Measurement of Muon Neutrino Charged Current Single $$\\pi^0$$ Production on Hydrocarbon using MINERvA

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

Altinok, Ozgur

A sample of charged-current single pion production events for the semi- exclusive channel ν µ + CH → µ -π 0 + nucleon(s) has been obtained using neutrino exposures of the MINERvA detector. Differential cross sections for muon momentum, muon production angle, pion momentum, pion production angle, and four-momentum transfer square Q 2 are reported and are compared to a GENIE-based simulation. The cross section versus neutrino energy is also re- ported. The effects of pion final-state interactions on these cross sections are investigated. The effect of baryon resonance suppression at low Q 2 is examined and an event re-weight used by two previous experiments is shown to improve the data versus simulation agreement. The differential cross sections for Q 2 for Eν < 4.0 GeV and E ν ≥ 4.0 GeV are examined and the shapes of these distributions are compared to those from the experiment’smore » $$\\bar{v}$$ µ-CC (π 0) measurement. The polarization of the pπ 0 system is measured and compared to the simulation predictions. The hadronic invariant mass W distribution is examined for evidence of resonance content, and a search is reported for evidence of a two-particle two-hole (2p2h) contribution. All of the differential cross-section measurements of this Thesis are compared with published MINERvA measurements for ν µ-CC (π +) and \\bar{v}$ µ-CC (π 0) processes.« less

Three-dimensional cheese-like carbon nanoarchitecture with tremendous surface area and pore construction derived from corn as superior electrode materials for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopiraman, Mayakrishnan; Deng, Dian; Kim, Byoung-Suhk; Chung, Ill-Min; Kim, Ick Soo

2017-07-01

Highly porous carbon nanoarchitectures (HPCNs) were derived from biomass materials, namely, corn fibers (CF), corn leafs (CL), and corn cobs (CC). We surprisingly found that by a very simple activation process the CF, CL, and CC materials can be transformed into exciting two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) carbon nanoarchitectures with excellent physicochemical properties. FESEM and HRTEM results confirmed a three different carbon forms (such as foams-like carbon, carbon sheets with several holes and cheese-like carbon morphology) of HPCNs. Huge surface area (2394-3475 m2/g) with excellent pore properties of HPCNs was determined by BET analysis. Well condensed graphitic plans of HPCNs were confirmed by XRD, XPS and Raman analyses. As an electrode material, HPCNs demonstrated a maximum specific capacitance (Cs) of 575 F/g in 1.0 M H2SO4 with good stability over 20,000 cycles. The CC-700 °C showed a tremendous Cs of 375 F/g even at 20000th cycles. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest Cs by the biomass derived activated carbons in aqueous electrolytes. The CC-700 °C exhibited excellent charge-discharge behavior at various current densities (0.5-10 A g-1). Notably, CC-700 °C demonstrated an excellent Cs of 207 F/g at current density of 10 A g-1. An extraordinary change-discharge behavior was noticed at low current density of 0.5 A g-1.

Influence of the dialyzer membrane material on sodium transport in hemodialysis.

PubMed

Lopot, F; Kotyk, P; Bláha, J; Válek, A

1995-11-01

Traditionally Gibbs-Donnan coefficients based on the mean charge of plasma proteins are used as the only correction factor in equations describing sodium transport across the dialyzer membrane. This ignores the possible impact of the membrane material. Correction coefficients (CC) of the whole dialyzer were measured during in vivo dialysis as a quotient of dialysate to plasma sodium in an equilibrated state for different membrane materials used in commercially available dialyzers. Their mean value and correlation with total plasma protein content (TPP) were evaluated. CC for the six materials evaluated differed both in the intercept and slope of the regression line CC versus TPP: Cuprophan 1: CC = 1.0253 - 0.00017 x TPP; Hemophan 1: CC = 1.119 - 0.00175 x TPP; Hemophan 2: CC = 1.095 - 0.00111 x TPP; PMMA: CC = 1.0353 - 0.00044 x TPP; SCE:CC = 1.114 - 0.00145 x TPP; and Cuprophan 1:CC = 1.0562 - 0.00065 x TPP. The observed differences are attributed to the different charge densities of the membrane materials and suggest that for a precise description of sodium transport, the role of the membrane material needs to be considered.

Structural insights into the interaction between a potent anti-inflammatory protein, viral CC chemokine inhibitor (vCCI), and the human CC chemokine, Eotaxin-1.

PubMed

Kuo, Nai-Wei; Gao, Yong-Guang; Schill, Megan S; Isern, Nancy; Dupureur, Cynthia M; Liwang, Patricia J

2014-03-07

Chemokines play important roles in the immune system, not only recruiting leukocytes to the site of infection and inflammation but also guiding cell homing and cell development. The soluble poxvirus-encoded protein viral CC chemokine inhibitor (vCCI), a CC chemokine inhibitor, can bind to human CC chemokines tightly to impair the host immune defense. This protein has no known homologs in eukaryotes and may represent a potent method to stop inflammation. Previously, our structure of the vCCI·MIP-1β (macrophage inflammatory protein-1β) complex indicated that vCCI uses negatively charged residues in β-sheet II to interact with positively charged residues in the MIP-1β N terminus, 20s region and 40s loop. However, the interactions between vCCI and other CC chemokines have not yet been fully explored. Here, we used NMR and fluorescence anisotropy to study the interaction between vCCI and eotaxin-1 (CCL11), a CC chemokine that is an important factor in the asthma response. NMR results reveal that the binding pattern is very similar to the vCCI·MIP-1β complex and suggest that electrostatic interactions provide a major contribution to binding. Fluorescence anisotropy results on variants of eotaxin-1 further confirm the critical roles of the charged residues in eotaxin-1. In addition, the binding affinity between vCCI and other wild type CC chemokines, MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1), MIP-1β, and RANTES (regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted), were determined as 1.1, 1.2, and 0.22 nm, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first work quantitatively measuring the binding affinity between vCCI and multiple CC chemokines.

Structural Insights into the Interaction between a Potent Anti-inflammatory Protein, Viral CC Chemokine Inhibitor (vCCI), and the Human CC Chemokine, Eotaxin-1*

PubMed Central

Kuo, Nai-Wei; Gao, Yong-Guang; Schill, Megan S.; Isern, Nancy; Dupureur, Cynthia M.; LiWang, Patricia J.

2014-01-01

Chemokines play important roles in the immune system, not only recruiting leukocytes to the site of infection and inflammation but also guiding cell homing and cell development. The soluble poxvirus-encoded protein viral CC chemokine inhibitor (vCCI), a CC chemokine inhibitor, can bind to human CC chemokines tightly to impair the host immune defense. This protein has no known homologs in eukaryotes and may represent a potent method to stop inflammation. Previously, our structure of the vCCI·MIP-1β (macrophage inflammatory protein-1β) complex indicated that vCCI uses negatively charged residues in β-sheet II to interact with positively charged residues in the MIP-1β N terminus, 20s region and 40s loop. However, the interactions between vCCI and other CC chemokines have not yet been fully explored. Here, we used NMR and fluorescence anisotropy to study the interaction between vCCI and eotaxin-1 (CCL11), a CC chemokine that is an important factor in the asthma response. NMR results reveal that the binding pattern is very similar to the vCCI·MIP-1β complex and suggest that electrostatic interactions provide a major contribution to binding. Fluorescence anisotropy results on variants of eotaxin-1 further confirm the critical roles of the charged residues in eotaxin-1. In addition, the binding affinity between vCCI and other wild type CC chemokines, MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1), MIP-1β, and RANTES (regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted), were determined as 1.1, 1.2, and 0.22 nm, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first work quantitatively measuring the binding affinity between vCCI and multiple CC chemokines. PMID:24482230

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

Kuo, Nai-Wei; Gao, Yong; Schill, Megan S.

Chemokines play important roles in the immune system, not only recruiting leukocytes to the site of infection and inflammation but also guiding cell homing and cell development. The soluble poxvirusencoded protein vCCI, a CC chemokine inhibitor, can bind to human CC chemokines tightly to impair the host immune defense. This protein has no known homologs in eukaryotes, and may represent a potent method to stop inflammation. Previously, our structure of the vCCI:MIP-1β complex indicated that vCCI uses negatively charged residues in β-sheet II to interact with positively charged residues in the MIP-1βN-terminus, 20’s region and 40’s loop. However, the interactionsmore » between vCCI and other CC chemokines have not yet been fully explored. Here, we used NMR and fluorescence anisotropy to study the interaction between vCCI and eotaxin-1 (CCL11), another CC chemokine that is an important factor in the asthma response. NMR results reveal that the binding pattern is very similar to the vCCI:MIP-1βcomplex, and suggest that electrostatic interactions provide a major contribution to binding. Fluorescence anisotropy results on variants of eotaxin-1 further confirm the critical roles of the charged residues in eotaxin. Compared to wild-type eotaxin, single, double, or triple mutations at these critical charged residues weaken the binding. One exception is the K47A mutation that exhibits increased affinity for vCCI, which can be explained structurally. In addition, the binding affinity between vCCI and other wild type CC chemokines, MCP-1, MIP-1β and RANTES, were determined as 1.09 nM, 1.16 nM, and 0.22 nM, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first work quantitatively measuring the binding affinity between vCCI and different CC chemokines.« less

Energy breakdown in capacitive deionization.

PubMed

Hemmatifar, Ali; Palko, James W; Stadermann, Michael; Santiago, Juan G

2016-11-01

We explored the energy loss mechanisms in capacitive deionization (CDI). We hypothesize that resistive and parasitic losses are two main sources of energy losses. We measured contribution from each loss mechanism in water desalination with constant current (CC) charge/discharge cycling. Resistive energy loss is expected to dominate in high current charging cases, as it increases approximately linearly with current for fixed charge transfer (resistive power loss scales as square of current and charging time scales as inverse of current). On the other hand, parasitic loss is dominant in low current cases, as the electrodes spend more time at higher voltages. We built a CDI cell with five electrode pairs and standard flow between architecture. We performed a series of experiments with various cycling currents and cut-off voltages (voltage at which current is reversed) and studied these energy losses. To this end, we measured series resistance of the cell (contact resistances, resistance of wires, and resistance of solution in spacers) during charging and discharging from voltage response of a small amplitude AC current signal added to the underlying cycling current. We performed a separate set of experiments to quantify parasitic (or leakage) current of the cell versus cell voltage. We then used these data to estimate parasitic losses under the assumption that leakage current is primarily voltage (and not current) dependent. Our results confirmed that resistive and parasitic losses respectively dominate in the limit of high and low currents. We also measured salt adsorption and report energy-normalized adsorbed salt (ENAS, energy loss per ion removed) and average salt adsorption rate (ASAR). We show a clear tradeoff between ASAR and ENAS and show that balancing these losses leads to optimal energy efficiency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy breakdown in capacitive deionization

DOE PAGES

Hemmatifar, Ali; Palko, James W.; Stadermann, Michael; ...

2016-08-12

We explored the energy loss mechanisms in capacitive deionization (CDI). We hypothesize that resistive and parasitic losses are two main sources of energy losses. We measured contribution from each loss mechanism in water desalination with constant current (CC) charge/discharge cycling. Resistive energy loss is expected to dominate in high current charging cases, as it increases approximately linearly with current for fixed charge transfer (resistive power loss scales as square of current and charging time scales as inverse of current). On the other hand, parasitic loss is dominant in low current cases, as the electrodes spend more time at higher voltages.more » We built a CDI cell with five electrode pairs and standard flow between architecture. We performed a series of experiments with various cycling currents and cut-off voltages (voltage at which current is reversed) and studied these energy losses. To this end, we measured series resistance of the cell (contact resistances, resistance of wires, and resistance of solution in spacers) during charging and discharging from voltage response of a small amplitude AC current signal added to the underlying cycling current. We performed a separate set of experiments to quantify parasitic (or leakage) current of the cell versus cell voltage. We then used these data to estimate parasitic losses under the assumption that leakage current is primarily voltage (and not current) dependent. Our results confirmed that resistive and parasitic losses respectively dominate in the limit of high and low currents. We also measured salt adsorption and report energy-normalized adsorbed salt (ENAS, energy loss per ion removed) and average salt adsorption rate (ASAR). As a result, we show a clear tradeoff between ASAR and ENAS and show that balancing these losses leads to optimal energy efficiency.« less

Emission characteristics and size distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from coke production in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Ling; Peng, Lin; Liu, Xiaofeng; He, Qiusheng; Bai, Huiling; Yan, Yulong; Li, Yinghui

2017-11-01

Coking is regarded as a major source of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), but few researches have been conducted on the emission characteristics of PAHs from coke production. In this study, emissions of size-segregated particulate matter (PM) and particle-bound PAHs emitted from charging of coal (CC) and pushing of coke (PC) in four typical coke plants were determined. The emission factors on average, sums of CC and PC, were 4.65 mg/kg, 5.96 mg/kg, 19.18 μg/kg and 20.69 μg/kg of coal charged for PM2.1 (≤ 2.1 μm), PM, PAHs in PM2.1 and total-PAHs, respectively. PM and PAHs emission from plants using stamp charging were significantly more than those using top charging. The profile of PAHs in PM with size ≤ 1.4 μm (PM1.4) emitted from CC process were similar with that from PC, however, it revealed obviously different tendency for PAHs in PM with size > 1.4 μm, indicating the different formation mechanism for coarse particles emitted from CC and PC. Size distributions of PM and PAHs indicated that they were primarily connected with PM1.4, and the contributions of PM1.4 to PM and PAHs emitted from the plants using stamp charging were higher than those using top charging. Some improved technology in air-pollution control devices should be considered in coke production in future based on the considerable impacts of PM1.4 and PAHs on human health and ambient air quality.

What measurements of neutrino neutral current events can reveal

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

Gandhi, Raj; Kayser, Boris; Prakash, Suprabh

Here, we show that neutral current (NC) measurements at neutrino detectors can play a valuable role in the search for new physics. Such measurements have certain intrinsic features and advantages that can fruitfully be combined with the usual well-studied charged lepton detection channels in order to probe the presence of new interactions or new light states. In addition to the fact that NC events are immune to uncertainties in standard model neutrino mixing and mass parameters, they can have small matter effects and superior rates since all three flavours participate. We also show, as a general feature, that NC measurementsmore » provide access to different combinations of CP phases and mixing parameters compared to CC measurements at both long and short baseline experiments. Using the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) as an illustrative setting, we demonstrate the capability of NC measurements to break degeneracies arising in CC measurements, allowing us, in principle, to distinguish between new physics that violates three flavour unitarity and that which does not. Finally, we show that NC measurements can enable us to restrict new physics parameters that are not easily constrained by CC measurements.« less

What measurements of neutrino neutral current events can reveal

DOE PAGES

Gandhi, Raj; Kayser, Boris; Prakash, Suprabh; ...

2017-11-29

Here, we show that neutral current (NC) measurements at neutrino detectors can play a valuable role in the search for new physics. Such measurements have certain intrinsic features and advantages that can fruitfully be combined with the usual well-studied charged lepton detection channels in order to probe the presence of new interactions or new light states. In addition to the fact that NC events are immune to uncertainties in standard model neutrino mixing and mass parameters, they can have small matter effects and superior rates since all three flavours participate. We also show, as a general feature, that NC measurementsmore » provide access to different combinations of CP phases and mixing parameters compared to CC measurements at both long and short baseline experiments. Using the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) as an illustrative setting, we demonstrate the capability of NC measurements to break degeneracies arising in CC measurements, allowing us, in principle, to distinguish between new physics that violates three flavour unitarity and that which does not. Finally, we show that NC measurements can enable us to restrict new physics parameters that are not easily constrained by CC measurements.« less

Atomic charge transfer-counter polarization effects determine infrared CH intensities of hydrocarbons: a quantum theory of atoms in molecules model.

PubMed

Silva, Arnaldo F; Richter, Wagner E; Meneses, Helen G C; Bruns, Roy E

2014-11-14

Atomic charge transfer-counter polarization effects determine most of the infrared fundamental CH intensities of simple hydrocarbons, methane, ethylene, ethane, propyne, cyclopropane and allene. The quantum theory of atoms in molecules/charge-charge flux-dipole flux model predicted the values of 30 CH intensities ranging from 0 to 123 km mol(-1) with a root mean square (rms) error of only 4.2 km mol(-1) without including a specific equilibrium atomic charge term. Sums of the contributions from terms involving charge flux and/or dipole flux averaged 20.3 km mol(-1), about ten times larger than the average charge contribution of 2.0 km mol(-1). The only notable exceptions are the CH stretching and bending intensities of acetylene and two of the propyne vibrations for hydrogens bound to sp hybridized carbon atoms. Calculations were carried out at four quantum levels, MP2/6-311++G(3d,3p), MP2/cc-pVTZ, QCISD/6-311++G(3d,3p) and QCISD/cc-pVTZ. The results calculated at the QCISD level are the most accurate among the four with root mean square errors of 4.7 and 5.0 km mol(-1) for the 6-311++G(3d,3p) and cc-pVTZ basis sets. These values are close to the estimated aggregate experimental error of the hydrocarbon intensities, 4.0 km mol(-1). The atomic charge transfer-counter polarization effect is much larger than the charge effect for the results of all four quantum levels. Charge transfer-counter polarization effects are expected to also be important in vibrations of more polar molecules for which equilibrium charge contributions can be large.

A search for matter enhanced neutrino oscillations through measurements of day and night solar neutrino fluxes at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miknaitis, Kathryn Kelly Schaffer

The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) is a heavy-water Cherenkov detector designed to study 8B neutrinos from the sun. Through the charged-current (CC) and neutral-current (NC) reactions of neutrinos on deuterium, SNO separately determines the flux of electron neutrinos and the flux of all active flavors of solar 8B neutrinos. SNO is also sensitive to the elastic scattering (ES) of neutrinos on electrons in the heavy water. Measurements of the CC and NC rates in SNO have conclusively demonstrated solar neutrino flavor change. This flavor change is believed to be caused by matter-enhanced oscillations in the sun, through the Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein (MSW) effect. Matter effects could also change the flavor composition of neutrinos that traverse the earth. A comparison of the day and night measured CC flux at SNO directly tests for the MSW effect and contributes to constraints on neutrino oscillation parameters in the MSW model. We perform measurements of the day and night neutrino fluxes using data from the second phase of SNO, in which salt (NaCl) was added to the heavy water to enhance sensitivity to the NC reaction. Better discrimination between CC and NC events in the salt phase allows the fluxes to be determined without constraining the neutrino energy spectrum. The day-night asymmetry in the CC flux measured in this model-independent analysis is ACC = [-5.6 +/- 7.4(stat.) +/- 5.3(syst.)]%, where the asymmetry is defined as the difference between the night and day values divided by their average. The asymmetries in the NC and ES fluxes are ANC = [4.2 +/- 8.6(stat.) +/- 7.2(syst.)]%, and AES = (14.6 +/- 19.8(stat.) +/- 3.3(syst.)]%. The neutral current asymmetry is expected to be zero assuming standard neutrino oscillations. When we constrain it to be zero, we obtain ACC = [-3.7 +/- 6.3(stat.) +/- 3.2(syst.)]% and AES = [15.3 +/- 19.8(stat.) +/- 3.0(syst.)]%. The day and night energy spectra from the CC reaction have been measured and show no evidence for day-night variations as a function of energy.

A reduced order electrochemical and thermal model for a pouch type lithium ion polymer battery with LiNixMnyCo1-x-yO2/LiFePO4 blended cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xueyan; Choe, Song-Yul; Joe, Won Tae

2015-10-01

LiNixMnyCo1-x-yO2 (NMC) and LiFePO4 (LFP) as a cathode material have been widely employed for cells designed for high power applications. However, NMC needs further improvements in rate capability and stability that can be accomplished by blending it with LFP. Working mechanism of the blended cells is very complex and hard to understand. In addition, characteristics of the blended cells, particularly the plateau and path dependence of LFP materials, make it extremely difficult to estimate the state of charge and state of health using classical electric equivalent circuit models. Therefore, a reduced order model based on electrochemical and thermal principles is developed with objectives for real time applications and validated against experimental data collected from a large format pouch type of lithium ion polymer battery. The model for LFP is based on a shrinking core model along with moving boundary and then integrated into NMC model. Responses of the model that include SOC estimation and responses of current and voltage are compared with those of experiments at CC/CV charging and CC discharging along with different current rates and temperatures. In addition, the model is used to analyze effects of mass ratios between two materials on terminal voltage and heat generation rate.

PSO Based PI Controller Design for a Solar Charger System

PubMed Central

Yau, Her-Terng; Lin, Chih-Jer; Liang, Qin-Cheng

2013-01-01

Due to global energy crisis and severe environmental pollution, the photovoltaic (PV) system has become one of the most important renewable energy sources. Many previous studies on solar charger integrated system only focus on load charge control or switching Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) and charge control modes. This study used two-stage system, which allows the overall portable solar energy charging system to implement MPPT and optimal charge control of Li-ion battery simultaneously. First, this study designs a DC/DC boost converter of solar power generation, which uses variable step size incremental conductance method (VSINC) to enable the solar cell to track the maximum power point at any time. The voltage was exported from the DC/DC boost converter to the DC/DC buck converter, so that the voltage dropped to proper voltage for charging the battery. The charging system uses constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV) method to charge the lithium battery. In order to obtain the optimum PI charge controller parameters, this study used intelligent algorithm to determine the optimum parameters. According to the simulation and experimental results, the control parameters resulted from PSO have better performance than genetic algorithms (GAs). PMID:23766713

PSO based PI controller design for a solar charger system.

PubMed

Yau, Her-Terng; Lin, Chih-Jer; Liang, Qin-Cheng

2013-01-01

Due to global energy crisis and severe environmental pollution, the photovoltaic (PV) system has become one of the most important renewable energy sources. Many previous studies on solar charger integrated system only focus on load charge control or switching Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) and charge control modes. This study used two-stage system, which allows the overall portable solar energy charging system to implement MPPT and optimal charge control of Li-ion battery simultaneously. First, this study designs a DC/DC boost converter of solar power generation, which uses variable step size incremental conductance method (VSINC) to enable the solar cell to track the maximum power point at any time. The voltage was exported from the DC/DC boost converter to the DC/DC buck converter, so that the voltage dropped to proper voltage for charging the battery. The charging system uses constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV) method to charge the lithium battery. In order to obtain the optimum PI charge controller parameters, this study used intelligent algorithm to determine the optimum parameters. According to the simulation and experimental results, the control parameters resulted from PSO have better performance than genetic algorithms (GAs).

Graphene Nanowalls as Ingenious Material for Catalysts and Superconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-14

in the literature. Figure 6. CV, charge-discharge behavior, and stability of the N-GNWs/CC as supercapacitor . The Reagon plot with...comparison of conventional carbon materials and our CNWs/CC has been sketched. For conventional materials, irregular packing of the nanomaterials has been

CC-inclusive cross section measured with the T2K near detector

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

Weber, Alfons; STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell, Didcot OX11 0QX

2015-05-15

T2K has performed the first measurement of muon neutrino inclusive charged current interactions on carbon at neutrino energies of ∼1 GeV where the measurement is reported as a flux-averaged double differential cross section in muon momentum and angle. The flux is predicted by the beam Monte Carlo and external data, including the results from the NA61/SHINE experiment. The data used for this measurement were taken in 2010 and 2011, with a total of 1.08*10{sup 20} protons-on-target. The analysis is performed on 4485 inclusive charged current interaction candidates selected in the most upstream fine-grained scintillator detector of the near detector. Themore » flux-averaged total cross section is = (6.91±0.13(stat)±0.84(syst)) 10{sup −39} cm{sup 2}/nucleon for a mean neutrino energy of 0.85 GeV.« less

A precision measurement of charm dimuon production in neutrino interactions from the NOMAD experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samoylov, O.; Petti, R.; Alekhin, S.; Astier, P.; Autiero, D.; Baldisseri, A.; Baldo-Ceolin, M.; Banner, M.; Bassompierre, G.; Benslama, K.; Besson, N.; Bird, I.; Blumenfeld, B.; Bobisut, F.; Bouchez, J.; Boyd, S.; Bueno, A.; Bunyatov, S.; Camilleri, L.; Cardini, A.; Cattaneo, P. W.; Cavasinni, V.; Cervera-Villanueva, A.; Challis, R.; Chukanov, A.; Collazuol, G.; Conforto, G.; Conta, C.; Contalbrigo, M.; Cousins, R.; Degaudenzi, H.; De Santo, A.; Del Prete, T.; Di Lella, L.; do Couto e Silva, E.; Dumarchez, J.; Duyang, H.; Ellis, M.; Feldman, G. J.; Ferrari, R.; Ferrère, D.; Flaminio, V.; Fraternali, M.; Gaillard, J.-M.; Gangler, E.; Geiser, A.; Geppert, D.; Gibin, D.; Gninenko, S.; Godley, A.; Gomez-Cadenas, J.-J.; Gosset, J.; Gößling, C.; Gouanère, M.; Grant, A.; Graziani, G.; Guglielmi, A.; Hagner, C.; Hernando, J.; Hurst, P.; Hyett, N.; Iacopini, E.; Joseph, C.; Juget, F.; Kent, N.; Klimov, O.; Kokkonen, J.; Kovzelev, A.; Krasnoperov, A.; Kim, J. J.; Kirsanov, M.; Kulagin, S.; Kullenberg, C. T.; Lacaprara, S.; Lachaud, C.; Lakić, B.; Lanza, A.; La Rotonda, L.; Laveder, M.; Letessier-Selvon, A.; Levy, J.-M.; Libo, J.; Linssen, L.; Ljubičić, A.; Long, J.; Lupi, A.; Lyubushkin, V.; Marchionni, A.; Martelli, F.; Méchain, X.; Mendiburu, J.-P.; Meyer, J.-P.; Mezzetto, M.; Mishra, S. R.; Moorhead, G. F.; Naumov, D.; Nédélec, P.; Nefedov, Yu.; Nguyen-Mau, C.; Orestano, D.; Pastore, F.; Peak, L. S.; Pennacchio, E.; Pessard, H.; Placci, A.; Polesello, G.; Pollmann, D.; Polyarush, A.; Poulsen, C.; Popov, B.; Rebuffi, L.; Rico, J.; Riemann, P.; Roda, C.; Rubbia, A.; Salvatore, F.; Schahmaneche, K.; Schmidt, B.; Schmidt, T.; Sconza, A.; Scott, A. M.; Sevior, M.; Sillou, D.; Soler, F. J. P.; Sozzi, G.; Steele, D.; Stiegler, U.; Stipčević, M.; Stolarczyk, Th.; Tareb-Reyes, M.; Taylor, G. N.; Tereshchenko, V.; Tian, X. C.; Toropin, A.; Touchard, A.-M.; Tovey, S. N.; Tran, M.-T.; Tsesmelis, E.; Ulrichs, J.; Vacavant, L.; Valdata-Nappi, M.; Valuev, V.; Vannucci, F.; Varvell, K. E.; Veltri, M.; Vercesi, V.; Vidal-Sitjes, G.; Vieira, J.-M.; Vinogradova, T.; Weber, F. V.; Weisse, T.; Wilson, F. F.; Winton, L. J.; Wu, Q.; Yabsley, B. D.; Zaccone, H.; Zuber, K.; Zuccon, P.

2013-11-01

We present our new measurement of the cross-section for charm dimuon production in neutrino-iron interactions based upon the full statistics collected by the NOMAD experiment. After background subtraction we observe 15 344 charm dimuon events, providing the largest sample currently available. The analysis exploits the large inclusive charged current sample - about 9×106 events after all analysis cuts - and the high resolution NOMAD detector to constrain the total systematic uncertainty on the ratio of charm dimuon to inclusive Charged Current (CC) cross-sections to ˜2%. We also perform a fit to the NOMAD data to extract the charm production parameters and the strange quark sea content of the nucleon within the NLO QCD approximation. We obtain a value of mc(mc)=1.159±0.075 GeV/c2 for the running mass of the charm quark in the MS¯ scheme and a strange quark sea suppression factor of κs=0.591±0.019 at Q2=20 GeV/c2.

Interrelationship between the zeta potential and viscoelastic properties in coacervates complexes.

PubMed

Espinosa-Andrews, Hugo; Enríquez-Ramírez, Karina Esmeralda; García-Márquez, Eristeo; Ramírez-Santiago, Cesar; Lobato-Calleros, Consuelo; Vernon-Carter, Jaime

2013-06-05

The formation of the complex coacervate (CC) phases between gum Arabic (GA) and low molecular weight chitosan (Ch) and the interrelationship between the zeta-potential and viscoelastic properties of the coacervate phase were investigated. The maximum charge difference of biopolymers stock dispersion was displayed in a range of pH between 4.0 and 5.5. Titration experiment between the oppositely charged biopolymers showed that the isoelectric point was found at a biopolymers mass ratio (R[GA:Ch]) of R[5.5:1]. Turbidity, size and ζ-potential of the soluble complexes (SC) showed an interrelation with the complex coacervate yield (CCY). Higher CCY values (82.2-88.1%) were obtained in the range from R[3:1] to R[5.5:1]. Change the R[GA:Ch] in dispersion, make possible to produce CC's phases exhibiting cationic (R[1:1] and R[3:1]), neutral (R[5.5:1]) or anionic (R[9:1] and R[7:1]) charged. All CC's exhibited liquid-viscoelastic behavior at lower frequencies and a crossover between G″ and G' at higher frequencies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of the muon charge sign with the dipolar spectrometers of the OPERA experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agafonova, N.; Aleksandrov, A.; Anokhina, A.; Aoki, S.; Ariga, A.; Ariga, T.; Bender, D.; Bertolin, A.; Bozza, C.; Brugnera, R.; Buonaura, A.; Buontempo, S.; Büttner, B.; Chernyavsky, M.; Chukanov, A.; Consiglio, L.; D'Ambrosio, N.; De Lellis, G.; De Serio, M.; Del Amo Sanchez, P.; Di Crescenzo, A.; Di Ferdinando, D.; Di Marco, N.; Dmitrievski, S.; Dracos, M.; Duchesneau, D.; Dusini, S.; Dzhatdoev, T.; Ebert, J.; Ereditato, A.; Fini, R. A.; Fukuda, T.; Galati, G.; Garfagnini, A.; Giacomelli, G.; Göllnitz, C.; Goldberg, J.; Goloubkov, D.; Gornushkin, Y.; Grella, G.; Guler, M.; Gustavino, C.; Hagner, C.; Hara, T.; Hollnagel, A.; Hosseini, B.; Ishida, H.; Ishiguro, K.; Jakovcic, K.; Jollet, C.; Kamiscioglu, C.; Kamiscioglu, M.; Kawada, J.; Kim, J. H.; Kim, S. H.; Kitagawa, N.; Klicek, B.; Kodama, K.; Komatsu, M.; Kose, U.; Kreslo, I.; Lauria, A.; Lenkeit, J.; Ljubicic, A.; Longhin, A.; Loverre, P.; Malgin, A.; Malenica, M.; Mandrioli, G.; Matsuo, T.; Matveev, V.; Mauri, N.; Medinaceli, E.; Meregaglia, A.; Meyer, M.; Mikado, S.; Monacelli, P.; Montesi, M. C.; Morishima, K.; Muciaccia, M. T.; Naganawa, N.; Naka, T.; Nakamura, M.; Nakano, T.; Nakatsuka, Y.; Niwa, K.; Ogawa, S.; Okateva, N.; Olshevsky, A.; Omura, T.; Ozaki, K.; Paoloni, A.; Park, B. D.; Park, I. G.; Pasqualini, L.; Pastore, A.; Patrizii, L.; Pessard, H.; Pistillo, C.; Podgrudkov, D.; Polukhina, N.; Pozzato, M.; Pupilli, F.; Roda, M.; Rokujo, H.; Roganova, T.; Rosa, G.; Rostovtseva, I.; Ryazhskaya, O.; Sato, O.; Sato, Y.; Schembri, A.; Shakiryanova, I.; Shchedrina, T.; Sheshukov, A.; Shibuya, H.; Shiraishi, T.; Shoziyoev, G.; Simone, S.; Sioli, M.; Sirignano, C.; Sirri, G.; Spinetti, M.; Stanco, L.; Starkov, N.; Stellacci, S. M.; Stipcevic, M.; Strolin, P.; Takahashi, S.; Tenti, M.; Terranova, F.; Tioukov, V.; Tufanli, S.; Vilain, P.; Vladimirov, M.; Votano, L.; Vuilleumier, J. L.; Wilquet, G.; Wonsak, B.; Yoon, C. S.; Zaitsev, Y.; Zemskova, S.; Zghiche, A.

2016-07-01

The OPERA long-baseline neutrino-oscillation experiment has observed the direct appearance of ντ in the CNGS νμ beam. Two large muon magnetic spectrometers are used to identify muons produced in the τ leptonic decay and in νμ CC interactions by measuring their charge and momentum. Besides the kinematic analysis of the τ decays, background resulting from the decay of charmed particles produced in νμ CC interactions is reduced by efficiently identifying the muon track. A new method for the charge sign determination has been applied, via a weighted angular matching of the straight track-segments reconstructed in the different parts of the dipole magnets. Results obtained for Monte Carlo and real data are presented. Comparison with a method where no matching is used shows a significant reduction of up to 40% of the fraction of wrongly determined charges.

Variables Associated With Inpatient and Outpatient Resource Utilization Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease With or Without Cirrhosis.

PubMed

Sayiner, Mehmet; Otgonsuren, Munkhzul; Cable, Rebecca; Younossi, Issah; Afendy, Mariam; Golabi, Pegah; Henry, Linda; Younossi, Zobair M

2017-03-01

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease worldwide with tremendous clinical burden. The economic burden of NAFLD is not well studied. To assess the economic burden of NAFLD. Medicare beneficiaries (January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010) with NAFLD diagnosis by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes in the absence of other liver diseases were selected. Inpatient and outpatient resource utilization parameters were total charges and total provider payments. NAFLD patients with compensated cirrhosis (CC) were compared with decompensated cirrhosis (DC). A total of 976 inpatients and 4742 outpatients with NAFLD were included-87% were white, 36% male, 30% had cardiovascular disease (CVD) or metabolic syndrome conditions, and 12% had cirrhosis. For inpatients, median total hospital charge was $36,289. NAFLD patients with cirrhosis had higher charges and payments than noncirrhotic NAFLD patients ($61,151 vs. $33,863 and $18,804 vs. $10,146, P<0.001). Compared with CC, NAFLD patients with DC had higher charges and payments (P<0.02). For outpatients, median total charge was $9,011. NAFLD patients with cirrhosis had higher charges and payments than noncirrhotic NAFLD patients ($12,049 vs. $8,830 and $2,586 vs. $1,734, P<0.001). Compared with CC, DC patients had higher total charges ($15,187 vs. $10,379, P=0.04). In multivariate analysis, variables associated with increased inpatient resource utilization were inpatient mortality, DC, and CVD; for outpatients, having CVD, obesity, and hypertension (all P<0.001). NAFLD is associated with significant economic burden to Medicare. Presence of cirrhosis and CVD are associated with increased resource utilization.

Variables Associated With Inpatient and Outpatient Resource Utilization Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease With or Without Cirrhosis

PubMed Central

Sayiner, Mehmet; Otgonsuren, Munkhzul; Cable, Rebecca; Younossi, Issah; Afendy, Mariam; Golabi, Pegah; Henry, Linda

2017-01-01

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease worldwide with tremendous clinical burden. The economic burden of NAFLD is not well studied. Goal: To assess the economic burden of NAFLD. Study: Medicare beneficiaries (January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010) with NAFLD diagnosis by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes in the absence of other liver diseases were selected. Inpatient and outpatient resource utilization parameters were total charges and total provider payments. NAFLD patients with compensated cirrhosis (CC) were compared with decompensated cirrhosis (DC). Results: A total of 976 inpatients and 4742 outpatients with NAFLD were included—87% were white, 36% male, 30% had cardiovascular disease (CVD) or metabolic syndrome conditions, and 12% had cirrhosis. For inpatients, median total hospital charge was $36,289. NAFLD patients with cirrhosis had higher charges and payments than noncirrhotic NAFLD patients ($61,151 vs. $33,863 and $18,804 vs. $10,146, P<0.001). Compared with CC, NAFLD patients with DC had higher charges and payments (P<0.02). For outpatients, median total charge was $9,011. NAFLD patients with cirrhosis had higher charges and payments than noncirrhotic NAFLD patients ($12,049 vs. $8,830 and $2,586 vs. $1,734, P<0.001). Compared with CC, DC patients had higher total charges ($15,187 vs. $10,379, P=0.04). In multivariate analysis, variables associated with increased inpatient resource utilization were inpatient mortality, DC, and CVD; for outpatients, having CVD, obesity, and hypertension (all P<0.001). Conclusions: NAFLD is associated with significant economic burden to Medicare. Presence of cirrhosis and CVD are associated with increased resource utilization. PMID:27332747

Measuring q/m for Water Drops--An Introduction to the Effects of Electrical Forces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Francis X.

1974-01-01

Discusses an experiment which introduces students to the effects of electrical forces on the motion of macroscopic objects. Included are the proecedures of measuring the charge-to-mass ratio from deflections of charged water drops in horizontal fields and the overall charges delivered in a Faraday cup. (CC)

Topology of charge density of flucytosine and related molecules and characteristics of their bond charge distributions.

PubMed

Murgich, Juan; Franco, Héctor J; San-Blas, Gioconda

2006-08-24

The molecular charge distribution of flucytosine (4-amino-5-fluoro-2-pyrimidone), uracil, 5-fluorouracil, and thymine was studied by means of density functional theory calculations (DFT). The resulting distributions were analyzed by means of the atoms in molecules (AIM) theory. Bonds were characterized through vectors formed with the charge density value, its Laplacian, and the bond ellipticity calculated at the bond critical point (BCP). Within each set of C=O, C-H, and N-H bonds, these vectors showed little dispersion. C-C bonds formed three different subsets, one with a significant degree of double bonding, a second corresponding to single bonds with a finite ellipticity produced by hyperconjugation, and a third one formed by a pure single bond. In N-C bonds, a decrease in bond length (an increase in double bond character) was not reflected as an increase in their ellipticity, as in all C-C bonds studied. It was also found that substitution influenced the N-C, C-O, and C-C bond ellipticity much more than density and its Laplacian at the BCP. The Laplacian of charge density pointed to the existence of both bonding and nonbonding maxima in the valence shell charge concentration of N, O, and F, while only bonding ones were found for the C atoms. The nonbonding maxima related to the sites for electrophilic attack and H bonding in O and N, while sites of nucleophilic attack were suggested by the holes in the valence shell of the C atoms of the carbonyl groups.

Search for heavy vector-like quarks coupling to light quarks in proton–proton collisions at s = 7   TeV with the ATLAS detector

DOE PAGES

Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdallah, J.; ...

2012-05-01

This Letter presents a search for singly produced vector-like quarks, Q, coupling to light quarks, q. The search is sensitive to both charged current (CC) and neutral current (NC) processes, pp→Qq→Wqq' and pp→Qq→Zqq' with a leptonic decay of the vector gauge boson. In 1.04fb -1 of data taken in 2011 by the ATLAS experiment at a center-of-mass energy √s=7TeV, no evidence of such heavy vector-like quarks is observed above the expected Standard Model background. Limits on the heavy vector-like quark production cross section times branching ratio as a function of mass m Q are obtained. For a coupling κ qQ=v/mmore » Q, where v is the Higgs vacuum expectation value, 95% C.L. lower limits on the mass of a vector-like quark are set at 900 GeV and 760 GeV from CC and NC processes, respectively.« less

A mosaic infrared sensor for space astronomy, phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sood, A. K.

1985-01-01

Short wavelength (1 to 3 micron) HgCdTe mosaic detector arrays for space astronomy purposes were fabricated and studied. Honeywell will test and analyze these arrays at moderate temperatures (300-130K). Low temperature testing will be performed at the University of Hawaii. Short wavelength mosaic arrays were fabricated on three wafers and one array from each wafer was tested and analyzed. The p-type base carrier concentration on these wafers was an order of magnitude lower than typically used so far on this program (10 to the 14/cc as compared to 10 to the 15/cc). Tunneling currents are expected to decrease with this decrease in carrier concentration, resulting in improved performance at very low temperatures. The risk with such a low carrier concentration is that fixed charge in the surface passivating layer must be carefully controlled to prevent surface inversion layers.

Morphology controllable time-dependent CoS nanoparticle thin films as efficient counter electrode for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, Araveeti Eswar; Rao, S. Srinivasa; Gopi, Chandu V. V. M.; Anitha, Tarugu; Thulasi-Varma, Chebrolu Venkata; Punnoose, Dinah; Kim, Hee-Je

2017-11-01

Cobalt sulfide (CoS) agglomerated nanoparticle thin films obtained by a facile chemical bath method at different deposition times. The CoS counter electrode (CE) deposited at 3 h deposition time (CC-3h) based quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) achieves higher power conversion efficiency (η) of 3.67% than those of CC-2h (1.83%), CC-4h (2.52%), and Pt (1.48%) CEs, under one sun illumination (100 mW cm-2, AM 1.5 G). The electrochemical analysis revealed that CC-3h CE shows a smaller charge transfer resistance (9.22 Ω) at the CE/electrolyte interface than the CC-2h (23.34 Ω), CC-4h (19.73 Ω) and Pt (139.92 Ω) CEs, respectively.

Simulation studies of reconstruction of hadron shower direction in INO ICAL detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devi, M. M.; Dighe, A.; Indumathi, D.; Lakshmi, S. M.

2018-03-01

The proposed Iron Calorimeter (ICAL) at India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) will be a 50 kt magnetised iron detector for the detection of atmospheric neutrinos. The atmospheric neutrinos interact via both charged current (CC) and neutral current (NC) interactions with the target iron to produce the detectable final state particles. While CC νμ (bar nuμ) leave a muon track and a hadron shower in the detector, the NC will leave only a hadron shower apart from the secondary invisible neutrino. A GEANT4 based simulation studies to reconstruct hadron showers in CC and NC, using two techniques namely the Orientation Matrix Method (OMM) and the Raw Hit Method (RHM) are presented here. While OMM requires information about the interaction vertex obtained from muon track reconstruction, RHM requires only the shower hit positions and timings and no vertex information and hence can be used for NC events as well. Hadrons from neutrino events generated with NUANCE neutrino generator are analysed. For hadrons in the energy range 0.5-15 GeV produced in CC νμ and bar nuμ interactions, a Δθ'h resolution of around 19o-9o (around 20.5o-12o) is obtained in the |cosθ'h|=[0.8, 1] bin with OMM (RHM). For NC events in the same true energy and direction bins, Δθ'h resolution varies from around 20.5o-13o, from RHM only. OMM (RHM) gives a resolution of about 55o-20o (38o-14o) for the angle between the muon and the hadron shower, βμ h', in the [E'had;cos θ'h] range [0.5-15 GeV; [0.8,1.0

Analysis of Biologic Samples for Morphine and Morphine-Related Compounds by Gas Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-04-01

spectra are obtained for each peak detected in the CC effluent stream. In this mode of operation, the "total ion current" is usually used as a guide...correcting drift for both magnetic field and electrical field instruments. The peak setting is usually made to the 47 nearest 0.1 amu, and adjustments...su stances by charge transfer from nitric oxide ions (No ), however, the M14 ions are the base peak . This obser- vation by Jardine and Fenselau (44

Electrostatic complementarity at protein/protein interfaces.

PubMed

McCoy, A J; Chandana Epa, V; Colman, P M

1997-05-02

Calculation of the electrostatic potential of protein-protein complexes has led to the general assertion that protein-protein interfaces display "charge complementarity" and "electrostatic complementarity". In this study, quantitative measures for these two terms are developed and used to investigate protein-protein interfaces in a rigorous manner. Charge complementarity (CC) was defined using the correlation of charges on nearest neighbour atoms at the interface. All 12 protein-protein interfaces studied had insignificantly small CC values. Therefore, the term charge complementarity is not appropriate for the description of protein-protein interfaces when used in the sense measured by CC. Electrostatic complementarity (EC) was defined using the correlation of surface electrostatic potential at protein-protein interfaces. All twelve protein-protein interfaces studied had significant EC values, and thus the assertion that protein-protein association involves surfaces with complementary electrostatic potential was substantially confirmed. The term electrostatic complementarity can therefore be used to describe protein-protein interfaces when used in the sense measured by EC. Taken together, the results for CC and EC demonstrate the relevance of the long-range effects of charges, as described by the electrostatic potential at the binding interface. The EC value did not partition the complexes by type such as antigen-antibody and proteinase-inhibitor, as measures of the geometrical complementarity at protein-protein interfaces have done. The EC value was also not directly related to the number of salt bridges in the interface, and neutralisation of these salt bridges showed that other charges also contributed significantly to electrostatic complementarity and electrostatic interactions between the proteins. Electrostatic complementarity as defined by EC was extended to investigate the electrostatic similarity at the surface of influenza virus neuraminidase where the epitopes of two monoclonal antibodies, NC10 and NC41, overlap. Although NC10 and NC41 both have quite high values of EC for their interaction with neuraminidase, the similarity in electrostatic potential generated by the two on the overlapping region of the epitopes is insignificant. Thus, it is possible for two antibodies to recognise the electrostatic surface of a protein in dissimilar ways.

Geometry, bonding and magnetism in planar triangulene graphene molecules with D3h symmetry: Zigzag Cm∗∗2+4m+1H3m+3 (m = 2, …, 15)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philpott, Michael R.; Cimpoesu, Fanica; Kawazoe, Yoshiyuki

2008-12-01

Ab initio plane wave based all valence electron DFT calculations with geometry optimization are reported for the electronic structure of planar zigzag edged triangular shaped graphene molecules CH where the zigzag ring number m = 2, …, 15. The largest molecule C 286H 48 has a 3.8 nm side length and retains D3h symmetric geometry. The zone in the middle of the molecules, where the geometry and electronic properties resemble infinite single sheet graphite (graphene), expands with increasing ring number m, driving deviations in geometry, charge and spin to the perimeter. If a molecule is viewed as a set of nested triangular rings of carbon, then the zone where the lattice resembles an infinite sheet of graphene with CC = 142 pm, extends to the middle of the penultimate ring. The radial bonds joining the perimeter carbon atoms to the interior are long CC = 144 pm, except near the three apexes where the bonds are shorter. Isometric surfaces of the total charge density show that the two bonds joined at the apex have the highest valence charge. The perimeter CC bonds establish a simple pattern as the zigzag number increases, which shares some features with the zigzag edges in the D2h linear acenes C 4m+2H 2m+4 and the D6h hexangulenes CH6m but not the D6h symmetric annulenes (CH). The two CC bonds forming each apex are short (≈139 pm), next comes one long bond CC ≈ 142 pm and a middle region where all the CC bonds have length ≈141 pm. The homo-lumo gap declines from 0.53 eV at m = 2 to approximately 0.29 V at m = 15, the latter being larger than found for linear or hexagonal shaped graphenes with comparable edge lengths. Across the molecule the charge on the carbon atoms undergoes a small oscillation following the bipartite lattice. The magnitude of the charge in the same nested triangle decreases monotonically with the distance of the row from the center of the molecule. These systems are predicted to have spin polarized ground states with S = ½( m - 1), in accord with the theorems of Lieb for a bipartite lattice with unequal numbers of sub-lattice carbon atoms. The magnitude of the spin on the atoms increases monotonically from the center to the edges, this effect being greatest on the majority A-sub lattice atoms. The spins are delocalized, not confined to specific atoms as might result in geometries stabilized by islands of aromatic resonance. In the largest systems the magnetic non-bonding levels (NBL) occur as a narrowly distributed set of homos close to the Fermi level, separated from the lower lying valence bond manifold by a gap of about 1 eV. The NBL are a set of disjoint radical orbitals having charge only on atoms belonging to the A-lattice and this charge is concentrated on the perimeter and penultimate row atoms.

Implementation of Four-Phase Interleaved Balance Charger for Series-Connected Batteries with Power Factor Correction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juan, Y. L.; Lee, Y. T.; Lee, Y. L.; Chen, L. L.; Huang, M. L.

2017-11-01

A four-phase interleaved balance charger for series-connected batteries with power factor correction is proposed in this dissertation. In the two phases of two buckboost converters, the rectified ac power is firstly converted to a dc link capacitor. In the other two phases of two flyback converters, the rectified ac power is directly converted to charge the corresponding batteries. Additionally, the energy on the leakage inductance of flyback converter is bypassed to the dc link capacitor. Then, a dual-output balance charging circuit is connected to the dc link to deliver the dc link power to charge two batteries in the series-connected batteries module. The constant-current/constant-voltage charging strategy is adopted. Finally, a prototype of the proposed charger with rated power 500 W is constructed. From the experimental results, the performance and validity of the proposed topology are verified. Compared to the conventional topology with passive RCD snubber, the efficiency of the proposed topology is improved about 3% and the voltage spike on the active switch is also reduced. The efficiency of the proposed charger is at least 83.6 % within the CC/CV charging progress.

A Comparison of Ambulatory Care Sensitive Hospitalizations Among Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Carbone, Paul S; Young, Paul C; Stoddard, Gregory J; Wilkes, Jacob; Trasande, Leonardo

2015-01-01

To compare the prevalence of hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) in children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to compare inpatient health care utilization (total charges and length of stay) for the same conditions in children with and without ASD. The 2009 Kids' Inpatient Database was used to examine hospitalizations for ACSC in children within 3 cohorts: those with ASD, those with chronic conditions (CC) without ASD, and those with no CC. The proportion of hospitalizations for ACSC in the ASD cohort was 55.9%, compared with 28.2% in the CC cohort and 22.9% in the no-CC cohort (P < .001). Hospitalized children with ASD were more likely to be admitted for a mental health condition, epilepsy, constipation, pneumonia, dehydration, vaccine-preventable diseases, underweight, and nutritional deficiencies compared with the no-CC cohort. Compared with the CC cohort, the ASD cohort was more likely to be admitted for mental health conditions, epilepsy, constipation, dehydration, and underweight. Hospitalized children with ASD admitted for mental health conditions had significantly higher total charges and longer LOS compared with the other 2 cohorts. The proportion of potentially preventable hospitalizations is higher in hospitalized children with ASD compared with children without ASD. These data underscore the need to improve outpatient care of children with ASD, especially in the areas of mental health care and seizure management. Future research should focus on understanding the reasons for increased inpatient health care utilization in children with ASD admitted for mental health conditions. Copyright © 2015 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-Performance Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitor Based on CoAl-LDH and rGO Electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shuoshuo; Cheng, Pengpeng; Luo, Jiaxian; Zhou, Dan; Xu, Weiming; Li, Jingwei; Li, Ruchun; Yuan, Dingsheng

2017-07-01

A flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) based on a CoAl-layered double hydroxide (CoAl-LDH) electrode and a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) electrode was successfully fabricated. The CoAl-LDH electrode as a positive electrode was synthesized by directly growing CoAl-LDH nanosheet arrays on a carbon cloth (CC) through a facile hydrothermal method, and it delivered a specific capacitance of 616.9 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1. The rGO electrode as a negative electrode was synthesized by coating rGO on the CC via a simple dip-coating method and revealed a specific capacitance of 110.0 F g-1 at a current density of 2 A g-1. Ultimately, the advanced ASC offered a broad voltage window (1.7 V) and exhibited a high superficial capacitance of 1.77 F cm-2 at 2 mA cm-2 and a high energy density of 0.71 mWh cm-2 at a power density of 17.05 mW cm-2, along with an excellent cycle stability (92.9% capacitance retention over 8000 charge-discharge cycles).

The electrification of stratiform anvils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boccippio, Dennis J.

1997-10-01

Stratiform precipitation regions accompany convective activity on many spatial scales. The electrification of these regions is anomalous in a number of ways. Surface and above-cloud fields are often 'inverted' from normal thunderstorm conditions. Unusually large, bright, horizontal 'spider' lightning and high current and charge transfer positive cloud-to-ground (CC) lightning dominates in these regions. Mesospheric 'red sprite' emissions have to date been observed exclusively over stratiform cloud shields. We postulate that a dominant 'inverted dipole' charge structure may account for this anomalous electrification. This is based upon laboratory observations of charge separation which show that in low liquid water content (LWC) environments, or dry but ice- supersaturated environments, precipitation ice tends to charge positively (instead of negatively) upon collision with smaller crystals. Under typical stratiform cloud conditions, liquid water should be depleted and this charging regime favored. An inverted dipole would be the natural consequence of large-scale charge separation (net flux divergence of charged ice), given typical hydrometeor profiles. The inverted dipole hypothesis is tested using radar and electrical observations of four weakly organized, late- stage systems in Orlando, Albuquerque and the Western Pacific. Time-evolving, area-average vertical velocity profiles are inferred from single Doppler radar data. These profiles provide the forcing for a 1-D steady state micro-physical retrieval, which yields vertical hydrometeor profiles and ice/water saturation conditions. The retrieved microphysical parameters are then combined with laboratory charge transfer measurements to infer the instantaneous charging behavior of the systems. Despite limitations in the analysis technique, the retrievals yield useful results. Total charge transfer drops only modestly as the storm enters the late (stratiform) stage, suggesting a continued active generator is plausible. Generator currents show an enhanced lowermost inverted dipole charging structure, which we may infer will result in a comparable inverted dipole charge structure, consistent with surface, in-situ and remote observations. Fine-scale vertical variations in ice and liquid water content may yield multipolar generator current profiles, despite unipolar charge transfer regimes. This suggests that multipoles observed in balloon soundings may not necessarily conflict with the simple ice-ice collisional charge separation mechanism. Overall, the results are consistent with, but not proof of, the inverted dipole model. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253- 1690.)

Quantum chemical density functional theory studies on the molecular structure and vibrational spectra of mannitol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moorthi, P. P.; Gunasekaran, S.; Swaminathan, S.; Ramkumaar, G. R.

2015-02-01

A collective experimental and theoretical study was conducted on the molecular structure and vibrational spectra of mannitol. The FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of mannitol were recorded in the solid phase. The molecular geometry, vibrational frequencies, thermodynamic functions and atomic charges of mannitol in the ground state have been calculated by using the ab initio HF (Hartree-Fock) and density functional methods (B3LYP) invoking cc-pVDZ basis set. The complete vibrational assignments were performed on the basis of Total Energy Distribution (TED) of the vibrational modes. The UV absorption spectra of the title compound dissolved in water. Natural bond orbital analysis has been carried out to explain the charge transfer or delocalization of charge due to the intra-molecular interactions. The 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated by GIAO methods. The first order hyperpolarizability (β0) of this novel molecular system and related properties (β, α0 and Δα) of mannitol are calculated using B3LYP/cc-pVDZ and HF/cc-pVDZ methods on the finite-field approach. By using TD-DFT calculation, electronic absorption spectra of the title compound have been predicted and a good agreement with experimental one is established. In addition, the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) have been investigated using theoretical calculations, the calculated HOMO and LUMO energies shows that the charge transfer within the molecule.

Cross-Talk Limits of Highly Segmented Semiconductor Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pullia, Alberto; Weisshaar, Dirk; Zocca, Francesca; Bazzacco, Dino

2011-06-01

Cross-talk limits of monolithic highly-segmented semiconductor detectors for high-resolution X-gamma spectrometry are investigated. Cross-talk causes false signal components yielding amplitude losses and fold-dependent shifts of the spectral lines, which partially spoil the spectroscopic performance of the detector. Two complementary electrical models are developed, which describe quantitatively the inter-channel cross-talk of monolithic segmented detectors whose electrodes are read out by charge-sensitive preamplifiers. The first is here designated as Cross-Capacitance (CC) model, the second as Split-Charge (SC) model. The CC model builds around the parasitic capacitances Cij linking the preamplifier outputs and the neighbor channel inputs. The SC model builds around the finite-value of the decoupling capacitance CC used to read out the high-voltage detector electrode. The key parameters of the models are individuated and ideas are shown to minimize their impact. Using a quasi-coaxial germanium segmented detector it is found that the SC cross-talk becomes negligible for decoupling capacitances larger than 1 nF, where instead the CC cross-talk tends to dominate. The residual cross-talk may be reduced by minimization of stray capacitances Cij, through a careful design of the layout of the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) where the input transistors are mounted. Cij can be made as low as 5 fF, but it is shown that even in such case the impact of the CC cross-talk on the detector performance is not negligible. Finally, an algorithm for cross-talk correction is presented and elaborated.

76 FR 74017 - Empowering Consumers to Prevent and Detect Billing for Unauthorized Charges (“Cramming...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-30

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket Nos. 11-116 and 09-158; CC Docket No. 98-170; FCC 11-106; DA 11-1860] Empowering Consumers to Prevent and Detect Billing for Unauthorized Charges (``Cramming''); Consumer Information and Disclosure; Truth-in-Billing and Billing Format AGENCY...

77 FR 71353 - Empowering Consumers To Prevent and Detect Billing for Unauthorized Charges (“Cramming...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-30

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket Nos. 11-116 and 09-158; CC Docket No. 98-170; FCC 12-42] Empowering Consumers To Prevent and Detect Billing for Unauthorized Charges (``Cramming''); Consumer Information and Disclosure; Truth-in-Billing Format AGENCY: Federal Communications...

77 FR 71354 - Empowering Consumers To Prevent and Detect Billing for Unauthorized Charges (“Cramming...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-30

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket Nos. 11-116 and 09-158; CC Docket No. 98-170; FCC 12-42] Empowering Consumers To Prevent and Detect Billing for Unauthorized Charges (``Cramming''); Consumer Information and Disclosure; Truth-in-Billing Format AGENCY: Federal Communications...

A pair natural orbital implementation of the coupled cluster model CC2 for excitation energies.

PubMed

Helmich, Benjamin; Hättig, Christof

2013-08-28

We demonstrate how to extend the pair natural orbital (PNO) methodology for excited states, presented in a previous work for the perturbative doubles correction to configuration interaction singles (CIS(D)), to iterative coupled cluster methods such as the approximate singles and doubles model CC2. The original O(N(5)) scaling of the PNO construction is reduced by using orbital-specific virtuals (OSVs) as an intermediate step without spoiling the initial accuracy of the PNO method. Furthermore, a slower error convergence for charge-transfer states is analyzed and resolved by a numerical Laplace transformation during the PNO construction, so that an equally accurate treatment of local and charge-transfer excitations is achieved. With state-specific truncated PNO expansions, the eigenvalue problem is solved by combining the Davidson algorithm with deflation to project out roots that have already been determined and an automated refresh with a generation of new PNOs to achieve self-consistency of the PNO space. For a large test set, we found that truncation errors for PNO-CC2 excitation energies are only slightly larger than for PNO-CIS(D). The computational efficiency of PNO-CC2 is demonstrated for a large organic dye, where a reduction of the doubles space by a factor of more than 1000 is obtained compared to the canonical calculation. A compression of the doubles space by a factor 30 is achieved by a unified OSV space only. Moreover, calculations with the still preliminary PNO-CC2 implementation on a series of glycine oligomers revealed an early break even point with a canonical RI-CC2 implementation between 100 and 300 basis functions.

Cross-section measurement for quasi-elastic production of charmed baryons in νN interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kayis-Topaksu, A.; Onengüt, G.; van Dantzig, R.; de Jong, M.; Melzer, O.; Oldeman, R. G. C.; Pesen, E.; Spada, F. R.; Visschers, J. L.; Güler, M.; Köse, U.; Serin-Zeyrek, M.; Sever, R.; Tolun, P.; Zeyrek, M. T.; Catanesi, M. G.; de Serio, M.; Ieva, M.; Muciaccia, M. T.; Radicioni, E.; Simone, S.; Bülte, A.; Winter, K.; van de Vyver, B.; Vilain, P.; Wilquet, G.; Pittoni, G. L.; Saitta, B.; di Capua, E.; Ogawa, S.; Shibuya, H.; Artamonov, A.; Chizhov, M.; Doucet, M.; Hristova, I. R.; Kawamura, T.; Kolev, D.; Meinhard, H.; Panman, J.; Papadopoulos, I. M.; Ricciardi, S.; Rozanov, A.; Tsenov, R.; Uiterwijk, J. W. E.; Zucchelli, P.; Goldberg, J.; Chikawa, M.; Arik, E.; Song, J. S.; Yoon, C. S.; Kodama, K.; Ushida, N.; Aoki, S.; Hara, T.; Delbar, T.; Favart, D.; Grégoire, G.; Kalinin, S.; Maklioueva, I.; Gorbunov, P.; Khovansky, V.; Shamanov, V.; Tsukerman, I.; Bruski, N.; Frekers, D.; Hoshino, K.; Kawada, J.; Komatsu, M.; Miyanishi, M.; Nakamura, M.; Nakano, T.; Narita, K.; Niu, K.; Niwa, K.; Nonaka, N.; Sato, O.; Toshito, T.; Buontempo, S.; Cocco, A. G.; D'Ambrosio, N.; de Lellis, G.; De Rosa, G.; di Capua, F.; Ereditato, A.; Fiorillo, G.; Marotta, A.; Messina, M.; Migliozzi, P.; Pistillo, C.; Scotto Lavina, L.; Strolin, P.; Tioukov, V.; Nakamura, K.; Okusawa, T.; Dore, U.; Loverre, P. F.; Ludovici, L.; Righini, P.; Rosa, G.; Santacesaria, R.; Satta, A.; Barbuto, E.; Bozza, C.; Grella, G.; Romano, G.; Sirignano, C.; Sorrentino, S.; Sato, Y.; Tezuka, I.; CHORUS Collaboration

2003-11-01

A study of quasi-elastic production of charmed baryons in charged-current interactions of neutrinos with the nuclear emulsion target of CHORUS is presented. In a sample of about 46 000 interactions located in the emulsion, candidates for decays of short-lived particles were identified by using new automatic scanning systems and later confirmed through visual inspection. Criteria based both on the topological and kinematical characteristics of quasi-elastic charm production allowed a clear separation between events of this type and those in which charm is produced in deep inelastic processes. A final sample containing 13 candidates consistent with quasi-elastic production of a charmed baryon with an estimated background of 1.7 events was obtained. At the average neutrino energy of 27 GeV the cross-section for the total quasi-elastic production of charmed baryons relative to the νN charged-current cross-section was measured to be σ(QE)/σ(CC)=(0.23+0.12-0.06(stat)+0.02-0.03(syst))×10-2. Through an analysis of the topology at the production and decay vertices the relative cross-sections were measured separately for singly (Λc+,Σc+,Σc+∗) and doubly (Σc++,Σc++∗) charged baryons.

Extinction coefficients of CC and CC bands in ethyne and ethene molecules interacting with Cu+ and Ag+ in zeolites--IR studies and quantumchemical DFT calculations.

PubMed

Kozyra, Paweł; Góra-Marek, Kinga; Datka, Jerzy

2015-02-05

The values of extinction coefficients of CC and CC IR bands of ethyne and ethene interacting with Cu+ and Ag+ in zeolites were determined in quantitative IR experiments and also by quantumchemical DFT calculations with QM/MM method. Both experimental and calculated values were in very good agreement validating the reliability of calculations. The values of extinction coefficients of ethyne and ethene interacting with bare cations and cations embedded in zeolite-like clusters were calculated. The interaction of organic molecules with Cu+ and Ag+ in zeolites ZSM-5 and especially charge transfers between molecule, cation and zeolite framework was also discussed in relation to the values of extinction coefficients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modulation of cellulase activity by charged lipid bilayers with different acyl chain properties for efficient hydrolysis of ionic liquid-pretreated cellulose.

PubMed

Mihono, Kai; Ohtsu, Takeshi; Ohtani, Mai; Yoshimoto, Makoto; Kamimura, Akio

2016-10-01

The stability of cellulase activity in the presence of ionic liquids (ILs) is critical for the enzymatic hydrolysis of insoluble cellulose pretreated with ILs. In this work, cellulase was incorporated in the liposomes composed of negatively charged 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (POPG) and zwitterionic phosphatidylcholines (PCs) with different length and degree of unsaturation of the acyl chains. The liposomal cellulase-catalyzed reaction was performed at 45°C in the acetate buffer solution (pH 4.8) with 2.0g/L CC31 as cellulosic substrate. The crystallinity of CC31 was reduced by treating with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl) at 120°C for 30min. The liposomal cellulase continuously catalyzed hydrolysis of the pretreated CC31 for 48h producing glucose in the presence of 15wt% [Bmim]Cl. The charged lipid membranes were interactive with [Bmim](+), as elucidated by the [Bmim]Cl-induced alterations in fluorescence polarization of the membrane-embedded 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) molecules. The charged membranes offered the microenvironment where inhibitory effects of [Bmim]Cl on the cellulase activity was relieved. The maximum glucose productivity GP of 10.8 mmol-glucose/(hmol-lipid) was obtained at the reaction time of 48h with the cellulase incorporated in the liposomes ([lipid]=5.0mM) composed of 50mol% POPG and 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosohocholine (DLPC) with relatively short and saturated acyl chains. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

$X(3873$ and $Y(4140)$ using diquark-antidiquark operators with lattice QCD

DOE PAGES

Padmanath, M.; Lang, C.  B.; Prelovsek Komelj, Sasa

2015-08-01

We perform a lattice study of charmonium-like mesons withmore » $$J^{PC}=1^{++}$$ and three quark contents $$\\bar cc \\bar du$$, $$\\bar cc(\\bar uu+\\bar dd)$$ and $$\\bar cc \\bar ss$$, where the later two can mix with $$\\bar cc$$. This simulation with $$N_f=2$$ and $$m_\\pi=266$$ MeV aims at the possible signatures of four-quark exotic states. We utilize a large basis of $$\\bar cc$$, two-meson and diquark-antidiquark interpolating fields, with diquarks in both anti-triplet and sextet color representations. A lattice candidate for X(3872) with I=0 is observed very close to the experimental state only if both $$\\bar cc$$ and $$D\\bar D^*$$ interpolators are included; the candidate is not found if diquark-antidiquark and $$D\\bar D^*$$ are used in the absence of $$\\bar cc$$. No candidate for neutral or charged X(3872), or any other exotic candidates are found in the I=1 channel. We also do not find signatures of exotic $$\\bar cc\\bar ss$$ candidates below 4.3 GeV, such as Y(4140). Possible physics and methodology related reasons for that are discussed. Along the way, we present the diquark-antidiquark operators as linear combinations of the two-meson operators via the Fierz transformations.« less

Doping effect of polyaniline/MWCNT composites on capacitance and cyclic stability of supercapacitors.

PubMed

Karthikeyan, G; Sahoo, S; Nayak, G C; Das, C K

2012-03-01

Polyaniline doped by Zn2+ ions was synthesized as nanocomposites with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) by in-situ oxidative polymerization and investigated as electrode material for supercapacitors. The uniform coating of polyaniline on MWCNT was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The effect of Zn2+ ions on nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The electrochemical performances were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), constant current charging/discharging cyclic test (CC) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using a three-electrode system. The doped polyaniline composites show higher specific capacitance and better cyclic stability.

78 FR 61250 - Empowering Consumers To Prevent and Detect Billing for Unauthorized Charges (“Cramming...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-03

.... 98-170; DA 13-1807] Empowering Consumers To Prevent and Detect Billing for Unauthorized Charges... Notice DA 13-1807, released August 27, 2013 in CG Docket Nos. 11-116 and 09-158, and CC Docket No. 98-170. The full text of document DA 13- 1807 and copies of any subsequently filed documents in this matter...

An Overview of CC Coherent Pion Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Zachary

2017-01-01

Neutrino cross-sections are a critical component to any neutrino measurement. With the modern neutrino experiments aiming to measure precision parameters, such as those in long-baseline oscillation experiments, the need for a detailed understanding of neutrino interactions has become even more important. Within this landscape remains a number of experimental challenges in the regime of low energy neutrino cross-sections. This talk will give an overview of recent publications on Charged Current-Coherent Pion Production (CC-Coh Pion) results from a number of experimental collaborations. Specifically, the lack of observation from the SciBooNE and T2K collaborations to observe CC-Coh Pion below one GeV in contrast to the observation of this signature at higher energies by other experiments. The work presented here is a part of the beginning steps to a reanalysis of the SciBooNE data using a modern neutrino generator in order to better understand the previous results. There will be included details of a liquid Argon purification system that is being built at UTA, and of plans for a ``Baby Time Projection Chamber (TPC)'' which will also be built at UTA, and the instrumentation and detector methods used in their construction. The closing is a look to the future for a new analysis at low neutrino energies utilizing Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs) based at Fermilab.

Charge-changing cross-section measurements of C-1612 at around 45 A MeV and development of a Glauber model for incident energies 10 A -2100 A MeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, D. T.; Ong, H. J.; Nguyen, T. T.; Tanihata, I.; Aoi, N.; Ayyad, Y.; Chan, P. Y.; Fukuda, M.; Hashimoto, T.; Hoang, T. H.; Ideguchi, E.; Inoue, A.; Kawabata, T.; Khiem, L. H.; Lin, W. P.; Matsuta, K.; Mihara, M.; Momota, S.; Nagae, D.; Nguyen, N. D.; Nishimura, D.; Ozawa, A.; Ren, P. P.; Sakaguchi, H.; Tanaka, J.; Takechi, M.; Terashima, S.; Wada, R.; Yamamoto, T.; RCNP-E372 Collaboration

2016-12-01

We have measured for the first time the charge-changing cross sections (σCC) of C-1612 on a 12C target at energies below 100 A MeV. To analyze these low-energy data, we have developed a finite-range Glauber model with a global parameter set within the optical-limit approximation which is applicable to reaction cross section (σR) and σCC measurements at incident energies from 10 A to 2100 A MeV. Adopting the proton-density distribution of 12C known from the electron-scattering data, as well as the bare total nucleon-nucleon cross sections and the real-to-imaginary-part ratios of the forward proton-proton elastic scattering amplitude available in the literatures, we determine the energy-dependent slope parameter βp n of the proton-neutron elastic differential cross section so as to reproduce the existing σR and interaction cross-section data for 12C+12C over a wide range of incident energies. The Glauber model thus formulated is applied to calculate the σR's of 12C on a 9Be and 27Al targets at various incident energies. Our calculations show excellent agreement with the experimental data. Applying our model to the σR and σCC for the so-called neutron-skin 16C nucleus, we reconfirm the importance of measurements at incident energies below 100 A MeV. The proton root-mean-square radii of C-1612 are extracted using the measured σCC's and the existing σR data. The results for C-1412 are consistent with the values from the electron scatterings, demonstrating the feasibility, usefulness of the σCC measurement, and the present Glauber model.

The Experiment and Numerical Simulation of Composite Countersunk-head Fasteners Pull-through Mechanical Behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Junwu; Guan, Zhidong; Bian, Tianya; Li, Zengshan; Wang, Kailun; Liu, Sui

2014-10-01

Fasteners made of the anisotropic carbon/carbon (C/C) composite material have been developed for joining C/C composite material components in the high-temperature environment. The fastener specimens are fabricated from the C/C composites which are made from laminated carbon cloths with Z-direction carbon fibers being punctured as perform. Densification process cycles such as the thermal gradient chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) technology were repeated to obtain high density C/C composites fastener. The fasteners were machined parallel to the carbon cloths (X-Y direction). A method was proposed to test pull-through mechanical behavior of the countersunk-head C/C composite material fasteners. The damage morphologies of the fasteners were observed through the charge coupled device (CCD) and the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The internal micro-structure were observed through the high-resolution Mirco-CT systems. Finally, an excellent simulation of the C/C composite countersunk-head fasteners were performed with the finite element method (FEM), in which the damage evolution model of the fastener was established based on continuum damage mechanics. The simulation is correspond well with the test result . The damage evolution process and the relation between the countersunk depth and the ultimate load was investigated.

Conducted noise analysis and protection of 45 kJ/s, ±50 kV capacitor charging power supply when interfaced with repetitive Marx based pulse power system.

PubMed

Naresh, P; Patel, Ankur; Sharma, Archana

2015-09-01

Pulse power systems with highly dynamic loads like klystron, backward wave oscillator (BWO), and magnetron generate highly dynamic noise. This noise leads to frequent failure of controlled switches in the inverter stage of charging power supply. Designing a reliable and compatible power supply for pulse power applications is always a tricky job when charging rate is in multiples of 10 kJ/s. A ±50 kV and 45 kJ/s capacitor charging power supply based on 4th order LCLC resonant topology has been developed for a 10 Hz repetitive Marx based system. Conditions for load independent constant current and zero current switching (ZCS) are derived mathematically. Noise generated at load end due to dynamic load is tackled effectively and reduction in magnitude noise voltage is achieved by providing shielding between primary and secondary of high voltage high frequency transformer and with LCLC low pass filter. Shielding scales down the ratio between coupling capacitance (Cc) and the collector-emitter capacitance of insulated gate bi-polar transistor switch, which in turn reduces the common mode noise voltage magnitude. The proposed 4th order LCLC resonant network acts as a low pass filter for differential mode noise in the reverse direction (from load to source). Power supply has been tested repeatedly with 5 Hz repetition rate with repetitive Marx based system connected with BWO load working fine without failure of single switch in the inverter stage.

Conducted noise analysis and protection of 45 kJ/s, ±50 kV capacitor charging power supply when interfaced with repetitive Marx based pulse power system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naresh, P.; Patel, Ankur; Sharma, Archana

2015-09-01

Pulse power systems with highly dynamic loads like klystron, backward wave oscillator (BWO), and magnetron generate highly dynamic noise. This noise leads to frequent failure of controlled switches in the inverter stage of charging power supply. Designing a reliable and compatible power supply for pulse power applications is always a tricky job when charging rate is in multiples of 10 kJ/s. A ±50 kV and 45 kJ/s capacitor charging power supply based on 4th order LCLC resonant topology has been developed for a 10 Hz repetitive Marx based system. Conditions for load independent constant current and zero current switching (ZCS) are derived mathematically. Noise generated at load end due to dynamic load is tackled effectively and reduction in magnitude noise voltage is achieved by providing shielding between primary and secondary of high voltage high frequency transformer and with LCLC low pass filter. Shielding scales down the ratio between coupling capacitance (Cc) and the collector-emitter capacitance of insulated gate bi-polar transistor switch, which in turn reduces the common mode noise voltage magnitude. The proposed 4th order LCLC resonant network acts as a low pass filter for differential mode noise in the reverse direction (from load to source). Power supply has been tested repeatedly with 5 Hz repetition rate with repetitive Marx based system connected with BWO load working fine without failure of single switch in the inverter stage.

Expanding on the relationship between continuing current and in-cloud leader growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapierre, Jeff L.; Sonnenfeld, Richard G.; Stock, Michael; Krehbiel, Paul R.; Edens, Harald E.; Jensen, Daniel

2017-04-01

When lightning connects to the ground, there is a large surge of current, called the return stroke, which is occasionally followed by a longer-lasting steady current, called continuing current (CC). In a previous study of negative cloud-to-ground (-CG) flashes, we observed the growth rate of in-cloud positive leaders in an attempt to identify occurrences of CC. However, there was no observed change in positive leader growth rate during CC of negative CG flashes. In this study, we use the Langmuir Electric Field Array, Lightning Mapping Array, and Flash-Continuous Broadband Digital Interferometer data to extend the previous study to the growth of the negative leader during positive CG flashes. We have found that in contrast with previous results, negative leader growth during positive CG flashes does show increases in growth rates coincident with CC. Finally, we find that the growth rate magnitudes for positive and negative leaders are typically ˜2-4 km/10 ms and ˜25-40 km/10 ms, respectively. These contrasting results highlight the differences between positive and negative leaders and provide strong evidence as to why -CC and +CC behave differently. Negative leaders inject higher amounts of current and allow the channel to remain conductive throughout the duration of CC. Whereas for positive leaders, the channel becomes nonconductive relatively quickly. It is therefore disconnected from the channel to the ground, and, due to the positive leader's continued growth, an electric potential is built up until a K event is produced that re-ionizes the channel.

Epidemiological risk factors in microscopic colitis: a prospective case-control study.

PubMed

Fernández-Bañares, Fernando; de Sousa, Monia R; Salas, Antonio; Beltrán, Belén; Piqueras, Marta; Iglesias, Eva; Gisbert, Javier P; Lobo, Beatriz; Puig-Diví, Valentí; García-Planella, Esther; Ordás, Ingrid; Andreu, Montserrat; Calvo, Marta; Montoro, Miguel; Esteve, Maria; Viver, Josep M

2013-02-01

The cause of collagenous colitis (CC) and lymphocytic colitis (LC) is unknown and epidemiological risk factors for CC and LC are not well studied. The aim was to evaluate in a case-control study epidemiological risk factors for CC and LC. In all, 120 patients with CC, 70 with CL, and 128 controls were included. For all cases and controls information was prospectively recorded. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed separately for CC and LC. Independent associations observed with the diagnosis of CC were: current smoking (odds ratio [OR], 2.4), history of polyarthritis (OR, 20.8), and consumption of lansoprazole (OR, 6.4), low-dose aspirin (OR, 3.8), beta-blockers (OR, 3.6), and angiotensin II receptor antagonists (OR 0.20). In the case of LC they were: current smoking (OR, 3.8), associated autoimmune diseases (OR, 8), and consumption of sertraline (OR, 17.5), omeprazole (OR 2.7), low-dose aspirin (OR, 4.7), and oral antidiabetic drugs (OR, 0.14). The consumption of drugs, current smoking, and associated autoimmune diseases were independently associated with the risk of microscopic colitis.

Metal-Free Multiple Carbon-Carbon and Carbon-Hydrogen Bond Activations via Charge-Switching Mechanism in Unstrained Diindolylmethanes.

PubMed

Challa, Chandrasekhar; Varughese, Sunil; Suresh, Cherumuttathu H; Lankalapalli, Ravi S

2017-08-18

A transformation of the unstrained phenol substituted 3,3'-diindolylmethanes (DIPMs) to 2,3'-diindolylketones (DIKs) by double C-C single bond cleavage with associated rearrangements, triggered by phenyliodine(III) diacetate (PIDA), is reported. Density functional theory studies reveal a mechanism involving multiple "charge-switching" steps by synergistic involvement of the two indole units with overall low activation energy. The indole 'charge-switching' mechanism in DIPMs was further extended toward synthesis of a natural product motif cyclohepta[b]indole from biaryl appended DIBM.

The Electrocardiogram as an Example of Electrostatics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobbie, Russell K.

1973-01-01

Develops a simplified electrostatic model of the heart with conduction within the torso neglected to relate electrocardiogram patterns to the charge distribution within the myocardium. Suggests its application to explanation of Coulomb's law in general physics. (CC)

The uniform chest compression depth of 50 mm or greater recommended by current guidelines is not appropriate for all adults.

PubMed

Lee, Soo Hoon; Kim, Dong Hoon; Kang, Tae-Sin; Kang, Changwoo; Jeong, Jin Hee; Kim, Seong Chun; Kim, Dong Seob

2015-08-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the appropriateness of the chest compression (CC) depth recommended in the current guidelines and simulated external CCs, and to characterize the optimal CC depth for an adult by body mass index (BMI). Adult patients who underwent chest computed tomography as a screening test for latent pulmonary diseases in the health care center were enrolled in this study. We calculated the internal anteroposterior (AP) diameter (IAPD) and external AP diameter (EAPD) of the chest across BMIs (<18.50, 18.50-24.99, 25.00-29.99, and ≥30.00 kg/m(2)) for simulated CC depth. We also calculated the residual chest depths less than 20 mm for simulated CC depth. There was a statistically significant difference in the chest EAPD and IAPD measured at the lower half of the sternum for each BMI groups (EAPD: R(2) = 0.638, P < .001; IAPD: R(2) = 0.297, P < .001). For one-half external AP CC, 100% of the patients, regardless of BMI, had a calculated residual internal chest depth less than 20 mm. For one-fourth external AP CC, no patients had a calculated residual internal chest depth less than 20 mm. For one-third external AP CC, only 6.48% of the patients had a calculated residual internal chest depth less than 20 mm. It is not appropriate that the current CC depth (≥50 mm), expressed only as absolute measurement without a fraction of the depth of the chest, is applied uniformly in all adults. In addition, in terms of safety and efficacy, simulated CC targeting approximately between one-third and one-fourth EAPD CC depth might be appropriate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Critical current degradation behaviour of GdBCO CC tapes in pure torsion and combined tension-torsion modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorospe, Alking; Bautista, Zhierwinjay; Shin, Hyung-Seop

2016-10-01

Coated conductor (CC) tapes utilized in high-current-density superconducting cables are commonly subjected to different loading modes, primarily torsion and tension especially in the case of twisted stacked-tape cable. Torsion load can occur due to twisting along the length or when winding the CC tapes around a former, while tension load can occur due to pre-tension when coiled and as a hoop stress when the coil is energized. In this study, electromechanical properties of single CC tapes under torsion load were investigated using a new test apparatus. The results could provide basic information for cable designers to fully characterize stacked cables. Copper-electroplated and brass-laminated CC tapes fabricated with different deposition techniques were subjected to pure torsion and combined tension-torsion loading. The critical current, I c degradation behaviours of CC tapes under torsional deformation were examined. Also, the effect of further external lamination on the I c degradation behaviour of the CC tapes under such loading conditions was investigated. In the case of the combined tension-torsion test, short samples were subjected to twist pitches of 200 mm and 100 mm. Critical parameters including reversible axial stress and strain in such twist pitch conditions were also investigated.

Electrical and structural characterizations of crystallized Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/GaN interfaces formed by in situ metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

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

Liu, X., E-mail: xliu@ece.ucsb.edu; Yeluri, R.; Kim, J.

2016-01-07

Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films were grown in situ by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition at 900 °C on GaN of both Ga- and N-face polarities. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed that the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films were crystalline and primarily γ-phase. The Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ga-GaN and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/N-GaN interfaces were both atomically sharp, and the latter further exhibited a biatomic step feature. The corresponding current-voltage (J-V) characteristics were measured on a metal-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-semiconductor capacitor (MOSCAP) structure. The leakage current was very high when the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} thickness was comparable with the size of the crystalline defects, but was suppressedmore » to the order of 1 × 10{sup −8} A/cm{sup 2} with larger Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} thicknesses. The interface states densities (D{sub it}) were measured on the same MOSCAPs by using combined ultraviolet (UV)-assisted capacitance-voltage (C-V), constant capacitance deep level transient spectroscopy (CC-DLTS), and constant capacitance deep level optical spectroscopy (CC-DLOS) techniques. The average D{sub it} measured by CC-DLTS and CC-DLOS were 6.6 × 10{sup 12} and 8.8 × 10{sup 12} cm{sup −2} eV{sup −1} for Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ga-GaN and 8.6 × 10{sup 12} and 8.6 × 10{sup 12 }cm{sup −2} eV{sup −1} for Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/N-GaN, respectively. The possible origins of the positive (negative) polarization compensation charges in Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ga-GaN (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/N-GaN), including the filling of interface states and the existence of structure defects and impurities in the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer, were discussed in accordance with the experimental results and relevant studies in the literature.« less

Neutrino Observations from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Q. R. Ahmad, R. C. Allen, T. C. Andersen, J. D. Anglin, G. B?hler, J. C. Barton, E. W. Beier, M. Bercovitch, J. Bigu, S. Biller, R. A. Black, I. Blevis, R. J. Boardman, J. Boger, E. Bonvin, M. G. Boulay, M. G. Bowler, T. J. Bowles, S. J. Brice, M. C. Browne, T. V. Bullard, T. H. Burritt, K. Cameron, J. Cameron, Y. D. Chan, M. Chen, H. H. Chen, X. Chen, M. C. Chon, B. T. Cleveland, E. T. H. Clifford, J. H. M. Cowan, D. F. Cowen, G. A. Cox, Y. Dai, X. Dai, F. Dalnoki-Veress, W. F. Davidson, P. J. Doe, G. Doucas, M. R. Dragowsky, C. A. Duba, F. A. Duncan, J. Dunmore, E. D. Earle, S. R. Elliott, H. C. Evans, G. T. Ewan, J. Farine, H. Fergani, A. P. Ferraris, R. J. Ford, M. M. Fowler, K. Frame, E. D. Frank, W. Frati, J. V. Germani, S. Gil, A. Goldschmidt, D. R. Grant, R. L. Hahn, A. L. Hallin, E. D. Hallman, A. Hamer, A. A. Hamian, R. U. Haq, C. K. Hargrove, P. J. Harvey, R. Hazama, R. Heaton, K. M. Heeger, W. J. Heintzelman, J. Heise, R. L. Helmer, J. D. Hepburn, H. Heron, J. Hewett, A. Hime, M. Howe, J. G. Hykawy, M. C. P. Isaac, P. Jagam, N. A. Jelley, C. Jillings, G. Jonkmans, J. Karn, P. T. Keener, K. Kirch, J. R. Klein, A. B. Knox, R. J. Komar, R. Kouzes, T. Kutter, C. C. M. Kyba, J. Law, I. T. Lawson, M. Lay, H. W. Lee, K. T. Lesko, J. R. Leslie, I. Levine, W. Locke, M. M. Lowry, S. Luoma, J. Lyon, S. Majerus, H. B. Mak, A. D. Marino, N. McCauley, A. B. McDonald, D. S. McDonald, K. McFarlane, G. McGregor, W. McLatchie, R. Meijer Drees, H. Mes, C. Mifflin, G. G. Miller, G. Milton, B. A. Moffat, M. Moorhead, C. W. Nally, M. S. Neubauer, F. M. Newcomer, H. S. Ng, A. J. Noble, E. B. Norman, V. M. Novikov, M. O'Neill, C. E. Okada, R. W. Ollerhead, M. Omori, J. L. Orrell, S. M. Oser, A. W. P. Poon, T. J. Radcliffe, A. Roberge, B. C. Robertson, R. G. H. Robertson, J. K. Rowley, V. L. Rusu, E. Saettler, K. K. Schaffer, A. Schuelke, M. H. Schwendener, H. Seifert, M. Shatkay, J. J. Simpson, D. Sinclair, P. Skensved, A. R. Smith, M. W. E. Smith, N. Starinsky, T. D. Steiger, R. G. Stokstad, R. S. Storey, B. Sur, R. Tafirout, N. Tagg, N. W. Tanner, R. K. Taplin, M. Thorman, P. Thornewell, P. T. Trent, Y. I. Tserkovnyak, R. Van Berg, R. G. Van de Water, C. J. Virtue, C. E. Waltham, J.-X. Wang, D. L. Wark, N. West, J. B. Wilhelmy, J. F. Wilkerson, J. Wilson, P. Wittich, J. M. Wouters, and M. Yeh

2001-09-24

The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) is a water imaging Cherenkov detector. Its usage of 1000 metric tons of D{sub 2}O as target allows the SNO detector to make a solar-model independent test of the neutrino oscillation hypothesis by simultaneously measuring the solar {nu}{sub e} flux and the total flux of all active neutrino species. Solar neutrinos from the decay of {sup 8}B have been detected at SNO by the charged-current (CC) interaction on the deuteron and by the elastic scattering (ES) of electrons. While the CC reaction is sensitive exclusively to {nu}{sub e}, the ES reaction also has a small sensitivity to {nu}{sub {mu}} and {nu}{sub {tau}}. In this paper, recent solar neutrino results from the SNO experiment are presented. It is demonstrated that the solar flux from {sup 8}B decay as measured from the ES reaction rate under the no-oscillation assumption is consistent with the high precision ES measurement by the Super-Kamiokande experiment. The {nu}{sub e} flux deduced from the CC reaction rate in SNO differs from the Super-Kamiokande ES results by 3.3{sigma}. This is evidence for an active neutrino component, in additional to {nu}{sub e}, in the solar neutrino flux. These results also allow the first experimental determination of the total active {sup 8}B neutrino flux from the Sun, and is found to be in good agreement with solar model predictions.

Maximum permissible voltage of YBCO coated conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, J.; Lin, B.; Sheng, J.; Xu, J.; Jin, Z.; Hong, Z.; Wang, D.; Zhou, H.; Shen, X.; Shen, C.

2014-06-01

Superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) could reduce short circuit currents in electrical power system. One of the most important thing in developing SFCL is to find out the maximum permissible voltage of each limiting element. The maximum permissible voltage is defined as the maximum voltage per unit length at which the YBCO coated conductors (CC) do not suffer from critical current (Ic) degradation or burnout. In this research, the time of quenching process is changed and voltage is raised until the Ic degradation or burnout happens. YBCO coated conductors test in the experiment are from American superconductor (AMSC) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). Along with the quenching duration increasing, the maximum permissible voltage of CC decreases. When quenching duration is 100 ms, the maximum permissible of SJTU CC, 12 mm AMSC CC and 4 mm AMSC CC are 0.72 V/cm, 0.52 V/cm and 1.2 V/cm respectively. Based on the results of samples, the whole length of CCs used in the design of a SFCL can be determined.

QTAIM charge-charge flux-dipole flux interpretation of electronegativity and potential models of the fluorochloromethane mean dipole moment derivatives.

PubMed

Silva, Arnaldo F; da Silva, João V; Haiduke, R L A; Bruns, Roy E

2011-11-17

Infrared fundamental vibrational intensities and quantum theory atoms in molecules (QTAIM) charge-charge flux-dipole flux (CCFDF) contributions to the polar tensors of the fluorochloromethanes have been calculated at the QCISD/cc-pVTZ level. A root-mean-square error of 20.0 km mol(-1) has been found compared to an experimental error estimate of 14.4 and 21.1 km mol(-1) for MP2/6-311++G(3d,3p) results. The errors in the QCISD polar tensor elements and mean dipole moment derivatives are 0.059 e when compared with the experimental values. Both theoretical levels provide results showing that the dynamical charge and dipole fluxes provide significant contributions to the mean dipole moment derivatives and tend to be of opposite signs canceling one another. Although the experimental mean dipole moment derivative values suggest that all the fluorochloromethane molecules have electronic structures consistent with a simple electronegativity model with transferable atomic charges for their terminal atoms, the QTAIM/CCFDF models confirm this only for the fluoromethanes. Whereas the fluorine atom does not suffer a saturation effect in its capacity to drain electronic charge from carbon atoms that are attached to other fluorine and chlorine atoms, the zero flux electronic charge of the chlorine atom depends on the number and kind of the other substituent atoms. Both the QTAIM carbon charges (r = 0.990) and mean dipole moment derivatives (r = 0.996) are found to obey Siegbahn's potential model for carbon 1s electron ionization energies at the QCISD/cc-pVTZ level. The latter is a consequence of the carbon mean derivatives obeying the electronegativity model and not necessarily to their similarities with atomic charges. Atomic dipole contributions to the neighboring atom electrostatic potentials of the fluorochloromethanes are found to be of comparable size to the atomic charge contributions and increase the accuracy of Siegbahn's model for the QTAIM charge model results. Substitution effects of the hydrogen, fluorine, and chlorine atoms on the charge and dipole flux QTAIM contributions are found to be additive for the mean dipole derivatives of the fluorochloromethanes.

Physics of the Quark Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Robert D.

1973-01-01

Discusses the charge independence, wavefunctions, magnetic moments, and high-energy scattering of hadrons on the basis of group theory and nonrelativistic quark model with mass spectrum calculated by first-order perturbation theory. The presentation is explainable to advanced undergraduate students. (CC)

Cross-correlation focus method with an electrostatic sensor array for local particle velocity measurement in dilute gas-solid two-phase flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chao; Zhang, Jingyu; Gao, Wenbin; Ding, Hongbing; Wu, Weiping

2015-11-01

The gas-solid two-phase flow has been widely applied in the power, chemical and metallurgical industries. It is of great significance in the research of gas-solid two-phase flow to measure particle velocity at different locations in the pipeline. Thus, an electrostatic sensor array comprising eight arc-shaped electrodes was designed. The relationship between the cross-correlation (CC) velocity and the distribution of particle velocity, charge density and electrode spatial sensitivity was analysed. Then the CC sensitivity and its calculation method were proposed. According to the distribution of CC sensitivity, it was found that, between different electrode pairs, it had different focus areas. The CC focus method was proposed for particle velocity measurement at different locations and validated by a belt-style electrostatic induction experiment facility. Finally, the particle velocities at different locations with different flow conditions were measured to research the particle velocity distribution in a dilute horizontal pneumatic conveying pipeline.

Supercharging of the Lunar Surface by Solar Wind Halo Electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stubbs, T. J.; Farrell, W. M.; Collier, M. R.; Halekas, J. S.; Delory, G. T.; Holland, M. P.; Vondrak, R. R.

2007-12-01

Lunar surface potentials can reach several kilovolts negative during Solar Energetic Particle (SEPs) events, as indicated by recent analysis of data from the Lunar Prospector Electron Reflectometer (LP/ER). The lunar surface- plasma interactions that result in such extreme surface potentials are poorly characterized and understood. Extreme lunar surface charging, and the associated electrostatic discharges and transport of charged dust, will likely present significant hazards to future human explorers. This is of particular concern near the terminator and polar regions, such as the South Pole/Aiken Basin site planned for NASA's manned outpost. It is the flux of electrons from the ambient plasma that charges the surface of the Moon to negative potentials. In the solar wind, the electron temperature is typically ~10 eV which tends to charge the lunar surface to ~100 V negative in shadow. However, during space weather events the solar wind electrons are often better described by the sum of two Maxwellian distributions, referred to as the "core" and "halo" components. The core electrons are relatively cool and dense (e.g., ~10 eV and ~10/cc), whereas the halo electrons are hot and tenuous (e.g., ~100 eV and ~0.1/cc). Despite, the tenuous nature of the halo electrons, our surface charging model - using core and halo electron data derived from the Solar Wind Experiment (SWE) aboard the Wind spacrcraft - predicts that they are capable of "supercharging" the lunar surface to kilovolt potentials during space weather events, which could explain the LP/ER observations.

Flocculation of Clay Colloids Induced by Model Polyelectrolytes: Effects of Relative Charge Density and Size.

PubMed

Sakhawoth, Yasine; Michot, Laurent J; Levitz, Pierre; Malikova, Natalie

2017-10-06

Flocculation and its tuning are of utmost importance in the optimization of several industrial protocols in areas such as purification of waste water and civil engineering. Herein, we studied the polyelectrolyte-induced flocculation of clay colloids on a model system consisting of purified clay colloids of well-defined size fractions and ionene polyelectrolytes presenting regular and tunable chain charge density. To characterize ionene-induced clay flocculation, we turned to the combination of light absorbance (turbidity) and ζ-potential measurements, as well as adsorption isotherms. Our model system allowed us to identify the exact ratio of positive and negative charges in clay-ionene mixtures, the (c+/c-) ratio. For all samples studied, the onset of efficient flocculation occurred consistently at c+/c- ratios significantly below 1, which indicated the formation of highly ionene-deficient aggregates. At the same time, the ζ-potential measurements indicated an apparent zero charge on such aggregates. Thus, the ζ-potential values could not provide the stoichiometry inside the clay-ionene aggregates. The early onset of flocculation in clay-ionene mixtures is reminiscent of the behavior of multivalent salts and contrasts that of monovalent salts, for which a large excess amount of ions is necessary to achieve flocculation. Clear differences in the flocculation behavior are visible as a function of the ionene charge density, which governs the conformation of the ionene chains on the clay surface. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Assessment of three AC electroosmotic flow protocols for mixing in microfluidic channel.

PubMed

Chen, Jia-Kun; Weng, Chi-Neng; Yang, Ruey-Jen

2009-05-07

This study performs an experimental investigation into the micromixer capabilities of three different protocols of AC electroosmotic flow (AC EOF), namely capacitive charging (CC), Faradaic charging (FC) and asymmetric polarization (AP). The results reveal that the vortices generated by the FC protocol (the frequency is around 50-350 Hz) are stronger than those induced by the CC protocol (the frequency is higher than 350 Hz), and therefore provide an improved mixing effect. However, in the FC protocol, the frequency of the external AC voltage must be carefully controlled to avoid damaging electrodes as a result of Faradaic reactions. The experimental results indicate that the AP polarization effect (the applied voltage and frequency are V(1) = 1 V(pp) and V(2) = 20 V(pp)/5 kHz) induces more powerful vortices than either the CC protocol or the FC protocol, and therefore yields a better mixing performance. Two AP-based micromixers are fabricated with symmetric and asymmetric electrode configurations, respectively. The mixing indices achieved by the two devices after an elapsed time of 60 seconds are found to be 56.49 % and 71.77 %, respectively. This result shows that of the two devices, an asymmetric electrode configuration represents a more suitable choice for micromixer in microfluidic devices.

Effect of methyl substituents on the electronic transitions in simple meso-aniline-BODIPY based dyes: RI-CC2 and TD-CAM-B3LYP computational investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrushenko, Igor K.; Petrushenko, Konstantin B.

2018-02-01

The S0 → Si, i = 1-5 electronic transitions of four 8-(4-aniline)-BODIPY and four 8-(N,N-dimethyl)-BODIPY dyes, differ by number and position of methyl substituents in the BODIPY frame, were investigated theoretically using ab initio the coupled cluster doubles (CC2) and TD-CAM-B3LYP methods. Methyl substituents in the BODIPY frame and the aniline fragment at the meso position disturb energy of local excitations S0 → S1, S0 → S3, and S0 → S4 weakly in comparison with the fully unsubstituted BODIPY molecule. These transitions in experimental spectra form the most long-wave absorption bands at ca. 500 nm as well as absorption bands in the region of 300-400 nm. At the same time, the presence of aniline fragments leads to the appearance of new S0 → S2 transitions of the charge transfer character in electronic spectra of BODIPYs. We also found a linear relationship between vertical energy of these charge transfer transitions and the electron donating power of an aniline fragment and electron accepting power of the BODIPY core depending on the number and position of methyl groups. The CC2 method provides the best overall description of the excitation energies in line with the experimental observations. On average, the quality of TD-CAM-B3LYP is almost equal to that of CC2, however the TD method with the CAM-B3LYP functional slightly underestimates the CT excitation energy.

Critical care ultrasound training: a survey of US fellowship directors.

PubMed

Mosier, Jarrod M; Malo, Josh; Stolz, Lori A; Bloom, John W; Reyes, Nathaniel A; Snyder, Linda S; Adhikari, Srikar

2014-08-01

The purpose of this study is to describe the current state of bedside ultrasound use and training among critical care (CC) training programs in the United States. This was a cross-sectional survey of all program directors for Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited programs during the 2012 to 2013 academic year in CC medicine, surgical CC, pulmonary and critical care, and anesthesia CC. Availability, current use, and barriers to training in CC ultrasound were assessed. Sixty of 195 (31%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 24%-38%) program directors responded. Most of the responding programs had an ultrasound system available for use (54/60, 90%; 95% CI, 79%-96%) and identified ultrasound training as useful (59/60, 98%; 95% CI, 91%-100%) but lacked a formal curriculum (25/60, 42%; 95% CI, 29%-55%) or trained faculty (mean percentage of faculty trained in ultrasound: pulmonary and critical care, 25%; surgical CC, 33%; anesthesia CC, 20%; CC medicine, 7%), and relied on informal teaching (45/60, 77%; 95% CI, 62%-85%). Faculty with expertise (53/60, 88%; 95% CI, 77%-95%), simulation training (60/60, 100%; 95% CI, 94%-100%), establishing and meeting required number of examinations (47/60, 78%; 95% CI, 66%-88%), and regular review sessions (49/60, 82%; 95% CI, 70%-90%) were identified as necessary to improve ultrasound training. Most responding programs (32/35 91%; 95% CI, 77%-98%) without a formal curriculum plan to create one in the next 5 years. This study identified deficiencies in current training, suggesting a need for a formal curriculum for bedside ultrasound training in CC fellowship programs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self similarities in desalination dynamics and performance using capacitive deionization.

PubMed

Ramachandran, Ashwin; Hemmatifar, Ali; Hawks, Steven A; Stadermann, Michael; Santiago, Juan G

2018-09-01

Charge transfer and mass transport are two underlying mechanisms which are coupled in desalination dynamics using capacitive deionization (CDI). We developed simple reduced-order models based on a mixed reactor volume principle which capture the coupled dynamics of CDI operation using closed-form semi-analytical and analytical solutions. We use the models to identify and explore self-similarities in the dynamics among flow rate, current, and voltage for CDI cell operation including both charging and discharging cycles. The similarity approach identifies the specific combination of cell (e.g. capacitance, resistance) and operational parameters (e.g. flow rate, current) which determine a unique effluent dynamic response. We here demonstrate self-similarity using a conventional flow between CDI (fbCDI) architecture, and we hypothesize that our similarity approach has potential application to a wide range of designs. We performed an experimental study of these dynamics and used well-controlled experiments of CDI cell operation to validate and explore limits of the model. For experiments, we used a CDI cell with five electrode pairs and a standard flow between (electrodes) architecture. Guided by the model, we performed a series of experiments that demonstrate natural response of the CDI system. We also identify cell parameters and operation conditions which lead to self-similar dynamics under a constant current forcing function and perform a series of experiments by varying flowrate, currents, and voltage thresholds to demonstrate self-similarity. Based on this study, we hypothesize that the average differential electric double layer (EDL) efficiency (a measure of ion adsorption rate to EDL charging rate) is mainly dependent on user-defined voltage thresholds, whereas flow efficiency (measure of how well desalinated water is recovered from inside the cell) depends on cell volumes flowed during charging, which is determined by flowrate, current and voltage thresholds. Results of experiments strongly support this hypothesis. Results show that cycle efficiency and salt removal for a given flowrate and current are maximum when average EDL and flow efficiencies are approximately equal. We further explored a range of CC operations with varying flowrates, currents, and voltage thresholds using our similarity variables to highlight trade-offs among salt removal, energy, and throughput performance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conformational study of glyoxal bis(amidinohydrazone) by ab initio methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mannfors, B.; Koskinen, J. T.; Pietilä, L.-O.

1997-08-01

We report the first ab initio molecular orbital study on the ground state of the endiamine tautomer of glyoxal bis(amidinohydrazone) (or glyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), GBG) free base. The calculations were performed at the following levels of theory: Hartree-Fock, second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory and density functional theory (B-LYP and B3-LYP) as implemented in the Gaussian 94 software. The standard basis set 6-31G(d) was found to be sufficient. The default fine grid of Gaussian 94 was used in the density functional calculations. Molecular properties, such as optimized structures, total energies and the electrostatic potential derived (CHELPG) atomic charges, were studied as functions of C-C and N-N conformations. The lowest energy conformation was found to be all- trans, in agreement with the experimental solid-state structure. The second conformer with respect to rotation around the central C-C bond was found to be the cis conformer with an MP2//HF energy of 4.67 kcal mol -1. For rotation around the N-N bond the energy increased monotonically from the trans conformation to the cis conformation, the cis energy being very high, 22.01 kcal mol -1 (MP2//HF). The atomic charges were shown to be conformation dependent, and the bond charge increments and especially the conformational changes of the bond charge increments were found to be easily transferable between structurally related systems.

No evidence for orbital loop currents in charge-ordered YBa2Cu3O6 +x from polarized neutron diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croft, T. P.; Blackburn, E.; Kulda, J.; Liang, Ruixing; Bonn, D. A.; Hardy, W. N.; Hayden, S. M.

2017-12-01

It has been proposed that the pseudogap state of underdoped cuprate superconductors may be due to a transition to a phase which has circulating currents within each unit cell. Here, we use polarized neutron diffraction to search for the corresponding orbital moments in two samples of underdoped YBa2Cu3O6 +x with doping levels p =0.104 and 0.123. In contrast to some other reports using polarized neutrons, but in agreement with nuclear magnetic resonance and muon spin rotation measurements, we find no evidence for the appearance of magnetic order below 300 K. Thus, our experiment suggests that such order is not an intrinsic property of high-quality cuprate superconductor single crystals. Our results provide an upper bound for a possible orbital loop moment which depends on the pattern of currents within the unit cell. For example, for the CC-θI I pattern proposed by Varma, we find that the ordered moment per current loop is less than 0.013 μB for p =0.104 .

Enhancement of anodic biofilm formation and current output in microbial fuel cells by composite modification of stainless steel electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Yuxiang; Feng, Huajun; Shen, Dongsheng; Li, Na; Guo, Kun; Zhou, Yuyang; Xu, Jing; Chen, Wei; Jia, Yufeng; Huang, Bin

2017-02-01

In this paper, we first systematically investigate the current output performance of stainless steel electrodes (SS) modified by carbon coating (CC), polyaniline coating (PANI), neutral red grafting (NR), surface hydrophilization (SDBS), and heat treatment (HEAT). The maximum current density of 13.0 A m-2 is obtained on CC electrode (3.0 A m-2 of the untreated anode). Such high performance should be attributed to its large effective surface area, which is 2.3 times that of the unmodified electrode. Compared with SS electrode, about 3-fold increase in current output is achieved with PANI. Functionalization with hydrophilic group and electron medium result in the current output rising to 1.5-2 fold, through enhancing bioadhesive and electron transport rate, respectively. CC modification is the best choice of single modification for SS electrode in this study. However, this modification is not perfect because of its poor hydrophilicity. So CC electrode is modified by SDBS for further enhancing the current output to 16 A m-2. These results could provide guidance for the choice of suitable single modification on SS electrodes and a new method for the perfection of electrode performance through composite modification.

Whole genome typing of the recently emerged Canadian serogroup W Neisseria meningitidis sequence type 11 clonal complex isolates associated with invasive meningococcal disease.

PubMed

Tsang, Raymond S W; Ahmad, Tauqeer; Tyler, Shaun; Lefebvre, Brigitte; Deeks, Shelley L; Gilca, Rodica; Hoang, Linda; Tyrrell, Gregory; Van Caeseele, Paul; Van Domselaar, Gary; Jamieson, Frances B

2018-04-01

This study was performed to analyze the Canadian invasive serogroup W Neisseria meningitidis (MenW) sequence type 11 (ST-11) clonal complex (CC) isolates by whole genome typing and to compare Canadian isolates with similar isolates from elsewhere. Whole genome typing of 30 MenW ST-11 CC, 20 meningococcal group C (MenC) ST-11 CC, and 31 MenW ST-22 CC isolates was performed on the Bacterial Isolate Genome Sequence database platform. Canadian MenW ST-11 CC isolates were compared with the 2000 MenW Hajj outbreak strain, as well as with MenW ST-11 CC from other countries. Whole genome typing showed that the Canadian MenW ST-11 CC isolates were distinct from the traditional MenW ST-22 CC; they were not capsule-switched contemporary MenC strains that incorporated MenW capsules. While some recent MenW disease cases in Canada were caused by MenW ST-11 CC isolates showing relatedness to the 2000 MenW Hajj strain, many were non-Hajj isolates similar to current MenW ST-11 isolates found globally. Geographical and temporal variations in genotypes and surface protein antigen genes were found among the MenW ST-11 CC isolates. The current MenW ST-11 isolates did not arise by capsule switching from contemporary MenC ST-11 isolates. Both the Hajj-related and non-Hajj MenW ST-11 CC strains were associated with invasive meningococcal disease in Canada. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Computational Investigation of Amine–Oxygen Exciplex Formation

PubMed Central

Haupert, Levi M.; Simpson, Garth J.; Slipchenko, Lyudmila V.

2012-01-01

It has been suggested that fluorescence from amine-containing dendrimer compounds could be the result of a charge transfer between amine groups and molecular oxygen [Chu, C.-C.; Imae, T. Macromol. Rapid Commun. 2009, 30, 89.]. In this paper we employ equation-of-motion coupled cluster computational methods to study the electronic structure of an ammonia–oxygen model complex to examine this possibility. The results reveal several bound electronic states with charge transfer character with emission energies generally consistent with previous observations. However, further work involving confinement, solvent, and amine structure effects will be necessary for more rigorous examination of the charge transfer fluorescence hypothesis. PMID:21812447

Local CC2 response method for triplet states based on Laplace transform: excitation energies and first-order properties.

PubMed

Freundorfer, Katrin; Kats, Daniel; Korona, Tatiana; Schütz, Martin

2010-12-28

A new multistate local CC2 response method for calculating excitation energies and first-order properties of excited triplet states in extended molecular systems is presented. The Laplace transform technique is employed to partition the left/right local CC2 eigenvalue problems as well as the linear equations determining the Lagrange multipliers needed for the properties. The doubles part in the equations can then be inverted on-the-fly and only effective equations for the singles part must be solved iteratively. The local approximation presented here is adaptive and state-specific. The density-fitting method is utilized to approximate the electron-repulsion integrals. The accuracy of the new method is tested by comparison to canonical reference values for a set of 12 test molecules and 62 excited triplet states. As an illustrative application example, the lowest four triplet states of 3-(5-(5-(4-(bis(4-(hexyloxy)phenyl)amino)phenyl)thiophene-2-yl)thiophene-2-yl)-2-cyanoacrylic acid, an organic sensitizer for solar-cell applications, are computed in the present work. No triplet charge-transfer states are detected among these states. This situation contrasts with the singlet states of this molecule, where the lowest singlet state has been recently found to correspond to an excited state with a pronounced charge-transfer character having a large transition strength.

Effect of External Pressure Drop on Loop Heat Pipe Operating Temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jentung, Ku; Ottenstein, Laura; Rogers, Paul; Cheung, Kwok; Obenschain, Arthur F. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This paper discusses the effect of the pressure drop on the operating temperature in a loop heat pipe (LHP). Because the evaporator and the compensation chamber (CC) both contain two-phase fluid, a thermodynamic constraint exists between the temperature difference and the pressure drop for these two components. As the pressure drop increases, so will the temperature difference. The temperature difference in turn causes an increase of the heat leak from the evaporator to the CC, resulting in a higher CC temperature. Furthermore, the heat leak strongly depends on the vapor void fraction inside the evaporator core. Tests were conducted by installing a valve on the vapor line so as to vary the pressure drop, and by charging the LHP with various amounts of fluid. Test results verify that the LHP operating temperature increases with an increasing differential pressure, and the temperature increase is a strong function of the fluid inventory in the loop.

An innovative high-power constant-current pulsed-arc power-supply for a high-density pulsed-arc-plasma ion-source using a LaB6-filament.

PubMed

Ueno, A; Oguri, H; Ikegami, K; Namekawa, Y; Ohkoshi, K; Tokuchi, A

2010-02-01

An innovative high-power constant-current (CC) pulsed-arc (PA) power-supply (PS) indispensable for a high-density PA plasma ion-source using a lanthanum hexaboride (LaB(6)) filament was devised by combining a constant-voltage (CV) PA-PS, which is composed of an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) switch, a CV direct-current (dc) PS and a 270 mF capacitor with a CC-PA-PS, which is composed of an IGBT-switch, a CC-dc-PS and a 400 microH inductor, through the inductor. The hybrid-CC-PA-PS succeeded in producing a flat arc-pulse with a peak power of 56 kW (400 A x 140 V) and a duty factor of more than 1.5% (600 micros x 25 Hz) for Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) H(-) ion-source stably. It also succeeded in shortening the 99% rising-time of the arc-pulse-current to about 20 micros and tilting up or down the arc-pulse-current arbitrarily and almost linearly by changing the setting voltage of its CV-dc-PS.

Three decades after Gjönnaess's laparoscopic ovarian drilling for treatment of PCOS; what do we know? An evidence-based approach.

PubMed

Abu Hashim, Hatem; Al-Inany, Hesham; De Vos, Michel; Tournaye, Herman

2013-08-01

The introduction of laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) by Gjönnaess in 1984 as a substitute for ovarian wedge resection created opportunities for extensive research given its worldwide application for ovulation induction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). To critically evaluate and summarize the current body of literature regarding the role of LOD for the management of PCOS entailing its different preoperative, operative and postoperative aspects. In addition, long-term efficacy, cost-effectiveness, patient preference and health-related quality of life issues will be evaluated together with other available alternatives of ovulation induction treatments. A PubMed search was conducted looking for the different trials, reviews and various guidelines relating to the role of LOD in the management of PCOS. LOD whether unilateral or bilateral is a beneficial second-line treatment in infertile women with clomiphene citrate (CC)-resistant PCOS. It is as effective as gonadotrophin treatment but without the risk of multiple pregnancy or ovarian hyperstimulation and does not require intensive monitoring. Increased responsiveness of the ovary to CC especially in patients who remain anovulatory following LOD is another advantage. Recent evidence suggests that relatively novel oral methods of ovulation induction, e.g. CC plus metformin, CC plus tamoxifen, rosiglitazone plus CC and aromatase inhibitors represent a successful alternative to LOD in CC-resistant PCOS. Meanwhile current evidence does not support LOD as a first-line approach in PCOS-related anovulation or before IVF. LOD is currently recommended as a successful and economical second-line treatment for ovulation induction in women with CC-resistant PCOS.

Amorphous Mixed-Valence Vanadium Oxide/Exfoliated Carbon Cloth Structure Shows a Record High Cycling Stability.

PubMed

Song, Yu; Liu, Tian-Yu; Yao, Bin; Kou, Tian-Yi; Feng, Dong-Yang; Liu, Xiao-Xia; Li, Yat

2017-04-01

Previous studies show that vanadium oxides suffer from severe capacity loss during cycling in the liquid electrolyte, which has hindered their applications in electrochemical energy storage. The electrochemical instability is mainly due to chemical dissolution and structural pulverization of vanadium oxides during charge/discharge cyclings. In this study the authors demonstrate that amorphous mixed-valence vanadium oxide deposited on exfoliated carbon cloth (CC) can address these two limitations simultaneously. The results suggest that tuning the V 4+ /V 5+ ratio of vanadium oxide can efficiently suppress the dissolution of the active materials. The oxygen-functionalized carbon shell on exfoliated CC can bind strongly with VO x via the formation of COV bonding, which retains the electrode integrity and suppresses the structural degradation of the oxide during charging/discharging. The uptake of structural water during charging and discharging processes also plays an important role in activating the electrode material. The amorphous mixed-valence vanadium oxide without any protective coating exhibits record-high cycling stability in the aqueous electrolyte with no capacitive decay in 100 000 cycles. This work provides new insights on stabilizing vanadium oxide, which is critical for the development of vanadium oxide based energy storage devices. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

ff14ipq: A Self-Consistent Force Field for Condensed-Phase Simulations of Proteins

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

We present the ff14ipq force field, implementing the previously published IPolQ charge set for simulations of complete proteins. Minor modifications to the charge derivation scheme and van der Waals interactions between polar atoms are introduced. Torsion parameters are developed through a generational learning approach, based on gas-phase MP2/cc-pVTZ single-point energies computed of structures optimized by the force field itself rather than the quantum benchmark. In this manner, we sacrifice information about the true quantum minima in order to ensure that the force field maintains optimal agreement with the MP2/cc-pVTZ benchmark for the ensembles it will actually produce in simulations. A means of making the gas-phase torsion parameters compatible with solution-phase IPolQ charges is presented. The ff14ipq model is an alternative to ff99SB and other Amber force fields for protein simulations in programs that accommodate pair-specific Lennard–Jones combining rules. The force field gives strong performance on α-helical and β-sheet oligopeptides as well as globular proteins over microsecond time scale simulations, although it has not yet been tested in conjunction with lipid and nucleic acid models. We show how our choices in parameter development influence the resulting force field and how other choices that may have appeared reasonable would actually have led to poorer results. The tools we developed may also aid in the development of future fixed-charge and even polarizable biomolecular force fields. PMID:25328495

Choosing the Right CC Welding Unit: Student Success Depends on It

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borchert, Neal

2008-01-01

Understanding the personality of a constant current (CC) dc welding machine can make the difference between a successful or unsuccessful weld test or between a student who pursues a career in welding and one who may quit in frustration. In this article, the author explains the two different "personalities" of CC welders. He also explains how…

77 FR 30972 - Empowering Consumers to Prevent and Detect Billing for Unauthorized Charges (“Cramming...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-24

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket Nos. 11-116 and 09-158; CC Docket No... (``Cramming''); Consumer Information and Disclosure; Truth-in-Billing Format AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission...

Characterizing the proton loading site in cytochrome c oxidase.

PubMed

Lu, Jianxun; Gunner, M R

2014-08-26

Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) uses the energy released by reduction of O2 to H2O to drive eight charges from the high pH to low pH side of the membrane, increasing the electrochemical gradient. Four electrons and protons are used for chemistry, while four more protons are pumped. Proton pumping requires that residues on a pathway change proton affinity through the reaction cycle to load and then release protons. The protonation states of all residues in CcO are determined in MultiConformational Continuum Electrostatics simulations with the protonation and redox states of heme a, a3, Cu(B), Y288, and E286 used to define the catalytic cycle. One proton is found to be loaded and released from residues identified as the proton loading site (PLS) on the P-side of the protein in each of the four CcO redox states. Thus, the same proton pumping mechanism can be used each time CcO is reduced. Calculations with structures of Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Paracoccus denitrificans, and bovine CcO derived by crystallography and molecular dynamics show the PLS functions similarly in different CcO species. The PLS is a cluster rather than a single residue, as different structures show 1-4 residues load and release protons. However, the proton affinity of the heme a3 propionic acids primarily determines the number of protons loaded into the PLS; if their proton affinity is too low, less than one proton is loaded.

Characterizing the proton loading site in cytochrome c oxidase

PubMed Central

Lu, Jianxun; Gunner, M. R.

2014-01-01

Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) uses the energy released by reduction of O2 to H2O to drive eight charges from the high pH to low pH side of the membrane, increasing the electrochemical gradient. Four electrons and protons are used for chemistry, while four more protons are pumped. Proton pumping requires that residues on a pathway change proton affinity through the reaction cycle to load and then release protons. The protonation states of all residues in CcO are determined in MultiConformational Continuum Electrostatics simulations with the protonation and redox states of heme a, a3, CuB, Y288, and E286 used to define the catalytic cycle. One proton is found to be loaded and released from residues identified as the proton loading site (PLS) on the P-side of the protein in each of the four CcO redox states. Thus, the same proton pumping mechanism can be used each time CcO is reduced. Calculations with structures of Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Paracoccus denitrificans, and bovine CcO derived by crystallography and molecular dynamics show the PLS functions similarly in different CcO species. The PLS is a cluster rather than a single residue, as different structures show 1–4 residues load and release protons. However, the proton affinity of the heme a3 propionic acids primarily determines the number of protons loaded into the PLS; if their proton affinity is too low, less than one proton is loaded. PMID:25114210

Boosting current generation in microbial fuel cells by an order of magnitude by coating an ionic liquid polymer on carbon anodes.

PubMed

Yang, Lu; Deng, Wenfang; Zhang, Youming; Tan, Yueming; Ma, Ming; Xie, Qingji

2017-05-15

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have attracted great attentions due to their great application potentials, but the relatively low power densities of MFCs still hinder their widespread practical applications. Herein, we report that the current generation in MFCs can be boosted by an order of magnitude, simply by coating a hydrophilic and positively charged ionic liquid polymer (ILP) on carbon cloth (CC) or carbon felt (CF). The ILP coating not only can increase the bacterial loading capacity due to the electrostatic interactions between ILP and bacterial cells, but also can improve the mediated extracellular electron transfer between the electrode and the cytochrome proteins on the outer membrane of Shewanella putrefaciens cells. As a result, the maximum power density of a MFC equipped with the CF-ILP bioanode is as high as 4400±170mWm -2 , which is amongst the highest values reported to date. This work demonstrates a new strategy for greatly boosting the current generation in MFCs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Candesartan cilexetil loaded nanodelivery systems for improved oral bioavailability.

PubMed

Dudhipala, Narendar; Veerabrahma, Kishan

2017-02-01

Candesartan cilexetil (CC), an antihypertensive drug, has low oral bioavailability due to poor solubility and hepatic first-pass metabolism. These are major limitations in oral delivery of CC. Several approaches are known to reduce the problems of solubility and improve the bioavailability of CC. Among various approaches, nanotechnology-based delivery of CC has potential to overcome the challenges associated with the oral administration. This review focuses on various nano-based delivery systems available and tried for improving the aqueous solubility, dissolution and consequently bioavailability of CC upon oral administration. Of all, solid lipid nanoparticles appear to be promising delivery system, based on current reported results, for delivery of CC, as this system improved the oral bioavailability and possessed prolonged pharmacodynamic effect.

Feedback control for stabilizing chaotic spiral waves during cardiac ventricular fibrillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzelac, Ilija; Wikswo, John; Gray, Richard

2011-03-01

The cardiac arrhythmias that lead to ventricular fibrillation (VF) arise from electrical spiral waves (SW) rotating within the heart with a characteristic period τ . A single drifting SW can degenerate into a chaotic system of multiple SWs and VF. Hence early SW detection and termination is crucial to prevent VF. Time-delayed feedback control (TDFC) is well known approach for stabilizing unstable periodic orbits embedded in chaotic attractors. We hypothesize that cardiac SWs can be stabilized by TDFC with a time-delay of τ . Implementing this approach will require precise, closed-loop control of the charge delivered to the heart during the defibrillation process. To do this, we have developed a 2 kW arbitrary-waveform voltage-to-current converter (V2CC) with a 1 kHz bandwidth that can deliver up to 5 A at 400 V for 500 ms, and a photodiode system for recording in real time an optical electrocardiogram, OECG(t). The feedback signal driving the V2CC will be the time-difference (OECG(t) - OECG(t-T), where we hypothesize that T is τ , the period of the SW. This may dramatically decrease defibrillation voltages by using a defibrillation waveform customized to the VF event, unlike commercial capacitor defibrillators. Supported in part by NIH R01 HL58241-11 through ARRA 2009.

Fundamental contradictions in cultural competence.

PubMed

Johnson, Yvonne M; Munch, Shari

2009-07-01

Cultural competence (CC) is considered highly relevant to social work practice with clients belonging to ethnic and racial minority groups, as the burgeoning literature and creation of practice standards on CC attest. However, examination of the conceptual underpinnings of CC reveals several major anomalies. The authors argue that several aspects of CC contradict central social work concepts or are at odds with current, standard social work practice. These contradictions extend to the epistemological foundations of CC and the rights and dignity of the individual. To further stress the conceptual tensions at the heart of CC, the authors incorporate recent philosophical work addressing collective identities and group rights. The question of whether culturally competent practice is achievable is also addressed. The authors urge academicians and practitioners to thoroughly examine the theoretical and ethical bases of CC because of their highly important ramifications for social work practice.

Automated Studies of Continuing Current in Lightning Flashes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez-Claros, Jose

Continuing current (CC) is a continuous luminosity in the lightning channel that lasts longer than 10 ms following a lightning return stroke to ground. Lightning flashes following CC are associated with direct damage to power lines and are thought to be responsible for causing lightning-induced forest fires. The development of an algorithm that automates continuing current detection by combining NLDN (National Lightning Detection Network) and LEFA (Langmuir Electric Field Array) datasets for CG flashes will be discussed. The algorithm was applied to thousands of cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes within 40 km of Langmuir Lab, New Mexico measured during the 2013 monsoon season. It counts the number of flashes in a single minute of data and the number of return strokes of an individual lightning flash; records the time and location of each return stroke; performs peak analysis on E-field data, and uses the slope of interstroke interval (ISI) E-field data fits to recognize whether continuing current (CC) exists within the interval. Following CC detection, duration and magnitude are measured. The longest observed C in 5588 flashes was 631 ms. The performance of the algorithm (vs. human judgement) was checked on 100 flashes. At best, the reported algorithm is "correct" 80% of the time, where correct means that multiple stations agree with each other and with a human on both the presence and duration of CC. Of the 100 flashes that were validated against human judgement, 62% were hybrid. Automated analysis detects the first but misses the second return stroke in many cases where the second return stroke is followed by long CC. This problem is also present in human interpretation of field change records.

NMR insight into myosin-binding subunit coiled-coil structure reveals binding interface with protein kinase G-Iα leucine zipper in vascular function.

PubMed

Sharma, Alok K; Birrane, Gabriel; Anklin, Clemens; Rigby, Alan C; Alper, Seth L

2017-04-28

Nitrovasodilators relax vascular smooth-muscle cells in part by modulating the interaction of the C-terminal coiled-coil domain (CC) and/or the leucine zipper (LZ) domain of the myosin light-chain phosphatase component, myosin-binding subunit (MBS), with the N-terminal LZ domain of protein kinase G (PKG)-Iα. Despite the importance of vasodilation in cardiovascular homeostasis and therapy, our structural understanding of the MBS CC interaction with LZ PKG-1α has remained limited. Here, we report the 3D NMR solution structure of homodimeric CC MBS in which amino acids 932-967 form a coiled-coil of two monomeric α-helices in parallel orientation. We found that the structure is stabilized by non-covalent interactions, with dominant contributions from hydrophobic residues at a and d heptad positions. Using NMR chemical-shift perturbation (CSP) analysis, we identified a subset of hydrophobic and charged residues of CC MBS (localized within and adjacent to the C-terminal region) contributing to the dimer-dimer interaction interface between homodimeric CC MBS and homodimeric LZ PKG-Iα. 15 N backbone relaxation NMR revealed the dynamic features of the CC MBS interface residues identified by NMR CSP. Paramagnetic relaxation enhancement- and CSP-NMR-guided HADDOCK modeling of the dimer-dimer interface of the heterotetrameric complex exhibits the involvement of non-covalent intermolecular interactions that are localized within and adjacent to the C-terminal regions of each homodimer. These results deepen our understanding of the binding restraints of this CC MBS·LZ PKG-Iα low-affinity heterotetrameric complex and allow reevaluation of the role(s) of myosin light-chain phosphatase partner polypeptides in regulation of vascular smooth-muscle cell contractility. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Consistent prediction of GO protein localization.

PubMed

Spetale, Flavio E; Arce, Debora; Krsticevic, Flavia; Bulacio, Pilar; Tapia, Elizabeth

2018-05-17

The GO-Cellular Component (GO-CC) ontology provides a controlled vocabulary for the consistent description of the subcellular compartments or macromolecular complexes where proteins may act. Current machine learning-based methods used for the automated GO-CC annotation of proteins suffer from the inconsistency of individual GO-CC term predictions. Here, we present FGGA-CC + , a class of hierarchical graph-based classifiers for the consistent GO-CC annotation of protein coding genes at the subcellular compartment or macromolecular complex levels. Aiming to boost the accuracy of GO-CC predictions, we make use of the protein localization knowledge in the GO-Biological Process (GO-BP) annotations to boost the accuracy of GO-CC prediction. As a result, FGGA-CC + classifiers are built from annotation data in both the GO-CC and GO-BP ontologies. Due to their graph-based design, FGGA-CC + classifiers are fully interpretable and their predictions amenable to expert analysis. Promising results on protein annotation data from five model organisms were obtained. Additionally, successful validation results in the annotation of a challenging subset of tandem duplicated genes in the tomato non-model organism were accomplished. Overall, these results suggest that FGGA-CC + classifiers can indeed be useful for satisfying the huge demand of GO-CC annotation arising from ubiquitous high throughout sequencing and proteomic projects.

Characterization of Serum Cytokine Profile in Predominantly Colonic Inflammatory Bowel Disease to Delineate Ulcerative and Crohn’s Colitides

PubMed Central

Korolkova, Olga Y; Myers, Jeremy N; Pellom, Samuel T; Wang, Li; M’Koma, Amosy E

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND As accessible diagnostic approaches fail to differentiate between ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s colitis (CC) in one-third of patients with predominantly colonic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), leading to inappropriate therapy, we aim to investigate the serum cytokine levels in these patients in search of molecular biometric markers delineating UC from CC. METHODS We measured 38 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors using magnetic-bead-based multiplex immunoassay in 25 UC patients, 28 CC patients, and 30 controls. Our results are compared with those from a review of current literature regarding advances in serum cytokine profiles and associated challenges preventing their use for diagnostic/prognostic purposes. RESULTS Univariate analysis showed statistically significant increases of eotaxin, GRO, and TNF-α in UC patients compared to controls (Ctrl); interferon γ, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-7 in CC group compared to Ctrl; and IL-8 in both UC and CC versus Ctrl. No cytokines were found to be different between UC and CC. A generalized linear model identified combinations of cytokines, allowing the identification of UC and CC patients, with area under the curve (AUC) = 0.936, as determined with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. CONCLUSIONS The current knowledge available about circulating cytokines in IBD is often contradictory. The development of an evidence-based tool using cytokines for diagnostic accuracy is still preliminary. PMID:26078592

Comparison of Ion Chemistries in Octafluoro-2-butene (2-C4F8) and in Octfluorocyclobutane (c-C4F8)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiao, Charles; Dejoseph, Charles; Garscadden, Alan

2007-10-01

2-C4F8 is one of the promising candidates to replace c-C4F8 that has been widely used for dielectric etching but is not environmentally friendly. In this study we have investigated electron impact ionization and ion-molecule reactions of 2-C4F8 using Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS), and compared the results with those of c-C4F8 we have studied previously. Electron impact ionization of 2-C4F8 produces 15 ionic species including C4F7,8^+, C3F3,5,6^+, C2F4^+ and CF1-3^+ as the major ions. The total ionization cross section of 2-C4F8 reaches a maximum of 1.8x10-15 cm^2 at 90 eV. The ionization is dominated by the channel forming the parent ion C4F8^+ from 12 to 18 eV, and by the channel forming C3F5^+ from 18 to 70 eV. After 70 eV, CF3^+ becomes the dominant product ion. Among the major ions generated from the electron impact ionization of 2-C4F8, only CF^+, CF2^+ and CF3^+ are found to react with 2-C4F8, via F^- abstraction or charge transfer mechanism. The charge transfer reaction of Ar^++2-C4F8 produces primarily C4F7^+.

Construction of Polarized Carbon-Nickel Catalytic Surfaces for Potent, Durable, and Economic Hydrogen Evolution Reactions.

PubMed

Zhou, Min; Weng, Qunhong; Popov, Zakhar I; Yang, Yijun; Antipina, Liubov Yu; Sorokin, Pavel B; Wang, Xi; Bando, Yoshio; Golberg, Dmitri

2018-05-22

Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline solution is hindered by its sluggish kinetics toward water dissociation. Nickel-based catalysts, as low-cost and effective candidates, show great potentials to replace platinum (Pt)-based materials in the alkaline media. The main challenge regarding this type of catalysts is their relatively poor durability. In this work, we conceive and construct a charge-polarized carbon layer derived from carbon quantum dots (CQDs) on Ni 3 N nanostructure (Ni 3 N@CQDs) surfaces, which simultaneously exhibit durable and enhanced catalytic activity. The Ni 3 N@CQDs shows an overpotential of 69 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm -2 in a 1 M KOH aqueous solution, lower than that of Pt electrode (116 mV) at the same conditions. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations reveal that Ni 3 N and interfacial oxygen polarize charge distributions between originally equal C-C bonds in CQDs. The partially negatively charged C sites become effective catalytic centers for the key water dissociation step via the formation of new C-H bond (Volmer step) and thus boost the HER activity. Furthermore, the coated carbon is also found to protect interior Ni 3 N from oxidization/hydroxylation and therefore guarantees its durability. This work provides a practical design of robust and durable HER electrocatalysts based on nonprecious metals.

Citrate-capped silver nanoparticles as a probe for sensitive and selective colorimetric and spectrophotometric sensing of creatinine in human urine.

PubMed

Alula, Melisew Tadele; Karamchand, Leshern; Hendricks, Nicolette R; Blackburn, Jonathan M

2018-05-12

Urinary creatinine concentration is a critical physiological parameter that enables reliable assessment of patient renal function and diagnosis of a broad spectrum of diseases. In this study, a simple and inexpensive sensor comprising monodisperse, citrate-capped silver nanoparticles (cc-AgNPs) was developed, which enabled rapid, sensitive and selective quantitation of creatinine directly in unprocessed urine. The mechanism of this sensor entails the creatinine-mediated aggregation of the cc-AgNPs (within 1 min) under alkaline conditions (pH 12). This is attributed to the tautomerization of creatinine to its amino anionic species at alkaline pH, which cross-link the cc-AgNPs via hydrogen bond networks with the negatively charged citrate caps. Creatinine elicited visibly-discernable color changes of the cc-AgNPs colloids in a concentration-dependent manner up to 10 μM. UV-visible spectroscopic analyses of the cc-AgNPs revealed that creatinine elicited a concentration-dependent decrease in intensity of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) band centered around 403 nm, with a concomitant increase in intensity of the red-shifted LSPR band at 670 nm. This observation denotes a creatinine-mediated increase in cc-AgNP particle size via aggregation, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy analysis. The cc-AgNP sensor exhibited a linear correlation between the A 670 /A 403 extinction ratio and creatinine concentration range of 0-4.2 μM in aqueous solutions (R 2  = 0.996), and a low detection limit of 53.4 nM. Hence, the simplicity, short assay time, and high sensitivity and selectivity of our cc-AgNP sensor affirms its utility as a creatinine monitoring assay for low-resource, point-of-care settings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Benchmark studies on the building blocks of DNA. 3. Watson-Crick and stacked base pairs.

PubMed

Szalay, Péter G; Watson, Thomas; Perera, Ajith; Lotrich, Victor; Bartlett, Rodney J

2013-04-18

Excited states of stacked adenine-thymine and guanine-cytosine pairs as well as the Watson-Crick pair of guanine-thymine have been investigated using the equation of motion coupled-cluster (EOM-CC) method with single and double as well as approximate triple excitations. Transitions have been assigned, and the form of the excitations has been analyzed. The majority of the excitations could be classified as localized on the nucleobases, but for all three studied systems, charge-transfer (CT) transitions could also be identified. The main aim of this study was to compare the performance of lower-level methods (ADC(2) and TDDFT) to the high-level EOM-CC ones. It was shown that both ADC(2) and TDDFT with long-range correction have nonsystematic error in excitation energies, causing alternation of the energetic ordering of the excitations. Considering the high costs of the EOM-CC calculations, there is a need for reliable new approximate methods.

An Overview of Cultural Competency Curricula in ACGME-accredited General Surgery Residency Programs.

PubMed

Shah, Sagar S; Sapigao, Francisco B; Chun, Maria B J

Cultural competency(CC) in surgical residency curricula is not the novel idea it was fourteen years ago when the ACGME challenged program directors to teach and assess six core competencies. CC is recognized as a component of "patient care", "professionalism", and "interpersonal and communication skills." The results of five programs (2004-2012) with CC curricula were identified in a 2013 paper by Ly and Chun. The primary objective of this paper is to provide the current status of CC curricula in general surgery residency programs. Three sources were used for this study. First, a four question survey on the current status of CC education was sent to program directors of ACGME-accredited surgery residency programs. Second, the lead authors from five programs previously reported in the 2013 paper were interviewed. Third, the survey mentioned above was resent to 52 residency programs who implemented New York University's (NYU) SPICE program, which has a CC component. Participants for the survey consisted of program directors of ACGME-accredited surgery residency programs. The interviews were conducted with the corresponding authors from the previous study by Ly and Chun. Of the 256 surveyed, nine responded; seven stated that CC is not taught formally at their institution while four stated that they do not feel any part of CC curricula is missing from their program. Due to the low response rate, we identified and conducted interviews with general surgery residency programs with CC curricula. Of the five programs contacted, only three remain active and utilize Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) to teach cultural competency. One of the three, the SPICE program at NYU, has expanded to 52 other residency programs in the US. Although the importance of CC has been identified in general surgery, formal curricula and documentation of implementation remains elusive. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High Expression of KCa3.1 in Patients with Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma Predicts High Metastatic Risk and Poor Survival

PubMed Central

Rabjerg, Maj; Oliván-Viguera, Aida; Hansen, Lars Koch; Jensen, Line; Sevelsted-Møller, Linda; Walter, Steen; Jensen, Boye L.; Marcussen, Niels; Köhler, Ralf

2015-01-01

Background Ca2+-activated K+ channels have been implicated in cancer cell growth, metastasis, and tumor angiogenesis. Here we hypothesized that high mRNA and protein expression of the intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel, KCa3.1, is a molecular marker of clear cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC) and metastatic potential and survival. Methodology/Principal Findings We analyzed channel expression by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and patch-clamp in ccRCC and benign oncocytoma specimens, in primary ccRCC and oncocytoma cell lines, as well as in two ccRCC cell lines (Caki-1 and Caki-2). CcRCC specimens contained 12-fold higher mRNA levels of KCa3.1 than oncocytoma specimens. The large-conductance channel, KCa1.1, was 3-fold more highly expressed in ccRCC than in oncocytoma. KCa3.1 mRNA expression in ccRCC was 2-fold higher than in the healthy cortex of the same kidney. Disease specific survival trended towards reduction in the subgroup of high-KCa3.1-expressing tumors (p<0.08 vs. low-KCa3.1-expressing tumors). Progression-free survival (time to metastasis/recurrence) was reduced significantly in the subgroup of high-KCa3.1-expressing tumors (p<0.02, vs. low-KCa3.1-expressing tumors). Immunohistochemistry revealed high protein expression of KCa3.1 in tumor vessels of ccRCC and oncocytoma and in a subset of ccRCC cells. Oncocytoma cells were devoid of KCa3.1 protein. In a primary ccRCC cell line and Caki-1/2-ccRCC cells, we found KCa3.1-protein as well as TRAM-34-sensitive KCa3.1-currents in a subset of cells. Furthermore, Caki-1/2-ccRCC cells displayed functional Paxilline-sensitive KCa1.1 currents. Neither KCa3.1 nor KCa1.1 were found in a primary oncocytoma cell line. Yet KCa-blockers, like TRAM-34 (KCa3.1) and Paxilline (KCa1.1), had no appreciable effects on Caki-1 proliferation in-vitro. Conclusions/Significance Our study demonstrated expression of KCa3.1 in ccRCC but not in benign oncocytoma. Moreover, high KCa3.1-mRNA expression levels were indicative of low disease specific survival of ccRCC patients, short progression-free survival, and a high metastatic potential. Therefore, KCa3.1 is of prognostic value in ccRCC. PMID:25848765

High expression of KCa3.1 in patients with clear cell renal carcinoma predicts high metastatic risk and poor survival.

PubMed

Rabjerg, Maj; Oliván-Viguera, Aida; Hansen, Lars Koch; Jensen, Line; Sevelsted-Møller, Linda; Walter, Steen; Jensen, Boye L; Marcussen, Niels; Köhler, Ralf

2015-01-01

Ca2+-activated K+ channels have been implicated in cancer cell growth, metastasis, and tumor angiogenesis. Here we hypothesized that high mRNA and protein expression of the intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel, KCa3.1, is a molecular marker of clear cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC) and metastatic potential and survival. We analyzed channel expression by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and patch-clamp in ccRCC and benign oncocytoma specimens, in primary ccRCC and oncocytoma cell lines, as well as in two ccRCC cell lines (Caki-1 and Caki-2). CcRCC specimens contained 12-fold higher mRNA levels of KCa3.1 than oncocytoma specimens. The large-conductance channel, KCa1.1, was 3-fold more highly expressed in ccRCC than in oncocytoma. KCa3.1 mRNA expression in ccRCC was 2-fold higher than in the healthy cortex of the same kidney. Disease specific survival trended towards reduction in the subgroup of high-KCa3.1-expressing tumors (p<0.08 vs. low-KCa3.1-expressing tumors). Progression-free survival (time to metastasis/recurrence) was reduced significantly in the subgroup of high-KCa3.1-expressing tumors (p<0.02, vs. low-KCa3.1-expressing tumors). Immunohistochemistry revealed high protein expression of KCa3.1 in tumor vessels of ccRCC and oncocytoma and in a subset of ccRCC cells. Oncocytoma cells were devoid of KCa3.1 protein. In a primary ccRCC cell line and Caki-1/2-ccRCC cells, we found KCa3.1-protein as well as TRAM-34-sensitive KCa3.1-currents in a subset of cells. Furthermore, Caki-1/2-ccRCC cells displayed functional Paxilline-sensitive KCa1.1 currents. Neither KCa3.1 nor KCa1.1 were found in a primary oncocytoma cell line. Yet KCa-blockers, like TRAM-34 (KCa3.1) and Paxilline (KCa1.1), had no appreciable effects on Caki-1 proliferation in-vitro. Our study demonstrated expression of KCa3.1 in ccRCC but not in benign oncocytoma. Moreover, high KCa3.1-mRNA expression levels were indicative of low disease specific survival of ccRCC patients, short progression-free survival, and a high metastatic potential. Therefore, KCa3.1 is of prognostic value in ccRCC.

Hydrogen bonding between nitriles and hydrogen halides and the topological properties of molecular charge distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyd, Russell J.; Choi, Sai Cheng

1986-08-01

The topological properties of the charge density of the hydrogen-bonded complexes between nitrites and hydrogen chloride correlate linearly with theoretical estimates of the hydrogen-bond energy. At the 6-31G ** level, the hydrogenbond energies range from a low of 10 kJ/mol m NCCN—HC1 to a high of 38 kJ/mol in LiCN—HCl. A linear relationship between the charge density at the hydrogen-bond critical point and the NH internuclear distance of the RCN—HC1 complexes indicates that the generalization of the bond-length-bond-order relationship of CC bonds due to Bader, Tang, Tal and Biegler-König can be extended to intermolecular hydrogen bonding.

pH-dependent electron transfer reaction and direct bioelectrocatalysis of the quinohemoprotein pyranose dehydrogenase

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

Takeda, Kouta; Matsumura, Hirotoshi; Ishida, Takuya

A pyranose dehydrogenase from Coprinopsis cinerea (CcPDH) is an extracellular quinohemoeprotein, which consists a b-type cytochrome domain, a pyrroloquinoline-quinone (PQQ) domain, and a family 1-type carbohydrate-binding module. The electron transfer reaction of CcPDH was studied using some electron acceptors and a carbon electrode at various pH levels. Phenazine methosulfate (PMS) reacted directly at the PQQ domain, whereas cytochrome c (cyt c) reacted via the cytochrome domain of intact CcPDH. Thus, electrons are transferred from reduced PQQ in the catalytic domain of CcPDH to heme b in the N-terminal cytochrome domain, which acts as a built-in mediator and transfers electron tomore » a heterogenous electron transfer protein. The optimal pH values of the PMS reduction (pH 6.5) and the cyt c reduction (pH 8.5) differ. The catalytic currents for the oxidation of L-fucose were observed within a range of pH 4.5 to 11. Bioelectrocatalysis of CcPDH based on direct electron transfer demonstrated that the pH profile of the biocatalytic current was similar to the reduction activity of cyt c characters. - Highlights: • pH dependencies of activity were different for the reduction of cyt c and DCPIP. • DET-based bioelectrocatalysis of CcPDH was observed. • The similar pH-dependent profile was found with cyt c and electrode. • The present results suggested that IET reaction of CcPDH shows pH dependence.« less

Characterization of bacterial and archaeal communities in air-cathode microbial fuel cells, open circuit and sealed-off reactors.

PubMed

Shehab, Noura; Li, Dong; Amy, Gary L; Logan, Bruce E; Saikaly, Pascal E

2013-11-01

A large percentage of organic fuel consumed in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) is lost as a result of oxygen transfer through the cathode. In order to understand how this oxygen transfer affects the microbial community structure, reactors were operated in duplicate using three configurations: closed circuit (CC; with current generation), open circuit (OC; no current generation), and sealed off cathodes (SO; no current, with a solid plate placed across the cathode). Most (98 %) of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) was removed during power production in the CC reactor (maximum of 640 ± 10 mW/m(2)), with a low percent of substrate converted to current (coulombic efficiency of 26.5 ± 2.1 %). Sealing the cathode reduced COD removal to 7 %, but with an open cathode, there was nearly as much COD removal by the OC reactor (94.5 %) as the CC reactor. Oxygen transfer into the reactor substantially affected the composition of the microbial communities. Based on analysis of the biofilms using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing, microbes most similar to Geobacter were predominant on the anodes in the CC MFC (72 % of sequences), but the most abundant bacteria were Azoarcus (42 to 47 %) in the OC reactor, and Dechloromonas (17 %) in the SO reactor. Hydrogenotrophic methanogens were most predominant, with sequences most similar to Methanobacterium in the CC and SO reactor, and Methanocorpusculum in the OC reactors. These results show that oxygen leakage through the cathode substantially alters the bacterial anode communities, and that hydrogenotrophic methanogens predominate despite high concentrations of acetate. The predominant methanogens in the CC reactor most closely resembled those in the SO reactor, demonstrating that oxygen leakage alters methanogenic as well as general bacterial communities.

Recent results on search for new physics at BaBar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oberhof, Benjamin

2017-04-01

We present some recent measurements for the search of New Physics using 514 fb-1 of e+e- collisions collected with the BaBar detector at the PEP-II e+e- collider at SLAC. First we present a search for the decay ϒ (1S) → γA0, A0 → cc¯, where A0 is a candidate for the CP-odd Higgs boson of the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model. No significant signal is observed and we set 90% confidence-level upper limits on B(ϒ(1S ) → γA0) × B(A0 → cc¯). We report the search for a light non-Standard Model gauge boson Z' coupling only to the second and third lepton families. Our results significantly improve current limits and further constrain the remaining region of the allowed parameter space. Finally, we present a search for a long-lived particle L that is produced in e+e- annihilations and decays into two oppositely charged tracks. We do not observe a significant signal and we and set 90% confidence level upper limits on the product of the L production cross section, branching fraction, and reconstruction efficiency as a function of the L mass. In addition, upper limits are provided on the branching fraction B(B → XsL), where Xs is an hadronic system with strangeness -1.

The role of a combined coagulation and disk filtration process as a pre-treatment to microfiltration and reverse osmosis membranes in a municipal wastewater pilot plant.

PubMed

Chon, Kangmin; Cho, Jaeweon; Kim, Seung Joon; Jang, Am

2014-12-01

A pilot study was conducted to assess the performance of a municipal wastewater reclamation plant consisting of a combined coagulation-disk filtration (CC-DF) process, microfiltration (MF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, in terms of the removal of water contaminants and changes in characteristics of effluent organic matter (EfOM). The CC-DF and MF membranes were not effective for the removal of dissolved water contaminants. However, they could partially reduce the turbidity associated with the cake layer formation by particulate materials on the membrane surfaces. Furthermore, most of water contaminants were completely removed by the RO membranes. Although the CC-DF process could remove approximately 20% of turbidity, the aluminium concentrations considerably increased after the CC-DF process due to the residual coagulants complexed with both carboxylic acid and alcohol functional groups of EfOM. Those aluminium-EfOM complexes had a lower negative charge and higher molecular weight (>0.1 μm pore size of the MF membranes) compared to non-complexed EfOM. These results indicate that the control of the formation of the aluminium-EfOM complexes should be considered as a key step to use the CC-DF process as a pre-treatment of the MF and RO membranes for mitigation of membrane fouling in the tested pilot plant. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NiFe-Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheet Arrays Supported on Carbon Cloth for Highly Sensitive Detection of Nitrite.

PubMed

Ma, Yue; Wang, Yongchuang; Xie, Donghua; Gu, Yue; Zhang, Haimin; Wang, Guozhong; Zhang, Yunxia; Zhao, Huijun; Wong, Po Keung

2018-02-21

Excessive uptake of nitrite has been proven to be detrimental to the ecological system and human health. Hence, there is a rising requirement for constructing effective electrochemical sensors to precisely monitor the level of nitrite. In this work, NiFe-layered double hydroxide nanosheet arrays (NiFe-LDH NSAs) have been successfully fabricated on a carbon cloth (CC) substrate via a facile one-pot hydrothermal route. By integrating the collective merits of macroporous CC and NiFe-LDH NSAs such as superior electrical conductivity, striking synergistic effect between the dual active components, enlarged electrochemically active surface area, unique three-dimensional hierarchical porous network characteristics, and fast charge transport and ion diffusion, the proposed NiFe-LDH NSAs/CC architecture can be served as a self-supporting sensor toward nitrite detection. As a consequence, the resulting NiFe-LDH NSAs/CC electrode demonstrates superior nitrite sensing characteristics, accompanied by broad linear range (5-1000 μM), quick response rate (ca. 3 s), ultralow detection limit (0.02 μM), and high sensitivity (803.6 μA·mM -1 ·cm -2 ). Meanwhile, the electrochemical sensor possesses timeless stability, good reproducibility, and strong anti-interference feature. Importantly, the resulting sensor can determine nitrite level in tap and lake water with high recoveries, suggesting its feasibility for practical applications. These findings show that the obtained NiFe-LDH NSAs/CC electrode holds great prospect in highly sensitive and specific detection of nitrite.

A Calcium-Dependent Chloride Current Increases Repetitive Firing in Mouse Sympathetic Neurons

PubMed Central

Martinez-Pinna, Juan; Soriano, Sergi; Tudurí, Eva; Nadal, Angel; de Castro, Fernando

2018-01-01

Ca2+-activated ion channels shape membrane excitability in response to elevations in intracellular Ca2+. The most extensively studied Ca2+-sensitive ion channels are Ca2+-activated K+ channels, whereas the physiological importance of Ca2+-activated Cl- channels has been poorly studied. Here we show that a Ca2+-activated Cl- currents (CaCCs) modulate repetitive firing in mouse sympathetic ganglion cells. Electrophysiological recording of mouse sympathetic neurons in an in vitro preparation of the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) identifies neurons with two different firing patterns in response to long depolarizing current pulses (1 s). Neurons classified as phasic (Ph) made up 67% of the cell population whilst the remainders were tonic (T). When a high frequency train of spikes was induced by intracellular current injection, SCG sympathetic neurons reached an afterpotential mainly dependent on the ratio of activation of two Ca2+-dependent currents: the K+ [IK(Ca)] and CaCC. When the IK(Ca) was larger, an afterhyperpolarization was the predominant afterpotential but when the CaCC was larger, an afterdepolarization (ADP) was predominant. These afterpotentials can be observed after a single action potential (AP). Ph and T neurons had similar ADPs and hence, the CaCC does not seem to determine the firing pattern (Ph or T) of these neurons. However, inhibition of Ca2+-activated Cl- channels with anthracene-9′-carboxylic acid (9AC) selectively inhibits the ADP, reducing the firing frequency and the instantaneous frequency without affecting the characteristics of single- or first-spike firing of both Ph and T neurons. Furthermore, we found that the CaCC underlying the ADP was significantly larger in SCG neurons from males than from females. Furthermore, the CaCC ANO1/TMEM16A was more strongly expressed in male than in female SCGs. Blocking ADPs with 9AC did not modify synaptic transmission in either Ph or T neurons. We conclude that the CaCC responsible for ADPs increases repetitive firing in both Ph and T neurons, and it is more relevant in male mouse sympathetic ganglion neurons. PMID:29867553

A Calcium-Dependent Chloride Current Increases Repetitive Firing in Mouse Sympathetic Neurons.

PubMed

Martinez-Pinna, Juan; Soriano, Sergi; Tudurí, Eva; Nadal, Angel; de Castro, Fernando

2018-01-01

Ca 2+ -activated ion channels shape membrane excitability in response to elevations in intracellular Ca 2+ . The most extensively studied Ca 2+ -sensitive ion channels are Ca 2+ -activated K + channels, whereas the physiological importance of Ca 2+ -activated Cl - channels has been poorly studied. Here we show that a Ca 2+ -activated Cl - currents (CaCCs) modulate repetitive firing in mouse sympathetic ganglion cells. Electrophysiological recording of mouse sympathetic neurons in an in vitro preparation of the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) identifies neurons with two different firing patterns in response to long depolarizing current pulses (1 s). Neurons classified as phasic (Ph) made up 67% of the cell population whilst the remainders were tonic (T). When a high frequency train of spikes was induced by intracellular current injection, SCG sympathetic neurons reached an afterpotential mainly dependent on the ratio of activation of two Ca 2+ -dependent currents: the K + [I K(Ca) ] and CaCC. When the I K(Ca) was larger, an afterhyperpolarization was the predominant afterpotential but when the CaCC was larger, an afterdepolarization (ADP) was predominant. These afterpotentials can be observed after a single action potential (AP). Ph and T neurons had similar ADPs and hence, the CaCC does not seem to determine the firing pattern (Ph or T) of these neurons. However, inhibition of Ca 2+ -activated Cl - channels with anthracene-9'-carboxylic acid (9AC) selectively inhibits the ADP, reducing the firing frequency and the instantaneous frequency without affecting the characteristics of single- or first-spike firing of both Ph and T neurons. Furthermore, we found that the CaCC underlying the ADP was significantly larger in SCG neurons from males than from females. Furthermore, the CaCC ANO1/TMEM16A was more strongly expressed in male than in female SCGs. Blocking ADPs with 9AC did not modify synaptic transmission in either Ph or T neurons. We conclude that the CaCC responsible for ADPs increases repetitive firing in both Ph and T neurons, and it is more relevant in male mouse sympathetic ganglion neurons.

Chloride channel inhibition by a red wine extract and a synthetic small molecule prevents rotaviral secretory diarrhoea in neonatal mice

PubMed Central

Ko, Eun-A; Jin, Byung-Ju; Namkung, Wan; Ma, Tonghui; Thiagarajah, Jay R.; Verkman, A. S.

2014-01-01

Background Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe secretory diarrhoea in infants and young children globally. The rotaviral enterotoxin, NSP4, has been proposed to stimulate calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCC) on the apical plasma membrane of intestinal epithelial cells. We previously identified red wine and small molecule CaCC inhibitors. Objective To investigate the efficacy of a red wine extract and a synthetic small molecule, CaCCinh-A01, in inhibiting intestinal CaCCs and rotaviral diarrhoea. Design Inhibition of CaCC-dependent current was measured in T84 cells and mouse ileum. The effectiveness of an orally administered wine extract and CaCCinh-A01 in inhibiting diarrhoea in vivo was determined in a neonatal mouse model of rotaviral infection. Results Screening of ~150 red wines revealed a Cabernet Sauvignon that inhibited CaCC current in T84 cells with IC50 at a ~1:200 dilution, and higher concentrations producing 100% inhibition. A >1 kdalton wine extract prepared by dialysis, which retained full inhibition activity, blocked CaCC current in T84 cells and mouse intestine. In rotavirus-inoculated mice, oral administration of the wine extract prevented diarrhoea by inhibition of intestinal fluid secretion without affecting rotaviral infection. The wine extract did not inhibit the cystic fibrosis chloride channel (CFTR) in cell cultures, nor did it prevent watery stools in neonatal mice administered cholera toxin, which activates CFTR-dependent fluid secretion. CaCCinh-A01 also inhibited rotaviral diarrhoea. Conclusions Our results support a pathogenic role for enterocyte CaCCs in rotaviral diarrhoea and demonstrate the antidiarrhoeal action of CaCC inhibition by an alcohol-free, red wine extract and by a synthetic small molecule. PMID:24052273

20 Years of Air-Water Gas Exchange Observations for Pesticides in the Western Arctic Ocean.

PubMed

Jantunen, Liisa M; Wong, Fiona; Gawor, Anya; Kylin, Henrik; Helm, Paul A; Stern, Gary A; Strachan, William M J; Burniston, Deborah A; Bidleman, Terry F

2015-12-01

The Arctic has been contaminated by legacy organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and currently used pesticides (CUPs) through atmospheric transport and oceanic currents. Here we report the time trends and air-water exchange of OCPs and CUPs from research expeditions conducted between 1993 and 2013. Compounds determined in both air and water were trans- and cis-chlordanes (TC, CC), trans- and cis-nonachlors (TN, CN), heptachlor exo-epoxide (HEPX), dieldrin (DIEL), chlorobornanes (ΣCHBs and toxaphene), dacthal (DAC), endosulfans and metabolite endosulfan sulfate (ENDO-I, ENDO-II, and ENDO SUL), chlorothalonil (CHT), chlorpyrifos (CPF), and trifluralin (TFN). Pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB and quintozene) and its soil metabolite pentachlorothianisole (PCTA) were also found in air. Concentrations of most OCPs declined in surface water, whereas some CUPs increased (ENDO-I, CHT, and TFN) or showed no significant change (CPF and DAC), and most compounds declined in air. Chlordane compound fractions TC/(TC + CC) and TC/(TC + CC + TN) decreased in water and air, while CC/(TC + CC + TN) increased. TN/(TC + CC + TN) also increased in air and slightly, but not significantly, in water. These changes suggest selective removal of more labile TC and/or a shift in chlordane sources. Water-air fugacity ratios indicated net volatilization (FR > 1.0) or near equilibrium (FR not significantly different from 1.0) for most OCPs but net deposition (FR < 1.0) for ΣCHBs. Net deposition was shown for ENDO-I on all expeditions, while the net exchange direction of other CUPs varied. Understanding the processes and current state of air-surface exchange helps to interpret environmental exposure and evaluate the effectiveness of international protocols and provides insights for the environmental fate of new and emerging chemicals.

[History of the development of screening tests for cervical cancer].

PubMed

Herrera, Yelda A; Piña-Sánchez, Patricia

2015-01-01

Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the best known malignancies. Currently, it is accepted that the etiological factor is persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). Even before the identification of its etiological factors, methods such as Pap cytology and colposcopy were developed as tools for early diagnosis on CC and its precursor lesions. At the time when such tests were being developed, they were not fully accepted by the scientific community of the time; however, as time went by, the dissemination of knowledge, and more extensive application, these tests were finally included within the international guidelines. The implementation of programs with adequate coverage and quality allowed a significant reduction in the incidence and mortality of CC. However this did not occur widely, and CC is still a public health problem in developing countries. From the epidemiological and molecular viewpoint, knowledge on HPVs laid the foundations for the development of new prevention strategies based on vaccination and molecular detection of the causal agent, currently accepted as strategies for primary and secondary prevention. It is expected that the implementation of these strategies will have a greater impact on the control on CC and other malignancies associated with HPV infection.

A search for. nu. sub e appearance from stopped. pi. sup + and. mu. sup + decay at LAMPF (Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility)

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

Fujikawa, B.K.

We report on a recent search for {bar {nu}}{sub e} appearance from stopped {pi}{sup +} {yields} {mu}{sup +}{nu}{sub {mu}} and {mu}{sup +} {yields} e{sup +}{nu}{sub e}{bar {nu}}{sub {mu}} decay made by the LAMPF experiment E645. The appearance of {bar {nu}}{sub e} may occur from {bar {nu}}{sub {mu}} {yields} {bar {nu}}{sub e}, {nu}{sub e} {yields} {bar {nu}}{sub eL}, or {nu}{sub {mu}} {yields} {bar {nu}}{sub eL} oscillations. Appearance may also occur from rare {mu}{sup +} {yields} e{sup +}{bar {nu}}{sub e}{nu}{sub {mu}} decay, which is allowed by a multiplicative lepton charge conservation law. The neutrino energies range from E{sub {nu}} = 0 tomore » 52.8MeV. The neutrino detector, which is located 26.1 meters from the neutrino source, consists of a segmented liquid scintillator and proportional drift tube central detector surrounded by both active and passive shielding. The central detector detects {bar {nu}}{sub e} through the {bar {nu}}{sub e}p {yields} ne{sup +} Charge Current (CC) reaction, which is signaled by the direct detection of the final state positron and neutron. The hydrogen-rich liquid scintillators act as free proton targets for the {bar {nu}}{sub e}p CC reaction. The neutrons are detected through radiative neutron capture on gadolinium. We find no evidence for {bar {nu}}{sub e} appearance in the first year of running. New limits on the {bar {nu}}{sub {mu}},{nu}{sub e},{nu}{sub {mu}} {yields} {bar {nu}}{sub e} oscillation parameters and the rare {mu}{sup +} {yields} e{sup +}{bar {nu}}{sub e}{nu}{sub {mu}} decay branching ratio are presented. 87 refs., 45 figs., 17 tabs.« less

A point-charge force field for molecular mechanics simulations of proteins based on condensed-phase quantum mechanical calculations.

PubMed

Duan, Yong; Wu, Chun; Chowdhury, Shibasish; Lee, Mathew C; Xiong, Guoming; Zhang, Wei; Yang, Rong; Cieplak, Piotr; Luo, Ray; Lee, Taisung; Caldwell, James; Wang, Junmei; Kollman, Peter

2003-12-01

Molecular mechanics models have been applied extensively to study the dynamics of proteins and nucleic acids. Here we report the development of a third-generation point-charge all-atom force field for proteins. Following the earlier approach of Cornell et al., the charge set was obtained by fitting to the electrostatic potentials of dipeptides calculated using B3LYP/cc-pVTZ//HF/6-31G** quantum mechanical methods. The main-chain torsion parameters were obtained by fitting to the energy profiles of Ace-Ala-Nme and Ace-Gly-Nme di-peptides calculated using MP2/cc-pVTZ//HF/6-31G** quantum mechanical methods. All other parameters were taken from the existing AMBER data base. The major departure from previous force fields is that all quantum mechanical calculations were done in the condensed phase with continuum solvent models and an effective dielectric constant of epsilon = 4. We anticipate that this force field parameter set will address certain critical short comings of previous force fields in condensed-phase simulations of proteins. Initial tests on peptides demonstrated a high-degree of similarity between the calculated and the statistically measured Ramanchandran maps for both Ace-Gly-Nme and Ace-Ala-Nme di-peptides. Some highlights of our results include (1) well-preserved balance between the extended and helical region distributions, and (2) favorable type-II poly-proline helical region in agreement with recent experiments. Backward compatibility between the new and Cornell et al. charge sets, as judged by overall agreement between dipole moments, allows a smooth transition to the new force field in the area of ligand-binding calculations. Test simulations on a large set of proteins are also discussed. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 24: 1999-2012, 2003

Assessment of Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy Modes Inspecting Electron Confinement in Surface-Confined Supramolecular Networks

PubMed Central

Krenner, Wolfgang; Kühne, Dirk; Klappenberger, Florian; Barth, Johannes V.

2013-01-01

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) enables the local, energy-resolved investigation of a samples surface density of states (DOS) by measuring the differential conductance (dI/dV) being approximately proportional to the DOS. It is popular to examine the electronic structure of elementary samples by acquiring dI/dV maps under constant current conditions. Here we demonstrate the intricacy of STS mapping of samples exhibiting a strong corrugation originating from electronic density and local work function changes. The confinement of the Ag(111) surface state by a porous organic network is studied with maps obtained under constant-current (CC) as well as open-feedback-loop (OFL) conditions. We show how the CC maps deviate markedly from the physically more meaningful OFL maps. By applying a renormalization procedure to the OFL data we can mimic the spurious effects of the CC mode and thereby rationalize the physical effects evoking the artefacts in the CC maps. PMID:23503526

Collider signatures of flavorful Higgs bosons

DOE PAGES

Altmannshofer, Wolfgang; Eby, Joshua; Gori, Stefania; ...

2016-12-30

Motivated by our limited knowledge of the Higgs couplings to the first two generation fermions, we analyze the collider phenomenology of a class of two Higgs doublet models (2HDMs) with a nonstandard Yukawa sector. One Higgs doublet is mainly responsible for the masses of the weak gauge bosons and the third-generation fermions, while the second Higgs doublet provides mass for the lighter fermion generations. The characteristic collider signatures of this setup differ significantly from well-studied 2HDMs with natural flavor conservation, flavor alignment, or minimal flavor violation. New production mechanisms for the heavy scalar, pseudoscalar, and charged Higgs involving second-generation quarksmore » can become dominant. The most interesting decay modes include H/A → cc,tc,μμ,τμ and H ± → cb,cs,μν. As a result, searches for low-mass dimuon resonances are currently among the best probes of the heavy Higgs bosons in this setup.« less

Provider Preferences and Experiences With a Countywide Centralized Collaborative Reminder/Recall for Childhood Immunizations.

PubMed

Saville, Alison W; Gurfinkel, Dennis; Sevick, Carter; Beaty, Brenda; Dickinson, L Miriam; Kempe, Allison

2016-01-01

To assess among providers in 7 Colorado counties where a collaborative centralized reminder/recall (CC-R/R) using the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS) was performed: 1) preferences about CC-R/R conducted by the public health department (PHD); 2) preferences for future CC-R/R for different vaccines with and without practice names; and 3) experiences with including their name on CC-R/R notices. A mailed survey was sent to all primary care sites where CC-R/R had been previously conducted. Respondents self-identified as the "the person in charge of immunization policy within the practice." Overall response rate was 69.9% (160 of 229). Twenty-one were removed because they did not provide immunizations to children. Among respondents, 65.0% were from family medicine and 26.3% from pediatric practices; 32.1% physicians or midlevel providers; 34.3% nurses or medical assistants; and 33.6% office managers. Taking into account all issues, 57.6% were "okay" with either the PHD or their practice conducting recall; 27.3% preferred the PHD; and 14.4% preferred their practice conduct R/R. Fifty-six percent of active CIIS practices (n = 95) included their practice's name on CC-R/R notices. Interest in future CC-R/R for different ages and vaccines was strongly related to whether reminders included the practice name: 77.8% for routine immunizations in 4- to 6-year-olds; 74.8% for immunizations for 0- to 3-year-olds; 73.3% for vaccines administered to adolescents; and 59.7% for influenza (P < .001). Most practices are accepting of the PHD centrally conducting R/R, but most prefer collaboration that includes their name. Given the success and support of this method, it should be more widely adopted. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Theoretical study of the rhenium–alkane interaction in transition metal–alkane σ-complexes

PubMed Central

Cobar, Erika A.; Khaliullin, Rustam Z.; Bergman, Robert G.; Head-Gordon, Martin

2007-01-01

Metal–alkane binding energies have been calculated for [CpRe(CO)2](alkane) and [(CO)2M(C5H4)CC(C5H4)M(CO)2](alkane), where M = Re or Mn. Calculated binding energies were found to increase with the number of metal–alkane interaction sites. In all cases examined, the manganese–alkane binding energies were predicted to be significantly lower than those for the analogous rhenium–alkane complexes. The metal (Mn or Re)–alkane interaction was predicted to be primarily one of charge transfer, both from the alkane to the metal complex (70–80% of total charge transfer) and from the metal complex to the alkane (20–30% of the total charge transfer). PMID:17442751

77 FR 41955 - Empowering Consumers To Prevent and Detect Billing for Unauthorized Charges (“Cramming...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-17

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket Nos. 11-116 and 09-158; CC Docket No. 98-170; FCC 12-42; DA 12-1039] Empowering Consumers To Prevent and Detect Billing for Unauthorized..., which extends the reply comment filing deadline established in the FNPRM, FCC 12-42, published at 77 FR...

An Ab Initio Exciton Model Including Charge-Transfer Excited States

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

Li, Xin; Parrish, Robert M.; Liu, Fang

Here, the Frenkel exciton model is a useful tool for theoretical studies of multichromophore systems. We recently showed that the exciton model could be used to coarse-grain electronic structure in multichromophoric systems, focusing on singly excited exciton states. However, our previous implementation excluded charge-transfer excited states, which can play an important role in light-harvesting systems and near-infrared optoelectronic materials. Recent studies have also emphasized the significance of charge-transfer in singlet fission, which mediates the coupling between the locally excited states and the multiexcitonic states. In this work, we report on an ab initio exciton model that incorporates charge-transfer excited statesmore » and demonstrate that the model provides correct charge-transfer excitation energies and asymptotic behavior. Comparison with TDDFT and EOM-CC2 calculations shows that our exciton model is robust with respect to system size, screening parameter, and different density functionals. Inclusion of charge-transfer excited states makes the exciton model more useful for studies of singly excited states and provides a starting point for future construction of a model that also includes double-exciton states.« less

An Ab Initio Exciton Model Including Charge-Transfer Excited States

DOE PAGES

Li, Xin; Parrish, Robert M.; Liu, Fang; ...

2017-06-15

Here, the Frenkel exciton model is a useful tool for theoretical studies of multichromophore systems. We recently showed that the exciton model could be used to coarse-grain electronic structure in multichromophoric systems, focusing on singly excited exciton states. However, our previous implementation excluded charge-transfer excited states, which can play an important role in light-harvesting systems and near-infrared optoelectronic materials. Recent studies have also emphasized the significance of charge-transfer in singlet fission, which mediates the coupling between the locally excited states and the multiexcitonic states. In this work, we report on an ab initio exciton model that incorporates charge-transfer excited statesmore » and demonstrate that the model provides correct charge-transfer excitation energies and asymptotic behavior. Comparison with TDDFT and EOM-CC2 calculations shows that our exciton model is robust with respect to system size, screening parameter, and different density functionals. Inclusion of charge-transfer excited states makes the exciton model more useful for studies of singly excited states and provides a starting point for future construction of a model that also includes double-exciton states.« less

An Ab Initio Exciton Model Including Charge-Transfer Excited States.

PubMed

Li, Xin; Parrish, Robert M; Liu, Fang; Kokkila Schumacher, Sara I L; Martínez, Todd J

2017-08-08

The Frenkel exciton model is a useful tool for theoretical studies of multichromophore systems. We recently showed that the exciton model could be used to coarse-grain electronic structure in multichromophoric systems, focusing on singly excited exciton states [ Acc. Chem. Res. 2014 , 47 , 2857 - 2866 ]. However, our previous implementation excluded charge-transfer excited states, which can play an important role in light-harvesting systems and near-infrared optoelectronic materials. Recent studies have also emphasized the significance of charge-transfer in singlet fission, which mediates the coupling between the locally excited states and the multiexcitonic states. In this work, we report on an ab initio exciton model that incorporates charge-transfer excited states and demonstrate that the model provides correct charge-transfer excitation energies and asymptotic behavior. Comparison with TDDFT and EOM-CC2 calculations shows that our exciton model is robust with respect to system size, screening parameter, and different density functionals. Inclusion of charge-transfer excited states makes the exciton model more useful for studies of singly excited states and provides a starting point for future construction of a model that also includes double-exciton states.

DFT simulations and vibrational spectra of 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renuga Devi, T. S.; Sharmi kumar, J.; Ramkumaar, G. R.

2014-12-01

The FTIR and FT-Raman spectra of 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol were recorded in the regions 4000-400 cm-1 and 4000-50 cm-1 respectively. The structural and spectroscopic data of the molecule in the ground state were calculated using Hartee-Fock and density functional method (B3LYP) with the augmented-correlation consistent-polarized valence double zeta (aug-cc-pVDZ) basis set. The most stable conformer was optimized and the structural and vibrational parameters were determined based on this. The complete assignments were performed on the basis of the Potential Energy Distribution (PED) of the vibrational modes, calculated using Vibrational Energy Distribution Analysis (VEDA) 4 program. With the observed FTIR and FT-Raman data, a complete vibrational assignment and analysis of the fundamental modes of the compound were carried out. Thermodynamic properties and Mulliken charges were calculated using both Hartee-Fock and density functional method using the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set and compared. The calculated HOMO-LUMO energy gap revealed that charge transfer occurs within the molecule. 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated using Gauge-Independent Atomic Orbital (GIAO) method and were compared with experimental results.

Water Sorption and Vapor-Phase Deuterium Exchange Studies on Methemoglobin CC, SC, SS, AS, and AA

PubMed Central

Killion, Philip J.; Cameron, Bruce F.

1972-01-01

Five hemoglobins whose genetic relationship to one another involves one set of alleles, hemoglobins CC, SC, SS, AS, and AA, were studied in the Met form. Two different investigations were conducted at 28°C on these methemoglobins within a McBain gravimetric sorption system: sorption of H2O vapor and vapor-phase deuterium-hydrogen exchange. For each of the five samples there was close agreement between the per cent hydration of polar sites as determined from sorption studies and the maximum per cent of labile hydrogens that were exchanged during the vapor-phase deuterium exchange study. Both studies measured a slight increase in the number of polar sites accessible to H2O or D2O vapor for those samples in which the substituent in the sixth position from the N-terminus of the two β-chains had a positively charged side chain and a slight decrease for those in which the substituent had a negatively charged side chain. The in-exchange of deuterium for hydrogen occurred at a faster observed rate than the out-exchange of hydrogen for deuterium. PMID:5030563

Sodium and calcium currents in neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells before and after morphological differentiation by dibutyryl cyclic AMP.

PubMed

Bodewei, R; Hering, S; Schubert, B; Wollenberger, A

1985-04-01

Sodium and calcium inward currents (INa and ICa) were measured in neuroblastoma X glioma hybrid cells of clones 108CC5 and 108CC15 by a single suction pipette method for internal perfusion and voltage clamp. Morphologically undifferentiated, exponentially growing cells were compared with cells differentiated by cultivation with 1 mmol/l dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Outward currents were eliminated by perfusing the cells with a K+-free solution. Voltage dependence and ion selectivity as well as steady state inactivation characteristics of INa and ICa resembled those of differentiated mouse neuroblastoma cells, clone N1E-115 (Moolenaar and Spector 1978, 1979). These parameters were identical in undifferentiated and differentiated cells of both clones. After differentiation the average density of the peak sodium and calcium currents was increased two and four-fold, respectively, in both cell lines. Our data indicate that exponentially growing, morphologically undifferentiated 108CC5 and 108CC15 neuroblastoma X glioma hybrid cells possess functional Na+ and Ca2+ channels undistinguishable from those of non-proliferating cells of these clones differentiated morphologically by treatment with dibutyryl cyclic AMP. That Na+ and Ca2+ spikes were not detected by other authors in these cells prior to morphological differentiation by dibutyryl cyclic AMP may be attributed to the fact that at the low resting membrane potential measured the Na+ and Ca2+ channels are inactivated.

Return of spontaneous Circulation Is Not Affected by Different Chest Compression Rates Superimposed with Sustained Inflations during Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Newborn Piglets

PubMed Central

Li, Elliott S.; Cheung, Po-Yin; Lee, Tze-Fun; Lu, Min; O'Reilly, Megan

2016-01-01

Objective Recently, sustained inflations (SI) during chest compression (CC) have been suggested as an alternative to the current approach during neonatal resuscitation. However, the optimal rate of CC during SI has not yet been established. Our aim was to determine whether different CC rates during SI reduce time to return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and improve hemodynamic recovery in newborn piglets with asphyxia-induced bradycardia. Intervention and measurements Term newborn piglets were anesthetized, intubated, instrumented and exposed to 45-min normocapnic hypoxia followed by asphyxia. Resuscitation was initiated when heart rate decreased to 25% of baseline. Piglets were randomized into three groups: CC superimposed by SI at a rate of 90 CC per minute (SI+CC 90, n = 8), CC superimposed by SI at a rate of 120 CC per minute (SI+CC 120, n = 8), or a sham group (n = 6). Cardiac function, carotid blood flow, cerebral oxygenation and respiratory parameters were continuously recorded throughout the experiment. Main results Both treatment groups had similar time of ROSC, survival rates, hemodynamic and respiratory parameters during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The hemodynamic recovery in the subsequent 4h was similar in both groups and was only slightly lower than sham-operated piglets at the end of experiment. Conclusion Newborn piglets resuscitated by SI+CC 120 did not show a significant advantage in ROSC, survival, and hemodynamic recovery as compared to those piglets resuscitated by SI+CC 90. PMID:27304210

What Causes Care Coordination Problems? A Case for Microanalysis

PubMed Central

Zachary, Wayne; Maulitz, Russell Charles; Zachary, Drew A.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Care coordination (CC) is an important fulcrum for pursuing a range of health care goals. Current research and policy analyses have focused on aggregated data rather than on understanding what happens within individual cases. At the case level, CC emerges as a complex network of communications among providers over time, crossing and recrossing many organizational boundaries. Micro-level analysis is needed to understand where and how CC fails, as well as to identify best practices and root causes of problems. Coordination Process Diagramming: Coordination Process Diagramming (CPD) is a new framework for representing and analyzing CC arcs at the micro level, separating an arc into its participants and roles, communication structure, organizational structures, and transitions of care, all on a common time line. Conclusion: Comparative CPD analysis across a sample of CC arcs identifies common CC problems and potential root causes, showing the potential value of the framework. The analyses also suggest intervention strategies that could be applied to attack the root causes of CC problems, including organizational changes, education and training, and additional health information technology development. PMID:27563685

What is Swanson's Law & why Should you Care?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, S. F.; Partain, L.; Hansen, R. T.

2015-12-01

For 40 years the cost of Solar Photovoltaics (PV) has decreased by a factor of 2 for every 10X increase in its cumulative-installed electric-generating capacity (CC). The straight line, log-log, experimental and historical data fit of cost versus CC is called Swanson's Law for its accurate fit of the rapid decrease in cost over 6 orders of magnitude increase in CC with time. Now Solar PV is cost competitive with coal and natural gas in some regions and provides 1% of the world's electric generating capacity. The Law can next be tested to predict the future. With 2 more orders of magnitude increase in CC, Solar PV could provide 10% and then 100% of the world's current electric capacity, as the Law projects costs falling by another factor of 4. For the last 10 years CC has doubled every 2 years under strong public policy support. If this doubling and policy support are extended, an order-of-magnitude increase (10X) will occur every 6.6 yrs and installed solar PV capacity could reach 100% of the current world's consumption in 13 years or by 2028. The world's solar resource, accessible indefinitely and yearly to PV, is over 1000 times current consumption while coal, uranium, petroleum and natural gas are finite, limited resources, destined to be depleted within our lifetimes or the lives of our children or grandchildren. In 2015 a 56 MW fossil fueled power plant was shut down at Stanford University and replaced with Solar PV and geothermal to save money and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. If more such shut downs could follow this same 2 year doubling time as Solar PV, then the replacements could exceed 14,000 within 26 years or by 2041, including all 7000 current coal-fired plants plus an equivalent number fueled by uranium, petroleum and natural gas. These shut-downs, including all current fossil-fueled-power plants, could start reversing the human-generated, greenhouse-gas-induced, global climate changes by 2041.

Association between Electronic Cigarette Use and Asthma among High School Students in South Korea

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

Cho, Jun Ho; Paik, Samuel Y.

Little is known about health outcomes related to electronic cigarette (EC) use, despite its growing popularity. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between EC use and asthma. The study design is a cross-sectional study. A total of 35,904 high school students were included as the final study population. The presence of asthma was based on a student’s self-reported doctor diagnosis of asthma in the past 12 months. Results showed prevalence rates of asthmatics in ‘current EC users’ (n = 2,513), ‘former EC users’ (n = 2,078), and ‘never EC users’ (n = 31,313), were 3.9% (nmore » = 98), 2.2% (n = 46) and 1.7% (n = 530), respectively. Comparing ‘current EC’ users with ‘never EC’ users, the unadjusted OR for asthma was 2.36 (95% CI: 1.89–2.94). In order to control for the effect of conventional cigarette (CC) smoking, after stratifying the subjects by the three CC smoking categories (never CC, former CC, and current CC), within the ‘never CC’ category, the unadjusted OR for asthma for ‘current EC’ users was 3.41 (95% CI: 1.79–6.49), and the adjusted OR was 2.74 (95% CI: 1.30–5.78). Severe asthma was reflected by the number of days absent from school due to asthma symptoms; current EC users had the highest adjusted OR for severe asthma compared to ‘never EC’ users. In conclusion, when compared to a reference population of high school students in South Korea, EC users have an increased association with asthma and are more likely to have had days absent from school due to severe asthma symptoms. In conclusion, the results indicate that EC use may be a risk factor for asthma. The results may be useful in developing a scientific basis for the evaluation of a potential health hazard by EC.« less

Association between Electronic Cigarette Use and Asthma among High School Students in South Korea

DOE PAGES

Cho, Jun Ho; Paik, Samuel Y.

2016-03-04

Little is known about health outcomes related to electronic cigarette (EC) use, despite its growing popularity. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between EC use and asthma. The study design is a cross-sectional study. A total of 35,904 high school students were included as the final study population. The presence of asthma was based on a student’s self-reported doctor diagnosis of asthma in the past 12 months. Results showed prevalence rates of asthmatics in ‘current EC users’ (n = 2,513), ‘former EC users’ (n = 2,078), and ‘never EC users’ (n = 31,313), were 3.9% (nmore » = 98), 2.2% (n = 46) and 1.7% (n = 530), respectively. Comparing ‘current EC’ users with ‘never EC’ users, the unadjusted OR for asthma was 2.36 (95% CI: 1.89–2.94). In order to control for the effect of conventional cigarette (CC) smoking, after stratifying the subjects by the three CC smoking categories (never CC, former CC, and current CC), within the ‘never CC’ category, the unadjusted OR for asthma for ‘current EC’ users was 3.41 (95% CI: 1.79–6.49), and the adjusted OR was 2.74 (95% CI: 1.30–5.78). Severe asthma was reflected by the number of days absent from school due to asthma symptoms; current EC users had the highest adjusted OR for severe asthma compared to ‘never EC’ users. In conclusion, when compared to a reference population of high school students in South Korea, EC users have an increased association with asthma and are more likely to have had days absent from school due to severe asthma symptoms. In conclusion, the results indicate that EC use may be a risk factor for asthma. The results may be useful in developing a scientific basis for the evaluation of a potential health hazard by EC.« less

Ab initio study of H + + H 2 collisions: Elastic/inelastic and charge transfer processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saieswari, A.; Kumar, Sanjay

2007-12-01

An ab initio full configuration interaction study has been undertaken to obtain the global potential energy surfaces for the ground and the first excited electronic state of the H + + H 2 system employing Dunning's cc-pVQZ basis set. Using the ab initio approach the corresponding quasi-diabatic potential energy surfaces and coupling potentials have been obtained. A time-independent quantum mechanical study has been also undertaken for both the inelastic and charge transfer processes at the experimental collision energy Ec.m. = 20.0 eV and the preliminary results show better agreement with the experimental data as compared to the earlier available theoretical studies.

A theoretical investigation of one-dimensional lithium-bonded chain: enhanced first hyperpolarizability and little red-shift.

PubMed

Ma, Fang; Bai, Dongsheng; Xu, Hongliang

2014-12-01

We present a theoretical investigation of the electric properties of two kinds of one-dimensional lithium bonded chains: (NC-Li)n and (NC-CC-Li)n (n = 1-8). The resulting (NC-Li)n and (NC-CC-Li)n were found to exhibit enhanced first hyperpolarizabilities (β 0) with increasing n, and a slight change in the absorption maximum wavelength λmax at the crucial transition. Comparing with (NC-Li)n, (NC-CC-Li)n exhibited particularly drastically enhanced β 0 values due to clearly enhanced coupled oscillators and double-degenerated charge transitions. β 0 is known to be the microscopic origin of the second-order non-linear optical (NLO) property, and λmax is an approximate measure of the transparency achievable, thus both are important indices of high-performance NLO molecules. Therefore, our investigations into one-dimensional lithium bond chains will be beneficial to understanding the relationship between β 0 and λmax, thus aiding the design of one-dimensional NLO materials with excellent transparence-efficiency.

Experiment of low resistance joints for the ITER correction coil.

PubMed

Liu, Huajun; Wu, Yu; Wu, Weiyue; Liu, Bo; Shi, Yi; Guo, Shuai

2013-01-01

A test method was designed and performed to measure joint resistance of the ITER correction coil (CC) in liquid helium (LHe) temperature. A 10 kA superconducting transformer was manufactured to provide the joints current. The transformer consisted of two concentric layer-wound superconducting solenoids. NbTi superconducting wire was wound in the primary coil and the ITER CC conductor was wound in the secondary coil. The primary and the secondary coils were both immersed in liquid helium of a 300 mm useful bore diameter cryostat. Two ITER CC joints were assembled in the secondary loop and tested. The current of the secondary loop was ramped to 9 kA in several steps. The two joint resistances were measured to be 1.2 nΩ and 1.65 nΩ, respectively.

Chest compression during sustained inflation versus 3:1 chest compression:ventilation ratio during neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a randomised feasibility trial.

PubMed

Schmölzer, Georg M; O Reilly, Megan; Fray, Caroline; van Os, Sylvia; Cheung, Po-Yin

2017-10-07

Current neonatal resuscitation guidelines recommend 3:1 compression:ventilation (C:V) ratio. Recently, animal studies reported that continuous chest compressions (CC) during a sustained inflation (SI) significantly improved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The approach of CC during SI (CC+SI) has not been examined in the delivery room during neonatal resuscitation. It is a feasibility study to compare CC+SI versus 3:1 C:V ratio during neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room. We hypothesised that during neonatal resuscitation, CC+SI will reduce the time to ROSC. Our aim was to examine if CC+SI reduces ROSC compared with 3:1 C:V CPR in preterm infants <33 weeks of gestation. Randomised feasibility trial. Once CC was indicated all eligible infants were immediately and randomly allocated to either CC+SI group or 3:1 C:V group. A sequentially numbered, brown, sealed envelope contained a folded card box with the treatment allocation was opened by the clinical team at the start of CC. Infants in the CC+SI group received CC at a rate of 90/min during an SI with a duration of 20 s (CC+SI). After 20 s, the SI was interrupted for 1 s and the next SI was started for another 20 s until ROSC. Infants in the '3:1 group' received CC using 3:1 C:V ratio until ROSC. Overall the mean (SD) time to ROSC was significantly shorter in the CC+SI group with 31 (9) s compared with 138 (72) s in the 3:1 C:V group (p=0.011). CC+SI is feasible in the delivery room. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02083705, pre-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Apport de la microscopie a effet tunnel a la caracterisation d'interfaces molecule-metal a fort transfert de charge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bedwani, Stephane

To assess the importance of charge-transfer on the interface properties, we studied the interaction of the tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) molecule with various copper surfaces. TCNE, a highly electrophilic molecule, appears as an ideal candidate to study the influence of high charge-transfer on the electronic and structural properties of molecule-surface interfaces. Indeed, various TCNE-transition metal complexes exhibit magnetism at room temperature, which is in agreement with a very significant change of the residual charge on the TCNE molecule. The adsorption of TCNE molecules on Cu(100) and Cu(111) surfaces was studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and by density functional theory (DFT) calculations with a local density approximation (LDA). DFT-LDA calculations were performed to determine the geometric and electronic structure of the studied interfaces. Mulliken analysis was used to evaluate the partial net charge on the adsorbed species. The density of states (DOS) diagrams provided informations on the nature of the frontier orbitals involved in the charge-transfer at molecule-metal interfaces. To validate the theoretical observations, a comparative study was conducted between our simulated STM images and experimental STM images provided by our collaborators. The theoretical STM images were obtained with the SPAGS-STM software using the Landauer-Buttiker formalism with a semi-empirical Hamiltonian based on the extended Huckel theory (EHT) and parameterized using DFT calculations. During the development of the SPAGS-STM software, we have created a discretization module allowing rapid generation of STM images. This module is based on an adaptive Delaunay meshing scheme to minimize the amount of tunneling current to be computed. The general idea consists into refining the mesh, and therefore the calculations, near large contrast zones rather than over the entire image. The adapted mesh provides an STM image resolution equivalent to that obtained with a conventional Cartesian grid but with a significantly smaller number of calculated pixels. This module is independent of the solver used to compute the tunneling current and can be transposed to different imaging techniques. Our work on the adsorption of TCNE molecules on Cu(100) surfaces revealed that the molecules assemble into a 1D chain, thereby buckling excessively a few Cu atoms from the surface. The large deformations observed at the molecule-metal interface show that the Cu atoms close to the TCNE nitrile groups assist the molecular assembly and show a distinct behavior compared with other Cu atoms. A strong charge-transfer is observed at the interface leading to an almost complete occupation of the state ascribed to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of TCNE in gas phase. In addition, a back-donation of charge from the molecule to the metal via the states associated with the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO) of TCNE in gas phase may be seen. The magnitude of the charge-transfer between a TCNE molecule and Cu atoms is of the same order on the Cu(111) surface but causes much less buckling than that on the Cu(100) surface. However, experimental STM images of single TCNE molecules adsorbed on Cu(111) surfaces reveal a surprising electronic multistability. In addition, scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) reveals that one of these states has a magnetic nature and shows a Kondo resonance. STM simulations identified the source of two non-magnetic states. DFT-LDA calculations were able to ascribe the magnetic state to the partial occupation of a state corresponding to the LUMO+2 of TCNE. Moreover, the calculations showed that additional molecular deformations to those of TCNE in adsorbed phase, such the elongation of the C=C central bond and the bend of nitrile groups toward the surface, favor this charge-transfer to the LUMO+2. This suggested the presence of a Kondo state through the vibrational excitation of the stretching mode of the C=C central bond. The main results of this thesis led to the conclusion that strong charge-transfer between adsorbed molecules on a metallic surface may induce significant buckling of the surface. This surface reconstruction mechanism that involves a bidirectional charge-transfer between the species results into a partial net charge over the molecule. This mechanism is involved in the supramolecular self-assembly process that appears similar to a coordination network. Moreover, the adsorbed molecule presents some important geometric distortions that alter its electronic structure. Additional distortions on the adsorbed molecule induced by some molecular vibration modes seem to explain a stable magnetic state that can be switch on or off by an electrical impulse. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Hierarchical nanostructures of polypyrrole@MnO2 composite electrodes for high performance solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors.

PubMed

Tao, Jiayou; Liu, Nishuang; Li, Luying; Su, Jun; Gao, Yihua

2014-03-07

A solid-state high performance flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was fabricated. Its anode is based on organic-inorganic materials, where polypyrrole (PPy) is uniformly wrapped on MnO2 nanoflowers grown on carbon cloth (CC), and its cathode is made of activated carbon (AC) on CC. The ASC has an areal capacitance of 1.41 F cm(-2) and an energy density of 0.63 mW h cm(-2) at a power density of 0.9 mW cm(-2). An energy storage unit fabricated using multiple ASCs can drive a light-emitting diode (LED) segment display, a mini motor and even a toy car after full charging. The high-performance ASCs have significant potential applications in flexible electronics and electrical vehicles.

Management of Systemic Right Ventricular Failure in Patients With Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries.

PubMed

Filippov, Aleksei A; Del Nido, Pedro J; Vasilyev, Nikolay V

2016-10-25

In recent decades, significant progress has been made in the diagnosis and management of congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA). Nevertheless, gradual dysfunction and failure of the right ventricle (RV) in the systemic circulation remain the main contributors to mortality and disability for patients with ccTGA, especially after adolescence. Anatomic repair of ccTGA effectively resolves the problem of failure of the systemic RV and has good early and midterm results. However, this strategy is applicable primarily in infants and children up to their teens and has associated risks and limitations, and new challenges can arise in the late postoperative period. Patients with ccTGA manifesting progressive systemic RV dysfunction beyond adolescence represent the major challenge. Several palliative options such as cardiac resynchronization therapy, tricuspid valve repair or replacement, pulmonary artery banding, and implantation of an assist device into the systemic RV can be used to improve functional status and to delay the progression of ventricular dysfunction in patients who are not suitable for anatomic correction of ccTGA. For adult patients with severe systemic RV failure, heart transplantation currently remains the only long-term lifesaving procedure, although donor organ availability remains one of the most limiting factors in this type of therapy. This review focuses on current surgical and medical strategies and interventional options for the prevention and management of systemic RV failure in adults and children with ccTGA. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Constant Current versus Constant Voltage Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease.

PubMed

Ramirez de Noriega, Fernando; Eitan, Renana; Marmor, Odeya; Lavi, Adi; Linetzky, Eduard; Bergman, Hagai; Israel, Zvi

2015-02-18

Background: Subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established therapy for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Motor efficacy and safety have been established for constant voltage (CV) devices and more recently for constant current (CC) devices. CC devices adjust output voltage to provide CC stimulation irrespective of impedance fluctuation, while the current applied by CV stimulation depends on the impedance that may change over time. No study has directly compared the clinical effects of these two stimulation modalities. Objective: To compare the safety and clinical impact of CC STN DBS to CV STN DBS in patients with advanced PD 2 years after surgery. Methods: Patients were eligible for inclusion if they had undergone STN DBS surgery for idiopathic PD, had been implanted with a Medtronic Activa PC and if their stimulation program and medication had been stable for at least 1 year. This single-center trial was designed as a double-blind, randomized, prospective study with crossover after 2 weeks. Motor equivalence of the 2 modalities was confirmed utilizing part III of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). PD diaries and multiple subjective and objective evaluations of quality of life, depression, cognition and emotional processing were evaluated on both CV and on CC stimulation. Analysis using the paired t test with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons was performed to identify any significant difference between the stimulation modalities. Results: 8 patients were recruited (6 men, 2 women); 1 patient did not complete the study. The average age at surgery was 56.7 years (range 47-63). Disease duration at the time of surgery was 7.5 years (range 3-12). Patients were recruited 23.8 months (range 22.5-24) after surgery. At the postoperative study baseline, this patient group showed an average motor improvement of 69% (range 51-97) as measured by the change in UPDRS part III with stimulation alone. Levodopa equivalent medication was reduced on average by 67% (range 15-88). Patients were poorly compliant with PD diaries, and these did not yield useful information. The minor deterioration in quality-of-life scores (Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire) with CC stimulation were not statistically significant. Two measures of depression (Hamilton Rating Scale D17, Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Self-Report) showed a nonsignificant lower score (less depression) with CC stimulation, but a third (Beck Depression Inventory) showed equivalence. Cognitive testing (Mini Mental State Examination) and emotional processing (Montreal Affective Voices) were equivalent for CC and CV. Conclusion: CC STN DBS is safe. For equivalent motor efficacy, no significant difference could be identified between CC and CV stimulation for nonmotor evaluations in PD patients 2 years after surgery. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Plasticity of Interhemispheric Temporal Lobe White Matter Pathways Due to Early Disruption of Corpus Callosum Development in Spina Bifida

PubMed Central

Juranek, Jenifer; Romanowska-Pawliczek, Anna; Hannay, H. Julia; Cirino, Paul T.; Dennis, Maureen; Kramer, Larry A.; Fletcher, Jack M.

2016-01-01

Abstract Spina bifida myelomeningocele (SBM) is commonly associated with anomalous development of the corpus callosum (CC) because of congenital partial hypogenesis and hydrocephalus-related hypoplasia. It represents a model disorder to examine the effects of early disruption of CC neurodevelopment and the plasticity of interhemispheric white matter connections. Diffusion tensor imaging was acquired on 76 individuals with SBM and 27 typically developing individuals, aged 8–36 years. Probabilistic tractography was used to isolate the interhemispheric connections between the posterior superior temporal lobes, which typically traverse the posterior third of the CC. Early disruption of CC development resulted in restructuring of interhemispheric connections through alternate commissures, particularly the anterior commissure (AC). These rerouted fibers were present in people with SBM and both CC hypoplasia and hypogenesis. In addition, microstructural integrity was reduced in the interhemispheric temporal tract in people with SBM, indexed by lower fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity, and higher radial diffusivity. Interhemispheric temporal tract volume was positively correlated with total volume of the CC, such that more severe underdevelopment of the CC was associated with fewer connections between the posterior temporal lobes. Therefore, both the macrostructure and microstructure of this interhemispheric tract were reduced, presumably as a result of more extensive CC malformation. The current findings suggest that early disruption in CC development reroutes interhemispheric temporal fibers through both the AC and more anterior sections of the CC in support of persistent hypotheses that the AC may serve a compensatory function in atypical CC development. PMID:26798959

Annual Gaseous Electronics Conference (44TH) Held in Albuquerque, New Mexico on 22-25 October 1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-01

Phys. Rev. A 38, 2471 (1988); J. E. Lawler et al., Phys. Rev. A 43, 4427 1991). T. J. Sommerer et al., Phys. Rev. A39, 6356 (1989). EA-2 Diagnostics and...Charged Ions with a Metal Surface.* F.W. MEYER, S.H. OVERBURY, CC. HAVENER, PA. ZEULMANS VAN EMMICHOVEN, and D.M. ZEHNER, ORNL -- Projectile K-Auger

Meta-analysis of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Gene Expression Defines a Variant Subgroup and Identifies Gender Influences on Tumor Biology

PubMed Central

Brannon, A. Rose; Haake, Scott M.; Hacker, Kathryn E.; Pruthi, Raj S.; Wallen, Eric M.; Nielsen, Matthew E.; Rathmell, W. Kimryn

2011-01-01

Background Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) displays molecular and histologic heterogeneity. Previously described subsets of this disease, ccA and ccB, were defined based on multigene expression profiles, but it is unclear whether these subgroupings reflect the full spectrum of disease or how these molecular subtypes relate to histologic descriptions or gender. Objective Determine whether additional subtypes of ccRCC exist and whether these subtypes are related to von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) inactivation, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1 and 2 expression, tumor histology, or gender. Design, setting, and participants Six large, publicly available ccRCC gene expression databases were identified that cumulatively provided data for 480 tumors for meta-analysis via meta-array compilation. Measurements Unsupervised consensus clustering was performed on the meta-arrays. Tumors were examined for the relationship of multigene-defined consensus subtypes and expression signatures of VHL mutation and HIF status, tumor histology, and gender. Results and limitations Two dominant subsets of ccRCC were observed. However, a minor third cluster was revealed that correlated strongly with a wild type (WT) VHL expression profile and indications of variant histologies. When variant histologies were removed, ccA tumors naturally divided by gender. This technique is limited by the potential for persistent batch effect, tumor sampling bias, and restrictions of annotated information. Conclusions The ccA and ccB subsets of ccRCC are robust in meta-analysis among histologically conventional ccRCC tumors. A third group of tumors was identified that may represent a new variant of ccRCC. Within definitively clear cell tumors, gender may delineate tumors in such a way that it could have implications regarding current treatments and future drug development. PMID:22030119

Defect detection in slab surface: a novel dual Charge-coupled Device imaging-based fuzzy connectedness strategy.

PubMed

Zhao, Liming; Ouyang, Qi; Chen, Dengfu; Udupa, Jayaram K; Wang, Huiqian; Zeng, Yuebin

2014-11-01

To provide an accurate surface defects inspection system and make the automation of robust image segmentation method a reality in routine production line, a general approach is presented for continuous casting slab (CC-slab) surface defects extraction and delineation. The applicability of the system is not tied to CC-slab exclusively. We combined the line array CCD (Charge-coupled Device) traditional scanning imaging (LS-imaging) and area array CCD laser three-dimensional (3D) scanning imaging (AL-imaging) strategies in designing the system. Its aim is to suppress the respective imaging system's limitations. In the system, the images acquired from the two CCD sensors are carefully aligned in space and in time by maximum mutual information-based full-fledged registration schema. Subsequently, the image information is fused from these two subsystems such as the unbroken 2D information in LS-imaging and 3D depressed information in AL-imaging. Finally, on the basis of the established dual scanning imaging system the region of interest (ROI) localization by seed specification was designed, and the delineation for ROI by iterative relative fuzzy connectedness (IRFC) algorithm was utilized to get a precise inspection result. Our method takes into account the complementary advantages in the two common machine vision (MV) systems and it performs competitively with the state-of-the-art as seen from the comparison of experimental results. For the first time, a joint imaging scanning strategy is proposed for CC-slab surface defect inspection that allows a feasible way of powerful ROI delineation strategies to be applied to the MV inspection field. Multi-ROI delineation by using IRFC in this research field may further improve the results.

Coherence of long-term variations of zooplankton in two sectors of the California Current System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavaniegos, Bertha E.; Ohman, Mark D.

2007-10-01

We analyzed long-term (56-year) variations in springtime biomass of the zooplankton of the California Current System from two primary regions sampled by CalCOFI: Southern California (SC) and Central California (CC) waters. All organisms were enumerated from the plankton samples and converted to organic carbon biomass using length-carbon relationships, then aggregated into 19 major taxa. Planktonic copepods dominate the carbon biomass in both SC (59%) and CC (46%), followed by euphausiids (18% and 25% of mean biomass in SC and CC, respectively). Pelagic tunicates, especially salps and doliolids, constituted a higher fraction of the biomass in CC (13%) than in SC (5%). There was no long-term trend detectable in total zooplankton carbon biomass, in marked contrast to a decline in zooplankton displacement volume in both regions. The difference between these biomass metrics is accounted for by a long-term decline in pelagic tunicates (particularly salps), which have a relatively high ratio of biovolume:carbon. The decline in pelagic tunicates was accompanied by a long-term increase in water column density stratification. No other taxa showed a decline over the duration of the study, apart from salps and pyrosomes in SC and doliolids in CC. Some zooplankton taxa showed compensatory increases over the same time period (ostracods, large decapods, and calycophoran siphonophores in both SC and CC; appendicularians and polychaetes in SC). Two tests for ecosystem shifts, a sequential algorithm and the cumulative sum of anomalies (CuSum) approach, failed to detect changes in 1976-1977 in total carbon biomass, displacement volume, or most individual major taxa, suggesting that aggregated biomass is an insensitive indicator of climate forcing. In contrast, both techniques revealed a cluster of step-like changes associated with the La Niña of 1999. The major El Niño’s in the past half century have consistently depressed total zooplankton biomass and biomass of many major taxa in both SC and CC, although such effects are transitory. Much, but not all, of the interannual variability in zooplankton is shared between the Southern and Central California sectors of the California Current System.

High-Performance InGaAs/InP Composite-Channel High Electron Mobility Transistors Grown by Metal-Organic Vapor-Phase Epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiyama, Hiroki; Kosugi, Toshihiko; Yokoyama, Haruki; Murata, Koichi; Yamane, Yasuro; Tokumitsu, Masami; Enoki, Takatomo

2008-04-01

This paper reports InGaAs/InP composite-channel (CC) high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) grown by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE) with excellent breakdown and high-speed characteristics. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveals high-quality heterointerfaces between In(Ga,Al)As and In(Al)P. Fabricated 80-nm-gate CC HEMTs exhibit on- and off-state breakdown (burnout) voltages estimated at higher than 3 and 8 V. An excellent current-gain cutoff frequency ( fT) of 186 GHz is also obtained in the CC HEMTs. The on-wafer uniformity of CC-HEMT characteristics is comparable to those of our mature 100-nm-gate InGaAs single-channel HEMTs. Bias-stress aging tests reveals that the lifetime of CC HEMTs is expected to be comparable to that of our conventional InGaAs single-channel HEMTs.

Coincidence charged-current neutrino-induced deuteron disintegration for 2H2 16O

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Orden, J. W.; Donnelly, T. W.; Moreno, O.

2017-12-01

Semi-inclusive charge-changing neutrino reactions on targets of heavy water are investigated with the goal of determining the relative contributions to the total cross section of deuterium and oxygen in kinematics chosen to emphasize the former. The study is undertaken for conditions where the typical neutrino beam energies are in the few GeV region, and hence relativistic modeling is essential. For this, the previous relativistic approach for the deuteron is employed, together with a spectral function approach for the case of oxygen. Upon optimizing the kinematics of the final-state particles assumed to be detected (typically a muon and a proton) it is shown that the oxygen contribution to the total cross section is suppressed by roughly an order of magnitude compared with the deuterium cross section, thereby confirming that CC ν studies of heavy water can effectively yield the cross sections for deuterium, with acceptable backgrounds from oxygen. This opens the possibility of using deuterium to determine the incident neutrino flux distribution, to have it serve as a target for which the nuclear structure issues are minimal, and possibly to use deuterium to provide improved knowledge of specific aspects of hadronic structure, such as to explore the momentum transfer dependence of the isovector axial-vector form factor of the nucleon.

A complete carbon counter electrode for high performance quasi solid state dye sensitized solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arbab, Alvira Ayoub; Peerzada, Mazhar Hussain; Sahito, Iftikhar Ali; Jeong, Sung Hoon

2017-03-01

The proposed research describes the design and fabrication of a quasi-solid state dye sensitized solar cells (Q-DSSCs) with a complete carbon based counter electrode (CC-CE) and gel infused membrane electrolyte. For CE, the platinized fluorinated tin oxide glass (Pt/FTO) was replaced by the soft cationic functioned multiwall carbon nanotubes (SCF-MWCNT) catalytic layer coated on woven carbon fiber fabric (CFF) prepared on handloom by interlacing of carbon filament tapes. SCF-MWCNT were synthesized by functionalization of cationised lipase from Candida Ragusa. Cationised enzyme solution was prepared at pH ∼3 by using acetic acid. The cationic enzyme functionalization of MWCNT causes the minimum damage to the tubular morphology and assist in fast anchoring of negative iodide ions present in membrane electrolyte. The high electrocatalytic activity and low charge transfer resistance (RCT = 2.12 Ω) of our proposed system of CC-CE shows that the woven CFF coated with cationised lipase treated carbon nanotubes enriched with positive surface ions. The Q-DSSCs fabricated with CC-CE and 5 wt% PEO gel infused PVDF-HFP membrane electrolyte exhibit power conversion efficiency of 8.90% under masking. Our suggested low cost and highly efficient system of CC-CE helps the proposed quasi-solid state DSSCs structure to stand out as sustainable next generation solar cells.

Assessment of TD-DFT methods and of various spin scaled CIS(D) and CC2 versions for the treatment of low-lying valence excitations of large organic dyes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goerigk, Lars; Grimme, Stefan

2010-05-01

We present an extension of our previously published benchmark set for low-lying valence transitions of large organic dyes [L. Goerigk et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 11, 4611 (2009)]. The new set comprises in total 12 molecules, including two charged species and one with a clear charge-transfer transition. Our previous study on TD-DFT methods is repeated for the new test set with a larger basis set. Additionally, we want to shed light on different spin-scaled variants of the configuration interaction singles with perturbative doubles correction [CIS(D)] and the approximate coupled cluster singles and doubles method (CC2). Particularly for CIS(D) we want to clarify, which of the proposed versions can be recommended. Our results indicate that an unpublished SCS-CIS(D) variant, which is implemented into the TURBOMOLE program package, shows worse results than the original CIS(D) method, while other modified versions perform better. An SCS-CIS(D) version with a parameterization, that has already been used in an application by us recently [L. Goerigk and S. Grimme, ChemPhysChem 9, 2467 (2008)], yields the best results. Another SCS-CIS(D) version and the SOS-CIS(D) method [Y. M. Rhee and M. Head-Gordon, J. Phys. Chem. A 111, 5314 (2007)] perform very similar, though. For the electronic transitions considered herein, there is no improvement observed when going from the original CC2 to the SCS-CC2 method but further adjustment of the latter seems to be beneficial. Double-hybrid density functionals belong to best methods tested here. Particularly B2GP-PLYP provides uniformly good results for the complete set and is considered to be close to chemical accuracy within an ab initio theory of color. For conventional hybrid functionals, a Fock-exchange mixing parameter of about 0.4 seems to be optimum in TD-DFT treatments of large chromophores. A range-separated functional such as, e.g., CAM-B3LYP seems also to be promising.

Uranyl Coordination Polymers Incorporating η5-Cyclopentadienyliron-Functionalized η6-Phthalate Metalloligands: Syntheses, Structures and Photophysical Properties

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

Kerr, Andrew T.; Kumalah, Sayon A.; Holman, K. T.

2013-10-06

The reaction of two η5-cyclopentadienyliron(II)-functionalized terephthalate and phthalate metalloligands, namely [(η5-C5H5)FeII(η6-1,4-HO2CC6H4CO2H)][(η5-C5H5)FeII(η6-1,4-HO2CC6H4CO2)][PF6] and [(η5-C5H5)FeII(η6-1,2-HO2CC6H4CO2H)][(η5-C5H5)FeII(η6-1,2-HO2CC6H4CO2)][PF6]—hereafter [H2 CpFeTP][HCpFeTP][PF6] and [H2 CpFeP][HCpFeP][PF6], respectively—with [UO2(NO3)2]·6H2O under hydrothermal conditions yielded four new coordination polymers; (1) [(UO2)F(HCpFeTP)(PO4H2)]·2H2O, (2) [(UO2)2(CpFeTP)4]·5H2O, (3) [(UO2)2F3(H2O)(CpFeP)], and (4) [H2 CpFeP][UO2F3]. The use of metalloligands has proven to be a viable route towards the incorporation of a secondary metal center into uranyl bearing materials. Depending upon the protonation state, the iron sandwich metalloligands may vary from zwitterionic neutral or monoanionic coordinating species as observed in compounds 1–3, or a positively charged species that hydrogen bonds with anionic [UO2F3]- chains as observed in 4.more » Further, the hydrolysis of the charge balancing PF6 - anion increases the diversity of UO2 2+ coordinating species by contributing both F- and PO4 3- anions (1, 3, 4). The luminescent properties of 1–4 were also studied and revealed the absence of uranyl emission, suggestive of a possible energy transfer from the uranyl cation to the iron(II) metal center.« less

Chloride channel inhibition by a red wine extract and a synthetic small molecule prevents rotaviral secretory diarrhoea in neonatal mice.

PubMed

Ko, Eun-A; Jin, Byung-Ju; Namkung, Wan; Ma, Tonghui; Thiagarajah, Jay R; Verkman, A S

2014-07-01

Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe secretory diarrhoea in infants and young children globally. The rotaviral enterotoxin, NSP4, has been proposed to stimulate calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCC) on the apical plasma membrane of intestinal epithelial cells. We previously identified red wine and small molecule CaCC inhibitors. To investigate the efficacy of a red wine extract and a synthetic small molecule, CaCCinh-A01, in inhibiting intestinal CaCCs and rotaviral diarrhoea. Inhibition of CaCC-dependent current was measured in T84 cells and mouse ileum. The effectiveness of an orally administered wine extract and CaCCinh-A01 in inhibiting diarrhoea in vivo was determined in a neonatal mouse model of rotaviral infection. Screening of ∼150 red wines revealed a Cabernet Sauvignon that inhibited CaCC current in T84 cells with IC50 at a ∼1:200 dilution, and higher concentrations producing 100% inhibition. A >1 kdalton wine extract prepared by dialysis, which retained full inhibition activity, blocked CaCC current in T84 cells and mouse intestine. In rotavirus-inoculated mice, oral administration of the wine extract prevented diarrhoea by inhibition of intestinal fluid secretion without affecting rotaviral infection. The wine extract did not inhibit the cystic fibrosis chloride channel (CFTR) in cell cultures, nor did it prevent watery stools in neonatal mice administered cholera toxin, which activates CFTR-dependent fluid secretion. CaCCinh-A01 also inhibited rotaviral diarrhoea. Our results support a pathogenic role for enterocyte CaCCs in rotaviral diarrhoea and demonstrate the antidiarrhoeal action of CaCC inhibition by an alcohol-free, red wine extract and by a synthetic small molecule. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Self-ordered, controlled structure nanoporous membranes using constant current anodization.

PubMed

Lee, Kwan; Tang, Yun; Ouyang, Min

2008-12-01

We report a constant current (CC) based anodization technique to fabricate and control structure of mechanically stable anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with a long-range ordered hexagonal nanopore pattern. For the first time we show that interpore distance (Dint) of a self-ordered nanopore feature can be continuously tuned over a broad range with CC anodization and is uniquely defined by the conductivity of sulfuric acid as electrolyte. We further demonstrate that this technique can offer new degrees of freedom for engineering planar nanopore structures by fine tailoring the CC based anodization process. Our results not only facilitate further understanding of self-ordering mechanism of alumina membranes but also provide a fast, simple (without requirement of prepatterning or preoxide layer), and flexible methodology for controlling complex nanoporous structures, thus offering promising practical applications in nanotechnology.

Substitution effects on the absorption spectra of nitrophenolate isomers.

PubMed

Wanko, Marius; Houmøller, Jørgen; Støchkel, Kristian; Suhr Kirketerp, Maj-Britt; Petersen, Michael Åxman; Nielsen, Mogens Brøndsted; Nielsen, Steen Brøndsted; Rubio, Angel

2012-10-05

Charge-transfer excitations highly depend on the electronic coupling between the donor and acceptor groups. Nitrophenolates are simple examples of charge-transfer systems where the degree of coupling differs between ortho, meta and para isomers. Here we report the absorption spectra of the isolated anions in vacuo to avoid the complications of solvent effects. Gas-phase action spectroscopy was done with two different setups, an electrostatic ion storage ring and an accelerator mass spectrometer. The results are interpreted on the basis of CC2 quantum chemical calculations. We identified absorption maxima at 393, 532, and 399 nm for the para, meta, and ortho isomer, respectively, with the charge-transfer transition into the lowest excited singlet state. In the meta isomer, this π-π* transition is strongly redshifted and its oscillator strength reduced, which is related to the pronounced charge-transfer character, as a consequence of the topology of the conjugated π-system. Each isomer's different charge distribution in the ground state leads to a very different solvent shift, which in acetonitrile is bathochromic for the para and ortho, but hypsochromic for the meta isomer.

Structural, vibrational spectroscopic and quantum chemical studies on indole-3-carboxaldehyde

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Premkumar, R.; Asath, R. Mohamed; Mathavan, T.; Benial, A. Milton Franklin

2017-05-01

The potential energy surface (PES) scan was performed for indole-3-carboxaldehyde (ICA) and the most stable optimized conformer was predicted using DFT/B3LYP method with 6-31G basis set. The vibrational frequencies of ICA were theoretically calculated by the DFT/B3LYP method with cc-pVTZ basis set using Gaussian 09 program. The vibrational spectra were experimentally recorded by Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) and Fourier transform-Raman spectrometer (FT-Raman). The computed vibrational frequencies were scaled by scaling factors to yield a good agreement with observed vibrational frequencies. The theoretically calculated and experimentally observed vibrational frequencies were assigned on the basis of potential energy distribution (PED) calculation using VEDA 4.0 program. The molecular interaction, stability and intramolecular charge transfer of ICA were studied using frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) analysis and Mulliken atomic charge distribution shows the distribution of the atomic charges. The presence of intramolecular charge transfer was studied using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis.

Optimal Chest Compression Rate and Compression to Ventilation Ratio in Delivery Room Resuscitation: Evidence from Newborn Piglets and Neonatal Manikins

PubMed Central

Solevåg, Anne Lee; Schmölzer, Georg M.

2017-01-01

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) duration until return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) influences survival and neurologic outcomes after delivery room (DR) CPR. High quality chest compressions (CC) improve cerebral and myocardial perfusion. Improved myocardial perfusion increases the likelihood of a faster ROSC. Thus, optimizing CC quality may improve outcomes both by preserving cerebral blood flow during CPR and by reducing the recovery time. CC quality is determined by rate, CC to ventilation (C:V) ratio, and applied force, which are influenced by the CC provider. Thus, provider performance should be taken into account. Neonatal resuscitation guidelines recommend a 3:1 C:V ratio. CCs should be delivered at a rate of 90/min synchronized with ventilations at a rate of 30/min to achieve a total of 120 events/min. Despite a lack of scientific evidence supporting this, the investigation of alternative CC interventions in human neonates is ethically challenging. Also, the infrequent occurrence of extensive CPR measures in the DR make randomized controlled trials difficult to perform. Thus, many biomechanical aspects of CC have been investigated in animal and manikin models. Despite mathematical and physiological rationales that higher rates and uninterrupted CC improve CPR hemodynamics, studies indicate that provider fatigue is more pronounced when CC are performed continuously compared to when a pause is inserted after every third CC as currently recommended. A higher rate (e.g., 120/min) is also more fatiguing, which affects CC quality. In post-transitional piglets with asphyxia-induced cardiac arrest, there was no benefit of performing continuous CC at a rate of 90/min. Not only rate but duty cycle, i.e., the duration of CC/total cycle time, is a known determinant of CC effectiveness. However, duty cycle cannot be controlled with manual CC. Mechanical/automated CC in neonatal CPR has not been explored, and feedback systems are under-investigated in this population. Evidence indicates that providers perform CC at rates both higher and lower than recommended. Video recording of DR CRP has been increasingly applied and observational studies of what is actually done in relation to outcomes could be useful. Different CC rates and ratios should also be investigated under controlled experimental conditions in animals during perinatal transition. PMID:28168185

DFT analysis on the molecular structure, vibrational and electronic spectra of 2-(cyclohexylamino)ethanesulfonic acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renuga Devi, T. S.; Sharmi kumar, J.; Ramkumaar, G. R.

2015-02-01

The FTIR and FT-Raman spectra of 2-(cyclohexylamino)ethanesulfonic acid were recorded in the regions 4000-400 cm-1 and 4000-50 cm-1 respectively. The structural and spectroscopic data of the molecule in the ground state were calculated using Hartee-Fock and Density functional method (B3LYP) with the correlation consistent-polarized valence double zeta (cc-pVDZ) basis set and 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The most stable conformer was optimized and the structural and vibrational parameters were determined based on this. The complete assignments were performed based on the Potential Energy Distribution (PED) of the vibrational modes, calculated using Vibrational Energy Distribution Analysis (VEDA) 4 program. With the observed FTIR and FT-Raman data, a complete vibrational assignment and analysis of the fundamental modes of the compound were carried out. Thermodynamic properties and Atomic charges were calculated using both Hartee-Fock and density functional method using the cc-pVDZ basis set and compared. The calculated HOMO-LUMO energy gap revealed that charge transfer occurs within the molecule. 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated using Gauge Including Atomic Orbital (GIAO) method and were compared with experimental results. Stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjugative interactions, charge delocalization have been analyzed using Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis. The first order hyperpolarizability (β) and Molecular Electrostatic Potential (MEP) of the molecule was computed using DFT calculations. The electron density based local reactivity descriptor such as Fukui functions were calculated to explain the chemical reactivity site in the molecule.

Pulse charging of lead-acid traction cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smithrick, J. J.

1980-01-01

Pulse charging, as a method of rapidly and efficiently charging 300 amp-hour lead-acid traction cells for an electric vehicle application was investigated. A wide range of charge pulse current square waveforms were investigated and the results were compared to constant current charging at the time averaged pulse current values. Representative pulse current waveforms were: (1) positive waveform-peak charge pulse current of 300 amperes (amps), discharge pulse-current of zero amps, and a duty cycle of about 50%; (2) Romanov waveform-peak charge pulse current of 300 amps, peak discharge pulse current of 15 amps, and a duty of 50%; and (3) McCulloch waveform peak charge pulse current of 193 amps, peak discharge pulse current of about 575 amps, and a duty cycle of 94%. Experimental results indicate that on the basis of amp-hour efficiency, pulse charging offered no significant advantage as a method of rapidly charging 300 amp-hour lead-acid traction cells when compared to constant current charging at the time average pulse current value. There were, however, some disadvantages of pulse charging in particular a decrease in charge amp-hour and energy efficiencies and an increase in cell electrolyte temperature. The constant current charge method resulted in the best energy efficiency with no significant sacrifice of charge time or amp-hour output. Whether or not pulse charging offers an advantage over constant current charging with regard to the cell charge/discharge cycle life is unknown at this time.

Testing of a Miniature Loop Heat Pipe Using a Thermal Electrical Cooler for Temperature Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ku, Jentung; Jeong, Soeng-II; Butler, Dan

2004-01-01

This paper describes the design and testing of a miniature LHP having a 7 mm O.D. evaporator with an integral CC. The vapor line and liquid line are made of 1.6mm stainless steel tubing. The evaporator and the CC are connected on the outer surface by a copper strap and a thermoelectric (TEC) is installed on the strap. The TEC is used to control the CC temperature by applying an electrical current for heating or cooling. Tests performed in ambient included start-up, power cycle, sink temperature cycle, and CC temperature control using TEC. The LHP demonstrated very robust operation in all tests where the heat load varied between 0.5W and 1OOW, and the sink temperature varied between 243K and 293K. The heat leak from the evaporator to the CC was extremely small. The TEC was able to control the CC temperature within +/-0.3K under all test conditions, and the required control heater power was less than 1W.

Parental communication style and family relationships in children of bipolar parents.

PubMed

Vance, Yvonne H; Huntley Jones, Steven; Espie, Jonathan; Bentall, Richard; Tai, Sara

2008-09-01

To examine relationships between parental communication styles and family environment in parents with bipolar disorder (BD) and their children (CBP). On measures of parental communication styles and family environment, 20 BD parents and their 23 children (CBP) were compared to controls. Children completed a current mood measure. BD parents endorsed more negative communication styles and were less expressive than controls. CBP presented with more current or lifetime mood disorder diagnoses than control children (CC). Current depressive mood was associated with different perceptions of family environment for both CBP and CC. This familial high risk design indicated differences in family environment, parenting style, and in children of bipolar parents' perception of their family environment as it relates to their current mood.

Communication: Infrared spectroscopy of protonated allyl-trimethylsilane: Evidence for the β-silyl effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiavarino, Barbara; Crestoni, Maria Elisa; Lemaire, Joel; Maitre, Philippe; Fornarini, Simonetta

2013-08-01

β-trimethylsilyl-2-propyl cation has been formed by the gas phase protonation of allyl-trimethylsilane and characterized by infrared multiple photon dissociation spectroscopy. The experimental Cβ-Cα+ stretching feature at 1586 cm-1, remarkably blue-shifted with respect to a C-C single bond stretching mode, is indicative of high double bond character, a signature of β-stabilizing effect due to hyperconjugation of the trimethylsilyl group in the β-position with respect to the positively charged carbon. Density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/6-311++G(2df,2p) level yield the optimized geometries and IR spectra for candidate isomeric cations and for neutral and charged reference species.

DFT simulations and vibrational spectra of 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol.

PubMed

Renuga Devi, T S; Sharmi kumar, J; Ramkumaar, G R

2014-12-10

The FTIR and FT-Raman spectra of 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol were recorded in the regions 4000-400cm(-1) and 4000-50cm(-1) respectively. The structural and spectroscopic data of the molecule in the ground state were calculated using Hartee-Fock and density functional method (B3LYP) with the augmented-correlation consistent-polarized valence double zeta (aug-cc-pVDZ) basis set. The most stable conformer was optimized and the structural and vibrational parameters were determined based on this. The complete assignments were performed on the basis of the Potential Energy Distribution (PED) of the vibrational modes, calculated using Vibrational Energy Distribution Analysis (VEDA) 4 program. With the observed FTIR and FT-Raman data, a complete vibrational assignment and analysis of the fundamental modes of the compound were carried out. Thermodynamic properties and Mulliken charges were calculated using both Hartee-Fock and density functional method using the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set and compared. The calculated HOMO-LUMO energy gap revealed that charge transfer occurs within the molecule. (1)H and (13)C NMR chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated using Gauge-Independent Atomic Orbital (GIAO) method and were compared with experimental results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DFT calculation and vibrational spectroscopic studies of 2-(tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) -amino)-5-bromopyridine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Premkumar, S.; Jawahar, A.; Mathavan, T.; Kumara Dhas, M.; Sathe, V. G.; Milton Franklin Benial, A.

2014-08-01

The molecular structure of 2-(tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) -amino)-5-bromopyridine (BABP) was optimized by the DFT/B3LYP method with 6-311G (d,p), 6-311++G (d,p) and cc-pVTZ basis sets using the Gaussian 09 program. The most stable optimized structure of the molecule was predicted by the DFT/B3LYP method with cc-pVTZ basis set. The vibrational frequencies, Mulliken atomic charge distribution, frontier molecular orbitals and thermodynamical parameters were calculated. These calculations were done at the ground state energy level of BABP without applying any constraint on the potential energy surface. The vibrational spectra were experimentally recorded using Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) and micro-Raman spectrometer. The computed vibrational frequencies were scaled by scale factors to yield a good agreement with observed experimental vibrational frequencies. The complete theoretically calculated and experimentally observed vibrational frequencies were assigned on the basis of Potential Energy Distribution (PED) calculation using the VEDA 4.0 program. The vibrational modes assignments were performed by using the animation option of GaussView 05 graphical interface for Gaussian program. The Mulliken atomic charge distribution was calculated for BABP molecule. The molecular reactivity and stability of BABP were also studied by frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) analysis.

Randomized controlled trial comparing laparoscopic ovarian diathermy with clomiphene citrate as a first-line method of ovulation induction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

PubMed

Amer, S A; Li, T C; Metwally, M; Emarh, M; Ledger, W L

2009-01-01

Laparoscopic ovarian diathermy (LOD) is currently accepted as a successful second-line treatment for ovulation induction (OI) in clomiphene citrate (CC)-resistant women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that LOD may be superior to CC as a first-line treatment. The study included 72 anovulatory women with PCOS who were randomized to LOD (n = 36) or CC (n = 36). Women who remained anovulatory after LOD were offered CC. Similarly, women receiving CC who failed to ovulate or conceive were offered LOD. Pregnancy rates were compared between the two groups using chi(2) and odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (OR, 95% CI). After randomization, six women conceived before starting treatment and another patient postponed treatment. The remaining 65 women received the treatment (33 underwent LOD and 32 received CC). After the primary treatment, more pregnancies (44%) occurred in women receiving CC than in those undergoing LOD (27%), although the difference did not reach statistical significance [P = 0.13, OR 2.1 (0.7 - 5.8)]. After adding the second treatment, the pregnancy rate was still higher, but to a less extent, in the CC group [63% versus 52%, P = 0.2, OR 1.6 (0.6 - 4.2)]. LOD is not superior to CC as a first-line method of OI in women with PCOS. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov with an identifier number NCT00220545.

Opinion of Belgian Egg Farmers on Hen Welfare and Its Relationship with Housing Type

PubMed Central

Stadig, Lisanne M.; Ampe, Bart A.; Van Gansbeke, Suzy; Van den Bogaert, Tom; D’Haenens, Evelien; Heerkens, Jasper L.T.; Tuyttens, Frank A.M.

2015-01-01

Simple Summary Until 2012, laying hens in the EU were often housed in conventional cages that offered limited space and few opportunities to perform highly motivated behaviors. Conventional cages are now banned in the EU in order to improve animal welfare. In this study, egg farmers were surveyed (winter 2013–2014) to assess whether they perceived any changes in animal welfare since changing housing systems, what role hen welfare played in choosing a new housing system, and which aspects of hen welfare they find most important. The data show that the answers differ depending on which housing system the farmers currently use and whether they had used conventional cages in the past. Abstract As of 2012, the EU has banned the use of conventional cages (CC) for laying hens, causing a shift in housing systems. This study’s aim was to gain insight into farmers’ opinions on hen health and welfare in their current housing systems. A survey was sent to 218 Belgian egg farmers, of which 127 (58.3%) responded, with 84 still active as egg farmer. Hen welfare tended to be less important in choosing the housing system for farmers with cage than with non-cage systems. Respondents currently using cage systems were more satisfied with hen health than respondents with non-cage systems. Reported mortality increased with farm size and was higher in furnished cages than in floor housing. Feather pecking, cannibalism, smothering and mortality were perceived to be higher in current housing systems than in CC, but only by respondents who shifted to non-cage systems from previously having had CC. Health- and production-related parameters were scored to be more important for hen welfare as compared to behavior-related parameters. Those without CC in the past rated factors relating to natural behavior to be more important for welfare than those with CC. This difference in opinion based on farmer backgrounds should be taken into account in future research. PMID:26703742

Indirect check of the stability of the reference ion chamber used for accelerator output calibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Sei-Kwon; Yoon, Jai-Woong; Park, Soah; Hwang, Taejin; Cheong, Kwang-Ho; Han, Tae Jin; Kim, Haeyoung; Lee, Me-Yeon; Kim, Kyoung Ju; Bae, Hoonsik

2014-11-01

A linear accelerator's output is periodically checked by using a reference ion chamber which is also periodically calibrated at the accredited standard dosimetry laboratories. We suggest a simple procedure for checking the chamber's stability between calibrations by comparison with another ion chamber. To identify the long-term stability of chambers, we collected and assessed the dose-to-water conversion factors provided by standard laboratories for three chambers during a period of four years. To develop the chamber constancy check program, we used one Farmer-type reference ion chamber FC65-G, two ion chambers (CC13a and CC13b) and one CC01 ion chamber (IBA). Under the accelerator, each chamber was placed inside the solid phantom and irradiated; the experimental configurations were identical. To check the variation in charge collection of the reference chamber, we monitored the ratios of the FC65-G values over each chamber reading. Based on the error propagation of the two chamber ratios, we estimated the uncertainty of the output calibration from the chamber variation. The calibration factors provided for the three chambers showed 0.04 ˜ 0.12% standard deviations during four years. For procedure development, the reading ratios of FC65-G over CCxx showed very good stability; the ratios of FC65-G over CC13a, CC13b and CC01 varied less than 0.059, 0.087 and 0.248%, respectively, over five measurements. By ascribing possible uncertainties of the ratio to the reference chamber alone, we could conservatively check the stability of the reference chamber for treatment safety. An extension of the chamber calibration period was also evaluated. In conclusion, we designed a stability check procedure for the reference chamber based on a reading ratio of two chambers. This could help the user assess the chamber stability between periodic chamber calibration, and the associated patient treatment could be carried out with enhanced safety.

C-C bond forming radical SAM enzymes involved in the construction of carbon skeletons of cofactors and natural products.

PubMed

Yokoyama, Kenichi; Lilla, Edward A

2018-04-10

Covering: up to the end of 2017C-C bond formations are frequently the key steps in cofactor and natural product biosynthesis. Historically, C-C bond formations were thought to proceed by two electron mechanisms, represented by Claisen condensation in fatty acids and polyketide biosynthesis. These types of mechanisms require activated substrates to create a nucleophile and an electrophile. More recently, increasing number of C-C bond formations catalyzed by radical SAM enzymes are being identified. These free radical mediated reactions can proceed between almost any sp3 and sp2 carbon centers, allowing introduction of C-C bonds at unconventional positions in metabolites. Therefore, free radical mediated C-C bond formations are frequently found in the construction of structurally unique and complex metabolites. This review discusses our current understanding of the functions and mechanisms of C-C bond forming radical SAM enzymes and highlights their important roles in the biosynthesis of structurally complex, naturally occurring organic molecules. Mechanistic consideration of C-C bond formation by radical SAM enzymes identifies the significance of three key mechanistic factors: radical initiation, acceptor substrate activation and radical quenching. Understanding the functions and mechanisms of these characteristic enzymes will be important not only in promoting our understanding of radical SAM enzymes, but also for understanding natural product and cofactor biosynthesis.

Morbidity of breast cancer and cervico-uterine cancer in women from the occidental region of Mexico.

PubMed

Ortega-Cervantes, Laura; Rojas-García, Aurora Elizabeth; Robledo-Marenco, María de Lourdes; Barrón-Vivanco, Briscia Socorro; Girón-Pérez, Manuel Iván; Vallejo-Ruiz, Verónica; López-Flores, Juan Fernando; Carrillo-Cortez, Agustín; Cantú-De León, David; Rodríguez-Trejo, Amelia; Medina-Díaz, Irma Martha

2013-01-01

The incidences of breast cancer (BC) and cervico-uterine cancer (CC) vary widely from country to country. In Mexico, BC mortality has doubled in the last 20 years to become the second leading cause of death for women aged 30 to 54 years. CC is the most common cause of death from neoplasia in women over 25 years old. In 2006, the state of Nayarit had one of the highest mortality rates for these types of cancers in Mexico. To analyze and characterize the current demographics and morbidities associated with BC and CC in the state of Nayarit. In this retrospective study, the clinical histories of patients who were diagnosed with BC or CC at the State Cancer Center from January 2006 to December 2010 were analyzed. A total of 406 patients with BC and 328 patients with CC were registered. The most common clinical stage for both cancer types was IIB. The municipalities of San Pedro Lagunillas and El Nayar presented the highest prevalences of BC and CC, respectively. Our results suggest that women living in poorer and more marginalized regions have a higher possibility of developing BC and CC. Because BC and CC are preventable and treatable in their early stages, demographic information from population records for these cancers is helpful in determining the incidence rates and patterns and improving decision-making processes.

Modelling ac ripple currents in HTS coated conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zhihan; Grilli, Francesco

2015-10-01

Dc transmission using high temperature superconducting (HTS) coated conductors (CCs) offers a promising solution to the globally growing demand for effective, reliable and economic transmission of green energy up to the gigawatt level over very long distances. The credible estimation of the losses and thereby the heat dissipation involved, where ac ripples (introduced in rectification/ac-dc conversion) are viewed as a potential source of notable contribution, is highly essential for the rational design of practical HTS dc transmission cables and corresponding cryogenic systems to fulfil this demand. Here we report a targeted modelling study into the ac losses in a HTS CC subject to dc and ac ripple currents simultaneously, by solving Maxwell’s equations using the finite element method (FEM) in the commercial software package COMSOL. It is observed that the instantaneous loss exhibits only one peak per cycle in the HTS CC subject to sinusoidal ripples, given that the amplitude of the ac ripples is smaller than approximately 20% of that of the dc current. This is a distinct contrast to the usual observation of two peaks per cycle in a HTS CC subject to ac currents only. The unique mechanism is also revealed, which is directly associated with the finding that, around any local minima of the applied ac ripples, the critical state of -J c is never reached at the edges of the HTS CC, as it should be according to the Bean model. When running further into the longer term, it is discovered that the ac ripple loss of the HTS CC in full-wave rectification decays monotonically, at a speed which is found to be insensitive to the frequency of the applied ripples within our targeted situations, to a relatively low level of approximately 1.38 × 10-4 W m-1 in around 1.7 s. Comparison between this level and other typical loss contributions in a HTS dc cable implies that ac ripple currents in HTS CCs should only be considered as a minor source of dissipation in superconducting dc transmission.

Equation-of-motion coupled-cluster method for doubly ionized states with spin-orbit coupling.

PubMed

Wang, Zhifan; Hu, Shu; Wang, Fan; Guo, Jingwei

2015-04-14

In this work, we report implementation of the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster method for doubly ionized states (EOM-DIP-CC) with spin-orbit coupling (SOC) using a closed-shell reference. Double ionization potentials (DIPs) are calculated in the space spanned by 2h and 3h1p determinants with the EOM-DIP-CC approach at the CC singles and doubles level (CCSD). Time-reversal symmetry together with spatial symmetry is exploited to reduce computational effort. To circumvent the problem of unstable dianion references when diffuse basis functions are included, nuclear charges are scaled. Effect of this stabilization potential on DIPs is estimated based on results from calculations using a small basis set without diffuse basis functions. DIPs and excitation energies of some low-lying states for a series of open-shell atoms and molecules containing heavy elements with two unpaired electrons have been calculated with the EOM-DIP-CCSD approach. Results show that this approach is able to afford a reliable description on SOC splitting. Furthermore, the EOM-DIP-CCSD approach is shown to provide reasonable excitation energies for systems with a dianion reference when diffuse basis functions are not employed.

Equation-of-motion coupled-cluster method for doubly ionized states with spin-orbit coupling

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

Wang, Zhifan; Hu, Shu; Guo, Jingwei

2015-04-14

In this work, we report implementation of the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster method for doubly ionized states (EOM-DIP-CC) with spin-orbit coupling (SOC) using a closed-shell reference. Double ionization potentials (DIPs) are calculated in the space spanned by 2h and 3h1p determinants with the EOM-DIP-CC approach at the CC singles and doubles level (CCSD). Time-reversal symmetry together with spatial symmetry is exploited to reduce computational effort. To circumvent the problem of unstable dianion references when diffuse basis functions are included, nuclear charges are scaled. Effect of this stabilization potential on DIPs is estimated based on results from calculations using a small basis setmore » without diffuse basis functions. DIPs and excitation energies of some low-lying states for a series of open-shell atoms and molecules containing heavy elements with two unpaired electrons have been calculated with the EOM-DIP-CCSD approach. Results show that this approach is able to afford a reliable description on SOC splitting. Furthermore, the EOM-DIP-CCSD approach is shown to provide reasonable excitation energies for systems with a dianion reference when diffuse basis functions are not employed.« less

Transmission Dynamics of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Pigs

PubMed Central

Crombé, Florence; Argudín, M. Angeles; Vanderhaeghen, Wannes; Hermans, Katleen; Haesebrouck, Freddy; Butaye, Patrick

2013-01-01

From the mid-2000s on, numerous studies have shown that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), renowned as human pathogen, has a reservoir in pigs and other livestock. In Europe and North America, clonal complex (CC) 398 appears to be the predominant lineage involved. Especially worrisome is its capacity to contaminate humans in close contact with affected animals. Indeed, the typical multi-resistant phenotype of MRSA CC398 and its observed ability of easily acquiring genetic material suggests that MRSA CC398 strains with an increased virulence potential may emerge, for which few therapeutic options would remain. This questions the need to implement interventions to control the presence and spread of MRSA CC398 among pigs. MRSA CC398 shows a high but not fully understood transmission potential in the pig population and is able to persist within that population. Although direct contact is probably the main route for MRSA transmission between pigs, also environmental contamination, the presence of other livestock, the herd size, and farm management are factors that may be involved in the dissemination of MRSA CC398. The current review aims at summarizing the research that has so far been done on the transmission dynamics and risk factors for introduction and persistence of MRSA CC398 in farms. PMID:23518663

A sensor based on the carbon nanotubes-ionic liquid composite for simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol.

PubMed

Bu, Caihong; Liu, Xiuhui; Zhang, Yijun; Li, Li; Zhou, Xibin; Lu, Xiaoquan

2011-11-01

MWNTs-IL-Gel/GCE, a glassy carbon electrode modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and ionic liquids (IL), was developed to serve as a sensor for simultaneous determination of Hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC) in this paper. The modified GCE showed two well-defined redox waves for HQ and CC in both CV and DPV with a peak potential separation of ca. 0.1 V, which was large enough for simultaneous detection. The results revealed that the oxidation of HQ and CC with the enhancement of the redox peak current and the decrease of the peak-to-peak separation exhibit excellent electrocatalytic behaviors. A high sensitivity of 1.8×10(-7)M with detection limits of 6.7×10(-8)M and 6.0×10(-8)M (S/N=3) for HQ and CC were obtained. Moreover, the constants of apparent electron transfer rate of HQ and CC at MWNTs-IL-Gel/GCE were calculated as 7.402 s(-1) and 8.179 s(-1), respectively, and the adsorption quantity of HQ and CC was 1.408×10(-6) mol cm(-2) with chronocoulometry. The developed sensor can be applied to determinate directly of HQ and CC in aqueous solution. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Arginase 2 Suppresses Renal Carcinoma Progression via Biosynthetic Cofactor Pyridoxal Phosphate Depletion and Increased Polyamine Toxicity.

PubMed

Ochocki, Joshua D; Khare, Sanika; Hess, Markus; Ackerman, Daniel; Qiu, Bo; Daisak, Jennie I; Worth, Andrew J; Lin, Nan; Lee, Pearl; Xie, Hong; Li, Bo; Wubbenhorst, Bradley; Maguire, Tobi G; Nathanson, Katherine L; Alwine, James C; Blair, Ian A; Nissim, Itzhak; Keith, Brian; Simon, M Celeste

2018-05-04

Kidney cancer, one of the ten most prevalent malignancies in the world, has exhibited increased incidence over the last decade. The most common subtype is "clear cell" renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), which features consistent metabolic abnormalities, such as highly elevated glycogen and lipid deposition. By integrating metabolomics, genomic, and transcriptomic data, we determined that enzymes in multiple metabolic pathways are universally depleted in human ccRCC tumors, which are otherwise genetically heterogeneous. Notably, the expression of key urea cycle enzymes, including arginase 2 (ARG2) and argininosuccinate synthase 1 (ASS1), is strongly repressed in ccRCC. Reduced ARG2 activity promotes ccRCC tumor growth through at least two distinct mechanisms: conserving the critical biosynthetic cofactor pyridoxal phosphate and avoiding toxic polyamine accumulation. Pharmacological approaches to restore urea cycle enzyme expression would greatly expand treatment strategies for ccRCC patients, where current therapies only benefit a subset of those afflicted with renal cancer. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Homotypic cell cannibalism, a cell-death process regulated by the nuclear protein 1, opposes to metastasis in pancreatic cancer

PubMed Central

Cano, Carla E; Sandí, María José; Hamidi, Tewfik; Calvo, Ezequiel L; Turrini, Olivier; Bartholin, Laurent; Loncle, Céline; Secq, Véronique; Garcia, Stéphane; Lomberk, Gwen; Kroemer, Guido; Urrutia, Raul; Iovanna, Juan L

2012-01-01

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an extremely deadly disease for which all treatments available have failed to improve life expectancy significantly. This may be explained by the high metastatic potential of PDAC cells, which results from their dedifferentiation towards a mesenchymal phenotype. Some PDAC present cell-in-cell structures whose origin and significance are currently unknown. We show here that cell-in-cells form after homotypic cell cannibalism (HoCC). We found PDAC patients whose tumours display HoCC develop less metastasis than those without. In vitro, HoCC was promoted by inactivation of the nuclear protein 1 (Nupr1), and was enhanced by treatment with transforming growth factor β. HoCC ends with death of PDAC cells, consistent with a metastasis suppressor role for this phenomenon. Hence, our data indicates a protective role for HoCC in PDAC and identifies Nupr1 as a molecular regulator of this process. PMID:22821859

Loop Heat Pipe Operation with Thermoelectric Converters and Coupling Blocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ku, Jentung; Nagano, Hosei

2007-01-01

This paper presents theoretical and experimental studies on using thermoelectric converters (TECs) and coupling blocks to control the operating temperature of a miniature loop heat pipes (MLHP). The MLHP has two parallel evaporators and two parallel condensers, and each evaporator has its own integral compensation chamber (CC). A TEC is attached to each CC, and connected to the evaporator via a copper thermal strap. The TEC can provide both heating and cooling to the CC, therefore extending the LHP operating temperature over a larger range of the evaporator heat load. A bi-polar power supply is used for the TEC operation. The bipolar power supply automatically changes the direction of the current to the TEC, depending on whether the CC requires heating or cooling, to maintain the CC temperature at the desired set point. The TEC can also enhance the startup success by maintaining a constant CC temperature during the start-up transient. Several aluminum coupling blocks are installed between the vapor line and liquid line. The coupling blocks serve as a heat exchanger which preheats the cold returning liquid so as to reduce the amount of liquid subcooling, and hence the power required to maintain the CC at the desired set point temperature. This paper focuses on the savings of the CC control heater power afforded by the TECs when compared to traditional electric heaters. Tests were conducted by varying the evaporator power, the condenser sink temperature, the CC set point temperature, the number of coupling blocks, and the thermal conductance of the thermal strap. Test results show that the TECs are able to control the CC temperature within k0.5K under all test conditions, and the required TEC heater power is only a fraction of the required electric heater power.

Endometrial Carcinomas With Clear Cells: A Study of a Heterogeneous Group of Tumors Including Interobserver Variability, Mutation Analysis, and Immunohistochemistry With HNF-1β.

PubMed

Han, Guangming; Soslow, Robert A; Wethington, Stephanie; Levine, Douglas A; Bogomolniy, Faina; Clement, Philip B; Köbel, Martin; Gilks, Blake; DeLair, Deborah

2015-07-01

Endometrial clear cell carcinoma (CC) is an uncommon tumor and often carries a poor prognosis. It has histologic features that overlap with other endometrial carcinomas and is frequently misclassified. Accurate classification is crucial, however, to improve treatment options. The objectives of this study were (1) to assess diagnostic interobserver variability among 5 gynecologic pathologists for tumors originally diagnosed as CC or with a component of CC (n=44); (2) to determine the utility of immunohistochemical markers estrogen receptor and HNF-1β; and (3) to detect mutations in select genes. Clinical data and morphologic features were also recorded. Agreement among reviewers was only moderate: only 46% of the original CC remained classified as such. After reclassification, estrogen receptor was positive in 8% of CC, 67% of endometrioid carcinomas (EC), and 47% of serous carcinomas (SC). Sensitivities of HNF-1β in CC, SC, and EC were 62%, 27%, and 17%, respectively, whereas specificity for CC versus EC or SC was 78%. Mutations in PIK3CA, PIK3R1, PTEN, KRAS, and NRAS were detected in 41% of 37 cases that had adequate material for study. At least 1 mutation was identified in 33% of CC, 67% of EC, and 33% of SC. This group of patients had poor outcomes: 72% of the patients with follow-up information had died of disease. In summary, this study suggests that the current pool of CC is a heterogeneous group of tumors from the morphologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular point of views and that only a percentage of them represent true CC.

Efficacy of the ketogenic diet in the 6-Hz seizure test

PubMed Central

Hartman, Adam L.; Lyle, Megan; Rogawski, Michael A.; Gasior, Maciej

2008-01-01

SUMMARY Purpose Since the ketogenic diet is effective in drug-resistant epilepsies, we sought to determine whether it is active in the 6-Hz seizure test, which identifies agents with a broader spectrum of activity than conventional antiepileptic screening tests. Methods Male (3–4 week old) NIH Swiss mice were fed a normal or ketogenic diet ad libitum for 2–21 days. The intensity of the corneal stimulation current required to elicit seizures in the 6-Hz test was measured. Blood glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate were measured on the day of seizure testing. Results CC50 (current intensity producing seizures in 50% of mice tested) was 50.6 mA and 15 mA in mice fed for 12 days with a ketogenic or normal diet, respectively (p < 0.001). CC50 was elevated in separate experiments after 16, but not 2, 5, and 21 days of ketogenic diet exposure. CC50 values of growing mice fed the normal diet does not differ, indicating CC50 does not vary with mouse weight during a rapid growth phase. β-Hydroxybutyrate was significantly higher, and glucose was significantly lower in mice fed the ketogenic diet than those fed the normal diet. Blood glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate levels did not correlate with CC50. Discussion The ketogenic diet significantly elevates the seizure threshold in the 6-Hz test in a time-specific manner. Protection from seizures in this model was not related to level of ketosis. CC50 was insensitive to body weight in mice fed the normal diet, demonstrating that the 6-Hz model can assess anticonvulsant regimens where weight is a confounding factor. PMID:18070095

Acupuncture for common cold: A systematic review and meta-analyze protocol.

PubMed

Cheng, Ying; Gao, Bifeng; Jin, Yuhao; Xu, Na; Guo, Taipin

2018-03-01

The common cold (CC) is the most common syndromes of infection in human beings, but there is currently no special treatment. For this reason, acupuncture is used to relieve the symptoms of the CC. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy that has been used for over 2000 years to treat various diseases. However, few studies have provided evidence for the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for the CC. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture on CC periods and its symptoms. The following electronic databases will be searched for studies conducted through January 1, 2019: Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EBASE, World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, Springer, Wan-fang database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and other sources. All randomized controlled trials on acupuncture for common cold will be included. Risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool, while RevMan V.5.3.5 software will be implemented for the assessment of bias risk, data synthesis, subgroup analysis, and meta-analyses if conditions are met. Continuous outcomes will be presented as mean difference (MD) or standard mean difference (SMD), while dichotomous data will be expressed as relative risk. A high-quality synthesis of current evidence of acupuncture for CC will be stated from several aspect using subjective reports and objective measures of performance. The reduction rate of common cold symptoms after initial treatment, resolved cold symptoms, and reduced cold duration will be collected. This protocol will present the evidence of whether acupuncture therapy is an effective intervention for CC.

A cylindrical tripleGEM detector for the BESIII experiment: Measurement of the performance in a magnetic field and project status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farinelli, R.; BESIII CGEM Group

2017-01-01

A new cylindrical GEM detector is under development to upgrade the tracking system of the BESIII experiment at the IHEP in Beijing. The new detector will replace the current inner drift chamber of the experiment in order to increase significantly the spatial resolution along the beam direction (σ_z ˜ 300 μ m) and to grant the performance of momentum resolution (σ_{p_t}/p_t ˜ 0.5% at 1GeV) and spatial resolution (σ_{xy} ˜ 130 μ m). A cylindrical prototype with the final detector dimensions has been built and the assembly procedure has been successfully validated. Moreover the performance of a 10 × 10 cm ^2 planar GEM has been studied inside a magnetic field by means of a beam test at CERN. The data have been analyzed using two different readout mode: the charge centroid (CC) and the micro time projection chamber ( μ TPC) method.

Future climate effects on suitability for growth of oil palms in Malaysia and Indonesia

PubMed Central

Paterson, R. Russell M.; Kumar, Lalit; Taylor, Subhashni; Lima, Nelson

2015-01-01

The production of palm oil (PO) is highly profitable. The economies of the principal producers, Malaysia and Indonesia, and others, benefit considerably. Climate change (CC) will most likely have an impact on the distribution of oil palms (OP) (Elaeis guineensis). Here we present modelled CC projections with respect to the suitability of growing OP, in Malaysia and Indonesia. A process-oriented niche model of OP was developed using CLIMEX to estimate its potential distribution under current and future climate scenarios. Two Global Climate Models (GCMs), CSIRO-Mk3.0 and MIROC-H, were used to explore the impacts of CC under the A1B and A2 scenarios for 2030, 2070 and 2100. Decreases in climatic suitability for OP in the region were gradual by 2030 but became more pronounced by 2100. These projections imply that OP growth will be affected severely by CC, with obvious implications to the economies of (a) Indonesia and Malaysia and (b) the PO industry, but with potential benefits towards reducing CC. A possible remedial action is to concentrate research on development of new varieties of OP that are less vulnerable to CC. PMID:26399638

Future climate effects on suitability for growth of oil palms in Malaysia and Indonesia.

PubMed

Paterson, R Russell M; Kumar, Lalit; Taylor, Subhashni; Lima, Nelson

2015-09-24

The production of palm oil (PO) is highly profitable. The economies of the principal producers, Malaysia and Indonesia, and others, benefit considerably. Climate change (CC) will most likely have an impact on the distribution of oil palms (OP) (Elaeis guineensis). Here we present modelled CC projections with respect to the suitability of growing OP, in Malaysia and Indonesia. A process-oriented niche model of OP was developed using CLIMEX to estimate its potential distribution under current and future climate scenarios. Two Global Climate Models (GCMs), CSIRO-Mk3.0 and MIROC-H, were used to explore the impacts of CC under the A1B and A2 scenarios for 2030, 2070 and 2100. Decreases in climatic suitability for OP in the region were gradual by 2030 but became more pronounced by 2100. These projections imply that OP growth will be affected severely by CC, with obvious implications to the economies of (a) Indonesia and Malaysia and (b) the PO industry, but with potential benefits towards reducing CC. A possible remedial action is to concentrate research on development of new varieties of OP that are less vulnerable to CC.

Electroless deposition of Au nanoparticles on reduced graphene oxide/polyimide film for electrochemical detection of hydroquinone and catechol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Xuan; Xia, Xiaohong; Du, Yongling; Wang, Chunming

2017-09-01

An electrochemical sensor for determination of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC) was developed using Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) fabricated on reduced graphene oxide/polyimide (PI/RGO) film by electroless deposition. The electrochemical behaviors of HQ and CC at PI/RGO-AuNPs electrode were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Under the optimized condition, the current responses at PI/RGO-AuNPs electrode were linear over ranges from 1 to 654 mol/L for HQ and from 2 to 1289 mol/L for CC, with the detection limits of 0.09 and 0.2 mol/L, respectively. The proposed electrode exhibited good reproducibility, stability and selectivity. In addition, the proposed electrode was successfully applied in the determination of HQ and CC in tap water and the Yellow River samples.

[Differences between Chicago and traditional classifications in the diagnosis of esophageal motor disorders with high-resolution manometry and topography of esophageal pressure].

PubMed

Abreu-Y Abreu, A T; González Sánchez, C B; Villanueva Sáenz, E; Valdovinos Díaz, M A

2010-01-01

With the introduction of high resolution manometry (HRM) and esophageal topography a novel classification (Chicago Classification) has been proposed for the diagnosis of esophageal motor disorders (EMD). Clinical differences with the traditional classification are currently under evaluation. To investigate differences between the Chicago (CC) and traditional (TC) classifications in the diagnosis of EMD. Consecutive patients with indication for esophageal manometry were studied. HRM was performed with a 36 sensors solid-state catheter and Manoview software (V2.0).Conventional manometric tracings were analyzed by an investigator blinded to the results of HRM. Diagnosis by CC and CT were compared. Two hundred patients were studied, 106 (53%) of them women (53%) with a mean patient age of 43.4 (range 16 - 84) years. Preoperative evaluation for GERD 152 (76%) was the most frequent indication. Achalasia (8), scleroderma (2) and peristaltic dysfunction (60 vs. 59) were similarly diagnosed by CC and CT. Spastic disorders were more frequently identified by CC: nutcracker esophagus (NC) in 3, spastic NC in3 and segmental NC in 11 patients versus TC: NC 5. Three patients had spasm with CC and 1 with TC. Non specific motor disorder was diagnosed by TC and 2 patients had functional obstruction with CC. Hypotensive lower esophageal sphincter was identified in 63 patients with CC vs.57 with TC. Spastic disorders and functional obstruction were the EMD better identified by HRM and CC.

Genomic Investigation Reveals Highly Conserved, Mosaic, Recombination Events Associated with Capsular Switching among Invasive Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup W Sequence Type (ST)-11 Strains.

PubMed

Mustapha, Mustapha M; Marsh, Jane W; Krauland, Mary G; Fernandez, Jorge O; de Lemos, Ana Paula S; Dunning Hotopp, Julie C; Wang, Xin; Mayer, Leonard W; Lawrence, Jeffrey G; Hiller, N Luisa; Harrison, Lee H

2016-07-03

Neisseria meningitidis is an important cause of meningococcal disease globally. Sequence type (ST)-11 clonal complex (cc11) is a hypervirulent meningococcal lineage historically associated with serogroup C capsule and is believed to have acquired the W capsule through a C to W capsular switching event. We studied the sequence of capsule gene cluster (cps) and adjoining genomic regions of 524 invasive W cc11 strains isolated globally. We identified recombination breakpoints corresponding to two distinct recombination events within W cc11: A 8.4-kb recombinant region likely acquired from W cc22 including the sialic acid/glycosyl-transferase gene, csw resulted in a C→W change in capsular phenotype and a 13.7-kb recombinant segment likely acquired from Y cc23 lineage includes 4.5 kb of cps genes and 8.2 kb downstream of the cps cluster resulting in allelic changes in capsule translocation genes. A vast majority of W cc11 strains (497/524, 94.8%) retain both recombination events as evidenced by sharing identical or very closely related capsular allelic profiles. These data suggest that the W cc11 capsular switch involved two separate recombination events and that current global W cc11 meningococcal disease is caused by strains bearing this mosaic capsular switch. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Aristolochic Acid in the Etiology of Renal Cell Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Hoang, Margaret L.; Chen, Chung-Hsin; Chen, Pau-Chung; Roberts, Nicholas J.; Dickman, Kathleen G.; Yun, Byeong Hwa; Turesky, Robert J.; Pu, Yeong-Shiau; Vogelstein, Bert; Papadopoulos, Nickolas; Grollman, Arthur P.; Kinzler, Kenneth W.; Rosenquist, Thomas A.

2017-01-01

Background Aristolochia species used in the practice of traditional herbal medicine contains aristolochic acid (AA), an established human carcinogen contributing to urothelial carcinomas of the upper urinary tract. AA binds covalently to genomic DNA, forming aristolactam (AL)–DNA adducts. Here we investigated whether AA is also an etiologic factor in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Methods We conducted a population-based case–control study to investigate the linkage between Aristolochia prescription history, cumulative AA consumption, and ccRCC incidence in Taiwan (5,709 cases and 22,836 matched controls). The presence and level of mutagenic dA-AL-I adducts were determined in the kidney DNA of 51 Taiwanese ccRCC patients. The whole-exome sequences of ccRCC tumors from 10 Taiwanese ccRCC patients with prior exposure to AA were determined. Results Cumulative ingestion of more than 250 mg of AA increased risk of ccRCC (OR, 1.25), and we detected dA-AL-I adducts in 76% of Taiwanese ccRCC patients. Furthermore, the distinctive AA mutational signature was evident in six of 10 sequenced ccRCC exomes from Taiwanese patients. Conclusions This study strongly suggests that AA contributes to the etiology of certain RCCs. Impact The current study offers compelling evidence implicating AA in a significant fraction of the RCC arising in Taiwan and illustrates the power of integrating epidemiologic, molecular, and genetic data in the investigation of cancer etiology. PMID:27555084

Electrical and Thermal Characteristics of Lithium-Ion Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaidyanathan, Hari; Rao, Gopalakrishna

1999-01-01

The 18650 type lithium ion cells are characterized by a cell resistance of 130 m Omega, capacity of 1.27 Ah at 25C, and a mid-discharge voltage of 3.6 V. The capacity loss in the 72-hour stand test was 3.39 percent. The heat dissipation properties were determined by a radiative calorimeter. During charge, initial endothermic cooling and subsequent exothermic cooling beyond 55 percent state-of-charge were observed. At C/2 rate of discharge (which is considered medium rate), the heat dissipated was 17 mW/cc. The heat dissipation profile during discharge is also unique in the presence of a minimum that is different from that observed for Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, and Ni-H2 cells.

DFT analysis on the molecular structure, vibrational and electronic spectra of 2-(cyclohexylamino)ethanesulfonic acid.

PubMed

Renuga Devi, T S; Sharmi kumar, J; Ramkumaar, G R

2015-02-25

The FTIR and FT-Raman spectra of 2-(cyclohexylamino)ethanesulfonic acid were recorded in the regions 4000-400 cm(-1) and 4000-50 cm(-1) respectively. The structural and spectroscopic data of the molecule in the ground state were calculated using Hartee-Fock and Density functional method (B3LYP) with the correlation consistent-polarized valence double zeta (cc-pVDZ) basis set and 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The most stable conformer was optimized and the structural and vibrational parameters were determined based on this. The complete assignments were performed based on the Potential Energy Distribution (PED) of the vibrational modes, calculated using Vibrational Energy Distribution Analysis (VEDA) 4 program. With the observed FTIR and FT-Raman data, a complete vibrational assignment and analysis of the fundamental modes of the compound were carried out. Thermodynamic properties and Atomic charges were calculated using both Hartee-Fock and density functional method using the cc-pVDZ basis set and compared. The calculated HOMO-LUMO energy gap revealed that charge transfer occurs within the molecule. (1)H and (13)C NMR chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated using Gauge Including Atomic Orbital (GIAO) method and were compared with experimental results. Stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjugative interactions, charge delocalization have been analyzed using Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis. The first order hyperpolarizability (β) and Molecular Electrostatic Potential (MEP) of the molecule was computed using DFT calculations. The electron density based local reactivity descriptor such as Fukui functions were calculated to explain the chemical reactivity site in the molecule. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A molecular switch sensor for detection of PRSS1 genotype based on site-specific DNA cleavage of restriction endonuclease.

PubMed

Liu, Qicai; Gao, Feng; Weng, Shaohuang; Peng, Huaping; Lin, Liqing; Zhao, Chengfei; Lin, Xinhua

2015-01-01

PRSS1 mutations or polymorphism in the peripheral blood of patients can be used as susceptible molecular markers to pancreatic cancer. A sensor for selective electrochemical detection of PRSS1 genotypes was developed based on site-specific DNA cleavage of restriction endonuclease EcoRI. A mercapto-modified hairpin probe was immobilized on a gold electrode. The probe's neck can be cleaved by EcoRI in the absence of rs10273639 C/C of PRSS1 genotype, but it cannot be cleaved in the presence of T/T. The difference in quantity of electric charge was monitored by biosensors before and after enzymatic cleavage. Electrochemical signals are generated by differential pulse voltammetry interrogation of methylene blue (MB) that quantitatively binds to surface-confined hairpin probe via electrostatic interactions. The results suggested this method had a good specificity in distinguishing PRSS1 genotypes. There was a good linear relationship between the charge and the logarithmic function of PRSS1 rs10273639 T/T type DNA concentration (current=120.6303+8.8512log C, R=0.9942). The detection limit was estimated at 0.5 fM. The molecular switch sensor has several advantages, and it is possible to qualitatively, quantitatively, and noninvasively detect PRSS1 genotypes in the blood of patients with pancreatic cancer. © 2015 by the Association of Clinical Scientists, Inc.

Molecular basis and drug sensitivity of the delayed rectifier (IKr) in the fish heart.

PubMed

Hassinen, Minna; Haverinen, Jaakko; Vornanen, Matti

2015-01-01

Fishes are increasingly used as models for human cardiac diseases, creating a need for a better understanding of the molecular basis of fish cardiac ion currents. To this end we cloned KCNH6 channel of the crucian carp (Carassius carassius) that produces the rapid component of the delayed rectifier K(+) current (IKr), the main repolarising current of the fish heart. KCNH6 (ccErg2) was the main isoform of the Kv11 potassium channel family with relative transcript levels of 98.9% and 99.6% in crucian carp atrium and ventricle, respectively. KCNH2 (ccErg1), an orthologue to human cardiac Erg (Herg) channel, was only slightly expressed in the crucian carp heart. The native atrial IKr and the cloned ccErg2 were inhibited by similar concentrations of verapamil, terfenadine and KB-R7943 (P>0.05), while the atrial IKr was about an order of magnitude more sensitive to E-4031 than ccErg2 (P<0.05) suggesting that some accessory β-subunits may be involved. Sensitivity of the crucian carp atrial IKr to E-4031, terfenadine and KB-R7943 was similar to what has been reported for the Herg channel. In contrast, the sensitivity of the crucian carp IKr to verapamil was approximately 30 times higher than the previously reported values for the Herg current. In conclusion, the cardiac IKr is produced by non-orthologous gene products in fish (Erg2) and mammalian hearts (Erg1) and some marked differences exist in drug sensitivity between fish and mammalian Erg1/2 which need to be taken into account when using fish heart as a model for human heart. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of prophylactic cervical cancer vaccination in Japanese women.

PubMed

Konno, Ryo; Sasagawa, Toshiyuki; Fukuda, Takashi; Van Kriekinge, Georges; Demarteau, Nadia

2010-04-01

The incidence of cervical cancer (CC) is high in Japan and is further increasing among women younger than 30 years. This burden could be reduced by the implementation of a CC vaccine, but its cost-effectiveness is unknown. We quantified the clinical impact and assessed the cost-effectiveness of adding CC vaccination at age 12 to the current screening in place in Japan with a lifetime Markov model adapted to the Japanese setting. Transition probabilities and utility values were obtained from public databases. Direct costs for treatment and screening were estimated using Japanese medical fees. Annual costs and benefits were discounted at 3%. Sensitivity analyses were conducted on the age at vaccination, the vaccine characteristics, the discount rates, the proportion of human papillomavirus types 16/18 in cancer, and the screening coverage. Vaccinating a 12-year-old cohort was predicted to reduce CC incidence and deaths from CC by 73%. These clinical effects were associated with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of yen1.8 million per quality-adjusted life year gained. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of vaccinating all 10- to 45-year-old women was yen2.8 million per quality-adjusted life year, still below the threshold value. The implementation of a CC vaccination in Japan could reduce the CC burden in a very cost-effective manner for women up to 45 years.

Global epidemiology of capsular group W meningococcal disease (1970-2015): Multifocal emergence and persistence of hypervirulent sequence type (ST)-11 clonal complex.

PubMed

Mustapha, Mustapha M; Marsh, Jane W; Harrison, Lee H

2016-03-18

Following an outbreak in Mecca Saudi Arabia in 2000, meningococcal strains expressing capsular group W (W) emerged as a major cause of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) worldwide. The Saudi Arabian outbreak strain (Hajj clone) belonging to the ST-11 clonal complex (cc11) is similar to W cc11 causing occasional sporadic disease before 2000. Since 2000, W cc11 has caused large meningococcal disease epidemics in the African meningitis belt and endemic disease in South America, Europe and China. Traditional molecular epidemiologic typing suggested that a majority of current W cc11 burden represented global spread of the Hajj clone. However, recent whole genome sequencing (WGS) analyses revealed significant genetic heterogeneity among global W cc11 strains. While continued spread of the Hajj clone occurs in the Middle East, the meningitis belt and South Africa have co-circulation of the Hajj clone and other unrelated W cc11 strains. Notably, South America, the UK, and France share a genetically distinct W cc11 strain. Other W lineages persist in low numbers in Europe, North America and the meningitis belt. In summary, WGS is helping to unravel the complex genomic epidemiology of group W meningococcal strains. Wider application of WGS and strengthening of global IMD surveillance is necessary to monitor the continued evolution of group W lineages. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expression of Clara cell 10-kDa protein and trefoil factor family 1 in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps

PubMed Central

Wang, Yuanyuan; Wang, Zong-Feng; Zhang, Zhili; Su, Yi

2018-01-01

The current study measured the expression of Clara cell 10-kDa protein (CC10) and trefoil factor family 1 (TFF1) in the sinus mucosa of patients exhibiting chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and nasal polyps (NP). CC10 and TFF1 expression in the sinus mucosa of the control group and patients with CRS and NP was determined using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The correlation between CC10 and TFF1 expression was further analyzed using Spearman's correlation analysis. The expression of TFF1 was significantly increased in the sinus mucosa of patients with CRS and NP, whereas CC10 expression was significantly decreased compared with controls. Spearman's correlation analysis identified a negative correlation between CC10 and TFF1 expression in the sinus mucosa of patients with CRS and NP. The results of immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR were consistent with each other. Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed notable lesions in the mucous membranes, goblet cells and cilia of sinus mucosa samples from patients with CRS and NP. The negative correlation between CC10 and TFF1 expression during the progression of CRS and NP suggest that CC10 and TFF1 may serve important roles in its pathogenesis. PMID:29456658

Safety hazards associated with the charging of lithium/sulfur dioxide cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, H.; Halpert, G.; Lawson, D. D.; Barnes, J. A.; Bis, R. F.

1986-01-01

A continuing research program to assess the responses of spirally wound, lithium/sulfur dioxide cells to charging as functions of charging current, temperature, and cell condition prior to charging is described. Partially discharged cells that are charged at currents greater than one ampere explode with the time to explosion inversely proportional to the charging current. Cells charged at currents of less than one ampere may fail in one of several modes. The data allows an empirical prediction of when certain cells will fail given a constant charging current.

Drainage water management combined with cover crop enhances reduction of soil phosphorus loss.

PubMed

Zhang, T Q; Tan, C S; Zheng, Z M; Welacky, T; Wang, Y T

2017-05-15

Integrating multiple practices for mitigation of phosphorus (P) loss from soils may enhance the reduction efficiency, but this has not been studied as much as individual ones. A four-year study was conducted to determine the effects of cover crop (CC) (CC vs. no CC, NCC) and drainage water management (DWM) (controlled drainage with sub-irrigation, CDS, vs. regular free tile drainage, RFD) and their interaction on P loss through both surface runoff (SR) and tile drainage (TD) water in a clay loam soil of the Lake Erie region. Cover crop reduced SR flow volume by 32% relative to NCC, regardless of DWM treatment. In contrast, CC increased TD flow volume by 57 and 9.4% with CDS and RFD, respectively, compared to the corresponding DWM treatment with NCC. The total (SR+TD) field water discharge volumes were comparable amongst all the treatments. Cover crop reduced flow-weighted mean (FWM) concentrations of particulate P (PP) by 26% and total P (TP) by 12% in SR, while it didn't affect the FWM dissolved reactive P (DRP) concentration, regardless of DWM treatments. Compared with RFD, CDS reduced FWM DRP concentration in TD water by 19%, while CC reduced FWM PP and TP concentrations in TD by 21 and 17%, respectively. Total (SR+TD) soil TP loss was the least with CDS-CC followed by RFD-CC, CDS-NCC, and RFD-NCC. Compared with RFD-NCC, currently popular practice in the region, total TP loss was reduced by 23% with CDS-CC. The CDS-CC system can be an effective practice to ultimately mitigate soil P loading to water resource. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In medium dispersion relation effects in nuclear inclusive reactions at intermediate and low energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieves, Juan; Sobczyk, Joanna E.

2017-08-01

In a well-established many-body framework, successful in modeling a great variety of nuclear processes, we analyze the role of the spectral functions (SFs) accounting for the modifications of the dispersion relation of nucleons embedded in a nuclear medium. We concentrate in processes mostly governed by one-body mechanisms, and study possible approximations to evaluate the particle-hole propagator using SFs. We also investigate how to include together SFs and long-range RPA-correlation corrections in the evaluation of nuclear response functions, discussing the existing interplay between both type of nuclear effects. At low energy transfers (≤ 50 MeV), we compare our predictions for inclusive muon and radiative pion captures in nuclei, and charge-current (CC) neutrino-nucleus cross sections with experimental results. We also present an analysis of intermediate energy quasi-elastic neutrino scattering for various targets and both neutrino and antineutrino CC driven processes. In all cases, we pay special attention to estimate the uncertainties affecting the theoretical predictions. In particular, we show that errors on the σμ /σe ratio are much smaller than 5%, and also much smaller than the size of the SF+RPA nuclear corrections, which produce significant effects, not only in the individual cross sections, but also in their ratio for neutrino energies below 400 MeV. These latter nuclear corrections, beyond Pauli blocking, turn out to be thus essential to achieve a correct theoretical understanding of this ratio of cross sections of interest for appearance neutrino oscillation experiments. We also briefly compare our SF and RPA results to predictions obtained within other representative approaches.

Energy profile, spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman and FT-NMR) and DFT studies of 4-bromoisophthalic acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arjunan, V.; Thirunarayanan, S.; Mohan, S.

2018-04-01

The stable conformer of 4-bromoisophthalic acid (BIPA) has been identified by potential energy profile analysis. All the structural parameters of 4-bromoisophthalic acid are determined by B3LYP method with 6-311++G**, 6-31G** and cc-pVTZ basis sets. The fundamental vibrations are analysed with the use of FT-IR (4000-400 cm-1) and FT-Raman (4000-100 cm-1) spectra. The harmonic vibrational frequencies are theoretically calculated and compared with experimental FTIR and FT-Raman frequencies. The 1H and 13C NMR spectra have been analysed and compared with theoretical 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts calculated by gauge independent atomic orbital (GIAO) method. The electronic properties, such as HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) and LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) energies are determined by B3LYP/cc-pVTZ method. The electron density distribution and site of chemical reactivity of BIPA molecule have been obtained by mapping electron density isosurface with molecular electrostatic potential (MEP). Stability of the molecules arising from hyperconjugative interactions, charge delocalizations have been analysed by using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The thermodynamic properties and atomic natural charges of the compound are analysed and the reactive sites of the molecule are identified. The global and local reactivity descriptors are evaluated to analyse the chemical reactivity and site selectivity of molecule through Fukui functions.

DFT calculation and vibrational spectroscopic studies of 2-(tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) -amino)-5-bromopyridine.

PubMed

Premkumar, S; Jawahar, A; Mathavan, T; Kumara Dhas, M; Sathe, V G; Milton Franklin Benial, A

2014-08-14

The molecular structure of 2-(tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) -amino)-5-bromopyridine (BABP) was optimized by the DFT/B3LYP method with 6-311G (d,p), 6-311++G (d,p) and cc-pVTZ basis sets using the Gaussian 09 program. The most stable optimized structure of the molecule was predicted by the DFT/B3LYP method with cc-pVTZ basis set. The vibrational frequencies, Mulliken atomic charge distribution, frontier molecular orbitals and thermodynamical parameters were calculated. These calculations were done at the ground state energy level of BABP without applying any constraint on the potential energy surface. The vibrational spectra were experimentally recorded using Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) and micro-Raman spectrometer. The computed vibrational frequencies were scaled by scale factors to yield a good agreement with observed experimental vibrational frequencies. The complete theoretically calculated and experimentally observed vibrational frequencies were assigned on the basis of Potential Energy Distribution (PED) calculation using the VEDA 4.0 program. The vibrational modes assignments were performed by using the animation option of GaussView 05 graphical interface for Gaussian program. The Mulliken atomic charge distribution was calculated for BABP molecule. The molecular reactivity and stability of BABP were also studied by frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neutrino oscillations and Non-Standard Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farzan, Yasaman; Tórtola, Mariam

2018-02-01

Current neutrino experiments are measuring the neutrino mixing parameters with an unprecedented accuracy. The upcoming generation of neutrino experiments will be sensitive to subdominant oscillation effects that can give information on the yet-unknown neutrino parameters: the Dirac CP-violating phase, the mass ordering and the octant of θ_{23}. Determining the exact values of neutrino mass and mixing parameters is crucial to test neutrino models and flavor symmetries designed to predict these neutrino parameters. In the first part of this review, we summarize the current status of the neutrino oscillation parameter determination. We consider the most recent data from all solar experiments and the atmospheric data from Super-Kamiokande, IceCube and ANTARES. We also implement the data from the reactor neutrino experiments KamLAND, Daya Bay, RENO and Double Chooz as well as the long baseline neutrino data from MINOS, T2K and NOvA. If in addition to the standard interactions, neutrinos have subdominant yet-unknown Non-Standard Interactions (NSI) with matter fields, extracting the values of these parameters will suffer from new degeneracies and ambiguities. We review such effects and formulate the conditions on the NSI parameters under which the precision measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters can be distorted. Like standard weak interactions, the non-standard interaction can be categorized into two groups: Charged Current (CC) NSI and Neutral Current (NC) NSI. Our focus will be mainly on neutral current NSI because it is possible to build a class of models that give rise to sizeable NC NSI with discernible effects on neutrino oscillation. These models are based on new U(1) gauge symmetry with a gauge boson of mass ≲ 10 MeV. The UV complete model should be of course electroweak invariant which in general implies that along with neutrinos, charged fermions also acquire new interactions on which there are strong bounds. We enumerate the bounds that already exist on the electroweak symmetric models and demonstrate that it is possible to build viable models avoiding all these bounds. In the end, we review methods to test these models and suggest approaches to break the degeneracies in deriving neutrino mass parameters caused by NSI.

Association of serum Clara cell protein CC16 with respiratory infections and immune response to respiratory pathogens in elite athletes.

PubMed

Kurowski, Marcin; Jurczyk, Janusz; Jarzębska, Marzanna; Moskwa, Sylwia; Makowska, Joanna S; Krysztofiak, Hubert; Kowalski, Marek L

2014-04-15

Respiratory epithelium integrity impairment caused by intensive exercise may lead to exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Clara cell protein (CC16) has anti-inflammatory properties and its serum level reflects changes in epithelium integrity and airway inflammation. This study aimed to investigate serum CC16 in elite athletes and to seek associations of CC16 with asthma or allergy, respiratory tract infections (RTIs) and immune response to respiratory pathogens. The study was performed in 203 Olympic athletes. Control groups comprised 53 healthy subjects and 49 mild allergic asthmatics. Serum levels of CC16 and IgG against respiratory viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae were assessed. Allergy questionnaire for athletes was used to determine symptoms and exercise pattern. Current versions of ARIA and GINA guidelines were used when diagnosing allergic rhinitis and asthma, respectively. Asthma was diagnosed in 13.3% athletes, of whom 55.6% had concomitant allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis without asthma was diagnosed in 14.8% of athletes. Mean CC16 concentration was significantly lower in athletes versus healthy controls and mild asthmatics. Athletes reporting frequent RTIs had significantly lower serum CC16 and the risk of frequent RTIs was more than 2-fold higher in athletes with low serum CC16 (defined as equal to or less than 4.99 ng/ml). Athletes had significantly higher anti-adenovirus IgG than healthy controls while only non-atopic athletes had anti-parainfluenza virus IgG significantly lower than controls. In all athletes weak correlation of serum CC16 and anti-parainfluenza virus IgG was present (R = 0.20, p < 0.01). In atopic athletes a weak positive correlations of CC16 with IgG specific for respiratory syncytial virus (R = 0.29, p = 0.009), parainfluenza virus (R = 0.31, p = 0.01) and adenovirus (R = 0.27, p = 0.02) were seen as well. Regular high-load exercise is associated with decrease in serum CC16 levels. Athletes with decreased CC16 are more susceptible to respiratory infections. Atopy may be an additional factor modifying susceptibility to infections in subjects performing regular high-load exercise.

An amorphous FeMoS4 nanorod array toward efficient hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis under neutral conditions.

PubMed

Ren, Xiang; Wang, Weiyi; Ge, Ruixiang; Hao, Shuai; Qu, Fengli; Du, Gu; Asiri, Abdullah M; Wei, Qin; Chen, Liang; Sun, Xuping

2017-08-08

It is highly attractive to develop efficient hydrogen-evolving electrocatalysts under neutral conditions. In this communication, we report an amorphous FeMoS 4 nanorod array on carbon cloth (FeMoS 4 NRA/CC) prepared by hydrothermal treatment of an FeOOH nanorod array on carbon cloth (FeOOH NRA/CC) in (NH 4 ) 2 MoS 4 solution. As a 3D electrode for hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis, this FeMoS 4 NRA/CC demonstrates superior catalytic activity and strong long-term electrochemical durability in 1.0 M phosphate buffered saline (pH: 7). It needs an overpotential of 204 mV to drive a geometrical current density of 10 mA cm -2 , which is 450 mV less than that for FeOOH NRA/CC. Density functional theory calculations suggest that FeMoS 4 has a more favourable hydrogen adsorption free energy than FeOOH.

Projected impacts of climate change on farmers' extraction of groundwater from crystalline aquifers in South India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrant, Sylvain; Caballero, Yvan; Perrin, Jérome; Gascoin, Simon; Dewandel, Benoit; Aulong, Stéphanie; Dazin, Fabrice; Ahmed, Shakeel; Maréchal, Jean-Christophe

2014-01-01

Local groundwater levels in South India are falling alarmingly. In the semi-arid crystalline Deccan plateau area, agricultural production relies on groundwater resources. Downscaled Global Climate Model (GCM) data are used to force a spatially distributed agro-hydrological model in order to evaluate Climate Change (CC) effects on local groundwater extraction (GWE). The slight increase of precipitation may alleviate current groundwater depletion on average, despite the increased evaporation due to warming. Nevertheless, projected climatic extremes create worse GWE shortages than for present climate. Local conditions may lead to opposing impacts on GWE, from increases to decreases (+/-20 mm/year), for a given spatially homogeneous CC forcing. Areas vulnerable to CC in terms of irrigation apportionment are thus identified. Our results emphasize the importance of accounting for local characteristics (water harvesting systems and maximal aquifer capacity versus GWE) in developing measures to cope with CC impacts in the South Indian region.

Projected impacts of climate change on farmers' extraction of groundwater from crystalline aquifers in South India.

PubMed

Ferrant, Sylvain; Caballero, Yvan; Perrin, Jérome; Gascoin, Simon; Dewandel, Benoit; Aulong, Stéphanie; Dazin, Fabrice; Ahmed, Shakeel; Maréchal, Jean-Christophe

2014-01-15

Local groundwater levels in South India are falling alarmingly. In the semi-arid crystalline Deccan plateau area, agricultural production relies on groundwater resources. Downscaled Global Climate Model (GCM) data are used to force a spatially distributed agro-hydrological model in order to evaluate Climate Change (CC) effects on local groundwater extraction (GWE). The slight increase of precipitation may alleviate current groundwater depletion on average, despite the increased evaporation due to warming. Nevertheless, projected climatic extremes create worse GWE shortages than for present climate. Local conditions may lead to opposing impacts on GWE, from increases to decreases (+/-20 mm/year), for a given spatially homogeneous CC forcing. Areas vulnerable to CC in terms of irrigation apportionment are thus identified. Our results emphasize the importance of accounting for local characteristics (water harvesting systems and maximal aquifer capacity versus GWE) in developing measures to cope with CC impacts in the South Indian region.

"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,…

Preparation of Carbon-Chitosan-Polyvinyl Chloride (CC-PVC) Material and its Application to Electrochemical Degradation of Methylene Blue in Sodium Chloride Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riyanto; Prawidha, A. D.

2018-01-01

Electrochemical degradation of methylene blue using Carbon-Chitosan-Polyvinyl Chloride (CC-PVC) electrode in sodium chloride have been done. The aim of this work was to degradation of methylene blue using Carbon-Chitosan-Polyvinyl Chloride (CC-PVC). Carbon chitosan composite electrode was preparing by Carbon and Chitosan powder and PVC in 4 mL tetrahydrofuran (THF) solvent and swirled flatly to homogeneous followed by drying in an oven at 100 °C for 3 h. The mixture was placed in stainless steel mould and pressed at 10 ton/cm2. Sodium chloride was used electrolyte solution. The effects of the current and electrolysis time were investigated using spectrophotometer UV-Visible. The experimental results showed that the carbon-chitosan composite electrode have higher effect in the electrochemical degradation of methylene blue in sodium chloride. Based on UV-visible spectra analysis shows current and electrolysis time has high effect to degradation of methylene blue in sodium chloride. Chitosan and polyvinyl chloride can strengthen the bond between the carbons so that the material has the high stability and conductivity. As conclusions is Carbon-Chitosan-Polyvinyl Chloride (CC-PVC) electrode have a high electrochemical activity for degradation of methylene blue in sodium chloride.

Co3O4-Carbon Cloth free standing cathode for lithium sulfur battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jing; Su, Dawei; Wang, Guoxiu

2017-07-01

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery has been considered to be one of the most promising next-generation electrochemical energy-storage systems due to its high theoretical energy of 2600 Wh kg-1 with low cost. The insulating nature of both sulfur and the dissolution of polysulfides are the two primary challenges for the application of lithium sulfur batteries. Here, we developed a binder-free cathode by chemisorption of Co3O4 to carbon cloth (CC), which was used as a 3D current collector to accommodate a large amount of sulfur, multiwall carbon nanofiber (MWCNF) and carbon black (CB) hybrids within the conductive scaffold, enabling the fabrication of ultrahigh sulfur loaded electrodes. The interconnected carbon fibers established a long-range conductive matrix for an efficient electron transport, the multiple conductive pathways guarantee high sulfur utilization. More importantly, the high electrolyte absorbability of the Co3O4-CC-S current collector facilitates well-localized polysulfides within the Co3O4-CC-S, meanwhile, the polar Co3O4 could also effectively entrapped the intermediated polysulfides preventing their free diffusion to the lithium anode, guaranteeing good cycling stability. Consequently, the Co3O4-CC-S electrodes exhibit excellent electrochemical performance with sulfur loading of 4.3 mg cm-2.

Chest compression rate feedback based on transthoracic impedance.

PubMed

González-Otero, Digna M; Ruiz de Gauna, Sofía; Ruiz, Jesus; Daya, Mohamud R; Wik, Lars; Russell, James K; Kramer-Johansen, Jo; Eftestøl, Trygve; Alonso, Erik; Ayala, Unai

2015-08-01

Quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an important determinant of survival from cardiac arrest. The use of feedback devices is encouraged by current resuscitation guidelines as it helps rescuers to improve quality of CPR performance. To determine the feasibility of a generic algorithm for feedback related to chest compression (CC) rate using the transthoracic impedance (TTI) signal recorded through the defibrillation pads. We analysed 180 episodes collected equally from three different emergency services, each one using a unique defibrillator model. The new algorithm computed the CC-rate every 2s by analysing the TTI signal in the frequency domain. The obtained CC-rate values were compared with the gold standard, computed using the compression force or the ECG and TTI signals when the force was not recorded. The accuracy of the CC-rate, the proportion of alarms of inadequate CC-rate, chest compression fraction (CCF) and the mean CC-rate per episode were calculated. Intervals with CCs were detected with a mean sensitivity and a mean positive predictive value per episode of 96.3% and 97.0%, respectively. Estimated CC-rate had an error below 10% in 95.8% of the time. Mean percentage of accurate alarms per episode was 98.2%. No statistical differences were found between the gold standard and the estimated values for any of the computed metrics. We developed an accurate algorithm to calculate and provide feedback on CC-rate using the TTI signal. This could be integrated into automated external defibrillators and help improve the quality of CPR in basic-life-support settings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mathematical Modeling of Electrochemical Flow Capacitors

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

Hoyt, NC; Wainright, JS; Savinell, RF

Electrochemical flow capacitors (EFCs) for grid-scale energy storage are a new technology that is beginning to receive interest. Prediction of the expected performance of such systems is important as modeling can be a useful avenue in the search for design improvements. Models based off of circuit analogues exist to predict EFC performance, but these suffer from deficiencies (e.g. a multitude of fitting constants that are required and the ability to analyze only one spatial direction at a time). In this paper mathematical models based off of three-dimensional macroscopic balances (similar to models for porous electrodes) are reported. Unlike existing three-dimensionalmore » porous electrode-based approaches for modeling slurry electrodes, advection (i.e., transport associated with bulk fluid motion) of the overpotential is included in order to account for the surface charge at the interface between flowing particles and the electrolyte. Doing so leads to the presence of overpotential boundary layers that control the performance of EFCs. These models were used to predict the charging behavior of an EFC under both flowing and non-flowing conditions. Agreement with experimental data was good, including proper prediction of the steady-state current that is achieved during charging of a flowing EFC. (C) The Author(s) 2015. Published by ECS. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 License (CC BY-NC-ND, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is not changed in any way and is properly cited. For permission for commercial reuse, please email: oa@electrochem.org. All rights reserved.« less

Antagonism of EG-VEGF Receptors as Targeted Therapy for Choriocarcinoma Progression In Vitro and In Vivo.

PubMed

Traboulsi, Wael; Sergent, Frédéric; Boufettal, Houssine; Brouillet, Sophie; Slim, Rima; Hoffmann, Pascale; Benlahfid, Mohammed; Zhou, Qun Y; Balboni, Gianfranco; Onnis, Valentina; Bolze, Pierre A; Salomon, Aude; Sauthier, Philippe; Mallet, François; Aboussaouira, Touria; Feige, Jean J; Benharouga, Mohamed; Alfaidy, Nadia

2017-11-15

Purpose: Choriocarcinoma (CC) is the most malignant gestational trophoblastic disease that often develops from complete hydatidiform moles (CHM). Neither the mechanism of CC development nor its progression is yet characterized. We recently identified endocrine gland-derived vascular endothelial growth factor (EG-VEGF) as a novel key placental growth factor that controls trophoblast proliferation and invasion. EG-VEGF acts via two receptors, PROKR1 and PROKR2. Here, we demonstrate that EG-VEGF receptors can be targeted for CC therapy. Experimental Design: Three approaches were used: (i) a clinical investigation comparing circulating EG-VEGF in control ( n = 20) and in distinctive CHM ( n = 38) and CC ( n = 9) cohorts, (ii) an in vitro study investigating EG-VEGF effects on the CC cell line JEG3, and (iii) an in vivo study including the development of a novel CC mouse model, through a direct injection of JEG3-luciferase into the placenta of gravid SCID-mice. Results: Both placental and circulating EG-VEGF levels were increased in CHM and CC (×5) patients. EG-VEGF increased JEG3 proliferation, migration, and invasion in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) culture systems. JEG3 injection in the placenta caused CC development with large metastases compared with their injection into the uterine horn. Treatment of the animal model with EG-VEGF receptor's antagonists significantly reduced tumor development and progression and preserved pregnancy. Antibody-array and immunohistological analyses further deciphered the mechanism of the antagonist's actions. Conclusions: Our work describes a novel preclinical animal model of CC and presents evidence that EG-VEGF receptors can be targeted for CC therapy. This may provide safe and less toxic therapeutic options compared with the currently used multi-agent chemotherapies. Clin Cancer Res; 23(22); 7130-40. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Cartilage conduction is characterized by vibrations of the cartilaginous portion of the ear canal.

PubMed

Nishimura, Tadashi; Hosoi, Hiroshi; Saito, Osamu; Miyamae, Ryosuke; Shimokura, Ryota; Yamanaka, Toshiaki; Kitahara, Tadashi; Levitt, Harry

2015-01-01

Cartilage conduction (CC) is a new form of sound transmission which is induced by a transducer being placed on the aural cartilage. Although the conventional forms of sound transmission to the cochlea are classified into air or bone conduction (AC or BC), previous study demonstrates that CC is not classified into AC or BC (Laryngoscope 124: 1214-1219). Next interesting issue is whether CC is a hybrid of AC and BC. Seven volunteers with normal hearing participated in this experiment. The threshold-shifts by water injection in the ear canal were measured. AC, BC, and CC thresholds at 0.5-4 kHz were measured in the 0%-, 40%-, and 80%-water injection conditions. In addition, CC thresholds were also measured for the 20%-, 60%-, 100%-, and overflowing-water injection conditions. The contributions of the vibrations of the cartilaginous portion were evaluated by the threshold-shifts. For AC and BC, the threshold-shifts by the water injection were 22.6-53.3 dB and within 14.9 dB at the frequency of 0.5-4 kHz, respectively. For CC, when the water was filled within the bony portion, the thresholds were elevated to the same degree as AC. When the water was additionally injected to reach the cartilaginous portion, the thresholds at 0.5 and 1 kHz dramatically decreased by 27.4 and 27.5 dB, respectively. In addition, despite blocking AC by the injected water, the CC thresholds in force level were remarkably lower than those for BC. The vibration of the cartilaginous portion contributes to the sound transmission, particularly in the low frequency range. Although the airborne sound is radiated into the ear canal in both BC and CC, the mechanism underlying its generation is different between them. CC generates airborne sound in the canal more efficiently than BC. The current findings suggest that CC is not a hybrid of AC and BC.

Cartilage Conduction Is Characterized by Vibrations of the Cartilaginous Portion of the Ear Canal

PubMed Central

Nishimura, Tadashi; Hosoi, Hiroshi; Saito, Osamu; Miyamae, Ryosuke; Shimokura, Ryota; Yamanaka, Toshiaki; Kitahara, Tadashi; Levitt, Harry

2015-01-01

Cartilage conduction (CC) is a new form of sound transmission which is induced by a transducer being placed on the aural cartilage. Although the conventional forms of sound transmission to the cochlea are classified into air or bone conduction (AC or BC), previous study demonstrates that CC is not classified into AC or BC (Laryngoscope 124: 1214–1219). Next interesting issue is whether CC is a hybrid of AC and BC. Seven volunteers with normal hearing participated in this experiment. The threshold-shifts by water injection in the ear canal were measured. AC, BC, and CC thresholds at 0.5–4 kHz were measured in the 0%-, 40%-, and 80%-water injection conditions. In addition, CC thresholds were also measured for the 20%-, 60%-, 100%-, and overflowing-water injection conditions. The contributions of the vibrations of the cartilaginous portion were evaluated by the threshold-shifts. For AC and BC, the threshold-shifts by the water injection were 22.6–53.3 dB and within 14.9 dB at the frequency of 0.5–4 kHz, respectively. For CC, when the water was filled within the bony portion, the thresholds were elevated to the same degree as AC. When the water was additionally injected to reach the cartilaginous portion, the thresholds at 0.5 and 1 kHz dramatically decreased by 27.4 and 27.5 dB, respectively. In addition, despite blocking AC by the injected water, the CC thresholds in force level were remarkably lower than those for BC. The vibration of the cartilaginous portion contributes to the sound transmission, particularly in the low frequency range. Although the airborne sound is radiated into the ear canal in both BC and CC, the mechanism underlying its generation is different between them. CC generates airborne sound in the canal more efficiently than BC. The current findings suggest that CC is not a hybrid of AC and BC. PMID:25768088

Cardiac calcifications are more prevalent in children receiving hemodialysis than peritoneal dialysis.

PubMed

Srivaths, Poyyapakkam; Krishnamurthy, Rajesh; Brunner, Lori; Logan, Barbara; Bennett, Michael; Ma, Qing; VanDeVoorde, Rene; Goldstein, Stuart L

2014-04-01

Children receiving maintenance dialysis exhibit high cardiovascular (CV) associated mortality. We and others have shown high prevalence of cardiac calcifications (CC) in children with endstage renal disease (ESRD). However, no pediatric study has examined modality difference in CC prevalence. The current study was conducted to assess for a difference in CC prevalence between hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in children with ESRD. 38 patients (19 female, 19 male; mean age 15.5 ± 4.1 years) receiving dialysis (21 HD, 17 PD) were included in the study. CC were assessed by ultrafast gated CT and quantified by Agatston score. Patients received thrice weekly HD for 3 - 3.5 hours or daily continuous cycler PD (CCPD). FGF 23, IL-6, IL-8, and CRP levels were obtained at time of CT. Time-averaged (6 months prior to CT) serum Ca, P, Alb, iPTH, and cholesterol levels were obtained. Patients on aspirin, with evidence of infection, underlying collagen vascular disease were excluded. CC were present in 11/38 patients, but more prevalent in HD vs. PD (9/21 vs. 2/17, p = 0.04). Subjects with CC were older (p = 0.0003), had longer dialysis vintage (p = 0.02) and higher serum phosphorus (p = 0.02) and FGF 23 levels (p = 0.03). HD patients also had significantly higher phosphorus (p = 0.02), FGF 23 (p = 0.009), and IL-8 levels (p = 0.02) when compared to PD patients. Residual renal function was not different between modalities or patients with CC. On a multinomial regression model, modality, and age remained independent associations for CC prevalence. We have shown that pediatric patients receiving CCPD have lower CC prevalence conferring lower CV risk. The better control of mineral imbalance in patients receiving PD may play an important role in lower CC prevalence.

Layer 5 Callosal Parvalbumin-Expressing Neurons: A Distinct Functional Group of GABAergic Neurons

PubMed Central

Zurita, Hector; Feyen, Paul L. C.; Apicella, Alfonso Junior

2018-01-01

Previous studies have shown that parvalbumin-expressing neurons (CC-Parv neurons) connect the two hemispheres of motor and sensory areas via the corpus callosum, and are a functional part of the cortical circuit. Here we test the hypothesis that layer 5 CC-Parv neurons possess anatomical and molecular mechanisms which dampen excitability and modulate the gating of interhemispheric inhibition. In order to investigate this hypothesis we use viral tracing to determine the anatomical and electrophysiological properties of layer 5 CC-Parv and parvalbumin-expressing (Parv) neurons of the mouse auditory cortex (AC). Here we show that layer 5 CC-Parv neurons had larger dendritic fields characterized by longer dendrites that branched farther from the soma, whereas layer 5 Parv neurons had smaller dendritic fields characterized by shorter dendrites that branched nearer to the soma. The layer 5 CC-Parv neurons are characterized by delayed action potential (AP) responses to threshold currents, lower firing rates, and lower instantaneous frequencies compared to the layer 5 Parv neurons. Kv1.1 containing K+ channels are the main source of the AP repolarization of the layer 5 CC-Parv and have a major role in determining both the spike delayed response, firing rate and instantaneous frequency of these neurons. PMID:29559891

Layer 5 Callosal Parvalbumin-Expressing Neurons: A Distinct Functional Group of GABAergic Neurons.

PubMed

Zurita, Hector; Feyen, Paul L C; Apicella, Alfonso Junior

2018-01-01

Previous studies have shown that parvalbumin-expressing neurons (CC-Parv neurons) connect the two hemispheres of motor and sensory areas via the corpus callosum, and are a functional part of the cortical circuit. Here we test the hypothesis that layer 5 CC-Parv neurons possess anatomical and molecular mechanisms which dampen excitability and modulate the gating of interhemispheric inhibition. In order to investigate this hypothesis we use viral tracing to determine the anatomical and electrophysiological properties of layer 5 CC-Parv and parvalbumin-expressing (Parv) neurons of the mouse auditory cortex (AC). Here we show that layer 5 CC-Parv neurons had larger dendritic fields characterized by longer dendrites that branched farther from the soma, whereas layer 5 Parv neurons had smaller dendritic fields characterized by shorter dendrites that branched nearer to the soma. The layer 5 CC-Parv neurons are characterized by delayed action potential (AP) responses to threshold currents, lower firing rates, and lower instantaneous frequencies compared to the layer 5 Parv neurons. Kv1.1 containing K + channels are the main source of the AP repolarization of the layer 5 CC-Parv and have a major role in determining both the spike delayed response, firing rate and instantaneous frequency of these neurons.

Practical approaches for application of resistance type strain gages on high temperature composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Thomas C., Sr.

1991-01-01

Four major areas of interest with respect to utilizing strain gages on carbon/carbon (with SiC surfaces) and titanium matrix composites are addressed. Strain gage and adhesive combinations on carbon/carbon (C/C) at temperatures from minus 190 C to to 540 C, half-bridge gaging for reducing apparent strain on C/C using Poisson's ratio and bending configurations, a review of the 'field installation' techniques developed for gaging a C/C hypersonic generic elevon, and results of initial strain gaging efforts on titanium matrix composites are discussed. Current research in developing techniques for increasing the maximum temperature for strain gages on carbon/carbon are reviewed.

Phonon stiffen and soften at zigzag- and armchair-dominated edges of exfoliated bilayer graphene ribbon presented by Raman spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Minggang; Zhou, Xiaohua; Xin, Duqiang; Xu, Qiang

2018-01-01

The Raman spectra at the edge of the exfoliated bilayer graphene ribbon (GR) were investigated in detail. Results show that both G and 2D phonons stiffen (wave number increases) at zigzag-dominated edge, while they soften at armchair-dominated edge compared with those at the middle position in the GR. Furthermore, the full widths at half maximum intensity of both G and 2D Raman peaks narrow at the zigzag-dominated edge, while they broaden at the armchair-dominated edge. The stiffness and softness are attributed to the C-C bonds at the edge. For zigzag-dominated edge, the stiffness may originate in the increase of the force constant induced by the shrinking of C-C bond. For armchair-dominated edge, the softness may be due to the decrease of the force constant induced by the unsaturated hanging bonds at edge, which is different from Kohn anomaly and charge doping. The analysis is in agreement well with others calculation results about C-C bonds and the edge energy. These results may be useful to understand physical properties at the bilayer graphene edge and for applications in the device by taking advantage of the edge states in bilayer graphene.

Modeling Excited States in TiO2 Nanoparticles: On the Accuracy of a TD-DFT Based Description

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

Berardo, Enrico; Hu, Hanshi; Shevlin, S. A.

2014-03-11

We have investigated the suitability of Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) to describe vertical low-energy excitations in naked and hydrated titanium dioxide nanoparticles through a comparison with results from Equation-of-Motion Coupled Cluster (EOM-CC) quantum chemistry methods. We demonstrate that for most TiO2 nanoparticles TD-DFT calculations with commonly used exchange-correlation (XC-)potentials (e.g. B3LYP) and EOM-CC methods give qualitatively similar results. Importantly, however, we also show that for an important subset of structures, TD-DFT gives qualitatively different results depending upon the XC-potential used and that in this case only TD-CAM-B3LYP and TD-BHLYP calculations yield results that are consistent with those obtained usingmore » EOM-CC theory. Moreover, we demonstrate that the discrepancies for such structures arise from a particular combination of defects, excitations involving which are charge-transfer excitations and hence are poorly described by XC-potentials that contain no or low fractions of Hartree-Fock like exchange. Finally, we discuss that such defects are readily healed in the presence of ubiquitously present water and that as a result the description of vertical low-energy excitations for hydrated TiO2 nanoparticles is hence non-problematic.« less

A knowledge, attitude and practices study of the issues of climate change/variability impacts and public health in Trinidad and Tobago, and St Kitts and Nevis.

PubMed

Rawlins, S C; Chen, A; Rawlins, J M; Chadee, D D; Legall, G

2007-03-01

To determine the level of understanding of the issues of climate change (CC)/variability (CV) and public health by populations of St Kitts and Nevis (SKN) and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) and to find whether respondents would be willing to incorporate these values into strategies for dengue fever (DF) prevention. Using a cluster sampling system, representative samples of the communities of SKN (227) and T&T (650) were surveyed for responses to a questionnaire document with questions on the impact of climate variability on health, the physical environment, respondents' willingness to utilize climate issues to predict and adapt to climate variability for DF prevention. Data were analyzed by Epi Info. Sixty-two per cent SKN and 55% T&T of respondents showed some understanding of the concept of climate change (CC) and distinguished this from climate variability (CV). With regard to causes of CC, 48% SKN and 50% T&T attributed CC to all of green houses gases, holes in the ozone layer burning of vegetation and vehicular exhaust gases. However some 39.3% SKN and 31% (T&T) did not answer this question. In response to ranking issues of life affected by CC/CV in both countries, respondents ranked them: health > water resources > agriculture > biodiversity > coastal degradation. The major health issues identified for SKN and T&T respondents were: food-borne diseases > water-borne diseases > heat stresses; vector-borne diseases were only ranked 4th and 5th for SKN and T&T respondents respectively. There was in both countries a significant proportion of respondents (p < 0.001) who reported wet season-related increase of DF cases as a CC/CV link. Respondents identified use of environmental sanitation (ES) at appropriate times as a method of choice of using CC/CV to prevent DF outbreaks. More than 82% in both countries saw the use of the CC/CV information for DF prevention by prediction and control as strategic but only 50-51% were inclined to become personally involved. Currently, only 50% SKN and 45% T&T respondents claimed current involvement in DF vector surveillance and control in the last two days. Despite the fact that knowledge and attitudes did not always coincide with practices of using ES for DF prevention, in both countries, even with CC/CV tools of prediction being available, it seems that respondents could be persuaded to use such strategies. There is a need for demonstration of the efficacy of CC/CV information and promotion of its usefulness for community involvement in DF and possibly other disease prevention.

Coffee cysteine proteinases and related inhibitors with high expression during grain maturation and germination

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Cysteine proteinases perform multiple functions in seeds, including participation in remodelling polypeptides and recycling amino acids during maturation and germination. Currently, few details exist concerning these genes and proteins in coffee. Furthermore, there is limited information on the cysteine proteinase inhibitors which influence the activities of these proteinases. Results Two cysteine proteinase (CP) and four cysteine proteinase inhibitor (CPI) gene sequences have been identified in coffee with significant expression during the maturation and germination of coffee grain. Detailed expression analysis of the cysteine proteinase genes CcCP1 and CcCP4 in Robusta using quantitative RT-PCR showed that these transcripts accumulate primarily during grain maturation and germination/post germination. The corresponding proteins were expressed in E. coli and purified, but only one, CcCP4, which has a KDDL/KDEL C-terminal sequence, was found to be active after a short acid treatment. QRT-PCR expression analysis of the four cysteine proteinase inhibitor genes in Robusta showed that CcCPI-1 is primarily expressed in developing and germinating grain and CcCPI-4 is very highly expressed during the late post germination period, as well as in mature, but not immature leaves. Transcripts corresponding to CcCPI-2 and CcCPI-3 were detected in most tissues examined at relatively similar, but generally low levels. Conclusions Several cysteine proteinase and cysteine proteinase inhibitor genes with strong, relatively specific expression during coffee grain maturation and germination are presented. The temporal expression of the CcCP1 gene suggests it is involved in modifying proteins during late grain maturation and germination. The expression pattern of CcCP4, and its close identity with KDEL containing CP proteins, implies this proteinase may play a role in protein and/or cell remodelling during late grain germination, and that it is likely to play a strong role in the programmed cell death associated with post-germination of the coffee grain. Expression analysis of the cysteine proteinase inhibitor genes suggests that CcCPI-1 could primarily be involved in modulating the activity of grain CP activity; while CcCPI-4 may play roles modulating grain CP activity and in the protection of the young coffee seedlings from insects and pathogens. CcCPI-2 and CcCPI-3, having lower and more widespread expression, could be more general "house-keeping" CPI genes. PMID:22380654

Diffusion of Conserved Charges in Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greif, Moritz; Fotakis, Jan. A.; Denicol, Gabriel S.; Greiner, Carsten

2018-06-01

We demonstrate that the diffusion currents do not depend only on gradients of their corresponding charge density, but that the different diffusion charge currents are coupled. This happens in such a way that it is possible for density gradients of a given charge to generate dissipative currents of another charge. Within this scheme, the charge diffusion coefficient is best viewed as a matrix, in which the diagonal terms correspond to the usual charge diffusion coefficients, while the off-diagonal terms describe the coupling between the different currents. In this Letter, we calculate for the first time the complete diffusion matrix for hot and dense nuclear matter, including baryon, electric, and strangeness charges. We find that the baryon diffusion current is strongly affected by baryon charge gradients but also by its coupling to gradients in strangeness. The electric charge diffusion current is found to be strongly affected by electric and strangeness gradients, whereas strangeness currents depend mostly on strange and baryon gradients.

Asymptotically zero power charge-recycling bus architecture for battery-operated ultrahigh data rate ULSI's

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamauchi, Hiroyuki; Akamatsu, Hironori; Fujita, Tsutomu

1995-04-01

An asymptotically zero power charge recycling bus (CRB) architecture, featuring virtual stacking of the individual bus-capacitance into a series configuration between supply voltage and ground, has been proposed. This CRB architecture makes it possible to reduce not only each bus-swing but also a total equivalent bus-capacitance of the ultramultibit buses running in parallel. The voltage swing of each bus is given by the recycled charge-supplying from the upper adjacent bus capacitance, instead of the power line. The dramatical power reduction was verified by the simulated and measured data. According to these data, the ultrahigh data rate of 25.6 Gb/s can be achieved while maintaining the power dissipation to be less than 100 mW, which corresponds to less than 10% that of the previously reported 0.9 V suppressed bus-swing scheme, at V(sub cc) = 3.6 V for the bus width of 512 b with the bus-capacitance of 14 pF per bit operating at 50 MHz.

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

Sharma, Amrish, E-mail: amrish99@gmail.com; Kaur, Sandeep, E-mail: sipusukhn@gmail.com; Mudahar, Isha, E-mail: isha@pbi.ac.in

We have investigated the structural and electronic properties of carbon nanotube with small fullerene halves C{sub n} (n ≤ 40) which are covalently bonded to the side wall of an armchair single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) using first principle method based on density functional theory. The fullerene size results in weak bonding between fullerene halves and carbon nanotube (CNT). Further, it was found that the C-C bond distance that attaches the fullerene half and CNT is of the order of 1.60 Å. The calculated binding energies indicate the stability of the complexes formed. The HOMO-LUMO gaps and electron density ofmore » state plots points towards the metallicity of the complex formed. Our calculations on charge transfer reveal that very small amount of charge is transferred from CNT to fullerene halves.« less

Current-voltage characteristics influenced by the nanochannel diameter and surface charge density in a fluidic field-effect-transistor.

PubMed

Singh, Kunwar Pal; Guo, Chunlei

2017-06-21

The nanochannel diameter and surface charge density have a significant impact on current-voltage characteristics in a nanofluidic transistor. We have simulated the effect of the channel diameter and surface charge density on current-voltage characteristics of a fluidic nanochannel with positive surface charge on its walls and a gate electrode on its surface. Anion depletion/enrichment leads to a decrease/increase in ion current with gate potential. The ion current tends to increase linearly with gate potential for narrow channels at high surface charge densities and narrow channels are more effective to control the ion current at high surface charge densities. The current-voltage characteristics are highly nonlinear for wide channels at low surface charge densities and they show different regions of current change with gate potential. The ion current decreases with gate potential after attaining a peak value for wide channels at low values of surface charge densities. At low surface charge densities, the ion current can be controlled by a narrow range of gate potentials for wide channels. The current change with source drain voltage shows ohmic, limiting and overlimiting regions.

An Experimental Study of the Plasma Focus Device as a Charged Particle Accelerator

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-11-01

The dense plasma focus has been investigated at many laboratories as a possible fusion device. Typical plasma parameters for this device are electron...temperatures of 1 keV, densities of 10 to the 19th power per cc, and confinement times of 100 ns. Characteristic of the plasma focus discharge are...neutrons. The emphasis of this work is to investigate the electron and ion emission from the plasma focus and the development of appropriate diagnostics to

Applications of Digital and Optoelectronic Circuits to Electrothermal- Chemical Gun System Facilities

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-01

1991; Katulka et al. 1991; Zielinski and Renaud 1992; Powell and Zielinski 1992; Hummer et al. 1992). The electrical plasma is formed on the inside...charge amplifiers, and UPS control systems. 11" CD C)C GD A CJU t In~ 12 6. REFERENCES Bunte, S. W., R. A. Beyer, and A. E. Zielinski . "Temperature...State Devices). Cleveland, OH: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. 1988. Katulka, 0. L., H. Burden, A. Zielinski , and K. White. "Electrical Energy

The genome architecture of the Collaborative Cross mouse genetic reference population.

PubMed

2012-02-01

The Collaborative Cross Consortium reports here on the development of a unique genetic resource population. The Collaborative Cross (CC) is a multiparental recombinant inbred panel derived from eight laboratory mouse inbred strains. Breeding of the CC lines was initiated at multiple international sites using mice from The Jackson Laboratory. Currently, this innovative project is breeding independent CC lines at the University of North Carolina (UNC), at Tel Aviv University (TAU), and at Geniad in Western Australia (GND). These institutions aim to make publicly available the completed CC lines and their genotypes and sequence information. We genotyped, and report here, results from 458 extant lines from UNC, TAU, and GND using a custom genotyping array with 7500 SNPs designed to be maximally informative in the CC and used a novel algorithm to infer inherited haplotypes directly from hybridization intensity patterns. We identified lines with breeding errors and cousin lines generated by splitting incipient lines into two or more cousin lines at early generations of inbreeding. We then characterized the genome architecture of 350 genetically independent CC lines. Results showed that founder haplotypes are inherited at the expected frequency, although we also consistently observed highly significant transmission ratio distortion at specific loci across all three populations. On chromosome 2, there is significant overrepresentation of WSB/EiJ alleles, and on chromosome X, there is a large deficit of CC lines with CAST/EiJ alleles. Linkage disequilibrium decays as expected and we saw no evidence of gametic disequilibrium in the CC population as a whole or in random subsets of the population. Gametic equilibrium in the CC population is in marked contrast to the gametic disequilibrium present in a large panel of classical inbred strains. Finally, we discuss access to the CC population and to the associated raw data describing the genetic structure of individual lines. Integration of rich phenotypic and genomic data over time and across a wide variety of fields will be vital to delivering on one of the key attributes of the CC, a common genetic reference platform for identifying causative variants and genetic networks determining traits in mammals.

Evaluation of B3LYP, X3LYP, and M06-Class Density Functionals for Predicting the Binding Energies of Neutral, Protonated, and Deprotonated Water Clusters.

PubMed

Bryantsev, Vyacheslav S; Diallo, Mamadou S; van Duin, Adri C T; Goddard, William A

2009-04-14

In this paper we assess the accuracy of the B3LYP, X3LYP, and newly developed M06-L, M06-2X, and M06 functionals to predict the binding energies of neutral and charged water clusters including (H2O)n, n = 2-8, 20), H3O(+)(H2O)n, n = 1-6, and OH(-)(H2O)n, n = 1-6. We also compare the predicted energies of two ion hydration and neutralization reactions on the basis of the calculated binding energies. In all cases, we use as benchmarks calculated binding energies of water clusters extrapolated to the complete basis set limit of the second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory with the effects of higher order correlation estimated at the coupled-cluster theory with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations in the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set. We rank the accuracy of the functionals on the basis of the mean unsigned error (MUE) between calculated benchmark and density functional theory energies. The corresponding MUE (kcal/mol) for each functional is listed in parentheses. We find that M06-L (0.73) and M06 (0.84) give the most accurate binding energies using very extended basis sets such as aug-cc-pV5Z. For more affordable basis sets, the best methods for predicting the binding energies of water clusters are M06-L/aug-cc-pVTZ (1.24), B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,2p) (1.29), and M06/aug-cc-PVTZ (1.33). M06-L/aug-cc-pVTZ also gives more accurate energies for the neutralization reactions (1.38), whereas B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,2p) gives more accurate energies for the ion hydration reactions (1.69).

Roebel assembled coated conductor cables (RACC): Ac-Losses and current carrying potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank, A.; Heller, R.; Goldacker, W.; Kling, A.; Schmidt, C.

2008-02-01

Low ac-loss HTS cables for transport currents well above 1 kA are required for application in transformers and generators and are taken into consideration for future generations of fusion reactor coils. Coated conductors (CC) are suitable candidates for high field application at an operation temperature in the range 50-77 K. Ac-field applications require cables with low ac-losses and hence twisting of the individual strands. We solved this problem using the Roebel technique. Short lengths of Roebel bar cables were prepared from industrial DyBCO and YBCO-CC. Meander shaped tapes of 4 or 5 mm width with twist pitches of 123 or 127 mm were cut from the 10 or 12 mm wide CC tapes using a specially designed tool. Eleven or twelve of these strands were assembled to a cable. The electrical and mechanical connection of the tapes was achieved using a silver powder filled conductive epoxy resin. Ac-losses of a short sample in an external ac-field were measured as a function of frequency and field amplitude as well as the coupling current decay time constant. We discuss the results in terms of available theories and compare measured time constants in transverse field with measured coupling losses. Finally the potential of this cable type for ac-use is discussed with respect to ac-losses and current carrying capability.

Modeling of Optical Waveguide Poling and Thermally Stimulated Discharge (TSD) Charge and Current Densities for Guest/Host Electro Optic Polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Michael D.; Ashley, Paul R.; Abushagur, Mustafa

2004-01-01

A charge density and current density model of a waveguide system has been developed to explore the effects of electric field electrode poling. An optical waveguide may be modeled during poling by considering the dielectric charge distribution, polarization charge distribution, and conduction charge generated by the poling field. These charge distributions are the source of poling current densities. The model shows that boundary charge current density and polarization current density are the major source of currents measured during poling and thermally stimulated discharge These charge distributions provide insight into the poling mechanisms and are directly related to E(sub A), and, alpha(sub r). Initial comparisons with experimental data show excellent correlation to the model results.

NLCC controller for SEPIC-based micro-wind energy conversion system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Justin Nayagam, Brintha Jane; Sathi, Rama Reddy; Olimuthu, Divya

2017-04-01

The growth of the power industry is gaining greater momentum as the usage of the non-conventional energy sources that include fuel, solar, and wind energies, increases. Wind energy conversion systems (WECSs) are gaining more popularity and are expected to be able to control the power at the output. This paper describes the current control (CC), non-linear carrier charge control (NLCCC), and fuzzy logic control (FLC) applied to the single-ended primary inductor converter (SEPIC)-based WECS. The current controller has an inherent overcurrent protection with better line noise rejection. The pulses for the switch of the SEPIC are obtained by comparing the current flowing through it with the virtual current reference. FLC is also investigated for the micro-wind energy conversion system (μWECS), since it improves the damping characteristics of WECS over a wide range of operating points. This cannot attain the unity power factor rectification. In this paper, NLCCC is proposed for high-power factor rectifier-based SEPIC in continuous conduction mode (CCM) for μWECS. The proposed converter provides an output voltage with low input current ripple due to the presence of the inductor at the input side. By comparing the signal proportional to the integral of switch current with a periodic non-linear carrier wave, the duty ratio of the converter switch is determined for the NLCC controller. By selecting the shape of the periodic non-linear carrier wave the input-line current can be made to follow the input-line voltage. This work employs a parabolic carrier waveform generator. The output voltage is regulated for changes in the wind speed. The results obtained prove the effectiveness of the NLCC controller in improving the power factor.

Mineral density volume gradients in normal and diseased human tissues

DOE PAGES

Djomehri, Sabra I.; Candell, Susan; Case, Thomas; ...

2015-04-09

Clinical computed tomography provides a single mineral density (MD) value for heterogeneous calcified tissues containing early and late stage pathologic formations. The novel aspect of this study is that, it extends current quantitative methods of mapping mineral density gradients to three dimensions, discretizes early and late mineralized stages, identifies elemental distribution in discretized volumes, and correlates measured MD with respective calcium (Ca) to phosphorus (P) and Ca to zinc (Zn) elemental ratios. To accomplish this, MD variations identified using polychromatic radiation from a high resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) benchtop unit were correlated with elemental mapping obtained from a microprobe X-raymore » fluorescence (XRF) using synchrotron monochromatic radiation. Digital segmentation of tomograms from normal and diseased tissues (N=5 per group; 40-60 year old males) contained significant mineral density variations (enamel: 2820-3095mg/cc, bone: 570-1415mg/cc, cementum: 1240-1340mg/cc, dentin: 1480-1590mg/cc, cementum affected by periodontitis: 1100-1220mg/cc, hypomineralized carious dentin: 345-1450mg/cc, hypermineralized carious dentin: 1815-2740mg/cc, and dental calculus: 1290-1770mg/cc). A plausible linear correlation between segmented MD volumes and elemental ratios within these volumes was established, and Ca/P ratios for dentin (1.49), hypomineralized dentin (0.32-0.46), cementum (1.51), and bone (1.68) were observed. Furthermore, varying Ca/Zn ratios were distinguished in adapted compared to normal tissues, such as in bone (855-2765) and in cementum (595-990), highlighting Zn as an influential element in prompting observed adaptive properties. Hence, results provide insights on mineral density gradients with elemental concentrations and elemental footprints that in turn could aid in elucidating mechanistic processes for pathologic formations.« less

Mineral density volume gradients in normal and diseased human tissues

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

Djomehri, Sabra I.; Candell, Susan; Case, Thomas

Clinical computed tomography provides a single mineral density (MD) value for heterogeneous calcified tissues containing early and late stage pathologic formations. The novel aspect of this study is that, it extends current quantitative methods of mapping mineral density gradients to three dimensions, discretizes early and late mineralized stages, identifies elemental distribution in discretized volumes, and correlates measured MD with respective calcium (Ca) to phosphorus (P) and Ca to zinc (Zn) elemental ratios. To accomplish this, MD variations identified using polychromatic radiation from a high resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) benchtop unit were correlated with elemental mapping obtained from a microprobe X-raymore » fluorescence (XRF) using synchrotron monochromatic radiation. Digital segmentation of tomograms from normal and diseased tissues (N=5 per group; 40-60 year old males) contained significant mineral density variations (enamel: 2820-3095mg/cc, bone: 570-1415mg/cc, cementum: 1240-1340mg/cc, dentin: 1480-1590mg/cc, cementum affected by periodontitis: 1100-1220mg/cc, hypomineralized carious dentin: 345-1450mg/cc, hypermineralized carious dentin: 1815-2740mg/cc, and dental calculus: 1290-1770mg/cc). A plausible linear correlation between segmented MD volumes and elemental ratios within these volumes was established, and Ca/P ratios for dentin (1.49), hypomineralized dentin (0.32-0.46), cementum (1.51), and bone (1.68) were observed. Furthermore, varying Ca/Zn ratios were distinguished in adapted compared to normal tissues, such as in bone (855-2765) and in cementum (595-990), highlighting Zn as an influential element in prompting observed adaptive properties. Hence, results provide insights on mineral density gradients with elemental concentrations and elemental footprints that in turn could aid in elucidating mechanistic processes for pathologic formations.« less

Mineral density volume gradients in normal and diseased human tissues.

PubMed

Djomehri, Sabra I; Candell, Susan; Case, Thomas; Browning, Alyssa; Marshall, Grayson W; Yun, Wenbing; Lau, S H; Webb, Samuel; Ho, Sunita P

2015-01-01

Clinical computed tomography provides a single mineral density (MD) value for heterogeneous calcified tissues containing early and late stage pathologic formations. The novel aspect of this study is that, it extends current quantitative methods of mapping mineral density gradients to three dimensions, discretizes early and late mineralized stages, identifies elemental distribution in discretized volumes, and correlates measured MD with respective calcium (Ca) to phosphorus (P) and Ca to zinc (Zn) elemental ratios. To accomplish this, MD variations identified using polychromatic radiation from a high resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) benchtop unit were correlated with elemental mapping obtained from a microprobe X-ray fluorescence (XRF) using synchrotron monochromatic radiation. Digital segmentation of tomograms from normal and diseased tissues (N=5 per group; 40-60 year old males) contained significant mineral density variations (enamel: 2820-3095 mg/cc, bone: 570-1415 mg/cc, cementum: 1240-1340 mg/cc, dentin: 1480-1590 mg/cc, cementum affected by periodontitis: 1100-1220 mg/cc, hypomineralized carious dentin: 345-1450 mg/cc, hypermineralized carious dentin: 1815-2740 mg/cc, and dental calculus: 1290-1770 mg/cc). A plausible linear correlation between segmented MD volumes and elemental ratios within these volumes was established, and Ca/P ratios for dentin (1.49), hypomineralized dentin (0.32-0.46), cementum (1.51), and bone (1.68) were observed. Furthermore, varying Ca/Zn ratios were distinguished in adapted compared to normal tissues, such as in bone (855-2765) and in cementum (595-990), highlighting Zn as an influential element in prompting observed adaptive properties. Hence, results provide insights on mineral density gradients with elemental concentrations and elemental footprints that in turn could aid in elucidating mechanistic processes for pathologic formations.

A laboratory study to estimate pore geometric parameters of sandstones using complex conductivity and nuclear magnetic resonance for permeability prediction

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

Osterman, Gordon; Keating, Kristina; Binley, Andrew

Here, we estimate parameters from the Katz and Thompson permeability model using laboratory complex electrical conductivity (CC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data to build permeability models parameterized with geophysical measurements. We use the Katz and Thompson model based on the characteristic hydraulic length scale, determined from mercury injection capillary pressure estimates of pore throat size, and the intrinsic formation factor, determined from multisalinity conductivity measurements, for this purpose. Two new permeability models are tested, one based on CC data and another that incorporates CC and NMR data. From measurements made on forty-five sandstone cores collected from fifteen different formations,more » we evaluate how well the CC relaxation time and the NMR transverse relaxation times compare to the characteristic hydraulic length scale and how well the formation factor estimated from CC parameters compares to the intrinsic formation factor. We find: (1) the NMR transverse relaxation time models the characteristic hydraulic length scale more accurately than the CC relaxation time (R 2 of 0.69 and 0.33 and normalized root mean square errors (NRMSE) of 0.16 and 0.21, respectively); (2) the CC estimated formation factor is well correlated with the intrinsic formation factor (NRMSE50.23). We demonstrate that that permeability estimates from the joint-NMR-CC model (NRMSE50.13) compare favorably to estimates from the Katz and Thompson model (NRMSE50.074). Lastly, this model advances the capability of the Katz and Thompson model by employing parameters measureable in the field giving it the potential to more accurately estimate permeability using geophysical measurements than are currently possible.« less

A laboratory study to estimate pore geometric parameters of sandstones using complex conductivity and nuclear magnetic resonance for permeability prediction

DOE PAGES

Osterman, Gordon; Keating, Kristina; Binley, Andrew; ...

2016-03-18

Here, we estimate parameters from the Katz and Thompson permeability model using laboratory complex electrical conductivity (CC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data to build permeability models parameterized with geophysical measurements. We use the Katz and Thompson model based on the characteristic hydraulic length scale, determined from mercury injection capillary pressure estimates of pore throat size, and the intrinsic formation factor, determined from multisalinity conductivity measurements, for this purpose. Two new permeability models are tested, one based on CC data and another that incorporates CC and NMR data. From measurements made on forty-five sandstone cores collected from fifteen different formations,more » we evaluate how well the CC relaxation time and the NMR transverse relaxation times compare to the characteristic hydraulic length scale and how well the formation factor estimated from CC parameters compares to the intrinsic formation factor. We find: (1) the NMR transverse relaxation time models the characteristic hydraulic length scale more accurately than the CC relaxation time (R 2 of 0.69 and 0.33 and normalized root mean square errors (NRMSE) of 0.16 and 0.21, respectively); (2) the CC estimated formation factor is well correlated with the intrinsic formation factor (NRMSE50.23). We demonstrate that that permeability estimates from the joint-NMR-CC model (NRMSE50.13) compare favorably to estimates from the Katz and Thompson model (NRMSE50.074). Lastly, this model advances the capability of the Katz and Thompson model by employing parameters measureable in the field giving it the potential to more accurately estimate permeability using geophysical measurements than are currently possible.« less

Mineral Density Volume Gradients in Normal and Diseased Human Tissues

PubMed Central

Djomehri, Sabra I.; Candell, Susan; Case, Thomas; Browning, Alyssa; Marshall, Grayson W.; Yun, Wenbing; Lau, S. H.; Webb, Samuel; Ho, Sunita P.

2015-01-01

Clinical computed tomography provides a single mineral density (MD) value for heterogeneous calcified tissues containing early and late stage pathologic formations. The novel aspect of this study is that, it extends current quantitative methods of mapping mineral density gradients to three dimensions, discretizes early and late mineralized stages, identifies elemental distribution in discretized volumes, and correlates measured MD with respective calcium (Ca) to phosphorus (P) and Ca to zinc (Zn) elemental ratios. To accomplish this, MD variations identified using polychromatic radiation from a high resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) benchtop unit were correlated with elemental mapping obtained from a microprobe X-ray fluorescence (XRF) using synchrotron monochromatic radiation. Digital segmentation of tomograms from normal and diseased tissues (N=5 per group; 40-60 year old males) contained significant mineral density variations (enamel: 2820-3095mg/cc, bone: 570-1415mg/cc, cementum: 1240-1340mg/cc, dentin: 1480-1590mg/cc, cementum affected by periodontitis: 1100-1220mg/cc, hypomineralized carious dentin: 345-1450mg/cc, hypermineralized carious dentin: 1815-2740mg/cc, and dental calculus: 1290-1770mg/cc). A plausible linear correlation between segmented MD volumes and elemental ratios within these volumes was established, and Ca/P ratios for dentin (1.49), hypomineralized dentin (0.32-0.46), cementum (1.51), and bone (1.68) were observed. Furthermore, varying Ca/Zn ratios were distinguished in adapted compared to normal tissues, such as in bone (855-2765) and in cementum (595-990), highlighting Zn as an influential element in prompting observed adaptive properties. Hence, results provide insights on mineral density gradients with elemental concentrations and elemental footprints that in turn could aid in elucidating mechanistic processes for pathologic formations. PMID:25856386

An intelligent automated command and control system for spacecraft mission operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoffel, A. William

1994-01-01

The Intelligent Command and Control (ICC) System research project is intended to provide the technology base necessary for producing an intelligent automated command and control (C&C) system capable of performing all the ground control C&C functions currently performed by Mission Operations Center (MOC) project Flight Operations Team (FOT). The ICC research accomplishments to date, details of the ICC, and the planned outcome of the ICC research, mentioned above, are discussed in detail.

Improving diagnosis for congenital cataract by introducing NGS genetic testing.

PubMed

Musleh, Mohammud; Ashworth, Jane; Black, Graeme; Hall, Georgina

2016-01-01

Childhood cataract (CC) has an incidence of 3.5 per 10,000 by age 15 years. Diagnosis of any underlying cause is important to ensure effective and prompt management of multisystem complications, to facilitate accurate genetic counselling and to streamline multidisciplinary care. Next generation sequencing (NGS) has been shown to be effective in providing an underlying diagnosis in 70% of patients with CC in a research setting. This project aimed to integrate NGS testing in CC within six months of presentation and increase the rate of diagnosis. A retrospective case note review was undertaken to define the baseline efficacy of current care in providing a precise diagnosis. Quality improvement methods were used to integrate and optimize NGS testing in clinical care and measure the improvements made. The percentage of children receiving an NGS result within six months increased from 26% to 71% during the project period. The mean time to NGS testing and receiving a report decreased and there was a reduction in variation over the study period. Several patients and families had a change in management or genetic counselling as a direct result of the diagnosis given by the NGS test. The current recommended investigation of patients with bilateral CC is ineffective in identifying a diagnosis. Quality Improvement methods have facilitated successful integration of NGS testing into clinical care, improving time to diagnosis and leading to development of a new care pathway.

50% duty cycle may be inappropriate to achieve a sufficient chest compression depth when cardiopulmonary resuscitation is performed by female or light rescuers.

PubMed

Lee, Chang Jae; Chung, Tae Nyoung; Bae, Jinkun; Kim, Eui Chung; Choi, Sung Wook; Kim, Ok Jun

2015-03-01

Current guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation recommend chest compressions (CC) during 50% of the duty cycle (DC) in part because of the ease with which individuals may learn to achieve it with practice. However, no consideration has been given to a possible interaction between DC and depth of CC, which has been the subject of recent study. Our aim was to determine if 50% DC is inappropriate to achieve sufficient chest compression depth for female and light rescuers. Previously collected CC data, performed by senior medical students guided by metronome sounds with various down-stroke patterns and rates, were included in the analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the association between average compression depth (ACD) with average compression rate (ACR), DC, and physical characteristics of the performers. Expected ACD was calculated for various settings. DC, ACR, body weight, male sex, and self-assessed physical strength were significantly associated with ACD in multivariate analysis. Based on our calculations, with 50% of DC, only men with ACR of 140/min or faster or body weight over 74 kg with ACR of 120/min can achieve sufficient ACD. A shorter DC is independently correlated with deeper CC during simulated cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The optimal DC recommended in current guidelines may be inappropriate for achieving sufficient CD, especially for female or lighter-weight rescuers.

Genetic heterogeneity in cholangiocarcinoma: a major challenge for targeted therapies

PubMed Central

Brandi, Giovanni; Farioli, Andrea; Astolfi, Annalisa; Biasco, Guido; Tavolari, Simona

2015-01-01

Cholangiocarcinoma (CC) encompasses a group of related but distinct malignancies whose lack of a stereotyped genetic signature makes challenging the identification of genomic landscape and the development of effective targeted therapies. Accumulated evidences strongly suggest that the remarkable genetic heterogeneity of CC may be the result of a complex interplay among different causative factors, some shared by most human cancers while others typical of this malignancy. Currently, considerable efforts are ongoing worldwide for the genetic characterization of CC, also using advanced technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS). Undoubtedly this technology could offer an unique opportunity to broaden our understanding on CC molecular pathogenesis. Despite this great potential, however, the high complexity in terms of factors potentially contributing to genetic variability in CC calls for a more cautionary application of NGS to this malignancy, in order to avoid possible biases and criticisms in the identification of candidate actionable targets. This approach is further justified by the urgent need to develop effective targeted therapies in this disease. A multidisciplinary approach integrating genomic, functional and clinical studies is therefore mandatory to translate the results obtained by NGS into effective targeted therapies for this orphan disease. PMID:26142706

Core-shell CoFe2O4@Co-Fe-Bi nanoarray: a surface-amorphization water oxidation catalyst operating at near-neutral pH.

PubMed

Ji, Xuqiang; Hao, Shuai; Qu, Fengli; Liu, Jingquan; Du, Gu; Asiri, Abdullah M; Chen, Liang; Sun, Xuping

2017-06-14

The exploration of high-performance and earth-abundant water oxidation catalysts operating under mild conditions is highly attractive and challenging. In this communication, core-shell CoFe 2 O 4 @Co-Fe-Bi nanoarray on carbon cloth (CoFe 2 O 4 @Co-Fe-Bi/CC) was successfully fabricated by in situ surface amorphization of CoFe 2 O 4 nanoarray on CC (CoFe 2 O 4 /CC). As a 3D water oxidation electrode, CoFe 2 O 4 @Co-Fe-Bi/CC shows outstanding activity with an overpotential of 460 mV to drive a geometrical catalytic current density of 10 mA cm -2 in 0.1 M potassium borate (pH 9.2). Notably, it also demonstrates superior long-term durability for at least 20 h with 96% Faradic efficiency. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the conversion from OOH* to O 2 is the rate-limiting step and the high water oxidation activity of CoFe 2 O 4 @Co-Fe-Bi/CC is associated with the lower free energy of 1.84 eV on a Co-Fe-Bi shell.

High power vertical stacked diode laser development using macro-channel water cooling and hard solder bonding technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Dongshan; Liang, Xuejie; Wang, Jingwei; Li, Xiaoning; Nie, Zhiqiang; Liu, Xingsheng

2017-02-01

A novel marco channel cooler (MaCC) has been developed for packaging high power diode vertical stacked (HPDL) lasers, which eliminates many of the issues in commercially-available copper micro-channel coolers (MCC). The MaCC coolers, which do not require deionized water as coolant, were carefully designed for compact size and superior thermal dissipation capability. Indium-free packaging technology was adopted throughout product design and fabrication process to minimize the risk of solder electromigration and thermal fatigue at high current density and long pulse width under QCW operation. Single MaCC unit with peak output power of up to 700W/bar at pulse width in microsecond range and 200W/bar at pulse width in millisecond range has been recorded. Characteristic comparison on thermal resistivity, spectrum, near filed and lifetime have been conducted between a MaCC product and its counterpart MCC product. QCW lifetime test (30ms 10Hz, 30% duty cycle) has also been conducted with distilled water as coolant. A vertical 40-MaCC stack product has been fabricated, total output power of 9 kilowatts has been recorded under QCW mode (3ms, 30Hz, 9% duty cycle).

Mesoporous Cladophora cellulose separators for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Ruijun; Cheung, Ocean; Wang, Zhaohui; Tammela, Petter; Huo, Jinxing; Lindh, Jonas; Edström, Kristina; Strømme, Maria; Nyholm, Leif

2016-07-01

Much effort is currently made to develop inexpensive and renewable materials which can replace the polyolefin microporous separators conventionally used in contemporary lithium-ion batteries. In the present work, it is demonstrated that mesoporous Cladophora cellulose (CC) separators constitute very promising alternatives based on their high crystallinity, good thermal stability and straightforward manufacturing. The CC separators, which are fabricated using an undemanding paper-making like process involving vacuum filtration, have a typical thickness of about 35 μm, an average pore size of about 20 nm, a Young's modulus of 5.9 GPa and also exhibit an ionic conductivity of 0.4 mS cm-1 after soaking with 1 M LiPF6 EC: DEC (1/1, v/v) electrolyte. The CC separators are demonstrated to be thermally stable at 150 °C and electrochemically inert in the potential range between 0 and 5 V vs. Li+/Li. A LiFePO4/Li cell containing a CC separator showed good cycling stability with 99.5% discharge capacity retention after 50 cycles at a rate of 0.2 C. These results indicate that the renewable CC separators are well-suited for use in high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

Perspectives on cervical cancer screening among educated Muslim women in Dubai (the UAE): a qualitative study.

PubMed

Khan, Sarah; Woolhead, Gillian

2015-10-24

Cervical cancer (CC) is the seventh leading cause of death among women in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with most deaths attributed to late detection of this cancer. The UAE lacks a national CC screening programme. Thus, cervical screening is only performed opportunistically during women's visits to health facilities. CC screening rates in the UAE are as low as 16.9 %, and little is known about the perspectives of the nation's educated Muslim women regarding screening. Consequently, the aim of this study is to explore Muslim women's perspectives towards cervical screening in Dubai to promote strategies for increasing its uptake, thereby leading to a decrease in morbidity and mortality associated with CC. Interpretivist and social constructivist epistemological approaches were applied for this qualitative study. Data were obtained through 13 in-depth interviews. Purposive and snowballing methods were used to recruit six South Asian women and seven Emirati women living in Dubai. Thematic content analysis was concurrently applied with comparative analysis to the data. Four themes regarding women's perceptions of CC emerged from the data. First, CC was considered a 'silent disease' that could be detected with early screening. However, it was also associated with extramarital sexual relations, which negatively influenced screening uptake. Second, women's fear, pain and embarrassment, along with cultural influences, deterred them from undergoing screening. Third, a growing mistrust of allopathic medicine and impersonal healthcare promoted a negative view of screening. Last, women became aware of screening mainly when they were pregnant or receiving fertility treatment. The study highlighted a number of important factors relating to cultural, religious and sexual behaviour that shaped educated Muslim women's perspectives on CC screening. Evidently, the current opportunistic approach to screening is flawed. A national awareness programme on CC screening should be developed, tailored to the sociocultural norms of the Muslim community, to promote knowledge regarding the causes of CC and the importance of screening.

Anticonvulsant effects of acute treatment with cyane-carvone at repeated oral doses in epilepsy models.

PubMed

Marques, Thiago Henrique Costa; Marques, Maria Leonildes Boavista Gomes Castelo Branco; Medeiros, Jand-Venes Rolim; Lima, Tamires Cardoso; de Sousa, Damião Pergentino; de Freitas, Rivelilson Mendes

2014-09-01

Epilepsy affects about 40 million people worldwide. Many drugs block seizures, but have little effect in preventing or curing this disease. So the search for new drugs for epilepsy treatment using animal models prior to testing in humans is important. Increasingly pharmaceutical industries invest in the Re​search & Drug Development area to seek safe and effective new therapeutic alternatives to the currently available epilepsy treatment. In this perspective, natural compounds have been investigated in epilepsy models, particularly the monoterpenes obtained from medicinal plants. In our study we investigated the effects of cyane-carvone (CC), a synthetic substance prepared from natural a monoterpene, carvone, against pilocarpine- (PILO), pentylenetetrazole- (PTZ) and picrotoxine (PTX)-induced seizures in mice after acute treatment with repeated oral doses (CC 25, 50 and 75 mg/kg) for 14 days. CC in all doses tested showed increase in latency to first seizure, decrease in percentages of seizuring animals as well as reduction percentages of dead animals (p<0.05) in PILO, PTZ and PTX groups when compared with vehicle. However, these effects were not reversed by flumazenil, benzodiazepine (BZD) antagonist used to investigate the CC action mechanism. Our results suggest that acute treatment with CC at the doses tested can exert anticonvulsant effects in PILO, PTZ and PTX epilepsy models. In addition, our data suggest that CC could act in an allosteric site of GABAA, which would be different from the site in which BDZ acts, since flumazenil was not able to reverse any of CC effects on the modulation of seizure parameters related with epilepsy models investigated. New studies should be conducted to investigate CC effects in other neurotransmitter systems. Nevertheless, our study reinforces the hypothesis that CC could be used, after further research, as a new pharmaceutical formulation and a promising alternative for epilepsy treatment, since it showed anticonvulsant effects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Technical basis for inner container leak detection sensitivity goals in 3013 DE surveillance

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

Berg, John M.

Helium leak checking of 3013 inner container lids is under consideration for addition to DE Surveillance tasks as an improved means to detect any through-wall flaws that may have formed during storage. This white paper evaluates whether leak checking at DE could replace and improve upon the current method of comparing gas compositions and pressures within the inner and outer containers. We have used viscous and molecular flow equations in ANSI N14.5 to calculate what the measured standard helium leak rate would be for hypothetical leaks of three different sizes. For comparison, we have also calculated the effects on gasmore » composition and pressure differences as a function of pre-DE storage time for the same three leak sizes, using molecular and viscous flow equations as well as diffusion equations to predict the relevant gas transport. For a hypothetical leak that would be measured at 1x10 -7 std cc/sec, likely an achievable sensitivity using helium leak checking at DE, the calculations predict no measurable effect on pressure difference or gas composition as measured by DE gas analysis. We also calculate that it would take over 200 years for water vapor to diffuse through a 10 -7 std cc/sec leak enough to raise the RH outer container to half the RH value in the inner container. A leak 100 times larger, which would be measured at 1x10 -5 std cc/sec, the same water vapor diffusion would take at least 14 years. Our conclusion is that helium leak checking will be useful even at a sensitivity of 1x10 -5 std cc/sec, and a significant improvement over current DE methods at a sensitivity of 1x10 -7 std cc/sec.« less

Simple and economic colloidal centrifugation protocols may be incorporated into the clinical equine sperm processing procedure.

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Cepeda, L; Fernández, A; Crespo, F; Gosálvez, J; Serres, C

2011-03-01

For many years in human assisted-reproduction procedures there have been special protocols to prepare and improve sperm quality. Colloidal centrifugation (CC) is a useful technique that has been proved to enhance semen quality by selection of the best spermatozoa for different species. Its use is recommended to improve fertility of subfertile stallions but current CC protocols are clinically complicated in the equine sperm processing technique due to economic and technical difficulties. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal processing procedures to adapt the use of a CC product (EquiPure™) in the equine reproduction industry. A total of nineteen ejaculates were collected from 10 Purebred Spanish Horses (P.R.E horses) using a Missouri artificial vagina. Gel-free semen aliquots were analyzed prior to treatment (control). Semen was subjected to one of six CC protocols with EquiPure™ and centrifuged samples were statistically evaluated by ANOVA and Duncan tests (p<0.05) for sperm quality and recovery rate. We obtained higher values by colloidal centrifugation in LIN, STR and BCF variables and DNA fragmentation index trended to be lower in most of the CC protocols. The studied protocols were shown to be as efficient in improving equine sperm quality as the current commercial EquiPure™, with the added advantage of being much more economical and simple to use. According to these results it seems to be possible to incorporate single layer and or high colloidal centrifugation volume protocols what would make them simple, economic and clinically viable for the equine sperm processing procedure. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Knowledge about human papillomavirus and prevention of cervical cancer among women of Arkhangelsk, Northwest Russia.

PubMed

Roik, Elena E; Sharashova, Ekaterina E; Nieboer, Evert; Kharkova, Olga A; Postoev, Vitaly A; Odland, Jon Ø

2017-01-01

Knowledge about cervical cancer (CC) risk factors and benefits of CC prevention motivates women to participate in its screening. However, several studies show that there is a significant knowledge deficit worldwide about human papillomavirus (HPV). The current study explores the level of knowledge about HPV and CC prevention in the context of sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics of women who visited an antenatal clinic in Arkhangelsk, Russia. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the city of Arkhangelsk, which seats the administrative center of Arkhangelsk County, Northwest Russia. It included women who consulted a gynecologist for any reason between January 1, 2015 and April 30, 2015, were residents of Arkhangelsk, 25 to 65 years of age and sexually active (N = 300). Student's t-test for continuous variables and Pearson's χ2 test for categorical variables were used in the comparisons of women grouped as having either poor or sufficient knowledge. Linear regression analysis was also employed. The level of knowledge about HPV and CC prevention was associated with education, parity, age of initiating of intercourse, and sources of information. After adjustment, women with university education were more likely to have higher knowledge about HPV and CC prevention compared to those with lower education. We observed that most participants had a sufficient level of knowledge. Educational gaps were identified that potentially could be used to tailor interventions in CC prevention.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the breast as a clinical diagnostic challenge

PubMed Central

Jakubowska, Katarzyna; Kańczuga-Koda, Luiza; Kisielewski, Wojciech; Koda, Mariusz; Famulski, Waldemar

2018-01-01

Squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) of the breast should be differentiated between the primary skin keratinizing squamous carcinoma and squamous metaplastic cancer. In the current study, the cases of two patients who were diagnosed with SqCC originated from skin and the breast were discussed. A fine-needle aspiration biopsy confirmed the presence of atypical squamous cells. In both cases, the microscopic examination of the surgical specimen revealed a malignant neoplasm differentiated into SqCC characterized by keratinizing cancer cells with abundant eosiphilic cytoplasm with large, hyperchromatic vesicular nuclei. Immunohistochemical studies showed negative for progesterone and estrogen receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Moreover, negative expression of cytokeratin 7 and 20 was confirmed. The diagnosis of the both tumors was established based on the detailed analysis of clinical, macroscopical and microscopical information. SqCC localized in the breast is a great diagnostic challenge in pathomorphology and more attention should be paid for analysis of such lesions in daily practice. PMID:29556390

Fabrication and Testing of Mo-Re Heat Pipes Embedded in Carbon/Carbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glass, David E.; Merrigan, Michael A.; Sena, J. Tom

1998-01-01

Refractory-composite/heat-pipe-cooled wing an tail leading edges are being considered for use on hypersonic vehicles to limit maximum temperatures to values below material reuse limits and to eliminate the need to actively cool the leading edges. The development of a refractory-composite/heat-pipe-cooled leading edge has evolved from the design stage to the fabrication and testing of heat pipes embedded in carbon/carbon (C/C). A three-foot-long, molybdenum-rhenium heat pipe with a lithium working fluid was fabricated and tested at an operating temperature of 2460 F to verify the individual heat-pipe design. Following the fabrication of this heat pipe, three additional heat pipes were fabricated and embedded in C/C. The C/C heat-pipe test article was successfully tested using quartz lamps in a vacuum chamber in both a horizontal and vertical orientation. Start up and steady state data are presented for the C/C heat-pipe test article. Radiography and eddy current evaluations were performed on the test article.

Capacitive density measurement for supercritical hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Funke, Th; Haberstroh, Ch; Szoucsek, K.; Schott, S.; Kunze, K.

2017-12-01

A new approach for automotive hydrogen storage systems is the so-called cryo-compressed hydrogen storage (CcH2). It has a potential for increased energy densities and thus bigger hydrogen amounts onboard, which is the main attractiveness for car manufacturers such as BMW. This system has further advantages in terms of safety, refueling and cooling potential. The current filling level measurement by means of pressure and temperature measurement and subsequent density calculation faces challenges especially in terms of precision. A promising alternative is the capacitive gauge. This measuring principle can determine the filling level of the CcH2 tank with significantly smaller tolerances. The measuring principle is based on different dielectric constants of gaseous and liquid hydrogen. These differences are successfully leveraged in liquid hydrogen storage systems (LH2). The present theoretical analysis shows that the dielectric values of CcH2 in the relevant operating range are comparable to LH2, thus achieving similarly good accuracy. The present work discusses embodiments and implementations for such a sensor in the CcH2 tank.

FwWebViewPlus: integration of web technologies into WinCC OA based Human-Machine Interfaces at CERN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golonka, Piotr; Fabian, Wojciech; Gonzalez-Berges, Manuel; Jasiun, Piotr; Varela-Rodriguez, Fernando

2014-06-01

The rapid growth in popularity of web applications gives rise to a plethora of reusable graphical components, such as Google Chart Tools and JQuery Sparklines, implemented in JavaScript and run inside a web browser. In the paper we describe the tool that allows for seamless integration of web-based widgets into WinCC Open Architecture, the SCADA system used commonly at CERN to build complex Human-Machine Interfaces. Reuse of widely available widget libraries and pushing the development efforts to a higher abstraction layer based on a scripting language allow for significant reduction in maintenance of the code in multi-platform environments compared to those currently used in C++ visualization plugins. Adequately designed interfaces allow for rapid integration of new web widgets into WinCC OA. At the same time, the mechanisms familiar to HMI developers are preserved, making the use of new widgets "native". Perspectives for further integration between the realms of WinCC OA and Web development are also discussed.

Projected impacts of climate change on farmers' extraction of groundwater from crystalline aquifers in South India

PubMed Central

Ferrant, Sylvain; Caballero, Yvan; Perrin, Jérome; Gascoin, Simon; Dewandel, Benoit; Aulong, Stéphanie; Dazin, Fabrice; Ahmed, Shakeel; Maréchal, Jean-Christophe

2014-01-01

Local groundwater levels in South India are falling alarmingly. In the semi-arid crystalline Deccan plateau area, agricultural production relies on groundwater resources. Downscaled Global Climate Model (GCM) data are used to force a spatially distributed agro-hydrological model in order to evaluate Climate Change (CC) effects on local groundwater extraction (GWE). The slight increase of precipitation may alleviate current groundwater depletion on average, despite the increased evaporation due to warming. Nevertheless, projected climatic extremes create worse GWE shortages than for present climate. Local conditions may lead to opposing impacts on GWE, from increases to decreases (+/−20 mm/year), for a given spatially homogeneous CC forcing. Areas vulnerable to CC in terms of irrigation apportionment are thus identified. Our results emphasize the importance of accounting for local characteristics (water harvesting systems and maximal aquifer capacity versus GWE) in developing measures to cope with CC impacts in the South Indian region. PMID:24424295

A new method for investigating infrared spectra of protonated benzene (C6H7+) and cyclohexadienyl radical (c-C6H7) using para-hydrogen.

PubMed

Bahou, Mohammed; Wu, Yu-Jong; Lee, Yuan-Pern

2012-04-21

We use protonated benzene (C(6)H(7)(+)) and cyclohexadienyl radical (c-C(6)H(7)) to demonstrate a new method that has some advantages over other methods currently used. C(6)H(7)(+) and c-C(6)H(7) were produced on electron bombardment of a mixture of benzene (C(6)H(6)) and para-hydrogen during deposition onto a target at 3.2 K. Infrared (IR) absorption lines of C(6)H(7)(+) decreased in intensity when the matrix was irradiated at 365 nm or maintained in the dark for an extended period, whereas those of c-C(6)H(7) increased in intensity. Observed vibrational wavenumbers, relative IR intensities, and deuterium isotopic shifts agree with those predicted theoretically. This method, providing a wide spectral coverage with narrow lines and accurate relative IR intensities, can be applied to larger protonated polyaromatic hydrocarbons and their neutral species which are difficult to study with other methods.

Phase II drugs under clinical investigation for the treatment of chronic constipation.

PubMed

Mozaffari, Shilan; Didari, Tina; Nikfar, Shekoufeh; Abdollahi, Mohammad

2014-11-01

Chronic constipation (CC) is a common gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorder that significantly impairs the quality of life in affected subjects. As almost half of the patients suffering from CC are not satisfied with currently available medicines, there is a need to develop new molecules with better effectiveness and tolerability. The authors include all experimental and clinical trials (up to Phase II) about new investigational drugs for the treatment of CC. The article identifies nine new agents: mitemcinal, TD-8954, YKP10811, itopride, RM-131, KWA-0711, elobixibat, velusetrag, and naronapride. All nine agents have shown prokinetic effects in different stages of the development. The mechanisms of new developing drugs include: the activation of 5-hydroxytryptamine type-4 (5-HT4), ghrelin and motilin receptors, antagonizing dopamine type-2 (D2) receptors, inhibition of ileal bile acid reabsorption and acetylcholine esterase, as well as water absorption from the GI tract. At this current point in time, new generations of 5-HT4 receptor agonists (velusetrag, noranopride and YKP10811) are hoped to progress, further in the future, due to better efficiency and safety. However, it is not possible to make a concise conclusion at this current time due to a lack of evidence. Further clinical trials with a longer duration and a larger sample size are warranted.

Experimental and theoretical investigation of vibrational spectra of coordination polymers based on TCE-TTF.

PubMed

Olejniczak, Iwona; Lapiński, Andrzej; Swietlik, Roman; Olivier, Jean; Golhen, Stéphane; Ouahab, Lahcène

2011-08-01

The room-temperature infrared and Raman spectra of a series of four isostructural polymeric salts of 2,3,6,7-tetrakis(2-cyanoethylthio)-tetrathiafulvalene (TCE-TTF) with paramagnetic (Co(II), Mn(II)) and diamagnetic (Zn(II), Cd(II)) ions, together with BF(4)(-) or ClO(4)(-) anions are reported. Infrared and Raman-active modes are identified and assigned based on theoretical calculations for neutral and ionized TCE-TTF using density functional theory (DFT) methods. It is confirmed that the TCE-TTF molecules in all the materials investigated are fully ionized and interact in the crystal structure through cyanoethylthio groups. The vibrational modes related to the C=C stretching vibrations of TCE-TTF are analyzed assuming the occurrence of electron-molecular vibration coupling (EMV). The presence of the antisymmetric C=C dimeric mode provides evidence that charge transfer takes place between TCE-TTF molecules belonging to neighboring polymeric networks. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Substituent influence on the structural, vibrational and electronic properties of 2,5-dihydrothiophene-1,1-dioxide by experimental and DFT methods.

PubMed

Arjunan, V; Thirunarayanan, S; Durga Devi, G; Mohan, S

2015-11-05

Spectroscopic and theoretical quantum chemical studies of 2,5-dihydrothiophene-1,1-dioxide and 3-methyl-2,5-dihydrothiophene-1,1-dioxide have been carried out by FTIR and FT-Raman spectral techniques along with B3LYP methods. The geometry of the compounds have been optimised by B3LYP method with 6-311++G(∗∗) and cc-pVTZ basis sets. The geometrical parameters obtained at B3LYP levels have been compared with the experimental values. Molecular electrostatic potential surface, total electron density distribution and frontier molecular orbital are constructed at B3LYP/cc-pVTZ level to understand the electronic properties. The charge density distribution and sites of chemical reactivity of the molecules have been obtained by mapping electron density isosurface with electrostatic potential surfaces. Natural bond orbital analysis of the molecules are carried out and the occupancies and the atomic hybrid contributions are calculated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inner-shell chemical shift of DNA/RNA bases and inheritance from their parent purine and pyrimidine.

PubMed

Wang, Feng; Zhu, Quan; Ivanova, Elena

2008-11-01

Inner-shell electronic structures, properties and ionization spectra of DNA/RNA bases are studied with respect to their parent pyrimidine and purine species. Density functional theory B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ has been employed to produce the geometries of the bases, whereas LB94/et-pVQZ//B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ is used to calculate site-related Hirshfeld charges and core (vertical) ionization energies, as well as inner-shell spectra of C1s, N1s and O1s for DNA/RNA bases and their parent pyrimidine and purine species. The site-dependent variations of properties indicate the changes and inheritance of chemical environment when pyrimidine and purine become substituted. In general, although the changes are site-dependent, they are also ring-dependent. Pyrimidine bases change less significantly with respect to their parent pyrimidine than the purine bases with respect to their parent purine. Pyrimidine bases such as uracil, thymine and cytosine inherit certain properties from their parent pyrimidine, such as the Hirshfeld charge distributions and the order of core ionization energy level etc. No particular sites in the pyrimidine derivatives are engaged with a dramatic chemical shift nor with energy crossings to other sites. For the core shell spectra, the purine bases inherit very little from their parent purine, and guanine exhibits the least similarities to the parent among all the DNA/RNA bases.

Direct fluorescent labeling for efficient biological assessment of inhalable particles.

PubMed

Poudel, Bijay Kumar; Park, Jae Hong; Lim, Jiseok; Byeon, Jeong Hoon

2017-10-01

Labeling of aerosol particles with a radioactive, magnetic, or optical tracer has been employed to confirm particle localization in cell compartments, which has provided useful evidence for correlating toxic effects of inhaled particles. However, labeling requires several physicochemical steps to identify functionalities of the inner or outer surfaces of particles, and moreover, these steps can cause changes in size, surface charge, and bioactivity of the particles, resulting in misinterpretations regarding their toxic effects. This study addresses this challenging issue with a goal of introducing an efficient strategy for constantly supplying labeled aerosol particles in a single-pass configuration without any pre- or post-physicochemical batch treatments of aerosol particles. Carbon black (CB, simulating combustion-generated soot) or calcium carbonate (CC, simulating brake-wear fragments) particles were constantly produced via spark ablation or bubble bursting, respectively. These minute particles were incorporated with fluorescein isothiocyanate-poly(ethylene glycol) 2-aminoethyl ether acetic acid solution at the orifice of a collison atomizer to fabricate hybrid droplets. The droplets successively entered a diffusion dryer containing 254-nm UV irradiation; therefore, the droplets were dynamically stiffened by UV to form fluorescent probes on particles during solvent extraction in the dryer. Particle size distributions, morphologies, and surface charges before and after labeling were measured to confirm fluorescence labeling without significant changes in the properties. In vitro assays, including confocal imaging, were conducted to confirm the feasibility of the labeling approach without inducing significant differences in bioactivity compared with untreated CB or CC particles.

Identification of OBO nonalignments and its implications for OBO enrichment.

PubMed

Bada, Michael; Hunter, Lawrence

2008-06-15

Existing projects that focus on the semiautomatic addition of links between existing terms in the Open Biomedical Ontologies can take advantage of reasoners that can make new inferences between terms that are based on the added formal definitions and that reflect nonalignments between the linked terms. However, these projects require that these definitions be necessary and sufficient, a strong requirement that often does not hold. If such definitions cannot be added, the reasoners cannot point to the nonalignments through the suggestion of new inferences. We describe a methodology by which we have identified over 1900 instances of nonredundant nonalignments between terms from the Gene Ontology (GO) biological process (BP), cellular component (CC) and molecular function (MF) ontologies, Chemical Entities of Biological Interest (ChEBI) and the Cell Type Ontology (CL). Many of the 39.8% of these nonalignments whose object terms are more atomic than the subject terms are not currently examined in other ontology-enrichment projects due to the fact that the necessary and sufficient conditions required for the inferences are not currently examined. Analysis of the ratios of nonalignments to assertions from which the nonalignments were identified suggests that BP-MF, BP-BP, BP-CL and CC-CC terms are relatively well-aligned, while ChEBI-MF, BP-ChEBI and CC-MF terms are relatively not aligned well. We propose four ways to resolve an identified nonalignment and recommend an analogous implementation of our methodology in ontology-enrichment tools to identify types of nonalignments that are currently not detected. The nonalignments discussed in this article may be viewed at http://compbio.uchsc.edu/Hunter_lab/Bada/nonalignments_2008_03_06.html. Code for the generation of these nonalignments is available upon request. mike.bada@uchsc.edu.

Ab initio and density functional study on the mechanism of the C2H2++methanol reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irle, Stephan; Morokuma, Keiji

1999-09-01

High level ab initio (G2MS and CASSCF) and density functional (B3LYP) calculations were carried out to study the mechanism of the ion-molecule reaction C2H2++CH3OH for four reaction channels: hydride abstraction from methanol (HA), proton transfer from acetylene cation (PT), charge transfer (CT), and covalent complex formation (CC) channel. For the CT channel, two pathways have been found: a usual nonadiabatic pathway via A'/A″ seam of crossing, and a low-energy adiabatic pathway through an initial intermediate; the latter may be the dominant process with favorable energies and a large impact parameter. The HA process involves a low-energy direct intermediate and a very low barrier to form C2H3+CH2OH+ and is also energetically favorable. The PT processes require passage over a high-energy transition state (TS) and are not important. One of the experimentally unobserved CC channels, formation of the COCC skeleton, is energetically favorable and there is no energetic reason for it not to take place; a "dynamic bottleneck" argument may have to be invoked to explain the experiment. The increase in reaction efficiency with the C-C stretch excitation may be justified by considering the TSs for two CT pathways, where the C-C distance changed substantially from that in the reactant C2H2+. Very qualitatively, the C2H2++CH3OH potential energy surface looks more like that of the C2H2++NH3 system than the C2H2++CH4 system, because of the differences in the ionization potentials: NH3˜CH3OH

System and method for charging electrochemical cells in series

DOEpatents

DeLuca, William H.; Hornstra, Jr, Fred; Gelb, George H.; Berman, Baruch; Moede, Larry W.

1980-01-01

A battery charging system capable of equalizing the charge of each individual cell at a selected full charge voltage includes means for regulating charger current to first increase current at a constant rate until a bulk charging level is achieved or until any cell reaches a safe reference voltage. A system controller then begins to decrease the charging rate as long as any cell exceeds the reference voltage until an equalization current level is reached. At this point, the system controller activates a plurality of shunt modules to permit shunting of current around any cell having a voltage exceeding the reference voltage. Leads extending between the battery of cells and shunt modules are time shared to permit alternate shunting of current and voltage monitoring without the voltage drop caused by the shunt current. After each cell has at one time exceeded the reference voltage, the charging current is terminated.

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy of the silver/KCl, triethylenediamine (DABCO), water system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irish, D. E.; Guzonas, D.; Atkinson, G. F.

1985-07-01

1,4-Diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, (N(CH 2CH 2) 3N), usually abbreviated DABCO or DBO, is a symmetric top molecule of point group D 3h. SERS experiments have been carried out in an optical electrochemical cell using a silver electrode roughened by a single oxidation-reduction cycle (ORC). The observed SERS spectra contained four strong bands at 624, 798, 990 and 1351 cm -1, all A' 1 totally symmetric modes. The same bands were also observed in SERS spectra of DABCO adsorbed on colloidal gold. In the electrochemical experiments, the maximum of SERS-intensity versus electrode potential plots was observed to shift to less negative potentials as the wavelength of the exciting line was shifted to the red. The radically-altered, relative intensities of the observed bands, as well as observed changes in relative intensity as a function of electrode potential, have been interpreted as a selective enhancement of those normal modes which have as a major component of vibrational motion the C-C stretch. These observations are correlated with current theories concerning the SERS mechanism, especially those involving charge transfer (CT).

Superscaling in electron-nucleus scattering and its link to CC and NC QE neutrino-nucleus scattering

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

Barbaro, M. B.; Amaro, J. E.; Caballero, J. A.

2015-05-15

The superscaling approach (SuSA) to neutrino-nucleus scattering, based on the assumed universality of the scaling function for electromagnetic and weak interactions, is reviewed. The predictions of the SuSA model for bot CC and NC differential and total cross sections are presented and compared with the MiniBooNE data. The role of scaling violations, in particular the contribution of meson exchange currents in the two-particle two-hole sector, is explored.

High-Performance Flexible Solid-State Carbon Cloth Supercapacitors Based on Highly Processible N-Graphene Doped Polyacrylic Acid/Polyaniline Composites

PubMed Central

Wang, Yongguang; Tang, Shaochun; Vongehr, Sascha; Ali Syed, Junaid; Wang, Xiangyu; Meng, Xiangkang

2016-01-01

Improving the solubility of conductive polymers to facilitate processing usually decreases their conductivity, and they suffer from poor cycling stability due to swelling-shrinking during charging cycles. We circumvent these problems with a novel preparation method for nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) enhanced polyacrylic acid/polyaniline (NG-PAA/PANI) composites, ensuring excellent processibility for scalable production. The content of PANI is maximized under the constraint of still allowing defect-free coatings on filaments of carbon cloth (CC). The NG content is then adjusted to optimize specific capacitance. The optimal CC electrodes have 32 wt.% PANI and 1.3 wt.% NG, thus achieving a high capacitance of 521 F/g at 0.5 F/g. A symmetric supercapacitor made from 20 wt.% PANI CC electrodes has more than four times the capacitance (68 F/g at 1 A/g) of previously reported flexible capacitors based on PANI-carbon nanotube composites, and it retains the full capacitance under large bending angles. The capacitor exhibits high energy and power densities (5.8 Wh/kg at 1.1 kW/kg), a superior rate capability (still 81% of the 1 A/g capacitance at 10 A/g), and long-term electrochemical stability (83.2% retention after 2000 cycles). PMID:26883179

Comprehensive quantum chemical and spectroscopic (FTIR, FT-Raman, 1H, 13C NMR) investigations of O-desmethyltramadol hydrochloride an active metabolite in tramadol - An analgesic drug

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arjunan, V.; Santhanam, R.; Marchewka, M. K.; Mohan, S.

2014-03-01

O-desmethyltramadol is one of the main metabolites of tramadol widely used clinically and has analgesic activity. The FTIR and FT-Raman spectra of O-desmethyl tramadol hydrochloride are recorded in the solid phase in the regions 4000-400 cm-1 and 4000-100 cm-1, respectively. The observed fundamentals are assigned to different normal modes of vibration. Theoretical studies have been performed as its hydrochloride salt. The structure of the compound has been optimised with B3LYP method using 6-31G** and cc-pVDZ basis sets. The optimised bond length and bond angles are correlated with the X-ray data. The experimental wavenumbers were compared with the scaled vibrational frequencies determined by DFT methods. The IR and Raman intensities are determined with B3LYP method using cc-pVDZ and 6-31G(d,p) basic sets. The total electron density and molecular electrostatic potential surfaces of the molecule are constructed by using B3LYP/cc-pVDZ method to display electrostatic potential (electron + nuclei) distribution. The electronic properties HOMO and LUMO energies were measured. Natural bond orbital analysis of O-desmethyltramadol hydrochloride has been performed to indicate the presence of intramolecular charge transfer. The 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts of the molecule have been anlysed.

Clonal Structure and Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus Strains from Invasive Infections in Paediatric Patients from South Poland: Association between Age, spa Types, Clonal Complexes, and Genetic Markers

PubMed Central

Ilczyszyn, Weronika M.; Sabat, Artur J.; Akkerboom, Viktoria; Szkarlat, Anna; Klepacka, Joanna; Sowa-Sierant, Iwona; Wasik, Barbara; Kosecka-Strojek, Maja; Buda, Aneta; Miedzobrodzki, Jacek; Friedrich, Alexander W.

2016-01-01

The aim of current study was to examine clonal structure and genetic profile of invasive Staphylococcus aureus isolates recovered from infants and children treated at the Jagiellonian University Children’s Hospital of Krakow, Poland. The 107 invasive S. aureus isolates, collected between February 2012 and August 2014, were analysed retrospectively. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, spa typing and DNA microarray analysis were performed to determine clonal distribution, diversity and gene content in regard to patients characteristics. In total, 107 isolates were recovered from 88 patients with clinical symptoms of invasive bacterial infection. The final set of 92 non-duplicate samples included 38 MRSA isolates. Additionally, a set of 54 S. aureus isolates collected during epidemiological screening was genotyped and analysed. There were 72 healthcare-associated (HCA) and 20 community-onset (CO) infection events caused by 33 and 5 MRSA isolates, respectively. The majority of isolates were affiliated with the major European clonal complexes CC5 (t003, spa-CC 002), CC45 (spa-CC 015), CC7 or CC15 (t084, t091, spa-CC 084). Two epidemic clones (CC5-MRSA-II or CC45-MRSA-IV) dominated among MRSA isolates, while MSSA population contained 15 different CCs. The epidemiological screening isolates belonged to similar genetic lineages as those collected from invasive infection cases. The HCA infection events, spa types t003, t2642 or CC5 were significantly associated with infections occurring in neonates and children under 5 years of age. Moreover, carriage of several genetic markers, including erm(A), sea (N315), egc-cluster, chp was significantly higher in isolates obtained from children in this age group. The spa types t091 and t008 were underrepresented among patients aged 5 years or younger, whereas spa type t008, CC8 and presence of splE was associated with infection in children aged 10 years or older. The HCA-MRSA strains were most frequently found in children under 5 years, although the majority of invasive infections was associated with MSSA strains. Moreover, an association between age group of children from the study population and a specific strain genotype (spa type, clonal complex or genetic content) was observed among the patients. PMID:26992009

Mid-Infrared Vibrational Spectra of Discrete Acetone-Ligated Cerium Hydroxide Cations

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

Groenewold, G. S.; Gianotto, Anita K.; Cossel, Kevin C.

2007-02-15

Cerium (III) hydroxy reactive sites are responsible for several important heterogeneous catalysis processes, and understanding the reaction chemistry of substrate molecules like CO, H2O, and CH3OH as they occur in heterogeneous media is a challenging task. We report here the first infrared spectra of model gas-phase cerium complexes and use the results as a benchmark to assist evaluation of the accuracy of ab initio calculations. Complexes containing [CeOH]2+ ligated by three- and four-acetone molecules were generated by electrospray ionization and characterized using wavelength-selective infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD). The C=O stretching frequency for the [CeOH(acetone)4]2+ species appeared at 1650 cm-1more » and was red-shifted by 90 cm-1 compared to unligated acetone. The magnitude of this shift for the carbonyl frequency was even greater for the [CeOH(acetone)3]2+ complex: the IRMPD peak consisted of two dissociation channels, an initial elimination of acetone at 1635 cm-1, and elimination of acetone accompanied by a serial charge separation producing [CeO(acetone)]+ at 1599 cm-1, with the overall frequency centered at 1616 cm-1. The increasing red shift observed as the number of acetone ligands decreases from four to three is consistent with transfer of more electron density per ligand in the less coordinated complexes. The lower frequency measured for the elimination/charge separation process is likely due to anharmonicity resulting from population of higher vibrational states. The C-C stretching frequency in the complexes is also influenced by coordination to the metal: it is blue-shifted compared to bare acetone, indicating a slight strengthening of the C-C bond in the complex, with the intensity of the absorption decreasing with decreasing ligation. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations using three different functionals (LDA, B3LYP, and PBE0) are used to predict the infrared spectra of the complexes. Calculated frequencies for the carbonyl stretch are within 40 cm-1 of the IRMPD of the three-acetone complex measured using the single acetone loss, and within 60 cm-1 of the measurement for the four-acetone complexes. The B3LYP and LDA functionals provided the best agreement with the measured spectra. The C-C stretching frequencies calculated using B3LYP are higher in energy than the measured values by ~ 30 cm-1, and reproduce the observed trend which shows that the C-C stretching frequency decreases with increasing ligation. Agreement between C-C frequency and calculation was not as good using the LDA functional, but still within 70 cm-1. The results provide an evaluation of changes in the acceptor properties of the metal center as ligands are added, and of the utility of DFT for modeling f-block coordination complexes.« less

Effect of magnetic field configuration on the multiply charged ion and plume characteristics in Hall thruster plasmas

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

Kim, Holak; Lim, Youbong; Choe, Wonho, E-mail: wchoe@kaist.ac.kr

2015-04-13

Multiply charged ions and plume characteristics in Hall thruster plasmas are investigated with regard to magnetic field configuration. Differences in the plume shape and the fraction of ions with different charge states are demonstrated by the counter-current and co-current magnetic field configurations, respectively. The significantly larger number of multiply charged and higher charge state ions including Xe{sup 4+} are observed in the co-current configuration than in the counter-current configuration. The large fraction of multiply charged ions and high ion currents in this experiment may be related to the strong electron confinement, which is due to the strong magnetic mirror effectmore » in the co-current magnetic field configuration.« less

Catalytic reduction of O2 by cytochrome C using a synthetic model of cytochrome C oxidase.

PubMed

Collman, James P; Ghosh, Somdatta; Dey, Abhishek; Decréau, Richard A; Yang, Ying

2009-04-15

Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) catalyzes the four-electron reduction of oxygen to water, the one-electron reductant Cytochrome c (Cytc) being the source of electrons. Recently we reported a functional model of CcO that electrochemically catalyzes the four-electron reduction of O(2) to H(2)O (Collman et al. Science 2007, 315, 1565). The current paper shows that the same functional CcO model catalyzes the four-electron reduction of O(2) using the actual biological reductant Cytc in a homogeneous solution. Both single and steady-state turnover kinetics studies indicate that O(2) binding is rate-determining and that O-O bond cleavage and electron transfer from reduced Cytc to the oxidized model complex are relatively fast.

A model predictive current control of flux-switching permanent magnet machines for torque ripple minimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wentao; Hua, Wei; Yu, Feng

2017-05-01

Due to high airgap flux density generated by magnets and the special double salient structure, the cogging torque of the flux-switching permanent magnet (FSPM) machine is considerable, which limits the further applications. Based on the model predictive current control (MPCC) and the compensation control theory, a compensating-current MPCC (CC-MPCC) scheme is proposed and implemented to counteract the dominated components in cogging torque of an existing three-phase 12/10 FSPM prototyped machine, and thus to alleviate the influence of the cogging torque and improve the smoothness of electromagnetic torque as well as speed, where a comprehensive cost function is designed to evaluate the switching states. The simulated results indicate that the proposed CC-MPCC scheme can suppress the torque ripple significantly and offer satisfactory dynamic performances by comparisons with the conventional MPCC strategy. Finally, experimental results validate both the theoretical and simulated predictions.

Interconnecting Carbon Fibers with the In-situ Electrochemically Exfoliated Graphene as Advanced Binder-free Electrode Materials for Flexible Supercapacitor.

PubMed

Zou, Yuqin; Wang, Shuangyin

2015-07-07

Flexible energy storage devices are highly demanded for various applications. Carbon cloth (CC) woven by carbon fibers (CFs) is typically used as electrode or current collector for flexible devices. The low surface area of CC and the presence of big gaps (ca. micro-size) between individual CFs lead to poor performance. Herein, we interconnect individual CFs through the in-situ exfoliated graphene with high surface area by the electrochemical intercalation method. The interconnected CFs are used as both current collector and electrode materials for flexible supercapacitors, in which the in-situ exfoliated graphene act as active materials and conductive "binders". The in-situ electrochemical intercalation technique ensures the low contact resistance between electrode (graphene) and current collector (carbon cloth) with enhanced conductivity. The as-prepared electrode materials show significantly improved performance for flexible supercapacitors.

Profiling of the injected charge drift current transients by cross-sectional scanning technique

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

Gaubas, E., E-mail: eugenijus.gaubas@ff.vu.lt; Ceponis, T.; Pavlov, J.

2014-02-07

The electric field distribution and charge drift currents in Si particle detectors are analyzed. Profiling of the injected charge drift current transients has been implemented by varying charge injection position within a cross-sectional boundary of the particle detector. The obtained profiles of the induction current density and duration of the injected charge drift pulses fit well the simulated current variations. Induction current transients have been interpreted by different stages of the bipolar and monopolar drift of the injected carriers. Profiles of the injected charge current transients registered in the non-irradiated and neutron irradiated Si diodes are compared. It has beenmore » shown that the mixed regime of the competing processes of drift, recombination, and diffusion appears in the measured current profiles on the irradiated samples. The impact of the avalanche effects can be ignored based on the investigations presented. It has been shown that even a simplified dynamic model enabled us to reproduce the main features of the profiled transients of induced charge drift current.« less

Improved Control of Charging Voltage for Li-Ion Battery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Timmerman, Paul; Bugga, Ratnakumar

2006-01-01

The protocol for charging a lithium-ion battery would be modified, according to a proposal, to compensate for the internal voltage drop (charging current internal resistance of the battery). The essence of the modification is to provide for measurement of the internal voltage drop and to increase the terminal-voltage setting by the amount of the internal voltage drop. Ordinarily, a lithium-ion battery is charged at constant current until its terminal voltage attains a set value equal to the nominal full-charge potential. The set value is chosen carefully so as not to exceed the lithium-plating potential, because plated lithium in metallic form constitutes a hazard. When the battery is charged at low temperature, the internal voltage drop is considerable because the electrical conductivity of the battery electrolyte is low at low temperature. Charging the battery at high current at any temperature also gives rise to a high internal voltage drop. In some cases, the internal voltage drop can be as high as 1 volt per cell. Because the voltage available for charging is less than the terminal voltage by the amount of the internal voltage drop, the battery is not fully charged (see figure), even when the terminal voltage reaches the set value. In the modified protocol, the charging current would be periodically interrupted so that the zero-current battery-terminal voltage indicative of the state of charge could be measured. The terminal voltage would also be measured at full charging current. The difference between the full-current and zero-current voltages would equal the internal voltage drop. The set value of terminal voltage would then be increased beyond the nominal full-charge potential by the amount of the internal voltage drop. This adjustment would be performed repeatedly, in real time, so that the voltage setting would track variations in the internal voltage drop to afford full charge without risk of lithium plating. If the charging current and voltage settings were controlled by a computer, then this method of charge control could readily be implemented in software.

Leptospira Immunoglobulin-Like Protein B (LigB) Binds to Both the C-Terminal 23 Amino Acids of Fibrinogen αC Domain and Factor XIII: Insight into the Mechanism of LigB-Mediated Blockage of Fibrinogen α Chain Cross-Linking.

PubMed

Hsieh, Ching-Lin; Chang, Eric; Tseng, Andrew; Ptak, Christopher; Wu, Li-Chen; Su, Chun-Li; McDonough, Sean P; Lin, Yi-Pin; Chang, Yung-Fu

2016-09-01

The coagulation system provides a primitive but effective defense against hemorrhage. Soluble fibrinogen (Fg) monomers, composed of α, β and γ chains, are recruited to provide structural support for the formation of a hemostatic plug. Fg binds to platelets and is processed into a cross-linked fibrin polymer by the enzymatic clotting factors, thrombin and Factor XIII (FXIII). The newly formed fibrin-platelet clot can act as barrier to protect against pathogens from entering the bloodstream. Further, injuries caused by bacterial infections can be confined to the initial wound site. Many pathogenic bacteria have Fg-binding adhesins that can circumvent the coagulation pathway and allow the bacteria to sidestep containment. Fg expression is upregulated during lung infection providing an attachment surface for bacteria with the ability to produce Fg-binding adhesins. Fg binding by leptospira might play a crucial factor in Leptospira-associated pulmonary hemorrhage, the main factor contributing to lethality in severe cases of leptospirosis. The 12th domain of Leptospira immunoglobulin-like protein B (LigB12), a leptospiral adhesin, interacts with the C-terminus of FgαC (FgαCC). In this study, the binding site for LigB12 was mapped to the final 23 amino acids at the C-terminal end of FgαCC (FgαCC8). The association of FgαCC8 with LigB12 (ELISA, KD = 0.76 μM; SPR, KD = 0.96 μM) was reduced by mutations of both charged residues (R608, R611 and H614 from FgαCC8; D1061 from LigB12) and hydrophobic residues (I613 from FgαCC8; F1054 and A1065 from LigB12). Additionally, LigB12 bound strongly to FXIII and also inhibited fibrin formation, suggesting that LigB can disrupt coagulation by suppressing FXIII activity. Here, the detailed binding mechanism of a leptospiral adhesin to a host hemostatic factor is characterized for the first time and should provide better insight into the pathogenesis of leptospirosis.

Leptospira Immunoglobulin-Like Protein B (LigB) Binds to Both the C-Terminal 23 Amino Acids of Fibrinogen αC Domain and Factor XIII: Insight into the Mechanism of LigB-Mediated Blockage of Fibrinogen α Chain Cross-Linking

PubMed Central

Hsieh, Ching-Lin; Chang, Eric; Tseng, Andrew; Ptak, Christopher; Wu, Li-Chen; Su, Chun-Li; McDonough, Sean P.; Lin, Yi-Pin; Chang, Yung-Fu

2016-01-01

The coagulation system provides a primitive but effective defense against hemorrhage. Soluble fibrinogen (Fg) monomers, composed of α, β and γ chains, are recruited to provide structural support for the formation of a hemostatic plug. Fg binds to platelets and is processed into a cross-linked fibrin polymer by the enzymatic clotting factors, thrombin and Factor XIII (FXIII). The newly formed fibrin-platelet clot can act as barrier to protect against pathogens from entering the bloodstream. Further, injuries caused by bacterial infections can be confined to the initial wound site. Many pathogenic bacteria have Fg-binding adhesins that can circumvent the coagulation pathway and allow the bacteria to sidestep containment. Fg expression is upregulated during lung infection providing an attachment surface for bacteria with the ability to produce Fg-binding adhesins. Fg binding by leptospira might play a crucial factor in Leptospira-associated pulmonary hemorrhage, the main factor contributing to lethality in severe cases of leptospirosis. The 12th domain of Leptospira immunoglobulin-like protein B (LigB12), a leptospiral adhesin, interacts with the C-terminus of FgαC (FgαCC). In this study, the binding site for LigB12 was mapped to the final 23 amino acids at the C-terminal end of FgαCC (FgαCC8). The association of FgαCC8 with LigB12 (ELISA, KD = 0.76 μM; SPR, KD = 0.96 μM) was reduced by mutations of both charged residues (R608, R611 and H614 from FgαCC8; D1061 from LigB12) and hydrophobic residues (I613 from FgαCC8; F1054 and A1065 from LigB12). Additionally, LigB12 bound strongly to FXIII and also inhibited fibrin formation, suggesting that LigB can disrupt coagulation by suppressing FXIII activity. Here, the detailed binding mechanism of a leptospiral adhesin to a host hemostatic factor is characterized for the first time and should provide better insight into the pathogenesis of leptospirosis. PMID:27622634

Effect of positive pulse charge waveforms on the energy efficiency of lead-acid traction cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smithrick, J. J.

1981-01-01

The effects of four different charge methods on the energy conversion efficiency of 300 ampere hour lead acid traction cells were investigated. Three of the methods were positive pulse charge waveforms; the fourth, a constant current method, was used as a baseline of comparison. The positive pulse charge waveforms were: 120 Hz full wave rectified sinusoidal; 120 Hz silicon controlled rectified; and 1 kHz square wave. The constant current charger was set at the time average pulse current of each pulse waveform, which was 150 amps. The energy efficiency does not include charger losses. The lead acid traction cells were charged to 70 percent of rated ampere hour capacity in each case. The results of charging the cells using the three different pulse charge waveforms indicate there was no significant difference in energy conversion efficiency when compared to constant current charging at the time average pulse current value.

Effects of Cabazitaxel in Renal Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines.

PubMed

Mizutani, Kosuke; Tomoda, Masashi; Ohno, Yuta; Hayashi, Hideki; Fujita, Yasunori; Kawakami, Kyojiro; Kameyama, Koji; Kato, Taku; Sugiyama, Tadashi; Itoh, Yoshinori; Ito, Masafumi; Deguchi, Takashi

2015-12-01

Advanced renal cell carcinoma is treated with mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors or tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). The effects of these drugs are, however, limited and novel treatment strategies are required. Clear-cell type renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is chemo-resistant, in part, due to expression of multidrug resistance proteins such as p-glycoprotein. Cabazitaxel, a tubulin-binding taxane drug used for castration-resistant prostate cancer, has less affinity for p-glycoprotein compared to docetaxel. In the current study, the effects of docetaxel and cabazitaxel on ccRCC cells were investigated. The expression of p-glycoprotein was evaluated in the ccRCC cell lines, Caki-1, KMRC-1 and OS-RC-2 by western blotting. Cells were treated with cabazitaxel or docetaxel, and growth kinetics and tubulin polymerization were determined by the WST-1 assay and cell-based tubulin polymerization assay, respectively. Intracellular drug concentrations were measured by chromatography. AKT activation after treatment was examined by western blotting. All ccRCC cell lines expressed p-glycoprotein. Cabazitaxel inhibited cell growth and induced tubulin polymerization more potently than docetaxel. The intracellular concentration of cabazitaxel was much higher than docetaxel in all cell lines. Both docetaxel and cabazitaxel inhibit AKT phosphorylation at 5 min among three cells. Cabazitaxel inhibits growth of ccRCC cells expressing p-glycoprotein and could thus be possibly used for advanced ccRCC patients in combination with targeted-therapy enhancing their effects. Copyright© 2015 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Revised methods for estimating potential reentry exposure associated with indoor crack and crevice and perimeter application.

PubMed

Driver, Jeffrey H; Ross, John H; Pandian, Muhilan; Selim, Sami; Sharp, Janice K

2013-01-01

Surface deposition of insecticides applied as indoor residential foggers, baseboard or perimeter sprays, spot sprays, and crack-and-crevice (C&C) sprays represent pathways of unintentional, postapplication exposure for children and adults. Estimation of the magnitude of this exposure following an application event is associated with uncertainty due to many factors, including (1) surface residue deposition and distribution, (2) access to and the nature of contact with treated surfaces based on time-activity patterns of residents, and (3) the role of residue removal mechanisms such as cleaning treated surfaces, pesticide degradation or redistribution, and hand washing and bathing following contact. A comparative spatial deposition study was conducted involving broadcast, perimeter, and C&C application methods. Residues measured using a spatial grid of deposition dosimeters on floor surfaces demonstrated significantly lower residue concentrations in readily accessible areas following C&C and perimeter applications, versus broadcast treatment. Analyses of other monitoring studies support this finding. The implications of these findings are discussed for both screening-level and higher tier probabilistic postapplication, residential exposure assessment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) current guidance on interpretation of deposition following C&C application is supported by data in this study and others that indicate a ratio of 10:1 for deposition for broadcast versus C&C application. However, the perimeter deposition data are quite similar to C&C deposition and do not support a 70/30 default relative to broadcast recommended by the U.S. EPA (2012).

50% duty cycle may be inappropriate to achieve a sufficient chest compression depth when cardiopulmonary resuscitation is performed by female or light rescuers

PubMed Central

Lee, Chang Jae; Chung, Tae Nyoung; Bae, Jinkun; Kim, Eui Chung; Choi, Sung Wook; Kim, Ok Jun

2015-01-01

Objective Current guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation recommend chest compressions (CC) during 50% of the duty cycle (DC) in part because of the ease with which individuals may learn to achieve it with practice. However, no consideration has been given to a possible interaction between DC and depth of CC, which has been the subject of recent study. Our aim was to determine if 50% DC is inappropriate to achieve sufficient chest compression depth for female and light rescuers. Methods Previously collected CC data, performed by senior medical students guided by metronome sounds with various down-stroke patterns and rates, were included in the analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the association between average compression depth (ACD) with average compression rate (ACR), DC, and physical characteristics of the performers. Expected ACD was calculated for various settings. Results DC, ACR, body weight, male sex, and self-assessed physical strength were significantly associated with ACD in multivariate analysis. Based on our calculations, with 50% of DC, only men with ACR of 140/min or faster or body weight over 74 kg with ACR of 120/min can achieve sufficient ACD. Conclusion A shorter DC is independently correlated with deeper CC during simulated cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The optimal DC recommended in current guidelines may be inappropriate for achieving sufficient CD, especially for female or lighter-weight rescuers. PMID:27752567

Cancer Cachexia: Cause, Diagnosis, and Treatment.

PubMed

Mattox, Todd W

2017-10-01

Patients with cancer frequently experience unintended weight loss due to gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction caused by the malignancy or treatment of the malignancy. However, others may present with weight loss related to other symptoms not clearly associated with identifiable GI dysfunction such as anorexia and early satiety. Cancer cachexia (CC) is a multifactorial syndrome that is generally characterized by ongoing loss of skeletal muscle mass with or without fat loss, often accompanied by anorexia, weakness, and fatigue. CC is associated with poor tolerance of antitumor treatments, reduced quality of life (QOL), and negative impact on survival. Symptoms associated with CC are thought to be caused in part by tumor-induced changes in host metabolism that result in systemic inflammation and abnormal neurohormonal responses. Unfortunately, there is no single standard treatment for CC. Nutrition consequences of oncologic treatments should be identified early with nutrition screening and assessment. Pharmacologic agents directed at improving appetite and countering metabolic abnormalities that cause inefficient nutrient utilization are currently the foundation for treating CC. Multiple agents have been investigated for their effects on weight, muscle wasting, and QOL. However, few are commercially available for use. Considerations for choosing the most appropriate treatment include effect on appetite, weight, QOL, risk of adverse effects, and cost and availability of the agent.

Rescuer fatigue during actual in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation with audiovisual feedback: a prospective multicenter study

PubMed Central

Sugerman, Noah T.; Herzberg, Daniel; Leary, Marion; Weidman, Elizabeth K.; Edelson, Dana P.; Vanden Hoek, Terry L.; Becker, Lance B.; Abella, Benjamin S.

2009-01-01

Background Rescuer fatigue during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a likely contributor to variable CPR quality during clinical resuscitation efforts, yet investigations into fatigue and CPR quality degradation have only been performed in simulated environments, with widely conflicting results. Objective We sought to characterize CPR quality decay during actual in-hospital cardiac arrest, with regard to both chest compression (CC) rate and depth during the delivery of CCs by individual rescuers over time. Methods Using CPR-recording technology to objectively quantify CCs and provide audiovisual feedback, we prospectively collected CPR performance data from arrest events in two hospitals. We identified continuous CPR “blocks” from individual rescuers, assessing CC rate and depth over time. Results 135 blocks of continuous CPR were identified from 42 cardiac arrests at the two institutions. Median duration of continuous CPR blocks was 112 sec (IQR 101–122). CC rate did not change significantly over single rescuer performance, with an initial mean rate of 105 ± 11 / min, and a mean rate after 3 min of 106 ± 9 / min (p=NS). However, CC depth decayed significantly starting between 90 sec and 2 min, falling from a mean of 48.3 ± 9.6 mm to 46.0 ± 9.0 mm (p=0.0006) and to 43.7 ± 7.4 mm by 3 minutes (p=0.002). Conclusions During actual in-hospital CPR with audiovisual feedback, CC depth decay became evident after 90 sec of CPR, but CC rate did not change. These data provide clinical evidence for rescuer fatigue during actual resuscitations and support current guideline recommendations to rotate rescuers during CC delivery. PMID:19581036

Impact of bacteriophage Saint3 carriage on the immune evasion capacity and hemolytic potential of Staphylococcus aureus CC398.

PubMed

Jung, Philipp; Abdelbary, Mohamed M H; Kraushaar, Britta; Fetsch, Alexandra; Geisel, Jürgen; Herrmann, Mathias; Witte, Wolfgang; Cuny, Christiane; Bischoff, Markus

2017-02-01

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) isolates of clonal complex 398 (CC398) are frequently found in Europe, and recent studies highlighted the importance of mobile genetic element (MGE) exchange for host adaptation of this lineage. Of note, one of the MGEs commonly found in human S. aureus isolates, the immune evasion cluster (IEC) harboring bacteriophage Saint3, is very rarely found in LA-MRSA CC398 isolates obtained from farm animals, but more frequently found in LA-MRSA CC398 that were retransmitted to humans. Here, we analyzed with a set of S. aureus CC398 isolates harboring/lacking φSaint3 how this MGE affects (i) phagocytosis of CC398 isolates by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), and (ii) hemolysis of human and livestock-derived erythrocytes. Isolates lacking φSaint3 were more efficiently phagocytosed by human PMNs in whole blood phagocytosis assays than isolates harboring this bacteriophage, irrespective of their origin. Notably, a similar effect was observed when equine blood was utilized, but not detected with porcine blood. Integration of φSaint3 into LA-MRSA CC398 strains lacking this MGE confirmed these findings, as φSaint3-harboring recipients were again less efficiently ingested by PMNs in equine and human blood than their parental strains. Integration of φSaint3 strongly reduced the hemolytic potential of the culture supernatants against human-derived erythrocytes, and to a smaller extent also against porcine-derived erythrocytes, while φSaint3 integration only slightly affected the hemolytic capacities against equine-derived red blood cells. The significant protective effect of φSaint3 against phagocytosis by equine PMNs suggests that the host specificity of the IEC components might be broader than currently assumed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Long noncoding RNA lung cancer associated transcript 1 promotes proliferation and invasion of clear cell renal cell carcinoma cells by negatively regulating miR-495-3p.

PubMed

Wang, Li-Na; Zhu, Xin-Qing; Song, Xi-Shuang; Xu, Yong

2018-06-22

Recently, long noncoding RNAs have emerged as new gene regulators and prognostic markers in several cancers, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Here, we focused on the long noncoding RNA lung cancer associated transcript 1 (LUCAT1) based on clear cell RCC (ccRCC) the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) data. However, whether aberrant expression of LUCAT1 in ccRCC is correlated with malignancy, metastasis or prognosis has not been elucidated. In the current study, we found that the expression of LUCAT1 was upregulated in ccRCC tissues and cancer cell lines. Upregulated LUCAT1 was positively correlated with larger tumor size, advanced tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, higher smoking frequency, nodal metastasis and shorter overall survival in patients with ccRCC. Inhibition of LUCAT1 by small interfering RNA reduced cell proliferation and invasion of ccRCC cells in vitro. In vivo assay showed that the tumor volume and weight were lower in the group of LUCAT1 inhibition than that in the control group. We then found that LUCAT1 directly bound and inhibited the expression of micoRNA-495-3p (miR-495-3p), which subsequently regulated the expression of special adenine-thymine (AT)-rich DNA-binding protein 1 (SATB1). Collectively, LUCAT1 was critical for proliferation and invasion of ccRCC cells by regulating miR-495-3p and SATB1. Our findings indicated that LUCAT1 and miR-495-3p may offer potential novel therapeutic targets of treatment of ccRCC. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

High-fat diet amplifies renal renin angiotensin system expression, blood pressure elevation, and renal dysfunction caused by Ceacam1 null deletion.

PubMed

Li, Caixia; Culver, Silas A; Quadri, Syed; Ledford, Kelly L; Al-Share, Qusai Y; Ghadieh, Hilda E; Najjar, Sonia M; Siragy, Helmy M

2015-11-01

Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAMl), a substrate of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase, regulates insulin action by promoting insulin clearance. Global null mutation of Ceacam1 gene (Cc1(-/-)) results in features of the metabolic syndrome, including insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, visceral adiposity, elevated blood pressure, and albuminuria. It also causes activation of the renal renin-angiotensin system (RAS). In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that high-fat diet enhances the expression of RAS components. Three-month-old wild-type (Cc1(+/+)) and Cc1(-/-) mice were fed either a regular or a high-fat diet for 8 wk. At baseline under regular feeding conditions, Cc1(-/-) mice exhibited higher blood pressure, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), and renal expression of angiotensinogen, renin/prorenin, angiotensin-converting enzyme, (pro)renin receptor, angiotensin subtype AT1 receptor, angiotensin II, and elevated PI3K phosphorylation, as detected by p85α (Tyr(508)) immunostaining, inflammatory response, and the expression of collagen I and collagen III. In Cc1(+/+) mice, high-fat diet increased blood pressure, UACR, the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme and angiotensin II, PI3K phosphorylation, inflammatory response, and the expression of collagen I and collagen III. In Cc1(-/-) mice, high-fat intake further amplified these parameters. Immunohistochemical staining showed increased p-PI3K p85α (Tyr(508)) expression in renal glomeruli, proximal, distal, and collecting tubules of Cc1(-/-) mice fed a high-fat diet. Together, this demonstrates that high-fat diet amplifies the permissive effect of Ceacam1 deletion on renal expression of all RAS components, PI3K phosphorylation, inflammation, and fibrosis. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Effect of pulsed current charging on the performance of nickel-cadium cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bedrossian, A. A.; Cheh, H. Y.

1977-01-01

The effect of pulsed current charging on the charge acceptance of NiCd cells in terms of mass transfer, kinetic, and structural considerations was investigated. A systemic investigation on the performance of Ni-Cd cells by pulsed current charging was conducted under a variety of well-defined charge-discharge conditions. Experiments were carried out with half cells and film electrodes. The system behavior was studied by charge acceptance, mechanistic, and structural measurements.

Determining the maximum charging currents of lithium-ion cells for small charge quantities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grimsmann, F.; Gerbert, T.; Brauchle, F.; Gruhle, A.; Parisi, J.; Knipper, M.

2017-10-01

In order to optimize the operating parameters of battery management systems for electric and hybrid vehicles, great interest has been shown in achieving the maximum permissible charging currents during recuperation, without causing a cell damage due to lithium plating, in relation to the temperature, charge quantity and state of charge. One method for determining these recuperation currents is measuring the cell thickness, where excessively high charging currents can be detected by an irreversible increase in thickness. It is not possible to measure particularly small charge quantities by employing mechanic dial indicators, which have a limited resolution of 1 μm. This is why we developed a measuring setup that has a resolution limit of less than 10 nm using a high-resolution contactless inductance sensor. Our results show that the permissible charging current I can be approximated in relation to the charge quantity x by a correlating function I =a /√{(x) } which is compliant with the Arrhenius law. Small charge quantities therefore have an optimization potential for energy recovery during recuperation.

Alchemical prediction of hydration free energies for SAMPL

PubMed Central

Mobley, David L.; Liu, Shaui; Cerutti, David S.; Swope, William C.; Rice, Julia E.

2013-01-01

Hydration free energy calculations have become important tests of force fields. Alchemical free energy calculations based on molecular dynamics simulations provide a rigorous way to calculate these free energies for a particular force field, given sufficient sampling. Here, we report results of alchemical hydration free energy calculations for the set of small molecules comprising the 2011 Statistical Assessment of Modeling of Proteins and Ligands (SAMPL) challenge. Our calculations are largely based on the Generalized Amber Force Field (GAFF) with several different charge models, and we achieved RMS errors in the 1.4-2.2 kcal/mol range depending on charge model, marginally higher than what we typically observed in previous studies1-5. The test set consists of ethane, biphenyl, and a dibenzyl dioxin, as well as a series of chlorinated derivatives of each. We found that, for this set, using high-quality partial charges from MP2/cc-PVTZ SCRF RESP fits provided marginally improved agreement with experiment over using AM1-BCC partial charges as we have more typically done, in keeping with our recent findings5. Switching to OPLS Lennard-Jones parameters with AM1-BCC charges also improves agreement with experiment. We also find a number of chemical trends within each molecular series which we can explain, but there are also some surprises, including some that are captured by the calculations and some that are not. PMID:22198475

Chargeability measurements of selected pharmaceutical dry powders to assess their electrostatic charge control capabilities.

PubMed

Ramirez-Dorronsoro, Juan-Carlos; Jacko, Robert B; Kildsig, Dane O

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument (the Purdue instrument) and the corresponding methodologies to measure the electrostatic charge development (chargeability) of dry powders when they are in dynamic contact with stainless steel surfaces. The system used an inductive noncontact sensor located inside an aluminum Faraday cage and was optimized to measure the charging capabilities of a fixed volume of powder (0.5 cc). The chargeability of 5,5-diphenyl-hydantoin, calcium sulfate dihydrate, cimetidine, 3 grades of colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, 4 grades of microcrystalline cellulose, salicylic acid, sodium carbonate, sodium salicylate, spray-dried lactose, and sulfinpyrazone were tested at 4 linear velocities, and the particle size distribution effect was assessed for 3 different grades of colloidal silicon dioxide and 4 different grades of microcrystalline cellulose. The chargeability values exhibited a linear relationship for the range of velocities studied, with colloidal silicon dioxide exhibiting the maximum negative chargeability and with spray-dried lactose being the only compound to exhibit positive chargeability. The instrument sensitivity was improved by a factor of 2 over the first generation version, and the electrostatic charge measurements were reproducible with relative standard deviations ranging from nondetectable to 33.7% (minimum of 3 replicates). These results demonstrate the feasibility of using the Purdue instrument to measure the electrostatic charge control capabilities of pharmaceutical dry powders with a reasonable level of precision.

Understanding the many-body expansion for large systems. II. Accuracy considerations

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

Lao, Ka Un; Liu, Kuan-Yu; Richard, Ryan M.

2016-04-28

To complement our study of the role of finite precision in electronic structure calculations based on a truncated many-body expansion (MBE, or “n-body expansion”), we examine the accuracy of such methods in the present work. Accuracy may be defined either with respect to a supersystem calculation computed at the same level of theory as the n-body calculations, or alternatively with respect to high-quality benchmarks. Both metrics are considered here. In applications to a sequence of water clusters, (H{sub 2}O){sub N=6−55} described at the B3LYP/cc-pVDZ level, we obtain mean absolute errors (MAEs) per H{sub 2}O monomer of ∼1.0 kcal/mol for two-bodymore » expansions, where the benchmark is a B3LYP/cc-pVDZ calculation on the entire cluster. Three- and four-body expansions exhibit MAEs of 0.5 and 0.1 kcal/mol/monomer, respectively, without resort to charge embedding. A generalized many-body expansion truncated at two-body terms [GMBE(2)], using 3–4 H{sub 2}O molecules per fragment, outperforms all of these methods and affords a MAE of ∼0.02 kcal/mol/monomer, also without charge embedding. GMBE(2) requires significantly fewer (although somewhat larger) subsystem calculations as compared to MBE(4), reducing problems associated with floating-point roundoff errors. When compared to high-quality benchmarks, we find that error cancellation often plays a critical role in the success of MBE(n) calculations, even at the four-body level, as basis-set superposition error can compensate for higher-order polarization interactions. A many-body counterpoise correction is introduced for the GMBE, and its two-body truncation [GMBCP(2)] is found to afford good results without error cancellation. Together with a method such as ωB97X-V/aug-cc-pVTZ that can describe both covalent and non-covalent interactions, the GMBE(2)+GMBCP(2) approach provides an accurate, stable, and tractable approach for large systems.« less

A comparative study on vibrational, conformational and electronic structure of 2-chloro-4-methyl-3-nitropyridine and 2-chloro-6-methylpyridine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arjunan, V.; Saravanan, I.; Marchewka, Mariusz K.; Mohan, S.

Experimental FTIR and FT-Raman spectroscopic analysis of 2-chloro-4-methyl-3-nitropyridine (2C4M3NP) and 2-chloro-6-methylpyridine (2C6MP) have been performed. A detailed quantum chemical calculations have been carried out using B3LYP and B3PW91 methods with 6-311++G** and cc-pVTZ basis sets. Conformation analysis was carried for 2C4M3NP and 2C6MP. The temperature dependence of thermodynamic properties has been analysed. The atomic charges, electronic exchange interaction and charge delocalisation of the molecule have been performed by natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. Molecular electrostatic surface potential (MESP), total electron density distribution and frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) are constructed at B3LYP/6-311++G** level to understand the electronic properties. The charge density distribution and site of chemical reactivity of the molecules have been obtained by mapping electron density isosurface with electrostatic potential surfaces (ESP). The electronic properties, HOMO and LUMO energies were measured by time-dependent TD-DFT approach.

Association study of two functional single nucleotide polymorphisms of neuropeptide y gene with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Mohammadi, Seyed Mahdi; Shirvani Farsani, Zeinab; Dosti, Rozita; Sahraian, Mohammad Ali; Behmanesh, Mehrdad

2016-12-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system characterized by brain inflammation, demyelination and axonal loss. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has a critical role in the maintenance of homeostasis in the immune system and coping of stress condition. In the current study we analyzed 188 patients suffering from MS and 204 unrelated healthy controls for two functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), NPY 20T>C (rs16139) and NPY -485T>C (rs16147) using PCR-RFLP and Mismatch PCR-RFLP methods. Our results demonstrated that homozygocity in the minor allele for NPY -485T>C polymorphism is associated with the MS risk in patients in compare with healthy controls (CC vs. TT, P=0.033; CC vs. TT+TC, P=0.02). In addition, by comparison with allele T, the frequency of NPY -485C allele was higher in cases than in control subjects and present increased risk of MS, but statistically significant was borderline (P=0.053). The stratification for disease progression revealed a significant difference in the allelic and genotypic distribution between subgroups of MS and controls. The frequency of the CC genotype and C allele was higher in the primary progressive MS patients when compared with control group (CC vs. TT, P=0.019; CC vs. TT+TC, P=0.008; C vs. T, P=0.022). In addition, the frequency of CC genotype was higher in the relapsing remitting MS patients when compared with control group (CC vs. TT, P=0.034; CC vs. TT+TC, P=0.016). Haplotype analysis demonstrated that the haplotype 3 (CT) is more common in RR MS (P=0.041), and PP MS (P=0.031) than control group. In conclusion, the obtained results demonstrate the probable role of NPY SNPs in susceptibility to MS within the Iranian population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electromagnetic pulse-driven spin-dependent currents in semiconductor quantum rings.

PubMed

Zhu, Zhen-Gang; Berakdar, Jamal

2009-04-08

We investigate the non-equilibrium charge and spin-dependent currents in a quantum ring with a Rashba spin-orbit interaction (SOI) driven by two asymmetric picosecond electromagnetic pulses. The equilibrium persistent charge and persistent spin-dependent currents are investigated as well. It is shown that the dynamical charge and the dynamical spin-dependent currents vary smoothly with a static external magnetic flux and the SOI provides a SU(2) effective flux that changes the phases of the dynamic charge and the dynamic spin-dependent currents. The period of the oscillation of the total charge current with the delay time between the pulses is larger in a quantum ring with a larger radius. The parameters of the pulse fields control to a certain extent the total charge and the total spin-dependent currents. The calculations are applicable to nanometre rings fabricated in heterojunctions of III-V and II-VI semiconductors containing several hundreds of electrons.

Meta-Analysis Identifies NF-κB as a Therapeutic Target in Renal Cancer

PubMed Central

Peri, Suraj; Devarajan, Karthik; Yang, Dong-Hua; Knudson, Alfred G.; Balachandran, Siddharth

2013-01-01

Objective To determine the expression patterns of NF-κB regulators and target genes in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), their correlation with von Hippel Lindau (VHL) mutational status, and their association with survival outcomes. Methods Meta-analyses were carried out on published ccRCC gene expression datasets by RankProd, a non-parametric statistical method. DEGs with a False Discovery Rate of < 0.05 by this method were considered significant, and intersected with a curated list of NF-κB regulators and targets to determine the nature and extent of NF-κB deregulation in ccRCC. Results A highly-disproportionate fraction (~40%; p < 0.001) of NF-κB regulators and target genes were found to be up-regulated in ccRCC, indicative of elevated NF-κB activity in this cancer. A subset of these genes, comprising a key NF-κB regulator (IKBKB) and established mediators of the NF-κB cell-survival and pro-inflammatory responses (MMP9, PSMB9, and SOD2), correlated with higher relative risk, poorer prognosis, and reduced overall patient survival. Surprisingly, levels of several interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) and interferon target genes were also elevated in ccRCC, indicating that an ‘interferon signature’ may represent a novel feature of this disease. Loss of VHL gene expression correlated strongly with the appearance of NF-κB- and interferon gene signatures in both familial and sporadic cases of ccRCC. As NF-κB controls expression of key interferon signaling nodes, our results suggest a causal link between VHL loss, elevated NF-κB activity, and the appearance of an interferon signature during ccRCC tumorigenesis. Conclusions These findings identify NF-κB and interferon signatures as clinical features of ccRCC, provide strong rationale for the incorporation of NF-κB inhibitors and/or and the exploitation of interferon signaling in the treatment of ccRCC, and supply new NF-κB targets for potential therapeutic intervention in this currently-incurable malignancy. PMID:24116146

Clomiphene citrate alternatives for the initial management of polycystic ovary syndrome: an evidence-based approach.

PubMed

Abu Hashim, Hatem

2012-06-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent and heterogeneous condition affecting 4-8% of reproductive age women. It is the most common cause of chronic anovulation and is associated with hyperandrogenemia. Clomiphene citrate (CC) is considered as the first-line therapy for ovulation induction in these patients. Despite progress in understanding the pathophysiology of PCOS over the past 20 years, many questions persist to the extent that PCOS was described as "A Riddle Wrapped in a Mystery inside an Enigma". On the other hand, a recent publication from the Centers for Disease Control suggested that CC may be associated with an increased risk of birth defects. The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate and summarize the current literature regarding CC alternatives for the initial management of PCOS focusing specifically on the roles of weight loss and other approaches to ovulation induction as insulin-sensitizing drugs, aromatase inhibitors, minimal stimulation protocol, gonadotrophins and surgery (laparoscopic ovarian drilling). Finally, the efficacy of intrauterine insemination with CC for the initial management of PCOS will be evaluated.

SU-F-BRA-16: Development of a Radiation Monitoring Device Using a Low-Cost CCD Camera Following Radionuclide Therapy

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

Taneja, S; Fru, L Che; Desai, V

Purpose: It is now commonplace to handle treatments of hyperthyroidism using iodine-131 as an outpatient procedure due to lower costs and less stringent federal regulations. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has currently updated release guidelines for these procedures, but there is still a large uncertainty in the dose to the public. Current guidelines to minimize dose to the public require patients to remain isolated after treatment. The purpose of this study was to use a low-cost common device, such as a cell phone, to estimate exposure emitted from a patient to the general public. Methods: Measurements were performed using an Applemore » iPhone 3GS and a Cs-137 irradiator. The charge-coupled device (CCD) camera on the phone was irradiated to exposure rates ranging from 0.1 mR/hr to 100 mR/hr and 30-sec videos were taken during irradiation with the camera lens covered by electrical tape. Interactions were detected as white pixels on a black background in each video. Both single threshold (ST) and colony counting (CC) methods were performed using MATLAB®. Calibration curves were determined by comparing the total pixel intensity output from each method to the known exposure rate. Results: The calibration curve showed a linear relationship above 5 mR/hr for both analysis techniques. The number of events counted per unit exposure rate within the linear region was 19.5 ± 0.7 events/mR and 8.9 ± 0.4 events/mR for the ST and CC methods respectively. Conclusion: Two algorithms were developed and show a linear relationship between photons detected by a CCD camera and low exposure rates, in the range of 5 mR/hr to 100-mR/hr. Future work aims to refine this model by investigating the dose-rate and energy dependencies of the camera response. This algorithm allows for quantitative monitoring of exposure from patients treated with iodine-131 using a simple device outside of the hospital.« less

Efficacy of budesonide in collagenous colitis Evaluation of: Miehlke S, Madisch A, Kupcinskas L, et al. Budesonide is more effective than mesalamine or placebo in short-term treatment of collagenous colitis. Gastroenterology 2014;146(5):1222-1230 e1222.

PubMed

Drug, Vasile L; Antoniu, Sabina A

2014-10-01

Collagenous colitis (CC) is a less common colonic disease with variable prevalence and undulating course. Among the available therapies, budesonide was demonstrated to induce a rapid and sustained remission in many cases, but little is known about the comparative efficacy of other treatments, such as mesalamine. Evaluation of a randomized study assessing the efficacy and safety of budesonide over mesalamine in patients with CC. Data from the study showed that budesonide was significantly superior to placebo and to mesalamine and further supports the recommendation of the current guidelines on the use of budesonide in CC. However, other forms of mesalamine may further be evaluated for this disease.

Dynamics of high-risk nonvaccine human papillomavirus types after actual vaccination scheme.

PubMed

Peralta, Raúl; Vargas-De-León, Cruz; Cabrera, Augusto; Miramontes, Pedro

2014-01-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been identified as the main etiological factor in the developing of cervical cancer (CC). This finding has propitiated the development of vaccines that help to prevent the HPVs 16 and 18 infection. Both genotypes are associated with 70% of CC worldwide. In the present study, we aimed to determine the emergence of high-risk nonvaccine HPV after actual vaccination scheme to estimate the impact of the current HPV vaccines. A SIR-type model was used to study the HPV dynamics after vaccination. According to the results, our model indicates that the application of the vaccine reduces infection by target or vaccine genotypes as expected. However, numerical simulations of the model suggest the presence of the phenomenon called vaccine-induced pathogen strain replacement. Here, we report the following replacement mechanism: if the effectiveness of cross-protective immunity is not larger than the effectiveness of the vaccine, then the high-risk nonvaccine genotypes emerge. In this scenario, further studies of infection dispersion by HPV are necessary to ascertain the real impact of the current vaccines, primarily because of the different high-risk HPV types that are found in CC.

Vibrational spectroscopic and non-linear optical activity studies on nicotinanilide : A DFT approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Premkumar, S.; Jawahar, A.; Mathavan, T.; Dhas, M. Kumara; Benial, A. Milton Franklin

2015-06-01

The molecular structure of nicotinanilide was optimized by the DFT/B3LYP method with cc-pVTZ basis set using Gaussian 09 program. The first order hyperpolarizability of the molecule was calculated, which exhibits the higher nonlinear optical activity. The natural bond orbital analysis confirms the presence of intramolecular charge transfer and the hydrogen bonding interaction, which leads to the higher nonlinear optical activity of the molecule. The Frontier molecular orbitals analysis of the molecule shows that the delocalization of electron density occurs within the molecule. The lower energy gap indicates that the hydrogen bond formation between the charged species. The vibrational frequencies were calculated and assigned on the basis of potential energy distribution calculation using the VEDA 4.0 program and the corresponding vibrational spectra were simulated. Hence, the nicotinanilide molecule can be a good candidate for second-order NLO material.

New insights into the opening band gap of graphene oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Ngoc Thanh Thuy; Lin, Shih-Yang; Lin, Ming-Fa

Electronic properties of oxygen absorbed few-layer graphenes are investigated using first-principle calculations. They are very sensitive to the changes in the oxygen concentration, number of graphene layer, and stacking configuration. The feature-rich band structures exhibit the destruction or distortion of the Dirac cone, opening of band gap, anisotropic energy dispersions, O- and (C,O)-dominated energy dispersions, and extra critical points. The band decomposed charge distributions reveal the π-bonding dominated energy gap. The orbital-projected density of states (DOS) have many special structures mainly coming from a composite energy band, the parabolic and partially flat ones. The DOS and spatial charge distributions clearly indicate the critical orbital hybridizations in O-O, C-O and C-C bonds, being responsible for the diversified properties. All of the few-layer graphene oxides are semi-metals except for the semiconducting monolayer ones.

Chiroptical Properties of Imines Derived from R-(+)-Norbornenone: The Role of Electronegativity Differences.

PubMed

Wiberg, Kenneth B

2017-11-02

To allow a comparison with the specific rotations of R-(+)-5-methylenenorbornene (1) and R-(+)-norbornenone (2) we performed calculations at the LC-wPBE/aug-cc-pVTZ level for the imines (5a and 5b) derived from norbornenone and also for their protonated derivative (6). In accord with our results for simpler systems, the specific rotations increase in the order of 1 < 5 < 2 ≈ 6. In addition, the specific rotation of the protonated ketone was calculated and found to be considerably larger than that for 2 or 6. These rotations were found to be linearly dependent on the Hirshfeld charges at the carbon of the exocyclic double bond. This leads to the conclusion that charge transfer from the endocyclic double bond to the π* MO of the exocyclic double bond is an important component of the process that leads to the optical activity of these compounds.

Energy decomposition analysis of single bonds within Kohn-Sham density functional theory.

PubMed

Levine, Daniel S; Head-Gordon, Martin

2017-11-28

An energy decomposition analysis (EDA) for single chemical bonds is presented within the framework of Kohn-Sham density functional theory based on spin projection equations that are exact within wave function theory. Chemical bond energies can then be understood in terms of stabilization caused by spin-coupling augmented by dispersion, polarization, and charge transfer in competition with destabilizing Pauli repulsions. The EDA reveals distinguishing features of chemical bonds ranging across nonpolar, polar, ionic, and charge-shift bonds. The effect of electron correlation is assessed by comparison with Hartree-Fock results. Substituent effects are illustrated by comparing the C-C bond in ethane against that in bis(diamantane), and dispersion stabilization in the latter is quantified. Finally, three metal-metal bonds in experimentally characterized compounds are examined: a [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] dimer, the [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] bond in dizincocene, and the Mn-Mn bond in dimanganese decacarbonyl.

Theoretical Insights into a CO Dimerization Mechanism in CO2 Electroreduction.

PubMed

Montoya, Joseph H; Shi, Chuan; Chan, Karen; Nørskov, Jens K

2015-06-04

In this work, we present DFT simulations that demonstrate the ability of Cu to catalyze CO dimerization in CO2 and CO electroreduction. We describe a previously unreported CO dimer configuration that is uniquely stabilized by a charged water layer on both Cu(111) and Cu(100). Without this charged water layer at the metal surface, the formation of the CO dimer is prohibitively endergonic. Our calculations also demonstrate that dimerization should have a lower activation barrier on Cu(100) than Cu(111), which, along with a more exergonic adsorption energy and a corresponding higher coverage of *CO, is consistent with experimental observations that Cu(100) has a high activity for C-C coupling at low overpotentials. We also demonstrate that this effect is present with cations other than H(+), a finding that is consistent with the experimentally observed pH independence of C2 formation on Cu.

Influences of the coordinate dependent noncommutative space on charged and spin currents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Ya-Jie; Ma, Kai

2018-06-01

We study the charged and spin currents on a coordinate dependent noncommutative space. Starting from the noncommutative extended relativistic equation of motion, the nonrelativistic approximation is obtained by using the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation, and then the charged and spin currents are derived by using the extended Drude model. We find that the charged current is twisted by modifying the off-diagonal elements of the Hall conductivity, however, the spin current is not affected up to leading order of the noncommutative parameter.

Controlling electrostatic charging of nanocrystalline diamond at nanoscale.

PubMed

Verveniotis, Elisseos; Kromka, Alexander; Rezek, Bohuslav

2013-06-11

Constant electrical current in the range of -1 to -200 pA is applied by an atomic force microscope (AFM) in contact mode regime to induce and study local electrostatic charging of oxygen-terminated nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films. The NCD films are deposited on silicon in 70 nm thickness and with 60% relative sp(2) phase content. Charging current is monitored by conductive AFM. Electric potential contrast induced by the current is evaluated by Kelvin force microscopy (KFM). KFM shows well-defined, homogeneous, and reproducible microscopic patterns that are not influenced by inherent tip-surface junction fluctuations during the charging process. The charged patterns are persistent for at least 72 h due to charge trapping inside the NCD film. The current-induced charging also clearly reveals field-induced detrapping at current amplitudes >-50 pA and tip instability at >-150 pA, both of which limit the achievable potential contrast. In addition, we show that the field also determines the range of electronic states that can trap the charge. We present a model and discuss implications for control of the nanoscale charging process.

Theoretical investigation of stabilities and optical properties of Si12C12 clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Xiaofeng F.; Burggraf, Larry W.

2015-01-01

By sorting through hundreds of globally stable Si12C12 isomers using a potential surface search and using simulated annealing, we have identified low-energy structures. Unlike isomers knit together by Si-C bonds, the lowest energy isomers have segregated carbon and silicon regions that maximize stronger C-C bonding. Positing that charge separation between the carbon and silicon regions would produce interesting optical absorption in these cluster molecules, we used time-dependent density functional theory to compare the calculated optical properties of four isomers representing structural classes having different types of silicon and carbon segregation regions. Absorptions involving charge transfer between segregated carbon and silicon regions produce lower excitation energies than do structures having alternating Si-C bonding for which frontier orbital charge transfer is exclusively from separated carbon atoms to silicon atoms. The most stable Si12C12 isomer at temperatures below 1100 K is unique as regards its high symmetry and large optical oscillator strength in the visible blue. Its high-energy and low-energy visible transitions (1.15 eV and 2.56 eV) are nearly pure one-electron silicon-to-carbon transitions, while an intermediate energy transition (1.28 eV) is a nearly pure carbon-to-silicon one-electron charge transfer.

Battery charging and discharging research based on the interactive technology of smart grid and electric vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Mingyang

2018-06-01

To further study the bidirectional flow problem of V2G (Vehicle to Grid) charge and discharge motor, the mathematical model of AC/DC converter and bi-directional DC/DC converter was established. Then, lithium battery was chosen as the battery of electric vehicle and its mathematical model was established. In order to improve the service life of lithium battery, bidirectional DC/DC converter adopted constant current and constant voltage control strategy. In the initial stage of charging, constant current charging was adopted with current single closed loop control. After reaching a certain value, voltage was switched to constant voltage charging controlled by voltage and current. Subsequently, the V2G system simulation model was built in MATLAB/Simulink. The simulation results verified the correctness of the control strategy and showed that when charging, constant current and constant voltage charging was achieved, the grid side voltage and current were in the same phase, and the power factor was about 1. When discharging, the constant current discharge was applied, and the grid voltage and current phase difference was r. To sum up, the simulation results are correct and helpful.

Natural Limits for Currents in Charge Separated Pulsar Magnetospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jessner, A.; Lesch, H.; Kunzl, T.

Rough estimates and upper limits on current and particle densities form the basis of most of the canonical pulsar models. Whereas the surface of the rotating neutron star is capable of supplying sufficient charges to provide a current that, given the polar cap potential, could easily fuel the observed energy loss processes, observational and theoretical constraints provide strict upper limits to the charge densities. The space charge of a current consisting solely of particles having only one sign creates a compensating potential that will make the maximum current dependent on potential and distance. In the non-relativistic case this fact is expressed in the familiar Child-Langmuir law. Its relativistic generalization and subsequent application to the inner pulsar magnetosphere provides clear limits on the strength and radial extension of charged currents originating on the polar cap. Violent Pierce-type oscillations set in, if one attempts to inject more current than the space charge limit into a given volume. These considerations apply wherever there is a significant amount of charged current flow, in particular in the gap regions. There they can be used to derive limits on the size of such gaps and their stability.

How will climate change influence grapevine cv. Tempranillo photosynthesis under different soil textures?

PubMed

Leibar, Urtzi; Aizpurua, Ana; Unamunzaga, Olatz; Pascual, Inmaculada; Morales, Fermín

2015-05-01

While photosynthetic responses to elevated CO2, elevated temperature, or water availability have previously been reported for grapevine as responses to single stress factors, reports on the combined effect of multiple stress factors are scarce. In the present work, we evaluated effects of simulated climate change [CC; 700 ppm CO2, 28/18 °C, and 33/53% relative humidity (RH), day/night] versus current conditions (375 ppm CO2, 24/14 °C, and 45/65% RH), water availability (well-irrigated vs. water deficit), and different types of soil textures (41, 19, and 8% of soil clay contents) on grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tempranillo) photosynthesis. Plants were grown using the fruit-bearing cutting model. CC increased the photosynthetic activity of grapevine plants grown under well-watered conditions, but such beneficial effects of elevated CO2, elevated temperature, and low RH were abolished by water deficit. Under water-deficit conditions, plants subjected to CC conditions had similar photosynthetic rates as those grown under current conditions, despite their higher sub-stomatal CO2 concentrations. As expected, water deficit reduced photosynthetic activity in association with inducing stomatal closure that prevents water loss. Evidence for photosynthetic downregulation under elevated CO2 was observed, with decreases in photosynthetic capacity and leaf N content and increases in the C/N ratio in plants subjected to CC conditions. Soil texture had no marked effects on photosynthesis and did not modify the photosynthetic response to CC and water-deficit conditions. However, in mature well-irrigated plants grown in the soils with the highest sand content, an important decrease in stomatal conductance was observed as well as a slight decrease in the utilization of absorbed light in photosynthetic electron transport (measured as photochemical quenching), possibly related to a low water-retention capacity of these soils even under well-watered conditions.

The Health Impacts of Climate Change: A Continuing Medical Education Needs Assessment Framework.

PubMed

Valois, Pierre; Blouin, Patrick; Ouellet, Claudine; Renaud, Jean-Sébastien; Bélanger, Diane; Gosselin, Pierre

2016-01-01

As the health consequences of climate change (CC) will likely become more manifest in the future, family physicians have to be knowledgeable about these impacts and the ways in which they can affect their patients. The main aim of this study was to propose a competency framework and questionnaire used to conduct a needs analysis to identify and prioritize family physicians' real educational needs regarding the health impacts of CC. A mixed method combining a qualitative interview and a quantitative online questionnaire was used (n = 24 physicians). The interview assessed key beliefs related to participating in an online continuing medical education (eCME) activity on the health impacts of climate change, and the perception of the key factors or conditions required to ensure the family physicians' satisfaction with this eCME activity. The questionnaire assessed the current and desired levels of competency on five general training themes: general knowledge about CC; heat-related illnesses; CC, extreme weather events and modification of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases; CC, extreme weather events and modification of water-borne diseases; and mental health impacts of natural disasters. Results revealed the need for improved medical education on climate change and health. Results also add to the literature by showing that a 3-hour eCME activity covering these topics would be useful and would allow family physicians to use this knowledge in their daily practice, notably through prevention and counseling. Introducing a CME needs assessment framework and a generic instrument that reflects family physicians' needs regarding the health impacts of CC has the added advantage of standardizing the assessment procedure.

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

Chung, Ching-Yen; Chu, Peter; Gadh, Rajit

Currently, when Electric Vehicles (EVs) are charging, they only have the option to charge at a selected current or not charge. When during the day there is a power shortage, the charging infrastructure should have the options to either shut off the power to the charging stations or to lower the power to the EVs in order to satisfy the needs of the grid. There is a need for technology that controls the current being disbursed to these electric vehicles. This paper proposes a design for a smart charging infrastructure capable of providing power to several EVs from one circuitmore » by multiplexing power and providing charge control. The smart charging infrastructure includes the server and the smart charging station. With this smart charging infrastructure, the shortage of energy in a local grid could be solved by our EV management system« less

Quality of life and attitudes towards psychotropics and dependency: consumers vs. non-consumers aged 50 and over.

PubMed

Baumann, M; Bonnetain, F; Briançon, S; Alla, F

2004-10-01

To assess the relationships between socio-demographic factors, quality of life and attitudes towards psychotropic drugs and dependency and to compare those relationships in continuous consumers (CC), occasional consumers (OC) and non-consumers (NC) of those drugs. Quality of life (SF36) and attitudes (14 statements) were measured in 601 subjects (45-60 years old) from the SUVIMAX cohort (SUpplementation en VItamines et en sels Mineraux AntioXydants). Data were obtained on 334 NC, 142 CC, 125 OC from the inclusion questionnaire and the monthly consumption report notebooks kept by subjects between 1994 and 1998. Dichotomous and polychotomous logistic regressions were used for the analysis. The lower the quality of life score the more frequent was consumption. NC tended to be men, with high quality of life scores. They entertained negative attitudes towards psychotropics and dependency. OC tended to be women reporting a chronic pathology, with fairly high social status. They had intermediate quality of life and denied dependency. CC tended to be men with no professional activity and low quality of life scores in particular for mental health and perceived health. They had positive attitudes towards psychotropics and accept dependency. Assessment of patients' quality of life and understanding of their attitudes towards psychotropics can provide essential information for those in charge of health promotion programmes and may help in identifying new intervention strategies. Preventive education and follow-up of therapy may be better suited to the needs of patients.

Interaction of Humic Acids with Organic Toxicants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tchaikovskaya, O. N.; Yudina, N. V.; Maltseva, E. V.; Nechaev, L. V.; Svetlichnyi, V. A.

2016-08-01

Interaction of humic acids with polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) (naphthalene and anthracene) and triazole series fungicides (cyproconazole (CC) and tebuconazole (TC)) is investigated by the method of fluorescence quenching depending on the concentration of substances in solutions and their structural features. Humic acids were modified by mechanochemical activation in a planetary mill. The complex character of intermolecular interactions between PAH and fungicides with humic acids, including donor-acceptor and hydrophobic binding, is established. Thermodynamically stable conformations of biocide molecules were estimated using ChemOffice CS Chem3D 8.0 by methods of molecular mechanics (MM2) and molecular dynamics. Biocide molecules with pH 7 are in energetically favorable position when the benzene and triazole rings are almost parallel to each other. After acidification of solutions to pH 4.5, the CC molecule retains the geometry for which donor-acceptor interactions are possible: the benzene ring in the molecule represents the electron donor, and triazole is the acceptor. In this case, the electron density in CC is redistributed easier, which is explained by a smaller number of carbon atoms between the triazole and benzene rings, unlike TC. As a result, the TC triazole ring is protonated to a greater degree, acquiring a positive charge, and enters into donoracceptor interactions with humic acid (HA) samples. The above-indicated bond types allow HA to participate actively in sorption processes and to provide their interaction with biocides and PAH and hence, to act as detoxifying agents for recultivation of the polluted environment.

Latex-protein complexes from an acute phase recombinant antigen of Toxoplasma gondii for the diagnosis of recently acquired toxoplasmosis.

PubMed

Peretti, Leandro E; Gonzalez, Verónica D G; Marcipar, Iván S; Gugliotta, Luis M

2014-08-01

The synthesis and characterization of latex-protein complexes (LPC), from the acute phase recombinant antigen P35 (P35Ag) of Toxoplasma gondii and "core-shell" carboxylated or polystyrene (PS) latexes (of different sizes and charge densities) are considered, with the aim of producing immunoagglutination reagents able to detect recently acquired toxoplasmosis. Physical adsorption (PA) and chemical coupling (CC) of P35Ag onto latex particles at different pH were investigated. Greater amounts of adsorbed protein were obtained on PS latexes than on carboxylated latexes, indicating that hydrophobic forces govern the interactions between the protein and the particle surface. In the CC experiments, the highest amount of bound protein was obtained at pH 6, near the isoelectric point of the protein (IP=6.27). At this pH, it decreased both the repulsion between particle surface and protein, and the repulsion between neighboring molecules. The LPC were characterized and the antigenicity of the P35Ag protein coupled on the particles surface was evaluated by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA). Results from ELISA showed that the P35Ag coupled to the latex particles surface was not affected during the particles sensitization by PA and CC and the produced LPC were able to recognize specific anti-P35Ag antibodies present in the acute phase of the disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive quantum chemical and spectroscopic (FTIR, FT-Raman, 1H, 13C NMR) investigations of O-desmethyltramadol hydrochloride an active metabolite in tramadol--an analgesic drug.

PubMed

Arjunan, V; Santhanam, R; Marchewka, M K; Mohan, S

2014-03-25

O-desmethyltramadol is one of the main metabolites of tramadol widely used clinically and has analgesic activity. The FTIR and FT-Raman spectra of O-desmethyl tramadol hydrochloride are recorded in the solid phase in the regions 4000-400 cm(-1) and 4000-100 cm(-1), respectively. The observed fundamentals are assigned to different normal modes of vibration. Theoretical studies have been performed as its hydrochloride salt. The structure of the compound has been optimised with B3LYP method using 6-31G(**) and cc-pVDZ basis sets. The optimised bond length and bond angles are correlated with the X-ray data. The experimental wavenumbers were compared with the scaled vibrational frequencies determined by DFT methods. The IR and Raman intensities are determined with B3LYP method using cc-pVDZ and 6-31G(d,p) basic sets. The total electron density and molecular electrostatic potential surfaces of the molecule are constructed by using B3LYP/cc-pVDZ method to display electrostatic potential (electron+nuclei) distribution. The electronic properties HOMO and LUMO energies were measured. Natural bond orbital analysis of O-desmethyltramadol hydrochloride has been performed to indicate the presence of intramolecular charge transfer. The (1)H and (13)C NMR chemical shifts of the molecule have been anlysed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Human papillomavirus genotype prevalence in cervical biopsies from women diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or cervical cancer in Fiji.

PubMed

Tabrizi, Sepehr N; Law, Irwin; Buadromo, Eka; Stevens, Matthew P; Fong, James; Samuela, Josaia; Patel, Mahomed; Mulholland, E Kim; Russell, Fiona M; Garland, Suzanne M

2011-09-01

There is currently limited information about human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype distribution in women in the South Pacific region. This study's objective was to determine HPV genotypes present in cervical cancer (CC) and precancers (cervical intraepithelial lesion (CIN) 3) in Fiji. Cross-sectional analysis evaluated archival CC and CIN3 biopsy samples from 296 women of Melanesian Fijian ethnicity (n=182, 61.5%) and Indo-Fijian ethnicity (n=114, 38.5%). HPV genotypes were evaluated using the INNO-LiPA assay in archival samples from CC (n=174) and CIN3 (n=122) among women in Fiji over a 5-year period from 2003 to 2007. Overall, 99% of the specimens tested were HPV DNA-positive for high-risk genotypes, with detection rates of 100%, 97.4% and 100% in CIN3, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenosquamous carcinoma biopsies, respectively. Genotypes 16 and 18 were the most common (77%), followed by HPV 31 (4.3%). Genotype HPV 16 was the most common identified (59%) in CIN3 specimens, followed by HPV 31 (9%) and HPV 52 (6.6%). Multiple genotypes were detected in 12.5-33.3% of specimens, depending on the pathology. These results indicated that the two most prevalent CC-associated HPV genotypes in Fiji parallel those described in other regions worldwide, with genotype variations thereafter. These data suggest that the currently available bivalent and quadrivalent HPV vaccines could potentially reduce cervical cancers in Fiji by over 80% and reduce precancers by at least 60%.

Present and future of cervical cancer prevention in Spain: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Georgalis, Leonidas; de Sanjosé, Silvia; Esnaola, Mikel; Bosch, F Xavier; Diaz, Mireia

2016-09-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination within a nonorganized setting creates a poor cost-effectiveness scenario. However, framed within an organized screening including primary HPV DNA testing with lengthening intervals may provide the best health value for invested money. To compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different cervical cancer (CC) prevention strategies, including current status and new proposed screening practices, to inform health decision-makers in Spain, a Markov model was developed to simulate the natural history of HPV and CC. Outcomes included cases averted, life expectancy, reduction in the lifetime risk of CC, life years saved, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), net health benefits, lifetime costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. The willingness-to-pay threshold is defined at 20 000&OV0556;/QALY. Both costs and health outcomes were discounted at an annual rate of 3%. A strategy of 5-year organized HPV testing has similar effectiveness, but higher efficiency than 3-year cytology. Screening alone and vaccination combined with cytology are dominated by vaccination followed by 5-year HPV testing with cytology triage (12 214&OV0556;/QALY). The optimal age for both ending screening and switching age from cytology to HPV testing in older women is 5 years later for unvaccinated than for vaccinated women. Net health benefits decrease faster with diminishing vaccination coverage than screening coverage. Primary HPV DNA testing is more effective and cost-effective than current cytological screening. Vaccination uptake improvements and a gradual change toward an organized screening practice are critical components for achieving higher effectiveness and efficiency in the prevention of CC in Spain.

Effects of interfacial charge and the particle size of titanate nanotube-supported Pt nanoparticles on the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, Tsai-Chin; Lee, Hsin-Yi; Li, Pei-Hua; Chao, Jiunn-Hsing; Lin, Chiu-Hsun

2013-03-01

The oxidation state and size of Pt nanoparticles attached to alkali metal titanate nanotubes (MTNTs=M2Ti3O7, M = Li+, Na+, K+, Cs+) via ion exchange (indicated by the added label ‘-IE’) and wet impregnation (indicated by the added label ‘-IMP’) methods varied systematically with the cation of the MTNTs. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the binding energy of Pt was reduced to a low value when the support was changed from LiTNTs to CsTNTs, yielding a Ptδ- oxidation state. Thus, a space charge layer (SCL) was constructed at the interface between the Pt particle and MTNT support; the former carried the negative charge, and the alkali cation and proton in the hydroxyl group of the latter carried the positive charge. Due to a higher M/Ti atomic ratio in MTNTs, a higher electron density accumulated on Pt particles in Pt/MTNTs-IMP than on those in Pt/MTNTs-IE. Sub-ambient temperature temperature-programmed reduction and transmission electron microscopy revealed that because of the difference in reducibility of PtOx/MTNTs, the mean Pt particle size followed the order Pt/CsTNTs > Pt/KTNTs > Pt/NaTNTs > Pt/LiTNTs and Pt/MTNTs-IMP > Pt/MTNTs-IE. DRIFTS (diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy) showed that owing to its interaction with SCL, cinnamaldehyde adsorbed on Pt mainly through the C=C bond at the Pt-MTNT interfaces, and the small Pt particles in Pt/LiTNTs adsorbed three times more cinnamaldehyde than those in Pt/CsTNTs. Due to the competition between the adsorption of cinnamaldehyde and C=C activation, Pt/KTNT-IMP is the most active Pt/MTNT catalysts, achieving a conversion of 100% in the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde at 2 atm and 313 K. The carbonyl stretching of adsorbed cinnamaldehyde was almost unperturbed by adsorption (at 1705 cm-1), suggesting that Ptδ- and the π electrons in the carbonyl group repel each other, so the CH=O group points upward and away from the Pt surface, preventing it from being hydrogenated and causing Pt/MTNTs to exhibit high 3-phenyl propionaldehyde selectivities of 75-80%.

Five ab initio potential energy and dipole moment surfaces for hydrated NaCl and NaF. I. Two-body interactions.

PubMed

Wang, Yimin; Bowman, Joel M; Kamarchik, Eugene

2016-03-21

We report full-dimensional, ab initio-based potentials and dipole moment surfaces for NaCl, NaF, Na(+)H2O, F(-)H2O, and Cl(-)H2O. The NaCl and NaF potentials are diabatic ones that dissociate to ions. These are obtained using spline fits to CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pV5Z energies. In addition, non-linear least square fits using the Born-Mayer-Huggins potential are presented, providing accurate parameters based strictly on the current ab initio energies. The long-range behavior of the NaCl and NaF potentials is shown to go, as expected, accurately to the point-charge Coulomb interaction. The three ion-H2O potentials are permutationally invariant fits to roughly 20,000 coupled cluster CCSD(T) energies (awCVTZ basis for Na(+) and aVTZ basis for Cl(-) and F(-)), over a large range of distances and H2O intramolecular configurations. These potentials are switched accurately in the long range to the analytical ion-dipole interactions, to improve computational efficiency. Dipole moment surfaces are fits to MP2 data; for the ion-ion cases, these are well described in the intermediate- and long-range by the simple point-charge expression. The performance of these new fits is examined by direct comparison to additional ab initio energies and dipole moments along various cuts. Equilibrium structures, harmonic frequencies, and electronic dissociation energies are also reported and compared to direct ab initio results. These indicate the high fidelity of the new PESs.

Diffusive Shock Acceleration and Reconnection Acceleration Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zank, G. P.; Hunana, P.; Mostafavi, P.; Le Roux, J. A.; Li, Gang; Webb, G. M.; Khabarova, O.; Cummings, A.; Stone, E.; Decker, R.

2015-12-01

Shock waves, as shown by simulations and observations, can generate high levels of downstream vortical turbulence, including magnetic islands. We consider a combination of diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) and downstream magnetic-island-reconnection-related processes as an energization mechanism for charged particles. Observations of electron and ion distributions downstream of interplanetary shocks and the heliospheric termination shock (HTS) are frequently inconsistent with the predictions of classical DSA. We utilize a recently developed transport theory for charged particles propagating diffusively in a turbulent region filled with contracting and reconnecting plasmoids and small-scale current sheets. Particle energization associated with the anti-reconnection electric field, a consequence of magnetic island merging, and magnetic island contraction, are considered. For the former only, we find that (i) the spectrum is a hard power law in particle speed, and (ii) the downstream solution is constant. For downstream plasmoid contraction only, (i) the accelerated spectrum is a hard power law in particle speed; (ii) the particle intensity for a given energy peaks downstream of the shock, and the distance to the peak location increases with increasing particle energy, and (iii) the particle intensity amplification for a particular particle energy, f(x,c/{c}0)/f(0,c/{c}0), is not 1, as predicted by DSA, but increases with increasing particle energy. The general solution combines both the reconnection-induced electric field and plasmoid contraction. The observed energetic particle intensity profile observed by Voyager 2 downstream of the HTS appears to support a particle acceleration mechanism that combines both DSA and magnetic-island-reconnection-related processes.

Bromine-doped DWNTs: A Molecular Faraday Cage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Gugang; Margine, Roxana; Gupta, Rajeev; Crespi, Vincent; Eklund, Peter; Sumanasekera, Gamini; Bandow, Shunji; Iijima, S.

2003-03-01

Raman scattering is used to probe the charge transfer distribution in Bromine-doped double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNT). Using 1064 nm and 514.5 nm laser excitation we are able to study the charge-transfer sensitive phonons in the inner ( (5,5)) and outer ( (10,10)) tubes of the double-walled pair. The experimental results are compared to our tight binding band structure calculations that include a self-consistent electrostatic term sensitive to the average net charge density on each tube. Upon doping, the nanotube tangential and radial Raman bands from the outer (primary) tubes were observed to shift dramatically to higher frequencies, consistent with a C-C bond contraction driven by the acceptor-doping. The peak intensities of these bands significantly decreased with increasing doping exposure, and they eventually vanished, consistent with a deep depression in the Fermi energy that extinguishes the resonant Raman effect. Interestingly, at the same time, we observed little or no change for the tangential and radial Raman features identified with the inner (secondary) tubes during the bromine doping. Our electronic structure calculations show that the charge distribution between the outer and inner tubes depends on doping level and also, to some extent, on specific tube chirality combinations. In general, in agreement with experiment, the calculations find a very small net charge on the inner tube, consistent with a "Molecular Faraday Effect", e.g., a DWNT of (10, 10)/ (5, 5) configuration that exhibits 0.5 holes/Å total charge transfer, has only 0.04 holes/Å on the inner (secondary) tube.

Alternate charging and discharging of capacitor to enhance the electron production of bioelectrochemical systems.

PubMed

Liang, Peng; Wu, Wenlong; Wei, Jincheng; Yuan, Lulu; Xia, Xue; Huang, Xia

2011-08-01

A bioelectrochemical system (BES) can be operated in both "microbial fuel cell" (MFC) and "microbial electrolysis cell" (MEC) modes, in which power is delivered and invested respectively. To enhance the electric current production, a BES was operated in MFC mode first and a capacitor was used to collect power from the system. Then the charged capacitor discharged electrons to the system itself, switching into MEC mode. This alternate charging and discharging (ACD) mode helped the system produce 22-32% higher average current compared to an intermittent charging (IC) mode, in which the capacitor was first charged from an MFC and then discharged to a resistor, at 21.6 Ω external resistance, 3.3 F capacitance and 300 mV charging voltage. The effects of external resistance, capacitance and charging voltage on average current were studied. The average current reduced as the external resistance and charging voltage increased and was slightly affected by the capacitance. Acquisition of higher average current in the ACD mode was attributed to the shorter discharging time compared to the charging time, as well as a higher anode potential caused by discharging the capacitor. Results from circuit analysis and quantitatively calculation were consistent with the experimental observations.

Seasonal varability of the Canary Current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vélez-Belchí, P.; Hernandez-Guerra, A.; Pérez-Hernández, M. D.

2016-02-01

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is recognized as an important component of the climate system, contributing to the relatively mild climate of northwest Europe. Due to its importance, the strength of the AMOC is continually monitored along 26ºN with several moorings, east of the Bahamas, in the Middle Atlantic Ridge and south of the Canary islands, known as the RAPID array. The measurements of the RAPID array show a 6 Sv seasonal cycle for the AMOC, and recent studies have pointed out the dynamics of the eastern Atlantic as the main driver for this seasonal cycle, specifically, rossby waves excited south of the Canary Islands.Due to the important role of the eastern Atlantic, in this study we describe the seasonal cycle of the Canary Current (CC) and the Canary Upwelling Current (CUC), using hydrographic data from two cruises carried out in a box around the Canary Islands, the region where the eastern component of the RAPID array is placed. CTD, VMADCP and LADCP data were combined with inverse modeling in order to determine absolute geostrophic transports in the Canary Islands region in fall and spring. During spring, the overall transport of Canary Current and the CUC was southward. In the Lanzarote Passage (LP), between the Canary Islands and Africa, the CUC transported 0.6±0.20 Sv southward, while the Canary Current transported 1.0±0.40 Sv in the oceanic waters of the Canary Islands Archipelago. During fall, the CUC transported 2.8±0.4Sv northward, while the CC transported 2.9±0.60 Sv southward in the oceanic waters of the Canary Islands Archipelago. The seasonal cycle observed has and amplitude of 3.4Sv for the CUC and 1.9Sv for the CC. Data from a mooring in the LP and the hydrographic data was used to calibrate geostrophic transport estimated using altimetry data. The amplitude of the seasonal cycle of the geostrophic transport obtained using the calibrated altimetry data (Figure 1) was quite similar to the seasonal cycle of the Eastern Atlantic contribution to the AMOC, as measured by the RAPID array. To understand the relationship between the seasonal cycle found in the CC and CUC, and the amplitude of the seasonal cycle of the AMOC transport associated with Rossby waves, a sensitivity study of the Rossby wave model is included.

Seasonal cycle of the Canary Current.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vélez-Belchí, P.; Hernandez-Guerra, A.; Pérez-Hernández, M. D.

2015-12-01

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is recognized as an important component of the climate system, contributing to the relatively mild climate of northwest Europe. Due to its importance, the strength of the AMOC is continually monitored along 26ºN with several moorings east of the Bahamas, in the Middle Atlantic Ridge and south of the Canary islands, known as the RAPID array. The measurements of the RAPID array show a 6 Sv seasonal cycle for the AMOC, and recent studies have pointed out the dynamics of the eastern Atlantic as the main driver for this seasonal cycle, specifically, rossby waves excited south of the Canary Islands. Due to the important role of the eastern Atlantic, in this study we describe the seasonal cycle of the Canary Current (CC) and the Canary Upwelling Current (CUC) using hydrographic data from two cruises carried out in a box around the Canary Islands, the region where the eastern component of the RAPID array is placed. CTD, VMADCP and LADCP data were combined with inverse modeling in order to determine absolute geostrophic transports in the Canary Islands region in fall and spring. During spring, the overall transport of Canary Current and the CUC was southward. In the Lanzarote Passage (LP), between the Canary Islands and Africa, the CUC transported 0.6±0.20 Sv southward, while the Canary Current transported 1.0±0.40 Sv in the oceanic waters of the Canary Islands Archipelago. During fall, the CUC transported 2.8±0.4Sv northward, while the CC transported 2.9±0.60 Sv southward in the oceanic waters of the Canary Islands Archipelago. The seasonal cycle observed has an amplitude of 3.4Sv for the CUC and 1.9Sv for the CC. Data from a mooring in the LP and the hydrographic data was used to calibrate geostrophic transport estimated using altimetry data. The amplitude of the seasonal cycle of the geostrophic transport obtained using the calibrated altimetry data (Figure 1) was quite similar to the seasonal cycle of the Eastern Atlantic contribution to the AMOC, as measured by the RAPID array. To understand the relationship between the seasonal cycle found in the CC and CUC, and the amplitude of the seasonal cycle of the AMOC transport associated with Rossby waves, a sensitivity study of the Rossby wave model is included.

Assessment of the Risk to Public Health due to Use of Antimicrobials in Pigs—An Example of Pleuromutilins in Denmark

PubMed Central

Alban, Lis; Ellis-Iversen, Johanne; Andreasen, Margit; Dahl, Jan; Sönksen, Ute W.

2017-01-01

Antibiotic consumption in pigs can be optimized by developing treatment guidelines, which encourage veterinarians to use effective drugs with low probability of developing resistance of importance for human health. In Denmark, treatment guidelines for use in swine production are currently under review at the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration. Use of pleuromutilins in swine has previously been associated with a very low risk for human health. However, recent international data and sporadic findings of novel resistance genes suggest a change of risk. Consequently, a reassessment was undertaken inspired by a risk assessment framework developed by the European Medicines Agency. Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus of clonal complex 398 (MRSA CC398) and enterococci were identified as relevant hazards. The release assessment showed that the probability of development of pleuromutilin resistance was high in MRSA CC398 (medium uncertainty) and low in enterococci (high uncertainty). A relatively small proportion of Danes has an occupational exposure to pigs, and foodborne transmission was only considered of relevance for enterococci, resulting in an altogether low exposure risk. The human consequences of infection with pleuromutilin-resistant MRSA CC398 or enterococci were assessed as low for the public in general but high for vulnerable groups such as hospitalized and immunocompromised persons. For MRSA CC398, the total risk was estimated as low (low uncertainty), among other due to the current guidelines on prevention of MRSA in place at Danish hospitals, which include screening of patients with daily contact to pigs on admittance. Moreover, MRSA CC398 has a medium human–human transmission potential. For enterococci, the total risk was estimated as low due to low prevalence of resistance, low probability of spread to humans, low virulence, but no screening of hospitalized patients, high ability of acquiring resistance genes, and a limited number of alternative antimicrobials (high uncertainty). This assessment reflects the current situation and should be repeated if pleuromutilin consumption increases substantially, resulting in increased prevalence of mobile, easily transmissible resistance mechanisms. Continuous monitoring of pleuromutilin resistance in selected human pathogens should therefore be considered. This also includes monitoring of linezolid resistance, since resistance mechanisms for pleuromutilins and oxazolidones are often coupled. PMID:28603717

State-of-charge coulometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rowlette, J. J. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

A coulometer for accurately measuring the state-of-charge of an open-cell battery utilizing an aqueous electrolyte, includes a current meter for measuring the battery/discharge current and a flow meter for measuring the rate at which the battery produces gas during charge and discharge. Coupled to the flow meter is gas analyzer which measures the oxygen fraction of the battery gas. The outputs of the current meter, flow meter, and gas analyzer are coupled to a programmed microcomputer which includes a CPU and program and data memories. The microcomputer calculates that fraction of charge and discharge current consumed in the generation of gas so that the actual state-of-charge can be determined. The state-of-charge is then shown on a visual display.

Towards a Molecular Understanding of the Fanconi Anemia Core Complex

PubMed Central

Hodson, Charlotte; Walden, Helen

2012-01-01

Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a genetic disorder characterized by the inability of patient cells to repair DNA damage caused by interstrand crosslinking agents. There are currently 14 verified FA genes, where mutation of any single gene prevents repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs). The accumulation of ICL damage results in genome instability and patients having a high predisposition to cancers. The key event of the FA pathway is dependent on an eight-protein core complex (CC), required for the monoubiquitination of each member of the FANCD2-FANCI complex. Interestingly, the majority of patient mutations reside in the CC. The molecular mechanisms underlying the requirement for such a large complex to carry out a monoubiquitination event remain a mystery. This paper documents the extensive efforts of researchers so far to understand the molecular roles of the CC proteins with regard to its main function in the FA pathway, the monoubiquitination of FANCD2 and FANCI. PMID:22675617

Critical consciousness: current status and future directions.

PubMed

Watts, Roderick J; Diemer, Matthew A; Voight, Adam M

2011-01-01

In this chapter, the authors consider Paulo Freire's construct of critical consciousness (CC) and why it deserves more attention in research and discourse on youth political and civic development. His approach to education and similar ideas by other scholars of liberation aims to foster a critical analysis of society--and one's status within it--using egalitarian, empowering, and interactive methods. The aim is social change as well as learning, which makes these ideas especially relevant to the structural injustice faced by marginalized youth. From their review of these ideas, the authors derive three core CC components: critical reflection, political efficacy, and critical action. They highlight promising research related to these constructs and innovative applied work including youth action-research methodology. Their conclusion offers ideas for closing some of the critical gaps in CC theory and research. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction for coupled-cluster wave-functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamasundar, K. R.

2018-06-01

We examine how geometry-dependent normalisation freedom of electronic wave-functions affects extraction of a meaningful diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction (DBOC) to the ground-state Born-Oppenheimer potential energy surface (PES). By viewing this freedom as a kind of gauge-freedom, it is shown that DBOC and the resulting associated mass-dependent adiabatic PES are gauge-invariant quantities. A sum-over-states (SOS) formula for DBOC which explicitly exhibits this invariance is derived. A biorthogonal formulation suitable for DBOC computations using standard unnormalised coupled-cluster (CC) wave-functions is presented. This is shown to lead to a biorthogonal version of SOS formula with similar properties. On this basis, different computational schemes for evaluating DBOC using approximate CC wave-functions are derived. One of this agrees with the formula used in the current literature. The connection to adiabatic-to-diabatic transformations in non-adiabatic dynamics is explored and complications arising from biorthogonal nature of CC theory are identified.

Apparatus for producing voltage and current pulses

DOEpatents

Kirbie, Hugh; Dale, Gregory E.

2010-12-21

An apparatus having one or more modular stages for producing voltage and current pulses. Each module includes a diode charging means to charge a capacitive means that stores energy. One or more charging impedance means are connected to the diode charging means to provide a return current pathway. A solid-state switch discharge means, with current interruption capability, is connected to the capacitive means to discharge stored energy. Finally, a control means is provided to command the switching action of the solid-state switch discharge means.

Editorially Speaking - Fusion Power: Reasons for Higher Priority

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lippincott, William T.

1973-01-01

Discusses current research trends in the use of laser-fusion technology in combustion chambers to eradicate energy shortages. Indicates that fusion power could be made available at a relatively low expense. (CC)

Coupling Mo2C@C core-shell nanocrystals on 3D graphene hybrid aerogel for high-performance lithium ion battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Hailin; Hai, Yang; Li, Dongzhi; Qiu, Zhaozheng; Lin, Yemao; Yang, Bo; Fan, Haosen; Zhu, Caizhen

2018-05-01

Hybrid aerogel by dispersing Mo2C@C core-shell nanocrystals into three-dimensional (3D) graphene (Mo2C@C-GA) has been successfully prepared through two-step methods. Firstly, carbon-coated MoO2 nanocrystals uniformly anchor on 3D graphene aerogel (MoO2@C-GA) via hydrothermal reaction. Then the MoO2@C-GA precursor is transformed into Mo2C@C-GA after the following carbonization process. Furthermore, the freeze-drying step plays an important role in the resulting pore size distribution of the porous networks. Moreover, graphene aerogels exhibit extremely low densities and superior electrical properties. When evaluated as anode material for lithium ion battery, Mo2C@C-GA delivers excellent rate capability and stable cycle performance when compared with C-GA and Mo2C nanoparticles. Mo2C@C-GA exhibits the initial discharge capacity of 1461.4 mA h g-1 at the current density of 0.1 A g-1, and retains a reversible capacity of 1089.8 mA h g-1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.1 A g-1. Even at high current density of 5 A g-1, a discharge capacity of 623.5 mA h g-1 can be still achieved. The excellent performance of Mo2C@C-GA could be attributed to the synergistic effect of Mo2C@C nanocrystals and the 3D graphene conductive network.

The electronegativity equalization method and the split charge equilibration applied to organic systems: parametrization, validation, and comparison.

PubMed

Verstraelen, Toon; Van Speybroeck, Veronique; Waroquier, Michel

2009-07-28

An extensive benchmark of the electronegativity equalization method (EEM) and the split charge equilibration (SQE) model on a very diverse set of organic molecules is presented. These models efficiently compute atomic partial charges and are used in the development of polarizable force fields. The predicted partial charges that depend on empirical parameters are calibrated to reproduce results from quantum mechanical calculations. Recently, SQE is presented as an extension of the EEM to obtain the correct size dependence of the molecular polarizability. In this work, 12 parametrization protocols are applied to each model and the optimal parameters are benchmarked systematically. The training data for the empirical parameters comprise of MP2/Aug-CC-pVDZ calculations on 500 organic molecules containing the elements H, C, N, O, F, S, Cl, and Br. These molecules have been selected by an ingenious and autonomous protocol from an initial set of almost 500,000 small organic molecules. It is clear that the SQE model outperforms the EEM in all benchmark assessments. When using Hirshfeld-I charges for the calibration, the SQE model optimally reproduces the molecular electrostatic potential from the ab initio calculations. Applications on chain molecules, i.e., alkanes, alkenes, and alpha alanine helices, confirm that the EEM gives rise to a divergent behavior for the polarizability, while the SQE model shows the correct trends. We conclude that the SQE model is an essential component of a polarizable force field, showing several advantages over the original EEM.

Quantum theory of atoms in molecules/charge-charge flux-dipole flux models for fundamental vibrational intensity changes on H-bond formation of water and hydrogen fluoride

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

Silva, Arnaldo F.; Richter, Wagner E.; Bruns, Roy E., E-mail: bruns@iqm.unicamp.br

The Quantum Theory of Atoms In Molecules/Charge-Charge Flux-Dipole Flux (QTAIM/CCFDF) model has been used to investigate the electronic structure variations associated with intensity changes on dimerization for the vibrations of the water and hydrogen fluoride dimers as well as in the water-hydrogen fluoride complex. QCISD/cc-pVTZ wave functions applied in the QTAIM/CCFDF model accurately provide the fundamental band intensities of water and its dimer predicting symmetric and antisymmetric stretching intensity increases for the donor unit of 159 and 47 km mol{sup −1} on H-bond formation compared with the experimental values of 141 and 53 km mol{sup −1}. The symmetric stretching ofmore » the proton donor water in the dimer has intensity contributions parallel and perpendicular to its C{sub 2v} axis. The largest calculated increase of 107 km mol{sup −1} is perpendicular to this axis and owes to equilibrium atomic charge displacements on vibration. Charge flux decreases occurring parallel and perpendicular to this axis result in 42 and 40 km mol{sup −1} total intensity increases for the symmetric and antisymmetric stretches, respectively. These decreases in charge flux result in intensity enhancements because of the interaction contributions to the intensities between charge flux and the other quantities. Even though dipole flux contributions are much smaller than the charge and charge flux ones in both monomer and dimer water they are important for calculating the total intensity values for their stretching vibrations since the charge-charge flux interaction term cancels the charge and charge flux contributions. The QTAIM/CCFDF hydrogen-bonded stretching intensity strengthening of 321 km mol{sup −1} on HF dimerization and 592 km mol{sup −1} on HF:H{sub 2}O complexation can essentially be explained by charge, charge flux and their interaction cross term. Atomic contributions to the intensities are also calculated. The bridge hydrogen atomic contributions alone explain 145, 237, and 574 km mol{sup −1} of the H-bond stretching intensity enhancements for the water and HF dimers and their heterodimer compared with total increments of 149, 321, and 592 km mol{sup −1}, respectively.« less

Steady State Load Characterization Fact Sheet: 2012 Chevy Volt

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

Scoffield, Don

2015-03-01

This fact sheet characterizes the steady state charging behavior of a 2012 Chevy Volt. Both level 1 charging (120 volt) and level 2 charging (208 volts) is investigated. This fact sheet contains plots of efficiency, power factor, and current harmonics as vehicle charging is curtailed. Prominent current harmonics are also displayed in a histogram for various charge rates.

Measurement of the Q2 dependence of the charged and neutral current cross sections in e±p scattering at HERA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aid, S.; Andreev, V.; Andrieu, B.; Appuhn, R.-D.; Arpagaus, M.; Babaev, A.; Bähr, J.; Bán, J.; Ban, Y.; Baranov, P.; Barrelet, E.; Barschke, R.; Bartel, W.; Barth, M.; Bassler, U.; Beck, H. P.; Behrend, H.-J.; Belousov, A.; Berger, Ch.; Bernardi, G.; Bernet, R.; Bertrand-Coremans, G.; Besançon, M.; Beyer, R.; Biddulph, P.; Bispham, P.; Bizot, J. C.; Blobel, V.; Borras, K.; Botterweck, F.; Boudry, V.; Braemer, A.; Braunschweig, W.; Brisson, V.; Bruncko, D.; Brune, C.; Buchholz, R.; Büngener, L.; Bürger, J.; Büsser, F. W.; Buniatian, A.; Burke, S.; Burton, M. J.; Buschhorn, G.; Campbell, A. J.; Carli, T.; Charlet, M.; Clarke, D.; Clegg, A. B.; Clerbaux, B.; Cocks, S.; Contreras, J. G.; Cormack, C.; Coughlan, J. A.; Courau, A.; Cousinou, M.-C.; Cozzika, G.; Criegee, L.; Cussans, D. G.; Cvach, J.; Dagoret, S.; Dainton, J. B.; Dau, W. D.; Daum, K.; David, M.; Davis, C. L.; Delcourt, B.; De Roeck, A.; De Wolf, E. A.; Dirkmann, M.; Dixon, P.; Di Nezza, P.; Dlugosz, W.; Dollfus, C.; Dowell, J. D.; Dreis, H. B.; Droutskoi, A.; Düllmann, D.; Dünger, O.; Duhm, H.; Ebert, J.; Ebert, T. R.; Eckerlin, G.; Efremenko, V.; Egli, S.; Eichler, R.; Eisele, F.; Eisenhandler, E.; Ellison, R. J.; Elsen, E.; Erdmann, M.; Erdmann, W.; Evrard, E.; Fahr, A. B.; Favart, L.; Fedotov, A.; Feeken, D.; Felst, R.; Feltesse, J.; Ferencei, J.; Ferrarotto, F.; Flamm, K.; Fleischer, M.; Flieser, M.; Flügge, G.; Fomenko, A.; Fominykh, B.; Formánek, J.; Foster, J. M.; Franke, G.; Fretwurst, E.; Gabathuler, E.; Gabathuler, K.; Gaede, F.; Garvey, J.; Gayler, J.; Gebauer, M.; Gellrich, A.; Genzel, H.; Gerhards, R.; Glazov, A.; Goerlach, U.; Goerlich, L.; Gogitidze, N.; Goldberg, M.; Goldner, D.; Golec-Biernat, K.; Gonzalez-Pineiro, B.; Gorelov, I.; Grab, C.; Grässler, H.; Grässler, R.; Greenshaw, T.; Griffiths, R.; Grindhammer, G.; Gruber, A.; Gruber, C.; Haack, J.; Haidt, D.; Hajduk, L.; Hampel, M.; Hapke, M.; Haynes, W. J.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henderson, R. C. W.; Henschel, H.; Herynek, I.; Hess, M. F.; Hildesheim, W.; Hiller, K. H.; Hilton, C. D.; Hladký, J.; Hoeger, K. C.; Höppner, M.; Hoffmann, D.; Holtom, T.; Horisberger, R.; Hudgson, V. L.; Hütte, M.; Hufnagel, H.; Ibbotson, M.; Itterbeck, H.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jacobsson, C.; Jaffre, M.; Janoth, J.; Jansen, T.; Jönsson, L.; Johannsen, K.; Johnson, D. P.; Johnson, L.; Jung, H.; Kalmus, P. I. P.; Kander, M.; Kant, D.; Kaschowitz, R.; Kathage, U.; Katzy, J.; Kaufmann, H. H.; Kaufmann, O.; Kazarian, S.; Kenyon, I. R.; Kermiche, S.; Keuker, C.; Kiesling, C.; Klein, M.; Kleinwort, C.; Knies, G.; Köhler, T.; Köhne, J. H.; Kolanoski, H.; Kole, F.; Kolya, S. D.; Korbel, V.; Korn, M.; Kostka, P.; Kotelnikov, S. K.; Krämerkämper, T.; Krasny, M. W.; Krehbiel, H.; Krücker, D.; Krüger, U.; Krüner-Marquis, U.; Küster, H.; Kuhlen, M.; Kurča, T.; Kurzhöfer, J.; Lacour, D.; Laforge, B.; Lander, R.; Landon, M. P. J.; Lange, W.; Langenegger, U.; Laporte, J.-F.; Lebedev, A.; Lehner, F.; Leverenz, C.; Levonian, S.; Ley, Ch.; Lindström, G.; Lindstroem, M.; Link, J.; Linsel, F.; Lipinski, J.; List, B.; Lobo, G.; Lohmander, H.; Lomas, J. W.; Lopez, G. C.; Lubimov, V.; Lüke, D.; Magnussen, N.; Malinovski, E.; Mani, S.; Maraček, R.; Marage, P.; Marks, J.; Marshall, R.; Martens, J.; Martin, G.; Martin, R.; Martyn, H.-U.; Martyniak, J.; Mavroidis, T.; Maxfield, S. J.; McMahon, S. J.; Mehta, A.; Meier, K.; Merz, T.; Meyer, A.; Meyer, A.; Meyer, H.; Meyer, J.; Meyer, P.-O.; Migliori, A.; Mikocki, S.; Milstead, D.; Moeck, J.; Moreau, F.; Morris, J. V.; Mroczko, E.; Müller, D.; Müller, G.; Müller, K.; Murín, P.; Nagovizin, V.; Nahnhauer, R.; Naroska, B.; Naumann, Th.; Newman, P. R.; Newton, D.; Neyret, D.; Nguyen, H. K.; Nicholls, T. C.; Niebergall, F.; Niebuhr, C.; Niedzballa, Ch.; Niggli, H.; Nisius, R.; Nowak, G.; Noves, G. W.; Nyberg-Werther, M.; Oakden, M.; Oberlack, H.; Obrock, U.; Olsson, J. E.; Ozerov, D.; Palmen, P.; Panaro, E.; Panitch, A.; Pascaud, C.; Patel, G. D.; Pawletta, H.; Peppel, E.; Perez, E.; Phillips, J. P.; Pieuchot, A.; Pitzl, D.; Pope, G.; Prell, S.; Prosi, R.; Rabbertz, K.; Rädel, G.; Raupach, F.; Reimer, P.; Reinshagen, S.; Rick, H.; Riech, V.; Riedlberger, J.; Riepenhausen, F.; Riess, S.; Rizvi, E.; Robertson, S. M.; Robmann, P.; Roloff, H. E.; Roosen, R.; Rosenbauer, K.; Rostovtsev, A.; Rouse, F.; Royon, C.; Rüter, K.; Rusakov, S.; Rybicki, K.; Sahlmann, N.; Sankey, D. P. C.; Schacht, P.; Schiek, S.; Schleif, S.; Schleper, P.; von Schlippe, W.; Schmidt, D.; Schmidt, G.; Schöning, A.; Schröder, V.; Schuhmann, E.; Schwab, B.; Sefkow, F.; Seidel, M.; Sell, R.; Semenov, A.; Shekelyan, V.; Sheviakov, I.; Shtarkov, L. N.; Siegmon, G.; Siewert, U.; Sirois, Y.; Skillicorn, I. O.; Smirnov, P.; Smith, J. R.; Solochenko, V.; Soloviev, Y.; Specka, A.; Spiekermann, J.; Spielman, S.; Spitzer, H.; Squinabol, F.; Starosta, R.; Steenbock, M.; Steffen, P.; Steinberg, R.; Steiner, H.; Stella, B.; Stellberger, A.; Stier, J.; Stiewe, J.; Stößlein, U.; Stolze, K.; Straumann, U.; Struczinski, W.; Sutton, J. P.; Tapprogge, S.; Taševský, M.; Tchernyshov, V.; Tchetchelnitski, S.; Theissen, J.; Thiebaux, C.; Thompson, G.; Truöl, P.; Turnau, J.; Tutas, J.; Uelkes, P.; Usik, A.; Valkár, S.; Valkárová, A.; Vallée, C.; Vandenplas, D.; Van Esch, P.; Van Mechelen, P.; Vazdik, Y.; Verrecchia, P.; Villet, G.; Wacker, K.; Wagener, A.; Wagener, M.; Walther, A.; Waugh, B.; Weber, G.; Weber, M.; Wegener, D.; Wegner, A.; Wengler, T.; Werner, M.; West, L. R.; Wilksen, T.; Willard, S.; Winde, M.; Winter, G.-G.; Wittek, C.; Wünsch, E.; Žáček, J.; Zarbock, D.; Zhang, Z.; Zhokin, A.; Zomer, F.; Zsembery, J.; Zuber, K.; ZurNedden, M.; H1 Collaboration

1996-02-01

The Q2 dependence and the total cross sections for charged and neutral current processes are measured in e±p reactions for transverse momenta of the outgoing lepton larger than 25 GeV. Comparable size of cross sections for the neutral current process and for the weak charged current process are observed above Q2 ∥ 5000 GeV 2. Using the shape and magnitude of the charged current cross section we determine a propagator mass of mW = 84 -7+10 GeV.

Effect of interjunction coupling on superconducting current and charge correlations in intrinsic Josephson junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukrinov, Yu. M.; Hamdipour, M.; Kolahchi, M. R.

2009-07-01

Charge formations on superconducting layers and creation of the longitudinal plasma wave in the stack of intrinsic Josephson junctions change crucially the superconducting current through the stack. Investigation of the correlations of superconducting currents in neighboring Josephson junctions and the charge correlations in neighboring superconducting layers allows us to predict the additional features in the current-voltage characteristics. The charge autocorrelation functions clearly demonstrate the difference between harmonic and chaotic behavior in the breakpoint region. Use of the correlation functions gives us a powerful method for the analysis of the current-voltage characteristics of coupled Josephson junctions.

Chrysotile asbestos exposure associated with removal of automobile exhaust systems (ca. 1945-1975) by mechanics: results of a simulation study.

PubMed

Paustenbach, Dennis J; Madl, Amy K; Donovan, Ellen; Clark, Katherine; Fehling, Kurt; Lee, Terry C

2006-03-01

For decades, asbestos-containing gaskets were used in virtually every system that involved the transport of fluids or gases. Prior to the mid-1970s, some automobile exhaust systems contained asbestos gaskets either at flanges along the exhaust pipes or at the exhaust manifolds of the engine. A limited number of automobile mufflers were lined with asbestos paper. This paper describes a simulation study that characterized personal and bystander exposures to asbestos during the removal of automobile exhaust systems (ca. 1945-1975) containing asbestos gaskets. A total of 16 pre-1974 vehicles with old or original exhaust systems were studied. Of the 16 vehicles, 12 contained asbestos gaskets in the exhaust system and two vehicles had asbestos lining inside the muffler. A total of 82 samples (23 personal, 38 bystander, and 21 indoor background) were analyzed by Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM) and 88 samples (25 personal, 41 bystander, and 22 indoor background) by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Only seven of 25 worker samples analyzed by TEM detected asbestos fibers and 18 were below the analytical sensitivity limit (mean 0.013 f/cc, range 0.001-0.074 f/cc). Applying the ratio of asbestos fibers:total fibers (including non-asbestos) as determined by TEM to the PCM results showed an average (1 h) adjusted PCM worker exposure of 0.018 f/cc (0.002-0.04 f/cc). The average (1 h) adjusted PCM airborne concentration for bystanders was 0.008 f/cc (range 0.0008-0.015 f/cc). Assuming a mechanic can replace four automobile single exhaust systems in 1 workday, the estimated 8-h time-weighted average (TWA) for a mechanic performing this work was 0.01 f/cc. Under a scenario where a mechanic might repeatedly conduct exhaust work, these results suggest that exposures to asbestos from work with automobile exhaust systems during the 1950s through the 1970s containing asbestos gaskets were substantially below 0.1 f/cc, the current PEL for chrysotile asbestos, and quite often were not detectable.

Cost-effectiveness of increasing cervical cancer screening coverage in the Middle East: An example from Lebanon.

PubMed

Sharma, Monisha; Seoud, Muhieddine; Kim, Jane J

2017-01-23

Most cervical cancer (CC) cases in Lebanon are detected at later stages and associated with high mortality. There is no national organized CC screening program so screening is opportunistic and limited to women who can pay out-of-pocket. Therefore, a small percentage of women receive repeated screenings while most are under-or never screened. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of increasing screening coverage and extending intervals. We used an individual-based Monte Carlo model simulating HPV and CC natural history and screening. We calibrated the model to epidemiological data from Lebanon, including CC incidence and HPV type distribution. We evaluated cytology and HPV DNA screening for women aged 25-65years, varying coverage from 20 to 70% and frequency from 1 to 5years. At 20% coverage, annual cytologic screening reduced lifetime CC risk by 14% and had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of I$80,670/year of life saved (YLS), far exceeding Lebanon's gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (I$17,460), a commonly cited cost-effectiveness threshold. By comparison, increasing cytologic screening coverage to 50% and extending screening intervals to 3 and 5years provided greater CC reduction (26.1% and 21.4, respectively) at lower costs compared to 20% coverage with annual screening. Screening every 5years with HPV DNA testing at 50% coverage provided greater CC reductions than cytology at the same frequency (23.4%) and was cost-effective assuming a cost of I$18 per HPV test administered (I$12,210/YLS); HPV DNA testing every 4years at 50% coverage was also cost-effective at the same cost per test (I$16,340). Increasing coverage of annual cytology was not found to be cost-effective. Current practice of repeated cytology in a small percentage of women is inefficient. Increasing coverage to 50% with extended screening intervals provides greater health benefits at a reasonable cost and can more equitably distribute health gains. Novel HPV DNA strategies offer greater CC reductions and may be more cost-effective than cytology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Six weeks of structured exercise training and hypocaloric diet increases the probability of ovulation after clomiphene citrate in overweight and obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Palomba, S; Falbo, A; Giallauria, F; Russo, T; Rocca, M; Tolino, A; Zullo, F; Orio, F

2010-11-01

Clomiphene citrate (CC) is the first-line therapy for the induction of ovulation in infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but ∼20% of patients are unresponsive. The aim of the current study was to test the hypothesis that a 6-week intervention that consisted of structured exercise training (SET) and hypocaloric diet increases the probability of ovulation after CC in overweight and obese CC-resistant PCOS patients. A cohort of 96 overweight and obese CC-resistant PCOS patients was enrolled consecutively in a three-arm randomized, parallel, controlled, assessor-blinded clinical trial. The three interventions were: SET plus hypocaloric diet for 6 weeks (Group A); 2 weeks of observation followed by one cycle of CC therapy (Group B); and SET plus hypocaloric diet for 6 weeks, with one cycle of CC after the first 2 weeks (Group C). The primary end-point was the ovulation rate. Other reproductive data, as well as anthropometric, hormonal and metabolic data, were also collected and considered as secondary end points. After 6 weeks of SET plus hypocaloric diet, the ovulation rate was significantly (P =0.008) higher in Group C [12/32 (37.5%)] than in Groups A [4/32 (12.5%)] and B [3/32 (9.4%)] with relative risks of 3.9 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-8.3; P = 0.035] and 4.0 (95% CI 1.2-12.8; P = 0.020) compared with Groups A and B, respectively. Compared with baseline, in Groups A and C, a significant improvement in clinical and biochemical androgen and insulin sensitivity indexes was observed. In the same two groups, the insulin sensitivity index was significantly (P < 0.05) better than that in Group B. In overweight and obese CC-resistant PCOS patients, a 6-week intervention of SET and a hypocaloric diet was effective in increasing the probability of ovulation under CC treatment. The study was registered at Clinicaltrials.gov:NCT0100468.

An omnipotent Li-ion battery charger with multimode control and polarity reversible techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jiann-Jong; Ku, Yi-Tsen; Yang, Hong-Yi; Hwang, Yuh-Shyan; Yu, Cheng-Chieh

2016-07-01

The omnipotent Li-ion battery charger with multimode control and polarity reversible techniques is presented in this article. The proposed chip is fabricated with TSMC 0.35μm 2P4M complementary metal-oxide- semiconductor processes, and the chip area including pads is 1.5 × 1.5 mm2. The structure of the omnipotent charger combines three charging modes and polarity reversible techniques, which adapt to any Li-ion batteries. The three reversible Li-ion battery charging modes, including trickle-current charging, large-current charging and constant-voltage charging, can charge in matching polarities or opposite polarities. The proposed circuit has a maximum charging current of 300 mA and the input voltage of the proposed circuit is set to 4.5 V. The maximum efficiency of the proposed charger is about 91% and its average efficiency is 74.8%. The omnipotent charger can precisely provide the charging current to the battery.

Assessing the performance of aerial image point cloud and spectral metrics in predicting boreal forest canopy cover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melin, M.; Korhonen, L.; Kukkonen, M.; Packalen, P.

2017-07-01

Canopy cover (CC) is a variable used to describe the status of forests and forested habitats, but also the variable used primarily to define what counts as a forest. The estimation of CC has relied heavily on remote sensing with past studies focusing on satellite imagery as well as Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) using light detection and ranging (lidar). Of these, ALS has been proven highly accurate, because the fraction of pulses penetrating the canopy represents a direct measurement of canopy gap percentage. However, the methods of photogrammetry can be applied to produce point clouds fairly similar to airborne lidar data from aerial images. Currently there is little information about how well such point clouds measure canopy density and gaps. The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of aerial image point clouds for CC estimation and compare the results with those obtained using spectral data from aerial images and Landsat 5. First, we modeled CC for n = 1149 lidar plots using field-measured CCs and lidar data. Next, this data was split into five subsets in north-south direction (y-coordinate). Finally, four CC models (AerialSpectral, AerialPointcloud, AerialCombi (spectral + pointcloud) and Landsat) were created and they were used to predict new CC values to the lidar plots, subset by subset, using five-fold cross validation. The Landsat and AerialSpectral models performed with RMSEs of 13.8% and 12.4%, respectively. AerialPointcloud model reached an RMSE of 10.3%, which was further improved by the inclusion of spectral data; RMSE of the AerialCombi model was 9.3%. We noticed that the aerial image point clouds managed to describe only the outermost layer of the canopy and missed the details in lower canopy, which was resulted in weak characterization of the total CC variation, especially in the tails of the data.

A mechanical chest compressor closed-loop controller with an effective trade-off between blood flow improvement and ribs fracture reduction.

PubMed

Zhang, Guang; Wu, Taihu; Song, Zhenxing; Wang, Haitao; Lu, Hengzhi; Wang, Yalin; Wang, Dan; Chen, Feng

2015-06-01

Chest compression (CC) is a significant emergency medical procedure for maintaining circulation during cardiac arrest. Although CC produces the necessary blood flow for patients with heart arrest, improperly deep CC will contribute significantly to the risk of chest injury. In this paper, an optimal CC closed-loop controller for a mechanical chest compressor (OCC-MCC) was developed to provide an effective trade-off between the benefit of improved blood perfusion and the risk of ribs fracture. The trade-off performance of the OCC-MCC during real automatic mechanical CCs was evaluated by comparing the OCC-MCC and the traditional mechanical CC method (TMCM) with a human circulation hardware model based on hardware simulations. A benefit factor (BF), risk factor (RF) and benefit versus risk index (BRI) were introduced in this paper for the comprehensive evaluation of risk and benefit. The OCC-MCC was developed using the LabVIEW control platform and the mechanical chest compressor (MCC) controller. PID control is also employed by MCC for effective compression depth regulation. In addition, the physiological parameters model for MCC was built based on a digital signal processor for hardware simulations. A comparison between the OCC-MCC and TMCM was then performed based on the simulation test platform which is composed of the MCC, LabVIEW control platform, physiological parameters model for MCC and the manikin. Compared with the TMCM, the OCC-MCC obtained a better trade-off and a higher BRI in seven out of a total of nine cases. With a higher mean value of cardiac output (1.35 L/min) and partial pressure of end-tidal CO2 (15.7 mmHg), the OCC-MCC obtained a larger blood flow and higher BF than TMCM (5.19 vs. 3.41) in six out of a total of nine cases. Although it is relatively difficult to maintain a stable CC depth when the chest is stiff, the OCC-MCC is still superior to the TMCM for performing safe and effective CC during CPR. The OCC-MCC is superior to the TMCM in performing safe and effective CC during CPR and can be incorporated into the current version of mechanical CC devices for high quality CPR, in both in-hospital and out-of-hospital CPR settings.

Effect of trap states and microstructure on charge carrier conduction mechanism through semicrystalline poly(vinyl alcohol) granular film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, A. K.; Bhowmik, R. N.; Meikap, A. K.

2018-05-01

We report a comprehensive study on hysteresis behaviour of current-voltage characteristic and impedance spectroscopy of granular semicrystalline poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) film. The charge carrier conduction mechanism and charge traps of granular PVA film by measuring and analyzing the temperature dependent current-voltage characteristic indicate a bi-stable electronic state in the film. A sharp transformation of charge carrier conduction mechanism from Poole-Frenkel emission to space charge limited current mechanism has been observed. An anomalous oscillatory behaviour of current has been observed due to electric pulse effect on the molecular chain of the polymer. Effect of microstructure on charge transport mechanism has been investigated from impedance spectroscopy analysis. An equivalent circuit model has been proposed to explain the result.

Method and apparatus for clockless analog-to-digital conversion and peak detection

DOEpatents

DeGeronimo, Gianluigi

2007-03-06

An apparatus and method for analog-to-digital conversion and peak detection includes at least one stage, which includes a first switch, second switch, current source or capacitor, and discriminator. The discriminator changes state in response to a current or charge associated with the input signal exceeding a threshold, thereby indicating whether the current or charge associated with the input signal is greater than the threshold. The input signal includes a peak or a charge, and the converter includes a peak or charge detect mode in which a state of the switch is retained in response to a decrease in the current or charge associated with the input signal. The state of the switch represents at least a portion of a value of the peak or of the charge.

Recombination in liquid-filled ionization chambers beyond the Boag limit

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

Brualla-González, L.; Roselló, J.

Purpose: The high mass density and low mobilities of charge carriers can cause important recombination in liquid-filled ionization chambers (LICs). Saturation correction methods have been proposed for LICs. Correction methods for pulsed irradiation are based on Boag equation. However, Boag equation assumes that the charge ionized by one pulse is fully collected before the arrival of the next pulse. This condition does not hold in many clinical beams where the pulse repetition period may be shorter than the charge collection time, causing overlapping between charge carriers ionized by different pulses, and Boag equation is not applicable there. In this work,more » the authors present an experimental and numerical characterization of collection efficiencies in LICs beyond the Boag limit, with overlapping between charge carriers ionized by different pulses. Methods: The authors have studied recombination in a LIC array for different dose-per-pulse, pulse repetition frequency, and polarization voltage values. Measurements were performed in a Truebeam Linac using FF and FFF modalities. Dose-per-pulse and pulse repetition frequency have been obtained by monitoring the target current with an oscilloscope. Experimental collection efficiencies have been obtained by using a combination of the two-dose-rate method and ratios to the readout of a reference chamber (CC13, IBA). The authors have also used numerical simulation to complement the experimental data. Results: The authors have found that overlap significantly increases recombination in LICs, as expected. However, the functional dependence of collection efficiencies on the dose-per-pulse does not change (a linear dependence has been observed in the near-saturation region for different degrees of overlapping, the same dependence observed in the nonoverlapping scenario). On the other hand, the dependence of collection efficiencies on the polarization voltage changes in the overlapping scenario and does not follow that of Boag equation, the reason being that changing the polarization voltage also affects the charge collection time, thus changing the amount of overlapping. Conclusions: These results have important consequences for saturation correction methods for LICs. On one hand, the two-dose-rate method, which relies on the functional dependence of the collection efficiencies on dose-per-pulse, can also be used in the overlapping situation, provided that the two measurements needed to feed the method are performed at the same pulse repetition frequency (monitor unit rate). This result opens the door to computing collection efficiencies in LICs in many clinical setups where charge overlap in the LIC exists. On the other hand, correction methods based on the voltage-dependence of Boag equation like the three-voltage method or the modified two-voltage method will not work in the overlapping scenario due to the different functional dependence of collection efficiencies on the polarization voltage.« less

Fast charge implications: Pack and cell analysis and comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanim, Tanvir R.; Shirk, Matthew G.; Bewley, Randy L.; Dufek, Eric J.; Liaw, Bor Yann

2018-03-01

This study investigates the effect of 50-kW (about 2C) direct current fast charging on a full-size battery electric vehicle's battery pack in comparison to a pack exclusively charged at 3.3 kW, which is the common alternating current Level 2 charging power level. Comparable scaled charging protocols are also independently applied to individual cells at three different temperatures, 20 °C, 30 °C, and 40 °C, to perform a comparative analysis with the packs. Dominant cell-level aging modes were identified through incremental capacity analysis and compared with full packs to gain a clear understanding of additional key factors that affect pack aging. While the cell-level study showed a minor impact on performance due to direct current fast charging, the packs showed a significantly higher rate of capacity fade under similar charging protocols. This indicates that pack-level aging cannot be directly extrapolated from cell evaluation. Delayed fast charging, completing shortly before discharge, was found to have less of an impact on battery degradation than conventional alternating current Level 2 charging.

Ability and efficiency of an automatic analysis software to measure microvascular parameters.

PubMed

Carsetti, Andrea; Aya, Hollmann D; Pierantozzi, Silvia; Bazurro, Simone; Donati, Abele; Rhodes, Andrew; Cecconi, Maurizio

2017-08-01

Analysis of the microcirculation is currently performed offline, is time consuming and operator dependent. The aim of this study was to assess the ability and efficiency of the automatic analysis software CytoCamTools 1.7.12 (CC) to measure microvascular parameters in comparison with Automated Vascular Analysis (AVA) software 3.2. 22 patients admitted to the cardiothoracic intensive care unit following cardiac surgery were prospectively enrolled. Sublingual microcirculatory videos were analysed using AVA and CC software. The total vessel density (TVD) for small vessels, perfused vessel density (PVD) and proportion of perfused vessels (PPV) were calculated. Blood flow was assessed using the microvascular flow index (MFI) for AVA software and the averaged perfused speed indicator (APSI) for the CC software. The duration of the analysis was also recorded. Eighty-four videos from 22 patients were analysed. The bias between TVD-CC and TVD-AVA was 2.20 mm/mm 2 (95 % CI 1.37-3.03) with limits of agreement (LOA) of -4.39 (95 % CI -5.66 to -3.16) and 8.79 (95 % CI 7.50-10.01) mm/mm 2 . The percentage error (PE) for TVD was ±32.2 %. TVD was positively correlated between CC and AVA (r = 0.74, p < 0.001). The bias between PVD-CC and PVD-AVA was 6.54 mm/mm 2 (95 % CI 5.60-7.48) with LOA of -4.25 (95 % CI -8.48 to -0.02) and 17.34 (95 % CI 13.11-21.57) mm/mm 2 . The PE for PVD was ±61.2 %. PVD was positively correlated between CC and AVA (r = 0.66, p < 0.001). The median PPV-AVA was significantly higher than the median PPV-CC [97.39 % (95.25, 100 %) vs. 81.65 % (61.97, 88.99), p < 0.0001]. MFI categories cannot estimate or predict APSI values (p = 0.45). The time required for the analysis was shorter with CC than with AVA system [2'42″ (2'12″, 3'31″) vs. 16'12″ (13'38″, 17'57″), p < 0.001]. TVD is comparable between the two softwares, although faster with CC software. The values for PVD and PPV are not interchangeable given the different approach to assess microcirculatory flow.

A Novel Bimetallic NiMo Carbide Nanowire Array for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution.

PubMed

Guo, Lixia; Wang, Jianying; Teng, Xue; Liu, Yangyang; He, Xiaoming; Chen, Zuofeng

2018-06-12

Design and fabrication of noble metal-free hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts with high activity is significant to future renewable energy systems. In this work, self-supported NiMo carbide nanowires have been developed on carbon cloth (Ni3Mo3C@NPC NWs/CC; NPC is N,P-doped carbon) through an electropolymerization-assisted procedure. During the synthesis process, NiMoO4 nanowires were first grown on CC through a hydrothermal reaction which is free of any polymer binder like Nafion. The as-prepared NiMoO4 NWs/CC was then coated by a layer of polypyrole (PPy) by electropolymerization that serves as carbon source for the subsequent conversion to Ni3Mo3C@NPC NWs/CC by carbothermal reduction. The experimental results indicate that the judicious choices of the amount of coated PPy and the pyrolysis temperature are essential for obtaining pure phase and nanowire array structure of Ni3Mo3C@NPC NWs/CC. Benefitting from the pure phase of bimetallic carbide, the unique architecture of nanowire array and the self-supported merit, the optimized Ni3Mo3C@NPC NWs/CC electrode exhibits excellent HER performance in both acidic and alkaline media. It requires low overpotentials of 161 mV and 215 mV to afford a high current density of 100 mA cm-2 toward the HER in acidic and alkaline media, respectively, and the catalytic activity is maintained for at least 48 h, which makes it among the best HER electrocatalysts based on metallic carbides yet reported. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Investigation of thick PLD-GdBCO and ZrO2 doped GdBCO coated conductors with high critical current on PLD-CeO2 capped IBAD-GZO substrate tapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, K.; Kobayashi, H.; Yamada, Y.; Ibi, A.; Fukushima, H.; Konishi, M.; Miyata, S.; Shiohara, Y.; Kato, T.; Hirayama, T.

2006-09-01

In order to increase the critical current, Ic, we have fabricated thick GdBa2Cu3O7-δ (GdBCO) coated conductors (CCs) by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method on PLD-CeO2/ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD)-Gd2Zr2O7 (GZO)/hastelloy metal substrate tapes. The highest critical current value was 522 A cm-1 for a thickness of 3.6 µm in self-field at 77 K. It was found that a low volume fraction of a-axis orientated grains was obtained in the thick GdBCO CCs, compared to YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) CCs. Consequently, the GdBCO CCs showed higher critical current density (Jc) than YBCO CCs in all thicknesses from 0.2 to 3.6 µm. Furthermore, we have succeeded in improving Ic in a magnetic field by the introduction of artificial pinning centres using a 5 mol% ZrO2 doped GdBCO target. In the measurement of the Ic dependence on the magnetic field angle, θ, Ic was much improved, especially at 0°, i.e., with the magnetic field parallel to the c-axis. The Ic value at 3 T was 59.5 A cm-1 at 0° and it showed a minimum of 42.3 A cm-1 at 82° for 2.28 µm thick CC. The minimum value in the angular dependence of Ic at 3 T was about five times higher than that of YBCO CC and two times higher than that of pure GdBCO CC.

ANO1 contributes to angiotensin-II-activated Ca2+-dependent Cl- current in human atrial fibroblasts.

PubMed

El Chemaly, Antoun; Norez, Caroline; Magaud, Christophe; Bescond, Jocelyn; Chatelier, Aurelien; Fares, Nassim; Findlay, Ian; Jayle, Christophe; Becq, Frederic; Faivre, Jean-François; Bois, Patrick

2014-03-01

Cardiac fibroblasts are an integral part of the myocardial tissue and contribute to its remodelling. This study characterises for the first time the calcium-dependent chloride channels (CaCC) in the plasma membrane of primary human atrial cardiac fibroblasts by means of the iodide efflux and the patch clamp methods. The calcium ionophore A23187 and Angiotensin II (Ang II) activate a chloride conductance in cardiac fibroblasts that shares pharmacological similarities with calcium-dependent chloride channels. This chloride conductance is depressed by RNAi-mediated selective Anoctamine 1 (ANO1) but not by Anoctamine 2 (ANO2) which has been revealed as CaCC and is inhibited by the selective ANO1 inhibitor, T16inh-A01. The effect of Ang II on anion efflux is mediated through AT1 receptors (with an EC50 = 13.8 ± 1.3 nM). The decrease of anion efflux by calphostin C and bisindolylmaleimide I (BIM I) suggests that chloride conductance activation is dependent on PKC. We conclude that ANO1 contributes to CaCC current in human cardiac fibroblasts and that this is regulated by Ang II acting via the AT1 receptor pathway. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genomes of the Mouse Collaborative Cross.

PubMed

Srivastava, Anuj; Morgan, Andrew P; Najarian, Maya L; Sarsani, Vishal Kumar; Sigmon, J Sebastian; Shorter, John R; Kashfeen, Anwica; McMullan, Rachel C; Williams, Lucy H; Giusti-Rodríguez, Paola; Ferris, Martin T; Sullivan, Patrick; Hock, Pablo; Miller, Darla R; Bell, Timothy A; McMillan, Leonard; Churchill, Gary A; de Villena, Fernando Pardo-Manuel

2017-06-01

The Collaborative Cross (CC) is a multiparent panel of recombinant inbred (RI) mouse strains derived from eight founder laboratory strains. RI panels are popular because of their long-term genetic stability, which enhances reproducibility and integration of data collected across time and conditions. Characterization of their genomes can be a community effort, reducing the burden on individual users. Here we present the genomes of the CC strains using two complementary approaches as a resource to improve power and interpretation of genetic experiments. Our study also provides a cautionary tale regarding the limitations imposed by such basic biological processes as mutation and selection. A distinct advantage of inbred panels is that genotyping only needs to be performed on the panel, not on each individual mouse. The initial CC genome data were haplotype reconstructions based on dense genotyping of the most recent common ancestors (MRCAs) of each strain followed by imputation from the genome sequence of the corresponding founder inbred strain. The MRCA resource captured segregating regions in strains that were not fully inbred, but it had limited resolution in the transition regions between founder haplotypes, and there was uncertainty about founder assignment in regions of limited diversity. Here we report the whole genome sequence of 69 CC strains generated by paired-end short reads at 30× coverage of a single male per strain. Sequencing leads to a substantial improvement in the fine structure and completeness of the genomes of the CC. Both MRCAs and sequenced samples show a significant reduction in the genome-wide haplotype frequencies from two wild-derived strains, CAST/EiJ and PWK/PhJ. In addition, analysis of the evolution of the patterns of heterozygosity indicates that selection against three wild-derived founder strains played a significant role in shaping the genomes of the CC. The sequencing resource provides the first description of tens of thousands of new genetic variants introduced by mutation and drift in the CC genomes. We estimate that new SNP mutations are accumulating in each CC strain at a rate of 2.4 ± 0.4 per gigabase per generation. The fixation of new mutations by genetic drift has introduced thousands of new variants into the CC strains. The majority of these mutations are novel compared to currently sequenced laboratory stocks and wild mice, and some are predicted to alter gene function. Approximately one-third of the CC inbred strains have acquired large deletions (>10 kb) many of which overlap known coding genes and functional elements. The sequence of these mice is a critical resource to CC users, increases threefold the number of mouse inbred strain genomes available publicly, and provides insight into the effect of mutation and drift on common resources. Copyright © 2017 Srivastava et al.

Genomes of the Mouse Collaborative Cross

PubMed Central

Srivastava, Anuj; Morgan, Andrew P.; Najarian, Maya L.; Sarsani, Vishal Kumar; Sigmon, J. Sebastian; Shorter, John R.; Kashfeen, Anwica; McMullan, Rachel C.; Williams, Lucy H.; Giusti-Rodríguez, Paola; Ferris, Martin T.; Sullivan, Patrick; Hock, Pablo; Miller, Darla R.; Bell, Timothy A.; McMillan, Leonard; Churchill, Gary A.; de Villena, Fernando Pardo-Manuel

2017-01-01

The Collaborative Cross (CC) is a multiparent panel of recombinant inbred (RI) mouse strains derived from eight founder laboratory strains. RI panels are popular because of their long-term genetic stability, which enhances reproducibility and integration of data collected across time and conditions. Characterization of their genomes can be a community effort, reducing the burden on individual users. Here we present the genomes of the CC strains using two complementary approaches as a resource to improve power and interpretation of genetic experiments. Our study also provides a cautionary tale regarding the limitations imposed by such basic biological processes as mutation and selection. A distinct advantage of inbred panels is that genotyping only needs to be performed on the panel, not on each individual mouse. The initial CC genome data were haplotype reconstructions based on dense genotyping of the most recent common ancestors (MRCAs) of each strain followed by imputation from the genome sequence of the corresponding founder inbred strain. The MRCA resource captured segregating regions in strains that were not fully inbred, but it had limited resolution in the transition regions between founder haplotypes, and there was uncertainty about founder assignment in regions of limited diversity. Here we report the whole genome sequence of 69 CC strains generated by paired-end short reads at 30× coverage of a single male per strain. Sequencing leads to a substantial improvement in the fine structure and completeness of the genomes of the CC. Both MRCAs and sequenced samples show a significant reduction in the genome-wide haplotype frequencies from two wild-derived strains, CAST/EiJ and PWK/PhJ. In addition, analysis of the evolution of the patterns of heterozygosity indicates that selection against three wild-derived founder strains played a significant role in shaping the genomes of the CC. The sequencing resource provides the first description of tens of thousands of new genetic variants introduced by mutation and drift in the CC genomes. We estimate that new SNP mutations are accumulating in each CC strain at a rate of 2.4 ± 0.4 per gigabase per generation. The fixation of new mutations by genetic drift has introduced thousands of new variants into the CC strains. The majority of these mutations are novel compared to currently sequenced laboratory stocks and wild mice, and some are predicted to alter gene function. Approximately one-third of the CC inbred strains have acquired large deletions (>10 kb) many of which overlap known coding genes and functional elements. The sequence of these mice is a critical resource to CC users, increases threefold the number of mouse inbred strain genomes available publicly, and provides insight into the effect of mutation and drift on common resources. PMID:28592495

Light Charged and CP-odd Higgses in MSSM-like Models

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

Dermisek, Radovan

2008-11-23

We study the Higgs sector of supersymmetric models containing two Higgs doublets with a light MSSM-like CP odd Higgs, m{sub A} < or approx. 10 GeV, and tan{beta} < or approx. 2.5. In this scenario all Higgses resulting from two Higgs doublets: light and heavy CP even Higgses, h and H, the CP odd Higgs, A, and the charged Higgs, H{sup {+-}}, could have been produced at LEP or the Tevatron, but would have escaped detection because they decay in modes that have not been searched for or the experiments are not sensitive to. Especially H{yields}ZA and H{sup {+-}}{yields}W{sup {+-}}*Amore » with A{yields}cc-bar, {tau}{sup +}{tau}{sup -} present an opportunity to discover some of the Higgses at LEP, the Tevatron and also at B factories. In addition, the 2.8{sigma} excess of the branching ratio W{yields}{tau}v with respect to the other leptons measured at LEP correlates well with the existence of the charged Higgs with properties typical for this scenario. Dominant {tau}- and c-rich decay products of all Higgses require modified strategies for their discovery at the LHC.« less

A kinetic Monte Carlo model with improved charge injection model for the photocurrent characteristics of organic solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kipp, Dylan; Ganesan, Venkat

2013-06-01

We develop a kinetic Monte Carlo model for photocurrent generation in organic solar cells that demonstrates improved agreement with experimental illuminated and dark current-voltage curves. In our model, we introduce a charge injection rate prefactor to correct for the electrode grid-size and electrode charge density biases apparent in the coarse-grained approximation of the electrode as a grid of single occupancy, charge-injecting reservoirs. We use the charge injection rate prefactor to control the portion of dark current attributed to each of four kinds of charge injection. By shifting the dark current between electrode-polymer pairs, we align the injection timescales and expand the applicability of the method to accommodate ohmic energy barriers. We consider the device characteristics of the ITO/PEDOT/PSS:PPDI:PBTT:Al system and demonstrate the manner in which our model captures the device charge densities unique to systems with small injection energy barriers. To elucidate the defining characteristics of our model, we first demonstrate the manner in which charge accumulation and band bending affect the shape and placement of the various current-voltage regimes. We then discuss the influence of various model parameters upon the current-voltage characteristics.

Conformational analysis, spectroscopic study (FT-IR, FT-Raman, UV, 1H and 13C NMR), molecular orbital energy and NLO properties of 5-iodosalicylic acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karaca, Caglar; Atac, Ahmet; Karabacak, Mehmet

2015-02-01

In this study, 5-iodosalicylic acid (5-ISA, C7H5IO3) is structurally characterized by FT-IR, FT-Raman, NMR and UV spectroscopies. There are eight conformers, Cn, n = 1-8 for this molecule therefore the molecular geometry for these eight conformers in the ground state are calculated by using the ab-initio density functional theory (DFT) B3LYP method approach with the aug-cc-pVDZ-PP basis set for iodine and the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set for the other elements. The computational results identified that the most stable conformer of 5-ISA is the C1 form. The vibrational spectra are calculated DFT method invoking the same basis sets and fundamental vibrations are assigned on the basis of the total energy distribution (TED) of the vibrational modes, calculated with scaled quantum mechanics (SQM) method with PQS program. Total density of state (TDOS) and partial density of state (PDOS) and also overlap population density of state (COOP or OPDOS) diagrams analysis for C1 conformer were calculated using the same method. The energy and oscillator strength are calculated by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) results complement with the experimental findings. Besides, charge transfer occurring in the molecule between HOMO and LUMO energies, frontier energy gap, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) are calculated and presented. The NMR chemical shifts (1H and 13C) spectra are recorded and calculated using the gauge independent atomic orbital (GIAO) method. Mulliken atomic charges of the title molecule are also calculated, interpreted and compared with salicylic acid. The optimized bond lengths, bond angles and calculated NMR and UV, vibrational wavenumbers showed the best agreement with the experimental results.

Charge stabilization and entropy reduction of central lysine residues in fructose-bisphosphate aldolase.

PubMed

St-Jean, Miguel; Blonski, Casimir; Sygusch, Jurgen

2009-06-02

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate muscle aldolase is an essential glycolytic enzyme that catalyzes reversible carbon-carbon bond formation by cleaving fructose 1,6-bisphosphate to yield dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) and d-glyceraldehyde phosphate. To elucidate the mechanistic role of conserved amino acid Asp-33, Asn-33 and Ser-33 mutants were examined by kinetic and structural analyses. The mutations significantly compromised enzymatic activity and carbanion oxidation in presence of DHAP. Detailed structural analysis demonstrated that, like native crystals, Asp-33 mutant crystals, soaked in DHAP solutions, trapped Schiff base-derived intermediates covalently attached to Lys-229. The mutant structures, however, exhibited an abridged conformational change with the helical region (34-65) flanking the active site as well as pK(a) reductions and increased side chain disorder by central lysine residues, Lys-107 and Lys-146. These changes directly affect their interaction with the C-terminal Tyr-363, consistent with the absence of active site binding by the C-terminal region in the presence of phosphate. Lys-146 pK(a) reduction and side chain disorder would further compromise charge stabilization during C-C bond cleavage and proton transfer during enamine formation. These mechanistic impediments explain diminished catalytic activity and a reduced level of carbanion oxidation and are consistent with rate-determining proton transfer observed in the Asn-33 mutant. Asp-33 reduces the entropic cost and augments the enthalpic gain during catalysis by rigidifying Lys-107 and Lys-146, stabilizing their protonated forms, and promoting a conformational change triggered by substrate or obligate product binding, which lower kinetic barriers in C-C bond cleavage and Schiff base-enamine interconversion.

Small-molecule activators of TMEM16A, a calcium-activated chloride channel, stimulate epithelial chloride secretion and intestinal contraction

PubMed Central

Namkung, Wan; Yao, Zhen; Finkbeiner, Walter E.; Verkman, A. S.

2011-01-01

TMEM16A (ANO1) is a calcium-activated chloride channel (CaCC) expressed in secretory epithelia, smooth muscle, and other tissues. Cell-based functional screening of ∼110,000 compounds revealed compounds that activated TMEM16A CaCC conductance without increasing cytoplasmic Ca2+. By patch-clamp, N-aroylaminothiazole “activators” (Eact) strongly increased Cl− current at 0 Ca2+, whereas tetrazolylbenzamide “potentiators” (Fact) were not active at 0 Ca2+ but reduced the EC50 for Ca2+-dependent TMEM16A activation. Of 682 analogs tested, the most potent activator (Eact) and potentiator (Fact) produced large and more sustained CaCC Cl− currents than general agonists of Ca2+ signaling, with EC50 3–6 μM and Cl− conductance comparable to that induced transiently by Ca2+-elevating purinergic agonists. Analogs of activators were identified that fully inhibited TMEM16A Cl− conductance, providing further evidence for direct TMEM16A binding. The TMEM16A activators increased CaCC conductance in human salivary and airway submucosal gland epithelial cells, and IL-4 treated bronchial cells, and stimulated submucosal gland secretion in human bronchi and smooth muscle contraction in mouse intestine. Small-molecule, TMEM16A-targeted activators may be useful for drug therapy of cystic fibrosis, dry mouth, and gastrointestinal hypomotility disorders, and for pharmacological dissection of TMEM16A function.—Namkung, W., Yao, Z., Finkbeiner, W. E., Verkman, A. S. Small-molecule activators of TMEM16A, a calcium-activated chloride channel, stimulate epithelial chloride secretion and intestinal contraction. PMID:21836025

Single-Molecule Titration in a Protein Nanoreactor Reveals the Protonation/Deprotonation Mechanism of a C:C Mismatch in DNA.

PubMed

Ren, Hang; Cheyne, Cameron G; Fleming, Aaron M; Burrows, Cynthia J; White, Henry S

2018-04-18

Measurement of single-molecule reactions can elucidate microscopic mechanisms that are often hidden from ensemble analysis. Herein, we report the acid-base titration of a single DNA duplex confined within the wild-type α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopore for up to 3 h, while monitoring the ionic current through the nanopore. Modulation between two states in the current-time trace for duplexes containing the C:C mismatch in proximity to the latch constriction of α-HL is attributed to the base flipping of the C:C mismatch. As the pH is lowered, the rate for the C:C mismatch to flip from the intra-helical state to the extra-helical state ( k intra-extra ) decreases, while the rate for base flipping from the extra-helical state to the intra-helical state ( k extra-intra ) remains unchanged. Both k intra-extra and k extra-intra are on the order of 1 × 10 -2 s -1 to 1 × 10 -1 s -1 and remain stable over the time scale of the measurement (several hours). Analysis of the pH-dependent kinetics of base flipping using a hidden Markov kinetic model demonstrates that protonation/deprotonation occurs while the base pair is in the intra-helical state. We also demonstrate that the rate of protonation is limited by transport of H + into the α-HL nanopore. Single-molecule kinetic isotope experiments exhibit a large kinetic isotope effect (KIE) for k intra-extra ( k H / k D ≈ 5) but a limited KIE for k extra-intra ( k H / k D ≈ 1.3), supporting our model. Our experiments correspond to the longest single-molecule measurements performed using a nanopore, and demonstrate its application in interrogating mechanisms of single-molecule reactions in confined geometries.

Single nucleotide polymorphism of CC chemokine ligand 5 promoter gene in recipients may predict the risk of chronic graft-versus-host disease and its severity after allogeneic transplantation.

PubMed

Kim, Dong Hwan; Jung, Hee Du; Lee, Nan Young; Sohn, Sang Kyun

2007-10-15

Leukocyte trafficking, regulated by chemokine ligands and their receptors, involves in the pathogenesis of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) including CC ligand 5 (CCL5) or CC receptor 5 (CCR5). The current study analyzed the association of acute or chronic GVHD (cGVHD) with the CCR5/CCL5 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of recipients and donors. We evaluated the SNPs of CCL5 promoter gene at position -28 (rs1800825)/-403 (rs2107538) and CCR5 gene at 59029 (rs1799987) in 72 recipients and donors using polymerase chain reaction/RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) methods. With a median follow up of 924 days for survivors (range 48-2,360 days), the CG genotype of CCL5 gene at position -28 in recipients was significantly associated with a higher incidence of cGVHD (P=0.004), extensive cGVHD (P=0.038 by Seattle's criteria), and severe grade of cGVHD at presentation (P=0.017 by prognostic grading by Apkek et al.) compared to CC genotype. In terms of haplotype analysis, the recipients with AG haplotype of CCL5 gene also showed a higher incidence of cGVHD (P=0.003), extensive cGVHD (P=0.023), and more severe grade of cGVHD (P=0.020). However, there was no association of CCL5/CCR5 SNPs with acute GVHD. The donors' genotype of CCL5/CCR5 was not associated with the risk of cGVHD. The CCL5 promoter gene polymorphism of recipients was associated with the risk of cGVHD and its severity. The current study suggested an involvement of CCL5 in leukocyte trafficking for the development of cGVHD.

Charge Transport in Spiro-OMeTAD Investigated through Space-Charge-Limited Current Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Röhr, Jason A.; Shi, Xingyuan; Haque, Saif A.; Kirchartz, Thomas; Nelson, Jenny

2018-04-01

Extracting charge-carrier mobilities for organic semiconductors from space-charge-limited conduction measurements is complicated in practice by nonideal factors such as trapping in defects and injection barriers. Here, we show that by allowing the bandlike charge-carrier mobility, trap characteristics, injection barrier heights, and the shunt resistance to vary in a multiple-trapping drift-diffusion model, a numerical fit can be obtained to the entire current density-voltage curve from experimental space-charge-limited current measurements on both symmetric and asymmetric 2 ,2',7 ,7' -tetrakis(N ,N -di-4-methoxyphenylamine)-9 ,9' -spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD) single-carrier devices. This approach yields a bandlike mobility that is more than an order of magnitude higher than the effective mobility obtained using analytical approximations, such as the Mott-Gurney law and the moving-electrode equation. It is also shown that where these analytical approximations require a temperature-dependent effective mobility to achieve fits, the numerical model can yield a temperature-, electric-field-, and charge-carrier-density-independent mobility. Finally, we present an analytical model describing trap-limited current flow through a semiconductor in a symmetric single-carrier device. We compare the obtained charge-carrier mobility and trap characteristics from this analytical model to the results from the numerical model, showing excellent agreement. This work shows the importance of accounting for traps and injection barriers explicitly when analyzing current density-voltage curves from space-charge-limited current measurements.

The choices, choosing model of quality of life: description and rationale.

PubMed

Gurland, Barry J; Gurland, Roni V

2009-01-01

This introductory paper offers a critical review of current models and measures of quality of life, and describes a choices and choosing (c-c) process as a new model of quality of life. Criteria are proposed for judging the relative merits of models of quality of life with preference being given to explicit mechanisms, linkages to a science base, a means of identifying deficits amenable to rational restorative interventions, and with embedded values of the whole person. A conjectured model, based on the processes of gaining access to choices and choosing among them, matches the proposed criteria. The c-c process is an evolved adaptive mechanism dedicated to the pursuit of quality of life, driven by specific biological and psychological systems, and influenced by social and environmental forces. This model strengthens the science base for the field of quality of life, unifies approaches to concept and measurement, and guides the evaluation of impairments of quality of life. Corresponding interventions can be aimed at relieving restrictions or distortions of the c-c process; thus helping people to preserve and improve their quality of life. RELATED WORK: Companion papers detail relevant aspects of the science base, present methods of identifying deficits and distortions of the c-c model so as to open opportunities for rational restorative interventions, and explore empirical analyses of the relationship between health imposed restrictions of c-c and conventional indicators of diminished quality of life. [corrected] (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Neuroaxonal ion dyshomeostasis of the normal-appearing corpus callosum in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

PubMed

Chen, Chiao-Chi V; Zechariah, Anil; Hsu, Yi-Hua; Chen, Hsiao-Wen; Yang, Li-Chuan; Chang, Chen

2008-04-01

Atrophy of the corpus callosum (CC) is a well-documented observation in clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. One recent hypothesis for the neurodegeneration that occurs in MS is that ion dyshomeostasis leads to neuroaxonal damage. To examine whether ion dyshomeostasis occurs in the CC during MS onset, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was utilized as an animal MS model to induce autoimmunity-mediated responses. To date, in vivo investigations of neuronal ion homeostasis has not been feasible using traditional neuroscience techniques. Therefore, the current study employed an emerging MRI method, called Mn2+-enhanced MRI (MEMRI). Mn2+ dynamics is closely associated with important neuronal activity events, and is also considered to be a Ca2+ surrogate. Furthermore, when injected intracranially, Mn2+ can be used as a multisynaptic tracer. These features enable MEMRI to detect neuronal ion homeostasis within a multisynaptic circuit that is connected to the injection site. Mn2+ was injected into the visual cortex to trace the CC, and T1-weighted imaging was utilized to observe temporal changes in Mn2+-induced signals in the traced pathways. The results showed that neuroaxonal functional changes associated with ion dyshomeostasis occurred in the CC during an acute EAE attack. In addition, the pathway appeared normal, although EAE-induced immune-cell infiltration was visible around the CC. The findings suggest that ion dyshomeostasis is a major neuronal aberration underlying the deterioration of normal-appearing brain tissues in MS, supporting its involvement in neuroaxonal functioning in MS.

Resilience model for parents of children with cancer in mainland China-An exploratory study.

PubMed

Ye, Zeng Jie; Qiu, Hong Zhong; Li, Peng Fei; Liang, Mu Zi; Wang, Shu Ni; Quan, Xiao Ming

2017-04-01

Parents have psychosocial functions that are critical for the entire family. Therefore, when their child is diagnosed with cancer, it is important that they exhibit resilience, which is the ability to preserve their emotional and physical well-being in the face of stress. The Resilience Model for Parents of Children with Cancer (RMP-CC) was developed to increase our understanding of how resilience is positively and negatively affected by protective and risk factors, respectively, in Chinese parents with children diagnosed with cancer. To evaluate the RMP-CC, the latent psychosocial variables and demographics of 229 parents were evaluated using exploratory structural equation modeling (SEM) and logistic regression. The majority of goodness-of-fit indices indicate that the SEM of RMP-CC was a good model with a high level of variance in resilience (58%). Logistic regression revealed that two demographics, educational level and clinical classification of cancer, accounted for 12% of this variance. Our results indicate that RMP-CC is an effective structure by which to develop mainland Chinese parent-focused interventions that are grounded in the experiences of the parents as caregivers of children who have been diagnosed with cancer. RMP-CC allows for a better understanding of what these parents experience while their children undergo treatment. Further studies will be needed to confirm the efficiency of the current structure, and would assist in further refinement of its clinical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Community Cloud retrieval for CLimate (CC4CL) - Part 1: A framework applied to multiple satellite imaging sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sus, Oliver; Stengel, Martin; Stapelberg, Stefan; McGarragh, Gregory; Poulsen, Caroline; Povey, Adam C.; Schlundt, Cornelia; Thomas, Gareth; Christensen, Matthew; Proud, Simon; Jerg, Matthias; Grainger, Roy; Hollmann, Rainer

2018-06-01

We present here the key features of the Community Cloud retrieval for CLimate (CC4CL) processing algorithm. We focus on the novel features of the framework: the optimal estimation approach in general, explicit uncertainty quantification through rigorous propagation of all known error sources into the final product, and the consistency of our long-term, multi-platform time series provided at various resolutions, from 0.5 to 0.02°. By describing all key input data and processing steps, we aim to inform the user about important features of this new retrieval framework and its potential applicability to climate studies. We provide an overview of the retrieved and derived output variables. These are analysed for four, partly very challenging, scenes collocated with CALIOP (Cloud-Aerosol lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) observations in the high latitudes and over the Gulf of Guinea-West Africa. The results show that CC4CL provides very realistic estimates of cloud top height and cover for optically thick clouds but, where optically thin clouds overlap, returns a height between the two layers. CC4CL is a unique, coherent, multi-instrument cloud property retrieval framework applicable to passive sensor data of several EO missions. Through its flexibility, CC4CL offers the opportunity for combining a variety of historic and current EO missions into one dataset, which, compared to single sensor retrievals, is improved in terms of accuracy and temporal sampling.

Heart Transplantation for Chagas Cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Benatti, Rodolfo D; Oliveira, Guilherme H; Bacal, Fernando

2017-06-01

Chagas cardiomyopathy (CC) is one of the chronic manifestations of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) infection and is a major public health disease in Latin America. Since it is a chronic systemic infection, Chagas disease was long considered a potential contraindication for transplantation because of the risk of recurrence with immunosuppression. However, early South American experience in the 1980's established the feasibility of heart transplantation (HT) in patients with Chagas disease. Indeed, the first cardiac transplant for a recipient with CC was performed in 1985 in Brazil. Chagas etiology of heart failure has become the third most common indication for HT in South America. T. cruzi reactivation post-transplant is a common issue that requires prophylactic surveillance but responds well to appropriate therapy. Chagas reactivation has been associated with the potency of the immunosuppressive protocol and occurs more frequently after rejection episodes. Yet, many important questions regarding the management of Chagas HT candidates and recipients remain unanswered. For example, biventricular systolic failure is frequent in end-stage CC, but its impact on the modality of mechanical circulatory bridging has not been described. Also, there is no consensus regarding the most adequate immunosuppressive regimen that balances the risk of graft rejection and disease reactivation. The real efficacy and safety of HT for end-stage CC will only be appreciated when a Latin American transplant registry is established. This review covers the current state of the art of HT for CC. Copyright © 2017 International Society for the Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemistry in acetone complexes of metal dications: a remarkable ethylene production pathway.

PubMed

Wu, Jianhua; Liu, Dan; Zhou, Jian-Ge; Hagelberg, Frank; Park, Sung Soo; Shvartsburg, Alexandre A

2007-06-07

Electrospray ionization can generate microsolvated multiply charged metal ions for various metals and ligands, allowing exploration of chemistry within such clusters. The finite size of these systems permits comparing experimental results with accurate calculations, creating a natural laboratory to research ion solvation. Mass spectrometry has provided much insight into the stability and dissociation of ligated metal cations. While solvated singly charged ions tend to shrink by ligand evaporation, solvated polycations below a certain size exhibit charge reduction and/or ligand fragmentation due to organometallic reactions. Here we investigate the acetone complexes of representative divalent metals (Ca, Mn, Co, Ni, and Cu), comparing the results of collision-induced dissociation with the predictions of density functional theory. As for other solvated dications, channels involving proton or electron transfer compete with ligand loss and become dominant for smaller complexes. The heterolytic C-C bond cleavage is common, like in DMSO and acetonitrile complexes. Of primary interest is the unanticipated neutral ethylene loss, found for all metals studied except Cu and particularly intense for Ca and Mn. We focus on understanding that process in the context of competing dissociation pathways, as a function of metal identity and number of ligands. According to first-principles modeling, ethylene elimination proceeds along a complex path involving two intermediates. These results suggest that chemistry in microsolvated multiply charged ions may still hold major surprises.

Battery Cell By-Pass Circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mumaw, Susan J. (Inventor); Evers, Jeffrey (Inventor); Craig, Calvin L., Jr. (Inventor); Walker, Stuart D. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

The invention is a circuit and method of limiting the charging current voltage from a power supply net work applied to an individual cell of a plurality of cells making up a battery being charged in series. It is particularly designed for use with batteries that can be damaged by overcharging, such as Lithium-ion type batteries. In detail. the method includes the following steps: 1) sensing the actual voltage level of the individual cell; 2) comparing the actual voltage level of the individual cell with a reference value and providing an error signal representative thereof; and 3) by-passing the charging current around individual cell necessary to keep the individual cell voltage level generally equal a specific voltage level while continuing to charge the remaining cells. Preferably this is accomplished by by-passing the charging current around the individual cell if said actual voltage level is above the specific voltage level and allowing the charging current to the individual cell if the actual voltage level is equal or less than the specific voltage level. In the step of bypassing the charging current, the by-passed current is transferred at a proper voltage level to the power supply. The by-pass circuit a voltage comparison circuit is used to compare the actual voltage level of the individual cell with a reference value and to provide an error signal representative thereof. A third circuit, designed to be responsive to the error signal, is provided for maintaining the individual cell voltage level generally equal to the specific voltage level. Circuitry is provided in the third circuit for bypassing charging current around the individual cell if the actual voltage level is above the specific voltage level and transfers the excess charging current to the power supply net work. The circuitry also allows charging of the individual cell if the actual voltage level is equal or less than the specific voltage level.

Surface-Charge-Based Micro-Models--A Solid Foundation for Learning about Direct Current Circuits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirvonen, P. E.

2007-01-01

This study explores how the use of a surface-charge-based instructional approach affects introductory university level students' understanding of direct current (dc) circuits. The introduced teaching intervention includes electrostatics, surface-charge-based micro-models that explain the existence of an electric field inside the current-carrying…

Separation of heat and charge currents for boosted thermoelectric conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazza, Francesco; Valentini, Stefano; Bosisio, Riccardo; Benenti, Giuliano; Giovannetti, Vittorio; Fazio, Rosario; Taddei, Fabio

2015-06-01

In a multiterminal device the (electronic) heat and charge currents can follow different paths. In this paper we introduce and analyze a class of multiterminal devices where this property is pushed to its extreme limits, with charge and heat currents flowing in different reservoirs. After introducing the main characteristics of this heat-charge current separation regime, we show how to realize it in a multiterminal device with normal and superconducting leads. We demonstrate that this regime allows us to control independently heat and charge flows and to greatly enhance thermoelectric performances at low temperatures. We analyze in detail a three-terminal setup involving a superconducting lead, a normal lead, and a voltage probe. For a generic scattering region we show that in the regime of heat-charge current separation both the power factor and the figure of merit Z T are highly increased with respect to a standard two-terminal system. These results are confirmed for the specific case of a system consisting of three coupled quantum dots.

Understanding Charge Collection Mechanisms in InGaAs FinFETs Using High-Speed Pulsed-Laser Transient Testing With Tunable Wavelength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Kai; Sternberg, Andrew L.; Zhang, En Xia; Kozub, John A.; Jiang, Rong; Schrimpf, Ronald D.; Reed, Robert A.; Fleetwood, Daniel M.; Alles, Michael L.; McMorrow, Dale; Lin, Jianqiang; Vardi, Alon; del Alamo, Jesús

2017-08-01

A tunable wavelength laser system and high-resolution transient capture system are introduced to characterize transients in high-mobility MOSFETs. The experimental configuration enables resolution of fast transient signals and new understanding of charge collection mechanisms. The channel layer is critical in the charge collection process for the InGaAs FinFETs examined here. The transient current mainly comes from the channel current, due to shunt effects and parasitic bipolar effects, instead of the junction collection. The charge amplification factor is found to be as high as 14, which makes this technology relatively sensitive to transient radiation. The peak current is inversely proportional to the device gate length. Simulations show that the parasitic bipolar effect is due to source-to-channel barrier lowering caused by hole accumulation in the source and channel. Charge deposited in the channel causes prompt current, while charge deposited below the channel causes delayed and slow current.

New charging strategy for lithium-ion batteries based on the integration of Taguchi method and state of charge estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vo, Thanh Tu; Chen, Xiaopeng; Shen, Weixiang; Kapoor, Ajay

2015-01-01

In this paper, a new charging strategy of lithium-polymer batteries (LiPBs) has been proposed based on the integration of Taguchi method (TM) and state of charge estimation. The TM is applied to search an optimal charging current pattern. An adaptive switching gain sliding mode observer (ASGSMO) is adopted to estimate the SOC which controls and terminates the charging process. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed charging strategy can successfully charge the same types of LiPBs with different capacities and cycle life. The proposed charging strategy also provides much shorter charging time, narrower temperature variation and slightly higher energy efficiency than the equivalent constant current constant voltage charging method.

Silane and Germane Molecular Electronics.

PubMed

Su, Timothy A; Li, Haixing; Klausen, Rebekka S; Kim, Nathaniel T; Neupane, Madhav; Leighton, James L; Steigerwald, Michael L; Venkataraman, Latha; Nuckolls, Colin

2017-04-18

This Account provides an overview of our recent efforts to uncover the fundamental charge transport properties of Si-Si and Ge-Ge single bonds and introduce useful functions into group 14 molecular wires. We utilize the tools of chemical synthesis and a scanning tunneling microscopy-based break-junction technique to study the mechanism of charge transport in these molecular systems. We evaluated the fundamental ability of silicon, germanium, and carbon molecular wires to transport charge by comparing conductances within families of well-defined structures, the members of which differ only in the number of Si (or Ge or C) atoms in the wire. For each family, this procedure yielded a length-dependent conductance decay parameter, β. Comparison of the different β values demonstrates that Si-Si and Ge-Ge σ bonds are more conductive than the analogous C-C σ bonds. These molecular trends mirror what is seen in the bulk. The conductance decay of Si and Ge-based wires is similar in magnitude to those from π-based molecular wires such as paraphenylenes However, the chemistry of the linkers that attach the molecular wires to the electrodes has a large influence on the resulting β value. For example, Si- and Ge-based wires of many different lengths connected with a methyl-thiomethyl linker give β values of 0.36-0.39 Å -1 , whereas Si- and Ge-based wires connected with aryl-thiomethyl groups give drastically different β values for short and long wires. This observation inspired us to study molecular wires that are composed of both π- and σ-orbitals. The sequence and composition of group 14 atoms in the σ chain modulates the electronic coupling between the π end-groups and dictates the molecular conductance. The conductance behavior originates from the coupling between the subunits, which can be understood by considering periodic trends such as bond length, polarizability, and bond polarity. We found that the same periodic trends determine the electric field-induced breakdown properties of individual Si-Si, Ge-Ge, Si-O, Si-C, and C-C bonds. Building from these studies, we have prepared a system that has two different, alternative conductance pathways. In this wire, we can intentionally break a labile, strained silicon-silicon bond and thereby shunt the current through the secondary conduction pathway. This type of in situ bond-rupture provides a new tool to study single molecule reactions that are induced by electric fields. Moreover, these studies provide guidance for designing dielectric materials as well as molecular devices that require stability under high voltage bias. The fundamental studies on the structure/function relationships of the molecular wires have guided the design of new functional systems based on the Si- and Ge-based wires. For example, we exploited the principle of strain-induced Lewis acidity from reaction chemistry to design a single molecule switch that can be controllably switched between two conductive states by varying the distance between the tip and substrate electrodes. We found that the strain intrinsic to the disilaacenaphthene scaffold also creates two state conductance switching. Finally, we demonstrate the first example of a stereoelectronic conductance switch, and we demonstrate that the switching relies crucially on the electronic delocalization in Si-Si and Ge-Ge wire backbones. These studies illustrate the untapped potential in using Si- and Ge-based wires to design and control charge transport at the nanoscale and to allow quantum mechanics to be used as a tool to design ultraminiaturized switches.

Effect of charge on the current-voltage characteristics of silicon pin structures with and without getter annealing under beta irradiation of Ni-63.

PubMed

Nagornov, Yuri S

2018-05-01

The charge model for efficiency of betavoltaics effect is proposed. It allows calculating the charge value for pin structures under irradiation of Ni-63. We approximated the current-voltage characteristics of the structures using an equivalent diode circuit with a charge on the barrier capacitance. We calculated the charge function from current-voltage characteristics for two types of silicon pin structures - with and without getter annealing. The charging on the surface of pin structure decreases the efficiency of betavoltaics effect. Value of charge for our structures is changed in the range from -50 to +15mC/cm 2 and depends on the applied potential. The getter annealing allows getting the structures with a higher efficiency of betavoltaic effect, but it does not exclude the surface charging under beta irradiation from Ni-63. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Azophenine as Central Core for Efficient Light Harvesting Devices.

PubMed

Lei, Hu; Karsenti, Paul-Ludovic; Harvey, Pierre D

2018-03-05

The notoriously non-luminescent uncycled azophenine (Q) was harnessed with Bodipy and zinc(II)porphyrin antennas to probe its fluorescence properties, its ability to act as a singlet excited state energy acceptor and to mediate the transfer. Two near-IR emissions are depicted from time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, which are most likely due to the presence of tautomers of very similar calculated total energies (350 cm -1 ; DFT; B3LYP). The rates for energy transfer, k ET (S 1 ), for 1 Bodipy*→Q are in the order of 10 10 -10 11  s -1 and are surprisingly fast when considering the low absorptivity properties of the lowest energy charge transfer excited state of azophenine. The rational is provided by the calculated frontier molecular orbitals (MOs) which show atomic contributions in the C 6 H 4 C≡CC 6 H 4 arms, thus favoring the double electron exchange mechanism. In the mixed-antenna Bodipy-porphyrin star molecule, the rate for 1 Bodipy*→porphyrin has also been evaluated (≈16×10 10  s -1 ) and is among the fastest rates reported for Bodipy-zinc(II)porphyrin pairs. This astonishing result is again explained from the atomic contributions of the C 6 H 4 C≡CC 6 H 4 and C≡CC 6 H 4 arms thus favouring the Dexter process. Here, for the first time, this process is found to be sensitively temperature-dependent. The azophenine turns out to be excellent for electronic communication. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Diversity of Staphylococcus aureus Isolates in European Wildlife

PubMed Central

Monecke, Stefan; Gavier-Widén, Dolores; Hotzel, Helmut; Peters, Martin; Guenther, Sebastian; Lazaris, Alexandros; Loncaric, Igor; Müller, Elke; Reissig, Annett; Ruppelt-Lorz, Antje; Shore, Anna C.; Walter, Birgit; Coleman, David C.; Ehricht, Ralf

2016-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a well-known colonizer and cause of infection among animals and it has been described from numerous domestic and wild animal species. The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology of S. aureus in a convenience sample of European wildlife and to review what previously has been observed in the subject field. 124 S. aureus isolates were collected from wildlife in Germany, Austria and Sweden; they were characterized by DNA microarray hybridization and, for isolates with novel hybridization patterns, by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The isolates were assigned to 29 clonal complexes and singleton sequence types (CC1, CC5, CC6, CC7, CC8, CC9, CC12, CC15, CC22, CC25, CC30, CC49, CC59, CC88, CC97, CC130, CC133, CC398, ST425, CC599, CC692, CC707, ST890, CC1956, ST2425, CC2671, ST2691, CC2767 and ST2963), some of which (ST2425, ST2691, ST2963) were not described previously. Resistance rates in wildlife strains were rather low and mecA-MRSA isolates were rare (n = 6). mecC-MRSA (n = 8) were identified from a fox, a fallow deer, hares and hedgehogs. The common cattle-associated lineages CC479 and CC705 were not detected in wildlife in the present study while, in contrast, a third common cattle lineage, CC97, was found to be common among cervids. No Staphylococcus argenteus or Staphylococcus schweitzeri-like isolates were found. Systematic studies are required to monitor the possible transmission of human- and livestock-associated S. aureus/MRSA to wildlife and vice versa as well as the possible transmission, by unprotected contact to animals. The prevalence of S. aureus/MRSA in wildlife as well as its population structures in different wildlife host species warrants further investigation. PMID:27992523

A tissue engineering approach to anterior cruciate ligament regeneration using novel shaped capillary channel polymer fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinclair, Kristofer D.

2009-12-01

Ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are the most frequent of injuries to the knee due to its role in preventing anterior translation of the tibia. It is estimated that as many as 200,000 Americans per year will suffer from a ruptured ACL, resulting in management costs on the order of 5 billion dollars. Without treatment these patients are unable to return to normal activity, as a consequence of the joint instability found within the ACL deficient knee. Over the last thirty years, a variety of non-degradable, synthetic fibers have been evaluated for their use in ACL reconstruction; however, a widely accepted prosthesis has been unattainable due to differences in mechanical properties of the synthetic graft relative to the native tissue. Tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field charged with the task of developing therapeutic solutions for tissue and organ failure by enhancing the natural wound healing process through the use of cellular transplants, biomaterials, and the delivery of bioactive molecules. The capillary channel polymer (CC-P) fibers used in this research were fabricated by melt extrusion from polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate. These fibers possess aligned micrometer scale surface channels that may serve as physical templates for tissue growth and regeneration. This inherent surface topography offers a unique and industrially viable approach for cellular contact guidance on three dimensional constructs. In this fundamental research the ability of these fiber channels to support the adhesion, alignment, and organization of fibroblasts was demonstrated and found to be superior to round fiber controls. The results demonstrated greater uniformity of seeding and accelerated formation of multi-layered three-dimensional biomass for the CC-P fibers relative to those with a circular cross-section. Furthermore, the CC-P geometry induced nuclear elongation consistent with that observed in native ACL tissue. Through the application of uniaxial cyclic strain the mechanical properties of the cell seeded CC-P fiber scaffold systems were shown to improve via the induction of increased cellular proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis. Finally, unlike many studies examining the effects of cyclic strain on cellular behavior, the CC-P fiber geometry displayed the ability to maintain cellular alignment in the presence of an applied uniaxial cyclic strain.

First Measurement of Monoenergetic Muon Neutrino Charged Current Interactions

DOE PAGES

Aguilar-Arevalo, A. A.; Brown, B. C.; Bugel, L.; ...

2018-04-06

We report the first measurement of monoenergetic muon neutrino charged current interactions. MiniBooNE has isolated 236 MeV muon neutrino events originating from charged kaon decay at rest (more » $$K^+ \\rightarrow \\mu^+ \

First Measurement of Monoenergetic Muon Neutrino Charged Current Interactions

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

Aguilar-Arevalo, A. A.; Brown, B. C.; Bugel, L.

We report the first measurement of monoenergetic muon neutrino charged current interactions. MiniBooNE has isolated 236 MeV muon neutrino events originating from charged kaon decay at rest (more » $$K^+ \\rightarrow \\mu^+ \

Charge collection kinetics on ferroelectric polymer surface using charge gradient microscopy

DOE PAGES

Choi, Yoon-Young; Tong, Sheng; Ducharme, Stephen P.; ...

2016-05-03

Here, a charge gradient microscopy (CGM) probe was used to collect surface screening charges on poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] thin films. These charges are naturally formed on unscreened ferroelectric domains in ambient condition. The CGM data were used to map the local electric current originating from the collected surface charges on the poled ferroelectric domains in the P(VDF-TrFE) thin films. Both the direction and amount of the collected current were controlled by changing the polarity and area of the poled domains. The endurance of charge collection by rubbing the CGM tip on the polymer film was limited to 20 scan cycles,more » after which the current reduced to almost zero. This degradation was attributed to the increase of the chemical bonding strength between the external screening charges and the polarization charges. Once this degradation mechanism is mitigated, the CGM technique can be applied to efficient energy harvesting devices using polymer ferroelectrics.« less

Report of the Secretary of Defense Task Force on DoD Nuclear Weapons Management. Phase 1. The Air Force’s Nuclear Mission

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

under- resourced. • Missile transfer vans /warhead transfer vans require upgrades. • ICBM weapon system test sets under-funded; the coding system...Air Force’s Nuclear Mission D-1 Appendix D. Current B-52 Basing Status Barksdale AFB, LA 64 B-52Hs Minot AFB, ND 27 B-52Hs Edwards AFB, CA 3...Barksdale – 64 B-52s 2 BW (ACC) 15 TF; 24 CC; 7 BAI 53 WG (ACC) 2 Test Coded 917 WG (AFRC) 8 CC; 1 BAI 7 Unfunded AR Edwards - 3 B-52s 412 TW 2 Test

78 FR 45190 - Information Collection(s) Being Submitted for Review and Approval to the Office of Management and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-26

... forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small... of 1996--CC Docket No. 96-98. Form Number: N/A. Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved.... 95-116. Form Number: N/A. Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection. Respondents...

Structural, vibrational spectroscopic and nonlinear optical activity studies on 2-hydroxy- 3, 5-dinitropyridine: A DFT approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asath, R. Mohamed; Premkumar, S.; Jawahar, A.; Mathavan, T.; Dhas, M. Kumara; Benial, A. Milton Franklin

2015-06-01

The conformational analysis was carried out for 2-Hydroxy- 3, 5-dinitropyridine molecule using potential energy surface scan and the most stable optimized conformer was predicted. The vibrational frequencies and Mulliken atomic charge distribution were calculated for the optimized geometry of the molecule using DFT/B3LYP cc-pVQZ basis set by Gaussian 09 Program. The vibrational frequencies were assigned on the basis of potential energy distribution calculation using VEDA 4.0 program. In the Frontier molecular orbitals analysis, the molecular reactivity, kinetic stability, intramolecular charge transfer studies and the calculation of ionization energy, electron affinity, global hardness, chemical potential, electrophilicity index and softness values of the title molecule were carried out. The nonlinear optical activity of the molecule was studied by means of first order hyperpolarizability, which was computed as 7.64 times greater than urea. The natural bond orbital analysis was performed to confirm the nonlinear optical activity of the molecule.

Spontaneous ferroelectricity in strained low-temperature monoclinic Fe3O4: A first-principles study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiang; Mi, Wen-Bo

2018-04-01

As a single-phase multiferroic material, Fe3O4 exhibits spontaneous ferroelectric polarization below 38 K. However, the nature of the ferroelectricity in Fe3O4 and effect of external disturbances such as strain on it remains ambiguous. Here, the spontaneous ferroelectric polarization of low-temperature monoclinic Fe3O4 was investigated by first-principles calculations. The pseudo-centrosymmetric Fe B42-Fe B43 pair has a different valence state. The noncentrosymmetric charge distribution results in ferroelectric polarization. The initial ferroelectric polarization direction is in the - x and - z directions. The ferroelectricity along the y axis is limited owing to the symmetry of the Cc space group. Both the ionic displacement and charge separation at the Fe B42-Fe B43 pair are affected by strain, which further influences the spontaneous ferroelectric polarization of monoclinic Fe3O4. The ferroelectric polarization along the z axis exhibits an increase of 45.3% as the strain changes from 6% to -6%.

Vibrational inelastic and charge transfer processes in H++H2 system: An ab initio study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amaran, Saieswari; Kumar, Sanjay

2007-12-01

State-resolved differential cross sections, total and integral cross sections, average vibrational energy transfer, and the relative probabilities are computed for the H++H2 system using the newly obtained ab initio potential energy surfaces at the full CI/cc-pVQZ level of accuracy which allow for both the direct vibrational inelastic and the charge transfer processes. The quantum dynamics is treated within the vibrational close-coupling infinite-order-sudden approximation approach using the two ab initio quasidiabatic potential energy surfaces. The computed collision attributes for both the processes are compared with the available state-to-state scattering experiments at Ec.m.=20eV. The results are in overall good agreement with most of the observed scattering features such as rainbow positions, integral cross sections, and relative vibrational energy transfers. A comparison with the earlier theoretical study carried out on the semiempirical surfaces (diatomics in molecules) is also made to illustrate the reliability of the potential energy surfaces used in the present work.

"Fuel Gage" for Electric Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rowlette, J. J.

1984-01-01

Gas-emmission and time-integrated-current measurements indicate battery charge state. Tests indicate possibility of monitoring state of charge of lead/acid batteries at any stage in charging cycle by measuring charging current and either gas evolution or electrode potential. Data then processed by microcomputer. Uses include cell voltage, cell pressure, cell temperature and rate of gas recombination on catalyst.

Development of compact rapid charging power supply for capacitive energy storage in pulsed power drivers.

PubMed

Sharma, Surender Kumar; Shyam, Anurag

2015-02-01

High energy capacitor bank is used for primary electrical energy storage in pulsed power drivers. The capacitors used in these pulsed power drivers have low inductance, low internal resistance, and less dc life, so it has to be charged rapidly and immediately discharged into the load. A series resonant converter based 45 kV compact power supply is designed and developed for rapid charging of the capacitor bank with constant charging current up to 150 mA. It is short circuit proof, and zero current switching technique is used to commute the semiconductor switch. A high frequency resonant inverter switching at 10 kHz makes the overall size small and reduces the switching losses. The output current of the power supply is limited by constant on-time and variable frequency switching control technique. The power supply is tested by charging the 45 kV/1.67 μF and 15 kV/356 μF capacitor banks. It has charged the capacitor bank up to rated voltage with maximum charging current of 150 mA and the average charging rate of 3.4 kJ/s. The output current of the power supply is limited by reducing the switching frequency at 5 kHz, 3.3 kHz, and 1.7 kHz and tested with 45 kV/1.67 μF capacitor bank. The protection circuit is included in the power supply for over current, under voltage, and over temperature. The design details and the experimental testing results of the power supply for resonant current, output current, and voltage traces of the power supply with capacitive, resistive, and short circuited load are presented and discussed.

Toxicity Evaluation of Engineered Nanomaterials: Portable In Vitro Chamber to Study Realistic Occupational Exposure in Biological Systems (Phase 2 Studies)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-12

the indole group contains a benzene ring fused with nitrogen containing a pyrrole ring, resulting in a delocalized π electron cloud. At the excitation...1.40 Ǻ, respectively. The C−C and C=C bond lengths of the pentagonal pyrrole ring of indole are 1.45 and 1.39 Ǻ, respectively. The C−C bond...indole- pyrrole 2.38 2.95 - Au − H 2.57 2.71 2.40 Dipole moment/D 5.97 3.78 7.44 HOMO−LUMO gap/eV 1.2 1.51 1.45 Mulliken charge/ē Au = -0.062 Trp

Ectopic expression of the Coffea canephora SERK1 homolog-induced differential transcription of genes involved in auxin metabolism and in the developmental control of embryogenesis.

PubMed

Pérez-Pascual, Daniel; Jiménez-Guillen, Doribet; Villanueva-Alonzo, Hernán; Souza-Perera, Ramón; Godoy-Hernández, Gregorio; Zúñiga-Aguilar, José Juan

2018-04-01

Somatic embryogenesis receptor-like kinase 1 (SERK1) is a membrane receptor that might serve as common co-regulator of plant cell differentiation processes by forming heterodimers with specific receptor-like kinases. The Coffea canephora SERK1 homolog (CcSERK1) was cloned in this work, and its early function in the transcription of embryogenesis master genes and of genes encoding proteins involved in auxin metabolism was investigated by externally manipulating its expression in embryogenic leaf explants, before the appearance of embryogenic structures. Overexpression of CcSERK1 early during embryogenesis caused an increase in the number of somatic embryos when the 55-day process was completed. Suppression of CcSERK1 expression by RNA interference almost abolished somatic embryogenesis. Real time-PCR experiments revealed that the transcription of the CcAGL15, CcWUS, CcBBM, CcPKL, CcYUC1, CcPIN1 and CcPIN4 homologs was modified in direct proportion to the expression of CcSERK1 and that only CcLEC1 was inversely affected by the expression levels of CcSERK1. The expression of the CcYUC4 homolog was induced to more than 80-fold under CcSERK1 overexpression conditions, but it was also induced when CcSERK1 expression was silenced. The level of CcTIR1 was not affected by CcSERK1 overexpression but was almost abolished during CcSERK1 silencing. These results suggest that CcSERK1 co-regulates the induction of somatic embryogenesis in Coffea canephora by early activation of YUC-dependent auxin biosynthesis, auxin transport mediated by PIN1 and PIN4, and probably auxin perception by the TIR1 receptor, leading to the induction of early-stage homeotic genes (CcAGL15, CcWUS, CcPKL and CcBBM) and repression of late-stage homeotic genes (CcLec1). © 2018 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Is contextual cueing more than the guidance of visual-spatial attention?

PubMed

Schankin, Andrea; Hagemann, Dirk; Schubö, Anna

2011-04-01

When search displays are repeatedly presented, participants become faster in finding the target (contextual cueing, CC). It has been debated whether a more liberal response criterion might contribute to CC. In the current experiment, participants had to search through target-absent and target-present trials to compute d-prime as the measurement of sensitivity and beta as the measurement of response bias. Results showed that participants' sensitivity was not affected by the repetition of search displays. Although repeated displays led to both faster RTs and a more liberal response criterion, these effects were uncorrelated. In the event-related potential, RT effects were reflected by a late positive activity, which reflects response-related processes, but not by differences in the N2pc as electrophysiological correlate of focused attention. These results indicate that a more liberal response criterion is not the cause for CC effects in RTs but that other response-related processes might still contribute to the effect. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abell 1142 and the Missing Central Galaxy – A Cluster in Transition?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Alexander; Su, Yuanyuan; Buote, David; Forman, William; van Weeren, Reinout; Jones, Christine; Gastaldello, Fabio; Kraft, Ralph; Randall, Scott

2018-01-01

Two types of galaxy clusters exist: cool core (CC) clusters which exhibit centrally-peaked metallicity and X-ray emission and non-cool core (NCC) clusters, possessing comparably homogeneous metallicity and X-ray emission distributions. However, the origin of this dichotomy is still unknown. The current prevailing theories state that either there is a primordial entropy limit, above which a CC is unable to form, or that clusters can change type through major mergers and radiative cooling. Abell 1142 is a galaxy cluster that can provide a unique probe of the root of this cluster-type division. It is formed of two merging sub-clusters, each with its own brightest cluster galaxies (BCG). Its enriched X-ray centroid (possible CC remnant) lies between these two BCGs. We present the thermal and chemical distributions of this system using deep (180ks) XMM-Newton observations to shed light on the role of mergers in the evolution of galaxy clusters.

Cloud Service Selection Using Multicriteria Decision Analysis

PubMed Central

Anuar, Nor Badrul; Shiraz, Muhammad; Haque, Israat Tanzeena

2014-01-01

Cloud computing (CC) has recently been receiving tremendous attention from the IT industry and academic researchers. CC leverages its unique services to cloud customers in a pay-as-you-go, anytime, anywhere manner. Cloud services provide dynamically scalable services through the Internet on demand. Therefore, service provisioning plays a key role in CC. The cloud customer must be able to select appropriate services according to his or her needs. Several approaches have been proposed to solve the service selection problem, including multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA). MCDA enables the user to choose from among a number of available choices. In this paper, we analyze the application of MCDA to service selection in CC. We identify and synthesize several MCDA techniques and provide a comprehensive analysis of this technology for general readers. In addition, we present a taxonomy derived from a survey of the current literature. Finally, we highlight several state-of-the-art practical aspects of MCDA implementation in cloud computing service selection. The contributions of this study are four-fold: (a) focusing on the state-of-the-art MCDA techniques, (b) highlighting the comparative analysis and suitability of several MCDA methods, (c) presenting a taxonomy through extensive literature review, and (d) analyzing and summarizing the cloud computing service selections in different scenarios. PMID:24696645

Genetic diversity and population structure of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus isolated from naturally fermented dairy foods.

PubMed

Song, Yuqin; Sun, Zhihong; Guo, Chenyi; Wu, Yarong; Liu, Wenjun; Yu, Jie; Menghe, Bilige; Yang, Ruifu; Zhang, Heping

2016-03-04

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus is one of the most widely used starter culture strains in industrial fermented dairy manufacture. It is also common in naturally fermented dairy foods made using traditional methods. The subsp. bulgaricus strains found in naturally fermented foods may be useful for improving current industrial starter cultures; however, little is known regarding its genetic diversity and population structure. Here, a collection of 298 L. delbrueckii strains from naturally fermented products in Mongolia, Russia, and West China was analyzed by multi-locus sequence typing based on eight conserved genes. The 251 confirmed subsp. bulgaricus strains produced 106 unique sequence types, the majority of which were assigned to five clonal complexes (CCs). The geographical distribution of CCs was uneven, with CC1 dominated by Mongolian and Russian isolates, and CC2-CC5 isolates exclusively from Xinjiang, China. Population structure analysis suggested six lineages, L1-L6, with various homologous recombination rates. Although L2-L5 were mainly restricted within specific regions, strains belonging to L1 and L6 were observed in diverse regions, suggesting historical transmission events. These results greatly enhance our knowledge of the population diversity of subsp. bulgaricus strains, and suggest that strains from CC1 and L4 may be useful as starter strains in industrial fermentation.

Cloud service selection using multicriteria decision analysis.

PubMed

Whaiduzzaman, Md; Gani, Abdullah; Anuar, Nor Badrul; Shiraz, Muhammad; Haque, Mohammad Nazmul; Haque, Israat Tanzeena

2014-01-01

Cloud computing (CC) has recently been receiving tremendous attention from the IT industry and academic researchers. CC leverages its unique services to cloud customers in a pay-as-you-go, anytime, anywhere manner. Cloud services provide dynamically scalable services through the Internet on demand. Therefore, service provisioning plays a key role in CC. The cloud customer must be able to select appropriate services according to his or her needs. Several approaches have been proposed to solve the service selection problem, including multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA). MCDA enables the user to choose from among a number of available choices. In this paper, we analyze the application of MCDA to service selection in CC. We identify and synthesize several MCDA techniques and provide a comprehensive analysis of this technology for general readers. In addition, we present a taxonomy derived from a survey of the current literature. Finally, we highlight several state-of-the-art practical aspects of MCDA implementation in cloud computing service selection. The contributions of this study are four-fold: (a) focusing on the state-of-the-art MCDA techniques, (b) highlighting the comparative analysis and suitability of several MCDA methods, (c) presenting a taxonomy through extensive literature review, and (d) analyzing and summarizing the cloud computing service selections in different scenarios.

[Invasive meningococcal disease in the Czech Republic - analysis of the epidemiological situation and vaccination strategy recommendations].

PubMed

Křížová, Pavla; Vacková, Zuzana; Musílek, Martin; Kozáková, Jana

2013-12-01

Analysis of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) surveillance data including molecular epidemio-logy data. Vaccination strategy recommendations based on the current epidemiological situation of IMD in the Czech Republic and availability of meningococcal vaccines. IMD surveillance data are compiled by the National Reference Laboratory for Meningococcal Disease (NRL) from routinely reported data and NRL data after clearing out duplicate data. Neisseria meningitidis (N.m.) isolates referred to the NRL are confirmed and characterized in detail according to internationally validated methods. The current epidemiological situation of IMD is relatively favourable - the incidence rates have been below 1/100,000 population for several years, but show a slightly upward trend over more than 40-year period (1970-2012). A return to the typical prevalence of serogroup B accounting for up to 75% of cases has recently been shown. In this context, the upward trend in IMD caused by serogroup Y associated with a high case fatality rate in the Czech Republic cannot be overseen or even underestimated. The hypervirulent clonal complex cc11 characteristic of N.m.C:2a:P1.2,5 prevailed in this country between 1993 and 2004, but decreased in the following years and currently, hypervirulent clonal complexes characteristic of N.m.B (cc18, cc32, cc41/44, and cc269) are the most common in the Czech Republic. The average overall case fatality rate in the Czech Republic is 10%, but varies between causative serogroups: the highest case fatality rate has been caused by serogroup Y (16.7% ), followed by serogroup C (12.3%), and serogroup W135 (11.7%), while serogroup B only accounts for a case fatality rate of 7.8%. In the age group under one year, the incidence of IMD caused by serogroup B remains three to five times as high as in the age groups 1-4 years and 15-19 years throughout the surveillance period. The highest numbers of IMD cases caused by serogroup B have been reported in 3-7-month-olds. Based on the IMD surveillance data from the Czech Republic, the NRL recommends a vaccination strategy to provide an adequate protection to individuals. To induce an immune response as wide as possible, the tetravalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine A,C,Y,W135 in combination with the newly registered MenB vaccine designed by reverse vaccinology should be given. To maintain immunity, subsequent booster doses are required at intervals depending on the primary vaccination age.

Treatment of leachate by electrocoagulation using aluminum and iron electrodes.

PubMed

Ilhan, Fatih; Kurt, Ugur; Apaydin, Omer; Gonullu, M Talha

2008-06-15

In this paper, treatment of leachate by electrocoagulation (EC) has been investigated in a batch process. The sample of leachate was supplied from Odayeri Landfill Site in Istanbul. Firstly, EC was compared with classical chemical coagulation (CC) process via COD removal. The first comparison results with 348 A/m2 current density showed that EC process has higher treatment performance than CC process. Secondly, effects of process variables such as electrode material, current density (from 348 to 631 A/m2), pH, treatment cost, and operating time for EC process are investigated on COD and NH4-N removal efficiencies. The appropriate electrode type search for EC provided that aluminum supplies more COD removal (56%) than iron electrode (35%) at the end of the 30 min operating time. Finally, EC experiments were also continued to determine the efficiency of ammonia removal, and the effects of current density, mixing, and aeration. All the findings of the study revealed that treatment of leachate by EC can be used as a step of a joint treatment.

Five ab initio potential energy and dipole moment surfaces for hydrated NaCl and NaF. I. Two-body interactions

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

Wang, Yimin, E-mail: yimin.wang@emory.edu; Bowman, Joel M., E-mail: jmbowma@emory.edu; Kamarchik, Eugene, E-mail: eugene.kamarchik@gmail.com

2016-03-21

We report full-dimensional, ab initio-based potentials and dipole moment surfaces for NaCl, NaF, Na{sup +}H{sub 2}O, F{sup −}H{sub 2}O, and Cl{sup −}H{sub 2}O. The NaCl and NaF potentials are diabatic ones that dissociate to ions. These are obtained using spline fits to CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pV5Z energies. In addition, non-linear least square fits using the Born-Mayer-Huggins potential are presented, providing accurate parameters based strictly on the current ab initio energies. The long-range behavior of the NaCl and NaF potentials is shown to go, as expected, accurately to the point-charge Coulomb interaction. The three ion-H{sub 2}O potentials are permutationally invariant fits to roughly 20 000more » coupled cluster CCSD(T) energies (awCVTZ basis for Na{sup +} and aVTZ basis for Cl{sup −} and F{sup −}), over a large range of distances and H{sub 2}O intramolecular configurations. These potentials are switched accurately in the long range to the analytical ion-dipole interactions, to improve computational efficiency. Dipole moment surfaces are fits to MP2 data; for the ion-ion cases, these are well described in the intermediate- and long-range by the simple point-charge expression. The performance of these new fits is examined by direct comparison to additional ab initio energies and dipole moments along various cuts. Equilibrium structures, harmonic frequencies, and electronic dissociation energies are also reported and compared to direct ab initio results. These indicate the high fidelity of the new PESs.« less

Temperature dependent charge transport in poly(3-hexylthiophene) diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahaman, Abdulla Bin; Sarkar, Atri; Banerjee, Debamalya

2018-04-01

In this work, we present charge transport properties of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) diodes under dark conditions. Temperature dependent current-voltage (J-V) characteristics shows that charge transport represents a transition from ohomic to trap limited current. The forward current density obeys a power law J˜Vm, m>2 represents the space charge limited current region in presence of traps within the band gap. Frequency dependent conductivity has been studied in a temperature range 150K-473K. The dc conductivity values show Arrhenius like behavior and it gives conductivity activation energy 223 meV. Temperature dependent conductivity indicates a thermodynamic transition of our system.

Molecular characterization and expression of three preprosomatostatin genes and their association with growth in common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

PubMed

Feng, Xiu; Yu, Xiaomu; Pang, Meixia; Liu, Haiyang; Tong, Jingou

2015-04-01

Somatostatins (SSs) are a structurally diverse family of peptides that play important roles in the regulation of growth, development and metabolism in vertebrates. In this study, three preprosomatostatin genes (PSSs) in the common carp, Cyprinus carpio (Cc) were identified and characterized. Based on cloned sequences and genome BLAST, six isoforms of the PSS gene in C. carpio (CcPSS) were identified and included CcPSS1a and CcPSS1b, CcPSS2a and CcPSS2b, and finally, CcPSS3a and CcPSS3b. The open reading frames (ORF) of CcPSS1a, CcPSS2a and CcPSS3a consist of 345, 336 and 363 nucleotides. During embryonic development, the expressions of CcPSS2 and CcPSS3 were first observed at the stage of optic vesicle, and CcPSS1 mRNA was initially detected at the stage of muscular effect. The highest mRNA levels of CcPSS1, CcPSS2 and CcPSS3 were observed at 1-day post-hatch (dph), 2-dph and the stage of heart beating, respectively. In the adult brain, the distributions of three CcPSS mRNAs were differential but overlapping in the hypothalamus, telencephalon and medulla oblongata. For peripheral tissues, all three CcPSS mRNAs were detected in the mid-intestine, and CcPSS1 and CcPSS3 mRNAs were also expressed in the liver. Owing to the importance of somatostatins on regulating growth, functional mutations of CcPSSs were identified in a C. carpio population. A total of 23 polymorphic sites were detected in CcPSS1a and CcPSS3a. Of them, two SNPs (CcPSS1a-g.922C>T, and CcPSS3a-g.1125C>A) were significantly associated with growth traits, indicating their potential applications in gene (marker)-assisted selective breeding in C. carpio. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lithium-ion battery diagnostic and prognostic techniques

DOEpatents

Singh, Harmohan N.

2009-11-03

Embodiments provide a method and a system for determining cell imbalance condition of a multi-cell battery including a plurality of cell strings. To determine a cell imbalance condition, a charge current is applied to the battery and is monitored during charging. The charging time for each cell string is determined based on the monitor of the charge current. A charge time difference of any two cell strings in the battery is used to determine the cell imbalance condition by comparing with a predetermined acceptable charge time difference for the cell strings.

Zona pellucida gene mRNA expression in human oocytes is related to oocyte maturity, zona inner layer retardance and fertilization competence.

PubMed

Canosa, S; Adriaenssens, T; Coucke, W; Dalmasso, P; Revelli, A; Benedetto, C; Smitz, J

2017-05-01

Do the mRNA expression levels of zona pellucida (ZP) genes, ZP1, 2, 3 and 4 in oocyte and cumulus cells (CC) reveal relevant information on the oocyte? The ZP mRNA expression in human oocytes is related to oocyte maturity, zona inner layer (IL) retardance and fertilization capacity. ZP structure and birefringence provide useful information on oocyte cytoplasmic maturation, developmental competence for embryonic growth, blastocyst formation and pregnancy. In order to understand the molecular basis of morphological changes in the ZP, in the current study, the polarized light microscopy (PLM) approach was combined with analysis of the expression of the genes encoding ZP1, 2, 3 and 4, both in the oocytes and in the surrounding CC. This is a retrospective study comprising 98 supernumerary human cumulus oocyte complexes (COC) [80 Metaphase II (MII), 10 Metaphase I (MI) and 8 germinal vesicle (GV)] obtained from 39 patients (median age 33.4 years, range 22-42) after controlled ovarian stimulation. Single oocytes and their corresponding CC were analysed. Oocytes were examined using PLM, and quantitative RT-PCR was performed for ZP1, 2, 3 and 4 in these individual oocytes and their CC. Ephrin-B2 (EFNB2) mRNA was measured in CC as a control. Presence of ZP3 protein in CC and oocytes was investigated using immunocytochemistry. Data were analysed using one-parametric and multivariate analysis and were corrected for the potential impact of patient and cycle characteristics. Oocytes contained ZP1/2/3 and 4 mRNA while in CC only ZP3 was quantifiable. Also ZP3 protein was detected in human CC. When comparing mature (MII) and immature oocytes (MI/GV) or their corresponding CC, ZP1/2 and 4 expression was lower in mature oocytes compared to the expression in immature oocytes (all P < 0.05) and ZP3 expression was lower in the CC of mature oocytes compared to the expression in CC of immature oocytes (P < 0.05). This coincided with a significantly smaller IL-ZP area and thickness in mature oocytes than in immature oocytes (all P < 0.05). In mature oocytes, IL-ZP retardance was significantly correlated with the expression of all four ZP mRNAs (all P < 0.05). The oocyte ZP3 expression was the main predictor of the fertilization capacity, next to IL-retardance and IL-thickness. Using stepwise regression analysis, IL-thickness combined with EFNB2 expression in CC and the patient's ovarian response resulted in a noninvasive oocyte fertilization prediction model. Not applicable. This is a retrospective study and the relation of oocyte mRNA levels to fertilization capacity is indirect as oocyte gene expression analysis required lysis of the oocyte. Overall relations between PLM observations, mRNA expression changes and intrinsic oocyte competence were successfully documented. As such PLM and CC gene expression are confirmed as valuable noninvasive techniques to evaluate oocyte competence. This study was funded by University of Torino, Italy, WFWG UZ-Brussel and Agentschap voor Innovatie door Wetenschap en Technologie IWT 110680, Belgium. All authors declare that their participation in the study did not involve actual or potential conflicts of interests. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Currents Induced by Injected Charge in Junction Detectors

PubMed Central

Gaubas, Eugenijus; Ceponis, Tomas; Kalesinskas, Vidas

2013-01-01

The problem of drifting charge-induced currents is considered in order to predict the pulsed operational characteristics in photo- and particle-detectors with a junction controlled active area. The direct analysis of the field changes induced by drifting charge in the abrupt junction devices with a plane-parallel geometry of finite area electrodes is presented. The problem is solved using the one-dimensional approach. The models of the formation of the induced pulsed currents have been analyzed for the regimes of partial and full depletion. The obtained solutions for the current density contain expressions of a velocity field dependence on the applied voltage, location of the injected surface charge domain and carrier capture parameters. The drift component of this current coincides with Ramo's expression. It has been illustrated, that the synchronous action of carrier drift, trapping, generation and diffusion can lead to a vast variety of possible current pulse waveforms. Experimental illustrations of the current pulse variations determined by either the rather small or large carrier density within the photo-injected charge domain are presented, based on a study of Si detectors. PMID:24036586

Rapid, efficient charging of lead-acid and nickel-zinc traction cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smithrick, J. J.

1978-01-01

Lead-acid and nickel-zinc traction cells were rapidly and efficiently charged using a high rate tapered direct current (HRTDC) charge method which could possibly be used for on-the-road service recharge of electric vehicles. The HRTDC method takes advantage of initial high cell charge acceptance and uses cell gassing rate and temperature as an indicator of charging efficiency. On the average, in these preliminary tests, 300 amp-hour nickel-zinc traction cells were given a HRTDC (initial current 500 amps, final current 100 amps) to 78 percent of rated amp-hour capacity within 53 minutes at an amp-hour efficiency of 92 percent and an energy efficiency of 52 percent. Three hundred amp-hour lead-acid traction cells were charged to 69 percent of rated amp-hour capacity within 46 minutes at an amp-hour efficiency of 91 percent with an energy efficiency of 64 percent. In order to find ways to further decrease the recharge times, the effect of periodically (0 to 400 Hz) pulse discharging cells during a constant current charging process (94% duty cycle) was investigated. Preliminary data indicate no significant effect of this type of pulse discharging during charge on charge acceptance of lead-acid or nickel-zinc cells.

Delocalization of charge and current in a chiral quasiparticle wave packet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Subhajit

2018-03-01

A chiral quasiparticle wave packet (c-QPWP) is defined as a conventional superposition of chiral quasiparticle states corresponding to an interacting electron system in two dimensions (2D) in the presence of Rashba spin-orbit coupling (RSOC). I investigate its internal structure via studying the charge and the current densities within the first-order perturbation in the electron-electron interaction. It is found that the c-QPWP contains a localized charge which is less than the magnitude of the bare charge and the remaining charge resides at the system boundary. The amount of charge delocalized turns out to be inversely proportional to the degenerate Fermi velocity v0(=√{α2+2 μ /m }) when RSOC (with strength α ) is weak, and therefore externally tunable. For strong RSOC, the magnitudes of both the delocalized charge and the current further strongly depend on the direction of propagation of the wave packet. Both the charge and the current densities consist of an anisotropic r-2 tail away from the center of the wave packet. Possible implications of such delocalizations in real systems corresponding to 2D semiconductor heterostructure are also discussed within the context of particle injection experiments.

Effects of IL6 C-634G polymorphism on tooth loss and their interaction with smoking habits.

PubMed

Suma, S; Naito, M; Wakai, K; Sasakabe, T; Hattori, Y; Okada, R; Kawai, S; Hishida, A; Morita, E; Nakagawa, H; Tamura, T; Hamajima, N

2015-09-01

To examine the association between an IL6 (Interleukin-6) polymorphism (C-634G or rs1800796) and tooth loss, and an interaction between the polymorphism and smoking habits for the loss. Our subjects were 4917 check-up examinees ages 35-69. They reported tooth loss and lifestyle in a questionnaire. We regressed the number of teeth on the IL6 genotype, gender, age, smoking, drinking, diabetes, hypertension, physical activity, energy intake, education, and brushing. We further estimated multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for having <20 teeth. Participants with a GG genotype tended to have less teeth than those with CC; β = -0.798 (95% confidence interval [CI] = -1.501--0.096). Subjects with a GG genotype were more likely to have <20 teeth than those with CC; OR was 1.56 (95% CI = 1.08-2.25). Association between current smoking and tooth loss was stronger among those with GG than among those with CC. In a multiple regression analysis, a significant interaction was found between GG genotype and current smoking in the prediction of tooth loss (P = 0.018). The IL6 C-634G polymorphism was significantly associated with tooth loss. Our results suggest greater effects of smoking on tooth loss in GG genotype individuals. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Optical progression characteristics of an interesting natural downward bipolar lightning flash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Luwen; Lu, Weitao; Zhang, Yijun; Wang, Daohong

2015-01-01

high-speed cameras, Lightning Attachment Process Observation Systems, and fast and slow electrical antennas, we documented a downward bipolar lightning flash that contained one first positive stroke with a peak current of 142 kA and five subsequent negative strokes hitting on a 90 m tall structure on 29 July 2010 in Guangzhou City, China. All the six strokes propagated along the same viewed channel established by the first positive return stroke. The leader which preceded the positive return stroke propagated downward without any branches at a two-dimensional (2-D) speed of 2.5 × 106 m/s. An upward connecting leader with a length of about 80 m was observed in response to the downward positive leader. The 10-90% risetimes of the return strokes' optical pulses ranged from 2.2 µs to 3.2 µs, while the widths from the 10% wavefront to the 50% wave tail ranged from 56.5 µs to 83.1 µs, and the half peak widths ranged from 53.4 µs to 81.6 µs. All the return strokes exhibited similar speeds, ranging from 1.0 × 108 m/s to 1.3 × 108 m/s. Each of the return strokes was followed by a continuing current stage (CC). The first positive stroke CC lasted more than 150 ms, much larger than all the subsequent negative stroke CC, ranging from 13 ms to 70 ms.

Real-time PCR-based infectivity assay for the titration of turkey hemorrhagic enteritis virus, an adenovirus, in live vaccines.

PubMed

Mahsoub, Hassan M; Evans, Nicholas P; Beach, Nathan M; Yuan, Lijuan; Zimmerman, Kurt; Pierson, Frank W

2017-01-01

The current in vitro titration method for turkey hemorrhagic enteritis virus (THEV) is the end-point dilution assay (EPD) in suspension cell culture (CC). This assay is subjective and results in high variability among vaccine lots. In this study, a new in vitro infectivity method combining a SYBR Green I-based qPCR assay and CC was developed for titration of live hemorrhagic enteritis (HE) CC vaccines. The qPCR was used to determine the virus genome copy number (vGCN) of the internalized virus particles following inoculation of susceptible RP19 cells with 1 vaccine label dose. The measured vGCN represents the number of infectious viral particles (IVP) per 1 dose. This method was used to compare 9 vaccine lots from 3 companies in the United States. Significant lot-to-lot variations within the same company and among the various companies were found in genomic and qPCR-based infectious titer per label dose. A positive linear relationship was found between qPCR infectious titer and genomic titer. Further, considerable variations in CCID 50 titers were found among tested vaccine lots, indicating the high variability of the current titration methods. The new method provides an alternative to classical titration assays and can help reduce variation among HE vaccine products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

After Apollo: Fission Origin of the Moon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Keefe, John A.

1973-01-01

Presents current ideas about the fission process of the Moon, including loss of mass. Saturnian rings, center of the Moon, binary stars, and uniformitarianism. Indicates that planetary formation may be best explained as a destructive, rather than a constructive process. (CC)

Space charge effects on the current-voltage characteristics of gated field emitter arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, K. L.; Kodis, M. A.; Murphy, R. A.; Zaidman, E. G.

1997-07-01

Microfabricated field emitter arrays (FEAs) can provide the very high electron current densities required for rf amplifier applications, typically on the order of 100 A/cm2. Determining the dependence of emission current on gate voltage is important for the prediction of emitter performance for device applications. Field emitters use high applied fields to extract current, and therefore, unlike thermionic emitters, the current densities can exceed 103A/cm2 when averaged over an array. At such high current densities, space charge effects (i.e., the influence of charge between cathode and collector on emission) affect the emission process or initiate conditions which can lead to failure mechanisms for field emitters. A simple model of a field emitter will be used to calculate the one-dimensional space charge effects on the emission characteristics by examining two components: charge between the gate and anode, which leads to Child's law, and charge within the FEA unit cell, which gives rise to a field suppression effect which can exist for a single field emitter. The predictions of the analytical model are compared with recent experimental measurements designed to assess space charge effects and predict the onset of gate current. It is shown that negative convexity on a Fowler-Nordheim plot of Ianode(Vgate) data can be explained in terms of field depression at the emitter tip in addition to reflection of electrons by a virtual cathode created when the anode field is insufficient to extract all of the current; in particular, the effects present within the unit cell constitute a newly described effect.

Spine Radiosurgery: A Dosimetric Analysis in 124 Patients Who Received 18 Gy

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

Schipani, Stefano; Wen, Winston; Jin, Jain-Yue

2012-12-01

Purpose: To define the safely tolerated doses to organs at risk (OARs) adjacent to the target volume (TV) of spine radiosurgery (SRS) with 18-Gy in a single fraction. Methods and Materials: A total of 124 patient cases with 165 spine metastases were reviewed. An 18-Gy single-fraction regimen was prescribed to the 90% isodose line encompassing the TV. A constraint of 10 Gy to 10% of the spinal cord outlined 6 mm above and below the TV was used. Dosimetric data to OARs were analyzed. Results: A total of 124 patients (100%) were followed-up, and median follow-up time was 7 monthsmore » (1-50 months). Symptoms and local control were achieved in 114 patients (92%). Acute Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) grade 1 oral mucositis occurred in 11 of 11 (100%) patients at risk for oropharyngeal toxicity after cervical spine treatment. There were no RTOG grade 2-4 acute or late complications. Median TV was 43.2 cc (5.3-175.4 cc) and 90% of the TV received median dose of 19 Gy (17-19.8 Gy). Median (range) of spinal cord maximum dose (Dmax), dose to spinal cord 0.35 cc (Dsc0.35), and cord volume receiving 10 Gy (Vsc10) were 13.8 Gy (5.4-21 Gy), 8.9 Gy (2.6-11.4 Gy) and 0.33 cc (0-1.6 cc), respectively. Other OARs were evaluated when in proximity to the TV. Esophagus (n=58), trachea (n=28), oropharynx (n=11), and kidneys (n=34) received median (range) V10 and V15 of 3.1 cc (0-5.8 cc) and 1.2 cc (0-2.9 cc), 2.8 cc (0-4.9 cc), and 0.8 cc (0-2.1 cc), 3.4 cc (0-6.2 cc) and 1.6 cc (0-3.2 cc), 0.3 cc (0-0.8 cc) and 0.08 cc (0-0.1 cc), respectively. Conclusions: Cord Dmax of 14 Gy and D0.35 of 10 Gy are safe dose constraints for 18-Gy single-fraction SRS. Esophagus V10 of 3 cc and V15 of 1 cc, trachea V10 of 3 cc, and V15 of 1 cc, oropharynx V10 of 3.5 cc and V15 of 1.5 cc, kidney V10 of 0.3 cc, and V15 of 0.1 cc are planning guidelines when these OARs are in proximity to the TV.« less

Enhancing State Medical Home Capacity through a Care Coordination Technical Assistance Model.

PubMed

Berry, Susan; Barovechio, Patti; Mabile, Emily; Tran, Tri

2017-10-01

Introduction A practice-based care coordination (CC) model was developed by Louisiana's Title V Children's Special Health Services (CSHS) program to meet the overwhelming needs of the New Orleans post-Katrina population. The pilot clinic demonstrated an improvement in medical home (MH) capacity over the course of 3 months. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the replicability of the model and sustainability of MH improvement over at least 2 years, while identifying factors that may modify the effect of the intervention. Methods The CSHS CC model utilizing a practice based care coordinator was implemented in 15 academic primary care pediatric clinics. Increase in MH capacity was determined using the MH Index-Short Version (MHI-SV) tool. Results The analysis of the MHI-SV scores for the ten clinics with >2 years of data demonstrated a significant improvement with each of the ten MHI-SV indicators. The mean clinic MHI-SV score improved from 19.70 to 34.15 on a scale of 10-50. Characteristics associated with the greatest MHI score improvement were rural geographic location, having an electronic health record, and using social workers or nurses as care coordinators. Characteristics associated with lower MHI scores were physician or care coordinator turnover and using stand-alone databases rather than tracking CC activities within the central patient record. Conclusion This study provides a flexible framework for implementing CC services in pediatric, family medicine, and medicine-pediatric practices, and demonstrates the value of CC as a driver for improvement in medical home capacity.

The impact of viral RNA on the association free energies of capsid protein assembly: bacteriophage MS2 as a case study.

PubMed

ElSawy, Karim M

2017-02-01

A large number of single-stranded RNA viruses assemble their capsid and their genomic material simultaneously. The RNA viral genome plays multiple roles in this process that are currently only partly understood. In this work, we investigated the thermodynamic basis of the role of viral RNA on the assembly of capsid proteins. The viral capsid of bacteriophage MS2 was considered as a case study. The MS2 virus capsid is composed of 60 AB and 30 CC protein dimers. We investigated the effect of RNA stem loop (the translational repressor TR) binding to the capsid dimers on the dimer-dimer relative association free energies. We found that TR binding results in destabilization of AB self-association compared with AB and CC association. This indicates that the association of the AB and CC dimers is the most likely assembly pathway for the MS2 virus, which explains the experimental observation of alternating patterns of AB and CC dimers in dominant assembly intermediates of the MS2 virus. The presence of viral RNA, therefore, dramatically channels virus assembly to a limited number of pathways, thereby enhancing the efficiency of virus self-assembly process. Interestingly, Thr59Ser and Thr45Ala mutations of the dimers, in the absence of RNA stem loops, lead to stabilization of AB self-association compared with the AB and CC associations, thereby channelling virus assembly towards a fivefold (AB) 5 pentamer intermediate, providing a testable hypothesis of our thermodynamic arguments.

Nondissipative optimum charge regulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosen, R.; Vitebsky, J. N.

1970-01-01

Optimum charge regulator provides constant level charge/discharge control of storage batteries. Basic power transfer and control is performed by solar panel coupled to battery through power switching circuit. Optimum controller senses battery current and modifies duty cycle of switching circuit to maximize current available to battery.

Polarization of gold in nanopores leads to ion current rectification

DOE PAGES

Yang, Crystal; Hinkle, Preston; Menestrina, Justin; ...

2016-10-03

Biomimetic nanopores with rectifying properties are relevant components of ionic switches, ionic circuits, and biological sensors. Rectification indicates that currents for voltages of one polarity are higher than currents for voltages of the opposite polarity. Ion current rectification requires the presence of surface charges on the pore walls, achieved either by the attachment of charged groups or in multielectrode systems by applying voltage to integrated gate electrodes. Here we present a simpler concept for introducing surface charges via polarization of a thin layer of Au present at one entrance of a silicon nitride nanopore. In an electric field applied bymore » two electrodes placed in bulk solution on both sides of the membrane, the Au layer polarizes such that excess positive charge locally concentrates at one end and negative charge concentrates at the other end. Consequently, a junction is formed between zones with enhanced anion and cation concentrations in the solution adjacent to the Au layer. This bipolar double layer together with enhanced cation concentration in a negatively charged silicon nitride nanopore leads to voltage-controlled surface-charge patterns and ion current rectification. The experimental findings are supported by numerical modeling that confirm modulation of ionic concentrations by the Au layer and ion current rectification even in low-aspect ratio nanopores. Lastly, our findings enable a new strategy for creating ionic circuits with diodes and transistors.« less

MRSA clonal complex 22 strains harboring toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1) are endemic in the primary hospital in Gaza, Palestine.

PubMed

Al Laham, Nahed; Mediavilla, José R; Chen, Liang; Abdelateef, Nahed; Elamreen, Farid Abu; Ginocchio, Christine C; Pierard, Denis; Becker, Karsten; Kreiswirth, Barry N

2015-01-01

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important pathogen in both community and healthcare-related settings worldwide. Current knowledge regarding the epidemiology of S. aureus and MRSA in Gaza is based on a single community-based carriage study. Here we describe a cross-sectional analysis of 215 clinical isolates collected from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza during 2008 and 2012. All isolates were characterized by spa typing, SCCmec typing, and detection of genes encoding Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) and toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1). Representative genotypes were also subjected to multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using VITEK2 and MicroScan. MRSA represented 56.3% of all S. aureus strains, and increased in frequency from 2008 (54.8%) to 2012 (58.4%). Aside from beta-lactams, resistance was observed to tetracycline, erythromycin, clindamycin, gentamicin, and fluoroquinolones. Molecular typing identified 35 spa types representing 17 MLST clonal complexes (CC), with spa 998 (Ridom t223, CC22) and spa 70 (Ridom t044, CC80) being the most prevalent. SCCmec types I, III, IV, V and VI were identified among MRSA isolates, while type II was not detected. PVL genes (lukF/S-PV) were detected in 40.0% of all isolates, while the TSST-1 gene (tst) was detected in 27.4% of all isolates, with surprisingly high frequency within CC22 (70.4%). Both PVL and TSST-1 genes were found in several isolates from 2012. Molecular typing of clinical isolates from Gaza hospitals revealed unusually high prevalence of TSST-1 genes among CC22 MRSA, which is noteworthy given a recent community study describing widespread carriage of a CC22 MRSA clone known as the 'Gaza strain'. While the latter did not address TSST-1, tst-positive spa 998 (Ridom t223) has been detected in several neighboring countries, and described as endemic in an Italian NICU, suggesting international spread of a 'Middle Eastern variant' of pandemic CC22 strain EMRSA-15.

Informing women about hormone replacement therapy: the consensus conference statement

PubMed Central

Mosconi, Paola; Donati, Serena; Colombo, Cinzia; Mele, Alfonso; Liberati, Alessandro; Satolli, Roberto

2009-01-01

Background The risks/benefits balance of hormone replacement therapy is controversial. Information can influence consumers' knowledge and behavior; research findings about hormone replacement therapy are uncertain and the messages provided by the media are of poor quality and incomplete, preventing a fully informed decision making process. We therefore felt that an explicit, rigorous and structured assessment of the information needs on this issue was urgent and we opted for the organisation of a national consensus conference (CC) to assess the current status of the quality of information on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and re-visit recent research findings on its risks/benefits. Methods We chose a structured approach based on the traditional CC method combined with a structured preparatory work supervised by an organising committee (OC) and a scientific board (SB). The OC and SB chose the members of the CC's jury and appointed three multidisciplinary working groups (MWG) which were asked to review clinical issues and different aspects of the quality of information. Before the CC, the three MWGs carried out: a literature review on the risk/benefit profile of HRT and two surveys on the quality of information on lay press and booklets targeted to women. A population survey on women's knowledge, attitude and practice was also carried out. The jury received the documents in advance, listened the presentations during the two-day meeting of the CCs, met immediately after in a closed-door meeting and prepared the final document. Participants were researchers, clinicians, journalists as well as consumers' representatives. Results Key messages in the CC's deliberation were: a) women need to be fully informed about the transient nature of menopausal symptoms, about HRT risks and benefits and about the availability of non-pharmacological interventions; b) HRT is not recommended to prevent menopausal symptoms; c) the term "HRT" is misleading and "post menopausal hormone therapy" should be the preferred definition. Conclusion This CC led to the identification of specific information drawbacks. Women are exposed to messages that are often partial, non evidence-based nor transparently developed. The structured and participative methodology of this CC allowed a multidisciplinary perspective and a substantial lay people input. PMID:19480688

Morphologic Features of Magnetic Resonance Imaging as a Surrogate of Capsular Contracture in Breast Cancer Patients With Implant-based Reconstructions.

PubMed

Tyagi, Neelam; Sutton, Elizabeth; Hunt, Margie; Zhang, Jing; Oh, Jung Hun; Apte, Aditya; Mechalakos, James; Wilgucki, Molly; Gelb, Emily; Mehrara, Babak; Matros, Evan; Ho, Alice

2017-02-01

Capsular contracture (CC) is a serious complication in patients receiving implant-based reconstruction for breast cancer. Currently, no objective methods are available for assessing CC. The goal of the present study was to identify image-based surrogates of CC using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We analyzed a retrospective data set of 50 patients who had undergone both a diagnostic MRI scan and a plastic surgeon's evaluation of the CC score (Baker's score) within a 6-month period after mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. The MRI scans were assessed for morphologic shape features of the implant and histogram features of the pectoralis muscle. The shape features, such as roundness, eccentricity, solidity, extent, and ratio length for the implant, were compared with the Baker score. For the pectoralis muscle, the muscle width and median, skewness, and kurtosis of the intensity were compared with the Baker score. Univariate analysis (UVA) using a Wilcoxon rank-sum test and multivariate analysis with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression was performed to determine significant differences in these features between the patient groups categorized according to their Baker's scores. UVA showed statistically significant differences between grade 1 and grade ≥2 for morphologic shape features and histogram features, except for volume and skewness. Only eccentricity, ratio length, and volume were borderline significant in differentiating grade ≤2 and grade ≥3. Features with P<.1 on UVA were used in the multivariate least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression analysis. Multivariate analysis showed a good level of predictive power for grade 1 versus grade ≥2 CC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.78, sensitivity 0.78, and specificity 0.82) and for grade ≤2 versus grade ≥3 CC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.75, sensitivity 0.75, and specificity 0.79). The morphologic shape features described on MR images were associated with the severity of CC. MRI has the potential to further improve the diagnostic ability of the Baker score in breast cancer patients who undergo implant reconstruction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Data Link Test and Analysis System/ATCRBS Transponder Test System

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

cc pcinit() pcinit.cc plotdato( plotdat. cc plotmsgo( sumscrn *cc plotqueo( sumscrn. cc pmsg () pmsg.cc pr_head() prhead.cc Virt init() print.cc pw...The code data from the Decode Status word from hardware. 2 a data-> wind nm - The reply window that this data came from. mvarms) NAME mparms - Modify...character is entered. m5sg() NAME pmsg - Print error message. Source file - pmsg.cc. FUNCTION CALL pmsg (ecode, str) int ecode; /* Error code */ char

Determining the source and genetic fingerprint of natural gases using noble gas geochemistry: a northern Appalachian Basin case study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hunt, Andrew G.; Darrah, Thomas H.; Poreda, Robert J.

2012-01-01

Silurian and Devonian natural gas reservoirs present within New York state represent an example of unconventional gas accumulations within the northern Appalachian Basin. These unconventional energy resources, previously thought to be noneconomically viable, have come into play following advances in drilling (i.e., horizontal drilling) and extraction (i.e., hydraulic fracturing) capabilities. Therefore, efforts to understand these and other domestic and global natural gas reserves have recently increased. The suspicion of fugitive mass migration issues within current Appalachian production fields has catalyzed the need to develop a greater understanding of the genetic grouping (source) and migrational history of natural gases in this area. We introduce new noble gas data in the context of published hydrocarbon carbon (C1,C2+) (13C) data to explore the genesis of thermogenic gases in the Appalachian Basin. This study includes natural gases from two distinct genetic groups: group 1, Upper Devonian (Marcellus shale and Canadaway Group) gases generated in situ, characterized by early mature (13C[C1  C2][13C113C2]: –9), isotopically light methane, with low (4He) (average, 1  103 cc/cc) elevated 4He/40Ar and 21Ne/40Ar (where the asterisk denotes excess radiogenic or nucleogenic production beyond the atmospheric ratio), and a variable, atmospherically (air-saturated–water) derived noble gas component; and group 2, a migratory natural gas that emanated from Lower Ordovician source rocks (i.e., most likely, Middle Ordovician Trenton or Black River group) that is currently hosted primarily in Lower Silurian sands (i.e., Medina or Clinton group) characterized by isotopically heavy, mature methane (13C[C1 – C2] [13C113C2]: 3), with high (4He) (average, 1.85  103 cc/cc) 4He/40Ar and 21Ne/40Ar near crustal production levels and elevated crustal noble gas content (enriched 4He,21Ne, 40Ar). Because the release of each crustal noble gas (i.e., He, Ne, Ar) from mineral grains in the shale matrix is regulated by temperature, natural gases obtain and retain a record of the thermal conditions of the source rock. Therefore, noble gases constitute a valuable technique for distinguishing the genetic source and post-genetic processes of natural gases.

Woody-plant ecosystems under climate change and air pollution-response consistencies across zonobiomes?

PubMed

Matyssek, R; Kozovits, A R; Wieser, G; King, J; Rennenberg, H

2017-06-01

Forests store the largest terrestrial pools of carbon (C), helping to stabilize the global climate system, yet are threatened by climate change (CC) and associated air pollution (AP, highlighting ozone (O3) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)). We adopt the perspective that CC-AP drivers and physiological impacts are universal, resulting in consistent stress responses of forest ecosystems across zonobiomes. Evidence supporting this viewpoint is presented from the literature on ecosystem gross/net primary productivity and water cycling. Responses to CC-AP are compared across evergreen/deciduous foliage types, discussing implications of nutrition and resource turnover at tree and ecosystem scales. The availability of data is extremely uneven across zonobiomes, yet unifying patterns of ecosystem response are discernable. Ecosystem warming results in trade-offs between respiration and biomass production, affecting high elevation forests more than in the lowland tropics and low-elevation temperate zone. Resilience to drought is modulated by tree size and species richness. Elevated O3 tends to counteract stimulation by elevated carbon dioxide (CO2). Biotic stress and genomic structure ultimately determine ecosystem responsiveness. Aggrading early- rather than mature late-successional communities respond to CO2 enhancement, whereas O3 affects North American and Eurasian tree species consistently under free-air fumigation. Insect herbivory is exacerbated by CC-AP in biome-specific ways. Rhizosphere responses reflect similar stand-level nutritional dynamics across zonobiomes, but are modulated by differences in tree-soil nutrient cycling between deciduous and evergreen systems, and natural versus anthropogenic nitrogen (N) oversupply. The hypothesis of consistency of forest responses to interacting CC-AP is supported by currently available data, establishing the precedent for a global network of long-term coordinated research sites across zonobiomes to simultaneously advance both bottom-up (e.g., mechanistic) and top-down (systems-level) understanding. This global, synthetic approach is needed because high biological plasticity and physiographic variation across individual ecosystems currently limit development of predictive models of forest responses to CC-AP. Integrated research on C and nutrient cycling, O3-vegetation interactions and water relations must target mechanisms' ecosystem responsiveness. Worldwide case studies must be subject to biostatistical exploration to elucidate overarching response patterns and synthesize the resulting empirical data through advanced modelling, in order to provide regionally coherent, yet globally integrated information in support of internationally coordinated decision-making and policy development. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Spacecraft Charging Current Balance Model Applied to High Voltage Solar Array Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willis, Emily M.; Pour, Maria Z. A.

2016-01-01

Spacecraft charging induced by high voltage solar arrays can result in power losses and degradation of spacecraft surfaces. In some cases, it can even present safety issues for astronauts performing extravehicular activities. An understanding of the dominant processes contributing to spacecraft charging induced by solar arrays is important to current space missions, such as the International Space Station, and to any future space missions that may employ high voltage solar arrays. A common method of analyzing the factors contributing to spacecraft charging is the current balance model. Current balance models are based on the simple idea that the spacecraft will float to a potential such that the current collecting to the surfaces equals the current lost from the surfaces. However, when solar arrays are involved, these currents are dependent on so many factors that the equation becomes quite complicated. In order for a current balance model to be applied to solar array operations, it must incorporate the time dependent nature of the charging of dielectric surfaces in the vicinity of conductors1-3. This poster will present the factors which must be considered when developing a current balance model for high voltage solar array operations and will compare results of a current balance model with data from the Floating Potential Measurement Unit4 on board the International Space Station.

Modelling of an advanced charging system for electric vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan Jaafar, Abdul; Rahman, Ataur; Mohiuddin, A. K. M.; Rashid, Mahbubur

2017-03-01

Climate Change is recognized as one of the greatest environmental problem facing the World today and it has long been appreciated by governments that reducing the impact of the internal combustion (IC) engine powered motor vehicle has an important part to play in addressing this threat. In Malaysia, IC engine powered motor vehicle accounts almost 90% of the national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The need to reduce the emission is paramount, as Malaysia has pledged to reduce 40% of CO2 intensity by 2020 from 2005 level by 25% of improvement in average fuel consumption. The introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) is one of the initiatives. However in terms of percentage, the electric vehicles have not been commonly used by people nowadays and one of the reasons is lack in charging infrastructure especially when cars are on the road. The aim of this study is to simulate and model an advanced charging system for the charging infrastructure of EVs/HEVs all over the nation with slow charging mode with charging current 25 A, medium charging mode with charging current 50 A and fast charging mode with charging current 100 A. The slow charging mode is proposed for residence, medium charging mode for office parking lots, and fast charging mode is called fast charging track for charging station on road. With three modes charger topology, consumers could choose a suitable mode for their car based on their need. The simulation and experiment of advanced charging system has been conducted on a scale down battery pack of nominal voltage of 3.75 V and capacity of 1020 mAh. Result shows that the battery could be charging less than 1 hour with fast charging mode. However, due to limitation of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) power grid, the maximum 50 A current is considered to be the optimized passive mode for the EV’s battery charging system. The developed advanced charger prototype performance has been compared with the simulation result and conventional charger performance, the maximum variation has been found 15%, this closed agreement between the advanced charger prototype, simulation model and conventional charger validate the prototype model. Furthermore, based on the result presented in this report, the battery to be charged up to 85% of its rated capacity by constant current mode only rather than continue with constant voltage, which could shorten the battery charging time by 16% and prolong the battery life by 10%.

An Electrochemical DNA Biosensor for the Detection of Salmonella Using Polymeric Films and Electrochemical Labels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diaz Serrano, Madeline

Waterborne and foodborne diseases are one of the principal public health problems worldwide. Microorganisms are the major agents of foodborne illness: pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni and Escherichia coli, and parasites such as cryptosporidium. The most popular methods to detect Salmonella are based on culture and colony counting methods, ELISA, Gel electrophoresis and the polymerase chain reaction. Conventional detection methods are laborious and time-consuming, allowing for portions of the food to be distributed, marketed, sold and eaten before the analysis is done and the problem even detected. By these reasons, the rapid, easy and portable detection of foodborne organisms will facilitate the disease treatment. Our particular interest is to develop a nucleic acid biosensor (NAB) for the detection of pathogenic microorganisms in food and water samples. In this research, we report on the development of a NAB prototype using a polymer modified electrode surface together with sequences of different lengths for the OmpC gene from Salmonella as probes and Ferrocene-labeled target (Fc-ssDNA), Ferrocene-labeled tri(ethylene glycol) (Fc-PEG) and Ruthenium-Ferrocene (Ru-Fe) bimetallic complex as an electrochemical labels. We have optimized several PS films and anchored nucleic acid sequences with different lengths at gold and carbon surfaces. Non contact mode AFM and XPS were used to monitor each step of the NAB preparation, from polymer modification to oligos hybridization (conventional design). The hybridization reaction was followed electrochemically using a Fc-ssDNA and Fc-PEG in solution taking advantage of the morphological changes generated upon hybridization. We observed a small current at the potential for the Fe oxidation without signal amplification at +296 mV vs. Ag/AgCl for the Fc-ssDNA strategy and a small current at +524 mV for the Fc-PEG strategy. The immobilization, hybridization and signal amplification of Biotin- OmpC Salmonella genes generated by E.Z. Vega were obtained on NHS-PS-NHS 10.3 KD and detected by SWV and CC using Ru-Fe bimetallic complex as a redox label and GOx/glucose in PBS buffer. Calibration curves of biotin-OmpC probe hybridization were performed by CC, a catalytic charge was observed due to the presence of Ru-Fe bimetallic complex, GOx-A and glucose. The lowest target sequence detectable concentration was 0.41 microM.

Power control apparatus and methods for electric vehicles

DOEpatents

Gadh, Rajit; Chung, Ching-Yen; Chu, Chi-Cheng; Qiu, Li

2016-03-22

Electric vehicle (EV) charging apparatus and methods are described which allow the sharing of charge current between multiple vehicles connected to a single source of charging energy. In addition, this charge sharing can be performed in a grid-friendly manner by lowering current supplied to EVs when necessary in order to satisfy the needs of the grid, or building operator. The apparatus and methods can be integrated into charging stations or can be implemented with a middle-man approach in which a multiple EV charging box, which includes an EV emulator and multiple pilot signal generation circuits, is coupled to a single EV charge station.

High temperature charge amplifier for geothermal applications

DOEpatents

Lindblom, Scott C.; Maldonado, Frank J.; Henfling, Joseph A.

2015-12-08

An amplifier circuit in a multi-chip module includes a charge to voltage converter circuit, a voltage amplifier a low pass filter and a voltage to current converter. The charge to voltage converter receives a signal representing an electrical charge and generates a voltage signal proportional to the input signal. The voltage amplifier receives the voltage signal from the charge to voltage converter, then amplifies the voltage signal by the gain factor to output an amplified voltage signal. The lowpass filter passes low frequency components of the amplified voltage signal and attenuates frequency components greater than a cutoff frequency. The voltage to current converter receives the output signal of the lowpass filter and converts the output signal to a current output signal; wherein an amplifier circuit output is selectable between the output signal of the lowpass filter and the current output signal.

Insulator charging limits direct current across tunneling metal-insulator-semiconductor junctions

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

Vilan, Ayelet

Molecular electronics studies how the molecular nature affects the probability of charge carriers to tunnel through the molecules. Nevertheless, transport is also critically affected by the contacts to the molecules, an aspect that is often overlooked. Specifically, the limited ability of non-metallic contacts to maintain the required charge balance across the fairly insulating molecule often have dramatic effects. This paper shows that in the case of lead/organic monolayer-silicon junctions, a charge balance is responsible for an unusual current scaling, with the junction diameter (perimeter), rather than its area. This is attributed to the balance between the 2D charging at themore » metal/insulator interface and the 3D charging of the semiconductor space-charge region. A derivative method is developed to quantify transport across tunneling metal-insulator-semiconductor junctions; this enables separating the tunneling barrier from the space-charge barrier for a given current-voltage curve, without complementary measurements. The paper provides practical tools to analyze specific molecular junctions compatible with existing silicon technology, and demonstrates the importance of contacts' physics in modeling charge transport across molecular junctions.« less

Coexistence of diploid, triploid and tetraploid crucian carp (Carassius auratus) in natural waters

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Crucian carp (abbreviated CC) belongs to the genus of Carassius within the family of Cyprinidae. It has been one of the most important freshwater species for Chinese aquaculture and is especially abundant in the Dongting water system of Hunan province. CC used to be considered as all diploid forms. However, coexistence of diploid (abbreviated 2nCC), triploid (abbreviated 3nCC) and tetraploid crucian carp (abbreviated 4nCC) population of the Dongting water system was first found by our recently researches. Results We examined the ploidy level and compared biological characteristics in different ploidy CC. In reproductive mode, 2nCC was bisexual generative and 4nCC generated all-female offspring by gynogenesis. However, 3nCC generated progenies in two different ways. 3nCC produced bisexual triploid offspring fertilized with 3nCC spermatozoa, while it produced all-female triploid offspring by gynogenesis when its ova were activated by heterogenous spermatozoa. The complete mitochondrial DNA of three different ploidy fishes was sequenced and analyzed, suggesting no significant differences. Interestingly, microchromosomes were found only in 3nCC, which were concluded to be the result of hybridization. Allogenetic DNA fragments of Sox genes were obtained in 3nCC and 4nCC, which were absent in 2nCC. Phylogenetics analysis based on Sox4 gene indicated 3nCC and 4nCC formed a separate group from 2nCC. Conclusions In summary, this is the first report of the co-existence of three types of different ploidy crucian carps in natural waters in China. It was proved that the coexistence of different ploidy CC was reproductively maintained. We further hypothesized that 3nCC and 4nCC were allopolyploids that resulted from hybridization. The different ploidy CC population we obtained in this study possesses great significance for the study of polyploidization and the evolution of vertebrates. PMID:21276259

Application of the CC(P;Q) Hierarchy of Coupled-Cluster Methods to the Beryllium Dimer.

PubMed

Magoulas, Ilias; Bauman, Nicholas P; Shen, Jun; Piecuch, Piotr

2018-02-08

The performance of coupled-cluster approaches with higher-than-doubly excited clusters, including the CCSD(T), CCSD(2) T , CR-CC(2,3), CCSD(TQ), and CR-CC(2,4) corrections to CCSD, the active-space CCSDt, CCSDtq, and CCSDTq methods, and the CC(t;3), CC(t,q;3), CC(t,q;3,4), and CC(q;4) corrections to CCSDt, CCSDtq, and CCSDTq resulting from the CC(P;Q) formalism, in reproducing the CCSDT and CCSDTQ potential energy curves and vibrational term values characterizing Be 2 in its electronic ground state is assessed. The correlation-consistent aug-cc-pVnZ and aug-cc-pCVnZ (n = T and Q) basis sets are employed. Among the CCSD-based corrections, the completely renormalized CR-CC(2,3) and CR-CC(2,4) approaches perform the best. The CC(t;3), CC(t,q;3), CC(t,q;3,4), and CC(q;4) methods, especially CC(t;3) and CC(q;4), outperform other employed approaches in reproducing the CCSDT and CCSDTQ data. Composite schemes combining the all-electron CCSDT calculations extrapolated to the complete basis set limit with the frozen-core CC(q;4) and CCSDTQ computations using the aug-cc-pVTZ basis to account for connected quadruple excitations reproduce the latest experimental vibrational spectrum of Be 2 to within 4-5 cm -1 , when the vibrational spacings are examined, with typical errors being below 1-2 cm -1 . The resulting binding energies and equilibrium bond lengths agree with their experimentally derived counterparts to within ∼10 cm -1 and 0.01 Å.

Long-term outcome of patients undergoing liver transplantation for mixed hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma: an analysis of the UNOS database.

PubMed

Vilchez, Valery; Shah, Malay B; Daily, Michael F; Pena, Luis; Tzeng, Ching-Wei D; Davenport, Daniel; Hosein, Peter J; Gedaly, Roberto; Maynard, Erin

2016-01-01

Mixed hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma (HCC-CC) have been associated with a poor prognosis after liver transplantation (LT). We aimed to evaluate long-term outcomes in patients undergoing LT for HCC-CC versus patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or cholangiocarcinoma (CC). Retrospective analysis of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database from 1994-2013. Overall survival (OS) in patients with HCC-CC, HCC, and CC, were compared. We identified 4049 patients transplanted for primary malignancy (94 HCC-CC; 3515 HCC; 440 CC). Mean age of patients with HCC-CC was 57 ± 10 years, and 77% were male. MELD score did not differ among the groups (p = 0.637). Hepatitis C virus was the most common secondary diagnosis within the HCC-CC (44%) and HCC (36%) cohorts, with primary sclerosing cholangitis in the CC (16%) cohort. OS rates at 1, 3 and 5 years for HCC-CC (82%, 47%, 40%) were similar to CC (79%, 58%, 47%), but significantly worse than HCC (86%, 72%, and 62% p = 0.002). Patients undergoing LT for HCC had significantly better survival compared to those transplanted for HCC-CC and CC. LT for mixed HCC-CC confers a survival rate similar to selected patients with CC. Efforts should be made to identify HCC-CC patients preoperatively. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Corpus callosum atrophy as a predictor of age-related cognitive and motor impairment: a 3-year follow-up of the LADIS study cohort.

PubMed

Ryberg, C; Rostrup, E; Paulson, O B; Barkhof, F; Scheltens, P; van Straaten, E C W; van der Flier, W M; Fazekas, F; Schmidt, R; Ferro, J M; Baezner, H; Erkinjuntti, T; Jokinen, H; Wahlund, L-O; Poggesi, A; Pantoni, L; Inzitari, D; Waldemar, G

2011-08-15

The aim of this 3-year follow-up study was to investigate whether corpus callosum (CC) atrophy may predict future motor and cognitive impairment in an elderly population. On baseline MRI from 563 subjects with age-related white matter changes (ARWMC) from the Leukoaraiosis And DISability (LADIS) study, the CC was segmented and subdivided into five anterior-posterior regions (CC1-CC5). Associations between the CC areas and decline in motor performance and cognitive functions over a 3-year period were analyzed. CC atrophy at baseline was significantly associated with impaired cognitive performance (p<0.01 for CC1, p<0.05 for CC5), motor function (p<0.05 for CC2 and CC5), and walking speed (p<0.01 for CC2 and CC5, p<0.05 for CC3 and total CC), and with development of dementia at 3 years (p<0.05 for CC1) after correction for appropriate confounders (ARWMC volume, atrophy, age, gender and handedness). In conclusion, CC atrophy, an indicator of reduced functional connectivity between cortical areas, seems to contribute, independently of ARWMC load, to future cognitive and motor decline in the elderly. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New values anthropometry for classification of nutritional status in the elderly.

PubMed

Silva Rodrigues, R A; Martinez Espinosa, M; Duarte Melo, C; Rodrigues Perracini, M; Rezende Fett, W C; Fett, C A

2014-07-01

Anthropometry provides information on the physical status of the individual and can be associated with aspects of health including nutritional status. Currently, the stratification of the arm and calf circumferences is classified into only two situations: "malnourished" and "well-nourished". A total of 513 interviews were conducted, and 391 elderly people (≥ 65 years) completed the assessment using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and anthropometry of selected samples of the population of Cuiabá-MT. The body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) was calculated for the elderly people, establishing five new reference values for circumferences, arm relaxed (RAC), abdomen (AC), and calf (CC) in centimeters (cm). The median age was 71 years (64% women and 36% men) and was correlated to the RAC (r=-0.180, p<0.001) and CC (r=-0.202, pp<0.001). The BMI obtained the median of 27 (15% malnourished, risk of malnutrition 13%, eutrophic 24%; overweight 33%, obese 16%), and it was correlated to the RAC (r=0.798, pp<0.001), AC (r=0.823 p p<0.001) and CC (r=0.605, pp<0.001). The MNA was 26 (malnourished 13.8%, risk of malnutrition 12.3%, well-nourished, 73.9%). The BMI stratification by morbidity vs no morbidity was 27.50 (n=287) and 24.4 (n=104) to total sample respectively (pp<0,05). The RAC x AC (r=0.798, pp<0.001), RAC x CC (r=0.648, pp<0.001), and CC x AC (r=0.496, pp<0.001) were correlated between themselves. The eutrophic classification by circumference for both genders: RAC=27.1-29.00 cm, AC=88.1-95.00 cm, CC=32.60-33.00 cm. There are more overweight and obese than malnourished, which is a risk factor for morbidity and MNA only identifies malnutrition. Circumferences showed good association with BMI and are easy to apply. Therefore, the proposal of the circumferences can simplify and expand the nutritional assessment.

A review on black carbon emissions, worldwide and in China.

PubMed

Ni, Mingjiang; Huang, Jianxin; Lu, Shengyong; Li, Xiaodong; Yan, Jianhua; Cen, Kefa

2014-07-01

Black carbon (BC) produced from open burning (OB) and controlled combustion (CC) is a range of carbonaceous products of incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuel, and is deemed as one of the major contributors to impact global environment and human health. BC has a strong relationship with POPs, in waste combustion, BC promotes the formation of POPs, and then the transport of POPs in the environment is highly influenced by BC. However less is known about BC formation, measurement and emissions estimation especially in developing countries such as China. Different forms of BC are produced both in CC and OB. BC emission characteristics and combustion parameters which determine BC emissions from CC and OB are discussed. Recent studies showed a lack of common methodology and the resulting data for describing the mechanisms related to BC formation during combustion processes. Because BC is a continuum carbonaceous combustion product, different sampling and measuring methods are used for measuring their emissions with great quantitative uncertainty. We discuss the commonly used BC sampling and measuring methods along with the causes for uncertainty and measures to minimizing the uncertainty. Then, we discuss the estimations of BC emission factors and emission inventory for CC and OB sources. The total emissions of BC from CC and OB in China are also estimated and compared with previous BC emission inventories in this review and we find the inventories tend to be overestimated. As China becomes the largest contributor to global BC emissions, studies for characterizing BC emissions from OB and CC sources are absent in China. Finally, we comment on the current state of BC emission research and identify major deficiencies that need to overcome. Moreover, the advancement in research tools, measuring technique in particular, as discussed in this review is critical for researchers in developing countries to improve their capability to study BC emissions for addressing the growing climate change and public health concerns. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discovery and Validation of Novel Expression Signature for Postcystectomy Recurrence in High-Risk Bladder Cancer

PubMed Central

Lam, Lucia L.; Ghadessi, Mercedeh; Erho, Nicholas; Vergara, Ismael A.; Alshalalfa, Mohammed; Buerki, Christine; Haddad, Zaid; Sierocinski, Thomas; Triche, Timothy J.; Skinner, Eila C.; Davicioni, Elai; Daneshmand, Siamak; Black, Peter C.

2014-01-01

Background Nearly half of muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients succumb to their disease following cystectomy. Selecting candidates for adjuvant therapy is currently based on clinical parameters with limited predictive power. This study aimed to develop and validate genomic-based signatures that can better identify patients at risk for recurrence than clinical models alone. Methods Transcriptome-wide expression profiles were generated using 1.4 million feature-arrays on archival tumors from 225 patients who underwent radical cystectomy and had muscle-invasive and/or node-positive bladder cancer. Genomic (GC) and clinical (CC) classifiers for predicting recurrence were developed on a discovery set (n = 133). Performances of GC, CC, an independent clinical nomogram (IBCNC), and genomic-clinicopathologic classifiers (G-CC, G-IBCNC) were assessed in the discovery and independent validation (n = 66) sets. GC was further validated on four external datasets (n = 341). Discrimination and prognostic abilities of classifiers were compared using area under receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUCs). All statistical tests were two-sided. Results A 15-feature GC was developed on the discovery set with area under curve (AUC) of 0.77 in the validation set. This was higher than individual clinical variables, IBCNC (AUC = 0.73), and comparable to CC (AUC = 0.78). Performance was improved upon combining GC with clinical nomograms (G-IBCNC, AUC = 0.82; G-CC, AUC = 0.86). G-CC high-risk patients had elevated recurrence probabilities (P < .001), with GC being the best predictor by multivariable analysis (P = .005). Genomic-clinicopathologic classifiers outperformed clinical nomograms by decision curve and reclassification analyses. GC performed the best in validation compared with seven prior signatures. GC markers remained prognostic across four independent datasets. Conclusions The validated genomic-based classifiers outperform clinical models for predicting postcystectomy bladder cancer recurrence. This may be used to better identify patients who need more aggressive management. PMID:25344601

Association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene C677T polymorphism with polycystic ovary syndrome risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis update.

PubMed

Fu, Li-yuan; Dai, Li-meng; Li, Xiao-gang; Zhang, Kun; Bai, Yun

2014-01-01

To re-estimate the association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) risk by critically reviewing, analyzing and updating the current evidence. MTHFR C677T polymorphism has been studied as a possible risk factor for a variety of common conditions including heart disease, stroke and hypertension. Its association with PCOS was negative in a previous meta-analysis which had possible shortcomings. More studies have now been done but their results remain inconclusive. Available case-control studies containing genotype frequencies of MTHFR C677T were chosen, and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the strength of the association. Statistical analyses were performed using software Review Manager (Version 5. 2) and Stata (Version 11.0). Nine case-control studies including 638 PCOS and 759 healthy controls were identified. Meta-analysis showed a significant effect in the dominant model (TT+CT vs. CC: OR=1.65, 95%CI=1.28-2.12, P<0.0001) and heterozygote comparison (CT vs. CC: OR=1.83, 95%CI=1.17-2.87, P=0.008). In subgroup analysis stratified by ethnicity, MTHFR C677T variant was statistically significantly relevant to PCOS risk in European populations (TT+CT vs. CC: OR=2.16, 95%CI=1.50-3.12, P<0.0001; CT vs. CC: OR=2.11, 95%CI=1.15-3.87, P=0.02) but not in Asian populations (TT+CT vs. CC: OR=1.29, 95%CI=0.91-1.82, P=0.15; CT vs. CC: OR=1.31, 95%CI=0.91-1.90, P=0.15). This meta-analysis indicates that the 677T allele increases PCOS susceptibility, and this relevance seems to be more intense in Europeans than in Asians. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Mid-arm and calf circumferences are stronger mortality predictors than body mass index for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Ho, Shu-Chuan; Wang, Jiun-Yi; Kuo, Han-Pin; Huang, Chien-Da; Lee, Kang-Yun; Chuang, Hsiao-Chi; Feng, Po-Hao; Chen, Tzu-Tao; Hsu, Min-Fang

2016-01-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is currently the third most common cause of death in the world. Patients with COPD experience airflow obstruction, weight loss, skeletal muscle dysfunction, and comorbidities. Anthropometric indicators are risk factors for mortality in geriatric assessment. This study examined and compared the associations of anthropometric indicators, such as low body mass index (BMI), low mid-arm circumference (MAC), and low calf circumference (CC), with the prediction of a 3-year follow-up mortality risk in patients with COPD. We recruited nonhospitalized patients with COPD without acute conditions from a general hospital in Taiwan. The BMI, MAC, and CC of all patients were measured, and they were followed for 3 years through telephone interviews and chart reviews. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves stratified by BMI, MAC, and CC were analyzed. Variables univariately associated with survival were entered into a multivariate Cox regression model. The Bayesian information criterion was used to compare the predictive ability of the three anthropometric indicators to predict mortality rate. In total, 104 patients were included (mean ± standard deviation age, 74.2±6.9 years; forced expiratory volume in 1 second [%], 58.4±20.4 predicted; males, 94.2%); 22 patients (21.2%) died during the 36-month follow-up. During this long-term follow-up, the three anthropometric indicators could predict mortality risk in patients with COPD (low BMI [<21 kg/m(2)], hazard ratio [HR] =2.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.10-7.10; low MAC [<23.5 cm], HR =3.09, 95% CI =1.30-7.38; low CC [<30 cm], HR =4.40, 95% CI =1.82-10.63). CC showed the strongest potential in predicting the mortality risk, followed by MAC and BMI. Among the three anthropometric variables examined, CC can be considered a strong predictor of mortality risk in patients with COPD.

Web-based recruiting for a survey on knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer prevention among young women living in Kanagawa prefecture, Japan.

PubMed

Miyagi, Etsuko; Motoki, Yoko; Asai-Sato, Mikiko; Taguri, Masataka; Morita, Satoshi; Hirahara, Fumiki; Wark, John D; Garland, Suzanne M

2014-09-01

Cervical cancer (CC) incidence and mortality among young women have been increasing in Japan. To develop effective measures to combat this, we assessed the feasibility of using a social networking site (SNS) to recruit a representative sample of young women to conduct a knowledge and attitude study about CC prevention via an internet-based questionnaire. From July 2012 to March 2013, advertising banners targeting women aged 16 to 35 years in Kanagawa Prefecture were placed on Facebook in a similar manner as an Australian (AUS) study conducted in 16- to 25-year-olds in 2010 and on a homepage to advertise our CC advocacy activities. Eligible participants were emailed instructions for accessing our secure Web site where they completed an online survey including demographics, awareness, and knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and CC. Data for the study population were compared with the general Japanese population and the AUS study. Among 394 women who expressed interest, 243 (62%) completed the survey, with 52% completing it via Facebook. Women aged 26 to 35 years, living in Yokohama City, with an education beyond high school, were overrepresented. Participants had high awareness and knowledge of HPV and CC, comparable with the AUS study participants. However, the self-reported HPV vaccination rate (22% among participants aged 16-25 years) and the recognition rate of the link between smoking and CC (31%) were significantly lower than in the AUS study (58% and 43%, respectively) (P < 0.05). Significant predictors of high knowledge scores about HPV included awareness of HPV vaccine (P < 0.001) and self-reported HPV vaccination (P < 0.05). The SNS and homepage are efficient methods to recruit young women into health surveys, which can effectively be performed online. A nationwide survey using SNSs would be an appropriate next step to better understand the current lack of uptake of the national HPV vaccine program by young women in Japan.

SU-E-J-121: Measuring Prompt Gamma Emission Profiles with a Multi-Stage Compton Camera During Proton Beam Irradiation: Initial Studies

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

Polf, J; McCleskey, M; Brown, S

2014-06-01

Purpose: Recent studies have suggested that the characteristics of prompt gammas (PG) emitted during proton beam irradiation are advantageous for determining beam range during treatment delivery. The purpose of this work was to determine the feasibility of determining the proton beam range from PG data measured with a prototype Compton camera (CC) during proton beam irradiation. Methods: Using a prototype multi-stage CC the PG emission from a water phantom was measured during irradiation with clinical proton therapy beams. The measured PG emission data was used to reconstruct an image of the PG emission using a backprojection reconstruction algorithm. One dimensionalmore » (1D) profiles extracted from the PG images were compared to: 1) PG emission data measured at fixed depths using collimated high purity Germanium and Lanthanum Bromide detectors, and 2) the measured depth dose profiles of the proton beams. Results: Comparisons showed that the PG emission profiles reconstructed from CC measurements agreed very well with the measurements of PG emission as a function of depth made with the collimated detectors. The distal falloff of the measured PG profile was between 1 mm to 4 mm proximal to the distal edge of the Bragg peak for proton beam ranges from 4 cm to 16 cm in water. Doses of at least 5 Gy were needed for the CC to measure sufficient data to image the PG profile and localize the distal PG falloff. Conclusion: Initial tests of a prototype CC for imaging PG emission during proton beam irradiation indicated that measurement and reconstruction of the PG profile was possible. However, due to limitations of the operational parameters (energy range and count rate) of the current CC prototype, doses of greater than a typical treatment dose (∼2 Gy) were needed to measure adequate PG signal to reconstruct viable images. Funding support for this project provided by a grant from DoD.« less

Thermoelectric Converter for Loop Heat Pipe Temperature Control: Experience and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ku, Jentung; Ottenstein, Laura

2010-01-01

This paper describes the theoretical background and implementation methodology of using a thermoelectric converter (TEC) for operating temperature control of a loop heat pipe (LHP). In particular, experimental results from ambient and thermal vacuum tests of an LHP are presented for illustrations. The most commonly used state-of-the-art method to control the LHP operating temperature is to cold bias its compensation chamber (CC) and use an electrical heater to maintain the CC at the desired set point temperature. Although effective, this approach has its shortcomings in that the electrical heater can only provide heating to the CC, and the required power can be large under certain conditions. An alternative method is to use a TEC, which is capable of providing both heating and cooling to the CC. In this method, one side of the TEC is attached to the CC, and the other side is connected to the evaporator via a thermal strap. Using a bipolar power supply and a control algorithm, a TEC can function as a heater or a cooler, depending on the direction of the current flow. Extensive ground tests of several LHPs have demonstrated that a TEC can provide very tight temperature control for the CC. It also offers several additional advantages: (1) The LHP can operate at temperatures below its natural operating temperature at low heat loads; (2) The required heater power for a TEC is much less than that for an electrical heater; and (3) It enhances the LHP start-up success. Although the concept of using a TEC for LHP temperature control is simple, there are many factors to be considered in its implementation for space applications because the TEC is susceptible to the shear stress and yet has to sustain the dynamic load under the spacecraft launch environment. The added features that help the TEC to withstand the dynamic load will inevitably affect the TEC thermal performance. Some experiences and lessons learned are addressed in this paper.

Modeling the effect of shunt current on the charge transfer efficiency of an all-vanadium redox flow battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yong-Song; Ho, Sze-Yuan; Chou, Han-Wen; Wei, Hwa-Jou

2018-06-01

In an all-vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB), a shunt current is inevitable owing to the electrically conductive electrolyte that fills the flow channels and manifolds connecting cells. The shunt current decreases the performance of a VRFB stack as well as the energy conversion efficiency of a VRFB system. To understand the shunt-current loss in a VRFB stack with various designs and operating conditions, a mathematical model is developed to investigate the effects of the shunt current on battery performance. The model is calibrated with experimental data under the same operating conditions. The effects of the battery design, including the number of cells, state of charge (SOC), operating current, and equivalent resistance of the electrolytes in the flow channels and manifolds, on the shunt current are analyzed and discussed. The charge-transfer efficiency is calculated to investigate the effects of the battery design parameters on the shunt current. When the cell number is increased from 5 to 40, the charge transfer efficiency is decreased from 0.99 to a range between 0.76 and 0.88, depending on operating current density. The charge transfer efficiency can be maintained at higher than 0.9 by limiting the cell number to less than 20.

Dual-Polarization Radar Observations of Upward Lightning-Producing Storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lueck, R.; Helsdon, J. H.; Warner, T.

2013-12-01

The Upward Lightning Triggering Study (UPLIGHTS) seeks to determine how upward lightning, which originates from the tips of tall objects, is triggered by nearby flash activity. As a component of this study we analyze standard and dual-polarization weather radar data. The Correlation Coefficient (CC) in particular can be used to identify and quantify the melting layer associated with storms that produce upward lightning. It has been proposed that positive charge generation due to aggregate shedding at the melting layer results in a positive charge region just above the cloud base. This positive charge region may serve as a positive potential well favorable for negative leader propagation, which initiate upward positive leaders from tall objects. We characterize the horizontal coverage, thickness and height of the melting layer in addition to cloud base heights when upward lightning occurs to determine trends and possible threshold criteria relating to upward lightning production. Furthermore, we characterize storm type and morphology using relevant schemes as well as precipitation type using the Hydrometer Classification Algorithm (HCA) for upward lightning-producing storms. Ice-phase hydrometeors have been shown to be a significant factor in thunderstorm electrification. Only a small fraction of storms produce upward lightning, so null cases will be examined and compared as well.

Hybrid Engine Powered City Car: Fuzzy Controlled Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Ataur; Mohiuddin, AKM; Hawlader, MNA; Ihsan, Sany

2017-03-01

This study describes a fuzzy controlled hybrid engine powered car. The car is powered by the lithium ion battery capacity of 1000 Wh is charged by the 50 cc hybrid engine and power regenerative mode. The engine is operated with lean mixture at 3000 rpm to charge the battery. The regenerative mode that connects with the engine generates electrical power of 500-600 W for the deceleration of car from 90 km/h to 20 km/h. The regenerated electrical power has been used to power the air-conditioning system and to meet the other electrical power. The battery power only used to propel the car. The regenerative power also found charging the battery for longer operation about 40 minutes and more. The design flexibility of this vehicle starts with whole-vehicle integration based on radical light weighting, drag reduction, and accessory efficiency. The energy efficient hybrid engine cut carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides (N2O) emission about 70-80% as the loads on the crankshaft such as cam-follower and its associated rotating components are replaced by electromagnetic systems, and the flywheel, alternator and starter motor are replaced by a motor generator. The vehicle was tested and found that it was able to travel 70 km/litre with the power of hybrid engine.

Electric field mill network products to improve detection of the lightning hazard

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maier, Launa M.

1987-01-01

An electric field mill network has been used at Kennedy Space Center for over 10 years as part of the thunderstorm detection system. Several algorithms are currently available to improve the informational output of the electric field mill data. The charge distributions of roughly 50 percent of all lightning can be modeled as if they reduced the charged cloud by a point charge or a point dipole. Using these models, the spatial differences in the lightning induced electric field changes, and a least squares algorithm to obtain an optimum solution, the three-dimensional locations of the lightning charge centers can be located. During the lifetime of a thunderstorm, dynamically induced charging, modeled as a current source, can be located spatially with measurements of Maxwell current density. The electric field mills can be used to calculate the Maxwell current density at times when it is equal to the displacement current density. These improvements will produce more accurate assessments of the potential electrical activity, identify active cells, and forecast thunderstorm termination.

Microscopic origin of gating current fluctuations in a potassium channel voltage sensor.

PubMed

Freites, J Alfredo; Schow, Eric V; White, Stephen H; Tobias, Douglas J

2012-06-06

Voltage-dependent ion channels open and close in response to changes in membrane electrical potential due to the motion of their voltage-sensing domains (VSDs). VSD charge displacements within the membrane electric field are observed in electrophysiology experiments as gating currents preceding ionic conduction. The elementary charge motions that give rise to the gating current cannot be observed directly, but appear as discrete current pulses that generate fluctuations in gating current measurements. Here we report direct observation of gating-charge displacements in an atomistic molecular dynamics simulation of the isolated VSD from the KvAP channel in a hydrated lipid bilayer on the timescale (10-μs) expected for elementary gating charge transitions. The results reveal that gating-charge displacements are associated with the water-catalyzed rearrangement of salt bridges between the S4 arginines and a set of conserved acidic side chains on the S1-S3 transmembrane segments in the hydrated interior of the VSD. Copyright © 2012 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nonablative lightweight thermal protection system for Mars Aeroflyby Sample collection mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Toshiyuki; Aoki, Takuya; Ogasawara, Toshio; Fujita, Kazuhisa

2017-07-01

In this study, the concept of a nonablative lightweight thermal protection system (NALT) were proposed for a Mars exploration mission currently under investigation in Japan. The NALT consists of a carbon/carbon (C/C) composite skin, insulator tiles, and a honeycomb sandwich panel. Basic thermal characteristics of the NALT were obtained by conducting heating tests in high-enthalpy facilities. Thermal conductivity values of the insulator tiles as well as the emissivity values of the C/C skin were measured to develop a numerical analysis code for predicting NALT's thermal performance in flight environments. Finally, a breadboard model of a 600-mm diameter NALT aeroshell was developed and qualified through vibration and thermal vacuum tests.

Characterization of CcSTOP1; a C2H2-type transcription factor regulates Al tolerance gene in pigeonpea.

PubMed

Daspute, Abhijit Arun; Kobayashi, Yuriko; Panda, Sanjib Kumar; Fakrudin, Bashasab; Kobayashi, Yasufumi; Tokizawa, Mutsutomo; Iuchi, Satoshi; Choudhary, Arbind Kumar; Yamamoto, Yoshiharu Y; Koyama, Hiroyuki

2018-01-01

Al-responsive citrate-transporting CcMATE1 function and its regulation by CcSTOP1 were analyzed using NtSTOP1 -KD tobacco- and pigeonpea hairy roots, respectively, CcSTOP1 binding sequence of CcMATE1 showed similarity with AtALMT1 promoter. The molecular mechanisms of Aluminum (Al) tolerance in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) were characterized to provide information for molecular breeding. Al-inducible citrate excretion was associated with the expression of MULTIDRUGS AND TOXIC COMPOUNDS EXCLUSION (CcMATE1), which encodes a citrate transporter. Ectopic expression of CcMATE1-conferred Al tolerance to hairy roots of transgenic tobacco with the STOP1 regulation system knocked down. This gain-of-function approach clearly showed CcMATE1 was involved in Al detoxification. The expression of CcMATE1 and another Al-tolerance gene, ALUMINUM SENSITIVE 3 (CcALS3), was regulated by SENSITIVE TO PROTON RHIZOTOXICITY1 (CcSTOP1) according to loss-of-function analysis of pigeonpea hairy roots in which CcSTOP1 was suppressed. An in vitro binding assay showed that the Al-responsive CcMATE1 promoter contained the GGNVS consensus bound by CcSTOP1. Mutation of GGNVS inactivated the Al-inducible expression of CcMATE1 in pigeonpea hairy roots. This indicated that CcSTOP1 binding to the promoter is critical for CcMATE1 expression. The STOP1 binding sites of both the CcMATE1 and AtALMT1 promoters contained GGNVS and a flanking 3' sequence. The GGNVS region was identical in both CcMATE1 and AtALMT1. By contrast, the 3' flanking sequence with binding affinity to STOP1 did not show similarity. Putative STOP1 binding sites with similar structures were also found in Al-inducible MATE and ALMT1 promoters in other plant species. The characterized Al-responsive CcSTOP1 and CcMATE1 genes will help in pigeonpea breeding in acid soil tolerance.

Recent charge-breeding developments with EBIS/T devices (invited).

PubMed

Schwarz, S; Lapierre, A

2016-02-01

Short breeding times, narrow charge state distributions, low background, high efficiency, and the flexible time structure of the ejected low-emittance ion pulses are among the most attractive features of electron beam ion source or trap (EBIS/T) based charge breeders. Significant progress has been made to further improve these properties: Several groups are working to increase current densities towards 10(3) or even 10(4) A/cm(2). These current densities will become necessary to deliver high charge states of heavy nuclei in a short time and/or provide sufficient space-charge capacity to handle high-current ion beams in next-generation rare-isotope beam (RIB) facilities. Efficient capture of continuous beams, attractive because of its potential of handling highest-current ion beams, has become possible with the development of high-density electron beams of >1 A. Requests for the time structure of the charge bred ion pulse range from ultra-short pulses to quasi-continuous beams. Progress is being made on both ends of this spectrum, by either dividing the extracted charge in many pulse-lets, adjusting the extraction potential for a near-uniform long pulse, or adding dedicated devices to spread the ion bunches delivered from the EBIS/T in time. Advances in EBIS/T charge state breeding are summarized, including recent results with NSCL's ReA EBIS/T charge breeder.

Recent charge-breeding developments with EBIS/T devices (invited)

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

Schwarz, S., E-mail: schwarz@nscl.msu.edu; Lapierre, A.

Short breeding times, narrow charge state distributions, low background, high efficiency, and the flexible time structure of the ejected low-emittance ion pulses are among the most attractive features of electron beam ion source or trap (EBIS/T) based charge breeders. Significant progress has been made to further improve these properties: Several groups are working to increase current densities towards 10{sup 3} or even 10{sup 4} A/cm{sup 2}. These current densities will become necessary to deliver high charge states of heavy nuclei in a short time and/or provide sufficient space-charge capacity to handle high-current ion beams in next-generation rare-isotope beam (RIB) facilities.more » Efficient capture of continuous beams, attractive because of its potential of handling highest-current ion beams, has become possible with the development of high-density electron beams of >1 A. Requests for the time structure of the charge bred ion pulse range from ultra-short pulses to quasi-continuous beams. Progress is being made on both ends of this spectrum, by either dividing the extracted charge in many pulse-lets, adjusting the extraction potential for a near-uniform long pulse, or adding dedicated devices to spread the ion bunches delivered from the EBIS/T in time. Advances in EBIS/T charge state breeding are summarized, including recent results with NSCL’s ReA EBIS/T charge breeder.« less

Dynamics of electrical double layer formation in room-temperature ionic liquids under constant-current charging conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Xikai; Huang, Jingsong; Zhao, Hui; Sumpter, Bobby G.; Qiao, Rui

2014-07-01

We report detailed simulation results on the formation dynamics of an electrical double layer (EDL) inside an electrochemical cell featuring room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) enclosed between two planar electrodes. Under relatively small charging currents, the evolution of cell potential from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations during charging can be suitably predicted by the Landau-Ginzburg-type continuum model proposed recently (Bazant et al 2011 Phys. Rev. Lett. 106 046102). Under very large charging currents, the cell potential from MD simulations shows pronounced oscillation during the initial stage of charging, a feature not captured by the continuum model. Such oscillation originates from the sequential growth of the ionic space charge layers near the electrode surface. This allows the evolution of EDLs in RTILs with time, an atomistic process difficult to visualize experimentally, to be studied by analyzing the cell potential under constant-current charging conditions. While the continuum model cannot predict the potential oscillation under such far-from-equilibrium charging conditions, it can nevertheless qualitatively capture the growth of cell potential during the later stage of charging. Improving the continuum model by introducing frequency-dependent dielectric constant and density-dependent ion diffusion coefficients may help to further extend the applicability of the model. The evolution of ion density profiles is also compared between the MD and the continuum model, showing good agreement.

Dynamics of electrical double layer formation in room-temperature ionic liquids under constant-current charging conditions.

PubMed

Jiang, Xikai; Huang, Jingsong; Zhao, Hui; Sumpter, Bobby G; Qiao, Rui

2014-07-16

We report detailed simulation results on the formation dynamics of an electrical double layer (EDL) inside an electrochemical cell featuring room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) enclosed between two planar electrodes. Under relatively small charging currents, the evolution of cell potential from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations during charging can be suitably predicted by the Landau-Ginzburg-type continuum model proposed recently (Bazant et al 2011 Phys. Rev. Lett. 106 046102). Under very large charging currents, the cell potential from MD simulations shows pronounced oscillation during the initial stage of charging, a feature not captured by the continuum model. Such oscillation originates from the sequential growth of the ionic space charge layers near the electrode surface. This allows the evolution of EDLs in RTILs with time, an atomistic process difficult to visualize experimentally, to be studied by analyzing the cell potential under constant-current charging conditions. While the continuum model cannot predict the potential oscillation under such far-from-equilibrium charging conditions, it can nevertheless qualitatively capture the growth of cell potential during the later stage of charging. Improving the continuum model by introducing frequency-dependent dielectric constant and density-dependent ion diffusion coefficients may help to further extend the applicability of the model. The evolution of ion density profiles is also compared between the MD and the continuum model, showing good agreement.

Pressurised electro-osmotic dewatering of activated and anaerobically digested sludges: electrical variables analysis.

PubMed

Citeau, M; Olivier, J; Mahmoud, A; Vaxelaire, J; Larue, O; Vorobiev, E

2012-09-15

Pressurised electro-osmotic dewatering (PEOD) of two sewage sludges (activated and anaerobically digested) was studied under constant electric current (C.C.) and constant voltage (C.V.) with a laboratory chamber simulating closely an industrial filter. The influence of sludge characteristics, process parameters, and electrode/filter cloth position was investigated. The next parameters were tested: 40 and 80 A/m², 20, 30, and 50 V-for digested sludge dewatering; and 20, 40 and 80 A/m², 20, 30, and 50 V-for activated sludge dewatering. Effects of filter cloth electric resistance and initial cake thickness were also investigated. The application of PEOD provides a gain of 12 points of dry solids content for the digested sludge (47.0% w/w) and for the activated sludge (31.7% w/w). In PEOD processed at C.C. or at C.V., the dewatering flow rate was similar for the same electric field intensity. In C.C. mode, both the electric resistance of cake and voltage increase, causing a temperature rise by ohmic effect. In C.V. mode, a current intensity peak was observed in the earlier dewatering period. Applying at first a constant current and later on a constant voltage, permitted to have better control of ohmic heating effect. The dewatering rate was not significantly affected by the presence of filter cloth on electrodes, but the use of a thin filter cloth reduced remarkably the energy consumption compared to a thicker one: 69% of reduction energy input at 45% w/w of dry solids content. The reduction of the initial cake thickness is advantageous to increase the final dry solids content. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Leeuwin Current and its eddies: An introductory overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waite, A. M.; Thompson, P. A.; Pesant, S.; Feng, M.; Beckley, L. E.; Domingues, C. M.; Gaughan, D.; Hanson, C. E.; Holl, C. M.; Koslow, T.; Meuleners, M.; Montoya, J. P.; Moore, T.; Muhling, B. A.; Paterson, H.; Rennie, S.; Strzelecki, J.; Twomey, L.

2007-04-01

The Leeuwin Current (LC) is an anomalous poleward-flowing eastern boundary current that carries warm, low-salinity water southward along the coast of Western Australia. We present an introduction to a new body of work on the physical and biological dynamics of the LC and its eddies, collected in this Special Issue of Deep-Sea Research II, including (1) several modelling efforts aimed at understanding LC dynamics and eddy generation, (2) papers from regional surveys of primary productivity and nitrogen uptake patterns in the LC, and (3) the first detailed field investigations of the biological oceanography of LC mesoscale eddies. Key results in papers collected here include insight into the source regions of the LC and the Leeuwin Undercurrent (LUC), the energetic interactions of the LC and LUC, and their roles in the generation of warm-core (WC) and cold-core (CC) eddies, respectively. In near-shore waters, the dynamics of upwelling were found to control the spatio-temporal variability of primary production, and important latitudinal differences were found in the fraction of production driven by nitrate (the f-ratio). The ubiquitous deep chlorophyll maximum within LC was found to be a significant contributor to total water column production within the region. WC eddies including a single large eddy studied in 2000 contained relatively elevated chlorophyll a concentrations thought to originate at least in part from the continental shelf/shelf break region and to have been incorporated during eddy formation. During the Eddies 2003 voyage, a more detailed study comparing the WC and CC eddies illuminated more mechanistic details of the unusual dynamics and ecology of the eddies. Food web analysis suggested that the WC eddy had an enhanced "classic" food web, with more concentrated mesozooplankton and larger diatom populations than in the CC eddy. Finally, implications for fisheries management are addressed.

Electron dynamics inside a vacuum tube diode through linear differential equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, Gabriel; Orozco, Fco. Javier González; Orozco

2014-04-01

In this paper we analyze the motion of charged particles in a vacuum tube diode by solving linear differential equations. Our analysis is based on expressing the volume charge density as a function of the current density and coordinates only, i.e. ρ=ρ(J,z), while in the usual scheme the volume charge density is expressed as a function of the current density and electrostatic potential, i.e. ρ=ρ(J,V). We show that, in the case of slow varying charge density, the space-charge-limited current is reduced up to 50%. Our approach gives the well-known behavior of the classical current density proportional to the three-halves power of the bias potential and inversely proportional to the square of the gap distance between electrodes, and does not require the solution of the nonlinear differential equation normally associated with the Child-Langmuir formulation.

Method and apparatus for linear low-frequency feedback in monolithic low-noise charge amplifiers

DOEpatents

DeGeronimo, Gianluigi

2006-02-14

A charge amplifier includes an amplifier, feedback circuit, and cancellation circuit. The feedback circuit includes a capacitor, inverter, and current mirror. The capacitor is coupled across the signal amplifier, the inverter is coupled to the output of the signal amplifier, and the current mirror is coupled to the input of the signal amplifier. The cancellation circuit is coupled to the output of the signal amplifier. A method of charge amplification includes providing a signal amplifier; coupling a first capacitor across the signal amplifier; coupling an inverter to the output of the signal amplifier; coupling a current mirror to the input of the signal amplifier; and coupling a cancellation circuit to the output of the signal amplifier. A front-end system for use with radiation sensors includes a charge amplifier and a current amplifier, shaping amplifier, baseline stabilizer, discriminator, peak detector, timing detector, and logic circuit coupled to the charge amplifier.

Atomic structure of the vimentin central α-helical domain and its implications for intermediate filament assembly.

PubMed

Chernyatina, Anastasia A; Nicolet, Stefan; Aebi, Ueli; Herrmann, Harald; Strelkov, Sergei V

2012-08-21

Together with actin filaments and microtubules, intermediate filaments (IFs) are the basic cytoskeletal components of metazoan cells. Over 80 human diseases have been linked to mutations in various IF proteins to date. However, the filament structure is far from being resolved at the atomic level, which hampers rational understanding of IF pathologies. The elementary building block of all IF proteins is a dimer consisting of an α-helical coiled-coil (CC) "rod" domain flanked by the flexible head and tail domains. Here we present three crystal structures of overlapping human vimentin fragments that comprise the first half of its rod domain. Given the previously solved fragments, a nearly complete atomic structure of the vimentin rod has become available. It consists of three α-helical segments (coils 1A, 1B, and 2) interconnected by linkers (L1 and L12). Most of the CC structure has a left-handed twist with heptad repeats, but both coil 1B and coil 2 also exhibit untwisted, parallel stretches with hendecad repeats. In the crystal structure, linker L1 was found to be α-helical without being involved in the CC formation. The available data allow us to construct an atomic model of the antiparallel tetramer representing the second level of vimentin assembly. Although the presence of the nonhelical head domains is essential for proper tetramer stabilization, the precise alignment of the dimers forming the tetramer appears to depend on the complementarity of their surface charge distribution patterns, while the structural plasticity of linker L1 and coil 1A plays a role in the subsequent IF assembly process.

Gas-phase reactivity of lanthanide cations with fluorocarbons: C-F versus C-H and C-C bond activation

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

Cornehl, H.H.; Hornung, G.; Schwarz, H.

1996-10-16

The gas-phase reactivity of the fluorinated hydrocarbons CF{sub 4}, CHF{sub 3}, CH{sub 3}F, C{sub 2}F{sub 6}, 1,1-C{sub 2}H{sub 4}F{sub 2}, and C{sub 6}F{sub 6} with the lanthanide cations Ce{sup +}, Pr{sup +}, Sm{sup +}, Ho{sup +}, Tm{sup +}, and Yb{sup +} and the reactivity of C{sub 6}H{sub 5}F with all lanthanide cations Ln{sup +} (Ln = La-Lu, with the exception of Pm{sup +}) have been examined by Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The perfluorinated compounds tetrafluoromethane and hexafluoroethane as well as trifluoromethane do not react with any lanthanide cation. Selective activation of the strong C-F bonds in fluoromethane, 1,1-difluoroethane,more » hexafluorobenzene, and fluorobenzene appears as a general reaction scheme along the 4f row. Experimental evidence is given for a `harpoon`-like mechanism for the F atom abstraction process which operates via an initial electron transfer from the lanthanide cation to the fluorinated substrate in the encounter complex Ln{sup +}RF. The most reactive lanthanides La{sup +}, Ce{sup +}, Gd{sup +}, and Tb{sup +} and also the formal closed-shell species Lu{sup +} exhibit additional C-H and C-C bond activation pathways in the reaction with fluorobenzene, namely dehydrohalogenation as well as loss of a neutral acetylene molecule. In the case of Tm{sup +} and Yb{sup +} the formation of neutral LnF{sub 3} is observed in a multistep process via C-C coupling and charge transfer. 17 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Finned Carbon-Carbon Heat Pipe with Potassium Working Fluid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Juhasz, Albert J.

2010-01-01

This elemental space radiator heat pipe is designed to operate in the 700 to 875 K temperature range. It consists of a C-C (carbon-carbon) shell made from poly-acrylonitride fibers that are woven in an angle interlock pattern and densified with pitch at high process temperature with integrally woven fins. The fins are 2.5 cm long and 1 mm thick, and provide an extended radiating surface at the colder condenser section of the heat pipe. The weave pattern features a continuous fiber bath from the inner tube surface to the outside edges of the fins to maximize the thermal conductance, and to thus minimize the temperature drop at the condenser end. The heat pipe and radiator element together are less than one-third the mass of conventional heat pipes of the same heat rejection surface area. To prevent the molten potassium working fluid from eroding the C C heat pipe wall, the shell is lined with a thin-walled, metallic tube liner (Nb-1 wt.% Zr), which is an integral part of a hermetic metal subassembly which is furnace-brazed to the inner surface of the C-C tube. The hermetic metal liner subassembly includes end caps and fill tubes fabricated from the same Nb-1Zr alloy. A combination of laser and electron beam methods is used to weld the end caps and fill tubes. A tungsten/inert gas weld seals the fill tubes after cleaning and charging the heat pipes with potassium. The external section of this liner, which was formed by a "Uniscan" rolling process, transitions to a larger wall thickness. This section, which protrudes beyond the C-C shell, constitutes the "evaporator" part of the heat pipe, while the section inside the shell constitutes the condenser of the heat pipe (see figure).

Origin of the SN2 benzylic effect.

PubMed

Galabov, Boris; Nikolova, Valia; Wilke, Jeremiah J; Schaefer, Henry F; Allen, Wesley D

2008-07-30

The S N2 identity exchange reactions of the fluoride ion with benzyl fluoride and 10 para-substituted derivatives (RC6H 4CH 2F, R = CH3, OH, OCH 3, NH2, F, Cl, CCH, CN, COF, and NO2) have been investigated by both rigorous ab initio methods and carefully calibrated density functional theory. Groundbreaking focal-point computations were executed for the C6H5CH 2F + F (-) and C 6H 5CH2Cl + Cl (-) SN2 reactions at the highest possible levels of electronic structure theory, employing complete basis set (CBS) extrapolations of aug-cc-pV XZ (X = 2-5) Hartree-Fock and MP2 energies, and including higher-order electron correlation via CCSD/aug-cc-pVQZ and CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ coupled cluster wave functions. Strong linear dependences are found between the computed electrostatic potential at the reaction-center carbon atom and the effective SN2 activation energies within the series of para-substituted benzyl fluorides. An activation strain energy decomposition indicates that the SN2 reactivity of these benzylic compounds is governed by the intrinsic electrostatic interaction between the reacting fragments. The delocalization of nucleophilic charge into the aromatic ring in the SN2 transition states is quite limited and should not be considered the origin of benzylic acceleration of SN2 reactions. Our rigorous focal-point computations validate the benzylic effect by establishing SN2 barriers for (F (-), Cl (-)) identity exchange in (C6H5CH2F, C6H 5CH2Cl) that are lower than those of (CH3F, CH3Cl) by (3.8, 1.6) kcal mol (-1), in order.

Optimal Pulse Configuration Design for Heart Stimulation. A Theoretical, Numerical and Experimental Study.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardy, Neil; Dvir, Hila; Fenton, Flavio

Existing pacemakers consider the rectangular pulse to be the optimal form of stimulation current. However, other waveforms for the use of pacemakers could save energy while still stimulating the heart. We aim to find the optimal waveform for pacemaker use, and to offer a theoretical explanation for its advantage. Since the pacemaker battery is a charge source, here we probe the stimulation current waveforms with respect to the total charge delivery. In this talk we present theoretical analysis and numerical simulations of myocyte ion-channel currents acting as an additional source of charge that adds to the external stimulating charge for stimulation purposes. Therefore, we find that as the action potential emerges, the external stimulating current can be reduced accordingly exponentially. We then performed experimental studies in rabbit and cat hearts and showed that indeed exponential truncated pulses with less total charge can still induce activation in the heart. From the experiments, we present curves showing the savings in charge as a function of exponential waveform and we calculated that the longevity of the pacemaker battery would be ten times higher for the exponential current compared to the rectangular waveforms. Thanks to Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars Program and NSF# 1413037.

Charge trapping and current-conduction mechanisms of metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with La xTa y dual-doped HfON dielectrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Chin-Lung; Horng, Jeng-Haur; Chang-Liao, Kuei-Shu; Jeng, Jin-Tsong; Tsai, Hung-Yang

2010-10-01

Charge trapping and related current-conduction mechanisms in metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors with La xTa y dual-doped HfON dielectrics have been investigated under various post-deposition annealing (PDA). The results indicate that by La xTa y incorporation into HfON dielectric enhances electrical and reliability characteristics, including equivalent-oxide-thickness (EOT), stress-induced leakage current (SILC), and trap energy level. The mechanisms related to larger positive charge generation in the gate dielectric bulk can be attributed to La xTa y dual-doped HfON dielectric. The results of C- V measurement indicate that more negative charges are induced with increasing PDA temperature for the La xTa y dual-doped HfON dielectric. The charge current transport mechanisms through various dielectrics have been analyzed with current-voltage ( I- V) measurements under various temperatures. The current-conduction mechanisms of HfLaTaON dielectric at the low-, medium-, and high-electrical fields were dominated by Schottky emission (SE), Frenkel-Poole emission (F-P), and Fowler-Nordheim (F-N), respectively. A low trap energy level ( Φ trap) involved in Frenkel-Pool conduction in an HfLaTaON dielectric was estimated to be around 0.142 eV. Although a larger amount of positive charges generated in the HfLaTaON dielectric was obtained, the Φ trap of these positive charges in the HfLaTaON dielectric are shallow compared with HfON dielectric.

Space charge dynamic of irradiated cyanate ester/epoxy at cryogenic temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shaohe; Tu, Youping; Fan, Linzhen; Yi, Chengqian; Wu, Zhixiong; Li, Laifeng

2018-03-01

Glass fibre reinforced polymers (GFRPs) have been widely used as one of the main electrical insulating structures for superconducting magnets. A new type of GFRP insulation material using cyanate ester/epoxy resin as a matrix was developed in this study, and the samples were irradiated by Co-60 for 1 MGy and 5 MGy dose. Space charge distributed within the sample were tested using the pulsed electroacoustic method, and charge concentration was found at the interfaces between glass fibre and epoxy resin. Thermally stimulated current (TSC) and dc conduction current were also tested to evaluate the irradiation effect. It was supposed that charge mobility and density were suppressed at the beginning due to the crosslinking reaction, and for a higher irradiation dose, molecular chain degradation dominated and led to more sever space charge accumulation at interfaces which enhance the internal electric field higher than the external field, and transition field for conduction current was also decreased by irradiation. Space charge dynamic at cryogenic temperature was revealed by conduction current and TSC, and space charge injection was observed for the irradiated samples at 225 K, which was more obvious for the irradiated samples.

Selective advantages of two major clones of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates (CC235 and CC641) from Korea: antimicrobial resistance, virulence and biofilm-forming activity.

PubMed

Lee, Ji-Young; Peck, Kyong Ran; Ko, Kwan Soo

2013-07-01

The characteristics of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) isolates from Korea were investigated. Two major clones, clonal complex (CC) 235 and CC641, were identified. CC235, an important international clone, might have been imported recently in Korea as this clone displayed a homogeneous genotype, oprD mutation and antimicrobial resistance profile. While 13 ST235 isolates harboured the blaIMP-6 gene, which conferred high-level meropenem resistance, CC641 isolates showed high biofilm-forming activity. CC235 and CC641 isolates showed distinct distribution of ferripyoverdine receptor type and virulence markers. While all CC235 isolates were of the fpvAIIb type and exoS(-)/exoU(+), CC641 isolates were exoS(+)/exoU(-), and all but one showed the fpvAIII type. CC235 and CC641 isolates were also characterized by different extracellular protease activity: staphylolysin and elastase activities in CC235 and CC641, respectively. Two major CRPA clones in Korea seem to be predominant, reflecting their selective advantage by virtue of antimicrobial resistance, virulence and biofilm-forming activity.

77 FR 2776 - Dorel Juvenile Group, Receipt of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-19

... 22790CGT Deluxe 3 in 1 CC033BMT Alpha Omega Elite CC043ANK Alpha Omega Elite CC043ANL Alpha Omega Elite CC043AQS Alpha Omega Elite CC046AAI Deluxe 3 in 1 CC046AAU Deluxe 3 in 1 CC046CTA Deluxe 3 in 1 CC046SNW... between July 20, 2010 and May 18, 2011: 22187ANL Alpha Omega Elite 22187REM Alpha Omega Elite 22187REMA...

A Power-Efficient Wireless Capacitor Charging System Through an Inductive Link

PubMed Central

Lee, Hyung-Min; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2014-01-01

A power-efficient wireless capacitor charging system for inductively powered applications has been presented. A bank of capacitors can be directly charged from an ac source by generating a current through a series charge injection capacitor and a capacitor charger circuit. The fixed charging current reduces energy loss in switches, while maximizing the charging efficiency. An adaptive capacitor tuner compensates for the resonant capacitance variations during charging to keep the amplitude of the ac input voltage at its peak. We have fabricated the capacitor charging system prototype in a 0.35-μm 4-metal 2-poly standard CMOS process in 2.1 mm2 of chip area. It can charge four pairs of capacitors sequentially. While receiving 2.7-V peak ac input through a 2-MHz inductive link, the capacitor charging system can charge each pair of 1 μF capacitors up to ±2 V in 420 μs, achieving a high measured charging efficiency of 82%. PMID:24678284

A Power-Efficient Wireless Capacitor Charging System Through an Inductive Link.

PubMed

Lee, Hyung-Min; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2013-10-01

A power-efficient wireless capacitor charging system for inductively powered applications has been presented. A bank of capacitors can be directly charged from an ac source by generating a current through a series charge injection capacitor and a capacitor charger circuit. The fixed charging current reduces energy loss in switches, while maximizing the charging efficiency. An adaptive capacitor tuner compensates for the resonant capacitance variations during charging to keep the amplitude of the ac input voltage at its peak. We have fabricated the capacitor charging system prototype in a 0.35- μ m 4-metal 2-poly standard CMOS process in 2.1 mm 2 of chip area. It can charge four pairs of capacitors sequentially. While receiving 2.7-V peak ac input through a 2-MHz inductive link, the capacitor charging system can charge each pair of 1 μ F capacitors up to ±2 V in 420 μ s, achieving a high measured charging efficiency of 82%.

Interactive effects of air pollution and climate change on forest ecosystems in the United States: current understanding and future scenarios

Treesearch

Andrzej Bytnerowicz; Mark Fenn; Steven McNulty; Fengming Yuan; Afshin Pourmokhtarian; Charles Driscoll; Tom Meixner

2013-01-01

A review of the current status of air pollution and climate change (CC) in the United States from a perspective of their impacts on forest ecosystems is provided. Ambient ozone (O3) and nitrogen (N) deposition have important and widespread ecological impacts in U.S. forests. Effects of sulphurous (S) air pollutants and other trace pollutants have...

Equalizer system and method for series connected energy storing devices

DOEpatents

Rouillard, Jean; Comte, Christophe; Hagen, Ronald A.; Knudson, Orlin B.; Morin, Andre; Ross, Guy

1999-01-01

An apparatus and method for regulating the charge voltage of a number of electrochemical cells connected in series is disclosed. Equalization circuitry is provided to control the amount of charge current supplied to individual electrochemical cells included within the series string of electrochemical cells without interrupting the flow of charge current through the series string. The equalization circuitry balances the potential of each of the electrochemical cells to within a pre-determined voltage setpoint tolerance during charging, and, if necessary, prior to initiating charging. Equalization of cell potentials may be effected toward the end of a charge cycle or throughout the charge cycle. Overcharge protection is also provided for each of the electrochemical cells coupled to the series connection. During a discharge mode of operation in accordance with one embodiment, the equalization circuitry is substantially non-conductive with respect to the flow of discharge current from the series string of electrochemical cells. In accordance with another embodiment, equalization of the series string of cells is effected during a discharge cycle.

A comprehensive study of charge trapping in organic field-effect devices with promising semiconductors and different contact metals by displacement current measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bisoyi, Sibani; Rödel, Reinhold; Zschieschang, Ute; Kang, Myeong Jin; Takimiya, Kazuo; Klauk, Hagen; Tiwari, Shree Prakash

2016-02-01

A systematic and comprehensive study on the charge-carrier injection and trapping behavior was performed using displacement current measurements in long-channel capacitors based on four promising small-molecule organic semiconductors (pentacene, DNTT, C10-DNTT and DPh-DNTT). In thin-film transistors, these semiconductors showed charge-carrier mobilities ranging from 1.0 to 7.8 cm2 V-1 s-1. The number of charges injected into and extracted from the semiconductor and the density of charges trapped in the device during each measurement were calculated from the displacement current characteristics and it was found that the density of trapped charges is very similar in all devices and of the order 1012 cm-2, despite the fact that the four semiconductors show significantly different charge-carrier mobilities. The choice of the contact metal (Au, Ag, Cu, Pd) was also found to have no significant effect on the trapping behavior.

Tri-Service Literacy and Readability: Workshop Proceedings.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

LN zC t’ DC D -2l C CC U CC., r C CzC.C-.C, CC C ~ ., caCQ.. *’UC - -C CL UQC’CC Ci - CT 0 --. . C DJZDCU- CC C C. C C...8217 flCCD.- CC, CCC~4J o zC C-Ca C ,.-C,-.O ,-,- CC CC,.. -- r C C,- -z~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (U’~’ C- O’ ,.0 C CCC,.. D Ca D CCCO.C - 0.a l F--Ci E CC CC CDO C C...understanding in problem solving. In Catellan, N. J., Jr., Pisoni, D . B., & Potts G. R . (Eds.), Cognitive theory. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum

Characterization of plasma processing induced charging damage to MOS devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Shawming

1997-12-01

Plasma processing has become an integral part of the fabrication of integrated circuits and takes at least 30% of whole process steps since it offers advantages in terms of directionality, low temperature and process convenience. However, wafer charging during plasma processes is a significant concern for both thin oxide damage and profile distortion. In this work, the factors affecting this damage will be explained by plasma issues, device structure and oxide quality. The SPORT (Stanford Plasma On-wafer Real Time) charging probe was developed to investigate the charging mechanism of different plasma processes including poly-Si etching, resist ashing and PECVD. The basic idea of this probe is that it simulates a real device structure in the plasma environment and allows measurement of plasma induced charging voltages and currents directly in real time. This measurement is fully compatible with other charging voltage measurement but it is the only one to do in real-time. Effect of magnetic field induced plasma nonuniformity on spatial dependent charging is well understood by this measurement. In addition, the plasma parameters including ion current density and electron temperature can also be extracted from the probe's plasma I-V characteristics using a dc Langmuir probe like theory. It will be shown that the MOS device tunneling current from charging, the dependence on antenna ratio and the etch uniformity can all be predicted by using this measurement. Moreover, the real-time measurement reveals transient and electrode edge effect during processing. Furthermore, high aspect ratio pattern induced electron shading effects can also be characterized by the probe. On the oxide quality issue, wafer temperature during plasma processing has been experimentally shown to be critical to charging damage. Finally, different MOS capacitor testing methods including breakdown voltage, charge-to-breakdown, gate leakage current and voltage-time at constant current bias were compared to find the optimum method for charging device reliability testing.

I-V-T analysis of radiation damage in high efficiency Si solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banerjee, S.; Anderson, W. A.; Rao, B. B.

1985-01-01

A detailed analysis of current-voltage characteristics of N(+)-P/P solar cells indicate that there is a combination of different mechanisms which results in an enhancement in the dark current and in turn deteriorates the photovoltaic performance of the solar cells after 1 MeV e(-) irradiation. The increase in the dark current is due to three effects, i.e., bulk recombination, space charge recombination by deep traps and space charge recombination through shallow traps. It is shown that the increase in bulk recombination current is about 2 to 3 orders of magnitude whereas space charge recombination current due to shallow traps increases only by an order or so and no space charge recombination through deep traps was observed after irradiation. Thus, in order to improve the radiation hardness of these devices, bulk properties should be preserved.

The Effect of Aqueous Alteration in Antarctic Carbonaceous Chondrites from Comparative ICP-MS Bulk Chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alonso-Azcarate, J.; Trigo-Rodriguez, J. M.; Moyano-Cambero, C. E.; Zolensky, M.

2014-01-01

Terrestrial ages of Antarctic carbonaceous chondrites (CC) indicate that these meteorites have been preserved in or on ice for, at least, tens of thousands of years. Due to the porous structure of these chondrites formed by the aggregation of silicate-rich chondrules, refractory inclusions, metal grains, and fine-grained matrix materials, the effect of pervasive terrestrial water is relevant. Our community defends that pristine CC matrices are representing samples of scarcely processed protoplanetary disk materials as they contain stellar grains, but they might also trace parent body processes. It is important to study the effects of terrestrial aqueous alteration in promoting bulk chemistry changes, and creating distinctive alteration minerals. Particularly because it is thought that aqueous alteration has particularly played a key role in some CC groups in modifying primordial bulk chemistry, and homogenizing the isotopic content of fine-grained matrix materials. Fortunately, the mineralogy produced by parent-body and terrestrial aqueous alteration processes is distinctive. With the goal to learn more about terrestrial alteration in Antarctica we are obtaining reflectance spectra of CCs, but also performing ICP-MS bulk chemistry of the different CC groups. A direct comparison with the mean bulk elemental composition of recovered falls might inform us on the effects of terrestrial alteration in finds. With such a goal, in the current work we have analyzed some members representative of CO and CM chondrite groups.

Fifteen years' experience with an antirefluxing biliary drainage valve.

PubMed

Bowles, B J; Abdul-Ghani, A; Zhang, J; Shim, W K

1999-11-01

The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of the antirefluxing, mucosal-flap valve (AMFV) for biliary drainage relative to technical feasibility, surgical complications, and incidence of ascending cholangitis (AC). Twenty-seven infants requiring biliary tract reconstruction underwent valve construction. Twenty biliary atresia (BA) patients received the Kasai procedure, and 7 choledochal cyst (CC) infants had cystectomy and hepatoenterostomy. A retrospective review of all patients was performed including radiographic evaluation of the current valve function in 10 patients. Construction was successful in all cases, and no morbidity was incurred by incorporation of the valve. Of 7 CC patients, there have been no known episodes of AC with mean follow-up of 4.4+/-4.2 years. Of 20 BA patients, there have been 5 deaths (25%), 7 liver transplants (35%), 2 (10%) lost to follow-up, and 6 (30%) survivors. Nine BA patients (45%) have had AC, with patients in all 4 outcome categories represented. Ten patients (5 CC and 5 BA) have been evaluated with barium small bowel radiographs, with no reflux to the liver hilum in all cases. The AMFV has caused no morbidity and continues to prevent reflux to the liver hilum. Despite functioning as designed, it does not appear to influence the occurrence of AC. Because CC patients had no AC, we feel that infection is related to the underlying atresia rather than to reflux.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus isolated from naturally fermented dairy foods

PubMed Central

Song, Yuqin; Sun, Zhihong; Guo, Chenyi; Wu, Yarong; Liu, Wenjun; Yu, Jie; Menghe, Bilige; Yang, Ruifu; Zhang, Heping

2016-01-01

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus is one of the most widely used starter culture strains in industrial fermented dairy manufacture. It is also common in naturally fermented dairy foods made using traditional methods. The subsp. bulgaricus strains found in naturally fermented foods may be useful for improving current industrial starter cultures; however, little is known regarding its genetic diversity and population structure. Here, a collection of 298 L. delbrueckii strains from naturally fermented products in Mongolia, Russia, and West China was analyzed by multi-locus sequence typing based on eight conserved genes. The 251 confirmed subsp. bulgaricus strains produced 106 unique sequence types, the majority of which were assigned to five clonal complexes (CCs). The geographical distribution of CCs was uneven, with CC1 dominated by Mongolian and Russian isolates, and CC2–CC5 isolates exclusively from Xinjiang, China. Population structure analysis suggested six lineages, L1–L6, with various homologous recombination rates. Although L2–L5 were mainly restricted within specific regions, strains belonging to L1 and L6 were observed in diverse regions, suggesting historical transmission events. These results greatly enhance our knowledge of the population diversity of subsp. bulgaricus strains, and suggest that strains from CC1 and L4 may be useful as starter strains in industrial fermentation. PMID:26940047

A Small-Molecule Antagonist of HIF2α Is Efficacious in Preclinical Models of Renal Cell Carcinoma.

PubMed

Wallace, Eli M; Rizzi, James P; Han, Guangzhou; Wehn, Paul M; Cao, Zhaodan; Du, Xinlin; Cheng, Tzuling; Czerwinski, Robert M; Dixon, Darryl D; Goggin, Barry S; Grina, Jonas A; Halfmann, Megan M; Maddie, Melissa A; Olive, Sarah R; Schlachter, Stephen T; Tan, Huiling; Wang, Bin; Wang, Keshi; Xie, Shanhai; Xu, Rui; Yang, Hanbiao; Josey, John A

2016-09-15

More than 90% of clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCC) exhibit inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau (pVHL) tumor suppressor, establishing it as the major underlying cause of this malignancy. pVHL inactivation results in stabilization of the hypoxia-inducible transcription factors, HIF1α and HIF2α, leading to expression of a genetic program essential for the initiation and progression of ccRCC. Herein, we describe the potent, selective, and orally active small-molecule inhibitor PT2385 as a specific antagonist of HIF2α that allosterically blocks its dimerization with the HIF1α/2α transcriptional dimerization partner ARNT/HIF1β. PT2385 inhibited the expression of HIF2α-dependent genes, including VEGF-A, PAI-1, and cyclin D1 in ccRCC cell lines and tumor xenografts. Treatment of tumor-bearing mice with PT2385 caused dramatic tumor regressions, validating HIF2α as a pivotal oncogenic driver in ccRCC. Notably, unlike other anticancer agents that inhibit VEGF receptor signaling, PT2385 exhibited no adverse effect on cardiovascular performance. Thus, PT2385 represents a novel class of therapeutics for the treatment of RCC with potent preclincal efficacy as well as improved tolerability relative to current agents that target the VEGF pathway. Cancer Res; 76(18); 5491-500. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Interleukin-1β rs1143627 polymorphism with susceptibility to periodontal disease

PubMed Central

Huang, Wei; He, Bing-Yang; Shao, Jun; Jia, Xiao-Wei; Yuan, Ya-Di

2017-01-01

Association between interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) rs1143627 polymorphism and periodontal disease susceptibility was inconsistent; hence we performed this meta-analysis to explore the precise correlation between them. The degree of association was appraised through calculating pooled odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). The databases known as PubMed, Embase, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched up to October 26, 2016. A total of 8 eligible case-control studies were finally included, which involved 229 aggressive periodontitis patients, 382 chronic periodontitis patients, and 555 healthy controls. All the five genetic models revealed a non-significant association between IL-1β rs1143627 polymorphism and periodontal disease susceptibility (TT vs. CC: OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 0.80-1.87; CT+TT vs. CC: OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.44-1.01; TT vs. CT + CC: OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 0.81-1.74; T vs. C: OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.81-1.12; CT vs. CC: OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.69-1.23). Sensitivity analyses indicated that the results were robust and the subgroup analyses reached similar conclusions. IL-1β rs1143627 polymorphism is not related to periodontal disease susceptibility in the overall population based on the current evidence, but further studies are required in more large scale sample size with risk factor adjusted. PMID:28404906

Airborne asbestos exposures associated with gasket and packing replacement: a simulation study of flange and valve repair work and an assessment of exposure variables.

PubMed

Madl, Amy K; Devlin, Kathryn D; Perez, Angela L; Hollins, Dana M; Cowan, Dallas M; Scott, Paul K; White, Katherine; Cheng, Thales J; Henshaw, John L

2015-02-01

A simulation study was conducted to evaluate worker and area exposure to airborne asbestos associated with the replacement of asbestos-containing gaskets and packing materials from flanges and valves and assess the influence of several variables previously not investigated. Additionally, potential of take home exposures from clothing worn during the study was characterized. Our data showed that product type, ventilation type, gasket location, flange or bonnet size, number of flanges involved, surface characteristics, gasket surface adherence, and even activity type did not have a significant effect on worker exposures. Average worker asbestos exposures during flange gasket work (PCME=0.166 f/cc, 12-59 min) were similar to average worker asbestos exposures during valve overhaul work (PCME=0.165 f/cc, 7-76 min). Average 8-h TWA asbestos exposures were estimated to range from 0.010 to 0.062 f/cc. Handling clothes worn during gasket and packing replacement activities demonstrated exposures that were 0.71% (0.0009 f/cc 40-h TWA) of the airborne asbestos concentration experienced during the 5 days of the study. Despite the many variables considered in this study, exposures during gasket and packing replacement occur within a relatively narrow range, are below current and historical occupational exposure limits for asbestos, and are consistent with previously published data. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association between MTHFR C677T Polymorphism and Risk of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Meta-Analysis Based on 51 Case-Control Studies

PubMed Central

Li, Su-yi; Ye, Jie-yu; Liang, En-yu; Zhou, Li-xia; Yang, Mo

2015-01-01

Background Studies and systematic reviews have reached inconsistent conclusions on the role of 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism C677T in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) risk. Material/Methods The present meta-analysis comprising of 51 case-control studies, including 7892 cases and 14 280 controls was performed to reevaluate the association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and ALL risk. Results Statistical differences were found in the dominant model (TT+CT vs. CC, odd ratio (OR)=0.89, 95% CI, 0.79–1.00, P=0.04) and the CT vs. CC (OR=0.89, 95% CI, 0.80–1.00, P=0.05), but not in the allele contrast model (T vs. C, OR=0.92, 95% CI, 0.84–1.01, P=0.08), additive model (TT vs. CC, OR=0.87, 95% CI, 0.73–1.05, P=0.15), or recessive model (TT vs. CT+CC, OR=0.94, 95% CI, 0.81–1.10, P=0.44) in overall populations. In the subgroup analyses stratified by age (children and adults) and ethnicity (Asian and Caucasian), no significant associations between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and ALL risk were observed. Conclusions The current study found no sufficient evidence of a protective role of MTHFR C677T polymorphism in ALL susceptibility. PMID:25761797

Association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a meta-analysis based on 51 case-control studies.

PubMed

Li, Su-yi; Ye, Jie-yu; Liang, En-yu; Zhou, Li-xia; Yang, Mo

2015-03-12

Studies and systematic reviews have reached inconsistent conclusions on the role of 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism C677T in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) risk. The present meta-analysis comprising of 51 case-control studies, including 7892 cases and 14 280 controls was performed to reevaluate the association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and ALL risk. Statistical differences were found in the dominant model (TT+CT vs. CC, odd ratio (OR)=0.89, 95% CI, 0.79-1.00, P=0.04) and the CT vs. CC (OR=0.89, 95% CI, 0.80-1.00, P=0.05), but not in the allele contrast model (T vs. C, OR=0.92, 95% CI, 0.84-1.01, P=0.08), additive model (TT vs. CC, OR=0.87, 95% CI, 0.73-1.05, P=0.15), or recessive model (TT vs. CT+CC, OR=0.94, 95% CI, 0.81-1.10, P=0.44) in overall populations. In the subgroup analyses stratified by age (children and adults) and ethnicity (Asian and Caucasian), no significant associations between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and ALL risk were observed. The current study found no sufficient evidence of a protective role of MTHFR C677T polymorphism in ALL susceptibility.

Breakdown of Inter-Hemispheric Connectivity Is Associated with Posttraumatic Symptomatology and Memory Impairment

PubMed Central

Saar-Ashkenazy, Rotem; Veksler, Ronel; Guez, Jonathan; Jacob, Yael; Shelef, Ilan; Shalev, Hadar; Friedman, Alon; Cohen, Jonathan E.

2016-01-01

Altered brain anatomy in specific gray-matter regions has been shown in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recently, white-matter tracts have become a focus of research in PTSD. The corpus callosum (CC) is the principal white-matter fiber bundle, crucial in relaying sensory, motor and cognitive information between hemispheres. Alterations in CC fibers have been reported in PTSD and might be assumed to underlie substantial behavioral and cognitive sequelae; however most diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies in adult-onset PTSD failed to address the clinical correlates between imaging and PTSD symptoms severity, behavioral manifestation and cognitive functions. In the current study we examined (a) to what extent microstructural integrity of the CC is associated with memory performance and (b) whether imaging and cognitive parameters are associated with PTSD symptom severity. DTI data were obtained and fractional anisotropy (FA) values were computed for 16 patients and 14 controls. PTSD symptom severity was assessed by employing the clinician administered PTSD scale (CAPS) and memory was tested using a task probing item and associative memory for words and pictures. Significant correlations were found between PTSD symptoms severity, memory accuracy and reaction-time to CC FA values in the PTSD group. This study demonstrates meaningful clinical and cognitive correlates of microstructural connectivity. These results have implications for diagnostic tools and future studies aimed at identifying individuals at risk for PTSD. PMID:26863536

Human Leukocyte Antigen Class I and Class II Polymorphisms and Serum Cytokine Profiles in Cervical Cancer.

PubMed

Bahls, Larissa; Yamakawa, Roger; Zanão, Karina; Alfieri, Daniela; Flauzino, Tamires; Delongui, Francieli; de Abreu, André; Souza, Raquel; Gimenes, Fabrícia; Reiche, Edna; Borelli, Sueli; Consolaro, Marcia

2017-08-31

Only a small proportion of women who are exposed to infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) progress to persistent infection and develop cervical cancer (CC). The immune response and genetic background of the host may affect the risk of progression from a HR-HPV infection to lesions and cancer. However, to our knowledge, no studies has been conducted to evaluate the relationship between variability of human leukocyte antigens ( HLA ) genes and serum cytokine expression in this pathology. In the current study, we examined the associations of HLA alleles and haplotypes including Class I ( HLA-A , -B and -C ) and II ( HLA-DRB1 , -DQA1 and -DQB1 ) with serum levels of cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-10 and IL-17 as well as risks of HPV infections, lesions and CC among admixed Brazilian women. HLA polymorphisms were associated with an increased risk or protection from HPV, lesions and CC. Additionally, we demonstrated a potential association of a HLA class I haplotype ( HLA-B*14-C*08 ) with higher IL-10 cytokine serum levels in cervical disease, suggesting an association between HLA class I and specific cytokines in cervical carcinogenesis. However, larger studies with detailed HPV types coupled with genetic data are needed to further evaluate the effects of HLA and CC by HPV genotype.

Human Leukocyte Antigen Class I and Class II Polymorphisms and Serum Cytokine Profiles in Cervical Cancer

PubMed Central

Bahls, Larissa; Yamakawa, Roger; Zanão, Karina; Alfieri, Daniela; Flauzino, Tamires; Delongui, Francieli; de Abreu, André; Souza, Raquel; Gimenes, Fabrícia; Reiche, Edna; Borelli, Sueli; Consolaro, Marcia

2017-01-01

Only a small proportion of women who are exposed to infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) progress to persistent infection and develop cervical cancer (CC). The immune response and genetic background of the host may affect the risk of progression from a HR-HPV infection to lesions and cancer. However, to our knowledge, no studies has been conducted to evaluate the relationship between variability of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) genes and serum cytokine expression in this pathology. In the current study, we examined the associations of HLA alleles and haplotypes including Class I (HLA-A, -B and -C) and II (HLA-DRB1, -DQA1 and -DQB1) with serum levels of cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-10 and IL-17 as well as risks of HPV infections, lesions and CC among admixed Brazilian women. HLA polymorphisms were associated with an increased risk or protection from HPV, lesions and CC. Additionally, we demonstrated a potential association of a HLA class I haplotype (HLA-B*14-C*08) with higher IL-10 cytokine serum levels in cervical disease, suggesting an association between HLA class I and specific cytokines in cervical carcinogenesis. However, larger studies with detailed HPV types coupled with genetic data are needed to further evaluate the effects of HLA and CC by HPV genotype. PMID:28858203

TaOx-based resistive switching memories: prospective and challenges

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Resistive switching memories (RRAMs) are attractive for replacement of conventional flash in the future. Although different switching materials have been reported; however, low-current operated devices (<100 μA) are necessary for productive RRAM applications. Therefore, TaOx is one of the prospective switching materials because of two stable phases of TaO2 and Ta2O5, which can also control the stable low- and high-resistance states. Long program/erase endurance and data retention at high temperature under low-current operation are also reported in published literature. So far, bilayered TaOx with inert electrodes (Pt and/or Ir) or single layer TaOx with semi-reactive electrodes (W and Ti/W or Ta/Pt) is proposed for real RRAM applications. It is found that the memory characteristics at current compliance (CC) of 80 μA is acceptable for real application; however, data are becoming worst at CC of 10 μA. Therefore, it is very challenging to reduce the operation current (few microampere) of the RRAM devices. This study investigates the switching mode, mechanism, and performance of low-current operated TaOx-based devices as compared to other RRAM devices. This topical review will not only help for application of TaOx-based nanoscale RRAM devices but also encourage researcher to overcome the challenges in the future production. PMID:24107610

Inverse spin Hall effect in a closed loop circuit

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

Omori, Y.; Auvray, F.; Wakamura, T.

We present measurements of inverse spin Hall effects (ISHEs), in which the conversion of a spin current into a charge current via the ISHE is detected not as a voltage in a standard open circuit but directly as the charge current generated in a closed loop. The method is applied to the ISHEs of Bi-doped Cu and Pt. The derived expression of ISHE for the loop structure can relate the charge current flowing into the loop to the spin Hall angle of the SHE material and the resistance of the loop.