Sample records for coded decimal bcd

  1. Design of an optical 4-bit binary to BCD converter using electro-optic effect of lithium niobate based Mach-Zehnder interferometers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, Santosh

    2017-07-01

    Binary to Binary coded decimal (BCD) converter is a basic building block for BCD processing. The last few decades have witnessed exponential rise in applications of binary coded data processing in the field of optical computing thus there is an eventual increase in demand of acceptable hardware platform for the same. Keeping this as an approach a novel design exploiting the preeminent feature of Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) is presented in this paper. Here, an optical 4-bit binary to binary coded decimal (BCD) converter utilizing the electro-optic effect of lithium niobate based MZI has been demonstrated. It exhibits the property of switching the optical signal from one port to the other, when a certain appropriate voltage is applied to its electrodes. The projected scheme is implemented using the combinations of cascaded electro-optic (EO) switches. Theoretical description along with mathematical formulation of the device is provided and the operation is analyzed through finite difference-Beam propagation method (FD-BPM). The fabrication techniques to develop the device are also discussed.

  2. All-optical 4-bit binary to binary coded decimal converter with the help of semiconductor optical amplifier-assisted Sagnac switch

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bhattachryya, Arunava; Kumar Gayen, Dilip; Chattopadhyay, Tanay

    2013-04-01

    All-optical 4-bit binary to binary coded decimal (BCD) converter has been proposed and described, with the help of semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)-assisted Sagnac interferometric switches in this manuscript. The paper describes all-optical conversion scheme using a set of all-optical switches. BCD is common in computer systems that display numeric values, especially in those consisting solely of digital logic with no microprocessor. In many personal computers, the basic input/output system (BIOS) keep the date and time in BCD format. The operations of the circuit are studied theoretically and analyzed through numerical simulations. The model accounts for the SOA small signal gain, line-width enhancement factor and carrier lifetime, the switching pulse energy and width, and the Sagnac loop asymmetry. By undertaking a detailed numerical simulation the influence of these key parameters on the metrics that determine the quality of switching is thoroughly investigated.

  3. Digital scale converter

    DOEpatents

    Upton, Richard G.

    1978-01-01

    A digital scale converter is provided for binary coded decimal (BCD) conversion. The converter may be programmed to convert a BCD value of a first scale to the equivalent value of a second scale according to a known ratio. The value to be converted is loaded into a first BCD counter and counted down to zero while a second BCD counter registers counts from zero or an offset value depending upon the conversion. Programmable rate multipliers are used to generate pulses at selected rates to the counters for the proper conversion ratio. The value present in the second counter at the time the first counter is counted to the zero count is the equivalent value of the second scale. This value may be read out and displayed on a conventional seven-segment digital display.

  4. An enhanced high-speed multi-digit BCD adder using quantum-dot cellular automata

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ajitha, D.; Ramanaiah, K. V.; Sumalatha, V.

    2017-02-01

    The advent of development of high-performance, low-power digital circuits is achieved by a suitable emerging nanodevice called quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA). Even though many efficient arithmetic circuits were designed using QCA, there is still a challenge to implement high-speed circuits in an optimized manner. Among these circuits, one of the essential structures is a parallel multi-digit decimal adder unit with significant speed which is very attractive for future environments. To achieve high speed, a new correction logic formulation method is proposed for single and multi-digit BCD adder. The proposed enhanced single-digit BCD adder (ESDBA) is 26% faster than the carry flow adder (CFA)-based BCD adder. The multi-digit operations are also performed using the proposed ESDBA, which is cascaded innovatively. The enhanced multi-digit BCD adder (EMDBA) performs two 4-digit and two 8-digit BCD addition 50% faster than the CFA-based BCD adder with the nominal overhead of the area. The EMDBA performs two 4-digit BCD addition 24% faster with 23% decrease in the area, similarly for 8-digit operation the EMDBA achieves 36% increase in speed with 21% less area compared to the existing carry look ahead (CLA)-based BCD adder design. The proposed multi-digit adder produces significantly less delay of (N –1) + 3.5 clock cycles compared to the N* One digit BCD adder delay required by the conventional BCD adder method. It is observed that as per our knowledge this is the first innovative proposal for multi-digit BCD addition using QCA.

  5. Digital controller for a Baum folding machine. [providing automatic counting and machine shutoff

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bryant, W. H. (Inventor)

    1974-01-01

    A digital controller for controlling the operation of a folding machine enables automatic folding of a desired number of sheets responsive to entry of that number into a selector. The controller includes three decade counter stages for corresponding rows of units, tens and hundreds push buttons. Each stage including a decimal-to-BCD encoder, a buffer register, and a digital or binary counter. The BCD representation of the selected count for each digit is loaded into the respective decade down counters. Pulses generated by a sensor and associated circuitry are used to decrease the count in the decade counters. When the content of the decade counter reaches either 0 or 1, a solenoid control valve is actuated which interrupts operation of the machine. A repeat switch, when actuated, prevents clearing of the buffer registers so that multiple groups of the same number of sheets can be folded without reentering the number into the selector.

  6. COMPUTER DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM. PROJECT ROVER, 1962

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

    Narin, F.

    ABS>A system was created for processing large volumes of data from Project ROVER tests at the Nevada Test Site. The data are compiled as analog, frequency modulated tape, which is translated in a Packard-Bell Tape-to-Tape converter into a binary coded decimal (BCD) IBM 7090 computer input tape. This input tape, tape A5, is processed on the 7090 by the RDH-D FORTRAN-II code and its 20 FAP and FORTRAN subroutines. Outputs from the 7090 run are tapes A3, which is a BCD tape used for listing on the IBM 1401 input-output computer, tape B5 which is a binary tape used asmore » input to a Stromberg-Carlson 40/20 cathode ray tube (CRT) plotter, and tape B6 which is a binary tape used for permanent data storage and input to specialized subcodes. The information on tape B5 commands the 40/20 to write grids, data points, and other information on the face of a CRT; the information on the CRT is photographed on 35 mm film which is subsequently developed; full-size (10" x 10") plots are made from the 35 mm film on a Xerox 1824 printer. The 7090 processes a data channel in approximately 4 seconds plus 4 seconds per plot to be made on the 40/20 for that channel. Up to 4500 data and calibration points on any one channel may be processed in one pass of the RDH-D code. This system has been used to produce more than 100,000 prints on the 1824 printer from more than 10,000 different 40/20 plots. At 00 per minute of 7090 time, it costs 60 to process a typical, 3-plot data channel on the 7090; each print on the 1824 costs between 5 and 10 cents including rental, supplies, and operator time. All automatic computer stops in the codes and subroutines are accompanied by on-line instructions to the operator. Extensive redundancy checking is incorporated in the FAP tape handling subroutines. (auth)« less

  7. Design of Excess 3 to BCD code converter using electro-optic effect of Mach-Zehnder Interferometers for efficient data transmission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, Santosh; Chanderkanta; Amphawan, Angela

    2016-04-01

    Excess 3 code is one of the most important codes used for efficient data storage and transmission. It is a non-weighted code and also known as self complimenting code. In this paper, a four bit optical Excess 3 to BCD code converter is proposed using electro-optic effect inside lithium-niobate based Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs). The MZI structures have powerful capability to switching an optical input signal to a desired output port. The paper constitutes a mathematical description of the proposed device and thereafter simulation using MATLAB. The study is verified using beam propagation method (BPM).

  8. INSPECTION MEANS FOR INDUCTION MOTORS

    DOEpatents

    Williams, A.W.

    1959-03-10

    an appartus is descripbe for inspcting electric motors and more expecially an appartus for detecting falty end rings inn suqirrel cage inductio motors while the motor is running. In its broua aspects, the mer would around ce of reference tedtor means also itons in the phase ition of the An electronic circuit for conversion of excess-3 binary coded serial decimal numbers to straight binary coded serial decimal numbers is reported. The converter of the invention in its basic form generally coded pulse words of a type having an algebraic sign digit followed serially by a plurality of decimal digits in order of decreasing significance preceding a y algebraic sign digit followed serially by a plurality of decimal digits in order of decreasing significance. A switching martix is coupled to said input circuit and is internally connected to produce serial straight binary coded pulse groups indicative of the excess-3 coded input. A stepping circuit is coupled to the switching matrix and to a synchronous counter having a plurality of x decimal digit and plurality of y decimal digit indicator terminals. The stepping circuit steps the counter in synchornism with the serial binary pulse group output from the switching matrix to successively produce pulses at corresponding ones of the x and y decimal digit indicator terminals. The combinations of straight binary coded pulse groups and corresponding decimal digit indicator signals so produced comprise a basic output suitable for application to a variety of output apparatus.

  9. Molecular screening of the CYP4V2 gene in Bietti crystalline dystrophy that is associated with choroidal neovascularization

    PubMed Central

    Mamatha, Gandra; Umashankar, Vetrivel; Kasinathan, Nachiappan; Krishnan, Tandava; Sathyabaarathi, Ravichandran; Karthiyayini, Thirumalai; Amali, John; Rao, Chetan

    2011-01-01

    Purpose Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by intraretinal deposits of multiple small crystals, with or without associated crystal deposits in the cornea. The disease is caused by mutation in the cytochrome p450, family 4, subfamily v, polypeptide 2 (CYP4V2) gene. Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a rare event in BCD. We report two cases of BCD associated with CNV. CYP4V2 and exon 5 of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP3) were screened in both cases. A patient with BCD, but without CNV, was also screened to identify pathogenic variations. Methods Three BCD families of Asian Indian origin were recruited after a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood leukocytes, and coding exons and flanking introns of CYP4V2 and exon 5 of TIMP3 were amplified via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and were sequenced. Family segregation, control screening, and bioinformatics tools were used to assess the pathogenicity of the novel variations. Results Of the three BCD patients, two had parafoveal CNV. The patient with BCD, but without CNV had novel single base-pair duplication (c.1062_1063dupA). This mutation results in a structurally defective and unstable protein with impaired protein function. Four novel benign variations (three in exons and one in an intron) were observed in the cohort. Screening of exon 5 of TIMP3 did not reveal any variation in these families. Conclusions A novel mutation was found in a patient with BCD but without CNV, while patients with BCD and CNV did not show any pathogenic variation. The modifier role of TIMP3 in the pathogenesis of CNV in BCD was partly ruled out, as no variation was observed in exon 5 of the gene. A larger BCD cohort with CNV needs to be studied and screened to understand the genetics of CNV in BCD. PMID:21850171

  10. MARC Coding of DDC for Subject Retrieval.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wajenberg, Arnold S.

    1983-01-01

    Recommends an expansion of MARC codes for decimal class numbers to enhance automated subject retrieval. Five values for a second indicator and two new subfields are suggested for encoding hierarchical relationships among decimal class numbers. Additional subfields are suggested to enhance retrieval through analysis of synthesized numbers in…

  11. Novel Designs of Quantum Reversible Counters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qi, Xuemei; Zhu, Haihong; Chen, Fulong; Zhu, Junru; Zhang, Ziyang

    2016-11-01

    Reversible logic, as an interesting and important issue, has been widely used in designing combinational and sequential circuits for low-power and high-speed computation. Though a significant number of works have been done on reversible combinational logic, the realization of reversible sequential circuit is still at premature stage. Reversible counter is not only an important part of the sequential circuit but also an essential part of the quantum circuit system. In this paper, we designed two kinds of novel reversible counters. In order to construct counter, the innovative reversible T Flip-flop Gate (TFG), T Flip-flop block (T_FF) and JK flip-flop block (JK_FF) are proposed. Based on the above blocks and some existing reversible gates, the 4-bit binary-coded decimal (BCD) counter and controlled Up/Down synchronous counter are designed. With the help of Verilog hardware description language (Verilog HDL), these counters above have been modeled and confirmed. According to the simulation results, our circuits' logic structures are validated. Compared to the existing ones in terms of quantum cost (QC), delay (DL) and garbage outputs (GBO), it can be concluded that our designs perform better than the others. There is no doubt that they can be used as a kind of important storage components to be applied in future low-power computing systems.

  12. On the application of under-decimated filter banks

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lin, Y.-P.; Vaidyanathan, P. P.

    1994-01-01

    Maximally decimated filter banks have been extensively studied in the past. A filter bank is said to be under-decimated if the number of channels is more than the decimation ratio in the subbands. A maximally decimated filter bank is well known for its application in subband coding. Another application of maximally decimated filter banks is in block filtering. Convolution through block filtering has the advantages that parallelism is increased and data are processed at a lower rate. However, the computational complexity is comparable to that of direct convolution. More recently, another type of filter bank convolver has been developed. In this scheme, the convolution is performed in the subbands. Quantization and bit allocation of subband signals are based on signal variance, as in subband coding. Consequently, for a fixed rate, the result of convolution is more accurate than is direct convolution. This type of filter bank convolver also enjoys the advantages of block filtering, parallelism, and a lower working rate. Nevertheless, like block filtering, there is no computational saving. In this article, under-decimated systems are introduced to solve the problem. The new system is decimated only by half the number of channels. Two types of filter banks can be used in the under-decimated system: the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) filter banks and the cosine modulated filter banks. They are well known for their low complexity. In both cases, the system is approximately alias free, and the overall response is equivalent to a tunable multilevel filter. Properties of the DFT filter banks and the cosine modulated filter banks can be exploited to simultaneously achieve parallelism, computational saving, and a lower working rate. Furthermore, for both systems, the implementation cost of the analysis or synthesis bank is comparable to that of one prototype filter plus some low-complexity modulation matrices. The individual analysis and synthesis filters have complex coefficients in the DFT filter banks but have real coefficients in the cosine modulated filter banks.

  13. On the application of under-decimated filter banks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Y.-P.; Vaidyanathan, P. P.

    1994-11-01

    Maximally decimated filter banks have been extensively studied in the past. A filter bank is said to be under-decimated if the number of channels is more than the decimation ratio in the subbands. A maximally decimated filter bank is well known for its application in subband coding. Another application of maximally decimated filter banks is in block filtering. Convolution through block filtering has the advantages that parallelism is increased and data are processed at a lower rate. However, the computational complexity is comparable to that of direct convolution. More recently, another type of filter bank convolver has been developed. In this scheme, the convolution is performed in the subbands. Quantization and bit allocation of subband signals are based on signal variance, as in subband coding. Consequently, for a fixed rate, the result of convolution is more accurate than is direct convolution. This type of filter bank convolver also enjoys the advantages of block filtering, parallelism, and a lower working rate. Nevertheless, like block filtering, there is no computational saving. In this article, under-decimated systems are introduced to solve the problem. The new system is decimated only by half the number of channels. Two types of filter banks can be used in the under-decimated system: the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) filter banks and the cosine modulated filter banks. They are well known for their low complexity. In both cases, the system is approximately alias free, and the overall response is equivalent to a tunable multilevel filter. Properties of the DFT filter banks and the cosine modulated filter banks can be exploited to simultaneously achieve parallelism, computational saving, and a lower working rate.

  14. The effect of reactions on the formation and readout of the gradient of Bicoid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Perez Ipiña, Emiliano; Ponce Dawson, Silvina

    2017-02-01

    During early development, the establishment of gradients of transcriptional factors determines the patterning of cell fates. The case of Bicoid (Bcd) in Drosophila melanogaster embryos is well documented and studied. There are still controversies as to whether SDD models in which Bcd is Synthesized at one end, then Diffuses and is Degraded can explain the gradient formation within the timescale observed experimentally. The Bcd gradient is observed in embryos that express a Bicoid-eGFP fusion protein (Bcd-GFP) which cannot differentiate if Bcd is freely diffusing or bound to immobile sites. In this work we analyze an SDID model that includes the Interaction of Bcd with binding sites. We simulate numerically the resulting full reaction-diffusion system in a cylindrical domain using previously determined biophysical parameters and a simplified version of the Bcd source. In this way we obtain solutions that depend on the spatial location approximately as observed experimentally and that reach such dependence at a time that is also compatible with the experimental observations. Analyzing the differences between the free and bound Bcd distributions we observe that the latter spans over a longer lengthscale. We conclude that deriving the lengthscale from the distribution of Bcd-GFP can lead to an overestimation of the gradient lengthscale and of the Hill coefficient that relates the concentrations of Bcd and of the protein, Hunchback, whose production is regulated by Bcd.

  15. Fault Tolerant Signal Processing Using Finite Fields and Error-Correcting Codes.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-06-01

    Decimation in Frequency Form, Fast Inverse Transform F-18 F-4 Part of Decimation in Time Form, Fast Inverse Transform F-21 I . LIST OF TABLES fable Title Page...F-2 Intermediate Variables In A Fast Inverse Transform F-14 Accession For NTIS GRA&il DTIC TAB E Unannounced El ** Dist ribut ion/ ____ AvailabilitY...component polynomials may be transformed to an equiva- lent series of multiplications of the related transform ’.. coefficients. The inverse transform of

  16. Neural representations of magnitude for natural and rational numbers.

    PubMed

    DeWolf, Melissa; Chiang, Jeffrey N; Bassok, Miriam; Holyoak, Keith J; Monti, Martin M

    2016-11-01

    Humans have developed multiple symbolic representations for numbers, including natural numbers (positive integers) as well as rational numbers (both fractions and decimals). Despite a considerable body of behavioral and neuroimaging research, it is currently unknown whether different notations map onto a single, fully abstract, magnitude code, or whether separate representations exist for specific number types (e.g., natural versus rational) or number representations (e.g., base-10 versus fractions). We address this question by comparing brain metabolic response during a magnitude comparison task involving (on different trials) integers, decimals, and fractions. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the strength and pattern of activation for fractions differed systematically, within the intraparietal sulcus, from that of both decimals and integers, while the latter two number representations appeared virtually indistinguishable. These results demonstrate that the two major notations formats for rational numbers, fractions and decimals, evoke distinct neural representations of magnitude, with decimals representations being more closely linked to those of integers than to those of magnitude-equivalent fractions. Our findings thus suggest that number representation (base-10 versus fractions) is an important organizational principle for the neural substrate underlying mathematical cognition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Dampened regulates the activating potency of Bicoid and the embryonic patterning outcome in Drosophila

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Junbo; Ma, Jun

    2014-01-01

    The Drosophila morphogen gradient of Bicoid (Bcd) initiates anterior-posterior (AP) patterning, but it is poorly understood how its ability to activate a target gene may impact this process. Here we report an F-box protein, Dampened (Dmpd) as a nuclear co-factor of Bcd that can enhance its activating potency. We establish a quantitative platform to specifically investigate two parameters of a Bcd target gene response, expression amplitude and boundary position. We show that embryos lacking Dmpd have a reduced amplitude of Bcd-activated hunchback (hb) expression at a critical time of development. This is due to a reduced Bcd-dependent transcribing probability. This defect is faithfully propagated further downstream of the AP patterning network to alter the spatial characteristics of even-skipped (eve) stripes. Thus, unlike another Bcd-interacting F-box protein Fates-shifted (Fsd), which controls AP patterning through regulating the Bcd gradient profile, Dmpd achieves its patterning role through regulating the activating potency of Bcd. PMID:24336107

  18. Functional and physiological effects of treadmill training induced by buspirone, carbidopa, and L-DOPA in clenbuterol-treated paraplegic mice.

    PubMed

    Ung, Roth-Visal; Rouleau, Pascal; Guertin, Pierre A

    2012-05-01

    Chronic spinal cord injury may be complicated by weight loss, muscle atrophy, and bone loss. The authors identified a combination pharmacotherapy using buspirone, carbidopa, and L-DOPA (BCD) that elicits bouts of locomotor-like movements in spinal cord-transected (Tx) mice. They then evaluated the effects of 8 weeks of treadmill training in Tx mice that received BCD or BCD + clenbuterol, a monoaminergic agent with anabolic properties, on locomotor function, muscle atrophy, adipose tissue loss, and bone density measures. Induced locomotor movement, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and femoral bone properties were compared in unoperated control mice, operated controls (untreated, untrained Tx mice), and 2 groups of treated, trained Tx mice (Tx + BCD, Tx + BCD + clenbuterol) that also received training. BCD- and BCD + clenbuterol-treated mice showed comparable levels of locomotor movements that significantly improved over time. Soleus muscle mass and soleus and extensor digitorum longus cross-sectional area significantly increased in both groups of BCD-treated mice, with greater effects in BCD + clenbuterol-treated animals. Fiber type conversion, adipose tissues, bone mineral density, and content were reduced in all Tx groups compared with unoperated control mice. These findings suggest that locomotor movement and muscle properties can be restored to near-normal levels after several weeks of BCD treatment, regular training, and clenbuterol in completely paraplegic animals.

  19. Using the Developmental Gene Bicoid to Identify Species of Forensically Important Blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

    PubMed Central

    Park, Seong Hwan; Park, Chung Hyun; Zhang, Yong; Piao, Huguo; Chung, Ukhee; Kim, Seong Yoon; Ko, Kwang Soo; Yi, Cheong-Ho; Jo, Tae-Ho; Hwang, Juck-Joon

    2013-01-01

    Identifying species of insects used to estimate postmortem interval (PMI) is a major subject in forensic entomology. Because forensic insect specimens are morphologically uniform and are obtained at various developmental stages, DNA markers are greatly needed. To develop new autosomal DNA markers to identify species, partial genomic sequences of the bicoid (bcd) genes, containing the homeobox and its flanking sequences, from 12 blowfly species (Aldrichina grahami, Calliphora vicina, Calliphora lata, Triceratopyga calliphoroides, Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya pinguis, Phormia regina, Lucilia ampullacea, Lucilia caesar, Lucilia illustris, Hemipyrellia ligurriens and Lucilia sericata; Calliphoridae: Diptera) were determined and analyzed. This study first sequenced the ten blowfly species other than C. vicina and L. sericata. Based on the bcd sequences of these 12 blowfly species, a phylogenetic tree was constructed that discriminates the subfamilies of Calliphoridae (Luciliinae, Chrysomyinae, and Calliphorinae) and most blowfly species. Even partial genomic sequences of about 500 bp can distinguish most blowfly species. The short intron 2 and coding sequences downstream of the bcd homeobox in exon 3 could be utilized to develop DNA markers for forensic applications. These gene sequences are important in the evolution of insect developmental biology and are potentially useful for identifying insect species in forensic science. PMID:23586044

  20. Cross-sectional Analysis of the Relationship between Paranasal Sinus Balloon Catheter Dilations and Industry Payments among Otolaryngologists.

    PubMed

    Fujiwara, Rance J T; Shih, Allen F; Mehra, Saral

    2017-11-01

    Objective To characterize the relationship between industry payments and use of paranasal sinus balloon catheter dilations (BCDs) for chronic rhinosinusitis. Study Design Cross-sectional analysis of Medicare B Public Use Files and Open Payments data. Setting Two national databases, 2013 to 2014. Subjects and Methods Physicians with Medicare claims with Current Procedural Terminology codes 31295 to 31297 were identified and cross-referenced with industry payments. Multivariate linear regression controlling for age, race, sex, and comorbidity in a physician's Medicare population was performed to identify associations between use of BCDs and industry payments. The final analysis included 334 physicians performing 31,506 procedures, each of whom performed at least 11 balloon dilation procedures. Results Of 334 physicians, 280 (83.8%) received 4392 industry payments in total. Wide variation in payments to physicians was noted (range, $43.29-$111,685.10). The median payment for food and beverage was $19.26 and that for speaker or consulting fees was $409.45. One payment was associated with an additional 3.05 BCDs (confidence interval [95% CI],1.65-4.45; P < .001). One payment for food and beverages was associated with 3.81 additional BCDs (95% CI, 2.13-5.49; P < .001), and 1 payment for speaker or consulting fees was associated with 5.49 additional BCDs (95% CI, 0.32-10.63; P = .04). Conclusion Payments by manufacturers of BCD devices were associated with increased use of BCD for chronic rhinosinusitis. On separate analyses, the number of payments for food and beverages as well as that for speaker and consulting fees was associated with increased BCD use. This study was cross-sectional and cannot prove causality, and several factors likely exist for the uptrend in BCD use.

  1. FBC: a flat binary code scheme for fast Manhattan hash retrieval

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kong, Yan; Wu, Fuzhang; Gao, Lifa; Wu, Yanjun

    2018-04-01

    Hash coding is a widely used technique in approximate nearest neighbor (ANN) search, especially in document search and multimedia (such as image and video) retrieval. Based on the difference of distance measurement, hash methods are generally classified into two categories: Hamming hashing and Manhattan hashing. Benefitting from better neighborhood structure preservation, Manhattan hashing methods outperform earlier methods in search effectiveness. However, due to using decimal arithmetic operations instead of bit operations, Manhattan hashing becomes a more time-consuming process, which significantly decreases the whole search efficiency. To solve this problem, we present an intuitive hash scheme which uses Flat Binary Code (FBC) to encode the data points. As a result, the decimal arithmetic used in previous Manhattan hashing can be replaced by more efficient XOR operator. The final experiments show that with a reasonable memory space growth, our FBC speeds up more than 80% averagely without any search accuracy loss when comparing to the state-of-art Manhattan hashing methods.

  2. Amplification options in unilateral aural atresia: an active middle ear implant or a bone conduction device?

    PubMed

    Agterberg, Martijn J H; Frenzel, Henning; Wollenberg, Barbara; Somers, Thomas; Cremers, Cor W R J; Snik, Ad F M

    2014-01-01

    There is no consensus on treatment of patients with congenital unilateral aural atresia. Currently, 3 intervention options are available, namely, surgical reconstruction, application of a bone-conduction device (BCD), or application of a middle ear implant. The present study aims to compare the BCD with the application of a middle ear implant. We hypothesized that cross-hearing (stimulating the cochlea by means of bone conduction contralateral to the implanted side) would cause BCD users to have difficulty performing localization tasks. Audiologic data of 4 adult patients with a middle ear implant coupled directly to the cochlea were compared with data of 4 adult patients fitted with an osseointegrated BCD. All patients were fitted during adulthood. The emphasis of this study is on directional hearing. The middle ear implant and the BCD improved sound localization of patients with congenital unilateral aural atresia. Unaided scores demonstrate a large variation. Our results demonstrate that there was no advantage of the middle ear implant over the BCD for directional hearing in patients who had no amplification in childhood. The BCD users had the best bandwidth.

  3. β-CD-dextran polymer for efficient sequestration of cholesterol from phospholipid bilayers: Mechanistic and safe-toxicity investigations.

    PubMed

    Stelzl, Dominik; Nielsen, Thorbjørn Terndrup; Hansen, Terkel; di Cagno, Massimiliano

    2015-12-30

    The aim of this work was to investigate the suitability of β-cyclodextrin-dextran (BCD-dextran) polymer as cholesterol sequestering agent in vitro. For this purpose, BCD-dextran-cholesterol complexation was studied by phase solubility studies as well as with a specifically designed in vitro model based on giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) to evaluate the ability of this polymer to sequestrate cholesterol from phospholipid bilayers. Cholesterol-sequestering ability of BCD-dextran was also investigated on different cell lines relevant for the hematopoietic system and results were correlated to cells toxicity. BCD-dextran polymer was capable of extracting significant amount of cholesterol from phospholipid bilayers and to a higher extent in comparison to available β-cyclodextrins (BCDs). The ability of BCD-dextran in sequestering cholesterol resulted also very high on cell lines relevant for the hematopoietic system. Moreover, BCD-dextran resulted less toxic on cell cultures due to higher selectivity in sequestering cholesterol in comparison to MBCD (that sequestrated also significant amounts of cholesteryl esters). In conclusion, BCD-dextran resulted an extremely efficient cholesterol-sequestering agent and BCD-dextran resulted more selective to cholesterol extraction in comparison to other BCDs (therefore of lower cytotoxicity). This phenomenon might play a key role to develop an efficient treatment for hypercholesterolemia based on cholesterol segregation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. High-Throughput Screening based Identification of Small Molecule Antagonists of Integrin CD11b/CD18 Ligand Binding

    PubMed Central

    Faridi, Mohd Hafeez; Maiguel, Dony; Brown, Brock T.; Suyama, Eigo; Barth, Constantinos J.; Hedrick, Michael; Vasile, Stefan; Sergienko, Eduard; Schürer, Stephan; Gupta, Vineet

    2010-01-01

    Binding of leukocyte specific integrin CD11b/CD18 to its physiologic ligands is important for the development of normal immune response in vivo. Integrin CD11b/CD18 is also a key cellular effector of various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. However, small molecules selectively inhibiting the function of integrin CD11b/CD18 are currently lacking. We used a newly described cell-based high throughput screening assay to identify a number of highly potent antagonists of integrin CD11b/CD18 from chemical libraries containing >100,000 unique compounds. Computational analyses suggest that the identified compounds cluster into several different chemical classes. A number of the newly identified compounds blocked adhesion of wild-type mouse neutrophils to CD11b/CD18 ligand fibrinogen. Mapping the most active compounds against chemical fingerprints of known antagonists of related integrin CD11a/CD18 shows little structural similarity, suggesting that the newly identified compounds are novel and unique. PMID:20188705

  5. Trinary signed-digit arithmetic using an efficient encoding scheme

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salim, W. Y.; Alam, M. S.; Fyath, R. S.; Ali, S. A.

    2000-09-01

    The trinary signed-digit (TSD) number system is of interest for ultrafast optoelectronic computing systems since it permits parallel carry-free addition and borrow-free subtraction of two arbitrary length numbers in constant time. In this paper, a simple coding scheme is proposed to encode the decimal number directly into the TSD form. The coding scheme enables one to perform parallel one-step TSD arithmetic operation. The proposed coding scheme uses only a 5-combination coding table instead of the 625-combination table reported recently for recoded TSD arithmetic technique.

  6. One-step trinary signed-digit arithmetic using an efficient encoding scheme

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salim, W. Y.; Fyath, R. S.; Ali, S. A.; Alam, Mohammad S.

    2000-11-01

    The trinary signed-digit (TSD) number system is of interest for ultra fast optoelectronic computing systems since it permits parallel carry-free addition and borrow-free subtraction of two arbitrary length numbers in constant time. In this paper, a simple coding scheme is proposed to encode the decimal number directly into the TSD form. The coding scheme enables one to perform parallel one-step TSD arithmetic operation. The proposed coding scheme uses only a 5-combination coding table instead of the 625-combination table reported recently for recoded TSD arithmetic technique.

  7. Bubble-Induced Color Doppler Feedback for Histotripsy Tissue Fractionation.

    PubMed

    Miller, Ryan M; Zhang, Xi; Maxwell, Adam D; Cain, Charles A; Xu, Zhen

    2016-03-01

    Histotripsy therapy produces cavitating bubble clouds to increasingly fractionate and eventually liquefy tissue using high-intensity ultrasound pulses. Following cavitation generated by each pulse, coherent motion of the cavitation residual nuclei can be detected using metrics formed from ultrasound color Doppler acquisitions. In this paper, three experiments were performed to investigate the characteristics of this motion as real-time feedback on histotripsy tissue fractionation. In the first experiment, bubble-induced color Doppler (BCD) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) analysis monitored the residual cavitation nuclei in the treatment region in an agarose tissue phantom treated with two-cycle histotripsy pulses at [Formula: see text] using a 500-kHz transducer. Both BCD and PIV results showed brief chaotic motion of the residual nuclei followed by coherent motion first moving away from the transducer and then rebounding back. Velocity measurements from both PIV and BCD agreed well, showing a monotonic increase in rebound time up to a saturation point for increased therapy dose. In a second experiment, a thin layer of red blood cells (RBC) was added to the phantom to allow quantification of the fractionation of the RBC layer to compare with BCD metrics. A strong linear correlation was observed between the fractionation level and the time to BCD peak rebound velocity over histotripsy treatment. Finally, the correlation between BCD feedback and histotripsy tissue fractionation was validated in ex vivo porcine liver evaluated histologically. BCD metrics showed strong linear correlation with fractionation progression, suggesting that BCD provides useful quantitative real-time feedback on histotripsy treatment progression.

  8. Bubble-induced Color Doppler Feedback for Histotripsy Tissue Fractionation

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Ryan M.; Zhang, Xi; Maxwell, Adam; Cain, Charles; Xu, Zhen

    2016-01-01

    Histotripsy therapy produces cavitating bubble clouds to increasingly fractionate and eventually liquefy tissue using high intensity ultrasound pulses. Following cavitation generated by each pulse, coherent motion of the cavitation residual nuclei can be detected using metrics formed from ultrasound color Doppler acquisitions. In this paper, three experiments were performed to investigate the characteristics of this motion as real-time feedback on histotripsy tissue fractionation. In the first experiment, bubble-induced color Doppler (BCD) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) analysis monitored the residual cavitation nuclei in the treatment region in an agarose tissue phantom treated with 2-cycle histotripsy pulses at > 30 MPa using a 500 kHz transducer. Both BCD and PIV results showed brief chaotic motion of the residual nuclei followed by coherent motion first moving away from the transducer and then rebounding back. Velocity measurements from both PIV and BCD agreed well, showing a monotonic increase in rebound time up to a saturation point for increased therapy dose. In a second experiment, a thin layer of red blood cells (RBC) was added to the phantom to allow quantification of the fractionation of the RBC layer to compare with BCD metrics. A strong linear correlation was observed between the fractionation level and the time to BCD peak rebound velocity over histotripsy treatment. Finally, the correlation between BCD feedback and histotripsy tissue fractionation was validated in ex vivo porcine liver evaluated histologically. BCD metrics showed strong linear correlation with fractionation progression, suggesting that BCD provides useful quantitative real-time feedback on histotripsy treatment progression. PMID:26863659

  9. Multidimensional incremental parsing for universal source coding.

    PubMed

    Bae, Soo Hyun; Juang, Biing-Hwang

    2008-10-01

    A multidimensional incremental parsing algorithm (MDIP) for multidimensional discrete sources, as a generalization of the Lempel-Ziv coding algorithm, is investigated. It consists of three essential component schemes, maximum decimation matching, hierarchical structure of multidimensional source coding, and dictionary augmentation. As a counterpart of the longest match search in the Lempel-Ziv algorithm, two classes of maximum decimation matching are studied. Also, an underlying behavior of the dictionary augmentation scheme for estimating the source statistics is examined. For an m-dimensional source, m augmentative patches are appended into the dictionary at each coding epoch, thus requiring the transmission of a substantial amount of information to the decoder. The property of the hierarchical structure of the source coding algorithm resolves this issue by successively incorporating lower dimensional coding procedures in the scheme. In regard to universal lossy source coders, we propose two distortion functions, the local average distortion and the local minimax distortion with a set of threshold levels for each source symbol. For performance evaluation, we implemented three image compression algorithms based upon the MDIP; one is lossless and the others are lossy. The lossless image compression algorithm does not perform better than the Lempel-Ziv-Welch coding, but experimentally shows efficiency in capturing the source structure. The two lossy image compression algorithms are implemented using the two distortion functions, respectively. The algorithm based on the local average distortion is efficient at minimizing the signal distortion, but the images by the one with the local minimax distortion have a good perceptual fidelity among other compression algorithms. Our insights inspire future research on feature extraction of multidimensional discrete sources.

  10. Validation of prostate-specific antigen laboratory values recorded in Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries.

    PubMed

    Adamo, Margaret Peggy; Boten, Jessica A; Coyle, Linda M; Cronin, Kathleen A; Lam, Clara J K; Negoita, Serban; Penberthy, Lynne; Stevens, Jennifer L; Ward, Kevin C

    2017-02-15

    Researchers have used prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values collected by central cancer registries to evaluate tumors for potential aggressive clinical disease. An independent study collecting PSA values suggested a high error rate (18%) related to implied decimal points. To evaluate the error rate in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, a comprehensive review of PSA values recorded across all SEER registries was performed. Consolidated PSA values for eligible prostate cancer cases in SEER registries were reviewed and compared with text documentation from abstracted records. Four types of classification errors were identified: implied decimal point errors, abstraction or coding implementation errors, nonsignificant errors, and changes related to "unknown" values. A total of 50,277 prostate cancer cases diagnosed in 2012 were reviewed. Approximately 94.15% of cases did not have meaningful changes (85.85% correct, 5.58% with a nonsignificant change of <1 ng/mL, and 2.80% with no clinical change). Approximately 5.70% of cases had meaningful changes (1.93% due to implied decimal point errors, 1.54% due to abstract or coding errors, and 2.23% due to errors related to unknown categories). Only 419 of the original 50,277 cases (0.83%) resulted in a change in disease stage due to a corrected PSA value. The implied decimal error rate was only 1.93% of all cases in the current validation study, with a meaningful error rate of 5.81%. The reasons for the lower error rate in SEER are likely due to ongoing and rigorous quality control and visual editing processes by the central registries. The SEER program currently is reviewing and correcting PSA values back to 2004 and will re-release these data in the public use research file. Cancer 2017;123:697-703. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society.

  11. Improved stability of chokeberry juice anthocyanins by β-cyclodextrin addition and refrigeration.

    PubMed

    Howard, Luke R; Brownmiller, Cindi; Prior, Ronald L; Mauromoustakos, Andy

    2013-01-23

    Chokeberry anthocyanins are susceptible to degradation during processing and storage of processed products. This study determined the effects of three pH levels (2.8, 3.2, and 3.6) and four β-cyclodextrin (BCD) concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, and 3%) alone and in combination on the stability of chokeberry juice anthocyanins before and after pasteurization and over 8 months of storage at 4 and 25 °C. Lowering the pH from 3.6 to 2.8 in the absence of BCD provided marginal protection against anthocyanin losses during processing and storage. Addition of 3% BCD at the natural chokeberry pH of 3.6 resulted in excellent protection of anthocyanins, with 81 and 95% retentions after 8 months of storage at 25 and 4 °C, respectively. The protective effect of BCD was lessened with concentrations <3% and reduction in pH, indicating changes in anthocyanin structure play an important role in BCD stabilization of anthocyanins.

  12. Does the Broad Categories for the Diagnosis of Eating Disorders (BCD-ED) Scheme Reduce the Frequency of Eating Disorder not Otherwise Specified?

    PubMed Central

    Sysko, Robyn; Walsh, B. Timothy

    2010-01-01

    Objective This study evaluated whether the Broad Categories for the Diagnosis of Eating Disorders (BCD-ED) proposal (Walsh & Sysko, 2009) reduces the number of individuals who receive a DSM-IV eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) diagnosis. Method Individuals calling a tertiary care facility completed a brief telephone interview and were classified into a DSM-IV eating disorder category (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, EDNOS). Subsequently, the proposed DSM-5 criteria for eating disorders and the BCD-ED scheme were also applied. Results A total of 247 individuals with telephone interview data met criteria for an eating disorder, including 97 (39.3%) with an EDNOS. Of patients with an EDNOS diagnosis, 97.6% were re-classified using the BCD-ED scheme. Discussion The BCD-ED scheme has the potential to virtually eliminate the use of DSM-IV EDNOS; however, additional data are needed to document its validity and clinical utility. PMID:21997426

  13. Crystal structure of RecBCD enzyme reveals a machine for processing DNA breaks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singleton, Martin R.; Dillingham, Mark S.; Gaudier, Martin; Kowalczykowski, Stephen C.; Wigley, Dale B.

    2004-11-01

    RecBCD is a multi-functional enzyme complex that processes DNA ends resulting from a double-strand break. RecBCD is a bipolar helicase that splits the duplex into its component strands and digests them until encountering a recombinational hotspot (Chi site). The nuclease activity is then attenuated and RecBCD loads RecA onto the 3' tail of the DNA. Here we present the crystal structure of RecBCD bound to a DNA substrate. In this initiation complex, the DNA duplex has been split across the RecC subunit to create a fork with the separated strands each heading towards different helicase motor subunits. The strands pass along tunnels within the complex, both emerging adjacent to the nuclease domain of RecB. Passage of the 3' tail through one of these tunnels provides a mechanism for the recognition of a Chi sequence by RecC within the context of double-stranded DNA. Gating of this tunnel suggests how nuclease activity might be regulated.

  14. Color Your Classroom II. A Math Curriculum Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mississippi State Dept. of Education, Jackson.

    This math curriculum guide, correlated with the numerical coding of the Math Skills List published by the Migrant Student Record Transfer System, covers 10 learning areas: readiness, number meaning, whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percent, measurement, geometry, probability and statistics, and sets. Each exercise is illustrated by a large…

  15. Optical triple-in digital logic using nonlinear optical four-wave mixing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Widjaja, Joewono; Tomita, Yasuo

    1995-08-01

    A new programmable optical processor is proposed for implementing triple-in combinatorial digital logic that uses four-wave mixing. Binary-coded decimal-to-octal decoding is experimentally demonstrated by use of a photorefractive BaTiO 3 crystal. The result confirms the feasibility of the proposed system.

  16. Browsing Your Virtual Library: The Case of Expanding Universe.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daniels, Wayne; Enright, Jeanne; Mackenzie, Scott

    1997-01-01

    Describes "Expanding Universe: a classified search tool for amateur astronomy," a Web site maintained by the Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library which uses a modified form of the Dewey Decimal Classification to organize a large file of astronomy hotlinks. Highlights include structure, HTML coding, design requirements, and future…

  17. Functional and Structural Insights of the Zinc-Finger HIT protein family members Involved in Box C/D snoRNP Biogenesis.

    PubMed

    Bragantini, Benoit; Tiotiu, Decebal; Rothé, Benjamin; Saliou, Jean-Michel; Marty, Hélène; Cianférani, Sarah; Charpentier, Bruno; Quinternet, Marc; Manival, Xavier

    2016-06-05

    Zf–HIT family members share the zf–HIT domain (ZHD), which is characterized by a fold in “treble-clef” through interleaved CCCC and CCHC ZnF motifs that both bind a zinc atom. Six proteins containing ZHD are present in human and three in yeast proteome, all belonging to multimodular RNA/protein complexes involved in gene regulation, chromatin remodeling, and snoRNP assembly. An interesting characteristic of the cellular complexes that ensure these functions is the presence of the RuvBL1/2/Rvb1/2 ATPases closely linked with zf–HIT proteins. Human ZNHIT6/BCD1 and its counterpart in yeast Bcd1p were previously characterized as assembly factors of the box C/D snoRNPs. Our data reveal that the ZHD of Bcd1p is necessary but not sufficient for yeast growth and that the motif has no direct RNA-binding capacity but helps Bcd1p maintain the box C/D snoRNAs level in steady state. However, we demonstrated that Bcd1p interacts nonspecifically with RNAs depending on their length. Interestingly, the ZHD of Bcd1p is functionally interchangeable with that of Hit1p, another box C/D snoRNP assembly factor belonging to the zf–HIT family. This prompted us to use NMR to solve the 3D structures of ZHD from yeast Bcd1p and Hit1p to highlight the structural similarity in the zf–HIT family. We identified structural features associated with the requirement of Hit1p and Bcd1p ZHD for cell growth and box C/D snoRNA stability under heat stress. Altogether, our data suggest an important role of ZHD could be to maintain functional folding to the rest of the protein, especially under heat stress conditions.

  18. Translation of one high-level language to another: COBOL to ADA, an example

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

    Hill, J.A.

    1986-01-01

    This dissertation discusses the difficulties encountered in, and explores possible solutions to, the task of automatically converting programs written in one HLL, COBOL, into programs written in another HLL, Ada, and still maintain readability. This paper presents at least one set of techniques and algorithms to solve many of the problems that were encountered. The differing view of records is solved by isolating those instances where it is a problem, then using the RENAMES option of Ada. Several solutions to doing the decimal-arithmetic translation are discussed. One method used is to emulate COBOL arithmetic in an arithmetic package. Another partialmore » solution suggested is to convert the values to decimal-scaled integers and use modular arithmetic. Conversion to fixed-point type and floating-point type are the third and fourth methods. The work of another researcher, Bobby Othmer, is utilized to correct any unstructured code, to remap statements not directly translatable such as ALTER, and to pull together isolated code sections. Algorithms are then presented to convert this restructured COBOL code into Ada code with local variables, parameters, and packages. The input/output requirements are partially met by mapping them to a series of procedure calls that interface with Ada's standard input-output package. Several examples are given of hand translations of COBOL programs. In addition, a possibly new method is shown for measuring the readability of programs.« less

  19. Definite Integrals, Some Involving Residue Theory Evaluated by Maple Code

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

    Bowman, Kimiko o

    2010-01-01

    The calculus of residue is applied to evaluate certain integrals in the range (-{infinity} to {infinity}) using the Maple symbolic code. These integrals are of the form {integral}{sub -{infinity}}{sup {infinity}} cos(x)/[(x{sup 2} + a{sup 2})(x{sup 2} + b{sup 2}) (x{sup 2} + c{sup 2})]dx and similar extensions. The Maple code is also applied to expressions in maximum likelihood estimator moments when sampling from the negative binomial distribution. In general the Maple code approach to the integrals gives correct answers to specified decimal places, but the symbolic result may be extremely long and complex.

  20. Organization and mobility of CD11b/CD18 and targeting of superoxide on the surface of degranulated human neutrophils.

    PubMed

    Mukherjee, G; Rasmusson, B; Linner, J G; Quinn, M T; Parkos, C A; Magnusson, K E; Jesaitis, A J

    1998-09-01

    A monoclonal IgM, specifically recognizing both CD11b and CD18 of human neutrophils, was used to examine the organization and mobility of CD11b/CD18 in the plasma membrane of human neutrophils degranulated by dihydrocytochalasin B (dhCB) treatment and fMet-Leu-Phe (fMLF) stimulation. Subcellular fractionation analysis of untreated or dhCB-treated control neutrophils indicated that 20% of CD11b/CD18 cosedimented with plasma membrane and the remainder with specific granules. In contrast, fMLF stimulation of dhCB-treated cells caused a major reorganization of CD11b/CD18, in which 60-70% of CD11b/CD18 sedimented in dense plasma membrane fractions that were also enriched in superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase activity. Similarly pretreated neutrophils were fixed, immunogold labeled, and examined by scanning electron microscopy. Immunogold particles were distributed uniformly over the symmetrically ruffled surface of unstimulated neutrophils. On dhCB-treated cells, immunogold was mostly uniformly distributed on a smooth membrane with a small percentage of particles lining up into linear arrays. After fMLF + dhCB stimulation, CD11b/CD18 gold label was more abundant on the cell surface and formed large aggregates on polarized membrane protrusions. However, when cells were adhered to an albumin-coated quartz surface and stimulated with fMLF in the presence of dhCB, immunogold was excluded on the articulated and rounded cell body but concentrated on the periphery of adherent lamellae. Fluorescence photobleaching recovery indicated that in unstimulated cells 38 +/- 3% of CD11b/CD18 was mobile (R) with a diffusion constant D of 3.1 +/- 0.3 x 10(-10) cm2/s. Treatment with dhCB raised R and D 24 and 74%, respectively. Stimulation using 1 microM fMLF with dhCB lowered D and R to near control levels. Since NADPH oxidase and CD11b/CD18 cosediment in high-density plasma membrane domains after fMLF + dhCB stimulation, we speculate that a stimulus-induced reorganization of CD11b/CD18 and NADPH oxidase to common membrane domains may occur in fMLF + dhCB-degranulated neutrophils. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

  1. Factors affecting the variability in the observed levels of cadmium in blood and urine among former and current smokers aged 20-64 and ≥ 65years.

    PubMed

    Jain, Ram B

    2017-03-01

    Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 1999-2012 were used to evaluate factors that affect observed levels of blood cadmium (BCd) and urine cadmium (UCd) among former and current smokers aged 20-64 and ≥65 years. Adjusted levels (AGM) for BCd and UCd were higher among females as compared to males. The order of AGM for BCd by race/ethnicity for 20-64 years old was non-Hispanic white (NHW) < non-Hispanic black (NHB) and NHW > NHB for ≥65 years old. The order of AGMs for UCd for 20-64-year-old current smokers was NHW > NHB and NHW > NHB for former smokers. For 20-64-year-old current smokers, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke at home was associated with higher levels of BCd. Levels of both UCd and BCd increased with age, but the rate of increase was as much as seven times higher among ≥65 years old than 20-64 years old. For current smokers, the number of cigarettes smoked inside home was positively associated with the levels of BCd. For current smokers aged 20-64 years, the number of cigarettes smoked inside home was positively associated with the levels of UCd (p < 0.01), and the number of cigarettes smoked every day on the days they were smoked was also positively associated with the levels of UCd (p < 0.01). Among former smokers, levels of both UCd and BCd were positively associated (p < 0.1) with the number of cigarettes smoked per day at the time of quitting smoking and negatively associated with the time since smoking was quitted (p < 0.01).

  2. Environmental life-cycle comparisons of two polychlorinated biphenyl remediation technologies: incineration and base catalyzed decomposition.

    PubMed

    Hu, Xintao; Zhu, Jianxin; Ding, Qiong

    2011-07-15

    Remediation action is critical for the management of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated sites. Dozens of remediation technologies developed internationally could be divided in two general categories incineration and non-incineration. In this paper, life cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out to study the environmental impacts of these two kinds of remediation technologies in selected PCB contaminated sites, where Infrared High Temperature Incineration (IHTI) and Base Catalyzed Decomposition (BCD) were selected as representatives of incineration and non-incineration. A combined midpoint/damage approach was adopted by using SimaPro 7.2 and IMPACTA2002+ to assess the human toxicity, ecotoxicity, climate change impact, and resource consumption from the five subsystems of IHTI and BCD technologies, respectively. It was found that the major environmental impacts through the whole lifecycle arose from energy consumption in both IHTI and BCD processes. For IHTI, primary and secondary combustion subsystem contributes more than 50% of midpoint impacts concerning with carcinogens, respiratory inorganics, respiratory organics, terrestrial ecotoxity, terrestrial acidification/eutrophication and global warming. In BCD process, the rotary kiln reactor subsystem presents the highest contribution to almost all the midpoint impacts including global warming, non-renewable energy, non-carcinogens, terrestrial ecotoxity and respiratory inorganics. In the view of midpoint impacts, the characterization values for global warming from IHTI and BCD were about 432.35 and 38.5 kg CO(2)-eq per ton PCB-containing soils, respectively. LCA results showed that the single score of BCD environmental impact was 1468.97 Pt while IHTI's score is 2785.15 Pt, which indicates BCD potentially has a lower environmental impact than IHTI technology in the PCB contaminated soil remediation process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. UTILIZATION OF FUNDUS AUTOFLUORESCENCE, SPECTRAL DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY, AND ENHANCED DEPTH IMAGING IN THE CHARACTERIZATION OF BIETTI CRYSTALLINE DYSTROPHY IN DIFFERENT STAGES.

    PubMed

    Li, Qian; Li, Yang; Zhang, Xiaohui; Xu, Zhangxing; Zhu, Xiaoqing; Ma, Kai; She, Haicheng; Peng, Xiaoyan

    2015-10-01

    To characterize Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) in different stages using multiple imaging modalities. Sixteen participants clinically diagnosed as BCD were included in the retrospective study and were categorized into 3 stages according to fundus photography. Eleven patients were genetically confirmed. Fundus autofluorescence, spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and enhanced depth imaging features of BCD were analyzed. On fundus autofluorescence, the abnormal autofluorescence was shown to enlarge in area and decrease in intensity with stages. Using spectral domain optical coherence tomography, the abnormalities in Stage 1 were observed to localize in outer retinal layers, whereas in Stage 2 and Stage 3, more extensive retinal atrophy was seen. In enhanced depth imaging, the subfoveal choroidal layers were delineated clearly in Stage 1; in Stage 2, destructions were primarily found in the choriocapillaris with associated alterations in the outer vessels; Stage 3 BCD displayed severe choroidal thinning. Choroidal neovascularization and macular edema were exhibited with high incidence. IVS6-8del17bp/inGC of the CYP4V2 gene was the most common mutant allele. Noninvasive fundus autofluorescence, spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and enhanced depth imaging may help to characterize the chorioretinal pathology of BCD at different degrees, and therefore, we propose staging of BCD depending on those methods. Physicians should be cautious of the vision-threatening complications of the disease.

  4. 48 CFR 601.303 - Publication and codification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... codification. (a) The DOSAR is issued as Chapter 6 of Title 48, Code of Federal Regulations. The DOSAR is... that there will always be three numbers to the left of the decimal. For example, the DOSAR... definitions than those used in FAR; this supplementary material is provided in 602.101-70. (b) The DOSAR and...

  5. 48 CFR 601.303 - Publication and codification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... codification. (a) The DOSAR is issued as Chapter 6 of Title 48, Code of Federal Regulations. The DOSAR is... that there will always be three numbers to the left of the decimal. For example, the DOSAR... definitions than those used in FAR; this supplementary material is provided in 602.101-70. (b) The DOSAR and...

  6. 48 CFR 601.303 - Publication and codification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... codification. (a) The DOSAR is issued as Chapter 6 of Title 48, Code of Federal Regulations. The DOSAR is... that there will always be three numbers to the left of the decimal. For example, the DOSAR... definitions than those used in FAR; this supplementary material is provided in 602.101-70. (b) The DOSAR and...

  7. 48 CFR 601.303 - Publication and codification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... codification. (a) The DOSAR is issued as Chapter 6 of Title 48, Code of Federal Regulations. The DOSAR is... that there will always be three numbers to the left of the decimal. For example, the DOSAR... definitions than those used in FAR; this supplementary material is provided in 602.101-70. (b) The DOSAR and...

  8. 48 CFR 601.303 - Publication and codification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... codification. (a) The DOSAR is issued as Chapter 6 of Title 48, Code of Federal Regulations. The DOSAR is... that there will always be three numbers to the left of the decimal. For example, the DOSAR... definitions than those used in FAR; this supplementary material is provided in 602.101-70. (b) The DOSAR and...

  9. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE BASE CATALYZED DECOMPOSITION (BCD) PROCESS

    EPA Science Inventory

    This report summarizes laboratory-scale, pilot-scale, and field performance data on BCD (Base Catalyzed Decomposition) and technology, collected to date by various governmental, academic, and private organizations.

  10. Evolution of Cellular Inclusions in Bietti's Crystalline Dystrophy.

    PubMed

    Furusato, Emiko; Cameron, J Douglas; Chan, Chi-Chao

    2010-03-09

    Bietti's crystalline dystrophy (BCD) consists of small, yellow-white, glistening intraretinal crystals in the posterior pole, tapetoretinal degeneration with atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and "sclerosis" of the choroid; in addition, sparking yellow crystals in the superficial marginal cornea are also found in many patients. BCD is inherited as an autosomal-recessive trait (4q35-tel) and usually has its onset in the third decade of life. This review focuses on the ultrastructure of cellular crystals and lipid inclusions of BCD.

  11. Cadmium and mercury exposure over time in Swedish children

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

    Lundh, T., E-mail: Thomas.Lundh@med.lu.se

    Purpose: Knowledge about changes in exposure to toxic metals over time remains very sparse, in particular for children, the most vulnerable group. Here, we assessed whether a reduction in environmental pollution with cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) caused a change in exposure over time. In total, 1257 children (age 4–9) in two towns in Sweden were sampled once in 1986–2013. Blood concentrations of Cd (b-Cd; n=1120) and Hg (b-Hg; n=560) were determined. Results: The median b-Cd was 0.10 (geometric mean 0.10; range 0.010–0.61) μg/L and b-Hg was 0.91 (geometric mean 0.83; range 0.021–8.2) μg/L. Children living close to a smeltermore » had higher b-Cd and b-Hg than those in urban and rural areas. There was no sex difference in b-Cd or b-Hg, and b-Cd and b-Hg showed no significant accumulation by age. b-Cd decreased only slightly (0.7% per year, p<0.001) over the study period. In contrast, b-Hg did show a clear decrease over the study period (3% per year, p<0.001). Conclusions: The exposure to Cd was very low but still might increase the risk of disease later in life. Moreover, b-Cd only showed a minor decrease, indicating that Cd pollution should be further restricted. b-Hg was relatively low and decreasing, probably because of reduced use of dental amalgam and lower Hg intake from fish. The b-Cd and b-Hg levels decreased much less than the levels of lead in the blood as previously found in the same children. - Highlights: • There are few studies of time trends for exposure to toxic metals, except for lead. • 1986–2013 we studied blood levels of cadmium and mercury in 1257 Swedish children. • The median blood concentration of cadmium was 0.10 μg/L, of mercury 0.83 μg/L. • Cadmium perhaps decreased by 0.7% per year, mercury by 3% per year. • Cadmium accumulation may result in toxic levels in elderly women.« less

  12. Uncovering a Dynamic Feature of the Transcriptional Regulatory Network for Anterior-Posterior Patterning in the Drosophila Embryo

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Junbo; Ma, Jun

    2013-01-01

    Anterior-posterior (AP) patterning in the Drosophila embryo is dependent on the Bicoid (Bcd) morphogen gradient. However, most target genes of Bcd also require additional inputs to establish their expression domains, reflective of the operation of a cross-regulatory network and contributions of other maternal signals. This is in contrast to hunchback (hb), which has an anterior expression domain driven by an enhancer that appears to respond primarily to the Bcd input. To gain a better understanding of the regulatory logic of the AP patterning network, we perform quantitative studies that specifically investigate the dynamics of hb transcription during development. We show that Bcd-dependent hb transcription, monitored by the intron-containing nascent transcripts near the P2 promoter, is turned off quickly–on the order of a few minutes–upon entering the interphase of nuclear cycle 14A. This shutdown contrasts with earlier cycles during which active hb transcription can persist until the moment when the nucleus enters mitosis. The shutdown takes place at a time when the nuclear Bcd gradient profile in the embryo remains largely intact, suggesting that this is a process likely subject to control of a currently unknown regulatory mechanism. We suggest that this dynamic feature offers a window of opportunity for hb to faithfully interpret, and directly benefit from, Bcd gradient properties, including its scaling properties, to help craft a robust AP patterning outcome. PMID:23646132

  13. Messages Do Diffuse Faster than Messengers: Reconciling Disparate Estimates of the Morphogen Bicoid Diffusion Coefficient

    PubMed Central

    Sigaut, Lorena; Pearson, John E.; Colman-Lerner, Alejandro; Ponce Dawson, Silvina

    2014-01-01

    The gradient of Bicoid (Bcd) is key for the establishment of the anterior-posterior axis in Drosophila embryos. The gradient properties are compatible with the SDD model in which Bcd is synthesized at the anterior pole and then diffuses into the embryo and is degraded with a characteristic time. Within this model, the Bcd diffusion coefficient is critical to set the timescale of gradient formation. This coefficient has been measured using two optical techniques, Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) and Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS), obtaining estimates in which the FCS value is an order of magnitude larger than the FRAP one. This discrepancy raises the following questions: which estimate is "correct''; what is the reason for the disparity; and can the SDD model explain Bcd gradient formation within the experimentally observed times? In this paper, we use a simple biophysical model in which Bcd diffuses and interacts with binding sites to show that both the FRAP and the FCS estimates may be correct and compatible with the observed timescale of gradient formation. The discrepancy arises from the fact that FCS and FRAP report on different effective (concentration dependent) diffusion coefficients, one of which describes the spreading rate of the individual Bcd molecules (the messengers) and the other one that of their concentration (the message). The latter is the one that is more relevant for the gradient establishment and is compatible with its formation within the experimentally observed times. PMID:24901638

  14. BCD Beam Search: considering suboptimal partial solutions in Bad Clade Deletion supertrees.

    PubMed

    Fleischauer, Markus; Böcker, Sebastian

    2018-01-01

    Supertree methods enable the reconstruction of large phylogenies. The supertree problem can be formalized in different ways in order to cope with contradictory information in the input. Some supertree methods are based on encoding the input trees in a matrix; other methods try to find minimum cuts in some graph. Recently, we introduced Bad Clade Deletion (BCD) supertrees which combines the graph-based computation of minimum cuts with optimizing a global objective function on the matrix representation of the input trees. The BCD supertree method has guaranteed polynomial running time and is very swift in practice. The quality of reconstructed supertrees was superior to matrix representation with parsimony (MRP) and usually on par with SuperFine for simulated data; but particularly for biological data, quality of BCD supertrees could not keep up with SuperFine supertrees. Here, we present a beam search extension for the BCD algorithm that keeps alive a constant number of partial solutions in each top-down iteration phase. The guaranteed worst-case running time of the new algorithm is still polynomial in the size of the input. We present an exact and a randomized subroutine to generate suboptimal partial solutions. Both beam search approaches consistently improve supertree quality on all evaluated datasets when keeping 25 suboptimal solutions alive. Supertree quality of the BCD Beam Search algorithm is on par with MRP and SuperFine even for biological data. This is the best performance of a polynomial-time supertree algorithm reported so far.

  15. Messages do diffuse faster than messengers: reconciling disparate estimates of the morphogen bicoid diffusion coefficient.

    PubMed

    Sigaut, Lorena; Pearson, John E; Colman-Lerner, Alejandro; Ponce Dawson, Silvina

    2014-06-01

    The gradient of Bicoid (Bcd) is key for the establishment of the anterior-posterior axis in Drosophila embryos. The gradient properties are compatible with the SDD model in which Bcd is synthesized at the anterior pole and then diffuses into the embryo and is degraded with a characteristic time. Within this model, the Bcd diffusion coefficient is critical to set the timescale of gradient formation. This coefficient has been measured using two optical techniques, Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) and Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS), obtaining estimates in which the FCS value is an order of magnitude larger than the FRAP one. This discrepancy raises the following questions: which estimate is "correct''; what is the reason for the disparity; and can the SDD model explain Bcd gradient formation within the experimentally observed times? In this paper, we use a simple biophysical model in which Bcd diffuses and interacts with binding sites to show that both the FRAP and the FCS estimates may be correct and compatible with the observed timescale of gradient formation. The discrepancy arises from the fact that FCS and FRAP report on different effective (concentration dependent) diffusion coefficients, one of which describes the spreading rate of the individual Bcd molecules (the messengers) and the other one that of their concentration (the message). The latter is the one that is more relevant for the gradient establishment and is compatible with its formation within the experimentally observed times.

  16. Molecular inclusion complex of curcumin-β-cyclodextrin nanoparticle to enhance curcumin skin permeability from hydrophilic matrix gel.

    PubMed

    Rachmawati, Heni; Edityaningrum, Citra Ariani; Mauludin, Rachmat

    2013-12-01

    Curcumin (CUR) has various pharmacological effects, but its extensive first-pass metabolism and short elimination half-life limit its bioavailability. Therefore, transdermal application has become a potential alternative to delivery CUR. To increase CUR solubility for the development of a transparent homogenous gel and also enhance the permeation rate of CUR into the skin, β-cyclodextrin-curcumin nanoparticle complex (BCD-CUR-N) was developed. CUR encapsulation efficiency was increased by raising the percentage of CUR to BCD up to 20%. The mean particle size of the best CUR loading formula was 156 nm. All evaluation data using infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffractometry, differential thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the successful formation of the inclusion complex. BCD-CUR-N increased the CUR dissolution rate of 10-fold (p < 0.01). In addition, the improvement of CUR permeability acrossed skin model tissue was observed in gel containing the BCD-CUR-N and was about 1.8-fold when compared with the free CUR gel (p < 0.01). Overall, CUR in the form of the BCD-CUR-N improved the solubility further on the penetration of CUR.

  17. Asymmetric Regulation of Bipolar Single-stranded DNA Translocation by the Two Motors within Escherichia coli RecBCD Helicase*

    PubMed Central

    Xie, Fuqian; Wu, Colin G.; Weiland, Elizabeth; Lohman, Timothy M.

    2013-01-01

    Repair of double-stranded DNA breaks in Escherichia coli is initiated by the RecBCD helicase that possesses two superfamily-1 motors, RecB (3′ to 5′ translocase) and RecD (5′ to 3′ translocase), that operate on the complementary DNA strands to unwind duplex DNA. However, it is not known whether the RecB and RecD motors act independently or are functionally coupled. Here we show by directly monitoring ATP-driven single-stranded DNA translocation of RecBCD that the 5′ to 3′ rate is always faster than the 3′ to 5′ rate on DNA without a crossover hotspot instigator site and that the translocation rates are coupled asymmetrically. That is, RecB regulates both 3′ to 5′ and 5′ to 3′ translocation, whereas RecD only regulates 5′ to 3′ translocation. We show that the recently identified RecBC secondary translocase activity functions within RecBCD and that this contributes to the coupling. This coupling has implications for how RecBCD activity is regulated after it recognizes a crossover hotspot instigator sequence during DNA unwinding. PMID:23192341

  18. Characteristics of back corona discharge in a honeycomb catalyst and its application for treatment of volatile organic compounds.

    PubMed

    Feng, Fada; Zheng, Yanyan; Shen, Xinjun; Zheng, Qinzhen; Dai, Shaolong; Zhang, Xuming; Huang, Yifan; Liu, Zhen; Yan, Keping

    2015-06-02

    The main technical challenges for the treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with plasma-assisted catalysis in industrial applications are large volume plasma generation under atmospheric pressure, byproduct control, and aerosol collection. To solve these problems, a back corona discharge (BCD) configuration has been designed to evenly generate nonthermal plasma in a honeycomb catalyst. Voltage-current curves, discharge images, and emission spectra have been used to characterize the plasma. Grade particle collection results and flow field visualization in the discharge zones show not only that the particles can be collected efficiently, but also that the pressure drop of the catalyst layer is relatively low. A three-stage plasma-assisted catalysis system, comprising a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) stage, BCD stage, and catalyst stage, was built to evaluate toluene treatment performance by BCD. The ozone analysis results indicate that BCD enhances the ozone decomposition by collecting aerosols and protecting the Ag-Mn-O catalyst downstream from aerosol contamination. The GC and FTIR results show that BCD contributes to toluene removal, especially when the specific energy input is low, and the total removal efficiency reaches almost 100%. Furthermore, this removal results in the emission of fewer byproducts.

  19. Hydroxide catalysts for lignin depolymerization

    DOEpatents

    Beckham, Gregg T; Biddy, Mary J.; Kruger, Jacob S.; Chmely, Stephen C.; Sturgeon, Matthew

    2017-10-17

    Solid base catalysts and their use for the base-catalyzed depolymerization (BCD) of lignin to compounds such as aromatics are presented herein. Exemplary catalysts include layered double hydroxides (LDHs) as recyclable, heterogeneous catalysts for BCD of lignin.

  20. Hydroxide catalysts for lignin depolymerization

    DOEpatents

    Beckham, Gregg T.; Biddy, Mary J.; Chmely, Stephen C.; Sturgeon, Matthew

    2017-04-25

    Solid base catalysts and their use for the base-catalyzed depolymerization (BCD) of lignin to compounds such as aromatics are presented herein. Exemplary catalysts include layered double hydroxides (LDHs) as recyclable, heterogeneous catalysts for BCD of lignin.

  1. Low-complexity video encoding method for wireless image transmission in capsule endoscope.

    PubMed

    Takizawa, Kenichi; Hamaguchi, Kiyoshi

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents a low-complexity video encoding method applicable for wireless image transmission in capsule endoscopes. This encoding method is based on Wyner-Ziv theory, in which side information available at a transmitter is treated as side information at its receiver. Therefore complex processes in video encoding, such as estimation of the motion vector, are moved to the receiver side, which has a larger-capacity battery. As a result, the encoding process is only to decimate coded original data through channel coding. We provide a performance evaluation for a low-density parity check (LDPC) coding method in the AWGN channel.

  2. Nonlinear inversion of potential-field data using a hybrid-encoding genetic algorithm

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chen, C.; Xia, J.; Liu, J.; Feng, G.

    2006-01-01

    Using a genetic algorithm to solve an inverse problem of complex nonlinear geophysical equations is advantageous because it does not require computer gradients of models or "good" initial models. The multi-point search of a genetic algorithm makes it easier to find the globally optimal solution while avoiding falling into a local extremum. As is the case in other optimization approaches, the search efficiency for a genetic algorithm is vital in finding desired solutions successfully in a multi-dimensional model space. A binary-encoding genetic algorithm is hardly ever used to resolve an optimization problem such as a simple geophysical inversion with only three unknowns. The encoding mechanism, genetic operators, and population size of the genetic algorithm greatly affect search processes in the evolution. It is clear that improved operators and proper population size promote the convergence. Nevertheless, not all genetic operations perform perfectly while searching under either a uniform binary or a decimal encoding system. With the binary encoding mechanism, the crossover scheme may produce more new individuals than with the decimal encoding. On the other hand, the mutation scheme in a decimal encoding system will create new genes larger in scope than those in the binary encoding. This paper discusses approaches of exploiting the search potential of genetic operations in the two encoding systems and presents an approach with a hybrid-encoding mechanism, multi-point crossover, and dynamic population size for geophysical inversion. We present a method that is based on the routine in which the mutation operation is conducted in the decimal code and multi-point crossover operation in the binary code. The mix-encoding algorithm is called the hybrid-encoding genetic algorithm (HEGA). HEGA provides better genes with a higher probability by a mutation operator and improves genetic algorithms in resolving complicated geophysical inverse problems. Another significant result is that final solution is determined by the average model derived from multiple trials instead of one computation due to the randomness in a genetic algorithm procedure. These advantages were demonstrated by synthetic and real-world examples of inversion of potential-field data. ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Breath-collection device for delayed breath-alcohol analysis

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1980-12-01

    The report includes the details of a study to develop, evaluate, and validate a breath collection device (BCD) for delayed breath-alcohol analysis. Primary applications of the BCD include collection of breath-alcohol samples for field surveys or for ...

  4. TGFβ Pathway Inhibition Redifferentiates Human Pancreatic Islet β Cells Expanded In Vitro

    PubMed Central

    Toren-Haritan, Ginat; Efrat, Shimon

    2015-01-01

    In-vitro expansion of insulin-producing cells from adult human pancreatic islets could provide an abundant cell source for diabetes therapy. However, proliferation of β-cell-derived (BCD) cells is associated with loss of phenotype and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Nevertheless, BCD cells maintain open chromatin structure at β-cell genes, suggesting that they could be readily redifferentiated. The transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) pathway has been implicated in EMT in a range of cell types. Here we show that human islet cell expansion in vitro involves upregulation of the TGFβ pathway. Blocking TGFβ pathway activation using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) against TGFβ Receptor 1 (TGFBR1, ALK5) transcripts inhibits BCD cell proliferation and dedifferentiation. Treatment of expanded BCD cells with ALK5 shRNA results in their redifferentiation, as judged by expression of β-cell genes and decreased cell proliferation. These effects, which are reproducible in cells from multiple human donors, are mediated, at least in part, by AKT-FOXO1 signaling. ALK5 inhibition synergizes with a soluble factor cocktail to promote BCD cell redifferentiation. The combined treatment may offer a therapeutically applicable way for generating an abundant source of functional insulin-producing cells following ex-vivo expansion. PMID:26418361

  5. Cadmium, type 2 diabetes, and kidney damage in a cohort of middle-aged women

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

    Barregard, Lars, E-mail: lars.barregard@amm.gu.se; Bergström, Göran, E-mail: goran.bergstrom@wlab.gu.se; Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Gothenburg

    Background: It has been proposed that diabetic patients are more sensitive to the nephrotoxicity of cadmium (Cd) compared to non-diabetics, but few studies have examined this in humans, and results are inconsistent. Aim: To test the hypothesis that women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) have higher risk of kidney damage from cadmium compared to women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT). Methods: All 64-year-old women in Gothenburg, Sweden, were invited to a screening examination including repeated oral glucose tolerance tests. Random samples of women with DM, IGT, and NGT were recruited for further clinical examinations.more » Serum creatinine was measured and used to calculate estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Albumin (Alb) and retinol-binding protein (RBP) were analyzed in a 12 h urine sample. Cadmium in blood (B-Cd) and urine (U-Cd) was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Associations between markers of kidney function (eGFR, Alb, and RBP) and quartiles of B-Cd and U-Cd were evaluated in models, including also blood pressure and smoking habits. Results: The mean B-Cd (n=590) was 0.53 µg/L (median 0.34 µg/L). In multivariable models, a significant interaction was seen between high B-Cd (upper quartile, >0.56 µg/L) and DM (point estimate +0.40 mg Alb/12 h, P=0.04). In stratified analyzes, the effect of high B-Cd on Alb excretion was significant in women with DM (53% higher Alb/12 h, P=0.03), but not in women with IGT or NGT. Models with urinary albumin adjusted for creatinine showed similar results. In women with DM, the multivariable odds ratio (OR) for microalbuminuria (>15 mg/12 h) was increased in the highest quartile of B-Cd vs. B-Cd quartiles 1–3 in women with DM (OR 4.2, 95% confidence interval 1.1–12). No such effect was found in women with IGT or NGT. There were no associations between B-Cd and eGFR or excretion of RBP, and no differences between women with DM, IGT, or NGT regarding effect of B-Cd on eGFR or RBP. Conclusion: The present study provides support for the hypothesis that women with DM have higher risk of renal glomerular damage from cadmium exposure compared to women without DM. - Highlights: • Cadmium in blood, kidney function, and glucose tolerance was examined in 590 women. • Blood cadmium was associated with albumin excretion in women with type 2 diabetes. • No such associations with cadmium were found in women without diabetes. • Women with type 2 diabetes have increased sensitivity to kidney damage from cadmium.« less

  6. Information Management System for Electronic Voting In Support of the Schieffelin Award for Excellence in Teaching

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-09-01

    oldz3 decimal(5,3), @sel1 decimal(5,3), @sel2 decimal(5,3), @sel3 decimal(5,3), @ sel4 decimal(5,3), @sel5 decimal(5,3), @sel6 decimal(5,3...tnpSchieffelinHistory WHERE EmployeeID = @s4 and CalendarYear = @year SET @ sel4 = @z4formula + @oldsel4 UPDATE tnpSchieffelinHistory SET...SelectedOnBallotScore = @ sel4 WHERE EmployeeID = @s4 and CalendarYear = @year 345 END

  7. A decimal carry-free adder

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nikmehr, Hooman; Phillips, Braden; Lim, Cheng-Chew

    2005-02-01

    Recently, decimal arithmetic has become attractive in the financial and commercial world including banking, tax calculation, currency conversion, insurance and accounting. Although computers are still carrying out decimal calculation using software libraries and binary floating-point numbers, it is likely that in the near future, all processors will be equipped with units performing decimal operations directly on decimal operands. One critical building block for some complex decimal operations is the decimal carry-free adder. This paper discusses the mathematical framework of the addition, introduces a new signed-digit format for representing decimal numbers and presents an efficient architectural implementation. Delay estimation analysis shows that the adder offers improved performance over earlier designs.

  8. Flexible and unique representations of two-digit decimals.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Li; Chen, Min; Lin, Chongde; Szűcs, Denes

    2014-09-01

    We examined the representation of two-digit decimals through studying distance and compatibility effects in magnitude comparison tasks in four experiments. Using number pairs with different leftmost digits, we found both the second digit distance effect and compatibility effect with two-digit integers but only the second digit distance effect with two-digit pure decimals. This suggests that both integers and pure decimals are processed in a compositional manner. In contrast, neither the second digit distance effect nor the compatibility effect was observed in two-digit mixed decimals, thereby showing no evidence for compositional processing of two-digit mixed decimals. However, when the relevance of the rightmost digit processing was increased by adding some decimals pairs with the same leftmost digits, both pure and mixed decimals produced the compatibility effect. Overall, results suggest that the processing of decimals is flexible and depends on the relevance of unique digit positions. This processing mode is different from integer analysis in that two-digit mixed decimals demonstrate parallel compositional processing only when the rightmost digit is relevant. Findings suggest that people probably do not represent decimals by simply ignoring the decimal point and converting them to natural numbers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. The morphogenetic MreBCD proteins of Escherichia coli form an essential membrane-bound complex.

    PubMed

    Kruse, Thomas; Bork-Jensen, Jette; Gerdes, Kenn

    2005-01-01

    MreB proteins of Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Caulobacter crescentus form actin-like cables lying beneath the cell surface. The cables are required to guide longitudinal cell wall synthesis and their absence leads to merodiploid spherical and inflated cells prone to cell lysis. In B. subtilis and C. crescentus, the mreB gene is essential. However, in E. coli, mreB was inferred not to be essential. Using a tight, conditional gene depletion system, we systematically investigated whether the E. coli mreBCD-encoded components were essential. We found that cells depleted of mreBCD became spherical, enlarged and finally lysed. Depletion of each mre gene separately conferred similar gross changes in cell morphology and viability. Thus, the three proteins encoded by mreBCD are all essential and function in the same morphogenetic pathway. Interestingly, the presence of a multicopy plasmid carrying the ftsQAZ genes suppressed the lethality of deletions in the mre operon. Using GFP and cell fractionation methods, we showed that the MreC and MreD proteins were associated with the cell membrane. Using a bacterial two-hybrid system, we found that MreC interacted with both MreB and MreD. In contrast, MreB and MreD did not interact in this assay. Thus, we conclude that the E. coli MreBCD form an essential membrane-bound complex. Curiously, MreB did not form cables in cell depleted for MreC, MreD or RodA, indicating a mutual interdependency between MreB filament morphology and cell shape. Based on these and other observations we propose a model in which the membrane-associated MreBCD complex directs longitudinal cell wall synthesis in a process essential to maintain cell morphology.

  10. Improving B-cell depletion in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

    PubMed

    Mota, Pedro; Reddy, Venkat; Isenberg, David

    2017-07-01

    Rituximab-based B-cell depletion (BCD) therapy is effective in refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and although used to treat patients with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in routine clinical practice, rituximab failed to meet the primary endpoints in two large randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of non-renal (EXPLORER) and renal (LUNAR) SLE. Areas covered: We review how BCD could be improved to achieve better clinical responses in RA and SLE. Insights into the variability in clinical response to BCD in RA and SLE may help develop new therapeutic strategies. To this end, a literature search was performed using the following terms: rheumatoid arthritis, systemic erythematosus lupus, rituximab and B-cell depletion. Expert commentary: Poor trial design may have, at least partly, contributed to the apparent lack of response to BCD in the two RCTs of patients with SLE. Enhanced B-cell depletion and/or sequential therapy with belimumab may improve clinical response at least in some patients with SLE.

  11. Changes in bone mineral density 10 years after marked reduction of cadmium exposure in a Chinese population

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

    Chen, Xiao; Zhu, Guoying, E-mail: zhugy@shmu.edu.cn; Jin, Taiyi

    The main focus of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of Cd on forearm bone mineral density after the cessation of the ingestion of Cd-polluted rice. A total of 458 persons (294 women, 164 men) from three Cd exposure areas (low, moderately, and heavy) participated in this study. Those living in the moderate and heavy exposure areas ceased ingesting Cd-polluted rice (0.51 and 3.7 mg/kg, respectively) in 1996 (10 years prior to present analysis). The participants completed a questionnaire and bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the proximal radius and ulna.more » The changes and change percentage in forearm bone density and the prevalence of osteoporosis between 1998 and 2006 were used as markers of bone recovery. The Cd concentrations in urine (UCd) and blood (BCd) in 1998 were used as Cd exposure markers. The values of the BMD change and change percentage of groups in which UCd was above 5 {mu}g/g creatinine ({mu}g/g crea) and BCd was above 10 {mu}g/L were significantly higher than those of the low-exposure groups (in women, p<0.001; in men, p>0.05). The BMD change and change percentage correlated positively with the UCd and BCd (in women, p<0.01; in men, p>0.05). Analysis of the Z-score revealed that the prevalence of osteoporosis in 2006 was higher than that in 1998 and increased along with the level of UCd and BCd in both women and men, especially for those subjects with the higher BCd [BCd>5 {mu}g/L, OR=3.45 (0.95-13.6); BCd>10 {mu}g/L, OR=4.51(1.57-13.54)] and UCd [UCd>10 {mu}g/g crea, OR=4.74 (1.82-12.81)] in women. It is concluded that decreasing dietary cadmium exposure at the population level is not associated with bone recovery at the individual level, and the adverse bone effects of Cd exposure persisted after the main source of Cd exposure had been blocked, especially in women.« less

  12. Bizarre cell dysplasia of the cervix.

    PubMed

    Ondič, Ondrej; Ferko, Radoslav; Kašpírková, Jana; Švajdler, Marián; Rýchly, Boris; Talarčík, Peter; Bouda, Jiří; Michal, Michal

    2017-02-01

    The aim of this study was the characterization of a new subtype of high-grade cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) with enlarged cells containing bizarre nuclei: so-called bizarre cell dysplasia (BCD). A total of 29 cervical cone biopsy samples of this type of dysplasia were studied. Multi-target polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization human papillomavirus (HPV) detection was performed in all cases. BCD was defined as a subtype of HSIL characterized by the presence of large dysplastic cells with abnormal, large pleomorphic nuclei or multinucleation causing nucleomegaly. This results in bizarre nuclear shapes. Bizarre cells are scattered throughout the whole thickness of the dysplastic squamous epithelium. The BCD lesions arise within the conventional/classic high grade or "bland" type squamous dysplasia HSIL. Statistically they were significantly associated with HVP type 16. A significant association with other studied viruses (Herpes simplex virus [HSV]1, HSV2, Varicella zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, human herpesvirus 6, and human polyomaviruses BK and JC) was not confirmed. BCD involves cytologically characteristic morphologic changes that are recognizable, but which may pose some risk of misdiagnosis as low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion due to the enlargement of dysplastic cells and multinucleation. Based on the unique histological, cytological and biological features of BCD including strong association with HPV 16 infection, we believe that this is a specific, and so far unrecognized variant of HSIL. © 2017 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  13. User’s Guide to Southeast Asia Combat Data

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1976-06-01

    North latitude Binary coded decimal Bomb damage assessment Battle Damage Assessment and Reporting Team Brigade Basic encyclopedia A University of...and movement routes Bomb wing CALCOMP CANDLESTICK CAP CAP CAS CAS CAVD CBU , CBS California Computer Products, Inc. Call sign...Special Studies Group (a high-level Washington committee) WAC WBLC WIA WOLF WSE3 WWDMS WWMCCS W X World Aeronautical Chart Waterborne logistic

  14. Advanced BCD technology with vertical DMOS based on a semi-insulation structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kui, Ma; Xinghua, Fu; Jiexin, Lin; Fashun, Yang

    2016-07-01

    A new semi-insulation structure in which one isolated island is connected to the substrate was proposed. Based on this semi-insulation structure, an advanced BCD technology which can integrate a vertical device without extra internal interconnection structure was presented. The manufacturing of the new semi-insulation structure employed multi-epitaxy and selectively multi-doping. Isolated islands are insulated with the substrate by reverse-biased PN junctions. Adjacent isolated islands are insulated by isolation wall or deep dielectric trenches. The proposed semi-insulation structure and devices fixed in it were simulated through two-dimensional numerical computer simulators. Based on the new BCD technology, a smart power integrated circuit was designed and fabricated. The simulated and tested results of Vertical DMOS, MOSFETs, BJTs, resistors and diodes indicated that the proposed semi-insulation structure is reasonable and the advanced BCD technology is validated. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61464002), the Science and Technology Fund of Guizhou Province (No. Qian Ke He J Zi [2014]2066), and the Dr. Fund of Guizhou University (No. Gui Da Ren Ji He Zi (2013)20Hao).

  15. Status of the Top and Bottom Counting Detectors for the ISS-CREAM Experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, J. M.; ISS-CREAM Collaboration

    2017-11-01

    It is important to measure the cosmic ray spectra to study the origin, acceleration and propagation mechanisms of high-energy cosmic rays. A payload of the Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass experiment is scheduled to be launched in 2017 to the International Space Station for measuring cosmic ray elemental spectra at energies beyond the reach of balloon instruments. Top Counting Detector and Bottom Counting Detector (T/BCD) as a two-dimensional detector are to separate electrons from protons for electron/gamma-ray physics. The T/BCD each consists of a plastic scintillator read out by 20 by 20 photodiodes and is placed before and after the Calorimeter, respectively. Energy and hit information of the T/BCD can distinguish shower profiles of electrons and protons, which show narrower and shorter showers from electrons at a given energy. The T/BCD performance has been studied with the Silicon Charge Detector and the calorimeter by using a GEANT3 + FLUKA 3.21 simulation package. By comparing the number of hits and shower width distributions between electrons and protons, we have studied optimal parameters for the e/p separation.

  16. Designing an orientation program for new faculty.

    PubMed

    Holyfield, Lavern J; Berry, Charles W

    2008-12-01

    The Faculty Development Committee (FDC) at Baylor College of Dentistry (BCD) is charged with providing programs and activities that facilitate the success of existing faculty in the constantly changing environment of academia. In response to concerns regarding the challenges wrought by current and projected shortages of dental faculty across the nation, the FDC was prompted to assess development opportunities available to BCD faculty. A professional development resource that we found deficient was a formal, comprehensive orientation program for newly hired faculty. To guide the efforts of the committee in developing this program, a survey was designed and administered during an annual faculty retreat. Respondents were new and junior faculty, senior faculty, and some administrators. The results of the survey to determine requirements for new faculty orientation became the basis for formalizing BCD's new faculty orientation program. This article provides an overview of the new faculty orientation process from design to program implementation and describes the development and use of a faculty survey to determine the fundamental elements of a faculty development program, identification of essential individuals for designing/implementing the program, and implementation of a new faculty orientation program at BCD.

  17. Base-Catalyzed Depolymerization of Solid Lignin-Rich Streams Enables Microbial Conversion

    DOE PAGES

    Rodriguez, Alberto; Salvachúa, Davinia; Katahira, Rui; ...

    2017-08-01

    Lignin valorization offers significant potential to enhance the economic viability of lignocellulosic biorefineries. However, because of its heterogeneous and recalcitrant nature, conversion of lignin to value-added coproducts remains a considerable technical challenge. Here, we employ base-catalyzed depolymerization (BCD) using a process-relevant solid lignin stream produced via deacetylation, mechanical refining, and enzymatic hydrolysis to enable biological lignin conversion. BCD was conducted with the solid lignin substrate over a range of temperatures at two NaOH concentrations, and the results demonstrate that the lignin can be partially extracted and saponified at temperatures as low as 60 degrees C. At 120 °C and 2%more » NaOH, the high extent of lignin solubility was accompanied by a considerable decrease in the lignin average molecular weight and the release of lignin-derived monomers including hydroxycinnamic acids. BCD liquors were tested for microbial growth using seven aromatic-catabolizing bacteria and two yeasts. Three organisms (Pseudomonas putida KT2440, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and Corynebacterium glutamicum) tolerate high BCD liquor concentrations (up to 90% v/v) and rapidly consume the main lignin-derived monomers, resulting in lignin conversion of up to 15%. Furthermore, as a proof of concept, muconic acid production from a representative lignin BCD liquor was demonstrated with an engineered P. putida KT2440 strain. Our results highlight the potential for a mild lignin depolymerization process to enhance the microbial conversion of solid lignin-rich biorefinery streams.« less

  18. Base-Catalyzed Depolymerization of Solid Lignin-Rich Streams Enables Microbial Conversion

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

    Rodriguez, Alberto; Salvachúa, Davinia; Katahira, Rui

    Lignin valorization offers significant potential to enhance the economic viability of lignocellulosic biorefineries. However, because of its heterogeneous and recalcitrant nature, conversion of lignin to value-added coproducts remains a considerable technical challenge. Here, we employ base-catalyzed depolymerization (BCD) using a process-relevant solid lignin stream produced via deacetylation, mechanical refining, and enzymatic hydrolysis to enable biological lignin conversion. BCD was conducted with the solid lignin substrate over a range of temperatures at two NaOH concentrations, and the results demonstrate that the lignin can be partially extracted and saponified at temperatures as low as 60 degrees C. At 120 °C and 2%more » NaOH, the high extent of lignin solubility was accompanied by a considerable decrease in the lignin average molecular weight and the release of lignin-derived monomers including hydroxycinnamic acids. BCD liquors were tested for microbial growth using seven aromatic-catabolizing bacteria and two yeasts. Three organisms (Pseudomonas putida KT2440, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and Corynebacterium glutamicum) tolerate high BCD liquor concentrations (up to 90% v/v) and rapidly consume the main lignin-derived monomers, resulting in lignin conversion of up to 15%. Furthermore, as a proof of concept, muconic acid production from a representative lignin BCD liquor was demonstrated with an engineered P. putida KT2440 strain. Our results highlight the potential for a mild lignin depolymerization process to enhance the microbial conversion of solid lignin-rich biorefinery streams.« less

  19. Measurement and Perturbation of Morphogen Lifetime: Effects on Gradient Shape

    PubMed Central

    Drocco, Jeffrey A.; Grimm, Oliver; Tank, David W.; Wieschaus, Eric

    2011-01-01

    Protein lifetime is of critical importance for most biological processes and plays a central role in cell signaling and embryonic development, where it impacts the absolute concentration of signaling molecules and, potentially, the shape of morphogen gradients. Early conceptual and mathematical models of gradient formation proposed that steady-state gradients are established by an equilibration between the lifetime of a morphogen and its rates of synthesis and diffusion, though whether gradients in fact reach steady state before being read out is a matter of controversy. In any case, this class of models predicts that protein lifetime is a key determinant of both the time to steady state and the spatial extent of a gradient. Using a method that employs repeated photoswitching of a fusion of the morphogen Bicoid (Bcd) and the photoconvertible fluorescent protein Dronpa, we measure and modify the lifetime of Dronpa-Bcd in living Drosophila embryos. We find that the lifetime of Bcd is dynamic, changing from 50 min before mitotic cycle 14 to 15 min during cellularization. Moreover, by measuring total quantities of Bcd over time, we find that the gradient does not reach steady state. Finally, using a nearly continuous low-level conversion to the dark state of Dronpa-Bcd to mimic the effect of increased degradation, we demonstrate that perturbation of protein lifetime changes the characteristic length of the gradient, providing direct support for a mechanism based on synthesis, diffusion, and degradation. PMID:22004733

  20. Base-Catalyzed Depolymerization of Biorefinery Lignins

    DOE PAGES

    Katahira, Rui; Mittal, Ashutosh; McKinney, Kellene; ...

    2016-01-12

    Lignocellulosic biorefineries will produce a substantial pool of lignin-enriched residues, which are currently slated to be burned for heat and power. Going forward, however, valorization strategies for residual solid lignin will be essential to the economic viability of modern biorefineries. To achieve these strategies, effective lignin depolymerization processes will be required that can convert specific lignin-enriched biorefinery substrates into products of sufficient value and market size. Base-catalyzed depolymerization (BCD) of lignin using sodium hydroxide and other basic media has been shown to be an effective depolymerization approach when using technical and isolated lignins relevant to the pulp and paper industry.more » Moreover, to gain insights in the application of BCD to lignin-rich, biofuels-relevant residues, here we apply BCD with sodium hydroxide at two catalyst loadings and temperatures of 270, 300, and 330 °C for 40 min to residual biomass from typical and emerging biochemical conversion processes. We obtained mass balances for each fraction from BCD, and characterized the resulting aqueous and solid residues using gel permeation chromatography, NMR, and GC–MS. When taken together, these results indicate that a significant fraction (45–78%) of the starting lignin-rich material can be depolymerized to low molecular weight, water-soluble species. The yield of the aqueous soluble fraction depends significantly on biomass processing method used prior to BCD. Namely, dilute acid pretreatment results in lower water-soluble yields compared to biomass processing that involves no acid pretreatment. We also find that the BCD product selectivity can be tuned with temperature to give higher yields of methoxyphenols at lower temperature, and a higher relative content of benzenediols with a greater extent of alkylation on the aromatic rings at higher temperature. Our study shows that residual, lignin-rich biomass produced from conventional and emerging biochemical conversion processes can be depolymerized with sodium hydroxide to produce significant yields of low molecular weight aromatics that potentially can be upgraded to fuels or chemicals.« less

  1. Base-Catalyzed Depolymerization of Biorefinery Lignins

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

    Katahira, Rui; Mittal, Ashutosh; McKinney, Kellene

    Lignocellulosic biorefineries will produce a substantial pool of lignin-enriched residues, which are currently slated to be burned for heat and power. Going forward, however, valorization strategies for residual solid lignin will be essential to the economic viability of modern biorefineries. To achieve these strategies, effective lignin depolymerization processes will be required that can convert specific lignin-enriched biorefinery substrates into products of sufficient value and market size. Base-catalyzed depolymerization (BCD) of lignin using sodium hydroxide and other basic media has been shown to be an effective depolymerization approach when using technical and isolated lignins relevant to the pulp and paper industry.more » Moreover, to gain insights in the application of BCD to lignin-rich, biofuels-relevant residues, here we apply BCD with sodium hydroxide at two catalyst loadings and temperatures of 270, 300, and 330 °C for 40 min to residual biomass from typical and emerging biochemical conversion processes. We obtained mass balances for each fraction from BCD, and characterized the resulting aqueous and solid residues using gel permeation chromatography, NMR, and GC–MS. When taken together, these results indicate that a significant fraction (45–78%) of the starting lignin-rich material can be depolymerized to low molecular weight, water-soluble species. The yield of the aqueous soluble fraction depends significantly on biomass processing method used prior to BCD. Namely, dilute acid pretreatment results in lower water-soluble yields compared to biomass processing that involves no acid pretreatment. We also find that the BCD product selectivity can be tuned with temperature to give higher yields of methoxyphenols at lower temperature, and a higher relative content of benzenediols with a greater extent of alkylation on the aromatic rings at higher temperature. Our study shows that residual, lignin-rich biomass produced from conventional and emerging biochemical conversion processes can be depolymerized with sodium hydroxide to produce significant yields of low molecular weight aromatics that potentially can be upgraded to fuels or chemicals.« less

  2. A Classification Methodology and Retrieval Model to Support Software Reuse

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-01-01

    Dewey Decimal Classification ( DDC 18), an enumerative scheme, occupies 40 pages [Buchanan 19791. Langridge [19731 states that the facets listed in the...sense of historical importance or wide spread use. The schemes are: Dewey Decimal Classification ( DDC ), Universal Decimal Classification (UDC...Classification Systems ..... ..... 2.3.3 Library Classification__- .52 23.3.1 Dewey Decimal Classification -53 2.33.2 Universal Decimal Classification 55 2333

  3. Permissive and instructive anterior patterning rely on mRNA localization in the wasp embryo.

    PubMed

    Brent, Ava E; Yucel, Gozde; Small, Stephen; Desplan, Claude

    2007-03-30

    The long-germ mode of embryogenesis, in which segments arise simultaneously along the anteriorposterior axis, has evolved several times in different lineages of the holometabolous, or fully metamorphosing, insects. Drosophila's long-germ fate map is established largely by the activity of the dipteran-specific Bicoid (Bcd) morphogen gradient, which operates both instructively and permissively to accomplish anterior patterning. By contrast, all nondipteran long-germ insects must achieve anterior patterning independently of bcd. We show that bcd's permissive function is mimicked in the wasp by a maternal repression system in which anterior localization of the wasp ortholog of giant represses anterior expression of the trunk gap genes so that head and thorax can properly form.

  4. 5 Indicators of Decimal Understandings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cramer, Kathleen; Monson, Debra; Ahrendt, Sue; Colum, Karen; Wiley, Bethann; Wyberg, Terry

    2015-01-01

    The authors of this article collaborated with fourth-grade teachers from two schools to support implementation of a research-based fraction and decimal curriculum (Rational Number Project: Fraction Operations and Initial Decimal Ideas). Through this study, they identified five indicators of rich conceptual understanding of decimals, which are…

  5. Common magnitude representation of fractions and decimals is task dependent.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Li; Fang, Qiaochu; Gabriel, Florence C; Szűcs, Denes

    2016-01-01

    Although several studies have compared the representation of fractions and decimals, no study has investigated whether fractions and decimals, as two types of rational numbers, share a common representation of magnitude. The current study aimed to answer the question of whether fractions and decimals share a common representation of magnitude and whether the answer is influenced by task paradigms. We included two different number pairs, which were presented sequentially: fraction-decimal mixed pairs and decimal-fraction mixed pairs in all four experiments. Results showed that when the mixed pairs were very close numerically with the distance 0.1 or 0.3, there was a significant distance effect in the comparison task but not in the matching task. However, when the mixed pairs were further apart numerically with the distance 0.3 or 1.3, the distance effect appeared in the matching task regardless of the specific stimuli. We conclude that magnitudes of fractions and decimals can be represented in a common manner, but how they are represented is dependent on the given task. Fractions and decimals could be translated into a common representation of magnitude in the numerical comparison task. In the numerical matching task, fractions and decimals also shared a common representation. However, both of them were represented coarsely, leading to a weak distance effect. Specifically, fractions and decimals produced a significant distance effect only when the numerical distance was larger.

  6. Protective immune responses in guinea pigs and swine induced by a suicidal DNA vaccine of the capsid gene of swine vesicular disease virus.

    PubMed

    Sun, Shi-Qi; Liu, Xiang-Tao; Guo, Hui-Chen; Yin, Shuang-Hui; Shang, You-Jun; Feng, Xia; Liu, Zai-Xin; Xie, Qing-Ge

    2007-03-01

    A suicidal DNA vaccine based on a Semliki Forest virus (SFV) replicon was evaluated for the development of a vaccine against swine vesicular disease virus (SVDV). The 1BCD gene of SVDV was cloned and inserted into pSCA1, an SFV DNA-based replicon vector. The resultant plasmid, pSCA/1BCD, was transfected into BHK-21 cells and the antigenicity of the expressed protein was confirmed using an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Immunogenicity was studied in guinea pigs and swine. Animals were injected intramuscularly three times with pSCA/1BCD at regular intervals. Anti-SVDV antibodies were detected by ELISA, the lymphocyte proliferation response was tested by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide method and neutralizing antibodies were measured by microneutralization tests. The data showed that SVDV-specific antibodies, neutralizing antibodies and lymphocyte proliferation were induced in both guinea pigs and swine. Furthermore, after three successive vaccinations with pSCA/1BCD, half of the pigs were protected against challenge with SVDV. These results should encourage further work towards the development of a DNA vaccine against SVDV.

  7. Diffusion and scaling during early embryonic pattern formation.

    PubMed

    Gregor, Thomas; Bialek, William; de Ruyter van Steveninck, Rob R; Tank, David W; Wieschaus, Eric F

    2005-12-20

    Development of spatial patterns in multicellular organisms depends on gradients in the concentration of signaling molecules that control gene expression. In the Drosophila embryo, Bicoid (Bcd) morphogen controls cell fate along 70% of the anteroposterior axis but is translated from mRNA localized at the anterior pole. Gradients of Bcd and other morphogens are thought to arise through diffusion, but this basic assumption has never been rigorously tested in living embryos. Furthermore, because diffusion sets a relationship between length and time scales, it is hard to see how patterns of gene expression established by diffusion would scale proportionately as egg size changes during evolution. Here, we show that the motion of inert molecules through the embryo is well described by the diffusion equation on the relevant length and time scales, and that effective diffusion constants are essentially the same in closely related dipteran species with embryos of very different size. Nonetheless, patterns of gene expression in these different species scale with egg length. We show that this scaling can be traced back to scaling of the Bcd gradient itself. Our results, together with constraints imposed by the time scales of development, suggest that the mechanism for scaling is a species-specific adaptation of the Bcd lifetime.

  8. Strengths, altered investment, risk management, and other elaborations on the behavioural constellation of deprivation.

    PubMed

    Pepper, Gillian V; Nettle, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    We are grateful to have received so many insightful commentaries from interested colleagues regarding our proposed behavioural constellation of deprivation (BCD) and our thoughts on its causes and consequences. In this response article, we offer some clarifications regarding our perspective and tackle some common misperceptions, including, for example, assumptions that the BCD is adaptive and that it should include all behaviours that vary with socioeconomic status. We then welcome some excellent proposals for extensions and modifications of our ideas, such as the conceptualisation of the BCD as a risk-management strategy and the calls for a greater focus on strengths and differential investment rather than deficits and disinvestment. Finally, we highlight some insightful explorations of the implications of our ideas for ethics, policy, and practice.

  9. Utah FORGE Gravity Data Shapefile

    DOE Data Explorer

    Joe Moore

    2016-03-13

    This is a zipped GIS compatible shapefile of gravity data points used in the Milford, Utah FORGE project as of March 21st, 2016. The shapefile is native to ArcGIS, but can be used with many GIS software packages. Additionally, there is a .dbf (dBase) file that contains the dataset which can be read with Microsoft Excel. The Data was downloaded from the PACES (Pan American Center for Earth and Environmental Studies) hosted by University of Texas El Paso (http://research.utep.edu/Default.aspx?alias=research.utep.edu/paces) Explanation:Source: data source code if available LatNAD83: latitude in NAD83 [decimal degrees] LonNAD83: longitude in NAD83 [decimal degrees]zWGS84: elevation in WGS84 (ellipsoidal) [m]OBSless976: observed gravity minus 976000 mGalIZTC: inner zone terrain correction [mGal]OZTC: outer zone terrain correction [mGal]FA: Free Air anomaly value [mGal]CBGA: Complete Bouguer gravity anomaly value [mGal

  10. Extracting the Data From the LCM vk4 Formatted Output File

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

    Wendelberger, James G.

    These are slides about extracting the data from the LCM vk4 formatted output file. The following is covered: vk4 file produced by Keyence VK Software, custom analysis, no off the shelf way to read the file, reading the binary data in a vk4 file, various offsets in decimal lines, finding the height image data, directly in MATLAB, binary output beginning of height image data, color image information, color image binary data, color image decimal and binary data, MATLAB code to read vk4 file (choose a file, read the file, compute offsets, read optical image, laser optical image, read and computemore » laser intensity image, read height image, timing, display height image, display laser intensity image, display RGB laser optical images, display RGB optical images, display beginning data and save images to workspace, gamma correction subroutine), reading intensity form the vk4 file, linear in the low range, linear in the high range, gamma correction for vk4 files, computing the gamma intensity correction, observations.« less

  11. Longer is Larger--Or is It?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roche, Anne

    2005-01-01

    The author cites research from students' misconceptions of decimal notation that indicates that many students treat decimals as another whole number to the right of the decimal point. This "whole number thinking" leads some students to believe, in the context of comparing decimals, that "longer is larger" (for example, 0.45 is larger than 0.8…

  12. Evolutionary coincidence of adaptive changes in exuperantia and the emergence of bicoid in Cyclorrhapha (Diptera).

    PubMed

    de Oliveira, Janaina Lima; Sobrinho-Junior, Iderval Silva; Chahad-Ehlers, Samira; de Brito, Reinaldo Alves

    2017-09-01

    The great radiation in the infraorder Cyclorrhapha involved several morphological and molecular changes, including important changes in anterior egg development. During Drosophila oogenesis, exuperantia (exu) is critical for localizing bicoid (bcd) messenger RNA (mRNA) to the anterior region of the oocyte. Because it is phylogenetically older than bcd, which is exclusive to Cyclorrhapha, we hypothesize that exu has undergone adaptive changes to enable this new function. Although exu has been well studied in Drosophila, there is no functional or transcriptional information about it in any other Diptera. Here, we investigate exu in the South American fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus, a Cyclorrhapha of great agricultural importance that have lost bcd, aiming to understand the evolution of exu in this infraorder. We assessed its pattern of gene expression in A. fraterculus by analyzing transcriptomes from cephalic and reproductive tissues. A combination of next-generation data with classical sequencing procedures enabled identification of the structure of exu and its alternative transcripts in this species. In addition to the sex-specific isoforms described for Drosophila, we found that not only exu is expressed in heads, but this is mediated by two transcripts with a specific 5'UTR exon-likely a result from usage of a third promoter. Furthermore, we tested the hypothesis that exu is evolving under positive selection in Cyclorrhapha after divergence from lower Diptera. We found evidence of positive selection at two important exu domains, EXO-like and SAM-like, both involved with mRNA binding during bcd mRNA localization in Drosophila, which could reflect its cooptation for the new function of bcd mRNA localization in Cyclorrhapha.

  13. Comparative analysis of protective effects of curcumin, curcumin-β-cyclodextrin nanoparticle and nanoliposomal curcumin on unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine poisoning in mice

    PubMed Central

    Li, Wei; Zhou, Mengzhou; Xu, Ning; Hu, Yong; Wang, Chao; Li, Deyuan; Liu, Liegang; Li, Dongsheng

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to compare the protective effects of curcumin, curcumin-β-cyclodextrin nanoparticle curcumin (BCD-CUR) and nanoliposomal curcumin (NLC) on unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) induced poison in mice. Curcumin, BCD-CUR, and NLC were prepared and their properties of zeta potential, particle size, encapsulation efficiency, and loading capacity were characterized. Eighty-eight male ICR mice on normal chow diet were randomly divided into 11 groups, and intraperitoneally injected with UDMH alone, or together with different doses of curcumin, BCD-CUR or NLC daily for up to 10 d. Enzyme activities of serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were analyzed by fully-automatic analyzer and neurotransmitter levels were determined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). 150 mg/kg curcumin treatment alone significantly reduced levels of serum ALT and LDH that were induced by UDMH and markedly increased level of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) that were reduced by UDMH in the hippocampus. 150 mg/kg BCD-CUR not only decreased significantly the increase of ALT, LDH and glutamate (Glu) but also recovered levels of AST and GABA. 150 mg/kg NLC recovered profoundly levels of AST and GABA while decreased remarkably the UDMH induced increase of ALT, LDH, Glu and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). In addition, treatments with all tested doses of NLC significantly reduced the UMDH induced dopamine (DA), the monoamine neurotransmitter. NLC had more profound protective effects against liver and central nervous system injury induced by UDMH than a suspension of BCD-CUR or curcumin did in mice. PMID:27710431

  14. Intestinal absorption of dietary cadmium in women depends on body iron stores and fiber intake.

    PubMed Central

    Berglund, M; Akesson, A; Nermell, B; Vahter, M

    1994-01-01

    Measurements of intake and uptake of cadmium in relation to diet composition were carried out in 57 nonsmoking women, 20-50 years of age. A vegetarian/high-fiber diet and a mixed-diet group were constructed based on results from a food frequency questionnaire. Duplicate diets and the corresponding feces were collected during 4 consecutive days in parallel with dietary recording of type and amount of food ingested for determination of the dietary intake of cadmium and various nutrients. Blood and 24-hr urine samples were collected for determination of cadmium, hemoglobin, ferritin, and zinc. There were no differences in the intake of nutrients between the mixed-diet and the high-fiber diet groups, except for a significantly higher intake of fiber (p < 0.001) and cadmium (p < 0.002) in the high-fiber group. Fecal cadmium corresponded to 98% in the mixed-diet group and 100% in the high-fiber diet group. No differences in blood cadmium (BCd) or urinary cadmium (UCd) between groups could be detected. There was a tendency toward higher BCd and UCd concentrations with increasing fiber intake; however, the concentrations were not statistically significant at the 5% level, indicating an inhibitory effect of fiber on the gastrointestinal absorption of cadmium. Sixty-seven percent of the women had serum ferritin < 30 micrograms/l, indicating reduced body iron stores, which were highly associated with higher BCd (irrespective of fiber intake). BCd was mainly correlated with UCd, serum ferritin, age, anf fibre intake. UCd and serum ferritin explained almost 60% of the variation in BCd.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Images Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 3. A Figure 3. B Figure 4. Figure 5. PMID:7713018

  15. Development of On-Line High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)-Biochemical Detection Methods as Tools in the Identification of Bioactives

    PubMed Central

    Malherbe, Christiaan J.; de Beer, Dalene; Joubert, Elizabeth

    2012-01-01

    Biochemical detection (BCD) methods are commonly used to screen plant extracts for specific biological activities in batch assays. Traditionally, bioactives in the most active extracts were identified through time-consuming bio-assay guided fractionation until single active compounds could be isolated. Not only are isolation procedures often tedious, but they could also lead to artifact formation. On-line coupling of BCD assays to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is gaining ground as a high resolution screening technique to overcome problems associated with pre-isolation by measuring the effects of compounds post-column directly after separation. To date, several on-line HPLC-BCD assays, applied to whole plant extracts and mixtures, have been published. In this review the focus will fall on enzyme-based, receptor-based and antioxidant assays. PMID:22489144

  16. A Database Management System Application for the Graduate Programs Office of the School of Systems and Logistics. Volume 2. Technical Reference Manual

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-09-01

    CIT C 15 Name of local city. InCSrATE C 2 Name of local state as tw letter abbreviatiom. SIC ZIP C 10 Loa ZIP code. Five or nine digits . InC_ PHKtE C 15...record: 10 Database Dictimary for C: \\ BASE\\PAS1E.MF Field Nane Type Width Decimal Coments PMSCODE C 2 Third and fourth digits of PAS code. ON C 3...Version: 3.01 Date: 09/01/88 Time: 21:34 Report Libary : C: ASE\\GPO.RP1 Date: 08/28/88 Time: 11:32 PRMNT OFTICNS CflRL-PRINrM Nmber of copies: 1 Starting

  17. The Role of Domain-General Cognitive Abilities and Decimal Labels in At-Risk Fourth-Grade Students' Decimal Magnitude Understanding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malone, Amelia Schneider; Loehr, Abbey M.; Fuchs, Lynn S.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine whether individual differences in at-risk 4th graders' language comprehension, nonverbal reasoning, concept formation, working memory, and use of decimal labels (i.e., place value, point, incorrect place value, incorrect fraction, or whole number) are related to their decimal magnitude understanding.…

  18. Surface smoothing, decimation, and their effects on 3D biological specimens.

    PubMed

    Veneziano, Alessio; Landi, Federica; Profico, Antonio

    2018-06-01

    Smoothing and decimation filters are commonly used to restore the realistic appearance of virtual biological specimens, but they can cause a loss of topological information of unknown extent. In this study, we analyzed the effect of smoothing and decimation on a 3D mesh to highlight the consequences of an inappropriate use of these filters. Topological noise was simulated on four anatomical regions of the virtual reconstruction of an orangutan cranium. Sequential levels of smoothing and decimation were applied, and their effects were analyzed on the overall topology of the 3D mesh and on linear and volumetric measurements. Different smoothing algorithms affected mesh topology and measurements differently, although the influence on the latter was generally low. Decimation always produced detrimental effects on both topology and measurements. The application of smoothing and decimation, both separate and combined, is capable of recovering topological information. Based on the results, objective guidelines are provided to minimize information loss when using smoothing and decimation on 3D meshes. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Understanding decimal numbers: a foundation for correct calculations.

    PubMed

    Pierce, Robyn U; Steinle, Vicki A; Stacey, Kaye C; Widjaja, Wanty

    2008-01-01

    This paper reports on the effectiveness of an intervention designed to improve nursing students' conceptual understanding of decimal numbers. Results of recent intervention studies have indicated some success at improving nursing students' numeracy through practice in applying procedural rules for calculation and working in real or simulated practical contexts. However, in this we identified a fundamental problem: a significant minority of students had an inadequate understanding of decimal numbers. The intervention aimed to improve nursing students' basic understanding of the size of decimal numbers, so that, firstly, calculation rules are more meaningful, and secondly, students can interpret decimal numbers (whether digital output or results of calculations) sensibly. A well-researched, time-efficient diagnostic instrument was used to identify individuals with an inadequate understanding of decimal numbers. We describe a remedial intervention that resulted in significant improvement on a delayed post-intervention test. We conclude that nurse educators should consider diagnosing and, as necessary, plan for remediation of students' foundational understanding of decimal numbers before teaching procedural rules.

  20. Starbursts in blue compact dwarf galaxies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thuan, Trinh Xuan

    1987-01-01

    All the arguments for a bursting mode of star formation in blue compact dwarf galaxies (BCD) are summarized. It is shown that spectral synthesis of far-ultraviolet spectra of BCDs constitutes a powerful way to study the star formation history in these galaxies. BCD luminosity functions show jumps and discontinuities. These jumps act like fossil records of the star-forming bursts, aiding in the counting and dating of the bursts.

  1. No significant regulation of bicoid mRNA by Pumilio or Nanos in the early Drosophila embryo.

    PubMed

    Wharton, Tammy H; Nomie, Krystle J; Wharton, Robin P

    2018-01-01

    Drosophila Pumilio (Pum) is a founding member of the conserved Puf domain class of RNA-binding translational regulators. Pum binds with high specificity, contacting eight nucleotides, one with each of the repeats in its RNA-binding domain. In general, Pum is thought to block translation in collaboration with Nanos (Nos), which exhibits no binding specificity in isolation but is recruited jointly to regulatory sequences containing a Pum binding site in the 3'-UTRs of target mRNAs. Unlike Pum, which is ubiquitous in the early embryo, Nos is tightly restricted to the posterior, ensuring that repression of its best-characterized target, maternal hunchback (hb) mRNA, takes place exclusively in the posterior. An exceptional case of Nos-independent regulation by Pum has been described-repression of maternal bicoid (bcd) mRNA at the anterior pole of the early embryo, dependent on both Pum and conserved Pum binding sites in the 3'-UTR of the mRNA. We have re-investigated regulation of bcd in the early embryo; our experiments reveal no evidence of a role for Pum or its conserved binding sites in regulation of the perdurance of bcd mRNA or protein. Instead, we find that Pum and Nos control the accumulation of bcd mRNA in testes.

  2. Combined effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus and β-cyclodextrin on serum cholesterol in pigs.

    PubMed

    Alonso, L; Fontecha, J; Cuesta, P

    2016-01-14

    A total of twenty-four Yorkshire gilt pigs of 6-7 weeks of age were used in a 2×2 factorial experiment to determine the individual and combined effects of the inclusion of two dietary factors (cholesterol rich, 3% β-cyclodextrin (BCD) and Lactobacillus acidophilus cultures) on total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels in blood serum. Pigs were assigned randomly to treatment groups (n 6). Total serum cholesterol concentrations decreased after 3 weeks in all the experimental treatment groups, including diets with BCD, L. acidophilus or both. Similar trends were observed for serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations among the experimental treatments. No statistically significant differences from the control group were observed in either total serum cholesterol or LDL-cholesterol concentrations (P<0·05) for each of the individual treatment groups: BCD or L. acidophilus. However, significant differences in total serum cholesterol concentrations were observed when comparing the combined treatment group (BCD and L. acidophilus) with the control group, which consisted of a basal diet and sterile milk. The combined treatment group exhibited 17·9% lower total serum cholesterol concentration after 3 weeks. Similar significant differences were observed when comparing the combined effect experimental group with the control group after 3 weeks. The combined treatment group exhibited 27·9% lower serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations.

  3. Diffusion and scaling during early embryonic pattern formation

    PubMed Central

    Gregor, Thomas; Bialek, William; van Steveninck, Rob R. de Ruyter; Tank, David W.; Wieschaus, Eric F.

    2005-01-01

    Development of spatial patterns in multicellular organisms depends on gradients in the concentration of signaling molecules that control gene expression. In the Drosophila embryo, Bicoid (Bcd) morphogen controls cell fate along 70% of the anteroposterior axis but is translated from mRNA localized at the anterior pole. Gradients of Bcd and other morphogens are thought to arise through diffusion, but this basic assumption has never been rigorously tested in living embryos. Furthermore, because diffusion sets a relationship between length and time scales, it is hard to see how patterns of gene expression established by diffusion would scale proportionately as egg size changes during evolution. Here, we show that the motion of inert molecules through the embryo is well described by the diffusion equation on the relevant length and time scales, and that effective diffusion constants are essentially the same in closely related dipteran species with embryos of very different size. Nonetheless, patterns of gene expression in these different species scale with egg length. We show that this scaling can be traced back to scaling of the Bcd gradient itself. Our results, together with constraints imposed by the time scales of development, suggest that the mechanism for scaling is a species-specific adaptation of the Bcd lifetime. PMID:16352710

  4. Digital Filter ASIC for NASA Deep Space Radio Science

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kowalski, James E.

    1995-01-01

    This paper is about the implementation of an 80 MHz, 16-bit, multi-stage digital filter to decimate by 1600, providing a 50 kHz output with bandpass ripple of less than +/-0.1 dB. The chip uses two decimation by five units and six decimations by two executed by a single decimation by two units. The six decimations by two consist of six halfband filters, five having 30-taps and one having 51-taps. Use of a 16x16 register file for the digital delay lines enables implementation in the Vitesse 350K gate array.

  5. Parts and 'holes': gaps in rational number sense among children with vs. without mathematical learning disabilities.

    PubMed

    Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Devlin, Kathleen T

    2008-09-01

    Many middle-school students struggle with decimals and fractions, even if they do not have a mathematical learning disability (MLD). In the present longitudinal study, we examined whether children with MLD have weaker rational number knowledge than children whose difficulty with rational numbers occurs in the absence of MLD. We found that children with MLD failed to accurately name decimals, to correctly rank order decimals and/or fractions, and to identify equivalent ratios (e.g. 0.5 = 1/2); they also 'identified' incorrect equivalents (e.g. 0.05 = 0.50). Children with low math achievement but no MLD accurately named decimals and identified equivalent pairs, but failed to correctly rank order decimals and fractions. Thus failure to accurately name decimals was an indicator of MLD; but accurate naming was no guarantee of rational number knowledge - most children who failed to correctly rank order fractions and decimals tests passed the naming task. Most children who failed the ranking tests at 6th grade also failed at 8th grade. Our findings suggest that a simple task involving naming and rank ordering fractions and decimals may be a useful addition to in-class assessments used to determine children's learning of rational numbers.

  6. Balloon dilation of sinus ostia in the Department of Defense: Diagnoses, actual indications, and outcomes.

    PubMed

    Laury, Adrienne M; Bowe, Sarah N; Stramiello, Joshua; McMains, Kevin C

    2017-03-01

    To determine the primary diagnoses for which balloon catheter dilation (BCD) of sinus ostia is being employed in a profit-blind health care system, the Department of Defense. Retrospective chart review. From January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2013, 319 consecutive patient charts were reviewed for International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition (ICD-9) diagnoses, presence of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) defined by the European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps (EPOS), preoperative Lund-Mackay scores, nasal endoscopy findings, sinuses dilated, postoperative outcomes, and complications. Of the 319 patients identified, 217 had sufficient documentation to be included. A CRS ICD-9 code was applied in 182 of 217 (83.9%) and recurrent acute rhinosinusitis in 12 of 217 (5.6%). Only 50.5% of CRS patient charts met criteria using EPOS guidelines. In contrast, 39.6% met the ICD-9 criteria for atypical facial pain. Patients with Lund-Mackay scores ≤ 4 were reviewed for number of sinuses dilated. Eighty-eight of 123 patients (71.5%) had sinuses dilated that were free from opacification/mucosal edema on preoperative imaging. Balloon dilation of sinus ostia has an expanding role in treating sinus disease. In the studied population, BCD is often utilized for alternate indications for which there is currently no evidence of efficacy. Future studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of this technology in treating these alternate indications. 4. Laryngoscope, 127:544-549, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

  7. Sequence-dependent nanometer-scale conformational dynamics of individual RecBCD–DNA complexes

    PubMed Central

    Carter, Ashley R.; Seaberg, Maasa H.; Fan, Hsiu-Fang; Sun, Gang; Wilds, Christopher J.; Li, Hung-Wen; Perkins, Thomas T.

    2016-01-01

    RecBCD is a multifunctional enzyme that possesses both helicase and nuclease activities. To gain insight into the mechanism of its helicase function, RecBCD unwinding at low adenosine triphosphate (ATP) (2–4 μM) was measured using an optical-trapping assay featuring 1 base-pair (bp) precision. Instead of uniformly sized steps, we observed forward motion convolved with rapid, large-scale (∼4 bp) variations in DNA length. We interpret this motion as conformational dynamics of the RecBCD–DNA complex in an unwinding-competent state, arising, in part, by an enzyme-induced, back-and-forth motion relative to the dsDNA that opens and closes the duplex. Five observations support this interpretation. First, these dynamics were present in the absence of ATP. Second, the onset of the dynamics was coupled to RecBCD entering into an unwinding-competent state that required a sufficiently long 5′ strand to engage the RecD helicase. Third, the dynamics were modulated by the GC-content of the dsDNA. Fourth, the dynamics were suppressed by an engineered interstrand cross-link in the dsDNA that prevented unwinding. Finally, these dynamics were suppressed by binding of a specific non-hydrolyzable ATP analog. Collectively, these observations show that during unwinding, RecBCD binds to DNA in a dynamic mode that is modulated by the nucleotide state of the ATP-binding pocket. PMID:27220465

  8. Characterisation of nimesulide-betacyclodextrins systems prepared by supercritical fluid impregnation.

    PubMed

    Moneghini, M; Kikic, I; Perissutti, B; Franceschinis, E; Cortesi, A

    2004-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to apply the supercritical CO(2) impregnation process for preparing solvent-free nimesulide (NMS)-betacyclodextrins (BCD) association systems with enhanced drug dissolution rate. Several drug-to-carrier molar ratios were tested (1:1; 1:2.5; 1:3.5) at different conditions of temperatures (40, 100, and 130 degrees C) and pressures (140, 190 or 220 bar). The physical and morphological characterisation of the systems using powder X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, diffuse reflectance Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy was carried out to understand the influence of this technological process on the physical status of single components and binary systems and to detect possible interactions between drug and carrier. These analyses provided no evidence of a complete inclusion of NMS in the carrier but the existence of interactions between drug and carrier together with a partial dehydration of the BCD and the formation of drug crystallites with lower melting point and heat of fusion than the native NMS. These phenomena were more intense when severe conditions of pressure and temperature (220 bar and 130 degrees C) were used during impregnation trials and when the amount of BCD augmented in the systems. These activated solid state of the impregnated systems promoted an enhancement of drug dissolution rate that, in keeping with the results of the physical characterisation, was function of the process conditions and BCD content.

  9. Lurasidone-β-cyclodextrin complexes: Physicochemical characterization and comparison of their antidepressant, antipsychotic activities against that of self microemulsifying formulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Londhe, Vaishali Y.; Deshmane, Aishwarya B.; Singh, Sarita R.; Kulkarni, Yogesh A.

    2018-04-01

    Lurasidone hydrochloride (LHD) is an atypical antipsychotic drug has poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability (9-19%). This study describes effect of different methods of complex formation with β-cyclodextrin (BCD) on enhancement of dissolution and on antidepressant, antipsychotic effects of LHD. Other purpose of this study is to compare pharmacodynamic effects of complexes with that of self microemulsifying drug delivery system of LHD (SMEDDS). Inclusion complexes (IC) of LHD and BCD were prepared by physical mixing (PM), kneading (KN) and spray drying (SD) in a 1:1 M ratio. These complexes were characterized by different techniques. KN and SD showing enhancement in dissolution, were compared with SMEDDS using Forced swim test (FST) and Tail suspension test (TST) for antidepressant action and Paw test for antipsychotic activity. Characterization of complexes confirmed interaction between LHD and BCD. Enhancement in dissolution is seen in following order SD > KN > PM > LHD. In all three animal models, SD, KN and SMEDDS showed statistically significant effect (p < .05) than drug alone showing enhancement in bioavailability. Complexation of LHD with BCD enhances dissolution which reflected in improvement of antidepressant and antipsychotic activity of drug. Solubility enhancement methods like complexation and self microemulsion improves pharmacodynamic activities of drug. Improvement of pharmacodynamic effect is seen in order, SD ≥ SMEDDS ≥ KN > LHD.

  10. NGC 5044-N50: Una etapa evolutiva intermedia entre galaxias compactas azules (BCD) y enanas elípticas (dE)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cellone, S. A.; Buzzoni, A.

    The possible connection between dwarf elliptical (dE), dwarf irregular (dI), and blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies, is a subject of sustained interest, with deep consequences on our underestanding of star formation and evolution of galaxies. We present here observational results (ESO - CASLEO) on the dwarf galaxy N50 in the NGC 5044 Group, which appears to be at an intermediate stage BCD-dE, after its last star-formation burst. We focused on this galaxy because of its strong departure from the relation between luminosity and surface brightness profile curvature, despite its integrated color [(B-V)0=0.76], normal for a dE. However, new observations under sub-arcsec seeing conditions (ESO 3.6 m Tel.) showed several knots surrounding the nucleus whose colors (g-r, g-i, Gunn system) indicate, through evolutionary population synthesis models, ages around ~5 × 109 years with slightly sub-solar metallicities. The spectroscopic data support this scenario; hence, while the main component of N50 is an old (~ 15 × 109 yr) population, there is evidence of recent star formation activity within ~400 pc of the nucleus. The incidence of these structures on the anomalous profile of N50 is discussed, as well as the particular evolutive stage of this galaxy within the dE-BCD relation.

  11. Effect of the image resolution on the statistical descriptors of heterogeneous media.

    PubMed

    Ledesma-Alonso, René; Barbosa, Romeli; Ortegón, Jaime

    2018-02-01

    The characterization and reconstruction of heterogeneous materials, such as porous media and electrode materials, involve the application of image processing methods to data acquired by scanning electron microscopy or other microscopy techniques. Among them, binarization and decimation are critical in order to compute the correlation functions that characterize the microstructure of the above-mentioned materials. In this study, we present a theoretical analysis of the effects of the image-size reduction, due to the progressive and sequential decimation of the original image. Three different decimation procedures (random, bilinear, and bicubic) were implemented and their consequences on the discrete correlation functions (two-point, line-path, and pore-size distribution) and the coarseness (derived from the local volume fraction) are reported and analyzed. The chosen statistical descriptors (correlation functions and coarseness) are typically employed to characterize and reconstruct heterogeneous materials. A normalization for each of the correlation functions has been performed. When the loss of statistical information has not been significant for a decimated image, its normalized correlation function is forecast by the trend of the original image (reference function). In contrast, when the decimated image does not hold statistical evidence of the original one, the normalized correlation function diverts from the reference function. Moreover, the equally weighted sum of the average of the squared difference, between the discrete correlation functions of the decimated images and the reference functions, leads to a definition of an overall error. During the first stages of the gradual decimation, the error remains relatively small and independent of the decimation procedure. Above a threshold defined by the correlation length of the reference function, the error becomes a function of the number of decimation steps. At this stage, some statistical information is lost and the error becomes dependent on the decimation procedure. These results may help us to restrict the amount of information that one can afford to lose during a decimation process, in order to reduce the computational and memory cost, when one aims to diminish the time consumed by a characterization or reconstruction technique, yet maintaining the statistical quality of the digitized sample.

  12. Effect of the image resolution on the statistical descriptors of heterogeneous media

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ledesma-Alonso, René; Barbosa, Romeli; Ortegón, Jaime

    2018-02-01

    The characterization and reconstruction of heterogeneous materials, such as porous media and electrode materials, involve the application of image processing methods to data acquired by scanning electron microscopy or other microscopy techniques. Among them, binarization and decimation are critical in order to compute the correlation functions that characterize the microstructure of the above-mentioned materials. In this study, we present a theoretical analysis of the effects of the image-size reduction, due to the progressive and sequential decimation of the original image. Three different decimation procedures (random, bilinear, and bicubic) were implemented and their consequences on the discrete correlation functions (two-point, line-path, and pore-size distribution) and the coarseness (derived from the local volume fraction) are reported and analyzed. The chosen statistical descriptors (correlation functions and coarseness) are typically employed to characterize and reconstruct heterogeneous materials. A normalization for each of the correlation functions has been performed. When the loss of statistical information has not been significant for a decimated image, its normalized correlation function is forecast by the trend of the original image (reference function). In contrast, when the decimated image does not hold statistical evidence of the original one, the normalized correlation function diverts from the reference function. Moreover, the equally weighted sum of the average of the squared difference, between the discrete correlation functions of the decimated images and the reference functions, leads to a definition of an overall error. During the first stages of the gradual decimation, the error remains relatively small and independent of the decimation procedure. Above a threshold defined by the correlation length of the reference function, the error becomes a function of the number of decimation steps. At this stage, some statistical information is lost and the error becomes dependent on the decimation procedure. These results may help us to restrict the amount of information that one can afford to lose during a decimation process, in order to reduce the computational and memory cost, when one aims to diminish the time consumed by a characterization or reconstruction technique, yet maintaining the statistical quality of the digitized sample.

  13. Finger Vein Recognition Based on Local Directional Code

    PubMed Central

    Meng, Xianjing; Yang, Gongping; Yin, Yilong; Xiao, Rongyang

    2012-01-01

    Finger vein patterns are considered as one of the most promising biometric authentication methods for its security and convenience. Most of the current available finger vein recognition methods utilize features from a segmented blood vessel network. As an improperly segmented network may degrade the recognition accuracy, binary pattern based methods are proposed, such as Local Binary Pattern (LBP), Local Derivative Pattern (LDP) and Local Line Binary Pattern (LLBP). However, the rich directional information hidden in the finger vein pattern has not been fully exploited by the existing local patterns. Inspired by the Webber Local Descriptor (WLD), this paper represents a new direction based local descriptor called Local Directional Code (LDC) and applies it to finger vein recognition. In LDC, the local gradient orientation information is coded as an octonary decimal number. Experimental results show that the proposed method using LDC achieves better performance than methods using LLBP. PMID:23202194

  14. Finger vein recognition based on local directional code.

    PubMed

    Meng, Xianjing; Yang, Gongping; Yin, Yilong; Xiao, Rongyang

    2012-11-05

    Finger vein patterns are considered as one of the most promising biometric authentication methods for its security and convenience. Most of the current available finger vein recognition methods utilize features from a segmented blood vessel network. As an improperly segmented network may degrade the recognition accuracy, binary pattern based methods are proposed, such as Local Binary Pattern (LBP), Local Derivative Pattern (LDP) and Local Line Binary Pattern (LLBP). However, the rich directional information hidden in the finger vein pattern has not been fully exploited by the existing local patterns. Inspired by the Webber Local Descriptor (WLD), this paper represents a new direction based local descriptor called Local Directional Code (LDC) and applies it to finger vein recognition. In LDC, the local gradient orientation information is coded as an octonary decimal number. Experimental results show that the proposed method using LDC achieves better performance than methods using LLBP.

  15. Viability of a [2 + 2 + 1] Hetero-Pauson-Khand Cycloaddition Strategy toward Securinega Alkaloids: Synthesis of the BCD-Ring Core of Securinine and Related Alkaloids.

    PubMed

    Chirkin, Egor; Michel, Sylvie; Porée, François-Hugues

    2015-07-02

    Preliminary results related to the development of [2 + 2 + 1]-oxa-hetero-Pauson-Khand cycloaddition strategy toward the Securinega alkaloids are reported. The critical tricyclic BCD-ring core was assembled in only nine linear steps from cheap 4-hydroxy-l-proline. The study provides valuable insight into the scope of a rare hetero-Pauson-Khand reaction, a powerful tool for the rapid construction of butenolide-containing natural products.

  16. Double-S Decimals, Mathematics: 5211.20.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

    The last of four guidebooks in the sequence, this booklet uses UICSM's "stretcher and shrinker" approach in developing place value, and four operations with decimals, conversion between fractions and decimals, and applications to measurement and rate problems. Overall goals, performance objectives for the course, teaching suggestions,…

  17. Nifty Nines and Repeating Decimals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Scott A.

    2016-01-01

    The traditional technique for converting repeating decimals to common fractions can be found in nearly every algebra textbook that has been published, as well as in many precalculus texts. However, students generally encounter repeating decimal numerals earlier than high school when they study rational numbers in prealgebra classes. Therefore, how…

  18. The transcription fidelity factor GreA impedes DNA break repair.

    PubMed

    Sivaramakrishnan, Priya; Sepúlveda, Leonardo A; Halliday, Jennifer A; Liu, Jingjing; Núñez, María Angélica Bravo; Golding, Ido; Rosenberg, Susan M; Herman, Christophe

    2017-10-12

    Homologous recombination repairs DNA double-strand breaks and must function even on actively transcribed DNA. Because break repair prevents chromosome loss, the completion of repair is expected to outweigh the transcription of broken templates. However, the interplay between DNA break repair and transcription processivity is unclear. Here we show that the transcription factor GreA inhibits break repair in Escherichia coli. GreA restarts backtracked RNA polymerase and hence promotes transcription fidelity. We report that removal of GreA results in markedly enhanced break repair via the classic RecBCD-RecA pathway. Using a deep-sequencing method to measure chromosomal exonucleolytic degradation, we demonstrate that the absence of GreA limits RecBCD-mediated resection. Our findings suggest that increased RNA polymerase backtracking promotes break repair by instigating RecA loading by RecBCD, without the influence of canonical Chi signals. The idea that backtracked RNA polymerase can stimulate recombination presents a DNA transaction conundrum: a transcription fidelity factor that compromises genomic integrity.

  19. Repeating Decimals: An Alternative Teaching Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Appova, Aina K.

    2017-01-01

    To help middle school students make better sense of decimals and fraction, the author and an eighth-grade math teacher worked on a 90-minute lesson that focused on representing repeating decimals as fractions. They embedded experimentations and explorations using technology and calculators to help promote students' intuitive and conceptual…

  20. The Universal Decimal Classification: Some Factors Concerning Its Origins, Development, and Influence.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McIlwaine, I. C.

    1997-01-01

    Discusses the history and development of the Universal Decimal Classification (UDC). Topics include the relationship with Dewey Decimal Classification; revision process; structure; facet analysis; lack of standard rules for application; application in automated systems; influence of UDC on classification development; links with thesauri; and use…

  1. Teaching Students with Cognitive Impairment Chained Mathematical Task of Decimal Subtraction Using Simultaneous Prompting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rao, Shaila; Kane, Martha T.

    2009-01-01

    This study assessed effectiveness of simultaneous prompting procedure in teaching two middle school students with cognitive impairment decimal subtraction using regrouping. A multiple baseline, multiple probe design replicated across subjects successfully taught two students with cognitive impairment at middle school level decimal subtraction…

  2. Inference of the sparse kinetic Ising model using the decimation method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Decelle, Aurélien; Zhang, Pan

    2015-05-01

    In this paper we study the inference of the kinetic Ising model on sparse graphs by the decimation method. The decimation method, which was first proposed in Decelle and Ricci-Tersenghi [Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 070603 (2014), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.070603] for the static inverse Ising problem, tries to recover the topology of the inferred system by setting the weakest couplings to zero iteratively. During the decimation process the likelihood function is maximized over the remaining couplings. Unlike the ℓ1-optimization-based methods, the decimation method does not use the Laplace distribution as a heuristic choice of prior to select a sparse solution. In our case, the whole process can be done auto-matically without fixing any parameters by hand. We show that in the dynamical inference problem, where the task is to reconstruct the couplings of an Ising model given the data, the decimation process can be applied naturally into a maximum-likelihood optimization algorithm, as opposed to the static case where pseudolikelihood method needs to be adopted. We also use extensive numerical studies to validate the accuracy of our methods in dynamical inference problems. Our results illustrate that, on various topologies and with different distribution of couplings, the decimation method outperforms the widely used ℓ1-optimization-based methods.

  3. Rapid Decimation for Direct Volume Rendering

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gibbs, Jonathan; VanGelder, Allen; Verma, Vivek; Wilhelms, Jane

    1997-01-01

    An approach for eliminating unnecessary portions of a volume when producing a direct volume rendering is described. This reduction in volume size sacrifices some image quality in the interest of rendering speed. Since volume visualization is often used as an exploratory visualization technique, it is important to reduce rendering times, so the user can effectively explore the volume. The methods presented can speed up rendering by factors of 2 to 3 with minor image degradation. A family of decimation algorithms to reduce the number of primitives in the volume without altering the volume's grid in any way is introduced. This allows the decimation to be computed rapidly, making it easier to change decimation levels on the fly. Further, because very little extra space is required, this method is suitable for the very large volumes that are becoming common. The method is also grid-independent, so it is suitable for multiple overlapping curvilinear and unstructured, as well as regular, grids. The decimation process can proceed automatically, or can be guided by the user so that important regions of the volume are decimated less than unimportant regions. A formal error measure is described based on a three-dimensional analog of the Radon transform. Decimation methods are evaluated based on this metric and on direct comparison with reference images.

  4. Methodology Investigation. Chamber Versus Environmental Deterioration Tests

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1979-01-01

    instructions do not apply to the record copy (AR 340-18). UNCLASSIFIED S.CURITY CLASSIFICATION OF I HIS PAGE ("eiln Daoe FKnterpd) I PAGE READ INSTRUCTIONS...D 4 - from P. Pin F 0-0 Figure 14 ->TIL 302 TL3 * 10 I , C 1:1 FiL r 16. Diia0lcto i yt m c e- t 1C 234 -.>11- tandem. The binary coded decimal ...Mexico State University and/or the University I of Texas at El Paso will be contracted to assist in this investigation by performing detailed, time

  5. Bubbling cell death: A hot air balloon released from the nucleus in the cold.

    PubMed

    Chang, Nan-Shan

    2016-06-01

    Cell death emanating from the nucleus is largely unknown. In our recent study, we determined that when temperature is lowered in the surrounding environment, apoptosis stops and bubbling cell death (BCD) occurs. The study concerns the severity of frostbite. When exposed to severe cold and strong ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, people may suffer serious damages to the skin and internal organs. This ultimately leads to limb amputations, organ failure, and death. BCD is defined as "formation of a single bubble from the nucleus per cell and release of this swelling bubble from the cell surface to extracellular space that causes cell death." When cells are subjected to UV irradiation and/or brief cold shock (4℃ for 5 min) and then incubated at room temperature or 4℃ for time-lapse microscopy, each cell releases an enlarging nuclear gas bubble containing nitric oxide. Certain cells may simultaneously eject hundreds or thousands of exosome-like particles. Unlike apoptosis, no phosphatidylserine flip-over, mitochondrial apoptosis, damage to Golgi complex, and chromosomal DNA fragmentation are shown in BCD. When the temperature is increased back at 37℃, bubble formation stops and apoptosis restarts. Mechanistically, proapoptotic WW domain-containing oxidoreductase and p53 block the protective TNF receptor adaptor factor 2 that allows nitric oxide synthase 2 to synthesize nitric oxide and bubble formation. In this mini-review, updated knowledge in cell death and the proposed molecular mechanism for BCD are provided. © 2016 by the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

  6. Bubbling cell death: A hot air balloon released from the nucleus in the cold

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Cell death emanating from the nucleus is largely unknown. In our recent study, we determined that when temperature is lowered in the surrounding environment, apoptosis stops and bubbling cell death (BCD) occurs. The study concerns the severity of frostbite. When exposed to severe cold and strong ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, people may suffer serious damages to the skin and internal organs. This ultimately leads to limb amputations, organ failure, and death. BCD is defined as “formation of a single bubble from the nucleus per cell and release of this swelling bubble from the cell surface to extracellular space that causes cell death.” When cells are subjected to UV irradiation and/or brief cold shock (4℃ for 5 min) and then incubated at room temperature or 4℃ for time-lapse microscopy, each cell releases an enlarging nuclear gas bubble containing nitric oxide. Certain cells may simultaneously eject hundreds or thousands of exosome-like particles. Unlike apoptosis, no phosphatidylserine flip-over, mitochondrial apoptosis, damage to Golgi complex, and chromosomal DNA fragmentation are shown in BCD. When the temperature is increased back at 37℃, bubble formation stops and apoptosis restarts. Mechanistically, proapoptotic WW domain-containing oxidoreductase and p53 block the protective TNF receptor adaptor factor 2 that allows nitric oxide synthase 2 to synthesize nitric oxide and bubble formation. In this mini-review, updated knowledge in cell death and the proposed molecular mechanism for BCD are provided. PMID:27075929

  7. IMS/Satellite Situation Center report: Predicted orbit plots for IMP-J-1976

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1975-01-01

    Predicted orbit plots for the IMP-J satellite were given for the time period January-December 1976. These plots are shown in three projections. The time period covered by each set of projections is 12 days and 6 hours, corresponding approximately to the period of IMP-J. The three coordinate systems used are the Geocentric Solar Ecliptic system (GSE), the Geocentric Solar Magnetospheric system (GSM), and the Solar Magnetic system (SM). For each of the three projections, time ticks and codes are given on the satellite trajectories. The codes are interpreted in the table at the base of each plot. Time is given in the table as year/day/decimal hour, and the total time covered by each plot is shown at the bottom of each table.

  8. 47 CFR 32.20 - Numbering convention.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... following to the right of the decimal point indicate, respectively, the section or account. All Part 32 Account numbers contain 4 digits to-the-right-of the decimal point. (c) Cross references to accounts are made by citing the account numbers to the right of the decimal point; e.g., Account 2232 rather than...

  9. Bone marrow-derived CD13+ cells sustain tumor progression

    PubMed Central

    Dondossola, Eleonora; Corti, Angelo; Sidman, Richard L; Arap, Wadih; Pasqualini, Renata

    2014-01-01

    Non-malignant cells found within neoplastic lesions express alanyl (membrane) aminopeptidase (ANPEP, best known as CD13), and CD13-null mice exhibit limited tumor growth and angiogenesis. We have recently demonstrated that a subset of bone marrow-derived CD11b+CD13+ myeloid cells accumulate within neoplastic lesions in several murine models of transplantable cancer to promote angiogenesis. If these findings were confirmed in clinical settings, CD11b+CD13+ myeloid cells could become a non-malignant target for the development of novel anticancer regimens. PMID:25339996

  10. A Comparison between the Decimated Padé Approximant and Decimated Signal Diagonalization Methods for Leak Detection in Pipelines Equipped with Pressure Sensors.

    PubMed

    Lay-Ekuakille, Aimé; Fabbiano, Laura; Vacca, Gaetano; Kitoko, Joël Kidiamboko; Kulapa, Patrice Bibala; Telesca, Vito

    2018-06-04

    Pipelines conveying fluids are considered strategic infrastructures to be protected and maintained. They generally serve for transportation of important fluids such as drinkable water, waste water, oil, gas, chemicals, etc. Monitoring and continuous testing, especially on-line, are necessary to assess the condition of pipelines. The paper presents findings related to a comparison between two spectral response algorithms based on the decimated signal diagonalization (DSD) and decimated Padé approximant (DPA) techniques that allow to one to process signals delivered by pressure sensors mounted on an experimental pipeline.

  11. Clinical relevance and suppressive capacity of human MDSC subsets.

    PubMed

    Lang, Stephan; Bruderek, Kirsten; Kaspar, Cordelia; Höing, Benedikt; Kanaan, Oliver; Dominas, Nina; Hussain, Timon; Droege, Freya; Eyth, Christian Peter; Hadaschik, Boris; Brandau, Sven

    2018-06-18

    Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are a heterogeneous group of pathologically expanded myeloid cells with immunosuppressive activity. In human disease three major MDSC subpopulations can be defined as monocytic M-MDSC, granulocytic PMN-MDSC and early stage e-MDSC, which lack myeloid lineage markers of the former two subsets. It was the purpose of this study to determine and compare the immunosuppressive capacity and clinical relevance of each of these subsets in patients with solid cancer. The frequency of MDSC subsets in the peripheral blood was determined by flow cytometry in a cohort of 49 patients with advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) and 22 patients with urological cancers. Sorted and purified MDSC subsets were tested in vitro for their T cell suppressive capacity. Frequency of circulating MDSC was correlated with overall survival of HNC patients. A high frequency of PMN-MDSC most strongly correlated with poor overall survival in HNC. T cell suppressive activity was higher in PMN-MDSC compared with M-MDSC and e-MDSC. A subset of CD66b+/CD11b+/CD16+ mature PMN-MDSC displayed high expression and activity of arginase I, and was superior to the other subsets in suppressing proliferation and cytokine production of T cells in both cancer types. High levels of this CD11b+/CD16+ PMN-MDSC, but not other PMN-MDSC subsets, strongly correlated with adverse outcome in HNC. A subset of mature CD11b+/CD16+ PMN-MDSC was identified as the MDSC subset with the strongest immunosuppressive activity and the highest clinical relevance. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

  12. Effects of lead and cadmium co-exposure on hemoglobin in a Chinese population.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xiao; Zhou, Hao; Li, Xiaoshuang; Wang, Zhongqiu; Zhu, Guoying; Jin, Taiyi

    2015-03-01

    Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) show adverse effects on hemoglobin. But most studies are focussed on one single agent. In this study, we observed the main and interactive effects of Cd and Pb on the hemoglobin level in a Chinese population. A total of 308 persons (202 women and 106 men), living in controlled and polluted areas, were included in this study. Blood and urine were collected to determine the levels of hemoglobin (Hb), Cd, Pb, and urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (UNAG). The Cd and Pb level of subjects living in the polluted area were significantly higher compared to those living in the control area (p<0.05). The level of hemoglobin was declined with the increasing BPb (p<0.05) and BCd in women. The Hb of women and men with the highest level of BCd and BPb were decreased by 8.3g/L and 10.7 g/L compared to those with the lowest level of BCd and BPb, respectively. The Hb level of those women and men with the highest level of UNAG decreased by 4.2g/L and 17.2g/L compared with those with low level of UNAG, respectively. Hb was negatively associated with BPb, BCd, and UNAG. This study evidenced that Cd and Pb can influence Hb level. In addition, our study shows that Cd and Pb may have interactive effects on Hb and Hb level was correlated with tubular dysfunction caused by Cd and Pb exposure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Influence of heterologous MreB proteins on cell morphology of Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Schirner, Kathrin; Errington, Jeff

    2009-11-01

    The prokaryotic cytoskeletal protein MreB is thought to govern cell shape by positioning the cell wall synthetic apparatus at growth sites in the cell. In rod-shaped bacteria it forms helical filaments that run around the periphery of the rod during elongation. Gram-positive bacteria often contain more than one mreB gene. Bacillus subtilis has three mreB-like genes, mreB, mbl and mreBH, the first two of which have been shown to be essential under normal growth conditions. Expression of an mreB homologue from the closely related organism Bacillus licheniformis did not have any effect on cell growth or morphology. In contrast, expression of mreB from the phylogenetically more distant bacterium Clostridium perfringens produced shape defects and ultimately cell death, due to disruption of the endogenous MreB cytoskeleton. However, expression of either mreB(B. licheniformis) (mreB(Bl)) or mreB(C. perfringens) (mreB(Cp)) was sufficient to confer a rod shape to B. subtilis deleted for the three mreB isologues, supporting the idea that the three proteins have largely redundant functions in cell morphogenesis. Expression of mreBCD(Bl) could fully compensate for the loss of mreBCD in B. subtilis and led to the formation of rod-shaped cells. In contrast, expression of mreBCD(Cp) was not sufficient to confer a rod shape to B. subtilis Delta mreBCD, indicating that a complex of these three cell shape determinants is not enough for cell morphogenesis of B. subtilis.

  14. 76 FR 50276 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; OneChicago, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-12

    ... for Four Decimal Point Pricing for Block and Exchange for Physical (``EFPs'') Trades August 8, 2011... block trades and the futures component of EFP trades to be traded/priced in four decimals points. Regular trades (non-block or non EFP) will continue to trade in only two decimal points. The text of the...

  15. Hong Kong Grade 6 Students' Performance and Mathematical Reasoning in Decimals Tasks: Procedurally Based or Conceptually Based?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lai, Mun Yee; Murray, Sara

    2015-01-01

    Most studies of students' understanding of decimals have been conducted within Western cultural settings. The broad aim of the present research was to gain insight into Chinese Hong Kong grade 6 students' general performance on a variety of decimals tasks. More specifically, the study aimed to explore students' mathematical reasoning for their use…

  16. Mapping the Properties of Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies by Means of Integral Field Spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cairós, L. M.; Caon, N.; Weilbacher, P.; Papaderos, P.; García-Lorenzo, B.

    Blue Compact Dwarf (BCD) galaxies are metal-poor and gas-rich systems undergoing intense, spatially extended star-forming activity. These galaxies offer a unique opportunity to investigate dwarf galaxy formation and evolution, and probe violent star formation and its implications on the chemical, dynamical and structural properties of low-mass extragalactic systems near and far. Several fundamental questions in BCD research, such as their star formation histories and the mechanisms that control their cyclic starburst activity, are still far from well understood. In order to improve our understanding on BCD evolution, we are carrying out a comprehensive Integral Field Spectroscopic (IFS) survey of a large sample of BCDs. Integral Field Unit (IFU) spectroscopy provides simultaneously spectral and spatial information, allowing, in just one shot, to study the morphology and evolutionary status of the stellar component, and the physical properties of the warm interstellar medium (e.g., extinction, chemical abundances, kinematics). This ongoing IFS survey will supply much needed local templates that will ease the interpretation of IFS data for intermediate and high-redshift star-forming galaxies.

  17. Computation of neutron fluxes in clusters of fuel pins arranged in hexagonal assemblies (2D and 3D)

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

    Prabha, H.; Marleau, G.

    2012-07-01

    For computations of fluxes, we have used Carvik's method of collision probabilities. This method requires tracking algorithms. An algorithm to compute tracks (in 2D and 3D) has been developed for seven hexagonal geometries with cluster of fuel pins. This has been implemented in the NXT module of the code DRAGON. The flux distribution in cluster of pins has been computed by using this code. For testing the results, they are compared when possible with the EXCELT module of the code DRAGON. Tracks are plotted in the NXT module by using MATLAB, these plots are also presented here. Results are presentedmore » with increasing number of lines to show the convergence of these results. We have numerically computed volumes, surface areas and the percentage errors in these computations. These results show that 2D results converge faster than 3D results. The accuracy on the computation of fluxes up to second decimal is achieved with fewer lines. (authors)« less

  18. Enormous knowledge base of disease diagnosis criteria.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Z H; Xiao, Y H; Pei, J H

    1995-01-01

    One of the problems in the development of the medical knowledge systems is the limitations of the system's knowledge. It is a common expectation to increase the number of diseases contained in a system. Using a high density knowledge representation method designed by us, we have developed the Enormous Knowledge Base of Disease Diagnosis Criteria (EKBDDC). It contains diagnostic criteria of 1,001 diagnostic entities and describes nearly 4,000 items of diagnostic indicators. It is the core of a huge medical project--the Electronic-Brain Medical Erudite (EBME). This enormous knowledge base was implemented initially on a low-cost popular microcomputer, which can aid in the prompting of typical disease and in teaching of diagnosis. The knowledge base is easy to expand. One of the main goals of EKBDDC is to increase the number of diseases included in it as far as possible using a low-cost computer with a comparatively small storage capacity. For this, we have designed a high density knowledge representation method. Criteria of various diagnostic entities are respectively stored in different records of the knowledge base. Each diagnostic entity corresponds to a diagnostic criterion data set; each data set consists of some diagnostic criterion data values (Table 1); each data is composed of two parts: integer and decimal; the integral part is the coding number of the given diagnostic information, and the decimal part is the diagnostic value of this information to the disease indicated by corresponding record number. For example, 75.02: the integer 75 is the coding number of "hemorrhagic skin rash"; the decimal 0.02 is the diagnostic value of this manifestation for diagnosing allergic purpura. TABULAR DATA, SEE PUBLISHED ABSTRACT. The algebraic sum method, a special form of the weighted summation, is adopted as mathematical model. In EKBDDC, the diagnostic values, which represent the significance of the disease manifestations for diagnosing corresponding diseases, were determined empirically. It is of a great economical, practical, and technical significance to realize enormous knowledge bases of disease diagnosis criteria on a low-cost popular microcomputer. This is beneficial for the developing countries to popularize medical informatics. To create the enormous international computer-aided diagnosis system, one may jointly develop the unified modules of disease diagnosis criteria used to "inlay" relevant computer-aided diagnosis systems. It is just like assembling a house using prefabricated panels.

  19. Pre-Service Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Understanding of Students' Knowledge: Location of Decimal Numbers on a Number Line

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Girit, Dilek; Akyuz, Didem

    2016-01-01

    Studies reveal that students as well as teachers have difficulties in understanding and learning of decimals. The purpose of this study is to investigate students' as well as pre-service teachers' solution strategies when solving a question that involves an estimation task for the value of a decimal number on the number line. We also examined the…

  20. Representational Flexibility and Problem-Solving Ability in Fraction and Decimal Number Addition: A Structural Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deliyianni, Eleni; Gagatsis, Athanasios; Elia, Iliada; Panaoura, Areti

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to propose and validate a structural model in fraction and decimal number addition, which is founded primarily on a synthesis of major theoretical approaches in the field of representations in Mathematics and also on previous research on the learning of fractions and decimals. The study was conducted among 1,701 primary…

  1. Novel Digital Signal Processing and Detection Techniques.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-09-01

    decimation and interpolation [11, 1 2]. * Submitted by: Bede Liu Department of Electrical .l Engineering and Computer Science Princeton University ...on the use of recursive filters for decimation and interpolation. 4- UNCL.ASSIFIED~ SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF PAGEfW1,en Data Fneprd) ...filter structure for realizing low-pass filter is developed 16,7]. By employing decimation and interpolation, the filter uses only coefficients 0, +1, and

  2. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Lowell Photometric Database asteroid models (Durech+, 2016)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Durech, J.; Hanus, J.; Oszkiewicz, D.; Vanco, R.

    2016-01-01

    List of new asteroid models. For each asteroid, there is one or two pole directions in the ecliptic coordinates, the sidereal rotation period, rotation period from LCDB and its quality code (if available), the minimum and maximum lightcurve amplitude, the number of data points, and the method which was used to derive the unique rotation period. The accuracy of the sidereal rotation period is of the order of the last decimal place given. Asteroids marked with asterisk were independently confirmed by Hanus et al. (2016A&A...586A.108H). (2 data files).

  3. Phoenix, a High-Performance UNIX with an Emphasis on Dynamic Modification, Real-Time Response and Survivability

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-12-02

    Include Area Code) I22c. OFIICE 5YMBOL Dr. David W. Hislop I I DD FORM 1473,84 MAR d3 APR edition may oe used until exnausteo. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF...Emulator for Performance Evaluation, CommUicanions ofILheACM23, 2 (Feb. 1980 ), 71-80. (4) Wirth, N., Microprocessor Architectures: A Comparison Based on...byte-addressing and has a 16-bit word 1980 decimal size. 3764B octal (denoted by the trailing "B") OCADH hexadeci’nal (denoted by the mailing "H") 1.1

  4. Effects of lead and cadmium co-exposure on bone mineral density in a Chinese population.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xiao; Wang, Keyue; Wang, Zhongqiu; Gan, Caohui; He, Ping; Liang, Yihuai; Jin, Taiyi; Zhu, Guoying

    2014-06-01

    It has been indicated that both cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) may have adverse effects on the bone. However, most studies have only focused on a single factor. The primary and main and interactive effects of Cd and Pb on bone mineral density (BMD) in a Chinese population were observed in this study. A total of 321 individuals (202 women and 119 men), aged 27 years and older, living in control and polluted areas, were recruited to participate in this study. The BMD was measured through dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the proximal radius and ulna. The samples of urine and blood were collected to determine the levels of Cd and Pb in the urine (UCd and UPb) and blood (BCd and BPb). The Cd and Pb levels of people living in the polluted area were significantly higher than those living in the control area (p<0.05). The BMD of women living in polluted area was significantly lower than that of women living in the control area (p<0.05). Furthermore, the BMD decreased with increasing of BCd (p<0.05), BPb and UPb in women. The likelihood of low BMD was associated with higher BCd in women (OR=2.5, 95% CI: 1.11-5.43) and BPb in men (OR=4.49, 95% CI: 1.37-14.6). The relative extra risk index of low BMD for female and male subjects with both high levels of BCd and BPb was 0.45 and 1.16, respectively. This study strengthens previous evidence that cadmium and lead may influence the bone and also demonstrates that cadmium and lead may have interactive effects on BMD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Incidence of nephrolithiasis in relation to environmental exposure to lead and cadmium in a population study.

    PubMed

    Hara, Azusa; Yang, Wen-Yi; Petit, Thibault; Zhang, Zhen-Yu; Gu, Yu-Mei; Wei, Fang-Fei; Jacobs, Lotte; Odili, Augustine N; Thijs, Lutgarde; Nawrot, Tim S; Staessen, Jan A

    2016-02-01

    Whether environmental exposure to nephrotoxic agents that potentially interfere with calcium homeostasis, such as lead and cadmium, contribute to the incidence of nephrolithiasis needs further clarification. We investigated the relation between nephrolithiasis incidence and environmental lead and cadmium exposure in a general population. In 1302 participants randomly recruited from a Flemish population (50.9% women; mean age, 47.9 years), we obtained baseline measurements (1985-2005) of blood lead (BPb), blood cadmium (BCd), 24-h urinary cadmium (UCd) and covariables. We monitored the incidence of kidney stones until October 6, 2014. We used Cox regression to calculate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for nephrolithiasis. At baseline, geometric mean BPb, BCd and UCd was 0.29µmol/L, 9.0nmol/L, and 8.5nmol per 24h, respectively. Over 11.5 years (median), nephrolithiasis occurred in 40 people. Contrasting the low and top tertiles of the distributions, the sex- and age-standardized rates of nephrolithiasis expressed as events per 1000 person-years were 0.68 vs. 3.36 (p=0.0016) for BPb, 1.80 vs. 3.28 (p=0.11) for BCd, and 1.65 vs. 2.95 (p=0.28) for UCd. In continuous analysis, with adjustments applied for sex, age, serum magnesium, and 24-h urinary volume and calcium, the hazard ratios expressing the risk associated with a doubling of the exposure biomarkers were 1.35 (p=0.015) for BPb, 1.13 (p=0.22) for BCd, and 1.23 (p=0.070) for UCd. In conclusion, our results suggest that environmental lead exposure is a risk factor for nephrolithiasis in the general population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Reduction of ferredoxin or oxygen by flavin-based electron bifurcation in Megasphaera elsdenii.

    PubMed

    Chowdhury, Nilanjan P; Kahnt, Jörg; Buckel, Wolfgang

    2015-08-01

    Over 50 years ago, it was reported that, in the anaerobic rumen bacterium Megasphaera elsdenii, the reduction of crotonyl-CoA to butyryl-CoA by NADH involved an electron transferring flavoprotein (Etf) as mediator [Baldwin RL, Milligan LP (1964) Biochim Biophys Acta 92, 421-432]. Purification and spectroscopic characterization revealed that this Etf contained 2 FAD, whereas, in the Etfs from aerobic and facultative bacteria, one FAD is replaced by AMP. Recently we detected a similar system in the related anaerobe Acidaminococcus fermentans that differed in the requirement of additional ferredoxin as electron acceptor. The whole process was established as flavin-based electron bifurcation in which the exergonic reduction of crotonyl-CoA by NADH mediated by Etf + butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase (Bcd) was coupled to the endergonic reduction of ferredoxin also by NADH. In the present study, we demonstrate that, under anaerobic conditions, Etf + Bcd from M. elsdenii bifurcate as efficiently as Etf + Bcd from A. fermentans. Under the aerobic conditions used in the study by Baldwin and Milligan and in the presence of catalytic amounts of crotonyl-CoA or butyryl-CoA, however, Etf + Bcd act as NADH oxidase producing superoxide and H2 O2 , whereas ferredoxin is not required. We hypothesize that, during bifurcation, oxygen replaces ferredoxin to yield superoxide. In addition, the formed butyryl-CoA is re-oxidized by a second oxygen molecule to crotonyl-CoA, resulting in a stoichiometry of 2 NADH consumed and 2 H2 O2 formed. As a result of the production of reactive oxygen species, electron bifurcation can be regarded as an Achilles' heel of anaerobes when exposed to air. © 2015 FEBS.

  7. Detailed functional and structural phenotype of Bietti crystalline dystrophy associated with mutations in CYP4V2 complicated by choroidal neovascularization.

    PubMed

    Fuerst, Nicole M; Serrano, Leona; Han, Grace; Morgan, Jessica I W; Maguire, Albert M; Leroy, Bart P; Kim, Benjamin J; Aleman, Tomas S

    2016-12-01

    To describe in detail the phenotype of a patient with Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) complicated by choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and the response to intravitreal Bevacizumab (Avastin ® ; Genentech/Roche). A 34-year-old woman with BCD and mutations in CYP4V2 (c.802-8_806del13/p.H331P:c992A>C) underwent a complete ophthalmic examination, full-field flash electroretinography (ERG), kinetic and two-color dark-adapted perimetry, and dark-adaptometry. Imaging was performed with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), near infrared (NIR) and short wavelength (SW) fundus autofluorescence (FAF), and fluorescein angiography (FA). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/20 and 20/60 for the right and left eye, respectively. There were corneal paralimbal crystal-like deposits. Kinetic fields were normal in the peripheral extent. Retinal crystals were most obvious on NIR-reflectance and corresponded with hyperreflectivities within the RPE on SD-OCT. There was parafoveal/perifoveal hypofluorescence on SW-FAF and NIR-FAF. Rod > cone sensitivity loss surrounded fixation and extended to ~10° of eccentricity corresponding to regions of photoreceptor outer segment-retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) interdigitation abnormalities. The outer nuclear layer was normal in thickness. Recovery of sensitivity following a ~76% rhodopsin bleach was normal. ERGs were normal. A subretinal hemorrhage in the left eye co-localized with elevation of the RPE on SD-OCT and leakage on FA, suggestive of CNV. Three monthly intravitreal injections of Bevacizumab led to restoration of BCVA to baseline (20/25). crystals in BCD were predominantly located within the RPE. Photoreceptor outer segment and apical RPE abnormalities underlie the relatively extensive retinal dysfunction observed in relatively early-stage BCD. Intravitreal Bevacizumab was effective in treating CNV in this setting.

  8. Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency Needs to Improve Assessment and Documentation of Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Initiatives (Redacted)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-08-09

    2 Slight rounding inconsistencies exist because auditor calculations included decimals. (FOUO) Table 2. (FOUO) No. Initiative Title1 FY Action...rounding inconsistencies exist because auditor calculations included decimals. Acronyms: USAF United States Air Force USMC United States Marine Corps...exist because auditor calculations included decimals. (FOUO) Table 3. FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Management Comments 30 │ DODIG-2016

  9. 27 CFR 30.63 - Table 3, for determining the number of proof gallons from the weight and proof of spirituous liquor.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... decimal point one place to the left; that for 8 pounds from the column 800 pounds by moving the decimal point two places to the left. Example. A package of spirits at 86 proof weighed 3211/2 pounds net. We... to the left; that for 1 pound from the column 100 pounds by moving the decimal point two places to...

  10. 27 CFR 30.63 - Table 3, for determining the number of proof gallons from the weight and proof of spirituous liquor.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... decimal point one place to the left; that for 8 pounds from the column 800 pounds by moving the decimal point two places to the left. Example. A package of spirits at 86 proof weighed 3211/2 pounds net. We... to the left; that for 1 pound from the column 100 pounds by moving the decimal point two places to...

  11. 27 CFR 30.63 - Table 3, for determining the number of proof gallons from the weight and proof of spirituous liquor.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... decimal point one place to the left; that for 8 pounds from the column 800 pounds by moving the decimal point two places to the left. Example. A package of spirits at 86 proof weighed 3211/2 pounds net. We... to the left; that for 1 pound from the column 100 pounds by moving the decimal point two places to...

  12. 27 CFR 30.63 - Table 3, for determining the number of proof gallons from the weight and proof of spirituous liquor.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... decimal point one place to the left; that for 8 pounds from the column 800 pounds by moving the decimal point two places to the left. Example. A package of spirits at 86 proof weighed 3211/2 pounds net. We... to the left; that for 1 pound from the column 100 pounds by moving the decimal point two places to...

  13. 27 CFR 30.63 - Table 3, for determining the number of proof gallons from the weight and proof of spirituous liquor.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... decimal point one place to the left; that for 8 pounds from the column 800 pounds by moving the decimal point two places to the left. Example. A package of spirits at 86 proof weighed 3211/2 pounds net. We... to the left; that for 1 pound from the column 100 pounds by moving the decimal point two places to...

  14. Behaviour Centred Design: towards an applied science of behaviour change.

    PubMed

    Aunger, Robert; Curtis, Valerie

    2016-12-01

    Behaviour change has become a hot topic. We describe a new approach, Behaviour Centred Design (BCD), which encompasses a theory of change, a suite of behavioural determinants and a programme design process. The theory of change is generic, assuming that successful interventions must create a cascade of effects via environments, through brains, to behaviour and hence to the desired impact, such as improved health. Changes in behaviour are viewed as the consequence of a reinforcement learning process involving the targeting of evolved motives and changes to behaviour settings, and are produced by three types of behavioural control mechanism (automatic, motivated and executive). The implications are that interventions must create surprise, revalue behaviour and disrupt performance in target behaviour settings. We then describe a sequence of five steps required to design an intervention to change specific behaviours: Assess, Build, Create, Deliver and Evaluate. The BCD approach has been shown to change hygiene, nutrition and exercise-related behaviours and has the advantages of being applicable to product, service or institutional design, as well as being able to incorporate future developments in behaviour science. We therefore argue that BCD can become the foundation for an applied science of behaviour change.

  15. β-Cyclodextrin and permeability to water in the bladder of Bufo arenarum.

    PubMed

    Orce, G; Castillo, G; Chanampa, Y

    2011-05-01

    We measured the effect of β-cyclodextrin (BCD, a cholesterol scavenger) on water flow across the isolated toad bladder exposed to an osmotic gradient (J(w)) by a gravimetric technique. BCD, when present in the solution bathing the apical side of the bladder, inhibited the increase in J(w) caused by nystatin, a polyene antibiotic that acts by directly binding apical membrane cholesterol. When present in the basolateral bath, BCD inhibited the increase in J(w) caused by basolateral exposure to oxytocin (which binds membrane receptors and stimulates the synthesis of cAMP), but did not alter the response to theophylline (which inhibits hydrolysis of cAMP by cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase). The present data are consistent with the notion that agents that increase J(w) by interacting with membrane receptors, which appear to be clustered in cholesterol-rich domains of the basolateral membrane, are altered by cholesterol depletion, whereas agents that do not interact with receptors or other basolateral membrane components are not affected by this treatment. In either case, cholesterol depletion of the apical membrane does not affect the increase in J(w) brought about by an increase in intracellular cAMP concentration.

  16. Behaviour Centred Design: towards an applied science of behaviour change

    PubMed Central

    Aunger, Robert; Curtis, Valerie

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Behaviour change has become a hot topic. We describe a new approach, Behaviour Centred Design (BCD), which encompasses a theory of change, a suite of behavioural determinants and a programme design process. The theory of change is generic, assuming that successful interventions must create a cascade of effects via environments, through brains, to behaviour and hence to the desired impact, such as improved health. Changes in behaviour are viewed as the consequence of a reinforcement learning process involving the targeting of evolved motives and changes to behaviour settings, and are produced by three types of behavioural control mechanism (automatic, motivated and executive). The implications are that interventions must create surprise, revalue behaviour and disrupt performance in target behaviour settings. We then describe a sequence of five steps required to design an intervention to change specific behaviours: Assess, Build, Create, Deliver and Evaluate. The BCD approach has been shown to change hygiene, nutrition and exercise-related behaviours and has the advantages of being applicable to product, service or institutional design, as well as being able to incorporate future developments in behaviour science. We therefore argue that BCD can become the foundation for an applied science of behaviour change. PMID:27535821

  17. The adnAB Locus, Encoding a Putative Helicase-Nuclease Activity, Is Essential in Streptomyces

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Lingli; Nguyen, Hoang Chuong; Chipot, Ludovic; Piotrowski, Emilie; Bertrand, Claire

    2014-01-01

    Homologous recombination is a crucial mechanism that repairs a wide range of DNA lesions, including the most deleterious ones, double-strand breaks (DSBs). This multistep process is initiated by the resection of the broken DNA ends by a multisubunit helicase-nuclease complex exemplified by Escherichia coli RecBCD, Bacillus subtilis AddAB, and newly discovered Mycobacterium tuberculosis AdnAB. Here we show that in Streptomyces, neither recBCD nor addAB homologues could be detected. The only putative helicase-nuclease-encoding genes identified were homologous to M. tuberculosis adnAB genes. These genes are conserved as a single copy in all sequenced genomes of Streptomyces. The disruption of adnAB in Streptomyces ambofaciens and Streptomyces coelicolor could not be achieved unless an ectopic copy was provided, indicating that adnAB is essential for growth. Both adnA and adnB genes were shown to be inducible in response to DNA damage (mitomycin C) and to be independently transcribed. Introduction of S. ambofaciens adnAB genes in an E. coli recB mutant restored viability and resistance to UV light, suggesting that Streptomyces AdnAB could be a functional homologue of RecBCD and be involved in DNA damage resistance. PMID:24837284

  18. An ERP Study of the Processing of Common and Decimal Fractions: How Different They Are

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Li; Wang, Qi; Lin, Chongde; Ding, Cody; Zhou, Xinlin

    2013-01-01

    This study explored event-related potential (ERP) correlates of common fractions (1/5) and decimal fractions (0.2). Thirteen subjects performed a numerical magnitude matching task under two conditions. In the common fraction condition, a nonsymbolic fraction was asked to be judged whether its magnitude matched the magnitude of a common fraction; in the decimal fraction condition, a nonsymbolic fraction was asked to be matched with a decimal fraction. Behavioral results showed significant main effects of condition and numerical distance, but no significant interaction of condition and numerical distance. Electrophysiological data showed that when nonsymbolic fractions were compared to common fractions, they displayed larger N1 and P3 amplitudes than when they were compared to decimal fractions. This finding suggested that the visual identification for nonsymbolic fractions was different under the two conditions, which was not due to perceptual differences but to task demands. For symbolic fractions, the condition effect was observed in the N1 and P3 components, revealing stimulus-specific visual identification processing. The effect of numerical distance as an index of numerical magnitude representation was observed in the P2, N3 and P3 components under the two conditions. However, the topography of the distance effect was different under the two conditions, suggesting stimulus specific semantic processing of common fractions and decimal fractions. PMID:23894491

  19. Primary teachers' subject matter knowledge: decimals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ubuz, Behiye; Yayan, Betül

    2010-09-01

    The main objective of this study was to investigate primary teachers' subject matter knowledge in the domain of decimals and more elaborately to investigate their performance and difficulties in reading scale, ordering numbers, finding the nearest decimal and doing operations, such as addition and subtraction. The difficulties in these particular areas are analysed and suggestions are made regarding their causes. Further, factors that influence this knowledge were explored. The sample of the study was 63 primary teachers. A decimal concepts test including 18 tasks was administered and the total scores for the 63 primary teachers ranged from 3 to 18 with a mean and median of 12. Fifty per cent of the teachers were above the mean score. The detailed investigation of the responses revealed that the primary teachers faced similar difficulties that students and pre-service teachers faced. Discrepancy on teachers' knowledge revealed important differences based on educational level attained, but not the number of years of teaching experience and experience in teaching decimals. Some suggestions have been made regarding the implications for pre- and in-service teacher training.

  20. IMS/Satellite Situation Center report. Predicted orbit plots for Hawkeye 1, 1976

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1975-01-01

    The predicted orbit plots are shown in three projections. The time period covered by each set of projections is 2 days 1 hour, corresponding approximately to the period of Hawkeye 1. The three coordinate systems used are the Geocentric Solar Ecliptic system (GSE), the Geocentric Solar Magnetospheric system (GSM), and the Solar Magnetic system (SM). For each of the three projections, time ticks and codes are given on the satellite trajectories. The codes are interpreted in the table at the base of each plot. Time is given in the table as year/day/decimal hour. The total time covered by each plot is shown at the bottom of each table, and an additional variable is given in the table for each time tick. For the GSM and SM projection this variable is the geocentric distance to the satellite in earth radii, and for the GSE projection the variable is satellite ecliptic latitude in degrees.

  1. An algorithm to compute the sequency ordered Walsh transform

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Larsen, H.

    1976-01-01

    A fast sequency-ordered Walsh transform algorithm is presented; this sequency-ordered fast transform is complementary to the sequency-ordered fast Walsh transform introduced by Manz (1972) and eliminating gray code reordering through a modification of the basic fast Hadamard transform structure. The new algorithm retains the advantages of its complement (it is in place and is its own inverse), while differing in having a decimation-in time structure, accepting data in normal order, and returning the coefficients in bit-reversed sequency order. Applications include estimation of Walsh power spectra for a random process, sequency filtering and computing logical autocorrelations, and selective bit reversing.

  2. The analysis of decimation and interpolation in the linear canonical transform domain.

    PubMed

    Xu, Shuiqing; Chai, Yi; Hu, Youqiang; Huang, Lei; Feng, Li

    2016-01-01

    Decimation and interpolation are the two basic building blocks in the multirate digital signal processing systems. As the linear canonical transform (LCT) has been shown to be a powerful tool for optics and signal processing, it is worthwhile and interesting to analyze the decimation and interpolation in the LCT domain. In this paper, the definition of equivalent filter in the LCT domain have been given at first. Then, by applying the definition, the direct implementation structure and polyphase networks for decimator and interpolator in the LCT domain have been proposed. Finally, the perfect reconstruction expressions for differential filters in the LCT domain have been presented as an application. The proposed theorems in this study are the bases for generalizations of the multirate signal processing in the LCT domain, which can advance the filter banks theorems in the LCT domain.

  3. Children's understanding of fraction and decimal symbols and the notation-specific relation to pre-algebra ability.

    PubMed

    Hurst, Michelle A; Cordes, Sara

    2018-04-01

    Fraction and decimal concepts are notoriously difficult for children to learn yet are a major component of elementary and middle school math curriculum and an important prerequisite for higher order mathematics (i.e., algebra). Thus, recently there has been a push to understand how children think about rational number magnitudes in order to understand how to promote rational number understanding. However, prior work investigating these questions has focused almost exclusively on fraction notation, overlooking the open questions of how children integrate rational number magnitudes presented in distinct notations (i.e., fractions, decimals, and whole numbers) and whether understanding of these distinct notations may independently contribute to pre-algebra ability. In the current study, we investigated rational number magnitude and arithmetic performance in both fraction and decimal notation in fourth- to seventh-grade children. We then explored how these measures of rational number ability predicted pre-algebra ability. Results reveal that children do represent the magnitudes of fractions and decimals as falling within a single numerical continuum and that, despite greater experience with fraction notation, children are more accurate when processing decimal notation than when processing fraction notation. Regression analyses revealed that both magnitude and arithmetic performance predicted pre-algebra ability, but magnitude understanding may be particularly unique and depend on notation. The educational implications of differences between children in the current study and previous work with adults are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Efficient calculation of full waveform time domain inversion for electromagnetic problem using fictitious wave domain method and cascade decimation decomposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Imamura, N.; Schultz, A.

    2016-12-01

    Recently, a full waveform time domain inverse solution has been developed for the magnetotelluric (MT) and controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) methods. The ultimate goal of this approach is to obtain a computationally tractable direct waveform joint inversion to solve simultaneously for source fields and earth conductivity structure in three and four dimensions. This is desirable on several grounds, including the improved spatial resolving power expected from use of a multitude of source illuminations, the ability to operate in areas of high levels of source signal spatial complexity, and non-stationarity. This goal would not be obtainable if one were to adopt the pure time domain solution for the inverse problem. This is particularly true for the case of MT surveys, since an enormous number of degrees of freedom are required to represent the observed MT waveforms across a large frequency bandwidth. This means that for the forward simulation, the smallest time steps should be finer than that required to represent the highest frequency, while the number of time steps should also cover the lowest frequency. This leads to a sensitivity matrix that is computationally burdensome to solve a model update. We have implemented a code that addresses this situation through the use of cascade decimation decomposition to reduce the size of the sensitivity matrix substantially, through quasi-equivalent time domain decomposition. We also use a fictitious wave domain method to speed up computation time of the forward simulation in the time domain. By combining these refinements, we have developed a full waveform joint source field/earth conductivity inverse modeling method. We found that cascade decimation speeds computations of the sensitivity matrices dramatically, keeping the solution close to that of the undecimated case. For example, for a model discretized into 2.6x105 cells, we obtain model updates in less than 1 hour on a 4U rack-mounted workgroup Linux server, which is a practical computational time for the inverse problem.

  5. Is health care infected by Baumol's cost disease? Test of a new model.

    PubMed

    Atanda, Akinwande; Menclova, Andrea Kutinova; Reed, W Robert

    2018-05-01

    Rising health care costs are a policy concern across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and relatively little consensus exists concerning their causes. One explanation that has received revived attention is Baumol's cost disease (BCD). However, developing a theoretically appropriate test of BCD has been a challenge. In this paper, we construct a 2-sector model firmly based on Baumol's axioms. We then derive several testable propositions. In particular, the model predicts that (a) the share of total labor employed in the health care sector and (b) the relative price index of the health and non-health care sectors should both be positively related to economy-wide productivity. The model also predicts that (c) the share of labor in the health sector will be negatively related and (d) the ratio of prices in the health and non-health sectors unrelated, to the demand for non-health services. Using annual data from 28 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries over the years 1995-2016 and from 14 U.S. industry groups over the years 1947-2015, we find little evidence to support the predictions of BCD once we address spurious correlation due to coincident trending and other econometric issues. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Application of the base catalyzed decomposition process to treatment of PCB-contaminated insulation and other materials associated with US Navy vessels. Final report

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

    Schmidt, A.J.; Zacher, A.H.; Gano, S.R.

    1996-09-01

    The BCD process was applied to dechlorination of two types of PCB-contaminated materials generated from Navy vessel decommissioning activities at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard: insulation of wool felt impregnated with PCB, and PCB-containing paint chips/debris from removal of paint from metal surfaces. The BCD process is a two-stage, low-temperature chemical dehalogenation process. In Stage 1, the materials are mixed with sodium bicarbonate and heated to 350 C. The volatilized halogenated contaminants (eg, PCBs, dioxins, furans), which are collected in a small volume of particulates and granular activated carbon, are decomposed by the liquid-phase reaction (Stage 2) in a stirred-tank reactor,more » using a high-boiling-point hydrocarbon oil as the reaction medium, with addition of a hydrogen donor, a base (NaOH), and a catalyst. The tests showed that treating wool felt insulation and paint chip wastes with Stage 2 on a large scale is feasible, but compared with current disposal costs for PCB-contaminated materials, using Stage 2 would not be economical at this time. For paint chips generated from shot/sand blasting, the solid-phase BCD process (Stage 1) should be considered, if paint removal activities are accelerated in the future.« less

  7. Direct Detection and Orbit Analysis of the Exoplanets HR 8799 bcd from Archival 2005 Keck/NIRC2 Data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Currie, Thayne; Fukagawa, Misato; Thalmann, Christian; Matsumura, Soko; Plavchan, Peter

    2012-01-01

    We present previously unpublished July 2005 H-band coronagraphic data of the young, planet-hosting star HR 8799 from the newly-released Keck/NIRC2 archive. Despite poor observing conditions, we detect three of the planets (HR 8799 bcd), two of them (HR 8799 bc) without advanced image processing. Comparing these data with previously published 1998-2011 astrometry and that from re-reduced October 2010 Keck data constrains the orbits of the planets. Analyzing the planets' astrometry separately, HR 8799 d's orbit is likely inclined at least 25 deg from face-on and the others may be on in inclined orbits. For semimajor axis ratios consistent with a 4:2:1 mean-motion resonance our analysis yields precise values for HR 8799 bcd's orbital parameters and strictly constrains the planets' eccentricities to be less than 0.18-0.3. However, we find no acceptable orbital solutions with this resonance that place the planets in face-on orbits; HR 8799 d shows the largest deviation from such orbits. Moreover, few orbits make HR 8799 d coplanar with b and c, whereas dynamical stability analyses used to constrain the planets' masses typically assume coplanar and/or fare.on orbits. This paper illustrates the significant science gain enabled with the release of the NIRC2 archive.

  8. 40 CFR 1033.240 - Demonstrating compliance with exhaust emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... significant figures to calculate the cycle-weighted emission rate to at least one more decimal place than the....245, then round the adjusted figure to the same number of decimal places as the emission standard...

  9. 40 CFR 1033.240 - Demonstrating compliance with exhaust emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... significant figures to calculate the cycle-weighted emission rate to at least one more decimal place than the....245, then round the adjusted figure to the same number of decimal places as the emission standard...

  10. 40 CFR 1033.240 - Demonstrating compliance with exhaust emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... significant figures to calculate the cycle-weighted emission rate to at least one more decimal place than the....245, then round the adjusted figure to the same number of decimal places as the emission standard...

  11. 40 CFR 1033.240 - Demonstrating compliance with exhaust emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... significant figures to calculate the cycle-weighted emission rate to at least one more decimal place than the....245, then round the adjusted figure to the same number of decimal places as the emission standard...

  12. 40 CFR 1033.240 - Demonstrating compliance with exhaust emission standards.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... significant figures to calculate the cycle-weighted emission rate to at least one more decimal place than the....245, then round the adjusted figure to the same number of decimal places as the emission standard...

  13. Properties of the Tent map for decimal fractions with fixed precision

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chetverikov, V. M.

    2018-01-01

    The one-dimensional discrete Tent map is a well-known example of a map whose fixed points are all unstable on the segment [0,1]. This map leads to the positivity of the Lyapunov exponent for the corresponding recurrent sequence. Therefore in a situation of general position, this sequence must demonstrate the properties of deterministic chaos. However if the first term of the recurrence sequence is taken as a decimal fraction with a fixed number “k” of digits after the decimal point and all calculations are carried out accurately, then the situation turns out to be completely different. In this case, first, the Tent map does not lead to an increase in significant digits in the terms of the sequence, and secondly, demonstrates the existence of a finite number of eventually periodic orbits, which are attractors for all other decimal numbers with the number of significant digits not exceeding “k”.

  14. A study of the transferability of influenza case detection systems between two large healthcare systems

    PubMed Central

    Wagner, Michael M.; Cooper, Gregory F.; Ferraro, Jeffrey P.; Su, Howard; Gesteland, Per H.; Haug, Peter J.; Millett, Nicholas E.; Aronis, John M.; Nowalk, Andrew J.; Ruiz, Victor M.; López Pineda, Arturo; Shi, Lingyun; Van Bree, Rudy; Ginter, Thomas; Tsui, Fuchiang

    2017-01-01

    Objectives This study evaluates the accuracy and transferability of Bayesian case detection systems (BCD) that use clinical notes from emergency department (ED) to detect influenza cases. Methods A BCD uses natural language processing (NLP) to infer the presence or absence of clinical findings from ED notes, which are fed into a Bayesain network classifier (BN) to infer patients’ diagnoses. We developed BCDs at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (BCDUPMC) and Intermountain Healthcare in Utah (BCDIH). At each site, we manually built a rule-based NLP and trained a Bayesain network classifier from over 40,000 ED encounters between Jan. 2008 and May. 2010 using feature selection, machine learning, and expert debiasing approach. Transferability of a BCD in this study may be impacted by seven factors: development (source) institution, development parser, application (target) institution, application parser, NLP transfer, BN transfer, and classification task. We employed an ANOVA analysis to study their impacts on BCD performance. Results Both BCDs discriminated well between influenza and non-influenza on local test cases (AUCs > 0.92). When tested for transferability using the other institution’s cases, BCDUPMC discriminations declined minimally (AUC decreased from 0.95 to 0.94, p<0.01), and BCDIH discriminations declined more (from 0.93 to 0.87, p<0.0001). We attributed the BCDIH decline to the lower recall of the IH parser on UPMC notes. The ANOVA analysis showed five significant factors: development parser, application institution, application parser, BN transfer, and classification task. Conclusion We demonstrated high influenza case detection performance in two large healthcare systems in two geographically separated regions, providing evidentiary support for the use of automated case detection from routinely collected electronic clinical notes in national influenza surveillance. The transferability could be improved by training Bayesian network classifier locally and increasing the accuracy of the NLP parser. PMID:28380048

  15. A study of the transferability of influenza case detection systems between two large healthcare systems.

    PubMed

    Ye, Ye; Wagner, Michael M; Cooper, Gregory F; Ferraro, Jeffrey P; Su, Howard; Gesteland, Per H; Haug, Peter J; Millett, Nicholas E; Aronis, John M; Nowalk, Andrew J; Ruiz, Victor M; López Pineda, Arturo; Shi, Lingyun; Van Bree, Rudy; Ginter, Thomas; Tsui, Fuchiang

    2017-01-01

    This study evaluates the accuracy and transferability of Bayesian case detection systems (BCD) that use clinical notes from emergency department (ED) to detect influenza cases. A BCD uses natural language processing (NLP) to infer the presence or absence of clinical findings from ED notes, which are fed into a Bayesain network classifier (BN) to infer patients' diagnoses. We developed BCDs at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (BCDUPMC) and Intermountain Healthcare in Utah (BCDIH). At each site, we manually built a rule-based NLP and trained a Bayesain network classifier from over 40,000 ED encounters between Jan. 2008 and May. 2010 using feature selection, machine learning, and expert debiasing approach. Transferability of a BCD in this study may be impacted by seven factors: development (source) institution, development parser, application (target) institution, application parser, NLP transfer, BN transfer, and classification task. We employed an ANOVA analysis to study their impacts on BCD performance. Both BCDs discriminated well between influenza and non-influenza on local test cases (AUCs > 0.92). When tested for transferability using the other institution's cases, BCDUPMC discriminations declined minimally (AUC decreased from 0.95 to 0.94, p<0.01), and BCDIH discriminations declined more (from 0.93 to 0.87, p<0.0001). We attributed the BCDIH decline to the lower recall of the IH parser on UPMC notes. The ANOVA analysis showed five significant factors: development parser, application institution, application parser, BN transfer, and classification task. We demonstrated high influenza case detection performance in two large healthcare systems in two geographically separated regions, providing evidentiary support for the use of automated case detection from routinely collected electronic clinical notes in national influenza surveillance. The transferability could be improved by training Bayesian network classifier locally and increasing the accuracy of the NLP parser.

  16. Detailed Functional and Structural Phenotype of Bietti Crystalline Dystrophy Associated with Mutations in CYP4V2 Complicated by Choroidal Neovascularization

    PubMed Central

    Fuerst, Nicole M.; Serrano, Leona; Han, Grace; Morgan, Jessica I. W.; Maguire, Albert M.; Leroy, Bart P.; Kim, Benjamin J.; Aleman, Tomas S.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose To describe in detail the phenotype of a patient with Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) complicated by choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and the response to intravitreal Bevacizumab (Avastin ®; Genentech/Roche). Methods A 34-year-old woman with BCD and mutations in CYP4V2 (c.802-8_806del13/p.H331P:c992A>C) underwent a complete ophthalmic examination, full-field flash electroretinography (ERG), kinetic and two-color dark-adapted perimetry, and dark-adaptometry. Imaging was performed with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), near infrared (NIR) and short wavelength (SW) fundus autofluorescence (FAF), and fluorescein angiography (FA). Results Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/20 and 20/60 for the right and left eye, respectively. There were corneal paralimbal crystal-like deposits. Kinetic fields were normal in peripheral extent. Retinal crystals were most obvious on NIR-reflectance and corresponded with hyperreflectivities within the RPE on SD-OCT. There was parafoveal/perifoveal hypofluorescence on SW-FAF and NIR-FAF. Rod > cone sensitivity loss surrounded fixation and extended to ~10° of eccentricity corresponding to regions of photoreceptor outer segment-retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) interdigitation abnormalities. The outer nuclear layer was normal in thickness. Recovery of sensitivity following a ~76% rhodopsin bleach was normal. ERGs were normal. A subretinal hemorrhage in the left eye co-localized with elevation of the RPE on SD-OCT and leakage on FA, suggestive of CNV. Three monthly intravitreal injections of Bevacizumab led to restoration of BCVA to baseline (20/25). Conclusion Crystals in BCD were predominantly located within the RPE. Photoreceptor outer segment and apical RPE abnormalities underlie the relatively extensive retinal dysfunction observed in relatively early-stage BCD. Intravitreal Bevacizumab was effective in treating CNV in this setting. PMID:27028354

  17. Genetic requirements for high constitutive SOS expression in recA730 mutants of Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Vlašić, Ignacija; Šimatović, Ana; Brčić-Kostić, Krunoslav

    2011-09-01

    The RecA protein in its functional state is in complex with single-stranded DNA, i.e., in the form of a RecA filament. In SOS induction, the RecA filament functions as a coprotease, enabling the autodigestion of the LexA repressor. The RecA filament can be formed by different mechanisms, but all of them require three enzymatic activities essential for the processing of DNA double-stranded ends. These are helicase, 5'-3' exonuclease, and RecA loading onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). In some mutants, the SOS response can be expressed constitutively during the process of normal DNA metabolism. The RecA730 mutant protein is able to form the RecA filament without the help of RecBCD and RecFOR mediators since it better competes with the single-strand binding (SSB) protein for ssDNA. As a consequence, the recA730 mutants show high constitutive SOS expression. In the study described in this paper, we studied the genetic requirements for constitutive SOS expression in recA730 mutants. Using a β-galactosidase assay, we showed that the constitutive SOS response in recA730 mutants exhibits different requirements in different backgrounds. In a wild-type background, the constitutive SOS response is partially dependent on RecBCD function. In a recB1080 background (the recB1080 mutation retains only helicase), constitutive SOS expression is partially dependent on RecBCD helicase function and is strongly dependent on RecJ nuclease. Finally, in a recB-null background, the constitutive SOS expression of the recA730 mutant is dependent on the RecJ nuclease. Our results emphasize the importance of the 5'-3' exonuclease for high constitutive SOS expression in recA730 mutants and show that RecBCD function can further enhance the excellent intrinsic abilities of the RecA730 protein in vivo. Copyright © 2011, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  18. Hydrogen ion secretion by the collecting duct as a determinant of the urine to blood PCO2 gradient in alkaline urine

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

    DuBose, T.D. Jr.

    1982-01-01

    Several theories have been advanced to explain the elevation in urinary PCO/sub 2/ during bicarbonate loading and include: (a) H+ secretion, (b) countercurrent system for CO/sub 2/, (c) the ampholyte properties of bicarbonate, and (d) mixing of urine of disparate bicarbonate and butter concentrations. In this study microelectrodes were used to measure in situ and equilibrium pH (pHis and pHeq) and PCO/sub 2/ in control and bicarbonate loaded rats before and after infusion of carbonic anhydrase. The disequilibrium pH method (pHdq . pHis - pHeq) was used to demonstrate H+ secretion. Control rats excreting an acid urine (pH . 6.04more » +/- 0.06) failed to display a significant disequilibrium pH at the base (BCD), or tip (TCD) of the papillary collecting duct. Urine pH (7.54 +/- 0.12), and urine to blood (U-B) PCO/sub 2/ increased significantly during NaHCO/sub 3/ loading while PCO/sub 2/ at the BCD and TCD also increased (95 +/- 4 and 122 +/- 4). Furthermore, an acid disequilibrium pH was present at both the BCD and TCD (-0.42 +/- 0.04 and -0.36 +/- 0.03) and was obliterated by carbonic anhydrase. Comparison of the PCO/sub 2/ in the BCD or TCD with the adjacent vasa recta revealed similar values (r . 0.97). It is concluded that H+ secretion by the collecting duct into bicarbonate containing fluid with delayed dehydration of H/sub 2/CO/sub 3/, is the most likely determinant of the U-B PCO/sub 2/ in alkaline urine. Similar values for PCO/sub 2/ in the collecting duct and the adjacent vasa recta suggests trapping of CO/sub 2/ in the medullary countercurrent system. The rise in PCO/sub 2/ occurs both along the collecting duct and after exit from the papilla.« less

  19. Conceptual structure and the procedural affordances of rational numbers: relational reasoning with fractions and decimals.

    PubMed

    DeWolf, Melissa; Bassok, Miriam; Holyoak, Keith J

    2015-02-01

    The standard number system includes several distinct types of notations, which differ conceptually and afford different procedures. Among notations for rational numbers, the bipartite format of fractions (a/b) enables them to represent 2-dimensional relations between sets of discrete (i.e., countable) elements (e.g., red marbles/all marbles). In contrast, the format of decimals is inherently 1-dimensional, expressing a continuous-valued magnitude (i.e., proportion) but not a 2-dimensional relation between sets of countable elements. Experiment 1 showed that college students indeed view these 2-number notations as conceptually distinct. In a task that did not involve mathematical calculations, participants showed a strong preference to represent partitioned displays of discrete objects with fractions and partitioned displays of continuous masses with decimals. Experiment 2 provided evidence that people are better able to identify and evaluate ratio relationships using fractions than decimals, especially for discrete (or discretized) quantities. Experiments 3 and 4 found a similar pattern of performance for a more complex analogical reasoning task. When solving relational reasoning problems based on discrete or discretized quantities, fractions yielded greater accuracy than decimals; in contrast, when quantities were continuous, accuracy was lower for both symbolic notations. Whereas previous research has established that decimals are more effective than fractions in supporting magnitude comparisons, the present study reveals that fractions are relatively advantageous in supporting relational reasoning with discrete (or discretized) concepts. These findings provide an explanation for the effectiveness of natural frequency formats in supporting some types of reasoning, and have implications for teaching of rational numbers.

  20. Magnitude comparison with different types of rational numbers.

    PubMed

    DeWolf, Melissa; Grounds, Margaret A; Bassok, Miriam; Holyoak, Keith J

    2014-02-01

    An important issue in understanding mathematical cognition involves the similarities and differences between the magnitude representations associated with various types of rational numbers. For single-digit integers, evidence indicates that magnitudes are represented as analog values on a mental number line, such that magnitude comparisons are made more quickly and accurately as the numerical distance between numbers increases (the distance effect). Evidence concerning a distance effect for compositional numbers (e.g., multidigit whole numbers, fractions and decimals) is mixed. We compared the patterns of response times and errors for college students in magnitude comparison tasks across closely matched sets of rational numbers (e.g., 22/37, 0.595, 595). In Experiment 1, a distance effect was found for both fractions and decimals, but response times were dramatically slower for fractions than for decimals. Experiments 2 and 3 compared performance across fractions, decimals, and 3-digit integers. Response patterns for decimals and integers were extremely similar but, as in Experiment 1, magnitude comparisons based on fractions were dramatically slower, even when the decimals varied in precision (i.e., number of place digits) and could not be compared in the same way as multidigit integers (Experiment 3). Our findings indicate that comparisons of all three types of numbers exhibit a distance effect, but that processing often involves strategic focus on components of numbers. Fractions impose an especially high processing burden due to their bipartite (a/b) structure. In contrast to the other number types, the magnitude values associated with fractions appear to be less precise, and more dependent on explicit calculation. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  1. Visual acuity testing in diabetic subjects: the decimal progression chart versus the Freiburg visual acuity test.

    PubMed

    Loumann Knudsen, Lars

    2003-08-01

    To study reproducibility and biological variation of visual acuity in diabetic maculopathy, using two different visual acuity tests, the decimal progression chart and the Freiburg visual acuity test. Twenty-two eyes in 11 diabetic subjects were examined several times within a 12-month period using both visual acuity tests. The most commonly used visual acuity test in Denmark (the decimal progression chart) was compared to the Freiburg visual acuity test (automated testing) in a paired study. Correlation analysis revealed agreement between the two methods (r(2)=0.79; slope=0.82; y-axis intercept=0.01). The mean visual acuity was found to be 15% higher (P<0.0001) with the decimal progression chart than with the Freiburg visual acuity test. The reproducibility was the same in both tests (coefficient of variation: 12% for each test); however, the variation within the 12-month examination period differed significantly. The coefficient of variation was 17% using the decimal progression chart, 35% with the Freiburg visual acuity test. The reproducibility of the two visual acuity tests is comparable under optimal testing conditions in diabetic subjects with macular oedema. However, it appears that the Freiburg visual acuity test is significantly better for detection of biological variation.

  2. Bit error rate tester using fast parallel generation of linear recurring sequences

    DOEpatents

    Pierson, Lyndon G.; Witzke, Edward L.; Maestas, Joseph H.

    2003-05-06

    A fast method for generating linear recurring sequences by parallel linear recurring sequence generators (LRSGs) with a feedback circuit optimized to balance minimum propagation delay against maximal sequence period. Parallel generation of linear recurring sequences requires decimating the sequence (creating small contiguous sections of the sequence in each LRSG). A companion matrix form is selected depending on whether the LFSR is right-shifting or left-shifting. The companion matrix is completed by selecting a primitive irreducible polynomial with 1's most closely grouped in a corner of the companion matrix. A decimation matrix is created by raising the companion matrix to the (n*k).sup.th power, where k is the number of parallel LRSGs and n is the number of bits to be generated at a time by each LRSG. Companion matrices with 1's closely grouped in a corner will yield sparse decimation matrices. A feedback circuit comprised of XOR logic gates implements the decimation matrix in hardware. Sparse decimation matrices can be implemented with minimum number of XOR gates, and therefore a minimum propagation delay through the feedback circuit. The LRSG of the invention is particularly well suited to use as a bit error rate tester on high speed communication lines because it permits the receiver to synchronize to the transmitted pattern within 2n bits.

  3. Classification in Australia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKinlay, John

    Despite some inroads by the Library of Congress Classification and short-lived experimentation with Universal Decimal Classification and Bliss Classification, Dewey Decimal Classification, with its ability in recent editions to be hospitable to local needs, remains the most widely used classification system in Australia. Although supplemented at…

  4. Mouse CD23 regulates monocyte activation through an interaction with the adhesion molecule CD11b/CD18.

    PubMed

    Lecoanet-Henchoz, S; Plater-Zyberk, C; Graber, P; Gretener, D; Aubry, J P; Conrad, D H; Bonnefoy, J Y

    1997-09-01

    CD23 is expressed on a variety of hemopoietic cells. Recently, we have reported that blocking CD23 interactions in a murine model of arthritis resulted in a marked improvement of disease severity. Here, we demonstrate that CD11b, the alpha chain of the beta 2 integrin adhesion molecule complex CD11b/CD18 expressed on monocytes interacts with CD23. Using a recombinant fusion protein (ZZ-CD23), murine CD23 was shown to bind to peritoneal macrophages and peripheral blood cells isolated from mice as well as the murine macrophage cell line, RAW. The interactions between mouse ZZ-CD23 and CD11b/CD18-expressing cells were significantly inhibited by anti-CD11b monoclonal antibodies. A functional consequence was then demonstrated by inducing an up-regulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) production following ZZ-CD23 incubation with monocytes. The addition of Fab fragments generated from the monoclonal antibody CD11b impaired this cytokine production by 50%. Interestingly, a positive autocrine loop was identified as IL-6 was shown to increase CD23 binding to macrophages. These results demonstrate that similar to findings using human cells, murine CD23 binds to the surface adhesion molecule, CD11b, and these interactions regulate biological activities of murine myeloid cells.

  5. IMS/Satellite Situation Center report. Predicted orbit plots for IMP-H-1976. [Explorer 47 satellite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1975-01-01

    Predicted orbit plots are shown in three projections. The time period covered by each set of projections is 12 days 6 hours, corresponding approximately to the period of IMP-H satellite. The three coordinate systems used are the Geocentric Solar Ecliptic system (GSE), the Geocentric Solar Magnetospheric system (GSM), and the Solar Magnetic system (SM). For each of the three projections, time ticks and codes are given on the satellite trajectories. The codes are interpreted in the table at the base of each plot. Time is given in the table as year/day/decimal hour. The total time covered by each plot is shown at the bottom of each table. An additional variable is given in the table for each time tick. For the GSM and SM projection this variable is the geocentric distance to the satellite in earth radii, and for the GSE projection the variable is satellite ecliptic latitude in degrees.

  6. The computation of pi to 29,360,000 decimal digits using Borweins' quartically convergent algorithm

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bailey, David H.

    1988-01-01

    The quartically convergent numerical algorithm developed by Borwein and Borwein (1987) for 1/pi is implemented via a prime-modulus-transform multiprecision technique on the NASA Ames Cray-2 supercomputer to compute the first 2.936 x 10 to the 7th digits of the decimal expansion of pi. The history of pi computations is briefly recalled; the most recent algorithms are characterized; the implementation procedures are described; and samples of the output listing are presented. Statistical analyses show that the present decimal expansion is completely random, with only acceptable numbers of long repeating strings and single-digit runs.

  7. Tracking Decimal Misconceptions: Strategic Instructional Choices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griffin, Linda B.

    2016-01-01

    Understanding the decimal system is challenging, requiring coordination of place-value concepts with features of whole-number and fraction knowledge (Moloney and Stacey 1997). Moreover, the learner must discern if and how previously learned concepts and procedures apply. The process is complex, and misconceptions will naturally arise. In a…

  8. Color Your Classroom V: A Math Guide on the Secondary Level.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mississippi Materials & Resource Center, Gulfport.

    This curriculum guide, designed for use with secondary migrant students, presents mathematics activities in the areas of whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percent, measurement, geometry, probability and statistics, and sets. Within the categories of whole numbers, fractions, and decimals are activities using addition, subtraction,…

  9. Dewey Decimal Classification: A Quagmire.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gamaluddin, Ahmad Fouad

    1980-01-01

    A survey of 660 Pennsylvania school librarians indicates that, though there is limited professional interest in the Library of Congress Classification system, Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) appears to be firmly entrenched. This article also discusses the relative merits of DDC, the need for a uniform system, librarianship preparation, and…

  10. Psychology and Didactics of Mathematics in France--An Overview.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vergnaud, Gerard

    1983-01-01

    Examples are given of the variety of mathematical concepts and problems being studied by psychologically oriented researchers in France. Work on decimals, circles, natural numbers, decimal and real numbers, and didactic transposition are included. Comments on designing research on mathematics concept formation conclude the article. (MNS)

  11. Comparison of accuracy and completeness of data obtained from three types of automatic water-quality monitors

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Katzenbach, Max

    1990-01-01

    A comparison of data (specific conductance, dissolved-oxygen concentration, temperature, and pH) collected by the U.S. Geological Survey flowthrough monitor, the U.S. Geological Survey minimonitor, and a self-contained commercial 'packaged-sensor' system indicates that the data obtained by means of the most complete of the three systems. The U.S. Geological Survey flowthrough monitor is powered by 120-volt alternating current and in a heated weather-proof shelter. A pumping system brings water from the stream to sensors clustered in a sample clustered in a sample chamber located in the shelter. This instrument measures output from the senors; data are recorded in binary-coded decimal form on a 16-channel punched-paper tape recorder tape recorder housed in the shelter. The U.S. Geological Survey's minimonitor is powered by an external battery and is housed in a weatherproof shelter. This instrument measures output of instream sensors with extension cables having underwater connectors; data are recorded in binary-coded decimal form on a 16-channel punched-paper tape recorder housed in the shelter. The packaged-sensor system also measures output of senors housed in a packages that is submerged in the stream. It has internal power supply, no moving parts, and does not requires a weatherproof shelter; data are stored are stored in solid-state memory. Minimonitors were installed at four sites in Ohio where U.S. Geological survey flowthrough were in operation. Two package-sensor systems also were assigned to each site and were alternated every two weeks. Detailed records were kept of (1) field measurements, for comparison with monitor-system data from each instrument, and (2) equipment problems that resulted in loss of data. Results of the comparisons shows that the flow-through monitor gave the most accurate and the most complete data.

  12. 40 CFR 86.609-98 - Calculation and reporting of test results.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... decimal places contained in the applicable standard expressed to one additional significant figure... decimal places contained in the applicable emission standard expressed to one additional significant figure. Rounding is done in accordance with ASTM E 29-67, (reapproved 1980) (as referenced in § 86.094-28...

  13. Decipipes: Helping Students to "Get the Point"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moody, Bruce

    2011-01-01

    Decipipes are a representational model that can be used to help students develop conceptual understanding of decimal place value. They provide a non-standard tool for representing length, which in turn can be represented using conventional decimal notation. They are conceptually identical to Linear Arithmetic Blocks. This article reviews theory…

  14. 39 CFR 3055.65 - Special Services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... within the Special Services group, report the percentage of time (rounded to one decimal place) that each... report the percentage of time (rounded to one decimal place) that each service meets or exceeds its...) Additional reporting for Post Office Box Service. For Post Office Box Service, report the percentage of time...

  15. 39 CFR 3055.65 - Special Services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... within the Special Services group, report the percentage of time (rounded to one decimal place) that each... report the percentage of time (rounded to one decimal place) that each service meets or exceeds its...) Additional reporting for Post Office Box Service. For Post Office Box Service, report the percentage of time...

  16. 39 CFR 3055.65 - Special Services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... within the Special Services group, report the percentage of time (rounded to one decimal place) that each... report the percentage of time (rounded to one decimal place) that each service meets or exceeds its...) Additional reporting for Post Office Box Service. For Post Office Box Service, report the percentage of time...

  17. 39 CFR 3055.65 - Special Services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... within the Special Services group, report the percentage of time (rounded to one decimal place) that each... report the percentage of time (rounded to one decimal place) that each service meets or exceeds its...) Additional reporting for Post Office Box Service. For Post Office Box Service, report the percentage of time...

  18. Skylab

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1973-01-01

    This EREP photograph of the Uncompahgre Plateau area of Colorado illustrates the land use classification using the hierarchical numbering system to depict land forms and vegetative patterns. The numerator is a three-digit number with decimal components identifying the vegetation analog or land use conditions. The denominator uses a three-component decimal system for landscape characterization.

  19. Decimal Fraction Arithmetic: Logical Error Analysis and Its Validation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Standiford, Sally N.; And Others

    This report illustrates procedures of item construction for addition and subtraction examples involving decimal fractions. Using a procedural network of skills required to solve such examples, an item characteristic matrix of skills analysis was developed to describe the characteristics of the content domain by projected student difficulties. Then…

  20. Which Type of Rational Numbers Should Students Learn First?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tian, Jing; Siegler, Robert S.

    2017-01-01

    Many children and adults have difficulty gaining a comprehensive understanding of rational numbers. Although fractions are taught before decimals and percentages in many countries, including the USA, a number of researchers have argued that decimals are easier to learn than fractions and therefore teaching them first might mitigate children's…

  1. Library Classification 2020

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Christopher

    2013-01-01

    In this article the author explores how a new library classification system might be designed using some aspects of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) and ideas from other systems to create something that works for school libraries in the year 2020. By examining what works well with the Dewey Decimal System, what features should be carried…

  2. Sunny with a Chance of Tenths! Using the Familiar Context of Temperature to Support Teaching Decimals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beaman, Belinda

    2013-01-01

    As teachers we are encouraged to contextualize the mathematics that we teach. In this article, Belinda Beaman explains how she used the weather as a context for developing decimal understanding. We particularly enjoyed reading how the students were involved in estimating.

  3. Discovery

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Mestre, Neville

    2010-01-01

    All common fractions can be written in decimal form. In this Discovery article, the author suggests that teachers ask their students to calculate the decimals by actually doing the divisions themselves, and later on they can use a calculator to check their answers. This article presents a lesson based on the research of Bolt (1982).

  4. Comparing Instructional Strategies for Integrating Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Koedinger, Kenneth R.

    We compared alternative instructional strategies for integrating knowledge of decimal place value and regrouping concepts with procedures for adding and subtracting decimals. The first condition was based on recent research suggesting that conceptual and procedural knowledge develop in an iterative, hand over hand fashion. In this iterative…

  5. Conceptual Knowledge of Decimal Arithmetic

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lortie-Forgues, Hugues; Siegler, Robert S.

    2016-01-01

    In two studies (N's = 55 and 54), we examined a basic form of conceptual understanding of rational number arithmetic, the direction of effect of decimal arithmetic operations, at a level of detail useful for informing instruction. Middle school students were presented tasks examining knowledge of the direction of effects (e.g., "True or…

  6. Incidence of nephrolithiasis in relation to environmental exposure to lead and cadmium in a population study

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

    Hara, Azusa; Yang, Wen-Yi; Petit, Thibault

    Whether environmental exposure to nephrotoxic agents that potentially interfere with calcium homeostasis, such as lead and cadmium, contribute to the incidence of nephrolithiasis needs further clarification. We investigated the relation between nephrolithiasis incidence and environmental lead and cadmium exposure in a general population. In 1302 participants randomly recruited from a Flemish population (50.9% women; mean age, 47.9 years), we obtained baseline measurements (1985–2005) of blood lead (BPb), blood cadmium (BCd), 24-h urinary cadmium (UCd) and covariables. We monitored the incidence of kidney stones until October 6, 2014. We used Cox regression to calculate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for nephrolithiasis. At baseline,more » geometric mean BPb, BCd and UCd was 0.29 µmol/L, 9.0 nmol/L, and 8.5 nmol per 24 h, respectively. Over 11.5 years (median), nephrolithiasis occurred in 40 people. Contrasting the low and top tertiles of the distributions, the sex- and age-standardized rates of nephrolithiasis expressed as events per 1000 person-years were 0.68 vs. 3.36 (p=0.0016) for BPb, 1.80 vs. 3.28 (p=0.11) for BCd, and 1.65 vs. 2.95 (p=0.28) for UCd. In continuous analysis, with adjustments applied for sex, age, serum magnesium, and 24-h urinary volume and calcium, the hazard ratios expressing the risk associated with a doubling of the exposure biomarkers were 1.35 (p=0.015) for BPb, 1.13 (p=0.22) for BCd, and 1.23 (p=0.070) for UCd. In conclusion, our results suggest that environmental lead exposure is a risk factor for nephrolithiasis in the general population. - Highlights: • Prevalence and incidence rates of nephrolithiasis are increasing worldwide. • Lead and cadmium interfere with calcium homeostasis and might cause nephrolithiasis. • Environmental exposure to lead, not cadmium, predicts nephrolithiasis in the population. • Safety standards for environmental lead exposure need to account for nephrolithiasis. • Reducing environmental exposure to lead remains a priority.« less

  7. HI properties and star formation history of a fly-by pair of blue compact dwarf galaxies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Jinhyub; Chung, Aeree; Wong, O. Ivy; Lee, Bumhyun; Sung, Eon-Chang; Staveley-Smith, Lister

    2017-09-01

    A fly-by interaction has been suggested to be one of the major explanations for enhanced star formation in blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies, yet no direct evidence for this scenario has been found to date. In the Hi Parkes all-sky survey (HIPASS), ESO 435-IG 020 and ESO 435-G 016, a BCD pair were found in a common, extended gas envelope of atomic hydrogen, providing an ideal case to test the hypothesis that the starburst in BCDs can be indeed triggered by a fly-by interaction. Using high-resolution data from the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), we investigated Hi properties and the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the BCD pair to study their interaction and star formation histories. The high-resolution Hi data of both BCDs reveal a number of peculiarities, which are suggestive of tidal perturbation. Meanwhile, 40% of the HIPASS flux is not accounted for in the ATCA observations with no Hi gas bridge found between the two BCDs. Intriguingly, in the residual of the HIPASS and the ATCA data, 10% of the missing flux appears to be located between the two BCDs. While the SED-based age of the most dominant young stellar population is old enough to have originated from the interaction with any neighbors (including the other of the two BCDs), the most recent star formation activity traced by strong Hα emission in ESO 435-IG 020 and the shear motion of gas in ESO 435-G 016, suggest a more recent or current tidal interaction. Based on these and the residual emission between the HIPASS and the ATCA data, we propose an interaction between the two BCDs as the origin of their recently enhanced star formation activity. The shear motion on the gas disk, potentially with re-accretion of the stripped gas, could be responsible for the active star formation in this BCD pair. The reduced datacube (FITS file) is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/605/A54

  8. Sull'Integrazione delle Strutture Numeriche nella Scuola dell'Obbligo (Integrating Numerical Structures in Mandatory School).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bonotto, C.

    1995-01-01

    Attempted to verify knowledge regarding decimal and rational numbers in children ages 10-14. Discusses how pupils can receive and assimilate extensions of the number system from natural numbers to decimals and fractions and later can integrate this extension into a single and coherent numerical structure. (Author/MKR)

  9. 40 CFR 86.1823-01 - Durability demonstration procedures for exhaust emissions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... (including both hardware and software) must be installed and operating for the entire mileage accumulation... decimal places) from the regression analysis; the result shall be rounded to three-decimal places of... less than one shall be changed to one for the purposes of this paragraph. (2) An additive DF will be...

  10. Why Is Learning Fraction and Decimal Arithmetic so Difficult?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lortie-Forgues, Hugues; Tian, Jing; Siegler, Robert S.

    2015-01-01

    Fraction and decimal arithmetic are crucial for later mathematics achievement and for ability to succeed in many professions. Unfortunately, these capabilities pose large difficulties for many children and adults, and students' proficiency in them has shown little sign of improvement over the past three decades. To summarize what is known about…

  11. Ambiguity in Units and the Referents: Two Cases in Rational Number Operations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rathouz, Margaret

    2010-01-01

    I explore the impact of ambiguous referral to the unit on understanding of decimal and fraction operations during episodes in two different mathematics courses for pre-service teachers (PSTs). In one classroom, the instructor introduces a rectangular area diagram to help the PSTs visualize decimal multiplication. A transcript from this classroom…

  12. Dewey Decimal Classification for U. S. Conn: An Advantage?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marek, Kate

    This paper examines the use of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system at the U. S. Conn Library at Wayne State College (WSC) in Nebraska. Several developments in the last 20 years which have eliminated the trend toward reclassification of academic library collections from DDC to the Library of Congress (LC) classification scheme are…

  13. Modeling discrete and continuous entities with fractions and decimals.

    PubMed

    Rapp, Monica; Bassok, Miriam; DeWolf, Melissa; Holyoak, Keith J

    2015-03-01

    When people use mathematics to model real-life situations, their use of mathematical expressions is often mediated by semantic alignment (Bassok, Chase, & Martin, 1998): The entities in a problem situation evoke semantic relations (e.g., tulips and vases evoke the functionally asymmetric "contain" relation), which people align with analogous mathematical relations (e.g., the noncommutative division operation, tulips/vases). Here we investigate the possibility that semantic alignment is also involved in the comprehension and use of rational numbers (fractions and decimals). A textbook analysis and results from two experiments revealed that both mathematic educators and college students tend to align the discreteness versus continuity of the entities in word problems (e.g., marbles vs. distance) with distinct symbolic representations of rational numbers--fractions versus decimals, respectively. In addition, fractions and decimals tend to be used with nonmetric units and metric units, respectively. We discuss the importance of the ontological distinction between continuous and discrete entities to mathematical cognition, the role of symbolic notations, and possible implications of our findings for the teaching of rational numbers. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

  14. Rational-number comparison across notation: Fractions, decimals, and whole numbers.

    PubMed

    Hurst, Michelle; Cordes, Sara

    2016-02-01

    Although fractions, decimals, and whole numbers can be used to represent the same rational-number values, it is unclear whether adults conceive of these rational-number magnitudes as lying along the same ordered mental continuum. In the current study, we investigated whether adults' processing of rational-number magnitudes in fraction, decimal, and whole-number notation show systematic ratio-dependent responding characteristic of an integrated mental continuum. Both reaction time (RT) and eye-tracking data from a number-magnitude comparison task revealed ratio-dependent performance when adults compared the relative magnitudes of rational numbers, both within the same notation (e.g., fractions vs. fractions) and across different notations (e.g., fractions vs. decimals), pointing to an integrated mental continuum for rational numbers across notation types. In addition, eye-tracking analyses provided evidence of an implicit whole-number bias when we compared values in fraction notation, and individual differences in this whole-number bias were related to the individual's performance on a fraction arithmetic task. Implications of our results for both cognitive development research and math education are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. Decorin content and near infrared spectroscopy analysis of dried collagenous biomaterial samples.

    PubMed

    Aldema-Ramos, Mila L; Castell, Joan Carles; Muir, Zerlina E; Adzet, Jose Maria; Sabe, Rosa; Schreyer, Suzanne

    2012-12-14

    The efficient removal of proteoglycans, such as decorin, from the hide when processing it to leather by traditional means is generally acceptable and beneficial for leather quality, especially for softness and flexibility. A patented waterless or acetone dehydration method that can generate a product similar to leather called Dried Collagenous Biomaterial (known as BCD) was developed but has no effect on decorin removal efficiency. The Alcian Blue colorimetric technique was used to assay the sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) portion of decorin. The corresponding residual decorin content was correlated to the mechanical properties of the BCD samples and was comparable to the control leather made traditionally. The waterless dehydration and instantaneous chrome tanning process is a good eco-friendly alternative to transforming hides to leather because no additional effects were observed after examination using NIR spectroscopy and additional chemometric analysis.

  16. Scalable Nonparametric Low-Rank Kernel Learning Using Block Coordinate Descent.

    PubMed

    Hu, En-Liang; Kwok, James T

    2015-09-01

    Nonparametric kernel learning (NPKL) is a flexible approach to learn the kernel matrix directly without assuming any parametric form. It can be naturally formulated as a semidefinite program (SDP), which, however, is not very scalable. To address this problem, we propose the combined use of low-rank approximation and block coordinate descent (BCD). Low-rank approximation avoids the expensive positive semidefinite constraint in the SDP by replacing the kernel matrix variable with V(T)V, where V is a low-rank matrix. The resultant nonlinear optimization problem is then solved by BCD, which optimizes each column of V sequentially. It can be shown that the proposed algorithm has nice convergence properties and low computational complexities. Experiments on a number of real-world data sets show that the proposed algorithm outperforms state-of-the-art NPKL solvers.

  17. Epidemiology of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in Northern Italy.

    PubMed

    Harari, Sergio; Madotto, Fabiana; Caminati, Antonella; Conti, Sara; Cesana, Giancarlo

    2016-01-01

    Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common and severe form of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. Despite its clinical relevance, few studies have examined the epidemiology of IPF and temporal variation in disease incidence and prevalence. Aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence, incidence and trends of IPF in Lombardy, a region with nearly 10 million inhabitants, during 2005-2010. For the identification of IPF patients, we used healthcare administrative databases of Lombardy Healthcare System and adopted three algorithms: generic, broad and narrow case definition (GCD, BCD, NCD). IPF cases were identified according to diagnoses reported in inpatient and outpatient claims occurred during 2000-2010. We estimated age- and sex-adjusted annual prevalence and incidence rates from 2005 to 2010, thus allowing for a 5-year washout period. The mean annual incidence rate was estimated at 2.3 and 5.3 per 100,000 person-years using NCD and GCD, respectively. IPF incidence was higher among males, and increased with age. Trend remained stable over the years. The estimated annual prevalence rate was 35.5, 22.4, and 12.6 per 100,000 person-years using GCD, BCD and NCD, respectively, and increased with age. Moreover, we observed a positive trend over the years. Using BCD and NCD, prevalence was higher among males. The results of this study, which is one of the largest population-based survey ever conducted according to strict criteria, indicated that prevalence of IPF increased across the years while incidence remained stable, thus suggesting that survival with IPF has improved.

  18. Associations between cadmium exposure and circulating levels of sex hormones in postmenopausal women

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

    Ali, Imran; Engström, Annette; Vahter, Marie

    Recent epidemiological as well as in vivo and in vitro studies collectively suggest that the metalloestrogen cadmium (Cd) could be a potential risk factor for hormone-related cancers in particularly breast cancer. Assessment of the association between Cd exposure and levels of endogenous sex hormones is of pivotal importance, as increased levels of such have been associated with a higher risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. The present study investigated the perceived relationship (multivariable-adjusted linear regression analyses) between Cd exposure [blood Cd (B-Cd) and urinary Cd (U-Cd)], and serum levels of androstenedione, testosterone, estradiol, and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), inmore » 438 postmenopausal Swedish women without hormone replacement therapy (HRT). A significant positive association between B-Cd (median 3.4 nmol/L) and serum testosterone levels, as well as a significant inverse association between B-Cd and serum estradiol levels and with the estradiol/testosterone ratio were encountered. However, U-Cd (median 0.69 nmol/mmol creatinine) was inversely associated with serum estradiol levels only. Our data may suggest that Cd interferes with the levels of testosterone and estradiol in postmenopausal women, which might have implications for breast cancer risk. - Highlights: • Low level cadmium exposure may interfere with the levels of steroid hormones. • Cadmium exposure was associated with increased serum testosterone concentrations. • Cadmium exposure was associated with decreased estradiol/testosterone ratio. • Cadmium exposure may have implications for breast-cancer promotion.« less

  19. Biofilm formation by Staphylococcus epidermidis on peritoneal dialysis catheters and the effects of extracellular products from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    PubMed

    Pihl, Maria; Arvidsson, Anna; Skepö, Marie; Nilsson, Martin; Givskov, Michael; Tolker-Nielsen, Tim; Svensäter, Gunnel; Davies, Julia R

    2013-04-01

    Biofilm formation by Staphylococcus epidermidis is a cause of infections related to peritoneal dialysis (PD). We have used a PD catheter flow-cell model in combination with confocal scanning laser microscopy and atomic force microscopy to study biofilm formation by S. epidermidis. Adherence to serum-coated catheters was four times greater than to uncoated ones, suggesting that S. epidermidis binds to serum proteins on the catheter surface. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm supernatant interfered with the formation of a serum protein coat thereby reducing the capacity for biofilm formation in S. epidermidis. Supernatants from ΔpelA, ΔpslBCD and ΔrhlAB strains of P. aeruginosa showed no differences from the wild-type supernatant indicating that the effect on serum coat formation was not due to rhamnolipids or the PelA and PslBCD polysaccharides. Supernatant from P. aeruginosa also dispersed established S. epidermidis biofilms. Supernatants lacking PelA or PslBCD showed no differences from the wild type but that from a ΔrhlAB strain, showed reduced, but not abolished, capacity for dispersal. This suggests that rhamnolipids are involved but not wholly responsible for the effect. Thus, supernatants from P. aeruginosa contain promising substances for the prevention and treatment of biofilm infections, although further work is required to identity more active components. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Selective document image data compression technique

    DOEpatents

    Fu, C.Y.; Petrich, L.I.

    1998-05-19

    A method of storing information from filled-in form-documents comprises extracting the unique user information in the foreground from the document form information in the background. The contrast of the pixels is enhanced by a gamma correction on an image array, and then the color value of each of pixel is enhanced. The color pixels lying on edges of an image are converted to black and an adjacent pixel is converted to white. The distance between black pixels and other pixels in the array is determined, and a filled-edge array of pixels is created. User information is then converted to a two-color format by creating a first two-color image of the scanned image by converting all pixels darker than a threshold color value to black. All the pixels that are lighter than the threshold color value to white. Then a second two-color image of the filled-edge file is generated by converting all pixels darker than a second threshold value to black and all pixels lighter than the second threshold color value to white. The first two-color image and the second two-color image are then combined and filtered to smooth the edges of the image. The image may be compressed with a unique Huffman coding table for that image. The image file is also decimated to create a decimated-image file which can later be interpolated back to produce a reconstructed image file using a bilinear interpolation kernel. 10 figs.

  1. Selective document image data compression technique

    DOEpatents

    Fu, Chi-Yung; Petrich, Loren I.

    1998-01-01

    A method of storing information from filled-in form-documents comprises extracting the unique user information in the foreground from the document form information in the background. The contrast of the pixels is enhanced by a gamma correction on an image array, and then the color value of each of pixel is enhanced. The color pixels lying on edges of an image are converted to black and an adjacent pixel is converted to white. The distance between black pixels and other pixels in the array is determined, and a filled-edge array of pixels is created. User information is then converted to a two-color format by creating a first two-color image of the scanned image by converting all pixels darker than a threshold color value to black. All the pixels that are lighter than the threshold color value to white. Then a second two-color image of the filled-edge file is generated by converting all pixels darker than a second threshold value to black and all pixels lighter than the second threshold color value to white. The first two-color image and the second two-color image are then combined and filtered to smooth the edges of the image. The image may be compressed with a unique Huffman coding table for that image. The image file is also decimated to create a decimated-image file which can later be interpolated back to produce a reconstructed image file using a bilinear interpolation kernel.--(235 words)

  2. The "Wow! signal" of the terrestrial genetic code

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    shCherbak, Vladimir I.; Makukov, Maxim A.

    2013-05-01

    It has been repeatedly proposed to expand the scope for SETI, and one of the suggested alternatives to radio is the biological media. Genomic DNA is already used on Earth to store non-biological information. Though smaller in capacity, but stronger in noise immunity is the genetic code. The code is a flexible mapping between codons and amino acids, and this flexibility allows modifying the code artificially. But once fixed, the code might stay unchanged over cosmological timescales; in fact, it is the most durable construct known. Therefore it represents an exceptionally reliable storage for an intelligent signature, if that conforms to biological and thermodynamic requirements. As the actual scenario for the origin of terrestrial life is far from being settled, the proposal that it might have been seeded intentionally cannot be ruled out. A statistically strong intelligent-like "signal" in the genetic code is then a testable consequence of such scenario. Here we show that the terrestrial code displays a thorough precision-type orderliness matching the criteria to be considered an informational signal. Simple arrangements of the code reveal an ensemble of arithmetical and ideographical patterns of the same symbolic language. Accurate and systematic, these underlying patterns appear as a product of precision logic and nontrivial computing rather than of stochastic processes (the null hypothesis that they are due to chance coupled with presumable evolutionary pathways is rejected with P-value < 10-13). The patterns are profound to the extent that the code mapping itself is uniquely deduced from their algebraic representation. The signal displays readily recognizable hallmarks of artificiality, among which are the symbol of zero, the privileged decimal syntax and semantical symmetries. Besides, extraction of the signal involves logically straightforward but abstract operations, making the patterns essentially irreducible to any natural origin. Plausible ways of embedding the signal into the code and possible interpretation of its content are discussed. Overall, while the code is nearly optimized biologically, its limited capacity is used extremely efficiently to pass non-biological information.

  3. Decimals Are Not Processed Automatically, Not Even as Being Smaller than One

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kallai, Arava Y.; Tzelgov, Joseph

    2014-01-01

    Common fractions have been found to be processed intentionally but not automatically, which led to the conclusion that they are not represented holistically in long-term memory. However, decimals are more similar to natural numbers in their form and thus might be better candidates to be holistically represented by educated adults. To test this…

  4. 20 CFR 345.302 - Definition of terms and phrases used in experience-rating.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... for the current calendar year. This ratio is computed to four decimal places. (k) Pooled credit ratio... employer for the calendar year involved in the computation. This ratio is computed to four decimal places... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Definition of terms and phrases used in...

  5. An Exploratory Study of Fifth-Grade Students' Reasoning about the Relationship between Fractions and Decimals When Using Number Line-Based Virtual Manipulatives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Scott

    2017-01-01

    Understanding the relationship between fractions and decimals is an important step in developing an overall understanding of rational numbers. Research has demonstrated the feasibility of technology in the form of virtual manipulatives for facilitating students' meaningful understanding of rational number concepts. This exploratory dissertation…

  6. Epistemic Trust and Education: Effects of Informant Reliability on Student Learning of Decimal Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Durkin, Kelley; Shafto, Patrick

    2016-01-01

    The epistemic trust literature emphasizes that children's evaluations of informants' trustworthiness affects learning, but there is no evidence that epistemic trust affects learning in academic domains. The current study investigated how reliability affects decimal learning. Fourth and fifth graders (N = 122; M[subscript age] = 10.1 years)…

  7. Cancer Therapy (Preclinical and Clinical): A Decimal Classification, (Categories 51.1, 51.2, and 51.3).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schneider, John H.

    This hierarchical decimal classification of information related to cancer therapy in humans and animals (preceeded by a few general categories) is a working draft of categories taken from an extensive classification of biomedical information. Because the classification identifies very small areas of cancer information, it can be used for precise…

  8. MATHEMATICAL CONSTANTS.

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

    Robinson, H.P.; Potter, Elinor

    1971-03-01

    This collection of mathematical data consists of two tables of decimal constants arranged according to size rather than function, a third table of integers from 1 to 1000, giving some of their properties, and a fourth table listing some infinite series arranged according to increasing size of the coefficients of the terms. The decimal values of Tables I and II are given to 20 D.

  9. Individualized Math Problems in Decimals. Oregon Vo-Tech Mathematics Problem Sets.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cosler, Norma, Ed.

    THis is one of eighteen sets of individualized mathematics problems developed by the Oregon Vo-Tech Math Project. Each of these problem packages is organized around a mathematical topic and contains problems related to diverse vocations. Solutions are provided for all problems. Problems in this volume concern use of decimals and are related to the…

  10. Cancer Biochemistry and Host-Tumor Interactions: A Decimal Classification, (Categories 51.6, 51.7, and 51.8).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schneider, John H.

    This is a hierarchical decimal classification of information related to cancer biochemistry, to host-tumor interactions (including cancer immunology), and to occurrence of cancer in special types of animals and plants. It is a working draft of categories taken from an extensive classification of many fields of biomedical information. Because the…

  11. Assessment of the Knowledge of the Decimal Number System Exhibited by Students with Down Syndrome

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noda, Aurelia; Bruno, Alicia

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents an assessment of the understanding of the decimal numeral system in students with Down Syndrome (DS). We followed a methodology based on a descriptive case study involving six students with DS. We used a framework of four constructs (counting, grouping, partitioning and numerical relationships) and five levels of thinking for…

  12. Origini Concettuali di Errori che si Riscontrano Nel Confrontare Numeri Decimali e Frazioni=Conceptual Sources of Difficulties Concerning the Ordering of Decimal Numbers and the Comparison of Fractions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bonotto, C.

    1993-01-01

    Examined fifth-grade students' survey responses to investigate incorrect rules that derive from children's efforts to interpret decimals as integers or as fractions. Regarding fractions, difficulties arise because only the whole-part approach to fractions is presented in elementary school. (Author/MDH)

  13. Identify Fractions and Decimals on a Number Line

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaughnessy, Meghan M.

    2011-01-01

    Tasks that ask students to label rational number points on a number line are common not only in curricula in the upper elementary school grades but also on state assessments. Such tasks target foundational rational number concepts: A fraction (or a decimal) is more than a shaded part of an area, a part of a pizza, or a representation using…

  14. Rationals and Decimals as Required in the School Curriculum Part 3. Rationals and Decimals as Linear Functions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brousseau, Guy; Brousseau, Nadine; Warfield, Virginia

    2008-01-01

    In the late seventies, Guy Brousseau set himself the goal of verifying experimentally a theory he had been building up for a number of years. The theory, consistent with what was later named (non-radical) constructivism, was that children, in suitable carefully arranged circumstances, can build their own knowledge of mathematics. The experiment,…

  15. Rationals and Decimals as Required in the School Curriculum Part 2: From Rationals to Decimals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brousseau, Guy; Brousseau, Nadine; Warfield, Virginia

    2007-01-01

    In the late seventies, Guy Brousseau set himself the goal of verifying experimentally a theory he had been building up for a number of years. The theory, consistent with what was later named (non-radical) constructivism, was that children, in suitable carefully arranged circumstances, can build their own knowledge of mathematics. The experiment,…

  16. 49 CFR 565.15 - Content requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... = 8 J = 1 K = 2 L = 3 M = 4 N = 5 P = 7 R = 9 S = 2 T = 3 U = 4 V = 5 W = 6 X = 7 Y = 8 Z = 9 (2... Decimal Equivalent Remainder as reflected in Table V. All Decimal Equivalent Remainders in Table V are... in VIN position nine (9). Table V—Ninth Position Check Digit Values [Rounded to the nearest...

  17. Understanding Decimal Proportions: Discrete Representations, Parallel Access, and Privileged Processing of Zero

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Varma, Sashank; Karl, Stacy R.

    2013-01-01

    Much of the research on mathematical cognition has focused on the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, with considerably less attention paid to more abstract number classes. The current research investigated how people understand decimal proportions--rational numbers between 0 and 1 expressed in the place-value symbol system. The results…

  18. Math Academy: Dining Out! Explorations in Fractions, Decimals, & Percents. Book 4: Supplemental Math Materials for Grades 3-8

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rimbey, Kimberly

    2007-01-01

    Created by teachers for teachers, the Math Academy tools and activities included in this booklet were designed to create hands-on activities and a fun learning environment for the teaching of mathematics to the students. This booklet contains the "Math Academy--Dining Out! Explorations in Fractions, Decimals, and Percents," which teachers can use…

  19. CD13-positive bone marrow-derived myeloid cells promote angiogenesis, tumor growth, and metastasis.

    PubMed

    Dondossola, Eleonora; Rangel, Roberto; Guzman-Rojas, Liliana; Barbu, Elena M; Hosoya, Hitomi; St John, Lisa S; Molldrem, Jeffrey J; Corti, Angelo; Sidman, Richard L; Arap, Wadih; Pasqualini, Renata

    2013-12-17

    Angiogenesis is fundamental to tumorigenesis and an attractive target for therapeutic intervention against cancer. We have recently demonstrated that CD13 (aminopeptidase N) expressed by nonmalignant host cells of unspecified types regulate tumor blood vessel development. Here, we compare CD13 wild-type and null bone marrow-transplanted tumor-bearing mice to show that host CD13(+) bone marrow-derived cells promote cancer progression via their effect on angiogenesis. Furthermore, we have identified CD11b(+)CD13(+) myeloid cells as the immune subpopulation directly regulating tumor blood vessel development. Finally, we show that these cells are specifically localized within the tumor microenvironment and produce proangiogenic soluble factors. Thus, CD11b(+)CD13(+) myeloid cells constitute a population of bone marrow-derived cells that promote tumor progression and metastasis and are potential candidates for the development of targeted antiangiogenic drugs.

  20. Decorin Content and Near Infrared Spectroscopy Analysis of Dried Collagenous Biomaterial Samples

    PubMed Central

    Aldema-Ramos, Mila L.; Castell, Joan Carles; Muir, Zerlina E.; Adzet, Jose Maria; Sabe, Rosa; Schreyer, Suzanne

    2012-01-01

    The efficient removal of proteoglycans, such as decorin, from the hide when processing it to leather by traditional means is generally acceptable and beneficial for leather quality, especially for softness and flexibility. A patented waterless or acetone dehydration method that can generate a product similar to leather called Dried Collagenous Biomaterial (known as BCD) was developed but has no effect on decorin removal efficiency. The Alcian Blue colorimetric technique was used to assay the sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) portion of decorin. The corresponding residual decorin content was correlated to the mechanical properties of the BCD samples and was comparable to the control leather made traditionally. The waterless dehydration and instantaneous chrome tanning process is a good eco-friendly alternative to transforming hides to leather because no additional effects were observed after examination using NIR spectroscopy and additional chemometric analysis. PMID:24970152

  1. Digital phased array beamforming using single-bit delta-sigma conversion with non-uniform oversampling.

    PubMed

    Kozak, M; Karaman, M

    2001-07-01

    Digital beamforming based on oversampled delta-sigma (delta sigma) analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion can reduce the overall cost, size, and power consumption of phased array front-end processing. The signal resampling involved in dynamic delta sigma beamforming, however, disrupts synchronization between the modulators and demodulator, causing significant degradation in the signal-to-noise ratio. As a solution to this, we have explored a new digital beamforming approach based on non-uniform oversampling delta sigma A/D conversion. Using this approach, the echo signals received by the transducer array are sampled at time instants determined by the beamforming timing and then digitized by single-bit delta sigma A/D conversion prior to the coherent beam summation. The timing information involves a non-uniform sampling scheme employing different clocks at each array channel. The delta sigma coded beamsums obtained by adding the delayed 1-bit coded RF echo signals are then processed through a decimation filter to produce final beamforming outputs. The performance and validity of the proposed beamforming approach are assessed by means of emulations using experimental raw RF data.

  2. Increasing CACNA1C expression in placenta containing high Cd level: an implication of Cd toxicity.

    PubMed

    Phuapittayalert, Laorrat; Saenganantakarn, Phisid; Supanpaiboon, Wisa; Cheunchoojit, Supaporn; Hipkaeo, Wiphawi; Sakulsak, Natthiya

    2016-12-01

    Cadmium (Cd) has known to produce many adverse effects on organs including placenta. Many essential transporters are involved in Cd transport pathways such as DMT-1, ZIP as well as L-VDCC. Fourteen pregnant women participated and were divided into two groups: high and low Cd-exposed (H-Cd, L-Cd) groups on the basis of their residential areas, Cd concentrations in the blood (B-Cd), urine (U-Cd), and placenta (P-Cd). The results showed that the B-Cd and U-Cd were significantly increased in H-Cd group (p < 0.05). Interestingly, the P-Cd in H-Cd group was elevated (p < 0.05) and positively related to their B-Cd and U-Cd values (p < 0.05). However, the mean cord blood Cd (C-Cd) concentration in H-Cd group was not significantly increased about 2.5-fold when comparing to L-Cd group. To determine the Cd accumulation in placental tissues, metallothionein-1A (MT-1A) and metallothionein-2A (MT-2A) expressions were used as biomarkers. The results revealed that mean MT-1A and MT-2A mRNAs and MT-1/2 proteins were up-regulated in H-Cd group (p < 0.05). In addition, the Ca channel alpha 1C (CACNA1C) mRNA and protein expressions were noticeably elevated in H-Cd group (p < 0.05). From these findings, we suggested that CACNA1C might be implicated in Cd transport in human placenta.

  3. Synergistic effects of UVR and simulated stratification on commensalistic phytoplankton-bacteria relationship in two optically contrasting oligotrophic Mediterranean lakes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carrillo, P.; Medina-Sánchez, J. M.; Durán, C.; Herrera, G.; Villafañe, V. E.; Helbling, E. W.

    2015-02-01

    An indirect effect of global warming is a reduction in the depth of the upper mixed layer (UML) causing organisms to be exposed to higher levels of ultraviolet (UVR, 280-400 nm) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 400-700 nm). This can affect primary and bacterial production as well as the commensalistic phytoplankton-bacteria relationship. The combined effects of UVR and reduction in the depth of the UML were assessed on variables related to the metabolism of phytoplankton and bacteria, during in situ experiments performed with natural pico- and nanoplankton communities from two oligotrophic lakes with contrasting UVR transparency (high-UVR versus low-UVR waters) of southern Spain. The negative UVR effects on epilimnetic primary production (PP) and on heterotrophic bacterial production (HBP), intensified under increased stratification, were higher in the low-UVR than in the high-UVR lake, and stronger on the phytoplanktonic than on the heterotrophic bacterial communities. Under UVR and increased stratification, the commensalistic phytoplankton-bacteria relationship was strengthened in the high-UVR lake where excretion of organic carbon (EOC) rates exceeded the bacterial carbon demand (BCD; i.e., BCD : EOC(%) ratio < 100). This did not occur in the low-UVR lake (i.e., BCD : EOC(%) ratio > 100). The greater UVR damage to phytoplankton and bacteria and the weakening of their commensalistic interaction found in the low-UVR lake indicates that these ecosystems would be especially vulnerable to UVR and increased stratification as stressors related to global climate change. Thus, our findings may have important implications for the carbon cycle in oligotrophic lakes of the Mediterranean region.

  4. Retention of underrepresented minority students in dental school: one dental schools story.

    PubMed

    Lacy, Ernestine S; Miller, Barbara H; Hornback, Sheryl A; McCann, Ann L; Reuben, Jayne S

    2011-01-01

    There is a large disparity between the proportions of African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans in the general population and in the dental profession. While these underrepresented minorities (URMs) as a group make up almost 30% of the United States population, they constitute only about 6% of the nation's dentists. Eliminating this disparity is important in addressing access to care for underrepresented groups. Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry (TAMHSC-BCD) enrolled greater numbers and proportions of URM students than any other non-minority school from 2006-2010. Strategies used to achieve this level of diversity include a Whole File Review process; career awareness activities for elementary, junior high and high school students; and academic enrichment programs for college students and college graduates. Retaining and graduating URM students is just as important as enrolling them. TAMHSC-BCD's retention rate over the last five years is 95.7% for all students and 92.5% for URM students. A wide range of services aids in the retention process. These services are available to all students and include monitoring of students' academic performance followed up with academic advisement as appropriate, peer tutoring, an alternative five-year curriculum, professional psychological counseling, professional learning assessments, social support; and mentoring through student organizations. The retention program at TAMHSC-BCD can serve as a model for other dental and other health professions schools seeking ways to ensure the academic success of their URM students. The more of these students we enroll and graduate, the more the problem of access to dental care is addressed.

  5. Identification of the heme acquisition system in Vibrio vulnificus M2799.

    PubMed

    Kawano, Hiroaki; Miyamoto, Katsushiro; Yasunobe, Megumi; Murata, Masahiro; Yamahata, Eri; Yamaguchi, Ryo; Miyaki, Yuta; Tsuchiya, Takahiro; Tanabe, Tomotaka; Funahashi, Tatsuya; Tsujibo, Hiroshi

    2018-04-01

    Vibrio vulnificus, the causative agent of serious, often fatal, infections in humans, requires iron for its pathogenesis. As such, it obtains iron via both vulnibactin and heme-mediated iron-uptake systems. In this study, we identified the heme acquisition system in V. vulnificus M2799. The nucleotide sequences of the genes encoding heme receptors HupA and HvtA and the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport system proteins HupB, HupC, and HupD were determined, and then used in the construction of deletion mutants developed from a Δics strain, which could not synthesize vulnibactin. Growth experiments using these mutants indicated that HupA and HvtA are major and minor heme receptors, respectively. The expressions of two proteins were analyzed by the quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Furthermore, complementation analyses confirmed that the HupBCD proteins are the only ABC transport system shared by both the HupA and HvtA receptors. This is the first genetic evidence that the HupBCD proteins are essential for heme acquisition by V. vulnificus. Further investigation showed that hupA, hvtA, and hupBCD are regulated by Fur. The qRT-PCR analysis of the heme receptor genes revealed that HupR, a LysR-family positive transcriptional activator, upregulates the expression of hupA, but not hvtA. In addition, ptrB was co-transcribed with hvtA, and PtrB had no influence on growth in low-iron CM9 medium supplemented with hemin, hemoglobin, or cytochrome C. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Studies on the mechanism of electron bifurcation catalyzed by electron transferring flavoprotein (Etf) and butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase (Bcd) of Acidaminococcus fermentans.

    PubMed

    Chowdhury, Nilanjan Pal; Mowafy, Amr M; Demmer, Julius K; Upadhyay, Vikrant; Koelzer, Sebastian; Jayamani, Elamparithi; Kahnt, Joerg; Hornung, Marco; Demmer, Ulrike; Ermler, Ulrich; Buckel, Wolfgang

    2014-02-21

    Electron bifurcation is a fundamental strategy of energy coupling originally discovered in the Q-cycle of many organisms. Recently a flavin-based electron bifurcation has been detected in anaerobes, first in clostridia and later in acetogens and methanogens. It enables anaerobic bacteria and archaea to reduce the low-potential [4Fe-4S] clusters of ferredoxin, which increases the efficiency of the substrate level and electron transport phosphorylations. Here we characterize the bifurcating electron transferring flavoprotein (EtfAf) and butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase (BcdAf) of Acidaminococcus fermentans, which couple the exergonic reduction of crotonyl-CoA to butyryl-CoA to the endergonic reduction of ferredoxin both with NADH. EtfAf contains one FAD (α-FAD) in subunit α and a second FAD (β-FAD) in subunit β. The distance between the two isoalloxazine rings is 18 Å. The EtfAf-NAD(+) complex structure revealed β-FAD as acceptor of the hydride of NADH. The formed β-FADH(-) is considered as the bifurcating electron donor. As a result of a domain movement, α-FAD is able to approach β-FADH(-) by about 4 Å and to take up one electron yielding a stable anionic semiquinone, α-FAD, which donates this electron further to Dh-FAD of BcdAf after a second domain movement. The remaining non-stabilized neutral semiquinone, β-FADH(•), immediately reduces ferredoxin. Repetition of this process affords a second reduced ferredoxin and Dh-FADH(-) that converts crotonyl-CoA to butyryl-CoA.

  7. Studies on the Mechanism of Electron Bifurcation Catalyzed by Electron Transferring Flavoprotein (Etf) and Butyryl-CoA Dehydrogenase (Bcd) of Acidaminococcus fermentans*

    PubMed Central

    Chowdhury, Nilanjan Pal; Mowafy, Amr M.; Demmer, Julius K.; Upadhyay, Vikrant; Koelzer, Sebastian; Jayamani, Elamparithi; Kahnt, Joerg; Hornung, Marco; Demmer, Ulrike; Ermler, Ulrich; Buckel, Wolfgang

    2014-01-01

    Electron bifurcation is a fundamental strategy of energy coupling originally discovered in the Q-cycle of many organisms. Recently a flavin-based electron bifurcation has been detected in anaerobes, first in clostridia and later in acetogens and methanogens. It enables anaerobic bacteria and archaea to reduce the low-potential [4Fe-4S] clusters of ferredoxin, which increases the efficiency of the substrate level and electron transport phosphorylations. Here we characterize the bifurcating electron transferring flavoprotein (EtfAf) and butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase (BcdAf) of Acidaminococcus fermentans, which couple the exergonic reduction of crotonyl-CoA to butyryl-CoA to the endergonic reduction of ferredoxin both with NADH. EtfAf contains one FAD (α-FAD) in subunit α and a second FAD (β-FAD) in subunit β. The distance between the two isoalloxazine rings is 18 Å. The EtfAf-NAD+ complex structure revealed β-FAD as acceptor of the hydride of NADH. The formed β-FADH− is considered as the bifurcating electron donor. As a result of a domain movement, α-FAD is able to approach β-FADH− by about 4 Å and to take up one electron yielding a stable anionic semiquinone, α-FAD⨪, which donates this electron further to Dh-FAD of BcdAf after a second domain movement. The remaining non-stabilized neutral semiquinone, β-FADH•, immediately reduces ferredoxin. Repetition of this process affords a second reduced ferredoxin and Dh-FADH− that converts crotonyl-CoA to butyryl-CoA. PMID:24379410

  8. Randomized clinical trial on acute effects of i.v. iron sucrose during haemodialysis.

    PubMed

    Garcia-Fernandez, Nuria; Echeverria, Aitziber; Sanchez-Ibarrola, Alfonso; Páramo, José Antonio; Coma-Canella, Isabel

    2010-03-01

    Haemodialysis induces endothelial dysfunction by oxidation and inflammation. Intravenous iron administration during haemodialysis could worsen endothelial dysfunction. The aim of this study was to ascertain if iron produces endothelial dysfunction and the possible neutralizing effect of N-acetylcysteine when infused before iron. The oxidative and inflammatory effects of iron during haemodialysis were also assessed. Forty patients undergoing haemodialysis were studied in a randomized and cross-over design with and without N-acetylcysteine infused before iron sucrose (50 or 100 mg). Plasma Von Willebrand factor (vWF), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) levels, malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, CD11b/CD18 expression in monocytes, interleukin (IL)-8 in monocytes and plasma IL-8 were studied at baseline and during haemodialysis. Haemodialysis produced significant (P < 0.001) increase in plasma vWF, sICAM-1, malondialdehyde, IL-8 and CD11b/CD18 expression in monocytes, as well as decrease in total antioxidant capacity. Iron induced significant increase in plasma malondialdehyde and IL-8 in monocytes, but had no effect on total antioxidant capacity, CD11b/CD18 expression, plasma IL-8, vWF and sICAM-1. The addition of N-acetylcysteine to 50 mg of iron produced a significant (P = 0.040) decrease in malondialdehyde. Standard (100 mg) and low (50 mg) doses of iron during haemodialysis had no effects on endothelium. Iron only had minor effects on inflammation and produced an increase in oxidative stress, which was neutralized by N-acetylcysteine at low iron dose. Haemodialysis caused a significant increase in oxidative stress, inflammation and endothelial dysfunction markers.

  9. NK Depletion Results in Increased CCL22 Secretion and Treg Levels in Lewis Lung Carcinoma via the Accumulation of CCL22-secreting CD11b+CD11c+ Cells

    PubMed Central

    W., Mailloux, Adam; A., Clark, Anna-Maria; Rita, I. Young, M.

    2010-01-01

    Tumor induced immune suppression involves the accumulation of suppressive infiltrates in the tumor microenvironment such as regulatory T-cells (Tregs). Previous studies demonstrated that NK-dependant increases in CCL22 secretion selectively recruit Tregs toward murine lungs bearing Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC). In order to extend the in vitro studies, the present studies utilized in vivo depletion of NK cells to ascertain the contribution of NK-derived CCL22 toward total CCL22 and subsequent Treg levels in both normal and LLC-bearing lungs. However, NK depletion had the unexpected effect of increasing both CCL22 secretion and Treg levels in the lungs of NK-depleted LLC-bearing mice. This was concurrent with an increase in tumor burden. Flow cytometry and a series of both immunomagnetic and FACS isolations were used to identify the CCL22-producing cellular fractions in LLC-bearing lungs. A novel CD11b+CD11c+ cell population was identified that accumulates in large numbers in NK-depleted LLC-bearing lung tissue. These CD11b+CD11c+ cells secreted large amounts of CCL22 that may overcompensate for the loss of NK-derived CCL22 in the lungs of NK-depleted LLC-bearing mice. Taken together these data suggest that NK cells play both a positive and negative role in the regulation of CCL22 secretion and, in turn, the recruitment of Tregs toward LLC-bearing lungs. PMID:20198623

  10. Epidemiology of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in Northern Italy

    PubMed Central

    Caminati, Antonella; Conti, Sara; Cesana, Giancarlo

    2016-01-01

    Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common and severe form of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. Despite its clinical relevance, few studies have examined the epidemiology of IPF and temporal variation in disease incidence and prevalence. Aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence, incidence and trends of IPF in Lombardy, a region with nearly 10 million inhabitants, during 2005–2010. Methods For the identification of IPF patients, we used healthcare administrative databases of Lombardy Healthcare System and adopted three algorithms: generic, broad and narrow case definition (GCD, BCD, NCD). IPF cases were identified according to diagnoses reported in inpatient and outpatient claims occurred during 2000–2010. We estimated age- and sex-adjusted annual prevalence and incidence rates from 2005 to 2010, thus allowing for a 5-year washout period. Results The mean annual incidence rate was estimated at 2.3 and 5.3 per 100,000 person-years using NCD and GCD, respectively. IPF incidence was higher among males, and increased with age. Trend remained stable over the years. The estimated annual prevalence rate was 35.5, 22.4, and 12.6 per 100,000 person-years using GCD, BCD and NCD, respectively, and increased with age. Moreover, we observed a positive trend over the years. Using BCD and NCD, prevalence was higher among males. Conclusions The results of this study, which is one of the largest population-based survey ever conducted according to strict criteria, indicated that prevalence of IPF increased across the years while incidence remained stable, thus suggesting that survival with IPF has improved. PMID:26841042

  11. Decreased Superoxide Production, Degranulation, Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Secretion, and CD11b/CD18 Receptor Expression by Adherent Monocytes from Preterm Infants

    PubMed Central

    Kaufman, David; Kilpatrick, Laurie; Hudson, R. Guy; Campbell, Donald E.; Kaufman, Ann; Douglas, Steven D.; Harris, Mary C.

    1999-01-01

    Preterm infants have an increased incidence of infection, which is principally due to deficiencies in neonatal host defense mechanisms. Monocyte adherence is important in localizing cells at sites of infection and is associated with enhanced antimicrobial functions. We isolated cord blood monocytes from preterm and full-term infants to study their adhesion and immune functions, including superoxide (O2−) generation, degranulation, and cytokine secretion and their adhesion receptors. O2− production and degranulation were significantly diminished, by 28 and 37%, respectively, in adherent monocytes from preterm infants compared to full-term infants (P < 0.05); however, these differences were not seen in freshly isolated cells. We also observed a significant decrease of 35% in tumor necrosis factor alpha secretion by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated adherent monocytes from preterm infants compared to full-term infants (P < 0.05); however, this difference was not observed in interleukin-1β or interleukin-6 production by the monocytes. The cell surface expression of the CD11b/CD18 adhesion receptor subunits was significantly decreased (by 60 and 52%, respectively) in monocytes from preterm infants compared to full-term infants (P < 0.01). The cascade of the immune response to infection involves monocyte upregulation and adherence via CD11b/CD18 receptors followed by cell activation and the release of cytokines and bactericidal products. We speculate that monocyte adherence factors may be important in the modulation of immune responses in preterm infants. PMID:10391855

  12. Reclassification: Rationale and Problems; Proceedings of a Conference on Reclassification held at the Center of Adult Education, University of Maryland, College Park, April 4 to 6, 1968.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perreault, Jean M., Ed.

    Several factors are involved in the decision to reclassify library collections and several problems and choices must be faced. The discussion of four classification schemes (Dewey Decimal, Library of Congress, Library of Congress subject-headings and Universal Decimal Classification) involved in the choices concerns their structure, currency,…

  13. Evaluation of the Retrieval of Nuclear Science Document References Using the Universal Decimal Classification as the Indexing Language for a Computer-Based System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atherton, Pauline; And Others

    A single issue of Nuclear Science Abstracts, containing about 2,300 abstracts, was indexed by Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) using the Special Subject Edition of UDC for Nuclear Science and Technology. The descriptive cataloging and UDC-indexing records formed a computer-stored data base. A systematic random sample of 500 additional…

  14. Delayed Learning Effects with Erroneous Examples: A Study of Learning Decimals with a Web-Based Tutor

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McLaren, Bruce M.; Adams, Deanne M.; Mayer, Richard E.

    2015-01-01

    Erroneous examples--step-by-step problem solutions with one or more errors for students to find and fix--hold great potential to help students learn. In this study, which is a replication of a prior study (Adams et al. 2014), but with a much larger population (390 vs. 208), middle school students learned about decimals either by working with…

  15. New Perspectives for Didactical Engineering: An Example for the Development of a Resource for Teaching Decimal Number System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tempier, Frédérick

    2016-01-01

    Many studies have shown the difficulties of learning and teaching the decimal number system for whole numbers. In the case of numbers bigger than one hundred, complexity is partly due to the multitude of possible relationships between units. This study was aimed to develop conditions of a resource which can help teachers to enhance their teaching…

  16. Dewey Decimal Classification Online Project: Interim Reports to the Council on Library Resources, April 1984, September 1984, and February 1985.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Markey, Karen; Demeyer, Anh N.

    This research project focuses on the implementation and testing of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system as an online searcher's tool for subject access, browsing, and display in an online catalog. The research project comprises 12 activities. The three interim reports in this document cover the first seven of these activities: (1) obtain…

  17. A New Property of Repeating Decimals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arledge, Jane; Tekansik, Sarah

    2008-01-01

    As extended by Ginsberg, Midi's theorem says that if the repeated section of a decimal expansion of a prime is split into appropriate blocks and these are added, the result is a string of nines. We show that if the expansion of 1/p[superscript n+1] is treated the same way, instead of being a string of nines, the sum is related to the period of…

  18. Summary of lessons learned from the MDOT MEPDG materials library study.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-06-01

    From 2004 to 2009, Burns Cooley Dennis, Inc. (BCD) participated in two important research studies designed to populate the materials library for implementation of the new Mechanistic-Empirical pavement design method (MEPDG) in Mississippi. The purpos...

  19. A PERFORMANCE HISTORY OF THE BASE CATALYZED DECOMPOSITION (BCD) PROCESS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Remediation of halogenated organic compounds--such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs)--poses a challenge because these compounds are resistant to microbial attack and to degradation by many com...

  20. Vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling versus no peeling for idiopathic full-thickness macular hole.

    PubMed

    Spiteri Cornish, Kurt; Lois, Noemi; Scott, Neil W; Burr, Jennifer; Cook, Jonathan; Boachie, Charles; Tadayoni, Ramin; la Cour, Morten; Christensen, Ulrik; Kwok, Alvin K H

    2014-03-01

    To determine whether internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling improves anatomic and functional outcomes of full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) surgery when compared with the no-peeling technique. Systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis undertaken under the auspices of the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Patients with idiopathic stage 2, 3, and 4 FTMH undergoing vitrectomy with or without ILM peeling. Macular hole surgery, including vitrectomy and gas endotamponade with or without ILM peeling. Primary outcome was best-corrected distance visual acuity (BCdVA) at 6 months postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were BCdVA at 3 and 12 months; best-corrected near visual acuity (BCnVA) at 3, 6, and 12 months; primary (after a single surgery) and final (after >1 surgery) macular hole closure; need for additional surgical interventions; intraoperative and postoperative complications; patient-reported outcomes (PROs) (EuroQol-5D and Vision Function Questionnaire-25 scores at 6 months); and cost-effectiveness. Four RCTs were identified and included in the review. All RCTs were included in the meta-analysis; IPD were obtained from 3 of the 4 RCTs. No evidence of a difference in BCdVA at 6 months was detected (mean difference, -0.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.12 to 0.03; P=0.27); however, there was evidence of a difference in BCdVA at 3 months favoring ILM peeling (mean difference, -0.09; 95% CI, -0.17 to-0.02; P=0.02). There was evidence of an effect favoring ILM peeling with regard to primary (odds ratio [OR], 9.27; 95% CI, 4.98-17.24; P<0.00001) and final macular hole closure (OR, 3.99; 95% CI, 1.63-9.75; P=0.02) and less requirement for additional surgery (OR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.05-0.23; P<0.00001), with no evidence of a difference between groups with regard to intraoperative or postoperative complications or PROs. The ILM peeling was found to be highly cost-effective. Available evidence supports ILM peeling as the treatment of choice for patients with idiopathic stage 2, 3, and 4 FTMH. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Blood levels of lead, cadmium, and mercury in the elderly living in institutionalized care in the Czech Republic.

    PubMed

    Rambousková, Jolana; Krsková, Andrea; Slavíková, Miroslava; Cejchanová, Mája; Cerná, Milena

    2014-10-01

    There is limited research examining the chemical load of toxic metals in the elderly. The aim of the present study was two-fold: to determine the body burden of lead, cadmium and mercury in association with age, gender, locality, lifestyle factors and potential health impacts among this population and to compare the values with blood values from the general Czech population aged 18-64 years. Lead, cadmium and mercury were examined in the blood of institutionalized senior citizens (46 males, 151 females aged 61-100 years) from two localities in the Czech Republic (Prague and Teplice) from 2009 through 2011. Measurements were made using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Pb, Cd) and a single purpose spectrometer AMA 254 (Hg). Geometric means (GM) of whole blood lead (B-Pb), cadmium (B-Cd) and mercury (B-Hg) levels were 25.3μg/l, 0.55μg/l and 0.21μg/l, respectively. No age-related differences were found for B-Pb and B-Cd levels but a negative correlation with age was observed for B-Hg levels (p=0.04). B-Pb levels in men were significantly higher than in women (GM 29.9μg/l vs. 24.1μg/l). B-Cd was significantly higher in women (GM 0.57μg/l) than in men (0.50μg/l) (p=0.007) and in smokers (GM 1.29μg/l) than in nonsmokers (GM 0.53μg/l) (p=<0.001) and in seniors from Prague (GM 0.60μg/l) compared to those from Teplice (GM 0.43μg/l) (p=<0.001). Seniors with a history of chronic kidney disease, stroke and those using psycho-pharmaceuticals had higher B-Pb levels (p=0.008, 0.04 and 0.05, resp.), seniors diagnosed with atherosclerosis had higher B-Cd levels (p=0.002) and seniors using psycho-pharmaceuticals had higher B-Hg levels (p=0.07). B-Hg levels were also positively correlated with blood albumin levels (p=0.015). This study provides data on levels of heavy metals in a group of elderly people. Such information is very scarce. Associations with diseases should be the subject of further investigation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Dewey Decimal Classification Online Project: Evaluation of a Library Schedule and Index Integrated into the Subject Searching Capabilities of an Online Catalog. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Markey, Karen; Demeyer, Anh N.

    In this research project, subject terms from the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) Schedules and Relative Index were incorporated into an online catalog as searcher's tools for subject access, browsing, and display. Four features of the DDC were employed to help searchers browse for and match their own subject terms with the online catalog's…

  3. Proceedings of the 27th International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education Conference Held Jointly with the 25th PME-NA Conference (Honolulu, Hawaii, July 13-18, 2003). Volume 4

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pateman, Neil A., Ed; Dougherty, Barbara J., Ed.; Zilliox, Joseph T., Ed.

    2003-01-01

    This volume of the 27th International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education Conference includes the following research reports: (1) Improving Decimal Number Conception by Transfer from Fractions to Decimals (Irita Peled and Juhaina Awawdy Shahbari); (2) The Development of Student Teachers' Efficacy Beliefs in Mathematics during…

  4. Research of future network with multi-layer IP address

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Guoling; Long, Zhaohua; Wei, Ziqiang

    2018-04-01

    The shortage of IP addresses and the scalability of routing systems [1] are challenges for the Internet. The idea of dividing existing IP addresses between identities and locations is one of the important research directions. This paper proposed a new decimal network architecture based on IPv9 [11], and decimal network IP address from E.164 principle of traditional telecommunication network, the IP address level, which helps to achieve separation and identification and location of IP address, IP address form a multilayer network structure, routing scalability problem in remission at the same time, to solve the problem of IPv4 address depletion. On the basis of IPv9, a new decimal network architecture is proposed, and the IP address of the decimal network draws on the E.164 principle of the traditional telecommunication network, and the IP addresses are hierarchically divided, which helps to realize the identification and location separation of IP addresses, the formation of multi-layer IP address network structure, while easing the scalability of the routing system to find a way out of IPv4 address exhausted. In addition to modifying DNS [10] simply and adding the function of digital domain, a DDNS [12] is formed. At the same time, a gateway device is added, that is, IPV9 gateway. The original backbone network and user network are unchanged.

  5. 31 CFR 356.12 - What are the different types of bids and do they have specific requirements or restrictions?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... the specific security being auctioned; (ii) For which the security being auctioned is one of several... increments. The third decimal must be either a zero or a five, for example, 5.320 or 5.325. We will treat any missing decimals as zero, for example, a bid of 5.32 will be treated as 5.320. The rate bid may be a...

  6. Classification Schedules as Subject Enhancement in Online Catalogs. A Review of a Conference Sponsored by Forest Press, the OCLC Online Computer Library Center, and the Council on Library Resources.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mandel, Carol A.

    This paper presents a synthesis of the ideas and issues developed at a conference convened to review the results of the Dewey Decimal Classification Online Project and explore the potential for future use of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) and Library of Congress Classification (LCC) schedules in online library catalogs. Conference…

  7. Sharable Courseware Object Reference Model (SCORM), Version 1.0

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-07-01

    or query tool may provide the top- level entries of a well-established classification (LOC, UDC, DDC , and so forth). SEL 9.2.2 Taxon This subcategory...YYYY/MM/DD. CMIFeedback Structured description of student response in an interaction. CMIDecimal Number which may have a decimal point. If not...Seconds shall contain 2 digits with an optional decimal point and additional digits. CMITimespan A length of time in hours, minutes, and seconds

  8. Preservice Teachers' Understanding of the Relation between a Fraction or Integer and its Decimal Expansion: The Case of 0.9 and 1

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dubinsky, Ed; Arnon, Ilana; Weller, Kirk

    2013-01-01

    In this article, we obtain a genetic decomposition of students' progress in developing an understanding of the decimal 0.9 and its relation to 1. The genetic decomposition appears to be valid for a high percentage of the study participants and suggests the possibility of a new stage in APOS Theory that would be the first substantial change in…

  9. Input Decimated Ensembles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tumer, Kagan; Oza, Nikunj C.; Clancy, Daniel (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    Using an ensemble of classifiers instead of a single classifier has been shown to improve generalization performance in many pattern recognition problems. However, the extent of such improvement depends greatly on the amount of correlation among the errors of the base classifiers. Therefore, reducing those correlations while keeping the classifiers' performance levels high is an important area of research. In this article, we explore input decimation (ID), a method which selects feature subsets for their ability to discriminate among the classes and uses them to decouple the base classifiers. We provide a summary of the theoretical benefits of correlation reduction, along with results of our method on two underwater sonar data sets, three benchmarks from the Probenl/UCI repositories, and two synthetic data sets. The results indicate that input decimated ensembles (IDEs) outperform ensembles whose base classifiers use all the input features; randomly selected subsets of features; and features created using principal components analysis, on a wide range of domains.

  10. Role of psl Genes in Antibiotic Tolerance of Adherent Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    PubMed

    Murakami, Keiji; Ono, Tsuneko; Viducic, Darija; Somiya, Yoko; Kariyama, Reiko; Hori, Kenji; Amoh, Takashi; Hirota, Katsuhiko; Kumon, Hiromi; Parsek, Matthew R; Miyake, Yoichiro

    2017-07-01

    Bacteria attached to a surface are generally more tolerant to antibiotics than their planktonic counterparts, even without the formation of a biofilm. The mechanism of antibiotic tolerance in biofilm communities is multifactorial, and the genetic background underlying this antibiotic tolerance has not yet been fully elucidated. Using transposon mutagenesis, we isolated a mutant with reduced tolerance to biapenem (relative to that of the wild type) from adherent cells. Sequencing analysis revealed a mutation in the pslL gene, which is part of the polysaccharide biosynthesis operon. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1Δ pslBCD mutant demonstrated a 100-fold-lower survival rate during the exposure of planktonic and biofilm cells to biapenem; a similar phenotype was observed in a mouse infection model and in clinical strains. Transcriptional analysis of adherent cells revealed increased expression of both pslA and pelA , which are directly regulated by bis-(3',5')-cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP). Inactivation of wspF resulted in significantly increased tolerance to biapenem due to increased production of c-di-GMP. The loss of pslBCD in the Δ wspF mutant background abolished the biapenem-tolerant phenotype of the Δ wspF mutant, underscoring the importance of psl in biapenem tolerance. Overexpression of PA2133, which can catalyze the degradation of c-di-GMP, led to a significant reduction in biapenem tolerance in adherent cells, indicating that c-di-GMP is essential in mediating the tolerance effect. The effect of pslBCD on antibiotic tolerance was evident, with 50- and 200-fold-lower survival in the presence of ofloxacin and tobramycin, respectively. We speculate that the psl genes, which are activated by surface adherence through elevated intracellular c-di-GMP levels, confer tolerance to antimicrobials. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  11. MULTI-CHANNEL ELECTRIC PULSE HEIGHT ANALYZER

    DOEpatents

    Gallagher, J.D. et al.

    1960-11-22

    An apparatus is given for converting binary information into coded decimal form comprising means, in combination with a binary adder, a live memory and a source of bigit pulses, for synchronizing the bigit pulses and the adder output pulses; a source of digit pulses synchronized with every fourth bigit pulse; means for generating a conversion pulse in response to the time coincidence of the adder output pulse and a digit pulse: means having a delay equal to two bigit pulse periods coupling the adder output with the memory; means for promptly impressing said conversion pulse on the input of said memory: and means having a delay equal to one bigit pulse period for again impressing the conversion pulse on the input of the memory whereby a fourth bigit adder pulse results in the insertion into the memory of second, third and fourth bigits.

  12. Efficient extracellular production of type I secretion pathway-dependent Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase in recombinant Escherichia coli by heterologous ABC protein exporters.

    PubMed

    Eom, Gyeong Tae; Lee, Seung Hwan; Oh, Young Hoon; Choi, Ji Eun; Park, Si Jae; Song, Jae Kwang

    2014-10-01

    Heterologous ABC protein exporters, the apparatus of type I secretion pathway in Gram-negative bacteria, were used for extracellular production of Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase (TliA) in recombinant Escherichia coli. The effect of the expression of different ABC protein exporter gene clusters (P. fluorescens tliDEF, Pseudomonas aeruginosa aprDEF, Erwinia chrysanthemi prtDEF, and Serratia marcescens lipBCD genes) was examined on the secretion of TliA at growth temperatures of 20, 25, 30 and 35 °C. TliA secretion in recombinant E. coli XL10-Gold varied depending upon type of ABC protein exporter and culture temperature. E. coli expressing S. marcescens lipBCD genes showed the highest secretion level of TliA (122.8 U ml(-1)) when cultured at 25 °C. Thus, optimized culture conditions for efficient extracellular production of lipase in recombinant E. coli can be designed by changing the type of ABC protein exporter and the growth temperature.

  13. A search for HI in some peculiar faint dwarf galaxies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Begum, Ayesha; Chengalur, Jayaram N.

    2005-09-01

    We present a deep Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) search for HI 21-cm emission from three dwarf galaxies, viz. POX 186, SC 24 and KKR 25. Based, in part, on previous single-dish HI observations, these galaxies have been classified as a blue compact dwarf (BCD), a dwarf irregular and a transition galaxy, respectively. However, in conflict with previous single-dish detections, we do not detect HI in SC 24 or KKR 25. We suggest that the previous single-dish measurements were probably confused with the local Galactic emission. In the case of POX 186, we confirm the previous non-detection of HI but with substantially improved limits on its HI mass. Our derived upper limits on the HI mass of SC 24 and KKR 25 are similar to the typical HI mass limit for dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies, whereas in the case of POX 186, we find that its gas content is somewhat smaller than is typical of BCD galaxies.

  14. Analog/digital pH meter system I.C.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vincent, Paul; Park, Jea

    1992-01-01

    The project utilizes design automation software tools to design, simulate, and fabricate a pH meter integrated circuit (IC) system including a successive approximation type seven-bit analog to digital converter circuits using a 1.25 micron N-Well CMOS MOSIS process. The input voltage ranges from 0.5 to 1.0 V derived from a special type pH sensor, and the output is a three-digit decimal number display of pH with one decimal point.

  15. Understanding decimal proportions: discrete representations, parallel access, and privileged processing of zero.

    PubMed

    Varma, Sashank; Karl, Stacy R

    2013-05-01

    Much of the research on mathematical cognition has focused on the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, with considerably less attention paid to more abstract number classes. The current research investigated how people understand decimal proportions--rational numbers between 0 and 1 expressed in the place-value symbol system. The results demonstrate that proportions are represented as discrete structures and processed in parallel. There was a semantic interference effect: When understanding a proportion expression (e.g., "0.29"), both the correct proportion referent (e.g., 0.29) and the incorrect natural number referent (e.g., 29) corresponding to the visually similar natural number expression (e.g., "29") are accessed in parallel, and when these referents lead to conflicting judgments, performance slows. There was also a syntactic interference effect, generalizing the unit-decade compatibility effect for natural numbers: When comparing two proportions, their tenths and hundredths components are processed in parallel, and when the different components lead to conflicting judgments, performance slows. The results also reveal that zero decimals--proportions ending in zero--serve multiple cognitive functions, including eliminating semantic interference and speeding processing. The current research also extends the distance, semantic congruence, and SNARC effects from natural numbers to decimal proportions. These findings inform how people understand the place-value symbol system, and the mental implementation of mathematical symbol systems more generally. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. From rational numbers to algebra: separable contributions of decimal magnitude and relational understanding of fractions.

    PubMed

    DeWolf, Melissa; Bassok, Miriam; Holyoak, Keith J

    2015-05-01

    To understand the development of mathematical cognition and to improve instructional practices, it is critical to identify early predictors of difficulty in learning complex mathematical topics such as algebra. Recent work has shown that performance with fractions on a number line estimation task predicts algebra performance, whereas performance with whole numbers on similar estimation tasks does not. We sought to distinguish more specific precursors to algebra by measuring multiple aspects of knowledge about rational numbers. Because fractions are the first numbers that are relational expressions to which students are exposed, we investigated how understanding the relational bipartite format (a/b) of fractions might connect to later algebra performance. We presented middle school students with a battery of tests designed to measure relational understanding of fractions, procedural knowledge of fractions, and placement of fractions, decimals, and whole numbers onto number lines as well as algebra performance. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the best predictors of algebra performance were measures of relational fraction knowledge and ability to place decimals (not fractions or whole numbers) onto number lines. These findings suggest that at least two specific components of knowledge about rational numbers--relational understanding (best captured by fractions) and grasp of unidimensional magnitude (best captured by decimals)--can be linked to early success with algebraic expressions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Metal-Poor, Strongly Star-Forming Galaxies in the DEEP2 Survey: The Relationship Between Stellar Mass, Temperature-Based Metallicity, and Star Formation Rate

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ly, Chun; Rigby, Jane R.; Cooper, Michael; Yan, Renbin

    2015-01-01

    We report on the discovery of 28 redshift (z) approximately 0.8 metal-poor galaxies in DEEP2. These galaxies were selected for their detection of the weak [O (sub III)] lambda 4363 emission line, which provides a "direct" measure of the gas-phase metallicity. A primary goal for identifying these rare galaxies is to examine whether the fundamental metallicity relation (FMR) between stellar mass, gas metallicity, and star formation rate (SFR) extends to low stellar mass and high SFR. The FMR suggests that higher SFR galaxies have lower metallicity (at fixed stellar mass). To test this trend, we combine spectroscopic measurements of metallicity and dust-corrected SFRs, with stellar mass estimates from modeling the optical photometry. We find that these galaxies are 1.05 plus or minus 0.61 decimal exponent (dex) above the redshift (z) approximately equal to 1 stellar mass-SFR relation, and 0.23 plus or minus 0.23 decimal exponent (dex) below the local mass-metallicity relation. Relative to the FMR, the latter offset is reduced to 0.01 decimal exponent (dex), but significant dispersion remains (0.29 decimal exponent (dex) with 0.16 decimal exponent (dex) due to measurement uncertainties). This dispersion suggests that gas accretion, star formation and chemical enrichment have not reached equilibrium in these galaxies. This is evident by their short stellar mass doubling timescale of approximately 100 (sup plus 310) (sub minus 75) million years that suggests stochastic star formation. Combining our sample with other redshift (z) of approximately 1 metal-poor galaxies, we find a weak positive SFR-metallicity dependence (at fixed stellar mass) that is significant at 97.3 percent confidence. We interpret this positive correlation as recent star formation that has enriched the gas, but has not had time to drive the metal-enriched gas out with feedback mechanisms.

  18. Genome-wide identification of genes regulated by the Rcs Phosphorelay system in Erwinia amylovora

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The exopolysaccharide amylovoran is one of the major pathgenicity factors in Erwinia amylovora, the causal agent of fire blight of apples and pears. We have previously demonstrated that the RcsBCD phosphorelay system is essential for virulence by controlling amylovoran biosynthesis. We have also fou...

  19. Engineered Bio-Molecular Nano-Devices/Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-03-01

    molecules with proper size will be captured by BCD and produce current blockage events, including, e.g., ibuprofen and thalidomide [37]. However, since...detection of enantiomers ," J. Am. Chem. Soc, vol. 128, pp. 10684-10685, 2006. [38] F. Sachs, J. Neil, and N. Barkakati, "The Automated-Analysis of

  20. Signed-negabinary-arithmetic-based optical computing by use of a single liquid-crystal-display panel.

    PubMed

    Datta, Asit K; Munshi, Soumika

    2002-03-10

    Based on the negabinary number representation, parallel one-step arithmetic operations (that is, addition and subtraction), logical operations, and matrix-vector multiplication on data have been optically implemented, by use of a two-dimensional spatial-encoding technique. For addition and subtraction, one of the operands in decimal form is converted into the unsigned negabinary form, whereas the other decimal number is represented in the signed negabinary form. The result of operation is obtained in the mixed negabinary form and is converted back into decimal. Matrix-vector multiplication for unsigned negabinary numbers is achieved through the convolution technique. Both of the operands for logical operation are converted to their signed negabinary forms. All operations are implemented by use of a unique optical architecture. The use of a single liquid-crystal-display panel to spatially encode the input data, operational kernels, and decoding masks have simplified the architecture as well as reduced the cost and complexity.

  1. [Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes to physical exposure].

    PubMed

    Augustin, J C

    1996-11-01

    The resistance of Listeria monocytogenes to physical processing, particularly heat resistance and radioresistance, is widely dependent on the method involved, the physiological state of the strain used, and, obviously, the substrate in which the organism is. HTST pasteurization of milk would allow at least 11 decimal reductions of the potentially present population of L. monocytogenes, and then greatly minimizes the risks of survival of the organism. On the other hand, high and low pasteurizations of egg products may involve only 4 to 5 decimal reductions and appear then not very reliable towards Listeria. Similarly, meat products cooking can, in some conditions, be inadequate to allow the total inactivation of contaminant L. monocytogenes. A 3 kGy irradiation of meat products should allow, on an average, 6 decimal reductions. These results must incite the manufacturers to take into account factors present in their products which allow L. monocytogenes to better resist and this in order to adapt processing to these conditions of increased resistance.

  2. Independent divergence of 13- and 17-y life cycles among three periodical cicada lineages.

    PubMed

    Sota, Teiji; Yamamoto, Satoshi; Cooley, John R; Hill, Kathy B R; Simon, Chris; Yoshimura, Jin

    2013-04-23

    The evolution of 13- and 17-y periodical cicadas (Magicicada) is enigmatic because at any given location, up to three distinct species groups (Decim, Cassini, Decula) with synchronized life cycles are involved. Each species group is divided into one 13- and one 17-y species with the exception of the Decim group, which contains two 13-y species-13-y species are Magicicada tredecim, Magicicada neotredecim, Magicicada tredecassini, and Magicicada tredecula; and 17-y species are Magicicada septendecim, Magicicada cassini, and Magicicada septendecula. Here we show that the divergence leading to the present 13- and 17-y populations differs considerably among the species groups despite the fact that each group exhibits strikingly similar phylogeographic patterning. The earliest divergence of extant lineages occurred ∼4 Mya with one branch forming the Decim species group and the other subsequently splitting 2.5 Mya to form the Cassini and Decula species groups. The earliest split of extant lineages into 13- and 17-y life cycles occurred in the Decim lineage 0.5 Mya. All three species groups experienced at least one episode of life cycle divergence since the last glacial maximum. We hypothesize that despite independent origins, the three species groups achieved their current overlapping distributions because life-cycle synchronization of invading congeners to a dominant resident population enabled escape from predation and population persistence. The repeated life-cycle divergences supported by our data suggest the presence of a common genetic basis for the two life cycles in the three species groups.

  3. Multiplier less high-speed squaring circuit for binary numbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sethi, Kabiraj; Panda, Rutuparna

    2015-03-01

    The squaring operation is important in many applications in signal processing, cryptography etc. In general, squaring circuits reported in the literature use fast multipliers. A novel idea of a squaring circuit without using multipliers is proposed in this paper. Ancient Indian method used for squaring decimal numbers is extended here for binary numbers. The key to our success is that no multiplier is used. Instead, one squaring circuit is used. The hardware architecture of the proposed squaring circuit is presented. The design is coded in VHDL and synthesised and simulated in Xilinx ISE Design Suite 10.1 (Xilinx Inc., San Jose, CA, USA). It is implemented in Xilinx Vertex 4vls15sf363-12 device (Xilinx Inc.). The results in terms of time delay and area is compared with both modified Booth's algorithm and squaring circuit using Vedic multipliers. Our proposed squaring circuit seems to have better performance in terms of both speed and area.

  4. Reanalyzing Head et al. (2015): investigating the robustness of widespread p-hacking.

    PubMed

    Hartgerink, Chris H J

    2017-01-01

    Head et al. (2015) provided a large collection of p -values that, from their perspective, indicates widespread statistical significance seeking (i.e., p -hacking). This paper inspects this result for robustness. Theoretically, the p -value distribution should be a smooth, decreasing function, but the distribution of reported p -values shows systematically more reported p -values for .01, .02, .03, .04, and .05 than p -values reported to three decimal places, due to apparent tendencies to round p -values to two decimal places. Head et al. (2015) correctly argue that an aggregate p -value distribution could show a bump below .05 when left-skew p -hacking occurs frequently. Moreover, the elimination of p  = .045 and p  = .05, as done in the original paper, is debatable. Given that eliminating p  = .045 is a result of the need for symmetric bins and systematically more p -values are reported to two decimal places than to three decimal places, I did not exclude p  = .045 and p  = .05. I conducted Fisher's method .04 <  p  < .05 and reanalyzed the data by adjusting the bin selection to .03875 <  p  ≤ .04 versus .04875 <  p  ≤ .05. Results of the reanalysis indicate that no evidence for left-skew p -hacking remains when we look at the entire range between .04 <  p  < .05 or when we inspect the second-decimal. Taking into account reporting tendencies when selecting the bins to compare is especially important because this dataset does not allow for the recalculation of the p -values. Moreover, inspecting the bins that include two-decimal reported p -values potentially increases sensitivity if strategic rounding down of p -values as a form of p -hacking is widespread. Given the far-reaching implications of supposed widespread p -hacking throughout the sciences Head et al. (2015), it is important that these findings are robust to data analysis choices if the conclusion is to be considered unequivocal. Although no evidence of widespread left-skew p -hacking is found in this reanalysis, this does not mean that there is no p -hacking at all. These results nuance the conclusion by Head et al. (2015), indicating that the results are not robust and that the evidence for widespread left-skew p -hacking is ambiguous at best.

  5. Reanalyzing Head et al. (2015): investigating the robustness of widespread p-hacking

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Head et al. (2015) provided a large collection of p-values that, from their perspective, indicates widespread statistical significance seeking (i.e., p-hacking). This paper inspects this result for robustness. Theoretically, the p-value distribution should be a smooth, decreasing function, but the distribution of reported p-values shows systematically more reported p-values for .01, .02, .03, .04, and .05 than p-values reported to three decimal places, due to apparent tendencies to round p-values to two decimal places. Head et al. (2015) correctly argue that an aggregate p-value distribution could show a bump below .05 when left-skew p-hacking occurs frequently. Moreover, the elimination of p = .045 and p = .05, as done in the original paper, is debatable. Given that eliminating p = .045 is a result of the need for symmetric bins and systematically more p-values are reported to two decimal places than to three decimal places, I did not exclude p = .045 and p = .05. I conducted Fisher’s method .04 < p < .05 and reanalyzed the data by adjusting the bin selection to .03875 < p ≤ .04 versus .04875 < p ≤ .05. Results of the reanalysis indicate that no evidence for left-skew p-hacking remains when we look at the entire range between .04 < p < .05 or when we inspect the second-decimal. Taking into account reporting tendencies when selecting the bins to compare is especially important because this dataset does not allow for the recalculation of the p-values. Moreover, inspecting the bins that include two-decimal reported p-values potentially increases sensitivity if strategic rounding down of p-values as a form of p-hacking is widespread. Given the far-reaching implications of supposed widespread p-hacking throughout the sciences Head et al. (2015), it is important that these findings are robust to data analysis choices if the conclusion is to be considered unequivocal. Although no evidence of widespread left-skew p-hacking is found in this reanalysis, this does not mean that there is no p-hacking at all. These results nuance the conclusion by Head et al. (2015), indicating that the results are not robust and that the evidence for widespread left-skew p-hacking is ambiguous at best. PMID:28265523

  6. The elusive constellations of poverty.

    PubMed

    Breugelmans, Seger M; Plantinga, Arnoud; Zeelenberg, Marcel; Poluektova, Olga; Efremova, Maria

    2017-01-01

    Pepper & Nettle describe possible processes underlying what they call a behavioral constellation of deprivation (BCD). Although we are certain about the application of evolutionary models to our understanding of poverty, we are less certain about the utility of behavioral constellations. The empirical record on poverty-related behaviors is much more divergent and broad than such constellations suggest.

  7. Disintegration of Nascent Replication Bubbles during Thymine Starvation Triggers RecA- and RecBCD-dependent Replication Origin Destruction*

    PubMed Central

    Kuong, Kawai J.; Kuzminov, Andrei

    2012-01-01

    Thymineless death strikes cells unable to synthesize DNA precursor dTTP, with the nature of chromosomal damage still unclear. Thymine starvation stalls replication forks, whereas accumulating evidence indicates the replication origin is also affected. Using a novel DNA labeling technique, here we show that replication slowly continues in thymine-starved cells, but the newly synthesized DNA becomes fragmented and degraded. This degradation apparently releases enough thymine to sustain initiation of new replication bubbles from the chromosomal origin, which destabilizes the origin in a RecA-dependent manner. Marker frequency analysis with gene arrays 1) reveals destruction of the origin-centered chromosomal segment in RecA+ cells; 2) confirms origin accumulation in the recA mutants; and 3) identifies the sites around the origin where destruction initiates in the recBCD mutants. We propose that thymineless cells convert persistent single-strand gaps behind replication forks into double-strand breaks, using the released thymine for new initiations, whereas subsequent disintegration of small replication bubbles causes replication origin destruction. PMID:22621921

  8. Complexes between methyltestosterone and β-cyclodextrin for application in aquaculture production.

    PubMed

    Carvalho, Lucas Bragança de; Burusco, Kepa Koldo; Jaime, Carlos; Venâncio, Tiago; Carvalho, Aline Ferreira Souza de; Murgas, Luis David Solis; Pinto, Luciana de Matos Alves

    2018-01-01

    The inclusion complexes between 17-α-methyltestosterone (MT) and β-cyclodextrin (bCD) were prepared and characterized in dissolution and solid phase. The complex promoted a sixfold increment in solubility of the hormone. It has a limited solubility and stoichiometry of 2:1 (bCD:MT) determined by DSC, NMR and solubility experiments, the association constant Ka=2846Lmol -1 and complex fraction of 76% (assessed by DOSY-NMR, in (1:3) DMSO/D 2 O). The association constant obtained in water by the solubility isotherms is 7540Lmol -1 . 2D-ROESY experiments indicate the intermolecular orientation (complete inclusion of the hormone in the cavity). Simulations by molecular dynamics agreed with the formation of the inclusion complex 2:1. Release tests showed the slower release for the complexes, with 50% for lyophilization and 56% for malaxation. These results clearly demonstrate the complexation of MT in bCD, which formulations are promising for further applications involving this steroid in aquaculture, both for sexual reversal and in technologies of hormone in water sequestration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Photometry of YSOs in eight bright-rimmed clouds (Sharma+, 2016)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, S.; Pandey, A. K.; Borissova, J.; Ojha, D. K.; Ivanov, V. D.; Ogura, K.; Kobayashi, N.; Kurtev, R.; Gopinathan, M.; Yadav, R. K.

    2016-08-01

    Near-infrared (J, H, K') data for eight selected Bright-Rimmed Clouds (BRCs) along with two nearby field regions (see Table1) were collected with the Infrared Side Port Imager (ISPI) camera (FOV~10.5*10.5arcmin2; scale 0.3arcsec/pixel) on the 4m Blanco telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), Chile, during the nights of 2010 March 03-04. The seeing was ~1arcsec. The individual exposure times were 60 s per frame for all filters. The total exposure time for the target fields was 540s for each J, H, and K' band. We also used the infrared archived data taken from the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) of the space-based Spitzer telescope at the 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8.0μm bands. We obtained Basic Calibrated Data (BCD) from the Spitzer data archive for all BRCs (except SFO 76, which has no Spitzer data). The exposure time of each BCD was 10.4s (4 data files).

  10. Hypermethylations of RASAL1 and KLOTHO is associated with renal dysfunction in a Chinese population environmentally exposed to cadmium

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

    Zhang, Chen; Liang, Yihuai; Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, 130 DongAn Road, Shanghai 200032

    2013-08-15

    Exposure to cadmium (Cd) can affect both DNA methylation and renal function, but there are few examples of the association between epigenetic markers and Cd-induced kidney damage. It has been suggested that hypermethylation of the genes RASAL1 and KLOTHO is associated with renal fibrogenesis. To investigate whether hypermethylation of RASAL1 and KLOTHO in peripheral blood DNA can be associated with Cd exposure and/or Cd-induced renal dysfunction, the degrees of methylation of RASAL1 and KLOTHO in peripheral blood DNA from 81 residents in Cd-polluted and non-polluted areas were measured using bisulfate-PCR-pyrosequencing. Changes in blood cadmium (BCd), urinary cadmium (UCd), and kidneymore » parameters were measured, and the glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was estimated. The levels of BCd and UCd correlated positively with the levels of DNA methylation in RASAL1 and in KLOTHO. The more heavily exposed residents (BCd, 4.23–13.22 μg/L; UCd, 8.65–32.90 μg/g creatinine) exhibited obvious renal dysfunction. Notably, when Cd concentration in blood and urine was adjusted, the increased methylation level in RASAL1 was inversely correlated with eGFR (P < 0.01) but the relationship between hypermethylation of KLOTHO and eGFR was not statistically significant. The methylation of RASAL1 increased along with the increased abnormal prevalence of eGFR. Our findings suggest that Cd exposure can induce the hypermethylation of RASAL1 and KLOTHO. Hypermethylation of RASAL1 may be an indicator of the progress for chronic kidney disease. - Highlights: • A long term heavily Cd exposure induced renal dysfunction. • Cd exposure correlated positively with DNA methylation in RASAL1 and KLOTHO. • Hypermethylation of RASAL1 correlated with adjusted renal function indicators.« less

  11. Loss of CD11b Exacerbates Murine Complement-Mediated Tubulointerstitial Nephritis

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Ying; Chang, Anthony; Haas, Mark; Quigg, Richard John

    2014-01-01

    Acute complement activation occurs in the tubulointerstitium (TI) of kidneys transplanted from Crry−/−C3−/− mice into complement-sufficient wildtype mice, followed by marked inflammatory cell infiltration, tubular damage and interstitial fibrosis. We postulated iC3b-CD11b interactions were critical in this TI nephritis model. We transplanted Crry−/−C3−/− mouse kidneys into CD11b−/− and wildtype C57BL/6 mice. Surprisingly, there was greater inflammation in Crry−/−C3−/− kidneys in CD11b−/− recipients compared to those in wildtype hosts. Kidneys in CD11b−/− recipients had large numbers of CD11b−Ly6ChiCCR2hiF4/80+ cells consistent with inflammatory (M1) macrophages recruited from circulating monocytes of the host CD11b−/− animal. There was also an expanded population of CD11b+CD11c+Ly6C−F4/80hi cells. Since these cells were CD11b+, they must have originated from the transplanted kidney; their surface protein expression and appearance within the kidney were consistent with the intrinsic renal mononuclear cellular population. These cells were markedly expanded relative to all relevant controls, including the contralateral donor kidney and Crry−/−C3−/− mouse kidneys in CD11b+/+ wildtype recipients. Direct evidence for their in situ proliferation was the presence of nuclear Ki67 and PCNA in CD11b+F4/80+ cells. Thus, in this experimental model in which there is unrestricted C3 activation, CD11b+ monocytes limit their own infiltration into the kidney and prevent proliferation of endogenous mononuclear cells. This suggests a role for outside-in iC3b-CD11b signals in limiting intrinsic organ inflammation. PMID:24632830

  12. The Epoch of the First Star Formation in the Closest Metal-Poor Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxy UGC 4483

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aloisi, Alessandra

    2017-08-01

    Metal-poor Blue Compact Dwarf (BCD) galaxies have been interpreted as nearby galaxies in formation. This view has been challenged by HST detection of Red Giant Branch (RGB) stars in all metal-poor BCDs where an RGB tip (TRGB, brightest RGB phase) has been searched for, impling the presence of stars at least 1 Gyr old. Due to the age-metallicity degeneracy, the RGB color provides little insight into the exact star formation history (SFH) beyond 1 Gyr. So, the first SF epoch may have occurred anywhere between 13 and 1 Gyr ago. To resolve this, it is necessary to reach features in the color-magnitude diagram (CMD) that are much fainter than the TRGB. Here we propose new WFC3/UVIS observations (with ACS/WFC in parallel) of the closest metal-poor BCD, UGC 4483. These data will yield an I vs. V-I CMD that goes 4 mag deeper than the TRGB allowing to detect red clump (RC) and horizontal branch (HB) stars. Variable stars of RR Lyrae type will also be detected. With their mere presence, these variables will indisputably prove the existence of a population at least 10 Gyr old. Apparent mag and width of RC, HB and RGB will independently constrain age and metallicity of the old/evolved stars, the presence of multiple SF episodes, their duration and metallicity spread. This deep crowded-field photometric project is only possible with HST. Due to UGC 4483 location in CVZ, it can be done in half the number of orbits that it would otherwise take. Since UGC 4483 is so close, it may be the only BCD for which these questions can be answered in the near future. It provides our best chance for learning about the true cosmological age and evolutionary state of these enigmatic galaxies.

  13. Clinical and molecular findings in three Lebanese families with Bietti crystalline dystrophy: report on a novel mutation.

    PubMed

    Haddad, Nour Maya N; Waked, Naji; Bejjani, Riad; Khoueir, Ziad; Chouery, Eliane; Corbani, Sandra; Mégarbané, André

    2012-01-01

    Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutation of the cytochrome P450, family 4, subfamily V, polypeptide 2 (CYP4V2) gene and characterized by retinal pigmentary abnormalities and scattered deposits of crystals in the retina and the marginal cornea. The aim of this study was to investigate the spectrum of mutations in CYP4V2 in Lebanese families, and to characterize the phenotype of patients affected with BCD. Nine patients from three unrelated Lebanese families were clinically and molecularly investigated. Detailed characterization of the patients' phenotype was performed with comprehensive ophthalmic examination, color vision study, fundus photography, visual field testing, retinal fluorescein angiography, electroretinography, and electrooculography. One family was followed for 12 years. The 11 exons of the CYP4V2 gene were sequenced. Symptoms consisting of night blindness, loss of paracentral visual field, and disturbed color vision were apparent during the third decade of life. Ophthalmoscopy revealed posterior pole crystalline deposits and areas of retinal pigment epithelium atrophy. Fluorescein angiography disclosed geographic areas of the pigment epithelium layer and choriocapillaris atrophy in the posterior pole and fundus periphery. The most striking findings were those of normal electroretinographic responses in some patients and clinical heterogeneity. Two mutations in CYP4V2 were found: p.I111T (c.332T>C) in exon 3 in two families and the novel p.V458M (c.1372G>A) mutation in exon 9 in one family. These patients are affected with Bietti crystalline dystrophy without corneal involvement. Variation in disease severity and electroretinographic responses suggests that environmental or additional genetic factors influence the course of the retinal disease. The CYP4V2 p.I111T (c.332T>C) mutant allele may be especially prevalent among patients with BCD in Lebanon, resulting from a single founder.

  14. Archive of Digital Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected During USGS Cruise 14BIM05 Offshore of Breton Island, Louisiana, August 2014

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Forde, Arnell S.; Flocks, James G.; Wiese, Dana S.; Fredericks, Jake J.

    2016-03-29

    The archived trace data are in standard SEG Y rev. 0 format (Barry and others, 1975); the first 3,200 bytes of the card image header are in American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) format instead of Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) format. The SEG Y files are available on the DVD version of this report or online, downloadable via the USGS Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data System (http://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov). The data are also available for viewing using GeoMapApp (http://www.geomapapp.org) and Virtual Ocean (http://www.virtualocean.org) multi-platform open source software. The Web version of this archive does not contain the SEG Y trace files. To obtain the complete DVD archive, contact USGS Information Services at 1-888-ASK-USGS or infoservices@usgs.gov. The SEG Y files may be downloaded and processed with commercial or public domain software such as Seismic Unix (SU) (Cohen and Stockwell, 2010). See the How To Download SEG Y Data page for download instructions. The printable profiles are provided as Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) images processed and gained using SU software and can be viewed from theProfiles page or by using the links located on the trackline maps; refer to the Software page for links to example SU processing scripts.

  15. An effective algorithm for calculating the Chandrasekhar function

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jablonski, A.

    2012-08-01

    Numerical values of the Chandrasekhar function are needed with high accuracy in evaluations of theoretical models describing electron transport in condensed matter. An algorithm for such calculations should be possibly fast and also accurate, e.g. an accuracy of 10 decimal digits is needed for some applications. Two of the integral representations of the Chandrasekhar function are prospective for constructing such an algorithm, but suitable transformations are needed to obtain a rapidly converging quadrature. A mixed algorithm is proposed in which the Chandrasekhar function is calculated from two algorithms, depending on the value of one of the arguments. Catalogue identifier: AEMC_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEMC_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 567 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 4444 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Fortran 90 Computer: Any computer with a FORTRAN 90 compiler Operating system: Linux, Windows 7, Windows XP RAM: 0.6 Mb Classification: 2.4, 7.2 Nature of problem: An attempt has been made to develop a subroutine that calculates the Chandrasekhar function with high accuracy, of at least 10 decimal places. Simultaneously, this subroutine should be very fast. Both requirements stem from the theory of electron transport in condensed matter. Solution method: Two algorithms were developed, each based on a different integral representation of the Chandrasekhar function. The final algorithm is edited by mixing these two algorithms and by selecting ranges of the argument ω in which performance is the fastest. Restrictions: Two input parameters for the Chandrasekhar function, x and ω (notation used in the code), are restricted to the range: 0⩽x⩽1 and 0⩽ω⩽1, which is sufficient in numerous applications. Unusual features: The program uses the Romberg quadrature for integration. This quadrature is applicable to integrands that satisfy several requirements (the integrand does not vary rapidly and does not change sign in the integration interval; furthermore, the integrand is finite at the endpoints). Consequently, the analyzed integrands were transformed so that these requirements were satisfied. In effect, one can conveniently control the accuracy of integration. Although the desired fractional accuracy was set at 10-10, the obtained accuracy of the Chandrasekhar function was much higher, typically 13 decimal places. Running time: Between 0.7 and 5 milliseconds for one pair of arguments of the Chandrasekhar function.

  16. Fundamental parameters of He-weak and He-strong stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cidale, L. S.; Arias, M. L.; Torres, A. F.; Zorec, J.; Frémat, Y.; Cruzado, A.

    2007-06-01

    Context: He-weak and He-strong stars are chemically peculiar AB objects whose He lines are anomalously weak or strong for their MK spectral type. The determination of fundamental parameters for these stars is often more complex than for normal stars due to their abundance anomalies. Aims: We discuss the determination of fundamental parameters: effective temperature, surface gravity, and visual and bolometric absolute magnitudes of He-weak and He-strong stars. We compare our values with those derived independently from methods based on photometry and model fitting. Methods: We carried out low resolution spectroscopic observations in the wavelength range 3400-4700 Å of 20 He-weak and 8 He-strong stars to determine their fundamental parameters by means of the Divan-Chalonge-Barbier (BCD) spectrophotometric system. This system is based on the measurement of the continuum energy distribution around the Balmer discontinuity (BD). For a few He-weak stars we also estimate the effective temperatures and the angular diameters by integrating absolute fluxes observed over a wide spectral range. Non-LTE model calculations are carried out to study the influence of the He/H abundance ratio on the emergent radiation of He-strong stars and on their T_eff determination. Results: We find that the effective temperatures, surface gravities and bolometric absolute magnitudes of He-weak stars estimated with the BCD system and the integrated flux method are in good agreement between each other, and they also agree with previous determinations based on several different methods. The mean discrepancy between the visual absolute magnitudes derived using the hipparcos parallaxes and the BCD values is on average ±0.3 mag for He-weak stars, while it is ±0.5 mag for He-strong stars. For He-strong stars, we note that the BCD calibration, based on stars in the solar environment, leads to overestimated values of T_eff. By means of model atmosphere calculations with enhanced He/H abundance ratios we show that larger He/H ratios produce smaller BD which naturally explains the T_eff overestimation. We take advantage of these calculations to introduce a method to estimate the He/H abundance ratio in He-strong stars. The BD of HD 37479 suggests that the T_eff of this star remains fairly constant as the star spectrum undergoes changes in the intensity of H and He absorption lines. Data for the He-strong star HD 66765 are reported for the first time. Observations taken at CASLEO, operating under agreement of CONICET and the Universities of La Plata, Córdoba and San Juan, Argentina. Tables [see full text]-[see full text] and Appendix A are only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

  17. Optimal sensor placement for spatial lattice structure based on genetic algorithms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Wei; Gao, Wei-cheng; Sun, Yi; Xu, Min-jian

    2008-10-01

    Optimal sensor placement technique plays a key role in structural health monitoring of spatial lattice structures. This paper considers the problem of locating sensors on a spatial lattice structure with the aim of maximizing the data information so that structural dynamic behavior can be fully characterized. Based on the criterion of optimal sensor placement for modal test, an improved genetic algorithm is introduced to find the optimal placement of sensors. The modal strain energy (MSE) and the modal assurance criterion (MAC) have been taken as the fitness function, respectively, so that three placement designs were produced. The decimal two-dimension array coding method instead of binary coding method is proposed to code the solution. Forced mutation operator is introduced when the identical genes appear via the crossover procedure. A computational simulation of a 12-bay plain truss model has been implemented to demonstrate the feasibility of the three optimal algorithms above. The obtained optimal sensor placements using the improved genetic algorithm are compared with those gained by exiting genetic algorithm using the binary coding method. Further the comparison criterion based on the mean square error between the finite element method (FEM) mode shapes and the Guyan expansion mode shapes identified by data-driven stochastic subspace identification (SSI-DATA) method are employed to demonstrate the advantage of the different fitness function. The results showed that some innovations in genetic algorithm proposed in this paper can enlarge the genes storage and improve the convergence of the algorithm. More importantly, the three optimal sensor placement methods can all provide the reliable results and identify the vibration characteristics of the 12-bay plain truss model accurately.

  18. BASE CATALYZED DECOMPOSITION (BCD) OF PCB AND DIOXIN CONTAMINATED CONDENSATE OIL FROM THE REMEDIATION OF THE WARREN COUNTY LANDFILL, NC

    EPA Science Inventory

    In the late 1970s thousands of gallons of transformer fluid contaminated with PCBs were illegally sprayed along approximately 210 miles of North Carolina state roadways. Listed as a Superfund site, the contaminated roadway berms were excavated and disposed in an approved PCB land...

  19. Wireless sensor platform for harsh environments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Garverick, Steven L. (Inventor); Yu, Xinyu (Inventor); Toygur, Lemi (Inventor); He, Yunli (Inventor)

    2009-01-01

    Reliable and efficient sensing becomes increasingly difficult in harsher environments. A sensing module for high-temperature conditions utilizes a digital, rather than analog, implementation on a wireless platform to achieve good quality data transmission. The module comprises a sensor, integrated circuit, and antenna. The integrated circuit includes an amplifier, A/D converter, decimation filter, and digital transmitter. To operate, an analog signal is received by the sensor, amplified by the amplifier, converted into a digital signal by the A/D converter, filtered by the decimation filter to address the quantization error, and output in digital format by the digital transmitter and antenna.

  20. Use of decimal assay for additivity to demonstrate synergy in pair combinations of econazole, nikkomycin Z, and ibuprofen against Candida albicans in vitro.

    PubMed Central

    Tariq, V N; Scott, E M; McCain, N E

    1995-01-01

    Interactions between six compounds (econazole, miconazole, amphotericin B, nystatin, nikkomycin Z, and ibuprofen) were investigated for their antifungal activities against Candida albicans by using pair combinations in an in vitro decimal assay for additivity based on disk diffusion. Additive interactions were observed between miconazole and econazole, amphotericin B and nystatin, and amphotericin B and ibuprofen, while an antagonistic interaction was observed between econazole and amphotericin B. Synergistic interactions were recorded for the combinations of econazole and ibuprofen, econazole and nikkomycin Z, and ibuprofen and nikkomycin Z. PMID:8592989

  1. Counting spanning trees on fractal graphs and their asymptotic complexity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anema, Jason A.; Tsougkas, Konstantinos

    2016-09-01

    Using the method of spectral decimation and a modified version of Kirchhoff's matrix-tree theorem, a closed form solution to the number of spanning trees on approximating graphs to a fully symmetric self-similar structure on a finitely ramified fractal is given in theorem 3.4. We show how spectral decimation implies the existence of the asymptotic complexity constant and obtain some bounds for it. Examples calculated include the Sierpiński gasket, a non-post critically finite analog of the Sierpiński gasket, the Diamond fractal, and the hexagasket. For each example, the asymptotic complexity constant is found.

  2. Improved algorithm for calculating the Chandrasekhar function

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jablonski, A.

    2013-02-01

    Theoretical models of electron transport in condensed matter require an effective source of the Chandrasekhar H(x,omega) function. A code providing the H(x,omega) function has to be both accurate and very fast. The current revision of the code published earlier [A. Jablonski, Comput. Phys. Commun. 183 (2012) 1773] decreased the running time, averaged over different pairs of arguments x and omega, by a factor of more than 20. The decrease of the running time in the range of small values of the argument x, less than 0.05, is even more pronounced, reaching a factor of 30. The accuracy of the current code is not affected, and is typically better than 12 decimal places. New version program summaryProgram title: CHANDRAS_v2 Catalogue identifier: AEMC_v2_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEMC_v2_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC license, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 976 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 11416 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Fortran 90 Computer: Any computer with a Fortran 90 compiler Operating system: Windows 7, Windows XP, Unix/Linux RAM: 0.7 MB Classification: 2.4, 7.2 Catalogue identifier of previous version: AEMC_v1_0 Journal reference of previous version: Comput. Phys. Commun. 183 (2012) 1773 Does the new version supersede the old program: Yes Nature of problem: An attempt has been made to develop a subroutine that calculates the Chandrasekhar function with high accuracy, of at least 10 decimal places. Simultaneously, this subroutine should be very fast. Both requirements stem from the theory of electron transport in condensed matter. Solution method: Two algorithms were developed, each based on a different integral representation of the Chandrasekhar function. The final algorithm is edited by mixing these two algorithms by selecting ranges of the argument omega in which the performance is the fastest. Reasons for the new version: Some of the theoretical models describing electron transport in condensed matter need a source of the Chandrasekhar H function values with an accuracy of at least 10 decimal places. Additionally, calculations of this function should be as fast as possible since frequent calls to a subroutine providing this function are made (e.g., numerical evaluation of a double integral with a complicated integrand containing the H function). Both conditions were satisfied in the algorithm previously published [1]. However, it has been found that a proper selection of the quadrature in an integral representation of the Chandrasekhar function may considerably decrease the running time. By suitable selection of the number of abscissas in Gauss-Legendre quadrature, the execution time was decreased by a factor of more than 20. Simultaneously, the accuracy of results has not been affected. Summary of revisions: (1) As in previous work [1], two integral representations of the Chandrasekhar function, H(x,omega), were considered: the expression published by Dudarev and Whelan [2] and the expression published by Davidović et al. [3]. The algorithms implementing these representations were designated A and B, respectively. All integrals in these implementations were previously calculated using Romberg quadrature. It has been found, however, that the use of Gauss-Legendre quadrature considerably improved the performance of both algorithms. Two conditions have to be satisfied. (i) The number of abscissas, N, has to be rather large, and (ii) the abscissas and corresponding weights should be determined with accuracy as high as possible. The abscissas and weights are available for N=16, 20, 24, 32, 40, 48, 64, 80, and 96 with accuracy of 20 decimal places [4], and all these values were introduced into a new procedure GAUSS replacing procedure ROMBERG. Due to the fact that the implemented tables are rather extensive, they were recalculated using the Rybicki algorithm (Ref. [5], pp. 183-184) and rechecked. No errors or misprints were found. (2) In the integral representation of the H function derived by Davidović et al. [3], the positive root ν0 of the so-called dispersion function needs to be calculated with accuracy of at least 10 decimal places (see. Ref [6], pp. 61-64 and Ref. [1], Eqs. (5) and (29)). For small values of the argument omega and values of omega close to unity, the nonlinear equation in one unknown, ν0, can be solved analytically. New simple analytical expressions were derived here that can be efficiently used in calculations of the root. (3) The above modifications of the code considerably decreased the time of calculation of both algorithms A and B. The results are summarized in Fig. 1. The time of calculations is in fact the CPU time in microseconds for a computer equipped with an Inter Xeon processor (3.46 GHz) using Lahey-Fujitsu Fortran v. 7.2. Time of calculations of the H(x,omega) function averaged over different pairs of arguments x and omega. (a) 400 pairs uniformly distributed in the ranges 0<=x<=0.05 and 0<=omega<=1; (b) 400 pairs uniformly distributed in the ranges 0.05<=x<=1 and 0<=omega<=1. The shortest execution time averaged over values of the argument x exceeding 0.05 has been observed for algorithm B and Gauss-Legendre quadrature with the number of abscissas equal to 64 (23.2 μs). As compared with Romberg quadrature, the execution time was shortened by a factor of 22.5. For small x values, below 0.05, both algorithms A and B are considerably faster if Gauss-Legendre quadrature is used. For N=64, the average time of execution of algorithm B is decreased with respect to Romberg quadrature by a factor close to 30. However, in that range of argument x, algorithm A exhibits much faster performance. Furthermore, the average execution time of algorithm A, equal to about 100 μs, is practically independent of the number of abscissas N. (4) For Romberg quadrature, to optimize the performance, the mixed algorithm C was proposed in which algorithm A is used for argument x smaller than or equal to x0=0.4, while algorithm B is used for x larger than 0.4 [1]. For Gauss-Legendre quadrature, the limit x0 was found to depend on the number of abscissas N. For each value of N considered, the time of calculations of the H function was determined for pairs of arguments uniformly distributed in the ranges 0<=x<=0.05 and 0<=omega<=1, and for pairs of arguments uniformly distributed in the ranges 0.05<=x<=1 and 0<=omega<=1. As shown in Fig. 2 for N=64, algorithm A is faster than algorithm B for x smaller than or equal to 0.0225. Comparison of the running times of algorithms A and B. Open circles: algorithm B is faster than the algorithm A; full circles: algorithm A is faster than algorithm B. Thus, the value of x0=0.0225 is proposed for the mixed algorithm C when Gauss-Legendere quadrature with N=64 is used. Similar computer experiments performed for other values of N are summarized below. L N0 1 16 0.25 2 20 0.15 3 24 0.10 4 32 0.050 5 40 0.030 6 48 0.045 7 64 0.0225-Recommended 8 80 0.0125 9 96 0.020 The flag L is one of the input parameters for the subroutine GAUSS. In the programs implementing algorithms A, B, and C (CHANDRA, CHANDRB, and CHANDRC), Gauss-Legendre quadrature with N=64 is currently set. As follows from Fig. 1, algorithm B (and consequently algorithm C) is the fastest in that case. It is still possible to change the number of abscissas; the flag L then has to be modified in lines 165, 169, 185, 189, and 304 of program CHANDRAS_v2, and the value of x0 in line 111 has to be adjusted according to the table above. (5) The above modifications of the code did not affect the accuracy of the calculated Chandrasekhar function, as compared to the original code [1]. For the pairs of arguments shown in Fig. 2, the accuracy of the H function, calculated from algorithms A and B, reached at least 12 decimal digits; however, in the majority of cases, the accuracy is equal to 13 decimal digits. Restrictions: Two input parameters for the Chandrasekhar function, x and omega, are restricted to the ranges 0<=x<=1 and 0<=omega<=1, which is sufficient in numerous applications. Running time: between 15 and 100 μs for one pair of arguments of the Chandrasekhar function.

  3. The mutational profile and infiltration pattern of murine MLH1-/- tumors: concurrences, disparities and cell line establishment for functional analysis.

    PubMed

    Maletzki, Claudia; Beyrich, Franziska; Hühns, Maja; Klar, Ernst; Linnebacher, Michael

    2016-08-16

    Mice lines homozygous negative for one of the four DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes (MLH1, MSH2, PMS2, MSH6) were generated as models for MMR deficient (MMR-D) diseases. Clinically, hereditary forms of MMR-D include Lynch syndrome (characterized by a germline MMR gene defect) and constitutional MMR-D, the biallelic form. MMR-D knockout mice may be representative for both diseases. Here, we aimed at characterizing the MLH1-/- model focusing on tumor-immune microenvironment and identification of coding microsatellite mutations in lymphomas and gastrointestinal tumors (GIT).All tumors showed microsatellite instability (MSI) in non-coding mononucleotide markers. Mutational profiling of 26 coding loci in MSI+ GIT and lymphomas revealed instability in half of the microsatellites, two of them (Rfc3 and Rasal2) shared between both entities. MLH1-/- tumors of both entities displayed a similar phenotype (high CD71, FasL, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 expression). Additional immunofluorescence verified the tumors' natural immunosuppressive character (marked CD11b/CD200R infiltration). Vice versa, CD3+ T cells as well as immune checkpoints molecules were detectable, indicative for an active immune microenvironment. For functional analysis, a permanent cell line from an MLH1-/- GIT was established. The newly developed MLH1-/- A7450 cells exhibit stable in vitro growth, strong invasive potential and heterogeneous drug response. Moreover, four additional MSI target genes (Nktr1, C8a, Taf1b, and Lig4) not recognized in the primary were identified in this cell line.Summing up, molecular and immunological mechanisms of MLH1-/- driven carcinogenesis correlate well with clinical features of MMR-D. MLH1-/- knockout mice combine characteristics of Lynch syndrome and constitutional MMR-D, making them suitable models for preclinical research aiming at MMR-D related diseases.

  4. The mutational profile and infiltration pattern of murine MLH1-/- tumors: concurrences, disparities and cell line establishment for functional analysis

    PubMed Central

    Hühns, Maja; Klar, Ernst; Linnebacher, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Mice lines homozygous negative for one of the four DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes (MLH1, MSH2, PMS2, MSH6) were generated as models for MMR deficient (MMR-D) diseases. Clinically, hereditary forms of MMR-D include Lynch syndrome (characterized by a germline MMR gene defect) and constitutional MMR-D, the biallelic form. MMR-D knockout mice may be representative for both diseases. Here, we aimed at characterizing the MLH1-/- model focusing on tumor-immune microenvironment and identification of coding microsatellite mutations in lymphomas and gastrointestinal tumors (GIT). All tumors showed microsatellite instability (MSI) in non-coding mononucleotide markers. Mutational profiling of 26 coding loci in MSI+ GIT and lymphomas revealed instability in half of the microsatellites, two of them (Rfc3 and Rasal2) shared between both entities. MLH1-/- tumors of both entities displayed a similar phenotype (high CD71, FasL, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 expression). Additional immunofluorescence verified the tumors’ natural immunosuppressive character (marked CD11b/CD200R infiltration). Vice versa, CD3+ T cells as well as immune checkpoints molecules were detectable, indicative for an active immune microenvironment. For functional analysis, a permanent cell line from an MLH1-/- GIT was established. The newly developed MLH1-/- A7450 cells exhibit stable in vitro growth, strong invasive potential and heterogeneous drug response. Moreover, four additional MSI target genes (Nktr1, C8a, Taf1b, and Lig4) not recognized in the primary were identified in this cell line. Summing up, molecular and immunological mechanisms of MLH1-/- driven carcinogenesis correlate well with clinical features of MMR-D. MLH1-/- knockout mice combine characteristics of Lynch syndrome and constitutional MMR-D, making them suitable models for preclinical research aiming at MMR-D related diseases. PMID:27447752

  5. Posttraumatic stress two years after the Oklahoma City bombing in youths geographically distant from the explosion.

    PubMed

    Pfefferbaum, B; Seale, T W; McDonald, N B; Brandt, E N; Rainwater, S M; Maynard, B T; Meierhoefer, B; Miller, P D

    2000-01-01

    This article describes Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomatology in 69 sixth-grade youths who resided within 100 miles of Oklahoma City at the time of the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. These youths neither had any direct physical exposure nor personally knew anyone killed or injured in the explosion. A survey conducted two years after the bombing assessed exposure, PTSD symptoms, and functioning. PTSD symptom frequency was measured with the Impact of Event Scale--Revised. Our BCD criteria for defining PTSD caseness was modeled after DSM-IV B, C, and D criteria requiring one reexperiencing, three avoidance/numbing, and two arousal symptoms for diagnosis. Those who met our BCD criteria had significantly higher PTSD symptom scores than those who did not. Both increased mean PTSD symptom score and meeting our caseness definition were associated with increased functioning difficulties. Media exposure and indirect interpersonal exposure (having a friend who knew someone killed or injured) were significant predictors of symptomatology. These findings suggest that children geographically distant from disaster who have not directly experienced an interpersonal loss report PTSD symptoms and functional impairment associated with increased media exposure and indirect loss.

  6. CRISPR adaptation biases explain preference for acquisition of foreign DNA

    PubMed Central

    Yosef, Ido; Auster, Oren; Manor, Miriam; Amitai, Gil; Edgar, Rotem; Qimron, Udi; Sorek, Rotem

    2015-01-01

    In the process of CRISPR adaptation, short pieces of DNA (“spacers”) are acquired from foreign elements and integrated into the CRISPR array. It so far remained a mystery how spacers are preferentially acquired from the foreign DNA while the self chromosome is avoided. Here we show that spacer acquisition is replication-dependent, and that DNA breaks formed at stalled replication forks promote spacer acquisition. Chromosomal hotspots of spacer acquisition were confined by Chi sites, which are sequence octamers highly enriched on the bacterial chromosome, suggesting that these sites limit spacer acquisition from self DNA. We further show that the avoidance of “self” is mediated by the RecBCD dsDNA break repair complex. Our results suggest that in E. coli, acquisition of new spacers depends on RecBCD-mediated processing of dsDNA breaks occurring primarily at replication forks, and that the preference for foreign DNA is achieved through the higher density of Chi sites on the self chromosome, in combination with the higher number of forks on the foreign DNA. This model explains the strong preference to acquire spacers from both high copy plasmids and phages. PMID:25874675

  7. PSMA-Specific Theranostic Nanoplex for Combination of TRAIL Gene and 5-FC Prodrug Therapy of Prostate Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Zhihang; Penet, Marie-France; Krishnamachary, Balaji; Banerjee, Sangeeta R.; Pomper, Martin G.; Bhujwalla, Zaver M.

    2015-01-01

    Metastatic prostate cancer causes significant morbidity and mortality and there is a critical unmet need for effective treatments. We have developed a theranostic nanoplex platform for combined imaging and therapy of prostate cancer. Our prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) targeted nanoplex is designed to deliver plasmid DNA encoding tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), together with bacterial cytosine deaminase (bCD) as a prodrug enzyme. Nanoplex specificity was tested using two variants of human PC3 prostate cancer cells in culture and in tumor xenografts, one with high PSMA expression and the other with negligible expression levels. The expression of EGFP-TRAIL was demonstrated by fluorescence optical imaging and real-time PCR. Noninvasive 19F MR spectroscopy detected the conversion of the nontoxic prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) to cytotoxic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) by bCD. The combination strategy of TRAIL gene and 5-FC/bCD therapy showed significant inhibition of the growth of prostate cancer cells and tumors. These data demonstrate that the PSMA-specific theranostic nanoplex can deliver gene therapy and prodrug enzyme therapy concurrently for precision medicine in metastatic prostate cancer. PMID:26706476

  8. The HI Chronicles of LITTLE THINGS BCDs: VII Zw 403’s External Gas Cloud

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ashley, Trisha L.; Simpson, Caroline E.; Elmegreen, Bruce; Johnson, Megan C.; Pokhrel, Nau Raj

    2017-01-01

    Blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies are characterized by their concentrated bursts of star formation. Yet, for many BCDs, it is unclear what has triggered this activity. VII Zw 403 is a well-known BCD that is relatively isolated from other galaxies. Using the high angular and velocity resolution Very Large Array (VLA) atomic hydrogen (HI) data from the LITTLE THINGS1 survey, we study the detailed kinematics and morphology of VII Zw 403’s HI gas. High sensitivity HI Green Bank Telescope (GBT) observations were also used to search the surrounding area for companion galaxies and extended HI emission, but they did not result in detections of either. The VLA data show a kinematically and morphologically disturbed HI disk. From the VLA HI data cubes, we have separated out most of the emission from what is likely an external gas cloud that is in the line of sight of the HI disk. This external gas cloud appears to be accreting onto the disk and could trigger a future burst of star formation. 1Local Irregulars That Trace Luminosity Extremes, The HI Nearby Galaxy Survey; https://science.nrao.edu/science/surveys/ littlethings

  9. Major and EDXRF Trace Element Chemical Analyses of Volcanic Rocks from Lassen Volcanic National Park and Vicinity, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clynne, Michael A.; Muffler, L.J.P.; Siems, D.F.; Taggart, J.E.; Bruggman, Peggy

    2008-01-01

    This open-file report presents WDXRF major-element chemical data for late Pliocene to Holocene volcanic rocks collected from Lassen Volcanic National Park and vicinity, California. Data for Rb, Sr, Ba, Y, Zr, Nb, Ni, Cr, Zn and Cu obtained by EDXRF are included for many samples. Data are presented in an EXCEL spreadsheet and are keyed to rock units as displayed on the Geologic Map of Lassen Volcanic National Park and vicinity (Clynne and Muffler, in press). Location of the samples is given in latitude and longitude in degrees and decimal minutes and in decimal degrees.

  10. The USAF Stability and Control Digital DATCOM. Volume II. Implementation of Datcom Methods

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1979-04-01

    10N1S PAGE (Wheon 004 Enitletd4 811 UNCLASSIFIED SLkCUMITY CLASSIFICATION Or TAIIS PLQOS(W 1 D#* *,.E) , ---- program capabilities, input and output...J F. )W ..)- vi, w V)4 iI- C,)- co C’,J m m ~ 24 0 cr.’ >44 -i u S-P 0 CC uju w-12. 4.)L LW 3 0- -r DDc o0- C1 oa =ca C CC LA. CDCd LLjJ o 0...is located,, XX is the primary overlay number in decimal , and YY is the secondary overlay number in decimal . Hence, each overlay is written to a disk

  11. Fast Poisson noise removal by biorthogonal Haar domain hypothesis testing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, B.; Fadili, M. J.; Starck, J.-L.; Digel, S. W.

    2008-07-01

    Methods based on hypothesis tests (HTs) in the Haar domain are widely used to denoise Poisson count data. Facing large datasets or real-time applications, Haar-based denoisers have to use the decimated transform to meet limited-memory or computation-time constraints. Unfortunately, for regular underlying intensities, decimation yields discontinuous estimates and strong “staircase” artifacts. In this paper, we propose to combine the HT framework with the decimated biorthogonal Haar (Bi-Haar) transform instead of the classical Haar. The Bi-Haar filter bank is normalized such that the p-values of Bi-Haar coefficients (p) provide good approximation to those of Haar (pH) for high-intensity settings or large scales; for low-intensity settings and small scales, we show that p are essentially upper-bounded by pH. Thus, we may apply the Haar-based HTs to Bi-Haar coefficients to control a prefixed false positive rate. By doing so, we benefit from the regular Bi-Haar filter bank to gain a smooth estimate while always maintaining a low computational complexity. A Fisher-approximation-based threshold implementing the HTs is also established. The efficiency of this method is illustrated on an example of hyperspectral-source-flux estimation.

  12. Survival of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in poultry manure and manure slurry at sublethal temperatures.

    PubMed

    Himathongkham, S; Riemann, H; Bahari, S; Nuanualsuwan, S; Kass, P; Cliver, D O

    2000-01-01

    Exponential inactivation was observed for Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in poultry manure with decimal reduction times ranging from half a day at 37 C to 1-2 wk at 4 C. There was no material difference in inactivation rates between S. typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7. Inactivation was slower in slurries made by mixing two parts of water with one part of manure; decimal reduction times (time required for 90% destruction) ranged from 1-2 days at 37 C to 6-22 wk at 4 C. Escherichia coli O157:H7 consistently exhibited slightly slower inactivation than S. typhimurium. Log decimal reduction time for both strains was a linear function of storage temperature for manure and slurries. Chemical analysis indicated that accumulation of free ammonia in poultry manure was an important factor in inactivation of the pathogens. This finding was experimentally confirmed for S. typhimurium by adding ammonia directly to peptone water or to bovine manure, which was naturally low in ammonia, and adjusting pH to achieve predetermined levels of free ammonia.

  13. System Control for the Transitional DCS.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1978-12-01

    hour. The equipment destroyed includes the TTC-39 switch, all RF and multiplex equipment, emergency power equipment, distribution frames, antennal and...switch executes loop test to Rhein Main ULS, activating a local alarm at Donnersberg. Since restoral activity has not already been completed, alarm is...ITEM COMMENTS (BYTES) Loop ID Switch number and physical loop number 6 (BCD). Loop circuit CCSD 8 Telephone number 3 Location Physical location of

  14. Chromosomal Fragmentation in "Escherichia Coli": Its Absence in "mutT" Mutants and Its Mechanisms in "seqA" Mutants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rotman, Ella Rose

    2009-01-01

    Chromosomal fragmentation in "Escherichia coli" is a lethal event for the cell unless mended by the recombinational repair proteins RecA, RecBCD, and RuvABC. Certain mutations exacerbate problems that cause the cell to be dependent on the recombinational repair proteins for viability. We tested whether the absence of the MutT protein caused…

  15. Characterisation of a new adsorbent (beta cyclodextrin modified hybrid hydrous iron-zirconium oxide) to remove fluoride from aqueous solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saha, Indranil

    2017-04-01

    Prolonged use of fluoride contaminated water (>1.5mg L-1) causes serious problems to public health and ultimately leads to skeletal fluorosis. There is an urgent need to develop more efficient fluoride scavenging materials for designing water filters. A simple and efficient adsorbent (CHIZO, beta-Cyclodextrin (b-CD) amended hydrous iron-zirconium hybrid oxide), has been developed, characterised and tested. The results indicate the efficacy of CHIZO on fluoride removal from an aqueous solution. The agglomerated micro structured composite material has several new features such as very poor crystallinity confirmed from TEM images. BET experiment reveals a surface area of 0.2070 m2 g-1 and pore volume of 0.0476 cm3 g-1. The findings also indicate the highly pH dependent fluoride adsorption by CHIZO which decreases with an increase in pH, and pseudo-second order kinetics control the reaction.Isotherm study indicates Langmuir isotherm was the best fit model to describe the adsorption equilibrium. Significantly higher monolayer adsorption capacity of fluoride (31.35 mg g-1) than the host hydrous Fe-Zr oxide (8.21 mg g-1) at pH 7.0 and 303 K was observed. Thermodynamic parameter indicates spontaneous nature of CHIZO which is due to the exothermic nature of the reaction. Apart from this phosphate and sulphate have some impact (interference) on fluoride adsorption. b-CD forms inclusion complexes by taking up fluoride ions from water into its central cavity. Several factors are involved regarding high efficacy of the system such as the release of enthalpy-rich water molecules from its cavity, electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding and release of conformational strain. However, the regeneration is difficult because of probable entrapping of fluoride inside the cavity of b-CD with hydrogen bonding. It has been found that only 0.9 g of CHIZO is able to reduce the fluoride level to below 1.0 mg L-1 in one-litre of fluoride spiked (5.0 mg L-1) natural water sample. The study highlights the potentiality of the developed adsorbent. Examples are high adsorption capacity and economical viability.

  16. Parsley: a Command-Line Parser for Astronomical Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deich, William

    Parsley is a sophisticated keyword + value parser, packaged as a library of routines that offers an easy method for providing command-line arguments to programs. It makes it easy for the user to enter values, and it makes it easy for the programmer to collect and validate the user's entries. Parsley is tuned for astronomical applications: for example, dates entered in Julian, Modified Julian, calendar, or several other formats are all recognized without special effort by the user or by the programmer; angles can be entered using decimal degrees or dd:mm:ss; time-like intervals as decimal hours, hh:mm:ss, or a variety of other units. Vectors of data are accepted as readily as scalars.

  17. The Story of PI

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Apostol, Tom M. (Editor)

    1989-01-01

    The early history and the uses of the mathematical notation - pi - are presented through both film footage and computer animation in this 'Project Mathematics' series video. Pi comes from the first letter in the Greek word for perimeter. Archimedes, and early Greek mathematician, formulated the equations for the computation of a circle's area using pi and was the first person to seriously approximate pi numerically, although only to a few decimal places. By 1985, pi had been approximated to over one billion decimal places and was found to have no repeating pattern. One use of pi is the application of its approximation calculation as an analytical tool for determining the accuracy of supercomputers and software designs.

  18. A deterministic compressive sensing model for bat biosonar.

    PubMed

    Hague, David A; Buck, John R; Bilik, Igal

    2012-12-01

    The big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) uses frequency modulated (FM) echolocation calls to accurately estimate range and resolve closely spaced objects in clutter and noise. They resolve glints spaced down to 2 μs in time delay which surpasses what traditional signal processing techniques can achieve using the same echolocation call. The Matched Filter (MF) attains 10-12 μs resolution while the Inverse Filter (IF) achieves higher resolution at the cost of significantly degraded detection performance. Recent work by Fontaine and Peremans [J. Acoustic. Soc. Am. 125, 3052-3059 (2009)] demonstrated that a sparse representation of bat echolocation calls coupled with a decimating sensing method facilitates distinguishing closely spaced objects over realistic SNRs. Their work raises the intriguing question of whether sensing approaches structured more like a mammalian auditory system contains the necessary information for the hyper-resolution observed in behavioral tests. This research estimates sparse echo signatures using a gammatone filterbank decimation sensing method which loosely models the processing of the bat's auditory system. The decimated filterbank outputs are processed with [script-l](1) minimization. Simulations demonstrate that this model maintains higher resolution than the MF and significantly better detection performance than the IF for SNRs of 5-45 dB while undersampling the return signal by a factor of six.

  19. A systematic investigation of the link between rational number processing and algebra ability.

    PubMed

    Hurst, Michelle; Cordes, Sara

    2018-02-01

    Recent research suggests that fraction understanding is predictive of algebra ability; however, the relative contributions of various aspects of rational number knowledge are unclear. Furthermore, whether this relationship is notation-dependent or rather relies upon a general understanding of rational numbers (independent of notation) is an open question. In this study, college students completed a rational number magnitude task, procedural arithmetic tasks in fraction and decimal notation, and an algebra assessment. Using these tasks, we measured three different aspects of rational number ability in both fraction and decimal notation: (1) acuity of underlying magnitude representations, (2) fluency with which symbols are mapped to the underlying magnitudes, and (3) fluency with arithmetic procedures. Analyses reveal that when looking at the measures of magnitude understanding, the relationship between adults' rational number magnitude performance and algebra ability is dependent upon notation. However, once performance on arithmetic measures is included in the relationship, individual measures of magnitude understanding are no longer unique predictors of algebra performance. Furthermore, when including all measures simultaneously, results revealed that arithmetic fluency in both fraction and decimal notation each uniquely predicted algebra ability. Findings are the first to demonstrate a relationship between rational number understanding and algebra ability in adults while providing a clearer picture of the nature of this relationship. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

  20. Creating an evidence-based dentistry culture at Baylor College of Dentistry: the winds of change.

    PubMed

    Hinton, Robert J; Dechow, Paul C; Abdellatif, Hoda; Jones, Daniel L; McCann, Ann L; Schneiderman, Emet D; D'Souza, Rena

    2011-03-01

    In the early years of the new millennium, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health began funding Oral Health Research Education Grants using the R25 mechanism to promote the application of basic and clinical research findings to clinical training and to encourage students to pursue careers in oral health research. This report describes the impact of an R25 grant awarded to the Texas A&M Health Science Center's Baylor College of Dentistry (BCD) on its curriculum and faculty development efforts. At BCD, the R25 grant supports a multipronged initiative that employs clinical research as a vehicle for acquainting both students and faculty with the tools of evidence-based dentistry (EBD). New coursework and experiences in all four years of the curriculum plus a variety of faculty development offerings are being used to achieve this goal. Progress on these fronts is reflected in a nascent EBD culture characterized by increasing participation and buy-in by students and faculty. The production of a new generation of dental graduates equipped with the EBD skill set as well as a growing nucleus of faculty members who can model the importance of evidence-based practice is of paramount importance for the future of dentistry.

  1. Creating an Evidence-Based Dentistry Culture at Baylor College of Dentistry: The Winds of Change

    PubMed Central

    Hinton, Robert J.; Dechow, Paul C.; Abdellatif, Hoda; Jones, Daniel L.; McCann, Ann L.; Schneiderman, Emet D.; D’Souza, Rena

    2011-01-01

    In the early years of the new millennium, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health began funding Oral Health Research Education Grants using the R25 mechanism to promote the application of basic and clinical research findings to clinical training and to encourage students to pursue careers in oral health research. This report describes the impact of an R25 grant awarded to the Texas A&M Health Science Center’s Baylor College of Dentistry (BCD) on its curriculum and faculty development efforts. At BCD, the R25 grant supports a multipronged initiative that employs clinical research as a vehicle for acquainting both students and faculty with the tools of evidence-based dentistry (EBD). New coursework and experiences in all four years of the curriculum plus a variety of faculty development offerings are being used to achieve this goal. Progress on these fronts is reflected in a nascent EBD culture characterized by increasing participation and buy-in by students and faculty. The production of a new generation of dental graduates equipped with the EBD skill set as well as a growing nucleus of faculty members who can model the importance of evidence-based practice is of paramount importance for the future of dentistry. PMID:21368252

  2. Application of cyclodextrins in antibody microparticles: potentials for antibody protection in spray drying.

    PubMed

    Ramezani, Vahid; Vatanara, Alireza; Seyedabadi, Mohammad; Nabi Meibodi, Mohsen; Fanaei, Hamed

    2017-07-01

    Dry powder formulations are extensively used to improve the stability of antibodies. Spray drying is one of important methods for protein drying. This study investigated the effects of trehalose, hydroxypropyl beta cyclodextrin (HPBCD) and beta cyclodextrin (BCD) on the stability and particle properties of spray-dried IgG. D-optimal design was employed for both experimental design and analysis and optimization of the variables. The size and aerodynamic behavior of particles were determined using laser light scattering and glass twin impinger, respectively. In addition, stability, ratio of beta sheets and morphology of antibody were analyzed using size exclusion chromatography, IR spectroscopy and electron microscopy, respectively. Particle properties and antibody stability were significantly improved in the presence of HPBCD. In addition, particle aerodynamic behavior, in terms of fine-particle fraction (FPF), enhanced up to 52.23%. Furthermore, antibody was better preserved not only during spray drying, but also during long-term storage. In contrast, application of BCD resulted in the formation of larger particles. Although trehalose caused inappropriate aerodynamic property, it efficiently decreased antibody aggregation. HPBCD is an efficient excipient for the development of inhalable protein formulations. In this regard, optimal particle property and antibody stability was obtained with proper combination of cyclodextrins and simple sugars, such as trehalose.

  3. The cathelicidin protein CRAMP is a potential atherosclerosis self-antigen in ApoE(-/-) mice

    PubMed Central

    Mihailovic, Peter M.; Lio, Wai Man; Yano, Juliana; Zhao, Xiaoning; Zhou, Jianchang; Chyu, Kuang-Yuh; Shah, Prediman K.; Cercek, Bojan

    2017-01-01

    Auto-immunity is believed to contribute to inflammation in atherosclerosis. The antimicrobial peptide LL-37, a fragment of the cathelicidin protein precursor hCAP18, was previously identified as an autoantigen in psoriasis. Given the reported link between psoriasis and coronary artery disease, the biological relevance of the autoantigen to atherosclerosis was tested in vitro using a truncated (t) form of the mouse homolog of hCAP18, CRAMP, on splenocytes from athero-prone ApoE(-/-) mice. Stimulation with tCRAMP resulted in increased CD8+ T cells with Central Memory and Effector Memory phenotypes in ApoE(-/-) mice, differentially activated by feeding with normal chow or high fat diet. Immunization of ApoE(-/-) with different doses of the shortened peptide (Cramp) resulted in differential outcomes with a lower dose reducing atherosclerosis whereas a higher dose exacerbating the disease with increased neutrophil infiltration of the atherosclerotic plaques. Low dose Cramp immunization also resulted in increased splenic CD8+ T cell degranulation and reduced CD11b+CD11c+ conventional dendritic cells (cDCs), whereas high dose increased CD11b+CD11c+ cDCs. Our results identified CRAMP, the mouse homolog of hCAP-18, as a potential self-antigen involved in the immune response to atherosclerosis in the ApoE(-/-) mouse model. PMID:29091929

  4. Structures of actin-bound Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein homology 2 (WH2) domains of Spire and the implication for filament nucleation.

    PubMed

    Ducka, Anna M; Joel, Peteranne; Popowicz, Grzegorz M; Trybus, Kathleen M; Schleicher, Michael; Noegel, Angelika A; Huber, Robert; Holak, Tad A; Sitar, Tomasz

    2010-06-29

    Three classes of proteins are known to nucleate new filaments: the Arp2/3 complex, formins, and the third group of proteins that contain ca. 25 amino acid long actin-binding Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein homology 2 domains, called the WH2 repeats. Crystal structures of the complexes between the actin-binding WH2 repeats of the Spire protein and actin were determined for the Spire single WH2 domain D, the double (SpirCD), triple (SpirBCD), quadruple (SpirABCD) domains, and an artificial Spire WH2 construct comprising three identical D repeats (SpirDDD). SpirCD represents the minimal functional core of Spire that can nucleate actin filaments. Packing in the crystals of the actin complexes with SpirCD, SpirBCD, SpirABCD, and SpirDDD shows the presence of two types of assemblies, "side-to-side" and "straight-longitudinal," which can serve as actin filament nuclei. The principal feature of these structures is their loose, open conformations, in which the sides of actins that normally constitute the inner interface core of a filament are flipped inside out. These Spire structures are distant from those seen in the filamentous nuclei of Arp2/3, formins, and in the F-actin filament.

  5. Structures of actin-bound Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein homology 2 (WH2) domains of Spire and the implication for filament nucleation

    PubMed Central

    Ducka, Anna M.; Joel, Peteranne; Popowicz, Grzegorz M.; Trybus, Kathleen M.; Schleicher, Michael; Noegel, Angelika A.; Huber, Robert; Holak, Tad A.; Sitar, Tomasz

    2010-01-01

    Three classes of proteins are known to nucleate new filaments: the Arp2/3 complex, formins, and the third group of proteins that contain ca. 25 amino acid long actin-binding Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein homology 2 domains, called the WH2 repeats. Crystal structures of the complexes between the actin-binding WH2 repeats of the Spire protein and actin were determined for the Spire single WH2 domain D, the double (SpirCD), triple (SpirBCD), quadruple (SpirABCD) domains, and an artificial Spire WH2 construct comprising three identical D repeats (SpirDDD). SpirCD represents the minimal functional core of Spire that can nucleate actin filaments. Packing in the crystals of the actin complexes with SpirCD, SpirBCD, SpirABCD, and SpirDDD shows the presence of two types of assemblies, “side-to-side” and “straight-longitudinal,” which can serve as actin filament nuclei. The principal feature of these structures is their loose, open conformations, in which the sides of actins that normally constitute the inner interface core of a filament are flipped inside out. These Spire structures are distant from those seen in the filamentous nuclei of Arp2/3, formins, and in the F-actin filament. PMID:20538977

  6. A Convex Formulation for Learning a Shared Predictive Structure from Multiple Tasks

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Jianhui; Tang, Lei; Liu, Jun; Ye, Jieping

    2013-01-01

    In this paper, we consider the problem of learning from multiple related tasks for improved generalization performance by extracting their shared structures. The alternating structure optimization (ASO) algorithm, which couples all tasks using a shared feature representation, has been successfully applied in various multitask learning problems. However, ASO is nonconvex and the alternating algorithm only finds a local solution. We first present an improved ASO formulation (iASO) for multitask learning based on a new regularizer. We then convert iASO, a nonconvex formulation, into a relaxed convex one (rASO). Interestingly, our theoretical analysis reveals that rASO finds a globally optimal solution to its nonconvex counterpart iASO under certain conditions. rASO can be equivalently reformulated as a semidefinite program (SDP), which is, however, not scalable to large datasets. We propose to employ the block coordinate descent (BCD) method and the accelerated projected gradient (APG) algorithm separately to find the globally optimal solution to rASO; we also develop efficient algorithms for solving the key subproblems involved in BCD and APG. The experiments on the Yahoo webpages datasets and the Drosophila gene expression pattern images datasets demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithms and confirm our theoretical analysis. PMID:23520249

  7. A Type-2 Block-Component-Decomposition Based 2D AOA Estimation Algorithm for an Electromagnetic Vector Sensor Array

    PubMed Central

    Gao, Yu-Fei; Gui, Guan; Xie, Wei; Zou, Yan-Bin; Yang, Yue; Wan, Qun

    2017-01-01

    This paper investigates a two-dimensional angle of arrival (2D AOA) estimation algorithm for the electromagnetic vector sensor (EMVS) array based on Type-2 block component decomposition (BCD) tensor modeling. Such a tensor decomposition method can take full advantage of the multidimensional structural information of electromagnetic signals to accomplish blind estimation for array parameters with higher resolution. However, existing tensor decomposition methods encounter many restrictions in applications of the EMVS array, such as the strict requirement for uniqueness conditions of decomposition, the inability to handle partially-polarized signals, etc. To solve these problems, this paper investigates tensor modeling for partially-polarized signals of an L-shaped EMVS array. The 2D AOA estimation algorithm based on rank-(L1,L2,·) BCD is developed, and the uniqueness condition of decomposition is analyzed. By means of the estimated steering matrix, the proposed algorithm can automatically achieve angle pair-matching. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the present algorithm has the advantages of both accuracy and robustness of parameter estimation. Even under the conditions of lower SNR, small angular separation and limited snapshots, the proposed algorithm still possesses better performance than subspace methods and the canonical polyadic decomposition (CPD) method. PMID:28448431

  8. A Type-2 Block-Component-Decomposition Based 2D AOA Estimation Algorithm for an Electromagnetic Vector Sensor Array.

    PubMed

    Gao, Yu-Fei; Gui, Guan; Xie, Wei; Zou, Yan-Bin; Yang, Yue; Wan, Qun

    2017-04-27

    This paper investigates a two-dimensional angle of arrival (2D AOA) estimation algorithm for the electromagnetic vector sensor (EMVS) array based on Type-2 block component decomposition (BCD) tensor modeling. Such a tensor decomposition method can take full advantage of the multidimensional structural information of electromagnetic signals to accomplish blind estimation for array parameters with higher resolution. However, existing tensor decomposition methods encounter many restrictions in applications of the EMVS array, such as the strict requirement for uniqueness conditions of decomposition, the inability to handle partially-polarized signals, etc. To solve these problems, this paper investigates tensor modeling for partially-polarized signals of an L-shaped EMVS array. The 2D AOA estimation algorithm based on rank- ( L 1 , L 2 , · ) BCD is developed, and the uniqueness condition of decomposition is analyzed. By means of the estimated steering matrix, the proposed algorithm can automatically achieve angle pair-matching. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the present algorithm has the advantages of both accuracy and robustness of parameter estimation. Even under the conditions of lower SNR, small angular separation and limited snapshots, the proposed algorithm still possesses better performance than subspace methods and the canonical polyadic decomposition (CPD) method.

  9. Data extraction for complex meta-analysis (DECiMAL) guide.

    PubMed

    Pedder, Hugo; Sarri, Grammati; Keeney, Edna; Nunes, Vanessa; Dias, Sofia

    2016-12-13

    As more complex meta-analytical techniques such as network and multivariate meta-analyses become increasingly common, further pressures are placed on reviewers to extract data in a systematic and consistent manner. Failing to do this appropriately wastes time, resources and jeopardises accuracy. This guide (data extraction for complex meta-analysis (DECiMAL)) suggests a number of points to consider when collecting data, primarily aimed at systematic reviewers preparing data for meta-analysis. Network meta-analysis (NMA), multiple outcomes analysis and analysis combining different types of data are considered in a manner that can be useful across a range of data collection programmes. The guide has been shown to be both easy to learn and useful in a small pilot study.

  10. On the Global Regularity of a Helical-Decimated Version of the 3D Navier-Stokes Equations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Biferale, Luca; Titi, Edriss S.

    2013-06-01

    We study the global regularity, for all time and all initial data in H 1/2, of a recently introduced decimated version of the incompressible 3D Navier-Stokes (dNS) equations. The model is based on a projection of the dynamical evolution of Navier-Stokes (NS) equations into the subspace where helicity (the L 2-scalar product of velocity and vorticity) is sign-definite. The presence of a second (beside energy) sign-definite inviscid conserved quadratic quantity, which is equivalent to the H 1/2-Sobolev norm, allows us to demonstrate global existence and uniqueness, of space-periodic solutions, together with continuity with respect to the initial conditions, for this decimated 3D model. This is achieved thanks to the establishment of two new estimates, for this 3D model, which show that the H 1/2 and the time average of the square of the H 3/2 norms of the velocity field remain finite. Such two additional bounds are known, in the spirit of the work of H. Fujita and T. Kato (Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 16:269-315, 1964; Rend. Semin. Mat. Univ. Padova 32:243-260, 1962), to be sufficient for showing well-posedness for the 3D NS equations. Furthermore, they are directly linked to the helicity evolution for the dNS model, and therefore with a clear physical meaning and consequences.

  11. Efficacy of a Low Dose of Hydrogen Peroxide (Peroxy Ag⁺) for Continuous Treatment of Dental Unit Water Lines: Challenge Test with Legionella pneumophila Serogroup 1 in a Simulated Dental Unit Waterline.

    PubMed

    Ditommaso, Savina; Giacomuzzi, Monica; Ricciardi, Elisa; Zotti, Carla M

    2016-07-22

    This study was designed to examine the in vitro bactericidal activity of hydrogen peroxide against Legionella. We tested hydrogen peroxide (Peroxy Ag⁺) at 600 ppm to evaluate Legionella survival in a simulated dental treatment water system equipped with Water Hygienization Equipment (W.H.E.) device that was artificially contaminated. When Legionella pneumophila serogroup (sg) 1 was exposed to Peroxy Ag⁺ for 60 min we obtained a two decimal log reduction. High antimicrobial efficacy was obtained with extended periods of exposure: four decimal log reduction at 75 min and five decimal log reduction at 15 h of exposure. Involving a simulation device (Peroxy Ag⁺ is flushed into the simulation dental unit waterlines (DUWL)) we obtained an average reduction of 85% of Legionella load. The product is effective in reducing the number of Legionella cells after 75 min of contact time (99.997%) in the simulator device under test conditions. The Peroxy Ag⁺ treatment is safe for continuous use in the dental water supply system (i.e., it is safe for patient contact), so it could be used as a preventive option, and it may be useful in long-term treatments, alone or coupled with a daily or periodic shock treatment.

  12. Creating Magic Squares.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lyon, Betty Clayton

    1990-01-01

    One method of making magic squares using a prolongated square is illustrated. Discussed are third-order magic squares, fractional magic squares, fifth-order magic squares, decimal magic squares, and even magic squares. (CW)

  13. The relationship between cadmium in kidney and cadmium in urine and blood in an environmentally exposed population

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

    Akerstrom, Magnus, E-mail: magnus.akerstrom@amm.gu.se; Barregard, Lars; Lundh, Thomas

    Introduction: Cadmium (Cd) is toxic to the kidney and a major part of the body burden occurs here. Cd in urine (U-Cd) and blood (B-Cd) are widely-used biomarkers for assessing Cd exposure or body burden. However, empirical general population data on the relationship between Cd in kidney (K-Cd), urine, and blood are scarce. Our objectives were to determine the relationship between cadmium in kidney, urine, and blood, and calculate the elimination half-time of Cd from the kidney. Methods: Kidney cortex biopsies, urine, and blood samples were collected from 109 living kidney donors. Cd concentrations were determined and the relationships betweenmore » K-Cd, U-Cd, and B-Cd were investigated in regression models. The half-time of K-Cd was estimated from the elimination constant. Results: There was a strong association between K-Cd and U-Cd adjusted for creatinine (r{sub p} = 0.70, p < 0.001), while the association with B-Cd was weaker (r{sub p} = 0.44, p < 0.001). The relationship between K-Cd and U-Cd was nonlinear, with slower elimination of Cd at high K-Cd. Estimates of the K-Cd half-time varied between 18 and 44 years. A K-Cd of 25 μg/g corresponds to U-Cd of 0.42 μg/g creatinine in overnight urine (U-Cd/K-Cd ratio: about 1:60). Multivariate models showed Cd in blood and urinary albumin as determinants for U-Cd excretion. Discussion: In healthy individuals with low-level Cd exposure, there was a strong correlation between Cd in kidney and urine, especially after adjustment for creatinine. Urinary Cd was also affected by Cd in blood and urinary albumin. Previous estimates of the U-Cd/K-Cd ratio may underestimate K-Cd at low U-Cd. - Highlights: ► The first study of the relation between Cd in kidney, blood and urine at low U-Cd ► Simultaneous samples were collected from healthy kidney donors. ► There was a nonlinear relationship between cadmium in kidney and urine. ► Estimates of the kidney cadmium half-time were 18–44 years, depending on model used. ► Previous data seem to underestimate kidney cadmium at low urinary cadmium.« less

  14. Temporal Characterization of Microglia/Macrophage Phenotypes in a Mouse Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury

    PubMed Central

    Hellström Erkenstam, Nina; Smith, Peter L. P.; Fleiss, Bobbi; Nair, Syam; Svedin, Pernilla; Wang, Wei; Boström, Martina; Gressens, Pierre; Hagberg, Henrik; Brown, Kelly L.; Sävman, Karin; Mallard, Carina

    2016-01-01

    Immune cells display a high degree of phenotypic plasticity, which may facilitate their participation in both the progression and resolution of injury-induced inflammation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the temporal expression of genes associated with classical and alternative polarization phenotypes described for macrophages and to identify related cell populations in the brain following neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI). HI was induced in 9-day old mice and brain tissue was collected up to 7 days post-insult to investigate expression of genes associated with macrophage activation. Using cell-markers, CD86 (classic activation) and CD206 (alternative activation), we assessed temporal changes of CD11b+ cell populations in the brain and studied the protein expression of the immunomodulatory factor galectin-3 in these cells. HI induced a rapid regulation (6 h) of genes associated with both classical and alternative polarization phenotypes in the injured hemisphere. FACS analysis showed a marked increase in the number of CD11b+CD86+ cells at 24 h after HI (+3667%), which was coupled with a relative suppression of CD11b+CD206+ cells and cells that did not express neither CD86 nor CD206. The CD11b+CD206+ population was mixed with some cells also expressing CD86. Confocal microscopy confirmed that a subset of cells expressed both CD86 and CD206, particularly in injured gray and white matter. Protein concentration of galectin-3 was markedly increased mainly in the cell population lacking CD86 or CD206 in the injured hemisphere. These cells were predominantly resident microglia as very few galectin-3 positive cells co-localized with infiltrating myeloid cells in Lys-EGFP-ki mice after HI. In summary, HI was characterized by an early mixed gene response, but with a large expansion of mainly the CD86 positive population during the first day. However, the injured hemisphere also contained a subset of cells expressing both CD86 and CD206 and a large population that expressed neither activation marker CD86 nor CD206. Interestingly, these cells expressed the highest levels of galectin-3 and were found to be predominantly resident microglia. Galectin-3 is a protein involved in chemotaxis and macrophage polarization suggesting a novel role in cell infiltration and immunomodulation for this cell population after neonatal injury. PMID:28018179

  15. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 ABC Transporter NppA1A2BCD Is Required for Uptake of Peptidyl Nucleoside Antibiotics.

    PubMed

    Pletzer, Daniel; Braun, Yvonne; Dubiley, Svetlana; Lafon, Corinne; Köhler, Thilo; Page, Malcolm G P; Mourez, Michael; Severinov, Konstantin; Weingart, Helge

    2015-07-01

    Analysis of the genome sequence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 revealed the presence of an operon encoding an ABC-type transporter (NppA1A2BCD) showing homology to the Yej transporter of Escherichia coli. The Yej transporter is involved in the uptake of the peptide-nucleotide antibiotic microcin C, a translation inhibitor that targets the enzyme aspartyl-tRNA synthetase. Furthermore, it was recently shown that the Opp transporter from P. aeruginosa PAO1, which is identical to Npp, is required for uptake of the uridyl peptide antibiotic pacidamycin, which targets the enzyme translocase I (MraY), which is involved in peptidoglycan synthesis. We used several approaches to further explore the substrate specificity of the Npp transporter. Assays of growth in defined minimal medium containing peptides of various lengths and amino acid compositions as sole nitrogen sources, as well as Biolog Phenotype MicroArrays, showed that the Npp transporter is not required for di-, tri-, and oligopeptide uptake. Overexpression of the npp operon increased susceptibility not just to pacidamycin but also to nickel chloride and the peptidyl nucleoside antibiotic blasticidin S. Furthermore, heterologous expression of the npp operon in a yej-deficient mutant of E. coli resulted in increased susceptibility to albomycin, a naturally occurring sideromycin with a peptidyl nucleoside antibiotic. Additionally, heterologous expression showed that microcin C is recognized by the P. aeruginosa Npp system. Overall, these results suggest that the NppA1A2BCD transporter is involved in the uptake of peptidyl nucleoside antibiotics by P. aeruginosa PA14. One of the world's most serious health problems is the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. There is a desperate need to find novel antibiotic therapeutics that either act on new biological targets or are able to bypass known resistance mechanisms. Bacterial ABC transporters play an important role in nutrient uptake from the environment. These uptake systems could also be exploited by a Trojan horse strategy to facilitate the transport of antibiotics into bacterial cells. Several natural antibiotics mimic substrates of peptide uptake routes. In this study, we analyzed an ABC transporter involved in the uptake of nucleoside peptidyl antibiotics. Our data might help to design drug conjugates that may hijack this uptake system to gain access to cells. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  16. IZw18 has a Dynamically Associated Companion Galaxy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dufour, R. J.; Castaneda, H. O.; Esteban, C.

    1996-09-01

    We present kinematical evidence that the irregular galaxy located 26'' northwest of IZw18 -the most metal-poor blue-compact-dwarf (BCD) galaxy known- is a dynamically associated companion system. Longslit CCD spectra were obtained in 1996 February using the 4.2m WHT+ISIS at La Palma, with the slit placed across the NW HII region of IZw18 and through an Hα knot in the center of the companion galaxy. Deep CCD spectra were acquired simultaneously in the blue and red spectral regions; with the blue covering Hβ and [OIII] 4959,5007 Angstroms, and the red covering Hα . The red spectra showed continuous Hα emission from the BCD main body of IZw18 to the Hα knot in the companion galaxy. The heliocentric radial velocity variation for the Hα line across a 50'' length of slit ( ~ 2.4 kpc for a distance of 10 Mpc for IZw18) shows a smooth double-sinusoidal variation ranging from +730 km/s just NW of the brightest star-forming region in IZw18 to +780 km/s in the SE extremity of the main body. The heliocentric velocity of the brightest Hα knot in the main body was measured as +741.0+/-0.1 km/s and that of the Hα knot in the companion was found to be +752+/-2 km/s (where the errors are the residuals of the gaussian fits; systematic errors are yet to be evaluated). In addition to the radial velocity information, we present an analysis of high velocity gas seen in the wings of Hα and other lines at several locations across IZw18 and in the Hα knot of the companion system (where we find the knot to be an expanding cloud, with vexp ~ 100 km/s). Previous HST WFPC2 imagery (Dufour et al. 1995, BAAS, 27, 86) indicated that the companion system (``C'') was a dwarf irregular galaxy of type Im that resolved into stars at the V~24.5 level. They also noted that it contained stars as young as ~ 40 Myr -if it were at the same distance as IZw18. Our new results prove that ``IZw18'' consists of a pair of dwarf irregulars, one currently undergoing a starburst (the BCD namesake) and another nearby ( ~ 1.5 kpc in the plane of the sky) Im system which has had an older star formation history.

  17. Identification of a high affinity nucleocapsid protein binding element within the Moloney murine leukemia virus Psi-RNA packaging signal: implications for genome recognition.

    PubMed

    D'Souza, V; Melamed, J; Habib, D; Pullen, K; Wallace, K; Summers, M F

    2001-11-23

    Murine leukemia virus (MLV) is currently the most widely used gene delivery system in gene therapy trials. The simple retrovirus packages two copies of its RNA genome by a mechanism that involves interactions between the nucleocapsid (NC) domain of a virally-encoded Gag polyprotein and a segment of the RNA genome located just upstream of the Gag initiation codon, known as the Psi-site. Previous studies indicated that the MLV Psi-site contains three stem loops (SLB-SLD), and that stem loops SLC and SLD play prominent roles in packaging. We have developed a method for the preparation and purification of large quantities of recombinant Moloney MLV NC protein, and have studied its interactions with a series of oligoribonucleotides that contain one or more of the Psi-RNA stem loops. At RNA concentrations above approximately 0.3 mM, isolated stem loop SLB forms a duplex and stem loops SL-C and SL-D form kissing complexes, as expected from previous studies. However, neither the monomeric nor the dimeric forms of these isolated stem loops binds NC with significant affinity. Longer constructs containing two stem loops (SL-BC and SL-CD) also exhibit low affinities for NC. However, NC binds with high affinity and stoichiometrically to both the monomeric and dimeric forms of an RNA construct that contains all three stem loops (SL-BCD; K(d)=132(+/-55) nM). Titration of SL-BCD with NC also shifts monomer-dimer equilibrium toward the dimer. Mutagenesis experiments demonstrate that the conserved GACG tetraloops of stem loops C and D do not influence the monomer-dimer equilibrium of SL-BCD, that the tetraloop of stem loop B does not participate directly in NC binding, and that the tetraloops of stem loops C and D probably also do not bind to NC. These surprising results differ considerably from those observed for HIV-1, where NC binds to individual stem loops with high affinity via interactions with exposed residues of the tetraloops. The present results indicate that MLV NC binds to a pocket or surface that only exists in the presence of all three stem loops. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

  18. Thyroid disruption and reduced mental development in children from an informal e-waste recycling area: A mediation analysis.

    PubMed

    Liu, Lian; Zhang, Bo; Lin, Kun; Zhang, Yuling; Xu, Xijin; Huo, Xia

    2018-02-01

    This paper aims to evaluate the effects of thyroid disruption on the mental development of children. A total of 258 three-year-old children in Guiyu (e-waste-exposed group) and Nanao (reference group), China were examined. FT 3 , FT 4 , TSH, lead (BPb) and cadmium (BCd) in blood were determined, and cognitive and language scores of children were assessed based on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III. Stepwise multiple regression was used to estimate the relationship between heavy metals and cognitive and language scores; mediation analysis was performed to determine whether thyroid disruption was mechanistically involved. Medians of BPb and BCd in Guiyu were higher than that of Nanao (11.30 ± 5.38 vs. 5.77 ± 2.51 μg/dL BPb; 1.22 ± 0.55 vs. 0.72 ± 0.37 μg/L BCd, both p < 0.001). Means of FT 4 and TSH in Guiyu were also higher than those in Nanao (16.65 ± 1.83 vs.16.06 ± 1.66 pmol/L FT 4 , p = 0.007; 2.79 ± 1.30 vs. 2.21 ± 1.43 mIU/L TSH, p = 0.001). Guiyu children had lower cognitive scores (100.00 ± 25.00 vs. 120.00 ± 20.00, p < 0.001) and lower language scores (99.87 ± 7.52 vs. 111.39 ± 7.02, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis showed that Pb negatively correlated with both cognitive and language scores (both p < 0.001). However, FT 3 , FT 4 and TSH did not significantly mediate the relationship between Pb and mental development of children (all p > 0.05). In contrast, Cd correlated with neither cognitive nor language scores (both p > 0.05). Results suggest exposure to heavy metal (Pb) reduces cognitive and language skills, and affects thyroid function, but fail to confirm that thyroid disruption is involved in the neurotoxicity induced by PbCd co-exposure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Unifying time evolution and optimization with matrix product states

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haegeman, Jutho; Lubich, Christian; Oseledets, Ivan; Vandereycken, Bart; Verstraete, Frank

    2016-10-01

    We show that the time-dependent variational principle provides a unifying framework for time-evolution methods and optimization methods in the context of matrix product states. In particular, we introduce a new integration scheme for studying time evolution, which can cope with arbitrary Hamiltonians, including those with long-range interactions. Rather than a Suzuki-Trotter splitting of the Hamiltonian, which is the idea behind the adaptive time-dependent density matrix renormalization group method or time-evolving block decimation, our method is based on splitting the projector onto the matrix product state tangent space as it appears in the Dirac-Frenkel time-dependent variational principle. We discuss how the resulting algorithm resembles the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) algorithm for finding ground states so closely that it can be implemented by changing just a few lines of code and it inherits the same stability and efficiency. In particular, our method is compatible with any Hamiltonian for which ground-state DMRG can be implemented efficiently. In fact, DMRG is obtained as a special case of our scheme for imaginary time evolution with infinite time step.

  20. Usefulness of Pulse Oximeter That Can Measure SpO2 to One Digit After Decimal Point.

    PubMed

    Yamamoto, Akihiro; Burioka, Naoto; Eto, Aritoshi; Amisaki, Takashi; Shimizu, Eiji

    2017-06-01

    Pulse oximeters are used to noninvasively measure oxygen saturation in arterial blood (SaO 2 ). Although arterial oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximeter (SpO 2 ) is usually indicated in 1% increments, the value of SaO 2 from arterial blood gas analysis is not an integer. We have developed a new pulse oximeter that can measure SpO 2 to one digit after the decimal point. The values of SpO 2 from the newly developed pulse oximeter are highly correlated with the values of SaO 2 from arterial blood gas analysis (SpO 2 = 0.899 × SaO 2 + 9.944, r = 0.887, P < 0.0001). This device may help improve the evaluation of pathological conditions in patients.

  1. Analysis of LexA binding sites and transcriptomics in response to genotoxic stress in Leptospira interrogans.

    PubMed

    Schons-Fonseca, Luciane; da Silva, Josefa B; Milanez, Juliana S; Domingos, Renan H; Smith, Janet L; Nakaya, Helder I; Grossman, Alan D; Ho, Paulo L; da Costa, Renata M A

    2016-02-18

    We determined the effects of DNA damage caused by ultraviolet radiation on gene expression in Leptospira interrogans using DNA microarrays. These data were integrated with DNA binding in vivo of LexA1, a regulator of the DNA damage response, assessed by chromatin immunoprecipitation and massively parallel DNA sequencing (ChIP-seq). In response to DNA damage, Leptospira induced expression of genes involved in DNA metabolism, in mobile genetic elements and defective prophages. The DNA repair genes involved in removal of photo-damage (e.g. nucleotide excision repair uvrABC, recombinases recBCD and resolvases ruvABC) were not induced. Genes involved in various metabolic pathways were down regulated, including genes involved in cell growth, RNA metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. From ChIP-seq data, we observed 24 LexA1 binding sites located throughout chromosome 1 and one binding site in chromosome 2. Expression of many, but not all, genes near those sites was increased following DNA damage. Binding sites were found as far as 550 bp upstream from the start codon, or 1 kb into the coding sequence. Our findings indicate that there is a shift in gene expression following DNA damage that represses genes involved in cell growth and virulence, and induces genes involved in mutagenesis and recombination. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  2. Digital signal processor and processing method for GPS receivers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thomas, Jr., Jess B. (Inventor)

    1989-01-01

    A digital signal processor and processing method therefor for use in receivers of the NAVSTAR/GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) employs a digital carrier down-converter, digital code correlator and digital tracking processor. The digital carrier down-converter and code correlator consists of an all-digital, minimum bit implementation that utilizes digital chip and phase advancers, providing exceptional control and accuracy in feedback phase and in feedback delay. Roundoff and commensurability errors can be reduced to extremely small values (e.g., less than 100 nanochips and 100 nanocycles roundoff errors and 0.1 millichip and 1 millicycle commensurability errors). The digital tracking processor bases the fast feedback for phase and for group delay in the C/A, P.sub.1, and P.sub.2 channels on the L.sub.1 C/A carrier phase thereby maintaining lock at lower signal-to-noise ratios, reducing errors in feedback delays, reducing the frequency of cycle slips and in some cases obviating the need for quadrature processing in the P channels. Simple and reliable methods are employed for data bit synchronization, data bit removal and cycle counting. Improved precision in averaged output delay values is provided by carrier-aided data-compression techniques. The signal processor employs purely digital operations in the sense that exactly the same carrier phase and group delay measurements are obtained, to the last decimal place, every time the same sampled data (i.e., exactly the same bits) are processed.

  3. Forecast of Remote Underwater Sensing Technology.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-07-01

    hr T. MAGNETICS (2 Replies) Q. What will be sensitivities of fluxgate , proton, optical pump, SQUID (superconducting) magnetometers ? A. Fluxgate 0.1...ft Oujtpuit Analog, digital and B3CD Cost $65.K 227 Manu factu rer EG&G Geometric Unit G-806M System Marine Search Proton Magnetometer Sensitivity...optional) Depth Range 0 to 100 m or 6000 m Precision +0.15% FS Time Constant 60 ms Output Digital display, analog and digital BCD output Cost $13.K 243

  4. Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) is essential for Fc receptor-mediated neutrophil cytotoxicity and immunologic synapse formation.

    PubMed

    van Spriel, A B; Leusen, J H; van Egmond, M; Dijkman, H B; Assmann, K J; Mayadas, T N; van de Winkel, J G

    2001-04-15

    Receptors for human immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgA initiate potent cytolysis of antibody (Ab)-coated targets by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). Mac-1 (complement receptor type 3, CD11b/CD18) has previously been implicated in receptor cooperation with Fc receptors (FcRs). The role of Mac-1 in FcR-mediated lysis of tumor cells was characterized by studying normal human PMNs, Mac-1-deficient mouse PMNs, and mouse PMNs transgenic for human FcR. All PMNs efficiently phagocytosed Ab-coated particles. However, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) was abrogated in Mac-1(-/-) PMNs and in human PMNs blocked with anti-Mac-1 monoclonal Ab (mAb). Mac-1(-/-) PMNs were unable to spread on Ab-opsonized target cells and other Ab-coated surfaces. Confocal laser scanning and electron microscopy revealed a striking difference in immunologic synapse formation between Mac-1(-/-) and wild-type PMNs. Also, respiratory burst activity could be measured outside membrane-enclosed compartments by using Mac-1(-/-) PMNs bound to Ab-coated tumor cells, in contrast to wild-type PMNs. In summary, these data document an absolute requirement of Mac-1 for FcR-mediated PMN cytotoxicity toward tumor targets. Mac-1(-/-) PMNs exhibit defective spreading on Ab-coated targets, impaired formation of immunologic synapses, and absent tumor cytolysis.

  5. GSL-enriched membrane microdomains in innate immune responses.

    PubMed

    Nakayama, Hitoshi; Ogawa, Hideoki; Takamori, Kenji; Iwabuchi, Kazuhisa

    2013-06-01

    Many pathogens target glycosphingolipids (GSLs), which, together with cholesterol, GPI-anchored proteins, and various signaling molecules, cluster on host cell membranes to form GSL-enriched membrane microdomains (lipid rafts). These GSL-enriched membrane microdomains may therefore be involved in host-pathogen interactions. Innate immune responses are triggered by the association of pathogens with phagocytes, such as neutrophils, macrophages and dendritic cells. Phagocytes express a diverse array of pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), which sense invading microorganisms and trigger pathogen-specific signaling. PRRs can recognize highly conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns expressed on microorganisms. The GSL lactosylceramide (LacCer, CDw17), which binds to various microorganisms, including Candida albicans, is expressed predominantly on the plasma membranes of human mature neutrophils and forms membrane microdomains together with the Src family tyrosine kinase Lyn. These LacCer-enriched membrane microdomains can mediate superoxide generation, migration, and phagocytosis, indicating that LacCer functions as a PRR in innate immunity. Moreover, the interactions of GSL-enriched membrane microdomains with membrane proteins, such as growth factor receptors, are important in mediating the physiological properties of these proteins. Similarly, we recently found that interactions between LacCer-enriched membrane microdomains and CD11b/CD18 (Mac-1, CR3, or αMβ2-integrin) are significant for neutrophil phagocytosis of non-opsonized microorganisms. This review describes the functional role of LacCer-enriched membrane microdomains and their interactions with CD11b/CD18.

  6. Partial compensation interferometry for measurement of surface parameter error of high-order aspheric surfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hao, Qun; Li, Tengfei; Hu, Yao

    2018-01-01

    Surface parameters are the properties to describe the shape characters of aspheric surface, which mainly include vertex radius of curvature (VROC) and conic constant (CC). The VROC affects the basic properties, such as focal length of an aspheric surface, while the CC is the basis of classification for aspheric surface. The deviations of the two parameters are defined as surface parameter error (SPE). Precisely measuring SPE is critical for manufacturing and aligning aspheric surface. Generally, SPE of aspheric surface is measured directly by curvature fitting on the absolute profile measurement data from contact or non-contact testing. And most interferometry-based methods adopt null compensators or null computer-generated holograms to measure SPE. To our knowledge, there is no effective way to measure SPE of highorder aspheric surface with non-null interferometry. In this paper, based on the theory of slope asphericity and the best compensation distance (BCD) established in our previous work, we propose a SPE measurement method for high-order aspheric surface in partial compensation interferometry (PCI) system. In the procedure, firstly, we establish the system of two element equations by utilizing the SPE-caused BCD change and surface shape change. Then, we can simultaneously obtain the VROC error and CC error in PCI system by solving the equations. Simulations are made to verify the method, and the results show a high relative accuracy.

  7. Regulation of the formin Cappuccino is critical for polarity of Drosophila oocytes

    PubMed Central

    Bor, Batbileg; Bois, Justin S.; Quinlan, Margot E.

    2014-01-01

    The Drosophila formin Cappuccino (Capu) creates an actin mesh-like structure that traverses the oocyte during mid-oogenesis. This mesh is thought to prevent premature onset of fast cytoplasmic streaming which normally happens during late-oogenesis. Proper cytoskeletal organization and cytoplasmic streaming are crucial for localization of polarity determinants such as osk, grk, bcd and nanos mRNAs. Capu mutants disrupt these events, leading to female sterility. Capu is regulated by another nucleator, Spire, as well as by autoinhibition in vitro. Studies in vivo confirm that Spire modulates Capu’s function in oocytes; however, how autoinhibition contributes is still unclear. To study the role of autoinhibition in flies, we expressed a Capu construct that is missing the Capu Inhibitory Domain, CapuΔN. Consistent with a gain of activity due to loss of autoinhibition, the actin mesh was denser in CapuΔN oocytes. Further, cytoplasmic streaming was delayed and fertility levels decreased. Localization of osk mRNA in early stages, and bcd and nanos in late stages, were disrupted in CapuΔN-expressing oocytes. Finally, evidence that these phenotypes were due to a loss of autoinhibition comes from co-expression of the N-terminal half of Capu with CapuΔN, which suppressed the defects in actin, cytoplasmic streaming and fertility. From these results, we conclude that Capu can be autoinhibited during Drosophila oocyte development. PMID:25557988

  8. Granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis for refractory skin diseases due to activated neutrophils, psoriasis, and associated arthropathy.

    PubMed

    Sakanoue, Masanao; Takeda, Koichiro; Kawai, Kazuhiro; Kanekura, Takuro

    2013-10-01

    Granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GMA), an extracorporeal apheresis instrument whose column contains cellulose acetate (CA) beads, is designed to remove activated granulocytes and monocytes. We previously demonstrated that GMA was useful for treating neutrophilic dermatoses and associated arthropathy as it adsorbs Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18)-expressing neutrophils to the CA beads by the binding of complement component (iC3b) and CD11b expressed on activated neutrophils. The objective of this study is to further assess the clinical effectiveness of GMA in the treatment of neutrophilic dermatoses and associated arthropathy. The effect of GMA for skin lesions and joint lesions was assessed in 44 and 23 patients, respectively. Mac-1 expression on peripheral neutrophils was measured by flow cytometry. Skin lesions and arthropathy improved in 39 of 44 patients (88.6%) and 22 of 23 (95.6%), respectively. Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) expression on the peripheral neutrophils, 27.1 ± 6.66 MFI (mean fluorescence intensity) before treatment, was reduced to 17.9 ± 3.02 MFI by GMA (P < 0.05). Clinical effectiveness of GMA for the treatment of intractable neutrophilic dermatoses and associated arthropathy was further confirmed. © 2013 The Authors. Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis © 2013 International Society for Apheresis.

  9. PRPF3-Associated Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa and CYP4V2-Associated Bietti's Crystalline Corneoretinal Dystrophy Coexist in a Multigenerational Chinese Family.

    PubMed

    Meng, Xiaohong; Li, Qiyou; Guo, Hong; Xu, Haiwei; Li, Shiying; Yin, Zhengqin

    2017-01-01

    To characterize the clinical and molecular genetic characteristics of a large, multigenerational Chinese family showing different phenotypes. A pedigree consisted of 56 individuals in 5 generations was recruited. Comprehensive ophthalmic examinations were performed in 16 family members affected. Mutation screening of CYP4V2 was performed by Sanger sequencing. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed to capture and sequence all exons of 47 known retinal dystrophy-associated genes in two affected family members who had no mutations in CYP4V2 . The detected variants in NGS were validated by Sanger sequencing in the family members. Two compound heterozygous CYP4V2 mutations (c.802-8_810del17insGC and c.992A>C) were detected in the proband who presented typical clinical features of BCD. One missense mutation (c.1482C>T, p.T494M) in the PRPF3 gene was detected in 9 out of 22 affected family members who manifested classical clinical features of RP. Our results showed that two compound heterozygous CYP4V2 mutations caused BCD, and one missense mutation in PRPF3 was responsible for adRP in this large family. This study suggests that accurate phenotypic diagnosis, molecular diagnosis, and genetic counseling are necessary for patients with hereditary retinal degeneration in some large mutigenerational family.

  10. FPT- FORTRAN PROGRAMMING TOOLS FOR THE DEC VAX

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ragosta, A. E.

    1994-01-01

    The FORTRAN Programming Tools (FPT) are a series of tools used to support the development and maintenance of FORTRAN 77 source codes. Included are a debugging aid, a CPU time monitoring program, source code maintenance aids, print utilities, and a library of useful, well-documented programs. These tools assist in reducing development time and encouraging high quality programming. Although intended primarily for FORTRAN programmers, some of the tools can be used on data files and other programming languages. BUGOUT is a series of FPT programs that have proven very useful in debugging a particular kind of error and in optimizing CPU-intensive codes. The particular type of error is the illegal addressing of data or code as a result of subtle FORTRAN errors that are not caught by the compiler or at run time. A TRACE option also allows the programmer to verify the execution path of a program. The TIME option assists the programmer in identifying the CPU-intensive routines in a program to aid in optimization studies. Program coding, maintenance, and print aids available in FPT include: routines for building standard format subprogram stubs; cleaning up common blocks and NAMELISTs; removing all characters after column 72; displaying two files side by side on a VT-100 terminal; creating a neat listing of a FORTRAN source code including a Table of Contents, an Index, and Page Headings; converting files between VMS internal format and standard carriage control format; changing text strings in a file without using EDT; and replacing tab characters with spaces. The library of useful, documented programs includes the following: time and date routines; a string categorization routine; routines for converting between decimal, hex, and octal; routines to delay process execution for a specified time; a Gaussian elimination routine for solving a set of simultaneous linear equations; a curve fitting routine for least squares fit to polynomial, exponential, and sinusoidal forms (with a screen-oriented editor); a cubic spline fit routine; a screen-oriented array editor; routines to support parsing; and various terminal support routines. These FORTRAN programming tools are written in FORTRAN 77 and ASSEMBLER for interactive and batch execution. FPT is intended for implementation on DEC VAX series computers operating under VMS. This collection of tools was developed in 1985.

  11. Flow characteristics at U.S. Geological Survey streamgages in the conterminous United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wolock, David

    2003-01-01

    This dataset represents point locations and flow characteristics for current (as of November 20, 2001) and historical U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamgages in the conterminous United States. The flow characteristics were computed from the daily streamflow data recorded at each streamgage for the period of record. The attributes associated with each streamgage include: Station number Station name Station latitude (decimal degrees in North American Datum of 1983, NAD 83) Station longitude (decimal degrees in NAD 83) First date (year, month, day) of streamflow data Last date (year, month, day) of streamflow data Number of days of streamflow data Minimum and maximum daily flow for the period of record (cubic feet per second) Percentiles (1, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 75, 80, 90, 95, 99) of daily flow for the period of record (cubic feet per second) Average and standard deviation of daily flow for the period of record (cubic feet per second) Mean annual base-flow index (BFI: see supplemental information) computed for the period of record (fraction, ranging from 0 to 1) Year-to-year standard deviation of the annual base-flow index computed for the period of record (fraction) Number of years of data used to compute the base-flow index (years) Reported drainage area (square miles) Reported contributing drainage area (square miles) National Water Information System (NWIS)-Web page URL for streamgage Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC, 8 digit) Hydrologic landscape region (HLR) River Reach File 1 (RF1) segment identification number (E2RF1##) Station numbers, names, locations, and drainage areas were acquired through the National Water Information System (NWIS)-Web (http://water.usgs.gov/nwis) on November 20, 2001. The streamflow data used to compute flow characteristics were copied from the Water server (water.usgs.gov:/www/htdocs/nwisweb/data1/discharge/) on November 2, 2001. The missing value indicator for all attributes is -99. Some streamflow characteristics are missing for: (1) streamgages measuring flow subject to tidal effects, which cause flow to reverse directions, (2) streamgages with site information but no streamflow data at the time the data were retrieved, and (3) streamgages with record length too short to compute the base-flow index.

  12. 50 CFR 216.93 - Tracking and verification program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... canning company in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, or American Samoa receives a domestic or imported shipment... short tons to the fourth decimal, ocean area of capture (ETP, western Pacific, Indian, eastern and...

  13. 50 CFR 216.93 - Tracking and verification program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... canning company in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, or American Samoa receives a domestic or imported shipment... short tons to the fourth decimal, ocean area of capture (ETP, western Pacific, Indian, eastern and...

  14. Recognition of Roasted Coffee Bean Levels using Image Processing and Neural Network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nasution, T. H.; Andayani, U.

    2017-03-01

    The coffee beans roast levels have some characteristics. However, some people cannot recognize the coffee beans roast level. In this research, we propose to design a method to recognize the coffee beans roast level of images digital by processing the image and classifying with backpropagation neural network. The steps consist of how to collect the images data with image acquisition, pre-processing, feature extraction using Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) method and finally normalization of data extraction using decimal scaling features. The values of decimal scaling features become an input of classifying in backpropagation neural network. We use the method of backpropagation to recognize the coffee beans roast levels. The results showed that the proposed method is able to identify the coffee roasts beans level with an accuracy of 97.5%.

  15. Optimal Sharpening of Compensated Comb Decimation Filters: Analysis and Design

    PubMed Central

    Troncoso Romero, David Ernesto

    2014-01-01

    Comb filters are a class of low-complexity filters especially useful for multistage decimation processes. However, the magnitude response of comb filters presents a droop in the passband region and low stopband attenuation, which is undesirable in many applications. In this work, it is shown that, for stringent magnitude specifications, sharpening compensated comb filters requires a lower-degree sharpening polynomial compared to sharpening comb filters without compensation, resulting in a solution with lower computational complexity. Using a simple three-addition compensator and an optimization-based derivation of sharpening polynomials, we introduce an effective low-complexity filtering scheme. Design examples are presented in order to show the performance improvement in terms of passband distortion and selectivity compared to other methods based on the traditional Kaiser-Hamming sharpening and the Chebyshev sharpening techniques recently introduced in the literature. PMID:24578674

  16. Optimal sharpening of compensated comb decimation filters: analysis and design.

    PubMed

    Troncoso Romero, David Ernesto; Laddomada, Massimiliano; Jovanovic Dolecek, Gordana

    2014-01-01

    Comb filters are a class of low-complexity filters especially useful for multistage decimation processes. However, the magnitude response of comb filters presents a droop in the passband region and low stopband attenuation, which is undesirable in many applications. In this work, it is shown that, for stringent magnitude specifications, sharpening compensated comb filters requires a lower-degree sharpening polynomial compared to sharpening comb filters without compensation, resulting in a solution with lower computational complexity. Using a simple three-addition compensator and an optimization-based derivation of sharpening polynomials, we introduce an effective low-complexity filtering scheme. Design examples are presented in order to show the performance improvement in terms of passband distortion and selectivity compared to other methods based on the traditional Kaiser-Hamming sharpening and the Chebyshev sharpening techniques recently introduced in the literature.

  17. Reasoning strategies with rational numbers revealed by eye tracking.

    PubMed

    Plummer, Patrick; DeWolf, Melissa; Bassok, Miriam; Gordon, Peter C; Holyoak, Keith J

    2017-07-01

    Recent research has begun to investigate the impact of different formats for rational numbers on the processes by which people make relational judgments about quantitative relations. DeWolf, Bassok, and Holyoak (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 144(1), 127-150, 2015) found that accuracy on a relation identification task was highest when fractions were presented with countable sets, whereas accuracy was relatively low for all conditions where decimals were presented. However, it is unclear what processing strategies underlie these disparities in accuracy. We report an experiment that used eye-tracking methods to externalize the strategies that are evoked by different types of rational numbers for different types of quantities (discrete vs. continuous). Results showed that eye-movement behavior during the task was jointly determined by image and number format. Discrete images elicited a counting strategy for both fractions and decimals, but this strategy led to higher accuracy only for fractions. Continuous images encouraged magnitude estimation and comparison, but to a greater degree for decimals than fractions. This strategy led to decreased accuracy for both number formats. By analyzing participants' eye movements when they viewed a relational context and made decisions, we were able to obtain an externalized representation of the strategic choices evoked by different ontological types of entities and different types of rational numbers. Our findings using eye-tracking measures enable us to go beyond previous studies based on accuracy data alone, demonstrating that quantitative properties of images and the different formats for rational numbers jointly influence strategies that generate eye-movement behavior.

  18. CORRIGENDUM: Universal variational expansion for high-precision bound-state calculations in three-body systems. Applications to weakly bound, adiabatic and two-shell cluster systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bailey, David H.; Frolov, Alexei M.

    2003-12-01

    Since the above paper was published we have received a suggestion from T K Rebane that our variational energy, -402.261 928 652 266 220 998 au, for the 3S(L = 0) state from table 4 (right-hand column) is wrong in the fourth and fifth decimal digits. Our original variational energies were E(2000) = -402.192 865 226 622 099 583 au and E(3000) = -402.192 865 226 622 099 838 au. Unfortunately, table 4 contains a simple typographic error. The first two digits after the decimal point (26) in the published energies must be removed. Then the results exactly coincide with the original energies. These digits (26) were left in table 4 from the original version, which also included the 2S(L = 0) states of the helium-muonic atoms. A similar typographic error was found in table 4 of another paper by A M Frolov (2001 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 34 3813). The computed ground state energy for the ppµ muonic molecular ion was -0.494 386 820 248 934 546 94 mau. In table 4 of that paper the first figure '8' (fifth digit after the decimal point) was lost from the energy value presented in this table. We wish to thank T K Rebane of the Fock Physical Institute in St Petersburg for pointing out the misprint related to the helium(4)-muonic atom.

  19. The Renormalization Group and Its Applications to Generating Coarse-Grained Models of Large Biological Molecular Systems.

    PubMed

    Koehl, Patrice; Poitevin, Frédéric; Navaza, Rafael; Delarue, Marc

    2017-03-14

    Understanding the dynamics of biomolecules is the key to understanding their biological activities. Computational methods ranging from all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to coarse-grained normal-mode analyses based on simplified elastic networks provide a general framework to studying these dynamics. Despite recent successes in studying very large systems with up to a 100,000,000 atoms, those methods are currently limited to studying small- to medium-sized molecular systems due to computational limitations. One solution to circumvent these limitations is to reduce the size of the system under study. In this paper, we argue that coarse-graining, the standard approach to such size reduction, must define a hierarchy of models of decreasing sizes that are consistent with each other, i.e., that each model contains the information of the dynamics of its predecessor. We propose a new method, Decimate, for generating such a hierarchy within the context of elastic networks for normal-mode analysis. This method is based on the concept of the renormalization group developed in statistical physics. We highlight the details of its implementation, with a special focus on its scalability to large systems of up to millions of atoms. We illustrate its application on two large systems, the capsid of a virus and the ribosome translation complex. We show that highly decimated representations of those systems, containing down to 1% of their original number of atoms, still capture qualitatively and quantitatively their dynamics. Decimate is available as an OpenSource resource.

  20. Rapid Damage Assessment. Volume II. Development and Testing of Rapid Damage Assessment System.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-02-01

    pixels/s Camera Line Rate 732.4 lines/s Pixels per Line 1728 video 314 blank 4 line number (binary) 2 run number (BCD) 2048 total Pixel Resolution 8 bits...sists of an LSI-ll microprocessor, a VDI -200 video display processor, an FD-2 dual floppy diskette subsystem, an FT-I function key-trackball module...COMPONENT LIST FOR IMAGE PROCESSOR SYSTEM IMAGE PROCESSOR SYSTEM VIEWS I VDI -200 Display Processor Racks, Table FD-2 Dual Floppy Diskette Subsystem FT-l

  1. Mouse Models for Bone Research to Assess Military Stress Fracture Risk

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-04-01

    analyses. DEXA scanning by PIXImus: The PIXImus densitometer (GE-Lunar, Madison , WI) was used to assess whole body areal (a)BMD and body composition...between sexes in 18 of the 28 strains. Sex differences for whole body BMD (aBMD) and BcD of the lumbar spine are not congruent, consequently predicting...cannot be used to predict aBMD, either whole body or at the lumbar spine, or body cornposition compartments. It is important to note that in this

  2. On Anholonomic Deformation, Geometry, and Differentiation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-02-01

    αβχ are not necessarily Levi - Civita connection coefficients). The vector cross product × obeys, for two vectors V and W and two covectors α and β , V...three-dimensional space. 2.2.5. Euclidean space. Let GAB(X ) = GA · GB be the metric tensor of the space. The Levi - Civita connection coefficients of GAB...curvature tensor of the Levi - Civita connection vanishes identically: G R A BCD = 2 ( ∂[B G A C]D + G A[B|E|G EC]D ) = 0. (43) In n

  3. Computer Programming Manual for the Jovial (J73) Language

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-06-01

    in function is: C - BYTE("ABCDEFŕ ,2,3); The built-in function extracts "BCD" from the string "ABCDEF". ( - 9 - 1: introduction ’ Two of the built...Tabl,’ Declarations Oil -fIt Chapter 8 BLOCK DECLARATIONS A block groups items, tables, and other blocks into contiguous storage. A block also gives a...substring to be extracted starts. Length specifies the number of bits in the subetring. Bits in a bit string are numbered from left to right, beginning with

  4. Synthesis of Tricyclo[4,3,1,0(1,5)]decane Core of Plumisclerin A Using Pauson-Khand Annulation and SmI2-Mediated Radical Cyclization.

    PubMed

    Chen, Ji-Peng; He, Wei; Yang, Zhen-Yu; Yao, Zhu-Jun

    2015-07-17

    An efficient synthesis of the tricyclo[4,3,1,0(1, 5)]decane core (B/C/D rings) of plumisclerin A, a unique cytotoxic marine diterpenoid, is described. A Pauson-Khand reaction and a SmI2-mediated radical 1,4-conjugate addition successfully served as key reactions for construction of the fully functionalized 5,6-fused rings and the highly strained cyclobutanol moiety with correct relative stereochemistries, respectively.

  5. Blue compact dwarfs - Extreme dwarf irregular galaxies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thuan, Trinh X.

    1987-01-01

    Observational data on the most extreme members of the irregular dwarf (dI) galaxy class, the blue compact dwarfs (BCDs), are characterized, reviewing the results of recent investigations. The properties of the young stellar population, the ionized gas, the older star population, and the gas and dust of BCDs are contrasted with those of other dIs; BCD morphology is illustrated with sample images; and the value of BCDs (as nearby 'young' chemically unevolved galaxies) for studies of galaxy formation, galactic evolution, and starburst triggering mechanisms is indicated.

  6. Performance Measures of Diagnostic Codes for Detecting Opioid Overdose in the Emergency Department.

    PubMed

    Rowe, Christopher; Vittinghoff, Eric; Santos, Glenn-Milo; Behar, Emily; Turner, Caitlin; Coffin, Phillip O

    2017-04-01

    Opioid overdose mortality has tripled in the United States since 2000 and opioids are responsible for more than half of all drug overdose deaths, which reached an all-time high in 2014. Opioid overdoses resulting in death, however, represent only a small fraction of all opioid overdose events and efforts to improve surveillance of this public health problem should include tracking nonfatal overdose events. International Classification of Disease (ICD) diagnosis codes, increasingly used for the surveillance of nonfatal drug overdose events, have not been rigorously assessed for validity in capturing overdose events. The present study aimed to validate the use of ICD, 9th revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes in identifying opioid overdose events in the emergency department (ED) by examining multiple performance measures, including sensitivity and specificity. Data on ED visits from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2014, including clinical determination of whether the visit constituted an opioid overdose event, were abstracted from electronic medical records for patients prescribed long-term opioids for pain from any of six safety net primary care clinics in San Francisco, California. Combinations of ICD-9-CM codes were validated in the detection of overdose events as determined by medical chart review. Both sensitivity and specificity of different combinations of ICD-9-CM codes were calculated. Unadjusted logistic regression models with robust standard errors and accounting for clustering by patient were used to explore whether overdose ED visits with certain characteristics were more or less likely to be assigned an opioid poisoning ICD-9-CM code by the documenting physician. Forty-four (1.4%) of 3,203 ED visits among 804 patients were determined to be opioid overdose events. Opioid-poisoning ICD-9-CM codes (E850.2-E850.2, 965.00-965.09) identified overdose ED visits with a sensitivity of 25.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 13.6% to 37.8%) and specificity of 99.9% (95% CI = 99.8% to 100.0%). Expanding the ICD-9-CM codes to include both nonspecified and general (i.e., without a decimal modifier) drug poisoning and drug abuse codes identified overdose ED visits with a sensitivity of 56.8% (95% CI = 43.6%-72.7%) and specificity of 96.2% (95% CI = 94.8%-97.2%). Additional ICD-9-CM codes not explicitly relevant to opioid overdose were necessary to further enhance sensitivity. Among the 44 overdose ED visits, neither naloxone administration during the visit, whether the patient responded to the naloxone, nor the specific opioids involved were associated with the assignment of an opioid poisoning ICD-9-CM code (p ≥ 0.05). Tracking opioid overdose ED visits by diagnostic coding is fairly specific but insensitive, and coding was not influenced by administration of naloxone or the specific opioids involved. The reason for the high rate of missed cases is uncertain, although these results suggest that a more clearly defined case definition for overdose may be necessary to ensure effective opioid overdose surveillance. Changes in coding practices under ICD-10 might help to address these deficiencies. © 2016 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

  7. 50 CFR 216.93 - Tracking and verification program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, or American Samoa receives a domestic or imported shipment of ETP..., dressed, gilled and gutted, other), weight in short tons to the fourth decimal, ocean area of capture (ETP...

  8. 50 CFR 216.93 - Tracking and verification program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, or American Samoa receives a domestic or imported shipment of ETP..., dressed, gilled and gutted, other), weight in short tons to the fourth decimal, ocean area of capture (ETP...

  9. 25 CFR 169.11 - Affidavit and certificate.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... of road construction, and a certificate by the State or county engineer or other authorized State or... decimals, the line of route for which the right-of-way application is made. (b) Maps covering roads built...

  10. Remainder Wheels and Group Theory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brenton, Lawrence

    2008-01-01

    Why should prospective elementary and high school teachers study group theory in college? This paper examines applications of abstract algebra to the familiar algorithm for converting fractions to repeating decimals, revealing ideas of surprising substance beneath an innocent facade.

  11. Technical Mathematics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flannery, Carol A.

    This manuscript provides information and problems for teaching mathematics to vocational education students. Problems reflect applications of mathematical concepts to specific technical areas. The materials are organized into six chapters. Chapter 1 covers basic arithmetic, including fractions, decimals, ratio and proportions, percentages, and…

  12. The finite scaling for S = 1 XXZ chains with uniaxial single-ion-type anisotropy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Honglei; Xiong, Xingliang

    2014-03-01

    The scaling behavior of criticality for spin-1 XXZ chains with uniaxial single-ion-type anisotropy is investigated by employing the infinite matrix product state representation with the infinite time evolving block decimation method. At criticality, the accuracy of the ground state of a system is limited by the truncation dimension χ of the local Hilbert space. We present four evidences for the scaling of the entanglement entropy, the largest eigenvalue of the Schmidt decomposition, the correlation length, and the connection between the actual correlation length ξ and the energy. The result shows that the finite scalings are governed by the central charge of the critical system. Also, it demonstrates that the infinite time evolving block decimation algorithm by the infinite matrix product state representation can be a quite accurate method to simulate the critical properties at criticality.

  13. Pectin methyl esterase and natural microflora of fresh mixed orange and carrot juice treated with pulsed electric fields.

    PubMed

    Rodrigo, D; Barbosa-Cánovas, G V; Martínez, A; Rodrigo, M

    2003-12-01

    The effects of pulsed electric fields (PEFs) on pectin methyl esterase (PME), molds and yeast, and total flora in fresh (nonpasteurized) mixed orange and carrot juice were studied. The PEF effect was more extensive when juices with high levels of initial PME activity were subjected to treatment and when PEF treatment (at 25 kV/cm for 340 micros) was combined with a moderate temperature (63 degrees C), with the maximum level of PME inactivation being 81.4%. These conditions produced 3.7 decimal reductions in molds and yeast and 2.4 decimal reductions in total flora. Experimental inactivation data for PME, molds and yeast, and total flora were fitted to Bigelow, Hülsheger, and Weibull inactivation models by nonlinear regression. The best fit (lowest mean square error) was obtained with the Weibull model.

  14. Demonstration of base catalyzed decomposition process, Navy Public Works Center, Guam, Mariana Islands

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

    Schmidt, A.J.; Freeman, H.D.; Brown, M.D.

    1996-02-01

    Base Catalyzed Decomposition (BCD) is a chemical dehalogenation process designed for treating soils and other substrate contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), pesticides, dioxins, furans, and other hazardous organic substances. PCBs are heavy organic liquids once widely used in industry as lubricants, heat transfer oils, and transformer dielectric fluids. In 1976, production was banned when PCBs were recognized as carcinogenic substances. It was estimated that significant quantities (one billion tons) of U.S. soils, including areas on U.S. military bases outside the country, were contaminated by PCB leaks and spills, and cleanup activities began. The BCD technology was developed in response tomore » these activities. This report details the evolution of the process, from inception to deployment in Guam, and describes the process and system components provided to the Navy to meet the remediation requirements. The report is divided into several sections to cover the range of development and demonstration activities. Section 2.0 gives an overview of the project history. Section 3.0 describes the process chemistry and remediation steps involved. Section 4.0 provides a detailed description of each component and specific development activities. Section 5.0 details the testing and deployment operations and provides the results of the individual demonstration campaigns. Section 6.0 gives an economic assessment of the process. Section 7.0 presents the conclusions and recommendations form this project. The appendices contain equipment and instrument lists, equipment drawings, and detailed run and analytical data.« less

  15. The Metallicity Evolution of Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies from the Intermediate Redshift to the Local Universe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lian, Jianhui; Hu, Ning; Fang, Guanwen; Ye, Chengyun; Kong, Xu

    2016-03-01

    We present oxygen abundance measurements for 74 blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies in the redshift range of [0.2, 0.5] using the strong-line method. The spectra of these objects are taken using Hectospec on the Multiple Mirror Telescope. More than half of these BCDs had dust attenuation corrected using the Balmer decrement method. For comparison, we also selected a sample of 2023 local BCDs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) database. Based on the local and intermediate-z BCD samples, we investigated the cosmic evolution of the metallicity, star formation rate (SFR), and Dn(4000) index. Compared with local BCDs, the intermediate-z BCDs had a systematically higher R23 ratio but a similar O32 ratio. Interestingly, no significant deviation in the mass-metallicity (MZ) relation was found between the intermediate-z and local BCDs. Besides the metallicity, the intermediate-z BCDs also exhibited an SFR distribution that was consistent with local BCDs, suggesting a weak dependence on redshift. The intermediate-z BCDs seemed to be younger than the local BCDs with lower Dn(4000) index values. The insignificant deviation in the mass-metallicity and mass-SFR relations between intermediate-z and local BCDs indicates that the relations between the global parameters of low-mass compact galaxies may be universal. These results from low-mass compact galaxies could be used to place important observational constraints on galaxy formation and evolution models.

  16. Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomographic Findings of Bietti Crystalline Dystrophy

    PubMed Central

    Öner, Ferit Hakan

    2014-01-01

    We analyzed the OCT features of 24 eyes of 12 patients with Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) with the Heidelberg HRA2-OCT. Seventeen of 24 eyes were in intermediate stage of the disease and seven in advanced stage of the disease at the time of latest OCT examination performed in 2014. Outer retinal tubulations and retinal hyperreflective dots were present in 20 of 24 eyes. The remaining four eyes had advanced disease with very thin retina. Appearance of bright plaque on top of RPE-Bruch membrane was present in all eyes. Choroidal hyperreflective spots were noted in 19 of 24 eyes. The remaining five eyes had advanced disease stage with very thin choroid. Mean central macular thickness was 163.08 μm ± 62.52 for all eyes (170.35 μm ± 56.46 in eyes with intermediate disease and 145.42 μm ± 77.2 in eyes with advanced disease). Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 95.37 μm ± 55.93 for the study eyes (116.47 ± 46.92 μm in eyes with intermediate disease and 44.14 μm ± 42.43 in eyes with advanced disease). Choroidal hyperreflective spots were noted in 21 of 24 eyes (87.5%). SD-OCT shows the disease progression in retinal and choroidal layers delicately in eyes with BCD and expands our knowledge about the ongoing disease process. PMID:25505979

  17. Quercetin ameliorates kidney injury and fibrosis by modulating M1/M2 macrophage polarization.

    PubMed

    Lu, Hong; Wu, Lianfeng; Liu, Leping; Ruan, Qingqing; Zhang, Xing; Hong, Weilong; Wu, Shijia; Jin, Guihua; Bai, Yongheng

    2018-05-15

    Interstitial inflammation is the main pathological feature in kidneys following injury, and the polarization of macrophages is involved in the process of inflammatory injury. Previous studies have shown that quercetin has a renal anti-inflammatory activity, but the potential molecular mechanism remains unknown. In obstructive kidneys, administration of quercetin inhibited tubulointerstitial injury and reduced the synthesis and release of inflammatory factors. Further study revealed that quercetin inhibited the infiltration of CD68+ macrophages in renal interstitium. Moreover, the decrease in levels of iNOS and IL-12, as well as the proportion of F4/80+/CD11b+/CD86+ macrophages, indicated quercetin-mediated inhibition of M1 macrophage polarization in the injured kidneys. In cultured macrophages, lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory polarization was suppressed by quercetin treatment, resulting in the reduction of the release of inflammatory factors. Notably, quercetin-induced inhibitory effects on inflammatory macrophage polarization were associated with down-regulated activities of NF-κB p65 and IRF5, and thus led to the inactivation of upstream signaling TLR4/Myd88. Interestingly, quercetin also inhibited the polarization of F4/80+/CD11b+/CD206+ M2 macrophages, and reduced excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix and interstitial fibrosis by antagonizing the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling. Thus, quercetin ameliorates kidney injury via modulating macrophage polarization, and may have therapeutic potential for patients with kidney injury. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. The efficacy of activated protein C in murine endotoxemia is dependent on integrin CD11b

    PubMed Central

    Cao, Chunzhang; Gao, Yamei; Li, Yang; Antalis, Toni M.; Castellino, Francis J.; Zhang, Li

    2010-01-01

    Activated protein C (APC), the only FDA-approved biotherapeutic drug for sepsis, possesses anticoagulant, antiinflammatory, and barrier-protective activities. However, the mechanisms underlying its anti­inflammatory functions are not well defined. Here, we report that the antiinflammatory activity of APC on macrophages is dependent on integrin CD11b/CD18, but not on endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR). We showed that CD11b/CD18 bound APC within specialized membrane microdomains/lipid rafts and facilitated APC cleavage and activation of protease-activated receptor–1 (PAR1), leading to enhanced production of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and suppression of the proinflammatory response of activated macrophages. Deletion of the γ-carboxyglutamic acid domain of APC, a region critical for its anticoagulant activity and EPCR-dependent barrier protection, had no effect on its antiinflammatory function. Genetic inactivation of CD11b, PAR1, or sphingosine kinase–1, but not EPCR, abolished the ability of APC to suppress the macrophage inflammatory response in vitro. Using an LPS-induced mouse model of lethal endotoxemia, we showed that APC administration reduced the mortality of wild-type mice, but not CD11b-deficient mice. These data establish what we believe to be a novel mechanism underlying the antiinflammatory activity of APC in the setting of endotoxemia and provide clear evidence that the antiinflammatory function of APC is distinct from its barrier-protective function and anticoagulant activities. PMID:20458145

  19. Validation of Flow Cytometry and Magnetic Bead-Based Methods to Enrich CNS Single Cell Suspensions for Quiescent Microglia.

    PubMed

    Volden, T A; Reyelts, C D; Hoke, T A; Arikkath, J; Bonasera, S J

    2015-12-01

    Microglia are resident mononuclear phagocytes within the CNS parenchyma that intimately interact with neurons and astrocytes to remodel synapses and extracellular matrix. We briefly review studies elucidating the molecular pathways that underlie microglial surveillance, activation, chemotaxis, and phagocytosis; we additionally place these studies in a clinical context. We describe and validate an inexpensive and simple approach to obtain enriched single cell suspensions of quiescent parenchymal and perivascular microglia from the mouse cerebellum and hypothalamus. Following preparation of regional CNS single cell suspensions, we remove myelin debris, and then perform two serial enrichment steps for cells expressing surface CD11b. Myelin depletion and CD11b enrichment are both accomplished using antigen-specific magnetic beads in an automated cell separation system. Flow cytometry of the resultant suspensions shows a significant enrichment for CD11b(+)/CD45(+) cells (perivascular microglia) and CD11b(+)/CD45(-) cells (parenchymal microglia) compared to starting suspensions. Of note, cells from these enriched suspensions minimally express Aif1 (aka Iba1), suggesting that the enrichment process does not evoke significant microglial activation. However, these cells readily respond to a functional challenge (LPS) with significant changes in the expression of molecules specifically associated with microglia. We conclude that methods employing a combination of magnetic-bead based sorting and flow cytometry produce suspensions highly enriched for microglia that are appropriate for a variety of molecular and cellular assays.

  20. X-Ray Binaries in Local Analogs to the First Galaxies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brorby, Matthew G.

    2017-02-01

    The focus of this dissertation is to investigate the effect of metallicity on high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) formation and evolution as a means to understand the evolution of the early Universe (z > 6). Understanding the population and X-ray output of HMXBs are vital to modelling the heating and ionization morphology of the intergalactic medium during the epoch of reionization. Current X-ray instruments are unable to directly detect very high redshift HMXBs, making it impossible to constrain population sizes in this way. Instead certain local galaxies may be used as analogs to infer the properties of galaxies in the early Universe. These local analogs should have properties consistent with those expected for the first galaxies, such as low-metallicity, compact morphology, and intense recent star formation. I present an X-ray population study of 25 blue compact dwarf galaxies (BCD), using multiwavelength data and Bayesian analysis techniques. We find a significant enhancement of the HMXB population in low-metallicity environments and suggest the same may be true in the early Universe. I continue the investigation of HMXB populations in a sample of 10 moderate metallicity (Z ≥ 0.3, Z solar masses), local star-forming galaxies known as Lyman Break Analogs (LBAs). I find evidence of a LX-SFR-metallicity plane in the combined sample of BCDs, LBAs, and regular star-forming galaxies. Then I study a third type of local analog to early Universe galaxies, the Green Pea galaxies. These are a subclass of luminous compact galaxies (LCGs) which show strong [OIII]lambda5007A emission indicative of extreme, recent star-formation. This pilot study was carried out to look, for the first time in X-rays, at this recently established class of galaxies and use them to test the LX-SFR-metallicity plane. Determining the spectral properties of bright HMXBs in low-metallicity environments also has important implications for models of X-ray heating leading up to the Epoch of Reionization. I examined the X-ray spectra of VII Zwicky 403, one of the nearby BCD galaxies from the first study and contrast this with the only other low-metallicity BCD with high-quality spectra, I Zw 18. In the high flux state, the spectrum of VII Zw 403 is hard but drops off exponentially at higher energies (E > 5 keV). This lies in contrast with the softer blackbody accretion disk spectrum seen from I Zw 18 in its high flux state. I conclude with a brief summary of the thesis and discuss recent relevant theory and simulation work done by other groups.

  1. Evidence of Temporal Postdischarge Decontamination of Bacteria by Gliding Electric Discharges: Application to Hafnia alvei▿

    PubMed Central

    Kamgang-Youbi, Georges; Herry, Jean-Marie; Bellon-Fontaine, Marie-Noëlle; Brisset, Jean-Louis; Doubla, Avaly; Naïtali, Murielle

    2007-01-01

    This study aimed to characterize the bacterium-destroying properties of a gliding arc plasma device during electric discharges and also under temporal postdischarge conditions (i.e., when the discharge was switched off). This phenomenon was reported for the first time in the literature in the case of the plasma destruction of microorganisms. When cells of a model bacterium, Hafnia alvei, were exposed to electric discharges, followed or not followed by temporal postdischarges, the survival curves exhibited a shoulder and then log-linear decay. These destruction kinetics were modeled using GinaFiT, a freeware tool to assess microbial survival curves, and adjustment parameters were determined. The efficiency of postdischarge treatments was clearly affected by the discharge time (t*); both the shoulder length and the inactivation rate kmax were linearly modified as a function of t*. Nevertheless, all conditions tested (t* ranging from 2 to 5 min) made it possible to achieve an abatement of at least 7 decimal logarithm units. Postdischarge treatment was also efficient against bacteria not subjected to direct discharge, and the disinfecting properties of “plasma-activated water” were dependent on the treatment time for the solution. Water treated with plasma for 2 min achieved a 3.7-decimal-logarithm-unit reduction in 20 min after application to cells, and abatement greater than 7 decimal logarithm units resulted from the same contact time with water activated with plasma for 10 min. These disinfecting properties were maintained during storage of activated water for 30 min. After that, they declined as the storage time increased. PMID:17557841

  2. Robust Fuzzy Controllers Using FPGAs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Monroe, Author Gene S., Jr.

    2007-01-01

    Electro-mechanical device controllers typically come in one of three forms, proportional (P), Proportional Derivative (PD), and Proportional Integral Derivative (PID). Two methods of control are discussed in this paper; they are (1) the classical technique that requires an in-depth mathematical use of poles and zeros, and (2) the fuzzy logic (FL) technique that is similar to the way humans think and make decisions. FL controllers are used in multiple industries; examples include control engineering, computer vision, pattern recognition, statistics, and data analysis. Presented is a study on the development of a PD motor controller written in very high speed hardware description language (VHDL), and implemented in FL. Four distinct abstractions compose the FL controller, they are the fuzzifier, the rule-base, the fuzzy inference system (FIS), and the defuzzifier. FL is similar to, but different from, Boolean logic; where the output value may be equal to 0 or 1, but it could also be equal to any decimal value between them. This controller is unique because of its VHDL implementation, which uses integer mathematics. To compensate for VHDL's inability to synthesis floating point numbers, a scale factor equal to 10(sup (N/4) is utilized; where N is equal to data word size. The scaling factor shifts the decimal digits to the left of the decimal point for increased precision. PD controllers are ideal for use with servo motors, where position control is effective. This paper discusses control methods for motion-base platforms where a constant velocity equivalent to a spectral resolution of 0.25 cm(exp -1) is required; however, the control capability of this controller extends to various other platforms.

  3. The risks of innovation in health care.

    PubMed

    Enzmann, Dieter R

    2015-04-01

    Innovation in health care creates risks that are unevenly distributed. An evolutionary analogy using species to represent business models helps categorize innovation experiments and their risks. This classification reveals two qualitative categories: early and late diversification experiments. Early diversification has prolific innovations with high risk because they encounter a "decimation" stage, during which most experiments disappear. Participants face high risk. The few decimation survivors can be sustaining or disruptive according to Christensen's criteria. Survivors enter late diversification, during which they again expand, but within a design range limited to variations of the previous surviving designs. Late diversifications carry lower risk. The exception is when disruptive survivors "diversify," which amplifies their disruption. Health care and radiology will experience both early and late diversifications, often simultaneously. Although oversimplifying Christensen's concepts, early diversifications are likely to deliver disruptive innovation, whereas late diversifications tend to produce sustaining innovations. Current health care consolidation is a manifestation of late diversification. Early diversifications will appear outside traditional care models and physical health care sites, as well as with new science such as molecular diagnostics. They warrant attention because decimation survivors will present both disruptive and sustaining opportunities to radiology. Radiology must participate in late diversification by incorporating sustaining innovations to its value chain. Given the likelihood of disruptive survivors, radiology should seriously consider disrupting itself rather than waiting for others to do so. Disruption entails significant modifications of its value chain, hence, its business model, for which lessons may become available from the pharmaceutical industry's current simultaneous experience with early and late diversifications. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  4. A Model for Determining the Effect of the Wind Velocity on 100 m Sprinting Performance.

    PubMed

    Janjic, Natasa; Kapor, Darko; Doder, Dragan; Petrovic, Aleksandar; Doder, Radoslava

    2017-06-01

    This paper introduces an equation for determining instantaneous and final velocity of a sprinter in a 100 m run completed with a wind resistance ranging from 0.1 to 4.5 m/s. The validity of the equation was verified using the data of three world class sprinters: Carl Lewis, Maurice Green, and Usain Bolt. For the given constant wind velocity with the values + 0.9 and + 1.1 m/s, the wind contribution to the change of sprinter velocity was the same for the maximum as well as for the final velocity. This study assessed how the effect of the wind velocity influenced the change of sprinting velocity. The analysis led to the conclusion that the official limit of safely neglecting the wind influence could be chosen as 1 m/s instead of 2 m/s, if the velocity were presented using three, instead of two decimal digits. This implies that wind velocity should be rounded off to two decimal places instead of the present practice of one decimal place. In particular, the results indicated that the influence of wind on the change of sprinting velocity in the range of up to 2 m/s and was of order of magnitude of 10 -3 m/s. This proves that the IAAF Competition Rules correctly neglect the influence of the wind with regard to such velocities. However, for the wind velocity over 2 m/s, the wind influence is of order 10 -2 m/s and cannot be neglected.

  5. A Model for Determining the Effect of the Wind Velocity on 100 m Sprinting Performance

    PubMed Central

    Janjic, Natasa; Kapor, Darko; Doder, Dragan; Petrovic, Aleksandar; Doder, Radoslava

    2017-01-01

    Abstract This paper introduces an equation for determining instantaneous and final velocity of a sprinter in a 100 m run completed with a wind resistance ranging from 0.1 to 4.5 m/s. The validity of the equation was verified using the data of three world class sprinters: Carl Lewis, Maurice Green, and Usain Bolt. For the given constant wind velocity with the values + 0.9 and + 1.1 m/s, the wind contribution to the change of sprinter velocity was the same for the maximum as well as for the final velocity. This study assessed how the effect of the wind velocity influenced the change of sprinting velocity. The analysis led to the conclusion that the official limit of safely neglecting the wind influence could be chosen as 1 m/s instead of 2 m/s, if the velocity were presented using three, instead of two decimal digits. This implies that wind velocity should be rounded off to two decimal places instead of the present practice of one decimal place. In particular, the results indicated that the influence of wind on the change of sprinting velocity in the range of up to 2 m/s and was of order of magnitude of 10-3 m/s. This proves that the IAAF Competition Rules correctly neglect the influence of the wind with regard to such velocities. However, for the wind velocity over 2 m/s, the wind influence is of order 10-2 m/s and cannot be neglected. PMID:28713468

  6. Drafting: Current Trends and Future Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jensen, C.

    1976-01-01

    Various research findings are reported on drafting trends which the author feels should be incorporated into teaching drafting: (1) true position and geometric tolerancing, (2) decimal and metric dimensioning, (3) functional drafting, (4) automated drafting, and (5) drawing reproductions. (BP)

  7. Mystery #5 Answer

    Atmospheric Science Data Center

    2013-04-22

    ... the questions are provided. 1.   There are no endemic species of cactus on any of the islands. Answer: FALSE. Endemic ... on this island. 6.   Several plant species are endangered due to decimation by goats and competition with non-native ...

  8. 40 CFR 60.424 - Test methods and procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... to conduct the run, liter/min. B=acid density (a function of acid strength and temperature), g/cc. C=acid strength, decimal fraction. K1/4=conversion factor, 0.0808 (Mg-min-cc)/(g-hr-liter) [0.0891 (ton...

  9. 40 CFR 60.424 - Test methods and procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... to conduct the run, liter/min. B=acid density (a function of acid strength and temperature), g/cc. C=acid strength, decimal fraction. K1/4=conversion factor, 0.0808 (Mg-min-cc)/(g-hr-liter) [0.0891 (ton...

  10. 40 CFR 60.424 - Test methods and procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... to conduct the run, liter/min. B=acid density (a function of acid strength and temperature), g/cc. C=acid strength, decimal fraction. K1/4=conversion factor, 0.0808 (Mg-min-cc)/(g-hr-liter) [0.0891 (ton...

  11. Refractive Outcomes of 20 Eyes Undergoing ICL Implantation for Correction of Hyperopic Astigmatism.

    PubMed

    Coskunseven, Efekan; Kavadarli, Isilay; Sahin, Onurcan; Kayhan, Belma; Pallikaris, Ioannis

    2017-09-01

    To analyze 1-week, 1-month, and 12-month postoperative refractive outcomes of eyes that under-went ICL implantation to correct hyperopic astigmatism. The study enrolled 20 eyes of patients with an average age of 32 years (range: 21 to 40 years). The outcomes of spherical and cylindrical refraction, uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), vault, and angle parameters were evaluated 1 week, 1 month, and 12 months postoperatively. The preoperative mean UDVA was 0.15 ± 0.11 (decimal) (20/133 Snellen) and increased to 0.74 ± 0.25 (20/27 Snellen) postoperatively, with a change of 0.59 (decimal) (20/33.9 Snellen) (P < .0001), which was statistically significant. The preoperative mean CDVA was 0.74 ± 0.25 (decimal) (20/27 Snellen) and increased to 0.78 ± 0.21 (20/25 Snellen), with a change of 0.03 (decimal) (20/666 Snellen) (P < .052), which was not statistically significant. The mean preoperative sphere was 6.86 ± 1.77 diopters (D) and the mean preoperative cylinder was -1.44 ± 0.88 D. The mean 12-month postoperative sphere decreased to 0.46 ± 0.89 D (P < .001) and cylinder decreased to -0.61 ± 0.46 D (P < .001), with a change of 6.40 D, both of which were statistically significant. The mean 1-month postoperative vault was 0.65 ± 0.13 mm and decreased to 0.613 ± 0.10 mm at 1 year postoperatively, with a change of 0.44 mm (P < .003). The preoperative/12-month and 1-month/12-month trabecular-iris angle (TIA), trabecular-iris space area 500 mm from the scleral spur (TISA500), and angle opening distance 500 mm from the scleral spur (AOD500) values were analyzed nasally, temporally, and inferiorly. All differences were statistically significant between preoperative/12-month analysis. The only differences between 1- and 12-month analysis were on TISA500 inferior (P < .002) and AOD500 nasal (0.031) values. ICL hyperopic toric implantation is a safe method and provides stable refractive outcomes in patients with high hyperopia (up to 10.00 D) and astigmatism (up to 6.00 D). [J Refract Surg. 2017;33(9):604-609.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

  12. The elimination of influence of disturbing bodies' coordinates and derivatives discontinuity on the accuracy of asteroid motion simulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baturin, A. P.; Votchel, I. A.

    2013-12-01

    The problem of asteroid motion sumulation has been considered. At present this simulation is being performed by means of numerical integration taking into account the pertubations from planets and the Moon with some their ephemerides (DE405, DE422, etc.). All these ephemerides contain coefficients for Chebyshev polinomials for the great amount of equal interpolation intervals. However, all ephemerides has been constructed to keep at the junctions of adjacent intervals a continuity of just coordinates and their first derivatives (just in 16-digit decimal format corre-sponding to 64-bit floating-point numbers). But as for the second and higher order derivatives, they have breaks at these junctions. These breaks, if they are within an integration step, decrease the accuracy of numerical integration. If to consider 34-digit format (128-bit floating point numbers) the coordinates and their first derivatives will also have breaks (at 15-16 decimal digit) at interpolation intervals' junctions. Two ways of elimination of influence of such breaks have been considered. The first one is a "smoothing" of ephemerides so that planets' coordinates and their de-rivatives up to some order will be continuous at the junctions. The smoothing algorithm is based on conditional least-square fitting of coefficients for Chebyshev polynomials, the conditions are equalities of coordinates and derivatives up to some order "from the left" and "from the right" at the each junction. The algorithm has been applied for the smoothing of ephemerides DE430 just up to the first-order derivatives. The second way is a correction of integration step so that junctions does not lie within the step and always coincide with its end. But this way may be applied just at 16-digit decimal precision because it assumes a continuity of planets' coordinates and their first derivatives. Both ways was applied in forward and backward numerical integration for asteroids Apophis and 2012 DA14 by means of 15- and 31-order Everhart method at 16- and 34-digit decimal precision correspondently. The ephemerides DE430 (in its original and smoothed form) has been used for the calculation of perturbations. The results of the research indicate that the integration step correction increases a numercal integration accuracy by 3-4 orders. If, in addition, to replace the original ephemerides by the smoothed ones the accuracy increases approximately by 10 orders.

  13. Effect of input data variability on estimations of the equivalent constant temperature time for microbial inactivation by HTST and retort thermal processing.

    PubMed

    Salgado, Diana; Torres, J Antonio; Welti-Chanes, Jorge; Velazquez, Gonzalo

    2011-08-01

    Consumer demand for food safety and quality improvements, combined with new regulations, requires determining the processor's confidence level that processes lowering safety risks while retaining quality will meet consumer expectations and regulatory requirements. Monte Carlo calculation procedures incorporate input data variability to obtain the statistical distribution of the output of prediction models. This advantage was used to analyze the survival risk of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (M. paratuberculosis) and Clostridium botulinum spores in high-temperature short-time (HTST) milk and canned mushrooms, respectively. The results showed an estimated 68.4% probability that the 15 sec HTST process would not achieve at least 5 decimal reductions in M. paratuberculosis counts. Although estimates of the raw milk load of this pathogen are not available to estimate the probability of finding it in pasteurized milk, the wide range of the estimated decimal reductions, reflecting the variability of the experimental data available, should be a concern to dairy processors. Knowledge of the C. botulinum initial load and decimal thermal time variability was used to estimate an 8.5 min thermal process time at 110 °C for canned mushrooms reducing the risk to 10⁻⁹ spores/container with a 95% confidence. This value was substantially higher than the one estimated using average values (6.0 min) with an unacceptable 68.6% probability of missing the desired processing objective. Finally, the benefit of reducing the variability in initial load and decimal thermal time was confirmed, achieving a 26.3% reduction in processing time when standard deviation values were lowered by 90%. In spite of novel technologies, commercialized or under development, thermal processing continues to be the most reliable and cost-effective alternative to deliver safe foods. However, the severity of the process should be assessed to avoid under- and over-processing and determine opportunities for improvement. This should include a systematic approach to consider variability in the parameters for the models used by food process engineers when designing a thermal process. The Monte Carlo procedure here presented is a tool to facilitate this task for the determination of process time at a constant lethal temperature. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

  14. O/H-N/O: the curious case of NGC 4670

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumari, Nimisha; James, Bethan L.; Irwin, Mike J.; Amorín, Ricardo; Pérez-Montero, Enrique

    2018-05-01

    We use integral field spectroscopic (IFS) observations from Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph North (GMOS-N) of a group of four H II regions and the surrounding gas in the central region of the blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxy NGC 4670. At spatial scales of ˜9 pc, we map the spatial distribution of a variety of physical properties of the ionized gas: internal dust attenuation, kinematics, stellar age, star formation rate, emission-line ratios, and chemical abundances. The region of study is found to be photoionized. Using the robust direct Te method, we estimate metallicity, nitrogen-to-oxygen ratio, and helium abundance of the four H II regions. The same parameters are also mapped for the entire region using the HII-CHI-mistry code. We find that log(N/O) is increased in the region where the Wolf-Rayet bump is detected. The region coincides with the continuum region, around which we detect a slight increase in He abundance. We estimate the number of WC4, WN2-4, and WN7-9 stars from the integrated spectrum of WR bump region. We study the relation between log(N/O) and 12 + log(O/H) using the spatially resolved data of the field of view as well as the integrated data of the H II regions from 10 BCDs. We find an unexpected negative trend between N/O and metallicity. Several scenarios are explored to explain this trend, including nitrogen enrichment, and variations in star formation efficiency via chemical evolution models.

  15. Method and apparatus for reducing radiation exposure through the use of infrared data transmission

    DOEpatents

    Austin, Frank S.; Hance, Albert B.

    1989-01-01

    A method and apparatus is described for transmitting information, for exae, dosimetry data from a hazardous environment such as a radioactive area to a remote relatively safe location. A radiation detector senses the radiation and generates an electrical signal which is fed as a binary coded decimal signal to an infrared transmitter having a microprocessor. The microprocessor formats the detected information into digits of data and modulates a 40 kHz oscillator, the output of which is fed to and intensity modulates one or more infrared emitting diodes. The infrared signal from the diodes is transmitted to a portable hand-held infrared receiver remote from the hazardous environment. The receiver includes an infrared sensitive diode which decodes the data and generates an electrical signal which is coupled to a microcomputer. The microcomputer synchronizes itself to the transmitter, reads the digits of data as they are received, sums the digits and compares the sum with a checksum signal generated and transmitted from the transmitter. If a match of the checksum signals exists, the received data is displayed, otherwise it is described and the receiver conditions itself for the next transmission of data.

  16. Población de estrellas Be en cúmulos abiertos galácticos

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aidelman, Y. J.; Cidale, L. S.; Panei, J. A.

    2017-10-01

    We study the population of Be stars in open clusters with the objective of finding relationships between the intrinsic properties of Be stars and the characteristics of their circumstellar envelopes. In this way, we can provide data for a better understanding of this phenomenon. With the spectrofotometric BCD system we determine fundamental parameters of these stars and analyze their spectra. We detect late B-type stars with circumstellar envelopes, but without H emission. These stars can be considered as the coldest counterpart of the Be stars.

  17. Interaction between the Sbcc Gene of Escherichia Coli and the Gam Gene of Phage λ

    PubMed Central

    Kulkarni, S. K.; Stahl, F. W.

    1989-01-01

    gam mutants of phage λ carrying long palindromes fail to form plaques on wild-type Escherichia coli but do grow on strains that are mutant in the sbcC gene. gam(+) λ carrying the same palindrome grow on both hosts and on a host deleted for the recB, C and D genes. These results suggest that the Gam protein of λ, known to interact also with E. coli's recBCD protein, can interact with the product of the sbcC gene. PMID:2531105

  18. IRACproc: IRAC Post-BCD Processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schuster, Mike; Marengo, Massimo; Patten, Brian

    2012-09-01

    IRACproc is a software suite that facilitates the co-addition of dithered or mapped Spitzer/IRAC data to make them ready for further analysis with application to a wide variety of IRAC observing programs. The software runs within PDL, a numeric extension for Perl available from pdl.perl.org, and as stand alone perl scripts. In acting as a wrapper for the Spitzer Science Center's MOPEX software, IRACproc improves the rejection of cosmic rays and other transients in the co-added data. In addition, IRACproc performs (optional) Point Spread Function (PSF) fitting, subtraction, and masking of saturated stars.

  19. Synthetic filter photometry and evolutionary status of two Be stars in the association Per OB1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Torres, Ana V.

    1987-01-01

    Stromgren and H-beta colors have been determined from spectrophotometric observations for two Be stars without published photometry in the association Per OB1: HD 12856 (B0 pe) and HD 13890 (B1 III:pe). Stellar parameters and improved spectral types are then derived from the color indices using the calibrations of Jakobsen (1986), and independently from the BCD classification method. The intrinsic properties of HD 12856 and HD 13890 are compared with those of normal B stars and are used to estimate their evolutionary status.

  20. Bread: CDC 7600 program that processes Spent Fuel Test Climax data

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

    Hage, G.L.

    BREAD will process a family of files copied from a data tape made by Hewlett-Packard equipment employed for data acquisition on the Spent Fuel Test-Climax at NTS. Tapes are delivered to Livermore approximately monthly. The process at this stage consists of four steps: read the binary files and convert from H-P 16-bit words to CDC 7600 60-bit words; check identification and data ranges; write the data in 6-bit ASCII (BCD) format, one data point per line; then sort the file by identifier and time.

  1. 40 CFR 1054.240 - How do I demonstrate that my emission family complies with exhaust emission standards?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... deterioration factor to one more significant figure than the emission standard. You may use assigned... rounding the adjusted figure to the same number of decimal places as the emission standard. Compare the...

  2. 40 CFR 1054.240 - How do I demonstrate that my emission family complies with exhaust emission standards?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... deterioration factor to one more significant figure than the emission standard. You may use assigned... rounding the adjusted figure to the same number of decimal places as the emission standard. Compare the...

  3. 40 CFR 1054.240 - How do I demonstrate that my emission family complies with exhaust emission standards?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... deterioration factor to one more significant figure than the emission standard. You may use assigned... rounding the adjusted figure to the same number of decimal places as the emission standard. Compare the...

  4. 40 CFR 1054.240 - How do I demonstrate that my emission family complies with exhaust emission standards?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... deterioration factor to one more significant figure than the emission standard. You may use assigned... rounding the adjusted figure to the same number of decimal places as the emission standard. Compare the...

  5. 40 CFR 1054.240 - How do I demonstrate that my emission family complies with exhaust emission standards?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... deterioration factor to one more significant figure than the emission standard. You may use assigned... rounding the adjusted figure to the same number of decimal places as the emission standard. Compare the...

  6. Programs for Fundamentals of Chemistry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gallardo, Julio; Delgado, Steven

    This document provides computer programs, written in BASIC PLUS, for presenting fundamental or remedial college chemistry students with chemical problems in a computer assisted instructional program. Programs include instructions, a sample run, and 14 separate practice sessions covering: mathematical operations, using decimals, solving…

  7. 40 CFR 98.276 - Data reporting requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... CO2, CH4, biogenic CH4 N2O, and biogenic N2O (metric tons per year). (b) Annual quantities fossil... weight, expressed as a decimal fraction, e.g., 95% = 0.95). (g) Annual quantities of fossil fuels by type...

  8. Yield table for hardwood bark residue

    Treesearch

    Jeffery L. Wartluft

    1974-01-01

    Bark residue weights are tabulated for eight species of hardwood sawlogs according to log volume by the Doyle, International 1/4-inch, and Scribner decimal C log rules. Factors are provided for converting from weight in pounds to volume in cubic yards.

  9. Ten Essential Concepts for Remediation in Mathematics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roseman, Louis

    1985-01-01

    Ten crucial mathematical concepts with which errors are made are listed, with methods used to teach them to high school students. The concepts concern order, place values, inverse operations, multiplication and division, remainders, identity elements, fractions, conversions, decimal points, and percentages. (MNS)

  10. 40 CFR 60.641 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... beneath the earth's surface. The principal hydrocarbon constituent is methane. Onshore means all... sulfur compounds means H2S, carbonyl sulfide (COS), and carbon disulfide (CS2). Sulfur production rate... efficiency achieved in percent, carried to one decimal place. SThe sulfur production rate, kilograms per hour...

  11. 40 CFR 60.641 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... beneath the earth's surface. The principal hydrocarbon constituent is methane. Onshore means all... sulfur compounds means H2S, carbonyl sulfide (COS), and carbon disulfide (CS2). Sulfur production rate... efficiency achieved in percent, carried to one decimal place. SThe sulfur production rate, kilograms per hour...

  12. 40 CFR 60.641 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... beneath the earth's surface. The principal hydrocarbon constituent is methane. Onshore means all... sulfur compounds means H2S, carbonyl sulfide (COS), and carbon disulfide (CS2). Sulfur production rate... efficiency achieved in percent, carried to one decimal place. SThe sulfur production rate, kilograms per hour...

  13. Mystery #5

    Atmospheric Science Data Center

    2013-04-22

    ... statement true or false: 1.   There are no endemic species of cactus on any of the islands. 2.   Flamingos, whose diets ... to over 2,000 people. 6.   Several plant species are endangered due to decimation by goats and competition with non-native ...

  14. 16 CFR 500.11 - Measurement of commodity length, how expressed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... follows: (a) If less than 1 foot, in terms of inches and fractions thereof. (b) If 1 foot or more, in... decimal fractions of the foot or yard, except that it shall be optional to express the length in the...

  15. Promoting Decimal Number Sense and Representational Fluency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suh, Jennifer M.; Johnston, Chris; Jamieson, Spencer; Mills, Michelle

    2008-01-01

    The abstract nature of mathematics requires the communication of mathematical ideas through multiple representations, such as words, symbols, pictures, objects, or actions. Building representational fluency involves using mathematical representations flexibly and being able to interpret and translate among these different models and mathematical…

  16. Extending the Regular Curriculum through Creative Problem Solving.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bohan, Harry; Bohan, Susan

    1993-01-01

    Uses ancient Egyptian numeration system in a new setting to extend the concepts of base, place value, and correspondence. Discusses similarities and differences between the Egyptian and decimal systems. Students are asked to propose changes to make the Egyptian system easier. (LDR)

  17. Workplace Math I: Easing into Math.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Nancy; Goschen, Claire

    This basic skills learning module includes instruction in performing basic computations, using general numerical concepts such as whole numbers, fractions, decimals, averages, ratios, proportions, percentages, and equivalents in practical situations. The problems are relevant to all aspects of the printing and manufacturing industry, with emphasis…

  18. How can we eradicate chlamydia?

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

    Rousser, Margaret; He, Wei

    Chlamydia is the most commonly contracted STI and affects millions of people worldwide, but it's not just hurting humans--it's also decimating koala populations! Find out how researches at the Lab are working toward developing the first vaccine against chlamydia--good news for humans and koalas.

  19. The Native American Holocaust.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thornton, Russell

    1989-01-01

    Describes the American Indian "Holocaust," decimation of Indian populations following European discovery of the Americas. European and African diseases, warfare with Europeans, and genocide reduced native populations from 75 million to only a few million. Discusses population statistics and demographic effects of epidemics, continuing infection,…

  20. Genomic divergence and lack of introgressive hybridization between two 13-year periodical cicadas support life cycle switching in the face of climate change.

    PubMed

    Koyama, Takuya; Ito, Hiromu; Fujisawa, Tomochika; Ikeda, Hiroshi; Kakishima, Satoshi; Cooley, John R; Simon, Chris; Yoshimura, Jin; Sota, Teiji

    2016-11-01

    Life history evolution spurred by post-Pleistocene climatic change is hypothesized to be responsible for the present diversity in periodical cicadas (Magicicada), but the mechanism of life cycle change has been controversial. To understand the divergence process of 13-year and 17-year cicada life cycles, we studied genetic relationships between two synchronously emerging, parapatric 13-year periodical cicada species in the Decim group, Magicicada tredecim and M. neotredecim. The latter was hypothesized to be of hybrid origin or to have switched from a 17-year cycle via developmental plasticity. Phylogenetic analysis using restriction-site-associated DNA sequences for all Decim species and broods revealed that the 13-year M. tredecim lineage is genomically distinct from 17-year Magicicada septendecim but that 13-year M. neotredecim is not. We detected no significant introgression between M. tredecim and M. neotredecim/M. septendecim thus refuting the hypothesis that M. neotredecim are products of hybridization between M. tredecim and M. septendecim. Further, we found that introgressive hybridization is very rare or absent in the contact zone between the two 13-year species evidenced by segregation patterns in single nucleotide polymorphisms, mitochondrial lineage identity and head width and abdominal sternite colour phenotypes. Our study demonstrates that the two 13-year Decim species are of independent origin and nearly completely reproductively isolated. Combining our data with increasing observations of occasional life cycle change in part of a cohort (e.g. 4-year acceleration of emergence in 17-year species), we suggest a pivotal role for developmental plasticity in Magicicada life cycle evolution. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. An asteroids' motion simulation using smoothed ephemerides DE405, DE406, DE408, DE421, DE423 and DE722. (Russian Title: Прогнозирование движения астероидов с использованием сглаженных эфемерид DE405, DE406, DE408, DE421, DE423 и DE722)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baturin, A. P.

    2011-07-01

    The results of major planets' and Moon's ephemerides smoothing by cubic polynomials are presented. Considered ephemerides are DE405, DE406, DE408, DE421, DE423 and DE722. The goal of the smoothig is an elimination of discontinu-ous behavior of interpolated coordinates and their derivatives at the junctions of adjacent interpolation intervals when calculations are made with 34-digit decimal accuracy. The reason of such a behavior is a limited 16-digit decimal accuracy of coefficients in ephemerides for interpolating Chebyshev's polynomials. Such discontinuity of perturbing bodies' coordinates signifi-cantly reduces the advantages of 34-digit calculations because the accuracy of numerical integration of asteroids' motion equations increases in this case just by 3 orders to compare with 16-digit calculations. It is demonstrated that the cubic-polynomial smoothing of ephemerides results in elimination of jumps of perturbing bodies' coordinates and their derivatives. This leads to increasing of numerical integration accuracy by 7-9 orders. All calculations in this work were made with 34-digit decimal accuracy on the computer cluster "Skif Cyberia" of Tomsk State University.

  2. Off-line wafer level reliability control: unique measurement method to monitor the lifetime indicator of gate oxide validated within bipolar/CMOS/DMOS technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gagnard, Xavier; Bonnaud, Olivier

    2000-08-01

    We have recently published a paper on a new rapid method for the determination of the lifetime of the gate oxide involved in a Bipolar/CMOS/DMOS technology (BCD). Because this previous method was based on a current measurement with gate voltage as a parameter needing several stress voltages, it was applied only by lot sampling. Thus, we tried to find an indicator in order to monitor the gate oxide lifetime during the wafer level parametric test and involving only one measurement of the device on each wafer test cell. Using the Weibull law and Crook model, combined with our recent model, we have developed a new test method needing only one electrical measurement of MOS capacitor to monitor the quality of the gate oxide. Based also on a current measurement, the parameter is the lifetime indicator of the gate oxide. From the analysis of several wafers, we gave evidence of the possibility to detect a low performance wafer, which corresponds to the infantile failure on the Weibull plot. In order to insert this new method in the BCD parametric program, a parametric flowchart was established. This type of measurement is an important challenges, because the actual measurements, breakdown charge, Qbd, and breakdown electric field, Ebd, at parametric level and Ebd and interface states density, Dit during the process cannot guarantee the gate oxide lifetime all along fabrication process. This indicator measurement is the only one, which predicts the lifetime decrease.

  3. A novel sample preparation and on-line HPLC-DAD-MS/MS-BCD analysis for rapid screening and characterization of specific enzyme inhibitors in herbal extracts: case study of α-glucosidase.

    PubMed

    Li, D Q; Zhao, J; Xie, J; Li, S P

    2014-01-01

    Drug discovery from complex mixture like Chinese herbs is a challenge and extensive false positives make the obtainment of specific bioactive compounds difficult. In the present study, a novel sample preparation method was proposed to rapidly reveal the specific bioactive compounds from complex mixtures using α-glucosidase as a case. Firstly, aqueous and methanol extracts of 500 traditional Chinese medicines were carried out with the aim of finding new sources of α-glucosidase inhibitors. As a result, the extracts of fruit of Terminalia chebula (FTC), flowers of Rosa rugosa (FRR) and Eugenia caryophyllata (FEC) as well as husk of Punica granatum (HPG) showed high inhibition on α-glucosidase. On-line liquid chromatography-diode array detection-tandem mass spectrometry and biochemical detection (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS-BCD) was performed to rapidly screen and characterize α-glucosidase inhibitors in these four extracts. After tentative identification, most of compounds with inhibitory activity in the investigated crude extracts were found to be tannins commonly recognized as non-specific enzyme inhibitors in vitro. Subsequently, the four extracts were treated with gelatin to improve specificity of the on-line system. Finally, two compounds with specific α-glucosidase inhibition were identified as corilagin and ellagic acid. The developed method could discover specific α-glucosidase inhibitors in complex mixtures such as plant extracts, which could also be used for discovery of specific inhibitors of other enzymes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Alternative Neisseria spp. type IV pilin glycosylation with a glyceramido acetamido trideoxyhexose residue

    PubMed Central

    Chamot-Rooke, Julia; Rousseau, Benoit; Lanternier, Fanny; Mikaty, Guillain; Mairey, Emilie; Malosse, Christian; Bouchoux, Guy; Pelicic, Vladimir; Camoin, Luc; Nassif, Xavier; Duménil, Guillaume

    2007-01-01

    The importance of protein glycosylation in the interaction of pathogenic bacteria with their host is becoming increasingly clear. Neisseria meningitidis, the etiological agent of cerebrospinal meningitis, crosses cellular barriers after adhering to host cells through type IV pili. Pilin glycosylation genes (pgl) are responsible for the glycosylation of PilE, the major subunit of type IV pili, with the 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxyhexose residue. Nearly half of the clinical isolates, however, display an insertion in the pglBCD operon, which is anticipated to lead to a different, unidentified glycosylation. Here the structure of pilin glycosylation was determined in such a strain by “top-down” MS approaches. MALDI-TOF, nanoelectrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance, and nanoelectrospray ionization quadrupole TOF MS analysis of purified pili preparations originating from N. meningitidis strains, either wild type or deficient for pilin glycosylation, revealed a glycan mass inconsistent with 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxyhexose or any sugar in the databases. This unusual modification was determined by in-source dissociation of the sugar from the protein followed by tandem MS analysis with collision-induced fragmentation to be a hexose modified with a glyceramido and an acetamido group. We further show genetically that the nature of the sugar present on the pilin is determined by the carboxyl-terminal region of the pglB gene modified by the insertion in the pglBCD locus. We thus report a previously undiscovered monosaccharide involved in posttranslational modification of type IV pilin subunits by a MS-based approach and determine the molecular basis of its biosynthesis. PMID:17804791

  5. The Mathematics of Computer Error.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wood, Eric

    1988-01-01

    Why a computer error occurred is considered by analyzing the binary system and decimal fractions. How the computer stores numbers is then described. Knowledge of the mathematics behind computer operation is important if one wishes to understand and have confidence in the results of computer calculations. (MNS)

  6. 40 CFR 60.641 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... formations beneath the earth's surface. The principal hydrocarbon constituent is methane. Onshore means all... sulfur compounds means H2S, carbonyl sulfide (COS), and carbon disulfide (CS2). Sulfur production rate... efficiency achieved in percent, carried to one decimal place. SThe sulfur production rate, kilograms per hour...

  7. 40 CFR 60.641 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... formations beneath the earth's surface. The principal hydrocarbon constituent is methane. Onshore means all... sulfur compounds means H2S, carbonyl sulfide (COS), and carbon disulfide (CS2). Sulfur production rate... efficiency achieved in percent, carried to one decimal place. SThe sulfur production rate, kilograms per hour...

  8. The Dynamic Discograph.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bell, Garry

    1991-01-01

    Mechanical devices offer an alternative to computers to explore mathematical concepts in different curricula areas. Described is the discograph, a series of pulleys and wheels, that can be used to teach mathematical principles in pattern drawing, locus, rotation in geared systems, gearing, rotational symmetry, regular plane figures, decimal, and…

  9. Wavelet-Based Processing for Fiber Optic Sensing Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hamory, Philip J. (Inventor); Parker, Allen R., Jr. (Inventor)

    2016-01-01

    The present invention is an improved method of processing conglomerate data. The method employs a Triband Wavelet Transform that decomposes and decimates the conglomerate signal to obtain a final result. The invention may be employed to improve performance of Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry systems.

  10. Laurel wilt: Understanding an unusual and exotic vascular wilt disease

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Laurel wilt kills American members of the Lauraceae plant family (Laurales, Magnoliid complex). These include significant components of Coastal Plain forest communities in the southeastern USA, most importantly redbay, as well as the commercial crop avocado. The disease has decimated redbay, swamp ...

  11. Crisis in Cataloging Revisited: The Year's Work in Subject Analysis, 1990.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, James Bradford

    1991-01-01

    Reviews the 1990 literature that concerns subject analysis. Issues addressed include subject cataloging, including Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH); classification, including Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), Library of Congress Classification, and classification in online systems; subject access, including the online use of…

  12. DDC19: An Indictment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berman, Sanford

    1980-01-01

    Criticizes the 19th edition of "Dewey Decimal Classification" for violating traditional classification goals for library materials and ignoring the desires of libraries and other users. A total reform is proposed to eliminate Phoenix schedules and to accept only those relocations approved by an editorial board of users. (RAA)

  13. Technical Mathematics: Restructure of Technical Mathematics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flannery, Carol A.

    Designed to accompany a series of videotapes, this textbook provides information, examples, problems, and solutions relating to mathematics and its applications in technical fields. Chapter I deals with basic arithmetic, providing information on fractions, decimals, ratios, proportions, percentages, and order of operations. Chapter II focuses on…

  14. The Trail of Tears Continues: Dispossession and Genocide of the Native American Indians.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bender, Albert M.

    1981-01-01

    Describes the high cultural level of native American Indian populations at the time of conquest. Illustrates how cultural breakdown and demographic decimation have resulted from systematic policies that focused on exploiting natural resources at the expense of native peoples. (GC)

  15. Basic Math I.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mercer County Community Coll., Trenton, NJ.

    This document offers instructional materials for a 60-hour course on basic math operations involving decimals, fractions, and proportions as applied in the workplace. The course, part of a workplace literacy project developed by Mercer County Community College (New Jersey) and its partners, contains the following: course outline; 17 lesson…

  16. 77 FR 76572 - Decimalization Roundtable

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-12-28

    ... discuss the impact of tick sizes on small and mid-sized companies, market professionals, investors, and U...) of the Securities and Exchange Commission headquarters at 100 F Street NE., in Washington, DC. The... sizes on small and middle capitalization companies, the economic consequences (including the costs and...

  17. Impact of Math Snacks Games on Students' Conceptual Understanding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winburg, Karin; Chamberlain, Barbara; Valdez, Alfred; Trujillo, Karen; Stanford, Theodore B.

    2016-01-01

    This "Math Snacks" intervention measured 741 fifth grade students' gains in conceptual understanding of core math concepts after game-based learning activities. Teachers integrated four "Math Snacks" games and related activities into instruction on ratios, coordinate plane, number systems, fractions and decimals. Using a…

  18. Should We Limit the Number of Astronomy Students?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bachmann, Kurt T.; Boyce, Peter B.

    1994-01-01

    Presents two views about the future of astronomy. Explains that government budget cuts and an oversupply of young scientists have decimated the employment prospects. Encourages students to train for a wide variety of careers and to become entrepreneurs who bring technologies to the consumer. (DDR)

  19. 40 CFR 98.336 - Data reporting requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... carbon analysis (percent by weight, expressed as a decimal fraction). (11) Whether carbon content of the...) Carbon content of each carbon-containing input material charged to each kiln or furnace (including zinc bearing material, flux materials, and other carbonaceous materials) from the annual carbon analysis for...

  20. Time lag between deformation and seismicity along monogenetic volcanic unrest periods: The case of El Hierro Island (Canary Islands)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lamolda, Héctor; Felpeto, Alicia; Bethencourt, Abelardo

    2017-07-01

    Between 2011 and 2014 there were at least seven episodes of magmatic intrusion in El Hierro Island, but only the first one led to a submarine eruption in 2011-2012. In order to study the relationship between GPS deformation and seismicity during these episodes, we compare the temporal evolution of the deformation with the cumulative seismic energy released. In some of the episodes both deformation and seismicity evolve in a very similar way, but in others a time lag appears between them, in which the deformation precedes the seismicity. Furthermore, a linear correlation between decimal logarithm of intruded magma volume and decimal logarithm of total seismic energy released along the different episodes has been observed. Therefore, if a future magmatic intrusion in El Hierro Island follows this behavior with a proper time lag, we could have an a priori estimate on the order of magnitude the seismic energy released would reach.

  1. Rayleigh Scattering in Planetary Atmospheres: Corrected Tables Through Accurate Computation of X and Y Functions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Natraj, Vijay; Li, King-Fai; Yung, Yuk L.

    2009-02-01

    Tables that have been used as a reference for nearly 50 years for the intensity and polarization of reflected and transmitted light in Rayleigh scattering atmospheres have been found to be inaccurate, even to four decimal places. We convert the integral equations describing the X and Y functions into a pair of coupled integro-differential equations that can be efficiently solved numerically. Special care has been taken in evaluating Cauchy principal value integrals and their derivatives that appear in the solution of the Rayleigh scattering problem. The new approach gives results accurate to eight decimal places for the entire range of tabulation (optical thicknesses 0.02-1.0, surface reflectances 0-0.8, solar and viewing zenith angles 0°-88.85°, and relative azimuth angles 0°-180°), including the most difficult case of direct transmission in the direction of the sun. Revised tables have been created and stored electronically for easy reference by the planetary science and astrophysics community.

  2. Tensor network method for reversible classical computation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Zhi-Cheng; Kourtis, Stefanos; Chamon, Claudio; Mucciolo, Eduardo R.; Ruckenstein, Andrei E.

    2018-03-01

    We develop a tensor network technique that can solve universal reversible classical computational problems, formulated as vertex models on a square lattice [Nat. Commun. 8, 15303 (2017), 10.1038/ncomms15303]. By encoding the truth table of each vertex constraint in a tensor, the total number of solutions compatible with partial inputs and outputs at the boundary can be represented as the full contraction of a tensor network. We introduce an iterative compression-decimation (ICD) scheme that performs this contraction efficiently. The ICD algorithm first propagates local constraints to longer ranges via repeated contraction-decomposition sweeps over all lattice bonds, thus achieving compression on a given length scale. It then decimates the lattice via coarse-graining tensor contractions. Repeated iterations of these two steps gradually collapse the tensor network and ultimately yield the exact tensor trace for large systems, without the need for manual control of tensor dimensions. Our protocol allows us to obtain the exact number of solutions for computations where a naive enumeration would take astronomically long times.

  3. Large bond-dimension time-evolution block decimation study of the XXZ quantum spin chains of S = 1/2 and 1

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choi, Hwan Bin; Lee, Ji-Woo

    2017-09-01

    We study quantum phase transitions of a XXZ spin model with spin S = 1/2 and 1 in one dimension. The XXZ spin chain is one of basic models in understanding various one-dimensional magnetic materials. To study this model, we construct infinite-lattice matrix product state (iMPS), which is a tensor product form for a one-dimensional many-body quantum wave function. By using timeevolution- block-decimation method (TEBD) on iMPS, we obtain the ground states of the XXZ model at zero temperature. This method is very delicate in calculating ground states so that we developed a reliable method of finding the ground state with the dimension of entanglement coefficients up to 300, which is beyond the previous works. By analyzing ground-state energies, half-chain entanglement entropies, and entanglement spectrum, we found the signatures of quantum phase transitions between ferromagnetic phase, XY phase, Haldane phase, and antiferromagnetic phase.

  4. Competency Based Business Education: Business Math/Related Rules.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wisconsin Univ., Madison. Wisconsin Vocational Studies Center.

    Modules on fractions, decimals, percentages, discounts, interest, the adding machine, and the calculation of a depreciation are included. Each module contains objectives, learning activities, pre-practice exercises, practice exercises, and post-practice exercises. At the beginning of each module, the importance of the module is explained. (MK)

  5. Letting Your Students "Fly" in the Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Thomas

    1997-01-01

    Students investigate the concept of motion by making simple paper airplanes and flying them in the classroom. Students are introduced to conversion factors to calculate various speeds. Additional activities include rounding decimal numbers, estimating, finding averages, making bar graphs, and solving problems. Offers ideas for extension such as…

  6. THE SHIFTING BASELINE OF NORTHERN FUR SEAL ECOLOGY IN THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC OCEAN

    EPA Science Inventory

    Historical data provide a baseline against which to judge the significance of recent ecological shifts and guide conservation strategies, especially for species decimated by pre-20th century harvesting. Northern fur seals (NFS; Callorhinus ursinus) are a common pinniped species i...

  7. Mathematics for Commercial Foods.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wersan, Norman

    A review of basic mathematics operations is presented with problems and examples applied to activities in the food service industry. The text is divided into eight units: measurement, fractions, arithmetic operations, money and decimals, percentage, ratio and proportion, wages and taxes, and business records. Each unit contains a series of lessons…

  8. Aviation Technician Training I and Task Analyses: Semester II. Field Review Copy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Upchurch, Richard

    This guide for aviation technician training begins with a course description, resource information, and a course outline. Tasks/competencies are categorized into 16 concept/duty areas: understanding technical symbols and abbreviations; understanding mathematical terms, symbols, and formulas; computing decimals; computing fractions; computing ratio…

  9. Workplace Math II: Math Works!

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Nancy; Goschen, Claire

    This learning module, a continuation of the math I module, provides review and practice of the concepts explored in the earlier module at an intermediate level involving workplace problems. The following concepts are covered: instruction in performing basic computations, using general numerical concepts such as whole numbers, fractions, decimals,…

  10. IFLA General Conference, 1987. Division of Bibliographic Control. Cataloguing, Classification and Indexing Section. Papers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    International Federation of Library Associations, The Hague (Netherlands).

    The papers in this compilation focus on cataloging, classification, and indexing: (1) "Bibliographic Relationships in Library Catalogs" (Barbara B. Tillett, United States); (2) "Bibliographic Description: Past, Present, and Future" (Michael Gorman, United States); (3) "The Dewey Decimal Classification Enters the Computer…

  11. Liter - Metric Volume.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sisk, Diane

    This autoinstructional program, developed as part of a general science course, is offered for students in the middle schools. Mathematics of fractions and decimals is considered to be prerequisite knowledge. The behavioral objectives are directed toward mastery of determining volumes of solid objects using the water displacement method as well as…

  12. Open clusters. III. Fundamental parameters of B stars in NGC 6087, NGC 6250, NGC 6383, and NGC 6530 B-type stars with circumstellar envelopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aidelman, Y.; Cidale, L. S.; Zorec, J.; Panei, J. A.

    2018-02-01

    Context. Stellar physical properties of star clusters are poorly known and the cluster parameters are often very uncertain. Methods: Our goals are to perform a spectrophotometric study of the B star population in open clusters to derive accurate stellar parameters, search for the presence of circumstellar envelopes, and discuss the characteristics of these stars. The BCD spectrophotometric system is a powerful method to obtain stellar fundamental parameters from direct measurements of the Balmer discontinuity. To this end, we wrote the interactive code MIDE3700. The BCD parameters can also be used to infer the main properties of open clusters: distance modulus, color excess, and age. Furthermore, we inspected the Balmer discontinuity to provide evidence for the presence of circumstellar disks and identify Be star candidates. We used an additional set of high-resolution spectra in the Hα region to confirm the Be nature of these stars. Results: We provide Teff, log g, Mv, Mbol, and spectral types for a sample of 68 stars in the field of the open clusters NGC 6087, NGC 6250, NGC 6383, and NGC 6530, as well as the cluster distances, ages, and reddening. Then, based on a sample of 230 B stars in the direction of the 11 open clusters studied along this series of three papers, we report 6 new Be stars, 4 blue straggler candidates, and 15 B-type stars (called Bdd) with a double Balmer discontinuity, which indicates the presence of circumstellar envelopes. We discuss the distribution of the fraction of B, Be, and Bdd star cluster members per spectral subtype. The majority of the Be stars are dwarfs and present a maximum at the spectral type B2-B4 in young and intermediate-age open clusters (<40 Myr). Another maximum of Be stars is observed at the spectral type B6-B8 in open clusters older than 40 Myr, where the population of Bdd stars also becomes relevant. The Bdd stars seem to be in a passive emission phase. Conclusions: Our results support previous statements that the Be phenomenon is present along the whole main sequence band and occurs in very different evolutionary states. We find clear evidence of an increase of stars with circumstellar envelopes with cluster age. The Be phenomenon reaches its maximum in clusters of intermediate age (10-40 Myr) and the number of B stars with circumstellar envelopes (Be plus Bdd stars) is also high for the older clusters (40-100 Myr). Observations taken at CASLEO, operating under agreement of CONICET and the Universities of La Plata, Córdoba, and San Juan, Argentina.Tables 1, 2, 9-16 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/610/A30

  13. Estado evolutivo de estrellas con fenómeno B[e

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aidelman, Y. J.; Cidale, L.; Borges Fernandes, M.; Kraus, M.

    The B[e] phenomenon is related to certain peculiar features observed in the spectrum of some B stars, which are mainly linked to the physical conditions of their circumstellar medium. As these stars are embedded in dense and optically thick circumstellar media, the determination of the spectral type and luminosity class of the central objects is quite difficult. As a consequence, their evolutionary stage and distances present huge uncertainties. In this work we study 4 B[e] stars and discuss their stellar fundamental parameters and evolutionary stages using the BCD spectrophotometric system. FULL TEXT IN SPANISH

  14. The search for new antithrombotic mechanisms and therapies that may spare hemostasis.

    PubMed

    Plow, Edward F; Wang, Yunmei; Simon, Daniel I

    2018-04-26

    Current antithrombotic drugs, including widely used antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants, are associated with significant bleeding risk. Emerging experimental evidence suggests that the molecular and cellular mechanisms of hemostasis and thrombosis can be separated, thereby increasing the possibility of new antithrombotic therapeutic targets with reduced bleeding risk. We review new coagulation and platelet targets and highlight the interaction between integrin α M β 2 (Mac-1, CD11b/CD18) on leukocytes and GPIbα on platelets that seems to distinguish thrombosis from hemostasis. © 2018 by The American Society of Hematology.

  15. Methods for Factor Screening in Computer Simulation Experiments

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1979-03-01

    are generally of two types: 1. Factors that are centrollable or subject to de .-ign in the "real world" system being modeled, such as inventory...62! La 2j L -2 J The least squares estimates of the parameters become o0[30.50 4.50 K2 15.50 06121 -0.50 From examining the estimates of the effects...BDF ACDEF F ACD BDE ABCEF AB CE BCDF ADEF AC BE DF ABCDEF AD CF BCDE ABDF AE BC CDEF ABPE A? CD BCEF ABDE BD E.F ACDE ABCF BF DE ABCD ACEF ABF CEP BCD

  16. CSI 2264: Simultaneous Optical and Infrared Light Curves of Young Disk-Bearing Stars in NGC 2264 With CoRoT and Spitzer-Evidence For Multiple Origins of Variability

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-03-13

    2005). the first position, two exposures were acquired with an 8" dither to mitigate any detector artifacts or cosmic-ray hits. Total frame time...with a ŕ/ f" trend in amplitude; two examples are provided in Figure 17. This is in contrast to typical red or " flicker " noise, which follows a 1...transitions between staring and mapping photometry. Following pixel-phase mitigation , we selected the set of ~280 by-BCD staring points lying within 1.2

  17. 49 CFR 178.346-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming Material... Thickness of Shell Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel...

  18. 49 CFR 178.347-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming Volume... (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL...

  19. 49 CFR 178.346-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming Material... Thickness of Shell Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel...

  20. 49 CFR 178.346-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming Material... Thickness of Shell Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel...

  1. 49 CFR 178.348-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Bulkheads and Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming... Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL...

  2. 49 CFR 178.346-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming Material... Thickness of Shell Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel...

  3. 49 CFR 178.348-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Bulkheads and Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming... Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL...

  4. 49 CFR 178.347-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming Volume... (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL...

  5. 49 CFR 178.348-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Bulkheads and Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming... Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL...

  6. 49 CFR 178.347-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming Volume... (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL...

  7. 49 CFR 178.347-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming Volume... (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL...

  8. 49 CFR 178.347-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming Volume... (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL...

  9. 49 CFR 178.348-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Bulkheads and Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming... Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL...

  10. 49 CFR 178.348-2 - Material and thickness of material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Bulkheads and Baffles When Used as Tank Reinforcement) Using Mild Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL)—Expressed in Decimals of an Inch After Forming... Steel (MS), High Strength Low Alloy Steel (HSLA), Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS), or Aluminum (AL...

  11. 25 CFR 163.22 - Payment for forest products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ...) Terms and conditions for payment of forest products under lump sum (predetermined volume) sales shall be... Forest Management and Operations § 163.22 Payment for forest products. (a) The basis of volume determination for forest products sold shall be the Scribner Decimal C log rules, cubic volume, lineal...

  12. AAAS Science Film Catalog.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seltz-Petrash, Ann, Ed.; Wolff, Kathryn, Ed.

    Currently available American 16mm films in the areas of pure science, applied science and technology, and science and society are identified and listed. Included are films that are available from commercial, government, university, and industry producers. The first section of the catalog lists in Dewey Decimal order films intended for junior high…

  13. Dewey: How to Make It Work for You

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Panzer, Michael

    2013-01-01

    As knowledge brokers, librarians are living in interesting times for themselves and libraries. It causes them to wonder sometimes if the traditional tools like the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system can cope with the onslaught of information. The categories provided do not always seem adequate for the knowledge-discovery habits of…

  14. Decimals, Denominators, Demons, Calculators, and Connections

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sparrow, Len; Swan, Paul

    2005-01-01

    The authors provide activities for overcoming some fraction misconceptions using calculators specially designed for learners in primary years. The writers advocate use of the calculator as a way to engage children in thinking about mathematics. By engaging with a calculator as part of mathematics learning, children are learning about and using the…

  15. 40 CFR 98.317 - Records that must be retained.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... coke purchases. (2) Annual operating hours for each titanium dioxide process line. (b) If a CEMS is not... paraghraph: (1) Records of all calcined petroleum coke purchases (tons). (2) Records of all analyses and... content of consumed calcined petroleum coke (percent by weight expressed as a decimal fraction). (4...

  16. 40 CFR 98.317 - Records that must be retained.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... coke purchases. (2) Annual operating hours for each titanium dioxide process line. (b) If a CEMS is not... paraghraph: (1) Records of all calcined petroleum coke purchases (tons). (2) Records of all analyses and... content of consumed calcined petroleum coke (percent by weight expressed as a decimal fraction). (4...

  17. 40 CFR 98.317 - Records that must be retained.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... coke purchases. (2) Annual operating hours for each titanium dioxide process line. (b) If a CEMS is not... paraghraph: (1) Records of all calcined petroleum coke purchases (tons). (2) Records of all analyses and... content of consumed calcined petroleum coke (percent by weight expressed as a decimal fraction). (4...

  18. 40 CFR 98.317 - Records that must be retained.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... coke purchases. (2) Annual operating hours for each titanium dioxide process line. (b) If a CEMS is not... paraghraph: (1) Records of all calcined petroleum coke purchases (tons). (2) Records of all analyses and... content of consumed calcined petroleum coke (percent by weight expressed as a decimal fraction). (4...

  19. Mass - Metric Weight.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sisk, Diane

    This autoinstructional program, developed for high, medium and low level achievers, is directed toward a course in general science in middle schools. Mathematics of fractions and decimals is described as a prerequisite to the use of the packet. Two behavioral objectives are listed. Both involve the students' determining mass, first to the nearest…

  20. Developing Basic Math Skills for Marketing. Student Manual and Laboratory Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klewer, Edwin D.

    Field tested with students in grades 10-12, this manual is designed to teach students in marketing courses basic mathematical concepts. The instructional booklet contains seven student assignments covering the following topics: why basic mathematics is so important, whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, weights and measures, and dollars…

  1. 40 CFR 90.509 - Calculation and reporting of test results.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... results. 90.509 Section 90.509 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Selective Enforcement Auditing § 90.509 Calculation and reporting of test results. (a) Initial test results... manufacturer shall round these results, in accordance with ASTM E29-93a, to the number of decimal places...

  2. 40 CFR 90.509 - Calculation and reporting of test results.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... results. 90.509 Section 90.509 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Selective Enforcement Auditing § 90.509 Calculation and reporting of test results. (a) Initial test results... manufacturer shall round these results, in accordance with ASTM E29-93a, to the number of decimal places...

  3. 40 CFR 90.509 - Calculation and reporting of test results.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... results. 90.509 Section 90.509 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Selective Enforcement Auditing § 90.509 Calculation and reporting of test results. (a) Initial test results... manufacturer shall round these results, in accordance with ASTM E29-93a, to the number of decimal places...

  4. It's A Metric World.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alabama State Dept. of Education, Montgomery. Div. of Instructional Services.

    Topics covered in the first part of this document include eight advantages of the metric system; a summary of metric instruction; the International System of Units (SI) style and usage; metric decimal tables; the metric system; and conversion tables. An alphabetized list of organizations which market metric materials for educators is provided with…

  5. Ectomycorrhizal inoculum potential of northeastern U.S. forest soils for American chestnut: results from field and laboratory bioassays

    EPA Science Inventory

    American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was once a dominant overstory tree in the eastern United States but was decimated by chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica). Blight resistant chestnut is being developed as part of a concerted restoration effort to bring this heritage tree...

  6. The Future of Fractions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Usiskin, Zalman P.

    2007-01-01

    In the 1970s, the movement to the metric system (which has still not completely occurred in the United States) and the advent of hand-held calculators led some to speculate that decimal representation of numbers would render fractions obsolete. This provocative proposition stimulated Zalman Usiskin to write "The Future of Fractions" in 1979. He…

  7. 16 CFR 500.17 - Fractions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Fractions. 500.17 Section 500.17 Commercial... LABELING ACT § 500.17 Fractions. (a) SI metric declarations of net quantity of contents of any consumer commodity may contain only decimal fractions. Other declarations of net quantity of contents may contain...

  8. Analysis of a Bibliographic Database Enhanced with a Library Classification.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Drabenstott, Karen Markey; And Others

    1990-01-01

    Describes a project that examined the effects of incorporating subject terms from the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) into a bibliographic database. It is concluded that the incorporation of DDC and possibly other library classifications into online catalogs can enhance subject access and provide additional subject searching strategies. (11…

  9. Dewey vs Genre Throwdown

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buchter, Holli

    2013-01-01

    In this article St. Vrain Valley (CO) School District (SVVSD) librarian, Holli Buchter describes what took place in the school libraries in the district when the newest elementary school, Red Hawk, opened its doors. Red Hawk asked and answered the question: "Is the Dewey Decimal Classification system still the best way for students to locate…

  10. Characteristics of the Class of 1982

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1978-08-01

    classification systems have you used? A. Dewey Decimal System. B. Library of Congress System. C. Both. D. Neither. 93. Have you consulted periodical...I y 4󈨒-019 UNITED V STATES, -- I ~j~1MILITARY I ~ ACADEMY WEST POINT, NEW YORK ~ J~x~ A ’ CHARACTERISTICS OF -THE CLASS OF 1982 ID DDC

  11. Mathematics for the Baker.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bogdany, Melvin

    The curriculum guide offers a course of training in the fundamentals of mathematics as applied to baking. Problems specifically related to the baking trade are included to maintain a practical orientation. The course is designed to help the student develop proficiency in the basic computation of whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percentage,…

  12. Grandfather Tang Goes to High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Iris DeLoach

    2006-01-01

    This article describes how the children's literature book, Grandfather Tang's Story, which is commonly used in the elementary grades, may be used at the high school level to engage students in an exploration of area and perimeter which includes basic operations with square roots, ordering numbers (decimal approximations, and their exact…

  13. CALCULATION OF ELAPSED DECIMAL TIME FOR DYE-TRACING STUDIES: APPLICATION OF A BASELINE TIME STANDARD (Journal Article)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Calculation of time of travel from dye-tracing studies in karstic aquifers is critical to establishing pollutant arrival times from points of inflow to resurgences, calculation of subsurface flow velocities, and determining other important transport parameters such as longitudin...

  14. 48 CFR 14.407-2 - Apparent clerical mistakes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... CONTRACTING METHODS AND CONTRACT TYPES SEALED BIDDING Opening of Bids and Award of Contract 14.407-2 Apparent... contracting officer before award. The contracting officer first shall obtain from the bidder a verification of the bid intended. Examples of apparent mistakes are— (1) Obvious misplacement of a decimal point; (2...

  15. 48 CFR 14.407-2 - Apparent clerical mistakes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... CONTRACTING METHODS AND CONTRACT TYPES SEALED BIDDING Opening of Bids and Award of Contract 14.407-2 Apparent... contracting officer before award. The contracting officer first shall obtain from the bidder a verification of the bid intended. Examples of apparent mistakes are— (1) Obvious misplacement of a decimal point; (2...

  16. Algebra Students' Difficulty with Fractions: An Error Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, George; Quinn, Robert J.

    2006-01-01

    An analysis of the 1990 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) found that only 46 percent of all high school seniors demonstrated success with a grasp of decimals, percentages, fractions and simple algebra. This article investigates error patterns that emerge as students attempt to answer questions involving the ability to apply…

  17. An Elementary Algorithm to Evaluate Trigonometric Functions to High Precision

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johansson, B. Tomas

    2018-01-01

    Evaluation of the cosine function is done via a simple Cordic-like algorithm, together with a package for handling arbitrary-precision arithmetic in the computer program Matlab. Approximations to the cosine function having hundreds of correct decimals are presented with a discussion around errors and implementation.

  18. Basic Applied Mathematics Part 1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Div. of Curriculum and Instruction.

    This guide, published by the New York City Board of Education, presents 62 lesson plans in basic mathematics for tenth grade students. Lesson plans and performance objectives focus on the following areas: (1) fundamental operations with signed numbers; (2) linear, weight and temperature measurements; (3) fractions, decimals and percents; (4)…

  19. 5 CFR 550.806 - Interest computations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... agency shall compound interest by dividing the applicable interest rate (expressed as a decimal) by 365... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Interest computations. 550.806 Section... ADMINISTRATION (GENERAL) Back Pay § 550.806 Interest computations. (a)(1) Interest begins to accrue on the date...

  20. Competency-Based Business Math. Curriculum Guide. Bulletin No. 1814.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Louisiana State Dept. of Education, Baton Rouge. Div. of Vocational Education.

    This is a curriculum guide for a course designed to enable students to master the necessary basic mathematics and business-related mathematics skills needed for entry into office and business occupations. The guide includes 11 instructional units: (1) "Fundamental Math Skills"; (2) "Fractions"; (3) "Decimals"; (4)…

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