Coaxial screen filter

DOEpatents

Schneider, William R.

1989-01-01

Methods and apparatus for removing a pollutant such as dust (33) from a fluid stream (34). A nested array of fibers (35) is provided in a substantially annular container (36) having openings in its inner (32) and outer (31) cylindrical sides of such size as to retain the fibers (35) within the container while permitting fluid (34) to pass through easily, and the pollutant-containing fluid stream (34) is passed through at least a substantial portion of the container (36) from a region (37) outside the outer side (31) to a region (38) inside the inner side (32). Thus a substantial fraction of the pollutant (33) is separated from the fluid stream (34) in a portion of the nested array (35) generally nearer to the outer side (31) of the container (36) than to the inner side (31). From time to time the container (36) is rotated about its axis to remove a substantial fraction of the separated pollutant (33) from the nested array (35), by tumbling action and by the force of gravity, through the openings in the outer side (31) of the container (36). To assist in this removal, purging fluid (41) may be directed back through the container (36) from the inner side (32) during the tumbling.

Hydrogen transport membranes for dehydrogenation reactions

DOEpatents

Balachandran,; Uthamalingam, [Hinsdale, IL

2008-02-12

A method of converting C.sub.2 and/or higher alkanes to olefins by contacting a feedstock containing C.sub.2 and/or higher alkanes with a first surface of a metal composite membrane of a sintered homogenous mixture of an Al oxide or stabilized or partially stabilized Zr oxide ceramic powder and a metal powder of one or more of Pd, Nb, V, Zr, Ta and/or alloys or mixtures thereof. The alkanes dehydrogenate to olefins by contact with the first surface with substantially only atomic hydrogen from the dehydrogenation of the alkanes passing through the metal composite membrane. Apparatus for effecting the conversion and separation is also disclosed.

Melatonin in human preovulatory follicular fluid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brzezinski, Amnon; Seibel, Machelle M.; Lynch, Harry J.; Deng, Mei-Hua; Wurtman, Richard J.

1987-01-01

Melatonin, the major hormone of the pineal gland, has antigonadotrophic activity in many mammals and may also be involved in human reproduction. Melatonin suppresses steroidogenesis by ovarian granulosa and luteal cells in vitro. To determine if melatonin is present in the human ovary, preovulatory follicular fluids (n = 32) from 15 women were assayed for melatonin by RIA after solvent extraction. The fluids were obtained by laparoscopy or sonographically controlled follicular puncture from infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. All patients had received clomiphene citrate, human menopausal gonadotropin, and hCG to stimulate follicle formation. Blood samples were obtained by venipuncture 30 min or less after follicular aspiration. All of the follicular fluids contained melatonin, in concentrations (35.6 plus or minus 4.8 (plus or minus SEM) pg/mL) substantially higher than those in the corresponding serum (10.0 plus or minus 1.4 pg/mL). A positive correlation was found between follicular fluid and serum melatonin levels in each woman (r = 0.770; P less than 0.001). These observations indicate that preovulatory follicles contain substantial amounts of melatonin that may affect ovarian steroidogenesis.

Method for recovering metals from waste

DOEpatents

Wicks, George G.; Clark, David E.; Schulz, Rebecca L.

2000-01-01

A method for recovering metals from metals-containing wastes, and vitrifying the remainder of the wastes for disposal. Metals-containing wastes such as circuit boards, cathode ray tubes, vacuum tubes, transistors and so forth, are broken up and placed in a suitable container. The container is heated by microwaves to a first temperature in the range of approximately 300-800.degree. C. to combust organic materials in the waste, then heated further to a second temperature in the range of approximately 1,000-1,550.degree. C. at which temperature glass formers present in the waste will cause it to melt and vitrify. Low-melting-point metals such as tin and aluminum can be recovered after organics combustion is substantially complete. Metals with higher melting points, such as gold, silver and copper, can be recovered from the solidified product or separated from the waste at their respective melting points. Network former-containing materials can be added at the start of the process to assist vitrification.

Method for recovering materials from waste

DOEpatents

Wicks, G.G.; Clark, D.E.; Schulz, R.L.

1994-01-01

A method for recovering metals from metals-containing wastes, a vitrifying the remainder of the wastes for disposal. Metals-containing wastes such as circuit boards, cathode ray tubes, vacuum tubes, transistors and so forth, are broken up and placed in a suitable container. The container is heated by microwaves to a first temperature in the range of approximately 300--800{degrees}C to combust organic materials in the waste, then heated further to a second temperature in the range of approximately 1000--1550{degrees}C at which temperature glass formers present in the waste will cause it to melt and vitrify. Low-melting-point metals such as tin and aluminum can be recovered after organics combustion is substantially complete. Metals with higher melting points, such as gold, silver and copper, can be recovered from the solidified product or separated from the waste at their respective melting points. Network former-containing materials can be added at the start of the process to assist vitrification.

Method for recovering metals from waste

DOEpatents

Wicks, George G.; Clark, David E.; Schulz, Rebecca L.

1998-01-01

A method for recovering metals from metals-containing wastes, and vitrifying the remainder of the wastes for disposal. Metals-containing wastes such as circuit boards, cathode ray tubes, vacuum tubes, transistors and so forth, are broken up and placed in a suitable container. The container is heated by microwaves to a first temperature in the range of approximately 300.degree.-800.degree. C. to combust organic materials in the waste, then heated further to a second temperature in the range of approximately 1,000.degree.-1,550.degree. C. at which temperature glass formers present in the waste will cause it to melt and vitrify. Low-melting-point metals such as tin and aluminum can be recovered after organics combustion is substantially complete. Metals with higher melting points, such as gold, silver and copper, can be recovered from the solidified product or separated from the waste at their respective melting points. Network former-containing materials can be added at the start of the process to assist vitrification.

Method for recovering metals from waste

DOEpatents

Wicks, G.G.; Clark, D.E.; Schulz, R.L.

1998-12-01

A method is described for recovering metals from metals-containing wastes, and vitrifying the remainder of the wastes for disposal. Metals-containing wastes such as circuit boards, cathode ray tubes, vacuum tubes, transistors and so forth, are broken up and placed in a suitable container. The container is heated by microwaves to a first temperature in the range of approximately 300--800 C to combust organic materials in the waste, then heated further to a second temperature in the range of approximately 1,000--1,550 C at which temperature glass formers present in the waste will cause it to melt and vitrify. Low-melting-point metals such as tin and aluminum can be recovered after organics combustion is substantially complete. Metals with higher melting points, such as gold, silver and copper, can be recovered from the solidified product or separated from the waste at their respective melting points. Network former-containing materials can be added at the start of the process to assist vitrification. 2 figs.

Recent developments in BWR fuel design

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

Congdon, S.P.; Noble, L.D.; Wood, J.E.

1991-11-01

Substantial increases in the cost effectiveness and performance capability of boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel designs have been implemented in the past 5 to 7 yr. This increase has been driven by (a) utility desires to lower fuel and operating costs and (b) design innovations that have lowered enrichment requirements, improved thermal-hydraulic performance, and increased discharge exposure. Higher discharge exposures reduce disposal costs for European and Asian utilities and enable US utilities to lengthen operating cycles. A typical BWR reload fuel bundle fabricated today has 25% higher {sup 235}U enrichment and a factor of 2 higher gadolinium loading than onemore » made several years ago. Today's BWR fuel bundles also contain more unheated water reduces the axial water density variation, lowers the void coefficient, and enhances the neutron efficiency of the bundle, reducing both the gadolinium poison and the enrichment requirements. In addition to these general trends, the following unique design innovations have further enhanced the fuel cost efficiency and performance characteristics of BWR fuel: ferrule spacer, part length rods, interactive channel, and bundle enhanced spectral shift. GE's fuel designs offer the flexibility for modern BWR fuel requirements and contain unique design features that enhance flexibility for modern BWR fuel requirements and contain unique design features that enhance flexibility and fuel cycle economics.« less

Microstructural and rheological evolution of calcite mylonites during shear zone thinning: Constraints from the Mount Irene shear zone, Fiordland, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Negrini, Marianne; Smith, Steven A. F.; Scott, James M.; Tarling, Matthew S.

2018-01-01

Layers of calc-mylonite in the Mount Irene shear zone, Fiordland, New Zealand, show substantial variations in thickness due to deflection of the shear zone boundaries around wall rock asperities. In relatively thick parts (c. 2.6 m) of the shear zone, calcite porphyroclasts are internally strained, contain abundant subgrain boundaries and have a strong shape preferred orientation (SPO) and crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO), suggesting that deformation occurred mainly by dislocation creep involving subgrain-rotation recrystallization. In relatively thin parts (c. 1.5 m) of the shear zone, aggregates of fine-grained recrystallized calcite surrounding flattened porphyroclasts have a weak SPO and CPO, and contain polygonal calcite grains with low degrees of internal misorientation. The recrystallized aggregates also contain microstructures (e.g. grain quadruple junctions, randomized misorientation axes) similar to those reported for neighbor-switching processes during grain-boundary sliding. Comparison of subgrain sizes in the porphyroclasts to published grain-size differential-stress relationships indicates that stresses and strain rates were substantially higher in relatively thin parts of the shear zone. The primary microstructural response to higher stresses and strain rates was an increase in the amount of recrystallization to produce aggregates that deformed by grain-boundary sliding. However, even after the development of interconnected networks of recrystallized grains, dislocation creep by subgrain-rotation recrystallization continued to occur within porphyroclasts. This behavior suggests that the bulk rheology of shear zones undergoing thinning and thickening can be controlled by concomitant grain-size insensitive and grain-size sensitive mechanisms. Overall, our observations show that shear zone thickness variations at constant P-T can result in highly variable stresses and strain rates, which in turn modifies microstructure, deformation mechanism and shear zone rheology.

Factor VII and protein C are phosphatidic acid-binding proteins.

PubMed

Tavoosi, Narjes; Smith, Stephanie A; Davis-Harrison, Rebecca L; Morrissey, James H

2013-08-20

Seven proteins in the human blood clotting cascade bind, via their GLA (γ-carboxyglutamate-rich) domains, to membranes containing exposed phosphatidylserine (PS), although with membrane binding affinities that vary by 3 orders of magnitude. Here we employed nanodiscs of defined phospholipid composition to quantify the phospholipid binding specificities of these seven clotting proteins. All bound preferentially to nanobilayers in which PS headgroups contained l-serine versus d-serine. Surprisingly, however, nanobilayers containing phosphatidic acid (PA) bound substantially more of two of these proteins, factor VIIa and activated protein C, than did equivalent bilayers containing PS. Consistent with this finding, liposomes containing PA supported higher proteolytic activity by factor VIIa and activated protein C toward their natural substrates (factors X and Va, respectively) than did PS-containing liposomes. Moreover, treating activated human platelets with phospholipase D enhanced the rates of factor X activation by factor VIIa in the presence of soluble tissue factor. We hypothesize that factor VII and protein C bind preferentially to the monoester phosphate of PA because of its accessibility and higher negative charge compared with the diester phosphates of most other phospholipids. We further found that phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, which contains a monoester phosphate attached to its myo-inositol headgroup, also supported enhanced enzymatic activity of factor VIIa and activated protein C. We conclude that factor VII and protein C bind preferentially to monoester phosphates, which may have implications for the function of these proteases in vivo.

Physical and psychosocial work environment factors and their association with health outcomes in Danish ambulance personnel – a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Reviews of the literature on the health and work environment of ambulance personnel have indicated an increased risk of work-related health problems in this occupation. The aim of this study was to compare health status and exposure to different work environmental factors among ambulance personnel and the core work force in Denmark. In addition, to examine the association between physical and psychosocial work environment factors and different measures of health among ambulance personnel. Methods Data were taken from a nationwide sample of ambulance personnel and fire fighters (n = 1,691) and was compared to reference samples of the Danish work force. The questionnaire contained measures of physical and psychosocial work environment as well as measures of musculoskeletal pain, mental health, self-rated health and sleep quality. Results Ambulance personnel have half the prevalence of poor self-rated health compared to the core work force (5% vs. 10%). Levels of mental health were the same across the two samples whereas a substantially higher proportion of the ambulance personnel reported musculoskeletal pain (42% vs. 29%). The ambulance personnel had higher levels of emotional demands and meaningfulness of and commitment to work, and substantially lower levels of quantitative demands and influence at work. Only one out of ten aspects of physical work environment was consistently associated with higher levels of musculoskeletal pain. Emotional demands was the only psychosocial work factor that was associated with both poorer mental health and worse sleep quality. Conclusions Ambulance personnel have similar levels of mental health but substantially higher levels of musculoskeletal pain than the work force in general. They are more exposed to emotional demands and these demands are associated with higher levels of poor mental health and poor sleep quality. To improve work environment, attention should be paid to musculoskeletal problems and the presence of positive organizational support mechanisms that can prevent negative effects from the high levels of emotional demands. PMID:22824415

Influence of Blended Cements with Calcareous Fly Ash on Chloride Ion Migration and Carbonation Resistance of Concrete for Durable Structures.

PubMed

Glinicki, Michał A; Jóźwiak-Niedźwiedzka, Daria; Gibas, Karolina; Dąbrowski, Mariusz

2016-01-02

The objective of this paper is to examine the possible use of new blended cements containing calcareous fly ash in structural concrete, potentially adequate for structural elements of nuclear power plants. The investigation included five new cements made with different contents of non-clinker constituents: calcareous fly ash, siliceous fly ash, ground granulated blastfurnace slag, and a reference cement-ordinary Portland cement. The influence of innovative cements on the resistance of concrete to chloride and carbonation exposure was studied. Additionally, an evaluation of the microstructure was performed using optical microscopy on concrete thin sections. Test results revealed a substantial improvement of the resistance to chloride ion penetration into concrete containing blended cements. The resistance was higher for increased clinker replacement levels and increased with curing time. However, concrete made with blended cements exhibited higher depth of carbonation than the Portland cement concrete, except the Portland-fly ash cement with 14.3% of calcareous fly ash. The thin sections analysis confirmed the values of the carbonation depth obtained from the phenolphthalein test. Test results indicate the possible range of application for new cements containing calcareous fly ash.

Influence of Blended Cements with Calcareous Fly Ash on Chloride Ion Migration and Carbonation Resistance of Concrete for Durable Structures

PubMed Central

Glinicki, Michał A.; Jóźwiak-Niedźwiedzka, Daria; Gibas, Karolina; Dąbrowski, Mariusz

2016-01-01

The objective of this paper is to examine the possible use of new blended cements containing calcareous fly ash in structural concrete, potentially adequate for structural elements of nuclear power plants. The investigation included five new cements made with different contents of non-clinker constituents: calcareous fly ash, siliceous fly ash, ground granulated blastfurnace slag, and a reference cement—ordinary Portland cement. The influence of innovative cements on the resistance of concrete to chloride and carbonation exposure was studied. Additionally, an evaluation of the microstructure was performed using optical microscopy on concrete thin sections. Test results revealed a substantial improvement of the resistance to chloride ion penetration into concrete containing blended cements. The resistance was higher for increased clinker replacement levels and increased with curing time. However, concrete made with blended cements exhibited higher depth of carbonation than the Portland cement concrete, except the Portland-fly ash cement with 14.3% of calcareous fly ash. The thin sections analysis confirmed the values of the carbonation depth obtained from the phenolphthalein test. Test results indicate the possible range of application for new cements containing calcareous fly ash. PMID:28787821

18 CFR 385.602 - Submission of settlement offers (Rule 602).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... settlement issues, if the record contains substantial evidence upon which to base a reasoned decision or the... reasonably be based; or (B) Take other action which the Commission determines to be appropriate. (iii) If... contains substantial evidence from which the Commission may reach a reasoned decision on the merits of the...

Seismic attenuation system for a nuclear reactor

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

Liszkai, Tamas; Cadell, Seth

A system for attenuating seismic forces includes a reactor pressure vessel containing nuclear fuel and a containment vessel that houses the reactor pressure vessel. Both the reactor pressure vessel and the containment vessel include a bottom head. Additionally, the system includes a base support to contact a support surface on which the containment vessel is positioned in a substantially vertical orientation. An attenuation device is located between the bottom head of the reactor pressure vessel and the bottom head of the containment vessel. Seismic forces that travel from the base support to the reactor pressure vessel via the containment vesselmore » are attenuated by the attenuation device in a direction that is substantially lateral to the vertical orientation of the containment vessel.« less

Fire effects on soil organic matter content, composition, and nutrients in boreal interior Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neff, J.C.; Harden, J.W.; Gleixner, G.

2005-01-01

Boreal ecosystems contain a substantial fraction of the earth's soil carbon stores and are prone to frequent and severe wildfires. In this study, we examine changes in element and organic matter stocks due to a 1999 wildfire in Alaska. One year after the wildfire, burned soils contained between 1071 and 1420 g/m2 less carbon than unburned soils. Burned soils had lower nitrogen than unburned soils, higher calcium, and nearly unchanged potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus stocks. Burned surface soils tended to have higher concentrations of noncombustible elements such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus compared with unburned soils. Combustion losses of carbon were mostly limited to surface dead moss and fibric horizons, with no change in the underlying mineral horizons. Burning caused significant changes in soil organic matter structure, with a 12% higher ratio of carbon to combustible organic matter in surface burned horizons compared with unburned horizons. Pyrolysis gas chromatography - mass spectroscopy also shows preferential volatilization of polysaccharide-derived organic matter and enrichment of lignin-and lipid-derived compounds in surface soils. The chemistry of deeper soil layers in burned and unburned sites was similar, suggesting that immediate fire impacts were restricted to the surface soil horizon. ?? 2005 NRC.

Modified pectic polysaccharide from turmeric (Curcuma longa): A potent dietary component against gastric ulcer.

PubMed

Harsha, Mysore R; Chandra Prakash, Serkad V; Dharmesh, Shylaja M

2016-03-15

Native, intact (TrPP) and modified, low-molecular-weight (MTrPP) forms of pectic polysaccharides isolated from turmeric were evaluated for ulcer-preventive potentials in in vitro and in vivo models. Data indicated that MTrPP possessed significantly better ulcer-preventive property than TrPP; inhibiting ulcer scores up to 85%. Results were substantiated by effective muco-protection, H(+),K(+)-ATPase down-regulation, inhibition of H. pylori growth/adherence, higher antioxidant/cytoprotective mechanisms. Structural data indicated TrPP and MTrPP differ in their molecular weights and structural characteristics with different sugar compositions and side chain ratios. MTrPP was rich in galacturonic acid (687mg/g; TrPP-544mg/g) and galactose (52.9%; TrPP-21.7%). Results were substantiated by NMR/FTIR data indicating the presence of homogalacturonan and rhamnogalacturonam-I containing galactans. By virtue of binding to inflammatory marker (galectin-3), galactans may reduce inflammation induced ulcerations. The low molecular weight of MTrPP (155kDa; TrPP-13kDa) may increase its bioavailability than TrPP, thus MTrPP may possess higher antiulcer potential. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The 3D Navier-Stokes analysis of a Mach 2.68 bifurcated rectangular mixed-compression inlet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mizukami, M.; Saunders, J. D.

1995-01-01

The supersonic diffuser of a Mach 2.68 bifurcated, rectangular, mixed-compression inlet was analyzed using a three-dimensional (3D) Navier-Stokes flow solver. A two-equation turbulence model, and a porous bleed model based on unchoked bleed hole discharge coefficients were used. Comparisons were made with experimental data, inviscid theory, and two-dimensional Navier-Stokes analyses. The main objective was to gain insight into the inlet fluid dynamics. Examination of the computational results along with the experimental data suggest that the cowl shock-sidewall boundary layer interaction near the leading edge caused a substantial separation in the wind tunnel inlet model. As a result, the inlet performance may have been compromised by increased spillage and higher bleed mass flow requirements. The internal flow contained substantial waves that were not in the original inviscid design. 3D effects were fairly minor for this inlet at on-design conditions. Navier-Stokes analysis appears to be an useful tool for gaining insight into the inlet fluid dynamics. It provides a higher fidelity simulation of the flowfield than the original inviscid design, by taking into account boundary layers, porous bleed, and their interactions with shock waves.

Electrically-conductive proppant and methods for making and using same

DOEpatents

Cannan, Chad; Roper, Todd; Savoy, Steve; Mitchell, Daniel R.

2016-09-06

Electrically-conductive sintered, substantially round and spherical particles and methods for producing such electrically-conductive sintered, substantially round and spherical particles from an alumina-containing raw material. Methods for using such electrically-conductive sintered, substantially round and spherical particles in hydraulic fracturing operations.

RAINBOW LAKE WILDERNESS AND FLYNN LAKE WILDERNESS STUDY AREA, WISCONSIN.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, W.F.; Dunn, Maynard L.

1984-01-01

The Rainbow Lake Wilderness and Flynn Lake Wilderness study area in Wisconsin are contiguous and were studied as a unit. The rainbow Lake Wilderness contains a demonstrated resource of about 210,000 tons of commercial-quality peat in an area of substantiated peat resource potential. The Flynn Lake Wilderness study area contains a demonstrated resource of about 300,000 tons of commercial-quality peat in an area of substantiated peat resource potential. These deposits, however, are of limited importance because larger deposits of similar material are abundant outside the areas, closer to present markets. Rocks in the subsurface contain a low-grade copper resource identified by mining company exploration drilling. Although this is an area of substantiated copper resource potential, it is a low-grade resource, thin and generally at great depth.

Gluten-free food database: the nutritional quality and cost of packaged gluten-free foods

PubMed Central

Schwingshackl, Lukas; Billmann, Alina; Mystek, Aleksandra; Hickelsberger, Melanie; Bauer, Gregor; König, Jürgen

2015-01-01

Notwithstanding a growth in popularity and consumption of gluten-free (GF) food products, there is a lack of substantiated analysis of the nutritional quality compared with their gluten-containing counterparts. To put GF foods into proper perspective both for those who need it (patients with celiac disease) and for those who do not, we provide contemporary data about cost and nutritional quality of GF food products. The objective of this study is to develop a food composition database for seven discretionary food categories of packaged GF products. Nutrient composition, nutritional information and cost of foods from 63 GF and 126 gluten-containing counterparts were systematically obtained from 12 different Austrian supermarkets. The nutrition composition (macro and micronutrients) was analyzed by using two nutrient composition databases in a stepwise approximation process. A total of 63 packaged GF foods were included in the analysis representing a broad spectrum of different GF categories (flour/bake mix, bread and bakery products, pasta and cereal-based food, cereals, cookies and cakes, snacks and convenience food). Our results show that the protein content of GF products is >2 fold lower across 57% of all food categories. In 65% of all GF foods, low sodium content was observed (defined as <120 mg/100 g). Across all GF products, 19% can be classified as source high in fiber (defined as >6g/100 g). On average, GF foods were substantially higher in cost, ranging from +205% (cereals) to +267% (bread and bakery products) compared to similar gluten-containing products. In conclusion, our results indicate that for GF foods no predominant health benefits are indicated; in fact, some critical nutrients must be considered when being on a GF diet. For individuals with celiac disease, the GF database provides a helpful tool to identify the food composition of their medical diet. For healthy consumers, replacing gluten-containing products with GF foods is aligned with substantial cost differences but GF foods do not provide additional health benefits from a nutritional perspective. PMID:26528408

Mechanical-structural investigation of chemical strengthening aluminosilicate glass through introducing phosphorus pentoxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Huidan; Wang, Ling; Ye, Feng; Yang, Bin; Chen, Jianding; Chen, Guorong; Sun, Luyi

2016-11-01

Chemical strengthening of aluminosilicate glasses through K+-Na+ ion exchange has attracted tremendous attentions because of the accelerating demand for high strength and damage resistance glasses. However, a paramount challenge still exists to fabricate glasses with a higher strength and greater depth of ion-exchange layer. Herein, aluminosilicate glasses with different contents of P2O5 were prepared and the influence of P2O5 on the increased compressive stress and depth of ion-exchange layer was investigated by micro-Raman technique. It was noticed that the hardness, compressive stress, as well as the depth of ion-exchange layer substantially increased with an increasing concentration of P2O5 varied from 1 to 7 mol%. The obtained micro-Raman spectra confirmed the formation of relatively depolymerized silicate anions that accelerated the ion exchange. Phosphorus containing aluminosilicate glasses with a lower polymerization degree exhibited a higher strength and deeper depth of ion-exchange layer, which suggests that the phosphorus containing aluminosilicate glasses have promising applications in flat panel displays, windshields, and wafer sealing substrates.

Adsorption of catechol and comparative solutes on hydroxyapatite.

PubMed

Chirdon, William M; O'Brien, William J; Robertson, Richard E

2003-08-15

Contemporary medical and dental adhesives often have difficulty sticking to wet surfaces or weaken with long-term exposure to water. Substantial research has been dedicated to finding a means of achieving adhesion in an aqueous environment. A study evaluates the adsorption of catechol relative to other chemical groups as means of gauging how effective they may be as adsorptive groups in adhesives. Contact angle and surface-tension measurements of solutions of catechols and other chemical groups were used to determine their works of adhesion. Adsorption isotherms were also constructed to ascertain Langmuir constants. Solutes containing catechol groups were compared to solutes containing other polar groups to see how well catechol adsorbs to hydroxyapatite, the mineral component of bones and teeth, relative to other chemical groups found in adhesives. The results of this study show that catechol and molecules containing catechol groups have higher rates and energies of adsorption to hydroxyapatite than do groups such as alcohols, amines, and carboxylic acids. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A 5′ Noncoding Exon Containing Engineered Intron Enhances Transgene Expression from Recombinant AAV Vectors in vivo

PubMed Central

Lu, Jiamiao; Williams, James A.; Luke, Jeremy; Zhang, Feijie; Chu, Kirk; Kay, Mark A.

2017-01-01

We previously developed a mini-intronic plasmid (MIP) expression system in which the essential bacterial elements for plasmid replication and selection are placed within an engineered intron contained within a universal 5′ UTR noncoding exon. Like minicircle DNA plasmids (devoid of bacterial backbone sequences), MIP plasmids overcome transcriptional silencing of the transgene. However, in addition MIP plasmids increase transgene expression by 2 and often >10 times higher than minicircle vectors in vivo and in vitro. Based on these findings, we examined the effects of the MIP intronic sequences in a recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector system. Recombinant AAV vectors containing an intron with a bacterial replication origin and bacterial selectable marker increased transgene expression by 40 to 100 times in vivo when compared with conventional AAV vectors. Therefore, inclusion of this noncoding exon/intron sequence upstream of the coding region can substantially enhance AAV-mediated gene expression in vivo. PMID:27903072

Dissolution enhancement of a drug exhibiting thermal and acidic decomposition characteristics by fusion processing: a comparative study of hot melt extrusion and KinetiSol dispersing.

PubMed

Hughey, Justin R; DiNunzio, James C; Bennett, Ryan C; Brough, Chris; Miller, Dave A; Ma, Hua; Williams, Robert O; McGinity, James W

2010-06-01

In this study, hot melt extrusion (HME) and KinetiSol Dispersing (KSD) were utilized to prepare dissolution-enhanced solid dispersions of Roche Research Compound A (ROA), a BCS class II drug. Preformulation characterization studies showed that ROA was chemically unstable at elevated temperatures and acidic pH values. Eudragit L100-55 and AQOAT LF (HPMCAS) were evaluated as carrier polymers. Dispersions were characterized for ROA recovery, crystallinity, homogeneity, and non-sink dissolution. Eudragit L100-55 dispersions prepared by HME required the use of micronized ROA and reduced residence times in order to become substantially amorphous. Compositions containing HPMCAS were also prepared by HME, but an amorphous dispersion could not be obtained. All HME compositions contained ROA-related impurities. KSD was investigated as a method to reduce the decomposition of ROA while rendering compositions amorphous. Substantially amorphous, plasticizer free compositions were processed successfully by KSD with significantly higher ROA recovery values and amorphous character than those achieved by HME. A near-infrared chemical imaging analysis was conducted on the solid dispersions as a measure of homogeneity. A statistical analysis showed similar levels of homogeneity in compositions containing Eudragit L100-55, while differences were observed in those containing HMPCAS. Non-sink dissolution analysis of all compositions showed rapid supersaturation after pH adjustment to approximately two to three times the equilibrium solubility of ROA, which was maintained for at least 24 h. The results of the study demonstrated that KSD is an effective method of forming dissolution-enhanced amorphous solid solutions in cases where HME is not a feasible technique.

X-ray radiography for container inspection

DOEpatents

Katz, Jonathan I [Clayton, MO; Morris, Christopher L [Los Alamos, NM

2011-06-07

Arrangements of X-ray inspection systems are described for inspecting high-z materials in voluminous objects such as containers. Inspection methods may involve generating a radiographic image based on detected attenuation corresponding to a pulsed beams of radiation transmitted through a voluminous object. The pulsed beams of radiation are generated by a high-energy source and transmitted substantially downward along an incident angle, of approximately 1.degree. to 30.degree., to a vertical axis extending through the voluminous object. The generated radiographic image may be analyzed to detect on localized high attenuation representative of high-z materials and to discriminate high-z materials from lower and intermediate-z materials on the basis of the high density and greater attenuation of high-z material for higher energy (3-10 MeV) X-rays, and the compact nature of threatening masses of fissionable materials.

27 CFR 19.307 - Distillates containing extraneous substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... production. Distillates that contain substantial quantities of fusel oil, aldehydes, or other extraneous.... Distillates that contain aldehydes may be removed, without payment of tax, to an adjacent bonded wine cellar...

27 CFR 19.307 - Distillates containing extraneous substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... production. Distillates that contain substantial quantities of fusel oil, aldehydes, or other extraneous.... Distillates that contain aldehydes may be removed, without payment of tax, to an adjacent bonded wine cellar...

27 CFR 19.307 - Distillates containing extraneous substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... production. Distillates that contain substantial quantities of fusel oil, aldehydes, or other extraneous.... Distillates that contain aldehydes may be removed, without payment of tax, to an adjacent bonded wine cellar...

27 CFR 19.307 - Distillates containing extraneous substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... production. Distillates that contain substantial quantities of fusel oil, aldehydes, or other extraneous.... Distillates that contain aldehydes may be removed, without payment of tax, to an adjacent bonded wine cellar...

Serum PCB levels and congener profiles among teachers in PCB-containing schools: a pilot study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background PCB contamination in the built environment may result from the release of PCBs from building materials. The significance of this contamination as a pathway of human exposure is not well-characterized, however. This research compared the serum PCB concentrations, and congener profiles between 18 teachers in PCB-containing schools and referent populations. Methods Blood samples from 18 teachers in PCB-containing schools were analyzed for 57 PCB congeners. Serum PCB concentrations and congener patterns were compared between the teachers, to the 2003-4 NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) data, and to data from 358 Greater Boston area men. Results Teachers at one school had higher levels of lighter (PCB 6-74) congeners compared to teachers from other schools. PCB congener 47 contributed substantially to these elevated levels. Older teachers (ages 50-64) from all schools had higher total (sum of 33 congeners) serum PCB concentrations than age-comparable NHANES reference values. Comparing the teachers to the referent population of men from the Greater Boston area (all under age 51), no difference in total serum PCB levels was observed between the referents and teachers up to 50 years age. However, the teachers had significantly elevated serum concentrations of lighter congeners (PCB 6-74). This difference was confirmed by comparing the congener-specific ratios between groups, and principal component analysis showed that the relative contribution of lighter congeners differed between the teachers and the referents. Conclusions These findings suggest that the teachers in the PCB-containing buildings had higher serum levels of lighter PCB congeners (PCB 6-74) than the referent populations. Examination of the patterns, as well as concentrations of individual PCB congeners in serum is essential to investigating the contributions from potential environmental sources of PCB exposure. PMID:21668970

Influence of boron addition to Ti-13Zr-13Nb alloy on MG63 osteoblast cell viability and protein adsorption.

PubMed

Majumdar, P; Singh, S B; Dhara, S; Chakraborty, M

2015-01-01

Cell proliferation, cell morphology and protein adsorption on near β-type Ti-13Zr-13Nb (TZN) alloy and Ti-13Zr-13Nb-0.5B (TZNB) composite have been investigated and compared to evaluate the effect of boron addition which has been added to the Ti alloy to improve their poor tribological properties by forming in situ TiB precipitates. MG63 cell proliferation on substrates with different chemistry but the same topography was compared. The MTT assay test showed that the cell viability on the TZN alloy was higher than the boron containing TZNB composite after 36 h of incubation and the difference was pronounced after 7 days. However, both the materials showed substantially higher cell attachment than the control (polystyrene). For the same period of incubation in fetal bovine serum (FBS), the amount of protein adsorbed on the surface of boron free TZN samples was higher than that in the case of boron containing TZNB composite. The presence of boron in the TZN alloy influenced protein adsorption and cell response and they are lower in TZNB than in TZN as a result of the associated difference in chemical characteristics. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

19 CFR 10.41b - Clearance of serially numbered substantial holders or outer containers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... or outer containers. 10.41b Section 10.41b Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION... holders or outer containers. (a) The holders and containers described in this section may be released... intermodal and similar containers or containers which are themselves vehicles or vehicle appurtenances and...

19 CFR 10.41b - Clearance of serially numbered substantial holders or outer containers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... or outer containers. 10.41b Section 10.41b Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION... holders or outer containers. (a) The holders and containers described in this section may be released... intermodal and similar containers or containers which are themselves vehicles or vehicle appurtenances and...

19 CFR 10.41b - Clearance of serially numbered substantial holders or outer containers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... or outer containers. 10.41b Section 10.41b Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION... holders or outer containers. (a) The holders and containers described in this section may be released... intermodal and similar containers or containers which are themselves vehicles or vehicle appurtenances and...

19 CFR 10.41b - Clearance of serially numbered substantial holders or outer containers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... or outer containers. 10.41b Section 10.41b Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION... holders or outer containers. (a) The holders and containers described in this section may be released... intermodal and similar containers or containers which are themselves vehicles or vehicle appurtenances and...

19 CFR 10.41b - Clearance of serially numbered substantial holders or outer containers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... or outer containers. 10.41b Section 10.41b Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION... holders or outer containers. (a) The holders and containers described in this section may be released... intermodal and similar containers or containers which are themselves vehicles or vehicle appurtenances and...

Comparative evaluation of the VERSANT HCV RNA 3.0, QUANTIPLEX HCV RNA 2.0, and COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR version 2.0 Assays for quantification of hepatitis C virus RNA in serum.

PubMed

Germer, Jeffrey J; Heimgartner, Paul J; Ilstrup, Duane M; Harmsen, W Scott; Jenkins, Greg D; Patel, Robin

2002-02-01

A comparison of quantitative results expressed in hepatitis C virus (HCV) international units per milliliter, obtained from the VERSANT HCV RNA 3.0 (bDNA-3.0) assay, the QUANTIPLEX HCV RNA 2.0 (bDNA-2.0) assay, and the COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR version 2.0 (HCM-2.0) test was performed. A total of 168 patient specimens submitted to the Mayo Clinic Molecular Microbiology Laboratory for HCV quantification or HCV genotyping were studied. Of the specimens tested, 97, 88, and 79% yielded quantitative results within the dynamic range of the bDNA-3.0, bDNA-2.0, and HCM-2.0 assays, respectively. Overall, there was substantial agreement between the results generated by all three assays. A total of 15 out of 29 (52%) of the specimens determined to contain viral loads of <31,746 IU/ml by the bDNA-3.0 assay were categorized as containing viral loads within the range of 31,746 to 500,000 IU/ml by the bDNA-2.0 assay. Although substantial agreement was noted between the results generated by the bDNA-2.0 and bDNA-3.0 assays, a bias toward higher viral titer by the bDNA-2.0 assay was noted (P = 0.001). Likewise, although substantial agreement was noted between the results generated by the HCM-2.0 and bDNA-3.0 assays, a bias toward higher viral titer by the bDNA-3.0 assay was noted (P < or = 0.001). The discrepancy between the HCM-2.0 and bDNA-3.0 results was more pronounced when viral loads were >500,000 IU/ml and resulted in statistically significant differences (P < or = 0.001) in determining whether viral loads were above or below 800,000 IU/ml of HCV RNA, the proposed threshold value for tailoring the duration of combination therapy. The expression of quantitative values in HCV international units per milliliter was a strength of both the bDNA-3.0 and HCM-2.0 assays.

Comparative Evaluation of the VERSANT HCV RNA 3.0, QUANTIPLEX HCV RNA 2.0, and COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR Version 2.0 Assays for Quantification of Hepatitis C Virus RNA in Serum

PubMed Central

Germer, Jeffrey J.; Heimgartner, Paul J.; Ilstrup, Duane M.; Harmsen, W. Scott; Jenkins, Greg D.; Patel, Robin

2002-01-01

A comparison of quantitative results expressed in hepatitis C virus (HCV) international units per milliliter, obtained from the VERSANT HCV RNA 3.0 (bDNA-3.0) assay, the QUANTIPLEX HCV RNA 2.0 (bDNA-2.0) assay, and the COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR version 2.0 (HCM-2.0) test was performed. A total of 168 patient specimens submitted to the Mayo Clinic Molecular Microbiology Laboratory for HCV quantification or HCV genotyping were studied. Of the specimens tested, 97, 88, and 79% yielded quantitative results within the dynamic range of the bDNA-3.0, bDNA-2.0, and HCM-2.0 assays, respectively. Overall, there was substantial agreement between the results generated by all three assays. A total of 15 out of 29 (52%) of the specimens determined to contain viral loads of <31,746 IU/ml by the bDNA-3.0 assay were categorized as containing viral loads within the range of 31,746 to 500,000 IU/ml by the bDNA-2.0 assay. Although substantial agreement was noted between the results generated by the bDNA-2.0 and bDNA-3.0 assays, a bias toward higher viral titer by the bDNA-2.0 assay was noted (P = 0.001). Likewise, although substantial agreement was noted between the results generated by the HCM-2.0 and bDNA-3.0 assays, a bias toward higher viral titer by the bDNA-3.0 assay was noted (P ≤ 0.001). The discrepancy between the HCM-2.0 and bDNA-3.0 results was more pronounced when viral loads were >500,000 IU/ml and resulted in statistically significant differences (P ≤ 0.001) in determining whether viral loads were above or below 800,000 IU/ml of HCV RNA, the proposed threshold value for tailoring the duration of combination therapy. The expression of quantitative values in HCV international units per milliliter was a strength of both the bDNA-3.0 and HCM-2.0 assays. PMID:11825962

SEPARATION OF THORIUM FROM URANIUM

DOEpatents

Bane, R.W.

1959-09-01

A description is given for the separation of thorium from uranium by forming an aqueous acidic solution containing ionic species of thorium, uranyl uranium, and hydroxylamine, flowing the solution through a column containing the phenol-formaldehyde type cation exchange resin to selectively adsorb substantially all the thorium values and a portion of the uranium values, flowing a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid through the column to desorb the uranium values, and then flowing a dilute aqueous acidic solution containing an ion, such as bisulfate, which has a complexing effect upon thortum through the column to desorb substantially all of the thorium.

Broccoli sprouts: An exceptionally rich source of inducers of enzymes that protect against chemical carcinogens

PubMed Central

Fahey, Jed W.; Zhang, Yuesheng; Talalay, Paul

1997-01-01

Induction of phase 2 detoxication enzymes [e.g., glutathione transferases, epoxide hydrolase, NAD(P)H: quinone reductase, and glucuronosyltransferases] is a powerful strategy for achieving protection against carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, and other forms of toxicity of electrophiles and reactive forms of oxygen. Since consumption of large quantities of fruit and vegetables is associated with a striking reduction in the risk of developing a variety of malignancies, it is of interest that a number of edible plants contain substantial quantities of compounds that regulate mammalian enzymes of xenobiotic metabolism. Thus, edible plants belonging to the family Cruciferae and genus Brassica (e.g., broccoli and cauliflower) contain substantial quantities of isothiocyanates (mostly in the form of their glucosinolate precursors) some of which (e.g., sulforaphane or 4-methylsulfinylbutyl isothiocyanate) are very potent inducers of phase 2 enzymes. Unexpectedly, 3-day-old sprouts of cultivars of certain crucifers including broccoli and cauliflower contain 10–100 times higher levels of glucoraphanin (the glucosinolate of sulforaphane) than do the corresponding mature plants. Glucosinolates and isothiocyanates can be efficiently extracted from plants, without hydrolysis of glucosinolates by myrosinase, by homogenization in a mixture of equal volumes of dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylformamide, and acetonitrile at −50°C. Extracts of 3-day-old broccoli sprouts (containing either glucoraphanin or sulforaphane as the principal enzyme inducer) were highly effective in reducing the incidence, multiplicity, and rate of development of mammary tumors in dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-treated rats. Notably, sprouts of many broccoli cultivars contain negligible quantities of indole glucosinolates, which predominate in the mature vegetable and may give rise to degradation products (e.g., indole-3-carbinol) that can enhance tumorigenesis. Hence, small quantities of crucifer sprouts may protect against the risk of cancer as effectively as much larger quantities of mature vegetables of the same variety. PMID:9294217

Measurements of wind, aeolian sand transport, and precipitation in the Colorado River corridor, Grand Canyon, Arizona; January 2005 to January 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Draut, Amy E.; Rubin, David M.

2006-01-01

This report presents measurements of aeolian sediment-transport rates, wind speed and direction, and precipitation records from six locations that contain aeolian deposits in the Colorado River corridor through Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. Aeolian deposits, many of which contain and preserve archaeological material, are an important part of the Grand Canyon ecosystem. This report contains data collected between January 2005 and January 2006, and is the second in a series; the first contained data that were collected between November 2003 and December 2004 (Draut and Rubin, 2005; http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1309/). Analysis of data collected in 2005 shows great spatial and seasonal variation in wind and precipitation patterns. Total annual rainfall can vary by more than a factor of two over distances ~ 10 km. Western Grand Canyon received substantially more precipitation than the eastern canyon during the abnormally wet winter of 2005. Great spatial variability in precipitation indicates that future sedimentary and geomorphic studies would benefit substantially from continued or expanded data collection at multiple locations along the river corridor, because rainfall records collected by NPS at Phantom Ranch (near river-mile 88) cannot be assumed to apply to other areas of the canyon. Wind velocities and sand transport in 2005 were greatest during May and June, with maximum winds locally as high as ~25 m s-1, and transport rates locally >100 g cm-1 d-1. This represents a later peak in seasonal aeolian sand transport compared to the previous year, in which transport rates were greatest in April and May 2004. Dominant wind direction varies with location, but during the spring windy season the greatest transport potential was directed upstream in Marble Canyon (eastern Grand Canyon). At all locations, rates of sand transport during the spring windy season were 5–15 times higher than at other times of year. This information has been used to evaluate the potential for aeolian reworking of new fluvial sand deposits, and restoration of higher-elevation aeolian deposits, following the 60-hour controlled flood release from Glen Canyon Dam in November 2004. Substantial deposition of new sand occurred at all study sites during this high-flow experiment, but most of the new sediment was eroded by high flow fluctuations between January and March 2005. Comparison of aeolian sand transport in the spring windy seasons of the preand post-flood years indicates that, where some of the flood-deposited sand remained by spring, aeolian sand transport was significantly higher than during the pre-flood spring. Gully incision in an aeolian dune field was observed to be partially ameliorated by deposition of wind-blown sand derived from a nearby 2004 flood deposit. These results imply that sediment-rich controlled floods can renew sand deposition in aeolian dune fields above the flood-stage elevation. The potential for restoration of archaeological sites in aeolian deposits can be maximized by using dam operations that maximize the open sand area on fluvial sandbars during spring, when aeolian sediment transport is greatest.

42 CFR 84.197 - Respirator containers; minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Respirator containers; minimum requirements. 84.197... Cartridge Respirators § 84.197 Respirator containers; minimum requirements. Respirators shall be equipped with a substantial, durable container bearing markings which show the applicant's name, the type and...

High temperature desulfurization of synthesis gas

DOEpatents

Najjar, Mitri S.; Robin, Allen M.

1989-01-01

The hot process gas stream from the partial oxidation of sulfur-containing heavy liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel and/or sulfur-containing solid carbonaceous fuel comprising gaseous mixtures of H.sub.2 +CO, sulfur-containing gases, entrained particulate carbon, and molten slag is passed through the unobstructed central passage of a radiant cooler where the temperature is reduced to a temperature in the range of about 1800.degree. F. to 1200.degree. F. From about 0 to 95 wt. % of the molten slag and/or entrained material may be removed from the hot process gas stream prior to the radiant cooler with substantially no reduction in temperature of the process gas stream. In the radiant cooler, after substantially all of the molten slag has solidified, the sulfur-containing gases are contacted with a calcium-containing material to produce calcium sulfide. A partially cooled stream of synthesis gas, reducing gas, or fuel gas containing entrained calcium sulfide particulate matter, particulate carbon, and solidified slag leaves the radiant cooler containing a greatly reduced amount of sulfur-containing gases.

Carbon isotope composition of low molecular weight hydrocarbons and monocarboxylic acids from Murchison meteorite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yuen, G.; Blair, N.; Des Marais, D. J.; Chang, S.

1984-01-01

Carbon isotopic compositions have been measured for individual hydrocarbons and monocarboxylic acids from the Murchison meteorite, a C2 carbonaceous chondrite which fell in Australia in 1969. With few exceptions, notably benzene, the volatile products are substantially isotopically heavier than their terrestrial counterparts, signifying their extraterrestrial origin. For both classes of compounds, the ratio of C-13 to C-12 decreases with increasing carbon number in a roughly parallel manner, and each carboxylic acid exhibits a higher isotopic ratio than the hydrocarbon containing the same number of carbon atoms. These trends are consistent with the kinetically controlled synthesis of higher homologues from lower ones. The results suggest the possibility that the production mechanisms for hydrocarbons and carboxylic acids may be similar, and impose constraints on the identity of the reactant species.

Electron driven processes in sulphur containing compounds CH3SCH3 and CH3SSCH3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopyra, Janina; Władziński, Jakub

2015-06-01

Dissociative electron attachment to gas phase dimethyl sulphide (CH3SCH3) and dimethyl disulphide (CH3SSCH3) has been studied by means of a crossed beams apparatus. Cleavage of the C-S bond within CH3SCH3 and the S-S bond within CH3SSCH3 is observed within a resonance in the energy range below 2 eV and visible preferentially via the appearance of the fragment CH2S-. The striking finding is that the intensity of CH2S- generated from CH3SSCH3 is more than two orders of magnitude higher than the intensity of the respective anionic fragment generated from CH3SCH3. Our results clearly demonstrate that the CH3SSCH3 molecule, which contains disulphide bridge is substantially more sensitive towards electron attachment resulting mainly in dissociation along the S-S bridge.

42 CFR 84.134 - Respirator containers; minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Respirator containers; minimum requirements. 84.134... Respirators § 84.134 Respirator containers; minimum requirements. Supplied-air respirators shall be equipped with a substantial, durable container bearing markings which show the applicant's name, the type and...

Egg components and hatchling lipid reserves: parental investment in kinosternid turtles from the southeastern United States.

PubMed

Nagle, R D; Burke, V J; Congdon, J D

1998-05-01

We measured egg components and pre-ovulatory parental investment in kinosternid turtles (Kinosternon baurii, Kinosternon subrubrum, Sternotherus minor, and Sternotherus odoratus) from the southeastern USA. Allocation patterns were determined by comparing lipid content of eggs and hatchlings, to determine whether females of species with hatchlings that exhibit a delayed nest-emergence strategy: (1) allocate higher proportions of energy storage lipids to eggs, (2) produce hatchlings with higher levels of storage lipids, and (3) have higher levels of pre-ovulatory parental investment in comparison to species whose hatchlings exhibit immediate emergence. Whereas total non-polar lipid (NPL) proportions by dry mass of eggs varied significantly among species, NPL proportions of hatchlings were not significantly different. Pre-ovulatory parental investment in care (proportion of hatchling NPL to egg NPL) was 40, 50, and 55% for K. subrubrum, S. minor, and S. odoratus, respectively. Lipid class composition of eggs and hatchlings was studied to distinguish lipids allocated for energy storage from those allocated to other functions. For both eggs and hatchlings, individual lipid classes (triacylglycerol, triacylglycerol fatty acid, cholesterol, cholesterol ester, and phospholipid) as proportions of total lipid, were similar among species. The major lipid class component of eggs and hatchlings of all species was triacylglycerol (> 83%), an energy storage lipid. Substantial changes in lipid classes during embryogenesis were similar among species and included: (1) depletion of triacylglycerol, (2) increase in cholesterol esters, and (3) changes in phospholipid composition. Incubation time varied significantly among species, and appeared to be responsible for differential energy utilization during embryogenesis. Our results are inconsistent with the previously observed pattern that hatchlings exhibiting a delayed nest-emergence strategy are allocated higher proportions of energy storage lipids than those that exhibit immediate emergence. However, because the species that overwinters in the nest (K. subrubrum) hatches approximately 40 days later than the species that typically does not (S. odoratus), hatchling K. subrubrum may contain higher non-polar lipid proportions than hatchling S. odoratus during similar winter time periods. Kinosternid hatchlings contain enough stored lipids to support basal maintenance costs for substantial time periods. We suggest that such reserves may be critical to hatchling survival during a period of negative energy balance, regardless of nest emergence strategy.

Modified starch containing liquid fuel slurry

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

Metzger, G.W.

1978-04-04

A substantially water-free, high solids content, stably dispersed combustible fuel slurry is provided, with a method of preparing the slurry. The slurry contains a minor amount of a solid particulate carbonaceous material such as powdered coal, with substantially the entire balance of the slurry being comprised of a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, particularly a heavy fuel oil. In extremely minor amounts are anionic surfactants, particularly soaps, and a stabilizing amount of a starch modified with an anionic polymer.

Particulate matter in pack ice of the Beaufort Gyre

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reimnitz, E.; Barnes, P.W.; Weber, W.S.

1993-01-01

Fine sediment occurred in very small patches of turbid ice, as thin spotty surface layers, in mud pellets or in old snowdrifts. The latter were widespread south of 74??N, containing an estimated 22 tonnes of silt and clay km-2. Average particle concentration in sea ice (40 mg1-1) was much higher than in sea water (0.8 mg 1 -1) or in new snow. Assuming one-third of the load is released each year, the estimated deposition rate would equal the measured Holocene rate (~2cm 1000 year-1). Therefore, modern sea-ice rafting represents a substantial fraction of the total Arctic Ocean sediment budget. -from Authors

Power corrections in the N -jettiness subtraction scheme

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

Boughezal, Radja; Liu, Xiaohui; Petriello, Frank

We discuss the leading-logarithmic power corrections in the N-jettiness subtraction scheme for higher-order perturbative QCD calculations. We compute the next-to-leading order power corrections for an arbitrary N-jet process, and we explicitly calculate the power correction through next-to-next-to-leading order for color-singlet production for bothmore » $$q\\bar{q}$$ and gg initiated processes. Our results are compact and simple to implement numerically. Including the leading power correction in the N-jettiness subtraction scheme substantially improves its numerical efficiency. Finally, we discuss what features of our techniques extend to processes containing final-state jets.« less

Power corrections in the N -jettiness subtraction scheme

DOE PAGES

Boughezal, Radja; Liu, Xiaohui; Petriello, Frank

2017-03-30

We discuss the leading-logarithmic power corrections in the N-jettiness subtraction scheme for higher-order perturbative QCD calculations. We compute the next-to-leading order power corrections for an arbitrary N-jet process, and we explicitly calculate the power correction through next-to-next-to-leading order for color-singlet production for bothmore » $$q\\bar{q}$$ and gg initiated processes. Our results are compact and simple to implement numerically. Including the leading power correction in the N-jettiness subtraction scheme substantially improves its numerical efficiency. Finally, we discuss what features of our techniques extend to processes containing final-state jets.« less

Consumption of baits containing raccoon pox-based plague vaccines protects black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus).

PubMed

Rocke, Tonie E; Pussini, Nicola; Smith, Susan R; Williamson, Judy; Powell, Bradford; Osorio, Jorge E

2010-01-01

Baits containing recombinant raccoon poxvirus (RCN) expressing plague antigens (fraction 1 [F1] and a truncated form of the V protein-V307) were offered for voluntary consumption several times over the course of several months to a group of 16 black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). For comparison, another group of prairie dogs (n = 12) was injected subcutaneously (SC) (prime and boost) with 40 microg of F1-V fusion protein absorbed to alum, a vaccine-adjuvant combination demonstrated to elicit immunity to plague in mice and other mammals. Control animals received baits containing RCN without the inserted antigen (n = 8) or injected diluent (n = 7), and as there was no difference in their survival rates by Kaplan-Meier analysis, all of them were combined into one group in the final analysis. Mean antibody titers to Yersinia pestis F1 and V antigen increased (p < 0.05) in the vaccinated groups compared to controls, but titers were significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in those receiving injections of F1-V fusion protein than in those orally vaccinated with RCN-based vaccine. Interestingly, upon challenge with approximately 70,000 cfu of virulent Y. pestis, oral vaccination resulted in survival rates that were significantly higher (p = 0.025) than the group vaccinated by injection with F1-V fusion protein and substantially higher (p < 0.0001) than the control group. These results demonstrate that oral vaccination of prairie dogs using RCN-based plague vaccines provides significant protection against challenge at dosages that simulate simultaneous delivery of the plague bacterium by numerous flea bites.

Method for preparing radiopharmaceutical complexes

DOEpatents

Jones, Alun G.; Davison, Alan; Abrams, Michael J.

1989-05-02

A method for preparing radiopharmaceutical complexes that are substantially free of the reaction materials used to produce the radiopharmaceutical complex is disclosed. The method involves admixing in a suitable first solvent in a container a target seeking ligand or salt or metal adduct thereof, a radionuclide label, and a reducing agent for said radionuclide, thereby forming said radiopharmaceutical complex; coating the interior walls of the container with said pharmaceutical complex; discarding the solvent containing by-products and unreacted starting reaction materials; and removing the radiopharmaceutical complex from said walls by dissolving it in a second solvent, thereby obtaining said radiopharmaceutical complex substantially free of by-products and unreacted starting materials.

A cross-sectional survey of Aedes aegypti immature abundance in urban and rural household containers in central Colombia.

PubMed

Overgaard, Hans J; Olano, Víctor Alberto; Jaramillo, Juan Felipe; Matiz, María Inés; Sarmiento, Diana; Stenström, Thor Axel; Alexander, Neal

2017-07-27

Aedes aegypti, the major vector of dengue, breeds in domestic water containers. The development of immature mosquitoes in such containers is influenced by various environmental, ecological and socioeconomic factors. Urban and rural disparities in water storage practices and water source supply may affect mosquito immature abundance and, potentially, dengue risk. We evaluated the effect of water and container characteristics on A. aegypti immature abundance in urban and rural areas. Data were collected in the wet season of 2011 in central Colombia from 36 urban and 35 rural containers, which were either mosquito-positive or negative. Immature mosquitoes were identified to species. Data on water and container characteristics were collected from all containers. A total of 1452 Aedes pupae and larvae were collected of which 81% were A. aegypti and 19% A. fluviatilis. Aedes aegypti immatures were found in both urban and rural sites. However, the mean number of A. aegypti pupae was five times higher in containers in the urban sites compared to those in the rural sites. One of the important factors associated with A. aegypti infestation was frequency of container washing. Monthly-washed or never-washed containers were both about four times more likely to be infested than those washed every week. There were no significant differences between urban and rural sites in frequency of washing containers. Aedes aegypti immature infestation was positively associated with total dissolved solids, but negatively associated with dissolved oxygen. Water temperature, total dissolved solids, ammonia, nitrate, and organic matter were significantly higher in urban than in rural containers, which might explain urban-rural differences in breeding of A. aegypti. However, many of these factors vary substantially between studies and in their degree of association with vector breeding, therefore they may not be reliable indices for vector control interventions. Although containers in urban areas were more likely to be infested with A. aegypti, rural containers still provide suitable habitats for A. aegypti. Containers that are washed more frequent are less likely to produce A. aegypti. These results highlight the importance of container washing as an effective vector control tool in both urban and rural areas. In addition, alternative designs of the highly productive washbasins should continue to be explored. To control diseases such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya, effective vector breeding site control must be implemented in addition to other interventions.

MIDAS: a practical Bayesian design for platform trials with molecularly targeted agents.

PubMed

Yuan, Ying; Guo, Beibei; Munsell, Mark; Lu, Karen; Jazaeri, Amir

2016-09-30

Recent success of immunotherapy and other targeted therapies in cancer treatment has led to an unprecedented surge in the number of novel therapeutic agents that need to be evaluated in clinical trials. Traditional phase II clinical trial designs were developed for evaluating one candidate treatment at a time and thus not efficient for this task. We propose a Bayesian phase II platform design, the multi-candidate iterative design with adaptive selection (MIDAS), which allows investigators to continuously screen a large number of candidate agents in an efficient and seamless fashion. MIDAS consists of one control arm, which contains a standard therapy as the control, and several experimental arms, which contain the experimental agents. Patients are adaptively randomized to the control and experimental agents based on their estimated efficacy. During the trial, we adaptively drop inefficacious or overly toxic agents and 'graduate' the promising agents from the trial to the next stage of development. Whenever an experimental agent graduates or is dropped, the corresponding arm opens immediately for testing the next available new agent. Simulation studies show that MIDAS substantially outperforms the conventional approach. The proposed design yields a significantly higher probability for identifying the promising agents and dropping the futile agents. In addition, MIDAS requires only one master protocol, which streamlines trial conduct and substantially decreases the overhead burden. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

MIDAS: A Practical Bayesian Design for Platform Trials with Molecularly Targeted Agents

PubMed Central

Yuan, Ying; Guo, Beibei; Munsell, Mark; Lu, Karen; Jazaeri, Amir

2016-01-01

Recent success of immunotherapy and other targeted therapies in cancer treatment has led to an unprecedented surge in the number of novel therapeutic agents that need to be evaluated in clinical trials. Traditional phase II clinical trial designs were developed for evaluating one candidate treatment at a time, and thus not efficient for this task. We propose a Bayesian phase II platform design, the Multi-candidate Iterative Design with Adaptive Selection (MIDAS), which allows investigators to continuously screen a large number of candidate agents in an efficient and seamless fashion. MIDAS consists of one control arm, which contains a standard therapy as the control, and several experimental arms, which contain the experimental agents. Patients are adaptively randomized to the control and experimental agents based on their estimated efficacy. During the trial, we adaptively drop inefficacious or overly toxic agents and “graduate” the promising agents from the trial to the next stage of development. Whenever an experimental agent graduates or is dropped, the corresponding arm opens immediately for testing the next available new agent. Simulation studies show that MIDAS substantially outperforms the conventional approach. The proposed design yields a significantly higher probability for identifying the promising agents and dropping the futile agents. In addition, MIDAS requires only one master protocol, which streamlines trial conduct and substantially decreases the overhead burden. PMID:27112322

Effect of Be Modification on the Oxide Bifilms and Tensile Strength Reliability of Al-Si-Mg Alloys Containing Excess Fe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asadian Nozari, M.; Taghiabadi, R.; Karimzadeh, M.; Ghoncheh, M. H.

2018-03-01

The effect of oxide bifilms and Be modification (0.2 wt pct) on the tensile strength reliability of the as-cast and T6 heat-treated Al-9Si-0.35Mg-1.5Fe alloy was investigated using Weibull analysis. For this purpose, the density of oxide bifilms in the molten alloy was intentionally increased by surface agitation. According to the results, Be modifies the β-Al5FeSi particles to the less harmful α-Fe compounds and substantially decreases the bifilm density in the castings leading to improved tensile properties and higher reliability. Moreover, the beneficial effect of Be was found to be more in the samples containing higher amounts of bifilms. For instance, in the heat-treated condition, Be increased the Weibull modulus of the non-agitated and surface-agitated samples by 4 and 94 pct, respectively. This improvement can be attributed to the strengthening effect of Be on the young surface oxides so that they resist more against rupture when melt is subjected to the surface turbulence. The reduced pressure test and fractography investigations also confirmed the reduction of bifilm density and bifilm-related defects in Be-modified samples.

Effect of Be Modification on the Oxide Bifilms and Tensile Strength Reliability of Al-Si-Mg Alloys Containing Excess Fe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asadian Nozari, M.; Taghiabadi, R.; Karimzadeh, M.; Ghoncheh, M. H.

2018-06-01

The effect of oxide bifilms and Be modification (0.2 wt pct) on the tensile strength reliability of the as-cast and T6 heat-treated Al-9Si-0.35Mg-1.5Fe alloy was investigated using Weibull analysis. For this purpose, the density of oxide bifilms in the molten alloy was intentionally increased by surface agitation. According to the results, Be modifies the β-Al5FeSi particles to the less harmful α-Fe compounds and substantially decreases the bifilm density in the castings leading to improved tensile properties and higher reliability. Moreover, the beneficial effect of Be was found to be more in the samples containing higher amounts of bifilms. For instance, in the heat-treated condition, Be increased the Weibull modulus of the non-agitated and surface-agitated samples by 4 and 94 pct, respectively. This improvement can be attributed to the strengthening effect of Be on the young surface oxides so that they resist more against rupture when melt is subjected to the surface turbulence. The reduced pressure test and fractography investigations also confirmed the reduction of bifilm density and bifilm-related defects in Be-modified samples.

Halogenated volatile organic compounds in chlorine-bleach-containing household products and implications for their use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odabasi, Mustafa; Elbir, Tolga; Dumanoglu, Yetkin; Sofuoglu, Sait C.

2014-08-01

It was recently shown that substantial amounts of halogenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are formed in chlorine-bleach-containing household products as a result of reactions of sodium hypochlorite with organic product components. Use of these household products results in elevated indoor air halogenated VOC concentrations. Halogenated VOCs in several chlorine-bleach-containing household products (plain, n = 9; fragranced, n = 4; and surfactant-added, n = 29) from Europe and North America were measured in the present study. Chloroform and carbon tetrachloride were the dominating compounds having average concentrations of 9.5 ± 29.0 (average ± SD) and 23.2 ± 44.3 (average ± SD) mg L-1, respectively. Halogenated VOC concentrations were the lowest in plain bleach, slightly higher in fragranced products and the highest in the surfactant-added products. Investigation of the relationship between the halogenated VOCs and several product ingredients indicated that chlorinated VOC formation is closely related to product composition. Indoor air concentrations from the household use of bleach products (i.e., bathroom, kitchen, and hallway cleaning) were estimated for the two dominating VOCs (chloroform and carbon tetrachloride). Estimated indoor concentrations ranged between 0.5 and 1030 (34 ± 123, average ± SD) μg m-3 and 0.3-1124 (82 ± 194, average ± SD) μg m-3 for chloroform and carbon tetrachloride, respectively, indicating substantial increases compared to background. Results indicated that indoor air concentrations from surfactant-added products were significantly higher (p < 0.01) than other categories. The highest concentrations were from the use of surfactant-added bleach products for bathroom cleaning (92 ± 228 and 224 ± 334 μg m-3, average ± SD for chloroform and carbon tetrachloride, respectively). Associated carcinogenic risks from the use of these products were also estimated. The risk levels may reach to considerably high levels for a significant portion of the population especially for those steadily using the surfactant-added bleach products. Based on the results of the present study, it could be recommended that if possible the use of chlorine bleach containing household products should be avoided. If they are to be used, plain products should be preferred since the chlorinated VOC content increase with the number and amount of additives.

Production of substantially pure fructose

DOEpatents

Hatcher, Herbert J.; Gallian, John J.; Leeper, Stephen A.

1990-01-01

A process is disclosed for the production of substantially pure fructose from sucrose-containing substrates. The process comprises converting the sucrose to levan and glucose, purifying the levan by membrane technology, hydrolyzing the levan to form fructose monomers, and recovering the fructose.

Analysis of energy use and CO2 emissions in the U.S. refining sector, with projections for 2025.

PubMed

Hirshfeld, David S; Kolb, Jeffrey A

2012-04-03

This analysis uses linear programming modeling of the U.S. refining sector to estimate total annual energy consumption and CO(2) emissions in 2025, for four projected U.S. crude oil slates. The baseline is similar to the current U.S. crude slate; the other three contain larger proportions of higher density, higher sulfur crudes than the current or any previous U.S. crude slates. The latter cases reflect aggressive assumptions regarding the volumes of Canadian crudes in the U.S. crude slate in 2025. The analysis projects U.S. refinery energy use 3.7%-6.3% (≈ 0.13-0.22 quads/year) higher and refinery CO(2) emissions 5.4%-9.3% (≈ 0.014-0.024 gigatons/year) higher in the study cases than in the baseline. Refining heavier crude slates would require significant investments in new refinery processing capability, especially coking and hydrotreating units. These findings differ substantially from a recent estimate asserting that processing heavy oil or bitumen blends could increase industry CO(2) emissions by 1.6-3.7 gigatons/year.

Coronavirus antibody detection in cats by computer-assisted kinetics-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (KELA): field studies.

PubMed

Barlough, J E; Jacobson, R H; Sorresso, G P; Lynch, T J; Scott, F W

1986-07-01

A total of 2238 feline serum samples submitted to the New York State Diagnostic Laboratory over a 1-year period were tested for the presence of coronavirus antibodies, using the computer-assisted, kinetics-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (KELA). Cats from which sera were obtained were categorized by sex, age, breed, and disease status, and variations in mean antibody titers for different sub-classifications within each category were analyzed by computerized statistical analysis. As expected, higher mean antibody titers were recorded for cats with feline infectious peritonitis, and for cats with a recent history of possible coronavirus exposure. However, an unexpected inverse relationship between coronavirus antibody titer and age was also found. Certain cattery-oriented pure breeds appeared to have higher mean antibody titers, because their sample populations contained a higher percentage of younger cats and cats of unknown age-groups which, over-all, had higher mean titers. Taken together, the data substantiated the efficacy of the computer-assisted KELA for routine detection of serum coronavirus antibodies in cats.

Food Consumption and Nutrient Intake by Children Aged 10 to 48 Months Attending Day Care in The Netherlands

PubMed Central

Goldbohm, R. Alexandra; Rubingh, Carina M.; Lanting, Caren I.; Joosten, Koen F. M.

2016-01-01

The diet of young children is an important determinant of long-term health effects, such as overweight and obesity. We analyzed two-day food consumption records from 1526 young children (10–48 months old) attending 199 daycare centers across The Netherlands. Data were observed and recorded in diaries by caregivers at the day nursery and by parents at home on days that the children attended the daycare center. According to national and European reference values, the children had an adequate nutrient intake with exception of low intakes of total fat, n-3 fatty acids from fish and possibly iron. Intakes of energy and protein were substantially higher than recommended and part of the population exceeded the tolerable upper intake levels for sodium, zinc and retinol. Consumption of fruit, fats, fish, and fluids was substantially less than recommended. The children used mostly (semi-)skimmed milk products and non-refined bread and cereals, as recommended. Two thirds of the consumed beverages, however, contained sugar and contributed substantially to energy intake. In young children, low intakes of n-3 fatty acids and iron are a potential matter of concern, as are the high intakes of energy, protein, sugared beverages, and milk, since these may increase the risk of becoming overweight. PMID:27428995

Parallel heater system for subsurface formations

DOEpatents

Harris, Christopher Kelvin [Houston, TX; Karanikas, John Michael [Houston, TX; Nguyen, Scott Vinh [Houston, TX

2011-10-25

A heating system for a subsurface formation is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of substantially horizontally oriented or inclined heater sections located in a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation. At least a portion of two of the heater sections are substantially parallel to each other. The ends of at least two of the heater sections in the layer are electrically coupled to a substantially horizontal, or inclined, electrical conductor oriented substantially perpendicular to the ends of the at least two heater sections.

Method for decontamination of nickel-fluoride-coated nickel containing actinide-metal fluorides

DOEpatents

Windt, Norman F.; Williams, Joe L.

1983-01-01

The invention is a process for decontaminating particulate nickel contaminated with actinide-metal fluorides. In one aspect, the invention comprises contacting nickel-fluoride-coated nickel with gaseous ammonia at a temperature effecting nickel-catalyzed dissociation thereof and effecting hydrogen-reduction of the nickel fluoride. The resulting nickel is heated to form a melt and a slag and to effect transfer of actinide metals from the melt into the slag. The melt and slag are then separated. In another aspect, nickel containing nickel oxide and actinide metals is contacted with ammonia at a temperature effecting nickel-catalyzed dissociation to effect conversion of the nickel oxide to the metal. The resulting nickel is then melted and separated as described. In another aspect nickel-fluoride-coated nickel containing actinide-metal fluorides is contacted with both steam and ammonia. The resulting nickel then is melted and separated as described. The invention is characterized by higher nickel recovery, efficient use of ammonia, a substantial decrease in slag formation and fuming, and a valuable increase in the service life of the furnace liners used for melting.

Method for producing through extrusion an anisotropic magnet with high energy product

DOEpatents

Chandhok, Vijay K.

2004-09-07

A method for producing an anisotropic magnet with high energy product through extrusion and, more specifically, by placing a particle charge of a composition from the which magnet is to be produced in a noncircular container, heating the container and particle charge and extruding the container and particle charge through a noncircular extrusion die in such a manner that one of the cross-sectional axes or dimension of the container and particle charge is held substantially constant during the extrusion to compact the particle charge to substantially full density by mechanical deformation produced during the extrusion to achieve a magnet with anisotropic magnetic properties along the axes or dimension thereof and, more specifically, a high energy product along the transverse of the smallest cross-sectional dimension of the extruded magnet.

Homology modeling reveals the structural background of the striking difference in thermal stability between two related [NiFe]hydrogenases.

PubMed

Szilágyi, András; Kovács, Kornél L; Rákhely, Gábor; Závodszky, Péter

2002-02-01

Hydrogenases are redox metalloenzymes in bacteria that catalyze the uptake or production of molecular hydrogen. Two homologous nickel-iron hydrogenases, HupSL and HydSL from the photosynthetic purple sulfur bacterium Thiocapsa roseopersicina, differ substantially in their thermal stabilities despite the high sequence similarity between them. The optimum temperature of HydSL activity is estimated to be at least 50 degrees C higher than that of HupSL. In this work, homology models of both proteins were constructed and analyzed for a number of structural properties. The comparison of the models reveals that the higher stability of HydSL can be attributed to increased inter-subunit electrostatic interactions: the homology models reliably predict that HydSL contains at least five more inter-subunit ion pairs than HupSL. The subunit interface of HydSL is more polar than that of HupSL, and it contains a few extra inter-subunit hydrogen bonds. A more optimized cavity system and amino acid replacements resulting in increased conformational rigidity may also contribute to the higher stability of HydSL. The results are in accord with the general observation that with increasing temperature, the role of electrostatic interactions in protein stability increases. Electronic supplementary material to this paper can be obtained by using the Springer Link server located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00894-001-0071-8.

Gravity model improvement using GEOS-3 (GEM 9 and 10)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lerch, F. J.; Klosko, S. M.; Laubscher, R. E.; Wagner, C. A.

1977-01-01

The use of collocation permitted GEM 9 to be a larger field than previous derived satellite models, GEM 9 having harmonics complete to 20 x 20 with selected higher degree terms. The satellite data set has approximately 840,000 observations, of which 200,000 are laser ranges taken on 9 satellites equipped with retroreflectors. GEM 10 is complete to 22 x 22 with selected higher degree terms out to degree and order 30 amounting to a total of 592 coefficients. Comparisons with surface gravity and altimeter data indicate a substantial improvement in GEM 9 over previous satellite solutions; GEM 9 is in even closer agreement with surface data than the previously published GEM 6 solution which contained surface gravity. In particular the free air gravity anomalies calculated from GEM 9 and a surface gravity solution are in excellent agreement for the high degree terms.

The increased incidence of pure red cell aplasia with an Eprex formulation in uncoated rubber stopper syringes.

PubMed

Boven, Katia; Stryker, Scott; Knight, John; Thomas, Adrian; van Regenmortel, Marc; Kemeny, David M; Power, David; Rossert, Jerome; Casadevall, Nicole

2005-06-01

The incidence of pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) in chronic kidney disease patients treated with epoetins increased substantially in 1998, was shown to be antibody mediated, and was associated predominantly with subcutaneous administration of Eprex. A technical investigation identified organic compounds leached from uncoated rubber stoppers in prefilled syringes containing polysorbate 80 as the most probable cause of the increased immunogenicity. This study investigated whether the incidence of PRCA was higher for exposure to the product form containing leachates than for leachate-free product forms. Antibody-mediated PRCA cases were classified according to indication, product form, and route of administration. Exposure estimates were obtained by country, indication, route of administration, and product form. For 2001 to 2003, the PRCA incidence rate for patients with subcutaneous exposure to Eprex in prefilled syringes with polysorbate 80 and uncoated rubber stoppers (leachates present) was 4.61/10,000 patient years (95% CI 3.88-5.43) versus 0.26/10,000 patient years (95% CI 0.007-1.44) for syringes with coated stoppers (leachates absent). The rate difference was 4.35/10,000 patient years (95% CI 3.44-5.26; P < 0.0001); the rate ratio was 17 (95% CI 3.14-707). A substantial rate difference remained in sensitivity analyses that adjusted for exposure to multiple product forms. The epidemiologic data, together with the chemical and immunologic data, support the hypothesis that leachates from uncoated rubber syringe stoppers caused the increased incidence of PRCA associated with Eprex. Currently, all Eprex prefilled syringes contain fluoro-resin coated stoppers, which has contributed to decreased incidence of PRCA with continued surveillance.

49 CFR 450.12 - Criteria for selection of Approval Authorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAFETY APPROVAL OF CARGO CONTAINERS GENERAL Procedure for... award of a specific contract to approve containers would not be a substantial factor in the financial... from influence or control of manufacturers, owners, operators or lessors of containers. (2) The person...

49 CFR 450.12 - Criteria for selection of Approval Authorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAFETY APPROVAL OF CARGO CONTAINERS GENERAL Procedure for... award of a specific contract to approve containers would not be a substantial factor in the financial... from influence or control of manufacturers, owners, operators or lessors of containers. (2) The person...

49 CFR 450.12 - Criteria for selection of Approval Authorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAFETY APPROVAL OF CARGO CONTAINERS GENERAL Procedure for... award of a specific contract to approve containers would not be a substantial factor in the financial... from influence or control of manufacturers, owners, operators or lessors of containers. (2) The person...

49 CFR 450.12 - Criteria for selection of Approval Authorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAFETY APPROVAL OF CARGO CONTAINERS GENERAL Procedure for... award of a specific contract to approve containers would not be a substantial factor in the financial... from influence or control of manufacturers, owners, operators or lessors of containers. (2) The person...

49 CFR 450.12 - Criteria for selection of Approval Authorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAFETY APPROVAL OF CARGO CONTAINERS GENERAL Procedure for... award of a specific contract to approve containers would not be a substantial factor in the financial... from influence or control of manufacturers, owners, operators or lessors of containers. (2) The person...

Method for heating nongaseous carbonaceous material

DOEpatents

Lumpkin, Jr., Robert E.

1978-01-01

Nongaseous carbonaceous material is heated by a method comprising introducing tangentially a first stream containing a nongaseous carbonaceous material and carbon monoxide into a reaction zone; simultaneously and separately introducing a second stream containing oxygen into the reaction zone such that the oxygen enters the reaction zone away from the wall thereof and reacts with the first stream thereby producing a gaseous product and heating the nongaseous carbonaceous material; forming an outer spiralling vortex within the reaction zone to cause substantial separation of gases, including the gaseous product, from the nongaseous carbonaceous material; removing a third stream from the reaction zone containing the gaseous product which is substantially free of the nongaseous carbonaceous material before a major portion of the gaseous product can react with the nongaseous carbonaceous material; and removing a fourth stream containing the nongaseous carbonaceous material from the reaction zone.

Method for reacting nongaseous material with a gaseous reactant

DOEpatents

Lumpkin, Robert E.; Duraiswamy, Kandaswamy

1979-03-27

This invention relates to a new and novel method and apparatus for reacting nongaseous material with a gaseous reactant comprising introducing a first stream containing a nongaseous material into a reaction zone; simultaneously introducing a second stream containing a gaseous reactant into the reaction zone such that the gaseous reactant immediately contacts and reacts with the first stream thereby producing a gaseous product; forming a spiralling vortex within the reaction zone to cause substantial separation of gases, including the gaseous product, from the nongaseous material; forming and removing a third stream from the reaction zone containing the gaseous product which is substantially free of the nongaseous material before a major portion of the gaseous product can react with the nongaseous material; and forming and removing a fourth stream containing the nongaseous material from the reaction zone.

40 CFR 307.11 - Scope and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... does not affect the terms and conditions contained in Preauthorization Decision Documents (PDDs) issued... substantial threat of release of a hazardous substance into the environment; claims for responses to a release or substantial threat of release of any pollutants or contaminants into the environment, which may...

Quantifying movement demands of AFL football using GPS tracking.

PubMed

Wisbey, Ben; Montgomery, Paul G; Pyne, David B; Rattray, Ben

2010-09-01

Global positioning system (GPS) monitoring of movement patterns is widespread in elite football including the Australian Football League (AFL). However documented analysis of this activity is lacking. We quantified the movement patterns of AFL football and differences between nomadic (midfield), forward and defender playing positions, and determined whether the physical demands have increased over a four season period. Selected premiership games were monitored during the 2005 (n=80 game files), 2006 (n=244), 2007 (n=632) and 2008 (n=793) AFL seasons. Players were fitted with a shoulder harness containing a GPS unit. GPS data were downloaded after games and the following measures extracted: total distance (km), time in various speed zones, maximum speed, number of surges, accelerations, longest continuous efforts and a derived exertion index representing playing intensity. In 2008 nomadic players covered per game 3.4% more total distance (km), had 4.8% less playing time (min), a 17% higher exertion index (per min), and 23% more time running >18kmh(-1) than forwards and defenders (all p<0.05). Physical demands were substantially higher in the 2008 season compared with 2005: an 8.4% increase in mean speed, a 14% increase in intensity (exertion index) and a 9.0% decrease in playing time (all p<0.05). Nomadic players in AFL work substantially harder than forwards and defenders in covering more ground and at higher running intensities. Increases in the physical demands of AFL football were evident between 2005 and 2008. The increasing speed of the game has implications for game authorities, players and coaching staff.

Respiratory morbidity in workers exposed to asbestos in the primary manufacture of building materials.

PubMed

Robins, T G; Green, M A

1988-01-01

Former employees (214) of a plant that manufactured asbestos-containing building materials (wallboard and acoustic tile) from 1958 through 1974 were screened for asbestos-related pulmonary disease. Results are presented on 182 union members whose names appeared on a 1966 seniority list in one of six departments believed to have had substantial asbestos exposure. The study population demonstrated a high frequency of pulmonary abnormalities often associated with asbestos exposure: low mean forced vital capacity percent of predicted (FVC % predicted), low mean forced expiratory volume at one second percent of predicted (FEV1 % predicted), presence of parenchymal abnormalities (40.1% with profusion scores of 1/0 or higher), and 30.5% with bilateral pleural abnormalities on chest roentgenograms. In addition, râles in two or more locations were found in 22.8% on examination of the chest, 30.6% gave a history of chronic bronchitis, and 34.8% of dyspnea grade two or higher. Calculated asbestos exposure scores, based upon participant recall, were not found to be associated with these abnormalities. The abnormal findings were not adequately explained by potential confounders such as cigarette smoking. Other notable findings in this study include the presence of smoking-adjusted decrements in pulmonary function associated with moderate profusion scores (i.e., 1/0 and 1/1) and the presence of a substantial degree of obstructive lung disease (19.2%) in this population.

Effect of Different Carbon Sources on Relative Growth Rate, Internal Carbohydrates, and Mannitol 1-Oxidoreductase Activity in Celery Suspension Cultures.

PubMed Central

Stoop, JMH.; Pharr, D. M.

1993-01-01

Little information exists concerning the biochemical route of mannitol catabolism in higher plant cells. In this study, the role of a recently discovered mannitol 1-oxidoreductase (MDH) in mannitol catabolism was investigated. Suspension cultures of celery (Apium graveolens L. var dulce [Mill.] Pers.) were successfully grown on nutrient media with either mannitol, mannose, or sucrose as the sole carbon source. Cell cultures grown on any of the three carbon sources did not differ in relative growth rate, as measured by packed cell volume, but differed drastically in internal carbohydrate concentration. Mannitol-grown cells contained high concentrations of mannitol and extremely low concentrations of sucrose, fructose, glucose, and mannose. Sucrose-grown cells had high concentrations of sucrose early in the growth cycle and contained a substantial hexose pool. Mannose-grown cells had a high mannose concentration early in the cycle, which decreased during the growth cycle, whereas their internal sucrose concentrations remained relatively constant during the entire growth cycle. Celery suspension cultures on all three carbon substrates contained an NAD-dependent MDH. Throughout the growth cycle, MDH activity was 2- to 4-fold higher in mannitol-grown cells compared with sucrose- or mannose-grown cells, which did not contain detectable levels of mannitol, indicating that MDH functions pre-dominantly in an oxidative capacity in situ. The MDH activity observed in celery cells was 3-fold higher than the minimum amount required to account for the observed rate of mannitol utilization from the media. Cultures transferred from mannitol to mannose underwent a decrease in MDH activity over a period of days, and transfer from mannose to mannitol resulted in an increase in MDH activity. These data provide strong evidence that MDH plays an important role in mannitol utilization in celery suspension cultures. PMID:12231996

Integral low-energy thermite igniter

DOEpatents

Gibson, A.; Haws, L.D.; Mohler, J.H.

1983-05-13

In a thermite igniter/heat source comprising a container holding an internal igniter load, there is provided the improvement wherein the container consists essentially of consumable consolidated thermite having a low gas output upon combustion, whereby upon ignition, substantially all of the container and said load is consumed with low gas production.

Integral low-energy thermite igniter

DOEpatents

Gibson, Albert; Haws, Lowell D.; Mohler, Jonathan H.

1984-08-14

In a thermite igniter/heat source comprising a container holding an internal igniter load, there is provided the improvement wherein the container consists essentially of consumable consolidated thermite having a low gas output upon combustion, whereby upon ignition, substantially all of the container and said load is consumed with low gas production.

Calculation of the process of vacuum drying of a metal-concrete container with spent nuclear fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karyakin, Yu. E.; Lavrent'ev, S. A.; Pavlyukevich, N. V.; Pletnev, A. A.; Fedorovich, E. D.

2012-01-01

An algorithm and results of calculation of the process of vacuum drying of a metal-concrete container intended for long-term "dry" storage of spent nuclear fuel are presented. A calculated substantiation of the initial amount of moisture in the container is given.

Estimating the changes in energy flux that characterize the rise in obesity prevalence

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The daily energy imbalance gap associated with the current population weight gain in the obesity epidemic is relatively small. However, the substantially higher body weights of populations that have accumulated over several years are associated with a substantially higher total energy expenditure (T...

Metals and metalloids in Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) prey, blood and faeces.

PubMed

Finger, Annett; Lavers, Jennifer L; Dann, Peter; Kowalczyk, Nicole D; Scarpaci, Carol; Nugegoda, Dayanthi; Orbell, John D

2017-04-01

Piscivorous species like the Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) are particularly at risk of being negatively impacted by pollution due to their heightened exposure through aquatic food chains. Therefore, determining the concentration of heavy metals in the fish prey of seabirds is an essential component of assessing such risk. In this study, we report on arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead and selenium concentrations in three fish species, which are known to comprise a substantial part of the diet of Little Penguins at the urban colony of St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia. Metal concentrations in the fish sampled were generally within the expected limits, however, arsenic and mercury were higher than reported elsewhere. Anchovy (Engraulis australis) and sandy sprat (Hyperlophus vittatus) contained higher Hg concentrations than pilchard (Sardinops sagax), while sandy sprat and pilchard contained more selenium. We present these findings together with metal concentrations in Little Penguin blood and faeces, sampled within weeks of the fish collection. Mercury concentrations were highest in the blood, while faeces and fish prey species contained similar concentrations of arsenic and lead, suggesting faeces as a primary route of detoxification for these elements. We also investigated paired blood - faecal samples and found a correlation for selenium only. Preliminary data from stable isotope ratios in penguin blood indicate that changes in penguin blood mercury concentrations cannot be explained by trophic changes in their diet alone, suggesting a variation of bioavailable Hg within this semi-enclosed bay. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Corrosion prevention of magnesium surfaces via surface conversion treatments using ionic liquids

DOEpatents

Qu, Jun; Luo, Huimin

2016-09-06

A method for conversion coating a magnesium-containing surface, the method comprising contacting the magnesium-containing surface with an ionic liquid compound under conditions that result in decomposition of the ionic liquid compound to produce a conversion coated magnesium-containing surface having a substantially improved corrosion resistance relative to the magnesium-containing surface before said conversion coating. Also described are the resulting conversion-coated magnesium-containing surface, as well as mechanical components and devices containing the conversion-coated magnesium-containing surface.

NOx reduction methods and apparatuses

DOEpatents

Tonkyn, Russell G.; Barlow, Stephan E.; Balmer, M. Lou; Maupin, Gary D.

2004-10-26

A NO.sub.x reduction method includes treating a first gas containing NO.sub.x, producing a second gas containing NO.sub.2, reducing a portion of the NO.sub.2 in the second gas to N.sub.2, and producing a third gas containing less NO.sub.x than the first gas, substantially all of the third gas NO.sub.x being NO. The method also includes treating the third gas, producing a fourth gas containing NO.sub.2, reducing a portion of the NO.sub.2 in the fourth gas to N.sub.2, and producing a fifth gas containing less NO.sub.x than the third gas, substantially all of the fifth gas NO.sub.x being NO. Treating the first and/or third gas can include treatment with a plasma. Reducing a portion of the NO.sub.2 in the second and/or fourth gas can include reducing with a catalyst. The method can further include controlling energy consumption of the plasmas independent of each other.

Cleavage capability of water buffalo follicular oocytes classified by cumulus cells and fertilized in vitro.

PubMed

Suzuki, T; Singla, S K; Sujata, J; Madan, M L

1991-06-01

Water buffalo (Murrah) oocytes were collected from ovaries obtained from the slaughter house. They were classified according to the character of the cumulus cells under a stereomicroscope, and cultured in 25 mM Hepes buffered Tissue Culture Medium-199 (TCM-199) supplemented with 5% estrous water buffalo serum in an atmosphere containing 5% CO2 in air at 39 degrees C. After 20-24 hr of in vitro maturation, the oocytes were fertilized using capacitated sperm obtained from 4 different bulls. For cleavage the oocytes were cultured at 39 degrees C in TCM-199 supplemented with 1% estrous water buffalo serum and in an atmosphere containing 5% CO2 in air. The good oocytes, with compact and dense cumulus cells cleaved significantly higher (p less than 0.01, 67.3%), than those of fair. partially naked oocytes with thin cumulus layers (27.5%, 25/91) or small remnants of cumulus cells and poor naked oocytes (3/100). A substantial variation cumulus layers (27.5% 25/91) or small remnants of cumulus cells and poor naked oocytes (3/100). A substantial variation in fertilization and developmental rates (16.0% to 43.8%) was observed among 4 different bulls. Late non-surgically into 14 buffalo recipients on day 6 or 7 of their estrous cycle. One recipient was diagnosed to be pregnant by rectal palpation on day 60 and confirmed to be so on day 90 post-estrus.

Method of making an air electrode material having controlled sinterability

DOEpatents

Vasilow, Theodore R.; Kuo, Lewis J. H.; Ruka, Roswell J.

1994-01-01

A tubular, porous ceramic electrode structure (3) is made from the sintered admixture of doped lanthanum manganite and an additive containing cerium where a solid electrolyte (4), substantially surrounds the air electrode, and a porous outer fuel electrode (7) substantially surrounds the electrolyte, to form a fuel cell (1).

Method of making an air electrode material having controlled sinterability

DOEpatents

Vasilow, T.R.; Kuo, L.J.H.; Ruka, R.J.

1994-08-30

A tubular, porous ceramic electrode structure is made from the sintered admixture of doped lanthanum manganite and an additive containing cerium where a solid electrolyte, substantially surrounds the air electrode, and a porous outer fuel electrode substantially surrounds the electrolyte, to form a fuel cell. 2 figs.

78 FR 25214 - Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-30

... action is necessary to help mitigate expected adverse economic and social harm resulting from substantial... biological, economic, and social impact analysis for this action are contained in the environmental... likely cause serious management problems and result in substantial economic and social harm for the...

19 CFR 200.735-107 - Financial interests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... interests. (a) An employee shall not: (1) Have a direct or indirect financial interest that conflicts substantially, or appears to conflict substantially, with his Government duties or responsibilities; or (2... part. (c) Pursuant to the authority contained in 18 U.S.C. 208(b), the following types of financial...

Method for decontamination of nickel-fluoride-coated nickel containing actinide-metal fluorides

DOEpatents

Windt, N.F.; Williams, J.L.

In one aspect, the invention comprises contacting nickel-fluoride-coated nickel with gaseous ammonia at a temperature effecting nickel-catalyzed dissociation thereof and effecting hydrogen-reduction of the nickel fluoride. The resulting nickel is heated to form a melt and a slag and to effect transfer of actinide metals from the melt into the slag. The melt and slag are then separated. In another aspect, nickel contianing nickel oxide and actinide metals is contacted with ammonia at a temperature effecting nickel-catalyzed dissociation to effect conversion of the nickel oxide to the metal. The resulting nickel is then melted and separated as described. In another aspect nickel-fluoride-coated nickel containing actinide-metal fluorides is contacted with both steam and ammonia. The resulting nickel then is melted and separated as described. The invention is characterized by higher nickel recovery, efficient use of ammonia, a substantial decrease in slag formation and fuming, and a valuable increase in the service life of the furnace liners used for melting.

Subunit association as the stabilizing determinant for archaeal methionine adenosyltransferases.

PubMed

Garrido, Francisco; Alfonso, Carlos; Taylor, John C; Markham, George D; Pajares, María A

2009-07-01

Archaea contain a class of methionine adenosyltransferases (MATs) that exhibit substantially higher stability than their mesophilic counterparts. Their sequences are highly divergent, but preserve the essential active site motifs of the family. We have investigated the origin of this increased stability using chemical denaturation experiments on Methanococcus jannaschii MAT (Mj-MAT) and mutants containing single tryptophans in place of tyrosine residues. The results from fluorescence, circular dichroism, hydrodynamic, and enzyme activity measurements showed that the higher stability of Mj-MAT derives largely from a tighter association of its subunits in the dimer. Local fluorescence changes, interpreted using secondary structure predictions, further identify the least stable structural elements as the C-terminal ends of beta-strands E2 and E6, and the N-terminus of E3. Dimer dissociation however requires a wider perturbation of the molecule. Additional analysis was initially hindered by the lack of crystal structures for archaeal MATs, a limitation that we overcame by construction of a 3D-homology model of Mj-MAT. This model predicts preservation of the chain topology and three-domain organization typical of this family, locates the least stable structural elements at the flat contact surface between monomers, and shows that alterations in all three domains are required for dimer dissociation.

Corticosterone treatment has subtle effects on thermoregulatory behavior and raises metabolic rate in the New Zealand common gecko, Hoplodactylus maculatus.

PubMed

Preest, Marion R; Cree, Alison

2008-01-01

Baseline concentrations of adrenal glucocorticoids often vary substantially in wild vertebrates in the field. In at least one ectotherm, females of the New Zealand common gecko, Hoplodactylus maculatus, this variation in baseline (not stress-induced) corticosterone appears to be correlated with variation in body temperature (T(b)). We tested the hypothesis that elevated corticosterone affects thermoregulatory behavior so as to raise T(b) and that, independently of an increase in T(b), corticosterone increases metabolic rate. Compared with geckos receiving placebo implants, those that received implants containing corticosterone displayed heat-seeking behaviors, had a higher mean T(b) in their home cages, and, at one time of day, selected a higher mean T(b) in a thermal gradient. At a constant T(b), corticosterone-treated geckos consumed oxygen at a rate approximately 50% higher than placebo geckos. This work has far-reaching implications for a variety of physiological and ecological processes in ectotherms and suggests that corticosterone should be considered as a variable influencing T(b) and metabolism in future studies.

Resistive hydrogen sensing element

DOEpatents

Lauf, Robert J.

2000-01-01

Systems and methods are described for providing a hydrogen sensing element with a more robust exposed metallization by application of a discontinuous or porous overlay to hold the metallization firmly on the substrate. An apparatus includes: a substantially inert, electrically-insulating substrate; a first Pd containing metallization deposited upon the substrate and completely covered by a substantially hydrogen-impermeable layer so as to form a reference resistor on the substrate; a second Pd containing metallization deposited upon the substrate and at least a partially accessible to a gas to be tested, so as to form a hydrogen-sensing resistor; a protective structure disposed upon at least a portion of the second Pd containing metallization and at least a portion of the substrate to improve the attachment of the second Pd containing metallization to the substrate while allowing the gas to contact said the second Pd containing metallization; and a resistance bridge circuit coupled to both the first and second Pd containing metallizations. The circuit determines the difference in electrical resistance between the first and second Pd containing metallizations. The hydrogen concentration in the gas may be determined. The systems and methods provide advantages because adhesion is improved without adversely effecting measurement speed or sensitivity.

Annealing effect on thermal conductivity and microhardness of carbon nanotube containing Se80Te16Cu4 glassy composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upadhyay, A. N.; Tiwari, R. S.; Singh, Kedar

2018-02-01

This study deals with the effect of thermal annealing on structural/microstructural, thermal and mechanical behavior of pristine Se80Te16Cu4 and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) containing Se80Te16Cu4 glassy composites. Pristine Se80Te16Cu4, 3 and 5 wt%CNTs-Se80Te16Cu4 glassy composites are annealed in the vicinity of glass transition temperature to onset crystallization temperature (340-380 K). X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed formation of polycrystalline phases of hexagonal CuSe and trigonal selenium. The indexed d-values in XRD patterns are in well conformity with the d-values obtained after the indexing of the ring pattern of selected area electron diffraction pattern of TEM images. The SEM investigation exhibited that the grain size of the CNTs containing Se80Te16Cu4 glassy composites increased with increasing annealing temperature and decreased at further higher annealing temperature. Thermal conductivity, microhardness exhibited a substantial increase with increasing annealing temperature of 340-360 K and slightly decreases for 380 K. The variation of thermal conductivity and microhardness can be explained by cross-linking formation and voids reduction.

Role of root exudates in dissolution of Cd containing iron oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenfeld, C.; Martinez, C. E.

2011-12-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the rhizosphere contains organic acids, amino acids and more complex organic molecules that can substantially impact the solubility of soil solid phases. Plant roots and soil microorganisms contribute a large fraction of these organic compounds to DOM, potentially accelerating the transfer of solid phase elements into solution. In highly contaminated soils, heavy metals such as Cd are commonly found coprecipitated with common minerals (e.g. iron oxides). Introducing or changing vegetation on these contaminated soils may increase DOM levels in the soil pore fluids and thus enhance the biological and chemical weathering of soil minerals. Here, we investigate the role of root exudates on mineral dissolution and Cd mobility in contaminated soils. We hypothesize that plant exudates containing nitrogen and sulfur functional groups will dissolve Cd-containing mineral phases to a greater extent than exudates containing only oxygen functional groups, resulting in higher Cd concentrations in solution. Two different iron oxide mineral phases were utilized in a laboratory-scale model study system investigating the effects of low molecular weight, oxygen-, nitrogen-, and sulfur-containing organic compounds on mineral dissolution. Goethite (α-FeOOH) was synthesized in the laboratory with 0, 2.4, 5, and 100 theoretical mol% Cd, and franklinite (ZnFe2O4) was prepared with 0, 10, and 25 theoretical mol% Cd. Phase identity of all minerals was verified with X-ray diffraction (XRD). All minerals were reacted with 0.01 mM solutions containing one of four different organic ligands (oxalic acid, citric acid, histidine or cysteine) and aliquots of these solutions were sampled periodically over 40 days. Results from solution samples suggest that oxalic acid, citric acid, and histidine consistently increase mineral dissolution relative to the control (no organic compound present) while cysteine consistently inhibits dissolution relative to the control in all minerals. Increasing Cd substitution in the franklinite resulted in increased release of Fe and Zn to solution in the presence of these organic compounds, while increasing Cd substitution in the goethite generally limited Fe release to solution. In the case of cysteine, sulfur concentrations in solution decrease over time in the presence of Cd-containing minerals, indicating strong binding of the cysteine compound to the mineral surface, inhibiting Cd dissolution from the minerals. Our work indicates that amino acids present in biological soil exudates, in addition to organic acids, may have substantial impacts on iron oxide dissolution in soils, altering the availability of both bioessential (e.g., Fe and Zn) and non-essential, or potentially toxic, (e.g., Cd) elements.

System for maintaining materials at freezer temperatures for shipping

DOEpatents

Schabron, John F [Laramie, WY; Sorini-Wong, Susan S [Laramie, WY

2007-08-28

At least one embodiment of the inventive technology relates to a frozen environmental sample temperature control system that comprises a frozen formulation having water in an amount from substantially 87% to 78% by weight of the formulation, and salt in an amount from substantially 13% to 22% by weight of the formulation, the system further including at least one container containing the frozen formulation; and a cooler having insulating material disposed between an outer wall and an inner surface that defines an inner chamber into which the at least one container and the at least one frozen environmental sample may be placed for storage and/or transport. Various embodiments may incorporate specific types of insulating material and/or adaptations to an inner surface of the cooler to enhance the insulation effected thereby.

Hybridization-based biosensor containing hairpin probes and use thereof

DOEpatents

Miller, Benjamin L.; Strohsahl, Christopher M.

2010-10-12

A sensor chip that includes: a fluorescence quenching surface; a nucleic acid probe that contains first and second ends with the first end bound to the fluorescence quenching surface, and is characterized by being able to self-anneal into a hairpin conformation; and a first fluorophore bound to the second end of the first nucleic acid molecule. When the first nucleic acid molecule is in the hairpin conformation, the fluorescence quenching surface substantially quenches fluorescent emissions by the first fluorophore; and when the first nucleic acid molecule is in a non-hairpin conformation, fluorescent emissions by the fluorophore are substantially free of quenching by the fluorescence quenching surface. Various nucleic acid probes, methods of making the sensor chip, biological sensor devices that contain the sensor chip, and their methods of use are also disclosed.

Enhancement of mechanical properties of 123 superconductors

DOEpatents

Balachandran, Uthamalingam

1995-01-01

A composition and method of preparing YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-x superconductor. Addition of tin oxide containing compounds to YBCO superconductors results in substantial improvement of fracture toughness and other mechanical properties without affect on T.sub.c. About 5-20% additions give rise to substantially improved mechanical properties.

Process for immobilizing radioactive boric acid liquid wastes

DOEpatents

Greenhalgh, Wilbur O.

1986-01-01

A method of immobilizing boric acid liquid wastes containing radionuclides by neutralizing the solution and evaporating the resulting precipitate to near dryness. The dry residue is then fused into a reduced volume, insoluble, inert, solid form containing substantially all the radionuclides.

The variability of reported salt levels in fast foods across six countries: opportunities for salt reduction.

PubMed

Dunford, Elizabeth; Webster, Jacqueline; Woodward, Mark; Czernichow, Sebastien; Yuan, Wen Lun; Jenner, Katharine; Ni Mhurchu, Cliona; Jacobson, Michael; Campbell, Norm; Neal, Bruce

2012-06-12

Several fast food companies have made commitments to reduce the levels of salt in the foods they serve, but technical issues are often cited as a barrier to achieving substantial reductions. Our objective was to examine the reported salt levels for products offered by leading multinational fast food chains. Data on salt content for products served by six fast food chains operating in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States were collected by survey in April 2010. Mean salt contents (and their ranges) were calculated and compared within and between countries and companies. We saw substantial variation in the mean salt content for different categories of products. For example, the salads we included in our survey contained 0.5 g of salt per 100 g, whereas the chicken products we included contained 1.6 g. We also saw variability between countries: chicken products from the UK contained 1.1 g of salt per 100 g, whereas chicken products from the US contained 1.8 g. Furthermore, the mean salt content of food categories varied between companies and between the same products in different countries (e.g., McDonald's Chicken McNuggets contain 0.6 g of salt per 100 g in the UK, but 1.6 g of salt per 100 g in the US). The salt content of fast foods varies substantially, not only by type of food, but by company and country in which the food is produced. Although the reasons for this variation are not clear, the marked differences in salt content of very similar products suggest that technical reasons are not a primary explanation. In the right regulatory environment, it is likely that fast food companies could substantially reduce the salt in their products, translating to large gains for population health.

The variability of reported salt levels in fast foods across six countries: opportunities for salt reduction

PubMed Central

Dunford, Elizabeth; Webster, Jacqueline; Woodward, Mark; Czernichow, Sebastien; Yuan, Wen Lun; Jenner, Katharine; Mhurchu, Cliona Ni; Jacobson, Michael; Campbell, Norm; Neal, Bruce

2012-01-01

Background: Several fast food companies have made commitments to reduce the levels of salt in the foods they serve, but technical issues are often cited as a barrier to achieving substantial reductions. Our objective was to examine the reported salt levels for products offered by leading multinational fast food chains. Methods: Data on salt content for products served by six fast food chains operating in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States were collected by survey in April 2010. Mean salt contents (and their ranges) were calculated and compared within and between countries and companies. Results: We saw substantial variation in the mean salt content for different categories of products. For example, the salads we included in our survey contained 0.5 g of salt per 100 g, whereas the chicken products we included contained 1.6 g. We also saw variability between countries: chicken products from the UK contained 1.1 g of salt per 100 g, whereas chicken products from the US contained 1.8 g. Furthermore, the mean salt content of food categories varied between companies and between the same products in different countries (e.g., McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets contain 0.6 g of salt per 100 g in the UK, but 1.6 g of salt per 100 g in the US). Interpretation: The salt content of fast foods varies substantially, not only by type of food, but by company and country in which the food is produced. Although the reasons for this variation are not clear, the marked differences in salt content of very similar products suggest that technical reasons are not a primary explanation. In the right regulatory environment, it is likely that fast food companies could substantially reduce the salt in their products, translating to large gains for population health. PMID:22508978

Polling booth surveys: a novel approach for reducing social desirability bias in HIV-related behavioural surveys in resource-poor settings.

PubMed

Lowndes, Catherine M; Jayachandran, A A; Banandur, Pradeep; Ramesh, Banadakoppa M; Washington, Reynold; Sangameshwar, B M; Moses, Stephen; Blanchard, James; Alary, Michel

2012-05-01

This study compared rates of HIV-related sexual risk behaviours reported in individual face-to-face (FTFI) and group anonymous polling booth (PBS) interviews in India. In PBS, respondents grouped by gender and marital status answered yes/no questions by putting tokens with question numbers in colour-coded containers. Data were subsequently collated for each group as a whole, so responses were not traceable back to individuals. Male and female PBS participants reported substantially higher rates of pre-marital, extra-marital, commercial and anal sex than FTFI participants; e.g. 11 vs. 2% married males reported paying for sex; 6 vs. 1% unmarried males reported homosexual anal sex.

URANIUM DECONTAMINATION WITH RESPECT TO ZIRCONIUM

DOEpatents

Vogler, S.; Beederman, M.

1961-05-01

A process is given for separating uranium values from a nitric acid aqueous solution containing uranyl values, zirconium values and tetravalent plutonium values. The process comprises contacting said solution with a substantially water-immiscible liquid organic solvent containing alkyl phosphate, separating an organic extract phase containing the uranium, zirconium, and tetravalent plutonium values from an aqueous raffinate, contacting said organic extract phase with an aqueous solution 2M to 7M in nitric acid and also containing an oxalate ion-containing substance, and separating a uranium- containing organic raffinate from aqueous zirconium- and plutonium-containing extract phase.

Ion manipulation method and device

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

Anderson, Gordon A.; Baker, Erin M.; Smith, Richard D.

2017-11-07

An ion manipulation method and device is disclosed. The device includes a pair of substantially parallel surfaces. An array of inner electrodes is contained within, and extends substantially along the length of, each parallel surface. The device includes a first outer array of electrodes and a second outer array of electrodes. Each outer array of electrodes is positioned on either side of the inner electrodes, and is contained within and extends substantially along the length of each parallel surface. A DC voltage is applied to the first and second outer array of electrodes. A RF voltage, with a superimposed electricmore » field, is applied to the inner electrodes by applying the DC voltages to each electrode. Ions either move between the parallel surfaces within an ion confinement area or along paths in the direction of the electric field, or can be trapped in the ion confinement area.« less

Ion manipulation device

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

Anderson, Gordon A.; Baker, Erin M.; Smith, Richard D.

2018-05-08

An ion manipulation method and device is disclosed. The device includes a pair of substantially parallel surfaces. An array of inner electrodes is contained within, and extends substantially along the length of, each parallel surface. The device includes a first outer array of electrodes and a second outer array of electrodes. Each outer array of electrodes is positioned on either side of the inner electrodes, and is contained within and extends substantially along the length of each parallel surface. A DC voltage is applied to the first and second outer array of electrodes. A RF voltage, with a superimposed electricmore » field, is applied to the inner electrodes by applying the DC voltages to each electrode. Ions either move between the parallel surfaces within an ion confinement area or along paths in the direction of the electric field, or can be trapped in the ion confinement area.« less

Higher accumulation of F1-V fusion recombinant protein in plants after induction of protein body formation.

PubMed

Alvarez, M Lucrecia; Topal, Emel; Martin, Federico; Cardineau, Guy A

2010-01-01

Improving foreign protein accumulation is crucial for enhancing the commercial success of plant-based production systems since product yields have a major influence on process economics. Cereal grain evolved to store large amounts of proteins in tightly organized aggregates. In maize, gamma-Zein is the major storage protein synthesized by the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and stored in specialized organelles called protein bodies (PB). Zera (gamma-Zein ER-accumulating domain) is the N-terminal proline-rich domain of gamma-zein that is sufficient to induce the assembly of PB formation. Fusion of the Zera domain to proteins of interest results in assembly of dense PB-like, ER-derived organelles, containing high concentration of recombinant protein. Our main goal was to increase recombinant protein accumulation in plants in order to enhance the efficiency of orally-delivered plant-made vaccines. It is well known that oral vaccination requires substantially higher doses than parental formulations. As a part of a project to develop a plant-made plague vaccine, we expressed our model antigen, the Yersinia pestis F1-V antigen fusion protein, with and without a fused Zera domain. We demonstrated that Zera-F1-V protein accumulation was at least 3x higher than F1-V alone when expressed in three different host plant systems: Ncotiana benthamiana, Medicago sativa (alfalfa) and Nicotiana tabacum NT1 cells. We confirmed the feasibility of using Zera technology to induce protein body formation in non-seed tissues. Zera expression and accumulation did not affect plant development and growth. These results confirmed the potential exploitation of Zera technology to substantially increase the accumulation of value-added proteins in plants.

Process for immobilizing radioactive boric acid liquid wastes

DOEpatents

Greenhalgh, W.O.

1984-05-10

Disclosed is a method of immobilizing boric acid liquid wastes containing radionuclides by neutralizing the solution and evaporating the resulting precipitate to near dryness. The dry residue is then fused into a reduced volume, insoluble, inert, solid form containing substantially all the radionuclides.

A petunia ethylene-responsive element binding factor, PhERF2, plays an important role in antiviral RNA silencing

PubMed Central

Sun, Daoyang; Nandety, Raja Sekhar; Zhang, Yanlong; Reid, Michael S.; Niu, Lixin; Jiang, Cai-Zhong

2016-01-01

Virus-induced RNA silencing is involved in plant antiviral defense and requires key enzyme components, including RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RDRs), Dicer-like RNase III enzymes (DCLs), and Argonaute proteins (AGOs). However, the transcriptional regulation of these critical components is largely unknown. In petunia (Petunia hybrida), an ethylene-responsive element binding factor, PhERF2, is induced by Tobacco rattle virus (TRV) infection. Inclusion of a PhERF2 fragment in a TRV silencing construct containing reporter fragments of phytoene desaturase (PDS) or chalcone synthase (CHS) substantially impaired silencing efficiency of both the PDS and CHS reporters. Silencing was also impaired in PhERF2- RNAi lines, where TRV-PhPDS infection did not show the expected silencing phenotype (photobleaching). In contrast, photobleaching in response to infiltration with the TRV-PhPDS construct was enhanced in plants overexpressing PhERF2. Transcript abundance of the RNA silencing-related genes RDR2, RDR6, DCL2, and AGO2 was lower in PhERF2-silenced plants but higher in PhERF2-overexpressing plants. Moreover, PhERF2-silenced lines showed higher susceptibility to Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) than wild-type (WT) plants, while plants overexpressing PhERF2 exhibited increased resistance. Interestingly, growth and development of PhERF2-RNAi lines were substantially slower, whereas the overexpressing lines were more vigorous than the controls. Taken together, our results indicate that PhERF2 functions as a positive regulator in antiviral RNA silencing. PMID:27099376

Birds have primate-like numbers of neurons in the forebrain

PubMed Central

Olkowicz, Seweryn; Kocourek, Martin; Lučan, Radek K.; Porteš, Michal; Fitch, W. Tecumseh; Herculano-Houzel, Suzana; Němec, Pavel

2016-01-01

Some birds achieve primate-like levels of cognition, even though their brains tend to be much smaller in absolute size. This poses a fundamental problem in comparative and computational neuroscience, because small brains are expected to have a lower information-processing capacity. Using the isotropic fractionator to determine numbers of neurons in specific brain regions, here we show that the brains of parrots and songbirds contain on average twice as many neurons as primate brains of the same mass, indicating that avian brains have higher neuron packing densities than mammalian brains. Additionally, corvids and parrots have much higher proportions of brain neurons located in the pallial telencephalon compared with primates or other mammals and birds. Thus, large-brained parrots and corvids have forebrain neuron counts equal to or greater than primates with much larger brains. We suggest that the large numbers of neurons concentrated in high densities in the telencephalon substantially contribute to the neural basis of avian intelligence. PMID:27298365

Carbonyls emission from ethanol-blended gasoline and biodiesel-ethanol-diesel used in engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pang, Xiaobing; Mu, Yujing; Yuan, Juan; He, Hong

Detailed carbonyls emissions from ethanol-blended gasoline (containing 10% v/v, ethanol, E-10) and biodiesel-ethanol-diesel (BE-diesel) were carefully investigated on an EQ491i gasoline engine equipped with a three-way-catalyst (TWC) and a Commins-4B diesel engine. In engine-out emissions for the gasoline engine, total carbonyls from E-10 varied in the range of 66.7-99.4 mg kW -1 h -1, which was 3.1-8.2% less than those from fossil gasoline (E-0). In tailpipe emissions, total carbonyls from E-10 varied in the range of 9.2-20.7 mg kW -1 h -1, which were 3.0-61.7% higher than those from E-0. The total carbonyls emissions from BE-diesel were 1-22% higher than those from diesel at different engine operating conditions. Compared with fossil fuels, E-10 can slightly reduce CO emission, and BE-diesel can substantially decrease PM emission, while both alternative fuels increased slightly NO x emission.

Chemical characterization of fingerprints from adults and children

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

Buchanan, M.V.; Asano, K.; Bohanon, A.

1996-12-31

Observation that children`s fingerprints disappear from surfaces more quickly than adults`, initiated a study to characterize the chemical components in fingerprints. Samples were obtained from about 50 individuals ranging in age from 3 to 64 by extracting chemicals from the fingertips using rubbing alcohol. Using combined gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, a wide range of compounds were identified. Samples from children contained higher levels of relatively volatile free fatty acids, while those from adults had higher levels of less volatile long chain esters of fatty acids. These esters are thought to originate from sebaceous glands located on the face and levels ofmore » these compounds increase substantially after puberty. Also, other compounds were observed that could be used to develop improved methods for fingerprint detection at a crime scene. Further, observation of specific compounds raises the possibility of being able to identify personal traits (gender, habits, diseases, etc. ) via analysis of components in fingerprints and/or skin.« less

Biofilm architecture in a novel pressurized biofilm reactor.

PubMed

Jiang, Wei; Xia, Siqing; Duan, Liang; Hermanowicz, Slawomir W

2015-01-01

A novel pure-oxygen pressurized biofilm reactor was operated at different organic loading, mechanical shear and hydrodynamic conditions to understand the relationships between biofilm architecture and its operation. The ultimate goal was to improve the performance of the biofilm reactor. The biofilm was labeled with seven stains and observed with confocal laser scanning microscopy. Unusual biofilm architecture of a ribbon embedded between two surfaces with very few points of attachment was observed. As organic loading increased, the biofilm morphology changed from a moderately rough layer into a locally smoother biomass with significant bulging protuberances, although the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency remained unchanged at about 75%. At higher organic loadings, biofilms contained a larger fraction of active cells distributed uniformly within a proteinaceous matrix with decreasing polysaccharide content. Higher hydrodynamic shear in combination with high organic loading resulted in the collapse of biofilm structure and a substantial decrease in reactor performance (a COD removal of 16%). Moreover, the important role of proteins for the spatial distribution of active cells was demonstrated quantitatively.

Mechanical properties of dental resin/composite containing urchin-like hydroxyapatite.

PubMed

Liu, Fengwei; Sun, Bin; Jiang, Xiaoze; Aldeyab, Sultan S; Zhang, Qinghong; Zhu, Meifang

2014-12-01

To investigate the reinforcing effect of urchin-like hydroxyapatite (UHA) in bisphenol A glycidyl methacrylate (Bis-GMA)/triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) dental resin (without silica nanoparticles) and dental composites (with silica nanoparticles), and explore the effect of HA filler morphologies and loadings on the mechanical properties. UHA was synthesized by a facile method of microwave irradiation and studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Mechanical properties of the dental resin composites containing silanized UHA were tested by a universal mechanical testing machine. Analysis of variance was used for the statistical analysis of the acquired data. The fracture morphologies of tested composites were observed by SEM. Composites with silanized irregular particulate hydroxyapatite (IPHA) and hydroxyapatite whisker (HW) were prepared for comparative studies. Impregnation of lower loadings (5 wt% and 10 wt%) of silanized UHA into dental resin (without silica nanoparticles) substantially improved the mechanical properties; higher UHA loadings (20 wt% and 30 wt%) of impregnation continuously improved the flexural modulus and microhardness, while the strength would no longer be increased. Compared with silanized IPHA and HW, silanized UHA consisting of rods extending radially from center were embedded into the matrix closely and well dispersed in the composite, increasing filler-matrix interfacial contact area and combination. At higher filler loadings, UHA interlaced together tightly without affecting the mobility of monomer inside, which might bear higher loads during fracture of the composite, leading to higher strengths than those of dental resins with IPHA and HW. Besides, impregnation of silanized UHA into dental composites (with silica nanoparticles) significantly improved the strength and modulus. UHA could serve as novel reinforcing HA filler to improve the mechanical properties of dental resin and dental composite.

Ubiquitination of specific mitochondrial matrix proteins

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

Lehmann, Gilad; Ziv, Tamar; Braten, Ori

2016-06-17

Several protein quality control systems in bacteria and/or mitochondrial matrix from lower eukaryotes are absent in higher eukaryotes. These are transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA), The N-end rule ATP-dependent protease ClpAP, and two more ATP-dependent proteases, HslUV and ClpXP (in yeast). The lost proteases resemble the 26S proteasome and the role of tmRNA and the N-end rule in eukaryotic cytosol is performed by the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). Therefore, we hypothesized that the UPS might have substituted these systems – at least partially – in the mitochondrial matrix of higher eukaryotes. Using three independent experimental approaches, we demonstrated the presence of ubiquitinatedmore » proteins in the matrix of isolated yeast mitochondria. First, we show that isolated mitochondria contain ubiquitin (Ub) conjugates, which remained intact after trypsin digestion. Second, we demonstrate that the mitochondrial soluble fraction contains Ub-conjugates, several of which were identified by mass spectrometry and are localized to the matrix. Third, using immunoaffinity enrichment by specific antibodies recognizing digested ubiquitinated peptides, we identified a group of Ub-modified matrix proteins. The modification was further substantiated by separation on SDS-PAGE and immunoblots. Last, we attempted to identify the ubiquitin ligase(s) involved, and identified Dma1p as a trypsin-resistant protein in our mitochondrial preparations. Taken together, these data suggest a yet undefined role for the UPS in regulation of the mitochondrial matrix proteins. -- Highlights: •Mitochondrial matrix contains ubiquitinated proteins. •Ubiquitination occurs most probably in the matrix. •Dma1p is a ubiquitin ligase present in mitochondrial preparations.« less

Enhancement of mechanical properties of 123 superconductors

DOEpatents

Balachandran, U.

1995-04-25

A composition and method are disclosed of preparing YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}x} superconductor. Addition of tin oxide containing compounds to YBCO superconductors results in substantial improvement of fracture toughness and other mechanical properties without affect on T{sub c}. About 5-20% additions give rise to substantially improved mechanical properties.

26 CFR 1.103-11 - Bonds held by substantial users.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... in order to construct a medical building for certain physicians and dentists. The facility will contain 30 offices to be leased on equal terms and for the same rental rates to each physician or dentist for use in his trade or business. Each physician or dentist will be a substantial user of the facility...

26 CFR 1.103-11 - Bonds held by substantial users.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... in order to construct a medical building for certain physicians and dentists. The facility will contain 30 offices to be leased on equal terms and for the same rental rates to each physician or dentist for use in his trade or business. Each physician or dentist will be a substantial user of the facility...

26 CFR 1.103-11 - Bonds held by substantial users.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... in order to construct a medical building for certain physicians and dentists. The facility will contain 30 offices to be leased on equal terms and for the same rental rates to each physician or dentist for use in his trade or business. Each physician or dentist will be a substantial user of the facility...

26 CFR 1.103-11 - Bonds held by substantial users.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... in order to construct a medical building for certain physicians and dentists. The facility will contain 30 offices to be leased on equal terms and for the same rental rates to each physician or dentist for use in his trade or business. Each physician or dentist will be a substantial user of the facility...

Method for reducing sulfate formation during regeneration of hot-gas desulfurization sorbents

DOEpatents

Bissett, Larry A.; Strickland, Larry D.; Rockey, John M.

1994-01-01

The regeneration of sulfur sorbents having sulfate forming tendencies and used for desulfurizing hot product gas streams such as provided by coal gasification is provided by employing a two-stage regeneration method. Air containing a sub-stoichiometric quantity of oxygen is used in the first stage for substantially fully regenerating the sorbent without sulfate formation and then regeneration of the resulting partially regenerated sorbent is completed in the second stage with air containing a quantity of oxygen slightly greater than the stoichiometric amount adequate to essentially fully regenerate the sorbent. Sulfate formation occurs in only the second stage with the extent of sulfate formation being limited only to the portion of the sulfur species contained by the sorbent after substantially all of the sulfur species have been removed therefrom in the first stage.

40 CFR 300.810 - Contents of the administrative record file.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... typically, but not in all cases, will contain the following types of documents: (1) Documents containing... determination of imminent and substantial endangerment, public health evaluations, and technical and engineering... investigation/feasibility study, state documentation of applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements, and...

Urea denatured state ensembles contain extensive secondary structure that is increased in hydrophobic proteins.

PubMed

Nick Pace, C; Huyghues-Despointes, Beatrice M P; Fu, Hailong; Takano, Kazufumi; Scholtz, J Martin; Grimsley, Gerald R

2010-05-01

The goal of this article is to gain a better understanding of the denatured state ensemble (DSE) of proteins through an experimental and computational study of their denaturation by urea. Proteins unfold to different extents in urea and the most hydrophobic proteins have the most compact DSE and contain almost as much secondary structure as folded proteins. Proteins that unfold to the greatest extent near pH 7 still contain substantial amounts of secondary structure. At low pH, the DSE expands due to charge-charge interactions and when the net charge per residue is high, most of the secondary structure is disrupted. The proteins in the DSE appear to contain substantial amounts of polyproline II conformation at high urea concentrations. In all cases considered, including staph nuclease, the extent of unfolding by urea can be accounted for using the data and approach developed in the laboratory of Wayne Bolen (Auton et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci 2007; 104:15317-15323).

Process and apparatus for adding and removing particles from pressurized reactors

DOEpatents

Milligan, John D.

1983-01-01

A method for adding and removing fine particles from a pressurized reactor is provided, which comprises connecting the reactor to a container, sealing the container from the reactor, filling the container with particles and a liquid material compatible with the reactants, pressurizing the container to substantially the reactor pressure, removing the seal between the reactor and the container, permitting particles to fall into or out of the reactor, and resealing the container from the reactor. An apparatus for adding and removing particles is also disclosed.

Preliminary investigation on the suitablity of using fiber reinforced concrete in the construction of a hazardous waste disposal vessel

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

Ramey, M.R.; Daie-e, G.

1988-07-01

There are certain hazardous wastes that must be contained in an extremely secure vessel for transportation and disposal. The vessel, among other things, must be able to withstand relatively large impacts without rupturing. Such containment vessels therefore must be able to absorb substantial amounts of energy during an impact and still perform their function. One of the impacts that the vessel must withstand is a 30-foot fall onto an unyielding surface. For some disposal scenarios it is proposed to encase the waste in a steel enclosure which is to be surrounded by a thick layer of concrete which, in turn,more » is encased by a relatively thin steel shell. Tests on concrete in compression and flexure, including static, dynamic and impact tests, have shown that low modulus concretes tend to behave in a less brittle manner than higher modulus concretes. Tests also show that fiber reinforced concretes have significantly greater ductility, crack propagation resistance and toughness than conventional concretes. Since it is known that concrete is a reasonably brittle material, it is necessary to do impact tests on sample containment structures consisting of thin-walled metal containers having closed ends which are filled with concrete, grout, or fiber reinforced concrete. This report presents the results of simple tests aimed at observing the behavior of sample containment structures subjected to impacts due to a fall from 30 feet. 8 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Removal of toxic metals from leachates from hazardous solid wastes and reduction of toxicity to microtox by the use of calcium alginate beads containing humic acid.

PubMed

Pandey, Ashok K; Pandey, Shri Dhar; Misra, Virendra

2002-06-01

Improper disposal of hazardous wastes can lead to release of potentially harmful substances through leaching such as heavy metals, which ultimately contaminate soil, sediment surface water, and groundwater through runoff. To remove these toxic metals and avoid any adverse effect on the ecosystem, a novel approach involving calcium alginate (CA) beads containing humic acid (HA) was used. For this, 10% leachates of the waste obtained from two major industrial units with electroplating processess were prepared at neutral pH and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Both leachates contained Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Mn, Fe, and Zn. The concentrations of Ni, Mn, Fe, and Zn in the waste were found to be significant. The leachates analyzed were passed through columns packed with calcium alginate beads with or without humic acid. The concentrations of various metals in beads and in different fractions collected after adsorption were measured. Data recorded indicate that calcium alginate beads containing humic acids are more efficient in removal of all metals in substantial amounts from the two leachates. Along with removal of metals, this process led to considerable detoxification of the leachates as tested by Microtox assay, indicated by earlier protection and higher EC(50). The significance of the results in relation to removal of toxic metals by beads containing humic acid is discussed. (c) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Exposure to smoking in movies among British adolescents 2001-2006.

PubMed

Anderson, Stacey J; Millett, Christopher; Polansky, Jonathan R; Glantz, Stanton A

2010-06-01

To estimate youth exposure to smoking in movies in the UK and compare the likely effect with the USA. We collected tobacco occurrences data for 572 top-grossing films in the UK screened from 2001 to 2006 and estimated the number of on-screen tobacco impressions delivered to British youths in this time period. 91% of films in our sample that contained smoking were youth-rated films (British Board of Film Classification rating '15' and lower), delivering at least 1.10 billion tobacco impressions to British youths during theatrical release. British youths were exposed to 28% more smoking impressions in UK youth-rated movies than American youth-rated movies, because 79% of movies rated for adults in the USA ('R') are classified as suitable for youths in the UK ('15' or '12A'). Because there is a dose-response relation between the amount of on-screen exposure to smoking and the likelihood that adolescents will begin smoking, the fact that there is substantially higher exposure to smoking in youth-rated films in the UK than in the USA suggests that the fraction of all youth smoking because of films in the UK is probably larger than in the USA. Other countries with ratings systems that are less conservative (in terms of language and sexuality) than the USA will also be likely to deliver more on-screen tobacco impressions to youths. Assigning an '18' classification to movies that contain smoking would substantially reduce youth exposure to on-screen smoking and, hence, smoking initiation among British youths.

Higher Education: Information on Incentive Compensation Violations Substantiated by the U.S. Department of Education. GAO-10-370R

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iritani, Katherine M.

2010-01-01

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) mandated that GAO conduct a study on Education's enforcement of the incentive compensation ban in light of the safe harbors and report on the number of violations substantiated by the Secretary of Education since 1998, the nature of these violations, and the names of the institutions involved. This…

House crickets can accumulate polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) directly from polyurethane foam common in consumer products.

PubMed

Gaylor, Michael O; Harvey, Ellen; Hale, Robert C

2012-02-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants are added at percent levels to many polymers and textiles abundant in human spaces and vehicles, wherein they have been long assumed to be tightly sequestered. However, the mgkg(-1) burdens recently detected in indoor dust testify to substantial releases. The bulk of released PBDEs remain in the terrestrial environment, yet comparatively little research focuses on this compartment. There, insects/arthropods, such as crickets, are the most abundant invertebrate organisms and facilitate the trophic transfer of contaminants by breaking down complex organic matter (including discarded polymers) and serving as food for other organisms. Our experiments revealed that house crickets (Acheta domesticus) provided uncontaminated food and free access to PUF containing Penta-BDE (8.7%drywt) for 28 d accumulated substantial PBDE body burdens. Crickets allowed to depurate gut contents exhibited whole body burdens of up to 13.4 mg kg(-1) lipid ΣPenta-BDE, 1000-fold higher than typically reported in humans. Non-depurated crickets and molted exoskeletons incurred even higher ΣPenta-BDE, up to 80.6 and 63.3 mg kg(-1) lipid, respectively. Congener patterns of whole crickets and molts resembled those of PUF and the commercial Penta-BDE formulation, DE-71, indicative of minimal discrimination or biotransformation. Accumulation factor (AF) calculations were hampered by uncertainties in determining actual PUF ingestion. However, estimated AFs were low, in the range of 10(-4)-10(-3), suggesting that polymer-PBDE interactions limited uptake. Nonetheless, results indicate that substantial PBDE burdens may be incurred by insects in contact with current-use and derelict treated polymers within human spaces and solid waste disposal sites (e.g. landfills, automotive dumps, etc.). Once ingested, even burdens not absorbed across the gut wall may be dispersed within proximate terrestrial food webs via the insect's movements and/or predation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Increased mercury emissions from modern dental amalgams.

PubMed

Bengtsson, Ulf G; Hylander, Lars D

2017-04-01

All types of dental amalgams contain mercury, which partly is emitted as mercury vapor. All types of dental amalgams corrode after being placed in the oral cavity. Modern high copper amalgams exhibit two new traits of increased instability. Firstly, when subjected to wear/polishing, droplets rich in mercury are formed on the surface, showing that mercury is not being strongly bonded to the base or alloy metals. Secondly, high copper amalgams emit substantially larger amounts of mercury vapor than the low copper amalgams used before the 1970s. High copper amalgams has been developed with focus on mechanical strength and corrosion resistance, but has been sub-optimized in other aspects, resulting in increased instability and higher emission of mercury vapor. This has not been presented to policy makers and scientists. Both low and high copper amalgams undergo a transformation process for several years after placement, resulting in a substantial reduction in mercury content, but there exist no limit for maximum allowed emission of mercury from dental amalgams. These modern high copper amalgams are nowadays totally dominating the European, US and other markets, resulting in significant emissions of mercury, not considered when judging their suitability for dental restoration.

Degradation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) by the lignin-degrading basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

PubMed Central

Yadav, J S; Reddy, C A

1993-01-01

Degradation of the BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-, m-, and p-xylenes) group of organopollutants by the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium was studied. Our results show that the organism efficiently degrades all the BTEX components when these compounds are added either individually or as a composite mixture. Degradation was favored under nonligninolytic culture conditions in malt extract medium, in which extracellular lignin peroxidases (LIPs) and manganese-dependent peroxidases (MNPs) are not produced. The noninvolvement of LIPs and MNPs in BTEX degradation was also evident from in vitro studies using concentrated extracellular fluid containing LIPs and MNPs and from a comparison of the extents of BTEX degradation by the wild type and the per mutant, which lacks LIPs and MNPs. A substantially greater extent of degradation of all the BTEX compounds was observed in static than in shaken liquid cultures. Furthermore, the level of degradation was relatively higher at 25 than at 37 degrees C, but pH variations between 4.5 and 7.0 had little effect on the extent of degradation. Studies with uniformly ring-labeled [14C]benzene and [14C]toluene showed substantial mineralization of these compounds to 14CO2. PMID:8481002

Large rainfall changes consistently projected over substantial areas of tropical land

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chadwick, Robin; Good, Peter; Martin, Gill; Rowell, David P.

2016-02-01

Many tropical countries are exceptionally vulnerable to changes in rainfall patterns, with floods or droughts often severely affecting human life and health, food and water supplies, ecosystems and infrastructure. There is widespread disagreement among climate model projections of how and where rainfall will change over tropical land at the regional scales relevant to impacts, with different models predicting the position of current tropical wet and dry regions to shift in different ways. Here we show that despite uncertainty in the location of future rainfall shifts, climate models consistently project that large rainfall changes will occur for a considerable proportion of tropical land over the twenty-first century. The area of semi-arid land affected by large changes under a higher emissions scenario is likely to be greater than during even the most extreme regional wet or dry periods of the twentieth century, such as the Sahel drought of the late 1960s to 1990s. Substantial changes are projected to occur by mid-century--earlier than previously expected--and to intensify in line with global temperature rise. Therefore, current climate projections contain quantitative, decision-relevant information on future regional rainfall changes, particularly with regard to climate change mitigation policy.

The composition of tea infusions examined in relation to the association between mortality and water hardness

PubMed Central

Anderson, W.; Hollins, J. G.; Bond, Pamela S.

1971-01-01

Recent epidemiological studies have shown that death-rates from certain chronic diseases are higher in areas with soft than in areas with hard drinking-water. In the striking negative correlation found in the county boroughs of England and Wales between cardiovascular mortality and water hardness the important underlying factor is apparently the water calcium. Interest is therefore focused on the dietary significance of calcium present in drinking-water. In relation to that interest, the present report gives a quantitative account of the composition of tea infusions prepared with waters containing different amounts of calcium. It is shown that a substantial part of water calcium is taken up by the tea leaf during the preparation of infusions. The analysis of the infusions covers a wide range of individual components, including trace metals and polyphenolic substances. It appears that the principal change caused in infusion composition by the presence of calcium in the water is a substantial reduction in the relatively high oxalate content. The question is raised whether there may be some connexion between the `water factor' in cardiovascular disease and the absorption of oxalates from foods. PMID:5291748

Property Morphology Correlations of Organic Semiconductor Nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McFarland, Frederick Marshall

Chemically doped and non-doped P3HT nanoaggregates are studied to establish a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between their morphology and various optoelectronic properties. One-dimensional nanoaggregates of P3HT are chosen as the model systems here due to their high surface/volume ratio and suitability for microscopic investigations. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) are used to correlate property/morphology characteristics of non-doped P3HT nanowhiskers. Topographical measurements indicate that individually folded P3HT motifs stack via interfacial interactions to form nanowhiskers in solution. Further aging leads to multi-layered nanowhiskers with greater stability and less instances of ?-? sliding of interfacial edge-on oriented motifs. KPFM measurements show higher surface potentials on portions of nanowhiskers containing local defects and stacking faults due to overlapping, and nanowhiskers that are at least triple-layered. Simultaneous UV-Vis and AFM characterizations compare the aggregation rates and morphologies of doped and non-doped P3HT nanowhiskers. Allowing fully solubilized P3HT to age without doping may produce high aspect ratio nanowhiskers containing disordered segments protruding out from the edges of the nanowhiskers. These protruding segments could also serve as "tie-molecules" between adjacent nanowhiskers. Doping fully solubilized P3HT will lead to substantially higher rates of P3HT aggregation. Doped nanowhiskers also display different morphologies. They pack tighter, are smoother, and are thicker and higher versus non-doped nanowhiskers, indicating a different aggregation mechanism. Stopped flow-kinetics was employed to investigate the reactivity of two distinctively different morphological forms of P3HT towards dopants. Fully solubilized P3HT undergoes a slow doping mechanism whereas pre-aggregated P3HT undergoes a fast doping mechanism. Pseudo-single reactant rate fittings indicate that both mechanisms appear to be 1st order in P3HT, whereby pre-aggregated P3HT mixtures will produce more doped products per P3HT monomer unit than fully solubilized P3HT. This study highlights the impact of conjugated polymer's morphology on their doping efficiency. Density functional theory was used to investigate the charge transfer (CT) states between oligothiophene and F4-TCNQ. CT of several unreported complexes that feature two oligomers stacked in a sandwich or layered configuration is investigated. Our preliminary results suggest that these new complexes can generate substantially more charge per F4-TCNQ than previously reported.

STRIPPING OF URANIUM FROM ORGANIC EXTRACTANTS

DOEpatents

Crouse, D.J. Jr.

1962-09-01

A liquid-liquid extraction method is given for recovering uranium values from uranium-containing solutions. Uranium is removed from a uranium-containing organic solution by contacting said organic solution with an aqueous ammonium carbonate solution substantially saturated in uranium values. A uranium- containing precipitate is thereby formed which is separated from the organic and aqueous phases. Uranium values are recovered from this separated precipitate. (AE C)

Physician self-referral for imaging and the cost of chronic care for Medicare beneficiaries.

PubMed

Hughes, Danny R; Sunshine, Jonathan H; Bhargavan, Mythreyi; Forman, Howard

2011-09-01

As the cost of both chronic care and diagnostic imaging continue to rise, it is important to consider methods of cost containment in these areas. Therefore, it seems important to study the relationship between self-referral for imaging and the cost of care of chronic illnesses. Previous studies, mostly of acute illnesses, have found self-referral increases utilization and, thus, probably imaging costs. To evaluate the relationship between physician self-referral for imaging and the cost of episodes of chronic care. Using Medicare's 5% Research Identifiable Files for 2004 to 2007, episodes of care were constructed for 32 broad chronic conditions using the Symmetry Episode Treatment Grouper. Using multivariate regression, we evaluated the association between whether the treating physician self-referred for imaging and total episode cost, episode imaging cost, and episode nonimaging cost. Analyses were controlled for patient characteristics (eg, age and general health status), the condition's severity, and treating physician specialty. Self-referral in imaging was significantly (P < 0.01) associated with total episode costs in 41 of the 76 medical condition and imaging modality (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, etc.) combinations studied. Total costs were higher in 38 combinations and lower in 3. Even nonimaging costs were much more often significantly higher (in 24 combinations) with self-referral than being lower (in 4 combinations). We find broad evidence that physician self-referral for imaging is associated with significantly and substantially higher chronic care costs. Unless self-referral has empirically demonstrable benefits, curbing self-referral may be an appropriate route to containing chronic care costs.

Collection of liquid from below-ground location

DOEpatents

Phillips, Steven J.; Alexander, Robert G.

1995-01-01

A method of retrieving liquid from a below-ground collection area by permitting gravity flow of the liquid from the collection area to a first closed container; monitoring the level of the liquid in the closed container; and after the liquid reaches a given level in the first closed container, transferring the liquid to a second closed container disposed at a location above the first closed container, via a conduit, by introducing into the first closed container a gas which is substantially chemically inert with respect to the liquid, the gas being at a pressure sufficient to propel the liquid from the first closed container to the second closed container.

Method for removing trace pollutants from aqueous solutions

DOEpatents

Silver, G.L.

A method of substantially removing a trace metallic contaminant from a liquid containing the same comprises: adding an oxidizing agent to a liquid containing a trace amount of a metallic contaminant of a concentration of up to about 0.1 ppM, and separating the homogeneously precipitated product from the liquid.

South Coast Air Quality Management District Truck Testing | Transportation

Science.gov Websites

movement of cargo containers, also known as drayage, creates substantial air pollution in the vicinity of and U.S. Hybrid Corporation, transport cargo containers between the port complex and local rail yards and distribution centers. Utilizing advanced batteries and high-efficiency components, the electric

27 CFR 7.28 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... on a contrasting background. (b) Size of type—(1) Containers of more than one-half pint. Except for..., type, or printing not smaller than 2 millimeters. If contained among other descriptive or explanatory information, the script, type, or printing of all mandatory information shall be of a size substantially more...

Effect of prolonged heating on the asphalt-aggregate bond strength of HMA containing liquid anti-strip additives

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-09-01

In this study, an attempt was made to determine the effect of prolonged heating on the bond strength between : aggregate and asphalt that contained anti-strip additives (LOF 6500 and Morelife 2200). On account of the : substantial decrease of anti-st...

Studies of K-Ar dating and xenon from extinct radioactivities in breccia 14318; implications for early lunar history

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reynolds, J. H.; Alexander, E. C., Jr.; Davis, P. K.; Srinivasan, B.

1974-01-01

The lunar breccia 14318 is one of three Apollo-14 breccias containing substantial amounts of parentless xenon from the spontaneous fission of extinct Pu-244. The argon and xenon contained in this breccia were studied by stepwise heating of pristine and neutron-irradiated samples. The isotopic composition of xenon from fission, determined by an improved method, is shown to be from Pu-244. Concentrations of this fissiogenic xenon are in substantial excess (15-fold) of what could be produced by spontaneous fission of U-238. The breccia is found to contain abundant trapped argon with an Ar-40/Ar-36 ratio of roughly 14. Otherwise, the argon is radiogenic and gives a convincing K-Ar age of 3.69 plus or minus 0.09 b.y. by the stepwise Ar-40/Ar-39 method, nearly in agreement with ages for other Apollo-14 breccias.

Differences in vitamin E and C profile between infant formula and human milk and relative susceptibility to lipid oxidation.

PubMed

Elisia, Ingrid; Kitts, David D

2013-01-01

The vitamin E isoforms and vitamin (vit) C content of infant formulas were compared to human milk and related to relative susceptibilities to lipid peroxidation. We report that a highly distinct vitamin E and C profile exists between formula and human milk. Whileα-tocopherol (α-Toc) is the dominant vit E isoform in human milk, formula contains a substantial amount of α-Toc and δ-Toc that was greater than the level found in human milk (12- and 32-fold, respectively). Vitamin C was also two- fold higher in infant formula compared to human milk. Despite the higher vitamin E and C content, we also observed higher rates of lipid oxidation in the formula when compared to human milk. Storing human milk for one day at refrigeration temperatures did not produce hexanal in human milk, but this storage resulted in an increase in hexanal in formulas. We conclude that the higher concentrations of γ-Toc and δ-Toc in infant formulas did not provide similar protection from lipid oxidation as human milk. We also observed that vit C content was reduced during storage in both infant formula and human milk, which did not occur with the Toc isoforms.

Cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay in primary human liver fibroblasts exposed to griseofulvin and mitomycin C.

PubMed

Nesti, C; Trippi, F; Scarpato, R; Migliore, L; Turchi, G

2000-03-01

Primary liver fibroblasts were applied in a cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay in combination with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using two protocols. In protocol A (Prot. A), cytochalasin B (Cyt B) was added at the end of the treatment time directly to the medium containing the standard compounds, whereas in protocol B (Prot. B) the chemical-containing medium was removed and fresh medium with Cyt B was added. The study was performed using the aneugen griseofulvin (GF) and the clastogen mitomycin C (MMC) as standard compounds. With both protocols GF induced a significant increase in MN frequency over controls in a dose-related manner at the lower concentrations tested (7.5 and 15 microg/ml). At the highest dose (30 microg/ml) the aneugen effect was substantially reduced. MN induction obtained with Prot. A was significantly higher ( approximately 3-fold) than with Prot. B at the most effective concentration. The aneugen effect induced by GF did not change when different cell densities were used, but again with Prot. A we obtained the highest effect. MN induced by MMC showed a dose- and time-dependent increase in both protocols. In contrast to GF, the greater clastogenic response induced by MMC in human liver fibroblasts was obtained with Prot. B, approximately 3-fold higher than Prot. A at the most effective concentration and approximately 2-fold with 24 h treatment at 0.17 microg/ml MMC. With GF, the FISH data in human liver fibroblasts (80% C+MN) were fairly consistent with those obtained in the rodent cell lines. In human whole blood cultures, the same dose used in our experiment produced a relatively higher percentage of C+MN. FISH analysis showed that MMC induced mainly MN containing acentric fragments rather than whole chromosomes. In conclusion we have demostrated that chemically induced genetic effects are strongly dependent on the cell culture employed, treatment schedule and intra- and post-treatment experimental conditions.

Boron-toxicity tolerance in barley arising from efflux transporter amplification.

PubMed

Sutton, Tim; Baumann, Ute; Hayes, Julie; Collins, Nicholas C; Shi, Bu-Jun; Schnurbusch, Thorsten; Hay, Alison; Mayo, Gwenda; Pallotta, Margaret; Tester, Mark; Langridge, Peter

2007-11-30

Both limiting and toxic soil concentrations of the essential micronutrient boron represent major limitations to crop production worldwide. We identified Bot1, a BOR1 ortholog, as the gene responsible for the superior boron-toxicity tolerance of the Algerian barley landrace Sahara 3771 (Sahara). Bot1 was located at the tolerance locus by high-resolution mapping. Compared to intolerant genotypes, Sahara contains about four times as many Bot1 gene copies, produces substantially more Bot1 transcript, and encodes a Bot1 protein with a higher capacity to provide tolerance in yeast. Bot1 transcript levels identified in barley tissues are consistent with a role in limiting the net entry of boron into the root and in the disposal of boron from leaves via hydathode guttation.

Variable residence time vortex combustor

DOEpatents

Melconian, Jerry O.

1987-01-01

A variable residence time vortex combustor including a primary combustion chamber for containing a combustion vortex, and a plurality of louvres peripherally disposed about the primary combustion chamber and longitudinally distributed along its primary axis. The louvres are inclined to impel air about the primary combustion chamber to cool its interior surfaces and to impel air inwardly to assist in driving the combustion vortex in a first rotational direction and to feed combustion in the primary combustion chamber. The vortex combustor also includes a second combustion chamber having a secondary zone and a narrowed waist region in the primary combustion chamber interconnecting the output of the primary combustion chamber with the secondary zone for passing only lower density particles and trapping higher density particles in the combustion vortex in the primary combustion chamber for substantial combustion.

School Quality and the Development of Cognitive Skills between Age Four and Six

PubMed Central

Borghans, Lex; Golsteyn, Bart H. H.; Zölitz, Ulf

2015-01-01

This paper studies the extent to which young children develop their cognitive ability in high and low quality schools. We use a representative panel data set containing cognitive test scores of 4-6 year olds in Dutch schools. School quality is measured by the school’s average achievement test score at age 12. Our results indicate that children in high-quality schools develop their skills substantially faster than those in low-quality schools. The results remain robust to the inclusion of initial ability, parental background, and neighborhood controls. Moreover, using proximity to higher-achieving schools as an instrument for school choice corroborates the results. The robustness of the results points toward a causal interpretation, although it is not possible to erase all doubt about unobserved confounding factors. PMID:26182123

Heating hydrocarbon containing formations in a spiral startup staged sequence

DOEpatents

Vinegar, Harold J [Bellaire, TX; Miller, David Scott [Katy, TX

2009-12-15

Methods for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation are described herein. Methods may include treating a first zone of the formation. Treatment of a plurality of zones of the formation may be begun at selected times after the treatment of the first zone begins. The treatment of at least two successively treated zones may begin at a selected time after treatment of the previous zone begins. At least two of the successively treated zones may be adjacent to the zone treated previously. The successive treatment of the zones proceeds in an outward, substantially spiral sequence from the first zone so that the treatment of the zones may move substantially spirally outwards towards a boundary of the treatment area.

Progressing batch hydrolysis process

DOEpatents

Wright, J.D.

1985-01-10

A progressive batch hydrolysis process is disclosed for producing sugar from a lignocellulosic feedstock. It comprises passing a stream of dilute acid serially through a plurality of percolation hydrolysis reactors charged with feed stock, at a flow rate, temperature and pressure sufficient to substantially convert all the cellulose component of the feed stock to glucose. The cooled dilute acid stream containing glucose, after exiting the last percolation hydrolysis reactor, serially fed through a plurality of pre-hydrolysis percolation reactors, charged with said feedstock, at a flow rate, temperature and pressure sufficient to substantially convert all the hemicellulose component of said feedstock to glucose. The dilute acid stream containing glucose is cooled after it exits the last prehydrolysis reactor.

Spatiotemporal and geometric optimization of sensor arrays for detecting analytes fluids

DOEpatents

Lewis, Nathan S.; Freund, Michael S.; Briglin, Shawn M.; Tokumaru, Phil; Martin, Charles R.; Mitchell, David T.

2006-10-17

Sensor arrays and sensor array systems for detecting analytes in fluids. Sensors configured to generate a response upon introduction of a fluid containing one or more analytes can be located on one or more surfaces relative to one or more fluid channels in an array. Fluid channels can take the form of pores or holes in a substrate material. Fluid channels can be formed between one or more substrate plates. Sensor can be fabricated with substantially optimized sensor volumes to generate a response having a substantially maximized signal to noise ratio upon introduction of a fluid containing one or more target analytes. Methods of fabricating and using such sensor arrays and systems are also disclosed.

Spatiotemporal and geometric optimization of sensor arrays for detecting analytes in fluids

DOEpatents

Lewis, Nathan S [La Canada, CA; Freund, Michael S [Winnipeg, CA; Briglin, Shawn S [Chittenango, NY; Tokumaru, Phillip [Moorpark, CA; Martin, Charles R [Gainesville, FL; Mitchell, David [Newtown, PA

2009-09-29

Sensor arrays and sensor array systems for detecting analytes in fluids. Sensors configured to generate a response upon introduction of a fluid containing one or more analytes can be located on one or more surfaces relative to one or more fluid channels in an array. Fluid channels can take the form of pores or holes in a substrate material. Fluid channels can be formed between one or more substrate plates. Sensor can be fabricated with substantially optimized sensor volumes to generate a response having a substantially maximized signal to noise ratio upon introduction of a fluid containing one or more target analytes. Methods of fabricating and using such sensor arrays and systems are also disclosed.

Progressing batch hydrolysis process

DOEpatents

Wright, John D.

1986-01-01

A progressive batch hydrolysis process for producing sugar from a lignocellulosic feedstock, comprising passing a stream of dilute acid serially through a plurality of percolation hydrolysis reactors charged with said feedstock, at a flow rate, temperature and pressure sufficient to substantially convert all the cellulose component of the feedstock to glucose; cooling said dilute acid stream containing glucose, after exiting the last percolation hydrolysis reactor, then feeding said dilute acid stream serially through a plurality of prehydrolysis percolation reactors, charged with said feedstock, at a flow rate, temperature and pressure sufficient to substantially convert all the hemicellulose component of said feedstock to glucose; and cooling the dilute acid stream containing glucose after it exits the last prehydrolysis reactor.

Variations in the structure of nexuses in the myocardium of the golden hamster Mesocricetus auratus.

PubMed Central

Skepper, J N; Navaratnam, V

1986-01-01

The structure of nexuses in the atrioventricular node of the golden hamster was studied with the transmission electron microscope, using thin sections and freeze-fracture replicas, and was compared with that of nexuses in the working myocardium of the right ventricular wall. Whereas ventricular myocardium contained macular nexuses only, nodal tissue contained annular and linear configurations as well as maculae of varying size. The significance of such variations in nexus pattern is not clear although several hypotheses are discussed in the literature. Measurements made on electron micrographs, after allowing for tilt of the specimen, yielded a particle diameter of 10.59 nm for nodal myocardium and 10.95 nm for ventricular myocardium, both measurements being substantially higher than figures generally cited in the literature. In each area the measurements had a normal distribution suggesting a single type of particle. The small but significant difference in particle size between the two areas is more likely to be caused by dissimilarities in packing arrangement rather than by differences in intrinsic structure or in functional state. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 3 PMID:3693102

Flavanol binding of nuclei from tree species.

PubMed

Feucht, W; Treutter, D; Polster, J

2004-01-01

Light microscopy was used to examine the nuclei of five tree species with respect to the presence of flavanols. Flavanols develop a blue colouration in the presence of a special p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (DMACA) reagent that enables those nuclei loaded with flavanols to be recognized. Staining of the nuclei was most pronounced in both Tsuga canadensis and Taxus baccata, variable in Metasequoia glyptostroboides, faint in Coffea arabica and minimal in Prunus avium. HPLC analysis showed that the five species contained substantial amounts of different flavanols such as catechin, epicatechin and proanthocyanidins. Quantitatively, total flavanols were quite different among the species. The nuclei themselves, as studied in Tsuga seed wings, were found to contain mainly catechin, much lower amounts of epicatechin and traces of proanthocyanidins. Blue-coloured nuclei located centrally in small cells were often found to maximally occupy up to 90% of a cell's radius, and the surrounding small rim of cytoplasm was visibly free of flavanols. A survey of 34 gymnosperm and angiosperm species indicated that the first group has much higher nuclear binding capacities for flavanols than the second group.

Tuning the Functional Properties of Bitter Vetch (Vicia ervilia) Protein Films Grafted with Spermidine

PubMed Central

Roviello, Valentina; Sabbah, Mohammed

2017-01-01

Bitter vetch protein films containing positively charged spermidine, alone or with low amounts of glycerol, showed high tensile strength that progressively decreased by increasing the plasticizer concentration. Accordingly, lower film elongation at break and higher Young’s module values were detected in the presence of the polyamine without or with small amounts of glycerol. These data suggest that spermidine not only acts as a plasticizer itself by ionically interacting with proteins, but that it also facilitates glycerol-dependent reduction of the intermolecular forces along the protein chains, consequently improving the film flexibility and extensibility. Thus, spermidine may be considered not only as a primary, but also as a secondary plasticizer because of its ability to enhance glycerol plasticizing performance. Such double behavior of the polyamine was confirmed by the film permeability tests, since spermidine increased the barrier properties to gases and water vapor, while glycerol emphasized this effect at low concentrations but led to its marked reversal at high concentrations. Film microscopic images also substantiated these findings, showing more compact, cohesive, and homogeneous matrices in all spermidine-containing films. PMID:29292733

Carotenoids and Carotenoid Esters of Red and Yellow Physalis (Physalis alkekengi L. and P. pubescens L.) Fruits and Calyces.

PubMed

Wen, Xin; Hempel, Judith; Schweiggert, Ralf M; Ni, Yuanying; Carle, Reinhold

2017-08-02

Carotenoid profiles of fruits and calyces of red (Physalis alkekengi L.) and yellow (P. pubescens L.) Physalis were characterized by HPLC-DAD-APCI-MS n . Altogether 69 carotenoids were detected in red Physalis, thereof, 45 were identified. In yellow Physalis, 40 carotenoids were detected and 33 were identified. Zeaxanthin esters with various fatty acids were found to be the most abundant carotenoids in red Physalis, accounting for 51-63% of total carotenoids, followed by β-cryptoxanthin esters (16-24%). In yellow Physalis, mainly free carotenoids such as lutein and β-carotene were found. Total carotenoid contents ranged between 19.8 and 21.6 mg/100 g fresh red Physalis fruits and 1.28-1.38 mg/100 g fresh yellow Physalis fruits, demonstrating that Physalis fruits are rich sources of dietary carotenoids. Yellow Physalis calyces contained only 153-306 μg carotenoids/g dry weight, while those of red Physalis contained substantially higher amounts (14.6-17.6 mg/g dry weight), thus possibly exhibiting great potential as a natural source for commercial zeaxanthin extraction.

Incineration of tannery sludge under oxic and anoxic conditions: study of chromium speciation.

PubMed

Kavouras, P; Pantazopoulou, E; Varitis, S; Vourlias, G; Chrissafis, K; Dimitrakopulos, G P; Mitrakas, M; Zouboulis, A I; Karakostas, Th; Xenidis, A

2015-01-01

A tannery sludge, produced from physico-chemical treatment of tannery wastewaters, was incinerated without any pre-treatment process under oxic and anoxic conditions, by controlling the abundance of oxygen. Incineration in oxic conditions was performed at the temperature range from 300°C to 1200°C for duration of 2h, while in anoxic conditions at the temperature range from 400°C to 600°C and varying durations. Incineration under oxic conditions at 500°C resulted in almost total oxidation of Cr(III) to Cr(VI), with CaCrO4 to be the crystalline phase containing Cr(VI). At higher temperatures a part of Cr(VI) was reduced, mainly due to the formation of MgCr2O4. At 1200°C approximately 30% of Cr(VI) was reduced to Cr(III). Incineration under anoxic conditions substantially reduced the extent of oxidation of Cr(III) to Cr(VI). Increase of temperature and duration of incineration lead to increase of Cr(VI) content, while no chromium containing crystalline phase was detected. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Saliva and wound healing.

PubMed

Brand, Henk S; Ligtenberg, Antoon J M; Veerman, Enno C I

2014-01-01

Oral wounds heal faster and with less scar formation than skin wounds. One of the key factors involved is saliva, which promotes wound healing in several ways. Saliva creates a humid environment, thus improving the survival and functioning of inflammatory cells that are crucial for wound healing. In addition, saliva contains several proteins which play a role in the different stages of wound healing. Saliva contains substantial amounts of tissue factor, which dramatically accelerates blood clotting. Subsequently, epidermal growth factor in saliva promotes the proliferation of epithelial cells. Secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor inhibits the tissue-degrading activity of enzymes like elastase and trypsin. Absence of this protease inhibitor delays oral wound healing. Salivary histatins in vitro promote wound closure by enhancing cell spreading and cell migration, but do not stimulate cell proliferation. A synthetic cyclic variant of histatin exhibits a 1,000-fold higher activity than linear histatin, which makes this cyclic variant a promising agent for the development of a new wound healing medication. Conclusively, recognition of the many roles salivary proteins play in wound healing makes saliva a promising source for the development of new drugs involved in tissue regeneration.

Polychlorinated biphenyls in the atmosphere of Taizhou, a major e-waste dismantling area in China.

PubMed

Han, Wenliang; Feng, Jialiang; Gu, Zeping; Wu, Minghong; Sheng, Guoying; Fu, Jiamo

2010-01-01

PM2.5, total suspended particles (TSP) and gas phase samples were collected at two sites of Taizhou, a major e-waste dismantling area in China. Concentrations, seasonal variations, congener profiles, gas-particle partitioning and size distribution of the atmospheric polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were studied to assess the current state of atmospheric PCBs after the phase out of massive historical dismantling of PCBs containing e-wastes. The average sigma38PCBs concentration in the ambient air (TSP plus gas phase) near the e-waste dismantling area was (12,407 +/- 9592) pg/m3 in winter, which was substantially lower than that found one decade ago. However, the atmospheric PCBs level near the e-waste dismantling area was 54 times of the reference urban site, indicating that the impact of the historical dismantling of PCBs containing e-wastes was still significant. Tri-Penta-CBs were dominant homologues, consisting with their dominant global production. Size distribution of particle-bound PCBs showed that higher chlorinated CBs tended to partition more to the fine particles, facilitating its long range air transportation.

Sonoluminescence in an Acoustically Levitated Water Filled Shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera, P. J.; Stephens, R. B.; Jones, J. P.

1998-11-01

The possibility of using shells levitated by acoustic waves to improve the conditions to study sonoluminescence was conducted. Single bubble sonoluminescence (SBSL) was generated using a 2 mm diameter water filled plastic shell, supported in air with 1 MHz sound waves. The bubble was generated and compressed with a separate transducer emitting pulsed 5 MHz acoustic waves which were focussed on the center of the suspended shell. This approach is considerably different from the typical generation technique of SBSL in that the acoustic power is coupled through the air rather than by a solid bond to the container. With this configuration, the water container can be substantially reduced in size and the luminescence pulse rate is probably not connected with cavity resonances. As a result, optical access to the spark is improved, water attenuation is reduced (water thickness ~1 mm), and repetition rate can be considerably higher. This geometry presents problems and opportunities in controlling the gas content and temperature of the water. It might also be sensitive to the perfection of the enclosing plastic shell, so success is erratic. Details will be discussed.

SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

DOEpatents

Nachbar, H.D.; Biggs, B.B.; Tariello, P.J.; George, K.O.

1963-01-15

A shipping container is described for transponting a large number of radioactive nuclear fuel element modules which produce a substantial amount of heat. The container comprises a primary pressure vessel and shield, and a rotatable head having an access port that can be indexed with module holders in the container. In order to remove heat generated in the fuel eleme nts, a heat exchanger is arranged within the container and in contact with a heat exchange fluid therein. The heat exchanger communicates with additional external heat exchangers, which dissipate heat to the atmosphere. (AEC)

GEOS S2S-2_1: GMAO's New High Resolution Seasonal Prediction System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Molod, Andrea; Akella, Santha; Andrews, Lauren; Barahona, Donifan; Borovikov, Anna; Chang, Yehui; Cullather, Richard; Hackert, Eric; Kovach, Robin; Koster, Randal;

Development of wide temperature electrolyte for graphite/ LiNiMnCoO2 Li-ion cells: High throughput screening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafle, Janak; Harris, Joshua; Chang, Jeremy; Koshina, Joe; Boone, David; Qu, Deyang

2018-07-01

In this report, we demonstrate that the low temperature power capability of a Li-ion battery can be substantially improved not by adding commercially unavailable additives into the electrolyte, but by rational design of the composition of the most commonly used solvents. Through the detail analysis with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, the formation of a homogenous solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer on the carbon anode surface is found to be critical to ensure the performance of a Li-ion battery in a wide temperature range. The post mortem analysis of the negative electrode by XPS revealed that all the electrolyte compositions form similar compounds in the solid electrolyte interphase. However, the electrolytes which give higher capacities at low temperature showed higher percentage of LiF and lower percentage of carbon containing species such as lithium carbonate and lithium ethylene di-carbonate. The electrolyte compositions where cyclic carbonates make up less than 25% of the total solvent showed increased low temperature performance. The solvent composition with higher percentage of linear short chain carbonates showed an improved low temperature performance. The high temperature performances were similar in almost all the combinations.

Reproducibility of a novel model of murine asthma-like pulmonary inflammation

PubMed Central

MCKINLEY, L; KIM, J; BOLGOS, G L; SIDDIQUI, J; REMICK, D G

2004-01-01

Sensitization to cockroach allergens (CRA) has been implicated as a major cause of asthma, especially among inner-city populations. Endotoxin from Gram-negative bacteria has also been investigated for its role in attenuating or exacerbating the asthmatic response. We have created a novel model utilizing house dust extract (HDE) containing high levels of both CRA and endotoxin to induce pulmonary inflammation (PI) and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). A potential drawback of this model is that the HDE is in limited supply and preparation of new HDE will not contain the exact components of the HDE used to define our model system. The present study involved testing HDEs collected from various homes for their ability to cause PI and AHR. Dust collected from five homes was extracted in phosphate buffered saline overnight. The levels of CRA and endotoxin in the supernatants varied from 7·1 to 49·5 mg/ml of CRA and 1·7–6 µg/ml of endotoxin in the HDEs. Following immunization and two pulmonary exposures to HDE all five HDEs induced AHR, PI and plasma IgE levels substantially higher than normal mice. This study shows that HDE containing high levels of cockroach allergens and endotoxin collected from different sources can induce an asthma-like response in our murine model. PMID:15086384

Vacuum chamber for ion manipulation device

DOEpatents

Chen, Tsung-Chi; Tang, Keqi; Ibrahim, Yehia M; Smith, Richard D; Anderson, Gordon A; Baker, Erin M

2014-12-09

An ion manipulation method and device is disclosed. The device includes a pair of substantially parallel surfaces. An array of inner electrodes is contained within, and extends substantially along the length of, each parallel surface. The device includes a first outer array of electrodes and a second outer array of electrodes. Each outer array of electrodes is positioned on either side of the inner electrodes, and is contained within and extends substantially along the length of each parallel surface. A DC voltage is applied to the first and second outer array of electrodes. A RF voltage, with a superimposed electric field, is applied to the inner electrodes by applying the DC voltages to each electrode. Ions either move between the parallel surfaces within an ion confinement area or along paths in the direction of the electric field, or can be trapped in the ion confinement area. A predetermined number of pairs of surfaces are disposed in one or more chambers, forming a multiple-layer ion mobility cyclotron device.

Process for the removal of impurities from combustion fullerenes

DOEpatents

Alford, J. Michael; Bolskar, Robert

2005-08-02

The invention generally relates to purification of carbon nanomaterials, particularly fullerenes, by removal of PAHs and other hydrocarbon impurities. The inventive process involves extracting a sample containing carbon nanomaterials with a solvent in which the PAHs are substantially soluble but in which the carbon nanomaterials are not substantially soluble. The sample can be repeatedly or continuously extracted with one or more solvents to remove a greater amount of impurities. Preferred solvents include ethanol, diethyl ether, and acetone. The invention also provides a process for efficiently separating solvent extractable fullerenes from samples containing fullerenes and PAHs wherein the sample is extracted with a solvent in which both fullerenes and PAHs are substantially soluble and the sample extract then undergoes selective extraction to remove PAHs. Suitable solvents in which both fullerenes and PAHs are soluble include o-xylene, toluene, and o-dichlorobenzene. The purification process is capable of treating quantities of combustion soot in excess of one kilogram and can produce fullerenes or fullerenic soot of suitable purity for many applications.

Development of short-form measures to assess four types of elder mistreatment: Findings from an evidence-based study of APS elder abuse substantiation decisions.

PubMed

Beach, Scott R; Liu, Pi-Ju; DeLiema, Marguerite; Iris, Madelyn; Howe, Melissa J K; Conrad, Kendon J

2017-01-01

Improving the standardization and efficiency of adult protective services (APS) investigations is a top priority in APS practice. Using data from the Elder Abuse Decision Support System (EADSS), we developed short-form measures of four types of elder abuse: financial, emotional/psychological, physical, and neglect. The EADSS data set contains 948 elder abuse cases (age 60+) with yes/no abuse substantiation decisions for each abuse type following a 30-day investigation. Item sensitivity/specificity analyses were conducted on long-form items with the substantiation decision for each abuse type as the criterion. Validity was further tested using receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, correlation with long forms and internal consistency. The four resulting short-form measures, containing 36 of the 82 original items, have validity similar to the original long forms. These short forms can be used to standardize and increase efficiency of APS investigations, and may also offer researchers new options for brief elder abuse assessments.

Development of short-form measures to assess four types of elder mistreatment: Findings from an evidence-based study of APS elder abuse substantiation decisions

PubMed Central

Beach, Scott R.; Liu, Pi-Ju; DeLiema, Marguerite; Iris, Madelyn; Howe, Melissa J.K.; Conrad, Kendon J.

2018-01-01

Improving the standardization and efficiency of adult protective services (APS) investigations is a top priority in APS practice. Using data from the Elder Abuse Decision Support System (EADSS), we developed short-form measures of four types of elder abuse: financial, emotional/psychological, physical, and neglect. The EADSS data set contains 948 elder abuse cases (age 60+) with yes/no abuse substantiation decisions for each abuse type following a 30-day investigation. Item sensitivity/specificity analyses were conducted on long-form items with the substantiation decision for each abuse type as the criterion. Validity was further tested using receiver–operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, correlation with long forms and internal consistency. The four resulting short-form measures, containing 36 of the 82 original items, have validity similar to the original long forms. These short forms can be used to standardize and increase efficiency of APS investigations, and may also offer researchers new options for brief elder abuse assessments. PMID:28590799

Oxidation of hydrogen halides to elemental halogens

DOEpatents

Rohrmann, Charles A.; Fullam, Harold T.

1985-01-01

A process for oxidizing hydrogen halides having substantially no sulfur impurities by means of a catalytically active molten salt is disclosed. A mixture of the subject hydrogen halide and an oxygen bearing gas is contacted with a molten salt containing an oxidizing catalyst and alkali metal normal sulfates and pyrosulfates to produce an effluent gas stream rich in the elemental halogen and substantially free of sulfur oxide gases.

Vitellogenin Production by Fishmeal-Containing Diets in Male Tilapia (Oreochromis Mossambicus)

EPA Science Inventory

In a number of fish species, male plasma has been shown to contain substantial levels of l7~estradiol (E z) and in certain cases, vitellogenin (Vg), an Ez-induced precursor of egg yolk protein that is specific to females. The presence ofEz and Vg in males raises questions about ...

Alkali metal recovery from carbonaceous material conversion process

DOEpatents

Sharp, David W.; Clavenna, LeRoy R.; Gorbaty, Martin L.; Tsou, Joe M.

1980-01-01

In a coal gasification operation or similar conversion process carried out in the presence of an alkali metal-containing catalyst wherein solid particles containing alkali metal residues are produced in the gasifier or similar reaction zone, alkali metal constitutents are recovered from the particles by withdrawing and passing the particles from the reaction zone to an alkali metal recovery zone in the substantial absence of molecular oxygen and treating the particles in the recovery zone with water or an aqueous solution in the substantial absence of molecular oxygen. The solution formed by treating the particles in the recovery zone will contain water-soluble alkali metal constituents and is recycled to the conversion process where the alkali metal constituents serve as at least a portion of the alkali metal constituents which comprise the alkali metal-containing catalyst. Preventing contact of the particles with oxygen as they are withdrawn from the reaction zone and during treatment in the recovery zone avoids the formation of undesirable alkali metal constituents in the aqueous solution produced in the recovery zone and insures maximum recovery of water-soluble alkali metal constituents from the alkali metal residues.

A petunia ethylene-responsive element binding factor, PhERF2, plays an important role in antiviral RNA silencing.

PubMed

Sun, Daoyang; Nandety, Raja Sekhar; Zhang, Yanlong; Reid, Michael S; Niu, Lixin; Jiang, Cai-Zhong

2016-05-01

Virus-induced RNA silencing is involved in plant antiviral defense and requires key enzyme components, including RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RDRs), Dicer-like RNase III enzymes (DCLs), and Argonaute proteins (AGOs). However, the transcriptional regulation of these critical components is largely unknown. In petunia (Petunia hybrida), an ethylene-responsive element binding factor, PhERF2, is induced by Tobacco rattle virus (TRV) infection. Inclusion of a PhERF2 fragment in a TRV silencing construct containing reporter fragments of phytoene desaturase (PDS) or chalcone synthase (CHS) substantially impaired silencing efficiency of both the PDS and CHS reporters. Silencing was also impaired in PhERF2- RNAi lines, where TRV-PhPDS infection did not show the expected silencing phenotype (photobleaching). In contrast, photobleaching in response to infiltration with the TRV-PhPDS construct was enhanced in plants overexpressing PhERF2 Transcript abundance of the RNA silencing-related genes RDR2, RDR6, DCL2, and AGO2 was lower in PhERF2-silenced plants but higher in PhERF2-overexpressing plants. Moreover, PhERF2-silenced lines showed higher susceptibility to Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) than wild-type (WT) plants, while plants overexpressing PhERF2 exhibited increased resistance. Interestingly, growth and development of PhERF2-RNAi lines were substantially slower, whereas the overexpressing lines were more vigorous than the controls. Taken together, our results indicate that PhERF2 functions as a positive regulator in antiviral RNA silencing. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Do Glucose and Caffeine Nasal Sprays Influence Exercise or Cognitive Performance?

PubMed

De Pauw, Kevin; Roelands, Bart; Van Cutsem, Jeroen; Decroix, Lieselot; Valente, Angelica; Taehee, Kim; Lettan, Robert B; Carrillo, Andres E; Meeusen, Romain

2017-10-01

Nasal spray (NAS) containing caffeine (CAF) or glucose (GLUC) activates sensory(motor) cortices. To investigate the influence of CAF or GLUC NAS on exercise and cognitive performance. Eleven male subjects (age 22 ± 2 y) performed a maximal cycle test and 2 familiarization and 3 experimental trials. Each trial included a 30-s Wingate test and a 30-min time-trial (TT) performance test interspersed by 15 min of rest. Before and after each exercise test a Stroop task was conducted. Placebo NAS with or without CAF or GLUC was provided before each exercise session and at each completed 25% of the TT. Exercise-performance, physiological, and cognitive measures were obtained. Magnitude-based inferences determined the likelihood that NAS solutions would be beneficial, trivial, or negative to exercise-performance measures based on the smallest worthwhile effect. Physiological and cognitive measures were analyzed using (non)parametric tests (P < .05). GLUC NAS substantially increased the average power output during the TT (very likely beneficial: 98%). No further worthwhile exercise-performance enhancements were found for both substances. In addition, no significant differences in physiological and cognitive measures were observed. In line with mouth rinsing, GLUC was shown to substantially enhance endurance performance, probably due to the activation of the olfactory pathway and/or extra-oral sweet-taste receptors. GLUC NAS enhances endurance performance, which indicates a novel administration route. The higher activity in sensory brain cortices probably elicited the ergogenic effect. However, no further physiological and cognitive changes occurred, indicating that higher doses of substrates might be required.

Genotype-phenotype correlations of low frequency variants in the complement system in renal disease and age-related macular degeneration.

PubMed

Geerlings, M J; Volokhina, E B; de Jong, E K; van de Kar, N; Pauper, M; Hoyng, C B; van den Heuvel, L P; den Hollander, A I

2018-06-11

Genetic alterations in the complement system have been linked to a variety of diseases, including atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), C3 glomerulopathy (C3G), and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We performed sequence analysis of the complement genes CFH, CFI, and C3 in 866 aHUS/C3G and 697 AMD patients. In total we identified 505 low frequency alleles, representing 121 unique variants, of which 51 are novel. CFH contained the largest number of unique low frequency variants (n=64; 53%), followed by C3 (n=32; 26%) and CFI (n=25; 21%). A substantial number of variants were found in both patients groups (n=48; 40%), while 41 (34%) variants were found only in aHUS/C3G and 32 (26%) variants were AMD-specific. Genotype-phenotype correlations between the disease groups identified a higher frequency of protein-altering alleles in SCR20 of Factor H (FH), and in the serine protease domain of Factor I (FI) in aHUS/C3G patients. In AMD a higher frequency of protein-altering alleles was observed in SCR3, SCR5 and SCR7 of FH, the SRCR domain of FI, and in the MG3 domain of C3. In conclusion, we observed a substantial overlap of variants between aHUS/C3G and AMD, however, there is a distinct clustering of variants within specific domains. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Effects of low doses of caffeine on cognitive performance, mood and thirst in low and higher caffeine consumers.

PubMed

Smit, H J; Rogers, P J

2000-10-01

Caffeine is present in many widely consumed drinks and some foods. In the fairly extensive literature on the psychostimulant effects of caffeine, there are few dose-response studies and even fewer studies of the effects of doses of caffeine lower than 50 mg (the range of the amounts of caffeine contained in, for example, a typical serving of tea or cola). This study measured the effects of 0, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mg caffeine on cognitive performance, mood and thirst in adults with low and moderate to high habitual caffeine intakes. This was a double-blind, within-subjects study. Following overnight caffeine abstinence, participants (n=23) completed a test battery once before and three times after placebo or caffeine administration. The test battery consisted of two performance tests, a long duration simple reaction time task and a rapid visual information processing task, and a mood questionnaire (including also an item on thirst). Effects on performance and mood confirmed a psychostimulant action of caffeine. All doses of caffeine significantly affected cognitive performance, and the dose-response relationships for these effects were rather flat. The effects on performance were more marked in individuals with a higher level of habitual caffeine intake, whereas caffeine increased thirst only in low caffeine consumers. After overnight caffeine abstinence, caffeine can significantly affect cognitive performance, mood and thirst at doses within and even lower than the range of amounts of caffeine contained in a single serving of popular caffeine-containing drinks. Regular caffeine consumers appear to show substantial tolerance to the thirst-increasing but not to the performance and mood effects of caffeine.

The National Practitioner Data Bank: the first 4 years.

PubMed Central

Oshel, R E; Croft, T; Rodak, J

1995-01-01

The National Practitioner Data Bank became operational September 1, 1990, as a flagging system to identify health care practitioners who may have been involved in incidents of medical incompetence. Query volumes have grown substantially over the Data Bank's first 4 years of operation. The greatest increase has come in the number of voluntary queries. By the end of 1994, the Data Bank had processed more than 4.5 million requests for information on practitioners, more than 1.5 million of which were received in 1994 alone. The proportion of queries for which the Data Bank contains information on the practitioner in question has grown as the Data Bank has come to contain more reports. During 1994, 7.9 percent of queries were matched. The Data Bank contained more than 97,500 reports at the end of 1994. More than 82 percent of the reports concerned malpractice payments. Licensure reports made up the bulk of the rest. Physicians predominate in reports, accounting for slightly more than 76 percent of the total. The remainder are related to dentists (16 percent) and all other types of practitioners (8 percent). Since reporting of adverse actions is mandatory only for physicians and dentists, the proportion of reports attributable to these types of practitioners is higher than it would be if adverse action reporting requirements were uniform for all practitioners. State malpractice payment rates and adverse action rates vary widely, but a State's rate in any given year is highly correlated with its rate in any other year. State malpractice rates are not strongly correlated with adverse action rates, neither are the rates for physicians strongly correlated with those for dentists. There is a weak tendency for States with smaller physician populations to have higher levels of licensure and privileging actions. PMID:7638325

Allergenicity of milk of different animal species in relation to human milk.

PubMed

Pastuszka, Robert; Barłowska, Joanna; Litwińczuk, Zygmunt

2016-12-31

Protein content in cow milk (with over 20 proteins, and peptides may also occur as a result of enzymatic hydrolysis) ranges from 2.5% to 4.2% and is about 1.5-2 times higher than in human milk. Its most important allergens are considered to be β-lactoglobulin (absent in human milk) and αs1-casein. The most similar in composition to human milk is horse and donkey milk. It contains considerably more whey proteins (35-50%) than cow milk (about 20%), and the concentration of the most allergenic casein fraction αs1 is 1.5-2.5 g/l. In comparison, the content of αs1-casein in cow milk is about 10 g/l. β-lactoglobulin present in donkey milk is a monomer, while in milk of ruminants it is a dimer. Like human milk, it contains a substantial amount of lactose (about 7%), which determines its flavour and facilitates calcium absorption. The high lysozyme content (about 1 g/l) gives it antibacterial properties (compared to trace amounts in ruminants). Camel milk is also more digestible and induces fewer allergic reactions, because it lacks β-lactoglobulin, and its β-casein has a different structure. It also contains (compared to cow milk) more antibacterial substances such as lysozyme, lactoferrin and immunoglobulins, and furthermore the number of immunoglobulins is compatible with human ones. Goat milk components have a higher degree of assimilability as compared to cow milk. Its main protein is β-casein, with total protein content depending on the αs1-casein genetic variant. Goats with the '0' variant do not synthesize this allergenic protein. Clinical and immunochemical studies indicate, however, that it cannot be a substitute for cow milk without the risk of an anaphylactic reaction.

Collection of liquid from below-ground location

DOEpatents

Phillips, S.J.; Alexander, R.G.

1995-05-30

A method is described for retrieving liquid from a below-ground collection area by permitting gravity flow of the liquid from the collection area to a first closed container; monitoring the level of the liquid in the closed container; and after the liquid reaches a given level in the first closed container, transferring the liquid to a second closed container disposed at a location above the first closed container, via a conduit, by introducing into the first closed container a gas which is substantially chemically inert with respect to the liquid, the gas being at a pressure sufficient to propel the liquid from the first closed container to the second closed container. 3 figs.

Evolution of postmating reproductive isolation: measuring the fitness effects of chromosomal regions containing hybrid male sterility factors.

PubMed

Johnson, N A; Wu, C I

1993-08-01

At least six regions of the X chromosome can cause male sterility when introgressed from Drosophila mauritiana into Drosophila simulans. In this article, we present the results of the other fitness effects caused by two X-linked regions that contain hybrid male sterility factors. In both regions, females that are heterozygous for an introgression with such a sterility factor produce substantially-fewer offspring than females heterozygous for an introgression that lacks the sterility factor. Thus, the hybrid male sterility factors, or other genes nearby, have substantial effects on female productivity. In contrast, hybrid male sterility factors have little or no effect on the relative viabilities of either sex. The evolutionary implications of these findings are discussed.

Pretreated densified biomass products

DOEpatents

Dale, Bruce E; Ritchie, Bryan; Marshall, Derek

2014-03-18

A product comprising at least one densified biomass particulate of a given mass having no added binder and comprised of a plurality of lignin-coated plant biomass fibers is provided, wherein the at least one densified biomass particulate has an intrinsic density substantially equivalent to a binder-containing densified biomass particulate of the same given mass and h a substantially smooth, non-flakey outer surface. Methods for using and making the product are also described.

Starch characteristics of transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) overexpressing the Dx5 high molecular weight glutenin subunit are substantially equivalent to those in nonmodified wheat.

PubMed

Beckles, Diane M; Tananuwong, Kanitha; Shoemaker, Charles F

2012-04-01

The effects of engineering higher levels of the High Molecular Weight Glutenin Dx5 subunit on starch characteristics in transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain were evaluated. This is important because of the interrelationship between starch and protein accumulation in grain, the strong biotechnological interest in modulating Dx5 levels and the increasing likelihood that transgenic wheat will be commercialized in the U.S. Unintended effects of Dx5 overexpression on starch could affect wheat marketability and therefore should be examined. Two controls with native levels of Dx5 were used: (i) the nontransformed Bobwhite cultivar, and (ii) a transgenic line (Bar-D) expressing a herbicide resistant (bar) gene, and they were compared with 2 transgenic lines (Dx5G and Dx5J) containing bar and additional copies of Dx5. There were few changes between Bar-D and Dx5G compared to Bobwhite. However, Dx5J, the line with the highest Dx5 protein (×3.5) accumulated 140% more hexose, 25% less starch and the starch had a higher frequency of longer amylopectin chains. These differences were not of sufficient magnitude to influence starch functionality, because granule morphology, crystallinity, amylose-to-amylopectin ratio, and the enthalpy of starch gelatinization and the amylose-lipid complex melting were similar to the control (P > 0.05). This overall similarity was borne out by Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Function Analysis, which could not distinguish among genotypes. Collectively our data imply that higher Dx5 can affect starch accumulation and some aspects of starch molecular structure but that the starches of the Dx5 transgenic wheat lines are substantially equivalent to the controls. Transgenic manipulation of biochemical pathways is an effective way to enhance food sensory quality, but it can also lead to unintended effects. These spurious changes are a concern to Government Regulatory Agencies and to those Industries that market the product. In this study we examined if making "specific" changes to the composition of gluten proteins in wheat seeds would simultaneously alter starch, as their synthesis is interrelated and the molecular structure of both determine flour functionality. This information may be used to address issues of "substantial equivalence" and to inform Industrial End-Users of possible changes in product performance. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Substance abuse associated with elder abuse in the United States.

PubMed

Jogerst, Gerald J; Daly, Jeanette M; Galloway, Lara J; Zheng, Shimin; Xu, Yinghui

2012-01-01

Substance abuse by either victim or perpetrator has long been associated with violence and abuse. Sparse research is available regarding elder abuse and its association with substance abuse. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of state-reported domestic elder abuse with regional levels of substance abuse. Census demographic and elder abuse data were sorted into substate regions to align with the substance use treatment-planning regions for 2269 US counties. From the 2269 US counties there were 229 substate regions in which there were 213,444 investigations of abuse. For the other Ns (reports and substantiations) there were fewer counties and regions. See first sentence of data analyses and first sentence of results. Elder abuse report rates ranged from .03 to .41% (80 regions), investigation rates .001 to .34% (229 regions), and substantiation rates 0 to .22% (184 regions). Elder abuse investigations and substantiations were associated with various forms of substance abuse. Higher investigation rates were significantly associated with a higher rate of any illicit drug use in the past month, a lower median household income, lower proportion of the population graduated high school, and higher population of Hispanics. Higher substantiation rates were significantly associated with higher rate of illicit drug use in the past month and higher population of Hispanics. It may be worthwhile for administrators of violence programs to pay particular attention to substance abuse among their clients and in their community's environment, especially if older persons are involved. Measures of documented elder abuse at the county level are minimal. To be able to associate substance abuse with elder abuse is a significant finding, realizing that the substance abuse can be by the victim or the perpetrator of elder abuse.

Physical Characterization of Cu-Ni-P Thin Films aiming at Cu/Cu-Ni-P Thermocouples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomachevski, F.; Sparvoli, M.; dos Santos Filho, S. G.

2015-03-01

Cu-Ni-P thin films have a high-thermoelectric power, which allows the fabrication of very sensitive heat-flux sensors based on planar technology. In this work, (100) silicon surfaces were pre-activated in a diluted hydrofluoric acid solution containing PdCl2. Following, Cu-Ni-P thin films were chemically deposited using an alkaline chemical bath containing 15 g/l NiSO4.6H2O; 0.2 g/l CuSO4.5H2O; 15 g/l Na2HPO2.H2O and 60 g/l Na3C6H5O7.2H2O at temperature of 80 °C where NH4OH was added until pH was 8.0. It was noteworthy that the stoichiometric percentages of Ni and Cu vary substantially for immersion times in the range of 1 to 3 min and they become almost stable at 50% and 35%, respectively, when the immersion time is higher than 3 min. In addition, the percentage of P remains almost constant around 1718 % for all the immersion times studied. On the other hand, the sheet resistance also varies substantially for immersion times in the range of 1 to 3 min. Based on the surface morphology, smaller grains with size in the range of 0.02 to 0.1 μm are initially grown on the silicon surface and exposed regions of silicon without deposits are also observed for immersion times in the range of 1 to 3min. Therefore, the discontinuities and non uniformities of the films are promoting, respectively, the observed behaviours of sheet resistance and stoichiometry.

Exposure to smoking in movies among British adolescents 2001–2006

PubMed Central

Anderson, Stacey J; Millett, Christopher; Polansky, Jonathan R

2010-01-01

Objective To estimate youth exposure to smoking in movies in the UK and compare the likely effect with the USA. Methods We collected tobacco occurrences data for 572 top-grossing films in the UK screened from 2001 to 2006 and estimated the number of on-screen tobacco impressions delivered to British youths in this time period. Results 91% of films in our sample that contained smoking were youth-rated films (British Board of Film Classification rating ‘15’ and lower), delivering at least 1.10 billion tobacco impressions to British youths during theatrical release. British youths were exposed to 28% more smoking impressions in UK youth-rated movies than American youth-rated movies, because 79% of movies rated for adults in the USA (‘R’) are classified as suitable for youths in the UK (‘15’ or ‘12A’). Conclusion Because there is a dose-response relation between the amount of on-screen exposure to smoking and the likelihood that adolescents will begin smoking, the fact that there is substantially higher exposure to smoking in youth-rated films in the UK than in the USA suggests that the fraction of all youth smoking because of films in the UK is probably larger than in the USA. Other countries with ratings systems that are less conservative (in terms of language and sexuality) than the USA will also be likely to deliver more on-screen tobacco impressions to youths. Assigning an ‘18’ classification to movies that contain smoking would substantially reduce youth exposure to on-screen smoking and, hence, smoking initiation among British youths. PMID:20197360

Method to produce water-soluble sugars from biomass using solvents containing lactones

DOEpatents

Dumesic, James A.; Luterbacher, Jeremy S.

2015-06-02

A process to produce an aqueous solution of carbohydrates that contains C6-sugar-containing oligomers, C6 sugar monomers, C5-sugar-containing oligomers, C5 sugar monomers, or any combination thereof is presented. The process includes the steps of reacting biomass or a biomass-derived reactant with a solvent system including a lactone and water, and an acid catalyst. The reaction yields a product mixture containing water-soluble C6-sugar-containing oligomers, C6-sugar monomers, C5-sugar-containing oligomers, C5-sugar monomers, or any combination thereof. A solute is added to the product mixture to cause partitioning of the product mixture into an aqueous layer containing the carbohydrates and a substantially immiscible organic layer containing the lactone.

Method to produce water-soluble sugars from biomass using solvents containing lactones

DOEpatents

Dumesic, James A.; Luterbacher, Jeremy S.

2017-08-08

A process to produce an aqueous solution of carbohydrates that contains C6-sugar-containing oligomers, C6 sugar monomers, C5-sugar-containing oligomers, C5 sugar monomers, or any combination thereof is presented. The process includes the steps of reacting biomass or a biomass-derived reactant with a solvent system including a lactone and water, and an acid catalyst. The reaction yields a product mixture containing water-soluble C6-sugar-containing oligomers, C6-sugar monomers, C5-sugar-containing oligomers, C5-sugar monomers, or any combination thereof. A solute is added to the product mixture to cause partitioning of the product mixture into an aqueous layer containing the carbohydrates and a substantially immiscible organic layer containing the lactone.

Impact of a Genetically Engineered Bacterium with Enhanced Alkaline Phosphatase Activity on Marine Phytoplankton Communities

PubMed Central

Sobecky, P. A.; Schell, M. A.; Moran, M. A.; Hodson, R. E.

1996-01-01

An indigenous marine Achromobacter sp. was isolated from coastal Georgia seawater and modified in the laboratory by introduction of a plasmid with a phoA hybrid gene that directed constitutive overproduction of alkaline phosphatase. The effects of this "indigenous" genetically engineered microorganism (GEM) on phosphorus cycling were determined in seawater microcosms following the addition of a model dissolved organic phosphorus compound, glycerol 3-phosphate, at a concentration of 1 or 10 (mu)M. Within 48 h, a 2- to 10-fold increase in the concentration of inorganic phosphate occurred in microcosms containing the GEM (added at an initial density equivalent to 8% of the total bacterial population) relative to controls containing only natural microbial populations, natural populations with the unmodified Achromobacter sp., or natural populations with the Achromobacter sp. containing the plasmid but not the phoA gene. Secondary effects of the GEM on the phytoplankton community were observed after several days, evident as sustained increases in phytoplankton biomass (up to 14-fold) over that in controls. Even in the absence of added glycerol 3-phosphate, a numerically stable GEM population (averaging 3 to 5% of culturable bacteria) was established within 2 to 3 weeks of introduction into seawater. Moreover, alkaline phosphatase activity in microcosms with the GEM was substantially higher than that in controls for up to 25 days, and microcosms containing the GEM maintained the potential for net phosphate accumulation above control levels for longer than 1 month. PMID:16535222

Thioester-Containing Proteins 2 and 4 Affect the Metabolic Activity and Inflammation Response in Drosophila.

PubMed

Shokal, Upasana; Kopydlowski, Hannah; Harsh, Sneh; Eleftherianos, Ioannis

2018-05-01

Drosophila melanogaster is an outstanding model for studying host antipathogen defense. Although substantial progress has been made in understanding how metabolism and immunity are interrelated in flies, little information has been obtained on the molecular players that regulate metabolism and inflammation in Drosophila during pathogenic infection. Recently, we reported that the inactivation of thioester-containing protein 2 ( Tep2 ) and Tep4 promotes survival and decreases the bacterial burden in flies upon infection with the virulent pathogens Photorhabdus luminescens and Photorhabdus asymbiotica Here, we investigated physiological and pathological defects in tep mutant flies in response to Photorhabdus challenge. We find that tep2 and tep4 loss-of-function mutant flies contain increased levels of carbohydrates and triglycerides in the presence or absence of Photorhabdus infection. We also report that Photorhabdus infection leads to higher levels of nitric oxide and reduced transcript levels of the apical caspase-encoding gene Dronc in tep2 and tep4 mutants. We show that Tep2 and Tep4 are upregulated mainly in the fat body rather than the gut in Photorhabdus -infected wild-type flies and that tep mutants contain decreased numbers of Photorhabdus bacteria in both tissue types. We propose that the inactivation of Tep2 or Tep4 in adult Drosophila flies results in lower levels of inflammation and increased energy reserves in response to Photorhabdus , which could confer a survival-protective effect during the initial hours of infection. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Supplementation of Elderly Japanese Men and Women with Fucoidan from Seaweed Increases Immune Responses to Seasonal Influenza Vaccination12

PubMed Central

Negishi, Hirokuni; Mori, Mari; Mori, Hideki; Yamori, Yukio

2013-01-01

The elderly are known to have an inadequate immune response to influenza vaccine. Mekabu fucoidan (MF), a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from seaweed, was previously shown to have an immunomodulatory effect. We therefore investigated antibody production after influenza vaccination in elderly Japanese men and women with and without oral MF intake. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study was conducted with 70 volunteers >60 y of age. They were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups, consuming either MF (300 mg/d) or placebo for 4 wk, and then given a trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine. Serum was sampled at 5 and 20 wk after vaccination to measure the hemagglutination inhibition titer and natural killer cell activity. The MF group had higher antibody titers against all 3 strains contained in the seasonal influenza virus vaccine than the placebo group. Titers against the B/Brisbane/60/2008 (B) strain increased substantially more in the MF group than in the placebo group over the product consumption period. The immune response against B antigen met the European Union Licensure criteria regarding the geometric mean titer ratio in the MF group (2.4), but not in the placebo group (1.7). In the MF group, natural killer cell activity tended to increase from baseline 9 wk after MF intake (P = 0.08). However, in the placebo group no substantial increase was noted at 9 wk, and the activity decreased substantially from 9 to 24 wk. In the immunocompromised elderly, MF intake increased antibody production after vaccination, possibly preventing influenza epidemics. PMID:24005608

Assessment of health claims, content, and safety of herbal supplements containing Ginkgo biloba

PubMed Central

Fransen, Heidi P.; Pelgrom, Sylvia M.G.J.; Stewart-Knox, Barbara; de Kaste, Dries; Verhagen, Hans

2010-01-01

Background European Regulation 1924/2006 states that all health claims made on foods need to be substantiated scientifically. Objective To apply the PASSCLAIM criteria for the scientific substantiation of health claims on foods to herbal supplements containing Ginkgo biloba. Evaluation of three selected claimed health effects for G. biloba (improvement of blood circulation, improvement of symptoms of old age, and improvement of memory) was achieved through review of publicly available scientific data. A total of 35 human intervention studies were evaluated. Commercially available products claimed to contain mainly G. biloba (N=29) were randomly sampled in the Netherlands and analyzed for their content on ginkgo extract. Also, a toxicological risk assessment was performed. Results The three selected health claims investigated could not be substantiated. This was mainly because of a lack of data from studies in healthy volunteers. In most studies results performed with a 24% standardized G. biloba extract were described. However, our chemical analysis showed that 25 of the 29 sampled products did not contain the required minimum 24% standardized extract. Moreover, in most preparations the content of substances typical for G. biloba did not conform to what was declared on the label. Since toxicity data for G. biloba are very limited, a safety limit could not be established. Conclusions Evidence is lacking for three health claims of herbal products with G. biloba. Neither safety nor efficacy can be guaranteed at the recommended daily dose. The multidisciplinary approach described in this paper provides good insight into issues that are relevant for the evaluation of health claims for herbal food supplements. PMID:20927202

Radiation Chemistry in Ammonia-Water Ices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loeffler, M. J.; Raut, U.; Baragiola, R. A.

2010-01-01

We studied the effects of 100 keV proton irradiation on films of ammonia-water mixtures between 20 and 120 K. Irradiation destroys ammonia, leading to the formation and trapping of H2, N2 NO, and N2O, the formation of cavities containing radiolytic gases, and ejection of molecules by sputtering. Using infrared spectroscopy, we show that at all temperatures the destruction of ammonia is substantial, but at higher temperatures (120 K), it is nearly complete (approximately 97% destroyed) after a fluence of 10(exp 16) ions per square centimeter. Using mass spectroscopy and microbalance gravimetry, we measure the sputtering yield of our sample and the main components of the sputtered flux. We find that the sputtering yield depends on fluence. At low temperatures, the yield is very low initially and increases quadratically with fluence, while at 120 K the yield is constant and higher initially. The increase in the sputtering yield with fluence is explained by the formation and trapping of the ammonia decay products, N2 and H2 which are seen to be ejected from the ice at all temperatures.

Haloactamides versus halomethanes formation and toxicity in chloraminated drinking water.

PubMed

Yang, Fan; Zhang, Jing; Chu, Wenhai; Yin, Daqiang; Templeton, Michael R

2014-06-15

In this study we quantified the concentrations of nine haloacetamides (HAcAms) and nine halomethanes (HMs) in the final waters of five drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) that use either chlorination or chloramination for disinfection and evaluated the toxicity of dichloroacetamide (DCAcAm) and dichloromethane (DCM) in normal rat kidney (NRK) cells using four in vitro toxicity assays. All the DWTPs final waters contained primarily di-HAcAms, followed by tri- and mono-HAcAms, and DCAcAm was the most abundant species of the 9 HAcAms, regardless of chlorination or chloramination being applied. In the final waters of DWTPs using chlorination, tri-HMs (trihalomethanes, THMs) accounted for the majority of HMs, whereas chloramination resulted in more di-HMs (especially DCM) than THMs. All four in vitro toxicity assays indicated that the NRK cell chronic cytotoxicity and acute genotoxicity of DCAcAm were substantially higher than that of DCM. In view of observed occurrence concentrations and quantified toxicity levels, the findings of this study suggest that DCAcAm represents a higher toxicity risk than DCM in chloraminated drinking waters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

"Slow the spread" a national program to contain the gypsy moth

Treesearch

Alexei A. Sharov; Donna Leonard; Andrew M. Liebhold; E. Anderson Roberts; Willard Dickerson; Willard Dickerson

2002-01-01

Invasions by alien species can cause substantial damage to our forest resources. The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) represents one example of this problem, and we present here a new strategy for its management that concentrates on containment rather than suppression of outbreaks. The "Slow the Spread" project is a combined federal and state...

Dry pulverized solid material pump

DOEpatents

Meyer, John W.; Bonin, John H.; Daniel, Jr., Arnold D.

1984-07-31

Apparatus is shown for substantially increasing the feed rate of pulverized material into a pressurized container. The apparatus includes a rotor that is mounted internal to the pressurized container. The pulverized material is fed into an annular chamber defined by the center of the rotor. A plurality of impellers are mounted within the annular chamber for imparting torque to the pulverized material.

Accuracy of stated energy contents of restaurant foods.

PubMed

Urban, Lorien E; McCrory, Megan A; Dallal, Gerard E; Das, Sai Krupa; Saltzman, Edward; Weber, Judith L; Roberts, Susan B

2011-07-20

National recommendations for the prevention and treatment of obesity emphasize reducing energy intake. Foods purchased in restaurants provide approximately 35% of the daily energy intake in US individuals but the accuracy of the energy contents listed for these foods is unknown. To examine the accuracy of stated energy contents of foods purchased in restaurants. A validated bomb calorimetry technique was used to measure dietary energy in food from 42 restaurants, comprising 269 total food items and 242 unique foods. The restaurants and foods were randomly selected from quick-serve and sit-down restaurants in Massachusetts, Arkansas, and Indiana between January and June 2010. The difference between restaurant-stated and laboratory-measured energy contents, which were corrected for standard metabolizable energy conversion factors. The absolute stated energy contents were not significantly different from the absolute measured energy contents overall (difference of 10 kcal/portion; 95% confidence interval [CI], -15 to 34 kcal/portion; P = .52); however, the stated energy contents of individual foods were variable relative to the measured energy contents. Of the 269 food items, 50 (19%) contained measured energy contents of at least 100 kcal/portion more than the stated energy contents. Of the 10% of foods with the highest excess energy in the initial sampling, 13 of 17 were available for a second sampling. In the first analysis, these foods contained average measured energy contents of 289 kcal/portion (95% CI, 186 to 392 kcal/portion) more than the stated energy contents; in the second analysis, these foods contained average measured energy contents of 258 kcal/portion (95% CI, 154 to 361 kcal/portion) more than the stated energy contents (P <.001 for each vs 0 kcal/portion difference). In addition, foods with lower stated energy contents contained higher measured energy contents than stated, while foods with higher stated energy contents contained lower measured energy contents (P <.001). Stated energy contents of restaurant foods were accurate overall. However, there was substantial inaccuracy for some individual foods, with understated energy contents for those with lower energy contents.

Accuracy of Stated Energy Contents of Restaurant Foods

PubMed Central

Urban, Lorien E.; McCrory, Megan A.; Dallal, Gerard E.; Das, Sai Krupa; Saltzman, Edward; Weber, Judith L.; Roberts, Susan B.

2015-01-01

Context National recommendations for the prevention and treatment of obesity emphasize reducing energy intake. Foods purchased in restaurants provide approximately 35% of the daily energy intake in US individuals but the accuracy of the energy contents listed for these foods is unknown. Objective To examine the accuracy of stated energy contents of foods purchased in restaurants. Design and Setting A validated bomb calorimetry technique was used to measure dietary energy in food from 42 restaurants, comprising 269 total food items and 242 unique foods. The restaurants and foods were randomly selected from quick-serve and sit-down restaurants in Massachusetts, Arkansas, and Indiana between January and June 2010. Main Outcome Measure The difference between restaurant-stated and laboratory-measured energy contents, which were corrected for standard metabolizable energy conversion factors. Results The absolute stated energy contents were not significantly different from the absolute measured energy contents overall (difference of 10 kcal/portion; 95% confidence interval [CI], −15 to 34 kcal/portion; P=.52); however, the stated energy contents of individual foods were variable relative to the measured energy contents. Of the 269 food items, 50 (19%) contained measured energy contents of at least 100 kcal/portion more than the stated energy contents. Of the 10% of foods with the highest excess energy in the initial sampling, 13 of 17 were available for a second sampling. In the first analysis, these foods contained average measured energy contents of 289 kcal/portion (95% CI, 186 to 392 kcal/portion) more than the stated energy contents; in the second analysis, these foods contained average measured energy contents of 258 kcal/portion (95% CI, 154 to 361 kcal/portion) more than the stated energy contents (P<.001 for each vs 0 kcal/portion difference). In addition, foods with lower stated energy contents contained higher measured energy contents than stated, while foods with higher stated energy contents contained lower measured energy contents (P<.001). Conclusions Stated energy contents of restaurant foods were accurate overall. However, there was substantial inaccuracy for some individual foods, with understated energy contents for those with lower energy contents. PMID:21771989

Size resolved fog water chemistry and its atmospheric implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Abhishek; Gupta, Tarun; Tripathi, Sachchida; Ervens, Barbara; Bhattu, Deepika

2015-04-01

Fog is a natural meteorological phenomenon that occurs throughout the world. It usually contains substantial quantity of liquid water and results in severe visibility reduction leading to disruption of normal life. Fog is generally seen as a natural cleansing agent but it also has the potential to form Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA) via aqueous processing of ambient aerosols. Size- resolved fog water chemistry for inorganics were reported in previous studies but processing of organics inside the fog water and quantification of aqSOA remained a challenge. To assess the organics processing via fog aqueous processing, size resolved fog water samples were collected in two consecutive winter seasons (2012-13, 2013-14) at Kanpur, a heavily polluted urban area of India. Caltech 3 stage fog collector was used to collect the fog droplets in 3 size fraction; coarse (droplet diameter > 22 µm), medium (22> droplet diameter >16 µm) and fine (16> droplet diameter >4 µm). Collected samples were atomized into various instruments such as Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS), Cloud Condensation Nucleus Counter (CCNc), Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and a thermo denuder (TD) for the physico-chemical characterization of soluble constituents. Fine droplets are found to be more enriched with different aerosol species and interestingly contain more aged and less volatile organics compared to other coarser sizes. Organics inside fine droplets have an average O/C = 0.87 compared to O/C of 0.67 and 0.74 of coarse and medium droplets. Metal chemistry and higher residence time of fine droplets are seemed to be the two most likely reasons for this outcome from as the results of a comprehensive modeling carried out on the observed data indicate. CCN activities of the aerosols from fine droplets are also much higher than that of coarse or medium droplets. Fine droplets also contain light absorbing material as was obvious from their 'yellowish' solution. Source apportionment of fog water organics via PMF (Positive matrix factorization) revealed presence of some very highly oxidized OA inside fog water samples. From PMF results a method for aqSOA estimation is developed and aqSOA was found to be substantially contributing to total SOA. These findings indicate that light fog with large number of fine droplets can process the ambient aerosols more efficiently than very dense fog with larger droplets where scavenging becomes more important. These findings also highlight the need of incorporating fog size resolved chemistry along with metal chemistry into global models for accurately predicting aqSOA formation and contribution to total organic aerosol loading.

Application of the compensated Arrhenius formalism to explain the dielectric constant dependence of rates for Menschutkin reactions.

PubMed

Petrowsky, Matt; Glatzhofer, Daniel T; Frech, Roger

2013-11-21

The dependence of the reaction rate on solvent dielectric constant is examined for the reaction of trihexylamine with 1-bromohexane in a series of 2-ketones over the temperature range 25-80 °C. The rate constant data are analyzed using the compensated Arrhenius formalism (CAF), where the rate constant assumes an Arrhenius-like equation that also contains a dielectric constant dependence in the exponential prefactor. The CAF activation energies are substantially higher than those obtained using the simple Arrhenius equation. A master curve of the data is observed by plotting the prefactors against the solvent dielectric constant. The master curve shows that the reaction rate has a weak dependence on dielectric constant for values approximately less than 10 and increases more rapidly for dielectric constant values greater than 10.

ECUT (Energy Conversion and Utilization Technologies) program: Biocatalysis Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Fiscal year 1987 research activities and accomplishments for the Biocatalysis Project of the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Conversion and Utilization Technologies (ECUT) Division are presented. The project's technical activities were organized into three work elements. The Molecular Modeling and Applied Genetics work element includes modeling and simulation studies to verify a dynamic model of the enzyme carboxypeptidase; plasmid stabilization by chromosomal integration; growth and stability characteristics of plasmid-containing cells; and determination of optional production parameters for hyper-production of polyphenol oxidase. The Bioprocess Engineering work element supports efforts in novel bioreactor concepts that are likely to lead to substantially higher levels of reactor productivity, product yields, and lower separation energetics. The Bioprocess Design and Assessment work element attempts to develop procedures (via user-friendly computer software) for assessing the economics and energetics of a given biocatalyst process.

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

Khinkis, Mark J.; Kozlov, Aleksandr P.

A radiant, non-catalytic recuperative reformer has a flue gas flow path for conducting hot exhaust gas from a thermal process and a reforming mixture flow path for conducting a reforming mixture. At least a portion of the reforming mixture flow path is positioned adjacent to the flue gas flow path to permit heat transfer from the hot exhaust gas to the reforming mixture. The reforming mixture flow path contains substantially no material commonly used as a catalyst for reforming hydrocarbon fuel (e.g., nickel oxide, platinum group elements or rhenium), but instead the reforming mixture is reformed into a higher calorificmore » fuel via reactions due to the heat transfer and residence time. In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the reforming mixture flow path is positioned outside of flue gas flow path for a relatively large residence time.« less

RADIATION-INDUCED CHROMOSOME ABERRATIONS IN MAN

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

Sasaki, M.; Ottoman, R.E.; Norman, A.

1963-10-01

A study was made of the production and elimination of radioinduced chromosomal aberrations in leukocytes from the peripheral blood of persons exposed to chronic or acute doses of high-energy radiation. Included in the group were radiologists and laboratory scientists, for whom there were available complete records of the radiation dose received during their working life, and a number of distinguished radiologists who have practiced more than 25 yrs and who may have received substantial doses One of seven leukocytes from a distinguished radiologist contained a pair of chromosomes that could be classified as pseudo- diploid. In laboratory personnel for whommore » the doses received were significantly within the prescribed limits, the incidence of pseudo-diploid cells, of dicentrics, and of other chroNonemosomal aberrations was significantly higher than in a more or less comparable control group. (tr-auth)« less

Molten uranium dioxide structure and dynamics

DOE PAGES

Skinner, L. B.; Parise, J. B.; Benmore, C. J.; ...

2014-11-21

Uranium dioxide (UO 2) is the major nuclear fuel component of fission power reactors. A key concern during severe accidents is the melting and leakage of radioactive UO 2 as it corrodes through its zirconium cladding and steel containment. Yet, the very high temperatures (>3140 kelvin) and chemical reactivity of molten UO 2 have prevented structural studies. In this work, we combine laser heating, sample levitation, and synchrotron x-rays to obtain pair distribution function measurements of hot solid and molten UO 2. The hot solid shows a substantial increase in oxygen disorder around the lambda transition (2670 K) but negligiblemore » U-O coordination change. On melting, the average U-O coordination drops from 8 to 6.7 ± 0.5. Molecular dynamics models refined to this structure predict higher U-U mobility than 8-coordinated melts.« less

Non-catalytic recuperative reformer

DOEpatents

Khinkis, Mark J.; Kozlov, Aleksandr P.; Kurek, Harry

2015-12-22

A non-catalytic recuperative reformer has a flue gas flow path for conducting hot flue gas from a thermal process and a reforming mixture flow path for conducting a reforming mixture. At least a portion of the reforming mixture flow path is embedded in the flue gas flow path to permit heat transfer from the hot flue gas to the reforming mixture. The reforming mixture flow path contains substantially no material commonly used as a catalyst for reforming hydrocarbon fuel (e.g., nickel oxide, platinum group elements or rhenium), but instead the reforming mixture is reformed into a higher calorific fuel via reactions due to the heat transfer and residence time. In a preferred embodiment, extended surfaces of metal material such as stainless steel or metal alloy that are high in nickel content are included within at least a portion of the reforming mixture flow path.

Tritium containing polymers having a polymer backbone substantially void of tritium

DOEpatents

Jensen, G.A.; Nelson, D.A.; Molton, P.M.

1992-03-31

A radioluminescent light source comprises a solid mixture of a phosphorescent substance and a tritiated polymer. The solid mixture forms a solid mass having length, width, and thickness dimensions, and is capable of self-support. In one aspect of the invention, the phosphorescent substance comprises solid phosphor particles supported or surrounded within a solid matrix by a tritium containing polymer. The tritium containing polymer comprises a polymer backbone which is essentially void of tritium. 2 figs.

Tritium containing polymers having a polymer backbone substantially void of tritium

DOEpatents

Jensen, George A.; Nelson, David A.; Molton, Peter M.

1992-01-01

A radioluminescent light source comprises a solid mixture of a phosphorescent substance and a tritiated polymer. The solid mixture forms a solid mass having length, width, and thickness dimensions, and is capable of self-support. In one aspect of the invention, the phosphorescent substance comprises solid phosphor particles supported or surrounded within a solid matrix by a tritium containing polymer. The tritium containing polymer comprises a polymer backbone which is essentially void of tritium.

Antagonistic Potential of Native Trichoderma viride Strain against Potent Tea Fungal Pathogens in North East India.

PubMed

Naglot, A; Goswami, S; Rahman, I; Shrimali, D D; Yadav, Kamlesh K; Gupta, Vikas K; Rabha, Aprana Jyoti; Gogoi, H K; Veer, Vijay

2015-09-01

Indigenous strains of Trichoderma species isolated from rhizosphere soils of Tea gardens of Assam, north eastern state of India were assessed for in vitro antagonism against two important tea fungal pathogens namely Pestalotia theae and Fusarium solani. A potent antagonist against both tea pathogenic fungi, designated as SDRLIN1, was selected and identified as Trichoderma viride. The strain also showed substantial antifungal activity against five standard phytopathogenic fungi. Culture filtrate collected from stationary growth phase of the antagonist demonstrated a significantly higher degree of inhibitory activity against all the test fungi, demonstrating the presence of an optimal blend of extracellular antifungal metabolites. Moreover, quantitative enzyme assay of exponential and stationary culture filtrates revealed that the activity of cellulase, β-1,3-glucanase, pectinase, and amylase was highest in the exponential phase, whereas the activity of proteases and chitinase was noted highest in the stationary phase. Morphological changes such as hyphal swelling and distortion were also observed in the fungal pathogen grown on potato dextrose agar containing stationary phase culture filtrate. Moreover, the antifungal activity of the filtrate was significantly reduced but not entirely after heat or proteinase K treatment, demonstrating substantial role of certain unknown thermostable antifungal compound(s) in the inhibitory activity.

Partial Melting of the Indarch (EH4) Meteorite : A Textural, Chemical and Phase Relations View of Melting and Melt Migration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCoy, Timothy J.; Dickinson, Tamara L.; Lofgren, Gary E.

2000-01-01

To Test whether Aubrites can be formed by melting of enstatite Chondrites and to understand igneous processes at very low oxygen fugacities, we have conducted partial melting experiments on the Indarch (EH4) chondrite at 1000-1500 C. Silicate melting begins at 1000 C. Substantial melt migration occurs at 1300-1400 C and metal migrates out of the silicate change at 1450 C and approx. 50% silicate partial melting. As a group, our experiments contain three immiscible metallic melts 9Si-, and C-rich), two immiscible sulfide melts(Fe-and FeMgMnCa-rich) and Silicate melt. Our partial melting experiments on the Indarch (EH4) enstatite Chondrite suggest that igneous processes at low fO2 exhibit serveral unique features. The complete melting of sulfides at 1000 C suggest that aubritic sulfides are not relicts. Aubritic oldhamite may have crystallized from Ca and S complexed in the silicate melt. Significant metal-sulfide melt migration might occur at relatively low degrees of silicate partial melting. Substantial elemental exchange occurred between different melts (e.g., between sulfide and silicate, Si between silicate and metal), a feature not observed during experiments at higher fO2. This exchange may help explain the formation of aubrites from known enstatite chondrites.

Metallic phase change material thermal storage for Dish Stirling

DOE PAGES

Andraka, C. E.; Kruizenga, A. M.; Hernandez-Sanchez, B. A.; ...

2015-06-05

Dish-Stirling systems provide high-efficiency solar-only electrical generation and currently hold the world record at 31.25%. This high efficiency results in a system with a high possibility of meeting the DOE SunShot goal of $0.06/kWh. However, current dish-Stirling systems do not incorporate thermal storage. For the next generation of non-intermittent and cost-competitive solar power plants, we propose adding a thermal energy storage system that combines latent (phase-change) energy transport and latent energy storage in order to match the isothermal input requirements of Stirling engines while also maximizing the exergetic efficiency of the entire system. This paper reports current findings in themore » area of selection, synthesis and evaluation of a suitable high performance metallic phase change material (PCM) as well as potential interactions with containment alloy materials. The metallic PCM's, while more expensive than salts, have been identified as having substantial performance advantages primarily due to high thermal conductivity, leading to high exergetic efficiency. Systems modeling has indicated, based on high dish Stirling system performance, an allowable cost of the PCM storage system that is substantially higher than SunShot goals for storage cost on tower systems. Several PCM's are identified with suitable melting temperature, cost, and performance.« less

Volatile sulfur compounds produced by probiotic bacteria in the presence of cysteine or methionine.

PubMed

Sreekumar, R; Al-Attabi, Z; Deeth, H C; Turner, M S

2009-06-01

To investigate the abilities of various probiotic bacteria to produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) relevant to food flavour and aroma. Probiotic strains (Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Lactobacillus plantarum 299v, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC55730 and L. reuteri BR11), Lactobacillus delbrueckii ATCC4797, L. plantarum ATCC14917 and Lactococcus lactis MG1363 were incubated with either cysteine or methionine. Volatile compounds were captured, identified and quantified using a sensitive solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique combined with gas chromatography coupled to a pulsed flame photometric detector (SPME/GC/PFPD). Several VSCs were identified including H(2)S, methanethiol, dimethyldisulfide and dimethyltrisulfide. The VSC profiles varied substantially for different strains of L. plantarum and L. reuteri and it was found that L. reuteri ATCC55730 and L. lactis MG1363 produced the lowest levels of VSCs (P < 0.05). Levels of VSCs generated by bacteria were found to be equivalent to, or higher than, that found in commercial cheeses. Several probiotic strains are able to generate considerable levels of VSCs and substantial variations in VSC generating potential exists between different strains from the same species. This study demonstrates that probiotic bacteria are able to efficiently generate important flavour and aroma compounds and therefore has implications for the development of probiotic containing foods.

Antagonistic Potential of Native Trichoderma viride Strain against Potent Tea Fungal Pathogens in North East India

PubMed Central

Naglot, A.; Goswami, S.; Rahman, I.; Shrimali, D. D.; Yadav, Kamlesh K.; Gupta, Vikas K.; Rabha, Aprana Jyoti; Gogoi, H. K.; Veer, Vijay

2015-01-01

Indigenous strains of Trichoderma species isolated from rhizosphere soils of Tea gardens of Assam, north eastern state of India were assessed for in vitro antagonism against two important tea fungal pathogens namely Pestalotia theae and Fusarium solani. A potent antagonist against both tea pathogenic fungi, designated as SDRLIN1, was selected and identified as Trichoderma viride. The strain also showed substantial antifungal activity against five standard phytopathogenic fungi. Culture filtrate collected from stationary growth phase of the antagonist demonstrated a significantly higher degree of inhibitory activity against all the test fungi, demonstrating the presence of an optimal blend of extracellular antifungal metabolites. Moreover, quantitative enzyme assay of exponential and stationary culture filtrates revealed that the activity of cellulase, β-1,3-glucanase, pectinase, and amylase was highest in the exponential phase, whereas the activity of proteases and chitinase was noted highest in the stationary phase. Morphological changes such as hyphal swelling and distortion were also observed in the fungal pathogen grown on potato dextrose agar containing stationary phase culture filtrate. Moreover, the antifungal activity of the filtrate was significantly reduced but not entirely after heat or proteinase K treatment, demonstrating substantial role of certain unknown thermostable antifungal compound(s) in the inhibitory activity. PMID:26361476

Bayesian Optimal Interval Design: A Simple and Well-Performing Design for Phase I Oncology Trials

PubMed Central

Yuan, Ying; Hess, Kenneth R.; Hilsenbeck, Susan G.; Gilbert, Mark R.

2016-01-01

Despite more than two decades of publications that offer more innovative model-based designs, the classical 3+3 design remains the most dominant phase I trial design in practice. In this article, we introduce a new trial design, the Bayesian optimal interval (BOIN) design. The BOIN design is easy to implement in a way similar to the 3+3 design, but is more flexible for choosing the target toxicity rate and cohort size and yields a substantially better performance that is comparable to that of more complex model-based designs. The BOIN design contains the 3+3 design and the accelerated titration design as special cases, thus linking it to established phase I approaches. A numerical study shows that the BOIN design generally outperforms the 3+3 design and the modified toxicity probability interval (mTPI) design. The BOIN design is more likely than the 3+3 design to correctly select the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and allocate more patients to the MTD. Compared to the mTPI design, the BOIN design has a substantially lower risk of overdosing patients and generally a higher probability of correctly selecting the MTD. User-friendly software is freely available to facilitate the application of the BOIN design. PMID:27407096

Septins Arrange F-Actin-Containing Fibers on the Chlamydia trachomatis Inclusion and Are Required for Normal Release of the Inclusion by Extrusion

PubMed Central

Volceanov, Larisa; Herbst, Katharina; Biniossek, Martin; Schilling, Oliver; Haller, Dirk; Nölke, Thilo; Subbarayal, Prema; Rudel, Thomas; Zieger, Barbara

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular human pathogen that grows inside a membranous, cytosolic vacuole termed an inclusion. Septins are a group of 13 GTP-binding proteins that assemble into oligomeric complexes and that can form higher-order filaments. We report here that the septins SEPT2, -9, -11, and probably -7 form fibrillar structures around the chlamydial inclusion. Colocalization studies suggest that these septins combine with F actin into fibers that encase the inclusion. Targeting the expression of individual septins by RNA interference (RNAi) prevented the formation of septin fibers as well as the recruitment of actin to the inclusion. At the end of the developmental cycle of C. trachomatis, newly formed, infectious elementary bodies are released, and this release occurs at least in part through the organized extrusion of intact inclusions. RNAi against SEPT9 or against the combination of SEPT2/7/9 substantially reduced the number of extrusions from a culture of infected HeLa cells. The data suggest that a higher-order structure of four septins is involved in the recruitment or stabilization of the actin coat around the chlamydial inclusion and that this actin recruitment by septins is instrumental for the coordinated egress of C. trachomatis from human cells. The organization of F actin around parasite-containing vacuoles may be a broader response mechanism of mammalian cells to the infection by intracellular, vacuole-dwelling pathogens. PMID:25293760

Erratum: Retraction Note to: Two-Dimensional Simulation of Percolation Structure in Two-Phase Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Soon-Gi

2018-03-01

This article [1] has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Concerns were raised regarding substantial duplications with previous articles published in other journals. After a thorough analysis, we conclude that the concerns are valid. The article contains sections that substantially overlap with the following published article [2] (amongst others). S.-G. Shin has not responded to correspondence from the Editor about this retraction.

Microporous plastic member such as a battery separator and process for making same

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

Sundberg, E.G.; Campbell, G.A.; Doucette, E.I.

A process for producing a microporous plastic member useful as a battery separator comprises the following operations: forming a coherent dough by mixing a vinyl chloride resin with a plasticizing amount of a first solvent and with finely divided particles of a filler which contains volatilizable releasable constituent by heating and which shrinks substantially and irreversibly upon release of the volatilizable constituent, an example of which is hydrated silica; forming the solvent-containing dough into a shaped member; extracting the first solvent from the member before any substantial evaporation of solvent occurs by contacting it with a second solvent in amore » liquid bath at a temperature substantially below the boiling point of any liquid present, the second solvent being one which is capable of dissolving the first solvent without dissolving the resin and the filler, thereby deplasticizing the member by extractively removing the first solvent from the member; and thereafter heating the member at an elevated temperature but below the softening point of the resin until the filler is shrunk within the member by release of its volatilizable content. 10 claims.« less

Ion manipulation device with electrical breakdown protection

DOEpatents

Chen, Tsung-Chi; Tang, Keqi; Ibrahim, Yehia M; Smith, Richard D; Anderson, Gordon A; Baker, Erin M

2014-12-02

An ion manipulation method and device is disclosed. The device includes a pair of substantially parallel surfaces. An array of inner electrodes is contained within, and extends substantially along the length of, each parallel surface. The device includes a first outer array of electrodes and a second outer array of electrodes. Each outer array of electrodes is positioned on either side of the inner electrodes, and is contained within and extends substantially along the length of each parallel surface. A DC voltage is applied to the first and second outer array of electrodes. A RF voltage, with a superimposed electric field, is applied to the inner electrodes by applying the DC voltages to each electrode. Ions either move between the parallel surfaces within an ion confinement area or along paths in the direction of the electric field, or can be trapped in the ion confinement area. The surfaces are housed in a chamber, and at least one electrically insulative shield is coupled to an inner surface of the chamber for increasing a mean-free-path between two adjacent electrodes in the chamber.

Phosphorus amendment reduces hepatic and renal oxidative stress in mallards ingesting lead-contaminated sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffman, D.J.; Heinz, G.H.; Audet, D.J.

2006-01-01

Lead poisoning of waterfowl has been reported for decades in the Coeur d'Alene River Basin (CDARB) in Idaho as a result of the ingestion of lead-contaminated sediments. This study was conducted to determine whether the addition of phosphoric acid to CDARB sediments would reduce the bioavailability and toxicity of lead to the liver and kidney of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). Mallards received diets containing 12% clean sediment (controls) or 12% sediment from three different CDARB sites containing 4520, 5390, or 6990 ug/g lead (dry weight) with or without phosphoric acid amendment. Liver and kidney lead concentrations were significantly higher in all CDARB treatment groups and ranged from geometric mean values of 18.2 (liver) and 28.7 (kidney) for the first 2 sites to 22.5 (liver) and 45.6 (kidney) ug/g (wet weight) for the third site. With amendments all liver lead concentrations were reduced 36 to 55%, and all kidney lead concentrations were lowered 54 to 73%. Unamended CDARB sediment from the third site resulted in the following hepatic effects: over 1.6-fold elevation of liver glutathione (reduced form; GSH) concentration, higher GSH S-transferase and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) reductase activities, and lower protein-bound thiols (PBSH) concentration. Renal effects included higher kidney GSH concentrations for all CDARB sites, with over 2.1-fold higher for the third site. Resulting kidney GSSG to GSH ratios were lower at two sites. At the third site, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity was elevated, and lipid peroxidation as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) was 1.7-fold greater. Amendment restored all hepatic variables as well as the renal variables TBARS and GGT so they did not differ from controls. Although amendments of phosphorus substantially reduced the bioavailability of lead and some of the adverse effects, lead concentrations in the tissues of mallards fed the amended sediments were still above those considered to be harmful to waterfowl under the present conditions.

Lightweight cryogenic-compatible pressure vessels for vehicular fuel storage

DOEpatents

Aceves, Salvador; Berry, Gene; Weisberg, Andrew H.

2004-03-23

A lightweight, cryogenic-compatible pressure vessel for flexibly storing cryogenic liquid fuels or compressed gas fuels at cryogenic or ambient temperatures. The pressure vessel has an inner pressure container enclosing a fuel storage volume, an outer container surrounding the inner pressure container to form an evacuated space therebetween, and a thermal insulator surrounding the inner pressure container in the evacuated space to inhibit heat transfer. Additionally, vacuum loss from fuel permeation is substantially inhibited in the evacuated space by, for example, lining the container liner with a layer of fuel-impermeable material, capturing the permeated fuel in the evacuated space, or purging the permeated fuel from the evacuated space.

Estimates of Ethanol Exposure in Children from Food not Labeled as Alcohol-Containing

PubMed Central

Gorgus, Eva; Hittinger, Maike; Schrenk, Dieter

2016-01-01

Abstract Ethanol is widely used in herbal medicines, e.g., for children. Furthermore, alcohol is a constituent of fermented food such as bread or yogurt and “non-fermented” food such as fruit juices. At the same time, exposure to very low levels of ethanol in children is discussed as possibly having adverse effects on psychomotoric functions. Here, we have analyzed alcohol levels in different food products from the German market. It was found that orange, apple and grape juice contain substantial amounts of ethanol (up to 0.77 g/L). Furthermore, certain packed bakery products such as burger rolls or sweet milk rolls contained more than 1.2 g ethanol/100 g. We designed a scenario for average ethanol exposure by a 6-year-old child. Consumption data for the “categories” bananas, bread and bakery products and apple juice were derived from US and German surveys. An average daily exposure of 10.3 mg ethanol/kg body weight (b.w.) was estimated. If a high (acute) consumption level was assumed for one of the “categories,” exposure rose to 12.5–23.3 mg/kg b.w. This amount is almost 2-fold (average) or up to 4-fold (high) higher than the lowest exposure from herbal medicines (6 mg/kg b.w.) suggested to require warning hints for the use in children. PMID:27405361

Satiety Impact of Different Potato Products Compared to Pasta Control.

PubMed

Diaz-Toledo, Carmen; Kurilich, Anne C; Re, Roberta; Wickham, Martin S J; Chambers, Lucy C

2016-08-01

A variety of potato dishes are regularly consumed worldwide, but the satiety value of these foods is not well established. The primary objective of this study was to compare the satiating effects of 4 equi-energy meals containing different potato preparations with an equi-energy pasta control meal. This study used a randomized crossover design to assess the impact of 4 equi-energy potato-based meals (fried French fries, baked potato, mashed potato, or potato wedges) on subjective satiety sensations (visual analogue scale [VAS] ratings) and subsequent energy intake (ad libitum meal [kcal]), compared to a control pasta-based meal. Thirty-three healthy nonobese men and women participated in the study. VAS ratings indicated that the meal containing fried french fries was perceived to be substantially more satiating than the equi-energy pasta control meal, with all other potato-based meals not differing overall from control. All test meals had a comparable effect on energy intake at a later ad libitum meal. Consumers reported higher levels of satiety following a meal where the principal carbohydrate source was fried french fries, compared to when they had consumed an energy-matched meal containing carbohydrate in the form of pasta. All other potato preparations had similar effects on satiety as pasta. It is concluded that participants perceived a meal with fried french fries as providing greater satiety than a pasta control meal.

Magnetic Heat Pump Containing Flow Diverters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, Frank S.

1995-01-01

Proposed magnetic heat pump contains flow diverters for suppression of undesired flows. If left unchecked, undesired flows mix substantial amounts of partially heated and partially cooled portions of working fluid, effectively causing leakage of heat from heated side to cooled side. By reducing leakage of heat, flow diverters increase energy efficiency of magnetic heat pump, potentially offering efficiency greater than compressor-driven refrigerator.

Method for removing chlorine compounds from hydrocarbon mixtures

DOEpatents

Janoski, Edward J.; Hollstein, Elmer J.

1985-12-31

A process for removing halide ions from a hydrocarbon feedstream containing halogenated hydrocarbons wherein the contaminated feedstock is contacted with a solution of a suitable oxidizing acid containing a lanthanide oxide, the acid being present in a concentration of at least about 50 weight percent for a time sufficient to remove substantially all of the halide ion from the hydrocarbon feedstock.

Method for removing chlorine compounds from hydrocarbon mixtures

DOEpatents

Janoski, E.J.; Hollstein, E.J.

1984-09-29

A process for removing halide ions from a hydrocarbon feedstream containing halogenated hydrocarbons wherein the contaminated feedstock is contacted with a solution of a suitable oxidizing acid containing a lanthanide oxide, the acid being present in a concentration of at least about 50 weight percent for a time sufficient to remove substantially all of the halide ion from the hydrocarbon feedstock.

Hydrogen isotope separation from water

DOEpatents

Jensen, R.J.

1975-09-01

A process for separating tritium from tritium-containing water or deuterium enrichment from water is described. The process involves selective, laser-induced two-photon excitation and photodissociation of those water molecules containing deuterium or tritium followed by immediate reaction of the photodissociation products with a scavenger gas which does not substantially absorb the laser light. The reaction products are then separated from the undissociated water. (auth)

Heterogeneity in Trajectories of Child Maltreatment Severity: A Two-Part Growth Mixture Model

PubMed Central

Yampolskaya, Svetlana; Greenbaum, Paul E.; Brown, C. Hendricks; Armstrong, Mary I.

2016-01-01

This study examined the trajectories of maltreatment severity and substantiation over a 24-month period among children (N = 82,396) with repeated maltreatment reports. Findings revealed two different longitudinal patterns. The first pattern, Elevated Severity, showed a higher level of maltreatment during the initial incident and increased maltreatment severity during subsequent incidents but the substantiation rates for this class decreased over time. The second pattern, Lowered Severity, showed a much lower level of severity, but the likelihood of substantiation increased over time. The Elevated Severity class was comprised of children with an elevated risk profile due to both individual and contextual risk factors including older age, female gender, caregivers’ substance use problems, and a higher number of previous maltreatment reports. Implications of the findings are discussed. PMID:26300381

Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons for fullerene synthesis in flames

DOEpatents

Alford, J. Michael; Diener, Michael D.

2006-12-19

This invention provides improved methods for combustion synthesis of carbon nanomaterials, including fullerenes, employing multiple-ring aromatic hydrocarbon fuels selected for high carbon conversion to extractable fullerenes. The multiple-ring aromatic hydrocarbon fuels include those that contain polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. More specifically, multiple-ring aromatic hydrocarbon fuels contain a substantial amount of indene, methylnapthalenes or mixtures thereof. Coal tar and petroleum distillate fractions provide low cost hydrocarbon fuels containing polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, including without limitation, indene, methylnapthalenes or mixtures thereof.

Simultaneous flow of gas and water in a damage-susceptible argillaceous rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, T. S.

2011-12-01

A research project has been initiated by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to study the influence of gas generation and migration on the long term safety of deep geological repositories for radioactive wastes. Such facilities rely on multiple barriers to isolate and contain the wastes. Depending on the level of radioactivity of the wastes, those barriers include some or all of the following: corrosion and structurally resistant containers, low permeability seals around the emplacements rooms, galleries and shaft, and finally the host rock formations. Large quantities of gas may be generated from the degradation of the waste forms or the corrosion of the containers. The generated gas pressures, if sufficiently large, can induce cracks and microcracks in the engineered and natural barriers and affect their containment functions. The author has developed a mathematical model to simulate the above effects. The model must be calibrated and validated with laboratory and field experiments in order to provide confidence in its future use for assessing the effects of gas on the long term safety of nuclear wastes repositories. The present communication describes the model and its use in the simulation of laboratory and large scale in-situ gas injection experiments in an argillaceous rock, known as Opalinus clay, from Mont Terri, Switzerland. Both the laboratory and in-situ experiments show that the gas flow rate substantially increases when the injection pressure is higher than the confining stress. The above observation seems to indicate that at high gas injection pressures, damage could possibly be induced in the rock formation resulting in an important increase in its permeability. In order to simulate the experiments, we developed a poro-elastoplastic model, with the consideration of two compressible pore fluids (water and gas). The bulk movement of the pore fluids is assumed to obey the generalized Darcy's law, and their respective degree of saturation is represented by the Van Genuchten's functions. The solid skeleton is assumed to be elastoplastic, with degradation of the strength and elastic modulus accompanied by an increase in permeability when damage is accumulated. The model can predict the three distinct flow regimes found in the experiments: a low flow regime where gas movement is restricted to the injection zone, a moderate flow regime when damage is limited, and a high flow regime when damage induces a substantial increase in the permeability.

Genetic variation in yield under hot ambient temperatures spotlights a role for cytokinin in protection of developing floral primordia.

PubMed

Sobol, Shiri; Chayut, Noam; Nave, Nahum; Kafle, Dinesh; Hegele, Martin; Kaminetsky, Rina; Wünsche, Jens N; Samach, Alon

2014-03-01

Unusually hot ambient temperatures (HAT) can cause pre-anthesis abortion of flowers in many diverse species, limiting crop production. This limitation is becoming more substantial with climate change. Flower primordia of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) vines exposed to HAT summers, normally abort. Flower abortion can also be triggered by gibberellin application. We screened for, and identified a genotype capable of reaching anthesis during summer as well as controlled HAT conditions, and also more resistant to gibberellin. Leaves of this genotype contained higher levels of endogenous cytokinin. We investigated a possible connection between higher cytokinin levels and response to gibberellin. Indeed, the effects of gibberellin application were partially suppressed in plants pretreated with cytokinin. Can higher cytokinin levels protect flowers from aborting under HAT conditions? In passion fruit, flowers at a specific stage showed more resistance in response to HAT after cytokinin application. We further tested this hypothesis in Arabidopsis. Transgenic lines with high or low cytokinin levels and cytokinin applications to wild-type plants supported a protective role for cytokinin on developing flowers exposed to HAT. Such findings may have important implications in future breeding programmes as well as field application of growth regulators. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mechanisms of naturally evolved ethanol resistance in Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Fry, James D.

2014-01-01

The decaying fruit in which Drosophila melanogaster feed and breed can contain ethanol in concentrations as high as 6–7%. In this cosmopolitan species, populations from temperate regions are consistently more resistant to ethanol poisoning than populations from the tropics, but little is known about the physiological basis of this difference. I show that when exposed to low levels of ethanol vapor, flies from a tropical African population accumulated 2–3 times more internal ethanol than flies from a European population, giving evidence that faster ethanol catabolism by European flies contributes to the resistance difference. Using lines differing only in the origin of their third chromosome, however, I show that faster ethanol elimination cannot fully explain the resistance difference, because relative to African third chromosomes, European third chromosomes confer substantially higher ethanol resistance, while having little effect on internal ethanol concentrations. European third chromosomes also confer higher resistance to acetic acid, a metabolic product of ethanol, than African third chromosomes, suggesting that the higher ethanol resistance conferred by the former might be due to increased resistance to deleterious effects of ethanol-derived acetic acid. In support of this hypothesis, when ethanol catabolism was blocked with an Alcohol dehydrogenase mutant, there was no difference in ethanol resistance between flies with European and African third chromosomes. PMID:25392459

Effects of Chamber Pressure and Partial Pressure of Water Vapor on Secondary Drying in Lyophilization.

PubMed

Searles, James A; Aravapalli, Sridhar; Hodge, Cody

2017-10-01

Secondary drying is the final step of lyophilization before stoppering, during which water is desorbed from the product to yield the final moisture content. We studied how chamber pressure and partial pressure of water vapor during this step affected the time course of water content of aqueous solutions of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in glass vials. The total chamber pressure had no effect when the partial pressure of water vapor was very low. However, when the vapor phase contained a substantial fraction of water vapor, the PVP moisture content was much higher. We carried out dynamic vapor sorption experiments (DVS) to demonstrate that the higher PVP moisture content was a straightforward result of the higher water vapor content in the lyophilizer. The results highlight that the partial pressure of water vapor is extremely important during secondary drying in lyophilization, and that lower chamber pressure set points for secondary drying may sometimes be justified as a strategy for ensuring low partial pressure of water vapor, especially for lyophilizers that do not inject dry gas to control pressure. These findings have direct application for process transfers/scale ups from freeze-dryers that do not inject dry gas for pressure control to those that do, and vice versa.

Stable Fe/ZSM-5 Nanosheet Zeolite Catalysts for the Oxidation of Benzene to Phenol

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Fe/ZSM-5 nanosheet zeolites of varying thickness were synthesized with di- and tetraquaternary ammonium structure directing agents and extensively characterized for their textural, structural, and catalytic properties. Introduction of Fe3+ ions in the framework of nanosheet zeolites was slightly less effective than in bulk ZSM-5 zeolite. Steaming was necessary to activate all catalysts for N2O decomposition and benzene oxidation. The higher the Fe content, the higher the degree of Fe aggregation was after catalyst activation. The degree of Fe aggregation was lower when the crystal domain size of the zeolite or the Fe content was decreased. These two parameters had a substantial influence on the catalytic performance. Decreasing the number of Fe sites along the b-direction strongly suppressed secondary reactions of phenol and, accordingly, catalyst deactivation. This together with the absence of diffusional limitations in nanosheet zeolites explains the much higher phenol productivity obtainable with nanostructured Fe/ZSM-5. Steamed Fe/ZSM-5 zeolite nanosheet synthesized using C22-6-3·Br2 (domain size in b-direction ∼3 nm) and containing 0.24 wt % Fe exhibited the highest catalytic performance. During the first 24 h on stream, this catalyst produced 185 mmolphenol g–1. Calcination to remove the coke deposits completely restored the initial activity. PMID:28413693

Improving Publication: Advice for Busy Higher Education Academics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, Anita

2016-01-01

A major challenge for higher education academics is to research and publish when faced with substantial teaching responsibilities, higher student numbers, and higher output expectations. The focus of this piece is to encourage publication more generally by educators, and to build publication capacity, which academic developers can facilitate. The…

Gender Barriers in Higher Education: The Case of Taiwan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Ru-jer

2001-01-01

Used data from a variety of sources to examine gender barriers to higher education in Taiwan. Findings show that barriers remain, that women still suffer disadvantages in access to higher education, even though the expansion of higher education in Taiwan has substantially benefitted females over the past few decades. (SLD)

Thermal behavior and catalytic activity in naphthalene destruction of Ce-, Zr- and Mn-containing oxide layers on titanium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasilyeva, Marina S.; Rudnev, Vladimir S.; Wiedenmann, Florian; Wybornov, Svetlana; Yarovaya, Tatyana P.; Jiang, Xin

2011-11-01

The present paper is devoted to studies of the composition and surface structure, including those after annealing at high temperatures, and catalytic activity in the reaction of naphthalene destruction of Ce-, Zr- and Mn-containing oxide layers on titanium obtained by means of the plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) method. The composition and structure of the obtained systems were investigated using the methods of X-ray phase and energy dispersive analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was demonstrated that Ce- and Zr- containing structures had relatively high thermal stability: their element and phase compositions and surface structure underwent virtually no changes after annealing in the temperature range 600-800 °C. Annealing of Ce- and Zr-containing coatings in the temperature range 850-900 °C resulted in substantial changes of their surface composition and structure: a relatively homogeneous and porous surface becomes coated by large pole-like crystals. The catalytic studies showed rather high activity of Ce- and Zr-containing coatings in the reaction of naphthalene destruction at temperatures up to 850 °C. Mn-containing structures of the type MnOx + SiO2 + TiO2/Ti have a well-developed surface coated by “nano-whiskers”. The phase composition and surface structure of manganese-containing layers changes dramatically in the course of thermal treatment. After annealing above 600 °C nano-whiskers vanish with formation of molten structures on the surface. The Mn-containing oxide systems demonstrated lower conversion degrees than the Ce- and Zr-containing coatings, which can be attributed to substantial surface modification and formation of molten manganese silicates at high temperatures.

Development of photopolymerizable clay nanocomposites utilizing reactive dispersants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owusu-Adom, Kwame

Nanocomposites hold tremendous promise for expanding the utility of polymeric materials. However, accessing particulate sizes in the nanoscale domain continues to be a scientific challenge, especially in highly cross-linked photopolymerizable systems. In this study, photopolymerizable nanocomposites utilizing clay nanoparticles and reactive dispersants have been developed. The influence of particle size, dispersant-clay interactions, and surfactant concentration on photopolymerization behavior and nanoparticle dispersion has been elucidated. Clay particles serve as templates upon which surfactants aggregate during photopolymerization. This results in higher photopolymerization rates with addition of increasing concentrations of polymerizable surfactants. Furthermore, polymerizable surfactants induce faster photopolymerization rates compared to non-polymerizable analogues in systems that have ionically-bound dispersants on the particle surface. Utilizing reactive organoclays induces significant changes to the photopolymerization behavior depending on the choice of reactive functionality employed. Faster acrylate photopolymerization rates occur in photopolymer systems containing thiol-modified clays, while much slower rates occur for nonpolymerizable organoclay systems. In addition, chemical compatibility between monomer and clay dispersant (based on chemical similarity or polarity) allows enhancement of exfoliation in photopolymerizable formulations. With polymerizable dispersants, exfoliation is readily achieved in various multifunctional acrylate systems. The degree of exfoliation depends on the position of the reactive group relative to the surfactant's cationic site and the type of functionality. Thiolated organoclays exfoliate during polymerization, while methacrylated clays show substantially less dependence on polymerization behavior. Interestingly, changes in the physical properties of the resulting nanocomposite are independent of the degree of exfoliation in polymerizable organoclay systems. The polymer cross-link density dictates the magnitude of change in both modulus and glass transition temperature of the nanocomposite. Substantial increases in modulus and Tg occur in elastomeric and low cross-link density polymers, while decreases occur in the modulus and Tg of highly cross-linked polymer networks. Finally, these parameters have formed a basis for developing nanocomposites with higher moduli and lower volumetric shrinkage. The photopolymerization rates of these systems are controllable and increase substantially with addition of polymerizable organoclays. Such properties occur in traditional multifunctional acrylate photopolymer systems as well as new binary thiol-(meth)acrylate and ternary thiol-ene-(meth)acrylate photopolymers.

Cooled Ceramic Composite Panel Tested Successfully in Rocket Combustion Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaskowiak, Martha H.

2003-01-01

Regeneratively cooled ceramic matrix composite (CMC) structures are being considered for use along the walls of the hot-flow paths of rocket-based or turbine-based combined-cycle propulsion systems. They offer the combined benefits of substantial weight savings, higher operating temperatures, and reduced coolant requirements in comparison to components designed with traditional metals. These cooled structures, which use the fuel as the coolant, require materials that can survive aggressive thermal, mechanical, acoustic, and aerodynamic loads while acting as heat exchangers, which can improve the efficiency of the engine. A team effort between the NASA Glenn Research Center, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and various industrial partners has led to the design, development, and fabrication of several types of regeneratively cooled panels. The concepts for these panels range from ultra-lightweight designs that rely only on CMC tubes for coolant containment to more maintainable designs that incorporate metal coolant containment tubes to allow for the rapid assembly or disassembly of the heat exchanger. One of the cooled panels based on an all-CMC design was successfully tested in the rocket combustion facility at Glenn. Testing of the remaining four panels is underway.

Mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana with altered phototropism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khurana, J. P.; Poff, K. L.

1989-01-01

Thirty five strains of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. have been identified with altered phototropic responses to 450-nm light. Four of these mutants have been more thoroughly characterized. Strain JK224 shows normal gravitropism and "second positive" phototropism. However, while the amplitude for "first positive" phototropism is the same as that in the wild-type, the threshold and fluence for the maximum response in "first positive" phototropism are shifted to higher fluence by a factor of 20-30. This mutant may represent an alteration in the photoreceptor pigment for phototropism. Strain JK218 exhibits no curvature to light at any fluence from 1 micromole m-2 to 2700 micromoles m-2, but shows normal gravitropism. Strain JK345 shows no "first positive" phototropism, and reduced gravitropism and "second positive" phototropism. Strain JK229 shows no measurable "first positive" phototropism, but normal gravitropism and "second positive" phototropism. Based on these data, it is suggested that: 1. gravitropism and phototropism contain at least one common element; 2. "first positive" and "second positive" phototropism contain at least one common element; and 3. "first positive" phototropism can be substantially altered without any apparent alteration of "second positive" phototropism.

Unaltered cosmic spherules in a 1.4-Gyr-old sandstone from Finland.

PubMed

Deutsch, A; Greshake, A; Pesonen, L J; Pihlaja, P

1998-09-10

Micrometeorites-submillimetre-sized particles derived from asteroids and comets-occur in significant quantities in deep sea sediments, and the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. The most abundant micrometeorites are cosmic spherules, which contain nickel-rich spinels that were crystallized and oxidized during atmospheric entry, therefore recording the oxygen content in the uppermost atmosphere. But the use of micrometeorites for detecting past changes in the flux of incoming extraterrestrial matter, and as probes of the evolution of the atmosphere, has been hampered by the fact that most objects with depositional ages higher than 0.5 Myr show severe chemical alteration. Here we report the discovery of unaltered cosmic spherules in a 1.4-Gyr-old sandstone (red bed) from Finland. From this we infer that red beds, a common lithology in the Earth's history, may contain substantial unbiased populations of fossil micrometeorites. The study of such populations would allow systematic research on variations in the micrometeorite flux from the early Proterozoic era to recent times (a time span of about 2.5 Gyr), and could help to better constrain the time when the atmospheric oxygen content was raised to its present level.

Imidazole-containing phthalazine derivatives inhibit Fe-SOD performance in Leishmania species and are active in vitro against visceral and mucosal leishmaniasis.

PubMed

Sánchez-Moreno, M; Gómez-Contreras, F; Navarro, P; Marín, C; Ramírez-Macías, I; Rosales, M J; Campayo, L; Cano, C; Sanz, A M; Yunta, M J R

2015-07-01

The in vitro leishmanicidal activity of a series of imidazole-containing phthalazine derivatives 1-4 was tested on Leishmania infantum, Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania donovani parasites, and their cytotoxicity on J774·2 macrophage cells was also measured. All compounds tested showed selectivity indexes higher than that of the reference drug glucantime for the three Leishmania species, and the less bulky monoalkylamino substituted derivatives 2 and 4 were clearly more effective than their bisalkylamino substituted counterparts 1 and 3. Both infection rate measures and ultrastructural alterations studies confirmed that 2 and 4 were highly leishmanicidal and induced extensive parasite cell damage. Modifications to the excretion products of parasites treated with 2 and 4 were also consistent with substantial cytoplasmic alterations. On the other hand, the most active compounds 2 and 4 were potent inhibitors of iron superoxide dismutase enzyme (Fe-SOD) in the three species considered, whereas their impact on human CuZn-SOD was low. Molecular modelling suggests that 2 and 4 could deactivate Fe-SOD due to a sterically favoured enhanced ability to interact with the H-bonding net that supports the antioxidant features of the enzyme.

Randomised controlled trial of a synthetic triglyceride milk formula for preterm infants

PubMed Central

Lucas, A; Quinlan, P; Abrams, S; Ryan, S; Meah, S; Lucas, P

1997-01-01

AIMS—To test whether use of infant formula containing synthetic structured triglycerides results in: (i) increased palmitate absorption; (ii) increased total fat absorption; (iii) reduction in calcium soap formation in the gut; and hence (iv) increased calcium absorption.
METHODS—A randomised study was made of 24 infants comparing three formulas, one containing the synthetic fat Betapol with 74% of palmitate in the 2-position, which was substantially higher than in the two comparison diets (8.4% and 28%). The hypothesised outcomes were tested using balance studies, detailed chemical analysis of stool specimens and dual calcium isotope tracers (44calcium orally and 46calcium intravenously). 
RESULTS—Three of the four hypotheses were confirmed: use of a formula rich in 2-position palmitate (i) improved palmitate (16:0) and also (18:0) absorption; (ii) reduced the formation of insoluble calcium soaps in the stool; and (iii) improved calcium absorption, determined by the dual tracer technique from 42 (SE 3)% to 57 (7)%.
CONCLUSION—Synthetic triglycerides that mimic the stereoisometric structure of those in breast milk may have a valuable role in the design of formulas used for preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units.

 PMID:9462186

FAST NEUTRONIC REACTOR

DOEpatents

Snell, A.H.

1957-12-01

This patent relates to a reactor and process for carrying out a controlled fast neutron chain reaction. A cubical reactive mass, weighing at least 920 metric tons, of uranium metal containing predominantly U/sup 238/ and having a U/sup 235/ content of at least 7.63% is assembled and the maximum neutron reproduction ratio is limited to not substantially over 1.01 by insertion and removal of a varying amount of boron, the reactive mass being substantially freed of moderator.

Preterm human milk contains a large pool of latent TGF-β, which can be activated by exogenous neuraminidase

PubMed Central

Namachivayam, Kopperuncholan; Blanco, Cynthia L.; Frost, Brandy L.; Reeves, Aaron A.; Jagadeeswaran, Ramasamy; MohanKumar, Krishnan; Safarulla, Azif; Mandal, Partha; Garzon, Steven A.; Raj, J. Usha

2013-01-01

Human milk contains substantial amounts of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, particularly the isoform TGF-β2. We previously showed in preclinical models that enterally administered TGF-β2 can protect against necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), an inflammatory bowel necrosis of premature infants. In this study we hypothesized that premature infants remain at higher risk of NEC than full-term infants, even when they receive their own mother's milk, because preterm human milk contains less bioactive TGF-β than full-term milk. Our objective was to compare TGF-β bioactivity in preterm vs. full-term milk and identify factors that activate milk-borne TGF-β. Mothers who delivered between 23 0/7 and 31 6/7 wk or at ≥37 wk of gestation provided milk samples at serial time points. TGF-β bioactivity and NF-κB signaling were measured using specific reporter cells and in murine intestinal tissue explants. TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, and various TGF-β activators were measured by real-time PCR, enzyme immunoassays, or established enzymatic activity assays. Preterm human milk showed minimal TGF-β bioactivity in the native state but contained a large pool of latent TGF-β. TGF-β2 was the predominant isoform of TGF-β in preterm milk. Using a combination of several in vitro and ex vivo models, we show that neuraminidase is a key regulator of TGF-β bioactivity in human milk. Finally, we show that addition of bacterial neuraminidase to preterm human milk increased TGF-β bioactivity. Preterm milk contains large quantities of TGF-β, but most of it is in an inactive state. Addition of neuraminidase can increase TGF-β bioactivity in preterm milk and enhance its anti-inflammatory effects. PMID:23558011

Ingestion of onion soup high in quercetin inhibits platelet aggregation and essential components of the collagen-stimulated platelet activation pathway in man: a pilot study.

PubMed

Hubbard, Gary P; Wolffram, Siegfried; de Vos, Ric; Bovy, Arnaud; Gibbins, Jonathan M; Lovegrove, Julie A

2006-09-01

Epidemiological data suggest that those who consume a diet rich in quercetin-containing foods may have a reduced risk of CVD. Furthermore, in vitro and ex vivo studies have observed the inhibition of collagen-induced platelet activation by quercetin. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible inhibitory effects of quercetin ingestion from a dietary source on collagen-stimulated platelet aggregation and signalling. A double-blind randomised cross-over pilot study was undertaken. Subjects ingested a soup containing either a high or a low amount of quercetin. Plasma quercetin concentrations and platelet aggregation and signalling were assessed after soup ingestion. The high-quercetin soup contained 69 mg total quercetin compared with the low-quercetin soup containing 5 mg total quercetin. Plasma quercetin concentrations were significantly higher after high-quercetin soup ingestion than after low-quercetin soup ingestion and peaked at 2.59 (sem 0.42) mumol/l. Collagen-stimulated (0.5 mug/ml) platelet aggregation was inhibited after ingestion of the high-quercetin soup in a time-dependent manner. Collagen-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of a key component of the collagen-signalling pathway via glycoprotein VI, Syk, was significantly inhibited by ingestion of the high-quercetin soup. The inhibition of Syk tyrosine phosphorylation was correlated with the area under the curve for the high-quercetin plasma profile. In conclusion, the ingestion of quercetin from a dietary source of onion soup could inhibit some aspects of collagen-stimulated platelet aggregation and signalling ex vivo. This further substantiates the epidemiological data suggesting that those who preferentially consume high amounts of quercetin-containing foods have a reduced risk of thrombosis and potential CVD risk.

Child maltreatment in Puerto Rico: findings from the 2010 National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System.

PubMed

Ishida, Kanako; Klevens, Joanne; Rivera-García, Brenda; Mirabal, Brenda

2013-09-01

Child maltreatment can have long-term adverse effects. Quantifying the scope and characteristics of child maltreatment is necessary for effective prevention in Puerto Rico. The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System Child File contains all the reports of child maltreatment from the United States (US) and Puerto Rico. A child maltreatment victim is defined as a child whose maltreatment was substantiated or indicated by the local child protective agency. We compared reporting and victimization rates and reporting sources in Puerto Rico, with those in the US and examined characteristics of child maltreatment in Puerto Rico. During 2006-2010, a total of 31,849-40,712 cases of child maltreatment were reported annually in Puerto Rico. Victimization rates are consistently higher in Puerto Rico than in the US (10.7/1,000-14.8/1,000 in Puerto Rico vs. 10.1/1,000-12.1/1,000 in the US), despite consistently lower reporting rates. In 2010, victimization rates were highest among children aged 1-6 years. In Puerto Rico, neglect is the most common form of maltreatment, followed by emotional abuse; however, the majority of victims suffered multiple types of abuse. Reporting was more commonly anonymous in Puerto Rico (29.8%) than in the US (9.4%) and less commonly provided by professionals in Puerto Rico (37.2%) than in the US (58.7%). We identified a high prevalence of child maltreatment in Puerto Rico. A lower reporting rate, higher victimization rate, and substantial percentage of anonymous reporting indicate potential underreporting of child maltreatment in Puerto Rico. Increasing the awareness and training professionals for improved child maltreatment identification could help alleviate the problem of underreporting.

A Claims-Based Examination of Health Care Costs Among Spouses of Patients With Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Gilden, Daniel M; Kubisiak, Joanna M; Kahle-Wrobleski, Kristin; Ball, Daniel E; Bowman, Lee

2017-06-01

Spouses of Alzheimer's disease patients (AD spouses) may experience substantial health effects associated with their partner's chronic cognitive and behavioral dysfunction. Studies examining associations between the medical experiences of AD spouses in the period before and after their partner's AD diagnosis are limited, particularly those which measure health care resource use and cost. AD patients were identified through multiple Medicare claims containing an AD diagnostic code. Their spouses were identified through special coding in the Medicare eligibility records. The AD spouses were matched demographically to the spouses of Medicare beneficiaries without a history of AD. Longitudinal and annual cross-sectional Medicare cost comparisons utilized log-transformed linear regression. The longitudinal period of observation began 12 months before the AD patient's initial claim listing AD and continued for up to 38 months afterwards. The study identified 16,322 AD spouses. Total per person costs were 24% higher in AD spouses than in the controls ($694/month vs $561/month). AD spouses' excess costs began 3 months before their partners' AD diagnoses and continued for ≥30 months. Being an AD spouse predicted 29% higher Medicare costs after adjustment for chronic health status (P < .001). Increasing AD patient care complexity had a substantial impact on AD spouse Medicare costs (P < .001). This study documents a link between the health status of AD spouses and AD patients. Additional research is required to elicit the mechanism behind the association between AD spouse and AD patient diagnosis. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Arctic terrestrial ecosystem contamination.

PubMed

Thomas, D J; Tracey, B; Marshall, H; Norstrom, R J

1992-07-15

Limited data have been collected on the presence of contaminants in the Arctic terrestrial ecosystem, with the exception of radioactive fallout from atmospheric weapons testing. Although southern and temperate biological systems have largely cleansed themselves of radioactive fallout deposited during the 1950s and 1960s, Arctic environments have not. Lichens accumulate radioactivity more than many other plants because of their large surface area and long life span; the presence and persistence of radioisotopes in the Arctic is of concern because of the lichen----reindeer----human ecosystem. Effective biological half-life of cesium 137 is reckoned to be substantially less than its physical half-life. The database on organochlorines in Canadian Arctic terrestrial mammals and birds is very limited, but indications are that the air/plant/animal contaminant pathway is the major route of these compounds into the terrestrial food chain. For terrestrial herbivores, the most abundant organochlorine is usually hexachlorobenzene followed by hexachlorocyclohexane isomers. PCB accumulation favours the hexachlorobiphenyl, pentachlorobiphenyl and heptachlorobiphenyl homologous series. The concentrations of the various classes of organochlorine compounds are substantially lower in terrestrial herbivore tissues than in marine mammal tissues. PCBs and DDT are the most abundant residues in peregrine falcons (a terrestrial carnivore) reaching average levels of 9.2 and 10.4 micrograms.g-1, respectively, more than 10 times higher than other organochlorines and higher than in marine mammals, including the polar bear. Contaminants from local sources include metals from mining activities, hydrocarbons and waste drilling fluids from oil and gas exploration and production, wastes from DEW line sites, naturally occurring radionuclides associated with uranium mineralization, and smoke containing SO2 and H2SO4 aerosol from the Smoking Hills at Cape Bathurst, N.W.T.

Flood-deposited wood debris and its contribution to heterogeneity and regeneration in a semi-arid riparian landscape.

PubMed

Pettit, Neil E; Naiman, Robert J

2005-09-01

We investigated whether large woody debris (LWD) piles create nodes of environmental resources that contribute to the recovery of riparian vegetation and that also augment the heterogeneity and resilience of the riverine system. River and riparian systems are typified by a large degree of heterogeneity and complex interactions between abiotic and biotic elements. Disturbance such as floods re-distribute the resources, such as LWD, and thereby add greater complexity to the system. We examined this issue on a semi-arid savanna river where approximately a 100-year return interval flood in 2000 uprooted vegetation and deposited substantial LWD. We investigated the micro-environment within the newly established LWD piles and compared this with conditions at adjacent reference sites containing no LWD. We found soil nutrient concentrations to be significantly higher in LWD piles compared with the reference plots (total N +19%, available P +51%, and total C +36%). Environmental variables within LWD piles and reference sites varied with landscape position in the river-riparian landscape and with LWD pile characteristics. Observed differences were generally between piles located in the terrestrial and riparian areas as compared to piles located on the macro-channel floor. After 3 years the number and cover of woody species were significantly higher when associated with LWD piles, regardless of landscape position or pile type. We conclude that LWD piles formed after large floods act as resource nodes by accumulating fine sediments and by retaining soil nutrients and soil moisture. The subsequent influence of LWD deposition on riparian heterogeneity is discerned at several spatial scales including within and between LWD piles, across landscape positions and between channel types. LWD piles substantially influence the initial developmental of riparian vegetation as the system regenerates following large destructive floods.

Mining legacy across a wetland landscape: high mercury in Upper Peninsula (Michigan) rivers, lakes, and fish.

PubMed

Kerfoot, W Charles; Urban, Noel R; McDonald, Cory P; Zhang, Huanxin; Rossmann, Ronald; Perlinger, Judith A; Khan, Tanvir; Hendricks, Ashley; Priyadarshini, Mugdha; Bolstad, Morgan

2018-04-25

A geographic enigma is that present-day atmospheric deposition of mercury in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is low (48%) and that regional industrial emissions have declined substantially (ca. 81% reduction) relative to downstate. Mercury levels should be declining. However, state (MDEQ) surveys of rivers and lakes revealed elevated total mercury (THg) in Upper Peninsula waters and sediment relative to downstate. Moreover, Western Upper Peninsula (WUP) fish possess higher methyl mercury (MeHg) levels than Northern Lower Peninsula (NLP) fish. A contributing explanation for elevated THg loading is that a century ago the Upper Peninsula was a major industrial region, centered on mining. Many regional ores (silver, copper, zinc, massive sulfides) contain mercury in part per million concentrations. Copper smelters and iron furnace-taconite operations broadcast mercury almost continuously for 140 years, whereas mills discharged tailings and old mine shafts leaked contaminated water. We show that mercury emissions from copper and iron operations were substantial (60-650 kg per year) and dispersed over relatively large areas. Moreover, lake sediments in the vicinity of mining operations have higher THg concentrations. Sediment profiles from the Keweenaw Waterway show that THg accumulation increased 50- to 400-fold above modern-day atmospheric deposition levels during active mining and smelting operations, with lingering MeHg effects. High MeHg concentrations are geographically correlated with low pH and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), a consequence of biogeochemical cycling in wetlands, characteristic of the Upper Peninsula. DOC can mobilize metals and elevate MeHg concentrations. We argue that mercury loading from mining is historically superimposed upon strong regional wetland effects, producing a combined elevation of both THg and MeHg in the Western Upper Peninsula.

Galaxy Zoo: Morphological Classification of Galaxy Images from the Illustris  Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson, Hugh; Fortson, Lucy; Lintott, Chris; Scarlata, Claudia; Willett, Kyle; Bamford, Steven; Beck, Melanie; Cardamone, Carolin; Galloway, Melanie; Simmons, Brooke; Keel, William; Kruk, Sandor; Masters, Karen; Vogelsberger, Mark; Torrey, Paul; Snyder, Gregory F.

2018-02-01

Modern large-scale cosmological simulations model the universe with increasing sophistication and at higher spatial and temporal resolutions. These ongoing enhancements permit increasingly detailed comparisons between the simulation outputs and real observational data. Recent projects such as Illustris are capable of producing simulated images that are designed to be comparable to those obtained from local surveys. This paper tests the degree to which Illustris achieves this goal across a diverse population of galaxies using visual morphologies derived from Galaxy Zoo citizen scientists. Morphological classifications provided by these volunteers for simulated galaxies are compared with similar data for a compatible sample of images drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Legacy Survey. This paper investigates how simple morphological characterization by human volunteers asked to distinguish smooth from featured systems differs between simulated and real galaxy images. Significant differences are identified, which are most likely due to the limited resolution of the simulation, but which could be revealing real differences in the dynamical evolution of populations of galaxies in the real and model universes. Specifically, for stellar masses {M}\\star ≲ {10}11 {M}ȯ , a substantially larger proportion of Illustris galaxies that exhibit disk-like morphology or visible substructure, relative to their SDSS counterparts. Toward higher masses, the visual morphologies for simulated and observed galaxies converge and exhibit similar distributions. The stellar mass threshold indicated by this divergent behavior confirms recent works using parametric measures of morphology from Illustris simulated images. When {M}\\star ≳ {10}11 {M}ȯ , the Illustris data set contains substantially fewer galaxies that classifiers regard as unambiguously featured. In combination, these results suggest that comparison between the detailed properties of observed and simulated galaxies, even when limited to reasonably massive systems, may be misleading.

Curable liquid hydrocarbon prepolymers containing hydroxyl groups and process for producing same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rhein, R. A.; Ingham, J. D. (Inventor)

1978-01-01

Production of hydroxyl containing curable liquid hydrocarbon prepolymers by ozonizing a high molecular weight saturated hydrocarbon polymer such as polyisobutylene or ethylene propylene rubber is discussed. The ozonized material is reduced using reducing agents, preferably diisobutyl aluminum hydride, to form the hydroxyl containing liquid prepolymers having a substantially lower molecular weight than the parent polymer. The resulting curable liquid hydroxyl containing prepolymers can be poured into a mold and readily cured, with reactants such as toluene diisocyanate, to produce highly stable elastomers having a variety of uses such as binders for solid propellants.

37 CFR 380.21 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... operations of which are staffed substantially by students enrolled at, a domestically accredited primary or...; and (ii) Other than ambient music that is background at a public event, does not contain an entire...

European Higher Education and the Process of Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ríos, Cristina

2011-01-01

European higher education has experienced substantial changes as a result of the ongoing implementation of the "Bologna Process." Twenty nine (29) European countries signed the "Bologna Declaration" in 1999 committing themselves to transform, through cooperation, an archaic and separated assortment of higher education…

The Protozoa, A Kingdom By Default?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackwell, Will H.; Powell, Martha J.

2001-01-01

Changes in the concepts of kingdoms of organisms are substantial and Protozoa is loosely characterized. Presents a case explaining how Protozoa interface with other kingdoms of organisms now recognized. (Contains 55 references.) (ASK)

RECOVERY OF URANIUM BY SECONDARY XANTHATE COMPLEXING

DOEpatents

Neville, O.K.

1959-09-01

A method is described for separating and recovering uranium values contained in an acidic aqueous solution together with thorium or protactinium values. In accordance with the invention, the acidic solution containing uranium in the uranyl form is contacted with an organic xanthate. The xanthate forms a urano-xanthate complex but is substantially non-reactive with thorium and protactinium. The urano-xanthate complex is recovered by organic solvent extraction.

A Critical Analysis of the INQAAHE Guidelines of Good Practice for Higher Education Quality Assurance Agencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackmur, Douglas

2008-01-01

The International Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education's Guidelines of Good Practice by higher education quality assurance agencies need substantial revision before they can be considered adequate by stakeholders in any national higher education system. Various revisions are proposed in this article. But the International…

Intesive fludarabine-high dose cytarabine-idarubicin combination as induction therapy with risk-adapted consolidation may improve treatment efficacy in younger Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients: Rationales, evidences and future perspectives.

PubMed

Guolo, Fabio; Minetto, Paola; Clavio, Marino; Miglino, Maurizio; Lemoli, Roberto Massimo; Gobbi, Marco

2017-03-22

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is the commonest form of leukemia in the adults, with an incidence of 3-4 cases per 100,000 people/year. After the first description of the effective cytarabine + antracycline (3+7) induction regimen, in the last 3 decades, no effective targeted drug has been included in the standard treatment of AML. Many efforts of modifying 3+7 adding a third drug or increasing the dose of anthracycline, cytarabine or both did not lead to substantial improvements, mainly due to increased toxicity. Many in vitro and in vivo evidences suggested that fludarabine may increase efficacy of cytarabine through a synergistic effect. Considering the continuous improvements in supportive care and management of infectious complications the feasibility of more intensive induction strategies have increased and a renewed interest in fludarabine-containing induction strategies arose. The recent MRC AML 15 trial has shown that a fludarabine-containing induction, FLAG-Ida, resulted superior to conventional 3+7 in terms of complete remission rates, relapse incidence and survival, although only a minority of patients could complete the whole planned consolidation program due to an excessive hematological toxicity. Our group recently published a 10-year experience with a fludarabine-containing induction that slightly differed from the MRC one and resulted in good efficacy and higher feasibility. In this commentary we review the major evidences supporting the employ of a fludarabine-containing induction in AML, and discuss the future perspectives.

Medical and Psychological Risks and Consequences of Long-Term Opioid Therapy in Women

PubMed Central

Darnall, Beth D.; Stacey, Brett R.; Chou, Roger

2016-01-01

Background Long-term opioid use has increased substantially over the past decade for U.S. women. Women are more likely than men to have a chronic pain condition, to be treated with opioids, and may receive higher doses. Prescribing trends persist despite limited evidence to support the long-term benefit of this pain treatment approach. Purpose To review the medical and psychological risks and consequences of long-term opioid therapy in women. Method Scientific literature containing relevant keywords and content were reviewed. Results and Conclusions Long-term opioid use exposes women to unique risks, including endocrinopathy, reduced fertility, neonatal risks, as well as greater risk for polypharmacy, cardiac risks, poisoning and unintentional overdose, among other risks. Risks for women appear to vary by age and psychosocial factors may be bidirectionally related to opioid use. Gaps in understanding and priorities for future research are highlighted. PMID:22905834

Preserving pre-rigor meat functionality for beef patty production.

PubMed

Claus, J R; Sørheim, O

2006-06-01

Three methods were examined for preserving pre-rigor meat functionality in beef patties. Hot-boned semimembranosus muscles were processed as follows: (1) pre-rigor ground, salted, patties immediately cooked; (2) pre-rigor ground, salted and stored overnight; (3) pre-rigor injected with brine; and (4) post-rigor ground and salted. Raw patties contained 60% lean beef, 19.7% beef fat trim, 1.7% NaCl, 3.6% starch, and 15% water. Pre-rigor processing occurred at 3-3.5h postmortem. Patties made from pre-rigor ground meat had higher pH values; greater protein solubility; firmer, more cohesive, and chewier texture; and substantially lower cooking losses than the other treatments. Addition of salt was sufficient to reduce the rate and extent of glycolysis. Brine injection of intact pre-rigor muscles resulted in some preservation of the functional properties but not as pronounced as with salt addition to pre-rigor ground meat.

Aeronautics Education, Research, and Industry Alliance (AERIAL) Progress Report and Proposal for Funding Continuation NASA Nebraska EPSCoR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowen, Brent; Fink, Mary; Gogos, George; Moussavi, Massoum; Nickerson, Jocelyn; Rundquist, Donald; Russell, Valerie; Tarry, Scott

2004-01-01

The Aeronautics Education, Research, and Industry Alliance (AERIAL), which began as a comprehensive, multi-faceted NASA EPSCoR 2000 initiative, has contributed substantially to the strategic research and technology priorities of NASA, while intensifying Nebraska's rapidly growing aeronautics research and development endeavors. AERIAL has enabled Nebraska researchers to: (a) continue strengthening their collaborative relationships with NASA Field Centers, Codes, and Enterprises; (b) increase the capacity of higher education throughout Nebraska to invigorate and expand aeronautics research; and (c) expedite the development of aeronautics-related research infrastructure and industry in the state. Nebraska has placed emphasis on successfully securing additional funds from non-EPSCoR and non-NASA sources. AERIAL researchers have aggressively pursued additional funding opportunities offered by NASA, industry, and other agencies. This report contains a summary of AERIAL's activities and accomplishments during its first three years of implementation.

Radionuclide solubility and speciation studies for the Yucca Mountain site characterization project

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

Nitsche, H.; Roberts, K.; Prussin, T.

1992-12-01

Yucca Mountain, Nevada, USA, is being investigated for its suitability as a potential site for a geologic nuclear waste repository. As part of the site characterization studies, actinide solubilities and speciations were studied at pH 6, 7, and 8.5 at 25{degrees}C in two different groundwaters from the vicinity of Yucca Mountain. The groundwaters differ substantially in total dissolved carbonate concentration, and to a lesser extent in ionic strength. In the waters with higher carbonate content, the solubilities of neptunium(V) decreased, whereas those americium(III) increased at 25{degrees}KC and decreased at 60{degrees}C. The solids formed were sodium neptunium carbonates and americium hydroxycarbonates.more » Plutonium solubilities did not significantly change with changing water composition because the solubility-controlling solids were mostly amorphous Pu(IV) polymers that contained only small amounts of carbonate.« less

Radionuclide solubility and speciation studies for the Yucca Mountain site characterization project

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

Nitsche, H.; Roberts, K.; Prussin, T.

1993-12-31

Yucca Mountain, Nevada, U.S.A., is being investigated for its suitability as a potential site for a geologic nuclear waste repository. As part of the site characterization studies, actinide solubilities and speciations were studied at pH 6, 7, and 8.5 at 25{degrees} and 60{degrees}C in two different groundwaters from the vicinity of Yucca Mountain. The groundwaters differ substantially in total dissolved carbonate concentration, and to a lesser extent in ionic strength. In the waters with higher carbonate content, the solubilities of neptunium(V) decreased, whereas those of americium (III) increased at 25{degrees}C and decreased at 60{degrees}C. The solids formed were sodium neptuniummore » carbonates and americium hydroxycarbonates. Plutonium solubilities did not significantly change with changing water composition because the solubility-controlling solids were mostly amorphous Pu(IV) polymers that contained only small amounts of carbonate.« less

Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for limonene and perillyl alcohol production.

PubMed

Alonso-Gutierrez, Jorge; Chan, Rossana; Batth, Tanveer S; Adams, Paul D; Keasling, Jay D; Petzold, Christopher J; Lee, Taek Soon

2013-09-01

Limonene is a valuable monoterpene used in the production of several commodity chemicals and medicinal compounds. Among them, perillyl alcohol (POH) is a promising anti-cancer agent that can be produced by hydroxylation of limonene. We engineered E. coli with a heterologous mevalonate pathway and limonene synthase for production of limonene followed by coupling with a cytochrome P450, which specifically hydroxylates limonene to produce POH. A strain containing all mevalonate pathway genes in a single plasmid produced limonene at titers over 400mg/L from glucose, substantially higher than has been achieved in the past. Incorporation of a cytochrome P450 to hydroxylate limonene yielded approximately 100mg/L of POH. Further metabolic engineering of the pathway and in situ product recovery using anion exchange resins would make this engineered E. coli a potential production platform for any valuable limonene derivative. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Origanum saccatum P.H. Davis essential oil obtained by solvent-free microwave extraction: comparison with hydrodistillation.

PubMed

Sozmen, Fazli; Uysal, Burcu; Oksal, Birsen S; Kose, Elif Odabas; Deniz, I Gokhan

2011-01-01

The components of the essential oils (EOs) obtained by solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) and hydrodistillation (HD) from endemic Origanum saccatum P.H. Davis were identified by using GC/MS. The main constituents of both EOs obtained by SFME and HD, respectively, from O. saccatum were p-cymene (72.5 and 70.6%), thymol (9.32 and 8.11%), and carvacrol (7.18 and 6.36%). The EO obtained by SFME contained substantially higher amounts of oxygenated compounds and lower amounts of monoterpenes than did the EO obtained by HD. The antibacterial activities of the EOs obtained by SFME and HD were evaluated with the disc diffusion method by comparison with 10 different bacterial strains. The antibacterial activity of the EO extracted by SFME was found to be more effective than that of the EO extracted by HD against seven of the tested bacteria.

Isolation of human simple repeat loci by hybridization selection.

PubMed

Armour, J A; Neumann, R; Gobert, S; Jeffreys, A J

1994-04-01

We have isolated short tandem repeat arrays from the human genome, using a rapid method involving filter hybridization to enrich for tri- or tetranucleotide tandem repeats. About 30% of clones from the enriched library cross-hybridize with probes containing trimeric or tetrameric tandem arrays, facilitating the rapid isolation of large numbers of clones. In an initial analysis of 54 clones, 46 different tandem arrays were identified. Analysis of these tandem repeat loci by PCR showed that 24 were polymorphic in length; substantially higher levels of polymorphism were displayed by the tetrameric repeat loci isolated than by the trimeric repeats. Primary mapping of these loci by linkage analysis showed that they derive from 17 chromosomes, including the X chromosome. We anticipate the use of this strategy for the efficient isolation of tandem repeats from other sources of genomic DNA, including DNA from flow-sorted chromosomes, and from other species.

A technique for collection of exudate from pea seedlings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, S. D.; Cohen, J. D.; Bandurski, R. S. (Principal Investigator)

1985-01-01

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), at concentrations higher than 1.0 millimolar, is phytotoxic to etiolated seedlings of Pisum sativum. Substantial vascular exudation from pea epicotyls could be obtained without tissue damage at 0.5 millimolar EDTA if the solution was buffered at pH 7.5 with sodium N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid. Treated seedlings exuded 950 micrograms (leucine equivalents) of ninhydrin-positive material per day and 870 micrograms (glucose equivalents) of anthrone-positive material per day. Amino acid analysis showed the exudate to have glutamine as the major amido nitrogen containing compound and sucrose was shown to be the major sugar. Radiolabeled tryptophan and sucrose applied to cotyledons were transferred through the epicotyl and into the collection medium. The pH profile for exudation shows half maximal exudation at pH 7.2, indicating the promotion of exudation by EDTA is probably not due simply to Ca2+ chelation.

Approaches to Analyzing the Outcomes of International Scholarship Programs for Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mawer, Matt

2017-01-01

International scholarship programs for higher education attract a substantial body of funding each year from national governments, supranational bodies, large charitable foundations, higher education institutions, and many smaller organizations. With aims variously shaped by international development and public diplomacy considerations,…

7 CFR 3405.15 - Evaluation criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... substantial impact upon and advance the quality of food and agricultural sciences higher education by... strengthening the quality of higher education in the food and agricultural sciences? If successful, is the... agricultural sciences higher education? Are the products likely to be of high quality? Will the project...

7 CFR 3405.15 - Evaluation criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... substantial impact upon and advance the quality of food and agricultural sciences higher education by... strengthening the quality of higher education in the food and agricultural sciences? If successful, is the... agricultural sciences higher education? Are the products likely to be of high quality? Will the project...

7 CFR 3405.15 - Evaluation criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... substantial impact upon and advance the quality of food and agricultural sciences higher education by... strengthening the quality of higher education in the food and agricultural sciences? If successful, is the... agricultural sciences higher education? Are the products likely to be of high quality? Will the project...

7 CFR 3405.15 - Evaluation criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... substantial impact upon and advance the quality of food and agricultural sciences higher education by... strengthening the quality of higher education in the food and agricultural sciences? If successful, is the... agricultural sciences higher education? Are the products likely to be of high quality? Will the project...

36 CFR 1225.22 - When must scheduled records be rescheduled?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... records contain information that is substantially different from the information included in the hard copy.... (4) The electronic records consist of temporary program records maintained in a format other than...

24 CFR 582.5 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following areas of major life activity: (A) Self... occupancy (SRO) housing means a unit for occupancy by one person, which need not but may contain food...

26 CFR 301.7704-2 - Transition provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION Definitions § 301.7704-2 Transition provisions. See the regulations under section 7704 contained in part 1 of this chapter for a definition of the “substantial new line of...

Method For Creating Corrosion Resistant Surface On An Aluminum Copper Alloy

DOEpatents

Mansfeld, Florian B.; Wang, You; Lin, Simon H.

1997-06-03

A method for treating the surface of aluminum alloys hang a relatively high copper content is provided which includes the steps of removing substantially all of the copper from the surface, contacting the surface with a first solution containing cerium, electrically charging the surface while contacting the surface in an aqueous molybdate solution, and contacting the surface with a second solution containing cerium. The copper is substantially removed from the surface in the first step either by (i) contacting the surface with an acidic chromate solution or by (ii) contacting the surface with an acidic nitrate solution while subjecting the surface to an electric potential. The corrosion-resistant surface resulting from the invention is excellent, consistent and uniform throughout the surface. Surfaces treated by the invention may often be certified for use in salt-water services.

[Characteristic of sample banks isolated from EDTA-blood by sedimentation method].

PubMed

Chen, Zhi-bin; Lin, Qin; Ma, Chang-hua; Liu, Kai-ning; Meng, Huan-xin

2014-02-18

To assess the characteristics of establishing the different sample banks of plasma, leukocytes and DNA by sedimentation method of isolating from ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid(EDTA)-blood and to clarify the sedimentation method of leukocyte isolation and plasma volume by comparative data and recommended procedures for applicability. In the study, 29 EDTA-bloods were obtained, the total amounts of leukocytes and the percentage of neutrophile granulocytes, and lymphocytes in the EDTA-blood detected as a control group and then assigned equally into 4 EP tubes with 1 mL EDTA-blood per tube as 4 test groups, then the 4 tubes were placed with the EDTA-blood at room temperature and the plasma layers were isolated at 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 h, receptively. The total amount of leukocytes and the percentage of neutrophile granulocytes, and lymphocytes were detected by automated hematology analyzer at the clinical laboratory. The volume of the plasma was also measured at the same time. The plasma volume at 0.5 h [(241.72 ± 101.52)μL] was substantially lower than those at 1 h[(317.24 ± 97.50)μL], at 2 h[(371.03 ± 91.66)μL], and at 3 h [(408.97 ± 97.43)μL] , P < 0.05. The plasma volume at 1 h was substantially lower than those at 2 h and 3 h (P < 0.05). The total amount of leukocytes in the plasma layer at 0.5 h (2.50 × 10(6) ± 1.48 × 10(6)) group was substantially higher than the amount of 2 or 3 h groups respectively (1.47 × 10(6) ± 7.19 × 105,1.21 × 10(6) ± 7.41 × 105), P < 0.05. Significant difference was not found between 0.5 h group and 1 h group (2.29 × 10(6)± 1.17 × 10(6)), P > 0.05. The total amount of leukocytes in the plasma layer in 1 h group was substantially higher than that in 2 h and 3 h groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between 3 h group and 2 h group (P > 0.05). The total amount of leukocytes in the plasma layer of the 4 test groups was substantially lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The percentage of neutrophile granulocytes (54.14% ± 11.65%) in the plasma layer in 0.5 h group was substantially higher than those in 1 h, 2 h and 3 h groups (46.66% ± 12.70%,39.17% ± 12.33%,43.25% ± 14.54%), P < 0.05, respectively, which was the substantially lower than that in the control group (60.53% ± 8.46%), P < 0.05. The average value of the percentage of neutrophile granulocytes in the plasma layer in 1 h group was substantially higher than that in 2 h group (P < 0.05). There was no significant different between 3 h group and both 1 h, 2 h groups (P > 0.05). The mean percentage of lymphocytes in the plasma layer in 0.5 h group (35.09% ± 10.84%) was substantially lower than those in the plasma layer in 1 h, 2 h and 3 h groups, respectively ( 41.48% ± 12.20%, 47.96% ± 12.27%, 45.50% ± 13.71%), which was significant higher than that in the control group(30.98% ± 7.33%), P < 0.05. The average value of the percentage of lymphocytes in the plasma layer in 1 h group was substantially higher than those in the control group and 0.5 h group, but was substantially lower than those in 2 h and 3 h groups (P < 0.05). The average value of percentage of lymphocytes in the plasma layer in 2 h group was substantially higher than those in the control group, 0.5 h and 1 h groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between 2 h and 3 h groups (P > 0.05). The best period of time in obtaining leukocytes is 0.5-1 h sedimentation of EDTA-blood. Both the plasma layer and leukocytes can be separated and obtained at the same time from the same sample by the sedimentation method of EDTA-blood. The sedimentation of EDTA-blood has the least interference of both chemical and physical factors, as well as a ready operation, which can establish the plasma, leukocytes and DNA sample banks for various aspects of research.

Temperature limited heater with a conduit substantially electrically isolated from the formation

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

Vinegar, Harold J; Sandberg, Chester Ledlie

2009-07-14

A system for heating a hydrocarbon containing formation is described. A conduit may be located in an opening in the formation. The conduit includes ferromagnetic material. An electrical conductor is positioned inside the conduit, and is electrically coupled to the conduit at or near an end portion of the conduit so that the electrical conductor and the conduit are electrically coupled in series. Electrical current flows in the electrical conductor in a substantially opposite direction to electrical current flow in the conduit during application of electrical current to the system. The flow of electrons is substantially confined to the insidemore » of the conduit by the electromagnetic field generated from electrical current flow in the electrical conductor so that the outside surface of the conduit is at or near substantially zero potential at 25.degree. C. The conduit may generate heat and heat the formation during application of electrical current.« less

Contrasting Effects of Physical Wear on Elution of Two Antibiotics from Orthopedic Cement

PubMed Central

Dodds, S.; Akid, R.; Stephenson, J.; Nichol, T.; Banerjee, R. D.; Stockley, I.; Townsend, R.

2012-01-01

The use of antibiotics as a supplement to bone cement for the purposes of providing a local release of antibiotics is common practice in arthroplasty surgery and the kinetics of elution of the antibiotics in such systems have been investigated previously. However, in these previous studies no account was taken of the potential effects that wear may have on the elution kinetics of the antibiotic. Here, we have modified an existing wear testing rig to allow the simultaneous study of the elution kinetics of bone cement samples containing antibiotics being subjected to immersion only and immersion and conjoint wear. The results show contrasting effects with two commonly used antibiotics. Bone cement containing daptomycin showed no substantial change in antibiotic elution due to wear, while cement containing gentamicin (the most commonly used antibiotic in this application) in contrast demonstrated a substantial reduction in the rate of antibiotic elution when wear was applied. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a possible explanation for these diverse results, due to wear-induced “sealing” of the surface in conjunction with the crystal morphology of the antibiotic. PMID:22155831

Does Disparity in the Way Disabled Older Adults Are Treated Imply Ageism?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Robert L.; Priester, Reinhard; Neumann, Dean

2007-01-01

Although the nearly one in seven Americans who have disabilities share many characteristics, the attitudes toward and the programs, care models, expenditures, and goals for people with disabilities differ substantially across age groups in ways that suggest ageism. Expenditures per recipient are substantially higher for younger individuals with…

Theoretical-and-Methodological Substantiation of Multilingual Model Activity in Kazakhstan Higher School Education System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ospanova, Bikesh Revovna; Azimbayeva, Zhanat Amantayevna; Timokhina, Tatyana Vladimirovna; Seydakhmetova, Zergul Koblandiyevna

2016-01-01

The need of implementing the model of professional development in training an expert in the conditions of multilingualism is considered. The possibility of using the multilingual approach in the context of present day education with the use of innovative technologies of training is substantiated, the definition of "multilingual…

Competition Unleashed: Horizontal Differentiation in German Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erhardt, Dominik; von Kotzebue, Alexander

2016-01-01

Unlike in the US and other western countries, the higher education market in Germany has been sheltered from competition. This changed recently, when a governmental "excellence initiative" began to allocate substantial supplementary funds dependent on higher education institutions' performance, in 2005. This study is aimed at assessing…

Wisconsin Law Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Univ., Madison. Law School.

A substantial portion of this issue of the Wisconsin Law Review is devoted to collective negotiations in higher education. Articles included are: "The Status and Trends of Collective Negotiations for Faculty in Higher Education," by Donald H. Wollett; "The Scope of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education," by Michael H. Moskow; "Collective…

Laser diode pumped, erbium-doped, solid state laser with high slope efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esterowitz, Leon; Allen, R.; Kintz, G.

1989-10-01

A laser and method for producing a laser emission at a wavelength of substantially 2.8 microns is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the laser comprises laser diode means for emitting a pump beam at a preselected wavelength; and a crystal having a preselected host material doped with a predetermined percent concentration of erbium activator ions sufficient to produce a laser emission at substantially 2.8 microns at a slope efficiency of at least 5 percent, but preferrably 10 percent, when the crystal is pumped by the pump beam. It is well known that the human body is comprised of approximately 70 percent water, with various human tissues containing about 60 to 90 percent of water, and bone and cartilage containing about 30 to 40 percent of water. Since the 2.8 micron wavelength has a substantially maximum absorption in water, this 2.8 micron wavelength is the ideal wavelength to use for a large variety of medical laser applications on the human body. A 2.8 micron wavelength laser could be used for precise surgery in such exemplary applications as brain surgery, neurosurgery, eye surgery, plastic surgery, burn treatment, and the removal of malignancies.

A Risk-Based Framework for Assessing the Effectiveness of Stratospheric Aerosol Geoengineering

PubMed Central

Ferraro, Angus J.; Charlton-Perez, Andrew J.; Highwood, Eleanor J.

2014-01-01

Geoengineering by stratospheric aerosol injection has been proposed as a policy response to warming from human emissions of greenhouse gases, but it may produce unequal regional impacts. We present a simple, intuitive risk-based framework for classifying these impacts according to whether geoengineering increases or decreases the risk of substantial climate change, with further classification by the level of existing risk from climate change from increasing carbon dioxide concentrations. This framework is applied to two climate model simulations of geoengineering counterbalancing the surface warming produced by a quadrupling of carbon dioxide concentrations, with one using a layer of sulphate aerosol in the lower stratosphere, and the other a reduction in total solar irradiance. The solar dimming model simulation shows less regional inequality of impacts compared with the aerosol geoengineering simulation. In the solar dimming simulation, 10% of the Earth's surface area, containing 10% of its population and 11% of its gross domestic product, experiences greater risk of substantial precipitation changes under geoengineering than under enhanced carbon dioxide concentrations. In the aerosol geoengineering simulation the increased risk of substantial precipitation change is experienced by 42% of Earth's surface area, containing 36% of its population and 60% of its gross domestic product. PMID:24533155

Method to produce biomass-derived compounds using a co-solvent system containing gamma-valerolactone

DOEpatents

Dumesic, James A.; Motagamwala, Ali Hussain

2017-06-27

A method to produce an aqueous solution of carbohydrates containing C5- and/or C6-sugar-containing oligomers and/or C5- and/or C6-sugar monomers in which biomass or a biomass-derived reactant is reacted with a solvent system having an organic solvent, and organic co-solvent, and water, in the presence of an acid. The method produces the desired product, while a substantial portion of any lignin present in the reactant appears as a precipitate in the product mixture.

SEPARATION OF POLONIUM, PROTACTINIUM OR MIXTURES THEREOF IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION FROM BISMUTH, LEAD, ZIRCONIUM AND/OR COLUMBIUM VALUES

DOEpatents

Van Winkle, Q.; Kraus, K.A.

1959-10-27

A process is presented for separating polonium, protactinium, or mixtures thereof in aqueous solution from bismuth, zirconium, lead, and niobium values contained in the solution. The method comprises providing hydrochloric acid in the solution in a concentration of at least 5N. contacting the aqueous solution with a substantially waterimmiscible organic solvent such as diisopropyl ketone, and separating the aqueous phase containing the bismuth, zirconium, lead, and niobium from the organic extract phase containing the polonium, protactinium, or mixture thereof.

High resolution printing of charge

DOEpatents

Rogers, John; Park, Jang-Ung

2015-06-16

Provided are methods of printing a pattern of charge on a substrate surface, such as by electrohydrodynamic (e-jet) printing. The methods relate to providing a nozzle containing a printable fluid, providing a substrate having a substrate surface and generating from the nozzle an ejected printable fluid containing net charge. The ejected printable fluid containing net charge is directed to the substrate surface, wherein the net charge does not substantially degrade and the net charge retained on the substrate surface. Also provided are functional devices made by any of the disclosed methods.

40 CFR 95.2 - Petition for mandatory license.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... by the grant of the license to which the petition is directed. (4) Each petition must contain a... unavailability of a mandatory patent license may result in a substantial lessening of competition or a tendency...

16 CFR 3.40 - Admissibility of evidence in advertising substantiation cases.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... contained in an advertisement, such person, partnership or corporation shall not thereafter be allowed, in... corporation has raised good faith legal objections in a timely motion pursuant to the Commission's Rules of...

Nuclear fuel element

DOEpatents

Zocher, Roy W.

1991-01-01

A nuclear fuel element and a method of manufacturing the element. The fuel element is comprised of a metal primary container and a fuel pellet which is located inside it and which is often fragmented. The primary container is subjected to elevated pressure and temperature to deform the container such that the container conforms to the fuel pellet, that is, such that the container is in substantial contact with the surface of the pellet. This conformance eliminates clearances which permit rubbing together of fuel pellet fragments and rubbing of fuel pellet fragments against the container, thus reducing the amount of dust inside the fuel container and the amount of dust which may escape in the event of container breach. Also, as a result of the inventive method, fuel pellet fragments tend to adhere to one another to form a coherent non-fragmented mass; this reduces the tendency of a fragment to pierce the container in the event of impact.

Characterization of haloacetaldehyde and trihalomethane formation potentials during drinking water treatment.

PubMed

Mao, Yu-Qin; Wang, Xiao-Mao; Guo, Xian-Fen; Yang, Hong-Wei; Xie, Yuefeng F

2016-09-01

Haloacetaldehydes (HAs) are the third prevalent group of disinfection by-products (DBPs) of great health concern. In this study, their formation and speciation during chlorination were investigated for raw and process waters collected at three O3-biological activated carbon (BAC) advanced drinking water treatment plants. The results showed that all HA formation potentials (HAFPs) were highly enhanced whenever ozone was applied before or after conventional treatment. Sand filtration and BAC filtration could substantially reduce HAFPs. Trihalomethanes (THMs) were also measured to better understand the role of HAs in DBPs. Very different from HAFPs, THMFPs kept decreasing with the progress of treatment steps, which was mainly attributed to the different precursors for HAs and THMs. Brominated HAs were detected in bromide-containing waters. Chloral hydrate (CH) contributed from 25% to 48% to the total HAs formed in waters containing 100-150 μg L(-1) bromide, indicating the wide existence of other HAs after chlorination besides CH production. In addition, bromide incorporation factor (BIF) in HAs and THMs increased with the progress of treatment steps and the BIF values of THMs were generally higher than those of HAs. The BAC filtration following ozonation could significantly reduce HA precursors produced from ozonation but without complete removal. The brominated HAFPs in the outflow of BAC were still higher than their levels in the raw water. As a result, O3-BAC combined treatment was effective at controlling the total HAs, whereas it should be cautious for waters with high bromide levels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Zooplankton Gut Passage Mobilizes Lithogenic Iron for Ocean Productivity.

PubMed

Schmidt, Katrin; Schlosser, Christian; Atkinson, Angus; Fielding, Sophie; Venables, Hugh J; Waluda, Claire M; Achterberg, Eric P

2016-10-10

Iron is an essential nutrient for phytoplankton, but low concentrations limit primary production and associated atmospheric carbon drawdown in large parts of the world's oceans [1, 2]. Lithogenic particles deriving from aeolian dust deposition, glacial runoff, or river discharges can form an important source if the attached iron becomes dissolved and therefore bioavailable [3-5]. Acidic digestion by zooplankton is a potential mechanism for iron mobilization [6], but evidence is lacking. Here we show that Antarctic krill sampled near glacial outlets at the island of South Georgia (Southern Ocean) ingest large amounts of lithogenic particles and contain 3-fold higher iron concentrations in their muscle than specimens from offshore, which confirms mineral dissolution in their guts. About 90% of the lithogenic and biogenic iron ingested by krill is passed into their fecal pellets, which contain ∼5-fold higher proportions of labile (reactive) iron than intact diatoms. The mobilized iron can be released in dissolved form directly from krill or via multiple pathways involving microbes, other zooplankton, and krill predators. This can deliver substantial amounts of bioavailable iron and contribute to the fertilization of coastal waters and the ocean beyond. In line with our findings, phytoplankton blooms downstream of South Georgia are more intensive and longer lasting during years with high krill abundance on-shelf. Thus, krill crop phytoplankton but boost new production via their nutrient supply. Understanding and quantifying iron mobilization by zooplankton is essential to predict ocean productivity in a warming climate where lithogenic iron inputs from deserts, glaciers, and rivers are increasing [7-10]. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Meteoric 10Be as a tracer of subglacial processes and interglacial surface exposure in Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graly, Joseph A.; Corbett, Lee B.; Bierman, Paul R.; Lini, Andrea; Neumann, Thomas A.

2018-07-01

In order to test whether sediment emerging from presently glaciated areas of Greenland was exposed near or at Earth's surface during previous interglacial periods, we measured the rare isotope 10Be contained in grain coatings of sediment collected at five ice marginal sites. Such grain coatings contain meteoric 10Be (10Bemet), which forms in the atmosphere and is deposited onto Earth's surface. Samples include sediment entrained in ice, glaciofluvial sediment collected at the ice margin, and subglacial sediment extracted during hot water drilling in the ablation zone. Due to burial by ice, contemporary subglacial sediment could only have acquired substantial 10Bemet concentrations during periods in the past when the Greenland Ice Sheet was less extensive than present. The highest measured 10Bemet concentrations are comparable to those found in well-developed, long-exposed soils, suggesting subglacial preservation and glacial transport of sediment exposed during preglacial or interglacial periods. Ice-bound sediment has significantly higher 10Bemet concentrations than glaciofluvial sediment, suggesting that glaciofluvial processes are sufficiently erosive to remove tracers of previous interglacial exposures. Northern Greenland sites where ice and sediment are supplied from the ice sheet's central main dome have significantly higher 10Bemet concentrations than sites in southern Greenland, indicating greater preglacial or interglacial landscape preservation in central Greenland than in the south. Because southern Greenland has more frequent and spatially extensive periods of glacial retreat but nevertheless has less evidence of past subaerial exposure, we suggest that 10Bemet measurements in glacial sediment are primarily controlled by erosional efficiency rather than interglacial exposure length.

TASK channel deletion reduces sensitivity to local anesthetic-induced seizures

PubMed Central

Du, Guizhi; Chen, Xiangdong; Todorovic, Marko S.; Shu, Shaofang; Kapur, Jaideep; Bayliss, Douglas A.

2011-01-01

Background Local anesthetics (LAs) are typically used for regional anesthesia but can be given systemically to mitigate postoperative pain, supplement general anesthesia or prevent cardiac arrhythmias. However, systemic application or inadvertent intravenous injection can be associated with substantial toxicity, including seizure induction. The molecular basis for this toxic action remains unclear. Methods We characterized effects of different LAs on homomeric and heteromeric K+ channels containing TASK-1 (K2P3.1, KCNK3) and TASK-3 (K2P9.1, KCNK9) subunits in a mammalian expression system. In addition, we used TASK-1/TASK-3 knockout mice to test the possibility that TASK channels contribute to LA-evoked seizures. Results LAs inhibited homomeric and heteromeric TASK channels in a range relevant for seizure induction; channels containing TASK-1 subunits were most sensitive and IC50 values indicated a rank order potency of bupivacaine > ropivacaine ⟫ lidocaine. LAs induced tonic-clonic seizures in mice with the same rank order potency, but higher LA doses were required to evoke seizures in TASK knockout mice. For bupivacaine, which produced the longest seizure times, seizure duration was significantly shorter in TASK knockout mice; bupivacaine-induced seizures were associated with an increase in electroencephalogram power at frequencies <5 Hz in both wild type and TASK knockout mice. Conclusions These data suggest that increased neuronal excitability associated with TASK channel inhibition by LAs contributes to seizure induction. Since all LAs were capable of evoking seizures in TASK channel deleted mice, albeit at higher doses, the results imply that other molecular targets must also be involved in this toxic action. PMID:21946151

The Data-Ink Ratio and Accuracy of Information Derived from Newspaper Graphs: An Experimental Test of the Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, James D.

A study tested the data-ink ratio theory, which holds that a reader's recall of quantitative data displayed in a graph containing a substantial amount of non-data-ink will be significantly less than recall from a graph containing little non-data-ink, as it might apply to graphics used in mass circulation newspapers. The experiment employed a…

19 CFR 178.2 - Listing of OMB control numbers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... inward manifests 1515-0142 § 4.7a(c)(4) Transportation manifest (cargo declaration) 1651-0001 §§ 4.7b, 4... Container status messages §§ 4.10, 4.16, 4.30, 4.37, 4.39, 4.91, 10.60, 24.16, 122.29, 122.38, 123.8, 146.32... substantially holders or containers 1515-0116 § 10.41b(e) Requirement to keep adequate records on current status...

19 CFR 178.2 - Listing of OMB control numbers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... inward manifests 1515-0142 § 4.7a(c)(4) Transportation manifest (cargo declaration) 1651-0001 §§ 4.7b, 4... Container status messages §§ 4.10, 4.16, 4.30, 4.37, 4.39, 4.91, 10.60, 24.16, 122.29, 122.38, 123.8, 146.32... substantially holders or containers 1515-0116 § 10.41b(e) Requirement to keep adequate records on current status...

19 CFR 178.2 - Listing of OMB control numbers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... inward manifests 1515-0142 § 4.7a(c)(4) Transportation manifest (cargo declaration) 1651-0001 §§ 4.7b, 4... Container status messages §§ 4.10, 4.16, 4.30, 4.37, 4.39, 4.91, 10.60, 24.16, 122.29, 122.38, 123.8, 146.32... substantially holders or containers 1515-0116 § 10.41b(e) Requirement to keep adequate records on current status...

19 CFR 178.2 - Listing of OMB control numbers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... inward manifests 1515-0142 § 4.7a(c)(4) Transportation manifest (cargo declaration) 1651-0001 §§ 4.7b, 4... Container status messages §§ 4.10, 4.16, 4.30, 4.37, 4.39, 4.91, 10.60, 24.16, 122.29, 122.38, 123.8, 146.32... substantially holders or containers 1515-0116 § 10.41b(e) Requirement to keep adequate records on current status...

In the Red? Debt Levels at Higher Education Institutions in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Daguang; Yu, Kai

2011-01-01

Borrowing from banks has become a common practice among Chinese higher education institutions (HEIs), and operating with a heavy debt load has become a characteristic of Chinese higher educational development. Substantial financial commitments acquired by HEIs during their rapid expansion since 1998 are now having serious consequences: numerous…

Cholesterol-raising diterpenes in types of coffee commonly consumed in Singapore, Indonesia and India and associations with blood lipids: a survey and cross sectional study.

PubMed

Naidoo, Nasheen; Chen, Cynthia; Rebello, Salome A; Speer, Karl; Tai, E Shyong; Lee, Jeanette; Buchmann, Sandra; Koelling-Speer, Isabelle; van Dam, Rob M

2011-05-15

To measure the content of cholesterol-raising diterpenes in coffee sold at the retailer level in Singapore, Indonesia and India and to determine the relationship of coffee consumption with lipid levels in a population-based study in Singapore. Survey and cross-sectional study in local coffee shops in Singapore, Indonesia and India to measure the diterpene content in coffee, and a population-based study in Singapore to examine the relationship of coffee consumption and blood lipid levels. Interviews and coffee samples (n=27) were collected from coffee shops in Singapore, Indonesia and India. In addition, 3000 men and women who were Chinese, Malay, and Indian residents of Singapore participated in a cross-sectional study. The traditional 'sock' method of coffee preparation used in Singapore resulted in cafestol concentrations comparable to European paper drip filtered coffee (mean 0.09±SD 0.064 mg/cup). This amount would result in negligible predicted increases in serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. Similarly low amounts of cafestol were found in Indian 'filter' coffee that used a metal mesh filter (0.05±0.05 mg/cup). Coffee samples from Indonesia using the 'sock' method (0.85±0.41 mg/cup) or a metal mesh filter (0.98 mg/cup) contained higher amounts of cafestol comparable to espresso coffee. Unfiltered coffee from Indonesia contained an amount of cafestol (4.43 mg/cup) similar to Scandinavian boiled, Turkish and French press coffee with substantial predicted increases in serum cholesterol (0.33 mmol/l) and triglycerides (0.20 mmol/l) concentrations for consumption of 5 cups per day. In the Singaporean population, higher coffee consumption was not substantially associated with serum lipid concentrations after adjustment for potential confounders [LDL-cholesterol: 3.07 (95% confidence interval 2.97-3.18) for <1 cup/week versus 3.12 (2.99-3.26) for ≥3 cups/day; p trend 0.12]. Based on the low levels of diterpenes found in traditionally prepared coffee consumed in Singapore and India, coffee consumption in these countries does not appear to be a risk factor for elevation of serum cholesterol, whereas samples tested from Indonesia showed mixed results depending on the type of preparation method used.

Cholesterol-raising diterpenes in types of coffee commonly consumed in Singapore, Indonesia and India and associations with blood lipids: A survey and cross sectional study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background To measure the content of cholesterol-raising diterpenes in coffee sold at the retailer level in Singapore, Indonesia and India and to determine the relationship of coffee consumption with lipid levels in a population-based study in Singapore. Methods Survey and cross-sectional study in local coffee shops in Singapore, Indonesia and India to measure the diterpene content in coffee, and a population-based study in Singapore to examine the relationship of coffee consumption and blood lipid levels. Interviews and coffee samples (n = 27) were collected from coffee shops in Singapore, Indonesia and India. In addition, 3000 men and women who were Chinese, Malay, and Indian residents of Singapore participated in a cross-sectional study. Results and Discussion The traditional 'sock' method of coffee preparation used in Singapore resulted in cafestol concentrations comparable to European paper drip filtered coffee (mean 0.09 ± SD 0.064 mg/cup). This amount would result in negligible predicted increases in serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. Similarly low amounts of cafestol were found in Indian 'filter' coffee that used a metal mesh filter (0.05 ± 0.05 mg/cup). Coffee samples from Indonesia using the 'sock' method (0.85 ± 0.41 mg/cup) or a metal mesh filter (0.98 mg/cup) contained higher amounts of cafestol comparable to espresso coffee. Unfiltered coffee from Indonesia contained an amount of cafestol (4.43 mg/cup) similar to Scandinavian boiled, Turkish and French press coffee with substantial predicted increases in serum cholesterol (0.33 mmol/l) and triglycerides (0.20 mmol/l) concentrations for consumption of 5 cups per day. In the Singaporean population, higher coffee consumption was not substantially associated with serum lipid concentrations after adjustment for potential confounders [LDL-cholesterol: 3.07 (95% confidence interval 2.97-3.18) for <1 cup/week versus 3.12 (2.99-3.26) for ≥ 3 cups/day; p trend 0.12]. Conclusions Based on the low levels of diterpenes found in traditionally prepared coffee consumed in Singapore and India, coffee consumption in these countries does not appear to be a risk factor for elevation of serum cholesterol, whereas samples tested from Indonesia showed mixed results depending on the type of preparation method used. PMID:21569629

Wine Resveratrol: From the Ground Up

PubMed Central

Bavaresco, Luigi; Lucini, Luigi; Busconi, Matteo; Flamini, Riccardo; De Rosso, Mirko

2016-01-01

The ability of the grapevine to activate defense mechanisms against some pathogens has been shown to be linked to the synthesis of resveratrol and other stilbenes by the plant (inducible viniferins). Metabolized viniferins may also be produced or modified by extracellular enzymes released by the pathogen in an attempt to eliminate undesirable toxic compounds. Because of the important properties of resveratrol, there is increasing interest in producing wines with higher contents of this compound and a higher nutritional value. Many biotic and abiotic elicitors can trigger the resveratrol synthesis in the berries, and some examples are reported. Under the same elicitation pressure, viticultural and enological factors can substantially affect the resveratrol concentration in the wine. The production of high resveratrol-containing grapes and wines relies on quality-oriented viticulture (suitable terroirs and sustainable cultural practices) and winemaking technologies that avoid degradation of the compound. In general, the oenological practices commonly used to stabilize wine after fermentation do not affect resveratrol concentration, which shows considerable stability. Finally the paper reports on two sirtuin genes (SIRT) expressed in grapevine leaves and berries and the role of resveratrol on the deacetylation activity of the encoded enzymes. PMID:27089363

Chemical characterization of fingerprints from adults and children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchanan, Michelle V.; Asano, Keiji; Bohanon, Arthur

1997-02-01

The observation that the fingerprints of children disappear from surfaces more quickly than those of adults initiated a study to characterize the chemical components in fingerprints. Samples were obtained from about 50 individuals ranging in age from three to 64 by extracting chemicals from the fintertips using rubbing alcohol. Using combined gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, a wide range of compounds were identified. It was found that the chemical compositions of fingerprints were quite different in children and adults. In general, the samples obtained from children contained higher levels of relatively volatile free fatty acids. Samples from adults were found to have higher concentrations of less volatile long chain esters of fatty acids. These esters are thought to originate from sebaceous glands located on the face and the levels of these compounds increase substantially after puberty. In addition to these compounds, a variety of other compounds were observed that could be used to develop improved methods for fingerprint detection at a crime scene. Further, the observation of specific compounds raises the possibility of being able to identify personal traits (gender, habits, diseases, etc.) via the analysis of components in fingerprints and/or skin.

Mixed selection. Effects of body images, dietary restraint, and persuasive messages on females' orientations towards chocolate.

PubMed

Durkin, Kevin; Hendry, Alana; Stritzke, Werner G K

2013-01-01

Many women experience ambivalent reactions to chocolate: craving it but also wary of its impact on weight and health. Chocolate advertisements often use thin ideal models and previous research indicates that this exacerbates ambivalence. This experiment compared attitudes to, and consumption of, chocolate following exposure to images containing thin or overweight models together with written messages that were either positive or negative about eating chocolate. Participants (all female) were categorised as either low- or high-restraint. Approach, avoidance and guilt motives towards chocolate were measured and the participants had an opportunity to consume chocolate. Exposure to thin ideal models led to higher approach motives and this effect was most marked among the high restraint participants. Avoidance and guilt scores did not vary as a function of model size or message, but there were clear differences between the restraint groups, with the high restraint participants scoring substantially higher than low restraint participants on both of these measures. When the participants were provided with an opportunity to eat some chocolate, those with high restraint who had been exposed to the thin models consumed the most. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microsatellite DNA mutations in double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) associated with exposure to PAH-containing industrial air pollution.

PubMed

King, L E; de Solla, S R; Small, J M; Sverko, E; Quinn, J S

2014-10-07

Hamilton Harbour, Ontario, Canada is one of the most polluted sites on the Great Lakes, and is subject to substantial airborne pollution due to emissions from both heavy industry and intense vehicle traffic. Mutagenic Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are present at very high concentrations in the air and sediment of Hamilton Harbour. We used five variable DNA microsatellites to screen for mutations in 97 families of Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) from three wild colonies, two in Hamilton Harbour and one in cleaner northeastern Lake Erie. Mutations were identified in all five microsatellites at low frequencies, with the majority of mutations found in chicks from the Hamilton Harbour site closest to industrial sources of PAH contamination. Microsatellite mutation rates were 6-fold higher at the Hamilton Harbour site closest to the industrial sources of PAH contamination than the other Hamilton Harbour site, and both were higher than the reference colony. A Phase I metabolite of the PAH benzo[a]pyrene identified by LC-MS/MS in bile and liver from Hamilton Harbour cormorant chicks suggests that these cormorants are exposed to and metabolizing PAHs, highlighting their potential to have caused the observed mutations.

Glareosin: a novel sexually dimorphic urinary lipocalin in the bank vole, Myodes glareolus.

PubMed

Loxley, Grace M; Unsworth, Jennifer; Turton, Michael J; Jebb, Alexandra; Lilley, Kathryn S; Simpson, Deborah M; Rigden, Daniel J; Hurst, Jane L; Beynon, Robert J

2017-09-01

The urine of bank voles ( Myodes glareolus ) contains substantial quantities of a small protein that is expressed at much higher levels in males than females, and at higher levels in males in the breeding season. This protein was purified and completely sequenced at the protein level by mass spectrometry. Leucine/isoleucine ambiguity was completely resolved by metabolic labelling, monitoring the incorporation of dietary deuterated leucine into specific sites in the protein. The predicted mass of the sequenced protein was exactly consonant with the mass of the protein measured in bank vole urine samples, correcting for the formation of two disulfide bonds. The sequence of the protein revealed that it was a lipocalin related to aphrodisin and other odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), but differed from all OBPs previously described. The pattern of secretion in urine used for scent marking by male bank voles, and the similarity to other lipocalins used as chemical signals in rodents, suggest that this protein plays a role in male sexual and/or competitive communication. We propose the name glareosin for this novel protein to reflect the origin of the protein and to emphasize the distinction from known OBPs. © 2017 The Authors.

Comparative Analysis of the Microstructural Features of 28 wt.% Cr Cast Iron Fabricated by Pulsed Plasma Deposition and Conventional Casting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chabak, Yu. G.; Efremenko, V. G.; Shimizu, K.; Lekatou, A.; Pastukhova, T. V.; Azarkhov, A. Yu.; Zurnadzhy, V. I.

2018-02-01

The effect of pulsed plasma deposition (by an electrothermal axial plasma accelerator) followed by post-heat treatment on the structure and microhardness of a 28 wt.% Cr white cast iron is analyzed and discussed with respect to the microstructure of the conventionally cast monolithic counterpart. The cast iron (as deposited on a 14 wt.% Cr cast iron substrate) had a microhardness of 630-750 HV0.05; it had layered light contrast/dark contrast structure where dark contrast layers contain fine carbide network. Pulsed plasma deposition followed by heat treatment resulted in a substantial refinement of the microstructure: eutectic M7C3 coarse acicular plates in the conventional cast iron were replaced by fine M7C3, M3C2, M3C particles (Cr depleted in favor of Fe), while the initial carbide particle of 2-3 μm was reduced to 0.6 μm. Secondary dendrite arm spacing decreased from 15 to 1.3 μm, accordingly. The carbide volume fraction in the post-heat-treated coating remarkably increased with respect to the conventional counterpart resulting in a substantial increase in the coating hardness (1300-1750 HV0.05). The heat-treated coating displayed higher resistance to three-body abrasion than the as-deposited coating and similar resistance with that of the conventionally cast iron.

Effects of exotic species on Yellowstone's grizzly bears

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reinhart, Daniel P.; Haroldson, Mark A.; Mattson, D.J.; Gunther, Kerry A.

2001-01-01

Humans have affected grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) by direct mortality, competition for space and resources, and introduction of exotic species. Exotic organisms that have affected grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Area include common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), nonnative clovers (Trifolium spp.), domesticated livestock, bovine brucellosis (Brucella abortus), lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), and white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola). Some bears consume substantial amounts of dandelion and clover. However, these exotic foods provide little digested energy compared to higher-quality bear foods. Domestic livestock are of greater energetic value, but use of this food by bears often leads to conflicts with humans and subsequent increases in bear mortality. Lake trout, blister rust, and brucellosis diminish grizzly bears foods. Lake trout prey on native cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) in Yellowstone Lake; white pine blister rust has the potential to destroy native whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) stands; and management response to bovine brucellosis, a disease found in the Yellowstone bison (Bison bison) and elk (Cervus elaphus), could reduce populations of these 2 species. Exotic species will likely cause more harm than good for Yellowstone grizzly bears. Managers have few options to mitigate or contain the impacts of exotics on Yellowstone's grizzly bears. Moreover, their potential negative impacts have only begun to unfold. Exotic species may lead to the loss of substantial highquality grizzly bear foods, including much of the bison, trout, and pine seeds that Yellowstone grizzly bears currently depend upon.

Bayesian Optimal Interval Design: A Simple and Well-Performing Design for Phase I Oncology Trials.

PubMed

Yuan, Ying; Hess, Kenneth R; Hilsenbeck, Susan G; Gilbert, Mark R

2016-09-01

Despite more than two decades of publications that offer more innovative model-based designs, the classical 3 + 3 design remains the most dominant phase I trial design in practice. In this article, we introduce a new trial design, the Bayesian optimal interval (BOIN) design. The BOIN design is easy to implement in a way similar to the 3 + 3 design, but is more flexible for choosing the target toxicity rate and cohort size and yields a substantially better performance that is comparable with that of more complex model-based designs. The BOIN design contains the 3 + 3 design and the accelerated titration design as special cases, thus linking it to established phase I approaches. A numerical study shows that the BOIN design generally outperforms the 3 + 3 design and the modified toxicity probability interval (mTPI) design. The BOIN design is more likely than the 3 + 3 design to correctly select the MTD and allocate more patients to the MTD. Compared with the mTPI design, the BOIN design has a substantially lower risk of overdosing patients and generally a higher probability of correctly selecting the MTD. User-friendly software is freely available to facilitate the application of the BOIN design. Clin Cancer Res; 22(17); 4291-301. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

The Generalized Higher Criticism for Testing SNP-Set Effects in Genetic Association Studies

PubMed Central

Barnett, Ian; Mukherjee, Rajarshi; Lin, Xihong

2017-01-01

It is of substantial interest to study the effects of genes, genetic pathways, and networks on the risk of complex diseases. These genetic constructs each contain multiple SNPs, which are often correlated and function jointly, and might be large in number. However, only a sparse subset of SNPs in a genetic construct is generally associated with the disease of interest. In this article, we propose the generalized higher criticism (GHC) to test for the association between an SNP set and a disease outcome. The higher criticism is a test traditionally used in high-dimensional signal detection settings when marginal test statistics are independent and the number of parameters is very large. However, these assumptions do not always hold in genetic association studies, due to linkage disequilibrium among SNPs and the finite number of SNPs in an SNP set in each genetic construct. The proposed GHC overcomes the limitations of the higher criticism by allowing for arbitrary correlation structures among the SNPs in an SNP-set, while performing accurate analytic p-value calculations for any finite number of SNPs in the SNP-set. We obtain the detection boundary of the GHC test. We compared empirically using simulations the power of the GHC method with existing SNP-set tests over a range of genetic regions with varied correlation structures and signal sparsity. We apply the proposed methods to analyze the CGEM breast cancer genome-wide association study. Supplementary materials for this article are available online. PMID:28736464

Eating at restaurants, at work or at home. Is there a difference? A study among adults of 11 European countries in the context of the HECTOR* project.

PubMed

Orfanos, P; Naska, A; Rodrigues, S; Lopes, C; Freisling, H; Rohrmann, S; Sieri, S; Elmadfa, I; Lachat, C; Gedrich, K; Boeing, H; Katzke, V; Turrini, A; Tumino, R; Ricceri, F; Mattiello, A; Palli, D; Ocké, M; Engeset, D; Oltarzewski, M; Nilsson, L M; Key, T; Trichopoulou, A

2017-03-01

To compare macronutrient intakes out of home-by location-to those at home and to investigate differences in total daily intakes between individuals consuming more than half of their daily energy out of home and those eating only at home. Data collected through 24-h recalls or diaries among 23 766 European adults. Participants were grouped as 'non-substantial', 'intermediate' and 'very substantial out-of-home' eaters based on energy intake out of home. Mean macronutrient intakes were estimated at home and out of home (overall, at restaurants, at work). Study/cohort-specific mean differences in total intakes between the 'very substantial out-of-home' and the 'at-home' eaters were estimated through linear regression and pooled estimates were derived. At restaurants, men consumed 29% of their energy as fat, 15% as protein, 45% as carbohydrates and 11% as alcohol. Among women, fat contributed 33% of energy intake at restaurants, protein 16%, carbohydrates 45% and alcohol 6%. When eating at work, both sexes reported 30% of energy from fat and 55% from carbohydrates. Intakes at home were higher in fat and lower in carbohydrates and alcohol. Total daily intakes of the 'very substantial out-of-home' eaters were generally similar to those of individuals eating only at home, apart from lower carbohydrate and higher alcohol intakes among individuals eating at restaurants. In a large population of adults from 11 European countries, eating at work was generally similar to eating at home. Alcoholic drinks were the primary contributors of higher daily energy intakes among individuals eating substantially at restaurants.

Urolithiasis in dogs. II: Breed prevalence, and interrelations of breed, sex, age, and mineral composition.

PubMed

Ling, G V; Franti, C E; Ruby, A L; Johnson, D L

1998-05-01

To analyze selected breed-related data for canine urinary calculi. 11,000 specimens: 5,781 from female dogs, 5,215 from males, and 4 from dogs of unrecorded sex. Information was compiled for all canine urinary calculi submitted between July 1981 and January 1994. Results for a mixed-breed group and 26 of the most common breeds of stone-forming dogs were analyzed. Interrelations of breed, sex, and age of affected dogs and mineral composition of the specimens were determined. Prevalence of 5 specific mineral types was significantly correlated between the sexes of 27 common breed groups: struvite, calcium phosphate (apatite), calcium oxalate, brushite, and urate. Struvite-containing calculi were seen in high proportions in both sexes of 7 breeds, and in low proportions in both sexes of 7 other breeds. Male and female Lhasa Apsos, Cairn Terriers, and 5 other breeds had high proportions of oxalate-containing calculi; values in males were substantially higher. Low numbers of oxalate-containing calculi were seen in both sexes of 7 breeds; Dalmatians had the lowest numbers. Males and females of 6 breeds had high numbers of urate-containing calculi, Dalmatians and English Bulldogs had the highest numbers. Low amounts of urate were found in calculi from males and females of 6 breeds, Samoyeds had the lowest numbers. Highest proportions of cystine-containing calculi were seen in male Dachshunds, English Bulldogs, and Chihuahuas. Males of 8 breeds had no specimens that contained cystine; only 2 such specimens were obtained from females. Prevalence of uroliths differs among breed, age, and sex of affected dogs. Breed, sex, and age of dogs; mineral types of calculi in males versus females; and their anatomic location within the tract are important considerations for clinicians when evaluating risk in dogs with urolithiasis and in identifying areas that need further in-depth applied or clinical investigation, or both.

78 FR 13460 - Chartering and Field of Membership Manual for Federal Credit Unions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-28

... dispersed.\\9\\ As a result, a higher potential population is required to ensure the economic viability of... prepare an analysis of any significant economic impact a regulation may have on a substantial number of... economic impact on a substantial number of small credit unions. \\10\\ 5 U.S.C. 603(a). Paperwork Reduction...

Method of determining the extent to which a nickel structure has been attached by a fluorine-containing gas

DOEpatents

Brusie, James P.

2004-07-13

The method of determining the extent to which a nickel structure has been attacked by a halogen containing gas to which it has been exposed which comprises preparing a quantity of water substantially free from dissolved oxygen, passing ammonia gas through a cuprammonium solution to produce ammonia substantially free from oxygen, dissolving said oxygen-free ammonia in said water to produce a saturated aqueous ammonia solution free from uncombined oxygen, treating at least a portion of said nickel structure of predetermined weight with said solution to dissolve nickel compounds from the surface of said structure without dissolving an appreciable amount of said nickel and analyzing the resulting solution to determine the quantity of said nickel compounds that was associated with said said portion of said structure to determine the proportion of combined nickel in said nickel structure.

Autogenic reaction synthesis of photocatalysts for solar fuel generation

DOEpatents

Ingram, Brian J.; Pol, Vilas G.; Cronauer, Donald C.; Ramanathan, Muruganathan

2016-04-19

In one preferred embodiment, a photocatalyst for conversion of carbon dioxide and water to a hydrocarbon and oxygen comprises at least one nanoparticulate metal or metal oxide material that is substantially free of a carbon coating, prepared by heating a metal-containing precursor compound in a sealed reactor under a pressure autogenically generated by dissociation of the precursor material in the sealed reactor at a temperature of at least about 600.degree. C. to form a nanoparticulate carbon-coated metal or metal oxide material, and subsequently substantially removing the carbon coating. The precursor material comprises a solid, solvent-free salt comprising a metal ion and at least one thermally decomposable carbon- and oxygen-containing counter-ion, and the metal of the salt is selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ti, Sn, V, Fe, Zn, Zr, Mo, Nb, W, Eu, La, Ce, In, and Si.

Actuation method and apparatus, micropump, and PCR enhancement method

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

Ullakko, Kari; Mullner, Peter; Hampikian, Greg

An actuation apparatus includes at least one magnetic shape memory (MSM) element containing a material configured to expand and/or contract in response to exposure to a magnetic field. Among other things, the MSM element may be configured to pump fluid through a micropump by expanding and/or contracting in response to the magnetic field. The magnetic field may rotate about an axis of rotation and exhibit a distribution having a component substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation. Further, the magnetic field distribution may include at least two components substantially orthogonal to one another lying in one or more planes perpendicularmore » to the axis of rotation. The at least one MSM element may contain nickel, manganese, and gallium. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) may be enhanced by contacting a PCR reagent and DNA material with the MSM element.« less

Reconstituting redox active centers of heme-containing proteins with biomineralized gold toward peroxidase mimics with strong intrinsic catalysis and electrocatalysis for H2O2 detection.

PubMed

Zhang, Liyan; Li, Shuai; Dong, Minmin; Jiang, Yao; Li, Ru; Zhang, Shuo; Lv, Xiaoxia; Chen, Lijun; Wang, Hua

2017-01-15

A facile and efficient enzymatic reconstitution methodology has been proposed for high-catalysis peroxidase mimics by remolding the redox active centers of heme-containing proteins with the in-site biomineralized gold using hemoglobin (Hb) as a model. Catalytic hemin (Hem) was extracted from the active centers of Hb for the gold biomineralization and then reconstituted into apoHb to yield the Hem-Au@apoHb nanocomposites showing dramatically improved intrinsic catalysis and electrocatalysis over natural Hb and Hem. The biomineralized gold, on the one hand, would act as "nanowires" to promote the electron transferring of the nanocomposites. On the other hand, it would create a reactivity pathway to pre-organize and accumulate more substrates towards the active sites of the peroxidase mimics. Steady-state kinetics studies indicate that Hem-Au@apoHb could present much higher substrate affinity (lower Michaelis constants) and intrinsic catalysis even than some natural peroxidases. Moreover, the application feasibility of the prepared artificial enzymes was demonstrated by colorimetric assays and direct electrocatalysis for H 2 O 2 sensing, showing a detection limitation low as 0.45μM. Importantly, such a catalysis active-center reconstitution protocol may circumvent the substantial improvement of the intrinsic catalysis and electrocatalysis of diverse heme-containing proteins or enyzmes toward the extensive applications in the chemical, enviromental, and biomedical catalysis fields. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Benthic invertebrates in the headwaters of the Wye and Severn: effects of forestry and clear-felling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gee, J. H. R.; Smith, B. D.

Invertebrate communities were recorded in three surveys between 1974 and 1994 of headwaters of the Wye and Severn at Plynlimon: the Afon Gwy (unforested), the Afon Hore (initially forested) and the Afon Hafren (forested throughout). The data cover periods before and after the clear-felling of a large area of coniferous forest in the catchment of the Hore. All three streams contained invertebrates characteristic of acidic, upland conditions and had similar species richness. Differences in assemblage composition within streams between surveys could be related to differences in method or timing of sampling. All assemblages were dominated by Insecta, particularly Plecoptera and Diptera, whereas Ephemeroptera, Moilusca, Crustacca and some families of Trichoptera (notably Hydropsychidae and Philopotamidae) were poorly represented. The forested streams (Hafren and Hore) contained similar assemblages which differed from those in the unforested stream (Gwy) in containing lower densities of Ephemeroptera and Oligochacta and much higher densities of nemourid and leuctrid Plecoptera. Clear-felling of the Hore catchment resulted in changes in physical and chemical conditions (including a reduction of stream pH, and increases in dissolved aluminium concentration and summer water temperature) but no related change in the invertebrate assemblage. The apparent failure of invertebrates to respond as expected to substantial changes in local environmental conditions may reflect either a lack of understanding of causal links between invertebrates and environmental factors, or the over-riding influence of the dynamics of recruitment to populations.

Estimates of Ethanol Exposure in Children from Food not Labeled as Alcohol-Containing.

PubMed

Gorgus, Eva; Hittinger, Maike; Schrenk, Dieter

2016-09-01

Ethanol is widely used in herbal medicines, e.g., for children. Furthermore, alcohol is a constituent of fermented food such as bread or yogurt and "non-fermented" food such as fruit juices. At the same time, exposure to very low levels of ethanol in children is discussed as possibly having adverse effects on psychomotoric functions. Here, we have analyzed alcohol levels in different food products from the German market. It was found that orange, apple and grape juice contain substantial amounts of ethanol (up to 0.77 g/L). Furthermore, certain packed bakery products such as burger rolls or sweet milk rolls contained more than 1.2 g ethanol/100 g. We designed a scenario for average ethanol exposure by a 6-year-old child. Consumption data for the "categories" bananas, bread and bakery products and apple juice were derived from US and German surveys. An average daily exposure of 10.3 mg ethanol/kg body weight (b.w.) was estimated. If a high (acute) consumption level was assumed for one of the "categories," exposure rose to 12.5-23.3 mg/kg b.w. This amount is almost 2-fold (average) or up to 4-fold (high) higher than the lowest exposure from herbal medicines (6 mg/kg b.w.) suggested to require warning hints for the use in children. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Highly sensitive and adaptable fluorescence-quenched pair discloses the substrate specificity profiles in diverse protease families

PubMed Central

Poreba, Marcin; Szalek, Aleksandra; Rut, Wioletta; Kasperkiewicz, Paulina; Rutkowska-Wlodarczyk, Izabela; Snipas, Scott J.; Itoh, Yoshifumi; Turk, Dusan; Turk, Boris; Overall, Christopher M.; Kaczmarek, Leszek; Salvesen, Guy S.; Drag, Marcin

2017-01-01

Internally quenched fluorescent (IQF) peptide substrates originating from FRET (Förster Resonance Energy Transfer) are powerful tool for examining the activity and specificity of proteases, and a variety of donor/acceptor pairs are extensively used to design individual substrates and combinatorial libraries. We developed a highly sensitive and adaptable donor/acceptor pair that can be used to investigate the substrate specificity of cysteine proteases, serine proteases and metalloproteinases. This novel pair comprises 7-amino-4-carbamoylmethylcoumarin (ACC) as the fluorophore and 2,4-dinitrophenyl-lysine (Lys(DNP)) as the quencher. Using caspase-3, caspase-7, caspase-8, neutrophil elastase, legumain, and two matrix metalloproteinases (MMP2 and MMP9), we demonstrated that substrates containing ACC/Lys(DNP) exhibit 7 to 10 times higher sensitivity than conventional 7-methoxy-coumarin-4-yl acetic acid (MCA)/Lys(DNP) substrates; thus, substantially lower amounts of substrate and enzyme can be used for each assay. We therefore propose that the ACC/Lys(DNP) pair can be considered a novel and sensitive scaffold for designing substrates for any group of endopeptidases. We further demonstrate that IQF substrates containing unnatural amino acids can be used to investigate protease activities/specificities for peptides containing post-translationally modified amino acids. Finally, we used IQF substrates to re-investigate the P1-Asp characteristic of caspases, thus demonstrating that some human caspases can also hydrolyze substrates after glutamic acid. PMID:28230157

Method for the chemical separation of GE-68 from its daughter Ga-68

DOEpatents

Fitzsimmons, Jonathan M.; Atcher, Robert W.

2010-06-01

The present invention is directed to a generator apparatus for separating a daughter gallium-68 radioisotope substantially free of impurities from a parent gernanium-68 radioisotope, including a first resin-containing column containing parent gernanium-68 radioisotope and daughter gallium-68 radioisotope, a source of first eluent connected to said first resin-containing column for separating daughter gallium-68 radioisotope from the first resin-containing column, said first eluent including citrate whereby the separated gallium is in the form of gallium citrate, a mixing space connected to said first resin-containing column for admixing a source of hydrochloric acid with said separated gallium citrate whereby gallium citrate is converted to gallium tetrachloride, a second resin-containing column for retention of gallium-68 tetrachloride, and, a source of second eluent connected to said second resin-containing column for eluting the daughter gallium-68 radioisotope from said second resin-containing column.

Energy conservation for pasteurizer apparatus

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

Huling, J.K.

In the pasteurizing of beverages in closed containers, the containers arrive generally in a chilled state and are progressively raised in temperature approaching the pasteurizing temperature and, after being pasteurized for an appropriate time, are progressively cooled down. Apparatus of this type is provided with a source of chilled water which is available for use when skips occur in the supply of the containers, the chilled water being accumulated from the incoming containers and from common outside sources. The accumulated water in its chilled state saves substantial amounts of energy by eliminating mechanical or other means to produce the chillmore » effect, and such source of water is constantly available under control which senses the presence of a skip in the supply of containers.« less

New Materials for EMI Shielding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaier, James R.

1999-01-01

Graphite fibers intercalated with bromine or similar mixed halogen compounds have substantially lower resistivity than their pristine counterparts, and thus should exhibit higher shielding effectiveness against electromagnetic interference. The mechanical and thermal properties are nearly unaffected, and the shielding of high energy x-rays and gamma rays is substantially increased. Characterization of the resistivity of the composite materials is subtle, but it is clear that the composite resistivity is substantially lowered. Shielding effectiveness calculations utilizing a simple rule of mixtures model yields results that are consistent with available data on these materials.

Molecular cloning and functional analysis of the drought tolerance gene MsHSP70 from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

PubMed

Li, Zhenyi; Long, Ruicai; Zhang, Tiejun; Wang, Zhen; Zhang, Fan; Yang, Qingchuan; Kang, Junmei; Sun, Yan

2017-03-01

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a ubiquitously expressed class of protective proteins that play a key role in plant response to stressful conditions. This study aimed to characterize and investigate the function of an HSP gene in alfalfa (Medicago sativa). MsHSP70, which contains a 2028-bp open reading frame, was identified through homology cloning. MsHSP70 shares high sequence identity (94.47%) with HSP70 from Medicago truncatula. Expression analysis of MsHSP70 in alfalfa organs revealed a relatively higher expression level in aerial organs such as flowers, stems and leaves than in roots. MsHSP70 was induced by heat shock, abscisic acid (ABA) and hydrogen peroxide. Transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing MsHSP70 were hyposensitive to polyethylene glycol (PEG) and ABA treatments, suggesting that exogenous expression of MsHSP70 enhanced Arabidopsis tolerance to these stresses. Examination of physiological indexes related to drought and ABA stress demonstrated that in comparison with non-transgenic plants, T3 transgenic Arabidopsis plants had an increased proline content, higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Furthermore, higher relative water content (RWC) was detected in transgenic plants compared with non-transgenic plants under drought stress. These findings clearly indicate that molecular manipulation of MsHSP70 in plants can have substantial effects on stress tolerance.

Erratum: Retraction Note to: Evolution of the Health of Concrete Structures by Electrically Conductive GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic) Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Soon-Gi

2018-03-01

This article [1] has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Concerns were raised regarding substantial duplications with previous articles published in other journals in which for some S.-G. Shin is one of the co-authors. After a thorough analysis we conclude that the concerns are valid. The article contains sections that substantially overlap with the following published article [2] (amongst others). S.-G. Shin has not responded to correspondence from the Editor about this retraction.

Storage of H.sub.2 by absorption and/or mixture within a fluid medium

DOEpatents

Berry, Gene David; Aceves, Salvador Martin

2007-03-20

For the first time, a hydrogen storage method, apparatus and system having a fluid mixture is provided. At predetermined pressures and/or temperatures within a contained substantially fixed volume, the fluid mixture can store a high density of hydrogen molecules, wherein a predetermined phase of the fluid mixture is capable of being withdrawn from the substantially fixed volume for use as a vehicle fuel or energy storage having reduced and/or eliminated evaporative losses, especially where storage weight, vessel cost, vessel shape, safety, and energy efficiency are beneficial.

Age and seasonal-dependent variations in the biochemical composition of boar semen.

PubMed

Fraser, L; Strzeżek, J; Filipowicz, K; Mogielnicka-Brzozowska, M; Zasiadczyk, L

2016-08-01

This study investigated the effect of age- and seasonal-related variations in the composition of boar semen over a 3-year period. At the onset of 8 months of age, ejaculates were collected from four boars and allocated into three groups: 8 to 18, 19 to 30, and 31 to 42 months and were divided into two seasonal periods: autumn-winter and spring-summer. Boar variability had a significant effect on most of the analyzed semen parameters. Significantly, higher ejaculate volumes were observed in the boars older than 18 months of age during the autumn-winter period. Sperm concentration was higher in boars less than the age of 18 months of age, whereas the total sperm numbers were significantly higher during the autumn-winter period, regardless of the age group. Seasonal effects in sperm motility were more marked in boars at the age of 19 to 30 months, being significantly higher during the autumn-winter period. The proportions of spermatozoa with intact, normal apical ridge acrosome, and osmotically tolerant acrosomal membranes were markedly higher in boars at the age of 19 to 30 months during the autumn-winter period. Spermatozoa harvested during the spring-summer period were more susceptible to lipid peroxidation, irrespective of the age group. Significantly, higher levels of protein content and concentrations of nonthiol-containing antioxidant components of the seminal plasma (SP) were detected in boars less than 18 months of age during the autumn-winter period. Seasonal effects on the pH and proteinase inhibitory activity in the SP were more marked in boars less than 18 months of age, whereas alkaline phosphatase activity was greater in boars at the age of 19 to 30 months during the autumn-winter period. Substantial amounts of the thiol-containing antioxidants of the SP were detected in boars older than 18 months of age during the spring-summer period. Neither osmolality nor total antioxidant status was affected by differences in the seasonal periods or age groups. The findings of this study indicate that age- and seasonal-related variations affect the reproductive tract functions in the boar, resulting in marked changes in the biochemical composition of the semen. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Higher Education Students Registered with Disability Services and Practice Educators: Issues and Concerns for Professional Placements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nolan, Clodagh; Gleeson, Claire; Treanor, Declan; Madigan, Susan

2015-01-01

Introduction: The number of students with disabilities accessing Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), including professional courses, has increased substantially within the Republic of Ireland over the past 10 years [AHEAD (Association of Higher Education, Access, and Disability) 2012. "Survey on the Participation Rates of Students with…

Higher Education Tuition and Fees in China: Implications and Impacts on Affordability and Educational Equity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dong, Haiying; Wan, Xuehong

2012-01-01

Students in China are being shouldered with more financial responsibility for their higher education. This shift impacts individuals across the economic spectrum in different ways. This paper assesses recent trends in China's higher education tuition and fees, and the implications on educational equity. Results document substantial increases in…

Financing Higher Education in the United States. OECD Economics Department Working Papers, No. 584

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tulip, Peter

2007-01-01

America's higher education system is among the best in the world. Nevertheless, there is scope for improvement. In particular, there appear to be substantial financial barriers to higher education despite large government expenditures aimed at promoting access. Policy makers have proposed addressing these barriers by increasing student grants.…

Higher Education Research Community in Taiwan: An Emerging Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Sheng-Ju; Chan, Ying

2015-01-01

This paper aims to explore the evolution and characteristics of the higher education research community in Taiwan. In echoing the development of the East Asian region, Taiwan has made substantial progress during the past two decades. The massification of higher education itself has played a major role in promoting the academic differentiation or…

BIORECOVERY OF METALS FROM ACID MINE DRAINAGE

EPA Science Inventory

Acid mine water is an acidic, metal-bearing wastewater generated by the oxidation of metallic sulfides by certain bacteria in both active and abandoned mining operations. The wastewaters contain substantial quantities of dissolved solids with the particular pollutants dependant u...

Rooftop Runoff as a Source of Contamination: A Review

EPA Science Inventory

Scientific reports concerning chemical and microbiological contaminant levels of rainwater runoff from rooftop collection in both urban and rural areas are reviewed. This alternative source of water has been documented to often contain substantial amounts of contaminants. Studi...

Assuring Essential Industrial Base Requirements for Strategic & Critical Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-23

pilot project to reclaim rhenium containing super alloys from jet engines • Viewed as a method to offset substantial reliance on foreign sources of...be candidates for National Defense Stockpile inventory Rhenium Upgrade 13 WARFIGHTER SUPPORT ENHANCEMENT STEWARDSHIP

Characteristics and Propagation of Airgun Pulses in Shallow Water with Implications for Effects on Small Marine Mammals.

PubMed

Hermannsen, Line; Tougaard, Jakob; Beedholm, Kristian; Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob; Madsen, Peter Teglberg

2015-01-01

Airguns used in seismic surveys are among the most prevalent and powerful anthropogenic noise sources in marine habitats. They are designed to produce most energy below 100 Hz, but the pulses have also been reported to contain medium-to-high frequency components with the potential to affect small marine mammals, which have their best hearing sensitivity at higher frequencies. In shallow water environments, inhabited by many of such species, the impact of airgun noise may be particularly challenging to assess due to complex propagation conditions. To alleviate the current lack of knowledge on the characteristics and propagation of airgun pulses in shallow water with implications for effects on small marine mammals, we recorded pulses from a single airgun with three operating volumes (10 in3, 25 in3 and 40 in3) at six ranges (6, 120, 200, 400, 800 and 1300 m) in a uniform shallow water habitat using two calibrated Reson 4014 hydrophones and four DSG-Ocean acoustic data recorders. We show that airgun pulses in this shallow habitat propagated out to 1300 meters in a way that can be approximated by a 18log(r) geometric transmission loss model, but with a high pass filter effect from the shallow water depth. Source levels were back-calculated to 192 dB re µPa2s (sound exposure level) and 200 dB re 1 µPa dB Leq-fast (rms over 125 ms duration), and the pulses contained substantial energy up to 10 kHz, even at the furthest recording station at 1300 meters. We conclude that the risk of causing hearing damage when using single airguns in shallow waters is small for both pinnipeds and porpoises. However, there is substantial potential for significant behavioral responses out to several km from the airgun, well beyond the commonly used shut-down zone of 500 meters.

Characterising Event-Based DOM Inputs to an Urban Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croghan, D.; Bradley, C.; Hannah, D. M.; Van Loon, A.; Sadler, J. P.

2017-12-01

Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) composition in urban streams is dominated by terrestrial inputs after rainfall events. Urban streams have particularly strong terrestrial-riverine connections due to direct input from terrestrial drainage systems. Event driven DOM inputs can have substantial adverse effects on water quality. Despite this, DOM from important catchment sources such as road drains and Combined Sewage Overflows (CSO's) remains poorly characterised within urban watersheds. We studied DOM sources within an urbanised, headwater watershed in Birmingham, UK. Samples from terrestrial sources (roads, roofs and a CSO), were collected manually after the onset of rainfall events of varying magnitude, and again within 24-hrs of the event ending. Terrestrial samples were analysed for fluorescence, absorbance and Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) concentration. Fluorescence and absorbance indices were calculated, and Parallel Factor Analysis (PARAFAC) was undertaken to aid sample characterization. Substantial differences in fluorescence, absorbance, and DOC were observed between source types. PARAFAC-derived components linked to organic pollutants were generally highest within road derived samples, whilst humic-like components tended to be highest within roof samples. Samples taken from the CSO generally contained low fluorescence, however this likely represents a dilution effect. Variation within source groups was particularly high, and local land use seemed to be the driving factor for road and roof drain DOM character and DOC quantity. Furthermore, high variation in fluorescence, absorbance and DOC was apparent between all sources depending on event type. Drier antecedent conditions in particular were linked to greater presence of terrestrially-derived components and higher DOC content. Our study indicates that high variations in DOM character occur between source types, and over small spatial scales. Road drains located on main roads appear to contain the poorest quality DOM of the sources studied due to the presence of hydrocarbons. In order to prevent storm-derived DOM degradation of water quality of urban streams, greater knowledge of links between these drainage sources, and their pathways to streams is required.

Characteristics and Propagation of Airgun Pulses in Shallow Water with Implications for Effects on Small Marine Mammals

PubMed Central

Hermannsen, Line; Tougaard, Jakob; Beedholm, Kristian; Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob; Madsen, Peter Teglberg

2015-01-01

Airguns used in seismic surveys are among the most prevalent and powerful anthropogenic noise sources in marine habitats. They are designed to produce most energy below 100 Hz, but the pulses have also been reported to contain medium-to-high frequency components with the potential to affect small marine mammals, which have their best hearing sensitivity at higher frequencies. In shallow water environments, inhabited by many of such species, the impact of airgun noise may be particularly challenging to assess due to complex propagation conditions. To alleviate the current lack of knowledge on the characteristics and propagation of airgun pulses in shallow water with implications for effects on small marine mammals, we recorded pulses from a single airgun with three operating volumes (10 in3, 25 in3 and 40 in3) at six ranges (6, 120, 200, 400, 800 and 1300 m) in a uniform shallow water habitat using two calibrated Reson 4014 hydrophones and four DSG-Ocean acoustic data recorders. We show that airgun pulses in this shallow habitat propagated out to 1300 meters in a way that can be approximated by a 18log(r) geometric transmission loss model, but with a high pass filter effect from the shallow water depth. Source levels were back-calculated to 192 dB re µPa2s (sound exposure level) and 200 dB re 1 µPa dB Leq-fast (rms over 125 ms duration), and the pulses contained substantial energy up to 10 kHz, even at the furthest recording station at 1300 meters. We conclude that the risk of causing hearing damage when using single airguns in shallow waters is small for both pinnipeds and porpoises. However, there is substantial potential for significant behavioral responses out to several km from the airgun, well beyond the commonly used shut-down zone of 500 meters. PMID:26214849

Cathepsin S-cleavable, multi-block HPMA copolymers for improved SPECT/CT imaging of pancreatic cancer.

PubMed

Fan, Wei; Shi, Wen; Zhang, Wenting; Jia, Yinnong; Zhou, Zhengyuan; Brusnahan, Susan K; Garrison, Jered C

2016-10-01

This work continues our efforts to improve the diagnostic and radiotherapeutic effectiveness of nanomedicine platforms by developing approaches to reduce the non-target accumulation of these agents. Herein, we developed multi-block HPMA copolymers with backbones that are susceptible to cleavage by cathepsin S, a protease that is abundantly expressed in tissues of the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS). Specifically, a bis-thiol terminated HPMA telechelic copolymer containing 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Three maleimide modified linkers with different sequences, including cathepsin S degradable oligopeptide, scramble oligopeptide and oligo ethylene glycol, were subsequently synthesized and used for the extension of the HPMA copolymers by thiol-maleimide click chemistry. All multi-block HPMA copolymers could be labeled by (177)Lu with high labeling efficiency and exhibited high serum stability. In vitro cleavage studies demonstrated highly selective and efficient cathepsin S mediated cleavage of the cathepsin S-susceptible multi-block HPMA copolymer. A modified multi-block HPMA copolymer series capable of Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) was utilized to investigate the rate of cleavage of the multi-block HPMA copolymers in monocyte-derived macrophages. Confocal imaging and flow cytometry studies revealed substantially higher rates of cleavage for the multi-block HPMA copolymers containing the cathepsin S-susceptible linker. The efficacy of the cathepsin S-cleavable multi-block HPMA copolymer was further examined using an in vivo model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Based on the biodistribution and SPECT/CT studies, the copolymer extended with the cathepsin S susceptible linker exhibited significantly faster clearance and lower non-target retention without compromising tumor targeting. Overall, these results indicate that exploitation of the cathepsin S activity in MPS tissues can be utilized to substantially lower non-target accumulation, suggesting this is a promising approach for the development of diagnostic and radiotherapeutic nanomedicine platforms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methylmercury in dried shark fins and shark fin soup from American restaurants.

PubMed

Nalluri, Deepthi; Baumann, Zofia; Abercrombie, Debra L; Chapman, Demian D; Hammerschmidt, Chad R; Fisher, Nicholas S

2014-10-15

Consumption of meat from large predatory sharks exposes human consumers to high levels of toxic monomethylmercury (MMHg). There also have been claims that shark fins, and hence the Asian delicacy shark fin soup, contain harmful levels of neurotoxic chemicals in combination with MMHg, although concentrations of MMHg in shark fins are unknown. We measured MMHg in dried, unprocessed fins (n=50) of 13 shark species that occur in the international trade of dried shark fins as well as 50 samples of shark fin soup prepared by restaurants from around the United States. Concentrations of MMHg in fins ranged from 9 to 1720 ng/g dry wt. MMHg in shark fin soup ranged from <0.01 to 34 ng/mL, with MMHg averaging 62 ± 7% of total Hg. The highest concentrations of MMHg and total Hg were observed in both fins and soup from large, high trophic level sharks such as hammerheads (Sphyrna spp.). Consumption of a 240 mL bowl of shark fin soup containing the average concentration of MMHg (4.6 ng/mL) would result in a dose of 1.1 μg MMHg, which is 16% of the U.S. EPA's reference dose (0.1 μg MMHg per 1 kg per day in adults) of 7.4 μg per day for a 74 kg person. If consumed, the soup containing the highest measured MMHg concentration would exceed the reference dose by 17%. While shark fin soup represents a potentially important source of MMHg to human consumers, other seafood products, particularly the flesh of apex marine predators, contain much higher MMHg concentrations and can result in substantially greater exposures of this contaminant for people. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in Local Public Health System Performance Before and After Attainment of National Accreditation Standards.

PubMed

Ingram, Richard C; Mays, Glen P; Kussainov, Nurlan

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) accreditation on the delivery of public health services and on participation from other sectors in the delivery of public health services in local public health systems. This study uses a longitudinal repeated measures design to identify differences between a cohort of public health systems containing PHAB-accredited local health departments and a cohort of public health systems containing unaccredited local health departments. It uses data spanning from 2006 to 2016. This study examines a cohort of local public health systems that serves large populations and contains unaccredited and PHAB-accredited local health departments. Data in this study were collected from the directors of health departments that include local public health systems followed in the National Longitudinal Study of Public Health Systems. The intervention examined is PHAB accreditation. The study focuses on 4 areas: the delivery of core public health services, local health department contribution toward these services, participation in the delivery of these services by other members of the public health system, and public health system makeup. Prior to the advent of accreditation, public health systems containing local health departments that were later accredited by PHAB appear quite similar to their unaccredited peers. Substantial differences between the 2 cohorts appear to manifest themselves after the advent of accreditation. Specifically, the accredited cohort seems to offer a broader array of public health services, involve more partners in the delivery of those services, and enjoy a higher percentage of comprehensive public health systems. The results of this study suggest that accreditation may yield significant benefits and may help public health systems develop the public health system capital necessary to protect and promote the public's health.

Phytoremediation of arsenic from the contaminated soil using transgenic tobacco plants expressing ACR2 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Nahar, Noor; Rahman, Aminur; Nawani, Neelu N; Ghosh, Sibdas; Mandal, Abul

2017-11-01

We have cloned, characterized and transformed the AtACR2 gene (arsenic reductase 2) of Arabidopsis thaliana into the genome of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum, var Sumsun). Our results revealed that the transgenic tobacco plants are more tolerant to arsenic than the wild type ones. These plants can grow on culture medium containing 200μM arsenate, whereas the wild type can barely survive under this condition. Furthermore, when exposed to 100μM arsenate for 35days the amount of arsenic accumulated in the shoots of transgenic plants was significantly lower (28μg/g d wt.) than that found in the shoots of non-transgenic controls (40μg/g d wt.). However, the arsenic content in the roots of transgenic plants was significantly higher (2400μg/g d. wt.) than that (2100μg/g d. wt.) observed in roots of wild type plants. We have demonstrated that Arabidopsis thaliana AtACR2 gene is a potential candidate for genetic engineering of plants to develop new crop cultivars that can be grown on arsenic contaminated fields to reduce arsenic content of the soil and can become a source of food containing no arsenic or exhibiting substantially reduced amount of this metalloid. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Particulate metals and organic compounds from electronic and tobacco-containing cigarettes: comparison of emission rates and secondhand exposure.

PubMed

Saffari, Arian; Daher, Nancy; Ruprecht, Ario; De Marco, Cinzia; Pozzi, Paolo; Boffi, Roberto; Hamad, Samera H; Shafer, Martin M; Schauer, James J; Westerdahl, Dane; Sioutas, Constantinos

2014-01-01

In recent years, electronic cigarettes have gained increasing popularity as alternatives to normal (tobacco-containing) cigarettes. In the present study, particles generated by e-cigarettes and normal cigarettes have been analyzed and the degree of exposure to different chemical agents and their emission rates were quantified. Despite the 10-fold decrease in the total exposure to particulate elements in e-cigarettes compared to normal cigarettes, specific metals (e.g. Ni and Ag) still displayed a higher emission rate from e-cigarettes. Further analysis indicated that the contribution of e-liquid to the emission of these metals is rather minimal, implying that they likely originate from other components of the e-cigarette device or other indoor sources. Organic species had lower emission rates during e-cigarette consumption compared to normal cigarettes. Of particular note was the non-detectable emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from e-cigarettes, while substantial emission of these species was observed from normal cigarettes. Overall, with the exception of Ni, Zn, and Ag, the consumption of e-cigarettes resulted in a remarkable decrease in secondhand exposure to all metals and organic compounds. Implementing quality control protocols on the manufacture of e-cigarettes would further minimize the emission of metals from these devices and improve their safety and associated health effects.

Novel bimetallic dispersed catalysts for temperature-programmed coal liquefaction

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

Chunshan, Song; Kirby, S.; Schmidt, E.

1995-12-31

The objective of this project is to explore bimetallic dispersed catalysts for more efficient coal liquefaction. Coal liquefaction involves cleavage of methylene, dimethylene and ether bridges connecting various aromatic units and the reactions of various oxygen functional groups. This paper describes recent results on (1) hydrodeoxygenation of O-containing polycyclic model compounds using novel organometallic catalyst precursors; and (2) activity and selectivity of dispersed Fe catalysts from organometallic and inorganic precursors for hydrocracking of 4-(1-naphthylmethyl) bibenzyl. The results showed that some iron containing catalysts have higher activity in the sulfur-free form, contrary to conventional wisdom. Adding sulfur to Fe precursors withmore » Cp-ligands decreased the activity of the resulting catalyst. This is in distinct contrast to the cases with iron pentacarbonyl and superfine Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, where S addition increased their catalytic activity substantially. A positive correlation between sulfur addition and increased activity can be seen, but a reversed trend between Fe cluster size and hydrocracking conversion could be observed, for carbonyl-type Fe precursors. It is apparent that the activity and selectivity of Fe catalysts for NMBB conversion depends strongly on both the type of ligand environment, the oxidation state and the number of intermetal bonds in the molecular precursor.« less

The smallest natural high-active luciferase: cloning and characterization of novel 16.5-kDa luciferase from copepod Metridia longa.

PubMed

Markova, Svetlana V; Larionova, Marina D; Burakova, Ludmila P; Vysotski, Eugene S

2015-01-30

Coelenterazine-dependent copepod luciferases containing natural signal peptide for secretion are a very convenient analytical tool as they enable monitoring of intracellular events with high sensitivity, without destroying cells or tissues. This property is well suited for application in biomedical research and development of cell-based assays for high throughput screening. We report the cloning of cDNA gene encoding a novel secreted non-allelic 16.5-kDa isoform (MLuc7) of Metridia longa luciferase, which, in fact, is the smallest natural luciferase of known for today. Despite the small size, isoform contains 10 conservative Cys residues suggesting the presence of up to 5 SS bonds. This hampers the efficient production of functionally active recombinant luciferase in bacterial expression systems. With the use of the baculovirus expression system, we produced substantial amounts of the proper folded MLuc7 luciferase with a yield of ∼3 mg/L of a high purity protein. We demonstrate that MLuc7 produced in insect cells is highly active and extremely thermostable, and is well suited as a secreted reporter when expressed in mammalian cells ensuring higher sensitivity of detection as compared to another Metridia luciferase isoform (MLuc164) which is widely employed in real-time imaging. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Trace desulfurization. [DOE patent application

DOEpatents

Chen, H.L.; Stevens, C.G.

A method for reducing a trace concentration of sulfur-containing compounds in a gas stream from about one part in 10/sup 4/ to about one part in 10/sup 7/. The method includes the steps of irradiating the gas stream with an energy source which has a central emission frequency chosen to substantially match a wavelength of energy absorption of the sulfur-containing compounds and of subsequently contacting the gas stream with a reactive surface which includes a reactant selected from elemental metals and metal oxides so that metallic sulfur-containing compounds are formed. The reduction in concentration allows the gas stream to be processed in certain reactions having catalysts which would otherwise be poisoned by the sulfur-containing compounds.

Contact structure for use in catalytic distillation

DOEpatents

Jones, Jr., Edward M.

1984-01-01

A method for conducting catalytic chemical reactions and fractionation of the reaction mixture comprising feeding reactants into a distillation column reactor contracting said reactant in liquid phase with a fixed bed catalyst in the form of a contact catalyst structure consisting of closed porous containers containing the catatlyst for the reaction and a clip means to hold and support said containers, which are disposed above, i.e., on the distillation trays in the tower. The trays have weir means to provide a liquid level on the trays to substantially cover the containers. In other words, the trays function in their ordinary manner with the addition thereto of the catalyst. The reaction mixture is concurrently fractionated in the column.

SODIUM DEUTERIUM REACTOR

DOEpatents

Oppenheimer, E.D.; Weisberg, R.A.

1963-02-26

This patent relates to a barrier system for a sodium heavy water reactor capable of insuring absolute separation of the metal and water. Relatively cold D/sub 2/O moderator and reflector is contained in a calandria into which is immersed the fuel containing tubes. The fuel elements are cooled by the sodium which flows within the tubes and surrounds the fuel elements. The fuel containing tubes are surrounded by concentric barrier tubes forming annular spaces through which pass inert gases at substantially atmospheric pressure. Header rooms above and below the calandria are provided for supplying and withdrawing the sodium and inert gases in the calandria region. (AEC)

Plant diversity and invasives in blue oak savannas of the southern Sierra Nevada

Treesearch

Jon E. Keeley

2002-01-01

Blue oak savannas were found to be substantially more diverse at all scales from localized point diversity to the community scale, than higher elevation shrubland and coniferous forests in the southern Sierra Nevada. Also, alien plants were more diverse and represented a substantial fraction of the understory flora in these blue oak savannas, comprising three-fourths...

Effectiveness of family group conferencing in preventing repeat referrals to child protective services and out-of-home placements.

PubMed

Hollinshead, Dana M; Corwin, Tyler W; Maher, Erin J; Merkel-Holguin, Lisa; Allan, Heather; Fluke, John D

2017-07-01

Rigorous research on the efficacy of family group conferencing is rare. This randomized control trial study used an intent-to-treat approach to examine whether a referral to a family group conference (FGC) was associated with re-referrals, substantiated re-referrals, or out-of-home placements among child welfare-involved families receiving in-home services. We found no significant associations between treatment and control group assignment and the three outcomes for the sample as a whole. However, families with more children had higher odds of a re-referral and a substantiated re-referral, families with more than one parent had higher odds of re-referral, and families where a substance abuse services referral was noted had higher odds of out-of-home placement. In interaction models with race, we found that families with African American mothers who were referred for an FGC were more likely to be re-referred compared to other families, but no differences were identified with respect to their rates of substantiated re-referrals or out-of-home placements. Implications are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

13 CFR 300.1 - Introduction and mission.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Investments in infrastructure development, capacity building and business development in order to attract private capital investments and higher-skill, higher-wage jobs to Regions experiencing substantial and... installations, changing trade patterns and the depletion of natural resources. EDA Investments generally take...

Evaluation of potentially achievable vaccination coverage of the second dose of measles containing vaccine with simultaneous administration and risk factors for missed opportunities among children in Zhejiang province, east China.

PubMed

Hu, Yu; Chen, Yaping; Wang, Ying; Liang, Hui

2018-04-03

This study aimed to evaluate the potential achievable coverage of the second dose of measles containing vaccine (MCV2) when the protocol of simultaneous administration of childhood vaccines was fully implemented. Risk factors for missed opportunity (MO) for simultaneous administration of MCV2 were also investigated. Children born from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2014 and registered in Zhejiang provincial immunization information system were enrolled in this study. The MO of simultaneous administration of MCV2, the actual age-appropriate coverage (AAC) of MCV2 and the potentially achievable coverage (PAC) of MCV2 were evaluated and compared across different birth cohorts, by different socio-demographic variables. For the 2014 birth cohort, logistic regression model was used to detect the risk factors of MOs, from both socio-demographic and vaccination service providing aspects. Compared to the AAC, the PAC of MCV2 increased significantly from 2005 birth cohort to 2014 birth cohort (p<0.001), with a median of 12.7 percentage points. Higher birth order of children, resident children, higher maternal education background, higher socio-economic development level of resident areas, less frequent vaccination service, and shorter vaccination service time were significant risk factors of MO for simultaneous administration of MCV2, with all p-value < 0.05. The findings in this study suggest that fully utilization of all opportunities for simultaneous administration of all age-eligible vaccine doses at the same vaccination visit is critical for achieving the coverage target of 95% for MCV2. Future interventions focusing on the group with risk factors observed could substantially eliminate MOs for simultaneous administration of MCV2, further to improve the coverage of fully immunization of MCV, and finally achieve the goal of eliminating measles.

Method and apparatus for measuring enrichment of UF6

DOEpatents

Hill, Thomas Roy [Santa Fe, NM; Ianakiev, Kiril Dimitrov [Los Alamos, NM

2011-06-07

A system and method are disclosed for determining the enrichment of .sup.235U in Uranium Hexafluoride (UF6) utilizing synthesized X-rays which are directed at a container test zone containing a sample of UF6. A detector placed behind the container test zone then detects and counts the X-rays which pass through the container and the UF6. In order to determine the portion of the attenuation due to the UF6 gas alone, this count rate may then be compared to a calibration count rate of X-rays passing through a calibration test zone which contains a vacuum, the test zone having experienced substantially similar environmental conditions as the actual test zone. Alternatively, X-rays of two differing energy levels may be alternately directed at the container, where either the container or the UF6 has a high sensitivity to the difference in the energy levels, and the other having a low sensitivity.

Cost Containment in Higher Education: Issues and Recommendations. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, Volume 28, Number 5. Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Walter A.; Gamber, Cayo

This book provides an overview of strategies colleges and universities can use to help contain costs. It also describes a range of strategies that have been used to contain costs and refine budgeting systems in an era of low returns on investment and greater competition. The volume synthesizes research on internal cost containment strategies…

The regulation of patient-reported outcome claims: need for a flexible standard.

PubMed

Morris, Louis A; Miller, David W

2002-01-01

We review the FDA's policies for the regulation of patient-reported outcome (PRO) claims such as quality of life, productivity, satisfaction and symptom reports and suggest alternative standards for substantiation. We base our review on FDA regulatory activities and public statements in the field of advertising substantiation. We compare these activities to the FDA's label substantiation policies and policies for health-economic (HE) claim substantiation. There is an overt inconsistency between the FDA's policies for substantiation of PRO claims in product labels and substantiation for such claims in advertising materials. This results in a higher standard for PRO claims in promotional vehicles than in product labels. Rather than relying on a "substantial evidence" standard, the FDA should consider a more flexible standard, such as the one currently applied to information included in the Clinical Trials section of product labels, or adopting a "competent and reliable scientific evidence" standard as set forth in Section 114 of the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act (FDAMA) for HE data. We conclude that there needs to be greater consistency for substantiation in product labels and promotional materials. Furthermore, reconceptualizing most PRO claims as benefit extrapolations as opposed to efficacy information suggests a less rigorous standard is necessary.

Isomerization of C.sub.4 alkenes

DOEpatents

Smith, Jr., Lawrence A.

1984-01-01

A method for isomerizing isobutene or n-butene to produce a mixture of isobutene and normal butene, and polymerizing at least a portion thereof to produce isobutene/n-butene codimer, which comprieses feeding at least 80 weight % of either the isobutene or n-butene to a catalytic distillation reactor containing a fixed bed acidic cation exchange resin catalyst packing which provides both the catalyst sites and distillation sites for the reaction products, isomerizing a portion of the isobutene or n-butene to produce a mixture of isobutene and n-butene and reacting at least a portion of the isobutene and n-butene to form codimer of isobutene and n-butene, whereby an overhead fraction containing any unreacted isobutene and n-butene and a bottoms fraction containing codimer is produced. The result of the reaction is substantially the same regardless whether the feed is isobutene or n-butene. Other aspects of the invention, include combinations of procedures to produce high purity isobutene and n-butene. Either isobutene or n-butene product (depending on the desired product) can be recycled as feed, thus substantially carrying out the isomerization to extinction and total conversion to the desired product.

Isomerization of C[sub 4] alkenes

DOEpatents

Smith, L.A. Jr.

1984-11-13

A method is described for isomerizing isobutene or n-butene to produce a mixture of isobutene and normal butene, and polymerizing at least a portion thereof to produce isobutene/n-butene co-dimer, which comprises feeding at least 80 weight % of either the isobutene or n-butene to a catalytic distillation reactor containing a fixed bed acidic cation exchange resin catalyst packing which provides both the catalyst sites and distillation sites for the reaction products, isomerizing a portion of the isobutene or n-butene to produce a mixture of isobutene and n-butene and reacting at least a portion of the isobutene and n-butene to form co-dimer of isobutene and n-butene, whereby an overhead fraction containing any unreacted isobutene and n-butene and a bottoms fraction containing co-dimer is produced. The result of the reaction is substantially the same regardless whether the feed is isobutene or n-butene. Other aspects of the invention, include combinations of procedures to produce high purity isobutene and n-butene. Either isobutene or n-butene product (depending on the desired product) can be recycled as feed, thus substantially carrying out the isomerization to extinction and total conversion to the desired product. 1 fig.

High coking value pitch

DOEpatents

Miller, Douglas J.; Chang, Ching-Feng; Lewis, Irwin C.; Lewis, Richard T.

2014-06-10

A high coking value pitch prepared from coal tar distillate and has a low softening point and a high carbon value while containing substantially no quinoline insolubles is disclosed. The pitch can be used as an impregnant or binder for producing carbon and graphite articles.

Megaregion freight movements : a case study of the Texas Triangle.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-09-01

U.S. population growth is predicted to substantially increase over the next 40 years, particularly in areas with large regional economies forecasted to contain over two-thirds of the national economic activity. In Texas, population growth from 2000 t...

Mega-region freight movements : a case study of the Texas triangle.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-09-01

U.S. population growth is predicted to substantially increase over the next 40 years, particularly in areas : with large regional economies forecasted to contain over two-thirds of the national economic activity. In : Texas, population growth from 20...

Re-Os in Lunar Soils and Meteoritic Siderophiles on the Lunar Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, J. H.; Papanastassiou, D. A.; Wasserburg, G. J.

2001-01-01

Re-Os isotopes in lunar soils indicate approximately chondritic Re, Os, and Os isotopic compositions and substantial Re/Os fractionation, possibly due to the terminal lunar cataclysm. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Automatic Vehicle Location: Successful Transit Applications

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-11-01

Belief in the value of AVL is substantiated by statements of benefits contained earlier in this study. Even so, none of the study agencies are making full use of the voluminous amount of AVL data automatically recorded by the system. Efforts to make ...

Calibration of a spatial light modulator containing dual frequency liquid crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Dong-Feng; Winker, Bruce; Wen, Bing; Taber, Don; Brackley, Andrew; Wirth, Allan; Albanese, Marc; Landers, Frank

2005-08-01

Characterization and calibration process for a liquid crystal (LC) spatial light modulator (SLM) containing dual frequency liquid crystal is described. Special care was taken when dealing with LC cell gap non-uniformity and defect pixels. The calibration results were fed into a closed loop control algorithm to demonstrate correction of wavefront distortions. The performance characteristics of the device were reported. Substantial improvements were made in speed (bandwidth), resolution, power consumption and system weight/volume.

SALICYLATE PROCESS FOR THORIUM SEPARATION FROM RARE EARTHS

DOEpatents

Cowan, G.A.

1959-08-25

The separation of thorium from rare earths is accomplished by forming an aqueous solution of salts of thorium and rare earths and sufficient acetate buffer to provide a pH of between 2 and 5, adding an ammonium salicylate to the aqueous buffered solution, contacting the resultant solution with a substantially water-immiscible organic solvent mixture of an ether and an ester, and separating the solvent extract phase containing thorium salicylate from the aqueous phase containing the rare earths.

Regional Inequality of Higher Education in China and the Role of Unequal Economic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bickenbach, Frank; Liu, Wan-Hsin

2013-01-01

Over the past decade the scale of higher education in China has expanded substantially. Regional development policies have attempted to make use of scale expansion as a tool to reduce inequality of higher education among regions with different development levels by providing poor regions with preferential treatment and support. This paper analyzes…

Report on Higher Education Finance in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, Howard R.

This report on higher education finance in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is divided into six sections. Section one deals with state support for higher education, and whether the state should give greater attention to the private sector than it has in the past. The question of whether the state could support substantial additional costs of…

Exploring Both Positive and Negative Experiences Associated with Engaging in Teaching Awards in a Higher Education Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzpatrick, Mary; Moore, Sarah

2015-01-01

A coordinated, evidence-based approach to teaching awards in higher education at institutional level has developed over the past decade in Ireland. Some research has suggested that teaching awards create substantial benefits in higher education by motivating and recognising excellent teachers. However, not all of the literature favours the…

The Value of a College Degree for Foster Care Alumni: Comparisons with General Population Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salazar, Amy M.

2013-01-01

Higher education is associated with substantial adult life benefits, including higher income and improved quality of life, among others. The current study compared adult outcomes of 250 foster care alumni college graduates with two samples of general population graduates to explore the role higher education plays in these young adults' lives.…

The Innovation Blaze-Method of Development Professional Thinking Designers in the Modern Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alekseeva, Irina V.; Barsukova, Natalia I.; Pallotta, Valentina I.; Skovorodnikova, Nadia A.

2017-01-01

This article proved the urgency of the problem of development of professional thinking of students studying design in modern conditions of higher education. The authors substantiate for the need of an innovative Blaise-method development of professional design thinking of students in higher education. "Blaise-method" named by us in…

Exclusion Factors in Latin American Higher Education: A Preliminary Analyze From University Governing Board Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castro, Diego; Rodríguez-Gómez, David; Gairín, Joaquín

2017-01-01

Access to higher education has increased substantially in Latin America, but inequalities in access to and completion of higher education still remain. In this regard, identifying vulnerable groups and exclusion factors is a priority in Latin America's university systems. The aim of this article is to understand in depth governing board…

Full-scale studies of factors related to coliform regrowth in drinking water.

PubMed

LeChevallier, M W; Welch, N J; Smith, D B

1996-07-01

An 18-month survey of 31 water systems in North America was conducted to determine the factors that contribute to the occurrence of coliform bacteria in drinking water. The survey included analysis of assimilable organic carbon (AOC), coliforms, disinfectant residuals, and operational parameters. Coliform bacteria were detected in 27.8% of the 2-week sampling periods and were associated with the following factors: filtration, temperature, disinfectant type and disinfectant level, AOC level, corrosion control, and operational characteristics. Four systems in the study that used unfiltered surface water accounted for 26.6% of the total number of bacterial samples collected but 64.3% (1,013 of 1,576) of the positive coliform samples. The occurrence of coliform bacteria was significantly higher when water temperatures were > 15 degrees C. For filtered systems that used free chlorine, 0.97% of 33,196 samples contained coliform bacteria, while 0.51% of 35,159 samples from chloraminated systems contained coliform bacteria. The average density of coliform bacteria was 35 times higher in free-chlorinated systems than in chloraminated water (0.60 CFU/100 ml for free-chlorinated water compared with 0.017 CFU/100 ml for chloraminated water). Systems that maintained dead-end free chlorine levels of < 0.2 mg/liter or monochloramine levels of < 0.5 mg/liter had substantially more coliform occurrences than systems that maintained higher disinfectant residuals. Free-chlorinated systems with AOC levels greater than 100 micrograms/liter had 82% more coliform-positive samples and 19 times higher coliform levels than free-chlorinated systems with average AOC levels less than 99 micrograms/liter. Systems that maintained a phosphate-based corrosion inhibitor and limited the amount of unlined cast iron pipe had fewer coliform bacteria. Several operational characteristics of the treatment process or the distribution system were also associated with increased rates of coliform occurrence. The study concludes that the occurrence of coliform bacteria within a distribution system is dependent upon a complex interaction of chemical, physical, operational, and engineering parameters. No one factor could account for all of the coliform occurrences, and one must consider all of the parameters described above in devising a solution to the regrowth problem.

Full-scale studies of factors related to coliform regrowth in drinking water.

PubMed Central

LeChevallier, M W; Welch, N J; Smith, D B

1996-01-01

An 18-month survey of 31 water systems in North America was conducted to determine the factors that contribute to the occurrence of coliform bacteria in drinking water. The survey included analysis of assimilable organic carbon (AOC), coliforms, disinfectant residuals, and operational parameters. Coliform bacteria were detected in 27.8% of the 2-week sampling periods and were associated with the following factors: filtration, temperature, disinfectant type and disinfectant level, AOC level, corrosion control, and operational characteristics. Four systems in the study that used unfiltered surface water accounted for 26.6% of the total number of bacterial samples collected but 64.3% (1,013 of 1,576) of the positive coliform samples. The occurrence of coliform bacteria was significantly higher when water temperatures were > 15 degrees C. For filtered systems that used free chlorine, 0.97% of 33,196 samples contained coliform bacteria, while 0.51% of 35,159 samples from chloraminated systems contained coliform bacteria. The average density of coliform bacteria was 35 times higher in free-chlorinated systems than in chloraminated water (0.60 CFU/100 ml for free-chlorinated water compared with 0.017 CFU/100 ml for chloraminated water). Systems that maintained dead-end free chlorine levels of < 0.2 mg/liter or monochloramine levels of < 0.5 mg/liter had substantially more coliform occurrences than systems that maintained higher disinfectant residuals. Free-chlorinated systems with AOC levels greater than 100 micrograms/liter had 82% more coliform-positive samples and 19 times higher coliform levels than free-chlorinated systems with average AOC levels less than 99 micrograms/liter. Systems that maintained a phosphate-based corrosion inhibitor and limited the amount of unlined cast iron pipe had fewer coliform bacteria. Several operational characteristics of the treatment process or the distribution system were also associated with increased rates of coliform occurrence. The study concludes that the occurrence of coliform bacteria within a distribution system is dependent upon a complex interaction of chemical, physical, operational, and engineering parameters. No one factor could account for all of the coliform occurrences, and one must consider all of the parameters described above in devising a solution to the regrowth problem. PMID:8779557

High-energy electron emission from metallic nano-tips driven by intense single-cycle terahertz pulses

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

Li, Sha; Jones, R. R.

Electrons ejected from atoms and subsequently driven to high energies in strong laser fields enable techniques from attosecond pulse generation to imaging with rescattered electrons. Analogous processes govern strong-field electron emission from nanostructures, where long wavelength radiation and large local field enhancements hold the promise for producing electrons with substantially higher energies, allowing for higher resolution time-resolved imaging. Here we report on the use of single-cycle terahertz pulses to drive electron emission from unbiased nano-tips. Energies exceeding 5 keV are observed, substantially greater than previously attained at higher drive frequencies. Despite large differences in the magnitude of the respective localmore » fields, we find that the maximum electron energies are only weakly dependent on the tip radius, for 10 nm« less

Ultrasound and microwave assisted synthesis of isoindolo-1,2-diazine: a comparative study.

PubMed

Bejan, Vasilichia; Mantu, Dorina; Mangalagiu, Ionel I

2012-09-01

A comparative study, ultrasound (US) versus microwave (MW) versus conventional thermal heating (TH), for synthesis of isoindolo-1,2-diazine is described. The reaction pathway is fast, efficient and straight applicable, involving a Huisgen [3+2] dipolar cycloaddition of cycloimmonium ylides to 1,4-naphthoquinone. A feasible reaction mechanism for the obtaining of the fully aromatized tetra- and penta- cyclic isoindolo-1,2-diazine is presented. Under US irradiation the yields are much higher (sometimes substantially, by almost double), the reaction time decreases substantially, the reaction conditions are milder. The use of a generator with a higher nominal power induces higher yields and short reaction times. Overall the use of US it proved to be more efficient than MW or TH. A feasible explication for US efficiency is presented. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-energy electron emission from metallic nano-tips driven by intense single-cycle terahertz pulses

DOE PAGES

Li, Sha; Jones, R. R.

2016-11-10

Electrons ejected from atoms and subsequently driven to high energies in strong laser fields enable techniques from attosecond pulse generation to imaging with rescattered electrons. Analogous processes govern strong-field electron emission from nanostructures, where long wavelength radiation and large local field enhancements hold the promise for producing electrons with substantially higher energies, allowing for higher resolution time-resolved imaging. Here we report on the use of single-cycle terahertz pulses to drive electron emission from unbiased nano-tips. Energies exceeding 5 keV are observed, substantially greater than previously attained at higher drive frequencies. Despite large differences in the magnitude of the respective localmore » fields, we find that the maximum electron energies are only weakly dependent on the tip radius, for 10 nm« less

College Student Depression: Counseling Billy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mobley, A. Keith

2008-01-01

A substantial portion of the college student population experiences affective disorders. This case study presents the conceptualization, course of treatment, and outcomes for a male college student presenting for counseling with depression. A review of Adlerian, cognitive-behavioral, and Gestalt techniques is provided. (Contains 1 figure.)

PLUTONIUM CLEANING PROCESS

DOEpatents

Kolodney, M.

1959-12-01

A method is described for rapidly removing iron, nickel, and zinc coatings from plutonium objects while simultaneously rendering the plutonium object passive. The method consists of immersing the coated plutonium object in an aqueous acid solution containing a substantial concentration of nitrate ions, such as fuming nitric acid.

77 FR 26604 - Progressive Rail, Incorporated-Lease and Operation Exemption-Rail Line of Union Pacific Railroad...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-04

... contains an interchange commitment with substantial economic rewards for PGR if it interchanges with UP. One has to wonder why such an economic incentive is necessary if there is little chance that PGR would...

Lunar Crustal Magnetism: Correlations with Geology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halekas, J. S.; Mitchell, D. L.; Lin, R. P.; Frey, S.; Acuna, M. H.; Hood, L. L.; Binder, A. B.

2001-01-01

With Lunar Prospector reflectometry data we now have sufficient surface coverage to allow detailed comparisons between crustal magnetism and geology. We find substantial evidence that lunar magnetism is dominated by the effects of impact processes. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

PRODUCTION OF METALS AND THEIR COMPOUNDS

DOEpatents

Arden, T.V.; Burstall, F.H.; Davies, G.R.; Linstead, R.P.; Wells, R.A.

1958-11-18

Zirconium nitrate can be separated from hafnium nitrate by mixing the nitrates with ethyl cellulose pulp, eluting the mass with diethyl ether containing nitric acid, and passing the eluent through a column of cellulose pulp the outflow of which is substantially free of hafnium.

Total antioxidant content of alternatives to refined sugar.

PubMed

Phillips, Katherine M; Carlsen, Monica H; Blomhoff, Rune

2009-01-01

Oxidative damage is implicated in the etiology of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other degenerative disorders. Recent nutritional research has focused on the antioxidant potential of foods, while current dietary recommendations are to increase the intake of antioxidant-rich foods rather than supplement specific nutrients. Many alternatives to refined sugar are available, including raw cane sugar, plant saps/syrups (eg, maple syrup, agave nectar), molasses, honey, and fruit sugars (eg, date sugar). Unrefined sweeteners were hypothesized to contain higher levels of antioxidants, similar to the contrast between whole and refined grain products. To compare the total antioxidant content of natural sweeteners as alternatives to refined sugar. The ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay was used to estimate total antioxidant capacity. Major brands of 12 types of sweeteners as well as refined white sugar and corn syrup were sampled from retail outlets in the United States. Substantial differences in total antioxidant content of different sweeteners were found. Refined sugar, corn syrup, and agave nectar contained minimal antioxidant activity (<0.01 mmol FRAP/100 g); raw cane sugar had a higher FRAP (0.1 mmol/100 g). Dark and blackstrap molasses had the highest FRAP (4.6 to 4.9 mmol/100 g), while maple syrup, brown sugar, and honey showed intermediate antioxidant capacity (0.2 to 0.7 mmol FRAP/100 g). Based on an average intake of 130 g/day refined sugars and the antioxidant activity measured in typical diets, substituting alternative sweeteners could increase antioxidant intake an average of 2.6 mmol/day, similar to the amount found in a serving of berries or nuts. Many readily available alternatives to refined sugar offer the potential benefit of antioxidant activity.

Detection of metabolites of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in human urine specimens: 2-oxo-3-hydroxy-LSD, a prevalent metabolite of LSD.

PubMed

Poch, G K; Klette, K L; Hallare, D A; Manglicmot, M G; Czarny, R J; McWhorter, L K; Anderson, C J

1999-03-05

Seventy-four urine specimens previously found to contain lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were analyzed by a new procedure for the LSD metabolite 2-oxo-3-hydroxy-LSD (O-H-LSD) using a Finnigan LC-MS-MS system. This procedure proved to be less complex, shorter to perform and provides cleaner chromatographic characteristics than the method currently utilized by the Navy Drug Screening Laboratories for the extraction of LSD from urine by GC-MS. All of the specimens used in the study screened positive for LSD by radioimmunoassay (Roche Abuscreen). Analysis by GC-MS revealed detectable amounts of LSD in all of the specimens. In addition, isolysergic diethylamide (iso-LSD), a byproduct of LSD synthesis, was quantitated in 64 of the specimens. Utilizing the new LC-MS-MS method, low levels of N-desmethyl-LSD (nor-LSD), another identified LSD metabolite, were detected in some of the specimens. However, all 74 specimens contained O-H-LSD at significantly higher concentrations than LSD, iso-LSD, or nor-LSD alone. The O-H-LSD concentration ranged from 732 to 112 831 pg/ml (mean, 16340 pg/ml) by quantification with an internal standard. The ratio of O-H-LSD to LSD ranged from 1.1 to 778.1 (mean, 42.9). The presence of O-H-LSD at substantially higher concentrations than LSD suggests that the analysis for O-H-LSD as the target analyte by employing LC-MS-MS will provide a much longer window of detection for the use of LSD than the analysis of the parent compound, LSD.

Light absorbing material (soot) in rainwater and in aerosol particles in the Maldives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granat, L.; EngströM, J. E.; Praveen, S.; Rodhe, H.

2010-08-01

Simultaneous measurements of soot (absorbing material at 528 nm) and inorganic ions in aerosol and precipitation at the Maldives Climate Observatory Hanimaadhoo during the period May 2005 to February 2007 have made it possible to calculate the washout ratio (WR) of these components as a measure of how efficiently they are scavenged by precipitation. On the basis of air trajectories the data have been separated into days with polluted air arriving from the Indian subcontinent in a northeasterly sector during winter and clean monsoon days with southerly flow from the Indian Ocean. The average soot concentration was a factor of 10 higher in the former situations. Despite considerable scatter for individual days, a systematic pattern emerged when the WR for the different components were compared with each other. During the monsoon season the WR for soot was similar to that of sulfate and other fine mode aerosol components, indicating that soot containing particles in these situations were efficient as cloud condensation nuclei. The origin of the light absorbing material during the monsoon season is unclear. During the polluted winter days, on the other hand, the WR for soot was three times smaller than that of sulfate. This indicates that, even after a travel time of several days, the soot containing particles from India have retained much of their hydrophobic property. The low WR and the infrequent rain during this season probably contribute to extending the atmospheric lifetime of soot well beyond several days. Surprisingly high concentrations of non-sea-salt calcium were measured during the monsoon season, substantially higher than during the winter season. The origin of these high values could be long-range transport from the Australian or African continents. Another possibility might be exopolymer gels derived from the ocean surface microlayer.

Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution at Ordered Mo 7 Ni 7

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

Csernica, Peter M.; McKone, James R.; Mulzer, Catherine R.

2017-04-11

Ni–Mo alloys containing up to ~15 mol % Mo are excellent non-noble electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline aqueous electrolytes. To date, studies have not addressed the details of HER activity of ordered Ni–Mo intermetallic compounds, which can contain a significantly larger fraction of Mo (up to 50 mol %) than can be accessed through high-temperature alloying. Here, we present a straightforward and facile synthesis of three phase-pure electrocatalyst powders using a precipitation–reduction approach: ordered Mo7Ni7, disordered Ni0.92Mo0.08, and pure Ni. The Ni0.92Mo0.08 alloy exhibited a nearly 10-fold higher mass-specific HER activity than either pure Ni ormore » Mo7Ni7, where much of the difference could be attributed to relative surface area. Therefore, we attempted to quantify and account for differences in surface areas using electron microscopy, impedance spectroscopy, and gas adsorption measurements. These data suggest that Ni–Mo alloys and intermetallic compounds exhibit substantial pseudocapacitance at potentials near the onset of hydrogen evolution, which can cause impedance spectroscopy to overestimate the interfacial capacitance, and thus the electrochemically active surface area, of these materials. From these observations, we postulate Mo redox activity as the chemical basis for the observed pseudocapacitance of Ni–Mo composites. Furthermore, using gas adsorption measurements, rather than capacitance, to estimate active surface area, we find that ordered Mo7Ni7 is more intrinsically active than the Ni0.92Mo0.08 alloy, implying that Mo7Ni7 intermetallics with high surface area will also give higher mass-specific activities than alloys with comparable roughness.« less

Organic Biochar Based Fertilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Hans-Peter; Pandit, Bishnu Hari; Cornelissen, Gerard; Kammann, Claudia

2017-04-01

Biochar produced in cost-efficient flame curtain kilns (Kon-Tiki) was nutrient enriched either with cow urine or with dissolved mineral (NPK) fertilizer to produce biochar-based fertilizers containing between 60-100 kg N, 5-60 kg P2O5 and 60-100 kg K2O, respectively, per ton of biochar. In 21 field trials nutrient-enriched biochars were applied at rates of 0.5 to 2 t ha-1 into the root zone of 13 different annual and perennial crops. Treatments combining biochar, compost and organic or chemical fertilizer were evaluated; control treatments contained the same amounts of nutrients but without biochar. All nutrient-enriched biochar substrates improved yields compared to their respective no-biochar controls. Biochar enriched with dissolved NPK produced on average 20% ± 5.1% (N=4) higher yields than standard NPK fertilization without biochar. Cow urine-enriched biochar blended with compost resulted on average in 123% ± 76.7% (N=13) higher yields compared to the organic farmer practice with cow urine-blended compost and outcompeted NPK-enriched biochar (same nutrient dose) by 103% ± 12.4% (N=4) on average. 21 field trials robustly revealed that low-dosage root zone application of organic biochar-based fertilizers caused substantial yield increases in rather fertile silt loam soils compared to traditional organic fertilization and to mineral NPK- or NPK-biochar fertilization. This can likely be explained by the nutrient carrier effect of biochar causing a slow nutrient release behavior, more balanced nutrient fluxes and reduced nutrient losses especially when liquid organic nutrients are used for the biochar enrichment. The results promise new pathways for optimizing organic farming and improving on-farm nutrient cycling.

Transition to Postsecondary: New Documentation Guidance for Access to Accommodations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klotz, Mary Beth

2012-01-01

The Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) recently developed a conceptual framework that substantially revises its guidance for disability documentation for accommodations in higher education settings. This new document, "Supporting Accommodation Requests: Guidance on Documentation Practices," was written in response to the…

Prudent Risks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicklin, Julie L.

1995-01-01

Despite recent substantial losses through an investment adviser, mid-size universities are reducing their traditional low-risk investments and engaging in investments that are higher-risk but potentially higher-yielding. For some institutions, this translates into more investment in the domestic stock market and some ventures into foreign markets.…

Process and apparatus for the production of BI-213 cations

DOEpatents

Horwitz, E. Philip; Hines, John J.; Chiarizia, Renato; Dietz, Mark

1998-01-01

A process for producing substantially impurity-free Bi-213 cations is disclosed. An aqueous acid feed solution containing Ac-225 cations is contacted with an ion exchange medium to bind the Ac-225 cations and form an Ac-225-laden ion exchange medium. The bound Ac-225 incubates on the ion exchange medium to form Bi-213 cations by radioactive decay. The Bi-213 cations are then recovered from the Ac-225-laden ion exchange medium to form a substantially impurity-free aqueous Bi-213 cation acid solution. An apparatus for carrying out this process is also disclosed.

Fuel cell having electrolyte

DOEpatents

Wright, Maynard K.

1989-01-01

A fuel cell having an electrolyte control volume includes a pair of porous opposed electrodes. A maxtrix is positioned between the pair of electrodes for containing an electrolyte. A first layer of backing paper is positioned adjacent to one of the electrodes. A portion of the paper is substantially previous to the acceptance of the electrolyte so as to absorb electrolyte when there is an excess in the matrix and to desorb electrolyte when there is a shortage in the matrix. A second layer of backing paper is positioned adjacent to the first layer of paper and is substantially impervious to the acceptance of electrolyte.

SEPARATION OF URANIUM FROM OTHER METALS

DOEpatents

Hyman, H.H.

1959-07-01

The separation of uranium from other elements, such as ruthenium, zirconium, niobium, cerium, and other rare earth metals is described. According to the invention, this is accomplished by adding hydrazine to an acid aqueous solution containing salts of uranium, preferably hexavalent uranium, and then treating the mixture with a substantially water immiscible ketone, such as hexone. A reaction takes place between the ketone and the hydrazine whereby a complex, a ketazine, is formed; this complex has a greater power of extraction for uranium than the ketone by itself. When contaminating elements are present, they substantially remain in ihe aqueous solution.

Process and apparatus for the production of Bi-213 cations

DOEpatents

Horwitz, E.P.; Hines, J.J.; Chiarizia, R.; Dietz, M.

1998-12-29

A process for producing substantially impurity-free Bi-213 cations is disclosed. An aqueous acid feed solution containing Ac-225 cations is contacted with an ion exchange medium to bind the Ac-225 cations and form an Ac-225-laden ion exchange medium. The bound Ac-225 incubates on the ion exchange medium to form Bi-213 cations by radioactive decay. The Bi-213 cations are then recovered from the Ac-225-laden ion exchange medium to form a substantially impurity-free aqueous Bi-213 cation acid solution. An apparatus for carrying out this process is also disclosed. 7 figs.

Differences in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in vitro of islets from human, nonhuman primate and porcine origin

PubMed Central

Mueller, Kate R; Balamurugan, A.N.; Cline, Gary W; Pongratz, Rebecca L; Hooper, Rebecca L; Weegman, Bradley P; Kitzmann, Jennifer P; Taylor, Michael J; Graham, Melanie L; Schuurman, Henk-Jan; Papas, Klearchos K

2014-01-01

Background Porcine islet xenotransplantation is considered a potential cell-based therapy for type 1 diabetes. It is currently being evaluated in diabetic nonhuman primates (NHP) to assess safety and efficacy of the islet product. However, due to a variety of distinct differences between the respective species, including the insulin secretory characteristics of islets, the suitability and predictive value of the preclinical model in the extrapolation to the clinical setting remains a critical issue. Methods Islets isolated from human (n=3), NHP (n=2), adult pig (AP, n=3) and juvenile pig (JP, n=3) pancreata were perifused with medium at basal glucose (2.5mM) followed by high glucose (16.7mM) concentrations. The total glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) was calculated from generated insulin secretion profiles. Results NHP islets exhibited GSIS 3-fold higher than human islets, while AP and JP islets exhibited GSIS 1/3 and 1/16 of human islets, respectively. The insulin content of NHP and AP islets was similar to that of human islets, whereas that of JP islets was 1/3 of human islets. Conclusion Despite the fact that human, NHP, and AP islets contain similar amounts of insulin, the much higher GSIS for NHP islets than for human, AP and JP islets suggests the need for increased dosing of islets from JP and AP in pig-to-NHP transplantation which may be substantially higher than that required for humans. Finally, porcine islet xenotransplantation to humans may require significantly higher dosing given the lower GSIS of AP islets compared to human islets. PMID:23384163

Roll-to-Roll Continuous Manufacturing Multifunctional Nanocomposites by Electric-Field-Assisted "Z" Direction Alignment of Graphite Flakes in Poly(dimethylsiloxane).

PubMed

Guo, Yuanhao; Chen, Yuwei; Wang, Enmin; Cakmak, Miko

2017-01-11

A roll-to-roll continuous process was developed to manufacture large-scale multifunctional poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) films embedded with thickness direction ("Z" direction) aligned graphite nanoparticles by application of electric field. The kinetics of particle "Z" alignment and chain formation was studied by tracking the real-time change of optical light transmission through film thickness direction. Benefiting from the anisotropic structure of aligned particle chains, the electrical and thermal properties of the nanocomposites were dramatically enhanced through the thickness direction as compared to those of the nanocomposites containing the same particle loading without electrical field alignment. With 5 vol % graphite loading, 250 times higher electrical conductivity, 43 times higher dielectric permittivity, and 1.5 times higher thermal conductivity was achieved in the film thickness direction after the particles were aligned under electrical field. Moreover, the aligned nanocomposites with merely 2 vol % graphite particles exhibit even higher electric conductivity and dielectric permittivity than those of the nonaligned nanocomposites at random percolation threshold (10 vol % particles), as the "electric-field-directed" percolation threshold concentration is substantially decreased using this process. As the graphite loading increases to 20 vol %, the aligned nanocomposites exhibit thermal conductivity as high as 6.05 W/m·K, which is 35 times the thermal conductivity of pure matrix. This roll-to-roll electric field continuous process provides a simple, low-cost, and commercially viable method to manufacture multifunctional nanocomposites for applications as embedded capacitor, electromagnetic (EM) shielding, and thermal interface materials.

Anisotropic path modeling to assess pedestrian-evacuation potential from Cascadia-related tsunamis in the US Pacific Northwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wood, Nathan J.; Schmidtlein, Mathew C.

2012-01-01

Recent disasters highlight the threat that tsunamis pose to coastal communities. When developing tsunami-education efforts and vertical-evacuation strategies, emergency managers need to understand how much time it could take for a coastal population to reach higher ground before tsunami waves arrive. To improve efforts to model pedestrian evacuations from tsunamis, we examine the sensitivity of least-cost-distance models to variations in modeling approaches, data resolutions, and travel-rate assumptions. We base our observations on the assumption that an anisotropic approach that uses path-distance algorithms and accounts for variations in land cover and directionality in slope is the most realistic of an actual evacuation landscape. We focus our efforts on the Long Beach Peninsula in Washington (USA), where a substantial residential and tourist population is threatened by near-field tsunamis related to a potential Cascadia subduction zone earthquake. Results indicate thousands of people are located in areas where evacuations to higher ground will be difficult before arrival of the first tsunami wave. Deviations from anisotropic modeling assumptions substantially influence the amount of time likely needed to reach higher ground. Across the entire study, changes in resolution of elevation data has a greater impact on calculated travel times than changes in land-cover resolution. In particular areas, land-cover resolution had a substantial impact when travel-inhibiting waterways were not reflected in small-scale data. Changes in travel-speed parameters had a substantial impact also, suggesting the importance of public-health campaigns as a tsunami risk-reduction strategy.

Color film preservation system: Breadboard development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The development of an economically feasible system to prevent and/or substantially reduce the degradation of the color dyes of the retinal reflex images recorded on color slide films is discussed. Three different types of film storage systems were designed, fabricated, and tested. An extruded plastic cylindrical container was pressurized and no observable leakage occurred, indicating that long term storage is possible. An operational breadboard was fabricated. The system offers the capability to determine purging requirements to achieve various levels of oxygen concentration and precise leakage of various container configurations. The system has digitial display of oxygen content of the container, automatic control of the oxygen content as well as of the container to atmosphere pressure differential, and flow rate readout during purging.

Composition for use in high-temperature hydrogen-fluorine environments and method for making the composition

DOEpatents

Kovach, L.; Holcombe, C.E.

1980-08-22

The present invention relates to a composition particularly suitable for use as structural components subject to high-temperature environments containing gaseous hydrogen and fluorine. The composition of the present invention consists essentially of lanthanum hexaboride-molybdenum diboride with dispersed silicon. The composition is formed by hot pressing a powder mixture of lanthanum hexaboride as the major constituent and molybdenum disilicide. This composition exhibits substantial resistance to thermal shock and corrosion in environments containing hydrogen and fluorine gases at material surface temperatures up to about 1850/sup 0/K. Upon exposure of the hot-pressed composition to high-temperature environments containing fluorine gases, a highly protective layer of lanthanum trifluoride containing dispersed molybdenum is formed on exposed surfaces of the composition.

Composition for use in high-temperature hydrogen-fluorine environments and method for making the composition

DOEpatents

Kovach, Louis; Holcombe, Cressie E.

1982-01-01

The present invention relates to a composition particularly suitable for as structural components subject to high-temperature environments containing gaseous hydrogen and fluorine. The composition of the present invention consists essentially of lanthanum hexaboride-molybdenum diboride with dispersed silicon. The composition is formed by hot pressing a powder mixture of lanthanum hexaboride as the major constituent and molybdenum disilicide. This composition exhibits substantial resistance to thermal shock and corrosion in environments containing hydrogen and fluorine gases at material surface temperatures up to about 1850.degree. K. Upon exposure of the hot-pressed composition to high-temperature environments containing fluorine gases, a highly protective layer of lanthanum trifluoride containing dispersed molybdenum is formed on exposed surfaces of the composition.

Molten tin reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel elements

DOEpatents

Heckman, Richard A.

1983-01-01

A method and apparatus for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel is described. Within a containment vessel, a solid plug of tin and nitride precipitates supports a circulating bath of liquid tin therein. Spent nuclear fuel is immersed in the liquid tin under an atmosphere of nitrogen, resulting in the formation of nitride precipitates. The layer of liquid tin and nitride precipitates which interfaces the plug is solidified and integrated with the plug. Part of the plug is melted, removing nitride precipitates from the containment vessel, while a portion of the plug remains solidified to support the liquid tin and nitride precipitates remaining in the containment vessel. The process is practiced numerous times until substantially all of the precipitated nitrides are removed from the containment vessel.

Contact structure for use in catalytic distillation

DOEpatents

Jones, E.M. Jr.

1984-03-27

A method is described for conducting catalytic chemical reactions and fractionation of the reaction mixture comprising feeding reactants into a distillation column reactor, contracting said reactant in liquid phase with a fixed bed catalyst in the form of a contact catalyst structure consisting of closed porous containers containing the catalyst for the reaction and a clip means to hold and support said containers, which are disposed above, i.e., on the distillation trays in the tower. The trays have weir means to provide a liquid level on the trays to substantially cover the containers. In other words, the trays function in their ordinary manner with the addition thereto of the catalyst. The reaction mixture is concurrently fractionated in the column. 7 figs.

Contact structure for use in catalytic distillation

DOEpatents

Jones, Jr., Edward M.

1985-01-01

A method and apparatus for conducting catalytic chemical reactions and fractionation of the reaction mixture, comprising and feeding reactants into a distillation column reactor contracting said reactant in a liquid phase with a fixed bed catalyst in the form of a contact catalyst structure, consisting of closed porous containers containing the catalyst for the reaction and a clip means to hold and support said containers, which are disposed above, i.e., on the distillation trays in the tower. The trays have weir means to provide a liquid level on the trays to substantially cover the containers. In other words, the trays function in their ordinary manner with the addition thereto of the catalyst. The reaction mixture is concurrently fractionated in the column.

Contact structure for use in catalytic distillation

DOEpatents

Jones, E.M. Jr.

1985-08-20

A method and apparatus are disclosed for conducting catalytic chemical reactions and fractionation of the reaction mixture, comprising and feeding reactants into a distillation column reactor contracting said reactant in a liquid phase with a fixed bed catalyst in the form of a contact catalyst structure, consisting of closed porous containers containing the catalyst for the reaction and a clip means to hold and support said containers, which are disposed above, i.e., on the distillation trays in the tower. The trays have weir means to provide a liquid level on the trays to substantially cover the containers. In other words, the trays function in their ordinary manner with the addition thereto of the catalyst. The reaction mixture is concurrently fractionated in the column. 7 figs.

Does the Type of Higher Education Affect Labor Market Outcomes? Evidence from Egypt and Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assaad, Ragui; Krafft, Caroline; Salehi-Isfahani, Djavad

2018-01-01

In Egypt and Jordan, there is a substantial mismatch between the output of the higher education system and the needs of the labor market. Both demand and supply-side factors could be driving this mismatch. This paper tests a key supply-side issue, whether differences in the institutional structures and incentives in higher education affect the…

Students' Choice of Sub-Degree Programmes in Self-Financing Higher Education Institutions in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Phoebe; Ng, Peggy M. L.; Mak, Connie K. Y.; Chan, Jason K. Y.

2016-01-01

The higher education sector in Hong Kong has restructured substantially from elite to mass higher education since the introduction of education reform by the Hong Kong government in 2000. To stay ahead in this competitive environment in the education sector, management teams of self-financing institutions have to compete for students and identify…

Analysis of the Higher Education Act Reauthorizations: Financial Aid Policy Influencing College Access and Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capt, Robin L.

2013-01-01

The original goal of the Higher Education Act of 1965, the amendments to that act in 1972, and reauthorizations through 1998 was to increase accessibility of higher education to all. Initially these system-level efforts substantially enhanced equity, but recent enrollment trends raise the question: Is our system becoming more or less equitable? By…

State Fiscal Constraints and Higher Education Spending: The Role of Medicaid and the Business Cycle. Discussion Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Thomas J.; Orszag, Peter R.; Gunter, David L.

This study used state-level data on expenditures since 1977 to study the forces underlying the shift in state financing of higher education. The focus is on interactions between state appropriations for higher education, other state budget items, especially Medicaid, and the business cycle. The first section documents the substantial decline in…

Process for impregnating a concrete or cement body with a polymeric material

DOEpatents

Mattus, A.J.; Spence, R.D.

1988-05-04

A process for impregnating cementitious solids with polymeric materials by blending polymeric materials in a grout, allowing the grout to cure, and contacting the resulting solidified grout containing the polymeric materials with an organic mixture containing a monomer, a cross-linking agent and a catalyst. The mixture dissolves the polymerized particles and forms a channel for distributing the monomer throughout the network formed by the polymeric particles. The organic components are then cured to form a substantially water-impermeable mass.

HIGH ENERGY GASEOUS PLASMA CONTAINMENT DEVICE

DOEpatents

Josephson, V.; Hammel, J.E.

1959-01-13

An apparatus is presenied for producing neutrons as a result of collisions between ions in high temperature plasmas. The invention resides in the particular arrangement of ihe device whereby ihe magneiic and electric fields are made to cross at substantially right angles in several places along a torus shaped containment vessel. A plasma of deuterium gas is generated in the vessel under the electric fields and is "trapped" in any one of the "crossed field" regions to produce a release of energy.

Process for impregnating a concrete or cement body with a polymeric material

DOEpatents

Mattus, Alfred J.; Spence, Roger D.

1989-01-01

A process for impregnating cementitious solids with polymeric materials by blending polymeric materials in a grout, allowing the grout to cure, and contacting the resulting solidified grout containing the polymeric materials with an organic mixture containing a monomer, a cross-linking agent and a catalyst. The mixture dissolves the polymerized particles and forms a channel for distributing the monomer throughout the network formed by the polymeric particles. The organic components are then cured to form a substantially water-impermeable mass.

Chemical quality of ground water in San Joaquin and part of Contra Costa Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sorenson, Stephen K.

1981-01-01

Chemical water-quality conditions were investigated in San Joaquin and part of Contra Costa Counties by canvassing available wells and sampling water from 324 representative wells. Chemical water types varied, with 73 percent of the wells sampled containing either calcium-magnesium bicarbonate, or calcium-sodium bicarbonate type water. Substantial areas contain ground water exceeding water-quality standards for boron, manganese, and nitrate. Trace elements, with the exception of boron and manganese, were present in negligible amounts. (USGS)

Method for removing contaminants from plastic resin

DOEpatents

Bohnert, George W [Harrisonville, MO; Hand, Thomas E [Lee's Summit, MO; DeLaurentiis, Gary M [Jamestown, CA

2008-12-09

A resin recycling method that produces essentially contaminant-free synthetic resin material in an environmentally safe and economical manner. The method includes receiving the resin in container form. The containers are then ground into resin particles. The particles are exposed to a solvent, the solvent contacting the resin particles and substantially removing contaminants on the resin particles. After separating the particles and the resin, a solvent removing agent is used to remove any residual solvent remaining on the resin particles after separation.

Shockwave Consolidation of Nanostructured Thermoelectric Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, Narasimha S.; Taylor, Patrick; Nemir, David

2014-01-01

Nanotechnology based thermoelectric materials are considered attractive for developing highly efficient thermoelectric devices. Nano-structured thermoelectric materials are predicted to offer higher ZT over bulk materials by reducing thermal conductivity and increasing electrical conductivity. Consolidation of nano-structured powders into dense materials without losing nanostructure is essential towards practical device development. Using the gas atomization process, amorphous nano-structured powders were produced. Shockwave consolidation is accomplished by surrounding the nanopowder-containing tube with explosives and then detonating. The resulting shock wave causes rapid fusing of the powders without the melt and subsequent grain growth. We have been successful in generating consolidated nano-structured bismuth telluride alloy powders by using the shockwave technique. Using these consolidated materials, several types of thermoelectric power generating devices have been developed. Shockwave consolidation is anticipated to generate large quantities of nanostructred materials expeditiously and cost effectively. In this paper, the technique of shockwave consolidation will be presented followed by Seebeck Coefficient and thermal conductivity measurements of consolidated materials. Preliminary results indicate a substantial increase in electrical conductivity due to shockwave consolidation technique.

A genome-scale Escherichia coli kinetic metabolic model k-ecoli457 satisfying flux data for multiple mutant strains

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

Khodayari, Ali; Maranas, Costas D.

Kinetic models of metabolism at a genome scale that faithfully recapitulate the effect of multiple genetic interventions would be transformative in our ability to reliably design novel overproducing microbial strains. Here, we introduce k-ecoli457, a genome-scale kinetic model of Escherichia coli metabolism that satisfies fluxomic data for wild-type and 25 mutant strains under different substrates and growth conditions. The k-ecoli457 model contains 457 model reactions, 337 metabolites and 295 substrate-level regulatory interactions. Parameterization is carried out using a genetic algorithm by simultaneously imposing all available fluxomic data (about 30 measured fluxes per mutant). Furthermore, the Pearson correlation coefficient between experimentalmore » data and predicted product yields for 320 engineered strains spanning 24 product metabolites is 0.84. This is substantially higher than that using flux balance analysis, minimization of metabolic adjustment or maximization of product yield exhibiting systematic errors with correlation coefficients of, respectively, 0.18, 0.37 and 0.47.« less

Defect-Mediated Molecular Interaction and Charge Transfer in Graphene Mesh-Glucose Sensors.

PubMed

Kwon, Sun Sang; Shin, Jae Hyeok; Choi, Jonghyun; Nam, SungWoo; Park, Won Il

2017-04-26

We report the role of defects in enzymatic graphene field-effect transistor sensors by introducing engineered defects in graphene channels. Compared with conventional graphene sensors (Gr sensors), graphene mesh sensors (GM sensors), with an array of circular holes, initially exhibited a higher irreversible response to glucose, involving strong chemisorption to edge defects. However, after immobilization of glucose oxidase, the irreversibility of the responses was substantially diminished, without any reduction in the sensitivity of the GM sensors (i.e., -0.53 mV/mM for the GM sensor vs -0.37 mV/mM for Gr sensor). Furthermore, multiple cycle operation led to rapid sensing and improved the reversibility of GM sensors. In addition, control tests with sensors containing a linker showed that sensitivity was increased in Gr sensors but decreased in GM sensors. Our findings indicate that edge defects can be used to replace linkers for immobilization of glucose oxidase and improve charge transfer across glucose oxidase-graphene interfaces.

In planta imaging of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid in Cannabis sativa L. with hyperspectral coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garbacik, Erik T.; Korai, Roza P.; Frater, Eric H.; Korterik, Jeroen P.; Otto, Cees; Offerhaus, Herman L.

2013-04-01

Nature has developed many pathways to produce medicinal products of extraordinary potency and specificity with significantly higher efficiencies than current synthetic methods can achieve. Identification of these mechanisms and their precise locations within plants could substantially increase the yield of a number of natural pharmaceutics. We report label-free imaging of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCa) in Cannabis sativa L. using coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy. In line with previous observations we find high concentrations of THCa in pistillate flowering bodies and relatively low amounts within flowering bracts. Surprisingly, we find differences in the local morphologies of the THCa-containing bodies: organelles within bracts are large, diffuse, and spheroidal, whereas in pistillate flowers they are generally compact, dense, and have heterogeneous structures. We have also identified two distinct vibrational signatures associated with THCa, both in pure crystalline form and within Cannabis plants; at present the exact natures of these spectra remain an open question.

In planta imaging of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid in Cannabis sativa L. with hyperspectral coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy.

PubMed

Garbacik, Erik T; Korai, Roza P; Frater, Eric H; Korterik, Jeroen P; Otto, Cees; Offerhaus, Herman L

2013-04-01

Nature has developed many pathways to produce medicinal products of extraordinary potency and specificity with significantly higher efficiencies than current synthetic methods can achieve. Identification of these mechanisms and their precise locations within plants could substantially increase the yield of a number of natural pharmaceutics. We report label-free imaging of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCa) in Cannabis sativa L. using coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy. In line with previous observations we find high concentrations of THCa in pistillate flowering bodies and relatively low amounts within flowering bracts. Surprisingly, we find differences in the local morphologies of the THCa-containing bodies: organelles within bracts are large, diffuse, and spheroidal, whereas in pistillate flowers they are generally compact, dense, and have heterogeneous structures. We have also identified two distinct vibrational signatures associated with THCa, both in pure crystalline form and within Cannabis plants; at present the exact natures of these spectra remain an open question.

Investigating the role of polyols in Cladosporium fulvum during growth under hyper-osmotic stress and in planta.

PubMed

Clark, Anthony J; Blissett, Kerry J; Oliver, Richard P

2003-02-01

The role of the large amounts of polyols accumulated by the fungal tomato pathogen, Cladosporium fulvum (syn. Fulvia fulva, Cooke) both in planta and in axenic cultures has been examined. Arabinitol and glycerol accumulated in response to hyper-osmotic stress in vitro. Mannitol levels were lower in osmo-stressed mycelium. (13)C NMR spectroscopy indicated that carbon flow from glucose to mannitol was redirected to arabinitol and glycerol in hyper-osmotic conditions. Infected tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants contained all three polyols whereas glycerol was the only polyol present in uninfected plants, suggesting that the mannitol and arabinitol were of fungal origin. Substantially higher levels of arabinitol and glycerol were present in infected plants that were subjected to a restricted watering regime compared to fully watered plants. The results suggest that a primary role of fungal arabinitol and glycerol, but not mannitol, is osmoregulation and that water acquisition is an important aspect of pathogenicity.

WEST AND EAST PALISADES ROADLESS AREAS, IDAHO AND WYOMING.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oriel, Steven S.; Benham, John R.

1984-01-01

Studies of the West and East Palisades Roadless Areas, which lie within the Idaho-Wyoming thrust belt, document structures, reservoir formations, source beds, and thermal maturities comparable to those in producing oil and gas field farther south in the belt. Therefore, the areas are highly favorable for the occurrence of oil and gas. Phosphate beds of appropriate grade within the roadless areas are thinner and less accessible than those being mined from higher thrust sheets to the southwest; however, they contain 98 million tons of inferred phosphate rock resources in areas of substantiated phosphate resource potential. Sparsely distributed thin coal seams occur in the roadless areas. Although moderately pure limestone is present, it is available from other sources closer to markets. Geochemical anomalies from stream-sediment and rock samples for silver, copper, molydenum, and lead occur in the roadless areas but they offer little promise for the occurrence of metallic mineral resources. A possible geothermal resource is unproven, despite thermal phenomena at nearby sites.

A genome-scale Escherichia coli kinetic metabolic model k-ecoli457 satisfying flux data for multiple mutant strains

DOE PAGES

Khodayari, Ali; Maranas, Costas D.

2016-12-20

Kinetic models of metabolism at a genome scale that faithfully recapitulate the effect of multiple genetic interventions would be transformative in our ability to reliably design novel overproducing microbial strains. Here, we introduce k-ecoli457, a genome-scale kinetic model of Escherichia coli metabolism that satisfies fluxomic data for wild-type and 25 mutant strains under different substrates and growth conditions. The k-ecoli457 model contains 457 model reactions, 337 metabolites and 295 substrate-level regulatory interactions. Parameterization is carried out using a genetic algorithm by simultaneously imposing all available fluxomic data (about 30 measured fluxes per mutant). Furthermore, the Pearson correlation coefficient between experimentalmore » data and predicted product yields for 320 engineered strains spanning 24 product metabolites is 0.84. This is substantially higher than that using flux balance analysis, minimization of metabolic adjustment or maximization of product yield exhibiting systematic errors with correlation coefficients of, respectively, 0.18, 0.37 and 0.47.« less

Kinetically trapped metastable intermediate of a disulfide-deficient mutant of the starch-binding domain of glucoamylase.

PubMed

Sugimoto, Hayuki; Nakaura, Miho; Nishimura, Shigenori; Karita, Shuichi; Miyake, Hideo; Tanaka, Akiyoshi

2009-08-01

Refolding of a thermally unfolded disulfide-deficient mutant of the starch-binding domain of glucoamylase was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry, isothermal titration calorimetry, CD, and (1)H NMR. When the protein solution was rapidly cooled from a higher temperature, a kinetic intermediate was formed during refolding. The intermediate was unexpectedly stable compared with typical folding intermediates that have short half-lives. It was shown that this intermediate contained substantial secondary structure and tertiary packing and had the same binding ability with beta-cyclodextrin as the native state, suggesting that the intermediate is highly-ordered and native-like on the whole. These characteristics differ from those of partially folded intermediates such as molten globule states. Far-UV CD spectra showed that the secondary structure was once disrupted during the transition from the intermediate to the native state. These results suggest that the intermediate could be an off-pathway type, possibly a misfolded state, that has to undergo unfolding on its way to the native state.

Private Health Insurance Exchanges

PubMed Central

Buttorff, Christine; Nowak, Sarah; Syme, James; Eibner, Christine

2017-01-01

Abstract Private health insurance exchanges offer employer health insurance, combining online shopping, increased plan choice, benefit administration, and cost-containment strategies. This article examines how private exchanges function, how they may affect employers and employees, and the possible implications for the Affordable Care Act's (ACA's) Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplaces. The authors found that private exchanges could encourage employees to select less-generous plans. This could expose employees to higher out-of-pocket costs, but premium contributions would drop substantially, so net spending would decrease. On the other hand, employee spending may increase if, in moving to private exchanges, employers decrease their health insurance contributions. Most employers can avoid the ACA's “Cadillac tax” by reducing the generosity of the plans they offer, regardless of whether they move to a private exchange. There is not yet enough evidence to determine whether the private exchanges will become prominent in the insurance market and how they will affect employers and their employees. PMID:28845340

Effects of Dilute Acid Pretreatment on Cellulose DP and the Relationship Between DP Reduction and Cellulose Digestibility

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

Wang, W.; Chen, X.; Tucker, M.

2012-01-01

The degree of polymerization(DP) of cellulose is considered to be one of the most important properties affecting the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. Various pure cellulosic and biomass materials have been used in a study of the effect of dilute acid treatment on cellulose DP. A substantial reduction in DP was found for all pure cellulosic materials studied even at conditions that would be considered relatively mild for pretreatment. The effect of dilute acid pretreatment on cellulose DP in biomass samples was also investigated. Corn stover pretreated with dilute acid under the most optimal conditions contained cellulose with a DPw inmore » the range of 1600{approx}3500, which is much higher than the level-off DP(DPw 150{approx}300) obtained with pure celluloses. The effect of DP reduction on the saccharification of celluloses was also studied. From this study it does not appear that cellulose DP is a main factor affecting cellulose saccharification.« less

Improvements to the adaptive maneuvering logic program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burgin, George H.

1986-01-01

The Adaptive Maneuvering Logic (AML) computer program simulates close-in, one-on-one air-to-air combat between two fighter aircraft. Three important improvements are described. First, the previously available versions of AML were examined for their suitability as a baseline program. The selected program was then revised to eliminate some programming bugs which were uncovered over the years. A listing of this baseline program is included. Second, the equations governing the motion of the aircraft were completely revised. This resulted in a model with substantially higher fidelity than the original equations of motion provided. It also completely eliminated the over-the-top problem, which occurred in the older versions when the AML-driven aircraft attempted a vertical or near vertical loop. Third, the requirements for a versatile generic, yet realistic, aircraft model were studied and implemented in the program. The report contains detailed tables which make the generic aircraft to be either a modern, high performance aircraft, an older high performance aircraft, or a previous generation jet fighter.

Evidence of health benefits of canola oil

PubMed Central

Lin, Lin; Allemekinders, Hanja; Dansby, Angela; Campbell, Lisa; Durance-Tod, Shaunda; Berger, Alvin; Jones, Peter JH

2013-01-01

Canola oil-based diets have been shown to reduce plasma cholesterol levels in comparison with diets containing higher levels of saturated fatty acids. Consumption of canola oil also influences biological functions that affect various other biomarkers of disease risk. Previous reviews have focused on the health effects of individual components of canola oil. Here, the objective is to address the health effects of intact canola oil, as this has immediate practical implications for consumers, nutritionists, and others deciding which oil to consume or recommend. A literature search was conducted to examine the effects of canola oil consumption on coronary heart disease, insulin sensitivity, lipid peroxidation, inflammation, energy metabolism, and cancer cell growth. Data reveal substantial reductions in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as other positive actions, including increased tocopherol levels and improved insulin sensitivity, compared with consumption of other dietary fat sources. In summary, growing scientific evidence supports the use of canola oil, beyond its beneficial actions on circulating lipid levels, as a health-promoting component of the diet. PMID:23731447

Superlinear threshold detectors in quantum cryptography

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

Lydersen, Lars; Maroey, Oystein; Skaar, Johannes

2011-09-15

We introduce the concept of a superlinear threshold detector, a detector that has a higher probability to detect multiple photons if it receives them simultaneously rather than at separate times. Highly superlinear threshold detectors in quantum key distribution systems allow eavesdropping the full secret key without being revealed. Here, we generalize the detector control attack, and analyze how it performs against quantum key distribution systems with moderately superlinear detectors. We quantify the superlinearity in superconducting single-photon detectors based on earlier published data, and gated avalanche photodiode detectors based on our own measurements. The analysis shows that quantum key distribution systemsmore » using detector(s) of either type can be vulnerable to eavesdropping. The avalanche photodiode detector becomes superlinear toward the end of the gate. For systems expecting substantial loss, or for systems not monitoring loss, this would allow eavesdropping using trigger pulses containing less than 120 photons per pulse. Such an attack would be virtually impossible to catch with an optical power meter at the receiver entrance.« less

The seasonal variation of nonmethane hydrocarbons in the free troposphere over the North Atlantic Ocean - Possible evidence for extensive reaction of hydrocarbons with the nitrate radical

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penkett, S. A.; Blake, N. J.; Lightman, P.; Marsh, A. R. W.; Anwyl, P.; Butcher, G.

1993-02-01

Observations of the buildup in wintertime of a substantial concentration of hydrocarbons in the free troposphere over the North Atlantic Ocean are extended to the seasonal cycles of a much wider range of hydrocarbons, from C2 to C8. A large seasonal variation was found in the hydrocarbon content in the free troposphere over the north Atlantic Ocean. The maximum carbon concentration occurs in winter and is of the order of 20 ppbv in the form of reactive carbon compounds with lifetimes of days to months. The hydrocarbon content of air in winter over the Atlantic depends greatly on its source area, with polar maritime air containing much higher concentrations than air with a tropical maritime origin. There is evidence from detailed hydrocarbon data that NO3 chemistry may play a significant role in the removal of hydrocarbons from the atmosphere. This is more evident in the wintertime, when the hydroxyl chemistry is less dominant.

Effect of canard position and wing leading-edge flap deflection on wing buffet at transonic speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gloss, B. B.; Henderson, W. P.; Huffman, J. K.

1974-01-01

A generalized wind-tunnel model, with canard and wing planform typical of highly maneuverable aircraft, was tested. The addition of a canard above the wing chord plane, for the configuration with leading-edge flaps undeflected, produced substantially higher total configuration lift coefficients before buffet onset than the configuration with the canard off and leading-edge flaps undeflected. The wing buffet intensity was substantially lower for the canard-wing configuration than the wing-alone configuration. The low-canard configuration generally displayed the poorest buffet characteristics. Deflecting the wing leading-edge flaps substantially improved the wing buffet characteristics for canard-off configurations. The addition of the high canard did not appear to substantially improve the wing buffet characteristics of the wing with leading-edge flaps deflected.

Dying piece by piece: carbohydrate dynamics in aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedlings under severe carbon stress.

PubMed

Wiley, Erin; Hoch, Günter; Landhäusser, Simon M

2017-11-02

Carbon starvation as a mechanism of tree mortality is poorly understood. We exposed seedlings of aspen (Populus tremuloides) to complete darkness at 20 or 28 °C to identify minimum non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations at which trees die and to see if these levels vary between organs or with environmental conditions. We also first grew seedlings under different shade levels to determine if size affects survival time under darkness due to changes in initial NSC concentration and pool size and/or respiration rates. Darkness treatments caused a gradual dieback of tissues. Even after half the stem had died, substantial starch reserves were still present in the roots (1.3-3% dry weight), indicating limitations to carbohydrate remobilization and/or transport during starvation in the absence of water stress. Survival time decreased with increased temperature and with increasing initial shade level, which was associated with smaller biomass, higher respiration rates, and initially smaller NSC pool size. Dead tissues generally contained no starch, but sugar concentrations were substantially above zero and differed between organs (~2% in stems up to ~7.5% in leaves) and, at times, between temperature treatments and initial, pre-darkness shade treatments. Minimum root NSC concentrations were difficult to determine because dead roots quickly began to decompose, but we identify 5-6% sugar as a potential threshold for living roots. This variability may complicate efforts to identify critical NSC thresholds below which trees starve. © Society for Experimental Biology 2017.

Hydrological, chemical, and biological characteristics of a prairie pothole wetland complex under highly variable climate conditions : the Cottonwood Lake area, east-central North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winter, Thomas C.

2003-01-01

Geologic deposits in the Cottonwood Lake area consist largely of silty, clayey glacial till that contains numerous fractures and small, randomly distributed sand and gravel deposits. The sand deposits can have a substantial effect on groundwater flow between wetlands in the area and can cause some to drain while others have relatively stable inflow. Direct precipitation and runoff from snowmelt are the primary sources of water to the wetlands and evaporation accounts for the largest loss of water from the wetlands. The wetlands in the study area have a range of functions with respect to their interaction with ground water. Some of the seasonal wetlands recharge ground water and others recharge ground water and receive ground-water discharge. The semipermanent wetlands receive ground-water discharge much of the time, but some have reversals of flow between them and the groundwater system nearly every year. Ground-water flow toward the wetlands is caused by recharge in the uplands and by focused recharge near the wetland perimeters. Flow from the semipermanent wetlands to the ground-water system occurs when the wetland water levels are higher than the contiguous water table, resulting in bank storage, and when evapotranspiration directly from the ground-water system causes seepage around the wetland perimeters. Substantial climate variability during the study period caused the wetlands to range from being completely dry to having such high water levels that some of the wetlands merged to become large lakes.

Species-Specific 5 mC and 5 hmC Genomic Landscapes Indicate Epigenetic Contribution to Human Brain Evolution

PubMed Central

Madrid, Andy; Chopra, Pankaj; Alisch, Reid S.

2018-01-01

Human evolution from non-human primates has seen substantial change in the central nervous system, with the molecular mechanisms underlying human brain evolution remaining largely unknown. Methylation of cytosine at the fifth carbon (5-methylcytosine; 5 mC) is an essential epigenetic mark linked to neurodevelopment, as well as neurological disease. The emergence of another modified form of cytosine (5-hydroxymethylcytosine; 5 hmC) that is enriched in the brain further substantiates a role for these epigenetic marks in neurodevelopment, yet little is known about the evolutionary importance of these marks in brain development. Here, human and monkey brain tissue were profiled, identifying 5,516 and 4,070 loci that were differentially methylated and hydroxymethylated, respectively, between the species. Annotation of these loci to the human genome revealed genes critical for the development of the nervous system and that are associated with intelligence and higher cognitive functioning, such as RELN and GNAS. Moreover, ontological analyses of these differentially methylated and hydroxymethylated genes revealed a significant enrichment of neuronal/immunological–related processes, including neurogenesis and axon development. Finally, the sequences flanking the differentially methylated/hydroxymethylated loci contained a significant enrichment of binding sites for neurodevelopmentally important transcription factors (e.g., OTX1 and PITX1), suggesting that DNA methylation may regulate gene expression by mediating transcription factor binding on these transcripts. Together, these data support dynamic species-specific epigenetic contributions in the evolution and development of the human brain from non-human primates. PMID:29491831

Kaolinite synthesis at 25°C

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hem, J.D.; Lind, Carol J.

1974-01-01

The addition of quercetin, an organic flavone (C15H10O7), to aqueous solutions containing silica and aluminum and adjusted to final pH's from 6.5 to 8.5 produced a 1 : 1 alumninosilicate precipitate which, after 6 to 16 months of aging in solution at 25°C, contained as much as 5 percent well-formed kaolinite plates. Similar solutions containing no organic material produced relatively amorphous precipitates with the same composition and stability (standard free energy of formation = -897±1 kilocalories per mole) but with substantially smaller amounts of crystaline material even after 2 years of aging.

Low Pt content direct methanol fuel cell anode catalyst: nanophase PtRuNiZr

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitacre, Jay F. (Inventor); Narayanan, Sekharipuram R. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A method for the preparation of a metallic material having catalytic activity that includes synthesizing a material composition comprising a metal content with a lower Pt content than a binary alloy containing Pt but that displays at least a comparable catalytic activity on a per mole Pt basis as the binary alloy containing Pt; and evaluating a representative sample of the material composition to ensure that the material composition displays a property of at least a comparable catalytic activity on a per mole Pt basis as a representative binary alloy containing Pt. Furthermore, metallic compositions are disclosed that possess substantial resistance to corrosive acids.

Thermally Actuated Hydraulic Pumps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Jack; Ross, Ronald; Chao, Yi

2008-01-01

Thermally actuated hydraulic pumps have been proposed for diverse applications in which direct electrical or mechanical actuation is undesirable and the relative slowness of thermal actuation can be tolerated. The proposed pumps would not contain any sliding (wearing) parts in their compressors and, hence, could have long operational lifetimes. The basic principle of a pump according to the proposal is to utilize the thermal expansion and contraction of a wax or other phase-change material in contact with a hydraulic fluid in a rigid chamber. Heating the chamber and its contents from below to above the melting temperature of the phase-change material would cause the material to expand significantly, thus causing a substantial increase in hydraulic pressure and/or a substantial displacement of hydraulic fluid out of the chamber. Similarly, cooling the chamber and its contents from above to below the melting temperature of the phase-change material would cause the material to contract significantly, thus causing a substantial decrease in hydraulic pressure and/or a substantial displacement of hydraulic fluid into the chamber. The displacement of the hydraulic fluid could be used to drive a piston. The figure illustrates a simple example of a hydraulic jack driven by a thermally actuated hydraulic pump. The pump chamber would be a cylinder containing encapsulated wax pellets and containing radial fins to facilitate transfer of heat to and from the wax. The plastic encapsulation would serve as an oil/wax barrier and the remaining interior space could be filled with hydraulic oil. A filter would retain the encapsulated wax particles in the pump chamber while allowing the hydraulic oil to flow into and out of the chamber. In one important class of potential applications, thermally actuated hydraulic pumps, exploiting vertical ocean temperature gradients for heating and cooling as needed, would be used to vary hydraulic pressures to control buoyancy in undersea research vessels. Heretofore, electrically actuated hydraulic pumps have been used for this purpose. By eliminating the demand for electrical energy for pumping, the use of the thermally actuated hydraulic pumps could prolong the intervals between battery charges, thus making it possible to greatly increase the durations of undersea exploratory missions.

Engaging Employers in Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Gary; DesRosier, Theron; Peterson, Nils; Chida, Meriem; Lagier, Randy

2009-01-01

In this article, the authors describe a pilot project in which formative feedback from industry professionals creates a genuine learning experience for students. Industry is giving feedback to higher education that many graduates are not employable or that they need substantial postcollegiate on-the-job training. Higher education is struggling to…

Educators Adopting M-Learning: Is It Sustainable in Higher Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanderson, Nicole; Hanbidge, Alice Schmidt

2017-01-01

Effectively integrating m-learning into higher education necessitates consideration for both student and educator adoption factors. Data collected from 309 Canadian university participants in a Mobile Information Literacy (MIL) research study identified specific student m-learning adoption factors and substantiated those in the literature (Navarro…

The Hidden Costs of Part-Time Faculty.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nance, Guinevera; Culverhouse, Renee

1992-01-01

As colleges face budget reductions, they must consider the substantial hidden costs of unemployment benefits for terminated part-time faculty. Planning a sound program of benefits management that includes cost containment requires the cooperation of personnel director, chief financial officer, and chief academic officer. (MSE)

48 CFR 970.0905 - Organizational and consultant conflicts of interest.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Organizational and... Qualifications 970.0905 Organizational and consultant conflicts of interest. Management and operating contracts shall contain an organizational conflict of interest clause substantially similar to the clause at 952...

48 CFR 970.0905 - Organizational and consultant conflicts of interest.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Organizational and... Qualifications 970.0905 Organizational and consultant conflicts of interest. Management and operating contracts shall contain an organizational conflict of interest clause substantially similar to the clause at 952...

The Funding of Community Colleges: A Typology of State Funding Formulas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullin, Christopher M.; Honeyman, David S.

2007-01-01

Community college funding formulas are tools utilized to substantiate the acquisition of funds and delineate the cost of education. This study develops a typology of community college funding formulas placing 48 states in three categories and five subcategories. (Contains 5 tables.)

Estimating Motor Carrier Management Information System Crash File Underreporting from Carrier Records.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-08-01

This FMCSA-sponsored research investigated the claim that motor carriers have a substantial number of crashes in their own records that are not contained in the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) crash file. Based on the results of t...

CLASSIFICATION, PROTECTION, AND MONITORING OF NONTIDAL FLOODPLAIN FOREST COMMUNITIES

EPA Science Inventory

New Jersey,s floodplain forests (FFs) contain 57 rare plant species, 25 of which are State Endangered. The acreage of FF has been substantially reduced over the past 200 years, and upland buffers have also been diminished. Threats to FF communities include stream degradation, ...

Liquid metal hydrogen barriers

DOEpatents

Grover, George M.; Frank, Thurman G.; Keddy, Edward S.

1976-01-01

Hydrogen barriers which comprise liquid metals in which the solubility of hydrogen is low and which have good thermal conductivities at operating temperatures of interest. Such barriers are useful in nuclear fuel elements containing a metal hydride moderator which has a substantial hydrogen dissociation pressure at reactor operating temperatures.

19 CFR 10.14 - Fabricated components subject to the exemption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... assembled, such as transistors, diodes, integrated circuits, machinery parts, or precut parts of wearing..., or integrated circuit wafers containing individual integrated circuit dice which have been scribed or... resulted in a substantial transformation of the foreign copper ingots. Example 2. An integrated circuit...

Serum PCB levels and congener profiles among US construction workers

PubMed Central

Herrick, Robert F; Meeker, John D; Hauser, Russ; Altshul, Larisa; Weymouth, George A

2007-01-01

Background The presence of PCB in caulking (sealant) material found in masonry buildings has been well-documented in several countries. A recent investigation of 24 buildings in the greater Boston area found that 8 buildings had high PCB levels in caulking materials used around window frames and in joints between masonry blocks. Workers removing caulking material have been shown to have elevated serum PCB levels. Methods This project compared serum PCB levels among male workers who installed and/or removed PCB-containing caulking material from buildings in the greater Boston area with reference serum PCB levels from 358 men from the same area. Serum PCB levels were measured in the same laboratory by liquid-liquid extraction, column chromatography clean-up and dual capillary column GC/microECD analysis. Results When the congener profiles were compared between the reference population and the construction workers, the serum levels of the more volatile, lighter PCBs (di-, tri-and tetrachloro, sum of IUPAC# 6–74) were substantially higher among the construction workers. One of the youngest workers had the lowest total serum PCB levels (sum of 57 congeners) of all 6 workers, but the contribution of more volatile (less chlorinated) PCB congeners (#16, 26,28,33,74,66, and 60) was markedly higher than in other 5 workers and reference men. Only this worker was working on a job that involved removing PCB caulking at the time of the blood sampling. Conclusion While the results of this pilot study are based upon small numbers (6 construction workers who handled PCB caulking), the serum PCB levels among the construction workers exceed the referents. Comparison of the congener profiles suggests that there are substantial differences between the construction workers and the general population samples. These differences, and the similarities of profiles among the construction workers strongly suggest that occupational contact with caulking material can be a major source of PCB exposure for construction workers. PMID:17764566

Microbial sulfate reduction rates and sulfur and oxygen isotope fractionations at oil and gas seeps in deepwater Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aharon, Paul; Fu, Baoshun

2000-01-01

Sulfate reduction and anaerobic methane oxidation are the dominant microbial processes occurring in hydrate-bearing sediments at bathyal depths in the Gulf of Mexico where crude oil and methane are advecting through fault conduits to the seafloor. The oil and gas seeps are typically overlain by chemosynthetic communities consisting of thiotrophic bacterial mats (Beggiatoa spp.) and methanotrophic mussels (Bathymodiolus spp.), respectively. Cores were recovered with a manned submersible from fine-grained sediments containing dispersed gas hydrates at the threshold of stability. Estimated sulfate reduction rates are variable but generally are substantially higher in crude oil seeps (up to 50 times) and methane seeps (up to 600 times) relative to a non-seep reference sediment (0.0043 μmol SO 42- cm -3 day -1). Sulfur and oxygen isotope fractionation factors are highest in the reference sediment (α S = 1.027; α O = 1.015) but substantially lower in the seep sediments (α S = 1.018 to 1.009; α O = 1.006 to 1.002) and are controlled primarily by kinetic factors related to sulfate reduction rates. Kinetic effects also control the δ 34S/δ 18O ratios such that slow microbial rates yield low ratios whereas faster rates yield progressively higher ratios. The seep data contradict previous claims that δ 34S/δ 18O ratios are diagnostic of either microbial sulfate reduction at a fixed δ 34S/δ 18O ratio of 4/1 or lower ratios caused by SO 4-H 2O equilibration at ambient temperatures. The new results offer a better understanding of methane removal via anaerobic oxidation in the sulfate reduction zone of hydrate-bearing sediments and have significant implications regarding the origin and geochemical history of sedimentary sulfate reconstructed on the basis of δ 34S and δ 18O compositions.

Internal structure of cesium-bearing radioactive microparticles released from Fukushima nuclear power plant

PubMed Central

Yamaguchi, Noriko; Mitome, Masanori; Kotone, Akiyama-Hasegawa; Asano, Maki; Adachi, Kouji; Kogure, Toshihiro

2016-01-01

Microparticles containing substantial amounts of radiocesium collected from the ground in Fukushima were investigated mainly by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray microanalysis with scanning TEM (STEM). Particles of around 2 μm in diameter are basically silicate glass containing Fe and Zn as transition metals, Cs, Rb and K as alkali ions, and Sn as substantial elements. These elements are homogeneously distributed in the glass except Cs which has a concentration gradient, increasing from center to surface. Nano-sized crystallites such as copper- zinc- and molybdenum sulfide, and silver telluride were found inside the microparticles, which probably resulted from the segregation of the silicate and sulfide (telluride) during molten-stage. An alkali-depleted layer of ca. 0.2 μm thick exists at the outer side of the particle collected from cedar leaves 8 months after the nuclear accident, suggesting gradual leaching of radiocesium from the microparticles in the natural environment. PMID:26838055

Oxy-fuel combustion with integrated pollution control

DOEpatents

Patrick, Brian R [Chicago, IL; Ochs, Thomas Lilburn [Albany, OR; Summers, Cathy Ann [Albany, OR; Oryshchyn, Danylo B [Philomath, OR; Turner, Paul Chandler [Independence, OR

2012-01-03

An oxygen fueled integrated pollutant removal and combustion system includes a combustion system and an integrated pollutant removal system. The combustion system includes a furnace having at least one burner that is configured to substantially prevent the introduction of air. An oxygen supply supplies oxygen at a predetermine purity greater than 21 percent and a carbon based fuel supply supplies a carbon based fuel. Oxygen and fuel are fed into the furnace in controlled proportion to each other and combustion is controlled to produce a flame temperature in excess of 3000 degrees F. and a flue gas stream containing CO2 and other gases. The flue gas stream is substantially void of non-fuel borne nitrogen containing combustion produced gaseous compounds. The integrated pollutant removal system includes at least one direct contact heat exchanger for bringing the flue gas into intimated contact with a cooling liquid to produce a pollutant-laden liquid stream and a stripped flue gas stream and at least one compressor for receiving and compressing the stripped flue gas stream.

Radioactive waste processing apparatus

DOEpatents

Nelson, Robert E.; Ziegler, Anton A.; Serino, David F.; Basnar, Paul J.

1987-01-01

Apparatus for use in processing radioactive waste materials for shipment and storage in solid form in a container is disclosed. The container includes a top, and an opening in the top which is smaller than the outer circumference of the container. The apparatus includes an enclosure into which the container is placed, solution feed apparatus for adding a solution containing radioactive waste materials into the container through the container opening, and at least one rotatable blade for blending the solution with a fixing agent such as cement or the like as the solution is added into the container. The blade is constructed so that it can pass through the opening in the top of the container. The rotational axis of the blade is displaced from the center of the blade so that after the blade passes through the opening, the blade and container can be adjusted so that one edge of the blade is adjacent the cylindrical wall of the container, to insure thorough mixing. When the blade is inside the container, a substantially sealed chamber is formed to contain vapors created by the chemical action of the waste solution and fixant, and vapors emanating through the opening in the container.

Dyes designed for high sensitivity detection of double-stranded DNA

DOEpatents

Glazer, Alexander N.; Benson, Scott C.

2000-01-01

Novel fluorescent dyes are provided, characterized by having a fluorophore joined to a cationic chain. The dyes are found to provide for high enhancement upon binding to nucleic acid and have strong binding affinities to the nucleic acid, as compared to the fluorophore without the polycationic chain. The dyes find use in detection of dsDNA in gel electrophoresis and solution at substantially higher sensitivities using substantially less dye.

Dyes designed for high sensitivity detection of double-stranded DNA

DOEpatents

Glazer, Alexander N.; Benson, Scott C.

1998-01-01

Novel fluorescent dyes are provided, characterized by having a fluorophore joined to a cationic chain. The dyes are found to provide for high enhancement upon binding to nucleic acid and have strong binding affinities to the nucleic acid, as compared to the fluorophore without the polycationic chain. The dyes find use in detection of dsDNA in gel electrophoresis and solution at substantially higher sensitivities using substantially less dye.

SUPERFAST THERMALIZATION OF PLASMA

DOEpatents

Chang, C.C.

1962-06-12

A method is given for the superfast thermalization of plasma by shock conversion of the kinetic energy stored in rotating plasma rings or plasmoids colliding at near supersonic speeds in a containment field to heat energy in the resultant confined plasma mass. The method includes means for generating rotating plasmoids at the opposite ends of a Pyrotron or Astron containment field. The plasmoids are magnetically accelerated towards each other into the opposite ends of time containment field. During acceleration of the plasmoids toward the center of the containment field, the intensity of the field is sequentially increased to adiabatically compress the plasmoids and increase the plasma energy. The plasmoids hence collide with a violent shock at the eenter of the containment field, causing the substantial kinetic energy stored in the plasmoids to be converted to heat in the resultant plasma mass. (AEC)

French intensive truck garden

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

Edwards, T D

1983-01-01

The French Intensive approach to truck gardening has the potential to provide substantially higher yields and lower per acre costs than do conventional farming techniques. It was the intent of this grant to show that there is the potential to accomplish the gains that the French Intensive method has to offer. It is obvious that locally grown food can greatly reduce transportation energy costs but when there is the consideration of higher efficiencies there will also be energy cost reductions due to lower fertilizer and pesticide useage. As with any farming technique, there is a substantial time interval for completemore » soil recovery after there have been made substantial soil modifications. There were major crop improvements even though there was such a short time since the soil had been greatly disturbed. It was also the intent of this grant to accomplish two other major objectives: first, the garden was managed under organic techniques which meant that there were no chemical fertilizers or synthetic pesticides to be used. Second, the garden was constructed so that a handicapped person in a wheelchair could manage and have a higher degree of self sufficiency with the garden. As an overall result, I would say that the garden has taken the first step of success and each year should become better.« less

Live transport of Yellow Perch and Nile Tilapia in AQUI-S 20E (10% Eugenol) at high loading densities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cupp, Aaron R.; Schreier, Theresa M.; Schleis, Sue M.

2017-01-01

Fish transport costs are a substantial portion of the operational expenses for aquaculture facilities in the USA. Safely transporting higher loading densities of fish would benefit haulers by increasing efficiency and reducing costs, but research evaluating transport for individual species is generally lacking. In this study, Yellow Perch Perca flavescens and Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus were transported for 6 h immersed in water containing AQUI-S 20E (10% eugenol) at fish loading densities of 240 g/L (2 lb/gal) for perch and 480 g/L (4 lb/gal) for tilapia. Survival was quantified for fish transported in AQUI-S 20E concentrations of (1) control or 0 mg/L of water, (2) 100 mg/L, or (3) 200 mg/L. Yellow Perch had 98–100% survival, and Nile Tilapia had 100% survival up to through 14 d after transport across all AQUI-S 20E levels, including the control. Eugenol concentrations decreased rapidly in transport tank water, and fish showed no signs of sedation by the end of transport. We conclude that live transport of Yellow Perch and Nile Tilapia at higher loading densities resulted in high survival regardless of the AQUI-S 20E concentrations we tested.

Anthocyanin profile, antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibiting properties of blueberry and cranberry juices: a comparative study.

PubMed

Cásedas, Guillermo; Les, Francisco; Gómez-Serranillos, María Pilar; Smith, Carine; López, Víctor

2017-11-15

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) and blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) juices are commonly consumed as a source of antioxidants. The aim of this study was to compare bioactivities as well as the differences in the polyphenol content and anthocyanin profile of both juices. Polyphenol and anthocyanin contents were quantified using spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods. Bioassays were carried out in terms of antioxidant properties in cell and cell free systems as well as inhibition of physiological enzymes that are targets involved in the prevention of chronic diseases (monoamine oxidase A, tyrosinase, acetylcholinesterase, α-glucosidase and dipeptidyl peptidase-4). Both juices contained a significant amount of anthocyanins (3.909 mg anthocyanins per mg extract for blueberry juice and 0.398 for cranberry juice) and also exhibited antioxidant properties against DPPH, superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide. These juices showed inhibitory effects on the enzymes, showing substantial potential as antioxidant, neuroprotective and anti-hyperglycaemic agents. The total anthocyanin and polyphenol content was higher in blueberry juice, which is indicative of a higher antioxidant activity. Both juices were also able to inhibit monoamine oxidase A, tyrosinase, α-glucosidase and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 in a dose-dependent manner. However, cranberry juice had a greater capacity than blueberry juice as an α-glucosidase inhibitor, revealing a similar activity to acarbose.

Tumor environment changed by combretastatin derivative (Cderiv) pretreatment that leads to effective tumor targeting, MRI studies, and antitumor activity of polymeric micelle carrier systems.

PubMed

Shiraishi, Kouichi; Harada, Yoshiko; Kawano, Kumi; Maitani, Yoshie; Hori, Katsuyoshi; Yanagihara, Kazuyoshi; Takigahira, Misato; Yokoyama, Masayuki

2012-01-01

To evaluate effect of a vascular disrupting agent, a combretastatin derivative (Cderiv), on tumor targeting for polymeric micelle carrier systems, containing either a diagnostic MRI contrast agent or a therapeutic anticancer drug. Cderiv was pre-administered 72 h before polymeric micelle MRI contrast agent injection. Accumulation of the MRI contrast agent in colon 26 murine tumor was evaluated with or without pretreatment of Cderiv by ICP and MRI. Significantly higher accumulation of the MRI contrast agent was found in tumor tissues when Cderiv was administered at 72 h before MRI contrast agent injection. T(1)-weighted images of the tumor exhibited substantial signal enhancement in tumor area at 24 h after the contrast agent injection. In T(1)-weighted images, remarkable T(1)-signal enhancements were observed in part of tumor, not in whole tumor. These results indicate that Cderiv pretreatment considerably enhanced the permeability of the tumor blood vessels. Antitumor activity of adriamycin encapsulated polymeric micelles with the Cderiv pretreatment suppressed tumor growth in 44As3 human gastric scirrhous carcinoma-bearing nude mice. Pretreatment of Cderiv enhanced tumor permeability, resulting in higher accumulation of polymeric micelle carrier systems in solid tumors.

Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA) Movies and Other Cool Data from Cassini's Magnetosphere Imaging Instrument (MIMI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusterer, M. B.; Mitchell, D. G.; Krimigis, S. M.; Vandegriff, J. D.

2014-12-01

Having been at Saturn for over a decade, the MIMI instrument on Cassini has created a rich dataset containing many details about Saturn's magnetosphere. In particular, the images of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) taken by the Ion and Neutral Camera (INCA) offer a global perspective on Saturn's plasma environment. The MIMI team is now regularly making movies (in MP4 format) consisting of consecutive ENA images. The movies correct for spacecraft attitude changes by projecting the images (whose viewing angles can substantially vary from one image to the next) into a fixed inertial frame that makes it easy to view spatial features evolving in time. These movies are now being delivered to the PDS and are also available at the MIMI team web site. Several other higher order products are now also available, including 20-day energy-time spectrograms for the Charge-Energy-Mass Spectrometer (CHEMS) sensor, and daily energy-time spectrograms for the Low Energy Magnetospheric Measurements system (LEMMS) sensor. All spectrograms are available as plots or digital data in ASCII format. For all MIMI sensors, a Data User Guide is also available. This paper presents details and examples covering the specifics of MIMI higher order data products. URL: http://cassini-mimi.jhuapl.edu/

Effect of microstructure on the breakage of tin bronze machining chips during pulverization via jet milling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afshari, Elham; Ghambari, Mohammad; Farhangi, Hasan

2016-11-01

In this study, jet milling was used to recycle tin bronze machining chips into powder. The main purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the microstructure of tin bronze machining chips on their breakage behavior. An experimental target jet mill was used to pulverize machining chips of three different tin bronze alloys containing 7wt%, 10wt%, and 12wt% of tin. Optical and electron microscopy, as well as sieve analysis, were used to follow the trend of pulverization. Each alloy exhibited a distinct rate of size reduction, particle size distribution, and fracture surface appearance. The results showed that the degree of pulverization substantially increased with increasing tin content. This behavior was attributed to the higher number of machining cracks as well as the increased volume fraction of brittle δ phase in the alloys with higher tin contents. The δ phase was observed to strongly influence the creation of machining cracks as well as the nucleation and propagation of cracks during jet milling. In addition, a direct relationship was observed between the mean δ-phase spacing and the mean size of the jet-milled product; i.e., a decrease in the δ-phase spacing resulted in smaller particles.

Different Diversity and Distribution of Archaeal Community in the Aqueous and Oil Phases of Production Fluid From High-Temperature Petroleum Reservoirs.

PubMed

Liang, Bo; Zhang, Kai; Wang, Li-Ying; Liu, Jin-Feng; Yang, Shi-Zhong; Gu, Ji-Dong; Mu, Bo-Zhong

2018-01-01

To get a better knowledge on how archaeal communities differ between the oil and aqueous phases and whether environmental factors promote substantial differences on microbial distributions among production wells, we analyzed archaeal communities in oil and aqueous phases from four high-temperature petroleum reservoirs (55-65°C) by using 16S rRNA gene based 454 pyrosequencing. Obvious dissimilarity of the archaeal composition between aqueous and oil phases in each independent production wells was observed, especially in production wells with higher water cut, and diversity in the oil phase was much higher than that in the corresponding aqueous phase. Statistical analysis further showed that archaeal communities in oil phases from different petroleum reservoirs tended to be more similar, but those in aqueous phases were the opposite. In the high-temperature ecosystems, temperature as an environmental factor could have significantly affected archaeal distribution, and archaeal diversity raised with the increase of temperature ( p < 0.05). Our results suggest that to get a comprehensive understanding of petroleum reservoirs microbial information both in aqueous and oil phases should be taken into consideration. The microscopic habitats of oil phase, technically the dispersed minuscule water droplets in the oil could be a better habitat that containing the indigenous microorganisms.

Fate and transport of radionuclides in soil-water environment. Review.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konoplev, Aleksei

2017-04-01

The ease in which radionuclides move through the environment and are taken up by plants and animals is governed by their chemical forms and by site-specific environmental characteristics. The objective of this paper is to review basic mechanisms of the behavior of radiocesium and radiostrontium in the environment after the nuclear accident. Our understanding of radionuclide's speciation and migration processes seems to be adequate and explains similarities and differences of radiocesium (r-Cs) behavior in the environment after Fukushima and Chernobyl accidents. Climate and geographical conditions in Fukushima Prefecture of Japan and Chernobyl's near-field zone are obviously different. In particular, precipitation differs substantially, with the annual average for Fukushima being about 3 times higher than at Chernobyl. The landscapes and soils also differ significantly. What is more, the speciation of r-Cs in the releases was distinct (large fraction of radionuclides was deposited as fuel particles in 30-km zone around Chernobyl NPP, while in Fukushima radiocesium is mostly part of condensation particles including glassy hot particles). Radiocesium (r-Cs) in the environment is strongly bound to soil and sediment particles containing micaceous clay minerals (illite, vermiculite, etc.), which is associated with two basic processes - high selective reversible sorption and fixation. The r-Cs distribution coefficient Kd in Fukushima rivers was found to be 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than corresponding values for rivers and surface runoff of Chernobyl area. This is indicative of higher ability of Fukushima soils and sediments to bind r-Cs. Dissolved r-Cs wash-off for Fukushima river watersheds is essentially slower than those for Chernobyl. However, steeper slopes and higher precipitation in Fukushima area cause higher erosion and higher particulate r-Cs wash-off. For a comparable time after the accident the total r-Cs wash-off from contaminated catchments in Fukushima is up to one order of magnitude higher than in Chernobyl. Long-term dynamics of radionuclide concentrations in rivers is approached from the standpoint of basic mechanisms of radionuclide sorption-desorption, fixation, vertical migration in catchment soils. Corresponding semi-empirical models are presented and discussed. For the Chernobyl case, radiostrontium (r-Sr) was shown to be more mobile and moving faster in dissolved state with surface runoff and river water in comparison with r-Cs. Similar pattern was observed for Mayak area in South Ural (Russia), where r-Sr was traced up to 1500 km away from the release point migrating through Techa-Iset'-Tobol-Irtysh-Ob' river system. On the other hand, r-Cs bound to clay particles settles down in Techa river reservoirs and is transported with river water only insignificantly. For the first 3 years after the accident vertical migration of r-Cs in soils of Fukushima catchments was found to be faster than in Chernobyl due to higher air temperature, higher precipitation and higher biological activity in top soil. However, with time this process slows down because of higher r-Cs retardation in Fukushima soils. In Fukushima case, extreme floods during typhoons lead to substantial reduction in dose rate on floodplain areas due to sedimentation of relatively clean material and burial of contaminated top soil layer. In general, due to higher precipitation, higher temperatures and higher biological activities in soils, self-purification of the environment and natural attenuation in Fukushima is essentially faster than in Chernobyl area.

Zinc titanate sorbents

DOEpatents

Gupta, R.P.; Gangwal, S.K.; Jain, S.C.

1998-02-03

The present invention provides a zinc titanate sorbent material useful in desulfurization applications. The zinc titanate material is in the form of generally spherical particles of substantially uniform chemical distribution. The sorbent material is capable of absorbing sulfur compounds from a gaseous feed in an amount of at least about 15 weight percent based on the weight of the sorbent. The sorbent material is prepared by a process including: (a) forming a zinc oxide/titanium dioxide dry blend, (b) preparing a substantially uniform aqueous slurry comprising the zinc oxide/titanium dioxide dry blend, organic binder, and at least about 1 weight percent inorganic binder based on the solids weight of the slurry, (c) spray drying the slurry to produce substantially spherical particles, and (d) calcining the particles at a temperature of between about 750 to about 950 C. The dry blend is formed by mixing between about 0.5 to about 2 parts zinc oxide having a median particle size of less than about 0.5 microns, and about 1 part titanium dioxide having a median particle size of less than about 1 micron. The slurry contains substantially no free silica and may be prepared by the process including (1) preparing an aqueous solution of organic binder, (2) adding the dry blend to the aqueous solution of organic binder, and (3) adding the inorganic binder to the solution of organic binder, and blend. Additional reagents, such as a surfactant, may also be incorporated into the sorbent material. The present invention also provides a process for desulfurizing a gaseous stream. The process includes passing a gaseous stream through a reactor containing an attrition resistant zinc titanate sorbent material of the present invention.

Zinc titanate sorbents

DOEpatents

Gupta, Raghubir P.; Gangwal, Santosh K.; Jain, Suresh C.

1998-01-01

The present invention provides a zinc titanate sorbent material useful in desulfurization applications. The zinc titanate material is in the form of generally spherical particles of substantially uniform chemical distribution. The sorbent material is capable of absorbing sulfur compounds from a gaseous feed in an amount of at least about 15 weight percent based on the weight of the sorbent. The sorbent material is prepared by a process including: (a) forming a zinc oxide/titanium dioxide dry blend, (b) preparing a substantially uniform aqueous slurry comprising the zinc oxide/titanium dioxide dry blend, organic binder, and at least about 1 weight percent inorganic binder based on the solids weight of the slurry, (c) spray drying the slurry to produce substantially spherical particles, and (d) calcining the particles at a temperature of between about 750.degree. C. to about 950.degree. C. The dry blend is formed by mixing between about 0.5 to about 2 parts zinc oxide having a median particle size of less than about 0.5 .mu., and about 1 part titanium dioxide having a median particle size of less than about 1 .mu.. The slurry contains substantially no free silica and may be prepared by the process including (1) preparing an aqueous solution of organic binder, (2) adding the dry blend to the aqueous solution of organic binder, and (3) adding the inorganic binder to the solution of organic binder, and blend. Additional reagents, such as a surfactant, may also be incorporated into the sorbent material. The present invention also provides a process for desulfurizing a gaseous stream. The process includes passing a gaseous stream through a reactor containing an attrition resistant zinc titanate sorbent material of the present invention.

Burnout in Hospital Social Workers Who Work with AIDS Patients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oktay, Julianne S.

1992-01-01

Surveyed 128 hospital social workers who worked with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients. Found that hospital AIDS social workers had slightly higher rates of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization on Maslach Burnout Inventory but also felt substantially higher level of personal accomplishment. Age, autonomy, and belonging to…

Christian Higher Education in Europe: A Historical Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bebbington, D. W.

2011-01-01

The history of Christian higher education in Europe may be analyzed in terms of seven eras. From their medieval origins in scholasticism and the practical needs of students and rulers, universities passed through Renaissance humanism to a period of decay, yet remained substantially Christian in intent. The Enlightenment exercised a partially…

Student Loans for Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simons, Charlene Wear

2008-01-01

Student loans are a rapidly growing $85 billion a year industry fueled by the substantial higher economic returns associated with a college education, increased demand from students and their parents, and grant and scholarship funds that have not kept pace with rising school tuition and fees. This report describes federally subsidized and…

Enrolling in Higher Education: The Perceptions of Stakeholders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shah, Mahsood; Nair, Chenicheri Sid

2010-01-01

There is a substantial body of research on student satisfaction, retention and student engagement in higher education; however, there is limited research on student image or perception of a university and factors contributing towards choosing a particular university. In the current, highly competitive environment universities are seeking to…

7 CFR 3406.15 - Evaluation criteria for teaching proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... have a substantial impact upon and advance the quality of food and agricultural sciences higher... food and agricultural sciences? If successful, is the project likely to lead to education reform? 10... it expand upon other major efforts to improve the quality of food and agricultural sciences higher...

Higher Education Structure and Education Outcomes: Evidence from the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koedel, Cory

2014-01-01

This paper documents substantial differences across states in their higher education (HE) structures and highlights several empirical relationships between these structures and individuals' HE outcomes. Not surprisingly, individuals who are exposed to more-fractionalized HE structures are more likely to attend small public universities and…

The Liberal Arts Bubble

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agresto, John

2011-01-01

The author expresses his doubt that the general higher education bubble will burst anytime soon. Although tuition, student housing, and book costs have all increased substantially, he believes it is still likely that the federal government will continue to pour billions into higher education, largely because Americans have been persuaded that it…

Democracy and International Higher Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Onsman, Andrys; Cameron, Jackie

2014-01-01

There is substantial evidence that supports the theory that higher education and democracy are highly correlated. Throughout modern history, students have been at the forefront of democratic movements, including the 1989 pro-democracy uprising in China. Since then, and despite the increased availability of Western-style education within and…

Viewpoint of Undergraduate Engineering Students on Plagiarism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starovoytova, Diana; Namango, Saul Sitati

2016-01-01

Undoubtedly, plagiarism has been a global concern, especially so, in institutions of higher learning. Furthermore, over the past decades, cases of student plagiarism, in higher education, have increased, substantially. This issue cannot be taken, without due consideration, and it is crucial for educators, and universities, at large, to find the…

Ants sow the seeds of global diversification in flowering plants.

PubMed

Lengyel, Szabolcs; Gove, Aaron D; Latimer, Andrew M; Majer, Jonathan D; Dunn, Robert R

2009-01-01

The extraordinary diversification of angiosperm plants in the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods has produced an estimated 250,000-300,000 living angiosperm species and has fundamentally altered terrestrial ecosystems. Interactions with animals as pollinators or seed dispersers have long been suspected as drivers of angiosperm diversification, yet empirical examples remain sparse or inconclusive. Seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) may drive diversification as it can reduce extinction by providing selective advantages to plants and can increase speciation by enhancing geographical isolation by extremely limited dispersal distances. Using the most comprehensive sister-group comparison to date, we tested the hypothesis that myrmecochory leads to higher diversification rates in angiosperm plants. As predicted, diversification rates were substantially higher in ant-dispersed plants than in their non-myrmecochorous relatives. Data from 101 angiosperm lineages in 241 genera from all continents except Antarctica revealed that ant-dispersed lineages contained on average more than twice as many species as did their non-myrmecochorous sister groups. Contrasts in species diversity between sister groups demonstrated that diversification rates did not depend on seed dispersal mode in the sister group and were higher in myrmecochorous lineages in most biogeographic regions. Myrmecochory, which has evolved independently at least 100 times in angiosperms and is estimated to be present in at least 77 families and 11 000 species, is a key evolutionary innovation and a globally important driver of plant diversity. Myrmecochory provides the best example to date for a consistent effect of any mutualism on large-scale diversification.

Trehalose in glycerol-free freezing extender enhances post-thaw survival of boar spermatozoa

PubMed Central

ATHURUPANA, Rukmali; TAKAHASHI, Daisen; IOKI, Sumire; FUNAHASHI, Hiroaki

2015-01-01

Cryopreservation of boar semen is still considered suboptimal due to lower fertility as compared with fresh samples when glycerol, a permeating cryoprotectant, is used. Trehalose is a non-permeable cryoprotectant and nonreducing disaccharide known to stabilize proteins and biologic membranes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cryosurvival and in vitro penetrability of boar spermatozoa when glycerol was replaced with trehalose in a freezing extender. Ejaculated Berkshire semen samples were diluted in egg yolk-based freezing extender containing glycerol (100 mM) or trehalose (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 mM) and cryopreserved using a straw freezing procedure. Thawed samples were analyzed for motility, viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and acrosome integrity. In experiment 2, penetrability of spermatozoa cryopreserved with 100 mM glycerol or trehalose was examined. Replacement of cryoprotectant glycerol (100 mM) with trehalose had no effect on sperm viability, but replacing it with 100 mM trehalose improved motility, MMP and acrosome integrity significantly. Sperm motility and MMP were considerably higher in 100 mM trehalose, whereas the acrosome integrity was substantially higher in 100–250 mM trehalose. The in vitro penetration rate was also significantly higher in spermatozoa cryopreserved with trehalose (61.3%) than in those cryopreserved with glycerol (43.6%). In conclusion, 100 mM non-permeable trehalose can be used to replace glycerol, a permeating cryoprotectant, for maintenance of better post-thaw quality of boar spermatozoa. PMID:25754239

Habitat creation and biodiversity maintenance in mangrove forests: teredinid bivalves as ecosystem engineers

PubMed Central

Michie, Laura; Taylor, Ben W.

2014-01-01

Substantial amounts of dead wood in the intertidal zone of mature mangrove forests are tunnelled by teredinid bivalves. When the tunnels are exposed, animals are able to use tunnels as refuges. In this study, the effect of teredinid tunnelling upon mangrove forest faunal diversity was investigated. Mangrove forests exposed to long emersion times had fewer teredinid tunnels in wood and wood not containing teredinid tunnels had very few species and abundance of animals. However, with a greater cross-sectional percentage surface area of teredinid tunnels, the numbers of species and abundance of animals was significantly higher. Temperatures within teredinid-attacked wood were significantly cooler compared with air temperatures, and animal abundance was greater in wood with cooler temperatures. Animals inside the tunnels within the wood may avoid desiccation by escaping the higher temperatures. Animals co-existing in teredinid tunnelled wood ranged from animals found in terrestrial ecosystems including centipedes, crickets and spiders, and animals found in subtidal marine ecosystems such as fish, octopods and polychaetes. There was also evidence of breeding within teredinid-attacked wood, as many juvenile individuals were found, and they may also benefit from the cooler wood temperatures. Teredinid tunnelled wood is a key low-tide refuge for cryptic animals, which would otherwise be exposed to fishes and birds, and higher external temperatures. This study provides evidence that teredinids are ecosystem engineers and also provides an example of a mechanism whereby mangrove forests support intertidal biodiversity and nurseries through the wood-boring activity of teredinids. PMID:25276505

Evaluation of nutraceutical and antinutritional properties in barnyard and finger millet varieties grown in Himalayan region.

PubMed

Panwar, Priyankar; Dubey, Ashutosh; Verma, A K

2016-06-01

Five elite varieties of barnyard (Echinochloa frumentacea) and finger (Eleusine coracana) growing at northwestern Himalaya were investigated for nutraceutical and antinutritional properties. Barnyard millet contained higher amount of crude fiber, total dietary fiber, tryptophan content, total carotenoids, α-tocopherol compared to the finger millet whereas the finger millet contains higher amount of methionine and ascorbic acid as compared to the barnyard millet. The secondary metabolites of biological functions were analyzed and found that barnyard millet contained the higher amount of polyphenols, tannins and ortho-dihydroxy phenol content compared to finger millet. Among antinutitional compounds barnyard millet contained lower phytic acid content compare to finger millet whereas no significant difference in trypsin inhibition activity of barnyard millet and finger millet varieties were found. Barnyard millet contained higher acid phosphatase, α-galactosidase and α-amylase inhibitor activity compared to finger millet. Finger millet seeds contained about 10-13 folds higher calcium content and double amount of manganese content in comparison to barnyard millet seeds. Present study suggests that barnyard millet varieties studied under present investigation were found nutritionally superior compared to finger millet varieties.

Gay Days.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zirkel, Perry A.

2003-01-01

Discusses case of peer-to-peer harassment of a homosexual high school student in Nevada involving "Tinker" First Amendment expression issues and Title IX peer-harassment case law. Prior to trial, school district agreed to a substantial monetary settlement, but did not admit to First Amendment or Title IX violations. (Contains 13…

Listening through Voices: Infant Statistical Word Segmentation across Multiple Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graf Estes, Katharine; Lew-Williams, Casey

2015-01-01

To learn from their environments, infants must detect structure behind pervasive variation. This presents substantial and largely untested learning challenges in early language acquisition. The current experiments address whether infants can use statistical learning mechanisms to segment words when the speech signal contains acoustic variation…

43 CFR 29.14 - Information collection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Information collection. 29.14 Section 29... FUND § 29.14 Information collection. The information collection requirements contained in 43 CFR 29.9... approval No. 1084-0026. The information being collected is the information required to substantiate claims...

7 CFR 1530.110 - Records, certification, and documentation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE THE REFINED SUGAR RE-EXPORT PROGRAM, THE SUGAR CONTAINING PRODUCTS RE... documents to substantiate entries, transfers, exports, or use as appropriate. The Licensing Authority shall...; (3) Include all U.S. Customs forms submitted in the entry or export process; (4) Provide the correct...

7 CFR 1530.110 - Records, certification, and documentation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE THE REFINED SUGAR RE-EXPORT PROGRAM, THE SUGAR CONTAINING PRODUCTS RE... documents to substantiate entries, transfers, exports, or use as appropriate. The Licensing Authority shall...; (3) Include all U.S. Customs forms submitted in the entry or export process; (4) Provide the correct...

7 CFR 1530.110 - Records, certification, and documentation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE THE REFINED SUGAR RE-EXPORT PROGRAM, THE SUGAR CONTAINING PRODUCTS RE... documents to substantiate entries, transfers, exports, or use as appropriate. The Licensing Authority shall...; (3) Include all U.S. Customs forms submitted in the entry or export process; (4) Provide the correct...