Electrical phenotypes of calcium transport mutant strains of a filamentous fungus, Neurospora crassa.

PubMed

Hamam, Ahmed; Lew, Roger R

2012-05-01

We characterized the electrical phenotypes of mutants with mutations in genes encoding calcium transporters-a mechanosensitive channel homolog (MscS), a Ca(2+)/H(+) exchange protein (cax), and Ca(2+)-ATPases (nca-1, nca-2, nca-3)-as well as those of double mutants (the nca-2 cax, nca-2 nca-3, and nca-3 cax mutants). The electrical characterization used dual impalements to obtain cable-corrected current-voltage measurements. Only two types of mutants (the MscS mutant; the nca-2 mutant and nca-2-containing double mutants) exhibited lower resting potentials. For the nca-2 mutant, on the basis of unchanged conductance and cyanide-induced depolarization of the potential, the cause is attenuated H(+)-ATPase activity. The growth of the nca-2 mutant-containing strains was inhibited by elevated extracellular Ca(2+) levels, indicative of lesions in Ca(2+) homeostasis. However, the net Ca(2+) effluxes of the nca-2 mutant, measured noninvasively with a self-referencing Ca(2+)-selective microelectrode, were similar to those of the wild type. All of the mutants exhibited osmosensitivity similar to that of the wild type (the turgor of the nca-2 mutant was also similar to that of the wild type), suggesting that Ca(2+) signaling does not play a role in osmoregulation. The hyphal tip morphology and tip-localized mitochondria of the nca-2 mutant were similar to those of the wild type, even when the external [Ca(2+)] was elevated. Thus, although Ca(2+) homeostasis is perturbed in the nca-2 mutant (B. J. Bowman et al., Eukaryot. Cell 10:654-661, 2011), the phenotype does not extend to tip growth or to osmoregulation but is revealed by lower H(+)-ATPase activity.

Electrical Phenotypes of Calcium Transport Mutant Strains of a Filamentous Fungus, Neurospora crassa

PubMed Central

Hamam, Ahmed

2012-01-01

We characterized the electrical phenotypes of mutants with mutations in genes encoding calcium transporters—a mechanosensitive channel homolog (MscS), a Ca2+/H+ exchange protein (cax), and Ca2+-ATPases (nca-1, nca-2, nca-3)—as well as those of double mutants (the nca-2 cax, nca-2 nca-3, and nca-3 cax mutants). The electrical characterization used dual impalements to obtain cable-corrected current-voltage measurements. Only two types of mutants (the MscS mutant; the nca-2 mutant and nca-2-containing double mutants) exhibited lower resting potentials. For the nca-2 mutant, on the basis of unchanged conductance and cyanide-induced depolarization of the potential, the cause is attenuated H+-ATPase activity. The growth of the nca-2 mutant-containing strains was inhibited by elevated extracellular Ca2+ levels, indicative of lesions in Ca2+ homeostasis. However, the net Ca2+ effluxes of the nca-2 mutant, measured noninvasively with a self-referencing Ca2+-selective microelectrode, were similar to those of the wild type. All of the mutants exhibited osmosensitivity similar to that of the wild type (the turgor of the nca-2 mutant was also similar to that of the wild type), suggesting that Ca2+ signaling does not play a role in osmoregulation. The hyphal tip morphology and tip-localized mitochondria of the nca-2 mutant were similar to those of the wild type, even when the external [Ca2+] was elevated. Thus, although Ca2+ homeostasis is perturbed in the nca-2 mutant (B. J. Bowman et al., Eukaryot. Cell 10:654–661, 2011), the phenotype does not extend to tip growth or to osmoregulation but is revealed by lower H+-ATPase activity. PMID:22408225

NCA-LDAS: An Integrated Terrestrial Water Analysis System for Development, Evaluation, and Dissemination of Climate Indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jasinski, M. F.; Arsenault, K. R.; Beaudoing, H. K.; Bolten, J. D.; Borak, J.; Kumar, S.; Peters-Lidard, C. D.; Li, B.; Liu, Y.; Mocko, D. M.; Rodell, M.

2014-12-01

An Integrated Terrestrial Water Analysis System, or NCA-LDAS, has been created to enable development, evaluation, and dissemination of terrestrial hydrologic climate indicators focusing on the continental U.S. The purpose is to provide quantifiable indicators of states and estimated trends in our nation's water stores and fluxes over a wide range of scales and locations, to support improved understanding and management of water resources and numerous related sectors such as agriculture and energy. NCA-LDAS relies on improved modeling of terrestrial hydrology through assimilation of satellite imagery, building upon the legacy of the Land Information System modeling framework (Kumar et al, 2006; Peters-Lidard et al, 2007). It currently employs the Noah or Catchment Land Surface Model, run with a number of satellite data assimilation scenarios. The domain for NCA-LDAS is the continental U.S. at 1/8 degree grid for the period 1979 to present. Satellite-based variables that are assimilated are soil moisture and snow water equivalent from principally microwave sensors such as SMMR, SSM/I and AMSR, snow covered area from multispectral sensors such as AVHRR, and MODIS, and terrestrial water storage from GRACE. Once simulated, output are evaluated in comparison to independent datasets using a variety of metrics using the Land Surface Verification Toolkit (LVT). LVT schemes within NCA-LDAS also include routines for computing standard statistics of time series such means, max, and linear trends, at various scales. The dissemination of the NCA-LDAS, including model descriptions, forcings, parameters, daily output, indicator results and LVT tools, have been made available to the public through dissemination on NASA GES-DISC.

Predication of different stages of Alzheimer's disease using neighborhood component analysis and ensemble decision tree.

PubMed

Jin, Mingwu; Deng, Weishu

2018-05-15

There is a spectrum of the progression from healthy control (HC) to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) without conversion to Alzheimer's disease (AD), to MCI with conversion to AD (cMCI), and to AD. This study aims to predict the different disease stages using brain structural information provided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. The neighborhood component analysis (NCA) is applied to select most powerful features for prediction. The ensemble decision tree classifier is built to predict which group the subject belongs to. The best features and model parameters are determined by cross validation of the training data. Our results show that 16 out of a total of 429 features were selected by NCA using 240 training subjects, including MMSE score and structural measures in memory-related regions. The boosting tree model with NCA features can achieve prediction accuracy of 56.25% on 160 test subjects. Principal component analysis (PCA) and sequential feature selection (SFS) are used for feature selection, while support vector machine (SVM) is used for classification. The boosting tree model with NCA features outperforms all other combinations of feature selection and classification methods. The results suggest that NCA be a better feature selection strategy than PCA and SFS for the data used in this study. Ensemble tree classifier with boosting is more powerful than SVM to predict the subject group. However, more advanced feature selection and classification methods or additional measures besides structural MRI may be needed to improve the prediction performance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

March 2011 Physical Indicators Workshop Summary Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Brent

2011-01-01

The National Climate Assessment (NCA) convened a workshop on Physical Climate Indicators from 29-30 March 2011, as part of a series on Monitoring Climate Change and its Impacts . The overarching goal of this workshop was to identify a few broad categories of potential physical climate indicators using a set of priorities developed by the NCA, and to provide a clear justification for how they would inform the Nation about climate change. Additional goals included providing input on the overall NCA framework for selecting the indicators and suggesting methodologies to construct indicators. Although one of the workshop goals was to address the status of current observational networks to support indicators, this was not a main focus of any single discussion. However, participants agreed with the NCA indicator vision that high quality data were needed to develop indicators, and generally focused on identifying indicator categories that current observation systems could support. The nearly 60 participants, primarily from Federal agencies, received a white paper in advance of the workshop that detailed the NCA vision for a coordinated suite of climate-related physical, ecological, and societal indicators. The intent of these national indicators of change is to develop a way to evaluate and communicate over time both the rate of change in impacts and the capacity to respond to climate drivers. These indicators will be tracked as a part of ongoing, long-term assessment activities, with adjustments as necessary to adapt to changing conditions and understanding. An initial framework was provided to workshop participants to ensure that everyone understood the audience, scope, and purpose of the indicators. A common lexicon was defined since indicator terminology varies widely. In addition, several potential approaches to grouping or categorizing the indicators were presented. Participants spent most of their time in small breakout groups with facilitators, working to address a common set of questions. The workshop was structured to start with the broadest issue and then focus down as the workshop progressed. The first breakout therefore solicited comments on the NCA indicator framework, followed by discussion of the potential approaches to organizing the physical climate indicators. Once several approaches were identified, the groups then worked to define specific measurements, or types of measurements, that could be used to create the indicators.

A Chaperone Function of NO CATALASE ACTIVITY1 Is Required to Maintain Catalase Activity and for Multiple Stress Responses in Arabidopsis

PubMed Central

Li, Jing; Liu, Juntao; Wang, Guoqiang; Cha, Joon-Yung; Li, Guannan; Chen, She; Li, Zhen; Guo, Jinghua; Zhang, Caiguo; Yang, Yongqing; Kim, Woe-Yeon; Yun, Dae-Jin; Schumaker, Karen S.; Chen, Zhongzhou; Guo, Yan

2015-01-01

Catalases are key regulators of reactive oxygen species homeostasis in plant cells. However, the regulation of catalase activity is not well understood. In this study, we isolated an Arabidopsis thaliana mutant, no catalase activity1-3 (nca1-3) that is hypersensitive to many abiotic stress treatments. The mutated gene was identified by map-based cloning as NCA1, which encodes a protein containing an N-terminal RING-finger domain and a C-terminal tetratricopeptide repeat-like helical domain. NCA1 interacts with and increases catalase activity maximally in a 240-kD complex in planta. In vitro, NCA1 interacts with CATALASE2 (CAT2) in a 1:1 molar ratio, and the NCA1 C terminus is essential for this interaction. CAT2 activity increased 10-fold in the presence of NCA1, and zinc ion binding of the NCA1 N terminus is required for this increase. NCA1 has chaperone protein activity that may maintain the folding of catalase in a functional state. NCA1 is a cytosol-located protein. Expression of NCA1 in the mitochondrion of the nca1-3 mutant does not rescue the abiotic stress phenotypes of the mutant, while expression in the cytosol or peroxisome does. Our results suggest that NCA1 is essential for catalase activity. PMID:25700484

The Climate Science Special Report (CSSR) of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wuebbles, D. J.; Fahey, D. W.; Hibbard, K. A.

2016-12-01

The Climate Science Special Report (CSSR) will provide key input into the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4). The report was initiated in 2016 under the guidance of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) as a new, stand-alone report of the state-of-science relating to climate change and its physical impacts. The report is undergoing peer and public review in late 2016 with the aim for final publication in the fourth quarter of 2017. CSSR will provide a comprehensive assessment of the science underlying the changes occurring in the Earth's climate system, with a special focus on the United States. CSSR will serve several purposes for NCA4, including 1) providing an updated detailed analysis of the findings of how climate change is affecting weather and climate across the United States, 2) providing an executive summary that will be used as the basis for the climate science discussion in NCA4, and 3) providing foundational information and projections for climate change, including extremes, to improve "end-to-end" consistency in sectoral, regional, and resilience analyses for NCA4. We will present a summary of the origins and development of CSSR, the writing team, the chapter topics and the relation of CSSR content to NCA4, other assessments and relevance to policy and research communities.

Molecular structure, Normal Coordinate Analysis, harmonic vibrational frequencies, Natural Bond Orbital, TD-DFT calculations and biological activity analysis of antioxidant drug 7-hydroxycoumarin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sebastian, S.; Sylvestre, S.; Jayarajan, D.; Amalanathan, M.; Oudayakumar, K.; Gnanapoongothai, T.; Jayavarthanan, T.

2013-01-01

In this work, we report harmonic vibrational frequencies, molecular structure, NBO and HOMO, LUMO analysis of Umbelliferone also known as 7-hydroxycoumarin (7HC). The optimized geometric bond lengths and bond angles obtained by computation (monomer and dimmer) shows good agreement with experimental XRD data. Harmonic frequencies of 7HC were determined and analyzed by DFT utilizing 6-311+G(d,p) as basis set. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of Normal Coordinate Analysis (NCA) following the Scaled Quantum Mechanical Force Field Methodology (SQMFF). The change in electron density (ED) in the σ* and π* antibonding orbitals and stabilization energies E(2) have been calculated by Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis to give clear evidence of stabilization originating in the hyperconjugation of hydrogen-bonded interaction. The energy and oscillator strength calculated by Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) complements with the experimental findings. The simulated spectra satisfactorily coincides with the experimental spectra. Microbial activity of studied compounds was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Psuedomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella typhi and Enterococcus faecalis.

Nonspecific cross-reacting antigen 50/90 is elevated in patients with breast, lung, and colon cancer.

PubMed

Allard, W J; Neaman, I E; Elting, J J; Barnett, T R; Yoshimura, H; Fritsche, H A; Yeung, K K

1994-03-01

A total of 22 genes have been identified in the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) gene family. The protein products of this family are highly homologous and include CEA, biliary glycoprotein, nonspecific cross-reacting antigen 50/90 (NCA 50/90), NCA 95, and pregnancy-specific beta-glycoprotein. We used a monoclonal antibody with high affinity to develop a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for NCA 50/90 in serum and plasma. Our calibrators were based on affinity-purified recombinant protein from a baculovirus expression system. No significant reactivity with purified CEA, recombinant NCA 95, or recombinant biliary glycoprotein was found by Western blot analysis or in the ELISA method. Only 1 of 15 sera from pregnant women (chorionic gonadotropin > 1000 ng/ml) was positive in the NCA 50/90 ELISA, suggesting that this method does not detect pregnancy-specific glycoprotein. A cutoff value of 18 ng/ml was established based on the 95% value of serum and plasma from 147 healthy volunteers. Only 3 of 31 serum and plasma samples from patients with clinically inactive breast cancer were elevated above the cutoff value, but 44% of 136 samples from patients with clinically active breast cancer were positive. NCA 50/90 measurements were elevated in 7 of 25 patients with active breast cancer whose CEA and CA 15-3 values were below cutoff, and NCA 50/90 values do not correlate with CEA in breast cancer. In addition, we found sensitivities of 70, 39, and 42% for lung cancer, colon cancer, and leukemia, respectively. The sensitivity for non-small cell lung cancer was 85%, however, compared to 50% for small cell lung cancer. Serum from leukemia patients showed an overall sensitivity of 43%, but 71% (10 of 14) sera from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia were positive compared to, for example, chronic lymphocytic leukemia where 0 of 7 sera had NCA 50/90 values above the cutoff. These studies suggest that NCA 50/90 may have clinical utility in the management of patients with a variety of cancers.

Ultra High Energy Density Cathodes with Carbon Nanotubes

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-10

a) Carbon nanotube paper coated with NCA cathode composite for testing as positive electrode in Li-ion battery (b) Comparison of NCA specific...received and purified CNT electrodes coated with NCA cathode composite. (b) Discharge capacities as a function of rate and cycle for NCA on Al and...thickness increases. The first approach was to cast SOA NCA cathode composites onto CNT current collectors using an adjustable blade coater. The

Novel GABA receptor pesticide targets.

PubMed

Casida, John E; Durkin, Kathleen A

2015-06-01

The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor has four distinct but overlapping and coupled targets of pesticide action importantly associated with little or no cross-resistance. The target sites are differentiated by binding assays with specific radioligands, resistant strains, site-directed mutagenesis and molecular modeling. Three of the targets are for non-competitive antagonists (NCAs) or channel blockers of widely varied chemotypes. The target of the first generation (20th century) NCAs differs between the larger or elongated compounds (NCA-IA) including many important insecticides of the past (cyclodienes and polychlorocycloalkanes) or present (fiproles) and the smaller or compact compounds (NCA-IB) highly toxic to mammals and known as cage convulsants, rodenticides or chemical threat agents. The target of greatest current interest is designated NCA-II for the second generation (21st century) of NCAs consisting for now of isoxazolines and meta-diamides. This new and uniquely different NCA-II site apparently differs enough between insects and mammals to confer selective toxicity. The fourth target is the avermectin site (AVE) for allosteric modulators of the chloride channel. NCA pesticides vary in molecular surface area and solvent accessible volume relative to avermectin with NCA-IBs at 20-22%, NCA-IAs at 40-45% and NCA-IIs at 57-60%. The same type of relationship relative to ligand-docked length is 27-43% for NCA-IBs, 63-71% for NCA-IAs and 85-105% for NCA-IIs. The four targets are compared by molecular modeling for the Drosophila melanogaster GABA-R. The principal sites of interaction are proposed to be: pore V1' and A2' for NCA-IB compounds; pore A2', L6' and T9' for NCA-IA compounds; pore T9' to S15' in proximity to M1/M3 subunit interface (or alternatively an interstitial site) for NCA-II compounds; and M1/M3, M2 interfaces for AVE. Understanding the relationships of these four binding sites is important in resistance management and in the discovery and use of safe and effective pest control agents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Data Management and the National Climate Assessment: Best Practices, Lessons Learned, and Future Applications: A Data Quality Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunkel, K.; Champion, S.

2015-12-01

Data Management and the National Climate Assessment: A Data Quality Solution Sarah M. Champion and Kenneth E. Kunkel Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites, Asheville, NC The Third National Climate Assessment (NCA), anticipated for its authoritative climate change analysis, was also a vanguard in climate communication. From the cutting-edge website to the organization of information, the Assessment content appealed to, and could be accessed by, many demographics. One such pivotal presentation of information in the NCA was the availability of complex metadata directly connected to graphical products. While the basic metadata requirement is federally mandated through a series of federal guidelines as a part of the Information Quality Act, the NCA is also deemed a Highly Influential Scientific Assessment, which requires demonstration of the transparency and reproducibility of the content. To meet these requirements, the Technical Support Unit (TSU) for the NCA embarked on building a system for collecting and presenting metadata that not only met these requirements, but one that has since been employed in support of additional Assessments. The metadata effort for this NCA proved invaluable for many reasons, one of which being that it showcased that there is a critical need for a culture change within the scientific community to support collection and transparency of data and methods to the level produced with the NCA. Irregardless of being federally mandated, it proves to simply be a good practice in science communication. This presentation will detail the collection system built by the TSU, the improvements employed with additional Assessment products, as well as illustrate examples of successful transparency. Through this presentation, we hope to impel the discussion in support of detailed metadata becoming the cultural norm within the scientific community to support influential and highly policy-relevant documents such as the NCA.

Receptive fields and gustatory responsiveness of frog glossopharyngeal nerve. A single fiber analysis

PubMed Central

1990-01-01

Receptive fields and responsiveness of single fibers of the glossopharyngeal (IXth) nerve were investigated using electrical, gustatory (NaCl, quinine HCl, acetic acid, water, sucrose, and CaCl2), thermal, and mechanical stimulation of the single fungiform papillae distributed on the dorsal tongue surface in frogs. 172 single fibers were isolated. 58% of these fibers (99/172) were responsive to at least one of the gustatory stimuli (taste fibers), and the remaining 42% (73/172) were responsive only to touch (touch fibers). The number of papillae innervated by a single fiber (receptive field) was between 1 and 17 for taste fibers and between 1 and 10 for touch fibers. The mean receptive field of taste fibers (X = 6.6, n = 99) was significantly larger than that of touch fibers (X = 3.6, n = 73) (two-tailed t test, P less than 0.001). In experiments with natural stimulation of single fungiform papillae, it was found that every branch of a single fiber has a similar responsiveness. Taste fibers were classified into 14 types (Type N, Q, A, NA, NCa, NCaA, NCaW, NCaAW, NCaWS, NQ, NQA, NQAS, NQWarm, Multiple) on the basis of their responses to gustatory and thermal stimuli. The time course of the response in taste fibers was found to be characteristic of their types. For example, the fibers belonging to Type NQA showed phasic responses, those in Type NCa showed tonic responses, etc. These results indicate that there are several groups of fibers in the frog IXth nerve and that every branch of an individual fiber has a similar responsiveness to the parent fiber. PMID:2374001

Bayesian approach to estimate AUC, partition coefficient and drug targeting index for studies with serial sacrifice design.

PubMed

Wang, Tianli; Baron, Kyle; Zhong, Wei; Brundage, Richard; Elmquist, William

2014-03-01

The current study presents a Bayesian approach to non-compartmental analysis (NCA), which provides the accurate and precise estimate of AUC 0 (∞) and any AUC 0 (∞) -based NCA parameter or derivation. In order to assess the performance of the proposed method, 1,000 simulated datasets were generated in different scenarios. A Bayesian method was used to estimate the tissue and plasma AUC 0 (∞) s and the tissue-to-plasma AUC 0 (∞) ratio. The posterior medians and the coverage of 95% credible intervals for the true parameter values were examined. The method was applied to laboratory data from a mice brain distribution study with serial sacrifice design for illustration. Bayesian NCA approach is accurate and precise in point estimation of the AUC 0 (∞) and the partition coefficient under a serial sacrifice design. It also provides a consistently good variance estimate, even considering the variability of the data and the physiological structure of the pharmacokinetic model. The application in the case study obtained a physiologically reasonable posterior distribution of AUC, with a posterior median close to the value estimated by classic Bailer-type methods. This Bayesian NCA approach for sparse data analysis provides statistical inference on the variability of AUC 0 (∞) -based parameters such as partition coefficient and drug targeting index, so that the comparison of these parameters following destructive sampling becomes statistically feasible.

SiO2-coated LiNi0.915Co0.075Al0.01O2 cathode material for rechargeable Li-ion batteries.

PubMed

Zhou, Pengfei; Zhang, Zhen; Meng, Huanju; Lu, Yanying; Cao, Jun; Cheng, Fangyi; Tao, Zhanliang; Chen, Jun

2016-11-24

We reported a one-step dry coating of amorphous SiO 2 on spherical Ni-rich layered LiNi 0.915 Co 0.075 Al 0.01 O 2 (NCA) cathode materials. Combined characterization of XRD, EDS mapping, and TEM indicates that a SiO 2 layer with an average thickness of ∼50 nm was uniformly coated on the surface of NCA microspheres, without inducing any change of the phase structure and morphology. Electrochemical tests show that the 0.2 wt% SiO 2 -coated NCA material exhibits enhanced cyclability and rate properties, combining with better thermal stability compared with those of pristine NCA. For example, 0.2 wt% SiO 2 -coated NCA delivers a high specific capacity of 181.3 mA h g -1 with a capacity retention of 90.7% after 50 cycles at 1 C rate and 25 °C. Moreover, the capacity retention of this composite at 60 °C is 12.5% higher than that of pristine NCA at 1 C rate after 50 cycles. The effects of SiO 2 coating on the electrochemical performance of NCA are investigated by EIS, CV, and DSC tests, the improved performance is attributed to the surface coating layer of amorphous SiO 2 , which effectively suppresses side reactions between NCA and electrolytes, decreases the SEI layer resistance, and retards the growth of charge-transfer resistance, thus enhancing structural and cycling stability of NCA.

Mechanical Composite of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2/Carbon Nanotubes with Enhanced Electrochemical Performance for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Zhang, Liping; Fu, Ju; Zhang, Chuhong

2017-12-01

LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 /carbon nanotube (NCA/CNT) composite cathode materials are prepared by a facile mechanical grinding method, without damage to the crystal structure and morphology of the bulk. The NCA/CNT composite exhibits enhanced cycling and rate performance compared with pristine NCA. After 60 cycles at a current rate of 0.25 C, the reversible capacity of NCA/CNT composite cathode is 181 mAh/g with a discharge retention rate of 96%, considerably higher than the value of pristine NCA (153 mAh/g with a retention rate of 90%). At a high current rate of 5 C, it also can deliver a reversible capacity of 160 mAh/g, while only 140 mAh/g is maintained for the unmodified NCA. Highly electrical conductive CNTs rather than common inert insulating materials are for the first time employed as surface modifiers for NCA, which are dispersed homogenously on the surface of NCA particles, not only improving the electrical conductivity but also providing effective protection to the side reactions with liquid electrolyte of the battery.

Persistent Identification of Agents and Objects of Global Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tilmes, C.; Fox, P. A.; Waple, A.; Zednik, S.

2012-12-01

"Global Change" includes climate change, ecological change, land-use changes and host of other interacting complex systems including societal and institutional implications. This vast body of information includes scientific research, data, measurements, models, analyses, assessments, etc. It is produced by a collection of multi-disciplinary researchers and organizations from around the world and demand for this information is increasing from a multitude of different audiences and stakeholders. The identification and organization of the agents and objects of global change information and their inter-relationships and contributions to the whole story of change is critical for conveying the state of knowledge, its complexity as well as syntheses and key messages to researchers, decision makers, and the public. The U.S. Global Change Research Program (http://globalchange.gov) coordinates and integrates federal research on changes in the global environment and their implications for society. The USGCRP is developing a Global Change Information System (GCIS) that will organize and present our best understanding of global change, and all the contributing information that leads to that understanding, including the provenance needed to trust and use that information. The first implementation will provide provenance for the National Climate Assessment (NCA). (http://assessment.globalchange.gov) The NCA must integrate, evaluate, and interpret the findings of the USGCRP; analyze the effects of global change on the natural environment, agriculture, energy production and use, land and water resources, transportation, human health and welfare, human social systems, and biological diversity; and analyze current trends in global change, both human-induced and natural, and projects major trends for the subsequent 25 to 100 years. It also assesses information at the regional scale across the Nation. A synthesis report is required not less frequently than every four years and the next NCA report will be delivered in 2013. However a major new approach for the NCA is as a sustained effort including many more foundational components (such as scenarios and indicators) and thousands of contributors and participants. As a result of a public "request for information" the NCA has received over 500 distinct technical inputs to the process, many of which are reports distilling and synthesizing even more information, coming from thousands of groups around the federal government, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, etc. The GCIS will assign identifiers, track citations and provide the links from the content of the National Climate Assessment back to related inputs. We will describe our approach to persistent identification of the agents and objects and their relationships to the NCA, how we plan to implement that approach throughout the global change research and sustained assessment activities of the 13 federal agencies of the USGCRP, and how this approach will improve understanding, reproducibility, and ultimately, credibility and usability of global change information.

Process and targets for production of no-carrier-added radiotin

DOEpatents

Srivastava, Suresh C; Zhuikov, Boris Leonidovich; Ermolaev, Stanislav Victorovich; Konyakhin, Nikolay Alexandrovich; Kokhanyuk, Vladimir Mikhailovich; Khamyanov, Stepan Vladimirovich; Togaeva, Natalya Roaldovna

2014-04-22

One embodiment of the present invention includes a process for production and recovery of no-carrier-added radioactive tin (NCA radiotin). An antimony target can be irradiated with a beam of accelerated particles forming NCA radiotin, followed by separation of the NCA radiotin from the irradiated target. The target is metallic Sb in a hermetically sealed shell. The shell can be graphite, molybdenum, or stainless steel. The irradiated target can be removed from the shell by chemical or mechanical means, and dissolved in an acidic solution. Sb can be removed from the dissolved irradiated target by extraction. NCA radiotin can be separated from the remaining Sb and other impurities using chromatography on silica gel sorbent. NCA tin-117m can be obtained from this process. NCA tin-117m can be used for labeling organic compounds and biological objects to be applied in medicine for imaging and therapy of various diseases.

Expression of Haemophilus ducreyi Collagen Binding Outer Membrane Protein NcaA Is Required for Virulence in Swine and Human Challenge Models of Chancroid

PubMed Central

Fulcher, Robert A.; Cole, Leah E.; Janowicz, Diane M.; Toffer, Kristen L.; Fortney, Kate R.; Katz, Barry P.; Orndorff, Paul E.; Spinola, Stanley M.; Kawula, Thomas H.

2006-01-01

Haemophilus ducreyi, the etiologic agent of the sexually transmitted genital ulcer disease chancroid, has been shown to associate with dermal collagen fibers within infected skin lesions. Here we describe NcaA, a previously uncharacterized outer membrane protein that is important for H. ducreyi collagen binding and host colonization. An H. ducreyi strain lacking the ncaA gene was impaired in adherence to type I collagen but not fibronectin (plasma or cellular form) or heparin. The mutation had no effect on serum resistance or binding to HaCaT keratinocytes or human foreskin fibroblasts in vitro. Escherichia coli expressing H. ducreyi NcaA bound to type I collagen, demonstrating that NcaA is sufficient to confer collagen attachment. The importance of NcaA in H. ducreyi pathogenesis was assessed using both swine and human experimental models of chancroid. In the swine model, 20% of lesions from sites inoculated with the ncaA mutant were culture positive for H. ducreyi 7 days after inoculation, compared to 73% of wild-type-inoculated sites. The average number of CFU recovered from mutant-inoculated lesions was also significantly reduced compared to that recovered from wild-type-inoculated sites at both 2 and 7 days after inoculation. In the human challenge model, 8 of 30 sites inoculated with wild-type H. ducreyi progressed to the pustular stage, compared to 0 of 30 sites inoculated with the ncaA mutant. Together these results demonstrate that the collagen binding protein NcaA is required for H. ducreyi infection. PMID:16622201

Expression of Haemophilus ducreyi collagen binding outer membrane protein NcaA is required for virulence in swine and human challenge models of chancroid.

PubMed

Fulcher, Robert A; Cole, Leah E; Janowicz, Diane M; Toffer, Kristen L; Fortney, Kate R; Katz, Barry P; Orndorff, Paul E; Spinola, Stanley M; Kawula, Thomas H

2006-05-01

Haemophilus ducreyi, the etiologic agent of the sexually transmitted genital ulcer disease chancroid, has been shown to associate with dermal collagen fibers within infected skin lesions. Here we describe NcaA, a previously uncharacterized outer membrane protein that is important for H. ducreyi collagen binding and host colonization. An H. ducreyi strain lacking the ncaA gene was impaired in adherence to type I collagen but not fibronectin (plasma or cellular form) or heparin. The mutation had no effect on serum resistance or binding to HaCaT keratinocytes or human foreskin fibroblasts in vitro. Escherichia coli expressing H. ducreyi NcaA bound to type I collagen, demonstrating that NcaA is sufficient to confer collagen attachment. The importance of NcaA in H. ducreyi pathogenesis was assessed using both swine and human experimental models of chancroid. In the swine model, 20% of lesions from sites inoculated with the ncaA mutant were culture positive for H. ducreyi 7 days after inoculation, compared to 73% of wild-type-inoculated sites. The average number of CFU recovered from mutant-inoculated lesions was also significantly reduced compared to that recovered from wild-type-inoculated sites at both 2 and 7 days after inoculation. In the human challenge model, 8 of 30 sites inoculated with wild-type H. ducreyi progressed to the pustular stage, compared to 0 of 30 sites inoculated with the ncaA mutant. Together these results demonstrate that the collagen binding protein NcaA is required for H. ducreyi infection.

Lightning-Related Indicators for National Climate Assessment (NCA) Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koshak, W.

2017-01-01

Changes in climate can affect the characteristics of lightning (e.g., number of flashes that occur in a region, return stroke current and multiplicity, polarity of charge deposited to ground, and the lightning cloud-top optical energy emission). The NASA/MSFC Lightning Analysis Tool (LAT) monitors these and other quantities in support of the National Climate Assessment (NCA) program. Changes in lightning characteristics lead to changes in lightning-caused impacts to humans (e.g., fatalities, injuries, crop/property damage, wildfires, airport delays, changes in air quality).

The Fourth National Climate Assessment: Progress and Next Steps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reidmiller, D.; Lewis, K.; Reeves, K.

2017-12-01

The Global Change Research Act of 1990 mandates the production of a quadrennial National Climate Assessment (NCA) that integrates, evaluates, and interprets global change science. The NCA analyzes observed and projected trends in global change and evaluates related impacts across a range of sectors and regions in the United States. The fourth assessment, NCA4, is currently under development by nearly 300 Federal and non-Federal experts and is expected to be available for public comment in Fall 2017 and released in late 2018. NCA4 is a key component of the US Global Change Research Program's Sustained Assessment process, which aims to advance the science of global change and provide authoritative, relevant information for decision makers. This talk will highlight the progress of NCA4, including an overview of the current draft of the assessment and advances since the third NCA, released in 2014. It will highlight the Climate Science Special Report, an essential component of NCA4, as well as provide insight into the public engagement process-including opportunities to participate-and identify scientific inputs and tools critical to its development, such as the 2nd State of the Carbon Cycle Report and USGCRP's new scenario products website.

Optical, Fluorescence with quantum analysis of hydrazine (1, 3- Dinitro Phenyl) by DFT and Ab initio approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cecily Mary Glory, D.; Sambathkumar, K.; Madivanane, R.; Velmurugan, G.; Gayathri, R.; Nithiyanantham, S.; Venkatachalapathy, M.; Rajkamal, N.

2018-07-01

Experimental and computational study of molecular structure, vibrational and UV-spectral analysis of Hydrazine (1, 3- Dinitrophenyl) (HDP) derivatives. The crystal was grown by slow cooling method and the crystalline perfection of single crystals was evaluated by high resolution X-ray diffractometry (HRXRD) using a multicrystal X-ray diffractometer. Fluorescence, FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of HDP crystal were recorded. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of normal co-ordinate analysis (NCA) followed by scaled quantum force field methodology (SQMFF). NMR studies have confirmed respectively the crystal structure and functional groups of the grown crystal. The energy and oscillator strength calculated by Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) result complements the experimental findings. The calculated MESP, UV, HOMO-LUMO energies show that charge transfer done within the molecule. And various thermodynamic parameters are studied. Fukui determines the local reactive site of electrophilic, nucleophilic, descriptor.

78 FR 21008 - Proposed Information Collection (NCA Customer Satisfaction Surveys (Headstone/Marker) Activity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-08

... Customer Satisfaction Surveys (Headstone/Marker) Activity: Comment Request AGENCY: National Cemetery... estimates relating to customer satisfaction surveys involving the National Cemetery Administration (NCA.... Title: Generic Clearance for NCA, and IG Customer Satisfaction Surveys. OMB Control Number: 2900-0571...

Non-cell-autonomous effects yield lower clonal diversity in expanding tumors.

PubMed

Tissot, Tazzio; Thomas, Frédéric; Roche, Benjamin

2017-09-11

Recent cancer research has investigated the possibility that non-cell-autonomous (NCA) driving tumor growth can support clonal diversity (CD). Indeed, mutations can affect the phenotypes not only of their carriers ("cell-autonomous", CA effects), but also sometimes of other cells (NCA effects). However, models that have investigated this phenomenon have only considered a restricted number of clones. Here, we designed an individual-based model of tumor evolution, where clones grow and mutate to yield new clones, among which a given frequency have NCA effects on other clones' growth. Unlike previously observed for smaller assemblages, most of our simulations yield lower CD with high frequency of mutations with NCA effects. Owing to NCA effects increasing competition in the tumor, clones being already dominant are more likely to stay dominant, and emergent clones not to thrive. These results may help personalized medicine to predict intratumor heterogeneity across different cancer types for which frequency of NCA effects could be quantified.

Improved synthesis of no-carrier-added p-[124I]iodo-L-phenylalanine and p-[131I]iodo-L-phenylalanine for nuclear medicine applications in malignant gliomas.

PubMed

Israel, Ina; Brandau, Wolfgang; Farmakis, Georgios; Samnick, Samuel

2008-04-01

This work describes the synthesis and the tumor affinity testing of no-carrier-added (n.c.a.) p-[(124)I]iodo-L-phenyalanine ([(124)I]IPA) and n.c.a. p-[(131)I]iodo-l-phenyalanine ([(131)I]IPA) as radiopharmaceuticals for imaging brain tumors with PET and for radionuclid-based therapy, respectively. Parameters for labeling were optimized with regard to the amount of precursor, temperature and time. Thereafter, n.c.a. [(124)I]IPA and n.c.a. [(131)I]IPA were investigated in rat F98 glioma and in primary human A1207 and HOM-T3868 glioblastoma cells in vitro, followed by an in vivo evaluation in CD1 nu/nu mice engrafted with human glioblastoma. No-carrier-added [(124)I]IPA and n.c.a. [(131)I]IPA were obtained in 90+/-6% radiochemical yield and >99% radiochemical purity by iododestannylation of N-Boc-4-(tri-n-butylstannyl)-L-phenylalanine methylester in the presence of chloramine-T, followed by hydrolysis of the protecting groups. The total synthesis time, including the HPLC separation and pharmacological formulation, was less than 60 min and compatible with a clinical routine production. Both amino acid tracers accumulated intensively in rat and in human glioma cells. The radioactivity incorporation in tumor cells following a 15-min incubation at 37 degrees C/pH 7.4 varied from 25% to 42% of the total loaded activity per 10(6) tumor cells (296-540 cpm/1000 cells). Inhibition experiments confirmed that n.c.a. [(124)I]IPA and n.c.a. [(131)I]IPA were taken up into tumor by the sodium-independent L- and ASC-type transporters. Biodistribution and whole-body imaging by a gamma-camera and a PET scanner demonstrated a high targeting level and a prolonged retention of n.c.a. [(124)I]IPA and n.c.a. [(131)I]IPA within the xenotransplanted human glioblastoma and a primarily renal excretion. However, an accurate delineation of the tumors in mice was not possible by our imaging systems. Radioactivity accumulation in the thyroid and in the stomach as a secondary indication of deiodination was less than 1% of the injected dose at 24h p.i., confirming the high in vivo stability of the radiopharmaceuticals. In conclusion, n.c.a. [(124)I]IPA and n.c.a. [(131)I]IPA are new promising radiopharmaceuticals, which can now be prepared in high radiochemical yields and high purity for widespread clinical applications. The specific and high-level targeting of n.c.a. [(124)I]IPA and n.c.a. [(131)I]IPA to glioma cells in vitro and to glioblastoma engrafts in vivo encourages further in vivo validations to ascertain their clinical potential as agent for imaging and quantitation of gliomas with PET, and for radionuclid-based therapy, respectively.

Images for NCA's Future: Perceptions in One State.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkpatrick, Kathryn; Brainard, Edward

1995-01-01

Describes a study examining the attitudes of K-12 educators toward their state's North Central Association (NCA) and its future. Indicates that external peer reviews were cited as the most valuable programs, while many suggestions for the future were related to the NCA-university connection, emphasizing a dynamic role for universities serving as…

77 FR 42327 - Proposed Supplementary Rules for the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-18

... Conservation Area (NCA), addressed in the September 2008 Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Record of Decision... an array of management actions designed to conserve natural and cultural resources on BLM... cultural resources within the NCA as described in the NCA Management Plan; to allow for safe public...

76 FR 55364 - Request for Information: Technical Inputs and Assessment Capacity Related to Regional, Sectoral...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-07

..., and Cross-Cutting Assessments for the 2013 U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA) Report and the... Climate Assessment (NCA) regional, sectoral, and cross-cutting topics proposed for the 2013 NCA report and... report outline, and information about the National Climate Assessment Development and Advisory Committee...

Communication on Safety of Medicines in Europe: Current Practices and General Practitioners' Awareness and Preferences.

PubMed

de Vries, Sieta T; van der Sar, Maartje J M; Cupelli, Amelia; Baldelli, Ilaria; Coleman, Anna Marie; Montero, Dolores; Šipić, Ivana; Andrić, Adriana; Wennberg, Annika; Ahlqvist-Rastad, Jane; Denig, Petra; Mol, Peter G M

2017-08-01

National competent authorities (NCAs) for medicines coordinate communication relating to the safety of medicines in Europe. The effectiveness of current communication practices has been questioned, particularly with regard to reaching general practitioners (GPs). The aim of this study was to assess current European NCA safety communication practices and to investigate European GPs' awareness of and preferences for safety communications on medicines. Web-based surveys were distributed among European NCAs and healthcare professionals (HCPs). The survey among regulators was emailed to a representative of each of the 27 European countries participating in the Strengthening Collaboration for Operating Pharmacovigilance in Europe (SCOPE) Joint Action. HCPs from nine European countries (Denmark, Spain, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK) were asked about their preferences through a link to the survey on websites, in newsletters, and/or in a direct email. From this survey, data from GPs were used and descriptive analyses were conducted. Current NCA practices were reported for 26 countries. In 23 countries (88%), NCAs published direct healthcare professional communications (DHPCs, i.e. urgent communication letters for serious safety issues) on their website in addition to distribution to individual HCPs. Educational materials were available on the NCA's website in 10 countries (40%), and 21 NCAs (81%) indicated they had their own bulletin/newsletter, which is often presented on the NCA's website (15 countries; 60%). More than 90% of the 1766 GPs who completed the survey were aware of DHPCs. The most preferred senders of safety information were NCAs and professional bodies, while the preferred channels for keeping up to date with safety information were medicines reference books and clinical guidelines. GPs found the repetition of safety issues useful (range of 80% in the UK to 97% in Italy). Preference for an electronic copy rather than a hardcopy varied per country (36% in Sweden to 72% in Spain). NCAs use similar methods for safety communications on medicines. Most GPs were aware of urgent communications and preferred similar senders of safety communications; however, their preferences towards the format differed per country.

The influence of cycling temperature and cycling rate on the phase specific degradation of a positive electrode in lithium ion batteries: A post mortem analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darma, Mariyam Susana Dewi; Lang, Michael; Kleiner, Karin; Mereacre, Liuda; Liebau, Verena; Fauth, Francois; Bergfeldt, Thomas; Ehrenberg, Helmut

2016-09-01

The influence of cycling temperatures and cycling rates on the cycling stability of the positive electrode (cathode) of commercial batteries are investigated. The cathode is a mixture of LiMn2O4 (LMO), LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 (NCM) and LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA). It is found that increasing the cycling temperature from 25 °C to 40 °C is detrimental to the long term cycling stability of the cathode. Contrastingly, the improved cycling stability is observed for the cathodes cycled at higher charge/discharge rate (2C/3C instead of 1C/2C). The microstructure analysis by X-ray powder diffraction reveals that a significant capacity fading and an increased overvoltage is observed for NCM and NCA in all the fatigued cathodes. After high number of cycling (above 1500 cycles), NCM becomes partially inactive. In contrast to NCM and NCA, LMO shows a good cycling stability at 25 °C. A pronounced degradation of LMO is only observed for the fatigued cathodes cycled at 40 °C. The huge capacity losses of NCM and NCA are most likely because the blended cathodes were cycled up to 4.12 V vs. the graphite anode during the cycle-life test (corresponds to 4.16 V vs. Li+/Li); which is beyond the stability limit of the layered oxides below 4.05 V vs. Li+/Li.

Optimized structure stability and electrochemical performance of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 by sputtering nanoscale ZnO film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Yan-Qing; Xu, Ming; Zhang, Zhi-An; Gao, Chun-Hui; Wang, Peng; Yu, Zi-Yang

2016-03-01

LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) is one of the most promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in electric vehicles, which is successfully adopted in Tesla. However, the dissolution of the cation into the electrolyte is still a one of the major challenges (fading capacity and poor cyclability, etc.) presented in pristine NCA. Herein, a homogeneous nanoscale ZnO film is directly sputtered on the surface of NCA electrode via the magnetron sputtering (MS). This ZnO film is evidenced by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results clearly demonstrate that ZnO film is fully and uniformly covered on the NCA electrodes. After 90 cycles at 1.0C, the optimized MS-2min coated NCA electrode delivers much higher discharge capacity with 169 mAh g-1 than that of the pristine NCA electrode with 127 mAh g-1. In addition, the discharge capacity also reaches 166 mAh g-1 at 3.0C, as compared to that of 125 mAh g-1 for the pristine electrode. The improved electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the superiority of the MS ZnO film that reduce charge transfer resistance and protect the NCA electrode from cation dissolution.

In Quest of the NCA Commission on Schools Standard: A Journey for Students and Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gose, Kenneth; Wenger, Gene

1998-01-01

Describes five major criteria, set by the North Central Association Commission on Schools (NCA), that must be present in order for a school to maintain accreditation. Reviews three endorsements provided by the NCA--school improvement, outcomes, and transitions--that attempt to help schools engage in a continuous improvement program. (JDI)

Nano-sized calcium phosphate particles for periodontal gene therapy.

PubMed

Elangovan, Satheesh; Jain, Shardool; Tsai, Pei-Chin; Margolis, Henry C; Amiji, Mansoor

2013-01-01

Growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) have significantly enhanced periodontal therapy outcomes with a high degree of variability, mostly due to the lack of continual supply for a required period of time. One method to overcome this barrier is gene therapy. The aim of this in vitro study is to evaluate PDGF-B gene delivery in fibroblasts using nano-sized calcium phosphate particles (NCaPP) as vectors. NCaPP incorporating green fluorescent protein (NCaPP-GFP) and PDGF-B (NCaPP-PDGF-B) plasmids were synthesized using an established precipitation system and characterized using transmission electron microscopy and 1.2% agarose gel electrophoresis. Biocompatibility and transfection of the nanoplexes in fibroblasts were evaluated using cytotoxicity assay and florescence microscopy, respectively. Polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed to evaluate PDGF-B transfection after different time points of treatments, and the functionality of PDGF-B transfection was evaluated using the cell proliferation assay. Synthesized NCaPP nanoplexes incorporating the genes of GFP and PDGF-B were spherical in shape and measured about 30 to 50 nm in diameter. Gel electrophoresis confirmed DNA incorporation and stability within the nanoplexes, and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium reagent assay demonstrated their biocompatibility in fibroblasts. In vitro transfection studies revealed a higher and longer lasting transfection after NCaPP-PDGF-B treatment, which lasted up to 96 hours. Significantly enhanced fibroblast proliferation observed in NCaPP-PDGF-B-treated cells confirmed the functionality of these nanoplexes. NCaPP demonstrated higher levels of biocompatibility and efficiently transfected PDGF plasmids into fibroblasts under described in vitro conditions.

Defect physics vis-à-vis electrochemical performance in layered mixed-metal oxide cathode materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, Khang; Johannes, Michelle

Layered mixed-metal oxides with different compositions of (Ni,Co,Mn) [NCM] or (Ni,Co,Al) [NCA] have been used in commercial lithium-ion batteries. Yet their defect physics and chemistry is still not well understood, despite having important implications for the electrochemical performance. In this presentation, we report a hybrid density functional study of intrinsic point defects in the compositions LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (NCM1/3) and LiNi1/3Co1/3Al1/3O2 (NCA1/3) which can also be regarded as model compounds for NCM and NCA. We will discuss defect landscapes in NCM1/3 and NCA1/3 under relevant synthesis conditions with a focus on the formation of metal antisite defects and its implications on the electrochemical properties and ultimately the design of NCM and NCA cathode materials.

Methods for chemical recovery of non-carrier-added radioactive tin from irradiated intermetallic Ti-Sb targets

DOEpatents

Lapshina, Elena V [Troitsk, RU; Zhuikov, Boris L [Troitsk, RU; Srivastava, Suresh C [Setauket, NY; Ermolaev, Stanislav V [Obninsk, RU; Togaeva, Natalia R [Obninsk, RU

2012-01-17

The invention provides a method of chemical recovery of no-carrier-added radioactive tin (NCA radiotin) from intermetallide TiSb irradiated with accelerated charged particles. An irradiated sample of TiSb can be dissolved in acidic solutions. Antimony can be removed from the solution by extraction with dibutyl ether. Titanium in the form of peroxide can be separated from tin using chromatography on strong anion-exchange resin. In another embodiment NCA radiotin can be separated from iodide solution containing titanium by extraction with benzene, toluene or chloroform. NCA radiotin can be finally purified from the remaining antimony and other impurities using chromatography on silica gel. NCA tin-117m can be obtained from this process. NCA tin-117m can be used for labeling organic compounds and biological objects to be applied in medicine for imaging and therapy of various diseases.

Lightning-Related Indicators for National Climate Assessment (NCA) Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koshak, W. J.

2017-12-01

With the recent advent of space-based lightning mappers [i.e., the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) on GOES-16, and the Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) on the International Space Station], improved investigations on the inter-relationships between lightning and climate are now possible and can directly support the goals of the National Climate Assessment (NCA) program. Lightning nitrogen oxides (LNOx) affect greenhouse gas concentrations such as ozone that influences changes in climate. Conversely, changes in climate (from any causes) can affect the characteristics of lightning (e.g., frequency, current amplitudes, multiplicity, polarity) that in turn leads to changes in lightning-caused impacts to humans (e.g., fatalities, injuries, crop/property damage, wildfires, airport delays, changes in air quality). This study discusses improvements to, and recent results from, the NASA/MSFC NCA Lightning Analysis Tool (LAT). It includes key findings on the development of different types of lightning flash energy indicators derived from space-based lightning observations, and demonstrates how these indicators can be used to estimate trends in LNOx across the continental US.

Regional assessment of sediment contamination from marshes to the continental shelf: Results of the western component of the US EPA National Coastal Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

The US EPA National Coastal Assessment (NCA) program on the U.S. West Coast was designed as a pilot project to explore assessment of new components of coastal resources not previously incorporated in the NCA. The Western Regional component of the NCA program began with a two yea...

Triton College 1999 NCA Self-Study Report. Prepared for the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Triton Coll., River Grove, IL.

The primary purpose of this report is to demonstrate that Triton College meets the North Central Association's (NCA's) twenty-four General Institutional Requirements and satisfies NCA's five criteria of Educational Excellence. To achieve this goal, the report presents a comprehensive picture of Triton College's mission, organization, programs, and…

Insights on the fundamental lithium storage behavior of all-solid-state lithium batteries containing the LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode and sulfide electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Gang; Yao, Xiayin; Wan, Hongli; Huang, Bingxin; Yin, Jingyun; Ding, Fei; Xu, Xiaoxiong

2016-03-01

An insightful study on the fundamental lithium storage behavior of all-solid-state lithium battery with a structure of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA)/Li10GeP2S12/Li-In is carried out in this work. The relationship between electrochemical performances and particle size, surface impurities and defects of the NCA positive material is systematically investigated. It is found that a ball-milling technique can decrease the particle size and remove surface impurities of the NCA cathode while also give rise to surface defects which could be recovered by a post-annealing process. The results indicate that the interfacial resistance between the NCA and Li10GeP2S12 is obviously decreased during the ball-milling followed by a post-annealing. Consequently, the discharge capacity of NCA in the NCA/Li10GeP2S12/Li-In solid-state battery is significantly enhanced, which exhibits a discharge capacity of 146 mAh g-1 at 25 °C.

Turnover and dispersal of prairie falcons in southwestern Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lehman, Robert N.; Steenhof, Karen; Carpenter, L.B.; Kochert, Michael N.

2000-01-01

We studied Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) breeding dispersal, natal dispersal, and turnover at nesting areas in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA) from 1971- 95. Of 61 nesting areas where falcons identified one year were known to be present or absent the following year, 57% had a different falcon. This turnover rate was 2-3 times higher than that reported elsewhere for large falcons, and may have been related to high nesting densities in the NCA. Turnover at nesting areas was independent of nesting success in the previous year, but was significantly higher for females nesting on large cliffs. Mean distance between natal and breeding locations for 26 falcons banded as nestlings and later encountered as nesting adults was 8.9 km. Natal dispersal distances were similar for males and females, but more than twice as many males marked as nestlings were later encountered nesting in the NCA. Fourteen adult falcons found on different nesting areas in successive years moved an average of 1.5 km between nesting areas; males dispersed significantly farther than females. Natal and breeding dispersal distances in the NCA were lower than those reported for Prairie Falcons in other study areas. Only four falcons banded as nestlings were found outside NCA boundaries during the breeding period, and only one of these birds was known to be occupying a nesting area. We encountered no falcons banded outside the NCA occupying nesting areas in the NCA during this study.

Capacity fade of LiNi(1-x-y)CoxAlyO2 cathode for lithium-ion batteries during accelerated calendar and cycle life test. I. Comparison analysis between LiNi(1-x-y)CoxAlyO2 and LiCoO2 cathodes in cylindrical lithium-ion cells during long term storage test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Shoichiro; Kinoshita, Masahiro; Nakura, Kensuke

2014-02-01

Ni-based LiNi(1-x-y)CoxAlyO2 (NCA) and LiCoO2 (LCO) cathode materials taken out of lithium-ion cells after storage for 2 years at 45 °C were analyzed by various spectroscopic techniques. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy exhibited that there was no difference between NCA and LCO. On the other hand, scanning transmission electron microscopy-electron energy-loss spectroscopy demonstrated there was a remarkably large difference between the two cathode materials. Ni-L2,3 energy-loss near-edge structure (ELNES) spectra of the NCA showed a peak at about 856.5 eV, which was assigned to trivalent nickel, was maintained even after storage, indicating that the NCA had no significant change in its surface structure during storage. On the other hand, in the Co-L2,3 ELNES spectra of the LCO a peak at about 782.5 eV, which was assigned to trivalent cobalt, significantly shifted to the lower energies after storage. These results suggest that crystal structure change of the active material surface is a predominant reason of deterioration during the storage test.

Opening the black box of spring water microbiology from alpine karst aquifers to support proactive drinking water resource management

PubMed Central

Savio, Domenico; Stadler, Philipp; Reischer, Georg H.; Kirschner, Alexander K.T.; Demeter, Katalin; Linke, Rita; Blaschke, Alfred P.; Sommer, Regina; Szewzyk, Ulrich; Wilhartitz, Inés C.; Mach, Robert L.; Stadler, Hermann

2018-01-01

Over the past 15 years, pioneering interdisciplinary research has been performed on the microbiology of hydrogeologically well‐defined alpine karst springs located in the Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA) of Austria. This article gives an overview on these activities and links them to other relevant research. Results from the NCA springs and comparable sites revealed that spring water harbors abundant natural microbial communities even in aquifers with high water residence times and the absence of immediate surface influence. Apparently, hydrogeology has a strong impact on the concentration and size of the observed microbes, and total cell counts (TCC) were suggested as a useful means for spring type classification. Measurement of microbial activities at the NCA springs revealed extremely low microbial growth rates in the base flow component of the studied spring waters and indicated the importance of biofilm‐associated microbial activities in sediments and on rock surfaces. Based on genetic analysis, the autochthonous microbial endokarst community (AMEC) versus transient microbial endokarst community (TMEC) concept was proposed for the NCA springs, and further details within this overview article are given to prompt its future evaluation. In this regard, it is well known that during high‐discharge situations, surface‐associated microbes and nutrients such as from soil habitats or human settlements—potentially containing fecal‐associated pathogens as the most critical water‐quality hazard—may be rapidly flushed into vulnerable karst aquifers. In this context, a framework for the comprehensive analysis of microbial pollution has been proposed for the NCA springs to support the sustainable management of drinking water safety in accordance with recent World Health Organization guidelines. Near‐real‐time online water quality monitoring, microbial source tracking (MST) and MST‐guided quantitative microbial‐risk assessment (QMRA) are examples of the proposed analytical tools. In this context, this overview article also provides a short introduction to recently emerging methodologies in microbiological diagnostics to support reading for the practitioner. Finally, the article highlights future research and development needs. This article is categorized under: 1Engineering Water > Water, Health, and Sanitation2Science of Water > Water Extremes3Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems PMID:29780584

Opening the black box of spring water microbiology from alpine karst aquifers to support proactive drinking water resource management.

PubMed

Savio, Domenico; Stadler, Philipp; Reischer, Georg H; Kirschner, Alexander K T; Demeter, Katalin; Linke, Rita; Blaschke, Alfred P; Sommer, Regina; Szewzyk, Ulrich; Wilhartitz, Inés C; Mach, Robert L; Stadler, Hermann; Farnleitner, Andreas H

2018-01-01

Over the past 15 years, pioneering interdisciplinary research has been performed on the microbiology of hydrogeologically well-defined alpine karst springs located in the Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA) of Austria. This article gives an overview on these activities and links them to other relevant research. Results from the NCA springs and comparable sites revealed that spring water harbors abundant natural microbial communities even in aquifers with high water residence times and the absence of immediate surface influence. Apparently, hydrogeology has a strong impact on the concentration and size of the observed microbes, and total cell counts (TCC) were suggested as a useful means for spring type classification. Measurement of microbial activities at the NCA springs revealed extremely low microbial growth rates in the base flow component of the studied spring waters and indicated the importance of biofilm-associated microbial activities in sediments and on rock surfaces. Based on genetic analysis, the autochthonous microbial endokarst community (AMEC) versus transient microbial endokarst community (TMEC) concept was proposed for the NCA springs, and further details within this overview article are given to prompt its future evaluation. In this regard, it is well known that during high-discharge situations, surface-associated microbes and nutrients such as from soil habitats or human settlements-potentially containing fecal-associated pathogens as the most critical water-quality hazard-may be rapidly flushed into vulnerable karst aquifers. In this context, a framework for the comprehensive analysis of microbial pollution has been proposed for the NCA springs to support the sustainable management of drinking water safety in accordance with recent World Health Organization guidelines. Near-real-time online water quality monitoring, microbial source tracking (MST) and MST-guided quantitative microbial-risk assessment (QMRA) are examples of the proposed analytical tools. In this context, this overview article also provides a short introduction to recently emerging methodologies in microbiological diagnostics to support reading for the practitioner. Finally, the article highlights future research and development needs. This article is categorized under: 1Engineering Water > Water, Health, and Sanitation2Science of Water > Water Extremes3Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems.

The National Climate Assessment: A Treasure Trove for Education, Communications and Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCaffrey, M.; Berbeco, M.; Connolly, R.; Niepold, F., III; Poppleton, K. L. I.; Cloyd, E.; Ledley, T. S.

2014-12-01

Required by Congress under the Global Change Act of 1990 to inform the nation on the findings of current climate research, the Third U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA), released in May 2014, is a rich resource for climate change education, communications and outreach (ECO). Using a website design with mobile applications in mind, NCA takes advantage of mobile learning technology which is revolutionizing how, when and where learning occurs. In an effort to maximize the "teachable moments" inherent in the assessment, a community of experts from the National Center for Science Education and the CLEAN Network, working under the auspices of the National Climate Assessment Network (NCAnet) Education Affinity Group, have developed a series of NCA Learning Pathways that match key NCA messages and resources with reviewed educational materials and trusted online information sources, thereby adding pedagogical depth to the assessment. The NCA Learning Pathways, which focus on the regional chapters of the report, are designed make climate change science more local, human, relevant and, if properly framed by educators and communicators, hopeful for learners. This paper touches on the challenges and opportunities of infusing climate education, communications and outreach into curriculum and society, and details the development and content of NCA Learning Pathways, which are available online through NOAA's Climate.gov website: http://www.climate.gov/teaching

Identifying the chemical and structural irreversibility in LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 – a model compound for classical layered intercalation

DOE PAGES

Liu, Haodong; Liu, Hao; Seymour, Ieuan D.; ...

2018-02-07

In this work, we extracted 95% of the electrochemically available Li from LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 (NCA) by galvanostatically charging the NCA/MCMB full cell to 4.7 V. Joint powder X-ray and neutron diffraction (XRD & ND) studies were undertaken for NCA at highly charged states at the first cycle, and discharged states at different cycles. The results indicate that the bulk structure of NCA maintains the O3 structure up to the extraction of 0.90 Li per formula unit. In addition, we found that the transition metal layer becomes more disordered along the c-axis than along the a- and b-axesmore » upon charging. This anisotropic disorder starts to develop no later than 4.3 V on charge and continues to grow until the end of charge. As Li is re-inserted during discharge, the structure that resembles the pristine NCA is recovered. The irreversible loss of Li and the migration of Ni to the Li layer have been quantified by the joint XRD and ND refinement and the results were further verified by solid state 7Li NMR and magnetic measurements. Thus, our work clearly demonstrates that the NCA bulk retains a robust, single phase O3 structure throughout the wide delithiation range (up to 0.9 Li per formula unit of NCA) and is suitable for higher energy density usage with proper modifications.« less

Identifying the chemical and structural irreversibility in LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 – a model compound for classical layered intercalation

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

Liu, Haodong; Liu, Hao; Seymour, Ieuan D.

In this work, we extracted 95% of the electrochemically available Li from LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 (NCA) by galvanostatically charging the NCA/MCMB full cell to 4.7 V. Joint powder X-ray and neutron diffraction (XRD & ND) studies were undertaken for NCA at highly charged states at the first cycle, and discharged states at different cycles. The results indicate that the bulk structure of NCA maintains the O3 structure up to the extraction of 0.90 Li per formula unit. In addition, we found that the transition metal layer becomes more disordered along the c-axis than along the a- and b-axesmore » upon charging. This anisotropic disorder starts to develop no later than 4.3 V on charge and continues to grow until the end of charge. As Li is re-inserted during discharge, the structure that resembles the pristine NCA is recovered. The irreversible loss of Li and the migration of Ni to the Li layer have been quantified by the joint XRD and ND refinement and the results were further verified by solid state 7Li NMR and magnetic measurements. Thus, our work clearly demonstrates that the NCA bulk retains a robust, single phase O3 structure throughout the wide delithiation range (up to 0.9 Li per formula unit of NCA) and is suitable for higher energy density usage with proper modifications.« less

Phylogeography of western Pacific Leucetta 'chagosensis' (Porifera: Calcarea) from ribosomal DNA sequences: implications for population history and conservation of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (Australia).

PubMed

Wörheide, Gert; Hooper, John N A; Degnan, Bernard M

2002-09-01

Leucetta 'chagosensis' is a widespread calcareous sponge, occurring in shaded habitats of Indo-Pacific coral reefs. In this study we explore relationships among 19 ribosomal DNA sequence types (the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region plus flanking gene sequences) found among 54 individuals from 28 locations throughout the western Pacific, with focus on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Maximum parsimony analysis revealed phylogeographical structuring into four major clades (although not highly supported by bootstrap analysis) corresponding to the northern/central GBR with Guam and Taiwan, the southern GBR and subtropical regions south to Brisbane, Vanuatu and Indonesia. Subsequent nested clade analysis (NCA) confirmed this structure with a probability of > 95%. After NCA of geographical distances, a pattern of range expansion from the internal Indonesian clade was inferred at the total cladogram level, as the Indonesian clade was found to be the internal and therefore oldest clade. Two distinct clades were found on the GBR, which narrowly overlap geographically in a line approximately from the Whitsunday Islands to the northern Swain Reefs. At various clade levels, NCA inferred that the northern GBR clade was influenced by past fragmentation and contiguous range expansion events, presumably during/after sea level low stands in the Pleistocene, after which the northern GBR might have been recolonized from the Queensland Plateau in the Coral Sea. The southern GBR clade is most closely related to subtropical L. 'chagosensis', and we infer that the southern GBR probably was recolonized from there after sea level low stands, based on our NCA results and supported by oceanographic data. Our results have important implications for conservation and management of the GBR, as they highlight the importance of marginal transition zones in the generation and maintenance of species rich zones, such as the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

Opposed-Flow Flame Spread in a Narrow Channel Apparatus over Thin PMMA Sheets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bornand, G. R.; Olson, Sandra L.; Miller, F. J.; Pepper, J. M.; Wichman, I. S.

2013-01-01

Flame spread tests have been conducted over polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) samples in San Diego State University's Narrow Channel Apparatus (SDSU NCA). The Narrow Channel Apparatus (NCA) has the ability to suppress buoyant flow in horizontally spreading flames, and is currently being investigated as a possible replacement or complement to NASA's current material flammability test standard for non-metallic solids, NASA-STD-(I)-6001B Test 1. The buoyant suppression achieved with a NCA allows for tests to be conducted in a simulated microgravity atmosphere-a characteristic that Test 1 lacks since flames present in Test 1 are buoyantly driven. The SDSU NCA allows for flame spread tests to be conducted with varying opposed flow oxidizer velocities, oxygen percent by volume, and total pressure. Also, since the test sample is placed symmetrically between two confining plates so that there is a gap above and below the sample, this gap can be adjusted. This gap height adjustment allows for a compromise between heat loss from the flame to the confining boundaries and buoyancy suppression achieved by those boundaries. This article explores the effect gap height has on the flame spread rate for 75 µm thick PMMA at 1 atm pressure and 21% oxygen concentration by volume in the SDSU NCA. Flame spread results from the SDSU NCA for thin cellulose fuels have previously been compared to results from tests in actual microgravity at various test conditions with the same sample materials and were found to be in good agreement. This article also presents results from the SDSU NCA for PMMA at 1 atm pressure, opposed oxidizer velocity ranging from 3 to 35 cm/s, oxygen concentration by volume at 21%, 30 %, and 50% and fuel thicknesses of 50 and 75 µm. These results are compared to results obtained in actual microgravity for PMMA obtained at the 4.5s drop tower of MGLAB in Gifu, Japan, and the 5.2s drop tower at NASA's Zero-Gravity Research Facility in Cleveland, OH. This comparison confirms that at 1 atm pressure, the SDSU NCA successfully simulates microgravity for not only thin cellulose fuels, but also for thin PMMA sheets as well. This further supports the idea that the NCA is a viable option to complement or replace NASA's Test 1 for material flammability testing. Tests with thick fuels will be conducted in the future to further characterize the SDSU NCA.

The effect of gradient boracic polyanion-doping on structure, morphology, and cycling performance of Ni-rich LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Tao; Li, Xiang; Wang, Hao; Yan, Xinxiu; Wang, Lei; Deng, Bangwei; Ge, Wujie; Qu, Meizhen

2018-01-01

A gradient boracic polyanion-doping method is applied to Ni-rich LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) cathode material in this study to suppress the capacity/potential fade during charge-discharge cycling. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) results show that all samples present spherical morphology and the secondary particle size increases with increasing boron content. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results demonstrate that boracic polyanions are successfully introduced into the bulk material and more enriched in the outer layer. XPS analysis further reveals that the valence state of Ni3+ is partly reduced to Ni2+ at the surface due to the incorporation of boracic polyanions. From the electrochemical measurements, B0.015-NCA electrode exhibits excellent cycling performance, even at high potential and elevated temperature. Moreover, the SEM images illustrate the presence of cracks and a thick SEI layer on pristine particles after 100 cycles at high temperature, while the B0.015-NCA particles show an intact structure and thin SEI layer. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirms that the boracic polyanion doping could hinder the impedance increase during cycling at elevated temperature. These results clearly indicate that the gradient boracic polyanion-doping contributes to the remarkable enhancement of structure stability and cycling performance of NCA.

Integrating Communication Best Practices in the Third National Climate Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassol, S. J.

2014-12-01

Modern climate science assessments now have a history of nearly a quarter-century. This experience, together with important advances in relevant social sciences, has greatly improved our ability to communicate climate science effectively. As a result, the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA) was designed to be truly accessible and useful to all its intended audiences, while still being comprehensive and scientifically accurate. At a time when meeting the challenge of climate change is increasingly recognized as an urgent national and global priority, the NCA is proving to be valuable to decision-makers, the media, and the public. In producing this latest NCA, a communication perspective was an important part of the process from the beginning, rather than an afterthought as has often been the case with scientific reports. Lessons learned from past projects and science communications research fed into developing the communication strategy for the Third NCA. A team of editors and graphic designers worked closely with the authors on language, graphics, and photographs throughout the development of the report, Highlights document, and other products. A web design team helped bring the report to life online. There were also innovations in outreach, including a network of organizations intended to extend the reach of the assessment by engaging stakeholders throughout the process. Professional slide set development and media training were part of the preparation for the report's release. The launch of the NCA in May 2014 saw widespread and ongoing media coverage, continued references to the NCA by decision-makers, and praise from many quarters for its excellence in making complex science clear and accessible. This NCA is a professionally crafted report that exemplifies best practices in 21st century communications.

Qualitative breakdown of the noncrossing approximation for the symmetric one-channel Anderson impurity model at all temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sposetti, C. N.; Manuel, L. O.; Roura-Bas, P.

2016-08-01

The Anderson impurity model is studied by means of the self-consistent hybridization expansions in its noncrossing (NCA) and one-crossing (OCA) approximations. We have found that for the one-channel spin-1 /2 particle-hole symmetric Anderson model, the NCA results are qualitatively wrong for any temperature, even when the approximation gives the exact threshold exponents of the ionic states. Actually, the NCA solution describes an overscreened Kondo effect, because it is the same as for the two-channel infinite-U single-level Anderson model. We explicitly show that the NCA is unable to distinguish between these two very different physical systems, independently of temperature. Using the impurity entropy as an example, we show that the low-temperature values of the NCA entropy for the symmetric case yield the limit Simp(T =0 ) →ln√{2 }, which corresponds to the zero temperature entropy of the overscreened Kondo model. Similar pathologies are predicted for any other thermodynamic property. On the other hand, we have found that the OCA approach lifts the artificial mapping between the models and restores correct properties of the ground state, for instance, a vanishing entropy at low enough temperatures Simp(T =0 ) →0 . Our results indicate that the very well known NCA should be used with caution close to the symmetric point of the Anderson model.

The spectroscopic (FTIR, FT-Raman and UV-Vis spectra), DFT and normal coordinate computations of m-nitromethylbenzoate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnanasambandan, T.; Gunasekaran, S.; Seshadri, S.

2013-08-01

A combined experimental and theoretical study on molecular structure, vibrational spectra, NBO and UV-spectral analysis of m-nitromethylbenzoate (MNMB) has been reported in the present work. The FT-IR solid phase (4000-400 cm-1) and FT-Raman spectra (3500-100 cm-1) of MNMB was recorded. The molecular geometry, harmonic vibrational frequencies and bonding features of MNMB in the ground-state have been calculated by using the density functional method B3LYP with 6-31G (d,p) and 6-31+G(d,p) basis sets. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of normal co-ordinate analysis (NCA) following the Scaled Quantum Mechanical Force Field Methodology (SQMFF). Stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjugative interactions, charge delocalization has been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The results show that charge in electron density (ED) in the σ∗ antibonding orbitals and E(2) energies confirms the occurrence of ICT (Intra-molecular Charge Transfer) within the molecule. The UV spectrum was measured in ethyl acetate solution. The energy and oscillator strength calculated by Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) result complements the experimental findings. The calculated HOMO and LUMO energies show that charge transfer occurs within the molecule. Finally the calculation results were applied to simulated infrared and Raman spectra of the title compound which show good agreement with observed spectra.

ROMP-based thermosetting polymers from modified castor oil with various cross-linking agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Rui

Polymers derived from bio-renewable resources are finding an increase in global demand. In addition, polymers with distinctive functionalities are required in certain advanced fields, such as aerospace and civil engineering. In an attempt to meet both these needs, the goal of this work aims to develop a range of bio-based thermosetting matrix polymers for potential applications in multifunctional composites. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), which recently has been explored as a powerful method in polymer chemistry, was employed as a unique pathway to polymerize agricultural oil-based reactants. Specifically, a novel norbornyl-functionalized castor oil alcohol (NCA) was investigated to polymerize different cross-linking agents using ROMP. The effects of incorporating dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) and a norbornene-based crosslinker (CL) were systematically evaluated with respect to curing behavior and thermal mechanical properties of the polymers. Isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate the conversion during cure. Dynamic DSC scans at multiple heating rates revealed conversion-dependent activation energy by Ozawa-Flynn-Wall analysis. The glass transition temperature, storage modulus, and loss modulus for NCA/DCPD and NCA/CL copolymers with different cross-linking agent loading were compared using dynamic mechanical analysis. Cross-link density was examined to explain the very different dynamic mechanical behavior. Mechanical stress-strain curves were developed through tensile test, and thermal stability of the cross-linked polymers was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis to further investigate the structure-property relationships in these systems.

Vibrational normal modes of diazo-dimedone: A comparative study by Fourier infrared/Raman spectroscopies and conformational analysis by MM/QM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Téllez Soto, C. A.; Ramos, J. M.; Rianelli, R. S.; de Souza, M. C. B. V.; Ferreira, V. F.

2007-07-01

The 2-diazo-5,5-dimethyl-cyclohexane-1,3-dione ( 3) was synthesized and the FT-IR/Raman spectra were measured with the purpose of obtain a full assignment of the vibrational modes. Singular aspects concerning the -C dbnd N dbnd N oscillator are discussed in view of two strong bands observed in the region of 2300-2100 cm -1 in both, Infrared and Raman spectra. The density functional theory (DFT) was used to obtain the geometrical structure and for assisting in the vibrational assignment joint to the traditional normal coordinate analysis (NCA). The observed wavenumbers at 2145 (IR), 2144(R) are assigned as the coupled ν(N dbnd N) + ν(C dbnd N) vibrational mode with higher participation of the N dbnd N stretching. A 2188 cm -1 (IR) and at 2186 cm -1 (R) can be assigned as a overtone of one of ν(CC) normal mode or to a combination band of the fundamentals δ(CCH) found at 1169 cm -1 and the δ (CC dbnd N) found at 1017 cm -1 enhanced by Fermi resonance.

Properties and function of nephrocalcin: mechanism of kidney stone inhibition or promotion.

PubMed

Nakagawa, Y

1997-03-01

Nephrocalcin (NC), an acidic glycoprotein with molecular weight 14,000, is present in urine and prevents kidney stone formation. Histoimmunochemical staining shows that NC is localized in the proximal tubles in kidneys. Isolated NC from mammalian urine, revealed at least 4 isoforms of NC (we call these isoforms NC-A, NC-B, NC-C, and NC-D in the order of elution) during DEAE cellulose column chromatography with a linear gradient of NaCl elution step. Non-stone forming people excrete more NC-A and NC-B isoforms in urine; however, more NC-C and NC-D isoforms were found in stone formers' urine. When the organic matrix was extracted from surgically removed calcium oxalate kidney stones, we found greater quantities of NC-C and NC-D isoforms than those of NC-A and NC-B isoforms. Amino acid compositions and carbohydrate contents of these 4 isoforms were similar with the exception of the gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (GLA) residues. Only the NC-A and NC-B isoforms contained residues of GLA. There were more phosphate residues present in NC-C and NC-D than in NC-A and NC-B. Upon removal of phosphate residues by alkaline phosphatase, NC-C eluted at the same salt concentrations as NC-A eluted. This indicates that the backbone protein could be similar, but the NC-C isoform is modified by excess phosphate residues. Surface tension measurements using a Lauda film balance indicated that NC-A and -B were strongly amphiphilic while NC-C and -D were less amphiphilic. NC-A has an elongated shape, and occupies a smaller area per molecule; whereas NC-C is a bulky molecule. Using NC-A as a model of a "good" inhibitor and NC-C as a model of a "poor" inhibitor, both bound with 4 atoms of Ca2+ per molecule as investigated by equilibrium dialysis method, 31P-NMR, and electron spin resonance spectrometry. Isoforms A and B changed their conformation upon Ca2+ binding, but C and D did not change their conformation. All these observations suggest that isoforms A and B are strong inhibitors of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystal growth and aggregation. However, isoforms C and D act as promotors for COM crystal growth-kidney stone formation. Measuring the amount of NC in urine from renal cell carcinoma patients and from NC isolated from a supernatant of a primary renal cell carcinoma cells demonstrated the amount of NC increased with disease progression.

A Co-operative Regulation of Neuronal Excitability by UNC-7 Innexin and NCA/NALCN Leak Channel

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Gap junctions mediate the electrical coupling and intercellular communication between neighboring cells. Some gap junction proteins, namely connexins and pannexins in vertebrates, and innexins in invertebrates, may also function as hemichannels. A conserved NCA/Dmα1U/NALCN family cation leak channel regulates the excitability and activity of vertebrate and invertebrate neurons. In the present study, we describe a genetic and functional interaction between the innexin UNC-7 and the cation leak channel NCA in Caenorhabditis elegans neurons. While the loss of the neuronal NCA channel function leads to a reduced evoked postsynaptic current at neuromuscular junctions, a simultaneous loss of the UNC-7 function restores the evoked response. The expression of UNC-7 in neurons reverts the effect of the unc-7 mutation; moreover, the expression of UNC-7 mutant proteins that are predicted to be unable to form gap junctions also reverts this effect, suggesting that UNC-7 innexin regulates neuronal activity, in part, through gap junction-independent functions. We propose that, in addition to gap junction-mediated functions, UNC-7 innexin may also form hemichannels to regulate C. elegans' neuronal activity cooperatively with the NCA family leak channels. PMID:21489288

Climate Change Impacts and Responses: Societal Indicators for the National Climate Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenney, Melissa A.; Chen, Robert S.; Maldonado, Julie; Quattrochi, Dale

2011-01-01

The Climate Change Impacts and Responses: Societal Indicators for the National Climate Assessment workshop, sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the National Climate Assessment (NCA), was held on April 28-29, 2011 at The Madison Hotel in Washington, DC. A group of 56 experts (see list in Appendix B) convened to share their experiences. Participants brought to bear a wide range of disciplinary expertise in the social and natural sciences, sector experience, and knowledge about developing and implementing indicators for a range of purposes. Participants included representatives from federal and state government, non-governmental organizations, tribes, universities, and communities. The purpose of the workshop was to assist the NCA in developing a strategic framework for climate-related physical, ecological, and socioeconomic indicators that can be easily communicated with the U.S. population and that will support monitoring, assessment, prediction, evaluation, and decision-making. The NCA indicators are envisioned as a relatively small number of policy-relevant integrated indicators designed to provide a consistent, objective, and transparent overview of major variations in climate impacts, vulnerabilities, adaptation, and mitigation activities across sectors, regions, and timeframes. The workshop participants were asked to provide input on a number of topics, including: (1) categories of societal indicators for the NCA; (2) alternative approaches to constructing indicators and the better approaches for NCA to consider; (3) specific requirements and criteria for implementing the indicators; and (4) sources of data for and creators of such indicators. Socioeconomic indicators could include demographic, cultural, behavioral, economic, public health, and policy components relevant to impacts, vulnerabilities, and adaptation to climate change as well as both proactive and reactive responses to climate change. Participants provided inputs through in-depth discussion in breakout sessions, plenary sessions on break-out results, and several panels that provided key insights about indicators, lessons learned through experience with developing and implementing indicators, and thoughts on how the NCA could proceed to develop indicators for the NCA.

Evaluation of CMIP5 Ability to Reproduce 20th Century Regional Trends in Surface Air Temperature and Precipitation over CONUS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J.; Waliser, D. E.; Lee, H.; Loikith, P. C.; Kunkel, K.

2017-12-01

Monitoring temporal changes in key climate variables, such as surface air temperature and precipitation, is an integral part of the ongoing efforts of the United States National Climate Assessment (NCA). Climate models participating in CMIP5 provide future trends for four different emissions scenarios. In order to have confidence in the future projections of surface air temperature and precipitation, it is crucial to evaluate the ability of CMIP5 models to reproduce observed trends for three different time periods (1895-1939, 1940-1979, and 1980-2005). Towards this goal, trends in surface air temperature and precipitation obtained from the NOAA nClimGrid 5 km gridded station observation-based product are compared during all three time periods to the 206 CMIP5 historical simulations from 48 unique GCMs and their multi-model ensemble (MME) for NCA-defined climate regions during summer (JJA) and winter (DJF). This evaluation quantitatively examines the biases of simulated trends of the spatially averaged temperature and precipitation in the NCA climate regions. The CMIP5 MME reproduces historical surface air temperature trends for JJA for all time period and all regions, except the Northern Great Plains from 1895-1939 and Southeast during 1980-2005. Likewise, for DJF, the MME reproduces historical surface air temperature trends across all time periods over all regions except the Southeast from 1895-1939 and the Midwest during 1940-1979. The Regional Climate Model Evaluation System (RCMES), an analysis tool which supports the NCA by providing access to data and tools for regional climate model validation, facilitates the comparisons between the models and observation. The RCMES Toolkit is designed to assist in the analysis of climate variables and the procedure of the evaluation of climate projection models to support the decision-making processes. This tool is used in conjunction with the above analysis and results will be presented to demonstrate its capability to access observation and model datasets, calculate evaluation metrics, and visualize the results. Several other examples of the RCMES capabilities can be found at https://rcmes.jpl.nasa.gov.

Twisted intramolecular charge transfer investigation of semi organic L-Glutamic acid hydrochloride single crystal for organic light-emitting and optical limiting applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joy, Lija K.; George, Merin; Alex, Javeesh; Aravind, Arun; Sajan, D.; Vinitha, G.

2018-03-01

Single crystals of L-Glutamic acid hydrochloride (LGHCl) were grown by slow evaporation solution technique and good crystalline perfection was confirmed by Powder X-ray diffraction studies. The complete vibrational studies of the compound were analyzed by FT-IR, FT-Raman and UV-visible spectra combined with Normal Coordinate Analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology and density functional theory (DFT). Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer (ICT) occurs due to the presence of strong ionic intra-molecular Nsbnd H⋯O hydrogen bonding was confirmed by Hirshfeld Surface analysis. The existence of intermolecular Nsbnd H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds due to the interaction between the lone pair of oxygen with the antibonding orbital was established by NBO analysis. The Z-scan result indicated that the title molecule exhibits saturable absorption behavior. The attractive third-order nonlinear properties suggest that LGHCl can be a promising candidate for the design and development devices for optical limiting applications. LGHCL exhibits distinct emission in the blue region of the fluorescence lifetime which proves to be a potential candidate for blue- Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) fabrication.

Coordinated Development and Deployment of Scenarios for Sustained Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipschultz, F.; Weaver, C. P.; Leidner, A. K.; Delgado, A.; Grambsch, A.

2017-12-01

There has been a clear need for a more coordinated Federal government approach for authoritative, climate-relevant scenarios to support growing demands by decision-makers, to meet stakeholder needs for consistent approaches and guidance, and to better address the needs of the impacts, adaptation and vulnerability community. To begin to satisfy these decision-support needs, in early 2015 the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) began coordinated production of scenario information for use across a suite of USGCRP activities. These have been implemented in the 4th National Climate Assessment (NCA4), the Climate Science Special Report and the Climate Resilience Toolkit (CRT), all of which are intended to help better organize, summarize, and communicate science to decision-makers as they think about our future. First, USGCRP introduced and implemented an explicit risk-framing approach across the entire scenario enterprise to encourage exploration of tail risks. A suite of scenario products was developed framed around three simplified storylines: `Lower', `Higher', and `Upper Bound' departures from current baselines. Second, USGCRP developed future climate information for the U.S. using Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 and RCP 4.5, including a weighted mean of Global Climate Models and adoption of an improved statistical downscaling approach across USGCRP products. Additional variables were derived from the downscaled parameters for use across USGCRP reports and in the CRT's Climate Explorer tool. Third, and given the need to address other tightly-coupled global changes in a more integrated way, a set of population, housing density, and impervious surface projections were developed based on global scenarios. In addition, USGCRP and the National Ocean Council developed scenarios of future sea-level rise and coastal-flood hazard for the U.S. and integrated them into existing Federal capabilities to support preparedness planning. To better convey these scenario components, next steps include capability for dynamic interaction between NCA4 products and CRT to permit users to explore and customize relevant information for their decision at spatial scales that matter to them, as well as links to more in-depth CRT content.

Traffic is a major source of atmospheric nanocluster aerosol

PubMed Central

Kuuluvainen, Heino; Karjalainen, Panu; Keskinen, Jorma; Hillamo, Risto; Niemi, Jarkko V.; Pirjola, Liisa; Timonen, Hilkka J.; Saarikoski, Sanna; Saukko, Erkka; Järvinen, Anssi; Silvennoinen, Henna; Rostedt, Antti; Olin, Miska; Yli-Ojanperä, Jaakko; Nousiainen, Pekka; Kousa, Anu; Dal Maso, Miikka

2017-01-01

In densely populated areas, traffic is a significant source of atmospheric aerosol particles. Owing to their small size and complicated chemical and physical characteristics, atmospheric particles resulting from traffic emissions pose a significant risk to human health and also contribute to anthropogenic forcing of climate. Previous research has established that vehicles directly emit primary aerosol particles and also contribute to secondary aerosol particle formation by emitting aerosol precursors. Here, we extend the urban atmospheric aerosol characterization to cover nanocluster aerosol (NCA) particles and show that a major fraction of particles emitted by road transportation are in a previously unmeasured size range of 1.3–3.0 nm. For instance, in a semiurban roadside environment, the NCA represented 20–54% of the total particle concentration in ambient air. The observed NCA concentrations varied significantly depending on the traffic rate and wind direction. The emission factors of NCA for traffic were 2.4·1015 (kgfuel)−1 in a roadside environment, 2.6·1015 (kgfuel)−1 in a street canyon, and 2.9·1015 (kgfuel)−1 in an on-road study throughout Europe. Interestingly, these emissions were not associated with all vehicles. In engine laboratory experiments, the emission factor of exhaust NCA varied from a relatively low value of 1.6·1012 (kgfuel)−1 to a high value of 4.3·1015 (kgfuel)−1. These NCA emissions directly affect particle concentrations and human exposure to nanosized aerosol in urban areas, and potentially may act as nanosized condensation nuclei for the condensation of atmospheric low-volatile organic compounds. PMID:28674021

Traffic is a major source of atmospheric nanocluster aerosol.

PubMed

Rönkkö, Topi; Kuuluvainen, Heino; Karjalainen, Panu; Keskinen, Jorma; Hillamo, Risto; Niemi, Jarkko V; Pirjola, Liisa; Timonen, Hilkka J; Saarikoski, Sanna; Saukko, Erkka; Järvinen, Anssi; Silvennoinen, Henna; Rostedt, Antti; Olin, Miska; Yli-Ojanperä, Jaakko; Nousiainen, Pekka; Kousa, Anu; Dal Maso, Miikka

2017-07-18

In densely populated areas, traffic is a significant source of atmospheric aerosol particles. Owing to their small size and complicated chemical and physical characteristics, atmospheric particles resulting from traffic emissions pose a significant risk to human health and also contribute to anthropogenic forcing of climate. Previous research has established that vehicles directly emit primary aerosol particles and also contribute to secondary aerosol particle formation by emitting aerosol precursors. Here, we extend the urban atmospheric aerosol characterization to cover nanocluster aerosol (NCA) particles and show that a major fraction of particles emitted by road transportation are in a previously unmeasured size range of 1.3-3.0 nm. For instance, in a semiurban roadside environment, the NCA represented 20-54% of the total particle concentration in ambient air. The observed NCA concentrations varied significantly depending on the traffic rate and wind direction. The emission factors of NCA for traffic were 2.4·10 15 (kg fuel ) -1 in a roadside environment, 2.6·10 15 (kg fuel ) -1 in a street canyon, and 2.9·10 15 (kg fuel ) -1 in an on-road study throughout Europe. Interestingly, these emissions were not associated with all vehicles. In engine laboratory experiments, the emission factor of exhaust NCA varied from a relatively low value of 1.6·10 12 (kg fuel ) -1 to a high value of 4.3·10 15 (kg fuel ) -1 These NCA emissions directly affect particle concentrations and human exposure to nanosized aerosol in urban areas, and potentially may act as nanosized condensation nuclei for the condensation of atmospheric low-volatile organic compounds.

The effect of post-exsanguination infusion on the composition, exudation, color and post-mortem metabolic changes in lamb.

PubMed

Farouk, M M; Price, J F

1994-01-01

Twenty-four lamb carcasses were assigned to three treatment groups: (1) control (Ctr), (2) infused with 10% (vol/wt) of a tenderizing blend (NCa), and (3) NCa plus 0·015 m CaCl(2) (WCa). Results indicated that the infused carcass solution was retained in the following order: shoulder > lion > leg. Infusion had no effect (P > 0·05) on drip and cooking losses in refrigerated samples. Samples frozen and then thawed from infused carcasses had greater thaw drip (P < 0·05) and cooking losses (P < 0·01) than control samples. The amounts of drip and cooking losses were in the order: WCa > NCa > Ctr. Frozen storage preserved the red color but lowered the lightness and yellowness of ovine muscles; the opposite effect was observed following refrigerated storage. Infused samples were lighter and yellower than control in both fresh and frozen samples (P < 0·01). WCa had less red color (P < 0·01) than NCa and Ctr at all times and storage conditions. Infusion lowered (P < 0·05) the temperature of carcasses over the first 3 h postmortem (pm) compared with Ctr. The rate of glycolysis was higher in infraspinatus (IS) than in longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle (LTL or longissimus). In both IS and LTL, glycolysis was completed within the first 6 h postmortem in NCa, whereas in Ctr and WCa, it took 12-24 h for glycolysis to be completed. The rate of glycolysis was in the order: NCa > WCa > Ctr. Copyright © 1994. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Polymethylmethacrylate combustion in a narrow channel apparatus simulating a microgravity environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bornand, Garrett Randall

Fire safety is an important part of engineering when human lives are at stake. From everyday homes to spacecraft that can cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The research in this thesis attempts to provide scientific evidence that the apparatus in question successfully simulates microgravity and can possibly replace NASA's current test method for spacecraft fire safety. Flame spread tests were conducted with thermally thick and thermally thin polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) samples to study flame spread behavior in response to environmental changes. The tests were conducted using the San Diego State University Narrow Channel Apparatus (SDSU NCA) as well as within the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) on the International Space Station (ISS). The SDSU NCA can suppress buoyant flow in horizontally spreading flames, and is currently being investigated as a possible replacement or complement to NASA's current material flammability test standard for non-metallic solids, NASA-STD-(I)-6001B Test 1. The buoyant suppression attained in the NCA allows tests to be conducted in a simulated microgravity environment-a characteristic that NASA's Test 1 lacks since flames present in Test 1 are driven by buoyant flows. The SDSU NCA allows for tests to be conducted at various opposed flow oxidizer velocities, oxygen percent by volume, and total pressure to mimic various spacecraft and habitat atmospheres. Tests were conducted at 1 atm pressure, thin fuel thickness of 50 and 75 microns, thick fuel thickness ranging from 3 mm to 5.6 mm, opposed oxidizer velocity ranging from 10 to 25 cm/s, and oxygen concentration by volume at 21, 30, and 50 percent. The simulated microgravity flame spread results were then compared to true microgravity experiments including; testing conducted on the International Space Station (ISS) under the Burning and Suppression of Solids (BASS) research, NASA's 5.2 second Drop Tower, and Micro-Gravity Laboratory's (MGLAB) 4.5 second Drop Tower. Data was also compared to results found by Michigan State University's NCA. Flame spread results from the SDSU NCA compare closely to that of the other experimental techniques. Additionally, an infrared camera and species concentration sensors were added to the SDSU NCA and initial results are provided. Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) was used to model the combustion of PMMA within the SDSU NCA. Both thin and thick fuel beds were simulated and the numerical results were compared to experimental data. The simulation was then used to determine various results that cannot easily be found with experimentation, including how effectively the NCA simulates microgravity under certain environmental conditions, gas and fuel bed temperatures, heat fluxes, species concentrations, pyrolysis rate, and other various data. The simulation was found to give reasonable results and overall flame spread trends, but could be improved upon with further detailed kinetic parameter studies.

NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of the National Coastal Assessment (NCA) is to estimate the status and trends of the condition of the nation's coastal resources on a state, regional and national basis. Based on NCA monitoring from 1999-2001, 100% of the nation's estuarine waters (at over 2500 locati...

Higher risk of opioid-induced respiratory depression in children with neurodevelopmental disability: a retrospective cohort study of 12 904 patients.

PubMed

Jay, M A; Thomas, B M; Nandi, R; Howard, R F

2017-02-01

Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities may be at risk of opioid-induced respiratory depression. We aimed to quantify the risks and effectiveness of morphine nurse-controlled analgesia (morphine-NCA) for postoperative pain in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. We carried out a retrospective cohort study of 12 904 children who received postoperative i.v. morphine-NCA. Subjects were divided into a neurodevelopmental disability group and a control group. Rates of clinical satisfaction, respiratory depression, and serious adverse events were obtained, and statistical analysis, including multilevel logistic regression using Bayesian inference, was performed. Of 12 904 patients, 2390 (19%) had neurodevelopmental disabilities. There were 88 instances of respiratory depression and 52 serious adverse events; there were no opioid-related deaths. The cumulative incidence of respiratory depression in the neurodevelopmental disability group was 1.09% vs 0.59% in the control group [odds ratio 1.8 (98% chance that the true odds ratio was >1)]. A significant interaction between postoperative morphine dose and neurodevelopmental disabilities was observed, with higher risk of respiratory depression with increasing dose. Satisfaction with morphine-NCA was very high overall, although children with neurodevelopmental disabilities were 1% more likely to have infusions rated as fair or poor (3.3 vs 2.1%, χ 2 P<0.001). Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities were 1.8 times more likely to suffer respiratory depression, absolute risk difference 0.5%; opioid-induced respiratory depression in this group may relate to increased sensitivity to dose-relate respiratory effects of morphine. Morphine-NCA as described was an acceptable technique for children with and without neurodevelopmental disabilities. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The National Climate Assessment as a Resource for Science Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somerville, R. C. J.

2014-12-01

The 2014 Third National Climate Assessment (NCA3) is scientifically authoritative and features major advances, relative to other assessments produced by several organizations. NCA3 is a valuable resource for communicating climate science to a wide variety of audiences. Other assessments were often overly detailed and laden with scientific jargon that made them appear too complex and technical to many in their intended audiences, especially policymakers, the media, and the broad public. Some other assessments emphasized extensive scientific caveats, quantitative uncertainty estimates and broad consensus support. All these attributes, while valuable in research, carry the risk of impeding science communication to non-specialists. Without compromising scientific accuracy and integrity, NCA3 is written in exceptionally clear and vivid English. It includes outstanding graphics and employs powerful techniques aimed at conveying key results unambiguously to a wide range of audiences. I have used NCA3 as a resource in speaking about climate change in three very different settings: classroom teaching for undergraduate university students, presenting in academia to historians and other non-scientists, and briefing corporate executives working on renewable energy. NCA3 proved the value of developing a climate assessment with communication goals and strategies given a high priority throughout the process, not added on as an afterthought. I draw several lessons. First, producing an outstanding scientific assessment is too complex and demanding a task to be carried out by scientists alone. Many types of specialized expertise are also needed. Second, speaking about science to a variety of audiences requires an assortment of communication skills and tools, all tailored to specific groups of listeners. Third, NCA3 is scientifically impeccable and is also an outstanding example of effective communication as well as a valuable resource for communicators.

Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Climate change threatens human health and well-being in the United States. To address this growing threat, the Interagency Group on Climate Change and Human Health (CCHHG), a working group of the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s (USGCRP), has developed this assessment as part of the ongoing efforts of the USGCRP’s National Climate Assessment (NCA) and as called for under the President’s Climate Action Plan. The authors of this assessment have compiled and assessed current research on human health impacts of climate change and summarized the current “state of the science” for a number of key impact areas. This assessment provides a comprehensive update to the most recent detailed technical assessment for the health impacts of climate change, 2008 Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.6 (SAP 4.6) Analyses of the Effects of Global Change on Human Health and Welfare and Human Systems (CCSP 2008). It also updates and builds upon the health chapter of the third NCA (Melillo et al. 2014). The lead and coordinating Federal agencies for the USGCRP Climate and Health Assessment are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Institute of Health (NIH), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Available at https://health2016.globalchange.gov/ The interagency U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has developed this assessment as part of the ongoing efforts of their National C

Inhibition kinetics and molecular simulation of p-substituted cinnamic acid derivatives on tyrosinase.

PubMed

Cui, Yi; Hu, Yong-Hua; Yu, Feng; Zheng, Jing; Chen, Lin-Shan; Chen, Qing-Xi; Wang, Qin

2017-02-01

This study was to investigate the inhibition effects of para-substituted cinnamic acid derivatives (4-chlorocinnamic acid, 4-ethoxycinnamic acid and 4-nitrocinnamic acid) on tyrosinase catalyzing the substrates, with the purpose of elucidating the inhibition mechanism of the tested derivatives on tyrosinase by the UV-vis spectrum, fluorescence spectroscopy, copper interacting and molecular docking, respectively. The native-PAGE results showed that 4-chlorocinnamic acid (4-CCA), 4-ethoxycinnamic acid (4-ECA) and 4-nitrocinnamic acid (4-NCA) had inhibitory effects on tyrosinase. Spectrophotometric analysis used to determine the inhibition capabilities of these compounds on tyrosinase catalyzing L-tyrosine (L-Tyr) and L-3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) as well. The IC 50 values and inhibition constants were further determined. Moreover, quenching mechanisms of tested compounds to tyrosinase belonged to static type and a red shift on fluorescence emission peak occurred when 4-NCA added. Copper interacting and molecular docking demonstrated that 4-CCA could not bind directly to the copper, but it could interact with residues in the active center of tyrosinase. Meanwhile, 4-ECA and 4-NCA could chelate a copper ion of tyrosinase. Anti-tyrosinase activities of para-substituted cinnamic acid derivatives would lay scientific foundation for their utilization in designing of novel tyrosinase inhibitors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

77 FR 70211 - Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-23

... FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Crystal Rennie, Enterprise Records Service (005R1B), Department of Veterans...: crystal[email protected] . Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-New (NCA Emerging Burial Survey Needs... by VA at that time. NCA now seeks to both update the their understanding of the Veterans...

Development of Benthic Indicators for Nearshore Coastal Waters of New Jersey - A REMAP Project

EPA Science Inventory

EPA's National Coastal Assessment (NCA) is providing the first complete, consistent dataset on the condition of benthic communities in the nation's estuaries. Prior to NCA, New Jersey based its evaluation of the ecological condition of its coastal waters solely on dissolved oxyg...

TRANSFERRING TECHNOLOGIES, TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES: THE NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of the National Coastal Assessment (NCA) is to estimate the status and trends of the condition of the nation's coastal resources on a state, regional and national basis. Based on NCA monitoring from 1999-2001, 100% of the nation's estuarine waters (at over 2500 locati...

75 FR 3539 - Agency Information Collection (NCA Customer Satisfaction Surveys (Headstone/Marker)) Activity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-21

... Customer Satisfaction Surveys (Headstone/Marker)) Activity Under OMB Review AGENCY: National Cemetery... Clearance for NCA, and IG Customer Satisfaction Surveys. OMB Control Number: 2900-0571. Type of Review... kind and quality of services they want and their level of satisfaction with existing service. VA will...

4th National Climate Assessment: Public Webinar for Air Quality Chapter

EPA Science Inventory

On May 8, 2017, the NCA4 Air Quality chapter team held a public engagement webinar. The objectives of the webinar were to gather input from stakeholders, including authors of the regional chapters, to help inform the writing and development of NCA4, and to raise awareness of the ...

The Role of NCA Commission on Schools: Voluntary Cooperative Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gose, Kenneth F.

1997-01-01

Calls for a new standard of educational excellence following the assumption of the new North Central Association (NCA) Standard and Criteria for Accreditation. Argues that in addition to maintaining past standards of excellence, modern-age schools must also actively adapt and improve; they must examine their current status and plan improvements.…

Understanding local degradation of cycled Ni-rich cathode materials at high operating temperature for Li-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Sooyeon; Kim, Dong Hyun; Chung, Kyung Yoon; Chang, Wonyoung

2014-09-01

We utilize transmission electron microscopy in conjunction with electron energy loss spectroscopy to investigate local degradation that occurs in LixNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode materials (NCA) after 30 cycles with cutoff voltages of 4.3 V and 4.8 V at 55 °C. NCA has a homogeneous crystallographic structure before electrochemical reactions; however, we observed that 30 cycles of charge/discharge reactions induced inhomogeneity in the crystallographic and electronic structures and also introduced porosity particularly at surface area. These changes were more noticeable in samples cycled with higher cutoff voltage of 4.8 V. Effect of operating temperature was further examined by comparing electronic structures of oxygen of the NCA particles cycled at both room temperature and 55 °C. The working temperature has a greater impact on the NCA cathode materials at a cutoff voltage of 4.3 V that is the practical the upper limit voltage in most applications, while a cutoff voltage of 4.8 V is high enough to cause surface degradation even at room temperature.

Thermal Stability and Reactivity of Cathode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries

DOE PAGES

Huang, Yiqing; Lin, Yuh -Chieh; Jenkins, David M.; ...

2016-02-25

Here, the thermal stability of electrochemically delithiated Li 0.1Ni 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 (NCA), FePO 4 (FP), Mn 0.8Fe 0.2PO 4 (MFP), hydrothermally synthesized VOPO 4, LiVOPO 4, and electrochemically lithiated Li 2VOPO 4 is investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis, coupled with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS). The thermal stability of the delithiated materials is found to be in the order of NCA < VOPO 4 < MFP < FP. Unlike the layered oxides and MFP, VOPO 4 does not evolve O 2 on heating. Thus, VOPO 4 is less likely to cause a thermal run-away phenomenon inmore » batteries at elevated temperature and so is inherently safer. The lithiated materials LiVOPO 4, Li 2VOPO 4, and LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 are found to be stable in the presence of electrolyte, but sealed-capsule high-pressure experiments show a phase transformation of VOPO 4 → HVOPO 4 → H 2VOPO 4 when VOPO 4 reacts with electrolyte (1 M LiPF 6 in EC/DMC = 1:1) between 200 and 300 °C. Using first-principles calculations, we confirm that the charged VOPO 4 cathode is indeed predicted to be marginally less stable than FP but significantly more stable than NCA in the absence of electrolyte. An analysis of the reaction equilibria between VOPO 4 and EC using a multicomponent phase diagram approach yields products and reaction enthalpies that are highly consistent with the experiment results.« less

Thermal Stability and Reactivity of Cathode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Huang, Yiqing; Lin, Yuh-Chieh; Jenkins, David M; Chernova, Natasha A; Chung, Youngmin; Radhakrishnan, Balachandran; Chu, Iek-Heng; Fang, Jin; Wang, Qi; Omenya, Fredrick; Ong, Shyue Ping; Whittingham, M Stanley

2016-03-23

The thermal stability of electrochemically delithiated Li0.1Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA), FePO4 (FP), Mn0.8Fe0.2PO4 (MFP), hydrothermally synthesized VOPO4, LiVOPO4, and electrochemically lithiated Li2VOPO4 is investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis, coupled with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS). The thermal stability of the delithiated materials is found to be in the order of NCA < VOPO4 < MFP < FP. Unlike the layered oxides and MFP, VOPO4 does not evolve O2 on heating. Thus, VOPO4 is less likely to cause a thermal run-away phenomenon in batteries at elevated temperature and so is inherently safer. The lithiated materials LiVOPO4, Li2VOPO4, and LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 are found to be stable in the presence of electrolyte, but sealed-capsule high-pressure experiments show a phase transformation of VOPO4 → HVOPO4 → H2VOPO4 when VOPO4 reacts with electrolyte (1 M LiPF6 in EC/DMC = 1:1) between 200 and 300 °C. Using first-principles calculations, we confirm that the charged VOPO4 cathode is indeed predicted to be marginally less stable than FP but significantly more stable than NCA in the absence of electrolyte. An analysis of the reaction equilibria between VOPO4 and EC using a multicomponent phase diagram approach yields products and reaction enthalpies that are highly consistent with the experiment results.

Modification of Ni-Rich FCG NMC and NCA Cathodes by Atomic Layer Deposition: Preventing Surface Phase Transitions for High-Voltage Lithium-Ion Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanty, Debasish; Dahlberg, Kevin; King, David M.; David, Lamuel A.; Sefat, Athena S.; Wood, David L.; Daniel, Claus; Dhar, Subhash; Mahajan, Vishal; Lee, Myongjai; Albano, Fabio

2016-05-01

The energy density of current lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) based on layered LiMO2 cathodes (M = Ni, Mn, Co: NMC; M = Ni, Co, Al: NCA) needs to be improved significantly in order to compete with internal combustion engines and allow for widespread implementation of electric vehicles (EVs). In this report, we show that atomic layer deposition (ALD) of titania (TiO2) and alumina (Al2O3) on Ni-rich FCG NMC and NCA active material particles could substantially improve LIB performance and allow for increased upper cutoff voltage (UCV) during charging, which delivers significantly increased specific energy utilization. Our results show that Al2O3 coating improved the NMC cycling performance by 40% and the NCA cycling performance by 34% at 1 C/-1 C with respectively 4.35 V and 4.4 V UCV in 2 Ah pouch cells. High resolution TEM/SAED structural characterization revealed that Al2O3 coatings prevented surface-initiated layered-to-spinel phase transitions in coated materials which were prevalent in uncoated materials. EIS confirmed that Al2O3-coated materials had significantly lower increase in the charge transfer component of impedance during cycling. The ability to mitigate degradation mechanisms for Ni-rich NMC and NCA illustrated in this report provides insight into a method to enable the performance of high-voltage LIBs.

Modification of Ni-Rich FCG NMC and NCA Cathodes by Atomic Layer Deposition: Preventing Surface Phase Transitions for High-Voltage Lithium-Ion Batteries

PubMed Central

Mohanty, Debasish; Dahlberg, Kevin; King, David M.; David, Lamuel A.; Sefat, Athena S.; Wood, David L.; Daniel, Claus; Dhar, Subhash; Mahajan, Vishal; Lee, Myongjai; Albano, Fabio

2016-01-01

The energy density of current lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) based on layered LiMO2 cathodes (M = Ni, Mn, Co: NMC; M = Ni, Co, Al: NCA) needs to be improved significantly in order to compete with internal combustion engines and allow for widespread implementation of electric vehicles (EVs). In this report, we show that atomic layer deposition (ALD) of titania (TiO2) and alumina (Al2O3) on Ni-rich FCG NMC and NCA active material particles could substantially improve LIB performance and allow for increased upper cutoff voltage (UCV) during charging, which delivers significantly increased specific energy utilization. Our results show that Al2O3 coating improved the NMC cycling performance by 40% and the NCA cycling performance by 34% at 1 C/−1 C with respectively 4.35 V and 4.4 V UCV in 2 Ah pouch cells. High resolution TEM/SAED structural characterization revealed that Al2O3 coatings prevented surface-initiated layered-to-spinel phase transitions in coated materials which were prevalent in uncoated materials. EIS confirmed that Al2O3-coated materials had significantly lower increase in the charge transfer component of impedance during cycling. The ability to mitigate degradation mechanisms for Ni-rich NMC and NCA illustrated in this report provides insight into a method to enable the performance of high-voltage LIBs. PMID:27226071

Modification of Ni-Rich FCG NMC and NCA Cathodes by Atomic Layer Deposition: Preventing Surface Phase Transitions for High-Voltage Lithium-Ion Batteries

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

Mohanty, Debasish; Dahlberg, Kevin; King, David M.

2016-05-26

The energy density of current lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) based on layered LiMO 2 cathodes (M=Ni, Mn, Co: NMC; M=Ni, Co, Al: NCA) needs to be improved significantly in order to compete with internal combustion engines and allow for widespread implementation of electric vehicles (EVs). In this report, we show that atomic layer deposition (ALD) of titania (TiO 2) and alumina (Al 2O 3) on Ni-rich FCG NMC and NCA active material particles could substantially improve LIB performance and allow for increased upper cutoff voltage (UCV) during charging, which delivers significantly increased specific energy utilization. Our results show that Al2O3 coatingmore » improved the NMC cycling performance by 40% and the NCA cycling performance by 34% at 1C/₋1C with respectively 4.35V and 4.4V UCV in 2Ah pouch cells. High resolution TEM/SAED structural characterization revealed that Al 2O 3 coatings prevented surface-initiated layered-to-spinel phase transitions in coated materials which were prevalent in uncoated materials. Lastly, EIS confirmed that Al 2O 3-coated materials had significantly lower increase in the charge transfer component of impedance during cycling. In conclusion, the ability to mitigate degradation mechanisms for Ni-rich NMC and NCA illustrated in this report provides insight into a method to enable the performance of high-voltage LIBs.« less

Effect of specific activity on organ uptake of iodine-123-meta-iodobenzylguanidine in humans.

PubMed

Farahati, J; Lassmann, M; Scheubeck, M; Bier, D; Hanscheid, H; Schelper, L; Grelle, I; Biko, J; Werner, E; Graefe, K; Reiners, C

1997-04-01

Radioiodinated meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG), an analogue of norepinephrine, has been used in management of neuroendocrine tumors. Recent studies reveal that distribution of radioiodinated MIBG in animals depends on the specific activity of this radiopharmaceutical. In order to clarify the effect of specific activity on organ uptake of radioiodinated MIBG. the kinetics of no-carrier-added (n.c.a.) [I-123]MIBG (greater than or equal to 7.4 TBq/mu mol) were compared with those of commercial (com.) [I-123]MIBG (similar to 74 MBq/mu mol) in 3 healthy volunteers by serial imaging and blood sampling. The organ uptake of radioiodinated MIBG did not remarkably differ between the two specific activities. Due to rapid degradation a more pronounced accumulation of radioactivity was present in plasma alter n.c.a. than after com. [I-123]MIBG resulting in a higher background and thyroid activity. In addition due to a prolonged residence time of the radioactivity, the radiation exposure to organs was in general slightly higher with n.c.a. [I-123]MIBG as compared to com. [I-123]MIBG. This finding highlights the higher in vivo deiodination of n.c.a. [I-123]MIBG than of com. [I-123]MIBG in humans. In the treatment of children suffering from neuroblastoma, therefore, degradation of n.c.a. [I-123]MIBG may decrease the concentration of radioiodinated MIBG available for binding at tumor sites and result in higher radiation exposure of non-tumor tissue.

The pmr gene, encoding a Ca2+-ATPase, is required for calcium and manganese homeostasis and normal development of hyphae and conidia in Neurospora crassa.

PubMed

Bowman, Barry J; Abreu, Stephen; Johl, Jessica K; Bowman, Emma Jean

2012-11-01

The pmr gene is predicted to encode a Ca(2+)-ATPase in the secretory pathway. We examined two strains of Neurospora crassa that lacked PMR: the Δpmr strain, in which pmr was completely deleted, and pmr(RIP), in which the gene was extensively mutated. Both strains had identical, complex phenotypes. Compared to the wild type, these strains required high concentrations of calcium or manganese for optimal growth and had highly branched, slow-growing hyphae. They conidiated poorly, and the shape and size of the conidia were abnormal. Calcium accumulated in the Δpmr strains to only 20% of the wild-type level. High concentrations of MnCl(2) (1 to 5 mM) in growth medium partially suppressed the morphological defects but did not alter the defect in calcium accumulation. The Δpmr Δnca-2 double mutant (nca-2 encodes a Ca(2+)-ATPase in the plasma membrane) accumulated 8-fold more calcium than the wild type, and the morphology of the hyphae was more similar to that of wild-type hyphae. Previous experiments failed to show a function for nca-1, which encodes a SERCA-type Ca(2+)-ATPase in the endoplasmic reticulum (B. J. Bowman, S. Abreu, E. Margolles-Clark, M. Draskovic, and E. J. Bowman, Eukaryot. Cell 10:654-661, 2011). The pmr(RIP) Δnca-1 double mutant accumulated small amounts of calcium, like the Δpmr strain, but exhibited even more extreme morphological defects. Thus, PMR can apparently replace NCA-1 in the endoplasmic reticulum, but NCA-1 cannot replace PMR. The morphological defects in the Δpmr strain are likely caused, in part, by insufficient concentrations of calcium and manganese in the Golgi compartment; however, PMR is also needed to accumulate normal levels of calcium in the whole cell.

Physical, Ecological, and Societal Indicators for the National Climate Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenney, Melissa A.; Chen, Robert; Baptista, Sandra R.; Quattrochi, Dale; O'Brien, Sheila

2011-01-01

The National Climate Assessment (NCA) is being conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), pursuant to the Global Change Research Act of 1990, Section 106, which requires a report to Congress every 4 years. The current NCA (http://globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/) differs in multiple ways from previous U.S. climate assessment efforts, being: (1) more focused on supporting the Nation s activities in adaptation and mitigation and on evaluating the current state of scientific knowledge relative to climate impacts and trends; (2) a long-term, consistent process for evaluation of climate risks and opportunities and providing information to support decision-making processes within regions and sectors; and (3) establishing a permanent assessment capacity both inside and outside of the federal government. As a part of ongoing, long-term assessment activities, the NCA intends to develop an integrated strategic framework and deploy climate-relevant physical, ecological, and societal indicators. The NCA indicators framework is underdevelopment by the NCA Development and Advisory Committee Indicators Working Group and are envisioned as a relatively small number of policy-relevant integrated indicators designed to provide a consistent, objective, and transparent overview of major variations in climate impacts, vulnerabilities, adaptation, and mitigation activities across sectors, regions, and timeframes. The potential questions that could be addressed by these indicators include: How do we know that there is a changing climate and how is it expected to change in the future? Are important climate impacts and opportunities occurring or predicted to occur in the future? Are we adapting successfully? What are the vulnerabilities and resiliencies given a changing climate? Are we preparing adequately for extreme events? It is not expected that the NCA societal indicators would be linked directly to a single decision or portfolio of decisions, but subsets of indicators, or the data supporting the indicator, might be used to inform decision-making processes such as the development and implementation of climate adaptation strategies in a particular sector or region.

Physical, Ecological, and Societal Indicators for the National Climate Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, S.; Kenney, M.; Chen, R. S.; Baptista, S. R.; Quattrochi, D. A.

2011-12-01

The National Climate Assessment (NCA) is being conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), pursuant to the Global Change Research Act of 1990, Section 106, which requires a report to Congress every 4 years. The current NCA (http://globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/) differs in multiple ways from previous U.S. climate assessment efforts, being: (1) more focused on supporting the Nation's activities in adaptation and mitigation and on evaluating the current state of scientific knowledge relative to climate impacts and trends; (2) a long-term, consistent process for evaluation of climate risks and opportunities and providing information to support decision-making processes within regions and sectors; and (3) establishing a permanent assessment capacity both inside and outside of the federal government. As a part of ongoing, long-term assessment activities, the NCA intends to develop an integrated strategic framework and deploy climate-relevant physical, ecological, and societal indicators. The NCA indicators framework is underdevelopment by the NCA Development and Advisory Committee Indicators Working Group and are envisioned as a relatively small number of policy-relevant integrated indicators designed to provide a consistent, objective, and transparent overview of major variations in climate impacts, vulnerabilities, adaptation, and mitigation activities across sectors, regions, and timeframes. The potential questions that could be addressed by these indicators include: -How do we know that there is a changing climate and how is it expected to change in the future? -Are important climate impacts and opportunities occurring or predicted to occur in the future? -Are we adapting successfully? -What are the vulnerabilities and resiliencies given a changing climate? -Are we preparing adequately for extreme events? It is not expected that the NCA indicators would be linked directly to a single decision or portfolio of decisions, but subsets of indicators, or the data supporting the indicator, might be used to inform decision-making processes such as the development and implementation of climate adaptation strategies in a particular sector or region.

Infrared, Raman and NMR spectra, conformational stability, normal coordinate analysis and B3LYP calculations of 5-Amino-3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbaldehyde

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahgat, Khaled; EL-Emary, Talaat

2013-02-01

FT Raman and IR spectra of the crystallized biologically active molecule, 5-Amino-3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbaldehyde (5-APHC, C11H11N3O) have been recorded and analyzed. The equilibrium geometry, bonding features and harmonic vibrational frequencies of 5-APHC have been investigated with the help of B3LYP density functional theory (DFT) method with 6-31G(d) and 6-311+G(d,p) as basis set. The calculated molecular geometry has been compared with the experimental data. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of normal coordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field (SQM) technique. The optimized geometry shows the co-planarity of the aldehyde group with pyrazole ring. Potential energy surface (PES) scan studies has also been carried out by ab initio calculations with B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) basis set. The red shifting of NH2 stretching wavenumber indicates the formation of N-H⋯O hydrogen bonding. 1H and 13C NMR spectra were recorded and 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated using the gauge independent atomic orbital (GIAO) method. UV-Vis spectrum of the compound was recorded in the region 200-400 nm and the electronic properties HOMO and LUMO energies were calculated by time-dependent TD-DFT approach. Mulliken charges of the 5-APHC molecule was also calculated and interpreted.

Air Force Global Weather Central System Architecture Study. Final System/Subsystem Summary Report. Volume 2. Requirements Compilation and Analysis. Part 3. Characteristics Summaries and Network Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-03-01

DB DC DCT DDB DET DF DFS DML DMS DMSP DOD DS DSARC DT EDB EDS EG ESSA ETAC EWO Control and Reporting Post Cathode Ray Tube...National and Aviation Meteorological Facsimile Network NC - Network Control NCA - National Command Authority NCAR - National Center for Atmospheric

Agenda for Action: Policy Directions for Children with Disabilities and Families. Children and Family Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bach, Michael

In response to the development of a National Children's Agenda (NCA) to improve the well-being of Canada's children, this document presents specific policy goals to ensure the inclusion of children with disabilities and their families in the NCA. These goals include: (1) establishing inclusive values, rights and approaches for healthy child…

Women in the 90's: Are They Publishing or Perishing in the NCA Journals?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pledger, Linda M.; Standerfer, Christina

A study focused primarily on determining whether women and men are being published at equal rates in the leading journals of the National Communication Association (NCA). The study also examined whether: females publish more in a particular area or journal; mixed-sex collaboration is as prevalent as same-sex collaboration; female scholars produce…

Optimization of Performance of Arc Welding Using Fluxes in Welded Ship Structures from HY-100 and HY-130 KPSI.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

production and formulation for several decades. NMgO + NCaO + NMnO + NFeO + NAI 20 3Basicity = NSiO 2 + NTi0 2 + NZr0 2 + NA1 203 This differs from the widely...20 3 100 (CaO-SiO, )(40) slag CaO/SiO 2 0.15 none 2600 NCaO /NSiO2 0.17 8% FeSi 1900 16% FeSi 1700 32% FeSi 1400 52 I Table 8 (continued). Islag Ca0...SiO~e .79 none 1200 NCaO /NSiOz .84 2% FeSi 1000 4% FeSi 900 16% FeSi 500 32% FeSi 500 Mechanical Property Tests Mechanical property weldments were

Transparency in Higher Educational Student Learning Assessment as Seen through Accreditation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krzykowski, Linda M.

2012-01-01

This study is about transparency in direct assessment of student learning information in higher educational institutions. Using content analysis, the self-study reports from institutions recently reaccredited by two different regional accreditors [the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA-HLC) and the New England Association of…

Synthesis and studies of polypeptide materials: Enantioselective polymerization of gamma-benzyl glutamate-N-carboxyanhydride and synthesis of optically active poly(beta-peptides)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Jianjun

A class of zero-valent transition metal complexes have been developed by Deming et al for the controlled polymerization of alpha-aminoacid-N-carboxyanhydrides (alpha-NCAs). This discovery provided a superior starting point for the development of enantioselective polymerizations of racemic alpha-NCAs. Bidentate chiral ligands were synthesized and tested for their abilities to induce enantioselective polymerization of gamma-benzyl-glutamate NCA (Glu NCA) when they were coordinated to zero-valent nickel complexes. When optically active 2-pyridinyl oxazoline ligands were mixed with bis(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel in THF, chiral nickel complexes were formed that selectively polymerized one enantiomer of Glu NCA over the other. The highest selectivity was observed with the nickel complex of (S)-4-tert-butyl-2-pyridinyl oxazoline, which gave a ratio of enantiomeric polymerization rate constants (kD/kL) of 5.2. It was found that subtle modification of this ligand by incorporation of additional substituents had a substantial impact on initiator enantioselectivities. In separate efforts, methodology was developed for the general synthesis of optically active beta-aminoacid-N-carboxyanhydrides (beta-NCAs) via cyclization of Nbeta-Boc- or Nbeta-Cbz-beta-amino acids using phosphorus tribromide. The beta-NCA molecules could be polymerized in good yields using strong bases or transition metal complexes to give optically active poly(beta-peptides) bearing proteinogenic side chains. The resulting poly(beta-peptides), which have moderate molecular weights, adopt stable helical conformations in solution. Poly(beta-homoglutamate and poly(beta-homolysine), the side-chain deprotected polymers, were found to display pH dependent helix-coil conformation transitions in aqueous solution, similar to their alpha-analogs. A novel method for poly(beta-aspartate) synthesis was developed via the polymerization of L-aspartate alkyl ester beta lactams using metal-amido complexes. Poly(beta-aspartates) bearing short ethylene glycol side chains were obtained with controlled molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions when Sc(N(TMS)2)3 was used as initiator for the beta-lactam polymerizations. Polymer chain lengths could be controlled by both stoichiometry and monomer conversion, characteristic of a living polymerization system. Di- and tri-block copoly(beta-peptides) with desired chain lengths were also synthesized using this method. It was found that these techniques were generally applicable for the synthesis of poly(beta-peptides), bearing other proteinogetic side chains. Synthesis and studies of polypeptide materials were extended to unexplored areas by incorporation of both alpha- and beta-amino acid residues into single polymer chains. Two sequence specific polypeptides bearing alternating beta-alpha, or beta-alpha-alpha amino acid residues were synthesized. Both polymers were found to adopt unprecedented stable conformations in solution.

Reaction Heterogeneity in LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 Induced by Surface Layer

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

Grenier, Antonin; Liu, Hao; Wiaderek, Kamila M.

2017-08-15

Through operando synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of layered transition metal oxide electrodes of composition LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA), we decouple the intrinsic bulk reaction mechanism from surface-induced effects. For identically prepared and cycled electrodes stored in different environments, we demonstrate that the intrinsic bulk reaction for pristine NCA follows solid-solution mechanism, not a two-phase as suggested previously. By combining high resolution powder X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and surface sensitive X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), we demonstrate that adventitious Li2CO3 forms on the electrode particle surface during exposure to air, through reaction with atmospheric CO2. This surfacemore » impedes ionic and electronic transport to the underlying electrode, with progressive erosion of this layer during cycling giving rise to different reaction states in particles with an intact vs an eroded Li2CO3 surface-coating. This reaction heterogeneity, with a bimodal distribution of reaction states, has previously been interpreted as a “two-phase” reaction mechanism for NCA, as an activation step that only occurs during the first cycle. Similar surface layers may impact the reaction mechanism observed in other electrode materials using bulk probes such as operando powder XRD.« less

NCA North Central Association and the Federal Government: The DoDDS Department of Defense Dependents Schools/NCA Partnership.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buntain, Wendell L.; And Others

1994-01-01

Discusses the cooperative relationship between Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) and the North Central Association, highlighting its evolution from the need to substantiate DoDDS student gains and ensure access to higher education. Suggests that the partnership enhances the ability of the DoDDS to provide quality education to…

The Application of Poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) as a Protective Coating for High Rate Cathode Materials

DOE PAGES

Lai, Chun-Han; Ashby, David S.; Lin, Terri C.; ...

2018-03-01

Poly (3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT), a conducting polymer studied extensively for its optoelectronic devices, offers a number of advantageous properties when used as a conductive binder for lithium-ion battery cathode materials. By mixing with carbon nanotubes (CNT), P3HTCNT serves as a surface coating for the cathode material LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 (NCA). Oxidation of the P3HT enables high electronic and ionic conductivity to be achieved over the potential range where the NCA is electrochemically active. In addition to the conductivity benefits from electrochemical doping, the P3HT-CNT coating suppresses electrolyte breakdown, thus inhibiting growth of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer andmore » preventing intergranular cracking in the NCA particles. In conclusion, The use of the P3HT-CNT binder system leads to improved cycling for NCA at high power density with capacities of 80 mAh g -1 obtained after 1000 cycles at 16C, a value that is 4 times greater than what is achieved in the control electrode.« less

Multi-responsible chameleon molecule with chiral naphthyl and azobenzene moieties.

PubMed

Kim, Dae-Yoon; Lee, Sang-A; Park, Minwook; Choi, Yu-Jin; Kang, Shin-Woong; Jeong, Kwang-Un

2015-04-21

A photochromic chiral molecule with azobenzene mesogens and a (R)-configuration naphthyl moiety (abbreviated as NCA2M) was specifically designed and synthesized for the demonstration of chameleon-like color changes responding to multitudinous external stimuli, such as temperature, light and electric field. The basic phase transition behaviors of NCA2M were first studied by the combination of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscopy (POM). Based on the structure-sensitive X-ray diffraction results obtained at different temperatures, it was comprehended that the NCA2M molecule exhibited the tilted version of highly ordered smectic crystal phase with 5.45 nm layer thickness. Chiral nematic (N*) liquid crystals (LC) with helical superstructures were formed by doping the NCA2M photochromic chiral molecule in an achiral nematic (N) LC medium. By controlling the helical pitch length of N*-LC with respect to temperature, light and electric field, the wavelength of selectively reflected light from the N* photonic crystal was finely tuned. The light-induced color change of N*-LC film was the most efficient method for covering the whole visible region from blue to green and to red, which allowed us to fabricate remote-controllable photo-responsive devices.

Maynard Participation in Alaska Forum on the Environment Panel Discussion on Increasing Input to the US National Climate Assessment (NCA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Processes from Alaska, with Emphasis on Indigenous Peoples Issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maynard, Nancy G.

2012-01-01

Dr. Nancy Maynard was invited by the Alaska Forum on the Environment to participate in a Panel Discussion to discuss (1) background about what the US NCA and International IPCC assessments are, (2) the impact the assessments have on policy-making, (3) the process for participation in both assessments, (4) how we can increase participation by Indigenous Peoples such as Native Americans and Alaska Natives, (5) How we can increase historical and current impacts input from Native communities through stories, oral history, "grey" literature, etc. The session will be chaired by Dr. Bull Bennett, a cochair of the US NCA's chapter on "Native and Tribal Lands and Resources" and Dr. Maynard is the other co-chair of that chapter and they will discuss the latest activities under the NCA process relevant to Native Americans and Alaska Natives. Dr. Maynard is also a Lead Author of the "Polar Regions" chapter of the IPCC WG2 (5th Assessment) and she will describes some of the latest approaches by the IPCC to entrain more Indigenous peoples into the IPCC process.

The Application of Poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) as a Protective Coating for High Rate Cathode Materials

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

Lai, Chun-Han; Ashby, David S.; Lin, Terri C.

Poly (3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT), a conducting polymer studied extensively for its optoelectronic devices, offers a number of advantageous properties when used as a conductive binder for lithium-ion battery cathode materials. By mixing with carbon nanotubes (CNT), P3HTCNT serves as a surface coating for the cathode material LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 (NCA). Oxidation of the P3HT enables high electronic and ionic conductivity to be achieved over the potential range where the NCA is electrochemically active. In addition to the conductivity benefits from electrochemical doping, the P3HT-CNT coating suppresses electrolyte breakdown, thus inhibiting growth of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer andmore » preventing intergranular cracking in the NCA particles. In conclusion, The use of the P3HT-CNT binder system leads to improved cycling for NCA at high power density with capacities of 80 mAh g -1 obtained after 1000 cycles at 16C, a value that is 4 times greater than what is achieved in the control electrode.« less

Long-term oceanic changes prior the end-Triassic mass extinction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clémence, Marie-Emilie; Mette, Wolfgang; Thibault, Nicolas; Korte, Christoph

2014-05-01

A number of potential causes and kill mechanisms have been proposed for the end-Triassic mass extinction such as palaeoclimatic and sea-level variations, massive volcanism and ocean acidification. Recent analysis of the stomatal index and density of fossil leaves and geochemical research on pedogenic carbonate nodules are suggestive of rising atmospheric CO2 concentration and fluctuating climate in the Rhaetian. It seems therefore probable that the end-Triassic event was preceded by large climatic fluctuations and environmental perturbations in the Rhaetian which might have partly affected the composition and diversity of the terrestrial and marine biota prior to the end-Triassic interval. The Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA) has long been favored for the study of the Rhaetian, since the GSSP of the Triassic/Jurassic (T/J) boundary and other important T/J sections are situated in this region. However, the most famous Rhaetian sections in the NCA are composed of carbonates from the Koessen Formation and were situated in a large isolated intraplatform Basin (the Eiberg Basin), bordered to the south-east by a well-developed coral reef in the NW of the Tethys border. Several Rhaetian sections composed of marls and shales of the Zlambach Formation were deposited at the same time on the other side of this reef, in the oceanic Halstatt Basin, which was in direct connection to the Tethys. Here, we present new results on sedimentology, stable isotope and trace element analysis of both intraplatform and oceanic basin deposits in the NCA. Intraplatform Rhaetian sections from the Koessen Formation bear a few minor intervals of shales with enrichments in organic matter, some of which are associated to carbon isotopic excursions. Oceanic sections from the Hallstatt Basin are characterized at the base by very cyclic marl-limestone alternations. Higher up in the section, sediments progressively turn into pure shale deposits and the top of the Formation is characterized by organic-rich, laminated black shales. This interval of black shales is associated with a 2 per mil negative carbon isotopic excursion and a strong warming as suggested by fluctuations in oxygen isotopes. Forthcoming geochemical and paleontological analysis on these two Formations should help us : (1) better constrain the stratigraphy of the Rhaetian in the NCA by correlating geochemical and climatic events that took place both in the intraplaform (Eiberg) and oceanic (Hallstatt) Basin, (2) decipher localized vs large Tethyan anoxic events and associated carbon-cycle perturbations and (3) constrain the possible influence of Rhaetian climatic perturbations on the biota before the end-Triassic mass extinction.

Multidimensional analysis of fast-spectrum material replacement measurements for systematic estimation of cross section uncertainties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klann, P. G.; Lantz, E.; Mayo, W. T.

1973-01-01

A series of central core and core-reflector interface sample replacement experiments for 16 materials performed in the NASA heavy-metal-reflected, fast spectrum critical assembly (NCA) were analyzed in four and 13 groups using the GAM 2 cross-section set. The individual worths obtained by TDSN and DOT multidimensional transport theory calculations showed significant differences from the experimental results. These were attributed to cross-section uncertainties in the GAM 2 cross sections. Simultaneous analysis of the measured and calculated sample worths permitted separation of the worths into capture and scattering components which systematically provided fast spectrum averaged correction factors to the magnitudes of the GAM 2 absorption and scattering cross sections. Several Los Alamos clean critical assemblies containing Oy, Ta, and Mo as well as one of the NCA compositions were reanalyzed using the corrected cross sections. In all cases the eigenvalues were significantly improved and were recomputed to within 1 percent of the experimental eigenvalue. A comparable procedure may be used for ENDF cross sections when these are available.

Characterization of the 1st and 2nd EF-hands of NADPH oxidase 5 by fluorescence, isothermal titration calorimetry, and circular dichroism

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Superoxide generated by non-phagocytic NADPH oxidases (NOXs) is of growing importance for physiology and pathobiology. The calcium binding domain (CaBD) of NOX5 contains four EF-hands, each binding one calcium ion. To better understand the metal binding properties of the 1st and 2nd EF-hands, we characterized the N-terminal half of CaBD (NCaBD) and its calcium-binding knockout mutants. Results The isothermal titration calorimetry measurement for NCaBD reveals that the calcium binding of two EF-hands are loosely associated with each other and can be treated as independent binding events. However, the Ca2+ binding studies on NCaBD(E31Q) and NCaBD(E63Q) showed their binding constants to be 6.5 × 105 and 5.0 × 102 M-1 with ΔHs of -14 and -4 kJ/mol, respectively, suggesting that intrinsic calcium binding for the 1st non-canonical EF-hand is largely enhanced by the binding of Ca2+ to the 2nd canonical EF-hand. The fluorescence quenching and CD spectra support a conformational change upon Ca2+ binding, which changes Trp residues toward a more non-polar and exposed environment and also increases its α-helix secondary structure content. All measurements exclude Mg2+-binding in NCaBD. Conclusions We demonstrated that the 1st non-canonical EF-hand of NOX5 has very weak Ca2+ binding affinity compared with the 2nd canonical EF-hand. Both EF-hands interact with each other in a cooperative manner to enhance their Ca2+ binding affinity. Our characterization reveals that the two EF-hands in the N-terminal NOX5 are Ca2+ specific. Graphical abstract PMID:22490336

USGCRP's Sustained Assessment Process: Progress to date and future plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeAngelo, B. J.; Reidmiller, D.; Lipschultz, F.; Cloyd, E. T.

2016-12-01

One of the four main objectives of the U.S. Global Change Research Program's (USGCRP's) Strategic Plan is to "Conduct Sustained Assessments", which seeks to build a process that synthesizes and advances the state of scientific knowledge on global change, develops future scenarios and potential impacts, and evaluates how effectively science is being and can be used to inform and support the Nation's response to climate change. To do so, USGCRP strives to establish a standing capacity to conduct national climate assessments with sectoral and regional information to evaluate climate risks and opportunities, and to inform decision-making, especially with regard to resiliency planning and adaptation measures. Building on the success of the 3rd National Climate Assessment (NCA) (2014), we discuss the range of USGCRP activities that embody the sustained assessment concept. Special reports, such as the recent Climate and Human Health Assessment and upcoming Climate Science Special Report, fill gaps in our understanding and provide crucial building blocks for next NCA report (NCA4). To facilitate the use of consistent assumptions across NCA4, new scenario products for climate, population, and land use will be made available through initiatives such as NOAA's Climate Resilience Toolkit. NCA4 will be informed by user engagement to advance the customization of knowledge. The report will strive to advance our ability to quantify various risks, monetize certain impacts, and communicate the benefits (i.e., avoided impacts) of various mitigation pathways. NCAnet (a national network of climate-interested stakeholders) continues to grow and foster collaborations across levels of governance and within civil society. Finally, USGCRP continues to actively engage with other assessment processes, at international, state, city, and tribal levels, to exchange ideas and to facilitate the potential for "linked" assessments across spatial scales.

Exploring the popularity, experiences, and beliefs surrounding gluten-free diets in nonceliac athletes.

PubMed

Lis, Dana M; Stellingwerff, Trent; Shing, Cecilia M; Ahuja, Kiran D K; Fell, James W

2015-02-01

Adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) for nonceliac athletes (NCA) has become increasingly popular despite a paucity of supportive medical or ergogenic evidence. This study aimed to quantify the demographics of NCA and determine associated experiences, perceptions, and sources of information related to GFD. Athletes (n = 910, female = 528, no gender selected = 5) completed a 17-question online survey. Forty-one percent of NCA respondents, including 18-world and/or Olympic medalists, follow a GFD 50-100% of the time (GFD > 50): only 13% for treatment of reported medical conditions with 57% self-diagnosing their gluten sensitivity. The GFD > 50 group characteristics included predominantly endurance sport athletes (70.0%) at the recreationally competitive level (32.3%), between 31 and 40 years of age (29.1%). Those who follow a GFD > 50 reported experiencing, abdominal/gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms alone (16.7%) or in conjunction with two (30.7%) or three (35.7%) additional symptoms (e.g., fatigue) believed to be triggered by gluten. Eighty-four percent of GFD > 50 indicated symptom improvement with gluten-removal. Symptom-based and non-symptom-based self-diagnosed gluten-sensitivity (56.7%) was the primary reason for adopting a GFD. Leading sources of GFD information were online (28.7%), trainer/coach (26.2%) and other athletes (17.4%). Although 5-10% of the general population is estimated to benefit clinically from a GFD a higher prevalence of GFD adherence was found in NCA (41.2%). Prescription of a GFD among many athletes does not result from evidence-based practice suggesting that adoption of a GFD in the majority of cases was not based on medical rationale and may be driven by perception that gluten removal provides health benefits and an ergogenic edge in NCA.

Land cover mapping of North and Central America—Global Land Cover 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Latifovic, Rasim; Zhu, Zhi-Liang

2004-01-01

The Land Cover Map of North and Central America for the year 2000 (GLC 2000-NCA), prepared by NRCan/CCRS and USGS/EROS Data Centre (EDC) as a regional component of the Global Land Cover 2000 project, is the subject of this paper. A new mapping approach for transforming satellite observations acquired by the SPOT4/VGTETATION (VGT) sensor into land cover information is outlined. The procedure includes: (1) conversion of daily data into 10-day composite; (2) post-seasonal correction and refinement of apparent surface reflectance in 10-day composite images; and (3) extraction of land cover information from the composite images. The pre-processing and mosaicking techniques developed and used in this study proved to be very effective in removing cloud contamination, BRDF effects, and noise in Short Wave Infra-Red (SWIR). The GLC 2000-NCA land cover map is provided as a regional product with 28 land cover classes based on modified Federal Geographic Data Committee/Vegetation Classification Standard (FGDC NVCS) classification system, and as part of a global product with 22 land cover classes based on Land Cover Classification System (LCCS) of the Food and Agriculture Organisation. The map was compared on both areal and per-pixel bases over North and Central America to the International Geosphere–Biosphere Programme (IGBP) global land cover classification, the University of Maryland global land cover classification (UMd) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Global land cover classification produced by Boston University (BU). There was good agreement (79%) on the spatial distribution and areal extent of forest between GLC 2000-NCA and the other maps, however, GLC 2000-NCA provides additional information on the spatial distribution of forest types. The GLC 2000-NCA map was produced at the continental level incorporating specific needs of the region.

Investigating local degradation and thermal stability of charged nickel-based cathode materials through real-time electron microscopy.

PubMed

Hwang, Sooyeon; Kim, Seung Min; Bak, Seong-Min; Cho, Byung-Won; Chung, Kyung Yoon; Lee, Jeong Yong; Chang, Wonyoung; Stach, Eric A

2014-09-10

In this work, we take advantage of in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to investigate thermally induced decomposition of the surface of Li(x)Ni(0.8)Co(0.15)Al(0.05)O2 (NCA) cathode materials that have been subjected to different states of charge (SOC). While uncharged NCA is stable up to 400 °C, significant changes occur in charged NCA with increasing temperature. These include the development of surface porosity and changes in the oxygen K-edge electron energy loss spectra, with pre-edge peaks shifting to higher energy losses. These changes are closely related to O2 gas released from the structure, as well as to phase changes of NCA from the layered structure to the disordered spinel structure, and finally to the rock-salt structure. Although the temperatures where these changes initiate depend strongly on the state of charge, there also exist significant variations among particles with the same state of charge. Notably, when NCA is charged to x = 0.33 (the charge state that is the practical upper limit voltage in most applications), the surfaces of some particles undergo morphological and oxygen K-edge changes even at temperatures below 100 °C, a temperature that electronic devices containing lithium ion batteries (LIB) can possibly see during normal operation. Those particles that experience these changes are likely to be extremely unstable and may trigger thermal runaway at much lower temperatures than would be usually expected. These results demonstrate that in situ heating experiments are a unique tool not only to study the general thermal behavior of cathode materials but also to explore particle-to-particle variations, which are sometimes of critical importance in understanding the performance of the overall system.

Passive seismic experiment in the Olduvai Gorge and Laetoli region (Ngorongoro Conservation Area), Northern Tanzania.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parisi, Laura; Lombardo, Luigi; Tang, Zheng; Mai, P. Martin

2017-04-01

The Olduvai Gorge and Laetoli basins, located within the Ngorogoro Conservation Area (NCA), are a cornerstone for understanding the evolution of early humans and are two paleo-antropological excavation sites of global importance. NCA is located at the boundary between the Tanzanian Craton and East African Rift (EAR), in the vicinity of Ngorongoro Crater and other major volcanic edifices. Thus, understanding the geology and tectonics of the NCA may shed light onto the question why early Hominins settled in this region. Environmental and geological conditions in the Olduvai and Laetoli region that promoted human settlement and development are still debated by geologists and paleo-anthropologists. Paleo-geographical reconstructions of the study area of the last 2 million years may take advantage of modern passive seismology. Therefore, we installed a dense seismic network covering a surface of approximately 30 x 40 km within the NCA to map the depth extent of known faults, and to identify seismically active faults that have no surface expression. Our ten seismic stations, equipped with Trillium Compact 120 s sensors, started to operate in June 2016 and will continue for a total of 2 years. At the end of the first year, other 5 stations will densify our network. Here we analyse data quality of the first four months of continuous recordings. Our network provides good quality 3-C waveforms in the frequency range of 0.7-50 Hz. Vertical component seismograms record frequencies reliably down to 8 mHz. Preliminary results of the seismicity obtained with standard location procedures show that NCA is characterised by frequent tectonic seismicity (not volcano-related) with Ml between 0.5 and 2.0. Seismic activity is more frequent in the South (Laetoli region) where major fault systems have not been recognised at the surface yet.

Synthesis and characterization of poly-L-leucine initialized and immobilized by rehydrated hydrotalcite: understanding stability and the nature of interaction.

PubMed

Miranda, Ronald-Alexander; Finocchio, Elisabetta; Llorca, Jordi; Medina, Francisco; Ramis, Gianguido; Sueiras, Jesús E; Segarra, Anna M

2013-10-07

PLLs were synthesized by the ring-opening polycondensation (ROP) method using α-L-leucine N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) and initialized by triethylamine (Et3N), water or rehydrated hydrotalcite (HTrus). The role of temperature, different initiators and water in ROP was further investigated. In general, the initiators used in the polymerization reaction lead to PLL alpha-helical chains containing 5-40 monomers with NCA endgroups via a monomer-activated mechanism. However, the water has a twofold effect on ROP, as both a nucleophile and a base, which involves competition between two different types of initiating mechanisms (nucleophilic attack or deprotonation of the NCA monomer) in the polymerization reaction. This competition provides as a main product NCA endgroups with an alpha-helical structure and leads to the formation of the PLL cyclic-chains and beta-sheet structures which reduce the polymer Mw and the PD of the polypeptide. Furthermore, the water can hydrolyze the NCA endgroups resulting in PLL alpha-helical chains that contain living groups as the main product. On the other hand, the HTrus presents a double role: as both an initiator and a support. The polymers synthesized in the presence of HTrus presented a HT-carboxylate endgroup. The PLLs immobilized in HTrus through an anion-exchange method performed for just 30 minutes presented the PLL immobilized in the interlayer space of the HTrus. The PLL chains of the immobilized counterpart are stabilized by H-bonding with the M-OH of the HT structure. All the polypeptides and biohybrid materials synthesized have been characterized using different techniques (EA, ICP, XRD, Raman, MALDI-TOF, ESI-TOF, FT-IR at increasing temperatures, TG/DT analyses and TEM).

Vibrational and electronic absorption spectral studies of 5-amino-1-(4-bromophenyl)-3-phenyl-1-H-pyrazole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, M. V. S.; Chaitanya, Kadali; Udaya Sri, N.; Veeraiah, V.

2012-12-01

The FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of 5-amino-1-(4-bromophenyl)-3-phenyl-1-H-pyrazole have been measured in the regions 4000-400 cm-1 and 3500-100 cm-1, respectively. The equilibrium geometry, bonding features and harmonic vibrational frequencies have been carried out with the help of DFT method. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the normal coordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology (SQMFF). The first-order hyperpolarizability (β0) and related properties (μ, α0, and Δα) of 5A4BP3PP are calculated by using HF/6-31G(d,p) method on the finite field approach. Stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjugative interactions, charge delocalization have been analyzed using natural bonding orbital (NBO) analysis. The results show that electron density (ED) in the σ* and π* antibonding orbitals and second order delocalization energies E(2) confirms the occurrence of the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) within the molecule. UV-vis spectrum of the compound was recorded and the electronic properties, such as HOMO and LUMO energies, were performed by TDDFT using 6-31G(d,p). The HOMO-LUMO calculations indicating the charge transfer takes place within the molecule.

Japan Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-05-09

world and is used by national leaders such as the president, secretary of state, and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff ( NCA [National Command...Authorities]) for giving orders to the military. The NCA makes judgments based upon intelligence gathered from throughout the world, and gives...is thinner than a CRT ( cathode ray tube), so- even if the picture is made larger it does not take up space. Therefore, other devices can be loaded in

SCREENING FOR BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS IN AFRICAN BUFFALO (SYNCERUS CAFFER) IN NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA, NORTHERN TANZANIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.

PubMed

Katale, Bugwesa Z; Fyumagwa, Robert D; Mjingo, Eblate E; Sayalel, Kuya; Batamuzi, Emmanuel K; Matee, Mecky I; Keyyu, Julius D; Muumba, Justice; Mdaki, Maulid; Mbugi, Erasto V; Rweyemamu, Mark M; Mpanduji, Donald G

2017-10-01

In the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), Tanzania, where wildlife and livestock interaction is intense, greater potential for intra- and interspecies disease transmission is expected. We assessed the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) residing on the valley floor of the crater in the NCA. Apparently healthy animals were randomly selected from herds in nine sites of the Ngorongoro Crater. Syncerus caffer buffalo herds were located using very high-frequency radio-aided rangers positioned in various observation points around the crater in the NCA. A total of 102 African buffalo from 16 herds were immobilized from the ground using a cocktail of 4-10 mg etorphine hydrochloride (M99) and 60-150 mg azaperone tartrate. The M99 was reversed using 10-25 mg diprenorphine hydrochloride depending on age of animals. An interferon gamma assay was performed on harvested plasma samples using sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Of the 102 animals sampled, two (2%) African buffalo tested positive for bovine tuberculosis. These results corroborate those of the skin test done recently in cattle in the NCA. The presence of bovine tuberculosis in livestock and wildlife suggested the possibility of cross-species transmission of the disease, indicating the need for appropriate intervention measures.

Catalase and NO CATALASE ACTIVITY1 Promote Autophagy-Dependent Cell Death in Arabidopsis[C][W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Hackenberg, Thomas; Juul, Trine; Auzina, Aija; Gwiżdż, Sonia; Małolepszy, Anna; Van Der Kelen, Katrien; Dam, Svend; Bressendorff, Simon; Lorentzen, Andrea; Roepstorff, Peter; Lehmann Nielsen, Kåre; Jørgensen, Jan-Elo; Hofius, Daniel; Breusegem, Frank Van; Petersen, Morten; Andersen, Stig Uggerhøj

2013-01-01

Programmed cell death often depends on generation of reactive oxygen species, which can be detoxified by antioxidative enzymes, including catalases. We previously isolated catalase-deficient mutants (cat2) in a screen for resistance to hydroxyurea-induced cell death. Here, we identify an Arabidopsis thaliana hydroxyurea-resistant autophagy mutant, atg2, which also shows reduced sensitivity to cell death triggered by the bacterial effector avrRpm1. To test if catalase deficiency likewise affected both hydroxyurea and avrRpm1 sensitivity, we selected mutants with extremely low catalase activities and showed that they carried mutations in a gene that we named NO CATALASE ACTIVITY1 (NCA1). nca1 mutants showed severely reduced activities of all three catalase isoforms in Arabidopsis, and loss of NCA1 function led to strong suppression of RPM1-triggered cell death. Basal and starvation-induced autophagy appeared normal in the nca1 and cat2 mutants. By contrast, autophagic degradation induced by avrRpm1 challenge was compromised, indicating that catalase acted upstream of immunity-triggered autophagy. The direct interaction of catalase with reactive oxygen species could allow catalase to act as a molecular link between reactive oxygen species and the promotion of autophagy-dependent cell death. PMID:24285797

Optimization of 248nm bottom anti-reflective coatings with thin film and high etch rate on real device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, MyoungSoo; Kim, HakJoon; Shim, KewChan; Jeon, JeHa; Gil, MyungGoon; Song, YongWook; Enomoto, Tomoyuki; Sakaguchi, Takahiro; Nakajima, Yasuyuki

2005-05-01

A frequent problem encountered by photoresists during the manufacturing of semiconductor device is that activating radiation is reflected back into the photoresist by the substrate. So, it is necessary that the light reflection is reduced from the substrate. One approach to reduce the light reflection is the use of bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) applied to the substrate beneath the photoresist layer. The BARC technology has been utilized for a few years to minimize the reflectivity. As the chip size is reduced to sub 100nm, the photoresist thickness has to decrease with the aspect ratio being less than 3.0. Therefore, new Organic BARC is strongly required which has the minimum reflectivity with thinner BARC thickness and higher etch selectivity toward resists. Hynix Semiconductor Inc., Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd., and Brewer Science, Inc. have developed the advanced Organic BARC for achieving the above purpose. As a result, the suitable high performance 248nm Organic BARCs, NCA series, were achieved. Using CF4 gas as etchant, the plasma etch rate of NCA series is about 1.4 times higher than that of conventional 248nm resists. NCA series can be minimizing the substrate reflectivity at below 45nm BARC thickness. NCA series show the excellent litho performance and coating property on real device.

Molecular structure, vibrational spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman), UV-vis spectra, first order hyperpolarizability, NBO analysis, HOMO and LUMO analysis, thermodynamic properties of benzophenone 2,4-dicarboxylic acid by ab initio HF and density functional method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaitanya, K.

2012-02-01

The FT-IR (4000-450 cm -1) and FT-Raman spectra (3500-100 cm -1) of benzophenone 2,4-dicarboxylic acid (2,4-BDA) have been recorded in the condensed state. Density functional theory calculation with B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) basis set have been used to determine ground state molecular geometries (bond lengths and bond angles), harmonic vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities, Raman activities and bonding features of the title compounds. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of normal co-ordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field (SQMFF) methodology. The first order hyperpolarizability ( β0) and related properties ( β, α0 and Δ α) of 2,4-BDA is calculated using HF/6-31G(d,p) method on the finite-field approach. The stability of molecule has been analyzed by using NBO analysis. The calculated first hyperpolarizability shows that the molecule is an attractive molecule for future applications in non-linear optics. The calculated HOMO and LUMO energies show that charge transfer occurs within these molecules. Mulliken population analysis on atomic charges is also calculated. Because of vibrational analyses, the thermodynamic properties of the title compound at different temperatures have been calculated. Finally, the UV-vis spectra and electronic absorption properties were explained and illustrated from the frontier molecular orbitals.

78 FR 23588 - Final Supplementary Rules for the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-19

... Conservation Area (NCA), addressed in the September 2008 Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Record of Decision... an array of management actions designed to conserve natural and cultural resources on BLM... analysis can be found in Chapter 4 of the Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact...

Resource management planning efforts on the Bureau of Land Management's Snake River birds of prey national conservation area

Treesearch

John Sullivan

2005-01-01

In 1993, Congress passed Public Law 103-64, which established the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA) for the purpose of conserving, protecting, and enhancing raptor populations and habitats. The NCA encompasses over 485,000 acres of public land along 130 km of the Snake River in southwest Idaho, and is located within a 30-minute drive of Boise...

High-Thermal- and Air-Stability Cathode Material with Concentration-Gradient Buffer for Li-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Shi, Ji-Lei; Qi, Ran; Zhang, Xu-Dong; Wang, Peng-Fei; Fu, Wei-Gui; Yin, Ya-Xia; Xu, Jian; Wan, Li-Jun; Guo, Yu-Guo

2017-12-13

Delivery of high capacity with high thermal and air stability is a great challenge in the development of Ni-rich layered cathodes for commercialized Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein we present a surface concentration-gradient spherical particle with varying elemental composition from the outer end LiNi 1/3 Co 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 (NCM) to the inner end LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 (NCA). This cathode material with the merit of NCM concentration-gradient protective buffer and the inner NCA core shows high capacity retention of 99.8% after 200 cycles at 0.5 C. Furthermore, this cathode material exhibits much improved thermal and air stability compared with bare NCA. These results provide new insights into the structural design of high-performance cathodes with high energy density, long life span, and storage stability materials for LIBs in the future.

Vibrational and UV spectroscopic studies of 2-coumaranone by experimental and density functional theory calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priya, Y. Sushma; Rao, K. Ramachandra; Chalapathi, P. V.; Satyavani, M.; Veeraiah, A.

2017-09-01

The vibrational and electronic properties of 2-coumaranone have been reported in the ground state using experimental techniques (FT-IR, FT-Raman, UV spectra and fluorescence microscopic imaging) and density functional theory (DFT) employing B3LYP correlation with the 6-31G(d, p) basis set. The theoretically reported optimized parameters, vibrational frequencies etc., were compared with the experimental values, which yielded good concurrence between the experimental and calculated values. The assignments of the vibrational spectra were done with the help of normal co-ordinate analysis (NCA) following the Scaled Quantum Mechanical Force Field(SQMFF) methodology. The whole assignments of fundamental modes were based on the potential energy distribution (PED) matrix. The electric dipole moment and the first order hyperpolarizability of the 2-coumaranone have been computed using quantum mechanical calculations. NBO and HOMO, LUMO analyses have been carried out. UV spectrum of 2-coumaranone was recorded in the region 100-300 nm and compared with the theoretical UV spectrum using TD-DFT and SAC-CI methods by which a good agreement is observed. Fluorescence microscopic imaging study reflects that the compound fluoresces in the green-yellow region.

Influence of boron supplementation on performance, immunity and antioxidant status of lambs fed diets with or without adequate level of calcium

PubMed Central

Mondal, S.; Pattanaik, A. K.; Verma, A. K.

2017-01-01

Little is known about biological significance of effects of dietary Boron (B) and Calcium (Ca) interaction on health and production of farm animals. This is a preliminary investigation to evaluate the effects of B supplementation in lambs fed diets with (normal) or without adequate (low) levels of Ca. Twenty-four crossbred ram lambs were randomly distributed into four groups with six animals each in a 2x2 factorial design namely, normal-Ca diet (NCa) and low-Ca diet (LCa) fed without or with 40 ppm B (NCaB-40 and LCaB-40). The lambs were fed paddy straw and hybrid napier hay-based total mixed ration (60 roughage: 40 concentrate) during 180 days experimental period. Compared to control, the LCa diet lowered (P<0.01) average daily gain of lambs, but B-supplementation (LCaB-40) of the same nullified the effect. The lowered (P<0.05) total antioxidant activity and humoral immune response in lambs fed LCa diet were restored (P>0.05) to become at par with the control (NCa) upon supplementation of B (LCaB-40). The mRNA expression of SOD1 was lowered (P<0.05) due to LCa diet feeding which too was normalized on B-supplementation to become at par (P>0.05) with the control (NCa). Further, B-supplementation restored lowered (P<0.05) SOD1 gene expression on LCa diet, but enhanced (P<0.05) that in NCaB-40 group, when compared to the control (NCa) diet fed animals. However, these variations were not reflected in the SOD activity in the erythrocytes. The cell-mediated immune response was higher (P<0.05) in lambs fed LCa and LCaB-40 groups and there was no significant interaction between the levels of either Ca or B in diets with the period of immune response measurement. B- supplementation of LCa diet ameliorated tissue degenerative changes in liver and kidney. It was concluded that feeding LCa diet to lambs resulted in reduced growth rate, total antioxidant activity, humoral immune response along with degenerative changes in liver and kidney tissues, but B-supplementation of such diet restored most of these changes and ameliorated histopathological alterations. PMID:29141035

Designing, Testing and Using Command, Control, Communications, Computer, and Intelligence (C4I) Systems: What Causes the Disconnects and What Can Be Done About Them?

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

numbers on a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) visual display or monochrome monitor. Gradually, pictures and color were added to enhance this interaction...apparent that there are very strong interactions among the political, economic, and military aspects of national power. Although the NCA will...classified according to the levels of war. Which level of war best describes your experience with C4I systems? Strategic - NCA (Nuclear) Operational

U.S. Army’s Ground Vehicle Energy Storage R&D Programs & Goals

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-13

Results Li-ion Pack Testing ( NCA ) 13 CO CO2 Analyte Peak Concentration (ppm) 15 min Average Concentration (ppm) Carbon Monoxide (CO) 108939 81588...Carbonate (DMC) 21734 14307 Methyl Butyrate (MB) 47198 33368 • NCA Cell Chemistry • 173V, 6.4kWhr Pack • Prototype pack design (to determine worst case...including advanced prognostic and diagnostic capability) • O092-EP7 – Enhancing the Utilization Efficiency of Cathode Materials in the Li ion

FTIR, FT-RAMAN, NMR, spectra, normal co-ordinate analysis, NBO, NLO and DFT calculation of N,N-diethyl-4-methylpiperazine-1-carboxamide molecule

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muthu, S.; Elamurugu Porchelvi, E.

2013-11-01

The Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and FT-Raman of N,N-diethyl-4-methylpiperazine-1-carboxamide (NND4MC) have been recorded and analyzed. The structure of the compound was optimized and the structural characteristics were determined by density functional theory (DFT) using B3LYP method with 6-31G(d,p) and 6-311G(d,p) basis sets. The difference between the observed and scaled wavenumber values of most of the fundamentals is very small. The theoretically predicted FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of the title molecule have been constructed. The detailed interpretation of the vibrational spectra has been carried out with aid of normal coordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology. Stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjugative interactions and charge delocalization has been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The results show that electron density (ED) in the σ* and π* antibonding orbitals and second order delocalization energies (E2) confirm the occurrence of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) within the molecule. The electronic dipole moment (μD) and the first hyperpolarizability (βtot) values of the investigated molecule were computed using Density Functional Theory (DFT/B3LYP) with 6-31G(d,p) and 6-311G(d,p) basis sets. The calculated results also show that the NND4MC molecule may have microscopy nonlinear optical (NLO) behavior with non zero values. Mulliken atomic charges of NND4MC were calculated. The 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated by the gauge independent atomic orbital (GIAO) method and compared with experimental results. The UV-Vis spectrum of the compound was recorded. The theoretical electronic absorption spectra have been calculated by using CIS, TD-DFT methods. A study on the electronic properties, such as HOMO and LUMO energies, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) were also performed.

Innovations in information management and access for assessments

PubMed Central

Champion, Sarah M.; Kunkel, Kenneth E.; Tilmes, Curt

2017-01-01

The third National Climate Assessment (NCA3) included goals for becoming a more timely, inclusive, rigorous, and sustained process, and for serving a wider variety of decision makers. In order to accomplish these goals, it was necessary to deliberately design an information management strategy that could serve multiple stakeholders and manage different types of information - from highly mature government-supported climate science data, to isolated practitioner-generated case study information - and to do so in ways that are consistent and appropriate for a highly influential assessment. Meeting the information management challenge for NCA3 meant balancing relevance and authority, complexity and accessibility, inclusivity and rigor. Increasing traceability of data behind figures and graphics, designing a public-facing website, managing hundreds of technical inputs to the NCA, and producing guidance for over 300 participants on meeting the Information Quality Act were all aspects of a deliberate, multi-faceted, and strategic information management approach that nonetheless attempted to be practical and usable for a variety of participants and stakeholders. PMID:29081560

Theoretical and vibrational spectroscopic approach to keto-enol tautomerism in methyl-2-(4-methoxybenzoyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-oxopropanoylcarbamate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arı, Hatice; Özpozan, Talat; Büyükmumcu, Zeki; Kabacalı, Yiğit; Saçmaci, Mustafa

2016-10-01

A carbamate compound having tricarbonyl groups, methyl-2-(4-methoxybenzoyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-oxopropanoylcarbamate (BPOC) was investigated from theoretical and vibrational spectroscopic point of view employing quantum chemical methods. Hybrid Density Functionals (B3LYP, X3LYP and B3PW91) with 6-311 G(d,p) basis set were used for the calculations. Rotational barrier and conformational analyses were performed to find the most stable conformers of keto and enol forms of the molecule. Three transition states for keto-enol tautomerism in gas phase were determined. The results of the calculations show that enol-1 form of BPOC is more stable than keto and enol-2 forms. Hydrogen bonding investigation including Natural bond orbital analysis (NBO) for all the tautomeric structures was employed to compare intra-molecular interactions. The energies of HOMO and LUMO molecular orbitals for all tautomeric forms of BPOC were predicted. Normal Coordinate Analysis (NCA) was carried out for the enol-1 to assign vibrational bands of IR and Raman spectra. The scaling factors were calculated as 0.9721, 0.9697 and 0.9685 for B3LYP, X3LYP and B3PW91 methods, respectively. The correlation graphs of experimental versus calculated vibrational wavenumbers were plotted and X3LYP method gave better frequency agreement than the others.

Stabilizing the Electrode/Electrolyte Interface of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 through Tailoring Aluminum Distribution in Microspheres as Long-Life, High-Rate, and Safe Cathode for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Hou, Peiyu; Zhang, Hongzhou; Deng, Xiaolong; Xu, Xijin; Zhang, Lianqi

2017-09-06

The unstable electrode/electrolyte interface of high-capacity LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 (NCA) cathodes, especially at a highly delithiated state, usually leads to the transformation of layered to spinel and/or rock-salt phases, resulting in drastic capacity fade and poor thermal stability. Herein, the Al-increased and Ni-,Co-decreased electrode surface is fabricated through tailoring element distribution in micrometer-sized spherical NCA secondary particles via coprecipitation and solid-state reactions, aimed at stabilizing the electrode/electrolyte interface during continuous cycles. As expected, it shows much extended cycle life, 93.6% capacity retention within 100 cycles, compared with that of 78.5% for the normal NCA. It also delivers large reversible capacity of about 140 mAh g -1 even at 20 C, corresponding to energy density of around 480 Wh kg -1 , which is enhanced by 45% compared to that of the normal NCA (about 330 Wh kg -1 ). Besides, the delayed heat emission temperature and reduced heat generation mean remarkably improved thermal stability. These foregoing improvements are ascribed to the Al-increased spherical secondary particle surface that stabilizes the electrode/electrolyte interface by protecting inner components from directly contacting with electrolyte and suppressing the side reaction on electrode surface between high oxidizing Ni 4+ and electrolyte.

Poly(ornithine-co-arginine-co-glycine-co-aspartic Acid): Preparation via NCA Polymerization and its Potential as a Polymeric Tumor-Penetrating Agent.

PubMed

Yu, Haiyang; Tang, Zhaohui; Zhang, Dawei; Song, Wantong; Duan, Taicheng; Gu, Jingkai; Chen, Xuesi

2015-06-01

A novel random copolypeptide of ornithine, arginine, glycine, and aspartic acid [Poly(ornithine-co-arginine-co-glycine-co-aspartic acid), Poly(O,R,G,D)] has been prepared through ring-opening polymerization of N-δ-carbobenzoxy-l-ornithine N-carboxyanhydride [Orn(Cbz)-NCA)], l-glycine N-carboxyanhydride (Gly-NCA) and β-benzyl l-aspartate N-carboxyanhydride [Asp(Bn)-NCA], following by subsequent deprotection and guanidization. The structure of Poly(O,R,G,D) was confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Low cytotoxicity of Poly(O,R,G,D) was confirmed from MTT assay. The Poly(O,R,G,D) contain some internal sequences of RXXR (X = O, R, G, or D) that could be proteolytically cleaved to expose the cryptic CendR element and bind to Neuropilin-1. This would lead to vascular and tissue permeabilization. Therefore trypsin-cleaved Poly(O,R,G,D) increase the vascular leakage of Evans blue from dermal microvessels at the injection site in vivo skin permeability assay. The intratumoral injection of the Poly(O,R,G,D) significantly enhanced the concentration of cisplatin-loaded nanoparticles in MCF-7 solid tumors. These results show that Poly(O,R,G,D) could increase the vascular leakage and tissue penetration of nanoparticles in a solid tumor and can be used as a potential polymeric tumor-penetrating agent. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Conformational stability, spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman and UV-Vis) analysis, NLO, NBO, FMO and Fukui function analysis of 4-hexylacetophenone by density functional theory.

PubMed

Saravanan, S; Balachandran, V

2015-03-05

The experimental and theoretical study on the structures and vibrations of 4-hexylacetophenone (abbreviated as 4HAP) are presented. The FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of the title compound have been recorded in the region 4000-400cm(-1) and 3500-100cm(-1) respectively. The molecular structures, vibrational wavenumbers, infrared intensities and Raman activities were calculated using DFT (B3LYP and LSDA) method with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The most stable conformer of 4HAP is identified from the computational results. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the aid of normal coordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology (SQMEF). The linear polarizability (α) and the first hyperpolarizability (βtot) values of the investigated molecule have been computed using B3LYP and LSDA with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. Stability of the molecule arising from hyper conjugative interaction and charge transfer delocalization has been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The molecule orbital contributions are studied by density of energy states (DOSs). UV-Vis spectrum and effects of solvents have been discussed effects of solvents have been discussed and the electronic properties such as HOMO and LUMO energies were determined by time-dependent TD-DFT approach. Fukui function and Mulliken analysis on atomic charges of the title compound have been calculated. Finally, electrophilic and nucleophilic descriptors of the title molecule have been calculated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

FT-IR and Raman spectra, DFT and SQMFF calculations for geometrical interpretation and vibrational analysis of 3-nitro-p-toluic acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nataraj, A.; Balachandran, V.; Karthick, T.

2012-08-01

The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and FT-Raman of 3-nitro-p-toluic acid (NTA) have been recorded and analyzed. The equilibrium geometry, bonding features and harmonic vibrational frequencies have been investigated with the help of ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of normal coordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology (SQMFF). The optimized geometric bond lengths and bond angles obtained by computation show good agreement with experimental data of the relative compound. The computed dimer parameters also show good agreement with experimental data. The first hyperpolarizability (β0) of this noval molecular system and related properties (β, α0, and Δα) of NTA are calculated using B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) method on the finite-field approach. Stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjugative interactions, charge delocalization have been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The results show that charge in electron density (ED) in the σ* and π* antibonding orbital and second order delocalization energies E(2) confirms the occurrence of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) within the molecule. The calculated HOMO and LUMO energies also show that charge transfer occurs within the molecule. Finally the calculations results were applied to simulated infrared and Raman spectra of the title compound which show good agreement with observed spectra.

Controlled synthesis of phosphorylcholine derivatives of poly(serine) and poly(homoserine).

PubMed

Yakovlev, Ilya; Deming, Timothy J

2015-04-01

We report methods for the synthesis of polypeptides that are fully functionalized with desirable phosphorylcholine, PC, groups. Because of the inherent challenges in the direct incorporation of the PC group into α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) monomers, we developed a synthetic approach that combined functional NCA polymerization with efficient postpolymerization modification. While poly(L-phosphorylcholine serine) was found to be unstable upon synthesis, we successfully prepared poly(L-phosphorylcholine homoserine) with controlled chain lengths and found these to be water-soluble with disordered chain conformations.

76 FR 31683 - Proposed Information Collection (NCA PreNeed Burial Evaluation) Activity: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-01

...The National Cemetery Administration (NCA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed new collection and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information needed to determine a claimant's eligibility for burial at a National Cemetery.

Prelithiation of silicon-carbon nanotube anodes for lithium ion batteries by stabilized lithium metal powder (SLMP).

PubMed

Forney, Michael W; Ganter, Matthew J; Staub, Jason W; Ridgley, Richard D; Landi, Brian J

2013-09-11

Stabilized lithium metal powder (SLMP) has been applied during battery assembly to effectively prelithiate high capacity (1500-2500 mAh/g) silicon-carbon nanotube (Si-CNT) anodes, eliminating the 20-40% first cycle irreversible capacity loss. Pressure-activation of SLMP is shown to enhance prelithiation and enable capacity matching between Si-CNT anodes and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA) cathodes in full batteries with minimal added mass. The prelithiation approach enables high energy density NCA/Si-CNT batteries achieving >1000 cycles at 20% depth-of-discharge.

No-carrier-added (NCA) aryl ([sup 18]F) fluorides via the nucleophilic aromatic substitution of electron rich aromatic rings

DOEpatents

Yushin Ding; Fowler, J.S.; Wolf, A.P.

1993-10-19

A method for synthesizing no-carrier-added (NCA) aryl [.sup.18 F] fluoride substituted aromatic aldehyde compositions bearing an electron donating group is described. The method of the present invention includes the step of reacting aromatic nitro aldehydes having a suitably protected hydroxyl substitutent on an electron rich ring. The reaction is The U.S. Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract Number DE-AC02-76CH00016, between the U.S. Department of Energy and Associated Universities Inc.

No-carrier-added (NCA) aryl (18E) fluorides via the nucleophilic aromatic substitution of electron rich aromatic rings

DOEpatents

Ding, Yu-Shin; Fowler, Joanna S.; Wolf, Alfred P.

1993-01-01

A method for synthesizing no-carrier-added (NCA) aryl [.sup.18 F] fluoride substituted aromatic aldehyde compositions bearing an electron donating group is described. The method of the present invention includes the step of reacting aromatic nitro aldehydes having a suitably protected hydroxyl substitutent on an electron rich ring. The reaction is The U.S. Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract Number DE-AC02-76CH00016, between the U.S. Department of Energy and Associated Universities Inc.

Understanding the Intrinsic Electrochemistry of Ni-Rich Layered Cathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sallis, Shawn

The demand for energy is continually increasing overtime and the key to meeting future demand in a sustainable way is with energy storage. Li-ion batteries employing layered transition metal oxide cathodes are one of the most technologically important energy storage technologies. However, current Li-ion batteries are unable to access their full theoretical capacity and suffer from performance limiting degradation over time partially originating from the cathode and partially from the interface with the electrolyte. Understanding the fundamental limitations of layered transition metal oxide cathodes requires a complete understanding of the surface and bulk of the materials in their most delithiated state. In this thesis, we employ LiNi0.8Co0.15Al 0.05O2 (NCA) as a model system for Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes. Unlike its parent compound, LiCoO2, NCA is capable of high states of delithiation with minimal structural transitions. Furthermore, commercially available NCA has little to no transition metals in the Li layer. X-ray spectroscopies are an ideal tool for studying cathodes at high states of delithiation due their elemental selectivity, range of probing depths, and sensitivity to both chemical and electronic state information. The oxidation state of the transition metals at the surface can be probed via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) while both bulk and surface oxidation states as well as changes in metal oxygen bonding can be probed using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Using X-ray spectroscopy in tandem with electrochemical, transport and microscopy measurements of the same materials, the impedance growth with increasing delithiation was correlated with the formation of a disordered NiO phase on the surface of NCA which was precipitated by the release of oxygen. Furthermore, the surface degradation was strongly impacted by the type of Li salt used in the electrolyte, with the standard commercial salt LiPF6 suffering from exothermic decomposition at high voltages and temperatures. Substituting LiPF6with LiBF4 suppressed NCA surface degradation and the dissolution of the transition metals into the electrolyte which is responsible for the impedance growth. Even in the most extreme conditions (4.75V vs Li +/Li0 at 60 °C for > 100 hrs) the degradation (i.e. metal reduction) was restricted to the first 10-30 nm and no evidence of oxygen loss was observed in the bulk. However, the transition metal ions were found to cease oxidizing above 4.25 V vs Li+/Li0 despite it being possible to extract 20% more lithium. Using a newly developed high efficiency resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) spectrometer to probe the O K-edge of NCA electrodes at various conditions, it was concluded that oxygen participates in the charge compensation at the highest states of delithiation instead of the transition metals. These results are intrinsic to the physical and electronic structure of NCA and appear general to the other layered transition metal oxides currently under consideration for use as cathodes in Li-ion batteries.

Modeled post-glacial landscape evolution at the southern margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet: hydrological connection of uplands controls the pace and style of fluvial network expansion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, J.; Anders, A. M.

2017-12-01

Landscapes of the US Midwest were repeatedly affected by the southern margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet during the Quaternary. Glacial processes removed pre-glacial relief and left constructional landforms including low-relief till plains and high-relief moraines. As the ice retreated, meltwater was collected in subglacial or proglacial lakes and outburst floods of glacial lakes episodically carved deep valleys. These valleys provided the majority of post-glacial landscape relief. However, a significant fraction of the area of low-relief till plains was occupied by closed depressions and remained unconnected to these meltwater valleys. This area is referred to as non-contributing area (NCA) because it does not typically contribute surface runoff to stream networks. Decreasing fractions of NCA on older glacial landscape surfaces suggests that NCA becomes integrated into external drainage networks over time. We propose that this integration could occur via two different paths: 1) through capture of NCA as channel heads propagate into the upland or, 2) through erosion of a channel along a flow path that, perhaps intermittently, connects NCA to the external drainage network. We refer the two cases as "disconnected" and "connected" cases since the crucial difference between them is the hydrological connectivity on the upland. We investigate the differences in the evolution of channel networks and morphology in low relief landscapes under disconnected and connected drainage regimes through numerical simulations of fluvial and hillslope processes. We observe a substantially faster evolution of the channel network in the connected case than in the disconnected case. Modeled landscapes show that channel network in the connected case has longer, more sinuous channels. We also find that the connected case removes lower amounts of total mass than the disconnected case when the same degree of channel integration is achieved. Observed landscapes in US Midwest are more comparable to the connected case than the disconnected case. This finding suggest that the hydrological connectivity in these landscapes may not be entirely controlled by topographic drainage divides.

Phenylethynyl Containing Polyarylene Ethers/Polyimides Resin Infiltration of Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunn, DeRome O.

1998-01-01

The following tasks were performed at NCA&TSU during the second year in performance of the grant. LaRC-LV-1 13 resin was synthesized at NCA&TSU. In order to perform the synthesis, glassware and needed apparatus were purchased with grant funds along with the appropriate monomers. It was found that the LaRC-LV-1 13 resin was easily synthesized by the NMP solvent/toluene imminization/distilled water precipitation process. However, in use this resin exhibited a bubbling/foaming behavior during cure that was detrimental leading to the production of composite panels having a high void content. Composite panels were fabricated using compression molding and resin transfer molding (RTM) techniques. Initial fiber volume determinations were computed at NCA&TSU along with NASA-Langley measured c-scans on the panels produced. The initial results indicated a unsatisfactory level of approximately 20% by volume of voids. Testing of uniaxial coupons in compression to failure also agreed with these results. The uniaxial coupons delaminated as the major mode of failure indicative of an unacceptably low level of resin and to much void content in the final composites produced. In discussions with Dr. Brian Jensen, it was suggested the void fraction needs to be reduced to at least 2% by volume for a useful composite. The panels produced used both resin synthesized at NASA-Langley and NCA&TSU. In reviewing our progress over the past year, it was noted that the resin as formulated by the current synthesis process bubbled at elevated temperature. This was especially observed in neat resin slugs cured at the recommended one, four and eight hour cure temperatures. Pressurized cures where then performed with pressures up to 200 psi and simultaneously the lowest eight hour cure temperatures. Although this procedure reduced the amount of bubbles to some extent in the neat resin slugs it did not completely eliminate them. The cure reaction appears to be very energetic even at the lowest recommended cure temperature. Currently, the pressurized cure apparatus developed at NCA&TSU is limited to 200 psi.

Origins of the elastic behavior of nanoparticle chain aggregates: Measurements using nanostructure manipulation device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suh, Yong J.; Friedlander, Sheldon K.

2003-03-01

Nanoscale studies were conducted on the dynamic behavior of individual nanoparticle chain aggregates (NCAs) and their networks. For this purpose, device was fabricated to apply tension to NCA under controlled conditions. The device is composed of a specimen support and a cartridge. The specimen support is a deformable alloy disk with a narrow slit across which the NCAs are deposited; the cartridge is used to connect the specimen support to a specimen elongation support holder. The aggregates were stretched using the specimen holder to widen or narrow the slit gap at speeds from 0.5 to 300 nm/s and the motion was observed with a transmission electron microscope. Most of the studies were made with carbon NCA (primary particle size between 11 and 16 nm) generated by laser ablation of a graphite target. The aggregates were deposited on the specimen support (disk) to form bridges across the slit. When tension was applied, the NCA chains remained attached at the slit edges; the chains stretched as kinks on the scale of a few particle diameters were straightened by rotation and/or grain boundary sliding at particle-particle interfaces. After the chain became taut, increasing tension produced little additional extension. Eventually, the chain broke, the tension relaxed, and the elastically strained portions along the NCA recovered. This led to fast contraction of the two broken ends. In one of the cases studied in detail, a small primary particle in the chain doubled in length before the chain broke at this site. This probably occurred because of the high tensile stress in the small particle. In separate experiments, a network of carbon NCA was produced by increased deposition around the slit of a specimen support. Chains in the network broke successively as the network stretched. Some of the chains broke midway and not at the junctures with each other. They contracted fast showing behavior similar to that of the individual aggregates. Possible applications to the behavior of nanocomposite materials composed of blends of NCAs and molecular polymers (e.g., rubber) are described.

NASA and the National Climate Assessment: Promoting awareness of NASA Earth science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leidner, A. K.

2014-12-01

NASA Earth science observations, models, analyses, and applications made significant contributions to numerous aspects of the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA) report and are contributing to sustained climate assessment activities. The agency's goal in participating in the NCA was to ensure that NASA scientific resources were made available to understand the current state of climate change science and climate change impacts. By working with federal agency partners and stakeholder communities to develop and write the report, the agency was able to raise awareness of NASA climate science with audiences beyond the traditional NASA community. To support assessment activities within the NASA community, the agency sponsored two competitive programs that not only funded research and tools for current and future assessments, but also increased capacity within our community to conduct assessment-relevant science and to participate in writing assessments. Such activities fostered the ability of graduate students, post-docs, and senior researchers to learn about the science needs of climate assessors and end-users, which can guide future research activities. NASA also contributed to developing the Global Change Information System, which deploys information from the NCA to scientists, decision makers, and the public, and thus contributes to climate literacy. Finally, NASA satellite imagery and animations used in the Third NCA helped the pubic and decision makers visualize climate changes and were frequently used in social media to communicate report key findings. These resources are also key for developing educational materials that help teachers and students explore regional climate change impacts and opportunities for responses.

Long-term prairie falcon population changes in relation to prey abundance, weather, land uses, and habitat conditions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steenhof, Karen; Kochert, Michael N.; Carpenter, L.B.; Lehman, Robert N.

1999-01-01

We studied a nesting population of Prairie Falcons (Falco mexicanus) in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA) from 1974-1997 to identify factors that influence abundance and reproduction. Our sampling period included two major droughts and associated crashes in Townsend's ground squirrel (Spermophilus townsendii) populations. The number of Prairie Falcon pairs found on long-term survey segments declined significantly from 1976-1997. Early declines were most severe at the eastern end of the NCA, where fires and agriculture have changed native shrubsteppe habitat. More recent declines occurred in the portion of canyon near the Orchard Training Area (OTA), where the Idaho Army National Guard conducts artillery firing and tank maneuvers. Overall Prairie Falcon reproductive rates were tied closely to annual indexes of ground squirrel abundance, but precipitation before and during the breeding season was related inversely to some measures of reproduction. Most reproductive parameters showed no significant trends over time, but during the 1990s, nesting success and productivity were lower in the stretch of canyon near the OTA than in adjacent areas. Extensive shrub loss, by itself, did not explain the pattern of declines in abundance and reproduction that we observed. Recent military training activities likely have interacted with fire and livestock grazing to create less than favorable foraging opportunities for Prairie Falcons in a large part of the NCA. To maintain Prairie Falcon populations in the NCA, managers should suppress wildfires, restore native plant communities, and regulate potentially incompatible land uses.

Analysis of Material Distribution from NSC San Diego to Local Customers.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

local customers, especially the Naval Air Rework Facility (NARY) at NASNI. This thesis offers a general discussion and documentation of the~- D 2...improved post-consolidation support to its local customers, especially the Naval Air Rework Facility (NARF) at NASNI. This thesis offers a general...Turned In To Store MTR Mandatory Turn-in Repairable NAB Naval Amphibious Base NC Not Carried NCA National City Annex NARF Naval Air Rework Facility

Quantum mechanical study and spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman, UV-Visible) study, potential energy surface scan, Fukui function analysis and HOMO-LUMO analysis of 3-tert-butyl-4-methoxyphenol by DFT methods.

PubMed

Saravanan, S; Balachandran, V

2014-09-15

This study represents an integral approach towards understanding the electronic and structural aspects of 3-tert-butyl-4-methoxyphenol (TBMP). Fourier-transform Infrared (FT-IR) and Fourier-transform Raman (FT-Raman) spectra of TBMP was recorded in the region 4000-400 cm(-1) and 3500-100 cm(-1), respectively. The molecular structures, vibrational wavenumbers, infrared intensities and Raman activities were calculated using DFT (B3LYP and LSDA) methods using 6-311++G (d,p) basis set. The most stable conformer of TBMP was identified from the computational results. The assignments of vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of normal co-ordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field (SQMFF) methodology. The first order hyperpolarizability (β0) and related properties (β, α0 and Δα) of TBMP have been discussed. The stability and charge delocalization of the molecule was studied by Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis. UV-Visible spectrum and effects of solvents have been discussed and the electronic properties such as HOMO and LUMO energies were determined by time-dependent TD-DFT approach with B3LYP/6-311++G (d,p) level of theory. The molecule orbital contributions are studied by density of energy states (DOSs). The reactivity sites are identified by mapping the electron density into electrostatic potential surface (MEP). Mulliken analysis of atomic charges is also calculated. The thermodynamic properties at different temperatures were calculated, revealing the correlations between standard heat capacities, standard entropy and standard enthalpy changes with temperatures. Global hardness, global softness, global electrophilicity and ionization potential of the title compound are determined. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric response to Saharan dust deduced from ECMWF reanalysis increments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kishcha, P.; Alpert, P.; Barkan, J.; Kirchner, I.; Machenhauer, B.

2003-04-01

This study focuses on the atmospheric temperature response to dust deduced from a new source of data - the European Reanalysis (ERA) increments. These increments are the systematic errors of global climate models, generated in reanalysis procedure. The model errors result not only from the lack of desert dust but also from a complex combination of many kinds of model errors. Over the Sahara desert the dust radiative effect is believed to be a predominant model defect which should significantly affect the increments. This dust effect was examined by considering correlation between the increments and remotely-sensed dust. Comparisons were made between April temporal variations of the ERA analysis increments and the variations of the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer aerosol index (AI) between 1979 and 1993. The distinctive structure was identified in the distribution of correlation composed of three nested areas with high positive correlation (> 0.5), low correlation, and high negative correlation (<-0.5). The innermost positive correlation area (PCA) is a large area near the center of the Sahara desert. For some local maxima inside this area the correlation even exceeds 0.8. The outermost negative correlation area (NCA) is not uniform. It consists of some areas over the eastern and western parts of North Africa with a relatively small amount of dust. Inside those areas both positive and negative high correlations exist at pressure levels ranging from 850 to 700 hPa, with the peak values near 775 hPa. Dust-forced heating (cooling) inside the PCA (NCA) is accompanied by changes in the static stability of the atmosphere above the dust layer. The reanalysis data of the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecast(ECMWF) suggests that the PCA (NCA) corresponds mainly to anticyclonic (cyclonic) flow, negative (positive) vorticity, and downward (upward) airflow. These facts indicate an interaction between dust-forced heating /cooling and atmospheric circulation. The April correlation results are supported by the analysis of vertical distribution of dust concentration, derived from the 24-hour dust prediction system at Tel Aviv University (website: http://earth.nasa.proj.ac.il/dust/current/). For other months the analysis is more complicated because of the essential increasing of humidity along with the northward progress of the ITCZ and the significant impact on the increments.

Quantum mechanical study of the structure and spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman, 13C, 1H and UV), first order hyperpolarizabilities, NBO and TD-DFT analysis of the 4-methyl-2-cyanobiphenyl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sebastian, S.; Sundaraganesan, N.; Karthikeiyan, B.; Srinivasan, V.

2011-02-01

The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and FT-Raman of 4-methyl-2-cyanobiphenyl (4M2CBP) have been recorded and analyzed. The equilibrium geometry, bonding features and harmonic vibrational frequencies have been investigated with the help of density functional theory (DFT) method. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of normal coordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology (SQMFF). The 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated by the Gauge including atomic orbital (GIAO) method. The first order hyperpolarizability ( β0) of this novel molecular system and related properties ( β, α0 and Δ α) of 4M2CBP are calculated using HF/6-311G(d,p) method on the finite-field approach. Stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjugative interactions, charge delocalization have been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The results show that charge in electron density (ED) in the σ* and π* antibonding orbitals and second order delocalization energies ( E2) confirms the occurrence of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) within the molecule. UV-vis spectrum of the compound was recorded and the electronic properties, such as HOMO and LUMO energies, were performed by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) approach. Finally the calculations results were applied to simulated infrared and Raman spectra of the title compound which show good agreement with observed spectra.

Electrolyte-induced surface transformation and transition-metal dissolution of fully delithiated LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2

DOE PAGES

Faenza, Nicholas V.; Lebens-Higgins, Zachary W.; Mukherjee, Pinaki; ...

2017-06-08

Here, enabling practical utilization of layered Rmore » $$\\bar{3}$$ m positive electrodes near full delithiation requires an enhanced understanding of the complex electrode–electrolyte interactions that often induce failure. Using Li[Ni 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05]O 2 (NCA) as a model layered compound, the chemical and structural stability in a strenuous thermal and electrochemical environment was explored. Operando microcalorimetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy identified a fingerprint for a structural decomposition and transition-metal dissolution reaction that occurs on the positive electrode at full delithiation. Surface-sensitive characterization techniques, including X-ray absorption spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, measured a structural and morphological transformation of the surface and subsurface regions of NCA. Despite the bulk structural integrity being maintained, NCA surface degradation at a high state of charge induces excessive transition-metal dissolution and significant positive electrode impedance development, resulting in a rapid decrease in electrochemical performance. Additionally, the impact of electrolyte salt, positive electrode surface area, and surface Li 2CO 3 content on the magnitude and character of the dissolution reaction was studied.« less

Electrolyte-Induced Surface Transformation and Transition-Metal Dissolution of Fully Delithiated LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2.

PubMed

Faenza, Nicholas V; Lebens-Higgins, Zachary W; Mukherjee, Pinaki; Sallis, Shawn; Pereira, Nathalie; Badway, Fadwa; Halajko, Anna; Ceder, Gerbrand; Cosandey, Frederic; Piper, Louis F J; Amatucci, Glenn G

2017-09-19

Enabling practical utilization of layered R3̅m positive electrodes near full delithiation requires an enhanced understanding of the complex electrode-electrolyte interactions that often induce failure. Using Li[Ni 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 ]O 2 (NCA) as a model layered compound, the chemical and structural stability in a strenuous thermal and electrochemical environment was explored. Operando microcalorimetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy identified a fingerprint for a structural decomposition and transition-metal dissolution reaction that occurs on the positive electrode at full delithiation. Surface-sensitive characterization techniques, including X-ray absorption spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, measured a structural and morphological transformation of the surface and subsurface regions of NCA. Despite the bulk structural integrity being maintained, NCA surface degradation at a high state of charge induces excessive transition-metal dissolution and significant positive electrode impedance development, resulting in a rapid decrease in electrochemical performance. Additionally, the impact of electrolyte salt, positive electrode surface area, and surface Li 2 CO 3 content on the magnitude and character of the dissolution reaction was studied.

Understanding capacity fade in silicon based electrodes for lithium-ion batteries using three electrode cells and upper cut-off voltage studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beattie, Shane D.; Loveridge, M. J.; Lain, Michael J.; Ferrari, Stefania; Polzin, Bryant J.; Bhagat, Rohit; Dashwood, Richard

2016-01-01

Commercial Li-ion batteries are typically cycled between 3.0 and 4.2 V. These voltages limits are chosen based on the characteristics of the cathode (e.g. lithium cobalt oxide) and anode (e.g. graphite). When alternative anode/cathode chemistries are studied the same cut-off voltages are often, mistakenly, used. Silicon (Si) based anodes are widely studied as a high capacity alternative to graphite for Lithium-ion batteries. When silicon-based anodes are paired with high capacity cathodes (e.g. Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminium Oxide; NCA) the cell typically suffers from rapid capacity fade. The purpose of this communication is to understand how the choice of upper cut-off voltage affects cell performance in Si/NCA cells. A careful study of three-electrode cell data will show that capacity fade in Si/NCA cells is due to an ever-evolving silicon voltage profile that pushes the upper voltage at the cathode to >4.4 V (vs. Li/Li+). This behaviour initially improves cycle efficiency, due to liberation of new lithium, but ultimately reduces cycling efficiency, resulting in rapid capacity fade.

Surface Surgery of the Nickel-Rich Cathode Material LiNi0.815Co0.15Al0.035O2: Toward a Complete and Ordered Surface Layered Structure and Better Electrochemical Properties.

PubMed

Tang, Zhongfeng; Bao, Junjie; Du, Qingxia; Shao, Yu; Gao, Minghao; Zou, Bangkun; Chen, Chunhua

2016-12-21

A complete and ordered layered structure on the surface of LiNi 0.815 Co 0.15 Al 0.035 O 2 (NCA) has been achieved via a facile surface-oxidation method with Na 2 S 2 O 8 . The field-emission transmission electron microscopy images clearly show that preoxidation of the hydroxide precursor can eliminate the crystal defects and convert Ni(OH) 2 into layered β-NiOOH, which leads to a highly ordered crystalline NCA, with its (006) planes perpendicular to the surface in the sintering process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman shift results demonstrate that the contents of Ni 2+ and Co 2+ ions are reduced with preoxidization on the surface of the hydroxide precursor. The level of Li + /Ni 2+ disordering in the modified NCA determined by the peak intensity ratio I (003) /I (104) in X-ray diffraction patterns decreases. Thanks to the complete and ordered layered structure on the surface of secondary particles, lithium ions can easily intercalate/extract in the discharging-charging process, leading to greatly improved electrochemical properties.

NASA Contributions to the Development and Testing of Climate Indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houser, P. R.; Leidner, A. K.; Tsaoussi, L.; Kaye, J. A.

2014-12-01

NASA is a major contributor the U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA), a central component of the 2012-2022 U.S. Global Change Research Program's Strategic Plan. NASA supports a range of global climate and related environmental assessment activities through its data records, models, and model-produced data sets, as well as through involvement of agency personnel. These assessments provide important information on climate change and are used by policymakers, especially with the recent increased interest in climate vulnerability, impacts, and adaptation. Climate indicators provide a clear and concise way of communicating to the NCA audiences about not only status and trends of physical drivers of the climate system, but also the ecological and socioeconomic impacts, vulnerabilities, and responses to those drivers. NASA is enhancing its participation in future NCAs by encouraging the developing and testing of potential indicators that best address the needs expressed in the NCA indicator vision and that leverage NASA's capabilities. This presentation will highlight a suite of new climate indicators that draws significantly from NASA -produced data and/or modeling products, to support decisions related to impacts, adaptation, vulnerability, and mitigation associated with climate and global change.

Sex effects on macromineral requirements for growth in Saanen goats: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Vargas, J A C; Almeida, A K; Souza, A P; Fernandes, M H M R; Resende, K T; Teixeira, I A M A

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sex on the net requirements of growth for Ca (NCa), P (NP), Na (NNa), K (NK), and Mg (NMg) in Saanen goats from 5 to 45 kg BW, with or without consideration of the degree of maturity. A database containing 209 individual records for Saanen goats (69 castrated males, 71 intact males, and 69 females) was generated from 6 comparative slaughter studies. Total amounts of Ca, P, Na, K, and Mg in the body were fitted to logarithmized allometric equations using empty BW (EBW) or degree of maturity (EBW/mature EBW) as regressors. The equations were fitted using a mixed model, where sex was considered a fixed effect and study was considered a random effect. Net requirements were estimated by the first derivative of the logarithmized allometric equations. Then, a Monte Carlo simulation was used to assess the uncertainty of calculated net requirement values. Without considering the degree of maturity, sex did not affect NCa, NP, and NNa ( > 0.10). Conversely, considering the degree of maturity, NCa and NP of intact males were 5% and 2%, respectively, greater than those of castrated males and females ( < 0.01), and NNa of males (castrated and intact) was 6% greater than that of females ( < 0.01). Regardless of approach used, NCa and NP remained constant, whereas NNa decreased by 32% as BW ranged from 5 to 45 kg. Without considering the degree of maturity, NMg of castrated and intact males were 8% and 18% greater than that of female goats ( = 0.054), respectively. Hereof NMg of castrated and intact males increased by 8% and 15%, respectively, whereas that of females decreased by 8% as BW ranged from 5 to 45 kg. Considering the degree of maturity, NMg of castrated and intact males were 7% and 17% greater than that of female goats ( = 0.054), respectively. In this regard, NMg of castrated and intact males increased 8% and 16%, respectively, whereas that of females decreased by 7% from 5 to 45 kg BW. Both approaches showed that, regardless of sex ( > 0.10), NK decreased by 26% (i.e., without considering the maturity degree) or 27% (i.e., considering the degree of maturity) from 5 to 45 kg BW. Therefore, the consideration of maturity stage highlights differences across sexes in the net macromineral requirements for growth in goats. Elucidation of sex effects on macromineral requirements for growth may be useful for improving the accuracy of recommendations for mineral requirements for dairy goats.

Spectroscopic studies (FTIR, FT-Raman and UV-Visible), normal coordinate analysis, NBO analysis, first order hyper polarizability, HOMO and LUMO analysis of (1R)-N-(Prop-2-yn-1-yl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-amine molecule by ab initio HF and density functional methods.

PubMed

Muthu, S; Ramachandran, G

2014-01-01

The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and FT-Raman of (1R)-N-(Prop-2-yn-1-yl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-amine (1RNPDA) were recorded in the regions 4000-400 cm(-1) and 4000-100 cm(-1) respectively. A complete assignment and analysis of the fundamental vibrational modes of the molecule were carried out. The observed fundamental modes have been compared with the harmonic vibrational frequencies computed using HF method by employing 6-31G(d,p) basis set and DFT(B3LYP) method by employing 6-31G(d,p) basis set. The vibrational studies were interpreted in terms of Potential Energy Distribution (PED). The complete vibrational frequency assignments were made by Normal Co-ordinate Analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology (SQMFF). The first order hyper polarizability (β0) of this molecular system and related properties (α, μ, and Δα) are calculated using B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) method based on the finite-field approach. The thermodynamic functions of the title compound were also performed at the above methods and basis set. A detailed interpretation of the infrared and Raman spectra of 1RNPDA is reported. The (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated using the GIAO method confirms with the experimental values. Stability of the molecule arising from hyper-conjugative interactions and charge delocalization has been analyzed using Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis. UV-vis spectrum of the compound was recorded and electronic properties such as excitation energies, oscillator strength and wavelength were performed by TD-DFT/B3LYP using 6-31G(d,p) basis set. The HOMO and LUMO energy gap reveals that the energy gap reflects the chemical activity of the molecule. The observed and calculated wave numbers are formed to be in good agreement. The experimental spectra also coincide satisfactorily with those of theoretically constructed spectra. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

FTIR, FT-RAMAN, NMR, spectra, normal co-ordinate analysis, NBO, NLO and DFT calculation of N,N-diethyl-4-methylpiperazine-1-carboxamide molecule.

PubMed

Muthu, S; Elamurugu Porchelvi, E

2013-11-01

The Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and FT-Raman of N,N-diethyl-4-methylpiperazine-1-carboxamide (NND4MC) have been recorded and analyzed. The structure of the compound was optimized and the structural characteristics were determined by density functional theory (DFT) using B3LYP method with 6-31G(d,p) and 6-311G(d,p) basis sets. The difference between the observed and scaled wavenumber values of most of the fundamentals is very small. The theoretically predicted FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of the title molecule have been constructed. The detailed interpretation of the vibrational spectra has been carried out with aid of normal coordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology. Stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjugative interactions and charge delocalization has been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The results show that electron density (ED) in the σ(*) and π(*) antibonding orbitals and second order delocalization energies (E2) confirm the occurrence of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) within the molecule. The electronic dipole moment (μD) and the first hyperpolarizability (βtot) values of the investigated molecule were computed using Density Functional Theory (DFT/B3LYP) with 6-31G(d,p) and 6-311G(d,p) basis sets. The calculated results also show that the NND4MC molecule may have microscopy nonlinear optical (NLO) behavior with non zero values. Mulliken atomic charges of NND4MC were calculated. The (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated by the gauge independent atomic orbital (GIAO) method and compared with experimental results. The UV-Vis spectrum of the compound was recorded. The theoretical electronic absorption spectra have been calculated by using CIS, TD-DFT methods. A study on the electronic properties, such as HOMO and LUMO energies, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) were also performed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

FT-IR, FT-Raman, NMR studies and ab initio-HF, DFT-B3LYP vibrational analysis of 4-chloro-2-fluoroaniline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arivazhagan, M.; Anitha Rexalin, D.

2012-10-01

The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Fourier transform Raman (FT-Raman) spectra of 4-chloro-2-fluoroaniline (CFA) have been recorded and analyzed. The equilibrium geometry, bonding features and harmonic vibrational frequencies have been investigated with the help of ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of normal coordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology. The 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts of the molecule are calculated by the Gauge including atomic orbital (GIAO) method. The first order hyperpolarizability (β0) of this novel molecular system and related properties (β, α0 and Δα) of CFA are calculated using B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) and HF/6-311++G(d,p) methods on the finite-field approach. The calculated results also show that the CFA molecule might have microscopic nonlinear optical (NLO) behavior with non-zero values. Stability of the molecule arising from hyper conjugative interactions, charge delocalization has been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The result confirms the occurrence of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) within the molecule. The HOMO-LUMO energies UV-vis spectral analysis and MEP are performed by B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) approach. A detailed interpretation of the infrared and Raman spectra of CFA is also reported based on total energy distribution (TED). The difference between the observed and scaled wave number values of the most of the fundamentals is very small.

FT-IR, FT-Raman, NMR studies and ab initio-HF, DFT-B3LYP vibrational analysis of 4-chloro-2-fluoroaniline.

PubMed

Arivazhagan, M; Anitha Rexalin, D

2012-10-01

The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Fourier transform Raman (FT-Raman) spectra of 4-chloro-2-fluoroaniline (CFA) have been recorded and analyzed. The equilibrium geometry, bonding features and harmonic vibrational frequencies have been investigated with the help of ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of normal coordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology. The (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts of the molecule are calculated by the Gauge including atomic orbital (GIAO) method. The first order hyperpolarizability (β(0)) of this novel molecular system and related properties (β, α(0) and Δα) of CFA are calculated using B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) and HF/6-311++G(d,p) methods on the finite-field approach. The calculated results also show that the CFA molecule might have microscopic nonlinear optical (NLO) behavior with non-zero values. Stability of the molecule arising from hyper conjugative interactions, charge delocalization has been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The result confirms the occurrence of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) within the molecule. The HOMO-LUMO energies UV-vis spectral analysis and MEP are performed by B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) approach. A detailed interpretation of the infrared and Raman spectra of CFA is also reported based on total energy distribution (TED). The difference between the observed and scaled wave number values of the most of the fundamentals is very small. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Potential New Ligand Systems for Binding Uranyl Ions in Seawater Environments

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

Arnold, John

2014-12-13

Work began this quarter on a new project involving a combined computational and biosynthetic approach to selective recognition of uranyl ion in aqueous solution. This project exploits the results of computational studies to discover new ligand classes. Synthetic studies will follow to generate target systems for uranyl binding and determination of binding constants. The process will be iterative, with results from computation informing synthesis, and vice versa. The theme of the ligand classes to be examined initially will be biologically based. New phosphonate-containing α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) monomers were used recently to prepare well-defined phosphonate-containing poly-peptides and block copolypeptides. Ourmore » first approach is to utilize these phosphate- and phosphonate-containing NCAs for the coordination of uranyl. The work includes the laboratory-scale preparation of a series of NCAs and the full thermodynamic and spectroscopic characterization of the resulting uranyl complexes. We are also evaluating the sequestering activity in different physiological and environmental conditions of these copolymers as well as their biodegradability.« less

Atmospheric response to Saharan dust deduced from ECMWF reanalysis (ERA) temperature increments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kishcha, P.; Alpert, P.; Barkan, J.; Kirchner, I.; Machenhauer, B.

2003-09-01

This study focuses on the atmospheric temperature response to dust deduced from a new source of data the European Reanalysis (ERA) increments. These increments are the systematic errors of global climate models, generated in the reanalysis procedure. The model errors result not only from the lack of desert dust but also from a complex combination of many kinds of model errors. Over the Sahara desert the lack of dust radiative effect is believed to be a predominant model defect which should significantly affect the increments. This dust effect was examined by considering correlation between the increments and remotely sensed dust. Comparisons were made between April temporal variations of the ERA analysis increments and the variations of the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer aerosol index (AI) between 1979 and 1993. The distinctive structure was identified in the distribution of correlation composed of three nested areas with high positive correlation (>0.5), low correlation and high negative correlation (<-0.5). The innermost positive correlation area (PCA) is a large area near the center of the Sahara desert. For some local maxima inside this area the correlation even exceeds 0.8. The outermost negative correlation area (NCA) is not uniform. It consists of some areas over the eastern and western parts of North Africa with a relatively small amount of dust. Inside those areas both positive and negative high correlations exist at pressure levels ranging from 850 to 700 hPa, with the peak values near 775 hPa. Dust-forced heating (cooling) inside the PCA (NCA) is accompanied by changes in the static instability of the atmosphere above the dust layer. The reanalysis data of the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) suggest that the PCA (NCA) corresponds mainly to anticyclonic (cyclonic) flow, negative (positive) vorticity and downward (upward) airflow. These findings are associated with the interaction between dust-forced heating/cooling and atmospheric circulation. This paper contributes to a better understanding of dust radiative processes missed in the model.

Localized Multi-Model Extremes Metrics for the Fourth National Climate Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, T. R.; Kunkel, K.; Stevens, L. E.; Easterling, D. R.; Biard, J.; Sun, L.

2017-12-01

We have performed localized analysis of scenario-based datasets for the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4). These datasets include CMIP5-based Localized Constructed Analogs (LOCA) downscaled simulations at daily temporal resolution and 1/16th-degree spatial resolution. Over 45 temperature and precipitation extremes metrics have been processed using LOCA data, including threshold, percentile, and degree-days calculations. The localized analysis calculates trends in the temperature and precipitation extremes metrics for relatively small regions such as counties, metropolitan areas, climate zones, administrative areas, or economic zones. For NCA4, we are currently addressing metropolitan areas as defined by U.S. Census Bureau Metropolitan Statistical Areas. Such localized analysis provides essential information for adaptation planning at scales relevant to local planning agencies and businesses. Nearly 30 such regions have been analyzed to date. Each locale is defined by a closed polygon that is used to extract LOCA-based extremes metrics specific to the area. For each metric, single-model data at each LOCA grid location are first averaged over several 30-year historical and future periods. Then, for each metric, the spatial average across the region is calculated using model weights based on both model independence and reproducibility of current climate conditions. The range of single-model results is also captured on the same localized basis, and then combined with the weighted ensemble average for each region and each metric. For example, Boston-area cooling degree days and maximum daily temperature is shown below for RCP8.5 (red) and RCP4.5 (blue) scenarios. We also discuss inter-regional comparison of these metrics, as well as their relevance to risk analysis for adaptation planning.

cAMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates and activates nuclear Ca2+-ATPase

PubMed Central

Rogue, Patrick J.; Humbert, Jean-Paul; Meyer, Alphonse; Freyermuth, Solange; Krady, Marie-Marthe; Malviya, Anant N.

1998-01-01

A Ca2+-pump ATPase, similar to that in the endoplasmic reticulum, has been located on the outer membrane of rat liver nuclei. The effect of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) on nuclear Ca2+-ATPase (NCA) was studied by using purified rat liver nuclei. Treatment of isolated nuclei with the catalytic unit of PKA resulted in the phosphorylation of a 105-kDa band that was recognized by antibodies specific for sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase type 2b. Partial purification and immunoblotting confirmed that the 105-kDa protein band phosphorylated by PKA is NCA. The stoichiometry of phosphorylation was 0.76 mol of phosphate incorporated/mol of partially purified enzyme. Measurement of ATP-dependent 45Ca2+ uptake into purified nuclei showed that PKA phosphorylation enhanced the Ca2+-pumping activity of NCA. We show that PKA phosphorylation of Ca2+-ATPase enhances the transport of 10-kDa fluorescent-labeled dextrans across the nuclear envelope. The findings reported in this paper are consistent with the notion that the crosstalk between the cAMP/PKA- and Ca2+-dependent signaling pathways identified at the cytoplasmic level extends to the nucleus. Furthermore, these data support a function for crosstalk in the regulation of calcium-dependent transport across the nuclear envelope. PMID:9689054

Mechanical properties of recycled concrete with demolished waste concrete aggregate and clay brick aggregate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Chaocan; Lou, Cong; Du, Geng; Li, Xiaozhen; Liu, Zhiwu; Li, Liqin

2018-06-01

This paper presents an experimental investigation on the effect of the replacement of natural coarse aggregate (NCA) with either recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) or recycled clay brick aggregate (RBA) on the compressive strengths of the hardened concrete. Two grades (C25 and C50) of concrete were investigated, which were achieved by using different water-to-cement ratios. In each grade concrete five different replacement rates, 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% were considered. In order to improve the performance of the recycled aggregates in the concrete mixes, the RCA and RBA were carefully sieved by using the optimal degradation. In this way the largest reduction in the 28-day compressive strength was found to be only 7.2% and 9.6% for C25 and C50 recycled concrete when the NCA was replaced 100% by RCA, and 11% and 13% for C25 and C50 recycled concrete when the NCA was replaced 100% by RBA. In general, the concrete with RCA has better performance than the concrete with RBA. The comparison of the present experimental results with those reported in literature for hardened concrete with either RCA or RBA demonstrates the effectiveness in improving the compressive strength by using the optimal gradation of recycled aggregates.

Sustained Assessment, Version n.0: Efforts of the Sustained Assessment Working Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leidner, A. K.; Barrie, D.; Reidmiller, D.; Lewis, K.

2017-12-01

In parallel with the development of the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA3, 2014), the U.S. Global Change Research Program, with inputs from the non-federal climate assessment community, sought to define a sustained assessment process. Although many elements of a sustained process were initiated during NCA3 and continued into the NCA4 era, progress is still needed. To address this need, a new Federal Interagency working group of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) - the Sustained Assessment Working Group (SAWG) - was established in summer 2017. Its formation was motivated by a desire to avoid the sharp peaks in effort that accompanies production of the Congressionally-mandated quadrennial Assessment, followed by the dips in activity after a report is completed. With a goal of distributing and flattening effort, and providing a way to sustain engagement and better connect assessment-relevant activities, the SAWG is using inputs from the thirteen USGCRP agencies, federal advisory groups, and other sources to make recommendations to the agencies of the U.S. Global Change Research Program. The group will work with the agencies to implement these recommendations and monitor progress toward creating a sustained - and sustainable - assessment process. This presentation will detail the efforts and goals of SAWG and report on recent milestones.

[Clinical study and pathological examination on the treatment of deep partial thickness burn wound with negative charge aerosol].

PubMed

Li, Tian-zeng; Xu, Ying-bin; Hu, Xiao-gen; Shen, Rui; Peng, Xiao-dong; Wu, Wei-jiang; Luo, Lan; Dai, Xin-ming; Zou, Yong-tong; Qi, Shao-hai; Wu, Li-ping; Xie, Ju-lin; Deng, Xiao-xin; Chen, E; Zhang, Hui-Zhen

2005-08-01

To investigate the effect of negative charge aerosol (NCA) on the treatment of burn wound. Patients with superficial or deep partial thickness burn only were enrolled in the study, and they were randomly divided into trial group (T, including 180 cases of superficial thickness burn and 100 cases of deep partial thickness burn), control group (C, including 30 cases with superficial thickness burn and 30 with deep partial thickness burn), and self control group (SC, including 10 cases with superficial thickness burn and 10 with deep partial thickness burn). The patients in T and SC groups were treated with NCA for 1.5 hours, 1-2 times a day, from 6 postburn hour (PBH) to 2 postburn day (PBD), while those in C group received conventional treatment. For those in SC group, some of the wounds were covered with sterile schissel, while other wounds without schissel covering. The general changes in the wounds during NCA treatment were observed, and bacterial culture before and after NCA treatment was performed. The healing time was recorded and the blood biochemical parameters were determined. Rat model with deep partial thickness scald was established, and the rats were also divided into T and C groups, and received treatment as in human. Tissue samples were harvested from the wounds of rats in the 2 groups before and 1, 2, 3 weeks after treatment for pathological examination. There was no infection and little exudation in the patients in T group. No bacteria were found in the wound before and after NCA treatment. The healing time of the wounds of patients with superficial and deep partial thickness burn in T group was 6.3 +/- 1.6 d and 15.1 +/- 3.1 d, respectively, which was obviously shorter than those in C group (11.3 +/- 1.4 d and 21.2 +/- 1.4 d, P < 0.01). In SC group, the healing time of those with sterile schissel coverage was also significantly shorter than those without covering (P < 0.01). There was no obvious change in the liver and kidney functions and blood biochemical parameters among the patients. Pathological examination showed that the skin structure was almost recovered in the rats in T group 3 weeks after treatment, while those in C group was not. Negative charge aerosol is safe and effective in promoting wound healing of the patients with partial thickness burns.

Experimental spectroscopic (FTIR, FT-Raman, FT-NMR, UV-Visible) and DFT studies of 1-ethyl-1,4-dihydro-7-methyl-4oxo-1,8 napthyridine-3-carboxylic acids.

PubMed

Muthu, S; Elamurugu Porchelvi, E

2013-12-01

The solid phase FTIR and FT-Raman spectra of 1-ethyl-1,4-dihydro-7-methyl-4oxo-1,8 napthyridine-3-carboxylic acid (EDMONCA) have been recorded in the regions 4000-500 and 4000-400 cm(-1) respectively. The equilibrium geometry, harmonic vibrational frequencies have been investigated by DFT/B3LYP and B3PW91 methods with 6-311G (d,p) basis set. The different between the observed and scaled wave number values of most of the fundamental is very small. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the aid of normal coordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology (SQMFFM). Stability of the molecule arising from hyper conjugative interactions, charge delocalization has been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. UV-Visible spectrum of the compound was recorded and the electronic properties HOMO and LOMO energies were measured. The electric dipole moment (μD) and first hyperpolarizability (βtot) values of the investigated molecule were computed using ab initio quantum mechanical calculations. The calculated results also show that the EDMONCA molecule may have microscopic nonlinear optics (NLO) behavior with non-zero values. (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra were recorded and (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shift of the molecule were calculated using the gauge independent atomic orbital (GIAO) method. Thermal stability of EDMONCA was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Next Fukui function was calculated to explain the chemical selectivity or reactivity site in EDMONCA. Finally molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) and other molecular properties were performed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantum mechanical study of the structure and spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman, 13C, 1H and UV), first order hyperpolarizabilities, NBO and TD-DFT analysis of the 4-methyl-2-cyanobiphenyl.

PubMed

Sebastian, S; Sundaraganesan, N; Karthikeiyan, B; Srinivasan, V

2011-02-01

The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and FT-Raman of 4-methyl-2-cyanobiphenyl (4M2CBP) have been recorded and analyzed. The equilibrium geometry, bonding features and harmonic vibrational frequencies have been investigated with the help of density functional theory (DFT) method. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of normal coordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field methodology (SQMFF). The 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated by the Gauge including atomic orbital (GIAO) method. The first order hyperpolarizability (β0) of this novel molecular system and related properties (β, α0 and Δα) of 4M2CBP are calculated using HF/6-311G(d,p) method on the finite-field approach. Stability of the molecule arising from hyperconjugative interactions, charge delocalization have been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The results show that charge in electron density (ED) in the σ* and π* antibonding orbitals and second order delocalization energies (E2) confirms the occurrence of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) within the molecule. UV-vis spectrum of the compound was recorded and the electronic properties, such as HOMO and LUMO energies, were performed by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) approach. Finally the calculations results were applied to simulated infrared and Raman spectra of the title compound which show good agreement with observed spectra. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity and Limitations of Structures from X-ray and Neutron-Based Diffraction Analyses of Transition Metal Oxide Lithium-Battery Electrodes

DOE PAGES

Liu, Hao; Liu, Haodong; Lapidus, Saul H.; ...

2017-06-21

Lithium transition metal oxides are an important class of electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Binary or ternary (transition) metal doping brings about new opportunities to improve the electrode’s performance and often leads to more complex stoichiometries and atomic structures than the archetypal LiCoO 2. Rietveld structural analyses of X-ray and neutron diffraction data is a widely-used approach for structural characterization of crystalline materials. But, different structural models and refinement approaches can lead to differing results, and some parameters can be difficult to quantify due to the inherent limitations of the data. Here, through the example of LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05Omore » 2 (NCA), we demonstrated the sensitivity of various structural parameters in Rietveld structural analysis to different refinement approaches and structural models, and proposed an approach to reduce refinement uncertainties due to the inexact X-ray scattering factors of the constituent atoms within the lattice. Furthermore, this refinement approach was implemented for electrochemically-cycled NCA samples and yielded accurate structural parameters using only X-ray diffraction data. The present work provides the best practices for performing structural refinement of lithium transition metal oxides.« less

Sensitivity and Limitations of Structures from X-ray and Neutron-Based Diffraction Analyses of Transition Metal Oxide Lithium-Battery Electrodes

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

Liu, Hao; Liu, Haodong; Lapidus, Saul H.

Lithium transition metal oxides are an important class of electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Binary or ternary (transition) metal doping brings about new opportunities to improve the electrode’s performance and often leads to more complex stoichiometries and atomic structures than the archetypal LiCoO 2. Rietveld structural analyses of X-ray and neutron diffraction data is a widely-used approach for structural characterization of crystalline materials. But, different structural models and refinement approaches can lead to differing results, and some parameters can be difficult to quantify due to the inherent limitations of the data. Here, through the example of LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05Omore » 2 (NCA), we demonstrated the sensitivity of various structural parameters in Rietveld structural analysis to different refinement approaches and structural models, and proposed an approach to reduce refinement uncertainties due to the inexact X-ray scattering factors of the constituent atoms within the lattice. Furthermore, this refinement approach was implemented for electrochemically-cycled NCA samples and yielded accurate structural parameters using only X-ray diffraction data. The present work provides the best practices for performing structural refinement of lithium transition metal oxides.« less

Effects of Elevated Temperature on Concrete with Recycled Coarse Aggregates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salau, M. A.; Oseafiana, O. J.; Oyegoke, T. O.

2015-11-01

This paper discusses the effects of heating temperatures of 200°C, 400°C and 600°C each for 2 hours at a heating rate of 2.5°C/min on concrete with the content of Natural Coarse Aggregates (NCA) partially replaced with Recycled Coarse Aggregates (RCA), obtained from demolished building in the ratio of 0%, 15% and 30%.There was an initial drop in strength from 100°C to 200°C which is suspected to be due to the relatively weak interfacial bond between the RCA and the hardened paste within the concrete matrix;a gradual increase in strength continued from 200°C to 450°C and steady drop occurred again as it approached 600°C.With replacement proportion of 0%, 15% and 30% of NCA and exposure to peak temperature of 600°C, a relative concrete strength of 23.6MPa, 25.3MPa and 22.2MPa respectively can be achieved for 28 days curing age. Furthermore, RAC with 15% NCA replacement when exposed to optimum temperature of 450°C yielded high compressive strength comparable to that of control specimen (normal concrete). In addition, for all concrete samples only slight surface hairline cracks were noticed as the temperature approached 400°C. Thus, the RAC demonstrated behavior just like normal concrete and may be considered fit for structural use.

Aspirations and common tensions: larger lessons from the third US national climate assessment

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

Moser, Susanne C.; Melillo, Jerry M.; Jacobs, Katharine L.

2015-10-21

The Third US National Climate Assessment (NCA3) was produced by experts in response to the US Global Change Research Act of 1990. Based on lessons learned from previous domestic and international assessments, the NCA3 was designed to speak to a broad public and inform the concerns of policy- and decision-makers at different scales. The NCA3 was also intended to be the first step in an ongoing assessment process that would build the nation’s capacity to respond to climate change. This concluding paper draws larger lessons from the insights gained throughout the assessment process that are of significance to future USmore » and international assessment designers. We bring attention to process and products delivered, communication and engagement efforts, and how they contributed to the sustained assessment. Based on areas where expectations were exceeded or not fully met, we address four common tensions that all assessment designers must confront and manage: between (1) core assessment ingredients (knowledge base, institutional set-up, principled process, and the people involved), (2) national scope and subnational adaptive management information needs, (3) scope, complexity, and manageability, and (4) deliberate evaluation and ongoing learning approaches. Managing these tensions, amidst the social and political contexts in which assessments are conducted, is critical to ensure that assessments are feasible and productive, while its outcomes are perceived as credible, salient, and legitimate.« less

Thin film and high-etch-rate type 248-nm bottom antireflective coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enomoto, Tomoyuki; Takei, Satoshi; Kishioka, Takahiro; Hatanaka, Tadashi; Sakamoto, Rikimaru; Nakajima, Yasuyuki

2004-05-01

A frequent problem encountered by photoresists during the manufacturing of semiconductor device is that activating radiation is reflected back into the photoresist by the substrate. So, it is necessary that the light reflection is reduced from the substrate. One approach to reduce the light reflection is the use of bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) applied to the substrate beneath the photoresist layer. The BARC technology has been utilized for a few years to minimize the reflectivity. As the chip size is reduced to sub 0.13 micron, the photoresist thickness has to decrease with the aspect ratio being less than 3.0. Therefore, new Organic BARC is strongly required which has the minimum reflectivity with thinner BARC thickness and higher etch selectivity toward resists. Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd. and Brewer Science, Inc. have developed the advanced Organic BARC for achieving the above purpose. As a result, the suitable high performance NCA3000 series 248nm Organic BARCs were developed. Using CF4 gas as etchant, the plasma etch rate of NCA3000 series is about 1.4-1.6 times higher than that of conventional 248nm resists and 1.1-1.2 times higher than that of the existing product. The NCA3000 series can minimize the substrate reflectivity at below 45nm BARC thickness, shows excellent litho performance and coating properties.

Adsorption characteristics of siloxanes in landfill gas by the adsorption equilibrium test.

PubMed

Nam, Sangchul; Namkoong, Wan; Kang, Jeong-Hee; Park, Jin-Kyu; Lee, Namhoon

2013-10-01

Due to the increase in energy cost by constantly high oil prices and the obligation to reduce greenhouse effect gases, landfill gas is frequently used as an alternative energy source for producing heat and electricity. Most of landfill gas utility facilities, however, are experiencing problems controlling siloxanes from landfill gas as their catalytic oxidizers are becoming fouled by silicon dioxide dust. To evaluate adsorption characteristics of siloxanes, an adsorption equilibrium test was conducted and parameters in the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms were analyzed. Coconut activated carbon (CA1), coal activated carbon (CA2), impregnated activated carbon (CA3), silicagel (NCA1), and activated alumina (NCA2) were used for the adsorption of the mixed siloxane which contained hexamethyldisiloxane (L2), octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5). L2 had higher removal efficiency in noncarbon adsorbents compared to carbon adsorbents. The application of Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm demonstrated that coconut based CA1 and CA3 provided higher adsorption capacity on L2. And CA2 and NCA1 provided higher adsorption capacity on D4 and D5. Based on the experimental results, L2, D4, and D5 were converted by adsorption and desorption in noncarbon adsorbents. Adsorption affinity of siloxane is considered to be affect by the pore size distribution of the adsorbents and by the molecular size of each siloxane. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative comparison of caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids in Chrysanthemum morifolium flowers and their sulfur-fumigated products by three-channel liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

PubMed

Chen, Liangmian; Kotani, Akira; Kusu, Fumiyo; Wang, Zhimin; Zhu, Jingjing; Hakamata, Hideki

2015-01-01

For the determination of seven caffeoylquinic acids [neochlorogenic acid (NcA), cryptochlorogenic acid (CcA), chlorogenic acid (CA), caffeic acid (CfA), isochlorogenic acid A (Ic A), isochlorogenic acid B (Ic B), isochlorogenic acid C (Ic C)] and two flavonoids [luteolin 7-O-glucoside (LtG) and luteolin (Lt)], a three-channel liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (LC-3ECD) method was established. Chromatographic peak heights were proportional to each concentration, ranging from 2.5 to 100 ng/mL for NcA, CA, CcA, and CfA, and ranging from 2.5 to 250 ng/mL for LtG, Ic B, Ic A, Ic C, and Lt, respectively. The present LC-3ECD method was applied to the quantitative analysis of caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids in four cultivars of Chrysanthemum morifolium flowers and their sulfur-fumigated products. It was found that 60% of LtG and more than 47% of caffeoylquinic acids were lost during the sulfur fumigation processing. Sulfur fumigation showed a destructive effect on the C. morifolium flowers. In addition, principle component analyses (PCA) were performed using the results of the quantitative analysis of caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids to compare the "sameness" and "differences" of these analytes in C. morifolium flowers and the sulfur-fumigated products. PCA score plots showed that the four cultivars of C. morifolium flowers were clearly classified into four groups, and that significant differences were also found between the non-fumigated C. morifolium flowers and the sulfur-fumigated products. Therefore, it was demonstrated that the present LC-3ECD method coupled with PCA is applicable to the variation analysis of different C. morifolium flower samples.

Topology-based description of the NCA cathode configurational space and an approach of its effective reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zolotarev, Pavel; Eremin, Roman

2018-04-01

Modification of existing solid electrolyte and cathode materialsis a topic of interest for theoreticians and experimentalists. In particular, itrequires elucidation of the influence of dopants on the characteristics of thestudying materials. For the reason of high complexity of theconfigurational space of doped/deintercalated systems, application of thecomputer modeling approaches is hindered, despite significant advances ofcomputational facilities in last decades. In this study, we propose a scheme,which allows to reduce a set of structures of a modeled configurationalspace for the subsequent study by means of the time-consuming quantumchemistry methods. Application of the proposed approach is exemplifiedthrough the study of the configurational space of the commercialLiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) cathode material approximant.

No-carrier-added (/sup 18/F)-N-methylspiroperidol

DOEpatents

Shiue, C.Y.; Fowler, J.S.; Wolf, A.P.

1985-10-04

The present invention is directed to the synthesis of a radioligand, labeled with a positron emitting radionuclide which is suitable for dynamic studies in humans using positron emission transaxial tomography. No-carrier-added (NCA) (/sup 18/F)-N-methylspiroperiodl is prepared from four different sustrates: p-nitrobenzonitrile, cyclopropyl p-nitrophenyl ketone, p-cyclopropanoyl-N,N,N-trimethylanilinium iodide and p-cyclopropanoyl-N,N,N-trimethylanilinium perchlorate. The process for the production of NCA (/sup 18/F)-N-methylspiroperidol is a nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction. Furthermore, the compound of this invention is shown to be effective as a new drug of choice for in vivo examination of dopamine binding sites in a human brain. In particular, this drug is primarily useful in the noninvasive technique of positron emission transaxial tomography (PETT).

The evaluation of the benefits of pain control by patients using PCA pump compared to medicine injection to ease the pain by nurses.

PubMed

Nemati, M H

2015-01-01

Pain is considered as the fifth vital sign, and the need to control pain after surgery emphasizes its importance. Pain after surgery leads to unpleasant outcomes and effects on different mechanisms thus causes fundamental changes in the metabolism of the body of susceptible people. Accordingly, the current article aimed to compare two methods of pain control by the patient using PCA pumps compared to medicine injection to ease the pain by nurses. Methodology: In the current research, a single-blind clinical trial of 70 patients as nominees of undergoing open-heart surgery at Shiraz Ordibehesht Hospital during 12 months was examined. The patients randomly divided into two groups of 35 patients with pain control by analgesia pumps of PCA and by NCA. The pain intensity was analyzed by visual analog scale (VAZ) and the sedation degree was examined based on the factors such as the Richmond sedation, nausea and vomiting and respiratory depression induced by opioids and analgesic effects, arterial oxygen saturation, patient satisfaction, ventilation duration for up to 48 hours after surgery. For data analysis, statistical software SPSS was used. Results: No statistically clear distinction was seen in the status of nausea and vomiting as well as in the length of ventilation and the oxygen saturation status between the two groups. In none of the two groups, respiratory depression was observed. There was a statistically notable variation between the two teams regarding satisfaction level. Also, an increasing significant decline in pain intensity was noted in both groups at consecutive times. There was an experimentally meaningful distinction between the two teams regarding degree of sedation (P < 0.001), such that the level of sedation in NCA group was higher (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The use of PCA pump in acute pain control after open cardiac surgery was better than the NCA. In the case of using the PCA pump, in addition to the psychological effect, the pump could control pain. Thus, the side effects of high dose injections would be reduced, and the increased use of the dose of drugs would not be detected.

Provenance Representation in the Global Change Information System (GCIS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilmes, Curt

2012-01-01

Global climate change is a topic that has become very controversial despite strong support within the scientific community. It is common for agencies releasing information about climate change to be served with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for everything that led to that conclusion. Capturing and presenting the provenance, linking to the research papers, data sets, models, analyses, observation instruments and satellites, etc. supporting key findings has the potential to mitigate skepticism in this domain. The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is now coordinating the production of a National Climate Assessment (NCA) that presents our best understanding of global change. We are now developing a Global Change Information System (GCIS) that will present the content of that report and its provenance, including the scientific support for the findings of the assessment. We are using an approach that will present this information both through a human accessible web site as well as a machine readable interface for automated mining of the provenance graph. We plan to use the developing W3C PROV Data Model and Ontology for this system.

Evolutionary history of the European whitefish Coregonus lavaretus (L.) species complex as inferred from mtDNA phylogeography and gill-raker numbers.

PubMed

Østbye, K; Bernatchez, L; Naesje, T F; Himberg, K-J M; Hindar, K

2005-12-01

We compared mitochondrial DNA and gill-raker number variation in populations of the European whitefish Coregonus lavaretus (L.) species complex to illuminate their evolutionary history, and discuss mechanisms behind diversification. Using single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and sequencing 528 bp of combined parts of the cytochrome oxidase b (cyt b) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 3 (ND3) mithochondrial DNA (mtDNA) regions, we documented phylogeographic relationships among populations and phylogeny of mtDNA haplotypes. Demographic events behind geographical distribution of haplotypes were inferred using nested clade analysis (NCA) and mismatch distribution. Concordance between operational taxonomical groups, based on gill-raker numbers, and mtDNA patterns was tested. Three major mtDNA clades were resolved in Europe: a North European clade from northwest Russia to Denmark, a Siberian clade from the Arctic Sea to southwest Norway, and a South European clade from Denmark to the European Alps, reflecting occupation in different glacial refugia. Demographic events inferred from NCA were isolation by distance, range expansion, and fragmentation. Mismatch analysis suggested that clades which colonized Fennoscandia and the Alps expanded in population size 24 500-5800 years before present, with minute female effective population sizes, implying small founder populations during colonization. Gill-raker counts did not commensurate with hierarchical mtDNA clades, and poorly with haplotypes, suggesting recent origin of gill-raker variation. Whitefish designations based on gill-raker numbers were not associated with ancient clades. Lack of congruence in morphology and evolutionary lineages implies that the taxonomy of this species complex should be reconsidered.

Lightning NOx Estimates from Space-Based Lightning Imagers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koshak, William J.

2017-01-01

The intense heating of air by a lightning channel, and subsequent rapid cooling, leads to the production of lightning nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) as discussed in Chameides [1979]. In turn, the lightning nitrogen oxides (or "LNOx" for brevity) indirectly influences the Earth's climate because the LNOx molecules are important in controlling the concentration of ozone (O3) and hydroxyl radicals (OH) in the atmosphere. Climate is most sensitive to O3 in the upper troposphere, and LNOx is the most important source of NOx in the upper troposphere at tropical and subtropical latitudes; hence, lightning is a useful parameter to monitor for climate assessments. The National Climate Assessment (NCA) program was created in response to the Congressionally-mandated Global Change Research Act (GCRA) of 1990. Thirteen US government organizations participate in the NCA program which examines the effects of global change on the natural environment, human health and welfare, energy production and use, land and water resources, human social systems, transportation, agriculture, and biological diversity. The NCA focuses on natural and human-induced trends in global change, and projects major trends 25 to 100 years out. In support of the NCA, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) continues to assess lightning-climate inter-relationships. This activity applies a variety of NASA assets to monitor in detail the changes in both the characteristics of ground- and space- based lightning observations as they pertain to changes in climate. In particular, changes in lightning characteristics over the conterminous US (CONUS) continue to be examined by this author using data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Lightning Imaging Sensor. In this study, preliminary estimates of LNOx trends derived from TRMM/LIS lightning optical energy observations in the 17 yr period 1998-2014 are provided. This represents an important first step in testing the ability to make remote retrievals of LNOx from a satellite-based lightning sensor. As is shown, the methodology can also be directly applied to more recently launched lightning mappers, such as the Geostationary Lightning Mapper, and the International Space Station LIS.

Inland Water Temperature: An Ideal Indicator for the National Climate Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hook, S. J.; Lenters, J. D.; O'Reilly, C.; Healey, N. C.

2014-12-01

NASA is a significant contributor to the U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA), which is a central component of the 2012-2022 U.S. Global Change Research Program Strategic Plan. The NCA has identified the need for indicators that provide a clear, concise way of communicating to NCA audiences about not only the status and trends of physical drivers of the climate system, but also the ecological and socioeconomic impacts, vulnerabilities, and responses to those drivers. We are using thermal infrared satellite data in conjunction with in situ measurements to produce water temperatures for all the large inland water bodies in North America for potential use as an indicator for the NCA. Recent studies have revealed significant warming of inland waters throughout the world. The observed rate of warming is - in many cases - greater than that of the ambient air temperature. These rapid, unprecedented changes in inland water temperatures have profound implications for lake hydrodynamics, productivity, and biotic communities. Scientists are just beginning to understand the global extent, regional patterns, physical mechanisms, and ecological consequences of lake warming. As part of our earlier studies we have collected thermal infrared satellite data from those satellite sensors that provide long-term and frequent spaceborne thermal infrared measurements of inland waters including ATSR, AVHRR, and MODIS and used these to examine trends in water surface temperature for approximately 100 of the largest inland water bodies in the world. We are now extending this work to generate temperature time-series of all North American inland water bodies that are sufficiently large to be studied using 1km resolution satellite data for the last 3 decades. These data are then being related to changes in the surface air temperature and compared with regional trends in water surface temperature derived from CMIP5/IPCC model simulations/projections to better predict future temperature changes. This information is also being used to develop ecologically relevant indicators that are meaningful to the general public, and useful for the National Climate Assessment teams. We will discuss the available datasets and processing methodologies together with their potential use for climate assessment.

KIR Genotypic Diversity Can Track Ancestries in Heterogeneous Populations: A Potential Confounder for Disease Association Studies

PubMed Central

Singh, Komal Manpreet; Phung, Yume T.; Kohla, Mohamed S.; Lan, Billy Y-A; Chan, Sharon; Suen, Diana L.; Murad, Sahar; Rheault, Shana; Davidson, Peter; Evans, Jennifer; Singh, Manpreet; Dohil, Sofie; Osorio, Robert W.; Wakil, Adil E.; Page, Kimberly; Feng, Sandy; Cooper, Stewart L.

2014-01-01

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) are encoded by highly polymorphic genes that regulate the activation of natural killer (NK) cells and other lymphocyte subsets, and likely play key roles in innate and adaptive immunity. Association studies increasingly implicate KIR in disease predisposition and outcome but could be confounded by unknown KIR genetic structure in heterogeneous populations. To examine this we characterized the diversity of 16 KIR genes in 712 Northern Californians (NC) stratified by selfassigned ethnicities, and compared the profiles of KIR polymorphism with other US and global populations using a reference database. Sixty-eight distinct KIR genotypes were characterized: 58 in 457 Caucasians (NCC); 17 in 47 African Americans (NCAA); 21 in 80 Asians (NCA); 20 in 74 Hispanics (NCH) and 18 in 54 “other” ethnicities (NCO). KIR genotype patterns and frequencies in the 4 defined ethnicities were compared with each other and with 34 global populations by phylogenetic analysis. Although there were no population-specific genotypes, the KIR genotype frequency patterns faithfully traced the ancestry of NCC, NCAA and NCA but not of NCH whose ancestries are known to be more heterogeneous. KIR genotype frequencies can therefore track ethnic ancestries in modern urban populations. Our data emphasize the importance of selecting ethnically matched controls in KIR based studies to avert spurious associations. PMID:21898189

HISTORIC IMAGE: AERIAL VIEW OF THE CEMETERY AND ITS ENVIRONS. ...

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

HISTORIC IMAGE: AERIAL VIEW OF THE CEMETERY AND ITS ENVIRONS. PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN ON 18 MAY 1948. NCA HISTORY COLLECTION. - Knoxville National Cemetery, 939 Tyson Street, Northwest, Knoxville, Knox County, TN

Climate Effects on Health

MedlinePlus

... Chapter . Additional information regarding the health effects of climate change and references to supporting literature can be found ... globalchange.gov/engage/activities-products/NCA3/technical-inputs . Climate change, together with other natural and human-made health ...

Tracking and Establishing Provenance of Earth Science Datasets: A NASA-based Example

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, Hampapuram K.; Goldstein, Justin C.; Hua, Hook; Wolfe, Robert E.

2016-01-01

Information quality is of paramount importance to science. Accurate, scientifically vetted and statistically meaningful and, ideally, reproducible information engenders scientific trust and research opportunities. Therefore, so-called Highly Influential Scientific Assessments (HISA) such as the U.S. Third National Climate Assessment undergo a very rigorous process to ensure transparency and credibility. As an activity to support the transparency of such reports, the U.S. Global Change Research Program has developed the Global Change Information System (GCIS). Specifically related to the transparency of NCA3, a recent activity was carried out to trace the provenance as completely as possible for all figures in the NCA3 report that predominantly used NASA data. This paper discusses lessons learned from this activity that trace the provenance of NASA figures in a major HISA-class pdf report.

Recovery of 131I from alkaline solution of n-irradiated tellurium target using a tiny Dowex-1 column.

PubMed

Chattopadhyay, Sankha; Saha Das, Sujata

2010-10-01

A simple and inexpensive ion-exchange chromatography method for the separation of medically useful no-carrier-added (nca) iodine radionuclides from bulk amounts of irradiated tellurium dioxide (TeO(2)) target was developed and tested using (131)I. The radiochemical separation was performed using a very small Dowex-1x8 ion-exchange column. The overall radiochemical yield for the complete separation of (131)I was 92+/-1.8 (standard deviation) % (n=8). The separated nca (131)I was of high, approximately 99%, radionuclidic and radiochemical purity and did not contain detectable amounts of the target material. This method may be adopted for the radiochemical separation of other different iodine radionuclides produced from tellurium matrices through cyclotron as well as reactor irradiation. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of a Potent Aminopyridine-Based nNOS-Inhibitor by Two Recent No-Carrier-Added (18)F-Labelling Methods.

PubMed

Drerup, Christian; Ermert, Johannes; Coenen, Heinz H

2016-09-01

Nitric oxide (NO), an important multifunctional signaling molecule, is produced by three isoforms of NO-synthase (NOS) and has been associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Selective inhibitors of the subtypes iNOS (inducible) or nNOS (neuronal) are of great interest for decoding neurodestructive key factors, and (18)F-labelled analogues would allow investigating the NOS-function by molecular imaging with positron emission tomography. Especially, the highly selective nNOS inhibitor 6-((3-((3-fluorophenethylamino)methyl)phenoxy)methyl)-4-methylpyridin-2-amine (10) lends itself as suitable compound to be (18)F-labelled in no-carrier-added (n.c.a.) form. For preparation of the (18)F-labelled nNOS-Inhibitor [(18)F]10 a "build-up" radiosynthesis was developed based on a corresponding iodonium ylide as labelling precursor. The such activated phenethyl group of the compound was efficiently and regioselectively labelled with n.c.a. [(18)F]fluoride in 79% radiochemical yield (RCY). After conversion by reductive amination and microwave assisted displacement of the protecting groups, the desired nNOS-inhibitor was obtained in about 15% total RCY. Alternatively, for a simplified "late-stage" (18)F-labelling procedure a corresponding boronic ester precursor was synthesized and successfully used in a newer, copper(II) mediated n.c.a. (18)F-fluoro-deboroniation reaction, achieving the same total RCY. Thus, both methods proved comparatively suited to provide the highly selective NOS-inhibitor [(18)F]10 as probe for preclinical in vivo studies.

Response of vegetation and breeding birds to the removal of cattle on the San Pedro River, Arizona (U.S.A.)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Krueper, D.; Bart, Jonathan; Rich, T.

2003-01-01

In late 1987 cattle were removed from the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area ( NCA ) in southeastern Arizona ( U.S.A. ). We monitored vegetation density and abundance of birds during the breeding season during 1986a??1990 in riparian, mesquite grassland, and Chihuahuan desert-scrub communities in the NCA. The density of herbaceous vegetation increased four- to six-fold in riparian and mesquite grassland communities. Little change occurred in herbaceous vegetation in desert scrub, or in the density of shrubs or trees in any of the communities. Of 61 bird species for which sufficient data were collected, mean detections per kilometer increased for 42 species, 26 significantly, and decreased for 19 species, 8 significantly. The number of individuals of all avian species detected on surveys increased each year from 103/kilometer in 1986 to 221/kilometer in 1991, an average annual increase of 23% ( p < 0.001 ). The largest increases occurred in riparian species, open-cup nesters, Neotropical migrants, and insectivores. Species of the Chihuahuan desert-scrub, in which vegetation changed the least, showed the smallest increases. Only a few of the species showed increasing regional trends for the same period, as demonstrated by the North American Breeding Bird Survey; thus, increases on the San Pedro Riparian NCA were likely caused by the change in local conditions, not by regional effects. Our results suggest that removing cattle from riparian areas in the southwestern United States can have profound benefits for breeding birds.

Developing and diagnosing climate change indictors of regional aerosol optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, Ryan C.; Levy, Robert C.; da Silva, Arlindo M.; Pryor, Sara C.

2017-04-01

The US Global Change Research Program has developed climate indicators (CIs) to track changes in the physical, chemical, biological, and societal components of the climate system. Given the importance of atmospheric aerosol particles to clouds and radiative forcing, human mortality and morbidity, and biogeochemical cycles, we propose new aerosol particle CIs applicable to the US National Climate Assessment (NCA). Here we define these aerosol CIs and use them to quantify temporal trends in each NCA region. Furthermore, we use a synoptic classification (e.g., meteorological variables), and gas and particle emissions inventories to diagnose and attribute causes of observed changes. Our CIs are derived using output from the satellite-constrained Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Application, Version 2 (MERRA-2) reanalysis. MERRA-2 provides estimates of column-integrated aerosol optical properties at 0.625° by 0.5° resolution, including aerosol optical depth (AOD), Ångström exponent (AE), and single scattering albedo (SSA), which are related to aerosol loading, relative particle size, and chemical composition, respectively. For each NCA region, and for each aerosol variable, we derive statistics that describe mean and extreme values, as well as two metrics (spatial autocorrelation and coherence) that describe the spatial scales of aerosol variability. Consistent with previous analyses of aerosol precursor emissions and near-surface fine aerosol mass concentrations in the US, analyses of our aerosol CIs show that since 2000, both mean and extreme AOD have decreased over most NCA regions. There are significant (α = 0.05, using the non-parametric Kendall's tau) decreases in AOD for the Northeast (NE), Southeast (SE), Midwest (MW), and lower Great Plains (GPl) regions, and notable but not significant decreases in the Southwest (SW). AOD has increased for the Northwest (NW; significant) and upper Great Plains (GPu; not significant). Over all regions, there is a significant positive trend in AE (relative decrease in aerosol size) along with significant negative trend in SSA (relative decrease in scattering versus absorption extinction). Negative trends in AOD and SSA are consistent with documented decreases in sulfur dioxide emissions. Conversely, increased AOD in NW and GPu may reflect a lower impact of emissions standards in more remote regions, and/or that other aerosol and precursor sources (e.g., gas and oil extraction, wildfire frequency, long-range transport) may be increasing. Low AOD days are associated with dry, cool synoptic conditions. Since 2000, the structure of the aerosol field has changed. Using the Moran's I test, all regions exhibit declining spatial autocorrelation, suggesting AOD has become less uniform. At the same time, semivariogram models show that in many regions (NW, GPl, MW, SE) spatial coherence is increasing, and is consistent with an increase in the intensity of certain synoptic conditions. These results suggest that it is the variability in local emissions that accounts for the spatial structure of the AOD fields. However, more intense synoptic features are associated with more intense regional aerosol events.

Assessing the Nation's Coastal Waters....Better

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA has been assessing estuarine and coastal condition in the United States since 1999 via the National Coastal Assessment (NCA) and National Aquatic Resources Surveys (NARS) programs. Approximately 1500 randomly selected coastal sites were surveyed annually during summers ...

Proceedings of the 1979 NCA Alcohol and Traffic Safety Session

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-08-01

Included are the most current research papers on the diagnosis, referral, rehabilitation and adjudication of persons convicted of driving while intoxicated. Research on the effectiveness of programs for youthful offenders, senior adults, and social a...

Intergranular Cracking as a Major Cause of Long-Term Capacity Fading of Layered Cathodes

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

Liu, Hao; Wolf, Mark; Karki, Khim

Capacity fading has limited commercial layered Li-ion battery electrodes to <70% of their theoretical capacity. Higher capacities can be achieved initially by charging to higher voltages, however, these gains are quickly eroded by a faster fade in capacity. In-creasing lifetimes and reversible capacity is contingent on identifying the origin of this capacity fade to inform electrode design and synthesis. We must understand how the battery reactions change following capacity loss after long-term cycling. Using operando X-ray diffraction, we followed the reaction of a LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 (NCA) electrode after months of charge-discharge cycles. Furthermore, the heterogeneous reaction kineticsmore » observed during extended cycles quantitatively explain the capacity loss, which is ultimately attributed to inter-granular fracturing that degrades the connectivity of sub-surface grains within the polycrystalline NCA aggregate.« less

Tandem catalysis for the preparation of cylindrical polypeptide brushes.

PubMed

Rhodes, Allison J; Deming, Timothy J

2012-11-28

Here, we report a method for synthesis of cylindrical copolypeptide brushes via N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) polymerization utilizing a new tandem catalysis approach that allows preparation of brushes with controlled segment lengths in a straightforward, one-pot procedure requiring no intermediate isolation or purification steps. To obtain high-density brush copolypeptides, we used a "grafting from" approach where alloc-α-aminoamide groups were installed onto the side chains of NCAs to serve as masked initiators. These groups were inert during cobalt-initiated NCA polymerization and gave allyloxycarbonyl-α-aminoamide-substituted polypeptide main chains. The alloc-α-aminoamide groups were then activated in situ using nickel to generate initiators for growth of side-chain brush segments. This use of stepwise tandem cobalt and nickel catalysis was found to be an efficient method for preparation of high-chain-density, cylindrical copolypeptide brushes, where both the main chains and side chains can be prepared with controlled segment lengths.

Intergranular Cracking as a Major Cause of Long-Term Capacity Fading of Layered Cathodes

DOE PAGES

Liu, Hao; Wolf, Mark; Karki, Khim; ...

2017-05-26

Capacity fading has limited commercial layered Li-ion battery electrodes to <70% of their theoretical capacity. Higher capacities can be achieved initially by charging to higher voltages, however, these gains are quickly eroded by a faster fade in capacity. In-creasing lifetimes and reversible capacity is contingent on identifying the origin of this capacity fade to inform electrode design and synthesis. We must understand how the battery reactions change following capacity loss after long-term cycling. Using operando X-ray diffraction, we followed the reaction of a LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 (NCA) electrode after months of charge-discharge cycles. Furthermore, the heterogeneous reaction kineticsmore » observed during extended cycles quantitatively explain the capacity loss, which is ultimately attributed to inter-granular fracturing that degrades the connectivity of sub-surface grains within the polycrystalline NCA aggregate.« less

Intergranular Cracking as a Major Cause of Long-Term Capacity Fading of Layered Cathodes.

PubMed

Liu, Hao; Wolf, Mark; Karki, Khim; Yu, Young-Sang; Stach, Eric A; Cabana, Jordi; Chapman, Karena W; Chupas, Peter J

2017-06-14

Capacity fading has limited commercial layered Li-ion battery electrodes to <70% of their theoretical capacity. Higher capacities can be achieved initially by charging to higher voltages, however, these gains are eroded by a faster fade in capacity. Increasing lifetimes and reversible capacity are contingent on identifying the origin of this capacity fade to inform electrode design and synthesis. We used operando X-ray diffraction to observe how the lithiation-delithiation reactions within a LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 (NCA) electrode change after capacity fade following months of slow charge-discharge. The changes in the reactions that underpin energy storage after long-term cycling directly correlate to the capacity loss; heterogeneous reaction kinetics observed during extended cycles quantitatively account for the capacity loss. This reaction heterogeneity is ultimately attributed to intergranular fracturing that degrades the connectivity of subsurface grains within the polycrystalline NCA aggregate.

A novel lateral IGBT with a controlled anode for on-off-state loss trade-off improvement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wensuo, Chen; Bo, Zhang; Jian, Fang; Zhaoji, Li

2011-07-01

A new lateral insulated-gate bipolar transistor with a controlled anode (CA-LIGBT) on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate is reported. Benefiting from both the enhanced conductivity modulation effect and the high resistance controlled electron extracting path, CA-LIGBT has a faster turn-off speed and lower forward drop, and the trade-off between off-state and on-state losses is better than that of state-of-the-art 3-D NCA-LIGBT, which we presented earlier. As the simulation results show, the ratios of figure of merit (FOM) for CA-LIGBT compared to that of 3-D NCA-LIGBT and conventional LIGBT are 1.45: 1 and 59.53: 1, respectively. And, the new devices can be created by using additional silicon direct bonding (SDB). So, from the power efficiency point of view, the proposed CA-LIGBT is a promising device for use in power ICs.

Tracking and Establishing Provenance of Earth Science Datasets: A NASA-Based Example

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, Hampapuram K.; Goldstein, Justin C.; Hua, Hook; Wolfe, Robert E.

2016-01-01

Information quality is of paramount importance to science. Accurate, scientifically vetted and statistically meaningful and, ideally, reproducible information engenders scientific trust and research opportunities. Not surprisingly, federal bodies (e.g., NASA, NOAA, USGS) have very strictly affirmed the importance of information quality in their product requirements. So-called Highly Influential Scientific Assessments (HISA) such as The Third US National Climate Assessment (NCA3) published in 2014 undergo a very rigorous review process to ensure transparency and credibility. To support the transparency of such reports, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has developed the Global Change Information System (GCIS). A recent activity was performed to trace the provenance as completely as possible for all NCA3 figures that were predominantly based on NASA data. This poster presents the mechanics of that project and the lessons learned from that activity.

Production and isolation of homologs of flerovium and element 115 at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

DOE PAGES

Despotopulos, John D.; Kmak, Kelly N.; Gharibyan, Narek; ...

2015-10-01

Here, new procedures have been developed to isolate no-carrier-added (NCA) radionuclides of the homologs and pseudo-homologs of flerovium (Hg, Sn) and element 115 (Sb), produced by 12–15 MeV proton irradiation of foil stacks with the tandem Van-de-Graaff accelerator at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS) facility. The separation of 113Sn from natIn foil was performed with anion-exchange chromatography from hydrochloric and nitric acid matrices. A cation-exchange chromatography method based on hydrochloric and mixed hydrochloric/hydroiodic acids was used to separate 124Sb from natSn foil. A procedure using Eichrom TEVA resin was developed to separate 197Hg frommore » Au foil. These results demonstrate the suitability of using the CAMS facility to produce NCA radioisotopes for studies of transactinide homologs.« less

Effect of Three Different Core Materials on Masking Ability of a Zirconia Ceramic.

PubMed

Tabatabaian, Farhad; Masoomi, Faeze; Namdari, Mahshid; Mahshid, Minoo

2016-09-01

Masking ability of a restorative material plays a role in hiding colored substructures; however, the masking ability of zirconia ceramic (ZRC) has not yet been clearly understood in zirconia-based restorations. This study evaluated the effect of three different core materials on masking ability of a ZRC. Ten zirconia disc samples, 0.5mm in thickness and 10mm in diameter, were fabricated. A white (W) substrate (control) and three substrates of nickel-chromium alloy (NCA), non-precious gold alloy (NPGA), and ZRC were prepared. The zirconia discs were placed on the four types of substrates for spectrophotometry. The L*, a*, and b* values of the specimens were measured by a spectrophotometer and color change (ΔE) values were calculated to determine color differences between the test and control groups and were then compared with the perceptual threshold. Randomized block ANOVA and Bonferroni test analyzed the data. A significance level of 0.05 was considered. The mean and standard deviation values of ΔE for NCA, NPGA, and ZRC groups were 10.26±2.43, 9.45±1.74, and 6.70±1.91 units, respectively. Significant differences were found in the ΔE values between ZRC and the other two experimental groups (NCA and NPGA; P<0.0001 and P=0.001, respectively). The ΔE values for the groups were more than the predetermined perceptual threshold. Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that the tested ZRC could not well mask the examined core materials.

An electro-amalgamation approach to isolate no-carrier-added 177Lu from neutron irradiated Yb for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Chakravarty, Rubel; Das, Tapas; Dash, Ashutosh; Venkatesh, Meera

2010-10-01

A novel two-step separation process for the production of no-carrier-added (NCA) (177)Lu from neutron irradiated Yb target through an electrochemical pathway employing mercury-pool cathode has been developed. A two-cycle electrolysis procedure was adopted for separation of (177)Lu from (177)Lu/Yb mixture in lithium citrate medium. The influence of different experimental parameters on the separation process was investigated and optimized for the quantitative deposition of Yb in presence of (177)Lu. The first electrolysis was performed for 50 min in the (177)Lu/Yb feed solution at pH 6 applying a potential of 8 V using platinum electrode as anode and mercury as the cathode. The second electrolysis was performed under the same conditions using fresh electrodes. The radionuclidic and chemical purity of (177)Lu was determined by using gamma ray spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry. The suitability of (177)Lu for biomedical applications was ascertained by labeling 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid D-Phe(1)-Tyr(3)-octreotate(DOTA-TATE) with (177)Lu. This process could provide NCA (177)Lu with >99.99% radionuclidic purity and an overall separation yield of ∼99% was achieved within 3-4 h. The Hg content in the product was determined to be <1 ppm. Radiolabeling yield of >98% was obtained with DOTA-TATE under the optimized reaction conditions. An efficient strategy for the separation of NCA (177)Lu, suitable for biomedical applications, has been developed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From on High: Utilizing Multi-Temporal Atmospheric and Synthetic Aperture Radar Satellites for Land Management Decisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, M.

2016-12-01

The Black Rock Field Office (BRFO) of the Bureau of Land Management manages nearly 2 million acres of public land in NW Nevada. Approximately 1.2 million acres area a National Conservation Area (NCA), and over 700,000 acres are formally designated Wilderness Areas. While imagery from Landsat and MODIS assist in monitoring and making land management decisions, multi-temporal data from atmospheric monitoring and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites are also utilized. The Burning Man Festival since 2007 creates a temporary city of 50,000 to 70,000 people in the NCA. Public concern is being expressed over the event's physical and greenhouse gas footprints. Sub-set L2 and L3 CO2 data were obtained from the ACOS, AQUA (AIRS platform) and OCO-2 satellites. These data sets cover both daily and monthly CO2 concentrations between 2007 and 2015. Each data set was analyzed separately using Bayesian time series methods. While there were statistically significant changes in the CO2concentration in a calendar year, none of the increases coincided with the Burning Man Festival. The ALOS-PALSAR and Sentinel-1 SAR data archives have also been utilized. Interferograms, false-color composites (FCC) of coherence images, and FCC of the processed backscattered images are all useful in monitoring surface changes. Case study summaries will illustrate the seasonal changes at critical riparian areas in the NCA; the post-event recovery of the Burning Man Festival footprint; dune formation on the Black Rock playa, and landscape changes associated with open-pit mining in the BRFO.

EPA'S NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The National Coastal Assessment (NCA) is an environmental monitoring program initiated by the US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development in 2000. The goal is to monitor selected ecological indicators in the nation's estuarine waters and to produce an...

78 FR 68503 - Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-14

... Cemetery Administration (NCA), Center for Women Veterans, Veteran Employment Services Office, Office of... 10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. After public comment, the Committee will continue to work on their report. A...

US National Climate Assessment (NCA) Scenarios for Assessing Our Climate Future: Issues and Methodological Perspectives Background Whitepaper for Participants

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

Moss, Richard H.; Engle, Nathan L.; Hall, John

This whitepaper is intended to provide a starting point for discussion at a workshop for the National Climate Assessment (NCA) that focuses on the use and development of scenarios. The paper will provide background needed by participants in the workshop in order to review options for developing and using scenarios in NCA. The paper briefly defines key terms and establishes a conceptual framework for developing consistent scenarios across different end uses and spatial scales. It reviews uses of scenarios in past U.S. national assessments and identifies potential users of and needs for scenarios for both the report scheduled for releasemore » in June 2013 and to support an ongoing distributed assessment process in sectors and regions around the country. Because scenarios prepared for the NCA will need to leverage existing research, the paper takes account of recent scientific advances and activities that could provide needed inputs. Finally, it considers potential approaches for providing methods, data, and other tools for assessment participants. We note that the term 'scenarios' has many meanings. An important goal of the whitepaper (and portions of the workshop agenda) is pedagogical (i.e., to compare different meanings and uses of the term and make assessment participants aware of the need to be explicit about types and uses of scenarios). In climate change research, scenarios have been used to establish bounds for future climate conditions and resulting effects on human and natural systems, given a defined level of greenhouse gas emissions. This quasi-predictive use contrasts with the way decision analysts typically use scenarios (i.e., to consider how robust alternative decisions or strategies may be to variation in key aspects of the future that are uncertain). As will be discussed, in climate change research and assessment, scenarios describe a range of aspects of the future, including major driving forces (both human activities and natural processes), changes in climate and related environmental conditions (e.g., sea level), and evolution of societal capability to respond to climate change. This wide range of scenarios is needed because the implications of climate change for the environment and society depend not only on changes in climate themselves, but also on human responses. This degree of breadth introduces and number of challenges for communication and research.« less

Ontology development for provenance tracing in National Climate Assessment of the US Global Change Research Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, X.; Zheng, J. G.; Goldstein, J.; Duggan, B.; Xu, J.; Du, C.; Akkiraju, A.; Aulenbach, S.; Tilmes, C.; Fox, P. A.

2013-12-01

The periodical National Climate Assessment (NCA) of the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) [1] produces reports about findings of global climate change and the impacts of climate change on the United States. Those findings are of great public and academic concerns and are used in policy and management decisions, which make the provenance information of findings in those reports especially important. The USGCRP is developing a Global Change Information System (GCIS), in which the NCA reports and associated provenance information are the primary records. We were modeling and developing Semantic Web applications for the GCIS. By applying a use case-driven iterative methodology [2], we developed an ontology [3] to represent the content structure of a report and the associated provenance information. We also mapped the classes and properties in our ontology into the W3C PROV-O ontology [4] to realize the formal presentation of provenance. We successfully implemented the ontology in several pilot systems for a recent National Climate Assessment report (i.e., the NCA3). They provide users the functionalities to browse and search provenance information with topics of interest. Provenance information of the NCA3 has been made structured and interoperable by applying the developed ontology. Besides the pilot systems we developed, other tools and services are also able to interact with the data in the context of the 'Web of data' and thus create added values. Our research shows that the use case-driven iterative method bridges the gap between Semantic Web researchers and earth and environmental scientists and is able to be deployed rapidly for developing Semantic Web applications. Our work also provides first-hand experience for re-using the W3C PROV-O ontology in the field of earth and environmental sciences, as the PROV-O ontology is recently ratified (on 04/30/2013) by the W3C as a recommendation and relevant applications are still rare. [1] http://www.globalchange.gov [2] Fox, P., McGuinness, D.L., 2008. TWC Semantic Web Methodology. Accessible at: http://tw.rpi.edu/web/doc/TWC_SemanticWebMethodology [3] https://scm.escience.rpi.edu/svn/public/projects/gcis/trunk/rdf/schema/GCISOntology.ttl [4] http://www.w3.org/TR/prov-o/

Comparison of terminally ill cancer- vs. non-cancer patients in specialized palliative home care in Germany - a single service analysis.

PubMed

Stiel, Stephanie; Heckel, Maria; Seifert, Andreas; Frauendorf, Tobias; Hanke, Roland Martin; Ostgathe, Christoph

2015-07-25

Palliative care (PC) is no longer offered with preference to cancer patients (CA), but also to patients with non-malignant, progressive diseases. Taking current death statistics into account, PC in Europe will face a growing number of patients dying from non-cancer diseases (NCA). More insights into specialized palliative home care (SPHC) in NCAs are needed. Retrospective analysis and group comparisons between CAs and NCAs of anonymous data of all patients cared for between December 2009 and June 2012 by one SPHC team in Germany. Patient-, disease- and care-related data are documented in clinical routine by specialized PC physicians and nurses in the Information System Palliative Care 3.0 ® (ISPC®). Overall, 502 patients were cared for by the SPHC team; from 387 patients comprehensive data sets were documented. These 387 data sets (CA: N = 300, 77.5 % and NCA: N = 87, 22.5 %) are used for further analysis here. NCAs were significantly older (81 vs. 73 years; p < .001), than CAs and most often suffered from diseases of the nervous system (40 %). They needed significantly more assistance with defecation (87 vs. 74 %; p < .001) and urination (47 vs. 29 %; p < .001) and were more often affected from impaired vigilance (30 vs. 11 %; p < .001) than CAs. A by trend higher proportion of NCAs died within one day after admission to palliative home care (12 vs. 5 %; p < .05) and a smaller proportion was re-admitted to hospital during home care (6 vs. 20 %; p < .001). NCAs died predominantly in nursing homes (50 vs. 20 %; p < .001). Although the proportion of NCAs was relatively high in this study, the access to PC services seems to takes place late in the disease trajectory, as demonstrated by the lower survival rate for NCAs. Nevertheless, the results show, that NCAs PC needs are as complex and intense as in CAs.

Ethnic sensitivity assessment of the antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) in patients with HER2-positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

PubMed

Li, Chunze; Wang, Bei; Lu, Dan; Jin, Jin Y; Gao, Yuying; Matsunaga, Kiyoshi; Igawa, Yuriko; Nijem, Ihsan; Lu, Michael; Strasak, Alexander; Chernyukhin, Nataliya; Girish, Sandhya

2016-09-01

Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) is indicated for previously treated HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Ethnic sensitivity assessment of T-DM1 was conducted using data from eight clinical studies to ensure that the clinically recommended dose is appropriate across ethnicities. Four approaches were used: (1) non-compartmental analysis (NCA) comparing pharmacokinetic parameters of T-DM1 and relevant analytes across ethnic groups, (2) population pharmacokinetic (popPK) analysis assessing the impact of ethnicity on pharmacokinetics, (3) comparison of T-DM1 pharmacokinetics in Japanese patients versus the global population, and (4) exposure-response analyses assessing the impact of ethnicity on safety and efficacy. NCA pharmacokinetic parameters (T-DM1, total trastuzumab, DM1) were comparable across ethnic groups; mean cycle 1 T-DM1 AUCinf was 475, 442, and 518 day µg/mL for white (n = 461), Asian (n = 68), and others (n = 57), respectively. PopPK analysis showed that ethnicity (white, Asian, and others) was not a significant covariate for T-DM1 pharmacokinetics (n = 671). Additionally, visual predictive check plots indicated that observed pharmacokinetic profiles in Japanese patients (n = 42) were within the prediction interval generated from the final PopPK model. Exposure-response analyses showed that ethnicity was not a significant covariate impacting efficacy or hepatotoxicity risk, but there was a trend of greater thrombocytopenia risk among Asians versus non-Asians, which could not be explained by similar exposure between the ethnic groups. Most Asians with thrombocytopenia were able to continue T-DM1 using dose-adjustment rules recommended for the global population. These results suggest that T-DM1 pharmacokinetics are comparable across ethnic groups and that use of the current dosing regimen is appropriate across ethnicities.

76 FR 19343 - Combined Notice of Filings No. 1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-07

... Transmission Company submits tariff filing per 154.203: Compliance NCA Chevron to be effective 2/1/2011. Filed...: Chevron U.S.A. Inc. FA0910 to be effective 4/1/ 2011. Filed Date: 03/28/2011. Accession Number: 20110328...

76 FR 21387 - Federal Property Suitable as Facilities To Assist the Homeless

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-15

... GSA Number: 4-G-WV-0557 Comments: 57,600 sq. ft; future owners must maintain exposure prevention... Number: 9-N-CA-1508-AI Comments: Correction: 631.62 sq. ft., encroachment. Parcel F-4 Right of Way Seal...

USING SPARROW MODEL RESULTS TO ASSIST WITH COASTAL WATER ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The National Coastal Assessment (NCA) has proposed a national strategy for research and monitoring in support of coastal water assessment that involves three tiers: Problem Characterization (Tier 1), involving probabilistic surveys to document broad-scale response properties; D...

THE ART OF COASTAL MONITORING: A FOCUS ON VERSATILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract for poster presenation.One important measure of success for a monitoring program is its adaptability to changing assessment objectives. Since 2000, US coastal states and federal agencies, in partnership with EPA's National Coastal Assessment (NCA), have been monitoring ...

Three-Dimensional Polypeptide Architectures Through Tandem Catalysis and Click Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhodes, Allison Jane

Rapid renal clearance, liver accumulation, proteolytic degradation and non-specificity are challenges small molecule drugs, peptides, proteins and nucleic acid therapeutics encounter en route to their intended destination within the body. Nanocarriers (i.e. dendritric polymers, vesicles, and micelles) of approximately 100 nm in diameter, shuttle small molecule drugs to their desired location through passive (EPR effect) and active (ligand-mediated) targeting, maximizing therapeutic efficiency. Polypeptide-based polymers are water-soluble, biocompatible, non-toxic and are therefore excellent candidates for nanocarriers. Dendritic polymers, including dendrimers, cylindrical brushes, and star polymers, are the newest class of nanomedicine drug delivery vehicles. The synthesis and characterization of dendritic polymers is challenging, with tedious and costly procedures. Dendritic polymers possess peripheral pendent functional groups that can potentially be used in ligand-mediated drug delivery vehicles and bioimaging applications. More specifically, cylindrical brushes are dendritic polymers where a single linear polymer (primary chain) has polymer chains (secondary chains) grafted to it. Recently, research groups have shown that cylindrical brush polymers are capable of nanoparticle and supramolecular structure self-assembly. The facile preparation of high-density brush copolypeptides by the "grafting from" approach will be discussed. This approach utilizes a novel, tandem catalytic methodology where alloc-alpha-aminoamide groups are installed within the side-chains of the alpha-amino-N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) monomer serving as masked initiators. These groups are inert during cobalt initiated NCA polymerization, and give alloc-alpha-aminoamide substituted polypeptide main-chains. The alloc-alpha-aminoamide groups are activated in situ using nickel to generate initiators for growth of side-chain brush segments. This method proves to be efficient, yielding well-defined, high-density brushes for applications in drug delivery and imaging. Here, we also report a method for the synthesis of soluble, well-defined, azido functionalized polypeptides in a straightforward, 3-step synthesis. Homo and diblock azidopolypeptides were prepared with controlled segment lengths via living polymerization using Co(PMe3)4 initiator. Through copper azide alkyne click chemistry (CuAAC) in organic solvent, azidopolypeptides were regioselectively and quantitatively modified with carboxylic acid (pH-responsive), amino acid and sugar functional groups. Finally, the advances towards well-defined hyperbranched polypeptides through alpha-amino-acid-N-thiocarboxyanhydrides (NTAs) will be discussed. Within the past 10 years, controlled NCA (alpha-amino acid-N-carboxyanhydride) ring-opening polymerization (ROP) has emerged, expanding the application of copolypeptide polymers in various drug delivery and tissue engineering motifs. Modification of NCA monomers to the corresponding alpha-amino-acid-N-thiocarboxyanhydride (NTA) will diversify ROP reactions, leading to more complex polypeptides (such as hyperbranched polymers), in addition to the possibility of performing these polymerizations under ambient conditions, which would greatly expand their potential utility. The project focuses on the preparation of hyperbranched polypeptides with well-defined architectures and controlled branching density in a one-pot reaction. This will be accomplished by taking advantage of the different selectivities of Co(PMe3)4 and depeNi(COD) polymerization initiators, and by exploiting the reactivity difference between NCA and the more stable NTA monomers.

THE NATIONAL COAST ASSESSMENT : EPA TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO STRATEGIC PARTNERS

EPA Science Inventory

The National Coastal Assessment (NCA) is a large-scale, comprehensive environmental monitoring program designed to characterize the ecological condition of the Nation's coastal resources (estuaries and near shore waters). A key to the success of the program is the development of ...

Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) Lexicon

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

Communications Satellite CRT Cathode Ray Tube COMNAVSURFLANT Commander, CS Combat System; Computer Subsystem Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet CSA Close...Sideband Low-Frequency Acoustic Vernier Analyzer LSD Large Screen Display LC Launch Control LSI Low Ship Impact 24 LSNSR Line-of-Bearing Sensor NCA

A NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT OF COASTAL SEDIMENT CONDITION

EPA Science Inventory

One element of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program's National Coastal Assessment is to estimate the current status, extent, changes and trends in the condition of the Nation's coastal sediments on a national basis. Based on NCA monitoring activities from 1999-2001...

77 FR 64311 - Potential Market Impact of the Proposed Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Materials Plan; National Defense...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-19

...,000 (5) Cadmium Zinc Tellurium (CZT) substrates.. cm\\2\\ 24,000 (6) Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LCO) Kg 750 (6) Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide kg 540 (6) (NCA). Mesocarbon Microbeads (MCMB) kg 648 (6...

Best Practices in General Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hefferin, Deborah

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) requires that students demonstrate communication competency. It is up to the institution to demonstrate how these competencies are achieved. Broward Community College (Florida) chose to identify competencies using the National Communication Association (NCA) Sophomore Exit Level Speaking and…

NCA Legal Alert. A Preview: 1986-1987 Supreme Court Cases Affecting Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corkill, Phillip M.

1987-01-01

Offers brief summaries of upcoming Supreme Court cases that have implications for education, including two cases involving religion, affirmative action, and school policy regarding employees and students who have Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or carry AIDS antibodies. (DMM)

NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT APPROACH AND FINDINGS IN THE NORTHEAST

EPA Science Inventory

The National Coastal Assessment (NCA) has three major goals: 1) assess ecological condition of the nation's estuarine resources based on comparable data of known quality, 2) determine reference conditions for more detailed studies of ecological stressors and responses, and 3) he...

The low-energy β(-) and electron emitter (161)Tb as an alternative to (177)Lu for targeted radionuclide therapy.

PubMed

Lehenberger, Silvia; Barkhausen, Christoph; Cohrs, Susan; Fischer, Eliane; Grünberg, Jürgen; Hohn, Alexander; Köster, Ulli; Schibli, Roger; Türler, Andreas; Zhernosekov, Konstantin

2011-08-01

The low-energy β(-) emitter (161)Tb is very similar to (177)Lu with respect to half-life, beta energy and chemical properties. However, (161)Tb also emits a significant amount of conversion and Auger electrons. Greater therapeutic effect can therefore be expected in comparison to (177)Lu. It also emits low-energy photons that are useful for gamma camera imaging. The (160)Gd(n,γ)(161)Gd→(161)Tb production route was used to produce (161)Tb by neutron irradiation of massive (160)Gd targets (up to 40 mg) in nuclear reactors. A semiautomated procedure based on cation exchange chromatography was developed and applied to isolate no carrier added (n.c.a.) (161)Tb from the bulk of the (160)Gd target and from its stable decay product (161)Dy. (161)Tb was used for radiolabeling DOTA-Tyr3-octreotate; the radiolabeling profile was compared to the commercially available n.c.a. (177)Lu. A (161)Tb Derenzo phantom was imaged using a small-animal single-photon emission computed tomography camera. Up to 15 GBq of (161)Tb was produced by long-term irradiation of Gd targets. Using a cation exchange resin, we obtained 80%-90% of the available (161)Tb with high specific activity, radionuclide and chemical purity and in quantities sufficient for therapeutic applications. The (161)Tb obtained was of the quality required to prepare (161)Tb-DOTA-Tyr3-octreotate. We were able to produce (161)Tb in n.c.a. form by irradiating highly enriched (160)Gd targets; it can be obtained in the quantity and quality required for the preparation of (161)Tb-labeled therapeutic agents. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Engagement with indigenous peoples and honoring traditional knowledge systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maldonado, Julie; Bennett, Bull; Chief, Karletta; Cochran, Patricia; Cozetto, Karen; Gough, Bob; Hiza-Redsteer, Margaret M.; Lynn, Kathy; Maynard, Nancy; Voggesser, Garrit

2016-01-01

The organizers of the 2014 US National Climate Assessment (NCA) made a concerted effort to reach out to and collaborate with Indigenous peoples, resulting in the most comprehensive information to date on climate change impacts to Indigenous peoples in a US national assessment. Yet, there is still much room for improvement in assessment processes to ensure adequate recognition of Indigenous perspectives and Indigenous knowledge systems. This article discusses the process used in creating the Indigenous Peoples, Land, and Resources NCA chapter by a team comprised of tribal members, agencies, academics, and non-governmental organizations, who worked together to solicit, collect, and synthesize traditional knowledges and data from a diverse array of Indigenous communities across the US. It also discusses the synergy and discord between traditional knowledge systems and science and the emergence of cross-cutting issues and vulnerabilities for Indigenous peoples. The challenges of coalescing information about climate change and its impacts on Indigenous communities are outlined along with recommendations on the types of information to include in future assessment outputs. We recommend that future assessments – not only NCA, but other relevant local, regional, national, and international efforts aimed at the translation of climate information and assessments into meaningful actions – should support integration of Indigenous perspectives in a sustained way that builds respectful relationships and effectively engages Indigenous communities. Given the large number of tribes in the US and the current challenges and unique vulnerabilities of Indigenous communities, a special report focusing solely on climate change and Indigenous peoples is warranted.This article is part of a special issue on “The National Climate Assessment: Innovations in Science and Engagement” edited by Katharine Jacobs, Susanne Moser, and James Buizer.

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

Nam, Sangchul; Namkoong, Wan; Kang, Jeong-Hee

Highlights: • Equilibrium test was attempted to evaluate adsorption characteristics of siloxane. • L2 had higher removal efficiency in carbon compared to noncarbon adsorbents. • Total adsorption capacity of siloxane was 300 mg/g by coal activated carbon. • Adsorption characteristics rely on size of siloxane molecule and adsorbent pore. • Conversion of siloxane was caused by adsorption of noncarbon adsorbents. - Abstract: Due to the increase in energy cost by constantly high oil prices and the obligation to reduce greenhouse effect gases, landfill gas is frequently used as an alternative energy source for producing heat and electricity. Most of landfillmore » gas utility facilities, however, are experiencing problems controlling siloxanes from landfill gas as their catalytic oxidizers are becoming fouled by silicon dioxide dust. To evaluate adsorption characteristics of siloxanes, an adsorption equilibrium test was conducted and parameters in the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms were analyzed. Coconut activated carbon (CA1), coal activated carbon (CA2), impregnated activated carbon (CA3), silicagel (NCA1), and activated alumina (NCA2) were used for the adsorption of the mixed siloxane which contained hexamethyldisiloxane (L2), octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5). L2 had higher removal efficiency in noncarbon adsorbents compared to carbon adsorbents. The application of Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm demonstrated that coconut based CA1 and CA3 provided higher adsorption capacity on L2. And CA2 and NCA1 provided higher adsorption capacity on D4 and D5. Based on the experimental results, L2, D4, and D5 were converted by adsorption and desorption in noncarbon adsorbents. Adsorption affinity of siloxane is considered to be affect by the pore size distribution of the adsorbents and by the molecular size of each siloxane.« less

HISTORIC IMAGE: AERIAL VIEW OF THE CEMETERY AND ITS ENVIRONS. ...

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

HISTORIC IMAGE: AERIAL VIEW OF THE CEMETERY AND ITS ENVIRONS. PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN ON 6 APRIL 1968. NCA HISTORY COLLECTION. - Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island Arsenal, 0.25 mile north of southern tip of Rock Island, Rock Island, Rock Island County, IL

NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT: MONITORING AND MODELING IN SUPPORT OF TMDL CALCULATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The National Coastal Assessment (NCA) has three major goals: 1) assess ecological condition of the nation's estuarine resources based on comparable data of know quality; 2) determine reference conditions, 3) help build infrastructure in states and EPA Regions. Much of the init...

Tuning the Activity of Oxygen in LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 Battery Electrodes.

PubMed

Karki, Khim; Huang, Yiqing; Hwang, Sooyeon; Gamalski, Andrew D; Whittingham, M Stanley; Zhou, Guangwen; Stach, Eric A

2016-10-06

Layered transition metal oxides such as LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 (NCA) are highly desirable battery electrodes. However, these materials suffer from thermal runaway caused by deleterious oxygen loss and surface phase transitions when in highly overcharged and overheated conditions, prompting serious safety concerns. Using in situ environmental transmission electron microscopy techniques, we demonstrate that surface oxygen loss and structural changes in the highly overcharged NCA particles are suppressed by exposing them to an oxygen-rich environment. The onset temperature for the loss of oxygen from the electrode particle is delayed to 350 °C at oxygen gas overpressure of 400 mTorr. Similar heating of the particles in a reducing hydrogen gas demonstrated a quick onset of oxygen loss at 150 °C and rapid surface degradation of the particles. The results reported here illustrate the fundamental mechanism governing the failure processes of electrode particles and highlight possible strategies to circumvent such issues.

Enabling electrolyte compositions for columnar silicon anodes in high energy secondary batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piwko, Markus; Thieme, Sören; Weller, Christine; Althues, Holger; Kaskel, Stefan

2017-09-01

Columnar silicon structures are proven as high performance anodes for high energy batteries paired with low (sulfur) or high (nickel-cobalt-aluminum oxide, NCA) voltage cathodes. The introduction of a fluorinated ether/sulfolane solvent mixture drastically improves the capacity retention for both battery types due to an improved solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on the surface of the silicon electrode which reduces irreversible reactions normally causing lithium loss and rapid capacity fading. For the lithium silicide/sulfur battery cycling stability is significantly improved as compared to a frequently used reference electrolyte (DME/DOL) reaching a constant coulombic efficiency (CE) as high as 98%. For the silicon/NCA battery with higher voltage, the addition of only small amounts of fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) to the novel electrolyte leads to a stable capacity over at least 50 cycles and a CE as high as 99.9%. A high volumetric energy density close to 1000 Wh l-1 was achieved with the new electrolyte taking all inactive components of the stack into account for the estimation.

The MUSES Satellite Team and Multidisciplinary System Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, John C.; Paiz, Alfred R.; Young, Donald L.

1997-01-01

In a unique partnership between three minority-serving institutions and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a new course sequence, including a multidisciplinary capstone design experience, is to be developed and implemented at each of the schools with the ambitious goal of designing, constructing and launching a low-orbit Earth-resources satellite. The three universities involved are North Carolina A&T State University (NCA&T), University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP), and California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA). The schools form a consortium collectively known as MUSES - Minority Universities System Engineering and Satellite. Four aspects of this project make it unique: (1) Including all engineering disciplines in the capstone design course, (2) designing, building and launching an Earth-resources satellite, (3) sustaining the partnership between the three schools to achieve this goal, and (4) implementing systems engineering pedagogy at each of the three schools. This paper will describe the partnership and its goals, the first design of the satellite, the courses developed at NCA&T, and the implementation plan for the course sequence.

Non-Fermi-liquid behavior in nonequilibrium transport through Co-doped Au chains connected to fourfold symmetric leads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Napoli, S.; Roura-Bas, P.; Weichselbaum, Andreas; Aligia, A. A.

2014-09-01

We calculate the differential conductance as a function of temperature and bias voltage, G (T,V), through Au monatomic chains with a substitutional Co atom as a magnetic impurity, connected to a fourfold symmetric lead. The system was recently proposed as a possible scenario for observation of the overscreened Kondo physics. Stretching the chain, the system could be tuned through a quantum critical point (QCP) with three different regimes: overscreened, underscreened, and non-Kondo phases. We present calculations of the impurity spectral function by using the numerical renormalization group for the three different regimes characterizing the QCP. Nontrivial behavior of the spectral function is reported near the QCP. Comparison with results using the noncrossing approximation (NCA) shows that the latter is reliable in the overscreened regime, when the anisotropy is larger than the Kondo temperature. For these parameters, which correspond to realistic previous estimates, G (T,V) calculated within NCA exhibits clear signatures of the non-Fermi-liquid behavior within the overscreened regime.

A simple and rapid technique for radiochemical separation of iodine radionuclides from irradiated tellurium using an activated charcoal column.

PubMed

Chattopadhyay, Sankha; Saha Das, Sujata

2009-10-01

A simple and inexpensive method for the separation of medically useful no-carrier-added (nca) iodine radionuclides from bulk amounts of irradiated tellurium dioxide (TeO(2)) target was developed. The beta(-) emitting (131)I radionuclide, produced by the decay of (131)Te through the (nat)Te(n, gamma)(131)Te nuclear reaction, was used for standardization of the radiochemical separation procedure. The radiochemical separation was performed by precipitation followed by column (activated charcoal) chromatography. Quantitative post-irradiation recovery of the TeO(2) target material (98-99%), in a form suitable for reuse in future irradiations, was achieved. The overall radiochemical yield for the complete separation of (131)I was 75-85% (n=8). The separated nca (131)I was of high, approximately 99%, radionuclidic and radiochemical purities and did not contain detectable amounts of the target material. This method can be adopted for the radiochemical separation of other different iodine radionuclides produced from tellurium matrices through cyclotron as well as reactor irradiation.

Innovations in science and scenarios for assessment.

PubMed

Kunkel, Kenneth E; Moss, Richard; Parris, Adam

Scenarios for the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA3) were produced for physical climate and sea level rise with substantial input from disciplinary and regional experts. These scenarios underwent extensive review and were published as NOAA Technical Reports. For land use/cover and socioeconomic conditions, scenarios already developed by other agencies were specified for use in the NCA3. Efforts to enhance participatory scenario planning as an assessment activity were pursued, but with limited success. Issues and challenges included the timing of availability of scenarios, the need for guidance in use of scenarios, the need for approaches to nest information within multiple scales and sectors, engagement and collaboration of end users in scenario development, and development of integrated scenarios. Future assessments would benefit from an earlier start to scenarios development, the provision of training in addition to guidance documents, new and flexible approaches for nesting information, ongoing engagement and advice from both scientific and end user communities, and the development of consistent and integrated scenarios.

Innovations in science and scenarios for assessment

DOE PAGES

Kunkel, Kenneth E.; Moss, Richard; Parris, Adam

2015-08-29

Scenarios for the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA3) were produced for physical climate and sea level rise with substantial input from disciplinary and regional experts. These scenarios underwent extensive review and were published as NOAA Technical Reports. For land use/cover and socioeconomic conditions, scenarios already developed by other agencies were specified for use in the NCA3. Efforts to enhance participatory scenario planning as an assessment activity were pursued, but with limited success. Issues and challenges included the timing of availability of scenarios, the need for guidance in use of scenarios, the need for approaches to nest information within multiple scalesmore » and sectors, engagement and collaboration of end users in scenario development, and development of integrated scenarios. Future assessments would benefit from an earlier start to scenarios development, the provision of training in addition to guidance documents, new and flexible approaches for nesting information, ongoing engagement and advice from both scientific and end user communities, and the development of consistent and integrated scenarios.« less

SEDIMENT TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON: IS IT TIME TO PULL THE PLUG ON THIS INDICATOR?

EPA Science Inventory

Total organic carbon (TOC) content of sediments has been used as an indicator of benthic community condition during multiple cycles of the EPA National Coastal Assessment (NCA). Because percent TOC is generally positively correlated with sediment percent fines, previous analyses...

Condition of Tidal Wetlands of Washington, Oregon and California - 2002

EPA Science Inventory

The National Coastal Assessment (NCA) of US EPA conducted the first probability based assessment of the condition of estuarine intertidal wetland resources of the West Coast of the U.S. in 2002. The study results constitute a baseline estimate of condition of coastal resources t...

IMPROVING ESTUARINE EVALUATION THROUGH OUTREACH AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO STATES, TRIBES AND OTHER PARTNERS: EPA'S NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) National Coastal Assessment (NCA) is a large-scale, comprehensive environmental monitoring program designed to characterize the ecological condition of the Nation's coastal resources. A key to this successful program is the developmen...

CONDITION OF ESTUARIES OF CALIFORNIA FOR 1999: A STATISTICAL SUMMARY

EPA Science Inventory

As a part of the National Coastal Assessment (NCA), the Western Pilot Study under the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) initiated a five year Coastal component in 1999. The objectives of the program were: to assess the condition of estuarine resources of Was...

Structural study, NCA, FT-IR, FT-Raman spectral investigations, NBO analysis, thermodynamic functions of N-acetyl-l-phenylalanine.

PubMed

Raja, B; Balachandran, V; Revathi, B

2015-03-05

The FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of N-acetyl-l-phenylalanine were recorded and analyzed. Natural bond orbital analysis has been carried out for various intramolecular interactions that are responsible for the stabilization of the molecule. HOMO-LUMO energy gap has been computed with the help of density functional theory. The statistical thermodynamic functions (heat capacity, entropy, vibrational partition function and Gibbs energy) were obtained for the range of temperature 100-1000K. The polarizability, first hyperpolarizability, anisotropy polarizability invariant has been computed using quantum chemical calculations. The infrared and Raman spectra were also predicted from the calculated intensities. Comparison of the experimental and theoretical spectra values provides important information about the ability of the computational method to describe the vibrational modes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A PROBABILISTIC SURVEY OF FISH TISSUE CONTAMINATION FROM THE CONTINENTAL SHELF OF THE US WEST COAST

EPA Science Inventory

A probabilistic survey of environmental condition of the continental shelf of the US West Coast was conducted in 2003 by the US EPA National Coastal Assessment (NCA), with collaboration by the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service. Metals and organic contaminants were analyzed ...

Forum: Learning Outcomes in Communication. "Diversity Matters" Continued: Student Learning Outcomes in Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wahl, Shawn T.; Williams, Kesha Morant; Berkos, Kristen M.; Disbrow, Lynn M.

2016-01-01

Using the conceptual foundation "diversity matters" (Orbe & Allen, 2008), this essay calls for research examining the NCA learning outcomes in communication related to diversity, inclusion, privilege, and intercultural communication (mostly existing in LOC 8). The authors argue this research will serve as a relevant and vital…

78 FR 54909 - Notice of Availability of the Proposed Winnemucca District Resource Management Plan and Final...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-06

... Rock Desert-Highrock Canyon, Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area (NCA), except for... Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area and Associated Wilderness, and..., closed, or subject to special stipulations or mitigation measures relating to minerals; and management of...

Using National Coastal Assessment Data to Model Estuarine Water Quality at Large Spatial Scales.

EPA Science Inventory

The water quality of the Nation’s estuaries is attracting scrutiny in light of population growth and enhanced nutrient delivery. The USEPA has evaluated water quality in the National Coastal Assessment (NCA) and National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) programs. Here we rep...

SEDIMENT TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON: IS THIS A USEFUL INDICATOR OF SEDIMENT CONDITION FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST ESTUARIES?

EPA Science Inventory

Total organic carbon (TOC) content of sediments has been used as an indicator of benthic community condition during multiple cycles of the EPA National Coastal Assessment (NCA). Because percent TOC is generally positively correlated with sediment percent fines, previous analyses...

Light Aircraft Piston Engine Carburetor Ice Detector/Warning Device Sensitivity/Effectiveness.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-06-01

10kHz max), converting raw data into engineering units as established by operator, displaying eight different parameters on cathode ray tube (CRT) and...TN No. 1790, February 1949. f. icing - Protection Requirements for Reciprocating Engine Induction Systems, NCA Technical Report No. 982, June 1949. q

76 FR 32815 - Medicaid Program; Payment Adjustment for Provider-Preventable Conditions Including Health Care...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-06

... Hospital IPPS Inpatient prospective payment system MS-DRG Diagnosis-related group NCA National coverage... based on the ``inpatient prospective payment system'' (IPPS) described in section 1886(d) of the Act... and procedures, and payment systems. We reviewed various articles, reports, summaries, and data bases...

CONDITION OF ESTUARIES AND BAYS OF HAWAII FOR 2002: A STATISTICAL SUMMARY

EPA Science Inventory

The National Coastal Assessment (NCA) of US EPA conducted the first probabilistic assessment of the condition of estuarine resources of the main islands of Hawaii in 2002. The study provided condition estimates for both the estuaries and bays of the Hawaiian Island chain, as wel...

77 FR 22286 - NCAnet: Building a Network of Networks in Support of the National Climate Assessment (NCA)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-13

... effects of global change on the natural environment, agriculture, energy production and use, land and..., NCADAC recognizes and seeks to leverage the important and growing distributed science capabilities and... communities, professional societies, and private industry represent currently untapped assets and diverse...

The Contemporary Relevance of Communication Research: Using "Communication Currents" in the Communication Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldeck, Jennifer H.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this report is to describe a rationale and strategies for use of the National Communication Association's online magazine, "Communication Currents", in the undergraduate communication curriculum. "Communication Currents" features essays that translate current scholarship published in NCA journals, making the research "understandable…

78 FR 38809 - Agency Information Collection (NCA Customer Satisfaction Surveys (Headstone/Marker)) Activity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-27

... Customer Satisfaction Surveys (Headstone/Marker)) Activity Under OMB Review AGENCY: National Cemetery... Customer Satisfaction Surveys. OMB Control Number: 2900-0571. Type of Review: Revision of a currently... they want and their level of satisfaction with existing service. VA will use the data collected to...

75 FR 3487 - Notice of Public Meeting: Recreation Subcommittee of the Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-21

... Area (NCA) Scenic Loop managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Date and Time: The Recreation... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service..., and Mojave- Southern Great Basin Resource Advisory Councils, Nevada AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management...

A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE: STATE-FEDERAL PARTNERSHIPS FOR MONITORING WATER QUALITY IN ESTUARIES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. ATLANTIC COAST

EPA Science Inventory

Federal and State resource agencies have worked together over the past four years to promote effective coastal monitoring in conjunction with National Coastal Assessment (NCA) activities in the Southeast Atlantic Region (Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Geo...

Effects of Protein Structure on Iron–Polypeptide Vibrational Dynamic Coupling in Cytochrome c

DOE PAGES

Galinato, Mary Grace I.; Bowman, Sarah E. J.; Kleingardner, Jesse G.; ...

2014-12-22

Cytochrome c (Cyt c) has a heme covalently bound to the polypeptide via a Cys-X-X-Cys-His (CXXCH) linker that is located in the interface region for protein–protein interactions. To determine whether the polypeptide matrix influences iron vibrational dynamics, nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy (NRVS) measurements were performed on 57Fe-labeled ferric Hydrogenobacter thermophilus cytochrome c-552, and variants M13V, M13V/K22M, and A7F, which have structural modifications that alter the composition or environment of the CXXCH pentapeptide loop. Simulations of the NRVS data indicate that the 150–325 cm –1 region is dominated by N His–Fe–S Met axial ligand and polypeptide motions, while the 325–400 cmmore » –1 region shows dominant contributions from ν(Fe–N Pyr) (Pyr = pyrrole) and other heme-based modes. Diagnostic spectral signatures that directly relate to structural features of the heme active site are identified using a quantum chemistry-centered normal coordinate analysis (QCC-NCA). In particular, spectral features that directly correlate with CXXCH loop stiffness, the strength of the Fe–His interaction, and the degree of heme distortion are identified. Cumulative results from our investigation suggest that compared to the wild type (wt), variants M13V and M13V/K22M have a more rigid CXXCH pentapeptide segment, a stronger Fe–N His interaction, and a more ruffled heme. Conversely, the A7F variant has a more planar heme and a weaker Fe–NHis bond. These results are correlated to the observed changes in reduction potential between wt protein and the variants studied here. Lastly, we discuss the implications of these results for Cyt c biogenesis and electron transfer.« less

Effect of mineral surface properties (alumina, kaolinite) on the sorptive fractionation mechanisms of soil fulvic acids: Molecular-scale ESI-MS studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleury, Guillaume; Del Nero, Mirella; Barillon, Rémi

2017-01-01

We addressed the effects of mineral surface properties (kaolinite versus Al-oxide) on the sorption-driven fractionation of a soil fulvic acid (FA) at acidic pH, mainly by means of ESI(-)-FTMS analysis of initial and supernatant solutions of FA sorption batch experiments. The MS data provided clear molecular-scale evidence of distinct mechanisms and molecular parameters controlling the FA fractionation upon its sorption on clay and oxide surfaces, respectively. Identification of sorbing and not-sorbing FA compounds in kaolinite-solution systems revealed a weak fractionation among members of sbnd CO2 series of aliphatics or not-condensed aromatics (NCAs) at pH 3.8, and almost no sorption of poorly-oxygenated polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) and NCAs. This first molecular-scale description of a FA fractionation in a clay-solution system suggests that H-bonding with low affinity sites (aluminol/silanol) on the basal planes of the clay particles is the main mechanism of sorption. Due to the predominance of such weak and poorly-selective mechanism, the sorption of aliphatic and NCA molecules bearing oxygenated functionalities was prevented at pH 5, due to dissolved Al competing successfully for their coordination. In contrast, a strong FA fractionation was observed onto alumina, with a preferential retention of PACs and highly-oxygenated aliphatics and NCAs. The major part of the poorly oxygenated aliphatics was left in solution. The sorption degree of NCAs and aliphatics was strongly correlated with molecular acidity. For PACs and poorly-oxygenated NCAs, the sorption was driven by reactions of surface ligand exchange (for the most oxygenated compounds) or by hydrophobic interactions (for the least oxygenated compounds).

Effects of Protein Structure on Iron–Polypeptide Vibrational Dynamic Coupling in Cytochrome c

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Cytochrome c (Cyt c) has a heme covalently bound to the polypeptide via a Cys-X-X-Cys-His (CXXCH) linker that is located in the interface region for protein–protein interactions. To determine whether the polypeptide matrix influences iron vibrational dynamics, nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy (NRVS) measurements were performed on 57Fe-labeled ferric Hydrogenobacter thermophilus cytochrome c-552, and variants M13V, M13V/K22M, and A7F, which have structural modifications that alter the composition or environment of the CXXCH pentapeptide loop. Simulations of the NRVS data indicate that the 150–325 cm–1 region is dominated by NHis–Fe–SMet axial ligand and polypeptide motions, while the 325–400 cm–1 region shows dominant contributions from ν(Fe–NPyr) (Pyr = pyrrole) and other heme-based modes. Diagnostic spectral signatures that directly relate to structural features of the heme active site are identified using a quantum chemistry-centered normal coordinate analysis (QCC-NCA). In particular, spectral features that directly correlate with CXXCH loop stiffness, the strength of the Fe–His interaction, and the degree of heme distortion are identified. Cumulative results from our investigation suggest that compared to the wild type (wt), variants M13V and M13V/K22M have a more rigid CXXCH pentapeptide segment, a stronger Fe–NHis interaction, and a more ruffled heme. Conversely, the A7F variant has a more planar heme and a weaker Fe–NHis bond. These results are correlated to the observed changes in reduction potential between wt protein and the variants studied here. Implications of these results for Cyt c biogenesis and electron transfer are also discussed. PMID:25531247

Haemophilus ducreyi Cutaneous Ulcer Strains Diverged from Both Class I and Class II Genital Ulcer Strains: Implications for Epidemiological Studies.

PubMed

Gangaiah, Dharanesh; Spinola, Stanley M

2016-12-01

Haemophilus ducreyi has emerged as a major cause of cutaneous ulcers (CU) in yaws-endemic regions of the tropics in the South Pacific, South East Asia and Africa. H. ducreyi was once thought only to cause the genital ulcer (GU) disease chancroid; GU strains belong to 2 distinct classes, class I and class II. Using whole-genome sequencing of 4 CU strains from Samoa, 1 from Vanuatu and 1 from Papua New Guinea, we showed that CU strains diverged from the class I strain 35000HP and that one CU strain expressed β-lactamase. Recently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released the genomes of 11 additional CU strains from Vanuatu and Ghana; however, the evolutionary relationship of these CU strains to previously-characterized CU and GU strains is unknown. We performed phylogenetic analysis of 17 CU and 10 GU strains. Class I and class II GU strains formed two distinct clades. The class I strains formed two subclades, one containing 35000HP and HD183 and the other containing the remainder of the class I strains. Twelve of the CU strains formed a subclone under the class I 35000HP subclade, while 2 CU strains formed a subclone under the other class I subclade. Unexpectedly, 3 of the CU strains formed a subclone under the class II clade. Phylogenetic analysis of dsrA-hgbA-ncaA sequences yielded a tree similar to that of whole-genome phylogenetic tree. CU strains diverged from multiple lineages within both class I and class II GU strains. Multilocus sequence typing of dsrA-hgbA-ncaA could be reliably used for epidemiological investigation of CU and GU strains. As class II strains grow relatively poorly and are relatively more susceptible to vancomycin than class I strains, these findings have implications for methods to recover CU strains. Comparison of contemporary CU and GU isolates would help clarify the relationship between these entities.

Needs for mental health care and service provision in single homeless people.

PubMed

Salize, H J; Horst, A; Dillmann-Lange, C; Killmann, U; Stern, G; Wolf, I; Henn, F; Rössler, W

2001-04-01

Specific problems in sampling methodology, case-finding strategies and a standardised needs assessment in mentally ill homeless people have contributed to their being neglected as a mental health care clientele. We assessed a representative sample of homeless people (n=102) in the highly industrialised city of Mannheim (Germany) regarding their prevalence of mental disorders (using the SCID) and their needs for mental health care (using the NCA). We found high prevalences, with 68.6% of all assessed homeless persons having a current mental disorder. Thus, needs for mental health care were very common, with unmet needs predominating in all problem areas, which was supported by a very weak service utilization. Thus, even in a region with a comprehensive community mental health care network, like the study area, mentally ill homeless people are widely under-provided. Results suggest that the traditional shelter system for homeless people carries most of the mental health care burden for their clientele and must be supported by adequate interventions from community-based mental health care services. A closer connection of both sectors and a better co-ordination of the care offers seems to be a prerequisite for helping to reduce unmet mental health care needs in this specific high-risk group.

REGIONAL AND STATE VIEWS OF ESTUARINE CONDITION IN NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATE BASED ON 2001 AND 2001 NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT DATA

EPA Science Inventory

The National Coastal Assessment (NCA) is a probability-based survey that permits assessment of estuarine conditions at national, regional, or large-system scales. Additionally, states may use these data to comply with requirements of the Clean Water Act (CWA), which mandates re...

REGIONAL AND STATE VIEWS OF ESTURAINE CONDITION IN NORTHEAST US BASED ON 2000 AND 2001 COASTAL ASSESSMENT DATA

EPA Science Inventory

The National Coastal Assessment (NCA) is a probability-based survey that permits assessment of estuarine conditions at national, regional, or large-system scales. Additionally, states may use these data to comply with requirements of the Clean Water Act (CWA), which mandates re...

Reducing the impact of environmental noise on quality of life requires an effective national noise policy

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-06-22

The focus here is on the impact of environmental noise on the quality of life. After : reviewing the terms of The Noise Control Act of 1972 (NCA 72) related to quality of life, : the authors explore the following issues: (1) the desire for an accepta...

Forum: Learning Outcomes in Communication. Responses. Continuing the Conversation: Listening to the Oboe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beebe, Steven A.

2016-01-01

In this response, Steven Beebe comments that, as noted by several authors in this "Forum," the National Communication Association (NCA) Learning Outcomes in Communication (LOCs) are wisely proposed as "a starting point for conversation" rather than a prescriptive pronouncement of what all communication students should master.…

A USA National Survey of Program Services Provided by Child Advocacy Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Shelly L.

2004-01-01

Objective: Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) are designed to improve the community collaborative response to child sexual abuse and the criminal justice processing of child sexual abuse cases. CACs, in existence for 16 years, now have standards for membership developed by the National Children's Alliance (NCA) that include nine core components. And…

Development and Testing of a Completely Passive, Air Suspended, Air Propelled Personal Rapid Transit Vehicle

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1973-04-01

A prototype Uniflo vehicle base with mock-up superstructure was tested on 55 ft. of full-scale track. Sound treatment to meet NCA 60 at 25 ft. from the guideway enclosure and within the vehicle was proposed and the costs determined. A heating and coo...

Effects of drought on forests and rangelands in the United States: a comprehensive science synthesis

Treesearch

James Vose; J.S. Clark; Charlie Luce; Toral Patel-Weynand

2016-01-01

This assessment provides input to the reauthorized National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and the National Climate Assessment (NCA), and it establishes the scientific foundation needed to manage for drought resilience and adaptation. Focal areas include drought characterization; drought impacts on forest processes and disturbances such as insect...

Proceedings from the Communication Across the Curriculum Strand. NCA 2001 Summer Conference: Engaging 21st Century Communication Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dannels, Deanna; Jackson, Nancy; Robertson, Terry; Sheckles, Ted; Tomlinson, Stephanie

This Proceedings from the Communication across the Curriculum (CXC) strand of the National Communication Association's 2001 Summer Conference first highlights and describes five of the most common types of programs across the nation: Speaking Intensive Programs, Combined Speaking and Writing Programs, Discipline-Specific Programs, Faculty…

Significance of the NCA's "Dialogue on Public Relations Education" Conference.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruckeberg, Dean; Paluszek, John L.

1999-01-01

Contends that the 1998 Summer Conference of the National Communication Association, and the massive formative research in preparation for it, were seminal in examining current public-relations practice and education, in advocating education norms for the future, and in contributing to a much-needed ecumenism among the diverse public-relations…

THE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM: THE NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT ERF 2001, ST. PETE BEACH, NOV 4-8, 2001

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program's National Coastal Assessment (NCA) is to estimate the current status, extent, changes, and trends in ecological indicators of the condition of the nation's coastal resources on a state, regional and national basi...

Forum: Learning Outcomes in Communication. Assessment and NCA's Student Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mello, Brad; Brammer, Leila R.; White, Cindy; Hernandez, Trisha; Bach, Betsy

2016-01-01

Among faculty, assessment is frequently discussed as an added burden that does little to improve student learning, existing to appease administrators and accreditors. In fact, at one of the author's institutions, a faculty listserv post argued that assessment was a corporate and political move to standardize all education and destroy faculty…

77 FR 35114 - Agency Information Collection (NCA PreNeed Burial Planning) Activity Under OMB Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-12

...Need Burial Planning) Activity Under OMB Review AGENCY: National Cemetery Administration, Department of... PreNeed Burial Planning, VA Form 40-10007. OMB Control Number: 2900--New. Type of Review: New... members, and their eligible family members with planning for burial in a VA national cemetery. This...

Eight years of regional scale, benthic assessments of the U.S. West Coast: Lessons learned and future directions

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA National Coastal Assessment (NCA) conducted regional scale assessments of benthic condition for the US West Coast from Washington to California, several regions of Alaska, Hawaii, and the Trust Territories of Guam and American Samoa. Over an 8-year period, studies focuse...

Extending the Reach of National Assessments: Addressing Local and Regional Needs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, K.; Carter, T.

2016-12-01

While climate change is global in scope, many impacts of greatest societal concern (and accompanying response decisions) occur on local to regional scales. The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is tasked with conducting quadrennial national climate assessments, and efforts for the fourth such assessment (NCA4) are underway. Recognizing that there is a growing appetite for climate information on more local scales, however, USGCRP is actively pursuing higher-resolution scientific information, while also seeking engagement with local and regional entities to ensure that NCA4 is well-positioned to address users' needs across geospatial scales. Effectively meeting user needs at regional scales requires robust observations and projections at sub-national scales, as well as a widespread network of agencies and organizations. We discuss our efforts to leverage existing relationships to identify potential users and their needs early in the assessment process. We also discuss plans for future mechanisms to engage additional regional stakeholders from resource managers to policy makers and scientists not only for quadrennial assessment but as part of a sustained process.

Capacity fading of LiAlyNi1-x-yCoxO2 cathode for lithium-ion batteries during accelerated calendar and cycle life tests (effect of depth of discharge in charge-discharge cycling on the suppression of the micro-crack generation of LiAlyNi1-x-yCoxO2 particle)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Shoichiro; Kinoshita, Masahiro; Hosokawa, Takashi; Morigaki, Kenichi; Nakura, Kensuke

2014-08-01

Cycle performance of a LiAl0.10Ni0.76Co0.14O2 (NCA) cathode/graphite cell closely depended on the range of depth of discharge in charge-discharge processes (ΔDOD). When ΔDOD was 10-70%, cycle performance at 25 °C was maintained even at 60 °C. Deterioration phenomena were analyzed by electrochemical method, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and micro-cracks in NCA particles were analyzed with cross-sectional views by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Many micro-cracks were observed only after a 0-100% DOD region cycle test. Cycle tests in several restricted ΔDOD conditions showed that the deterioration was closely related to not the upper and lower limits of DOD or operation voltage but the width of ΔDOD.

The design of a Li-ion full cell battery using a nano silicon and nano multi-layer graphene composite anode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eom, KwangSup; Joshi, Tapesh; Bordes, Arnaud; Do, Inhwan; Fuller, Thomas F.

2014-03-01

In this study, a Si-graphene composite, which is composed of nano Si particles and nano-sized multi-layer graphene particles, and micro-sized multi-layer graphene plate conductor, was used as the anode for Li-ion battery. The Si-graphene electrode showed the high capacity and stable cyclability at charge/discharge rate of C/2 in half cell tests. Nickel cobalt aluminum material (NCA) was used as a cathode in the full cell to evaluate the practicality of the new Si-graphene material. Although the Si-graphene anode has more capacity than the NCA cathode in this designed full cell, the Si-graphene anode had a greater effect on the full-cell performance due to its large initial irreversible capacity loss and continuous SEI formation during cycling. When fluoro-ethylene carbonate was added to the electrolyte, the cyclability of the full cell was much improved due to less SEI formation, which was confirmed by the decreases in the 1st irreversible capacity loss, overpotential for the 1st lithiation, and the resistance of the SEI.

Induction of carcinoembryonic antigen expression in a three-dimensional culture system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jessup, J. M.; Brown, D.; Fitzgerald, W.; Ford, R. D.; Nachman, A.; Goodwin, T. J.; Spaulding, G.

1994-01-01

MIP-101 is a poorly differentiated human colon carcinoma cell line established from ascites that produces minimal amounts of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a 180 kDa glycoprotein tumor marker, and nonspecific cross-reacting antigen (NCA), a related protein that has 50 and 90 kDa isoforms, in vitro in monolayer culture. MIP-101 produces CEA when implanted into the peritoneum of nude mice but not when implanted into subcutaneous tissue. We tested whether MIP-101 cells may be induced to express CEA when cultured on microcarrier beads in three-dimensional cultures, either in static cultures as non-adherent aggregates or under dynamic conditions in a NASA-designed low shear stress bioreactor. MIP- 101 cells proliferated well under all three conditions and increased CEA and NCA production 3 - 4 fold when grown in three-dimensional cultures compared to MIP-101 cells growing logarithmically in monolayers. These results suggest that three-dimensional growth in vitro simulates tumor function in vivo and that three-dimensional growth by itself may enhance production of molecules that are associated with the metastatic process.

Tuning the Activity of Oxygen in LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 Battery Electrodes

DOE PAGES

Karki, Khim; Huang, Yiqing; Hwang, Sooyeon; ...

2016-09-26

Layered transition metal oxides such as LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 (NCA) are highly desirable battery electrodes. However, these materials suffer from thermal runaway caused by deleterious oxygen loss and surface phase transitions at highly overcharged and overheated conditions, prompting serious safety concerns. Using in situ environmental transmission electron microscopy techniques, we demonstrate surface oxygen loss and structural changes in the highly overcharged NCA particles are suppressed by exposing them to an oxygen-rich environment. The onset temperature for the loss of oxygen from the electrode particle is delayed to 350 °C at oxygen gas overpressure of 400 mTorr. Similar heatingmore » of the particles in a reducing hydrogen gas demonstrated a quick onset of oxygen loss at 150 °C and rapid surface degradation of the particles. Lastly, the results reported here illustrate the fundamental materials science governing the failure processes of electrode particles and highlight possible strategies to circumvent such issues.« less

Lifecycle comparison of selected Li-ion battery chemistries under grid and electric vehicle duty cycle combinations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawford, Alasdair J.; Huang, Qian; Kintner-Meyer, Michael C. W.; Zhang, Ji-Guang; Reed, David M.; Sprenkle, Vincent L.; Viswanathan, Vilayanur V.; Choi, Daiwon

2018-03-01

Li-ion batteries are expected to play a vital role in stabilizing the electrical grid as solar and wind generation capacity becomes increasingly integrated into the electric infrastructure. This article describes how two different commercial Li-ion batteries based on LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) and LiFePO4 (LFP) chemistries were tested under grid duty cycles recently developed for two specific grid services: (1) frequency regulation (FR) and (2) peak shaving (PS) with and without being subjected to electric vehicle (EV) drive cycles. The lifecycle comparison derived from the capacity, round-trip efficiency (RTE), resistance, charge/discharge energy, and total used energy of the two battery chemistries are discussed. The LFP chemistry shows better stability for the energy-intensive PS service, while the NCA chemistry is more conducive to the FR service under the operating regimes investigated. The results can be used as a guideline for selection, deployment, operation, and cost analyses of Li-ion batteries used for different applications.

The Evaluation of Triphenyl Phosphate as a Flame Retardant Additive to Improve the Safety of Lithium-Ion Battery Electrolytes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, M. C.; Krause, F. C.; Hwang, C.; West, W. C.; Soler, J.; Prakash, G. K. S.; Ratnakumar, B. V.

2011-01-01

With the intent of improving the safety characteristics of lithium ion cells, electrolytes containing flame retardant additives have been investigated. A number of triphenyl phosphate-containing electrolytes were evaluated in both coin cells and experimental three electrode lithium-ion cells (containing reference electrodes). A number of chemistries were investigated, including MCMB carbon/LiNi(0.8)Co(0.2)O2 (NCO), graphite/LiNi(0.8)Co(0.15)Al(0.05)O2 (NCA), Li/Li(Li(0.17)Ni(0.25)Mn(0.58))O2, Li/LiNiMnCoO2 (NMC) and graphite/LiNiMnCoO2 (NMC), to study the effect that different electrolyte compositions have upon performance. A wide range of TPP-containing electrolytes were demonstrated to have good compatibility with the C/NCO, C/NCA, and Li/NMC systems, however, poor performance was initially observed with the high voltage C/NMC system. This necessitated the development of improved electrolytes with stabilizing additives, leading to formulations containing lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB) that displayed substantially improved performance.

Tank Gunnery Analysis for Developing a Tank Crew Training Data Base

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-08-01

Tarots 4 1099.33 50.10 001 N(A) - Error 27 51-837 AB - Comeanys X Table 2 58.323 2.36 N.S. AC - CGmanvs X Targets 8 32.114 1.46 N.S. C - Table X Taretq 4...92.146 4.43 • .01 NB(A - Err r 27 24.699 NC(A) - Error 106 21.947 ABC - Companys X Table V Tarot ........ 20.971 .4gI .. L NBC(A) - Error 10 _ 20.789...Meters) Tarot Mode Opening Tirm Plits N iaraets 770-81Q S B 7.3 86 119 D (1024) m B (17.8) (75) 32 11 A (1230) S P (16.6) (68) 31 E y 1610 m p 12.1 37

Development of Large-Format Lithium-Ion Cells with Silicon Anode and Low Flammable Electrolyte

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, James J.; Hernandez-Lugo, D. M.; Smart, M. C.; Ratnakumar, B. V.; Miller, T. B.; Lvovich, V. F.; Lytle, J. K.

2014-01-01

NASA is developing safe, high energy and high capacity lithium-ion cell designs and batteries for future missions under NASAs Advanced Space Power System (ASPS) project. Advanced cell components, such as high specific capacity silicon anodes and low-flammable electrolytes have been developed for improving the cell specific energy and enhancing safety. To advance the technology readiness level, we have developed large-format flight-type hermetically sealed battery cells by incorporating high capacity silicon anodes, commercially available lithium nickel, cobalt, aluminum oxide (NCA) cathodes, and low-flammable electrolytes. In this report, we will present the performance results of these various battery cells. In addition, we will also discuss the post-test cell analysis results as well.

Effect of Disease-Related Changes in Plasma Albumin on the Pharmacokinetics of Naproxen in Male and Female Arthritic Rats

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaonan; DuBois, Debra C.; Almon, Richard R.

2017-01-01

Naproxen (NPX) is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for alleviation of pain and inflammation. In view of the extensive albumin binding of NPX, this study investigates whether chronic inflammation and sex influence the physiologic albumin concentrations, plasma protein binding, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of NPX. The PK of NPX was evaluated in a rat model of RA [collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in Lewis rats] and in healthy controls. These PK studies included 1) NPX in female and male CIA rats that received 10, 25, or 50 mg/kg NPX i.p.; and 2) NPX in healthy female and male rats after i.p. dosing of NPX at 50 mg/kg. Plasma albumin concentrations were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and protein binding was assessed using ultrafiltration. The NPX concentrations in plasma and filtrates were determined by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Plasma concentration-time data of NPX were first assessed by noncompartmental analysis (NCA). Nonlinear PK as indicated by dose-dependent NCA clearances and distribution volumes was observed. A two-compartment model with a first-order absorption process incorporating nonlinear protein binding in plasma and tissues jointly described the PK data of all groups. Saturable albumin binding accounts for the nonlinearity of NPX PK in all rats as well as part of the PK differences in arthritic rats. The CIA rats exhibited reduced albumin concentrations, reduced overall protein binding, and reduced clearances of unbound NPX, consistent with expectations during inflammation. The net effect of chronic inflammation was an elevation of the Cmax and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of unbound drug. PMID:28246126

Authigenic potassium feldspar: a tracer for the timing of palaeofluid flow in carbonate rocks, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spotl, C.; Kunk, Michael J.; Ramseyer, K.; Longstaffe, F.J.

1998-01-01

This paper is included in the Special Publication entitled 'Dating and duration of fluid flow and fluid-rock interaction', edited by J. Parnell. Feldspar is a common authigenic constituent in Permian carbonate rocks which occur as tectonically isolated blocks within the evaporitic Haselgebirge melange in the Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA). Coexisting with pyrite, anhydrite, (saddle) dolomite, magnesite, fluorite and calcite, K-feldspar and minor albite record an event of regionally extensive interaction of hot brines with carbonate rocks. Detailed petrographic, crystallographic and geochemical studies reveal a variability in crystal size and shape, Al-Si ordering, elemental and stable isotopic compositions of the K-feldspar, which is only partially consistent with the traditional view of authigenic feldspar as a well-ordered, compositionally pure mineral. 40Ar-39Ar step- heating measurements of authigenic potassium feldspar from several localities yield two age populations, an older one of 145-154 Ma, and a younger one of c.90-97 Ma. Most age spectra reflect cooling through the argon retention temperature interval, which was rapid in some localities (as indicated by plateau ages) and slower in others. Rb-Sr isotope data are more difficult to interpret, because in many K-feldspar samples they are controlled largely by Sr-bearing inclusions. The Jurassic 40Ar-39Ar dates are interpreted as minimum ages of feldspar growth and hence imply that fluid-rock interaction is likely to be simultaneous with or to slightly predate melange formation. Deformation associated with the closure and subduction of the Meliata-Hallstatt ocean south of the NCA during the Upper Jurassic is regarded as the principal geodynamic driving force for both enhanced fluid circulation and melange formation. Some localities were reheated beyond the argon retention temperature for microcline during mid-Cretaceous nappe stacking of the NCA, thus obliterating the older signal.

Understanding the influence of orography on the precipitation diurnal cycle and the associated atmospheric processes in the central Andes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junquas, C.; Takahashi, K.; Condom, T.; Espinoza, J.-C.; Chavez, S.; Sicart, J.-E.; Lebel, T.

2018-06-01

In the tropical Andes, the identification of the present synoptic mechanisms associated with the diurnal cycle of precipitation and its interaction with orography is a key step to understand how the atmospheric circulation influences the patterns of precipitation variability on longer time-scales. In particular we aim to better understand the combination of the local and regional mechanisms controlling the diurnal cycle of summertime (DJF) precipitation in the Northern Central Andes (NCA) region of Southern Peru. A climatology of the diurnal cycle is obtained from 15 wet seasons (2000-2014) of 3-hourly TRMM-3B42 data (0.25° × 0.25°) and swath data from the TRMM-2A25 precipitation radar product (5 km × 5 km). The main findings are: (1) in the NCA region, the diurnal cycle shows a maximum precipitation occurring during the day (night) in the western (eastern) side of the Andes highlands, (2) in the valleys of the Cuzco region and in the Amazon slope of the Andes the maximum (minimum) precipitation occurs during the night (day). The WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) regional atmospheric model is used to simulate the mean diurnal cycle in the NCA region for the same period at 27 km and 9 km horizontal grid spacing and 3-hourly output, and at 3 km only for the month of January 2010 in the Cuzco valleys. Sensitivity experiments were also performed to investigate the effect of the topography on the observed rainfall patterns. The model reproduces the main diurnal precipitation features. The main atmospheric processes identified are: (1) the presence of a regional-scale cyclonic circulation strengthening during the afternoon, (2) diurnal thermally driven circulations at local scale, including upslope (downslope) wind and moisture transport during the day (night), (3) channelization of the upslope moisture transport from the Amazon along the Apurimac valleys toward the western part of the cordillera.

Felsic plutonism in the Al Amar—Idsas area, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Bel, L.; Laval, M.

A tonalite—trondhjemite suite, calc-alkalic plutons and alkali-feldspar granites dated 670 and 580 Ma, intrude thick volcano-sedimentary rocks of the Al Amar group E of the Al Amar fault and the Abt schist W of the fault. The tonalite—trondhjemite suite (group I) is characterized by low Rb (50 ppm) and Sr (100-400 ppm) and by weakly fractionated rare-earth patterns (La/Yb Nca 2-3) with a weak negative Eu anomaly. Calc-alkalic plutons (group II) are richer in Rb (50-150 ppm), contain variable Sr (50-1000 ppm), and have strongly fractionated rare-earth patterns (La/Yb Nca 6-22) with no Eu anomaly. Alkali-feldspar granite (group III) is characterized by high Rb (150-200 ppm) and shows fractionated rare-earth patterns (La/Yb Nca 6-18) with a well-developed Eu anomaly. Group III includes 'specialized granites' with high Rb (300-400 ppm) and Sn (28-66 ppm), and rare-earth patterns showing a distinctive 'sea gull' profile with a very strong Eu anomaly (Eu*/Eu = 20). Oxygen isotope geochemistry suggests that group I rocks (¯x δ18O ca 7.0) were mantle-derived, and that group II and III rocks intruding the Al Amar group ( δ18O ca 7.9 and 8.8 respectively) were derived by remelting of group I, whereas those intruding Abt schist ( δ18O ca 8.7 and 10.8 respectively) were partially derived by anatexis of the Afif block. Magmatogenesis reflects an island-arc development. Rocks of group I represent the initial subduction phase. Syn- to late-tectonic plutons of group II intruded the arc east of the Al Amar fault and the accretionary prism (Abt schist) to the west, which was in collision with the older Afif block. Post-tectonic group III rocks were emplaced in an already cratonized area.

The origins and early history of the National Chiropractic Association

PubMed Central

Keating, Joseph C; Rehm, William S

1993-01-01

Early organization in chiropractic was prompted by the profession’s need to promote itself and to defend against the onslaught of political medicine and organized osteopathy. The first priorities were legal defense against prosecution for unlicensed practice and malpractice insurance. The Universal Chiropractors’ Association (UCA), organized at the Palmer School of Chiropractic (PSC) in 1906, sought to meet these needs by insuring its members and by developing a legal department under the supervision of attorney Tom Morris, one time lieutenant governor of Wisconsin. The public relations and marketing needs of chiropractors were largely served by the PSC and its legendary leader. However, as chiropractors increasingly sought to avoid prosecution by passage of chiropractic laws, Palmer’s efforts to direct this legislation so as to limit chiropractors’ scope of practice increasingly alienated many in the profession. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) was founded in 1922 to provide a broadscope alternative to BJ’s UCA. With Palmer’s departure from the UCA following the neurocalometer debacle, ACA and UCA sought amalgamation. Simultaneously, organized medicine renewed its attack on the profession by introducing basic science legislation, which prompted chiropractors to try to upgrade and standardize chiropractic education. Early efforts to bring about the needed consensus were centered in the International Chiropractic Congress (ICC), particularly its division of state examining boards. In 1930 the ACA and UCA combined to form the National Chiropractic Association (NCA), and by 1934 the ICC had merged with the NCA to form part of its council structure. With this modicum of solidarity the NCA began the process of educational boot-strapping at its 1935 convention in Los Angeles, when its Committee on Education, a forerunner of today’s Council on Chiropractic Education, was proposed by C.O. Watkins of Montana. ImagesFigure 2Figure 3Figure 4Figure 5Figure 6Figure 7Figure 9

Informing the NCA: EPA's Climate Change Impact and Risk Analysis Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarofim, M. C.; Martinich, J.; Kolian, M.; Crimmins, A. R.

2017-12-01

The Climate Change Impact and Risk Analysis (CIRA) framework is designed to quantify the physical impacts and economic damages in the United States under future climate change scenarios. To date, the framework has been applied to 25 sectors, using scenarios and projections developed for the Fourth National Climate Assessment. The strength of this framework has been in the use of consistent climatic, socioeconomic, and technological assumptions and inputs across the impact sectors to maximize the ease of cross-sector comparison. The results of the underlying CIRA sectoral analyses are informing the sustained assessment process by helping to address key gaps related to economic valuation and risk. Advancing capacity and scientific literature in this area has created opportunity to consider future applications and strengthening of the framework. This presentation will describe the CIRA framework, present results for various sectors such as heat mortality, air & water quality, winter recreation, and sea level rise, and introduce potential enhancements that can improve the utility of the framework for decision analysis.

76 FR 47234 - Notice of Intent To Solicit Nominations for the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-04

... protect the unique and important resources and values of the land for the benefit and enjoyment of present..., paleontological, natural, scientific, recreational, wilderness, wildlife, riparian, historical, educational, and... Uncompahgre Field Offices, or may be downloaded from the following Web site: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/nca...

English National Curriculum Assessment: A Commentary from the USA--Or Exhibiting Kindness to the Colonies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popham, W. James

2009-01-01

Against a shifting set of assessment preferences in the US regarding whether educational assessment should continue to be a states rights game or become a federally dominated undertaking, the publication of five first-rate analyses about England's national curriculum assessment (NCA) is particularly propitious. Taken together, these five papers…

A Comparison of the Functional Distribution of Language in Bilingual Classrooms Following Language Separation vs. Concurrent Instructional Approaches.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milk, Robert D.

This study analyzes how two bilingual classroom language distribution approaches affect classroom language use patterns. The two strategies, separate instruction in the two languages vs. the new concurrent language usage approach (NCA) allowing use of both languages with strict guidelines for language alternation, are observed on videotapes of a…

Reference Manual, Background Materials for the CONUS Volumes,

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-04-25

operating cathode tube. He demonstrated that invisible rays emanating from the cathode tube were responsible for darken- ing the film. He called these...N 141 - - -. , * -.. *** *** ~ .*.( .*~- - ’.- - * -.-. - -. APPENDIX B (continued) AM n i in vi U% V’ I-I- 4 i nCA 4 CA le3 i 3 A .US w4 w’ . a L" P

78 FR 38733 - Notice of Resource Advisory Council Meetings for the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-27

... June 26, 2013, which was advertised through a separate notice. Any adjustments to the meetings will be advertised on the Dominguez-Escalante NCA Resource Management Plan (RMP) Web site, http://www.blm.gov/co/st... Register, announced through local media and on the BLM's Web site for the Dominguez-Escalante planning...

77 FR 75654 - Notice of Temporary Closures on Public Lands in Owyhee County, ID

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-21

... signs at main entry points to the closed roads. This closure will be posted in the Boise District BLM... Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of temporary road closure to motorized vehicle use and temporary area... River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA-BLM). Two roads will be closed to motorized vehicle...

A Brief History of a Testing Time: National Curriculum Assessment in England 1989-2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whetton, Chris

2009-01-01

Background: National curriculum assessment (NCA) in England has been in place for nearly 20 years. It has its origins in a political desire to regulate education, holding schools accountable. However, its form and nature also reflect educational and curriculum concerns and technical assessment issues. Purpose: The aim of the article is to provide…

78 FR 25096 - Call for Nominations for the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area Advisory Council...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-29

..., Grand Junction, CO 81506. Nomination forms may be obtained at the Grand Junction Field Office at the above address, at the BLM Uncompahgre Field Office, 2465 S. Townsend Ave, Montrose, CO 81401, or online at http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/nca/denca/denca_rmp/DENCA_Resource_Advisory_Council.html . FOR FURTHER...

Methods of Measurement of High Air Velocities by the Hot Wire Method

DTIC Science & Technology

1943-02-01

to that of the heating current, as indicated by the minus sign. The cathode bias of the linearizing stage 1» then adjusted to obtain readings that...and tungsten wire. ! MM Taobaloai lot* lo. tifx» 3.- Heating aunnt of a bot «in at ooutaat-railitaae* operation. ? a UM tMMlMl nta Fe. IN nca . 4

Summary of Meteorological Observations, Surface (SMOS), Brunswick, Maine

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-12-01

8217 0 -~ ~ ~ C 00 𔃺 ’-P-~ r-InN0 r In0 o- U"N.-𔃺 ’’~ :1-0 0 OI In (11 Z m 0 0’m 󈧅 o ,- NcaO .- 0 In U)in In 10 𔃺’c 𔃺r- 000I0I-- o o 0’,00’ 0 0, C),0

Indicators of climate impacts for forests: recommendations for the US National Climate Assessment indicators system

Treesearch

Linda S. Heath; Sarah M. Anderson; Marla R. Emery; Jeffrey A. Hicke; Jeremy Littell; Alan Lucier; Jeffrey G. Masek; David L. Peterson; Richard Pouyat; Kevin M. Potter; Guy Robertson; Jinelle Sperry; Andrzej Bytnerowicz; Sarah Jovan; Miranda H. Mockrin; Robert Musselman; Bethany K. Schulz; Robert J. Smith; Susan I. Stewart

2015-01-01

The Third National Climate Assessment (NCA) process for the United States focused in part on developing a system of indicators to communicate key aspects of the physical climate, climate impacts, vulnerabilities, and preparedness to inform decisionmakers and the public. Initially, 13 active teams were formed to recommend indicators in a range of categories, including...

Fragmentation of DHS Public Corruption Investigations: Options to Leverage Overlapping Jurisdiction and Enhance Collaboration

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

LAPD Los Angeles Police Department MOU Memorandum of Understanding xii NCA National Crime Agency OIG Office of Inspector General OPR Office...that police departments should not be afforded the same privilege. In 2008, Ramona Ripston, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Chapter of the ...American Civil Liberties Union, praised outgoing Los Angeles Police Department ( LAPD ) Chief

Utility of A Satellite Vehicle For Reconnaissance.

DTIC Science & Technology

1951-04-01

8217Cents& Oblique oblique frame$~ below Wowe.. sc h malic 01 to passing - ~ power9 th~rough 0011’s E ~nca r Sec enIA0onn, ~1 VOO 6 Escapldmle"’ ElectricO ...Fig. 26-Gyro precession require the use of a computer of the type associated with auto -pilots. Such a mechanism should not be difficult to develop but

Effect of carboxylic acids as compatibilizer agent on mechanical properties of thermoplastic starch and polypropylene blends.

PubMed

Martins, Andréa Bercini; Santana, Ruth Marlene Campomanes

2016-01-01

In this work, polypropylene/thermoplastic starch (PP/TPS) blends were prepared as an alternative material to use in disposable packaging, reducing the negative polymeric environmental impact. Unfortunately, this material displays morphological characteristics typical of immiscible polymer blends and a compatibilizer agent is needed. Three different carboxyl acids: myristic (C14), palmitic (C16) and stearic acids (C18) were used as natural compatibilizer agent (NCA). The effects of NCA on the mechanical, physical, thermal and morphological properties of PP/TPS blends were investigated and compared against PP/TPS with and without PP-grafted maleic anhydride (PPgMA). When compared to PP/TPS, blends with C18, PPgMA and C14 presented an improvement of 25, 22 and 17% in tensile strength at break and of 180, 194 and 259% in elongation at break, respectively. The highest increase, 54%, in the impact strength was achieved with C14 incorporation. Improvements could be seen, through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, in the compatibility between the immiscible components by acids incorporation. These results showed that carboxylic acids, specifically C14, could be used as compatibilizer agent and could substitute PPgMA. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and characterization of poly(L-alanine)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether as amphiphilic biodegradable co-polymers.

PubMed

Zhang, Guolin; Ma, Jianbiao; Li, Yanhong; Wang, Yinong

2003-01-01

Di-block co-polymers of poly(L-alanine) with poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether (MPEG) were synthesized as amphiphilic biodegradable co-polymers. The ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxy-L-alanine anhydride (NCA) in dichloromethane was initiated by amino-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether (MPEG-NH2, M(n) = 2000) to afford poly(L-alanine)-block-MPEG. The weight ratio of two blocks in the co-polymers could be altered by adjusting the feeding ratio of NCA to MPEG-NH2. Their chemical structures were characterized on the basis of infrared spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. According to circular dichroism measurement, the poly(L-alanine) chain on the co-polymers in an aqueous medium had a alpha-helix conformation. Two melting points from MPEG block and poly(L-alanine), respectively, could be observed in differential scanning calorimetry curves of the co-polymers, suggesting that a micro-domain phase separation appeared in their bulky states. The co-polymers could take up some water and the capacity was dependent on the ratio of poly(L-alanine) block to MPEG. Such co-polymers might be useful in drug-delivery systems and other biomedical applications.

Enhancement of properties of recycled coarse aggregate concrete using bacteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahoo; Arakha; Sarkar; P; Jha

2016-01-01

Due to rapid construction, necessity for raw materials of concrete, especially coarse aggregate, tends to increase the danger of early exhaustion of the natural resources. An alternative source of raw materials would perhaps delay the advent of this early exhaustion. Recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) plays a great role as an alternative raw material that can replace the natural coarse aggregate (NCA) for concrete. Previous studies show that the properties of RCA concrete are inferior in quality compared to NCA concrete. This article attempts to study the improvement of properties of RCA concrete with the addition of bacteria named as Bacillus subtilis. The experimental investigation was carried out to evaluate the improvement of the compressive strength, capillary water absorption, and drying shrinkage of RCA concrete incorporating bacteria. The compressive strength of RCA concrete is found to be increased by about 20% when the cell concentration of B. subtilis is 106 cells/ml. The capillary water absorption as well as drying shrinkage of RCA are reduced when bacteria is incorporated. The improvement of RCA concrete is confirmed to be due to the calcium carbonate precipitation as observed from the microstructure studies carried out on it such as EDX, SEM, and XRD.

Discovery of a landscape-wide drape of late-glacial aeolian silt in the western Northern Calcareous Alps (Austria): First results and implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gild, Charlotte; Geitner, Clemens; Sanders, Diethard

2018-01-01

Aeolian deposits record palaeoenvironmental conditions and may coin soil properties. Whereas periglacial loess is extensively investigated for 200 years, the study of the intramontane wind-blown deposits of the Alps has just stuttered along. Herein, we describe a drape of polymictic siliciclastic silt interpreted as an aeolian deposit that veneers extensive areas in the western Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA), from kames terraces near valley floors up to last-glacial nunataks. The NCA - part of the Eastern Alps mountain range - consist mainly of Triassic carbonate rocks; these are overlain by deposits of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and its deglacial-paraglacial aftermath (e.g., glacial tills, fluvio-lacustrine successions, alluvial fans, scree slopes) - and a regional drape of polymictic silt newly described herein. The drape is typically a few decimeters in thickness and slightly modified by soil formation; it consists mainly of well-sorted silt of quartz, feldspars, phyllosilicates (muscovite, chlorite, biotite), amphiboles and, rarely, calcite or dolomite. The drape is unrelated to the substrate: it overlies carbonate bedrock and - in lateral continuity - abandoned deposystems such as colluvial slopes of redeposited till, kames, alluvial fans, scree slopes, and rock avalanche deposits. The drape was spotted from near the present valley floors up to LGM nunataks, over a vertical range of some 2000 m; it is also present in catchments of the NCA that were not overridden by far-travelled ice streams and that lack metamorphic rock fragments. Two OSL quartz ages of the drape from two distinct locations (18.77 ± 1.55 ka; 17.81 ± 1.68 ka) fall into the early Alpine late-glacial interval shortly after the collapse of pleniglacial ice streams; this fits with geological and geomorphological evidence, respectively, that the drape should be of early late-glacial age, and that it accumulated during a specific interval of time. In the NCA, localized minor deposition of aeolian dust is documented - by other authors - from plateaus deglaciated only during the late-glacial to Holocene; no evidence, however, exists for another phase of similarly widespread aeolian deposition such as that which gave rise to the described regional drape of silt. Intense aeolian transport and deposition was probably a direct consequence of the liberation of huge amounts of unsorted sediment during deglacial ice collapse, perhaps combined with climatic aridification. This provides a hitherto unappreciated element of the deglacial to paraglacial phase: intramontane dust storms. Because of its large extent and the availability to OSL dating, the aeolian drape provides an excellent geochronological marker level identified in terrestrial post-glacial successions of the Eastern Alps. Because of its fine-grained siliciclastic composition, the drape gives rise to widespread development of atypical Cambisols (on carbonate bedrocks) with comparatively high water storage capacity and nutrient supply.

Haemophilus ducreyi Cutaneous Ulcer Strains Diverged from Both Class I and Class II Genital Ulcer Strains: Implications for Epidemiological Studies

PubMed Central

Gangaiah, Dharanesh

2016-01-01

Background Haemophilus ducreyi has emerged as a major cause of cutaneous ulcers (CU) in yaws-endemic regions of the tropics in the South Pacific, South East Asia and Africa. H. ducreyi was once thought only to cause the genital ulcer (GU) disease chancroid; GU strains belong to 2 distinct classes, class I and class II. Using whole-genome sequencing of 4 CU strains from Samoa, 1 from Vanuatu and 1 from Papua New Guinea, we showed that CU strains diverged from the class I strain 35000HP and that one CU strain expressed β-lactamase. Recently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released the genomes of 11 additional CU strains from Vanuatu and Ghana; however, the evolutionary relationship of these CU strains to previously-characterized CU and GU strains is unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings We performed phylogenetic analysis of 17 CU and 10 GU strains. Class I and class II GU strains formed two distinct clades. The class I strains formed two subclades, one containing 35000HP and HD183 and the other containing the remainder of the class I strains. Twelve of the CU strains formed a subclone under the class I 35000HP subclade, while 2 CU strains formed a subclone under the other class I subclade. Unexpectedly, 3 of the CU strains formed a subclone under the class II clade. Phylogenetic analysis of dsrA-hgbA-ncaA sequences yielded a tree similar to that of whole-genome phylogenetic tree. Conclusions/Significance CU strains diverged from multiple lineages within both class I and class II GU strains. Multilocus sequence typing of dsrA-hgbA-ncaA could be reliably used for epidemiological investigation of CU and GU strains. As class II strains grow relatively poorly and are relatively more susceptible to vancomycin than class I strains, these findings have implications for methods to recover CU strains. Comparison of contemporary CU and GU isolates would help clarify the relationship between these entities. PMID:28027326

Veterans Affairs: Sustained Management Attention Needed to Address Numerous IT Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-22

territories and the Philippines. The department’s three major components—the Veterans Benefits Administration ( VBA ), the Veterans Health Administration...VHA), and the National Cemetery Administration (NCA)—are primarily responsible for carrying out its mission. More specifically, VBA provides a...used for the determination of benefits, benefits claims processing, patient admission to hospitals and clinics, and access to health records, among

Vision into Reality: Planning and Budgeting Processes Implemented at NMSU-Carlsbad through the Year 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowen, Sonia S.

Prepared for a site visit by the North Central Association (NCA), this report describes the goals and vision of New Mexico State University's two-year branch campus at Carlsbad (NMSU-C) through the year 2000. The first section states the mission, goals, and purposes of NMSU-C, while the second describes six campus-wide initiatives to be completed…

National climate assessment technical report on the impacts of climate and land use and land cover change

Treesearch

Thomas Loveland; Rezaul Mahmood; Toral Patel-Weynand; Krista Karstensen; Kari Beckendorf; Norman Bliss; Andrew Carleton

2012-01-01

This technical report responds to the recognition by the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) and the National Climate Assessment (NCA) of the importance of understanding how land use and land cover (LULC) affects weather and climate variability and change and how that variability and change affects LULC. Current published, peer-reviewed, scientific literature...

Perceptions of Employment and Use of Part-Time Faculty among Chief Instructional Officers at Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Accredited Public Associate's Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Speer, Charlotte Nix

2013-01-01

Based on Yackee's (2000) study of the perceptions of chief instructional officers (CIOs) at community colleges accredited by North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), this study identified, described, and compared the perceptions of CIOs at institutions accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on…

Satellite-based Assessment of Climate Controls on US Burned Area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morton, D. C.; Collatz, G. J.; Wang, D.; Randerson, J. T.; Giglio, L.; Chen, Y.

2012-01-01

Climate regulates fire activity through the buildup and drying of fuels and the conditions for fire ignition and spread. Understanding the dynamics of contemporary climate-fire relationships at national and sub-national scales is critical to assess the likelihood of changes in future fire activity and the potential options for mitigation and adaptation. Here, we conducted the first national assessment of climate controls on US fire activity using two satellite-based estimates of monthly burned area (BA), the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED, 1997 2010) and Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS, 1984 2009) BA products. For each US National Climate Assessment (NCA) region, we analyzed the relationships between monthly BA and potential evaporation (PE) derived from reanalysis climate data at 0.5 resolution. US fire activity increased over the past 25 yr, with statistically significant increases in MTBS BA for entire US and the Southeast and Southwest NCA regions. Monthly PE was strongly correlated with US fire activity, yet the climate driver of PE varied regionally. Fire season temperature and shortwave radiation were the primary controls on PE and fire activity in the Alaska, while water deficit (precipitation PE) was strongly correlated with fire activity in the Plains regions and Northwest US. BA and precipitation anomalies were negatively correlated in all regions, although fuel-limited ecosystems in the Southern Plains and Southwest exhibited positive correlations with longer lead times (6 12 months). Fire season PE in creased from the 1980s 2000s, enhancing climate-driven fire risk in the southern and western US where PE-BA correlations were strongest. Spatial and temporal patterns of increasing fire season PE and BA during the 1990s 2000s highlight the potential sensitivity of US fire activity to climate change in coming decades. However, climatefire relationships at the national scale are complex, based on the diversity of fire types, ecosystems, and ignition sources within each NCA region. Changes in the seasonality or magnitude of climate anomalies are therefore unlikely to result in uniform changes in US fire activity.

Imaging the secretory compartments involved in the intracellular traffic of CHS-4, a class IV chitin synthase, in Neurospora crassa.

PubMed

Rico-Ramírez, Adriana M; Roberson, Robert W; Riquelme, Meritxell

2018-03-27

In Neurospora crassa hyphae the localization of all seven chitin synthases (CHSs) at the Spitzenkörper (Spk) and at developing septa has been well analyzed. Hitherto, the mechanisms of CHSs traffic and sorting from synthesis to delivery sites remain largely unexplored. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae exit of Chs3p from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) requires chaperone Chs7p. Here, we analyzed the role of CSE-7, N. crassa Chs7p orthologue in the biogenesis of CHS-4 (orthologue of Chs3p). In a N. crassa Δcse-7 mutant, CHS-4-GFP no longer accumulated at the Spk and septa. Instead, fluorescence was retained in hyphal subapical regions in an extensive network of elongated cisternae (NEC) referred to previously as tubular vacuoles. In a complemented strain expressing a copy of cse-7 the localization of CHS-4-GFP at the Spk and septa was restored, providing evidence that CSE-7 is necessary for the localization of CHS-4 at hyphal tips and septa. CSE-7 was revealed at delimited regions of the ER at the immediacies of nuclei, at the NEC, and remarkably also at septa and the Spk. The organization of the NEC was dependent on the cytoskeleton. SEC-63, an extensively used ER marker, and NCA-1, a SERCA-type ATPase previously localized at the nuclear envelope, were used as markers to discern the nature of the membranes containing CSE-7. Both SEC-63 and NCA-1 were found at the nuclear envelope, but also at regions of the NEC. However, at the NEC only NCA-1 co-localized extensively with CSE-7. Observations by transmission electron microscopy revealed abundant rough ER sheets and distinct electron translucent smooth flattened cisternae, which could correspond collectively to the NEC, thorough the subapical cytoplasm. This study identifies CSE-7 as the putative ER receptor for its cognate cargo, the polytopic membrane protein CHS-4, and elucidates the complexity of the ER system in filamentous fungi. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

(18)F-Fluoroglucosylation of peptides, exemplified on cyclo(RGDfK).

PubMed

Hultsch, Christina; Schottelius, Margret; Auernheimer, Jörg; Alke, Andrea; Wester, Hans-Jürgen

2009-09-01

Oxime formation between an aminooxy-functionalized peptide and an (18)F-labelled aldehyde has recently been introduced as a powerful method for the rapid one-step chemoselective synthesis of radiofluorinated peptides. Here, the potential of using routinely produced and thus readily available [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([(18)F]FDG) as the aldehydic prosthetic group was investigated using an aminooxyacetyl-conjugated cyclic RGD peptide (cyclo(RGDfK(Aoa-(Boc)) as a model peptide. The use of [(18)F]FDG from routine production ([(18)F]FDGTUM) containing an excess of D: -glucose did not allow the radiosynthesis of [(18)F]FDG-RGD in activities >37 MBq in reasonable yield, rendering the direct use of clinical grade [(18)F]FDG for the routine clinical synthesis of (18)F-labelled peptides impossible. Using no-carrier-added (n.c.a.) [(18)F]FDG obtained via HPLC separation of [(18)F]FDGTUM from excess glucose, however, afforded [(18)F]FDG-RGD in yields of 56-93% (decay corrected) and activities up to 37 MBq. Suitable reaction conditions were 20 min at 120 degrees C and pH 2.5, and a peptide concentration of 5 mM. In a preliminary in vivo biodistribution study in M21 melanoma-bearing nude mice, [(18)F]FDG-RGD showed increased tumour accumulation compared to the "gold standard" [(18)F]galacto-RGD (2.18 vs 1.49 %iD/g, respectively, at 120 min after injection), but also slightly increased uptake in non-target organs, leading to comparable tumour/organ ratios for both compounds. These data demonstrate that chemoselective (18)F-labelling of aminooxy-functionalized peptides using n.c.a. [(18)F]FDG represents a radiofluorination/glycosylation strategy that allows preparation of (18)F-labelled peptides in high yield with suitable pharmacokinetics. As soon as the necessary n.c.a. preparation of [(18)F]FDG prior to reaction with the Aoa-peptide can be implemented in a fully automated [(18)F]FDG-synthesis, [(18)F]fluoroglucosylation of peptides may represent a promising alternative to currently used chemoselective one-step (18)F-labelling protocols.

How will the 'cancer moonshot' impact health disparities?

PubMed

Ramirez, Amelie G; Thompson, Ian M

2017-09-01

In 1971, President Nixon signed into law the National Cancer Act (NCA), colloquially known as the "War on Cancer", which pushed cancer onto the national agenda and is credited for many subsequent increases in the knowledge of the molecular, cellular, and genetic causes and effects of cancer. But even though cancer mortality has declined overall in intervening years after the NCA, cancer health disparities persist in the form of higher cancer incidence and mortality rates among certain cancer types and certain populations. Breast and cervical cancers disproportionately affect African American, Hispanic, and American Indian Women. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death for Latinos (with men and women combined). Forty-five years after the NCA, how will the next enormous cancer initiatives-President Barack Obama's Cancer Moonshot and the All of Us Research Program (formerly the Precision Medicine Initiative Cohort Program)-impact cancer health disparities? The emergence of precision medicine and the sharing of information across sectors are at the heart of these large national initiatives and hold vast potential to address complex health disparities that remain in incidence reporting, incidence, treatment, prognoses, and mortality among certain cancer types and racial/ethnic minorities, including African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos, compared to Whites. But clinical research efforts and data collection have historically lacked diverse representation for various reasons, posing a large risk to these national initiatives in their ability to develop diverse cohorts that adequately represent racial/ethnic minorities. Efforts to reduce disparities and increase diversity in study cohorts have emerged, from patient navigation, to use of mobile technology to collect data, to national consortiums dedicated to including diverse groups, to university training on health disparities. These efforts point to the need for the Cancer Moonshot and precision medicine leaders to develop a multifaceted approach to address disparities in health and healthcare to promote a diverse healthcare workforce, patient-centered care, maintenance of a database of information regarding the state of health disparities, and the institution of measurable goals for improving care across all ethnic groups. If these elements are included, it is possible that the Cancer Moonshot and precision medicine will benefit the entire population of our country.

Degradation analysis of a Ni-based layered positive-electrode active material cycled at elevated temperatures studied by scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kojima, Y.; Muto, S.; Tatsumi, K.; Kondo, H.; Oka, H.; Horibuchi, K.; Ukyo, Y.

We investigate the local structural changes in a positive electrode of a lithium ion secondary battery (LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 (NCA) as the active material) associated with charge-discharge cycling at elevated temperatures by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). STEM-EELS spectral imaging reveals the evolution of a NiO-like phase localized near the surface and grain boundary regions after many cycles. The amounts of capacity fading and resistance increase are discussed based on the results of the semiquantitative estimation of NiO-like and other product phases. We also identify the chemical state of lithium in the NiO-like phase substituting for Ni.

Surface modification of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles by poly( L-phenylalanine) via ROP of L-phenylalanine N-carboxyanhydride (Pha-NCA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Yanfeng; Xu, Min; Wei, Junchao; Zhang, Haobin; Chen, Yiwang

2012-01-01

The surface of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles was modified by poly(L-phenylalanine) via the ring opening polymerization (ROP) of L-phenylalanine N-carboxyanhydride. The preparation procedure was monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and the modified hydroxyapatite was characterized by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the surface grafting amounts of poly(L-phenylalanine) on HA ranging from 20.26% to 38.92% can be achieved by tuning the reaction condition. The XRD patterns demonstrated that the crystalline structure of the modified hydroxyapatite was nearly the same with that of HA, implying that the ROP was an efficient surface modification method. The MTT assay proved that the biocompatibility of modified HA was very good, which showed the potential application of modified HA in bone tissue engineering.

U.S. Navy - U.S. Air Force Relationships 1970-2010. Revision

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

OK(1992) • Inherited Looking Glass National Command Authorities (NCA) airborne strategic command & control role from USAF (1998) • Multi-role E...begins JTF HOA begins OIF begins PSI begins Iraq ABOT attack Indian Ocean tsunami Hurricane Katrina Bali terror bombings Lebanon evacuation DPRK...II) ^*NA • Material • Rising overall defense budgets • Stability of service budget shares • Imposed ceilings on service budgets • Personal

Molecular Imaging of Ovarian Carcinoma Angiogenesis

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

peptides have also been labeled with 18F through electrophilic substitution method (71). The direct fluorination strategy resulted in multiple side...ligand with integrin αvβ3. Substitution of the amino acid in position 4 (D-Phe in lead structure) with tyrosine allows electrophilic radiohalogenation...Hamacher K, Stoecklin G. A comparative study of n.c.a. fluorine -18 labeling of proteins via acylation and photochemical conjugation. Nucl Med Biol. 1996;23

Heterofunctional Glycopolypeptides by Combination of Thiol-Ene Chemistry and NCA Polymerization.

PubMed

Krannig, Kai-Steffen; Schlaad, Helmut

2016-01-01

Glycopolypeptides are prepared either by the polymerization of glycosylated amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) or by the post-polymerization functionalization of polypeptides with suitable functional groups. Here we present a method for the in-situ functionalization and (co-) polymerization of allylglycine N-carboxyanhydride in a facile one-pot procedure, combining radical thiol-ene photochemistry and nucleophilic ring-opening polymerization techniques, to yield well-defined heterofunctional glycopolypeptides.

Scenarios and US National Climate Assessments: Where have they been and where could they go?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leidner, A. K.

2015-12-01

U.S. National Climate Assessments (NCA), conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, analyze the effects of global change on the United States and examine current and projected changes out to 100 years. Scenarios of global change have been incorporated in all NCAs to date, although such scenarios have typically been developed late in the assessment cycle, limiting the depth of their use in regional and sectoral assessments. This lack of use is particularly notable for scenarios focused on aspects other than climate and associated projections of temperature and precipitation. Here, we review how scenarios have been incorporated in previous NCAs and present potential options for both the development and inclusion of a wider range of scenarios topics in future quadrennial NCA reports and other sustained assessment activities within USGCRP and federal agencies. Incorporating a broad range of U.S. scenarios will present both intellectual and programmatic challenges, as scenario developers from relatively disparate communities will need to come together to create internally consistent assumptions within each type of scenario (e.g. climate, land cover and land use, population) for sub-national scales. As USGCRP moves forward with a sustained assessment process, a richer set of scenarios can serve as a bridge between the research community, decision makers, and practitioners.

The effect of diamond-like carbon coating on LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 particles for all solid-state lithium-ion batteries based on Li2S-P2S5 glass-ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visbal, Heidy; Aihara, Yuichi; Ito, Seitaro; Watanabe, Taku; Park, Youngsin; Doo, Seokgwang

2016-05-01

There have been several reports on improvements of the performance of all solid-state battery using lithium metal oxide coatings on the cathode active material. However, the mechanism of the performance improvement remains unclear. To better understand the effect of the surface coating, we studied the impact of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating on LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The DLC coated NCA showed good cycle ability and rate performance. This result is further supported by reduction of the interfacial resistance of the cathode and electrolyte observed in impedance spectroscopy. The DLC layer was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy electron energy loss spectroscopy (TEM-EELS). After 100 cycles the sample was analyzed by X-ray photo spectroscopy (XPS), and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). These analyses showed that the thickness of the coating layer was around 4 nm on average, acting to hinder the side reactions between the cathode particle and the solid electrolyte. The results of this study will provide useful insights for understanding the nature of the buffer layer for the cathode materials.

Immunolocalization of a tachykinin-receptor-like protein in the central nervous system of Locusta migratoria migratorioides and neobellieria bullata.

PubMed

Veelaert, D; Oonk, H B; Vanden Eynde, G; Torfs, H; Meloen, R H; Schoofs, L; Parmentier, M; De Loof, A; Vanden Broeck, J

1999-05-10

Antisera raised against two distinct peptide regions of the Drosophila neurokinin-like receptor NKD were used to immunolocalize tachykinin-receptor-like proteins in the central nervous system of two insect species: the African migratory locust, Locusta migratoria, and the gray fleshfly, Neobellieria bullata. The resulting immunopositive staining patterns were identical for both antisera. Moreover, a very similar distribution of the immunoreactive material was observed in fleshflies and locusts. Immunoreactivity was found in nerve terminals of the retrocerebral complex, suggesting a presynaptic localization of the receptor in this part of the brain. Cell bodies were stained in the subesophageal ganglion: an anterior group of four larger cells and a posterior group of about 20 cells. These cells have axons projecting into the contralateral nervus corporis allati (NCA) II, bypassing the corpus allatum and projecting through the NCA I into the storage part of the corpus cardiacum. In the glandular part of the corpus cardiacum, the glandular adipokinetic hormone-producing cells did not show any immunopositive staining. In the locust, additional immunopositive staining was observed in internolaterally located neurons of the tritocerebrum and in important integrative parts of the neuropil such as the central body and the mushroom bodies.

Radiative corrections to quantum sticking on graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sengupta, Sanghita; Clougherty, Dennis P.

2017-07-01

We study the sticking rate of atomic hydrogen to suspended graphene using four different methods that include contributions from processes with multiphonon emission. We compare the numerical results of the sticking rate obtained by: (i) the loop expansion of the atom self-energy; (ii) the noncrossing approximation (NCA); (iii) the independent boson model approximation (IBMA); and (iv) a leading-order soft-phonon resummation method (SPR). The loop expansion reveals an infrared problem, analogous to the infamous infrared problem in QED. The two-loop contribution to the sticking rate gives a result that tends to diverge for large membranes. The latter three methods remedy this infrared problem and give results that are finite in the limit of an infinite membrane. We find that for micromembranes (sizes ranging 100 nm to 10 μ m ), the latter three methods give results that are in good agreement with each other and yield sticking rates that are mildly suppressed relative to the lowest-order golden rule rate. Lastly, we find that the SPR sticking rate decreases slowly to zero with increasing membrane size, while both the NCA and IBMA rates tend to a nonzero constant in this limit. Thus, approximations to the sticking rate can be sensitive to the effects of soft-phonon emission for large membranes.

In-situ time-of-flight neutron diffraction study of the structure evolution of electrode materials in a commercial battery with LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobrikov, I. A.; Samoylova, N. Yu.; Sumnikov, S. V.; Ivanshina, O. Yu.; Vasin, R. N.; Beskrovnyi, A. I.; Balagurov, A. M.

2017-12-01

A commercial lithium-ion battery with LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) cathode has been studied in situ using high-intensity and high-resolution neutron diffraction. Structure and phase composition of the battery electrodes have been probed during charge-discharge in different cycling modes. The dependence of the anode composition on the charge rate has been determined quantitatively. Different kinetics of Li (de)intercalation in the graphite anode during charge/discharge process have been observed. Phase separation of the cathode material has not been detected in whole voltage range. Non-linear dependencies of the unit cell parameters, atomic and layer spacing on the lithium content in the cathode have been observed. Measured dependencies of interatomic spacing and interlayer spacing, and unit cell parameters of the cathode structure on the lithium content could be qualitatively explained by several factors, such as variations of oxidation state of cation in oxygen octahedra, Coulomb repulsion of oxygen layers, changes of average effective charge of oxygen layers and van der Waals interactions between MeO2-layers at high level of the NCA delithiation.

Alkylarylnitrosoureas--stability in aqueous solution, partition coefficient, alkylating activity and its relationship to SCE induction in Chinese hamster V 79-E cells.

PubMed

Mendel, J; Thust, R; Schwarz, H

1982-01-01

The alkylating activity, chemical stability in aqueous solution (pH 7.0; 37 degrees C), and partition coefficient (octanol/water) of the following compounds were determined: 1-methyl-3-phenyl-1-nitrosourea (MPNU), 1-ethyl-3-phenyl-1-nitrosourea (EPNU), 1-isopropyl-3-phenyl-1-nitrosourea (i-PrPNU), 1-methyl-3-(p-fluorophenyl)-1-nitrosourea (F-MPNU), 1-methyl-3-(p-chlorophenyl)-1-nitrosourea (Cl-MPNU), 1-methyl-3-(p-bromophenyl)-1-nitrosourea (Br-MPNU), 1,3-dimethyl-3-phenyl-1-nitrosourea (DMPNU), and 1-methyl-3-naphthyl-1-nitrosocarbamate (NCA). 1-Methyl-1-nitrosourea (MNU) and 1-ethyl-1-nitrosourea (ENU) were used for the comparison. THe rate of decomposition in aqueous solution is discussed concerning the influences of the substituents at the 1- and 3-N-atom. The mono- and disubstituted N-nitrosoureas showed a coarse correlation between alkylating activity and SCE induction in Chinese hamster V 79-E cells. On the other hand, this correlation is missing in the case of NCA, which is a potent SCE inducer despite relatively low alkylating activity. DMPNU is the strongest SCE inducer, but this compound shows a high stability in aqueous solution and, consequently, we were not able to detect an alkylating activity.

Before Nugent took charge: early efforts to reform chiropractic education, 1919-1941

PubMed Central

Keating, Joseph C

2003-01-01

John J. Nugent, D.C. is remembered by many as either the “Abraham Flexner of Chiropractic” or the “anti-Christ of Chiropractic.” From 1941 until his forced retirement in 1959, the Irish-born Palmer graduate was one of the most important factors in the profession's educational reforms. Yet Nugent's work as the National Chiropractic Association's (NCA's) director of research was not the beginning of the campaign to upgrade chiropractic education. This paper looks at earlier influences and events which set the stage for Nugent's campaign. Among these were the introduction of licensure for chiropractors, the self-defeating actions of B.J. Palmer, the introduction of basic science legislation, the lethargy of the schools, and the struggle for control of education between the schools, on the one hand, and the NCA and the Council of State Chiropractic Examining Boards on the other ImagesFigure 1Figure 3Figure 4Figure 5Figure 6Figure 7Figure 9Figure 10Figure 11Figure 12Figure 13Figure 14Figure 15Figure 16Figure 17Figure 18Figure 19Figure 20Figure 21Figure 22Figure 23Figure 24Figure 25Figure 26Figure 28Figure 29Figure 30Figure 31Figure 32Figure 33Figure 34Figure 35Figure 36Figure 37Figure 38

Phylogeography of an Island endemic, the Puerto Rican Freshwater Crab (Epilobocera sinuatifrons).

PubMed

Cook, Benjamin D; Pringle, Catherine M; Hughes, Jane M

2008-01-01

The endemic Puerto Rican crab, Epilobocera sinuatifrons (Pseudothelphusidae), has a freshwater-dependant life-history strategy, although the species has some capabilities for terrestrial movement as adults. In contrast to all other freshwater decapods on the island (e.g., caridean shrimp), E. sinuatifrons does not undertake amphidromous migration, and is restricted to purely freshwater habitats and adjacent riparian zones. As Puerto Rico has a dynamic geologic history, we predicted that both the life history of E. sinuatifrons and the geological history of the island would be important determinants of phylogeographic structuring in the species. Using a fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) gene, we tested for deviations from panmixia among and within rivers draining Puerto Rico and used statistical phylogeography to explore processes that may explain extant patterns of genetic variation in the species. While populations of E. sinuatifrons were significantly differentiated among rivers, they were likely to be recently derived because nested clade analysis (NCA) indicated evolutionarily recent restricted gene flow with isolation by distance (IBD) and contiguous range expansion at various spatial scales. Ongoing drainage rearrangements associated with faulting and land slippage were invoked as processes involved in sporadic gene flow among rivers throughout the Pleistocene. Patterns of genetic differentiation conformed to IBD and population demographic statistics were nonsignificant, indicating that although recently derived, populations from different rivers were in drift-mutation equilibrium. A shallow (0.6 million years ago), paraphyletic split was observed in the haplotype network, which NCA indicated arose via allopatric fragmentation. This split coincides with an area of high relief in central Puerto Rico that may have experienced relatively little drainage rearrangements. Shallow but significant genetic isolation of populations of E. sinuatifrons among Puerto Rican rivers suggests phylogeographic patterns that are intermediate to terrestrial habitat specialists (highly divergent populations) and other freshwater biota, such as amphidromous species and insects with aerial adult dispersal (highly connected populations).

PKSolver: An add-in program for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data analysis in Microsoft Excel.

PubMed

Zhang, Yong; Huo, Meirong; Zhou, Jianping; Xie, Shaofei

2010-09-01

This study presents PKSolver, a freely available menu-driven add-in program for Microsoft Excel written in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), for solving basic problems in pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) data analysis. The program provides a range of modules for PK and PD analysis including noncompartmental analysis (NCA), compartmental analysis (CA), and pharmacodynamic modeling. Two special built-in modules, multiple absorption sites (MAS) and enterohepatic circulation (EHC), were developed for fitting the double-peak concentration-time profile based on the classical one-compartment model. In addition, twenty frequently used pharmacokinetic functions were encoded as a macro and can be directly accessed in an Excel spreadsheet. To evaluate the program, a detailed comparison of modeling PK data using PKSolver and professional PK/PD software package WinNonlin and Scientist was performed. The results showed that the parameters estimated with PKSolver were satisfactory. In conclusion, the PKSolver simplified the PK and PD data analysis process and its output could be generated in Microsoft Word in the form of an integrated report. The program provides pharmacokinetic researchers with a fast and easy-to-use tool for routine and basic PK and PD data analysis with a more user-friendly interface. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecological Network Analysis for a Low-Carbon and High-Tech Industrial Park

PubMed Central

Lu, Yi; Su, Meirong; Liu, Gengyuan; Chen, Bin; Zhou, Shiyi; Jiang, Meiming

2012-01-01

Industrial sector is one of the indispensable contributors in global warming. Even if the occurrence of ecoindustrial parks (EIPs) seems to be a good improvement in saving ecological crises, there is still a lack of definitional clarity and in-depth researches on low-carbon industrial parks. In order to reveal the processes of carbon metabolism in a low-carbon high-tech industrial park, we selected Beijing Development Area (BDA) International Business Park in Beijing, China as case study, establishing a seven-compartment- model low-carbon metabolic network based on the methodology of Ecological Network Analysis (ENA). Integrating the Network Utility Analysis (NUA), Network Control Analysis (NCA), and system-wide indicators, we compartmentalized system sectors into ecological structure and analyzed dependence and control degree based on carbon metabolism. The results suggest that indirect flows reveal more mutuality and exploitation relation between system compartments and they are prone to positive sides for the stability of the whole system. The ecological structure develops well as an approximate pyramidal structure, and the carbon metabolism of BDA proves self-mutualistic and sustainable. Construction and waste management were found to be two active sectors impacting carbon metabolism, which was mainly regulated by internal and external environment. PMID:23365516

Behavioural interventions for urinary incontinence in community-dwelling seniors: an evidence-based analysis.

PubMed

2008-01-01

In early August 2007, the Medical Advisory Secretariat began work on the Aging in the Community project, an evidence-based review of the literature surrounding healthy aging in the community. The Health System Strategy Division at the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care subsequently asked the secretariat to provide an evidentiary platform for the ministry's newly released Aging at Home Strategy.After a broad literature review and consultation with experts, the secretariat identified 4 key areas that strongly predict an elderly person's transition from independent community living to a long-term care home. Evidence-based analyses have been prepared for each of these 4 areas: falls and fall-related injuries, urinary incontinence, dementia, and social isolation. For the first area, falls and fall-related injuries, an economic model is described in a separate report.Please visit the Medical Advisory Secretariat Web site, http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/mas/mas_about.html, to review these titles within the Aging in the Community series.AGING IN THE COMMUNITY: Summary of Evidence-Based AnalysesPrevention of Falls and Fall-Related Injuries in Community-Dwelling Seniors: An Evidence-Based AnalysisBehavioural Interventions for Urinary Incontinence in Community-Dwelling Seniors: An Evidence-Based AnalysisCaregiver- and Patient-Directed Interventions for Dementia: An Evidence-Based AnalysisSocial Isolation in Community-Dwelling Seniors: An Evidence-Based AnalysisThe Falls/Fractures Economic Model in Ontario Residents Aged 65 Years and Over (FEMOR) OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of behavioural interventions for the treatment and management of urinary incontinence (UI) in community-dwelling seniors. TARGET POPULATION AND CONDITION Urinary incontinence defined as "the complaint of any involuntary leakage of urine" was identified as 1 of the key predictors in a senior's transition from independent community living to admission to a long-term care (LTC) home. Urinary incontinence is a health problem that affects a substantial proportion of Ontario's community-dwelling seniors (and indirectly affects caregivers), impacting their health, functioning, well-being and quality of life. Based on Canadian studies, prevalence estimates range from 9% to 30% for senior men and nearly double from 19% to 55% for senior women. The direct and indirect costs associated with UI are substantial. It is estimated that the total annual costs in Canada are $1.5 billion (Cdn), and that each year a senior living at home will spend $1,000 to $1,500 on incontinence supplies. Interventions to treat and manage UI can be classified into broad categories which include lifestyle modification, behavioural techniques, medications, devices (e.g., continence pessaries), surgical interventions and adjunctive measures (e.g., absorbent products). The focus of this review is behavioural interventions, since they are commonly the first line of treatment considered in seniors given that they are the least invasive options with no reported side effects, do not limit future treatment options, and can be applied in combination with other therapies. In addition, many seniors would not be ideal candidates for other types of interventions involving more risk, such as surgical measures. It is recognized that the terms "senior" and "elderly" carry a range of meanings for different audiences; this report generally uses the former, but the terms are treated here as essentially interchangeable. Behavioural interventions can be divided into 2 categories according to the target population: caregiver-dependent techniques and patient-directed techniques. Caregiver-dependent techniques (also known as toileting assistance) are targeted at medically complex, frail individuals living at home with the assistance of a caregiver, who tends to be a family member. These seniors may also have cognitive deficits and/or motor deficits. A health care professional trains the senior's caregiver to deliver an intervention such as prompted voiding, habit retraining, or timed voiding. The health care professional who trains the caregiver is commonly a nurse or a nurse with advanced training in the management of UI, such as a nurse continence advisor (NCA) or a clinical nurse specialist (CNS). The second category of behavioural interventions consists of patient-directed techniques targeted towards mobile, motivated seniors. Seniors in this population are cognitively able, free from any major physical deficits, and motivated to regain and/or improve their continence. A nurse or a nurse with advanced training in UI management, such as an NCA or CNS, delivers the patient-directed techniques. These are often provided as multicomponent interventions including a combination of bladder training techniques, pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), education on bladder control strategies, and self-monitoring. Pelvic floor muscle training, defined as a program of repeated pelvic floor muscle contractions taught and supervised by a health care professional, may be employed as part of a multicomponent intervention or in isolation. Education is a large component of both caregiver-dependent and patient-directed behavioural interventions, and patient and/or caregiver involvement as well as continued practice strongly affect the success of treatment. Incontinence products, which include a large variety of pads and devices for effective containment of urine, may be used in conjunction with behavioural techniques at any point in the patient's management. A comprehensive search strategy was used to identify systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials that examined the effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of caregiver-dependent and patient-directed behavioural interventions for the treatment of UI in community-dwelling seniors (see Appendix 1). Are caregiver-dependent behavioural interventions effective in improving UI in medically complex, frail community-dwelling seniors with/without cognitive deficits and/or motor deficits?Are patient-directed behavioural interventions effective in improving UI in mobile, motivated community-dwelling seniors?Are behavioural interventions delivered by NCAs or CNSs in a clinic setting effective in improving incontinence outcomes in community-dwelling seniors? The quality of the evidence was assessed as high, moderate, low, or very low according to the GRADE methodology and GRADE Working Group. As per GRADE the following definitions apply: HighFurther research is very unlikely to change confidence in the estimate of effect.ModerateFurther research is likely to have an important impact on confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate.LowFurther research is very likely to have an important impact on confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.Very LowAny estimate of effect is very uncertain Executive Summary Table 1 summarizes the results of the analysis. The available evidence was limited by considerable variation in study populations and in the type and severity of UI for studies examining both caregiver-directed and patient-directed interventions. The UI literature frequently is limited to reporting subjective outcome measures such as patient observations and symptoms. The primary outcome of interest, admission to a LTC home, was not reported in the UI literature. The number of eligible studies was low, and there were limited data on long-term follow-up. Executive Summary Table 1:Summary of Evidence on Behavioural Interventions for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence in Community-Dwelling SeniorsInterventionTarget PopulationInterventionsConclusionsGRADE quality of the evidence1. Caregiver-dependent techniques (toileting assistance)Medically complex, frail individuals at home with/without cognitive deficits and/or motor deficitsDelivered by informal caregivers who are trained by a nurse or a nurse with specialized UI training (NCA/CNS)Prompted voidingHabit retrainingTimed voidingThere is no evidence of effectiveness for habit retraining (n=1 study) and timed voiding (n=1 study).Prompted voiding may be effective, but effectiveness is difficult to substantiate because of an inadequately powered study (n=1 study).Resource implications and caregiver burden (usually on an informal caregiver) should be considered.Low2. Patient-directed techniquesMobile, motivated seniorsDelivered by a nurse or a nurse with specialized UI training (NCA/CNS)Multicomponent behavioural interventionsInclude a combination ofBladder trainingPFMT (with or without biofeedback)Bladder control strategiesEducationSelf-monitoringSignificant reduction in the mean number of incontinent episodes per week (n=5 studies, WMD 3.63, 95% CI, 2.07-5.19)Significant improvement in patient's perception of UI (n=3 studies, OR 4.15, 95% CI, 2.70-6.37)Suggestive beneficial impact on patient's health-related quality of lifeModerate  PFMT aloneSignificant reduction in the mean number of incontinent episodes per week (n=1 study, WMD 10.50, 95% CI, 4.30-16.70)Moderate3. Behavioural interventions led by an NCA/CNS in a clinic settingCommunity-dwelling seniorsBehavioural interventions led by NCA/CNSOverall, effective in improving incontinence outcomes (n=3 RCTs + 1 Ontario-based before/after study)Moderate*CI refers to confidence interval; CNS, clinical nurse specialist; NCA, nurse continence advisor; PFMT, pelvic floor muscle training; RCT, randomized controlled trial; WMD, weighted mean difference; UI, urinary incontinence. A budget impact analysis was conducted to forecast costs for caregiver-dependent and patient-directed multicomponent behavioural techniques delivered by NCAs, and PFMT alone delivered by physiotherapists. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

Microwave Plasma Propulsion Systems for Defensive Counter-Space

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

microwave/ECR-based propulsion system. No electron cathode or neutralizer is needed. There are no electrodes to erode, sputter or damage. Measurement of...without the need for a cathode neutralizer, a wide range of performance parameters can be achieved by selecting the size and length of the resonance...EC • Earth Coverage Antenna NCA • Narrow coverege Antenna LNA • Low Noise Amplifier Rx • Receive Tx =Transmit IV IV TI.IO CMOI Figure 53

Dental Porcelain Furnaces: Test and Evaluation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

D Q)L a ) a) C ) C C C C c *. . 3a)0. >4 a)->4 >4 -, Z 0 -a-’- 4-% a) ( nca )m m nU Cs C ) (3 ) 11) a) a) a3) Q) a) W) a2) C C~~ >4 L > > >1 >1 4 > 4...Fig. 1) is a computerized programmable porcelain furnace with 45 open programs. This unit has a large detachable cathode -ray tube (CRT) screen which

Evaluation of TIAX High Energy CAM-7/Graphite Lithium-Ion Batteries at High and Low Temperatures

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

phosphate ( LiFePO4 or LFP), lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (LiNixCoyMnzO2 or NCM), LCO, and NCA, CAM-7 based 18650 cells have a higher specific...electric vehicles HT high temperature Li lithium LiCoO2 or LCO lithium cobalt oxide LiCoPO4 or LCP lithium cobalt phosphate LiFePO4 or LFP lithium

Assessment of rainfall thresholds for landslide triggering in the Pacific Northwest: extreme short-term rainfall and long-term trends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, T.; Kirschbaum, D.; Sobieszczyk, S.; Jasinski, M. F.; Borak, J.; Yatheendradas, S.

2017-12-01

Landslides occur every year in the U.S. Pacific Northwest due to extreme rainfall, snow cover, and rugged topography. Data for 15,000 landslide events in Washington and Oregon were assembled from State Surveys, Departments of Transportation, a Global Landslide Catalog compiled by NASA, and other sources. This new inventory was evaluated against rainfall data from the National Climate Assessment (NCA) Land Data Assimilation System to characterize the regional rainfall conditions that trigger landslides. Analysis of these data sets indicates clear differences in triggering thresholds between extreme weather systems such as a Pineapple Express and the more typical peak seasonal rainfall between November and February. The study also leverages over 30 years of precipitation and land surface information to inform variability of landslide triggering over multiple decades and landslide trends within the region.

Two Dimensional Heat Transfer in Non-Thermally Thin Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) During Combustion in a Narrow Channel Apparatus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lage, Nicholas Alexander

Experimentation and Computational modeling of non-thermally thin samples of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) burning in a Narrow Channel Apparatus (NCA) was conducted. The Narrow Channel Apparatus is used to replicate a microgravity environment by flowing of mixtures of nitrogen and oxygen through a narrow gap to suppress buoyancy above the burning sample. A new NCA was built, and experiments were conducted using it to provide the empirical data presented in this thesis. Samples of PMMA were burned, with thicknesses of 3, 5, and 10 mm, with an opposed-flow mean velocity of 15 cm/s and a 21% oxygen concentration. Flame spread rates were obtained from tracked flame positions. Thermocouples were embedded in the top and bottom surfaces of some of the samples to measure surface temperatures. Using Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), version 6.2.0, coupled with Gpyro, a two-dimensional model was developed for non-thermally thin samples of PMMA that are burned in the NCA. A 5 mm gap height was used as well as a laminar, parabolic flow at the inlet. Direct numerical simulation (DNS) was set. Finite rate kinetics were used to model the pyrolysis and combustion reactions. Complete combustion was assumed. Simulations with fuel thicknesses of 1, 3, 5, and 10 mm were run, under the same conditions as the experiment. A comparison between one-dimensional and two-dimensional heat conduction within the sample was made to show the effect the heat transfer parallel to flame propagation has on flame spread rates and solid-phase temperature profiles. A comparison between mica and an adiabatic plane set beneath the PMMA was also made as well as the length of time the sample is exposed to the ignition source. Through comparison of the model with the experiment, it was found that the flame spread rates of the model showed unrealistic trends with thickness. An investigation was completed with the aid of an energy balance as well as graphs, such as equivalence ratios, surface temperatures, surface heat fluxes, fuel vapor mass fluxes, etc., that were plotted with respect to the flame position to find the source of the unrealistic trends, but conclusive evidence was never obtained.

Detailed quantification of delta subsidence, compaction and interaction with man-made structures: the case of the NCA airport, France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavalié, O.; Sladen, A.; Kelner, M.

2015-06-01

River deltas are dynamic costal systems and their evolutions are closely monitored as it often concentrates vital natural resources for the surrounding areas. Many deltas, worldwide, experience subsidence due to geological processes (sediment loading and compaction) or human activities (groundwater or hydrocarbon extraction, land reclamation). This causes shoreline erosion or wetland loss which represent serious issues for the population. In this study, we investigate the dynamic of the Var delta (France) where reclaimed lands over sea have been built to host the Nice côte d'Azur airport (NCA). Actually, the stability of this infrastructure is a permanent concern since, in 1979, a newly built extension of the runway platform collapsed in the sea, causing important damages. The project of land extension stopped, but the present airport platform is still located on reclaimed land. Factors that can trigger such catastrophic landslide are thought to be linked to the delta activity and the artificial airport platform load. We used, therefore, Envisat InSAR data to measure accurately the ground deformation of the area that includes the Var delta and NCA airport. Combining data from ascending and descending orbits, we estimated the east-west and vertical components of the deformation and obtained very accurate displacement rate (with a 1σ error of 0.25 mm yr-1). We found that nearly all the deformation is vertical and impacts the whole Var delta. The Var valley subsides at a very low rate (0.5-1 mm yr-1) but downstream the subsidence rate increases and a clear jump is observed at the transition with the reclaimed lands (1-2 mm yr-1). On average, the reclaimed lands subside at 3 mm yr-1. Since the subsidence rate increases in correlation with the sediment thickness, we interpret it as the compaction of the delta quaternary sedimentary wedge. In addition, three areas subsides faster (between 5 and 10 mm yr-1), with one calling for more attention as it is the largest and overlooks the steep Var canyon. The progressive increase of subsidence rates toward the sea also suggests that the underwater parts of the margins could subside at rates well above 10 mm yr-1.

Detailed quantification of delta subsidence, compaction and interaction with man-made structures: the case of the NCA airport, France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavalié, O.; Sladen, A.; Kelner, M.

2015-09-01

River deltas are dynamic coastal systems and their evolutions are closely monitored as it often concentrates vital natural resources for the surrounding areas. Many deltas worldwide experience subsidence due to geological processes (sediment loading and compaction) or human activities (groundwater or hydrocarbon extraction, land reclamation). This causes shoreline erosion or wetland loss which represent serious issues for the population. In this study we investigate the dynamic of the Var delta (France) where reclaimed lands over sea have been built to host the Nice côte d'Azur airport (NCA). Actually, the stability of this infrastructure is a permanent concern since, in 1979, a newly built extension of the runway platform collapsed in the sea, causing important damages. The project of land extension stopped, but the present airport platform is still located on reclaimed land. Factors that can trigger such catastrophic landslide are thought to be linked to the delta activity and the artificial airport platform load. We used, therefore, Envisat InSAR data to measure accurately the ground deformation of the area that includes the Var delta and NCA airport. Combining data from ascending and descending orbits, we estimated the east-west and vertical components of the deformation and obtained very accurate displacement rate (with a 1σ error of 0.25 mm yr-1). We found that nearly all the deformation is vertical and impacts the whole Var delta. The Var valley subsides at a very low rate (0.5-1 mm yr-1) but downstream the subsidence rate increases and a clear jump is observed at the transition with the reclaimed lands (1-2 mm yr-1). On average, the reclaimed lands subside at 3 mm yr-1. Since the subsidence rate increases in correlation with the sediment thickness, we interpret it as the compaction of the delta quaternary sedimentary wedge. In addition, three areas subside faster (between 5 and 10 mm yr-1), with one calling for more attention as it is the largest and overlooks the steep Var canyon. The progressive increase of subsidence rates toward the sea also suggests that the underwater parts of the margins could subside at rates well above 10 mm yr-1.

Commissions of audit in Australia: health system privatisation directives and civil conscription protections.

PubMed

Colton, Caroline; Faunce, Thomas

2014-03-01

The use of commissions of audit as vehicles to drive privatisation policy agendas in areas such as health service delivery has become popular with conservative federal and State governments. Such commissions have characteristically been established early in the terms of such governments with carefully planned terms of reference and membership. The policy directions they advocate, unlike election policies, have not come under the intense scrutiny, wide public debate or the opportunities for (dis)endorsement afforded by the electoral process. Governments do, however, anticipate and often accept recommendations from these reviews, and use them as justification to implement policy based on their findings. This highlights the power entrusted to review bodies and the risks to the public interest arising from limited public consultation. An example can be seen in the proposed privatisation of important aspects of Australia's public sector, particularly including those related to health systems delivery, currently entering a new iteration through the work of the National Commission of Audit appointed in October 2013. The NCA follows on from various State audit commissions which in recent years have directed the divestment of government responsibilities to the private and not-for-profit sectors. Through a discussion on the formation of policy frameworks by the NCA and the Queensland Commission of Audit, this column examines the ideological thrust of the commissions and how they synergise to produce a national directive on the future of public sector health services. The practical impacts on health service procurement and delivery in critical areas are examined, using the case of the federally contracted out medical service for asylum seekers and two hospitals in Western Australia, a State which is well advanced in the privatisation of public hospitals. The column then examines the release to the media early in the NCA's process of the submission to introduce a $6 general practitioner co-payment as a means of testing the response of the medical profession and public. The column also examines how the civil conscription clause in s 51 (xxiiiA) of the Australian Constitution may serve to protect practitioner and patient rights should some of these privatisation changes to Australia's health system be challenged in the High Court of Australia.

Proceedings of the International Betatron Symposium (5th) (Selected Articles)

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-04-24

near cathode . Trigger electrode virtually is not charred, since through it does not pass operating current. As filler is utilized capacitor bank Cy...DOC =80205700 PAGE 2e I Table 2. ViL;11qb3O0B,𔃻Mb!O flYTI4 cn1:1:ienh Y l...cu11;1u1iIe Y!OI"ladnle ~ Jima fl/l nca ’.JICHTpo?1.131�M BMcc B % B Kr

Variation of a Lightning NOx Indicator for National Climate Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koshak, William; Vant-Hull, B.; McCaul, E. W.; Peterson, H. S.

2014-01-01

Lightning nitrogen oxides (LNOx) indirectly influences our climate since these molecules are important in controlling the concentration of ozone (O3) and hydroxyl radicals (OH) in the atmosphere [Huntrieser et al., 1998]. In support of the National Climate Assessment (NCA) program, satellite Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS; Christian et al. [1999]; Cecil et al. [2014]) data is used to estimate LNOx production over the southern portion of the conterminous US for the 16 year period 1998-2013.

Advanced Concepts: Enabling Future AF Missions Through the Discovery and Demonstration of Emerging Revolutionary Technologies

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-03

µmeteoroids, weather, vibrations... Asteroid Mining Breakthrough Physics No known feasible concepts. --- Concept NTF NMS NCA Primary Challenges for Launch...weather, vibrations... Asteroid Mining Breakthrough Physics No known feasible concepts. --- 8 2.2 Microwave Augmentation of Solid Rocket Motors16,17 As...Astronautica, Vol. 52, 1, pp. 49-75, 30 May, 2002. 7. Sonter, M.J., “The Technical and Economic Feasibility of Mining the Near-Earth Asteroids ,” Acta

Chemical composition and biological evaluation of the volatile constituents from the aerial parts of Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) and Nephrolepis cordifolia (L.) C. Presl grown in Egypt.

PubMed

El-Tantawy, Mona E; Shams, Manal M; Afifi, Manal S

2016-01-01

The essential oil from the aerial parts of Nephrolepis exaltata and Nephrolepis cordifolia obtained by hydro-distillation were analyzed by gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry. The essential oils exhibited potential antibacterial and antifungal activities against a majority of the selected microorganisms. NEA oil showed promising cytotoxicity in breast, colon and lung carcinoma cells. The results presented indicate that NEA oil could be useful alternative for the treatment of dermatophytosis. Comparative investigation of hydro-distilled volatile constituents from aerial parts (A) of Nephrolepis exaltata (NE) and Nephrolepis cordifolia (NC) (Family Nephrolepidaceae) was carried out. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealed that oils differ in composition and percentages of components. Oxygenated compounds were dominant in NEA and NCA. 2,4-Hexadien-1-ol (16.1%), nonanal (14.4%), β-Ionone (6.7%) and thymol (2.7%) were predominant in NEA. β-Ionone (8.0%), eugenol (7.2%) and anethol (4.6%) were the main constituents in NCA. Volatile samples were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities using agar diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentrations. The cytotoxic activity was evaluated using viability assay in breast (MCF-7), colon (HCT-116) and lung carcinoma (A-549) cells by the MTT assay. The results revealed that NEA oil exhibited potential antimicrobial activity against most of the tested organisms and showed promising cytotoxicity.

A rocking chair type all-solid-state lithium ion battery adopting Li2O-ZrO2 coated LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 and a sulfide based electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Seitaro; Fujiki, Satoshi; Yamada, Takanobu; Aihara, Yuichi; Park, Youngsin; Kim, Tae Young; Baek, Seung-Wook; Lee, Jae-Myung; Doo, Seokgwang; Machida, Nobuya

2014-02-01

An all-solid-state lithium-ion battery (ASSB) using non-flammable solid electrolytes is a candidate for a next-generation battery. Although the excellent cycle performance and its high energy density are suggested in the literature, a practical size battery has not been appeared yet. In this paper, we have adopted a sulfide based electrolyte, Li2S-P2S5 (80:20 mol%) to a rocking chair type lithium ion battery. The electrochemical cell consists of a Li2O-ZrO2 coated LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) cathode, an artificial graphite anode and the sulfide based electrolyte without any organic and inorganic liquids. The cathode charge transfer resistance is significantly reduced by the Li2O-ZrO2 coating. The total cell resistance of the Li2O-ZrO2 (LZO) coated NCA adopted cell is approximately one quarter of non-treated one. A standard type single cell with the nominal capacity of 100 mAh at 25 °C is fabricated by wet printing process, and its capacity retention is approximately 80% at 100 cycles. Also, a 1 Ah class battery was constructed by stacking the single cells, and demonstrated.

Provenance of Earth Science Datasets - How Deep Should One Go?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramapriyan, H.; Manipon, G. J. M.; Aulenbach, S.; Duggan, B.; Goldstein, J.; Hua, H.; Tan, D.; Tilmes, C.; Wilson, B. D.; Wolfe, R.; Zednik, S.

2015-12-01

For credibility of scientific research, transparency and reproducibility are essential. This fundamental tenet has been emphasized for centuries, and has been receiving increased attention in recent years. The Office of Management and Budget (2002) addressed reproducibility and other aspects of quality and utility of information from federal agencies. Specific guidelines from NASA (2002) are derived from the above. According to these guidelines, "NASA requires a higher standard of quality for information that is considered influential. Influential scientific, financial, or statistical information is defined as NASA information that, when disseminated, will have or does have clear and substantial impact on important public policies or important private sector decisions." For information to be compliant, "the information must be transparent and reproducible to the greatest possible extent." We present how the principles of transparency and reproducibility have been applied to NASA data supporting the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA3). The depth of trace needed of provenance of data used to derive conclusions in NCA3 depends on how the data were used (e.g., qualitatively or quantitatively). Given that the information is diligently maintained in the agency archives, it is possible to trace from a figure in the publication through the datasets, specific files, algorithm versions, instruments used for data collection, and satellites, as well as the individuals and organizations involved in each step. Such trace back permits transparency and reproducibility.

Synthesis, Bioconjugation and Stability Studies of [18 F] Ethenesulfonyl Fluoride.

PubMed

Zhang, Bo; Pascali, Giancarlo; Wyatt, Naomi; Matesic, Lidia; Klenner, Mitchell A; Sia, Tiffany R; Guastella, Adam J; Massi, Massimiliano; Robinson, Andrea J; Fraser, Benjamin H

2018-06-20

Fluorine-18 labelled prosthetic groups (PGs) are often necessary for radiolabelling sensitive biological molecules such as peptides and proteins. Several shortcomings, however, often diminish the final yield of radiotracer. In an attempt to provide higher yielding and operationally efficient tools for radiolabelling biological molecules, we describe herein the first radiochemical synthesis of [ 18 F] ethenesulfonylfluoride ([ 18 F] ESF) and its Michael conjugation with amino acids and proteins. The synthesis of [ 18 F] ESF was optimised using a microfluidic reactor under both carrier-added (c.a.) and no-carrier-added (n.c.a.) conditions, affording, in a straightforward procedure, 30-50% radiochemical yield (RCY) for c.a. [ 18 F] ESF and 60-70% RCY for n.c.a. [ 18 F] ESF. The conjugation reactions were performed at room temperature using 10 mg/mL precursor in aqueous/organic solvent mixtures for 15 min. The radiochemical stability of the final conjugates was evaluated in injectable formulation and rat serum, and resulted strongly substrate dependent and generally poor in rat serum. Therefore, in this work we have optimised a straightforward synthesis of [ 18 F] ESF and its Michael conjugation with model compounds, without requiring chromatographic purification. However, given the general low stability of the final products, further studies will be required for improving conjugate stability, before assessing the use of this PG for PET imaging. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Phylogeny and niche conservatism in North and Central American triatomine bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), vectors of Chagas' disease.

PubMed

Ibarra-Cerdeña, Carlos N; Zaldívar-Riverón, Alejandro; Peterson, A Townsend; Sánchez-Cordero, Víctor; Ramsey, Janine M

2014-10-01

The niche conservatism hypothesis states that related species diverge in niche characteristics at lower rates than expected, given their lineage divergence. Here we analyze whether niche conservatism is a common pattern among vector species (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) of Trypanosoma cruzi that inhabit North and Central America, a highly heterogeneous landmass in terms of environmental gradients. Mitochondrial and nuclear loci were used in a multi-locus phylogenetic framework to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among species and estimate time of divergence of selected clades to draw biogeographic inferences. Then, we estimated similarity between the ecological niche of sister species and tested the niche conservatism hypothesis using our best estimate of phylogeny. Triatoma is not monophyletic. A primary clade with all North and Central American (NCA) triatomine species from the genera Triatoma, Dipetalogaster, and Panstrongylus, was consistently recovered. Nearctic species within the NCA clade (T. p. protracta, T. r. rubida) diverged during the Pliocene, whereas the Neotropical species (T. phyllosoma, T. longipennis, T. dimidiata complex) are estimated to have diverged more recently, during the Pleistocene. The hypothesis of niche conservatism could not be rejected for any of six sister species pairs. Niche similarity between sister species best fits a retention model. While this framework is used here to infer niche evolution, it has a direct impact on spatial vector dynamics driven by human population movements, expansion of transportation networks and climate change scenarios.

Palinspastic reconstruction of the Alpine thrust belt at the Alpine-Carpathian transition - A geological Sudoku

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beidinger, A.; Decker, K.; Zamolyi, A.; Hölzel, M.; Hoprich, M.; Strauss, P.

2009-04-01

The palinspastic reconstruction of the Austroalpine thrust belt is part of the project Karpatian Tectonics, which is funded by OMV Austria. The objective is to reconstruct the evolution of the thrust belt through the Early to Middle Miocene in order to obtain information on the palaeogeographic position of the Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA) in the region of the present Vienna Basin. A particular goal of the study is to constrain the position of reservoir rocks within the Rhenodanubic Flysch units and the NCA with respect to the autochthonous Malmian source rocks overlying the European basement below the Alpine-Carpathian thrust wedge, and to constrain the burial history of these source rocks. Reconstruction uses regional 2D seismic lines crossing from the European foreland into the fold-thrust belt, 3D seismic data covering the external thrust sheets, and lithostratigraphic data from a total of 51 selected wells, which were drilled and provided by OMV Austria. The main criterion, whether a well was suitable for palinspastic reconstruction or not, was its penetration of Alpine thrust sheets down to the Autochthonous Molasse of the foreland. Additional wells, which do not penetrate the entire Alpine thrust complex but include the Allochthonous Molasse or the external Alpine-Carpathian nappes (Waschberg and Roseldorf thrust unit, Rhenodanubic Flysch nappes) in their well path, were also taken into account. The well data in particular comprise stratigraphic information on the youngest overthrust sediments of the different thrust units and the underlying Autochthonous foreland Molasse. These data allow constraining the timing of thrust events in the allochthonous thrust units and overthrusting of the Autochthonous Molasse. In the particular case of overthrust Autochthonous Molasse, additionally to the timing of overthrusting, which can be derived from the youngest overthrust sediments, the palaeogeographic position of the Alpine Carpathian thrust front could directly be inferred from well data for the specific time period. By further utilization of geological maps, geological cross sections and two regional c. 80 km long composite 2D seismic sections through the external Alpine thrusts, the positions of major thrusts could be approximated for five time slices. This procedure was applied for the front of the allochthonous Molasse units, the floor thrust of the Roseldorf thrust unit, the Waschberg thrust unit and the frontal thrusts of the Rhenodanubic Flysch and the NCA. In addition, several out-of-sequence thrusts within the Waschberg unit, the Molasse unit, the Rhenodanubic Flysch and the Calcareous Alps (floor thrust of the NCA and two internal thrusts) were taken into account. The reconstruction results in 5 palinspastic maps for the time slices early Egerian (25 Ma), early Eggenburgian (20 Ma), Ottnangian (17.5 Ma), Lower Karpatian (16.5 Ma) and the Karpatian/ Badenian stage boundary (16 Ma). Convergence rates, which were calculated for the four intervening time intervals, range from about 3 mm/yr to 5 mm/yr. These values compare well with estimated convergence rates reconstructed for the Miocene in the western Eastern Alps (Schmid et al., 1996), as well as with plate tectonic constraints on Tertiary convergence rates (Dewey et al., 1989). Dewey, J., Helman, M.L., Turco, E., Hutton, D.H.W.&Knott, S.D., 1989. Kinematics of the western Mediterranean, in: N.P. Coward, D. Dietrich & R.G. Park (eds.), Alpine Tectonics, Geol. Soc. Spec. Publ., 45: 265-283. Schmid, S.M., Pfiffner, O.A., Frotzheim, N., Schönborn, G. & Kissling, E., 1996. Geophysical-geological transect and tectonic evolution of the Swiss-Italian Alps. Tectonics, 15: 1036-1064.

Narrowband (LPC-10) Vocoder Performance under Combined Effects of Random Bit Errors and Jet Aircraft Cabin Noise.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

rAD-141 333 NRRROWRAND (LPC-iB) VOCODER PERFORMANCE UNDER COMBINED i/ EFFECTS OF RRNDOM.(U) ROME AIR DEVELOPMENT CENTER GRIFFISS RFB NY C P SMITH DEC...LPC-10) VOCODER In House. PERFORMANCE UNDER COMBINED EFFECTS June 82 - Sept. 83 OF RANDOM BIT ERRORS AND JET AIRCRAFT Z PERFORMING ORG REPO- NUMSEF...PAGE(Wh.n Does Eneerd) 20. (contd) Compartment, and NCA Compartment were alike in their effects on overall vocoder performance . Composite performance

Static Aeroelastic Effects on High Performance Aircraft

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

davis la rffrence 9. L’avion est instrurnent6, en plus des capteurs classiques des param~tres de n~ca- nique du vol. de plusleurs centaines de jauges de...crites §2.3.5, et lensemble dv l’analyse, pernet- tent le calcul des r~ponues des jauges en fonction dv X soit ar ( X) , lv procesnus de d~rivation...travissonique. Rema rque La smine technique d’identification par rtponne dv jauges s’applique (plus simple- ment) sur len essais en soufflerie, pour la

Study of Radiation-Hardened Quartz Production Processes

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-02-09

Pittsfield MA 01201 3939 Fabian Way Attn: Joseph J. Reidl Palo Alto, CA 94303 Attn: Edward R. Hahn/MS-X22 General Electric Company Attn: Donald R. McMorrow...Goodwin/Mail 0452 Attn: John R. Hoffman Attn: B. T. Graham/MS PO-454 Attn: Donald H. Bryce Attn: Albert P. Bridges McDonnell Douglas Corp. P 0 Box 516Litton...03060 Attn: Moe L. Aitel NCA 1 3236 Texas Instruments, Inc. P. 0. Box� Science Applications, Inc. Dallas, TX 75222 P.O. Box 2351 Attn: Donald J

U.S. Army’s Ground Vehicle Energy Storage

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-16

3.7 Voltage range (V) (NCA, NCM) 2.5-4.1 7.5-12.3 10-16.4 15-24.6 17.5-28.7 20-32.8 Nominal Voltage(V) ( LiFePO4 ) 3.3 9.9 13.2 19.8 23.1 26.4 n...x 3.3 Voltage range (V) ( LiFePO4 ) 2.0-3.7 6-11.1 8-14.8 12-22.2 14-25.9 16-29.6 Battery voltage UNCLASSIFIED Ground Systems Power and Energy

Climate Impacts Already Affect Every Region of the United States, Report Warns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2014-05-01

"Climate change, once considered an issue for a distant future, has moved firmly into the present," according to the third iteration of the U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA), issued by the White House on 6 May. "The observed warming and other climatic changes are triggering wide-ranging impacts in every region of our country and throughout our economy," states the report, titled Climate Change Impacts in the United States, issued through the federal interagency U.S. Global Change Research Program.

Global and regional sea level rise scenarios for the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sweet, W.; Kopp, R.E.; Weaver, C.P.; Obeysekera, J; Horton, Radley M.; Thieler, E. Robert; Zervas, C.

2017-01-01

level (RSL, which includes both ocean-level change and vertical land motion) projections for the United States associated with an updated set of GMSL scenarios. In addition to supporting the longer-term Task Force effort, this new product will be an important input into the USGCRP Sustained Assessment process and upcoming Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) due in 2018. This report also serves as a keytechnical input into the in-progress USGCRP Climate Science Special Report (CSSR).

Phylogeny and Niche Conservatism in North and Central American Triatomine Bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), Vectors of Chagas' Disease

PubMed Central

Ibarra-Cerdeña, Carlos N.; Zaldívar-Riverón, Alejandro; Peterson, A. Townsend; Sánchez-Cordero, Víctor; Ramsey, Janine M.

2014-01-01

The niche conservatism hypothesis states that related species diverge in niche characteristics at lower rates than expected, given their lineage divergence. Here we analyze whether niche conservatism is a common pattern among vector species (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) of Trypanosoma cruzi that inhabit North and Central America, a highly heterogeneous landmass in terms of environmental gradients. Mitochondrial and nuclear loci were used in a multi-locus phylogenetic framework to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among species and estimate time of divergence of selected clades to draw biogeographic inferences. Then, we estimated similarity between the ecological niche of sister species and tested the niche conservatism hypothesis using our best estimate of phylogeny. Triatoma is not monophyletic. A primary clade with all North and Central American (NCA) triatomine species from the genera Triatoma, Dipetalogaster, and Panstrongylus, was consistently recovered. Nearctic species within the NCA clade (T. p. protracta, T. r. rubida) diverged during the Pliocene, whereas the Neotropical species (T. phyllosoma, T. longipennis, T. dimidiata complex) are estimated to have diverged more recently, during the Pleistocene. The hypothesis of niche conservatism could not be rejected for any of six sister species pairs. Niche similarity between sister species best fits a retention model. While this framework is used here to infer niche evolution, it has a direct impact on spatial vector dynamics driven by human population movements, expansion of transportation networks and climate change scenarios. PMID:25356550

Improve electrochemical performance of CeO2 surface modification LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Shubiao; Zhang, Yingjie; Dong, Peng; Zhang, Yannan

2014-06-01

Lithium ion battery cathode material LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode has successfully prepared by co-precipitation. CeO2 surface modification has improved LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 electrochemical performance use sol-gel method and subsequent heat treatment at 600 °C for 5 h. Different to other conventional coating material, CeO2 coating layer can not only inhibit the reaction of the electrode and the electrolyte, but also can reduce the impedance of electron transfer due to its high conductivity, and inhibit the production of Ni2+ because of its high oxidation. The surface-modified and pristine LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 powders are characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, CV and DSC. When CeO2 coating is 0.02% (mole ratio), contrast to pristine NCA, the CeO2-coated NCA cathode exhibits no decrease in its initial specific capacity of 184 mAh g -1 (at 0.2 C) and excellent capacity retention (86% of its initial capacity at 1 C) between 2.75 and 4.3 V after 100 cycles. The results indicate that the CeO2 surface treatment should be an effective way to improve cycle properties due to CeO2 inhibit the electrodes and the electrolyte side effects.

Wide-Temperature Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

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

Li, Qiuyan; Jiao, Shuhong; Luo, Langli

2017-05-26

Formulating electrolytes with solvents of low freezing points and high dielectric constants is a direct approach to extend the service temperature range of lithium (Li)-ion batteries (LIBs), for which propylene carbonate (PC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), methyl butyrate (MB) are excellent candidates. In this work, we report such low temperature electrolyte formulations by optimizing the content of ethylene carbonate (EC) in the EC-PC-EMC ternary solvent system with LiPF6 salt and CsPF6 additive. An extended service temperature range from 40°C to 60°C was obtained in LIBs with lithium nickel cobalt aluminum mixed oxide (LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2, NCA) as cathode andmore » graphite as anode. The discharge capacities at low temperatures and the cycle life at room and elevated temperatures were systematically investigated in association with the ionic conductivity and phase transition behaviors. The most promising electrolyte formulation was identified as 1.0 M LiPF6 in EC-PC-EMC (1:1:8 by wt.) with 0.05 M CsPF6, which was demonstrated in both coin cells of graphite||NCA and 1 Ah pouch cells of graphite||LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2. This optimized electrolyte enables excellent wide-temperature performances, as evidenced by the 68% capacity retention at 40C and C/5 rate, and nearly identical stable cycle life at room and elevated temperatures up to 60C.« less

Effects of Propylene Carbonate Content in CsPF 6 -Containing Electrolytes on the Enhanced Performances of Graphite Electrode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

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

Zheng, Jianming; Yan, Pengfei; Cao, Ruiguo

2016-02-15

The effects Of propylene carbonate (PC) content in CsPF6-containing electrolytes on the performances of graphite electrode in lithium half cells and in graphite parallel to LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) full cells are investigated. It is found that the performance of graphite electrode is significantly-affected by PC content in the CsPF6-containing electrolytes. An optimal PC content of 20% by weight in the solvent mixtures is identified. The enhanced electrochemical performance of graphite electrode can be attributed to the synergistic effects of the PC solvent and the Cs+ additive. The synergistic effects of Cs+ additive and appropriate amount of PC enable the formation ofmore » a robust, ultrathin, and compact solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer on the surface of graphite electrode, which is only permeable for desolvated Li+ ions and allows fast Li+ ion transport through it. Therefore, this SEI layer effectively suppresses the PC cointercalation and largely alleviates the Li dendrite formation on graphite electrode during lithiation even at relatively high current densities. The presence of low-melting-point PC solvent improves the sustainable operation of graphite parallel to NCA full cells under a wide temperature range. The fundamental findings also shed light On the importance of manipulating/maintaining the electrode/electrolyte interphasial stability in various energy-storage devices.« less

Wide-Temperature Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Li, Qiuyan; Jiao, Shuhong; Luo, Langli; Ding, Michael S; Zheng, Jianming; Cartmell, Samuel S; Wang, Chong-Min; Xu, Kang; Zhang, Ji-Guang; Xu, Wu

2017-06-07

Formulating electrolytes with solvents of low freezing points and high dielectric constants is a direct approach to extend the service-temperature range of lithium (Li)-ion batteries (LIBs). In this study, we report such wide-temperature electrolyte formulations by optimizing the ethylene carbonate (EC) content in the ternary solvent system of EC, propylene carbonate (PC), and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) with LiPF 6 salt and CsPF 6 additive. An extended service-temperature range from -40 to 60 °C was obtained in LIBs with lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (LiNi 0.80 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 , NCA) as cathode and graphite as anode. The discharge capacities at low temperatures and the cycle life at room temperature and elevated temperatures were systematically investigated together with the ionic conductivity and phase-transition behaviors. The most promising electrolyte formulation was identified as 1.0 M LiPF 6 in EC-PC-EMC (1:1:8 by wt) with 0.05 M CsPF 6 , which was demonstrated in both coin cells of graphite∥NCA and 1 Ah pouch cells of graphite∥LiNi 1/3 Mn 1/3 Co 1/3 O 2 . This optimized electrolyte enables excellent wide-temperature performances, as evidenced by the high capacity retention (68%) at -40 °C and C/5 rate, significantly higher than that (20%) of the conventional LIB electrolyte, and the nearly identical stable cycle life as the conventional LIB electrolyte at room temperature and elevated temperatures up to 60 °C.

Making the Earth to Life Connection Using Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haine, D. B.; Berbeco, M.

2016-12-01

From ocean acidification to changes in air quality to shifts in the range of disease vectors, there are many opportunities for educators to make the earth science to life science connection by incorporating the impacts of climate change on organisms and entire ecosystems and by describing how living organisms impact climate. NCSE's study in Science found that 86% of life science teachers are teaching climate, but few admit they have any formal climate science training. This session will introduce activities we developed that utilize the 2014 National Climate Assessment, data visualizations, technology tools and models to allow students to explore the evidence that climate change is impacting life. Translating the NCA into classroom activities is an approach that becomes more pertinent with the advent of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Using the NCA and the NGSS we demonstrate strategies for weaving the concept of climate change into an already packed life science curriculum by enhancing rather than displacing content and ultimately promoting integration of science and engineering practices into instruction. Since the fall of 2014 we have engaged approximately 200 K-12 educators at local, state, regional and national teacher professional development events. Here we will summarize what we have learned from science teachers about how they address life science impacts of climate change and we will summarize evaluation data to inform future efforts to engage life science educators in light of the recent USGCRP Climate and Health Assessment and the upcoming 4th National Climate Assessment.

Identification and Quantitation of Sorbitol-Based Nuclear Clarifying Agents Extracted from Common Laboratory and Consumer Plasticware Made of Polypropylene

PubMed Central

McDonald, Jeffrey G.; Cummins, Carolyn L.; Barkley, Robert M.; Thompson, Bonne M.; Lincoln, Holly A.

2009-01-01

Reported here is the mass spectral identification of sorbitol-based nuclear clarifying agents (NCAs) and the quantitative description of their extractability from common laboratory and household plasticware made of polypropylene. NCAs are frequently added to polypropylene to improve optical clarity, increase performance properties, and aid in the manufacturing process of this plastic. NCA addition makes polypropylene plasticware more aesthetically pleasing to the user and makes the product competitive with other plastic formulations. We show here that several NCAs are readily extracted with either ethanol or water from plastic labware during typical laboratory procedures. Observed levels ranged from a nanogram to micrograms of NCA. NCAs were also detected in extracts from plastic food storage containers; levels ranged from 1to 10 μg in two of the three brands tested. The electron ionization mass spectra for three sorbitol-based nuclear clarifying agents (1,3:2,4-bis-O-(benzylidene)sorbitol, 1,3:2,4-bis-O-(p-methylbenzylidene)sorbitol, 1,3:2,4-bis-O-(3,4-dimethylbenzylidene)sorbitol) are presented for the native and trimethylsilylderivatized compounds together with the collision-induced dissociation mass spectra; gas and liquid chromatographic data are also reported. These NCAs now join other well-known plasticizers such as phthalate esters and bisphenol A as common laboratory contaminants. While the potential toxicity of NCAs in mammalian systems is unknown, the current data provide scientists and consumers the opportunity to make more informed decisions regarding the use of polypropylene plastics. PMID:18533681

Engaging Scientists and Users in Climate Change Research and Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cloyd, E. T.; Reeves, K.; Shimamoto, M. M.; Zerbonne, S.

2016-12-01

The U.S. Global Change Research Program has a mandate to "consult with actual and potential users of the results of the program" in developing products that will support learning about and responding to climate change. USGCRP has sought to engage stakeholders throughout the development and dissemination of key products, such as the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA3, 2014) and the Climate and Health Assessment (CHA, 2016), in the strategic planning processes leading to the National Global Change Research Plan (2012) and Update to the Strategic Plan (2016), and through regular postings to social media that highlight research results and opportunities for engagement. Overall, USGCRP seeks to promote dialogue between scientific experts, stakeholders, and decision makers about information needs in regions or sectors, the potential impacts of climate change, and possible responses. This presentation will describe how USGCRP has implemented various stakeholder engagement measures during the planning, development, and release of products such as NCA3 and CHA. Through repeated opportunities for stakeholder input, USGCRP has promoted process transparency and inclusiveness in the framing of assessments and other products. In addition, USGCRP has supported scientists' engagement with a range of audiences and potential collaborators through a variety of mechanisms, including community-based meetings, deliberative forums, and identification of non-Federal speaking and knowledge co-production opportunities. We will discuss key lessons learned and successful approaches for engaging users as well as opportunities and challenges for future engagement.

A Dense Small-Scale Seismic Network in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Northern Tanzania)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parisi, L.; Lombardo, L.; Rodriguez-Mustafa, M.; Mai, P. M.

2017-12-01

A temporary deployment consisting of sixteen broadband seismic stations is conducted for the first time in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA, Northern Tanzania), located at the boundary between the Tanzanian Craton and East African Rift. A deep knowledge of the faulting systems and tectonics of the area is needed to better understand the contribution of the synsedimentary faults to the deposition of the Olduvai and surrounding basins affecting the landscapes of the Homo Habilis first settlements. Complex fault systems have been mapped in the field but their connection, especially at depth, is not well known. A first batch of ten instruments was installed in June 2016. In June 2017 two stations were dismissed and a second batch of six stations was installed in new locations. The current network of fourteen stations will record until May 2018. Stations are equipped with Nanometrics Trillium Compact Posthole 120 s sensor and Centaur digitiser recording continuously at 200 Hz. The whole network covers 1400 km2 and station interspace ranges from 8 to 15 km. We analyse probabilistic power spectra densities of the seismic noise to obtain insights of its origin and test the performances of the stations. Although factories do not exist in the area and most of the stations are far from roads, ambient noise in the range 0.01 - 1 s is relatively high (between -120 dB and -100dB at 0.1 s) probably because of the abundance of livestock living in the NCA. Ambient noise in the period range 1 - 10 s (secondary microseisms) decreases from east to west. Although the main source of the microseisms is located in the Indian Ocean (east of the study area), a contribution from the low period tremors coming from the nearby active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai (north-east of the study area) is expected. Whereas the longer period noise (10 - 100 s) is very low in the vertical component seismograms, it is higher than the high noise model in the horizontal components for most of the stations. Although this can be due to sensor insulation issues, we find a strong variability even for sensors installed in the same conditions. We also present the first seismicity map of the NCA by using the first year of data. We detect events with ML ranging between 0.7 and 3.0, mostly located south where major fault systems have not been mapped at the surface yet.

Automotive assessment of carbon-silicon composite anodes and methods of fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karulkar, Mohan; Blaser, Rachel; Kudla, Bob

2015-01-01

To assess the potential of carbon silicon composite anodes for automotive applications, C-Si anodes were fabricated and certain improvements employed. The use of a PVDF buffer layer is demonstrated for the first time with a C-Si composite material. The buffer layer increases adhesion by 89%, and increases capacity by 50-80%. Also, a limited capacity range is employed to improve cycle life by up to 200%, and enable currents as high as 2 mA cm-1. The combined use of a buffer layer and limited capacity range has not been reported before. A model is also presented for comparing C-Si performance with real-world automotive targets from USABC, including energy density, power density, specific energy, and specific power. The analysis reveals a capacity penalty that arises from pairing C-Si with a traditional cathode (NCA), and which prevents the cell from meeting all targets. Scenarios are presented in which a higher-capacity cathode (250 mAh g-1) allows all targets to be hypothetically met.

3D photoionization models of nova V723 Cas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeda, L.; Diaz, M.; Campbell, R.; Lyke, J.

2018-01-01

We present modelling and analysis of the ejecta of nova V723 Cas based on spatially resolved infrared spectroscopic data from Keck-OSIRIS, with LGSAO (adaptive optics module). The 3D photoionization models include the shell geometry taken from the observations and an anisotropic radiation field, composed by a spherical central source and an accretion disc. Our simulations indicate revised abundances log(NAl/NH) = -5.4, log(NCa/NH) = -6.4 and log(NSi/NH) = -4.7 in the shell. The total ejected mass was found as Mshell = 1.1 × 10-5 M⊙ and the central source temperature and luminosity are T = 280 000 K and L = 1038 erg s-1. The 3D models are compared to basic 1D simulations to demonstrate the importance of using more realistic treatments, stressing the differences in the shell mass, abundances and characterization of the central source. The possibility of V723 Cas being a neon nova and the puzzling central source features found are discussed.

Advanced Battery Management Challenges for Military Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-06

NCA, NCM) 2.5-4.1 7.5-12.3 10-16.4 15-24.6 17.5-28.7 20-32.8 L F P Nominal Voltage(V) ( LiFePO4 ) 3.3 9.9 13.2 19.8 23.1 26.4 n x 3.3 Voltage range...V) ( LiFePO4 ) 2.0-3.7 6-11.1 8-14.8 12-22.2 14-25.9 16-29.6 15 12V 6T 24V 6T UNCLASSIFIED Advanced Chemistry BMS • Required for Li-ion

Specular Scattering of Acoustic Waves from a Rough Surface in the Fraunhofer and Fresnel Approximations

DTIC Science & Technology

1969-01-01

ted in Fi g 4v er •it the te nt ti t ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o teslt obrnd y(ulnad ay he (1962) , who scatee Eou4d siWnal .4 frtn th surfac of the oea TheirW...and11 NT YPy’hik, Thbiz-_ :17 Nti-rlý Sr t z ciPout, AfzaimiQ PreNis !w Trýc, ( Wun . F.. P., "Antp1 4tudA ncA Phstocd Fluictuft-d.0on of at 3%Iund WfAve

Analysis of the interphase of a polyamide bonded to chromic acid anodized Ti-6AL-4V

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

Guinta, R.K.; Kander, R.G.

2000-01-06

Structural adhesive joints, when tested as made, typically fail cohesively through the centerline of the adhesive. However, in any study of adhesive joint durability, failure near the adhesive/substrate interface becomes an important consideration. In the current study, an interfacially debonding adhesive test, the notched coating adhesion (NCA) test, was applied to LaRC(trademark) PETI-5 adhesive bonded to chronic acid anodized (CAA) Ti-6Al-4V. Post-failure analysis of the interphase region included X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Mechanical interlocking between an adhesive and a substrate occurs when the liquid adhesivemore » flows into interstices of the substrate, solidifies, and becomes locked in place. Mechanical interlocking is believed to significantly contribute to the adhesion of substrates that exhibit microroughness, such as metal surfaces treated with chromic acid anodization or sodium hydroxide anodization. Filbey and Wightman found that an epoxy penetrated the pores of CAA Ti-6Al-4V, one of the limited number of pore penetration studies that have been reported. In the current study, the penetration of PETI-5 into the pores of CAA Ti-6Al-4V is investigated through analysis of adhesive/substrate failure surfaces.« less

Developing a taxonomy of coordination behaviours in nuclear power plant control rooms during emergencies.

PubMed

Wang, Dunxing; Gao, Qin; Li, Zhizhong; Song, Fei; Ma, Liang

2017-12-01

This study aims to develop a taxonomy of coordination behaviours during emergencies in nuclear power plants (NPPs). We summarised basic coordination behaviours from literature in aviation, health care and nuclear field and identified coordination behaviours specific to the nuclear domain by interviewing and surveying control crew operators. The established taxonomy includes 7 workflow stages and 24 basic coordination behaviours. To evaluate the reliability and feasibility of the taxonomy, we analysed 12 videos of operators' training sessions by coding coordination behaviours with the taxonomy and the inter-rater reliability was acceptable. Further analysis of the frequency, the duration and the direction of the coordination behaviours revealed four coordination problems. This taxonomy provides a foundation of systematic observation of coordination behaviours among NPP crews, advances researchers' understanding of the coordination mechanism during emergencies in NPPs and facilitate the possibility to deepen the understanding of the relationships between coordination behaviours and team performance. Practitioner Summary: A taxonomy of coordination behaviours during emergencies in nuclear power plants was developed. Reliability and feasibility of the taxonomy was verified through the analysis of 12 training sessions. The taxonomy can serve as an observation system for analysis of coordination behaviours and help to identify coordination problems of control crews.

Design and Analysis of Discrete Lateral Autopilots for Coordinated Bank- to-Turn Missiles

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-12-01

ANALYSIS OF DISCRETE LATERAL AUTOPILOTS FOR COORDINATED BANK-TO-TURN MISSILES * by Christos 1. Karadimas C)__ December 1935 LAJ *Thesis Advisor: Daniel .J...Include Security Clastfication) DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF DISCRETE LATERAL AUTOPILOTS FOR .- COORDINATED BANK-TO-TURN MISSILES A - H . R o KARADIMAS ...Coordinated Bank-to-Turn Missiles - by Christos I. Karadimas Lieutenant, Hellenic Navy B.S., Hellenic Naval Academy, 1976 Submitted in partial

Managing Identifiers for Elements of Provenance of the Third National Climate Assessment in the Global Change Information System (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tilmes, C.; Aulenbach, S.; Duggan, B.; Goldstein, J.

2013-12-01

A Federal Advisory Committee (The "National Climate Assessment and Development Advisory Committee" or NCADAC) has overseen the development of a draft climate report that after extensive review will be considered by the Federal Government in the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA). This comprehensive report (1) Integrates, evaluates, and interprets the findings of the Program and discusses the scientific uncertainties associated with such findings; (2) Analyzes the effects of global change on the natural environment, agriculture, energy production and use, land and water resources, transportation, human health and welfare, human social systems, and biological diversity; and (3) Analyzes current trends in global change, both human-induced and natural, and projects major trends for the subsequent 25 to 100 years. The U.S. Global Change Program (USGCRP), composed of the 13 federal agencies most concerned with global change, is building a Global Change Information System (GCIS) that will ultimately organize access to all of the research, data, and information about global change from across the system. A prototype of the system has been constructed that captures and presents all of the elements of provenance of the NCA through a coherent data model and friendly front end web site. This work will focus on the globally unique and persistent identifiers used to reference and organize those items. These include externally referenced items, such as DOIs used by scientific journal publishers for research articles or by agencies as dataset identifiers, as well as our own internal approach to identifiers, our overall data model and experiences managing persistent identifiers within the GCIS.

Beringian origins and cryptic speciation events in the fly agaric (Amanita muscaria).

PubMed

Geml, J; Laursen, G A; O'neill, K; Nusbaum, H C; Taylor, D L

2006-01-01

Amanita muscaria sensu lato has a wide geographic distribution, occurring in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and North, Central and South America. Previous phylogenetic work by others indicates three geographic clades (i.e. 'Eurasian', 'Eurasian-alpine' and 'North American' groups) within A. muscaria. However, the historical dispersal patterns of A. muscaria remained unclear. In our project, we collected specimens from arctic, boreal and humid temperate regions in Alaska, and generated DNA sequence data from the protein-coding beta-tubulin gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) regions of the ribosomal DNA repeat. Homologous sequences from additional A. muscaria isolates were downloaded from GenBank. We conducted phylogenetic and nested clade analyses (NCA) to reveal the phylogeographic history of the species complex. Although phylogenetic analyses confirmed the existence of the three above-mentioned clades, representatives of all three groups were found to occur sympatrically in Alaska, suggesting that they represent cryptic phylogenetic species with partially overlapping geographic distributions rather than being allopatric populations. All phylogenetic species share at least two morphological varieties with other species, suggesting ancestral polymorphism in pileus and wart colour pre-dating their speciations. The ancestral population of A. muscaria likely evolved in the Siberian-Beringian region and underwent fragmentation as inferred from NCA and the coalescent analyses. The data suggest that these populations later evolved into species, expanded their range in North America and Eurasia. In addition to range expansions, populations of all three species remained in Beringia and adapted to the cooling climate.

Control of electrochemical properties of nickel-rich layered cathode materials for lithium ion batteries by variation of the manganese to cobalt ratio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Ho-Hyun; Choi, Wonchang; Lee, Joong Kee; Oh, In-Hwan; Jung, Hun-Gi

2015-02-01

Various Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes (above 0.80 Ni content), such as LiNi1-y-zCoyAlzO2 (NCA), are used in electric vehicles (EVs) due to their high capacity (∼200 mAh g-1 for NCA). However, to improve cycle performance and thermal stability and to ensure longer and safer usage, numerous studies have investigated surface modification, coating, and doping of cathode materials. In this study, we have investigated the characteristics of Li[Ni0.85CoxMn0.15-x]O2 with various Mn to Co ratios (x = 0-0.15) synthesized by a coprecipitation method. The discharge capacities of the Li[Ni0.85CoxMn0.15-x]O2 cathodes are similar at around 206 mAh g-1 at room temperature and 213.8 mAh g-1 at 55 °C between 2.7 and 4.3 V at a 0.2C rate, while the cyclability, thermal stability, and rate capability of all samples differ according to the Mn and Co ratio. The Li[Ni0.85Co0.05Mn0.10]O2 cathode shows the most promising electrochemical properties under different conditions among the various cathodes evaluated; it displays a high rate capacity (approximately 163 mAh g-1 at 5C rate) at 25 °C and good thermal stability (main exothermic temperature of 233.7 °C and relatively low heat evolution of 857.3 J g-1).

Making Information Useful: Engagement in the National Climate Assessment Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lough, G. C.; Cloyd, E.

2014-12-01

Creation of actionable information requires that the producers of that information understand the needs of the intended users and decision makers. To that end, development of the Third National Climate Assessment included a focus on engaging users through an inclusive, broad-based, and sustained process. Such a process provides opportunities for scientific experts and decision makers to share knowledge about the climate-related issues, impacts, and potential response actions that are most important in a particular region or sector. Such a process is also highly transparent in order to produce results that are credible, salient, and legitimate for both scientists and decision makers, ultimately making the results extremely useful. To implement these principles for the recent NCA, a broad-based engagement strategy was implemented from the start of the process. The strategy invited participation from users and stakeholder communities at each stage of the process, and considered methods for communicating with potential users at every step. The strategy was designed to elicit contributions to help shape the framing of the assessment, improve the transparency of the process, and increase the utility of the final information. Specific user inputs were gathered through a series of workshops, public comment opportunities, town hall meetings, presentations, requests for information, submitted documents, and open meetings. Further, a network of contributors self-organized around topics of interest to extend the NCA to a wider range of user groups. Here, we describe the outcomes of these innovations in assessment engagement and identify clear successes, notable surprises, future evaluation needs, and areas for new ideas.

Enhanced charging capability of lithium metal batteries based on lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide-lithium bis(oxalato)borate dual-salt electrolytes

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

Xiang, Hongfa; Shi, Pengcheng; Bhattacharya, Priyanka

2016-06-01

Rechargeable lithium (Li) metal batteries with conventional LiPF6-carbonate electrolytes have been reported to fail quickly at charging current densities of about 1.0 mA cm-2 and above. In this work, we demonstrate the rapid charging capability of the Li||LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) cells enabled by a dual-salt electrolyte of LiTFSI-LiBOB in a carbonate solvent mixture. It is found that the thickness of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer on Li metal anode largely increases with increasing charging current density. However, the cells using the LiTFSI-LiBOB dual-salt electrolyte significantly outperforms those using the LiPF6 electrolyte at high charging current densities. At the charging current densitymore » of 1.50 mA cm-2, the Li||NCA cells with the dual-salt electrolyte can still deliver a discharge capacity of 131 mAh g-1 and a capacity retention of 80% after 100 cycles, while those with the LiPF6 electrolyte start to show fast capacity fading after the 30th cycle and only exhibit a low capacity of 25 mAh g-1 and a low retention of 15% after 100 cycles. The reasons for the good chargeability and cycling stability of the cells using LiTFSI-LiBOB dual-salt electrolyte can be attributed to the good film-formation ability of the electrolyte on lithium metal anode and the highly conductive nature of the sulfur-rich interphase layer.« less

Genetic Phagocyte NADPH Oxidase Deficiency Enhances Nonviable Candida albicans-Induced Inflammation in Mouse Lungs.

PubMed

Endo, Daiki; Fujimoto, Kenta; Hirose, Rika; Yamanaka, Hiroko; Homme, Mizuki; Ishibashi, Ken-Ichi; Miura, Noriko; Ohno, Naohito; Aratani, Yasuaki

2017-02-01

Patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) have mutated phagocyte NADPH oxidase, resulting in reduced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). While the mechanism underlying hyperinfection in CGD is well understood, the basis for inflammatory disorders that arise in the absence of evident infection has not been fully explained. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of phagocyte NADPH oxidase deficiency on lung inflammation induced by nonviable Candida albicans (nCA). Mice deficient in this enzyme (CGD mice) showed more severe neutrophilic pneumonia than nCA-treated wild-type mice, which exhibited significantly higher lung concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC). Neutralization of these proinflammatory mediators significantly reduced neutrophil infiltration. In vitro, production of IL-1β and TNF-α from neutrophils and that of KC from macrophages was enhanced in nCA-stimulated neutrophils from CGD mice. Expression of IL-1β mRNA was higher in the stimulated CGD neutrophils than in the stimulated wild-type cells, concomitant with upregulation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB and its upstream regulator extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2. Pretreatment with an NADPH oxidase inhibitor significantly enhanced IL-1β production in the wild-type neutrophils stimulated with nCA. These results suggest that lack of ROS production because of NADPH oxidase deficiency results in the production of higher levels of proinflammatory mediators from neutrophils and macrophages, which may at least partly contribute to the exacerbation of nCA-induced lung inflammation in CGD mice.

Development of parallel algorithms for electrical power management in space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berry, Frederick C.

1989-01-01

The application of parallel techniques for electrical power system analysis is discussed. The Newton-Raphson method of load flow analysis was used along with the decomposition-coordination technique to perform load flow analysis. The decomposition-coordination technique enables tasks to be performed in parallel by partitioning the electrical power system into independent local problems. Each independent local problem represents a portion of the total electrical power system on which a loan flow analysis can be performed. The load flow analysis is performed on these partitioned elements by using the Newton-Raphson load flow method. These independent local problems will produce results for voltage and power which can then be passed to the coordinator portion of the solution procedure. The coordinator problem uses the results of the local problems to determine if any correction is needed on the local problems. The coordinator problem is also solved by an iterative method much like the local problem. The iterative method for the coordination problem will also be the Newton-Raphson method. Therefore, each iteration at the coordination level will result in new values for the local problems. The local problems will have to be solved again along with the coordinator problem until some convergence conditions are met.

Facilitation of the PED analysis of large molecules by using global coordinates.

PubMed

Jamróz, Michał H; Ostrowski, Sławomir; Dobrowolski, Jan Cz

2015-10-05

Global coordinates have been found to be useful in the potential energy distribution (PED) analyses of the following large molecules: [13]-acene and [33]-helicene. The global coordinate is defined based on much distanced fragments of the analysed molecule, whereas so far, the coordinates used in the analysis were based on stretchings, bendings, or torsions of the adjacent atoms. It has been shown that the PED analyses performed using the global coordinate and the classical ones can lead to exactly the same PED contributions. The global coordinates may significantly improve the facility of the analysis of the vibrational spectra of large molecules. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CONAN; Chemistry of Nitrogen-A Nascence.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

l ] SGIA J tv4 II" * ~~OSSISVLE H (A) UTCNaOT ’’Igre 6. NOIA-.’(: and "2(A-X) system produced by reacting H2 + diachar~ed NFI. * 𔃺’ * NcA Curing...e V 1 state. A hollow- cathode dizharge source crerati- 24: *’,,z - >o-A pr:;.uces the : :on ,.ezastablez. :,Ie A:Ior a:1-4 r>~ 7:)Ir fi2_ 1yf’- :ng... cathode discharge produces the rare gas metastables. The electrode has been fabricated from aluminum shim, but for some of the studies here, a 0.002

2007 Joint Service Power Expo: Power and Energy Independence for Warfighters

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-26

Technology benefits and cost LiFePO4 Development LiFePO4 Development ● SAFT initiated work on LiFePO4 under a developmental program with Army...life and improvement ● SAFT is continuing the LiFePO4 work under US Army MANTECH effort. Very High Power cells with the LiFePO4 cathode have been...supplier of LiFePO4 – Phostech/Sud-Chemie. Cell VL10Fe VL12V Cathode LiFePO4 NCA Nominal Voltage (V) 3.3 3.6 Nominal Capacity at C rate (Ah) 10 12 V = f

Fifth symposium on surface mining and reclamation. NCA/BCR coal conference and Expo IV

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

None

1977-01-01

The Fifth Symposium on Surface Mining and Reclamation, sponsored by the National Coal Association and Bituminous Coal Research, Inc., was held at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center, Louisville, Kentucky, October 18-20, 1977. Twenty-six papers from the proceedings have been entered individually into EDB and ERA. Topics covered include spoil bank revegetation, use of aerial photography, reclamation for row crop production, hydrology, computer programs related to this work, subirrigated alluvial valley floors, reclamation on steep slopes, mountain top removal, surface mine road design, successional processes involved in reclamation, land use planning, etc. (LTN)

Developing a National Climate Indicators System to Track Climate Changes, Impacts, Vulnerabilities, and Preparedness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenney, M. A.; Janetos, A. C.; Arndt, D.; Chen, R. S.; Pouyat, R.; Anderson, S. M.

2013-12-01

The National Climate Assessment (NCA) is being conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), pursuant to the Global Change Research Act of 1990, Section 106, which requires a report to Congress every 4 years. Part of the vision, which is now under development, for the sustained National Climate Assessment (NCA) process is a system of physical, ecological, and societal indicators that communicate key aspects of the physical climate, climate impacts, vulnerabilities, and preparedness for the purpose of informing both decision makers and the public with scientifically valid information that is useful to inform decision-making processes such as the development and implementation of climate adaptation strategies in a particular sector or region. These indicators will be tracked as a part of ongoing assessment activities, with adjustments as necessary to adapt to changing conditions and understanding. The indicators will be reviewed and updated so that the system adapts to new information. The NCA indicator system is not intended to serve as a vehicle for documenting rigorous cause and effect relationships. It is reasonable, however, for it to serve as a guide to those factors that affect the evolution of variability and change in the climate system, the resources and sectors of concern that are affected by it, and how society chooses to respond. Different components of the end-to-end climate issue serve as categories within which to organize an end-to-end system of indicators: Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks, Atmospheric Composition, Physical Climate Variability and Change, Sectors and Resources of Concern, and Adaptation and Mitigation Responses. This framing has several advantages. It can be used to identify the different components of the end-to-end climate issue that both decision-makers and researchers are interested in. It is independent of scale, and therefore allows the indicators themselves to be described at spatial scales that are the most relevant for their intended use. National decision-makers may find indicators of national greenhouse gas emissions to be informative; however, state or local decision-makers have the freedom in this framework to define indicators of state, regional, or local greenhouse emissions that are more relevant to their concerns. The framework is also independent of time scale and topics within the broad categories. It therefore allows indicators of different sectors to be developed, and allows the consideration of both indicators of current state, past trends, and leading indicators. In this talk we will discuss the general conceptual model for the system, the sector specific conceptual models, and indicators that will be included in the prototype end-to-end indicator system.

Developing a System of National Climate Assessment Indicators to Track Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerabilities, and Preparedness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janetos, A. C.; Kenney, M. A.; Chen, R. S.; Arndt, D.

2012-12-01

The National Climate Assessment (NCA) is being conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), pursuant to the Global Change Research Act of 1990, Section 106, which requires a report to Congress every 4 years (http://globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/). Part of the vision for the sustained National Climate Assessment (NCA) process is a system of physical, ecological, and societal indicators that communicate key aspects of the physical climate, climate impacts, vulnerabilities, and preparedness for the purpose of informing both decision makers and the public with scientifically valid information that is useful to inform decision-making processes such as the development and implementation of climate adaptation strategies in a particular sector or region. These indicators will be tracked as a part of ongoing assessment activities, with adjustments as necessary to adapt to changing conditions and understanding. The indicators will be reviewed and updated so that the system adapts to new information. The NCA indicator system is not intended to serve as a vehicle for documenting rigorous cause and effect relationships. It is reasonable, however, for it to serve as a guide to those factors that affect the evolution of variability and change in the climate system, the resources and sectors of concern that are affected by it, and how society chooses to respond. Different components of the end-to-end climate issue serve as categories within which to organize an end-to-end system of indicators: Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks Atmospheric Composition Physical Climate Variability and Change Sectors and Resources of Concern Adaptation and Mitigation Responses This framing has several advantages. It can be used to identify the different components of the end-to-end climate issue that both decision-makers and researchers are interested in. It is independent of scale, and therefore allows the indicators themselves to be described at spatial scales that are the most relevant for their intended use. National decision-makers may find indicators of national greenhouse gas emissions to be informative; however, state or local decision-makers have the freedom in this framework to define indicators of state, regional, or local greenhouse emissions that are more relevant to their concerns. The framework is also independent of time scale and topics within the broad categories. It therefore allows indicators of different sectors to be developed, and allows the consideration of both indicators of current state, past trends, and leading indicators. In this talk we will discuss a number of existing candidate indicators that could be included in this framework as well as the research needed to fully develop an end-to-end indicator system.

Effects of Microbial and Phosphate Amendments on the Bioavailability of Lead (Pb) in Shooting Range Soil

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

Brigmon, Robin; Wilson, Christina; Knox, Anna

Heavy metals including lead (Pb) are released continually into the environment as a result of industrial, recreational, and military activities. Lead ranked number two on the CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substances and was identified as a major hazardous chemical found on 47% of USEPA's National Priorities List sites (Hettiarachchi and Pierzynski 2004). In-situ remediation of lead (Pb) contaminated soils may be accomplished by changing the soil chemistry and structure with the application of microbial and phosphate amendments. Soil contaminated with lead bullets was collected from the surface of the berm at Savannah River Site (SRS) Small Arms Training Academymore » (SATA) in Aiken, SC. While uncontaminated soils typically have Pb levels ranging from 2 to 200 mg/kg (Berti et al. 1998), previous analysis show Pb levels of the SATA berm to reach 8,673 mg/kg. Biosurfactants are surface-active compounds naturally produced by soil bacteria that can bind metals. Biosurfactants have a wide variety of chemical structures that reduce interfacial surface tensions (Jennings and Tanner 2000) and have demonstrated efficient metal complexion (Lin 1996). Biosurfactants also have the potential to change the availability of natural organic matter (Strong-Gunderson 1995). Two types of bacteria, Alcaligenes piechaudii and Pseudomonas putida, were employed as amendments based on their ability to produce biosurfactants and survive in metal-contaminated soils. Apatites (calcium phosphate compounds) are important in the formation of Pb phosphates. Pb phosphates form rapidly when phosphate is available and are the most stable environmental form of lead in soil (Ruby et al.1998). Pyromorphites in particular remain insoluble under a wide range of environmental conditions (Zhang et al. 1998). The three apatites evaluated in the current study were North Carolina apatite (NCA), Florida apatite (FA), and biological apatite (BA). BA is ground fish bone that has few impurities such as As, Cr, or U and contains about 27% total phosphate, most of which is available. FA and NCA are two types of rock phosphates that release small amounts of phosphate over time. Total phosphate is around 30% with only 1-2% phosphate available (Knox et al. 2005). In this study, we describe the influence of combining the two microbial and three phosphate amendments on reducing lead bioavailability in shooting range soil.« less

Behavioural Interventions for Urinary Incontinence in Community-Dwelling Seniors

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Executive Summary In early August 2007, the Medical Advisory Secretariat began work on the Aging in the Community project, an evidence-based review of the literature surrounding healthy aging in the community. The Health System Strategy Division at the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care subsequently asked the secretariat to provide an evidentiary platform for the ministry’s newly released Aging at Home Strategy. After a broad literature review and consultation with experts, the secretariat identified 4 key areas that strongly predict an elderly person’s transition from independent community living to a long-term care home. Evidence-based analyses have been prepared for each of these 4 areas: falls and fall-related injuries, urinary incontinence, dementia, and social isolation. For the first area, falls and fall-related injuries, an economic model is described in a separate report. Please visit the Medical Advisory Secretariat Web site, http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/mas/mas_about.html, to review these titles within the Aging in the Community series. Aging in the Community: Summary of Evidence-Based Analyses Prevention of Falls and Fall-Related Injuries in Community-Dwelling Seniors: An Evidence-Based Analysis Behavioural Interventions for Urinary Incontinence in Community-Dwelling Seniors: An Evidence-Based Analysis Caregiver- and Patient-Directed Interventions for Dementia: An Evidence-Based Analysis Social Isolation in Community-Dwelling Seniors: An Evidence-Based Analysis The Falls/Fractures Economic Model in Ontario Residents Aged 65 Years and Over (FEMOR) Objective To assess the effectiveness of behavioural interventions for the treatment and management of urinary incontinence (UI) in community-dwelling seniors. Clinical Need: Target Population and Condition Urinary incontinence defined as “the complaint of any involuntary leakage of urine” was identified as 1 of the key predictors in a senior’s transition from independent community living to admission to a long-term care (LTC) home. Urinary incontinence is a health problem that affects a substantial proportion of Ontario’s community-dwelling seniors (and indirectly affects caregivers), impacting their health, functioning, well-being and quality of life. Based on Canadian studies, prevalence estimates range from 9% to 30% for senior men and nearly double from 19% to 55% for senior women. The direct and indirect costs associated with UI are substantial. It is estimated that the total annual costs in Canada are $1.5 billion (Cdn), and that each year a senior living at home will spend $1,000 to $1,500 on incontinence supplies. Interventions to treat and manage UI can be classified into broad categories which include lifestyle modification, behavioural techniques, medications, devices (e.g., continence pessaries), surgical interventions and adjunctive measures (e.g., absorbent products). The focus of this review is behavioural interventions, since they are commonly the first line of treatment considered in seniors given that they are the least invasive options with no reported side effects, do not limit future treatment options, and can be applied in combination with other therapies. In addition, many seniors would not be ideal candidates for other types of interventions involving more risk, such as surgical measures. Note: It is recognized that the terms “senior” and “elderly” carry a range of meanings for different audiences; this report generally uses the former, but the terms are treated here as essentially interchangeable. Description of Technology/Therapy Behavioural interventions can be divided into 2 categories according to the target population: caregiver-dependent techniques and patient-directed techniques. Caregiver-dependent techniques (also known as toileting assistance) are targeted at medically complex, frail individuals living at home with the assistance of a caregiver, who tends to be a family member. These seniors may also have cognitive deficits and/or motor deficits. A health care professional trains the senior’s caregiver to deliver an intervention such as prompted voiding, habit retraining, or timed voiding. The health care professional who trains the caregiver is commonly a nurse or a nurse with advanced training in the management of UI, such as a nurse continence advisor (NCA) or a clinical nurse specialist (CNS). The second category of behavioural interventions consists of patient-directed techniques targeted towards mobile, motivated seniors. Seniors in this population are cognitively able, free from any major physical deficits, and motivated to regain and/or improve their continence. A nurse or a nurse with advanced training in UI management, such as an NCA or CNS, delivers the patient-directed techniques. These are often provided as multicomponent interventions including a combination of bladder training techniques, pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), education on bladder control strategies, and self-monitoring. Pelvic floor muscle training, defined as a program of repeated pelvic floor muscle contractions taught and supervised by a health care professional, may be employed as part of a multicomponent intervention or in isolation. Education is a large component of both caregiver-dependent and patient-directed behavioural interventions, and patient and/or caregiver involvement as well as continued practice strongly affect the success of treatment. Incontinence products, which include a large variety of pads and devices for effective containment of urine, may be used in conjunction with behavioural techniques at any point in the patient’s management. Evidence-Based Analysis Methods A comprehensive search strategy was used to identify systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials that examined the effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of caregiver-dependent and patient-directed behavioural interventions for the treatment of UI in community-dwelling seniors (see Appendix 1). Research Questions Are caregiver-dependent behavioural interventions effective in improving UI in medically complex, frail community-dwelling seniors with/without cognitive deficits and/or motor deficits? Are patient-directed behavioural interventions effective in improving UI in mobile, motivated community-dwelling seniors? Are behavioural interventions delivered by NCAs or CNSs in a clinic setting effective in improving incontinence outcomes in community-dwelling seniors? Assessment of Quality of Evidence The quality of the evidence was assessed as high, moderate, low, or very low according to the GRADE methodology and GRADE Working Group. As per GRADE the following definitions apply: High Further research is very unlikely to change confidence in the estimate of effect. Moderate Further research is likely to have an important impact on confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate. Low Further research is very likely to have an important impact on confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate. Very Low Any estimate of effect is very uncertain Summary of Findings Executive Summary Table 1 summarizes the results of the analysis. The available evidence was limited by considerable variation in study populations and in the type and severity of UI for studies examining both caregiver-directed and patient-directed interventions. The UI literature frequently is limited to reporting subjective outcome measures such as patient observations and symptoms. The primary outcome of interest, admission to a LTC home, was not reported in the UI literature. The number of eligible studies was low, and there were limited data on long-term follow-up. Executive Summary Table 1: Summary of Evidence on Behavioural Interventions for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence in Community-Dwelling Seniors Intervention Target Population Interventions Conclusions GRADE quality of the evidence 1. Caregiver-dependent techniques (toileting assistance) Medically complex, frail individuals at home with/without cognitive deficits and/or motor deficitsDelivered by informal caregivers who are trained by a nurse or a nurse with specialized UI training (NCA/CNS) Prompted voiding Habit retraining Timed voiding There is no evidence of effectiveness for habit retraining (n=1 study) and timed voiding (n=1 study).Prompted voiding may be effective, but effectiveness is difficult to substantiate because of an inadequately powered study (n=1 study).Resource implications and caregiver burden (usually on an informal caregiver) should be considered. Low 2. Patient-directed techniques Mobile, motivated seniorsDelivered by a nurse or a nurse with specialized UI training (NCA/CNS) Multicomponent behavioural interventionsInclude a combination ofBladder trainingPFMT (with or without biofeedback)Bladder control strategiesEducationSelf-monitoring Significant reduction in the mean number of incontinent episodes per week (n=5 studies, WMD 3.63, 95% CI, 2.07–5.19)Significant improvement in patient’s perception of UI (n=3 studies, OR 4.15, 95% CI, 2.70–6.37)Suggestive beneficial impact on patient’s health-related quality of life Moderate     PFMT alone Significant reduction in the mean number of incontinent episodes per week (n=1 study, WMD 10.50, 95% CI, 4.30–16.70) Moderate 3. Behavioural interventions led by an NCA/CNS in a clinic setting Community-dwelling seniors Behavioural interventions led by NCA/CNS Overall, effective in improving incontinence outcomes (n=3 RCTs + 1 Ontario-based before/after study) Moderate * CI refers to confidence interval; CNS, clinical nurse specialist; NCA, nurse continence advisor; PFMT, pelvic floor muscle training; RCT, randomized controlled trial; WMD, weighted mean difference; UI, urinary incontinence. Economic Analysis A budget impact analysis was conducted to forecast costs for caregiver-dependent and patient-directed multicomponent behavioural techniques delivered by NCAs, and PFMT alone delivered by physiotherapists. All costs are reported in 2008 Canadian dollars. Based on epidemiological data, published medical literature and clinical expert opinion, the annual cost of caregiver-dependent behavioural techniques was estimated to be $9.2 M, while the annual costs of patient-directed behavioural techniques delivered by either an NCA or physiotherapist were estimated to be $25.5 M and $36.1 M, respectively. Estimates will vary if the underlying assumptions are changed. Currently, the province of Ontario absorbs the cost of NCAs (available through the 42 Community Care Access Centres across the province) in the home setting. The 2007 Incontinence Care in the Community Report estimated that the total cost being absorbed by the public system of providing continence care in the home is $19.5 M in Ontario. This cost estimate included resources such as personnel, communication with physicians, record keeping and product costs. Clinic costs were not included in this estimation because currently these come out of the global budget of the respective hospital and very few continence clinics actually exist in the province. The budget impact analysis factored in a cost for the clinic setting, assuming that the public system would absorb the cost with this new model of community care. Considerations for Ontario Health System An expert panel on aging in the community met on 3 occasions from January to May 2008, and in part, discussed treatment of UI in seniors in Ontario with a focus on caregiver-dependent and patient-directed behavioural interventions. In particular, the panel discussed how treatment for UI is made available to seniors in Ontario and who provides the service. Some of the major themes arising from the discussions included: Services/interventions that currently exist in Ontario offering behavioural interventions to treat UI are not consistent. There is a lack of consistency in how seniors access services for treatment of UI, who manages patients and what treatment patients receive. Help-seeking behaviours are important to consider when designing optimal service delivery methods. There is considerable social stigma associated with UI and therefore there is a need for public education and an awareness campaign. The cost of incontinent supplies and the availability of NCAs were highlighted. Conclusions There is moderate-quality evidence that the following interventions are effective in improving UI in mobile motivated seniors: Multicomponent behavioural interventions including a combination of bladder training techniques, PFMT (with or without biofeedback), education on bladder control strategies and self-monitoring techniques. Pelvic floor muscle training alone. There is moderate quality evidence that when behavioural interventions are led by NCAs or CNSs in a clinic setting, they are effective in improving UI in seniors. There is limited low-quality evidence that prompted voiding may be effective in medically complex, frail seniors with motivated caregivers. There is insufficient evidence for the following interventions in medically complex, frail seniors with motivated caregivers: habit retraining, and timed voiding. PMID:23074508

Ellipsoidal analysis of coordination polyhedra

PubMed Central

Cumby, James; Attfield, J. Paul

2017-01-01

The idea of the coordination polyhedron is essential to understanding chemical structure. Simple polyhedra in crystalline compounds are often deformed due to structural complexity or electronic instabilities so distortion analysis methods are useful. Here we demonstrate that analysis of the minimum bounding ellipsoid of a coordination polyhedron provides a general method for studying distortion, yielding parameters that are sensitive to various orders in metal oxide examples. Ellipsoidal analysis leads to discovery of a general switching of polyhedral distortions at symmetry-disallowed transitions in perovskites that may evidence underlying coordination bistability, and reveals a weak off-centre ‘d5 effect' for Fe3+ ions that could be exploited in multiferroics. Separating electronic distortions from intrinsic deformations within the low temperature superstructure of magnetite provides new insights into the charge and trimeron orders. Ellipsoidal analysis can be useful for exploring local structure in many materials such as coordination complexes and frameworks, organometallics and organic molecules. PMID:28146146

Population inversion calculations using near resonant charge exchange as a pumping mechanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chubb, D. L.; Rose, J. R.

1972-01-01

Near resonance charge exchange between ions of a large ionization potential gas such as helium or neon and vapors of metals such as zinc, cadmium, selenium, or tellurium has produced laser action in the metal ion gas. The possibility of obtaining population inversions in near resonant charge exchange systems (Xe-Ca, Xe-Mg, Xe-Sr, Xe-Ba, Ar-Mg, N-Ca) was investigated. The analysis is an initial value problem that utilizes rate equations for the densities of relevant levels of the laser gas (Ca, Ba, Mg, or Sr) and an electron energy equation. Electron excitation rates are calculated using the Bohr-Thomson approximation for the cross section. Approximations to experimental values of the electron ionization cross section and the ion-atom charge exchange cross section are used. Preliminary results have been obtained for the Ca-Xe system and show that it is possible to obtain gains greater than 10 to the 14th power/m with inversion times up to 8x10 to the minus 7th power second. A possible charge exchange laser system using a MPD arc plasma accelerator is also described.

Physics based modeling of a series parallel battery pack for asymmetry analysis, predictive control and life extension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesan, Nandhini; Basu, Suman; Hariharan, Krishnan S.; Kolake, Subramanya Mayya; Song, Taewon; Yeo, Taejung; Sohn, Dong Kee; Doo, Seokgwang

2016-08-01

Lithium-Ion batteries used for electric vehicle applications are subject to large currents and various operation conditions, making battery pack design and life extension a challenging problem. With increase in complexity, modeling and simulation can lead to insights that ensure optimal performance and life extension. In this manuscript, an electrochemical-thermal (ECT) coupled model for a 6 series × 5 parallel pack is developed for Li ion cells with NCA/C electrodes and validated against experimental data. Contribution of the cathode to overall degradation at various operating conditions is assessed. Pack asymmetry is analyzed from a design and an operational perspective. Design based asymmetry leads to a new approach of obtaining the individual cell responses of the pack from an average ECT output. Operational asymmetry is demonstrated in terms of effects of thermal gradients on cycle life, and an efficient model predictive control technique is developed. Concept of reconfigurable battery pack is studied using detailed simulations that can be used for effective monitoring and extension of battery pack life.

The effect of fluoroethylene carbonate additive content on the formation of the solid-electrolyte interphase and capacity fade of Li-ion full-cell employing nano Si-graphene composite anodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bordes, Arnaud; Eom, KwangSup; Fuller, Thomas F.

2014-07-01

When fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) is added to the ethylene carbonate (EC)-diethyl carbonate (DEC) electrolyte, the capacity and cyclability of full-cells employing Si-graphene anode and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide cathode (NCA) cathode are improved due to formation of a thin (30-50 nm) SEI layer with low ionic resistance (∼2 ohm cm2) on the surface of Si-graphene anode. These properties are confirmed with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and a cross-sectional image analysis using Focused Ion Beam (FIB)-SEM. Approximately 5 wt.% FEC in EC:DEC (1:1 wt.%) shows the highest capacity and most stability. This high capacity and low capacity fade is attributed to a more stable SEI layer containing less CH2OCO2Li, Li2CO3 and LiF compounds, which consume cyclable Li. Additionally, a greater amount of polycarbonate (PC), which is known to form a more robust passivation layer, thus reducing further reduction of electrolyte, is confirmed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

The Medication Recommendation Tracking Form: a novel tool for tracking changes in prescribed medication, clinical decision making, and use in comparative effectiveness research.

PubMed

Reilly-Harrington, Noreen A; Sylvia, Louisa G; Leon, Andrew C; Shesler, Leah W; Ketter, Terence A; Bowden, Charles L; Calabrese, Joseph R; Friedman, Edward S; Ostacher, Michael J; Iosifescu, Dan V; Rabideau, Dustin J; Thase, Michael E; Nierenberg, Andrew A

2013-11-01

This paper describes the development and use of the Medication Recommendation Tracking Form (MRTF), a novel method for capturing physician prescribing behavior and clinical decision making. The Bipolar Trials Network developed and implemented the MRTF in a comparative effectiveness study for bipolar disorder (LiTMUS). The MRTF was used to assess the frequency, types, and reasons for medication adjustments. Changes in treatment were operationalized by the metric Necessary Clinical Adjustments (NCA), defined as medication adjustments to reduce symptoms, optimize treatment response and functioning, or to address intolerable side effects. Randomized treatment groups did not differ in rates of NCAs, however, responders had significantly fewer NCAs than non-responders. Patients who had more NCAs during their previous visit had significantly lower odds of responding at the current visit. For each one-unit increase in previous CGI-BP depression score and CGI-BP overall severity score, patients had an increased NCA rate of 13% and 15%, respectively at the present visit. Ten-unit increases in previous Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) scores resulted in an 18% and 14% increase in rates of NCAs, respectively. Patients with fewer NCAs had increased quality of life and decreased functional impairment. The MRTF standardizes the reporting and rationale for medication adjustments and provides an innovative metric for clinical effectiveness. As the first tool in psychiatry to track the types and reasons for medication changes, it has important implications for training new clinicians and examining clinical decision making. (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00667745). Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of Propylene Carbonate Content in CsPF6-Containing Electrolytes on the Enhanced Performances of Graphite Electrode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

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

Zheng, Jianming; Yan, Pengfei; Cao, Ruiguo

2016-02-10

Cesium salt has been demonstrated as an efficient electrolyte additive in suppressing the lithium (Li) dendrite formation and directing the formation of an ultrathin and stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) even in propylene carbonate (PC)-ethylene carbonate (EC)-based electrolytes. Here, we further investigate the effect of PC content in the presence of CsPF6 additive (0.05 M) on the performances of graphite electrode in Li||graphite half cells and in graphite||LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) full cells. It is found that the performance of graphite electrode is also affected by PC content even though CsPF6 additive is present in the electrolytes. An optimal PC content ofmore » 20% by weight in the solvent mixtures is identified. The enhanced electrochemical performance of graphite electrode is attributed to the synergistic effects of the Cs+ additive and the PC solvent. The formation of a robust, ultrathin and compact SEI layer containing lithium-enriched species on the graphite electrode, directed by Cs+, effectively suppresses the PC co-intercalation and thus prevents the graphite exfoliation. This SEI layer is only permeable for de-solvated Li+ ions and allows fast Li+ ion transport through it, which therefore largely alleviates the Li dendrite formation on graphite electrode during lithiation even at high current densities. The presence of low-melting-point PC solvent also enables the sustainable operation of the graphite||NCA full cells under a wide spectrum of temperatures. The fundamental findings of this work shed light on the importance of manipulating/maintaining the electrode/electrolyte interphasial stability in a variety of energy storage devices.« less

Activation of catalase activity by a peroxisome-localized small heat shock protein Hsp17.6CII.

PubMed

Li, Guannan; Li, Jing; Hao, Rong; Guo, Yan

2017-08-20

Plant catalases are important antioxidant enzymes and are indispensable for plant to cope with adverse environmental stresses. However, little is known how catalase activity is regulated especially at an organelle level. In this study, we identified that small heat shock protein Hsp17.6CII (AT5G12020) interacts with and activates catalases in the peroxisome of Arabidopsis thaliana. Although Hsp17.6CII is classified into the cytosol-located small heat shock protein subfamily, we found that Hsp17.6CII is located in the peroxisome. Moreover, Hsp17.6CII contains a novel non-canonical peroxisome targeting signal 1 (PTS1), QKL, 16 amino acids upstream from the C-terminus. The QKL signal peptide can partially locate GFP to peroxisome, and mutations in the tripeptide lead to the abolishment of this activity. In vitro catalase activity assay and holdase activity assay showed that Hsp17.6CII increases CAT2 activity and prevents it from thermal aggregation. These results indicate that Hsp17.6CII is a peroxisome-localized catalase chaperone. Overexpression of Hsp17.6CII conferred enhanced catalase activity and tolerance to abiotic stresses in Arabidopsis. Interestingly, overexpression of Hsp17.6CII in catalase-deficient mutants, nca1-3 and cat2 cat3, failed to rescue their stress-sensitive phenotypes and catalase activity, suggesting that Hsp17.6CII-mediated stress response is dependent on NCA1 and catalase activity. Overall, we identified a novel peroxisome-located catalase chaperone that is involved in plant abiotic stress resistance by activating catalase activity. Copyright © 2017 Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Genetics Society of China. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synergic production of neutrophil chemotactic activity by colonic epithelial cells and eosinophils.

PubMed

Dent, Gordon; Loweth, Sam C; Hasan, Anwar Matar; Leslie, Fiona M

2014-10-01

The presence of eosinophils in the lumen and mucosa of the intestine is characteristic of both ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). There is evidence of eosinophil activation in the intestine during acute inflammatory episodes of these diseases; these episodes are also characterized by an influx of neutrophils, which have the potential to cause extensive tissue damage. We undertook a study to determine whether eosinophils in contact with colonic epithelial cells produce factors that may attract neutrophils in response to immunological stimulation. Neutrophil chemotactic activity (NCA) and concentrations of three neutrophil-attracting CXC chemokines - CXCL1 (Groα), CXCL5 (Ena78) and CXCL8 (IL8) - were measured in supernatants of T84 colonic epithelial cells and blood eosinophils or eosinophil-like myeloid leukaemia cells (AML14.3D10), alone or in combination. Cells were stimulated with serum-opsonized zymosan (OZ) particles. NCA (P<0.005) and CXCL5 levels (P<0.05) in the supernatants of OZ-stimulated epithelial/eosinophil co-cultures were significantly higher than in the supernatants of either cell type alone. Release of CXCL1 (P<0.05) and CXCL8 (P<0.01) from OZ-stimulated co-culture supernatants was significantly higher than from OZ-stimulated eosinophils but not higher than from OZ-stimulated epithelial cells. Eosinophils and colonic epithelial cells exhibit synergy in production of neutrophil chemoattractants in response to immunological stimulation. This may represent a mechanism for exaggerated recruitment of neutrophils to the intestine in response to acute infection in conditions that are characterized by the presence of eosinophils in the bowel. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The role of health professionals in informing cancer patients: findings from The Teamwork Project (phase one)

PubMed Central

Smith

2001-01-01

Background The Teamwork Project is managed by the National Cancer Alliance (NCA) and funded jointly by the National Lottery Charities Board and the Department of Health. The aim of the Project is to produce a Personal Information File to help people with cancer work in partnership with health professionals. Phase one was carried out between September 1998 and April 2000. The Teamwork Project arose as a direct result of the NCA report, ‘Patient‐Centred Cancer Services’? – What Patients Say, 1 one of a number of studies that found people with cancer want to be involved in decisions about their treatment and care. The study also found that, for this involvement to be successful, health professionals need to support patients in accessing information relevant to their individual needs and help them understand and apply that information. The focus of The Teamwork Project is to help provide a practical solution to meeting this information need. Approach The Teamwork Project has used a wide‐range of methods including literature appraisal; patient questionnaires; focus groups; semi‐structured interviews and a consultation exercise. Throughout the Project there has been on‐going involvement from both patients and professionals. Conclusions There may be a divergence of views among health professionals in cancer services regarding their role as providers of patient information. Consequently, there may also be a significant variance in how their patients are informed in practice. This finding needs to be validated and the reasons for this understood if the full potential of the forthcoming National Health Service (NHS) Cancer Information Strategy is to be realised. PMID:11281931

Use of routinely available clinical, nutritional, and functional criteria to classify cachexia in advanced cancer patients.

PubMed

Vigano, Antonio A L; Morais, José A; Ciutto, Lorella; Rosenthall, Leonard; di Tomasso, Jonathan; Khan, Sarah; Olders, Henry; Borod, Manuel; Kilgour, Robert D

2017-10-01

Cachexia is a highly prevalent syndrome in cancer and chronic diseases. However, due to the heterogeneous features of cancer cachexia, its identification and classification challenge clinical practitioners. To determine the clinical relevance of a cancer cachexia classification system in advanced cancer patients. Beginning with the four-stage classification system proposed for cachexia [non-cachexia (NCa), pre-cachexia (PCa), cachexia (Ca) and refractory cachexia (RCa)], we assigned patients to these cachexia stages according to five classification criteria available in clinical practice: 1) biochemistry (high C-reactive protein or leukocytes, or hypoalbuminemia, or anemia), 2) food intake (normal/decreased), weight loss: 3) moderate (≤5%) or 4) significant (>5%/past six months) and 5) performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status ≥ 3). We then determined if symptom severity, body composition changes, functional levels, hospitalizations and survival rates varied significantly across cachexia stages. Two-hundred and ninety-seven advanced cancer patients with primary gastrointestinal and lung tumors were included. Patients were classified into Ca (36%), PCa and RCa (21%, respectively) and NCa (15%). Significant (p < 0.05) differences were observed among cachexia stages for most of the outcome measures (symptoms, body composition, handgrip strength, emergency room visits and length of hospital stays) according to cachexia severity. Survival also differed between cachexia stages (except between PCa and Ca). Five clinical criteria can be used to stage cancer cachexia patients and predict important clinical, nutritional and functional outcomes. The lack of statistical difference between PCa and Ca in almost all clinical outcomes examined suggests either that the PCa group includes patients already affected by early cachexia or that more precise criteria are needed to differentiate PCa from Ca patients. More studies are required to validate these findings. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A Novel p-Nitrophenol Degradation Gene Cluster from a Gram-Positive Bacterium, Rhodococcus opacus SAO101

PubMed Central

Kitagawa, Wataru; Kimura, Nobutada; Kamagata, Yoichi

2004-01-01

p-Nitrophenol (4-NP) is recognized as an environmental contaminant; it is used primarily for manufacturing medicines and pesticides. To date, several 4-NP-degrading bacteria have been isolated; however, the genetic information remains very limited. In this study, a novel 4-NP degradation gene cluster from a gram-positive bacterium, Rhodococcus opacus SAO101, was identified and characterized. The deduced amino acid sequences of npcB, npcA, and npcC showed identity with phenol 2-hydroxylase component B (reductase, PheA2) of Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius A7 (32%), with 2,4,6-trichlorophenol monooxygenase (TcpA) of Ralstonia eutropha JMP134 (44%), and with hydroxyquinol 1,2-dioxygenase (ORF2) of Arthrobacter sp. strain BA-5-17 (76%), respectively. The npcB, npcA, and npcC genes were cloned into pET-17b to construct the respective expression vectors pETnpcB, pETnpcA, and pETnpcC. Conversion of 4-NP was observed when a mixture of crude cell extracts of Escherichia coli containing pETnpcB and pETnpcA was used in the experiment. The mixture converted 4-NP to hydroxyquinol and also converted 4-nitrocatechol (4-NCA) to hydroxyquinol. Furthermore, the crude cell extract of E. coli containing pETnpcC converted hydroxyquinol to maleylacetate. These results suggested that npcB and npcA encode the two-component 4-NP/4-NCA monooxygenase and that npcC encodes hydroxyquinol 1,2-dioxygenase. The npcA and npcC mutant strains, SDA1 and SDC1, completely lost the ability to grow on 4-NP as the sole carbon source. These results clearly indicated that the cloned npc genes play an essential role in 4-NP mineralization in R. opacus SAO101. PMID:15262926

Food deprivation and nicotine correct akinesia and freezing in Na(+) -leak current channel (NALCN)-deficient strains of Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Bonnett, K; Zweig, R; Aamodt, E J; Dwyer, D S

2014-09-01

Mutations in various genes adversely affect locomotion in model organisms, and thus provide valuable clues about the complex processes that control movement. In Caenorhabditis elegans, loss-of-function mutations in the Na(+) leak current channel (NALCN) and associated proteins (UNC-79 and UNC-80) cause akinesia and fainting (abrupt freezing of movement during escape from touch). It is not known how defects in the NALCN induce these phenotypes or if they are chronic and irreversible. Here, we report that akinesia and freezing are state-dependent and reversible in NALCN-deficient mutants (nca-1;nca-2, unc-79 and unc-80) when additional cation channels substitute for this protein. Two main measures of locomotion were evaluated: spontaneous movement (traversal of >2 head lengths during a 5 second observation period) and the touch-freeze response (movement greater than three body bends in response to tail touch). Food deprivation for as little as 3 min stimulated spontaneous movement and corrected the touch-freeze response. Conversely, food-deprived animals that moved normally in the absence of bacteria rapidly reverted to uncoordinated movement when re-exposed to food. The effects of food deprivation were mimicked by nicotine, which suggested that acetylcholine mediated the response. Nicotine appeared to act on interneurons or motor neurons rather than directly at the neuromuscular junction because levamisole, which stimulates muscle contraction, did not correct movement. Neural circuits have been proposed to account for the effects of food deprivation and nicotine on spontaneous movement and freezing. The NALCN may play an unrecognized role in human movement disorders characterized by akinesia and freezing gait. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society.

Facile preparation of well-defined AB2 Y-shaped miktoarm star polypeptide copolymer via the combination of ring-opening polymerization and click chemistry.

PubMed

Rao, Jingyi; Zhang, Yanfeng; Zhang, Jingyan; Liu, Shiyong

2008-10-01

Well-defined AB2 Y-shaped miktoarm star polypeptide copolymer, PZLL-b-(PBLG)2, was synthesized via a combination of ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of alpha-amino acid N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) and click chemistry, where PZLL is poly(epsilon-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-lysine) and PBLG is poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate). First, two types of primary-amine-containing initiators, N-aminoethyl 3,5-bis(propargyloxyl)-benzamide and 3-azidopropylamine, were synthesized and employed for the ROP of NCA, leading to the formation of dialkynyl-terminated PZLL and azide-terminated PBLG, dialkynyl-PZLL and PBLG-N3, respectively. The subsequent copper(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition reaction between dialkynyl-PZLL and slightly excess PBLG-N3 led to facile preparation of PZLL-b-(PBLG)2 Y-shaped miktoarm star polypeptide copolymer. The excess PBLG-N3 was scavenged off by reacting with alkynyl-functionalized Wang resin. The obtained Y-shaped miktoarm star polypeptide copolymer was characterized by gel permeation chromatograph (GPC), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and (1)H NMR. Moreover, after the hydrolysis of protecting benzyl and benzyloxycarbonyl groups of PZLL-b-(PBLG)2, water-soluble pH-responsive Y-shaped miktoarm star polypeptide copolymer, PLL-b-(PLGA)2, was obtained, where PLL is poly(L-lysine) and PLGA is poly(L-glutamic acid). It can self-assemble into PLGA-core micelles at acidic pH and PLL-core micelles at alkaline pH, accompanied with the coil-to-helix transition of PLGA and PLL sequences, respectively. The spontaneous pH-responsive supramolecular assembly of PLL-b-(PLGA)2 miktoarm star polypeptide copolymer has been investigated via a combination of (1)H NMR, laser light scattering (LLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy.

Coordinate references for the indoor/outdoor seamless positioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruan, Ling; Zhang, Ling; Long, Yi; Cheng, Fei

2018-05-01

Indoor positioning technologies are being developed rapidly, and seamless positioning which connected indoor and outdoor space is a new trend. The indoor and outdoor positioning are not applying the same coordinate system and different indoor positioning scenes uses different indoor local coordinate reference systems. A specific and unified coordinate reference frame is needed as the space basis and premise in seamless positioning application. Trajectory analysis of indoor and outdoor integration also requires a uniform coordinate reference. However, the coordinate reference frame in seamless positioning which can applied to various complex scenarios is lacking of research for a long time. In this paper, we proposed a universal coordinate reference frame in indoor/outdoor seamless positioning. The research focus on analysis and classify the indoor positioning scenes and put forward the coordinate reference system establishment and coordinate transformation methods in each scene. And, through some experiments, the calibration method feasibility was verified.

An industry consensus study on an HPLC fluorescence method for the determination of (±)-catechin and (±)-epicatechin in cocoa and chocolate products.

PubMed

Shumow, Laura; Bodor, Alison

2011-07-05

This manuscript describes the results of an HPLC study for the determination of the flavan-3-ol monomers, (±)-catechin and (±)-epicatechin, in cocoa and plain dark and milk chocolate products. The study was performed under the auspices of the National Confectioners Association (NCA) and involved the analysis of a series of samples by laboratories of five member companies using a common method. The method reported in this paper uses reversed phase HPLC with fluorescence detection to analyze (±)-epicatechin and (±)-catechin extracted with an acidic solvent from defatted cocoa and chocolate. In addition to a variety of cocoa and chocolate products, the sample set included a blind duplicate used to assess method reproducibility. All data were subjected to statistical analysis with outliers eliminated from the data set. The percent coefficient of variation (%CV) of the sample set ranged from approximately 7 to 15%. Further experimental details are described in the body of the manuscript and the results indicate the method is suitable for the determination of (±)-catechin and (±)-epicatechin in cocoa and chocolate products and represents the first collaborative study of this HPLC method for these compounds in these matrices.

Interpolation Error Estimates for Mean Value Coordinates over Convex Polygons

PubMed Central

Rand, Alexander; Gillette, Andrew; Bajaj, Chandrajit

2012-01-01

In a similar fashion to estimates shown for Harmonic, Wachspress, and Sibson coordinates in [Gillette et al., AiCM, to appear], we prove interpolation error estimates for the mean value coordinates on convex polygons suitable for standard finite element analysis. Our analysis is based on providing a uniform bound on the gradient of the mean value functions for all convex polygons of diameter one satisfying certain simple geometric restrictions. This work makes rigorous an observed practical advantage of the mean value coordinates: unlike Wachspress coordinates, the gradient of the mean value coordinates does not become large as interior angles of the polygon approach π. PMID:24027379

Interpolation Error Estimates for Mean Value Coordinates over Convex Polygons.

PubMed

Rand, Alexander; Gillette, Andrew; Bajaj, Chandrajit

2013-08-01

In a similar fashion to estimates shown for Harmonic, Wachspress, and Sibson coordinates in [Gillette et al., AiCM, to appear], we prove interpolation error estimates for the mean value coordinates on convex polygons suitable for standard finite element analysis. Our analysis is based on providing a uniform bound on the gradient of the mean value functions for all convex polygons of diameter one satisfying certain simple geometric restrictions. This work makes rigorous an observed practical advantage of the mean value coordinates: unlike Wachspress coordinates, the gradient of the mean value coordinates does not become large as interior angles of the polygon approach π.

Achievements and barriers in the organ donation process: a critical analysis of donation coordinators' discourse.

PubMed

Mercado-Martínez, Francisco J; Díaz-Medina, Blanca A; Hernández-Ibarra, Eduardo

2013-09-01

Donation coordinators play an important role in the success or failure of organ donation and transplant programs. Nevertheless, these professionals' perspectives and practices have hardly been explored, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. To examine donation coordinators' discourse on the organ donation process and the barriers they perceive. A critical qualitative study was carried out in Guadalajara, Mexico. Twelve donation coordinators from public and private hospitals participated. DATA GATHERING AND ANALYSIS: Data were gathered by using semistructured interviews and critical discourse analysis. Participants indicated that partial results have been achieved in deceased organ donation. Concomitantly, multiple obstacles have adversely affected the process and outcomes: at the structural level, the fragmentation of the health system and the scarcity of financial and material resources; at the relational level, nonegalitarian relationships between coordinators and hospital personnel; at the ideational level, the transplant domain and its specialists overshadow the donation domain and its coordinators. Negative images are associated with donation coordinators. Organ donation faces structural, relational, and ideational barriers; hence, complex interventions should be undertaken. Donation coordinators also should be recognized by the health system.

CLT and CLS job responsibilities: current distinctions and updates.

PubMed

Doig, K; Beck, S J; Kolenc, K

2001-01-01

This study was undertaken to address the following questions: 1. What tasks distinguish the job of a clinical laboratory scientist (CLS) from that of a clinical laboratory technician (CLT)? 2. What changes in role distinctions, have occurred for entry-level CLS and CLT practitioners over the five-year period 1993-98? 3. What tasks have been deleted from the CLT and CLS content outlines because they were not frequently performed or not considered entry-level? 4. What changes in practice are reflected in the current job analyses? A national job analysis of tasks constituting the job of clinical laboratory scientists (CLSs) and clinical laboratory technicians (CLTs) was conducted in 1998-99 as part of a standard setting process for the certifying examinations of the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel (NCA). The job analyses relied upon mail surveys to 1200 individuals for each job level asking respondents to identify tasks significant to effective practice at job entry. The task lists resulting from statistical analysis of those surveys were examined to answer the study questions. The sample for each survey included 1200 practitioners, educators and laboratory managers selected at random from membership in professional organizations or from NCA certificant lists. Sampling was stratified to insure adequate practitioner representation. The mean rating on a four point scale for each item on the surveys was evaluated for overall significance as well as significance across geographic regions. The tasks meeting specified criteria were retained in the final task lists. Tasks were counted and their content evaluated to compare CLS and CLT job tasks. The response rates to the surveys were 33% for CLT and 21% for CLS. Reliability was judged based on average intraclass correlation coefficients of .86 and .82 for the CLT and CLS surveys, respectively. There were 952 tasks retained on the CLS content outline and 725 retained on the CLT content outline of the 1151 tasks on the original survey. Seven hundred and twenty two tasks were found on content outlines of both job levels, representing a 76% overlap. Tasks found only on the CLS outline included advanced technical tasks, a few management tasks, and more communication tasks. The jobs of CLS and CLT practitioners are distinct at job entry level with CLSs performing a broader array of technical and communication tasks as well as some management tasks. Though CLS staff uses few management skills at job entry, those tasks are performed by CLS staff in the laboratory and curricula must help prepare graduates for these tasks expected of experienced staff. CLTs perform tasks requiring problem solving and high level reasoning. CLT curricula must address the need for CLTs to perform these tasks.

Formal Provenance Representation of the Data and Information Supporting the National Climate Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilmes, Curt

2014-01-01

The Global Change Information System (GCIS) provides a framework for the formal representation of structured metadata about data and information about global change. The pilot deployment of the system supports the National Climate Assessment (NCA), a major report of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). A consumer of that report can use the system to browse and explore that supporting information. Additionally, capturing that information into a structured data model and presenting it in standard formats through well defined open inter- faces, including query interfaces suitable for data mining and linking with other databases, the information becomes valuable for other analytic uses as well.

Thin-target excitation functions and optimisation of NCA 64Cu and 66,67Ga production by deuteron induced nuclear reactions on natural zinc target, for radiometabolic therapy and for PET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groppi, F.; Bonardi, M. L.; Birattari, C.; Gini, L.; Mainardi, C.; Menapace, E.; Abbas, K.; Holzwarth, U.; Stroosnijder, R. M. F.

2004-01-01

A novel method for production of No-Carrier-Added 64Cu and 66,67Ga has been developed, based on reactions induced by deuterons up to 19 MeV on Zn target. HPGe and beta (by LSC) spectrometries proved very effective to determine radionuclidic purity of 64Cu and 66,67Ga fractions. Experimental specific activity for 64Cu was measured by ET-AAS and was of the order of 700 MBq · μg -1. Radiochemical yields for 64Cu and 66,67Ga were >80% and >99%.

Ontology development for provenance tracing in National Climate Assessment of the US Global Change Research Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Linyun; Ma, Xiaogang; Zheng, Jin; Goldstein, Justin; Duggan, Brian; West, Patrick; Aulenbach, Steve; Tilmes, Curt; Fox, Peter

2014-05-01

This poster will show how we used a case-driven iterative methodology to develop an ontology to represent the content structure and the associated provenance information in a National Climate Assessment (NCA) report of the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). We applied the W3C PROV-O ontology to implement a formal representation of provenance. We argue that the use case-driven, iterative development process and the application of a formal provenance ontology help efficiently incorporate domain knowledge from earth and environmental scientists in a well-structured model interoperable in the context of the Web of Data.

Cancer Care Coordination: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Over 30 Years of Empirical Studies.

PubMed

Gorin, Sherri Sheinfeld; Haggstrom, David; Han, Paul K J; Fairfield, Kathleen M; Krebs, Paul; Clauser, Steven B

2017-08-01

According to a landmark study by the Institute of Medicine, patients with cancer often receive poorly coordinated care in multiple settings from many providers. Lack of coordination is associated with poor symptom control, medical errors, and higher costs. The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to (1) synthesize the findings of studies addressing cancer care coordination, (2) describe study outcomes across the cancer continuum, and (3) obtain a quantitative estimate of the effect of interventions in cancer care coordination on service system processes and patient health outcomes. Of 1241 abstracts identified through MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library, 52 studies met the inclusion criteria. Each study had US or Canadian participants, comparison or control groups, measures, times, samples, and/or interventions. Two researchers independently applied a standardized search strategy, coding scheme, and online coding program to each study. Eleven studies met the additional criteria for the meta-analysis; a random effects estimation model was used for data analysis. Cancer care coordination approaches led to improvements in 81 % of outcomes, including screening, measures of patient experience with care, and quality of end-of-life care. Across the continuum of cancer care, patient navigation was the most frequent care coordination intervention, followed by home telehealth; nurse case management was third in frequency. The meta-analysis of a subset of the reviewed studies showed that the odds of appropriate health care utilization in cancer care coordination interventions were almost twice (OR = 1.9, 95 % CI = 1.5-3.5) that of comparison interventions. This review offers promising findings on the impact of cancer care coordination on increasing value and reducing healthcare costs in the USA.

Market-Based Multirobot Coordination: A Survey and Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-04-01

observe new information about their surroundings. Market -based approaches can often seamlessly incorporate online tasks by auctioning new tasks as they... Market -Based Multirobot Coordination: A Survey and Analysis M. Bernardine Dias, Robert Zlot, Nidhi Kalra, and Anthony Stentz CMU-RI-TR-05-13 April...00-00-2005 to 00-00-2005 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Market -Based Multirobot Coordination: A Survey and Analysis 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER

Vibrational energy distribution analysis (VEDA): scopes and limitations.

PubMed

Jamróz, Michał H

2013-10-01

The principle of operations of the VEDA program written by the author for Potential Energy Distribution (PED) analysis of theoretical vibrational spectra is described. Nowadays, the PED analysis is indispensible tool in serious analysis of the vibrational spectra. To perform the PED analysis it is necessary to define 3N-6 linearly independent local mode coordinates. Already for 20-atomic molecules it is a difficult task. The VEDA program reads the input data automatically from the Gaussian program output files. Then, VEDA automatically proposes an introductory set of local mode coordinates. Next, the more adequate coordinates are proposed by the program and optimized to obtain maximal elements of each column (internal coordinate) of the PED matrix (the EPM parameter). The possibility for an automatic optimization of PED contributions is a unique feature of the VEDA program absent in any other programs performing PED analysis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vibrational Energy Distribution Analysis (VEDA): Scopes and limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamróz, Michał H.

2013-10-01

The principle of operations of the VEDA program written by the author for Potential Energy Distribution (PED) analysis of theoretical vibrational spectra is described. Nowadays, the PED analysis is indispensible tool in serious analysis of the vibrational spectra. To perform the PED analysis it is necessary to define 3N-6 linearly independent local mode coordinates. Already for 20-atomic molecules it is a difficult task. The VEDA program reads the input data automatically from the Gaussian program output files. Then, VEDA automatically proposes an introductory set of local mode coordinates. Next, the more adequate coordinates are proposed by the program and optimized to obtain maximal elements of each column (internal coordinate) of the PED matrix (the EPM parameter). The possibility for an automatic optimization of PED contributions is a unique feature of the VEDA program absent in any other programs performing PED analysis.

Unusual Synthetic Pathway for an {Fe(NO) 2} 9 Dinitrosyl Iron Complex (DNIC) and Insight into DNIC Electronic Structure via Nuclear Resonance Vibrational Spectroscopy

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

Speelman, Amy L.; Zhang, Bo; Silakov, Alexey

2016-06-06

Dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) are among the most abundant NO-derived cellular species. Monomeric DNICs can exist in the {Fe(NO) 2} 9 or {Fe(NO) 2} 10 oxidation state (in the Enemark -Feltham notation). However, experimental studies of analogous DNICs in both oxidation states are rare, which prevents a thorough understanding of the di ff erences in the electronic structures of these species. Here, the {Fe(NO) 2} 9 DNIC [Fe(dmp)(NO) 2](OTf) ( 1 ; dmp = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10- phenanthroline) is synthesized from a ferrous precursor via an unusual pathway, involving disproportionation of an {FeNO} 7 complex to yield the {Fe(NO) 2} 9 DNICmore » and a ferric species, which is subsequently reduced by NO gas to generate a ferrous complex that re-enters the reaction cycle. In contrast to most {Fe(NO) 2} 9 DNICs with neutral N-donor ligands, 1 exhibits high solution stability and can be characterized structurally and spectroscopically. Reduction of 1 yields the corresponding {Fe(NO) 2} 10 DNIC [Fe(dmp)(NO) 2](2). The Mo ssbauer isomer shift of 2 is 0.08 mm/s smaller than that of 1 , which indicates that the iron center is slightly more oxidized in the reduced complex. The nuclear resonance vibrational spectra (NRVS) of 1 and 2 are distinct and provide direct experimental insight into di ff erences in bonding in these complexes. In particular, the symmetric out-of-plane Fe -N - O bending mode is shifted to higher energy by 188 cm -1 in 2 in comparison to 1 . Using quantum chemistry centered normal coordinate analysis (QCC-NCA), this is shown to arise from an increase in Fe - NO bond order and a sti ff ening of the Fe(NO) 2 unit upon reduction of 1 to 2 . DFT calculations demonstrate that the changes in bonding arise from an iron- centered reduction which leads to a distinct increase in Fe - NO π -back-bonding in {Fe(NO) 2} 10 DNICs in comparison to the corresponding {Fe(NO) 2} 9 complexes, in agreement with all experimental findings. Finally, the implications of the electronic structure of DNICs for their reactivity are discussed, especially with respect to N-N bond formation in NO reductases.« less

Natural Capital Management: An Evolutionary Paradigm for Sustainable Restoration Investment - 13455

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

Koetz, Maureen T.

2013-07-01

Unlike other forms of capital assets (built infrastructure, labor, financial capital), the supply of usable or accessible air, land, and water elements (termed Natural Capital Assets or NCA) available to enterprise processes is structurally shrinking due to increased demand and regulatory restriction. This supply/demand imbalance is affecting all forms of public and private enterprise (including Federal Facilities) in the form of encroachment, production limits, cost increases, and reduced competitiveness. Department of Energy (DOE) sites are comprised of significant stocks of NCA that function as both conserved capital (providing ecosystem services and other reserve capacity), and as natural infrastructure (supporting majormore » Federal enterprise programs). The current rubric of 'Environmental Stewardship' provides an unduly constrained management paradigm that is focused largely on compliance process metrics, and lacks a value platform for quantifying, documenting, and sustainably re-deploying re-capitalized natural asset capacity and capability. By adopting value-based system concepts similar to built infrastructure accounting and information management, 'stewarded' natural assets relegated to liability- or compliance-focused outcomes become 're-capitalized' operational assets able to support new or expanded mission. This growing need for new accounting and management paradigms to capture natural capital value is achieving global recognition, most recently by the United Nations, world leaders, and international corporations at the Rio+20 Summit in June of 2012. Natural Capital Asset Management (NCAM){sup TM} is such an accounting framework tool. Using a quantification-based design, NCAM{sup TM} provides inventory, capacity and value data to owners or managers of natural assets such as the DOE that parallel comparable information systems currently used for facility assets. Applied to Environmental Management (EM) and other DOE program activities, the natural asset capacity and value generated by EM projects and other investment and operational programming can be recorded and then allocated to mission and/or ecosystem needs as part of overall site, complex, and Federal decision-making. NCAM{sup TM} can also document post-restoration asset capability and value for use in weighing loss mitigation and ecosystem damage claims arising from past operational activities. A prototype NCAM{sup TM} evaluation developed at the Savannah River Site (SRS) demonstrates use of this framework as an advanced paradigm for NCA accounting and decision-making for the larger DOE complex and other enterprise using natural capital in operations. Applying a quantified value paradigm, the framework catalogues the results of activities that sustain, restore, and modernize natural assets for enterprise-wide value beyond that of compliance milestones. Capturing and assigning recapitalization value using NCAM{sup TM} concepts and tools improves effective reuse of taxpayer-sustained assets, records ecosystem service value, enables mission and enterprise optimization, and assures the sustainability of shared natural capital assets in regional pools vital to both complex sites and local and regional economies. (authors)« less

GPS Installation Progress in the Northern California Region of the Plate Boundary Observatory Coyle, B., Basset, A., Williams, T., Enders, M., Feaux, K., Jackson, M.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coyle, B.; Basset, A.; Enders, M.; Williams, T.; Feaux, K.; Jackson, M.

2005-12-01

The Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) is the geodetic component of the NSF funded EarthScope Project . The final PBO GPS network will comprise 875 continuously operating GPS stations installed throughout the Western US and Alaska. There are 435 stations planned for California with 229 of these in Northern California (NCA). This poster will present the past year's progress of GPS installations in NCA. At the end of the first year of the Project, PBO NCA installed 12 stations. During the second year, another 56 were installed for a total of 68 stations including 18 SDBM, and 50 DDBM. We have sited 128 stations, submitted 112 permit applications and received 73 permits. A particularly important statistic for planning our schedules is the time lag between reconnaissance and permit accepted; our average thus far is 137 days. We have been particularly successful locating stations on Caltrans Rights of Way with 20 Stations built, 3 sites permitted and 5 permits pending. Other land use partners include: East Bay Regional Parks - 8 Stations built and 2 sites permitted, Bureau of Land Management - 5 Stations built, 3 permits pending, Water Municipalities - 4 Stations built, 3 sites permitted and 4 permits pending, and Airports - 4 Stations built and 3 permits pending. Highlights from last year: On September 28, 2004 a Mw 6.0 earthquake occurred on the San Andreas Fault seven miles southeast of the town of Parkfield, CA. Field crews from the Northern and Southern California offices of PBO began the site reconnaissance and permitting process the day after the earthquake and installation of the first Station was begun within 36 hours and completed the following day. In total, 5 Stations were installed by the first week of November. On June 14, 2045 a Mw 7.1 earthquake occurred on the Gorda Plate, approximately 100 miles NW of Eureka. PBO stations, P158, P162, P169 and P170, recorded coseismic deformation associated with this event. We plan to have 127 stations built by the end of the current project year. In order to meet this goal we intend to focus our efforts on two areas, National Forests (NF) sites in the Coast Ranges, and sites in the area around Hollister and San Juan Bautista. We expect the recon-to-permit period to be somewhat longer for the NF sites, possibly up to one year, so we have already submitted applications for our sites in the Mendocino and Shasta-Trinity NF. This should enable us to begin these installations next summer. We will submit permit applications for the remaining NF by the end of next year. By end of the year we hope to have permit applications submitted for all 229 of our proposed sites, so we can then focus our efforts on installations and revisiting "problem" sites.

Effects of prepartum dietary cation-anion difference and source of vitamin D in dairy cows: Lactation performance and energy metabolism.

PubMed

Martinez, N; Rodney, R M; Block, E; Hernandez, L L; Nelson, C D; Lean, I J; Santos, J E P

2018-03-01

The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the effects of feeding diets with 2 dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) levels and supplemented with either cholecalciferol (CH) or calcidiol (CA) during late gestation on lactation performance and energetic metabolism in dairy cows. The hypothesis was that combining a prepartum acidogenic diet with calcidiol supplementation would benefit peripartum Ca metabolism and, thus, improve energy metabolism and lactation performance compared with cows fed an alkalogenic diet or cholecalciferol. Holstein cows at 252 d of gestation were blocked by parity (28 nulliparous and 51 parous cows) and milk yield within parous cows, and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial, with 2 levels of DCAD (positive, +130, and negative, -130 mEq/kg) and 2 sources of vitamin D, CH or CA, fed at 3 mg per 11 kg of diet dry matter (DM). The resulting treatment combinations were positive DCAD with CH (PCH), positive DCAD with CA (PCA), negative DCAD with CH (NCH), or negative DCAD with CA (NCA), which were fed for the last 21 d of gestation. After calving, cows were fed the same lactation diet. Body weight and body condition were evaluated prepartum and for the first 49 d postpartum. Blood was sampled thrice weekly prepartum, and on d 0, 1, 2, 3, and every 3 d thereafter until 30 d postpartum for quantification of hormones and metabolites. Lactation performance was evaluated for the first 49 d postpartum. Feeding a diet with negative DCAD reduced DM intake in parous cows by 2.1 kg/d, but no effect was observed in nulliparous cows. The negative DCAD reduced concentrations of glucose (positive = 4.05 vs. negative = 3.95 mM), insulin (positive = 0.57 vs. negative = 0.45 ng/mL), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (positive = 110 vs. negative = 95 ng/mL) prepartum. Treatments did not affect DM intake postpartum, but CA-supplemented cows tended to produce more colostrum (PCH = 5.86, PCA = 7.68 NCH = 6.21, NCA = 7.96 ± 1.06 kg) and produced more fat-corrected milk (PCH = 37.0, PCA = 40.1 NCH = 37.5, NCA = 41.9 ± 1.8 kg) and milk components compared with CH-supplemented cows. Feeding the negative DCAD numerically increased yield of fat-corrected milk by 1.0 kg/d in both nulliparous and 1.4 kg/d in parous cows. Minor differences were observed in postpartum concentrations of hormones and metabolites linked to energy metabolism among treatments. Results from this experiment indicate that replacing CH with CA supplemented at 3 mg/d during the prepartum period improved postpartum lactation performance in dairy cows. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spectral analysis for GNSS coordinate time series using chirp Fourier transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Shengtao; Bo, Wanju; Ma, Qingzun; Wang, Zifan

2017-12-01

Spectral analysis for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) coordinate time series provides a principal tool to understand the intrinsic mechanism that affects tectonic movements. Spectral analysis methods such as the fast Fourier transform, Lomb-Scargle spectrum, evolutionary power spectrum, wavelet power spectrum, etc. are used to find periodic characteristics in time series. Among spectral analysis methods, the chirp Fourier transform (CFT) with less stringent requirements is tested with synthetic and actual GNSS coordinate time series, which proves the accuracy and efficiency of the method. With the length of series only limited to even numbers, CFT provides a convenient tool for windowed spectral analysis. The results of ideal synthetic data prove CFT accurate and efficient, while the results of actual data show that CFT is usable to derive periodic information from GNSS coordinate time series.

Effects of Coordination on JTPA Services to AFDC Recipients and an Analysis of Rural Coordination Issues. Third in a Series of Reports on JTPA/Welfare Coordination Efforts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schexnayder, Deanna T.; And Others

A Texas study examined the effects of coordination on Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) program services for Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) recipients, the REFOCUS-to-JTPA referral process, and rural program coordination issues. The impact of coordination on JTPA services to AFDC caretakers was determined by conducting a…

Micro practices of coordination based on complex adaptive systems: user needs and strategies for coordinating public health in Denmark.

PubMed

Terkildsen, Morten Deleuran; Wittrup, Inge; Burau, Viola

2015-01-01

Many highly formalised approaches to coordination poorly fit public health and recent studies call for coordination based on complex adaptive systems. Our contribution is two-fold. Empirically, we focus on public health, and theoretically we build on the patient perspective and treat coordination as a process of contingent, two-level negotiations of user needs. The paper draws on the concept of user needs-based coordination and sees coordination as a process, whereby needs emerging from the life world of the user are made amenable to the health system through negotiations. The analysis is based on an explorative case study of a health promotion initiative in Denmark. It adopts an anthropological qualitative approach and uses a range of qualitative data. The analysis identifies four strategies of coordination: the coordinator focusing on the individual user or on relations with other professionals; and the manager coaching the coordinator or providing structural support. Crucially, the coordination strategies by management remain weak as they do not directly relate to specific user needs. In process of bottom-up negotiations user needs become blurred and this is especially a challenge for management. The study therefore calls for an increased focus on the level nature of negotiations to bridge the gap that currently weakens coordination strategies by management.

Growth, structural, optical, thermal and dielectric properties of lanthanum chloride—thiourea—L tartaric acid coordinated complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slathia, Goldy; Bamzai, K. K.

2017-11-01

Lanthanum chloride—thiourea—l tartaric acid coordinated complex was grown in the form of single crystal by slow evaporation of supersaturated solutions at room temperature. This coordinated complex crystallizes in orthorhombic crystal system having space group P nma. The crystallinity and purity was tested by powder x-ray diffraction. Fourier transform infra red and Raman spectroscopy analysis provide the evidences on structure and mode of coordination. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis shows the morphology evolution as brought by the increase in composition of lanthanum chloride. The band transitions due to C=O and C=S chromophores remain active in grown complexes and are recorded in the UV-vis optical spectrum. The thermal effects such as dehydration, melting and decomposition were observed by the thermogravimetric and differential thermo analytical (TGA/DTA) analysis. Electrical properties were studied by dielectric analysis in frequency range 100-30 MHz at various temperatures. Increase in values of dielectric constant was observed with change in lanthanum concentration in the coordinated complex.

Unraveling the Dyad: Using Recurrence Analysis to Explore Patterns of Syntactic Coordination between Children and Caregivers in Conversation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dale, Rick; Spivey, Michael J.

2006-01-01

Recurrence analysis is introduced as a means to investigate syntactic coordination between child and caregiver. Three CHILDES ( MacWhinney, 2000) corpora are analyzed and demonstrate coordination between children and their caregivers in terms of word-class n-gram sequences. Results further indicate that trade-offs in leading or following this…

Qualitative analysis of clinical research coordinators' role in phase I cancer clinical trials.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Noriko; Ochiai, Ryota; Shirai, Yuki; Saito, Yuko; Nagamura, Fumitaka; Iwase, Satoru; Kazuma, Keiko

2017-12-01

Clinical research coordinators play a pivotal role in phase I cancer clinical trials. We clarified the care coordination and practice for patients provided by clinical research coordinators in phase I cancer clinical trials in Japan and elucidated clinical research coordinators' perspective on patients' expectations and understanding of these trials. Fifteen clinical research coordinators participated in semi-structured interviews regarding clinical practices; perceptions of patients' expectations; and the challenges that occur before, during, and after phase I cancer clinical trials. Qualitative content analysis showed that most clinical research coordinators observed that patients have high expectations from the trials. Most listened to patients to confirm patients' understanding and reflected on responses to maintain hope, but to avoid excessive expectations; clinical research coordinators considered avoiding unplanned endings; and they aimed to establish good relationships between patients, medical staff, and among the professional team. Clinical research coordinators were insightful about the needs of patients and took a meticulous approach to the phase I cancer clinical trial process, allowing time to connect with patients and to coordinate the inter-professional research team. Additionally, education in advanced oncology care was valuable for comforting participants in cancer clinical trials.

Coordinate based random effect size meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies.

PubMed

Tench, C R; Tanasescu, Radu; Constantinescu, C S; Auer, D P; Cottam, W J

2017-06-01

Low power in neuroimaging studies can make them difficult to interpret, and Coordinate based meta-analysis (CBMA) may go some way to mitigating this issue. CBMA has been used in many analyses to detect where published functional MRI or voxel-based morphometry studies testing similar hypotheses report significant summary results (coordinates) consistently. Only the reported coordinates and possibly t statistics are analysed, and statistical significance of clusters is determined by coordinate density. Here a method of performing coordinate based random effect size meta-analysis and meta-regression is introduced. The algorithm (ClusterZ) analyses both coordinates and reported t statistic or Z score, standardised by the number of subjects. Statistical significance is determined not by coordinate density, but by a random effects meta-analyses of reported effects performed cluster-wise using standard statistical methods and taking account of censoring inherent in the published summary results. Type 1 error control is achieved using the false cluster discovery rate (FCDR), which is based on the false discovery rate. This controls both the family wise error rate under the null hypothesis that coordinates are randomly drawn from a standard stereotaxic space, and the proportion of significant clusters that are expected under the null. Such control is necessary to avoid propagating and even amplifying the very issues motivating the meta-analysis in the first place. ClusterZ is demonstrated on both numerically simulated data and on real data from reports of grey matter loss in multiple sclerosis (MS) and syndromes suggestive of MS, and of painful stimulus in healthy controls. The software implementation is available to download and use freely. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prospectively Identified Deficits in Sagittal Plane Hip-Ankle Coordination in Female Athletes who Sustain a Second Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction and Return to Sport

PubMed Central

Paterno, Mark V.; Kiefer, Adam W.; Bonnette, Scott; Riley, Michael A.; Schmitt, Laura C.; Ford, Kevin R.; Myer, Gregory D.; Shockley, Kevin; Hewett, Timothy E.

2015-01-01

Background Athletes who return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction are at increased risk of future ACL injury. Altered coordination of lower extremity motion may increase this risk. The purpose of this study was to prospectively determine if altered lower extremity coordination patterns exist in athletes who go on to sustain a 2nd anterior cruciate ligament injury. Methods Sixty-one female athletes who were medically cleared to return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were included. Hip-ankle coordination was assessed prior to return to sport with a dynamic postural coordination task. Within 12 months, 14 patients sustained a 2nd ACL injury. Fourteen matched subjects were selected for comparative analysis. Cross-recurrence quantification analysis characterized hip-ankle coordination patterns. A group × target speed (slow vs. fast) × leg (involved vs. uninvolved) analysis of variance was used to identify coordination differences. Findings A main effect of group (p = 0.02) indicated that the single injury group exhibited more stable hip-ankle coordination [166.2 (18.9)] compared to the 2nd injury group [108.4 (10.1)]. A leg × group interaction was also observed (p = .04). The affected leg of the single injury group exhibited more stable coordination [M = 187.1 (23.3)] compared to the affected leg of the 2nd injury group [M = 110.13 (9.8)], p = 0.03. Interpretation Hip-ankle coordination was altered in female athletes who sustained a 2nd anterior cruciate ligament injury after return to sport. Failure to coordinate lower extremity movement in the absence of normal knee proprioception may place the knee at high-risk. PMID:26416200

Fabrication of a micromold using negative PMER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Young A.; Chae, Kyoung-Soo; Jeoung, Dae S.; Kim, Jong Y.; Moon, Sung

2001-10-01

We fabricated a micro mold using UV-lithography process with a novel mold material, negative PMER. Negative PMER(TOK, PMER N-CA3000) is a chemically amplified negative tone photoresist on a novolak resin base. It can be processed using standard equipment such as standard spin coater, baking with ovens or hotplates, and immersion development tools. Good quality resist patterns of up to 36μm thickness were achieved by means of this equipment in a short time. The conditions of this process were pre-exposure bake of 110 degree(s)C/12min, exposure dose of 675mJ/cm2 post-exposure bake of 100 degree(s)C/9min, and development for 10min.

A peptide sequence on carcinoembryonic antigen binds to a 80kD protein on Kupffer cells.

PubMed

Thomas, P; Petrick, A T; Toth, C A; Fox, E S; Elting, J J; Steele, G

1992-10-30

Clearance of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) from the circulation is by binding to Kupffer cells in the liver. We have shown that CEA binding to Kupffer cells occurs via a peptide sequence YPELPK representing amino acids 107-112 of the CEA sequence. This peptide sequence is located in the region between the N-terminal and the first immunoglobulin like loop domain. Using native CEA and peptides containing this sequence complexed with a heterobifunctional crosslinking agent and ligand blotting with biotinylated CEA and NCA we have shown binding to an 80kD protein on the Kupffer cell surface. This binding protein may be important in the development of hepatic metastases.

CProb: a computational tool for conducting conditional probability analysis.

PubMed

Hollister, Jeffrey W; Walker, Henry A; Paul, John F

2008-01-01

Conditional probability is the probability of observing one event given that another event has occurred. In an environmental context, conditional probability helps to assess the association between an environmental contaminant (i.e., the stressor) and the ecological condition of a resource (i.e., the response). These analyses, when combined with controlled experiments and other methodologies, show great promise in evaluating ecological conditions from observational data and in defining water quality and other environmental criteria. Current applications of conditional probability analysis (CPA) are largely done via scripts or cumbersome spreadsheet routines, which may prove daunting to end-users and do not provide access to the underlying scripts. Combining spreadsheets with scripts eases computation through a familiar interface (i.e., Microsoft Excel) and creates a transparent process through full accessibility to the scripts. With this in mind, we developed a software application, CProb, as an Add-in for Microsoft Excel with R, R(D)com Server, and Visual Basic for Applications. CProb calculates and plots scatterplots, empirical cumulative distribution functions, and conditional probability. In this short communication, we describe CPA, our motivation for developing a CPA tool, and our implementation of CPA as a Microsoft Excel Add-in. Further, we illustrate the use of our software with two examples: a water quality example and a landscape example. CProb is freely available for download at http://www.epa.gov/emap/nca/html/regions/cprob.

Coordination patterns related to high clinical performance in a simulated anesthetic crisis.

PubMed

Manser, Tanja; Harrison, Thomas Kyle; Gaba, David M; Howard, Steven K

2009-05-01

Teamwork is an integral component in the delivery of safe patient care. Several studies highlight the importance of effective teamwork and the need for teams to respond dynamically to changing task requirements, for example, during crisis situations. In this study, we address one of the many facets of "effective teamwork" in medical teams by investigating coordination patterns related to high performance in the management of a simulated malignant hyperthermia (MH) scenario. We hypothesized that (a) anesthesia crews dynamically adapt their work and coordination patterns to the occurrence of a simulated MH crisis and that (b) crews with higher clinical performance scores (based on a time-based scoring system for critical MH treatment steps) exhibit different coordination patterns. This observational study investigated differences in work and coordination patterns of 24 two-person anesthesia crews in a simulated MH scenario. Clinical and coordination behavior were coded using a structured observation system consisting of 36 mutually exclusive observation categories for clinical activities, coordination activities, teaching, and other communication. Clinical performance scores for treating the simulated episode of MH were calculated using a time-based scoring system for critical treatment steps. Coordination patterns in response to the occurrence of a crisis situation were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance and the relationship between coordination patterns and clinical performance was investigated using hierarchical regression analyses. Qualitative analyses of the three highest and lowest performing crews were conducted to complement the quantitative analysis. First, a multivariate analysis of variance revealed statistically significant changes in the proportion of time spent on clinical and coordination activities once the MH crisis was declared (F [5,19] = 162.81, P < 0.001, eta(p)(2) = 0.98). Second, hierarchical regression analyses controlling for the effects of cognitive aid use showed that higher performing anesthesia crews exhibit statistically significant less task distribution (beta = -0.539, P < 0.01) and significantly more situation assessment (beta = 0.569, P < 0.05). Additional qualitative video analysis revealed, for example, that lower scoring crews were more likely to split into subcrews (i.e., both anesthesiologists worked with other members of the perioperative team without maintaining a shared plan among the two-person anesthesia crew). Our results of the relationship of coordination patterns and clinical performance will inform future research on adaptive coordination in medical teams and support the development of specific training to improve team coordination and performance.

Prospectively identified deficits in sagittal plane hip-ankle coordination in female athletes who sustain a second anterior cruciate ligament injury after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and return to sport.

PubMed

Paterno, Mark V; Kiefer, Adam W; Bonnette, Scott; Riley, Michael A; Schmitt, Laura C; Ford, Kevin R; Myer, Gregory D; Shockley, Kevin; Hewett, Timothy E

2015-12-01

Athletes who return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction are at increased risk of future ACL injury. Altered coordination of lower extremity motion may increase this risk. The purpose of this study was to prospectively determine if altered lower extremity coordination patterns exist in athletes who go on to sustain a 2nd anterior cruciate ligament injury. Sixty-one female athletes who were cleared to return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were included. Hip-ankle coordination was assessed prior to return to sport with a dynamic postural coordination task. Within 12 months, 14 patients sustained a 2nd ACL injury. Fourteen matched subjects were selected for comparative analysis. Cross-recurrence quantification analysis characterized hip-ankle coordination patterns. A group × target speed (slow vs. fast) × leg (involved vs. uninvolved) analysis of variance was used to identify differences. A main effect of group (P = 0.02) indicated that the single injury group exhibited more stable hip-ankle coordination [166.2 (18.9)] compared to the 2nd injury group [108.4 (10.1)]. A leg × group interaction was also observed (P = .04). The affected leg of the single injury group exhibited more stable coordination [M = 187.1 (23.3)] compared to the affected leg of the 2nd injury group [M = 110.13 (9.8)], P = 0.03. Hip-ankle coordination was altered in female athletes who sustained a 2nd anterior cruciate ligament injury after return to sport. Failure to coordinate lower extremity movement in the absence of normal knee proprioception may place the knee at risk. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The GeoViz Toolkit: Using component-oriented coordination methods for geographic visualization and analysis

PubMed Central

Hardisty, Frank; Robinson, Anthony C.

2010-01-01

In this paper we present the GeoViz Toolkit, an open-source, internet-delivered program for geographic visualization and analysis that features a diverse set of software components which can be flexibly combined by users who do not have programming expertise. The design and architecture of the GeoViz Toolkit allows us to address three key research challenges in geovisualization: allowing end users to create their own geovisualization and analysis component set on-the-fly, integrating geovisualization methods with spatial analysis methods, and making geovisualization applications sharable between users. Each of these tasks necessitates a robust yet flexible approach to inter-tool coordination. The coordination strategy we developed for the GeoViz Toolkit, called Introspective Observer Coordination, leverages and combines key advances in software engineering from the last decade: automatic introspection of objects, software design patterns, and reflective invocation of methods. PMID:21731423

Coordinating Center: Molecular and Cellular Findings of Screen-Detected Lesions | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

The Molecular and Cellular Characterization of Screen‐Detected Lesions ‐ Coordinating Center and Data Management Group will provide support for the participating studies responding to RFA CA14‐10. The coordinating center supports three main domains: network coordination, statistical support and computational analysis and protocol development and database support. Support for

COPPER-64 Production Studies with Natural Zinc Targets at Deuteron Energy up to 19 Mev and Proton Energy from 141 Down to 31 Mev

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonardi, Mauro L.; Birattari, Claudio; Groppi, Flavia; Song Mainard, Hae; Zhuikov, Boris L.; Kokhanyuk, Vladimir M.; Lapshina, Elena V.; Mebel, Michail V.; Menapace, Enzo

2004-07-01

High specific activity no-carrier-added 64Cu is a β-/β+ emitting radionuclide of increasing interest for PET imaging, as well as systemic and targeted radioimmunotherapy of tumors. Its peculiarity of intense Auger emitter is still under investigation. The cross-sections for production of 64Cu from Zn target of natural isotopic composition were measured in the deuteron energy range from threshold up to 19 MeV and proton energy range from 141 down to 31 MeV. The stacked-foil technique was used at both K=38 cyclotron of JRC-Ispra of CEC, Italy and 160 MeV intersection point of INR proton-LINAC in Troitsk, Russia. Several Ga, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, V, Fe and Mn radionuclides were detected in Zn targets at the EOB. Optimized irradiation conditions are reported as a function of deuteron energy and energy loss into the Zn target, as well as target irradiation time and cooling time after radiochemistry. The activity of n.c.a. 64Cu was measured through its only γ emission of 1346 keV (i.e. 0.473 % intensity) both by instrumental and radiochemical methods, due to the non-specificity of annihilation radiation at 511 keV. To this last purpose, it was necessary to carry out a selective radiochemical separation of GaIII radionuclides by liquid/liquid extraction from the bulk of irradiated Zn targets and other spallation products, which remained in the 7 M HCl aqueous phase. Anion exchange chromatography tests had been carried out to separate the 64Cu from all others radionuclides in n.c.a. form. Theoretical calculations of cross-sections were performed with codes EMPIRE II and PENELOPE for deuteron reactions and CEF model and HMS-ALICE hybrid model for proton reactions. The theoretical results are presented and compared with the experimental values.

Lutetium-177 DOTATATE Production with an Automated Radiopharmaceutical Synthesis System.

PubMed

Aslani, Alireza; Snowdon, Graeme M; Bailey, Dale L; Schembri, Geoffrey P; Bailey, Elizabeth A; Pavlakis, Nick; Roach, Paul J

2015-01-01

Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) with yttrium-90 ((90)Y) and lutetium-177 ((177)Lu)-labelled SST analogues are now therapy option for patients who have failed to respond to conventional medical therapy. In-house production with automated PRRT synthesis systems have clear advantages over manual methods resulting in increasing use in hospital-based radiopharmacies. We report on our one year experience with an automated radiopharmaceutical synthesis system. All syntheses were carried out using the Eckert & Ziegler Eurotope's Modular-Lab Pharm Tracer® automated synthesis system. All materials and methods used were followed as instructed by the manufacturer of the system (Eckert & Ziegler Eurotope, Berlin, Germany). Sterile, GMP-certified, no-carrier added (NCA) (177)Lu was used with GMP-certified peptide. An audit trail was also produced and saved by the system. The quality of the final product was assessed after each synthesis by ITLC-SG and HPLC methods. A total of 17 [(177)Lu]-DOTATATE syntheses were performed between August 2013 and December 2014. The amount of radioactive [(177)Lu]-DOTATATE produced by each synthesis varied between 10-40 GBq and was dependant on the number of patients being treated on a given day. Thirteen individuals received a total of 37 individual treatment administrations in this period. There were no issues and failures with the system or the synthesis cassettes. The average radiochemical purity as determined by ITLC was above 99% (99.8 ± 0.05%) and the average radiochemical purity as determined by HPLC technique was above 97% (97.3 ± 1.5%) for this period. The automated synthesis of [(177)Lu]-DOTATATE using Eckert & Ziegler Eurotope's Modular-Lab Pharm Tracer® system is a robust, convenient and high yield approach to the radiolabelling of DOTATATE peptide benefiting from the use of NCA (177)Lu and almost negligible radiation exposure of the operators.

Developing a Pilot Indicator System for U.S. Climate Changes, Impacts, Vulnerabilities, and Responses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenney, M. A.; Janetos, A.; Arndt, D. S.; Pouyat, R. V.; Aicher, R.; Lloyd, A.; Malik, O.; Reyes, J. J.; Anderson, S. M.

2014-12-01

The National Climate Indicators System is being developed as part of sustained assessment activities associated with the U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA). The NCA is conducted under the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which is required to provide a report to Congress every 4 years. The National Climate Indicators System is a set of physical, ecological, and societal indicators that communicate key aspects of the physical climate, climate impacts, vulnerabilities, and preparedness for the purpose of informing both decision makers and the public with scientifically valid information. The Indicators System will address questions important to multiple audiences including (but not limited to) nonscientists (e.g., Congress, U.S. citizens, students), resource managers, and state and municipal planners in a conceptually unified framework. The physical, ecological, and societal indicators will be scalable, to provide information for indicators at national, state, regional, and local scales. The pilot system is a test of the Indicators System for evaluation purposes to assess the readiness of indicators and usability of the system. The National Climate Indicator System has developed a pilot given the recommendations of over 150+ scientists and practitioners and 14 multidisciplinary teams, including, for example, greenhouse gases, forests, grasslands, water, human health, oceans and coasts, and energy. The pilot system of indicators includes approximately 20 indicators that are already developed, scientifically vetted, and implementable immediately. Specifically, the pilot indicators include a small set of global climate context indicators, which provide context for the national or regional indicators, as well as a set of nationally important U.S. natural system and human sector indicators. The purpose of the pilot is to work with stakeholder communities to evaluate the system and the individual indicators using a robust portfolio of evaluation studies, which provides a data driven approach to further develop and improve the National Climate Indicators System.

The role of metastasis-associated in colon cancer 1 (MACC1) in endometrial carcinoma tumorigenesis and progression.

PubMed

Chen, Shuo; Zong, Zhi-Hong; Wu, Dan-Dan; Sun, Kai-Xuan; Liu, Bo-Liang; Zhao, Yang

2017-04-01

Metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1 (MACC1), has recently been identified as a key regulator in the progression of many cancers. However, its role in endometrial carcinoma (EC) remains unknown. MACC1 expression was determined in EC and normal endometrial tissues by immunohistochemistry. EC cell phenotypes and related molecules were examined after MACC1 downregulation by Small interfering RNA (siRNA) or microRNA (miRNA) transfection. We found that MACC1 was highly expressed in EC tissues than normal samples, and was significantly different in FIGO staging (I and II vs. III and IV), the depth of myometrial infiltration (<1/2 vs. ≥1/2), lymph nodes metastasis (negative vs. positive), besides, MACC1 overexpression was correlated with lower cumulative and relapse-free survival rate. MACC1 downregulation by siRNA transfection significantly induced G1 phrase arrest, suppressed EC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In addition, MACC1 downregulation also reduced expression of Cyclin D1 and Cyclin-dependent Kinase 2 (CDK2), N-cadherin (N-Ca), α-SMA, matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), and MMP9, but increased expression of E-cadherin (E-Ca). Bioinformatic predictions and dual-luciferase reporter assays indicate that MACC1 is a possible target of miR-23b. MiR-23b overexpression reduced MACC1 expression in vitro and induced G1 phrase arrest, suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. MiR-23b transfection also reduced Cyclin D1 and CDK2, N-Ca, α-SMA, MMP2, MMP9 expression, but increased E-Ca expression. Furthermore, the nude mouse xenograft assay showed that miR-23b overexpression suppressed tumour growth through downregulating MACC1 expression. Taken together, our results demonstrate for the first time that MACC1 may be a new and important diagnosis and therapeutic target of endometrial carcinoma. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analysis of an ultrasonically rotating droplet by moving particle semi-implicit and distributed point source method in a rotational coordinate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wada, Yuji; Yuge, Kohei; Tanaka, Hiroki; Nakamura, Kentaro

2017-07-01

Numerical analysis on the rotation of an ultrasonically levitated droplet in centrifugal coordinate is discussed. A droplet levitated in an acoustic chamber is simulated using the distributed point source method and the moving particle semi-implicit method. Centrifugal coordinate is adopted to avoid the Laplacian differential error, which causes numerical divergence or inaccuracy in the global coordinate calculation. Consequently, the duration of calculation stability has increased 30 times longer than that in a the previous paper. Moreover, the droplet radius versus rotational acceleration characteristics show a similar trend to the theoretical and experimental values in the literature.

Evaluation of Coordination of Emergency Response Team through the Social Network Analysis. Case Study: Oil and Gas Refinery.

PubMed

Mohammadfam, Iraj; Bastani, Susan; Esaghi, Mahbobeh; Golmohamadi, Rostam; Saee, Ali

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the cohesions status of the coordination within response teams in the emergency response team (ERT) in a refinery. For this study, cohesion indicators of social network analysis (SNA; density, degree centrality, reciprocity, and transitivity) were utilized to examine the coordination of the response teams as a whole network. The ERT of this research, which was a case study, included seven teams consisting of 152 members. The required data were collected through structured interviews and were analyzed using the UCINET 6.0 Social Network Analysis Program. The results reported a relatively low number of triple connections, poor coordination with key members, and a high level of mutual relations in the network with low density, all implying that there were low cohesions of coordination in the ERT. The results showed that SNA provided a quantitative and logical approach for the examination of the coordination status among response teams and it also provided a main opportunity for managers and planners to have a clear understanding of the presented status. The research concluded that fundamental efforts were needed to improve the presented situations.

Pursit-evasion game analysis in a line of sight coordinate system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shinar, J.; Davidovitz, A.

1985-01-01

The paper proposes to use line of sight coordinates for the analysis of pursuit-evasion games. The advantage of this method for two-target games is shown to be evident. As a demonstrative example the game of two identical cars is formulated and solved in such coordinate systems. A new type of singular surface, overlooked in a previous study of the same problem, is discovered as a consequence of the simplicity of the solution.

Improving care coordination in primary care.

PubMed

Wagner, Edward H; Sandhu, Nirmala; Coleman, Katie; Phillips, Kathryn E; Sugarman, Jonathan R

2014-11-01

Although coordinating care is a defining characteristic of primary care, evidence suggests that both patients and providers perceive failures in communication and care when care is received from multiple sources. To examine the utility of a newly developed Care Coordination Model in improving care coordination among participating practices in the Safety Net Medical Home Initiative (SNMHI). In this paper, we used correlation analysis to evaluate whether application of the elements of the Care Coordination Model by SNMHI sites, as measured by the Key Activities Checklist (KAC), was associated with more effective care coordination as measured by another instrument, the PCMH-A. SNMHI measures are practice self-assessments based on the 8 change concepts that define a PCMH, one of which is Care Coordination. For this study, we correlated 12 KAC items that describe activities felt to improve coordination of care with 5 PCMH-A items that indicate the extent to which a practice has developed the capability to effectively coordinate care. Practice staff indicated whether any of the KAC activities were being test, implemented, sustained, or not on 4 occasions. The Care Coordination Model elements-assume accountability, build relationships with care partners, support patients through the referral or transition process, and create connections to support information exchange-were positively correlated with some PCMH-A care coordination items but not others. Activities related to the model were most strongly correlated with following up patients seen in the Emergency Department or discharged from hospital. The analysis provides suggestive evidence that activities consistent with the 4 elements of the Care Coordination Model may enable safety net primary care to better coordinate care for its patients, but further study is clearly needed.

National Dam Safety Program. Kehr’s Mill Trail Lower Dam (MO 11277), Missouri - Kansas City Basin, St. Louis County, Missouri. Phase I Inspection Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-11-01

j a aja-a, *a-’a .4 - .4 VS a a - a fl WV’ *-rI0&a. a.~ a-c.,.., a a a *a-,~ .~ ... a a. NO a- a.C5𔃺 a 004 a a la-n aCCa -) 0 2. 0 * a3O0 * aQ *a3 0...N C ’N** KU N - NNN.V(4t4 N, C, 3.5 .1 0 . - N4 4 N-NW * U ( 4MW Nt OOOCOOOOOC...NNVUACION.NNCNNV,1’ N’CC’VNVA V.. I NNNN AAAtNCA P2 5.3 3. CI N

Global Ocean Tides. Part VIII. The Semidiurnal Luni-Solar Declination Tide (K2), Atlas of Tidal Charts and Maps.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

cOOOaaaN.4aO.4a~J aaaa.4’asasSSSasasasasaS ~ 5555 SS 55 5 55*5 5 5555a40.44090.490Sa5555 ’tea aCca -Na SSSCCNNO06440 C.4(40(4’ aaa.tNCA .4.4aaaaOOeaO.4NaSNON...8217f SS .4N’S C CN NN N h . 4 N N N N NNM4 4 nnMf - f n ’ f3 ~~~~~~~~~ C C .40.SNC r foo.N CNC’C*.C N C.N oCoNC CN.𔃺 NSCNNNCCC000000toa, .. o.44.NN N

A Conserved Bicycle Model for Circadian Clock Control of Membrane Excitability

PubMed Central

Flourakis, Matthieu; Kula-Eversole, Elzbieta; Hutchison, Alan L.; Han, Tae Hee; Aranda, Kimberly; Moose, Devon L.; White, Kevin P.; Dinner, Aaron R.; Lear, Bridget C.; Ren, Dejian; Diekman, Casey O.; Raman, Indira M.; Allada, Ravi

2015-01-01

Summary Circadian clocks regulate membrane excitability in master pacemaker neurons to control daily rhythms of sleep and wake. Here we find that two distinctly timed electrical drives collaborate to impose rhythmicity on Drosophila clock neurons. In the morning, a voltage-independent sodium conductance via the NA/NALCN ion channel depolarizes these neurons. This current is driven by the rhythmic expression of NCA localization factor-1, linking the molecular clock to ion channel function. In the evening, basal potassium currents peak to silence clock neurons. Remarkably, daily antiphase cycles of sodium and potassium currents also drive mouse clock neuron rhythms. Thus, we reveal an evolutionarily ancient strategy for the neural mechanisms that govern daily sleep and wake. PMID:26276633

Multi-disciplinary optimization of aeroservoelastic systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karpel, Mordechay

1991-01-01

New methods were developed for efficient aeroservoelastic analysis and optimization. The main target was to develop a method for investigating large structural variations using a single set of modal coordinates. This task was accomplished by basing the structural modal coordinates on normal modes calculated with a set of fictitious masses loading the locations of anticipated structural changes. The following subject areas are covered: (1) modal coordinates for aeroelastic analysis with large local structural variations; and (2) time simulation of flutter with large stiffness changes.

Technology Facilitation in the Rural School: An Analysis of Options.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkes, Mark; Halverson, Pamela; Brockmueller, Bradley

2002-01-01

A study examining technology support in rural schools surveyed 129 school technology coordinators in four upper plains states. Heavy pedagogical and technical demands were placed on rural technology coordinators. Rural technology coordinators should have teaching experience and advanced degree work in network administration, computer hardware…

Synthesis, structural characterization and antitumor activity of a Ca(II) coordination polymer based on 4-formyl-1,3-benzenedisulfonate-2-furoic acid hydrazide ligands

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

Tai, Xi-Shi, E-mail: taixs@wfu.edu.cn; Wang, Xin

2017-03-15

A new Ca(II) coordination polymer, ([CaL(H{sub 2}O){sub 4}] · (H{sub 2}O){sub 4}){sub n} (L = 4-formyl-1,3-benzenedisulfonate-2-furoic acid hydrazide) has been prepared by one-pot synthesis method. And it was characterized by elemental analysis, IR and thermal analysis. The result of X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis shows that the Ca(II) complex molecules form one-dimensional chain structure by the bridging oxygen atoms. The anti-tumor activity of L ligand and the Ca(II) coordination polymer has also been studied.

Contributions of relational coordination to care management in accountable care organizations: Views of managerial and clinical leaders.

PubMed

Rundall, Thomas G; Wu, Frances M; Lewis, Valerie A; Schoenherr, Karen E; Shortell, Stephen M

2016-01-01

The accountable care organization (ACO) is a new type of health care organization incentivized to improve quality of care, improve population health, and reduce the cost of care. An ACO's success in meeting these objectives depends greatly upon its ability to improve patient care management. Numerous studies have found relational coordination to be positively associated with key measures of organizational performance in health care organizations, including quality and efficiency. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (a) identify the extent to which ACO leaders are aware of the dimensions of relational coordination, and (b) identify the ways these leaders believe the dimensions influenced care management practices in their organization. We performed content analysis of interviews with managerial and clinical leaders from a diverse group of 11 ACOs to assess awareness of relational coordination and identify the ways that dimensions of relational coordination were perceived to influence development of care management practices. ACO leaders mentioned four relational coordination dimensions: shared goals, frequency of communication, timeliness of communication, and problem solving communication. Three dimensions - shared knowledge of team members' tasks, mutual respect, and accuracy of communication - were not mentioned. Our analysis identified numerous ways leaders believed the four mentioned dimensions contributed to the development of care management, including contributions to standardization of care, patient engagement, coordination of care, and care planning. We propose two hypotheses for future research on relational coordination and care management. If relational coordination is to have a beneficial influence on ACO performance, organizational leaders must become more aware of relational coordination and its various dimensions and become cognizant of relational coordination's influence on care management in their ACO. We suggest a number of means by which ACO leaders could become more aware of relational coordination and its potential effects.

Flexibility and Coordination among Acts of Visualization and Analysis in a Pattern Generalization Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nilsson, Per; Juter, Kristina

2011-01-01

This study aims at exploring processes of flexibility and coordination among acts of visualization and analysis in students' attempt to reach a general formula for a three-dimensional pattern generalizing task. The investigation draws on a case-study analysis of two 15-year-old girls working together on a task in which they are asked to calculate…

An Example of the Informative Potential of Polar Coordinate Analysis: Sprint Tactics in Elite 1,500-m Track Events

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aragón, Sonia; Lapresa, Daniel; Arana, Javier; Anguera, M. Teresa; Garzón, Belén

2017-01-01

Polar coordinate analysis is a powerful data reduction technique based on the Zsum statistic, which is calculated from adjusted residuals obtained by lag sequential analysis. Its use has been greatly simplified since the addition of a module in the free software program HOISAN for performing the necessary computations and producing…

Using factor analysis to identify neuromuscular synergies during treadmill walking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merkle, L. A.; Layne, C. S.; Bloomberg, J. J.; Zhang, J. J.

1998-01-01

Neuroscientists are often interested in grouping variables to facilitate understanding of a particular phenomenon. Factor analysis is a powerful statistical technique that groups variables into conceptually meaningful clusters, but remains underutilized by neuroscience researchers presumably due to its complicated concepts and procedures. This paper illustrates an application of factor analysis to identify coordinated patterns of whole-body muscle activation during treadmill walking. Ten male subjects walked on a treadmill (6.4 km/h) for 20 s during which surface electromyographic (EMG) activity was obtained from the left side sternocleidomastoid, neck extensors, erector spinae, and right side biceps femoris, rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, and medial gastrocnemius. Factor analysis revealed 65% of the variance of seven muscles sampled aligned with two orthogonal factors, labeled 'transition control' and 'loading'. These two factors describe coordinated patterns of muscular activity across body segments that would not be evident by evaluating individual muscle patterns. The results show that factor analysis can be effectively used to explore relationships among muscle patterns across all body segments to increase understanding of the complex coordination necessary for smooth and efficient locomotion. We encourage neuroscientists to consider using factor analysis to identify coordinated patterns of neuromuscular activation that would be obscured using more traditional EMG analyses.

Strong anticipation and long-range cross-correlation: Application of detrended cross-correlation analysis to human behavioral data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delignières, Didier; Marmelat, Vivien

2014-01-01

In this paper, we analyze empirical data, accounting for coordination processes between complex systems (bimanual coordination, interpersonal coordination, and synchronization with a fractal metronome), by using a recently proposed method: detrended cross-correlation analysis (DCCA). This work is motivated by the strong anticipation hypothesis, which supposes that coordination between complex systems is not achieved on the basis of local adaptations (i.e., correction, predictions), but results from a more global matching of complexity properties. Indeed, recent experiments have evidenced a very close correlation between the scaling properties of the series produced by two coordinated systems, despite a quite weak local synchronization. We hypothesized that strong anticipation should result in the presence of long-range cross-correlations between the series produced by the two systems. Results allow a detailed analysis of the effects of coordination on the fluctuations of the series produced by the two systems. In the long term, series tend to present similar scaling properties, with clear evidence of long-range cross-correlation. Short-term results strongly depend on the nature of the task. Simulation studies allow disentangling the respective effects of noise and short-term coupling processes on DCCA results, and suggest that the matching of long-term fluctuations could be the result of short-term coupling processes.

Vibrational spectra and normal coordinate analysis of diazepam, phenytoin and phenobarbitone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunasekaran, S.; Thilak Kumar, R.; Ponnusamy, S.

2006-12-01

Vibrational spectroscopy is an important tool for the structural investigation of the organic molecules. In the present investigation, a normal coordinate analysis has been carried out on some anti-epileptic drugs, viz. diazepam, phenytoin and phenobarbitone. Diazepam is a derivative of benzodiazepine, phenytoin is a derivative of hydanation and pheonobarbitone is a barbiturate. The infrared spectra of the compounds are recorded in the region 4000-400 cm -1 and Raman spectra are recorded in the region 3500-50 cm -1. From the structural point of view, diazepam, phenytoin and phenobarbitone have been assumed to C s point group. A systematic set of symmetry coordinates has been constructed for these compounds and Wilson's FG matrix method has been applied for the normal coordinate analysis using general quadratic valance force field. The potential energy distribution is also calculated to check the vibrational band assignments.

Foundations of Tensor Analysis for Students of Physics and Engineering With an Introduction to the Theory of Relativity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolecki, Joseph C.

2005-01-01

Tensor analysis is one of the more abstruse, even if one of the more useful, higher math subjects enjoined by students of physics and engineering. It is abstruse because of the intellectual gap that exists between where most physics and engineering mathematics leave off and where tensor analysis traditionally begins. It is useful because of its great generality, computational power, and compact, easy to use, notation. This paper bridges the intellectual gap. It is divided into three parts: algebra, calculus, and relativity. Algebra: In tensor analysis, coordinate independent quantities are sought for applications in physics and engineering. Coordinate independence means that the quantities have such coordinate transformations as to leave them invariant relative to a particular observer s coordinate system. Calculus: Non-zero base vector derivatives contribute terms to dynamical equations that correspond to pseudoaccelerations in accelerated coordinate systems and to curvature or gravity in relativity. These derivatives have a specific general form in tensor analysis. Relativity: Spacetime has an intrinsic geometry. Light is the tool for investigating that geometry. Since the observed geometry of spacetime cannot be made to match the classical geometry of Euclid, Einstein applied another more general geometry differential geometry. The merger of differential geometry and cosmology was accomplished in the theory of relativity. In relativity, gravity is equivalent to curvature.

An Analysis of the Accessibility of Earth-Approaching Asteroids.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-12-01

coordinate system. Outputs are the X,Y,Z coordinates of the sun in the geocentric-equatorial coordinate system. The obliquity of the ecliptic is a variable...All positions and velocities are calculated in heliocentric- ecliptic coordinates thus requiring no transformations into unusual frames of reference...tion vectors of the departure and arrival planets in the heliocentric- ecliptic reference frame. ,\\. , V I(W() - / n (16) %: ~22% .b The angle between

Care coordination of multimorbidity: a scoping study

PubMed Central

Burau, Viola

2015-01-01

Background A key challenge in healthcare systems worldwide is the large number of patients who suffer from multimorbidity; despite this, most systems are organized within a single-disease framework. Objective The present study addresses two issues: the characteristics and preconditions of care coordination for patients with multimorbidity; and the factors that promote or inhibit care coordination at the levels of provider organizations and healthcare professionals. Design The analysis is based on a scoping study, which combines a systematic literature search with a qualitative thematic analysis. The search was conducted in November 2013 and included the PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases, as well as the Cochrane Library, websites of relevant organizations and a hand-search of reference lists. The analysis included studies with a wide range of designs, from industrialized countries, in English, German and the Scandinavian languages, which focused on both multimorbidity/comorbidity and coordination of integrated care. Results The analysis included 47 of the 226 identified studies. The central theme emerging was complexity. This related to both specific medical conditions of patients with multimorbidity (case complexity) and the organization of care delivery at the levels of provider organizations and healthcare professionals (care complexity). Conclusions In terms of how to approach care coordination, one approach is to reduce complexity and the other is to embrace complexity. Either way, future research must take a more explicit stance on complexity and also gain a better understanding of the role of professionals as a prerequisite for the development of new care coordination interventions. PMID:29090157

Analysis of alternative coordination methods at border ports of entry between the United States and Mexico.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-12-01

Phase 1: To identify the intersectorial coordination problems between public agencies in Mexico, the problems that originate from the lack of Bi-national Coordination at the Border Ports of Entry, and the costs derived from these problems. Phase 2: T...

Motor Coordination in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Synthesis and Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fournier, Kimberly A.; Hass, Chris J.; Naik, Sagar K.; Lodha, Neha; Cauraugh, James H.

2010-01-01

Are motor coordination deficits an underlying cardinal feature of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)? Database searches identified 83 ASD studies focused on motor coordination, arm movements, gait, or postural stability deficits. Data extraction involved between-group comparisons for ASD and typically developing controls (N = 51). Rigorous…

"In Our Corner": A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Patient Engagement in a Community-Based Care Coordination Program.

PubMed

Sefcik, Justine S; Petrovsky, Darina; Streur, Megan; Toles, Mark; O'Connor, Melissa; Ulrich, Connie M; Marcantonio, Sherry; Coburn, Ken; Naylor, Mary D; Moriarty, Helene

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to explore participants' experience in the Health Quality Partners (HQP) Care Coordination Program that contributed to their continued engagement. Older adults with multiple chronic conditions often have limited engagement in health care services and face fragmented health care delivery. This can lead to increased risk for disability, mortality, poor quality of life, and increased health care utilization. A qualitative descriptive design with two focus groups was conducted with a total of 20 older adults enrolled in HQP's Care Coordination Program. Conventional content analysis was the analytical technique. The overarching theme resulting from the analysis was "in our corner," with subthemes "opportunities to learn and socialize" and "dedicated nurses," suggesting that these are the primary contributing factors to engagement in HQP's Care Coordination Program. Study findings suggest that nurses play an integral role in patient engagement among older adults enrolled in a care coordination program.

A theoretical framework for negotiating the path of emergency management multi-agency coordination.

PubMed

Curnin, Steven; Owen, Christine; Paton, Douglas; Brooks, Benjamin

2015-03-01

Multi-agency coordination represents a significant challenge in emergency management. The need for liaison officers working in strategic level emergency operations centres to play organizational boundary spanning roles within multi-agency coordination arrangements that are enacted in complex and dynamic emergency response scenarios creates significant research and practical challenges. The aim of the paper is to address a gap in the literature regarding the concept of multi-agency coordination from a human-environment interaction perspective. We present a theoretical framework for facilitating multi-agency coordination in emergency management that is grounded in human factors and ergonomics using the methodology of core-task analysis. As a result we believe the framework will enable liaison officers to cope more efficiently within the work domain. In addition, we provide suggestions for extending the theory of core-task analysis to an alternate high reliability environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

A coordination theory for intelligent machines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Fei-Yue; Saridis, George N.

1990-01-01

A formal model for the coordination level of intelligent machines is established. The framework of the coordination level investigated consists of one dispatcher and a number of coordinators. The model called coordination structure has been used to describe analytically the information structure and information flow for the coordination activities in the coordination level. Specifically, the coordination structure offers a formalism to (1) describe the task translation of the dispatcher and coordinators; (2) represent the individual process within the dispatcher and coordinators; (3) specify the cooperation and connection among the dispatcher and coordinators; (4) perform the process analysis and evaluation; and (5) provide a control and communication mechanism for the real-time monitor or simulation of the coordination process. A simple procedure for the task scheduling in the coordination structure is presented. The task translation is achieved by a stochastic learning algorithm. The learning process is measured with entropy and its convergence is guaranteed. Finally, a case study of the coordination structure with three coordinators and one dispatcher for a simple intelligent manipulator system illustrates the proposed model and the simulation of the task processes performed on the model verifies the soundness of the theory.

Estimating the Geocenter from GNSS Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dach, Rolf; Michael, Meindl; Beutler, Gerhard; Schaer, Stefan; Lutz, Simon; Jäggi, Adrian

2014-05-01

The satellites of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are orbiting the Earth according to the laws of celestial mechanics. As a consequence, the satellites are sensitive to the coordinates of the center of mass of the Earth. The coordinates of the (ground) tracking stations are referring to the center of figure as the conventional origin of the reference frame. The difference between the center of mass and center of figure is the instantaneous geocenter. Following this definition the global GNSS solutions are sensitive to the geocenter. Several studies demonstrated strong correlations of the GNSS-derived geocenter coordinates with parameters intended to absorb radiation pressure effects acting on the GNSS satellites, and with GNSS satellite clock parameters. One should thus pose the question to what extent these satellite-related parameters absorb (or hide) the geocenter information. A clean simulation study has been performed to answer this question. The simulation environment allows it in particular to introduce user-defined shifts of the geocenter (systematic inconsistencies between the satellite's and station's reference frames). These geocenter shifts may be recovered by the mentioned parameters - provided they were set up in the analysis. If the geocenter coordinates are not estimated, one may find out which other parameters absorb the user-defined shifts of the geocenter and to what extent. Furthermore, the simulation environment also allows it to extract the correlation matrix from the a posteriori covariance matrix to study the correlations between different parameter types of the GNSS analysis system. Our results show high degrees of correlations between geocenter coordinates, orbit-related parameters, and satellite clock parameters. These correlations are of the same order of magnitude as the correlations between station heights, troposphere, and receiver clock parameters in each regional or global GNSS network analysis. If such correlations are accepted in a GNSS analysis when estimating station coordinates, geocenter coordinates must be considered as mathematically estimable in a global GNSS analysis. The geophysical interpretation may of course become difficult, e.g., if insufficient orbit models are used.

77 FR 33605 - Privacy Act of 1974: Implementation of Exemptions; Department of Homeland Security Office of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-07

... operations center for the Department of Homeland Security.'' Through the NOC, OPS provides real-time...-003 Operations Collection, Planning, Coordination, Reporting, Analysis, and Fusion System of Records... System of Records.'' The DHS/OPS-003 Operations Collection, Planning, Coordination, Reporting, Analysis...

Strategic Analysis of Family Support in EHDI Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradham, Tamala S.; Houston, K. Todd; Guignard, Gayla Hutsell; Hoffman, Jeff

2011-01-01

State coordinators of early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs completed a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, or SWOT, analysis that examined 12 areas within state EHDI programs. For the family support area, 47 EHDI coordinators listed 255 items, and themes were identified within each category. A threats,…

A Systematic Analysis of Audiological Services in EHDI

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz, Karen F.; Bradham, Tamala S.; Nelson, Lauri

2011-01-01

State coordinators of early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs completed a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, or SWOT, analysis that examined 12 areas within state EHDI programs. For audiological evaluation and services, 299 items were listed by 49 coordinators, and themes were identified within each SWOT category.…

Newborn Hearing Screening: An Analysis of Current Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houston, K. Todd; Bradham, Tamala S.; Munoz, Karen F.; Guignard, Gayla Hutsell

2011-01-01

State coordinators of early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs completed a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, or SWOT, analysis that consisted of 12 evaluative areas of EHDI programs. For the newborn hearing screening area, a total of 293 items were listed by 49 EHDI coordinators, and themes were identified within…

2009 Autism Spectrum Disorder Research: Portfolio Analysis Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, 2011

2011-01-01

In 2010, the Office of Autism Research Coordination (OARC) and Acclaro Research Solutions, Inc., on behalf of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), conducted a comprehensive analysis of the 2009 autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research portfolio of major Federal agencies and private organizations. This is the second annual analysis…

The coordinating evaluation and spatial correlation analysis of CSGC: A case study of Henan province, China.

PubMed

Xie, Mingxia; Wang, Jiayao; Chen, Ke

2017-01-01

This study investigates the basic characteristics and proposes a concept for the complex system of geographical conditions (CSGC). By analyzing the DPSIR model and its correlation with the index system, we selected indexes for geographical conditions according to the resources, ecology, environment, economy and society parameters to build a system. This system consists of four hierarchies: index, classification, element and target levels. We evaluated the elements or indexes of the complex system using the TOPSIS method and a general model coordinating multiple complex systems. On this basis, the coordination analysis experiment of geographical conditions is applied to cities in the Henan province in China. The following conclusions were reached: ①According to the pressure, state and impact of geographical conditions, relatively consistent measures are taken around the city, but with conflicting results. ②The coordination degree of geographical conditions is small among regions showing large differences in classification index value. The degree of coordination of such regions is prone to extreme values; however, the smaller the difference the larger the coordination degree. ③The coordinated development of geographical conditions in the Henan province is at the stage of the point axis.

Multi-energy Coordinated Evaluation for Energy Internet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Dongqiang; Sun, Jian; Wang, Cunping; Hong, Xiao; Ma, Xiufan; Xiong, Wenting; Shen, Yaqi

2017-05-01

This paper reviews the current research status of multi-energy coordinated evaluation for energy Internet. Taking the coordinated optimization effect of wind energy, solar energy and other energy sources into consideration, 17 evaluation indexes, such as the substitution coefficient of cold heat and power, the ratio of wind and solar energy, and the rate of energy storage ratio, were designed from five aspects, including the acceptance of renewable energy, energy complementary alternative benefits, peak valley difference, the degree of equipment utilization and user needs. At the same time, this article attaches importance to the economic and social benefits of the coordination of multiple energy sources. Ultimately, a comprehensive multi-energy coordination evaluation index system of regional energy Internet was put forward from the safe operation, coordination and optimization, economic and social benefits four aspects, and a comprehensive evaluation model was established. This model uses the optimal combination weighting method based on moment estimation and Topsis evaluation analysis method, so both the subjective and objective weight of the index are considered and the coordinate evaluation of multi-energy is realized. Finally the perfection of the index system and the validity of the evaluation method are verified by a case analysis.

A topological coordinate system for the diamond cubic grid.

PubMed

Čomić, Lidija; Nagy, Benedek

2016-09-01

Topological coordinate systems are used to address all cells of abstract cell complexes. In this paper, a topological coordinate system for cells in the diamond cubic grid is presented and some of its properties are detailed. Four dependent coordinates are used to address the voxels (triakis truncated tetrahedra), their faces (hexagons and triangles), their edges and the points at their corners. Boundary and co-boundary relations, as well as adjacency relations between the cells, can easily be captured by the coordinate values. Thus, this coordinate system is apt for implementation in various applications, such as visualizations, morphological and topological operations and shape analysis.

The Influence of Study-Level Inference Models and Study Set Size on Coordinate-Based fMRI Meta-Analyses

PubMed Central

Bossier, Han; Seurinck, Ruth; Kühn, Simone; Banaschewski, Tobias; Barker, Gareth J.; Bokde, Arun L. W.; Martinot, Jean-Luc; Lemaitre, Herve; Paus, Tomáš; Millenet, Sabina; Moerkerke, Beatrijs

2018-01-01

Given the increasing amount of neuroimaging studies, there is a growing need to summarize published results. Coordinate-based meta-analyses use the locations of statistically significant local maxima with possibly the associated effect sizes to aggregate studies. In this paper, we investigate the influence of key characteristics of a coordinate-based meta-analysis on (1) the balance between false and true positives and (2) the activation reliability of the outcome from a coordinate-based meta-analysis. More particularly, we consider the influence of the chosen group level model at the study level [fixed effects, ordinary least squares (OLS), or mixed effects models], the type of coordinate-based meta-analysis [Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) that only uses peak locations, fixed effects, and random effects meta-analysis that take into account both peak location and height] and the amount of studies included in the analysis (from 10 to 35). To do this, we apply a resampling scheme on a large dataset (N = 1,400) to create a test condition and compare this with an independent evaluation condition. The test condition corresponds to subsampling participants into studies and combine these using meta-analyses. The evaluation condition corresponds to a high-powered group analysis. We observe the best performance when using mixed effects models in individual studies combined with a random effects meta-analysis. Moreover the performance increases with the number of studies included in the meta-analysis. When peak height is not taken into consideration, we show that the popular ALE procedure is a good alternative in terms of the balance between type I and II errors. However, it requires more studies compared to other procedures in terms of activation reliability. Finally, we discuss the differences, interpretations, and limitations of our results. PMID:29403344

Communication: Coordinate-dependent diffusivity from single molecule trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berezhkovskii, Alexander M.; Makarov, Dmitrii E.

2017-11-01

Single-molecule observations of biomolecular folding are commonly interpreted using the model of one-dimensional diffusion along a reaction coordinate, with a coordinate-independent diffusion coefficient. Recent analysis, however, suggests that more general models are required to account for single-molecule measurements performed with high temporal resolution. Here, we consider one such generalization: a model where the diffusion coefficient can be an arbitrary function of the reaction coordinate. Assuming Brownian dynamics along this coordinate, we derive an exact expression for the coordinate-dependent diffusivity in terms of the splitting probability within an arbitrarily chosen interval and the mean transition path time between the interval boundaries. This formula can be used to estimate the effective diffusion coefficient along a reaction coordinate directly from single-molecule trajectories.

Coordination characteristics of uranyl BBP complexes: Insights from an electronic structure analysis

DOE PAGES

Pemmaraju, Chaitanya Das; Copping, Roy; Smiles, Danil E.; ...

2017-03-21

Here, organic ligand complexes of lanthanide/actinide ions have been studied extensively for applications in nuclear fuel storage and recycling. Several complexes of 2,6-bis(2-benzimidazyl)pyridine (H2BBP) featuring the uranyl moiety have been reported recently, and the present study investigates the coordination characteristics of these complexes using density functional theory-based electronic structure analysis. In particular, with the aid of several computational models, the nonplanar equatorial coordination about uranyl, observed in some of the compounds, is studied and its origin traced to steric effects.

The International GPS Service: A Global Resource for GPS Applications and Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neilan, Ruth E.; Zumberge, James F.; Beutler, Gerhard; Kouba, Jan

1997-01-01

Since June, 1992, the International GPS service has been coordinating a global civilian GPS infrastructure in order to support numerous GPS applications and research activities. A key aspect of the IGS is the reliability and quality of the analysis products that have been made available over the past five years through the IGS Analysis Centers and the Analysis Center Coordinator.

Altered brain connectivity in sagittal craniosynostosis.

PubMed

Beckett, Joel S; Brooks, Eric D; Lacadie, Cheryl; Vander Wyk, Brent; Jou, Roger J; Steinbacher, Derek M; Constable, R Todd; Pelphrey, Kevin A; Persing, John A

2014-06-01

Sagittal nonsyndromic craniosynostosis (sNSC) is the most common form of NSC. The condition is associated with a high prevalence (> 50%) of deficits in executive function. The authors employed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional MRI to evaluate whether hypothesized structural and functional connectivity differences underlie the observed neurocognitive morbidity of sNSC. Using a 3-T Siemens Trio MRI system, the authors collected DTI and resting-state functional connectivity MRI data in 8 adolescent patients (mean age 12.3 years) with sNSC that had been previously corrected via total vault cranioplasty and 8 control children (mean age 12.3 years) without craniosynostosis. Data were analyzed using the FMRIB Software Library and BioImageSuite. Analyses of the DTI data revealed white matter alterations approaching statistical significance in all supratentorial lobes. Statistically significant group differences (sNSC < control group) in mean diffusivity were localized to the right supramarginal gyrus. Analysis of the resting-state seed in relation to whole-brain data revealed significant increases in negative connectivity (anticorrelations) of Brodmann area 8 to the prefrontal cortex (Montreal Neurological Institute [MNI] center of mass coordinates [x, y, z]: -6, 53, 6) and anterior cingulate cortex (MNI coordinates 6, 43, 14) in the sNSC group relative to controls. Furthermore, in the sNSC patients versus controls, the Brodmann area 7, 39, and 40 seed had decreased connectivity to left angular gyrus (MNI coordinates -31, -61, 34), posterior cingulate cortex (MNI coordinates 13, -52, 18), precuneus (MNI coordinates 10, -55, 54), left and right parahippocampus (MNI coordinates -13, -52, 2 and MNI coordinates 11, -50, 2, respectively), lingual (MNI coordinates -11, -86, -10), and fusiform gyri (MNI coordinates -30, -79, -18). Intrinsic connectivity analysis also revealed altered connectivity between central nodes in the default mode network in sNSC relative to controls; the left and right posterior cingulate cortices (MNI coordinates -5, -35, 34 and MNI coordinates 6, -42, 39, respectively) were negatively correlated to right hemisphere precuneus (MNI coordinates 6, -71, 46), while the left ventromedial prefrontal cortex (MNI coordinates 6, 34, -8) was negatively correlated to right middle frontal gyrus (MNI coordinates 40, 4, 33). All group comparisons (sNSC vs controls) were conducted at a whole brain-corrected threshold of p < 0.05. This study demonstrates altered neocortical structural and functional connectivity in sNSC that may, in part or substantially, underlie the neuropsychological deficits commonly reported in this population. Future studies combining analysis of multimodal MRI and clinical characterization data in larger samples of participants are warranted.

Capacity fade of LiAlyNi1-x-yCoxO2 cathode for lithium-ion batteries during accelerated calendar and cycle life tests (surface analysis of LiAlyNi1-x-yCoxO2 cathode after cycle tests in restricted depth of discharge ranges)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Shoichiro; Kinoshita, Masahiro; Hosokawa, Takashi; Morigaki, Kenichi; Nakura, Kensuke

2014-07-01

Cycle performance at 60 °C for a Li Al0.10Ni0.76Co0.14O2 (NCA) cathode/graphite cell was greatly improved when a DOD range in charge-discharge cycling (ΔDOD) was restricted. The deterioration mechanism was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy-electron energy-loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS). Only after the cycle test in the ΔDOD of 0-100%, many micro-cracks were generated in the inter-surface between the primary particles which aggregated to form the secondary particles, and a NiO-like resistance layer with Fm3m rock salt structure was formed on each primary particle which was contact with other primary particles and electrolyte. It can be concluded that the lack of contact between the primary particles with the micro-crack generation and the formation of the new resistance layer are responsible for the capacity fading and the rise in impedance during charge-discharge cycle in the wide ΔDOD.

A Framework for Bridging Scientists, Knowledge Brokers and Local Decision Makers in State-level Climate Assessments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galford, G. L.; Nash, J. L.

2016-12-01

Large-scale analyses like the National Climate Assessment (NCA) contain a wealth of information critical to national and regional responses to climate change but tend to be insufficiently detailed for action at state or local levels. Many states now develop assessments (SCAs) to provide relevant, actionable information to state and local authorities. These assessments generate new or additional primary information, build networks and inform stakeholders. Based on our experience in the Vermont Climate Assessment (VCA), we present a SCA framework to engage local decision makers, using a fluid network of scientific experts and knowledge brokers to conduct subject area prioritization, data analysis, and writing. Knowledge brokers bridged the scientific and stakeholder communities, providing a two-way flow of information by capitalizing on their existing networks. Rich citizen records of climate and climate change impacts associated a human voice, a memorable story, or personal observation with a climate record, improving climate information salience. This engagement process that created salient climate information perceived as credible and legitimate by local and state decision makers. We present this framework as an effective structure for SCAs to foster interaction among scientists, knowledge brokers and stakeholders. We include a qualitative impact evaluation and lessons learned for future SCAs.

Coordination of Fractional Quantities: Cueing of Resources, Constraints, and Effect of Numeric Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramful, Ajay; Nenduradu, Rajeev

2013-01-01

While previous work in the domain of proportional reasoning has primarily focused on the coordination of integer quantities, this study investigates how students coordinate fractional quantities. Fine-grained analysis of two seventh graders' responses to a set of systematically designed proportional tasks, shows how their knowledge of…

The Dependency Structure of Coordinate Phrases: A Corpus Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temperley, David

2005-01-01

Hudson (1990) proposes that each conjunct in a coordinate phrase forms dependency relations with heads or dependents outside the coordinate phrase (the "multi-head" view). This proposal is tested through corpus analysis of Wall Street Journal text. For right-branching constituents (such as direct-object NPs), a short-long preference for conjunct…

Strong parameterization and coordination encirclements of graph of Penrose tiling vertices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shutov, A. V.; Maleev, A. V.

2017-07-01

The coordination encirclements in a graph of Penrose tiling vertices have been investigated based on the analysis of vertice parameters. A strong parameterization of these vertices is developed in the form of a tiling of a parameter set in the region corresponding to different first coordination encirclements of vertices. An algorithm for constructing tilings of a set of parameters determining different coordination encirclements in a graph of Penrose tiling vertices of order n is proposed.

Large-Eddy Simulation Analysis of Unsteady Separation Over a Pitching Airfoil at High Reynolds Number

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-24

channel flow using explicit filtering and dynamic mixed models, Physics of Fluids, (08 2012): 0. doi : 10.1063/1.4745007 Satbir Singh, Donghyun You...08 2013): 0. doi : 10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2013.02.008 TOTAL: 2 Received Paper TOTAL: Number of Papers published in non peer-reviewed journals...coordinate xi Cartesian coordinates y Wall-normal coordinate z Cross-stream coordinate Greek Symbols α Angle of attack δ Dirac delta function; boundary

Breakdowns in coordinated decision making at and above the incident management team level: an analysis of three large scale Australian wildfires.

PubMed

Bearman, Chris; Grunwald, Jared A; Brooks, Benjamin P; Owen, Christine

2015-03-01

Emergency situations are by their nature difficult to manage and success in such situations is often highly dependent on effective team coordination. Breakdowns in team coordination can lead to significant disruption to an operational response. Breakdowns in coordination were explored in three large-scale bushfires in Australia: the Kilmore East fire, the Wangary fire, and the Canberra Firestorm. Data from these fires were analysed using a top-down and bottom-up qualitative analysis technique. Forty-four breakdowns in coordinated decision making were identified, which yielded 83 disconnects grouped into three main categories: operational, informational and evaluative. Disconnects were specific instances where differences in understanding existed between team members. The reasons why disconnects occurred were largely consistent across the three sets of data. In some cases multiple disconnects occurred in a temporal manner, which suggested some evidence of disconnects creating states that were conducive to the occurrence of further disconnects. In terms of resolution, evaluative disconnects were nearly always resolved however operational and informational disconnects were rarely resolved effectively. The exploratory data analysis and discussion presented here represents the first systematic research to provide information about the reasons why breakdowns occur in emergency management and presents an account of how team processes can act to disrupt coordination and the operational response. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Composites for Propulsion Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freedman, Marc (Technical Monitor); Shivakumar, Kunigal N.

2003-01-01

Fiber reinforced ceramic composites are materials of choice for gas turbine engines because of their high thermal efficiency, thrust/weight ratio, and operating temperatures. However, the successful introduction of ceramic composites to hot structures is limited because of excessive cost of manufacturing, reproducibility, nonuniformity, and reliability. Intense research is going on around the world to address some of these issues. The proposed effort is to develop a comprehensive status report of the technology on processing, testing, failure mechanics, and environmental durability of carbon fiber reinforced ceramic composites through extensive literature study, vendor and end-user survey, visits to facilities doing this type of work, and interviews. Then develop a cooperative research plan between NASA GRC and NCA&T (Center for Composite Materials Research) for processing, testing, environmental protection, and evaluation of fiber reinforced ceramic composites.

Rethinking Cysteine Protective Groups: S-Alkylsulfonyl-l-Cysteines for Chemoselective Disulfide Formation.

PubMed

Schäfer, Olga; Huesmann, David; Muhl, Christian; Barz, Matthias

2016-12-12

The ability to reversibly cross-link proteins and peptides grants the amino acid cysteine its unique role in nature as well as in peptide chemistry. We report a novel class of S-alkylsulfonyl-l-cysteines and N-carboxy anhydrides (NCA) thereof for peptide synthesis. The S-alkylsulfonyl group is stable against amines and thus enables its use under Fmoc chemistry conditions and the controlled polymerization of the corresponding NCAs yielding well-defined homo- as well as block co-polymers. Yet, thiols react immediately with the S-alkylsulfonyl group forming asymmetric disulfides. Therefore, we introduce the first reactive cysteine derivative for efficient and chemoselective disulfide formation in synthetic polypeptides, thus bypassing additional protective group cleavage steps. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Germination Requirements of Bacillus macerans Spores

PubMed Central

Sacks, L. E.; Thompson, P. A.

1971-01-01

2-Phenylacetamide is an effective germinant for spores of five strains of Bacillus macerans, particularly in the presence of fructose. Benzyl penicillin, the phenyl acetamide derivative of penicillin, and phenylacetic acid are also good germinants. l-Asparagine is an excellent germinant for four strains. α-Amino-butyric acid is moderately effective. Pyridoxine, pyridoxal, adenine, and 2,6-diaminopurine are potent germinants for NCA strain 7X1 only. d-Glucose is a powerful germinant for strain B-70 only. d-Fructose and d-ribose strongly potentiate germination induced by other germinants (except l-asparagine) but have only weak activity by themselves. Niacinamide and nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide, inactive by themselves, are active in the presence of fructose or ribose. Effects of pH, ion concentration, and temperature are described. PMID:4251279

Lifecycle comparison of selected Li-ion battery chemistries under grid and electric vehicle duty cycle combinations

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

Crawford, Alasdair J.; Huang, Qian; Kintner-Meyer, Michael C. W.

Li-ion batteries play a vital role in stabilizing the electrical grid. In this work, two different Li-ion battery chemistries based on LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) and LiFePO4 (LFP) cathodes have been tested under the grid duty cycles recently developed for frequency regulation (FR) and peak shaving (PS) with and without being subjected to electric vehicle (EV) drive cycles. The lifecycle comparison derived from capacity, round trip efficiency (RTE), resistance, charge/discharge energy and total utilized energy of the two battery chemistries have been discussed. The results can be used as a guideline for selection, deployment, operation and cost analyses of Li-ion batteries usedmore » for different applications.« less

The set of triple-resonance sequences with a multiple quantum coherence evolution period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koźmiński, Wiktor; Zhukov, Igor

2004-12-01

The new pulse sequence building block that relies on evolution of heteronuclear multiple quantum coherences is proposed. The particular chemical shifts are obtained in multiple quadrature, using linear combinations of frequencies taken from spectra measured at different quantum levels. The pulse sequences designed in this way consist of small number of RF-pulses, are as short as possible, and could be applied for determination of coupling constants. The examples presented involve 2D correlations H NCO, H NCA, H N(CO) CA, and H(N) COCA via heteronuclear zero and double coherences, as well as 2D H NCOCA technique with simultaneous evolution of triple and three distinct single quantum coherences. Applications of the new sequences are presented for 13C, 15N-labeled ubiquitin.

Isotopic composition of sulfate accumulations, Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bojar, Ana-Voica; Halas, Stanislaw; Bojar, Hans-Peter; Trembaczowski, Andrzej

2015-04-01

The Eastern Alps are characterised by the presence of three main tectonic units, such as the Lower, Middle and Upper Austroalpine, which overlie the Penninicum (Tollmann, 1977). The Upper Austroalpine unit consists of the Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA) overlying the Greywacke zone and corresponding to the Graz Paleozoic, Murau Paleozoic and the Gurktal Nappe. Evaporitic rocks are lacking in the later ones. The Northern Calcareous Alps are a detached fold and thrust belt. The sedimentation started in the Late Carboniferous or Early Permian, the age of the youngest sediments being Eocene. The NCA are divided into the Bajuvaric, Tirolic and Juvavic nappe complexes. The evaporitic Haselgebirge Formation occurs in connection with the Juvavic nappe complex at the base of the Tirolic units (Leitner et al., 2013). The Haselgebirge Formation consists mainly of salt, shales, gypsum and anhydrite and includes the oldest sediments of the NCA. The age of the Haselgebirge Formation, established by using spors and geochronological data, is Permian to Lower Triassic. For the Northern Calcareous Alps, the mineralogy of sulphate accumulations consists mainly of gypsum and anhydrite and subordonates of carbonates. The carbonates as magnesite, dolomite and calcite can be found either as singular crystals or as small accumulations within the hosting gypsum. Sulfides (sphalerite, galena, pyrite), sulfarsenides (enargite, baumhauerite) and native sulphur enrichments are known from several deposits (Kirchner, 1987; Postl, 1990). The investigated samples were selected from various gypsum and halite rich deposits of the Northern Calcareous Alps. A total of over 20 samples were investigated, and both oxygen and sulfur isotopic composition were determined for anhydrite, gyps, polyhalite, blödite and langbeinite. The sulfur isotopic values vary between 10.1 to 14 ‰ (CDT), with three values higher than 14 ‰. The Oxygen isotopic values show a range from 9 to 23 ‰ (SMOW). The sulfur isotopic compositon of 14 sulfides as galena, sphalerite, pyrite and native sulfure were determined as well, with values ranging between -17.5 and 2.8 ‰ (CDT). For the investigated sulfates, the sulfur isotopic values show generally low values, which are characteristic for the late Permian. The broad distribution of sulfide values point toward bacterial reduction, fact also reflected by some higher isotopic values of sulfates. The oxygen values show a larger scatter from 9 to 23‰, which is even larger than that found for the Zechstein anhydrites of northern Germany, north-eastern Italian Alps or western Poland. The associated carbonates, as calcite, dolomite and magnesite are in disequilibrium with the sulfates indicating rather primary marine isotopic signature than re-equlibration with the sulfates at higher temperatures. References Leitner, C., Neubauer, F., Genser, J., Borojevic-Sostaric, B., Rantitsch, G., 2013. 40Ar/39Ar ages of recrystallization of rock-forming polyhalite in Alpine rocksalt deposits. In Jordan, F., Mark, D.F., Verati C. (eds.) Advances in 40Ar/39Ar Dating: from Archaeology to Planetary Sciences. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 378, 207-244. Kirchner, E., 1987: Die Mineral- und Gesteinsvorkommen in den Gipslagerstätten der Lammermasse, innerhalb der Hallstattzone, Salzburg. Jahrbuch Haus der Natur. 10, 156-167. Postl, W., 1990. Enargit und Parnauit aus dem Gips- und Anhydritbergbau Tragöß-Oberort, Steiermark. In: Niedermayr, G. et al. (1990): Neue Mineralfunde aus Österreich XXXIX. Carinthia II, 180/100, 277. Tollmann, A., 1977. Geologie von Österreich. Band 1. Die Zentralalpen. Deuticke, Wien, 766 pp.

Double layer zinc-UDP coordination polymers: structure and properties.

PubMed

Qiu, Qi-Ming; Gu, Leilei; Ma, Hongwei; Yan, Li; Liu, Minghua; Li, Hui

2018-05-17

A homochiral Zn-UDP coordination polymer with an alternating parallel ABAB sequence was constructed and studied by X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis. Its crystal structure shows that there are potentially open sites in the 2D layers. The activation of the sites makes the coordination polymer a fluorescent sensor for novel heterogeneous detection of amino acids.

Vectors, Change of Basis and Matrix Representation: Onto-Semiotic Approach in the Analysis of Creating Meaning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montiel, Mariana; Wilhelmi, Miguel R.; Vidakovic, Draga; Elstak, Iwan

2012-01-01

In a previous study, the onto-semiotic approach was employed to analyse the mathematical notion of different coordinate systems, as well as some situations and university students' actions related to these coordinate systems in the context of multivariate calculus. This study approaches different coordinate systems through the process of change of…

Hierarchical Time-Lagged Independent Component Analysis: Computing Slow Modes and Reaction Coordinates for Large Molecular Systems.

PubMed

Pérez-Hernández, Guillermo; Noé, Frank

2016-12-13

Analysis of molecular dynamics, for example using Markov models, often requires the identification of order parameters that are good indicators of the rare events, i.e. good reaction coordinates. Recently, it has been shown that the time-lagged independent component analysis (TICA) finds the linear combinations of input coordinates that optimally represent the slow kinetic modes and may serve in order to define reaction coordinates between the metastable states of the molecular system. A limitation of the method is that both computing time and memory requirements scale with the square of the number of input features. For large protein systems, this exacerbates the use of extensive feature sets such as the distances between all pairs of residues or even heavy atoms. Here we derive a hierarchical TICA (hTICA) method that approximates the full TICA solution by a hierarchical, divide-and-conquer calculation. By using hTICA on distances between heavy atoms we identify previously unknown relaxation processes in the bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor.

Normal co-ordinate analysis of 1, 8-dibromooctane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Devinder; Jaggi, Neena; Singh, Nafa

2010-02-01

The organic compound 1,8-dibromooctane (1,8-DBO) exists in liquid phase at ambient temperatures and has versatile synthetic applications. In its liquid phase 1,8-DBO has been expected to exist in four most probable conformations, with all its carbon atoms in the same plane, having symmetries C 2h , C i , C 2 and C 1 . In the present study a detailed vibrational analysis in terms of assignment of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman bands of this molecule using normal co-ordinate calculations has been done. A systematic set of symmetry co-ordinates has been constructed for this molecule and normal co-ordinate analysis is carried out using the computer program MOLVIB. The force-field transferred from already studied lower chain bromo-alkanes is subjected to refinement so as to fit the observed infrared and Raman frequencies with those of calculated ones. The potential energy distribution (PED) has also been calculated for each mode of vibration of the molecule for the assumed conformations.

Minding the Gap: Factors Associated With Primary Care Coordination of Adults in 11 Countries.

PubMed

Penm, Jonathan; MacKinnon, Neil J; Strakowski, Stephen M; Ying, Jun; Doty, Michelle M

2017-03-01

Care coordination has been identified as a key strategy in improving the effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of the US health care system. Our objective was to determine whether population or health care system issues are associated with primary care coordination gaps in the United States and other high-income countries. We analyzed data from the 2013 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy (IHP) survey with multivariate logistic regression analysis. Respondents were adult primary care patients from 11 countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States. Poor primary care coordination was defined as participants reporting at least 3 gaps in the coordination of care out of a maximum of 5. Analyses were based on 13,958 respondents. The rate of poor primary care coordination was 5.2% (724/13,958 respondents) overall and highest in the United States, at 9.8% (137/1,395 respondents). Multivariate regression analysis among all respondents found that they were less likely to experience poor primary care coordination if their primary care physician often or always knew their medical history, spent sufficient time, involved them, and explained things well (odds ratio = 0.6 for each). Poor primary care coordination was more likely to occur among patients with chronic conditions (odds ratios = 1.4-2.1 depending on number) and patients younger than 65 years (odds ratios = 1.6-2.3 depending on age-group). Among US respondents, insurance status, health status, household income, and sex were not associated with poor primary care coordination. The United States had the highest rate of poor primary care coordination among the 11 high-income countries evaluated. An established relationship with a primary care physician was significantly associated with better care coordination, whereas being chronically ill or younger was associated with poorer care coordination. © 2017 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Minding the Gap: Factors Associated With Primary Care Coordination of Adults in 11 Countries

PubMed Central

Penm, Jonathan; MacKinnon, Neil J.; Strakowski, Stephen M.; Ying, Jun; Doty, Michelle M.

2017-01-01

PURPOSE Care coordination has been identified as a key strategy in improving the effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of the US health care system. Our objective was to determine whether population or health care system issues are associated with primary care coordination gaps in the United States and other high-income countries. METHODS We analyzed data from the 2013 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy (IHP) survey with multivariate logistic regression analysis. Respondents were adult primary care patients from 11 countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States. Poor primary care coordination was defined as participants reporting at least 3 gaps in the coordination of care out of a maximum of 5. RESULTS Analyses were based on 13,958 respondents. The rate of poor primary care coordination was 5.2% (724/13,958 respondents) overall and highest in the United States, at 9.8% (137/1,395 respondents). Multivariate regression analysis among all respondents found that they were less likely to experience poor primary care coordination if their primary care physician often or always knew their medical history, spent sufficient time, involved them, and explained things well (odds ratio = 0.6 for each). Poor primary care coordination was more likely to occur among patients with chronic conditions (odds ratios = 1.4–2.1 depending on number) and patients younger than 65 years (odds ratios = 1.6–2.3 depending on age-group). Among US respondents, insurance status, health status, household income, and sex were not associated with poor primary care coordination. CONCLUSIONS The United States had the highest rate of poor primary care coordination among the 11 high-income countries evaluated. An established relationship with a primary care physician was significantly associated with better care coordination, whereas being chronically ill or younger was associated with poorer care coordination. PMID:28289109

A relativistic analysis of clock synchronization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, J. B.

1974-01-01

The relativistic conversion between coordinate time and atomic time is reformulated to allow simpler time calculations relating analysis in solar-system barycentric coordinates (using coordinate time) with earth-fixed observations (measuring earth-bound proper time or atomic time.) After an interpretation of terms, this simplified formulation, which has a rate accuracy of about 10 to the minus 15th power, is used to explain the conventions required in the synchronization of a world wide clock network and to analyze two synchronization techniques-portable clocks and radio interferometry. Finally, pertinent experiment tests of relativity are briefly discussed in terms of the reformulated time conversion.