and Quaternary landscape evolution and to evaluate the Langenlois sequences with respect to regional stratigraphy data in the loess-covered area of the Kremsfeld. FINK, J. (Ed.) (1976): Exkursion durch den österreichischen Teil des nördlichen Alpenvorlandes und den Donauraum zwischen Krems und Wiener Pforte. Mittteilungen der Kommission für Quartärforschung der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Bd 1.

DenInv3D: a geophysical software for three-dimensional density inversion of gravity field data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Yu; Ke, Xiaoping; Wang, Yong

2018-04-01

This paper presents a three-dimensional density inversion software called DenInv3D that operates on gravity and gravity gradient data. The software performs inversion modelling, kernel function calculation, and inversion calculations using the improved preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) algorithm. In the PCG algorithm, due to the uncertainty of empirical parameters, such as the Lagrange multiplier, we use the inflection point of the L-curve as the regularisation parameter. The software can construct unequally spaced grids and perform inversions using such grids, which enables changing the resolution of the inversion results at different depths. Through inversion of airborne gradiometry data on the Australian Kauring test site, we discovered that anomalous blocks of different sizes are present within the study area in addition to the central anomalies. The software of DenInv3D can be downloaded from http://159.226.162.30.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) mit Kanban

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beer, Anja; Dickmann, Eva; Dickmann, Philipp; Gerth, Wolf-Michael; Graßy, Mario; Herron, Colin; Schmidt, Peter; Seidl, Florian; Wittmann, Claus-Eduard

Nach Schätzungen von Mercer Management Consulting und dem Fraunhofer Institut wird der Wertschöpfungsanteil in der Automobilindustrie von durchschnittlich 35 % im Jahr 2002 auf 23 % im Jahr 2015 sinken [Merc 04]. Der Trend, die Produktionstiefe oder allgemeiner, die Wertschöpfungstiefe, zu reduzieren, hat zur Folge, dass die Kaufteile den größeren Teil der Wertschöpfung einnehmen. Die Optimierungspotentiale und der Einfluss auf die Kosten wandern immer mehr zu den Lieferanten, vor allem bei größeren Unternehmen oder Konzernen. Lieferanten-Philosophien, die auf oberflächlichen Verbindungen zu Lieferanten aufbauen, um immer optimal und schnell den günstigsten Teilepreis zu erhalten, haben sich in vielen Sparten oder Produktbereichen, z. B. im Maschinenbau, im besten Fall als kurzfristig erfolgreich erwiesen. Kooperative und nachhaltige Strategien sind der erfolgversprechendere Weg, zumindest mittelbis langfristig. In der Realität wird sehr wenig in Supply Chain-Konzepte investiert und die Umsetzungen sind daher vielmals oberflächlich.

Daily and seasonal activity patterns in the eastern gray squirrel

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

Bland, M.E.

1977-03-01

The daily and seasonal activity patterns of the eastern gray squirrel were investigated between July 1, 1971 and September 16, 1972. Seasonal variations existed in the amount of time per day squirrels were active, the time of onset and cessation of activity, and the size of home range. Squirrels were most active in the fall and spring and least active in the winter. Two peaks in activity (morning and evening) with a mid-day resting period were characteristic of the summer activity pattern. During the winter one brief period of activity occurred during the warm mid-day hours. In the fall themore » time of onset of activity was consistent and occurred 20 to 30 minutes before sunrise. Cessation of activity was also regular and took place 20 to 30 minutes after sunset. Times of onset and cessation of activity were irregular during the winter and summer with onset usually occurring after sunrise and cessation before sunset. Home range size was smallest in winter and largest in late spring and late summer. Male and female range sizes were similar in fall and winter but in the spring and summer ranges of males exceeded those of females. During winter one night nest location was used per given two week period and daytime activity was restricted to the area around the den site. In spring, summer, and fall each squirrel used between two and three nest locations per two week period and squirrels traveled considerable distance from the den site. Hardwood and cedar forests were heavily utilized by the squirrels with approximately 53 percent of the locations occurring in hardwood forests and 38 percent in cedar forests. Correlations between the amount of time per day squirrels were active and various abiotic and biotic factors were made. Snow cover and/or extremely cold temperatures during the winter and early spring curtailed movement, and rainy weather in summer decreased activity. The availability of acorns in the autumn and the appearance of food in the spring increased movement.« less

Photopolymerization of Dienoyl Lipids Creates Planar Supported Poly(lipid) Membranes with Retained Fluidity.

PubMed

Orosz, Kristina S; Jones, Ian W; Keogh, John P; Smith, Christopher M; Griffin, Kaitlyn R; Xu, Juhua; Comi, Troy J; Hall, H K; Saavedra, S Scott

2016-02-16

Polymerization of substrate-supported bilayers composed of dienoylphosphatidylcholine (PC) lipids is known to greatly enhance their chemical and mechanical stability; however, the effects of polymerization on membrane fluidity have not been investigated. Here planar supported lipid bilayers (PSLBs) composed of dienoyl PCs on glass substrates were examined to assess the degree to which UV-initiated polymerization affects lateral lipid mobility. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) was used to measure the diffusion coefficients (D) and mobile fractions of rhodamine-DOPE in unpolymerized and polymerized PSLBs composed of bis-sorbyl phosphatidylcholine (bis-SorbPC), mono-sorbyl-phosphatidylcholine (mono-SorbPC), bis-dienoyl-phosphatidylcholine (bis-DenPC), and mono-dienoyl phosphatidylcholine (mono-DenPC). Polymerization was performed in both the Lα and Lβ phase for each lipid. In all cases, polymerization reduced membrane fluidity; however, measurable lateral diffusion was retained which is attributed to a low degree of polymerization. The D values for sorbyl lipids were less than those of the denoyl lipids; this may be a consequence of the distal location of polymerizable group in the sorbyl lipids which may facilitate interleaflet bonding. The D values measured after polymerization were 0.1-0.8 of those measured before polymerization, a range that corresponds to fluidity intermediate between that of a Lα phase and a Lβ phase. This D range is comparable to ratios of D values reported for liquid-disordered (Ld) and liquid-ordered (Lo) lipid phases and indicates that the effect of UV polymerization on lateral diffusion in a dienoyl PSLB is similar to the transition from a Ld phase to a Lo phase. The partial retention of fluidity in UV-polymerized PSLBs, their enhanced stability, and the activity of incorporated transmembrane proteins and peptides is discussed.

Photopolymerization of dienoyl lipids creates planar supported poly(lipid) membranes with retained fluidity

PubMed Central

Orosz, Kristina S.; Jones, Ian W.; Keogh, John P.; Smith, Christopher M.; Griffin, Kaitlyn R.; Xu, Juhua; Comi, Troy J.; Hall, H. K.

2016-01-01

Polymerization of substrate-supported bilayers composed of dienoyl phosphatidylcholine (PC) lipids is known to greatly enhance their chemical and mechanical stability, however the effects of polymerization on membrane fluidity have not been investigated. Here planar supported lipid bilayers (PSLBs) composed of dienoyl PCs on glass substrates were examined to assess the degree to which UV-initiated polymerization affects lateral lipid mobility. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) was used to measure the diffusion coefficients (D) and mobile fractions of rhodamine-DOPE in unpolymerized and polymerized PSLBs composed of bis-sorbyl phosphatidylcholine (bis-SorbPC), mono-sorbyl phosphatidylcholine (mono-SorbPC), bis-dienoyl phosphatidylcholine (bis-DenPC) and mono-dienoyl phosphatidylcholine (mono-DenPC). Polymerization was performed in both the Lα and Lβ phase for each lipid. In all cases, polymerization reduced membrane fluidity, however measurable lateral diffusion was retained which is attributed to a low degree of polymerization. The D values for sorbyl lipids were less than those of the denoyl lipids; this may be a consequence of the distal location of polymerizable group in the sorbyl lipids which may facilitate inter-leaflet bonding. The D values measured after polymerization were 0.1 to 0.8 of those measured before polymerization, a range that corresponds to fluidity intermediate between that of a Lα phase and a Lβ phase. This D range is comparable to ratios of D values reported for liquid-disordered (Ld) and liquid-ordered (Lo) lipid phases, and indicates that the effect of UV polymerization on lateral diffusion in a dienoyl PSLB is similar to the transition from a Ld phase to a Lo phase. The partial retention of fluidity in UV polymerized PSLBs, their enhanced stability, and the activity of incorporated transmembrane proteins and peptides is discussed. PMID:26794208

Quantification of Organic richness through wireline logs: a case study of Roseneath shale formation, Cooper basin, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Maqsood; Iqbal, Omer; Kadir, Askury Abd

2017-10-01

The late Carboniferous-Middle Triassic, intracratonic Cooper basin in northeastern South Australia and southwestern Queensland is Australia's foremost onshore hydrocarbon producing region. The basin compromises Permian carbonaceous shale like lacustrine Roseneath and Murteree shale formation which is acting as source and reservoir rock. The source rock can be distinguished from non-source intervals by lower density, higher transit time, higher gamma ray values, higher porosity and resistivity with increasing organic content. In current dissertation we have attempted to compare the different empirical approaches based on density relation and Δ LogR method through three overlays of sonic/resistivity, neutron/resistivity and density/resistivity to quantify Total organic content (TOC) of Permian lacustrine Roseneath shale formation using open hole wireline log data (DEN, GR, CNL, LLD) of Encounter 1 well. The TOC calculated from fourteen density relations at depth interval between 3174.5-3369 meters is averaged 0.56% while TOC from sonic/resistivity, neutron/resistivity and density/resistivity yielded an average value of 3.84%, 3.68%, 4.40%. The TOC from average of three overlay method is yielded to 3.98%. According to geochemical report in PIRSA the Roseneath shale formation has TOC from 1 - 5 wt %.There is unpromising correlations observed for calculated TOC from fourteen density relations and measured TOC on samples. The TOC from average value of three overlays using Δ LogR method showed good correlation with measured TOC on samples.

Surgery versus surgery plus pamidronate in the management of osteogenesis imperfecta patients: a comparative study.

PubMed

el-Sobky, Mohammed A; Hanna, Atef A Zaky; Basha, Naguib E; Tarraf, Yehia N; Said, May H

2006-05-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pamidronate in the management of osteogenesis imperfecta patients. This study was carried out in two groups. The first was treated only surgically whereas the second was treated by a combined approach, medical and surgical. Forty patients, divided into two groups, were surgically treated in order to correct bony deformities secondary to osteogenesis imperfecta. Group 1: twenty patients were operated at an average age of 6.5 years. Nine were type I, five type III and six type IV. Group 2: this group consisted of 20 patients to whom intermittent intravenous pamidronate were given at regular intervals for an average of 2 years postoperatively. The average age at surgery was 8.5 years. Four patients were type I, six type III, eight type IV, one type V and the remaining one type VII. The results were assessed according to a scoring system suggested and used by the authors since 1999. Group 1: we had three good, nine fair and eight poor results. Group 2: we had 11 excellent, four good and five fair results. The Bone mineral dens (BMD) increased by an average of 35.2% (22.7-112%), and the rate of refracture decreased. Best results in the management of patients can be obtained through the combined approach (surgical and medical treatment). We now advise preoperative and postoperative pamidronate for these patients.

Assessment of risk of dengue and yellow fever virus transmission in three major Kenyan cities based on Stegomyia indices.

PubMed

Agha, Sheila B; Tchouassi, David P; Bastos, Armanda D S; Sang, Rosemary

2017-08-01

Dengue (DEN) and yellow fever (YF) are re-emerging in East Africa, with contributing drivers to this trend being unplanned urbanization and increasingly adaptable anthropophilic Aedes (Stegomyia) vectors. Entomological risk assessment of these diseases remains scarce for much of East Africa and Kenya even in the dengue fever-prone urban coastal areas. Focusing on major cities of Kenya, we compared DEN and YF risk in Kilifi County (DEN-outbreak-prone), and Kisumu and Nairobi Counties (no documented DEN outbreaks). We surveyed water-holding containers for mosquito immature (larvae/pupae) indoors and outdoors from selected houses during the long rains, short rains and dry seasons (100 houses/season) in each County from October 2014-June 2016. House index (HI), Breteau index (BI) and Container index (CI) estimates based on Aedes (Stegomyia) immature infestations were compared by city and season. Aedes aegypti and Aedes bromeliae were the main Stegomyia species with significantly more positive houses outdoors (212) than indoors (88) (n = 900) (χ2 = 60.52, P < 0.0001). Overall, Ae. aegypti estimates of HI (17.3 vs 11.3) and BI (81.6 vs 87.7) were higher in Kilifi and Kisumu, respectively, than in Nairobi (HI, 0.3; BI,13). However, CI was highest in Kisumu (33.1), followed by Kilifi (15.1) then Nairobi (5.1). Aedes bromeliae indices were highest in Kilifi, followed by Kisumu, then Nairobi with HI (4.3, 0.3, 0); BI (21.3, 7, 0.7) and CI (3.3, 3.3, 0.3), at the respective sites. HI and BI for both species were highest in the long rains, compared to the short rains and dry seasons. We found strong positive correlations between the BI and CI, and BI and HI for Ae. aegypti, with the most productive container types being jerricans, drums, used/discarded containers and tyres. On the basis of established vector index thresholds, our findings suggest low-to-medium risk levels for urban YF and high DEN risk for Kilifi and Kisumu, whereas for Nairobi YF risk was low while DEN risk levels were low-to-medium. The study provides a baseline for future vector studies needed to further characterise the observed differential risk patterns by vector potential evaluation. Identified productive containers should be made the focus of community-based targeted vector control programs.

Lack of promotional effects of groundwater contaminant mixtures on the induction of preneoplastic foci in rat liver.

PubMed

Benjamin, S A; Yang, R S; Tessari, J D; Chubb, L W; Brown, M D; Dean, C E; Keefe, T J

1999-10-01

F344 rats were exposed to drinking water mixtures of seven of the most common groundwater contaminants associated with hazardous waste sites [arsenic, benzene, chloroform, chromium, lead, phenol, and trichloroethylene (TCE)] as the full mixture or submixtures of the organic and/or inorganic chemicals. The lowest concentrations (1x) of the individual chemicals were environmentally realistic and below what would be expected to induce significant short-term toxicity. This study was intended to determine if previously reported increases in localized hepatocellular proliferation in response to these chemicals might be correlated with increased risk for hepatocarcinogenesis. Rats were exposed via a drinking water solution to the full seven- chemical mixture (at 1x and 10x concentrations), submixtures of the organic or inorganic chemicals (at 10x concentrations), a mixture of TCE, lead, and chloroform (TLC submixture at 10x and 100x concentrations), or deionized water as a control. The rats were evaluated for promotion of placental glutathione-S-transferase (GST-P) positive preneoplastic liver cell foci after diethylnitrosamine (DEN) initiation and partial hepatectomy. Focus formation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis were evaluated after exposure to DEN or saline controls, the chemical mixtures or deionized water controls, or combinations of these treatments. The total number and area of GST-P positive foci in DEN-treated rats exposed to the full seven-chemical mixture was increased as compared with the DEN-water controls, but this was statistically significant only for total focus area in the 1x dose group. In DEN-treated rats, the inorganic or TLC submixtures resulted in a significant reduction in number and area of GST-P positive foci. Focus area also was decreased in the organic submixture-treated group, but not significantly. Hepatocellular proliferation was not significantly changed in the chemical mixture saline groups as compared with the mixture water controls. After DEN treatment, however, cell proliferation was significantly decreased after the 10x seven-chemical and organic mixture treatments and the 100x TLC mixture treatment. Different groups showed either increased or decreased apoptotic rates which did not correlate well with proliferation rates or focus formation. Mixtures of these seven chemicals, therefore, did not appear to act as promoters of hepatic foci at environmentally relevant concentrations, and some mixture combinations appeared to decrease promotional activity.

Assessment of risk of dengue and yellow fever virus transmission in three major Kenyan cities based on Stegomyia indices

PubMed Central

Tchouassi, David P.; Bastos, Armanda D. S.; Sang, Rosemary

2017-01-01

Dengue (DEN) and yellow fever (YF) are re-emerging in East Africa, with contributing drivers to this trend being unplanned urbanization and increasingly adaptable anthropophilic Aedes (Stegomyia) vectors. Entomological risk assessment of these diseases remains scarce for much of East Africa and Kenya even in the dengue fever-prone urban coastal areas. Focusing on major cities of Kenya, we compared DEN and YF risk in Kilifi County (DEN-outbreak-prone), and Kisumu and Nairobi Counties (no documented DEN outbreaks). We surveyed water-holding containers for mosquito immature (larvae/pupae) indoors and outdoors from selected houses during the long rains, short rains and dry seasons (100 houses/season) in each County from October 2014-June 2016. House index (HI), Breteau index (BI) and Container index (CI) estimates based on Aedes (Stegomyia) immature infestations were compared by city and season. Aedes aegypti and Aedes bromeliae were the main Stegomyia species with significantly more positive houses outdoors (212) than indoors (88) (n = 900) (χ2 = 60.52, P < 0.0001). Overall, Ae. aegypti estimates of HI (17.3 vs 11.3) and BI (81.6 vs 87.7) were higher in Kilifi and Kisumu, respectively, than in Nairobi (HI, 0.3; BI,13). However, CI was highest in Kisumu (33.1), followed by Kilifi (15.1) then Nairobi (5.1). Aedes bromeliae indices were highest in Kilifi, followed by Kisumu, then Nairobi with HI (4.3, 0.3, 0); BI (21.3, 7, 0.7) and CI (3.3, 3.3, 0.3), at the respective sites. HI and BI for both species were highest in the long rains, compared to the short rains and dry seasons. We found strong positive correlations between the BI and CI, and BI and HI for Ae. aegypti, with the most productive container types being jerricans, drums, used/discarded containers and tyres. On the basis of established vector index thresholds, our findings suggest low-to-medium risk levels for urban YF and high DEN risk for Kilifi and Kisumu, whereas for Nairobi YF risk was low while DEN risk levels were low-to-medium. The study provides a baseline for future vector studies needed to further characterise the observed differential risk patterns by vector potential evaluation. Identified productive containers should be made the focus of community-based targeted vector control programs. PMID:28817563

Oncogenes in Hematopoietic and Hepatic Fish Neoplasms

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

8 + Histolo,-ically normal 0 0.04 4/12 - Cholangiocarcinoma 0.26 4.9 8/8 ... Results Histologically abnormal. 0.39 0.36 8/55 - nonneoplasticd Northern...transfection of medaka cholangiocarcinoma DNA, growth in soft DNA source DCF5 b DCF5 + DEX agar’ two plates which were independently transfected with...induced rhabdomyosarcoma 0 0 - + 8/16 DEN-induced focal biliary hyperplasia 0.77 0.53 - - 10/16 DEN-induced cholangiocarcinoma 5.0 5.0 + + 47/47 Tumors

Upper Pleistocene Gulo gulo (Linne, 1758) remains from the Srbsko Chlum-Komin Hyena den cave in the Bohemian Karst, Czech Republic, with comparisons to contemporary wolverines

Treesearch

Cajus G. Diedrich; Jeffrey P. Copeland

2010-01-01

Wolverine bone material is described from the famous Upper Pleistocene cave Srbsko Chlum-Komin in the Bohemian Karst, Czech Republic, along with an overview of recently known Czech sites. The Gulo gulo Linne material was found in one of the largest Ice Age spotted-hyena dens in Europe. As a result of non-systematic excavations, the taphonomy is partly unclear. Lower-...

Unsupervised Domain Adaptation with Multiple Acoustic Models

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

Discriminative MAP Adaptation Standard ML-MAP has been extended to incorporate discrim- inative training criteria such as MMI and MPE [10]. Dis- criminative MAP...smoothing variable I . For example, the MMI - MAP mean is given by ( mmi -map) jm = fnumjm (O) den jm(O)g+Djm̂jm + I (ml-map) jm f numjm den... MMI training, and Djm is the Gaussian-dependent parameter for the extended Baum-Welch (EBW) algorithm. MMI -MAP has been successfully applied in

Die nuklearen Anlagen von Hanford (1943-1987) Eine Fallstudie über die Schnittstellen von Physik, Biologie und die US-amerikanische Gesellschaft zur Zeit des Kalten Krieges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macuglia, Daniele

Die Geschichte des Kalten Krieges eröffnet viele Möglichkeiten, sich näher mit den Schnittstellen von Physik und Biologie während des 20. Jahrhunderts zu befassen. Nicht nur das Unglück in Tschernobyl aus dem Jahr 1986, auch das Beispiel der nuklearen Anlagen in Hanford in den Vereinigten Staaten zeigt die biologischen Folgen von nuklearer Physik.

Cholesterol effectively blocks entry of flavivirus.

PubMed

Lee, Chyan-Jang; Lin, Hui-Ru; Liao, Ching-Len; Lin, Yi-Ling

2008-07-01

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and dengue virus serotype 2 (DEN-2) are enveloped flaviviruses that enter cells through receptor-mediated endocytosis and low pH-triggered membrane fusion and then replicate in intracellular membrane structures. Lipid rafts, cholesterol-enriched lipid-ordered membrane domains, are platforms for a variety of cellular functions. In this study, we found that disruption of lipid raft formation by cholesterol depletion with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin or cholesterol chelation with filipin III reduces JEV and DEN-2 infection, mainly at the intracellular replication steps and, to a lesser extent, at viral entry. Using a membrane flotation assay, we found that several flaviviral nonstructural proteins are associated with detergent-resistant membrane structures, indicating that the replication complex of JEV and DEN-2 localizes to the membranes that possess the lipid raft property. Interestingly, we also found that addition of cholesterol readily blocks flaviviral infection, a result that contrasts with previous reports of other viruses, such as Sindbis virus, whose infectivity is enhanced by cholesterol. Cholesterol mainly affected the early step of the flavivirus life cycle, because the presence of cholesterol during viral adsorption greatly blocked JEV and DEN-2 infectivity. Flavirial entry, probably at fusion and RNA uncoating steps, was hindered by cholesterol. Our results thus suggest a stringent requirement for membrane components, especially with respect to the amount of cholesterol, in various steps of the flavivirus life cycle.

Prä- und perioperative Aspekte der Versorgung dermatochirurgischer Patienten.

PubMed

Müller, Cornelia S L; Hubner, Wakiko; Thieme-Ruffing, Sigrid; Pföhler, Claudia; Vogt, Thomas; Volk, Thomas; Gärtner, Barbara C; Bialas, Patric

2017-02-01

Die Dermatochirurgie nimmt hinsichtlich vieler Punkte eine Sonderstellung unter den operativen Fächern ein. Hierzu gehört in erster Linie die Tatsache, dass bis auf wenige Ausnahmen fast alle Eingriffe traditionell in Lokal- bzw. Regionalanästhesie und oft auch in räumlich-infrastruktureller Trennung von den großen Zentral-Operationssälen stattfinden können. Die peri- und postoperative Überwachung obliegt dabei dem dermatochirurgischen Operationsteam. Das sui generis kleinere OP-Team hat somit eine ganze Reihe perioperativer Notwendigkeiten zu beachten, um die sich in den "großen" chirurgischen Fächern eine Vielzahl verschiedener beteiligter Fachgruppen gemeinsam kümmern. Hierzu gehören neben Hygieneaspekten, Kenntnissen in der Überwachung der Patienten sowie dem Aspekt der surgical site infections auch Fragen zur postoperativen Schmerztherapie sowie detailliertes pharmakologisches Wissen über die zur Anwendung kommenden Lokalanästhetika und das Handling der damit assoziierten toxischen und allergischen Reaktionen. Eine interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit und Verantwortung für den Patienten ist notwendig und erfordert die Erarbeitung und Umsetzung qualitätsorientierter und evidenzbasierter Handlungsanweisungen, die im dermatochirurgischen OP-Setting meist weit über das eigentliche Fach hinausgehen. Ziel dieses Weiterbildungsartikels soll die komprimierte Darstellung der genannten fachübergreifenden Standpunkte bezüglich der wichtigsten perioperativen Aspekte sein. © 2017 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of chronic administration of mestranol, tamoxifen, and toremifene on hepatic ploidy in rats.

PubMed

Dragan, Y P; Shimel, R J; Bahnub, N; Sattler, G; Vaughan, J R; Jordan, V C; Pitot, H C

1998-06-01

The nonsteroidal antiestrogen tamoxifen increases the incidence of rat liver cancer through a variety of mechanisms. To compare the effects of tamoxifen (TAM) and a structurally similar analog toremifene (TOR) on rat liver, we determined the ploidy distribution for hepatocytes isolated from rats treated for 18 months with these antiestrogens or the estrogenic compound mestranol (MS). Female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a 70% partial hepatectomy and administered the solvent, trioctanoin, or diethylnitrosamine (10 mg DEN/kg). After a 2-week recovery from the surgery, the rats were administered a basal diet or one containing TAM (250 or 500 ppm), TOR (250, 500, or 750 ppm), or MS (0.2 ppm) for 18 months. Pathologic changes in the liver were examined in the 15-22 rats per treatment group at the 18-month time point. An increased incidence of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) was detected in the 500 ppm TAM group, but not with the other treatments that did not include DEN. Both TOR and TAM promoted formation of DEN-initiated HCCs. At sacrifice, four to five rats per group were perfused and the hepatocytes isolated and cultured. Karyotypic analysis was performed on colcemid-blocked cells after 2 days in culture. The hepatic ploidy distribution was characterized in Giemsa-stained metaphase spreads. These studies indicated that chronic treatment with TAM alone resulted in a shift from tetraploid to diploid, as was also observed for rats treated once with DEN. TOR and MS alone did not cause this change in hepatic ploidy at the doses examined. A shift toward an increased content of diploid hepatocytes occurred in all rats treated once with DEN followed by TAM, TOR, or MS. These results indicate that tamoxifen administration results in a shift toward growth of diploid hepatocytes, thus contributing to its carcinogenic action in the rat liver.

Elastolysen und Hauterkrankungen mit Verlust der elastischen Fasern.

PubMed

Tronnier, Michael

2018-02-01

Die elastischen Fasern sind neben den kollagenen Fasern der wichtigste Bestandteil des Bindegewebsgerüstes der Haut. Eine Verminderung oder ein Verlust der elastischen Fasern ist bei einer Vielzahl von klinisch sich unterschiedlich präsentierenden Erkrankungen, hereditär oder erworben, beschrieben. Bei den Erkrankungen, die mit einer Entzündung einhergehen ist die Elastophagozytose ein wichtiges histologisches Merkmal. Die Therapie der Erkrankungen dieser Gruppe ist grundsätzlich schwierig. © 2018 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Tissue Engineering in der Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, Kopf- und Halschirurgie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bücheler, Markus; Bootz, Friedrich

Tissue Engineering ist eine Schlüsseltechnologie für den Gewebeersatz der Zukunft. Am Beispiel der Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde, Kopf- und Halschirurgie werden klinisch etablierte Gewebeersatzmethoden und aktuelle Entwicklungen des Tissue Engineering gegenübergestellt. Die Besonderheiten der zu ersetzenden Gewebe im Kopf- und Halsbereich erfordert vielfältige Ersatzverfahren. Im klinischen Alltag werden heute vor allem autogene Transplantate und Implantate für den Gewebeersatz verwendet [1]. In vitro hergestellte Gewebe werden abgesehen von Einzelanwendungen zur Zeit noch nicht am Patienten eingesetzt.

Mathematisches Bewusstsein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaenders, Rainer; Kvasz, Ladislav

Wenn jemand sagt, dass ein Bus um 9 Uhr abfährt - weiß man es dann? Angenommen, man ist darüber unterrichtet, dass die Busse unter der Woche immer zur vollen Stunde abfahren - von 7 Uhr morgens bis 7 Uhr abends, weiß man es dann mit dem Wissen um diese allgemeine Regel besser, dass der Bus um 9 Uhr abfährt? Macht es einen Unterschied, ob man den Fahrplan erstellt, den Bus lenkt oder nur mitfährt, um sich dieser Tatsache bewusst zu sein?

Fire Protection of Weapon Storage and Water Mist Redundancy Philosophies

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

criteria me system ged system ozzles dummy tor d, insulated titute of Swe stems pedo pipe Date 2012 den Refere -03-31 P90 nce 0038-04...test wit tion test wit ution test wi t system, 10 st system, 5 m, 5 bar, 50 , 10 bar, 50 ummy, free- edo dummy pedo dummy pedo dummy ummy, dren...systems usi lower volum pedo dumm temperature discharge d ion. h Institute ynamics dström Date 2012 den ater mist/wa ests indicate fire

Introduction of a Diagnosis Related Groups’ Case Flat Rate System: Hopes and Fears (einfuerhrng eines drg-fallpauschalensystems - hoffnungen und aengste)

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-06-01

Anwendung und Pflege des neuen Systems dienen soil, wenn die entscheidenden Vorgaben bereits durch die Deckelung gegeben sind. Oder denkt man an den...Software und die da- mit verbundenen Lizenzgebuhren, sondern auch in der Folge um die Schulung der Mitarbeiter sowie die Pflege und Weiterentwicklung...sung an die medizinische Entwicklung" sowie von "Verfahren zur laufen- den Pflege des VergOtungssystems" gesprochen. Es mossen jedoch klare

Job Oriented Training Handleiding voor Luchtdoelartillerie (Job Oriented Training: Instructors Manual Air Defense)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-01

luchtdoelartillerie Kampweg 5 Postbus 23 3769 ZG Soesterberg www.tno.nl T +31 346 35 62 11 F +31 346 35 39 77 lnfo-DenV@tno.nl Datum Auteur (s...een hoger begripsniveau getild. Theorie wordt niet van te voren aangeboden door middel van kennisover- dracht, maar wordt gaandeweg opgedaan. De...346 35 39 77 lnfo-DenV@tno.nl TNO-rapportnummer TNO-DV 2008 A394 Opdrachtnummer 851.2116.0152.11 Datum november 2008 Auteur (s) ir. T.J

Was leistet ein Sportler? Kraft, Leistung und Energie im Muskel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thaller, Sigrid; Mathelitsch, Leopold

2006-01-01

Der Leistungsbegriff ist im Sport weiter gefasst als in der Physik. In beiden Fällen liegt der Fokus jedoch auf einer pro Zeiteinheit erfolgten Energieumsetzung. Allerdings gibt die rein physikalische Leistung nicht immer Auskunft über den Energieumsatz der Muskeln. Die Muskelkraft hängt von der Kontraktionsgeschwindigkeit des Muskels ab. Ein Muskel verhält sich also anders als eine Feder. Für den Hochleistungssport müssen die Energieumsätze der Muskeln durch spezielle Trainings- und Nahrungsprogramme optimiert werden.

Open-Ocean Movements of a Satellite-Tagged Blainville’s Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon densirostris): Evidence for an Offshore Population in Hawaii?

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

2008). Satellite tracking reveals distinct movement patterns for Type B and Type C killer whales in the southern Ross Sea, Antarctica. Polar Biology...Deakos, M. H., . . . Mahaffy, S. D. (2008). False killer whales (Pseudorca crassi- dens) around the main Hawaiian Islands: Long-term site fidelity...ern North Pacific false killer whales (Pseudorca crassi- dens). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 85, 783-794. http:// dx.doi.10.1139/Z07-059 Chivers, S. J

A comprehensive photometric study of dynamically evolved small van den Bergh-Hagen open clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piatti, Andrés E.

2016-12-01

We present results from Johnson UBV, Kron-Cousins RI and Washington CT1T2 photometries for seven van den Bergh-Hagen (vdBH) open clusters, namely, vdBH 1, 10, 31, 72, 87, 92, and 118. The high-quality, multiband photometric data sets were used to trace the cluster stellar density radial profiles and to build colour-magnitude diagrams and colour-colour diagrams from which we estimated their structural parameters and fundamental astrophysical properties. The clusters in our sample cover a wide age range, from ˜60 Myr up to 2.8 Gyr, are of relatively small size (˜1-6 pc) and are placed at distances from the Sun which vary between 1.8 and 6.3 kpc, respectively. We also estimated lower limits for the cluster present-day masses as well as half-mass relaxation times (tr). The resulting values in combination with the structural parameter values suggest that the studied clusters are in advanced stages of their internal dynamical evolution (age/tr ˜ 20-320), possibly in the typical phase of those tidally filled with mass segregation in their core regions. Compared to open clusters in the solar neighbourhood, the seven vdBH clusters are within more massive (˜80-380 M⊙), with higher concentration parameter values (c ˜ 0.75-1.15) and dynamically evolved ones.

Advanced Gas Turbine (AGT) Technology Development Project, ceramic component developments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teneyck, M. O.; Macbeth, J. W.; Sweeting, T. B.

1987-01-01

The ceramic component technology development activity conducted by Standard Oil Engineered Materials Company while performing as a principal subcontractor to the Garrett Auxiliary Power Division for the Advanced Gas Turbine (AGT) Technology Development Project (NASA Contract DEN3-167) is summarized. The report covers the period October 1979 through July 1987, and includes information concerning ceramic technology work categorized as common and unique. The former pertains to ceramic development applicable to two parallel AGT projects established by NASA contracts DEN3-168 (AGT100) and DEN3-167 (AGT101), whereas the unique work solely pertains to Garrett directed activity under the latter contract. The AGT101 Technology Development Project is sponsored by DOE and administered by NASA-Lewis. Standard Oil directed its efforts toward the development of ceramic materials in the silicon-carbide family. Various shape forming and fabrication methods, and nondestructive evaluation techniques were explored to produce the static structural components for the ceramic engine. This permitted engine testing to proceed without program slippage.

Dietary broccoli protects against fatty liver development but not against progression of liver cancer in mice pretreated with diethylnitrosamine

PubMed Central

Chen, Yung-Ju; Myracle, Angela D.; Wallig, Matthew A.; Jeffery, Elizabeth H.

2016-01-01

Western-style high fat, high sugar diets are associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and increased liver cancer risk. Sulforaphane from broccoli may protect against these. Previously we initiated broccoli feeding to mice prior to exposure to the hepatocarcinogen diethylnitrosamine (DEN), and saw protection against NAFLD and liver cancer. Here we administered DEN to unweaned mice, initiating broccoli feeding two weeks later, to determine if broccoli protects against cancer progression. Specifically, male 15-day-old C57BL/6J mice were given DEN and placed on a Western or Western+10%Broccoli diet from the age of 4 weeks through 7 months. Dietary broccoli decreased hepatic triacylglycerols, NAFLD, liver damage and tumour necrosis factor by month 5 without changing body weight or relative liver weight, but did not slow carcinogenesis, seen in 100% of mice. We conclude that broccoli, a good source of sulforaphane, slows progression of hepatic lipidosis, but not tumourigenesis in this robust model. PMID:27672403

Wie man Wert aus Smart Data schöpft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schüller, Katharina; Fritsch, Stefan

Der vorliegende Beitrag diskutiert an einem konkreten Forschungsprojekt, wie aus den Überwachungsdaten von Photovoltaikanlagen Algorithmen entwickelt wurden, die zukünftig die automatisierte Fehlererkennung und damit eine verbesserte Betriebsführung ermöglichen können. Um von Daten zum optimierten Prozess zu gelangen, sind vier Stufen notwendig. Nach der Datenintegration folgen die Qualitätssicherung, dann die Analyse und schließlich die Umsetzung in eine betrieblich nutzbare Anwendung. Für die Entwicklung valider, praxisrelevanter Modelle stellte es sich als unumgänglich heraus, dass bereits frühzeitig die datengenerierenden Prozesse und damit auch die physikalischen Grundlagen der Anlagen nicht nur von den Prozessexperten, sondern genauso von den Data Scientists verstanden wurden: Es genügt eben nicht, Daten zu konsolidieren und in ein Analysetool zu stecken, sondern die Wertschöpfung aus Daten gelingt nur, wenn eine domänen- und kompetenzübergreifend interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit erfolgt, in der beide Seiten bereit sind, kontinuierlich voneinander zu lernen.

Diagnosis of Van den Ende-Gupta syndrome: Approach to the Marden-Walker-like spectrum of disorders.

PubMed

Niederhoffer, Karen Y; Fahiminiya, Somayyeh; Eydoux, Patrice; Mawson, John; Nishimura, Gen; Jerome-Majewska, Loydie A; Patel, Millan S

2016-09-01

Marden-Walker syndrome is challenging to diagnose, as there is significant overlap with other multi-system congenital contracture syndromes including Beals congenital contractural arachnodactyly, D4ST1-Deficient Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (adducted thumb-clubfoot syndrome), Schwartz-Jampel syndrome, Freeman-Sheldon syndrome, Cerebro-oculo-facio-skeletal syndrome, and Van den Ende-Gupta syndrome. We discuss this differential diagnosis in the context of a boy from a consanguineous union with Van den Ende-Gupta syndrome, a diagnosis initially confused by the atypical presence of intellectual disability. SNP microarray and whole exome sequencing identified a homozygous frameshift mutation (p.L870V) in SCARF2 and predicted damaging mutations in several genes, most notably DGCR2 (p.P75L) and NCAM2 (p.S147G), both possible candidates for this child's intellectual disability. We review distinguishing features for each Marden-Walker-like syndrome and propose a clinical algorithm for diagnosis among this spectrum of disorders. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sternbilder und ihre Mythen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fasching, Gerhard

Die Sternbilder, die seit alters her die Menschen in ihren Bann gezogen haben, und die damit verbundenen Mythen werden in zweifacher Weise vorgestellt. Erstens ist es die Absicht, dem Leser zu helfen, sich am Sternenhimmel zurechtzufinden, und zweitens will es ihm die Vielfalt der Bilder vermitteln, die damit verbunden sind. Am Anfang des Buches stehen die prächtigen Erzählungen aus Ovids Metamorphosen. Dann ist vom Sternenhimmel im Jahreskreis die Rede, um den Leser anzuregen, diesen fast unendlichen Bilderreichtum sich selbst durch eigene Beobachtungen zu erschließen. Ein umfangreicher Abschnitt behandelt die einzelnen Sternbilder und das hierzu überlieferte Wissen. Sternkarten und alte Kupferstiche aus dem Bestand der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek zeigen, wie man sich in früheren Jahrhunderten den Sternenhimmel vorgestellt hat. Sternsagen und Mythen werden erzählt und auch das ptolemäische und das kopernikanische Weltsystem werden einander gegenübergestellt. Ausführliche Sachverzeichnisse mit über 3000 Suchbegriffen erleichtern den Zugang zu Stern- und Sternbildnamen und zur Mythologie.

Quantensprung Digitalisierung - Energiewirtschaft im 21. Jahrhundert

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thyen, Elmar

Die Energiewende wird ohne eine umfassende Digitalisierung der Energiewirtschaft Stückwerk bleiben. Die historisch gewachsene, aus hunderten fossilen Großkraftwerken getriebene Energieversorgung hat sich durch den Zubau von mehr als einer Millionen dezentraler Erzeugungseinheiten innerhalb der vergangenen 15 Jahren radikal verändert. Zum Ausgleich von Last und Erzeugung, aber auch zum Aufbau neuer Geschäftsfelder ist die digitale Technik unverzichtbar. Ihre Möglichkeiten scheinen nahezu unbegrenzt, ihre Rolle wird in einer zukünftig nahezu vollständig elektrifizierten Gesellschaft zunehmend wichtiger werden. Neue Anbieter drängen auf den Markt und setzen die traditionelle Energiewirtschaft unter Druck. Energieversorger, die sich dem Wandel nicht stellen, drohen den Anschluss zu verpassen. Noch werden Verbundunternehmen und Stadtwerke von weitreichenden regulatorischen Vorgaben geschützt. Beispiele aus anderen Branchen zeigen aber, dass die Digitalisierung im Stande ist, regulatorische Mechanismen außer Kraft zu setzen. Zugleich verhindert die enge Regulierung und ein falsch verstandener Datenschutzbegriff in Deutschland die Entwicklung neuer Geschäftsmodelle, die energie- und volkswirtschaftlich sinnvoll wären.

"Das Konkrete ist das Abstrakte, an das man sich schließlich gewöhnt hat." (Laurent Schwartz) Über den Ablauf des mathematischen Verstehens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowsky, Martin

Die im Titel genannte Aussage findet sich in den Lebenserinnerungen von Laurent Schwartz (1915-2002), einem der fruchtbarsten Mathematiker, Mitglied der Gruppe Bourbaki. Im Original lautet die Aussage: "un objet concret est un objet abstrait auquel on a fini par s'habituer." Schwartz erläutert sie am Beispiel des Integrals über {e^{-1/2{x^2}}} , das den Wert Wurzel aus 2π hat und in dem sich also die Zahlen e und π verknüpfen. Was Schwartz aber vor allem ausdrücken will, ist dies: Das mathematische Verständnisd geht langsam vor sich und es bedarf der Anstrengung. "Es ist eine Frage der Zeit und der Energie", sagt Schwartz, und gerade dies mache es so schwer, die höhere Mathematik unter das Volk zu bringen. Das Lernen und Lehren von Mathematik laufe eben mühevoll und langsam ab.

Relative sensitivity of clinical tests to hydrophilic lens-induced corneal thickness changes.

PubMed

Elliott, D B; Fonn, D; Flanagan, J; Doughty, M

1993-12-01

The relative sensitivity of the van den Berg Straylightmeter, slitlamp biomicroscopy, a modified optical pachometer, Bailey-Lovie logMAR visual acuity (VA), and two glare tests (The Brightness Acuity Tester used with 10% contrast VA and Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity) to hydrophilic contact lens-induced edema was assessed in 19 subjects (mean age 25.9 +/- 4.5 years). After baseline assessments, subjects wore thick hydrogel lenses on one eye which was patched tightly for 3 h. Assessments were repeated at frequent intervals after lens removal to assess recovery. None of the pachometer measurements returned to baseline within the 2-h monitoring period, although the majority were within 2% of baseline corneal thickness. The average time for the Straylightmeter scores to recover to baseline values after the lens removal was 90 min, which was similar to the time when visible edema at the slitlamp disappeared. The average time for return to baseline of logMAR VA and the two glare tests was consistently two to three times shorter than the time for the Straylightmeter score. The Straylightmeter therefore provided assessments of corneal edema similar to slitlamp examination and was more sensitive than VA or glare testing.

Repetitively Coupled Chemical Reduction and Galvanic Exchange as a Synthesis Strategy for Expanding Applicable Number of Pt Atoms in Dendrimer-Encapsulated Pt Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Cho, Taehoon; Yoon, Chang Won; Kim, Joohoon

2018-06-13

In this study, we report the controllable synthesis of dendrimer-encapsulated Pt nanoparticles (Pt DENs) utilizing repetitively coupled chemical reduction and galvanic exchange reactions. The synthesis strategy allows the expansion of the applicable number of Pt atoms encapsulated inside dendrimers to more than 1000 without being limited by the fixed number of complexation sites for Pt 2+ precursor ions in the dendrimers. The synthesis of Pt DENs is achieved in a short period of time (i.e., ∼10 min) simply by the coaddition of appropriate amounts of Cu 2+ and Pt 2+ precursors into aqueous dendrimer solution and subsequent addition of reducing agents such as BH 4 - , resulting in fast and selective complexation of Cu 2+ with the dendrimers and subsequent chemical reduction of the complexed Cu 2+ while uncomplexed Pt 2+ precursors remain oxidized. Interestingly, the chemical reduction of Cu 2+ , leading to the formation of Cu nanoparticles encapsulated inside the dendrimers, is coupled with the galvanic exchange of the Cu nanoparticles with the nearby Pt 2+ . This coupling repetitively proceeds until all of the added Pt 2+ ions form into Pt nanoparticles encapsulated inside the dendrimers. In contrast to the conventional method utilizing direct chemical reduction, this repetitively coupled chemical reduction and galvanic exchange enables a substantial increase in the applicable number of Pt atoms up to 1320 in Pt DENs while maintaining the unique features of DENs.

Development and evaluation of a 1-step duplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for differential diagnosis of chikungunya and dengue infection.

PubMed

Dash, Paban Kumar; Parida, Manmohan; Santhosh, S R; Saxena, Parag; Srivastava, Ambuj; Neeraja, Mamidi; Lakshmi, V; Rao, P V Lakshmana

2008-09-01

Dengue (DEN) and chikungunya (CHIK) have emerged as the 2 most important arboviral infections of global significance. The similarities in clinical presentations, their circulation in the same geographic area, and the transmission through the same vector necessitate an urgent need for the differential diagnosis of these 2 infections. So far, no single assay is reported for differential diagnosis of these 2 infections. In this study, we report the development and evaluation of a 1-step single-tube duplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (D-RT-PCR) assay by targeting E1 gene of CHIK and C-prM gene junction of DEN virus (DENV), respectively. The sensitivity of this assay was found to be better than conventional virus isolation and could detect as low as 100 copies of genomic RNA, which is equivalent to respective virus-specific RT-PCR. The evaluation was carried out with 360 clinical samples from recent CHIK and DEN outbreaks in India. This assay could also be able to detect dual infection of CHIK and DEN in 3 patients. The phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequencing of D-RT-PCR amplicon could precisely identify the genotypes of all the serotypes of DENV and CHIK viruses (CHIKV). These findings demonstrate the potential clinical and epidemiologic application of D-RT-PCR for rapid sensitive detection, differentiation, and genotyping of DENV and CHIKV in clinical samples.

Thyroid hormone suppresses hepatocarcinogenesis via DAPK2 and SQSTM1-dependent selective autophagy.

PubMed

Chi, Hsiang-Cheng; Chen, Shen-Liang; Tsai, Chung-Ying; Chuang, Wen-Yu; Huang, Ya-Hui; Tsai, Ming-Ming; Wu, Sheng-Ming; Sun, Cheng-Pu; Yeh, Chau-Ting; Lin, Kwang-Huei

2016-12-01

Recent studies have demonstrated a critical association between disruption of cellular thyroid hormone (TH) signaling and the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive. Here, we showed that disruption of TH production results in a marked increase in progression of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC in a murine model, and conversely, TH administration suppresses the carcinogenic process via activation of autophagy. Inhibition of autophagy via treatment with chloroquine (CQ) or knockdown of ATG7 (autophagy-related 7) via adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors, suppressed the protective effects of TH against DEN-induced hepatic damage and development of HCC. The involvement of autophagy in TH-mediated protection was further supported by data showing transcriptional activation of DAPK2 (death-associated protein kinase 2; a serine/threonine protein kinase), which enhanced the phosphorylation of SQSTM1/p62 (sequestosome 1) to promote selective autophagic clearance of protein aggregates. Ectopic expression of DAPK2 further attenuated DEN-induced hepatoxicity and DNA damage though enhanced autophagy, whereas, knockdown of DAPK2 displayed the opposite effect. The pathological significance of the TH-mediated hepatoprotective effect by DAPK2 was confirmed by the concomitant decrease in the expression of THRs and DAPK2 in matched HCC tumor tissues. Taken together, these findings indicate that TH promotes selective autophagy via induction of DAPK2-SQSTM1 cascade, which in turn protects hepatocytes from DEN-induced hepatotoxicity or carcinogenesis.

Metallurgical and electrochemical characterization of contemporary silver-based soldering alloys.

PubMed

Ntasi, Argyro; Al Jabbari, Youssef; Mueller, Wolf Dieter; Eliades, George; Zinelis, Spiros

2014-05-01

To investigate the microstructure, hardness, and electrochemical behavior of four contemporary Ag-based soldering alloys used for manufacturing orthodontic appliances. The Ag-based alloys tested were Dentaurum Universal Silver Solder (DEN), Orthodontic Solders (LEO), Ortho Dental Universal Solder (NOB), and Silver Solder (ORT). Five disk-shaped specimens were produced for each alloy, and after metallographic preparation their microstructural features, elemental composition, and hardness were determined by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and Vickers hardness testing. The electrochemical properties were evaluated by anodic potentiodynamic scanning in 0.9% NaCl and Ringer's solutions. Hardness, corrosion current (Icorr), and corrosion potential (Ecorr) were statistically analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey test (α=.05). EDX analysis showed that all materials belong to the Ag-Zn-Cu ternary system. Three different mean atomic contrast phases were identified for LEO and ORT and two for DEN and NOB. According to XRD analysis, all materials consisted of Ag-rich and Cu-rich face-centered cubic phases. Hardness testing classified the materials in descending order as follows: DEN, 155±3; NOB, 149±3; ORT, 141±4; and LEO, 136±8. Significant differences were found for Icorr of NOB in Ringer's solution and Ecorr of DEN in 0.9% NaCl solution. Ag-based soldering alloys demonstrate great diversity in their elemental composition, phase size and distribution, hardness, and electrochemical properties. These differences may anticipate variations in their clinical performance.

Modes of thermal protection in polar bear cubs--at birth and on emergence from the den.

PubMed

Blix, A S; Lentfer, J W

1979-01-01

At birth in late December the polar bear is small (700 g), uninsulated, and helpless. It probably has a modest capacity for metabolic heat production and depends on the female and a snow den in which it is born for thermal protection. The microclimate of an artificial polar bear den was investigated at Point Barrow, AK, and the temperature therein found to stay around 0 degrees C provided a heat source (200 W) equivalent to an adult polar bear was introduced. When the bears desert the den in early April the cub has grown to about 10 kg and has a well-developed fur insulation, but almost no subcutaneous fat. The cub has a high resting metabolic rate (4.6 W.kg-1), which is supported by the fat polar bear milk. Its lower critical temperature is about -30 degrees C, and an ambient temperature of -45 degrees C results in only a 33% increase in metabolism. The cub can tolerate a wind chill of 2.3 kW.m2 without apparent stress of drop in rectal temperature. If the cub is immersed in ice water rectal temperature drops 11 degrees C in 30 min. It is concluded that the cub can tolerate extremely low temperatures in air due to fur insulation and high metabolic heat production, but is unable to cope with the chill of ice water for any prolonged period of time.

Fabrication, optimization, and characterization of umbelliferone β-D-galactopyranoside-loaded PLGA nanoparticles in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: in vitro and in vivo studies

PubMed Central

Kumar, Vikas; Bhatt, Prakash Chandra; Rahman, Mahfoozur; Kaithwas, Gaurav; Choudhry, Hani; Al-Abbasi, Fahad A; Anwar, Firoz; Verma, Amita

2017-01-01

Umbelliferone β-D-galactopyranoside (UFG), isolated from plants, exhibits promising inhibitory action on numerous diseases. The present research was initiated to develop a suitable delivery system for UFG with an intention to enhance its therapeutic efficacy against diethyl nitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Wistar rats. UFG-loaded polymeric nanoparticles prepared by sonication were scrutinized for average size, drug loading capacity, zeta potential, and drug release potency in animals. HCC cell lines HuH-7 and Hep G2 were used for in vitro cytotoxic investigation. Several hepatic, nonhepatic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory biochemical parameters were estimated to establish the anticancer potential of UFG nanoformulation. Microscopical and histopathological investigations were also undertaken to substantiate the results of our work. Umbelliferone β-D-galactopyranoside-loaded poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles (UFG-PLGA-NP) with particle size of 187.1 nm and polydispersity index 0.16 were uniform in nature with 82.5% release of the total amount of drug after 48 h. Our study successfully established the development and characterization of UFG-PLGA-NP with noticeable effect against both in vivo and in vitro models. The anticancer potential of UFG-PLGA-NP was brought about by the management of DEN-induced reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, proinflammatory cytokines alteration, and induction of apoptosis. Positive zeta potential on the surface of UFG-PLGA-NP would have possibly offered higher hepatic accumulation of UFG, particularly in the electron-dense mitochondria organelles, and this was the take-home message from this study. Our results demonstrated that such polymer-loaded delivery systems of UFG can be a better option and can be further explored to improve the clinical outcomes against hepatic cancer. PMID:28932118

Anterior management of C2 fractures using miniplate fixation: outcome, function and quality of life in a case series of 15 patients.

PubMed

Franke, Axel; Bieler, Dan; Wern, Rebecca; Trotzke, Tim; Hentsch, Sebastian; Kollig, Erwin

2018-06-01

The classification systems by Anderson and D'Alonzo, Effendi, Benzel and others have limitations when it comes to morphologically categorising fractures of the second cervical vertebral body (C2) that present with or without an additional fracture of the dens or with or without an extension of the fracture line into the vertebral arch and displacement. Currently, there are no definitive recommendations for the treatment of fractures at the junction of the dens with the vertebral body of C2 on the basis of outcome and stability data. Depending on patient anatomy, either anterior or posterior approaches can be used to fuse C1 and C2 and to achieve definitive surgical stabilisation. The anterior management of C2 fractures without C1-C2 fusion has the theoretical advantage that it preserves rotational motion at this motion segment and that the anterior approach is associated with lower morbidity. In the study presented here, we followed up a group of our patients who underwent anterior miniplate fixation for C2 fractures. Fifteen patients underwent fixation of C2 fractures with titanium miniplates (Medartis Hand fixation system, 2.0 or 2.3 mm) that were placed using a submental approach. To our knowledge, this construct has not yet been described in the literature. Where necessary, this procedure was combined with screw fixation of the dens as described by Böhler. We retrospectively analysed operative reports and medical records, evaluated the patients' health status using the Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36), and performed clinical follow-up examinations. From January 2009 to June 2015, 226 traumatic lesions of the cervical spine were managed at our institution in the inpatient setting. Ninety-two patients underwent conservative treatment. Of the 134 cases that required surgery for fractures and instability, 67 involved the C0-C3 motion segments. In 15 patients, stability was achieved using an anterior miniplate or miniscrews alone (n = 4) or in addition to other techniques (n = 11). Anderson and D'Alonzo type II and III dens fractures with involvement of the body or lateral mass of C2 accounted for eight cases. Effendi type II body fractures with or without instability were seen in four cases. There was no perioperative mortality and morbidity in this patient group. All fractures healed and stability was achieved in all cases. No patient had neurological deficits or required revision surgery. An assessment of postoperative quality of life showed that 11 patients (7 men, 4 women) with a mean age of 57 (± 5.3) years reached an SF-36 score that was normal for their age group after a mean period of 33 (± 6.3) months following their injury. Compared to a group of healthy subjects, the patients had a range of motion that was limited only at the extremes. In patients with appropriate indications, anterior fixation with miniplates alone or additionally is a further useful treatment option in the management of fractures at the junction of the dens with the vertebral body of C2. Since this type of treatment preserves motion at the C1-C2 motion segment after fracture healing and since an anterior approach is associated with less surgical trauma than posterior instrumentation, the technique presented here should be included in a discussion on (surgical) treatment options. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Inoculation of female American black bears (Ursus americanus) with partially purified porcine zona pellucidae limits cub production.

PubMed

Lane, V M; Liu, I K M; Casey, K; vanLeeuwen, E M G; Flanagan, D R; Murata, K; Munro, C

2007-01-01

The present 2-year study investigated the feasibility of using porcine zona pellucidae (pZP) as antigen for immunocontraception in American black bears. Sows, 3-6 years of age, were administered either two doses of 250 microg pZP with Freund's adjuvant (n = 10) or adjuvant alone (n = 5), one in April and one in May, and were kept away from the boars until June. Serum samples were collected before injections and before denning (November). The presence of sows with cubs at side was observed during premature emergence from denning. First-year results indicated that anti-pZP antibody titres in vaccinated sows were 2.5-9.0-fold (range) higher compared with non-vaccinated sows and that the vaccinated sows were threefold less likely to become pregnant (P = 0.167). Control and vaccinated bears produced 1.6 and 0.2 cubs per sow, respectively (P = 0.06). The second-year study investigated the feasibility of using pZP sequestered in a controlled-release pellet and a water-soluble adjuvant (QS-21) to avoid regulatory problems associated with Freund's adjuvant. Sows in the treatment group (n = 22) were administered a single dose of an emulsion of 250 microg pZP and 150 microg QS-21 plus a pellet containing 70-90 microg pZP for delayed release as booster dose. Control sows (n = 5) received the QS-21 adjuvant in pellet alone. Serum samples were collected before inoculations (April) and before denning (November). Seven cubs were born to the five control sows, but none was born to the 22 vaccinated sows (P < 0.001). Anti-pZP antibody mean absorbance ratios in control sows remained at background levels, whereas vaccinated sows had ratios fourfold higher than controls. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunohistochemical localisation confirmed immunoreactivity of sera from inoculated bears. We conclude that cub production in the American black bear can be effectively limited with either two injections of 250 microg pZP or a single inoculation of partially purified pZP sequestered in controlled-release pellets.

Optimized testing schemes using nucleus progeny, adult MOET siblings, or juvenile MOET pedigrees in dairy cattle closed populations.

PubMed

Bondoc, O L; Smith, C

1993-01-12

Selection response rates are predicted for nucleus progeny testing, adult multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) sib testing, and juvenile MOET pedigree testing in closed populations. Deterministic models are adapted to adjust predicted genetic gains for the effects of population size and structure, selection disequilibrium, sampling losses, and inbreeding depression. The improvement schemes were optimized for different numbers of sires used and first lactation females recorded per year. The number of nucleus daughters tested per sire, and of females per MOET full sibship, that maximize the predicted response to selection per year, were determined. Annual genetic gains and inbreeding rates were interpolated to the same planning horizon (20 years) to compare the optimized schemes for a wide range of situations. The predicted maximum genetic gain per year is higher for adult MOET than for juvenile MOET (due to the proportional extra time to collect the embryos needed) and for nucleus progeny testing. Average annual inbreeding rates are much higher for MOET schemes than for nucleus progeny testing. The advantages of adult and juvenile over nucleus progeny testing are little affected by planning horizon, but are higher with more females recorded per year, higher heritability, and higher reproductive and MOET success rates. Comparison of the schemes at the same level of inbreeding is fairer for fixed testing resources. At the same inbreeding level, the genetic advantage of adult MOET was generally maintained, but juvenile MOET then lost its advantage over progeny testing in these closed populations. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Optimierte Prüfpläne für Nukleusnachkommen, adulte MOET Geschwister oder juvenile MOET Pedigrees in geschlossenen Milchviehpopulationen Selektionserfolge werden für Nukleusnachkommenprüfung, adulte multiple Ovulation (MOET) und Embryotransfer, Geschwisterprüfung und juvenile MOET Pedigreeprüfung geschlossener Populationen geschätzt. Deterministische Modelle werden modifiziert zur Berücksichtigung geschätzter genetischer Fortschritte für die Wirkungen von Populationsgröße, Struktur, Selektionsungleichgewicht, Stichprobenungenauigkeit und Inzuchtdepression. Die Zuchtpläne werden für verschiedene Zahlen von Stieren und Erstlaktationskühe pro Jahr optimiert. Die Zahl der geprüften Nukleustöchter je Stier und Kühe je MOETVollgeschwistergruppe, die den geschätzten Erfolg maximieren, werden bestimmt. Um die optimierten Pläne über einen weiten Bereich zu vergleichen, werden jährlicher Zuchtfortschritt und Inzuchtzuwachs für den gleichen Planungshorizont von 20 Jahren interpoliert. Der geschätzte maximale Zuchtfortschritt pro Jahr ist für adultes MOET höher als bei juvenilem (wegen zusätzlicher Zeit zur Embryonengewinnung) und bei Nukleusnachkommenschaftsprüfung. Durchschnittliche jährliche Inzuchtraten sind viel höher für MOET Pläne als für das Nachkommenschaftsprüfsystem. Die Vorteile des adulten und juvenilen MOET über Nukleusnachkommenprüfung werden durch den Planungshorizont nur geringfügig tangiert, werden aber höher, wenn mehr weibliche Tiere je Jahr geprüft werden bei höherer Heritabilität, höherer Reproduktions- und Erfolgsrate. Der Vergleich der Pläne beim gleichen Inzuchtniveau ist für gegebene Testresourcen angemessener. 1993 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Die Steuerung von den Multigenerationteams in den Industriebetrieben

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vraňaková, Natália; Chlpeková, Andrea; Koltnerová, Kristína; Pračková, Petra

2017-09-01

The current workforce in industrial enterprises is formed from four generational groups. These generational groups are called Baby boomers, Generation "X", Generation "Y" and Generation "Z". Each of generational groups is specific by own characteristics, positives and negatives. The aim of the article is to refer the features of individual generational groups, to analyze their representation on labor market and to specify recommendations for the management of multigenerational teams for the practice of industrial enterprises in order to achieve the satisfaction and synergy of employees in accordance with the objectives of enterprise.

Einsteins Spuren in den Archiven der Wissenschaft: Physikgeschichte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marx, Werner

2005-07-01

Die Erwähnungen und Zitierungen von Einsteins Arbeiten dokumentieren lediglich den quantifizierbaren Anteil von Einsteins Beitrag zur Physik. Gleichwohl belegen sie die außergewöhnliche Resonanz und Langzeitwirkung seiner Arbeiten. Die Häufigkeit der Zitierungen entspricht nicht der allgemeinen Einschätzung ihrer Bedeutung. Insbesondere die Pionierarbeiten werden inzwischen als bekannt vorausgesetzt und nicht mehr explizit zitiert. Interessanterweise ist seine nach 1945 meist zitierte Arbeit nicht eine der Pionierarbeiten zur Quantenphysik oder Relativitätstheorie, sondern jene aus dem Jahr 1935 zum berühmten Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Paradoxon.

Antibody-Dependent Enhancement of Dengue Virus Growth in Human Monocytes as a Risk Factor for Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

One serum exhibited a de - 1’-917 cells, no DEN-2 infection was observed gree of infection above the mean of normal se- in cell cultures in the absence...ORGANIZATION RERORT NUMBER(S) 5 MONTORNN __ ___ ____ ___ ____ i 6a NAME OF PERFORMING ORGANIZATION 6b OFFICE SYMBOL la NAME OF MONITORING ORGANIZATION...schoolchildren in Bangkok were tested for their ability to enhance dengue 2 (DEN-2) virus growth in human monocytes in vitro . Two groups of dengue-immune

Strength and Fracture Characteristics of HY-80, HY-100, and HY-130 Steels Subjected to Various Strains, Strain Rates, Temperatures, and Pressures

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-01

DATA MTýYPE(25)/1/,IDAM( 25)/Of, IFAIL(25)/O/, EFAIL (25)/999./. 1 DEN(25)/.000725/,BPH(25)/433000./,CDUCT(25)/4.32/, 2 ALPMA(25)/.0000063/,TZMP1(25)/70...1/0/,IT A L ( 26) /0/, EFAIL (2 6 )/9 99./ I DEN (2 6) /.0 0 07 25/, SPH (2 6 )/4 33 00 0./,CDUCT ( 26 )/4. 32/, 2 AL PRA (26)/. 00 0 0 077/, TEMP 1

Vraagstukken besmettingsbeheersing prio 3 (Questions Regarding Contamination Control, Priority 3)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-01

nl T +31 15 284 30 00 F +31 15 284 39 91 info-DenV@tno nl Datum nov ember 2008 Auteur (s) H.F.G. Oudmaijer Rubricering rapporl Vastgesteld door...F +31 15 284 39 91 info-DenV@tno.nl TNO-rapportnummer TNO-DV 2008 A495 Opdrachtnummer Datum november 2008 Auteur (s) H.F.G. Oudmaijer...zeep kan volgens de theorie beter vaak met een beetje water als in een keer met dezelfde totale massa water gespoeld moeten worden. Met een pH

Prevalence of shovel-shaped incisors in Saudi Arabian dental patients.

PubMed

Saini, T S; Kharat, D U; Mokeem, S

1990-10-01

The prevalence of maxillary incisor shoveling was studied radiographically in 990 Saudi patients. According to the radiomorphologic characteristics, a new classification was developed and shovel teeth were categorized. The findings of this study showed 9% shovel-shaped incisors; among those, 4% were central incisors and 5% were lateral incisors. Frequency of dens invaginatus occurrence with the shovel-shaped incisors was also investigated. Eight percent of shovel-shaped incisors showed presence of dens invaginatus. Prevalence was found to be 4% in central shovel-shaped incisors, whereas that in lateral shovel-shaped incisors was 11%.

KSC-04PD-0049

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- An alligator is spotted sunning on the muddy bank of a canal in KSC. Nearly 5,000 alligators can be found in canals, ponds, and waterways throughout the Center and the surrounding Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. The Wildlife Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles.

KSC-05PD-0309

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. An alligator strolls across the ground near the Vehicle Assembly Building (in the background). Nearly 5,000 alligators can be found in canals, ponds and waterways throughout the Center and the surrounding Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. The Wildlife Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles.

KSC-04PD-0050

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- An alligator is spotted sunning on the muddy bank of a canal in KSC. Nearly 5,000 alligators can be found in canals, ponds, and waterways throughout the Center and the surrounding Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. The Wildlife Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles.

Geographical Information Extraction With Remote Sensing. Part I - Main Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-08-01

Oude Waalsdorperweg 63 Date P0 Box 96864 2509 JG The Hague August 1998 The Netherlands Author(s) Phone +31 70 374 00 00 Dr A.C. van den Broek Fax +31 70...328 09 61 M. van Persie H.H.S. Noorbergen Dr G.J. Rijckenberg SSponsor HWO-COfHWO-KL N E R Project officer J. Rogge Affiliation KIN/IA - i All...Main report Auteur(s) Dr. A.C. van den Broek, Ir. M. van Persie, Ing. H.H.S. Noorberg~en, Dr. G.J. Rijkenberg Datum augustus 1998 Opdrachtnr

CHONDRICHTHYES, Knorpelfische

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldschmid, Alfred

Die über 1.100 Arten der Knorpelfische sind nur etwa 4% aller heute lebenden Fischarten. Ihrknorpeliges Endoskelett kann zwar verkalken, wird abernie zu Knochen umgebaut. Der Schädel besteht nur aus Neurocranium und Viscerocranium, ein Dermatocranium fehlt. Knochen findet sich nur in den Plakoidschuppen der Körperdecke. Eine Schwimmblase wie bei den Knochenfischen wird nie gebildet. Mund- und Nasenöffnungen liegen ventral; der Endolymphgang bleibt zeitlebens mit der Epidermis verbunden. Der mediale Teil der Beckenflosse der Männchen dient als Kopulationsorgan (Mixopterygium, Klasper) (Abb. 208, 209B) bei der inneren Befruchtung.

Inventarisatie van Functionele Gebruikerseisen voor een Geografisch Informatie Systeem (Plan of Action ’Survey of Functional Requirements for a Geographical Information System’)

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-11-07

bjlagen 1 ’X DCK- RAPPORTENCENTRALZ Frederikkazerle, Geb. 140 van den Burchlaan 31 9 2 0:3 1 ~Telefoon: 070-3166394/6395 6 Postbus 90701 2509 LS Den...DOELSTELLING 8 4 PROJECrORGANISATIE 9 5 WERKPLANNING 12 5.1 Uitgangspuflten 12 5.2 Analyse 12 5.3 Ontwerp en implementatie demonstrator 13 5.4...Evaiuatie 13 5.5 Rapportering 13 5.6 Inbrcng krijgsmacht 14 6 KWALITEITSZORG 15 7 CAPACITEIT 16 8 FINANCIERING 17 9 TIJDSPLANNING 18 BIJLAGE A: WERKPAKKETTEN

Home range size variation in female arctic grizzly bears relative to reproductive status and resource availability.

PubMed

Edwards, Mark A; Derocher, Andrew E; Nagy, John A

2013-01-01

The area traversed in pursuit of resources defines the size of an animal's home range. For females, the home range is presumed to be a function of forage availability. However, the presence of offspring may also influence home range size due to reduced mobility, increased nutritional need, and behavioral adaptations of mothers to increase offspring survival. Here, we examine the relationship between resource use and variation in home range size for female barren-ground grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) of the Mackenzie Delta region in Arctic Canada. We develop methods to test hypotheses of home range size that address selection of cover where cover heterogeneity is low, using generalized linear mixed-effects models and an information-theoretic approach. We found that the reproductive status of female grizzlies affected home range size but individually-based spatial availability of highly selected cover in spring and early summer was a stronger correlate. If these preferred covers in spring and early summer, a period of low resource availability for grizzly bears following den-emergence, were patchy and highly dispersed, females travelled farther regardless of the presence or absence of offspring. Increased movement to preferred covers, however, may result in greater risk to the individual or family.

Experimente ueber den Einflusse von Metaboliten und Antimetaboliten am Model von Trichomonas Vaginalis. II. Mitteilung: Experimente mit der Vitamin K-Gruppe (Experiments on the Influence of Metabolites and Antimetabolites on the Model of Trichomonas Vaginalis. II. Communication: Experiments with the Vitamin K-Group),

DTIC Science & Technology

K4 essential reduction of multiplication of Trichomonas vaginalis was observed within a range of 0.25 and 0.35 mg/ml, from 0.40 mg/ml onward single...The aim of the investigation was to test the relationship between the individual K-vitamins K1, K3, K4 and K5 and Trichomonas analytically. The...show any remarkable differences between the control culture and the test series (Table 1) in Trichomonas multiplication. With vitamin K3 gradually

Direct Determination of Range from Current Nuclear Overpressure Equations

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-01

residual), a term that takes into account the fact that the model does not exactly describe the behavior of the data. A quadratic (second degree) two...HZ1,HZ2,HZ3,HRY,HZRY,MY1,MY2,MY REAL NY,PS1,PS2,PS3, PS4 ,PS,GR,H,M,DEN C C CREATE A NEW FILE, TRIAL1.DAT, TO STORE THE DATA. C OPEN(32,FILE=’TRIALI.DAT...47/(R**AZ) PS3-(DZ*EZ)/(l+FZ*R**GZ) PS4 =MY/ (R**NY) .5, PS=PS1+PS2+PS3+HZRYIPS4 a, C a’C WRITE THE DATA TO FILE 32 USING FORMAT 100 STATEMENT. * C

Kundenfokus: Startpunkt für die digitale Transformation bei Stadtwerken

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fett, Perry; Küller, Philipp

Big Data, Internet der Dinge, Mobile Computing und soziale Medien - die modernen Informationstechnologien durchdringen den Alltag der meisten Menschen und lösen hierdurch eine digitale Transformation aus. Im Unternehmenskontext manifestiert sich die Digitalisierung durch eine neue Qualität der wissensbasierten Entscheidungsunterstützung und der Automatisierung bzw. Autonomisierung der Geschäftsprozesse. Für Stadtwerke gilt es nun, die Chancen der Digitalisierung zu ihren Gunsten zu nutzen. Ein Startpunkt könnte hierbei sein, wie Stadtwerke zukünftig mit ihren Kunden interagieren. Ausgelöst durch die Liberalisierung der Märkte rückt der Kunde heute stärker in den Mittelpunkt - die Energiewirtschaft steht nun vor der Herausforderung, dem Wettbewerb einen Schritt voraus zu sein und dem Kunden ein absolut positives Kundenerlebnis (Customer Experience) sowohl als Maßnahme zur Kundenbindung als auch zum Kundenaufbau zu bieten. Das vorliegende Kapitel zeigt hierfür die Erfolgskriterien für die gelungene Etablierung des Kundenfokus im eigenen Unternehmen auf. Mit dem Customer-Focus-Cycle-Modell von Fujitsu, angelehnt an den Deming-Kreislauf, wird ein allgemeingültiger Ansatz für ein mögliches Vorgehen beim Aufbau des Kundenfokus vorgestellt. Die sechs Phasen werden dabei anhand praktischer Beispiele erläutert und geben zudem Hinweise zu Methoden und Tools. Aus dem vorgestellten "Werkzeugkasten" wird ferner die Customer-Journey-Methode im Detail erläutert. Weiter soll das präsentierte Reifegradmodell Unternehmen dabei unterstützen, den eigenen Status quo festzustellen und die persönlichen Ziele auf dem Weg zur kundenzentrierten Organisation festzulegen.

Kompressionstherapie bei Patienten mit Ulcus cruris venosum.

PubMed

Dissemond, Joachim; Assenheimer, Bernd; Bültemann, Anke; Gerber, Veronika; Gretener, Silvia; Kohler-von Siebenthal, Elisabeth; Koller, Sonja; Kröger, Knut; Kurz, Peter; Läuchli, Severin; Münter, Christian; Panfil, Eva-Maria; Probst, Sebastian; Protz, Kerstin; Riepe, Gunnar; Strohal, Robert; Traber, Jürg; Partsch, Hugo

2016-11-01

Wund-D.A.CH. ist der Dachverband deutschsprachiger Fachgesellschaften, die sich mit den Thematiken der Wundbehandlung beschäftigen. Experten verschiedener Fachgesellschaften aus Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz haben nun einen aktuellen Konsens der Kompressionstherapie für Patienten mit Ulcus cruris venosum erstellt. In Europa ist das Ulcus cruris venosum eine der häufigsten Ursachen für chronische Wunden. Neben der konservativen und interventionellen Wund- und Venentherapie, ist die Kompressionstherapie die Basis der Behandlungsstrategien. Die Kompressionstherapie kann heute mit sehr unterschiedlichen Materialien und Systemen durchgeführt werden. Während in der Entstauungsphase insbesondere Verbände mit Kurzzugbinden oder Mehrkomponentensysteme zur Anwendung kommen, sind es anschließend überwiegend Ulkus-Strumpfsysteme. Eine weitere, bislang wenig verbreitete Alternative sind adaptive Kompressionsbandagen. Insbesondere für die Rezidivprophylaxe werden medizinische Kompressionsstrümpfe empfohlen. Durch die Vielzahl der heute zur Verfügung stehenden Behandlungsoptionen, kann für nahezu alle Patienten ein Konzept entwickelt werden, dass sich an den individuellen Bedürfnissen und Fähigkeiten orientiert und daher auch akzeptiert und durchgeführt wird. Die Kompressionstherapie ist für die Behandlung von Patienten mit Ulcus cruris venosum essentiell. In den letzten Jahren sind viele verschiedene Therapieoptionen verfügbar, die in den deutschsprachigen Ländern unterschiedlich angewendet oder durchgeführt werden. Daher soll dieser Expertenkonsens dazu beitragen, konkrete Empfehlungen für die praktische Durchführung der Kompressionstherapie von Patienten mit Ulcus cruris venosum darzustellen. © 2016 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Regenerative Endodontic Treatment with Orthodontic Treatment in a Tooth with Dens Evaginatus: A Case Report with a 4-year Follow-up.

PubMed

Natera, Marianella; Mukherjee, Padma M

2018-06-01

Dens evaginatus is a developmental tooth anomaly in which an extra cusp or tubercle protrudes on the occlusal surface of the tooth along with some pulpal tissue. Because of the fragile nature of the protrusion, these teeth are often at risk of pulpal exposure. When this occurs in an immature tooth, regenerative endodontic treatment may be a good treatment approach to promote root formation. There is limited literature that documents the occurrence of orthodontic treatment in teeth that have undergone regenerative endodontic therapy using triple antibiotic paste. Here we present a case of an immature premolar tooth with dens evaginatus that was diagnosed with pulp necrosis and chronic apical abscess. The tooth was treated with regenerative endodontic treatment; after which, the patient received orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances for 2 years. The tooth responded favorably to the regenerative endodontic treatment and orthodontic tooth movement. Clinically and radiographically, all the follow-up examinations revealed an asymptomatic tooth with evidence of periapical healing with stunted root development. The tooth remained asymptomatic even after 4 years. The regenerative endodontic procedure (REP) was successful in treating an immature permanent premolar with pulp necrosis and apical periodontitis with dens evaginatus. In this case, the tooth treated with an REP responded to orthodontic treatment similar to the nonendodontically treated teeth. Further studies are recommended to clarify the precise effects of orthodontic treatment on teeth treated with an REP. Copyright © 2018 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Rare Case of Type III Dens Invaginatus in a Mandibular Second Premolar and Its Nonsurgical Endodontic Management by Using Cone-beam Computed Tomography: A Case Report.

PubMed

Agrawal, Pritesh Kisanlal; Wankhade, Jyoti; Warhadpande, Manjusha

2016-04-01

Invaginated teeth present technical difficulties in clinical management because of their abnormal anatomic configuration. Endodontic clinical management of type III dens invaginatus can be greatly enhanced by newer techniques and materials such as cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), mineral trioxide aggregate, and platelet-rich fibrin. This case report presents a 13-year-old male patient with type III dens invaginatus (DI) in left mandibular second premolar with history of recurrent swelling. Pulp testing revealed no response with the tooth. Dens invaginatus type III with an immature apex and periapical lesion was seen on radiograph. The case was diagnosed as Oehlers type III DI with pulp necrosis and chronic apical abscess. The treatment was planned and performed by using CBCT imaging. CBCT was performed to see the canal anatomy and to know the size of periapical lesion. Root canal treatment was completed in 2 visits. Calcium hydroxide dressing was placed in the first visit. In the second visit MTA was used for apexification in the main canal, and warm vertical compaction technique with gutta-percha was used in the invaginated canal. At the 2-year reevaluation, the patient was asymptomatic, and his tooth had remained functional since the treatment was completed. Radiographic assessment of the tooth showed significant osseous healing of the preoperative lesion. Three-dimensional imaging is a valuable tool for endodontic management of teeth with complex internal anatomy. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ab initio vel ex eventu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiessen, P. A.; Treder, H.-J.

Der gegenwärtige Stand der physikalischen Erkenntnis, in Sonderheit die Atomistik und die Quantentheorie, ermöglicht (in wohldefinierten Energie-Bereichen) eine ab initio-Berechnung aller physikalischen und chemischen Prozesse und Strukturen. Die Schrödinger-Gleichung erlaubt zusammen mit den Prinzipien der Quantenstatistik (Pauli-Prinzip) aus dem Planckschen Wirkungsquantum h und den atomischen Konstanten die Berechnung aller Energieumsätze, Zeitabläufe etc., die insbesondere die chemische Physik bestimmen. Die Rechenresultate gelten auch quantitativ bis auf die unvermeidliche Stochastik.Die ab initio-Berechnungen korrespondieren einerseits und sind andererseits komplementär zu den auf den Methoden der theoretischen Chemie und der klassischen Thermodynamik beruhenden Ergebnissen ex eventu. Die theoretische Behandlung ab initio führt zu mathematischen Experimenten, die die Laboratoriums-Experimente ergänzen oder auch substituieren.Translated AbstractAb initio vel ex eventuThe present state of physical knowledge, in peculiar atomistic and quantum theory, makes an ab initio calculation of all physical and chemical processes and structures possible (in well defined reaches of energy). The Schrödinger equation together with the principles of quantum statistics (Pauli principle) permits from the Planck and atomistic constants to calculate all exchanges of energy, courses of time, etc. which govern chemical physics. The calculated results are valid even quantitatively apart from the unavoidable stochastics.These ab initio calculations on the one hand correspond and are on the other complimentary to results ex eventu based on the methods of theoretical chemistry and classical thermodynamics. Theoretical treatment ab initio leads to mathematical experiments which add to or even substitute experiments in the laboratory.

Effect of the transverse ligament rupture on the biomechanics of the cervical spine under a compressive loading.

PubMed

Mesfar, Wissal; Moglo, Kodjo

2013-10-01

In order to diagnosis a transverse ligament rupture in the cervical spine, clinicians normally measure the atlas-dens interval by using CT scan images. However, the impact of this tear on the head and neck complex biomechanics is not widely studied. The transverse ligament plays a very important role in stabilizing the joint and its alteration may have a substantial effect on the whole head and neck complex. A finite element model consisting of bony structures along with cartilage, intervertebral discs and all ligaments was developed based on CT and MRI images. The effect of head weights (compressive load) of 30 N to 57 N was investigated in the cases of intact and ruptured transverse ligament joints. The model was validated based on experimental studies investigating the response of the cervical spine under the extension-flexion moment. The predictions indicate a significant alteration of the kinematics and load distribution at the facet joints of the cervical spine with a transverse ligament tear. The vertebrae flexion, the contact force at the facets joints and the atlas-dens interval increase with the rupture of the transverse ligament and are dependent to the head weight. A transverse ligament tear increases the flexion angle of the head and the vertebrae as well as the atlas-dens interval. The atlas-dens interval reaches a critical value when the compressive loading exceeds 40 N. Supporting the head after an injury should be considered to avoid compression of the spinal cord and permanent neurologic damage. © 2013.

Regulation of accumulation and function of myeloid derived suppressor cells in different murine models of hepatocellular carcinoma

PubMed Central

Kapanadze, Tamar; Gamrekelashvili, Jaba; Ma, Chi; Chan, Carmen; Zhao, Fei; Hewitt, Stephen; Zender, Lars; Kapoor, Veena; Felsher, Dean W.; Manns, Michael P.; Korangy, Firouzeh; Greten, Tim F.

2013-01-01

Background and aims Myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are immature myeloid cells with immunosuppressive activity. They accumulate in tumor-bearing mice and humans with different types of cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to examine the biology of MDSC in murine HCC models and to identify a model, which mimics the human disease. Methods: The comparative analysis of MDSC was performed in mice, bearing transplantable, diethylnitrosoamine (DEN)-induced and MYC-expressing HCC at different ages. Results: An accumulation of MDSC was found in mice with HCC irrespectively of the model tested. Transplantable tumors rapidly induced systemic recruitment of MDSC, in contrast to slow-growing DEN-induced or MYC-expressing HCC, where MDSC numbers only increased intra-hepatically in mice with advanced tumors. MDSC derived from mice with subcutaneous tumors were more suppressive than those from mice with DEN-induced HCC. Enhanced expression of genes associated with MDSC generation (GM-CSF, VEGF, IL-6, IL-1β) and migration (MCP-1, KC, S100A8, S100A9) was observed in mice with subcutaneous tumors. In contrast, only KC levels increased in mice with DEN-induced HCC. Both KC and GM-CSF over-expression or anti-KC and anti-GM-CSF treatment controlled MDSC frequency in mice with HCC. Finally, the frequency of MDSC decreased upon successful anti-tumor treatment with sorafenib. Conclusions: Our data indicate that MDSC accumulation is a late event during hepatocarcinogenesis and differs significantly depending on the tumor model studied. PMID:23796475

Regulation of accumulation and function of myeloid derived suppressor cells in different murine models of hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Kapanadze, Tamar; Gamrekelashvili, Jaba; Ma, Chi; Chan, Carmen; Zhao, Fei; Hewitt, Stephen; Zender, Lars; Kapoor, Veena; Felsher, Dean W; Manns, Michael P; Korangy, Firouzeh; Greten, Tim F

2013-11-01

Myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are immature myeloid cells with immunosuppressive activity. They accumulate in tumor-bearing mice and humans with different types of cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to examine the biology of MDSC in murine HCC models and to identify a model, which mimics the human disease. The comparative analysis of MDSC was performed in mice, bearing transplantable, diethylnitrosoamine (DEN)-induced and MYC-expressing HCC at different ages. An accumulation of MDSC was found in mice with HCC irrespective of the model tested. Transplantable tumors rapidly induced systemic recruitment of MDSC, in contrast to slow-growing DEN-induced or MYC-expressing HCC, where MDSC numbers only increased intra-hepatically in mice with advanced tumors. MDSC derived from mice with subcutaneous tumors were more suppressive than those from mice with DEN-induced HCC. Enhanced expression of genes associated with MDSC generation (GM-CSF, VEGF, IL6, IL1β) and migration (MCP-1, KC, S100A8, S100A9) was observed in mice with subcutaneous tumors. In contrast, only KC levels increased in mice with DEN-induced HCC. Both KC and GM-CSF overexpression or anti-KC and anti-GM-CSF treatment controlled MDSC frequency in mice with HCC. Finally, the frequency of MDSC decreased upon successful anti-tumor treatment with sorafenib. Our data indicate that MDSC accumulation is a late event during hepatocarcinogenesis and differs significantly depending on the tumor model studied. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Curcumin Attenuates N-Nitrosodiethylamine-Induced Liver Injury in Mice by Utilizing the Method of Metabonomics.

PubMed

Qiu, Peiyu; Sun, Jiachen; Man, Shuli; Yang, He; Ma, Long; Yu, Peng; Gao, Wenyuan

2017-03-08

N-Nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) exists as a food additive in cheddar cheese, processed meats, beer, water, and so forth. It is a potent hepatocarcinogen in animals and humans. Curcumin as a natural dietary compound decreased DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in this research. According to the histopathological examination of liver tissues and biomarker detection in serum and livers, it was demonstrated that curcumin attenuated DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis through parts of regulating the oxidant stress enzymes (T-SOD and CAT), liver function (ALT and AST) and LDHA, AFP level, and COX-2/PGE2 pathway. Furthermore, curcumin attenuated metabolic disorders via increasing concentration of glucose and fructose, and decreasing levels of glycine and proline, and mRNA expression of GLUT1, PKM and FASN. Docking study indicated that curcumin presented strong affinity with key metabolism enzymes such as GLUT1, PKM, FASN and LDHA. There were a number of amino acid residues involved in curcumin-targeting enzymes of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. All in all, curcumin exhibited a potent liver protective agent inhibiting chemically induced liver injury through suppressing liver cellular metabolism in the prospective application.

Einleitung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Suk-Woo

Der Einsatz von Implantaten zielt auf die Unterstützung oder den Ersatz von Zelloder Gewebefunktionen im menschlichen Körper. Die Werkstoffauswahl für diese Implantate hängt dabei von der Art und der Funktion des zu ersetzenden Gewebes ab. Die Anforderungen an den Implantatwerkstoff bezüglich Eigenschaften und Struktur können je nach Implantationsort und Funktionalität ganz unterschiedlich sein. Implantate, die im Knochengewebe Funktionen der Lasteinleitung und -überleitung ausüben, sind hohen mechanischen Anforderungen (optimale Bauteilsteifigkeit, Dauerfestigkeit) unterworfen, während bei Blutgefässimplantaten die Werkstoffoberfläche, primär in ihrer chemischen Zusammensetzung derart gestaltet sein muss, dass eine minimale Thrombogenität resultiert. Für den Erfolg des Implantatwerkstoffes oder -bauteils sind folgende drei Faktoren relevant: (a) Biokompatibilität, (b) Gesundheitszustand des Patienten und (c) Verlauf der Operation und der nachfolgenden Therapie. Bei Vorliegen einer Erkrankung, wie z. B. die allergische Sensibilisierung gegenüber Metallionen (Nickelallergie) oder Osteoporose im Fall der Verankerung von Hüftprothesen, ist der Implantatwerkstoff höheren Anforderungen bezüglich der Biokompatibilität unterworfen als bei organisch gesunden Patienten.

Management of 2 teeth diagnosed with dens invaginatus with regenerative endodontics and apexification in the same patient: a case report and review.

PubMed

Kumar, Harleen; Al-Ali, Muna; Parashos, Peter; Manton, David J

2014-05-01

This review and case report present the treatment of a 10-year-old boy with both permanent maxillary lateral incisors demonstrating Oehlers type II dens invaginatus and pulpal involvement. Treatment was complicated by dental anxiety, supraventricular tachycardia, immature tooth development, and facial cellulitis. An infected necrotic pulp of the permanent maxillary left lateral incisor was treated by apexification and endodontic treatment with mineral trioxide aggregate. The necrotic pulp of the permanent maxillary right lateral incisor was treated with canal debridement and dressing under general anesthesia. Periapical healing of both teeth occurred, with the right lateral incisor showing continued root growth, thickening of the dentinal root walls, and completed apex formation. This tooth responded normally to pulp testing. Twenty-eight months after initial treatment, the right lateral incisor displayed progressive sclerosis of the canal. This case demonstrates possible pulpal regeneration of an infected maxillary right lateral incisor with dens invaginatus and an immature apex after minimal canal debridement. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Zuverlässigkeit digitaler Schaltungen unter Einfluss von intrinsischem Rauschen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleeberger, V. B.; Schlichtmann, U.

2011-08-01

Die kontinuierlich fortschreitende Miniaturisierung in integrierten Schaltungen führt zu einem Anstieg des intrinsischen Rauschens. Um den Einfluss von intrinsischem Rauschen auf die Zuverlässigkeit zukünftiger digitaler Schaltungen analysieren zu können, werden Methoden benötigt, die auf CAD-Verfahren wie Analogsimulation statt auf abschätzenden Berechnungen beruhen. Dieser Beitrag stellt eine neue Methode vor, die den Einfluss von intrinsischem Rauschen in digitalen Schaltungen für eine gegebene Prozesstechnologie analysieren kann. Die Amplituden von thermischen, 1/f und Schrotrauschen werden mit Hilfe eines SPICE Simulators bestimmt. Anschließend wird der Einfluss des Rauschens auf die Schaltungszuverlässigkeit durch Simulation analysiert. Zusätzlich zur Analyse werden Möglichkeiten aufgezeigt, wie die durch Rauschen hervorgerufenen Effekte im Schaltungsentwurf mit berücksichtigt werden können. Im Gegensatz zum Stand der Technik kann die vorgestellte Methode auf beliebige Logikimplementierungen und Prozesstechnologien angewendet werden. Zusätzlich wird gezeigt, dass bisherige Ansätze den Einfluss von Rauschen bis um das Vierfache überschätzen.

Wie verstehen Schülerinnen und Schüler den Begriff der Unendlichkeit?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schimmöller, Tabea

Wie Hilbert bereits feststellte, wirkt die Idee der Unendlichkeit, wie keine andere, schon seit Zeiten sehr anregend und fruchtbar auf den Verstand und bewegt das Gemüt der Menschen. Der Begriff der Unendlichkeit bedarf aber auch, wie kein anderer, der Aufklärung, denn mit ihm eröffnet sich ein weites Feld, welches nicht nur aus vielen verschiedenen Definitionen besteht, sondern auch aus völlig unterschiedlichen Disziplinen. Physiker suchen immer dringender nach einer "Theorie für Alles" oder einer "Weltformel", Kosmologen beschäftigen sich unter anderem mit der Ewigkeit des Universums, Theologen interessiert eher die Unendlichkeit Gottes, Philosophen diskutieren unter anderem Grenzfragen zwischen Naturwissenschaft und Philosophie und die Mathematiker versuchen den Paradoxien des Unendlichen einen Sinn zu geben. Und so wird ersichtlich, dass nichts abstrakter ist als das Unendliche: Obwohl die Unendlichkeit für die unterschiedlichsten Wissenschaften von großer Bedeutung ist, "[ist] in der Wirklichkeit das Unendliche nirgends zu finden, [egal] was für Erfahrungen und Beobachtungen und welcherlei Wissenschaft wir auch heranziehen".

Information system analysis of an e-learning system used for dental restorations simulation.

PubMed

Bogdan, Crenguţa M; Popovici, Dorin M

2012-09-01

The goal of using virtual and augmented reality technologies in therapeutic interventions simulation, in the fixed prosthodontics (VirDenT) project, is to increase the quality of the educational process in dental faculties, by assisting students in learning how to prepare teeth for all-ceramic restorations. Its main component is an e-learning virtual reality-based software system that will be used for the developing skills in grinding teeth, needed in all-ceramic restorations. The complexity of the domain problem that the software system dealt with made the analysis of the information system supported by VirDenT necessary. The analysis contains the following activities: identification and classification of the system stakeholders, description of the business processes, formulation of the business rules, and modelling of business objects. During this stage, we constructed the context diagram, the business use case diagram, the activity diagrams and the class diagram of the domain model. These models are useful for the further development of the software system that implements the VirDenT information system. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation Studies of the DEN-2/S-1 Vaccine.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

1.0 3.0, L o 1 .0 I11 125 11111 1.4 n .6_t _ MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART NATIONAL WII ALI 0 MF S’ANDAkLT, ,’I, A ;40- AD EVALUATION STUDIES OF THE...monkeys Vaccination DEN-2/S-l Vaccine /AE TlhACT ( i - ,ewr e e1 If .,ceweu7 amd Iderdtlfy by block number) A dengue-2 live virus vaccine was tested in...viremia was detected in control animals. Serological tests were pi.r- formed on sera taken on post infection days 30,56 and 90. HI tests revealed sero

Digital Transformation Canvas - Übersicht behalten und Handlungsfelder gestalten

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köster, Michael; Mache, Tobias

Im Beitrag "Digital Transformation Canvas - Übersicht behalten und Handlungsfelder gestalten" wird zunächst grob auf die wesentlichen Herausforderungen, die mit der zunehmenden Digitalisierung einhergehen, eingegangen. Anschließend werden ausgewählte Konzepte des Business Transformation Management vorgestellt, die sich mit der grundlegenden Weiterentwicklung von Organisationen - wie es die Digitalisierung erfordert - auseinandersetzen. Eine detaillierte Einführung in die Methodik des Business Transformation Canvas, der sich mit den unterschiedlichsten Gestaltungsfeldern der Transformation auseinandersetzt und ein Framework für Transformationsprojekte darstellt, rundet den Beitrag ab. Er schließt mit einem Fazit und Ausblick.

Stufenweise Integration von eLearning an der Technischen Universität München

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pätzold, Sebastian; Graf, Stephan; Gergintchev, Ivan; Pongratz, Hans; Rathmayer, Sabine

Der vorliegende Beitrag beschreibt als Best Practice Beispiel die stufenweise Integration eines Learning Management Systems (LMS) in die Infrastruktur von Information und Kommunikation (IuK) der Technischen Universität München (TUM). Dabei wird sowohl die Konsolidierung mehrfach angebotener Funktionalitäten und Dienste in den verschiedenen Portalen der Universität als auch die sukzessive Optimierung der Abläufe aufgezeigt. Gleichzeitig wird auf zukünftige weitere Entwicklungen hin zu einer vollständigen Integration der IuK, aber auch auf die Probleme in den unterschiedlichen Stadien der Entwicklung eingegangen.

KSC-05pd2342

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-10-14

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - An alligator near the Launch Pad 39 area at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center appears not very happy being spotted in the water. Nearly 5,000 alligators can be found in canals, ponds and waterways throughout the Center and the surrounding Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. The Wildlife Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles.

Aufbau des humanoiden Roboters BART III

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Resetov, Dimitri; Pietsch, Björn; Gerth, Wilfried

Der vorliegende Beitrag präsentiert den humanoiden Roboter BART III, der am Institut für Regelungstechnik als eine robuste und erweiterbare Plattform für weiterführende Grundlagenforschung zur zweibeinigen Fortbewegung entwickelt wurde. Im Gegensatz zu den bisher am IRT genutzten Robotern BARt-UH und LISA besitzt der neue Roboter einen beweglichen Oberkörper mit einem Bauchgelenk und Armen. BART III besitzt insgesamt 19 aktive Freiheitsgrade, 12 davon im Unterkörper. Ein weiteres Merkmal des Roboters ist die im gesamten Körper verteilte Ansteuerelektronik, die neben der lokalen Motorregelung diverse sicherheitsrelevante Funktionen übernimmt.

Sternbilder und ihre Mythen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fasching, Gerhard

Die Sternbilder und die damit verbundenen Mythen helfen, sich am Sternenhimmel zurechtzufinden und vermitteln die Vielfalt der Bilder der Mythologie und der Sternsagen. Sternkarten und alte Kupferstiche aus dem Bestand der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek zeigen, wie man sich in früheren Jahrhunderten den Sternenhimmel vorgestellt hat. Ausführliche Sachverzeichnisse mit über 3000 Suchbegriffen erleichtern den Zugang zu Stern- und Sternbildnamen und zur Mythologie. Die dritte, erweiterte Auflage gibt für die kommenden Jahrzehnte darüber Auskunft, wo und wann die Planeten aber auch Sternhaufen, Gasnebel und Galaxien am Himmel mühelos aufgefunden werden können.

Transporterscheinungen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heintze, Joachim

In diesem Kapitel werden wir uns vornehmlich mit zwei Vorgängen befassen, ohne die das Erreichen des thermischen Gleichgewichts und die Veränderung des thermischen Zustands eines Systems unmöglich wäre: Wärmeleitung und Diffusion. Bei der Wärmeleitung wird die kinetische Energie der Teilchen durch Stöße auf die Nachbarn übertragen: Es handelt sich um den Transport von Wärmeenergie. Unter Diffusion versteht man den Transport von Molekülen aufgrund ihrer Wärmebewegung. Sie tritt in Erscheinung, wenn in einem System verschiedene Arten von Molekülen vorhanden und ungleichmäßig verteilt sind.

Conservative Management of Dens Evaginatus: Report of Two Unusual Cases

PubMed Central

Vijaykumar, S; Tenny, J; Ravi, GR

2010-01-01

ABSTRACT Dens evaginatus (DE) is a rare developmental anomaly characterized by presence of an extra cusp arising from occlusal or lingual surfaces. Isolated occurrence or concomitant presence of DE with other dental anomalies has been reported. DE commonly affects permanent teeth and is rarely seen in primary dentition. Treatment may be conservative or radical. This article presents two unusual cases of concomitant occurrence of a supernumerary tooth and DE affecting maxillary deciduous lateral incisor and conservative management of DE occurring concurrently with a possible Oehler’s type I invagination in maxillary permanent lateral incisor. PMID:27507925

KSC-04PD-0201

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. An alligator makes a splashy entrance into the water on the west side of NASAs Kennedy Space Center. Nearly 5,000 alligators can be found in canals, ponds and waterways throughout the Center and the surrounding Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. The Wildlife Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles.

KSC-04PD-0200

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. An alligator slides off a bank into the water on the west side of NASAs Kennedy Space Center. Nearly 5,000 alligators can be found in canals, ponds and waterways throughout the Center and the surrounding Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. The Wildlife Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles.

KSC-04PD-0203

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. A moss-covered alligator stretches out on the waters edge at a bank on the west side of NASAs Kennedy Space Center. Nearly 5,000 alligators can be found in canals, ponds and waterways throughout the Center and the surrounding Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. The Wildlife Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles.

Effects of habitat composition on the use of resources by the red fox in a semi arid environment of North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dell'Arte, Graziella L.; Leonardi, Giovanni

2005-09-01

The red fox Vulpes vulpes is considered an opportunistic predator able to avoid prey shortages by exploiting a wide range of available food resources. However, as predicted by the Resources Dispersion Hypothesis (RDH), the distribution of other key resources such as suitable areas for dens can affect fox populations. Furthermore, in insularity conditions, resources are spatially limited and their availability is greatly influenced by territory sizes and the feeding habits of predators. In this paper we report the spatial use and foraging habits of foxes in three habitats (grassland, cultivation and suburban) of a sub-arid island off north Africa in relation to habitat composition and food availability. We found that diet composition in a gross sense did not differ significantly among habitats, with insects comprising > 48% and fruits 25% of the total prey items. Grasslands offered temporary clumped food resources (e.g. birds) that induced foxes to increase their territory sizes and to enlarge their diet range during prey shortages. Inversely, in cultivated and suburban areas, the main prey (insects) were more evenly distributed, especially in olive groves which constitute the most extensive form of cultivation on the island. In large areas covered by olive trees, the high availability of Coleoptera spp. significantly reduced core areas used by foxes and also distances among dens. Palm groves were patchy on the island but contained high densities of Orthoptera spp. and date fruits which represent alternative food sources. Thus, these patches are attractive foraging places, but a modification of the perimeter of fox territories was necessary for their exploitation. Our study confirmed that in this arid environment, habitat composition per se affected a generalist predator less than the dispersion of its main prey. In addition, the patchy distribution of resources can assume a role in the spacing and feeding behaviours of foxes only in relation to clumped alternative prey types.

Spotted hyena and steppe lion predation behaviours on cave bears of Europe - ?Late Quaternary cave bear extinction as result of predator stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diedrich, Cajus G.

2010-05-01

Cave bears hibernated in caves all over Eurasia (e.g. Rabeder et al., 2000) including alpine regions using mainly larger caves for this purpose. Late Quaternary spotted hyenas Crocuta crocuta spelaea instead occupied mainly areas close to the cave entrances as their dens (Diedrich and Žák 2006, Diedrich 2010). The largest predator, the steppe lion Panthera leo spelaea was only a sporadic cave dweller (Diedrich 2007b, 2009b). His presence and its remains from caves all over Europe can be recently explained best as result of imported carcasses after killing by their largest antagonists, the Late Quaternary spotted hyenas. In some cases the kill might have happened in the hyena den cave itself during the theft of prey remains by lions (Diedrich 2009a). Another reason of their remains in caves of Europe is the hunting onto the herbivorous cave bears, especially during hibernation times, when megafauna prey was less available in the open environments (Diedrich 2009c). These lion remains from caves of Europe, nearly all of which were from adult animals, provide evidence of active predation by lions onto cave bears even in medium high alpine regions (Diedrich 2009b, in review). Lion skeletons in European cave bear dens were therefore often found amongst originally articulated cave bear skeletons or scattered cave bear remains and even close to their hibernation nests (Diedrich et al. 2009c, in review). Not only lions fed on cave bears documented mainly by the large quantities of chewed, punctured and crushed cave bear long-bones; even damaged skulls reveal that hyenas scavenged primarily on cave bear carcasses which were mainly responsible for the destruction of their carcasses and bones (Diedrich 2005, 2009d). Predation and scavenging on cave bears by the two largest Late Quaternary predators C. c. spelaea and P. l. spelaea explains well the large quantity of fragmented cave bear bones over all European caves in low to medium high mountainous elevations, whereas in high alpine regions the leopard Panthera pardus seem to have used the ecological niche of the absent hyenas (Diedrich 2009d, in review a). At open air sites cave bear scavenging by the largest Late Quaternary predators were proven, too (Diedrich 2006, 2009e). The predation stress caused by the three main and largest Late Quaternary predators seem to have provided cave bears to hibernate often deeply in many European caves, and here especially in larger and longer cave systems (e.g. Diedrich et al 2009, in review, Diedrich and Moldovan 2010) to protect themselves against the largest Quaternary predators. In conflicts with those large felids must have been killed by adult cave bears, which explains why those predator carcasses remained as complete skeletons or as partly disarticulated ones even deep in caves all over Europe which were finally not scavenged by the herbivorous cave bears (Diedrich in review). In such cave bear den caves the amount of lion bones generally take only 1-3% of the total bone amount being highly dominated by cave bear bones (Diedrich 2009c, in review). Lions and hyenas seem to have focussed onto the hunt of cave bears all over Europe, especially with the reduction of the biomass in the open environments at the maximum cold period during around 26.000-24.000 BP (Solutrean). The slow extinction of their largest prey was an important motor of the predation pressure onto cave bears. This might be one reason for the cave bear extinction in the final Late Quaternary (early Late Weichselian, maximum cold period) at least in northern Europe, but it seem to have happened in a combination of climatic change, and also human impact (cf. Diedrich, this volume). References Diedrich, C., 2005. Cracking and nibbling marks as indicators for the Upper Pleistocene spotted hyena as a scavenger of cave bear (Ursus spelaeus Rosenmüller, 1794) carcasses in the Perick Caves den of Northwest Germany. Abhandlungen der Naturhistorischen Gesellschaft Nürnberg, 45, 73-90. Diedrich, C., 2006. Ice age spotted hyenas ?hunting or only scavenging on a cave bear Ursus spelaeus Rosenmüller at the Ice Age spotted hyena freeland den and prey deposit site Bad Wildungen-Biedensteg (Hessia, Germany). Scientific Annals, School of Geology Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) special volume, 98, 193-199. Diedrich, C., 2007b. The fairy tale about the "cave lions" Panthera leo spelaea (Goldfuss 1810) of Europe - Late Ice Age spotted hyenas and Ice Age steppe lions in conflict - lion killers and scavengers around Prague (Central Bohemia). Scripta Facultatis Scientiarum Universitatis Masarykianae Geology, 35 (2005), 107-112. Diedrich, C., 2009a. Steppe lion remains imported by Ice Age spotted hyenas into the Late Pleistocene Perick Caves hyena den in Northern Germany. Quaternary Research, 71 (3), 361-374. Diedrich, C., 2009b. Upper Pleistocene Panthera leo spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) remains from the Bilstein Caves (Sauerland Karst) and contribution to the steppe lion taphonomy, palaeobiology and sexual dimorphism. Annales de Paléontologie, 95, 117-138. Diedrich, C. 2009c. Steppe lion predation - another reason for cave bears to protect during hibernation against carnivores in deepest parts of large cave systems in Europe. Abstractc 15th International Cave Bear Symposium, Spisska Nova Ves Slovakia, 8-9. Diedrich, C., 2009d. Cave bear killers, scavengers between the Scandinavian and Alpine Ice shields - the last hyenas and cave bears in antagonism - and the reason why cave bears hibernated deeply in caves. Stalactite, 58(2), 54-63. Diedrich, C. 2009e. Late Pleistocene Cave bear remains from the open air hyena den Emscher River terrace site Bottrop (NW Germany). - Stalactite, 58 (2): 42-47. Diedrich, C. 2010. The Crocuta crocuta spelaea (GOLDFUSS 1823) population from the Late Pleistocene Rösenbeck Cave den in NW Germany and contribution to the sexual dimorphism and palaeobiogeography of the last hyenas of Europe. - Annales de Paléontologie. Diedrich, C. (in review). Cave bear killers and scavengers from the last European Ice Age. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology. Diedrich, C., Žák, K. 2006. Prey deposits and den sites of the Upper Pleistocene hyena Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss, 1823) in horizontal and vertical caves of the Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic). Bulletin of Geosciences, 81 (4), 237-276. Diedrich, C., Robu, M., Dragusin, V., Constantin, S., Moldovan, O., 2009. New Upper Pleistocene steppe lion skeleton finds between the cave bear hibernation plateaus of the Ursilor Cave bear den, Romania. Abstractc 15th International Cave Bear Symposium, Spisska Nova Ves Slovakia, 10. Diedrich, C., Moldovan, O., Constantin, S. 2009. Cave bear tracks, scratch marks, hair traces and hibernation nests in the Ursilor Cave (Transylvania, Romania) - preliminary report from a famous European cave bear den. - Stalactite, 58 (2): 48-52. Diedrich, C., Moldovan, O. 2010. Ichnological and ethological studies in one of Europe's famous bear den in the Ursilor Cave (Carpathians, Romania). - Quarternary International (accepted). Rabeder, G., Nagel, D., Pacher, M., 2000. Der Höhlenbär. Stuttgart: Thorbecke.

Chemopreventive effects of korean red ginseng extract on rat hepatocarcinogenesis.

PubMed

Kim, Hyemee; Hong, Mi-Kyung; Choi, Haymie; Moon, Hyun-Seuk; Lee, Hae-Jeung

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine a chemopreventive activity of Korean red ginseng extract (KRG) in diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. After acclimatization for a week, Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into five groups (n = 15) and fed either KRG (0.5, 1 or 2%) or control diets for 10 weeks. After two weeks of starting of experimental diets, the rats were initiated hepatocarcinogenesis by injection of DEN and were then subjected to two-thirds partial hepatectomy at five-week for developing the medium-term bioassay system. Both 0.5 and 1% KRG diets suppressed the area (55 and 60%; p= 0.0251 and 0.0144) and number (39 and 59%; p= 0.0433 and 0.0012) of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P) positive foci when compared to the DEN-control group. The production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was significantly reduced in 0.5 and 1% KRG-treated rats. The supplementation of 1% KRG diet significantly elevated the levels of total glutathione (tGSH) and glutathione-related enzymes including cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. It was also observed in cDNA microarray that the gene expressions (Cyp2c6, Cyp2e1, Cyp3a9, and Mgst1) involved in the xenobiotics metabolism via cytochrome P450 signaling pathway were down-regulated in the 1% KRG diet-treated group when compared to the DEN-control. The chemopreventive effects of KRG could be affected by 1) the decrease of lipid peroxidation, 2) the increase of tGSH content and GSH-dependent enzyme activities, and 3) the decrease of the gene expression profile involved in cytochrome P450 signaling pathway. These results suggest that KRG may prove to be a therapeutic agent against hepatocarcinogenesis.

Chemopreventive Effects of Korean Red Ginseng Extract on Rat Hepatocarcinogenesis

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyemee; Hong, Mi-Kyung; Choi, Haymie; Moon, Hyun-Seuk; Lee, Hae-Jeung

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine a chemopreventive activity of Korean red ginseng extract (KRG) in diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. After acclimatization for a week, Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into five groups (n = 15) and fed either KRG (0.5, 1 or 2%) or control diets for 10 weeks. After two weeks of starting of experimental diets, the rats were initiated hepatocarcinogenesis by injection of DEN and were then subjected to two-thirds partial hepatectomy at five-week for developing the medium-term bioassay system. Both 0.5 and 1% KRG diets suppressed the area (55 and 60%; p= 0.0251 and 0.0144) and number (39 and 59%; p= 0.0433 and 0.0012) of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P) positive foci when compared to the DEN-control group. The production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was significantly reduced in 0.5 and 1% KRG-treated rats. The supplementation of 1% KRG diet significantly elevated the levels of total glutathione (tGSH) and glutathione-related enzymes including cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. It was also observed in cDNA microarray that the gene expressions (Cyp2c6, Cyp2e1, Cyp3a9, and Mgst1) involved in the xenobiotics metabolism via cytochrome P450 signaling pathway were down-regulated in the 1% KRG diet-treated group when compared to the DEN-control. The chemopreventive effects of KRG could be affected by 1) the decrease of lipid peroxidation, 2) the increase of tGSH content and GSH-dependent enzyme activities, and 3) the decrease of the gene expression profile involved in cytochrome P450 signaling pathway. These results suggest that KRG may prove to be a therapeutic agent against hepatocarcinogenesis. PMID:25553083

A transition-based joint model for disease named entity recognition and normalization.

PubMed

Lou, Yinxia; Zhang, Yue; Qian, Tao; Li, Fei; Xiong, Shufeng; Ji, Donghong

2017-08-01

Disease named entities play a central role in many areas of biomedical research, and automatic recognition and normalization of such entities have received increasing attention in biomedical research communities. Existing methods typically used pipeline models with two independent phases: (i) a disease named entity recognition (DER) system is used to find the boundaries of mentions in text and (ii) a disease named entity normalization (DEN) system is used to connect the mentions recognized to concepts in a controlled vocabulary. The main problems of such models are: (i) there is error propagation from DER to DEN and (ii) DEN is useful for DER, but pipeline models cannot utilize this. We propose a transition-based model to jointly perform disease named entity recognition and normalization, casting the output construction process into an incremental state transition process, learning sequences of transition actions globally, which correspond to joint structural outputs. Beam search and online structured learning are used, with learning being designed to guide search. Compared with the only existing method for joint DEN and DER, our method allows non-local features to be used, which significantly improves the accuracies. We evaluate our model on two corpora: the BioCreative V Chemical Disease Relation (CDR) corpus and the NCBI disease corpus. Experiments show that our joint framework achieves significantly higher performances compared to competitive pipeline baselines. Our method compares favourably to other state-of-the-art approaches. Data and code are available at https://github.com/louyinxia/jointRN. dhji@whu.edu.cn. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Facing a changing world: Thermal physiology of American pikas (Ochotona princeps)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Otto, Hans W; Wilson, James A; Beever, Erik

2015-01-01

American pikas (Ochotona princeps) are of concern with respect to warming montane temperatures; however, little information exists regarding their physiological ability to adapt to warming temperatures. Previous studies have shown that pikas have high metabolism and low thermal conductance, which allow survival during cold winters. It has been hypothesized that these characteristics may be detrimental, given the recent warming trends observed in montane ecosystems. We examined resting metabolic rate, surface activity, and den and ambient temperatures (Ta) of pikas in late summer (August 2011 and 2012) at 2 locations in the Rocky Mountains. Resting metabolic rate was calculated to be 2.02 mL O2 · g-1h-1, with a lower critical temperature (LCT) of 28.1 ± 0.2 °C. No upper critical temperature (UCT) could be determined from our data; therefore, the estimated thermoneutral zone (TNZ) was 28.1 °C to at least 35.0 °C (upper experimental temperature). Pikas in this study showed the same bimodal above-talus activity patterns reported in previous studies. Den temperatures in Colorado were correlated with, but consistently lower than, current ambient temperatures. Wyoming den temperatures showed a weak correlation with Ta 20 min prior to the current den temperature. This study is one of few to present data on the physiological response pikas may have to current warming conditions, and the first to perform metabolic measurements in situ. Our data support conclusions of previous studies, specifically MacArthur and Wang (1973, 1974) and Smith (1974), which indicated American pikas may not have the physiological ability to cope with high Ta. Our results also highlight the importance of shaded regions below the talus rocks for behavioral thermoregulation by pikas.

A neural network model of three-dimensional dynamic electron density in the inner magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, X.; Bortnik, J.; Li, W.; Ma, Q.; Denton, R.; Yue, C.; Angelopoulos, V.; Thorne, R. M.; Darrouzet, F.; Ozhogin, P.; Kletzing, C. A.; Wang, Y.; Menietti, J.

2017-09-01

A plasma density model of the inner magnetosphere is important for a variety of applications including the study of wave-particle interactions, and wave excitation and propagation. Previous empirical models have been developed under many limiting assumptions and do not resolve short-term variations, which are especially important during storms. We present a three-dimensional dynamic electron density (DEN3D) model developed using a feedforward neural network with electron densities obtained from four satellite missions. The DEN3D model takes spacecraft location and time series of solar and geomagnetic indices (F10.7, SYM-H, and AL) as inputs. It can reproduce the observed density with a correlation coefficient of 0.95 and predict test data set with error less than a factor of 2. Its predictive ability on out-of-sample data is tested on field-aligned density profiles from the IMAGE satellite. DEN3D's predictive ability provides unprecedented opportunities to gain insight into the 3-D behavior of the inner magnetospheric plasma density at any time and location. As an example, we apply DEN3D to a storm that occurred on 1 June 2013. It successfully reproduces various well-known dynamic features in three dimensions, such as plasmaspheric erosion and recovery, as well as plume formation. Storm time long-term density variations are consistent with expectations; short-term variations appear to be modulated by substorm activity or enhanced convection, an effect that requires further study together with multispacecraft in situ or imaging measurements. Investigating plasmaspheric refilling with the model, we find that it is not monotonic in time and is more complex than expected from previous studies, deserving further attention.

Promotion of hepatic preneoplastic lesions in male B6C3F1 mice by unleaded gasoline.

PubMed Central

Standeven, A M; Wolf, D C; Goldsworthy, T L

1995-01-01

In previous studies, unleaded gasoline (UG) vapor was found to be a liver tumor promoter and hepatocarcinogen in female mice, but UG was not a hepatocarcinogen in male mice. However, UG vapor had similar transient mitogenic effects in nonlesioned liver of both male and female mice under the conditions of the cancer bioassay. We used an initiation-promotion protocol to determine whether UG vapor acts as a liver tumor promoter in male mice and to examine proliferative effects that may be critical to tumor development. Twelve-day-old male B6C3F1 mice were injected with N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN; 5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) or vehicle. Starting at 5-7 weeks of age, mice were exposed by inhalation 6 hr/day, 5 days/week for 16 weeks to 0 or 2046 ppm of PS-6 blend UG. UG treatment caused a significant 2.3-fold increase in the number of macroscopic hepatic masses in DEN-initiated mice, whereas no macroscopic masses were observed in non-initiated mice. Altered hepatic foci (AHF), which were predominantly basophilic in phenotype, were found almost exclusively in DEN-initiated mice. UG treatment significantly increased both the mean volume (threefold) and the volume fraction (twofold) of the AHF without increasing the number of AHF per unit area. UG also induced hepatic pentoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase (PROD) activity, a marker of CYP2B, by more than 12-fold over control with or without DEN cotreatment. To study hepatocyte proliferative effects of UG, we treated mice with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) via osmotic pump for 3 days before necropsy and measured hepatocyte BrdU labeling index (LI) in AHF and nonlesioned liver.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Images Figure 1. PMID:7588481

Biomechanical properties of the atlantoaxial joint with naturally-occurring instability in a toy breed dog. A comparative descriptive cadaveric study.

PubMed

Forterre, F; Precht, C; Riedinger, B; Bürki, A

2015-01-01

The biomechanical properties of the atlanto-axial joint in a young Yorkshire Terrier dog with spontaneous atlantoaxial instability were compared to those of another young toy breed dog with a healthy atlantoaxial joint. The range-of-motion was increased in flexion and lateral bending in the unstable joint. In addition, lateral bending led to torsion and dorsal dislocation of the axis within the atlas. On gross examination, the dens ligaments were absent and a longitudinal tear of the tectorial membrane was observed. These findings suggest that both ventral and lateral flexion may lead to severe spinal cord compression, and that the tectorial membrane may play a protective role in some cases of atlantoaxial instability.

A General Purpose Mini-Computer Based Digital Signal Processing Laboratory.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-06-01

DOUBLE PPEC IC I DM C0CT2 C3 0) - C0CET4 . 3 0> DOUBLE PPEC ISI Oh CUB 1 CS 0) < CUEE ɠ 0 > , SUB3 ɠ 0> DOUELE PPECICION CUE6O30> » SUB7 ɠQ> »SUB3CB0...97 J — MUM = 1.30 DEM = I.DO DO JO J=l«f HUM = NUM*< SUEI <J;>+SUB2<J>*C0ST2<:D «•suB3O>*C0S2T4<.i1 DEN • DEN*<SUB6’CJ>+ SUB7 <J

KSC-06pd0478

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-03-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In a canal on Kennedy Space Center, the adult alligator moves into the midst of the young alligators near their nest. Nearly 5,000 alligators can be found in canals, ponds and waterways throughout the Center and the surrounding Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. The Wildlife Refuge encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Is climate change affecting wolf populations in the high Arctic?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mech, L.D.

2004-01-01

Global climate change may affect wolves in Canada's High Arctic (80DG N) acting through three trophic levels (vegetation, herbivores, and wolves). A wolf pack dependent on muskoxen and arctic hares in the Eureka area of Ellesmere Island denned and produced pups most years from at least 1986 through 1997. However when summer snow covered vegetation in 1997 and 2000 for the first time since records were kept, halving the herbivore nutrition-replenishment period, muskox and hare numbers dropped drastically, and the area stopped supporting denning wolves through 2003. The unusual weather triggering these events was consistent with global-climate-change phenomena.

Is climate change affecting wolf populations in the high Arctic?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mech, L.D.

2004-01-01

Gobal climate change may affect wolves in Canada's High Arctic (80?? N) acting through three trophic levels (vegetation, herbivores, and wolves). A wolf pack dependent on muskoxen and arctic hares in the Eureka area of Ellesmere Island denned and produced pups most years from at least 1986 through 1997. However, when summer snow covered vegetation in 1997 and 2000 for the first time since records were kept, halving the herbivore nutrition-replenishment period, muskox and hare numbers dropped drastically, and the area stopped supporting denning wolves through 2003. The unusual weather triggering these events was consistent with global-climate-change phenomena. ?? 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Geochemical survey of the Devil's Den Roadless Area, Rutland and Windsor counties, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Slack, J.F.; Atelsek, P.J.; Grosz, A.E.

1985-01-01

The Devils Den area is named for a large undercut cliff (Dale, 1915, p. 21) developed in Precambrian basement rocks. This undercut cliff forms a broad natural cave immediately west of and below Forest Service Road 10, at the head of Mt. Tabor Brook. Another much smaller cave is present in dolomite of probable Paleozoic (Early Cambrian) age on the east side of the same road. This smaller cave apparently is of artificial origin, having been made during early mining of the dolomite (Dale, 1915, p. 21). This man-made cave is the only evidence of previous mining activity within the study area.

DEVILS DEN ROADLESS AREA, VERMONT.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Slack, John F.; Sabin, Andrew E.

1984-01-01

A mineral-resource survey was made of the Devils Den Roadless Area, Vermont, Geochemical sampling found traces of gold, copper, barium, lead, molybdenum, silver, tin, and thorium in rocks, stream sediments, and panned concentrates, but not in sufficient quantities to identify any resource potential. The only apparent resources are nonmetallic commodities including abundant rock suitable for crushihg, and very small deposits of sand and gravel and marble; these also occur outside the roadless area. The area was also evaluated for bedrock uranium and thorium deposits, but not anomalously high radioactive bedrock was found. A potential may exist for oil or natural gas at great depth, but this cannot be evaluated by the present study.

Berechnung verkehrlicher Substitutionseffekte im Personenverkehr bei Online-Shopping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nerlich, Mark R.; Schiffner, Felix; Vogt, Walter; Rauh, Jürgen; Breidenbach, Petra

Für Güter des täglichen, mittelfristigen und langfristigen Bedarfs sowie für das Beispiel Baumarktartikel wird das Potenzial für Personenverkehrsaufwand von Einkaufsaktivtäten quantitativ abgeschätzt. Die entwickelten Algorithmen behandeln die einkaufsvorbereitende Information und den eigentlichen Einkauf, d.h. den Erwerb eines Gutes, separat. Informationsaktivitäten haben insbesondere bei höherwertigen Gütern einen hohen Stellenwert und damit auch verkehrliche Relevanz. Wie Berechnungen zeigen, spart Online-Shopping Informations- und Einkaufsverkehrsaufwand im Pkw-Verkehr ein. Die notwendigen Eingangsdaten wie differenzierte Informations- und Einkaufshäufigkeiten sowie verkehrliche Parameter zu Verkehrsmittelwahl, Entfernungen und Wegekopplungen wurden aus eigenen Erhebungen gewonnen.

Measurement of $W$ -Boson Helicity-Fractions in Top-Quark Decays with the CDF II Experiment and Prospects for an Early $$t\\overline{t}$$ Cross-Section Measurement with the CMS Experiment (in German)

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

Chwalek, Thorsten

2010-12-02

Aus was besteht die Welt? Die Frage nach den fundamentalen Bausteinen der Materie beschaftigte Wissenschaftler und Gelehrte zu allen Zeiten. Ausgehend von abstrakten philosophischen Uberlegungen wurde das Konzept von kleinsten, nicht weiter zerteilbaren Grundbausteinen der Materie bereits einige Jahrhunderte vor Christus von indischen und griechischen Philosophieschulen entwickelt. Etwa 450 v. Chr. pragte Demokrit den Begriff ´atomos, das “Unzerschneidbare”, fur die diskreten Grundbausteine der Materie. Doch erst in der jungeren Vergangenheit konnte dieses philosophische Konzept auch experimentell uberpruft werden.

Methoden der digitalen Planung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westkämper, Engelbert; Niemann, Jörg; Warschat, Joachim; Scheer, August-Wilhelm; Thomas, Oliver

Die industrielle Produktion ist das Herz der verarbeitenden Industrie in Deutschland. Mit einem Beitrag von rund 500 Mrd. EUR pro Jahr erwirtschaftet das verarbeitende Gewerbe etwa ein Viertel der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Wertschöpfung in Deutschland. Gemessen am Produktionswert der Gesamtwirtschaft betrug der industrielle Anteil sogar über ein Drittel. Der Erhalt und der Ausbau der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit unter den gegebenen Rahmenbedingungen der globalen Märkte ist eine der größten Herausforderungen der deutschen Wirtschaft [5, 8]. In diesem Beitrag soll - ausgehend von einer Strategie der Ausrüster von Fabriken in einer globalen Produktion - diskutiert werden, wie mit der digitalen Fabrik Potentiale in den Planungs- und Wandlungsprozessen erschlossen werden können.

Application of DEN refinement and automated model building to a difficult case of molecular-replacement phasing: the structure of a putative succinyl-diaminopimelate desuccinylase from Corynebacterium glutamicum.

PubMed

Brunger, Axel T; Das, Debanu; Deacon, Ashley M; Grant, Joanna; Terwilliger, Thomas C; Read, Randy J; Adams, Paul D; Levitt, Michael; Schröder, Gunnar F

2012-04-01

Phasing by molecular replacement remains difficult for targets that are far from the search model or in situations where the crystal diffracts only weakly or to low resolution. Here, the process of determining and refining the structure of Cgl1109, a putative succinyl-diaminopimelate desuccinylase from Corynebacterium glutamicum, at ∼3 Å resolution is described using a combination of homology modeling with MODELLER, molecular-replacement phasing with Phaser, deformable elastic network (DEN) refinement and automated model building using AutoBuild in a semi-automated fashion, followed by final refinement cycles with phenix.refine and Coot. This difficult molecular-replacement case illustrates the power of including DEN restraints derived from a starting model to guide the movements of the model during refinement. The resulting improved model phases provide better starting points for automated model building and produce more significant difference peaks in anomalous difference Fourier maps to locate anomalous scatterers than does standard refinement. This example also illustrates a current limitation of automated procedures that require manual adjustment of local sequence misalignments between the homology model and the target sequence.

Application of DEN refinement and automated model building to a difficult case of molecular-replacement phasing: the structure of a putative succinyl-diaminopimelate desuccinylase from Corynebacterium glutamicum

PubMed Central

Brunger, Axel T.; Das, Debanu; Deacon, Ashley M.; Grant, Joanna; Terwilliger, Thomas C.; Read, Randy J.; Adams, Paul D.; Levitt, Michael; Schröder, Gunnar F.

2012-01-01

Phasing by molecular replacement remains difficult for targets that are far from the search model or in situations where the crystal diffracts only weakly or to low resolution. Here, the process of determining and refining the structure of Cgl1109, a putative succinyl-diaminopimelate desuccinylase from Corynebacterium glutamicum, at ∼3 Å resolution is described using a combination of homology modeling with MODELLER, molecular-replacement phasing with Phaser, deformable elastic network (DEN) refinement and automated model building using AutoBuild in a semi-automated fashion, followed by final refinement cycles with phenix.refine and Coot. This difficult molecular-replacement case illustrates the power of including DEN restraints derived from a starting model to guide the movements of the model during refinement. The resulting improved model phases provide better starting points for automated model building and produce more significant difference peaks in anomalous difference Fourier maps to locate anomalous scatterers than does standard refinement. This example also illustrates a current limitation of automated procedures that require manual adjustment of local sequence misalignments between the homology model and the target sequence. PMID:22505259

Tanzendes Tier oder exzentrische Positionalität - Philosophische Anthropologie zwischen Darwinismus und Kulturalismus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, Joachim

Zunächst kurz vorweg zu den Formeln im Titel: "exzentrische Positionalität“ ist der Kategorienvorschlag der Philosophischen Anthropologie (genauer: von Helmuth Plessner) für den Menschen, für seine "Sonderstellung“ unter den Lebewesen - ich werde diesen Begriff erläutern. So viel kann man sagen: Der Terminus ist nicht schwieriger als "Transzendentalität“ oder das "Apriori“ oder "Autopoiesis“, also Begriffe, mit deren Orientierungswert in der intellektuellen Öffentlichkeit bereits gespielt wird, bietet aber möglicherweise mehr Erschließungskraft als die Kunstbegriffe z. B. von Kant, Maturana oder Luhmann. Und "tanzendes Tier“ ist ein glücklicher Anschauungsbegriff, eine Art Übersetzung für "exzentrische Positionalität“ - also ein "verrücktes“ Lebewesen, eine Verrückung im evolutionären Leben, die dieses Lebewesen von Natur aus zu einer bestimmten Art von Lebensführung, nämlich Kultur nötigt. Die Absicht des Beitrages ist es, die Philosophische Anthropologie als eine spezifische Theorietechnik zu präsentieren, um einen adäquaten Begriff des Menschen zu erreichen, und zwar eine Theoriestrategie angesichts des cartesianischen Dualismus - also des Dualismus zwischen Naturalismus und Kulturalismus.

Bioindikation im Grundwasser funktioniert - Erwiderung zum Kommentar von T. Scheytt zum Beitrag "Grundwasserfauna als Indikator für komplexe hydrogeologische Verhältnisse am westlichen Kaiserstuhl" von Gutjahr, S., Bork, J. & Hahn, H.J. in Grundwasser 18 (3), 173-184 (2013)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hahn, Hans Jürgen; Gutjahr, Simon

2014-09-01

In seinem Kommentar schließt Traugott Scheytt die faunistische Bioindikation über die Nutzung von Grundwassermessstellen aus methodischen Gründen aus. Er postuliert auch, dass die faunistische Indikation hydrogeologischer Zusammenhänge wegen der eingeschränkten Ausbreitungsfähigkeit der Tiere in Porengrundwasserleitern nicht möglich sei und stellt grundsätzlich die Befunde unserer Untersuchungen am Kaiserstuhl in Frage. Dabei überträgt Herr Scheytt seine Erfahrungen aus der unbelebten Hydrogeologie direkt auf den Lebensraum Grundwasser. Seine Argumentation berücksichtigt dabei weder die Prinzipien der Ökologie noch den aktuellen Stand der grundwasserökologischen Forschung. Wir gehen davon aus, dass für die Untersuchungen am Kaiserstuhl sowohl unsere Arbeitshypothese wie auch die angewandten Methoden und die Interpretation der Ergebnisse der Fragestellung angemessen sind und internationalem, wissenschaftlichem Standard entsprechen. Aus den oben benannten Gründen bleiben wir dabei: Biondikation im Grundwasser funktioniert und sie bietet hervorragende Möglichkeiten, gerade auch für die Hydrogeologie.

Der evolutionäre Naturalismus in der Ethik

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaiser, Marie I.

Charles Darwin hat eindrucksvoll gezeigt, dass der Mensch ebenso wie alle anderen Lebewesen ein Produkt der biologischen Evolution ist. Die sich an Darwin anschließende Forschung hat außerdem plausibel gemacht, dass sich nicht nur viele der körperlichen Merkmale des Menschen, sondern auch (zumindest einige) seiner Verhaltensdispositionen in adaptiven Selektionsprozessen herausgebildet haben. Die Vorstellung, dass auch die menschliche Moralität evolutionär bedingt ist, scheint daher auf den ersten Blick ganz überzeugend. Schließlich hat die Evolutionstheorie in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten in vielen Bereichen (auch außerhalb der Biologie) ihre weitreichende Bedeutung unter Beweis gestellt. Warum sollte, so könnte man beispielsweise fragen, gerade die Fähigkeit des Menschen, moralische Normen aufzustellen und gemäß ihnen zu handeln, nicht evolutionär erklärt werden können? Und warum sollte eine solche evolutionäre Erklärung der menschlichen Moralität irrelevant für die Rechtfertigung moralischer Normen sein? Warum sollte die Ethik eine Bastion der Philosophen bleiben, für die evolutionsbiologische Forschungsergebnisse über den Menschen und seine nächsten Verwandten keinerlei Relevanz besitzen?

Molecular Epidemiology of Dengue Viruses Co-circulating in Upper Myanmar in 2006.

PubMed

Thant, Kyaw Zin; Tun, Mya Myat Ngwe; Parquet, Maria Del Carmen; Inoue, Shingo; Lwin, Yee Yee; Lin, Sanda; Aye, Kay Thi; Khin, Pe Thet; Myint, Tin; Htwe, Khin; Nabeshima, Takeshi; Morita, Kouichi

2015-03-01

To understand the molecular epidemiology of circulating dengue viruses (DENV) in Upper Myanmar, DENV isolation was attempted by inoculating the sera of a panel of 110 serum samples onto a C6/36 mosquito cell line. The samples were collected from dengue (DEN) patients admitted at Mandalay Children's Hospital in 2006. Infected culture fluids were subjected to a RT-PCR to detect the DENV genome. Three DENV strains were isolated. This was the first DENV isolation performed either in Mandalay or in Upper Myanmar. One strain belonged to DENV serotype-3 (DENV-3), and two other strains belonged to DENV serotype-4 (DEN-4). The sequence data for the envelope gene of these strains were used in a phylogenetic comparison of DENV-3 and DENV-4 from various countries. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that this DENV-3 strain was clustered within genotype II, and the two DENV-4 strains were clustered within genotype I in each serotype. The Myanmar strains were closely related to strains from the neighboring countries of Thailand and Bangladesh. These results are important for elucidating the trends of recent and future DEN outbreaks in Myanmar.

Denitrification Temperature Dependence in Remote, Cold, and N-Poor Lake Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palacin-Lizarbe, Carlos; Camarero, Lluís.; Catalan, Jordi

2018-02-01

The reservoir size and pathway rates of the nitrogen (N) cycle have been deeply modified by the human enhancement of N fixation, atmospheric emissions, and climate warming. Denitrification (DEN) transforms nitrate into nitrogenous gas and thus removes reactive nitrogen (Nr) back to the atmospheric reservoir. There is still a rather limited knowledge of the denitrification rates and their temperature dependence across ecosystems; particularly, for the abundant cold and N-poor freshwater systems (e.g., Arctic and mountain lakes). We experimentally investigated the denitrification rates of mountain lake sediments by manipulating nitrate concentration and temperature on field collected cores. DEN rates were nitrate limited in field conditions and showed a large potential for an immediate DEN increase with both warming and higher Nr load. The estimated activation energy (Ea) for denitrification at nitrate saturation was 46 ± 7 kJ mol-1 (Q10 1.7 ± 0.4). The apparent Ea increased with nitrate (μM) limitation as Ea = 46 + 419 [NO3-]-1. Accordingly, we suggest that climate warming may have a synergistic effect with N emission reduction to readjusting the N cycle. Changes of nitrate availability might be more relevant than direct temperature effects on denitrification.

Arctic foxes, lemmings, and canada goose nest survival at cape Churchill, Manitoba

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reiter, M.E.; Andersen, D.E.

2011-01-01

We examined factors influencing Canada Goose (Branta canadensis interior) annual nest success, including the relative abundance of collared lemmings (Dicrostonyx richardsoni), arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) den occupancy, nest density, and spring phenology using data collected during annual Canada Goose breeding area surveys at Cape Churchill, Manitoba. Nest density and arctic fox den occupancy strongly influenced Canada Goose nest success. High nest density resulted in higher nest success and high den occupancy reduced nest success. Nest success was not influenced by lemming abundance in the current or previous year as predicted by the "bird-lemming" hypothesis. Reducing arctic fox abundance through targeted management increased nest survival of Canada Geese; a result that further emphasizes the importance of arctic fox as nest predators in this system. The spatial distribution of nest predators, at least for dispersed-nesting geese, may be most important for nest survival, regardless of the abundance of small mammals in the local ecosystem. Further understanding of the factors influencing the magnitude and variance in arctic fox abundance in this region, and the spatial scale at which these factors are realized, is necessary to fully explain predator-prey-alternative prey dynamics in this system. ?? 2011 by the Wilson Ornithological Society.

Predictive habitat models derived from nest-box occupancy for the endangered Carolina northern flying squirrel in the southern Appalachians

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ford, W. Mark; Evans, A.M.; Odom, Richard H.; Rodrigue, Jane L.; Kelly, C.A.; Abaid, Nicole; Diggins, Corinne A.; Newcomb, Doug

2016-01-01

In the southern Appalachians, artificial nest-boxes are used to survey for the endangered Carolina northern flying squirrel (CNFS; Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus), a disjunct subspecies associated with high elevation (>1385 m) forests. Using environmental parameters diagnostic of squirrel habitat, we created 35 a priori occupancy models in the program PRESENCE for boxes surveyed in western North Carolina, 1996-2011. Our best approximating model showed CNFS denning associated with sheltered landforms and montane conifers, primarily red spruce Picea rubens. As sheltering decreased, decreasing distance to conifers was important. Area with a high probability (>0.5) of occupancy was distributed over 18662 ha of habitat, mostly across 10 mountain ranges. Because nest-box surveys underrepresented areas >1750 m and CNFS forage in conifers, we combined areas of high occupancy with conifer GIS coverages to create an additional distribution model of likely habitat. Regionally, above 1385 m, we determined that 31795 ha could be occupied by CNFS. Known occupied patches ranged from

The MVACS Surface Stereo Imager on Mars Polar Lander

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, P. H.; Reynolds, R.; Weinberg, J.; Friedman, T.; Lemmon, M. T.; Tanner, R.; Reid, R. J.; Marcialis, R. L.; Bos, B. J.; Oquest, C.; Keller, H. U.; Markiewicz, W. J.; Kramm, R.; Gliem, F.; Rueffer, P.

2001-08-01

The Surface Stereo Imager (SSI), a stereoscopic, multispectral camera on the Mars Polar Lander, is described in terms of its capabilities for studying the Martian polar environment. The camera's two eyes, separated by 15.0 cm, provide the camera with range-finding ability. Each eye illuminates half of a single CCD detector with a field of view of 13.8° high by 14.3° wide and has 12 selectable filters between 440 and 1000 nm. The f18 optics have a large depth of field, and no focusing mechanism is required; a mechanical shutter is avoided by using the frame transfer capability of the 528 × 512 CCD. The resolving power of the camera, 0.975 mrad/pixel, is the same as the Imager for Mars Pathfinder camera, of which it is nearly an exact copy. Specially designed targets are positioned on the Lander; they provide information on the magnetic properties of wind-blown dust, and radiometric standards for calibration. Several experiments beyond the requisite color panorama are described in detail: contour mapping of the local terrain, multispectral imaging of interesting features (possibly with ice or frost in shaded spots) to study local mineralogy, and atmospheric imaging to constrain the properties of the haze and clouds. Eight low-transmission filters are included for imaging the Sun directly at multiple wavelengths to give SSI the ability to measure dust opacity and potentially the water vapor content. This paper is intended to document the functionality and calibration of the SSI as flown on the failed lander.

Long-term air pollution and traffic noise exposures and cognitive function:A cross-sectional analysis of the Heinz Nixdorf Recall study.

PubMed

Tzivian, Lilian; Dlugaj, Martha; Winkler, Angela; Hennig, Frauke; Fuks, Kateryna; Sugiri, Dorothee; Schikowski, Tamara; Jakobs, Hermann; Erbel, Raimund; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Moebus, Susanne; Hoffmann, Barbara; Weimar, Christian

2016-01-01

Investigations of adverse effects of air pollution (AP) and ambient noise on cognitive functions are apparently scarce, and findings seem to be inconsistent. The aim of this study was to examine the associations of long-term exposure to AP and traffic noise with cognitive performance. At the second examination of the population-based Heinz Nixdorf Recall study (2006-2008), cognitive performance was evaluated in 4086 participants. Long-term residential exposure to size-specific particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) with land use regression, to and traffic noise (weighted 24-h (L DEN ) and nighttime (L NIGHT ) means), was assessed according to the European Union (EU) Directive 2002/49/EC. Multiple regression models were calculated for the relationship of environmental exposures with a global cognitive score (GCS) and in five cognitive subtests, using single- and two-exposure models. In fully adjusted models, several AP metrics were negatively associated with four of five subtests and with GCS. For example, an interquartile range increase in PM 2.5 was correlated with verbal fluency, labyrinth test, and immediate and delayed verbal recall. A 10 dB(A) elevation in L DEN and L NIGHT was associated with GCS. Similar but not significant associations were found for the cognitive subtests. In two-exposure models including noise and air pollution simultaneously, the associations did not change markedly for air pollution, but attenuated numerically for noise. Long-term exposures to AP and traffic noise are negatively correlated with subtests related to memory and executive functions. There appears to be little evidence for mutual confounding.

A Cohort Study of the Natural History of Odontoid Pseudoarthrosis Managed Nonoperatively in Elderly Patients.

PubMed

Hong, Jennifer; Zaman, Rifat; Coy, Shannon; Pastel, David; Simmons, Nathan; Ball, Perry; Mirza, Sohail; Abdu, William; Pearson, Adam; Lollis, S Scott

2018-06-01

Although the primary goal of treatment of type II odontoid fracture is bony union, some advocate continued nonsurgical management of minimally symptomatic older patients who have fibrous union or minimal fracture motion. The risk of this strategy is unknown. We reviewed our long-term outcomes after dens nonunion to define the natural history of Type II odontoid fractures in elderly patients managed nonoperatively. A retrospective chart review of 50 consecutive adults aged 65 or older with Type II odontoid fracture initially managed nonsurgically from 1998 to 2012 at a single tertiary care institution was conducted. Particular attention was paid to patients who had orthosis removal despite absent bony fusion. Patients were contacted prospectively by telephone and followed until death, surgical intervention, or last known contact. Fifty patients initially were managed nonsurgically; of these, 21 (42.0%) proceeded to bony fusion, 3 (6%) underwent delayed surgery for persistent instability, and 26 (52%) had orthosis removal despite the lack of solid arthrodesis on imaging. The last group had a median follow-up of 25 months (range 4-158 months), with 20 of 26 (76.9%) followed until death. Of these patients, 1 patient developed progressive quadriplegia and dysphagia 11 months after initial injury. Compared with patients with spontaneous union, patients with nonunion had shorter life expectancy, despite no significant differences between the groups with respect to age, sex, injury mechanism, radiographic variables, or follow-up duration. Orthosis removal despite fracture nonunion may be reasonable in elderly patients with Type II dens fractures. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of 2-soft-release techniques to reintroduce black bears

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eastridge, Rick; Clark, Joseph D.

2002-01-01

Black bear (Ursus americanus) were extirpated from most of their range by the early 1900s by habitat destruction and unregulated hunting. Since then, bear habitat has recovered in many areas, but isolation may prevent natural recolonization. Black bear translocations often have limited success because of high mortality rates and low site fidelity. We tested 2 reintroduction techniques designed to overcome those problems. The first technique used a winter release whereby pre- or post-parturient female bears were removed from their dens and placed in new dens at the release area. The second technique involved translocating female bears to the reintroduction area during summer and holding them in pens for a 2-week acclimation period before release. We translocated 8 female bears with cubs with the winter-release technique and 6 female with the summer-release technique. After release, total distance moved, net distance moved, mean daily distance moved, and circuity for winter-released bears (x̄=18.3 km, 7.1 km, 1.4 km, and 0.36, respectively) were less than summer-released bears (x̄=97.6, 63.4 km 5.1 km, and 0.74; P=0.010, 0.040, 0.019, and 0.038, respectively). Also, survival of winter-released bears (0.88) was greater than that for summer-released bears (0.2, P=0.001). Population modeling indicated that the least one additional stocking of 6 adult females with 12 cubs would greatly increase chances of population reestablishment. the winter-release technique has distinct advantages over the summer-release technique, limiting post-release movements and increasing survival of translocated bears.

Identifizierung der Nitratabbauprozesse und Prognose des Nitratabbaupotenzials in den Sedimenten des Hessischen Rieds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kludt, Christoph; Weber, Frank-Andreas; Bergmann, Axel; Knöller, Kay; Berthold, Georg; Schüth, Christoph

2016-09-01

Microbial denitrification contributes significantly to the mitigation of nitrate contamination in sedimentary aquifers by reducing nitrate coupled to the consumption of organic carbon (heterotrophic) and iron sulphides like pyrite (autotrophic). However, these phases are often only present in trace amounts and can become depleted, so that denitrification will eventually cease. In order to implement measures within the EC-Water Framework Directive, we investigated the denitrification potential and the denitrification processes in the sediments of the Hessian Ried. The reduction potential was quantified and characterized by solid-phase analyses of drill core samples. Depth-oriented investigations of hydrochemistry (i.e. stable isotopes, N2Excess) allowed determining nitrate input, reduction progress and average reduction kinetics upstream of selected wells. Despite low sulphide contents (max. 123 mg-S/kg), autotrophic denitrification was typically the dominant process. The results can be used to delineate risk areas, downstream of which denitrification can be expected to cease in the near future.

Autoantibody Profiles in Collagen Disease Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD): Antibodies to Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I-Related Chain A (MICA) as Markers of ILD

PubMed Central

Furukawa, Hiroshi; Oka, Shomi; Shimada, Kota; Masuo, Kiyoe; Nakajima, Fumiaki; Funano, Shunichi; Tanaka, Yuki; Komiya, Akiko; Fukui, Naoshi; Sawasaki, Tatsuya; Tadokoro, Kenji; Nose, Masato; Tsuchiya, Naoyuki; Tohma, Shigeto

2015-01-01

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is frequently associated with collagen disease. It is then designated as collagen vascular disease-associated ILD (CVD-ILD), and influences patients’ prognosis. The prognosis of acute-onset diffuse ILD (AoDILD) occurring in patients with collagen disease is quite poor. Here, we report our investigation of auto-antibody (Ab) profiles to determine whether they may be useful in diagnosing CVD-ILD or AoDILD in collagen disease. Auto-Ab profiles were analyzed using the Lambda Array Beads Multi-Analyte System, granulocyte immunofluorescence test, Proto-Array Human Protein Microarray, AlphaScreen assay, and glutathione S-transferase capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 34 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with or without CVD-ILD and in 15 patients with collagen disease with AoDILD. The average anti-major histocompatibility complex class I-related chain A (MICA) Ab levels were higher in RA patients with CVD-ILD than in those without (P = 0.0013). The ratio of the average anti-MICA Ab level to the average anti-human leukocyte antigen class I Ab level (ie, MICA/Class I) was significantly higher in RA patients with CVD-ILD compared with those without (P = 4.47 × 10−5). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of auto-Ab profiles in CVD-ILD. The MICA/Class I ratio could be a better marker for diagnosing CVD-ILD than KL-6 (Krebs von den lungen-6). PMID:26327779

Gebändigtes Knallgas: Brennstoffzellen im mobilen und stationären Einsatz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waidhas, Manfred; Landes, Harald

2001-07-01

Die Brennstoffzelle hat aus technischer Sicht einen hohen Stand erreicht. Die PEMFC konnte ihre Zuverlässigkeit in einer Reihe von Nischenanwendungen, aber auch in Form erster mobiler und dezentraler Prototypen beweisen. Die SOFC und die MCFC konnten bereits in Anlagen von 100 kW und mehr in Erprobung gehen. Um jedoch wirtschaftlich konkur-renzfähig zu den etablierten Technologien der mobilen und dezentralen Energiewandlung zu werden, muss noch eine drastische Kostenreduktion sowohl beim Brennstoffzellen-Stack als auch bei den zu seinem Betrieb notwendigen Hilfsaggregaten erreicht werden. Für Fahrzeugantriebe muss außerdem eine Antwort auf die noch offene Treibstofffrage (Infrastruktur, H2-Erzeugung und H2-Speicherung) gefunden werden.

Sicherung mathematischer Grundkompetenzen am Beispiel des österreichischen Zentralabiturs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peschek, Werner

Der österreichische Nationalrat (Parlament) hat im Sommer 2009 eine Neugestaltung der Reifeprüfung (Abitur) beschlossen; die wesentlichste Änderung besteht darin, dass die Aufgabenstellungen der für alle Schülerinnen und Schüler verbindlichen schriftlichen Reifeprüfung (sRP) in den Fächern Deutsch, Mathematik und einer lebenden Fremdsprache zentral und nicht wie bisher durch die jeweilige Klassenlehrerin bzw. den Klassenlehrer erfolgen. Für die Allgemeinbildenden Höheren Schulen ("Gymnasien") soll diese neue Regelung ab dem Schuljahr 2013/14 gelten, für die Berufsbildenden Höheren Schulen (u. a. höhere technische oder kaufmännische Schulen mit Abitur) ab dem Schuljahr 2014/15.

Biogeochemische Stoffkreisläufe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brüggemann, Nicolas; Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus

Der Klimawandel wirkt sich auf biogeochemische Stoffkreisläufe aus. So kann davon ausgegangen werden, dass sich die ökosystemaren Kohlenstoff- und Stickstoffflüsse zwischen Biosphäre, Atmosphäre und Hydrosphäre zukünftig deutlich verändern werden, mit positiven wie auch negativen Rückkopplungseffekten auf den Klimawandel. Der Schwerpunkt dieses Kapitels liegt auf wenig intensiv bis nicht genutzten terrestrischen Ökosystemen, da intensiv landwirtschaftlich genutzte Systeme deutlich stärker von Nutzung und Management beeinflusst werden, als durch den Klimawandel. Die zu erwartenden Veränderungen für die einzelnen betroffenen terrestrischen Ökosysteme werden, soweit möglich, nach Faktoren getrennt dargestellt. Im Fokus stehen Wälder, Moore und Küstengebiete.

Magnetoseed - Vasculäres Tissue Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perea Saavedra, Héctor; Methe, Heiko; Wintermantel, Erich

Gegenwärtig sind kardiovaskuläre Erkrankungen, allen voran die Arteriosklerose koronarer und zerebraler Gefäße, Ursache für 38% aller Todesfälle in Nordamerika und häufigste Todesursache europäischer Männer < 65 Jahre und zweithäufigste Todesursache bei Frauen [4]. Es wird prognostiziert, dass innerhalb der nächsten 10-15 Jahre kardiovaskuläre Erkrankungen und deren Komplikationen weltweit die häufigste Todesursache stellen werden. Dies ist zum einen Folge der ansteigenden Prävalenz kardiovaskulärer Erkrankungen in Osteuropa und zunehmend auch in den Entwicklungsländern, zum anderen Folge der kontinuierlich ansteigenden Inzidenz von Übergewicht und Diabetes mellitus in den westlichen Ländern.

A mother alligator protects her young

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. The Center shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects.

Isotrope und homogene Materie - Kosmen; On Dynamics and Thermodynamics of Isotropic Matter-Universes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treder, H.-J.

Die Dynamik und Thermodynamik großer kosmischer Systeme ist fast unabhängig von den besonderen Theorien über die Gravitation. Nur die Feinstruktur der Kosmologie und Kosmonogie reflektiert die speziellen Hypothesen. Diese Neutralität gegenüber den konkreten Gravodynamiken ist die Konsequenz der fundamentalen Eigenschaften der Gravitation: Der Prinzipien der Äquivalenz von Trägheit und Schwere. The dynamics and thermodynamics of great cosmical systems are nearly independent of the theory of gravitation and only the fine-structure of cosmogony and cosmology reflects the special hypotheses.The neutrality against the concret gravodynamics is a consequence of the fundamental properties of gravitation: the principlies of equivalence of gravity and inertia.

Aufgaben und Zielsetzungen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Jürgen

Die technisch orientierte Betriebswirtschaft unterstützt den Techniker und Ingenieur bei der Planung und Realisierung wirtschaftlicher Prozesse (Fertigungsprozesse, Entwicklungsprozesse im F+E-Bereich, Vertriebsprozesse, Beschaffungsprozesse),

Anticancer activity of Cynodon dactylon L. root extract against diethyl nitrosamine induced hepatic carcinoma

PubMed Central

Kowsalya, R.; Kaliaperumal, Jagatheesh; Vaishnavi, M.; Namasivayam, Elangovan

2015-01-01

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common cancers and a lethal disease. In view of the limited treatment and a grave prognosis of liver cancer, preventive control has been emphasized. Materials and Methods: The methanolic extract of roots of Cynodon dactylon was screened for its hepato-protective activity in diethyl nitrosamine (DEN) induced liver cancer in Swiss albino mice. The plant extract at a dose of 50 mg/kg was administered orally once a week, up to 30 days after DEN administration. The animals were sacrificed; blood sample and liver tissue were collected and used for enzyme assay such as, asparatate amino transferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST). The liver marker enzymes AST and ALT produced significant results in the protective action. Results: The antioxidant enzyme assay results concerning the improved activity of GPx, GST and CAT. These results concluded that enhanced levels of antioxidant enzyme and reduced amount of serum amino transaminase, which are suggested to be the major mechanisms of C. dactylon root extract in protecting the mice from hepatocarcinoma induced by DEN. These biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of liver sections. Conclusion: The methanolic extract of C. dactylon possesses significant anticancer properties PMID:25992348

Anticancer activity of Cynodon dactylon L. root extract against diethyl nitrosamine induced hepatic carcinoma.

PubMed

Kowsalya, R; Kaliaperumal, Jagatheesh; Vaishnavi, M; Namasivayam, Elangovan

2015-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common cancers and a lethal disease. In view of the limited treatment and a grave prognosis of liver cancer, preventive control has been emphasized. The methanolic extract of roots of Cynodon dactylon was screened for its hepato-protective activity in diethyl nitrosamine (DEN) induced liver cancer in Swiss albino mice. The plant extract at a dose of 50 mg/kg was administered orally once a week, up to 30 days after DEN administration. The animals were sacrificed; blood sample and liver tissue were collected and used for enzyme assay such as, asparatate amino transferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST). The liver marker enzymes AST and ALT produced significant results in the protective action. The antioxidant enzyme assay results concerning the improved activity of GPx, GST and CAT. These results concluded that enhanced levels of antioxidant enzyme and reduced amount of serum amino transaminase, which are suggested to be the major mechanisms of C. dactylon root extract in protecting the mice from hepatocarcinoma induced by DEN. These biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of liver sections. The methanolic extract of C. dactylon possesses significant anticancer properties.

Loss of estrogen-related receptor α promotes hepatocarcinogenesis development via metabolic and inflammatory disturbances

PubMed Central

Hong, Eui-Ju; Levasseur, Marie-Pier; Dufour, Catherine R.; Perry, Marie-Claude; Giguère, Vincent

2013-01-01

Estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) is a key regulator of mitochondrial function and metabolism essential for energy-driven cellular processes in both normal and cancer cells. ERRα has also been shown to mediate bone-derived macrophage activation by proinflammatory cytokines. However, the role of ERRα in cancer in which inflammation acts as a tumor promoter has yet to be investigated. Herein we show that global loss of ERRα accelerates the development of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma. Biochemical and metabolomics studies revealed that loss of ERRα promotes hepatocyte necrosis over apoptosis in response to DEN due to a deficiency in energy production. We further show that increased hepatocyte death and associated compensatory proliferation observed in DEN-injured ERRα-null livers is concomitant with increased nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)–dependent transcriptional control of cytokine expression in Kupffer cells. In particular, we demonstrate that loss of ERRα-dependent regulation of the NF-κB inhibitor IκBα leads to enhanced NF-κB activity and cytokine gene activation. Our work thus shows that global loss of ERRα activity promotes hepatocellular carcinoma by independent but synergistic mechanisms in hepatocytes and Kupffer cells, implying that pharmacological manipulation of ERRα activity may have a significant clinical impact on carcinogen-induced cancers. PMID:24127579

Scale dependent behavioral responses to human development by a large predator, the puma.

PubMed

Wilmers, Christopher C; Wang, Yiwei; Nickel, Barry; Houghtaling, Paul; Shakeri, Yasaman; Allen, Maximilian L; Kermish-Wells, Joe; Yovovich, Veronica; Williams, Terrie

2013-01-01

The spatial scale at which organisms respond to human activity can affect both ecological function and conservation planning. Yet little is known regarding the spatial scale at which distinct behaviors related to reproduction and survival are impacted by human interference. Here we provide a novel approach to estimating the spatial scale at which a top predator, the puma (Puma concolor), responds to human development when it is moving, feeding, communicating, and denning. We find that reproductive behaviors (communication and denning) require at least a 4× larger buffer from human development than non-reproductive behaviors (movement and feeding). In addition, pumas give a wider berth to types of human development that provide a more consistent source of human interference (neighborhoods) than they do to those in which human presence is more intermittent (arterial roads with speeds >35 mph). Neighborhoods were a deterrent to pumas regardless of behavior, while arterial roads only deterred pumas when they were communicating and denning. Female pumas were less deterred by human development than males, but they showed larger variation in their responses overall. Our behaviorally explicit approach to modeling animal response to human activity can be used as a novel tool to assess habitat quality, identify wildlife corridors, and mitigate human-wildlife conflict.

Bacoside A downregulates matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 in DEN-induced hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Janani, Panneerselvam; Sivakumari, Kanakarajan; Geetha, Arumugam; Yuvaraj, Sambandam; Parthasarathy, Chandrakesan

2010-03-01

Cancer metastasis is a complex multi-step process, responsible for a majority of cancer-related deaths by affecting the critical organs and causing complications in therapies. Hepatocellular carcinoma is a multi-factorial disease and is the third most common cause of cancer related mortality worldwide. Clinical and experimental studies have shown that MMP-2 and MMP-9 are involved in tumor invasion and metastases and their elevated expression has been associated with poor prognosis. Our recent studies showed a strong anti-oxidant and hepatoprotective effects of bacoside A (BA) against carcinogen. Nevertheless the effect of BA on the activities and expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 during hepatocellular carcinoma is not yet recognized. Therefore, the present study was designed to assess the same. Results of gelatin zymography study showed that BA co-treatment significantly decreased the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9, which is increased during hepatocellular carcinoma. Further immunoblot analysis showed decreased expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in rats co-treated with BA compared to DEN-induced hepatocellular carcinoma. Our results reveal that BA exerts its anti-metastatic effect against DEN-induced hepatocellular carcinoma by inhibiting the activities and expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9. 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pheromonally mediated sexual isolation among denning populations of red-sided garter snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis.

PubMed

Lemaster, Michael P; Mason, Robert T

2003-04-01

Utilizing behavioral experiments and chemical analyses, we examined whether pheromonally mediated sexual isolation exists between denning populations of red-sided garter snakes (Thamtnophis sirtalis parietalis) in Manitoba, Canada. Simultaneous choice tests conducted during the breeding season revealed that adult males from a hibernaculum in central Manitoba displayed a strong courtship preference for females from their own population over females from a hibernaculum in western Manitoba, whereas males from the western Manitoba hibernaculum showed no such preference. In addition. trailing experiments testing the response of males from the two hibernacula to familiar and unfamiliar female trails showed similar results, demonstrating that the observed male preference is mediated through chemical cues. Subsequent chemical analysis of the female sexual attractiveness pheromone. a homologous series of long-chain saturated and (omega-9 cis-unsaturated methyl ketones responsible for eliciting male courtship behavior and trailing behavior in garter snakes, showed significant variation in the composition of the pheromone between the two populations. Specifically, the two populations varied in the relative concentrations of individual unsaturated methyl ketones expressed by females. These results suggest that sexual isolation exists to a degree among denning populations of red-sided garter snakes due to variation in the expression of the female sexual attractiveness pheromone.

Phänomenologische Grundlagen der Wärmelehre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heintze, Joachim

Die Physik der Wärme lässt sich auf zweierlei Weise formulieren: Einmal als Mechanik eines Systems, das eine enorm große Zahl von Teilchen enthält (statistische Mechanik), und einmal mit Hilfe von ad hoc eingeführten Größen, den sogenannten Zustandsgrößen, die geeignet sind, das Verhalten eines solchen Systems zu beschreiben, ohne dass man die Teilchen selbst und ihre Bewegungen betrachten muss (Thermodynamik). Wir werden beide Ansätze in ihrer einfachsten und anschaulichsten Ausprägung in Kap. 5 (kinetische Gastheorie) bzw. in Kap. 8 (Grundbegriffe der Thermodynamik) behandeln. Obgleich sich die volle Durchführung des Programms als begrifflich und mathematisch recht schwierig erweist - die Vorlesung "Thermodynamik und Statistik" steht gewöhnlich am Ende der Kursvorlesungen über theoretische Physik - werden wir doch auf der Grundlage der Kap. 5 und 8 eine Menge über die Physik der Wärme lernen können. Den Ausgangspunkt der Wärmelehre bilden jedoch allemal die Naturerscheinungen, die wir hier in Kap. 4 behandeln wollen: Wärme, Kälte, Temperaturausgleich. Wir werden untersuchen, wie man diese Begriffe quantifizieren kann, und was bei der Erwärmung oder Abkühlung eines Körpers vor sich geht. Dabei werden wir auf den I. und II. Hauptsatz der Wärmelehre stoßen.

Vaccines licensed and in clinical trials for the prevention of dengue.

PubMed

Torresi, J; Ebert, G; Pellegrini, M

2017-05-04

Dengue has become a major global public health threat with almost half of the world's population living in at-risk areas. Vaccination would likely represent an effective strategy for the management of dengue disease in endemic regions, however to date there is only one licensed preventative vaccine for dengue infection. The development of a vaccine against dengue virus (DENV) has been hampered by an incomplete understanding of protective immune responses against DENV. The most clinically advanced dengue vaccine is the chimeric yellow fever-dengue vaccine (CYD) that employs the yellow fever virus 17D strain as the replication backbone (Chimerivax-DEN; CYD-TDV). This vaccine had an overall pooled protective efficacy of 65.6% but was substantially more effective against severe dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever. Several other vaccine approaches have been developed including live attenuated chimeric dengue vaccines (DENVax and LAV Delta 30), DEN protein subunit V180 vaccine (DEN1-80E) and DENV DNA vaccines. These vaccines have been shown to be immunogenic in animals and also safe and immunogenic in humans. However, these vaccines are yet to progress to phase III trials to determine their protective efficacy against dengue. This review will summarize the details of vaccines that have progressed to clinical trials in humans.

Reproductive responses to spatial and temporal prey availability in a coastal Arctic fox population.

PubMed

Eide, Nina E; Stien, Audun; Prestrud, Pål; Yoccoz, Nigel G; Fuglei, Eva

2012-05-01

1. Input of external subsidies in the Arctic may have substantial effects on predator populations that otherwise would have been limited by low local primary productivity. 2. We explore life-history traits, age-specific fecundity, litter sizes and survival, and the population dynamics of an Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) population to explore the influence of the spatial distribution and temporal availability of its main prey; including both resident and migrating (external) prey resources. 3. This study reveals that highly predictable cross-boundary subsidies from the marine food web, acting through seasonal access to seabirds, sustain larger local Arctic fox populations. Arctic fox dens located close to the coast in Svalbard were found to have higher occupancy rates, as expected from both high availability and high temporal and spatial predictability of prey resources (temporally stable external subsidies). Whereas the occupancy rate of inland dens varied between years in relation to the abundance of reindeer carcasses (temporally varying resident prey). 4. With regard to demography, juvenile Arctic foxes in Svalbard have lower survival rates and a high age of first reproduction compared with other populations. We suggest this may be caused by a lack of unoccupied dens and a saturated population. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2011 British Ecological Society.

Vaccines licensed and in clinical trials for the prevention of dengue

PubMed Central

Torresi, J.; Ebert, G.; Pellegrini, M.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Dengue has become a major global public health threat with almost half of the world's population living in at-risk areas. Vaccination would likely represent an effective strategy for the management of dengue disease in endemic regions, however to date there is only one licensed preventative vaccine for dengue infection. The development of a vaccine against dengue virus (DENV) has been hampered by an incomplete understanding of protective immune responses against DENV. The most clinically advanced dengue vaccine is the chimeric yellow fever-dengue vaccine (CYD) that employs the yellow fever virus 17D strain as the replication backbone (Chimerivax-DEN; CYD-TDV). This vaccine had an overall pooled protective efficacy of 65.6% but was substantially more effective against severe dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever. Several other vaccine approaches have been developed including live attenuated chimeric dengue vaccines (DENVax and LAV Delta 30), DEN protein subunit V180 vaccine (DEN1–80E) and DENV DNA vaccines. These vaccines have been shown to be immunogenic in animals and also safe and immunogenic in humans. However, these vaccines are yet to progress to phase III trials to determine their protective efficacy against dengue. This review will summarize the details of vaccines that have progressed to clinical trials in humans. PMID:28281864

Bumpus in the snake den: effects of sex, size, and body condition on mortality of red-sided garter snakes.

PubMed

Shine, R; LeMaster, M P; Moore, I T; Olsson, M M; Mason, R T

2001-03-01

Huge breeding aggregations of red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) at overwintering dens in Manitoba provide a unique opportunity to identify sources of mortality and to clarify factors that influence a snake's vulnerability to these factors. Comparisons of sexes, body sizes, and body condition of more than 1000 dead snakes versus live animals sampled at the same time reveal significant biases. Three primary sources of mortality were identified. Predation by crows, Corvus brachyrhynchos (590 snakes killed), was focussed mostly on small snakes of both sexes. Crows generally removed the snake's liver and left the carcass, but very small snakes were sometimes brought back to the nest. Suffocation beneath massive piles of other snakes within the den (301 dead animals) involved mostly small males and (to a lesser extent) large females; snakes in poor body condition were particularly vulnerable. Many emaciated snakes (n = 142, mostly females) also died without overt injuries, probably due to depleted energy reserves. These biases in vulnerability are readily interpretable from information on behavioral ecology of the snakes. For example, sex biases in mortality reflect differences in postemergence behavior and locomotor capacity, the greater attractiveness of larger females to males, and the high energy costs of reproduction for females.

Involvement of constitutive androstane receptor in liver hypertrophy and liver tumor development induced by triazole fungicides.

PubMed

Tamura, Kei; Inoue, Kaoru; Takahashi, Miwa; Matsuo, Saori; Irie, Kaoru; Kodama, Yukio; Gamo, Toshie; Ozawa, Shogo; Yoshida, Midori

2015-04-01

We clarified the involvement of constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) in triazole-induced liver hypertrophy and tumorigenesis using CAR-knockout (CARKO) mice. Seven-week-old male CARKO and wild-type (WT) mice were treated with 200 ppm cyproconazole (Cypro), 1500 ppm tebuconazole (Teb), or 200 ppm fluconazole (Flu) in the diet for 27 weeks after initiation by diethylnitrosamine (DEN). At weeks 4 (without DEN) and 13 (with DEN), WT mice in all treatment groups and CARKO mice in Teb group revealed liver hypertrophy with mainly Cyp2b10 and following Cyp3a11 inductions in the liver. Teb also induced Cyp4a10 in both genotypes. Cypro induced slight and duration-dependent liver hypertrophy in CARKO mice. At week 27, Cypro and Teb significantly increased eosinophilic altered foci and/or adenomas in WT mice. These proliferating lesions were clearly reduced in CARKO mice administered both compounds. The eosinophilic adenomas caused by Flu decreased in CARKO mice. The present study indicates that CAR is the main mediator of liver hypertrophy induced by Cypro and Flu, but not Teb. In contrast, CAR played a crucial role in liver tumor development induced by all three triazoles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Wind Turbine Noise on Self-Reported and Objective Measures of Sleep

PubMed Central

Michaud, David S.; Feder, Katya; Keith, Stephen E.; Voicescu, Sonia A.; Marro, Leonora; Than, John; Guay, Mireille; Denning, Allison; Murray, Brian J.; Weiss, Shelly K.; Villeneuve, Paul J.; van den Berg, Frits; Bower, Tara

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: To investigate the association between self-reported and objective measures of sleep and wind turbine noise (WTN) exposure. Methods: The Community Noise and Health Study, a cross-sectional epidemiological study, included an in-house computer-assisted interview and sleep pattern monitoring over a 7 d period. Outdoor WTN levels were calculated following international standards for conditions that typically approximate the highest long-term average levels at each dwelling. Study data were collected between May and September 2013 from adults, aged 18–79 y (606 males, 632 females) randomly selected from each household and living between 0.25 and 11.22 kilometers from operational wind turbines in two Canadian provinces. Self-reported sleep quality over the past 30 d was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Additional questions assessed the prevalence of diagnosed sleep disorders and the magnitude of sleep disturbance over the previous year. Objective measures for sleep latency, sleep efficiency, total sleep time, rate of awakening bouts, and wake duration after sleep onset were recorded using the wrist worn Actiwatch2® from a subsample of 654 participants (289 males, 365 females) for a total of 3,772 sleep nights. Results: Participant response rate for the interview was 78.9%. Outdoor WTN levels reached 46 dB(A) with an arithmetic mean of 35.6 and a standard deviation of 7.4. Self-reported and objectively measured sleep outcomes consistently revealed no apparent pattern or statistically significant relationship to WTN levels. However, sleep was significantly influenced by other factors, including, but not limited to, the use of sleep medication, other health conditions (including sleep disorders), caffeine consumption, and annoyance with blinking lights on wind turbines. Conclusions: Study results do not support an association between exposure to outdoor WTN up to 46 dB(A) and an increase in the prevalence of disturbed sleep. Conclusions are based on WTN levels averaged over 1 y and, in some cases, may be strengthened with an analysis that examines sleep quality in relation to WTN levels calculated during the precise sleep period time. Citation: Michaud DS, Feder K, Keith SE, Voicescu SA, Marro L, Than J, Guay M, Denning A, Murray BJ, Weiss SK, Villeneuve PJ, van den Berg F, Bower T. Effects of wind turbine noise on self-reported and objective measures of sleep. SLEEP 2016;39(1):97–109. PMID:26518593

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-04-24

Overall view of the Vapor Crystal Growth System (VCGS) Furnace. Used on IML-1 International Microgravity Laboratory Spacelab 3. Principal Investigator and Payload Specialist was Lodewijk van den Berg.

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-04-24

Ampoule view of the Vapor Crystal Growth System (VCGS) Furnace. Used on IML-1 International Microgravity Laboratory Spacelab 3. Prinicipal Investigator and Payload Specialist was Lodewijk van den Berg.

Overexpression of glutamine synthetase is associated with beta-catenin-mutations in mouse liver tumors during promotion of hepatocarcinogenesis by phenobarbital.

PubMed

Loeppen, Sandra; Schneider, Daniela; Gaunitz, Frank; Gebhardt, Rolf; Kurek, Raffael; Buchmann, Albrecht; Schwarz, Michael

2002-10-15

Phenobarbital (PB) is an antiepileptic drug that promotes hepatocarcinogenesis in rodents when administered subsequent to an initiating carcinogen like N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN). In the mouse, the promotional effect of PB on liver tumor development results from a selective stimulation of clonal outgrowth of hepatocytes harboring activating mutations in the beta-catenin gene. Because glutamine synthetase (GS) has recently been shown to be a putative transcriptional target of beta-catenin, expression of GS during PB-mediated promotion of mouse hepatocarcinogenesis was investigated. Preneoplastic and neoplastic liver lesions were induced in 6-week-old male mice by a single injection of 90 micro g/g body weight of DEN, and groups of mice were subsequently kept on PB-containing (0.05%) or control diet for 39 weeks. In PB-treated mice, 46 of 51 lesions ( approximately 90%) were GS-positive in contrast to only 16 of 46 ( approximately 35%) in mice not treated with PB. Approximately 33% of liver was occupied by neoplastic tissue in PB-treated mice, of which >80% was GS positive. By contrast, only approximately 3.5% of liver consisted of neoplastic tissue in mice treated with DEN only, and approximately 25% of this was GS positive. We have previously shown that beta-catenin mutations are present in approximately 80% of liver tumors from PB-treated mice but are absent in liver tumors from mice treated with DEN only. By analyzing a panel of larger liver tumors, we now observed that tumors harboring beta-catenin mutations were GS positive, whereas tumors without beta-catenin mutations were GS negative. Similarly, tumors from an additional mouse carcinogenicity experiment where PB inhibited rather than promoted hepatocarcinogenesis were mostly GS negative. These data suggest that promotion of hepatocarcinogenesis by PB confers beta-catenin-mutated tumor cells with a selective advantage by up-regulation of GS expression.

Rapid Weakening of Hurricane Joaquin in Strong Vertical Wind Shear and Cold SSTs: Numerical Simulations with Assimilation of High-Definition Sounding System Dropsondes During Tropical Cyclone Intensity Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pu, Z.; Zhang, S.

2017-12-01

Observations from High-Definition Sounding System (HDSS) Dropsondes, collected for Hurricane Joaquin (2005) during the Office of Naval Research Tropical Cyclone Intensity (TCI) Experiment in 2015, are assimilated into the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI)-based hybrid data assimilation systems embedded in the NCEP Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) system. A three-dimensional and a four-dimensional ensemble-variational hybrid (3DEnVAR and 4DEnVar) data assimilation configuration are used. It is found that the experiments with assimilation of the HDSS dropsonde observations capture well the intensity changes during the rapid weakening (RW) of Hurricane Joaquin. Compared with 3DEnVAR, 4DEnVar leads to better assimilation results and subsequent forecasts and thus offers a set of simulations to diagnose the processes associated with the RW of Hurricane Joaquin. A drastic increase in the vertical wind shear (VWS, with a magnitude of 12 m s-1) is found before the RW. This high VWS is persistent during the 0-12 h period of RW, inducing changes in the vortex structure of Hurricane Joaquin through dry air intrusion in the mid-level and the dilution of the upper-level warm core. The transport of low air from above into the boundary layer occurs at the same time, resulting in depressed values in the storm inflow layer and reduced eyewall values through the updraft. As a consequence, downdrafts flush the boundary layer with low air, leading to the weakening of inflow in the boundary layers. When Hurricane Joaquin moves over an area where the SSTs are below 28oC within the hurricane inner core during the 18-30 h period of RW, the cold SSTs significantly inhibit latent and sensible heat release within the hurricane inner core and its vicinity, thus resulting in the continuous weakening of Hurricane Joaquin.

Rapid Weakening of Hurricane Joaquin in Strong Vertical Wind Shear and Cold SSTs: Numerical Simulations with Assimilation of High-Definition Sounding System Dropsondes During Tropical Cyclone Intensity Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pikelnaya, O.; Polidori, A.; Tisopulos, L.; Mellqvist, J.; Samuelsson, J.; Robinson, R. A.; Innocenti, F.; Perry, S.

2016-12-01

Observations from High-Definition Sounding System (HDSS) Dropsondes, collected for Hurricane Joaquin (2005) during the Office of Naval Research Tropical Cyclone Intensity (TCI) Experiment in 2015, are assimilated into the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI)-based hybrid data assimilation systems embedded in the NCEP Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) system. A three-dimensional and a four-dimensional ensemble-variational hybrid (3DEnVAR and 4DEnVar) data assimilation configuration are used. It is found that the experiments with assimilation of the HDSS dropsonde observations capture well the intensity changes during the rapid weakening (RW) of Hurricane Joaquin. Compared with 3DEnVAR, 4DEnVar leads to better assimilation results and subsequent forecasts and thus offers a set of simulations to diagnose the processes associated with the RW of Hurricane Joaquin. A drastic increase in the vertical wind shear (VWS, with a magnitude of 12 m s-1) is found before the RW. This high VWS is persistent during the 0-12 h period of RW, inducing changes in the vortex structure of Hurricane Joaquin through dry air intrusion in the mid-level and the dilution of the upper-level warm core. The transport of low air from above into the boundary layer occurs at the same time, resulting in depressed values in the storm inflow layer and reduced eyewall values through the updraft. As a consequence, downdrafts flush the boundary layer with low air, leading to the weakening of inflow in the boundary layers. When Hurricane Joaquin moves over an area where the SSTs are below 28oC within the hurricane inner core during the 18-30 h period of RW, the cold SSTs significantly inhibit latent and sensible heat release within the hurricane inner core and its vicinity, thus resulting in the continuous weakening of Hurricane Joaquin.

[Management and outcome of type II fractures of the odontoid process].

PubMed

Meyer, Carolin; Oppermann, Johannes; Meermeyer, Ingo; Eysel, Peer; Müller, Lars Peter; Stein, Gregor

2018-05-01

The most effective treatment of type II dens fractures according to Anderson and D'Alonzo remains controversial as there is no guidance on the choice of conservative or surgical therapy and if the anterior or the posterior approach is more advantageous. In 1993 Eysel and Roosen showed that the consolidation rate of type II odontoid fractures mostly depends on the morphology of the fracture and established a classification with corresponding treatment recommendations. The investigation aimed at clarifying the outcome of type II dens fractures treated according to the recommendations of Eysel and Roosen. Data of dens fractures from 72 patients were analyzed and categorized according to the Eysel and Roosen classification. Furthermore, the treatment was analyzed and the outcome was evaluated retrospectively using radiographs acquired during follow-up. The mean age of the 72 patients was 70.7 years. Of the patients 19.4% suffered from type A, 75% from type B and 5.6% from type C fractures according to Eysel and Roosen. Out of the 72 patients 45 were assessed by computed tomography (CT) scan during follow-up. According to the recommendations of the authors 34 of the 41 patients with type A or type B fractures underwent anterior screw fixation of the dens and 3 out of the 4 patients with a type C fracture underwent a dorsal C1 and C2 fusion. After a mean follow-up of 7 months non-union was observed in 15.6% of the patients whereby 6 of the these patients were treated by surgery and 1 patient was managed conservatively. All of the patients who developed a non-union had a type B fracture. The simple clinical applicability together with the low rate of non-union development shows that the Eysel and Roosen classification appears to be a suitable guide for clinical use when deciding on the appropriate treatment regimen.

Endoscopic "step-up approach" using a dedicated biflanged metal stent reduces the need for direct necrosectomy in walled-off necrosis (with videos).

PubMed

Lakhtakia, Sundeep; Basha, Jahangeer; Talukdar, Rupjyoti; Gupta, Rajesh; Nabi, Zaheer; Ramchandani, Mohan; Kumar, B V N; Pal, Partha; Kalpala, Rakesh; Reddy, P Manohar; Pradeep, R; Singh, Jagadish R; Rao, G V; Reddy, D Nageshwar

2017-06-01

EUS-guided drainage using plastic stents may be inadequate for treatment of walled-off necrosis (WON). Recent studies report variable outcomes even when using covered metal stents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a dedicated covered biflanged metal stent (BFMS) when adopting an endoscopic "step-up approach" for drainage of symptomatic WON. We retrospectively evaluated consecutive patients with symptomatic WON who underwent EUS-guided drainage using BFMSs over a 3-year period. Reassessment was done between 48 and 72 hours for resolution. Endoscopic reinterventions were tailored in nonresponders in a stepwise manner. Step 1 encompassed declogging the blocked lumen of the BFMS. In step 2, a nasocystic tube was placed via BFMSs with intermittent irrigation. Step 3 involved direct endoscopic necrosectomy (DEN). BFMSs were removed between 4 and 8 weeks of follow-up. The main outcome measures were technical success, clinical success, adverse events, and need for DEN. Two hundred five WON patients underwent EUS-guided drainage using BFMSs. Technical success was achieved in 203 patients (99%). Periprocedure adverse events occurred in 8 patients (bleeding in 6, perforation in 2). Clinical success with BFMSs alone was seen in 153 patients (74.6%). Reintervention adopting the step-up approach was required in 49 patients (23.9%). Incremental success was achieved in 10 patients with step 1, 16 patients with step 2, and 19 patients with step 3. Overall clinical success was achieved in 198 patients (96.5%), with DEN required in 9.2%. Four patients failed treatment and required surgery (2) or percutaneous drainage (2). The endoscopic step-up approach using BFMSs was safe, effective, and yielded successful outcomes in most patients, reducing the need for DEN. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The diagnosis and conservative treatment of a complex type 3 dens invaginatus using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and 3D plastic models.

PubMed

Kfir, A; Telishevsky-Strauss, Y; Leitner, A; Metzger, Z

2013-03-01

To investigate the use of 3D plastic models, printed from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) data, for accurate diagnosis and conservative treatment of a complex case of dens invaginatus. A chronic apical abscess with a draining sinus tract was diagnosed during the treatment planning stage of orthodontic therapy. Radiographic examination revealed a large radiolucent area associated with an invaginated right maxillary central incisor, which was found to contain a vital pulp. The affected tooth was strategic in the dental arch. Conventional periapical radiographs provided only partial information about the invagination and its relationship with the main root canal and with the periapical tissues. A limited-volume CBCT scan of the maxilla did not show evidence of communication between the infected invagination and the pulp in the main root canal, which could explain the pulp vitality. A novel method was adopted to allow for instrumentation, disinfection and filling of the invagination, without compromising the vitality of the pulp in the complex root canal system. The CBCT data were used to produce precise 3D plastic models of the tooth. These models facilitated the treatment planning process and the trial of treatment approaches. This approach allowed the vitality of the pulp to be maintained in the complex root canal space of the main root canal whilst enabling the healing of the periapical tissues. Even when extensive periapical pathosis is associated with a tooth with type III dens invaginatus, pulp sensibility tests should be performed. CBCT is a diagnostic tool that may allow for the management of such teeth with complex anatomy. 3D printed plastic models may be a valuable aid in the process of assessing and planning effective treatment modalities and practicing them ex vivo before actually performing the clinical procedure. Unconventional technological approaches may be required for detailed treatment planning of complex cases of dens invaginatus. © 2012 International Endodontic Journal. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Genotype distribution of norovirus around the emergence of Sydney_2012 and the antigenic drift of contemporary GII.4 epidemic strains.

PubMed

Zhang, Jun; Shen, Zhen; Zhu, Zhaoqin; Zhang, Wanju; Chen, Huifen; Qian, Fangxing; Chen, Haili; Wang, Gang; Wang, Moying; Hu, Yunwen; Yuan, Zhenghong

2015-11-01

The pattern of epochal evolution of NoV is ongoing, while novel GII.4 variants emerge and cause new pandemics. Since, the emergence in March 2012, Sydney_2012 had replaced GII.4-2009 as the primary NoV strain in most countries in the northern hemisphere by November 2012. To determine the genotype distribution around the emergence of Sydney_2012 and to investigate the underlying evolution mechanisms of the contemporary GII.4 strains. From January 2012 to December 2013, molecular epidemiology of norovirus in 846 adults (≥16 years) in Shanghai were conducted. The VP1 proteins of the contemporary GII.4 strains (Den_Haag_2006b, New_Orleans_2009 and Sydney_2012) were expressed in vitro and purified. Receptor binding patterns of these three epidemic strains were determined through histo-blood group antigen (HBGA) binding assays. Convalescent serum from patients infected with GII.4 epidemic strains were employed to investigate the role of antigenic drift in the persistence of GII.4 epidemic strains through receptor-binding blockade assays. Epidemiological studies revealed that Sydeny_2012 has completely replaced Den_Haag_2006b and New_Orleans_2009 and has been the dominant circulating strain in Shanghai since its emergence in October 2012. Interestingly, Den_Haag_2006b and New_Orleans_2009 have been co-circulating in Shanghai before the emergence of Sydeny_2012. The contemporary GII.4 epidemic norovirus strains displayed commonly high tropism to the histo-blood group antigen receptors, whereas Sydeny_2012 was antigenically different from Den_Haag_2006b and New_Orleans_2009. Antigenic drift, rather than receptor switch, played a key role in the emergence and spreading of Sydney_2012. The contemporary GII.4 strains were evolving via epochal evolution without altered ligand binding profiles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Double-mode Two-photon Absorption and Enhanced Photon Antibunching Due to Interference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandilla, A.; Ritze, H.-H.

Inspired by results of interfering signal and idler from a nondegenerate parametric amplifier we investigate the photon statistics of the resulting field after interference of two components subjected to double-mode two-photon absorption. This absorption process leads to a strong correlation of the participating modes, which can be used to generate fields with photon antibunching in interference experiments. In addition the photon number can be made small, which produces enhanced antibunching.Translated AbstractZwei-Photonen-Absorption aus zwei Moden und durch Interferenz verstärktes photon antibunchingDie quantenmechanische Betrachtung der Interferenz führt zu neuen Ergebnissen, wenn Felder ohne klassisches Analogon betrachtet werden. Insbesondere ergibt sich durch die Reduktion der Photonenzahl durch Interferenz eine effektive Verstärkung des Photon Antibunching, wie von den Verfassern in vorhergehenden Arbeiten gezeigt wurde. Die vorliegende Untersuchung betrachtet die Interferenz von zwei korrelierten Moden, wobei die Korrelation durch Zwei-Photonen-Absorption aus den beiden Moden zustande kommt. In jeder einzelnen Mode ergibt sich lediglich ein gewisses Bunching, wenn man mit kohärentem Licht in beiden Moden beginnt. Es wird die Interferenz der Feldstärke-Komponenten in bestimmten Polarisationsrichtungen untersucht. Zur Vereinfachung wird in den betrachteten Moden die gleiche Anfangsphotonenzahl vorausgesetzt und der Analysator auf minimale Transmittanz gebracht. Das eigentliche Signal entsteht dann durch Einführung einer endlichen Phasenverschiebung zwischen den beiden Moden. Dieses Signal zeigt Antibunching und kann in seiner Intensität beliebig variiert werden, was wegen des (1/n)-Charakters des Antibunching zu seiner Verstärkung führt. Ferner wird gezeigt, daß die zunächst für zwei linear polarisierte Moden durchgeführte Rechnung auf zwei zirkulare Moden sowie auf zwei gegenläufige Strahlen bei der dopplerfreien Zwei-Quanten-Absorption übertragen werden kann. Die Ergebnisse werden durch numerische Rechnungen gestützt und schließlich durch approximative Methoden reproduziert und erweitert.

A lethal murine infection model for dengue virus 3 in AG129 mice deficient in type I and II interferon receptors leads to systemic disease.

PubMed

Sarathy, Vanessa V; White, Mellodee; Li, Li; Gorder, Summer R; Pyles, Richard B; Campbell, Gerald A; Milligan, Gregg N; Bourne, Nigel; Barrett, Alan D T

2015-01-15

The mosquito-borne disease dengue (DEN) is caused by four serologically and genetically related viruses, termed DENV-1 to DENV-4. Infection with one DENV usually leads to acute illness and results in lifelong homotypic immunity, but individuals remain susceptible to infection by the other three DENVs. The lack of a small-animal model that mimics systemic DEN disease without neurovirulence has been an obstacle, but DENV-2 models that resemble human disease have been recently developed in AG129 mice (deficient in interferon alpha/beta and interferon gamma receptor signaling). However, comparable DENV-1, -3, and -4 models have not been developed. We utilized a non-mouse-adapted DENV-3 Thai human isolate to develop a lethal infection model in AG129 mice. Intraperitoneal inoculation of six to eight-week-old animals with strain C0360/94 led to rapid, fatal disease. Lethal C0360/94 infection resulted in physical signs of illness, high viral loads in the spleen, liver, and large intestine, histological changes in the liver and spleen tissues, and increased serum cytokine levels. Importantly, the animals developed vascular leakage, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia. Overall, we have developed a lethal DENV-3 murine infection model, with no evidence of neurotropic disease based on a non-mouse-adapted human isolate, which can be used to investigate DEN pathogenesis and to evaluate candidate vaccines and antivirals. This suggests that murine models utilizing non-mouse-adapted isolates can be obtained for all four DENVs. Dengue (DEN) is a mosquito-borne disease caused by four DENV serotypes (DENV-1, -2, -3, and -4) that have no treatments or vaccines. Primary infection with one DENV usually leads to acute illness followed by lifelong homotypic immunity, but susceptibility to infection by the other three DENVs remains. Therefore, a vaccine needs to protect from all four DENVs simultaneously. To date a suitable animal model to mimic systemic human illness exists only for DENV-2 in immunocompromised mice using passaged viruses; however, models are still needed for the remaining serotypes. This study describes establishment of a lethal systemic DENV-3 infection model with a human isolate in immunocompromised mice and is the first report of lethal infection by a nonadapted clinical DENV isolate without evidence of neurological disease. Our DENV-3 model provides a relevant platform to test DEN vaccines and antivirals. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Exploring the Potential Role of Chemopreventive Agent, Hesperetin Conjugated Pegylated Gold Nanoparticles in Diethylnitrosamine-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Male Wistar Albino Rats.

PubMed

Gokuladhas, Krishnan; Jayakumar, Subramaniyan; Rajan, Balan; Elamaran, Ramasamy; Pramila, Chengalvarayan Subramani; Gopikrishnan, Mani; Tamilarasi, Sasivarman; Devaki, Thiruvengadam

2016-04-01

Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer and is still one of the leading causes of death world wide, due to food additives, alcohol, fungal toxins, air, toxic industrial chemicals, and water pollutants. Chemopreventive drugs play a potential role in liver cancer treatment. Obviously in the production of anticancer drugs, the factors like poor solubility, bioavailability, biocompatibility, limited chemical stability, large amount of dose etc., plays a major role. Against this backdrop, the idea of designing the chemopreventive nature of bio flavanoid hesperetin (HP) drug conjugated with pegylated gold nanoparticles to increasing the solubility, improve bioavailability and enhance the targeting capabilities of the drug during diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced liver cancer in male wistar albino rats. The dose fixation studies and the toxicity of pure HP and HP conjugated gold nanoparticles (Au-mPEG(5000)-S-HP) were analysed. After concluded the dose fixation and toxicity studies the experimental design were segregated in six groups for the anticancer analysis of DEN induced HCC for 16 weeks. After the experimental period the body weight, relative liver weight, number of nodules and size of nodules, the levels of tumor markers like CEA, AFP and the level of lipid peroxidation, lipid hydroperoxides and the activities of antioxidant enzymes were assessed. The administration of DEN to rats resulted in increased relative liver weight and serum marker enzymes aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase. The levels of lipid peroxides elevated (in both serum and tissue) with subsequent decrease in the final body weight and tissue antioxidants like superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidise, and glutathione reductase. HP supplementation (20 mg/kg b.wt) significantly attenuated these alterations, thereby showing potent anticancer effect in liver cancer and the HP loaded gold nanoparticels (Au-mPEG(5000)-S-HP) treated animals shows the better treatment than the pure HP due to the solubility of drug, bioavailability and the target drug delivery of the biodegradable polymer. Histological observations were also carried out, which added supports to the chemopreventive action of the pure HP and HP loaded gold nanoparticles (Au-mPEG(5000)-S-HP) against DEN induction during liver cancer progression. These findings suggest that HP loaded gold nanoparticels (Au-mPEG(5000)-S-HP) shows better efficacy than the pure HP against lipid peroxidation, hepatic cell damage and protects the antioxidant system in DEN induced hepatocellular carcinogenesis.

Calculating Free Energies Using Average Force

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darve, Eric; Pohorille, Andrew; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A new, general formula that connects the derivatives of the free energy along the selected, generalized coordinates of the system with the instantaneous force acting on these coordinates is derived. The instantaneous force is defined as the force acting on the coordinate of interest so that when it is subtracted from the equations of motion the acceleration along this coordinate is zero. The formula applies to simulations in which the selected coordinates are either unconstrained or constrained to fixed values. It is shown that in the latter case the formula reduces to the expression previously derived by den Otter and Briels. If simulations are carried out without constraining the coordinates of interest, the formula leads to a new method for calculating the free energy changes along these coordinates. This method is tested in two examples - rotation around the C-C bond of 1,2-dichloroethane immersed in water and transfer of fluoromethane across the water-hexane interface. The calculated free energies are compared with those obtained by two commonly used methods. One of them relies on determining the probability density function of finding the system at different values of the selected coordinate and the other requires calculating the average force at discrete locations along this coordinate in a series of constrained simulations. The free energies calculated by these three methods are in excellent agreement. The relative advantages of each method are discussed.

Globally-Applicable Predictive Wildfire Model   a Temporal-Spatial GIS Based Risk Analysis Using Data Driven Fuzzy Logic Functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Dool, G.

2017-11-01

This study (van den Dool, 2017) is a proof of concept for a global predictive wildfire model, in which the temporal-spatial characteristics of wildfires are placed in a Geographical Information System (GIS), and the risk analysis is based on data-driven fuzzy logic functions. The data sources used in this model are available as global datasets, but subdivided into three pilot areas: North America (California/Nevada), Europe (Spain), and Asia (Mongolia), and are downscaled to the highest resolution (3-arc second). The GIS is constructed around three themes: topography, fuel availability and climate. From the topographical data, six derived sub-themes are created and converted to a fuzzy membership based on the catchment area statistics. The fuel availability score is a composite of four data layers: land cover, wood loads, biomass, biovolumes. As input for the climatological sub-model reanalysed daily averaged, weather-related data is used, which is accumulated to a global weekly time-window (to account for the uncertainty within the climatological model) and forms the temporal component of the model. The final product is a wildfire risk score (from 0 to 1) by week, representing the average wildfire risk in an area. To compute the potential wildfire risk the sub-models are combined usinga Multi-Criteria Approach, and the model results are validated against the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve.

Raccoon spatial requirements and multi-scale habitat selection within an intensively managed central Appalachian forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Owen, Sheldon F.; Berl, Jacob L.; Edwards, John W.; Ford, W. Mark; Wood, Petra Bohall

2015-01-01

We studied a raccoon (Procyon lotor) population within a managed central Appalachian hardwood forest in West Virginia to investigate the effects of intensive forest management on raccoon spatial requirements and habitat selection. Raccoon home-range (95% utilization distribution) and core-area (50% utilization distribution) size differed between sexes with males maintaining larger (2×) home ranges and core areas than females. Home-range and core-area size did not differ between seasons for either sex. We used compositional analysis to quantify raccoon selection of six different habitat types at multiple spatial scales. Raccoons selected riparian corridors (riparian management zones [RMZ]) and intact forests (> 70 y old) at the core-area spatial scale. RMZs likely were used by raccoons because they provided abundant denning resources (i.e., large-diameter trees) as well as access to water. Habitat composition associated with raccoon foraging locations indicated selection for intact forests, riparian areas, and regenerating harvest (stands <10 y old). Although raccoons were able to utilize multiple habitat types for foraging resources, a selection of intact forest and RMZs at multiple spatial scales indicates the need of mature forest (with large-diameter trees) for this species in managed forests in the central Appalachians.

KSC-07pd0882

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In a pond on Kennedy Space Center, this alligator achieves partial camouflage from the green algae. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. A protected species, alligators can be spotted in the drainage canals and other waters surrounding KSC. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-07pd0883

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In a pond on Kennedy Space Center, a young alligator tests the water. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. A protected species, alligators can be spotted in the drainage canals and other waters surrounding KSC. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-06pd0235

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-02-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At NASA Kennedy Space Center, alligators sun themselves on the bank of a pond. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. A protected species, alligators can be spotted in the drainage canals and other waters surrounding the Center. The Center shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-07pd0373

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-02-09

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A large alligator suns on the bank of a pond within NASA's Kennedy Space Center. A protected species, alligators can be spotted in the drainage canals and other waters surrounding KSC. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

KSC-07pd0157

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-01-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the bank of a pond provides the perfect spot for sunbathing alligators. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. A protected species, alligators can be spotted in the drainage canals and other waters surrounding KSC. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

KSC-06pd0234

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-02-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At NASA Kennedy Space Center, an alligator suns itself on the bank of a pond. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. A protected species, alligators can be spotted in the drainage canals and other waters surrounding the Center. The Center shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-07pd0155

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-01-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On NASA's Kennedy Space Center, alligators begin climbing out of a pond to sunbathe on the bank. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. A protected species, alligators can be spotted in the drainage canals and other waters surrounding KSC. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

Einführung in die Technische Chemie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behr, Arno; Agar, David W.; Jörissen, Jakob

Die "Technische Chemie" ist ein Lehrfach an Universitäten und Hochschulen. Nach dem die Studierenden der Chemie in den ersten Semestern ihres Studiums ausrei chen de theoretische Kenntnisse in Allgemeiner, Anorganischer, Organischer und Physikalischer Chemie erlangt haben, soll die Technische Chemie einen Blick auf die praktische Anwendung dieser Naturwissenschaft in unserer Wirtschaft lenken. Es gibt keine "biologische Industrie", "physikalische Industrie" oder "mathematische Industrie", wohl aber seit über 150 Jahren eine "chemische Industrie", die in dieser lan gen Zeit zahlreiche chemische Prozesse entwickelt und dazu vielfältige Methoden erarbeitet hat. Das Lehrfach Technische Chemie gibt einen Überblick über diese Pro zesse und Methoden und erleichtert dadurch den Schritt von der Universität zur be ruflichen Praxis.

Schreibende Messgeräte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plaßmann, Wilfried

Die schreibenden Messgeräte werden hauptsächlich eingesetzt, um Vorgänge aufzuzeichnen und zu dokumentieren, die sich im Minuten- und Stunden-Bereich abspielen. Sie sind weitgehend durch Oszilloskope oder elektronische Geräte ähnlich einem Oszilloskop ersetzt worden, die entsprechend für Langzeitaufnahmen ausgelegt sind. Der Vorteil dieser Geräte gegenüber den schreibenden Messgeräten ist der, dass die Daten dauerhaft gespeichert sind, einschließlich der notwendigen Kenngrößen wie Zeitmaßstab, Amplitude, Datum, Aufzeichnungsgerät usw., und sich in dieser Form beliebig oft ausdrucken und vor allem direkt weiterverarbeiten lassen. Weiterhin entfallen die Probleme mit der Mechanik, dem Papier und den Schreibstiften. Deshalb folgt hier eine nur kurze Darstellung der Geräte.

Der Organismus der Mathematik - mikro-, makro- und mesoskopisch betrachtet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winkler, Reinhard

Meist enden ähnliche Gespräche über Mathematik etwa an diesem Punkt, ohne dass der Nichtmathematiker von der Sinnhaftigkeit mathematischer Forschung, ja mathematischer Tätigkeit generell überzeugt werden konnte. Ich glaube nicht, dass dem Laien Blindheit für die Großartigkeit unserer Wissenschaft vorzuwerfen ist, wenn hier keine befriedigendere Kommunikation zustande kommt. Ich sehe als Ursache eher ein stark verkürztes Bild von der Mathematik, welches auch Fachleute oft zeichnen, weil ihnen eine angemessenere Darstellung ihres Faches zu viel Mühe macht - und das obwohl Mathematik nur betreiben kann, wer geistige Mühen sonst keineswegs scheut. Ich will versuchen, den Ursachen dieses eigentümlichen Phänomens auf den Grund zu gehen.

Victor F. Weisskopf (1908 - 2002): Physikgeschichte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobi, Manfred

2002-11-01

Universal gebildete und interessierte Menschen sind selten geworden in unserer Zeit. Victor F. Weisskopf war einer von ihnen. Sein geistiger Horizont umfasste nicht nur sein eigentliches Fachgebiet, die Physik, wo er sich durch fundamentale Arbeiten in den Bereichen der Quantenfeldtheorie, der Kern- und Elementarteilchenphysik hervortat. Daneben bildeten Kunst und Musik sowie ein außergewöhnliches Engagement in sozialen und politischen Angelegenheiten die Eckpunkte seines Lebens. Der Einsatz für die Verständigung zwischen den Machtblöcken während des Kalten Krieges war für ihn ebenso selbstverständlich wie das Bedürfnis, die neuen Ideen der Physik einem breiten Publikum nahe zu bringen. Die Wissenschaft erschien ihm als das geeignete Mittel, um zum Wohle der Menschheit zu wirken.

Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networks (DTN): Testing and Demonstration for Lunar Surface Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the testing of the Delay/Disruption Tolerant Network (DTN) designed for use with Lunar Surface applications. This is being done through the DTN experimental Network (DEN), that permit access and testing by other NASA centers, DTN team members and protocol developers. The objective of this work is to demonstrate DTN for high return applications in lunar scenarios, provide DEN connectivity with analogs of Constellation elements, emulators, and other resources from DTN Team Members, serve as a wireless communications staging ground for remote analog excursions and enable testing of detailed communication scenarios and evaluation of network performance. Three scenarios for DTN on the Lunar surface are reviewed: Motion imagery, Voice and sensor telemetry, and Navigation telemetry.

Zeitspiel ist keine Alternative - Warum der Wandel zur Pflicht wird

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dieper, Stephan

"Wege entstehen dadurch, dass man sie geht." (Franz Kafka) Die Welt der Digitalisierung ist voll von Wegen, die jemand gegangen ist, bevor dort ein Weg war. Manche dieser Wege stellten sich als Sackgasse heraus, manche als Abkürzung und aus anderen wurden ganze Wegenetze und Städte. Die Energiewelt wird durch den digitalen Wandel nicht verschont bleiben. Durch die intelligenten Messsysteme und die zugehörigen, neuen Strukturen werden energiefremden Wettbewerbern Chancen zum Markteintritt eröffnet. EVUs müssen sich darauf einstellen, dass der permanente Wandel nicht mehr enden wird. Doch auch den EVUs eröffnen sich Optionen. Um erfolgreich zu sein, müssen sie lernen loszugehen, ohne das genaue Ziel zu kennen.

Electron acceleration at localized wave structures in the solar corona (German Title: Elektronenbeschleunigung an lokalen Wellenstrukturen in der Sonnenkorona)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miteva, Rositsa Stoycheva

2007-07-01

Our dynamic Sun manifests its activity by different phenomena: from the 11-year cyclic sunspot pattern to the unpredictable and violent explosions in the case of solar flares. During flares, a huge amount of the stored magnetic energy is suddenly released and a substantial part of this energy is carried by the energetic electrons, considered to be the source of the nonthermal radio and X-ray radiation. One of the most important and still open question in solar physics is how the electrons are accelerated up to high energies within (the observed in the radio emission) short time scales. Because the acceleration site is extremely small in spatial extent as well (compared to the solar radius), the electron acceleration is regarded as a local process. The search for localized wave structures in the solar corona that are able to accelerate electrons together with the theoretical and numerical description of the conditions and requirements for this process, is the aim of the dissertation. Two models of electron acceleration in the solar corona are proposed in the dissertation: I. Electron acceleration due to the solar jet interaction with the background coronal plasma (the jet--plasma interaction) A jet is formed when the newly reconnected and highly curved magnetic field lines are relaxed by shooting plasma away from the reconnection site. Such jets, as observed in soft X-rays with the Yohkoh satellite, are spatially and temporally associated with beams of nonthermal electrons (in terms of the so-called type III metric radio bursts) propagating through the corona. A model that attempts to give an explanation for such observational facts is developed here. Initially, the interaction of such jets with the background plasma leads to an (ion-acoustic) instability associated with growing of electrostatic fluctuations in time for certain range of the jet initial velocity. During this process, any test electron that happen to feel this electrostatic wave field is drawn to co-move with the wave, gaining energy from it. When the jet speed has a value greater or lower than the one, required by the instability range, such wave excitation cannot be sustained and the process of electron energization (acceleration and/or heating) ceases. Hence, the electrons can propagate further in the corona and be detected as type III radio burst, for example. II. Electron acceleration due to attached whistler waves in the upstream region of coronal shocks (the electron--whistler--shock interaction) Coronal shocks are also able to accelerate electrons, as observed by the so-called type II metric radio bursts (the radio signature of a shock wave in the corona). From in-situ observations in space, e.g., at shocks related to co-rotating interaction regions, it is known that nonthermal electrons are produced preferably at shocks with attached whistler wave packets in their upstream regions. Motivated by these observations and assuming that the physical processes at shocks are the same in the corona as in the interplanetary medium, a new model of electron acceleration at coronal shocks is presented in the dissertation, where the electrons are accelerated by their interaction with such whistlers. The protons inflowing toward the shock are reflected there by nearly conserving their magnetic moment, so that they get a substantial velocity gain in the case of a quasi-perpendicular shock geometry, i.e, the angle between the shock normal and the upstream magnetic field is in the range 50--80 degrees. The so-accelerated protons are able to excite whistler waves in a certain frequency range in the upstream region. When these whistlers (comprising the localized wave structure in this case) are formed, only the incoming electrons are now able to interact resonantly with them. But only a part of these electrons fulfill the the electron--whistler wave resonance condition. Due to such resonant interaction (i.e., of these electrons with the whistlers), the electrons are accelerated in the electric and magnetic wave field within just several whistler periods. While gaining energy from the whistler wave field, the electrons reach the shock front and, subsequently, a major part of them are reflected back into the upstream region, since the shock accompanied with a jump of the magnetic field acts as a magnetic mirror. Co-moving with the whistlers now, the reflected electrons are out of resonance and hence can propagate undisturbed into the far upstream region, where they are detected in terms of type II metric radio bursts. In summary, the kinetic energy of protons is transfered into electrons by the action of localized wave structures in both cases, i.e., at jets outflowing from the magnetic reconnection site and at shock waves in the corona. Die Sonne ist ein aktiver Stern, was sich nicht nur in den allseits bekannten Sonnenflecken, sondern auch in Flares manifestiert. Während Flares wird eine große Menge gespeicherter, magnetischer Energie in einer kurzen Zeit von einigen Sekunden bis zu wenigen Stunden in der Sonnenkorona freigesetzt. Dabei werden u.a. energiereiche Elektronen erzeugt, die ihrerseits nichtthermische Radio- und Röntgenstrahlung, wie sie z.B. am Observatorium für solare Radioastronomie des Astrophysikalischen Instituts Potsdam (AIP) in Tremsdorf und durch den NASA-Satelliten RHESSI beobachtet werden, erzeugen. Da diese Elektronen einen beträchtlichen Anteil der beim Flare freigesetzten Energie tragen, ist die Frage, wie Elektronen in kurzer Zeit auf hohe Energien in der Sonnenkorona beschleunigt werden, von generellem astrophysikalischen Interesse, da solche Prozesse auch in anderen Sternatmosphären und kosmischen Objekten, wie z.B. Supernova-Überresten, stattfinden. In der vorliegenden Dissertation wird die Elektronenbeschleunigung an lokalen Wellenstrukturen im Plasma der Sonnenkorona untersucht. Solche Wellen treten in der Umgebung der magnetischen Rekonnektion, die als ein wichtiger Auslöser von Flares angesehen wird, und in der Nähe von Stoßwellen, die infolge von Flares erzeugt werden, auf. Generell werden die Elektronen als Testteilchen behandelt. Sie werden durch ihre Wechselwirkung mit den elektrischen und magnetischen Feldern, die mit den Plasmawellen verbunden sind, beschleunigt. Infolge der magnetischen Rekonnektion als Grundlage des Flares werden starke Plasmaströmungen (sogenannte Jets) erzeugt. Solche Jets werden im Licht der weichen Röntgenstrahlung, wie z.B. durch den japanischen Satelliten YOHKOH, beobachtet. Mit solchen Jets sind solare Typ III Radiobursts als Signaturen von energiereichen Elektronenstrahlen in der Sonnenkorona verbunden. Durch die Wechselwirkung eines Jets mit dem umgebenden Plasma werden lokal elektrische Felder erzeugt, die ihrerseits Elektronen beschleunigen können. Dieses hier vorgestellte Szenarium kann sehr gut die Röntgen- und Radiobeobachtungen von Jets und den damit verbundenen Elektronenstrahlen erklären. An koronalen Stoßwellen, die infolge Flares entstehen, werden Elektronen beschleunigt, deren Signatur man in der solaren Radiostrahlung in Form von sogenannten Typ II Bursts beobachten kann. Stoßwellen in kosmischen Plasmen können mit Whistlerwellen (ein spezieller Typ von Plasmawellen) verbunden sein. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein Szenarium vorgestellt, das aufzeigt, wie solche Whistlerwellen an koronalen Stoßwellen erzeugt werden und durch ihre resonante Wechselwirkung mit den Elektronen dieselben beschleunigen. Dieser Prozess ist effizienter als bisher vorgeschlagene Mechanismen und kann deshalb auch auf andere Stoßwellen im Kosmos, wie z.B. an Supernova-Überresten, zur Erklärung der dort erzeugten Radio- und Röntgenstrahlung dienen.

Monitoring the wild black bear's reaction to human and environmental stressors

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Bears are among the most physiologically remarkable mammals. They spend half their life in an active state and the other half in a state of dormancy without food or water, and without urinating, defecating, or physical activity, yet can rouse and defend themselves when disturbed. Although important data have been obtained in both captive and wild bears, long-term physiological monitoring of bears has not been possible until the recent advancement of implantable devices. Results Insertable cardiac monitors that were developed for use in human heart patients (Reveal® XT, Medtronic, Inc) were implanted in 15 hibernating bears. Data were recovered from 8, including 2 that were legally shot by hunters. Devices recorded low heart rates (pauses of over 14 seconds) and low respiration rates (1.5 breaths/min) during hibernation, dramatic respiratory sinus arrhythmias in the fall and winter months, and elevated heart rates in summer (up to 214 beats/min (bpm)) and during interactions with hunters (exceeding 250 bpm). The devices documented the first and last day of denning, a period of quiescence in two parturient females after birthing, and extraordinary variation in the amount of activity/day, ranging from 0 (winter) to 1084 minutes (summer). Data showed a transition toward greater nocturnal activity in the fall, preceding hibernation. The data-loggers also provided evidence of the physiological and behavioral responses of bears to our den visits to retrieve the data. Conclusions Annual variations in heart rate and activity have been documented for the first time in wild black bears. This technique has broad applications to wildlife management and physiological research, enabling the impact of environmental stressors from humans, changing seasons, climate change, social interactions and predation to be directly monitored over multiple years. PMID:21849079

Associations of long-term exposure to air pollution and road traffic noise with cognitive function-An analysis of effect measure modification.

PubMed

Tzivian, Lilian; Jokisch, Martha; Winkler, Angela; Weimar, Christian; Hennig, Frauke; Sugiri, Dorothea; Soppa, Vanessa J; Dragano, Nico; Erbel, Raimund; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Moebus, Susanne; Hoffmann, Barbara

2017-06-01

Adverse effects of traffic-related air pollution (AP) and noise on cognitive functions have been proposed, but little is known about their interactions and the combined effect of co-exposure. Cognitive assessment was completed by 4086 participants of the population-based Heinz Nixdorf Recall cohort study using five neuropsychological subtests and an additively calculated global cognitive score (GCS). We assessed long-term residential concentrations for size-fractioned particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides with land use regression. Road traffic noise (weighted 24-h (L DEN ) and night-time (L NIGHT ) means) was assessed according to the EU directive 2002/49/EC. Linear regression models adjusted for individual-level characteristics were calculated to estimate effect modification of associations between AP and noise with cognitive function. We used multiplicative interaction terms and categories of single or double high exposure, dichotomizing the potential effect modifier at the median (AP) or at an a priori defined threshold (road traffic noise). In fully adjusted models, high noise exposure increased the association of AP with cognitive function. For example, for an interquartile range increase of PM 2.5 (IQR 1.43), association s with GCS were: estimate (β)=-0.16 [95% confidence interval: -0.33; 0.01] and β=-0.48 [-0.72; -0.23] for low and high L DEN , respectively. The association of noise with GCS was restricted to highly AP-exposed participants. We observed stronger negative associations in those participants with double exposure compared to the addition of effect estimates of each single exposure. Our study suggests that AP and road traffic noise might act synergistically on cognitive function in adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Progress in the ecology and conservation of giant pandas.

PubMed

Wei, Fuwen; Swaisgood, Ronald; Hu, Yibo; Nie, Yonggang; Yan, Li; Zhang, Zejun; Qi, Dunwu; Zhu, Lifeng

2015-12-01

Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) conservation is a possible success story in the making. If extinction of this iconic endangered species can be avoided, the species will become a showcase program for the Chinese government and its collaborators. We reviewed the major advancements in ecological science for the giant panda, examining how these advancements have contributed to panda conservation. Pandas' morphological and behavioral adaptations to a diet of bamboo, which bear strong influence on movement ecology, have been well studied, providing knowledge to guide management actions ranging from reserve design to climate change mitigation. Foraging ecology has also provided essential information used in the creation of landscape models of panda habitat. Because habitat loss and fragmentation are major drivers of the panda population decline, efforts have been made to help identify core habitat areas, establish where habitat corridors are needed, and prioritize areas for protection and restoration. Thus, habitat models have provided guidance for the Chinese governments' creation of 67 protected areas. Behavioral research has revealed a complex and efficient communication system and documented the need for protection of habitat that serves as a communication platform for bringing the sexes together for mating. Further research shows that den sites in old-growth forests may be a limiting resource, indicating potential value in providing alternative den sites for rearing offspring. Advancements in molecular ecology have been revolutionary and have been applied to population census, determining population structure and genetic diversity, evaluating connectivity following habitat fragmentation, and understanding dispersal patterns. These advancements form a foundation for increasing the application of adaptive management approaches to move panda conservation forward more rapidly. Although the Chinese government has made great progress in setting aside protected areas, future emphasis will be improved management of pandas and their habitat. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

Atlanto-axial malformation and instability in dogs with pituitary dwarfism due to an LHX3 mutation.

PubMed

Voorbij, A M W Y; Meij, B P; van Bruggen, L W L; Grinwis, G C M; Stassen, Q E M; Kooistra, H S

2015-01-01

Canine pituitary dwarfism or combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) in shepherd dogs is associated with an LHX3 mutation and can lead to a wide range of clinical manifestations. Some dogs with CPHD have neurological signs that are localized to the cervical spine. In human CPHD, caused by an LHX3 mutation, anatomical abnormalities in the atlanto-axial (C1-C2) joint have been described. To evaluate the presence of atlanto-axial malformations in dogs with pituitary dwarfism associated with an LHX3 mutation and to investigate the degree of similarity between the atlanto-axial anomalies found in canine and human CPHD patients with an LHX3 mutation. Three client-owned Czechoslovakian wolfdogs and 1 client-owned German shepherd dog, previously diagnosed with pituitary dwarfism caused by an LHX3 mutation, with neurological signs indicating a cervical spinal disorder. Radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging of the cranial neck and skull, necropsy, and histology. Diagnostic imaging identified abnormal positioning of the dens axis and incomplete ossification of the suture lines between the ossification centers of the atlas with concurrent atlanto-axial instability and dynamic compression of the spinal cord by the dens axis. The malformations and aberrant motion at C1-C2 were confirmed at necropsy and histology. The atlanto-axial abnormalities of the dwarf dogs resemble those encountered in human CPHD patients with an LHX3 mutation. These findings suggest an association between the LHX3 mutation in dogs with CPHD and atlanto-axial malformations. Consequently, pituitary dwarfs should be monitored closely for neurological signs. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Percolation flux and Transport velocity in the unsaturated zone, Yucca Mountain, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yang, I.C.

2002-01-01

The percolation flux for borehole USW UZ-14 was calculated from 14C residence times of pore water and water content of cores measured in the laboratory. Transport velocity is calculated from the depth interval between two points divided by the difference in 14C residence times. Two methods were used to calculate the flux and velocity. The first method uses the 14C data and cumulative water content data directly in the incremental intervals in the Paintbrush nonwelded unit and the Topopah Spring welded unit. The second method uses the regression relation for 14C data and cumulative water content data for the entire Paintbrush nonwelded unit and the Topopah Spring Tuff/Topopah Spring welded unit. Using the first method, for the Paintbrush nonwelded unit in boreholeUSW UZ-14 percolation flux ranges from 2.3 to 41.0 mm/a. Transport velocity ranges from 1.2 to 40.6 cm/a. For the Topopah Spring welded unit percolation flux ranges from 0.9 to 5.8 mm/a in the 8 incremental intervals calculated. Transport velocity ranges from 1.4 to 7.3 cm/a in the 8 incremental intervals. Using the second method, average percolation flux in the Paintbrush nonwelded unit for 6 boreholes ranges from 0.9 to 4.0 mm/a at the 95% confidence level. Average transport velocity ranges from 0.6 to 2.6 cm/a. For the Topopah Spring welded unit and Topopah Spring Tuff, average percolation flux in 5 boreholes ranges from 1.3 to 3.2 mm/a. Average transport velocity ranges from 1.6 to 4.0 cm/a. Both the average percolation flux and average transport velocity in the PTn are smaller than in the TS/TSw. However, the average minimum and average maximum values for the percolation flux in the TS/TSw are within the PTn average range. Therefore, differences in the percolation flux in the two units are not significant. On the other hand, average, average minimum, and average maximum transport velocities in the TS/TSw unit are all larger than the PTn values, implying a larger transport velocity for the TS/TSw although there is a small overlap.

Spring feeding on ungulate carcasses by grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, Gerald I.; Mattson, D.J.; Peek, J.M.

1997-01-01

We studied the spring use of ungulate carcasses by grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) on ungulate winter ranges in Yellowstone National Park. We observed carcasses and bear tracks on survey routes that were travelled biweekly during spring of 1985-90 in the Firehole-Gibbon winter range and spring of 1987-90 in the Northern winter range. The probability that grizzly bears used a carcass was positively related to elevation and was lower within 400 m of a road, or within 5 km of a major recreational development compared to elsewhere. Carcass use peaked in April, coincident with peak ungulate deaths. Grizzly bears also were more likely to use carcasses in the Firehole-Gibbon compared to Northern Range study area. We attributed the effects of study area and elevation to the fact that grizzly bears den and are first active in the spring at high elevations and to differences in densities of competing scavengers. Probability of grizzly bear use was strongly related to body mass of carcasses on the Northern Range where densities of coyotes (Canis latrans) and black bears (U. americanus) appeared to be much higher than in the Firehole-Gibbon study area. We suggest that additional restrictions on human activity in ungulate winter ranges or movement of carcasses to remote areas could increase grizzly bear use of carrion. Fewer competing scavengers and greater numbers of adult ungulates vulnerable to winter mortality could have the same effect.

Division F Commission 22: Meteors, Meteorites, and Interplanetary Dust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenniskens, Peter; Borovička, Jiří; Watanabe, Jun-Ichi; Jopek, Tadeusz; Abe, Shinsuke; Consolmagno, Guy J.; Ishiguro, Masateru; Janches, Diego; Ryabova, Galina O.; Vaubaillon, Jérémie; Zhu, Jin

2016-04-01

Commission 22 (Meteors, Meteorites and Interplanetary Dust) was established at the first IAU General Assembly held in Rome in 1922, with William Frederick Denning as its first President. Denning was an accountant by profession, but as an amateur astronomer he contributed extensively to meteor science. Commission 22 thus established a pattern that has continued to this day that non-professional astronomers were welcomed and valued and could play a significant role in its affairs. The field of meteors, meteorites and interplanetary dust has played a disproportional role in the astronomical perception of the general public through the majestic displays of our annual meteor showers. Those in the field deployed many techniques uncommon in other fields of astronomy, studying the ``vermin of space'', the small solid bodies that pervade interplanetary space and impact Earth's atmosphere, the surface of the Moon, and that of our satellites in orbit. Over time, the field has tackled a wide array of problems, from predicting the encounter with meteoroid streams, to the origin of our meteorites and the nature of the zodiacal cloud. Commission 22 has played an important role in organizing the field through dedicated meetings, a data centre, and working groups that developed professional-amateur relationships and that organized the nomenclature of meteor showers. The contribution of Commission 22 to the field is perhaps most readily seen in the work of the presidents that followed in the footsteps of Denning.

River network architecture, genetic effective size and distributional patterns predict differences in genetic structure across species in a dryland stream fish community.

PubMed

Pilger, Tyler J; Gido, Keith B; Propst, David L; Whitney, James E; Turner, Thomas F

2017-05-01

Dendritic ecological network (DEN) architecture can be a strong predictor of spatial genetic patterns in theoretical and simulation studies. Yet, interspecific differences in dispersal capabilities and distribution within the network may equally affect species' genetic structuring. We characterized patterns of genetic variation from up to ten microsatellite loci for nine numerically dominant members of the upper Gila River fish community, New Mexico, USA. Using comparative landscape genetics, we evaluated the role of network architecture for structuring populations within species (pairwise F ST ) while explicitly accounting for intraspecific demographic influences on effective population size (N e ). Five species exhibited patterns of connectivity and/or genetic diversity gradients that were predicted by network structure. These species were generally considered to be small-bodied or habitat specialists. Spatial variation of N e was a strong predictor of pairwise F ST for two species, suggesting patterns of connectivity may also be influenced by genetic drift independent of network properties. Finally, two study species exhibited genetic patterns that were unexplained by network properties and appeared to be related to nonequilibrium processes. Properties of DENs shape community-wide genetic structure but effects are modified by intrinsic traits and nonequilibrium processes. Further theoretical development of the DEN framework should account for such cases. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Drug-Coated Balloons and Stents for the Treatment of Femoro-Popliteal Lesions].

PubMed

Ito, Wulf D

2017-08-01

Medikamenten-beschichtete Ballons bei femoro-poplitealen Läsionen  Medikamenten-beschichtete Ballons (DCB) führen in der Behandlung von femoro-poplitealen Läsionen zu besseren Offenheitsraten als die einfache Ballondilatation und zu ähnlichen bis besseren Offenheitsraten als die Stentimplantation. Vorteil ist die Vermeidung von permanentem Fremdmaterial in Regionen, die einer ständigen mechanischen Beanspruchung unterworfen sind und die Möglichkeit, die Prozedur an derselben Stelle wiederholen zu können bzw. chirurgische Zugangswege offenzuhalten. Bei Auftreten von Dissektionen oder einem Recoil bietet sich die fokale Implantation möglichst kurzer Stents in den betroffenen Segmenten an. Die primäre Implantation Medikamenten-beschichteter Stents zeigt darüber hinaus keinen weiteren Vorteil und ist auf längere Sicht mit den Nachteilen der Implantation von Fremdmaterial in Bewegungssegmenten behaftet. Nicht medikamentöse und medikamentöse Begleittherapie  Die Kombination aus interventioneller Behandlung und supervidiertem Gehtraining zeigt die besten Erfolgsaussichten einer dauerhaften Verbesserung der Gehstrecke bei Patienten mit femoro-poplitealen Läsionen und ist einer alleinigen interventionellen Behandlung oder einem alleinigen Gehtraining überlegen. Darüber hinaus werden aktuell große randomisierte, kontrollierte Studien durchgeführt, die den Einfluss niedrig dosierter direkter Antikoagulanzien auf die kardiovaskuläre Komplikationsrate nach Intervention untersuchen. Die Ergebnisse dieser Studien werden Aufschluss geben über die optimale antithrombotische Therapie nach Intervention im femoro-poplitealen Stromgebiet.

Dispersal of wolves (Canis lupus) in northeastern Minnesota, 1969-1989

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gese, E.M.; Mech, L.D.

1991-01-01

We examined the dispersal patterns of radio-collared wolves (Canis lupus) from 21 packs in the Superior National Forest, Minnesota, from 1969 to 1989. A total of 316 wolves (542 wolf-years) were captured, radio-collared, and followed during 21 years of radio-tracking; 75 were identified as dispersers. Both sexes dispersed equally. Of the adults, yearlings, and pups, 8, 75, and 16%, respectively, dispersed. Most dispersers left when they were 11-12 months old, only a few wolves dispersing as adults. Dispersal occurred mainly in February-April and October-November. Adults dispersed short distances into nearby territories, but yearlings and pups dispersed both short and long distances. Yearling and pup dispersal rates were highest when the wolf population was increasing or decreasing and low when the population was stable. Adults had the highest pairing and denning success, yearlings had moderate pairing and low denning success, and pups had low pairing and denning success. Yearlings and pups that dispersed a short distance had a higher success of settling in a new territory, likely reflecting available vacancies in nearby territories. Thirty-five percent of the known-age wolves remained in their natal territory for >2 years; two wolves were known to have remained for >7 years. The relative weight of pups at capture apparently did not affect their age or success of dispersal or the tendency to disperse.

Rational discovery of dengue type 2 non-competitive inhibitors.

PubMed

Heh, Choon H; Othman, Rozana; Buckle, Michael J C; Sharifuddin, Yusrizam; Yusof, Rohana; Rahman, Noorsaadah A

2013-07-01

Various works have been carried out in developing therapeutics against dengue. However, to date, no effective vaccine or anti-dengue agent has yet been discovered. The development of protease inhibitors is considered as a promising option, but most previous works have involved competitive inhibition. In this study, we focused on rational discovery of potential anti-dengue agents based on non-competitive inhibition of DEN-2 NS2B/NS3 protease. A homology model of the DEN-2 NS2B/NS3 protease (using West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease complex, 2FP7, as the template) was used as the target, and pinostrobin, a flavanone, was used as the standard ligand. Virtual screening was performed involving a total of 13 341 small compounds, with the backbone structures of chalcone, flavanone, and flavone, available in the ZINC database. Ranking of the resulting compounds yielded compounds with higher binding affinities compared with the standard ligand. Inhibition assay of the selected top-ranking compounds against DEN-2 NS2B/NS3 proteolytic activity resulted in significantly better inhibition compared with the standard and correlated well with in silico results. In conclusion, via this rational discovery technique, better inhibitors were identified. This method can be used in further work to discover lead compounds for anti-dengue agents. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Phylogenetic analysis of the envelope protein (domain lll) of dengue 4 viruses

PubMed Central

Mota, Javier; Ramos-Castañeda, José; Rico-Hesse, Rebeca; Ramos, Celso

2011-01-01

Objective To evaluate the genetic variability of domain III of envelope (E) protein and to estimate phylogenetic relationships of dengue 4 (Den-4) viruses isolated in Mexico and from other endemic areas of the world. Material and Methods A phylogenetic study of domain III of envelope (E) protein of Den-4 viruses was conducted in 1998 using virus strains from Mexico and other parts of the world, isolated in different years. Specific primers were used to amplify by RT-PCR the domain III and to obtain nucleotide sequence. Based on nucleotide and deduced aminoacid sequence, genetic variability was estimated and a phylogenetic tree was generated. To make an easy genetic analysis of domain III region, a Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) assay was performed, using six restriction enzymes. Results Study results demonstrate that nucleotide and aminoacid sequence analysis of domain III are similar to those reported from the complete E protein gene. Based on the RFLP analysis of domain III using the restriction enzymes Nla III, Dde I and Cfo I, Den-4 viruses included in this study were clustered into genotypes 1 and 2 previously reported. Conclusions Study results suggest that domain III may be used as a genetic marker for phylogenetic and molecular epidemiology studies of dengue viruses. The English version of this paper is available too at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html PMID:12132320

[Vegetarische und vegane Ernährung bei Kindern - Stand der Forschung und Forschungsbedarf].

PubMed

Keller, Markus; Müller, Stine

2016-01-01

Die Praxis vegetarischer Ernährungsformen ist in Deutschland im letzten Jahrzehnt deutlich angestiegen. Allerdings ist der Anteil vegetarischer und veganer Kinder dabei unbekannt. Studien mit Erwachsenen zeigen das präventive Potenzial, aber auch potenzielle Schwachstellen pflanzenbasierter Kostformen. Die Vorteile und Risiken einer vegetarischen bzw. veganen Ernährung im Kindesalter wurden bisher jedoch relativ selten untersucht. Außerdem lassen das unterschiedliche Alter der Kinder, das heterogene Studiendesign sowie die teilweise geringe Probandenzahl der Studien keine verbindlichen Aussagen zu. In dieser Übersichtsarbeit werden die Ergebnisse der wenigen Studien zu vegetarisch und vegan ernährten Kindern (< 12 Jahren) in Nordamerika und Europa zusammengefasst. Demnach lag die Zufuhr von Nahrungsenergie und Makronährstoffen vegetarischer und veganer Kinder meist näher an den Empfehlungen der Fachgesellschaften als die Ernährung gleichaltriger Mischkostkinder. Ebenso wiesen vegetarisch und vegan ernährte Kinder eine höhere Zufuhr von und bessere Versorgung mit verschiedenen Vitaminen und Mineralstoffen auf. Häufiger zeigten sich jedoch Defizite bei Vitamin B12, Zink, Kalzium, Eisen und Vitamin D. Das Wachstum und die Entwicklung vegetarisch und vegan ernährter Kinder entsprachen weitgehend den Referenzstandards, wobei sie dazu tendierten, leichter, schlanker und (< 5 Jahren) auch kleiner zu sein. Aufgrund der unzureichenden Studienlage besteht erheblicher Forschungsbedarf zu den Auswirkungen einer vegetarischen und veganen Ernährung im Kindesalter. © 2016 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

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

Corbett, R.A

Another quality crude oil is available from the North Sea. Norway's Oseberg crude oil entered the export market on Dec. 1, 1988. This premium, low-sulfur crude oil is currently being produced at approximately 240,000 b/d from the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Two platforms, operated by Den Norske Stats Oijeselskap A.S. (Statoil), are currently in production, with a third scheduled to go into production in 1991. Oseberg is a typical, low-sulfur North Sea crude oil that will provide a full range of high-quality, low-sulfur products. The naphtha cuts are of intermediate to paraffinic quality, making them suitable for gasolinemore » production. The Oseberg crude is stabilized at the offshore platform and then transported to the Sture terminal, north of Bergen, Norway. The terminal can handle crude oil tankers up to 300,000 DWT.« less

Advanced Gas Turbine (AGT) technology development project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

This report is the final in a series of Technical Summary Reports for the Advanced Gas Turbine (AGT) Technology Development Project, authorizrd under NASA Contract DEN3-167 and sponsored by the DOE. The project was administered by NASA-Lewis Research Center of Cleveland, Ohio. Plans and progress are summarized for the period October 1979 through June 1987. This program aims to provide the US automotive industry the high risk, long range technology necessary to produce gas turbine engines for automobiles that will reduce fuel consumption and reduce environmental impact. The intent is that this technology will reach the marketplace by the 1990s. The Garrett/Ford automotive AGT was designated AGT101. The AGT101 is a 74.5 kW (100 shp) engine, capable of speeds to 100,000 rpm, and operates at turbine inlet temperatures to 1370 C (2500 F) with a specific fuel consumption level of 0.18 kg/kW-hr (0.3 lbs/hp-hr) over most of the operating range. This final report summarizes the powertrain design, power section development and component/ceramic technology development.

Alkaptonuria

MedlinePlus

... unable to properly break down certain amino acids (tyrosine and phenylalanine). As a result, a substance called ... Chakrapani A, Gissen P, McKiernan P. Disorders of tyrosine metabolism. In: Saudubray J-M, van den Berghe ...

KSC-07pd0374

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-02-09

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Partly covered with moss (foreleg and mouth), a large alligator suns on the bank of a pond within NASA's Kennedy Space Center. A protected species, alligators can be spotted in the drainage canals and other waters surrounding KSC. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

KSC-07pd0879

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- From the bank of a pond on Kennedy Space Center, an alligator slides into the water, perhaps eyeing nearby prey. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. A protected species, alligators can be spotted in the drainage canals and other waters surrounding KSC. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Herausforderungen für künftige Lernumgebungen am Beispiel der Fakultät für Medizin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gergintchev, Ivan; Graf, Stephan

Nach der weit reichenden Etablierung von eLearning in den letzten Jahren stehen nahezu alle deutschen Hochschulen vor der Aufgabe, wettbewerbsfähige hochschulübergreifende Mechanismen sowie entsprechende organisatorische Rahmenbedingungen zu schaffen. Vor allem die Umsetzung von EBologna und die Unterstützung kooperativer Bildungsangebote verstärken diese Notwendigkeit. Motiviert durch die Veränderungen im Bereich der Hochschullehre und die Herausforderungen für künftige Lernumgebungen schlagen wir eine Integrationslösung im Sinne eines Learning Gateway vor, die zur webgestützten Abwicklung von kooperativen Bildungsangeboten in heterogen Lernumgebungen eingesetzt werden kann. Ihre Praxisanwendung verdeutlichen wir anschließend im komplexen Szenario der Medizin an der TUM. Die Evaluierung der Umsetzung belegt den deutlichen Mehrwert des Ansatzes.

Zufällige Signale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plaßmann, Wilfried

Die hier betrachteten Signale werden auch als stochastische Signale bezeichnet. Sie sind zufällig, d. h. ihr Augenblickswert ist nicht vorhersagbar. Abb. 118.1 zeigt eine Unterteilung nach den Signaleigenschaften. Über die nichtstationären Signale lässt sich keinerlei Aussage machen, und sie werden hier deshalb auch nicht weiter betrachtet. Für die stationären Signale gilt, dass ihr Momentanwert zwar auch nicht vorhergesagt werden kann, dass sie aber trotzdem gewisse auswertbare Eigenschaften besitzen, die allerdings statistischer Art sind und deshalb nur mit den Gesetzen der Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie erfasst werden können. Zwar sind - theoretisch - für die Anwendung der Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie unendlich viele Probenwerte zu nehmen, in der Praxis hat sich aber gezeigt, dass man auch mit einer endlichen Anzahl dem gesuchten Wert schon ausreichend nahe kommen kann.

AMANDA and D0 as a Test Environment for the LHC Computing Grid (in German)

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

Harenberg, Torsten

2005-08-01

Die Suche nach den Grundbausteinen der Materie und nach den Kräften, die zwischen ihnen wirken, ist das Forschungsgebiet der Hochenergiephysik. Mit immer größer werdenden Teilchenbeschleunigern erreicht man immer tiefer gehende Erkenntnisse und dringt dabei in Energiebereiche vor, wie sie kurz nach dem Urknall herrschten. Im Moment ist das Tevatron am Fermilab der energ piereichste Teilchenbeschleuniger der Welt mit einer Schwerpunktsenergie von √s = 1, 96 TeV. Um die bei diesen hohen Energien entstehende Anzahl von Teilchen zu messen, sind auch immer höher auflösende Detektoren nötig. Dem wurde dadurch Rechnung getragen, dass mit der Steigerung der Schwerpunktsenergie am Tevatron auch diemore » Detektoren DØ und CDF1) teilweise erneuert wurden.« less

Viele Tests - viele Fehler?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabelow, Karsten

Bildgebende Verfahren haben sich in den letzten Jahren einen festen Platz in der Medizin erobert und die medizinische Forschung und Diagnostik revolutioniert. Sie ermöglichen Ärzten und Forschern einen Einblick in lebendes Gewebe. Mit der fortschreitenden technischen Entwicklung liefern die Verfahren immer höhere Auflösungen, schärfere Bilder und mehr Details. Bildgebende Verfahren sind ohne Mathematik undenkbar, von der Bildrekonstruktion aus den gemessenen Signalen, bis hin zur Auswertung der Bildinformation. Für die Analyse der großen Menge an Bilddatenpunkten (Voxel, volume element, im Gegensatz zum zweidimensionalen Pixel, picture element) werden häufig insbesondere Methoden der mathematischen Statistik benötigt. Zufällige Fehler in der Messung äußern sich als Bildrauschen, die Bilder wirken unscharf und gestört. Dadurch werden diagnostische Entscheidungen erschwert.

A mother alligator protects her young

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

In the water near Kennedy Space Center, a mother alligator gathers her six offspring. American alligators feed and rest in the water, and lay their eggs in dens they dig into the banks. The young alligators spend their first several weeks in these dens. The Center shares a boundary with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects.

First and Second Order Stokes Generation by SRS in Methane: Influence of Rep-Rate, Beam Quality and Astigmatism (Opwekking van Eerste en Tweede Orde Stokes d.m.v. SRS in Methaan: Invloed van de Pulsfrequentie, de Bundelkwaliteit en Astigmatisme)

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-01

omzettings rendementen van circa 75% gehaad bij een ingangs- energie van 280 mJ. De mogelijkheden tot bet halen van een hoger rendement lijken...of rep-rate, beam quality and astigmatism DImi-Thu-B~mO ITA1EiM-tT-h lF I~~ ~~’ IAPR2 8 1993~ I ~Xtbai Uiitdw FJ.M. van Putten J.C. van den Heuvel RJ.L...Influence of rep-rate. beam quality and astigmatism author(s) : F.J.M. van Putten, I.C. van den Heuvel, R.J.L. Lerou institute : TNO Physics and