Cuticular extracts of five common mantids (Mantodea:Mantidae) of the eastern United States.

PubMed

Jones, T H; Moran, M D; Hurd, L E

1997-04-01

We undertook a preliminary investigation of the cuticular extracts of five common mantid species in the eastern United States: Tenodera sinensis (Saussure), T. angustipennis (Saussure) and Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus) introduced from the Old World and Stagmomantis carolina (Johannson) and Bruneria borealis (Scudder), which are New World species. The major components of these mixtures were normal alkanes, predominately hentriacontane, or in the case of the parthenogenic species B. borealis, tritriacontane. Tricontanal was detected in the extracts of all five species, and smaller amounts of other aldehydes and n-tricontanol were detected in some species. Complex mixtures of methyl and dimethylalkanes also were present in these extracts. The composition of the cuticular hydrocarbons of these mantids may be an adaptation for reduction of evaporative water loss in these insects that inhabit open fields.

Nylon bead enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of sub-picogram quantities of Brucella antigens.

PubMed Central

Perera, V Y; Creasy, M T; Winter, A J

1983-01-01

An indirect sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, using antibody covalently coupled to nylon beads, has been adapted for the detection of Brucella antigens. Optimum conditions were achieved by incubation of 1 ml of reaction mixture with a single bead, and by minimizing nonspecific interactions through the use of beads coated with purified bovine antibodies, preabsorption of third layer rabbit antibodies with normal bovine serum, and treatment of beads with normal goat serum before addition of the goat anti-rabbit enzyme conjugate. Beta-galactosidase was selected for use with clinical samples primarily because of low levels of endogenous enzyme in bovine leukocytes. Use of a fluorogenic substrate enhanced sensitivity 20-fold. Under these conditions, 100 fg of solubilized crude lipopolysaccharide or 8 to 10 Brucella cells was detectable in a fixed volume of 1 ml. A system was also devised for concentrating antigen which permitted ready detection of 2 pg of lipopolysaccharide in a volume of 50 ml (40 fg/ml). Attempts to detect lipopolysaccharide in the presence of concentrated serum or plasma were unsuccessful, but 10 brucellae added to a suspension of leukocytes from 100 ml of normal bovine blood were easily measured. PMID:6415094

Proceedings of the Third Annual Symposium on Mathematical Pattern Recognition and Image Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guseman, L. F., Jr.

1985-01-01

Topics addressed include: multivariate spline method; normal mixture analysis applied to remote sensing; image data analysis; classifications in spatially correlated environments; probability density functions; graphical nonparametric methods; subpixel registration analysis; hypothesis integration in image understanding systems; rectification of satellite scanner imagery; spatial variation in remotely sensed images; smooth multidimensional interpolation; and optimal frequency domain textural edge detection filters.

Detection of molecular signatures of oral squamous cell carcinoma and normal epithelium - application of a novel methodology for unsupervised segmentation of imaging mass spectrometry data.

PubMed

Widlak, Piotr; Mrukwa, Grzegorz; Kalinowska, Magdalena; Pietrowska, Monika; Chekan, Mykola; Wierzgon, Janusz; Gawin, Marta; Drazek, Grzegorz; Polanska, Joanna

2016-06-01

Intra-tumor heterogeneity is a vivid problem of molecular oncology that could be addressed by imaging mass spectrometry. Here we aimed to assess molecular heterogeneity of oral squamous cell carcinoma and to detect signatures discriminating normal and cancerous epithelium. Tryptic peptides were analyzed by MALDI-IMS in tissue specimens from five patients with oral cancer. Novel algorithm of IMS data analysis was developed and implemented, which included Gaussian mixture modeling for detection of spectral components and iterative k-means algorithm for unsupervised spectra clustering performed in domain reduced to a subset of the most dispersed components. About 4% of the detected peptides showed significantly different abundances between normal epithelium and tumor, and could be considered as a molecular signature of oral cancer. Moreover, unsupervised clustering revealed two major sub-regions within expert-defined tumor areas. One of them showed molecular similarity with histologically normal epithelium. The other one showed similarity with connective tissue, yet was markedly different from normal epithelium. Pathologist's re-inspection of tissue specimens confirmed distinct features in both tumor sub-regions: foci of actual cancer cells or cancer microenvironment-related cells prevailed in corresponding areas. Hence, molecular differences detected during automated segmentation of IMS data had an apparent reflection in real structures present in tumor. © 2016 The Authors. Proteomics Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Extracting Spurious Latent Classes in Growth Mixture Modeling with Nonnormal Errors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerra-Peña, Kiero; Steinley, Douglas

2016-01-01

Growth mixture modeling is generally used for two purposes: (1) to identify mixtures of normal subgroups and (2) to approximate oddly shaped distributions by a mixture of normal components. Often in applied research this methodology is applied to both of these situations indistinctly: using the same fit statistics and likelihood ratio tests. This…

Normalization of test and evaluation of biothreat detection systems: overcoming microbial air content fluctuations by using a standardized reagent bacterial mixture.

PubMed

Berchebru, Laurent; Rameil, Pascal; Gaudin, Jean-Christophe; Gausson, Sabrina; Larigauderie, Guilhem; Pujol, Céline; Morel, Yannick; Ramisse, Vincent

2014-10-01

Test and evaluation of engineered biothreat agent detection systems ("biodetectors") are a challenging task for government agencies and industries involved in biosecurity and biodefense programs. In addition to user friendly features, biodetectors need to perform both highly sensitive and specific detection, and must not produce excessive false alerts. In fact, the atmosphere displays a number of variables such as airborne bacterial content that can interfere with the detection process, thus impeding comparative tests when carried out at different times or places. To overcome these bacterial air content fluctuations, a standardized reagent bacterial mixture (SRBM), consisting in a collection of selected cultivable environmental species that are prevalent in temperate climate bioaerosols, was designed to generate a stable, reproducible, and easy to use surrogate of bioaerosol sample. The rationale, design, and production process are reported. The results showed that 8.59; CI 95%: 8.46-8.72 log cfu distributed into vials underwent a 0.95; CI 95%: 0.65-1.26 log viability decay after dehydration and subsequent reconstitution, thus advantageously mimicking a natural bioaerosol sample which is typically composed of cultivable and uncultivable particles. Dehydrated SRBM was stable for more than 12months at 4°C and allowed the reconstitution of a dead/live cells aqueous suspension that is stable for 96h at +4°C, according to plate counts. Specific detection of a simulating biothreat agent (e.g. Bacillus atrophaeus) by immuno-magnetic or PCR assays did not display any significant loss of sensitivity, false negative or positive results in the presence of SRBM. This work provides guidance on testing and evaluating detection devices, and may contribute to the establishment of suitable standards and normalized procedures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using partially labeled data for normal mixture identification with application to class definition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shahshahani, Behzad M.; Landgrebe, David A.

1992-01-01

The problem of estimating the parameters of a normal mixture density when, in addition to the unlabeled samples, sets of partially labeled samples are available is addressed. The density of the multidimensional feature space is modeled with a normal mixture. It is assumed that the set of components of the mixture can be partitioned into several classes and that training samples are available from each class. Since for any training sample the class of origin is known but the exact component of origin within the corresponding class is unknown, the training samples as considered to be partially labeled. The EM iterative equations are derived for estimating the parameters of the normal mixture in the presence of partially labeled samples. These equations can be used to combine the supervised and nonsupervised learning processes.

Robust detection of multiple sclerosis lesions from intensity-normalized multi-channel MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karpate, Yogesh; Commowick, Olivier; Barillot, Christian

2015-03-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease with heterogeneous evolution among the patients. Quantitative analysis of longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) provides a spatial analysis of the brain tissues which may lead to the discovery of biomarkers of disease evolution. Better understanding of the disease will lead to a better discovery of pathogenic mechanisms, allowing for patient-adapted therapeutic strategies. To characterize MS lesions, we propose a novel paradigm to detect white matter lesions based on a statistical framework. It aims at studying the benefits of using multi-channel MRI to detect statistically significant differences between each individual MS patient and a database of control subjects. This framework consists in two components. First, intensity standardization is conducted to minimize the inter-subject intensity difference arising from variability of the acquisition process and different scanners. The intensity normalization maps parameters obtained using a robust Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) estimation not affected by the presence of MS lesions. The second part studies the comparison of multi-channel MRI of MS patients with respect to an atlas built from the control subjects, thereby allowing us to look for differences in normal appearing white matter, in and around the lesions of each patient. Experimental results demonstrate that our technique accurately detects significant differences in lesions consequently improving the results of MS lesion detection.

Intestinal absorption of an arginine-containing peptide in cystinuria

PubMed Central

Asatoor, A. M.; Harrison, B. D. W.; Milne, M. D.; Prosser, D. I.

1972-01-01

Separate tolerance tests involving oral intake of the dipeptide, L-arginyl-L-aspartate, and of a corresponding free amino acid mixture, were carried out in a single type 2 cystinuric patient. Absorption of aspartate was within normal limits, whilst that of arginine was normal after the peptide but considerably reduced after the amino acid mixture. The results are compared with the increments of serum arginine found in eight normal subjects after the oral intake of the free amino acid mixture. Analyses of urinary pyrrolidine and of tetramethylenediamine in urine samples obtained after the two tolerance tests in the patient support the view that arginine absorption was subnormal after the amino acid mixture but within normal limits after the dipeptide. PMID:5045711

Detection of Pathological Voice Using Cepstrum Vectors: A Deep Learning Approach.

PubMed

Fang, Shih-Hau; Tsao, Yu; Hsiao, Min-Jing; Chen, Ji-Ying; Lai, Ying-Hui; Lin, Feng-Chuan; Wang, Chi-Te

2018-03-19

Computerized detection of voice disorders has attracted considerable academic and clinical interest in the hope of providing an effective screening method for voice diseases before endoscopic confirmation. This study proposes a deep-learning-based approach to detect pathological voice and examines its performance and utility compared with other automatic classification algorithms. This study retrospectively collected 60 normal voice samples and 402 pathological voice samples of 8 common clinical voice disorders in a voice clinic of a tertiary teaching hospital. We extracted Mel frequency cepstral coefficients from 3-second samples of a sustained vowel. The performances of three machine learning algorithms, namely, deep neural network (DNN), support vector machine, and Gaussian mixture model, were evaluated based on a fivefold cross-validation. Collective cases from the voice disorder database of MEEI (Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary) were used to verify the performance of the classification mechanisms. The experimental results demonstrated that DNN outperforms Gaussian mixture model and support vector machine. Its accuracy in detecting voice pathologies reached 94.26% and 90.52% in male and female subjects, based on three representative Mel frequency cepstral coefficient features. When applied to the MEEI database for validation, the DNN also achieved a higher accuracy (99.32%) than the other two classification algorithms. By stacking several layers of neurons with optimized weights, the proposed DNN algorithm can fully utilize the acoustic features and efficiently differentiate between normal and pathological voice samples. Based on this pilot study, future research may proceed to explore more application of DNN from laboratory and clinical perspectives. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fast sparse Raman spectral unmixing for chemical fingerprinting and quantification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaghoobi, Mehrdad; Wu, Di; Clewes, Rhea J.; Davies, Mike E.

2016-10-01

Raman spectroscopy is a well-established spectroscopic method for the detection of condensed phase chemicals. It is based on scattered light from exposure of a target material to a narrowband laser beam. The information generated enables presumptive identification from measuring correlation with library spectra. Whilst this approach is successful in identification of chemical information of samples with one component, it is more difficult to apply to spectral mixtures. The capability of handling spectral mixtures is crucial for defence and security applications as hazardous materials may be present as mixtures due to the presence of degradation, interferents or precursors. A novel method for spectral unmixing is proposed here. Most modern decomposition techniques are based on the sparse decomposition of mixture and the application of extra constraints to preserve the sum of concentrations. These methods have often been proposed for passive spectroscopy, where spectral baseline correction is not required. Most successful methods are computationally expensive, e.g. convex optimisation and Bayesian approaches. We present a novel low complexity sparsity based method to decompose the spectra using a reference library of spectra. It can be implemented on a hand-held spectrometer in near to real-time. The algorithm is based on iteratively subtracting the contribution of selected spectra and updating the contribution of each spectrum. The core algorithm is called fast non-negative orthogonal matching pursuit, which has been proposed by the authors in the context of nonnegative sparse representations. The iteration terminates when the maximum number of expected chemicals has been found or the residual spectrum has a negligible energy, i.e. in the order of the noise level. A backtracking step removes the least contributing spectrum from the list of detected chemicals and reports it as an alternative component. This feature is particularly useful in detection of chemicals with small contributions, which are normally not detected. The proposed algorithm is easily reconfigurable to include new library entries and optional preferential threat searches in the presence of predetermined threat indicators. Under Ministry of Defence funding, we have demonstrated the algorithm for fingerprinting and rough quantification of the concentration of chemical mixtures using a set of reference spectral mixtures. In our experiments, the algorithm successfully managed to detect the chemicals with concentrations below 10 percent. The running time of the algorithm is in the order of one second, using a single core of a desktop computer.

Using a multinomial tree model for detecting mixtures in perceptual detection

PubMed Central

Chechile, Richard A.

2014-01-01

In the area of memory research there have been two rival approaches for memory measurement—signal detection theory (SDT) and multinomial processing trees (MPT). Both approaches provide measures for the quality of the memory representation, and both approaches provide for corrections for response bias. In recent years there has been a strong case advanced for the MPT approach because of the finding of stochastic mixtures on both target-present and target-absent tests. In this paper a case is made that perceptual detection, like memory recognition, involves a mixture of processes that are readily represented as a MPT model. The Chechile (2004) 6P memory measurement model is modified in order to apply to the case of perceptual detection. This new MPT model is called the Perceptual Detection (PD) model. The properties of the PD model are developed, and the model is applied to some existing data of a radiologist examining CT scans. The PD model brings out novel features that were absent from a standard SDT analysis. Also the topic of optimal parameter estimation on an individual-observer basis is explored with Monte Carlo simulations. These simulations reveal that the mean of the Bayesian posterior distribution is a more accurate estimator than the corresponding maximum likelihood estimator (MLE). Monte Carlo simulations also indicate that model estimates based on only the data from an individual observer can be improved upon (in the sense of being more accurate) by an adjustment that takes into account the parameter estimate based on the data pooled across all the observers. The adjustment of the estimate for an individual is discussed as an analogous statistical effect to the improvement over the individual MLE demonstrated by the James–Stein shrinkage estimator in the case of the multiple-group normal model. PMID:25018741

Continuous plutonium dissolution apparatus

DOEpatents

Meyer, F.G.; Tesitor, C.N.

1974-02-26

This invention is concerned with continuous dissolution of metals such as plutonium. A high normality acid mixture is fed into a boiler vessel, vaporized, and subsequently condensed as a low normality acid mixture. The mixture is then conveyed to a dissolution vessel and contacted with the plutonium metal to dissolve the plutonium in the dissolution vessel, reacting therewith forming plutonium nitrate. The reaction products are then conveyed to the mixing vessel and maintained soluble by the high normality acid, with separation and removal of the desired constituent. (Official Gazette)

Flexible mixture modeling via the multivariate t distribution with the Box-Cox transformation: an alternative to the skew-t distribution

PubMed Central

Lo, Kenneth

2011-01-01

Cluster analysis is the automated search for groups of homogeneous observations in a data set. A popular modeling approach for clustering is based on finite normal mixture models, which assume that each cluster is modeled as a multivariate normal distribution. However, the normality assumption that each component is symmetric is often unrealistic. Furthermore, normal mixture models are not robust against outliers; they often require extra components for modeling outliers and/or give a poor representation of the data. To address these issues, we propose a new class of distributions, multivariate t distributions with the Box-Cox transformation, for mixture modeling. This class of distributions generalizes the normal distribution with the more heavy-tailed t distribution, and introduces skewness via the Box-Cox transformation. As a result, this provides a unified framework to simultaneously handle outlier identification and data transformation, two interrelated issues. We describe an Expectation-Maximization algorithm for parameter estimation along with transformation selection. We demonstrate the proposed methodology with three real data sets and simulation studies. Compared with a wealth of approaches including the skew-t mixture model, the proposed t mixture model with the Box-Cox transformation performs favorably in terms of accuracy in the assignment of observations, robustness against model misspecification, and selection of the number of components. PMID:22125375

Flexible mixture modeling via the multivariate t distribution with the Box-Cox transformation: an alternative to the skew-t distribution.

PubMed

Lo, Kenneth; Gottardo, Raphael

2012-01-01

Cluster analysis is the automated search for groups of homogeneous observations in a data set. A popular modeling approach for clustering is based on finite normal mixture models, which assume that each cluster is modeled as a multivariate normal distribution. However, the normality assumption that each component is symmetric is often unrealistic. Furthermore, normal mixture models are not robust against outliers; they often require extra components for modeling outliers and/or give a poor representation of the data. To address these issues, we propose a new class of distributions, multivariate t distributions with the Box-Cox transformation, for mixture modeling. This class of distributions generalizes the normal distribution with the more heavy-tailed t distribution, and introduces skewness via the Box-Cox transformation. As a result, this provides a unified framework to simultaneously handle outlier identification and data transformation, two interrelated issues. We describe an Expectation-Maximization algorithm for parameter estimation along with transformation selection. We demonstrate the proposed methodology with three real data sets and simulation studies. Compared with a wealth of approaches including the skew-t mixture model, the proposed t mixture model with the Box-Cox transformation performs favorably in terms of accuracy in the assignment of observations, robustness against model misspecification, and selection of the number of components.

Differential gene expression pattern in human mammary epithelial cells induced by realistic organochlorine mixtures described in healthy women and in women diagnosed with breast cancer.

PubMed

Rivero, Javier; Henríquez-Hernández, Luis Alberto; Luzardo, Octavio P; Pestano, José; Zumbado, Manuel; Boada, Luis D; Valerón, Pilar F

2016-03-30

Organochlorine pesticides (OCs) have been associated with breast cancer development and progression, but the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not well known. In this work, we evaluated the effects exerted on normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) by the OC mixtures most frequently detected in healthy women (H-mixture) and in women diagnosed with breast cancer (BC-mixture), as identified in a previous case-control study developed in Spain. Cytotoxicity and gene expression profile of human kinases (n=68) and non-kinases (n=26) were tested at concentrations similar to those described in the serum of those cases and controls. Although both mixtures caused a down-regulation of genes involved in the ATP binding process, our results clearly indicate that both mixtures may exert a very different effect on the gene expression profile of HMEC. Thus, while BC-mixture up-regulated the expression of oncogenes associated to breast cancer (GFRA1 and BHLHB8), the H-mixture down-regulated the expression of tumor suppressor genes (EPHA4 and EPHB2). Our results indicate that the composition of the OC mixture could play a role in the initiation processes of breast cancer. In addition, the present results suggest that subtle changes in the composition and levels of pollutants involved in environmentally relevant mixtures might induce very different biological effects, which explain, at least partially, why some mixtures seem to be more carcinogenic than others. Nonetheless, our findings confirm that environmentally relevant pollutants may modulate the expression of genes closely related to carcinogenic processes in the breast, reinforcing the role exerted by environment in the regulation of genes involved in breast carcinogenesis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of the NACA Injection Impeller on the Mixture Distribution of a Double-row Radial Aircraft Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marble, Frank E.; Ritter, William K.; Miller, Mahlon A.

1946-01-01

For the normal range of engine power the impeller provided marked improvement over the standard spray-bar injection system. Mixture distribution at cruising was excellent, maximum cylinder temperatures were reduced about 30 degrees F, and general temperature distribution was improved. The uniform mixture distribution restored the normal response of cylinder temperature to mixture enrichment and it reduced the possibility of carburetor icing, while no serious loss in supercharger pressure rise resulted from injection of fuel near the impeller outlet. The injection impeller also furnished a convenient means of adding water to the charge mixture for internal cooling.

Degradation in the efficiency of glass Resistive Plate Chambers operated without external gas supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baesso, P.; Cussans, D.; Thomay, C.; Velthuis, J.; Burns, J.; Quillin, S.; Stapleton, M.; Steer, C.

2015-06-01

Resistive plate chambers (RPC) are particle detectors commonly used by the high energy physics community. Their normal operation requires a constant flow of gas mixture to prevent self-poisoning which reduces the chamber's capability to detect particles. We studied how quickly the efficiency of two RPCs drops when operated in sealed mode, i.e. without refreshing the gas mixture. The test aim is to determine how RPCs could be used as particle detectors in non-laboratory applications, such as those exploiting muon tomography for geological imaging or homeland security. The two sealed RPCs were operated in proportional mode for a period of more than three months, and their efficiencies were recorded continuously and analysed in 8-hours intervals. The results show that the efficiency drops on average by 0.79 ± 0.01 % every 24 hours of operation and returns close to the initial value after purging the old gas mixture and flushing the chambers with fresh gas.

Not Quite Normal: Consequences of Violating the Assumption of Normality in Regression Mixture Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Horn, M. Lee; Smith, Jessalyn; Fagan, Abigail A.; Jaki, Thomas; Feaster, Daniel J.; Masyn, Katherine; Hawkins, J. David; Howe, George

2012-01-01

Regression mixture models, which have only recently begun to be used in applied research, are a new approach for finding differential effects. This approach comes at the cost of the assumption that error terms are normally distributed within classes. This study uses Monte Carlo simulations to explore the effects of relatively minor violations of…

Protanomaly-without-darkened-red is deuteranopia with rods

PubMed Central

Shevell, Steven K.; Sun, Yang; Neitz, Maureen

2008-01-01

The Rayleigh match, a color match between a mixture of 545+670 nm lights and 589 nm light in modern instruments, is the definitive measurement for the diagnosis of inherited red/green color defects. All trichromats, whether normal or anomalous, have a limited range of 545+670 nm mixtures they perceive to match 589 nm: a typical color-normal match-range is about 50–55% of 670 nm in the mixture (deutan mode), while deuteranomals have a range that includes mixtures with less 670 nm than normal and protanomals a range that includes mixtures with more 670 nm than normal. Further, the matching luminance of the 589 nm light for deuteranomals is the same as for normals but for protanomals is below normal. An example of an unexpected Rayleigh match, therefore, is a match range above normal (typical of protanomaly) and a normal luminance setting for 589 nm (typical of deuteranomaly), a match that Pickford (1950) called protanomaly “when the red end of the spectrum is not darkened”. In this case, Rayleigh matching does not yield a clear diagnosis. Aside from Pickford, we are aware of only one other report of a similar observer (Pokorny and Smith, 1981); this study predated modern genetic techniques that can reveal the cone photopigment(s) in the red/green range. We recently had the opportunity to conduct genetic and psychophysical tests on such an observer. Genetic results predict he is a deuteranope. His Rayleigh match is consistent with L cones and a contribution from rods. Further, with a rod-suppressing background, his Rayleigh match is characteristic of a single L-cone photopigment (deuteranopia). PMID:18423511

Protanomaly without darkened red is deuteranopia with rods.

PubMed

Shevell, Steven K; Sun, Yang; Neitz, Maureen

2008-11-01

The Rayleigh match, a color match between a mixture of 545+670 nm lights and 589 nm light in modern instruments, is the definitive measurement for the diagnosis of inherited red-green color defects. All trichromats, whether normal or anomalous, have a limited range of 545+670 nm mixtures they perceive to match 589 nm: a typical color-normal match range is about 50-55% of 670 nm in the mixture (deutan mode), while deuteranomals have a range that includes mixtures with less 670 nm than normal and protanomals a range that includes mixtures with more 670 nm than normal. Further, the matching luminance of the 589 nm light for deuteranomals is the same as for normals but for protanomals is below normal. An example of an unexpected Rayleigh match, therefore, is a match range above normal (typical of protanomaly) and a normal luminance setting for 589 nm (typical of deuteranomaly), a match called protanomaly "when the red end of the spectrum is not darkened" [Pickford, R.W. (1950). Three pedigrees for color blindness. Nature, 165, 182.]. In this case, Rayleigh matching does not yield a clear diagnosis. Aside from Pickford, we are aware of only one other report of a similar observer [Pokorny, J., & Smith, V. C. (1981). A variant of red-green color defect. Vision Research, 21, 311-317]; this study predated modern genetic techniques that can reveal the cone photopigment(s) in the red-green range. We recently had the opportunity to conduct genetic and psychophysical tests on such an observer. Genetic results predict he is a deuteranope. His Rayleigh match is consistent with L cones and a contribution from rods. Further, with a rod-suppressing background, his Rayleigh match is characteristic of a single L-cone photopigment (deuteranopia).

Emissions of volatile organic compounds from building materials and consumer products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, Lance A.; Pellizzari, Edo; Leaderer, Brian; Zelon, Harvey; Sheldon, Linda

EPA's TEAM Study of personal exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOC) in air and drinking water of 650 residents of seven U.S. cities resulted in the identification of a number of possible sources encountered in peoples' normal daily activities and in their homes. A follow-up EPA study of publicaccess buildings implicated other potential sources of exposure. To learn more about these potential sources, 15 building materials and common consumer products were analyzed using a headspace technique to detect organic emissions and to compare relative amounts. About 10-100 organic compounds were detected offgassing from each material. Four mixtures of materials were then chosen for detailed study: paint on sheetrock; carpet and carpet glue; wallpaper and adhesives; cleansers and a spray pesticide. The materials were applied as normally used, allowed to age 1 week (except for the cleansers and pesticides, which were used normally during the monitoring period), and placed in an environmentally controlled chamber. Organic vapors were collected on Tenax-GC over a 4-h period and analyzed by GC-MS techniques. Emission rates and chamber concentrations were calculated for 17 target chemicals chosen for their toxic, carcinogenic or mutagenic properties. Thirteen of the 17 chemicals were emitted by one or more of the materials. Elevated concentrations of chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, n-decane, n-undecane, p-dichlorobenzene, 1,2-dichloroethane and styrene were produced by the four mixtures of materials tested. For some chemicals, these amounts were sufficient to account for a significant fraction of the elevated concentrations observed in previous indoor air studies. We conclude that common materials found in nearly every home and place of business may cause elevated exposures to toxic chemicals.

Liquid-core photonic crystal fiber platform for raman scattering measurements of microliter analyte solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Yun; Oo, Maung Khaing; Zhu, Yinian; Sukhishvili, Svetlana; Xiao, Limin; Demokan, M. Süleyman; Jin, Wei; Du, Henry

2007-09-01

We have explored the use of index-guiding liquid-core photonic crystal fiber (LC-PCF) as a platform for sensing and measurements of analyte solutions of minute volume by normal and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The index-guiding LC-PCF was fabricated by selectively sealing via fusion splicing the cladding air channels of a hollow-core PCF (HC-PCF) while leaving the center core open at both ends of the fiber. The center core of the resultant fiber was subsequently filled with water-ethanol solution mixtures at various ethanol concentrations for normal Raman scattering measurements and with water-thiocynate solutions containing Ag nanoparticle aggregates for SERS detection of thiocynate at trace concentrations. The light-guiding nature in the solution phase inside the LC-PCF allows direct and strong light-field overlap with the solution phase over the entire length of the PCF (~30 cm). This detection scheme also dramatically reduces the contribution of silica to Raman spectral background, compared with the solid-core counterpart, thus its potential interference in spectral analysis. These features attribute to ready normal Raman measurements of water, ethanol, and water (99 vol.%)-ethanol (1 vol.%) solutions as well as sensitive and reproducible SERS detection of ~10 ppb thiocynate in water, all at a volume of ~0.1 μL.

Apparent Transition in the Human Height Distribution Caused by Age-Dependent Variation during Puberty Period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwata, Takaki; Yamazaki, Yoshihiro; Kuninaka, Hiroto

2013-08-01

In this study, we examine the validity of the transition of the human height distribution from the log-normal distribution to the normal distribution during puberty, as suggested in an earlier study [Kuninaka et al.: J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 78 (2009) 125001]. Our data analysis reveals that, in late puberty, the variation in height decreases as children grow. Thus, the classification of a height dataset by age at this stage leads us to analyze a mixture of distributions with larger means and smaller variations. This mixture distribution has a negative skewness and is consequently closer to the normal distribution than to the log-normal distribution. The opposite case occurs in early puberty and the mixture distribution is positively skewed, which resembles the log-normal distribution rather than the normal distribution. Thus, this scenario mimics the transition during puberty. Additionally, our scenario is realized through a numerical simulation based on a statistical model. The present study does not support the transition suggested by the earlier study.

Robust Bayesian Analysis of Heavy-tailed Stochastic Volatility Models using Scale Mixtures of Normal Distributions

PubMed Central

Abanto-Valle, C. A.; Bandyopadhyay, D.; Lachos, V. H.; Enriquez, I.

2009-01-01

A Bayesian analysis of stochastic volatility (SV) models using the class of symmetric scale mixtures of normal (SMN) distributions is considered. In the face of non-normality, this provides an appealing robust alternative to the routine use of the normal distribution. Specific distributions examined include the normal, student-t, slash and the variance gamma distributions. Using a Bayesian paradigm, an efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm is introduced for parameter estimation. Moreover, the mixing parameters obtained as a by-product of the scale mixture representation can be used to identify outliers. The methods developed are applied to analyze daily stock returns data on S&P500 index. Bayesian model selection criteria as well as out-of- sample forecasting results reveal that the SV models based on heavy-tailed SMN distributions provide significant improvement in model fit as well as prediction to the S&P500 index data over the usual normal model. PMID:20730043

14 CFR 23.1147 - Mixture controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Mixture controls. 23.1147 Section 23.1147... STANDARDS: NORMAL, UTILITY, ACROBATIC, AND COMMUTER CATEGORY AIRPLANES Powerplant Powerplant Controls and Accessories § 23.1147 Mixture controls. (a) If there are mixture controls, each engine must have a separate...

14 CFR 23.1147 - Mixture controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Mixture controls. 23.1147 Section 23.1147... STANDARDS: NORMAL, UTILITY, ACROBATIC, AND COMMUTER CATEGORY AIRPLANES Powerplant Powerplant Controls and Accessories § 23.1147 Mixture controls. (a) If there are mixture controls, each engine must have a separate...

High Degree of Interlaboratory Reproducibility of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease and Reverse Transcriptase Sequencing of Plasma Samples from Heavily Treated Patients

PubMed Central

Shafer, Robert W.; Hertogs, Kurt; Zolopa, Andrew R.; Warford, Ann; Bloor, Stuart; Betts, Bradley J.; Merigan, Thomas C.; Harrigan, Richard; Larder, Brendon A.

2001-01-01

We assessed the reproducibility of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease sequencing using cryopreserved plasma aliquots obtained from 46 heavily treated HIV-1-infected individuals in two laboratories using dideoxynucleotide sequencing. The rates of complete sequence concordance between the two laboratories were 99.1% for the protease sequence and 99.0% for the RT sequence. Approximately 90% of the discordances were partial, defined as one laboratory detecting a mixture and the second laboratory detecting only one of the mixture's components. Only 0.1% of the nucleotides were completely discordant between the two laboratories, and these were significantly more likely to occur in plasma samples with lower plasma HIV-1 RNA levels. Nucleotide mixtures were detected at approximately 1% of the nucleotide positions, and in every case in which one laboratory detected a mixture, the second laboratory either detected the same mixture or detected one of the mixture's components. The high rate of concordance in detecting mixtures and the fact that most discordances between the two laboratories were partial suggest that most discordances were caused by variation in sampling of the HIV-1 quasispecies by PCR rather than by technical errors in the sequencing process itself. PMID:11283081

Accounting for non-independent detection when estimating abundance of organisms with a Bayesian approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martin, Julien; Royle, J. Andrew; MacKenzie, Darryl I.; Edwards, Holly H.; Kery, Marc; Gardner, Beth

2011-01-01

Summary 1. Binomial mixture models use repeated count data to estimate abundance. They are becoming increasingly popular because they provide a simple and cost-effective way to account for imperfect detection. However, these models assume that individuals are detected independently of each other. This assumption may often be violated in the field. For instance, manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) may surface in turbid water (i.e. become available for detection during aerial surveys) in a correlated manner (i.e. in groups). However, correlated behaviour, affecting the non-independence of individual detections, may also be relevant in other systems (e.g. correlated patterns of singing in birds and amphibians). 2. We extend binomial mixture models to account for correlated behaviour and therefore to account for non-independent detection of individuals. We simulated correlated behaviour using beta-binomial random variables. Our approach can be used to simultaneously estimate abundance, detection probability and a correlation parameter. 3. Fitting binomial mixture models to data that followed a beta-binomial distribution resulted in an overestimation of abundance even for moderate levels of correlation. In contrast, the beta-binomial mixture model performed considerably better in our simulation scenarios. We also present a goodness-of-fit procedure to evaluate the fit of beta-binomial mixture models. 4. We illustrate our approach by fitting both binomial and beta-binomial mixture models to aerial survey data of manatees in Florida. We found that the binomial mixture model did not fit the data, whereas there was no evidence of lack of fit for the beta-binomial mixture model. This example helps illustrate the importance of using simulations and assessing goodness-of-fit when analysing ecological data with N-mixture models. Indeed, both the simulations and the goodness-of-fit procedure highlighted the limitations of the standard binomial mixture model for aerial manatee surveys. 5. Overestimation of abundance by binomial mixture models owing to non-independent detections is problematic for ecological studies, but also for conservation. For example, in the case of endangered species, it could lead to inappropriate management decisions, such as downlisting. These issues will be increasingly relevant as more ecologists apply flexible N-mixture models to ecological data.

Scale Mixture Models with Applications to Bayesian Inference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Zhaohui S.; Damien, Paul; Walker, Stephen

2003-11-01

Scale mixtures of uniform distributions are used to model non-normal data in time series and econometrics in a Bayesian framework. Heteroscedastic and skewed data models are also tackled using scale mixture of uniform distributions.

Temporal and spatial patterns in vegetation and atmospheric properties from AVIRIS

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

Roberts, D.A.; Green, R.O.; Adams, J.B.

1997-12-01

Little research has focused on the use of imaging spectrometry for change detection. In this paper, the authors apply Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data to the monitoring of seasonal changes in atmospheric water vapor, liquid water, and surface cover in the vicinity of the Jasper Ridge, CA, for three dates in 1992. Apparent surface reflectance was retrieved and water vapor and liquid water mapped by using a radiative-transfer-based inversion that accounts for spatially variable atmospheres. Spectral mixture analysis (SMA) was used to model reflectance data as mixtures of green vegetation (GV), nonphotosynthetic vegetation (NPV), soil, and shade. Temporal andmore » spatial patterns in endmember fractions and liquid water were compared to the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The reflectance retrieval algorithm was tested by using a temporally invariant target.« less

Wavelength modulation diode laser absorption spectroscopy for high-pressure gas sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, K.; Chao, X.; Sur, R.; Jeffries, J. B.; Hanson, R. K.

2013-03-01

A general model for 1 f-normalized wavelength modulation absorption spectroscopy with nf detection (i.e., WMS- nf) is presented that considers the performance of injection-current-tuned diode lasers and the reflective interference produced by other optical components on the line-of-sight (LOS) transmission intensity. This model explores the optimization of sensitive detection of optical absorption by species with structured spectra at elevated pressures. Predictions have been validated by comparison with measurements of the 1 f-normalized WMS- nf (for n = 2-6) lineshape of the R(11) transition in the 1st overtone band of CO near 2.3 μm at four different pressures ranging from 5 to 20 atm, all at room temperature. The CO mole fractions measured by 1 f-normalized WMS-2 f, 3 f, and 4 f techniques agree with calibrated mixtures within 2.0 %. At conditions where absorption features are significantly broadened and large modulation depths are required, uncertainties in the WMS background signals due to reflective interference in the optical path can produce significant error in gas mole fraction measurements by 1 f-normalized WMS-2 f. However, such potential errors can be greatly reduced by using the higher harmonics, i.e., 1 f-normalized WMS- nf with n > 2. In addition, less interference from pressure-broadened neighboring transitions has been observed for WMS with higher harmonics than for WMS-2 f.

14 CFR 27.1147 - Mixture controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Mixture controls. 27.1147 Section 27.1147... STANDARDS: NORMAL CATEGORY ROTORCRAFT Powerplant Powerplant Controls and Accessories § 27.1147 Mixture controls. If there are mixture controls, each engine must have a separate control and the controls must be...

Detection of mastitis in dairy cattle by use of mixture models for repeated somatic cell scores: a Bayesian approach via Gibbs sampling.

PubMed

Odegård, J; Jensen, J; Madsen, P; Gianola, D; Klemetsdal, G; Heringstad, B

2003-11-01

The distribution of somatic cell scores could be regarded as a mixture of at least two components depending on a cow's udder health status. A heteroscedastic two-component Bayesian normal mixture model with random effects was developed and implemented via Gibbs sampling. The model was evaluated using datasets consisting of simulated somatic cell score records. Somatic cell score was simulated as a mixture representing two alternative udder health statuses ("healthy" or "diseased"). Animals were assigned randomly to the two components according to the probability of group membership (Pm). Random effects (additive genetic and permanent environment), when included, had identical distributions across mixture components. Posterior probabilities of putative mastitis were estimated for all observations, and model adequacy was evaluated using measures of sensitivity, specificity, and posterior probability of misclassification. Fitting different residual variances in the two mixture components caused some bias in estimation of parameters. When the components were difficult to disentangle, so were their residual variances, causing bias in estimation of Pm and of location parameters of the two underlying distributions. When all variance components were identical across mixture components, the mixture model analyses returned parameter estimates essentially without bias and with a high degree of precision. Including random effects in the model increased the probability of correct classification substantially. No sizable differences in probability of correct classification were found between models in which a single cow effect (ignoring relationships) was fitted and models where this effect was split into genetic and permanent environmental components, utilizing relationship information. When genetic and permanent environmental effects were fitted, the between-replicate variance of estimates of posterior means was smaller because the model accounted for random genetic drift.

Process Dissociation and Mixture Signal Detection Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeCarlo, Lawrence T.

2008-01-01

The process dissociation procedure was developed in an attempt to separate different processes involved in memory tasks. The procedure naturally lends itself to a formulation within a class of mixture signal detection models. The dual process model is shown to be a special case. The mixture signal detection model is applied to data from a widely…

Use of an Amino Acid Mixture in Treatment of Phenylketonuria

PubMed Central

Bentovim, A.; Clayton, Barbara E.; Francis, Dorothy E. M.; Shepherd, Jean; Wolff, O. H.

1970-01-01

Twelve children with phenylketonuria diagnosed and treated from the first few weeks of life were grouped into pairs. Before the trial all of them were receiving a commercial preparation containing a protein hydrolysate low in phenylalanine (Cymogran, Allen and Hanburys Ltd.) as a substitute for natural protein. One of each pair was given an amino acid mixture instead of Cymogran for about 6 months. Use of the mixture involved considerable modification of the diet, and in particular the inclusion of greater amounts of phenylalanine-free foods. All six accepted the new mixture without difficulty, food problems were greatly reduced, parents welcomed the new preparation, and the quality of family life improved. Normal growth was maintained and with a mixture of l amino acids the plasma and urinary amino acid levels were normal. Further studies are needed before the mixture can be recommended for children under 20 months of age. PMID:5477678

Product separator

DOEpatents

Welsh, Robert A.; Deurbrouck, Albert W.

1976-01-20

A secondary light sensitive photoelectric product separator for use with a primary product separator that concentrates a material so that it is visually distinguishable from adjacent materials. The concentrate separation is accomplished first by feeding the material onto a vibratory inclined surface with a liquid flow, such as a wet concentrating table. Vibrations generally perpendicular to the stream direction of flow cause the concentrate to separate from its mixture according to its color. When the concentrate and its surrounding stream reach the recovery end of the table, a detecting device notes the line of color demarcation and triggers a signal if it differs from a normal condition. If no difference is noted nothing moves on the second separator. However, if a difference is detected in the constant monitoring of the color line's location, a product splitter and recovery unit normally positioned near the color line at the recovery end, moves to a new position. In this manner the selected separated concentrate is recovered at a maximum rate regardless of variations in the flow stream or other conditions present.

Identification of Major Histocompatibility Complex-Regulated Body Odorants by Statistical Analysis of a Comparative Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry Experiment

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

Willse, Alan R.; Belcher, Ann; Preti, George

2005-04-15

Gas chromatography (GC), combined with mass spectrometry (MS) detection, is a powerful analytical technique that can be used to separate, quantify, and identify volatile compounds in complex mixtures. This paper examines the application of GC-MS in a comparative experiment to identify volatiles that differ in concentration between two groups. A complex mixture might comprise several hundred or even thousands of volatile compounds. Because their number and location in a chromatogram generally are unknown, and because components overlap in populous chromatograms, the statistical problems offer significant challenges beyond traditional two-group screening procedures. We describe a statistical procedure to compare two-dimensional GC-MSmore » profiles between groups, which entails (1) signal processing: baseline correction and peak detection in single ion chromatograms; (2) aligning chromatograms in time; (3) normalizing differences in overall signal intensities; and (4) detecting chromatographic regions that differ between groups. Compared to existing approaches, the proposed method is robust to errors made at earlier stages of analysis, such as missed peaks or slightly misaligned chromatograms. To illustrate the method, we identify differences in GC-MS chromatograms of ether-extracted urine collected from two nearly identical inbred groups of mice, to investigate the relationship between odor and genetics of the major histocompatibility complex.« less

Detection and structural identification of dissolved organic matter in Antarctic glacial ice at natural abundance by SPR-W5-WATERGATE 1H NMR spectroscopy.

PubMed

Pautler, Brent G; Simpson, André J; Simpson, Myrna J; Tseng, Li-Hong; Spraul, Manfred; Dubnick, Ashley; Sharp, Martin J; Fitzsimons, Sean J

2011-06-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems and is derived from various inputs that control its turnover. Glaciers and ice sheets are the second largest water reservoir in the global hydrologic cycle, but little is known about glacial DOM composition or contributions to biogeochemical cycling. Here we employ SPR-W5-WATERGATE (1)H NMR spectroscopy to elucidate and quantify the chemical structures of DOM constituents in Antarctic glacial ice as they exist in their natural state (average DOC of 8 mg/L) without isolation or preconcentration. This Antarctic glacial DOM is predominantly composed of a mixture of small recognizable molecules differing from DOM in marine, lacustrine, and other terrestrial environments. The major constituents detected in three distinct types of glacial ice include lactic and formic acid, free amino acids, and a mixture of simple sugars and amino sugars with concentrations that vary between ice types. The detection of free amino acid and amino sugar monomer components of peptidoglycan within the ice suggests that Antarctic glacial DOM likely originates from in situ microbial activity. As these constituents are normally considered to be biologically labile (fast cycling) in nonglacial environments, accelerated glacier melt and runoff may result in a flux of nutrients into adjacent ecosystems.

Modified screening and ranking algorithm for copy number variation detection.

PubMed

Xiao, Feifei; Min, Xiaoyi; Zhang, Heping

2015-05-01

Copy number variation (CNV) is a type of structural variation, usually defined as genomic segments that are 1 kb or larger, which present variable copy numbers when compared with a reference genome. The screening and ranking algorithm (SaRa) was recently proposed as an efficient approach for multiple change-points detection, which can be applied to CNV detection. However, some practical issues arise from application of SaRa to single nucleotide polymorphism data. In this study, we propose a modified SaRa on CNV detection to address these issues. First, we use the quantile normalization on the original intensities to guarantee that the normal mean model-based SaRa is a robust method. Second, a novel normal mixture model coupled with a modified Bayesian information criterion is proposed for candidate change-point selection and further clustering the potential CNV segments to copy number states. Simulations revealed that the modified SaRa became a robust method for identifying change-points and achieved better performance than the circular binary segmentation (CBS) method. By applying the modified SaRa to real data from the HapMap project, we illustrated its performance on detecting CNV segments. In conclusion, our modified SaRa method improves SaRa theoretically and numerically, for identifying CNVs with high-throughput genotyping data. The modSaRa package is implemented in R program and freely available at http://c2s2.yale.edu/software/modSaRa. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Early Menarche and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus at First Live Birth.

PubMed

Shen, Yun; Hu, Hui; D Taylor, Brandie; Kan, Haidong; Xu, Xiaohui

2017-03-01

To examine the association between early menarche and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2012 were used to investigate the association between age at menarche and the risk of GDM at first birth among 5914 women. A growth mixture model was used to detect distinctive menarche onset patterns based on self-reported age at menarche. Logistic regression models were then used to examine the associations between menarche initiation patterns and GDM after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, family history of diabetes mellitus, lifetime greatest Body Mass Index, smoking status, and physical activity level. Among the 5914 first-time mothers, 3.4 % had self-reported GDM. We detected three groups with heterogeneous menarche onset patterns, the Early, Normal, and Late Menarche Groups. The regression model shows that compared to the Normal Menarche Group, the Early Menarche Group had 1.75 (95 % CI 1.10, 2.79) times the odds of having GDM. No statistically significant difference was observed between the Normal and the Late Menarche Group. This study suggests that early menarche may be a risk factor of GDM. Future studies are warranted to examine and confirm this finding.

Computation of distribution of minimum resolution for log-normal distribution of chromatographic peak heights.

PubMed

Davis, Joe M

2011-10-28

General equations are derived for the distribution of minimum resolution between two chromatographic peaks, when peak heights in a multi-component chromatogram follow a continuous statistical distribution. The derivation draws on published theory by relating the area under the distribution of minimum resolution to the area under the distribution of the ratio of peak heights, which in turn is derived from the peak-height distribution. Two procedures are proposed for the equations' numerical solution. The procedures are applied to the log-normal distribution, which recently was reported to describe the distribution of component concentrations in three complex natural mixtures. For published statistical parameters of these mixtures, the distribution of minimum resolution is similar to that for the commonly assumed exponential distribution of peak heights used in statistical-overlap theory. However, these two distributions of minimum resolution can differ markedly, depending on the scale parameter of the log-normal distribution. Theory for the computation of the distribution of minimum resolution is extended to other cases of interest. With the log-normal distribution of peak heights as an example, the distribution of minimum resolution is computed when small peaks are lost due to noise or detection limits, and when the height of at least one peak is less than an upper limit. The distribution of minimum resolution shifts slightly to lower resolution values in the first case and to markedly larger resolution values in the second one. The theory and numerical procedure are confirmed by Monte Carlo simulation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth mixture modelling in families of the Framingham Heart Study

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Growth mixture modelling, a less explored method in genetic research, addresses unobserved heterogeneity in population samples. We applied this technique to longitudinal data of the Framingham Heart Study. We examined systolic blood pressure (BP) measures in 1060 males from 692 families and detected three subclasses, which varied significantly in their developmental trajectories over time. The first class consisted of 60 high-risk individuals with elevated BP early in life and a steep increase over time. The second group of 131 individuals displayed first normal BP, but showed a significant increase over time and reached high BP values late in their life time. The largest group of 869 individuals could be considered a normative group with normal BP on all exams. To identify genetic modulators for this phenotype, we tested 2,340 single-nucleotide polymorphisms on chromosome 8 for association with the class membership probabilities of our model. The probability of being in Class 1 was significantly associated with a very rare variant (rs1445404) present in only four individuals from four different families located in the coding region of the gene EYA (eyes absent homolog 1 in Drosophila) (p = 1.39 × 10-13). Mutations in EYA are known to cause brachio-oto-renal syndrome, as well as isolated renal malformations. Renal malformations could cause high BP early in life. This result awaits replication; however, it suggests that analyzing genetic data stratified for high-risk subgroups defined by a unique development over time could be useful for the detection of rare mutations in common multi-factorial diseases. PMID:20017979

Signal Partitioning Algorithm for Highly Efficient Gaussian Mixture Modeling in Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

Polanski, Andrzej; Marczyk, Michal; Pietrowska, Monika; Widlak, Piotr; Polanska, Joanna

2015-01-01

Mixture - modeling of mass spectra is an approach with many potential applications including peak detection and quantification, smoothing, de-noising, feature extraction and spectral signal compression. However, existing algorithms do not allow for automated analyses of whole spectra. Therefore, despite highlighting potential advantages of mixture modeling of mass spectra of peptide/protein mixtures and some preliminary results presented in several papers, the mixture modeling approach was so far not developed to the stage enabling systematic comparisons with existing software packages for proteomic mass spectra analyses. In this paper we present an efficient algorithm for Gaussian mixture modeling of proteomic mass spectra of different types (e.g., MALDI-ToF profiling, MALDI-IMS). The main idea is automated partitioning of protein mass spectral signal into fragments. The obtained fragments are separately decomposed into Gaussian mixture models. The parameters of the mixture models of fragments are then aggregated to form the mixture model of the whole spectrum. We compare the elaborated algorithm to existing algorithms for peak detection and we demonstrate improvements of peak detection efficiency obtained by using Gaussian mixture modeling. We also show applications of the elaborated algorithm to real proteomic datasets of low and high resolution. PMID:26230717

Measurement of nitrogen content in a gas mixture by transforming the nitrogen into a substance detectable with nondispersive infrared detection

DOEpatents

Owen, Thomas E.; Miller, Michael A.

2010-08-24

A method of determining the amount of nitrogen in a gas mixture. The constituent gases of the mixture are dissociated and transformed to create a substance that may measured using nondispersive infrared adsorption techniques.

Measurement of nitrogen content in a gas mixture by transforming the nitrogen into a substance detectable with nondispersive infrared detection

DOEpatents

Owen, Thomas E.; Miller, Michael A.

2007-03-13

A method of determining the amount of nitrogen in a gas mixture. The constituent gases of the mixture are dissociated and transformed to create a substance that may measured using nondispersive infrared adsorption techniques.

Multi-species laser absorption sensors for in situ monitoring of syngas composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sur, Ritobrata; Sun, Kai; Jeffries, Jay B.; Hanson, Ronald K.

2014-04-01

Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy sensors for detection of CO, CO2, CH4 and H2O at elevated pressures in mixtures of synthesis gas (syngas: products of coal and/or biomass gasification) were developed and tested. Wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) with 1f-normalized 2f detection was employed. Fiber-coupled DFB diode lasers operating at 2325, 2017, 2290 and 1352 nm were used for simultaneously measuring CO, CO2, CH4 and H2O, respectively. Criteria for the selection of transitions were developed, and transitions were selected to optimize the signal and minimize interference from other species. For quantitative WMS measurements, the collision-broadening coefficients of the selected transitions were determined for collisions with possible syngas components, namely CO, CO2, CH4, H2O, N2 and H2. Sample measurements were performed for each species in gas cells at a temperature of 25 °C up to pressures of 20 atm. To validate the sensor performance, the composition of synthetic syngas was determined by the absorption sensor and compared with the known values. A method of estimating the lower heating value and Wobbe index of the syngas mixture from these measurements was also demonstrated.

Mixture distributions of wind speed in the UAE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, J.; Ouarda, T.; Lee, T. S.

2013-12-01

Wind speed probability distribution is commonly used to estimate potential wind energy. The 2-parameter Weibull distribution has been most widely used to characterize the distribution of wind speed. However, it is unable to properly model wind speed regimes when wind speed distribution presents bimodal and kurtotic shapes. Several studies have concluded that the Weibull distribution should not be used for frequency analysis of wind speed without investigation of wind speed distribution. Due to these mixture distributional characteristics of wind speed data, the application of mixture distributions should be further investigated in the frequency analysis of wind speed. A number of studies have investigated the potential wind energy in different parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Mixture distributional characteristics of wind speed were detected from some of these studies. Nevertheless, mixture distributions have not been employed for wind speed modeling in the Arabian Peninsula. In order to improve our understanding of wind energy potential in Arabian Peninsula, mixture distributions should be tested for the frequency analysis of wind speed. The aim of the current study is to assess the suitability of mixture distributions for the frequency analysis of wind speed in the UAE. Hourly mean wind speed data at 10-m height from 7 stations were used in the current study. The Weibull and Kappa distributions were employed as representatives of the conventional non-mixture distributions. 10 mixture distributions are used and constructed by mixing four probability distributions such as Normal, Gamma, Weibull and Extreme value type-one (EV-1) distributions. Three parameter estimation methods such as Expectation Maximization algorithm, Least Squares method and Meta-Heuristic Maximum Likelihood (MHML) method were employed to estimate the parameters of the mixture distributions. In order to compare the goodness-of-fit of tested distributions and parameter estimation methods for sample wind data, the adjusted coefficient of determination, Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) and Chi-squared statistics were computed. Results indicate that MHML presents the best performance of parameter estimation for the used mixture distributions. In most of the employed 7 stations, mixture distributions give the best fit. When the wind speed regime shows mixture distributional characteristics, most of these regimes present the kurtotic statistical characteristic. Particularly, applications of mixture distributions for these stations show a significant improvement in explaining the whole wind speed regime. In addition, the Weibull-Weibull mixture distribution presents the best fit for the wind speed data in the UAE.

Electron Transport Coefficients and Effective Ionization Coefficients in SF6-O2 and SF6-Air Mixtures Using Boltzmann Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Linsheng; Xu, Min; Yuan, Dingkun; Zhang, Yafang; Hu, Zhaoji; Tan, Zhihong

2014-10-01

The electron drift velocity, electron energy distribution function (EEDF), density-normalized effective ionization coefficient and density-normalized longitudinal diffusion velocity are calculated in SF6-O2 and SF6-Air mixtures. The experimental results from a pulsed Townsend discharge are plotted for comparison with the numerical results. The reduced field strength varies from 40 Td to 500 Td (1 Townsend=10-17 V·cm2) and the SF6 concentration ranges from 10% to 100%. A Boltzmann equation associated with the two-term spherical harmonic expansion approximation is utilized to gain the swarm parameters in steady-state Townsend. Results show that the accuracy of the Boltzmann solution with a two-term expansion in calculating the electron drift velocity, electron energy distribution function, and density-normalized effective ionization coefficient is acceptable. The effective ionization coefficient presents a distinct relationship with the SF6 content in the mixtures. Moreover, the E/Ncr values in SF6-Air mixtures are higher than those in SF6-O2 mixtures and the calculated value E/Ncr in SF6-O2 and SF6-Air mixtures is lower than the measured value in SF6-N2. Parametric studies conducted on these parameters using the Boltzmann analysis offer substantial insight into the plasma physics, as well as a basis to explore the ozone generation process.

Quantitative subpixel spectral detection of targets in multispectral images. [terrestrial and planetary surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sabol, Donald E., Jr.; Adams, John B.; Smith, Milton O.

1992-01-01

The conditions that affect the spectral detection of target materials at the subpixel scale are examined. Two levels of spectral mixture analysis for determining threshold detection limits of target materials in a spectral mixture are presented, the cases where the target is detected as: (1) a component of a spectral mixture (continuum threshold analysis) and (2) residuals (residual threshold analysis). The results of these two analyses are compared under various measurement conditions. The examples illustrate the general approach that can be used for evaluating the spectral detectability of terrestrial and planetary targets at the subpixel scale.

Detection of cocrystal formation based on binary phase diagrams using thermal analysis.

PubMed

Yamashita, Hiroyuki; Hirakura, Yutaka; Yuda, Masamichi; Teramura, Toshio; Terada, Katsuhide

2013-01-01

Although a number of studies have reported that cocrystals can form by heating a physical mixture of two components, details surrounding heat-induced cocrystal formation remain unclear. Here, we attempted to clarify the thermal behavior of a physical mixture and cocrystal formation in reference to a binary phase diagram. Physical mixtures prepared using an agate mortar were heated at rates of 2, 5, 10, and 30 °C/min using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Some mixtures were further analyzed using X-ray DSC and polarization microscopy. When a physical mixture consisting of two components which was capable of cocrystal formation was heated using DSC, an exothermic peak associated with cocrystal formation was detected immediately after an endothermic peak. In some combinations, several endothermic peaks were detected and associated with metastable eutectic melting, eutectic melting, and cocrystal melting. In contrast, when a physical mixture of two components which is incapable of cocrystal formation was heated using DSC, only a single endothermic peak associated with eutectic melting was detected. These experimental observations demonstrated how the thermal events were attributed to phase transitions occurring in a binary mixture and clarified the relationship between exothermic peaks and cocrystal formation.

Process dissociation and mixture signal detection theory.

PubMed

DeCarlo, Lawrence T

2008-11-01

The process dissociation procedure was developed in an attempt to separate different processes involved in memory tasks. The procedure naturally lends itself to a formulation within a class of mixture signal detection models. The dual process model is shown to be a special case. The mixture signal detection model is applied to data from a widely analyzed study. The results suggest that a process other than recollection may be involved in the process dissociation procedure.

Establishment of three permanent cover crop seed mixtures in Hungarian vineyards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miglécz, Tamas; Valkó, Orsolya; Donkó, Ádám; Deák, Balázs; Török, Péter; Kelemen, András; Drexler, Dóra; Tóthmérész, Béla

2015-04-01

In organic vineyard farming sowing high diversity cover crop seed mixtures offers a great opportunity to overcome high-priority problems mitigating vineyard cultivation, such as gain erosion control, save soil fertility, improve soil microbial activity and control weeds. Furthermore, we can also improve the biodiversity and ecosystem services of vineyards. Mainly non-native or low diversity seed mixtures are used for cover cropping containing some grass, grain or Fabaceae species. We studied vegetation development after sowing native high-diversity seed mixtures in four vineyards in an on farm field trial. We compared the effects of 4 treatments: (i) Biocont-Ecowin mixture (12 species), (ii) Fabaceae mixture (9 species), (iii) Grass-forb mixture (16 species) and control (no seed sowing). Study sites were located in Tokaj wine region, East Hungary. Seed mixtures were sown in March, 2012. After sowing, we recorded the percentage cover of vascular plant species in the end of June 2012, 2013 and 2014 in altogether 80 permanent plots. In the first year the establishment and weed control of Biocont-Ecowin and Legume seed mixture was the best. For the second year in inter-rows sown with Grass-herb and Legume seed mixtures we detected decreasing weed cover scores, while in inter-rows sown with Biocont-Ecowin seed mixture and in control inter-rows we detected higher weed cover scores. In the third year we still detected lower weed cover scores in inter-rows sown with Grass-forb and Legume seed mixtures, however on several sites we also detected decreasing cover of sown species. All sown species were detected in our plots during the time of the study, however some species were present only with low cover scores or only in a few plots. Out of the sown species Lotus corniculatus, Medicago lupulina, Plantago lanceolata, Trifolium repens, T. pratense and Coronilla varia established the most successfully, and had high cover scores on most sites even in the second and third year. Our trial to develop species rich cover crops was successful. According to our findings sowing high-diversity seed mixtures in cover cropping offers a good opportunity to gain weed control.

An iterative procedure for obtaining maximum-likelihood estimates of the parameters for a mixture of normal distributions, Addendum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, B. C., Jr.; Walker, H. F.

1975-01-01

New results and insights concerning a previously published iterative procedure for obtaining maximum-likelihood estimates of the parameters for a mixture of normal distributions were discussed. It was shown that the procedure converges locally to the consistent maximum likelihood estimate as long as a specified parameter is bounded between two limits. Bound values were given to yield optimal local convergence.

Comparison of NIR chemical imaging with conventional NIR, Raman and ATR-IR spectroscopy for quantification of furosemide crystal polymorphs in ternary powder mixtures.

PubMed

Schönbichler, S A; Bittner, L K H; Weiss, A K H; Griesser, U J; Pallua, J D; Huck, C W

2013-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of near-infrared chemical imaging (NIR-CI), near-infrared (NIR), Raman and attenuated-total-reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy to quantify three polymorphic forms (I, II, III) of furosemide in ternary powder mixtures. For this purpose, partial least-squares (PLS) regression models were developed, and different data preprocessing algorithms such as normalization, standard normal variate (SNV), multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) and 1st to 3rd derivatives were applied to reduce the influence of systematic disturbances. The performance of the methods was evaluated by comparison of the standard error of cross-validation (SECV), R(2), and the ratio performance deviation (RPD). Limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) of all methods were determined. For NIR-CI, a SECVcorr-spec and a SECVsingle-pixel corrected were calculated to assess the loss of accuracy by taking advantage of the spatial information. NIR-CI showed a SECVcorr-spec (SECVsingle-pixel corrected) of 2.82% (3.71%), 3.49% (4.65%), and 4.10% (5.06%) for form I, II, III. NIR had a SECV of 2.98%, 3.62%, and 2.75%, and Raman reached 3.25%, 3.08%, and 3.18%. The SECV of the ATR-IR models were 7.46%, 7.18%, and 12.08%. This study proves that NIR-CI, NIR, and Raman are well suited to quantify forms I-III of furosemide in ternary mixtures. Because of the pressure-dependent conversion of form II to form I, ATR-IR was found to be less appropriate for an accurate quantification of the mixtures. In this study, the capability of NIR-CI for the quantification of polymorphic ternary mixtures was compared with conventional spectroscopic techniques for the first time. For this purpose, a new way of spectra selection was chosen, and two kinds of SECVs were calculated to achieve a better comparability of NIR-CI to NIR, Raman, and ATR-IR. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Considerations for potency equivalent calculations in the Ah receptor-based CALUX bioassay: Normalization of superinduction results for improved sample potency estimation

PubMed Central

Baston, David S.; Denison, Michael S.

2011-01-01

The chemically activated luciferase expression (CALUX) system is a mechanistically based recombinant luciferase reporter gene cell bioassay used in combination with chemical extraction and clean-up methods for the detection and relative quantitation of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and related dioxin-like halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons in a wide variety of sample matrices. While sample extracts containing complex mixtures of chemicals can produce a variety of distinct concentration-dependent luciferase induction responses in CALUX cells, these effects are produced through a common mechanism of action (i.e. the Ah receptor (AhR)) allowing normalization of results and sample potency determination. Here we describe the diversity in CALUX response to PCDD/Fs from sediment and soil extracts and not only report the occurrence of superinduction of the CALUX bioassay, but we describe a mechanistically based approach for normalization of superinduction data that results in a more accurate estimation of the relative potency of such sample extracts. PMID:21238730

Chemical mixtures in untreated water from public-supply wells in the U.S. — Occurrence, composition, and potential toxicity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Toccalino, Patricia L.; Norman, Julia E.; Scott, Jonathon C.

2012-01-01

Chemical mixtures are prevalent in groundwater used for public water supply, but little is known about their potential health effects. As part of a large-scale ambient groundwater study, we evaluated chemical mixtures across multiple chemical classes, and included more chemical contaminants than in previous studies of mixtures in public-supply wells. We (1) assessed the occurrence of chemical mixtures in untreated source-water samples from public-supply wells, (2) determined the composition of the most frequently occurring mixtures, and (3) characterized the potential toxicity of mixtures using a new screening approach. The U.S. Geological Survey collected one untreated water sample from each of 383 public wells distributed across 35 states, and analyzed the samples for as many as 91 chemical contaminants. Concentrations of mixture components were compared to individual human-health benchmarks; the potential toxicity of mixtures was characterized by addition of benchmark-normalized component concentrations. Most samples (84%) contained mixtures of two or more contaminants, each at concentrations greater than one-tenth of individual benchmarks. The chemical mixtures that most frequently occurred and had the greatest potential toxicity primarily were composed of trace elements (including arsenic, strontium, or uranium), radon, or nitrate. Herbicides, disinfection by-products, and solvents were the most common organic contaminants in mixtures. The sum of benchmark-normalized concentrations was greater than 1 for 58% of samples, suggesting that there could be potential for mixtures toxicity in more than half of the public-well samples. Our findings can be used to help set priorities for groundwater monitoring and suggest future research directions for drinking-water treatment studies and for toxicity assessments of chemical mixtures in water resources.

Discrete Velocity Models for Polyatomic Molecules Without Nonphysical Collision Invariants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernhoff, Niclas

2018-05-01

An important aspect of constructing discrete velocity models (DVMs) for the Boltzmann equation is to obtain the right number of collision invariants. Unlike for the Boltzmann equation, for DVMs there can appear extra collision invariants, so called spurious collision invariants, in plus to the physical ones. A DVM with only physical collision invariants, and hence, without spurious ones, is called normal. The construction of such normal DVMs has been studied a lot in the literature for single species, but also for binary mixtures and recently extensively for multicomponent mixtures. In this paper, we address ways of constructing normal DVMs for polyatomic molecules (here represented by that each molecule has an internal energy, to account for non-translational energies, which can change during collisions), under the assumption that the set of allowed internal energies are finite. We present general algorithms for constructing such models, but we also give concrete examples of such constructions. This approach can also be combined with similar constructions of multicomponent mixtures to obtain multicomponent mixtures with polyatomic molecules, which is also briefly outlined. Then also, chemical reactions can be added.

An anomaly detection approach for the identification of DME patients using spectral domain optical coherence tomography images.

PubMed

Sidibé, Désiré; Sankar, Shrinivasan; Lemaître, Guillaume; Rastgoo, Mojdeh; Massich, Joan; Cheung, Carol Y; Tan, Gavin S W; Milea, Dan; Lamoureux, Ecosse; Wong, Tien Y; Mériaudeau, Fabrice

2017-02-01

This paper proposes a method for automatic classification of spectral domain OCT data for the identification of patients with retinal diseases such as Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). We address this issue as an anomaly detection problem and propose a method that not only allows the classification of the OCT volume, but also allows the identification of the individual diseased B-scans inside the volume. Our approach is based on modeling the appearance of normal OCT images with a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) and detecting abnormal OCT images as outliers. The classification of an OCT volume is based on the number of detected outliers. Experimental results with two different datasets show that the proposed method achieves a sensitivity and a specificity of 80% and 93% on the first dataset, and 100% and 80% on the second one. Moreover, the experiments show that the proposed method achieves better classification performance than other recently published works. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Endocrine Disrupting Pesticides by Capillary GC with Mass Spectrometric Detection

PubMed Central

Matisová, Eva; Hrouzková, Svetlana

2012-01-01

Endocrine disrupting chemicals, among them many pesticides, alter the normal functioning of the endocrine system of both wildlife and humans at very low concentration levels. Therefore, the importance of method development for their analysis in food and the environment is increasing. This also covers contributions in the field of ultra-trace analysis of multicomponent mixtures of organic pollutants in complex matrices. With this fact conventional capillary gas chromatography (CGC) and fast CGC with mass spectrometric detection (MS) has acquired a real importance in the analysis of endocrine disrupting pesticide (EDP) residues. This paper provides an overview of GC methods, including sample preparation steps, for analysis of EDPs in a variety of matrices at ultra-trace concentration levels. Emphasis is put on separation method, mode of MS detection and ionization and obtained limits of detection and quantification. Analysis time is one of the most important aspects that should be considered in the choice of analytical methods for routine analysis. Therefore, the benefits of developed fast GC methods are important. PMID:23202677

Magnetic analysis of commercial hematite, magnetite, and their mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadzadeh, Mostafa; Romero, Camila; McCloy, John

2018-05-01

Magnetic techniques are suitable to detect iron oxides even in trace concentrations. However, since several iron oxides may be simultaneously present in natural and synthetic samples, mixtures of magnetic particles and magnetic interactions between grains can complicate magnetic signatures. Among the iron oxide minerals, hematite (α-Fe2O3) and magnetite (Fe3O4) are the most common. In this work, different commercial hematite powders, normally used as Fe precursor in laboratory synthesis of Fe-containing oxides, were characterized using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The effects of different concentrations of the hematite and magnetite on the magnetic properties of a set of mixtures (from 1 to 10 wt% magnetite) were then investigated by measuring the hysteresis loops, first order reversal curves (FORCs), thermal demagnetization, and isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) curves. The three commercial hematite powders presented different magnetic behaviors mostly due to the effects of particle size. The magnetic results of mixtures reveal that it is very difficult to identify hematite magnetic signals by means of hysteresis loops, FORCs, or thermal demagnetization when even a small amount of magnetite (>5 wt%) is present due to magnetite's high specific magnetization. However, IRM was found to be a sensitive method to determine the presence of hematite when magnetite is simultaneously present as high as 10 wt%.

Arctic lead detection using a waveform mixture algorithm from CryoSat-2 data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sanggyun; Kim, Hyun-cheol; Im, Jungho

2018-05-01

We propose a waveform mixture algorithm to detect leads from CryoSat-2 data, which is novel and different from the existing threshold-based lead detection methods. The waveform mixture algorithm adopts the concept of spectral mixture analysis, which is widely used in the field of hyperspectral image analysis. This lead detection method was evaluated with high-resolution (250 m) MODIS images and showed comparable and promising performance in detecting leads when compared to the previous methods. The robustness of the proposed approach also lies in the fact that it does not require the rescaling of parameters (i.e., stack standard deviation, stack skewness, stack kurtosis, pulse peakiness, and backscatter σ0), as it directly uses L1B waveform data, unlike the existing threshold-based methods. Monthly lead fraction maps were produced by the waveform mixture algorithm, which shows interannual variability of recent sea ice cover during 2011-2016, excluding the summer season (i.e., June to September). We also compared the lead fraction maps to other lead fraction maps generated from previously published data sets, resulting in similar spatiotemporal patterns.

Insect-gene-activity detection system for chemical and biological warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackie, Ryan S.; Schilling, Amanda S.; Lopez, Arturo M.; Rayms-Keller, Alfredo

2002-02-01

Detection of multiple chemical and biological weapons (CBW) agents and/or complex mixtures of toxic industrial chemicals (TIC) is imperative for both the commercial and military sectors. In a military scenario, a multi-CBW attack would create confusion, thereby delaying decontamination and therapeutic efforts. In the commercial sector, polluted sites invariably contain a mixture of TIC. Novel detection systems capable of detecting CBW and TIC are sorely needed. While it may be impossible to build a detector capable of discriminating all the possible combinations of CBW, a detection system capable of statistically predicting the most likely composition of a given mixture is within the reach of current emerging technologies. Aquatic insect-gene activity may prove to be a sensitive, discriminating, and elegant paradigm for the detection of CBW and TIC. We propose to systematically establish the expression patterns of selected protein markers in insects exposed to specific mixtures of chemical and biological warfare agents to generate a library of biosignatures of exposure. The predicting capabilities of an operational library of biosignatures of exposures will allow the detection of emerging novel or genetically engineered agents, as well as complex mixtures of chemical and biological weapons agents. CBW and TIC are discussed in the context of war, terrorism, and pollution.

Production of Normal Mammalian Organ Culture Using a Medium Containing Mem-Alpha, Leibovitz L 15, Glucose Galactose Fructose

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodwin, Thomas J. (Inventor); Wolf, David A. (Inventor); Spaulding, Glenn F. (Inventor); Prewett, Tacey L. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

Normal mammalian tissue and the culturing process has been developed for the three groups of organ, structural and blood tissue. The cells are grown in vitro under micro- gravity culture conditions and form three dimensional cells aggregates with normal cell function. The microgravity culture conditions may be microgravity or simulated microgravity created in a horizontal rotating wall culture vessel. The medium used for culturing the cells, especially a mixture of epithelial and mesenchymal cells contains a mixture of Mem-alpha and Leibovits L15 supplemented with glucose, galactose and fructose.

Experimental evidence for killing the resistant cells and raising the efficacy and decreasing the toxicity of cytostatics and irradiation by mixtures of the agents of the passive antitumor defense system in the case of various tumor and normal cell lines in vitro.

PubMed

Kulcsár, Gyula

2009-02-01

Despite the substantial decline of the immune system in AIDS, only a few kinds of tumors increase in incidence. This shows that the immune system has no absolute role in the prevention of tumors. Therefore, the fact that tumors do not develop in the majority of the population during their lifetime indicates the existence of other defense system(s). According to our hypothesis, the defense is made by certain substances of the circulatory system. Earlier, on the basis of this hypothesis, we experimentally selected 16 substances of the circulatory system and demonstrated that the mixture of them (called active mixture) had a cytotoxic effect (inducing apoptosis) in vitro and in vivo on different tumor cell lines, but not on normal cells and animals. In this paper, we provide evidence that different cytostatic drugs or irradiation in combination with the active mixture killed significantly more cancer cells, compared with either treatments alone. The active mixture decreased, to a certain extent, the toxicity of cytostatics and irradiation on normal cells, but the most important result was that the active mixture destroyed the multidrug-resistant cells. Our results provide the possibility to improve the efficacy and reduce the side-effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy and to prevent the relapse by killing the resistant cells.

Evaluation of MidIR fibre optic reflectance: Detection limit, reproducibility and binary mixture discrimination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sessa, Clarimma; Bagán, Héctor; García, José Francisco

2013-11-01

MidIR fibre optic reflectance (MidIR-FORS) is a promising analytical technique in the field of science conservation, especially because it is non-destructive. Another advantage of MidIR-FORS is that the obtained information is representative, as a large amount of spectral data can be collected. Although the technique has a high potential and is almost routinely applied, its quality parameters have not been thoroughly studied in the specific application of analysis of artistic materials. The objective of this study is to evaluate the instrumental capabilities of MidIR-FORS for the analysis of artwork materials in terms of detection limit, reproducibility, and mixture characterisation. The study has been focused on oil easel painting and several paints of known composition have been analysed. Paint layers include blue pigments not only because of their important role along art history, but also because their physical and spectroscopic characteristics allow a better evaluation of the MidIR-FORS capabilities. The results of the analysis indicate that MidIR-FORS supplies a signal affected by different factors, such as the optical, morphological and physical properties of the surface, in addition to the composition of materials analysed. Consequently, the detection limits established are relatively high for artistic objects (Prussian blue - PB 2.1-6.5%; Phthalocyanine blue - Pht 6.3-10.2%; synthetic Ultramarine blue - UM 12.1%) and may therefore lead to an incomplete description of the artwork. Reproducibility of the technique over time and across surface has been determined. The results show that the major sources of dispersion are the heterogeneity of the pigments distribution, physical features, and band shape distortions. The total dispersion is around 4% for the most intense bands (oil) and increases up to 26% when weak or overlapped bands are considered (PB, Pht, UM). The application of different pre-treatments (cutoff of fibres absorption, Savizky-Golay smoothing algorithm, polynomial baseline offset, Standard Normal Variate algorithm - SNV) to the raw spectra allows improving these results to maximum values of 15%. Finally, the capabilities of PCA and MidIR-FORS to discriminate between binary mixtures were tested. The results demonstrate that it is possible to differentiate mixtures depending on the range of concentration of their components, within specific limits of detection.

Deterministic annealing for density estimation by multivariate normal mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kloppenburg, Martin; Tavan, Paul

1997-03-01

An approach to maximum-likelihood density estimation by mixtures of multivariate normal distributions for large high-dimensional data sets is presented. Conventionally that problem is tackled by notoriously unstable expectation-maximization (EM) algorithms. We remove these instabilities by the introduction of soft constraints, enabling deterministic annealing. Our developments are motivated by the proof that algorithmically stable fuzzy clustering methods that are derived from statistical physics analogs are special cases of EM procedures.

Single nucleotide primer extension to detect genetic diseases: Experimental application to hemophilia B (factor IX) and cystic fibrosis genes

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

Kuppuswamy, M.N.; Hoffmann, J.W.; Spitzer, S.G.

1991-02-15

In this report, the authors describe an approach to detect the presence of abnormal alleles in those genetic diseases in which frequency of occurrence of the same mutation is high (e.g., hemophilia B). Initially, from each subject, the DNA fragment containing the putative mutation site is amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. For each fragment two reaction mixtures are then prepared. Each contains the amplified fragment, a primer (18-mer or longer) whose sequence is identical to the coding sequence of the normal gene immediately flanking the 5{prime} end of the mutation site, and either an {alpha}-{sup 32}P-labeled nucleotide corresponding tomore » the normal coding sequence at the mutation site or an {alpha}-{sup 32}P-labeled nucleotide corresponding to the mutant sequence. An essential feature of the present methodology is that the base immediately 3{prime} to the template-bound primer is one of those altered in the mutant, since in this way an extension of the primer by a single base will give an extended molecule characteristic of either the mutant or the wild type. The method is rapid and should be useful in carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis of every genetic disease with a known sequence variation.« less

Mixture Factor Analysis for Approximating a Nonnormally Distributed Continuous Latent Factor with Continuous and Dichotomous Observed Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Melanie M.; Guo, Jia; Amemiya, Yasuo

2012-01-01

Mixture factor analysis is examined as a means of flexibly estimating nonnormally distributed continuous latent factors in the presence of both continuous and dichotomous observed variables. A simulation study compares mixture factor analysis with normal maximum likelihood (ML) latent factor modeling. Different results emerge for continuous versus…

heterogeneous mixture distributions for multi-source extreme rainfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouarda, T.; Shin, J.; Lee, T. S.

2013-12-01

Mixture distributions have been used to model hydro-meteorological variables showing mixture distributional characteristics, e.g. bimodality. Homogeneous mixture (HOM) distributions (e.g. Normal-Normal and Gumbel-Gumbel) have been traditionally applied to hydro-meteorological variables. However, there is no reason to restrict the mixture distribution as the combination of one identical type. It might be beneficial to characterize the statistical behavior of hydro-meteorological variables from the application of heterogeneous mixture (HTM) distributions such as Normal-Gamma. In the present work, we focus on assessing the suitability of HTM distributions for the frequency analysis of hydro-meteorological variables. In the present work, in order to estimate the parameters of HTM distributions, the meta-heuristic algorithm (Genetic Algorithm) is employed to maximize the likelihood function. In the present study, a number of distributions are compared, including the Gamma-Extreme value type-one (EV1) HTM distribution, the EV1-EV1 HOM distribution, and EV1 distribution. The proposed distribution models are applied to the annual maximum precipitation data in South Korea. The Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), the root mean squared errors (RMSE) and the log-likelihood are used as measures of goodness-of-fit of the tested distributions. Results indicate that the HTM distribution (Gamma-EV1) presents the best fitness. The HTM distribution shows significant improvement in the estimation of quantiles corresponding to the 20-year return period. It is shown that extreme rainfall in the coastal region of South Korea presents strong heterogeneous mixture distributional characteristics. Results indicate that HTM distributions are a good alternative for the frequency analysis of hydro-meteorological variables when disparate statistical characteristics are presented.

Combustion of Gaseous Mixtures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duchene, R

1932-01-01

This report not only presents matters of practical importance in the classification of engine fuels, for which other means have proved inadequate, but also makes a few suggestions. It confirms the results of Withrow and Boyd which localize the explosive wave in the last portions of the mixture burned. This being the case, it may be assumed that the greater the normal combustion, the less the energy developed in the explosive form. In order to combat the detonation, it is therefore necessary to try to render the normal combustion swift and complete, as produced in carbureted mixtures containing benzene (benzol), in which the flame propagation, beginning at the spark, yields a progressive and pronounced darkening on the photographic film.

Standoff detection of turbulent chemical mixture plumes using a swept external cavity quantum cascade laser

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

Phillips, Mark C.; Brumfield, Brian E.

We demonstrate standoff detection of turbulent mixed-chemical plumes using a broadly-tunable external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL). The ECQCL was directed through plumes of mixed methanol/ethanol vapor to a partially-reflective surface located 10 m away. The reflected power was measured as the ECQCL was swept over its tuning range of 930-1065 cm-1 (9.4-10.8 µm) at rates up to 200 Hz. Analysis of the transmission spectra though the plume was performed to determine chemical concentrations with time resolution of 0.005 s. Comparison of multiple spectral sweep rates of 2 Hz, 20 Hz, and 200 Hz shows that higher sweep rates reducemore » effects of atmospheric and source turbulence, resulting in lower detection noise and more accurate measurement of the rapidly-changing chemical concentrations. Detection sensitivities of 0.13 ppm*m for MeOH and 1.2 ppm*m for EtOH are demonstrated for a 200 Hz spectral sweep rate, normalized to 1 s detection time.« less

Theoretical Calculation of the Electron Transport Parameters and Energy Distribution Function for CF3I with noble gases mixtures using Monte Carlo simulation program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jawad, Enas A.

2018-05-01

In this paper, The Monte Carlo simulation program has been used to calculation the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) and electric transport parameters for the gas mixtures of The trif leoroiodo methane (CF3I) ‘environment friendly’ with a noble gases (Argon, Helium, kryptos, Neon and Xenon). The electron transport parameters are assessed in the range of E/N (E is the electric field and N is the gas number density of background gas molecules) between 100 to 2000Td (1 Townsend = 10-17 V cm2) at room temperature. These parameters, namely are electron mean energy (ε), the density –normalized longitudinal diffusion coefficient (NDL) and the density –normalized mobility (μN). In contrast, the impact of CF3I in the noble gases mixture is strongly apparent in the values for the electron mean energy, the density –normalized longitudinal diffusion coefficient and the density –normalized mobility. Note in the results of the calculation agreed well with the experimental results.

Identification of Allelic Imbalance with a Statistical Model for Subtle Genomic Mosaicism

PubMed Central

Xia, Rui; Vattathil, Selina; Scheet, Paul

2014-01-01

Genetic heterogeneity in a mixed sample of tumor and normal DNA can confound characterization of the tumor genome. Numerous computational methods have been proposed to detect aberrations in DNA samples from tumor and normal tissue mixtures. Most of these require tumor purities to be at least 10–15%. Here, we present a statistical model to capture information, contained in the individual's germline haplotypes, about expected patterns in the B allele frequencies from SNP microarrays while fully modeling their magnitude, the first such model for SNP microarray data. Our model consists of a pair of hidden Markov models—one for the germline and one for the tumor genome—which, conditional on the observed array data and patterns of population haplotype variation, have a dependence structure induced by the relative imbalance of an individual's inherited haplotypes. Together, these hidden Markov models offer a powerful approach for dealing with mixtures of DNA where the main component represents the germline, thus suggesting natural applications for the characterization of primary clones when stromal contamination is extremely high, and for identifying lesions in rare subclones of a tumor when tumor purity is sufficient to characterize the primary lesions. Our joint model for germline haplotypes and acquired DNA aberration is flexible, allowing a large number of chromosomal alterations, including balanced and imbalanced losses and gains, copy-neutral loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH) and tetraploidy. We found our model (which we term J-LOH) to be superior for localizing rare aberrations in a simulated 3% mixture sample. More generally, our model provides a framework for full integration of the germline and tumor genomes to deal more effectively with missing or uncertain features, and thus extract maximal information from difficult scenarios where existing methods fail. PMID:25166618

Embedded security system for multi-modal surveillance in a railway carriage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zouaoui, Rhalem; Audigier, Romaric; Ambellouis, Sébastien; Capman, François; Benhadda, Hamid; Joudrier, Stéphanie; Sodoyer, David; Lamarque, Thierry

2015-10-01

Public transport security is one of the main priorities of the public authorities when fighting against crime and terrorism. In this context, there is a great demand for autonomous systems able to detect abnormal events such as violent acts aboard passenger cars and intrusions when the train is parked at the depot. To this end, we present an innovative approach which aims at providing efficient automatic event detection by fusing video and audio analytics and reducing the false alarm rate compared to classical stand-alone video detection. The multi-modal system is composed of two microphones and one camera and integrates onboard video and audio analytics and fusion capabilities. On the one hand, for detecting intrusion, the system relies on the fusion of "unusual" audio events detection with intrusion detections from video processing. The audio analysis consists in modeling the normal ambience and detecting deviation from the trained models during testing. This unsupervised approach is based on clustering of automatically extracted segments of acoustic features and statistical Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) modeling of each cluster. The intrusion detection is based on the three-dimensional (3D) detection and tracking of individuals in the videos. On the other hand, for violent events detection, the system fuses unsupervised and supervised audio algorithms with video event detection. The supervised audio technique detects specific events such as shouts. A GMM is used to catch the formant structure of a shout signal. Video analytics use an original approach for detecting aggressive motion by focusing on erratic motion patterns specific to violent events. As data with violent events is not easily available, a normality model with structured motions from non-violent videos is learned for one-class classification. A fusion algorithm based on Dempster-Shafer's theory analyses the asynchronous detection outputs and computes the degree of belief of each probable event.

Moving target detection method based on improved Gaussian mixture model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, J. Y.; Jie, F. R.; Hu, Y. J.

2017-07-01

Gaussian Mixture Model is often employed to build background model in background difference methods for moving target detection. This paper puts forward an adaptive moving target detection algorithm based on improved Gaussian Mixture Model. According to the graylevel convergence for each pixel, adaptively choose the number of Gaussian distribution to learn and update background model. Morphological reconstruction method is adopted to eliminate the shadow.. Experiment proved that the proposed method not only has good robustness and detection effect, but also has good adaptability. Even for the special cases when the grayscale changes greatly and so on, the proposed method can also make outstanding performance.

Influence of protein size on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra in binary protein mixtures.

PubMed

Avci, Ertug; Culha, Mustafa

2014-01-01

The size-dependent interactions of eight blood proteins with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in their binary mixtures were investigated using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on the SERS spectra of each binary mixture, and the differentiation ability of the mixtures was tested. It was found that the effect of relative concentration change on the SERS spectra of the binary mixtures of small proteins could be detected using PCA. However, this change was not observed with the binary mixtures of large proteins. This study demonstrated that the relative interactions of the smaller proteins with an average size of 50 nm AgNPs smaller than the large proteins could be monitored, and this information can be used for the detection of proteins in protein mixtures.

Stability of DNA Origami Nanoarrays in Cell Lysate

PubMed Central

Mei, Qian; Wei, Xixi; Su, Fengyu; Liu, Yan; Youngbull, Cody; Johnson, Roger; Lindsay, Stuart; Yan, Hao; Meldrum, Deirdre

2012-01-01

Scaffolded DNA origami, a method to create self-assembled nanostructures with spatially addressable features, has recently been used to develop water-soluble molecular chips for label-free RNA detection, platforms for deterministic protein positioning, and single molecule reaction observatories. These applications highlight the possibility of exploiting the unique properties and biocompatibility of DNA nanostructures in live, cellular systems. Herein, we assembled several DNA origami nanostructures of differing shape, size and probes, and investigated their interaction with lysate obtained from various normal and cancerous cell lines. We separated and analyzed the origami–lysate mixtures using agarose gel electrophoresis and recovered the DNA structures for functional assay and subsequent microscopic examination. Our results demonstrate that DNA origami nanostructures are stable in cell lysate and can be easily separated from lysate mixtures, in contrast to natural, single- and double-stranded DNA. Atomic force microscope (AFM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) images show that the DNA origami structures are fully intact after separation from cell lysates and hybridize to their targets, verifying the superior structural integrity and functionality of self-assembled DNA origami nanostructures relative to conventional oligonucleotides. The stability and functionality of DNA origami structures in cell lysate validate their use for biological applications, for example, as programmable molecular rafts or disease detection platforms. PMID:21366226

Anomaly detection of microstructural defects in continuous fiber reinforced composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bricker, Stephen; Simmons, J. P.; Przybyla, Craig; Hardie, Russell

2015-03-01

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC) with continuous fiber reinforcements have the potential to enable the next generation of high speed hypersonic vehicles and/or significant improvements in gas turbine engine performance due to their exhibited toughness when subjected to high mechanical loads at extreme temperatures (2200F+). Reinforced fiber composites (RFC) provide increased fracture toughness, crack growth resistance, and strength, though little is known about how stochastic variation and imperfections in the material effect material properties. In this work, tools are developed for quantifying anomalies within the microstructure at several scales. The detection and characterization of anomalous microstructure is a critical step in linking production techniques to properties, as well as in accurate material simulation and property prediction for the integrated computation materials engineering (ICME) of RFC based components. It is desired to find statistical outliers for any number of material characteristics such as fibers, fiber coatings, and pores. Here, fiber orientation, or `velocity', and `velocity' gradient are developed and examined for anomalous behavior. Categorizing anomalous behavior in the CMC is approached by multivariate Gaussian mixture modeling. A Gaussian mixture is employed to estimate the probability density function (PDF) of the features in question, and anomalies are classified by their likelihood of belonging to the statistical normal behavior for that feature.

An evaluation of the Bayesian approach to fitting the N-mixture model for use with pseudo-replicated count data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Toribo, S.G.; Gray, B.R.; Liang, S.

2011-01-01

The N-mixture model proposed by Royle in 2004 may be used to approximate the abundance and detection probability of animal species in a given region. In 2006, Royle and Dorazio discussed the advantages of using a Bayesian approach in modelling animal abundance and occurrence using a hierarchical N-mixture model. N-mixture models assume replication on sampling sites, an assumption that may be violated when the site is not closed to changes in abundance during the survey period or when nominal replicates are defined spatially. In this paper, we studied the robustness of a Bayesian approach to fitting the N-mixture model for pseudo-replicated count data. Our simulation results showed that the Bayesian estimates for abundance and detection probability are slightly biased when the actual detection probability is small and are sensitive to the presence of extra variability within local sites.

DetectTLC: Automated Reaction Mixture Screening Utilizing Quantitative Mass Spectrometry Image Feature

PubMed Central

Kaddi, Chanchala D.; Bennett, Rachel V.; Paine, Martin R. L.; Banks, Mitchel D.; Weber, Arthur L.; Fernández, Facundo M.; Wang, May D.

2016-01-01

Full characterization of complex reaction mixtures is necessary to understand mechanisms, optimize yields, and elucidate secondary reaction pathways. Molecular-level information for species in such mixtures can be readily obtained by coupling mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) with thin layer chromatography (TLC) separations. User-guided investigation of imaging data for mixture components with known m/z values is generally straightforward; however, spot detection for unknowns is highly tedious, and limits the applicability of MSI in conjunction with TLC. To accelerate imaging data mining, we developed DetectTLC, an approach that automatically identifies m/z values exhibiting TLC spot-like regions in MS molecular images. Furthermore, DetectTLC can also spatially match m/z values for spots acquired during alternating high and low collision-energy scans, pairing product ions with precursors to enhance structural identification. As an example, DetectTLC is applied to the identification and structural confirmation of unknown, yet significant, products of abiotic pyrazinone and aminopyrazine nucleoside analog synthesis. PMID:26508443

The effects of temperature on nitrous oxide and oxygen mixture homogeneity and stability.

PubMed

Litwin, Patrick D

2010-10-15

For many long standing practices, the rationale for them is often lost as time passes. This is the situation with respect to the storage and handling of equimolar 50% nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen volume/volume (v/v) mixtures. A review was undertaken of existing literature to examine the developmental history of nitrous oxide and oxygen mixtures for anesthesia and analgesia and to ascertain if sufficient bibliographic data was available to support the position that the contents of a cylinder of a 50%/50% volume/volume (v/v) mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen is in a homogenous single gas phase in a filled cylinder under normal conditions of handling and storage and if justification could be found for the standard instructions given for handling before use. After ranking and removing duplicates, a total of fifteen articles were identified by the various search strategies and formed the basis of this literature review. Several studies were identified that confirmed that 50%/50% v/v mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen is in a homogenous single gas phase in a filled cylinder under normal conditions of handling and storage. The effect of temperature on the change of phase of the nitrous oxide in this mixture was further examined by several authors. These studies demonstrated that although it is possible to cause condensation and phase separation by cooling the cylinder, by allowing the cylinder to rewarm to room temperature for at least 48 hours, preferably in a horizontal orientation, and inverting it three times before use, the cylinder consistently delivered the proper proportions of the component gases as a homogenous mixture. The contents of a cylinder of a 50%/50% volume/volume (v/v) mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen is in a homogenous single gas phase in a filled cylinder under normal conditions of handling and storage. The standard instructions given for handling before are justified based on previously conducted studies.

Mechanisms underlying perceptual learning of contrast detection in adults with anisometropic amblyopia

PubMed Central

Huang, Chang-Bing; Lu, Zhong-Lin; Zhou, Yifeng

2010-01-01

What underlies contrast sensitivity improvements in adults with anisometropic amblyopia following perceptual learning in grating contrast detection? In this paper, we adopted the external noise approach (Z.-L. Lu & B. A. Dosher, 1998) to identify the mechanisms underlying perceptual learning in adults with anisometropic amblyopia. By measuring contrast thresholds in a range of external noise conditions at two performance levels (79.3% and 70.7%), we found that a mixture of internal additive noise reduction and external noise exclusion underlay training induced contrast sensitivity improvements in adults with anisometropic amblyopia. In comparison, normal adults exhibited only small amount of external noise exclusion under the same training conditions. The results suggest that neural plasticity may be more robust in amblyopia, lending further support of perceptual learning as a potential treatment for adult amblyopia. PMID:20053087

Pork detection in binary meat mixtures and some commercial food products using conventional and real-time PCR techniques.

PubMed

Al-Kahtani, Hassan A; Ismail, Elsayed A; Asif Ahmed, Mohammed

2017-03-15

Pork DNA was detected in meat mixtures using both conventional PCR and real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Thirty meat mixtures containing beef, chicken, camel, rabbit, goat and sheep with varying percentage of pork (0%, 1%, 5%, 10%, and 20%) and 75 commercial food products, were analyzed using conventional and RT-PCR to determine the presence of pork DNA. Pork DNA standard curves and cycle threshold (Ct) values were used for quantification. The detection limits for pork DNA in the mixtures were 0.22, 0.047, 0.048, 0.0000037, 0.015ng/μl respectively. Unlike conventional PCR, RT-PCR detected pork DNA in nine processed food samples [chicken sausages (2), chicken luncheon (2), turkey meat loaf, milk chocolate with soft nougat, jelly, cake, and candies] at pork DNA concentrations of 0.0001ng/μl or less. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discrim: a computer program using an interactive approach to dissect a mixture of normal or lognormal distributions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bridges, N.J.; McCammon, R.B.

1980-01-01

DISCRIM is an interactive computer graphics program that dissects mixtures of normal or lognormal distributions. The program was written in an effort to obtain a more satisfactory solution to the dissection problem than that offered by a graphical or numerical approach alone. It combines graphic and analytic techniques using a Tektronix1 terminal in a time-share computing environment. The main program and subroutines were written in the FORTRAN language. ?? 1980.

Estimating abundance while accounting for rarity, correlated behavior, and other sources of variation in counts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dorazio, Robert M.; Martin, Juulien; Edwards, Holly H.

2013-01-01

The class of N-mixture models allows abundance to be estimated from repeated, point count surveys while adjusting for imperfect detection of individuals. We developed an extension of N-mixture models to account for two commonly observed phenomena in point count surveys: rarity and lack of independence induced by unmeasurable sources of variation in the detectability of individuals. Rarity increases the number of locations with zero detections in excess of those expected under simple models of abundance (e.g., Poisson or negative binomial). Correlated behavior of individuals and other phenomena, though difficult to measure, increases the variation in detection probabilities among surveys. Our extension of N-mixture models includes a hurdle model of abundance and a beta-binomial model of detectability that accounts for additional (extra-binomial) sources of variation in detections among surveys. As an illustration, we fit this model to repeated point counts of the West Indian manatee, which was observed in a pilot study using aerial surveys. Our extension of N-mixture models provides increased flexibility. The effects of different sets of covariates may be estimated for the probability of occurrence of a species, for its mean abundance at occupied locations, and for its detectability.

Estimating abundance while accounting for rarity, correlated behavior, and other sources of variation in counts.

PubMed

Dorazio, Robert M; Martin, Julien; Edwards, Holly H

2013-07-01

The class of N-mixture models allows abundance to be estimated from repeated, point count surveys while adjusting for imperfect detection of individuals. We developed an extension of N-mixture models to account for two commonly observed phenomena in point count surveys: rarity and lack of independence induced by unmeasurable sources of variation in the detectability of individuals. Rarity increases the number of locations with zero detections in excess of those expected under simple models of abundance (e.g., Poisson or negative binomial). Correlated behavior of individuals and other phenomena, though difficult to measure, increases the variation in detection probabilities among surveys. Our extension of N-mixture models includes a hurdle model of abundance and a beta-binomial model of detectability that accounts for additional (extra-binomial) sources of variation in detections among surveys. As an illustration, we fit this model to repeated point counts of the West Indian manatee, which was observed in a pilot study using aerial surveys. Our extension of N-mixture models provides increased flexibility. The effects of different sets of covariates may be estimated for the probability of occurrence of a species, for its mean abundance at occupied locations, and for its detectability.

Response Times to Gustatory–Olfactory Flavor Mixtures: Role of Congruence

PubMed Central

Shepard, Timothy G.; Veldhuizen, Maria G.

2015-01-01

A mixture of perceptually congruent gustatory and olfactory flavorants (sucrose and citral) was previously shown to be detected faster than predicted by a model of probability summation that assumes stochastically independent processing of the individual gustatory and olfactory signals. This outcome suggests substantial integration of the signals. Does substantial integration also characterize responses to mixtures of incongruent flavorants? Here, we report simple response times (RTs) to detect brief pulses of 3 possible flavorants: monosodium glutamate, MSG (gustatory: “umami” quality), citral (olfactory: citrus quality), and a mixture of MSG and citral (gustatory–olfactory). Each stimulus (and, on a fraction of trials, water) was presented orally through a computer-operated, automated flow system, and subjects were instructed to press a button as soon as they detected any of the 3 non-water stimuli. Unlike responses previously found to the congruent mixture of sucrose and citral, responses here to the incongruent mixture of MSG and citral took significantly longer (RTs were greater) and showed lower detection rates than the values predicted by probability summation. This outcome suggests that the integration of gustatory and olfactory flavor signals is less extensive when the component flavors are perceptually incongruent rather than congruent, perhaps because incongruent flavors are less familiar. PMID:26304508

Synergism and Combinatorial Coding for Binary Odor Mixture Perception in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Chakraborty, Tuhin Subhra; Siddiqi, Obaid

2016-01-01

Most odors in the natural environment are mixtures of several compounds. Olfactory receptors housed in the olfactory sensory neurons detect these odors and transmit the information to the brain, leading to decision-making. But whether the olfactory system detects the ingredients of a mixture separately or treats mixtures as different entities is not well understood. Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system, we have demonstrated that fruit flies perceive binary odor mixtures in a manner that is heavily dependent on both the proportion and the degree of dilution of the components, suggesting a combinatorial coding at the peripheral level. This coding strategy appears to be receptor specific and is independent of interneuronal interactions. PMID:27588303

Influence of the normalized ion flux on the constitution of alumina films deposited by plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition

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

Kurapov, Denis; Reiss, Jennifer; Trinh, David H.

2007-07-15

Alumina thin films were deposited onto tempered hot working steel substrates from an AlCl{sub 3}-O{sub 2}-Ar-H{sub 2} gas mixture by plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition. The normalized ion flux was varied during deposition through changes in precursor content while keeping the cathode voltage and the total pressure constant. As the precursor content in the total gas mixture was increased from 0.8% to 5.8%, the deposition rate increased 12-fold, while the normalized ion flux decreased by approximately 90%. The constitution, morphology, impurity incorporation, and the elastic properties of the alumina thin films were found to depend on the normalized ion flux. Thesemore » changes in structure, composition, and properties induced by normalized ion flux may be understood by considering mechanisms related to surface and bulk diffusion.« less

Influence of excipients in comilling on mitigating milling-induced amorphization or structural disorder of crystalline pharmaceutical actives.

PubMed

Balani, Prashant N; Ng, Wai Kiong; Tan, Reginald B H; Chan, Sui Yung

2010-05-01

The feasibility of using excipients to suppress the amorphization or structural disorder of crystalline salbutamol sulphate (SS) during milling was investigated. SS was subjected to ball-milling in the presence of alpha-lactose monohydrate (LAC), adipic acid (AA), magnesium stearate (MgSt), or polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). X-ray powder diffraction, dynamic vapor sorption (DVS), high sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (HSDSC) were used to analyze the crystallinity of the milled mixtures. Comilling with crystalline excipients, LAC, AA, and MgSt proved effective in reducing the amorphization of SS. LAC, AA, or MgSt acting as seed crystals to induce recrystallization of amorphous SS formed by milling. During comilling, both SS and LAC turned predominantly amorphous after 45 min but transformed back to a highly crystalline state after 60 min. Amorphous content was below the detection limits of DVS (0.5%) and HSDSC (5%). Comilled and physical mixtures of SS and ALM were stored under normal and elevated humidity conditions. This was found to prevent subsequent changes in crystallinity and morphology of comilled SS:LAC as compared to significant changes in milled SS and physical mixture. These results demonstrate a promising application of comilling with crystalline excipients in mitigating milling induced amorphization of pharmaceutical actives.

Detection and inpainting of facial wrinkles using texture orientation fields and Markov random field modeling.

PubMed

Batool, Nazre; Chellappa, Rama

2014-09-01

Facial retouching is widely used in media and entertainment industry. Professional software usually require a minimum level of user expertise to achieve the desirable results. In this paper, we present an algorithm to detect facial wrinkles/imperfection. We believe that any such algorithm would be amenable to facial retouching applications. The detection of wrinkles/imperfections can allow these skin features to be processed differently than the surrounding skin without much user interaction. For detection, Gabor filter responses along with texture orientation field are used as image features. A bimodal Gaussian mixture model (GMM) represents distributions of Gabor features of normal skin versus skin imperfections. Then, a Markov random field model is used to incorporate the spatial relationships among neighboring pixels for their GMM distributions and texture orientations. An expectation-maximization algorithm then classifies skin versus skin wrinkles/imperfections. Once detected automatically, wrinkles/imperfections are removed completely instead of being blended or blurred. We propose an exemplar-based constrained texture synthesis algorithm to inpaint irregularly shaped gaps left by the removal of detected wrinkles/imperfections. We present results conducted on images downloaded from the Internet to show the efficacy of our algorithms.

Mixture of learners for cancer stem cell detection using CD13 and H and E stained images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oǧuz, Oǧuzhan; Akbaş, Cem Emre; Mallah, Maen; Taşdemir, Kasım.; Akhan Güzelcan, Ece; Muenzenmayer, Christian; Wittenberg, Thomas; Üner, Ayşegül; Cetin, A. E.; ćetin Atalay, Rengül

2016-03-01

In this article, algorithms for cancer stem cell (CSC) detection in liver cancer tissue images are developed. Conventionally, a pathologist examines of cancer cell morphologies under microscope. Computer aided diagnosis systems (CAD) aims to help pathologists in this tedious and repetitive work. The first algorithm locates CSCs in CD13 stained liver tissue images. The method has also an online learning algorithm to improve the accuracy of detection. The second family of algorithms classify the cancer tissues stained with H and E which is clinically routine and cost effective than immunohistochemistry (IHC) procedure. The algorithms utilize 1D-SIFT and Eigen-analysis based feature sets as descriptors. Normal and cancerous tissues can be classified with 92.1% accuracy in H and E stained images. Classification accuracy of low and high-grade cancerous tissue images is 70.4%. Therefore, this study paves the way for diagnosing the cancerous tissue and grading the level of it using H and E stained microscopic tissue images.

Non-linear models for the detection of impaired cerebral blood flow autoregulation.

PubMed

Chacón, Max; Jara, José Luis; Miranda, Rodrigo; Katsogridakis, Emmanuel; Panerai, Ronney B

2018-01-01

The ability to discriminate between normal and impaired dynamic cerebral autoregulation (CA), based on measurements of spontaneous fluctuations in arterial blood pressure (BP) and cerebral blood flow (CBF), has considerable clinical relevance. We studied 45 normal subjects at rest and under hypercapnia induced by breathing a mixture of carbon dioxide and air. Non-linear models with BP as input and CBF velocity (CBFV) as output, were implemented with support vector machines (SVM) using separate recordings for learning and validation. Dynamic SVM implementations used either moving average or autoregressive structures. The efficiency of dynamic CA was estimated from the model's derived CBFV response to a step change in BP as an autoregulation index for both linear and non-linear models. Non-linear models with recurrences (autoregressive) showed the best results, with CA indexes of 5.9 ± 1.5 in normocapnia, and 2.5 ± 1.2 for hypercapnia with an area under the receiver-operator curve of 0.955. The high performance achieved by non-linear SVM models to detect deterioration of dynamic CA should encourage further assessment of its applicability to clinical conditions where CA might be impaired.

Non-linear models for the detection of impaired cerebral blood flow autoregulation

PubMed Central

Miranda, Rodrigo; Katsogridakis, Emmanuel

2018-01-01

The ability to discriminate between normal and impaired dynamic cerebral autoregulation (CA), based on measurements of spontaneous fluctuations in arterial blood pressure (BP) and cerebral blood flow (CBF), has considerable clinical relevance. We studied 45 normal subjects at rest and under hypercapnia induced by breathing a mixture of carbon dioxide and air. Non-linear models with BP as input and CBF velocity (CBFV) as output, were implemented with support vector machines (SVM) using separate recordings for learning and validation. Dynamic SVM implementations used either moving average or autoregressive structures. The efficiency of dynamic CA was estimated from the model’s derived CBFV response to a step change in BP as an autoregulation index for both linear and non-linear models. Non-linear models with recurrences (autoregressive) showed the best results, with CA indexes of 5.9 ± 1.5 in normocapnia, and 2.5 ± 1.2 for hypercapnia with an area under the receiver-operator curve of 0.955. The high performance achieved by non-linear SVM models to detect deterioration of dynamic CA should encourage further assessment of its applicability to clinical conditions where CA might be impaired. PMID:29381724

Copy number variation of GATA4 and NKX2-5 in Chinese fetuses with congenital heart disease.

PubMed

Liu, Zhen; Wang, Jing; Liu, Shanling; Deng, Ying; Liu, Hongqian; Li, Nana; Li, Shengli; Chen, Xinlin; Lin, Yuan; Wang, He; Zhu, Jun

2015-04-01

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common birth defects in newborns. The etiology of CHD has remained largely unknown, but it is assumed to result from the combined effects of genetic and environmental factors. Recent investigations have detected potentially pathogenic copy number variations (CNV) in a proportion of patients with CHD. The present case-control study evaluated whether CNV in the GATA4 and NKX2-5 genes contribute to the pathogenesis of CHD in Chinese fetuses (n = 117), by comparing them with non-CHD control subjects (n = 100). Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification with the P311A probe mixture was used to detect CNV. The normalized signals were within the normal range for all exons in all CHD patients and non-CHD control subjects. Of the 117 CHD patients, three had a deletion of 22q11, and two had a duplication of 22q11. There was no evidence of a role for NKX2-5 and GATA4 CNV in fetal CHD; therefore, these CNV may not be common in fetal CHD in China. © 2014 Japan Pediatric Society.

A set of 14 DIP-SNP markers to detect unbalanced DNA mixtures.

PubMed

Liu, Zhizhen; Liu, Jinding; Wang, Jiaqi; Chen, Deqing; Liu, Zidong; Shi, Jie; Li, Zeqin; Li, Wenyan; Zhang, Gengqian; Du, Bing

2018-03-04

Unbalanced DNA mixture is still a difficult problem for forensic practice. DIP-STRs are useful markers for detection of minor DNA but they are not widespread in the human genome and having long amplicons. In this study, we proposed a novel type of genetic marker, termed DIP-SNP. DIP-SNP refers to the combination of INDEL and SNP in less than 300bp length of human genome. The multiplex PCR and SNaPshot assay were established for 14 DIP-SNP markers in a Chinese Han population from Shanxi, China. This novel compound marker allows detection of the minor DNA contributor with sensitivity from 1:50 to 1:1000 in a DNA mixture of any gender with 1 ng-10 ng DNA template. Most of the DIP-SNP markers had a relatively high probability of informative alleles with an average I value of 0.33. In all, we proposed DIP-SNP as a novel kind of genetic marker for detection of minor contributor from unbalanced DNA mixture and established the detection method by associating the multiplex PCR and SNaPshot assay. DIP-SNP polymorphisms are promising markers for forensic or clinical mixture examination because they are shorter, widespread and higher sensitive. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Considerations for potency equivalent calculations in the Ah receptor-based CALUX bioassay: normalization of superinduction results for improved sample potency estimation.

PubMed

Baston, David S; Denison, Michael S

2011-02-15

The chemically activated luciferase expression (CALUX) system is a mechanistically based recombinant luciferase reporter gene cell bioassay used in combination with chemical extraction and clean-up methods for the detection and relative quantitation of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and related dioxin-like halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons in a wide variety of sample matrices. While sample extracts containing complex mixtures of chemicals can produce a variety of distinct concentration-dependent luciferase induction responses in CALUX cells, these effects are produced through a common mechanism of action (i.e. the Ah receptor (AhR)) allowing normalization of results and sample potency determination. Here we describe the diversity in CALUX response to PCDD/Fs from sediment and soil extracts and not only report the occurrence of superinduction of the CALUX bioassay, but we describe a mechanistically based approach for normalization of superinduction data that results in a more accurate estimation of the relative potency of such sample extracts. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differential models of twin correlations in skew for body-mass index (BMI).

PubMed

Tsang, Siny; Duncan, Glen E; Dinescu, Diana; Turkheimer, Eric

2018-01-01

Body Mass Index (BMI), like most human phenotypes, is substantially heritable. However, BMI is not normally distributed; the skew appears to be structural, and increases as a function of age. Moreover, twin correlations for BMI commonly violate the assumptions of the most common variety of the classical twin model, with the MZ twin correlation greater than twice the DZ correlation. This study aimed to decompose twin correlations for BMI using more general skew-t distributions. Same sex MZ and DZ twin pairs (N = 7,086) from the community-based Washington State Twin Registry were included. We used latent profile analysis (LPA) to decompose twin correlations for BMI into multiple mixture distributions. LPA was performed using the default normal mixture distribution and the skew-t mixture distribution. Similar analyses were performed for height as a comparison. Our analyses are then replicated in an independent dataset. A two-class solution under the skew-t mixture distribution fits the BMI distribution for both genders. The first class consists of a relatively normally distributed, highly heritable BMI with a mean in the normal range. The second class is a positively skewed BMI in the overweight and obese range, with lower twin correlations. In contrast, height is normally distributed, highly heritable, and is well-fit by a single latent class. Results in the replication dataset were highly similar. Our findings suggest that two distinct processes underlie the skew of the BMI distribution. The contrast between height and weight is in accord with subjective psychological experience: both are under obvious genetic influence, but BMI is also subject to behavioral control, whereas height is not.

On an interface of the online system for a stochastic analysis of the varied information flows

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

Gorshenin, Andrey K.; MIREA, MGUPI; Kuzmin, Victor Yu.

The article describes a possible approach to the construction of an interface of an online asynchronous system that allows researchers to analyse varied information flows. The implemented stochastic methods are based on the mixture models and the method of moving separation of mixtures. The general ideas of the system functionality are demonstrated on an example for some moments of a finite normal mixture.

Coactivation of Gustatory and Olfactory Signals in Flavor Perception

PubMed Central

Veldhuizen, Maria G.; Shepard, Timothy G.; Wang, Miao-Fen

2010-01-01

It is easier to detect mixtures of gustatory and olfactory flavorants than to detect either component alone. But does the detection of mixtures exceed the level predicted by probability summation, assuming independent detection of each component? To answer this question, we measured simple response times (RTs) to detect brief pulses of one of 3 flavorants (sucrose [gustatory], citral [olfactory], sucrose–citral mixture) or water, presented into the mouth by a computer-operated, automated flow system. Subjects were instructed to press a button as soon as they detected any of the 3 nonwater stimuli. Responses to the mixtures were faster (RTs smaller) than predicted by a model of probability summation of independently detected signals, suggesting positive coactivation (integration) of gustation and retronasal olfaction in flavor perception. Evidence for integration appeared mainly in the fastest 60% of the responses, indicating that integration arises relatively early in flavor processing. Results were similar when the 3 possible flavorants, and water, were interleaved within the same session (experimental condition), and when each flavorant was interleaved with water only (control conditions). This outcome suggests that subjects did not attend selectively to one flavor component or the other in the experimental condition and further supports the conclusion that (late) decisional or attentional strategies do not exert a large influence on the gustatory–olfactory flavor integration. PMID:20032112

Response Times to Gustatory-Olfactory Flavor Mixtures: Role of Congruence.

PubMed

Shepard, Timothy G; Veldhuizen, Maria G; Marks, Lawrence E

2015-10-01

A mixture of perceptually congruent gustatory and olfactory flavorants (sucrose and citral) was previously shown to be detected faster than predicted by a model of probability summation that assumes stochastically independent processing of the individual gustatory and olfactory signals. This outcome suggests substantial integration of the signals. Does substantial integration also characterize responses to mixtures of incongruent flavorants? Here, we report simple response times (RTs) to detect brief pulses of 3 possible flavorants: monosodium glutamate, MSG (gustatory: "umami" quality), citral (olfactory: citrus quality), and a mixture of MSG and citral (gustatory-olfactory). Each stimulus (and, on a fraction of trials, water) was presented orally through a computer-operated, automated flow system, and subjects were instructed to press a button as soon as they detected any of the 3 non-water stimuli. Unlike responses previously found to the congruent mixture of sucrose and citral, responses here to the incongruent mixture of MSG and citral took significantly longer (RTs were greater) and showed lower detection rates than the values predicted by probability summation. This outcome suggests that the integration of gustatory and olfactory flavor signals is less extensive when the component flavors are perceptually incongruent rather than congruent, perhaps because incongruent flavors are less familiar. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Detection of compatibility between baclofen and excipients with aid of infrared spectroscopy and chemometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rojek, Barbara; Wesolowski, Marek; Suchacz, Bogdan

2013-12-01

In the paper infrared (IR) spectroscopy and multivariate exploration techniques: principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were applied as supportive methods for the detection of physicochemical incompatibilities between baclofen and excipients. In the course of research, the most useful rotational strategy in PCA proved to be varimax normalized, while in CA Ward's hierarchical agglomeration with Euclidean distance measure enabled to yield the most interpretable results. Chemometrical calculations confirmed the suitability of PCA and CA as the auxiliary methods for interpretation of infrared spectra in order to recognize whether compatibilities or incompatibilities between active substance and excipients occur. On the basis of IR spectra and the results of PCA and CA it was possible to demonstrate that the presence of lactose, β-cyclodextrin and meglumine in binary mixtures produce interactions with baclofen. The results were verified using differential scanning calorimetry, differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetry/differential thermogravimetry and X-ray powder diffraction analyses.

Multi-species detection using multi-mode absorption spectroscopy (MUMAS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Northern, J. H.; Thompson, A. W. J.; Hamilton, M. L.; Ewart, P.

2013-06-01

The detection of multiple species using a single laser and single detector employing multi-mode absorption spectroscopy (MUMAS) is reported. An in-house constructed, diode-pumped, Er:Yb:glass micro-laser operating at 1,565 nm with 10 modes separated by 18 GHz was used to record MUMAS signals in a gas mixture containing C2H2, N2O and CO. The components of the mixture were detected simultaneously by identifying multiple transitions in each of the species. By using temperature- and pressure-dependent modelled spectral fits to the data, partial pressures of each species in the mixture were determined with an uncertainty of ±2 %.

Classification of SD-OCT volumes for DME detection: an anomaly detection approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sankar, S.; Sidibé, D.; Cheung, Y.; Wong, T. Y.; Lamoureux, E.; Milea, D.; Meriaudeau, F.

2016-03-01

Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) is the leading cause of blindness amongst diabetic patients worldwide. It is characterized by accumulation of water molecules in the macula leading to swelling. Early detection of the disease helps prevent further loss of vision. Naturally, automated detection of DME from Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) volumes plays a key role. To this end, a pipeline for detecting DME diseases in OCT volumes is proposed in this paper. The method is based on anomaly detection using Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM). It starts with pre-processing the B-scans by resizing, flattening, filtering and extracting features from them. Both intensity and Local Binary Pattern (LBP) features are considered. The dimensionality of the extracted features is reduced using PCA. As the last stage, a GMM is fitted with features from normal volumes. During testing, features extracted from the test volume are evaluated with the fitted model for anomaly and classification is made based on the number of B-scans detected as outliers. The proposed method is tested on two OCT datasets achieving a sensitivity and a specificity of 80% and 93% on the first dataset, and 100% and 80% on the second one. Moreover, experiments show that the proposed method achieves better classification performances than other recently published works.

A FLEXIBLE APPROACH FOR EVALUATING FIXED RATIO MIXTURES OF FULL AND PARTIAL AGONISTS FOR MIXTURES OF MANY CHEMICALS.

EPA Science Inventory

Detecting interaction in chemical mixtures can be complicated by differences in the shapes of the dose-response curves of the individual components (e.g. mixtures of full and partial agonists with differing response maxima). We present an analysis scheme where flexible single che...

[Use of the Six Sigma methodology for the preparation of parenteral nutrition mixtures].

PubMed

Silgado Bernal, M F; Basto Benítez, I; Ramírez García, G

2014-04-01

To use the tools of the Six Sigma methodology for the statistical control in the elaboration of parenteral nutrition mixtures at the critical checkpoint of specific density. Between August of 2010 and September of 2013, specific density analysis was performed to 100% of the samples, and the data were divided in two groups, adults and neonates. The percentage of acceptance, the trend graphs, and the sigma level were determined. A normality analysis was carried out by using the Shapiro Wilk test and the total percentage of mixtures within the specification limits was calculated. The specific density data between August of 2010 and September of 2013 comply with the normality test (W = 0.94) and show improvement in sigma level through time, reaching 6/6 in adults and 3.8/6 in neonates. 100% of the mixtures comply with the specification limits for adults and neonates, always within the control limits during the process. The improvement plans together with the Six Sigma methodology allow controlling the process, and warrant the agreement between the medical prescription and the content of the mixture. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Thermal cracking of poly α-olefin aviation lubricating base oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fei, Yiwei; Wu, Nan; Ma, Jun; Hao, Jingtuan

2018-02-01

Thermal cracking of poly α-olefin (PAO) was conducted under different temperatures among 190 °C to 300 °C. The reacted mixtures were sequentially detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC/MS). A series of small molecular normal alkanes, branched alkanes and olefins were identified. PAO perfect structure of aligned comb-likely side-chains has been seriously cracked under high temperatures. Property changes about kinematic viscosity and pour point of PAO samples reacted under high temperatures were also investigated. The appearance of small molecular compounds weakened the thermal stability, viscosity temperature performance and low temperature fluidity of PAO samples. Property of PAO samples was deteriorated due to thermal cracking under high temperatures.

Maximum Likelihood and Minimum Distance Applied to Univariate Mixture Distributions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yuh-Yin Wu; Schafer, William D.

This Monte-Carlo study compared modified Newton (NW), expectation-maximization algorithm (EM), and minimum Cramer-von Mises distance (MD), used to estimate parameters of univariate mixtures of two components. Data sets were fixed at size 160 and manipulated by mean separation, variance ratio, component proportion, and non-normality. Results…

Massively parallel sequencing of forensic STRs and SNPs using the Illumina® ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep Kit on the MiSeq FGx™ Forensic Genomics System.

PubMed

Guo, Fei; Yu, Jiao; Zhang, Lu; Li, Jun

2017-11-01

The ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep Kit (ForenSeq Kit) is designed to detect more than 200 forensically relevant markers in a single reaction on the MiSeq FGx™ Forensic Genomics System (MiSeq FGx System), including Amelogenin, 27 autosomal short tandem repeats (A-STRs), 7 X chromosomal STRs (X-STRs), 24 Y chromosomal STRs (Y-STRs) and 94 identity-informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (iSNPs) with the option to contain 22 phenotypic-informative SNPs (pSNPs) and 56 ancestry-informative SNPs (aSNPs). In this study, we evaluated the MiSeq FGx System on three major parts: methodological optimization (DNA extraction, sample quantification, library normalization, diluted libraries concentration, and sample-to-cell arrangement), massively parallel sequencing (MPS) performance (depth of coverage, sequence coverage ratio, and allele coverage ratio), and ForenSeq Kit characteristics (repeatability and concordance, sensitivity, mixture, stability and case-type samples). Results showed that quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based sample quantification and library normalization and the appropriate number of pooled libraries and concentration of diluted libraries provided a greater level of MPS performance and repeatability. Repeatable and concordant genotypes were obtained by the ForenSeq Kit. Full profiles were obtained from ≥100pg input DNA for STRs and ≥200pg for SNPs. A sample with ≥5% minor contributors was considered as a mixture by imbalanced allele coverage ratio distribution, and full profiles from minor contributors were easily detected between 9:1 and 1:9 mixtures with known reference profiles. The ForenSeq Kit tolerated considerable concentrations of inhibitors like ≤200μM hematin and ≤50μg/ml humic acid, and >56% STR profiles and >88% SNP profiles were obtained from ≥200-bp degraded samples. Also, it was adapted to case-type samples. As a whole, the ForenSeq Kit is a well-performed, robust, reliable, reproducible and highly informative assay, and it can fully meet requirements for human identification. Further, sensitive QC indicator and automated sample comparison function in the ForenSeq™ Universal Analysis Software are quite helpful, so that we can concentrate on questionable genotypes and avoid tedious and time-consuming labor to maximum the time spent in data analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Single and mixture effects of aquatic micropollutants studied in precision-cut liver slices of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua).

PubMed

Bizarro, Cristina; Eide, Marta; Hitchcock, Daniel J; Goksøyr, Anders; Ortiz-Zarragoitia, Maren

2016-08-01

The low concentrations of most contaminants in the aquatic environment individually may not affect the normal function of the organisms on their own. However, when combined, complex mixtures may provoke unexpected effects even at low amounts. Selected aquatic micropollutants such as chlorpyrifos, bis-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) were tested singly and in mixtures at nM to μM concentrations using precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Fish liver is a target organ for contaminants due to its crucial role in detoxification processes. In order to understand the effects on distinct key liver metabolic pathways, transcription levels of various genes were measured, including cyp1a1 and cyp3a, involved in the metabolism of organic compounds, including toxic ones, and the catabolism of bile acids and steroid hormones; cyp7a1, fabp and hmg-CoA, involved in lipid and cholesterol homeostasis; cyp24a1, involved in vitamin D metabolism; and vtg, a key gene in xenoestrogenic response. Only EE2 had significant effects on gene expression in cod liver slices when exposed singly at the concentrations tested. However, when exposed in combinations, effects not detected in single exposure conditions arose, suggesting complex interactions between studied pollutants that could not be predicted from the results of individual exposure scenarios. Thus, the present work highlights the importance of assessing mixtures when describing the toxic effects of micropollutants to fish liver metabolism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous Detection of Genetically Modified Organisms in a Mixture by Multiplex PCR-Chip Capillary Electrophoresis.

PubMed

Patwardhan, Supriya; Dasari, Srikanth; Bhagavatula, Krishna; Mueller, Steffen; Deepak, Saligrama Adavigowda; Ghosh, Sudip; Basak, Sanjay

2015-01-01

An efficient PCR-based method to trace genetically modified food and feed products is in demand due to regulatory requirements and contaminant issues in India. However, post-PCR detection with conventional methods has limited sensitivity in amplicon separation that is crucial in multiplexing. The study aimed to develop a sensitive post-PCR detection method by using PCR-chip capillary electrophoresis (PCR-CCE) to detect and identify specific genetically modified organisms in their genomic DNA mixture by targeting event-specific nucleotide sequences. Using the PCR-CCE approach, novel multiplex methods were developed to detect MON531 cotton, EH 92-527-1 potato, Bt176 maize, GT73 canola, or GA21 maize simultaneously when their genomic DNAs in mixtures were amplified using their primer mixture. The repeatability RSD (RSDr) of the peak migration time was 0.06 and 3.88% for the MON531 and Bt176, respectively. The RSD (RSDR) of the Cry1Ac peak ranged from 0.12 to 0.40% in multiplex methods. The method was sensitive in resolving amplicon of size difference up to 4 bp. The PCR-CCE method is suitable to detect multiple genetically modified events in a composite DNA sample by tagging their event specific sequences.

Detecting Mixtures from Structural Model Differences Using Latent Variable Mixture Modeling: A Comparison of Relative Model Fit Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henson, James M.; Reise, Steven P.; Kim, Kevin H.

2007-01-01

The accuracy of structural model parameter estimates in latent variable mixture modeling was explored with a 3 (sample size) [times] 3 (exogenous latent mean difference) [times] 3 (endogenous latent mean difference) [times] 3 (correlation between factors) [times] 3 (mixture proportions) factorial design. In addition, the efficacy of several…

Investigation into the performance of different models for predicting stutter.

PubMed

Bright, Jo-Anne; Curran, James M; Buckleton, John S

2013-07-01

In this paper we have examined five possible models for the behaviour of the stutter ratio, SR. These were two log-normal models, two gamma models, and a two-component normal mixture model. A two-component normal mixture model was chosen with different behaviours of variance; at each locus SR was described with two distributions, both with the same mean. The distributions have difference variances: one for the majority of the observations and a second for the less well-behaved ones. We apply each model to a set of known single source Identifiler™, NGM SElect™ and PowerPlex(®) 21 DNA profiles to show the applicability of our findings to different data sets. SR determined from the single source profiles were compared to the calculated SR after application of the models. The model performance was tested by calculating the log-likelihoods and comparing the difference in Akaike information criterion (AIC). The two-component normal mixture model systematically outperformed all others, despite the increase in the number of parameters. This model, as well as performing well statistically, has intuitive appeal for forensic biologists and could be implemented in an expert system with a continuous method for DNA interpretation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimating Lion Abundance using N-mixture Models for Social Species

PubMed Central

Belant, Jerrold L.; Bled, Florent; Wilton, Clay M.; Fyumagwa, Robert; Mwampeta, Stanslaus B.; Beyer, Dean E.

2016-01-01

Declining populations of large carnivores worldwide, and the complexities of managing human-carnivore conflicts, require accurate population estimates of large carnivores to promote their long-term persistence through well-informed management We used N-mixture models to estimate lion (Panthera leo) abundance from call-in and track surveys in southeastern Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Because of potential habituation to broadcasted calls and social behavior, we developed a hierarchical observation process within the N-mixture model conditioning lion detectability on their group response to call-ins and individual detection probabilities. We estimated 270 lions (95% credible interval = 170–551) using call-ins but were unable to estimate lion abundance from track data. We found a weak negative relationship between predicted track density and predicted lion abundance from the call-in surveys. Luminosity was negatively correlated with individual detection probability during call-in surveys. Lion abundance and track density were influenced by landcover, but direction of the corresponding effects were undetermined. N-mixture models allowed us to incorporate multiple parameters (e.g., landcover, luminosity, observer effect) influencing lion abundance and probability of detection directly into abundance estimates. We suggest that N-mixture models employing a hierarchical observation process can be used to estimate abundance of other social, herding, and grouping species. PMID:27786283

Estimating Lion Abundance using N-mixture Models for Social Species.

PubMed

Belant, Jerrold L; Bled, Florent; Wilton, Clay M; Fyumagwa, Robert; Mwampeta, Stanslaus B; Beyer, Dean E

2016-10-27

Declining populations of large carnivores worldwide, and the complexities of managing human-carnivore conflicts, require accurate population estimates of large carnivores to promote their long-term persistence through well-informed management We used N-mixture models to estimate lion (Panthera leo) abundance from call-in and track surveys in southeastern Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Because of potential habituation to broadcasted calls and social behavior, we developed a hierarchical observation process within the N-mixture model conditioning lion detectability on their group response to call-ins and individual detection probabilities. We estimated 270 lions (95% credible interval = 170-551) using call-ins but were unable to estimate lion abundance from track data. We found a weak negative relationship between predicted track density and predicted lion abundance from the call-in surveys. Luminosity was negatively correlated with individual detection probability during call-in surveys. Lion abundance and track density were influenced by landcover, but direction of the corresponding effects were undetermined. N-mixture models allowed us to incorporate multiple parameters (e.g., landcover, luminosity, observer effect) influencing lion abundance and probability of detection directly into abundance estimates. We suggest that N-mixture models employing a hierarchical observation process can be used to estimate abundance of other social, herding, and grouping species.

On the asymptotic improvement of supervised learning by utilizing additional unlabeled samples - Normal mixture density case

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shahshahani, Behzad M.; Landgrebe, David A.

1992-01-01

The effect of additional unlabeled samples in improving the supervised learning process is studied in this paper. Three learning processes. supervised, unsupervised, and combined supervised-unsupervised, are compared by studying the asymptotic behavior of the estimates obtained under each process. Upper and lower bounds on the asymptotic covariance matrices are derived. It is shown that under a normal mixture density assumption for the probability density function of the feature space, the combined supervised-unsupervised learning is always superior to the supervised learning in achieving better estimates. Experimental results are provided to verify the theoretical concepts.

Heat detection and compositions and devices therefor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rembaum, A. (Inventor)

1975-01-01

Temperature change of a substrate such as a microelectronic component is sensed and detected by means of a mixture of a weak molecular complex of an electron donor compound such as an organic amine and an electron acceptor compound such as nitroaromatic compound. The mixture is encapsulated in a clear binder such as a vinyl resin.

Detecting Math Anxiety with a Mixture Partial Credit Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ölmez, Ibrahim Burak; Cohen, Allan S.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate a new methodology for detection of differences in middle grades students' math anxiety. A mixture partial credit model analysis revealed two distinct latent classes based on homogeneities in response patterns within each latent class. Students in Class 1 had less anxiety about apprehension of math…

The potential of three different PCR-related approaches for the authentication of mixtures of herbal substances and finished herbal medicinal products.

PubMed

Doganay-Knapp, Kirsten; Orland, Annika; König, Gabriele M; Knöss, Werner

2018-04-01

Herbal substances and preparations thereof play an important role in healthcare systems worldwide. Due to the variety of these products regarding origin, composition and processing procedures, appropriate methodologies for quality assessment need to be considered. A majority of herbal substances is administered as multicomponent mixtures, especially in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine and ayurvedic medicine, but also in finished medicinal products. Quality assessment of complex mixtures of herbal substances with conventional methods is challenging. Thus, emphasis of the present work was directed on the development of complementary methods to elucidate the composition of mixtures of herbal substances and finished herbal medicinal products. An indispensable prerequisite for the safe and effective use of herbal medicines is the unequivocal authentication of the medicinal plants used therein. In this context, we investigated the potential of three different PCR-related methods in the characterization and authentication of herbal substances. A multiplex PCR assay and a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay were established to analyze defined mixtures of the herbal substances Quercus cortex, Juglandis folium, Aristolochiae herba, Matricariae flos and Salviae miltiorrhizae radix et rhizoma and a finished herbal medicinal product. Furthermore, a standard cloning approach using universal primers targeting the ITS region was established in order to allow the investigation of herbal mixtures with unknown content. The cloning approach had some limitations regarding the detection/recovery of the components in defined mixtures of herbal substances, but the complementary use of two sets of universal primer pairs increased the detection of components out of the mixture. While the multiplex PCR did not retrace all components in the defined mixtures of herbal substances, the established qPCR resulted in simultaneous and specific detection of the five target sequences in all defined mixtures. These data indicate that for authentication purposes, complementary PCR-related methods are highly recommendable for the analysis of herbal mixtures in parallel. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Odor detection of mixtures of homologous carboxylic acids and coffee aroma compounds by humans.

PubMed

Miyazawa, Toshio; Gallagher, Michele; Preti, George; Wise, Paul M

2009-11-11

Mixture summation among homologous carboxylic acids, that is, the relationship between detection probabilities for mixtures and detection probabilities for their unmixed components, varies with similarity in carbon-chain length. The current study examined detection of acetic, butyric, hexanoic, and octanoic acids mixed with three other model odorants that differ greatly from the acids in both structure and odor character, namely, 2-hydroxy-3-methylcyclopent-2-en-1-one, furan-2-ylmethanethiol, and (3-methyl-3-sulfanylbutyl) acetate. Psychometric functions were measured for both single compounds and binary mixtures (2 of 5, forced-choice method). An air dilution olfactometer delivered stimuli, with vapor-phase calibration using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Across the three odorants that differed from the acids, acetic and butyric acid showed approximately additive (or perhaps even supra-additive) summation at low perithreshold concentrations, but subadditive interactions at high perithreshold concentrations. In contrast, the medium-chain acids showed subadditive interactions across a wide range of concentrations. Thus, carbon-chain length appears to influence not only summation with other carboxylic acids but also summation with at least some unrelated compounds.

Detection of bovine central nervous system tissues in rendered animal by-products by one-step real-time reverse transcription PCR assay.

PubMed

Andrievskaia, Olga; Tangorra, Erin

2014-12-01

Contamination of rendered animal byproducts with central nervous system tissues (CNST) from animals with bovine spongiform encephalopathy is considered one of the vehicles of disease transmission. Removal from the animal feed chain of CNST originated from cattle of a specified age category, species-labeling of rendered meat products, and testing of rendered products for bovine CNST are tasks associated with the epidemiological control of bovine spongiform encephalopathy. A single-step TaqMan real-time reverse transcriptase (RRT) PCR assay was developed and evaluated for specific detection of bovine glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mRNA, a biomarker of bovine CNST, in rendered animal by-products. An internal amplification control, mammalian b -actin mRNA, was coamplified in the duplex RRT-PCR assay to monitor amplification efficiency, normalize amplification signals, and avoid false-negative results. The functionality of the GFAP mRNA RRT-PCR was assessed through analysis of laboratory-generated binary mixtures of bovine central nervous system (CNS) and muscle tissues treated under various thermal settings imitating industrial conditions. The assay was able to detect as low as 0.05 % (wt/wt) bovine brain tissue in binary mixtures heat treated at 110 to 130°C for 20 to 60 min. Further evaluation of the GFAP mRNA RRT-PCR assay involved samples of industrial rendered products of various species origin and composition obtained from commercial sources and rendering plants. Low amounts of bovine GFAP mRNA were detected in several bovine-rendered products, which was in agreement with declared species composition. An accurate estimation of CNS tissue content in industrial-rendered products was complicated due to a wide range of temperature and time settings in rendering protocols. Nevertheless, the GFAP mRNA RRT-PCR assay may be considered for bovine CNS tissue detection in rendered products in combination with other available tools (for example, animal age verification) in inspection programs.

Autonomous detection of crowd anomalies in multiple-camera surveillance feeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordlöf, Jonas; Andersson, Maria

2016-10-01

A novel approach for autonomous detection of anomalies in crowded environments is presented in this paper. The proposed models uses a Gaussian mixture probability hypothesis density (GM-PHD) filter as feature extractor in conjunction with different Gaussian mixture hidden Markov models (GM-HMMs). Results, based on both simulated and recorded data, indicate that this method can track and detect anomalies on-line in individual crowds through multiple camera feeds in a crowded environment.

Materials Related Forensic Analysis and Special Testing : Drying Shrinkage Evaluation of Bridge Decks with Class AAA and Class W/WD Type K Cement

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-07-01

This work pertains to preparation of concrete drying shrinkage data for proposed concrete mixtures during normal concrete : trial batch verification. Selected concrete mixtures will include PennDOT Classes AAA and AA and will also include the use of ...

Survival and growth of trees and shrubs on different lignite minesoils in Louisiana

Treesearch

James D. Haywood; Allan E. Tiarks; James P. Barnett

1993-01-01

In 1980, an experimental opencast lignite mine was developed to compare redistributed A horizon with three minesoil mixtures as growth media for woody plants. The three minesoil mixtures contained different amounts and types of overburden materials, and normal reclamation practices were followed. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda, L.), sawtooth oak (

Analysis of Intrinsic Peptide Detectability via Integrated Label-Free and SRM-Based Absolute Quantitative Proteomics.

PubMed

Jarnuczak, Andrew F; Lee, Dave C H; Lawless, Craig; Holman, Stephen W; Eyers, Claire E; Hubbard, Simon J

2016-09-02

Quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics of complex biological samples remains challenging in part due to the variability and charge competition arising during electrospray ionization (ESI) of peptides and the subsequent transfer and detection of ions. These issues preclude direct quantification from signal intensity alone in the absence of a standard. A deeper understanding of the governing principles of peptide ionization and exploitation of the inherent ionization and detection parameters of individual peptides is thus of great value. Here, using the yeast proteome as a model system, we establish the concept of peptide F-factor as a measure of detectability, closely related to ionization efficiency. F-factor is calculated by normalizing peptide precursor ion intensity by absolute abundance of the parent protein. We investigated F-factor characteristics in different shotgun proteomics experiments, including across multiple ESI-based LC-MS platforms. We show that F-factors mirror previously observed physicochemical predictors as peptide detectability but demonstrate a nonlinear relationship between hydrophobicity and peptide detectability. Similarly, we use F-factors to show how peptide ion coelution adversely affects detectability and ionization. We suggest that F-factors have great utility for understanding peptide detectability and gas-phase ion chemistry in complex peptide mixtures, selection of surrogate peptides in targeted MS studies, and for calibration of peptide ion signal in label-free workflows. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD003472.

A mixture of extracts from Peruvian plants (black maca and yacon) improves sperm count and reduced glycemia in mice with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

PubMed

Gonzales, Gustavo F; Gonzales-Castañeda, Cynthia; Gasco, Manuel

2013-09-01

We investigated the effect of two extracts from Peruvian plants given alone or in a mixture on sperm count and glycemia in streptozotocin-diabetic mice. Normal or diabetic mice were divided in groups receiving vehicle, black maca (Lepidium meyenii), yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) or three mixtures of extracts black maca/yacon (90/10, 50/50 and 10/90%). Normal or diabetic mice were treated for 7 d with each extract, mixture or vehicle. Glycemia, daily sperm production (DSP), epididymal and vas deferens sperm counts in mice and polyphenol content, and antioxidant activity in each extract were assessed. Black maca (BM), yacon and the mixture of extracts reduced glucose levels in diabetic mice. Non-diabetic mice treated with BM and yacon showed higher DSP than those treated with vehicle (p < 0.05). Diabetic mice treated with BM, yacon and the mixture maca/yacon increased DSP, and sperm count in vas deferens and epididymis with respect to non-diabetic and diabetic mice treated with vehicle (p < 0.05). Yacon has 3.05 times higher polyphenol content than in maca, and this was associated with higher antioxidant activity. The combination of two extracts improved glycemic levels and male reproductive function in diabetic mice. Streptozotocin increased 1.43 times the liver weight that was reversed with the assessed plants extracts. In summary, streptozotocin-induced diabetes resulted in reduction in sperm counts and liver damage. These effects could be reduced with BM, yacon and the BM+yacon mixture.

Steganalysis feature improvement using expectation maximization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, Benjamin M.; Peterson, Gilbert L.; Agaian, Sos S.

2007-04-01

Images and data files provide an excellent opportunity for concealing illegal or clandestine material. Currently, there are over 250 different tools which embed data into an image without causing noticeable changes to the image. From a forensics perspective, when a system is confiscated or an image of a system is generated the investigator needs a tool that can scan and accurately identify files suspected of containing malicious information. The identification process is termed the steganalysis problem which focuses on both blind identification, in which only normal images are available for training, and multi-class identification, in which both the clean and stego images at several embedding rates are available for training. In this paper an investigation of a clustering and classification technique (Expectation Maximization with mixture models) is used to determine if a digital image contains hidden information. The steganalysis problem is for both anomaly detection and multi-class detection. The various clusters represent clean images and stego images with between 1% and 10% embedding percentage. Based on the results it is concluded that the EM classification technique is highly suitable for both blind detection and the multi-class problem.

Means and method of detection in chemical separation procedures

DOEpatents

Yeung, Edward S.; Koutny, Lance B.; Hogan, Barry L.; Cheung, Chan K.; Ma, Yinfa

1993-03-09

A means and method for indirect detection of constituent components of a mixture separated in a chemical separation process. Fluorescing ions are distributed across the area in which separation of the mixture will occur to provide a generally uniform background fluorescence intensity. For example, the mixture is comprised of one or more charged analytes which displace fluorescing ions where its constituent components separate to. Fluorescing ions of the same charge as the charged analyte components cause a displacement. The displacement results in the location of the separated components having a reduced fluorescence intensity to the remainder of the background. Detection of the lower fluorescence intensity areas can be visually, by photographic means and methods, or by automated laser scanning.

Means and method of detection in chemical separation procedures

DOEpatents

Yeung, E.S.; Koutny, L.B.; Hogan, B.L.; Cheung, C.K.; Yinfa Ma.

1993-03-09

A means and method are described for indirect detection of constituent components of a mixture separated in a chemical separation process. Fluorescing ions are distributed across the area in which separation of the mixture will occur to provide a generally uniform background fluorescence intensity. For example, the mixture is comprised of one or more charged analytes which displace fluorescing ions where its constituent components separate to. Fluorescing ions of the same charge as the charged analyte components cause a displacement. The displacement results in the location of the separated components having a reduced fluorescence intensity to the remainder of the background. Detection of the lower fluorescence intensity areas can be visually, by photographic means and methods, or by automated laser scanning.

ANALYSIS OF FUNCTIONAL EFFECTS OF A MIXTURE OF FIVE PESTICIDES USING A RAY DESIGN

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract
The protection of human health from the adverse effects of cumulative environmental exposure to chemical mixtures is an important issue. Of particular interest is the potential detection and characterization of interaction among chemicals in complex mixtures. R...

NEUROTOXICOLOGICAL AND STATISTICAL ANALYSES OF A MIXTURE OF FIVE ORGANOPHOSPHORUS PESTICIDES USING A RAY DESIGN.

EPA Science Inventory

Pesticide application patterns generally result in exposure to mixtures instead of single chemicals. Of particular importance in the estimation of pesticide mixture risks is the detection and characterization of their interactions. This research tested for interaction(s) in a mix...

Prevention of propofol injection pain in children: a comparison of pretreatment with tramadol and propofol-lidocaine mixture.

PubMed

Borazan, Hale; Sahin, Osman; Kececioglu, Ahmet; Uluer, M Selcuk; Et, Tayfun; Otelcioglu, Seref

2012-01-01

The pain on propofol injection is considered to be a common and difficult to eliminate problem in children. In this study, we aimed to compare the efficacy of pretreatment with tramadol 1 mg.kg(-1)and propofol-lidocaine 20 mg mixture for prevention of propofol induced pain in children. One hundred and twenty ASA I-II patients undergoing orthopedic and otolaryngological surgery were included in this study and were divided into three groups with random table numbers. Group C (n=39) received normal saline placebo and Group T (n=40) received 1 mg.kg(-1) tramadol 60 sec before propofol (180 mg 1% propofol with 2 ml normal saline) whereas Group L (n=40) received normal saline placebo before propofol-lidocaine mixture (180 mg 1% propofol with 2 ml %1 lidocaine). One patient in Group C was dropped out from the study because of difficulty in inserting an iv cannula. Thus, one hundred and nineteen patients were analyzed for the study. After given the calculated dose of propofol, a blinded observer assessed the pain with a four-point behavioral scale. There were no significant differences in patient characteristics and intraoperative variables (p>0.05) except intraoperative fentanyl consumption and analgesic requirement one hr after surgery among the groups (p<0.05). Both tramadol 1 mg.kg(-1) and lidocaine 20 mg mixture significantly reduced propofol pain when compared with control group. Moderate and severe pain were found higher in control group (p<0.05). The incidence of overall pain was 79.4% in the control group, 35% in tramadol group, 25% in lidocaine group respectively (p<0.001). Pretreatment with tramadol 60 sec before propofol injection and propofol-lidocaine mixture were significantly reduced propofol injection pain when compared to placebo in children.

Zero velocity interval detection based on a continuous hidden Markov model in micro inertial pedestrian navigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Wei; Ding, Wei; Yan, Huifang; Duan, Shunli

2018-06-01

Shoe-mounted pedestrian navigation systems based on micro inertial sensors rely on zero velocity updates to correct their positioning errors in time, which effectively makes determining the zero velocity interval play a key role during normal walking. However, as walking gaits are complicated, and vary from person to person, it is difficult to detect walking gaits with a fixed threshold method. This paper proposes a pedestrian gait classification method based on a hidden Markov model. Pedestrian gait data are collected with a micro inertial measurement unit installed at the instep. On the basis of analyzing the characteristics of the pedestrian walk, a single direction angular rate gyro output is used to classify gait features. The angular rate data are modeled into a univariate Gaussian mixture model with three components, and a four-state left–right continuous hidden Markov model (CHMM) is designed to classify the normal walking gait. The model parameters are trained and optimized using the Baum–Welch algorithm and then the sliding window Viterbi algorithm is used to decode the gait. Walking data are collected through eight subjects walking along the same route at three different speeds; the leave-one-subject-out cross validation method is conducted to test the model. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can accurately detect different walking gaits of zero velocity interval. The location experiment shows that the precision of CHMM-based pedestrian navigation improved by 40% when compared to the angular rate threshold method.

Partitioning Detectability Components in Populations Subject to Within-Season Temporary Emigration Using Binomial Mixture Models

PubMed Central

O’Donnell, Katherine M.; Thompson, Frank R.; Semlitsch, Raymond D.

2015-01-01

Detectability of individual animals is highly variable and nearly always < 1; imperfect detection must be accounted for to reliably estimate population sizes and trends. Hierarchical models can simultaneously estimate abundance and effective detection probability, but there are several different mechanisms that cause variation in detectability. Neglecting temporary emigration can lead to biased population estimates because availability and conditional detection probability are confounded. In this study, we extend previous hierarchical binomial mixture models to account for multiple sources of variation in detectability. The state process of the hierarchical model describes ecological mechanisms that generate spatial and temporal patterns in abundance, while the observation model accounts for the imperfect nature of counting individuals due to temporary emigration and false absences. We illustrate our model’s potential advantages, including the allowance of temporary emigration between sampling periods, with a case study of southern red-backed salamanders Plethodon serratus. We fit our model and a standard binomial mixture model to counts of terrestrial salamanders surveyed at 40 sites during 3–5 surveys each spring and fall 2010–2012. Our models generated similar parameter estimates to standard binomial mixture models. Aspect was the best predictor of salamander abundance in our case study; abundance increased as aspect became more northeasterly. Increased time-since-rainfall strongly decreased salamander surface activity (i.e. availability for sampling), while higher amounts of woody cover objects and rocks increased conditional detection probability (i.e. probability of capture, given an animal is exposed to sampling). By explicitly accounting for both components of detectability, we increased congruence between our statistical modeling and our ecological understanding of the system. We stress the importance of choosing survey locations and protocols that maximize species availability and conditional detection probability to increase population parameter estimate reliability. PMID:25775182

Capacity building and predictors of success for HIV-1 drug resistance testing in the Asia-Pacific region and Africa

PubMed Central

Land, Sally; Zhou, Julian; Cunningham, Philip; Sohn, Annette H; Singtoroj, Thida; Katzenstein, David; Mann, Marita; Sayer, David; Kantor, Rami

2013-01-01

Background The TREAT Asia Quality Assessment Scheme (TAQAS) was developed as a quality assessment programme through expert education and training, for laboratories in the Asia-Pacific and Africa that perform HIV drug-resistance (HIVDR) genotyping. We evaluated the programme performance and factors associated with high-quality HIVDR genotyping. Methods Laboratories used their standard protocols to test panels of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive plasma samples or electropherograms. Protocols were documented and performance was evaluated according to a newly developed scoring system, agreement with panel-specific consensus sequence, and detection of drug-resistance mutations (DRMs) and mixtures of wild-type and resistant virus (mixtures). High-quality performance was defined as detection of ≥95% DRMs. Results Over 4.5 years, 23 participating laboratories in 13 countries tested 45 samples (30 HIV-1 subtype B; 15 non-B subtypes) in nine panels. Median detection of DRMs was 88–98% in plasma panels and 90–97% in electropherogram panels. Laboratories were supported to amend and improve their test outcomes as appropriate. Three laboratories that detected <80% DRMs in early panels demonstrated subsequent improvement. Sample complexity factors – number of DRMs (p<0.001) and number of DRMs as mixtures (p<0.001); and laboratory performance factors – detection of mixtures (p<0.001) and agreement with consensus sequence (p<0.001), were associated with high performance; sample format (plasma or electropherogram), subtype and genotyping protocol were not. Conclusion High-quality HIVDR genotyping was achieved in the TAQAS collaborative laboratory network. Sample complexity and detection of mixtures were associated with performance quality. Laboratories conducting HIVDR genotyping are encouraged to participate in quality assessment programmes. PMID:23845227

Hyperspectral target detection using heavy-tailed distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willis, Chris J.

2009-09-01

One promising approach to target detection in hyperspectral imagery exploits a statistical mixture model to represent scene content at a pixel level. The process then goes on to look for pixels which are rare, when judged against the model, and marks them as anomalies. It is assumed that military targets will themselves be rare and therefore likely to be detected amongst these anomalies. For the typical assumption of multivariate Gaussianity for the mixture components, the presence of the anomalous pixels within the training data will have a deleterious effect on the quality of the model. In particular, the derivation process itself is adversely affected by the attempt to accommodate the anomalies within the mixture components. This will bias the statistics of at least some of the components away from their true values and towards the anomalies. In many cases this will result in a reduction in the detection performance and an increased false alarm rate. This paper considers the use of heavy-tailed statistical distributions within the mixture model. Such distributions are better able to account for anomalies in the training data within the tails of their distributions, and the balance of the pixels within their central masses. This means that an improved model of the majority of the pixels in the scene may be produced, ultimately leading to a better anomaly detection result. The anomaly detection techniques are examined using both synthetic data and hyperspectral imagery with injected anomalous pixels. A range of results is presented for the baseline Gaussian mixture model and for models accommodating heavy-tailed distributions, for different parameterizations of the algorithms. These include scene understanding results, anomalous pixel maps at given significance levels and Receiver Operating Characteristic curves.

Which chemicals drive biological effects in wastewater and recycled water?

PubMed

Tang, Janet Y M; Busetti, Francesco; Charrois, Jeffrey W A; Escher, Beate I

2014-09-01

Removal of organic micropollutants from wastewater during secondary treatment followed by reverse osmosis and UV disinfection was evaluated by a combination of four in-vitro cell-based bioassays and chemical analysis of 299 organic compounds. Concentrations detected in recycled water were below the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling. Thus the detected chemicals were considered not to pose any health risk. The detected pesticides in the wastewater treatment plant effluent and partially advanced treated water explained all observed effects on photosynthesis inhibition. In contrast, mixture toxicity experiments with designed mixtures containing all detected chemicals at their measured concentrations demonstrated that the known chemicals explained less than 3% of the observed cytotoxicity and less than 1% of the oxidative stress response. Pesticides followed by pharmaceuticals and personal care products dominated the observed mixture effects. The detected chemicals were not related to the observed genotoxicity. The large proportion of unknown toxicity calls for effect monitoring complementary to chemical monitoring. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isoelectric focusing and ELISA for detecting adulteration of donkey milk with cow milk.

PubMed

Pizzano, Rosa; Salimei, Elisabetta

2014-06-25

Donkey milk has been recently revalued intensely due to its nutritional properties. Moreover, donkey milk has been proposed as an effective alternative food for some infants with cow milk allergy. Two fast analytical methods were proposed to detect the fraudulent practice of blending cow milk to donkey milk. Detection of cow αs1-casein bands along the profiles of experimental donkey-cow milk mixtures analyzed by isoelectric focusing was adequate to estimate cow milk used as adulterant of donkey milk starting from 5% (v/v). An ELISA-based method using the antipeptide antibodies raised against the 1-28 sequence stretch of cow β-casein was also developed for an accurate definition of composition of donkey-cow milk mixtures. The presence of cow milk at levels as low as 0.5% (v/v) was detected in donkey-cow milk mixtures prepared at laboratory scale and assayed by ELISA.

Criteria for Remote Sensing Detection of Sulfate Cemented Soils on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, Christopher D.; Mustard, John F.

2000-01-01

Spectral measurements of loose and cemented mixtures of palagonitic soil and sulfates were made to determine whether cemented soils could be identified on Mars. Cemented MgSO4 mixtures exhibit an enhanced 9 micron sulfate fundamental compared to gypsum mixtures due to more diffuse and pervasive cementing.

Developmental exposure to a mixture of two mechanistically distinct antiandrogens results in cumulative adverse reproductive effects in adult male rats

EPA Science Inventory

Typically, toxicological studies have focused on the adverse effects from exposure to single chemicals. However, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are detected in the environment as mixtures. Empirical evidence suggests that mixtures of EDCs with the same mechanism of action...

Different Approaches to Covariate Inclusion in the Mixture Rasch Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Tongyun; Jiao, Hong; Macready, George B.

2016-01-01

The present study investigates different approaches to adding covariates and the impact in fitting mixture item response theory models. Mixture item response theory models serve as an important methodology for tackling several psychometric issues in test development, including the detection of latent differential item functioning. A Monte Carlo…

Megakaryoblastic leukemia in a dog.

PubMed

Pucheu-Haston, C M; Camus, A; Taboada, J; Gaunt, S D; Snider, T G; Lopez, M K

1995-07-15

A 7-year-old spayed Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog was examined to determine the cause of shifting forelimb lameness, anorexia, and lethargy. The dog was pyrectic and had splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, and nonregenerative anemia. Examination of a bone marrow aspirate revealed hypocellularity with normal maturation of erythroid and granulocytic cell lines; however, approximately half of the cells were large undifferentiated blast cells. These cells were identified as megakaryoblasts, using immunohistochemical techniques to detect reactivity for Factor VIII-related antigen and platelet glycoprotein IIIa. Necropsy revealed diffuse neoplastic involvement of the spleen, liver, lungs, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. Cellular infiltrate was characterized by a mixture of megakaryoblasts and typical megakaryocytes. Megakaryoblastic leukemia (M7) is the designation proposed by the Animal Leukemia Study Group for myeloproliferative neoplasms of megakaryocytic lineage.

Table and charts of equilibrium normal-shock properties for hydrogen-helium mixtures with velocities to 70 km/sec. Volume 1: 0.95 H2-0.05 He (by volume)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, C. G., III; Wilder, S. E.

1976-01-01

Equilibrium thermodynamic and flow properties are presented in tabulated and graphical form for moving, standing, and reflected normal shock waves into hydrogen-helium mixtures representative of postulated outer planet atmospheres. These results are presented in four volumes and the volmetric compositions of the mixtures are 0.95H2-0.05He in Volume 1, 0.90H2-0.10He in Volume 2, 0.85H2-0.15He in Volume 3, and 0.75H2-0.25He in Volume 4. Properties include pressure, temperature, density, enthalpy, speed of sound, entropy, molecular-weight ratio, isentropic exponent, velocity, and species mole fractions. Incident (moving) shock velocities are varied from 4 to 70 km/sec for a range of initial pressure of 5 N/sq m to 100 kN/sq m. Results are applicable to shock-tube flows and for determining flow conditions behind the normal portion of the bow shock about a blunt body at high velocities in postulated outer planet atmospheres. The document is a revised version of the original edition of NASA SP-3085 published in 1974.

Site occupancy models with heterogeneous detection probabilities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, J. Andrew

2006-01-01

Models for estimating the probability of occurrence of a species in the presence of imperfect detection are important in many ecological disciplines. In these ?site occupancy? models, the possibility of heterogeneity in detection probabilities among sites must be considered because variation in abundance (and other factors) among sampled sites induces variation in detection probability (p). In this article, I develop occurrence probability models that allow for heterogeneous detection probabilities by considering several common classes of mixture distributions for p. For any mixing distribution, the likelihood has the general form of a zero-inflated binomial mixture for which inference based upon integrated likelihood is straightforward. A recent paper by Link (2003, Biometrics 59, 1123?1130) demonstrates that in closed population models used for estimating population size, different classes of mixture distributions are indistinguishable from data, yet can produce very different inferences about population size. I demonstrate that this problem can also arise in models for estimating site occupancy in the presence of heterogeneous detection probabilities. The implications of this are discussed in the context of an application to avian survey data and the development of animal monitoring programs.

iSentenizer-μ: multilingual sentence boundary detection model.

PubMed

Wong, Derek F; Chao, Lidia S; Zeng, Xiaodong

2014-01-01

Sentence boundary detection (SBD) system is normally quite sensitive to genres of data that the system is trained on. The genres of data are often referred to the shifts of text topics and new languages domains. Although new detection models can be retrained for different languages or new text genres, previous model has to be thrown away and the creation process has to be restarted from scratch. In this paper, we present a multilingual sentence boundary detection system (iSentenizer-μ) for Danish, German, English, Spanish, Dutch, French, Italian, Portuguese, Greek, Finnish, and Swedish languages. The proposed system is able to detect the sentence boundaries of a mixture of different text genres and languages with high accuracy. We employ i (+)Learning algorithm, an incremental tree learning architecture, for constructing the system. iSentenizer-μ, under the incremental learning framework, is adaptable to text of different topics and Roman-alphabet languages, by merging new data into existing model to learn the new knowledge incrementally by revision instead of retraining. The system has been extensively evaluated on different languages and text genres and has been compared against two state-of-the-art SBD systems, Punkt and MaxEnt. The experimental results show that the proposed system outperforms the other systems on all datasets.

Radioisotope Detection Device and Methods of Radioisotope Collection

DOEpatents

Tranter, Troy J [Idaho Falls, ID; Oertel, Christopher P [Idaho Falls, ID; Giles, John R [Pocatello, ID; Mann, Nicholas R [Rigby, ID; McIlwain, Michael E [Idaho Falls, ID

2011-04-12

A device for collection of radionuclides includes a mixture of a polymer, a fluorescent organic scintillator and a chemical extractant. A radionuclide detector system includes a collection device comprising a mixture of a polymer, a fluorescent agent and a selective ligand. The system includes at least one photomultiplier tube (PMT). A method of detecting radionuclides includes providing a collector device comprising a mixture comprising a polymer, a fluorescent organic scintillator and a chemical extractant. An aqueous environment is exposed to the device and radionuclides are collected from the environment. Radionuclides can be concentrated within the device.

Latent Class Detection and Class Assignment: A Comparison of the MAXEIG Taxometric Procedure and Factor Mixture Modeling Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lubke, Gitta; Tueller, Stephen

2010-01-01

Taxometric procedures such as MAXEIG and factor mixture modeling (FMM) are used in latent class clustering, but they have very different sets of strengths and weaknesses. Taxometric procedures, popular in psychiatric and psychopathology applications, do not rely on distributional assumptions. Their sole purpose is to detect the presence of latent…

Influence of sediment chemistry and sediment toxicity on macroinvertebrate communities across 99 wadable streams of the Midwestern USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moran, Patrick W.; Nowell, Lisa H.; Kemble, Nile E.; Mahler, Barbara J.; Waite, Ian R.; Van Metre, Peter C.

2017-01-01

Simultaneous assessment of sediment chemistry, sediment toxicity, and macroinvertebrate communities can provide multiple lines of evidence when investigating relations between sediment contaminants and ecological degradation. These three measures were evaluated at 99 wadable stream sites across 11 states in the Midwestern United States during the summer of 2013 to assess sediment pollution across a large agricultural landscape. This evaluation considers an extensive suite of sediment chemistry totaling 274 analytes (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, trace elements, and current-use pesticides) and a mixture assessment based on the ratios of detected compounds to available effects-based benchmarks. The sediments were tested for toxicity with the amphipod Hyalella azteca (28-d exposure), the midge Chironomus dilutus (10-d), and, at a few sites, with the freshwater mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea (28-d). Sediment concentrations, normalized to organic carbon content, infrequently exceeded benchmarks for aquatic health, which was generally consistent with low rates of observed toxicity. However, the benchmark-based mixture score and the pyrethroid insecticide bifenthrin were significantly related to observed sediment toxicity. The sediment mixture score and bifenthrin were also significant predictors of the upper limits of several univariate measures of the macroinvertebrate community (EPT percent, MMI (Macroinvertebrate Multimetric Index) Score, Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera richness) using quantile regression. Multivariate pattern matching (Mantel-like tests) of macroinvertebrate species per site to identified contaminant metrics and sediment toxicity also indicate that the sediment mixture score and bifenthrin have weak, albeit significant, influence on the observed invertebrate community composition. Together, these three lines of evidence (toxicity tests, univariate metrics, and multivariate community analysis) suggest that elevated contaminant concentrations in sediments, in particular bifenthrin, is limiting macroinvertebrate communities in several of these Midwest streams.

Characterization and Separation of Cancer Cells with a Wicking Fiber Device.

PubMed

Tabbaa, Suzanne M; Sharp, Julia L; Burg, Karen J L

2017-12-01

Current cancer diagnostic methods lack the ability to quickly, simply, efficiently, and inexpensively screen cancer cells from a mixed population of cancer and normal cells. Methods based on biomarkers are unreliable due to complexity of cancer cells, plasticity of markers, and lack of common tumorigenic markers. Diagnostics are time intensive, require multiple tests, and provide limited information. In this study, we developed a novel wicking fiber device that separates cancer and normal cell types. To the best of our knowledge, no previous work has used vertical wicking of cells through fibers to identify and isolate cancer cells. The device separated mouse mammary tumor cells from a cellular mixture containing normal mouse mammary cells. Further investigation showed the device separated and isolated human cancer cells from a heterogeneous mixture of normal and cancerous human cells. We report a simple, inexpensive, and rapid technique that has potential to identify and isolate cancer cells from large volumes of liquid samples that can be translated to on-site clinic diagnosis.

Internal combustion engine controls for reduced exhausts contaminants

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

Matthews, D.R. Jr.

1974-06-04

An electrochemical control system for achieving optimum efficiency in the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions from internal combustion engines is described. The system automatically maintains catalyst temperature at a point for maximum pollutant conversion by adjusting ignition timing and fuel/air ratio during warm-up and subsequent operation. Ignition timing is retarded during engine warm-up to bring the catalytic converter to an efficient operating temperature within a minimum period of time. After the converter reaches a predetermined minimum temperature, the spark is advanced to within its normal operating range. A needle-valve adjustment during warm-up is employed to enrich themore » fuel/air mixture by approximately 10 percent. Following warm-up and attainment of a predetermined catalyst temperature, the needle valve is moved automatically to its normal position (e.g., a fuel/air ratio of 16:1). Although the normal lean mixture causes increased amounts of nitrogen oxide emissions, present NO/sub x/ converters appear capable of handling the increased emissions under normal operating conditions.« less

Development and validation of chemometrics-assisted spectrophotometric and liquid chromatographic methods for the simultaneous determination of two multicomponent mixtures containing bronchodilator drugs.

PubMed

El-Gindy, Alaa; Emara, Samy; Shaaban, Heba

2007-02-19

Three methods are developed for the determination of two multicomponent mixtures containing guaiphenesine (GU) with salbutamol sulfate (SL), methylparaben (MP) and propylparaben (PP) [mixture 1]; and acephylline piperazine (AC) with bromhexine hydrochloride (BX), methylparaben (MP) and propylparaben (PP) [mixture 2]. The resolution of the two multicomponent mixtures has been accomplished by using numerical spectrophotometric methods such as partial least squares (PLS-1) and principal component regression (PCR) applied to UV absorption spectra of the two mixtures. In addition HPLC method was developed using a RP 18 column at ambient temperature with mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-0.05 M potassium dihydrogen phosphate, pH 4.3 (60:40, v/v), with UV detection at 243 nm for mixture 1, and mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-0.05 M potassium dihydrogen phosphate, pH 3 (50:50, v/v), with UV detection at 245 nm for mixture 2. The methods were validated in terms of accuracy, specificity, precision and linearity in the range of 20-60 microg ml(-1) for GU, 1-3 microg ml(-1) for SL, 20-80 microg ml(-1) for AC, 0.2-1.8 microgml(-1) for PP and 1-5 microg ml(-1) for BX and MP. The proposed methods were successfully applied for the determination of the two multicomponent combinations in laboratory prepared mixtures and commercial syrups.

Rasch Mixture Models for DIF Detection

PubMed Central

Strobl, Carolin; Zeileis, Achim

2014-01-01

Rasch mixture models can be a useful tool when checking the assumption of measurement invariance for a single Rasch model. They provide advantages compared to manifest differential item functioning (DIF) tests when the DIF groups are only weakly correlated with the manifest covariates available. Unlike in single Rasch models, estimation of Rasch mixture models is sensitive to the specification of the ability distribution even when the conditional maximum likelihood approach is used. It is demonstrated in a simulation study how differences in ability can influence the latent classes of a Rasch mixture model. If the aim is only DIF detection, it is not of interest to uncover such ability differences as one is only interested in a latent group structure regarding the item difficulties. To avoid any confounding effect of ability differences (or impact), a new score distribution for the Rasch mixture model is introduced here. It ensures the estimation of the Rasch mixture model to be independent of the ability distribution and thus restricts the mixture to be sensitive to latent structure in the item difficulties only. Its usefulness is demonstrated in a simulation study, and its application is illustrated in a study of verbal aggression. PMID:29795819

Fitting N-mixture models to count data with unmodeled heterogeneity: Bias, diagnostics, and alternative approaches

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duarte, Adam; Adams, Michael J.; Peterson, James T.

2018-01-01

Monitoring animal populations is central to wildlife and fisheries management, and the use of N-mixture models toward these efforts has markedly increased in recent years. Nevertheless, relatively little work has evaluated estimator performance when basic assumptions are violated. Moreover, diagnostics to identify when bias in parameter estimates from N-mixture models is likely is largely unexplored. We simulated count data sets using 837 combinations of detection probability, number of sample units, number of survey occasions, and type and extent of heterogeneity in abundance or detectability. We fit Poisson N-mixture models to these data, quantified the bias associated with each combination, and evaluated if the parametric bootstrap goodness-of-fit (GOF) test can be used to indicate bias in parameter estimates. We also explored if assumption violations can be diagnosed prior to fitting N-mixture models. In doing so, we propose a new model diagnostic, which we term the quasi-coefficient of variation (QCV). N-mixture models performed well when assumptions were met and detection probabilities were moderate (i.e., ≥0.3), and the performance of the estimator improved with increasing survey occasions and sample units. However, the magnitude of bias in estimated mean abundance with even slight amounts of unmodeled heterogeneity was substantial. The parametric bootstrap GOF test did not perform well as a diagnostic for bias in parameter estimates when detectability and sample sizes were low. The results indicate the QCV is useful to diagnose potential bias and that potential bias associated with unidirectional trends in abundance or detectability can be diagnosed using Poisson regression. This study represents the most thorough assessment to date of assumption violations and diagnostics when fitting N-mixture models using the most commonly implemented error distribution. Unbiased estimates of population state variables are needed to properly inform management decision making. Therefore, we also discuss alternative approaches to yield unbiased estimates of population state variables using similar data types, and we stress that there is no substitute for an effective sample design that is grounded upon well-defined management objectives.

Pesticide mixtures in the Swedish streams: Environmental risks, contributions of individual compounds and consequences of single-substance oriented risk mitigation.

PubMed

Gustavsson, Mikael; Kreuger, Jenny; Bundschuh, Mirco; Backhaus, Thomas

2017-11-15

This paper presents the ecotoxicological assessment and environmental risk evaluation of complex pesticide mixtures occurring in freshwater ecosystems in southern Sweden. The evaluation is based on exposure data collected between 2002 and 2013 by the Swedish pesticide monitoring program and includes 1308 individual samples, detecting mixtures of up to 53 pesticides (modal=8). Pesticide mixture risks were evaluated using three different scenarios for non-detects (best-case, worst-case and using the Kaplan-Meier method). The risk of each scenario was analyzed using Swedish Water Quality Objectives (WQO) and trophic-level specific environmental thresholds. Using the Kaplan-Meier method the environmental risk of 73% of the samples exceeded acceptable levels, based on an assessment using Concentration-Addition and WQOs for the individual pesticides. Algae were the most sensitive organism group. However, analytical detection limits, especially for insecticides, were insufficient to analyze concentrations at or near their WQO's. Thus, the risk of the analyzed pesticide mixtures to crustaceans and fish is systematically underestimated. Treating non-detects as being present at their individual limit of detection increased the estimated risk by a factor 100 or more, compared to the best-case or the Kaplan-Meier scenario. Pesticide mixture risks are often driven by only 1-3 compounds. However, the risk-drivers (i.e., individual pesticides explaining the largest share of potential effects) differ substantially between sites and samples, and 83 of the 141 monitored pesticides need to be included in the assessment to account for 95% of the risk at all sites and years. Single-substance oriented risk mitigation measures that would ensure that each individual pesticide is present at a maximum of 95% of its individual WQO, would also reduce the mixture risk, but only from a median risk quotient of 2.1 to a median risk quotient of 1.8. Also, acceptable total risk levels would still be exceeded in more than 70% of the samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dosimetry using silver salts

DOEpatents

Warner, Benjamin P.

2003-06-24

The present invention provides a method for detecting ionizing radiation. Exposure of silver salt AgX to ionizing radiation results in the partial reduction of the salt to a mixture of silver salt and silver metal. The mixture is further reduced by a reducing agent, which causes the production of acid (HX) and the oxidized form of the reducing agent (R). Detection of HX indicates that the silver salt has been exposed to ionizing radiation. The oxidized form of the reducing agent (R) may also be detected. The invention also includes dosimeters employing the above method for detecting ionizing radiation.

Detection and Resolution of Cryptosporidium Species and Species Mixtures by Genus-Specific Nested PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis, Direct Sequencing, and Cloning ▿

PubMed Central

Ruecker, Norma J.; Hoffman, Rebecca M.; Chalmers, Rachel M.; Neumann, Norman F.

2011-01-01

Molecular methods incorporating nested PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the 18S rRNA gene of Cryptosporidium species were validated to assess performance based on limit of detection (LoD) and for detecting and resolving mixtures of species and genotypes within a single sample. The 95% LoD was determined for seven species (Cryptosporidium hominis, C. parvum, C. felis, C. meleagridis, C. ubiquitum, C. muris, and C. andersoni) and ranged from 7 to 11 plasmid template copies with overlapping 95% confidence limits. The LoD values for genomic DNA from oocysts on microscope slides were 7 and 10 template copies for C. andersoni and C. parvum, respectively. The repetitive nested PCR-RFLP slide protocol had an LoD of 4 oocysts per slide. When templates of two species were mixed in equal ratios in the nested PCR-RFLP reaction mixture, there was no amplification bias toward one species over another. At high ratios of template mixtures (>1:10), there was a reduction or loss of detection of the less abundant species by RFLP analysis, most likely due to heteroduplex formation in the later cycles of the PCR. Replicate nested PCR was successful at resolving many mixtures of Cryptosporidium at template concentrations near or below the LoD. The cloning of nested PCR products resulted in 17% of the cloned sequences being recombinants of the two original templates. Limiting-dilution nested PCR followed by the sequencing of PCR products resulted in no sequence anomalies, suggesting that this method is an effective and accurate way to study the species diversity of Cryptosporidium, particularly for environmental water samples, in which mixtures of parasites are common. PMID:21498746

Effects of defined mixtures of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on multiple cellular responses in the human hepatocarcinoma cell line, HepG2, using high content analysis screening

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

Wilson, Jodie; Berntsen, Hanne Friis; Zimmer, Karin Elisabeth

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic substances, highly resistant to environmental degradation, which can bio-accumulate and have long-range atmospheric transport potential. Most studies focus on single compound effects, however as humans are exposed to several POPs simultaneously, investigating exposure effects of real life POP mixtures on human health is necessary. A defined mixture of POPs was used, where the compound concentration reflected its contribution to the levels seen in Scandinavian human serum (total mix). Several sub mixtures representing different classes of POPs were also constructed. The perfluorinated (PFC) mixture contained six perfluorinated compounds, brominated (Br) mixture contained seven brominated compounds,more » chlorinated (Cl) mixture contained polychlorinated biphenyls and also p,p’-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, hexachlorobenzene, three chlordanes, three hexachlorocyclohexanes and dieldrin. Human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cells were used for 2 h and 48 h exposures to the seven mixtures and analysis on a CellInsight™ NXT High Content Screening platform. Multiple cytotoxic endpoints were investigated: cell number, nuclear intensity and area, mitochondrial mass and membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Both the Br and Cl mixtures induced ROS production but did not lead to apoptosis. The PFC mixture induced ROS production and likely induced cell apoptosis accompanied by the dissipation of MMP. Synergistic effects were evident for ROS induction when cells were exposed to the PFC + Br mixture in comparison to the effects of the individual mixtures. No significant effects were detected in the Br + Cl, PFC + Cl or total mixtures, which contain the same concentrations of chlorinated compounds as the Cl mixture plus additional compounds; highlighting the need for further exploration of POP mixtures in risk assessment. - Highlights: • High content analysis (HCA) is a novel approach for determining toxicity of complex mixtures. • Multiple cytotoxic endpoints were investigated for defined mixtures of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). • POP mixtures are based on levels relevant to human exposure. • POP mixtures can increase ROS induction and impact mitochondrial health, which could result in apoptosis. • HCA can detect pre-lethal and reversible signs of cellular stress.« less

Maximum likelihood estimation of finite mixture model for economic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phoong, Seuk-Yen; Ismail, Mohd Tahir

2014-06-01

Finite mixture model is a mixture model with finite-dimension. This models are provides a natural representation of heterogeneity in a finite number of latent classes. In addition, finite mixture models also known as latent class models or unsupervised learning models. Recently, maximum likelihood estimation fitted finite mixture models has greatly drawn statistician's attention. The main reason is because maximum likelihood estimation is a powerful statistical method which provides consistent findings as the sample sizes increases to infinity. Thus, the application of maximum likelihood estimation is used to fit finite mixture model in the present paper in order to explore the relationship between nonlinear economic data. In this paper, a two-component normal mixture model is fitted by maximum likelihood estimation in order to investigate the relationship among stock market price and rubber price for sampled countries. Results described that there is a negative effect among rubber price and stock market price for Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia.

Diazonium Salt-Based Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Nanosensor: Detection and Quantitation of Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water Samples

PubMed Central

Tijunelyte, Inga; Betelu, Stéphanie; Moreau, Jonathan; Ignatiadis, Ioannis; Berho, Catherine; Lidgi-Guigui, Nathalie; Guénin, Erwann; David, Catalina; Vergnole, Sébastien; Rinnert, Emmanuel; Lamy de la Chapelle, Marc

2017-01-01

Here, we present a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) nanosensor for environmental pollutants detection. This study was conducted on three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), fluoranthene (FL), and naphthalene (NAP). SERS substrates were chemically functionalized using 4-dodecyl benzenediazonium-tetrafluoroborate and SERS analyses were conducted to detect the pollutants alone and in mixtures. Compounds were first measured in water-methanol (9:1 volume ratio) samples. Investigation on solutions containing concentrations ranging from 10−6 g L−1 to 10−3 g L−1 provided data to plot calibration curves and to determine the performance of the sensor. The calculated limit of detection (LOD) was 0.026 mg L−1 (10−7 mol L−1) for BaP, 0.064 mg L−1 (3.2 × 10−7 mol L−1) for FL, and 3.94 mg L−1 (3.1 × 10−5 mol L−1) for NAP, respectively. The correlation between the calculated LOD values and the octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) of the investigated PAHs suggests that the developed nanosensor is particularly suitable for detecting highly non-polar PAH compounds. Measurements conducted on a mixture of the three analytes (i) demonstrated the ability of the developed technology to detect and identify the three analytes in the mixture; (ii) provided the exact quantitation of pollutants in a mixture. Moreover, we optimized the surface regeneration step for the nanosensor. PMID:28538680

Diazonium Salt-Based Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Nanosensor: Detection and Quantitation of Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water Samples.

PubMed

Tijunelyte, Inga; Betelu, Stéphanie; Moreau, Jonathan; Ignatiadis, Ioannis; Berho, Catherine; Lidgi-Guigui, Nathalie; Guénin, Erwann; David, Catalina; Vergnole, Sébastien; Rinnert, Emmanuel; Lamy de la Chapelle, Marc

2017-05-24

Here, we present a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) nanosensor for environmental pollutants detection. This study was conducted on three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), fluoranthene (FL), and naphthalene (NAP). SERS substrates were chemically functionalized using 4-dodecyl benzenediazonium-tetrafluoroborate and SERS analyses were conducted to detect the pollutants alone and in mixtures. Compounds were first measured in water-methanol (9:1 volume ratio) samples. Investigation on solutions containing concentrations ranging from 10 -6 g L -1 to 10 -3 g L -1 provided data to plot calibration curves and to determine the performance of the sensor. The calculated limit of detection (LOD) was 0.026 mg L -1 (10 -7 mol L -1 ) for BaP, 0.064 mg L -1 (3.2 × 10 -7 mol L -1 ) for FL, and 3.94 mg L -1 (3.1 × 10 -5 mol L -1 ) for NAP, respectively. The correlation between the calculated LOD values and the octanol-water partition coefficient (K ow ) of the investigated PAHs suggests that the developed nanosensor is particularly suitable for detecting highly non-polar PAH compounds. Measurements conducted on a mixture of the three analytes (i) demonstrated the ability of the developed technology to detect and identify the three analytes in the mixture; (ii) provided the exact quantitation of pollutants in a mixture. Moreover, we optimized the surface regeneration step for the nanosensor.

Bayesian Regularization for Normal Mixture Estimation and Model-Based Clustering

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-08-04

describe a four-band magnetic resonance image (MRI) consisting of 23,712 pixels of a brain with a tumor 2. Because of the size of the dataset, it is not...the Royal Statistical Society, Series B 56, 363–375. Figueiredo, M. A. T. and A. K. Jain (2002). Unsupervised learning of finite mixture models. IEEE...20 5.4 Brain MRI

Novel Indocyanine Green-Phytate Colloid Technique for Sentinel Node Detection in Head and Neck: Mouse Study.

PubMed

Araki, Koji; Mizokami, Daisuke; Tomifuji, Masayuki; Yamashita, Taku; Ohnuki, Kazunobu; Umeda, Izumi O; Fujii, Hirofumi; Kosuda, Shigeru; Shiotani, Akihiro

2014-08-01

Sentinel node navigation surgery using real-time, near-infrared imaging with indocyanine green is becoming popular by allowing head and neck surgeons to avoid unnecessary neck dissection. The major drawback of this method is its quick migration through the lymphatics, limiting the diagnostic time window and undesirable detection of downstream nodes. We resolved this problem by mixing indocyanine green (ICG) with phytate colloid to retard its migration and demonstrated its feasibility in a nude mouse study. Experimental prospective animal study. Animal laboratory. Indocyanine green at 3 concentrations was tested to determine the optimal concentration for sentinel lymph node detection in a mouse model. Effect of indocyanine green with phytate colloid mixture solutions was also analyzed. Indocyanine green or mixture solution at different mixing ratios were injected into the tongue of nude mice and near-infrared fluorescence images were captured sequentially for up to 48 hours. The brightness of fluorescence in the sentinel lymph node and lymph nodes further downstream were assessed. Indocyanine green concentration >50 μg/mL did not improve sentinel lymph node detection. The addition of phytate colloid to indocyanine green extended the period when sentinel lymph node was detectable. Second echelon lymph nodes were not imaged in mice injected with the mixture, while these were visualized in mice injected with indocyanine green alone. This novel technique of ICG-phytate colloid mixture allows prolonged diagnostic time window, prevention of downstream subsequent nodes detection, and improved accuracy for the detection of true sentinel lymph nodes. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2014.

Ensemble Learning Method for Outlier Detection and its Application to Astronomical Light Curves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nun, Isadora; Protopapas, Pavlos; Sim, Brandon; Chen, Wesley

2016-09-01

Outlier detection is necessary for automated data analysis, with specific applications spanning almost every domain from financial markets to epidemiology to fraud detection. We introduce a novel mixture of the experts outlier detection model, which uses a dynamically trained, weighted network of five distinct outlier detection methods. After dimensionality reduction, individual outlier detection methods score each data point for “outlierness” in this new feature space. Our model then uses dynamically trained parameters to weigh the scores of each method, allowing for a finalized outlier score. We find that the mixture of experts model performs, on average, better than any single expert model in identifying both artificially and manually picked outliers. This mixture model is applied to a data set of astronomical light curves, after dimensionality reduction via time series feature extraction. Our model was tested using three fields from the MACHO catalog and generated a list of anomalous candidates. We confirm that the outliers detected using this method belong to rare classes, like Novae, He-burning, and red giant stars; other outlier light curves identified have no available information associated with them. To elucidate their nature, we created a website containing the light-curve data and information about these objects. Users can attempt to classify the light curves, give conjectures about their identities, and sign up for follow up messages about the progress made on identifying these objects. This user submitted data can be used further train of our mixture of experts model. Our code is publicly available to all who are interested.

New views of granular mass flows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Iverson, R.M.; Vallance, J.W.

2001-01-01

Concentrated grain-fluid mixtures in rock avalanches, debris flows, and pyroclastic flows do not behave as simple materials with fixed rheologies. Instead, rheology evolves as mixture agitation, grain concentration, and fluid-pressure change during flow initiation, transit, and deposition. Throughout a flow, however, normal forces on planes parallel to the free upper surface approximately balance the weight of the superincumbent mixture, and the Coulomb friction rule describes bulk intergranular shear stresses on such planes. Pore-fluid pressure can temporarily or locally enhance mixture mobility by reducing Coulomb friction and transferring shear stress to the fluid phase. Initial conditions, boundary conditions, and grain comminution and sorting can influence pore-fluid pressures and cause variations in flow dynamics and deposits.

PLEMT: A NOVEL PSEUDOLIKELIHOOD BASED EM TEST FOR HOMOGENEITY IN GENERALIZED EXPONENTIAL TILT MIXTURE MODELS.

PubMed

Hong, Chuan; Chen, Yong; Ning, Yang; Wang, Shuang; Wu, Hao; Carroll, Raymond J

2017-01-01

Motivated by analyses of DNA methylation data, we propose a semiparametric mixture model, namely the generalized exponential tilt mixture model, to account for heterogeneity between differentially methylated and non-differentially methylated subjects in the cancer group, and capture the differences in higher order moments (e.g. mean and variance) between subjects in cancer and normal groups. A pairwise pseudolikelihood is constructed to eliminate the unknown nuisance function. To circumvent boundary and non-identifiability problems as in parametric mixture models, we modify the pseudolikelihood by adding a penalty function. In addition, the test with simple asymptotic distribution has computational advantages compared with permutation-based test for high-dimensional genetic or epigenetic data. We propose a pseudolikelihood based expectation-maximization test, and show the proposed test follows a simple chi-squared limiting distribution. Simulation studies show that the proposed test controls Type I errors well and has better power compared to several current tests. In particular, the proposed test outperforms the commonly used tests under all simulation settings considered, especially when there are variance differences between two groups. The proposed test is applied to a real data set to identify differentially methylated sites between ovarian cancer subjects and normal subjects.

Unconventional signal detection techniques with Gaussian probability mixtures adaptation in non-AWGN channels: full resolution receiver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chabdarov, Shamil M.; Nadeev, Adel F.; Chickrin, Dmitry E.; Faizullin, Rashid R.

2011-04-01

In this paper we discuss unconventional detection technique also known as «full resolution receiver». This receiver uses Gaussian probability mixtures for interference structure adaptation. Full resolution receiver is alternative to conventional matched filter receivers in the case of non-Gaussian interferences. For the DS-CDMA forward channel with presence of complex interferences sufficient performance increasing was shown.

Concentration, chlorination, and chemical analysis of drinking water for disinfection byproduct mixtures health effects research: U.S. EPA's Four Lab Study.

PubMed

Pressman, Jonathan G; Richardson, Susan D; Speth, Thomas F; Miltner, Richard J; Narotsky, Michael G; Hunter, E Sidney; Rice, Glenn E; Teuschler, Linda K; McDonald, Anthony; Parvez, Shahid; Krasner, Stuart W; Weinberg, Howard S; McKague, A Bruce; Parrett, Christopher J; Bodin, Nathalie; Chinn, Russell; Lee, Chih-Fen T; Simmons, Jane Ellen

2010-10-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Four Lab Study" involved participation of researchers from four national Laboratories and Centers of the Office of Research and Development along with collaborators from the water industry and academia. The study evaluated toxicological effects of complex disinfection byproduct (DBP) mixtures, with an emphasis on reproductive and developmental effects that have been associated with DBP exposures in some human epidemiologic studies. This paper describes a new procedure for producing chlorinated drinking water concentrate for animal toxicology experiments, comprehensive identification of >100 DBPs, and quantification of 75 priority and regulated DBPs. In the research reported herein, complex mixtures of DBPs were produced by concentrating a natural source water with reverse osmosis membranes, followed by addition of bromide and treatment with chlorine. By concentrating natural organic matter in the source water first and disinfecting with chlorine afterward, DBPs (including volatiles and semivolatiles) were formed and maintained in a water matrix suitable for animal studies. DBP levels in the chlorinated concentrate compared well to those from EPA's Information Collection Rule (ICR) and a nationwide study of priority unregulated DBPs when normalized by total organic carbon (TOC). DBPs were relatively stable over the course of the animal studies (125 days) with multiple chlorination events (every 5-14 days), and a significant portion of total organic halogen was accounted for through a comprehensive identification approach. DBPs quantified included regulated DBPs, priority unregulated DBPs, and additional DBPs targeted by the ICR. Many DBPs are reported for the first time, including previously undetected and unreported haloacids and haloamides. The new concentration procedure not only produced a concentrated drinking water suitable for animal experiments, but also provided a greater TOC concentration factor (136×), enhancing the detection of trace DBPs that are often below detection using conventional approaches.

Estimating wetland vegetation abundance from Landsat-8 operational land imager imagery: a comparison between linear spectral mixture analysis and multinomial logit modeling methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Min; Gong, Zhaoning; Zhao, Wenji; Pu, Ruiliang; Liu, Ke

2016-01-01

Mapping vegetation abundance by using remote sensing data is an efficient means for detecting changes of an eco-environment. With Landsat-8 operational land imager (OLI) imagery acquired on July 31, 2013, both linear spectral mixture analysis (LSMA) and multinomial logit model (MNLM) methods were applied to estimate and assess the vegetation abundance in the Wild Duck Lake Wetland in Beijing, China. To improve mapping vegetation abundance and increase the number of endmembers in spectral mixture analysis, normalized difference vegetation index was extracted from OLI imagery along with the seven reflective bands of OLI data for estimating the vegetation abundance. Five endmembers were selected, which include terrestrial plants, aquatic plants, bare soil, high albedo, and low albedo. The vegetation abundance mapping results from Landsat OLI data were finally evaluated by utilizing a WorldView-2 multispectral imagery. Similar spatial patterns of vegetation abundance produced by both fully constrained LSMA algorithm and MNLM methods were observed: higher vegetation abundance levels were distributed in agricultural and riparian areas while lower levels in urban/built-up areas. The experimental results also indicate that the MNLM model outperformed the LSMA algorithm with smaller root mean square error (0.0152 versus 0.0252) and higher coefficient of determination (0.7856 versus 0.7214) as the MNLM model could handle the nonlinear reflection phenomenon better than the LSMA with mixed pixels.

Admixture analysis of age at onset in first episode bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Nowrouzi, Behdin; McIntyre, Roger S; MacQueen, Glenda; Kennedy, Sidney H; Kennedy, James L; Ravindran, Arun; Yatham, Lakshmi; De Luca, Vincenzo

2016-09-01

Many studies have used the admixture analysis to separate age-at-onset (AAO) subgroups in bipolar disorder, but none of them examined first episode patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of clinical variables on AAO in first episode bipolar patients. The admixture analysis was applied to identify the model best fitting the observed AAO distribution of a sample of 194 patients with DSM-IV diagnosis of bipolar disorder and the finite mixture model was applied to assess the effect of clinical covariates on AAO. Using the BIC method, the model that was best fitting the observed distribution of AAO was a mixture of three normal distributions. We identified three AAO groups: early age-at-onset (EAO) (µ=18.0, σ=2.88), intermediate-age-at-onset (IAO) (µ=28.7, σ=3.5), and late-age-at-onset (LAO) (µ=47.3, σ=7.8), comprising 69%, 22%, and 9% of the sample respectively. Our first episode sample distribution model was significantly different from most of the other studies that applied the mixture analysis. The main limitation is that our sample may have inadequate statistical power to detect the clinical associations with the AAO subgroups. This study confirms that bipolar disorder can be classified into three groups based on AAO distribution. The data reported in our paper provide more insight into the diagnostic heterogeneity of bipolar disorder across the three AAO subgroups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gaussian mixture models for detection of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in magnetic resonance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almeida, Javier; Velasco, Nelson; Alvarez, Charlens; Romero, Eduardo

2017-11-01

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological condition characterized by a triad of signs: stereotyped behaviors, verbal and non-verbal communication problems. The scientific community has been interested on quantifying anatomical brain alterations of this disorder. Several studies have focused on measuring brain cortical and sub-cortical volumes. This article presents a fully automatic method which finds out differences among patients diagnosed with autism and control patients. After the usual pre-processing, a template (MNI152) is registered to an evaluated brain which becomes then a set of regions. Each of these regions is the represented by the normalized histogram of intensities which is approximated by mixture of Gaussian (GMM). The gray and white matter are separated to calculate the mean and standard deviation of each Gaussian. These features are then used to train, region per region, a binary SVM classifier. The method was evaluated in an adult population aged from 18 to 35 years, from the public database Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE). Highest discrimination values were found for the Right Middle Temporal Gyrus, with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) the curve of 0.72.

Excited-state proton transfer dynamics of firefly's chromophore D-luciferin in DMSO-water binary mixture.

PubMed

Kuchlyan, Jagannath; Banik, Debasis; Roy, Arpita; Kundu, Niloy; Sarkar, Nilmoni

2014-12-04

In this article we have investigated intermolecular excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) of firefly's chromophore D-luciferin in DMSO-water binary mixtures using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The unusual behavior of DMSO-water binary mixture as reported by Bagchi et al. (J. Phys. Chem. B 2010, 114, 12875-12882) was also found using D-luciferin as intermolecular ESPT probe. The binary mixture has given evidence of its anomalous nature at low mole fractions of DMSO (below XD = 0.4) in our systematic investigation. Upon excitation of neutral D-luciferin molecule, dual fluorescence emissions (protonated and deprotonated form) are observed in DMSO-water binary mixture. A clear isoemissive point in the time-resolved area normalized emission spectra further indicates two emissive species in the excited state of D-luciferin in DMSO-water binary mixture. DMSO-water binary mixtures of different compositions are fascinating hydrogen bonding systems. Therefore, we have observed unusual changes in the fluorescence emission intensity, fluorescence quantum yield, and fluorescence lifetime of more hydrogen bonding sensitive anionic form of D-luciferin in low DMSO content of DMSO-water binary mixture.

Inflammable Gas Mixture Detection with a Single Catalytic Sensor Based on the Electric Field Effect

PubMed Central

Tong, Ziyuan; Tong, Min-Ming; Meng, Wen; Li, Meng

2014-01-01

This paper introduces a new way to analyze mixtures of inflammable gases with a single catalytic sensor. The analysis technology was based on a new finding that an electric field on the catalytic sensor can change the output sensitivity of the sensor. The analysis of mixed inflammable gases results from processing the output signals obtained by adjusting the electric field parameter of the catalytic sensor. For the signal process, we designed a group of equations based on the heat balance of catalytic sensor expressing the relationship between the output signals and the concentration of gases. With these equations and the outputs of different electric fields, the gas concentration in a mixture could be calculated. In experiments, a mixture of methane, butane and ethane was analyzed by this new method, and the results showed that the concentration of each gas in the mixture could be detected with a single catalytic sensor, and the maximum relative error was less than 5%. PMID:24717635

Detection of bacteria from biological mixtures using immunomagnetic separation combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madonna, A.J.; Basile, F.; Furlong, E.; Voorhees, K.J.

2001-01-01

A rapid method for identifying specific bacteria from complex biological mixtures using immunomagnetic separation coupled to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry has been developed. The technique employs commercially available magnetic beads coated with polycolonal antibodies raised against specific bacteria and whole cell analysis by MALDI-MS. A suspension of a bacterial mixture is mixed with the immunomagnetic beads specific for the target microorganism. After a short incubation period (20 mins) the bacteria captured by the beads are washed, resuspended in deionized H2O and directly applied onto a MALDI probe. Liquid suspensions containing bacterial mixtures can be screened within 1 h total analysis time. Positive tests result in the production of a fingerprint mass spectrum primarily consisting of protein biomarkers characteristic of the targeted microorganism. Using this procedure, Salmonella choleraesuis was isolated and detected from standard bacterial mixtures and spiked samples of river water, human urine, and chicken blood. Copyright ?? 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Raman spectroscopy and imaging to detect contaminants for food safety applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Kuanglin; Qin, Jianwei; Kim, Moon S.; Peng, Yankun; Chan, Diane; Cheng, Yu-Che

2013-05-01

This study presents the use of Raman chemical imaging for the screening of dry milk powder for the presence of chemical contaminants and Raman spectroscopy for quantitative assessment of chemical contaminants in liquid milk. For image-based screening, melamine was mixed into dry milk at concentrations (w/w) between 0.2% and 10.0%, and images of the mixtures were analyzed by a spectral information divergence algorithm. Ammonium sulfate, dicyandiamide, and urea were each separately mixed into dry milk at concentrations (w/w) between 0.5% and 5.0%, and an algorithm based on self-modeling mixture analysis was applied to these sample images. The contaminants were successfully detected and the spatial distribution of the contaminants within the sample mixtures was visualized using these algorithms. Liquid milk mixtures were prepared with melamine at concentrations between 0.04% and 0.30%, with ammonium sulfate and with urea at concentrations between 0.1% and 10.0%, and with dicyandiamide at concentrations between 0.1% and 4.0%. Analysis of the Raman spectra from the liquid mixtures showed linear relationships between the Raman intensities and the chemical concentrations. Although further studies are necessary, Raman chemical imaging and spectroscopy show promise for use in detecting and evaluating contaminants in food ingredients.

Bayesian mixture analysis for metagenomic community profiling.

PubMed

Morfopoulou, Sofia; Plagnol, Vincent

2015-09-15

Deep sequencing of clinical samples is now an established tool for the detection of infectious pathogens, with direct medical applications. The large amount of data generated produces an opportunity to detect species even at very low levels, provided that computational tools can effectively profile the relevant metagenomic communities. Data interpretation is complicated by the fact that short sequencing reads can match multiple organisms and by the lack of completeness of existing databases, in particular for viral pathogens. Here we present metaMix, a Bayesian mixture model framework for resolving complex metagenomic mixtures. We show that the use of parallel Monte Carlo Markov chains for the exploration of the species space enables the identification of the set of species most likely to contribute to the mixture. We demonstrate the greater accuracy of metaMix compared with relevant methods, particularly for profiling complex communities consisting of several related species. We designed metaMix specifically for the analysis of deep transcriptome sequencing datasets, with a focus on viral pathogen detection; however, the principles are generally applicable to all types of metagenomic mixtures. metaMix is implemented as a user friendly R package, freely available on CRAN: http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/metaMix sofia.morfopoulou.10@ucl.ac.uk Supplementary data are available at Bionformatics online. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

MALDI-MS SCREENING FOR PSEUDOURIDINE IN MIXTURES OF SMALL RNAS BY CHEMICAL DERIVATIZATION, RNASE DIGESTION AND SIGNATURE PRODUCTS

PubMed Central

Durairaj, Anita; Limbach, Patrick A.

2010-01-01

We have developed a method to screen for pseudouridines in complex mixtures of small RNAs using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS). First, the unfractionated crude mixture of tRNAs is digested to completion with an endoribonuclease, such as RNase T1, and the digestion products are examined using MALDI-MS. Individual RNAs are identified by their signature digestion products, which arise through the detection of unique mass values after nuclease digestion. Next, the endonuclease digest is derivatized using N-cyclohexyl-N’-(2-morpholinoethyl)-carbodiimide metho-p-toluenesulfonate (CMCT), which selectively modifies all pseudouridine, thiouridine and 2-methylthio-6-isopentenyladenosine nucleosides. MALDI-MS determination of the CMCT-derivatized endonuclease digest reveals the presence of pseudouridine through a 252 Da mass increase over the underivatized digest. Proof-of-concept experiments were conducted using a mixture of Escherichia coli transfer RNAs and endoribonucleases T1 and A. More than 80% of the expected pseudouridines from this mixture were detected using this screening approach, even on a unfractionated sample of tRNAs. This approach should be particularly useful in the identification of putative pseudouridine synthases through detection of their target RNAs and can provide insight into specific small RNAs that may contain pseudouridine. PMID:18973194

An iterative procedure for obtaining maximum-likelihood estimates of the parameters for a mixture of normal distributions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, B. C., Jr.; Walker, H. F.

1975-01-01

A general iterative procedure is given for determining the consistent maximum likelihood estimates of normal distributions. In addition, a local maximum of the log-likelihood function, Newtons's method, a method of scoring, and modifications of these procedures are discussed.

A Systematic Investigation of Within-Subject and Between-Subject Covariance Structures in Growth Mixture Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Junhui

2012-01-01

The current study investigated how between-subject and within-subject variance-covariance structures affected the detection of a finite mixture of unobserved subpopulations and parameter recovery of growth mixture models in the context of linear mixed-effects models. A simulation study was conducted to evaluate the impact of variance-covariance…

Synergistic toxicity and physiological impact of imidacloprid alone and binary mixtures with seven representative pesticides on honey bee (Apis mellifera)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Imidacloprid is the most widely used insecticide in the world. In this study, we used spraying methods to simulate field exposures of bees to formulated imidacloprid (Advise® 2FL) alone and binary mixtures with seven pesticides from different classes. Synergistic toxicity was detected from mixtures ...

Mixture IRT Model with a Higher-Order Structure for Latent Traits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Hung-Yu

2017-01-01

Mixture item response theory (IRT) models have been suggested as an efficient method of detecting the different response patterns derived from latent classes when developing a test. In testing situations, multiple latent traits measured by a battery of tests can exhibit a higher-order structure, and mixtures of latent classes may occur on…

Different applications of isosbestic points, normalized spectra and dual wavelength as powerful tools for resolution of multicomponent mixtures with severely overlapping spectra.

PubMed

Mohamed, Ekram H; Lotfy, Hayam M; Hegazy, Maha A; Mowaka, Shereen

2017-05-25

Analysis of complex mixture containing three or more components represented a challenge for analysts. New smart spectrophotometric methods have been recently evolved with no limitation. A study of different novel and smart spectrophotometric techniques for resolution of severely overlapping spectra were presented in this work utilizing isosbestic points present in different absorption spectra, normalized spectra as a divisor and dual wavelengths. A quaternary mixture of drotaverine (DRO), caffeine (CAF), paracetamol (PCT) and para-aminophenol (PAP) was taken as an example for application of the proposed techniques without any separation steps. The adopted techniques adopted of successive and progressive steps manipulating zero /or ratio /or derivative spectra. The proposed techniques includes eight novel and simple methods namely direct spectrophotometry after applying derivative transformation (DT) via multiplying by a decoding spectrum, spectrum subtraction (SS), advanced absorbance subtraction (AAS), advanced amplitude modulation (AAM), simultaneous derivative ratio (S 1 DD), advanced ratio difference (ARD), induced ratio difference (IRD) and finally double divisor-ratio difference-dual wavelength (DD-RD-DW) methods. The proposed methods were assessed by analyzing synthetic mixtures of the studied drugs. They were also successfully applied to commercial pharmaceutical formulations without interference from other dosage form additives. The methods were validated according to the ICH guidelines, accuracy, precision, repeatability, were found to be within the acceptable limits. The proposed procedures are accurate, simple and reproducible and yet economic. They are also sensitive and selective and could be used for routine analysis of complex most of the binary, ternary and quaternary mixtures and even more complex mixtures.

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

Mishra, Tapan; Das, B. P.; Pai, Ramesh V.

We present a scenario where a supersolid is induced in one of the components of a mixture of two species bosonic atoms where there are no long-range interactions. We study a system of normal and hard-core boson mixture with only the former possessing long-range interactions. We consider three cases: the first where the total density is commensurate and the other two where it is incommensurate to the lattice. By suitable choices of the densities of normal and hard-core bosons and the interaction strengths between them, we predict that the charge density wave and the supersolid orders can be induced inmore » the hard-core species as a result of the competing interatomic interactions.« less

N-mix for fish: estimating riverine salmonid habitat selection via N-mixture models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Som, Nicholas A.; Perry, Russell W.; Jones, Edward C.; De Juilio, Kyle; Petros, Paul; Pinnix, William D.; Rupert, Derek L.

2018-01-01

Models that formulate mathematical linkages between fish use and habitat characteristics are applied for many purposes. For riverine fish, these linkages are often cast as resource selection functions with variables including depth and velocity of water and distance to nearest cover. Ecologists are now recognizing the role that detection plays in observing organisms, and failure to account for imperfect detection can lead to spurious inference. Herein, we present a flexible N-mixture model to associate habitat characteristics with the abundance of riverine salmonids that simultaneously estimates detection probability. Our formulation has the added benefits of accounting for demographics variation and can generate probabilistic statements regarding intensity of habitat use. In addition to the conceptual benefits, model application to data from the Trinity River, California, yields interesting results. Detection was estimated to vary among surveyors, but there was little spatial or temporal variation. Additionally, a weaker effect of water depth on resource selection is estimated than that reported by previous studies not accounting for detection probability. N-mixture models show great promise for applications to riverine resource selection.

Efficient colorimetric and fluorescent detection of fluoride in DMSO-water mixtures with arylaldoximes.

PubMed

Rosen, Christian B; Hansen, Dennis J; Gothelf, Kurt V

2013-12-07

Fluoride detection through hydrogen bonding or deprotonation is most commonly achieved using amide, urea or pyrrole derivatives. The sensor molecules are often complex constructs and several synthetic steps are required for their preparation. Here we report the discovery that simple arylaldoximes have remarkable properties as fluoride anion sensors, providing distinct colorimetric or fluorescent readouts, depending on the structure of the arylaldoxime. The oximes showed exceptional selectivity towards fluoride over other typical anions, and low detection limits for fluoride in both DMSO and DMSO-water mixtures were obtained.

A real-time multi-gases detection and concentration measurements based-on time-division multiplexed-lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yazdandoust, Fatemeh; Tatenguem Fankem, Hervé; Milde, Tobias; Jimenez, Alvaro; Sacher, Joachim

2018-02-01

We report the development of a platform, based-on a Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and suitable for Time-Division-Multiplexed DFB lasers. The designed platform is subsequently combined with a spectroscopy setup, for detection and quantification of species in a gas mixture. The experimental results show a detection limit of 460 ppm, an uncertainty of 0.1% and a computation time of less than 1000 clock cycles. The proposed system offers a high level of flexibility and is applicable to arbitrary types of gas-mixtures.

On-chip ultra-thin layer chromatography and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

Chen, Jing; Abell, Justin; Huang, Yao-wen; Zhao, Yiping

2012-09-07

We demonstrate that silver nanorod (AgNR) array substrates can be used for on-chip separation and detection of chemical mixtures by combining ultra-thin layer chromatography (UTLC) and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The UTLC-SERS plate consists of an AgNR array fabricated by oblique angle deposition. The capability of the AgNR substrates to separate the different compounds in a mixture was explored using a mixture of four dyes and a mixture of melamine and Rhodamine 6G at varied concentrations with different mobile phase solvents. After UTLC separation, spatially-resolved SERS spectra were collected along the mobile phase development direction and the intensities of specific SERS peaks from each component were used to generate chromatograms. The AgNR substrates demonstrate the potential for separating the test dyes with plate heights as low as 9.6 μm. The limits of detection are between 10(-5)-10(-6) M. Furthermore, we show that the coupling of UTLC with SERS improves the SERS detection specificity, as small amounts of target analytes can be separated from the interfering background components.

Composition, distribution, and potential toxicity of organochlorine mixtures in bed sediments of streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Patrick J.; Nowell, Lisa H.; Gilliom, Robert J.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Murray, Karen; VanAlstyne, Carolyn

2010-01-01

Mixtures of organochlorine compounds have the potential for additive or interactive toxicity to organisms exposed in the stream. This study uses a variety of methods to identify mixtures and a modified concentration-addition approach to estimate their potential toxicity at 845 stream sites across the United States sampled between 1992 and 2001 for organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in bed sediment. Principal-component (PC) analysis identified five PCs that account for 77% of the total variance in 14 organochlorine compounds in the original dataset. The five PCs represent: (1) chlordane-related compounds and dieldrin; (2) p,p′-DDT and its degradates; (3) o,p′-DDT and its degradates; (4) the pesticide degradates oxychlordane and heptachlor epoxide; and (5) PCBs. The PC analysis grouped compounds that have similar chemical structure (such as parent compound and degradate), common origin (in the same technical pesticide mixture), and(or) similar relation of concentrations to land use. For example, the highest concentrations of chlordane compounds and dieldrin occurred at urban sites, reflecting past use of parent pesticides for termite control. Two approaches to characterizing mixtures—PC-based mixtures and unique mixtures—were applied to all 299 samples with a detection of two or more organochlorine compounds. PC-based mixtures are defined by the presence (in the sample) of one or more compounds associated with that PC. Unique mixtures are defined as a specific combination of two or more compounds detected in a sample, regardless of how many other compounds were also detected in that sample. The simplest PC-based mixtures (containing compounds from 1 or 2 PCs) commonly occurred in a variety of land use settings. Complex mixtures (containing compounds from 3 or more PCs) were most common in samples from urban and mixed/urban sites, especially in the Northeast, reflecting high concentrations of multiple chlordane, dieldrin, DDT-related compounds, and(or) PCBs. The most commonly occurring unique mixture (p,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDD) occurred in both simple and complex PC-based mixtures, and at both urban and agricultural sites. Mean Probable Effect Concentration Quotients (PEC-Q) values, which estimate the potential toxicity of organochlorine contaminant mixtures, were highest for complex mixtures. Mean PEC-Q values were highest for urban sites in the Northeast, followed by mixed/urban sites in the Northeast and agricultural sites in cotton growing areas. These results demonstrate that the PEC-Q approach can be used in combination with PC-based and unique mixture analyses to relate potential aquatic toxicity of contaminant mixtures to mixture complexity, land use, and other surrogates for contaminant sources.

Complex organochlorine pesticide mixtures as determinant factor for breast cancer risk: a population-based case–control study in the Canary Islands (Spain)

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background All the relevant risk factors contributing to breast cancer etiology are not fully known. Exposure to organochlorine pesticides has been linked to an increased incidence of the disease, although not all data have been consistent. Most published studies evaluated the exposure to organochlorines individually, ignoring the potential effects exerted by the mixtures of chemicals. Methods This population-based study was designed to evaluate the profile of mixtures of organochlorines detected in 103 healthy women and 121 women diagnosed with breast cancer from Gran Canaria Island, and the relation between the exposure to these compounds and breast cancer risk. Results The most prevalent mixture of organochlorines among healthy women was the combination of lindane and endrin, and this mixture was not detected in any affected women. Breast cancer patients presented more frequently a combination of aldrin, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD), and this mixture was not found in any healthy woman. After adjusting for covariables, the risk of breast cancer was moderately associated with DDD (OR = 1.008, confidence interval 95% 1.001-1.015, p = 0.024). Conclusions This study indicates that healthy women show a very different profile of organochlorine pesticide mixtures than breast cancer patients, suggesting that organochlorine pesticide mixtures could play a relevant role in breast cancer risk. PMID:22534004

Tables and charts of equilibrium normal shock and shock-tube solutions for helium-hydrogen mixtures with velocities to 70 km/sec

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, C. G., III; Wilder, S. E.

1974-01-01

Equilibrium thermodynamic and flow properties are presented in tabulated and graphical form for moving, standing, and reflected normal shock waves into helium-hydrogen mixtures representative of proposed outer planet atmospheres. The volumetric compositions of these mixtures are 0.35He-0.65H2, 0.20He-0.80H2, and 0.05He-0.95H2. Properties include pressure, temperature, density, enthalpy, speed of sound, entropy, molecular-weight ratio, isentropic exponent, velocity, and species mole fractions. Incident (moving) shock velocities are varied from 4 to 70 km/sec for a range of initial pressure of 5 N/sq m to 100 kN/sq m. The present results are applicable to shock-tube flows and to free-flight conditions for a blunt body at high velocities. A working chart illustrating idealized shock-tube performance with a 0.20He-0.80H2 test gas and heated helium driver gas is also presented.

Assessment of the individual and mixture toxicity of cadmium, copper and oxytetracycline, on the embryo-larval development of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus.

PubMed

Gharred, Tahar; Jebali, Jamel; Belgacem, Mariem; Mannai, Rabeb; Achour, Sami

2016-09-01

Multiple pollutions by trace metals and pharmaceuticals have become one of the most important problems in marine coastal areas because of its excessive toxicity on organisms living in this area. This study aimed to assess the individual and mixture toxicity of Cu, Cd, and oxytetracycline frequently existing in the contaminated marine areas and the embryo-larval development of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. The individual contamination of the spermatozoid for 1 h with the increasing concentrations of Cd, Cu, and OTC decreases the fertility rate and increases larvae anomalies in the order Cu > Cd > OTC. Moreover, the normal larva frequency and the length of spicules were more sensitive than the fertilization rate and normal gastrula frequency endpoints. The mixture toxicity assessed by multiple experimental designs showed clearly that concentrations of Cd, Cu, and OTC superior to 338 μg/L, 0.56 μg/L, and 0.83 mg/L, respectively, cause significant larva malformations.

[Fluorescent signal detection of chromatographic chip by algorithms of pyramid connection and Gaussian mixture model].

PubMed

Hu, Beibei; Zhang, Xueqing; Chen, Haopeng; Cui, Daxiang

2011-03-01

We proposed a new algorithm for automatic identification of fluorescent signal. Based on the features of chromatographic chips, mathematic morphology in RGB color space was used to filter and enhance the images, pyramid connection was used to segment the areas of fluorescent signal, and then the method of Gaussian Mixture Model was used to detect the fluorescent signal. Finally we calculated the average fluorescent intensity in obtained fluorescent areas. Our results show that the algorithm has a good efficacy to segment the fluorescent areas, can detect the fluorescent signal quickly and accurately, and finally realize the quantitative detection of fluorescent signal in chromatographic chip.

In situ Silver Spot Preparation and on-Plate Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Detection in Thin Layer Chromatography Separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herman, K.; Mircescu, N. E.; Szabo, L.; Leopold, L. F.; Chiş, V.; Leopold, N.

2013-05-01

An improved approach for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection of mixture constituents after thin layer chromatography (TLC) separation is presented. A SERS active silver substrate was prepared under open air conditions, directly on the thin silica film by photo-reduction of silver nitrate, allowing the detection of binary mixtures of cresyl violet, bixine, crystal violet, and Cu(II) complex of 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol. The recorded SERS spectrum provides a unique spectral fingerprint for each molecule; therefore the use of analyte standards is avoided, thus rendering the presented procedure advantageous compared to the conventional detection methodology in TLC.

Detection of Spatially Unresolved (Nominally Sub-Pixel) Submerged and Surface Targets Using Hyperspectral Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

Feasibility (MT Modeling ) a. Continuum of mixture distributions interpolated b. Mixture infeasibilities calculated for each pixel c. Valid detections...Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer BRDF Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function CASI Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager CCD...filtering (MTMF), and was designed by Healey and Slater (1999) to use “a physical model to generate the set of sensor spectra for a target that will be

Indel analysis by droplet digital PCR: a sensitive method for DNA mixture detection and chimerism analysis.

PubMed

Santurtún, Ana; Riancho, José A; Arozamena, Jana; López-Duarte, Mónica; Zarrabeitia, María T

2017-01-01

Several methods have been developed to determinate genetic profiles from a mixed samples and chimerism analysis in transplanted patients. The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of using the droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) for mixed chimerism detection (a mixture of genetic profiles resulting after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)). We analyzed 25 DNA samples from patients who had undergone HSCT and compared the performance of ddPCR and two established methods for chimerism detection, based upon the Indel and STRs analysis, respectively. Additionally, eight artificial mixture DNA samples were created to evaluate the sensibility of ddPCR. Our results show that the chimerism percentages estimated by the analysis of a single Indel using ddPCR were very similar to those calculated by the amplification of 15 STRs (r 2  = 0.970) and with the results obtained by the amplification of 38 Indels (r 2  = 0.975). Moreover, the amplification of a single Indel by ddPCR was sensitive enough to detect a minor DNA contributor comprising down to 0.5 % of the sample. We conclude that ddPCR can be a powerful tool for the determination of a genetic profile of forensic mixtures and clinical chimerism analysis when traditional techniques are not sensitive enough.

A menu-driven software package of Bayesian nonparametric (and parametric) mixed models for regression analysis and density estimation.

PubMed

Karabatsos, George

2017-02-01

Most of applied statistics involves regression analysis of data. In practice, it is important to specify a regression model that has minimal assumptions which are not violated by data, to ensure that statistical inferences from the model are informative and not misleading. This paper presents a stand-alone and menu-driven software package, Bayesian Regression: Nonparametric and Parametric Models, constructed from MATLAB Compiler. Currently, this package gives the user a choice from 83 Bayesian models for data analysis. They include 47 Bayesian nonparametric (BNP) infinite-mixture regression models; 5 BNP infinite-mixture models for density estimation; and 31 normal random effects models (HLMs), including normal linear models. Each of the 78 regression models handles either a continuous, binary, or ordinal dependent variable, and can handle multi-level (grouped) data. All 83 Bayesian models can handle the analysis of weighted observations (e.g., for meta-analysis), and the analysis of left-censored, right-censored, and/or interval-censored data. Each BNP infinite-mixture model has a mixture distribution assigned one of various BNP prior distributions, including priors defined by either the Dirichlet process, Pitman-Yor process (including the normalized stable process), beta (two-parameter) process, normalized inverse-Gaussian process, geometric weights prior, dependent Dirichlet process, or the dependent infinite-probits prior. The software user can mouse-click to select a Bayesian model and perform data analysis via Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling. After the sampling completes, the software automatically opens text output that reports MCMC-based estimates of the model's posterior distribution and model predictive fit to the data. Additional text and/or graphical output can be generated by mouse-clicking other menu options. This includes output of MCMC convergence analyses, and estimates of the model's posterior predictive distribution, for selected functionals and values of covariates. The software is illustrated through the BNP regression analysis of real data.

Mixture modelling for cluster analysis.

PubMed

McLachlan, G J; Chang, S U

2004-10-01

Cluster analysis via a finite mixture model approach is considered. With this approach to clustering, the data can be partitioned into a specified number of clusters g by first fitting a mixture model with g components. An outright clustering of the data is then obtained by assigning an observation to the component to which it has the highest estimated posterior probability of belonging; that is, the ith cluster consists of those observations assigned to the ith component (i = 1,..., g). The focus is on the use of mixtures of normal components for the cluster analysis of data that can be regarded as being continuous. But attention is also given to the case of mixed data, where the observations consist of both continuous and discrete variables.

Fabrication of metallized nanoporous films from the self-assembly of a block copolymer and homopolymer mixture.

PubMed

Li, Xue; Zhao, Shuying; Zhang, Shuxiang; Kim, Dong Ha; Knoll, Wolfgang

2007-06-19

Inorganic compound HAuCl4, which can form a complex with pyridine, is introduced into a poly(styrene-block-2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) block copolymer/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) homopolymer mixture. The orientation of the cylindrical microdomains formed by the P2VP block, PMMA, and HAuCl4 normal to the substrate surface can be generated via cooperative self-assembly of the mixture. Selective removal of the homopolymer can lead to porous nanostructures containing metal components in P2VP domains, which have a novel photoluminescence property.

Flame Speeds and Energy Considerations for Explosions in a Spherical Bomb

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fiock, Ernest F; Marvin, Charles F , Jr; Caldwell, Frank R; Roeder, Carl H

1940-01-01

Simultaneous measurements were made of the speed of flame and the rise in pressure during explosions of mixtures of carbon monoxide, normal heptane, iso-octane, and benzene in a 10-inch spherical bomb with central ignition. From these records, fundamental properties of the explosive mixtures, which are independent of the apparatus, were computed. The transformation velocity, or speed at which flame advances into and transforms the explosive mixture, increases with both the temperature and the pressure of the unburned gas. The rise in pressure was correlated with the mass of charge inflamed to show the course of the energy developed.

Raman-spectroscopy-based chemical contaminant detection in milk powder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhakal, Sagar; Chao, Kuanglin; Qin, Jianwei; Kim, Moon S.

2015-05-01

Addition of edible and inedible chemical contaminants in food powders for purposes of economic benefit has become a recurring trend. In recent years, severe health issues have been reported due to consumption of food powders contaminated with chemical substances. This study examines the effect of spatial resolution used during spectral collection to select the optimal spatial resolution for detecting melamine in milk powder. Sample depth of 2mm, laser intensity of 200mw, and exposure time of 0.1s were previously determined as optimal experimental parameters for Raman imaging. Spatial resolution of 0.25mm was determined as the optimal resolution for acquiring spectral signal of melamine particles from a milk-melamine mixture sample. Using the optimal resolution of 0.25mm, sample depth of 2mm and laser intensity of 200mw obtained from previous study, spectral signal from 5 different concentration of milk-melamine mixture (1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.05%, and 0.025%) were acquired to study the relationship between number of detected melamine pixels and corresponding sample concentration. The result shows that melamine concentration has a linear relation with detected number of melamine pixels with correlation coefficient of 0.99. It can be concluded that the quantitative analysis of powder mixture is dependent on many factors including physical characteristics of mixture, experimental parameters, and sample depth. The results obtained in this study are promising. We plan to apply the result obtained from this study to develop quantitative detection model for rapid screening of melamine in milk powder. This methodology can also be used for detection of other chemical contaminants in milk powders.

Development of reversible jump Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm in the Bayesian mixture modeling for microarray data in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astuti, Ani Budi; Iriawan, Nur; Irhamah, Kuswanto, Heri

2017-12-01

In the Bayesian mixture modeling requires stages the identification number of the most appropriate mixture components thus obtained mixture models fit the data through data driven concept. Reversible Jump Markov Chain Monte Carlo (RJMCMC) is a combination of the reversible jump (RJ) concept and the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) concept used by some researchers to solve the problem of identifying the number of mixture components which are not known with certainty number. In its application, RJMCMC using the concept of the birth/death and the split-merge with six types of movement, that are w updating, θ updating, z updating, hyperparameter β updating, split-merge for components and birth/death from blank components. The development of the RJMCMC algorithm needs to be done according to the observed case. The purpose of this study is to know the performance of RJMCMC algorithm development in identifying the number of mixture components which are not known with certainty number in the Bayesian mixture modeling for microarray data in Indonesia. The results of this study represent that the concept RJMCMC algorithm development able to properly identify the number of mixture components in the Bayesian normal mixture model wherein the component mixture in the case of microarray data in Indonesia is not known for certain number.

Comparative performance analysis of cervix ROI extraction and specular reflection removal algorithms for uterine cervix image analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Zhiyun; Antani, Sameer; Long, L. Rodney; Jeronimo, Jose; Thoma, George R.

2007-03-01

Cervicography is a technique for visual screening of uterine cervix images for cervical cancer. One of our research goals is the automated detection in these images of acetowhite (AW) lesions, which are sometimes correlated with cervical cancer. These lesions are characterized by the whitening of regions along the squamocolumnar junction on the cervix when treated with 5% acetic acid. Image preprocessing is required prior to invoking AW detection algorithms on cervicographic images for two reasons: (1) to remove Specular Reflections (SR) caused by camera flash, and (2) to isolate the cervix region-of-interest (ROI) from image regions that are irrelevant to the analysis. These image regions may contain medical instruments, film markup, or other non-cervix anatomy or regions, such as vaginal walls. We have qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated the performance of alternative preprocessing algorithms on a test set of 120 images. For cervix ROI detection, all approaches use a common feature set, but with varying combinations of feature weights, normalization, and clustering methods. For SR detection, while one approach uses a Gaussian Mixture Model on an intensity/saturation feature set, a second approach uses Otsu thresholding on a top-hat transformed input image. Empirical results are analyzed to derive conclusions on the performance of each approach.

Prevention of Propofol Injection Pain in Children: A Comparison of Pretreatment with Tramadol and Propofol-Lidocaine Mixture

PubMed Central

Borazan, Hale; Sahin, Osman; Kececioglu, Ahmet; Uluer, M.Selcuk; Et, Tayfun; Otelcioglu, Seref

2012-01-01

Background: The pain on propofol injection is considered to be a common and difficult to eliminate problem in children. In this study, we aimed to compare the efficacy of pretreatment with tramadol 1 mg.kg-1and propofol-lidocaine 20 mg mixture for prevention of propofol induced pain in children. Methods: One hundred and twenty ASA I-II patients undergoing orthopedic and otolaryngological surgery were included in this study and were divided into three groups with random table numbers. Group C (n=39) received normal saline placebo and Group T (n=40) received 1 mg.kg-1 tramadol 60 sec before propofol (180 mg 1% propofol with 2 ml normal saline) whereas Group L (n=40) received normal saline placebo before propofol-lidocaine mixture (180 mg 1% propofol with 2 ml %1 lidocaine). One patient in Group C was dropped out from the study because of difficulty in inserting an iv cannula. Thus, one hundred and nineteen patients were analyzed for the study. After given the calculated dose of propofol, a blinded observer assessed the pain with a four-point behavioral scale. Results: There were no significant differences in patient characteristics and intraoperative variables (p>0.05) except intraoperative fentanyl consumption and analgesic requirement one hr after surgery among the groups (p<0.05). Both tramadol 1 mg.kg-1 and lidocaine 20 mg mixture significantly reduced propofol pain when compared with control group. Moderate and severe pain were found higher in control group (p<0.05). The incidence of overall pain was 79.4% in the control group, 35% in tramadol group, 25% in lidocaine group respectively (p<0.001). Conclusions: Pretreatment with tramadol 60 sec before propofol injection and propofol-lidocaine mixture were significantly reduced propofol injection pain when compared to placebo in children. PMID:22927775

Chemical-agnostic hazard prediction: statistical inference of in vitro toxicity pathways from proteomics responses to chemical mixtures

EPA Science Inventory

Toxicity pathways have been defined as normal cellular pathways that, when sufficiently perturbed as a consequence of chemical exposure, lead to an adverse outcome. If an exposure alters one or more normal biological pathways to an extent that leads to an adverse toxicity outcome...

Detecting Hydrogen Leaking Into A Purged Cavity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stinson, William M.

1992-01-01

Hydrogen content of mixture of hydrogen and helium gases computed from measurements of pressure, density, and temperature of mixture. Here purpose is to estimate size of leak of combustible gas into cavity purged by pressurized inert gas.

Refractometry for quality control of anesthetic drug mixtures.

PubMed

Stabenow, Jennifer M; Maske, Mindy L; Vogler, George A

2006-07-01

Injectable anesthetic drugs used in rodents are often mixed and further diluted to increase the convenience and accuracy of dosing. We evaluated clinical refractometry as a simple and rapid method of quality control and mixing error detection of rodent anesthetic or analgesic mixtures. Dilutions of ketamine, xylazine, acepromazine, and buprenorphine were prepared with reagent-grade water to produce at least 4 concentration levels. The refraction of each concentration then was measured with a clinical refractometer and plotted against the percentage of stock concentration. The resulting graphs were linear and could be used to determine the concentration of single-drug dilutions or to predict the refraction of drug mixtures. We conclude that refractometry can be used to assess the concentration of dilutions of single drugs and can verify the mixing accuracy of drug combinations when the components of the mixture are known and fall within the detection range of the instrument.

Pattern Recognition Algorithm for High-Sensitivity Odorant Detection in Unknown Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duong, Tuan A.

2012-01-01

In a realistic odorant detection application environment, the collected sensory data is a mix of unknown chemicals with unknown concentrations and noise. The identification of the odorants among these mixtures is a challenge in data recognition. In addition, deriving their individual concentrations in the mix is also a challenge. A deterministic analytical model was developed to accurately identify odorants and calculate their concentrations in a mixture with noisy data.

A Raman chemical imaging system for detection of contaminants in food

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Kaunglin; Qin, Jianwei; Kim, Moon S.; Mo, Chang Yeon

2011-06-01

This study presented a preliminary investigation into the use of macro-scale Raman chemical imaging for the screening of dry milk powder for the presence of chemical contaminants. Melamine was mixed into dry milk at concentrations (w/w) of 0.2%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, 5.0%, and 10.0% and images of the mixtures were analyzed by a spectral information divergence algorithm. Ammonium sulfate, dicyandiamide, and urea were each separately mixed into dry milk at concentrations of (w/w) of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 5.0%, and an algorithm based on self-modeling mixture analysis was applied to these sample images. The contaminants were successfully detected and the spatial distribution of the contaminants within the sample mixtures was visualized using these algorithms. Although further studies are necessary, macro-scale Raman chemical imaging shows promise for use in detecting contaminants in food ingredients and may also be useful for authentication of food ingredients.

Robust nonlinear system identification: Bayesian mixture of experts using the t-distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldacchino, Tara; Worden, Keith; Rowson, Jennifer

2017-02-01

A novel variational Bayesian mixture of experts model for robust regression of bifurcating and piece-wise continuous processes is introduced. The mixture of experts model is a powerful model which probabilistically splits the input space allowing different models to operate in the separate regions. However, current methods have no fail-safe against outliers. In this paper, a robust mixture of experts model is proposed which consists of Student-t mixture models at the gates and Student-t distributed experts, trained via Bayesian inference. The Student-t distribution has heavier tails than the Gaussian distribution, and so it is more robust to outliers, noise and non-normality in the data. Using both simulated data and real data obtained from the Z24 bridge this robust mixture of experts performs better than its Gaussian counterpart when outliers are present. In particular, it provides robustness to outliers in two forms: unbiased parameter regression models, and robustness to overfitting/complex models.

Effect of the addition of rocuronium to 2% lignocaine in peribulbar block for cataract surgery.

PubMed

Patil, Vishalakshi; Farooqy, Allauddin; Chaluvadi, Balaraju Thayappa; Rajashekhar, Vinayak; Malshetty, Ashwini

2017-01-01

Peribulbar anesthesia is associated with delayed orbital akinesia compared with retrobulbar anesthesia. To test the hypothesis that rocuronium added to a mixture of local anesthetics (LAs) could improve speed of onset of akinesia in peribulbar block (PB), we designed this study. This study examined the effects of adding rocuronium 5 mg to 2% lignocaine with adrenaline to note orbital and eyelid akinesia in patients undergoing cataract surgery. In a prospective, randomized, double-blind study, 100 patients were equally randomized to receive a mixture of 0.5 ml normal saline, 6 ml lidocaine 2% with adrenaline and hyaluronidase 50 IU/ml (Group I), a mixture of rocuronium 0.5 ml (5 mg), 6 ml lidocaine 2% with adrenaline and hyaluronidase 50 IU/ml (Group II). Orbital akinesia was assessed on a 0-8 score (0 = no movement, 8 = normal) at 2 min intervals for 10 min. Time to adequate anesthesia was also recorded. Results are presented as mean ± standard deviation. Rocuronium group demonstrated significantly better akinesia scores than control group at 2 min intervals post-PB (significant P value obtained). No significant complications were recorded. Rocuronium added to a mixture of LA improved the quality of akinesia in PB and reduced the need for supplementary injections. The addition of rocuronium 5 mg to a mixture of lidocaine 2% with adrenaline and hyaluronidase 50 IU/ml shortened the onset time of peribulbar anesthesia in patients undergoing cataract surgery without causing adverse effects.

Negative Binomial Process Count and Mixture Modeling.

PubMed

Zhou, Mingyuan; Carin, Lawrence

2015-02-01

The seemingly disjoint problems of count and mixture modeling are united under the negative binomial (NB) process. A gamma process is employed to model the rate measure of a Poisson process, whose normalization provides a random probability measure for mixture modeling and whose marginalization leads to an NB process for count modeling. A draw from the NB process consists of a Poisson distributed finite number of distinct atoms, each of which is associated with a logarithmic distributed number of data samples. We reveal relationships between various count- and mixture-modeling distributions and construct a Poisson-logarithmic bivariate distribution that connects the NB and Chinese restaurant table distributions. Fundamental properties of the models are developed, and we derive efficient Bayesian inference. It is shown that with augmentation and normalization, the NB process and gamma-NB process can be reduced to the Dirichlet process and hierarchical Dirichlet process, respectively. These relationships highlight theoretical, structural, and computational advantages of the NB process. A variety of NB processes, including the beta-geometric, beta-NB, marked-beta-NB, marked-gamma-NB and zero-inflated-NB processes, with distinct sharing mechanisms, are also constructed. These models are applied to topic modeling, with connections made to existing algorithms under Poisson factor analysis. Example results show the importance of inferring both the NB dispersion and probability parameters.

Weibull mixture regression for marginal inference in zero-heavy continuous outcomes.

PubMed

Gebregziabher, Mulugeta; Voronca, Delia; Teklehaimanot, Abeba; Santa Ana, Elizabeth J

2017-06-01

Continuous outcomes with preponderance of zero values are ubiquitous in data that arise from biomedical studies, for example studies of addictive disorders. This is known to lead to violation of standard assumptions in parametric inference and enhances the risk of misleading conclusions unless managed properly. Two-part models are commonly used to deal with this problem. However, standard two-part models have limitations with respect to obtaining parameter estimates that have marginal interpretation of covariate effects which are important in many biomedical applications. Recently marginalized two-part models are proposed but their development is limited to log-normal and log-skew-normal distributions. Thus, in this paper, we propose a finite mixture approach, with Weibull mixture regression as a special case, to deal with the problem. We use extensive simulation study to assess the performance of the proposed model in finite samples and to make comparisons with other family of models via statistical information and mean squared error criteria. We demonstrate its application on real data from a randomized controlled trial of addictive disorders. Our results show that a two-component Weibull mixture model is preferred for modeling zero-heavy continuous data when the non-zero part are simulated from Weibull or similar distributions such as Gamma or truncated Gauss.

Tunable integration of absorption-membrane-adsorption for efficiently separating low boiling gas mixtures near normal temperature

PubMed Central

Liu, Huang; Pan, Yong; Liu, Bei; Sun, Changyu; Guo, Ping; Gao, Xueteng; Yang, Lanying; Ma, Qinglan; Chen, Guangjin

2016-01-01

Separation of low boiling gas mixtures is widely concerned in process industries. Now their separations heavily rely upon energy-intensive cryogenic processes. Here, we report a pseudo-absorption process for separating low boiling gas mixtures near normal temperature. In this process, absorption-membrane-adsorption is integrated by suspending suitable porous ZIF material in suitable solvent and forming selectively permeable liquid membrane around ZIF particles. Green solvents like water and glycol were used to form ZIF-8 slurry and tune the permeability of liquid membrane surrounding ZIF-8 particles. We found glycol molecules form tighter membrane while water molecules form looser membrane because of the hydrophobicity of ZIF-8. When using mixing solvents composed of glycol and water, the permeability of liquid membrane becomes tunable. It is shown that ZIF-8/water slurry always manifests remarkable higher separation selectivity than solid ZIF-8 and it could be tuned to further enhance the capture of light hydrocarbons by adding suitable quantity of glycol to water. Because of its lower viscosity and higher sorption/desorption rate, tunable ZIF-8/water-glycol slurry could be readily used as liquid absorbent to separate different kinds of low boiling gas mixtures by applying a multistage separation process in one traditional absorption tower, especially for the capture of light hydrocarbons. PMID:26892255

Temperature and pressure influence on maximum rates of pressure rise during explosions of propane-air mixtures in a spherical vessel.

PubMed

Razus, D; Brinzea, V; Mitu, M; Movileanu, C; Oancea, D

2011-06-15

The maximum rates of pressure rise during closed vessel explosions of propane-air mixtures are reported, for systems with various initial concentrations, pressures and temperatures ([C(3)H(8)]=2.50-6.20 vol.%, p(0)=0.3-1.3 bar; T(0)=298-423 K). Experiments were performed in a spherical vessel (Φ=10 cm) with central ignition. The deflagration (severity) index K(G), calculated from experimental values of maximum rates of pressure rise is examined against the adiabatic deflagration index, K(G, ad), computed from normal burning velocities and peak explosion pressures. At constant temperature and fuel/oxygen ratio, both the maximum rates of pressure rise and the deflagration indices are linear functions of total initial pressure, as reported for other fuel-air mixtures. At constant initial pressure and composition, the maximum rates of pressure rise and deflagration indices are slightly influenced by the initial temperature; some influence of the initial temperature on maximum rates of pressure rise is observed only for propane-air mixtures far from stoichiometric composition. The differentiated temperature influence on the normal burning velocities and the peak explosion pressures might explain this behaviour. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

D-optimal experimental designs to test for departure from additivity in a fixed-ratio mixture ray.

PubMed

Coffey, Todd; Gennings, Chris; Simmons, Jane Ellen; Herr, David W

2005-12-01

Traditional factorial designs for evaluating interactions among chemicals in a mixture may be prohibitive when the number of chemicals is large. Using a mixture of chemicals with a fixed ratio (mixture ray) results in an economical design that allows estimation of additivity or nonadditive interaction for a mixture of interest. This methodology is extended easily to a mixture with a large number of chemicals. Optimal experimental conditions can be chosen that result in increased power to detect departures from additivity. Although these designs are used widely for linear models, optimal designs for nonlinear threshold models are less well known. In the present work, the use of D-optimal designs is demonstrated for nonlinear threshold models applied to a fixed-ratio mixture ray. For a fixed sample size, this design criterion selects the experimental doses and number of subjects per dose level that result in minimum variance of the model parameters and thus increased power to detect departures from additivity. An optimal design is illustrated for a 2:1 ratio (chlorpyrifos:carbaryl) mixture experiment. For this example, and in general, the optimal designs for the nonlinear threshold model depend on prior specification of the slope and dose threshold parameters. Use of a D-optimal criterion produces experimental designs with increased power, whereas standard nonoptimal designs with equally spaced dose groups may result in low power if the active range or threshold is missed.

Novel absorptivity centering method utilizing normalized and factorized spectra for analysis of mixtures with overlapping spectra in different matrices using built-in spectrophotometer software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lotfy, Hayam Mahmoud; Omran, Yasmin Rostom

2018-07-01

A novel, simple, rapid, accurate, and economical spectrophotometric method, namely absorptivity centering (a-Centering) has been developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of mixtures with partially and completely overlapping spectra in different matrices using either normalized or factorized spectrum using built-in spectrophotometer software without a need of special purchased program. Mixture I (Mix I) composed of Simvastatin (SM) and Ezetimibe (EZ) is the one with partial overlapping spectra formulated as tablets, while mixture II (Mix II) formed by Chloramphenicol (CPL) and Prednisolone acetate (PA) is that with complete overlapping spectra formulated as eye drops. These procedures do not require any separation steps. Resolution of spectrally overlapping binary mixtures has been achieved getting recovered zero-order (D0) spectrum of each drug, then absorbance was recorded at their maxima 238, 233.5, 273 and 242.5 nm for SM, EZ, CPL and PA, respectively. Calibration graphs were established with good correlation coefficients. The method shows significant advantages as simplicity, minimal data manipulation besides maximum reproducibility and robustness. Moreover, it was validated according to ICH guidelines. Selectivity was tested using laboratory-prepared mixtures. Accuracy, precision and repeatability were found to be within the acceptable limits. The proposed method is good enough to be applied to an assay of drugs in their combined formulations without any interference from excipients. The obtained results were statistically compared with those of the reported and official methods by applying t-test and F-test at 95% confidence level concluding that there is no significant difference with regard to accuracy and precision. Generally, this method could be used successfully for the routine quality control testing.

Novel absorptivity centering method utilizing normalized and factorized spectra for analysis of mixtures with overlapping spectra in different matrices using built-in spectrophotometer software.

PubMed

Lotfy, Hayam Mahmoud; Omran, Yasmin Rostom

2018-07-05

A novel, simple, rapid, accurate, and economical spectrophotometric method, namely absorptivity centering (a-Centering) has been developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of mixtures with partially and completely overlapping spectra in different matrices using either normalized or factorized spectrum using built-in spectrophotometer software without a need of special purchased program. Mixture I (Mix I) composed of Simvastatin (SM) and Ezetimibe (EZ) is the one with partial overlapping spectra formulated as tablets, while mixture II (Mix II) formed by Chloramphenicol (CPL) and Prednisolone acetate (PA) is that with complete overlapping spectra formulated as eye drops. These procedures do not require any separation steps. Resolution of spectrally overlapping binary mixtures has been achieved getting recovered zero-order (D 0 ) spectrum of each drug, then absorbance was recorded at their maxima 238, 233.5, 273 and 242.5 nm for SM, EZ, CPL and PA, respectively. Calibration graphs were established with good correlation coefficients. The method shows significant advantages as simplicity, minimal data manipulation besides maximum reproducibility and robustness. Moreover, it was validated according to ICH guidelines. Selectivity was tested using laboratory-prepared mixtures. Accuracy, precision and repeatability were found to be within the acceptable limits. The proposed method is good enough to be applied to an assay of drugs in their combined formulations without any interference from excipients. The obtained results were statistically compared with those of the reported and official methods by applying t-test and F-test at 95% confidence level concluding that there is no significant difference with regard to accuracy and precision. Generally, this method could be used successfully for the routine quality control testing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive analysis of organic ligands in whole root exudates using nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Fan, T W; Lane, A N; Pedler, J; Crowley, D; Higashi, R M

1997-08-15

Root exudates in the rhizosphere are vital to the normal life cycle of plants. A key factor is phytometallophores, which function in the nutritional acquisition of iron and zinc and are likely to be important in the uptake of pollutant metals by plants. Unraveling the biochemistry of these compounds is tedious using traditional analyses, which also fall short in providing the overall chemical composition or in detecting unknown or unexpected organic ligands in the exudates. Here, we demonstrate a comprehensive analysis of the exudate composition directly by 1H and 13C multidimensional NMR and silylation GC-MS. The advantages are (a) minimal sample preparation, with no loss of unknown compounds, and reduced net analysis time; (b) structure-based analysis for universal detection and identification; and (c) simultaneous analysis of a large number of constituents in a complex mixture. Using barley root exudates, a large number of common organic and amino acids were identified. Three derivatives of mugineic acid phytosiderophores were also determined, the major one being 3-epihydroxymugineic acid, for which complete 1H and 13C NMR assignments were obtained. Quantification of all major components using these methods revealed a sevenfold increase in total exudation under moderate iron deficiency, with 3-epihydroxymugineic acid comprising approximately 22% of the exudate mixture. As iron deficiency increased, total quantities of exudate per gram of root remained unchanged, but the relative quantity of carbon allocated to phytosiderophore increased to approximately 50% of the total exudate in response to severe iron deficiency.

Segmentation and intensity estimation of microarray images using a gamma-t mixture model.

PubMed

Baek, Jangsun; Son, Young Sook; McLachlan, Geoffrey J

2007-02-15

We present a new approach to the analysis of images for complementary DNA microarray experiments. The image segmentation and intensity estimation are performed simultaneously by adopting a two-component mixture model. One component of this mixture corresponds to the distribution of the background intensity, while the other corresponds to the distribution of the foreground intensity. The intensity measurement is a bivariate vector consisting of red and green intensities. The background intensity component is modeled by the bivariate gamma distribution, whose marginal densities for the red and green intensities are independent three-parameter gamma distributions with different parameters. The foreground intensity component is taken to be the bivariate t distribution, with the constraint that the mean of the foreground is greater than that of the background for each of the two colors. The degrees of freedom of this t distribution are inferred from the data but they could be specified in advance to reduce the computation time. Also, the covariance matrix is not restricted to being diagonal and so it allows for nonzero correlation between R and G foreground intensities. This gamma-t mixture model is fitted by maximum likelihood via the EM algorithm. A final step is executed whereby nonparametric (kernel) smoothing is undertaken of the posterior probabilities of component membership. The main advantages of this approach are: (1) it enjoys the well-known strengths of a mixture model, namely flexibility and adaptability to the data; (2) it considers the segmentation and intensity simultaneously and not separately as in commonly used existing software, and it also works with the red and green intensities in a bivariate framework as opposed to their separate estimation via univariate methods; (3) the use of the three-parameter gamma distribution for the background red and green intensities provides a much better fit than the normal (log normal) or t distributions; (4) the use of the bivariate t distribution for the foreground intensity provides a model that is less sensitive to extreme observations; (5) as a consequence of the aforementioned properties, it allows segmentation to be undertaken for a wide range of spot shapes, including doughnut, sickle shape and artifacts. We apply our method for gridding, segmentation and estimation to cDNA microarray real images and artificial data. Our method provides better segmentation results in spot shapes as well as intensity estimation than Spot and spotSegmentation R language softwares. It detected blank spots as well as bright artifact for the real data, and estimated spot intensities with high-accuracy for the synthetic data. The algorithms were implemented in Matlab. The Matlab codes implementing both the gridding and segmentation/estimation are available upon request. Supplementary material is available at Bioinformatics online.

Substitution of the human αC region with the analogous chicken domain generates a fibrinogen with severely impaired lateral aggregation: fibrin monomers assemble into protofibrils but protofibrils do not assemble into fibers.†

PubMed Central

Ping, Lifang; Huang, Lihong; Cardinali, Barbara; Profumo, Aldo; Gorkun, Oleg V.; Lord, Susan T.

2011-01-01

Fibrin polymerization occurs in two steps: the assembly of fibrin monomers into protofibrils and the lateral aggregation of protofibrils into fibers. Here we describe a novel fibrinogen that apparently impairs only lateral aggregation. This variant is a hybrid, where the human αC region has been replaced with the homologous chicken region. Several experiments indicate this hybrid human-chicken (HC) fibrinogen has an overall structure similar to normal. Thrombin-catalyzed fibrinopeptide release from HC fibrinogen was normal. Plasmin digests of HC fibrinogen produced fragments that were similar to normal D and E; further, as with normal fibrinogen, the knob ‘A’ peptide, GPRP, reversed the plasmin cleavage associated with addition of EDTA. Dynamic light scattering and turbidity studies with HC fibrinogen showed polymerization was not normal. Whereas early small increases in hydrodynamic radius and absorbance paralleled the increases seen during the assembly of normal protofibrils, HC fibrinogen showed no dramatic increase in scattering as observed with normal lateral aggregation. To determine whether HC and normal fibrinogen could form a copolymer, we examined mixtures of these. Polymerization of normal fibrinogen was markedly changed by HC fibrinogen, as expected for mixed polymers. When the mixture contained 0.45 μM normal and 0.15 M HC fibrinogen, the initiation of lateral aggregation was delayed and the final fiber size was reduced relative to normal fibrinogen at 0.45 μM. Considered altogether our data suggest that HC fibrin monomers can assemble into protofibrils or protofibril-like structures but these either cannot assemble into fibers or assemble into very thin fibers. PMID:21932842

VOCs, pesticides, nitrate, and their mixtures in groundwater used for drinking water in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Squillace, P.J.; Scott, J.C.; Moran, M.J.; Nolan, B.T.; Kolpin, D.W.

2002-01-01

Samples of untreated groundwater from 1255 domestic drinking-water wells and 242 public supply wells were analyzed as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey between 1992 and 1999. Wells were sampled to define the regional quality of the groundwater resource and, thus, were distributed geographically across large aquifers, primarily in rural areas. For each sample, as many as 60 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 83 pesticides, and nitrate were analyzed. On the basis of previous studies, nitrate concentrations as nitrogen ≥3 mg/L were considered to have an anthropogenic origin. VOCs were detected more frequently (44%) than pesticides (38%) or anthropogenic nitrate (28%). Seventy percent of the samples contained at least one VOC, pesticide, or anthropogenic nitrate; 47% contained at least two compounds; and 33% contained at least three compounds. The combined concentrations of VOCs and pesticides ranged from about 0.001 to 100 μg/L, with a median of 0.02 μg/L. Water from about 12% of the wells contained one or more compounds that exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards or human health criteria, primarily because of nitrate concentrations exceeding the maximum contaminant level in domestic wells. A mixture is defined as a unique combination of two or more particular compounds, regardless of the presence of other compounds that may occur in the same sample. There were 100 mixtures (significantly associated with agricultural land use) that had a detection frequency between 2% and 19%. There were 302 mixtures (significantly associated with urban land use) that had a detection frequency between 1% and <2%. Only 14 compounds (seven VOCs, six pesticides, and nitrate) contributed over 95% of the detections in these 402 mixtures; however, most samples with these mixtures also contain a variety of other compounds.

Ultra-sensitive in-situ detection of near-infrared persistent luminescent tracer nanoagents in crude oil-water mixtures.

PubMed

Chuang, Yen-Jun; Liu, Feng; Wang, Wei; Kanj, Mazen Y; Poitzsch, Martin E; Pan, Zhengwei

2016-06-15

Current fluorescent nanoparticles-based tracer sensing techniques for oilfield applications suffer from insufficient sensitivity, with the tracer detection limit typically at the several hundred ppm level in untreated oil/water mixtures, which is mainly caused by the interference of the background fluorescence from the organic residues in crude oil under constant external excitation. Here we report the use of a persistent luminescence phenomenon, which enables an external excitation-free and thus background fluorescence-free measurement condition, for ultrahigh-sensitivity crude oil sensing. By using LiGa5O8:Cr(3+) near-infrared persistent luminescent nanoparticles as a tracer nanoagent, we achieved a tracer detection limit at the single-digit ppb level (down to 1 ppb concentration of nanoparticles) in high oil fraction (up to 65 wt.%) oil/water mixtures via a convenient, CCD camera-based imaging technique without any pretreatment or phase separation of the fluid samples. This detection limit is about four to five orders of magnitude lower than that obtained using conventional spectral methods. This study introduces a new type of tracer nanoagents and a new detection method for water tracer sensing in oil reservoir characterization and management.

FTIR characterization of animal lung cells: normal and precancerous modified e10 cell line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zezell, D. M.; Pereira, T. M.; Mennecier, G.; Bachmann, L.; Govone, A. B.; Dagli, M. L. Z.

2012-06-01

The chemical carcinogens from tobacco are related to over 90% of lung cancers around the world. The risk of death of this kind of cancer is high because the diagnosis usually is made only in advanced stages. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new diagnostic methods for detecting the lung cancer in earlier stages. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) can offer high sensibility and accuracy to detect the minimal chemical changes into the biological sample. The aim of this study is to evaluate the differences on infrared spectra between normal lung cells and precancerous lung cells transformed by NNK. Non-cancerous lung cell line e10 (ATCC) and NNK-transformed e10 cell lines were maintained in complete culture medium (1:1 mixture of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium and Ham's F12 [DMEM/Ham's F12], supplemented with 100 ng/ml cholera enterotoxin, 10 lg/ml insulin, 0.5 lg/ml. hydrocortisol, 20 ng/ml epidermal growth factor, and 5% horse serum. The cultures were maintained in alcohol 70%. The infrared spectra were acquired on ATR-FTIR Nicolet 6700 spectrophotometer at 4 cm-1 resolution, 30 scans, in the 1800-900 cm-1 spectral range. Each sample had 3 spectra recorded, 30 infrared spectra were obtained from each cell line. The second derivate of spectra indicates that there are displacement in 1646 cm-1 (amine I) and 1255 cm-1(DNA), allowing the possibility to differentiate the two king of cells, with accuracy of 89,9%. These preliminary results indicate that ATR-FTIR is useful to differentiate normal e10 lung cells from precancerous e10 transformed by NNK.

Environment applications for ion mobility spectrometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ritchie, Robert K.; Rudolph, Andreas

1995-01-01

The detection of environmentally important polychlorinated aromatics by ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) was investigated. Single polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) isomers (congeners) having five or more chlorine atoms were reliably detected in isooctane solution at levels of 35 ng with a Barringer IONSCAN ion mobility spectrometer operating in negative mode; limits of detection (LOD) were extrapolated to be in the low ng region. Mixtures of up to four PCB congeners, showing characteristic multiple peaks, and complex commercial mixtures of PCBs (Aroclors) were also detected. Detection of Aroclors in transformer oil was suppressed by the presence of the antioxidant BHT (2,6-di-t-butyl4-methylphenol) in the oil. The wood preservative pentachlorophenol (PCP) was easily detected in recycled wood shavings at levels of 52 ppm with the IONSCAN; the LOD was extrapolated to be in the low ppm region.

Performance characterizations of asphalt binders and mixtures incorporating silane additive ZycoTherm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, Mohd Rosli Mohd; Hamzah, Meor Othman; Yee, Teh Sek

2017-10-01

Experimental works were conducted to evaluate the properties of asphalt binders and mixtures produced using a relatively new silane additive, named ZycoTherm. In this study, 0.1wt% ZycoTherm was blended with asphalt binder to enable production of asphalt mixture at lower than normal temperatures, as well as improve mix workability and compactability. Asphalt mixture performances towards pavement distresses in tropical climate region were also investigated. The properties of control asphalt binders (60/70 and 80/10 penetration grade) and asphalt binders incorporating 0.1% ZycoTherm were reported based on the penetration, softening point, rotational viscosity, complex modulus and phase angle. Subsequently, to compare the performance of asphalt mixture incorporating ZycoTherm with the control asphalt mixture, cylindrical samples were prepared at recommended temperatures and air voids depending on the binder types and test requirements. The samples were tested for indirect tensile strength (ITS), resilient modulus, dynamic creep, Hamburg wheel tracking and moisture induced damage. From compaction data using the Servopak gyratory compactor, specimen prepared using ZycoTherm exhibit higher workability and compactability compared to the conventional mixture. From the mixture performance test results, mixtures prepared with ZycoTherm showed comparable if not better performance than the control sample in terms of the resistance to moisture damage, permanent deformation and cracking.

Mixture-Tuned, Clutter Matched Filter for Remote Detection of Subpixel Spectral Signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, David R.; Mandrake, Lukas; Green, Robert O.

2013-01-01

Mapping localized spectral features in large images demands sensitive and robust detection algorithms. Two aspects of large images that can harm matched-filter detection performance are addressed simultaneously. First, multimodal backgrounds may thwart the typical Gaussian model. Second, outlier features can trigger false detections from large projections onto the target vector. Two state-of-the-art approaches are combined that independently address outlier false positives and multimodal backgrounds. The background clustering models multimodal backgrounds, and the mixture tuned matched filter (MT-MF) addresses outliers. Combining the two methods captures significant additional performance benefits. The resulting mixture tuned clutter matched filter (MT-CMF) shows effective performance on simulated and airborne datasets. The classical MNF transform was applied, followed by k-means clustering. Then, each cluster s mean, covariance, and the corresponding eigenvalues were estimated. This yields a cluster-specific matched filter estimate as well as a cluster- specific feasibility score to flag outlier false positives. The technology described is a proof of concept that may be employed in future target detection and mapping applications for remote imaging spectrometers. It is of most direct relevance to JPL proposals for airborne and orbital hyperspectral instruments. Applications include subpixel target detection in hyperspectral scenes for military surveillance. Earth science applications include mineralogical mapping, species discrimination for ecosystem health monitoring, and land use classification.

Challenging a bioinformatic tool's ability to detect microbial contaminants using in silico whole genome sequencing data.

PubMed

Olson, Nathan D; Zook, Justin M; Morrow, Jayne B; Lin, Nancy J

2017-01-01

High sensitivity methods such as next generation sequencing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are adversely impacted by organismal and DNA contaminants. Current methods for detecting contaminants in microbial materials (genomic DNA and cultures) are not sensitive enough and require either a known or culturable contaminant. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is a promising approach for detecting contaminants due to its sensitivity and lack of need for a priori assumptions about the contaminant. Prior to applying WGS, we must first understand its limitations for detecting contaminants and potential for false positives. Herein we demonstrate and characterize a WGS-based approach to detect organismal contaminants using an existing metagenomic taxonomic classification algorithm. Simulated WGS datasets from ten genera as individuals and binary mixtures of eight organisms at varying ratios were analyzed to evaluate the role of contaminant concentration and taxonomy on detection. For the individual genomes the false positive contaminants reported depended on the genus, with Staphylococcus , Escherichia , and Shigella having the highest proportion of false positives. For nearly all binary mixtures the contaminant was detected in the in-silico datasets at the equivalent of 1 in 1,000 cells, though F. tularensis was not detected in any of the simulated contaminant mixtures and Y. pestis was only detected at the equivalent of one in 10 cells. Once a WGS method for detecting contaminants is characterized, it can be applied to evaluate microbial material purity, in efforts to ensure that contaminants are characterized in microbial materials used to validate pathogen detection assays, generate genome assemblies for database submission, and benchmark sequencing methods.

The intermediates take it all: asymptotics of higher criticism statistics and a powerful alternative based on equal local levels.

PubMed

Gontscharuk, Veronika; Landwehr, Sandra; Finner, Helmut

2015-01-01

The higher criticism (HC) statistic, which can be seen as a normalized version of the famous Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic, has a long history, dating back to the mid seventies. Originally, HC statistics were used in connection with goodness of fit (GOF) tests but they recently gained some attention in the context of testing the global null hypothesis in high dimensional data. The continuing interest for HC seems to be inspired by a series of nice asymptotic properties related to this statistic. For example, unlike Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, GOF tests based on the HC statistic are known to be asymptotically sensitive in the moderate tails, hence it is favorably applied for detecting the presence of signals in sparse mixture models. However, some questions around the asymptotic behavior of the HC statistic are still open. We focus on two of them, namely, why a specific intermediate range is crucial for GOF tests based on the HC statistic and why the convergence of the HC distribution to the limiting one is extremely slow. Moreover, the inconsistency in the asymptotic and finite behavior of the HC statistic prompts us to provide a new HC test that has better finite properties than the original HC test while showing the same asymptotics. This test is motivated by the asymptotic behavior of the so-called local levels related to the original HC test. By means of numerical calculations and simulations we show that the new HC test is typically more powerful than the original HC test in normal mixture models. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mixture modeling methods for the assessment of normal and abnormal personality, part II: longitudinal models.

PubMed

Wright, Aidan G C; Hallquist, Michael N

2014-01-01

Studying personality and its pathology as it changes, develops, or remains stable over time offers exciting insight into the nature of individual differences. Researchers interested in examining personal characteristics over time have a number of time-honored analytic approaches at their disposal. In recent years there have also been considerable advances in person-oriented analytic approaches, particularly longitudinal mixture models. In this methodological primer we focus on mixture modeling approaches to the study of normative and individual change in the form of growth mixture models and ipsative change in the form of latent transition analysis. We describe the conceptual underpinnings of each of these models, outline approaches for their implementation, and provide accessible examples for researchers studying personality and its assessment.

Detection of biomarkers using recombinant antibodies coupled to nanostructured platforms

PubMed Central

Kierny, Michael R.; Cunningham, Thomas D.; Kay, Brian K.

2012-01-01

The utility of biomarker detection in tomorrow's personalized health care field will mean early and accurate diagnosis of many types of human physiological conditions and diseases. In the search for biomarkers, recombinant affinity reagents can be generated to candidate proteins or post-translational modifications that differ qualitatively or quantitatively between normal and diseased tissues. The use of display technologies, such as phage-display, allows for manageable selection and optimization of affinity reagents for use in biomarker detection. Here we review the use of recombinant antibody fragments, such as scFvs and Fabs, which can be affinity-selected from phage-display libraries, to bind with both high specificity and affinity to biomarkers of cancer, such as Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2) and Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). We discuss how these recombinant antibodies can be fabricated into nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes, nanowires, and quantum dots, for the purpose of enhancing detection of biomarkers at low concentrations (pg/mL) within complex mixtures such as serum or tissue extracts. Other sensing technologies, which take advantage of ‘Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering’ (gold nanoshells), frequency changes in piezoelectric crystals (quartz crystal microbalance), or electrical current generation and sensing during electrochemical reactions (electrochemical detection), can effectively provide multiplexed platforms for detection of cancer and injury biomarkers. Such devices may soon replace the traditional time consuming ELISAs and Western blots, and deliver rapid, point-of-care diagnostics to market. PMID:22833780

An iterative procedure for obtaining maximum-likelihood estimates of the parameters for a mixture of normal distributions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, B. C., Jr.; Walker, H. F.

1978-01-01

This paper addresses the problem of obtaining numerically maximum-likelihood estimates of the parameters for a mixture of normal distributions. In recent literature, a certain successive-approximations procedure, based on the likelihood equations, was shown empirically to be effective in numerically approximating such maximum-likelihood estimates; however, the reliability of this procedure was not established theoretically. Here, we introduce a general iterative procedure, of the generalized steepest-ascent (deflected-gradient) type, which is just the procedure known in the literature when the step-size is taken to be 1. We show that, with probability 1 as the sample size grows large, this procedure converges locally to the strongly consistent maximum-likelihood estimate whenever the step-size lies between 0 and 2. We also show that the step-size which yields optimal local convergence rates for large samples is determined in a sense by the 'separation' of the component normal densities and is bounded below by a number between 1 and 2.

An iterative procedure for obtaining maximum-likelihood estimates of the parameters for a mixture of normal distributions, 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, B. C., Jr.; Walker, H. F.

1976-01-01

The problem of obtaining numerically maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters for a mixture of normal distributions is addressed. In recent literature, a certain successive approximations procedure, based on the likelihood equations, is shown empirically to be effective in numerically approximating such maximum-likelihood estimates; however, the reliability of this procedure was not established theoretically. Here, a general iterative procedure is introduced, of the generalized steepest-ascent (deflected-gradient) type, which is just the procedure known in the literature when the step-size is taken to be 1. With probability 1 as the sample size grows large, it is shown that this procedure converges locally to the strongly consistent maximum-likelihood estimate whenever the step-size lies between 0 and 2. The step-size which yields optimal local convergence rates for large samples is determined in a sense by the separation of the component normal densities and is bounded below by a number between 1 and 2.

Multinomial N-mixture models improve the applicability of electrofishing for developing population estimates of stream-dwelling Smallmouth Bass

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mollenhauer, Robert; Brewer, Shannon K.

2017-01-01

Failure to account for variable detection across survey conditions constrains progressive stream ecology and can lead to erroneous stream fish management and conservation decisions. In addition to variable detection’s confounding long-term stream fish population trends, reliable abundance estimates across a wide range of survey conditions are fundamental to establishing species–environment relationships. Despite major advancements in accounting for variable detection when surveying animal populations, these approaches remain largely ignored by stream fish scientists, and CPUE remains the most common metric used by researchers and managers. One notable advancement for addressing the challenges of variable detection is the multinomial N-mixture model. Multinomial N-mixture models use a flexible hierarchical framework to model the detection process across sites as a function of covariates; they also accommodate common fisheries survey methods, such as removal and capture–recapture. Effective monitoring of stream-dwelling Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu populations has long been challenging; therefore, our objective was to examine the use of multinomial N-mixture models to improve the applicability of electrofishing for estimating absolute abundance. We sampled Smallmouth Bass populations by using tow-barge electrofishing across a range of environmental conditions in streams of the Ozark Highlands ecoregion. Using an information-theoretic approach, we identified effort, water clarity, wetted channel width, and water depth as covariates that were related to variable Smallmouth Bass electrofishing detection. Smallmouth Bass abundance estimates derived from our top model consistently agreed with baseline estimates obtained via snorkel surveys. Additionally, confidence intervals from the multinomial N-mixture models were consistently more precise than those of unbiased Petersen capture–recapture estimates due to the dependency among data sets in the hierarchical framework. We demonstrate the application of this contemporary population estimation method to address a longstanding stream fish management issue. We also detail the advantages and trade-offs of hierarchical population estimation methods relative to CPUE and estimation methods that model each site separately.

Modeling avian abundance from replicated counts using binomial mixture models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kery, Marc; Royle, J. Andrew; Schmid, Hans

2005-01-01

Abundance estimation in ecology is usually accomplished by capture–recapture, removal, or distance sampling methods. These may be hard to implement at large spatial scales. In contrast, binomial mixture models enable abundance estimation without individual identification, based simply on temporally and spatially replicated counts. Here, we evaluate mixture models using data from the national breeding bird monitoring program in Switzerland, where some 250 1-km2 quadrats are surveyed using the territory mapping method three times during each breeding season. We chose eight species with contrasting distribution (wide–narrow), abundance (high–low), and detectability (easy–difficult). Abundance was modeled as a random effect with a Poisson or negative binomial distribution, with mean affected by forest cover, elevation, and route length. Detectability was a logit-linear function of survey date, survey date-by-elevation, and sampling effort (time per transect unit). Resulting covariate effects and parameter estimates were consistent with expectations. Detectability per territory (for three surveys) ranged from 0.66 to 0.94 (mean 0.84) for easy species, and from 0.16 to 0.83 (mean 0.53) for difficult species, depended on survey effort for two easy and all four difficult species, and changed seasonally for three easy and three difficult species. Abundance was positively related to route length in three high-abundance and one low-abundance (one easy and three difficult) species, and increased with forest cover in five forest species, decreased for two nonforest species, and was unaffected for a generalist species. Abundance estimates under the most parsimonious mixture models were between 1.1 and 8.9 (median 1.8) times greater than estimates based on territory mapping; hence, three surveys were insufficient to detect all territories for each species. We conclude that binomial mixture models are an important new approach for estimating abundance corrected for detectability when only repeated-count data are available. Future developments envisioned include estimation of trend, occupancy, and total regional abundance.

K-9 training aids made using additive manufacturing

DOEpatents

Reynolds, John G.; Durban, Matthew M.; Gash, Alexander E.; Grapes, Michael D.; Kelley, Ryan S.; Sullivan, Kyle T.

2018-02-20

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is used to make aids that target the training of K-9s to detect explosives. The process uses mixtures of explosives and matrices commonly used in AM. The explosives are formulated into a mixture with the matrix and printed using AM techniques and equipment. The explosive concentrations are kept less than 10% by wt. of the mixture to conform to requirements of shipping and handling.

On The Value at Risk Using Bayesian Mixture Laplace Autoregressive Approach for Modelling the Islamic Stock Risk Investment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miftahurrohmah, Brina; Iriawan, Nur; Fithriasari, Kartika

2017-06-01

Stocks are known as the financial instruments traded in the capital market which have a high level of risk. Their risks are indicated by their uncertainty of their return which have to be accepted by investors in the future. The higher the risk to be faced, the higher the return would be gained. Therefore, the measurements need to be made against the risk. Value at Risk (VaR) as the most popular risk measurement method, is frequently ignore when the pattern of return is not uni-modal Normal. The calculation of the risks using VaR method with the Normal Mixture Autoregressive (MNAR) approach has been considered. This paper proposes VaR method couple with the Mixture Laplace Autoregressive (MLAR) that would be implemented for analysing the first three biggest capitalization Islamic stock return in JII, namely PT. Astra International Tbk (ASII), PT. Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk (TLMK), and PT. Unilever Indonesia Tbk (UNVR). Parameter estimation is performed by employing Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approaches.

Method and apparatus for detecting gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbons

DOEpatents

Anderson, deceased, William G.; Anderson, legal representative, Johanna S.

1990-01-01

A method and optrode for detecting gem polyhalogenated hydrocarbons in a sample fluid based on a single phase Fujiwara reaction as provided. The method comprises contacting a reaction mixture with a sample fluid which contains the gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbons. The reaction mixture comprises an aqueous solution of pyridine or derivative thereof and a hindered nitrogen base. Upon contact a fluorescent and/or chromgenic reaction product forms whose fluorescence and/or absorbance is related to the concentration of gem-polyhalogenated hydrocarbons in the sample fluid.

Oxychlorine and Chloride/Ferrian Saponite Mixtures as a Possible Source of Hydrochloric Acid Detected by the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Instrument in Gale Crater, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hogancamp, J. V.; Sutter, B.; Archer, D., Jr.; Ming, D. W.; Mahaffy, P. R.

2017-12-01

The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument on board the Curiosity Rover has detected HCl gas releases from several analyzed Gale Crater sediments, which are attributed to the presence of perchlorates, chlorates, and/or chlorides in martian sediment. Previous SAM analog laboratory analyses found that most pure perchlorates and chlorates produced HCl at different temperatures than those observed in the SAM data. Subsequent studies examined the effects of perchlorate and chlorate mixtures with Gale Crater analog iron phases, which are known to catalyze oxychlorine decomposition. Several mixtures produced characteristic O2 releases at similar temperatures as Gale Crater materials, but most of these mixtures did not produce HCl releases comparable to those detected by the SAM instrument. Perchlorates, chlorates, and chlorides were mixed with Gale Crater analog ferrian saponite to understand evolved HCl detected by SAM. Evolved water from thermally decomposing saponite is hypothesized to react with residual chloride phases from oxychlorine decomposition to produce high temperature (>700°C) HCl. Mixtures of chlorates, perchlorates, or chlorides with ferrian saponite were heated to 1000 °C in a laboratory analog SAM instrument. Results demonstrated that all chlorate and perchlorate mixtures produce HCl releases below 1000 °C when mixed with ferrian saponite. Mixtures of chlorides with ferrian saponite produced no oxygen releases but did produce HCl releases with peaks below 1000 °C. Ferrian saponite/Mg-chlorate mixtures produced two HCl releases (347 and 820 °C) similar to the Cumberland drilled sample. Additionally, sodium chloride mixed with ferrian saponite produced no oxygen releases and an HCl release (767 °C) similar to the Quela drilled sample. The Marimba drilled sample, which also produced no oxychlorine-derived oxygen, produced a high temperature HCl release that may be the result of chloride(s) reacting with evolved water from thermally decomposing ferrian saponite. Results of this work demonstrated that chlorides in the presence of evolved water from thermally decomposing saponite can explain the high temperature evolved HCl detected by SAM. Chlorides may either be native to the sample or be produced by perchlorate/chlorate thermal decomposition in order to yield Cl for high temperature (>700 °C) HCl production. Mg bearing Cl phases tend to produce two HCl releases (347-496 and 820 °C) while Ca and Na bearing phases produced one high temperature (>700 °C) HCl release. HCl release temperatures can be used to indicate the cation-type of the oxychlorine phase or chloride which is critical to understanding past geochemical conditions in Gale Crater.

Self-healing properties of recycled asphalt mixtures containing metal waste: An approach through microwave radiation heating.

PubMed

González, A; Norambuena-Contreras, J; Storey, L; Schlangen, E

2018-05-15

The concept of self-healing asphalt mixtures by bitumen temperature increase has been used by researchers to create an asphalt mixture with crack-healing properties by microwave or induction heating. Metals, normally steel wool fibers (SWF), are added to asphalt mixtures prepared with virgin materials to absorb and conduct thermal energy. Metal shavings, a waste material from the metal industry, could be used to replace SWF. In addition, reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) could be added to these mixtures to make a more sustainable road material. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of adding metal shavings and RAP on the properties of asphalt mixtures with crack-healing capabilities by microwave heating. The research indicates that metal shavings have an irregular shape with widths larger than typical SWF used with asphalt self-healing purposes. The general effect of adding metal shavings was an improvement in the crack-healing of asphalt mixtures, while adding RAP to mixtures with metal shavings reduced the healing. The average surface temperature of the asphalt samples after microwave heating was higher than temperatures obtained by induction heating, indicating that shavings are more efficient when mixtures are heated by microwave radiation. CT scan analysis showed that shavings uniformly distribute in the mixture, and the addition of metal shavings increases the air voids. Overall, it is concluded that asphalt mixtures with RAP and waste metal shavings have the potential of being crack-healed by microwave heating. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogen isotope separation utilizing bulk getters

DOEpatents

Knize, R.J.; Cecchi, J.L.

1991-08-20

Tritium and deuterium are separated from a gaseous mixture thereof, derived from a nuclear fusion reactor or some other source, by providing a casing with a bulk getter therein for absorbing the gaseous mixture to produce an initial loading of the getter, partially desorbing the getter to produce a desorbed mixture which is tritium-enriched, pumping the desorbed mixture into a separate container, the remaining gaseous loading in the getter being deuterium-enriched, desorbing the getter to a substantially greater extent to produce a deuterium-enriched gaseous mixture, and removing the deuterium-enriched mixture into another container. The bulk getter may comprise a zirconium-aluminum alloy, or a zirconium-vanadium-iron alloy. The partial desorption may reduce the loading by approximately fifty percent. The basic procedure may be extended to produce a multistage isotope separator, including at least one additional bulk getter into which the tritium-enriched mixture is absorbed. The second getter is then partially desorbed to produce a desorbed mixture which is further tritium-enriched. The last-mentioned mixture is then removed from the container for the second getter, which is then desorbed to a substantially greater extent to produce a desorbed mixture which is deuterium-enriched. The last-mentioned mixture is then removed so that the cycle can be continued and repeated. The method of isotope separation is also applicable to other hydrogen isotopes, in that the method can be employed for separating either deuterium or tritium from normal hydrogen. 4 figures.

Hydrogen isotope separation utilizing bulk getters

DOEpatents

Knize, Randall J.; Cecchi, Joseph L.

1991-01-01

Tritium and deuterium are separated from a gaseous mixture thereof, derived from a nuclear fusion reactor or some other source, by providing a casing with a bulk getter therein for absorbing the gaseous mixture to produce an initial loading of the getter, partially desorbing the getter to produce a desorbed mixture which is tritium-enriched, pumping the desorbed mixture into a separate container, the remaining gaseous loading in the getter being deuterium-enriched, desorbing the getter to a substantially greater extent to produce a deuterium-enriched gaseous mixture, and removing the deuterium-enriched mixture into another container. The bulk getter may comprise a zirconium-aluminum alloy, or a zirconium-vanadium-iron alloy. The partial desorption may reduce the loading by approximately fifty percent. The basic procedure may be extended to produce a multistage isotope separator, including at least one additional bulk getter into which the tritium-enriched mixture is absorbed. The second getter is then partially desorbed to produce a desorbed mixture which is further tritium-enriched. The last-mentioned mixture is then removed from the container for the second getter, which is then desorbed to a substantially greater extent to produce a desorbed mixture which is deuterium-enriched. The last-mentioned mixture is then removed so that the cycle can be continued and repeated. The method of isotope separation is also applicable to other hydrogen isotopes, in that the method can be employed for separating either deuterium or tritium from normal hydrogen.

Hydrogen isotope separation utilizing bulk getters

DOEpatents

Knize, Randall J.; Cecchi, Joseph L.

1990-01-01

Tritium and deuterium are separated from a gaseous mixture thereof, derived from a nuclear fusion reactor or some other source, by providing a casing with a bulk getter therein for absorbing the gaseous mixture to produce an initial loading of the getter, partially desorbing the getter to produce a desorbed mixture which is tritium-enriched, pumping the desorbed mixture into a separate container, the remaining gaseous loading in the getter being deuterium-enriched, desorbing the getter to a substantially greater extent to produce a deuterium-enriched gaseous mixture, and removing the deuterium-enriched mixture into another container. The bulk getter may comprise a zirconium-aluminum alloy, or a zirconium-vanadium-iron alloy. The partial desorption may reduce the loading by approximately fifty percent. The basic procedure may be extended to produce a multistage isotope separator, including at least one additional bulk getter into which the tritium-enriched mixture is absorbed. The second getter is then partially desorbed to produce a desorbed mixture which is further tritium-enriched. The last-mentioned mixture is then removed from the container for the second getter, which is then desorbed to a substantially greater extent to produce a desorbed mixture which is deuterium-enriched. The last-mentioned mixture is then removed so that the cycle can be continued and repeated. The method of isotope separation is also applicable to other hydrogen isotopes, in that the method can be employed for separating either deuterium or tritium from normal hydrogen.

NUTS and BOLTS: Applications of Fluorescence Detected Sedimentation

PubMed Central

Kroe, Rachel R.; Laue, Thomas M.

2008-01-01

Analytical ultracentrifugation is a widely used method for characterizing the solution behavior of macromolecules. However, the two commonly used detectors (absorbance and interference) impose some fundamental restrictions on the concentrations and complexity of the solutions that can be analyzed. The recent addition of a fluorescence detector for the XL-I analytical ultracentrifuge (AU-FDS) enables two different types of sedimentation experiments. First, the AU-FDS can detect picomolar concentrations of labeled solutes allowing the characterization of very dilute solutions of macromolecules, applications we call Normal Use Tracer Sedimentation (NUTS). The great sensitivity of NUTS analysis allows the characterization of small quantities of materials and high affinity interactions. Second, AU-FDS allows characterization of trace quantities of labeled molecules in solutions containing high concentrations and complex mixtures of unlabeled molecules, applications we call Biological On Line Tracer Sedimentation (BOLTS). The discrimination of BOLTS enables the size distribution of a labeled macromolecule to be determined in biological milieu such as cell lysates and serum. Examples are presented that embody features of both NUTS and BOLTS applications, along with our observations on these applications. PMID:19103145

Blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the monitoring of malate- and oxaloacetate-producing enzymes.

PubMed

Singh, R; Chénier, D; Bériault, R; Mailloux, R; Hamel, R D; Appanna, V D

2005-09-30

We demonstrate a facile blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) technique to detect two malate-generating enzymes, namely fumarase (FUM), malate synthase (MS) and four oxaloacetate-forming enzymes, namely pyruvate carboxylase (PC), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), citrate lyase (CL) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Malate dehydrogenase (MDH) was utilized as a coupling enzyme to detect either malate or oxaloacetate in the presence of their respective substrates and cofactors. The latter four oxaloacetate-forming enzymes were identified by 2,6-dichloroindophenol (DCIP) and p-iodonitrotetrazolium (INT) while the former two malate-producing enzymes were visualized by INT and phenazine methosulfate (PMS) in the reaction mixtures, respectively. The band formed at the site of enzymatic activity was easily quantified, while Coomassie staining provided information on the protein concentration. Hence, the expression and the activity of these enzymes can be readily evaluated. A two-dimensional (2D) BN-PAGE or SDS-PAGE enabled the rapid purification of the enzyme of interest. This technique also provides a quick and inexpensive means of quantifying these enzymatic activities in normal and stressed biological systems.

Quantitative image analysis of cellular heterogeneity in breast tumors complements genomic profiling.

PubMed

Yuan, Yinyin; Failmezger, Henrik; Rueda, Oscar M; Ali, H Raza; Gräf, Stefan; Chin, Suet-Feung; Schwarz, Roland F; Curtis, Christina; Dunning, Mark J; Bardwell, Helen; Johnson, Nicola; Doyle, Sarah; Turashvili, Gulisa; Provenzano, Elena; Aparicio, Sam; Caldas, Carlos; Markowetz, Florian

2012-10-24

Solid tumors are heterogeneous tissues composed of a mixture of cancer and normal cells, which complicates the interpretation of their molecular profiles. Furthermore, tissue architecture is generally not reflected in molecular assays, rendering this rich information underused. To address these challenges, we developed a computational approach based on standard hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections and demonstrated its power in a discovery and validation cohort of 323 and 241 breast tumors, respectively. To deconvolute cellular heterogeneity and detect subtle genomic aberrations, we introduced an algorithm based on tumor cellularity to increase the comparability of copy number profiles between samples. We next devised a predictor for survival in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer that integrated both image-based and gene expression analyses and significantly outperformed classifiers that use single data types, such as microarray expression signatures. Image processing also allowed us to describe and validate an independent prognostic factor based on quantitative analysis of spatial patterns between stromal cells, which are not detectable by molecular assays. Our quantitative, image-based method could benefit any large-scale cancer study by refining and complementing molecular assays of tumor samples.

Aircraft target detection algorithm based on high resolution spaceborne SAR imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hui; Hao, Mengxi; Zhang, Cong; Su, Xiaojing

2018-03-01

In this paper, an image classification algorithm for airport area is proposed, which based on the statistical features of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images and the spatial information of pixels. The algorithm combines Gamma mixture model and MRF. The algorithm using Gamma mixture model to obtain the initial classification result. Pixel space correlation based on the classification results are optimized by the MRF technique. Additionally, morphology methods are employed to extract airport (ROI) region where the suspected aircraft target samples are clarified to reduce the false alarm and increase the detection performance. Finally, this paper presents the plane target detection, which have been verified by simulation test.

A comparison of spectral mixture analysis an NDVI for ascertaining ecological variables

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wessman, Carol A.; Bateson, C. Ann; Curtiss, Brian; Benning, Tracy L.

1993-01-01

In this study, we compare the performance of spectral mixture analysis to the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in detecting change in a grassland across topographically-induced nutrient gradients and different management schemes. The Konza Prairie Research Natural Area, Kansas, is a relatively homogeneous tallgrass prairie in which change in vegetation productivity occurs with respect to topographic positions in each watershed. The area is the site of long-term studies of the influence of fire and grazing on tallgrass production and was the site of the First ISLSCP (International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project) Field Experiment (FIFE) from 1987 to 1989. Vegetation indices such as NDVI are commonly used with imagery collected in few (less than 10) spectral bands. However, the use of only two bands (e.g. NDVI) does not adequately account for the complex of signals making up most surface reflectance. Influences from background spectral variation and spatial heterogeneity may confound the direct relationship with biological or biophysical variables. High dimensional multispectral data allows for the application position of techniques such as derivative analysis and spectral curve fitting, thereby increasing the probability of successfully modeling the reflectance from mixed surfaces. The higher number of bands permits unmixing of a greater number of surface components, separating the vegetation signal for further analyses relevant to biological variables.

Personal exposure to mixtures of volatile organic compounds: modeling and further analysis of the RIOPA data.

PubMed

Batterman, Stuart; Su, Feng-Chiao; Li, Shi; Mukherjee, Bhramar; Jia, Chunrong

2014-06-01

Emission sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs*) are numerous and widespread in both indoor and outdoor environments. Concentrations of VOCs indoors typically exceed outdoor levels, and most people spend nearly 90% of their time indoors. Thus, indoor sources generally contribute the majority of VOC exposures for most people. VOC exposure has been associated with a wide range of acute and chronic health effects; for example, asthma, respiratory diseases, liver and kidney dysfunction, neurologic impairment, and cancer. Although exposures to most VOCs for most persons fall below health-based guidelines, and long-term trends show decreases in ambient emissions and concentrations, a subset of individuals experience much higher exposures that exceed guidelines. Thus, exposure to VOCs remains an important environmental health concern. The present understanding of VOC exposures is incomplete. With the exception of a few compounds, concentration and especially exposure data are limited; and like other environmental data, VOC exposure data can show multiple modes, low and high extreme values, and sometimes a large portion of data below method detection limits (MDLs). Field data also show considerable spatial or interpersonal variability, and although evidence is limited, temporal variability seems high. These characteristics can complicate modeling and other analyses aimed at risk assessment, policy actions, and exposure management. In addition to these analytic and statistical issues, exposure typically occurs as a mixture, and mixture components may interact or jointly contribute to adverse effects. However most pollutant regulations, guidelines, and studies remain focused on single compounds, and thus may underestimate cumulative exposures and risks arising from coexposures. In addition, the composition of VOC mixtures has not been thoroughly investigated, and mixture components show varying and complex dependencies. Finally, although many factors are known to affect VOC exposures, many personal, environmental, and socioeconomic determinants remain to be identified, and the significance and applicability of the determinants reported in the literature are uncertain. To help answer these unresolved questions and overcome limitations of previous analyses, this project used several novel and powerful statistical modeling and analysis techniques and two large data sets. The overall objectives of this project were (1) to identify and characterize exposure distributions (including extreme values), (2) evaluate mixtures (including dependencies), and (3) identify determinants of VOC exposure. METHODS VOC data were drawn from two large data sets: the Relationships of Indoor, Outdoor, and Personal Air (RIOPA) study (1999-2001) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; 1999-2000). The RIOPA study used a convenience sample to collect outdoor, indoor, and personal exposure measurements in three cities (Elizabeth, NJ; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA). In each city, approximately 100 households with adults and children who did not smoke were sampled twice for 18 VOCs. In addition, information about 500 variables associated with exposure was collected. The NHANES used a nationally representative sample and included personal VOC measurements for 851 participants. NHANES sampled 10 VOCs in common with RIOPA. Both studies used similar sampling methods and study periods. Specific Aim 1. To estimate and model extreme value exposures, extreme value distribution models were fitted to the top 10% and 5% of VOC exposures. Health risks were estimated for individual VOCs and for three VOC mixtures. Simulated extreme value data sets, generated for each VOC and for fitted extreme value and lognormal distributions, were compared with measured concentrations (RIOPA observations) to evaluate each model's goodness of fit. Mixture distributions were fitted with the conventional finite mixture of normal distributions and the semi-parametric Dirichlet process mixture (DPM) of normal distributions for three individual VOCs (chloroform, 1,4-DCB, and styrene). Goodness of fit for these full distribution models was also evaluated using simulated data. Specific Aim 2. Mixtures in the RIOPA VOC data set were identified using positive matrix factorization (PMF) and by toxicologic mode of action. Dependency structures of a mixture's components were examined using mixture fractions and were modeled using copulas, which address correlations of multiple components across their entire distributions. Five candidate copulas (Gaussian, t, Gumbel, Clayton, and Frank) were evaluated, and the performance of fitted models was evaluated using simulation and mixture fractions. Cumulative cancer risks were calculated for mixtures, and results from copulas and multivariate lognormal models were compared with risks based on RIOPA observations. Specific Aim 3. Exposure determinants were identified using stepwise regressions and linear mixed-effects models (LMMs). Specific Aim 1. Extreme value exposures in RIOPA typically were best fitted by three-parameter generalized extreme value (GEV) distributions, and sometimes by the two-parameter Gumbel distribution. In contrast, lognormal distributions significantly underestimated both the level and likelihood of extreme values. Among the VOCs measured in RIOPA, 1,4-dichlorobenzene (1,4-DCB) was associated with the greatest cancer risks; for example, for the highest 10% of measurements of 1,4-DCB, all individuals had risk levels above 10(-4), and 13% of all participants had risk levels above 10(-2). Of the full-distribution models, the finite mixture of normal distributions with two to four clusters and the DPM of normal distributions had superior performance in comparison with the lognormal models. DPM distributions provided slightly better fit than the finite mixture distributions; the advantages of the DPM model were avoiding certain convergence issues associated with the finite mixture distributions, adaptively selecting the number of needed clusters, and providing uncertainty estimates. Although the results apply to the RIOPA data set, GEV distributions and mixture models appear more broadly applicable. These models can be used to simulate VOC distributions, which are neither normally nor lognormally distributed, and they accurately represent the highest exposures, which may have the greatest health significance. Specific Aim 2. Four VOC mixtures were identified and apportioned by PMF; they represented gasoline vapor, vehicle exhaust, chlorinated solvents and disinfection byproducts, and cleaning products and odorants. The last mixture (cleaning products and odorants) accounted for the largest fraction of an individual's total exposure (average of 42% across RIOPA participants). Often, a single compound dominated a mixture but the mixture fractions were heterogeneous; that is, the fractions of the compounds changed with the concentration of the mixture. Three VOC mixtures were identified by toxicologic mode of action and represented VOCs associated with hematopoietic, liver, and renal tumors. Estimated lifetime cumulative cancer risks exceeded 10(-3) for about 10% of RIOPA participants. The dependency structures of the VOC mixtures in the RIOPA data set fitted Gumbel (two mixtures) and t copulas (four mixtures). These copula types emphasize dependencies found in the upper and lower tails of a distribution. The copulas reproduced both risk predictions and exposure fractions with a high degree of accuracy and performed better than multivariate lognormal distributions. Specific Aim 3. In an analysis focused on the home environment and the outdoor (close to home) environment, home VOC concentrations dominated personal exposures (66% to 78% of the total exposure, depending on VOC); this was largely the result of the amount of time participants spent at home and the fact that indoor concentrations were much higher than outdoor concentrations for most VOCs. In a different analysis focused on the sources inside the home and outside (but close to the home), it was assumed that 100% of VOCs from outside sources would penetrate the home. Outdoor VOC sources accounted for 5% (d-limonene) to 81% (carbon tetrachloride [CTC]) of the total exposure. Personal exposure and indoor measurements had similar determinants depending on the VOC. Gasoline-related VOCs (e.g., benzene and methyl tert-butyl ether [MTBE]) were associated with city, residences with attached garages, pumping gas, wind speed, and home air exchange rate (AER). Odorant and cleaning-related VOCs (e.g., 1,4-DCB and chloroform) also were associated with city, and a residence's AER, size, and family members showering. Dry-cleaning and industry-related VOCs (e.g., tetrachloroethylene [or perchloroethylene, PERC] and trichloroethylene [TCE]) were associated with city, type of water supply to the home, and visits to the dry cleaner. These and other relationships were significant, they explained from 10% to 40% of the variance in the measurements, and are consistent with known emission sources and those reported in the literature. Outdoor concentrations of VOCs had only two determinants in common: city and wind speed. Overall, personal exposure was dominated by the home setting, although a large fraction of indoor VOC concentrations were due to outdoor sources. City of residence, personal activities, household characteristics, and meteorology were significant determinants. Concentrations in RIOPA were considerably lower than levels in the nationally representative NHANES for all VOCs except MTBE and 1,4-DCB. Differences between RIOPA and NHANES results can be explained by contrasts between the sampling designs and staging in the two studies, and by differences in the demographics, smoking, employment, occupations, and home locations. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

Method for removing sulfur oxide from waste gases and recovering elemental sulfur

DOEpatents

Moore, Raymond H.

1977-01-01

A continuous catalytic fused salt extraction process is described for removing sulfur oxides from gaseous streams. The gaseous stream is contacted with a molten potassium sulfate salt mixture having a dissolved catalyst to oxidize sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide and molten potassium normal sulfate to solvate the sulfur trioxide to remove the sulfur trioxide from the gaseous stream. A portion of the sulfur trioxide loaded salt mixture is then dissociated to produce sulfur trioxide gas and thereby regenerate potassium normal sulfate. The evolved sulfur trioxide is reacted with hydrogen sulfide as in a Claus reactor to produce elemental sulfur. The process may be advantageously used to clean waste stack gas from industrial plants, such as copper smelters, where a supply of hydrogen sulfide is readily available.

Off-line real-time FTIR analysis of a process step in imipenem production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boaz, Jhansi R.; Thomas, Scott M.; Meyerhoffer, Steven M.; Staskiewicz, Steven J.; Lynch, Joseph E.; Egan, Richard S.; Ellison, Dean K.

1992-08-01

We have developed an FT-IR method, using a Spectra-Tech Monit-IR 400 systems, to monitor off-line the completion of a reaction in real-time. The reaction is moisture-sensitive and analysis by more conventional methods (normal-phase HPLC) is difficult to reproduce. The FT-IR method is based on the shift of a diazo band when a conjugated beta-diketone is transformed into a silyl enol ether during the reaction. The reaction mixture is examined directly by IR and does not require sample workup. Data acquisition time is less than one minute. The method has been validated for specificity, precision and accuracy. The results obtained by the FT-IR method for known mixtures and in-process samples compare favorably with those from a normal-phase HPLC method.

Novel multiplex qualitative detection using universal primer-multiplex-PCR combined with pyrosequencing.

PubMed

Shang, Ying; Xu, Wentao; Wang, Yong; Xu, Yuancong; Huang, Kunlun

2017-12-15

This study described a novel multiplex qualitative detection method using pyrosequencing. Based on the principle of the universal primer-multiplex-PCR, only one sequencing primer was employed to realize the detection of the multiple targets. Samples containing three genetically modified (GM) crops in different proportions were used to validate the method. The dNTP dispensing order was designed based on the product sequences. Only 12 rounds (ATCTGATCGACT) of dNTPs addition and, often, as few as three rounds (CAT) under ideal conditions, were required to detect the GM events qualitatively, and sensitivity was as low as 1% of a mixture. However, when considering a mixture, calculating signal values allowed the proportion of each GM to be estimated. Based on these results, we concluded that our novel method not only realized detection but also allowed semi-quantitative detection of individual events. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Comparison of Free Light Chain Assays:  Freelite and N Latex in Diagnosis, Monitoring, and Predicting Survival in Light Chain Amyloidosis.

PubMed

Mahmood, Shameem; Wassef, Nancy L; Salter, Simon J; Sachchithanantham, Sajitha; Lane, T; Foard, D; Whelan, Carol J; Lachmann, Helen J; Gillmore, Julian D; Hawkins, Philip N; Wechalekar, Ashutosh D

2016-07-01

Measurement of serum free light chains (FLCs) is critical in diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring treatment responses in light chain (AL) amyloidosis. We compare the Freelite assay (polyclonal antibodies to hidden light chain epitopes), which is the current gold standard, with a new assay: a mixture of monoclonal antibodies to light chain epitopes (N Latex). We collected 240 serum samples from 94 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis (at least three serial serum samples during the first 6 months) analyzed at the National Amyloidosis Centre, London, from January 2011 to April 2012. Concordance in detecting abnormal light chain components and hematologic response was assessed at 2, 4, and 6 months. The κ and λ clonal light chain involvement was 21% and 79%, respectively, with an abnormal κ/λ ratio or detectable protein in 78.7%. Median κ, λ, and difference in involved and uninvolved FLCs by Freelite and N Latex assays were 17.3 vs 16 mg/L (R(2 ) = 0.91), 48.8 vs 52.6 mg/L (R(2) = 0.52), and 43.2 vs 39.1 mg/L, respectively. Discordant κ/λ ratios at presentation were as follows: 10 of 90 abnormal by Freelite/normal by N Latex and 11 of 90 abnormal by N Latex/normal by Freelite. Both FLC assays show good correlation in detecting the abnormal light chain subtype with discordance in absolute values and thus are not interchangeable. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Paired-agent imaging for resection during surgery (PAIRS) of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samkoe, Kimberley S.; Tichauer, Kenneth M.; Chen, Eunice; Gunn, Jason R.; Hoopes, P. Jack; Wells, Wendy A.; Hasan, Tayyaba; Pogue, Brian W.

2016-03-01

Ninety percent of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) have overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is correlated with poor prognosis. Complete surgical resection of HNSCC tumors has a large impact on patient survival, where detection of tumor at or close to surgical margins increases the risk of death at 5-years by 90%. In addition, large surgical margins can greatly increase the morbidity experienced by the patient due to functional and cosmetic damage of oral and facial structures. Single fluorescence targeting agents are often used for tumor detection in in vivo pre-clinical imaging; however, the arising signal is qualitative at best because it is a complex mixture of vascular perfusion, vascular leakage, inhibited lymphatic clearance, and receptor binding. In vivo ratiometric receptor concentration imaging (RCI) allows quantification of receptor expression (hence identification of cancerous tissue) by utilizing co-administered paired-agents consisting of a targeted agent and non-targeted perfusion agent to reference the plasma delivery and leakage. A panel of HNSCC tumors with varying levels of EGFR expression (SCC-15 >SCC-25 > SCC-09) have been imaged using ABY-029, a clinically relevant anti-EGFR affibody labeled with IRDye 800CW, and affibody control imaging agent labeled with IRDye 680RD. RCI maps of in vivo tissue have been created and are spatially correlated with EGFR and CD31 immunohistochemistry and basic H and E staining. The RCI threshold parameters for distinguishing tumor from normal tissues (skin and muscle) and the accuracy of margin detection in these tumors will be presented. RCI surgical resection will be further developed using a novel multi-channel, gated fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) imaging system that is capable of performing RCI in normal room light.

Wavelength and energy dependent absorption of unconventional fuel mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, N.; Saleem, Z.; Mirza, A. A.

2005-11-01

Economic considerations of laser induced ignition over the normal electrical ignition of direct injected Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) engines has motivated automobile industry to go for extensive research on basic characteristics of leaner unconventional fuel mixtures to evaluate practical possibility of switching over to the emerging technologies. This paper briefly reviews the ongoing research activities on minimum ignition energy and power requirements of natural gas fuels and reports results of present laser air/CNG mixture absorption coefficient study. This study was arranged to determine the thermo-optical characteristics of high air/fuel ratio mixtures using laser techniques. We measured the absorption coefficient using four lasers of multiple wavelengths over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. The absorption coefficient of mixture was found to vary significantly over change of mixture temperature and probe laser wavelengths. The absorption coefficients of air/CNG mixtures were measured using 20 watts CW/pulsed CO2 laser at 10.6μm, Pulsed Nd:Yag laser at 1.06μm, 532 nm (2nd harmonic) and 4 mW CW HeNe laser at 645 nm and 580 nm for temperatures varying from 290 to 1000K using optical transmission loss technique.

Separation/extraction, detection, and interpretation of DNA mixtures in forensic science (review).

PubMed

Tao, Ruiyang; Wang, Shouyu; Zhang, Jiashuo; Zhang, Jingyi; Yang, Zihao; Sheng, Xiang; Hou, Yiping; Zhang, Suhua; Li, Chengtao

2018-05-25

Interpreting mixed DNA samples containing material from multiple contributors has long been considered a major challenge in forensic casework, especially when encountering low-template DNA (LT-DNA) or high-order mixtures that may involve missing alleles (dropout) and unrelated alleles (drop-in), among others. In the last decades, extraordinary progress has been made in the analysis of mixed DNA samples, which has led to increasing attention to this research field. The advent of new methods for the separation and extraction of DNA from mixtures, novel or jointly applied genetic markers for detection and reliable interpretation approaches for estimating the weight of evidence, as well as the powerful massively parallel sequencing (MPS) technology, has greatly extended the range of mixed samples that can be correctly analyzed. Here, we summarized the investigative approaches and progress in the field of forensic DNA mixture analysis, hoping to provide some assistance to forensic practitioners and to promote further development involving this issue.

Ultra-thin layer chromatography and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy on silver nanorod array substrates prepared by oblique angle deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jing; Abell, Justin; Huang, Yao-wen; Zhao, Yiping

2012-06-01

We demonstrate the potential use of silver nanorod (AgNR) array substrates for on-chip separation and detection of chemical mixtures by ultra-thin layer chromatography (UTLC) and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The capability of the AgNR substrates to separate different compounds in a mixture was explored using a mixture of the food colorant Brilliant Blue FCF and lactic acid, and the mixtures of Methylene Violet and BSA at various concentrations. After the UTLC process, spatially-resolved SERS spectra were collected along the mobile phase development direction and the intensities of specific SERS peaks from each component were used to generate chromatograms. The AgNR substrates demonstrate the capability of separating Brilliant Blue from lactic acid, as well as revealing the SERS signal of Methylene Violet from the massive BSA background after a simple UTLC step. This technique may have significant practical implications in actual detection of small molecules from complex food or clinical backgrounds.

Challenging a bioinformatic tool’s ability to detect microbial contaminants using in silico whole genome sequencing data

PubMed Central

Zook, Justin M.; Morrow, Jayne B.; Lin, Nancy J.

2017-01-01

High sensitivity methods such as next generation sequencing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are adversely impacted by organismal and DNA contaminants. Current methods for detecting contaminants in microbial materials (genomic DNA and cultures) are not sensitive enough and require either a known or culturable contaminant. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is a promising approach for detecting contaminants due to its sensitivity and lack of need for a priori assumptions about the contaminant. Prior to applying WGS, we must first understand its limitations for detecting contaminants and potential for false positives. Herein we demonstrate and characterize a WGS-based approach to detect organismal contaminants using an existing metagenomic taxonomic classification algorithm. Simulated WGS datasets from ten genera as individuals and binary mixtures of eight organisms at varying ratios were analyzed to evaluate the role of contaminant concentration and taxonomy on detection. For the individual genomes the false positive contaminants reported depended on the genus, with Staphylococcus, Escherichia, and Shigella having the highest proportion of false positives. For nearly all binary mixtures the contaminant was detected in the in-silico datasets at the equivalent of 1 in 1,000 cells, though F. tularensis was not detected in any of the simulated contaminant mixtures and Y. pestis was only detected at the equivalent of one in 10 cells. Once a WGS method for detecting contaminants is characterized, it can be applied to evaluate microbial material purity, in efforts to ensure that contaminants are characterized in microbial materials used to validate pathogen detection assays, generate genome assemblies for database submission, and benchmark sequencing methods. PMID:28924496

Development and Validation of a Rotor-Gene Real-Time PCR Assay for Detection, Identification, and Quantification of Chlamydia trachomatis in a Single Reaction

PubMed Central

Jalal, Hamid; Stephen, Hannah; Curran, Martin D.; Burton, Janet; Bradley, Michelle; Carne, Christopher

2006-01-01

A multitarget real-time PCR (MRT-PCR) for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis DNA was developed and validated. There were three targets for amplification in a single reaction: the cryptic plasmid (CP), the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) gene, and an internal control. The assay had the following characteristics: (i) detection and confirmation of the presence of C. trachomatis DNA in a single reaction, (ii) detection of all genovars of C. trachomatis without any cross-reactivity with pathogenic bacteria or commensal organisms of the oropharynx and genital tract, (iii) a 95% probability of detection with three copies of MOMP and one copy of CP per reaction mixture, (iv) identification of the inhibition of amplification, (v) a quantitative dynamic range of 25 to 250,000 genome copies per reaction mixture, (vi) high intra- and interassay reproducibilities, and (vii) correct identification of all samples in the validation panel. There were 146 COBAS Amplicor PCR (Amplicor PCR)-positive samples and 122 Amplicor PCR-negative samples in the panel. MRT-PCR detected CP DNA alone in 6 (4%) Amplicor PCR-positive samples and both CP and MOMP DNAs in 140 (96%) of 146 Amplicor PCR-positive samples. The quantity of MOMP DNA in 95 (68%) of 140 samples was within the dynamic range of the assay. The median C. trachomatis load in these samples was 321 genome copies per reaction mixture (range, 26 to 40,137 genome copies per reaction mixture). Due to the inclusion of two different C. trachomatis-specific targets, the assay confirmed 259 (97%) of 268 results in a single reaction. This assay could be used in the qualitative format for the routine detection of C. trachomatis and in the quantitative format for study of the pathogenesis of C. trachomatis-associated diseases. The assay demonstrated the potential to eliminate the need for confirmatory testing in almost all samples, thus reducing the turnaround time and the workload. PMID:16390971

49 CFR 173.313 - UN Portable Tank Table for Liquefied Compressed Gases.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Normal 0.51 7.0 7.0 7.0 1012 Butylene 8.0 Allowed Normal 0.53 7.0 7.0 7.0 1017 Chlorine 19.0 Not § 178... tanks— Not Allowed § 178.276(e)(3) 0.78 1041 Ethylene oxide and carbon dioxide mixture with more than 9...(a) Allowed Normal See § 173.32(f) 1079 Sulphur dioxide 11.6 Not Allowed § 178.276(e)(3) 1.23 10.3 8...

49 CFR 173.313 - UN Portable Tank Table for Liquefied Compressed Gases.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Normal 0.51 7.0 7.0 7.0 1012 Butylene 8.0 Allowed Normal 0.53 7.0 7.0 7.0 1017 Chlorine 19.0 Not § 178... tanks— Not Allowed § 178.276(e)(3) 0.78 1041 Ethylene oxide and carbon dioxide mixture with more than 9...(a) Allowed Normal See § 173.32(f) 1079 Sulphur dioxide 11.6 Not Allowed § 178.276(e)(3) 1.23 10.3 8...

Odourant dominance in olfactory mixture processing: what makes a strong odourant?

PubMed Central

Schubert, Marco; Sandoz, Jean-Christophe; Galizia, Giovanni; Giurfa, Martin

2015-01-01

The question of how animals process stimulus mixtures remains controversial as opposing views propose that mixtures are processed analytically, as the sum of their elements, or holistically, as unique entities different from their elements. Overshadowing is a widespread phenomenon that can help decide between these alternatives. In overshadowing, an individual trained with a binary mixture learns one element better at the expense of the other. Although element salience (learning success) has been suggested as a main explanation for overshadowing, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear. We studied olfactory overshadowing in honeybees to uncover the mechanisms underlying olfactory-mixture processing. We provide, to our knowledge, the most comprehensive dataset on overshadowing to date based on 90 experimental groups involving more than 2700 bees trained either with six odourants or with their resulting 15 binary mixtures. We found that bees process olfactory mixtures analytically and that salience alone cannot predict overshadowing. After normalizing learning success, we found that an unexpected feature, the generalization profile of an odourant, was determinant for overshadowing. Odourants that induced less generalization enhanced their distinctiveness and became dominant in the mixture. Our study thus uncovers features that determine odourant dominance within olfactory mixtures and allows the referring of this phenomenon to differences in neural activity both at the receptor and the central level in the insect nervous system. PMID:25652840

Spatially explicit dynamic N-mixture models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhao, Qing; Royle, Andy; Boomer, G. Scott

2017-01-01

Knowledge of demographic parameters such as survival, reproduction, emigration, and immigration is essential to understand metapopulation dynamics. Traditionally the estimation of these demographic parameters requires intensive data from marked animals. The development of dynamic N-mixture models makes it possible to estimate demographic parameters from count data of unmarked animals, but the original dynamic N-mixture model does not distinguish emigration and immigration from survival and reproduction, limiting its ability to explain important metapopulation processes such as movement among local populations. In this study we developed a spatially explicit dynamic N-mixture model that estimates survival, reproduction, emigration, local population size, and detection probability from count data under the assumption that movement only occurs among adjacent habitat patches. Simulation studies showed that the inference of our model depends on detection probability, local population size, and the implementation of robust sampling design. Our model provides reliable estimates of survival, reproduction, and emigration when detection probability is high, regardless of local population size or the type of sampling design. When detection probability is low, however, our model only provides reliable estimates of survival, reproduction, and emigration when local population size is moderate to high and robust sampling design is used. A sensitivity analysis showed that our model is robust against the violation of the assumption that movement only occurs among adjacent habitat patches, suggesting wide applications of this model. Our model can be used to improve our understanding of metapopulation dynamics based on count data that are relatively easy to collect in many systems.

Air intake side secondary air supply system for an internal combustion engine with a duty ratio control operation

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

Kawanabe, T.; Asakura, M.; Shina, T.

1987-09-01

An air intake side secondary air supply system is described for an internal combustion engine having an air intake passage with a carburetor and an exhaust passage, comprising: an air intake side secondary air supply passage communicating with the air intake passage on the downstream side of the carburetor; an open/close valve disposed in the air intake side secondary air supply passage; an oxygen concentration sensor disposed in the exhaust passage; and detection and control means for detecting whether an air-fuel ratio of mixture to be supplied to the engine is leaner or richer with respect to a target air-fuelmore » ratio through a level of an output signal of the oxygen concentration sensor and for periodically actuating the open/close valve, the detection and control means decreasing a valve open period of the open/close valve within each cyclic period by a first predetermined amount when a detected air-fuel ratio of mixture is leaner than the target air-fuel ratio and increasing the valve open period by a second predetermined amount when the detected air-fuel ratio of mixture is richer than the target air-fuel ratio. The second predetermined amount is different from the first predetermined amount.« less

Quantitative carbon detector for enhanced detection of molecules in foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, flavors, and fuels.

PubMed

Beach, Connor A; Krumm, Christoph; Spanjers, Charles S; Maduskar, Saurabh; Jones, Andrew J; Dauenhauer, Paul J

2016-03-07

Analysis of trace compounds, such as pesticides and other contaminants, within consumer products, fuels, and the environment requires quantification of increasingly complex mixtures of difficult-to-quantify compounds. Many compounds of interest are non-volatile and exhibit poor response in current gas chromatography and flame ionization systems. Here we show the reaction of trimethylsilylated chemical analytes to methane using a quantitative carbon detector (QCD; the Polyarc™ reactor) within a gas chromatograph (GC), thereby enabling enhanced detection (up to 10×) of highly functionalized compounds including carbohydrates, acids, drugs, flavorants, and pesticides. Analysis of a complex mixture of compounds shows that the GC-QCD method exhibits faster and more accurate analysis of complex mixtures commonly encountered in everyday products and the environment.

A Universal Method for Species Identification of Mammals Utilizing Next Generation Sequencing for the Analysis of DNA Mixtures

PubMed Central

Tillmar, Andreas O.; Dell'Amico, Barbara; Welander, Jenny; Holmlund, Gunilla

2013-01-01

Species identification can be interesting in a wide range of areas, for example, in forensic applications, food monitoring and in archeology. The vast majority of existing DNA typing methods developed for species determination, mainly focuses on a single species source. There are, however, many instances where all species from mixed sources need to be determined, even when the species in minority constitutes less than 1 % of the sample. The introduction of next generation sequencing opens new possibilities for such challenging samples. In this study we present a universal deep sequencing method using 454 GS Junior sequencing of a target on the mitochondrial gene 16S rRNA. The method was designed through phylogenetic analyses of DNA reference sequences from more than 300 mammal species. Experiments were performed on artificial species-species mixture samples in order to verify the method’s robustness and its ability to detect all species within a mixture. The method was also tested on samples from authentic forensic casework. The results showed to be promising, discriminating over 99.9 % of mammal species and the ability to detect multiple donors within a mixture and also to detect minor components as low as 1 % of a mixed sample. PMID:24358309

Accounting for undetected compounds in statistical analyses of mass spectrometry 'omic studies.

PubMed

Taylor, Sandra L; Leiserowitz, Gary S; Kim, Kyoungmi

2013-12-01

Mass spectrometry is an important high-throughput technique for profiling small molecular compounds in biological samples and is widely used to identify potential diagnostic and prognostic compounds associated with disease. Commonly, this data generated by mass spectrometry has many missing values resulting when a compound is absent from a sample or is present but at a concentration below the detection limit. Several strategies are available for statistically analyzing data with missing values. The accelerated failure time (AFT) model assumes all missing values result from censoring below a detection limit. Under a mixture model, missing values can result from a combination of censoring and the absence of a compound. We compare power and estimation of a mixture model to an AFT model. Based on simulated data, we found the AFT model to have greater power to detect differences in means and point mass proportions between groups. However, the AFT model yielded biased estimates with the bias increasing as the proportion of observations in the point mass increased while estimates were unbiased with the mixture model except if all missing observations came from censoring. These findings suggest using the AFT model for hypothesis testing and mixture model for estimation. We demonstrated this approach through application to glycomics data of serum samples from women with ovarian cancer and matched controls.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of mixtures of compounds containing both hydrogen and deuterium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crespi, H. L.; Harkness, L.; Katz, J. J.; Norman, G.; Saur, W.

1969-01-01

Method allows qualitative and quantitative analysis of mixtures of partially deuterated compounds. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy determines location and amount of deuterium in organic compounds but not fully deuterated compounds. Mass spectroscopy can detect fully deuterated species but not the location.

Integrated ZnO nanoparticles on paper-based microfluidic: toward efficient analytical device for glucose detection based on impedance and FTIR measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuwono, Rio Akbar; Izdiharruddin, Mokhammad Fahmi; Wahyuono, Ruri Agung

2016-11-01

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices decorated with ZnO nanospherical (nanoSPs) aggregates (ZnO-μPAD) for glucose detection have been fabricated. ZnO nanoSPs were prepared by wet chemical synthesis and integrated on the optimized geometry of ZnO-μPAD has 0.2 and 0.4 mm of channel width and length, respectively. Glucose detection measurements were based on electrochemical and infrared transmission measurements. The glucose concentrations were adjusted as 5, 6.5, and 9 mmol, i.e. typical glucose level for normal, pre-diabetes and diabetes, in a mixture of ringer lactate as simulated biological fluid and red blood cells. ZnO nanoSPs in this study possess an average aggregate size of 160 nm formed by clustered 18 nm crystallite size and ordered porous matrix as well as a surface area of 15 m2·g-1.The separation process of the glucose sample on ZnO-μPAD requires approximately 45 s. The glucose detection results show that both electrochemical-based and FTIR-based measurements perform a linear measurement system (R2 of 0.81 to 0.99) with a relatively high sensitivity. A linearly decreasing impedance spanning from 2.2 - 0.6 Ohm and linearly increasing ΔIR transmission spanning from 3 - 19% are obtained for glucose level ranging from 5 - 9 mmol.

A neural network-based estimator for the mixture ratio of the Space Shuttle Main Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, T. H.; Musgrave, J.

1992-11-01

In order to properly utilize the available fuel and oxidizer of a liquid propellant rocket engine, the mixture ratio is closed loop controlled during main stage (65 percent - 109 percent power) operation. However, because of the lack of flight-capable instrumentation for measuring mixture ratio, the value of mixture ratio in the control loop is estimated using available sensor measurements such as the combustion chamber pressure and the volumetric flow, and the temperature and pressure at the exit duct on the low pressure fuel pump. This estimation scheme has two limitations. First, the estimation formula is based on an empirical curve fitting which is accurate only within a narrow operating range. Second, the mixture ratio estimate relies on a few sensor measurements and loss of any of these measurements will make the estimate invalid. In this paper, we propose a neural network-based estimator for the mixture ratio of the Space Shuttle Main Engine. The estimator is an extension of a previously developed neural network based sensor failure detection and recovery algorithm (sensor validation). This neural network uses an auto associative structure which utilizes the redundant information of dissimilar sensors to detect inconsistent measurements. Two approaches have been identified for synthesizing mixture ratio from measurement data using a neural network. The first approach uses an auto associative neural network for sensor validation which is modified to include the mixture ratio as an additional output. The second uses a new network for the mixture ratio estimation in addition to the sensor validation network. Although mixture ratio is not directly measured in flight, it is generally available in simulation and in test bed firing data from facility measurements of fuel and oxidizer volumetric flows. The pros and cons of these two approaches will be discussed in terms of robustness to sensor failures and accuracy of the estimate during typical transients using simulation data.

A neural network-based estimator for the mixture ratio of the Space Shuttle Main Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guo, T. H.; Musgrave, J.

1992-01-01

In order to properly utilize the available fuel and oxidizer of a liquid propellant rocket engine, the mixture ratio is closed loop controlled during main stage (65 percent - 109 percent power) operation. However, because of the lack of flight-capable instrumentation for measuring mixture ratio, the value of mixture ratio in the control loop is estimated using available sensor measurements such as the combustion chamber pressure and the volumetric flow, and the temperature and pressure at the exit duct on the low pressure fuel pump. This estimation scheme has two limitations. First, the estimation formula is based on an empirical curve fitting which is accurate only within a narrow operating range. Second, the mixture ratio estimate relies on a few sensor measurements and loss of any of these measurements will make the estimate invalid. In this paper, we propose a neural network-based estimator for the mixture ratio of the Space Shuttle Main Engine. The estimator is an extension of a previously developed neural network based sensor failure detection and recovery algorithm (sensor validation). This neural network uses an auto associative structure which utilizes the redundant information of dissimilar sensors to detect inconsistent measurements. Two approaches have been identified for synthesizing mixture ratio from measurement data using a neural network. The first approach uses an auto associative neural network for sensor validation which is modified to include the mixture ratio as an additional output. The second uses a new network for the mixture ratio estimation in addition to the sensor validation network. Although mixture ratio is not directly measured in flight, it is generally available in simulation and in test bed firing data from facility measurements of fuel and oxidizer volumetric flows. The pros and cons of these two approaches will be discussed in terms of robustness to sensor failures and accuracy of the estimate during typical transients using simulation data.

The Investigation of Chlorate and Perchlorate/Saponite Mixtures as a Possible Source of Oxygen and Chlorine Detected by the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Instrument in Gale Crater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, J.; Sutter, B.; Min, D. W.; Mahaffy, P.

2016-01-01

The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument on board the Curiosity Rover has detected O2 and HCl gas releases from all analyzed Gale Crater sediments, which are attributed to the presence of perchlorates and/or chlorates in martian sediment. Previous SAM analog laboratory analyses found that most pure perchlorates and chlorates release O2 and HCl at different temperatures than those observed in the SAM data. Subsequent studies examined the effects of perchlorate and chlorate mixtures with Gale Crater analog iron phases, which are known to catalyze oxychlorine decomposition. Several mixtures produced O2 releases at similar temperatures as Gale Crater materials, but most of these mixtures did not produce significant HCl releases comparable to those detected by the SAM instrument. In order to better explain the Gale Crater HCl releases, perchlorates and chlorates were mixed with Gale Crater analog saponite, which is found at abundances from 8 to 20 wt % in the John Klein and Cumberland drill samples. Mixtures of chlorates or perchlorates with calcium-saponite or ferrian-saponite were heated to 1000 deg C in a Labsys EVO differential scanning calorimeter/mass spectrometer configured to operate similarly to the SAM oven/quadrupole mass spectrometer system. Our results demonstrate that all chlorate and perchlorate mixtures produce significant HCl releases below 1000 deg C as well as depressed oxygen peak release temperatures when mixed with saponite. The type of saponite (calcium or ferrian saponite) did not affect the evolved gas results significantly. Saponite/Mg-perchlorate mixtures produced two HCl releases similar to the Cumberland drilled sample. Mg-chlorate mixed with saponite produced HCl releases similar to the Big Sky drilled sample in an eolian sandstone. A mixture of Ca-perchlorate and saponite produced HCl and oxygen releases similar to the Buckskin mudstone drilled sample and the Gobabeb 2 eolian dune material. Ca-chlorate mixed with saponite produced both HCl and oxygen releases within the same range as the Rock-nest windblown deposit, the Greenhorn eolian sandstone, and the John Klein drilled mudstone. Overall, mixtures of perchlorates or chlorates with saponite provide the first explanation for the high temperature HCl releases in addition to the oxygen releases observed in Gale Crater materials.

Leads Detection Using Mixture Statistical Distribution Based CRF Algorithm from Sentinel-1 Dual Polarization SAR Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yu; Li, Fei; Zhang, Shengkai; Zhu, Tingting

2017-04-01

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is significantly important for polar remote sensing since it can provide continuous observations in all days and all weather. SAR can be used for extracting the surface roughness information characterized by the variance of dielectric properties and different polarization channels, which make it possible to observe different ice types and surface structure for deformation analysis. In November, 2016, Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE) 33rd cruise has set sails in sea ice zone in Antarctic. Accurate leads spatial distribution in sea ice zone for routine planning of ship navigation is essential. In this study, the semantic relationship between leads and sea ice categories has been described by the Conditional Random Fields (CRF) model, and leads characteristics have been modeled by statistical distributions in SAR imagery. In the proposed algorithm, a mixture statistical distribution based CRF is developed by considering the contexture information and the statistical characteristics of sea ice for improving leads detection in Sentinel-1A dual polarization SAR imagery. The unary potential and pairwise potential in CRF model is constructed by integrating the posteriori probability estimated from statistical distributions. For mixture statistical distribution parameter estimation, Method of Logarithmic Cumulants (MoLC) is exploited for single statistical distribution parameters estimation. The iteration based Expectation Maximal (EM) algorithm is investigated to calculate the parameters in mixture statistical distribution based CRF model. In the posteriori probability inference, graph-cut energy minimization method is adopted in the initial leads detection. The post-processing procedures including aspect ratio constrain and spatial smoothing approaches are utilized to improve the visual result. The proposed method is validated on Sentinel-1A SAR C-band Extra Wide Swath (EW) Ground Range Detected (GRD) imagery with a pixel spacing of 40 meters near Prydz Bay area, East Antarctica. Main work is listed as follows: 1) A mixture statistical distribution based CRF algorithm has been developed for leads detection from Sentinel-1A dual polarization images. 2) The assessment of the proposed mixture statistical distribution based CRF method and single distribution based CRF algorithm has been presented. 3) The preferable parameters sets including statistical distributions, the aspect ratio threshold and spatial smoothing window size have been provided. In the future, the proposed algorithm will be developed for the operational Sentinel series data sets processing due to its less time consuming cost and high accuracy in leads detection.

Domain wall suppression in trapped mixtures of Bose-Einstein condensates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pepe, Francesco V.; Facchi, Paolo; Florio, Giuseppe; Pascazio, Saverio

2012-08-01

The ground-state energy of a binary mixture of Bose-Einstein condensates can be estimated for large atomic samples by making use of suitably regularized Thomas-Fermi density profiles. By exploiting a variational method on the trial densities the energy can be computed by explicitly taking into account the normalization condition. This yields analytical results and provides the basis for further improvement of the approximation. As a case study, we consider a binary mixture of 87Rb atoms in two different hyperfine states in a double-well potential and discuss the energy crossing between density profiles with different numbers of domain walls, as the number of particles and the interspecies interaction vary.

Single-Particle Properties of a Strongly Interacting Bose-Fermi Mixture Above the BEC Phase Transition Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kharga, D.; Inotani, D.; Hanai, R.; Ohashi, Y.

2017-06-01

We theoretically investigate the normal state properties of a Bose-Fermi mixture with a strong attractive interaction between Fermi and Bose atoms. We extend the ordinary T-matrix approximation (TMA) with respect to Bose-Fermi pairing fluctuations, to include the Hugenholtz-Pines' relation for all Bose Green's functions appearing in TMA self-energy diagrams. This extension is shown to be essentially important to correctly describe the physical properties of the Bose-Fermi mixture, especially near the Bose-Einstein condensation instability. Using this improved TMA, we clarify how the formation of composite fermions affects Bose and Fermi single-particle excitation spectra, over the entire interaction strength.

Two-component mixture model: Application to palm oil and exchange rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phoong, Seuk-Yen; Ismail, Mohd Tahir; Hamzah, Firdaus Mohamad

2014-12-01

Palm oil is a seed crop which is widely adopt for food and non-food products such as cookie, vegetable oil, cosmetics, household products and others. Palm oil is majority growth in Malaysia and Indonesia. However, the demand for palm oil is getting growth and rapidly running out over the years. This phenomenal cause illegal logging of trees and destroy the natural habitat. Hence, the present paper investigates the relationship between exchange rate and palm oil price in Malaysia by using Maximum Likelihood Estimation via Newton-Raphson algorithm to fit a two components mixture model. Besides, this paper proposes a mixture of normal distribution to accommodate with asymmetry characteristics and platykurtic time series data.

On-line preconcentration of fluorescent derivatives of catecholamines in cerebrospinal fluid using flow-gated capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Zhang, Qiyang; Gong, Maojun

2016-06-10

Flow-gated capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with microdialysis has become an important tool for in vivo bioanalytical measurements because it is capable of performing rapid and efficient separations of complex biological mixtures thus enabling high temporal resolution in chemical monitoring. However, the limit of detection (LOD) is often limited to a micro- or nano-molar range while many important target analytes have picomolar or sub-nanomolar levels in brain and other tissues. To enhance the capability of flow-gated CE for catecholamine detection, a novel and simple on-line sample preconcentration method was developed exclusively for fluorescent derivatives of catecholamines that were fluorogenically derivatized with naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde (NDA) in the presence of cyanide. The effective preconcentration coupled with the sensitive laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection lowered the LOD down to 20pM for norepinephrine (NE) and 50pM for dopamine (DA) at 3-fold of S/N ratio, and the signal enhancement was estimated to be over 100-fold relative to normal injection when standard analytes were dissolved in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF). The basic focusing principle is novel since the sample plug contains borate while the background electrolyte (BGE) is void of borate. This strategy took advantage of the complexation between diols and borate, through which one negative charge was added to the complex entity. The sample derivatization mixture was electrokinetically injected into a capillary via the flow-gated injection, and then NE and DA derivatives were selectively focused to a narrow zone by the reversible complexation. Separation of NE and DA derivatives was executed by incoming surfactants of cholate and deoxycholate mixed in the front BGE plug. This on-line preconcentration method was finally applied to the detection of DA in rat cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) via microdialysis and on-line derivatization. It is anticipated that the method would be valuable for in vivo monitoring of DA and NE in various brain regions of live animals on flow-gated CE or microchip platforms. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Semiochemicals released from five bacteria identified from animal wounds infested by primary screwworms and their effects on fly behavioral activity.

PubMed

Zhu, Junwei J; Chaudhury, Muhammad F; Durso, Lisa M; Sagel, Agustin; Skoda, Steven R; Jelvez-Serra, Nadia S; Santanab, Euzebio Goulart

2017-01-01

The Primary screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), is a serious pest feeding on living flesh of any warm-blooded animal, including humans. It was eradicated from the United States in the early 1980s using the sterile male technique. However, it was recently detected in populations of wild deer and pets in the Florida Keys of the US. For monitoring purposes, screwworm flies are normally trapped using attractant bait with liver. However, there has been little effort to develop an efficient monitoring system for detection of screwworm flies using a specific synthetic attractant blend. Several studies have shown that odors from animal wound fluids attract screwworm adults, particularly gravid females. Bacteria associated with animal wounds have been identified that act as a major source for this attraction. To understand what volatiles attract screwworms we inoculated bovine blood with previously identified bacteria. We identified volatile chemicals released from the inoculated blood and other selected media over time and assessed the effect of those chemicals on behavioral activity of adult screwworm flies. A total of 7 volatile compounds were collected from bacteria incubated in either broth or blood using solid-phase microextraction, and their chemical structures were identified by their characteristic mass spectrum fragments and confirmed by retention times in comparison to those of synthetic standards via gas chromatograph combined mass spectrometry analyses. Five major volatiles including dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, phenol, p-cresol and indole were detected from a mixture of 5 bacteria incubated in blood. The ratios of volatiles released differed among different incubation media, time and individual bacteria. A synthetic mixture containing the five compounds was demonstrated to be attractive to adult screwworm flies both in laboratory assays and field trapping trials. The results obtained from this study may assist in developing an efficient trapping system using the identified attractant blend to detect the infestation of primary screwworms. This is also the first study to explore the complex systems in volatile release profiles from 5 bacteria isolated from screwworm-infested animal wounds that are incubated with different media and incubation time, as well as individual and multi-species bacterial communities.

Quantifying tree mortality in a mixed species woodland using multitemporal high spatial resolution satellite imagery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garrity, Steven R.; Allen, Craig D.; Brumby, Steven P.; Gangodagamage, Chandana; McDowell, Nate G.; Cai, D. Michael

2013-01-01

Widespread tree mortality events have recently been observed in several biomes. To effectively quantify the severity and extent of these events, tools that allow for rapid assessment at the landscape scale are required. Past studies using high spatial resolution satellite imagery have primarily focused on detecting green, red, and gray tree canopies during and shortly after tree damage or mortality has occurred. However, detecting trees in various stages of death is not always possible due to limited availability of archived satellite imagery. Here we assess the capability of high spatial resolution satellite imagery for tree mortality detection in a southwestern U.S. mixed species woodland using archived satellite images acquired prior to mortality and well after dead trees had dropped their leaves. We developed a multistep classification approach that uses: supervised masking of non-tree image elements; bi-temporal (pre- and post-mortality) differencing of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and red:green ratio (RGI); and unsupervised multivariate clustering of pixels into live and dead tree classes using a Gaussian mixture model. Classification accuracies were improved in a final step by tuning the rules of pixel classification using the posterior probabilities of class membership obtained from the Gaussian mixture model. Classifications were produced for two images acquired post-mortality with overall accuracies of 97.9% and 98.5%, respectively. Classified images were combined with land cover data to characterize the spatiotemporal characteristics of tree mortality across areas with differences in tree species composition. We found that 38% of tree crown area was lost during the drought period between 2002 and 2006. The majority of tree mortality during this period was concentrated in piñon-juniper (Pinus edulis-Juniperus monosperma) woodlands. An additional 20% of the tree canopy died or was removed between 2006 and 2011, primarily in areas experiencing wildfire and management activity. -Our results demonstrate that unsupervised clustering of bi-temporal NDVI and RGI differences can be used to detect tree mortality resulting from numerous causes and in several forest cover types.

Background estimation and player detection in badminton video clips using histogram of pixel values along temporal dimension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Yahui; Ma, Xiao; Gao, Xinyu; Zhou, Fangxu

2015-12-01

Computer vision is an important tool for sports video processing. However, its application in badminton match analysis is very limited. In this study, we proposed a straightforward but robust histogram-based background estimation and player detection methods for badminton video clips, and compared the results with the naive averaging method and the mixture of Gaussians methods, respectively. The proposed method yielded better background estimation results than the naive averaging method and more accurate player detection results than the mixture of Gaussians player detection method. The preliminary results indicated that the proposed histogram-based method could estimate the background and extract the players accurately. We conclude that the proposed method can be used for badminton player tracking and further studies are warranted for automated match analysis.

Large-scale monitoring of shorebird populations using count data and N-mixture models: Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) surveys by land and sea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lyons, James E.; Andrew, Royle J.; Thomas, Susan M.; Elliott-Smith, Elise; Evenson, Joseph R.; Kelly, Elizabeth G.; Milner, Ruth L.; Nysewander, David R.; Andres, Brad A.

2012-01-01

Large-scale monitoring of bird populations is often based on count data collected across spatial scales that may include multiple physiographic regions and habitat types. Monitoring at large spatial scales may require multiple survey platforms (e.g., from boats and land when monitoring coastal species) and multiple survey methods. It becomes especially important to explicitly account for detection probability when analyzing count data that have been collected using multiple survey platforms or methods. We evaluated a new analytical framework, N-mixture models, to estimate actual abundance while accounting for multiple detection biases. During May 2006, we made repeated counts of Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) from boats in the Puget Sound area of Washington (n = 55 sites) and from land along the coast of Oregon (n = 56 sites). We used a Bayesian analysis of N-mixture models to (1) assess detection probability as a function of environmental and survey covariates and (2) estimate total Black Oystercatcher abundance during the breeding season in the two regions. Probability of detecting individuals during boat-based surveys was 0.75 (95% credible interval: 0.42–0.91) and was not influenced by tidal stage. Detection probability from surveys conducted on foot was 0.68 (0.39–0.90); the latter was not influenced by fog, wind, or number of observers but was ~35% lower during rain. The estimated population size was 321 birds (262–511) in Washington and 311 (276–382) in Oregon. N-mixture models provide a flexible framework for modeling count data and covariates in large-scale bird monitoring programs designed to understand population change.

Estimating the Effects of Detection Heterogeneity and Overdispersion on Trends Estimated from Avian Point Counts

EPA Science Inventory

Point counts are a common method for sampling avian distribution and abundance. Though methods for estimating detection probabilities are available, many analyses use raw counts and do not correct for detectability. We use a removal model of detection within an N-mixture approa...

Compressive Detection of Highly Overlapped Spectra Using Walsh-Hadamard-Based Filter Functions.

PubMed

Corcoran, Timothy C

2018-03-01

In the chemometric context in which spectral loadings of the analytes are already known, spectral filter functions may be constructed which allow the scores of mixtures of analytes to be determined in on-the-fly fashion directly, by applying a compressive detection strategy. Rather than collecting the entire spectrum over the relevant region for the mixture, a filter function may be applied within the spectrometer itself so that only the scores are recorded. Consequently, compressive detection shrinks data sets tremendously. The Walsh functions, the binary basis used in Walsh-Hadamard transform spectroscopy, form a complete orthonormal set well suited to compressive detection. A method for constructing filter functions using binary fourfold linear combinations of Walsh functions is detailed using mathematics borrowed from genetic algorithm work, as a means of optimizing said functions for a specific set of analytes. These filter functions can be constructed to automatically strip the baseline from analysis. Monte Carlo simulations were performed with a mixture of four highly overlapped Raman loadings and with ten excitation-emission matrix loadings; both sets showed a very high degree of spectral overlap. Reasonable estimates of the true scores were obtained in both simulations using noisy data sets, proving the linearity of the method.

Extrahepatic arteries of the human liver - anatomical variants and surgical relevancies.

PubMed

Németh, Károly; Deshpande, Rahul; Máthé, Zoltán; Szuák, András; Kiss, Mátyás; Korom, Csaba; Nemeskéri, Ágnes; Kóbori, László

2015-10-01

The purpose of our study was to investigate the anatomical variations of the extrahepatic arterial structures of the liver with particular attention to rare variations and their potential impact on liver surgery. A total of 50 human abdominal organ complexes were used to prepare corrosion casts. A multicomponent resin mixture was injected into the abdominal aorta. The portal vein was injected with a different colored resin in 16 cases. Digestion of soft tissues was achieved using cc. KOH solution at 60-65 °C. Extrahepatic arterial variations were classified according to Michels. All specimens underwent 3D volumetric CT reconstruction. Normal anatomy was seen in 42% of cases, and variants were seen in the other 58%. No Michels type VI or X variations were present; however, in 18% of cases the extrahepatic arterial anatomy did not fit into Michels' classification. We report four new extrahepatic arterial variations. In contrast to the available data, normal anatomy was found much less frequently, whereas the prevalence of unclassified arterial variations was higher. We detected four previously unknown variations. Our data may contribute to the reduction of complications during surgical and radiological interventions in the upper abdomen. © 2015 Steunstichting ESOT.

Integrating multiple lines of evidence to assess biological hazards of complex mixtures: A case study in the Maumee River

EPA Science Inventory

Product Description:Due to technological improvements, increasing numbers of chemical contaminants are being detected in surface waters nation-wide, including the Great Lakes. Methods are needed to understand what impact these complex mixtures of contaminants can have on aquatic ...

POWER AND SAMPLE SIZE CALCULATIONS FOR LINEAR HYPOTHESES ASSOCIATED WITH MIXTURES OF MANY COMPONENTS USING FIXED-RATIO RAY DESIGNS

EPA Science Inventory

Response surface methodology, often supported by factorial designs, is the classical experimental approach that is widely accepted for detecting and characterizing interactions among chemicals in a mixture. In an effort to reduce the experimental effort as the number of compound...

THE POWER TO DETECT A DIFFERENCE: DETERMINING SAMPLE SIZE REQUIREMENTS FOR EVALUATION OF REPRODUCTIVE/DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS FROM EXPOSURE TO COMPLEX MIXTURES OF DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS

EPA Science Inventory

Toxicological assessment of environmentally-realistic complex mixtures of drinking-water disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are needed to address concerns raised by some epidemiological studies showing associations between exposure to chemically disinfected water and adverse reproduc...

Development and validation of LC methods for the separation of misoprostol related substances and diastereoisomers.

PubMed

Kahsay, Getu; Song, Huiying; Eerdekens, Fran; Tie, Yaxin; Hendriks, Danny; Van Schepdael, Ann; Cabooter, Deirdre; Adams, Erwin

2015-01-01

Misoprostol is a synthetic prostaglandin E1 analogue which is mainly used for prevention and treatment of gastric ulcers, but also for abortion due to its labour inducing effect. Misoprostol exists as a mixture of diastereoisomers (1:1) and has several related impurities owing to its instability at higher temperatures and moisture. A simple and robust reversed phase liquid chromatographic (RPLC) method is described for the separation of the related substances and a normal phase (NP) LC method for the separation of misoprostol diastereoisomers. The RPLC method was performed using an Ascentis Express C18 (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column kept at 35 °C. The mobile phase was a gradient mixture of mobile phase A (ACN-H2O-MeOH, 28:69:3 v/v/v) and mobile phase B (ACN-H2O-MeOH, 47:50:3 v/v/v) eluted at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min. UV detection was performed at 200 nm. The NPLC method was undertaken by using an XBridge bare silica (150 mm × 2.1 mm, 3.5 μm) column at 35 °C. The mobile phase contained 1-propanol-heptane-TFA (4:96:0.1%, v/v/v), pumped at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. UV detection was performed at 205 nm. This LC method can properly separate the two diastereoisomers (Rs > 2) within an analysis time of less than 20 min. Both methods were validated according to the ICH guidelines. Furthermore, these new LC methods have been successfully applied for purity control and diastereoisomers ratio determination of misoprostol bulk drug, tablets and dispersion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studies on drug metabolism by fungi colonizing decomposing human cadavers. Part II: biotransformation of five model drugs by fungi isolated from post-mortem material.

PubMed

Martínez-Ramírez, Jorge A; Walther, Grit; Peters, Frank T

2015-04-01

The present study investigated the in vitro metabolic capacity of 28 fungal strains isolated from post-mortem material towards five model drugs: amitriptyline, metoprolol, mirtazapine, promethazine, and zolpidem. Each fungal strain was incubated at 25 °C for up to 120 h with each of the five models drugs. Cunninghamella elegans was used as positive control. Aliquots of the incubation mixture were centrifuged and 50 μL of the supernatants were diluted and directly analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with product ion scanning. The remaining mixture was analyzed by full scan gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after liquid-liquid extraction and acetylation. The metabolic activity was evaluated through the total number of detected metabolites (NDM) produced in each model and fungal strains and the percentage of parent drug remaining (%RPD) after up to five days of incubation. All the tested fungal strains were capable of forming mammalian phase I metabolites. Fungi from the normal fungal flora of the human body such as Candida sp., Geotrichum candidum, and Trichosporon asahii) formed up to seven metabolites at %RPD values greater than 52% but no new fungal metabolites (NFM). In contrast, some airborne fungal strains like Bjerkandera adusta, Chaetomium sp, Coriolopsis sp., Fusarium solani and Mucor plumbeus showed NDM values exceeding those of the positive control, complete metabolism of the parent drug in some models and formation of NFM. NFM (numbers in brackets) were detected in four of the five model drugs: amitriptyline (18), metoprolol (4), mirtazapine (8), and zolpidem (2). The latter NFM are potential candidates for marker substances indicating post-mortem fungal metabolism. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Total hydrocarbon analysis by ion mobility spectrometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, John H.; Limero, Thomas F.; James, John T.

1994-01-01

Astronauts must be alerted quickly to chemical leaks that compromise their health and the success of their missions. An ideal leak detector would be equally sensitive to all compounds that might constitute a hazard and insensitive to nontoxic compounds. No ideal sensor exists; thus, selection of a methodology is a series of compromises. The commonly used methods are either insensitive at the low exposure levels set by OSHA, NASA, and other organizations or are selectively insensitive to important classes of chemicals such as Freons. After extensive study and experience, the Toxicology Group at JSC has selected ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) for development into a broad range, sensitive detector. In addition to the sensing method, signal processing is important leak detection because a background signal can be expected at all times. The leak-detecting instrument must be programmed to discriminate between authentic leaks and background fluctuations caused by routine operations. The results of an evaluation of the prototype THA is presented in terms related to spacecraft operations. The evaluation included determination of instrumental parameters such as stability and response times. We also included responses to some common components of spacecraft atmospheres in pure form and in binary and ternary mixtures. The output of the four algorithms to the mixtures was found to be noticeably different. These responses are compared on the basis of their utility for signaling a chemical leak. As a means of evaluating its resistance to a falsely positive response, the THA was challenged with carbon dioxide and methane, compounds whose concentrations normally increase in spacecraft air during human habitation. The instrument showed virtually no response to these interferences. Although the prototype THA is designed for space flight, this detector is expected to be useful for field screening at chemical waste dumps and other environmentally sensitive locations.

A Decision Mixture Model-Based Method for Inshore Ship Detection Using High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images

PubMed Central

Bi, Fukun; Chen, Jing; Zhuang, Yin; Bian, Mingming; Zhang, Qingjun

2017-01-01

With the rapid development of optical remote sensing satellites, ship detection and identification based on large-scale remote sensing images has become a significant maritime research topic. Compared with traditional ocean-going vessel detection, inshore ship detection has received increasing attention in harbor dynamic surveillance and maritime management. However, because the harbor environment is complex, gray information and texture features between docked ships and their connected dock regions are indistinguishable, most of the popular detection methods are limited by their calculation efficiency and detection accuracy. In this paper, a novel hierarchical method that combines an efficient candidate scanning strategy and an accurate candidate identification mixture model is presented for inshore ship detection in complex harbor areas. First, in the candidate region extraction phase, an omnidirectional intersected two-dimension scanning (OITDS) strategy is designed to rapidly extract candidate regions from the land-water segmented images. In the candidate region identification phase, a decision mixture model (DMM) is proposed to identify real ships from candidate objects. Specifically, to improve the robustness regarding the diversity of ships, a deformable part model (DPM) was employed to train a key part sub-model and a whole ship sub-model. Furthermore, to improve the identification accuracy, a surrounding correlation context sub-model is built. Finally, to increase the accuracy of candidate region identification, these three sub-models are integrated into the proposed DMM. Experiments were performed on numerous large-scale harbor remote sensing images, and the results showed that the proposed method has high detection accuracy and rapid computational efficiency. PMID:28640236

A Decision Mixture Model-Based Method for Inshore Ship Detection Using High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images.

PubMed

Bi, Fukun; Chen, Jing; Zhuang, Yin; Bian, Mingming; Zhang, Qingjun

2017-06-22

With the rapid development of optical remote sensing satellites, ship detection and identification based on large-scale remote sensing images has become a significant maritime research topic. Compared with traditional ocean-going vessel detection, inshore ship detection has received increasing attention in harbor dynamic surveillance and maritime management. However, because the harbor environment is complex, gray information and texture features between docked ships and their connected dock regions are indistinguishable, most of the popular detection methods are limited by their calculation efficiency and detection accuracy. In this paper, a novel hierarchical method that combines an efficient candidate scanning strategy and an accurate candidate identification mixture model is presented for inshore ship detection in complex harbor areas. First, in the candidate region extraction phase, an omnidirectional intersected two-dimension scanning (OITDS) strategy is designed to rapidly extract candidate regions from the land-water segmented images. In the candidate region identification phase, a decision mixture model (DMM) is proposed to identify real ships from candidate objects. Specifically, to improve the robustness regarding the diversity of ships, a deformable part model (DPM) was employed to train a key part sub-model and a whole ship sub-model. Furthermore, to improve the identification accuracy, a surrounding correlation context sub-model is built. Finally, to increase the accuracy of candidate region identification, these three sub-models are integrated into the proposed DMM. Experiments were performed on numerous large-scale harbor remote sensing images, and the results showed that the proposed method has high detection accuracy and rapid computational efficiency.

System and method for detecting gas

DOEpatents

Chow, Oscar Ken; Moulthrop, Lawrence Clinton; Dreier, Ken Wayne; Miller, Jacob Andrew

2010-03-16

A system to detect a presence of a specific gas in a mixture of gaseous byproducts comprising moisture vapor is disclosed. The system includes an electrochemical cell, a transport to deliver the mixture of gaseous byproducts from the electrochemical cell, a gas sensor in fluid communication with the transport, the sensor responsive to a presence of the specific gas to generate a signal corresponding to a concentration of the specific gas, and a membrane to prevent transmission of liquid moisture, the membrane disposed between the transport and the gas sensor.

Atmospheric Photochemical Modeling of Turbine Engine Fuels and Exhausts. Phase 2. Computer Model Development. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-01

represented name Emitted Organics Included in All Models CO Carbon Monoxide C:C, Ethene HCHO Formaldehyde CCHO Acetaldehyde RCHO Propionaldehyde and other...of species in the mixture, and for proper use of this program, these files should be "normalized," i.e., the number of carbons in the mixture should...scenario in memory. Valid parmtypes are SCEN, PHYS, CHEM, VP, NSP, OUTP, SCHEDS. LIST ALLCOMP Lists all available composition filenames. LIST ALLSCE

Differential chemosensory feeding behaviour by three co-occurring mysids (Crustacea, Mysidacea) from southeastern Tasmania.

PubMed

Metillo, Ephrime B; Ritz, David A

2003-02-01

Three mysid species showed differences in chemosensory feeding as judged from stereotyped food capturing responses to dissolved mixtures of feeding stimulant (either betaine-HCl or glycine) and suppressant (ammonium). The strongest responses were to 50:50 mixtures of both betaine-ammonium and glycine-ammonium solutions. In general, the response curve to the different mixtures tested was bell-shaped. Anisomysis mixta australis only showed the normal curve in response to the glycine-ammonium mixture. The platykurtic curve for Tenagomysis tasmaniae suggests a less optimal response to the betaine-HCl-ammonium solution. Paramesopodopsis rufa reacted more strongly to the betaine-ammonium than to the glycine-ammonium solutions, and more individuals of this species responded to both solutions than the other two species. It is suggested that these contrasting chemosensitivities of the three coexisting mysid species serve as a means of partitioning the feeding niche.

Microwave Determination of Water Mole Fraction in Humid Gas Mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuccaro, R.; Gavioso, R. M.; Benedetto, G.; Madonna Ripa, D.; Fernicola, V.; Guianvarc'h, C.

2012-09-01

A small volume (65 cm3) gold-plated quasi-spherical microwave resonator has been used to measure the water vapor mole fraction x w of H2O/N2 and H2O/air mixtures. This experimental technique exploits the high precision achievable in the determination of the cavity microwave resonance frequencies and is particularly sensitive to the presence of small concentrations of water vapor as a result of the high polarizability of this substance. The mixtures were prepared using the INRIM standard humidity generator for frost-point temperatures T fp in the range between 241 K and 270 K and a commercial two-pressure humidity generator operated at a dew-point temperature between 272 K and 291 K. The experimental measurements compare favorably with the calculated molar fractions of the mixture supplied by the humidity generators, showing a normalized error lower than 0.8.

Numerical Prediction of Radiation Measurements Taken in the X2 Facility for Mars and Titan Gas Mixtures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palmer, Grant; Prabhu, Dinesh; Brandis, Aaron; McIntyre, Timothy J.

2011-01-01

Thermochemical relaxation behind a normal shock in Mars and Titan gas mixtures is simulated using a CFD solver, DPLR, for a hemisphere of 1 m radius; the thermochemical relaxation along the stagnation streamline is considered equivalent to the flow behind a normal shock. Flow simulations are performed for a Titan gas mixture (98% N2, 2% CH4 by volume) for shock speeds of 5.7 and 7.6 km/s and pressures ranging from 20 to 1000 Pa, and a Mars gas mixture (96% CO2, and 4% N2 by volume) for a shock speed of 8.6 km/s and freestream pressure of 13 Pa. For each case, the temperatures and number densities of chemical species obtained from the CFD flow predictions are used as an input to a line-by-line radiation code, NEQAIR. The NEQAIR code is then used to compute the spatial distribution of volumetric radiance starting from the shock front to the point where thermochemical equilibrium is nominally established. Computations of volumetric spectral radiance assume Boltzmann distributions over radiatively linked electronic states of atoms and molecules. The results of these simulations are compared against experimental data acquired in the X2 facility at the University of Queensland, Australia. The experimental measurements were taken over a spectral range of 310-450 nm where the dominant contributor to radiation is the CN violet band system. In almost all cases, the present approach of computing the spatial variation of post-shock volumetric radiance by applying NEQAIR along a stagnation line computed using a high-fidelity flow solver with good spatial resolution of the relaxation zone is shown to replicate trends in measured relaxation of radiance for both Mars and Titan gas mixtures.

Characterization of LIBS emission lines for the identification of chlorides, carbonates, and sulfates in salt/basalt mixtures for the application to MSL ChemCam data: LIBS OF CL, C, S IN SALT-BASALT MIXTURES

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

Anderson, D. E.; Ehlmann, B. L.; Forni, O.

Ancient environmental conditions on Mars can be probed through the identification of minerals on its surface, including water-deposited salts and cements dispersed in the pore space of sedimentary rocks. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analyses by the Martian rover Curiosity's ChemCam instrument can indicate salts, and ChemCam surveys aid in identifying and selecting sites for further, detailed in situ analyses. Here, we performed laboratory LIBS experiments under simulated Mars conditions with a ChemCam-like instrument on a series of mixtures containing increasing concentrations of salt in a basaltic background to investigate the potential for identifying and quantifying chloride, carbonate, and sulfate saltsmore » found only in small amounts, dispersed in bulk rock with ChemCam, rather than concentrated in veins. The data then indicate that the presence of emission lines from the basalt matrix limited the number of Cl, C, and S emission lines found to be useful for quantitative analysis; nevertheless, several lines with intensities sensitive to salt concentration were identified. Detection limits for the elements based on individual emission lines ranged from ~20 wt % carbonate (2 wt % C), ~5–30 wt % sulfate (1–8 wt % S), and ~5–10 wt % chloride (3–6 wt % Cl) depending on the basaltic matrix and/or salt cation. Absolute quantification of Cl, C, and S in the samples via univariate analysis depends on the cation-anion pairing in the salt but appears relatively independent of matrices tested, following normalization. Our results are promising for tracking relative changes in the salt content of bulk rock on the Martian surface with ChemCam.« less

Characterization of LIBS emission lines for the identification of chlorides, carbonates, and sulfates in salt/basalt mixtures for the application to MSL ChemCam data: LIBS OF CL, C, S IN SALT-BASALT MIXTURES

DOE PAGES

Anderson, D. E.; Ehlmann, B. L.; Forni, O.; ...

2017-04-24

Ancient environmental conditions on Mars can be probed through the identification of minerals on its surface, including water-deposited salts and cements dispersed in the pore space of sedimentary rocks. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analyses by the Martian rover Curiosity's ChemCam instrument can indicate salts, and ChemCam surveys aid in identifying and selecting sites for further, detailed in situ analyses. Here, we performed laboratory LIBS experiments under simulated Mars conditions with a ChemCam-like instrument on a series of mixtures containing increasing concentrations of salt in a basaltic background to investigate the potential for identifying and quantifying chloride, carbonate, and sulfate saltsmore » found only in small amounts, dispersed in bulk rock with ChemCam, rather than concentrated in veins. The data then indicate that the presence of emission lines from the basalt matrix limited the number of Cl, C, and S emission lines found to be useful for quantitative analysis; nevertheless, several lines with intensities sensitive to salt concentration were identified. Detection limits for the elements based on individual emission lines ranged from ~20 wt % carbonate (2 wt % C), ~5–30 wt % sulfate (1–8 wt % S), and ~5–10 wt % chloride (3–6 wt % Cl) depending on the basaltic matrix and/or salt cation. Absolute quantification of Cl, C, and S in the samples via univariate analysis depends on the cation-anion pairing in the salt but appears relatively independent of matrices tested, following normalization. Our results are promising for tracking relative changes in the salt content of bulk rock on the Martian surface with ChemCam.« less

Peptide nucleic acid probe-based fluorescence melting curve analysis for rapid screening of common JAK2, MPL, and CALR mutations.

PubMed

Park, Joonhong; Song, Minsik; Jang, Woori; Chae, Hyojin; Lee, Gun Dong; Kim, KyungTak; Park, Heekyung; Kim, Myungshin; Kim, Yonggoo

2017-02-01

We developed and evaluated the feasibility of peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-based fluorescence melting curve analysis (FMCA) to detect common mutations in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). We have set up two separate reactions of PNA-based FMCA: JAK2 V617F &CALR p.Leu367fs*46 (set A) and MPL W515L/K &CALR p.Lys385fs*47 (set B). Clinical usefulness was validated with allele-specific real-time PCR, fragment analysis, Sanger sequencing in 57 BCR-ABL1-negative MPNs. The limit of detection (LOD) of PNA-based FMCA was approximately 10% for each mutation and interference reactions using mixtures of different mutations were not observed. Non-specific amplification was not observed in normal control. PNA-based FMCA was able to detect all JAK2 V617F (n=20), CALR p.Leu367fs*46 (n=10) and p.Lys385fs*47 (n=8). Three of six MPL mutations were detected except three samples with low mutant concentration in out of LOD. JAK2 exon 12 mutations (n=7) were negative without influencing V617F results. Among six variant CALR exon 9 mutations, two were detected by this method owing to invading of probe binding site. PNA-based FMCA for detecting common JAK2, MPL, and CALR mutations is a rapid, simple, and sensitive technique in BCR-ABL1-negative MPNs with >10% mutant allele at the time of initial diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of a glimpsing model to understand the performance of listeners with and without hearing loss in spatialized speech mixtures

PubMed Central

Best, Virginia; Mason, Christine R.; Swaminathan, Jayaganesh; Roverud, Elin; Kidd, Gerald

2017-01-01

In many situations, listeners with sensorineural hearing loss demonstrate reduced spatial release from masking compared to listeners with normal hearing. This deficit is particularly evident in the “symmetric masker” paradigm in which competing talkers are located to either side of a central target talker. However, there is some evidence that reduced target audibility (rather than a spatial deficit per se) under conditions of spatial separation may contribute to the observed deficit. In this study a simple “glimpsing” model (applied separately to each ear) was used to isolate the target information that is potentially available in binaural speech mixtures. Intelligibility of these glimpsed stimuli was then measured directly. Differences between normally hearing and hearing-impaired listeners observed in the natural binaural condition persisted for the glimpsed condition, despite the fact that the task no longer required segregation or spatial processing. This result is consistent with the idea that the performance of listeners with hearing loss in the spatialized mixture was limited by their ability to identify the target speech based on sparse glimpses, possibly as a result of some of those glimpses being inaudible. PMID:28147587

[Effect of different nutritional support on pancreatic secretion in acute pancreatitis].

PubMed

Achkasov, E E; Pugaev, A V; Nabiyeva, Zh G; Kalachev, S V

To develop and justify optimal nutritional support in early phase of acute pancreatitis (AP). 140 AP patients were enrolled. They were divided into groups depending on nutritional support: group I (n=70) - early enteral tube feeding (ETF) with balanced mixtures, group II (n=30) - early ETF with oligopeptide mixture, group III (n=40) - total parenteral nutrition (TPN). The subgroups were also isolated depending on medication: A - Octreotide, B - Quamatel, C - Octreotide + Quamatel. Pancreatic secretion was evaluated by using of course of disease, instrumental methods, APUD-system hormone levels (secretin, cholecystokinin, somatostatin, vasointestinal peptide). ETF was followed by pancreas enlargement despite ongoing therapy, while TPN led to gradual reduction of pancreatic size up to normal values. α-amylase level progressively decreased in all groups, however in patients who underwent ETF (I and II) mean values of the enzyme were significantly higher compared with TPN (group III). Secretin, cholecystokinin and vasointestinal peptide were increasing in most cases, while the level of somatostatin was below normal in all groups. Enteral tube feeding (balanced and oligopeptide mixtures) contributes to pancreatic secretion compared with TPN, but this negative impact is eliminated by antisecretory therapy. Dual medication (Octreotide + Quamatel) is more preferable than monotherapy (Octreotide or Quamatel).

On the abiotic formation of amino acids. I - HCN as a precursor of amino acids detected in extracts of lunar samples. II - Formation of HCN and amino acids from simulated mixtures of gases released from lunar samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yuasa, S.; Flory, D.; Basile, B.; Oro, J.

1984-01-01

Two studies on the abiotic formation of amino acids are presented. The first study demonstrates the role of hydrogen cyanide as a precursor of amino acids detected in extracts of lunar samples. The formation of several amino acids, including glycine, alanine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid, under conditions similar to those used for the analysis of lunar samples is demonstrated. The second study investigates the formation of hydrogen cyanide as well as amino acids from lunar-sample gas mixtures under electrical discharge conditions. These results extend the possibility of synthesis of amino acids to planetary bodies with primordial atmospheres less reducing than a mixture of methane, ammonia, hydrogen and water.

Detection of a new 'nematic-like' phase in liquid crystal-amphiphile mixture by differential scanning calorimetry

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

Dan, Kaustabh, E-mail: kaustabhdan@gmail.com; Roy, Madhusudan, E-mail: kaustabhdan@gmail.com; Datta, Alokmay, E-mail: kaustabhdan@gmail.com

2014-04-24

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) studies on phase transitions of the pure liquid crystalline material N-4-methoxybenzylidene-4-butylaniline (MBBA) and mixtures of MBBA and the amphiphile Stearic Acid (StA) show significant changes in the behavior of mixture from pure MBBA, as regards the nematic-isotropic (N-I) transition temperature (T{sub c}) and other thermodynamic parameters like enthalpy, specific heat and activation energy with concentration of StA. In particular, the convexity of the Arrhenius plot in pure MBBA vanishes with StA concentration pointing to the formation of a new, perhaps 'nematic-like', phase in the mixtures.

Solid-phase microextraction low temperature plasma mass spectrometry for the direct and rapid analysis of chemical warfare simulants in complex mixtures.

PubMed

Dumlao, Morphy C; Jeffress, Laura E; Gooding, J Justin; Donald, William A

2016-06-21

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is directly integrated with low temperature plasma ionisation mass spectrometry to rapidly detect organophosphate chemical warfare agent simulants and their hydrolysis products in chemical mixtures, including urine. In this sampling and ionization method, the fibre serves: (i) to extract molecules from their native environment, and (ii) as the ionization electrode that is used to desorb and ionize molecules directly from the SPME surface. By use of a custom fabricated SPME fibre consisting of a stainless steel needle coated with a Linde Type A (LTA) zeolitic microporous material and low temperature plasma mass spectrometry, protonated dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), diethyl ethylphosphonate (DEEP) and pinacolyl methylphosphonic acid (PinMPA) can be detected at less than 100 ppb directly in water and urine. Organophosphates were not readily detected by this approach using an uncoated needle in negative control experiments. The use of the LTA coating significantly outperformed the use of a high alumina Zeolite Socony Mobil-5 (ZSM-5) coating of comparable thickness that is significantly less polar than LTA. By conditioning the LTA probe by immersion in an aqueous CuSO4 solution, the ion abundance for protonated DMMP increased by more than 300% compared to that obtained without any conditioning. Sample recovery values were between 96 and 100% for each analyte. The detection of chemical warfare agent analogues and hydrolysis products required less than 2 min per sample. A key advantage of this sampling and ionization method is that analyte ions can be directly and rapidly sampled from chemical mixtures, such as urine and seawater, without sample preparation or chromatography for sensitive detection by mass spectrometry. This ion source should prove beneficial for portable mass spectrometry applications because relatively low detection limits can be obtained without the use of compressed gases, fluid pumps, and lasers. Moreover, the ion source is compact, can be powered with a 10 V battery, and is tolerant of complex mixtures.

Workshop on Algorithms for Time-Series Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Protopapas, Pavlos

2012-04-01

abstract-type="normal">SummaryThis Workshop covered the four major subjects listed below in two 90-minute sessions. Each talk or tutorial allowed questions, and concluded with a discussion. Classification: Automatic classification using machine-learning methods is becoming a standard in surveys that generate large datasets. Ashish Mahabal (Caltech) reviewed various methods, and presented examples of several applications. Time-Series Modelling: Suzanne Aigrain (Oxford University) discussed autoregressive models and multivariate approaches such as Gaussian Processes. Meta-classification/mixture of expert models: Karim Pichara (Pontificia Universidad Católica, Chile) described the substantial promise which machine-learning classification methods are now showing in automatic classification, and discussed how the various methods can be combined together. Event Detection: Pavlos Protopapas (Harvard) addressed methods of fast identification of events with low signal-to-noise ratios, enlarging on the characterization and statistical issues of low signal-to-noise ratios and rare events.

Occurrence and distribution of contaminants in bottom sediment and water of the Barron River Canal, Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Ronald L.; McPherson, Benjamin F.

2001-01-01

Trace elements and organic contaminants in bottom-sediment samples collected from 10 sites on the Barron River Canal and from one site on the Turner River in October 1998 had patterns of distribution that indicated different sources. At some sites on the Barron River Canal, lead, copper, and zinc, normalized to aluminum, exceeded limits normally considered as background and may be enriched by human activities. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and p-cresol, normalized against organic carbon, had patterns of distribution that indicated local sources of input from a road or vehicular traffic or from an old creosote wood treatment facility. Phthalate esters and the traces elements arsenic, cadmium, and zinc were more widely distributed with the highest normalized concentrations occurring at the Turner River background site, probably due to the high percentage of fine sediment (74% less than 63 micrometers) and high organic carbon concentration (42%) at that site and the binding effect of organic carbon on trace elements and trace organic compounds. Low concentrations of pesticides or pesticide degradation products were detected in bottom sediment (DDD and DDE, each less than 3.5 µg/kg) and water (9 pesticides, each less than 0.06 µ/L), primarily in the northern reach of the Barron River Canal where agriculture is a likely source. Although a few contaminants approached criteria that would indicate adverse effects on aquatic life, none exceeded the criteria, but the potential synergistic effects of mixtures of contaminants found at most sites are not included in the criteria.

Concrete pavement mixture design and analysis (MDA) : factors influencing drying shrinkage.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-10-01

This literature review focuses on factors influencing drying shrinkage of concrete. Although the factors are normally interrelated, they : can be categorized into three groups: paste quantity, paste quality, and other factors.

Feasibility of correlating separation of ternary mixtures of neutral analytes via thin layer chromatography with supercritical fluid chromatography in support of green flash separations.

PubMed

Ashraf-Khorassani, M; Yan, Q; Akin, A; Riley, F; Aurigemma, C; Taylor, L T

2015-10-30

Method development for normal phase flash liquid chromatography traditionally employs preliminary screening using thin layer chromatography (TLC) with conventional solvents on bare silica. Extension to green flash chromatography via correlation of TLC migration results, with conventional polar/nonpolar liquid mixtures, and packed column supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) retention times, via gradient elution on bare silica with a suite of carbon dioxide mobile phase modifiers, is reported. Feasibility of TLC/SFC correlation is individually described for eight ternary mixtures for a total of 24 neutral analytes. The experimental criteria for TLC/SFC correlation was assumed to be as follows: SFC/UV/MS retention (tR) increases among each of the three resolved mixture components; while, TLC migration (Rf) decreases among the same resolved mixture components. Successful correlation of TLC to SFC was observed for most of the polar organic solvents tested, with the best results observed via SFC on bare silica with methanol as the CO2 modifier and TLC on bare silica with a methanol/dichloromethane mixture. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating sufficient similarity for drinking-water disinfection by-product (DBP) mixtures with bootstrap hypothesis test procedures.

PubMed

Feder, Paul I; Ma, Zhenxu J; Bull, Richard J; Teuschler, Linda K; Rice, Glenn

2009-01-01

In chemical mixtures risk assessment, the use of dose-response data developed for one mixture to estimate risk posed by a second mixture depends on whether the two mixtures are sufficiently similar. While evaluations of similarity may be made using qualitative judgments, this article uses nonparametric statistical methods based on the "bootstrap" resampling technique to address the question of similarity among mixtures of chemical disinfectant by-products (DBP) in drinking water. The bootstrap resampling technique is a general-purpose, computer-intensive approach to statistical inference that substitutes empirical sampling for theoretically based parametric mathematical modeling. Nonparametric, bootstrap-based inference involves fewer assumptions than parametric normal theory based inference. The bootstrap procedure is appropriate, at least in an asymptotic sense, whether or not the parametric, distributional assumptions hold, even approximately. The statistical analysis procedures in this article are initially illustrated with data from 5 water treatment plants (Schenck et al., 2009), and then extended using data developed from a study of 35 drinking-water utilities (U.S. EPA/AMWA, 1989), which permits inclusion of a greater number of water constituents and increased structure in the statistical models.

A nonlinear isobologram model with Box-Cox transformation to both sides for chemical mixtures.

PubMed

Chen, D G; Pounds, J G

1998-12-01

The linear logistical isobologram is a commonly used and powerful graphical and statistical tool for analyzing the combined effects of simple chemical mixtures. In this paper a nonlinear isobologram model is proposed to analyze the joint action of chemical mixtures for quantitative dose-response relationships. This nonlinear isobologram model incorporates two additional new parameters, Ymin and Ymax, to facilitate analysis of response data that are not constrained between 0 and 1, where parameters Ymin and Ymax represent the minimal and the maximal observed toxic response. This nonlinear isobologram model for binary mixtures can be expressed as [formula: see text] In addition, a Box-Cox transformation to both sides is introduced to improve the goodness of fit and to provide a more robust model for achieving homogeneity and normality of the residuals. Finally, a confidence band is proposed for selected isobols, e.g., the median effective dose, to facilitate graphical and statistical analysis of the isobologram. The versatility of this approach is demonstrated using published data describing the toxicity of the binary mixtures of citrinin and ochratoxin as well as a new experimental data from our laboratory for mixtures of mercury and cadmium.

A nonlinear isobologram model with Box-Cox transformation to both sides for chemical mixtures.

PubMed Central

Chen, D G; Pounds, J G

1998-01-01

The linear logistical isobologram is a commonly used and powerful graphical and statistical tool for analyzing the combined effects of simple chemical mixtures. In this paper a nonlinear isobologram model is proposed to analyze the joint action of chemical mixtures for quantitative dose-response relationships. This nonlinear isobologram model incorporates two additional new parameters, Ymin and Ymax, to facilitate analysis of response data that are not constrained between 0 and 1, where parameters Ymin and Ymax represent the minimal and the maximal observed toxic response. This nonlinear isobologram model for binary mixtures can be expressed as [formula: see text] In addition, a Box-Cox transformation to both sides is introduced to improve the goodness of fit and to provide a more robust model for achieving homogeneity and normality of the residuals. Finally, a confidence band is proposed for selected isobols, e.g., the median effective dose, to facilitate graphical and statistical analysis of the isobologram. The versatility of this approach is demonstrated using published data describing the toxicity of the binary mixtures of citrinin and ochratoxin as well as a new experimental data from our laboratory for mixtures of mercury and cadmium. PMID:9860894

Antihyperlipidemic Effect of a Polyherbal Mixture in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

PubMed Central

Shafiee-Nick, Reza; Rakhshandeh, Hassan; Borji, Abasalt

2013-01-01

The effects of a polyherbal mixture containing Allium sativum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Citrullus colocynthis, Juglans regia, Nigella sativa, Olea europaea, Punica granatum, Salvia officinalis, Teucrium polium, Trigonella foenum, Urtica dioica, and Vaccinium arctostaphylos were tested on biochemical parameters in diabetic rats. The animals were randomized into three groups: (1) normal control, (2) diabetic control, and (3) diabetic rats which received diet containing 15% (w/w) of this mixture for 4 weeks. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg). At the end of experiment, the mixture had no significant effect on serum hepatic enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase activities. However, the level of fasting blood glucose, water intake, and urine output in treated group was lower than that in diabetic control rats (P < 0.01). Also, the levels of triglyceride and total cholesterol in polyherbal mixture treated rats were significantly lower than those in diabetic control group (P < 0.05). Our results demonstrated that this polyherbal mixture has beneficial effects on blood glucose and lipid profile and it has the potential to be used as a dietary supplement for the management of diabetes. PMID:24383002

Lab-on-fiber electrophoretic trace mixture separating and detecting an optofluidic device based on a microstructured optical fiber.

PubMed

Yang, Xinghua; Guo, Xiaohui; Li, Song; Kong, Depeng; Liu, Zhihai; Yang, Jun; Yuan, Libo

2016-04-15

We report an in-fiber integrated electrophoretic trace mixture separating and detecting an optofluidic optical fiber sensor based on a specially designed optical fiber. In this design, rapid in situ separation and simultaneous detection of mixed analytes can be realized under electro-osmotic flow in the microstructured optical fiber. To visually display the in-fiber separating and detecting process, two common fluorescent indicators are adopted as the optofluidic analytes in the optical fiber. Results show that a trace amount of the mixture (0.15 μL) can be completely separated within 3.5 min under a high voltage of 5 kV. Simultaneously, the distributed information of the separated analytes in the optical fiber can be clearly obtained by scanning along the optical fiber using a 355 nm laser. The emission from the analytes can be efficiently coupled into the inner core and guides to the remote end of the optical fiber. In addition, the thin cladding around the inner core in the optical fiber can prevent the fluorescent cross talk between the analytes in this design. Compared to previous optical fiber optofluidic devices, this device first realizes simultaneously separating treatment and the detection of the mixed samples in an optical fiber. Significantly, such an in-fiber integrated separating and detecting optofluidic device can find wide applications in various analysis fields involves mixed samples, such as biology, chemistry, and environment.

Detecting Social Desirability Bias Using Factor Mixture Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leite, Walter L.; Cooper, Lou Ann

2010-01-01

Based on the conceptualization that social desirable bias (SDB) is a discrete event resulting from an interaction between a scale's items, the testing situation, and the respondent's latent trait on a social desirability factor, we present a method that makes use of factor mixture models to identify which examinees are most likely to provide…

Distinguishing Continuous and Discrete Approaches to Multilevel Mixture IRT Models: A Model Comparison Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhu, Xiaoshu

2013-01-01

The current study introduced a general modeling framework, multilevel mixture IRT (MMIRT) which detects and describes characteristics of population heterogeneity, while accommodating the hierarchical data structure. In addition to introducing both continuous and discrete approaches to MMIRT, the main focus of the current study was to distinguish…

Testing for Additivity in Chemical Mixtures Using a Fixed-Ratio Ray Design and Statistical Equivalence Testing Methods

EPA Science Inventory

Fixed-ratio ray designs have been used for detecting and characterizing interactions of large numbers of chemicals in combination. Single chemical dose-response data are used to predict an “additivity curve” along an environmentally relevant ray. A “mixture curve” is estimated fr...

Terahertz acoustic phonon detection from a compact surface layer of spherical nanoparticles powder mixture of aluminum, alumina and multi-walled carbon nanotube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abouelsayed, A.; Ebrahim, M. R.; El hotaby, W.; Hassan, S. A.; Al-Ashkar, Emad

2017-10-01

We present terahertz spectroscopy study on spherical nanoparticles powder mixture of aluminum, alumina, and MWCNTs induced by surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) of aluminum substrates. Surface alloying of AL, Al2O3 0.95% and MWCNTs 0.05% powder mixture was produced during SMAT process, where a compact surface layer of about 200 μm due to ball bombardment was produced from the mixture. Al2O3 alumina powder played a significant role in MWCNTs distribution on surface, those were held in deformation surface cites of micro-cavities due to SMAT process of Al. The benefits are the effects on resulted optical properties of the surface studied at the terahertz frequency range due to electrical isolation confinement effects and electronic resonance disturbances exerted on Al electronic resonance at the same range of frequencies. THz acoustic phonon around 0.53-0.6 THz (17-20 cm-1) were observed at ambient conditions for the spherical nanoparticles powder mixture of Al, Al2O3 and MWCNTs. These results suggested that the presence of Al2O3 and MWCNTs during SMAT process leads to the optically detection of such acoustic phonon in the THz frequency range.

Implementation of Ultrasonic Sensing for High Resolution Measurement of Binary Gas Mixture Fractions

PubMed Central

Bates, Richard; Battistin, Michele; Berry, Stephane; Bitadze, Alexander; Bonneau, Pierre; Bousson, Nicolas; Boyd, George; Bozza, Gennaro; Crespo-Lopez, Olivier; Riva, Enrico Da; Degeorge, Cyril; Deterre, Cecile; DiGirolamo, Beniamino; Doubek, Martin; Favre, Gilles; Godlewski, Jan; Hallewell, Gregory; Hasib, Ahmed; Katunin, Sergey; Langevin, Nicolas; Lombard, Didier; Mathieu, Michel; McMahon, Stephen; Nagai, Koichi; Pearson, Benjamin; Robinson, David; Rossi, Cecilia; Rozanov, Alexandre; Strauss, Michael; Vitek, Michal; Vacek, Vaclav; Zwalinski, Lukasz

2014-01-01

We describe an ultrasonic instrument for continuous real-time analysis of the fractional mixture of a binary gas system. The instrument is particularly well suited to measurement of leaks of a high molecular weight gas into a system that is nominally composed of a single gas. Sensitivity < 5 × 10−5 is demonstrated to leaks of octaflouropropane (C3F8) coolant into nitrogen during a long duration (18 month) continuous study. The sensitivity of the described measurement system is shown to depend on the difference in molecular masses of the two gases in the mixture. The impact of temperature and pressure variances on the accuracy of the measurement is analysed. Practical considerations for the implementation and deployment of long term, in situ ultrasonic leak detection systems are also described. Although development of the described systems was motivated by the requirements of an evaporative fluorocarbon cooling system, the instrument is applicable to the detection of leaks of many other gases and to processes requiring continuous knowledge of particular binary gas mixture fractions. PMID:24961217

Computational Aspects of N-Mixture Models

PubMed Central

Dennis, Emily B; Morgan, Byron JT; Ridout, Martin S

2015-01-01

The N-mixture model is widely used to estimate the abundance of a population in the presence of unknown detection probability from only a set of counts subject to spatial and temporal replication (Royle, 2004, Biometrics 60, 105–115). We explain and exploit the equivalence of N-mixture and multivariate Poisson and negative-binomial models, which provides powerful new approaches for fitting these models. We show that particularly when detection probability and the number of sampling occasions are small, infinite estimates of abundance can arise. We propose a sample covariance as a diagnostic for this event, and demonstrate its good performance in the Poisson case. Infinite estimates may be missed in practice, due to numerical optimization procedures terminating at arbitrarily large values. It is shown that the use of a bound, K, for an infinite summation in the N-mixture likelihood can result in underestimation of abundance, so that default values of K in computer packages should be avoided. Instead we propose a simple automatic way to choose K. The methods are illustrated by analysis of data on Hermann's tortoise Testudo hermanni. PMID:25314629

High/variable mixture ratio O2/H2 engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, A.; Parsley, R. C.

1988-01-01

Vehicle/engine analysis studies have identified the High/Dual Mixture Ratio O2/H2 Engine cycle as a leading candidate for an advanced Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) propulsion system. This cycle is designed to allow operation at a higher than normal O/F ratio of 12 during liftoff and then transition to a more optimum O/F ratio of 6 at altitude. While operation at high mixture ratios lowers specific impulse, the resultant high propellant bulk density and high power density combine to minimize the influence of atmospheric drag and low altitude gravitational forces. Transition to a lower mixture ratio at altitude then provides improved specific impulse relative to a single mixture ratio engine that must select a mixture ratio that is balanced for both low and high altitude operation. This combination of increased altitude specific impulse and high propellant bulk density more than offsets the compromised low altitude performance and results in an overall mission benefit. Two areas of technical concern relative to the execution of this dual mixture ratio cycle concept are addressed. First, actions required to transition from high to low mixture ratio are examined, including an assessment of the main chamber environment as the main chamber mixture ratio passes through stoichiometric. Secondly, two approaches to meet a requirement for high turbine power at high mixture ratio condition are examined. One approach uses high turbine temperature to produce the power and requires cooled turbines. The other approach incorporates an oxidizer-rich preburner to increase turbine work capability via increased turbine mass flow.

Role of Oxidative Stress in Transformation Induced by Metal Mixture

PubMed Central

Martín, Silva-Aguilar; Emilio, Rojas; Mahara, Valverde

2011-01-01

Metals are ubiquitous pollutants present as mixtures. In particular, mixture of arsenic-cadmium-lead is among the leading toxic agents detected in the environment. These metals have carcinogenic and cell-transforming potential. In this study, we used a two step cell transformation model, to determine the role of oxidative stress in transformation induced by a mixture of arsenic-cadmium-lead. Oxidative damage and antioxidant response were determined. Metal mixture treatment induces the increase of damage markers and the antioxidant response. Loss of cell viability and increased transforming potential were observed during the promotion phase. This finding correlated significantly with generation of reactive oxygen species. Cotreatment with N-acetyl-cysteine induces effect on the transforming capacity; while a diminution was found in initiation, in promotion phase a total block of the transforming capacity was observed. Our results suggest that oxidative stress generated by metal mixture plays an important role only in promotion phase promoting transforming capacity. PMID:22191014

Similarity measure and domain adaptation in multiple mixture model clustering: An application to image processing.

PubMed

Leong, Siow Hoo; Ong, Seng Huat

2017-01-01

This paper considers three crucial issues in processing scaled down image, the representation of partial image, similarity measure and domain adaptation. Two Gaussian mixture model based algorithms are proposed to effectively preserve image details and avoids image degradation. Multiple partial images are clustered separately through Gaussian mixture model clustering with a scan and select procedure to enhance the inclusion of small image details. The local image features, represented by maximum likelihood estimates of the mixture components, are classified by using the modified Bayes factor (MBF) as a similarity measure. The detection of novel local features from MBF will suggest domain adaptation, which is changing the number of components of the Gaussian mixture model. The performance of the proposed algorithms are evaluated with simulated data and real images and it is shown to perform much better than existing Gaussian mixture model based algorithms in reproducing images with higher structural similarity index.

Similarity measure and domain adaptation in multiple mixture model clustering: An application to image processing

PubMed Central

Leong, Siow Hoo

2017-01-01

This paper considers three crucial issues in processing scaled down image, the representation of partial image, similarity measure and domain adaptation. Two Gaussian mixture model based algorithms are proposed to effectively preserve image details and avoids image degradation. Multiple partial images are clustered separately through Gaussian mixture model clustering with a scan and select procedure to enhance the inclusion of small image details. The local image features, represented by maximum likelihood estimates of the mixture components, are classified by using the modified Bayes factor (MBF) as a similarity measure. The detection of novel local features from MBF will suggest domain adaptation, which is changing the number of components of the Gaussian mixture model. The performance of the proposed algorithms are evaluated with simulated data and real images and it is shown to perform much better than existing Gaussian mixture model based algorithms in reproducing images with higher structural similarity index. PMID:28686634

Estimation of Microbial Contamination of Food from Prevalence and Concentration Data: Application to Listeria monocytogenes in Fresh Vegetables▿

PubMed Central

Crépet, Amélie; Albert, Isabelle; Dervin, Catherine; Carlin, Frédéric

2007-01-01

A normal distribution and a mixture model of two normal distributions in a Bayesian approach using prevalence and concentration data were used to establish the distribution of contamination of the food-borne pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes in unprocessed and minimally processed fresh vegetables. A total of 165 prevalence studies, including 15 studies with concentration data, were taken from the scientific literature and from technical reports and used for statistical analysis. The predicted mean of the normal distribution of the logarithms of viable L. monocytogenes per gram of fresh vegetables was −2.63 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g, and its standard deviation was 1.48 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g. These values were determined by considering one contaminated sample in prevalence studies in which samples are in fact negative. This deliberate overestimation is necessary to complete calculations. With the mixture model, the predicted mean of the distribution of the logarithm of viable L. monocytogenes per gram of fresh vegetables was −3.38 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g and its standard deviation was 1.46 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g. The probabilities of fresh unprocessed and minimally processed vegetables being contaminated with concentrations higher than 1, 2, and 3 log viable L. monocytogenes organisms/g were 1.44, 0.63, and 0.17%, respectively. Introducing a sensitivity rate of 80 or 95% in the mixture model had a small effect on the estimation of the contamination. In contrast, introducing a low sensitivity rate (40%) resulted in marked differences, especially for high percentiles. There was a significantly lower estimation of contamination in the papers and reports of 2000 to 2005 than in those of 1988 to 1999 and a lower estimation of contamination of leafy salads than that of sprouts and other vegetables. The interest of the mixture model for the estimation of microbial contamination is discussed. PMID:17098926

An improved parameter estimation scheme for image modification detection based on DCT coefficient analysis.

PubMed

Yu, Liyang; Han, Qi; Niu, Xiamu; Yiu, S M; Fang, Junbin; Zhang, Ye

2016-02-01

Most of the existing image modification detection methods which are based on DCT coefficient analysis model the distribution of DCT coefficients as a mixture of a modified and an unchanged component. To separate the two components, two parameters, which are the primary quantization step, Q1, and the portion of the modified region, α, have to be estimated, and more accurate estimations of α and Q1 lead to better detection and localization results. Existing methods estimate α and Q1 in a completely blind manner, without considering the characteristics of the mixture model and the constraints to which α should conform. In this paper, we propose a more effective scheme for estimating α and Q1, based on the observations that, the curves on the surface of the likelihood function corresponding to the mixture model is largely smooth, and α can take values only in a discrete set. We conduct extensive experiments to evaluate the proposed method, and the experimental results confirm the efficacy of our method. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterizing plant cell wall derived oligosaccharides using hydrophilic interaction chromatography with mass spectrometry detection.

PubMed

Leijdekkers, A G M; Sanders, M G; Schols, H A; Gruppen, H

2011-12-23

Analysis of complex mixtures of plant cell wall derived oligosaccharides is still challenging and multiple analytical techniques are often required for separation and characterization of these mixtures. In this work it is demonstrated that hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled with evaporative light scattering and mass spectrometry detection (HILIC-ELSD-MS(n)) is a valuable tool for identification of a wide range of neutral and acidic cell wall derived oligosaccharides. The separation potential for acidic oligosaccharides observed with HILIC is much better compared to other existing techniques, like capillary electrophoresis, reversed phase and porous-graphitized carbon chromatography. Important structural information, such as presence of methyl esters and acetyl groups, is retained during analysis. Separation of acidic oligosaccharides with equal charge yet with different degrees of polymerization can be obtained. The efficient coupling of HILIC with ELSD and MS(n)-detection enables characterization and quantification of many different oligosaccharide structures present in complex mixtures. This makes HILIC-ELSD-MS(n) a versatile and powerful additional technique in plant cell wall analysis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new hybrid double divisor ratio spectra method for the analysis of ternary mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youssef, Rasha M.; Maher, Hadir M.

2008-10-01

A new spectrophotometric method was developed for the simultaneous determination of ternary mixtures, without prior separation steps. This method is based on convolution of the double divisor ratio spectra, obtained by dividing the absorption spectrum of the ternary mixture by a standard spectrum of two of the three compounds in the mixture, using combined trigonometric Fourier functions. The magnitude of the Fourier function coefficients, at either maximum or minimum points, is related to the concentration of each drug in the mixture. The mathematical explanation of the procedure is illustrated. The method was applied for the assay of a model mixture consisting of isoniazid (ISN), rifampicin (RIF) and pyrazinamide (PYZ) in synthetic mixtures, commercial tablets and human urine samples. The developed method was compared with the double divisor ratio spectra derivative method (DDRD) and derivative ratio spectra-zero-crossing method (DRSZ). Linearity, validation, accuracy, precision, limits of detection, limits of quantitation, and other aspects of analytical validation are included in the text.

Optimising monitoring efforts for secretive snakes: a comparison of occupancy and N-mixture models for assessment of population status.

PubMed

Ward, Robert J; Griffiths, Richard A; Wilkinson, John W; Cornish, Nina

2017-12-22

A fifth of reptiles are Data Deficient; many due to unknown population status. Monitoring snake populations can be demanding due to crypsis and low population densities, with insufficient recaptures for abundance estimation via Capture-Mark-Recapture. Alternatively, binomial N-mixture models enable abundance estimation from count data without individual identification, but have rarely been successfully applied to snake populations. We evaluated the suitability of occupancy and N-mixture methods for monitoring an insular population of grass snakes (Natrix helvetica) and considered covariates influencing detection, occupancy and abundance within remaining habitat. Snakes were elusive, with detectability increasing with survey effort (mean: 0.33 ± 0.06 s.e.m.). The probability of a transect being occupied was moderate (mean per kilometre: 0.44 ± 0.19 s.e.m.) and increased with transect length. Abundance estimates indicate a small threatened population associated to our transects (mean: 39, 95% CI: 20-169). Power analysis indicated that the survey effort required to detect occupancy declines would be prohibitive. Occupancy models fitted well, whereas N-mixture models showed poor fit, provided little extra information over occupancy models and were at greater risk of closure violation. Therefore we suggest occupancy models are more appropriate for monitoring snakes and other elusive species, but that population trends may go undetected.

Plasma chemistry of NO in complex gas mixtures excited with a surfatron launcher.

PubMed

Hueso, J L; González-Elipe, A R; Cotrino, J; Caballero, A

2005-06-09

The plasma chemistry of NO has been investigated in gas mixtures with oxygen and/or hydrocarbon and Ar as carrier gas. Surface wave discharges operating at microwave frequencies have been used for this study. The different plasma reactions have been analyzed for a pressure range between 30 and 75 Torr. Differences in product concentration and/or reaction yields smaller than 10% were found as a function of this parameter. The following gas mixtures have been considered for investigation: Ar/NO, Ar/NO/O2, Ar/NO/CH4, Ar/CH4/O2, Ar/NO/CH4/O2. It is found that NO decomposes into N2 and O2, whereas other products such as CO, H2, and H2O are also formed when CH4 and O2 are present in the reaction mixture. Depending on the working conditions, other minority products such as HCN, CO2, and C2 or higher hydrocarbons have been also detected. The reaction of an Ar/NO plasma with deposits of solid carbon has also been studied. The experiments have provided useful information with respect to the possible removal of soot particles by this type of plasma. It has been shown that carbon deposits are progressively burned off by interaction with the plasma, and practically 100% decomposition of NO was found. Plasma intermediate species have been studied by optical emission spectroscopy (OES). Bands and/or peaks due to N2*, NO*, OH*, C2*, CN*, CH*, or H* were detected with different relative intensities depending on the gas mixture. From the analysis of both the reaction products and efficiency and the type of intermediate species detected by OES, different plasma reactions and processes are proposed to describe the plasma chemistry of NO in each particular mixture of gases. The results obtained provide interesting insights about the plasma removal of NO in real gas exhausts.

Rhythm-based heartbeat duration normalization for atrial fibrillation detection.

PubMed

Islam, Md Saiful; Ammour, Nassim; Alajlan, Naif; Aboalsamh, Hatim

2016-05-01

Screening of atrial fibrillation (AF) for high-risk patients including all patients aged 65 years and older is important for prevention of risk of stroke. Different technologies such as modified blood pressure monitor, single lead ECG-based finger-probe, and smart phone using plethysmogram signal have been emerging for this purpose. All these technologies use irregularity of heartbeat duration as a feature for AF detection. We have investigated a normalization method of heartbeat duration for improved AF detection. AF is an arrhythmia in which heartbeat duration generally becomes irregularly irregular. From a window of heartbeat duration, we estimate the possible rhythm of the majority of heartbeats and normalize duration of all heartbeats in the window based on the rhythm so that we can measure the irregularity of heartbeats for both AF and non-AF rhythms in the same scale. Irregularity is measured by the entropy of distribution of the normalized duration. Then we classify a window of heartbeats as AF or non-AF by thresholding the measured irregularity. The effect of this normalization is evaluated by comparing AF detection performances using duration with the normalization, without normalization, and with other existing normalizations. Sensitivity and specificity of AF detection using normalized heartbeat duration were tested on two landmark databases available online and compared with results of other methods (with/without normalization) by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. ROC analysis showed that the normalization was able to improve the performance of AF detection and it was consistent for a wide range of sensitivity and specificity for use of different thresholds. Detection accuracy was also computed for equal rates of sensitivity and specificity for different methods. Using normalized heartbeat duration, we obtained 96.38% accuracy which is more than 4% improvement compared to AF detection without normalization. The proposed normalization method was found useful for improving performance and robustness of AF detection. Incorporation of this method in a screening device could be crucial to reduce the risk of AF-related stroke. In general, the incorporation of the rhythm-based normalization in an AF detection method seems important for developing a robust AF screening device. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Personal Exposure to Mixtures of Volatile Organic Compounds: Modeling and Further Analysis of the RIOPA Data

PubMed Central

Batterman, Stuart; Su, Feng-Chiao; Li, Shi; Mukherjee, Bhramar; Jia, Chunrong

2015-01-01

INTRODUCTION Emission sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are numerous and widespread in both indoor and outdoor environments. Concentrations of VOCs indoors typically exceed outdoor levels, and most people spend nearly 90% of their time indoors. Thus, indoor sources generally contribute the majority of VOC exposures for most people. VOC exposure has been associated with a wide range of acute and chronic health effects; for example, asthma, respiratory diseases, liver and kidney dysfunction, neurologic impairment, and cancer. Although exposures to most VOCs for most persons fall below health-based guidelines, and long-term trends show decreases in ambient emissions and concentrations, a subset of individuals experience much higher exposures that exceed guidelines. Thus, exposure to VOCs remains an important environmental health concern. The present understanding of VOC exposures is incomplete. With the exception of a few compounds, concentration and especially exposure data are limited; and like other environmental data, VOC exposure data can show multiple modes, low and high extreme values, and sometimes a large portion of data below method detection limits (MDLs). Field data also show considerable spatial or interpersonal variability, and although evidence is limited, temporal variability seems high. These characteristics can complicate modeling and other analyses aimed at risk assessment, policy actions, and exposure management. In addition to these analytic and statistical issues, exposure typically occurs as a mixture, and mixture components may interact or jointly contribute to adverse effects. However most pollutant regulations, guidelines, and studies remain focused on single compounds, and thus may underestimate cumulative exposures and risks arising from coexposures. In addition, the composition of VOC mixtures has not been thoroughly investigated, and mixture components show varying and complex dependencies. Finally, although many factors are known to affect VOC exposures, many personal, environmental, and socioeconomic determinants remain to be identified, and the significance and applicability of the determinants reported in the literature are uncertain. To help answer these unresolved questions and overcome limitations of previous analyses, this project used several novel and powerful statistical modeling and analysis techniques and two large data sets. The overall objectives of this project were (1) to identify and characterize exposure distributions (including extreme values), (2) evaluate mixtures (including dependencies), and (3) identify determinants of VOC exposure. METHODS VOC data were drawn from two large data sets: the Relationships of Indoor, Outdoor, and Personal Air (RIOPA) study (1999–2001) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; 1999–2000). The RIOPA study used a convenience sample to collect outdoor, indoor, and personal exposure measurements in three cities (Elizabeth, NJ; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA). In each city, approximately 100 households with adults and children who did not smoke were sampled twice for 18 VOCs. In addition, information about 500 variables associated with exposure was collected. The NHANES used a nationally representative sample and included personal VOC measurements for 851 participants. NHANES sampled 10 VOCs in common with RIOPA. Both studies used similar sampling methods and study periods. Specific Aim 1 To estimate and model extreme value exposures, extreme value distribution models were fitted to the top 10% and 5% of VOC exposures. Health risks were estimated for individual VOCs and for three VOC mixtures. Simulated extreme value data sets, generated for each VOC and for fitted extreme value and lognormal distributions, were compared with measured concentrations (RIOPA observations) to evaluate each model’s goodness of fit. Mixture distributions were fitted with the conventional finite mixture of normal distributions and the semi-parametric Dirichlet process mixture (DPM) of normal distributions for three individual VOCs (chloroform, 1,4-DCB, and styrene). Goodness of fit for these full distribution models was also evaluated using simulated data. Specific Aim 2 Mixtures in the RIOPA VOC data set were identified using positive matrix factorization (PMF) and by toxicologic mode of action. Dependency structures of a mixture’s components were examined using mixture fractions and were modeled using copulas, which address correlations of multiple components across their entire distributions. Five candidate copulas (Gaussian, t, Gumbel, Clayton, and Frank) were evaluated, and the performance of fitted models was evaluated using simulation and mixture fractions. Cumulative cancer risks were calculated for mixtures, and results from copulas and multivariate lognormal models were compared with risks based on RIOPA observations. Specific Aim 3 Exposure determinants were identified using stepwise regressions and linear mixed-effects models (LMMs). RESULTS Specific Aim 1 Extreme value exposures in RIOPA typically were best fitted by three-parameter generalized extreme value (GEV) distributions, and sometimes by the two-parameter Gumbel distribution. In contrast, lognormal distributions significantly underestimated both the level and likelihood of extreme values. Among the VOCs measured in RIOPA, 1,4-dichlorobenzene (1,4-DCB) was associated with the greatest cancer risks; for example, for the highest 10% of measurements of 1,4-DCB, all individuals had risk levels above 10−4, and 13% of all participants had risk levels above 10−2. Of the full-distribution models, the finite mixture of normal distributions with two to four clusters and the DPM of normal distributions had superior performance in comparison with the lognormal models. DPM distributions provided slightly better fit than the finite mixture distributions; the advantages of the DPM model were avoiding certain convergence issues associated with the finite mixture distributions, adaptively selecting the number of needed clusters, and providing uncertainty estimates. Although the results apply to the RIOPA data set, GEV distributions and mixture models appear more broadly applicable. These models can be used to simulate VOC distributions, which are neither normally nor lognormally distributed, and they accurately represent the highest exposures, which may have the greatest health significance. Specific Aim 2 Four VOC mixtures were identified and apportioned by PMF; they represented gasoline vapor, vehicle exhaust, chlorinated solvents and disinfection byproducts, and cleaning products and odorants. The last mixture (cleaning products and odorants) accounted for the largest fraction of an individual’s total exposure (average of 42% across RIOPA participants). Often, a single compound dominated a mixture but the mixture fractions were heterogeneous; that is, the fractions of the compounds changed with the concentration of the mixture. Three VOC mixtures were identified by toxicologic mode of action and represented VOCs associated with hematopoietic, liver, and renal tumors. Estimated lifetime cumulative cancer risks exceeded 10−3 for about 10% of RIOPA participants. The dependency structures of the VOC mixtures in the RIOPA data set fitted Gumbel (two mixtures) and t copulas (four mixtures). These copula types emphasize dependencies found in the upper and lower tails of a distribution. The copulas reproduced both risk predictions and exposure fractions with a high degree of accuracy and performed better than multivariate lognormal distributions. Specific Aim 3 In an analysis focused on the home environment and the outdoor (close to home) environment, home VOC concentrations dominated personal exposures (66% to 78% of the total exposure, depending on VOC); this was largely the result of the amount of time participants spent at home and the fact that indoor concentrations were much higher than outdoor concentrations for most VOCs. In a different analysis focused on the sources inside the home and outside (but close to the home), it was assumed that 100% of VOCs from outside sources would penetrate the home. Outdoor VOC sources accounted for 5% (d-limonene) to 81% (carbon tetrachloride [CTC]) of the total exposure. Personal exposure and indoor measurements had similar determinants depending on the VOC. Gasoline-related VOCs (e.g., benzene and methyl tert-butyl ether [MTBE]) were associated with city, residences with attached garages, pumping gas, wind speed, and home air exchange rate (AER). Odorant and cleaning-related VOCs (e.g., 1,4-DCB and chloroform) also were associated with city, and a residence’s AER, size, and family members showering. Dry-cleaning and industry-related VOCs (e.g., tetrachloroethylene [or perchloroethylene, PERC] and trichloroethylene [TCE]) were associated with city, type of water supply to the home, and visits to the dry cleaner. These and other relationships were significant, they explained from 10% to 40% of the variance in the measurements, and are consistent with known emission sources and those reported in the literature. Outdoor concentrations of VOCs had only two determinants in common: city and wind speed. Overall, personal exposure was dominated by the home setting, although a large fraction of indoor VOC concentrations were due to outdoor sources. City of residence, personal activities, household characteristics, and meteorology were significant determinants. Concentrations in RIOPA were considerably lower than levels in the nationally representative NHANES for all VOCs except MTBE and 1,4-DCB. Differences between RIOPA and NHANES results can be explained by contrasts between the sampling designs and staging in the two studies, and by differences in the demographics, smoking, employment, occupations, and home locations. A portion of these differences are due to the nature of the convenience (RIOPA) and representative (NHANES) sampling strategies used in the two studies. CONCLUSIONS Accurate models for exposure data, which can feature extreme values, multiple modes, data below the MDL, heterogeneous interpollutant dependency structures, and other complex characteristics, are needed to estimate exposures and risks and to develop control and management guidelines and policies. Conventional and novel statistical methods were applied to data drawn from two large studies to understand the nature and significance of VOC exposures. Both extreme value distributions and mixture models were found to provide excellent fit to single VOC compounds (univariate distributions), and copulas may be the method of choice for VOC mixtures (multivariate distributions), especially for the highest exposures, which fit parametric models poorly and which may represent the greatest health risk. The identification of exposure determinants, including the influence of both certain activities (e.g., pumping gas) and environments (e.g., residences), provides information that can be used to manage and reduce exposures. The results obtained using the RIOPA data set add to our understanding of VOC exposures and further investigations using a more representative population and a wider suite of VOCs are suggested to extend and generalize results. PMID:25145040

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry of hydrophobic proteins in mixtures using formic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid, and sorbitol.

PubMed

Loo, Rachel R Ogorzalek; Loo, Joseph A

2007-02-01

Three MALDI-MS sample/matrix preparation approaches were evaluated for their ability to enhance hydrophobic protein detection from complex mixtures: (1) formic acid-based formulations, (2) perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) surfactant addition, and (3) sorbitol addition. While MALDI-MS of Escherichia coli cells desorbed from a standard sinapinic acid matrix displayed 94 (M + H)+ ions, 119 were observed from a formic acid-based matrix with no more than 10 common to both. Formic acid matrix revealed many lipoproteins and an 8282 m/z ion proposed to be the abundant, water-insoluble ATPase proteolipid. Among the formic acid-based cocktails examined, the slowest rate of serine/threonine formylation was found for 50% H2O/33% 2-propanol/17% formic acid. Faster formylation was observed from cocktails containing more formic acid and from mixtures including CH3CN. Sinapinic, ferulic, DHB, 4-hydroxybenzylidene malononitrile, and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole matrixes performed well in formic acid formulations. Dramatic differences in mixture spectra were also observed from PFOA/sinapinic acid, at detergent concentrations exceeding the critical micelle concentration, although these matrix cocktails proved difficult to crystallize. E. coli ions observed from these matrix conditions are listed in Tables S-1 and S-3 (Supporting Information). Similar complementarity was observed for M. acetivorans whole-cell mixtures. Including sorbitol in the sinapinic acid matrix was found to promote homogeneous crystallization and to enhance medium and higher m/z ion detection from dilute E. coli cellular mixtures.

The Hb A variant (beta73 Asp-->Leu) disrupts Hb S polymerization by a novel mechanism.

PubMed

Adachi, Kazuhiko; Ding, Min; Surrey, Saul; Rotter, Maria; Aprelev, Alexey; Zakharov, Mikhail; Weng, Weijun; Ferrone, Frank A

2006-09-22

Polymerization of a 1:1 mixture of hemoglobin S (Hb S) and the artificial mutant HbAbeta73Leu produces a dramatic morphological change in the polymer domains in 1.0 M phosphate buffer that are a characteristic feature of polymer formation. Instead of feathery domains with quasi 2-fold symmetry that characterize polymerization of Hb S and all previously known mixtures such as Hb A/S and Hb F/S mixtures, these domains are compact structures of quasi-spherical symmetry. Solubility of Hb S/Abeta73Leu mixtures was similar to that of Hb S/F mixtures. Kinetics of polymerization indicated that homogeneous nucleation rates of Hb S/Abeta73Leu mixtures were the same as those of Hb S/F mixtures, while exponential polymer growth (B) of Hb S/Abeta73Leu mixtures were about three times slower than those of Hb S/F mixtures. Differential interference contrast (DIC) image analysis also showed that fibers in the mixture appear to elongate between three and five times more slowly than in equivalent Hb S/F mixtures by direct measurements of exponential growth of mass of polymer in a domain. We propose that these results of Hb S/Abeta73Leu mixtures arise from a non-productive binding of the hybrid species of this mixture to the end of the growing polymer. This "cap" prohibits growth of polymers, but by nature is temporary, so that the net effect is a lowered growth rate of polymers. Such a cap is consistent with known features of the structure of the Hb S polymer. Domains would be more spherulitic because slower growth provides more opportunity for fiber bending to spread domains from their initial 2-fold symmetry. Moreover, since monomer depletion proceeds more slowly in this mixture, more homogeneous nucleation events occur, and the resulting gel has a far more granular character than normally seen in mixtures of non-polymerizing hemoglobins with Hb S. This mixture is likely to be less stiff than polymerized mixtures of other hybrids such as Hb S with HbF, potentially providing a novel approach to therapy.

Mixture effects in samples of multiple contaminants - An inter-laboratory study with manifold bioassays.

PubMed

Altenburger, Rolf; Scholze, Martin; Busch, Wibke; Escher, Beate I; Jakobs, Gianina; Krauss, Martin; Krüger, Janet; Neale, Peta A; Ait-Aissa, Selim; Almeida, Ana Catarina; Seiler, Thomas-Benjamin; Brion, François; Hilscherová, Klára; Hollert, Henner; Novák, Jiří; Schlichting, Rita; Serra, Hélène; Shao, Ying; Tindall, Andrew; Tolefsen, Knut-Erik; Umbuzeiro, Gisela; Williams, Tim D; Kortenkamp, Andreas

2018-05-01

Chemicals in the environment occur in mixtures rather than as individual entities. Environmental quality monitoring thus faces the challenge to comprehensively assess a multitude of contaminants and potential adverse effects. Effect-based methods have been suggested as complements to chemical analytical characterisation of complex pollution patterns. The regularly observed discrepancy between chemical and biological assessments of adverse effects due to contaminants in the field may be either due to unidentified contaminants or result from interactions of compounds in mixtures. Here, we present an interlaboratory study where individual compounds and their mixtures were investigated by extensive concentration-effect analysis using 19 different bioassays. The assay panel consisted of 5 whole organism assays measuring apical effects and 14 cell- and organism-based bioassays with more specific effect observations. Twelve organic water pollutants of diverse structure and unique known modes of action were studied individually and as mixtures mirroring exposure scenarios in freshwaters. We compared the observed mixture effects against component-based mixture effect predictions derived from additivity expectations (assumption of non-interaction). Most of the assays detected the mixture response of the active components as predicted even against a background of other inactive contaminants. When none of the mixture components showed any activity by themselves then the mixture also was without effects. The mixture effects observed using apical endpoints fell in the middle of a prediction window defined by the additivity predictions for concentration addition and independent action, reflecting well the diversity of the anticipated modes of action. In one case, an unexpectedly reduced solubility of one of the mixture components led to mixture responses that fell short of the predictions of both additivity mixture models. The majority of the specific cell- and organism-based endpoints produced mixture responses in agreement with the additivity expectation of concentration addition. Exceptionally, expected (additive) mixture response did not occur due to masking effects such as general toxicity from other compounds. Generally, deviations from an additivity expectation could be explained due to experimental factors, specific limitations of the effect endpoint or masking side effects such as cytotoxicity in in vitro assays. The majority of bioassays were able to quantitatively detect the predicted non-interactive, additive combined effect of the specifically bioactive compounds against a background of complex mixture of other chemicals in the sample. This supports the use of a combination of chemical and bioanalytical monitoring tools for the identification of chemicals that drive a specific mixture effect. Furthermore, we demonstrated that a panel of bioassays can provide a diverse profile of effect responses to a complex contaminated sample. This could be extended towards representing mixture adverse outcome pathways. Our findings support the ongoing development of bioanalytical tools for (i) compiling comprehensive effect-based batteries for water quality assessment, (ii) designing tailored surveillance methods to safeguard specific water uses, and (iii) devising strategies for effect-based diagnosis of complex contamination. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The toxicity potential of pharmaceuticals found in the Douro River estuary (Portugal)--experimental assessment using a zebrafish embryo test.

PubMed

Madureira, Tânia Vieira; Cruzeiro, Catarina; Rocha, Maria João; Rocha, Eduardo

2011-09-01

Fish embryos are a particularly vulnerable stage of development, so they represent optimal targets for screening toxicological effects of waterborne xenobiotics. Herein, the toxicity potential of two mixtures of pharmaceuticals was evaluated using a zebrafish embryo test. One of the mixtures corresponds to an environmentally realistic scenario and both have carbamazepine, fenofibric acid, propranolol, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole. The results evidenced morphological alterations, such as spinal deformities and yolk-sac oedemas. Moreover, heart rates decreased after both mixture exposures, e.g., at 48hpf, highest mixture versus blank control (47.8±4.9 and 55.8±3.7 beats/30s, respectively). The tail lengths also diminished significantly from 3208±145μm in blank control to 3130±126μm in highest mixture. The toxicological effects were concentration dependent. Mortality, hatching rate and the number of spontaneous movements were not affected. However, the low levels of pharmaceuticals did interfere with the normal development of zebrafish, which indicates risks for wild organisms. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The aeromedical significance of sickle-cell trait : a review.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-01-01

This report present some of the technical background necessary for understanding the aeromedical importance of sickle-cell disease and the sickle-trait carrier, whose erythrocytes contain mixtures of hemoglobin S and normal hemoglobin A. This carrier...

Method and Apparatus for Concentrating Vapors for Analysis

DOEpatents

Grate, Jay W.; Baldwin, David L.; Anheier, Jr., Norman C.

2008-10-07

An apparatus and method are disclosed for pre-concentrating gaseous vapors for analysis. The invention finds application in conjunction with, e.g., analytical instruments where low detection limits for gaseous vapors are desirable. Vapors sorbed and concentrated within the bed of the apparatus can be thermally desorbed achieving at least partial separation of vapor mixtures. The apparatus is suitable, e.g., for preconcentration and sample injection, and provides greater resolution of peaks for vapors within vapor mixtures, yielding detection levels that are 10-10,000 times better than for direct sampling and analysis systems. Features are particularly useful for continuous unattended monitoring applications.

The potential for chemical mixtures from the environment to enable the cancer hallmark of sustained proliferative signalling

PubMed Central

Engström, Wilhelm; Darbre, Philippa; Eriksson, Staffan; Gulliver, Linda; Hultman, Tove; Karamouzis, Michalis V.; Klaunig, James E.; Mehta, Rekha; Moorwood, Kim; Sanderson, Thomas; Sone, Hideko; Vadgama, Pankaj; Wagemaker, Gerard; Ward, Andrew; Singh, Neetu; Al-Mulla, Fahd; Al-Temaimi, Rabeah; Amedei, Amedeo; Colacci, Anna Maria; Vaccari, Monica; Mondello, Chiara; Scovassi, A. Ivana; Raju, Jayadev; Hamid, Roslida A.; Memeo, Lorenzo; Forte, Stefano; Roy, Rabindra; Woodrick, Jordan; Salem, Hosni K.; Ryan, Elizabeth; Brown, Dustin G.; Bisson, William H.

2015-01-01

The aim of this work is to review current knowledge relating the established cancer hallmark, sustained cell proliferation to the existence of chemicals present as low dose mixtures in the environment. Normal cell proliferation is under tight control, i.e. cells respond to a signal to proliferate, and although most cells continue to proliferate into adult life, the multiplication ceases once the stimulatory signal disappears or if the cells are exposed to growth inhibitory signals. Under such circumstances, normal cells remain quiescent until they are stimulated to resume further proliferation. In contrast, tumour cells are unable to halt proliferation, either when subjected to growth inhibitory signals or in the absence of growth stimulatory signals. Environmental chemicals with carcinogenic potential may cause sustained cell proliferation by interfering with some cell proliferation control mechanisms committing cells to an indefinite proliferative span. PMID:26106143

Catalytic distillation process

DOEpatents

Smith, Jr., Lawrence A.

1982-01-01

A method for conducting chemical reactions and fractionation of the reaction mixture comprising feeding reactants to a distillation column reactor into a feed zone and concurrently contacting the reactants with a fixed bed catalytic packing to concurrently carry out the reaction and fractionate the reaction mixture. For example, a method for preparing methyl tertiary butyl ether in high purity from a mixed feed stream of isobutene and normal butene comprising feeding the mixed feed stream to a distillation column reactor into a feed zone at the lower end of a distillation reaction zone, and methanol into the upper end of said distillation reaction zone, which is packed with a properly supported cationic ion exchange resin, contacting the C.sub.4 feed and methanol with the catalytic distillation packing to react methanol and isobutene, and concurrently fractionating the ether from the column below the catalytic zone and removing normal butene overhead above the catalytic zone.

Catalytic distillation process

DOEpatents

Smith, L.A. Jr.

1982-06-22

A method is described for conducting chemical reactions and fractionation of the reaction mixture comprising feeding reactants to a distillation column reactor into a feed zone and concurrently contacting the reactants with a fixed bed catalytic packing to concurrently carry out the reaction and fractionate the reaction mixture. For example, a method for preparing methyl tertiary butyl ether in high purity from a mixed feed stream of isobutene and normal butene comprising feeding the mixed feed stream to a distillation column reactor into a feed zone at the lower end of a distillation reaction zone, and methanol into the upper end of said distillation reaction zone, which is packed with a properly supported cationic ion exchange resin, contacting the C[sub 4] feed and methanol with the catalytic distillation packing to react methanol and isobutene, and concurrently fractionating the ether from the column below the catalytic zone and removing normal butene overhead above the catalytic zone.

Balancing precision and risk: should multiple detection methods be analyzed separately in N-mixture models?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graves, Tabitha A.; Royle, J. Andrew; Kendall, Katherine C.; Beier, Paul; Stetz, Jeffrey B.; Macleod, Amy C.

2012-01-01

Using multiple detection methods can increase the number, kind, and distribution of individuals sampled, which may increase accuracy and precision and reduce cost of population abundance estimates. However, when variables influencing abundance are of interest, if individuals detected via different methods are influenced by the landscape differently, separate analysis of multiple detection methods may be more appropriate. We evaluated the effects of combining two detection methods on the identification of variables important to local abundance using detections of grizzly bears with hair traps (systematic) and bear rubs (opportunistic). We used hierarchical abundance models (N-mixture models) with separate model components for each detection method. If both methods sample the same population, the use of either data set alone should (1) lead to the selection of the same variables as important and (2) provide similar estimates of relative local abundance. We hypothesized that the inclusion of 2 detection methods versus either method alone should (3) yield more support for variables identified in single method analyses (i.e. fewer variables and models with greater weight), and (4) improve precision of covariate estimates for variables selected in both separate and combined analyses because sample size is larger. As expected, joint analysis of both methods increased precision as well as certainty in variable and model selection. However, the single-method analyses identified different variables and the resulting predicted abundances had different spatial distributions. We recommend comparing single-method and jointly modeled results to identify the presence of individual heterogeneity between detection methods in N-mixture models, along with consideration of detection probabilities, correlations among variables, and tolerance to risk of failing to identify variables important to a subset of the population. The benefits of increased precision should be weighed against those risks. The analysis framework presented here will be useful for other species exhibiting heterogeneity by detection method.

Comparison of ultraviolet detection and charged aerosol detection methods for liquid-chromatographic determination of protoescigenin.

PubMed

Filip, Katarzyna; Grynkiewicz, Grzegorz; Gruza, Mariusz; Jatczak, Kamil; Zagrodzki, Bogdan

2014-01-01

Escin, a complex mixture of pentacyclic triterpene saponins obtained from horse chestnut seeds extract (HCSE; Aesculus hippocastanum L.), constitutes a traditional herbal active substance of preparations (drugs) used for a treatment of chronic venous insufficiency and capillary blood vessel leakage. A new approach to exploitation of pharmacological potential of this saponin complex has been recently proposed, in which the β-escin mixture is perceived as a source of a hitherto unavailable raw material, pentacyclic triterpene aglycone-protoescigenin. Although many liquid chromatography methods are described in the literature for saponins determination, analysis of protoescigenin is barely mentioned. In this work, a new ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method developed for protoescigenin quantification has been described. CAD (charged aerosol detection), as a relatively new detection method based on aerosol charging, has been applied in this method as an alternative to ultraviolet (UV) detection. The influence of individual parameters on CAD response and sensitivity was studied. The detection was performed using CAD and UV (200 nm) simultaneously and the results were compared with reference to linearity, accuracy, precision and limit of detection.

Capillary Electrophoresis-Mass Spectrometry for the Analysis of Heparin Oligosaccharides and Low Molecular Weight Heparin.

PubMed

Sun, Xiaojun; Lin, Lei; Liu, Xinyue; Zhang, Fuming; Chi, Lianli; Xia, Qiangwei; Linhardt, Robert J

2016-02-02

Heparins, highly sulfated, linear polysaccharides also known as glycosaminoglycans, are among the most challenging biopolymers to analyze. Hyphenated techniques in conjunction with mass spectrometry (MS) offer rapid analysis of complex glycosaminoglycan mixtures, providing detailed structural and quantitative data. Previous analytical approaches have often relied on liquid chromatography (LC)-MS, and some have limitations including long separation times, low resolution of oligosaccharide mixtures, incompatibility of eluents, and often require oligosaccharide derivatization. This study examines the analysis of glycosaminoglycan oligosaccharides using a novel electrokinetic pump-based capillary electrophoresis (CE)-MS interface. CE separation and electrospray were optimized using a volatile ammonium bicarbonate electrolyte and a methanol-formic acid sheath fluid. The online analyses of highly sulfated heparin oligosaccharides, ranging from disaccharides to low molecular weight heparins, were performed within a 10 min time frame, offering an opportunity for higher-throughput analysis. Disaccharide compositional analysis as well as top-down analysis of low molecular weight heparin was demonstrated. Using normal polarity CE separation and positive-ion electrospray ionization MS, excellent run-to-run reproducibility (relative standard deviation of 3.6-5.1% for peak area and 0.2-0.4% for peak migration time) and sensitivity (limit of quantification of 2.0-5.9 ng/mL and limit of detection of 0.6-1.8 ng/mL) could be achieved.

An olfactory cocktail party: figure-ground segregation of odorants in rodents.

PubMed

Rokni, Dan; Hemmelder, Vivian; Kapoor, Vikrant; Murthy, Venkatesh N

2014-09-01

In odorant-rich environments, animals must be able to detect specific odorants of interest against variable backgrounds. However, studies have found that both humans and rodents are poor at analyzing the components of odorant mixtures, suggesting that olfaction is a synthetic sense in which mixtures are perceived holistically. We found that mice could be easily trained to detect target odorants embedded in unpredictable and variable mixtures. To relate the behavioral performance to neural representation, we imaged the responses of olfactory bulb glomeruli to individual odors in mice expressing the Ca(2+) indicator GCaMP3 in olfactory receptor neurons. The difficulty of segregating the target from the background depended strongly on the extent of overlap between the glomerular responses to target and background odors. Our study indicates that the olfactory system has powerful analytic abilities that are constrained by the limits of combinatorial neural representation of odorants at the level of the olfactory receptors.

Lead, Arsenic, and Manganese Metal Mixture Exposures: Focus on Biomarkers of Effect.

PubMed

Andrade, V M; Mateus, M L; Batoréu, M C; Aschner, M; Marreilha dos Santos, A P

2015-07-01

The increasing exposure of human populations to excessive levels of metals continues to represent a matter of public health concern. Several biomarkers have been studied and proposed for the detection of adverse health effects induced by lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and manganese (Mn); however, these studies have relied on exposures to each single metal, which fails to replicate real-life exposure scenarios. These three metals are commonly detected in different environmental, occupational, and food contexts and they share common neurotoxic effects, which are progressive and once clinically apparent may be irreversible. Thus, chronic exposure to low levels of a mixture of these metals may represent an additive risk of toxicity. Building upon their shared mechanisms of toxicity, such as oxidative stress, interference with neurotransmitters, and effects on the hematopoietic system, we address putative biomarkers, which may assist in assessing the onset of neurological diseases associated with exposure to this metal mixture.

Lead, arsenic and manganese metal mixture exposures: focus on biomarkers of effect

PubMed Central

Andrade, VL; Mateus, ML; Batoréu, MC; Aschner, M; Marreilha dos Santos, AP

2015-01-01

Summary The increasing exposure of human populations to excessive levels of metals continues to represent a matter of public health concern. Several biomarkers have been studied and proposed for the detection of adverse health effects induced by lead (Pb), arsenic (As) and manganese (Mn); however, these studies have relied on exposures to each single metal, which fails to replicate real-life exposure scenarios. These 3 metals are commonly detected in different environmental, occupational and food contexts and they share common neurotoxic effects, which are progressive and once clinically apparent may be irreversible. Thus, chronic exposure to low levels of a mixture of these metals represents an additive risk of toxicity. Building upon their shared mechanisms of toxicity, such as oxidative stress, interference with neurotransmitters and effects on hematopoietic system, we address putative biomarkers, which may be assist in assessing onset of neurological diseases associated with exposure to this metal mixture. PMID:25693681

Mixture models with entropy regularization for community detection in networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Zhenhai; Yin, Xianjun; Jia, Caiyan; Wang, Xiaoyang

2018-04-01

Community detection is a key exploratory tool in network analysis and has received much attention in recent years. NMM (Newman's mixture model) is one of the best models for exploring a range of network structures including community structure, bipartite and core-periphery structures, etc. However, NMM needs to know the number of communities in advance. Therefore, in this study, we have proposed an entropy regularized mixture model (called EMM), which is capable of inferring the number of communities and identifying network structure contained in a network, simultaneously. In the model, by minimizing the entropy of mixing coefficients of NMM using EM (expectation-maximization) solution, the small clusters contained little information can be discarded step by step. The empirical study on both synthetic networks and real networks has shown that the proposed model EMM is superior to the state-of-the-art methods.

Determination of Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene by means of an ion mobility spectrometer device using photoionization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leonhardt, J. W.; Bensch, H.; Berger, D.; Nolting, M.; Baumbach, J. I.

1995-01-01

The continuous monitoring of changes on the quality of ambient air is a field of advantage of ion mobility spectrometry. Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene are substances of special interest because of their toxicity. We present an optimized drift tube for ion mobility spectrometers, which uses photo-ionization tubes to produce the ions to be analyzed. The actual version of this drift tube has a length of 45 mm, an electric field strength established within the drift tube of about 180 V/cm and a shutter-opening-time of 400 mus. With the hydrogen tube used for ionisation a mean flux of 10(exp 12) photons/sq cm s was established for the experiments described. We discuss the results of investigations on Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene in normal used gasoline SUPER. The detection limits obtained with the ion mobility spectrometer developed in co-operation are in the range of 10 ppbv in this case. Normally, charge transfer from Benzene ions to Toluene takes place. Nevertheless the simultaneous determination in mixtures is possible by a data evaluation procedure developed for this case. The interferences found between Xylene and others are rather weak. The ion mobility spectra of different concentrations of gasoline SUPER are attached as an example for the resolution and the detection limit of the instrument developed. Resolution and sensitivity of the system are well demonstrated. A hand-held portable device produced just now is to be tested for special environmental analytical problems in some industrial and scientific laboratories in Germany.

Using cystoscopy to segment bladder tumors with a multivariate approach in different color spaces.

PubMed

Freitas, Nuno R; Vieira, Pedro M; Lima, Estevao; Lima, Carlos S

2017-07-01

Nowadays the diagnosis of bladder lesions relies upon cystoscopy examination and depends on the interpreter's experience. State of the art of bladder tumor identification are based on 3D reconstruction, using CT images (Virtual Cystoscopy) or images where the structures are exalted with the use of pigmentation, but none uses white light cystoscopy images. An initial attempt to automatically identify tumoral tissue was already developed by the authors and this paper will develop this idea. Traditional cystoscopy images processing has a huge potential to improve early tumor detection and allows a more effective treatment. In this paper is described a multivariate approach to do segmentation of bladder cystoscopy images, that will be used to automatically detect and improve physician diagnose. Each region can be assumed as a normal distribution with specific parameters, leading to the assumption that the distribution of intensities is a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM). Region of high grade and low grade tumors, usually appears with higher intensity than normal regions. This paper proposes a Maximum a Posteriori (MAP) approach based on pixel intensities read simultaneously in different color channels from RGB, HSV and CIELab color spaces. The Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm is used to estimate the best multivariate GMM parameters. Experimental results show that the proposed method does bladder tumor segmentation into two classes in a more efficient way in RGB even in cases where the tumor shape is not well defined. Results also show that the elimination of component L from CIELab color space does not allow definition of the tumor shape.

Thermodynamics of R-(+)-2-(4-Hydroxyphenoxy)propanoic Acid Dissolution in Methanol, Ethanol, and Methanol-Ethanol Mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wei; Ma, Jinju; Yao, Xinding; Fang, Ruina; Cheng, Liang

2018-05-01

The solubilities of R-(+)-2-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)propanoic acid (D-HPPA) in methanol, ethanol and various methanol-ethanol mixtures are determined in the temperature range from 273.15 to 323.15 K at atmospheric pressure using a laser detecting system. The solubilities of D-HPPA increase with increasing mole fraction of ethanol in the methanol-ethanol mixtures. Experimental data were correlated with Buchowski-Ksiazczak λ h equation and modified Apelblat equation; the first one gives better approximation for the experimental results. The enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy of D-HPPA dissolution in methanol, ethanol and methanol-ethanol mixtures were also calculated from the solubility data.

The Impact of Various Class-Distinction Features on Model Selection in the Mixture Rasch Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, In-Hee; Paek, Insu; Cho, Sun-Joo

2017-01-01

The purpose of the current study is to examine the performance of four information criteria (Akaike's information criterion [AIC], corrected AIC [AICC] Bayesian information criterion [BIC], sample-size adjusted BIC [SABIC]) for detecting the correct number of latent classes in the mixture Rasch model through simulations. The simulation study…

Rasch Mixture Models for DIF Detection: A Comparison of Old and New Score Specifications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frick, Hannah; Strobl, Carolin; Zeileis, Achim

2015-01-01

Rasch mixture models can be a useful tool when checking the assumption of measurement invariance for a single Rasch model. They provide advantages compared to manifest differential item functioning (DIF) tests when the DIF groups are only weakly correlated with the manifest covariates available. Unlike in single Rasch models, estimation of Rasch…

Mixture Item Response Theory-MIMIC Model: Simultaneous Estimation of Differential Item Functioning for Manifest Groups and Latent Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bilir, Mustafa Kuzey

2009-01-01

This study uses a new psychometric model (mixture item response theory-MIMIC model) that simultaneously estimates differential item functioning (DIF) across manifest groups and latent classes. Current DIF detection methods investigate DIF from only one side, either across manifest groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, etc.), or across latent classes…

Detection of High Levels of Endocrine Activity in Selected Environmental Surface Water Samples Using ER, AR, and GR-mediated In Vitro Bioassays

EPA Science Inventory

Determining the associated health risks of exposure to complex mixtures in the environment is a recognized challenge. The Chemical Mixtures project, a collaborative effort between USEPA and USGS, is making a step in that direction by examining the co-occurrence of chemicals and b...

ASSESSMENT OF DE-71, A COMMERCIAL POLYBROMINATED DIPHENYL ETHER (PBDE) MIXTURE, IN THE EDSP MALE AND FEMALE PUBERTAL PROTOCOLS

EPA Science Inventory

DE-71, a commercial mixture, was used to test the sensitivity of the female and male pubertal protocol to detect thyroid active chemicals. These protocols are being evaluated for the U.S. EPA's Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program as part of a Tier I Screening Battery. To exa...

Co Laser.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-01-01

Experimental and Pre- 9 dieted Temporal Behavior of the Laser Output Pulse for a 20% CO and 80% N2 Mixture 3 Comparison of the Normalized Experimental...and Pre- 10 dieted Temporal Behavior of the Laser Output Pulse for a 20% CO and 80% A~ Mixture 4 Predictions of the Temporal Variation of Small...Z o < z CD o o ÜJ 10 -7 .1 D4862 II i i r~rT"T pco (Torr) ♦ 700 O 350 A 200 O 100 + i & i J I \\ I I I 1.0 AVERAUü

Step-wise supercritical extraction of carbonaceous residua

DOEpatents

Warzinski, Robert P.

1987-01-01

A method of fractionating a mixture containing high boiling carbonaceous material and normally solid mineral matter includes processing with a plurality of different supercritical solvents. The mixture is treated with a first solvent of high critical temperature and solvent capacity to extract a large fraction as solute. The solute is released as liquid from solvent and successively treated with other supercritical solvents of different critical values to extract fractions of differing properties. Fractionation can be supplemented by solute reflux over a temperature gradient, pressure let down in steps and extractions at varying temperature and pressure values.

Honeybees Learn Odour Mixtures via a Selection of Key Odorants

PubMed Central

Reinhard, Judith; Sinclair, Michael; Srinivasan, Mandyam V.; Claudianos, Charles

2010-01-01

Background The honeybee has to detect, process and learn numerous complex odours from her natural environment on a daily basis. Most of these odours are floral scents, which are mixtures of dozens of different odorants. To date, it is still unclear how the bee brain unravels the complex information contained in scent mixtures. Methodology/Principal Findings This study investigates learning of complex odour mixtures in honeybees using a simple olfactory conditioning procedure, the Proboscis-Extension-Reflex (PER) paradigm. Restrained honeybees were trained to three scent mixtures composed of 14 floral odorants each, and then tested with the individual odorants of each mixture. Bees did not respond to all odorants of a mixture equally: They responded well to a selection of key odorants, which were unique for each of the three scent mixtures. Bees showed less or very little response to the other odorants of the mixtures. The bees' response to mixtures composed of only the key odorants was as good as to the original mixtures of 14 odorants. A mixture composed of the other, non-key-odorants elicited a significantly lower response. Neither an odorant's volatility or molecular structure, nor learning efficiencies for individual odorants affected whether an odorant became a key odorant for a particular mixture. Odorant concentration had a positive effect, with odorants at high concentration likely to become key odorants. Conclusions/Significance Our study suggests that the brain processes complex scent mixtures by predominantly learning information from selected key odorants. Our observations on key odorant learning lend significant support to previous work on olfactory learning and mixture processing in honeybees. PMID:20161714

The Use of Growth Mixture Modeling for Studying Resilience to Major Life Stressors in Adulthood and Old Age: Lessons for Class Size and Identification and Model Selection.

PubMed

Infurna, Frank J; Grimm, Kevin J

2017-12-15

Growth mixture modeling (GMM) combines latent growth curve and mixture modeling approaches and is typically used to identify discrete trajectories following major life stressors (MLS). However, GMM is often applied to data that does not meet the statistical assumptions of the model (e.g., within-class normality) and researchers often do not test additional model constraints (e.g., homogeneity of variance across classes), which can lead to incorrect conclusions regarding the number and nature of the trajectories. We evaluate how these methodological assumptions influence trajectory size and identification in the study of resilience to MLS. We use data on changes in subjective well-being and depressive symptoms following spousal loss from the HILDA and HRS. Findings drastically differ when constraining the variances to be homogenous versus heterogeneous across trajectories, with overextraction being more common when constraining the variances to be homogeneous across trajectories. In instances, when the data are non-normally distributed, assuming normally distributed data increases the extraction of latent classes. Our findings showcase that the assumptions typically underlying GMM are not tenable, influencing trajectory size and identification and most importantly, misinforming conceptual models of resilience. The discussion focuses on how GMM can be leveraged to effectively examine trajectories of adaptation following MLS and avenues for future research. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Method of detecting leakage of reactor core components of liquid metal cooled fast reactors

DOEpatents

Holt, Fred E.; Cash, Robert J.; Schenter, Robert E.

1977-01-01

A method of detecting the failure of a sealed non-fueled core component of a liquid-metal cooled fast reactor having an inert cover gas. A gas mixture is incorporated in the component which includes Xenon-124; under neutron irradiation, Xenon-124 is converted to radioactive Xenon-125. The cover gas is scanned by a radiation detector. The occurrence of 188 Kev gamma radiation and/or other identifying gamma radiation-energy level indicates the presence of Xenon-125 and therefore leakage of a component. Similarly, Xe-126, which transmutes to Xe-127 and Kr-84, which produces Kr-85.sup.m can be used for detection of leakage. Different components are charged with mixtures including different ratios of isotopes other than Xenon-124. On detection of the identifying radiation, the cover gas is subjected to mass spectroscopic analysis to locate the leaking component.

Mixture model-based clustering and logistic regression for automatic detection of microaneurysms in retinal images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez, Clara I.; Hornero, Roberto; Mayo, Agustín; García, María

2009-02-01

Diabetic Retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness and vision defects in developed countries. An early detection and diagnosis is crucial to avoid visual complication. Microaneurysms are the first ocular signs of the presence of this ocular disease. Their detection is of paramount importance for the development of a computer-aided diagnosis technique which permits a prompt diagnosis of the disease. However, the detection of microaneurysms in retinal images is a difficult task due to the wide variability that these images usually present in screening programs. We propose a statistical approach based on mixture model-based clustering and logistic regression which is robust to the changes in the appearance of retinal fundus images. The method is evaluated on the public database proposed by the Retinal Online Challenge in order to obtain an objective performance measure and to allow a comparative study with other proposed algorithms.

Fusion and Gaussian mixture based classifiers for SONAR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotari, Vikas; Chang, KC

2011-06-01

Underwater mines are inexpensive and highly effective weapons. They are difficult to detect and classify. Hence detection and classification of underwater mines is essential for the safety of naval vessels. This necessitates a formulation of highly efficient classifiers and detection techniques. Current techniques primarily focus on signals from one source. Data fusion is known to increase the accuracy of detection and classification. In this paper, we formulated a fusion-based classifier and a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) based classifier for classification of underwater mines. The emphasis has been on sound navigation and ranging (SONAR) signals due to their extensive use in current naval operations. The classifiers have been tested on real SONAR data obtained from University of California Irvine (UCI) repository. The performance of both GMM based classifier and fusion based classifier clearly demonstrate their superior classification accuracy over conventional single source cases and validate our approach.

Molecular Simulation of the Vapor-Liquid Phase Behavior of Lennard-Jones Mixtures in Porous Solids

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

sur la Catalyse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Group de Chimie Theorique, 2 Avenue Albert Einstein, 69626 Villeurbanne Cedex, France...and Group de Chimie Theorique, Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon, 46 Allee d’Italie, 69364 Lyon, Cedex 07, France 14. ABSTRACT We present vapor...Scientifique, Group de Chimie Theorique, 2 Avenue Albert Einstein, 69626 Villeurbanne Cedex, France and Group de Chimie Theorique, Ecole Normale

Viscosity Difference Measurements for Normal and Para Liquid Hydrogen Mixtures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webeler, R.; Bedard, F.

1961-01-01

The absence of experimental data in the literature concerning a viscosity difference for normal and equilibrium liquid hydrogen may be attributed to the limited reproducibility of "oscillating disk" measurements in a liquid-hydrogen environment. Indeed, there is disagreement over the viscosity values for equilibrium liquid hydrogen even without proton spin considerations. Measurements presented here represent the first application of the piezoelectric alpha quartz torsional oscillator technique to liquid-hydrogen viscosity measurements.

The Regular Interaction Pattern among Odorants of the Same Type and Its Application in Odor Intensity Assessment.

PubMed

Yan, Luchun; Liu, Jiemin; Jiang, Shen; Wu, Chuandong; Gao, Kewei

2017-07-13

The olfactory evaluation function (e.g., odor intensity rating) of e-nose is always one of the most challenging issues in researches about odor pollution monitoring. But odor is normally produced by a set of stimuli, and odor interactions among constituents significantly influenced their mixture's odor intensity. This study investigated the odor interaction principle in odor mixtures of aldehydes and esters, respectively. Then, a modified vector model (MVM) was proposed and it successfully demonstrated the similarity of the odor interaction pattern among odorants of the same type. Based on the regular interaction pattern, unlike a determined empirical model only fit for a specific odor mixture in conventional approaches, the MVM distinctly simplified the odor intensity prediction of odor mixtures. Furthermore, the MVM also provided a way of directly converting constituents' chemical concentrations to their mixture's odor intensity. By combining the MVM with usual data-processing algorithm of e-nose, a new e-nose system was established for an odor intensity rating. Compared with instrumental analysis and human assessor, it exhibited accuracy well in both quantitative analysis (Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.999 for individual aldehydes ( n = 12), 0.996 for their binary mixtures ( n = 36) and 0.990 for their ternary mixtures ( n = 60)) and odor intensity assessment (Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.980 for individual aldehydes ( n = 15), 0.973 for their binary mixtures ( n = 24), and 0.888 for their ternary mixtures ( n = 25)). Thus, the observed regular interaction pattern is considered an important foundation for accelerating extensive application of olfactory evaluation in odor pollution monitoring.

21 CFR 520.903b - Febantel suspension.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...) Limitations. Administer by stomach tube or drench, or by mixing well into a portion of the normal grain ration...; administer mixture by stomach tube at rate of 18 milliliters per 100 pounds of body weight. [45 FR 8587, Feb...

21 CFR 520.903b - Febantel suspension.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...) Limitations. Administer by stomach tube or drench, or by mixing well into a portion of the normal grain ration...; administer mixture by stomach tube at rate of 18 milliliters per 100 pounds of body weight. [45 FR 8587, Feb...

21 CFR 520.903b - Febantel suspension.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...) Limitations. Administer by stomach tube or drench, or by mixing well into a portion of the normal grain ration...; administer mixture by stomach tube at rate of 18 milliliters per 100 pounds of body weight. [45 FR 8587, Feb...

21 CFR 520.903b - Febantel suspension.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...) Limitations. Administer by stomach tube or drench, or by mixing well into a portion of the normal grain ration...; administer mixture by stomach tube at rate of 18 milliliters per 100 pounds of body weight. [45 FR 8587, Feb...

Detecting background changes in environments with dynamic foreground by separating probability distribution function mixtures using Pearson's method of moments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenkins, Colleen; Jordan, Jay; Carlson, Jeff

2007-02-01

This paper presents parameter estimation techniques useful for detecting background changes in a video sequence with extreme foreground activity. A specific application of interest is automated detection of the covert placement of threats (e.g., a briefcase bomb) inside crowded public facilities. We propose that a histogram of pixel intensity acquired from a fixed mounted camera over time for a series of images will be a mixture of two Gaussian functions: the foreground probability distribution function and background probability distribution function. We will use Pearson's Method of Moments to separate the two probability distribution functions. The background function can then be "remembered" and changes in the background can be detected. Subsequent comparisons of background estimates are used to detect changes. Changes are flagged to alert security forces to the presence and location of potential threats. Results are presented that indicate the significant potential for robust parameter estimation techniques as applied to video surveillance.

Role of oxidants in DNA damage. Hydroxyl radical mediates the synergistic DNA damaging effects of asbestos and cigarette smoke.

PubMed Central

Jackson, J H; Schraufstatter, I U; Hyslop, P A; Vosbeck, K; Sauerheber, R; Weitzman, S A; Cochrane, C G

1987-01-01

The mechanism by which cigarette smoking and asbestos exposure synergistically increase the incidence of lung cancer is unknown. We hypothesized that cigarette smoke and asbestos might synergistically increase DNA damage. To test this hypothesis we exposed isolated bacteriophage PM2 DNA to cigarette smoke and/or asbestos, and assessed DNA strand breaks as an index of DNA damage. Our results supported our hypothesis. 78 +/- 12% of the DNA exposed to both cigarette smoke and asbestos developed strand breaks, while only 9.8 +/- 7.0 or 4.3 +/- 3.3% of the DNA exposed to cigarette smoke or asbestos, respectively, developed strand breaks under the conditions of the experiment. Our experimental evidence suggested that cigarette smoke and asbestos synergistically increased DNA damage by stimulating .OH formation. First, significant amounts of .OH were detected by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in DNA mixtures containing both cigarette smoke and asbestos, but no .OH was detected in mixtures containing cigarette smoke alone or asbestos alone. Second, the .OH scavengers, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), mannitol, or Na benzoate decreased both .OH detection by EPR and strand breaks in DNA mixtures exposed to cigarette smoke and asbestos. Third, the H2O2 scavenger, catalase, and the iron chelators, 1,10-phenanthroline and desferrithiocin, decreased both .OH detection and strand breaks in DNA mixtures exposed to cigarette smoke and asbestos. These latter findings suggest that iron contained in asbestos may catalyze the formation of .OH from H2O2 generated by cigarette smoke. In summary, our study indicates that cigarette smoke and asbestos synergistically increase DNA damage and suggests that this synergism may involve .OH production. PMID:2821073

Effect of distance-related heterogeneity on population size estimates from point counts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Efford, Murray G.; Dawson, Deanna K.

2009-01-01

Point counts are used widely to index bird populations. Variation in the proportion of birds counted is a known source of error, and for robust inference it has been advocated that counts be converted to estimates of absolute population size. We used simulation to assess nine methods for the conduct and analysis of point counts when the data included distance-related heterogeneity of individual detection probability. Distance from the observer is a ubiquitous source of heterogeneity, because nearby birds are more easily detected than distant ones. Several recent methods (dependent double-observer, time of first detection, time of detection, independent multiple-observer, and repeated counts) do not account for distance-related heterogeneity, at least in their simpler forms. We assessed bias in estimates of population size by simulating counts with fixed radius w over four time intervals (occasions). Detection probability per occasion was modeled as a half-normal function of distance with scale parameter sigma and intercept g(0) = 1.0. Bias varied with sigma/w; values of sigma inferred from published studies were often 50% for a 100-m fixed-radius count. More critically, the bias of adjusted counts sometimes varied more than that of unadjusted counts, and inference from adjusted counts would be less robust. The problem was not solved by using mixture models or including distance as a covariate. Conventional distance sampling performed well in simulations, but its assumptions are difficult to meet in the field. We conclude that no existing method allows effective estimation of population size from point counts.

Estimating Mixture of Gaussian Processes by Kernel Smoothing

PubMed Central

Huang, Mian; Li, Runze; Wang, Hansheng; Yao, Weixin

2014-01-01

When the functional data are not homogeneous, e.g., there exist multiple classes of functional curves in the dataset, traditional estimation methods may fail. In this paper, we propose a new estimation procedure for the Mixture of Gaussian Processes, to incorporate both functional and inhomogeneous properties of the data. Our method can be viewed as a natural extension of high-dimensional normal mixtures. However, the key difference is that smoothed structures are imposed for both the mean and covariance functions. The model is shown to be identifiable, and can be estimated efficiently by a combination of the ideas from EM algorithm, kernel regression, and functional principal component analysis. Our methodology is empirically justified by Monte Carlo simulations and illustrated by an analysis of a supermarket dataset. PMID:24976675

Magnetic Reconnection and Modification of the Hall Physics Due to Cold Ions at the Magnetopause

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andre, M.; Li, W.; Toldeo-Redondo, S.; Khotyaintsev, Yu. V.; Vaivads, A.; Graham, D. B.; Norgren, C.; Burch, J.; Lindqvist, P.-A.; Marklund, G.;

Selectivity improvement of positive photoionization ion mobility spectrometry for rapid detection of organophosphorus pesticides by switching dopant concentration.

PubMed

Zhou, Qinghua; Li, Jia; Wang, Bin; Wang, Shuang; Li, Haiyang; Chen, Jinyuan

2018-01-01

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) opened a potential avenue for the rapid detection of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs), though an improved selectivity of stand-alone IMS was still in high demand. In this study, a stand-alone positive photoionization ion mobility spectrometry (PP-IMS) apparatus was constructed for the rapid detection of OPPs with acetone as dopant. The photoionization of acetone molecules was induced by the ultraviolet irradiation to produce the reactant ions (Ac) 2 H + , which were employed to ionize the OPPs including fenthion, imidan, phosphamidon, dursban, dimethoate and isocarbophos via the proton transfer reaction. Due to the difference in proton affinity, the tested OPPs exhibited the different dopant-dependent manners. Based on this observation, the switching of dopant concentration was implemented to improve the selectivity of PP-IMS for OPPs detection. For instance, a mixture of fenthion, dursban and dimethoate was tested. By switching the concentration of doped acetone from 0.07 to 2.33 to 19.94mgL -1 , the ion peaks of fenthion and dursban were inhibited in succession, achieving the selective detection of dimethoate at last. In addition, another mixture of imidan and phosphamidon was initially detected by PP-IMS with a dose of 0.07mgL -1 acetone, indicating that their ion peaks were severely overlapped; when the concentration of doped acetone was switched to 19.94mgL -1 , the inhibition of imidan signals promised the accurate identification of phosphamidon in mixture. Finally, the PP-IMS in combination of switching dopant concentration was applied to detect the mixed fenthion, dursban and dimethoate in Chinese cabbage, demonstrating the applicability of proposed method to real samples. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Fast and Easily-Realized Concentration Sensor for Binary Gas Mixtures and Its Design Analysis.

PubMed

Guan, Yu; Lu, Song; Zhang, Dan; Hu, Yang; Yuan, Wei

2018-04-19

A low-cost and easily-realized sensing device used for the detection of gas mixtures at different concentrations is presented. Its sensing part includes a small critical nozzle, a laminar structure, and a differential pressure sensor. When gas flows through the laminar structure, there is a pressure drop between both ends of it, and for different components of gas, the pressure drop is different. Based on this feature, the concentration detection is achieved. Concentration tests for two types of fire extinguishing agents CBrF₃ and C₃HF₇ are presented. The results show the characteristics of fast response/recovery time, high accuracy, and good repeatability. Based on the theoretical analysis, the effects of the design parameters on the sensing performance to concentration detection are discussed in detail.

Comparison of Different IMAC Techniques Used for Enrichment of Phosphorylated Peptides

PubMed Central

Kånge, Rikard; Selditz, Ulrike; Granberg, Maria; Lindberg, Ulrika; Ekstrand, Gunnar; Ek, Bo; Gustafsson, Magnus

2005-01-01

Four commercially available immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) methods for phosphopeptide enrichment were compared using small volumes and concentrations of phosphopeptide mixtures with or without extra-added bovine serum albumin (BSA) nonphosphorylated peptides. Addition of abundant tryptic BSA peptides to the phosphopeptide mixture increases the demand for selective IMAC capture. While SwellGel gallium Discs, IPAC Metal Chelating Resin, and ZipTipMC Pipette Tips allow for the possibility of enriching phosphopeptides, the Gyrolab MALDI IMAC1 also presents the possibility of verifying existing phosphopeptides after a dephosphorylation step. Phosphate-containing peptides are identified through a mass shift between phosphorylated and dephosphorylated spectra of 80 Da (or multiples of 80 Da). This verification is useful if the degree of phosphorylation is low in the sample or if the ionization is unfavorable, which often is the case for phosphopeptides. A peptide mixture in which phosphorylated serine, threonine, and tyrosine were represented was diluted in steps and thereafter enriched using the four different IMAC methods prior to analyses with matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. The enrichment of phosphopeptides using SwellGel Gallium Discs or Gyrolab MALDI IMAC1 was not significantly affected by the addition of abundant BSA peptides added to the sample mixture, and the achieved detection limits using these techniques were also the lowest. All four of the included phosphopeptides were detected by MALDI-MS only after enrichment using the Gyrolab MALDI IMAC1 compact disc (CD) and detection down to low femtomole levels was possible. Furthermore, selectivity, reproducibility, and detection for a number of other phosphopeptides using the IMAC CD are reported herein. For example, two phosphopeptides sent out in a worldwide survey performed by the Proteomics Research Group (PRG03) of the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF) were detected and verified by means of the 80 Da mass shift achieved by on-column dephosphorylation. PMID:16030316

System and method for detecting components of a mixture including tooth elements for alignment

DOEpatents

Sommer, Gregory Jon; Schaff, Ulrich Y.

2016-11-22

Examples are described including assay platforms having tooth elements. An impinging element may sequentially engage tooth elements on the assay platform to sequentially align corresponding detection regions with a detection unit. In this manner, multiple measurements may be made of detection regions on the assay platform without necessarily requiring the starting and stopping of a motor.

Immunological detection of Fusarium species in cornmeal.

PubMed

Iyer, M S; Cousin, M A

2003-03-01

An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detect Fusarium species in foods. Antibodies to proteins extracted from the mycelia of Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium moniliforme (verticillioides) were produced in New Zealand white rabbits. These antibodies detected 13 Fusarium species in addition to the producer strains. Levels of Fusarium semitectum and Fusarium tricinctum strains were below the detection threshold. The specificity of the assay was tested against 70 molds and yeasts belonging to 23 genera. One strain of Monascus species and one strain of Phoma exigua were detected; however, these two molds are not common contaminants of cereal grains or foods and should not interfere with the assay. The indirect ELISA's detection limits for F. graminearum and F. moniliforme were 0.1 and 1 microg of mold mycelium per ml of a cornmeal mixture, respectively. When spores of each mold were added individually to cornmeal mixtures (at ca. 10 spores per g) and incubated at 25 degrees C, these spores were detected by the indirect ELISA when they reached levels of 10(2) to 10(3) CFU/ml after 24 to 36 h. The indirect ELISA developed here shows promise for the detection of Fusarium species in grains or foods.

Assessing variation in life-history tactics within a population using mixture regression models: a practical guide for evolutionary ecologists.

PubMed

Hamel, Sandra; Yoccoz, Nigel G; Gaillard, Jean-Michel

2017-05-01

Mixed models are now well-established methods in ecology and evolution because they allow accounting for and quantifying within- and between-individual variation. However, the required normal distribution of the random effects can often be violated by the presence of clusters among subjects, which leads to multi-modal distributions. In such cases, using what is known as mixture regression models might offer a more appropriate approach. These models are widely used in psychology, sociology, and medicine to describe the diversity of trajectories occurring within a population over time (e.g. psychological development, growth). In ecology and evolution, however, these models are seldom used even though understanding changes in individual trajectories is an active area of research in life-history studies. Our aim is to demonstrate the value of using mixture models to describe variation in individual life-history tactics within a population, and hence to promote the use of these models by ecologists and evolutionary ecologists. We first ran a set of simulations to determine whether and when a mixture model allows teasing apart latent clustering, and to contrast the precision and accuracy of estimates obtained from mixture models versus mixed models under a wide range of ecological contexts. We then used empirical data from long-term studies of large mammals to illustrate the potential of using mixture models for assessing within-population variation in life-history tactics. Mixture models performed well in most cases, except for variables following a Bernoulli distribution and when sample size was small. The four selection criteria we evaluated [Akaike information criterion (AIC), Bayesian information criterion (BIC), and two bootstrap methods] performed similarly well, selecting the right number of clusters in most ecological situations. We then showed that the normality of random effects implicitly assumed by evolutionary ecologists when using mixed models was often violated in life-history data. Mixed models were quite robust to this violation in the sense that fixed effects were unbiased at the population level. However, fixed effects at the cluster level and random effects were better estimated using mixture models. Our empirical analyses demonstrated that using mixture models facilitates the identification of the diversity of growth and reproductive tactics occurring within a population. Therefore, using this modelling framework allows testing for the presence of clusters and, when clusters occur, provides reliable estimates of fixed and random effects for each cluster of the population. In the presence or expectation of clusters, using mixture models offers a suitable extension of mixed models, particularly when evolutionary ecologists aim at identifying how ecological and evolutionary processes change within a population. Mixture regression models therefore provide a valuable addition to the statistical toolbox of evolutionary ecologists. As these models are complex and have their own limitations, we provide recommendations to guide future users. © 2016 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Sentinel Node Biopsy for the Head and Neck Using Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography Combined with Indocyanine Green Fluorescence in Animal Models: A Feasibility Study.

PubMed

Kogashiwa, Yasunao; Sakurai, Hiroyuki; Akimoto, Yoshihiro; Sato, Dai; Ikeda, Tetsuya; Matsumoto, Yoshifumi; Moro, Yorihisa; Kimura, Toru; Hamanoue, Yasuhiro; Nakamura, Takehiro; Yamauchi, Koichi; Saito, Koichiro; Sugasawa, Masashi; Kohno, Naoyuki

2015-01-01

Sentinel node navigation surgery is gaining popularity in oral cancer. We assessed application of sentinel lymph node navigation surgery to pharyngeal and laryngeal cancers by evaluating the combination of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and indocyanine green fluorescence in animal models. This was a prospective, nonrandomized, experimental study in rabbit and swine animal models. A mixture of indocyanine green and Sonazoid was used as the tracer. The tracer mixture was injected into the tongue, larynx, or pharynx. The sentinel lymph nodes were identified transcutaneously by infra-red camera and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. Detection time and extraction time of the sentinel lymph nodes were measured. The safety of the tracer mixture in terms of mucosal reaction was evaluated macroscopically and microscopically. Sentinel lymph nodes were detected transcutaneously by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography alone. The number of sentinel lymph nodes detected was one or two. Despite observation of contrast enhancement of Sonazoid for at least 90 minutes, the number of sentinel lymph nodes detected did not change. The average extraction time of sentinel lymph nodes was 4.8 minutes. Indocyanine green fluorescence offered visual information during lymph node biopsy. The safety of the tracer was confirmed by absence of laryngeal edema both macro and microscopically. The combination method of indocyanine green fluorescence and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for detecting sentinel lymph nodes during surgery for head and neck cancer seems promising, especially for pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer. Further clinical studies to confirm this are warranted.

Detection of naphthenic acids in fish exposed to commercial naphthenic acids and oil sands process-affected water.

PubMed

Young, R F; Orr, E A; Goss, G G; Fedorak, P M

2007-06-01

Naphthenic acids are a complex mixture of carboxylic acids that occur naturally in petroleum. During the extraction of bitumen from the oil sands in northeastern Alberta, Canada, naphthenic acids are released into the aqueous phase and these acids become the most toxic components in the process-affected water. Although previous studies have exposed fish to naphthenic acids or oil sands process-affected waters, there has been no analytical method to specifically detect naphthenic acids in fish. Here, we describe a qualitative method to specifically detect these acids. In 96-h static renewal tests, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fingerlings were exposed to three different treatments: (1) fed pellets that contained commercial naphthenic acids (1.5mg g(-1) of food), (2) kept in tap water that contained commercial naphthenic acids (3mg l(-1)) and (3) kept in an oil sands process-affected water that contained 15mg naphthenic acids l(-1). Five-gram samples of fish were homogenized and extracted, then the mixture of free fatty acids and naphthenic acids was isolated from the extract using strong anion exchange chromatography. The mixture was derivatized and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Reconstructed ion chromatograms (m/z=267) selectively detected naphthenic acids. These acids were present in each fish that was exposed to naphthenic acids, but absent in fish that were not exposed to naphthenic acids. The minimum detectable concentration was about 1microg naphthenic acids g(-1) of fish.

Rational synthesis of low-polydispersity block copolymer vesicles in concentrated solution via polymerization-induced self-assembly.

PubMed

Gonzato, Carlo; Semsarilar, Mona; Jones, Elizabeth R; Li, Feng; Krooshof, Gerard J P; Wyman, Paul; Mykhaylyk, Oleksandr O; Tuinier, Remco; Armes, Steven P

2014-08-06

Block copolymer self-assembly is normally conducted via post-polymerization processing at high dilution. In the case of block copolymer vesicles (or "polymersomes"), this approach normally leads to relatively broad size distributions, which is problematic for many potential applications. Herein we report the rational synthesis of low-polydispersity diblock copolymer vesicles in concentrated solution via polymerization-induced self-assembly using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of benzyl methacrylate. Our strategy utilizes a binary mixture of a relatively long and a relatively short poly(methacrylic acid) stabilizer block, which become preferentially expressed at the outer and inner poly(benzyl methacrylate) membrane surface, respectively. Dynamic light scattering was utilized to construct phase diagrams to identify suitable conditions for the synthesis of relatively small, low-polydispersity vesicles. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was used to verify that this binary mixture approach produced vesicles with significantly narrower size distributions compared to conventional vesicles prepared using a single (short) stabilizer block. Calculations performed using self-consistent mean field theory (SCMFT) account for the preferred self-assembled structures of the block copolymer binary mixtures and are in reasonable agreement with experiment. Finally, both SAXS and SCMFT indicate a significant degree of solvent plasticization for the membrane-forming poly(benzyl methacrylate) chains.

Toxicities of glyphosate- and cypermethrin-based pesticides are antagonic in the tenspotted livebearer fish (Cnesterodon decemmaculatus).

PubMed

Brodeur, Julie Céline; Malpel, Solène; Anglesio, Ana Belén; Cristos, Diego; D'Andrea, María Florencia; Poliserpi, María Belén

2016-07-01

Although pesticide contamination of surface waters normally occurs in the form of mixtures, the toxicity and interactions displayed by such mixtures have been little characterized until now. The present study examined the interactions prevailing in equitoxic and non-equitoxic binary mixtures of formulations of glyphosate (Glifoglex(®)) and cypermethrin (Glextrin(®)) to the tenspotted livebearer (Cnesterodon decemmaculatus), a widely distributed South American fish. The following 96 h-LC50s were obtained when pesticide formulations were tested individually: Glifoglex(®) 41.4 and 53 mg ae glyphosate/L; Glextrin(®) 1.89 and 2.60 μg cypermethrin/L. Equitoxic and non-equitoxic mixtures were significantly antagonic in all combinations tested. The magnitude of the antagonism (factor by which toxicity differed from concentration addition) varied between 1.37 and 3.09 times in the different non-equitoxic mixtures tested. Antagonism was due to a strong inhibition of cypermethrin toxicity by the glyphosate formulation, the toxicity of the cypermethrin-based pesticide being almost completely overridden by the glyphosate formulation. Results obtained in the current study with fish are radically opposite to those previously observed in tadpoles where synergy was observed when Glifoglex(®) and Glextrin(®) were present in mixtures (Brodeur et al., 2014). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prospective power calculations for the Four Lab study of a multigenerational reproductive/developmental toxicity rodent bioassay using a complex mixture of disinfection by-products in the low-response region.

PubMed

Dingus, Cheryl A; Teuschler, Linda K; Rice, Glenn E; Simmons, Jane Ellen; Narotsky, Michael G

2011-10-01

In complex mixture toxicology, there is growing emphasis on testing environmentally representative doses that improve the relevance of results for health risk assessment, but are typically much lower than those used in traditional toxicology studies. Traditional experimental designs with typical sample sizes may have insufficient statistical power to detect effects caused by environmentally relevant doses. Proper study design, with adequate statistical power, is critical to ensuring that experimental results are useful for environmental health risk assessment. Studies with environmentally realistic complex mixtures have practical constraints on sample concentration factor and sample volume as well as the number of animals that can be accommodated. This article describes methodology for calculation of statistical power for non-independent observations for a multigenerational rodent reproductive/developmental bioassay. The use of the methodology is illustrated using the U.S. EPA's Four Lab study in which rodents were exposed to chlorinated water concentrates containing complex mixtures of drinking water disinfection by-products. Possible experimental designs included two single-block designs and a two-block design. Considering the possible study designs and constraints, a design of two blocks of 100 females with a 40:60 ratio of control:treated animals and a significance level of 0.05 yielded maximum prospective power (~90%) to detect pup weight decreases, while providing the most power to detect increased prenatal loss.

Metabolomic analysis of swine urine treated with β2-agonists by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wu, Yuping; Bi, Yanfeng; Bingga, Gali; Li, Xiaowei; Zhang, Suxia; Li, Jiancheng; Li, Hui; Ding, Shuangyang; Xia, Xi

2015-06-26

The illegal use of β2-agonists in livestock production was previously detected by efficient methods based on mass spectrometry to control the residues of these drugs. Nevertheless, such methods still remain a challenging task for authorities who monitor these residues because the use of "cocktails" composed of mixtures of low amounts of several substances as well as the synthesis of new compounds of unknown structure prevent efficient prevention of illegal use of growth-promoting agents. Here, we outlined a metabolomics-based strategy for detecting the use of "cocktails" composed of mixtures of low amounts of three β2-agonists via urine profiling. Urine profiles of controls and swine treated with mixture of low amounts of three substances (clenbuterol, salbutamol, and ractopamine) were analyzed with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The metabolic differences between controls and β2-agonists-treated groups were compared using multivariate data analysis. Fourteen metabolites were identified related with the β2-agonists treatment, while two co-biomarkers, 2-indolecarboxylic acid and fluorometholone acetate, either in single or "cocktails" of low-dose mixture of clenbuterol, salbutamol, and ractopamine, could be considered as diagnostic markers for the detection of illegal use of β2-agonists. The results of depletion study demonstrated that it is practical to use the markers for monitoring of β2-agonists. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prospective Power Calculations for the Four Lab Study of A Multigenerational Reproductive/Developmental Toxicity Rodent Bioassay Using A Complex Mixture of Disinfection By-Products in the Low-Response Region

PubMed Central

Dingus, Cheryl A.; Teuschler, Linda K.; Rice, Glenn E.; Simmons, Jane Ellen; Narotsky, Michael G.

2011-01-01

In complex mixture toxicology, there is growing emphasis on testing environmentally representative doses that improve the relevance of results for health risk assessment, but are typically much lower than those used in traditional toxicology studies. Traditional experimental designs with typical sample sizes may have insufficient statistical power to detect effects caused by environmentally relevant doses. Proper study design, with adequate statistical power, is critical to ensuring that experimental results are useful for environmental health risk assessment. Studies with environmentally realistic complex mixtures have practical constraints on sample concentration factor and sample volume as well as the number of animals that can be accommodated. This article describes methodology for calculation of statistical power for non-independent observations for a multigenerational rodent reproductive/developmental bioassay. The use of the methodology is illustrated using the U.S. EPA’s Four Lab study in which rodents were exposed to chlorinated water concentrates containing complex mixtures of drinking water disinfection by-products. Possible experimental designs included two single-block designs and a two-block design. Considering the possible study designs and constraints, a design of two blocks of 100 females with a 40:60 ratio of control:treated animals and a significance level of 0.05 yielded maximum prospective power (~90%) to detect pup weight decreases, while providing the most power to detect increased prenatal loss. PMID:22073030

Optimizing the use of natural gravel Brantas river as normal concrete mixed with quality fc = 19.3 Mpa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limantara, A. D.; Widodo, A.; Winarto, S.; Krisnawati, L. D.; Mudjanarko, S. W.

2018-04-01

The use of natural gravel (rivers) as concrete mixtures is rarely encountered after days of demands for a higher strength of concrete. Moreover, today people have found High-Performance Concrete which, when viewed from the rough aggregate consisted mostly of broken stone, although the fine grain material still used natural sand. Is it possible that a mixture of concrete using natural gravel as a coarse aggregate is capable of producing concrete with compressive strength equivalent to a concrete mixture using crushed stone? To obtain information on this, a series of tests on concrete mixes with crude aggregates of Kalitelu Crusher, Gondang, Tulungagung and natural stone (river gravel) from the Brantas River, Ngujang, Tulungagung in the Materials Testing Laboratory Tugu Dam Construction Project, Kab. Trenggalek. From concrete strength test results using coarse material obtained value 19.47 Mpa, while the compressive strength of concrete with a mixture of crushed stone obtained the value of 21.12 Mpa.

Effect of water on self-assembled tubules in β-sitosterol + γ-oryzanol-based organogels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

den Adel, Ruud; Heussen, Patricia C. M.; Bot, Arjen

2010-10-01

Mixtures of β-sitosterol and γ-oryzanol form a network in triglyceride oil that may serve as an alternative to the network of small crystallites of triglycerides occurring in regular oil structuring. The present x-ray diffraction study investigates the relation between the crystal forms of the individual compounds and the mixture in oil, water and emulsion. β-Sitosterol and γ-oryzanol form normal crystals in oil, in water, or in emulsions. The crystals are sensitive to the presence of water. The mixture of β-sitosterol + γ-oryzanol forms crystals in water and emulsions that can be traced back to the crystals of the pure compounds. Only in oil, a completely different structure emerges in the mixture of β-sitosterol + γ-oryzanol, which bears no relation to the structures that are formed by both individual compounds, and which can be identified as a self-assembled tubule (diameter 7.2±0.1 nm, wall thickness 0.8±0.2 nm).

Four common pesticides, their mixtures and a formulation solvent in the hive environment have high oral toxicity to honey bee larvae.

PubMed

Zhu, Wanyi; Schmehl, Daniel R; Mullin, Christopher A; Frazier, James L

2014-01-01

Recently, the widespread distribution of pesticides detected in the hive has raised serious concerns about pesticide exposure on honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) health. A larval rearing method was adapted to assess the chronic oral toxicity to honey bee larvae of the four most common pesticides detected in pollen and wax--fluvalinate, coumaphos, chlorothalonil, and chloropyrifos--tested alone and in all combinations. All pesticides at hive-residue levels triggered a significant increase in larval mortality compared to untreated larvae by over two fold, with a strong increase after 3 days of exposure. Among these four pesticides, honey bee larvae were most sensitive to chlorothalonil compared to adults. Synergistic toxicity was observed in the binary mixture of chlorothalonil with fluvalinate at the concentrations of 34 mg/L and 3 mg/L, respectively; whereas, when diluted by 10 fold, the interaction switched to antagonism. Chlorothalonil at 34 mg/L was also found to synergize the miticide coumaphos at 8 mg/L. The addition of coumaphos significantly reduced the toxicity of the fluvalinate and chlorothalonil mixture, the only significant non-additive effect in all tested ternary mixtures. We also tested the common 'inert' ingredient N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone at seven concentrations, and documented its high toxicity to larval bees. We have shown that chronic dietary exposure to a fungicide, pesticide mixtures, and a formulation solvent have the potential to impact honey bee populations, and warrants further investigation. We suggest that pesticide mixtures in pollen be evaluated by adding their toxicities together, until complete data on interactions can be accumulated.

Using Gaussian mixture models to detect and classify dolphin whistles and pulses.

PubMed

Peso Parada, Pablo; Cardenal-López, Antonio

2014-06-01

In recent years, a number of automatic detection systems for free-ranging cetaceans have been proposed that aim to detect not just surfaced, but also submerged, individuals. These systems are typically based on pattern-recognition techniques applied to underwater acoustic recordings. Using a Gaussian mixture model, a classification system was developed that detects sounds in recordings and classifies them as one of four types: background noise, whistles, pulses, and combined whistles and pulses. The classifier was tested using a database of underwater recordings made off the Spanish coast during 2011. Using cepstral-coefficient-based parameterization, a sound detection rate of 87.5% was achieved for a 23.6% classification error rate. To improve these results, two parameters computed using the multiple signal classification algorithm and an unpredictability measure were included in the classifier. These parameters, which helped to classify the segments containing whistles, increased the detection rate to 90.3% and reduced the classification error rate to 18.1%. Finally, the potential of the multiple signal classification algorithm and unpredictability measure for estimating whistle contours and classifying cetacean species was also explored, with promising results.

Accurate Detection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Mixtures by Use of Single-Bacterium Duplex Droplet Digital PCR.

PubMed

Luo, Jun; Li, Junhua; Yang, Hang; Yu, Junping; Wei, Hongping

2017-10-01

Accurate and rapid identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is needed to screen MRSA carriers and improve treatment. The current widely used duplex PCR methods are not able to differentiate MRSA from coexisting methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) or other methicillin-resistant staphylococci. In this study, we aimed to develop a direct method for accurate and rapid detection of MRSA in clinical samples from open environments, such as nasal swabs. The new molecular assay is based on detecting the cooccurrence of nuc and mecA markers in a single bacterial cell by utilizing droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) with the chimeric lysin ClyH for cell lysis. The method consists of (i) dispersion of an intact single bacterium into nanoliter droplets, (ii) temperature-controlled release of genomic DNA (gDNA) by ClyH at 37°C, and (iii) amplification and detection of the markers ( nuc and mecA ) using standard TaqMan chemistries with ddPCR. Results were analyzed based on MRSA index ratios used for indicating the presence of the duplex-positive markers in droplets. The method was able to achieve an absolute limit of detection (LOD) of 2,900 CFU/ml for MRSA in nasal swabs spiked with excess amounts of Escherichia coli , MSSA, and other mecA -positive bacteria within 4 h. Initial testing of 104 nasal swabs showed that the method had 100% agreement with the standard culture method, while the normal duplex qPCR method had only about 87.5% agreement. The single-bacterium duplex ddPCR assay is rapid and powerful for more accurate detection of MRSA directly from clinical specimens. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Accurate Detection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Mixtures by Use of Single-Bacterium Duplex Droplet Digital PCR

PubMed Central

Luo, Jun; Li, Junhua; Yang, Hang; Yu, Junping

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Accurate and rapid identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is needed to screen MRSA carriers and improve treatment. The current widely used duplex PCR methods are not able to differentiate MRSA from coexisting methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) or other methicillin-resistant staphylococci. In this study, we aimed to develop a direct method for accurate and rapid detection of MRSA in clinical samples from open environments, such as nasal swabs. The new molecular assay is based on detecting the cooccurrence of nuc and mecA markers in a single bacterial cell by utilizing droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) with the chimeric lysin ClyH for cell lysis. The method consists of (i) dispersion of an intact single bacterium into nanoliter droplets, (ii) temperature-controlled release of genomic DNA (gDNA) by ClyH at 37°C, and (iii) amplification and detection of the markers (nuc and mecA) using standard TaqMan chemistries with ddPCR. Results were analyzed based on MRSA index ratios used for indicating the presence of the duplex-positive markers in droplets. The method was able to achieve an absolute limit of detection (LOD) of 2,900 CFU/ml for MRSA in nasal swabs spiked with excess amounts of Escherichia coli, MSSA, and other mecA-positive bacteria within 4 h. Initial testing of 104 nasal swabs showed that the method had 100% agreement with the standard culture method, while the normal duplex qPCR method had only about 87.5% agreement. The single-bacterium duplex ddPCR assay is rapid and powerful for more accurate detection of MRSA directly from clinical specimens. PMID:28724560

Optical sensors for application in intelligent food-packaging technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McEvoy, Aisling K.; Von Bueltzingsloewen, Christoph; McDonagh, Colette M.; MacCraith, Brian D.; Klimant, Ingo; Wolfbeis, Otto S.

2003-03-01

Modified Atmosphere Packaged (MAP) food employs a protective gas mixture, which normally contains selected amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2), in order to extend the shelf life of food. Conventional MAP analysis of package integrity involves destructive sampling of packages followed by carbon dioxide and oxygen detection. For quality control reasons, as well as to enhance food safety, the concept of optical on-pack sensors for monitoring the gas composition of the MAP package at different stages of the distribution process is very attractive. The objective of this work was to develop printable formulations of oxygen and carbon dioxide sensors for use in food packaging. Oxygen sensing is achieved by detecting the degree of quenching of a fluorescent ruthenium complex entrapped in a sol-gel matrix. In particular, a measurement technique based on the quenching of the fluorescence decay time, phase fluorometric detection, is employed. A scheme for detecting CO2 has been developed which is compatible with the oxygen detection scheme. It is fluorescence-based and uses the pH-sensitive 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (HPTS) indicator dye encapsulated in an organically modified silica (ORMOSIL) glass matrix. Dual Luminophore Referencing (DLR) has been employed as an internal referencing scheme, which provides many of the advantages of lifetime-based fluorometric methods. Oxygen cross-sensitivity was minimised by encapsulating the reference luminophore in dense sol-gel microspheres. The sensor performance compared well with standard methods for both oxygen and carbon dioxide detection. The results of preliminary on-pack print trials are presented and a preliminary design of an integrated dual gas optical read-out device is discussed.

TESTING FOR DEPARTURES FROM ADDITIVITY FOR A 2:1 MIXTURE OF CHLORPYRIFOS AND CARBARYL ON CHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY IN BRAIN, PLASMA, AND RED BLOOD CELLS OF LONG EVANS RATS.

EPA Science Inventory

Detecting and characterizing interactions among chemicals is an important environmental issue. This study was conducted to test for the existence of a significant departure from additivity for a mixture of two cholinesterase (ChE)-inhibiting pesticides: chlorpyrifos (CPF), an org...

Directional Dark Matter Detector Prototype (Time Projection Chamber)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliver-Mallory, Kelsey; Garcia-Sciveres, Maurice; Kadyk, John; Lopex-Thibodeaux, Mayra

2013-04-01

The time projection chamber is a mature technology that has emerged as a promising candidate for the directional detection of the WIMP particle. In order to utilize this technology in WIMP detection, the operational parameters must be chosen in the non-ideal regime. A prototype WIMP detector with a 10cm field cage, double GEM amplification, and ATLAS FEI3 pixel chip readout was constructed for the purpose of investigating effects of varying gas pressure in different gas mixtures. The rms radii of ionization clusters of photoelectrons caused by X-rays from a Fe-55 source were measured for several gas pressures between 760torr and 99torr in Ar(70)/ CO2(30), CF4, He(80)/Isobutane(20), and He(80)/CF4(20) mixtures. Average radii were determined from distributions of the data for each gas mixture and pressure, and revealed a negative correlation between pressure and radius in Ar(70)/CO2(30) and He(80)/Isobutane(20) mixtures. Investigation of the pressure-radius measurements are in progress using distributions of photoelectron and auger electron practical ranges (Univ. of Pisa) and diffusion, using the Garfield Monte Carlo program.

Regression mixture models: Does modeling the covariance between independent variables and latent classes improve the results?

PubMed Central

Lamont, Andrea E.; Vermunt, Jeroen K.; Van Horn, M. Lee

2016-01-01

Regression mixture models are increasingly used as an exploratory approach to identify heterogeneity in the effects of a predictor on an outcome. In this simulation study, we test the effects of violating an implicit assumption often made in these models – i.e., independent variables in the model are not directly related to latent classes. Results indicated that the major risk of failing to model the relationship between predictor and latent class was an increase in the probability of selecting additional latent classes and biased class proportions. Additionally, this study tests whether regression mixture models can detect a piecewise relationship between a predictor and outcome. Results suggest that these models are able to detect piecewise relations, but only when the relationship between the latent class and the predictor is included in model estimation. We illustrate the implications of making this assumption through a re-analysis of applied data examining heterogeneity in the effects of family resources on academic achievement. We compare previous results (which assumed no relation between independent variables and latent class) to the model where this assumption is lifted. Implications and analytic suggestions for conducting regression mixture based on these findings are noted. PMID:26881956

Large-Scale Analysis of Auditory Segregation Behavior Crowdsourced via a Smartphone App.

PubMed

Teki, Sundeep; Kumar, Sukhbinder; Griffiths, Timothy D

2016-01-01

The human auditory system is adept at detecting sound sources of interest from a complex mixture of several other simultaneous sounds. The ability to selectively attend to the speech of one speaker whilst ignoring other speakers and background noise is of vital biological significance-the capacity to make sense of complex 'auditory scenes' is significantly impaired in aging populations as well as those with hearing loss. We investigated this problem by designing a synthetic signal, termed the 'stochastic figure-ground' stimulus that captures essential aspects of complex sounds in the natural environment. Previously, we showed that under controlled laboratory conditions, young listeners sampled from the university subject pool (n = 10) performed very well in detecting targets embedded in the stochastic figure-ground signal. Here, we presented a modified version of this cocktail party paradigm as a 'game' featured in a smartphone app (The Great Brain Experiment) and obtained data from a large population with diverse demographical patterns (n = 5148). Despite differences in paradigms and experimental settings, the observed target-detection performance by users of the app was robust and consistent with our previous results from the psychophysical study. Our results highlight the potential use of smartphone apps in capturing robust large-scale auditory behavioral data from normal healthy volunteers, which can also be extended to study auditory deficits in clinical populations with hearing impairments and central auditory disorders.

40 CFR 80.1100 - How is the statutory default requirement for 2006 implemented?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the quantity of fossil fuel present in a fuel mixture used to operate a motor vehicle, and which: (A... more of the fossil fuel normally used in the production of ethanol. (3) Waste derived ethanol means...

40 CFR 80.1100 - How is the statutory default requirement for 2006 implemented?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the quantity of fossil fuel present in a fuel mixture used to operate a motor vehicle, and which: (A... more of the fossil fuel normally used in the production of ethanol. (3) Waste derived ethanol means...

40 CFR 80.1100 - How is the statutory default requirement for 2006 implemented?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the quantity of fossil fuel present in a fuel mixture used to operate a motor vehicle, and which: (A... more of the fossil fuel normally used in the production of ethanol. (3) Waste derived ethanol means...

The OH + HBr reaction revisited

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ravishankara, A. R.; Wine, P. H.; Wells, J. R.

1985-01-01

Variable-temperature measurements of the rate coefficient /k(1)/ for the reaction OH + HBr yield Br + H2O are presented. The measurements are verified by two techniques: one involved a 266-nm pulsed-laser photolysis of O3/H2O/HBr/He mixtures in conjunction with time-resolved resonance fluorescence detection of OH, the second comprised pulsed laser-induced fluorescence detection of OH following 248-nm pulsed-laser photolysis of H2O2/HBr/Ar mixtures. It is reported that k(1) = (11.9 + or -1.4 x 10 to the -12th (cu cm)/(molecule)(s) independent of temperature. The measurements are compared with other available results.

Raman analysis of an impacted α-GeO2-H2O mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosales, Ivonne; Thions-Renero, Claude; Martinez, Erendira; Agulló-Rueda, Fernando; Bucio, Lauro; Orozco, Eligio

2012-09-01

Through a Raman analysis, we detected polymorphism at high pressure on mixtures of α-GeO2 microcrystalline powder and water under impact experiments with a single-stage gas gun. The Raman measurements taken from recovered samples show two vibrational modes associated with water-related species. After the impact, the size of the α-GeO2 crystallites was approximately 10 times higher showing molten zones and a lot of porous faces. Raman examination showed some unknown peaks possibly associated with other GeO2 polymorphs detected by X-ray diffraction experiments and perhaps stabilized in the porous of the α-GeO2 crystallites.

An Advanced Approach to Simultaneous Monitoring of Multiple Bacteria in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eggers, M.

1998-01-01

The utility of a novel microarray-based microbial analyzer was demonstrated by the rapid detection, imaging, and identification of a mixture of microorganisms found in a waste water sample from the Lunar-Mars Life Support Test Project through the synergistic combination of: (1) judicious RNA probe selection via algorithms developed by University of Houston scientists; (2) tuned surface chemistries developed by Baylor College of Medicine scientists to facilitate hybridization of rRNA targets to DNA probes under very low salt conditions, thereby minimizing secondary structure; and (3) integration of the microarray printing and detection/imaging instrumentation by Genometrix to complete the quantitative analysis of microorganism mixtures.

Method and apparatus for concentrating vapors for analysis

DOEpatents

Grate, Jay W [West Richland, WA; Baldwin, David L [Kennewick, WA; Anheier, Jr., Norman C.

2012-06-05

A pre-concentration device and a method are disclosed for concentrating gaseous vapors for analysis. Vapors sorbed and concentrated within the bed of the pre-concentration device are thermally desorbed, achieving at least partial separation of the vapor mixtures. The pre-concentration device is suitable, e.g., for pre-concentration and sample injection, and provides greater resolution of peaks for vapors within vapor mixtures, yielding detection levels that are 10-10,000 times better than direct sampling and analysis systems. Features are particularly useful for continuous unattended monitoring applications. The invention finds application in conjunction with, e.g., analytical instruments where low detection limits for gaseous vapors are desirable.

Secondary scintillation yield of xenon with sub-percent levels of CO 2 additive for rare-event detection

DOE PAGES

Henriques, C. A. O.; Freitas, E. D. C.; Azevedo, C. D. R.; ...

2017-09-12

Xe–CO 2 mixtures are important alternatives to pure xenon in Time Projection Chambers (TPC) based on secondary scintillation (electroluminescence) signal amplification with applications in the important field of rare event detection such as directional dark matter, double electron capture and double beta decay detection. The addition of CO 2 to pure xenon at the level of 0.05–0.1% can reduce significantly the scale of electron diffusion from 10 mm / √m to 2.5mm / √m, with high impact on the discrimination efficiency of the events through pattern recognition of the topology of primary ionization trails. We have measured the electroluminescence (EL)more » yield of Xe–CO 2 mixtures, with sub-percent CO 2 concentrations. We demonstrate that the EL production is still high in these mixtures, 70% and 35% relative to that produced in pure xenon, for CO 2 concentrations around 0.05% and 0.1%, respectively. In conclusion, the contribution of the statistical fluctuations in EL production to the energy resolution increases with increasing CO 2 concentration, being smaller than the contribution of the Fano factor for concentrations below 0.1% CO 2.« less

Detection of cerebrospinal fluid leakage by specific measurement of transferrin glycoforms.

PubMed

Kwon, Seok-Joon; Zhang, Fuming; Dordick, Jonathan S; Sonstein, William J; Linhardt, Robert J

2015-10-01

A simple and rapid detection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage would benefit spine surgeons making critical postoperative decisions on patient care. We have assessed novel approaches to selectively determine CSF β2-transferrin (β2TF), an asialo-transferrin (aTF) biomarker, without interference from serum sialo-transferrin (sTF) in test samples. First, we performed mild periodate oxidation to selectively generate aldehyde groups in sTF for capture with magnetic hydrazide microparticles, and selective removal with a magnetic separator. Using this protocol sTF was selectively removed from mixtures of CSF and serum containing CSF aTF (β2TF) and serum sTF, respectively. Second, a two-step enzymatic method was developed with neuraminidase and galactose oxidase for generating aldehyde groups in sTF present in CSF and serum mixtures for magnetic hydrazide microparticle capture. After selectively removing sTF from mixtures of CSF and serum, ELISA could detect significant TF signal only in CSF, while the TF signal in serum was negligible. The new approach for selective removal of only sTF in test samples will be promising for the required intervention by a spine surgeon. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Secondary scintillation yield of xenon with sub-percent levels of CO2 additive for rare-event detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henriques, C. A. O.; Freitas, E. D. C.; Azevedo, C. D. R.; González-Díaz, D.; Mano, R. D. P.; Jorge, M. R.; Fernandes, L. M. P.; Monteiro, C. M. B.; Gómez-Cadenas, J. J.; Álvarez, V.; Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M.; Borges, F. I. G. M.; Botas, A.; Cárcel, S.; Carríon, J. V.; Cebrían, S.; Conde, C. A. N.; Díaz, J.; Diesburg, M.; Esteve, R.; Felkai, R.; Ferrario, P.; Ferreira, A. L.; Goldschmidt, A.; Gutiérrez, R. M.; Hauptman, J.; Hernandez, A. I.; Hernando Morata, J. A.; Herrero, V.; Jones, B. J. P.; Labarga, L.; Laing, A.; Lebrun, P.; Liubarsky, I.; López-March, N.; Losada, M.; Martín-Albo, J.; Martínez-Lema, G.; Martínez, A.; McDonald, A. D.; Monrabal, F.; Mora, F. J.; Moutinho, L. M.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Musti, M.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Novella, P.; Nygren, D. R.; Palmeiro, B.; Para, A.; Pérez, J.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Ripoll, L.; Rodríguez, J.; Rogers, L.; Santos, F. P.; dos Santos, J. M. F.; Simón, A.; Sofka, C.; Sorel, M.; Stiegler, T.; Toledo, J. F.; Torrent, J.; Tsamalaidze, Z.; Veloso, J. F. C. A.; Webb, R.; White, J. T.; Yahlali, N.; NEXT Collaboration

2017-10-01

Xe-CO2 mixtures are important alternatives to pure xenon in Time Projection Chambers (TPC) based on secondary scintillation (electroluminescence) signal amplification with applications in the important field of rare event detection such as directional dark matter, double electron capture and double beta decay detection. The addition of CO2 to pure xenon at the level of 0.05-0.1% can reduce significantly the scale of electron diffusion from 10 mm /√{m} to 2.5 mm /√{m}, with high impact on the discrimination efficiency of the events through pattern recognition of the topology of primary ionization trails. We have measured the electroluminescence (EL) yield of Xe-CO2 mixtures, with sub-percent CO2 concentrations. We demonstrate that the EL production is still high in these mixtures, 70% and 35% relative to that produced in pure xenon, for CO2 concentrations around 0.05% and 0.1%, respectively. The contribution of the statistical fluctuations in EL production to the energy resolution increases with increasing CO2 concentration, being smaller than the contribution of the Fano factor for concentrations below 0.1% CO2.

Process and apparatus for analyzing specimens for the presence of microorganisms therein

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vannest, Richard D. (Inventor); Meyer, Michael C. (Inventor); Gibson, Sandra F. (Inventor); Keyser, George F. (Inventor); Jones, Paul W. (Inventor); Aldridge, Jr., Clifton (Inventor); Holen, James T. (Inventor)

1980-01-01

Microorganisms in a specimen are detected, identified, and enumerated by introducing the specimen into a sampling cartridge and diluting the specimen with a known volume of water within the cartridge. The cartridge has a manifold and several cassettes attached to the manifold. Each cassette contains a serpentine flow channel having a series of filters therein and a detection cell located downstream from each filter. The flow channel in each cassette also contains a culture medium which is freeze dried and is highly selective in the sense that it promotes the growth of one type of microorganism, but not others. The mixture of the specimen and water flows from the manifold into the flow channel of each cassette where it rehydrates the culture medium therein and further flows through the filters. Each filter removes a known proportion of the microorganisms from the mixture of specimen, water and medium, thereby effecting a serial dilution. After the cassettes are heated to incubate the microoganisms, the detection cells are observed for growth of the microorganisms therein which is manifested in a change in the light transmitting characteristics of the mixtures within the cells.

Secondary scintillation yield of xenon with sub-percent levels of CO 2 additive for rare-event detection

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

Henriques, C. A. O.; Freitas, E. D. C.; Azevedo, C. D. R.

Xe–CO 2 mixtures are important alternatives to pure xenon in Time Projection Chambers (TPC) based on secondary scintillation (electroluminescence) signal amplification with applications in the important field of rare event detection such as directional dark matter, double electron capture and double beta decay detection. The addition of CO 2 to pure xenon at the level of 0.05–0.1% can reduce significantly the scale of electron diffusion from 10 mm / √m to 2.5mm / √m, with high impact on the discrimination efficiency of the events through pattern recognition of the topology of primary ionization trails. We have measured the electroluminescence (EL)more » yield of Xe–CO 2 mixtures, with sub-percent CO 2 concentrations. We demonstrate that the EL production is still high in these mixtures, 70% and 35% relative to that produced in pure xenon, for CO 2 concentrations around 0.05% and 0.1%, respectively. In conclusion, the contribution of the statistical fluctuations in EL production to the energy resolution increases with increasing CO 2 concentration, being smaller than the contribution of the Fano factor for concentrations below 0.1% CO 2.« less

Multiple-clone infections of Plasmodium vivax: definition of a panel of markers for molecular epidemiology.

PubMed

de Souza, Aracele M; de Araújo, Flávia C F; Fontes, Cor J F; Carvalho, Luzia H; de Brito, Cristiana F A; de Sousa, Taís N

2015-08-25

Plasmodium vivax infections commonly contain multiple genetically distinct parasite clones. The detection of multiple-clone infections depends on several factors, such as the accuracy of the genotyping method, and the type and number of the molecular markers analysed. Characterizing the multiplicity of infection has broad implications that range from population genetic studies of the parasite to malaria treatment and control. This study compared and evaluated the efficiency of neutral and non-neutral markers that are widely used in studies of molecular epidemiology to detect the multiplicity of P. vivax infection. The performance of six markers was evaluated using 11 mixtures of DNA with well-defined proportions of two different parasite genotypes for each marker. These mixtures were generated by mixing cloned PCR products or patient-derived genomic DNA. In addition, 51 samples of natural infections from the Brazil were genotyped for all markers. The PCR-capillary electrophoresis-based method was used to permit direct comparisons among the markers. The criteria for differentiating minor peaks from artifacts were also evaluated. The analysis of DNA mixtures showed that the tandem repeat MN21 and the polymorphic blocks 2 (msp1B2) and 10 (msp1B10) of merozoite surface protein-1 allowed for the estimation of the expected ratio of both alleles in the majority of preparations. Nevertheless, msp1B2 was not able to detect the majority of multiple-clone infections in field samples; it identified only 6 % of these infections. The merozoite surface protein-3 alpha and microsatellites (PvMS6 and PvMS7) did not accurately estimate the relative clonal proportions in artificial mixtures, but the microsatellites performed well in detecting natural multiple-clone infections. Notably, the use of a less stringent criterion to score rare alleles significantly increased the sensitivity of the detection of multi-clonal infections. Depending on the type of marker used, a considerable amplification bias was observed, which may have serious implications for the characterization of the complexity of a P. vivax infection. Based on the performance of markers in artificial mixtures of DNA and natural infections, a minimum panel of four genetic markers (PvMS6, PvMS7, MN21, and msp1B10) was defined, and these markers are highly informative regarding the genetic variability of P. vivax populations.

Identifiability in N-mixture models: a large-scale screening test with bird data.

PubMed

Kéry, Marc

2018-02-01

Binomial N-mixture models have proven very useful in ecology, conservation, and monitoring: they allow estimation and modeling of abundance separately from detection probability using simple counts. Recently, doubts about parameter identifiability have been voiced. I conducted a large-scale screening test with 137 bird data sets from 2,037 sites. I found virtually no identifiability problems for Poisson and zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) binomial N-mixture models, but negative-binomial (NB) models had problems in 25% of all data sets. The corresponding multinomial N-mixture models had no problems. Parameter estimates under Poisson and ZIP binomial and multinomial N-mixture models were extremely similar. Identifiability problems became a little more frequent with smaller sample sizes (267 and 50 sites), but were unaffected by whether the models did or did not include covariates. Hence, binomial N-mixture model parameters with Poisson and ZIP mixtures typically appeared identifiable. In contrast, NB mixtures were often unidentifiable, which is worrying since these were often selected by Akaike's information criterion. Identifiability of binomial N-mixture models should always be checked. If problems are found, simpler models, integrated models that combine different observation models or the use of external information via informative priors or penalized likelihoods, may help. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Cumulative effects of anti-androgenic chemical mixtures and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Kembra L. Howdeshell and L. Earl Gray, Jr.Toxicological studies of defined chemical mixtures assist human health risk assessment by characterizing the joint action of chemicals. This presentation will review the effects of anti-androgenic chemical mixtures on reproductive tract development in rats with a special focus on the reproductive toxicant phthalates. Observed mixture data are compared to mathematical mixture model predictions to determine how the individual chemicals in a mixture interact (e.g., response addition – probabilities of response for each individual chemical are added; dose-addition – the doses of each individual chemical at a given mixture dose are combined together based on the relative potency of the individual chemicals). Phthalate mixtures are observed to act in a dose-additive manner based on the relative potency of the individual phthalates to suppress fetal testosterone production. Similar dose-additive effects have been reported for mixtures of phthalates with anti-androgenic pesticides of differing mechanisms. Data from these phthalate experiments in rats can be used in conjunction with human biomonitoring data to determine individual hazard ratios. Furthermore, data from the toxicological studies can inform the analysis of human biomonitoring data on the association of detected chemicals and their metabolites with measured health outcomes. Data from phthalate experiments in rats can be used in conjunction with human biomonit

Realized Volatility Analysis in A Spin Model of Financial Markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takaishi, Tetsuya

We calculate the realized volatility of returns in the spin model of financial markets and examine the returns standardized by the realized volatility. We find that moments of the standardized returns agree with the theoretical values of standard normal variables. This is the first evidence that the return distributions of the spin financial markets are consistent with a finite-variance of mixture of normal distributions that is also observed empirically in real financial markets.

Chemical-agnostic hazard prediction: statistical inference of in ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Toxicity pathways have been defined as normal cellular pathways that, when sufficiently perturbed as a consequence of chemical exposure, lead to an adverse outcome. If an exposure alters one or more normal biological pathways to an extent that leads to an adverse toxicity outcome, a significant correlation must exist between the exposure, the extent of pathway alteration, and the degree of adverse outcome. Biological pathways are regulated at multiple levels, including transcriptional, post-transcriptional, post-translational, and targeted degradation, each of which can affect the levels and extents of modification of proteins involved in the pathways. Significant alterations of toxicity pathways resulting from changes in regulation at any of these levels therefore are likely to be detectable as alterations in the proteome. We hypothesize that significant correlations between exposures, adverse outcomes, and changes in the proteome have the potential to identify putative toxicity pathways, facilitating selection of candidate targets for high throughput screening, even in the absence of a priori knowledge of either the specific pathways involved or the specific agents inducing the pathway alterations. We explored this hypothesis in vitro in BEAS-2B human airway epithelial cells exposed to different concentrations of Ni2+, Cd2+, and Cr6+, alone and in defined mixtures. Levels and phosphorylation status of a variety of signaling pathway proteins and cytokines were

Application of next generation sequencing toward sensitive detection of enteric viruses isolated from celery samples as an example of produce.

PubMed

Yang, Zhihui; Mammel, Mark; Papafragkou, Efstathia; Hida, Kaoru; Elkins, Christopher A; Kulka, Michael

2017-11-16

Next generation sequencing (NGS) holds promise as a single application for both detection and sequence identification of foodborne viruses; however, technical challenges remain due to anticipated low quantities of virus in contaminated food. In this study, with a focus on data analysis using several bioinformatics tools, we applied NGS toward amplification-independent detection and identification of norovirus at low copy (<10 3 copies) or within multiple strains from produce. Celery samples were inoculated with human norovirus (stool suspension) either as a single norovirus strain, a mixture of strains (GII.4 and GII.6), or a mixture of different species (hepatitis A virus and norovirus). Viral RNA isolation and recovery was confirmed by RT-qPCR, and optimized for library generation and sequencing without amplification using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Extracts containing either a single virus or a two-virus mixture were analyzed using two different analytic approaches to achieve virus detection and identification. First an overall assessment of viral genome coverage for samples varying in copy numbers (1.1×10 3 to 1.7×10 7 ) and genomic content (single or multiple strains in various ratios) was completed by reference-guided mapping. Not unexpectedly, this targeted approach to identification was successful in correctly mapping reads, thus identifying each virus contained in the inoculums even at low copy (estimated at 12 copies). For the second (metagenomic) approach, samples were treated as "unknowns" for data analyses using (i) a sequence-based alignment with a local database, (ii) an "in-house" k-mer tool, (iii) a commercially available metagenomics bioinformatic analysis platform cosmosID, and (iv) an open-source program Kraken. Of the four metagenomics tools applied in this study, only the local database alignment and in-house k-mer tool were successful in detecting norovirus (as well as HAV) at low copy (down to <10 3 copies) and within a mixture of virus strains or species. The results of this investigation provide support for continued investigation into the development and integration of these analytical tools for identification and detection of foodborne viruses. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Emerging contaminants in Belgian marine waters: single toxicant and mixture risks of pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Claessens, Michiel; Vanhaecke, Lynn; Wille, Klaas; Janssen, Colin R

2013-06-15

Knowledge on the effects of pharmaceuticals on aquatic marine ecosystems is limited. The aim of this study was therefore to establish the effect thresholds of pharmaceutical compounds occurring in the Belgian marine environment for the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and subsequently perform an environmental risk assessment for these substances. Additionally, a screening-level risk assessment was performed for the pharmaceutical mixtures. No immediate risk for acute toxic effects of these compounds on P. tricornutum were apparent at the concentrations observed in the Belgian marine environment. In two Belgian coastal harbours however, a potential chronic risk was observed for the β-blocker propranolol. No additional risks arising from the exposure to mixtures of pharmaceuticals present in the sampling area could be detected. However, as risk characterization ratios for mixtures of up to 0.5 were observed, mixture effects could emerge should more compounds be taken into account. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement Of Multiphase Flow Water Fraction And Water-cut

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Cheng-gang

2007-06-01

This paper describes a microwave transmission multiphase flow water-cut meter that measures the amplitude attenuation and phase shift across a pipe diameter at multiple frequencies using cavity-backed antennas. The multiphase flow mixture permittivity and conductivity are derived from a unified microwave transmission model for both water- and oil-continuous flows over a wide water-conductivity range; this is far beyond the capability of microwave-resonance-based sensors currently on the market. The water fraction and water cut are derived from a three-component gas-oil-water mixing model using the mixture permittivity or the mixture conductivity and an independently measured mixture density. Water salinity variations caused, for example, by changing formation water or formation/injection water breakthrough can be detected and corrected using an online water-conductivity tracking technique based on the interpretation of the mixture permittivity and conductivity, simultaneously measured by a single-modality microwave sensor.

Considerations for Bioassay Monitoring of Mixtures of Radionuclides

DOE PAGES

Klumpp, John; Waters, Tom; Bertelli, Luiz

2017-10-01

Complying with regulations for bioassay monitoring of radionuclide intakes is significantly more complex for mixtures than it is for pure radionuclides. Different constituents will naturally have different dose coefficients, be detectable at significantly different levels, and may require very different amounts of effort to bioassay. The ability to use certain constituents as surrogates for others will depend on how well characterized the mixture is, as well as whether the employee is also working with other radionuclides. This is further compounded by the fact that the composition of a mixture (or even of a pure radionuclide) is likely to change overmore » time. Internal dosimetrists must decide how best to monitor employees who work with radionuclide mixtures. In particular, they must decide which constituents should be monitored routinely, which constituents only need to be monitored in the case of an intake, and how to estimate doses based on intakes of monitored and unmonitored constituents.« less

Hepatic 3D spheroid models for the detection and study of compounds with cholestatic liability

PubMed Central

Hendriks, Delilah F. G.; Fredriksson Puigvert, Lisa; Messner, Simon; Mortiz, Wolfgang; Ingelman-Sundberg, Magnus

2016-01-01

Drug-induced cholestasis (DIC) is poorly understood and its preclinical prediction is mainly limited to assessing the compound’s potential to inhibit the bile salt export pump (BSEP). Here, we evaluated two 3D spheroid models, one from primary human hepatocytes (PHH) and one from HepaRG cells, for the detection of compounds with cholestatic liability. By repeatedly co-exposing both models to a set of compounds with different mechanisms of hepatotoxicity and a non-toxic concentrated bile acid (BA) mixture for 8 days we observed a selective synergistic toxicity of compounds known to cause cholestatic or mixed cholestatic/hepatocellular toxicity and the BA mixture compared to exposure to the compounds alone, a phenomenon that was more pronounced after extending the exposure time to 14 days. In contrast, no such synergism was observed after both 8 and 14 days of exposure to the BA mixture for compounds that cause non-cholestatic hepatotoxicity. Mechanisms behind the toxicity of the cholestatic compound chlorpromazine were accurately detected in both spheroid models, including intracellular BA accumulation, inhibition of ABCB11 expression and disruption of the F-actin cytoskeleton. Furthermore, the observed synergistic toxicity of chlorpromazine and BA was associated with increased oxidative stress and modulation of death receptor signalling. Combined, our results demonstrate that the hepatic spheroid models presented here can be used to detect and study compounds with cholestatic liability. PMID:27759057

A new efficient mixture screening design for optimization of media.

PubMed

Rispoli, Fred; Shah, Vishal

2009-01-01

Screening ingredients for the optimization of media is an important first step to reduce the many potential ingredients down to the vital few components. In this study, we propose a new method of screening for mixture experiments called the centroid screening design. Comparison of the proposed design with Plackett-Burman, fractional factorial, simplex lattice design, and modified mixture design shows that the centroid screening design is the most efficient of all the designs in terms of the small number of experimental runs needed and for detecting high-order interaction among ingredients. (c) 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009.

Light scattering in gas mixtures - Evidence of fast and slow sound modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clouter, M. J.; Luo, H.; Kiefte, H.; Zollweg, J. A.

1990-02-01

Campa and Cohen (1989) have predicted that dilute, binary mixtures of gases with disparate masses should exhibit a (fast) sound mode whose velocity is considerably greater than expected on the basis of conventional hydrodynamic theory, and which should be observable via light-scattering experiments. Effects that are consistent with this prediction were observed in the Brillouin spectra of the H2 + Ar system, but were not detected for the case of CH4 + SF6. Results for the SF6 + H2 mixture demonstrate the existence of an analogous slow-mode contribution to the spectrum.

Increasing selectivity for TNT-based explosive detection by synchronous luminescence and derivative spectroscopy with quantum yields of selected aromatic amines.

PubMed

Sheaff, Chrystal N; Eastwood, Delyle; Wai, Chien M

2007-01-01

The detection of explosive material is at the forefront of current analytical problems. A detection method is desired that is not restricted to detecting only explosive materials, but is also capable of identifying the origin and type of explosive. It is essential that a detection method have the selectivity to distinguish among compounds in a mixture of explosives. The nitro compounds found in explosives have low fluorescent yields or are considered to be non-fluorescent; however, after reduction, the amino compounds exhibit relatively high fluorescence. We discuss how to increase selectivity of explosive detection using fluorescence; this includes synchronous luminescence and derivative spectroscopy with appropriate smoothing. By implementing synchronous luminescence and derivative spectroscopy, we were able to resolve the reduction products of one major TNT-based explosive compound, 2,4-diaminotoluene, and the reduction products of other minor TNT-based explosives in a mixture. We also report for the first time the quantum yields of these important compounds. Relative quantum yields are useful in establishing relative fluorescence intensities and are an important spectroscopic measurement of molecules. Our approach allows for rapid, sensitive, and selective detection with the discrimination necessary to distinguish among various explosives.

Evaluation of Asphalt Mixture Low-Temperature Performance in Bending Beam Creep Test.

PubMed

Pszczola, Marek; Jaczewski, Mariusz; Rys, Dawid; Jaskula, Piotr; Szydlowski, Cezary

2018-01-10

Low-temperature cracking is one of the most common road pavement distress types in Poland. While bitumen performance can be evaluated in detail using bending beam rheometer (BBR) or dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests, none of the normalized test methods gives a comprehensive representation of low-temperature performance of the asphalt mixtures. This article presents the Bending Beam Creep test performed at temperatures from -20 °C to +10 °C in order to evaluate the low-temperature performance of asphalt mixtures. Both validation of the method and its utilization for the assessment of eight types of wearing courses commonly used in Poland were described. The performed test indicated that the source of bitumen and its production process (and not necessarily only bitumen penetration) had a significant impact on the low-temperature performance of the asphalt mixtures, comparable to the impact of binder modification (neat, polymer-modified, highly modified) and the aggregate skeleton used in the mixture (Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) vs. Asphalt Concrete (AC)). Obtained Bending Beam Creep test results were compared with the BBR bitumen test. Regression analysis confirmed that performing solely bitumen tests is insufficient for comprehensive low-temperature performance analysis.

Evaluation of Asphalt Mixture Low-Temperature Performance in Bending Beam Creep Test

PubMed Central

Rys, Dawid; Jaskula, Piotr; Szydlowski, Cezary

2018-01-01

Low-temperature cracking is one of the most common road pavement distress types in Poland. While bitumen performance can be evaluated in detail using bending beam rheometer (BBR) or dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests, none of the normalized test methods gives a comprehensive representation of low-temperature performance of the asphalt mixtures. This article presents the Bending Beam Creep test performed at temperatures from −20 °C to +10 °C in order to evaluate the low-temperature performance of asphalt mixtures. Both validation of the method and its utilization for the assessment of eight types of wearing courses commonly used in Poland were described. The performed test indicated that the source of bitumen and its production process (and not necessarily only bitumen penetration) had a significant impact on the low-temperature performance of the asphalt mixtures, comparable to the impact of binder modification (neat, polymer-modified, highly modified) and the aggregate skeleton used in the mixture (Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) vs. Asphalt Concrete (AC)). Obtained Bending Beam Creep test results were compared with the BBR bitumen test. Regression analysis confirmed that performing solely bitumen tests is insufficient for comprehensive low-temperature performance analysis. PMID:29320443

Halogenated peptides as internal standards (H-PINS): introduction of an MS-based internal standard set for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Mirzaei, Hamid; Brusniak, Mi-Youn; Mueller, Lukas N; Letarte, Simon; Watts, Julian D; Aebersold, Ruedi

2009-08-01

As the application for quantitative proteomics in the life sciences has grown in recent years, so has the need for more robust and generally applicable methods for quality control and calibration. The reliability of quantitative proteomics is tightly linked to the reproducibility and stability of the analytical platforms, which are typically multicomponent (e.g. sample preparation, multistep separations, and mass spectrometry) with individual components contributing unequally to the overall system reproducibility. Variations in quantitative accuracy are thus inevitable, and quality control and calibration become essential for the assessment of the quality of the analyses themselves. Toward this end, the use of internal standards cannot only assist in the detection and removal of outlier data acquired by an irreproducible system (quality control) but can also be used for detection of changes in instruments for their subsequent performance and calibration. Here we introduce a set of halogenated peptides as internal standards. The peptides are custom designed to have properties suitable for various quality control assessments, data calibration, and normalization processes. The unique isotope distribution of halogenated peptides makes their mass spectral detection easy and unambiguous when spiked into complex peptide mixtures. In addition, they were designed to elute sequentially over an entire aqueous to organic LC gradient and to have m/z values within the commonly scanned mass range (300-1800 Da). In a series of experiments in which these peptides were spiked into an enriched N-glycosite peptide fraction (i.e. from formerly N-glycosylated intact proteins in their deglycosylated form) isolated from human plasma, we show the utility and performance of these halogenated peptides for sample preparation and LC injection quality control as well as for retention time and mass calibration. Further use of the peptides for signal intensity normalization and retention time synchronization for selected reaction monitoring experiments is also demonstrated.

Halogenated Peptides as Internal Standards (H-PINS)

PubMed Central

Mirzaei, Hamid; Brusniak, Mi-Youn; Mueller, Lukas N.; Letarte, Simon; Watts, Julian D.; Aebersold, Ruedi

2009-01-01

As the application for quantitative proteomics in the life sciences has grown in recent years, so has the need for more robust and generally applicable methods for quality control and calibration. The reliability of quantitative proteomics is tightly linked to the reproducibility and stability of the analytical platforms, which are typically multicomponent (e.g. sample preparation, multistep separations, and mass spectrometry) with individual components contributing unequally to the overall system reproducibility. Variations in quantitative accuracy are thus inevitable, and quality control and calibration become essential for the assessment of the quality of the analyses themselves. Toward this end, the use of internal standards cannot only assist in the detection and removal of outlier data acquired by an irreproducible system (quality control) but can also be used for detection of changes in instruments for their subsequent performance and calibration. Here we introduce a set of halogenated peptides as internal standards. The peptides are custom designed to have properties suitable for various quality control assessments, data calibration, and normalization processes. The unique isotope distribution of halogenated peptides makes their mass spectral detection easy and unambiguous when spiked into complex peptide mixtures. In addition, they were designed to elute sequentially over an entire aqueous to organic LC gradient and to have m/z values within the commonly scanned mass range (300–1800 Da). In a series of experiments in which these peptides were spiked into an enriched N-glycosite peptide fraction (i.e. from formerly N-glycosylated intact proteins in their deglycosylated form) isolated from human plasma, we show the utility and performance of these halogenated peptides for sample preparation and LC injection quality control as well as for retention time and mass calibration. Further use of the peptides for signal intensity normalization and retention time synchronization for selected reaction monitoring experiments is also demonstrated. PMID:19411281

30 CFR 18.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... enough electrical or thermal energy to ignite a flammable mixture of the most easily ignitable composition. Intrinsically safe means incapable of releasing enough electrical or thermal energy under normal... portable cables may be connected to a source of electrical energy, and which contains a short-circuit...

COLLAPSE OF A FISH POPULATION FOLLOWING EXPOSURE TO A SYNTHETIC ESTROGEN

EPA Science Inventory

Municipal wastewaters are a complex mixture containing estrogens and estrogen mimics that are known to affect the reproductive health of wild fishes. Male fishes downstream of some wastewater outfalls produce vitellogenin (VTG) (a protein normally synthesized by females during oo...

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

Zhao, Xin -Yu; Bhagatwala, Ankit; Chen, Jacqueline H.

In this study, the modeling of mixing by molecular diffusion is a central aspect for transported probability density function (tPDF) methods. In this paper, the newly-proposed shadow position mixing model (SPMM) is examined, using a DNS database for a temporally evolving di-methyl ether slot jet flame. Two methods that invoke different levels of approximation are proposed to extract the shadow displacement (equivalent to shadow position) from the DNS database. An approach for a priori analysis of the mixing-model performance is developed. The shadow displacement is highly correlated with both mixture fraction and velocity, and the peak correlation coefficient of themore » shadow displacement and mixture fraction is higher than that of the shadow displacement and velocity. This suggests that the composition-space localness is reasonably well enforced by the model, with appropriate choices of model constants. The conditional diffusion of mixture fraction and major species from DNS and from SPMM are then compared, using mixing rates that are derived by matching the mixture fraction scalar dissipation rates. Good qualitative agreement is found, for the prediction of the locations of zero and maximum/minimum conditional diffusion locations for mixture fraction and individual species. Similar comparisons are performed for DNS and the IECM (interaction by exchange with the conditional mean) model. The agreement between SPMM and DNS is better than that between IECM and DNS, in terms of conditional diffusion iso-contour similarities and global normalized residual levels. It is found that a suitable value for the model constant c that controls the mixing frequency can be derived using the local normalized scalar variance, and that the model constant a controls the localness of the model. A higher-Reynolds-number test case is anticipated to be more appropriate to evaluate the mixing models, and stand-alone transported PDF simulations are required to more fully enforce localness and to assess model performance.« less

An a priori DNS study of the shadow-position mixing model

DOE PAGES

Zhao, Xin -Yu; Bhagatwala, Ankit; Chen, Jacqueline H.; ...

2016-01-15

In this study, the modeling of mixing by molecular diffusion is a central aspect for transported probability density function (tPDF) methods. In this paper, the newly-proposed shadow position mixing model (SPMM) is examined, using a DNS database for a temporally evolving di-methyl ether slot jet flame. Two methods that invoke different levels of approximation are proposed to extract the shadow displacement (equivalent to shadow position) from the DNS database. An approach for a priori analysis of the mixing-model performance is developed. The shadow displacement is highly correlated with both mixture fraction and velocity, and the peak correlation coefficient of themore » shadow displacement and mixture fraction is higher than that of the shadow displacement and velocity. This suggests that the composition-space localness is reasonably well enforced by the model, with appropriate choices of model constants. The conditional diffusion of mixture fraction and major species from DNS and from SPMM are then compared, using mixing rates that are derived by matching the mixture fraction scalar dissipation rates. Good qualitative agreement is found, for the prediction of the locations of zero and maximum/minimum conditional diffusion locations for mixture fraction and individual species. Similar comparisons are performed for DNS and the IECM (interaction by exchange with the conditional mean) model. The agreement between SPMM and DNS is better than that between IECM and DNS, in terms of conditional diffusion iso-contour similarities and global normalized residual levels. It is found that a suitable value for the model constant c that controls the mixing frequency can be derived using the local normalized scalar variance, and that the model constant a controls the localness of the model. A higher-Reynolds-number test case is anticipated to be more appropriate to evaluate the mixing models, and stand-alone transported PDF simulations are required to more fully enforce localness and to assess model performance.« less

Comparative performance of conventional OPC concrete and HPC designed by densified mixture design algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huynh, Trong-Phuoc; Hwang, Chao-Lung; Yang, Shu-Ti

2017-12-01

This experimental study evaluated the performance of normal ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete and high-performance concrete (HPC) that were designed by the conventional method (ACI) and densified mixture design algorithm (DMDA) method, respectively. Engineering properties and durability performance of both the OPC and HPC samples were studied using the tests of workability, compressive strength, water absorption, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and electrical surface resistivity. Test results show that the HPC performed good fresh property and further showed better performance in terms of strength and durability as compared to the OPC.

[Phospholipids under combined ozone-oxygen administration].

PubMed

Müller-Tyl, E; Hernuss, P; Salzer, H; Reisinger, L; Washüttl, J; Wurst, F

1975-01-01

The parenterally application of oxygen-ozone gas mixture gives good resultats in the treatment of various deseases. Ozone seems to influence the metabolic process of fat, so it was of interest to analyse this influence especially to phospholipids. 40 women with gynaecological cancer got 10 ml oxygen-ozone gas mixture with a content of 450 gamma ozone into the cubital vene. Venous blood was removed before and 10 minutes after application and the level of lecithin, lysolecithin, cephalin and spingomyelin was determined by the method of Randerath. A decrease of all four substances was obvious, although all values remained in normal range.

Hydrogen-Helium shock Radiation tests for Saturn Entry Probes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cruden, Brett A.

2016-01-01

This paper describes the measurement of shock layer radiation in Hydrogen/Helium mixtures representative of that encountered by probes entering the Saturn atmosphere. Normal shock waves are measured in Hydrogen-Helium mixtures (89:11% by volume) at freestream pressures between 13-66 Pa (0.1-0.5 Torr) and velocities from 20-30 km/s. Radiance is quantified from the Vacuum Ultraviolet through Near Infrared. An induction time of several centimeters is observed where electron density and radiance remain well below equilibrium. Radiance is observed in front of the shock layer, the characteristics of which match the expected diffusion length of Hydrogen.

The CLASSY clustering algorithm: Description, evaluation, and comparison with the iterative self-organizing clustering system (ISOCLS). [used for LACIE data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lennington, R. K.; Malek, H.

1978-01-01

A clustering method, CLASSY, was developed, which alternates maximum likelihood iteration with a procedure for splitting, combining, and eliminating the resulting statistics. The method maximizes the fit of a mixture of normal distributions to the observed first through fourth central moments of the data and produces an estimate of the proportions, means, and covariances in this mixture. The mathematical model which is the basic for CLASSY and the actual operation of the algorithm is described. Data comparing the performances of CLASSY and ISOCLS on simulated and actual LACIE data are presented.

Applying six classifiers to airborne hyperspectral imagery for detecting giant reed

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study evaluated and compared six different image classifiers, including minimum distance (MD), Mahalanobis distance (MAHD), maximum likelihood (ML), spectral angle mapper (SAM), mixture tuned matched filtering (MTMF) and support vector machine (SVM), for detecting and mapping giant reed (Arundo...

Development and Use of an Internal Positive Control for Detection of Bordetella pertussis by PCR

PubMed Central

Herwegh, Stéphanie; Carnoy, Christophe; Wallet, Frédéric; Loïez, Caroline; Courcol, René J.

2005-01-01

An internal control of amplification was constructed by recombinant PCR to detect PCR inhibitors. This exogenous DNA was included in the reaction mixture and coamplified with the target gene. This detection was successfully applied to the diagnosis of whooping cough by amplification of a fragment of Bordetella pertussis IS481. PMID:15872283

Target-specific NMR detection of protein-ligand interactions with antibody-relayed 15N-group selective STD.

PubMed

Hetényi, Anasztázia; Hegedűs, Zsófia; Fajka-Boja, Roberta; Monostori, Éva; Kövér, Katalin E; Martinek, Tamás A

2016-12-01

Fragment-based drug design has been successfully applied to challenging targets where the detection of the weak protein-ligand interactions is a key element. 1 H saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR spectroscopy is a powerful technique for this work but it requires pure homogeneous proteins as targets. Monoclonal antibody (mAb)-relayed 15 N-GS STD spectroscopy has been developed to resolve the problem of protein mixtures and impure proteins. A 15 N-labelled target-specific mAb is selectively irradiated and the saturation is relayed through the target to the ligand. Tests on the anti-Gal-1 mAb/Gal-1/lactose system showed that the approach is experimentally feasible in a reasonable time frame. This method allows detection and identification of binding molecules directly from a protein mixture in a multicomponent system.

Devices, systems, and methods for conducting assays with improved sensitivity using sedimentation

DOEpatents

Schaff, Ulrich Y.; Koh, Chung-Yan; Sommer, Gregory J.

2016-04-05

Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward devices, systems, and method for conducting assays using sedimentation. In one example, a method includes layering a mixture on a density medium, subjecting sedimentation particles in the mixture to sedimentation forces to cause the sedimentation particles to move to a detection area through a density medium, and detecting a target analyte in a detection region of the sedimentation channel. In some examples, the sedimentation particles and labeling agent may have like charges to reduce non-specific binding of labeling agent and sedimentation particles. In some examples, the density medium is provided with a separation layer for stabilizing the assay during storage and operation. In some examples, the sedimentation channel may be provided with a generally flat sedimentation chamber for dispersing the particle pellet over a larger surface area.

Devices, systems, and methods for conducting assays with improved sensitivity using sedimentation

DOEpatents

Schaff, Ulrich Y; Koh, Chung-Yan; Sommer, Gregory J

2015-02-24

Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward devices, systems, and method for conducting assays using sedimentation. In one example, a method includes layering a mixture on a density medium, subjecting sedimentation particles in the mixture to sedimentation forces to cause the sedimentation particles to move to a detection area through a density medium, and detecting a target analyte in a detection region of the sedimentation channel. In some examples, the sedimentation particles and labeling agent may have like charges to reduce non-specific binding of labeling agent and sedimentation particles. In some examples, the density medium is provided with a separation layer for stabilizing the assay during storage and operation. In some examples, the sedimentation channel may be provided with a generally flat sedimentation chamber for dispersing the particle pellet over a larger surface area.

Statistical Traffic Anomaly Detection in Time-Varying Communication Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

methods perform better than their vanilla counterparts, which assume that normal traffic is stationary. Statistical Traffic Anomaly Detection in Time...our methods perform better than their vanilla counterparts, which assume that normal traffic is stationary. Index Terms—Statistical anomaly detection...anomaly detection but also for understanding the normal traffic in time-varying networks. C. Comparison with vanilla stochastic methods For both types

Statistical Traffic Anomaly Detection in Time Varying Communication Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

methods perform better than their vanilla counterparts, which assume that normal traffic is stationary. Statistical Traffic Anomaly Detection in Time...our methods perform better than their vanilla counterparts, which assume that normal traffic is stationary. Index Terms—Statistical anomaly detection...anomaly detection but also for understanding the normal traffic in time-varying networks. C. Comparison with vanilla stochastic methods For both types

Future water quality monitoring--adapting tools to deal with mixtures of pollutants in water resource management.

PubMed

Altenburger, Rolf; Ait-Aissa, Selim; Antczak, Philipp; Backhaus, Thomas; Barceló, Damià; Seiler, Thomas-Benjamin; Brion, Francois; Busch, Wibke; Chipman, Kevin; de Alda, Miren López; de Aragão Umbuzeiro, Gisela; Escher, Beate I; Falciani, Francesco; Faust, Michael; Focks, Andreas; Hilscherova, Klara; Hollender, Juliane; Hollert, Henner; Jäger, Felix; Jahnke, Annika; Kortenkamp, Andreas; Krauss, Martin; Lemkine, Gregory F; Munthe, John; Neumann, Steffen; Schymanski, Emma L; Scrimshaw, Mark; Segner, Helmut; Slobodnik, Jaroslav; Smedes, Foppe; Kughathas, Subramaniam; Teodorovic, Ivana; Tindall, Andrew J; Tollefsen, Knut Erik; Walz, Karl-Heinz; Williams, Tim D; Van den Brink, Paul J; van Gils, Jos; Vrana, Branislav; Zhang, Xiaowei; Brack, Werner

2015-04-15

Environmental quality monitoring of water resources is challenged with providing the basis for safeguarding the environment against adverse biological effects of anthropogenic chemical contamination from diffuse and point sources. While current regulatory efforts focus on monitoring and assessing a few legacy chemicals, many more anthropogenic chemicals can be detected simultaneously in our aquatic resources. However, exposure to chemical mixtures does not necessarily translate into adverse biological effects nor clearly shows whether mitigation measures are needed. Thus, the question which mixtures are present and which have associated combined effects becomes central for defining adequate monitoring and assessment strategies. Here we describe the vision of the international, EU-funded project SOLUTIONS, where three routes are explored to link the occurrence of chemical mixtures at specific sites to the assessment of adverse biological combination effects. First of all, multi-residue target and non-target screening techniques covering a broader range of anticipated chemicals co-occurring in the environment are being developed. By improving sensitivity and detection limits for known bioactive compounds of concern, new analytical chemistry data for multiple components can be obtained and used to characterise priority mixtures. This information on chemical occurrence will be used to predict mixture toxicity and to derive combined effect estimates suitable for advancing environmental quality standards. Secondly, bioanalytical tools will be explored to provide aggregate bioactivity measures integrating all components that produce common (adverse) outcomes even for mixtures of varying compositions. The ambition is to provide comprehensive arrays of effect-based tools and trait-based field observations that link multiple chemical exposures to various environmental protection goals more directly and to provide improved in situ observations for impact assessment of mixtures. Thirdly, effect-directed analysis (EDA) will be applied to identify major drivers of mixture toxicity. Refinements of EDA include the use of statistical approaches with monitoring information for guidance of experimental EDA studies. These three approaches will be explored using case studies at the Danube and Rhine river basins as well as rivers of the Iberian Peninsula. The synthesis of findings will be organised to provide guidance for future solution-oriented environmental monitoring and explore more systematic ways to assess mixture exposures and combination effects in future water quality monitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A preliminary evaluation of immune stimulation following exposure to metal particles and ions using the mouse popliteal lymph node assay

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

Tvermoes, Brooke E., E-mail: brooke.tvermoes@cardn

The objective of this preliminary study was to evaluate the threshold for immune stimulation in mice following local exposure to metal particles and ions representative of normal-functioning cobalt-chromium (CoCr) metal-on-metal (MoM) hip implants. The popliteal lymph node assay (PLNA) was used in this study to assess immune responses in BALB/c mice following treatment with chromium-oxide (Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3}) particles, metal salts (CoCl{sub 2}, CrCl{sub 3} and NiCl{sub 2}), or Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles together with metal salts using single-dose exposures representing approximately 10 days (0.000114 mg), 19 years (0.0800 mg), and 40 years (0.171 mg) of normal implant wear. Themore » immune response elicited following treatment with Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles together with metal salts was also assessed at four additional doses equivalent to approximately 1.5 months (0.0005 mg), 0.6 years (0.0025 mg), 2.3 years (0.01 mg), and 9.3 years (0.04 mg) of normal implant wear. Mice were injected subcutaneously (50 μL) into the right hind foot with the test article, or with the relevant vehicle control. The proliferative response of the draining lymph node cells (LNC) was measured four days after treatment, and stimulation indices (SI) were derived relative to vehicle controls. The PLNA was negative (SI < 3) for all Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} particle doses, and was also negative at the lowest dose of the metal salt mixture, and the lowest four doses of the Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles with metal salt mixture. The PLNA was positive (SI > 3) at the highest two doses of the metal salt mixture and the highest three doses of the Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles with the metal salt mixture. The provisional NOAEL and LOAEL values identified in this study for immune activation corresponds to Co and Cr concentrations in the synovial fluid approximately 500 and 2000 times higher than that reported for normal-functioning MoM hip implants, respectively. Overall, these results indicate that normal wear conditions are unlikely to result in immune stimulation in individuals not previously sensitized to metals. - Highlights: • Immune responses in mice were assessed following treatment with Cr2O3 particles with metal salts. • The PLNA was negative (SI < 3) for all Cr2O3 particle doses. • A LOAEL for immune activation was identified at 0.04 mg of metal particles with metal salts. • A NOAEL for immune activation was identified at 0.01 mg of metal particles with metal salts.« less

NTP technical report on the toxicity studies of Pesticide/Fertilizer Mixtures Administered in Drinking Water to F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice.

PubMed

Yang, R.

1993-08-01

Toxicity studies were performed with pesticide and fertilizer mixtures representative of groundwater contamination found in California and Iowa. The California mixture was composed of aldicarb, atrazine, 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, 1,2- dichloropropane, ethylene dibromide, simazine, and ammonium nitrate. The Iowa mixture contained alachlor, atrazine, cyanazine, metolachlor, metribuzin, and ammonium nitrate. The mixtures were administered in drinking water (with 512 ppm propylene glycol) to F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice of each sex at concentrations ranging from 0.1x to 100x, where 1x represented the median concentrations of the individual chemicals found in studies of groundwater contamination from normal agricultural activities. This report focuses primarily on 26-week toxicity studies describing histopathology, clinical pathology, neurobehavior/neuropathology, and reproductive system effects. The genetic toxicity of the mixtures was assessed by determining the frequency of micronuclei in peripheral blood of mice and evaluating micronuclei and sister chromatid exchanges in splenocytes from female mice and male rats. Additional studies with these mixtures that are briefly reviewed in this report include teratology studies with Sprague-Dawley rats and continuous breeding studies with CD-1 Swiss mice. In 26-week drinking water studies of the California and the Iowa mixtures, all rats (10 per sex and group) survived to the end of the studies, and there were no significant effects on body weight gains. Water consumption was not affected by the pesticide/fertilizer contaminants, and there were no clinical signs of toxicity or neurobehavioral effects as measured by a functional observational battery, motor activity evaluations, thermal sensitivity evaluations, and startle response. There were no clear adverse effects noted in clinical pathology (including serum cholinesterase activity), organ weight, reproductive system, or histopathologic evaluations, although absolute and relative liver weights were marginally increased with increasing exposure concentration in both male and female rats consuming the Iowa mixture. In 26-week drinking water studies in mice, one male receiving the California mixture at 100x died during the study, and one control female and one female in the 100x group in the Iowa mixture study also died early. It could not be determined if the death of either of the mice in the 100x groups was related to consumption of the pesticide/fertilizer mixtures. Water consumption and body weight gains were not affected in these studies, and no signs of toxicity were noted in clinical observations or in neurobehavioral assessments. No clear adverse effects were noted in clinical pathology, reproductive system, organ weight, or histopathologic evaluations of exposed mice. The pesticide/fertilizer mixtures, when tested over a concentration range similar to that used in the 26-week studies, were found to have no effects in teratology studies or in a continuous breeding assay examining reproductive and developmental toxicity. The California and Iowa pesticide mixtures were tested for induction of micronuclei in peripheral blood erythrocytes of female mice. Results of tests with the California mixture were negative. Significant increases in micronucleated normochromatic erythrocytes were seen at the two-highest concentrations (10x and 100x) of the Iowa mixture, but the increases were within the normal range of micronuclei in historical control animals. Splenocytes of male rats and female mice exposed to these mixtures were examined for micronucleus and sister chromatid exchange frequencies. Sister chromatid exchange frequencies were marginally increased in rats and mice receiving the California mixture, but neither species exhibited increased frequencies of micronucleated splenocytes. None of these changes were considered to have biological importance. In summary, studies of potential toxicity associated with the consumption of mixtures of pesticides and a fertilizer representative of groundwater contamination in agriculturative of groundwater contamination in agricultural areas of Iowa and California failed to demonstrate any significant adverse effects in rats or mice receiving the mixtures in drinking water at concentrations as high as 100 times the median concentrations of the individual chemicals determined by groundwater surveys. NOTE: These studies were supported in part by funds from the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act trust fund (Superfund) by an interagency agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, U.S. Public Health Service.

Healing effect of sea buckthorn, olive oil, and their mixture on full-thickness burn wounds.

PubMed

Edraki, Mitra; Akbarzadeh, Armin; Hosseinzadeh, Massood; Tanideh, Nader; Salehi, Alireza; Koohi-Hosseinabadi, Omid

2014-07-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the healing effect of silver sulfadiazine (SSD), sea buckthorn, olive oil, and 5% sea buckthorn and olive oil mixture on full-thickness burn wounds with respect to both gross and histopathologic features. Full-thickness burns were induced on 60 rats; the rats were then were divided into 5 groups and treated with sea buckthorn, olive oil, a 5% sea buckthorn/olive oil mixture, SSD, and normal saline (control). They were observed for 28 days, and the wounds' healing process was evaluated. Wound contraction occurred faster in sea buckthorn, olive oil, and the sea buckthorn/olive oil mixture groups compared with the SSD and control groups. The volume of the exudates was controlled more effectively in wounds treated with the sea buckthorn/olive oil mixture. Purulent exudates were observed in the control group, but the others did not show infection. The group treated with sea buckthorn/olive oil mixture revealed more developed re-epithelialization with continuous basement membrane with a mature granulation tissue, whereas the SSD-treated group showed ulceration, necrosis, and immature granulation. The results show that sea buckthorn and olive oil individually are proper dressing for burn wounds and that they also show a synergetic effect when they are used together. A sea buckthorn and olive oil mixture could be considered as an alternative dressing for full-thickness burns because of improved wound healing characteristics and antibacterial property.

Effects of Kapton Sample Cell Windows on the Detection Limit of Smectite: Implications for CheMin on the Mars Science Laboratory Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Achilles, C. N.; Ming, Douglas W.; Morris, R. V.; Blake, D. F.

2012-01-01

The CheMin instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity is an X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument capable of providing the mineralogical and chemical compositions of rocks and soils on the surface of Mars. CheMin uses a microfocus X-ray tube with a Co target, transmission geometry, and an energy-discriminating X-ray sensitive CCD to produce simultaneous 2-D XRD patterns and energy-dispersive X-ray histograms from powdered samples. CheMin has two different window materials used for sample cells -- Mylar and Kapton. Instrument details are provided elsewhere. Fe/Mg-smectite (e.g., nontronite) has been identified in Gale Crater, the MSL future landing site, by CRISM spectra. While large quantities of phyllosilicate minerals will be easily detected by CheMin, it is important to establish detection limits of such phases to understand capabilities and limitations of the instrument. A previous study indicated that the (001) peak of smectite at 15 Ang was detectable in a mixture of 1 wt.% smectite with olivine when Mylar is the window material for the sample cell. Complications arise when Kapton is the window material because Kapton itself also has a diffraction peak near 15 Ang (6.8 deg 2 Theta). This study presents results of mineral mixtures of smectite and olivine to determine smectite detection limits for Kapton sample cells. Because the intensity and position of the smectite (001) peak depends on the hydration state, we also analyzed mixtures with "hydrated" and "dehydrated"h smectite to examine the effects of hydration state on detection limits.

Thermal Signature Measurements for Ammonium Nitrate/Fuel Mixtures by Laser Heating.

PubMed

Nazarian, Ashot; Presser, Cary

2016-01-10

Measurements were carried out to obtain thermal signatures of several ammonium nitrate/fuel (ANF) mixtures, using a laser-heating technique referred to as the laser-driven thermal reactor (LDTR). The mixtures were ammonium nitrate (AN)/kerosene, AN/ethylene glycol, AN/paraffin wax, AN/petroleum jelly, AN/confectioner's sugar, AN/cellulose (tissue paper), nitromethane/cellulose, nitrobenzene/cellulose, AN/cellulose/nitromethane, AN/cellulose/nitrobenzene. These mixtures were also compared with AN/nitromethane and AN/diesel fuel oil, obtained from an earlier investigation. Thermograms for the mixtures, as well as individual constituents, were compared to better understand how the sample thermal signature changes with mixture composition. This is the first step in development of a thermal-signature database, to be used along with other signature databases, to improve identification of energetic substances of unknown composition. The results indicated that each individual thermal signature was associated unambiguously with a particular mixture composition. The signature features of a particular mixture were shaped by the individual constituent signatures. It was also uncovered that the baseline signature was modified after an experiment due to coating of unreacted residue on the substrate surface and a change in the reactor sphere oxide layer. Thus, care was required to pre-oxidize the sphere prior to an experiment. A minimum sample mass (which was dependent on composition) was required to detect the signature characteristics. Increased laser power served to magnify signal strength while preserving the signature features. For the mixtures examined, the thermal response of each ANF mixture was found to be different, which was based on the mixture composition and the thermal behavior of each mixture constituent.

Biodegradation of chloro- and bromobenzoic acids: effect of milieu conditions and microbial community analysis.

PubMed

Gaza, Sarah; Felgner, Annika; Otto, Johannes; Kushmaro, Ariel; Ben-Dov, Eitan; Tiehm, Andreas

2015-04-28

Monohalogenated benzoic acids often appear in industrial wastewaters where biodegradation can be hampered by complex mixtures of pollutants and prevailing extreme milieu conditions. In this study, the biodegradation of chlorinated and brominated benzoic acids was conducted at a pH range of 5.0-9.0, at elevated salt concentrations and with pollutant mixtures including fluorinated and iodinated compounds. In mixtures of the isomers, the degradation order was primarily 4-substituted followed by 3-substituted and then 2-substituted halogenated benzoic acids. If the pH and salt concentration were altered simultaneously, long adaptation periods were required. Community analyses were conducted in liquid batch cultures and after immobilization on sand columns. The Alphaproteobacteria represented an important fraction in all of the enrichment cultures. On the genus level, Afipia sp. was detected most frequently. In particular, Bacteroidetes were detected in high numbers with chlorinated benzoic acids. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigating the response of Micromegas detector to low-energy neutrons using Monte Carlo simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khezripour, S.; Negarestani, A.; Rezaie, M. R.

2017-08-01

Micromegas detector has recently been used for high-energy neutron (HEN) detection, but the aim of this research is to investigate the response of the Micromegas detector to low-energy neutron (LEN). For this purpose, a Micromegas detector (with air, P10, BF3, 3He and Ar/BF3 mixture) was optimized for the detection of 60 keV neutrons using the MCNP (Monte Carlo N Particle) code. The simulation results show that the optimum thickness of the cathode is 1 mm and the optimum of microgrid location is 100 μm above the anode. The output current of this detector for Ar (3%) + BF3 (97%) mixture is greater than the other ones. This mixture is considered as the appropriate gas for the Micromegas neutron detector providing the output current for 60 keV neutrons at the level of 97.8 nA per neutron. Consecuently, this detector can be introduced as LEN detector.

Mixture models for detecting differentially expressed genes in microarrays.

PubMed

Jones, Liat Ben-Tovim; Bean, Richard; McLachlan, Geoffrey J; Zhu, Justin Xi

2006-10-01

An important and common problem in microarray experiments is the detection of genes that are differentially expressed in a given number of classes. As this problem concerns the selection of significant genes from a large pool of candidate genes, it needs to be carried out within the framework of multiple hypothesis testing. In this paper, we focus on the use of mixture models to handle the multiplicity issue. With this approach, a measure of the local FDR (false discovery rate) is provided for each gene. An attractive feature of the mixture model approach is that it provides a framework for the estimation of the prior probability that a gene is not differentially expressed, and this probability can subsequently be used in forming a decision rule. The rule can also be formed to take the false negative rate into account. We apply this approach to a well-known publicly available data set on breast cancer, and discuss our findings with reference to other approaches.

Neurotoxicological and statistical analyses of a mixture of five organophosphorus pesticides using a ray design.

PubMed

Moser, V C; Casey, M; Hamm, A; Carter, W H; Simmons, J E; Gennings, C

2005-07-01

Environmental exposures generally involve chemical mixtures instead of single chemicals. Statistical models such as the fixed-ratio ray design, wherein the mixing ratio (proportions) of the chemicals is fixed across increasing mixture doses, allows for the detection and characterization of interactions among the chemicals. In this study, we tested for interaction(s) in a mixture of five organophosphorus (OP) pesticides (chlorpyrifos, diazinon, dimethoate, acephate, and malathion). The ratio of the five pesticides (full ray) reflected the relative dietary exposure estimates of the general population as projected by the US EPA Dietary Exposure Evaluation Model (DEEM). A second mixture was tested using the same dose levels of all pesticides, but excluding malathion (reduced ray). The experimental approach first required characterization of dose-response curves for the individual OPs to build a dose-additivity model. A series of behavioral measures were evaluated in adult male Long-Evans rats at the time of peak effect following a single oral dose, and then tissues were collected for measurement of cholinesterase (ChE) activity. Neurochemical (blood and brain cholinesterase [ChE] activity) and behavioral (motor activity, gait score, tail-pinch response score) endpoints were evaluated statistically for evidence of additivity. The additivity model constructed from the single chemical data was used to predict the effects of the pesticide mixture along the full ray (10-450 mg/kg) and the reduced ray (1.75-78.8 mg/kg). The experimental mixture data were also modeled and statistically compared to the additivity models. Analysis of the 5-OP mixture (the full ray) revealed significant deviation from additivity for all endpoints except tail-pinch response. Greater-than-additive responses (synergism) were observed at the lower doses of the 5-OP mixture, which contained non-effective dose levels of each of the components. The predicted effective doses (ED20, ED50) were about half that predicted by additivity, and for brain ChE and motor activity, there was a threshold shift in the dose-response curves. For the brain ChE and motor activity, there was no difference between the full (5-OP mixture) and reduced (4-OP mixture) rays, indicating that malathion did not influence the non-additivity. While the reduced ray for blood ChE showed greater deviation from additivity without malathion in the mixture, the non-additivity observed for the gait score was reversed when malathion was removed. Thus, greater-than-additive interactions were detected for both the full and reduced ray mixtures, and the role of malathion in the interactions varied depending on the endpoint. In all cases, the deviations from additivity occurred at the lower end of the dose-response curves.

Guidelines for determining the capacity of d-regions with premature concrete deterioration of ASR/DEF.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-11-01

When a bridge engineer encounters a design or analysis problem concerning a bridge substructure, that structure will commonly have a mixture of member types, some slender, and some squat. Slender members are generally governed by flexure, and normal ...

Variable Screening for Cluster Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donoghue, John R.

Inclusion of irrelevant variables in a cluster analysis adversely affects subgroup recovery. This paper examines using moment-based statistics to screen variables; only variables that pass the screening are then used in clustering. Normal mixtures are analytically shown often to possess negative kurtosis. Two related measures, "m" and…

Four Common Pesticides, Their Mixtures and a Formulation Solvent in the Hive Environment Have High Oral Toxicity to Honey Bee Larvae

PubMed Central

Zhu, Wanyi; Schmehl, Daniel R.; Mullin, Christopher A.; Frazier, James L.

2014-01-01

Recently, the widespread distribution of pesticides detected in the hive has raised serious concerns about pesticide exposure on honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) health. A larval rearing method was adapted to assess the chronic oral toxicity to honey bee larvae of the four most common pesticides detected in pollen and wax - fluvalinate, coumaphos, chlorothalonil, and chloropyrifos - tested alone and in all combinations. All pesticides at hive-residue levels triggered a significant increase in larval mortality compared to untreated larvae by over two fold, with a strong increase after 3 days of exposure. Among these four pesticides, honey bee larvae were most sensitive to chlorothalonil compared to adults. Synergistic toxicity was observed in the binary mixture of chlorothalonil with fluvalinate at the concentrations of 34 mg/L and 3 mg/L, respectively; whereas, when diluted by 10 fold, the interaction switched to antagonism. Chlorothalonil at 34 mg/L was also found to synergize the miticide coumaphos at 8 mg/L. The addition of coumaphos significantly reduced the toxicity of the fluvalinate and chlorothalonil mixture, the only significant non-additive effect in all tested ternary mixtures. We also tested the common ‘inert’ ingredient N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone at seven concentrations, and documented its high toxicity to larval bees. We have shown that chronic dietary exposure to a fungicide, pesticide mixtures, and a formulation solvent have the potential to impact honey bee populations, and warrants further investigation. We suggest that pesticide mixtures in pollen be evaluated by adding their toxicities together, until complete data on interactions can be accumulated. PMID:24416121

Genotoxic potential of the binary mixture of cyanotoxins microcystin-LR and cylindrospermopsin.

PubMed

Hercog, Klara; Maisanaba, Sara; Filipič, Metka; Jos, Ángeles; Cameán, Ana M; Žegura, Bojana

2017-12-01

Increased eutrophication of water bodies promotes cyanobacterial blooming that is hazardous due to the production of various bioactive compounds. Microcystin-LR (MCLR) is among the most widespread cyanotoxins classified as possible human carcinogen, while cylindrospermopsin (CYN) has only recently been recognized as health concern. Both cyanotoxins are genotoxic; however, the mechanisms of their action differ. They are ubiquitously present in water environment and are often detected together. Therefore, we studied genotoxic potential of the binary mixture of these cyanotoxins. Human hepatoma cells (HepG2) were exposed to a single dose of MCLR (1 μg/mL), graded doses of CYN (0.01-0.5 μg/mL), and their combinations. Comet and Cytokinesis block micronucleus assays were used to detect induction of DNA strand breaks (sb) and genomic instability, respectively, along with the transcriptional analyses of the expression of selected genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism, immediate/early cell response and DNA-damage response. MCLR induced DNA sb that were only transiently present after 4 h exposure, whereas CYN, after 24 h exposure, induced DNA sb and genomic instability. The MCLR/CYN mixture induced DNA sb after 24 h exposure, but to lesser extent as CYN alone. On the other hand, induction of genomic instability by the MCLR/CYN mixture was comparable to that induced by CYN alone. In addition, patterns of changes in the expression of selected genes induced by the MCLR/CYN mixture were not significantly different from those induced by CYN alone. Our results indicate that CYN exerts higher genotoxic potential than MCLR and that genotoxic potential of the MCLR/CYN mixture is comparable to that of CYN alone. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Power of tests of normality for detecting contaminated normal samples

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

Thode, H.C. Jr.; Smith, L.A.; Finch, S.J.

1981-01-01

Seventeen tests of normality or goodness of fit were evaluated for power at detecting a contaminated normal sample. This study used 1000 replications each of samples of size 12, 17, 25, 33, 50, and 100 from six different contaminated normal distributions. The kurtosis test was the most powerful over all sample sizes and contaminations. The Hogg and weighted Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests were second. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov, chi-squared, Anderson-Darling, and Cramer-von-Mises tests had very low power at detecting contaminated normal random variables. Tables of the power of the tests and the power curves of certain tests are given.

The potential for chemical mixtures from the environment to enable the cancer hallmark of sustained proliferative signalling.

PubMed

Engström, Wilhelm; Darbre, Philippa; Eriksson, Staffan; Gulliver, Linda; Hultman, Tove; Karamouzis, Michalis V; Klaunig, James E; Mehta, Rekha; Moorwood, Kim; Sanderson, Thomas; Sone, Hideko; Vadgama, Pankaj; Wagemaker, Gerard; Ward, Andrew; Singh, Neetu; Al-Mulla, Fahd; Al-Temaimi, Rabeah; Amedei, Amedeo; Colacci, Anna Maria; Vaccari, Monica; Mondello, Chiara; Scovassi, A Ivana; Raju, Jayadev; Hamid, Roslida A; Memeo, Lorenzo; Forte, Stefano; Roy, Rabindra; Woodrick, Jordan; Salem, Hosni K; Ryan, Elizabeth P; Brown, Dustin G; Bisson, William H

2015-06-01

The aim of this work is to review current knowledge relating the established cancer hallmark, sustained cell proliferation to the existence of chemicals present as low dose mixtures in the environment. Normal cell proliferation is under tight control, i.e. cells respond to a signal to proliferate, and although most cells continue to proliferate into adult life, the multiplication ceases once the stimulatory signal disappears or if the cells are exposed to growth inhibitory signals. Under such circumstances, normal cells remain quiescent until they are stimulated to resume further proliferation. In contrast, tumour cells are unable to halt proliferation, either when subjected to growth inhibitory signals or in the absence of growth stimulatory signals. Environmental chemicals with carcinogenic potential may cause sustained cell proliferation by interfering with some cell proliferation control mechanisms committing cells to an indefinite proliferative span. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Fermentation product of soybean, black bean, and green bean mixture induces apoptosis in a wide variety of cancer cells.

PubMed

Chia, Jean-San; Du, Jia-Ling; Wu, Ming-Shiou; Hsu, Wei-Bin; Chiang, Chun-Pin; Sun, Andy; Lu, John Jenn-Yenn; Wang, Won-Bo

2013-05-01

Previous studies have shown that soybean fermentation products can act as cancer chemoprevention or therapeutic agents. In this study, the anticancer activities of a fermentation product of soybean, black bean, and green bean mixture (BN999) were investigated. We found that BN999 inhibited the growth of human breast cancer AU565 cells and prostate adenocarcinoma PC-3 cells but not that of normal human cells. BN999 induced apoptosis in various human cancer cells but not in normal human cells. BN999 treatment of AU565 cancer cells resulted in activation of calpain and caspase-8, -9, and -3, suggesting that BN999 induces apoptosis via receptor-, mitochondria-, and endoplasmic reticulum-mediated pathways. Finally, we showed that BN999 inhibited the growth of mouse CT-26 colon cancer xenografts in syngenic BALB/c mice without causing obvious side effects. Together, these data suggest that BN999 has potential to be used as a cancer chemoprevention or therapeutic agent.

Rett syndrome: stimulation of endogenous biogenic amines.

PubMed

Pelligra, R; Norton, R D; Wilkinson, R; Leon, H A; Matson, W R

1992-06-01

Transient hypercapnic hyperoxemia was induced in two Rett syndrome children by the administration of a gaseous mixture of 80% O2 and 20% CO2. Time course studies of neurotransmitters and their metabolites showed an immediate and marked increase in central biogenic amine turnover following inhalation of the gas mixture. The increased turnover of biogenic amines was associated with improved clinical changes. This suggests a coupled relationship and provides further support for an etiological role of neurotransmitter dysfunction in Rett syndrome. In a complementary study, elevation of pulmonary CO2 by application of a simple rebreathing device resulted in improvement of abnormal blood gases and elimination of the Cheyne-Stokes-like respiratory pattern of the Rett syndrome. Near normalization of the EEG occurred when a normal respiratory pattern was imposed by means of a respirator. Taken together, these results lead to the preliminary conclusion that cerebral hypoxemia secondary to abnormal respiratory function may contribute to diminished production of biogenic amines in Rett syndrome.

Rett syndrome - Stimulation of endogenous biogenic amines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pelligra, R.; Norton, R. D.; Wilkinson, R.; Leon, H. A.; Matson, W. R.

1992-01-01

Transient hypercapnic hyperoxemia was induced in two Rett syndrome children by the administration of a gaseous mixture of 80 percent O2 and 20 percent CO2. Time course studies of neurotransmitters and their metabolites showed an immediate and marked increase in central biogenic amine turnover following inhalation of the gas mixture. The increased turnover of biogenic amines was associated with improved clinical changes. This suggests a coupled relationship and provides further support for an etiological role of neurotransmitter dysfunction in Rett syndrome. In a complementary study, elevation of pulmonary CO2 by application of a simple rebreathing device resulted in improvement of abnormal blood gases and elimination of the Cheyne-Stokes-like respiratory pattern of the Rett syndrome. Near normalization of the EEG occurred when a normal respiratory pattern was imposed by means of a respirator. Taken together, these results lead to the preliminary conclusion that cerebral hypoxemia secondary to abnormal respiratory function may contribute to diminished production of biogenic amines in Rett syndrome.

Scoring in genetically modified organism proficiency tests based on log-transformed results.

PubMed

Thompson, Michael; Ellison, Stephen L R; Owen, Linda; Mathieson, Kenneth; Powell, Joanne; Key, Pauline; Wood, Roger; Damant, Andrew P

2006-01-01

The study considers data from 2 UK-based proficiency schemes and includes data from a total of 29 rounds and 43 test materials over a period of 3 years. The results from the 2 schemes are similar and reinforce each other. The amplification process used in quantitative polymerase chain reaction determinations predicts a mixture of normal, binomial, and lognormal distributions dominated by the latter 2. As predicted, the study results consistently follow a positively skewed distribution. Log-transformation prior to calculating z-scores is effective in establishing near-symmetric distributions that are sufficiently close to normal to justify interpretation on the basis of the normal distribution.

Demonstration of motionless Knudsen pump based micro-gas chromatography featuring micro-fabricated columns and on-column detectors.

PubMed

Liu, Jing; Gupta, Naveen K; Wise, Kensall D; Gianchandani, Yogesh B; Fan, Xudong

2011-10-21

This paper reports the investigation of a micro-gas chromatography (μGC) system that utilizes an array of miniaturized motionless Knudsen pumps (KPs) as well as microfabricated separation columns and optical detectors. A prototype system was built to achieve a flow rate of 1 mL min(-1) and 0.26 mL min(-1) for helium and dry air, respectively, when they were used as carrier gas. This system was then employed to evaluate GC performance compromises and demonstrate the ability to separate and detect gas mixtures containing analytes of different volatilities and polarities. Furthermore, the use of pressure programming of the KP array was demonstrated to significantly shorten the analysis time while maintaining a high detection resolution. Using this method, we obtained a high resolution detection of 5 alkanes of different volatilities within 5 min. Finally, we successfully detected gas mixtures of various polarities using a tandem-column μGC configuration by installing two on-column optical detectors to obtain complementary chromatograms.

Nine-analyte detection using an array-based biosensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taitt, Chris Rowe; Anderson, George P.; Lingerfelt, Brian M.; Feldstein, s. Mark. J.; Ligler, Frances S.

2002-01-01

A fluorescence-based multianalyte immunosensor has been developed for simultaneous analysis of multiple samples. While the standard 6 x 6 format of the array sensor has been used to analyze six samples for six different analytes, this same format has the potential to allow a single sample to be tested for 36 different agents. The method described herein demonstrates proof of principle that the number of analytes detectable using a single array can be increased simply by using complementary mixtures of capture and tracer antibodies. Mixtures were optimized to allow detection of closely related analytes without significant cross-reactivity. Following this facile modification of patterning and assay procedures, the following nine targets could be detected in a single 3 x 3 array: Staphylococcal enterotoxin B, ricin, cholera toxin, Bacillus anthracis Sterne, Bacillus globigii, Francisella tularensis LVS, Yersiniapestis F1 antigen, MS2 coliphage, and Salmonella typhimurium. This work maximizes the efficiency and utility of the described array technology, increasing only reagent usage and cost; production and fabrication costs are not affected.

Species Determination and Quantitation in Mixtures Using MRM Mass Spectrometry of Peptides Applied to Meat Authentication

PubMed Central

Gunning, Yvonne; Watson, Andrew D.; Rigby, Neil M.; Philo, Mark; Peazer, Joshua K.; Kemsley, E. Kate

2016-01-01

We describe a simple protocol for identifying and quantifying the two components in binary mixtures of species possessing one or more similar proteins. Central to the method is the identification of 'corresponding proteins' in the species of interest, in other words proteins that are nominally the same but possess species-specific sequence differences. When subject to proteolysis, corresponding proteins will give rise to some peptides which are likewise similar but with species-specific variants. These are 'corresponding peptides'. Species-specific peptides can be used as markers for species determination, while pairs of corresponding peptides permit relative quantitation of two species in a mixture. The peptides are detected using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mass spectrometry, a highly specific technique that enables peptide-based species determination even in complex systems. In addition, the ratio of MRM peak areas deriving from corresponding peptides supports relative quantitation. Since corresponding proteins and peptides will, in the main, behave similarly in both processing and in experimental extraction and sample preparation, the relative quantitation should remain comparatively robust. In addition, this approach does not need the standards and calibrations required by absolute quantitation methods. The protocol is described in the context of red meats, which have convenient corresponding proteins in the form of their respective myoglobins. This application is relevant to food fraud detection: the method can detect 1% weight for weight of horse meat in beef. The corresponding protein, corresponding peptide (CPCP) relative quantitation using MRM peak area ratios gives good estimates of the weight for weight composition of a horse plus beef mixture. PMID:27685654

Species Determination and Quantitation in Mixtures Using MRM Mass Spectrometry of Peptides Applied to Meat Authentication.

PubMed

Gunning, Yvonne; Watson, Andrew D; Rigby, Neil M; Philo, Mark; Peazer, Joshua K; Kemsley, E Kate

2016-09-20

We describe a simple protocol for identifying and quantifying the two components in binary mixtures of species possessing one or more similar proteins. Central to the method is the identification of 'corresponding proteins' in the species of interest, in other words proteins that are nominally the same but possess species-specific sequence differences. When subject to proteolysis, corresponding proteins will give rise to some peptides which are likewise similar but with species-specific variants. These are 'corresponding peptides'. Species-specific peptides can be used as markers for species determination, while pairs of corresponding peptides permit relative quantitation of two species in a mixture. The peptides are detected using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mass spectrometry, a highly specific technique that enables peptide-based species determination even in complex systems. In addition, the ratio of MRM peak areas deriving from corresponding peptides supports relative quantitation. Since corresponding proteins and peptides will, in the main, behave similarly in both processing and in experimental extraction and sample preparation, the relative quantitation should remain comparatively robust. In addition, this approach does not need the standards and calibrations required by absolute quantitation methods. The protocol is described in the context of red meats, which have convenient corresponding proteins in the form of their respective myoglobins. This application is relevant to food fraud detection: the method can detect 1% weight for weight of horse meat in beef. The corresponding protein, corresponding peptide (CPCP) relative quantitation using MRM peak area ratios gives good estimates of the weight for weight composition of a horse plus beef mixture.

N,N-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)octylamine derivatives for the isolation, purification, and mass spectrometric characterization of oligosaccharides.

PubMed

Zhang, Y; Cedergren, R A; Nieuwenhuis, T J; Hollingsworth, R I

1993-02-01

A simple, sensitive method for the structural characterization of oligosaccharides by fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) has been designed. Oligosaccharides are labeled with a uv chromophore (which also serves as a charge stabilizing group) and with a hydrophobic alkyl tail. The chromophore, a 2,4-dinitrophenyl group, aids uv detection during HPLC and stabilizes negative ion species formed during analysis by FAB-MS. The hydrophobic tail, provided by an octyl group, enhances the surface activity of the analytes and makes them amenable to separation by reverse-phase chromatography using a C18 bonded phase. This method was applied to the structural analysis of the components of a mixture of starch maltodextrins with a degree of polymerization 1-16, to the analysis of the structure of pure maltohexaose, and to a previously characterized oligosaccharide from a Rhizobium capsular polysaccharide. The method gave a good yield of [M-H]- anions for the derivatized compounds, which in most cases were detectable at a level of about 1 pmol. In the case of maltohexaose, four series of sequence anions corresponding to sequential loss of glycosyl residues from the reducing and nonreducing end by different mechanisms were observed. The mixture of derivatized malto-oligosaccharides could easily be separated by HPLC. Based on the relative proportions of the individual oligomers in the mixture calculated from HPLC analysis, even though the higher oligomers were present in amounts of about 0.1%, they could still be easily detected in mass spectra of the entire mixture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Stable Isotope-Assisted Evaluation of Different Extraction Solvents for Untargeted Metabolomics of Plants

PubMed Central

Doppler, Maria; Kluger, Bernhard; Bueschl, Christoph; Schneider, Christina; Krska, Rudolf; Delcambre, Sylvie; Hiller, Karsten; Lemmens, Marc; Schuhmacher, Rainer

2016-01-01

The evaluation of extraction protocols for untargeted metabolomics approaches is still difficult. We have applied a novel stable isotope-assisted workflow for untargeted LC-HRMS-based plant metabolomics , which allows for the first time every detected feature to be considered for method evaluation. The efficiency and complementarity of commonly used extraction solvents, namely 1 + 3 (v/v) mixtures of water and selected organic solvents (methanol, acetonitrile or methanol/acetonitrile 1 + 1 (v/v)), with and without the addition of 0.1% (v/v) formic acid were compared. Four different wheat organs were sampled, extracted and analysed by LC-HRMS. Data evaluation was performed with the in-house-developed MetExtract II software and R. With all tested solvents a total of 871 metabolites were extracted in ear, 785 in stem, 733 in leaf and 517 in root samples, respectively. Between 48% (stem) and 57% (ear) of the metabolites detected in a particular organ were found with all extraction mixtures, and 127 of 996 metabolites were consistently shared between all extraction agent/organ combinations. In aqueous methanol, acidification with formic acid led to pronounced pH dependency regarding the precision of metabolite abundance and the number of detectable metabolites, whereas extracts of acetonitrile-containing mixtures were less affected. Moreover, methanol and acetonitrile have been found to be complementary with respect to extraction efficiency. Interestingly, the beneficial properties of both solvents can be combined by the use of a water-methanol-acetonitrile mixture for global metabolite extraction instead of aqueous methanol or aqueous acetonitrile alone. PMID:27367667

Theory and methodology for utilizing genes as biomarkers to determine potential biological mixtures.

PubMed

Shrestha, Sadeep; Smith, Michael W; Beaty, Terri H; Strathdee, Steffanie A

2005-01-01

Genetically determined mixture information can be used as a surrogate for physical or behavioral characteristics in epidemiological studies examining research questions related to socially stigmatized behaviors and horizontally transmitted infections. A new measure, the probability of mixture discrimination (PMD), was developed to aid mixture analysis that estimates the ability to differentiate single from multiple genomes in biological mixtures. Four autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) were identified, genotyped and evaluated in African American, European American, Hispanic, and Chinese individuals to estimate PMD. Theoretical PMD frameworks were also developed for autosomal and sex-linked (X and Y) STR markers in potential male/male, male/female and female/female mixtures. Autosomal STRs genetically determine the presence of multiple genomes in mixture samples of unknown genders with more power than the apparently simpler X and Y chromosome STRs. Evaluation of four autosomal STR loci enables the detection of mixtures of DNA from multiple sources with above 99% probability in all four racial/ethnic populations. The genetic-based approach has applications in epidemiology that provide viable alternatives to survey-based study designs. The analysis of genes as biomarkers can be used as a gold standard for validating measurements from self-reported behaviors that tend to be sensitive or socially stigmatizing, such as those involving sex and drugs.

Assessing joint toxicity of four organophosphate and carbamate insecticides in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) using acetylcholinesterase activity as an endpoint.

PubMed

Wang, Yanhua; Chen, Chen; Zhao, Xueping; Wang, Qiang; Qian, Yongzhong

2015-07-01

Mixtures of organophosphate (OP) and carbamate (CB) pesticides are commonly detected in freshwater ecosystems. These pesticides inhibit the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and have potential to interfere with behaviors that may be essential for the survival of species. Although the effects of individual anticholinesterase insecticides on aquatic species have been studied for decades, the neurotoxicity of mixtures is still poorly understood. In the present study, brain AChE inhibition in carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed to a series of concentrations of the organophosphates (malathion and triazophos) as well as the carbamates (fenobucarb and carbosulfan) was measured. In equitoxic mixtures, the observed AChE activity inhibition of the malathion plus triazophos, and triazophos plus carbosulfan mixtures, was synergism. In equivalent concentration mixtures, the combination of malathion plus fenobucarb mixture conformed to synergism, while the observed AChE activity inhibition of the remaining pairings was less than additive. Single pesticide risk assessments are likely to underestimate the impacts of these insecticides on carps in aquatic environment where mixtures occur. Moreover, mixtures of pesticides that have been commonly reported in aquatic ecosystems may pose a more important challenge than previously anticipated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patterns of glaucomatous visual field loss in sita fields automatically identified using independent component analysis.

PubMed

Goldbaum, Michael H; Jang, Gil-Jin; Bowd, Chris; Hao, Jiucang; Zangwill, Linda M; Liebmann, Jeffrey; Girkin, Christopher; Jung, Tzyy-Ping; Weinreb, Robert N; Sample, Pamela A

2009-12-01

To determine if the patterns uncovered with variational Bayesian-independent component analysis-mixture model (VIM) applied to a large set of normal and glaucomatous fields obtained with the Swedish Interactive Thresholding Algorithm (SITA) are distinct, recognizable, and useful for modeling the severity of the field loss. SITA fields were obtained with the Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc, Dublin, California) on 1,146 normal eyes and 939 glaucoma eyes from subjects followed by the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study and the African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study. VIM modifies independent component analysis (ICA) to develop separate sets of ICA axes in the cluster of normal fields and the 2 clusters of abnormal fields. Of 360 models, the model with the best separation of normal and glaucomatous fields was chosen for creating the maximally independent axes. Grayscale displays of fields generated by VIM on each axis were compared. SITA fields most closely associated with each axis and displayed in grayscale were evaluated for consistency of pattern at all severities. The best VIM model had 3 clusters. Cluster 1 (1,193) was mostly normal (1,089, 95% specificity) and had 2 axes. Cluster 2 (596) contained mildly abnormal fields (513) and 2 axes; cluster 3 (323) held mostly moderately to severely abnormal fields (322) and 5 axes. Sensitivity for clusters 2 and 3 combined was 88.9%. The VIM-generated field patterns differed from each other and resembled glaucomatous defects (eg, nasal step, arcuate, temporal wedge). SITA fields assigned to an axis resembled each other and the VIM-generated patterns for that axis. Pattern severity increased in the positive direction of each axis by expansion or deepening of the axis pattern. VIM worked well on SITA fields, separating them into distinctly different yet recognizable patterns of glaucomatous field defects. The axis and pattern properties make VIM a good candidate as a preliminary process for detecting progression.

Reproducible surface-enhanced Raman quantification of biomarkers in multicomponent mixtures.

PubMed

De Luca, Anna Chiara; Reader-Harris, Peter; Mazilu, Michael; Mariggiò, Stefania; Corda, Daniela; Di Falco, Andrea

2014-03-25

Direct and quantitative detection of unlabeled glycerophosphoinositol (GroPIns), an abundant cytosolic phosphoinositide derivative, would allow rapid evaluation of several malignant cell transformations. Here we report label-free analysis of GroPIns via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with a sensitivity of 200 nM, well below its apparent concentration in cells. Crucially, our SERS substrates, based on lithographically defined gold nanofeatures, can be used to predict accurately the GroPIns concentration even in multicomponent mixtures, avoiding the preliminary separation of individual compounds. Our results represent a critical step toward the creation of SERS-based biosensor for rapid, label-free, and reproducible detection of specific molecules, overcoming limits of current experimental methods.

Effectiveness and reaction networks of H2O2 vapor with NH3 gas for decontamination of the toxic warfare nerve agent, VX on a solid surface.

PubMed

Gon Ryu, Sam; Wan Lee, Hae

2015-01-01

The nerve agent, O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate (VX) must be promptly eliminated following its release into the environment because it is extremely toxic, can cause death within a few minutes after exposure, acts through direct skin contact as well as inhalation, and persists in the environment for several weeks after release. A mixture of hydrogen peroxide vapor and ammonia gas was examined as a decontaminant for the removal of VX on solid surfaces at ambient temperature, and the reaction products were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR). All the VX on glass wool filter disks was found to be eliminated after 2 h of exposure to the decontaminant mixtures, and the primary decomposition product was determined to be non-toxic ethyl methylphosphonic acid (EMPA); no toxic S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioic acid (EA-2192), which is usually produced in traditional basic hydrolysis systems, was found to be formed. However, other by-products, such as toxic O-ethyl S-vinyl methylphosphonothioate and (2-diisopropylaminoethyl) vinyl disulfide, were detected up to 150 min of exposure to the decontaminant mixture; these by-products disappeared after 3 h. The two detected vinyl byproducts were identified first in this study with the decontamination system of liquid VX on solid surfaces using a mixture of hydrogen peroxide vapor and ammonia gas. The detailed decontamination reaction networks of VX on solid surfaces produced by the mixture of hydrogen peroxide vapor and ammonia gas were suggested based on the reaction products. These findings suggest that the mixture of hydrogen peroxide vapor and ammonia gas investigated in this study is an efficient decontaminant mixture for the removal of VX on solid surfaces at ambient temperature despite the formation of a toxic by-product in the reaction process.

Patterning ecological risk of pesticide contamination at the river basin scale.

PubMed

Faggiano, Leslie; de Zwart, Dick; García-Berthou, Emili; Lek, Sovan; Gevrey, Muriel

2010-05-01

Ecological risk assessment was conducted to determine the risk posed by pesticide mixtures to the Adour-Garonne river basin (south-western France). The objectives of this study were to assess the general state of this basin with regard to pesticide contamination using a risk assessment procedure and to detect patterns in toxic mixture assemblages through a self-organizing map (SOM) methodology in order to identify the locations at risk. Exposure assessment, risk assessment with species sensitivity distribution, and mixture toxicity rules were used to compute six relative risk predictors for different toxic modes of action: the multi-substance potentially affected fraction of species depending on the toxic mode of action of compounds found in the mixture (msPAF CA(TMoA) values). Those predictors computed for the 131 sampling sites assessed in this study were then patterned through the SOM learning process. Four clusters of sampling sites exhibiting similar toxic assemblages were identified. In the first cluster, which comprised 83% of the sampling sites, the risk caused by pesticide mixture toward aquatic species was weak (mean msPAF value for those sites<0.0036%), while in another cluster the risk was significant (mean msPAF<1.09%). GIS mapping allowed an interesting spatial pattern of the distribution of sampling sites for each cluster to be highlighted with a significant and highly localized risk in the French department called "Lot et Garonne". The combined use of the SOM methodology, mixture toxicity modelling and a clear geo-referenced representation of results not only revealed the general state of the Adour-Garonne basin with regard to contamination by pesticides but also enabled to analyze the spatial pattern of toxic mixture assemblage in order to prioritize the locations at risk and to detect the group of compounds causing the greatest risk at the basin scale. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Combining Mixture Components for Clustering*

PubMed Central

Baudry, Jean-Patrick; Raftery, Adrian E.; Celeux, Gilles; Lo, Kenneth; Gottardo, Raphaël

2010-01-01

Model-based clustering consists of fitting a mixture model to data and identifying each cluster with one of its components. Multivariate normal distributions are typically used. The number of clusters is usually determined from the data, often using BIC. In practice, however, individual clusters can be poorly fitted by Gaussian distributions, and in that case model-based clustering tends to represent one non-Gaussian cluster by a mixture of two or more Gaussian distributions. If the number of mixture components is interpreted as the number of clusters, this can lead to overestimation of the number of clusters. This is because BIC selects the number of mixture components needed to provide a good approximation to the density, rather than the number of clusters as such. We propose first selecting the total number of Gaussian mixture components, K, using BIC and then combining them hierarchically according to an entropy criterion. This yields a unique soft clustering for each number of clusters less than or equal to K. These clusterings can be compared on substantive grounds, and we also describe an automatic way of selecting the number of clusters via a piecewise linear regression fit to the rescaled entropy plot. We illustrate the method with simulated data and a flow cytometry dataset. Supplemental Materials are available on the journal Web site and described at the end of the paper. PMID:20953302

On the cause of the non-Gaussian distribution of residuals in geomagnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hulot, G.; Khokhlov, A.

2017-12-01

To describe errors in the data, Gaussian distributions naturally come to mind. In many practical instances, indeed, Gaussian distributions are appropriate. In the broad field of geomagnetism, however, it has repeatedly been noted that residuals between data and models often display much sharper distributions, sometimes better described by a Laplace distribution. In the present study, we make the case that such non-Gaussian behaviors are very likely the result of what is known as mixture of distributions in the statistical literature. Mixtures arise as soon as the data do not follow a common distribution or are not properly normalized, the resulting global distribution being a mix of the various distributions followed by subsets of the data, or even individual datum. We provide examples of the way such mixtures can lead to distributions that are much sharper than Gaussian distributions and discuss the reasons why such mixtures are likely the cause of the non-Gaussian distributions observed in geomagnetism. We also show that when properly selecting sub-datasets based on geophysical criteria, statistical mixture can sometimes be avoided and much more Gaussian behaviors recovered. We conclude with some general recommendations and point out that although statistical mixture always tends to sharpen the resulting distribution, it does not necessarily lead to a Laplacian distribution. This needs to be taken into account when dealing with such non-Gaussian distributions.

Digital PCR on a SlipChip.

PubMed

Shen, Feng; Du, Wenbin; Kreutz, Jason E; Fok, Alice; Ismagilov, Rustem F

2010-10-21

This paper describes a SlipChip to perform digital PCR in a very simple and inexpensive format. The fluidic path for introducing the sample combined with the PCR mixture was formed using elongated wells in the two plates of the SlipChip designed to overlap during sample loading. This fluidic path was broken up by simple slipping of the two plates that removed the overlap among wells and brought each well in contact with a reservoir preloaded with oil to generate 1280 reaction compartments (2.6 nL each) simultaneously. After thermal cycling, end-point fluorescence intensity was used to detect the presence of nucleic acid. Digital PCR on the SlipChip was tested quantitatively by using Staphylococcus aureus genomic DNA. As the concentration of the template DNA in the reaction mixture was diluted, the fraction of positive wells decreased as expected from the statistical analysis. No cross-contamination was observed during the experiments. At the extremes of the dynamic range of digital PCR the standard confidence interval determined using a normal approximation of the binomial distribution is not satisfactory. Therefore, statistical analysis based on the score method was used to establish these confidence intervals. The SlipChip provides a simple strategy to count nucleic acids by using PCR. It may find applications in research applications such as single cell analysis, prenatal diagnostics, and point-of-care diagnostics. SlipChip would become valuable for diagnostics, including applications in resource-limited areas after integration with isothermal nucleic acid amplification technologies and visual readout.

In vitro performance of a perfusion and oxygenation optical sensor using a unique liver phantom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akl, Tony J.; King, Travis J.; Long, Ruiqi; Ericson, M. N.; Wilson, Mark A.; McShane, Michael J.; Coté, Gerard L.

2012-03-01

Between the years 1999 and 2008, on average 2,052 people died per year on the waiting list for liver transplants. Monitoring perfusion and oxygenation in transplanted organs in the 7 to 14 days period post-transplant can enhance graft and patient survival rates, and resultantly increase the availability of organs. In this work, we present in vitro results using a unique liver phantom that support the ability of our sensor to detect perfusion changes in the portal vein at low levels (50 mL/min . 4.5% of normal level). Our sensor measures diffuse reflection from three wavelengths (735, 805 and 940 nm) around the hemoglobin isobestic point (805 nm) to determine perfusion and oxygenation separately. To assess the sensitivity of our sensor to flow changes in the low range, we used two peristaltic pumps to pump a dye solution mimicking the optical properties of oxygenated blood, at various rates, through a PDMS based phantom mimicking the optical properties of liver tissue. The collected pulsatile signal increased by 120% (2.2X) for every 100 mL/min flow rise for all three wavelengths in the range 50 to 500 mL/min. In addition, we used different dye mixtures to mimic oxygenation changes at constant perfusion/flow levels. The optical properties of the dye mixtures mimic oxygen saturations ranging between 0 and 100%. The sensor was shown to be sensitive to changes in oxygen saturations above 50%.

Leaching of pesticides through normal-tillage and low-tillage soil--a lysimeter study. I. Isoproturon.

PubMed

Fomsgaard, Inge S; Spliid, Niels Henrik; Felding, Gitte

2003-01-01

Isoproturon is a herbicide, which was used in Denmark against grass weeds and broad-leaved weeds until 1998. Isoproturon has frequently been detected in ground water monitoring studies. Leaching of isoproturon (N,N-dimethyl-N'-(4-(1-methylethyl)-phenyl)urea) and its metabolites, N'-(4-isopropylphenyl)-N-methylurea and N'-(4-isopropylphenyl)urea was studied in four lysimetres, two of them being replicates from a low-tillage field (lysimeter 3 and 4), the other two being replicates from a normal tillage field (lysimeter 5 and 6). In both cases the soil was a sandy loam soil with 13-14% clay. The lysimetres had a surface area of 0.5 m2 and a depth of 110 cm. Lysimeter 3 and 4 were sprayed with unlabelled isoproturon while lysimeter 5 and 6 was sprayed with a mixture of 14C-labelled and unlabelled isoproturon. The total amount of isoproturon sprayed onto each lysimeter was 63 mg, corresponding to 1.25 kg active ingredient per ha. The lysimeters were sprayed with isoproturon on October 26, 1997. The lysimetres were installed in an outdoor system in Research Centre Flakkebjerg and were thus exposed to normal climatic conditions of the area. A mean of 360 l drainage water were collected from lysimeter 3 and 4 and a mean of 375 litres from lysimeter 5 and 6. Only negligible amounts of isoproturon and its primary metabolites were found in the drainage water samples, and thus no significant difference between the two lysimeter sets was shown. In a total of 82 drainage water samples, evenly distributed between the four lysimetres isoproturon was found in detectable amounts in two samples and N'-(4-isopropylphenyl)urea was found in detectable amounts in two other samples. The detection limit for all the compounds was 0.02 microg/l. 48% and 54% of the added radioactivity were recovered from the upper 10 cm soil layer in lysimeter 5 and 6, respectively, and 17 and 14% from 10-20 cm's depth. By extraction first with an aquatic CaCl2 solution 0.49% of the added radioactivity was extracted from the upper 10 cm layer in lysimeter 5. In the subsequent extraction with acetonitril, 1.19% of the added radioactivity was extracted. In lysimeter 6, upper 10 cm, 0.2% were extracted with water and 0.56% were extracted with acetonitril. Below 10 cm's depth no measurable amounts could be extracted.

Shock Radiation Tests for Saturn and Uranus Entry Probes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cruden, Brett A.; Bogdanoff, David W.

2014-01-01

This paper describes a test series in the Electric Arc Shock Tube at NASA Ames Research Center with the objective of quantifying shock-layer radiative heating magnitudes for future probe entries into Saturn and Uranus atmospheres. Normal shock waves are measured in Hydrogen/Helium mixtures (89:11 by mole) at freestream pressures between 13-66 Pa (0.1-0.5 Torr) and velocities from 20-30 km/s. No shock layer radiation is detected below 25 km/s, a finding consistent with predictions for Uranus entries. Between 25-30 km/s, radiance is quantified from the Vacuum Ultraviolet through Near Infrared, with focus on the Lyman-alpha and Balmer series lines of Hydrogen. Shock profiles are analyzed for electron number density and electronic state distribution. The shocks do not equilibrate over several cm, and distributions are demonstrated to be non-Boltzmann. Radiation data are compared to simulations of Decadal survey entries for Saturn and shown to be significantly lower than predicted with the Boltzmann radiation model.