Sample records for broad range including

  1. Micropatterned Pyramidal Ionic Gels for Sensing Broad-Range Pressures with High Sensitivity.

    PubMed

    Cho, Sung Hwan; Lee, Seung Won; Yu, Seunggun; Kim, Hyeohn; Chang, Sooho; Kang, Donyoung; Hwang, Ihn; Kang, Han Sol; Jeong, Beomjin; Kim, Eui Hyuk; Cho, Suk Man; Kim, Kang Lib; Lee, Hyungsuk; Shim, Wooyoung; Park, Cheolmin

    2017-03-22

    The development of pressure sensors that are effective over a broad range of pressures is crucial for the future development of electronic skin applicable to the detection of a wide pressure range from acoustic wave to dynamic human motion. Here, we present flexible capacitive pressure sensors that incorporate micropatterned pyramidal ionic gels to enable ultrasensitive pressure detection. Our devices show superior pressure-sensing performance, with a broad sensing range from a few pascals up to 50 kPa, with fast response times of <20 ms and a low operating voltage of 0.25 V. Since high-dielectric-constant ionic gels were employed as constituent sensing materials, an unprecedented sensitivity of 41 kPa -1 in the low-pressure regime of <400 Pa could be realized in the context of a metal-insulator-metal platform. This broad-range capacitive pressure sensor allows for the efficient detection of pressure from a variety of sources, including sound waves, a lightweight object, jugular venous pulses, radial artery pulses, and human finger touch. This platform offers a simple, robust approach to low-cost, scalable device design, enabling practical applications of electronic skin.

  2. A Chandra Survey of high-redshift (0.7 < z < 0.8) clusters selected in the 100 deg^2 SPT-Pol Deep Field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garmire, Gordon

    2016-09-01

    We propose to observe a complete sample of 10 galaxy clusters at 1e14 < M500 < 5e14 and 0.7 < z < 0.8. These systems were selected from the 100 deg^2 deep field of the SPT-Pol SZ survey. This survey are has significant complementary data, including uniform depth ATCA, Herschel, Spitzer, and DES imaging, enabling a wide variety of astrophysical and cosmological studies. This sample complements the successful SPT-XVP survey, which has a broad redshift range and a narrow mass range, by including clusters over a narrow redshift range and broad mass range. These systems are such low mass and high redshift that they will not be detected in the eRosita all-sky survey.

  3. Device and method for generating a beam of acoustic energy from a borehole, and applications thereof

    DOEpatents

    Vu, Cung Khac; Sinha, Dipen N; Pantea, Cristian; Nihei, Kurt T; Schmitt, Denis P; Skelt, Christopher

    2013-10-01

    In some aspects of the invention, a method of generating a beam of acoustic energy in a borehole is disclosed. The method includes generating a first broad-band acoustic pulse at a first broad-band frequency range having a first central frequency and a first bandwidth spread; generating a second broad-band acoustic pulse at a second broad-band frequency range different than the first frequency range having a second central frequency and a second bandwidth spread, wherein the first acoustic pulse and second acoustic pulse are generated by at least one transducer arranged on a tool located within the borehole; and transmitting the first and the second broad-band acoustic pulses into an acoustically non-linear medium, wherein the composition of the non-linear medium produces a collimated pulse by a non-linear mixing of the first and second acoustic pulses, wherein the collimated pulse has a frequency equal to the difference in frequencies between the first central frequency and the second central frequency and a bandwidth spread equal to the sum of the first bandwidth spread and the second bandwidth spread.

  4. A Chandra Survey of low-mass clusters at 0.8 < z < 0.9 selected in the 100 deg^2 SPT-Pol Deep Field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kraft, Ralph

    2016-09-01

    We propose to observe a complete sample of 4 galaxy clusters at 1e14 < M500 < 3e14 and 0.8 < z < 0.9. These systems were selected from the 100 deg^2 deep field of the SPT-Pol SZ survey. This survey are has significant complementary data, including uniform depth ATCA, Herschel, Spitzer, and DES imaging, enabling a wide variety of astrophysical and cosmological studies. This sample complements the successful SPT-XVP survey, which has a broad redshift range and a narrow mass range, by including clusters over a narrow redshift range and broad mass range. These systems are such low mass and high redshift that they will not be detected in the eRosita all-sky survey.

  5. A Chandra Survey of low-mass clusters at 0.7 < z < 0.8 selected in the 100 deg^2 SPT-Pol Deep Field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kraft, Ralph

    2016-09-01

    We propose to observe a complete sample of 4 galaxy clusters at 1e14 < M500 < 3e14 and 0.7 < z < 0.8. These systems were selected from the 100 deg^2 deep field of the SPT-Pol SZ survey. This survey are has significant complementary data, including uniform depth ATCA, Herschel, Spitzer, and DES imaging, enabling a wide variety of astrophysical and cosmological studies. This sample complements the successful SPT-XVP survey, which has a broad redshift range and a narrow mass range, by including clusters over a narrow redshift range and broad mass range. These systems are such low mass and high redshift that they will not be detected in the eRosita all-sky survey.

  6. Flexible Ferroelectric Sensors with Ultrahigh Pressure Sensitivity and Linear Response over Exceptionally Broad Pressure Range.

    PubMed

    Lee, Youngoh; Park, Jonghwa; Cho, Soowon; Shin, Young-Eun; Lee, Hochan; Kim, Jinyoung; Myoung, Jinyoung; Cho, Seungse; Kang, Saewon; Baig, Chunggi; Ko, Hyunhyub

    2018-04-24

    Flexible pressure sensors with a high sensitivity over a broad linear range can simplify wearable sensing systems without additional signal processing for the linear output, enabling device miniaturization and low power consumption. Here, we demonstrate a flexible ferroelectric sensor with ultrahigh pressure sensitivity and linear response over an exceptionally broad pressure range based on the material and structural design of ferroelectric composites with a multilayer interlocked microdome geometry. Due to the stress concentration between interlocked microdome arrays and increased contact area in the multilayer design, the flexible ferroelectric sensors could perceive static/dynamic pressure with high sensitivity (47.7 kPa -1 , 1.3 Pa minimum detection). In addition, efficient stress distribution between stacked multilayers enables linear sensing over exceptionally broad pressure range (0.0013-353 kPa) with fast response time (20 ms) and high reliability over 5000 repetitive cycles even at an extremely high pressure of 272 kPa. Our sensor can be used to monitor diverse stimuli from a low to a high pressure range including weak gas flow, acoustic sound, wrist pulse pressure, respiration, and foot pressure with a single device.

  7. Recipient luminophoric mediums having narrow spectrum luminescent materials and related semiconductor light emitting devices and methods

    DOEpatents

    LeToquin, Ronan P; Tong, Tao; Glass, Robert C

    2014-12-30

    Light emitting devices include a light emitting diode ("LED") and a recipient luminophoric medium that is configured to down-convert at least some of the light emitted by the LED. In some embodiments, the recipient luminophoric medium includes a first broad-spectrum luminescent material and a narrow-spectrum luminescent material. The broad-spectrum luminescent material may down-convert radiation emitted by the LED to radiation having a peak wavelength in the red color range. The narrow-spectrum luminescent material may also down-convert radiation emitted by the LED into the cyan, green or red color range.

  8. The response to selection for broad male response to female sex pheromone and its implications for divergence in close-range mating behavior in the European corn borer moth, Ostrinia nubilalis.

    PubMed

    Droney, David C; Musto, Callie J; Mancuso, Katie; Roelofs, Wendell L; Linn, Charles E

    2012-12-01

    Coordinated sexual communication systems, seen in many species of moths, are hypothesized to be under strong stabilizing natural selection. Stabilized communication systems should be resistant to change, but there are examples of species/populations that show great diversification. A possible solution is that it is directional sexual selection on variation in male response that drives evolution. We tested a component of this model by asking whether 'rare' males (ca. 5 % of all males in a population) of the European corn borer moth (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis, that respond to the sex pheromones of both ECB and a different Ostrinia species (O. furnacalis, the Asian corn borer, ACB), might play an important role in diversification. We specifically tested, via artificial selection, whether this broad male response has an evolvable genetic component. We increased the frequency of broad male response from 5 to 70 % in 19 generations, showing that broad-responding males could be important for the evolution of novel communication systems in ECB. We did not find a broader range of mating acceptance of broad males by females of the base population, however, suggesting that broad response would be unlikely to increase in frequency without the involvement of other factors. However, we found that ECB selection-line females accepted a broader range of courting males, including those of ACB, than did females of the base population. Thus, a genetic correlation exists between broad, long-range response to female sex pheromone and the breadth of female acceptance of males at close range. These results are discussed in the context of evolution of novel communication systems in Ostrinia.

  9. The IFITMs Inhibit Zika Virus Replication.

    PubMed

    Savidis, George; Perreira, Jill M; Portmann, Jocelyn M; Meraner, Paul; Guo, Zhiru; Green, Sharone; Brass, Abraham L

    2016-06-14

    Zika virus has emerged as a severe health threat with a rapidly expanding range. The IFITM family of restriction factors inhibits the replication of a broad range of viruses, including the closely related flaviruses West Nile virus and dengue virus. Here, we show that IFITM1 and IFITM3 inhibit Zika virus infection early in the viral life cycle. Moreover, IFITM3 can prevent Zika-virus-induced cell death. These results suggest that strategies to boost the actions and/or levels of the IFITMs might be useful for inhibiting a broad range of emerging viruses. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. A rapid method to assess a broad inventory of organic species in marine sediments using ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Radović, Jagoš R; Silva, Renzo C; Snowdon, Ryan W; Brown, Melisa; Larter, Steve; Oldenburg, Thomas B P

    2016-06-15

    A broad range of organic species in marine sediments is routinely used as biogeochemical proxies of Earth history. These species are typically analyzed using different analytical methods, targeting very specific components and often including time-intensive sample preparation. There is, therefore, a need for a more comprehensive, rapid and high-throughput approach to simultaneously analyze a broad range of known sedimentary polar species and also have a surveillance capability able to identify candidate new species classes. Whole solvent extracts from recently deposited Gulf of Mexico marine sediments were obtained after a simple, one-step extraction. They were analyzed by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS), using atmospheric pressure photoionization in positive ion mode (APPI-P), over a broad mass range (m/z 150-1500). From 3000 to over 5000 peaks per sample were assigned molecular formulae, and the majority of assignments (90%) showed an absolute error lower than 200 ppb. The detected species belong to the NO1-7 , N4 O2-8 , O1-9 , HC, N and OS compound classes, including known biomarker species such as pigments (e.g. tetrapyrrole macrocycles and carotenoids) and lipids (e.g. glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers, GDGTs), but also compounds of still unknown detailed molecular structure, but with clear potential geochemical relevance. The reported method enables rapid (12 min FTICR-MS analysis time) and simultaneous detection of a broad range of multi-heteroatom, polar organic species in whole sediment extracts. This allows for higher sample throughput, a more comprehensive investigation of sedimentary geochemistry, and potentially the discovery of new components and derivation of novel, multi-species proxies. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Bicycle and pedestrian data : sources, needs, & gaps

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-01-01

    This report provides a review of existing sources of bicycle and pedestrian-related information, including their uses, quality, and limitations. It also includes information from a broad range of decision-makers, researchers, planners, and other user...

  12. Harnessing genomics to identify environmental determinants of heritable disease

    EPA Science Inventory

    De novo mutation is increasingly being recognized as the cause for a range of human genetic diseases and disorders. Important examples of this include inherited genetic disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, mental retardation, epilepsy, and a broad range of adverse reproductiv...

  13. USEPA-USGS Case Studies

    EPA Science Inventory

    The presence of emerging contaminants (ECs) in the environment is an area of growing concern for the scientific community and the general public. ECs include a broad range of chemicals including personal care products, pharmaceuticles, industrial compounds, pesticides, and hormo...

  14. Design of virus-based nanomaterials for medicine, biotechnology, and energy

    PubMed Central

    Wen, Amy M.; Steinmetz, Nicole F.

    2016-01-01

    Virus-based nanomaterials are versatile materials that naturally self-assemble and have relevance for a broad range of applications including medicine, biotechnology, and energy. This review provides an overview of recent developments in “chemical virology.” Viruses, as materials, provide unique nanoscale scaffolds that have relevance in chemical biology and nanotechnology, with diverse areas of applications. Some fundamental advantages of viruses, compared to synthetically programmed materials, include the highly precise spatial arrangement of their subunits into a diverse array of shapes and sizes and many available avenues for easy and reproducible modification. Here, we will first survey the broad distribution of viruses and various methods for producing virus-based nanoparticles, as well as engineering principles used to impart new functionalities. We will then examine the broad range of applications and implications of virus-based materials, focusing on the medical, biotechnology, and energy sectors. We anticipate that this field will continue to evolve and grow, with exciting new possibilities stemming from advancements in the rational design of virus-based nanomaterials. PMID:27152673

  15. The Staphylococcus aureus leucine aminopeptidase LAP is localized to the bacterial cytosol and demonstrates a broad substrate range that extends beyond leucine

    PubMed Central

    Carroll, Ronan K.; Veillard, Florian; Gagne, Danielle T.; Lindenmuth, Jarrod M.; Poreba, Marcin; Drag, Marcin; Potempa, Jan; Shaw, Lindsey N.

    2013-01-01

    Staphylococcus aureus is a potent pathogen of humans exhibiting a broad disease range, in part, due to an extensive repertoire of secreted virulence factors, including proteases. Recently, we identified the first example of an intracellular protease (leucine aminopeptidase - LAP) that is required for virulence in S. aureus. Disruption of pepZ, the gene encoding LAP, had no affect on the growth rate of bacteria, however, in systemic and localized infection models the pepZ mutant was significantly attenuated in virulence. Recently, a contradictory report has been published, suggesting that LAP is an extracellular enzyme and it is required for growth in S. aureus. Here, we investigate these results and confirm our previous findings that LAP is localized to the bacterial cytosol and is not required for growth. In addition we conduct a biochemical investigation of purified recombinant LAP identifying optimal conditions for enzymatic activity and substrate preference for hydrolysis. Our results show that LAP has a broad substrate range, including activity against the dipeptide cysteine-glycine and that leucine is not the primary target of LAP. PMID:23241672

  16. A network of experimental forests and ranges: Providing soil solutions for a changing world

    Treesearch

    Mary Beth Adams

    2010-01-01

    The network of experimental forests and ranges of the USDA Forest Service represents significant opportunities to provide soil solutions to critical issues of a changing world. This network of 81 experimental forests and ranges encompasses broad geographic, biological, climatic and physical scales, and includes long-term data sets, and long-term experimental...

  17. Globalization and Student Learning: A Literature Review and Call for Greater Conceptual Rigor and Cross-Institutional Studies. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.6.14

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edelstein, Richard

    2014-01-01

    University learning objectives and the curriculum have evolved to include more knowledge, skills and aptitudes related to the increasingly international nature of a broad range of professions and occupations. More broadly, graduates are expected to know more about the world outside their home country in order to be informed and responsible…

  18. Biological aerosol effects on clouds and precipitation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hallar, A. Gannet; Huffman, J. Alex; Fridlind, Ann

    2012-12-01

    Bioaerosol Effects on Clouds Workshop;Steamboat Springs, Colorado, 5-6August 2012 Bioaerosols such as bacteria have been proposed as significant contributors to cloud ice nucleation, but too little is known about the properties and impacts of bioaerosol and other ice nuclei to make reliable conclusions about their wide-scale impact on clouds and precipitation. During late summer an international group of 40 participants met at a Steamboat Springs ski resort to share perspectives on bioaerosol sources, activity, and influence on clouds. Participants who were invited collectively spanned a broad range of expertise, including atmospheric chemistry, microbiology, micrometeorology, and cloud physics, as well as a broad range of research approaches, including laboratory measurement, field measurement, and modeling. Tours of Storm Peak Laboratory (http://www.stormpeak.dri.edu) were offered before and after the workshop.

  19. Forms of organic phosphorus in wetland soils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheesman, A. W.; Turner, B. L.; Reddy, K. R.

    2014-12-01

    Phosphorus (P) cycling in freshwater wetlands is dominated by biological mechanisms, yet there has been no comprehensive examination of the forms of biogenic P (i.e., forms derived from biological activity) in wetland soils. We used solution 31P NMR spectroscopy to identify and quantify P forms in surface soils of 28 palustrine wetlands spanning a range of climatic, hydrogeomorphic, and vegetation types. Total P concentrations ranged between 51 and 3516 μg P g-1, of which an average of 58% was extracted in a single-step NaOH-EDTA procedure. The extracts contained a broad range of P forms, including phosphomonoesters (averaging 24% of the total soil P), phosphodiesters (averaging 10% of total P), phosphonates (up to 4% of total P), and both pyrophosphate and long-chain polyphosphates (together averaging 6% of total P). Soil P composition was found to be dependant upon two key biogeochemical properties: organic matter content and pH. For example, stereoisomers of inositol hexakisphosphate were detected exclusively in acidic soils with high mineral content, while phosphonates were detected in soils from a broad range of vegetation and hydrogeomorphic types but only under acidic conditions. Conversely inorganic polyphosphates occurred in a broad range of wetland soils, and their abundance appears to reflect more broadly that of a "substantial" and presumably active microbial community with a significant relationship between total inorganic polyphosphates and microbial biomass P. We conclude that soil P composition varies markedly among freshwater wetlands but can be predicted by fundamental soil properties.

  20. Forms of organic phosphorus in wetland soils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheesman, A. W.; Turner, B. L.; Reddy, K. R.

    2014-06-01

    Phosphorus (P) cycling in freshwater wetlands is dominated by biological mechanisms, yet there has been no comprehensive examination of the forms of biogenic P (i.e. forms derived from biological activity) in wetland soils. We used solution 31P NMR spectroscopy to identify and quantify P forms in surface soils of 28 palustrine wetlands spanning a range of climatic, hydro-geomorphic and vegetation types. Total P concentrations ranged between 51 and 3516 μg P g

  1. Broad-host-range vector system for synthetic biology and biotechnology in cyanobacteria

    PubMed Central

    Taton, Arnaud; Unglaub, Federico; Wright, Nicole E.; Zeng, Wei Yue; Paz-Yepes, Javier; Brahamsha, Bianca; Palenik, Brian; Peterson, Todd C.; Haerizadeh, Farzad; Golden, Susan S.; Golden, James W.

    2014-01-01

    Inspired by the developments of synthetic biology and the need for improved genetic tools to exploit cyanobacteria for the production of renewable bioproducts, we developed a versatile platform for the construction of broad-host-range vector systems. This platform includes the following features: (i) an efficient assembly strategy in which modules released from 3 to 4 donor plasmids or produced by polymerase chain reaction are assembled by isothermal assembly guided by short GC-rich overlap sequences. (ii) A growing library of molecular devices categorized in three major groups: (a) replication and chromosomal integration; (b) antibiotic resistance; (c) functional modules. These modules can be assembled in different combinations to construct a variety of autonomously replicating plasmids and suicide plasmids for gene knockout and knockin. (iii) A web service, the CYANO-VECTOR assembly portal, which was built to organize the various modules, facilitate the in silico construction of plasmids, and encourage the use of this system. This work also resulted in the construction of an improved broad-host-range replicon derived from RSF1010, which replicates in several phylogenetically distinct strains including a new experimental model strain Synechocystis sp. WHSyn, and the characterization of nine antibiotic cassettes, four reporter genes, four promoters, and a ribozyme-based insulator in several diverse cyanobacterial strains. PMID:25074377

  2. Plant Resources Center and the Vietnamese genebank system

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The highly diverse floristic composition of Vietnam has been recognized as a center of angiosperm expansion and crop biodiversity. The broad range of climatic environments include habitats from tropical and subtropical, to temperate and alpine flora. The human component of the country includes 54 et...

  3. How Do You Listen to Your Students to Help Them Learn about Race and Racism?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kernahan, Cyndi; Chick, Nancy L.

    2017-01-01

    Teaching and learning can be especially difficult when the content includes race. We argue here that an effective approach is one that includes multiple angles, learning from our students and from a broad range of colleagues and disciplines.

  4. Binaural Pitch Fusion in Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users.

    PubMed

    Reiss, Lina A J; Fowler, Jennifer R; Hartling, Curtis L; Oh, Yonghee

    Binaural pitch fusion is the fusion of stimuli that evoke different pitches between the ears into a single auditory image. Individuals who use hearing aids or bimodal cochlear implants (CIs) experience abnormally broad binaural pitch fusion, such that sounds differing in pitch by as much as 3-4 octaves are fused across ears, leading to spectral averaging and speech perception interference. The goal of this study was to determine if adult bilateral CI users also experience broad binaural pitch fusion. Stimuli were pulse trains delivered to individual electrodes. Fusion ranges were measured using simultaneous, dichotic presentation of reference and comparison stimuli in opposite ears, and varying the comparison stimulus to find the range that fused with the reference stimulus. Bilateral CI listeners had binaural pitch fusion ranges varying from 0 to 12 mm (average 6.1 ± 3.9 mm), where 12 mm indicates fusion over all electrodes in the array. No significant correlations of fusion range were observed with any subject factors related to age, hearing loss history, or hearing device history, or with any electrode factors including interaural electrode pitch mismatch, pitch match bandwidth, or within-ear electrode discrimination abilities. Bilateral CI listeners have abnormally broad fusion, similar to hearing aid and bimodal CI listeners. This broad fusion may explain the variability of binaural benefits for speech perception in quiet and in noise in bilateral CI users.

  5. Multidimensional Social Control Variables as Predictors of Drunkenness among French Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Begue, Laurent; Roche, Sebastian

    2009-01-01

    Background: Previous studies of the determinants of drunkenness among youth investigated the contribution of a limited range of variables measuring social control. For the first time in France, this study including 1295 participants aged 14-19 years aimed at assessing the relative contribution of a broad range of multidimensional variables…

  6. 76 FR 72097 - Air Quality Designations for the 2008 Lead (Pb) National Ambient Air Quality Standards

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-22

    ... broad range of adverse health effects. These may include damage to the central nervous system...) Meteorology (weather/transport patterns); (6) Geography/topography (mountain ranges or other air basin... to the EPA's Air Quality System (AQS), or otherwise available to the EPA, and meeting the...

  7. Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bell, Philip, Ed.; Lewenstein, Bruce, Ed.; Shouse, Andrew W., Ed.; Feder, Michael A., Ed.

    2009-01-01

    Informal science is a burgeoning field that operates across a broad range of venues and envisages learning outcomes for individuals, schools, families, and society. The evidence base that describes informal science, its promise, and effects is informed by a range of disciplines and perspectives, including field-based research, visitor studies, and…

  8. Research on Sociocultural Influences on Motivation and Learning, Volume 1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McInerney, Dennis M., Ed.; Van Etten, Shawn, Ed.

    This collection of papers explores sociocultural influences on motivation and learning across a broad range of settings and content areas. There are 16 papers in five sections. "Introduction" includes: (1) "Modern Education Needs Cross-Cultural Psychology" (Harry Triandis). Part 1, "The Motivation Context," includes:…

  9. Tuberculosis in wild and captive deer

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Deer are found on every continent, save for Antarctica and Australia. Of the over 50 species of deer worldwide, tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis has been documented in at least 14. The broad host range of M. bovis includes most mammals, including humans and livestock. Eradication programs hav...

  10. Sampling methods of Myllocerus undecimpustulatus undatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) adults

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    An exotic weevil Myllocerus undecimpustulatus undatus Marshall was first found in south Florida in 1995. The adults have a broad host range that includes foliage of fruit trees, ornamentals and vegetables, but little is known about their basic biology, including larval host plants. Studies were co...

  11. Your Wake-Up Call

    MedlinePlus

    ... sleep comprise a broad range of problems, including sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia, parasomnia, jet-lag syndrome, and disturbed ... health risks." Photo courtesy of NIH/NHLBI/NCSDR Sleep Apnea and Children Snoring is common in children and ...

  12. Glacial seismology.

    PubMed

    Aster, R C; Winberry, J P

    2017-12-01

    Seismic source and wave propagation studies contribute to understanding structure, transport, fracture mechanics, mass balance, and other processes within glaciers and surrounding environments. Glaciogenic seismic waves readily couple with the bulk Earth, and can be recorded by seismographs deployed at local to global ranges. Although the fracturing, ablating, melting, and/or highly irregular environment of active glaciers can be highly unstable and hazardous, informative seismic measurements can commonly be made at stable proximal ice or rock sites. Seismology also contributes more broadly to emerging studies of elastic and gravity wave coupling between the atmosphere, oceans, solid Earth, and cryosphere, and recent scientific and technical advances have produced glaciological/seismological collaborations across a broad range of scales and processes. This importantly includes improved insight into the responses of cryospheric systems to changing climate and other environmental conditions. Here, we review relevant fundamental physics and glaciology, and provide a broad review of the current state of glacial seismology and its rapidly evolving future directions.

  13. Glacial seismology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aster, R. C.; Winberry, J. P.

    2017-12-01

    Seismic source and wave propagation studies contribute to understanding structure, transport, fracture mechanics, mass balance, and other processes within glaciers and surrounding environments. Glaciogenic seismic waves readily couple with the bulk Earth, and can be recorded by seismographs deployed at local to global ranges. Although the fracturing, ablating, melting, and/or highly irregular environment of active glaciers can be highly unstable and hazardous, informative seismic measurements can commonly be made at stable proximal ice or rock sites. Seismology also contributes more broadly to emerging studies of elastic and gravity wave coupling between the atmosphere, oceans, solid Earth, and cryosphere, and recent scientific and technical advances have produced glaciological/seismological collaborations across a broad range of scales and processes. This importantly includes improved insight into the responses of cryospheric systems to changing climate and other environmental conditions. Here, we review relevant fundamental physics and glaciology, and provide a broad review of the current state of glacial seismology and its rapidly evolving future directions.

  14. "This Is Still a Work in Progress": Common Ground, Littleton, New Hampshire.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Mair; Walker, Pam

    This site-visit report describes Common Ground, a program located in New Hampshire that supports 52 people with developmental disabilities, including some with severe and multiple impairments, in a broad range of individualized, integrated daytime activities, including supported and competitive employment, self-employment, volunteer work, and the…

  15. Evaluating the appropriate level of service for Michigan rest areas and welcome centers considering safety and economic factors : executive summary.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-04-30

    The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) currently operates and maintains : 81 rest areas, including 14 welcome centers, along freeways and other major roadways. Public : rest areas in Michigan serve a broad range of travelers, including vaca...

  16. 76 FR 147 - Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-03

    ... one from a non-safety-net hospital), two primary care providers (one from a large practice and one... information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the... a broad range of stakeholders (including primary care providers) in communities with different...

  17. A Systems View of Learning in Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Shea, Peter

    2007-01-01

    As the sophistication of technology has increased, so has public demand for quality. This expectation of quality has occurred across a broad range of products and systems, including education. To meet the demand for quality, many products and systems (including educational ones) have become increasingly complex. Within education there are also…

  18. Experimental evaluation of expendable supersonic nozzle concepts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baker, V.; Kwon, O.; Vittal, B.; Berrier, B.; Re, R.

    1990-01-01

    Exhaust nozzles for expendable supersonic turbojet engine missile propulsion systems are required to be simple, short and compact, in addition to having good broad-range thrust-minus-drag performance. A series of convergent-divergent nozzle scale model configurations were designed and wind tunnel tested for a wide range of free stream Mach numbers and nozzle pressure ratios. The models included fixed geometry and simple variable exit area concepts. The experimental and analytical results show that the fixed geometry configurations tested have inferior off-design thrust-minus-drag performance in the transonic Mach range. A simple variable exit area configuration called the Axi-Quad nozzle, combining features of both axisymmetric and two-dimensional convergent-divergent nozzles, performed well over a broad range of operating conditions. Analytical predictions of the flow pattern as well as overall performance of the nozzles, using a fully viscous, compressible CFD code, compared very well with the test data.

  19. Sixteenth Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Press abstracts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1985-01-01

    A broad range of topics concerned with lunar and planetary science are discussed. Topics among those included are, the sun, the planets, comets, meteorities, asteroids, satellites, space exploration, and the significance of these to Earth.

  20. General guidelines for identifying and evaluating historic landscapes

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-02-01

    Historic landscapes can possess historical values coming from the full range of human history, including ethnography and traditional cultural values. Because the definition of historic landscape is broad and not always well understood, identification...

  1. Aircraft Drinking Water Rule Public Meetings and Summaries

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    In developing the Aircraft Drinking Water Rule, EPA used a collaborative process to obtain a broad range of views including the airlines, flight attendants, passengers, pilots, airports, laboratories, public health officials and environmental organizations

  2. Shape and size engineered cellulosic nanomaterials as broad spectrum anti-microbial compounds.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Priyanka R; Kamble, Sunil; Sarkar, Dhiman; Anand, Amitesh; Varma, Anjani J

    2016-06-01

    Oxidized celluloses have been used for decades as antimicrobial wound gauzes and surgical cotton. We now report the successful synthesis of a next generation narrow size range (25-35nm) spherical shaped nanoparticles of 2,3,6-tricarboxycellulose based on cellulose I structural features, for applications as new antimicrobial materials. This study adds to our previous study of 6-carboxycellulose. A wide range of bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Staphloccocus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (non-pathogenic as well as pathogenic strains) were affected by these polymers in in vitro studies. Activity against Mycobacteria were noted at high concentrations (MIC99 values 250-1000μg/ml, as compared to anti-TB drug Isoniazid 0.3μg/ml). However, the broad spectrum activity of oxidized celluloses and their nanoparticles against a wide range of bacteria, including Mycobacteria, show that these materials are promising new biocompatible and biodegradable drug delivery vehicles wherein they can play the dual role of being a drug encapsulant as well as a broad spectrum anti-microbial and anti-TB drug. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. "What is Palliative Care?"

    PubMed

    Kozlov, Elissa; Carpenter, Brian D

    2017-04-01

    Americans rely on the Internet for health information, and people are likely to turn to online resources to learn about palliative care as well. The purpose of this study was to analyze online palliative care information pages to evaluate the breadth of their content. We also compared how frequently basic facts about palliative care appeared on the Web pages to expert rankings of the importance of those facts to understanding palliative care. Twenty-six pages were identified. Two researchers independently coded each page for content. Palliative care professionals (n = 20) rated the importance of content domains for comparison with content frequency in the Web pages. We identified 22 recurring broad concepts about palliative care. Each information page included, on average, 9.2 of these broad concepts (standard deviation [SD] = 3.36, range = 5-15). Similarly, each broad concept was present in an average of 45% of the Web pages (SD = 30.4%, range = 8%-96%). Significant discrepancies emerged between expert ratings of the importance of the broad concepts and the frequency of their appearance in the Web pages ( r τ = .25, P > .05). This study demonstrates that palliative care information pages available online vary considerably in their content coverage. Furthermore, information that palliative care professionals rate as important for consumers to know is not always included in Web pages. We developed guidelines for information pages for the purpose of educating consumers in a consistent way about palliative care.

  4. Evaluation of DNA extraction methods and their clinical application for direct detection of causative bacteria in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis culture fluids from patients with peritonitis by using broad-range PCR.

    PubMed

    Kim, Si Hyun; Jeong, Haeng Soon; Kim, Yeong Hoon; Song, Sae Am; Lee, Ja Young; Oh, Seung Hwan; Kim, Hye Ran; Lee, Jeong Nyeo; Kho, Weon-Gyu; Shin, Jeong Hwan

    2012-03-01

    The aims of this study were to compare several DNA extraction methods and 16S rDNA primers and to evaluate the clinical utility of broad-range PCR in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) culture fluids. Six type strains were used as model organisms in dilutions from 10(8) to 10(0) colony-forming units (CFU)/mL for the evaluation of 5 DNA extraction methods and 5 PCR primer pairs. Broad-range PCR was applied to 100 CAPD culture fluids, and the results were compared with conventional culture results. There were some differences between the various DNA extraction methods and primer sets with regard to the detection limits. The InstaGene Matrix (Bio-Rad Laboratories, USA) and Exgene Clinic SV kits (GeneAll Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Korea) seem to have higher sensitivities than the others. The results of broad-range PCR were concordant with the results from culture in 97% of all cases (97/100). Two culture-positive cases that were broad-range PCR-negative were identified as Candida albicans, and 1 PCR-positive but culture-negative sample was identified as Bacillus circulans by sequencing. Two samples among 54 broad-range PCR-positive products could not be sequenced. There were differences in the analytical sensitivity of various DNA extraction methods and primers for broad-range PCR. The broad-range PCR assay can be used to detect bacterial pathogens in CAPD culture fluid as a supplement to culture methods.

  5. 78 FR 23826 - Information Collection Activities (Complaints, Petitions for Declaratory Orders, and Petitions...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-22

    .... Under these statutory and regulatory sections, the Board provides procedures for persons to make a broad range of claims and to seek a broad range of remedies before the Board. The information collections... terminate a controversy or remove uncertainty. Because petitions for a declaratory order cover a broad range...

  6. Broad-range PCR: past, present, or future of bacteriology?

    PubMed

    Renvoisé, A; Brossier, F; Sougakoff, W; Jarlier, V; Aubry, A

    2013-08-01

    PCR targeting the gene encoding 16S ribosomal RNA (commonly named broad-range PCR or 16S PCR) has been used for 20 years as a polyvalent tool to study prokaryotes. Broad-range PCR was first used as a taxonomic tool, then in clinical microbiology. We will describe the use of broad-range PCR in clinical microbiology. The first application was identification of bacterial strains obtained by culture but whose phenotypic or proteomic identification remained difficult or impossible. This changed bacterial taxonomy and allowed discovering many new species. The second application of broad-range PCR in clinical microbiology is the detection of bacterial DNA from clinical samples; we will review the clinical settings in which the technique proved useful (such as endocarditis) and those in which it did not (such as characterization of bacteria in ascites, in cirrhotic patients). This technique allowed identifying the etiological agents for several diseases, such as Whipple disease. This review is a synthesis of data concerning the applications, assets, and drawbacks of broad-range PCR in clinical microbiology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  7. Evaluation of Novel Broad-Range Real-Time PCR Assay for Rapid Detection of Human Pathogenic Fungi in Various Clinical Specimens▿

    PubMed Central

    Vollmer, Tanja; Störmer, Melanie; Kleesiek, Knut; Dreier, Jens

    2008-01-01

    In the present study, a novel broad-range real-time PCR was developed for the rapid detection of human pathogenic fungi. The assay targets a part of the 28S large-subunit ribosomal RNA (rDNA) gene. We investigated its application for the most important human pathogenic fungal genera, including Aspergillus, Candida, Cryptococcus, Mucor, Penicillium, Pichia, Microsporum, Trichophyton, and Scopulariopsis. Species were identified in PCR-positive reactions by direct DNA sequencing. A noncompetitive internal control was applied to prevent false-negative results due to PCR inhibition. The minimum detection limit for the PCR was determined to be one 28S rDNA copy per PCR, and the 95% detection limit was calculated to 15 copies per PCR. To assess the clinical applicability of the PCR method, intensive-care patients with artificial respiration and patients with infective endocarditis were investigated. For this purpose, 76 tracheal secretion samples and 70 heart valve tissues were analyzed in parallel by real-time PCR and cultivation. No discrepancies in results were observed between PCR analysis and cultivation methods. Furthermore, the application of the PCR method was investigated for other clinical specimens, including cervical swabs, nail and horny skin scrapings, and serum, blood, and urine samples. The combination of a broad-range real-time PCR and direct sequencing facilitates rapid screening for fungal infection in various clinical specimens. PMID:18385440

  8. Evaluation of novel broad-range real-time PCR assay for rapid detection of human pathogenic fungi in various clinical specimens.

    PubMed

    Vollmer, Tanja; Störmer, Melanie; Kleesiek, Knut; Dreier, Jens

    2008-06-01

    In the present study, a novel broad-range real-time PCR was developed for the rapid detection of human pathogenic fungi. The assay targets a part of the 28S large-subunit ribosomal RNA (rDNA) gene. We investigated its application for the most important human pathogenic fungal genera, including Aspergillus, Candida, Cryptococcus, Mucor, Penicillium, Pichia, Microsporum, Trichophyton, and Scopulariopsis. Species were identified in PCR-positive reactions by direct DNA sequencing. A noncompetitive internal control was applied to prevent false-negative results due to PCR inhibition. The minimum detection limit for the PCR was determined to be one 28S rDNA copy per PCR, and the 95% detection limit was calculated to 15 copies per PCR. To assess the clinical applicability of the PCR method, intensive-care patients with artificial respiration and patients with infective endocarditis were investigated. For this purpose, 76 tracheal secretion samples and 70 heart valve tissues were analyzed in parallel by real-time PCR and cultivation. No discrepancies in results were observed between PCR analysis and cultivation methods. Furthermore, the application of the PCR method was investigated for other clinical specimens, including cervical swabs, nail and horny skin scrapings, and serum, blood, and urine samples. The combination of a broad-range real-time PCR and direct sequencing facilitates rapid screening for fungal infection in various clinical specimens.

  9. Development of a single-tube loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for detection of four pathogens of bacterial meningitis.

    PubMed

    Huy, Nguyen Tien; Hang, Le Thi Thuy; Boamah, Daniel; Lan, Nguyen Thi Phuong; Van Thanh, Phan; Watanabe, Kiwao; Huong, Vu Thi Thu; Kikuchi, Mihoko; Ariyoshi, Koya; Morita, Kouichi; Hirayama, Kenji

    2012-12-01

    Several loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays have been developed to detect common causative pathogens of bacterial meningitis (BM). However, no LAMP assay is reported to detect Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus suis, which are also among common pathogens of BM. Moreover, it is laborious and expensive by performing multiple reactions for each sample to detect bacterial pathogen. Thus, we aimed to design and develop a single-tube LAMP assay capable of detecting multiple bacterial species, based on the nucleotide sequences of the 16S rRNA genes of the bacteria. The nucleotide sequences of the 16S rRNA genes of main pathogens involved in BM were aligned to identify conserved regions, which were further used to design broad range specific LAMP assay primers. We successfully designed a set of broad range specific LAMP assay primers for simultaneous detection of four species including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, S. suis and S. agalactiae. The broad range LAMP assay was highly specific without cross-reactivity with other bacteria including Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis and Escherichia coli. The sensitivity of our LAMP assay was 100-1000 times higher compared with the conventional PCR assay. The bacterial species could be identified after digestion of the LAMP products with restriction endonuclease DdeI and HaeIII. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Transit security : a description of problems and countermeasures

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1984-10-01

    This report provides a broad perspective on transit security. It examines a wide range of transit security problems encountered by transit systems, namely: crime against passengers and employees; crimes involving revenues, including fare evasion by p...

  11. Effect of broad properties fuel on injector performance in a reverse flow combustor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Raddlebaugh, S. M.; Norgren, C. T.

    1983-01-01

    The effect of fuel type on the performance of various fuel injectors was investigated in a reverse flow combustor. Combustor performance and emissions are documented for simplex pressure atomizing, spill flow, and airblast fuel injectors using a broad properties fuel and compared with performance using Jet A fuel. Test conditions simulated a range of flight conditions including sea level take off, low and high altitude cruise, as well as a parametric evaluation of the effect of increased combustor loading. The baseline simplex injector produced higher emission levels with corresponding lower combustion efficiency with the broad properties fuel. There was little or not loss in performance by the two advanced concept injectors with the broad properties fuel. The airblast injector proved to be especially insensitive to fuel type.

  12. Grand Challenges in Physics Education Research: Teacher Preparation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heron, Paula

    2015-04-01

    The courses, curricula and programs that produce new K-12 teachers have been the subject of research in the physics education community for many years. In terms of recruitment, curricula, and mentoring, programs and pathways vary considerably from institution to institution. Each program addresses many different aspects of teaching including knowledge of the content and familiarity with best teaching practices. At the same time, even within physics (or physical science) there is a broad range of student outcomes that are considered important, including acquisition of factual knowledge, development of skill with disciplinary practices, and positive attitudes toward the discipline and one's own abilities. Given the broad range of both input and outcome variables it is no surprise that there are very few clear answers about the impact of teacher preparation on teachers, students and society. In this talk I will summarize some of the main findings to date, and identify some areas where much more research is needed.

  13. The outflow structure of GW170817 from late-time broad-band observations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Troja, E.; Piro, L.; Ryan, G.; van Eerten, H.; Ricci, R.; Wieringa, M. H.; Lotti, S.; Sakamoto, T.; Cenko, S. B.

    2018-07-01

    We present our broad-band study of GW170817 from radio to hard X-rays, including NuSTAR and Chandra observations up to 165 d after the merger, and a multimessenger analysis including LIGO constraints. The data are compared with predictions from a wide range of models, providing the first detailed comparison between non-trivial cocoon and jet models. Homogeneous and power-law shaped jets, as well as simple cocoon models are ruled out by the data, while both a Gaussian shaped jet and a cocoon with energy injection can describe the current data set for a reasonable range of physical parameters, consistent with the typical values derived from short GRB afterglows. We propose that these models can be unambiguously discriminated by future observations measuring the post-peak behaviour, with Fν ∝ t˜-1.0 for the cocoon and Fν∝ t˜-2.5 for the jet model.

  14. Competitive exclusion over broad spatial extents is a slow process: Evidence and implications for species distribution modeling

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Yackulic, Charles B.

    2016-01-01

    There is considerable debate about the role of competition in shaping species distributions over broad spatial extents. This debate has practical implications because predicting changes in species' geographic ranges in response to ongoing environmental change would be simpler if competition could be ignored. While this debate has been the subject of many reviews, recent literature has not addressed the rates of relevant processes. This omission is surprising in that ecologists hypothesized decades ago that regional competitive exclusion is a slow process. The goal of this review is to reassess the debate under the hypothesis that competitive exclusion over broad spatial extents is a slow process.Available evidence, including simulations presented for the first time here, suggests that competitive exclusion over broad spatial extents occurs slowly over temporal extents of many decades to millennia. Ecologists arguing against an important role for competition frequently study modern patterns and/or range dynamics over periods of decades, while much of the evidence for competition shaping geographic ranges at broad spatial extents comes from paleoecological studies over time scales of centuries or longer. If competition is slow, as evidence suggests, the geographic distributions of some, perhaps many species, would continue to change over time scales of decades to millennia, even if environmental conditions did not continue to change. If the distributions of competing species are at equilibrium it is possible to predict species distributions based on observed species–environment relationships. However, disequilibrium is widespread as a result of competition and many other processes. Studies whose goal is accurate predictions over intermediate time scales (decades to centuries) should focus on factors associated with range expansion (colonization) and loss (local extinction), as opposed to current patterns. In general, understanding of modern range dynamics would be enhanced by considering the rates of relevant processes.

  15. Contemporary Perspectives on the Enduring Constitution: A Bicentennial Primer.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American Bar Association, Chicago, IL. Special Committee on Youth Education for Citizenship.

    The 17 essays included in this book are designed to provide educators and other interested readers with contemporary perspectives on a broad range of themes and topics concerning the U.S. Constitution. The authors are a distinguished group of historians, political scientists, legal scholars, and jurists. The essays include: "The Achievement…

  16. The View Finder: Expanding Boundaries and Perspectives in Special Education. Volume One.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Michael, Robert J., Ed.; Juul, Kristen D., Ed.

    1992-01-01

    The articles included in this monograph represent a broad range of topics reflecting the current world scene with regard to the education of children with special needs. Titles and authors of the articles include: "UNESCO and Special Education" (Lena Saleh), which discusses the history, purposes, and activities of the United Nations…

  17. Pathways to College Access and Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Journal for Vocational Special Needs Education, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This report provides an in-depth look at five different programs, all of which currently, or are making efforts to, include a broad range of students. The five Credit-Based Transition Programs (CBTPs) studied are located in five states--California, Iowa, Minnesota, New York and Texas--and included two dual enrollment programs (one with a career…

  18. The Systemic Vision of the Educational Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lima, Nilton Cesar; Penedo, Antonio Sergio Torres; de Oliveira, Marcio Mattos Borges; de Oliveira, Sonia Valle Walter Borges; Queiroz, Jamerson Viegas

    2012-01-01

    As the sophistication of technology is increasing, also increased the demand for quality in education. The expectation for quality has promoted broad range of products and systems, including in education. These factors include the increased diversity in the student body, which requires greater emphasis that allows a simple and dynamic model in the…

  19. Fundamental advancements of the future.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Winblade, R. L.

    1972-01-01

    General aviation encompasses all aviation except air carrier and military. This includes a broad spectrum of aircraft types ranging from amateur-built aircraft to jet transports, and includes missions such as transportation of people and freight, firefighting, power line patrol, agricultural, racing, and police patrol. The time span from discovery to broad utilization is such that for the next decade the majority of the innovations that will show up in the general aviation fleet will be derived from today's research efforts. A second area that has high potential is the modification of technology developments for military and transport aircraft to the needs of general aviation requirements of cost, complexity, and reliability.

  20. Myiasis

    PubMed Central

    Francesconi, Fabio

    2012-01-01

    Summary: Myiasis is defined as the infestation of live vertebrates (humans and/or animals) with dipterous larvae. In mammals (including humans), dipterous larvae can feed on the host's living or dead tissue, liquid body substance, or ingested food and cause a broad range of infestations depending on the body location and the relationship of the larvae with the host. In this review, we deeply discuss myiasis as a worldwide infestation with different agents and with its broad scenario of clinical manifestations as well as diagnosis techniques and treatment. PMID:22232372

  1. Free-Electron Lasers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brau, Charles A.

    1988-01-01

    Describes the use of free-electron lasers as a source of coherent radiation over a broad range of wavelengths from the far-infrared to the far-ultraviolet regions of the spectrum. Discusses some applications of these lasers, including medicine and strategic defense. (TW)

  2. 77 FR 68734 - Meeting of the National Advisory Council on Minority Business Enterprise

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-16

    ... recommendations from the private sector on a broad range of policy issues that affect minority businesses and... include: (1) Definition of Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and MBDA's role, (2) Creation of an MBE...

  3. Magnesium deficiency: What is our status

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Low magnesium intake has been implicated in a broad range of cardiometabolic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Dietary magnesium and total body magnesium status have a widely-used but imperfect biomarker in serum magnesium. Despite serum magnesium’s limitation...

  4. Broad-range lytic bacteriophages that kill Staphylococcus aureus local field strains

    PubMed Central

    Boncompain, Carina A.; Amadio, Ariel A.; Carrasco, Soledad; Suárez, Cristian A.

    2017-01-01

    Staphylococcus aureus is a very successful opportunistic pathogen capable of causing a variety of diseases ranging from mild skin infections to life-threatening sepsis, meningitis and pneumonia. Its ability to display numerous virulence mechanisms matches its skill to display resistance to several antibiotics, including β-lactams, underscoring the fact that new anti-S. aureus drugs are urgently required. In this scenario, the utilization of lytic bacteriophages that kill bacteria in a genus -or even species- specific way, has become an attractive field of study. In this report, we describe the isolation, characterization and sequencing of phages capable of killing S. aureus including methicillin resistant (MRSA) and multi-drug resistant S. aureus local strains from environmental, animal and human origin. Genome sequencing and bio-informatics analysis showed the absence of genes encoding virulence factors, toxins or antibiotic resistance determinants. Of note, there was a high similarity between our set of phages to others described in the literature such as phage K. Considering that reported phages were obtained in different continents, it seems plausible that there is a commonality of genetic features that are needed for optimum, broad host range anti-staphylococcal activity of these related phages. Importantly, the high activity and broad host range of one of our phages underscores its promising value to control the presence of S. aureus in fomites, industry and hospital environments and eventually on animal and human skin. The development of a cocktail of the reported lytic phages active against S. aureus–currently under way- is thus, a sensible strategy against this pathogen. PMID:28742812

  5. Broad-range lytic bacteriophages that kill Staphylococcus aureus local field strains.

    PubMed

    Abatángelo, Virginia; Peressutti Bacci, Natalia; Boncompain, Carina A; Amadio, Ariel F; Carrasco, Soledad; Suárez, Cristian A; Morbidoni, Héctor R

    2017-01-01

    Staphylococcus aureus is a very successful opportunistic pathogen capable of causing a variety of diseases ranging from mild skin infections to life-threatening sepsis, meningitis and pneumonia. Its ability to display numerous virulence mechanisms matches its skill to display resistance to several antibiotics, including β-lactams, underscoring the fact that new anti-S. aureus drugs are urgently required. In this scenario, the utilization of lytic bacteriophages that kill bacteria in a genus -or even species- specific way, has become an attractive field of study. In this report, we describe the isolation, characterization and sequencing of phages capable of killing S. aureus including methicillin resistant (MRSA) and multi-drug resistant S. aureus local strains from environmental, animal and human origin. Genome sequencing and bio-informatics analysis showed the absence of genes encoding virulence factors, toxins or antibiotic resistance determinants. Of note, there was a high similarity between our set of phages to others described in the literature such as phage K. Considering that reported phages were obtained in different continents, it seems plausible that there is a commonality of genetic features that are needed for optimum, broad host range anti-staphylococcal activity of these related phages. Importantly, the high activity and broad host range of one of our phages underscores its promising value to control the presence of S. aureus in fomites, industry and hospital environments and eventually on animal and human skin. The development of a cocktail of the reported lytic phages active against S. aureus-currently under way- is thus, a sensible strategy against this pathogen.

  6. LINKING WATERSHED MANAGEMENT WITH STREAM ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Reducing the loading of ’stressors‚ (pollutants) from watershed lands to streams and lakes is the concern of a broad range of environmental stakeholders—including local and state governments, utilities, farm collectives, construction firms—and even homeowners. Their adoption of E...

  7. 33 CFR 334.480 - Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek and Broad River, S.C.; U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot rifle and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Broad River, S.C.; U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot rifle and pistol ranges, Parris Island. 334.480... DEFENSE DANGER ZONE AND RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.480 Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek and Broad River... navigation: (1) At the rifle range. Archers Creek between Broad River and Beaufort River and Ribbon Creek...

  8. 33 CFR 334.480 - Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek and Broad River, S.C.; U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot rifle and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Broad River, S.C.; U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot rifle and pistol ranges, Parris Island. 334.480... DEFENSE DANGER ZONE AND RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.480 Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek and Broad River... navigation: (1) At the rifle range. Archers Creek between Broad River and Beaufort River and Ribbon Creek...

  9. Volcanism-Climate Interactions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Walter, Louis S. (Editor); Desilva, Shanaka (Editor)

    1991-01-01

    The range of disciplines in the study of volcanism-climate interactions includes paleoclimate, volcanology, petrology, tectonics, cloud physics and chemistry, and climate and radiation modeling. Questions encountered in understanding the interactions include: the source and evolution of sulfur and sulfur-gaseous species in magmas; their entrainment in volcanic plumes and injection into the stratosphere; their dissipation rates; and their radiative effects. Other issues include modeling and measuring regional and global effects of such large, dense clouds. A broad-range plan of research designed to answer these questions was defined. The plan includes observations of volcanoes, rocks, trees, and ice cores, as well as satellite and aircraft observations of erupting volcanoes and resulting lumes and clouds.

  10. Evaluating outcomes of raising speed limits on high speed non-freeways.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-04-01

    The purpose of this research was to assist in determining the potential impacts of implementing a : proposed 65 mph speed limit on non-freeways in Michigan. Consideration was given to a broad range of : performance measures, including operating speed...

  11. Reflective Supervision: A Clinical Supervision Model for Fostering Professional Growth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Costello, Lisa H.; Belcaid, Erin; Arthur-Stanley, Amanda

    2018-01-01

    School psychologists experience a broad range of stressors in their role as school support professionals including feelings of isolation, insufficient resources, administrative pressures, and excessive caseloads (Boccio, Wiesz, & Lefkowitz, 2016). Ongoing support is necessary to help school psychologists successfully navigate these…

  12. Key Questions in Marine Megafauna Movement Ecology.

    PubMed

    Hays, Graeme C; Ferreira, Luciana C; Sequeira, Ana M M; Meekan, Mark G; Duarte, Carlos M; Bailey, Helen; Bailleul, Fred; Bowen, W Don; Caley, M Julian; Costa, Daniel P; Eguíluz, Victor M; Fossette, Sabrina; Friedlaender, Ari S; Gales, Nick; Gleiss, Adrian C; Gunn, John; Harcourt, Rob; Hazen, Elliott L; Heithaus, Michael R; Heupel, Michelle; Holland, Kim; Horning, Markus; Jonsen, Ian; Kooyman, Gerald L; Lowe, Christopher G; Madsen, Peter T; Marsh, Helene; Phillips, Richard A; Righton, David; Ropert-Coudert, Yan; Sato, Katsufumi; Shaffer, Scott A; Simpfendorfer, Colin A; Sims, David W; Skomal, Gregory; Takahashi, Akinori; Trathan, Philip N; Wikelski, Martin; Womble, Jamie N; Thums, Michele

    2016-06-01

    It is a golden age for animal movement studies and so an opportune time to assess priorities for future work. We assembled 40 experts to identify key questions in this field, focussing on marine megafauna, which include a broad range of birds, mammals, reptiles, and fish. Research on these taxa has both underpinned many of the recent technical developments and led to fundamental discoveries in the field. We show that the questions have broad applicability to other taxa, including terrestrial animals, flying insects, and swimming invertebrates, and, as such, this exercise provides a useful roadmap for targeted deployments and data syntheses that should advance the field of movement ecology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Strategies to induce broadly protective antibody responses to viral glycoproteins.

    PubMed

    Krammer, F

    2017-05-01

    Currently, several universal/broadly protective influenza virus vaccine candidates are under development. Many of these vaccines are based on strategies to induce protective antibody responses against the surface glycoproteins of antigenically and genetically diverse influenza viruses. These strategies might also be applicable to surface glycoproteins of a broad range of other important viral pathogens. Areas covered: Common strategies include sequential vaccination with divergent antigens, multivalent approaches, vaccination with glycan-modified antigens, vaccination with minimal antigens and vaccination with antigens that have centralized/optimized sequences. Here we review these strategies and the underlying concepts. Furthermore, challenges, feasibility and applicability to other viral pathogens are discussed. Expert commentary: Several broadly protective/universal influenza virus vaccine strategies will be tested in humans in the coming years. If successful in terms of safety and immunological readouts, they will move forward into efficacy trials. In the meantime, successful vaccine strategies might also be applied to other antigenically diverse viruses of concern.

  14. Geology of the Caribbean.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dillon, William P.; And Others

    1988-01-01

    Describes some of the geologic characteristics of the Caribbean region. Discusses the use of some new techniques, including broad-range swath imaging of the sea floor that produces photograph-like images, and satellite measurement of crustal movements, which may help to explain the complex geology of the region. (TW)

  15. 38 CFR 21.254 - Supportive services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...) VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EDUCATION Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 31... during a period or program of employment services include a broad range of medical treatment, care and... paid under Chapter 30 for similar training; (2) Education and training services, other than brief...

  16. 38 CFR 21.254 - Supportive services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ...) VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EDUCATION Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 31... during a period or program of employment services include a broad range of medical treatment, care and... paid under Chapter 30 for similar training; (2) Education and training services, other than brief...

  17. Defining a Computational Framework for the Assessment of Taxonomic Applicability

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework describes the effects of environmental stressors across multiple scales of biological organization and function. This includes an evaluation of the potential for each key event to occur across a broad range of species in order to determ...

  18. Employees.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Thomas N.

    The purpose of this chapter is to offer an overview and analysis of all the cases rendered during 1980 concerning the legal parameters of employment issues in institutions of higher education. Judicial review of employment decisions encompassed a broad range of actions, including selection and appointment; dismissal and nonrenewal; the termination…

  19. Air Quality and Heart Health: Managing an Emerging Cardiovascular Risk Factor

    EPA Science Inventory

    Dr. Cascio will share with a broad range of federal agencies current understanding of the links between air quality and cardiovascular health. The key facts include that air pollution contributes a high attributable health burden. That certain well-defined vulnerable subpopulat...

  20. Standards in nuclear science and technology. A bibliography

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

    None

    1973-09-01

    Abstracts of 1803 U. S. and non-U. S. publications concerning a broad range of standards used in nuclear science and technology are included. The publication dates span the period 1962 through 1972, inclusive. Abstracts are arranged chronologically within four categories entitled Reactors and Engineering, Instruments and Calibration, Radiation and Radiation Protection, and Miscellaneous. A subject index is also included. (auth)

  1. A mechanically driven form of Kirigami as a route to 3D mesostructures in micro/nanomembranes.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yihui; Yan, Zheng; Nan, Kewang; Xiao, Dongqing; Liu, Yuhao; Luan, Haiwen; Fu, Haoran; Wang, Xizhu; Yang, Qinglin; Wang, Jiechen; Ren, Wen; Si, Hongzhi; Liu, Fei; Yang, Lihen; Li, Hejun; Wang, Juntong; Guo, Xuelin; Luo, Hongying; Wang, Liang; Huang, Yonggang; Rogers, John A

    2015-09-22

    Assembly of 3D micro/nanostructures in advanced functional materials has important implications across broad areas of technology. Existing approaches are compatible, however, only with narrow classes of materials and/or 3D geometries. This paper introduces ideas for a form of Kirigami that allows precise, mechanically driven assembly of 3D mesostructures of diverse materials from 2D micro/nanomembranes with strategically designed geometries and patterns of cuts. Theoretical and experimental studies demonstrate applicability of the methods across length scales from macro to nano, in materials ranging from monocrystalline silicon to plastic, with levels of topographical complexity that significantly exceed those that can be achieved using other approaches. A broad set of examples includes 3D silicon mesostructures and hybrid nanomembrane-nanoribbon systems, including heterogeneous combinations with polymers and metals, with critical dimensions that range from 100 nm to 30 mm. A 3D mechanically tunable optical transmission window provides an application example of this Kirigami process, enabled by theoretically guided design.

  2. A mechanically driven form of Kirigami as a route to 3D mesostructures in micro/nanomembranes

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Yihui; Yan, Zheng; Nan, Kewang; Xiao, Dongqing; Liu, Yuhao; Luan, Haiwen; Fu, Haoran; Wang, Xizhu; Yang, Qinglin; Wang, Jiechen; Ren, Wen; Si, Hongzhi; Liu, Fei; Yang, Lihen; Li, Hejun; Wang, Juntong; Guo, Xuelin; Luo, Hongying; Wang, Liang; Huang, Yonggang; Rogers, John A.

    2015-01-01

    Assembly of 3D micro/nanostructures in advanced functional materials has important implications across broad areas of technology. Existing approaches are compatible, however, only with narrow classes of materials and/or 3D geometries. This paper introduces ideas for a form of Kirigami that allows precise, mechanically driven assembly of 3D mesostructures of diverse materials from 2D micro/nanomembranes with strategically designed geometries and patterns of cuts. Theoretical and experimental studies demonstrate applicability of the methods across length scales from macro to nano, in materials ranging from monocrystalline silicon to plastic, with levels of topographical complexity that significantly exceed those that can be achieved using other approaches. A broad set of examples includes 3D silicon mesostructures and hybrid nanomembrane–nanoribbon systems, including heterogeneous combinations with polymers and metals, with critical dimensions that range from 100 nm to 30 mm. A 3D mechanically tunable optical transmission window provides an application example of this Kirigami process, enabled by theoretically guided design. PMID:26372959

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

    Zhang, Yihui; Yan, Zheng; Nan, Kewang

    Assembly of 3D micro/nanostructures in advanced functional materials has important implications across broad areas of technology. Existing approaches are compatible, however, only with narrow classes of materials and/or 3D geometries. This article introduces ideas for a form of Kirigami that allows precise, mechanically driven assembly of 3D mesostructures of diverse materials from 2D micro/nanomembranes with strategically designed geometries and patterns of cuts. Theoretical and experimental studies demonstrate applicability of the methods across length scales from macro to nano, in materials ranging from monocrystalline silicon to plastic, with levels of topographical complexity that significantly exceed those that can be achieved usingmore » other approaches. A broad set of examples includes 3D silicon mesostructures and hybrid nanomembrane-nanoribbon systems, including heterogeneous combinations with polymers and metals, with critical dimensions that range from 100 nm to 30 mm. Lastly, a 3D mechanically tunable optical transmission window provides an application example of this Kirigami process, enabled by theoretically guided design.« less

  4. "I Thought It Was Just Knowledge but It's Definitely a Lot of Guts": Exploring Emotional and Relational Dimensions of Critical Consciousness Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wallin-Ruschman, Jennifer

    2018-01-01

    The development of critical consciousness (CC) is associated with a range of positive outcomes, including involvement in social action. In the current study, CC is defined as the highest level of socio-political-cultural historical consciousness (SPCHC). SPCHC reflects the range or extent to which an individual can interpret broad social,…

  5. Nanoporous Anodic Alumina 3D FDTD Modelling for a Broad Range of Inter-pore Distances

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bertó-Roselló, Francesc; Xifré-Pérez, Elisabet; Ferré-Borrull, Josep; Pallarès, Josep; Marsal, Lluis F.

    2016-08-01

    The capability of the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method for the numerical modelling of the optical properties of nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA) in a broad range of inter-pore distances is evaluated. FDTD permits taking into account in the same numerical framework all the structural features of NAA, such as the texturization of the interfaces or the incorporation of electrolyte anions in the aluminium oxide host. The evaluation is carried out by comparing reflectance measurements from two samples with two very different inter-pore distances with the simulation results. Results show that considering the texturization is crucial to obtain good agreement with the measurements. On the other hand, including the anionic layer in the model leads to a second-order contribution to the reflectance spectrum.

  6. Broadband single-mode operation of standard optical fibers by using a sub-wavelength optical wire filter.

    PubMed

    Jung, Yongmin; Brambilla, Gilberto; Richardson, David J

    2008-09-15

    We report the use of a sub-wavelength optical wire (SOW) with a specifically designed transition region as an efficient tool to filter higher-order modes in multimode waveguides. Higher-order modes are effectively suppressed by controlling the transition taper profile and the diameter of the sub-wavelength optical wire. As a practical example, single-mode operation of a standard telecom optical fiber over a broad spectral window (400 approximately 1700 nm) was demonstrated with a 1microm SOW. The ability to obtain robust and stable single-mode operation over a very broad range of wavelengths offers new possibilities for mode control within fiber devices and is relevant to a range of application sectors including high performance fiber lasers, sensors, photolithography, and optical coherence tomography systems.

  7. Nanoporous Anodic Alumina 3D FDTD Modelling for a Broad Range of Inter-pore Distances.

    PubMed

    Bertó-Roselló, Francesc; Xifré-Pérez, Elisabet; Ferré-Borrull, Josep; Pallarès, Josep; Marsal, Lluis F

    2016-12-01

    The capability of the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method for the numerical modelling of the optical properties of nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA) in a broad range of inter-pore distances is evaluated. FDTD permits taking into account in the same numerical framework all the structural features of NAA, such as the texturization of the interfaces or the incorporation of electrolyte anions in the aluminium oxide host. The evaluation is carried out by comparing reflectance measurements from two samples with two very different inter-pore distances with the simulation results. Results show that considering the texturization is crucial to obtain good agreement with the measurements. On the other hand, including the anionic layer in the model leads to a second-order contribution to the reflectance spectrum.

  8. One Health and Food-Borne Disease: Salmonella Transmission between Humans, Animals, and Plants.

    PubMed

    Silva, Claudia; Calva, Edmundo; Maloy, Stanley

    2014-02-01

    There are >2,600 recognized serovars of Salmonella enterica. Many of these Salmonella serovars have a broad host range and can infect a wide variety of animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and insects. In addition, Salmonella can grow in plants and can survive in protozoa, soil, and water. Hence, broad-host-range Salmonella can be transmitted via feces from wild animals, farm animals, and pets or by consumption of a wide variety of common foods: poultry, beef, pork, eggs, milk, fruit, vegetables, spices, and nuts. Broad-host-range Salmonella pathogens typically cause gastroenteritis in humans. Some Salmonella serovars have a more restricted host range that is associated with changes in the virulence plasmid pSV, accumulation of pseudogenes, and chromosome rearrangements. These changes in host-restricted Salmonella alter pathogen-host interactions such that host-restricted Salmonella organisms commonly cause systemic infections and are transmitted between host populations by asymptomatic carriers. The secondary consequences of efforts to eliminate host-restricted Salmonella serovars demonstrate that basic ecological principles govern the environmental niches occupied by these pathogens, making it impossible to thwart Salmonella infections without a clear understanding of the human, animal, and environmental reservoirs of these pathogens. Thus, transmission of S. enterica provides a compelling example of the One Health paradigm because reducing human infections will require the reduction of Salmonella in animals and limitation of transmission from the environment.

  9. The occurrence of hormetic dose responses in the toxicological literature, the hormesis database: an overview

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

    Calabrese, Edward J.; Blain, Robyn

    A relational retrieval database has been developed compiling toxicological studies assessing the occurrence of hormetic dose responses and their quantitative characteristics. This database permits an evaluation of these studies over numerous parameters, including study design and dose-response features and physical/chemical properties of the agents. The database contains approximately 5600 dose-response relationships satisfying evaluative criteria for hormesis across over approximately 900 agents from a broadly diversified spectrum of chemical classes and physical agents. The assessment reveals that hormetic dose-response relationships occur in males and females of numerous animal models in all principal age groups as well as across species displaying amore » broad range of differential susceptibilities to toxic agents. The biological models are extensive, including plants, viruses, bacteria, fungi, insects, fish, birds, rodents, and primates, including humans. The spectrum of endpoints displaying hormetic dose responses is also broad being inclusive of growth, longevity, numerous metabolic parameters, disease incidences (including cancer), various performance endpoints such as cognitive functions, immune responses among others. Quantitative features of the hormetic dose response reveal that the vast majority of cases display a maximum stimulatory response less than two-fold greater than the control while the width of the stimulatory response is typically less than 100-fold in dose range immediately contiguous with the toxicological NO(A)EL. The database also contains a quantitative evaluation component that differentiates among the various dose responses concerning the strength of the evidence supporting a hormetic conclusion based on study design features, magnitude of the stimulatory response, statistical significance, and reproducibility of findings.« less

  10. The occurrence of hormetic dose responses in the toxicological literature, the hormesis database: an overview.

    PubMed

    Calabrese, Edward J; Blain, Robyn

    2005-02-01

    A relational retrieval database has been developed compiling toxicological studies assessing the occurrence of hormetic dose responses and their quantitative characteristics. This database permits an evaluation of these studies over numerous parameters, including study design and dose-response features and physical/chemical properties of the agents. The database contains approximately 5600 dose-response relationships satisfying evaluative criteria for hormesis across over approximately 900 agents from a broadly diversified spectrum of chemical classes and physical agents. The assessment reveals that hormetic dose-response relationships occur in males and females of numerous animal models in all principal age groups as well as across species displaying a broad range of differential susceptibilities to toxic agents. The biological models are extensive, including plants, viruses, bacteria, fungi, insects, fish, birds, rodents, and primates, including humans. The spectrum of endpoints displaying hormetic dose responses is also broad being inclusive of growth, longevity, numerous metabolic parameters, disease incidences (including cancer), various performance endpoints such as cognitive functions, immune responses among others. Quantitative features of the hormetic dose response reveal that the vast majority of cases display a maximum stimulatory response less than two-fold greater than the control while the width of the stimulatory response is typically less than 100-fold in dose range immediately contiguous with the toxicological NO(A)EL. The database also contains a quantitative evaluation component that differentiates among the various dose responses concerning the strength of the evidence supporting a hormetic conclusion based on study design features, magnitude of the stimulatory response, statistical significance, and reproducibility of findings.

  11. Noninvasive Biomonitoring Approaches to Determine Dosimetry and Risk Following Acute Chemical Exposure: Analysis of Lead or Organophosphate Insecticide in Saliva

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

    Timchalk, Chuck; Poet, Torka S.; Kousba, Ahmed A.

    2004-04-01

    There is a need to develop approaches for assessing risk associated with acute exposures to a broad-range of chemical agents and to rapidly determine the potential implications to human health. Non-invasive biomonitoring approaches are being developed using reliable portable analytical systems to quantitate dosimetry utilizing readily obtainable body fluids, such as saliva. Saliva has been used to evaluate a broad range of biomarkers, drugs, and environmental contaminants including heavy metals and pesticides. To advance the application of non-invasive biomonitoring a microfluidic/ electrochemical device has also been developed for the analysis of lead (Pb), using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry. Themore » system demonstrates a linear response over a broad concentration range (1 2000 ppb) and is capable of quantitating saliva Pb in rats orally administered acute doses of Pb-acetate. Appropriate pharmacokinetic analyses have been used to quantitate systemic dosimetry based on determination of saliva Pb concentrations. In addition, saliva has recently been used to quantitate dosimetry following exposure to the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos in a rodent model system by measuring the major metabolite, trichloropyridinol, and saliva cholinesterase inhibition following acute exposures. These results suggest that technology developed for non-invasive biomonitoring can provide a sensitive, and portable analytical tool capable of assessing exposure and risk in real-time. By coupling these non-invasive technologies with pharmacokinetic modeling it is feasible to rapidly quantitate acute exposure to a broad range of chemical agents. In summary, it is envisioned that once fully developed, these monitoring and modeling approaches will be useful for accessing acute exposure and health risk.« less

  12. Management. Teacher's Instructional Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hutnyak, Dana

    This teacher's instructional guide, which is part of a family and consumer sciences education series focusing on a broad range of employment opportunities, is intended to assist teachers responsible for teaching one- and two-year management programs for Texas high school students. The following are among the items included: (1) introductory…

  13. The California School Psychologist, 1999.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Marilyn, Ed.

    1999-01-01

    This publication of the California Association of School Psychologists includes articles written by practitioners, trainers, and students. The topics represent a sampling of the broad range of students that school psychologists are asked to serve today. Two articles discuss current findings relevant to working with the populations of students who…

  14. National Association of the Deaf.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American Annals of the Deaf, 2003

    2003-01-01

    This listing provides directory information for the national and state offices of the National Association of the Deaf, the oldest and largest nonprofit organization safeguarding the accessibility and civil rights of individuals with deafness and hearing impairments across a broad range of areas including education, employment, health care, and…

  15. Violence Exposure among Children with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Patricia M.

    2009-01-01

    The focus of this paper is children with disabilities exposed to a broad range of violence types including child maltreatment, domestic violence, community violence, and war and terrorism. Because disability research must be interpreted on the basis of the definitional paradigm employed, definitions of disability status and current prevalence…

  16. Tephritid fruit fly transgenesis and applications

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Tephritid fruit flies are among the most serious agricultural pests in the world, owing in large part to those species having broad host ranges including hundreds of fruits and vegetables. They are the largest group of insects subject to population control by a biologically-based systems, most notab...

  17. Monitoring wetland inundation dynamics in response to weather variability in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Wetlands provide a broad range of ecosystem services, including flood control, water purification, groundwater replenishment, and biodiversity support. The provision of these services, which are especially valued in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, is largely controlled by varying levels of wetness. ...

  18. Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Family Law Proceedings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American Psychologist, 2010

    2010-01-01

    Family law proceedings encompass a broad range of issues, including custody, maintenance, support, valuation, visitation, relocation, and termination of parental rights. The following guidelines address what are commonly termed child custody evaluations, involving disputes over decision making, caretaking, and access in the wake of marital or…

  19. NIDRR Program Directory, Fiscal Year 1997.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    KRA Corp., Silver Spring, MD.

    This directory lists all projects funded by the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) during the 1997 fiscal year. It includes summaries, funding data, and contact information for a broad range of programs. Programs are grouped into the following categories: (1) research and demonstration projects; (2) rehabilitation…

  20. Working Memory and Language Learning: A Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Archibald, Lisa M. D.

    2017-01-01

    Children with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) form a highly heterogeneous group, including those with an unexplained delay in language development known as specific language impairment (SLI). There is growing recognition that multiple mechanisms underlie the range of profiles observed in these children. Broadly speaking, both the…

  1. Toward a scientific understanding of DDGS

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The objective of this book is to provide a thorough summary of all aspects of DDGS, ranging from the corn kernel itself all the way through end use. The broad topic of distillers grains intersects a variety of disciplines, including physics, chemistry, microbiology, biology, animal science, as well...

  2. A model for complex flows of soft glassy materials with application to flows through fixed fiber beds

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

    Sarkar, Arijit; Koch, Donald L., E-mail: dlk15@cornell.edu

    2015-11-15

    The soft glassy rheology (SGR) model has successfully described the time dependent simple shear rheology of a broad class of complex fluids including foams, concentrated emulsions, colloidal glasses, and solvent-free nanoparticle-organic hybrid materials (NOHMs). The model considers a distribution of mesoscopic fluid elements that hop from trap to trap at a rate which is enhanced by the work done to strain the fluid element. While an SGR fluid has a broad exponential distribution of trap energies, the rheology of NOHMs is better described by a narrower energy distribution and we consider both types of trap energy distributions in this study.more » We introduce a tensorial version of these models with a hopping rate that depends on the orientation of the element relative to the mean stress field, allowing a range of relative strengths of the extensional and simple shear responses of the fluid. As an application of these models we consider the flow of a soft glassy material through a dilute fixed bed of fibers. The dilute fixed bed exhibits a range of local linear flows which alternate in a chaotic manner with time in a Lagrangian reference frame. It is amenable to an analytical treatment and has been used to characterize the strong flow response of many complex fluids including fiber suspensions, dilute polymer solutions and emulsions. We show that the accumulated strain in the fluid elements has an abrupt nonlinear growth at a Deborah number of order one in a manner similar to that observed for polymer solutions. The exponential dependence of the hopping rate on strain leads to a fluid element deformation that grows logarithmically with Deborah number at high Deborah numbers. SGR fluids having a broad range of trap energies flowing through fixed beds can exhibit a range of rheological behaviors at small Deborah numbers ranging from a yield stress, to a power law response and finally to Newtonian behavior.« less

  3. Calculations of the Performance of Explosive Impulse Generators

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1979-08-01

    low impedance material such as lexan or some other plastic between the tungsten and the titanium, the stress is reduced even further. As we said...codes modeled after the HEMP family of codes^ cur- rently in use at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. The codes have a broad range of capabilities...for problems involving the dynamics of fluid and solid continua. They contain a full range of material property models including elastic- plastic flow

  4. ASIST 2001: Information in a Networked World--Harnessing the Flow. Proceedings of the ASIST Annual Meeting (64th, Washington, DC, November 3-8, 2001).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aversa, Elizabeth, Ed.; Manley, Cynthia, Ed.

    The theme of the 2001 "ASIST" (American Society for Information Science and Technology) annual conference is "Information in a Networked World," which covers a broad range of theory and practice in information science. The program includes 52 refereed papers, 46 SIG and panel sessions, and 33 poster presentations. Topics include: digital…

  5. Should Non-Cognitive Skills Be Included in School Accountability Systems? Preliminary Evidence from California's CORE Districts. Evidence Speaks Reports, Vol 1, #13

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    West, Martin R.

    2016-01-01

    Evidence confirms that student skills other than academic achievement and ability predict a broad range of academic and life outcomes. This evidence, along with a new federal requirement that state accountability systems include an indicator of school quality or student success not based on test scores, has sparked interest in incorporating such…

  6. Electrostatic removal of airborne particulates employing fiber beds

    DOEpatents

    Postma, Arlin Keith; Winegardner, W. Kevin

    1977-01-01

    A method and apparatus for collecting aerosol particles. The particles are subjected to an electrostatic charge prior to collection in an electrically resistive fiber bed. The method is applicable to particles in a broad size range, including the difficult-to-remove particles having diameters between 0.01 and 2 microns.

  7. Development of molecular methods to detect Macrophomina phaseolina from strawberry plants and soil

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Macrophomina phaseolina is a broad-host range fungus that shows some degree of host preference on strawberry, and causes symptoms including charcoal rot and root rot. Recently, this pathogen has impacted strawberry production as fumigation practices have changed, leaving many growers in California a...

  8. Broadband nanoindentation of glassy polymers: Part II. Viscoplasticity

    Treesearch

    Joseph E. Jakes; Rod S. Lakes; Don S. Stone

    2012-01-01

    The relationship between hardness and flow stress in glassy polymers is examined. Materials studied include poly(methylmethacrylate), polystyrene, and polycarbonate. Properties are strongly rate dependent, so broadband nanoindentation creep (BNC) is used to measure hardness across a broad range of indentation strain rates (10-4 to 10 s

  9. Management Prerogatives and the Scope of Public School Bargaining.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baldwin, Grover H.

    Examination of the scope of management prerogatives in negotiation raises the question of available guidelines for school boards. State legislation indicates that the scope of bargaining ranges from narrow restrictions to broad capabilities. Management prerogatives include the power to oversee budgets and hire and dismiss employees. School…

  10. Evaluating Federal Education Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, Eva L., Ed.

    A series of papers was developed by the authors as part of their deliberations as members of the National Research Council's Committee of Program Evaluation in Education. The papers provide a broad range of present evaluative thinking. The conflict between preferences in evaluation methodology comes through in these papers. The selections include:…

  11. Child Development. Teacher's Instructional Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheatham, Joyce

    This teacher's instructional guide, which is part of a family and consumer sciences education series focusing on a broad range of employment opportunities, is intended to assist teachers responsible for teaching one- and two-year child development programs for Texas high school students. The following are among the items included: (1) introductory…

  12. Genomic Diversity of Streptoccocus agalactiae Isolates from Multiple Hosts and Their Infectivity in Nile Tilapia

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Streptococcus agalactiae, the Lancefield group B Streptococcus (GBS), has a broad host range and can be pathogenic to numerous animals, including fish. GBS is most recognized for causing cattle mastitis and human neonatal meningitis, it also causes fatal meningo-encephalitis in fish. We investigat...

  13. Engineering Industry Training Board (EITB) Foundation Training. Unit 1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Engineering Industry Training Board, London (England).

    This instructional unit deals with broadly based appreciation training in a range of skills that are appropriate to a wide sector of occupations, including engineering drawing, engineering materials, bench fitting, sheet metal work, turning, milling, welding, and electricity/electronics. The materials presented are intended for instructors and…

  14. Coast live oak resistance to Phytophthora ramorum

    Treesearch

    B.A. McPherson; David L. Wood; Sylvia R. Mori; Pierluigi Bonello

    2012-01-01

    The oomycete Phytophthora ramorum is a plant pathogen with an unusually broad host range. Recognized in 2000 as a previously unknown and likely introduced species, this pathogen has become established in central and northern coastal California, southwestern Oregon, and Western Europe. Tree species that may be killed by stem cankers include true...

  15. Interior Design: Teacher's Instructional Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hays, Tricia

    This teacher's instructional guide, which is part of a family and consumer sciences education series focusing on a broad range of employment opportunities, is intended to assist teachers responsible for teaching one- and two-year interior design programs for Texas high school students. The following are among the items included: (1) introductory…

  16. Other species considered

    Treesearch

    Michael E. Montgomery; Thomas J. McAvoy; Scott M. Salom

    2011-01-01

    This chapter reports on predators which have only preliminary information or were found to have a host range that was too broad to be considered as safe biological control agents. The predators reviewed here include predaceous anthocorid bugs from China and western North America, a Laricobius beetle from China, and a lady beetle native to western...

  17. A Review of Predictive Factors of Student Success in and Satisfaction with Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kauffman, Heather

    2015-01-01

    Students perceive online courses differently than traditional courses. Negative perceptions can lead to unfavourable learning outcomes including decreased motivation and persistence. Throughout this review, a broad range of factors that affect performance and satisfaction within the online learning environment for adult learners will be examined…

  18. Gifts of the Spirit: Multiple Intelligences in Religious Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nuzzi, Ronald

    This book provides practical direction for religious educators in teaching heterogeneous groups of learners by employing a broad range of teaching and learning approaches. The booklet explains the attributes of multiple intelligence theory, including the seven types of intelligence, and provides suggestions for engaging students in each…

  19. Comprehensive Adolescent Pregnancy Services: A Resource Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holt, K. A., Ed.; Langlykke, K., Ed.

    This resource guide was compiled to assist state, county, and community personnel in developing comprehensive adolescent health programs which address adolescent pregnancy, prevention, and care. It includes a broad range of topics with materials suitable for both professionals and consumers and for use by regional, state, and local government…

  20. Taking Learning to the Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stanistreet, Paul

    2009-01-01

    These are tough times for adult and community learning, with many providers struggling to sustain a broad curriculum offer that includes a wide-ranging adult learning programme. South Devon College is determined to keep its flourishing adult offer alive but realises that, with funding increasingly scarce, it has to find innovative ways of ensuring…

  1. Engineering Industry Training Board (EITB) Foundation Training. Unit 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Engineering Industry Training Board, London (England).

    This instructional unit deals with broadly based appreciation training in a range of skills that are appropriate to a wide sector of occupations, including safety, engineering drawing, engineering materials, bench fitting, sheet metal work, turning, milling, welding, and electricity/electronics. The materials presented are intended for instructors…

  2. Quantitative profiling of oxylipins through comprehensive lc-ms/ms analysis: Application in cardiac surgery

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Oxylipins, including eicosanoids, affect a broad range of biological processes, such as the initiation and resolution of inflammation. These compounds, also referred to as lipid mediators, are (non-) enzymatically generated by oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic acid (AA). A...

  3. NIDRR Program Directory, Fiscal Year 1998.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Inst. on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (ED/OSERS), Washington, DC.

    This directory lists all projects funded by the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) during the 1998 fiscal year. It includes summaries, funding data, and contact information for a broad range of programs. An introduction discusses the mission of NIDRR and provides an overview of its research program. Programs are…

  4. 77 FR 17402 - Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-26

    ... including fire management and mountain pine beetle infestations, travel management, forest monitoring and... recommendations on a broad range of forest issues such as forest plan revisions or amendments, travel management... in 2000; 2. A 2004 initial Off-Highway Vehicle Travel Management Subcommittee report; 3. A report on...

  5. Training the American Workforce. Conference Proceedings (San Francisco, California, November 14-16, 1990).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Governors' Association, Washington, DC. Center for Policy Research.

    These conference proceedings contain 18 presentations that represent a broad range of approaches to improving the effectiveness of public employment, education, and training programs. Papers include "Kentucky Job Training Certificate System" (Rigsby); "Public/Private Training Collaboration at the Workplace: The Michigan Job Opportunity…

  6. LWIR pupil imaging and prospects for background compensation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    LeVan, Paul; Sakoglu, Ünal; Stegall, Mark; Pierce, Greg

    2015-08-01

    A previous paper described LWIR Pupil Imaging with a sensitive, low-flux focal plane array, and behavior of this type of system for higher flux operations as understood at the time. We continue this investigation, and report on a more detailed characterization of the system over a broad range of pixel fluxes. This characterization is then shown to enable non-uniformity correction over the flux range, using a standard approach. Since many commercial tracking platforms include a "guider port" that accepts pulse width modulation (PWM) error signals, we have also investigated a variation on the use of this port to "dither" the tracking platform in synchronization with the continuous collection of infrared images. The resulting capability has a broad range of applications that extend from generating scene motion in the laboratory for quantifying performance of "realtime, scene-based non-uniformity correction" approaches, to effectuating subtraction of bright backgrounds by alternating viewing aspect between a point source and adjacent, source-free backgrounds.

  7. Printed Flexible Plastic Microchip for Viral Load Measurement through Quantitative Detection of Viruses in Plasma and Saliva

    PubMed Central

    Shafiee, Hadi; Kanakasabapathy, Manoj Kumar; Juillard, Franceline; Keser, Mert; Sadasivam, Magesh; Yuksekkaya, Mehmet; Hanhauser, Emily; Henrich, Timothy J.; Kuritzkes, Daniel R.; Kaye, Kenneth M.; Demirci, Utkan

    2015-01-01

    We report a biosensing platform for viral load measurement through electrical sensing of viruses on a flexible plastic microchip with printed electrodes. Point-of-care (POC) viral load measurement is of paramount importance with significant impact on a broad range of applications, including infectious disease diagnostics and treatment monitoring specifically in resource-constrained settings. Here, we present a broadly applicable and inexpensive biosensing technology for accurate quantification of bioagents, including viruses in biological samples, such as plasma and artificial saliva, at clinically relevant concentrations. Our microchip fabrication is simple and mass-producible as we print microelectrodes on flexible plastic substrates using conductive inks. We evaluated the microchip technology by detecting and quantifying multiple Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) subtypes (A, B, C, D, E, G, and panel), Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), and Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated Herpes Virus (KSHV) in a fingerprick volume (50 µL) of PBS, plasma, and artificial saliva samples for a broad range of virus concentrations between 102 copies/mL and 107 copies/mL. We have also evaluated the microchip platform with discarded, de-identified HIV-infected patient samples by comparing our microchip viral load measurement results with reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) as the gold standard method using Bland-Altman Analysis. PMID:26046668

  8. Lunar laser ranging: a continuing legacy of the apollo program.

    PubMed

    Dickey, J O; Bender, P L; Faller, J E; Newhall, X X; Ricklefs, R L; Ries, J G; Shelus, P J; Veillet, C; Whipple, A L; Wiant, J R; Williams, J G; Yoder, C F

    1994-07-22

    On 21 July 1969, during the first manned lunar mission, Apollo 11, the first retroreflector array was placed on the moon, enabling highly accurate measurements of the Earthmoon separation by means of laser ranging. Lunar laser ranging (LLR) turns the Earthmoon system into a laboratory for a broad range of investigations, including astronomy, lunar science, gravitational physics, geodesy, and geodynamics. Contributions from LLR include the three-orders-of-magnitude improvement in accuracy in the lunar ephemeris, a several-orders-of-magnitude improvement in the measurement of the variations in the moon's rotation, and the verification of the principle of equivalence for massive bodies with unprecedented accuracy. Lunar laser ranging analysis has provided measurements of the Earth's precession, the moon's tidal acceleration, and lunar rotational dissipation. These scientific results, current technological developments, and prospects for the future are discussed here.

  9. Radar Remote Sensing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rosen, Paul A.

    2012-01-01

    This lecture was just a taste of radar remote sensing techniques and applications. Other important areas include Stereo radar grammetry. PolInSAR for volumetric structure mapping. Agricultural monitoring, soil moisture, ice-mapping, etc. The broad range of sensor types, frequencies of observation and availability of sensors have enabled radar sensors to make significant contributions in a wide area of earth and planetary remote sensing sciences. The range of applications, both qualitative and quantitative, continue to expand with each new generation of sensors.

  10. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pathogenicity Island PAPI-1 is transferred via a novel Type IV pilus

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major cause of nosocomial infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients or in individuals with cystic fibrosis. The notable ability of P. aeruginosa to inhabit a broad range of environments including humans is in part due to its large and diverse genomic repertoi...

  11. Curriculum Materials for Use with Grades K-12: A Bibliography of Government Documents.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keith, Diana J., Comp.

    The Government Documents Collection of the Calvin T. Ryan Library of the University of Nebraska at Kearney contains a broad range of information on a variety of topics, including curriculum guides and materials. This bibliography gathers government documents of special interest to education students, practicing teachers, and teachers of adult…

  12. Curriculum Materials for Use with Adult Groups: A Bibliography of Government Documents.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keith, Diana J., Comp.

    The Government Documents Collection of the Calvin T. Ryan Library of the University of Nebraska at Kearney contains a broad range of information on a variety of topics, including curriculum guides and materials. This bibliography gathers government documents of special interest to education students, practicing teachers, and teachers of adult…

  13. Fate and Transport of Elemental Copper (Cu0) Nanoparticles through Saturated Porous Media in the Presence of Organic Materials

    EPA Science Inventory

    Column experiments were performed to assess the fate and transport of nanoscale elemental copper (Cu0) particles in saturated quartz sands. Both effluent concentrations and retention profiles were measured over a broad range of physicochemical conditions, which included pH, ionic...

  14. Legal Issues in Higher Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Branton, Wiley A.

    1984-01-01

    Legal problems that colleges and universities might avoid are identified. Colleges are being sued over a broad range of legal issues and are expending money for legal and court fees, settlements, and judgments. Legal problems include right of admission to particular colleges, the right to stay in school, questions of faculty promotion and tenure,…

  15. Community Amenity Measurement for the Great Fly-Over Zones

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Besser, Terry L.; Miller, Nancy J.; Malik, Roshan

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to provide an alternative operationalization of amenities that does not privilege certain kinds of natural resources and climatic conditions and that can be used for assessing the quality of life in small towns. The amenity inventory presented here extends previous literature by including a broad range of amenities…

  16. 12 CFR 309.4 - Publicly available records.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... INFORMATION § 309.4 Publicly available records. (a) Records available on the FDIC's World Wide Web page—(1... on the FDIC's World Wide Web page, located at: http://www.fdic.gov. The FDIC has elected to publish a broad range of materials on its World Wide Web page, including consumer guides; financial and...

  17. Examination of the Psychometric Properties of the Measurement Skills Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vasilyeva, Marina; Ludlow, Larry H.; Casey, Beth M.; Onge, Caroline St.

    2009-01-01

    This article introduces the Measurement Skills Assessment (MeSA), which was designed to evaluate the mastery of measurement in elementary school students. The primary objectives for the MeSA include covering a broad range of measurement concepts, distinguishing between major subtypes of measurement, and constructing a continuum of items varying in…

  18. From Pedagogically Relevant Corpora to Authentic Language Learning Contents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Braun, Sabine

    2005-01-01

    The potential of corpora for language learning and teaching has been widely acknowledged and their ready availability on the Web has facilitated access for a broad range of users, including language teachers and learners. However, the integration of corpora into general language learning and teaching practice has so far been disappointing. In this…

  19. 77 FR 58397 - Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Ethics...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-20

    ... Committee to the Director (ACD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention--Ethics Subcommittee (ES) In..., regarding a broad range of public health ethics questions and issues arising from programs, scientists and practitioners. Matters To Be Discussed: Agenda items will include the following topics: Ethical considerations...

  20. Fleet DNA Brings Fleet Data to Life, Informs R&D | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    understand the broad operational range of commercial vehicles across vocations and weight classes. This commercial vehicle and equipment manufacturing realm-including Cummins, Robert Bosch, Peterbilt, Volvo, Ford Rosa, NREL 34672 The Fleet DNA clearinghouse of commercial vehicle operations data features over 11.5

  1. A Guide to Airborne, Impact, and Structure Borne Noise--Control in Multifamily Dwellings.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berendt, Raymond D.; And Others

    The control of noise on buildings is discussed extensively in this document, incorporating a broad range of criteria appropriate for isolating air borne, impact, and structure-borne noise associated with residential construction. Subject areas include--(1) noise types, sources, and transmission, (2) general principles of noise control, (3)…

  2. Stable catalyst layers for hydrogen permeable composite membranes

    DOEpatents

    Way, J. Douglas; Wolden, Colin A

    2014-01-07

    The present invention provides a hydrogen separation membrane based on nanoporous, composite metal carbide or metal sulfide coated membranes capable of high flux and permselectivity for hydrogen without platinum group metals. The present invention is capable of being operated over a broad temperature range, including at elevated temperatures, while maintaining hydrogen selectivity.

  3. The Development and Testing of an Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Instrument.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bailey, James R.; And Others

    Compulsivity and obsessiveness are vaguely defined terms which include a broad range of behaviors and cognitions that have been elusive to quantify. To introduce the 22-item Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (OCS) and to perform preliminary validation studies, 114 (46 male, 68 female) college students and 57 counseling clients completed the OCS on two…

  4. Alternanthera mosaic virus – an alternative ‘model’ potexvirus of broad relevance

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Alternanthera mosaic virus (AltMV) is a member of the genus Potexvirus which has been known for less than twenty years, but has already become widespread in many ornamental crops, and has been detected in Australasia, Europe, North and South America, and Asia. The natural host range to date includes...

  5. The Price We Pay: Economic and Social Consequences of Inadequate Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Belfield, Clive R., Ed.; Levin, Henry M., Ed.

    2007-01-01

    While the high cost of education draws headlines, the cost of not educating America's children goes largely ignored. "The Price We Pay" remedies this oversight by highlighting the private and public costs of inadequate education. In this volume, leading scholars from a broad range of fields--including economics, education, demography,…

  6. Child Find Activities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: Recent Case Law

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ennis, Robin Parks; Blanton, Kimberly; Katsiyannis, Antonis

    2017-01-01

    Since the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (IDEA's forerunner) in 1975, an important requirement has been Child Find activities. According to Shapiro and Derrington (2004), Child Find is broadly defined as the entire range of activities, including public awareness, identification, referral, eligibility determination, and…

  7. Journal of Human Services Abstracts. Volume 3, Number 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Washington, DC. Project Share.

    This index, containing 450 abstracts on human services, is published quarterly to make available a broad range of documents to those responsible for the planning, management, and delivery of human services. The entries are arranged alphabetically by title and indexed by subject matter. Each entry includes the title, order number, source, price,…

  8. National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Program Directory, 1999.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Inst. on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (ED/OSERS), Washington, DC.

    This directory lists all projects funded by the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) during the 1999 fiscal year. It includes summaries, funding data, and contact information for a broad range of programs. Programs are grouped into the following research priorities: (1) employment outcomes; (2) health and function;…

  9. Protective effects of Aloe vera-based diets in Eimeria maxima-infected broiler chickens

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Aloes have been widely used for a broad range of pharmacological activities, including parasitic problems. Avian coccidiosis is the most costly and wide-spread parasitic disease in the poultry industry, and has been mainly controlled by the use of chemotherapeutic agents. Due to the emergence of dru...

  10. Emerging research on real-time air pollution sensing with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development

    EPA Science Inventory

    Abstract: Air pollution research ranges broadly at the US EPA and includes the characterization of pollutant emissions from a wide array of sources, studying post-emission transport and transformation in the atmosphere, and evaluating the linkages between air pollution and advers...

  11. The impacts of feeding in a resistant tree on the Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) and its gut microbiota

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB; Anoplophora glabripennis) is an invasive, wood-boring beetle capable of thriving in the heartwood of a broad range of angiospermous trees. Here, it faces a number of nutritional and digestive challenges, including the presence of highly recalcitrant lignocellulose a...

  12. Consumer and Family Economics: Teacher's Instructional Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dennis, Bobbye

    This teacher's instructional guide, which is part of a family and consumer sciences education series focusing on a broad range of employment opportunities, is intended to assist teachers responsible for teaching one- and two-year consumer and family economics programs for Texas high school students. The following are among the items included: (1)…

  13. Reading Minds: Using Literary Resources in Family Therapy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burns, Liz

    A qualitative enquiry explored, with a range of family therapists and systemic practitioners, the influence they perceive to have been made on their personal and professional lives by the literary texts they have read. Noting that "literary" is broadly interpreted to include poetry, prose, drama/film, song lyrics, etc., the study's aims…

  14. Growth in Early Reading Skills from Kindergarten to Third Grade

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Speece, Deborah L.; Ritchey, Kristen D.; Cooper, David H.; Roth, Froma P.; Schatschneider, Christopher

    2004-01-01

    We examined models of individual change and correlates of change in the growth of reading skills in a sample of 40 children from kindergarten through third grade. A broad range of correlates was examined and included family literacy, oral language, emergent reading, intelligence, spelling, and demographic variables. Individual growth curve…

  15. Perceived Competence and Autonomy as Moderators of the Effects of Achievement Goal Orientations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cho, YoonJung; Weinstein, Claire Ellen; Wicker, Frank

    2011-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of two moderators--perceived competence and perceived autonomy--in the relationships of achievement goal orientations with a broad range of learning-related variables, including interest, effort, learning strategy use and academic achievement. Perceived competence and autonomy played…

  16. Education Policy Studies in South Africa, 1995-2006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deacon, Roger; Osman, Ruksana; Buchler, Michelle

    2010-01-01

    This article reports on findings pertaining to scholarship in education policy drawn from a wider study on all education research in South Africa from 1995 to 2006. This study, which defined education research as broadly pertaining to teaching and/or learning, obtained extensive data from a wide range of sources, including universities, public…

  17. A mechanically driven form of Kirigami as a route to 3D mesostructures in micro/nanomembranes

    DOE PAGES

    Zhang, Yihui; Yan, Zheng; Nan, Kewang; ...

    2015-09-08

    Assembly of 3D micro/nanostructures in advanced functional materials has important implications across broad areas of technology. Existing approaches are compatible, however, only with narrow classes of materials and/or 3D geometries. This article introduces ideas for a form of Kirigami that allows precise, mechanically driven assembly of 3D mesostructures of diverse materials from 2D micro/nanomembranes with strategically designed geometries and patterns of cuts. Theoretical and experimental studies demonstrate applicability of the methods across length scales from macro to nano, in materials ranging from monocrystalline silicon to plastic, with levels of topographical complexity that significantly exceed those that can be achieved usingmore » other approaches. A broad set of examples includes 3D silicon mesostructures and hybrid nanomembrane-nanoribbon systems, including heterogeneous combinations with polymers and metals, with critical dimensions that range from 100 nm to 30 mm. Lastly, a 3D mechanically tunable optical transmission window provides an application example of this Kirigami process, enabled by theoretically guided design.« less

  18. Methodology for comparing worldwide performance of diverse weight-constrained high energy laser systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bartell, Richard J.; Perram, Glen P.; Fiorino, Steven T.; Long, Scott N.; Houle, Marken J.; Rice, Christopher A.; Manning, Zachary P.; Bunch, Dustin W.; Krizo, Matthew J.; Gravley, Liesebet E.

    2005-06-01

    The Air Force Institute of Technology's Center for Directed Energy has developed a software model, the High Energy Laser End-to-End Operational Simulation (HELEEOS), under the sponsorship of the High Energy Laser Joint Technology Office (JTO), to facilitate worldwide comparisons across a broad range of expected engagement scenarios of expected performance of a diverse range of weight-constrained high energy laser system types. HELEEOS has been designed to meet JTO's goals of supporting a broad range of analyses applicable to the operational requirements of all the military services, constraining weapon effectiveness through accurate engineering performance assessments allowing its use as an investment strategy tool, and the establishment of trust among military leaders. HELEEOS is anchored to respected wave optics codes and all significant degradation effects, including thermal blooming and optical turbulence, are represented in the model. The model features operationally oriented performance metrics, e.g. dwell time required to achieve a prescribed probability of kill and effective range. Key features of HELEEOS include estimation of the level of uncertainty in the calculated Pk and generation of interactive nomographs to allow the user to further explore a desired parameter space. Worldwide analyses are enabled at five wavelengths via recently available databases capturing climatological, seasonal, diurnal, and geographical spatial-temporal variability in atmospheric parameters including molecular and aerosol absorption and scattering profiles and optical turbulence strength. Examples are provided of the impact of uncertainty in weight-power relationships, coupled with operating condition variability, on results of performance comparisons between chemical and solid state lasers.

  19. Three-Dimensional Multiscale, Multistable, and Geometrically Diverse Microstructures with Tunable Vibrational Dynamics Assembled by Compressive Buckling.

    PubMed

    Ning, Xin; Wang, Heling; Yu, Xinge; Soares, Julio A N T; Yan, Zheng; Nan, Kewang; Velarde, Gabriel; Xue, Yeguang; Sun, Rujie; Dong, Qiyi; Luan, Haiwen; Lee, Chan Mi; Chempakasseril, Aditya; Han, Mengdi; Wang, Yiqi; Li, Luming; Huang, Yonggang; Zhang, Yihui; Rogers, John

    2017-04-11

    Microelectromechanical systems remain an area of significant interest in fundamental and applied research due to their wide ranging applications. Most device designs, however, are largely two-dimensional and constrained to only a few simple geometries. Achieving tunable resonant frequencies or broad operational bandwidths requires complex components and/or fabrication processes. The work presented here reports unusual classes of three-dimensional (3D) micromechanical systems in the form of vibratory platforms assembled by controlled compressive buckling. Such 3D structures can be fabricated across a broad range of length scales and from various materials, including soft polymers, monocrystalline silicon, and their composites, resulting in a wide scope of achievable resonant frequencies and mechanical behaviors. Platforms designed with multistable mechanical responses and vibrationally de-coupled constituent elements offer improved bandwidth and frequency tunability. Furthermore, the resonant frequencies can be controlled through deformations of an underlying elastomeric substrate. Systematic experimental and computational studies include structures with diverse geometries, ranging from tables, cages, rings, ring-crosses, ring-disks, two-floor ribbons, flowers, umbrellas, triple-cantilever platforms, and asymmetric circular helices, to multilayer constructions. These ideas form the foundations for engineering designs that complement those supported by conventional, microelectromechanical systems, with capabilities that could be useful in systems for biosensing, energy harvesting and others.

  20. Optical thermal sensor based on cholesteric film refilled with mixture of toluene and ethanol.

    PubMed

    Li, Yong; Liu, Yanjun; Luo, Dan

    2017-10-16

    We demonstrate an optical thermal sensor based on cholesteric film refilled with mixture of toluene and ethanol. The thermal response mechanism is mainly based on the thermal expansion effect induce by toluene, where the ethanol is used for refractive index adjustment to determine the initial refection band position of cholesteric film. The ethanol-toluene mixture was used to adjust the color tunability with the temperature in relation with the habits of people (blue as cold, green as safe and red as hot). A broad temperature range of 86 °C and highly sensitivity of 1.79 nm/ °C are achieved in proposed thermal sensor, where the reflective color red-shifts from blue to red when environmental temperature increases from -6 °C to 80 °C. This battery-free thermal sensor possesses features including simple fabrication, low-cost, and broad temperature sensing range, showing potential application in scientific research and industry.

  1. Improving Graduate Education to Support a Branching Career Pipeline: Recommendations Based on a Survey of Doctoral Students in the Basic Biomedical Sciences

    PubMed Central

    Fuhrmann, C. N.; Halme, D. G.; O’Sullivan, P. S.; Lindstaedt, B.

    2011-01-01

    Today's doctoral programs continue to prepare students for a traditional academic career path despite the inadequate supply of research-focused faculty positions. We advocate for a broader doctoral curriculum that prepares trainees for a wide range of science-related career paths. In support of this argument, we describe data from our survey of doctoral students in the basic biomedical sciences at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Midway through graduate training, UCSF students are already considering a broad range of career options, with one-third intending to pursue a non–research career path. To better support this branching career pipeline, we recommend that national standards for training and mentoring include emphasis on career planning and professional skills development to ensure the success of PhD-level scientists as they contribute to a broadly defined global scientific enterprise. PMID:21885820

  2. Physical limits to biomechanical sensing in disordered fibre networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beroz, Farzan; Jawerth, Louise M.; Münster, Stefan; Weitz, David A.; Broedersz, Chase P.; Wingreen, Ned S.

    2017-07-01

    Cells actively probe and respond to the stiffness of their surroundings. Since mechanosensory cells in connective tissue are surrounded by a disordered network of biopolymers, their in vivo mechanical environment can be extremely heterogeneous. Here we investigate how this heterogeneity impacts mechanosensing by modelling the cell as an idealized local stiffness sensor inside a disordered fibre network. For all types of networks we study, including experimentally-imaged collagen and fibrin architectures, we find that measurements applied at different points yield a strikingly broad range of local stiffnesses, spanning roughly two decades. We verify via simulations and scaling arguments that this broad range of local stiffnesses is a generic property of disordered fibre networks. Finally, we show that to obtain optimal, reliable estimates of global tissue stiffness, a cell must adjust its size, shape, and position to integrate multiple stiffness measurements over extended regions of space.

  3. Improving graduate education to support a branching career pipeline: recommendations based on a survey of doctoral students in the basic biomedical sciences.

    PubMed

    Fuhrmann, C N; Halme, D G; O'Sullivan, P S; Lindstaedt, B

    2011-01-01

    Today's doctoral programs continue to prepare students for a traditional academic career path despite the inadequate supply of research-focused faculty positions. We advocate for a broader doctoral curriculum that prepares trainees for a wide range of science-related career paths. In support of this argument, we describe data from our survey of doctoral students in the basic biomedical sciences at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Midway through graduate training, UCSF students are already considering a broad range of career options, with one-third intending to pursue a non-research career path. To better support this branching career pipeline, we recommend that national standards for training and mentoring include emphasis on career planning and professional skills development to ensure the success of PhD-level scientists as they contribute to a broadly defined global scientific enterprise.

  4. Challenges and Opportunities in Interdisciplinary Materials Research Experiences for Undergraduates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vohra, Yogesh; Nordlund, Thomas

    2009-03-01

    The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) offer a broad range of interdisciplinary materials research experiences to undergraduate students with diverse backgrounds in physics, chemistry, applied mathematics, and engineering. The research projects offered cover a broad range of topics including high pressure physics, microelectronic materials, nano-materials, laser materials, bioceramics and biopolymers, cell-biomaterials interactions, planetary materials, and computer simulation of materials. The students welcome the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team of basic science, engineering, and biomedical faculty but the challenge is in learning the key vocabulary for interdisciplinary collaborations, experimental tools, and working in an independent capacity. The career development workshops dealing with the graduate school application process and the entrepreneurial business activities were found to be most effective. The interdisciplinary university wide poster session helped student broaden their horizons in research careers. The synergy of the REU program with other concurrently running high school summer programs on UAB campus will also be discussed.

  5. Selection of oleaginous yeasts for fatty acid production.

    PubMed

    Lamers, Dennis; van Biezen, Nick; Martens, Dirk; Peters, Linda; van de Zilver, Eric; Jacobs-van Dreumel, Nicole; Wijffels, René H; Lokman, Christien

    2016-05-27

    Oleaginous yeast species are an alternative for the production of lipids or triacylglycerides (TAGs). These yeasts are usually non-pathogenic and able to store TAGs ranging from 20 % to 70 % of their cell mass depending on culture conditions. TAGs originating from oleaginous yeasts can be used as the so-called second generation biofuels, which are based on non-food competing "waste carbon sources". In this study the selection of potentially new interesting oleaginous yeast strains is described. Important selection criteria were: a broad maximum temperature and pH range for growth (robustness of the strain), a broad spectrum of carbon sources that can be metabolized (preferably including C-5 sugars), a high total fatty acid content in combination with a low glycogen content and genetic accessibility. Based on these selection criteria, among 24 screened species, Schwanniomyces occidentalis (Debaromyces occidentalis) CBS2864 was selected as a promising strain for the production of high amounts of lipids.

  6. Management and Research Applications of Long-range Surveillance Radar Data for Birds, Bats, and Flying Insects

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ruth, Janet M.; Buler, Jeffrey J.; Diehl, Robert H.; Sojda, Richard S.

    2008-01-01

    There is renewed interest in using long-range surveillance radar as a biological research tool due to substantial improvements in the network of radars within the United States. Technical improvements, the digital nature of the radar data, and the availability of computing power and geographic information systems, enable a broad range of biological applications. This publication provides a summary of long-range surveillance radar technology and applications of these data to questions about movement patterns of birds and other flying wildlife. The intended audience is potential radar-data end users, including natural-resource management and regulatory agencies, conservation organizations, and industry. This summary includes a definition of long-range surveillance radar, descriptions of its strengths and weaknesses, information on applications of the data, cost, methods of calibration, and what end users need to do, and some key references and resources.

  7. Broad Surveys of DNA Viral Diversity Obtained through Viral Metagenomics of Mosquitoes

    PubMed Central

    Ng, Terry Fei Fan; Willner, Dana L.; Lim, Yan Wei; Schmieder, Robert; Chau, Betty; Nilsson, Christina; Anthony, Simon; Ruan, Yijun; Rohwer, Forest; Breitbart, Mya

    2011-01-01

    Viruses are the most abundant and diverse genetic entities on Earth; however, broad surveys of viral diversity are hindered by the lack of a universal assay for viruses and the inability to sample a sufficient number of individual hosts. This study utilized vector-enabled metagenomics (VEM) to provide a snapshot of the diversity of DNA viruses present in three mosquito samples from San Diego, California. The majority of the sequences were novel, suggesting that the viral community in mosquitoes, as well as the animal and plant hosts they feed on, is highly diverse and largely uncharacterized. Each mosquito sample contained a distinct viral community. The mosquito viromes contained sequences related to a broad range of animal, plant, insect and bacterial viruses. Animal viruses identified included anelloviruses, circoviruses, herpesviruses, poxviruses, and papillomaviruses, which mosquitoes may have obtained from vertebrate hosts during blood feeding. Notably, sequences related to human papillomaviruses were identified in one of the mosquito samples. Sequences similar to plant viruses were identified in all mosquito viromes, which were potentially acquired through feeding on plant nectar. Numerous bacteriophages and insect viruses were also detected, including a novel densovirus likely infecting Culex erythrothorax. Through sampling insect vectors, VEM enables broad survey of viral diversity and has significantly increased our knowledge of the DNA viruses present in mosquitoes. PMID:21674005

  8. Tobacco control and trade policy: proactive strategies for integrating policy norms.

    PubMed

    Drope, Jeffrey; Lencucha, Raphael

    2013-01-01

    Palpable tension continues at the intersection of tobacco control and trade policy. Through consideration of four major tobacco control-related trade disputes, we suggest how to empower public health proponents in the face of entrenched economic policymaking norms. We argue that a more effective pro-tobacco control message should: (a) seek to be broadly consistent with core principles of the world trading system, (b) boldly assert countries' international commitments to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, (c) marshal deep scientific evidence, and (d) come from a broad range of actors, including from low- and middle-income countries as well as from other trade policy community members.

  9. Diversity and dialogue in immunity to helminths.

    PubMed

    Allen, Judith E; Maizels, Rick M

    2011-06-01

    The vertebrate immune system has evolved in concert with a broad range of infectious agents, including ubiquitous helminth (worm) parasites. The constant pressure of helminth infections has been a powerful force in shaping not only how immunity is initiated and maintained, but also how the body self-regulates and controls untoward immune responses to minimize overall harm. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in defining the immune cell types and molecules that are mobilized in response to helminth infection. Finally, we more broadly consider how these immunological players are blended and regulated in order to accommodate persistent infection or to mount a vigorous protective response and achieve sterile immunity.

  10. An adhesin from hydrogen-utilizing rumen methanogen Methanobrevibacter ruminantium M1 binds a broad range of hydrogen-producing microorganisms.

    PubMed

    Ng, Filomena; Kittelmann, Sandra; Patchett, Mark L; Attwood, Graeme T; Janssen, Peter H; Rakonjac, Jasna; Gagic, Dragana

    2016-09-01

    Symbiotic associations are ubiquitous in the microbial world and have a major role in shaping the evolution of both partners. One of the most interesting mutualistic relationships exists between protozoa and methanogenic archaea in the fermentative forestomach (rumen) of ruminant animals. Methanogens reside within and on the surface of protozoa as symbionts, and interspecies hydrogen transfer is speculated to be the main driver for physical associations observed between the two groups. In silico analyses of several rumen methanogen genomes have previously shown that up to 5% of genes encode adhesin-like proteins, which may be central to rumen interspecies attachment. We hypothesized that adhesin-like proteins on methanogen cell surfaces facilitate attachment to protozoal hosts. Using phage display technology, we have identified a protein (Mru_1499) from Methanobrevibacter ruminantium M1 as an adhesin that binds to a broad range of rumen protozoa (including the genera Epidinium and Entodinium). This unique adhesin also binds the cell surface of the bacterium Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus, suggesting a broad adhesion spectrum for this protein. © 2015 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Natural Resources at Kennedy Space Center

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Phillips, Lynne

    2015-01-01

    Informative presentation on the purpose and need for an Ecological Program at the Kennedy Space Center. Includes the federal laws mandating the program followed by a description of many of the long term monitoring projects. Projects include wildlife surveying by observation as well as interactive surveys to collect basic animal data for analysis of trends in habitat use and ecosystem health. The program is designed for a broad range in audience from elementary to college level.

  12. Intimate partner violence, technology, and stalking.

    PubMed

    Southworth, Cynthia; Finn, Jerry; Dawson, Shawndell; Fraser, Cynthia; Tucker, Sarah

    2007-08-01

    This research note describes the use of a broad range of technologies in intimate partner stalking, including cordless and cellular telephones, fax machines, e-mail, Internet-based harassment, global positioning systems, spy ware, video cameras, and online databases. The concept of "stalking with technology" is reviewed, and the need for an expanded definition of cyberstalking is presented. Legal issues and advocacy-centered responses, including training, legal remedies, public policy issues, and technology industry practices, are discussed.

  13. Sharing the Wonder of Gravitational Waves

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Key, Joey Shapiro; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

    2017-01-01

    To share as widely as possible the excitement of the new discovery of gravitational waves, scientists in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) and Virgo Collaboration prepared communication tools for a worldwide and diverse audience. This work included resources for traditional and social media outlets, preparing to engage at a wide range of levels and interests. The response to the LIGO discovery announcement indicated that the public is eager to engage with frontier physics. The LSC and Virgo outreach efforts hold lessons for broad STEM outreach including examples of citizen science initiatives and art +science collaboration as a way to inspire and engage a wide range of audiences.

  14. Fresh broad (Vicia faba) tissue homogenate-based biosensor for determination of phenolic compounds.

    PubMed

    Ozcan, Hakki Mevlut; Sagiroglu, Ayten

    2014-08-01

    In this study, a novel fresh broad (Vicia faba) tissue homogenate-based biosensor for determination of phenolic compounds was developed. The biosensor was constructed by immobilizing tissue homogenate of fresh broad (Vicia faba) on to glassy carbon electrode. For the stability of the biosensor, general immobilization techniques were used to secure the fresh broad tissue homogenate in gelatin-glutaraldehyde cross-linking matrix. In the optimization and characterization studies, the amount of fresh broad tissue homogenate and gelatin, glutaraldehyde percentage, optimum pH, optimum temperature and optimum buffer concentration, thermal stability, interference effects, linear range, storage stability, repeatability and sample applications (Wine, beer, fruit juices) were also investigated. Besides, the detection ranges of thirteen phenolic compounds were obtained with the help of the calibration graphs. A typical calibration curve for the sensor revealed a linear range of 5-60 μM catechol. In reproducibility studies, variation coefficient (CV) and standard deviation (SD) were calculated as 1.59%, 0.64×10(-3) μM, respectively.

  15. X-ray and Ultraviolet Properties of AGNs in Nearby Dwarf Galaxies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baldassare, Vivienne F.; Reines, Amy E.; Gallo, Elena; Greene, Jenny E.

    2017-02-01

    We present new Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope observations of eight optically selected broad-line active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidates in nearby dwarf galaxies (z < 0.055). Including archival Chandra observations of three additional sources, our sample contains all 10 galaxies from Reines et al. (2013) with both broad Hα emission and narrow-line AGN ratios (six AGNs, four composites), as well as one low-metallicity dwarf galaxy with broad Hα and narrow-line ratios characteristic of star formation. All 11 galaxies are detected in X-rays. Nuclear X-ray luminosities range from L 0.5-7keV ≈ 5 × 1039 to 1 × 1042 ergs-1. In all cases except for the star-forming galaxy, the nuclear X-ray luminosities are significantly higher than would be expected from X-ray binaries, providing strong confirmation that AGNs and composite dwarf galaxies do indeed host actively accreting black holes (BHs). Using our estimated BH masses (which range from ˜7 × 104 to 1 × 106 M ⊙), we find inferred Eddington fractions ranging from ˜0.1% to 50%, I.e., comparable to massive broad-line quasars at higher redshift. We use the HST imaging to determine the ratio of UV to X-ray emission for these AGNs, finding that they appear to be less X-ray luminous with respect to their UV emission than more massive quasars (I.e., α OX values an average of 0.36 lower than expected based on the relation between α OX and 2500 Å luminosity). Finally, we discuss our results in the context of different accretion models onto nuclear BHs.

  16. X-Ray and Ultraviolet Properties of AGNs in Nearby Dwarf Galaxies

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

    Baldassare, Vivienne F.; Gallo, Elena; Reines, Amy E.

    2017-02-10

    We present new Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope observations of eight optically selected broad-line active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidates in nearby dwarf galaxies ( z < 0.055). Including archival Chandra observations of three additional sources, our sample contains all 10 galaxies from Reines et al. (2013) with both broad H α emission and narrow-line AGN ratios (six AGNs, four composites), as well as one low-metallicity dwarf galaxy with broad H α and narrow-line ratios characteristic of star formation. All 11 galaxies are detected in X-rays. Nuclear X-ray luminosities range from L {sub 0.5–7keV} ≈ 5 × 10{sup 39}more » to 1 × 10{sup 42} ergs{sup −1}. In all cases except for the star-forming galaxy, the nuclear X-ray luminosities are significantly higher than would be expected from X-ray binaries, providing strong confirmation that AGNs and composite dwarf galaxies do indeed host actively accreting black holes (BHs). Using our estimated BH masses (which range from ∼7 × 10{sup 4} to 1 × 10{sup 6} M {sub ⊙}), we find inferred Eddington fractions ranging from ∼0.1% to 50%, i.e., comparable to massive broad-line quasars at higher redshift. We use the HST imaging to determine the ratio of UV to X-ray emission for these AGNs, finding that they appear to be less X-ray luminous with respect to their UV emission than more massive quasars (i.e., α {sub OX} values an average of 0.36 lower than expected based on the relation between α {sub OX} and 2500 Å luminosity). Finally, we discuss our results in the context of different accretion models onto nuclear BHs.« less

  17. Tertiary climates and floristic relationships at high latitudes in the northern hemisphere

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wolfe, J.A.

    1980-01-01

    During the Paleocene and Eocene, climates were characterized by a low mean annual range of temperature (a maximum of 10-15??C), a moderate to high mean annual temperature (10-20??C), and abundant precipitation; strong broad-leaved evergreen vegetation extended to almost lat. 60??N during the Paleocene and to well above 61??N during the Eocene. Poleward of the broad-leaved evergreen forests were forests that were broad-leaved deciduous; these deciduous forests, however, were unlike extant broad-leaved deciduous forests in general floristic composition and physiognomy. Coniferous forests probably occupied the northernmost latitudes. At the end of the Eocene, a major climatic deterioration resulted in a high (> 30??C) mean annual range of temperature and a low mean annual temperature (< 10??C). Vegetation represented temperate broad-leaved deciduous and coniferous forests. The Oligocene and Neogene climatic trends represent a decrease in both mean annual range of temperature and mean annual temperature. Tundra vegetation did not appear until late in the Neogene. The present distribution of broad-leaved evergreens concomitant with the principles of plant physiology indicates that present winter light conditions at high latitudes could not support broad-leaved evergreen forest. A possible solution to the problem is to increase winter light by lessening the inclination of the earth's rotational axis. ?? 1980.

  18. Broad-Range 16S rDNA PCR on Heart Valves in Infective Endocarditis.

    PubMed

    Müller Premru, Manica; Lejko Zupanc, Tatjana; Klokočovnik, Tomislav; Ruzić Sabljić, Eva; Cerar, Tjaša

    2016-03-01

    Infective endocarditis (IE) is diagnosed by blood and/or resected valve cultivation and echocardiographic findings, as defined by the Duke criteria. Unfortunately, cultures may be negative due to prior antibiotic therapy or fastidious or slow-growing microorganisms. The study aim was to investigate the value of the broad-range polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in addition to blood and valve culture for the detection of causative microorganisms. Between February 2012 and March 2015, valve samples from 36 patients undergoing cardiac surgery were analyzed; of these patients, 26 had a preoperative diagnosis of IE and 10 served as controls. Multiple blood cultures were obtained from 34 patients before antibiotic therapy was commenced. Valve samples were inoculated on bacteriological media and underwent analysis using broad-range PCR (16S rDNA). IE was confirmed microbiologically in 21 of the 26 patients (80.7%); in 20 cases (76.9%) this was by positive blood cultures and in 16 (61.5%) by positive valves. Valves were positive in 15 blood culturepositive patients, and in one blood-culture negative patient. Broad-range PCR detected a microorganism in valves significantly more frequently (n = 14; 53.8%) compared to valve culture (n = 8; 30.7%) (chisquare 11.5, p <0.001). The predominant microorganisms were Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus of the viridans group, coagulasenegative staphylococci and Enterococcus faecalis. Blood, valve cultures and broad-range PCR were negative in five patients (19.3%) with IE, and in all 10 subjects of the control group. Broad-range PCR on valves was more sensitive than valve culture. However, blood culture, if taken before the start of antibiotic therapy, was the best method for detecting IE.

  19. Discovery of a Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Compound That Inhibits Pyrimidine Biosynthesis and Establishes a Type 1 Interferon-Independent Antiviral State

    PubMed Central

    Adcock, Robert S.; Schroeder, Chad E.; Chu, Yong-Kyu; Sotsky, Julie B.; Cramer, Daniel E.; Chilton, Paula M.; Song, Chisu; Anantpadma, Manu; Davey, Robert A.; Prodhan, Aminul I.; Yin, Xinmin; Zhang, Xiang

    2016-01-01

    Viral emergence and reemergence underscore the importance of developing efficacious, broad-spectrum antivirals. Here, we report the discovery of tetrahydrobenzothiazole-based compound 1, a novel, broad-spectrum antiviral lead that was optimized from a hit compound derived from a cytopathic effect (CPE)-based antiviral screen using Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. Compound 1 showed antiviral activity against a broad range of RNA viruses, including alphaviruses, flaviviruses, influenza virus, and ebolavirus. Mechanism-of-action studies with metabolomics and molecular approaches revealed that the compound inhibits host pyrimidine synthesis and establishes an antiviral state by inducing a variety of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Notably, the induction of the ISGs by compound 1 was independent of the production of type 1 interferons. The antiviral activity of compound 1 was cell type dependent with a robust effect observed in human cell lines and no observed antiviral effect in mouse cell lines. Herein, we disclose tetrahydrobenzothiazole compound 1 as a novel lead for the development of a broad-spectrum, antiviral therapeutic and as a molecular probe to study the mechanism of the induction of ISGs that are independent of type 1 interferons. PMID:27185801

  20. The Still Divided Academy: How Competing Visions of Power, Politics, and Diversity Complicate the Mission of Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rothman, Stanley; Kelly-Woessner, April; Woessner, Matthew

    2011-01-01

    "The Still Divided Academy" is a wonderful examination of the academic community that shows their inner workings by addressing a broad range of issues including: academic politics, tenure, perceived and real political imbalance, academic freedom, and diversity. Administrators, professors, and students have very different priorities, values, and…

  1. Using FIA data in the Forest Vegetation Simulator

    Treesearch

    John D. Shaw

    2009-01-01

    The Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) is a national system of forest growth models maintained by the USDA Forest Service. It is the official tool for stand growth projection on National Forest lands, but it is also used widely on other ownerships. Model extensions and post-processors permit FVS users to perform a broad range of functions, including silvicultural...

  2. Making Algebra Come Alive: Student Activities & Teacher Notes. Math Assessment Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Posamentier, Alfred S.

    This book contains a set of versatile enrichment exercises that cover a very broad range of mathematical topics and applications in algebra from the Moebius strip to the googol. Several criteria have been used in developing the activities and selecting the topics that are included. All of them bear heavily and equally on concerns for curriculum…

  3. Calcium silicate insulation structure

    DOEpatents

    Kollie, Thomas G.; Lauf, Robert J.

    1995-01-01

    An insulative structure including a powder-filled evacuated casing utilizes a quantity of finely divided synthetic calcium silicate having a relatively high surface area. The resultant structure-provides superior thermal insulating characteristics over a broad temperature range and is particularly well-suited as a panel for a refrigerator or freezer or the insulative barrier for a cooler or a insulated bottle.

  4. A Comparative Study of Location-sharing Privacy Preferences in the U.S. and China

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-01-01

    Key words: Location Sharing, Cross- cultural Comparison, Location Privacy 3 ABSTRACT...1 By “ cultural factors”, we mean to refer to a broad range of considerations, including beliefs, moral values...different in the U.S. and China. We acknowledge that fully understanding how culture influences location privacy will require a long-term

  5. Time Course of Attention and Decision Making during a Volleyball Set

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sibley, Benjamin A.; Etnier, Jennifer L.

    2004-01-01

    Attention is a term that has been used to describe a broad range of topics in the sport and exercise literature (Nougier, Stein, & Bonnel, 1991). Research focusing on attention has included studies on selectivity, concentration, mental set, visual search, arousal, and information processing (Abernethy, 2001), and a variety of techniques (e.g.,…

  6. "Caught Up in Our Own Myth": The Birth and Death of Dayton Women Working.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sealander, Judith

    The history of Dayton Women Working (DWW) illustrates both the achievements and failures of contemporary feminist organization. Established in 1975 to address the problems of low wages, sex discrimination, and unfair working conditions facing women in Dayton (Ohio), DWW focused on a broad range of activities including publishing a quarterly…

  7. Biogeographic, cultural, and historical setting of the Northern Rocky Mountains [Chapter 2

    Treesearch

    S. Karen Dante-Wood

    2018-01-01

    The Northern Rockies Adaptation Partnership (NRAP) includes diverse landscapes, ranging from high mountains to grasslands, from alpine glaciers to broad rivers (fig. 1.1). This region, once inhabited solely by Native Americans, has been altered by two centuries of settlement by Euro- Americans through extractive practices such as timber harvest, grazing, and mining,...

  8. Wildlife and vegetation of unmanaged Douglas-Fir forests.

    Treesearch

    Leonard F. Ruggiero; Keith B. Aubry; Andrew B. Carey; Mark H. Huff

    1991-01-01

    Old-growth Douglas-fir forests in the Pacific Northwest—and their most celebrated inhabitant, the northern spotted owl—have engendered an acrimonious controversy that has been raging for over a decade. Should ancient forests be protected for their aesthetic appeal and because they provide a broad range of ecological values, including the most amenable...

  9. Development of synthetic chromosomes and improved microbial strains to utilize cellulosic feedstocks and express valuable coproducts for sustainable production of biofuels from corn

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A sustainable biorefinery must convert a broad range of renewable feedstocks into a variety of product streams, including fuels, power, and value-added bioproducts. To accomplish this, microbial-based technologies that enable new commercially viable coproducts from corn-to-ethanol biofuel fermentati...

  10. Using Video to Examine Formative Assessment Practices as Measures of Expertise for Mathematics and Science Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gotwals, Amelia Wenk; Philhower, Joanne; Cisterna, Dante; Bennett, Steven

    2015-01-01

    Formative assessment practices, including eliciting a broad range of student ideas, noticing the nuances in students' ideas, using these ideas to guide instruction, and promoting student self-regulation of learning are key components of expert teaching. Given the inherent dialogical nature of formative assessment in the classroom, video can…

  11. MillionTreesNYC, green infrastructure and urban ecology symposium March 5-6, 2010

    Treesearch

    Erika S. Svendsen; Jacqueline W.T. Lu

    2010-01-01

    On March 5-6, 2010, over two hundred researchers and practitioners came together at The New School to showcase scientific innovation in the field of urban forestry and greening. The MillionTreesNYC, Green Infrastructure and Urban Ecology Research Symposium engaged professionals from a broad range of disciplines including sociology, planning,...

  12. Who Is Conducting Educational Research in Australia and How Can Their Work Be Supported?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Dawn; Smith, Erica; Bennett, Sue; Chan, Philip; Bobis, Janette; Harrison, Neil; Seddon, Terri; Shore, Sue

    2013-01-01

    Educational research has long been the subject of lively and agitated debate, not least because of its diversity. Ranging in scope from academic development and broad-scale policy research through to student engagement and discipline-specific research, it includes methods of traditional academic inquiry and investigations and also less traditional…

  13. The United States mobile satellite service

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kiesling, J. D.

    1986-09-01

    The proposed U.S. mobile satellite service provides services to America's nonurban land mass where terrestrial mobile systems find little application. Based on state of the art satellite technology, and use of omnidirectional, steered, and fixed antennas, a broad range of services at affordable prices will be available, including land mobile, service to intra coastal waterways, and aviation.

  14. Semantic Fluency in Aphasia: Clustering and Switching in the Course of 1 Minute

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bose, Arpita; Wood, Rosalind; Kiran, Swathi

    2017-01-01

    Background: Verbal fluency tasks are included in a broad range of aphasia assessments. It is well documented that people with aphasia (PWA) produce fewer items in these tasks. Successful performance on verbal fluency relies on the integrity of both linguistic and executive control abilities. It remains unclear if limited output in aphasia is…

  15. Vapor Pressure Data Analysis and Statistics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-12-01

    sublimation for solids), volatility, and entropy of volatilization. Vapor pressure can be reported several different ways, including tables of experimental ...account the variation in heat of vaporization with temperature, and accurately describes data over broad experimental ranges, thereby enabling...pressure is incorrect at temperatures far below the experimental temperature limit; the calculated vapor pressure becomes undefined when the

  16. Behavioral Self-Monitoring of Safety and Productivity in the Workplace: A Methodological Primer and Quantitative Literature Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olson, Ryan; Winchester, Jamey

    2008-01-01

    Workplace applications of behavioral self-monitoring (BSM) methods have been studied periodically for over 35 years, yet the literature has never been systematically reviewed. Recent occupational safety interventions including BSM resulted in relatively large behavior changes. Moreover, BSM methods are functional for addressing a broad range of…

  17. Fall armyworm migration across the Lesser Antilles and the potential for genetic exchanges between North and South American populations

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith)(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an important agricultural pest of the Western Hemisphere noted for its broad host range, long distance flight capabilities, and a propensity to develop resistance to pesticides that includes a subset of those used in ...

  18. Agents of Change; A Close Look at the Peace Corps.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hapgood, David; Bennett, Meridan

    A critical evaluation of the Peace Corps covers a broad range of ideas and events, including the consequences of United States intervention in the affairs of others, the theory and practice of teaching in other cultures, the difficulties of food production and nutrition, and the problems of birth control and public health. There is also a…

  19. Multiple Pathways to College: A Secondary Analysis of the 2004 College Applicant Survey. ACAATO Document

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colleges Ontario, 2005

    2005-01-01

    The 2004 College Applicant Survey (CAS) describes the college-bound applicant pool by covering a broad range of areas including key demographics, factors influencing college selection, academic background and financial preparedness. It is the most comprehensive and the richest source of survey data to date on applicants to the Ontario Colleges of…

  20. Panda-Monium at the Library: 1995 Arizona Reading Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arizona State Dept. of Library, Archives and Public Records, Phoenix.

    Panda bears are the theme of this guide which includes many reading-related activities, crafts, and programs on a broad range of topics, and which can be expanded to other theme approaches such as endangered species, bears in general, and the concept of black and white. The program begins with a general definition and discussion of goals,…

  1. Cereal Box Design: An Interdisciplinary Graphics Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fitzgerald, Mike; Tsosie, Teri

    2012-01-01

    The cereal box design activity is intriguing both for its simplicity and the resourcefulness that it can generate in young people. Also, it lends itself to a variety of curriculums. It covers both consumerism and Design for the Environment (DfE) concepts broadly and in depth. The activity introduces a wide range of topics. They include graphic…

  2. ASSESSING LANDSCAPE CHANGE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES TO ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES AT REGIONAL SCALES A CASE STUDY FROM THE UNITED STATES MID-ATLANTIC REGION

    EPA Science Inventory

    There is a growing concern about broad-scale changes in landscape features and the consequences of changes on a range of ecological goods and services, including goods and services related to human health and natural systems. The US Environmental Protection Agency has developed a...

  3. An opportunistic Pantoea sp. isolated from a cotton fleahopper that is capable of causing cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) bud rot

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Pantoea ananatis (Serano) representatives are known to have a broad host range including both humans and plants. The cotton fleahopper (Pseudatomoscelis seriatus, Reuter) is a significant pest that causes cotton bud damage that may result in significant yield losses. In this study, cotton fleahopp...

  4. E-Learning for SMEs: Competition and Dimensions of Perceived Value

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roffe, Ian

    2004-01-01

    E-learning is such an attractive opportunity for training providers to reconfigure delivery and support that it presents compelling reasons to engage with the practice. A broad range of provision is therefore available for every type of market segment, including small firms. Sustaining a competitive advantage from a host of offers is a practical…

  5. Righting Your Future: LRE Lesson Plans for Today and Tomorrow.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    CRADLE: Center for Research and Development in Law-Related Education, Winston-Salem, NC.

    A compilation of more than 50 lesson plans on law related education, these materials were written by middle school and high school teachers from around the United States. The lessons cover a broad range of topics including "DNA Fingerprints and the Constitutional Right to Privacy"; "Censorship and Book Banning in Public Schools"; "The Death…

  6. Draft Genome Assembly of a Wolbachia Endosymbiont of Plutella australiana

    PubMed Central

    Ward, Christopher M.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Wolbachia spp. are endosymbiotic bacteria that infect around 50% of arthropods and cause a broad range of effects, including manipulating host reproduction. Here, we present the annotated draft genome assembly of Wolbachia strain wAus, which infects Plutella australiana, a cryptic ally of the major Brassica pest Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth). PMID:29074653

  7. Draft Genome Assembly of a Wolbachia Endosymbiont of Plutella australiana.

    PubMed

    Ward, Christopher M; Baxter, Simon W

    2017-10-26

    Wolbachia spp. are endosymbiotic bacteria that infect around 50% of arthropods and cause a broad range of effects, including manipulating host reproduction. Here, we present the annotated draft genome assembly of Wolbachia strain wAus, which infects Plutella australiana , a cryptic ally of the major Brassica pest Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth). Copyright © 2017 Ward and Baxter.

  8. Contemporary Business Administration Curricula

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gleason, James R.

    2006-01-01

    The National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) career clusters initiative was designed to research and foster development of curicula and assessments for each of 16 broad occupational groupings known as career clusters. These clusters encompass a broad range of careers, ranging from agriculture to…

  9. Direct-acting antivirals and host-targeting strategies to combat enterovirus infections.

    PubMed

    Bauer, Lisa; Lyoo, Heyrhyoung; van der Schaar, Hilde M; Strating, Jeroen Rpm; van Kuppeveld, Frank Jm

    2017-06-01

    Enteroviruses (e.g., poliovirus, enterovirus-A71, coxsackievirus, enterovirus-D68, rhinovirus) include many human pathogens causative of various mild and more severe diseases, especially in young children. Unfortunately, antiviral drugs to treat enterovirus infections have not been approved yet. Over the past decades, several direct-acting inhibitors have been developed, including capsid binders, which block virus entry, and inhibitors of viral enzymes required for genome replication. Capsid binders and protease inhibitors have been clinically evaluated, but failed due to limited efficacy or toxicity issues. As an alternative approach, host-targeting inhibitors with potential broad-spectrum activity have been identified. Furthermore, drug repurposing screens have recently uncovered promising new inhibitors with disparate viral and host targets. Together, these findings raise hope for the development of (broad-range) anti-enteroviral drugs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Exploring the effectiveness of engagement in a broad range of disciplinary practices on learning of Turkish high-school chemistry students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seda Cetin, Pinar; Eymur, Guluzar; Southerland, Sherry A.; Walker, Joi; Whittington, Kirby

    2018-03-01

    This study examines the influence of laboratory instruction that engages students in a wide range of the practices of science on Turkish high-school students' chemistry learning. In this mixed methods study, student learning in two different laboratory settings was compared, one that featured an instruction that engaged students in a wide range of disciplinary practices (through Argument-driven Inquiry - ADI) and similar laboratories in which a more traditional Structured Inquiry (SI) approach was employed. The data sources included a Chemistry Concept test, an Argumentative Writing Assessment, and Semi-structured interviews. After seven weeks of chemistry instruction, students experiencing ADI instruction scored higher on the Chemistry Concept test and the Argumentative Writing Assessment than students experiencing SI instruction. Furthermore, girls who experienced ADI instruction scored higher on the assessments than their majority peers in the same class. The results suggest that Turkish students can substantially improve their chemistry proficiency if they have an opportunity to engage in instruction featuring a broad array of the practices of science.

  11. Dynamic stiffness of chemically and physically ageing rubber vibration isolators in the audible frequency range. Part 1: constitutive equations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kari, Leif

    2017-09-01

    The constitutive equations of chemically and physically ageing rubber in the audible frequency range are modelled as a function of ageing temperature, ageing time, actual temperature, time and frequency. The constitutive equations are derived by assuming nearly incompressible material with elastic spherical response and viscoelastic deviatoric response, using Mittag-Leffler relaxation function of fractional derivative type, the main advantage being the minimum material parameters needed to successfully fit experimental data over a broad frequency range. The material is furthermore assumed essentially entropic and thermo-mechanically simple while using a modified William-Landel-Ferry shift function to take into account temperature dependence and physical ageing, with fractional free volume evolution modelled by a nonlinear, fractional differential equation with relaxation time identical to that of the stress response and related to the fractional free volume by Doolittle equation. Physical ageing is a reversible ageing process, including trapping and freeing of polymer chain ends, polymer chain reorganizations and free volume changes. In contrast, chemical ageing is an irreversible process, mainly attributed to oxygen reaction with polymer network either damaging the network by scission or reformation of new polymer links. The chemical ageing is modelled by inner variables that are determined by inner fractional evolution equations. Finally, the model parameters are fitted to measurements results of natural rubber over a broad audible frequency range, and various parameter studies are performed including comparison with results obtained by ordinary, non-fractional ageing evolution differential equations.

  12. Measuring Advance Care Planning: Optimizing the Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey.

    PubMed

    Sudore, Rebecca L; Heyland, Daren K; Barnes, Deborah E; Howard, Michelle; Fassbender, Konrad; Robinson, Carole A; Boscardin, John; You, John J

    2017-04-01

    A validated 82-item Advance Care Planning (ACP) Engagement Survey measures a broad range of behaviors. However, concise surveys are needed. The objective of this study was to validate shorter versions of the survey. The survey included 57 process (e.g., readiness) and 25 action items (e.g., discussions). For item reduction, we systematically eliminated questions based on face validity, item nonresponse, redundancy, ceiling effects, and factor analysis. We assessed internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and construct validity with cross-sectional correlations and the ability of the progressively shorter survey versions to detect change one week after exposure to an ACP intervention (Pearson correlation coefficients). Five hundred one participants (four Canadian and three US sites) were included in item reduction (mean age 69 years [±10], 41% nonwhite). Because of high correlations between readiness and action items, all action items were removed. Because of high correlations and ceiling effects, two process items were removed. Successive factor analysis then created 55-, 34-, 15-, nine-, and four-item versions; 664 participants (from three US ACP clinical trials) were included in validity analysis (age 65 years [±8], 72% nonwhite, 34% Spanish speaking). Cronbach's alphas were high for all versions (four items 0.84-55 items 0.97). Compared with the original survey, cross-sectional correlations were high (four items 0.85; 55 items 0.97) as were delta correlations (four items 0.68; 55 items 0.93). Shorter versions of the ACP Engagement Survey are valid, internally consistent, and able to detect change across a broad range of ACP behaviors for English and Spanish speakers. Shorter ACP surveys can efficiently measure broad ACP behaviors in research and clinical settings. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Length and Dimensional Measurements at NIST

    PubMed Central

    Swyt, Dennis A.

    2001-01-01

    This paper discusses the past, present, and future of length and dimensional measurements at NIST. It covers the evolution of the SI unit of length through its three definitions and the evolution of NBS-NIST dimensional measurement from early linescales and gage blocks to a future of atom-based dimensional standards. Current capabilities include dimensional measurements over a range of fourteen orders of magnitude. Uncertainties of measurements on different types of material artifacts range down to 7×10−8 m at 1 m and 8 picometers (pm) at 300 pm. Current work deals with a broad range of areas of dimensional metrology. These include: large-scale coordinate systems; complex form; microform; surface finish; two-dimensional grids; optical, scanning-electron, atomic-force, and scanning-tunneling microscopies; atomic-scale displacement; and atom-based artifacts. PMID:27500015

  14. The Joint NASA/Goddard-University of Maryland Research Program in Charged Particle and High Energy Photon Detector Technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1988-01-01

    Having recognized at an early stage the critical importance of maintaining detector capabilities which utilize state of the art techniques, a joint program was formulated. This program has involved coordination of a broad range of efforts and activities including joint experiments, collaboration in theoretical studies, instrument design, calibrations, and data analysis. Summaries of the progress made to date are presented. A representative bibliography is also included.

  15. Home range, social behavior, and dominance relationships in the African unstriped ground squirrel, Xerus rutilus

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    O'Shea, Thomas J.

    1976-01-01

    A field study of home range, social behavior, and dominance relationships in the African unstriped ground squirrel, Xerus rutilus, was conducted in semi-arid bushland near Kibwezi, Kenya. Ground squirrels lived alone or in small groups in isolated burrow systems and had broadly overlapping home ranges. They were neither territorial or colonial. Home ranges were estimated by visual observation of marked animals and those of males were considerably larger (mean=7.01 hectares (ha); n=4) than those of females (mean=1.37 ha; n-6). A continuum of agonistic behavior ranging from threat to combat is described, although actual combat was rarely observed. Sexual behavior includes a stereotypical tail display by adult males. Dominance relationships, based on 542 observed encounters between marked individuals, include a consistent male dominance over females and a fairly constant linear hierarchy among all individuals with shared home ranges. Similarities in the behavior of African ground squirrels and tree squirrels (Sciurus) are discussed.

  16. Parallel evaluation of broad virus detection methods.

    PubMed

    Modrof, Jens; Berting, Andreas; Kreil, Thomas R

    2014-01-01

    The testing for adventitious viruses is of critical importance during development and production of biological products. The recent emergence and ongoing development of broad virus detection methods calls for an evaluation of whether these methods can appropriately be implemented into current adventitious agent testing procedures. To assess the suitability of several broad virus detection methods, a comparative experimental study was conducted: four virus preparations, which were spiked at two different concentrations each into two different cell culture media, were sent to four investigators in a blinded fashion for analysis with broad virus detection methods such as polymerase chain reaction-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (PCR-ESI/MS), microarray, and two approaches utilizing massively parallel sequencing. The results that were reported by the investigators revealed that all methods were able to identify the majority of samples correctly (mean 83%), with a surprisingly narrow range among the methods, that is, between 72% (PCR-ESI/MS) and 95% (microarray). In addition to the correct results, a variety of unexpected assignments were reported for a minority of samples, again with little variation regarding the methods used (range 20-45%), while false negatives were reported for 0-25% of the samples. Regarding assay sensitivity, the viruses were detected by all methods included in this study at concentrations of about 4-5 log10 quantitative PCR copies/mL, and probably with higher sensitivity in some cases. In summary, the broad virus detection methods investigated were shown to be suitable even for detection of relatively low virus concentrations. However, there is also some potential for the production of false-positive as well as false-negative assignments, which indicates the requirement for further improvements before these methods can be considered for routine use. © PDA, Inc. 2014.

  17. Broad-Spectrum Molecular Detection of Fungal Nucleic Acids by PCR-Based Amplification Techniques.

    PubMed

    Czurda, Stefan; Lion, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Over the past decade, the incidence of life-threatening invasive fungal infections has dramatically increased. Infections caused by hitherto rare and emerging fungal pathogens are associated with significant morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised patients. These observations render the coverage of a broad range of clinically relevant fungal pathogens highly important. The so-called panfungal or, perhaps more correctly, broad-range nucleic acid amplification techniques do not only facilitate sensitive detection of all clinically relevant fungal species but are also rapid and can be applied to analyses of any patient specimens. They have therefore become valuable diagnostic tools for sensitive screening of patients at risk of invasive fungal infections. This chapter summarizes the currently available molecular technologies employed in testing of a wide range of fungal pathogens, and provides a detailed workflow for patient screening by broad-spectrum nucleic acid amplification techniques.

  18. Using Concept Mapping in the Development of a School of Public Health.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Laura J; Pacheco, Misty Y; Crabtree, Christopher; Maddock, Jay E

    2015-07-01

    Schools of Public Health have a wide variety of essential stakeholders. Broad input in program planning should assist in ensuring well-developed plans and strong community buy-in. The planning of a school can better address the needs of multiple stakeholders from systematic broad-based input from these constituents using concept mapping. In this study, we used concept mapping to prioritize a set of recommendations from diverse stakeholders to assist in the process of planning a school. A set of statements was generated on essential elements for the proposed school from a broad group of stakeholders. The statements were then distilled into unique themes, which were then rated on importance and feasibility. Cluster maps and pattern matches were used to analyze the ratings. Unique themes (N = 147) were identified and grouped into 12 clusters. Cluster themes included leadership, faculty, culture, school, and curriculum. Pattern matches revealed a significant, modest correlation between importance and feasibility (r = 0.27). A broad range of perspectives was used to identify relevant areas to address in the development of a school.

  19. Observations of emission in bright, low redshift quasars

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1983-01-01

    Ultraviolet, infrared, and optical spectra were combined to obtain a data set sample as broad as possible in the range of hydrogen lines in individual quasars. From the measured Lyman fluxes, coupled with Balmer and Paschen line fluxes measured in these same objects, an effort was made to establish observational constraints that would guide models of the broad emission line regions of quasars. It was found that IUE spectra were generally of sufficiently high quality to derive line profiles of the ultraviolet lines Lyman alpha and CIV 1550 A, which were compared to the Balmer line profiles. The objects observed and the line fluxes are tabulated. Plots of line profiles are included.

  20. Gender and Schooling in the Early Years. Research on Women and Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koch, Janice, Ed.; Irby, Beverly, Ed.

    2005-01-01

    In this volume, gender and schooling in the early years addresses a broad range of issues including, but not limited, to gender equity in education. We explore, for example, the complex world of play in Fromberg's chapter and are reminded that for young children, play involves issues of power and hierarchy in ways that parallel the role of gender…

  1. Warble? What’s a Warble? A recap of the human bot fly, Dermatobia hominis (L. Jr. 1781)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The human bot fly, Dermatobia hominis (Linnaeus Jr., 1781) is a major pest of livestock in Mexico, Central and South America. Myiasis caused by the larvae result in economic losses due to hide damage and reductions in weight gain and milk production. They have a broad host range which includes wildl...

  2. Complete Genome Sequence of Micromonospora Strain L5, a Potential Plant-Growth-Regulating Actinomycete, Originally Isolated from Casuarina equisetifolia Root Nodules

    DOE PAGES

    Hirsch, Ann M.; Alvarado, Johana; Bruce, David; ...

    2013-09-26

    Micromonospora species live in diverse environments and exhibit a broad range of functions, including antibiotic production, biocontrol, and degradation of complex polysaccharides. To learn more about these versatile actinomycetes, we sequenced the genome of strain L5, originally isolated from root nodules of an actinorhizal plant growing in Mexico.

  3. Potential for Particulate Emission Reduction in Flue Gas Condensing Heat Exchangers in Biomass-Fired Boiler

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

    Butcher, Thomas A.

    Direct biomass combustion for the production of heat is a broad field of technology which ranges from residential wood stoves to commercial and industrial boilers and furnaces. Fuels typically include pellets, chips and cord wood. Over the past decade, as a result of fuel price advantages and other benefits, wood burning has seen a significant growth.

  4. Phylogeny of replication initiator protein TrfA reveals a highly divergent clade of incompatibility group P1 plasmids

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Incompatibility group P-1 (incP-1) includes broad host range plasmids of Gram negative bacteria and are classified into five subgroups (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and epsilon). The incP-1 replication module consists of the trfA gene, encoding the replication initiator protein TrfA, and the origin o...

  5. Making Pre-Algebra Come Alive: Student Activities & Teacher Notes. Math Assessment Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Posamentier, Alfred S.

    This book contains a set of versatile enrichment exercises that cover a very broad range of mathematical topics and applications in pre-algebra from the Moebius strip to the googol. Several criteria have been used in developing the activities and selecting the topics that are included. All of them bear heavily and equally on concerns for…

  6. Use of single scatter electron monte carlo transport for medical radiation sciences

    DOEpatents

    Svatos, Michelle M.

    2001-01-01

    The single scatter Monte Carlo code CREEP models precise microscopic interactions of electrons with matter to enhance physical understanding of radiation sciences. It is designed to simulate electrons in any medium, including materials important for biological studies. It simulates each interaction individually by sampling from a library which contains accurate information over a broad range of energies.

  7. Manpower Management in Canada; A Selected Bibliography. Bibliography Series: No. 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, C. Brian

    This bibliography is composed of 1,125 citations ranging in date from 1960 to 1966 with a number of pioneering studies, published in the late 1950's, also included. Studies conducted in Canada and the United States are reported for the broad field of manpower and employment. Part I focuses on topics in the fields of employment and unemployment.…

  8. Teaching the Fundamentals of Biological Research with Primary Literature: Learning from the Discovery of the Gastric Proton Pump

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhu, Lixin

    2011-01-01

    For the purpose of teaching collegians the fundamentals of biological research, literature explaining the discovery of the gastric proton pump was presented in a 50-min lecture. The presentation included detailed information pertaining to the discovery process. This study was chosen because it demonstrates the importance of having a broad range of…

  9. Socio-Psychological Correlates of Non-Medical Use of Drugs Among University Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mehra, N.

    This study was designed to collect and analyze study reactions on a broad range of social, cultural and educational issues including the nonmedical use of drugs. Two questionnaires and a personality inventory were used in the collection of data that was obtained from a stratified random sample of 282 students of the University of Alberta. An…

  10. Choice--Chance--Control. That's Life. Learning about Insurance through Secondary School Courses. Insurance Basics for Everyone; Social Sciences; Mathematics; Consumer Economics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Insurance Education Foundation, Indianapolis, IN.

    This guide, which is designed for use with secondary school students, contains four units of activities that teach the fundamentals of insurance within the context of a broad range of subjects, including social sciences, history, civics, government, mathematics, consumer economics, business, economics, life skills, family management, home…

  11. Childhood ADHD Is Strongly Associated with a Broad Range of Psychiatric Disorders during Adolescence: A Population-Based Birth Cohort Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yoshimasu, Kouichi; Barbaresi, William J.; Colligan, Robert C.; Voigt, Robert G.; Killian, Jill M.; Weaver, Amy L.; Katusic, Slavica K.

    2012-01-01

    Background: To evaluate associations between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and comorbid psychiatric disorders using research-identified incident cases of ADHD and population-based controls. Methods: Subjects included a birth cohort of all children born 1976-1982 remaining in Rochester, MN after age five (n = 5,718). Among them we…

  12. New Directions in Developmental Emotion Regulation Research across the Life Span: Introduction to the Special Section

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zimmermann, Peter; Thompson, Ross A.

    2014-01-01

    Research on the development of emotion regulation has become a prominent topic in developmental science covering a broad age range from infancy to old age because of its theoretical importance and practical implications. This introductory essay of this special section includes reflections on some of the conceptual themes of this research field and…

  13. Complete Genome Sequence of Micromonospora Strain L5, a Potential Plant-Growth-Regulating Actinomycete, Originally Isolated from Casuarina equisetifolia Root Nodules

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

    Hirsch, A. M.; Alvarado, J.; Bruce, D.

    2013-08-29

    Micromonospora species live in diverse environments and exhibit a broad range of functions including antibiotic production, biocontrol, and ability to degrade complex polysaccharides. To learn more about these versatile actinomycetes, we sequenced the genome of strain L5, originally isolated from root nodules of an actinorhizal plant growing in Mexico.

  14. The earth's foreshock, bow shock, and magnetosheath

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Onsager, T. G.; Thomsen, M. F.

    1991-01-01

    Studies directly pertaining to the earth's foreshock, bow shock, and magnetosheath are reviewed, and some comparisons are made with data on other planets. Topics considered in detail include the electron foreshock, the ion foreshock, the quasi-parallel shock, the quasi-perpendicular shock, and the magnetosheath. Information discussed spans a broad range of disciplines, from large-scale macroscopic plasma phenomena to small-scale microphysical interactions.

  15. The Role of the English Language in Cyprus and Its Effects on the ELT Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yazgin, Nagme

    2007-01-01

    This paper discusses the role of foreign languages, especially English, in Cypriot society. The discussion touches on a broad range of topics including the history of Cyprus, the current situation of the language and attitudes towards English. All are examined in the context of modern Cypriot culture. In the second part of this work, attitudes,…

  16. Revisiting the Americas: Teaching and Learning the Geography of the Western Hemisphere. Pathways in Geography Series, Title No. 4.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinson, Tom, Ed.; Brooker-Gross, Susan, Ed.

    This book, issued in observance of the Columbus Quincentennial and on the occasion of the 27th International Geographical Congress, addresses a broad range of contemporary topics including environmental change, dynamics of the world economy, human needs, wants and rights, political order and change, and contemporary cultures. The format is one of…

  17. Early Math Trajectories: Low-Income Children's Mathematics Knowledge from Ages 4 to 11

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Fyfe, Emily R.; Hofer, Kerry G.; Farran, Dale C.

    2017-01-01

    Early mathematics knowledge is a strong predictor of later academic achievement, but children from low-income families enter school with weak mathematics knowledge. An early math trajectories model is proposed and evaluated within a longitudinal study of 517 low-income American children from ages 4 to 11. This model includes a broad range of math…

  18. Early Math Trajectories: Low-Income Children's Mathematics Knowledge from Age 4 to 11

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Fyfe, Emily R.; Hofer, Kerry G.; Farran, Dale C.

    2016-01-01

    Early mathematics knowledge is a strong predictor of later academic achievement, but children from low-income families enter school with weak mathematics knowledge. An Early Math Trajectories model is proposed and evaluated within a longitudinal study of 517 low-income American children from age 4 to 11. This model includes a broad range of math…

  19. The Friendship Study: An Examination of Weight-Based Stigmatization during the Elementary and Middle School Years

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kihm, Holly Spencer

    2014-01-01

    Children who struggle with weight management often endure a broad range of consequences, including stigmatization, well into adulthood. With an increase in the prevalence of overweight children, there are now more children at risk of being stigmatized. The purpose of this study was to examine stigmatization across the elementary and middle school…

  20. Need for Affect, Need for Cognition, and the Intention-Fruit Consumption Relationship: An Action-Control Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Bruijn, Gert-Jan; Keer, Mario; van den Putte, Bas; Neijens, Peter

    2012-01-01

    Objective: Predictors of action-control profiles are useful targets for health behaviour change interventions, but action-control research has not focused on fruit consumption and has not yet included need for affect and need for cognition, despite the demonstrated usefulness of these variables in a broad range of research. The role of these…

  1. Widening Access to Higher Education: An Evaluative Case Study of a Foundation Year Alternative to Access

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reddy, Peter A.; Moores, Elisabeth

    2008-01-01

    Universities are encouraged to widen access to a broad range of applicants, including mature students taking Access qualifications. Admissions tutors can find it difficult to compare and choose between Access and A-level applications, and Access applicants for popular courses may be disadvantaged relative to students with good A-levels. In this…

  2. Laccase versus Laccase-Like Multi-Copper Oxidase: A Comparative Study of Similar Enzymes with Diverse Substrate Spectra

    PubMed Central

    Reiss, Renate; Ihssen, Julian; Richter, Michael; Eichhorn, Eric; Schilling, Boris; Thöny-Meyer, Linda

    2013-01-01

    Laccases (EC 1.10.3.2) are multi-copper oxidases that catalyse the one-electron oxidation of a broad range of compounds including substituted phenols, arylamines and aromatic thiols to the corresponding radicals. Owing to their broad substrate range, copper-containing laccases are versatile biocatalysts, capable of oxidizing numerous natural and non-natural industry-relevant compounds, with water as the sole by-product. In the present study, 10 of the 11 multi-copper oxidases, hitherto considered to be laccases, from fungi, plant and bacterial origin were compared. A substrate screen of 91 natural and non-natural compounds was recorded and revealed a fairly broad but distinctive substrate spectrum amongst the enzymes. Even though the enzymes share conserved active site residues we found that the substrate ranges of the individual enzymes varied considerably. The EC classification is based on the type of chemical reaction performed and the actual name of the enzyme often refers to the physiological substrate. However, for the enzymes studied in this work such classification is not feasible, even more so as their prime substrates or natural functions are mainly unknown. The classification of multi-copper oxidases assigned as laccases remains a challenge. For the sake of simplicity we propose to introduce the term “laccase-like multi-copper oxidase” (LMCO) in addition to the term laccase that we use exclusively for the enzyme originally identified from the sap of the lacquer tree Rhus vernicifera. PMID:23755261

  3. Vertebral Osteomyelitis Caused by Helicobacter cinaedi Identified Using Broad-range Polymerase Chain Reaction with Sequencing of the Biopsied Specimen.

    PubMed

    Hase, Ryota; Hirooka, Takuya; Itabashi, Takashi; Endo, Yasunobu; Otsuka, Yoshihito

    2018-05-15

    A 65-year-old man presented with gradually exacerbating low back pain. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed vertebral osteomyelitis in the Th11-L2 vertebral bodies and discs. The patient showed negative findings on conventional cultures. Direct broad-range polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with sequencing of the biopsied specimen had the highest similarity to the 16S rRNA gene of Helicobacter cinaedi. This case suggests that direct broad-range PCR with sequencing should be considered when conventional cultures cannot identify the causative organism of vertebral osteomyelitis, and that this method may be particularly useful when the pathogen is a fastidious organism, such as H. cinaedi.

  4. Binaural pitch fusion: Comparison of normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listenersa)

    PubMed Central

    Reiss, Lina A. J.; Shayman, Corey S.; Walker, Emily P.; Bennett, Keri O.; Fowler, Jennifer R.; Hartling, Curtis L.; Glickman, Bess; Lasarev, Michael R.; Oh, Yonghee

    2017-01-01

    Binaural pitch fusion is the fusion of dichotically presented tones that evoke different pitches between the ears. In normal-hearing (NH) listeners, the frequency range over which binaural pitch fusion occurs is usually <0.2 octaves. Recently, broad fusion ranges of 1–4 octaves were demonstrated in bimodal cochlear implant users. In the current study, it was hypothesized that hearing aid (HA) users would also exhibit broad fusion. Fusion ranges were measured in both NH and hearing-impaired (HI) listeners with hearing losses ranging from mild-moderate to severe-profound, and relationships of fusion range with demographic factors and with diplacusis were examined. Fusion ranges of NH and HI listeners averaged 0.17 ± 0.13 octaves and 1.7 ± 1.5 octaves, respectively. In HI listeners, fusion ranges were positively correlated with a principal component measure of the covarying factors of young age, early age of hearing loss onset, and long durations of hearing loss and HA use, but not with hearing threshold, amplification level, or diplacusis. In NH listeners, no correlations were observed with age, hearing threshold, or diplacusis. The association of broad fusion with early onset, long duration of hearing loss suggests a possible role of long-term experience with hearing loss and amplification in the development of broad fusion. PMID:28372056

  5. Astrotischeria neotropicana sp. nov.-a leaf-miner on Sida, Malvaceae, currently with the broadest distribution range in the Neotropics (Lepidoptera, Tischeriidae).

    PubMed

    Diškus, Arūnas; Stonis, Jonas R

    2015-11-05

    This paper describes Astrotischeria neotropicana Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov. (Lepidoptera: Tischeriidae), a new leaf-miner on Sida (Malvaceae) with a broad distribution range in tropical Central & South America. The new species is currently recorded from the Amazon Basin in Peru and Ecuador to tropical lowlands in Guatemala and Belize (including the Caribbean Archipelago). The new species is illustrated with photographs of the adults, male and female genitalia, and the leaf-mines; distribution map is also provided.

  6. Industrial uses and applications of ionic liquids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gutowski, Keith E.

    2018-02-01

    Ionic liquids are salts that melt at low temperatures (usually defined as less than 100 °C) and have a number of interesting properties that make them useful for industrial applications. Typical ionic liquid properties include high thermal stabilities, negligible vapor pressures, wide liquidus ranges, broad electrochemical windows, and unique solvation properties. Furthermore, the potential combinations of cations and anions provide nearly unlimited chemical tunability. This article will describe the diverse industrial uses of ionic liquids and how their unique properties are leveraged, with examples ranging from chemical processing to consumer packaged goods.

  7. Broad spectrum anthelmintic resistance of Haemonchus contortus in Northern NSW of Australia.

    PubMed

    Lamb, Jane; Elliott, Tim; Chambers, Michael; Chick, Bruce

    2017-07-15

    On a sheep farm in Northern New South Wales (NSW) of Australia a degree of anthelmintic resistance was suspected. With noticeable clinical signs of infection and sheep not responding to treatment, a faecal egg count reduction test was conducted to ascertain the broad spectrum of anthelmintic resistance at this farm. A number of classes of anthelmintics were assessed including organophosphate, macrocyclic lactone (ML) and in combination an ML, benzimidazole, levamisole and salicylanilide. In addition, the more recently registered classes of anthelmintics, monepantel (amino-acetonitrile derivative) and derquantel/abamectin combination (spiroindole+ML) were included. Ninety merino sheep naturally infected with a field strain of Haemonchus contortus were randomly allocated to 6 treatment groups (15 animals/group). Sheep were subsequently treated based on label recommendations and individual bodyweight. Faecal samples were collected post-treatment on Days 7, 14 and 21 to conduct faecal egg counts and group bulk larval cultures. Broad spectrum anthelmintic resistance was confirmed at this site with treatment efficacies ranging from 21.3% (monepantel) to 93.8% (derquantel/abamectin combination) against the H. contortus strain. Furthermore, resistance to the multi-combination anthelmintic containing 4 active ingredients was evident (52.5%). This broad spectrum of resistance highlights the need for integration of alternative sustainable methods in parasite control in order to slow development of resistance and increase the life time effectiveness of anthelmintics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Regulation of Cortical Dynamic Range by Background Synaptic Noise and Feedforward Inhibition

    PubMed Central

    Khubieh, Ayah; Ratté, Stéphanie; Lankarany, Milad; Prescott, Steven A.

    2016-01-01

    The cortex encodes a broad range of inputs. This breadth of operation requires sensitivity to weak inputs yet non-saturating responses to strong inputs. If individual pyramidal neurons were to have a narrow dynamic range, as previously claimed, then staggered all-or-none recruitment of those neurons would be necessary for the population to achieve a broad dynamic range. Contrary to this explanation, we show here through dynamic clamp experiments in vitro and computer simulations that pyramidal neurons have a broad dynamic range under the noisy conditions that exist in the intact brain due to background synaptic input. Feedforward inhibition capitalizes on those noise effects to control neuronal gain and thereby regulates the population dynamic range. Importantly, noise allows neurons to be recruited gradually and occludes the staggered recruitment previously attributed to heterogeneous excitation. Feedforward inhibition protects spike timing against the disruptive effects of noise, meaning noise can enable the gain control required for rate coding without compromising the precise spike timing required for temporal coding. PMID:26209846

  9. Working Group Report: Sensors

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

    Artuso, M.; et al.,

    Sensors play a key role in detecting both charged particles and photons for all three frontiers in Particle Physics. The signals from an individual sensor that can be used include ionization deposited, phonons created, or light emitted from excitations of the material. The individual sensors are then typically arrayed for detection of individual particles or groups of particles. Mounting of new, ever higher performance experiments, often depend on advances in sensors in a range of performance characteristics. These performance metrics can include position resolution for passing particles, time resolution on particles impacting the sensor, and overall rate capabilities. In additionmore » the feasible detector area and cost frequently provides a limit to what can be built and therefore is often another area where improvements are important. Finally, radiation tolerance is becoming a requirement in a broad array of devices. We present a status report on a broad category of sensors, including challenges for the future and work in progress to solve those challenges.« less

  10. Sensor Compendium - A Snowmass Whitepaper-

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

    Artuso, M.; Battaglia, M.; Bolla, G.

    Sensors play a key role in detecting both charged particles and photons for all three frontiers in Particle Physics. The signals from an individual sensor that can be used include ionization deposited, phonons created, or light emitted from excitations of the material. The individual sensors are then typically arrayed for detection of individual particles or groups of particles. Mounting of new, ever higher performance experiments, often depend on advances in sensors in a range of performance characteristics. These performance metrics can include position resolution for passing particles, time resolution on particles impacting the sensor, and overall rate capabilities. In additionmore » the feasible detector area and cost frequently provides a limit to what can be built and therefore is often another area where improvements are important. Finally, radiation tolerance is becoming a requirement in a broad array of devices. We present a status report on a broad category of sensors, including challenges for the future and work in progress to solve those challenges.« less

  11. Tricyclic GyrB/ParE (TriBE) Inhibitors: A New Class of Broad-Spectrum Dual-Targeting Antibacterial Agents

    PubMed Central

    Tari, Leslie W.; Li, Xiaoming; Trzoss, Michael; Bensen, Daniel C.; Chen, Zhiyong; Lam, Thanh; Zhang, Junhu; Lee, Suk Joong; Hough, Grayson; Phillipson, Doug; Akers-Rodriguez, Suzanne; Cunningham, Mark L.; Kwan, Bryan P.; Nelson, Kirk J.; Castellano, Amanda; Locke, Jeff B.; Brown-Driver, Vickie; Murphy, Timothy M.; Ong, Voon S.; Pillar, Chris M.; Shinabarger, Dean L.; Nix, Jay; Lightstone, Felice C.; Wong, Sergio E.; Nguyen, Toan B.; Shaw, Karen J.; Finn, John

    2013-01-01

    Increasing resistance to every major class of antibiotics and a dearth of novel classes of antibacterial agents in development pipelines has created a dwindling reservoir of treatment options for serious bacterial infections. The bacterial type IIA topoisomerases, DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, are validated antibacterial drug targets with multiple prospective drug binding sites, including the catalytic site targeted by the fluoroquinolone antibiotics. However, growing resistance to fluoroquinolones, frequently mediated by mutations in the drug-binding site, is increasingly limiting the utility of this antibiotic class, prompting the search for other inhibitor classes that target different sites on the topoisomerase complexes. The highly conserved ATP-binding subunits of DNA gyrase (GyrB) and topoisomerase IV (ParE) have long been recognized as excellent candidates for the development of dual-targeting antibacterial agents with broad-spectrum potential. However, to date, no natural product or small molecule inhibitors targeting these sites have succeeded in the clinic, and no inhibitors of these enzymes have yet been reported with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity encompassing the majority of Gram-negative pathogens. Using structure-based drug design (SBDD), we have created a novel dual-targeting pyrimidoindole inhibitor series with exquisite potency against GyrB and ParE enzymes from a broad range of clinically important pathogens. Inhibitors from this series demonstrate potent, broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens of clinical importance, including fluoroquinolone resistant and multidrug resistant strains. Lead compounds have been discovered with clinical potential; they are well tolerated in animals, and efficacious in Gram-negative infection models. PMID:24386374

  12. Psychological Aspects of Deployment and Health Behaviours (Aspects psychologiques de la projection operationnelle et comportements lies a la sante)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-05-01

    traffic accident related to risky driving) and long-term consequences (e.g., lung cancer from smoking tobacco) are possible, and both are relevant to...contributing heavily to morbidity and mortality from a broad range of illness, including cancer (including the lung, oral cavity and throat, oesophagus...liver disease, and certain cancers . In high-income countries, alcohol use is second only to smoking among purely behavioural risk factors in its

  13. U.S. stream flow measurement and data dissemination improve

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hirsch, Robert M.; Costa, John E.

    2004-01-01

    Stream flow information is essential for many important uses across a broad range of scales, including global water balances, engineering design, flood forecasting, reservoir operations, navigation, water supply, recreation, and environmental management. Growing populations and competing priorities for water, including preservation and restoration of aquatic habitat, are spurring demand for more accurate, timely, and accessible water data.To be most useful, stream flow information must be collected in a standardized manner, with a known accuracy, and for a long and continuous time period.

  14. Site-Selective Copper-Catalyzed Amination and Azidation of Arenes and Heteroarenes via Deprotonative Zincation.

    PubMed

    Hendrick, Charles E; Bitting, Katie J; Cho, Seoyoung; Wang, Qiu

    2017-08-23

    Arene amination is achieved by site-selective C-H zincation followed by copper-catalyzed coupling with O-benzoylhydroxylamines under mild conditions. Key to this success is ortho-zincation mediated by lithium amidodiethylzincate base that is effective for a wide range of arenes, including nonactivated arenes bearing simple functionalities such as fluoride, chloride, ester, amide, ether, nitrile, and trifluoromethyl groups as well as heteroarenes including indole, thiophene, pyridine, and isoquinoline. An analogous C-H azidation is also accomplished using azidoiodinane for direct introduction of a useful azide group onto a broad scope of arenes and heteroarenes. These new transformations offer rapid access to valuable and diverse chemical space of aminoarenes. Their broad applications in organic synthesis and drug discovery are demonstrated in the synthesis of novel analogues of natural product (-)-nicotine and antidepressant sertraline by late-stage amination and azidation reactions.

  15. The context, influences and challenges for undergraduate nurse clinical education: Continuing the dialogue.

    PubMed

    Forber, Jan; DiGiacomo, Michelle; Davidson, Patricia; Carter, Bernie; Jackson, Debra

    2015-11-01

    Approaches to clinical education are highly diverse and becoming increasingly complex to sustain in complex milieu To identify the influences and challenges of providing nurse clinical education in the undergraduate setting and to illustrate emerging solutions. A discursive exploration into the broad and varied body of evidence including peer reviewed and grey literature. Internationally, enabling undergraduate clinical learning opportunities faces a range of challenges. These can be illustrated under two broad themes: (1) legacies from the past and the inherent features of nurse education and (2) challenges of the present, including, population changes, workforce changes, and the disconnection between the health and education sectors. Responses to these challenges are triggering the emergence of novel approaches, such as collaborative models. Ongoing challenges in providing accessible, effective and quality clinical learning experiences are apparent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Teachable, high-content analytics for live-cell, phase contrast movies.

    PubMed

    Alworth, Samuel V; Watanabe, Hirotada; Lee, James S J

    2010-09-01

    CL-Quant is a new solution platform for broad, high-content, live-cell image analysis. Powered by novel machine learning technologies and teach-by-example interfaces, CL-Quant provides a platform for the rapid development and application of scalable, high-performance, and fully automated analytics for a broad range of live-cell microscopy imaging applications, including label-free phase contrast imaging. The authors used CL-Quant to teach off-the-shelf universal analytics, called standard recipes, for cell proliferation, wound healing, cell counting, and cell motility assays using phase contrast movies collected on the BioStation CT and BioStation IM platforms. Similar to application modules, standard recipes are intended to work robustly across a wide range of imaging conditions without requiring customization by the end user. The authors validated the performance of the standard recipes by comparing their performance with truth created manually, or by custom analytics optimized for each individual movie (and therefore yielding the best possible result for the image), and validated by independent review. The validation data show that the standard recipes' performance is comparable with the validated truth with low variation. The data validate that the CL-Quant standard recipes can provide robust results without customization for live-cell assays in broad cell types and laboratory settings.

  17. Insights into the microbial diversity and bioburden in a South American spacecraft assembly clean room.

    PubMed

    Schwendner, Petra; Moissl-Eichinger, Christine; Barczyk, Simon; Bohmeier, Maria; Pukall, Rüdiger; Rettberg, Petra

    2013-12-01

    In this study, samples from the spacecraft assembly clean room BAF (final assembly building), located at Centre Spatial Guyanais in Kourou, French Guiana, were characterized by qualitative and quantitative methods to determine the bioburden and biodiversity. The cultivation assays mainly focused on extremotolerant microorganisms that have special metabolic skills, such as the ability to grow without oxygen, fix nitrogen, grow autotrophically, or reduce sulfate. A broad range of media and growth conditions were used to simulate possible extraterrestrial environments and clean room buildings. In addition to these alternative cultivation assays, the ESA standard protocol for bioburden estimation was also applied. The phylogenetic analysis of the isolates (mainly facultative anaerobes) showed an extraordinarily broad cultivable biodiversity. Overall, 49 species were isolated and identified as members of the bacterial phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, α-, β-, γ-Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi. In addition to cultivation-based analyses, molecular techniques were also applied, including construction of a 16S rRNA gene clone library. The results indicate a wide-ranging microbial diversity (12 bacterial phyla, 34 families) that not only confirms the results of the cultivation efforts but also deepens our understanding of the noncultivable variety. Our investigations hint at a very broad, mainly uncultivated microbial diversity.

  18. Novel AlInN/GaN integrated circuits operating up to 500 °C

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gaska, R.; Gaevski, M.; Jain, R.; Deng, J.; Islam, M.; Simin, G.; Shur, M.

    2015-11-01

    High electron concentration in 2DEG channel of AlInN/GaN devices is remarkably stable over a broad temperature range, enabling device operation above 500 °C. The developed IC technology is based on three key elements: (1) exceptional quality AlInN/GaN heterostructure with very high carrier concentration and mobility enables IC fast operation in a broad temperature range; (2) heterostructure field effect transistor approach t provides fully planar IC structure which is easy to scale and to combine with the other high temperature electronic components; (3) fabrication advancements including novel metallization scheme and high-K passivation/gate dielectrics enable high temperature operation. The feasibility of the developed technology was confirmed by fabrication and testing of the high temperature inverter and differential amplifier ICs using AlInN/GaN heterostructures. The developed ICs showed stable performance with unit-gain bandwidth above 1 MHz and internal response time 45 ns at temperatures as high as 500 °C.

  19. Low Energy Positron Scattering, Transport, and Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buckman, Stephen

    2017-04-01

    Relatively intense, high energy-resolution beams of low-energy positrons are now available through the use of buffer-gas (Surko) traps. These have led to measurements of interaction cross sections for a broad range of atoms and molecules, including molecules of biological interest. The increased energy resolution, and experimental techniques developed for scattering in strong magnetic fields has also enabled highly accurate measurements of discrete excitation processes such as electronic and vibrational excitation, positronium formation and ionization in a range of atomic and molecular species. This talk will review some of these measurements and discuss their application in new and sophisticated models of positron transport which aim, for example, to provide a better understanding of the atomic and molecular processes which occur when positrons are emitted in the body during a Positron Emission Tomography scan. This work is part of a broad collaboration between the ANU (James Sullivan, Joshua Machacek), Flinders University (Michael Brunger), James Cook University (Ronald White and co-workers) CSIC Madrid (Gustavo Garcia) and the Institute of Physics, Belgrade (Zoran Petrovic and colleagues).

  20. Communication: Polymer entanglement dynamics: Role of attractive interactions

    DOE PAGES

    Grest, Gary S.

    2016-10-10

    The coupled dynamics of entangled polymers, which span broad time and length scales, govern their unique viscoelastic properties. To follow chain mobility by numerical simulations from the intermediate Rouse and reptation regimes to the late time diffusive regime, highly coarse grained models with purely repulsive interactions between monomers are widely used since they are computationally the most efficient. In this paper, using large scale molecular dynamics simulations, the effect of including the attractive interaction between monomers on the dynamics of entangled polymer melts is explored for the first time over a wide temperature range. Attractive interactions have little effect onmore » the local packing for all temperatures T and on the chain mobility for T higher than about twice the glass transition T g. Finally, these results, across a broad range of molecular weight, show that to study the dynamics of entangled polymer melts, the interactions can be treated as pure repulsive, confirming a posteriori the validity of previous studies and opening the way to new large scale numerical simulations.« less

  1. Reverse electrowetting as a new approach to high-power energy harvesting

    PubMed Central

    Krupenkin, Tom; Taylor, J. Ashley

    2011-01-01

    Over the last decade electrical batteries have emerged as a critical bottleneck for portable electronics development. High-power mechanical energy harvesting can potentially provide a valuable alternative to the use of batteries, but, until now, a suitable mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion technology did not exist. Here we describe a novel mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion method based on the reverse electrowetting phenomenon. Electrical energy generation is achieved through the interaction of arrays of moving microscopic liquid droplets with novel nanometer-thick multilayer dielectric films. Advantages of this process include the production of high power densities, up to 103 W m−2; the ability to directly utilize a very broad range of mechanical forces and displacements; and the ability to directly output a broad range of currents and voltages, from several volts to tens of volts. These advantages make this method uniquely suited for high-power energy harvesting from a wide variety of environmental mechanical energy sources. PMID:21863015

  2. Highway vehicle electric drive in the United States : 2009 status and issues.

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

    Santini, D. J.; Energy Systems

    2011-02-16

    The status of electric drive technology in the United States as of early 2010 is documented. Rapidly evolving electric drive technologies discussed include hybrid electric vehicles, multiple types of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and battery electric vehicles. Recent trends for hybrids are quantified. Various plug-in vehicles entering the market in the near term are examined. The technical and economic requirements for electric drive to more broadly succeed in a wider range of highway vehicle applications are described, and implications for the most promising new markets are provided. Federal and selected state government policy measures promoting and preparing for electric drivemore » are discussed. Taking these into account, judgment on areas where increased Clean Cities funds might be most productively focused over the next five years are provided. In closing, the request by Clean Cities for opinion on the broad range of research needs providing near-term support to electric drive is fulfilled.« less

  3. Atmospheric simulator and calibration system for remote sensing radiometers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holland, J. A.

    1983-01-01

    A system for calibrating the MAPS (measurement of air pollution from satellites) instruments was developed. The design of the system provides a capability for simulating a broad range of radiant energy source temperatures and a broad range of atmospheric pressures, temperatures, and pollutant concentrations for a single slab atmosphere. The system design and the system operation are described.

  4. The whole genome sequence of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedmann), reveals insights into the biology and adaptive evolution of a highly invasive pest species

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The Mediterranean fruit fly is one of the most destructive agricultural pests throughout the world due to its broad host plant range that includes more than 260 different fruits, flowers, vegetables, and nuts. Host preferences vary in different regions of the world, which can be associated with its ...

  5. Critical Infrastructures: Background, Policy, and Implementation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-04-18

    initially approved. The current review process for such purchases, implemented under authority of the Exon- Florio provision of the Defense Production Act (50...legislative proposals “broaden” coverage of Exon- Florio to include the purchase of assets associated with critical infrastructure. As currently written...Exon- Florio covers persons engaged in interstate commerce. While this covers a broad range of “persons,” extending beyond those that might be part

  6. European Scientific Notes. Volume 38, Number 3.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-03-01

    abrasive wear studies for a broad range of materials, includ- ing amorphous metals. OCEAN SCIENCES The Geology and Biology of Coral Reefs ...Robert Dolan 133 A meeting of the International Society for Coral Reef Studies focused on the state of the world’s reefs . Of particular concern...were diseases affecting coral reefs . Oil Spills: Can Sonar Help Investigators? ............. Chester McKinney 134 High-resolution, side-scan, bottom

  7. The MEDEA/JASON remotely operated vehicle system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ballard, Robert D.

    1993-08-01

    The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system MEDEA/JASON has been under development for the last decade. Adter a number of engineering test cruises, including the discovery of the R.M.S. Titanic and the German Battleship Bismarck, this ROV system is now being implemented in oceanographic investigations. This paper explains its development history and its unique ability to carry out a broad range of scientific research.

  8. Peer Collaboration: The Case for Treating the Dyad as the Unit of Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tudge, Jonathan

    In a study of peer collaboration among children, the case is made for treating the dyad, rather than the individual, as the unit of analysis. Subjects included 154 children aged 5 to 9 years from a broad range of social classes. Children worked in 14 problems (representing 6 types of problems) predicting the movement of a balance beam. Children…

  9. Employing 454 amplicon pyrosequencing to reveal intragenomic divergence in the internal transcribed spacer rDNA region in fungi

    Treesearch

    Daniel L. Lindner; Tor Carlsen; Henrik Nilsson; Marie Davey; Trond Schumacher; Havard. Kauserud

    2013-01-01

    The rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region has been accepted as a DNA barcoding marker for fungi and is widely used in phylogenetic studies; however, intragenomic ITS variability has been observed in a broad range of taxa, including prokaryotes, plants, animals, and fungi, and this variability has the potential to inflate species richness estimates in molecular...

  10. Review of Massachusetts Child Care Subsidy Eligibility Policies and Practices: A Report for the Assessment of the Massachusetts Subsidized Child Care System. Research Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Gina; Katz, Michael

    2015-01-01

    This report summarizes findings from a review of Massachusetts' child care subsidy eligibility policies and implementation practices. The review included interviews and focus groups with approximately 60 experts and stakeholders with a broad range of perspectives on the system. It identifies several important issues that, if addressed, could…

  11. Community structure, biodiversity, and ecosystem services in treeline whitebark pine communities: Potential impacts from a non-native pathogen

    Treesearch

    Diana F. Tomback; Lynn M. Resler; Robert E. Keane; Elizabeth R. Pansing; Andrew J. Andrade; Aaron C. Wagner

    2016-01-01

    Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) has the largest and most northerly distribution of any white pine (Subgenus Strobus) in North America, encompassing 18° latitude and 21° longitude in western mountains. Within this broad range, however, whitebark pine occurs within a narrow elevational zone, including upper subalpine and treeline forests, and functions...

  12. Extragalactic Astrophysics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Webb, James R.

    2016-09-01

    This book is intended to be a course about the creation and evolution of the universe at large, including the basic macroscopic building blocks (galaxies) and the overall large-scale structure. This text covers a broad range of topics for a graduate-level class in a physics department where students' available credit hours for astrophysics classes are limited. The sections cover galactic structure, external galaxies, galaxy clustering, active galaxies, general relativity and cosmology.

  13. Waves and instability in the atmosphere of Mars: NASA planetary atmospheres program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barnes, Jeffrey R.

    1990-01-01

    A broad range of phenomena were addressed by the study including the following: (1) polar warming; (2) forced stationary waves; (3) gravity waves; (4) transient baroclinic eddies; and (5) radiative-dynamical instabilities. A variety of numerical models have been employed in these studies, as well as analytical approaches. Some of the most significant results from this work are very briefly summarized.

  14. Resolving the ambiguities: An industrial hygiene Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) symposium

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

    Gammage, R.B.

    1995-01-01

    Resolving the Ambiguities: An Industrial Hygiene (IAQ) Symposium was a one-day event designed to inform practicing industrial hygienists about highlight presentations made at Indoor Air `93. A broad range of topics was presented by invited speakers. Topics included were attempts to deal with guidelines and standards, questionnaires, odors and sensory irritation, respiratory allergies, neuroses, sick building syndrome (SBS), and multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS).

  15. Oviposition Preference and Larval Performance of Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Four Eastern North American Hardwood Tree Species

    Treesearch

    W. D. Morewood; P. R. Neiner; J. R. McNeil; J. C. Sellmer; K. Hoover

    2003-01-01

    Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky ) is an invasive wood-boring cerambycid beetle that kills hardwood trees. The host range of this species is unusually broad but is not well defined in the available literature and may include tree species that have not been reported as hosts because they have not previously been exposed to the beetle. We...

  16. An ecosystem service approach to support integrated pond management: a case study using Bayesian belief networks--highlighting opportunities and risks.

    PubMed

    Landuyt, Dries; Lemmens, Pieter; D'hondt, Rob; Broekx, Steven; Liekens, Inge; De Bie, Tom; Declerck, Steven A J; De Meester, Luc; Goethals, Peter L M

    2014-12-01

    Freshwater ponds deliver a broad range of ecosystem services (ESS). Taking into account this broad range of services to attain cost-effective ESS delivery is an important challenge facing integrated pond management. To assess the strengths and weaknesses of an ESS approach to support decisions in integrated pond management, we applied it on a small case study in Flanders, Belgium. A Bayesian belief network model was developed to assess ESS delivery under three alternative pond management scenarios: intensive fish farming (IFF), extensive fish farming (EFF) and nature conservation management (NCM). A probabilistic cost-benefit analysis was performed that includes both costs associated with pond management practices and benefits associated with ESS delivery. Whether or not a particular ESS is included in the analysis affects the identification of the most preferable management scenario by the model. Assessing the delivery of a more complete set of ecosystem services tends to shift the results away from intensive management to more biodiversity-oriented management scenarios. The proposed methodology illustrates the potential of Bayesian belief networks. BBNs facilitate knowledge integration and their modular nature encourages future model expansion to more encompassing sets of services. Yet, we also illustrate the key weaknesses of such exercises, being that the choice whether or not to include a particular ecosystem service may determine the suggested optimal management practice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Genomic basis of broad host range and environmental adaptability of Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899 and Rhizobium sp. PRF 81 which are used in inoculants for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899 and Rhizobium sp. PRF 81 are α-Proteobacteria that establish nitrogen-fixing symbioses with a range of legume hosts. These strains are broadly used in commercial inoculants for application to common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in South America and Africa. Both strains display intrinsic resistance to several abiotic stressful conditions such as low soil pH and high temperatures, which are common in tropical environments, and to several antimicrobials, including pesticides. The genetic determinants of these interesting characteristics remain largely unknown. Results Genome sequencing revealed that CIAT 899 and PRF 81 share a highly-conserved symbiotic plasmid (pSym) that is present also in Rhizobium leucaenae CFN 299, a rhizobium displaying a similar host range. This pSym seems to have arisen by a co-integration event between two replicons. Remarkably, three distinct nodA genes were found in the pSym, a characteristic that may contribute to the broad host range of these rhizobia. Genes for biosynthesis and modulation of plant-hormone levels were also identified in the pSym. Analysis of genes involved in stress response showed that CIAT 899 and PRF 81 are well equipped to cope with low pH, high temperatures and also with oxidative and osmotic stresses. Interestingly, the genomes of CIAT 899 and PRF 81 had large numbers of genes encoding drug-efflux systems, which may explain their high resistance to antimicrobials. Genome analysis also revealed a wide array of traits that may allow these strains to be successful rhizosphere colonizers, including surface polysaccharides, uptake transporters and catabolic enzymes for nutrients, diverse iron-acquisition systems, cell wall-degrading enzymes, type I and IV pili, and novel T1SS and T5SS secreted adhesins. Conclusions Availability of the complete genome sequences of CIAT 899 and PRF 81 may be exploited in further efforts to understand the interaction of tropical rhizobia with common bean and other legume hosts. PMID:23270491

  18. Performance of the NIST goniocolorimeter with a broad-band source and multichannel charged coupled device based spectrometer.

    PubMed

    Podobedov, V B; Miller, C C; Nadal, M E

    2012-09-01

    The authors describe the NIST high-efficiency instrument for measurements of bidirectional reflectance distribution function of colored materials, including gonioapparent materials such as metallic and pearlescent coatings. The five-axis goniospectrometer measures the spectral reflectance of samples over a wide range of illumination and viewing angles. The implementation of a broad-band source and a multichannel CCD spectrometer corrected for stray light significantly increased the efficiency of the goniometer. In the extended range of 380 nm to 1050 nm, a reduction of measurement time from a few hours to a few minutes was obtained. Shorter measurement time reduces the load on the precise mechanical assembly ensuring high angular accuracy over time. We describe the application of matrix-based correction of stray light and the extension of effective dynamic range of measured fluxes to the values of 10(6) to 10(7) needed for the absolute characterization of samples. The measurement uncertainty was determined to be 0.7% (k = 2), which is comparable with similar instruments operating in a single channel configuration. Several examples of reflectance data obtained with the improved instrument indicate a 0.3% agreement compared to data collected with the single channel configuration.

  19. Broad-spectrum non-nucleoside inhibitors for caliciviruses.

    PubMed

    Netzler, Natalie E; Enosi Tuipulotu, Daniel; Eltahla, Auda A; Lun, Jennifer H; Ferla, Salvatore; Brancale, Andrea; Urakova, Nadya; Frese, Michael; Strive, Tanja; Mackenzie, Jason M; White, Peter A

    2017-10-01

    Viruses of the Caliciviridae cause significant and sometimes lethal diseases, however despite substantial research efforts, specific antivirals are lacking. Broad-spectrum antivirals could combat multiple viral pathogens, offering a rapid solution when no therapies exist. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is an attractive antiviral target as it is essential for viral replication and lacks mammalian homologs. To focus the search for pan-Caliciviridae antivirals, the RdRp was probed with non-nucleoside inhibitors (NNIs) developed against hepatitis C virus (HCV) to reveal both allosteric ligands for structure-activity relationship enhancement, and highly-conserved RdRp pockets for antiviral targeting. The ability of HCV NNIs to inhibit calicivirus RdRp activities was assessed using in vitro enzyme and murine norovirus cell culture assays. Results revealed that three NNIs which bound the HCV RdRp Thumb I (TI) site also inhibited transcriptional activities of six RdRps spanning the Norovirus, Sapovirus and Lagovirus genera of the Caliciviridae. These NNIs included JTK-109 (RdRp inhibition range: IC 50 4.3-16.6 μM), TMC-647055 (IC 50 range: 18.8-45.4 μM) and Beclabuvir (IC 50 range: 23.8->100 μM). In silico studies and site-directed mutagenesis indicated the JTK-109 binding site was within the calicivirus RdRp thumb domain, in a pocket termed Site-B, which is highly-conserved within all calicivirus RdRps. Additionally, RdRp inhibition assays revealed that JTK-109 was antagonistic with the previously reported RdRp inhibitor pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-6-(2'-naphthylazo-6'-nitro-4',8'-disulfonate) tetrasodium salt (PPNDS), that also binds to Site-B. Moreover, like JTK-109, PPNDS was also a potent inhibitor of polymerases from six viruses spanning the three Caliciviridae genera tested (IC 50 range: 0.1-2.3 μM). Together, this study demonstrates the potential for de novo development of broad-spectrum antivirals that target the highly-conserved RdRp thumb pocket, Site-B. We also revealed three broad-spectrum HCV NNIs that could be used as antiviral scaffolds for further development against caliciviruses and other viruses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Contribution of sonicate-fluid cultures and broad-range PCR to microbiological diagnosis in vascular graft infections.

    PubMed

    Kokosar Ulcar, Barbara; Lakic, Nikola; Jeverica, Samo; Pecavar, Blaz; Logar, Mateja; Cerar, Tjasa Kisek; Lejko-Zupanc, Tatjana

    2018-06-01

    Vascular graft infections (VGI) are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality, and antimicrobial treatment is an important adjunct to surgical treatment. While microbial aetiology of VGI is often difficult to determine, other techniques such as sonication of implanted material may be used to enhance the recovery of biofilm-associated organisms. We performed a retrospective analysis of 22 consecutive patients treated for VGI at University Medical Centre Ljubljana from May 2011 through January 2015. Explanted vascular grafts were flooded with sterile Ringer solution, sonicated for 1 min at a frequency of 40 kHz and inoculated on solid and liquid culture media. Aerobic and anaerobic cultures were performed, incubated for 14 days and any significant bacterial growth was quantitatively evaluated. Additionally, broad-range PCR from sonicate fluid was performed. Microbiological results were compared with the results of preoperatively taken blood cultures and the results of intraoperative tissue cultures (material from peri-graft collection). Identification of the causative organism (irrespective of the method) was achieved in 95.8%. Preoperative blood cultures were positive in 35.3%, intraoperative tissue cultures in 31.8%, sonicate fluid culture in 79.2%, while broad-range PCR from sonicate fluid was positive in 66.7%. In 37.5% the pathogen detected in sonicate fluid culture or broad-range PCR was the only positive microbiological result. Sonicate fluid culture and broad-range PCR from explanted vascular grafts may contribute to optimization of antimicrobial treatment. Optimal timing of antibiotic therapy before explantation should be further assessed to improve diagnostic yield.

  1. A paralogue of the phosphomutase-like gene family in Candida glabrata, CgPmu2, gained broad-range phosphatase activity due to a small number of clustered substitutions.

    PubMed

    Orlando, Kelly A; Iosue, Christine L; Leone, Sarah G; Davies, Danielle L; Wykoff, Dennis D

    2015-10-15

    Inorganic phosphate is required for a range of cellular processes, such as DNA/RNA synthesis and intracellular signalling. The phosphate starvation-inducible phosphatase activity of Candida glabrata is encoded by the gene CgPMU2 (C. glabrata phosphomutase-like protein). CgPMU2 is part of a three-gene family (∼75% identical) created through gene duplication in the C. glabrata clade; only CgPmu2 is a PHO-regulated broad range acid phosphatase. We identified amino acids that confer broad range phosphatase activity on CgPmu2 by creating fusions of sections of CgPMU2 with CgPMU1, a paralogue with little broad range phosphatase activity. We used site-directed mutagenesis on various fusions to sequentially convert CgPmu1 to CgPmu2. Based on molecular modelling of the Pmu proteins on to a histidine phosphatase crystal structure, clusters of amino acids were found in two distinct regions that were able to confer phosphatase activity. Substitutions in these two regions together conferred broad phosphatase activity on CgPmu1. Interestingly, one change is a histidine adjacent to the active site histidine of CgPmu2 and it exhibits a novel ability to partially replace the conserved active site histidine in CgPmu2. Additionally, a second amino acid change was able to confer nt phosphatase activity to CgPmu1, suggesting single amino acid changes neofunctionalize CgPmu2. © 2015 Authors; published by Portland Press Limited.

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

    Not Available

    In 1988 the Atmospheric and Geophysical Sciences Division began its 15th year as a division. As the Division has grown over the years, its modeling capabilities have expanded to include a broad range of time and space scales ranging from hours to years, and from kilometers to global, respectively. For this report, we have chosen to show a subset of results from several projects to illustrate the breadth, depth, and diversity of the modeling activities that are a major part of the Division's research, development, and application efforts. In addition, the recent reorganization of the Division, including the merger ofmore » another group with the Division, is described, and the budget, personnel, models, and publications are reviewed. 95 refs., 26 figs., 2 tabs.« less

  3. Comparison of PASCAL and FORTRAN for solving problems in the physical sciences

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Watson, V. R.

    1981-01-01

    The paper compares PASCAL and FORTRAN for problem solving in the physical sciences, due to requests NASA has received to make PASCAL available on the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulator (scheduled to be operational in 1986). PASCAL disadvantages include the lack of scientific utility procedures equivalent to the IBM scientific subroutine package or the IMSL package which are available in FORTRAN. Advantages include a well-organized, easy to read and maintain writing code, range checking to prevent errors, and a broad selection of data types. It is concluded that FORTRAN may be the better language, although ADA (patterned after PASCAL) may surpass FORTRAN due to its ability to add complex and vector math, and the specify the precision and range of variables.

  4. Broad-band UHF dipole array

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bailey, M. C.

    1985-01-01

    A 6X6 array of fan-dipoles was designed to operate in the 510 to 660 MHz frequency range for aircraft flight test and evaluation of a UHF radiometer system. A broad-band dipole design operating near the first resonance is detailed. Measured VSWR and radiation patterns for the dipole array demonstrate achievable bandwidths in the 35 percent to 40 percent range.

  5. Regulation of Cortical Dynamic Range by Background Synaptic Noise and Feedforward Inhibition.

    PubMed

    Khubieh, Ayah; Ratté, Stéphanie; Lankarany, Milad; Prescott, Steven A

    2016-08-01

    The cortex encodes a broad range of inputs. This breadth of operation requires sensitivity to weak inputs yet non-saturating responses to strong inputs. If individual pyramidal neurons were to have a narrow dynamic range, as previously claimed, then staggered all-or-none recruitment of those neurons would be necessary for the population to achieve a broad dynamic range. Contrary to this explanation, we show here through dynamic clamp experiments in vitro and computer simulations that pyramidal neurons have a broad dynamic range under the noisy conditions that exist in the intact brain due to background synaptic input. Feedforward inhibition capitalizes on those noise effects to control neuronal gain and thereby regulates the population dynamic range. Importantly, noise allows neurons to be recruited gradually and occludes the staggered recruitment previously attributed to heterogeneous excitation. Feedforward inhibition protects spike timing against the disruptive effects of noise, meaning noise can enable the gain control required for rate coding without compromising the precise spike timing required for temporal coding. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. Phylogenetic relationships and host range of Rhizobium spp. that nodulate Phaseolus vulgaris L.

    PubMed

    Hernandez-Lucas, I; Segovia, L; Martinez-Romero, E; Pueppke, S G

    1995-07-01

    We determined the nucleotide sequences of 16S rRNA gene segments from five Rhizobium strains that have been isolated from tropical legume species. All share the capacity to nodulate Phaseolus vulgaris L., the common bean. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that these strains are of two different chromosomal lineages. We defined the host ranges of two strains of Rhizobium etli and three strains of R. tropici, comparing them with those of the two most divergently related new strains. Twenty-two of the 43 tested legume species were nodulated by three or more of these strains. All seven strains have broad host ranges that include woody species such as Albizia lebbeck, Gliricidia maculata, and Leucaena leucocephala.

  7. Effect of Antimicrobial Peptide KSL-W on Human Gingival Tissue and C. albicans Growth, Transition and Secreted Aspartyl Proteinase (SAPS) 2, 4, 5 and 6 Expressions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-07-01

    broad range of antibacterial activity and could play a role in preventing microbial infections(Decanis et al., 2009), (Zaslof, 2002). These antimicrobial...range of antibacterial activity and could play a role in preventing microbial infections(Decanis et al., 2009),(Zaslof, 2002). These antimicrobial...KSL- W (KKVVFWVKFK)(Na et al., 2007), which possess a broad range of antibacterial activity . It killed selected strains of non-oral and oral

  8. Melting and its relationship to impact crater morphology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Okeefe, John D.; Ahrens, Thomas J.

    1992-01-01

    Shock-melting features occur on planets at scales that range from micrometers to megameters. It is the objective of this study to determine the extent of thickness, volume geometry of the melt, and relationship with crater morphology. The variation in impact crater morphology on planets is influenced by a broad range of parameters: e.g., planetary density, thermal state, strength, impact velocity, gravitational acceleration. We modeled the normal impact of spherical projectiles on a semi-infinite planet over a broad range of conditions using numerical techniques.

  9. Emerging Trends in Molecular Interactions between Plants and the Broad Host Range Fungal Pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

    PubMed Central

    Mbengue, Malick; Navaud, Olivier; Peyraud, Rémi; Barascud, Marielle; Badet, Thomas; Vincent, Rémy; Barbacci, Adelin; Raffaele, Sylvain

    2016-01-01

    Fungal plant pathogens are major threats to food security worldwide. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea are closely related Ascomycete plant pathogens causing mold diseases on hundreds of plant species. There is no genetic source of complete plant resistance to these broad host range pathogens known to date. Instead, natural plant populations show a continuum of resistance levels controlled by multiple genes, a phenotype designated as quantitative disease resistance. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms controlling the interaction between plants and S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea but significant advances were made on this topic in the last years. This minireview highlights a selection of nine themes that emerged in recent research reports on the molecular bases of plant-S. sclerotiorum and plant-B. cinerea interactions. On the fungal side, this includes progress on understanding the role of oxalic acid, on the study of fungal small secreted proteins. Next, we discuss the exchanges of small RNA between organisms and the control of cell death in plant and fungi during pathogenic interactions. Finally on the plant side, we highlight defense priming by mechanical signals, the characterization of plant Receptor-like proteins and the hormone abscisic acid in the response to B. cinerea and S. sclerotiorum, the role of plant general transcription machinery and plant small bioactive peptides. These represent nine trends we selected as remarkable in our understanding of fungal molecules causing disease and plant mechanisms associated with disease resistance to two devastating broad host range fungi. PMID:27066056

  10. Trouble with diffusion: Reassessing hillslope erosion laws with a particle-based model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tucker, Gregory E.; Bradley, D. Nathan

    2010-03-01

    Many geomorphic systems involve a broad distribution of grain motion length scales, ranging from a few particle diameters to the length of an entire hillslope or stream. Studies of analogous physical systems have revealed that such broad motion distributions can have a significant impact on macroscale dynamics and can violate the assumptions behind standard, local gradient flux laws. Here, a simple particle-based model of sediment transport on a hillslope is used to study the relationship between grain motion statistics and macroscopic landform evolution. Surface grains are dislodged by random disturbance events with probabilities and distances that depend on local microtopography. Despite its simplicity, the particle model reproduces a surprisingly broad range of slope forms, including asymmetric degrading scarps and cinder cone profiles. At low slope angles the dynamics are diffusion like, with a short-range, thin-tailed hop length distribution, a parabolic, convex upward equilibrium slope form, and a linear relationship between transport rate and gradient. As slope angle steepens, the characteristic grain motion length scale begins to approach the length of the slope, leading to planar equilibrium forms that show a strongly nonlinear correlation between transport rate and gradient. These high-probability, long-distance motions violate the locality assumption embedded in many common gradient-based geomorphic transport laws. The example of a degrading scarp illustrates the potential for grain motion dynamics to vary in space and time as topography evolves. This characteristic renders models based on independent, stationary statistics inapplicable. An accompanying analytical framework based on treating grain motion as a survival process is briefly outlined.

  11. In vitro fermentation of lupin seeds (Lupinus albus) and broad beans (Vicia faba): dynamic modulation of the intestinal microbiota and metabolomic output.

    PubMed

    Gullón, Patricia; Gullón, Beatriz; Tavaria, Freni; Vasconcelos, Marta; Gomes, Ana Maria

    2015-10-01

    Broad beans (Vicia faba) and lupin seeds (Lupinus albus) are legumes rich in a wide range of compounds, which may represent a useful dietary approach for modulating the human gut microbiome. In this work, after in vitro digestion, legume samples were used as carbon sources in anaerobic batch cultures to evaluate their impact on the intestinal microbiota composition and on their metabolic products. The fermentations were monitored by a decrease in pH, generation of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and lactate and the changes in the dynamic bacterial populations by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The total SCFA at the end of fermentation was 81.52 mM for lupin seeds and 78.41 mM for broad beans accompanied by a decrease of the pH for both legumes. The microbial groups that increased significantly (P < 0.05) were Bifidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus-Enterococcus, Atopobium, Bacteroides-Pretovella, Clostridium coccoides-Eubacterium rectale, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Roseburia intestinalis. This impact on the intestinal microbiota suggests that lupin seeds and broad beans may be used in the development of novel functional foods, which can be included in dietary strategies for human health promotion.

  12. Atmospheric and Geophysical Sciences Division Program Report, 1988--1989

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

    Not Available

    1990-06-01

    In 1990, the Atmospheric and Geophysical Sciences Division begins its 17th year as a division. As the Division has grown over the years, its modeling capabilities have expanded to include a broad range of time and space scales ranging from hours to decades and from local to global. Our modeling is now reaching out from its atmospheric focus to treat linkages with the oceans and the land. In this report, we describe the Division's goal and organizational structure. We also provide tables and appendices describing the Division's budget, personnel, models, and publications. 2 figs., 1 tab.

  13. Tricyclic GyrB/ParE (TriBE) Inhibitors. A new class of broad-spectrum dual-targeting antibacterial agents

    DOE PAGES

    Tari, Leslie W.; Li, Xiaoming; Trzoss, Michael; ...

    2013-12-26

    Increasing resistance to every major class of antibiotics and a dearth of novel classes of antibacterial agents in development pipelines has created a dwindling reservoir of treatment options for serious bacterial infections. The bacterial type IIA topoisomerases, DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, are validated antibacterial drug targets with multiple prospective drug binding sites, including the catalytic site targeted by the fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Growing resistance to fluoroquinolones, frequently mediated by mutations in the drug-binding site, is increasingly limiting the utility of this antibiotic class, prompting the search for other inhibitor classes that target different sites on the topoisomerase complexes. The highlymore » conserved ATP-binding subunits of DNA gyrase (GyrB) and topoisomerase IV (ParE) have long been recognized as excellent candidates for the development of dual-targeting antibacterial agents with broad-spectrum potential. However, to date, no natural product or small molecule inhibitors targeting these sites have succeeded in the clinic, and no inhibitors of these enzymes have yet been reported with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity encompassing the majority of Gram-negative pathogens. Using structure-based drug design (SBDD), we have created a novel dual-targeting pyrimidoindole inhibitor series with exquisite potency against GyrB and ParE enzymes from a broad range of clinically important pathogens. Inhibitors from this series demonstrate potent, broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens of clinical importance, including fluoroquinolone resistant and multidrug resistant strains. Moreover, lead compounds have been discovered with clinical potential; they are well tolerated in animals, and efficacious in Gram-negative infection models.« less

  14. Tricyclic GyrB/ParE (TriBE) Inhibitors. A new class of broad-spectrum dual-targeting antibacterial agents

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

    Tari, Leslie W.; Li, Xiaoming; Trzoss, Michael

    Increasing resistance to every major class of antibiotics and a dearth of novel classes of antibacterial agents in development pipelines has created a dwindling reservoir of treatment options for serious bacterial infections. The bacterial type IIA topoisomerases, DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, are validated antibacterial drug targets with multiple prospective drug binding sites, including the catalytic site targeted by the fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Growing resistance to fluoroquinolones, frequently mediated by mutations in the drug-binding site, is increasingly limiting the utility of this antibiotic class, prompting the search for other inhibitor classes that target different sites on the topoisomerase complexes. The highlymore » conserved ATP-binding subunits of DNA gyrase (GyrB) and topoisomerase IV (ParE) have long been recognized as excellent candidates for the development of dual-targeting antibacterial agents with broad-spectrum potential. However, to date, no natural product or small molecule inhibitors targeting these sites have succeeded in the clinic, and no inhibitors of these enzymes have yet been reported with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity encompassing the majority of Gram-negative pathogens. Using structure-based drug design (SBDD), we have created a novel dual-targeting pyrimidoindole inhibitor series with exquisite potency against GyrB and ParE enzymes from a broad range of clinically important pathogens. Inhibitors from this series demonstrate potent, broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens of clinical importance, including fluoroquinolone resistant and multidrug resistant strains. Moreover, lead compounds have been discovered with clinical potential; they are well tolerated in animals, and efficacious in Gram-negative infection models.« less

  15. Microemulsion Formulation of Carbendazim and Its In Vitro Antifungal Activities Evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Leng, Pengfei; Zhang, Zhiming; Li, Qian; Zhao, Maojun; Pan, Guangtang

    2014-01-01

    The fungus Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn is a widespread and destructive plant pathogen with a very broad host range. Although various pathogens, including R. solani, have been traditionally controlled using chemical pesticides, their use faces drawbacks such as environmental pollution, development of pesticide resistance, and other negative effects. Carbendazim is a well-known antifungal agent capable of controlling a broad range of plant diseases, but its use is hampered by its poor aqueous solubility. In this study, we describe an environmentally friendly pharmaceutical microemulsion system using carbendazim as the active ingredient, chloroform and acetic acid as solvents, and the surfactants HSH and 0204 as emulsifiers. This system increased the solubility of carbendazim to 30 g/L. The optimal microemulsion formulation was determined based on a pseudo-ternary phase diagram; its physicochemical characteristics were also tested. The cloud point was greater than 90°C and it was resistant to freezing down to −18°C, both of which are improvements over the temperature range in which pure carbendazim can be used. This microemulsion meets the standard for pesticide microemulsions and demonstrated better activity against R. solani AG1-IA, relative to an aqueous solution of pure carbendazim (0.2 g/L). The mechanism of activity was reflected in the inhibition of against R. solani AG1-IA including mycelium growth, and sclerotia formation and germination were significantly better than that of 0.2 g/L carbendazim water solution according to the results of t-test done by SPSS 19. PMID:25310219

  16. Monash Chemical Yields Project (Monχey) Element production in low- and intermediate-mass stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doherty, Carolyn; Lattanzio, John; Angelou, George; Campbell, Simon W.; Church, Ross; Constantino, Thomas; Cristallo, Sergio; Gil-Pons, Pilar; Karakas, Amanda; Lugaro, Maria; Stancliffe, Richard

    The Monχey project will provide a large and homogeneous set of stellar yields for the low- and intermediate- mass stars and has applications particularly to galactic chemical evolution modelling. We describe our detailed grid of stellar evolutionary models and corresponding nucleosynthetic yields for stars of initial mass 0.8 M⊙ up to the limit for core collapse supernova (CC-SN) ~ 10 M⊙. Our study covers a broad range of metallicities, ranging from the first, primordial stars (Z = 0) to those of super-solar metallicity (Z = 0.04). The models are evolved from the zero-age main-sequence until the end of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) and the nucleosynthesis calculations include all elements from H to Bi. A major innovation of our work is the first complete grid of heavy element nucleosynthetic predictions for primordial AGB stars as well as the inclusion of extra-mixing processes (in this case thermohaline) during the red giant branch. We provide a broad overview of our results with implications for galactic chemical evolution as well as highlight interesting results such as heavy element production in dredge-out events of super-AGB stars. We briefly introduce our forthcoming web-based database which provides the evolutionary tracks, structural properties, internal/surface nucleosynthetic compositions and stellar yields. Our web interface includes user- driven plotting capabilities with output available in a range of formats. Our nucleosynthetic results will be available for further use in post processing calculations for dust production yields.

  17. Microemulsion formulation of Carbendazim and its in vitro antifungal activities evaluation.

    PubMed

    Leng, Pengfei; Zhang, Zhiming; Li, Qian; Zhao, Maojun; Pan, Guangtang

    2014-01-01

    The fungus Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn is a widespread and destructive plant pathogen with a very broad host range. Although various pathogens, including R. solani, have been traditionally controlled using chemical pesticides, their use faces drawbacks such as environmental pollution, development of pesticide resistance, and other negative effects. Carbendazim is a well-known antifungal agent capable of controlling a broad range of plant diseases, but its use is hampered by its poor aqueous solubility. In this study, we describe an environmentally friendly pharmaceutical microemulsion system using carbendazim as the active ingredient, chloroform and acetic acid as solvents, and the surfactants HSH and 0204 as emulsifiers. This system increased the solubility of carbendazim to 30 g/L. The optimal microemulsion formulation was determined based on a pseudo-ternary phase diagram; its physicochemical characteristics were also tested. The cloud point was greater than 90°C and it was resistant to freezing down to -18°C, both of which are improvements over the temperature range in which pure carbendazim can be used. This microemulsion meets the standard for pesticide microemulsions and demonstrated better activity against R. solani AG1-IA, relative to an aqueous solution of pure carbendazim (0.2 g/L). The mechanism of activity was reflected in the inhibition of against R. solani AG1-IA including mycelium growth, and sclerotia formation and germination were significantly better than that of 0.2 g/L carbendazim water solution according to the results of t-test done by SPSS 19.

  18. Advanced Information Processing System - Fault detection and error handling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lala, J. H.

    1985-01-01

    The Advanced Information Processing System (AIPS) is designed to provide a fault tolerant and damage tolerant data processing architecture for a broad range of aerospace vehicles, including tactical and transport aircraft, and manned and autonomous spacecraft. A proof-of-concept (POC) system is now in the detailed design and fabrication phase. This paper gives an overview of a preliminary fault detection and error handling philosophy in AIPS.

  19. Decarboxylative Trifluoromethylation of Aliphatic Carboxylic Acids.

    PubMed

    Kautzky, Jacob A; Wang, Tao; Evans, Ryan W; MacMillan, David W C

    2018-05-14

    Herein we disclose an efficient method for the conversion of carboxylic acids to trifluoromethyl groups via the combination of photoredox and copper catalysis. This transformation tolerates a wide range of functionality including heterocycles, olefins, alcohols, and strained ring systems. To demonstrate the broad potential of this new methodology for late-stage functionalization, we successfully converted a diverse array of carboxylic acid-bearing natural products and medicinal agents to the corresponding trifluoromethyl analogues.

  20. Reaping the Benefits: Defining the Public and Private Value of Going to College. The New Millennium Project on Higher Education Costs, Pricing, and Productivity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Institute for Higher Education Policy, Washington, DC.

    This report examines the individual and societal benefits of attending college, providing a broad overview of the range of benefits that accrue from college education. It includes a brief historical discussion of the benefits of higher education and the role of state and federal governments in encouraging college attendance. The report then…

  1. Nondestructive testing techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bray, Don E.; McBride, Don

    A comprehensive reference covering a broad range of techniques in nondestructive testing is presented. Based on years of extensive research and application at NASA and other government research facilities, the book provides practical guidelines for selecting the appropriate testing methods and equipment. Topics discussed include visual inspection, penetrant and chemical testing, nuclear radiation, sonic and ultrasonic, thermal and microwave, magnetic and electromagnetic techniques, and training and human factors. (No individual items are abstracted in this volume)

  2. Electronic Publishing and the Journals of the American Chemical Society.

    PubMed

    Spring, Jeffrey D; Garson, Lorrin R

    1996-01-01

    The American Chemical Society is developing a number of initiatives that implement emerging electronic technologies in order to provide a broad range of products and services to members and subscribers. Examples of products currently available, or under development, for access via the World Wide Web include supporting information for journals, electronic ads, color graphics and entire journals. Other activities employ e-mail, CD-ROMs, and softcopy text.

  3. An Examination of the Characteristics and Determinants of At-Risk and Non-at-Risk Students in a Texas Independent School District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roome, Anna Kathryn

    2016-01-01

    The issue within education reform of high dropout rates has been an enduring problem for education in the United States (U.S.) since the 1960s. Dropping out of high school is associated with a broad range of social pathologies in adulthood, including poor job prospects, the propensity to engage in criminal behavior, out-of-wedlock births, low…

  4. Electronic Publishing and the Journals of the American Chemical Society

    PubMed Central

    Spring, Jeffrey D.; Garson, Lorrin R.

    1996-01-01

    The American Chemical Society is developing a number of initiatives that implement emerging electronic technologies in order to provide a broad range of products and services to members and subscribers. Examples of products currently available, or under development, for access via the World Wide Web include supporting information for journals, electronic ads, color graphics and entire journals. Other activities employ e-mail, CD-ROMs, and softcopy text. PMID:27805172

  5. Message From the Editor for Contributions to the 2012 Real Time Conference Issue of TNS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmeling, Sascha Marc

    2013-10-01

    The papers in this special issue were originally presented at the 18th IEEE-NPSS Real Time Conference (RT2012) on Computing Applications in Nuclear and Plasma Sciences, held in Berkeley, California, USA, in June 2012. These contributions come from a broad range of fields of application, including Astrophysics, Medical Imaging, Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Particle Accelerators, and Particle Physics Experiments.

  6. Assessing native small mammals' responses to an incipient invasion of beech bark disease through changes in seed production of American beech

    Treesearch

    Justin N. Rosemier; Andrew J. Storer

    2011-01-01

    Exotic tree diseases have direct impacts on their host and may have indirect effects on native fauna that rely on host tree species. For example, American beech (Fagus grandifolia [Ehrh.]) is a dominant overstory component throughout its range and, like all tree species, is vulnerable to a broad array of insects and pathogens. These pests include...

  7. Conditional moment closure for two-phase flows - A review of recent developments and application to various spray combustion configurations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wright, Y. M.; Bolla, M.; Boulouchos, K.; Borghesi, G.; Mastorakos, E.

    2015-01-01

    Energy conversion devices of practical interest such as engines or combustors operate in highly turbulent flow regimes. Due to the nature of the hydrocarbon fuels employed, the oxidation chemistry involves a broad range of time-scales some of which cannot be decoupled from the flow. Among the approaches utilised to tackle the modelling of turbulent combustion, Conditional Moment Closure (CMC), belonging to the computationally efficient class of presumed PDF methods, has shown great potential. For single-phase flows it has been demonstrated on non-premixed turbulent lifted and opposed jets, lifted flames and auto-igniting jets. Here we seek to review recent advances in both modelling and application of CMC for auto-ignition of fuel sprays. The experiments chosen for code validation and model improvement include generic spray test rigs with dimensions of passenger car as well as large two-stroke marine engines. Data for a broad range of operating conditions of a heavy-duty truck engine is additionally employed to assess the predictive capability of the model with respect to NOx emissions. An outlook on future enhancements including e.g. LES-CMC formulation also for two-phase flows as well as developments in the field of soot emissions are summarised briefly.

  8. Reduced risk of apoptosis: mechanisms of stress responses.

    PubMed

    Milisav, Irina; Poljšak, Borut; Ribarič, Samo

    2017-02-01

    Apoptosis signaling pathways are integrated into a wider network of interconnected apoptotic and anti-apoptotic pathways that regulate a broad range of cell responses from cell death to growth, development and stress responses. An important trigger for anti- or pro-apoptotic cell responses are different forms of stress including hypoxia, energy deprivation, DNA damage or inflammation. Stress duration and intensity determine whether the cell's response will be improved cell survival, due to stress adaptation, or cell death by apoptosis, necrosis or autophagy. Although the interplay between enhanced stress tolerance and modulation of apoptosis triggering is not yet fully understood, there is a substantial body of experimental evidence demonstrating that apoptosis and anti-apoptosis signaling pathways can be manipulated to trigger or delay apoptosis in vitro or in vivo. Anti-apoptotic strategies cover a broad range of approaches. These interventions include mediators that prevent apoptosis (trophic factors and cytokines), apoptosis inhibition (caspase inhibition, stimulation of anti-apoptotic or inhibition of pro-apoptotic proteins and elimination of apoptotic stimulus), adaptive stress responses (induction of maintenance and repair, caspase inactivation) and cell-cell interactions (blocking engulfment and modified micro environment). There is a consensus that preclinical efficacy and safety evaluations of anti-apoptotic strategies should be performed with protocols that simulate as closely as possible the effects of aging, gender, risk factors, comorbidities and co-medications.

  9. Apollo experience report: Flight anomaly resolution

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lobb, J. D.

    1975-01-01

    The identification of flight anomalies, the determination of their causes, and the approaches taken for corrective action are described. Interrelationships of the broad range of disciplines involved with the complex systems and the team concept employed to ensure timely and accurate resolution of anomalies are discussed. The documentation techniques and the techniques for management of anomaly resolution are included. Examples of specific anomalies are presented in the original form of their progressive documentation. Flight anomaly resolution functioned as a part of the real-time mission support and postflight testing, and results were included in the postflight documentation.

  10. Modeling Parasitic Energy Losses and the Impact of Advanced Tribological Concepts on Fuel Efficiency - Final CRADA Report

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

    Fenske, George

    2016-11-28

    Our primary task for this project was to perform FMEP calculations for a broad range of parameters including engine type [spark ignition (SI) or compression ignition (CI)], engine size, engine mode (speed and load), lubricant viscosity, asperity friction, surface finish, oil type (mineral or synthetic), and additive (friction modifier), as discussed previously [1–3]. The actual analysis was limited to a large diesel engine and it included both load and speed dependencies as well as lubricant viscosity and speed.

  11. Energy consumption for shortcuts to adiabaticity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Torrontegui, E.; Lizuain, I.; González-Resines, S.; Tobalina, A.; Ruschhaupt, A.; Kosloff, R.; Muga, J. G.

    2017-08-01

    Shortcuts to adiabaticity let a system reach the results of a slow adiabatic process in a shorter time. We propose to quantify the "energy cost" of the shortcut by the energy consumption of the system enlarged by including the control device. A mechanical model where the dynamics of the system and control device can be explicitly described illustrates that a broad range of possible values for the consumption is possible, including zero (above the adiabatic energy increment) when friction is negligible and the energy given away as negative power is stored and reused by perfect regenerative braking.

  12. The Apollo 17 far ultraviolet spectrometer experiment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fastie, W. G.

    1972-01-01

    The Apollo 17 command service module in lunar orbit will carry a far ultraviolet scanning spectrometer whose prime mission will be to measure the composition of the lunar atmosphere. Additional observations will include the spectral lunar albedo, the temporary atmosphere injected by the engines of the lunar exploration module, the solar system atmosphere, the galactic atmosphere and the spectra of astronomical sources, including the earth. A detailed description of the experimental equipment which observes the spectral range 1180 to 1680 A, the observing program and broad speculation about the possible results of the experiment, are presented.

  13. The impact of range anxiety and home, workplace, and public charging infrastructure on simulated battery electric vehicle lifetime utility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Neubauer, Jeremy; Wood, Eric

    2014-07-01

    Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) offer the potential to reduce both oil imports and greenhouse gas emissions, but have a limited utility due to factors including driver range anxiety and access to charging infrastructure. In this paper we apply NREL's Battery Lifetime Analysis and Simulation Tool for Vehicles (BLAST-V) to examine the sensitivity of BEV utility to range anxiety and different charging infrastructure scenarios, including variable time schedules, power levels, and locations (home, work, and public installations). We find that the effects of range anxiety can be significant, but are reduced with access to additional charging infrastructure. We also find that (1) increasing home charging power above that provided by a common 15 A, 120 V circuit offers little added utility, (2) workplace charging offers significant utility benefits to select high mileage commuters, and (3) broadly available public charging can bring many lower mileage drivers to near-100% utility while strongly increasing the achieved miles of high mileage drivers.

  14. Synthesis of polycyclic spiroindolines by highly diastereoselective interrupted Ugi cascade reactions of 3-(2-isocyanoethyl)indoles.

    PubMed

    Saya, Jordy M; Oppelaar, Barry; Cioc, Răzvan C; van der Heijden, Gydo; Vande Velde, Christophe M L; Orru, Romano V A; Ruijter, Eelco

    2016-10-13

    We report a highly diastereoselective interrupted Ugi reaction to construct a broad range of structurally congested and stereochemically complex spiroindolines from tryptamine-derived isocyanides. The reaction is facilitated by using fluorinated alcohols (TFE or HFIP) as solvents and tolerates a broad range of amines, aldehydes and 2-isocyanoethylindoles to give polycyclic products in moderate to excellent yields.

  15. Promoting Equitable Biology Lab Instruction by Engaging All Students in a Broad Range of Science Practices: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strimaitis, Anna M.; Southerland, Sherry A.; Sampson, Victor; Enderle, Patrick; Grooms, Jonathon

    2017-01-01

    This study examines what students enrolled in the honors and general sections of a high school biology course offered at the same school learn when they have an opportunity to participate in a broad or narrow range of science practices during their laboratory experiences. The results of our analysis suggest that the students enrolled in the…

  16. Bias-Corrected Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing for Rapid, Multiplexed Detection of Actionable Alterations in Cell-Free DNA from Advanced Lung Cancer Patients.

    PubMed

    Paweletz, Cloud P; Sacher, Adrian G; Raymond, Chris K; Alden, Ryan S; O'Connell, Allison; Mach, Stacy L; Kuang, Yanan; Gandhi, Leena; Kirschmeier, Paul; English, Jessie M; Lim, Lee P; Jänne, Pasi A; Oxnard, Geoffrey R

    2016-02-15

    Tumor genotyping is a powerful tool for guiding non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) care; however, comprehensive tumor genotyping can be logistically cumbersome. To facilitate genotyping, we developed a next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay using a desktop sequencer to detect actionable mutations and rearrangements in cell-free plasma DNA (cfDNA). An NGS panel was developed targeting 11 driver oncogenes found in NSCLC. Targeted NGS was performed using a novel methodology that maximizes on-target reads, and minimizes artifact, and was validated on DNA dilutions derived from cell lines. Plasma NGS was then blindly performed on 48 patients with advanced, progressive NSCLC and a known tumor genotype, and explored in two patients with incomplete tumor genotyping. NGS could identify mutations present in DNA dilutions at ≥ 0.4% allelic frequency with 100% sensitivity/specificity. Plasma NGS detected a broad range of driver and resistance mutations, including ALK, ROS1, and RET rearrangements, HER2 insertions, and MET amplification, with 100% specificity. Sensitivity was 77% across 62 known driver and resistance mutations from the 48 cases; in 29 cases with common EGFR and KRAS mutations, sensitivity was similar to droplet digital PCR. In two cases with incomplete tumor genotyping, plasma NGS rapidly identified a novel EGFR exon 19 deletion and a missed case of MET amplification. Blinded to tumor genotype, this plasma NGS approach detected a broad range of targetable genomic alterations in NSCLC with no false positives including complex mutations like rearrangements and unexpected resistance mutations such as EGFR C797S. Through use of widely available vacutainers and a desktop sequencing platform, this assay has the potential to be implemented broadly for patient care and translational research. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

  17. Bias-corrected targeted next-generation sequencing for rapid, multiplexed detection of actionable alterations in cell-free DNA from advanced lung cancer patients

    PubMed Central

    Paweletz, Cloud P.; Sacher, Adrian G.; Raymond, Chris K.; Alden, Ryan S.; O'Connell, Allison; Mach, Stacy L.; Kuang, Yanan; Gandhi, Leena; Kirschmeier, Paul; English, Jessie M.; Lim, Lee P.; Jänne, Pasi A.; Oxnard, Geoffrey R.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose Tumor genotyping is a powerful tool for guiding non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) care, however comprehensive tumor genotyping can be logistically cumbersome. To facilitate genotyping, we developed a next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay using a desktop sequencer to detect actionable mutations and rearrangements in cell-free plasma DNA (cfDNA). Experimental Design An NGS panel was developed targeting 11 driver oncogenes found in NSCLC. Targeted NGS was performed using a novel methodology that maximizes on-target reads, and minimizes artifact, and was validated on DNA dilutions derived from cell lines. Plasma NGS was then blindly performed on 48 patients with advanced, progressive NSCLC and a known tumor genotype, and explored in two patients with incomplete tumor genotyping. Results NGS could identify mutations present in DNA dilutions at ≥0.4% allelic frequency with 100% sensitivity/specificity. Plasma NGS detected a broad range of driver and resistance mutations, including ALK, ROS1, and RET rearrangements, HER2 insertions, and MET amplification, with 100% specificity. Sensitivity was 77% across 62 known driver and resistance mutations from the 48 cases; in 29 cases with common EGFR and KRAS mutations, sensitivity was similar to droplet digital PCR. In two cases with incomplete tumor genotyping, plasma NGS rapidly identified a novel EGFR exon 19 deletion and a missed case of MET amplification. Conclusion Blinded to tumor genotype, this plasma NGS approach detected a broad range of targetable genomic alterations in NSCLC with no false positives including complex mutations like rearrangements and unexpected resistance mutations such as EGFR C797S. Through use of widely available vacutainers and a desktop sequencing platform, this assay has the potential to be implemented broadly for patient care and translational research. PMID:26459174

  18. Femtosecond soliton source with fast and broad spectral tunability.

    PubMed

    Masip, Martin E; Rieznik, A A; König, Pablo G; Grosz, Diego F; Bragas, Andrea V; Martinez, Oscar E

    2009-03-15

    We present a complete set of measurements and numerical simulations of a femtosecond soliton source with fast and broad spectral tunability and nearly constant pulse width and average power. Solitons generated in a photonic crystal fiber, at the low-power coupling regime, can be tuned in a broad range of wavelengths, from 850 to 1200 nm using the input power as the control parameter. These solitons keep almost constant time duration (approximately 40 fs) and spectral widths (approximately 20 nm) over the entire measured spectra regardless of input power. Our numerical simulations agree well with measurements and predict a wide working wavelength range and robustness to input parameters.

  19. THE HUBBLE WIDE FIELD CAMERA 3 TEST OF SURFACES IN THE OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM: SPECTRAL VARIATION ON KUIPER BELT OBJECTS

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

    Fraser, Wesley C.; Brown, Michael E.; Glass, Florian, E-mail: wesley.fraser@nrc.ca

    2015-05-01

    Here, we present additional photometry of targets observed as part of the Hubble Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) Test of Surfaces in the Outer Solar System. Twelve targets were re-observed with the WFC3 in the optical and NIR wavebands designed to complement those used during the first visit. Additionally, all of the observations originally presented by Fraser and Brown were reanalyzed through the same updated photometry pipeline. A re-analysis of the optical and NIR color distribution reveals a bifurcated optical color distribution and only two identifiable spectral classes, each of which occupies a broad range of colors and has correlatedmore » optical and NIR colors, in agreement with our previous findings. We report the detection of significant spectral variations on five targets which cannot be attributed to photometry errors, cosmic rays, point-spread function or sensitivity variations, or other image artifacts capable of explaining the magnitude of the variation. The spectrally variable objects are found to have a broad range of dynamical classes and absolute magnitudes, exhibit a broad range of apparent magnitude variations, and are found in both compositional classes. The spectrally variable objects with sufficiently accurate colors for spectral classification maintain their membership, belonging to the same class at both epochs. 2005 TV189 exhibits a sufficiently broad difference in color at the two epochs that span the full range of colors of the neutral class. This strongly argues that the neutral class is one single class with a broad range of colors, rather than the combination of multiple overlapping classes.« less

  20. Elevated Norepinephrine may be a Unifying Etiological Factor in the Abuse of a Broad Range of Substances: Alcohol, Nicotine, Marijuana, Heroin, Cocaine, and Caffeine

    PubMed Central

    Fitzgerald, Paul J.

    2013-01-01

    A wide range of commonly abused drugs have effects on the noradrenergic neurotransmitter system, including alterations during acute intoxication and chronic use of these drugs. It is not established, however, that individual differences in noradrenergic signaling, which may be present prior to use of drugs, predispose certain persons to substance abuse. This paper puts forth the novel hypothesis that elevated noradrenergic signaling, which may be raised largely due to genetics but also due to environmental factors, is an etiological factor in the abuse of a wide range of substances, including alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and caffeine. Data are reviewed for each of these drugs comprising their interaction with norepinephrine during acute intoxication, long-term use, subsequent withdrawal, and stress-induced relapse. In general, the data suggest that these drugs acutely boost noradrenergic signaling, whereas long-term use also affects this neurotransmitter system, possibly suppressing it. During acute withdrawal after chronic drug use, noradrenergic signaling tends to be elevated, consistent with the observation that norepinephrine lowering drugs such as clonidine reduce withdrawal symptoms. Since psychological stress can promote relapse of drug seeking in susceptible individuals and stress produces elevated norepinephrine release, this suggests that these drugs may be suppressing noradrenergic signaling during chronic use or instead elevating it only in reward circuits of the brain. If elevated noradrenergic signaling is an etiological factor in the abuse of a broad range of substances, then chronic use of pharmacological agents that reduce noradrenergic signaling, such as clonidine, guanfacine, lofexidine, propranolol, or prazosin, may help prevent or treat drug abuse in general. PMID:24151426

  1. Overexpression of a truncated CTF7 construct leads to pleiotropic defects in reproduction and vegetative growth in Arabidopsis.

    PubMed

    Liu, Desheng; Makaroff, Christopher A

    2015-03-05

    Eco1/Ctf7 is essential for the establishment of sister chromatid cohesion during S phase of the cell cycle. Inactivation of Ctf7/Eco1 leads to a lethal phenotype in most organisms. Altering Eco1/Ctf7 levels or point mutations in the gene can lead to alterations in nuclear division as well as a wide range of developmental defects. Inactivation of Arabidopsis CTF7 (AtCTF7) results in severe defects in reproduction and vegetative growth. To further investigate the function(s) of AtCTF7, a tagged version of AtCTF7 and several AtCTF7 deletion constructs were created and transformed into wild type or ctf7 +/- plants. Transgenic plants expressing 35S:NTAP:AtCTF7∆299-345 (AtCTF7∆B) displayed a wide range of phenotypic alterations in reproduction and vegetative growth. Male meiocytes exhibited chromosome fragmentation and uneven chromosome segregation. Mutant ovules contained abnormal megasporocyte-like cells during pre-meiosis, megaspores experienced elongated meiosis and megagametogenesis, and defective megaspores/embryo sacs were produced at various stages. The transgenic plants also exhibited a broad range of vegetative defects, including meristem disruption and dwarfism that were inherited in a non-Mendelian fashion. Transcripts for epigenetically regulated transposable elements (TEs) were elevated in transgenic plants. Transgenic plants expressing 35S:AtCTF7∆B displayed similar vegetative defects, suggesting the defects in 35S:NTAP:AtCTF7∆B plants are caused by high-level expression of AtCTF7∆B. High level expression of AtCTF7∆B disrupts megasporogenesis, megagametogenesis and male meiosis, as well as causing a broad range of vegetative defects, including dwarfism that are inherited in a non-Mendelian fashion.

  2. Personality in 100,000 Words: A large-scale analysis of personality and word use among bloggers

    PubMed Central

    Yarkoni, Tal

    2010-01-01

    Previous studies have found systematic associations between personality and individual differences in word use. Such studies have typically focused on broad associations between major personality domains and aggregate word categories, potentially masking more specific associations. Here I report the results of a large-scale analysis of personality and word use in a large sample of blogs (N=694). The size of the dataset enabled pervasive correlations with personality to be identified for a broad range of lexical variables, including both aggregate word categories and individual English words. The results replicated category-level findings from previous offline studies, identified numerous novel associations at both a categorical and single-word level, and underscored the value of complementary approaches to the study of personality and word use. PMID:20563301

  3. Broadband sensitive pump-probe setup for ultrafast optical switching of photonic nanostructures and semiconductors.

    PubMed

    Euser, Tijmen G; Harding, Philip J; Vos, Willem L

    2009-07-01

    We describe an ultrafast time resolved pump-probe spectroscopy setup aimed at studying the switching of nanophotonic structures. Both femtosecond pump and probe pulses can be independently tuned over broad frequency range between 3850 and 21,050 cm(-1). A broad pump scan range allows a large optical penetration depth, while a broad probe scan range is crucial to study strongly photonic crystals. A new data acquisition method allows for sensitive pump-probe measurements, and corrects for fluctuations in probe intensity and pump stray light. We observe a tenfold improvement of the precision of the setup compared to laser fluctuations, allowing a measurement accuracy of better than DeltaR=0.07% in a 1 s measurement time. Demonstrations of the improved technique are presented for a bulk Si wafer, a three-dimensional Si inverse opal photonic bandgap crystal, and z-scan measurements of the two-photon absorption coefficient of Si, GaAs, and the three-photon absorption coefficient of GaP in the infrared wavelength range.

  4. Manufacturing Work Measurement System Evaluation. Reference Guide

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-04-01

    discussions with users of the MTM-MEK predetermined time system. The coranents listed below are based on these discussions and, while a broad range...discussions with users of the MTM-V predeterroined time system. The coranents listed below are based on these discussions and, while a broad range of...industries were sampled, coranents should not be considered universal and therefore may not be applicable to all manufacturing environments: 0 Easy to

  5. A broad-host range dual-fluorescence reporter system for gene expression analysis in Gram-negative bacteria.

    PubMed

    Hennessy, Rosanna C; Christiansen, Line; Olsson, Stefan; Stougaard, Peter

    2018-01-01

    Fluorescence-based reporter systems are valuable tools for studying gene expression dynamics in living cells. Here we describe a dual-fluorescence reporter system carrying the red fluorescent marker mCherry and the blue fluorescent protein EBFP2 enabling the simultaneous analysis of two promoters in broad-host range autofluorescent Gram-negative bacteria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Locating qualitative studies in dementia on MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO: A comparison of search strategies.

    PubMed

    Rogers, Morwenna; Bethel, Alison; Abbott, Rebecca

    2017-10-28

    Qualitative research in dementia improves understanding of the experience of people affected by dementia. Searching databases for qualitative studies is problematic. Qualitative-specific search strategies might help with locating studies. To examine the effectiveness (sensitivity and precision) of 5 qualitative strategies on locating qualitative research studies in dementia in 4 major databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL). Qualitative dementia studies were checked for inclusion on MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Five qualitative search strategies (subject headings, simple free-text terms, complex free-text terms, and 2 broad-based strategies) were tested for study retrieval. Specificity, precision and number needed to read were calculated. Two hundred fourteen qualitative studies in dementia were included. PsycINFO and CINAHL held the most qualitative studies out the 4 databases studied (N = 171 and 166, respectively) and both held unique records (N = 14 and 7, respectively). The controlled vocabulary strategy in CINAHL returned 96% (N = 192) of studies held; by contrast, controlled vocabulary in PsycINFO returned 7% (N = 13) of studies held. The broad-based strategies returned more studies (93-99%) than the other free-text strategies (22-82%). Precision ranged from 0.061 to 0.004 resulting in a number needed to read to obtain 1 relevant study ranging from 16 (simple free-text search in CINAHL) to 239 (broad-based search in EMBASE). Qualitative search strategies using 3 broad terms were more sensitive than long complex searches. The controlled vocabulary for qualitative research in CINAHL was particularly effective. Furthermore, results indicate that MEDLINE and EMBASE offer little benefit for locating qualitative dementia research if CINAHL and PSYCINFO are also searched. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. An advanced software suite for the processing and analysis of silicon luminescence images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Payne, D. N. R.; Vargas, C.; Hameiri, Z.; Wenham, S. R.; Bagnall, D. M.

    2017-06-01

    Luminescence imaging is a versatile characterisation technique used for a broad range of research and industrial applications, particularly for the field of photovoltaics where photoluminescence and electroluminescence imaging is routinely carried out for materials analysis and quality control. Luminescence imaging can reveal a wealth of material information, as detailed in extensive literature, yet these techniques are often only used qualitatively instead of being utilised to their full potential. Part of the reason for this is the time and effort required for image processing and analysis in order to convert image data to more meaningful results. In this work, a custom built, Matlab based software suite is presented which aims to dramatically simplify luminescence image processing and analysis. The suite includes four individual programs which can be used in isolation or in conjunction to achieve a broad array of functionality, including but not limited to, point spread function determination and deconvolution, automated sample extraction, image alignment and comparison, minority carrier lifetime calibration and iron impurity concentration mapping.

  8. The Navy/NASA Engine Program (NNEP89): Interfacing the program for the calculation of complex Chemical Equilibrium Compositions (CEC)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gordon, Sanford

    1991-01-01

    The NNEP is a general computer program for calculating aircraft engine performance. NNEP has been used extensively to calculate the design and off-design (matched) performance of a broad range of turbine engines, ranging from subsonic turboprops to variable cycle engines for supersonic transports. Recently, however, there has been increased interest in applications for which NNEP is not capable of simulating, such as the use of alternate fuels including cryogenic fuels and the inclusion of chemical dissociation effects at high temperatures. To overcome these limitations, NNEP was extended by including a general chemical equilibrium method. This permits consideration of any propellant system and the calculation of performance with dissociation effects. The new extended program is referred to as NNEP89.

  9. Establishment of a high-resolution 2-D reference map of human spermatozoal proteins from 12 fertile sperm-bank donors.

    PubMed

    Li, Ling-Wei; Fan, Li-Qing; Zhu, Wen-Bing; Nien, Hong-Chuan; Sun, Bo-Lan; Luo, Ke-Li; Liao, Ting-Ting; Tang, Le; Lu, Guang-Xiu

    2007-05-01

    To extend the analysis of the proteome of human spermatozoa and establish a 2-D gel electrophoresis (2-DE) reference map of human spermatozoal proteins in a pH range of 3.5-9.0. In order to reveal more protein spots, immobilized pH gradient strips (24 cm) of broad range of pH 3-10 and the narrower range of pH 6-9, as well as different overlapping narrow range pH immobilized pH gradient (IPG) strips, including 3.5-4.5, 4.0-5.0, 4.5-5.5, 5.0-6.0 and 5.5-6.7, were used. After 2-DE, several visually identical spots between the different pH range 2-D gel pairs were cut from the gels and confirmed by mass spectrometry and used as landmarks for computer analysis. The 2-D reference map with pH value from 3.5 to 9.0 was synthesized by using the ImageMaster analysis software. The overlapping spots were excluded, so that every spot was counted only once. A total of 3872 different protein spots were identified from the reference map, an approximately 3-fold increase compared to the broad range pH 3-10 IPG strip (1306 spots). The present 2-D pattern is a high resolution 2-D reference map for human fertile spermatozoal protein spots. A comprehensive knowledge of the protein composition of human spermatozoa is very meaningful in studying dysregulation of male fertility.

  10. Caffeine-catalyzed gels.

    PubMed

    DiCiccio, Angela M; Lee, Young-Ah Lucy; Glettig, Dean L; Walton, Elizabeth S E; de la Serna, Eva L; Montgomery, Veronica A; Grant, Tyler M; Langer, Robert; Traverso, Giovanni

    2018-07-01

    Covalently cross-linked gels are utilized in a broad range of biomedical applications though their synthesis often compromises easy implementation. Cross-linking reactions commonly utilize catalysts or conditions that can damage biologics and sensitive compounds, producing materials that require extensive post processing to achieve acceptable biocompatibility. As an alternative, we report a batch synthesis platform to produce covalently cross-linked materials appropriate for direct biomedical application enabled by green chemistry and commonly available food grade ingredients. Using caffeine, a mild base, to catalyze anhydrous carboxylate ring-opening of diglycidyl-ether functionalized monomers with citric acid as a tri-functional crosslinking agent we introduce a novel poly(ester-ether) gel synthesis platform. We demonstrate that biocompatible Caffeine Catalyzed Gels (CCGs) exhibit dynamic physical, chemical, and mechanical properties, which can be tailored in shape, surface texture, solvent response, cargo release, shear and tensile strength, among other potential attributes. The demonstrated versatility, low cost and facile synthesis of these CCGs renders them appropriate for a broad range of customized engineering applications including drug delivery constructs, tissue engineering scaffolds, and medical devices. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  11. Personal glucose meters for detection and quantification of a broad range of analytes

    DOEpatents

    Lu, Yi; Xiang, Yu

    2015-02-03

    A general methodology for the development of highly sensitive and selective sensors that can achieve portable, low-cost and quantitative detection of a broad range of targets using only a personal glucose meter (PGM) is disclosed. The method uses recognition molecules that are specific for a target agent, enzymes that can convert an enzyme substrate into glucose, and PGM. Also provided are sensors, which can include a solid support to which is attached a recognition molecule that permits detection of a target agent, wherein the recognition molecule specifically binds to the target agent in the presence of the target agent but not significantly to other agents as well as an enzyme that can catalyze the conversion of a substance into glucose, wherein the enzyme is attached directly or indirectly to the recognition molecule, and wherein in the presence of the target agent the enzyme can convert the substance into glucose. The disclosed sensors can be part of a lateral flow device. Methods of using such sensors for detecting target agents are also provided.

  12. Evolutionary genetics of the Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase gene-enzyme system.

    PubMed

    Heinstra, P W

    1993-01-01

    Evolutionary genetics embodies a broad research area that ranges from the DNA level to studies of genetic aspects in populations. In all cases the purpose is to determine the impact of genetic variation on evolutionary change. The broad range of evolutionary genetics requires the involvement of a diverse group of researchers: molecular biologists, (population) geneticists, biochemists, physiologists, ecologists, ethologists and theorists, each of which has its own insights and interests. For example, biochemists are often not concerned with the physiological function of a protein (with respect to pH, substrates, temperature, etc.), while ecologists, in turn, are often not interested in the biochemical-physiological aspects underlying the traits they study. This review deals with several evolutionary aspects of the Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase gene-enzyme system, and includes my own personal viewpoints. I have tried to condense and integrate the current knowledge in this field as it has developed since the comprehensive review by van Delden (1982). Details on specific issues may be gained from Sofer and Martin (1987), Sullivan, Atkinson and Starmer (1990); Chambers (1988, 1991); Geer, Miller and Heinstra (1991); and Winberg and McKinley-McKee (1992).

  13. Detection of Ichthyophonus by chromogenic in situ hybridization

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Conway, Carla M.; Purcell, Maureen K.; Elliott, Diane G.; Hershberger, Paul K.

    2015-01-01

    Ichthyophonus hoferi (Plehn & Mulsow 1911) is a protistan parasite in the class Mesomycetozoea that infects a large range of marine and freshwater fish (Mendoza, Taylor & Ajello 2002; McVicar 2011). The broad host and geographic range, which includes both fresh and marine waters of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, combined with a lack of distinguishing morphological characteristics, have prompted speculation that Ichthyophonus-like organisms in multiple species of fish, as well as reptiles, amphibians, birds and invertebrates, may have been incorrectly classified under a single type species I. hoferi (McVicar 2011). At present, only two species,I. hoferi and I. irregularis, are currently recognized within the genus (Rand et al. 2000; Mendoza et al. 2002). Investigations of ribosomal DNA sequence variation have begun to clarify relationships among Ichthyophonus types (Criscione et al. 2002; Rasmussen et al. 2010). Here, we will use the term Ichthyophonus to broadly represent all members of the genus regardless of species/subspecies.

  14. Adsorption of uranium(VI) to manganese oxides: X-ray absorption spectroscopy and surface complexation modeling.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zimeng; Lee, Sung-Woo; Catalano, Jeffrey G; Lezama-Pacheco, Juan S; Bargar, John R; Tebo, Bradley M; Giammar, Daniel E

    2013-01-15

    The mobility of hexavalent uranium in soil and groundwater is strongly governed by adsorption to mineral surfaces. As strong naturally occurring adsorbents, manganese oxides may significantly influence the fate and transport of uranium. Models for U(VI) adsorption over a broad range of chemical conditions can improve predictive capabilities for uranium transport in the subsurface. This study integrated batch experiments of U(VI) adsorption to synthetic and biogenic MnO(2), surface complexation modeling, ζ-potential analysis, and molecular-scale characterization of adsorbed U(VI) with extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. The surface complexation model included inner-sphere monodentate and bidentate surface complexes and a ternary uranyl-carbonato surface complex, which was consistent with the EXAFS analysis. The model could successfully simulate adsorption results over a broad range of pH and dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations. U(VI) adsorption to synthetic δ-MnO(2) appears to be stronger than to biogenic MnO(2), and the differences in adsorption affinity and capacity are not associated with any substantial difference in U(VI) coordination.

  15. Implementation of Structures in the CMS: Part 2, Weir

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-08-01

    sharp - crested weir , it is between 0.55 and 0.58, and a broad - crested ...implementation, different weir coefficients are specified for the weir structure design, sharp - crested or broad - crested weir . The lowest value in the...coefficient range is used for the sharp - crested (0.55) and broad - crested (0.46) weir , respectively; the flux comparison between these two

  16. Development of novel therapeutic drugs in humans from plant antimicrobial peptides.

    PubMed

    da Rocha Pitta, Maira Galdino; da Rocha Pitta, Marina Galdino; Galdino, Suely Lins

    2010-05-01

    All living organisms, ranging from microorganisms to plants and mammals, have evolved mechanisms to actively defend themselves against pathogen attack. A wide range of biological activities have been attributed to plant antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) including growth inhibitory effects on a broad range of fungi, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, viruses, neoplasic cells and parasitic protozoa. Classes of AMPs, their mechanisms of action, biological activity, and cytotoxicity towards host cells are discussed. A particular focus regards AMP candidates with potential for use in defense against biological warfare agents. This field is young, but provides additional stimulus to consideration of these molecules as a new class of therapeutic agents and promises to revolutionize treatment of many infectious diseases.

  17. Phylogenetic relationships and host range of Rhizobium spp. that nodulate Phaseolus vulgaris L.

    PubMed Central

    Hernandez-Lucas, I; Segovia, L; Martinez-Romero, E; Pueppke, S G

    1995-01-01

    We determined the nucleotide sequences of 16S rRNA gene segments from five Rhizobium strains that have been isolated from tropical legume species. All share the capacity to nodulate Phaseolus vulgaris L., the common bean. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that these strains are of two different chromosomal lineages. We defined the host ranges of two strains of Rhizobium etli and three strains of R. tropici, comparing them with those of the two most divergently related new strains. Twenty-two of the 43 tested legume species were nodulated by three or more of these strains. All seven strains have broad host ranges that include woody species such as Albizia lebbeck, Gliricidia maculata, and Leucaena leucocephala. PMID:7618891

  18. Review of sonic-boom simulation devices and techniques.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Edge, P. M., Jr.; Hubbard, H. H.

    1972-01-01

    Research on aircraft-generated sonic booms has led to the development of special techniques to generate controlled sonic-boom-type disturbances without the complications and expense of supersonic flight operations. This paper contains brief descriptions of several of these techniques along with the significant hardware items involved and indicates the advantages and disadvantages of each in research applications. Included are wind tunnels, ballistic ranges, spark discharges, piston phones, shock tubes, high-speed valve systems, and shaped explosive charges. Specialized applications include sonic-boom generation and propagation studies and the responses of structures, terrain, people, and animals. Situations for which simulators are applicable are shown to include both small-scale and large-scale laboratory tests and full-scale field tests. Although no one approach to simulation is ideal, the various techniques available generally complement each other to provide desired capability for a broad range of sonic-boom studies.

  19. A review of tin oxide-based catalytic systems: Preparation, characterization and catalytic behavior

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hoflund, Gar B.

    1987-01-01

    This paper reviews the important aspects of the preparation, characterization and catalytic behavior of tin oxide-based catalytic systems including doped tin oxide, mixed oxides which contain tin oxide, Pt supported on tin oxide and Pt/Sn supported on alumina. These systems have a broad range of applications and are continually increasing in importance. However, due to their complex nature, much remains to be understood concerning how they function catalytically.

  20. Chiropractic Health Care: A National Study of Cost of Education, Service Utilization, Number of Practicing Doctors of Chiropractic, and Other Key Policy Issues. Volumes I-II.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    von Kuster, Thomas, Jr.

    Results from the first federally sponsored study of the chiropractic health care profession are presented, and a broad range of facts and issues of concern to policy-makers, the profession, and the public are described. The two-year project included three national surveys of: service providers (doctors of chiropractic in practice more than two…

  1. Ultra-Low Density Organic-Inorganic Composite Materials Possessing Thermally Insulating and Acoustic Damping Properties

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-05-07

    Officer. Dr. Kenneth Wynne d. Brief Description of Project- We are investigating the design and synthesis of strong, ultra-low density xerogel and aerogel ...materials of this type would have applications in a broad range of areas including lightweight engine components, high temperature coatings, aircraft wings...we plan to investigate the formation of ultra-low density composites using supercritical universal drying (SCUD) techniques. SiO2 aerogel materials

  2. Managerial burnout.

    PubMed

    Al-Assaf, A F; Taylor, T L

    1992-12-01

    It is well to understand that the consequences of burnout due to work-related stress are usually quite serious. Yet, this kind of burnout can and should be prevented; if detected early, it is manageable. Organizations should take steps to identify their executives who are most susceptible to burnout and offer them a broad range of assistance. There are, after all, no more important resources than human resources, and this, of course, includes an organization's executive-level employees.

  3. Infrared receivers for low background astronomy: Incoherent detectors and coherent devices from one micrometer to one millimeter

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Boggess, N. W.; Greenberg, L. T.; Hauser, M. G.; Houck, J. R.; Low, F. J.; Mccreight, C. R.; Rank, D. M.; Richards, P. L.; Weiss, R.

    1979-01-01

    The status of incoherent detectors and coherent receivers over the infrared wavelength range from one micrometer to one millimeter is described. General principles of infrared receivers are included, and photon detectors, bolometers, coherent receivers, and important supporting technologies are discussed, with emphasis on their suitability for low background astronomical applications. Broad recommendations are presented and specific opportunities are identified for development of improved devices.

  4. Modular Wireless Data-Acquisition and Control System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Perotti, Jose; Lucena, Angel; Medelius, Pedro; Mata, Carlos; Eckhoff, Anthony; Blalock, Norman

    2004-01-01

    A modular wireless data-acquisition and control system, now in operation at Kennedy Space Center, offers high performance at relatively low cost. The system includes a central station and a finite number of remote stations that communicate with each other through low-power radio frequency (RF) links. Designed to satisfy stringent requirements for reliability, integrity of data, and low power consumption, this system could be reproduced and adapted to use in a broad range of settings.

  5. Time Exceedances for High Intensity Solar Proton Fluxes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Xapsos, Michael A.; Stauffer, Craig A.; Jordan, Thomas M.; Adam, James H., Jr.; Dietrich, William F.

    2011-01-01

    A model is presented for times during a space mission that specified solar proton flux levels are exceeded. This includes both total time and continuous time periods during missions. Results for the solar maximum and solar minimum phases of the solar cycle are presented and compared for a broad range of proton energies and shielding levels. This type of approach is more amenable to reliability analysis for spacecraft systems and instrumentation than standard statistical models.

  6. Periods of High Intensity Solar Proton Flux

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Xapsos, Michael A.; Stauffer, Craig A.; Jordan, Thomas M.; Adams, James H.; Dietrich, William F.

    2012-01-01

    Analysis is presented for times during a space mission that specified solar proton flux levels are exceeded. This includes both total time and continuous time periods during missions. Results for the solar maximum and solar minimum phases of the solar cycle are presented and compared for a broad range of proton energies and shielding levels. This type of approach is more amenable to reliability analysis for spacecraft systems and instrumentation than standard statistical models.

  7. Overview of Accelerator Applications in Energy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garnett, Robert W.; Sheffield, Richard L.

    An overview of the application of accelerators and accelerator technology in energy is presented. Applications span a broad range of cost, size, and complexity and include large-scale systems requiring high-power or high-energy accelerators to drive subcritical reactors for energy production or waste transmutation, as well as small-scale industrial systems used to improve oil and gas exploration and production. The enabling accelerator technologies will also be reviewed and future directions discussed.

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

    Solbe, J.F.

    This book offers a broad consideration of the effects of land use on fresh waters above and below ground. Experts address a wide range of issues in relation to the four major uses of land. Taken from an international conference held at the University of Stirling in 1985, coverage includes sewerage and waste-water treatment, long-term contamination of aquifers below cities, mineral exploitation, use of water in food production, wood production and more. Remedies and areas requiring further study are outlined.

  9. A Coupling of Benzamides and Donor/Acceptor Diazo–Compounds to form γ-Lactams via Rh(III)–Catalyzed C–H Activation

    PubMed Central

    Hyster, Todd K.; Ruhl, Kyle E.; Rovis, Tomislav

    2013-01-01

    The coupling of O-pivaloyl benzhydroxamic acids with donor/acceptor diazo compounds provides iso-indolones in high yield. The reaction tolerates a broad range of benzhydroxamic acids and diazo compounds including substituted 2,2,2-trifluorodiazo ethanes. Mechanistic experiments suggest that C–H activation is turnover limiting and irreversible, while insertion of the diazo compound favors electron deficient substrates. PMID:23548055

  10. Selected Scientific and Technical Contributions of Edward C. Polhamus

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Luckring, James M.

    2016-01-01

    Edward C. Polhamus joined the NACA Langley Research Center staff in 1944 and was active in a broad range of aerodynamic research related to high-speed aircraft technology, aerodynamic prediction methods, and cryogenic wind-tunnel development. This lecture will focus on his 'leading-edge suction analogy' for the prediction of vortex-lift effects on slender wings. Briefer treatment of his contributions to variable-sweep aircraft and cryogenic wind tunnels is also included.

  11. Genetic errors of the human CARD-BCL10-MALT1 (CBM) complex: molecular, immunological, and clinical heterogeneity

    PubMed Central

    de Diego, Rebeca Pérez; Sánchez-Ramón, Silvia; López-Collazo, Eduardo; Martínez-Barricarte, Rubén; Cubillos-Zapata, Carolina; Cerdán, Antonio Ferreira; Casanova, Jean-Laurent; Puel, Anne

    2016-01-01

    Three members of the caspase recruitment domain (CARD) family of adaptors (CARD9, CARD10, and CARD11) are known to form heterotrimers with B-cell lymphoma 10 (BCL10) and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma-translocation gene 1 (MALT1). These three CARD-BCL10-MALT1 (CBM) complexes activate NF-κB in both the innate and adaptive arms of immunity. Human inherited defects of the three components of the CBM complex, including the two adaptors CARD9 and CARD11 and the two core components BCL10 and MALT1, have recently been reported. Bi-allelic loss-of-function (LOF) mutant alleles underlie several different immunological and clinical phenotypes, which can be assigned to two distinct categories. Isolated invasive fungal infections, of unclear cellular basis, are associated with CARD9 deficiency, whereas a broad range of clinical manifestations, including those characteristic of T- and B-lymphocyte defects, are associated with CARD11, MALT1 and BCL10 deficiencies. Interestingly, humans with these mutations have some features in common with the corresponding knockout mice, but other features are different between humans and mice. Moreover, germline and somatic gain-of-function (GOF) mutations of MALT1, BCL10 and CARD11 have also been found in other patients with lymphoproliferative disorders. This broad range of germline and somatic CBM lesions, including LOF and GOF mutations, highlights the contribution of each of the components of the CBM to human immunity. PMID:26277595

  12. Do Elite and Amateur Soccer Players Outperform Non-Athletes on Neurocognitive Functioning? A Study Among 8-12 Year Old Children.

    PubMed

    Verburgh, Lot; Scherder, Erik J A; Van Lange, Paul A M; Oosterlaan, Jaap

    2016-01-01

    Research suggested a positive association between physical fitness and neurocognitive functioning in children. Aim of the present study is to investigate possible dose-response relationships between diverse daily physical activities and a broad range of neurocognitive functions in preadolescent children. Furthermore, the relationship between several sedentary behaviours, including TV-watching, gaming and computer time, and neurocognitive functioning will be investigated in this group of children. A total of 168 preadolescent boys, aged 8 to 12 years, were recruited from various locations, including primary schools, an amateur soccer club, and a professional soccer club, to increase variability in the amount of participation in sports. All children performed neurocognitive tasks measuring inhibition, short term memory, working memory, attention and information processing speed. Regression analyses examined the predictive power of a broad range of physical activities, including sports, active transport to school, physical education (PE), outdoor play, and sedentary behaviour such as TV-watching and gaming, for neurocognitive functioning. Time spent in sports significantly accounted for the variance in inhibition, short term memory, working memory and lapses of attention, where more time spent in sports was associated with better performance. Outdoor play was also positively associated with working memory. In contrast, time spent on the computer was negatively associated with inhibition. Results of the current study suggest a positive relationship between participation in sports and several important neurocognitive functions. Interventions are recommended to increase sports participation and to reduce sedentary behaviour in preadolescent children.

  13. International Symposium on Airborne Geophysics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mogi, Toru; Ito, Hisatoshi; Kaieda, Hideshi; Kusunoki, Kenichiro; Saltus, Richard W.; Fitterman, David V.; Okuma, Shigeo; Nakatsuka, Tadashi

    2006-05-01

    Airborne geophysics can be defined as the measurement of Earth properties from sensors in the sky. The airborne measurement platform is usually a traditional fixed-wing airplane or helicopter, but could also include lighter-than-air craft, unmanned drones, or other specialty craft. The earliest history of airborne geophysics includes kite and hot-air balloon experiments. However, modern airborne geophysics dates from the mid-1940s when military submarine-hunting magnetometers were first used to map variations in the Earth's magnetic field. The current gamut of airborne geophysical techniques spans a broad range, including potential fields (both gravity and magnetics), electromagnetics (EM), radiometrics, spectral imaging, and thermal imaging.

  14. The evolution of environmental tolerance and range size: a comparison of geographically restricted and widespread Mimulus.

    PubMed

    Sheth, Seema N; Angert, Amy L

    2014-10-01

    The geographic ranges of closely related species can vary dramatically, yet we do not fully grasp the mechanisms underlying such variation. The niche breadth hypothesis posits that species that have evolved broad environmental tolerances can achieve larger geographic ranges than species with narrow environmental tolerances. In turn, plasticity and genetic variation in ecologically important traits and adaptation to environmentally variable areas can facilitate the evolution of broad environmental tolerance. We used five pairs of western North American monkeyflowers to experimentally test these ideas by quantifying performance across eight temperature regimes. In four species pairs, species with broader thermal tolerances had larger geographic ranges, supporting the niche breadth hypothesis. As predicted, species with broader thermal tolerances also had more within-population genetic variation in thermal reaction norms and experienced greater thermal variation across their geographic ranges than species with narrow thermal tolerances. Species with narrow thermal tolerance may be particularly vulnerable to changing climatic conditions due to lack of plasticity and insufficient genetic variation to respond to novel selection pressures. Conversely, species experiencing high variation in temperature across their ranges may be buffered against extinction due to climatic changes because they have evolved tolerance to a broad range of temperatures. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  15. International development of traditional medicine / complementary and alternative medicine research--what can Europe learn?

    PubMed

    Hök, Johanna; Lewith, George; Weidenhammer, Wolfgang; Santos-Rey, Koldo; Fønnebø, Vinjar; Wiesener, Solveig; Falkenberg, Torkel

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to analyse global research and development (R&D) strategies for traditional medicine (TM) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) across the world to learn from previous and on-going activities. 52 representatives within CAMbrella nominated 43 key international stakeholders (individuals and organisations) and 15 of these were prioritised. Information from policy documents including mission statements, R&D strategies and R&D activities were collected in combination with personal interviews. Data were analysed using the principles of content analysis. Key stakeholders vary greatly in terms of capacity, mission and funding source (private/public). They ranged from only providing research funding to having a comprehensive R&D and communication agenda. A common shift in R&D strategy was noted; whereas 10 years ago research focused mainly on exploring efficacy and mechanisms, today the majority of stakeholders emphasise the importance of a broad spectrum of research, including methodologies exploring context, safety and comparative effectiveness. The scarce public investment in this field in Europe stands in stark contrast to the large investments found in Australia, Asia and North America. There is an emerging global trend supporting a broad research repertoire, including qualitative and comparative effectiveness research. This trend should be considered by the EU given the experience and the substantial research funding committed by the included stakeholders. To facilitate international collaborative efforts and minimise the risk of investment failure, we recommend the formation of a centralised EU CAM research centre fostering a broad CAM R&D agenda with the responsibility for implementing the relevant findings of CAMbrella.

  16. The reduced genomes of Parcubacteria (OD1) contain signatures of a symbiotic lifestyle

    PubMed Central

    Nelson, William C.; Stegen, James C.

    2015-01-01

    Candidate phylum OD1 bacteria (also referred to as Parcubacteria) have been identified in a broad range of anoxic environments through community survey analysis. Although none of these species have been isolated in the laboratory, several genome sequences have been reconstructed from metagenomic sequence data and single-cell sequencing. The organisms have small (generally <1 Mb) genomes with severely reduced metabolic capabilities. We have reconstructed 8 partial to near-complete OD1 genomes from oxic groundwater samples, and compared them against existing genomic data. The conserved core gene set comprises 202 genes, or ~28% of the genomic complement. “Housekeeping” genes and genes for biosynthesis of peptidoglycan and Type IV pilus production are conserved. Gene sets for biosynthesis of cofactors, amino acids, nucleotides, and fatty acids are absent entirely or greatly reduced. The only aspects of energy metabolism conserved are the non-oxidative branch of the pentose-phosphate shunt and central glycolysis. These organisms also lack some activities conserved in almost all other known bacterial genomes, including signal recognition particle, pseudouridine synthase A, and FAD synthase. Pan-genome analysis indicates a broad genotypic diversity and perhaps a highly fluid gene complement, indicating historical adaptation to a wide range of growth environments and a high degree of specialization. The genomes were examined for signatures suggesting either a free-living, streamlined lifestyle, or a symbiotic lifestyle. The lack of biosynthetic capabilities and DNA repair, along with the presence of potential attachment and adhesion proteins suggest that the Parcubacteria are ectosymbionts or parasites of other organisms. The wide diversity of genes that potentially mediate cell-cell contact suggests a broad range of partner/prey organisms across the phylum. PMID:26257709

  17. The reduced genomes of Parcubacteria (OD1) contain signatures of a symbiotic lifestyle

    DOE PAGES

    Nelson, William C.; Stegen, James C.

    2015-07-21

    Candidate phylum OD1 bacteria (also referred to as Parcubacteria) have been identified in a broad range of anoxic environments through community survey analysis. Although none of these species have been isolated in the laboratory, several genome sequences have been reconstructed from metagenomic sequence data and single-cell sequencing. The organisms have small (generally <1 Mb) genomes with severely reduced metabolic capabilities. We have reconstructed 8 partial to near-complete OD1 genomes from oxic groundwater samples, and compared them against existing genomic data. The conserved core gene set comprises 202 genes, or ~28% of the genomic complement. “Housekeeping” genes and genes for biosynthesismore » of peptidoglycan and Type IV pilus production are conserved. Gene sets for biosynthesis of cofactors, amino acids, nucleotides, and fatty acids are absent entirely or greatly reduced. The only aspects of energy metabolism conserved are the non-oxidative branch of the pentose-phosphate shunt and central glycolysis. These organisms also lack some activities conserved in almost all other known bacterial genomes, including signal recognition particle, pseudouridine synthase A, and FAD synthase. Pan-genome analysis indicates a broad genotypic diversity and perhaps a highly fluid gene complement, indicating historical adaptation to a wide range of growth environments and a high degree of specialization. The genomes were examined for signatures suggesting either a free-living, streamlined lifestyle, or a symbiotic lifestyle. The lack of biosynthetic capabilities and DNA repair, along with the presence of potential attachment and adhesion proteins suggest that the Parcubacteria are ectosymbionts or parasites of other organisms. The wide diversity of genes that potentially mediate cell-cell contact suggests a broad range of partner/prey organisms across the phylum.« less

  18. The reduced genomes of Parcubacteria (OD1) contain signatures of a symbiotic lifestyle

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

    Nelson, William C.; Stegen, James C.

    2015-07-21

    Candidate phylum OD1 bacteria (also referred to as Parcubacteria) have been identified in broad range of anoxic environments through community survey analysis. Although none of these species have been isolated in the laboratory, several genome sequences have been reconstructed from metagenomic sequence data and single-cell sequencing. The organisms have small (generally <1 Mb) genomes with severely reduced metabolic capabilities. We have reconstructed 8 partial to near-complete OD1 genomes from oxic groundwater samples, and compared them against existing genomic data. The conserved core gene set comprises 202 genes, or ~28% of the genomic complement. ‘Housekeeping’ genes and genes for biosynthesis ofmore » peptidoglycan and Type IV pilus production are conserved. Gene sets for biosynthesis of cofactors, amino acids, nucleotides and fatty acids are absent entirely or greatly reduced. The only aspects of energy metabolism conserved are the non-oxidative branch of the pentose-phosphate shunt and central glycolysis. These organisms also lack some activities conserved in almost all other known bacterial genomes, including signal recognition particle, pseudouridine synthase A, and FAD synthase. Pan-genome analysis indicates a broad genotypic diversity and perhaps a highly fluid gene complement, indicating historical adaptation to a wide range of growth environments and a high degree of specialization. The genomes were examined for signatures suggesting either a free-living, streamlined lifestyle or a symbiotic lifestyle. The lack of biosynthetic capabilities and DNA repair, along with the presence of potential attachment and adhesion proteins suggest the Parcubacteria are ectosymbionts or parasites of other organisms. The wide diversity of genes that potentially mediate cell-cell contact suggests a broad range of partner/prey organisms across the phylum.« less

  19. A molecular gram stain using broad range PCR and pyrosequencing technology: a potentially useful tool for diagnosing orthopaedic infections.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Naomi; Bauer, Thomas W; Togawa, Daisuke; Lieberman, Isador H; Sakai, Hiroshige; Fujishiro, Takaaki; Tuohy, Marion J; Procop, Gary W

    2005-06-01

    The bacteria associated with orthopaedic infections are usually common gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. This fundamental grouping of bacteria is a necessary first step in the selection of appropriate antibiotics. Since polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is more rapid and may be more sensitive than culture, we developed a postamplification pyrosequencing method to subcategorize bacteria based on a few nucleotide polymorphisms in the 16S rRNA gene. We validated this method using well-characterized strains of bacteria and applied it to specimens from spinal surgery cases with suspected infections. Lysates of 114 bacteria including 75 species were created following standard cultivation to obtain DNA. The DNA was amplified by a broad-range real-time PCR. The amplicons were evaluated by pyrosequencing and were classified as gram-positive, gram-negative, or acid-fast bacilli based on the first three to five nucleotides sequenced. In addition, clinical cases of suspected infection were obtained from spinal surgery. The results of the "molecular Gram stain" were compared with the results of traditional Gram stain and culture. The lysates of 107 (93.9%) of the bacteria extracts tested were appropriately categorized as gram-positive and gram-negative or as acid-fast bacilli on the basis of this assay. The sensitivity and specificity of this assay were 100% and 97.4% for gram-positive and 88.3% and 100% for gram-negative isolates. All of the five clinical samples were appropriately categorized as containing gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria with this assay. This study demonstrates that high sensitivity and specificity of a molecular gram stain may be achieved using broad-range real-time PCR and pyrosequencing.

  20. Antimicrobial Protection of Marsupial Pouch Young

    PubMed Central

    Cheng, Yuanyuan; Belov, Katherine

    2017-01-01

    Marsupials diverged from eutherian mammals about 148 million years ago and represent a unique lineage of mammals with distinctive morphological and reproductive characteristics. Marsupials have significantly shorter gestation periods than eutherians. Pregnancy typically ranges from 15 to 35 days, with young being born at a very early developmental stage and lacking differentiated lymphoid tissues and mature effector cells. Recent microbiome studies of the marsupial pouch revealed that marsupial young can face intense microbial challenges after birth, as the pouch contains a broad range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Antimicrobials are believed to play a significant role in the immune protection of marsupial newborns during their pouch life. The skin of the post-reproductive pouch secretes antimicrobial lysozyme and dermcidin, which may contribute to the decreased density of certain bacteria in the pouch. A range of antimicrobial agents, such as immunoglobulins, lysozyme, transferrin, and cathelicidins, have been identified in marsupial milk. Antimicrobial assays have revealed that marsupial cathelicidins have broad-spectrum activity against a variety of bacteria and fungi, including several multi-drug resistant strains. In this article, we will review the action mechanisms of these antimicrobial compounds and discuss how they protect marsupial newborns from potentially pathogenic bacteria inside the pouch. We will also discuss the potential of marsupial antimicrobial compounds as a source of novel antibiotics. PMID:28326070

  1. The link between national security and biometrics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Etter, Delores M.

    2005-03-01

    National security today requires identification of people, things and activities. Biometrics plays an important role in the identification of people, and indirectly, in the identification of things and activities. Therefore, the development of technology and systems that provide faster and more accurate biometric identification is critical to the defense of our country. In addition, the development of a broad range of biometrics is necessary to provide the range of options needed to address flexible and adaptive adversaries. This paper will discuss the importance of a number of critical areas in the development of an environment to support biometrics, including research and development, biometric education, standards, pilot projects, and privacy assurance.

  2. Active mixing of complex fluids at the microscale

    DOE PAGES

    Ober, Thomas J.; Foresti, Daniele; Lewis, Jennifer A.

    2015-09-22

    Mixing of complex fluids at low Reynolds number is fundamental for a broad range of applications, including materials assembly, microfluidics, and biomedical devices. Of these materials, yield stress fluids (and gels) pose the most significant challenges, especially when they must be mixed in low volumes over short timescales. New scaling relationships between mixer dimensions and operating conditions are derived and experimentally verified to create a framework for designing active microfluidic mixers that can efficiently homogenize a wide range of complex fluids. As a result, active mixing printheads are then designed and implemented for multimaterial 3D printing of viscoelastic inks withmore » programmable control of local composition.« less

  3. Persistent luminescence of transition metal (Co, Ni...)-doped ZnGa2O4 phosphors for applications in the near-infrared range

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pellerin, Morgane; Castaing, Victor; Gourier, Didier; Chanéac, Corinne; Viana, Bruno

    2018-02-01

    Persistent luminescence materials present many applications including security lighting and bio-imaging. Many progresses have been made in the elaboration of persistent luminescent nanoparticles suitable for the first NIR partial transparency window (650 - 950 nm). Moving to the second and third near-infrared partial transparency windows (1000 nm - 1800 nm) allows further reducing of scattering, absorption and tissue autofluorescence effects. In this work, we present the synthesis of Co2+ and Ni2+ doped zinc-gallate nanoparticles with broad emission covering the NIR-II range. Site occupancy, energy levels, optical features and persistent phenomena are presented.

  4. Active mixing of complex fluids at the microscale

    PubMed Central

    Ober, Thomas J.; Foresti, Daniele; Lewis, Jennifer A.

    2015-01-01

    Mixing of complex fluids at low Reynolds number is fundamental for a broad range of applications, including materials assembly, microfluidics, and biomedical devices. Of these materials, yield stress fluids (and gels) pose the most significant challenges, especially when they must be mixed in low volumes over short timescales. New scaling relationships between mixer dimensions and operating conditions are derived and experimentally verified to create a framework for designing active microfluidic mixers that can efficiently homogenize a wide range of complex fluids. Active mixing printheads are then designed and implemented for multimaterial 3D printing of viscoelastic inks with programmable control of local composition. PMID:26396254

  5. Cr-doped scandium borate laser

    DOEpatents

    Chai, Bruce H.; Lai, Shui T.; Long, Margaret N.

    1989-01-01

    A broadly wavelength-tunable laser is provided which comprises as the laser medium a single crystal of MBO.sub.3 :Cr.sup.3+, where M is selected from the group of Sc, In and Lu. The laser may be operated over a broad temperature range from cryogenic temperatures to elevated temperatures. Emission is in a spectral range from red to infrared, and the laser is useful in the fields of defense, communications, isotope separation, photochemistry, etc.

  6. Can job redesign interventions influence a broad range of employee outcomes by changing multiple job characteristics? A quasi-experimental study.

    PubMed

    Holman, David; Axtell, Carolyn

    2016-07-01

    Many job redesign interventions are based on a multiple mediator-multiple outcome model in which the job redesign intervention indirectly influences a broad range of employee outcomes by changing multiple job characteristics. As this model remains untested, the aim of this study is to test a multiple mediator-multiple outcome model of job redesign. Multilevel analysis of data from a quasi-experimental job redesign intervention in a call center confirmed the hypothesized model and showed that the job redesign intervention affected a broad range of employee outcomes (i.e., employee well-being, psychological contract fulfillment, and supervisor-rated job performance) through changes in 2 job characteristics (i.e., job control and feedback). The results provide further evidence for the efficacy and mechanisms of job redesign interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  7. Upgraded airborne scanner for commercial remote sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chang, Sheng-Huei; Rubin, Tod D.

    1994-06-01

    Traditional commercial remote sensing has focused on the geologic market, with primary focus on mineral identification and mapping in the visible through short-wave infrared spectral regions (0.4 to 2.4 microns). Commercial remote sensing users now demand airborne scanning capabilities spanning the entire wavelength range from ultraviolet through thermal infrared (0.3 to 12 microns). This spectral range enables detection, identification, and mapping of objects and liquids on the earth's surface and gases in the air. Applications requiring this range of wavelengths include detection and mapping of oil spills, soil and water contamination, stressed vegetation, and renewable and non-renewable natural resources, and also change detection, natural hazard mitigation, emergency response, agricultural management, and urban planning. GER has designed and built a configurable scanner that acquires high resolution images in 63 selected wave bands in this broad wavelength range.

  8. Toward in vivo diagnosis of skin cancer using multimode imaging dermoscopy: (II) molecular mapping of highly pigmented lesions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vasefi, Fartash; MacKinnon, Nicholas; Farkas, Daniel L.

    2014-03-01

    We have developed a multimode imaging dermoscope that combines polarization and hyperspectral imaging with a computationally rapid analytical model. This approach employs specific spectral ranges of visible and near infrared wavelengths for mapping the distribution of specific skin bio-molecules. This corrects for the melanin-hemoglobin misestimation common to other systems, without resorting to complex and computationally intensive tissue optical models that are prone to inaccuracies due to over-modeling. Various human skin measurements including a melanocytic nevus, and venous occlusion conditions were investigated and compared with other ratiometric spectral imaging approaches. Access to the broad range of hyperspectral data in the visible and near-infrared range allows our algorithm to flexibly use different wavelength ranges for chromophore estimation while minimizing melanin-hemoglobin optical signature cross-talk.

  9. Spectrum of pathogens in native liver, bile, and blood during pediatric liver transplantation.

    PubMed

    Schukfeh, Nagoud; Doerner, Judith M; Heintschel von Heinegg, Evelyn; Steinmann, Joerg; Metzelder, Martin L; Kathemann, Simone; Hoyer, Peter F; Paul, Andreas; Gerner, Patrick

    2014-05-01

    During LTX, there may be a risk that pathogens of the native liver are released into the systemic circulation. No investigations on incidence/spectrum of pathogens in native livers have been published. We hypothesized that pathogens are found in the native liver of a large proportion of pediatric patients during LTX and investigated the microbiology of native livers. These data may help optimize antibiotic therapy. Twenty-two consecutive pediatric patients (median age 14 months, range, 5 months-15 yr) receiving LTX in our department from October 2010 to October 2011 were included in this prospective study. Tissue and bile were collected from the explanted liver and were cultivated on different media. All liver tissues were investigated using a broad-range PCR (SepsiTest(®)). In 16 patients, blood cultures were collected post-transplantation. Eleven patients (50%) had at least one pathogen detected; nine of these patients had an underlying diagnosis of biliary atresia. SepsiTest(®) was positive in seven patients. In four patients it was the only test detecting any pathogen. In detail, the positivity rate for liver tissue in all patients was 41% (n = 9); for bile 25% (n = 3); and for blood 25% (n = 4). Thirteen different pathogens (69% bacterial, 31% fungal) were isolated. A highly-sensitive broad-range PCR appears to be an effective method to detect pathogens in native livers of patients undergoing LTX. A high number and variety of microbes, including a high proportion of fungal pathogens, were detected. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Monash Chemical Yields Project (Monχey) - Element production in low- and intermediate-mass stars of metallicities Z = 0 to 0.04

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doherty, Carolyn Louise; Lattanzio, John; Angelou, George; Wattana Campbell, Simon; Church, Ross; Constantino, Thomas; Cristallo, Sergio; Gil-Pons, Pilar; Karakas, Amanda; Lugaro, Maria; Stancliffe, Richard James

    2015-08-01

    The Monχey project provides a large and homogeneous set of stellar yields for the low- and intermediate- mass stars and has applications particularly to galactic chemical evolution modelling.We present a detailed grid of stellar evolutionary models and corresponding nucleosynthetic yields for stars of initial mass 0.8 M⊙ up to the limit for core collapse supernova ≈ 10 M⊙. Our study covers a broad range of metallicities, ranging from the first, primordial stars (Z=0) to those of super-solar metallicity (Z=0.04). The models are evolved from the zero-age main-sequence until the end of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) and the nucleosynthesis calculations include all elements from H to Bi.A major innovation of our work is the first complete grid of heavy element nucleosynthetic predictions for primordial AGB stars as well as the inclusion of extra-mixing processes (in this case thermohaline) during the red giant branch. We provide a broad overview of our results with implications for galactic chemical evolution as well as highlight interesting results such as heavy element production in dredge-out events of super-AGB stars.We briefly introduce our easy to use web-based database which provides the evolutionary tracks, structural properties, internal/surface nucleosynthetic compositions and stellar yields. Our web interface includes user- driven plotting capabilities with output available in a range of formats. Our nucleosynthetic results are available for further use in post processing calculations for dust production yields.

  11. Schottky Heterodyne Receivers With Full Waveguide Bandwidth

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hesler, Jeffrey; Crowe, Thomas

    2011-01-01

    Compact THz receivers with broad bandwidth and low noise have been developed for the frequency range from 100 GHz to 1 THz. These receivers meet the requirements for high-resolution spectroscopic studies of planetary atmospheres (including the Earth s) from spacecraft, as well as airborne and balloon platforms. The ongoing research is significant not only for the development of Schottky mixers, but also for the creation of a receiver system, including the LO chain. The new receivers meet the goals of high sensitivity, compact size, low total power requirement, and operation across complete waveguide bands. The exceptional performance makes these receivers ideal for the broader range of scientific and commercial applications. These include the extension of sophisticated test and measurement equipment to 1 THz and the development of low-cost imaging systems for security applications and industrial process monitoring. As a particular example, a WR-1.9SHM (400-600 GHz) has been developed (see Figure 1), with state-of-the-art noise temperature ranging from 1,000-1,800 K (DSB) over the full waveguide band. Also, a Vector Network Analyzer extender has been developed (see Figure 2) for the WR1.5 waveguide band (500 750 GHz) with 100-dB dynamic range.

  12. Characterization of an aryl-alcohol oxidase from the plant saprophytic basidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea with broad substrate specificity against aromatic alcohols.

    PubMed

    Tamaru, Yoshiaki; Umezawa, Kiwamu; Yoshida, Makoto

    2018-07-01

    The aim of the study was to obtain information about the enzymatic properties of aryl-alcohol oxidase from the plant saprophytic basidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea (rCcAAO), which is classified into the auxiliary activities family 3 subfamily 2 (AA3_2). The gene encoding AAO from the plant saprophytic basidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea (CcAAO) was cloned, and the recombinant CcAAO (rCcAAO) was heterologously expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. The purified rCcAAO showed significant activity not only against trans,trans-2,4-hexadien-1-ol but also against a broad range of aromatic alcohols including aromatic compounds that were reported to be poor substrates for known AAOs. Moreover, site-directed mutagenesis analysis demonstrated that mutants with substitutions from leucine to phenylalanine and tryptophan at position 416 exhibited decreases of activity for aromatic alcohols but still maintained the activity for trans,trans-2,4-hexadien-1-ol. Leucine 416 in CcAAO contributes to the broad substrate specificity against various aromatic alcohols, which is useful for the production of hydrogen peroxide using this enzyme.

  13. Assessing Anxiety in Nonhuman Primates

    PubMed Central

    Coleman, Kristine; Pierre, Peter J.

    2014-01-01

    Anxiety can be broadly described as a psychological state in which normally innocuous environmental stimuli trigger negative emotional expectations. Human anxiety disorders are multidimensional and may be organic or acquired, situational or pervasive. The broad ranging nature of the anxiety phenotype speaks to the need for models that identify its various components and root causes to develop effective clinical treatments. The cross-species comparative approach to modeling anxiety disorders in animals aims to understand mechanisms that both contribute to and modulate anxiety. Nonhuman primate models provide an important bridge from nonprimate model systems because of the complexity of nonhuman primates’ biobehavioral capacities and their commonalities with human emotion. The broad goal of this review is to provide an overview of various procedures available to study anxiety in the nonhuman primate, with a focus on the behavioral aspects of anxiety. Commonly used methods covered in this review include assessing animals in their home environment or in response to an ethologically relevant threat, associative conditioning and startle response tests, and cognitive bias tests. We also discuss how these procedures can help veterinarians and researchers care for captive nonhuman primates. PMID:25225310

  14. Self-similar and fractal design for stretchable electronics

    DOEpatents

    Rogers, John A.; Fan, Jonathan; Yeo, Woon-Hong; Su, Yewang; Huang, Yonggang; Zhang, Yihui

    2017-04-04

    The present invention provides electronic circuits, devices and device components including one or more stretchable components, such as stretchable electrical interconnects, electrodes and/or semiconductor components. Stretchability of some of the present systems is achieved via a materials level integration of stretchable metallic or semiconducting structures with soft, elastomeric materials in a configuration allowing for elastic deformations to occur in a repeatable and well-defined way. The stretchable device geometries and hard-soft materials integration approaches of the invention provide a combination of advance electronic function and compliant mechanics supporting a broad range of device applications including sensing, actuation, power storage and communications.

  15. Current concepts of metabolic abnormalities in HIV patients: focus on lipodystrophy.

    PubMed

    Kolter, Donald P

    2003-12-01

    HIV infection is associated with a number of metabolic abnormalities, including lipodystrophy, a difficult-to-define disorder whose characteristics include hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and fat redistribution. Current data suggest that lipodystrophy is caused by multiple factors. Dual-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor therapy combined with protease inhibitor therapy has been shown to increase the risk of metabolic abnormalities, but susceptibility independent of drug effects has also been shown. While many of the treatments for the broad range of signs and symptoms of lipodystrophy bring about improvements in patient status, none have been demonstrated to bring about a return to baseline levels.

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

    Curran, Scott; Wagner, Robert M.; Campbell, Russ

    The SAE 2016 Range Extenders for Electric Vehicles Symposium was a 2-day technical meeting focused on the role of advanced internal combustion engines (ICEs) and other novel energy converter technologies for extending the range of electric vehicles (EVs). The first-of-its-kind symposium was notable for focusing solely on the range extender (REx) technologies and not the EVs. The technical program featured presentations from international leaders from industry, government, national laboratories, and academia. The opening keynote presentations covered a broad range of topics including consumer behavior, policy implications, regulatory considerations, and REx architectures as enablers for advanced technologies. The technical sessions focusedmore » on an array of REx technologies including conventional ICEs, as well as less conventional or emerging technologies such as microturbines, fuel cells, low-temperature combustion engines, and aluminum-air batteries. The symposium included two panel sessions. The trend toward increasing vehicle electrification and the changing role of ICEs and other auxiliary power unit technologies for use as REx’s is leading to new research and design development needs. The symposium captured the interest of the industry and research communities in exploring the opportunities and challenges associated with REx’s for EVs. This report includes key takeaways, summarized below, and draft notes for each presentation and panel discussion.« less

  17. Department of Defense Extract of the Budget of the United States Government for Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-02-04

    speed rail transport and form effort, the budget gives special emphasis electric battery technology, to high perform - to increased investment in child...in vehicle performance and ca- pabilities. Research efforts have been ex- panded in high -payoff areas associated with a broad range of future vehicle...applications including subsonic and high - speed transport aircraft. The budget proposes $543 million for aero- nautics R&D (excluding High Performance

  18. Electronic conferencing for continuing medical education: a resource survey.

    PubMed

    Sternberg, R J

    1986-10-01

    The use of electronic technologies to link participants for education conferences is an option for providers of Continuing Medical Education. In order to profile the kinds of electronic networks currently offering audio- or videoteleconferences for physician audiences, a survey was done during late 1985. The information collected included range of services, fees, and geographic areas served. The results show a broad diversity of providers providing both interactive and didactic programming to both physicians and other health care professionals.

  19. A Computational Comparison of High Strain Rate Strength and Failure Models for Glass

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-11-05

    many researchers, however accuracy across a broad range of impact conditions is still not always achievable. Glasses , including soda - lime - silica ...plug/cone failure appearance when testing soda - lime - silica glass (see Fig. 5 from Ref. [7]). He notes that at 60 µs, the plug begins to break up and...material model. Although the JH-2 model has been adapated to provide reasonably accurate predictions for soda - lime glass , the Holmquist-Johnson model

  20. Methods for the synthesis of aza(deaza)xanthines as a basis of biologically active compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Babkov, D. A.; Geisman, A. N.; Khandazhinskaya, A. L.; Novikov, M. S.

    2016-03-01

    The review covers methods for the synthesis of aza(deaza)xanthines, i.e., fused pyrrolo-, pyrazolo- and triazolopyrimidine heterocyclic systems, which are common core structures of various biologically active compounds. The extensive range of modern synthetic approaches is organized according to target structures and starting building blocks. The presented material is intended to benefit broad audience of specialists in the fields of organic, medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry. The bibliography includes 195 references.

  1. MEDICARE SUBVENTION DEMONSTRATION: DOD’s Pilot HMO Appealed to Seniors, Underscored Management Complexities

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-06-01

    Senior Prime illustrated issues that arose in bringing older retirees into DOD managed care. A major change in health care arrangements for Medicare...including dependents) aged 65 and older could receive limited health care. DOD delivers care through about 600 MTFs worldwide. TRICARE covers a broad range of...Medicare Subvention Demonstration Sites 7 Table 2: Age -ins Were One-Fifth of Total Senior Prime Enrollment 12 Figures Figure 1: Features of the

  2. Proceedings for the Annual Army Environmental Research and Development Symposium (14th) Held in Williamsburg, Virginia on 14-16 November 1989

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-04-01

    Lewandowski, Basil C. Baltzis, Lily Y. Young, Gene Carrazza, and Jose Yamoza ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS IN TESTING LIQUID GUN PROPELLANTS ........ 329...The range of contaminants in soil is now known to be very broad, including petroleum, heavy metals, dioxins, pesticides , organic solvents and others...PCBs/ pesticides by EPA Contract Laboratory Program procedures. The latter leachates also have been tested for acute and chronic toxicity to Ceriodaphnia

  3. Homeland Security Research Improves the Nation's Ability to ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Technical Brief Homeland Security (HS) Research develops data, tools, and technologies to minimize the impact of accidents, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other incidents that can result in toxic chemical, biological or radiological (CBR) contamination. HS Research develops ways to detect contamination, sampling strategies, sampling and analytical methods, cleanup methods, waste management approaches, exposure assessment methods, and decision support tools (including water system models). These contributions improve EPA’s response to a broad range of environmental disasters.

  4. Complete Genome Sequences of Six Copper-Resistant Xanthomonas citri pv. citri Strains Causing Asiatic Citrus Canker, Obtained Using Long-Read Technology.

    PubMed

    Richard, Damien; Boyer, Claudine; Vernière, Christian; Canteros, Blanca I; Lefeuvre, Pierre; Pruvost, Olivier

    2017-03-23

    The gammaproteobacterium Xanthomonas citri pv .  citri causes Asiatic citrus canker. Pathotype A strains have a broad host range, which includes most commercial citrus species, and they cause important economic losses worldwide. Control often relies on frequent copper sprays. We present here the complete genomes of six X. citri pv .  citri copper-resistant strains. Copyright © 2017 Richard et al.

  5. Graph-based linear scaling electronic structure theory.

    PubMed

    Niklasson, Anders M N; Mniszewski, Susan M; Negre, Christian F A; Cawkwell, Marc J; Swart, Pieter J; Mohd-Yusof, Jamal; Germann, Timothy C; Wall, Michael E; Bock, Nicolas; Rubensson, Emanuel H; Djidjev, Hristo

    2016-06-21

    We show how graph theory can be combined with quantum theory to calculate the electronic structure of large complex systems. The graph formalism is general and applicable to a broad range of electronic structure methods and materials, including challenging systems such as biomolecules. The methodology combines well-controlled accuracy, low computational cost, and natural low-communication parallelism. This combination addresses substantial shortcomings of linear scaling electronic structure theory, in particular with respect to quantum-based molecular dynamics simulations.

  6. Graph-based linear scaling electronic structure theory

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

    Niklasson, Anders M. N., E-mail: amn@lanl.gov; Negre, Christian F. A.; Cawkwell, Marc J.

    2016-06-21

    We show how graph theory can be combined with quantum theory to calculate the electronic structure of large complex systems. The graph formalism is general and applicable to a broad range of electronic structure methods and materials, including challenging systems such as biomolecules. The methodology combines well-controlled accuracy, low computational cost, and natural low-communication parallelism. This combination addresses substantial shortcomings of linear scaling electronic structure theory, in particular with respect to quantum-based molecular dynamics simulations.

  7. Terascale spectral element algorithms and implementations.

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

    Fischer, P. F.; Tufo, H. M.

    1999-08-17

    We describe the development and implementation of an efficient spectral element code for multimillion gridpoint simulations of incompressible flows in general two- and three-dimensional domains. We review basic and recently developed algorithmic underpinnings that have resulted in good parallel and vector performance on a broad range of architectures, including the terascale computing systems now coming online at the DOE labs. Sustained performance of 219 GFLOPS has been recently achieved on 2048 nodes of the Intel ASCI-Red machine at Sandia.

  8. Ambient Mass Spectrometry in Cancer Research.

    PubMed

    Takats, Z; Strittmatter, N; McKenzie, J S

    2017-01-01

    Ambient ionization mass spectrometry was developed as a sample preparation-free alternative to traditional MS-based workflows. Desorption electrospray ionization (DESI)-MS methods were demonstrated to allow the direct analysis of a broad range of samples including unaltered biological tissue specimens. In contrast to this advantageous feature, nowadays DESI-MS is almost exclusively used for sample preparation intensive mass spectrometric imaging (MSI) in the area of cancer research. As an alternative to MALDI, DESI-MSI offers matrix deposition-free experiment with improved signal in the lower (<500m/z) range. DESI-MSI enables the spatial mapping of tumor metabolism and has been broadly demonstrated to offer an alternative to frozen section histology for intraoperative tissue identification and surgical margin assessment. Rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) was developed exclusively for the latter purpose by the direct combination of electrosurgical devices and mass spectrometry. In case of the REIMS technology, aerosol particles produced by electrosurgical dissection are subjected to MS analysis, providing spectral information on the structural lipid composition of tissues. REIMS technology was demonstrated to give real-time information on the histological nature of tissues being dissected, deeming it an ideal tool for intraoperative tissue identification including surgical margin control. More recently, the method has also been used for the rapid lipidomic phenotyping of cancer cell lines as it was demonstrated in case of the NCI-60 cell line collection. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Modeling the Downstream Processing of Monoclonal Antibodies Reveals Cost Advantages for Continuous Methods for a Broad Range of Manufacturing Scales.

    PubMed

    Hummel, Jonathan; Pagkaliwangan, Mark; Gjoka, Xhorxhi; Davidovits, Terence; Stock, Rick; Ransohoff, Thomas; Gantier, Rene; Schofield, Mark

    2018-01-17

    The biopharmaceutical industry is evolving in response to changing market conditions, including increasing competition and growing pressures to reduce costs. Single-use (SU) technologies and continuous bioprocessing have attracted attention as potential facilitators of cost-optimized manufacturing for monoclonal antibodies. While disposable bioprocessing has been adopted at many scales of manufacturing, continuous bioprocessing has yet to reach the same level of implementation. In this study, the cost of goods of Pall Life Science's integrated, continuous bioprocessing (ICB) platform is modeled, along with that of purification processes in stainless-steel and SU batch formats. All three models include costs associated with downstream processing only. Evaluation of the models across a broad range of clinical and commercial scenarios reveal that the cost savings gained by switching from stainless-steel to SU batch processing are often amplified by continuous operation. The continuous platform exhibits the lowest cost of goods across 78% of all scenarios modeled here, with the SU batch process having the lowest costs in the rest of the cases. The relative savings demonstrated by the continuous process are greatest at the highest feed titers and volumes. These findings indicate that existing and imminent continuous technologies and equipment can become key enablers for more cost effective manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Research Technology

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2002-08-01

    A new, world-class laboratory for research into future space transportation technologies is under construction at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, AL. The state-of-the-art Propulsion Research Laboratory will serve as a leading national resource for advanced space propulsion research. Its purpose is to conduct research that will lead to the creation and development of irnovative propulsion technologies for space exploration. The facility will be the epicenter of the effort to move the U.S. space program beyond the confines of conventional chemical propulsion into an era of greatly improved access to space and rapid transit throughout the solar system. The Laboratory is designed to accommodate researchers from across the United States, including scientists and engineers from NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, universities, and industry. The facility, with 66,000 square feet of useable laboratory space, will feature a high degree of experimental capability. Its flexibility will allow it to address a broad range of propulsion technologies and concepts, such as plasma, electromagnetic, thermodynamic, and propellantless propulsion. An important area of emphasis will be development and utilization of advanced energy sources, including highly energetic chemical reactions, solar energy, and processes based on fission, fusion, and antimatter. The Propulsion Research Laboratory is vital for developing the advanced propulsion technologies needed to open up the space frontier, and will set the stage of research that could revolutionize space transportation for a broad range of applications.

  11. GFP reporter mice for the retinoblastoma-related cell cycle regulator p107

    PubMed Central

    Burkhart, Deborah L.; Viatour, Patrick; Ho, Victoria M.; Sage, Julien

    2009-01-01

    The RB tumor suppressor gene is mutated in a broad range of human cancers, including pediatric retinoblastoma. Strikingly, however, Rb mutant mice develop tumors of the pituitary and thyroid glands, but not retinoblastoma. Mouse genetics experiments have demonstrated that p107, a protein related to pRB, is capable of preventing retinoblastoma, but not pituitary tumors, in Rb-deficient mice. Evidence suggests that the basis for this compensatory function of p107 is increased transcription of the p107 gene in response to Rb inactivation. To begin to address the context-dependency of this compensatory role of p107 and to follow p107 expression in vivo, we have generated transgenic mice carrying an enhanced GFP (eGFP) reporter inserted into a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) containing the mouse p107 gene. Expression of the eGFP transgene parallels that of p107 in these transgenic mice and identifies cells with a broad range of expression level for p107, even within particular organs or tissues. We also show that loss of Rb results in the upregulation of p107 transcription in specific cell populations in vivo, including subpopulations of hematopoietic cells. Thus, p107 BAC-eGFP transgenic mice serve as a useful tool to identify distinct cell types in which p107 is expressed and may have key functions in vivo, and to characterize changes in cellular networks accompanying Rb deficiency. PMID:18719374

  12. Characterization of antimicrobial lipopeptides produced by Bacillus sp. LM7 isolated from chungkookjang, a Korean traditional fermented soybean food.

    PubMed

    Lee, Mi-Hwa; Lee, Jiyeon; Nam, Young-Do; Lee, Jong Suk; Seo, Myung-Ji; Yi, Sung-Hun

    2016-03-16

    A wild-type microorganism exhibiting antimicrobial activities was isolated from the Korean traditional fermented soybean food Chungkookjang and identified as Bacillus sp. LM7. During its stationary growth phase, the microorganism secreted an antimicrobial substance, which we partially purified using a simple two-step procedure involving ammonium sulfate precipitation and heat treatment. The partially purified antimicrobial substance, Anti-LM7, was stable over a broad pH range (4.0-9.0) and at temperatures up to 80 °C for 30 min, and was resistant to most proteolytic enzymes and maintained its activity in 30% (v/v) organic solvents. Anti-LM7 inhibited the growth of a broad range of Gram-positive bacteria, including Bacillus cereus and Listeria monocytogenes, but it did not inhibit lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis. Moreover, unlike commercially available nisin and polymyxin B, Anti-LM7 inhibited certain fungal strains. Lastly, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of Anti-LM7 revealed that it contained eight lipopeptides belonging to two families: four bacillomycin D and four surfactin analogs. These Bacillus sp. LM7-produced heterogeneous lipopeptides exhibiting extremely high stability and a broad antimicrobial spectrum are likely to be closely related to the antimicrobial activity of Chungkookjang, and their identification presents an opportunity for application of the peptides in environmental bioremediation, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Changes to the Fossil Record of Insects through Fifteen Years of Discovery

    PubMed Central

    Nicholson, David B.; Mayhew, Peter J.; Ross, Andrew J.

    2015-01-01

    The first and last occurrences of hexapod families in the fossil record are compiled from publications up to end-2009. The major features of these data are compared with those of previous datasets (1993 and 1994). About a third of families (>400) are new to the fossil record since 1994, over half of the earlier, existing families have experienced changes in their known stratigraphic range and only about ten percent have unchanged ranges. Despite these significant additions to knowledge, the broad pattern of described richness through time remains similar, with described richness increasing steadily through geological history and a shift in dominant taxa, from Palaeoptera and Polyneoptera to Paraneoptera and Holometabola, after the Palaeozoic. However, after detrending, described richness is not well correlated with the earlier datasets, indicating significant changes in shorter-term patterns. There is reduced Palaeozoic richness, peaking at a different time, and a less pronounced Permian decline. A pronounced Triassic peak and decline is shown, and the plateau from the mid Early Cretaceous to the end of the period remains, albeit at substantially higher richness compared to earlier datasets. Origination and extinction rates are broadly similar to before, with a broad decline in both through time but episodic peaks, including end-Permian turnover. Origination more consistently exceeds extinction compared to previous datasets and exceptions are mainly in the Palaeozoic. These changes suggest that some inferences about causal mechanisms in insect macroevolution are likely to differ as well. PMID:26176667

  14. Gemcitabine and Nucleos(t)ide Synthesis Inhibitors Are Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Drugs that Activate Innate Immunity.

    PubMed

    Shin, Hye Jin; Kim, Chonsaeng; Cho, Sungchan

    2018-04-20

    Nucleoside analogs have been frequently identified as antiviral agents. In recent years, gemcitabine, a cytidine analog in clinical use for the treatment of many solid tumors, was also shown to have antiviral activity against a broad range of viruses. Nucleoside analogs generally interfere with cellular nucleos(t)ide synthesis pathways, resulting in the depletion or imbalance of (d)NTP pools. Intriguingly, a few recent reports have shown that some nucleoside analogs, including gemcitabine, activated innate immunity, inducing the expression of interferon-stimulated genes, through nucleos(t)ide synthesis inhibition. The precise crosstalk between these two independent processes remains to be determined. Nonetheless, we summarize the current knowledge of nucleos(t)ide synthesis inhibition-related innate immunity and propose it as a newly emerging antiviral mechanism of nucleoside analogs.

  15. Techniques for capturing expert knowledge - An expert systems/hypertext approach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lafferty, Larry; Taylor, Greg; Schumann, Robin; Evans, Randy; Koller, Albert M., Jr.

    1990-01-01

    The knowledge-acquisition strategy developed for the Explosive Hazards Classification (EHC) Expert System is described in which expert systems and hypertext are combined, and broad applications are proposed. The EHC expert system is based on rapid prototyping in which primary knowledge acquisition from experts is not emphasized; the explosive hazards technical bulletin, technical guidance, and minimal interviewing are used to develop the knowledge-based system. Hypertext is used to capture the technical information with respect to four issues including procedural, materials, test, and classification issues. The hypertext display allows the integration of multiple knowlege representations such as clarifications or opinions, and thereby allows the performance of a broad range of tasks on a single machine. Among other recommendations, it is suggested that the integration of hypertext and expert systems makes the resulting synergistic system highly efficient.

  16. Heliospotlight: An Information Resource for Heliophysics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Young, C.; Wawro, M.; Schenk, L. C.

    2013-12-01

    The NASA Goddard Heliophysics Science Division (HSD) EPO and mission websites are rich with content covering the broad subject of heliophysics. This includes detailed information for many age groups, a large range of descriptive imagery and dynamic video and interactive material. The weakness of all this content is that it is scattered over so many websites as opposed to being organized and focused in one user friendly location. The website heliospotlight.org is being developed to address all these concerns, leveraging the vast content already developed while using state-of-the-art web technologies. This will provide a rich user experience simultaneously tailoring to the needs of the broad audience of students, educators, scientists, journalists and the general public. The website will use well supported, open source technologies enabling future flexibility and expansion. HSD EPO will support the development of this information resource.

  17. Towards isozyme-selective HDAC inhibitors for interrogating disease.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Praveer; Reid, Robert C; Iyer, Abishek; Sweet, Matthew J; Fairlie, David P

    2012-01-01

    Histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes have emerged as promising targets for the treatment of a wide range of human diseases, including cancers, inflammatory and metabolic disorders, immunological, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases. At present, such applications are limited by the lack of selective inhibitors available for each of the eighteen HDAC enzymes, with most currently available HDAC inhibitors having broad-spectrum activity against multiple HDAC enzymes. Such broad-spectrum activity maybe useful in treating some diseases like cancers, but can be detrimental due to cytotoxic side effects that accompany prolonged treatment of chronic diseased states. Here we summarize progress towards the design and discovery of HDAC inhibitors that are selective for some of the eleven zinc-containing classical HDAC enzymes, and identify opportunities to use such isozyme-selective inhibitors as chemical probes for interrogating the biological roles of individual HDAC enzymes in diseases.

  18. Parallel-processing with surface plasmons, a new strategy for converting the broad solar spectrum

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Anderson, L. M.

    1982-01-01

    A new strategy for efficient solar-energy conversion is based on parallel processing with surface plasmons: guided electromagnetic waves supported on thin films of common metals like aluminum or silver. The approach is unique in identifying a broadband carrier with suitable range for energy transport and an inelastic tunneling process which can be used to extract more energy from the more energetic carriers without requiring different materials for each frequency band. The aim is to overcome the fundamental 56-percent loss associated with mismatch between the broad solar spectrum and the monoenergetic conduction electrons used to transport energy in conventional silicon solar cells. This paper presents a qualitative discussion of the unknowns and barrier problems, including ideas for coupling surface plasmons into the tunnels, a step which has been the weak link in the efficiency chain.

  19. An Efficient Strategy for Broad-Range Detection of Low Abundance Bacteria without DNA Decontamination of PCR Reagents

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Shy-Shin; Hsu, Hsung-Ling; Cheng, Ju-Chien; Tseng, Ching-Ping

    2011-01-01

    Background Bacterial DNA contamination in PCR reagents has been a long standing problem that hampers the adoption of broad-range PCR in clinical and applied microbiology, particularly in detection of low abundance bacteria. Although several DNA decontamination protocols have been reported, they all suffer from compromised PCR efficiency or detection limits. To date, no satisfactory solution has been found. Methodology/Principal Findings We herein describe a method that solves this long standing problem by employing a broad-range primer extension-PCR (PE-PCR) strategy that obviates the need for DNA decontamination. In this method, we first devise a fusion probe having a 3′-end complementary to the template bacterial sequence and a 5′-end non-bacterial tag sequence. We then hybridize the probes to template DNA, carry out primer extension and remove the excess probes using an optimized enzyme mix of Klenow DNA polymerase and exonuclease I. This strategy allows the templates to be distinguished from the PCR reagent contaminants and selectively amplified by PCR. To prove the concept, we spiked the PCR reagents with Staphylococcus aureus genomic DNA and applied PE-PCR to amplify template bacterial DNA. The spiking DNA neither interfered with template DNA amplification nor caused false positive of the reaction. Broad-range PE-PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene was also validated and minute quantities of template DNA (10–100 fg) were detectable without false positives. When adapting to real-time and high-resolution melting (HRM) analytical platforms, the unique melting profiles for the PE-PCR product can be used as the molecular fingerprints to further identify individual bacterial species. Conclusions/Significance Broad-range PE-PCR is simple, efficient, and completely obviates the need to decontaminate PCR reagents. When coupling with real-time and HRM analyses, it offers a new avenue for bacterial species identification with a limited source of bacterial DNA, making it suitable for use in clinical and applied microbiology laboratories. PMID:21637859

  20. Nesting habits influence population genetic structure of a bee living in anthropogenic disturbance.

    PubMed

    Vickruck, J L; Richards, M H

    2017-05-01

    While most organisms are negatively affected by anthropogenic disturbance, a few species thrive in landscapes altered by humans. Typically, native bees are negatively impacted by anthropogenic environmental change, including habitat alteration and climate change. Here, we investigate the population structure of the eastern carpenter bee Xylocopa virginica, a generalist pollinator with a broad geographic range spanning eastern North America. Eastern carpenter bees now nest almost exclusively in artificial wooden structures, linking their geographic distribution and population structure to human activities and disturbance. To investigate the population structure of these bees, we sampled females from 16 different populations from across their range. Nine species-specific microsatellite loci showed that almost all populations are genetically distinct, but with high levels of genetic diversity and low levels of inbreeding overall. Broadly speaking, populations clustered into three distinct genetic groups: a northern group, a western group and a core group. The northern group had low effective population sizes, decreased genetic variability and the highest levels of inbreeding in the data set, suggesting that carpenter bees may be expanding their range northward. The western group was genetically distinct, but lacked signals of a recent range expansion. Climatic data showed that summer and winter temperatures explained a significant amount of the genetic differentiation seen among populations, while precipitation did not. Our results indicate that X. virginica may be one of the rare 'anthrophilic' species that thrive in the face of anthropogenic disturbance. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Effects of broad frequency vibration on cultured osteoblasts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tanaka, Shigeo M.; Li, Jiliang; Duncan, Randall L.; Yokota, Hiroki; Burr, David B.; Turner, Charles H.

    2003-01-01

    Bone is subjected in vivo to both high amplitude, low frequency strain, incurred by locomotion, and to low amplitude, broad frequency strain. The biological effects of low amplitude, broad frequency strain are poorly understood. To evaluate the effects of low amplitude strains ranging in frequency from 0 to 50 Hz on osteoblastic function, we seeded MC3T3-E1 cells into collagen gels and applied the following loading protocols for 3 min per day for either 3 or 7 days: (1) sinusoidal strain at 3 Hz, with 0-3000 microstrain peak-to-peak followed by 0.33 s resting time, (2) "broad frequency vibration" of low amplitude strain (standard deviation of 300 microstrain) including frequency components from 0 to 50 Hz, and (3) sinusoidal strain combined with broad frequency vibration (S + V). The cells were harvested on day 4 or 8. We found that the S + V stimulation significantly repressed cell proliferation by day 8. Osteocalcin mRNA was up-regulated 2.6-fold after 7 days of S + V stimulation, and MMP-9 mRNA was elevated 1.3-fold after 3 days of vibration alone. Sinusoidal stimulation alone did not affect the cell responses. No differences due to loading were observed in alkaline phosphatase activity and in mRNA levels of type I collagen, osteopontin, connexin 43, MMPs-1A, -3, -13. These results suggest that osteoblasts are more sensitive to low amplitude, broad frequency strain, and this kind of strain could sensitize osteoblasts to high amplitude, low frequency strain. This suggestion implies a potential contribution of stochastic resonance to the mechanical sensitivity of osteoblasts. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.

  2. Subcortical Correlates of Individual Differences in Aptitude

    PubMed Central

    Jung, Rex E.; Ryman, Sephira G.; Vakhtin, Andrei A.; Carrasco, Jessica; Wertz, Chris; Flores, Ranee A.

    2014-01-01

    The study of individual differences encompasses broad constructs including intelligence, creativity, and personality. However, substantially less research is devoted to the study of specific aptitudes in spite of their importance to educational, occupational, and avocational success. We sought to determine subcortical brain structural correlates of several broad aptitudes including Math, Vocabulary, Foresight, Paper Folding, and Inductive Reasoning in a large (N = 107), healthy, young (age range  = 16–29) cohort. Subcortical volumes were measured using an automated technique (FreeSurfer) across structures including bilateral caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, thalamus, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, amygdala, and five equal regions of the corpus callosum. We found that performance on measures of each aptitude was predicted by different subcortical structures: Math – higher right nucleus accumbens volume; Vocabulary – higher left hippocampus volume; Paper Folding – higher right thalamus volume; Foresight – lower right thalamus and higher mid anterior corpus callosum volume; Inductive Reasoning – higher mid anterior corpus callosum volume. Our results support general findings, within the cognitive neurosciences, showing lateralization of structure-function relationships, as well as more specific relationships between individual structures (e.g., left hippocampus) and functions relevant to particular aptitudes (e.g., Vocabulary). PMID:24586770

  3. Diverse Applications of Electronic-Nose Technologies in Agriculture and Forestry

    PubMed Central

    Wilson, Alphus D.

    2013-01-01

    Electronic-nose (e-nose) instruments, derived from numerous types of aroma-sensor technologies, have been developed for a diversity of applications in the broad fields of agriculture and forestry. Recent advances in e-nose technologies within the plant sciences, including improvements in gas-sensor designs, innovations in data analysis and pattern-recognition algorithms, and progress in material science and systems integration methods, have led to significant benefits to both industries. Electronic noses have been used in a variety of commercial agricultural-related industries, including the agricultural sectors of agronomy, biochemical processing, botany, cell culture, plant cultivar selections, environmental monitoring, horticulture, pesticide detection, plant physiology and pathology. Applications in forestry include uses in chemotaxonomy, log tracking, wood and paper processing, forest management, forest health protection, and waste management. These aroma-detection applications have improved plant-based product attributes, quality, uniformity, and consistency in ways that have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of production and manufacturing processes. This paper provides a comprehensive review and summary of a broad range of electronic-nose technologies and applications, developed specifically for the agriculture and forestry industries over the past thirty years, which have offered solutions that have greatly improved worldwide agricultural and agroforestry production systems. PMID:23396191

  4. Diverse applications of electronic-nose technologies in agriculture and forestry.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Alphus D

    2013-02-08

    Electronic-nose (e-nose) instruments, derived from numerous types of aroma-sensor technologies, have been developed for a diversity of applications in the broad fields of agriculture and forestry. Recent advances in e-nose technologies within the plant sciences, including improvements in gas-sensor designs, innovations in data analysis and pattern-recognition algorithms, and progress in material science and systems integration methods, have led to significant benefits to both industries. Electronic noses have been used in a variety of commercial agricultural-related industries, including the agricultural sectors of agronomy, biochemical processing, botany, cell culture, plant cultivar selections, environmental monitoring, horticulture, pesticide detection, plant physiology and pathology. Applications in forestry include uses in chemotaxonomy, log tracking, wood and paper processing, forest management, forest health protection, and waste management. These aroma-detection applications have improved plant-based product attributes, quality, uniformity, and consistency in ways that have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of production and manufacturing processes. This paper provides a comprehensive review and summary of a broad range of electronic-nose technologies and applications, developed specifically for the agriculture and forestry industries over the past thirty years, which have offered solutions that have greatly improved worldwide agricultural and agroforestry production systems.

  5. Broad Detection Range Rhenium Diselenide Photodetector Enhanced by (3-Aminopropyl)Triethoxysilane and Triphenylphosphine Treatment.

    PubMed

    Jo, Seo-Hyeon; Park, Hyung-Youl; Kang, Dong-Ho; Shim, Jaewoo; Jeon, Jaeho; Choi, Seunghyuk; Kim, Minwoo; Park, Yongkook; Lee, Jaehyeong; Song, Young Jae; Lee, Sungjoo; Park, Jin-Hong

    2016-08-01

    The effects of triphenylphosphine and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane on a rhenium diselenide (ReSe2 ) photodetector are systematically studied by comparing with conventional MoS2 devices. This study demonstrates a very high performance ReSe2 photodetector with high photoresponsivity (1.18 × 10(6) A W(-1) ), fast photoswitching speed (rising/decaying time: 58/263 ms), and broad photodetection range (possible above 1064 nm). © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Advances in chemoselective intermolecular cross-benzoin-type condensation reactions.

    PubMed

    Gaggero, Nicoletta; Pandini, Stefano

    2017-08-23

    The intermolecular cross-benzoin and acyloin condensation reactions are powerful approaches to α-hydroxy carbonyls in a single step. However, their potentiality suffers from the occurrence of side reactions including self-condensation and the formation of the undesired cross-acyloin. The broad range of azolium salt precatalysts available confers high tunability to NHC mediated benzoin condensation, assuring a good level of selectivity to the direct coupling between two non-equivalent aldehydes. Many efforts have also been devoted to the design of strategies that expand the range of suitable reaction partners beyond the traditional aldehydes and to the discovery of novel umpolung catalytic systems. The synthesis of both racemic and enantiomerically enriched acyloins is reviewed.

  7. Intestinal mucosal atrophy and adaptation

    PubMed Central

    Shaw, Darcy; Gohil, Kartik; Basson, Marc D

    2012-01-01

    Mucosal adaptation is an essential process in gut homeostasis. The intestinal mucosa adapts to a range of pathological conditions including starvation, short-gut syndrome, obesity, and bariatric surgery. Broadly, these adaptive functions can be grouped into proliferation and differentiation. These are influenced by diverse interactions with hormonal, immune, dietary, nervous, and mechanical stimuli. It seems likely that clinical outcomes can be improved by manipulating the physiology of adaptation. This review will summarize current understanding of the basic science surrounding adaptation, delineate the wide range of potential targets for therapeutic intervention, and discuss how these might be incorporated into an overall treatment plan. Deeper insight into the physiologic basis of adaptation will identify further targets for intervention to improve clinical outcomes. PMID:23197881

  8. Hierarchical classification with a competitive evolutionary neural tree.

    PubMed

    Adams, R G.; Butchart, K; Davey, N

    1999-04-01

    A new, dynamic, tree structured network, the Competitive Evolutionary Neural Tree (CENT) is introduced. The network is able to provide a hierarchical classification of unlabelled data sets. The main advantage that the CENT offers over other hierarchical competitive networks is its ability to self determine the number, and structure, of the competitive nodes in the network, without the need for externally set parameters. The network produces stable classificatory structures by halting its growth using locally calculated heuristics. The results of network simulations are presented over a range of data sets, including Anderson's IRIS data set. The CENT network demonstrates its ability to produce a representative hierarchical structure to classify a broad range of data sets.

  9. The behavior of U- and Th-series nuclides in the estuarine environment

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Swarzenski, P.W.; Porcelli, D.; Andersson, P.S.; Smoak, J.M.

    2003-01-01

    Rivers carry the products of continental weathering, and continuously supply the oceans with a broad range of chemical constituents. This erosional signature is, however, uniquely moderated by biogeochemical processing within estuaries. Estuaries are commonly described as complex filters at land-sea margins, where significant transformations can occur due to strong physico-chemical gradients. These changes differ for different classes of elements, and can vary widely depending on the geographic location. U- and Th-series nuclides include a range of elements with vastly different characteristics and behaviors within such environments, and the isotopic systematics provide methods for investigating the transport of these nuclides and other analog species across estuaries and into the coastal ocean.

  10. Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology: Fabian A. Soto.

    PubMed

    2016-11-01

    APA's Awards for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology recognize psychologists who have demonstrated excellence early in their careers. One of the 2016 award winners is Fabian A. Soto, whose work "has shed fresh light on a broad range of fundamental psychological issues, including basic associative conditioning, causal judgment, categorization, visual object recognition, and face processing." Soto's award citation, biography, and selected bibliography are presented here. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  11. Propulsion technology for an advanced subsonic transport

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Beheim, M. A.; Antl, R. J.; Povolny, J. H.

    1972-01-01

    Engine design studies for future subsonic commercial transport aircraft were conducted in parallel with airframe studies. These studies surveyed a broad distribution of design variables, including aircraft configuration, payload, range, and speed, with particular emphasis on reducing noise and exhaust emissions without severe economic and performance penalties. The results indicated that an engine for an advanced transport would be similar to the currently emerging turbofan engines. Application of current technology in the areas of noise suppression and combustors imposed severe performance and economic penalties.

  12. Plans for the development of cryogenic engines for space exploration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stone, James R.; Shaw, Loretta M.; Aukerman, Carl A.

    1991-01-01

    The NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) is conducting a broad range of basic research and focused technology development activities in both aeronautical and space propulsion. By virtue of the successful conduct of these programs, LeRC is strongly qualified to lead Advanced Development and subsequent development programs on cryogenic space propulsion systems on support of the Space Exploration Initiative. A review is provided of technology status, including recent progress in the ongoing activities, and a top level description of the proposed program.

  13. National Space Council Users' Advisory Group

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2018-06-19

    Users' Advisory Group member Faith Ozmen, CEO of the Sierra Nevada Corporation is seen durring the first meeting of the National Space Council Users' Advisory Group, Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The Users' Advisory Group will advise and inform the National Space Council on a broad range of aerospace topics, including the impacts of U.S. and international laws and regulations, national security space priorities, scientific and human space exploration priorities, and ways to bolster support. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

  14. The applicability of remote sensing to Earth biological problems. Part 2: The potential of remote sensing in pest management

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Polhemus, J. T.

    1980-01-01

    Five troublesome insect pest groups were chosen for study. These represent a broad spectrum of life cycles, ecological indicators, pest management strategies, and remote sensing requirements. Background data, and field study results for each of these subjects is discussed for each insect group. Specific groups studied include tsetse flies, locusts, western rangeland grasshoppers, range caterpillars, and mosquitoes. It is concluded that remote sensing methods are aplicable to the pest management of the insect groups studied.

  15. A Review of Fluorescent Proteins for Use in Yeast.

    PubMed

    Bialecka-Fornal, Maja; Makushok, Tatyana; Rafelski, Susanne M

    2016-01-01

    The field of fluorescent proteins (FPs) is constantly developing. The use of FPs changed the field of life sciences completely, starting a new era of direct observation and quantification of cellular processes. The broad spectrum of FPs (see Fig. 1) with a wide range of characteristics allows their use in many different experiments. This review discusses the use of FPs for imaging in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe). The information included in this review is relevant for both species unless stated otherwise.

  16. National Space Council Users' Advisory Group

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2018-06-19

    James Uthmeier, of the Department of Commerce, speaks about deregulation and space traffic management initiatives at the first meeting of the National Space Council Users' Advisory Group, Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The Users' Advisory Group will advise and inform the National Space Council on a broad range of aerospace topics, including the impacts of U.S. and international laws and regulations, national security space priorities, scientific and human space exploration priorities, and ways to bolster support. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

  17. Zolpidem Overdose: A Medical and Ethical Dilemma.

    PubMed

    Shuaib, Waqas; Beatrice, Cristina; Abazid, Ahmad G

    Acute altered mental status can be caused by a broad range of etiologies, including cerebrovascular, neurologic, traumatic, metabolic, infectious, psychiatric, medications, etc. We present a case of a 53-year-old healthcare professional with an acute altered mental status after a trip to Africa. The patient was extensively worked up for infectious, cardiovascular, and neurologic etiologies, and all results were within normal limits. Further history revealed an overdose of a self-medicated hypnotic (zolpidem) for insomnia. The patient was conservatively managed and discharged on trazadone for insomnia.

  18. Technology assessment of future intercity passenger transportation systems. Volume 6: Impact assessment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1976-01-01

    Consequences that might occur if certain technological developments take place in intercity transportation are described. These consequences are broad ranging, and include economic, environmental, social, institutional, energy-related, and transportation service implications. The possible consequences are traced through direct (primary) impacts to indirect (secondary, tertiary, etc.) impacts. Chains of consequences are traced, reaching as far beyond the original transportation cause as is necessary to identify all impacts felt to be influenced significantly by the technological development considered.

  19. Ion source design for industrial applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kaufman, H. R.; Robinson, R. S.

    1981-01-01

    The design of broad-beam industrial ion sources is described. The approach used emphasizes refractory metal cathodes and permanent-magnet multipole discharge chambers. Design procedures and sample calculations are given for the discharge chamber, ion optics, cathodes, and magnetic circuit. Hardware designs are included for the isolator, cathode supports, anode supports, pole-piece assembly, and ion-optics supports. There are other ways of designing most ion source components, but the designs presented are representative of current technology and adaptable to a wide range of configurations.

  20. Whole-Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas fluorescens EK007-RG4, a Promising Biocontrol Agent against a Broad Range of Bacteria, Including the Fire Blight Bacterium Erwinia amylovora.

    PubMed

    Habibi, Roghayeh; Tarighi, Saeed; Behravan, Javad; Taheri, Parissa; Kjøller, Annelise Helene; Brejnrod, Asker; Madsen, Jonas Stenløkke; Sørensen, Søren Johannes

    2017-03-30

    Here, we report the first draft whole-genome sequence of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain EK007-RG4, which was isolated from the phylloplane of a pear tree. P. fluorescens EK007-RG4 displays strong antagonism against Erwinia amylovora , the causal agent for fire blight disease, in addition to several other pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. Copyright © 2017 Habibi et al.

  1. Summary of the Active Microwave Workshop, chapter 1. [utilization in applications and aerospace programs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1975-01-01

    An overview is given of the utility, feasibility, and advantages of active microwave sensors for a broad range of applications, including aerospace. In many instances, the material provides an in-depth examination of the applicability and/or the technology of microwave remote sensing, and considerable documentation is presented in support of these techniques. An assessment of the relative strengths and weaknesses of active microwave sensor data indicates that satisfactory data are obtainable for several significant applications.

  2. Microbial Nanoculture as an Artificial Microniche

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niepa, Tagbo H. R.; Hou, Likai; Jiang, Hongyuan; Goulian, Mark; Koo, Hyun; Stebe, Kathleen J.; Lee, Daeyeon

    2016-08-01

    Microbes self-organize in microcolonies while transitioning to a sessile form within a protective biofilm matrix. To enable the detailed study of microbial dynamics within these microcolonies, new sessile culture systems are needed that sequester cells and mimic their complex growth conditions and interactions. We present a new nanoliter-scale sessile culture system that is easily implemented via microfluidics-enabled fabrication. Hundreds of thousands of these nanocultures can be easily generated and imaged using conventional or confocal microscopy. Each nanoculture begins as a several nanoliter droplet of suspended cells, encapsulated by a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane. The PDMS shell provides long-lasting mechanical support, enabling long term study, and is selectively permeable to small molecules including antibiotics, signaling molecules and functional fluorescent probes. Thus, as microcolonies mature within the nanocultures, they can be stressed or interrogated using selected probes to characterize cell physiological properties, antibiotic susceptibilities, and antagonistic interactions. We demonstrate this platform by investigating broad ranges of microcolony dynamics, including direct and indirect bacterial-fungal interactions. This versatile new tool has broad potential for addressing biological questions associated with drug resistance, chronic infections, microbiome dynamics, and antibiotic discovery.

  3. From Asperger's Autistischen Psychopathen to DSM-5 Autism Spectrum Disorder and Beyond: A Subthreshold Autism Spectrum Model

    PubMed Central

    Dell’Osso, Liliana; Luche, Riccardo Dalle; Gesi, Camilla; Moroni, Ilenia; Carmassi, Claudia; Maj, Mario

    2016-01-01

    Growing interest has recently been devoted to partial forms of autism, lying at the diagnostic boundaries of those conditions previously diagnosed as Asperger’s Disorder. This latter includes an important retrieval of the European classical psychopathological concepts of adult autism to which Hans Asperger referred in his work. Based on the review of Asperger's Autistische Psychopathie, from first descriptions through the DSM-IV Asperger’s Disorder and up to the recent DSM-5 Autism Spectrum Disorder, the paper aims to propose a Subthreshold Autism Spectrum Model that encompasses not only threshold-level manifestations but also mild/atypical symptoms, gender-specific features, behavioral manifestations and personality traits associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This model includes, but is not limited to, the so-called broad autism phenotype spanning across the general population that does not fully meet Autism Spectrum Disorder criteria. From this perspective, we propose a subthreshold autism as a unique psychological/behavioral model for research that could help to understand the neurodevelopmental trajectories leading from autistic traits to a broad range of mental disorders. PMID:27867417

  4. Microbial Nanoculture as an Artificial Microniche

    PubMed Central

    Niepa, Tagbo H. R.; Hou, Likai; Jiang, Hongyuan; Goulian, Mark; Koo, Hyun; Stebe, Kathleen J.; Lee, Daeyeon

    2016-01-01

    Microbes self-organize in microcolonies while transitioning to a sessile form within a protective biofilm matrix. To enable the detailed study of microbial dynamics within these microcolonies, new sessile culture systems are needed that sequester cells and mimic their complex growth conditions and interactions. We present a new nanoliter-scale sessile culture system that is easily implemented via microfluidics-enabled fabrication. Hundreds of thousands of these nanocultures can be easily generated and imaged using conventional or confocal microscopy. Each nanoculture begins as a several nanoliter droplet of suspended cells, encapsulated by a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane. The PDMS shell provides long-lasting mechanical support, enabling long term study, and is selectively permeable to small molecules including antibiotics, signaling molecules and functional fluorescent probes. Thus, as microcolonies mature within the nanocultures, they can be stressed or interrogated using selected probes to characterize cell physiological properties, antibiotic susceptibilities, and antagonistic interactions. We demonstrate this platform by investigating broad ranges of microcolony dynamics, including direct and indirect bacterial-fungal interactions. This versatile new tool has broad potential for addressing biological questions associated with drug resistance, chronic infections, microbiome dynamics, and antibiotic discovery. PMID:27476816

  5. Risk Factors, Pathophysiology, and Treatment of Hot Flashes in Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Fisher, William I.; Johnson, Aimee K.; Elkins, Gary R.; Otte, Julie L.; Burns, Debra S.; Yu, Menggang; Carpenter, Janet S.

    2012-01-01

    Hot flashes are prevalent and severe symptoms that can interfere with mood, sleep, and quality of life for women and men with cancer. The purpose of this article is to review existing literature on the risk factors, pathophysiology, and treatment of hot flashes in persons with cancer. Electronic searches were conducted to identify relevant, English-language literature published through June 15, 2012. Results indicated that risk factors for hot flashes in cancer include patient-related factors (eg, age, race/ethnicity, educational level, smoking history, cardiovascular risk including BMI, and genetics) and disease-related factors (eg, cancer diagnosis, and dose/type of treatment). In addition, although the pathophysiology of hot flashes has remained elusive, these symptoms are likely attributable to disruptions in thermoregulation and neurochemicals. Therapies that have been offered or tested fall into 4 broad categories: pharmacological, nutraceutical, surgical, and complementary/behavioral strategies. The evidence base for this broad range of therapies varies, with some treatments not yet having been fully tested or showing equivocal results. The evidence base surrounding all therapies is evaluated to enhance hot flash treatment decision making by clinicians and patients. PMID:23355109

  6. On predicting receptivity to surface roughness in a compressible infinite swept wing boundary layer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thomas, Christian; Mughal, Shahid; Ashworth, Richard

    2017-03-01

    The receptivity of crossflow disturbances on an infinite swept wing is investigated using solutions of the adjoint linearised Navier-Stokes equations. The adjoint based method for predicting the magnitude of stationary disturbances generated by randomly distributed surface roughness is described, with the analysis extended to include both surface curvature and compressible flow effects. Receptivity is predicted for a broad spectrum of spanwise wavenumbers, variable freestream Reynolds numbers, and subsonic Mach numbers. Curvature is found to play a significant role in the receptivity calculations, while compressible flow effects are only found to marginally affect the initial size of the crossflow instability. A Monte Carlo type analysis is undertaken to establish the mean amplitude and variance of crossflow disturbances generated by the randomly distributed surface roughness. Mean amplitudes are determined for a range of flow parameters that are maximised for roughness distributions containing a broad spectrum of roughness wavelengths, including those that are most effective in generating stationary crossflow disturbances. A control mechanism is then developed where the short scale roughness wavelengths are damped, leading to significant reductions in the receptivity amplitude.

  7. Microbial Nanoculture as an Artificial Microniche.

    PubMed

    Niepa, Tagbo H R; Hou, Likai; Jiang, Hongyuan; Goulian, Mark; Koo, Hyun; Stebe, Kathleen J; Lee, Daeyeon

    2016-08-01

    Microbes self-organize in microcolonies while transitioning to a sessile form within a protective biofilm matrix. To enable the detailed study of microbial dynamics within these microcolonies, new sessile culture systems are needed that sequester cells and mimic their complex growth conditions and interactions. We present a new nanoliter-scale sessile culture system that is easily implemented via microfluidics-enabled fabrication. Hundreds of thousands of these nanocultures can be easily generated and imaged using conventional or confocal microscopy. Each nanoculture begins as a several nanoliter droplet of suspended cells, encapsulated by a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane. The PDMS shell provides long-lasting mechanical support, enabling long term study, and is selectively permeable to small molecules including antibiotics, signaling molecules and functional fluorescent probes. Thus, as microcolonies mature within the nanocultures, they can be stressed or interrogated using selected probes to characterize cell physiological properties, antibiotic susceptibilities, and antagonistic interactions. We demonstrate this platform by investigating broad ranges of microcolony dynamics, including direct and indirect bacterial-fungal interactions. This versatile new tool has broad potential for addressing biological questions associated with drug resistance, chronic infections, microbiome dynamics, and antibiotic discovery.

  8. BLACK HOLE MASS AND EDDINGTON RATIO DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS OF X-RAY-SELECTED BROAD-LINE AGNs AT z {approx} 1.4 IN THE SUBARU XMM-NEWTON DEEP FIELD

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

    Nobuta, K.; Akiyama, M.; Ueda, Y.

    2012-12-20

    In order to investigate the growth of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), we construct the black hole mass function (BHMF) and Eddington ratio distribution function (ERDF) of X-ray-selected broad-line active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at z {approx} 1.4 in the Subaru XMM-Newton Deep Survey (SXDS) field. A significant part of the accretion growth of SMBHs is thought to take place in this redshift range. Black hole masses of X-ray-selected broad-line AGNs are estimated using the width of the broad Mg II line and 3000 A monochromatic luminosity. We supplement the Mg II FWHM values with the H{alpha} FWHM obtained from our NIRmore » spectroscopic survey. Using the black hole masses of broad-line AGNs at redshifts between 1.18 and 1.68, the binned broad-line AGN BHMFs and ERDFs are calculated using the V{sub max} method. To properly account for selection effects that impact the binned estimates, we derive the corrected broad-line AGN BHMFs and ERDFs by applying the maximum likelihood method, assuming that the ERDF is constant regardless of the black hole mass. We do not correct for the non-negligible uncertainties in virial BH mass estimates. If we compare the corrected broad-line AGN BHMF with that in the local universe, then the corrected BHMF at z = 1.4 has a higher number density above 10{sup 8} M{sub Sun} but a lower number density below that mass range. The evolution may be indicative of a downsizing trend of accretion activity among the SMBH population. The evolution of broad-line AGN ERDFs from z = 1.4 to 0 indicates that the fraction of broad-line AGNs with accretion rates close to the Eddington limit is higher at higher redshifts.« less

  9. Controlled mechanical buckling for origami-inspired construction of 3D microstructures in advanced materials.

    PubMed

    Yan, Zheng; Zhang, Fan; Wang, Jiechen; Liu, Fei; Guo, Xuelin; Nan, Kewang; Lin, Qing; Gao, Mingye; Xiao, Dongqing; Shi, Yan; Qiu, Yitao; Luan, Haiwen; Kim, Jung Hwan; Wang, Yiqi; Luo, Hongying; Han, Mengdi; Huang, Yonggang; Zhang, Yihui; Rogers, John A

    2016-04-25

    Origami is a topic of rapidly growing interest in both the scientific and engineering research communities due to its promising potential in a broad range of applications. Previous assembly approaches of origami structures at the micro/nanoscale are constrained by the applicable classes of materials, topologies and/or capability of control over the transformation. Here, we introduce an approach that exploits controlled mechanical buckling for autonomic origami assembly of 3D structures across material classes from soft polymers to brittle inorganic semiconductors, and length scales from nanometers to centimeters. This approach relies on a spatial variation of thickness in the initial 2D structures as an effective strategy to produce engineered folding creases during the compressive buckling process. The elastic nature of the assembly scheme enables active, deterministic control over intermediate states in the 2D to 3D transformation in a continuous and reversible manner. Demonstrations include a broad set of 3D structures formed through unidirectional, bidirectional, and even hierarchical folding, with examples ranging from half cylindrical columns and fish scales, to cubic boxes, pyramids, starfish, paper fans, skew tooth structures, and to amusing system-level examples of soccer balls, model houses, cars, and multi-floor textured buildings.

  10. A review of earth observation using mobile personal communication devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferster, Colin J.; Coops, Nicholas C.

    2013-02-01

    Earth observation using mobile personal communication devices (MPCDs) is a recent advance with considerable promise for acquiring important and timely measurements. Globally, over 5 billion people have access to mobile phones, with an increasing proportion having access to smartphones with capabilities such as a camera, microphone, global positioning system (GPS), data storage, and networked data transfer. Scientists can view these devices as embedded sensors with the potential to take measurements of the Earth's surface and processes. To advance the state of Earth observation using MPCDs, scientists need to consider terms and concepts, from a broad range of disciplines including citizen science, image analysis, and computer vision. In this paper, as a result of our literature review, we identify a number of considerations for Earth observation using MPCDs such as methods of field collection, collecting measurements over broad areas, errors and biases, data processing, and accessibility of data. Developing effective frameworks for mobile data collection with public participation and strategies for minimizing bias, in combination with advancements in image processing techniques, will offer opportunities to collect Earth sensing data across a range of scales and perspectives, complimenting airborne and spaceborne remote sensing measurements.

  11. LTR12 promoter activation in a broad range of human tumor cells by HDAC inhibition

    PubMed Central

    Krönung, Sonja K.; Beyer, Ulrike; Chiaramonte, Maria Luisa; Dolfini, Diletta; Mantovani, Roberto; Dobbelstein, Matthias

    2016-01-01

    A considerable proportion of the human genome consists of transposable elements, including the long terminal repeats (LTRs) of endogenous retroviruses. During evolution, such LTRs were occasionally inserted upstream of protein-coding genes, contributing to their regulation. We previously identified the LTR12 from endogenous retrovirus 9 (ERV9) as a regulator of proapoptotic genes such as TP63 or TNFRSF10B. The promoter activity of LTR12 is largely confined to the testes, silenced in testicular carcinoma, but reactivated in testicular cancer cells by broad-range histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. Here we show that inhibition of HDAC1-3 is sufficient for LTR12 activation. Importantly, HDAC inhibitors induce LTR12 activity not only in testicular cancer cells, but also in cells derived from many additional tumor species. Finally, we characterize the transcription factor NF-Y as a mediator of LTR12 promoter activity and HDAC inhibitor-induced apoptosis, in the context of widespread genomic binding of NF-Y to specific LTR12 sequences. Thus, HDAC inhibitor-driven LTR12 activation represents a generally applicable means to induce proapoptotic genes in human cancer cells. PMID:27172897

  12. Impact of demographic, behavioral, and dental care utilization parameters on tooth color and personal satisfaction.

    PubMed

    Odioso, L L; Gibb, R D; Gerlach, R W

    2000-01-01

    A cross-sectional survey across broad age ranges was conducted to evaluate demographic, behavioral, and treatment parameters that impact tooth color and its perception. The sample included 180 US adults and teenagers, with a comparable representation of males and females in 6 different age strata, ranging from 13 to 64 years. Tooth color (L*a*b*) was measured on the maxillary central incisors using a spectrophotometer, and first-person satisfaction with tooth color was assessed using a five-point qualitative scale. Demographic, behavioral, and oral care parameters were modeled using multiple regression analysis. After adjusting for other explanatory variables, age, gender, coffee/tea consumption, and dental care all significantly affected yellowing (b*) and brightness (L*). Dental-visit frequency was the only factor that significantly predicted self-satisfaction with tooth color, explaining just 3% of the overall variability. First-person dissatisfaction with tooth color was common and found in most demographic and behavioral cohorts. Although age contributed to objectively measured tooth discoloration, personal satisfaction with tooth color was age-independent. These results suggest that the need or demand for esthetic dentistry may be broad-based and transcend stereotypical perceptions.

  13. Recent Advances and Future Prospects in Fundamental Symmetries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Plaster, Brad

    2017-09-01

    A broad program of initiatives in fundamental symmetries seeks answers to several of the most pressing open questions in nuclear physics, ranging from the scale of the neutrino mass, to the particle-antiparticle nature of the neutrino, to the origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry, to the limits of Standard Model interactions. Although the experimental program is quite broad, with efforts ranging from precision measurements of neutrino properties; to searches for electric dipole moments; to precision measurements of magnetic dipole moments; and to precision measurements of couplings, particle properties, and decays; all of these seemingly disparate initiatives are unified by several common threads. These include the use and exploitation of symmetry principles, novel cross-disciplinary experimental work at the forefront of the precision frontier, and the need for accompanying breakthroughs in development of the theory necessary for an interpretation of the anticipated results from these experiments. This talk will highlight recent accomplishments and advances in fundamental symmetries and point to the extraordinary level of ongoing activity aimed at realizing the development and interpretation of next-generation experiments. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, under Award Number DE-SC-0014622.

  14. Versatile plasmid-based expression systems for Gram-negative bacteria--General essentials exemplified with the bacterium Ralstonia eutropha H16.

    PubMed

    Gruber, Steffen; Schwab, Helmut; Koefinger, Petra

    2015-12-25

    The Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli is currently the most efficient and widely used prokaryotic host for recombinant protein and metabolite production. However, due to some limitations and to various interesting features of other Gram-negative bacteria efficient vector systems applicable to a broad range are desired. Basic building blocks for plasmid-based vectors include besides the need for a suitable selection marker in the first line a proper replication and maintenance system. In addition to these basic requirements, further elements are needed for Gram-negative bacteria beyond E. coli, such as Pseudomonas pudita, Ralstonia eutropha, Burkholderia glumae or Acinetobacter sp.. Established building blocks have to be adapted and new building blocks providing the desired functions need to be identified and exploited. This minireview addresses so far described and used genetic elements for broad host range replication, efficient plasmid maintenance, and conjugative plasmid transfer as well as expression elements and protein secretion signals. The industrially important bacterium R. eutropha H16 was chosen as a model organism to provide specific data on the effectivity and utility of building blocks based on such genetic elements. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Milk-deteriorating exoenzymes from Pseudomonas fluorescens 041 isolated from refrigerated raw milk.

    PubMed

    Martins, Maurilio L; Pinto, Uelinton M; Riedel, Katharina; Vanetti, Maria C D

    2015-03-01

    The practice of refrigerating raw milk at the farm has provided a selective advantage for psychrotrophic bacteria that produce heat-stable proteases and lipases causing severe quality problems to the dairy industry. In this work, a protease (AprX) and a lipase (LipM) produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens 041, a highly proteolytic and lipolytic strain isolated from raw milk obtained from a Brazilian farm, have been purified and characterized. Both enzymes were purified as recombinant proteins from Escherichia coli . The AprX metalloprotease exhibited activity in a broad temperature range, including refrigeration, with a maximum activity at 37 °C. It was active in a pH range of 4.0 to 9.0. This protease had maximum activity with the substrates casein and gelatin in the presence of Ca (+2) . The LipM lipase had a maximum activity at 25 °C and a broad pH optimum ranging from 7.0 to 10. It exhibited the highest activity, in the presence of Ca (+2) , on substrates with long-chain fatty acid residues. These results confirm the spoilage potential of strain 041 in milk due to, at least in part, these two enzymes. The work highlights the importance of studies of this kind with strains isolated in Brazil, which has a recent history on the implementation of the cold chain at the dairy farm.

  16. Acid-fast Smear and Histopathology Results Provide Guidance for the Appropriate Use of Broad-Range Polymerase Chain Reaction and Sequencing for Mycobacteria.

    PubMed

    Miller, Kennon; Harrington, Susan M; Procop, Gary W

    2015-08-01

    New molecular diagnostic tests are attractive because of the potential they hold for improving diagnostics in microbiology. The value of these tests, which is often assumed, should be investigated to determine the best use of these potentially powerful tools. To investigate the usefulness of broad-range polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by sequencing, in mycobacterial infections. We reviewed the test performance of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) PCR and traditional diagnostic methods (histopathology, AFB smear, and culture). We assessed the diagnostic effect and cost of the unrestricted ordering of broad-range PCR for the detection and identification of mycobacteria in clinical specimens. The AFB PCR was less sensitive than culture and histopathology and was less specific than culture, AFB smear, and histopathology. During 18 months, $93 063 was spent on 183 patient specimens for broad-range PCR and DNA sequencing for mycobacteria to confirm one culture-proven Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection that was also known to be positive by AFB smear and histopathology. In this cohort, there was a false-negative AFB PCR for M tuberculosis and a false-positive AFB PCR for Mycobacterium lentiflavum . Testing of AFB smear-negative specimens from patients without an inflammatory response supportive of a mycobacterial infection is costly and has not been proven to improve patient care. Traditional diagnostics (histopathology, AFB smear, and culture) should remain the primary methods for the detection of mycobacteria in clinical specimens.

  17. Genetics and variation

    Treesearch

    John R. Jones; Norbert V. DeByle

    1985-01-01

    The broad genotypic variability in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), that results in equally broad phenotypic variability among clones is important to the ecology and management of this species. This chapter considers principles of aspen genetics and variation, variation in aspen over its range, and local variation among clones. For a more...

  18. Stability and broad-sense heritaibility of mineral content in potato: copper and sulfur

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Potato breeding lines and varieties in two separate trials were evaluated for copper and sulfur content by wet ashing and Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma Emission Spectrophotometer analysis. Stability and broad-sense heritability were determined. Copper contents ranged among genotypes between 2.0...

  19. Development of one-step quantitative reverse transcription PCR for the rapid detection of flaviviruses.

    PubMed

    Patel, Pranav; Landt, Olfert; Kaiser, Marco; Faye, Oumar; Koppe, Tanja; Lass, Ulrich; Sall, Amadou A; Niedrig, Matthias

    2013-02-14

    The genus Flavivirus includes several pathogenic agents that cause severe illness in humans. Re-emergence of West Nile virus in Europe and continuous spread of certain flaviviruses such as dengue, yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis viruses represent a global danger to public health. Therefore, a rapid and accurate molecular method is required for diagnostics and epidemiological surveillance of flaviviruses. A Pan-Flavi quantitative RT-PCR assay using a Locked-Nucleic Acid probe targeting the flavivirus NS5 gene was developed and optimized to detect a wide range of flaviviruses simultaneously. The specificity and sensitivity of the Pan-Flavi assay were tested using RNA of different flaviviruses and non-flaviviruses. Furthermore, the assay was compared directly to flavivirus species-specific assays for the ability to detect flaviviruses sensitively. Two degenerate primers and one Locked-Nucleic Acids probe were designed to amplify most of the flaviviruses. To increase the specificity and fluorescence signal of the Pan-Flavi assay for detection of yellow fever virus and dengue virus 4, additional primers and probes were included. Viral RNA of thirty different flaviviruses was detected, verifying the broad range specificity. The testing of this assay was successful, using standard plasmid and RNA dilutions of yellow fever virus vaccine strain, dengue virus 1 and tick-borne encephalitis virus, with a sensitivity limit of 10-100 genome copies/reaction. Also comparatively good results were achieved for detecting different flaviviruses by the Pan-Flavi assay when compared to the flavivirus species-specific assays. The assay is rapid, broad-range flavivirus-specific and highly sensitive making it a valuable tool for rapid detection of flaviviruses in livestock samples, epidemiological studies or as useful complement to single flavivirus-specific assays for clinical diagnosis.

  20. Portable optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy for volumetric imaging of multiscale organisms.

    PubMed

    Jin, Tian; Guo, Heng; Yao, Lei; Xie, Huikai; Jiang, Huabei; Xi, Lei

    2018-04-01

    Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) provides a fundamentally new tool for a broad range of studies of biological structures and functions. However, the use of PAM has been largely limited to small vertebrates due to the large size/weight and the inconvenience of the equipment. Here, we describe a portable optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (pORPAM) system for 3-dimensional (3D) imaging of small-to-large rodents and humans with a high spatiotemporal resolution and a large field of view. We show extensive applications of pORPAM to multiscale animals including mice and rabbits. In addition, we image the 3D vascular networks of human lips, and demonstrate the feasibility of pORPAM to observe the recovery process of oral ulcer and cancer-associated capillary loops in human oral cavities. This technology is promising for broad biomedical studies from fundamental biology to clinical diseases. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Design of virus-based nanomaterials for medicine, biotechnology, and energy.

    PubMed

    Wen, Amy M; Steinmetz, Nicole F

    2016-07-25

    This review provides an overview of recent developments in "chemical virology." Viruses, as materials, provide unique nanoscale scaffolds that have relevance in chemical biology and nanotechnology, with diverse areas of applications. Some fundamental advantages of viruses, compared to synthetically programmed materials, include the highly precise spatial arrangement of their subunits into a diverse array of shapes and sizes and many available avenues for easy and reproducible modification. Here, we will first survey the broad distribution of viruses and various methods for producing virus-based nanoparticles, as well as engineering principles used to impart new functionalities. We will then examine the broad range of applications and implications of virus-based materials, focusing on the medical, biotechnology, and energy sectors. We anticipate that this field will continue to evolve and grow, with exciting new possibilities stemming from advancements in the rational design of virus-based nanomaterials.

  2. "Very much evolving": a qualitative study of the views of psychiatrists about peer support workers.

    PubMed

    Collins, Rachael; Firth, Lucy; Shakespeare, Tom

    2016-06-01

    Mental health services continue to develop service user involvement, including a growth in employment of peer support workers (PSWs). Despite the importance of the views and attitudes expressed by psychiatrists, this topic has not previously been studied. To gain insight into the views and attitudes psychiatrists have about PSWs. A qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with 11 psychiatrists in the East of England. Psychiatrists were broadly positive and supportive of PSWs. Interviewees not only could anticipate a range of possible benefits of employing PSWs, but also had concerns regarding their implementation and management. There was a lack of clarity and consistency between interviewees about what the exact role of a PSW might involve. This study provides insights into how PSWs are perceived by psychiatrists. While broadly positive attitudes exist, the research highlights certain challenges, particularly role ambiguity.

  3. Mass spectrometry based proteomics: existing capabilities and future directions

    PubMed Central

    Angel, Thomas E.; Aryal, Uma K.; Hengel, Shawna M.; Baker, Erin S.; Kelly, Ryan T.; Robinson, Errol W.; Smith, Richard D.

    2012-01-01

    Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics is emerging as a broadly effective means for identification, characterization, and quantification of proteins that are integral components of the processes essential for life. Characterization of proteins at the proteome and sub-proteome (e.g., the phosphoproteome, proteoglycome, or degradome/peptidome) levels provides a foundation for understanding fundamental aspects of biology. Emerging technologies such as ion mobility separations coupled with MS and microchip-based-proteome measurements combined with MS instrumentation and chromatographic separation techniques, such as nanoscale reversed phase liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis, show great promise for both broad undirected and targeted highly sensitive measurements. MS-based proteomics is increasingly contribute to our understanding of the dynamics, interactions, and roles that proteins and peptides play, advancing our understanding of biology on a systems wide level for a wide range of applications including investigations of microbial communities, bioremediation, and human health. PMID:22498958

  4. Flight flutter testing technology at Grumman. [automated telemetry station for on line data reduction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Perangelo, H. J.; Milordi, F. W.

    1976-01-01

    Analysis techniques used in the automated telemetry station (ATS) for on line data reduction are encompassed in a broad range of software programs. Concepts that form the basis for the algorithms used are mathematically described. The control the user has in interfacing with various on line programs is discussed. The various programs are applied to an analysis of flight data which includes unimodal and bimodal response signals excited via a swept frequency shaker and/or random aerodynamic forces. A nonlinear response error modeling analysis approach is described. Preliminary results in the analysis of a hard spring nonlinear resonant system are also included.

  5. [Blood culture negative endocarditis: a diagnostic challenge].

    PubMed

    Wälli, F; Chuard, C; Regamey, C

    2005-10-12

    Blood culture negative endocarditis (BCNE) account for about 5% of all cases of endocarditis. Diagnosis and initiation of antimicrobial therapy may be delayed, with a negative impact on clinical outcome. The most common cause of BCNE is antimicrobial drug therapy before blood sampling. Other common causes include slow growing and non cultivable organisms. Identification of the etiologic agent is critical in the management of BCNE and molecular tools such as broad range 16SrRNA PCR technique followed by direct automated sequencing and microorganism-specific PCR are promising. Some authors have proposed to include these techniques among major Duke's criteria for the diagnosis of BCNE.

  6. AVID - A design system for technology studies of advanced transportation concepts. [Aerospace Vehicle Interactive Design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wilhite, A. W.; Rehder, J. J.

    1979-01-01

    The basic AVID (Aerospace Vehicle Interactive Design) is a general system for conceptual and preliminary design currently being applied to a broad range of future space transportation and spacecraft vehicle concepts. AVID hardware includes a minicomputer allowing rapid designer interaction. AVID software includes (1) an executive program and communication data base which provide the automated capability to couple individual programs, either individually in an interactive mode or chained together in an automatic sequence mode; and (2) the individual technology and utility programs which provide analysis capability in areas such as graphics, aerodynamics, propulsion, flight performance, weights, sizing, and costs.

  7. The costs of chronic noise exposure for terrestrial organisms.

    PubMed

    Barber, Jesse R; Crooks, Kevin R; Fristrup, Kurt M

    2010-03-01

    Growth in transportation networks, resource extraction, motorized recreation and urban development is responsible for chronic noise exposure in most terrestrial areas, including remote wilderness sites. Increased noise levels reduce the distance and area over which acoustic signals can be perceived by animals. Here, we review a broad range of findings that indicate the potential severity of this threat to diverse taxa, and recent studies that document substantial changes in foraging and anti-predator behavior, reproductive success, density and community structure in response to noise. Effective management of protected areas must include noise assessment, and research is needed to further quantify the ecological consequences of chronic noise exposure in terrestrial environments.

  8. A Haloalkane Dehalogenase from a Marine Microbial Consortium Possessing Exceptionally Broad Substrate Specificity.

    PubMed

    Buryska, Tomas; Babkova, Petra; Vavra, Ondrej; Damborsky, Jiri; Prokop, Zbynek

    2018-01-15

    The haloalkane dehalogenase enzyme DmmA was identified by marine metagenomic screening. Determination of its crystal structure revealed an unusually large active site compared to those of previously characterized haloalkane dehalogenases. Here we present a biochemical characterization of this interesting enzyme with emphasis on its structure-function relationships. DmmA exhibited an exceptionally broad substrate specificity and degraded several halogenated environmental pollutants that are resistant to other members of this enzyme family. In addition to having this unique substrate specificity, the enzyme was highly tolerant to organic cosolvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol, and acetone. Its broad substrate specificity, high overexpression yield (200 mg of protein per liter of cultivation medium; 50% of total protein), good tolerance to organic cosolvents, and a broad pH range make DmmA an attractive biocatalyst for various biotechnological applications. IMPORTANCE We present a thorough biochemical characterization of the haloalkane dehalogenase DmmA from a marine metagenome. This enzyme with an unusually large active site shows remarkably broad substrate specificity, high overexpression, significant tolerance to organic cosolvents, and activity under a broad range of pH conditions. DmmA is an attractive catalyst for sustainable biotechnology applications, e.g., biocatalysis, biosensing, and biodegradation of halogenated pollutants. We also report its ability to convert multiple halogenated compounds to corresponding polyalcohols. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

  9. Liquid phase methanol LaPorte process development unit: Modification, operation, and support studies

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

    Not Available

    The objectives of the present work can be divided into three parts. The first objective was to develop a best-fit model for the older methanol synthesis catalyst (BASF S3-85) data base. At the time that this work commenced (June 1989), the BASF S3-85 data base contained many rate measurements accumulated over a few years. The newer catalyst (BASF S3-86) data base, at that time, contained only a few observations and did not include a broad range of conditions. Thus, a second objective of this work was to expand the BASF S3-86 data base to include more rate observations over amore » broader range of conditions. Finally, after expansion of the BASF S3-86 data base, the third objective was to develop a rate expression to describe this data base. This would include the application of rate expressions developed for the BASF S3-85 catalyst, as well as new models. (VC)« less

  10. Development of a Memory Game to Improve Knowledge Retention in Preparation for Broad Scope Exams in an Introductory Earth Science Course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cook, H. M.; Bilsley, N. A.

    2015-12-01

    As the demand for introductory earth science classes rises at educational institutions, large class sizes place strain on the educator's time and ability to offer extensive project-based assignments. As a result, exams covering a broad spectrum of material are more heavily weighted in students' grades. Students often struggle on the first exam, as they attempt to retain a large amount of information from several different topics, while having no exposure to the type of questions that will be asked. This frequently leads to a large dropout rate early in the academic term, or at least a sense of discouragement and stress among struggling students. To better prepare students for a broad scope exam, a review activity modelled after the traditional Milton Bradley "Memory" game was developed to remind students of what would be covered on the exam, prepare them for the style of questions that may be asked, as well as provide a fun, interactive, and educational activity. The Earth Science Memory Game was developed to have interchangeable sets to cover a broad range of topics and thus also be reusable for the duration of the course. Example games sets presented include, but are not limited to, the scientific method, minerals, rocks, topographic maps, tectonics, geologic structures, volcanoes, and weather. The Earth Science Memory Game not only provides an effective review tool to improve success rates on broad scope exams, but is also customizable by the instructor, reusable, and easily constructed by common office supplies.

  11. Calculations of rate constants for the three-body recombination of H2 in the presence of H2

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schwenke, David W.

    1988-01-01

    A new global potential energy hypersurface for H2 + H2 is constructed and quasiclassical trajectory calculations performed using the resonance complex theory and energy transfer mechanism to estimate the rate of three body recombination over the temperature range 100 to 5000 K. The new potential is a faithful representation of ab initio electron structure calculations, is unchanged under the operation of exchanging H atoms, and reproduces the accurate H3 potential as one H atom is pulled away. Included in the fitting procedure are geometries expected to be important when one H2 is near or above the dissociation limit. The dynamics calculations explicitly include the motion of all four atoms and are performed efficiently using a vectorized variable-stepsize integrator. The predicted rate constants are approximately a factor of two smaller than experimental estimates over a broad temperature range.

  12. NNEPEQ: Chemical equilibrium version of the Navy/NASA Engine Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fishbach, Laurence H.; Gordon, Sanford

    1988-01-01

    The Navy NASA Engine Program, NNEP, currently is in use at a large number of government agencies, commercial companies and universities. This computer code has bee used extensively to calculate the design and off-design (matched) performance of a broad range of turbine engines, ranging from subsonic turboprops to variable cycle engines for supersonic transports. Recently, there has been increased interest in applications for which NNEP was not capable of simulating, namely, high Mach applications, alternate fuels including cryogenics, and cycles such as the gas generator air-turbo-rocker (ATR). In addition, there is interest in cycles employing ejectors such as for military fighters. New engine component models had to be created for incorporation into NNEP, and it was found necessary to include chemical dissociation effects of high temperature gases. The incorporation of these extended capabilities into NNEP is discussed and some of the effects of these changes are illustrated.

  13. NNEPEQ - Chemical equilibrium version of the Navy/NASA Engine Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fishbach, L. H.; Gordon, S.

    1989-01-01

    The Navy NASA Engine Program, NNEP, currently is in use at a large number of government agencies, commercial companies and universities. This computer code has been used extensively to calculate the design and off-design (matched) performance of a broad range of turbine engines, ranging from subsonic turboprops to variable cycle engines for supersonic transports. Recently, there has been increased interest in applications for which NNEP was not capable of simulating, namely, high Mach applications, alternate fuels including cryogenics, and cycles such as the gas generator air-turbo-rocker (ATR). In addition, there is interest in cycles employing ejectors such as for military fighters. New engine component models had to be created for incorporation into NNEP, and it was found necessary to include chemical dissociation effects of high temperature gases. The incorporation of these extended capabilities into NNEP is discussed and some of the effects of these changes are illustrated.

  14. Quantifying anthropogenic threats to orchids using the IUCN Red List.

    PubMed

    Wraith, Jenna; Pickering, Catherine

    2018-04-01

    Orchids are diverse, occur in a wide range of habitats and dominate threatened species lists, but which orchids are threatened, where and by what? Using the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, we assessed the range and diversity of threats to orchids globally including identifying four threat syndromes: (1) terrestrial orchids in forests that are endemic to a country and threatened by illegal collecting; (2) orchids threatened by climate change, pollution, transportation and disturbance/development for tourism, and recreation activities, often in East Asia; (3) epiphytic orchids in Sub-Saharan Africa including Madagascar with diverse threats; and (4) South and Southeast Asia orchids threatened by land clearing for shifting agriculture. Despite limitations in the Red List data, the results highlight how conservation efforts can focus on clusters of co-occurring threats in regions while remaining aware of the trifecta of broad threats from plant collecting, land clearing and climate change.

  15. Selection of common bean to broad environmental adaptation in Haiti

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars in Haiti need adaptation to a broad range of environments and resistance to the most important diseases such as Bean Golden Yellow Mosaic Virus. The Legume Breeding Program (LBP), a collaborative effort of the AREA project (USAID funded through IFAS/Univ...

  16. Using Mixed Methods to Assess Initiatives with Broad-Based Goals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Inkelas, Karen Kurotsuchi

    2017-01-01

    This chapter describes a process for assessing programmatic initiatives with broad-ranging goals with the use of a mixed-methods design. Using an example of a day-long teaching development conference, this chapter provides practitioners step-by-step guidance on how to implement this assessment process.

  17. A Wider Spectrum of Opportunities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council for Industry and Higher Education (United Kingdom).

    The United Kingdom must invest in a comprehensive system of post-18 education that is broadly inclusive and that offers a broad range of educational opportunities to meet the needs of both the increasing numbers of 16-year-olds choosing to pursue postsecondary education and the many older individuals needing additional education throughout their…

  18. Mapping plant species ranges in the Hawaiian Islands: developing a methodology and associated GIS layers

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Price, Jonathan P.; Jacobi, James D.; Gon, Samuel M.; Matsuwaki, Dwight; Mehrhoff, Loyal; Wagner, Warren; Lucas, Matthew; Rowe, Barbara

    2012-01-01

    This report documents a methodology for projecting the geographic ranges of plant species in the Hawaiian Islands. The methodology consists primarily of the creation of several geographic information system (GIS) data layers depicting attributes related to the geographic ranges of plant species. The most important spatial-data layer generated here is an objectively defined classification of climate as it pertains to the distribution of plant species. By examining previous zonal-vegetation classifications in light of spatially detailed climate data, broad zones of climate relevant to contemporary concepts of vegetation in the Hawaiian Islands can be explicitly defined. Other spatial-data layers presented here include the following: substrate age, as large areas of the island of Hawai'i, in particular, are covered by very young lava flows inimical to the growth of many plant species; biogeographic regions of the larger islands that are composites of multiple volcanoes, as many of their species are restricted to a given topographically isolated mountain or a specified group of them; and human impact, which can reduce the range of many species relative to where they formerly were found. Other factors influencing the geographic ranges of species that are discussed here but not developed further, owing to limitations in rendering them spatially, include topography, soils, and disturbance. A method is described for analyzing these layers in a GIS, in conjunction with a database of species distributions, to project the ranges of plant species, which include both the potential range prior to human disturbance and the projected present range. Examples of range maps for several species are given as case studies that demonstrate different spatial characteristics of range. Several potential applications of species-range maps are discussed, including facilitating field surveys, informing restoration efforts, studying range size and rarity, studying biodiversity, managing invasive species, and planning of conservation efforts.

  19. Nitrogen-rich functional groups carbon nanoparticles based fluorescent pH sensor with broad-range responding for environmental and live cells applications.

    PubMed

    Shi, Bingfang; Su, Yubin; Zhang, Liangliang; Liu, Rongjun; Huang, Mengjiao; Zhao, Shulin

    2016-08-15

    A nitrogen-rich functional groups carbon nanoparticles (N-CNs) based fluorescent pH sensor with a broad-range responding was prepared by one-pot hydrothermal treatment of melamine and triethanolamine. The as-prepared N-CNs exhibited excellent photoluminesence properties with an absolute quantum yield (QY) of 11.0%. Furthermore, the N-CNs possessed a broad-range pH response. The linear pH response range was 3.0 to 12.0, which is much wider than that of previously reported fluorescent pH sensors. The possible mechanism for the pH-sensitive response of the N-CNs was ascribed to photoinduced electron transfer (PET). Cell toxicity experiment showed that the as-prepared N-CNs exhibited low cytotoxicity and excellent biocompatibility with the cell viabilities of more than 87%. The proposed N-CNs-based pH sensor was used for pH monitoring of environmental water samples, and pH fluorescence imaging of live T24 cells. The N-CNs is promising as a convenient and general fluorescent pH sensor for environmental monitoring and bioimaging applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Diversity of peptidic and proteinaceous toxins from social Hymenoptera venoms.

    PubMed

    Dos Santos-Pinto, José Roberto Aparecido; Perez-Riverol, Amilcar; Lasa, Alexis Musacchio; Palma, Mario Sergio

    2018-06-15

    Among venomous animals, Hymenoptera have been suggested as a rich source of natural toxins. Due to their broad ecological diversity, venom from Hymenoptera insects (bees, wasps and ants) have evolved differentially thus widening the types and biological functions of their components. To date, insect toxinology analysis have scarcely uncovered the complex composition of bee, wasp and ant venoms which include low molecular weight compounds, highly abundant peptides and proteins, including several allergens. In Hymenoptera, these complex mixtures of toxins represent a potent arsenal of biological weapons that are used for self-defense, to repel intruders and to capture prey. Consequently, Hymenoptera venom components have a broad range of pharmacological targets and have been extensively studied, as promising sources of new drugs and biopesticides. In addition, the identification and molecular characterization of Hymenoptera venom allergens have allowed for the rational design of component-resolved diagnosis of allergy, finally improving the outcome of venom immunotherapy (VIT). Until recently, a limited number of Hymenoptera venoms had been unveiled due to the technical limitations of the approaches used to date. Nevertheless, the application of novel techniques with high dynamic range has significantly increased the number of identified peptidic and proteinaceous toxins. Considering this, the present review summarizes the current knowledge about the most representative Hymenoptera venom peptides and proteins which are under study for a better understanding of the insect-caused envenoming process and the development of new drugs and biopesticides. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. [Urban Health (StadtGesundheit): The Wider Perspective Exemplified by the City State of Hamburg].

    PubMed

    Fehr, R; Fertmann, R; Stender, K-P; Lettau, N; Trojan, A

    2016-09-01

    Public health and city planning have common roots, and in many places they are now reuniting under the heading of urban health. To organize this field adequately requires a broad, integrative view of medical care, health promotion, and health in all urban policies. Given current crises and developments including climate change and globalization, such a wider perspective should also be useful for Germany. Using the City State of Hamburg as an example and combining historic and systematic approaches, we explore the preconditions for in-depth analyses. Our results show that health is a significant topic of Hamburg urban policy, featuring a broad range of structures, processes and actors, both within the health sector and far beyond. Health promotion over the last 30 years evolved notably from a niche topic into an established field with remarkable cooperative structures. The tradition of comprehensive reporting on urban health in Hamburg that was initiated more than 200 years ago is no longer alive today. However, local health reporting keeps integrating a wide range of diverse topics. Communication among the Hamburg health actors - beyond straightforward medical quality assurance - does not seem to focus on critical evaluations, e. g. concerning social and ecologic sustainability. A prerequisite for in-depth analyses including external comparisons is to secure permanent access to relevant sources. Robust approaches to this end, however, seem to be lacking. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  2. Around Marshall

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2004-07-28

    The grand opening of NASA’s new, world-class laboratory for research into future space transportation technologies located at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, took place in July 2004. The state-of-the-art Propulsion Research Laboratory (PRL) serves as a leading national resource for advanced space propulsion research. Its purpose is to conduct research that will lead to the creation and development of innovative propulsion technologies for space exploration. The facility is the epicenter of the effort to move the U.S. space program beyond the confines of conventional chemical propulsion into an era of greatly improved access to space and rapid transit throughout the solar system. The laboratory is designed to accommodate researchers from across the United States, including scientists and engineers from NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, universities, and industry. The facility, with 66,000 square feet of useable laboratory space, features a high degree of experimental capability. Its flexibility allows it to address a broad range of propulsion technologies and concepts, such as plasma, electromagnetic, thermodynamic, and propellant propulsion. An important area of emphasis is the development and utilization of advanced energy sources, including highly energetic chemical reactions, solar energy, and processes based on fission, fusion, and antimatter. The Propulsion Research Laboratory is vital for developing the advanced propulsion technologies needed to open up the space frontier, and sets the stage of research that could revolutionize space transportation for a broad range of applications.

  3. NASA's Propulsion Research Laboratory

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    The grand opening of NASA's new, world-class laboratory for research into future space transportation technologies located at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, took place in July 2004. The state-of-the-art Propulsion Research Laboratory (PRL) serves as a leading national resource for advanced space propulsion research. Its purpose is to conduct research that will lead to the creation and development of innovative propulsion technologies for space exploration. The facility is the epicenter of the effort to move the U.S. space program beyond the confines of conventional chemical propulsion into an era of greatly improved access to space and rapid transit throughout the solar system. The laboratory is designed to accommodate researchers from across the United States, including scientists and engineers from NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, universities, and industry. The facility, with 66,000 square feet of useable laboratory space, features a high degree of experimental capability. Its flexibility allows it to address a broad range of propulsion technologies and concepts, such as plasma, electromagnetic, thermodynamic, and propellant propulsion. An important area of emphasis is the development and utilization of advanced energy sources, including highly energetic chemical reactions, solar energy, and processes based on fission, fusion, and antimatter. The Propulsion Research Laboratory is vital for developing the advanced propulsion technologies needed to open up the space frontier, and sets the stage of research that could revolutionize space transportation for a broad range of applications.

  4. Artist's Concept of NASA's Propulsion Research Laboratory

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    A new, world-class laboratory for research into future space transportation technologies is under construction at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, AL. The state-of-the-art Propulsion Research Laboratory will serve as a leading national resource for advanced space propulsion research. Its purpose is to conduct research that will lead to the creation and development of irnovative propulsion technologies for space exploration. The facility will be the epicenter of the effort to move the U.S. space program beyond the confines of conventional chemical propulsion into an era of greatly improved access to space and rapid transit throughout the solar system. The Laboratory is designed to accommodate researchers from across the United States, including scientists and engineers from NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, universities, and industry. The facility, with 66,000 square feet of useable laboratory space, will feature a high degree of experimental capability. Its flexibility will allow it to address a broad range of propulsion technologies and concepts, such as plasma, electromagnetic, thermodynamic, and propellantless propulsion. An important area of emphasis will be development and utilization of advanced energy sources, including highly energetic chemical reactions, solar energy, and processes based on fission, fusion, and antimatter. The Propulsion Research Laboratory is vital for developing the advanced propulsion technologies needed to open up the space frontier, and will set the stage of research that could revolutionize space transportation for a broad range of applications.

  5. Effective inactivation of a wide range of viruses by pasteurization.

    PubMed

    Gröner, Albrecht; Broumis, Connie; Fang, Randel; Nowak, Thomas; Popp, Birgit; Schäfer, Wolfram; Roth, Nathan J

    2018-01-01

    Careful selection and testing of plasma reduces the risk of blood-borne viruses in the starting material for plasma-derived products. Furthermore, effective measures such as pasteurization at 60°C for 10 hours have been implemented in the manufacturing process of therapeutic plasma proteins such as human albumin, coagulation factors, immunoglobulins, and enzyme inhibitors to inactivate blood-borne viruses of concern. A comprehensive compilation of the virus reduction capacity of pasteurization is presented including the effect of stabilizers used to protect the therapeutic protein from modifications during heat treatment. The virus inactivation kinetics of pasteurization for a broad range of viruses were evaluated in the relevant intermediates from more than 15 different plasma manufacturing processes. Studies were carried out under the routine manufacturing target variables, such as temperature and product-specific stabilizer composition. Additional studies were also performed under robustness conditions, that is, outside production specifications. The data demonstrate that pasteurization inactivates a wide range of enveloped and nonenveloped viruses of diverse physicochemical characteristics. After a maximum of 6 hours' incubation, no residual infectivity could be detected for the majority of enveloped viruses. Effective inactivation of a range of nonenveloped viruses, with the exception of nonhuman parvoviruses, was documented. Pasteurization is a very robust and reliable virus inactivation method with a broad effectiveness against known blood-borne pathogens and emerging or potentially emerging viruses. Pasteurization has proven itself to be a highly effective step, in combination with other complementary safety measures, toward assuring the virus safety of final product. © 2017 The Authors Transfusion published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of AABB.

  6. 48 CFR 1835.016-70 - Foreign participation under broad agency announcements (BAAs).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... broad agency announcements (BAAs). 1835.016-70 Section 1835.016-70 Federal Acquisition Regulations... DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTING 1835.016-70 Foreign participation under broad agency announcements (BAAs). (a) Policy. (1) NASA seeks the broadest participation in response to broad agency announcements, including...

  7. Dose Response Data for Hormonally Active Chemicals ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The shape of the dose response curve in the low dose region has been debated since the late 1940s. The debate originally focused on linear no threshold (LNT) vs threshold responses in the low dose range for cancer and noncancer related effects. For noncancer effects the default assumption is that noncancer effects generally display threshold rather than LNT responses. More recently, claims have arisen that the chemicals, like endocrine disrupters (EDS), which act via high affinity, low capacity nuclear receptors, may display LNT or nonmonotonic low dose responses: responses that could be missed in multigenerational guideline toxicity testing. This presentation will discuss LNT, threshold and nonmonotonic dose response relationships from case studies of chemicals that disrupt reproductive development and function via the ER, AR and AhR pathways and will include in vitro and in vivo multigenerational data. The in vivo studies in this discussion include only robust, well designed, comprehensive studies that administered the chemical via a relevant route(s) of exposure over a broad dose response range, including low dose(s) in the microgram/kg/d range. The chemicals include ethinyl estradiol, estradiol, genistein, bisphenol a, trenbolone, finasteride, flutamide, phthalate esters and 2,3,7,8 TCDD. The objective is to critically evaluate the data from well done studies in this field to address concerns that current multigenerational reproductive test gui

  8. Solid State Division progress report for period ending September 30, 1993

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

    Green, P.H.; Hinton, L.W.

    1994-08-01

    This report covers research progress in the Solid State Division from April 1, 1992, to September 30, 1993. During this period, the division conducted a broad, interdisciplinary materials research program with emphasis on theoretical solid state physics, neutron scattering, synthesis and characterization of materials, ion beam and laser processing, and the structure of solids and surfaces. This research effort was enhanced by new capabilities in atomic-scale materials characterization, new emphasis on the synthesis and processing of materials, and increased partnering with industry and universities. The theoretical effort included a broad range of analytical studies, as well as a new emphasismore » on numerical simulation stimulated by advances in high-performance computing and by strong interest in related division experimental programs. Superconductivity research continued to advance on a broad front from fundamental mechanisms of high-temperature superconductivity to the development of new materials and processing techniques. The Neutron Scattering Program was characterized by a strong scientific user program and growing diversity represented by new initiatives in complex fluids and residual stress. The national emphasis on materials synthesis and processing was mirrored in division research programs in thin-film processing, surface modification, and crystal growth. Research on advanced processing techniques such as laser ablation, ion implantation, and plasma processing was complemented by strong programs in the characterization of materials and surfaces including ultrahigh resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, atomic-resolution chemical analysis, synchrotron x-ray research, and scanning tunneling microscopy.« less

  9. Testing the Hole-in-the-Pipe Model of nitric and nitrous oxide emissions from soils using the TRAGNET Database

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davidson, Eric A.; Verchot, Louis V.

    2000-12-01

    Because several soil properties and processes affect emissions of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2O) from soils, it has been difficult to develop effective and robust algorithms to predict emissions of these gases in biogeochemical models. The conceptual "hole-in-the-pipe" (HIP) model has been used effectively to interpret results of numerous studies, but the ranges of climatic conditions and soil properties are often relatively narrow for each individual study. The Trace Gas Network (TRAGNET) database offers a unique opportunity to test the validity of one manifestation of the HIP model across a broad range of sites, including temperate and tropical climates, grasslands and forests, and native vegetation and agricultural crops. The logarithm of the sum of NO + N2O emissions was positively and significantly correlated with the logarithm of the sum of extractable soil NH4+ + NO3-. The logarithm of the ratio of NO:N2O emissions was negatively and significantly correlated with water-filled pore space (WFPS). These analyses confirm the applicability of the HIP model concept, that indices of soil N availability correlate with the sum of NO+N2O emissions, while soil water content is a strong and robust controller of the ratio of NO:N2O emissions. However, these parameterizations have only broad-brush accuracy because of unaccounted variation among studies in the soil depths where gas production occurs, where soil N and water are measured, and other factors. Although accurate predictions at individual sites may still require site-specific parameterization of these empirical functions, the parameterizations presented here, particularly the one for WFPS, may be appropriate for global biogeochemical modeling. Moreover, this integration of data sets demonstrates the broad ranging applicability of the HIP conceptual approach for understanding soil emissions of NO and N2O.

  10. Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-based Quantitative Proteomics

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

    Xie, Fang; Liu, Tao; Qian, Weijun

    2011-07-22

    Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based quantitative proteomics has become increasingly applied for a broad range of biological applications due to growing capabilities for broad proteome coverage and good accuracy in quantification. Herein, we review the current LC-MS-based quantification methods with respect to their advantages and limitations, and highlight their potential applications.

  11. Climates

    Treesearch

    John R. Jones; Norbert V. DeByle

    1985-01-01

    The broad range of aspen in North America is evidence of its equally broad tolerance of wide variations in climate (Fowells 1965). Given open space for establishment and not too severe competition from other plants, aspen can survive from timberline on the tundra's edge to very warm temperate climates, and from the wet maritime climates of the coasts to very...

  12. The Mechanisms Underlying Changes in Broad Dimensions of Psychopathology During Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder.

    PubMed

    Ogawa, Sei; Imai, Risa; Suzuki, Masako; Furukawa, Toshi A; Akechi, Tatsuo

    2017-12-01

    Social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients commonly have broad dimensions of psychopathology. This study investigated the relationship between a wide range of psychopathology and attention or cognitions during cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for SAD. We treated 96 SAD patients with group CBT. Using multiple regression analysis, we examined the associations between the changes in broad dimensions of psychopathology and the changes in self-focused attention or maladaptive cognitions in the course of CBT. The reduction in self-focused attention was related to the decreases in somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, phobic anxiety, and global severity index. The reduction in maladaptive cognitions was associated with decreases in interpersonal sensitivity, depression, and global severity index. The present study suggests that changes in self-focused attention and maladaptive cognitions may predict broad dimensions of psychopathology changes in SAD patients over the course of CBT. For the purpose of improving a wide range of psychiatric symptoms with SAD patients in CBT, it may be useful to decrease self-focus attention and maladaptive cognitions.

  13. Size of nesting female Broad-snouted Caimans (Caiman latirostris Daudin 1802).

    PubMed

    Leiva, P M L; Simoncini, M S; Portelinha, T C G; Larriera, A; Piña, C I

    2018-03-12

    The southern distribution of the Broad-snouted Caiman (Caiman latirostris Daudin 1802) in Argentina occurs in Santa Fe Province, where its population has been under management by "Proyecto Yacaré" since 1990. From 1997 to 2016, we captured 77 nesting female Broad-snouted Caimans in Santa Fe Province. Our results suggest that previously defined size classes for Broad-snouted Caiman do not adequately describe the reproductively mature female segment of the population. Here we propose to change size ranges for general size classes for Broad-snouted Caiman. In addition, we have observed that reintroduced reproductive females by Proyecto Yacaré represent about 32% of captured females. These results indicate that reintroduced females by the management program are surviving and reproducing in the wild at least up to 20 years.

  14. Irreversible endo-Selective Diels–Alder Reactions of Substituted Alkoxyfurans: A General Synthesis of endo-Cantharimides

    PubMed Central

    Foster, Robert W; Benhamou, Laure; Porter, Michael J; Bučar, Dejan-Krešimir; Hailes, Helen C; Tame, Christopher J; Sheppard, Tom D

    2015-01-01

    The [4+2] cycloaddition of 3-alkoxyfurans with N-substituted maleimides provides the first general route for preparing endo-cantharimides. Unlike the corresponding reaction with 3H furans, the reaction can tolerate a broad range of 2-substitued furans including alkyl, aromatic, and heteroaromatic groups. The cycloaddition products were converted into a range of cantharimide products with promising lead-like properties for medicinal chemistry programs. Furthermore, the electron-rich furans are shown to react with a variety of alternative dienophiles to generate 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane derivatives under mild conditions. DFT calculations have been performed to rationalize the activation effect of the 3-alkoxy group on a furan Diels–Alder reaction. PMID:25756502

  15. Capability 9.3 Assembly and Deployment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dorsey, John

    2005-01-01

    Large space systems are required for a range of operational, commercial and scientific missions objectives however, current launch vehicle capacities substantially limit the size of space systems (on-orbit or planetary). Assembly and Deployment is the process of constructing a spacecraft or system from modules which may in turn have been constructed from sub-modules in a hierarchical fashion. In-situ assembly of space exploration vehicles and systems will require a broad range of operational capabilities, including: Component transfer and storage, fluid handling, construction and assembly, test and verification. Efficient execution of these functions will require supporting infrastructure, that can: Receive, store and protect (materials, components, etc.); hold and secure; position, align and control; deploy; connect/disconnect; construct; join; assemble/disassemble; dock/undock; and mate/demate.

  16. Astrophysics of Red Supergiants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Levesque, Emily M.

    2017-12-01

    'Astrophysics of Red Supergiants' is the first book of its kind devoted to our current knowledge of red supergiant stars, a key evolutionary phase that is critical to our larger understanding of massive stars. It provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental physical properties of red supergiants, their evolution, and their extragalactic and cosmological applications. It serves as a reference for researchers from a broad range of fields (including stellar astrophysics, supernovae, and high-redshift galaxies) who are interested in red supergiants as extreme stages of stellar evolution, dust producers, supernova progenitors, extragalactic metallicity indicators, members of massive binaries and mergers, or simply as compelling objects in their own right. The book is accessible to a range of experience levels, from graduate students up to senior researchers.

  17. Teacher and Teaching Effects on Students' Attitudes and Behaviors.

    PubMed

    Blazar, David; Kraft, Matthew A

    2017-03-01

    Research has focused predominantly on how teachers affect students' achievement on tests despite evidence that a broad range of attitudes and behaviors are equally important to their long-term success. We find that upper-elementary teachers have large effects on self-reported measures of students' self-efficacy in math, and happiness and behavior in class. Students' attitudes and behaviors are predicted by teaching practices most proximal to these measures, including teachers' emotional support and classroom organization. However, teachers who are effective at improving test scores often are not equally effective at improving students' attitudes and behaviors. These findings lend empirical evidence to well-established theory on the multidimensional nature of teaching and the need to identify strategies for improving the full range of teachers' skills.

  18. Transforming Better Babies into Fitter Families: archival resources and the history of American eugenics movement, 1908-1930.

    PubMed

    Selden, Steven

    2005-06-01

    In the early 1920s, determinist conceptions of biology helped to transform Better Babies contest into Fitter Families competitions with a strong commitment to controlled human breeding. While the earlier competitions were concerned for physical and mental standards, the latter contests collected data on a broad range of presumed hereditary characters. The complex behaviors thought to be determined by one's heredity included being generous, jealous, and cruel. In today's context, the popular media often interpret advances in molecular genetics in a similarly reductive and determinist fashion. This paper argues that such a narrow interpretation of contemporary biology unnecessarily constrains the public in developing social policies concerning complex social behavior ranging from crime to intelligence.

  19. 48 CFR 1835.016-70 - Foreign participation under broad agency announcements (BAAs).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... under broad agency announcements (BAAs). 1835.016-70 Section 1835.016-70 Federal Acquisition Regulations... DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTING 1835.016-70 Foreign participation under broad agency announcements (BAAs). (a) Policy. (1) NASA seeks the broadest participation in response to broad agency announcements, including...

  20. 48 CFR 1835.016-70 - Foreign participation under broad agency announcements (BAAs).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... under broad agency announcements (BAAs). 1835.016-70 Section 1835.016-70 Federal Acquisition Regulations... DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTING 1835.016-70 Foreign participation under broad agency announcements (BAAs). (a) Policy. (1) NASA seeks the broadest participation in response to broad agency announcements, including...

  1. 48 CFR 1835.016-70 - Foreign participation under broad agency announcements (BAAs).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... under broad agency announcements (BAAs). 1835.016-70 Section 1835.016-70 Federal Acquisition Regulations... DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTING 1835.016-70 Foreign participation under broad agency announcements (BAAs). (a) Policy. (1) NASA seeks the broadest participation in response to broad agency announcements, including...

  2. 48 CFR 1835.016-70 - Foreign participation under broad agency announcements (BAAs).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... under broad agency announcements (BAAs). 1835.016-70 Section 1835.016-70 Federal Acquisition Regulations... DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTING 1835.016-70 Foreign participation under broad agency announcements (BAAs). (a) Policy. (1) NASA seeks the broadest participation in response to broad agency announcements, including...

  3. Relief of Night-time Symptoms Associated With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Following 4 Weeks of Treatment With Pantoprazole Magnesium: The Mexican Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Working Group

    PubMed Central

    Orr, William; Vargas-Romero, José Antonio; Remes-Troche, José María; Morales-Arámbula, Miguel; Soto-Pérez, Julio César; Mateos-Pérez, Gualberto; Sobrino-Cossío, Sergio; Teramoto-Matsubara, Oscar; López-Colombo, Aurelio; Orozco-Gamiz, Antonio; Saez-Ríos, Adolfo; Arellano-Plancarte, Araceli; Chiu-Ugalde, Jazmin; Tholen, Anne; Horbach, Silke; Lundberg, Lars; Fass, Ronnie

    2014-01-01

    Background/Aims To evaluate the effectiveness of pantoprazole magnesium (pantoprazole-Mg) 40 mg in the relief of esophageal and extra-esophageal symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), particularly night-time symptoms. Methods Patients (aged 18-50 years) with 3-month history of heartburn and/or acid regurgitation plus at least one other symptom in the last week were enrolled in a nationwide, prospective and observational study in Mexico. Patients received pantoprazole-Mg 40 mg once daily during 4 weeks. Symptoms were assessed through a physician-administered structured interview and the patient-completed ReQuest in Practice™ questionnaire. Night-time GERD was defined as arousal from sleep during the night due to GERD-associated symptoms. Results Out of 4,343 patients included at basal visit, 3,665 were considered for the effectiveness per protocol analysis. At baseline, patients had a median of 8 GERD related symptoms. Patients with night-time GERD symptoms (42.7%) were more likely to have extra-esophageal symptoms (P < 0.001) than other GERD patients. Pantoprazole-Mg 40 mg once daily for 4 weeks improved a broad range of GERD-associated symptoms from baseline (80% reduction on physicians assessments; 68-77% reduction on ReQuest in Practice™ dimensions), including both day- and night-time GERD symptoms; improvements were the greatest for extra-esophageal symptoms in patients with night-time symptoms. Pantoprazole-Mg was well tolerated. Conclusions Pantoprazole-Mg 40 mg significantly improved a broad range of esophageal and extra-esophageal GERD related symptoms including sleep disturbances, as well as well-being, in patients with daytime or night-time GERD, making it a good option for patients with GERD, especially when extra-esophageal and night-time symptoms are present. PMID:24466446

  4. Relief of Night-time Symptoms Associated With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Following 4 Weeks of Treatment With Pantoprazole Magnesium: The Mexican Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Working Group.

    PubMed

    López-Alvarenga, Juan Carlos; Orr, William; Vargas-Romero, José Antonio; Remes-Troche, José María; Morales-Arámbula, Miguel; Soto-Pérez, Julio César; Mateos-Pérez, Gualberto; Sobrino-Cossío, Sergio; Teramoto-Matsubara, Oscar; López-Colombo, Aurelio; Orozco-Gamiz, Antonio; Saez-Ríos, Adolfo; Arellano-Plancarte, Araceli; Chiu-Ugalde, Jazmin; Tholen, Anne; Horbach, Silke; Lundberg, Lars; Fass, Ronnie

    2014-01-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of pantoprazole magnesium (pantoprazole-Mg) 40 mg in the relief of esophageal and extra-esophageal symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), particularly night-time symptoms. Patients (aged 18-50 years) with 3-month history of heartburn and/or acid regurgitation plus at least one other symptom in the last week were enrolled in a nationwide, prospective and observational study in Mexico. Patients received pantoprazole-Mg 40 mg once daily during 4 weeks. Symptoms were assessed through a physician-administered structured interview and the patient-completed ReQuest in Practice™ questionnaire. Night-time GERD was defined as arousal from sleep during the night due to GERD-associated symptoms. Out of 4,343 patients included at basal visit, 3,665 were considered for the effectiveness per protocol analysis. At baseline, patients had a median of 8 GERD related symptoms. Patients with night-time GERD symptoms (42.7%) were more likely to have extra-esophageal symptoms (P < 0.001) than other GERD patients. Pantoprazole-Mg 40 mg once daily for 4 weeks improved a broad range of GERD-associated symptoms from baseline (80% reduction on physicians assessments; 68-77% reduction on ReQuest in Practice™ dimensions), including both day- and night-time GERD symptoms; improvements were the greatest for extra-esophageal symptoms in patients with night-time symptoms. Pantoprazole-Mg was well tolerated. Pantoprazole-Mg 40 mg significantly improved a broad range of esophageal and extra-esophageal GERD related symptoms including sleep disturbances, as well as well-being, in patients with daytime or night-time GERD, making it a good option for patients with GERD, especially when extra-esophageal and night-time symptoms are present.

  5. High fidelity computational characterization of the mechanical response of thermally aged polycarbonate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zesheng; Zhang, Lili; Jasa, John; Li, Wenlong; Gazonas, George; Negahban, Mehrdad

    2017-07-01

    A representative all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) system of polycarbonate (PC) is built and conditioned to capture and predict the behaviours of PC in response to a broad range of thermo-mechanical loadings for various thermal aging. The PC system is constructed to have a distribution of molecular weights comparable to a widely used commercial PC (LEXAN 9034), and thermally conditioned to produce models for aged and unaged PC. The MD responses of these models are evaluated through comparisons to existing experimental results carried out at much lower loading rates, but done over a broad range of temperatures and loading modes. These experiments include monotonic extension/compression/shear, unilaterally and bilaterally confined compression, and load-reversal during shear. It is shown that the MD simulations show both qualitative and quantitative similarity with the experimental response. The quantitative similarity is evaluated by comparing the dilatational response under bilaterally confined compression, the shear flow viscosity and the equivalent yield stress. The consistency of the in silico response to real laboratory experiments strongly suggests that the current PC models are physically and mechanically relevant and potentially can be used to investigate thermo-mechanical response to loading conditions that would not easily be possible. These MD models may provide valuable insight into the molecular sources of certain observations, and could possibly offer new perspectives on how to develop constitutive models that are based on better understanding the response of PC under complex loadings. To this latter end, the models are used to predict the response of PC to complex loading modes that would normally be difficult to do or that include characteristics that would be difficult to measure. These include the responses of unaged and aged PC to unilaterally confined extension/compression, cyclic uniaxial/shear loadings, and saw-tooth extension/compression/shear.

  6. Addiction research centres and the nurturing of creativity. RAND's Drug Policy Research Center.

    PubMed

    Reuter, Peter; Pacula, Rosalie Liccardo; Caulkins, Jonathan P

    2011-02-01

    In September 1989, amid an emotional and ideological debate regarding problematic drug use in the United States and the 'war on drugs', RAND's Drug Policy Research Center (DPRC) was created through private foundation funds. The purpose of this new research center was to provide objective empirical analysis on which to base sound drug policy. Twenty years later, RAND's DPRC continues its work, drawing on a broad range of analytical expertise to evaluate, compare and assess the effectiveness of a similarly broad range of drug policies. More than 60 affiliated researchers in the United States and Europe make up the Center, which attempts to provide objective empirical analyses to better inform drug policies within the United States and abroad. This paper provides a look back at the creation, evolution and growth of the Center. It then describes how the Center operates today and how it has maintained its clear identity and focus by drawing on the analytical capabilities of a talented group of researchers from a broad range of academic disciplines. © 2010 The Authors, Addiction © 2010 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  7. Wide distribution range of rhizobial symbionts associated with pantropical sea-dispersed legumes.

    PubMed

    Bamba, Masaru; Nakata, Sayuri; Aoki, Seishiro; Takayama, Koji; Núñez-Farfán, Juan; Ito, Motomi; Miya, Masaki; Kajita, Tadashi

    2016-12-01

    To understand the geographic distributions of rhizobia that associated with widely distributed wild legumes, 66 nodules obtained from 41 individuals including three sea-dispersed legumes (Vigna marina, Vigna luteola, and Canavalia rosea) distributed across the tropical and subtropical coastal regions of the world were studied. Partial sequences of 16S rRNA and nodC genes extracted from the nodules showed that only Bradyrhizobium and Sinorhizobium were associated with the pantropical legumes, and some of the symbiont strains were widely distributed over the Pacific. Horizontal gene transfer of nodulation genes were observed within the Bradyrhizobium and Sinorhizobium lineages. BLAST searches in GenBank also identified records of these strains from various legumes across the world, including crop species. However, one of the rhizobial strains was not found in GenBank, which implies the strain may have adapted to the littoral environment. Our results suggested that some rhizobia, which associate with the widespread sea-dispersed legume, distribute across a broad geographic range. By establishing symbiotic relationships with widely distributed rhizobia, the pantropical legumes may also be able to extend their range much further than other legume species.

  8. Design of a polarization-independent, wide-angle, broadband visible absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jia, Xiuli; Wang, Xiaoou

    2018-01-01

    Many optical systems benefit from elements that can absorb a broad range of wavelengths over a wide range of angles, independent of polarization. In this paper, we present a polarization-independent, wide-angle, broadband absorber in the visible regime that exploits strong symmetric and asymmetric resonance modes of electromagnetic dipoles. It makes use of a bilayer cross-pattern structure which is simple, having five layers that include two stacks of metal ribbon in cross-patterns, two dielectric spacers and a metal reflecting layer. Simulations show that the design exhibits a significantly enhanced absorption property when compared to a device with a bilayer metal film structure or any other complex structure of cross-patterns that have no intersection angle. The maximum absorption efficiency of the device is 100% at resonances, and its absorption characteristics can be maintained over a wide range of angles of incidence - up to ± 60° - regardless of the incident polarization. This strategy can, in principle, be applied to other material systems and could be useful in diverse applications, including thermal emitters, photovoltaics and photodetectors.

  9. Allosteric Control of Icosahedral Capsid Assembly

    PubMed Central

    Lazaro, Guillermo R.

    2017-01-01

    During the lifecycle of a virus, viral proteins and other components self-assemble to form an ordered protein shell called a capsid. This assembly process is subject to multiple competing constraints, including the need to form a thermostable shell while avoiding kinetic traps. It has been proposed that viral assembly satisfies these constraints through allosteric regulation, including the interconversion of capsid proteins among conformations with different propensities for assembly. In this article we use computational and theoretical modeling to explore how such allostery affects the assembly of icosahedral shells. We simulate assembly under a wide range of protein concentrations, protein binding affinities, and two different mechanisms of allosteric control. We find that, above a threshold strength of allosteric control, assembly becomes robust over a broad range of subunit binding affinities and concentrations, allowing the formation of highly thermostable capsids. Our results suggest that allostery can significantly shift the range of protein binding affinities that lead to successful assembly, and thus should be accounted for in models that are used to estimate interaction parameters from experimental data. PMID:27117092

  10. Nuclear medicine imaging system

    DOEpatents

    Bennett, Gerald W.; Brill, A. Bertrand; Bizais, Yves J.; Rowe, R. Wanda; Zubal, I. George

    1986-01-07

    A nuclear medicine imaging system having two large field of view scintillation cameras mounted on a rotatable gantry and being movable diametrically toward or away from each other is disclosed. In addition, each camera may be rotated about an axis perpendicular to the diameter of the gantry. The movement of the cameras allows the system to be used for a variety of studies, including positron annihilation, and conventional single photon emission, as well as static orthogonal dual multi-pinhole tomography. In orthogonal dual multi-pinhole tomography, each camera is fitted with a seven pinhole collimator to provide seven views from slightly different perspectives. By using two cameras at an angle to each other, improved sensitivity and depth resolution is achieved. The computer system and interface acquires and stores a broad range of information in list mode, including patient physiological data, energy data over the full range detected by the cameras, and the camera position. The list mode acquisition permits the study of attenuation as a result of Compton scatter, as well as studies involving the isolation and correlation of energy with a range of physiological conditions.

  11. Nuclear medicine imaging system

    DOEpatents

    Bennett, Gerald W.; Brill, A. Bertrand; Bizais, Yves J. C.; Rowe, R. Wanda; Zubal, I. George

    1986-01-01

    A nuclear medicine imaging system having two large field of view scintillation cameras mounted on a rotatable gantry and being movable diametrically toward or away from each other is disclosed. In addition, each camera may be rotated about an axis perpendicular to the diameter of the gantry. The movement of the cameras allows the system to be used for a variety of studies, including positron annihilation, and conventional single photon emission, as well as static orthogonal dual multi-pinhole tomography. In orthogonal dual multi-pinhole tomography, each camera is fitted with a seven pinhole collimator to provide seven views from slightly different perspectives. By using two cameras at an angle to each other, improved sensitivity and depth resolution is achieved. The computer system and interface acquires and stores a broad range of information in list mode, including patient physiological data, energy data over the full range detected by the cameras, and the camera position. The list mode acquisition permits the study of attenuation as a result of Compton scatter, as well as studies involving the isolation and correlation of energy with a range of physiological conditions.

  12. Sampling gene diversity across the supergroup Amoebozoa: large EST data sets from Acanthamoeba castellanii, Hartmannella vermiformis, Physarum polycephalum, Hyperamoeba dachnaya and Hyperamoeba sp.

    PubMed

    Watkins, Russell F; Gray, Michael W

    2008-04-01

    From comparative analysis of EST data for five taxa within the eukaryotic supergroup Amoebozoa, including two free-living amoebae (Acanthamoeba castellanii, Hartmannella vermiformis) and three slime molds (Physarum polycephalum, Hyperamoeba dachnaya and Hyperamoeba sp.), we obtained new broad-range perspectives on the evolution and biosynthetic capacity of this assemblage. Together with genome sequences for the amoebozoans Dictyostelium discoideum and Entamoeba histolytica, and including partial genome sequence available for A. castellanii, we used the EST data to identify genes that appear to be exclusive to the supergroup, and to specific clades therein. Many of these genes are likely involved in cell-cell communication or differentiation. In examining on a broad scale a number of characters that previously have been considered in simpler cross-species comparisons, typically between Dictyostelium and Entamoeba, we find that Amoebozoa as a whole exhibits striking variation in the number and distribution of biosynthetic pathways, for example, ones for certain critical stress-response molecules, including trehalose and mannitol. Finally, we report additional compelling cases of lateral gene transfer within Amoebozoa, further emphasizing that although this process has influenced genome evolution in all examined amoebozoan taxa, it has done so to a variable extent.

  13. Applying ILAMB to data from several generations of the Community Land Model to assess the relative contribution of model improvements and forcing uncertainty to model-data agreement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lawrence, D. M.; Fisher, R.; Koven, C.; Oleson, K. W.; Swenson, S. C.; Hoffman, F. M.; Randerson, J. T.; Collier, N.; Mu, M.

    2017-12-01

    The International Land Model Benchmarking (ILAMB) project is a model-data intercomparison and integration project designed to assess and help improve land models. The current package includes assessment of more than 25 land variables across more than 60 global, regional, and site-level (e.g., FLUXNET) datasets. ILAMB employs a broad range of metrics including RMSE, mean error, spatial distributions, interannual variability, and functional relationships. Here, we apply ILAMB for the purpose of assessment of several generations of the Community Land Model (CLM4, CLM4.5, and CLM5). Encouragingly, CLM5, which is the result of model development over the last several years by more than 50 researchers from 15 different institutions, shows broad improvements across many ILAMB metrics including LAI, GPP, vegetation carbon stocks, and the historical net ecosystem carbon balance among others. We will also show that considerable uncertainty arises from the historical climate forcing data used (GSWP3v1 and CRUNCEPv7). ILAMB score variations due to forcing data can be as large for many variables as that due to model structural differences. Strengths and weaknesses and persistent biases across model generations will also be presented.

  14. Biotic and abiotic factors predicting the global distribution and population density of an invasive large mammal

    PubMed Central

    Lewis, Jesse S.; Farnsworth, Matthew L.; Burdett, Chris L.; Theobald, David M.; Gray, Miranda; Miller, Ryan S.

    2017-01-01

    Biotic and abiotic factors are increasingly acknowledged to synergistically shape broad-scale species distributions. However, the relative importance of biotic and abiotic factors in predicting species distributions is unclear. In particular, biotic factors, such as predation and vegetation, including those resulting from anthropogenic land-use change, are underrepresented in species distribution modeling, but could improve model predictions. Using generalized linear models and model selection techniques, we used 129 estimates of population density of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) from 5 continents to evaluate the relative importance, magnitude, and direction of biotic and abiotic factors in predicting population density of an invasive large mammal with a global distribution. Incorporating diverse biotic factors, including agriculture, vegetation cover, and large carnivore richness, into species distribution modeling substantially improved model fit and predictions. Abiotic factors, including precipitation and potential evapotranspiration, were also important predictors. The predictive map of population density revealed wide-ranging potential for an invasive large mammal to expand its distribution globally. This information can be used to proactively create conservation/management plans to control future invasions. Our study demonstrates that the ongoing paradigm shift, which recognizes that both biotic and abiotic factors shape species distributions across broad scales, can be advanced by incorporating diverse biotic factors. PMID:28276519

  15. Fallout isotope chronology of the near-surface sediment record of Lake Bolătău.

    PubMed

    Bihari, Árpád; Karlik, Máté; Mîndrescu, Marcel; Szalai, Zoltán; Grădinaru, Ionela; Kern, Zoltán

    2018-01-01

    Fallout isotope ( 210 Pb ex, 137 Cs and 241 Am) based dating has been carried out on the near-surface sediment core collected from Lake Bolătău-Feredeu (Bukovina, Romania). The motivation was to improve the chronology of this recent section in connection with significant fluctuations observed in sediment accumulation rates, particle size distribution and primordial radioisotope (i.e. 40 K and 232 Th) composition. Previously only an extrapolation of a broad-range OxCal age-depth model, which was based on 8 AMS radiocarbon dates from the deeper part of a parallel sediment sequence and tentatively validated for the upper part using the double peaks of the 137 Cs activity concentration distribution, was available for the studied section (1-24 cm). Parallel to the previous 137 Cs measurement, 210 Pb and 226 Ra (for a more detailed, 210 Pb ex -based chronology), 241 Am (for an additional time-marker), as well as 40 K and 232 Th concentrations have also been determined by gamma-spectrometry. In case of the 210 Pb ex -based chronology, due to a large deviation from a pure exponential distribution, the Constant Flux (CF) model has been used for the calculation of sediment ages and accumulation rates. Although the broad-range OxCal and the CF model were broadly similar down to 22 cm, the 210 Pb ex -based ages are clearly superior in terms of uncertainty in the uppermost 12 cm, while the broad-range model has smaller uncertainty below 20 cm (>150 years). The CF model gave an average mass accumulation rate of (0.08 ± 0.03) g cm -2 yr -1 for sections 0-11 cm, and (0.03 ± 0.01) g cm -2 yr -1 for sections 12-22 cm, respectively. Significant changes have been observed in the depth distribution of both the particle size distribution and the elemental/isotopic composition of the sediment record, most likely related to the variation observable in the intensity and volume of precipitation in the catchment. The obtained high-resolution records of Lake Bolătău, including multiple radioisotopes, can serve as a regional benchmark for similar studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Applications of nuclear physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hayes, A. C.

    2017-02-01

    Today the applications of nuclear physics span a very broad range of topics and fields. This review discusses a number of aspects of these applications, including selected topics and concepts in nuclear reactor physics, nuclear fusion, nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear-geophysics, and nuclear medicine. The review begins with a historic summary of the early years in applied nuclear physics, with an emphasis on the huge developments that took place around the time of World War II, and that underlie the physics involved in designs of nuclear explosions, controlled nuclear energy, and nuclear fusion. The review then moves to focus on modern applications of these concepts, including the basic concepts and diagnostics developed for the forensics of nuclear explosions, the nuclear diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility, nuclear reactor safeguards, and the detection of nuclear material production and trafficking. The review also summarizes recent developments in nuclear geophysics and nuclear medicine. The nuclear geophysics areas discussed include geo-chronology, nuclear logging for industry, the Oklo reactor, and geo-neutrinos. The section on nuclear medicine summarizes the critical advances in nuclear imaging, including PET and SPECT imaging, targeted radionuclide therapy, and the nuclear physics of medical isotope production. Each subfield discussed requires a review article unto itself, which is not the intention of the current review; rather, the current review is intended for readers who wish to get a broad understanding of applied nuclear physics.

  17. Applications of nuclear physics

    DOE PAGES

    Hayes-Sterbenz, Anna Catherine

    2017-01-10

    Today the applications of nuclear physics span a very broad range of topics and fields. This review discusses a number of aspects of these applications, including selected topics and concepts in nuclear reactor physics, nuclear fusion, nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear-geophysics, and nuclear medicine. The review begins with a historic summary of the early years in applied nuclear physics, with an emphasis on the huge developments that took place around the time of World War II, and that underlie the physics involved in designs of nuclear explosions, controlled nuclear energy, and nuclear fusion. The review then moves to focus on modern applicationsmore » of these concepts, including the basic concepts and diagnostics developed for the forensics of nuclear explosions, the nuclear diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility, nuclear reactor safeguards, and the detection of nuclear material production and trafficking. The review also summarizes recent developments in nuclear geophysics and nuclear medicine. The nuclear geophysics areas discussed include geo-chronology, nuclear logging for industry, the Oklo reactor, and geo-neutrinos. The section on nuclear medicine summarizes the critical advances in nuclear imaging, including PET and SPECT imaging, targeted radionuclide therapy, and the nuclear physics of medical isotope production. Lastly, each subfield discussed requires a review article unto itself, which is not the intention of the current review; rather, the current review is intended for readers who wish to get a broad understanding of applied nuclear physics.« less

  18. Applications of nuclear physics.

    PubMed

    Hayes, A C

    2017-02-01

    Today the applications of nuclear physics span a very broad range of topics and fields. This review discusses a number of aspects of these applications, including selected topics and concepts in nuclear reactor physics, nuclear fusion, nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear-geophysics, and nuclear medicine. The review begins with a historic summary of the early years in applied nuclear physics, with an emphasis on the huge developments that took place around the time of World War II, and that underlie the physics involved in designs of nuclear explosions, controlled nuclear energy, and nuclear fusion. The review then moves to focus on modern applications of these concepts, including the basic concepts and diagnostics developed for the forensics of nuclear explosions, the nuclear diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility, nuclear reactor safeguards, and the detection of nuclear material production and trafficking. The review also summarizes recent developments in nuclear geophysics and nuclear medicine. The nuclear geophysics areas discussed include geo-chronology, nuclear logging for industry, the Oklo reactor, and geo-neutrinos. The section on nuclear medicine summarizes the critical advances in nuclear imaging, including PET and SPECT imaging, targeted radionuclide therapy, and the nuclear physics of medical isotope production. Each subfield discussed requires a review article unto itself, which is not the intention of the current review; rather, the current review is intended for readers who wish to get a broad understanding of applied nuclear physics.

  19. Applications of nuclear physics

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

    Hayes-Sterbenz, Anna Catherine

    Today the applications of nuclear physics span a very broad range of topics and fields. This review discusses a number of aspects of these applications, including selected topics and concepts in nuclear reactor physics, nuclear fusion, nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear-geophysics, and nuclear medicine. The review begins with a historic summary of the early years in applied nuclear physics, with an emphasis on the huge developments that took place around the time of World War II, and that underlie the physics involved in designs of nuclear explosions, controlled nuclear energy, and nuclear fusion. The review then moves to focus on modern applicationsmore » of these concepts, including the basic concepts and diagnostics developed for the forensics of nuclear explosions, the nuclear diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility, nuclear reactor safeguards, and the detection of nuclear material production and trafficking. The review also summarizes recent developments in nuclear geophysics and nuclear medicine. The nuclear geophysics areas discussed include geo-chronology, nuclear logging for industry, the Oklo reactor, and geo-neutrinos. The section on nuclear medicine summarizes the critical advances in nuclear imaging, including PET and SPECT imaging, targeted radionuclide therapy, and the nuclear physics of medical isotope production. Lastly, each subfield discussed requires a review article unto itself, which is not the intention of the current review; rather, the current review is intended for readers who wish to get a broad understanding of applied nuclear physics.« less

  20. Editorial

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Musilek, L.; Dunn, W. L.

    2017-08-01

    The selected proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on Radiation Physics (ISRP-13) are presented here across a broad range of important topics including: Fundamental processes in radiation physics, Theoretical investigations, New radiation sources, techniques & detectors, Absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy (XAFS, XANES, XRF Spectroscopy, Raman, Infrared …), Applications of radiation in material science, nano-science & nanotechnology, Applications of radiation in biology & medical science, Applications of radiation in space, earth, energy & environmental sciences, Applications of radiation in cultural heritage & art and Applications of radiation in industry. In total, 48 papers have been accepted for these proceedings.

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