Effects of Geomagnetic Storms on the Postsunset Vertical Plasma Drift in the Equatorial Ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chao-Song

2018-05-01

It has been observed that geomagnetic storms cause suppression of the occurrence of equatorial spread F or plasma bubbles in the evening sector. In this study, we use ion drift data measured by the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System satellite over 6 years (2008-2014) to derive the dependence of the vertical ion drift at the prereversal enhancement peak on the strength of magnetic storms (the Dst index). It is found that the average vertical ion drift does not change much for Dst in the range between 0 and -60 nT but decreases approximately linearly with the increasing magnitude of Dst for Dst < -60 nT. The net decrease in the average vertical ion drift is 30 m/s when Dst changes from -60 to -90 nT. This result is derived when the ion drift data during the storm main phase are excluded, so the decrease of the vertical ion drift is caused by storm time disturbance dynamo. A possible interpretation of this phenomenon is that geomagnetic activity must be strong enough (e.g., Dst < -60 nT) so disturbance winds can reach the equatorial region and change plasma drifts there. The storm time disturbance dynamo becomes dominant in the equatorial ionospheric dynamics near the end of the storm main phase, 4.7 hr after the storm onset. The postsunset vertical ion drift is significantly decreased during the early stage of the storm recovery phase but becomes almost fully recovered when Dst increases close to -60 nT.

The Yucca Mountain Project drift scale test

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

Finley, R.E.; Blair, S.C.; Boyle, W.J.

The Yucca Mountain Project is currently evaluating the coupled thermal-mechanical-hydrological-chemical (TMHC) response of the potential repository host rock through an in situ thermal testing program. A drift scale test (DST) was constructed during 1997 and heaters were turned on in December 1997. The DST includes nine canister-sized containers with thirty operating heaters each located within the heated drift (HD) and fifty wing heaters located in boreholes in both ribs with a total power output of nominally 210kW. A total of 147 boreholes (combined length of 3.3 km) houses most of the over 3700 TMHC sensors connected with 201 km ofmore » cabling to a central data acquisition system. The DST is located in the Exploratory Studies Facility in a 5-m diameter drift approximately 50 m in length. Heating will last up to four years and cooling will last another four years. The rock mass surrounding the DST will experience a harsh thermal environment with rock surface temperatures expected to reach a maximum of about 200 C. This paper describes the process of designing the DST. The first 38 m of the 50-m long Heated Drift (HD) is dedicated to collection of data that will lead to a better understanding of the complex coupled TMHC processes in the host rock of the proposed repository. The final 12 m is dedicated to evaluating the interactions between the heated rock mass and cast-in-place (CIP) concrete ground support systems at elevated temperatures. In addition to a description of the DST design, data from site characterization, and a general description of the analyses and analysis approach used to design the test and make pretest predictions are presented. Test-scoping and pretest numerical predictions of one way thermal-hydrologic, thermal-mechanical, and thermal-chemical behaviors have been completed (TRW, 1997a). These analyses suggest that a dry-out zone will be created around the DST and a 10,000 m{sup 3} volume of rock will experience temperatures above 100 C. The HD will experience large stress increases, particularly in the crown of the drift. Thermoelastic displacements of up to about 16 mm are predicted for some thermomechanical gages. Additional analyses using more complex models will be performed during the conduct of the DST and the results compared with measured data.« less

Disruption in the autophagic process underlies the sensory neuropathy in dystonia musculorum mice.

PubMed

Ferrier, Andrew; De Repentigny, Yves; Lynch-Godrei, Anisha; Gibeault, Sabrina; Eid, Walaa; Kuo, Daniel; Zha, Xiaohui; Kothary, Rashmi

2015-01-01

A homozygous mutation in the DST (dystonin) gene causes a newly identified lethal form of hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy in humans (HSAN-VI). DST loss of function similarly leads to sensory neuron degeneration and severe ataxia in dystonia musculorum (Dst(dt)) mice. DST is involved in maintaining cytoskeletal integrity and intracellular transport. As autophagy is highly reliant upon stable microtubules and motor proteins, we assessed the influence of DST loss of function on autophagy using the Dst(dt-Tg4) mouse model. Electron microscopy (EM) revealed an accumulation of autophagosomes in sensory neurons from these mice. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the autophagic flux was impaired. Levels of LC3-II, a marker of autophagosomes, were elevated. Consequently, Dst(dt-Tg4) sensory neurons displayed impaired protein turnover of autophagosome substrate SQTSM1/p62 and of polyubiquitinated proteins. Interestingly, in a previously described Dst(dt-Tg4) mouse model that is partially rescued by neuronal specific expression of the DST-A2 isoform, autophagosomes, autolysosomes, and damaged organelles were reduced when compared to Dst(dt-Tg4) mutant mice. LC3-II, SQTSM1, polyubiquitinated proteins and autophagic flux were also restored to wild-type levels in the rescued mice. Finally, a significant decrease in DNAIC1 (dynein, axonemal, intermediate chain 1; the mouse ortholog of human DNAI1), a member of the DMC (dynein/dynactin motor complex), was noted in Dst(dt-Tg4) dorsal root ganglia and sensory neurons. Thus, DST-A2 loss of function perturbs late stages of autophagy, and dysfunctional autophagy at least partially underlies Dst(dt) pathogenesis. We therefore conclude that the DST-A2 isoform normally facilitates autophagy within sensory neurons to maintain cellular homeostasis.

GIS-based bivariate statistical techniques for groundwater potential analysis (an example of Iran)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haghizadeh, Ali; Moghaddam, Davoud Davoudi; Pourghasemi, Hamid Reza

2017-12-01

Groundwater potential analysis prepares better comprehension of hydrological settings of different regions. This study shows the potency of two GIS-based data driven bivariate techniques namely statistical index (SI) and Dempster-Shafer theory (DST) to analyze groundwater potential in Broujerd region of Iran. The research was done using 11 groundwater conditioning factors and 496 spring positions. Based on the ground water potential maps (GPMs) of SI and DST methods, 24.22% and 23.74% of the study area is covered by poor zone of groundwater potential, and 43.93% and 36.3% of Broujerd region is covered by good and very good potential zones, respectively. The validation of outcomes displayed that area under the curve (AUC) of SI and DST techniques are 81.23% and 79.41%, respectively, which shows SI method has slightly a better performance than the DST technique. Therefore, SI and DST methods are advantageous to analyze groundwater capacity and scrutinize the complicated relation between groundwater occurrence and groundwater conditioning factors, which permits investigation of both systemic and stochastic uncertainty. Finally, it can be realized that these techniques are very beneficial for groundwater potential analyzing and can be practical for water-resource management experts.

CSF 5-HIAA and DST non-suppression--orthogonal biologic risk factors for suicide in male mood disorder inpatients.

PubMed

Jokinen, Jussi; Nordström, Anna-Lena; Nordström, Peter

2009-01-30

Two biomarkers of suicide risk; non-suppression in the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and low 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been reported to be predictors of suicide in mood disorders. The interrelation of the two systems seems to be different in suicide attempters compared with depressed inpatients who have not made a suicide attempt, indicating that the two biomarkers may be seen as independent. This investigation examined the interrelation of low CSF 5-HIAA and DST non-suppression in suicide victims with mood disorder. Fifty-eight mood disorder inpatients not receiving any treatment with antidepressants underwent lumbar puncture and the DST. Plasma cortisol levels at 8:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. were analysed in relation to CSF 5-HIAA. All patients were followed up for causes of death and suicides were verified with death certificates. During follow-up (mean 21 years), 11 (19%) patients had committed suicide. In male suicide victims (n=6), the serum cortisol level at 4:00 p.m. showed a significant positive correlation with CSF 5-HIAA. Low CSF 5-HIAA predicted all early suicides (within 1 year), whereas all males who committed suicide after 1 year were DST non-suppressors. In female suicide victims (n=5), the post-DST serum cortisol did not correlate with CSF 5-HIAA. Low CSF 5-HIAA and DST non-suppression are orthogonal biologic risk factors for suicide in male mood disorder inpatients. CSF 5-HIAA is associated with short-term suicide risk; dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis seems to be a long-term suicide predictor.

Mysql Data-Base Applications for Dst-Like Physics Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsenov, Roumen

2004-07-01

The data and analysis model developed and being used in the HARP experiment for studying hadron production at CERN Proton Synchrotron is discussed. Emphasis is put on usage of data-base (DB) back-ends for persistent storing and retrieving "alive" C++ objects encapsulating raw and reconstructed data. Concepts of "Data Summary Tape" (DST) as a logical collection of DB-persistent data of different types, and of "intermediate DST" (iDST) as a physical "tag" of DST, are introduced. iDST level of persistency allows a powerful, DST-level of analysis to be performed by applications running on an isolated machine (even laptop) with no connection to the experiment's main data storage. Implementation of these concepts is considered.

USGS 1-min Dst index

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gannon, J.L.; Love, J.J.

2011-01-01

We produce a 1-min time resolution storm-time disturbance index, the USGS Dst, called Dst8507-4SM. This index is based on minute resolution horizontal magnetic field intensity from low-latitude observatories in Honolulu, Kakioka, San Juan and Hermanus, for the years 1985-2007. The method used to produce the index uses a combination of time- and frequency-domain techniques, which more clearly identifies and excises solar-quiet variation from the horizontal intensity time series of an individual station than the strictly time-domain method used in the Kyoto Dst index. The USGS 1-min Dst is compared against the Kyoto Dst, Kyoto Sym-H, and the USGS 1-h Dst (Dst5807-4SH). In a time series comparison, Sym-H is found to produce more extreme values during both sudden impulses and main phase maximum deviation, possibly due to the latitude of its contributing observatories. Both Kyoto indices are shown to have a peak in their distributions below zero, while the USGS indices have a peak near zero. The USGS 1-min Dst is shown to have the higher time resolution benefits of Sym-H, while using the more typical low-latitude observatories of Kyoto Dst. ?? 2010.

Use of an automated decision support tool optimizes clinicians' ability to interpret and appropriately respond to structured self-monitoring of blood glucose data.

PubMed

Rodbard, Helena W; Schnell, Oliver; Unger, Jeffrey; Rees, Christen; Amstutz, Linda; Parkin, Christopher G; Jelsovsky, Zhihong; Wegmann, Nathan; Axel-Schweitzer, Matthias; Wagner, Robin S

2012-04-01

We evaluated the impact of an automated decision support tool (DST) on clinicians' ability to identify glycemic abnormalities in structured self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) data and then make appropriate therapeutic changes based on the glycemic patterns observed. In this prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter study, 288 clinicians (39.6% family practice physicians, 37.9% general internal medicine physicians, and 22.6% nurse practitioners) were randomized to structured SMBG alone (STG; n = 72); structured SMBG with DST (DST; n = 72); structured SMBG with an educational DVD (DVD; n = 72); and structured SMBG with DST and the educational DVD (DST+DVD; n = 72). Clinicians analyzed 30 patient cases (type 2 diabetes), identified the primary abnormality, and selected the most appropriate therapy. A total of 222 clinicians completed all 30 patient cases with no major protocol deviations. Significantly more DST, DVD, and DST+DVD clinicians correctly identified the glycemic abnormality and selected the most appropriate therapeutic option compared with STG clinicians: 49, 51, and 55%, respectively, vs. 33% (all P < 0.0001) with no significant differences among DST, DVD, and DST+DVD clinicians. Use of structured SMBG, combined with the DST, the educational DVD, or both, enhances clinicians' ability to correctly identify significant glycemic patterns and make appropriate therapeutic decisions to address those patterns. Structured testing interventions using either the educational DVD or the DST are equally effective in improving data interpretation and utilization. The DST provides a viable alternative when comprehensive education is not feasible, and it may be integrated into medical practices with minimal training.

2008 GEM Modeling Challenge: Metrics Study of the Dst Index in Physics-Based Magnetosphere and Ring Current Models and in Statistical and Analytic Specifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rastaetter, L.; Kuznetsova, M.; Hesse, M.; Pulkkinen, A.; Glocer, A.; Yu, Y.; Meng, X.; Raeder, J.; Wiltberger, M.; Welling, D.;

Lithosphere structure across the Dead Sea Transform as constrained by Rayleigh waves observed during the DESERT experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laske, G.; Weber, M.

2008-05-01

The interdisciplinary Dead Sea Rift Transect (DESERT) project that was conducted in Israel, the Palestine Territories and Jordan has provided a rich palette of data sets to examine the crust and uppermost mantle beneath one of Earth's most prominent fault systems, the Dead Sea Transform (DST). As part of the passive seismic component, thirty broad-band sensors were deployed in 2000 across the DST for roughly one year. During this deployment, we recorded 115 teleseismic earthquakes that are suitable for a fundamental mode Rayleigh wave analysis at intermediate periods (35-150s). Our initial analysis reveals overall shear velocities that are reduced by up to 4 per cent with respect to reference Earth model PREM. To the west of the DST, we find a seismically relatively fast but thin lid that is about 80 km thick. Towards the east, shallow seismic velocities are low while a deeper low velocity zone is not detected. This contradicts the currently favoured thermomechanical model for the DST that predicts lithospheric thinning through mechanical erosion by an intruding plume from the Red Sea. On the other hand, our current results are somewhat inconclusive regarding asthenosphere velocities east of the DST due to the band limitation of the recording equipment in Jordan.

Validation of microscopic observation drug susceptibility testing for rapid, direct rifampicin and isoniazid drug susceptibility testing in patients receiving tuberculosis treatment

PubMed Central

Coronel, J; Roper, M H; Herrera, C; Bonilla, C; Jave, O; Gianella, C; Sabogal, I; Huancaré, V; Leo, E; Tyas, A; Mendoza-Ticona, A; Caviedes, L; Moore, D A J; Drancourt, M

2014-01-01

Drug susceptibility testing (DST) is often needed in patients clinically failing tuberculosis (TB) therapy. Most studies of phenotypic direct drug susceptibility tests, such as microscopic observation drug susceptibility (MODS) tests, have been performed in patients not receiving TB treatment. The effect of ongoing TB treatment on the performance of MODS direct DST has not been previously explored, but patients failing such therapy constitute an important target group. The aim of this study was to determine the performance of MODS direct rifampicin and isoniazid DST in patients clinically failing first-line TB treatment, and to compare MODS direct DST with indirect proportion method DST. Sputa from 264 TB patients were cultured in parallel in Lowenstein–Jensen (LJ) and MODS assays; strains were tested for rifampicin and isoniazid susceptibility by the proportion method at the national reference laboratory. Ninety-three samples were culture-positive by LJ and MODS (concordance of 96%; kappa 0.92). With conventional MODS plate DST reading (performed on the same day as the sample is classified as culture-positive), the isoniazid DST concordance was 96.8% (kappa 0.89), and the concordance for rifampicin susceptibility testing was 92.6% (kappa 0.80). Reading of MODS DST plates 1 week after cultures had been determined to be culture-positive improved overall performance marginally—the isoniazid DST concordance was 95.7% (kappa 0.85); and the rifampicin DST concordance was 96.8% (kappa 0.91). Sensitivity for detection of multidrug-resistant TB was 95.8%. MODS testing provided reliable rifampicin and isoniazid DST results for samples obtained from patients receiving TB therapy. A modified DST reading schedule for such samples, with a final reading 1 week after a MODS culture turns positive, marginally improves the concordance with reference DST. PMID:24107197

A Study on the Optimal Duration of Daylight Saving Time (DST) in Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mihn, Byeong-Hee; Ahn, Young Sook; Kim, Dong-Bin; Yang, Hong-Jin

2009-09-01

Daylight saving time aims at spending effective daylight in summer season. Korea had enforced daylight saving time twelve times from 1948 to 1988. Since 1988, it is not executed, but it is recently discussed the resumption of DST. In this paper, we investigate the trend of DST in other countries, review the history of DST in Korea, and suggest the optimal DST duration in terms of astronomical aspects (times of sunrise and sunset). We find that the starting day of DST in Korea is apt for the second Sunday in May or the second Sunday in April according to the time of sunrise or to the difference between Korean standard meridian and observer's, respectively. We also discuss time friction that might be caused by time difference between DST and Korea Standard Time (KST).

A Dempster-Shafer Method for Multi-Sensor Fusion

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

position results for DST Mean Mod (or DST Mean for Case 1) to follow the same general path as the true aircraft . Also, if the points diverged from the true...of the aircraft . Its results were similar to those for DST True and Kalman. Also DST Mean had the same clustering of points as the others specifically...DST Mean values increasingly diverged as time t increased. Then Run 27 was very similar to Case 2 Run 5. Instead of following the true aircraft path

Provisional hourly values of equatorial Dst for 1971

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sugiura, M.; Poros, D. J.

1972-01-01

Tables and plots of provisional hourly values of the equatorial Dst index for 1971 are given, a table of daily mean Dst values for 1971 is also provided. The base line values for the four observatories, Hermanus, Kakioka, Honolulu, and San Juan, were obtained from extrapolations using the coefficients for the secular variations determined for the previous years. Examining the Dst values for quiet days, the base lines so determined appear to be slightly low, so that the Dst index for quiet periods tends to be high.

Overexpression of a Chimeric Gene, OsDST-SRDX, Improved Salt Tolerance of Perennial Ryegrass

PubMed Central

Cen, Huifang; Ye, Wenxing; Liu, Yanrong; Li, Dayong; Wang, Kexin; Zhang, Wanjun

2016-01-01

The Drought and Salt Tolerance gene (DST) encodes a C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor, which negatively regulates salt tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa). Phylogenetic analysis of six homologues of DST genes in different plant species revealed that DST genes were conserved evolutionarily. Here, the rice DST gene was linked to an SRDX domain for gene expression repression based on the Chimeric REpressor gene-Silencing Technology (CRES-T) to make a chimeric gene (OsDST-SRDX) construct and introduced into perennial ryegrass by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Integration and expression of the OsDST-SRDX in transgenic plants were tested by PCR and RT-PCR, respectively. Transgenic lines overexpressing the OsDST-SRDX fusion gene showed obvious phenotypic differences and clear resistance to salt-shock and to continuous salt stresses compared to non-transgenic plants. Physiological analyses including relative leaf water content, electrolyte leakage, proline content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, H2O2 content and sodium and potassium accumulation indicated that the OsDST-SRDX fusion gene enhanced salt tolerance in transgenic perennial ryegrass by altering a wide range of physiological responses. To our best knowledge this study is the first report of utilizing Chimeric Repressor gene-Silencing Technology (CRES-T) in turfgrass and forage species for salt-tolerance improvement. PMID:27251327

Possible existence of convective currents in surfactant bulk solution in experimental pendant-bubble dynamic surface tension measurements.

PubMed

Moorkanikkara, Srinivas Nageswaran; Blankschtein, Daniel

2009-02-03

Traditionally, surfactant bulk solutions in which dynamic surface tension (DST) measurements are conducted using the pendant-bubble apparatus are assumed to be quiescent. Consequently, the transport of surfactant molecules in the bulk solution is often modeled as being purely diffusive when analyzing the experimental pendant-bubble DST data. In this Article, we analyze the experimental pendant-bubble DST data of the alkyl poly (ethylene oxide) nonionic surfactants, C12E4 and C12E6, and demonstrate that both surfactants exhibit "superdiffusive" adsorption kinetics behavior with characteristics that challenge the traditional assumption of a quiescent surfactant bulk solution. In other words, the observed superdiffusive adsorption behavior points to the possible existence of convection currents in the surfactant bulk solution. The analysis presented here involves the following steps: (1) constructing an adsorption kinetics model that corresponds to the fastest rate at which surfactant molecules adsorb onto the actual pendant-bubble surface from a quiescent solution, (2) predicting the DST behaviors of C12E4 and C12E6 at several surfactant bulk solution concentrations using the model constructed in step 1, and (3) comparing the predicted DST profiles with the experimental DST profiles. This comparison reveals systematic deviations for both C12E4 and C12E6 with the following characteristics: (a) the experimental DST profiles exhibit adsorption kinetics behavior, which is faster than the predicted fastest rate of surfactant adsorption from a quiescent surfactant bulk solution at time scales greater than 100 s, and (b) the experimental DST profiles and the predicted DST behaviors approach the same equilibrium surface tension values. Characteristic (b) indicates that the cause of the observed systematic deviations may be associated with the adsorption kinetics mechanism adopted in the model used rather than with the equilibrium behavior. Characteristic (a) indicates that the actual surfactant bulk solution in which the DST measurement was conducted, most likely, cannot be considered to be quiescent at time scales greater than 100 s. Accordingly, the observed superdiffusive adsorption behavior is interpreted as resulting from convection currents present in a nonquiescent surfactant bulk solution. Convection currents accelerate the surfactant adsorption process by increasing the rate of surfactant transport in the bulk solution. The systematic nature of the deviations observed between the predicted DST profiles and the experimental DST behavior for C12E4 and C12E6 suggests that the nonquiescent nature of the surfactant bulk solution may be intrinsic to the experimental pendant-bubble DST measurement approach. To validate this possibility, we identified generic features in the experimental DST data when DST measurements are conducted in a nonquiescent surfactant bulk solution, and the DST measurements are analyzed assuming that the surfactant bulk solution is quiescent. An examination of the DST literature reveals that these identified generic features are quite general and are observed in the experimental DST data of several other surfactants (decanol, nonanol, C10E8, C14E8, C12E8, and C10E4) measured using the pendant-bubble apparatus.

Coral Reef Remote Sensing Using Simulated VIIRS and LDCM Imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estep, Leland; Spruce, Joseph P.; Blonski, Slawomir; Moore, Roxzana

2008-01-01

The Rapid Prototyping Capability (RPC) node at NASA Stennis Space Center, MS, was used to simulate NASA next-generation sensor imagery over well-known coral reef areas: Looe Key, FL, and Kaneohe Bay, HI. The objective was to assess the degree to which next-generation sensor systems-the Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM)- might provide key input to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Integrated Coral Observing Network (ICON)/Coral Reef Early Warning System (CREWS) Decision Support Tool (DST). The DST data layers produced from the simulated imagery concerned water quality and benthic classification map layers. The water optical parameters of interest were chlorophyll (Chl) and the absorption coefficient (a). The input imagery used by the RPC for simulation included spaceborne (Hyperion) and airborne (AVIRIS) hyperspectral data. Specific field data to complement and aid in validation of the overflight data was used when available. The results of the experiment show that the next-generation sensor systems are capable of providing valuable data layer resources to NOAA s ICON/CREWS DST.

Coral Reef Remote Sensing using Simulated VIIRS and LDCM Imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estep, Leland; Spruce, Joseph P.

2007-01-01

The Rapid Prototyping Capability (RPC) node at NASA Stennis Space Center, MS, was used to simulate NASA next-generation sensor imagery over well-known coral reef areas: Looe Key, FL, and Kaneohe Bay, HI. The objective was to assess the degree to which next-generation sensor systems the Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) might provide key input to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Integrated Coral Observing Network (ICON)/Coral Reef Early Warning System (CREWS) Decision Support Tool (DST). The DST data layers produced from the simulated imagery concerned water quality and benthic classification map layers. The water optical parameters of interest were chlorophyll (Chl) and the absorption coefficient (a). The input imagery used by the RPC for simulation included spaceborne (Hyperion) and airborne (AVIRIS) hyperspectral data. Specific field data to complement and aid in validation of the overflight data was used when available. The results of the experiment show that the next-generation sensor systems are capable of providing valuable data layer resources to NOAA's ICON/CREWS DST.

Calibration of the Flow in the Test Section of the Research Wind Tunnel at DST Group

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

calibration of the flow in the test section of the Research Wind Tunnel at DST Group. The calibration was performed to establish the flow quality and to...of the Flow in the Test Section of the Research Wind Tunnel at DST Group Executive Summary The Defence Science and Technology Group (DST

Quantitative Assessment of the CCMC's Experimental Real-time SWMF-Geospace Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liemohn, Michael; Ganushkina, Natalia; De Zeeuw, Darren; Welling, Daniel; Toth, Gabor; Ilie, Raluca; Gombosi, Tamas; van der Holst, Bart; Kuznetsova, Maria; Maddox, Marlo; Rastaetter, Lutz

2016-04-01

Experimental real-time simulations of the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF) are conducted at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC), with results available there (http://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/realtime.php), through the CCMC Integrated Space Weather Analysis (iSWA) site (http://iswa.ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/IswaSystemWebApp/), and the Michigan SWMF site (http://csem.engin.umich.edu/realtime). Presently, two configurations of the SWMF are running in real time at CCMC, both focusing on the geospace modules, using the BATS-R-US magnetohydrodynamic model, the Ridley Ionosphere Model, and with and without the Rice Convection Model for inner magnetospheric drift physics. While both have been running for several years, nearly continuous results are available since July 2015. Dst from the model output is compared against the Kyoto real-time Dst, in particular the daily minimum value of Dst to quantify the ability of the model to capture storms. Contingency tables are presented, showing that the run with the inner magnetosphere model is much better at reproducing storm-time values. For disturbances with a minimum Dst lower than -50 nT, this version yields a probability of event detection of 0.86 and a Heidke Skill Score of 0.60. In the other version of the SWMF, without the inner magnetospheric module included, the modeled Dst never dropped below -50 nT during the examined epoch.

HPA axis hyperactivity and attempted suicide in young adult mood disorder inpatients.

PubMed

Jokinen, Jussi; Nordström, Peter

2009-07-01

Hyperactivity of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is a consistent finding in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and most prospective studies of HPA-axis function have found that non-suppressors in the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) are more likely to commit suicide during follow-up. The results of studies on HPA-axis function and attempted suicide are less consistent. Suicide attempts are more common among young people than the elderly, whereas suicide is more common among the elderly. The impact of age related changes in HPA-axis system activity in relation to suicidal behaviour across the lifecycle may be of importance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the DST results in 36 young adult (30 years or younger) inpatients with mood disorder, with (n=18) and without suicide attempt at the index episode. The DST non-suppressor rate was 25% among young mood disorder inpatients. DST non-suppression was associated with suicide attempt and post-dexamethasone serum cortisol at 11:00 p.m. was significantly higher in suicide attempters compared to non-attempters. The DST non-suppressor rate was 39% in young adult suicide attempters compared with 11% in non-attempters. The results add to previous evidence in support of the role of HPA axis hyperactivity and suicidal behaviour. The present findings motivate to include HPA axis measures in the assessment of depression in young adults.

NASA JPL Distributed Systems Technology (DST) Object-Oriented Component Approach for Software Inter-Operability and Reuse

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Laverne; Hung, Chaw-Kwei; Lin, Imin

2000-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide a description of NASA JPL Distributed Systems Technology (DST) Section's object-oriented component approach to open inter-operable systems software development and software reuse. It will address what is meant by the terminology object component software, give an overview of the component-based development approach and how it relates to infrastructure support of software architectures and promotes reuse, enumerate on the benefits of this approach, and give examples of application prototypes demonstrating its usage and advantages. Utilization of the object-oriented component technology approach for system development and software reuse will apply to several areas within JPL, and possibly across other NASA Centers.

Crustal structure along the DESERT 2000 Transect inferred from 3-D gravity modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Kelani, R.; Goetze, H.; Rybakov, M.; Hassouneh, M.; Schmidt, S.

2003-12-01

A three-dimensional interpretation of the newly compiled Bouguer anomaly map is part of the DESERT 2000 Transect. That is multi-disciplinary and multinational project studying for first time the Dead Sea Transform (DST) fault system (DST) from the Mediterranean Sea to Saudi Arabia across the international border in the NW-SE direction. The negative Bouguer anomalies (with magnitude reached "C130 mGal), located into transform valley, are caused by the internal sedimentary basins filled by the light density young sediments (­Y10 km). A high-resolution 3-D model constrained with the seismic results reveals a possible crustal thickness and density distribution beneath the DST valley. The inferred zone of intrusion coincides with the maximum gravity anomaly over the eastern flank of the DST. The intrusion is displaced at different sectors along the NW-SE direction. The zone of the maximum crustal thinning (­30 km) is attained in the western sector at the Mediterranean. The southeastern plateau, on the other hand, shows by far the largest crustal thickness in the region (38-42 km). Linked to the left lateral movement of ~ 105 km at the boundary between the African and Arabian plate, and constrained with the DESERT 2000 seismic data, a small asymmetric topography of the Moho beneath the DST was modelled. The thickness and density of the crust suggest that a continental crust underlies the DST. The deep basins, the relatively large nature of the intrusion and the asymmetric topography of the Moho lead to the conclusion that a small-scale asthenospheric upwelling(?) might be responsible for the thinning of the crust and subsequent rifting of the Dead Sea graben during the left lateral movement.

Adverse Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Adolescents' Sleep and Vigilance

PubMed Central

Medina, Diana; Ebben, Matthew; Milrad, Sara; Atkinson, Brianna; Krieger, Ana C.

2015-01-01

Study Objectives: Daylight saving time (DST) has been established with the intent to reduce energy expenditure, however unintentional effects on sleep and vigilance have not been consistently measured. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that DST adversely affects high school students' sleep and vigilance on the school days following its implementation. Methods: A natural experiment design was used to assess baseline and post-DST differences in objective and subjective measures of sleep and vigilance by actigraphy, sleep diary, sleepiness scale, and psychomotor vigilance testing (PVT). Students were tested during school days immediately preceding and following DST. Results: A total of 40 high school students were enrolled in this study; 35 completed the protocol. Sleep duration declined by an average of 32 minutes on the weeknights post-DST, reflecting a cumulative sleep loss of 2 h 42 min as compared to the baseline week (p = 0.001). This finding was confirmed by sleep diary analyses, reflecting an average sleep loss of 27 min/night (p = 0.004) post-DST. Vigilance significantly deteriorated, with a decline in PVT performance post-DST, resulting in longer reaction times (p < 0.001) and increased lapses (p < 0.001). Increased daytime sleepiness was also demonstrated (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The early March DST onset adversely affected sleep and vigilance in high school students resulting in increased daytime sleepiness. Larger scale evaluations of sleep impairments related to DST are needed to further quantify this problem in the population. If confirmed, measures to attenuate sleep loss post-DST should be implemented. Citation: Medina D, Ebben M, Milrad S, Atkinson B, Krieger AC. Adverse effects of daylight saving time on adolescents' sleep and vigilance. J Clin Sleep Med 2015;11(8):879–884. PMID:25979095

U.S. Geological Survey Near Real-Time Dst Index

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gannon, J.L.; Love, J.J.; Friberg, P.A.; Stewart, D.C.; Lisowski, S.W.

2011-01-01

The operational version of the United States Geological Survey one-minute Dst index (a global geomagnetic disturbance-intensity index for scientific studies and definition of space-weather effects) uses either four- or three-station input (including Honolulu, Hawaii; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Hermanus, South Africa; and Kakioka, Japan; or Honolulu, San Juan and Guam) and a method based on the U.S. Geological Survey definitive Dst index, in which Dst is more rigorously calculated. The method uses a combination of time-domain techniques and frequency-space filtering to produce the disturbance time series at an individual observatory. The operational output is compared to the U.S. Geological Survey one-minute Dst index (definitive version) and to the Kyoto (Japan) Final Dst to show that the U.S. Geological Survey operational output matches both definitive indices well.

Does the transition into daylight saving time really cause partial sleep deprivation?

PubMed

Toth Quintilham, Manoel Carlos; Adamowicz, Taísa; Pereira, Erico Felden; Pedrazzoli, Mario; Louzada, Fernando Mazzilli

2014-01-01

To identify possible changes in the sleep patterns according to chronotype in undergraduate students during the daylight saving time (DST) transition. A total of 378 students answered the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) to determine their chronotype and kept a diary about sleep-wake schedules 1 week before and after the DST transition. Oral mucosal cell samples were collected for genetic analysis. After the DST transition, intermediate types (I-types) delayed bedtime and increased their time in bed and all groups delayed their wake-up time. All groups presented a shorter phase angle between sunset and the bedtime after the DST transition. On the other hand, only E-types showed a tendency to reduce the phase angle between sunrise and wake-up time, while I-types and M-types kept the same phase angles between sunrise and wake-up time after the DST transition. The polymorphisms in the human genes CLOCK and PER3 were not associated with individual differences in sleep patterns, nor were they associated with an adjustment to the DST transition. Under the new set of social times determined by DST, the adjustment was only partial. I-types delayed bedtime and all groups delayed their wake-up times after the beginning of DST. Consequently, the time in bed after the DST transition was not reduced; Morning (M-types) and Evening-types (E-types) kept the same time in bed and I-types showed an increase on it.

Comparison of 4'-[methyl-(11)C]thiothymidine ((11)C-4DST) and 3'-deoxy-3'-[(18)F]fluorothymidine ((18)F-FLT) PET/CT in human brain glioma imaging.

PubMed

Toyota, Yasunori; Miyake, Keisuke; Kawai, Nobuyuki; Hatakeyama, Tetsuhiro; Yamamoto, Yuka; Toyohara, Jun; Nishiyama, Yoshihiro; Tamiya, Takashi

2015-01-01

3'-deoxy-3'-[(18)F]fluorothymidine ((18)F-FLT) has been used to evaluate tumor malignancy and cell proliferation in human brain gliomas. However, (18)F-FLT has several limitations in clinical use. Recently, (11)C-labeled thymidine analogue, 4'-[methyl-(11)C]thiothymidine ((11)C-4DST), became available as an in vivo cell proliferation positron emission tomography (PET) tracer. The present study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of (11)C-4DST PET in the diagnosis of human brain gliomas by comparing with the images of (18)F-FLT PET. Twenty patients with primary and recurrent brain gliomas underwent (18)F-FLT and (11)C-4DST PET scans. The uptake values in the tumors were evaluated using the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), the tumor-to-normal tissue uptake (T/N) ratio, and the tumor-to-blood uptake (T/B) ratio. These values were compared among different glioma grades. Correlation between the Ki-67 labeling index and the uptake values of (11)C-4DST and (18)F-FLT in the tumor was evaluated using linear regression analysis. The relationship between the individual (18)F-FLT and (11)C-4DST uptake values in the tumors was also examined. (11)C-4DST uptake was significantly higher than that of (18)F-FLT in the normal brain. The uptake values of (11)C-4DST in the tumor were similar to those of (18)F-FLT resulting in better visualization with (18)F-FLT. No significant differences in the uptake values of (18)F-FLT and (11)C-4DST were noted among different glioma grades. Linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation between the Ki-67 labeling index and the T/N ratio of (11)C-4DST (r = 0.50, P < 0.05) and (18)F-FLT (r = 0.50, P < 0.05). Significant correlations were also found between the Ki-67 labeling index and the T/B ratio of (11)C-4DST (r = 0.52, P < 0.05) and (18)F-FLT (r = 0.55, P < 0.05). A highly significant correlation was observed between the individual T/N ratio of (11)C-4DST and (18)F-FLT in the tumor (r = 0.79, P = 0.0001). The present study demonstrates that (11)C-4DST is useful for the imaging of human brain gliomas with PET. A relatively higher background uptake of (11)C-4DST in the normal brain compared to (18)F-FLT limits the detection of low-tracer-uptake tumors. Moreover, no superiority was found in (11)C-4DST over (18)F-FLT in the evaluation of cell proliferation.

High pre-diagnosis attrition among patients with presumptive MDR-TB: an operational research from Bhopal district, India.

PubMed

Shewade, Hemant Deepak; Kokane, Arun M; Singh, Akash Ranjan; Verma, Manoj; Parmar, Malik; Chauhan, Ashish; Chahar, Sanjay Singh; Tiwari, Manoj; Khan, Sheeba Naz; Gupta, Vivek; Tripathy, Jaya Prasad; Nagar, Mukesh; Singh, Sanjai Kumar; Mehra, Pradeep Kumar; Kumar, Ajay Mv

2017-04-04

Pre-diagnosis attrition needs to be addressed urgently if we are to make progress in improving MDR-TB case detection and achieve universal access to MDR-TB care. We report the pre-diagnosis attrition, along with factors associated, and turnaround times related to the diagnostic pathway among patient with presumptive MDR-TB in Bhopal district, central India (2014). Study was conducted under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme setting. It was a retrospective cohort study involving record review of all registered TB cases in Bhopal district that met the presumptive MDR-TB criteria (eligible for DST) in 2014. In quarter 1, Line Probe Assay (LPA) was used if sample was smear/culture positive. Quarter 2 onwards, LPA and Cartridge-based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CbNAAT) was used for smear positive and smear negative samples respectively. Pre-diagnosis attrition was defined as failure to undergo DST among patients with presumptive MDR-TB (as defined by the programme). Of 770 patients eligible for DST, 311 underwent DST and 20 patients were diagnosed as having MDR-TB. Pre-diagnosis attrition was 60% (459/770). Among those with pre-diagnosis attrition, 91% (417/459) were not identified as 'presumptive MDR-TB' by the programme. TAT [median (IQR)] to undergo DST after eligibility was 4 (0, 10) days. Attrition was more than 40% across all subgroups. Age more than 64 years; those from a medical college; those eligible in quarter 1; patients with presumptive criteria 'previously treated - recurrent TB', 'treatment after loss-to-follow-up' and 'previously treated-others'; and patients with extra-pulmonary TB were independent risk factors for not undergoing DST. High pre-diagnosis attrition was contributed by failure to identify and refer patients. Attrition reduced modestly with time and one factor that might have contributed to this was introduction of CbNAAT in quarter 2 of 2014. General health system strengthening which includes improvement in identification/referral and patient tracking with focus on those with higher risk for not undergoing DST is urgently required.

Computer-Aided Diagnosis System for Alzheimer's Disease Using Different Discrete Transform Techniques.

PubMed

Dessouky, Mohamed M; Elrashidy, Mohamed A; Taha, Taha E; Abdelkader, Hatem M

2016-05-01

The different discrete transform techniques such as discrete cosine transform (DCT), discrete sine transform (DST), discrete wavelet transform (DWT), and mel-scale frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) are powerful feature extraction techniques. This article presents a proposed computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for extracting the most effective and significant features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) using these different discrete transform techniques and MFCC techniques. Linear support vector machine has been used as a classifier in this article. Experimental results conclude that the proposed CAD system using MFCC technique for AD recognition has a great improvement for the system performance with small number of significant extracted features, as compared with the CAD system based on DCT, DST, DWT, and the hybrid combination methods of the different transform techniques. © The Author(s) 2015.

Simple, direct drug susceptibility testing technique for diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis in resource-poor settings.

PubMed

Kim, C-K; Joo, Y-T; Lee, E P; Park, Y K; Kim, H-J; Kim, S J

2013-09-01

The Korean Institute of Tuberculosis, Seoul, Republic of Korea. To develop a simple, direct drug susceptibility testing (DST) technique using Kudoh-modified Ogawa (KMO) medium. The critical concentrations of isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RMP), kanamycin (KM) and ofloxacin (OFX) for KMO medium were calibrated by comparing the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on KMO with those on Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ). The performance of the direct KMO DST technique was evaluated on 186 smear-positive sputum specimens and compared with indirect LJ DST. Agreement of MICs on direct vs. indirect DST was high for INH, RMP and OFX. KM MICs on KMO were ∼10 g/ml higher than those on LJ. The critical concentrations of INH, RMP, OFX and KM for KMO were therefore set at 0.2, 40.0, 2.0, and 40.0 g/ml. The evaluation of direct DST of smear-positive sputum specimens showed 100% agreement with indirect LJ DST for INH and RMP. However, the respective susceptible and resistant predictive values were 98.8% and 100% for OFX, and 100% and 80% for KM. Direct DST using KMO is useful, with clear advantages of a shorter turnaround time, procedural simplicity and low cost compared to indirect DST. It may be most indicated in resource-poor settings for programmatic management of drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Geomagnetic storms, the Dst ring-current myth and lognormal distributions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell, W.H.

1996-01-01

The definition of geomagnetic storms dates back to the turn of the century when researchers recognized the unique shape of the H-component field change upon averaging storms recorded at low latitude observatories. A generally accepted modeling of the storm field sources as a magnetospheric ring current was settled about 30 years ago at the start of space exploration and the discovery of the Van Allen belt of particles encircling the Earth. The Dst global 'ring-current' index of geomagnetic disturbances, formulated in that period, is still taken to be the definitive representation for geomagnetic storms. Dst indices, or data from many world observatories processed in a fashion paralleling the index, are used widely by researchers relying on the assumption of such a magnetospheric current-ring depiction. Recent in situ measurements by satellites passing through the ring-current region and computations with disturbed magnetosphere models show that the Dst storm is not solely a main-phase to decay-phase, growth to disintegration, of a massive current encircling the Earth. Although a ring current certainly exists during a storm, there are many other field contributions at the middle-and low-latitude observatories that are summed to show the 'storm' characteristic behavior in Dst at these observatories. One characteristic of the storm field form at middle and low latitudes is that Dst exhibits a lognormal distribution shape when plotted as the hourly value amplitude in each time range. Such distributions, common in nature, arise when there are many contributors to a measurement or when the measurement is a result of a connected series of statistical processes. The amplitude-time displays of Dst are thought to occur because the many time-series processes that are added to form Dst all have their own characteristic distribution in time. By transforming the Dst time display into the equivalent normal distribution, it is shown that a storm recovery can be predicted with remarkable accuracy from measurements made during the Dst growth phase. In the lognormal formulation, the mean, standard deviation and field count within standard deviation limits become definitive Dst storm parameters.

Large Eddy Simulations using oodlesDST

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

Research Agency DST-Group-TR-3205 ABSTRACT The oodlesDST code is based on OpenFOAM software and performs Large Eddy Simulations of......maritime platforms using a variety of simulation techniques. He is currently using OpenFOAM software to perform both Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes

Longitudinal observation of [11C]4DST uptake in turpentine-induced inflammatory tissue.

PubMed

Toyohara, Jun; Sakata, Muneyuki; Oda, Keiichi; Ishii, Kenji; Ishiwata, Kiichi

2013-02-01

Longitudinal changes of 4'-[methyl-(11)C]thiothymidine ([(11)C]4DST) uptake were evaluated in turpentine-induced inflammation. Turpentine (0.1 ml) was injected intramuscularly into the right hind leg of male Wistar rats. Longitudinal [(11)C]4DST uptake was evaluated by the tissue dissection method at 1, 2, 4, 7, and 14 days after turpentine injection (n=5). The tumor selectivity index was calculated using the previously published biodistribution data in C6 glioma-bearing rats. Dynamic PET scan was performed on day 4 when maximum [(11)C]4DST uptake was observed during the longitudinal study. Histopathological analysis and Ki-67 immunostaining were also performed. The uptake of [(11)C]4DST in inflammatory tissue was significantly increased on days 2-4 after turpentine injection, and then decreased. On day 14, tracer uptake returned to the day 1 level. The maximum SUV of inflamed muscle was 0.6 and was 3 times higher than that of the contralateral healthy muscle on days 2-4 after turpentine injection. However, tumor selectivity index remains very high (>10) because of the low inflammation uptake. A dynamic PET scan showed that the radioactivity in inflammatory tissues peaked at 5 min after [(11)C]4DST injection, and then washed out until 20 min. At intervals >20 min, radioactivity levels were constant and double that of healthy muscle. The changes in Ki-67 index were paralleled with those of [(11)C]4DST uptake, indicating cell proliferation-dependent uptake of [(11)C]4DST in inflammatory tissues. In our animal model, low but significant levels of [(11)C]4DST uptake were observed in subacute inflammation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous assay of cortisol and dexamethasone improved diagnostic accuracy of the dexamethasone suppression test.

PubMed

Ueland, Grethe Å; Methlie, Paal; Kellmann, Ralf; Bjørgaas, Marit; Åsvold, Bjørn O; Thorstensen, Ketil; Kelp, Oskar; Thordarson, Hrafnkell B; Mellgren, Gunnar; Løvås, Kristian; Husebye, Eystein S

2017-06-01

The overnight dexamethasone (DXM) suppression test (DST) has high sensitivity, but moderate specificity, for diagnosing hypercortisolism. We have evaluated if simultaneous measurement of S-DXM may correct for variable DXM bioavailability and increase the diagnostic performance of DST, and if saliva (sa) is a feasible adjunct or alternative to serum. Prospective study of DST was carried out in patients with suspected Cushing's syndrome (CS) ( n  = 49), incidentaloma ( n  = 152) and healthy controls ( n  = 101). Cortisol, cortisone and DXM were assayed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Three hundred and two subjects underwent DST; S-cortisol was ≥50 nmol/L in 83 patients, of whom 11 had CS and 27 had autonomous cortisol secretion. The lower 2.5 percentile of S-DXM in subjects with negative DST ( n  = 208) was 3.3 nmol/L, which was selected as the DXM cut-off level. Nine patients had the combination of low S-DXM and positive DST. Of these, three had been misdiagnosed as having autonomous cortisol secretion. DST results were highly reproducible and confirmed in a replication cohort ( n  = 58). Patients with overt CS had significantly elevated post-DST sa-cortisol and sa-cortisone levels compared with controls; 23 of 25 with autonomous cortisol secretion had elevated sa-cortisone and 14 had elevated sa-cortisol. Simultaneous measurement of serum DXM and cortisol reduced false-positive DSTs by 20% and improved the specificity. S-DXM >3.3 nmol/L is sufficient for the suppression of cortisol <50 nmol/L. Measurement of glucocorticoids in saliva is a non-invasive and easy procedure and post-DST sa-cortisone was found particularly useful in the diagnosis of CS. © 2017 European Society of Endocrinology.

A decision support tool to prioritize risk management options for contaminated sites.

PubMed

Sorvari, Jaana; Seppälä, Jyri

2010-03-15

The decisions on risk management (RM) of contaminated sites in Finland have typically been driven by practical factors such as time and money. However, RM is a multifaceted task that generally involves several additional determinants, e.g. performance and environmental effects of remediation methods, psychological and social factors. Therefore, we adopted a multi-criteria decision analysis approach and developed a decision support tool (DST) that is viable in decision-making in such a complex situation. The basic components of the DST are based on the Dutch REC system. However, our DST is more case-specific and allows the consideration of the type, magnitude and scale of contamination, land use, environmental conditions and socio-cultural aspects (e.g. loss of cultural heritage, image aspects). The construction of the DST was started by structuring the decision problem using a value tree. Based on this work we adopted the Multi-Attribute Value Theory (MAVT) for data aggregation. The final DST was demonstrated by two model sites for which the RM alternatives and site-specific data were created on the basis of factual remediation projects and by interviewing experts. The demonstration of the DST was carried out in a workshop where representatives of different stakeholders were requested to rank and weight the decision criteria involved. To get information on the consistency of the ranking of the RM alternatives, we used different weighting techniques (ratio estimation and pair-wise weighting) and alternative ways to treat individual respondents' weights in calculating the preference scores for each RM alternative. These dissimilar approaches resulted in some differences in the preference order of the RM alternatives. The demonstration showed that attention has to be paid to the proper description of the site, the principles of the procedure and the decision criteria. Nevertheless, the procedure proved to enable efficient communication between different stakeholders and the identification of the preferred RM option.

An Integrated Approach to Rapid Diagnosis of Tuberculosis and Multidrug Resistance Using Liquid Culture and Molecular Methods in Russia

PubMed Central

Balabanova, Yanina; Drobniewski, Francis; Nikolayevskyy, Vladyslav; Kruuner, Annika; Malomanova, Nadezhda; Simak, Tatyana; Ilyina, Nailya; Zakharova, Svetlana; Lebedeva, Natalya; Alexander, Heather L.; O'Brien, Rick; Sohn, Hojoon; Shakhmistova, Anastasia; Fedorin, Ivan

2009-01-01

Objective To analyse the feasibility, cost and performance of rapid tuberculosis (TB) molecular and culture systems, in a high multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB) middle-income region (Samara, Russia) and provide evidence for WHO policy change. Methods Performance and cost evaluation was conducted to compare the BACTEC™ MGIT™ 960 system for culture and drug susceptibility testing (DST) and molecular systems for TB diagnosis, resistance to isoniazid and rifampin, and MDR TB identification compared to conventional Lowenstein-Jensen culture assays. Findings 698 consecutive patients (2487 sputum samples) with risk factors for drug-resistant tuberculosis were recruited. Overall M. tuberculosis complex culture positivity rates were 31.6% (787/2487) in MGIT and 27.1% (675/2487) in LJ (90.5% and 83.2% for smear-positive specimens). In total, 809 cultures of M. tuberculosis complex were isolated by any method. Median time to detection was 14 days for MGIT and 36 days for LJ (10 and 33 days for smear positive specimens) and indirect DST in MGIT took 9 days compared to 21 days on LJ. There was good concordance between DST on LJ and MGIT (96.8% for rifampin and 95.6% for isoniazid). Both molecular hybridization assay results correlated well with MGIT DST results, although molecular assays generally yielded higher rates of resistance (by approximately 3% for both isoniazid and rifampin). Conclusion With effective planning and logistics, the MGIT 960 and molecular based methodologies can be successfully introduced into a reference laboratory setting in a middle incidence country. High rates of MDR TB in the Russian Federation make the introduction of such assays particularly useful. PMID:19774085

Does Daylight Savings Time encourage physical activity?

PubMed

Zick, Cathleen D

2014-07-01

Extending Daylight Savings Time (DST) has been identified as a policy intervention that may encourage physical activity. However, there has been little research on the question of if DST encourages adults to be more physically active. Data from residents of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah ages 18-64 who participated in the 2003-2009 American Time Use Survey are used to assess whether DST is associated with increased time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The analysis capitalizes on the natural experiment created because Arizona does not observe DST. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses indicate that shifting 1 hour of daylight from morning to evening does not impact MVPA of Americans living in the southwest. While DST may affect the choices people make about the timing and location of their sports/recreational activities, the potential for DST to serve as a broad-based intervention that encourages greater sports/recreation participation is not supported by this analysis. Whether this null effect would persist in other climate situations is an open question.

Time Delay Between Dst Index and Magnetic Storm Related Structure in the Solar Wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Osherovich, Vladimir A.; Fainberg, Joseph

2015-01-01

Benson et al. (2015, this volume) selected 10 large magnetic storms, with associated Dst minimum values less than or equal to -100 nT, for which high-latitude topside ionospheric electron density profiles are available from topside-sounder satellites. For these 10 storms, we performed a superposition of Dst and interplanetary parameters B, v, N(sub p) and T(sub p). We have found that two interplanetary parameters, namely B and v, are sufficient to reproduce Dst with correlation coefficient cc approximately 0.96 provided that the interplanetary parameter times are taken 0.15 days earlier than the associated Dst times. Thus we have found which part of the solar wind is responsible for each phase of the magnetic storm. This result is also verified for individual storms as well. The total duration of SRS (storm related structure in the solar wind) is 4 - 5 days which is the same as the associated Dst interval of the magnetic storm.

The potential use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) in mountain search and rescue operations.

PubMed

Karaca, Yunus; Cicek, Mustafa; Tatli, Ozgur; Sahin, Aynur; Pasli, Sinan; Beser, Muhammed Fatih; Turedi, Suleyman

2018-04-01

This study explores the potential use of drones in searching for and locating victims and of motorized transportation of search and rescue providers in a mountain environment using a simulation model. This prospective randomized simulation study was performed in order to compare two different search and rescue techniques in searching for an unconscious victim on snow-covered ground. In the control arm, the Classical Line Search Technique (CLT) was used, in which the search is performed on foot and the victim is reached on foot. In the intervention arm, the Drone-snowmobile Technique (DST) was used, the search being performed by drone and the victim reached by snowmobile. The primary outcome of the study was the comparison of the two search and rescue techniques in terms of first human contact time. Twenty search and rescue operations were conducted in this study. Median time to arrival at the mannequin was 57.3min for CLT, compared to 8.9min for DST. The median value of the total searched area was 88,322.0m 2 for CLT and 228,613.0m 2 for DST. The median area searched per minute was 1489.6m 2 for CLT and 32,979.9m 2 for DST (p<0.01 for all comparisons). In conclusion, a wider area can be searched faster by drone using DST compared to the classical technique, and the victim can be located faster and reached earlier with rescuers transported by snowmobile. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Second-line drug susceptibility breakpoints for Mycobacterium tuberculosis using the MODS assay.

PubMed

Trollip, A P; Moore, D; Coronel, J; Caviedes, L; Klages, S; Victor, T; Romancenco, E; Crudu, V; Ajbani, K; Vineet, V P; Rodrigues, C; Jackson, R L; Eisenach, K; Garfein, R S; Rodwell, T C; Desmond, E; Groessl, E J; Ganiats, T G; Catanzaro, A

2014-02-01

To establish breakpoint concentrations for the fluoroquinolones (moxifloxacin [MFX] and ofloxacin [OFX]) and injectable second-line drugs (amikacin [AMK], kanamycin [KM] and capreomycin [CPM]) using the microscopic observation drug susceptibility (MODS) assay. A multinational study conducted between February 2011 and August 2012 in Peru, India, Moldova and South Africa. In the first phase, breakpoints for the fluoroquinolones and injectable second-line drugs (n = 58) were determined. In the second phase, MODS second-line drug susceptibility testing (DST) as an indirect test was compared to MGIT™ DST (n = 89). In the third (n = 30) and fourth (n = 156) phases, we determined the reproducibility and concordance of MODS second-line DST directly from sputum. Breakpoints for MFX (0.5 μg/ml), OFX (1 μg/ml), AMK (2 μg/ml), KM (5 μg/ml) and CPM (2.5 μg/ml) were determined. In all phases, MODS results were highly concordant with MGIT DST. The few discrepancies suggest that the MODS breakpoint concentrations for some drugs may be too low. MODS second-line DST yielded comparable results to MGIT second-line DST, and is thus a promising alternative. Further studies are needed to confirm the accuracy of the drug breakpoints and the reliability of MODS second-line DST as a direct test.

Ex-vivo sensitivity profiling to guide clinical decision making in acute myeloid leukemia: A pilot study.

PubMed

Swords, Ronan T; Azzam, Diana; Al-Ali, Hassan; Lohse, Ines; Volmar, Claude-Henry; Watts, Justin M; Perez, Aymee; Rodriguez, Ana; Vargas, Fernando; Elias, Roy; Vega, Francisco; Zelent, Arthur; Brothers, Shaun P; Abbasi, Taher; Trent, Jonathan; Rangwala, Shaukat; Deutsch, Yehuda; Conneally, Eibhlin; Drusbosky, Leylah; Cogle, Christopher R; Wahlestedt, Claes

2018-01-01

A precision medicine approach is appealing for use in AML due to ease of access to tumor samples and the significant variability in the patients' response to treatment. Attempts to establish a precision medicine platform for AML, however, have been unsuccessful, at least in part due to the use of small compound panels and having relatively slow turn over rates, which restricts the scope of treatment and delays its onset. For this pilot study, we evaluated a cohort of 12 patients with refractory AML using an ex vivo drug sensitivity testing (DST) platform. Purified AML blasts were screened with a panel of 215 FDA-approved compounds and treatment response was evaluated after 72h of exposure. Drug sensitivity scoring was reported to the treating physician, and patients were then treated with either DST- or non-DST guided therapy. We observed survival benefit of DST-guided therapy as compared to the survival of patients treated according to physician recommendation. Three out of four DST-treated patients displayed treatment response, while all of the non-DST-guided patients progressed during treatment. DST rapidly and effectively provides personalized treatment recommendations for patients with refractory AML. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

New insights into soil temperature time series modeling: linear or nonlinear?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonakdari, Hossein; Moeeni, Hamid; Ebtehaj, Isa; Zeynoddin, Mohammad; Mahoammadian, Abdolmajid; Gharabaghi, Bahram

2018-03-01

Soil temperature (ST) is an important dynamic parameter, whose prediction is a major research topic in various fields including agriculture because ST has a critical role in hydrological processes at the soil surface. In this study, a new linear methodology is proposed based on stochastic methods for modeling daily soil temperature (DST). With this approach, the ST series components are determined to carry out modeling and spectral analysis. The results of this process are compared with two linear methods based on seasonal standardization and seasonal differencing in terms of four DST series. The series used in this study were measured at two stations, Champaign and Springfield, at depths of 10 and 20 cm. The results indicate that in all ST series reviewed, the periodic term is the most robust among all components. According to a comparison of the three methods applied to analyze the various series components, it appears that spectral analysis combined with stochastic methods outperformed the seasonal standardization and seasonal differencing methods. In addition to comparing the proposed methodology with linear methods, the ST modeling results were compared with the two nonlinear methods in two forms: considering hydrological variables (HV) as input variables and DST modeling as a time series. In a previous study at the mentioned sites, Kim and Singh Theor Appl Climatol 118:465-479, (2014) applied the popular Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) neural network and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) nonlinear methods and considered HV as input variables. The comparison results signify that the relative error projected in estimating DST by the proposed methodology was about 6%, while this value with MLP and ANFIS was over 15%. Moreover, MLP and ANFIS models were employed for DST time series modeling. Due to these models' relatively inferior performance to the proposed methodology, two hybrid models were implemented: the weights and membership function of MLP and ANFIS (respectively) were optimized with the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm in conjunction with the wavelet transform and nonlinear methods (Wavelet-MLP & Wavelet-ANFIS). A comparison of the proposed methodology with individual and hybrid nonlinear models in predicting DST time series indicates the lowest Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) index value, which considers model simplicity and accuracy simultaneously at different depths and stations. The methodology presented in this study can thus serve as an excellent alternative to complex nonlinear methods that are normally employed to examine DST.

Humanoids Learning to Walk: A Natural CPG-Actor-Critic Architecture.

PubMed

Li, Cai; Lowe, Robert; Ziemke, Tom

2013-01-01

The identification of learning mechanisms for locomotion has been the subject of much research for some time but many challenges remain. Dynamic systems theory (DST) offers a novel approach to humanoid learning through environmental interaction. Reinforcement learning (RL) has offered a promising method to adaptively link the dynamic system to the environment it interacts with via a reward-based value system. In this paper, we propose a model that integrates the above perspectives and applies it to the case of a humanoid (NAO) robot learning to walk the ability of which emerges from its value-based interaction with the environment. In the model, a simplified central pattern generator (CPG) architecture inspired by neuroscientific research and DST is integrated with an actor-critic approach to RL (cpg-actor-critic). In the cpg-actor-critic architecture, least-square-temporal-difference based learning converges to the optimal solution quickly by using natural gradient learning and balancing exploration and exploitation. Futhermore, rather than using a traditional (designer-specified) reward it uses a dynamic value function as a stability indicator that adapts to the environment. The results obtained are analyzed using a novel DST-based embodied cognition approach. Learning to walk, from this perspective, is a process of integrating levels of sensorimotor activity and value.

Humanoids Learning to Walk: A Natural CPG-Actor-Critic Architecture

PubMed Central

Li, Cai; Lowe, Robert; Ziemke, Tom

2013-01-01

The identification of learning mechanisms for locomotion has been the subject of much research for some time but many challenges remain. Dynamic systems theory (DST) offers a novel approach to humanoid learning through environmental interaction. Reinforcement learning (RL) has offered a promising method to adaptively link the dynamic system to the environment it interacts with via a reward-based value system. In this paper, we propose a model that integrates the above perspectives and applies it to the case of a humanoid (NAO) robot learning to walk the ability of which emerges from its value-based interaction with the environment. In the model, a simplified central pattern generator (CPG) architecture inspired by neuroscientific research and DST is integrated with an actor-critic approach to RL (cpg-actor-critic). In the cpg-actor-critic architecture, least-square-temporal-difference based learning converges to the optimal solution quickly by using natural gradient learning and balancing exploration and exploitation. Futhermore, rather than using a traditional (designer-specified) reward it uses a dynamic value function as a stability indicator that adapts to the environment. The results obtained are analyzed using a novel DST-based embodied cognition approach. Learning to walk, from this perspective, is a process of integrating levels of sensorimotor activity and value. PMID:23675345

Wind Prediction Accuracy for Air Traffic Management Decision Support Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cole, Rod; Green, Steve; Jardin, Matt; Schwartz, Barry; Benjamin, Stan

2000-01-01

The performance of Air Traffic Management and flight deck decision support tools depends in large part on the accuracy of the supporting 4D trajectory predictions. This is particularly relevant to conflict prediction and active advisories for the resolution of conflicts and the conformance with of traffic-flow management flow-rate constraints (e.g., arrival metering / required time of arrival). Flight test results have indicated that wind prediction errors may represent the largest source of trajectory prediction error. The tests also discovered relatively large errors (e.g., greater than 20 knots), existing in pockets of space and time critical to ATM DST performance (one or more sectors, greater than 20 minutes), are inadequately represented by the classic RMS aggregate prediction-accuracy studies of the past. To facilitate the identification and reduction of DST-critical wind-prediction errors, NASA has lead a collaborative research and development activity with MIT Lincoln Laboratories and the Forecast Systems Lab of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This activity, begun in 1996, has focussed on the development of key metrics for ATM DST performance, assessment of wind-prediction skill for state of the art systems, and development/validation of system enhancements to improve skill. A 13 month study was conducted for the Denver Center airspace in 1997. Two complementary wind-prediction systems were analyzed and compared to the forecast performance of the then standard 60 km Rapid Update Cycle - version 1 (RUC-1). One system, developed by NOAA, was the prototype 40-km RUC-2 that became operational at NCEP in 1999. RUC-2 introduced a faster cycle (1 hr vs. 3 hr) and improved mesoscale physics. The second system, Augmented Winds (AW), is a prototype en route wind application developed by MITLL based on the Integrated Terminal Wind System (ITWS). AW is run at a local facility (Center) level, and updates RUC predictions based on an optimal interpolation of the latest ACARS reports since the RUC run. This paper presents an overview of the study's results including the identification and use of new large mor wind-prediction accuracy metrics that are key to ATM DST performance.

Potential risk for bacterial contamination in conventional reused ventilator systems and disposable closed ventilator-suction systems.

PubMed

Li, Ya-Chi; Lin, Hui-Ling; Liao, Fang-Chun; Wang, Sing-Siang; Chang, Hsiu-Chu; Hsu, Hung-Fu; Chen, Sue-Hsien; Wan, Gwo-Hwa

2018-01-01

Few studies have investigated the difference in bacterial contamination between conventional reused ventilator systems and disposable closed ventilator-suction systems. The aim of this study was to investigate the bacterial contamination rates of the reused and disposable ventilator systems, and the association between system disconnection and bacterial contamination of ventilator systems. The enrolled intubated and mechanically ventilated patients used a conventional reused ventilator system and a disposable closed ventilator-suction system, respectively, for a week; specimens were then collected from the ventilator circuit systems to evaluate human and environmental bacterial contamination. The sputum specimens from patients were also analyzed in this study. The detection rate of bacteria in the conventional reused ventilator system was substantially higher than that in the disposable ventilator system. The inspiratory and expiratory limbs of the disposable closed ventilator-suction system had higher bacterial concentrations than the conventional reused ventilator system. The bacterial concentration in the heated humidifier of the reused ventilator system was significantly higher than that in the disposable ventilator system. Positive associations existed among the bacterial concentrations at different locations in the reused and disposable ventilator systems, respectively. The predominant bacteria identified in the reused and disposable ventilator systems included Acinetobacter spp., Bacillus cereus, Elizabethkingia spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Stenotrophomonas (Xan) maltophilia. Both the reused and disposable ventilator systems had high bacterial contamination rates after one week of use. Disconnection of the ventilator systems should be avoided during system operation to decrease the risks of environmental pollution and human exposure, especially for the disposable ventilator system. ClinicalTrials.gov PRS / NCT03359148.

Cortisol responses on the dexamethasone suppression test among women with Bulimia-spectrum eating disorders: associations with clinical symptoms.

PubMed

Bruce, Kenneth R; Steiger, Howard; Israël, Mimi; Groleau, Patricia; Ng Ying Kin, N M K; Ouellette, Anne-Sophie; Sycz, Lindsay; Badawi, Ghislaine

2012-08-07

Evidence associates Bulimia Nervosa (BN) with altered functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, but the clinical implications of such alterations need to be better understood. We contrasted cortisol responses to the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in bulimic and non-eating disordered women and examined relationships among DST cortisol responses, eating symptoms and co-morbid disturbances. Sixty women with Bulimia Spectrum (BS) Disorders (either BN or normal weight Eating Disorder NOS with regular binge eating or purging) and 54 non-eating disordered women of similar age and body mass index participated in a 0.5 mg DST, and completed interviews and questionnaires assessing eating symptoms and co-morbid psychopathology. Compared with the normal-eater group, the BS women demonstrated significantly less DST suppression. Among BS women, DST non-suppression was associated with more severe depression, anxiety and eating preoccupations. Our findings show BS women to show less DST suppression compared to normal eater women, and results link extent of non-suppression, in BS individuals, to severity of depression, anxiety and eating preoccupations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shear thickening in concentrated suspensions: phenomenology, mechanisms and relations to jamming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Eric; Jaeger, Heinrich M.

2014-04-01

Shear thickening is a type of non-Newtonian behavior in which the stress required to shear a fluid increases faster than linearly with shear rate. Many concentrated suspensions of particles exhibit an especially dramatic version, known as Discontinuous Shear Thickening (DST), in which the stress suddenly jumps with increasing shear rate and produces solid-like behavior. The best known example of such counter-intuitive response to applied stresses occurs in mixtures of cornstarch in water. Over the last several years, this shear-induced solid-like behavior together with a variety of other unusual fluid phenomena has generated considerable interest in the physics of densely packed suspensions. In this review, we discuss the common physical properties of systems exhibiting shear thickening, and different mechanisms and models proposed to describe it. We then suggest how these mechanisms may be related and generalized, and propose a general phase diagram for shear thickening systems. We also discuss how recent work has related the physics of shear thickening to that of granular materials and jammed systems. Since DST is described by models that require only simple generic interactions between particles, we outline the broader context of other concentrated many-particle systems such as foams and emulsions, and explain why DST is restricted to the parameter regime of hard-particle suspensions. Finally, we discuss some of the outstanding problems and emerging opportunities.

Potential risk for bacterial contamination in conventional reused ventilator systems and disposable closed ventilator-suction systems

PubMed Central

Li, Ya-Chi; Lin, Hui-Ling; Liao, Fang-Chun; Wang, Sing-Siang; Chang, Hsiu-Chu; Hsu, Hung-Fu; Chen, Sue-Hsien

2018-01-01

Background Few studies have investigated the difference in bacterial contamination between conventional reused ventilator systems and disposable closed ventilator-suction systems. The aim of this study was to investigate the bacterial contamination rates of the reused and disposable ventilator systems, and the association between system disconnection and bacterial contamination of ventilator systems. Methods The enrolled intubated and mechanically ventilated patients used a conventional reused ventilator system and a disposable closed ventilator-suction system, respectively, for a week; specimens were then collected from the ventilator circuit systems to evaluate human and environmental bacterial contamination. The sputum specimens from patients were also analyzed in this study. Results The detection rate of bacteria in the conventional reused ventilator system was substantially higher than that in the disposable ventilator system. The inspiratory and expiratory limbs of the disposable closed ventilator-suction system had higher bacterial concentrations than the conventional reused ventilator system. The bacterial concentration in the heated humidifier of the reused ventilator system was significantly higher than that in the disposable ventilator system. Positive associations existed among the bacterial concentrations at different locations in the reused and disposable ventilator systems, respectively. The predominant bacteria identified in the reused and disposable ventilator systems included Acinetobacter spp., Bacillus cereus, Elizabethkingia spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Stenotrophomonas (Xan) maltophilia. Conclusions Both the reused and disposable ventilator systems had high bacterial contamination rates after one week of use. Disconnection of the ventilator systems should be avoided during system operation to decrease the risks of environmental pollution and human exposure, especially for the disposable ventilator system. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov PRS / NCT03359148 PMID:29547638

Dynamic surface tension measurement for the screening of biosurfactants produced by Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum PTCC 1896.

PubMed

Bakhshi, Nafiseh; Soleimanian-Zad, Sabihe; Sheikh-Zeinoddin, Mahmoud

2017-06-01

Currently, screening of microbial biosurfactants (BSs) is based on their equilibrium surface tension values obtained using static surface tension measurement. However, a good surfactant should not only have a low equilibrium surface tension, but its dynamic surface tension (DST) should also decrease rapidly with time. In this study, screening of BSs produced by Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum PTCC 1896 (probiotic) was performed based on their DST values measured by Wilhelmy plate tensiometry. The relationship between DST and structural and functional properties (anti-adhesive activity) of the BSs was investigated. The results showed that the changes in the yield, productivity and structure of the BSs were growth medium and incubation time dependent (p<0.05). Structurally different BSs produced exhibited identical equilibrium surface tension values. However, differences among the structure/yield of the BSs were observed through the measurement of their DST. The considerable dependence of DST on the concentration and composition of the BS proteins was observed (p<0.05). Moreover, the anti-adhesive activity of the BS was found to be positively correlated with its DST. The results suggest that the DST measurement could serve as an efficient method for the clever screening of BSs producer/production condition, and consequently, for the investigation of probiotic features of bacteria, since the anti-adhesive activity is an important criterion of probiotics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preparation and characterization of dutasteride-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers coated with stearic acid-chitosan oligomer for topical delivery.

PubMed

Noor, Norhayati Mohamed; Sheikh, Khalid; Somavarapu, Satyanarayana; Taylor, Kevin M G

2017-08-01

Dutasteride, used for treating benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), promotes hair growth. To enhance delivery to the hair follicles and reduce systemic effects, in this study dutasteride has been formulated for topical application, in a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) coated with chitosan oligomer-stearic acid (CSO-SA). CSO-SA has been successfully synthesized, as confirmed using 1 H NMR and FTIR. Formulation of dutasteride-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (DST-NLCs) was optimized using a 2 3 full factorial design. This formulation was coated with different concentrations of stearic acid-chitosan solution. Coating DST-NLCs with 5% SA-CSO increased mean size from 187.6±7.0nm to 220.1±11.9nm, and modified surface charge, with zeta potentials being -18.3±0.9mV and +25.8±1.1mV for uncoated and coated DST-NLCs respectively. Transmission electron microscopy showed all formulations comprised approximately spherical particles. DST-NLCs, coated and uncoated with CSO-SA, exhibited particle size stability over 60days, when stored at 4-8°C. However, NLCs coated with CSO (without conjugation) showed aggregation when stored at 4-8°C after 30days. The measured particle size for all formulations stored at 25°C suggested aggregation, which was greatest for DST-NLCs coated with 10% CSO-SA and 5% CSO. All nanoparticle formulations exhibited rapid release in an in vitro release study, with uncoated NLCs exhibiting the fastest release rate. Using a Franz diffusion cell, no dutasteride permeated through pig ear skin after 48h, such that it was not detected in the receptor chamber for all samples. The amount of dutasteride in the skin was significantly different (p<0.05) for DST-NLCs (6.09±1.09μg/cm 2 ) without coating and those coated with 5% CSO-SA (2.82±0.40μg/cm 2 ), 10% CSO-SA (2.70±0.35μg/cm 2 ) and CSO (2.11±0.64μg/cm 2) . There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the cytotoxicity (IC 50 ) between dutasteride alone and in the nanoparticles. DST-NLCs coated and uncoated with CSO-SA increased the maximum non-toxic concentration by 20-fold compared to dutasteride alone. These studies indicate that a stearic acid-chitosan conjugate was successfully prepared, and modified the surface charge of DST-NLCs from negative to positive. These stable, less cytotoxic, positively-charged dutasteride-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers, with stearic acid-chitosan oligomer conjugate, are appropriate for topical delivery and have potential for promotion of hair growth. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Personal Voices in Higher Education: A Digital Storytelling Experience for Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kocaman-Karoglu, Aslihan

2016-01-01

Digital storytelling (DST) has recently emerged as a new tool in instructional environments. DST involves the combination of media and technology with traditional storytelling to help students learn. This paper examines the use of DST in a university course and pre-service teachers' perceptions of their learning experiences using this tool.…

Revised Dst and the epicycles of magnetic disturbance: 1958-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, J.J.; Gannon, J.L.

2009-01-01

A revised version of the storm-time disturbance index Dst is calculated using hourly-mean magnetic-observatory data from four standard observatories and collected over the years 1958-2007. The calculation algorithm is a revision of that established by Sugiura et al., and which is now used by the Kyoto World Data Center for routine production of Dst. The most important new development is for the removal of solar-quiet variation. This is done through time and frequency-domain band-stop filtering - selectively removing specific Fourier terms approximating stationary periodic variation driven by the Earth's rotation, the Moon's orbit, the Earth's orbit around the Sun, and their mutual coupling. The resulting non-stationary disturbance time series are weighted by observatory-site geomagnetic latitude and then averaged together across longitudes to give what we call Dst5807-4SH. Comparisons are made with the standard Kyoto D st. Various biases, especially for residual solar-quiet variation, are identified in the Kyoto Dst, and occasional storm-time errors in the Kyoto Dst are noted. Using Dst5807-4SH, storms are ranked for maximum storm-time intensity, and we show that storm-occurrence frequency follows a power-law distribution with an exponential cutoff. The epicycles of magnetic disturbance are explored: we (1) map low-latitude local-time disturbance asymmetry, (2) confirm the 27-day storm-recurrence phenomenon using autocorrelation, (3) investigate the coupled semi-annual-diurnal variation of magnetic activity and the proposed explanatory equinoctial and Russell-McPherron hypotheses, and (4) illustrate the well-known solar-cycle modulation of storm-occurrence likelihood. Since Dst5807-4SH is useful for a variety of space physics and solid-Earth applications, it is made freely available to the scientific community.

A decision support tool for adaptive management of native prairie ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hunt, Victoria M.; Jacobi, Sarah; Gannon, Jill J.; Zorn, Jennifer E.; Moore, Clinton; Lonsdorf, Eric V.

2016-01-01

The Native Prairie Adaptive Management initiative is a decision support framework that provides cooperators with management-action recommendations to help them conserve native species and suppress invasive species on prairie lands. We developed a Web-based decision support tool (DST) for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey initiative. The DST facilitates cross-organizational data sharing, performs analyses to improve conservation delivery, and requires no technical expertise to operate. Each year since 2012, the DST has used monitoring data to update ecological knowledge that it translates into situation-specific management-action recommendations (e.g., controlled burn or prescribed graze). The DST provides annual recommendations for more than 10,000 acres on 20 refuge complexes in four U.S. states. We describe how the DST promotes the long-term implementation of the program for which it was designed and may facilitate decision support and improve ecological outcomes of other conservation efforts.

Generation of Look-Up Tables for Dynamic Job Shop Scheduling Decision Support Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oktaviandri, Muchamad; Hassan, Adnan; Mohd Shaharoun, Awaluddin

2016-02-01

Majority of existing scheduling techniques are based on static demand and deterministic processing time, while most job shop scheduling problem are concerned with dynamic demand and stochastic processing time. As a consequence, the solutions obtained from the traditional scheduling technique are ineffective wherever changes occur to the system. Therefore, this research intends to develop a decision support tool (DST) based on promising artificial intelligent that is able to accommodate the dynamics that regularly occur in job shop scheduling problem. The DST was designed through three phases, i.e. (i) the look-up table generation, (ii) inverse model development and (iii) integration of DST components. This paper reports the generation of look-up tables for various scenarios as a part in development of the DST. A discrete event simulation model was used to compare the performance among SPT, EDD, FCFS, S/OPN and Slack rules; the best performances measures (mean flow time, mean tardiness and mean lateness) and the job order requirement (inter-arrival time, due dates tightness and setup time ratio) which were compiled into look-up tables. The well-known 6/6/J/Cmax Problem from Muth and Thompson (1963) was used as a case study. In the future, the performance measure of various scheduling scenarios and the job order requirement will be mapped using ANN inverse model.

Accident rates and the impact of daylight saving time transitions.

PubMed

Robb, David; Barnes, Thomas

2018-02-01

One-third of nations have adopted some form of Daylight Saving Time (DST). Associated costs and benefits include impacts on accident rates. Using data from 12.6 million accident claims in New Zealand during 2005-2016, we model accident rates as a function of various date-based predictors including days before/after the start and end of DST, holidays, day of week, and month of year. This is the first study to consider multiple accident categories (Road, Work, Falls and Home & Community), and the first in the southern hemisphere. The start of DST is associated with significantly higher rates of road accidents (first day +16% and second day +12%). Evidence that accident rates for Falls and Home & Community decline (increase) prior to the start (end) of DST suggest potential behavioural adaption from anticipating the change. While Work accidents show limited impact from DST changes, they exhibit a significant decline over the course of the week (Friday 13% lower than Monday), whereas Road accidents exhibit a significant increase (Friday 19% higher than Monday). Our results have implications for both DST implementation and policy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dependence of efficiency of magnetic storm generation on the types of interplanetary drivers.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yermolaev, Yuri; Nikolaeva, Nadezhda; Lodkina, Irina

2015-04-01

To compare the coupling coefficients between the solar-wind electric field Ey and Dst (and corrected Dst*) index during the magnetic storms generated by different types of interplanetary drivers, we use the Kyoto Dst-index data, the OMNI data of solar wind plasma and magnetic field measurements, and our "Catalog of large scale phenomena during 1976-2000" (published in [1] and presented on websites: ftp://ftp.iki.rssi.ru/pub/omni/). Both indexes at the main phase of magnetic storms are approximated by the linear dependence on the following solar wind parameters: integrated electric field of solar wind (sumEy), solar wind dynamic pressure (Pd), and the level of magnetic field fluctuations (sB), and the fitting coefficients are determined by the technique of least squares. We present the results of the main phase modelling for magnetic storms with Dst<-50 nT induced by 4 types of the solar wind streams: MC (10 events), CIR (41), Sheath (26), Ejecta (45). Our analysis [2, 3] shows that the coefficients of coupling between Dst and Dst* indexes and integral electric field are significantly higher for Sheath (for Dst*and Dst they are -3.4 and -3.3 nT/V m-1 h, respectively) and CIR (-3.0 and -2.8) than for MC (-2.0 and -2.5) and Ejecta (-2.1 and -2.3). Thus we obtained additional confirmation of experimental fact that Sheath and CIR have higher efficiency in generation of magnetic storms than MC and Ejecta. This work was supported by the RFBR, project 13-02-00158a, and by the Program 9 of Presidium of Russian Academy of Sciences. References 1. Yu. I. Yermolaev, N. S. Nikolaeva, I. G. Lodkina, and M. Yu. Yermolaev, Catalog of Large-Scale Solar Wind Phenomena during 1976-2000, Cosmic Research, 2009, Vol. 47, No. 2, pp. 81-94. 2. N.S. Nikolaeva, Yu.I. Yermolaev, I.G. Lodkina, Modeling of Dst-index temporal profile on the main phase of the magnetic storms generated by different types of solar wind, Cosmic Research, 2013, Vol. 51, No. 6, pp. 401-412 3. Nikolaeva N.S., Yermolaev Yu.I., Lodkina I.G., Modeling of corrected Dst-index temporal profile on the main phase of the magnetic storms generated by different types of solar wind, Cosmic Research, 2015, Vol.53, No. 2, 81, DOI: 10.7868/S0023420615020077

Storm time global thermosphere: A driven-dissipative thermodynamic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burke, W. J.; Lin, C. S.; Hagan, M. P.; Huang, C. Y.; Weimer, D. R.; Wise, J. O.; Gentile, L. C.; Marcos, F. A.

2009-06-01

Orbit-averaged mass densities $\\overline{\\rho and exospheric temperatures $\\overline{T ∞ inferred from measurements by accelerometers on the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites are used to investigate global energy Eth and power Πth inputs to the thermosphere during two complex magnetic storms. Measurements show $\\overline{\\rho, $\\overline{T ∞, and Eth rising from and returning to prevailing baselines as the magnetospheric electric field $\\varepsilon$ VS and the Dst index wax and wane. Observed responses of Eth and $\\overline{T ∞ to $\\varepsilon$ VS driving suggest that the storm time thermosphere evolves as a driven-but-dissipative thermodynamic system, described by a first-order differential equation that is identical in form to that governing the behavior of Dst. Coupling and relaxation coefficients of the Eth, $\\overline{T ∞, and Dst equations are established empirically. Numerical solutions of the equations for $\\overline{T ∞ and Eth are shown to agree with GRACE data during large magnetic storms. Since $\\overline{T ∞ and Dst have the same $\\varepsilon$ VS driver, it is possible to combine their governing equations to obtain estimates of storm time thermospheric parameters, even when lacking information about interplanetary conditions. This approach has the potential for significantly improving the performance of operational models used to calculate trajectories of satellites and space debris and is also useful for developing forensic reconstructions of past magnetic storms. The essential correctness of the approach is supported by agreement between thermospheric power inputs calculated from both GRACE-based estimates of Eth and the Weimer Poynting flux model originally derived from electric and magnetic field measurements acquired by the Dynamics Explorer 2 satellite.

46 CFR 111.103-1 - Power ventilation systems except machinery space ventilation systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ELECTRIC SYSTEMS-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Remote Stopping Systems § 111.103-1 Power ventilation systems except machinery space ventilation systems. Each power ventilation system must... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Power ventilation systems except machinery space...

46 CFR 111.103-1 - Power ventilation systems except machinery space ventilation systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ELECTRIC SYSTEMS-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Remote Stopping Systems § 111.103-1 Power ventilation systems except machinery space ventilation systems. Each power ventilation system must... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Power ventilation systems except machinery space...

46 CFR 111.103-1 - Power ventilation systems except machinery space ventilation systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ELECTRIC SYSTEMS-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Remote Stopping Systems § 111.103-1 Power ventilation systems except machinery space ventilation systems. Each power ventilation system must... 46 Shipping 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Power ventilation systems except machinery space...

46 CFR 111.103-1 - Power ventilation systems except machinery space ventilation systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ELECTRIC SYSTEMS-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Remote Stopping Systems § 111.103-1 Power ventilation systems except machinery space ventilation systems. Each power ventilation system must... 46 Shipping 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Power ventilation systems except machinery space...

46 CFR 111.103-1 - Power ventilation systems except machinery space ventilation systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ELECTRIC SYSTEMS-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Remote Stopping Systems § 111.103-1 Power ventilation systems except machinery space ventilation systems. Each power ventilation system must... 46 Shipping 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Power ventilation systems except machinery space...

A Field Evaluation of the Hardy TB MODS Kit™ for the Rapid Phenotypic Diagnosis of Tuberculosis and Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Martin, Laura; Coronel, Jorge; Faulx, Dunia; Valdez, Melissa; Metzler, Mutsumi; Crudder, Chris; Castillo, Edith; Caviedes, Luz; Grandjean, Louis; Rodriguez, Mitzi; Friedland, Jon S.; Gilman, Robert H.; Moore, David A. J.

2014-01-01

Background Even though the WHO-endorsed, non-commercial MODS assay offers rapid, reliable TB liquid culture and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST) at lower cost than any other diagnostic, uptake has been patchy. In part this reflects misperceptions about in-house assay quality assurance, but user convenience of one-stop procurement is also important. A commercial MODS kit was developed by Hardy Diagnostics (Santa Maria, CA, USA) with PATH (Seattle, WA, USA) to facilitate procurement, simplify procedures through readymade media, and enhance safety with a sealing silicone plate lid. Here we report the results from a large-scale field evaluation of the MODS kit in a government service laboratory. Methods & Findings 2446 sputum samples were cultured in parallel in Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ), conventional MODS and in the MODS kit. MODS kit DST was compared with conventional MODS (direct) DST and proportion method (indirect) DST. 778 samples (31.8%) were Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture-positive. Compared to conventional MODS the sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values (95% confidence intervals) of the MODS Kit were 99.3% (98.3–99.8%), 98.3% (97.5–98.8%), 95.8% (94.0–97.1%), and 99.7% (99.3–99.9%). Median (interquartile ranges) time to culture-positivity (and rifampicin and isoniazid DST) was 10 (9–13) days for conventional MODS and 8.5 (7–11) for MODS Kit (p<0.01). Direct rifampicin and isoniazid DST in MODS kit was almost universally concordant with conventional MODS (97.9% agreement, 665/679 evaluable samples) and reference indirect DST (97.9% agreement, 687/702 evaluable samples). Conclusions MODS kit delivers performance indistinguishable from conventional MODS and offers a convenient, affordable alternative with enhanced safety from the sealing silicone lid. The availability in the marketplace of this platform, which conforms to European standards (CE-marked), readily repurposed for second-line DST in the near future, provides a fresh opportunity for improving equity of access to TB diagnosis and first and second-line DST in settings where the need is greatest. PMID:25225802

A field evaluation of the Hardy TB MODS Kit™ for the rapid phenotypic diagnosis of tuberculosis and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.

PubMed

Martin, Laura; Coronel, Jorge; Faulx, Dunia; Valdez, Melissa; Metzler, Mutsumi; Crudder, Chris; Castillo, Edith; Caviedes, Luz; Grandjean, Louis; Rodriguez, Mitzi; Friedland, Jon S; Gilman, Robert H; Moore, David A J

2014-01-01

Even though the WHO-endorsed, non-commercial MODS assay offers rapid, reliable TB liquid culture and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST) at lower cost than any other diagnostic, uptake has been patchy. In part this reflects misperceptions about in-house assay quality assurance, but user convenience of one-stop procurement is also important. A commercial MODS kit was developed by Hardy Diagnostics (Santa Maria, CA, USA) with PATH (Seattle, WA, USA) to facilitate procurement, simplify procedures through readymade media, and enhance safety with a sealing silicone plate lid. Here we report the results from a large-scale field evaluation of the MODS kit in a government service laboratory. 2446 sputum samples were cultured in parallel in Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ), conventional MODS and in the MODS kit. MODS kit DST was compared with conventional MODS (direct) DST and proportion method (indirect) DST. 778 samples (31.8%) were Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture-positive. Compared to conventional MODS the sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values (95% confidence intervals) of the MODS Kit were 99.3% (98.3-99.8%), 98.3% (97.5-98.8%), 95.8% (94.0-97.1%), and 99.7% (99.3-99.9%). Median (interquartile ranges) time to culture-positivity (and rifampicin and isoniazid DST) was 10 (9-13) days for conventional MODS and 8.5 (7-11) for MODS Kit (p<0.01). Direct rifampicin and isoniazid DST in MODS kit was almost universally concordant with conventional MODS (97.9% agreement, 665/679 evaluable samples) and reference indirect DST (97.9% agreement, 687/702 evaluable samples). MODS kit delivers performance indistinguishable from conventional MODS and offers a convenient, affordable alternative with enhanced safety from the sealing silicone lid. The availability in the marketplace of this platform, which conforms to European standards (CE-marked), readily repurposed for second-line DST in the near future, provides a fresh opportunity for improving equity of access to TB diagnosis and first and second-line DST in settings where the need is greatest.

The digital storytelling process: A comparative analysis from various experts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Hashiroh; Shiratuddin, Norshuhada

2016-08-01

Digital Storytelling (DST) is a method of delivering information to the audience. It combines narrative and digital media content infused with the multimedia elements. In order for the educators (i.e the designers) to create a compelling digital story, there are sets of processes introduced by experts. Nevertheless, the experts suggest varieties of processes to guide them; of which some are redundant. The main aim of this study is to propose a single guide process for the creation of DST. A comparative analysis is employed where ten DST models from various experts are analysed. The process can also be implemented in other multimedia materials that used the concept of DST.

Analysis and Management of Rectal Gas with Kampo Formulas During Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy of Prostate Cancer: A Case Series Study.

PubMed

Nagai, Aiko; Shibamoto, Yuta; Ogawa, Keiko; Inoda, Koji; Yoshida, Masanori; Kikuchi, Yuzo

2016-06-01

During intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for prostate cancer, the target, bladder, and rectum positions should be kept constant to reduce adverse events, such as radiation proctitis, and to increase local tumor control. For this purpose, decreasing the rectal contents as much as possible is important. Daisaikoto (DST) and bukuryoingohangekobokuto (BIHKT) are traditional Japanese herbal (Kampo) formulas that have been used to treat patients with abdominal bloating or constipation. This study investigated the effect of DST and BIHKT on the rectal gas volume during prostate IMRT according to Kampo diagnosis. Five patients were treated with DST or BIHKT at a dose of 5.0 or 7.5 g/d. The volume of rectal gas in 189 megavoltage computed tomographic images taken before each treatment session and the frequency of rectal gas drainage were evaluated before and after DST or BIHKT administration. After DST or BIHKT treatment, the mean volume of rectal gas was reduced from 6.4 to 2.1 mL, and the mean frequency of gas drainage decreased from 43% to 9%. DST and BIHKT appear to be useful in reducing rectal gas, which would help prevent radiation proctitis and improve the local control of prostate cancer with IMRT.

The correlation between perceived social support, cortisol and brain derived neurotrophic factor levels in healthy women.

PubMed

Ma, Doy Yung; Chang, Wei Hung; Chi, Mei Hung; Tsai, Hsin Chun; Yang, Yen Kuang; Chen, Po See

2016-05-30

In this study, the role of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in stress resilience was investigated. With a focus on healthy subjects, we explored whether plasma BDNF levels are correlated with the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and subjectively perceived social support status. Moreover, we examined the possible interacting effect of DST status and perceived social support on BDNF levels. Seventy-two healthy volunteers, 44 females and 28 males, were recruited from the community and completed the perceived routine support subscale of Measurement of Support Function (PRS_MSF) questionnaire. Plasma BDNF levels and DST suppression rate with the low dose DST were measured. There was a significant positive correlation between BDNF and DST suppression rate in the female subjects. This was also true for the plasma BDNF levels and PRS_MSF in the female subjects. The positive correlation between BDNF and PRS_MSF was significant only in female subjects with low DST suppression rates. Plasma BDNF levels were associated with stress resilience in a sex-specific manner. Subjects' belief in social support might buffer the biological stress reactions. Differences in social perception and the biological stress response between men and women merits further investigation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST Kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl Test for Detecting Extensively Drug-resistant Tuberculosis Cases

PubMed Central

Tekin, Kemal; Albay, Ali; Simsek, Hulya; Sig, Ali Korhan; Guney, Mustafa

2017-01-01

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the performances of the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl test for detecting second-line antituberculosis drug resistance in Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases. Materials and Methods: Forty-six MDR-TB strains were studied. Second-line antituberculosis drug resistances were detected using the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl test. The Middlebrook 7H10 agar proportion method was used as the reference test. Results: The sensitivity and specificity values for the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit were both 100% for amikacin, kanamycin, capreomycin (4 µg/mL), and ofloxacin; 100% and 95.3%, respectively, for capreomycin (10 µg/mL); and 85.7% and 100%, respectively, for moxifloxacin (0.5 µg/mL). The sensitivity and specificity values for the GenoType MTBDRsl test to detect fluoroquinolone and aminoglycoside/cyclic peptide resistance were 88.9% and 100%, respectively, for ofloxacin and 85.7% and 94.9%, respectively, for moxifloxacin (0.5 µg/mL). The accuracy of the GenoType MTBDRsl assay for kanamycin, capreomycin, ofloxacin, and moxifloxacin was lower than that of the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST. Conclusion: The BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl were successful in detecting second-line antituberculosis drug resistance. Preliminary results of the GenoType MTBDRsl are very valuable for early treatment decisions, but we still recommend additional BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit usage in the routine evaluation of drug-resistant tuberculosis. PMID:29123441

A comparison of quality of present-day heat flow obtained from BHTs, Horner Plots of Malay Basin

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

Waples, D.W.; Mahadir, R.

1994-07-01

Reconciling temperature data obtained from measurement of single BHT, multiple BHT at a single depth, RFTs, and DSTs, is very difficult. Quality of data varied widely, however DST data were assumed to be most reliable. Data from 87 wells was used in this study, but only 47 wells have DST data. BASINMOD program was used to calculate the present-day heat flow, using measured thermal conductivity and calibrated against the DST data. The heat flows obtained from the DST data were assumed to be correct and representative throughout the basin. Then, heat flows using (1) uncorrected RFT data, (2) multiple BHTmore » data corrected by the Horner plot method, and (3) single BHT values corrected upward by a standard 10% were calculated. All of these three heat-flow populations had identically standard deviations to that for the DST data, but with significantly lower mean values. Correction factors were calculated to give each of the three erroneous populations the same mean value as the DST population. Heat flows calculated from RFT data had to be corrected upward by a factor of 1.12 to be equivalent to DST data; Horner plot data corrected by a factor of 1.18, and single BHT data by a factor of 1.2. These results suggest that present-day subsurface temperatures using RFT, Horner plot, and BHT data are considerably lower than they should be. The authors suspect qualitatively similar results would be found in other areas. Hence, they recommend significant corrections be routinely made until local calibration factors are established.« less

Evaluation of the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST Kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl Test for Detecting Extensively Drug-resistant Tuberculosis Cases.

PubMed

Tekin, Kemal; Albay, Ali; Simsek, Hulya; Sig, Ali Korhan; Guney, Mustafa

2017-10-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the performances of the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl test for detecting second-line antituberculosis drug resistance in Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases. Forty-six MDR-TB strains were studied. Second-line antituberculosis drug resistances were detected using the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl test. The Middlebrook 7H10 agar proportion method was used as the reference test. The sensitivity and specificity values for the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit were both 100% for amikacin, kanamycin, capreomycin (4 µg/mL), and ofloxacin; 100% and 95.3%, respectively, for capreomycin (10 µg/mL); and 85.7% and 100%, respectively, for moxifloxacin (0.5 µg/mL). The sensitivity and specificity values for the GenoType MTBDRsl test to detect fluoroquinolone and aminoglycoside/cyclic peptide resistance were 88.9% and 100%, respectively, for ofloxacin and 85.7% and 94.9%, respectively, for moxifloxacin (0.5 µg/mL). The accuracy of the GenoType MTBDRsl assay for kanamycin, capreomycin, ofloxacin, and moxifloxacin was lower than that of the BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST. The BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit and the GenoType MTBDRsl were successful in detecting second-line antituberculosis drug resistance. Preliminary results of the GenoType MTBDRsl are very valuable for early treatment decisions, but we still recommend additional BACTEC MGIT 960 SL DST kit usage in the routine evaluation of drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Empirical Characterization of Low-Altitude Ion Flux Derived from TWINS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, J.; LLera, K.; McComas, D. J.; Redfern, J.; Valek, P. W.

2018-05-01

In this study we analyze ion differential flux from 10 events between 2008 and 2015. The ion fluxes are derived from low-altitude emissions (LAEs) in energetic neutral atom (ENA) images obtained by Two Wide-angle Imaging Neutral-atom Spectrometers (TWINS). The data set comprises 119.44 hr of observations, including 4,284 per energy images with 128,277 values of differential ENA flux from pixels near Earth's limb. Limb pixel data are extracted and mapped to a common polar ionospheric grid and associated with values of the Dst index. Statistical analysis is restricted to pixels within 10% of the LAE emissivity peak. For weak Dst conditions we find a premidnight peak in the average ion precipitation, whose flux and location are relatively insensitive to energy. For moderate Dst, elevated flux levels appear over a wider magnetic local time (MLT) range, with a separation of peak locations by energy. Strong disturbances bring a dramatic flux increase across the entire nightside at all energies but strongest for low energies in the postmidnight sector. The arrival of low-energy ions can lower the average energy for strong Dst, even as it raises the total integral number flux. TWINS-derived ion fluxes provide a macroscale measurement of the average precipitating ion distribution and confirm that convection, either quasi-steady or bursty, is an important process controlling the spatial and spectral properties of precipitating ions. The premidnight peak (weak Dst), MLT widening and energy-versus-MLT dependence (moderate Dst), and postmidnight low-energy ion enhancement (strong Dst) are consistent with observations and models of steady or bursty convective transport.

Coral Reef Early Warning System (CREWS) RPC Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estep, Leland; Spruce, Joseph P.; Hall, Callie

2007-01-01

This viewgraph document reviews the background, objectives, methodology, validation, and present status of the Coral Reef Early Warning System (CREWS) Rapid Prototyping Capability (RPC) experiment. The potential NASA contribution to CREWS Decision Support Tool (DST) centers on remotely sensed imagery products.

Impact of daylight savings time on spontaneous pregnancy loss in in vitro fertilization patients.

PubMed

Liu, Constance; Politch, Joseph A; Cullerton, Evan; Go, Kathryn; Pang, Samuel; Kuohung, Wendy

2017-01-01

Transition into daylight savings time (DST) has studied negative impacts on health, but little is known regarding impact on fertility. This retrospective cohort study evaluates DST impact on pregnancy and pregnancy loss rates in 1,654 autologous in vitro fertilization cycles (2009 to 2012). Study groups were identified based on the relationship of DST to embryo transfer. Pregnancy rates were similar in Spring and Fall (41.4%, 42.2%). Pregnancy loss rates were also comparable between Spring and Fall (15.5%, 17.1%), but rates of loss were significantly higher in Spring when DST occurred after embryo transfer (24.3%). Loss was marked in patients with a history of prior spontaneous pregnancy loss (60.5%).

11C-4DST PET/CT Imaging of Cardiac Sarcoidosis: Comparison With 18F-FDG and Cardiac MRI.

PubMed

Hotta, Masatoshi; Minamimoto, Ryogo; Kubota, Shuji; Awaya, Toru; Hiroi, Yukio

2018-06-01

A 75-year-old woman with a history of sarcoidosis presenting with low cardiac output and complete right bundle-branch block underwent 4'-[methyl-C]-thiothymidine (4DST) PET/CT after cardiac MRI and FDG PET/CT for the evaluation of suspected cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) before treatment. Cardiac MRI revealed late gadolinium enhancement on the anterior-to-lateral and posterior wall, indicating CS. FDG uptake was shown on the anterior-to-lateral wall, but not on the posterior wall. In contrast, 4DST uptake was demonstrated on both anterior-to-lateral and posterior walls. Use of 4DST appears promising for detecting CS without dietary restriction, due to the lack of physiological uptake in myocardium.

Geospace environment modeling 2008--2009 challenge: Dst index

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rastätter, L.; Kuznetsova, M.M.; Glocer, A.; Welling, D.; Meng, X.; Raeder, J.; Wittberger, M.; Jordanova, V.K.; Yu, Y.; Zaharia, S.; Weigel, R.S.; Sazykin, S.; Boynton, R.; Wei, H.; Eccles, V.; Horton, W.; Mays, M.L.; Gannon, J.

2013-01-01

This paper reports the metrics-based results of the Dst index part of the 2008–2009 GEM Metrics Challenge. The 2008–2009 GEM Metrics Challenge asked modelers to submit results for four geomagnetic storm events and five different types of observations that can be modeled by statistical, climatological or physics-based models of the magnetosphere-ionosphere system. We present the results of 30 model settings that were run at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center and at the institutions of various modelers for these events. To measure the performance of each of the models against the observations, we use comparisons of 1 hour averaged model data with the Dst index issued by the World Data Center for Geomagnetism, Kyoto, Japan, and direct comparison of 1 minute model data with the 1 minute Dst index calculated by the United States Geological Survey. The latter index can be used to calculate spectral variability of model outputs in comparison to the index. We find that model rankings vary widely by skill score used. None of the models consistently perform best for all events. We find that empirical models perform well in general. Magnetohydrodynamics-based models of the global magnetosphere with inner magnetosphere physics (ring current model) included and stand-alone ring current models with properly defined boundary conditions perform well and are able to match or surpass results from empirical models. Unlike in similar studies, the statistical models used in this study found their challenge in the weakest events rather than the strongest events.

Comparison of intracorporeal single-stapled and double-stapled anastomosis in laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer: a case-control study.

PubMed

Kim, Hye Jin; Choi, Gyu-Seog; Park, Jun Seok; Park, Soo Yeun

2013-01-01

Recently, a single-stapled technique (SST) was performed instead of the conventional double-stapled technique (DST) in laparoscopic low anterior resection for anastomosis, by placement of intracorporeal purse-string sutures on the distal rectum with transanal specimen extraction. This study aimed to compare the short-term outcomes between the two anastomotic techniques. Between July 2007 and April 2010, 60 patients underwent SST by laparoscopic or robotic procedure. These patients were matched 1:2 by age, gender, date of surgery, and tumor stage with 120 patients who underwent conventional DST in laparoscopic low anterior resection. The robotic-assisted operative approach was used more frequently in the SST group than in the DST group (61.7 % vs. 3.3 %, p < 0.001). The mean operative time was 203.9 (range, 120-400) min for the SST group and 167.6 (range, 90-300) min for the DST group (p < 0.001). For specimen removal, the transanal approach was used in the SST group, while the transabdominal approach was used for the DST group. The pain score (visual analogue scale) of the SST group was lower (4.5 vs. 5.6, p < 0.001), although postoperative recovery was similar. Pathological examination revealed that the distal resection margin was significantly longer in the SST group (3.1 vs. 2.5 cm, p = 0.018). Postoperative morbidity including anastomotic leakage was similar in both groups. SST yielded equivalent short-term outcomes when compared to conventional DST and provided the advantages of minimal access and a longer distal resection margin. Therefore, SST in lower anterior resection may be a useful alternative to conventional DST.

New diagnostic criteria of adrenal subclinical Cushing's syndrome: opinion from the Japan Endocrine Society.

PubMed

Yanase, Toshihiko; Oki, Yutaka; Katabami, Takuyuki; Otsuki, Michio; Kageyama, Kazunori; Tanaka, Tomoaki; Kawate, Hisaya; Tanabe, Makito; Doi, Masaru; Akehi, Yuko; Ichijo, Takamasa

2018-04-26

New diagnostic criteria and the treatment policy for adrenal subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SCS) are proposed on behalf of the Japan Endocrine Society. The Japanese version has been published, and the essential contents are presented in this English-language version. The current diagnostic criteria for SCS have elicited two main problems: (i) the relatively low reliability of a low range of serum cortisol essential for the diagnosis by an overnight 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST); (ii) different cutoff values for serum cortisol after a 1-mg DST compared with those of other countries. Thus, new criteria are needed. In the new criteria, three hierarchical cortisol cutoff values, 5.0, 3.0 and 1.8 μg/dL, after a 1-mg DST are presented. Serum cortisol ≥5 μg/dL after a 1-mg DST alone is considered sufficient to judge autonomous cortisol secretion for the diagnosis of SCS, and the current criterion based on serum cortisol ≥3 μg/dL after a 1-mg DST can continue to be used. Clinical evidence suggests that serum cortisol ≥1.8-2.9 μg/dL after a 1-mg DST is not always normal, so cases who meet the cutoff value as well as a basal adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level <10 pg/mL (or poor ACTH response to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)) and nocturnal serum cortisol ≥5 μg/dL are proposed to have SCS. We suggest surgery if cases show serum cortisol ≥5 μg/dL after a 1-mg DST (or are disheartened by treatment-resistant problems) or suspicious cases of adrenal cancer according to tumor imaging.

Disruption in the autophagic process underlies the sensory neuropathy in dystonia musculorum mice

PubMed Central

Ferrier, Andrew; De Repentigny, Yves; Lynch-Godrei, Anisha; Gibeault, Sabrina; Eid, Walaa; Kuo, Daniel; Zha, Xiaohui; Kothary, Rashmi

2015-01-01

A homozygous mutation in the DST (dystonin) gene causes a newly identified lethal form of hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy in humans (HSAN-VI). DST loss of function similarly leads to sensory neuron degeneration and severe ataxia in dystonia musculorum (Dstdt) mice. DST is involved in maintaining cytoskeletal integrity and intracellular transport. As autophagy is highly reliant upon stable microtubules and motor proteins, we assessed the influence of DST loss of function on autophagy using the Dstdt-Tg4 mouse model. Electron microscopy (EM) revealed an accumulation of autophagosomes in sensory neurons from these mice. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the autophagic flux was impaired. Levels of LC3-II, a marker of autophagosomes, were elevated. Consequently, Dstdt-Tg4 sensory neurons displayed impaired protein turnover of autophagosome substrate SQTSM1/p62 and of polyubiquitinated proteins. Interestingly, in a previously described Dstdt-Tg4 mouse model that is partially rescued by neuronal specific expression of the DST-A2 isoform, autophagosomes, autolysosomes, and damaged organelles were reduced when compared to Dstdt-Tg4 mutant mice. LC3-II, SQTSM1, polyubiquitinated proteins and autophagic flux were also restored to wild-type levels in the rescued mice. Finally, a significant decrease in DNAIC1 (dynein, axonemal, intermediate chain 1; the mouse ortholog of human DNAI1), a member of the DMC (dynein/dynactin motor complex), was noted in Dstdt-Tg4 dorsal root ganglia and sensory neurons. Thus, DST-A2 loss of function perturbs late stages of autophagy, and dysfunctional autophagy at least partially underlies Dstdt pathogenesis. We therefore conclude that the DST-A2 isoform normally facilitates autophagy within sensory neurons to maintain cellular homeostasis. PMID:26043942

Time Relevance of Convective Weather Forecast for Air Traffic Automation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, William N.

2006-01-01

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is handling nearly 120,000 flights a day through its Air Traffic Management (ATM) system and air traffic congestion is expected to increse substantially over the next 20 years. Weather-induced impacts to throughput and efficiency are the leading cause of flight delays accounting for 70% of all delays with convective weather accounting for 60% of all weather related delays. To support the Next Generation Air Traffic System goal of operating at 3X current capacity in the NAS, ATC decision support tools are being developed to create advisories to assist controllers in all weather constraints. Initial development of these decision support tools did not integrate information regarding weather constraints such as thunderstorms and relied on an additional system to provide that information. Future Decision Support Tools should move towards an integrated system where weather constraints are factored into the advisory of a Decision Support Tool (DST). Several groups such at NASA-Ames, Lincoln Laboratories, and MITRE are integrating convective weather data with DSTs. A survey of current convective weather forecast and observation data show they span a wide range of temporal and spatial resolutions. Short range convective observations can be obtained every 5 mins with longer range forecasts out to several days updated every 6 hrs. Today, the short range forecasts of less than 2 hours have a temporal resolution of 5 mins. Beyond 2 hours, forecasts have much lower temporal. resolution of typically 1 hour. Spatial resolutions vary from 1km for short range to 40km for longer range forecasts. Improving the accuracy of long range convective forecasts is a major challenge. A report published by the National Research Council states improvements for convective forecasts for the 2 to 6 hour time frame will only be achieved for a limited set of convective phenomena in the next 5 to 10 years. Improved longer range forecasts will be probabilistic as opposed to the deterministic shorter range forecasts. Despite the known low level of confidence with respect to long range convective forecasts, these data are still useful to a DST routing algorithm. It is better to develop an aircraft route using the best information available than no information. The temporally coarse long range forecast data needs to be interpolated to be useful to a DST. A DST uses aircraft trajectory predictions that need to be evaluated for impacts by convective storms. Each time-step of a trajectory prediction n&s to be checked against weather data. For the case of coarse temporal data, there needs to be a method fill in weather data where there is none. Simply using the coarse weather data without any interpolation can result in DST routes that are impacted by regions of strong convection. Increasing the temporal resolution of these data can be achieved but result in a large dataset that may prove to be an operational challenge in transmission and loading by a DST. Currently, it takes about 7mins retrieve a 7mb RUC2 forecast file from NOAA at NASA-Ames Research Center. A prototype NCWF6 1 hour forecast is about 3mb in size. A Six hour NCWFG forecast with a 1hr forecast time-step will be about l8mb (6 x 3mb). A 6 hour NCWF6 forecast with a l5min forecast time-step will be about 7mb (24 x 3mb). Based on the time it takes to retrieve a 7mb RUC2 forecast, it will take approximately 70mins to retrieve a 6 hour NCWF forecast with 15min time steps. Until those issues are addressed, there is a need to develop an algorithm that interpolates between these temporally coarse long range forecasts. This paper describes a method of how to use low temporal resolution probabilistic weather forecasts in a DST. The beginning of this paper is a description of some convective weather forecast and observation products followed by an example of how weather data are used by a DST. The subsequent sections will describe probabilistic forecasts followed by a descrtion of a method to use low temporal resolution probabilistic weather forecasts by providing a relevance value to these data outside of their valid times.

A new system for understanding modes of mechanical ventilation.

PubMed

Chatburn, R L; Primiano, F P

2001-06-01

Numerous ventilation modes and ventilation options have become available as new mechanical ventilators have reached the market. Ventilator manufacturers have no standardized terminology for ventilator modes and ventilation options, and ventilator operator's manuals do not help the clinician compare the modes of ventilators from different manufacturers. This article proposes a standardized system for classifying ventilation modes, based on general engineering principles and a small set of explicit definitions. Though there may be resistance by ventilator manufacturers to a standardized system of ventilation terminology, clinicians and health care equipment purchasers should adopt such a system in the interest of clear communication--the lack of which prevents clinicians from fully understanding the therapies they administer and could compromise the quality of patient care.

Association between posttest dexamethasone and cortisol concentrations in the 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test.

PubMed

Asvold, Bjørn O; Grill, Valdemar; Thorstensen, Ketil; Bjørgaas, Marit R

2012-11-01

It has been suggested that comparison of posttest dexamethasone and cortisol concentrations may improve the evaluation of the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) for Cushing's syndrome. In particular, this would be reasonable if posttest cortisol differs by dexamethasone levels within the range that is usually attained in the DST. Using fractional polynomial regression, we therefore studied the association between posttest 0800 h dexamethasone and cortisol levels in 53 subjects without Cushing's syndrome who were tested with the 1 mg overnight DST. Plasma dexamethasone was associated with plasma cortisol (P<0.001), and the regression line suggested a strong negative association related to dexamethasone levels <5 nmol/l. However, among the 94% of subjects with plasma dexamethasone >5.0 nmol/l, there was no association between dexamethasone and cortisol levels (P=0.55). In conclusion, subjects tested with the 1 mg overnight DST usually attain an 0800 h plasma dexamethasone >5 nmol/l, and plasma cortisol does not differ by plasma dexamethasone in these subjects. This suggests that routine comparison of dexamethasone and cortisol levels may not be a useful approach to improve the performance of the 1 mg DST. However, dexamethasone measurements may identify subjects with inadequately low plasma dexamethasone and may therefore be of value when retesting subjects with possibly false-positive DST results.

Probability of occurrence of planetary ionosphere storms associated with the magnetosphere disturbance storm time events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulyaeva, T. L.; Arikan, F.; Stanislawska, I.

2014-11-01

The ionospheric W index allows to distinguish state of the ionosphere and plasmasphere from quiet conditions (W = 0 or ±1) to intense storm (W = ±4) ranging the plasma density enhancements (positive phase) or plasma density depletions (negative phase) regarding the quiet ionosphere. The global W index maps are produced for a period 1999-2014 from Global Ionospheric Maps of Total Electron Content, GIM-TEC, designed by Jet Propulson Laboratory, converted from geographic frame (-87.5:2.5:87.5° in latitude, -180:5:180° in longitude) to geomagnetic frame (-85:5:85° in magnetic latitude, -180:5:180° in magnetic longitude). The probability of occurrence of planetary ionosphere storm during the magnetic disturbance storm time, Dst, event is evaluated with the superposed epoch analysis for 77 intense storms (Dst ≤ -100 nT) and 230 moderate storms (-100 < Dst ≤ -50 nT) with start time, t0, defined at Dst storm main phase onset. It is found that the intensity of negative storm, iW-, exceeds the intensity of positive storm, iW+, by 1.5-2 times. An empirical formula of iW+ and iW- in terms of peak Dst is deduced exhibiting an opposite trends of relation of intensity of ionosphere-plasmasphere storm with regard to intensity of Dst storm.

Association between posttest dexamethasone and cortisol concentrations in the 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test

PubMed Central

Åsvold, Bjørn O; Grill, Valdemar; Thorstensen, Ketil; Bjørgaas, Marit R

2012-01-01

It has been suggested that comparison of posttest dexamethasone and cortisol concentrations may improve the evaluation of the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) for Cushing's syndrome. In particular, this would be reasonable if posttest cortisol differs by dexamethasone levels within the range that is usually attained in the DST. Using fractional polynomial regression, we therefore studied the association between posttest 0800 h dexamethasone and cortisol levels in 53 subjects without Cushing's syndrome who were tested with the 1 mg overnight DST. Plasma dexamethasone was associated with plasma cortisol (P<0.001), and the regression line suggested a strong negative association related to dexamethasone levels <5 nmol/l. However, among the 94% of subjects with plasma dexamethasone >5.0 nmol/l, there was no association between dexamethasone and cortisol levels (P=0.55). In conclusion, subjects tested with the 1 mg overnight DST usually attain an 0800 h plasma dexamethasone >5 nmol/l, and plasma cortisol does not differ by plasma dexamethasone in these subjects. This suggests that routine comparison of dexamethasone and cortisol levels may not be a useful approach to improve the performance of the 1 mg DST. However, dexamethasone measurements may identify subjects with inadequately low plasma dexamethasone and may therefore be of value when retesting subjects with possibly false-positive DST results. PMID:23781306

Substorm-associated large-scale magnetic field changes in the magnetotail: a prerequisite for magnetotail deflation events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakai, H.; Kamide, Y.

2003-04-01

An attempt is made to search for a critical condition in the lobe magnetic field to initiate large-scale magnetic field changes associated with substorm expansions. Using data from ISEE-1 for 1978, sudden decreases in the lobe magnetic field accompanied by magnetic field dipolarizations are identified. In this study, such events are designated as the magnetotail deflation. The magnetic field component parallel to the equatorial plane, BE , is normalized to a fixed geocentric distance, BEN , and is corrected for the compression effect of the solar wind dynamic pres-sure, BENC . It is shown that the BENC value just prior to a magnetotail deflation correlates well with the Dst index; BENC = 37.5 - 0.217 Dst0, where Dst0 denotes the Dst value corrected for the solar wind dynamic pressure. This regression function appears to delineate the upper limit of BENC values, when they are sorted by the Dst0 index. On the basis of this finding it is suggested that a prerequisite condition for magnetotail deflations must exist in the magnetosphere.

Chronic nicotine-induced changes in gene expression of delta and kappa-opioid receptors and their endogenous ligands in the mesocorticolimbic system of the rat.

PubMed

Ugur, Muzeyyen; Kaya, Egemen; Gozen, Oguz; Koylu, Ersin O; Kanit, Lutfiye; Keser, Aysegul; Balkan, Burcu

2017-09-01

Delta and kappa opioid receptors (DOR and KOR, respectively) and their endogenous ligands, proenkephalin (PENK) and prodynorphin (PDYN)-derived opioid peptides are proposed as important mediators of nicotine reward. This study investigated the regulatory effect of chronic nicotine treatment on the gene expression of DOR, KOR, PENK and PDYN in the mesocorticolimbic system. Three groups of rats were injected subcutaneously with nicotine at doses of 0.2, 0.4, or 0.6 mg/kg/day for 6 days. Rats were decapitated 1 hr after the last dose on day six, as this timing coincides with increased dopamine release in the mesocorticolimbic system. mRNA levels in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), amygdala (AMG), dorsal striatum (DST), nucleus accumbens, and medial prefrontal cortex were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Our results showed that nicotine upregulated DOR mRNA in the VTA at all of the doses employed, in the AMG at the 0.4 and 0.6 mg/kg doses, and in the DST at the 0.4 mg/kg dose. Conversely, PDYN mRNA was reduced in the LHA with 0.6 mg/kg nicotine and in the AMG with 0.4 mg/kg nicotine. KOR mRNA was also decreased in the DST with 0.6 mg/kg nicotine. Nicotine did not regulate PENK mRNA in any brain region studied. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

46 CFR 154.1200 - Mechanical ventilation system: General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Mechanical ventilation system: General. 154.1200 Section... Equipment Cargo Area: Mechanical Ventilation System § 154.1200 Mechanical ventilation system: General. (a... cargo handling equipment must have a fixed, exhaust-type mechanical ventilation system. (b) The...

Interactive simulation system for artificial ventilation on the internet: virtual ventilator.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Akihiro; Abe, Tadashi; Hirose, Minoru; Kamioka, Koichi; Hamada, Atsushi; Ikeda, Noriaki

2004-12-01

To develop an interactive simulation system "virtual ventilator" that demonstrates the dynamics of pressure and flow in the respiratory system under the combination of spontaneous breathing, ventilation modes, and ventilator options. The simulation system was designed to be used by unexperienced health care professionals as a self-training tool. The system consists of a simulation controller and three modules: respiratory, spontaneous breath, and ventilator. The respiratory module models the respiratory system by three resistances representing the main airway, the right and left lungs, and two compliances also representing the right and left lungs. The spontaneous breath module generates inspiratory negative pressure produced by a patient. The ventilator module generates driving force of pressure or flow according to the combination of the ventilation mode and options. These forces are given to the respiratory module through the simulation controller. The simulation system was developed using HTML, VBScript (3000 lines, 100 kB) and ActiveX control (120 kB), and runs on Internet Explorer (5.5 or higher). The spontaneous breath is defined by a frequency, amplitude and inspiratory patterns in the spontaneous breath module. The user can construct a ventilation mode by setting a control variable, phase variables (trigger, limit, and cycle), and options. Available ventilation modes are: controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV), continuous positive airway pressure, synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV), pressure support ventilation (PSV), SIMV + PSV, pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV), pressure-regulated volume control (PRVC), proportional assisted ventilation, mandatory minute ventilation (MMV), bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP). The simulation system demonstrates in a graph and animation the airway pressure, flow, and volume of the respiratory system during mechanical ventilation both with and without spontaneous breathing. We developed a web application that demonstrated the respiratory mechanics and the basic theory of ventilation mode.

46 CFR 154.1205 - Mechanical ventilation system: Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Mechanical ventilation system: Standards. 154.1205... Equipment Cargo Area: Mechanical Ventilation System § 154.1205 Mechanical ventilation system: Standards. (a) Each exhaust type mechanical ventilation system required under § 154.1200 (a) must have ducts for...

TANK SPACE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS REPORT

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

TURNER DA; KIRCH NW; WASHENFELDER DJ

2010-04-27

This report addresses the projected shortfall of double-shell tank (DST) space starting in 2018. Using a multi-variant methodology, a total of eight new-term options and 17 long-term options for recovering DST space were evaluated. These include 11 options that were previously evaluated in RPP-7702, Tank Space Options Report (Rev. 1). Based on the results of this evaluation, two near-term and three long-term options have been identified as being sufficient to overcome the shortfall of DST space projected to occur between 2018 and 2025.

Development of a Low Strain-Rate Gun Propellant Bed Compression Test and its Use in Evaluating Mechanical Response

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

heuristics, die and propellant geometries from similar facilities reported in the literature [2,3] and the DST Group design .  bed* (mm) φbed...compliance curves from the experimental data. In UNCLASSIFIED DST- Group -TR-3291 UNCLASSIFIED 18 Figure 13, the red axial compliance traces were...UNCLASSIFIED DST- Group -TR-3291 UNCLASSIFIED 46 At a test temperature of -60˚C, the equivalent strain rates are within the 10 to 500 s-1 given in

Major Geomagnetic Storms (Dst less than or equal to -100 nT) Generated by Corotating Interaction Regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, I. G.; Webb, D. F.; Zhang, J.; Berdichevsky, B. D.; Biesecker, D. A.; Kasper, J. C.; Kataoka, R.; Steinberg, J. T.; Thompson, B. J.; Wu, C.-C.;

Dst and a map of average equivalent ring current: 1958-2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Love, J. J.

2008-12-01

A new Dst index construction is made using the original hourly magnetic-observatory data collected over the years 1958-2007; stations: Hermanus South Africa, Kakioka Japan, Honolulu Hawaii, and San Juan Puerto Rico. The construction method we use is generally consistent with the algorithm defined by Sugiura (1964), and which forms the basis for the standard Kyoto Dst index. This involves corrections for observatory baseline shifts, subtraction of the main-field secular variation, and subtraction of specific harmonics that approximate the solar-quiet (Sq) variation. Fourier analysis of the observatory data reveals the nature of Sq: it consists primarily of periodic variation driven by the Earth's rotation, the Moon's orbit, the Earth's orbit, and, to some extent, the solar cycle. Cross coupling of the harmonics associated with each of the external periodic driving forces results in a seemingly complicated Sq time series that is sometimes considered to be relatively random and unpredictable, but which is, in fact, well described in terms of Fourier series. Working in the frequency domain, Sq can be filtered out, and, upon return to the time domain, the local disturbance time series (Dist) for each observatory can be recovered. After averaging the local disturbance time series from each observatory, the global magnetic disturbance time series Dst is obtained. Analysis of this new Dst index is compared with that produced by Kyoto, and various biases and differences are discussed. The combination of the Dist and Dst time series can be used to explore the local-time/universal-time symmetry of an equivalent ring current. Individual magnetic storms can have a complicated disturbance field that is asymmetrical in longitude, presumably due to partial ring currents. Using 50 years of data we map the average local-time magnetic disturbance, finding that it is very nearly proportional to Dst. To our surprise, the primary asymmetry in mean magnetic disturbance is not between midnight and noon, but rather between dawn and dusk, with greatest mean disturbance occurring at dusk. As a result, proposed corrections to Dst for magnetopause and tail currents might be reasonably reconsidered.

33 CFR 183.620 - Natural ventilation system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Natural ventilation system. 183... (CONTINUED) BOATING SAFETY BOATS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT Ventilation § 183.620 Natural ventilation system. (a) Except for compartments open to the atmosphere, a natural ventilation system that meets the...

33 CFR 183.620 - Natural ventilation system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Natural ventilation system. 183... (CONTINUED) BOATING SAFETY BOATS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT Ventilation § 183.620 Natural ventilation system. (a) Except for compartments open to the atmosphere, a natural ventilation system that meets the...

Preliminary Design and Evaluation of Portable Electronic Flight Progress Strips

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doble, Nathan A.; Hansman, R. John

2002-01-01

There has been growing interest in using electronic alternatives to the paper Flight Progress Strip (FPS) for air traffic control. However, most research has been centered on radar-based control environments, and has not considered the unique operational needs of the airport air traffic control tower. Based on an analysis of the human factors issues for control tower Decision Support Tool (DST) interfaces, a requirement has been identified for an interaction mechanism which replicates the advantages of the paper FPS (e.g., head-up operation, portability) but also enables input and output with DSTs. An approach has been developed which uses a Portable Electronic FPS that has attributes of both a paper strip and an electronic strip. The prototype flight strip system uses Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to replace individual paper strips in addition to a central management interface which is displayed on a desktop computer. Each PDA is connected to the management interface via a wireless local area network. The Portable Electronic FPSs replicate the core functionality of paper flight strips and have additional features which provide a heads-up interface to a DST. A departure DST is used as a motivating example. The central management interface is used for aircraft scheduling and sequencing and provides an overview of airport departure operations. This paper will present the design of the Portable Electronic FPS system as well as preliminary evaluation results.

A Systems Thinking Approach to Engineering Challenges of Military Systems-of-Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

UNCLASSIFIED UNCLLASIFIED A Systems Thinking Approach to Engineering Challenges of Military Systems -of- Systems Pin Chen and Mark...Unewisse Joint & Operations Analysis Division Defence Science and Technology Group DST-Group-TR-3271 ABSTRACT System (s)-of- Systems (SoS...their products and outcomes. This report introduces a systems thinking-based approach, SoS thinking, which offers a language and a thoughtful process

Real-time SWMF-Geospace at CCMC: assessing the quality of output from continuous operational simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liemohn, M. W.; Welling, D. T.; De Zeeuw, D.; Kuznetsova, M. M.; Rastaetter, L.; Ganushkina, N. Y.; Ilie, R.; Toth, G.; Gombosi, T. I.; van der Holst, B.

2016-12-01

The ground-based magnetometer index Dst is a decent measure of the near-Earth current systems, in particular those in the storm-time inner magnetosphere. The ability of a large-scale, physics-based model to reproduce, or even predict, this index is therefore a tangible measure of the overall validity of the code for space weather research and space weather operational usage. Experimental real-time simulations of the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF) are conducted at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC), with results available there (http://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/realtime.php), through the CCMC Integrated Space Weather Analysis (iSWA) site (http://iswa.ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/IswaSystemWebApp/), and the Michigan SWMF site (http://csem.engin.umich.edu/realtime). Presently, two configurations of the SWMF are running in real time at CCMC, both focusing on the geospace modules, using the BATS-R-US magnetohydrodynamic model, the Ridley Ionosphere Model, and with and without the Rice Convection Model for inner magnetospheric drift physics. While both have been running for several years, nearly continuous results are available since July 2015. Dst from the model output is compared against the Kyoto real-time Dst. Various quantitative measures are presented to assess the goodness of fit between the models and observations. In particular, correlation coefficients, RMSE and prediction efficiency are calculated and discussed. In addition, contingency tables are presented, demonstrating the ability of the model to predict "disturbed times" as defined by Dst values below some critical threshold. It is shown that the SWMF run with the inner magnetosphere model is significantly better at reproducing storm-time values, with prediction efficiencies above 0.25 and Heidke skill scores above 0.5. This work was funded by NASA and NSF grants, and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement 637302 PROGRESS.

A statistical analysis of the energy policy act of 2005, its changes to the daylight saving program, and impact on residential energy consumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, Patrick L.

Government programs designed to decrease resource consumption, improve productivity and capitalize on extended daylight hours in the summer have been developed and implemented throughout the world for nearly three hundred years. In 2005, The United States government adopted an extended daylight savings program that increases the number of weeks where the country observes Daylight Saving Time (DST) from 31 to 35 weeks. The program took effect in March 2007. Arguments in support of DST programs highlight the portion of electricity consumption attributed to residential lighting in the evening hours. Adjusting clocks forward by one hour in summer months is believed to reduce electricity consumption due to lighting and therefore significantly reduce residential energy consumption during the period of DST. This paper evaluates the efficacy of the changes to DST resulting from the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The study focuses on changes to household electricity consumption during the extended four weeks of DST. Arizona, one of two states that continue to opt out of DST serves as the study's control for a comparison with neighboring states, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. Results from the regression analysis of a Difference in Difference model indicate that contrary to evaluations by Congress and the Department of Energy, the four week period of Extended Daylight Saving Time does not produce a significant decrease in per capita electricity consumption in Southwestern states.

Collagen gel droplet-embedded culture drug sensitivity test for adjuvant chemotherapy after complete resection of non-small-cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Inoue, Masayoshi; Maeda, Hajime; Takeuchi, Yukiyasu; Fukuhara, Kenjiro; Shintani, Yasushi; Funakoshi, Yasunobu; Funaki, Soichiro; Nojiri, Takashi; Kusu, Takashi; Kusumoto, Hidenori; Kimura, Toru; Okumura, Meinoshin

2018-04-01

We conducted a prospective clinical study to individualize adjuvant chemotherapy after complete resection of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), based on the drug sensitivity test. Patients with resectable c-stage IB-IIIA NSCLC were registered between 2005 and 2010. We performed the collagen gel droplet-embedded culture drug sensitivity test (CD-DST) on a fresh surgical specimen to assess in vitro chemosensitivity and evaluated the prognostic outcome after adjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin/paclitaxel based on the CD-DST. Among 92 registered patients, 87 were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. The success rate of CD-DST was 86% and chemosensitivity to carboplatin and/or paclitaxel was evident in 57 (76%) of the 75 patients. Adjuvant chemotherapy was completed in 22 (73%) of 30 patients. The 5-year overall survival rates were 71, 73, and 75% for all, CD-DST success, and chemosensitive patients, respectively. The 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival rates of the chemosensitive patients who completed adjuvant chemotherapy using carboplatin/paclitaxel were 68 and 82%, respectively. The 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival rates of the patients with stage II-IIIA chemosensitive NSCLC were 58 and 75%, respectively. Comparative analyses of the chemosensitive and non-chemosensitive/CD-DST failure groups showed no significant survival difference. CD-DST can be used to evaluate chemosensitivity after lung cancer surgery; however, its clinical efficacy for assessing individualized treatment remains uncertain.

Earthquake bursts and fault branching: lessons from the Carmel fault branch (CFB) of the Dead Sea Transform (DST)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agnon, A.; Rockwell, T. K.; Stein, S.; Raphael, K.

2017-12-01

The DST, accommodating most of the displacement across the boundary zone between the Arabian and Sinai plates, is an ideal plate boundary on which to study earthquake sequences because of 1) a long (>2 kyr) record of historical earthquakes (corroborated and extended several millennia back with ancient ruins); 2) deformed sediments and rockfalls, offering datable archives of strong shaking at various distances from the fault, spanning 300 kyr; 3) a moderate fault slip rate, allowing separation and dating of individual earthquakes for comparison to the historical record, and 4) a growing body of paleoseismic trench data on both timing and displacement across some sectors of the fault. Here we explore the role of a secondary fault branch on clustering using a new approach for the analysis of earthquake bursts. The CFZ is a ≥100 km long shear zone, branching northwestward from the N-S trending Jordan Valley segment of the DST. GPS monitoring of the CFZ indicates a slip rate of <1 mm/yr, absorbing up to 20% of the slip between Arabia Plate and the Sinai-Levant Block across the DST. CFZ seismicity is recorded by three datasets with different time scales and maximum magnitudes: 1) Instrumental seismicity, M≤5.3 (1984); 2) Historic documents suggesting a M>6 event in 363 CE, with ruins distributed up to 100 km from the CFZ; 3) 5 ka cave deposits showing damage greater than from any subsequent earthquake, implying 6The CFZ branch events interact with ruptures on the main DST. At 5 ka destruction was widespread along the DST. The 363 CE earthquake was accompanied by another event in the Arava Valley. The pair skipped the 100 km long Dead Sea segment of the DST. An earlier pair in the northern Levant preceded that pair by several decades: 303 & 347 CE, following a two-century long quiescence, and a harbinger for a shaky millennium. We suggest that the 363 CE pair reflects a rare state that enables a CFZ rupture. This oblique branch is unfavorably oriented for slip under the state of stress that drives the sinistral shear on the N-S DST. As local stress fields evolve after earthquakes, the CFZ can slip and then trigger instability on the entire DST. It is tempting to relate the 363 pair to the triggering of the 365 CE East Mediterranean earthquake burst.

Fatal accidents following changes in daylight savings time: the American experience.

PubMed

Varughese; Allen

2001-01-01

Objective: This study examines specific hypotheses that both sleep loss and behavioral changes occurring with the time shifts for Daylight Savings Time (DST) significantly effect the number of fatal traffic accidents in the United States of America.Background: It has been reported that there is a significant increase in the number of automobile accidents in the spring shift to DST due to the loss of 1 h of sleep. But the extra hour gained at night with the shift from DST in the fall has been variably reported to be associated with increases and decreases in the number of automobile accidents which may reflect either behavioral anticipation with an extended late night prior to the change or the benefit of extra sleep after the change.Methods: Data from 21 years of United States' fatal automobile accidents were gathered. The mean number of accidents on the days at the time of the shifts (Saturday, Sunday and Monday) was compared to the average of the corresponding mean number of accidents on the matching day of the weeks preceding and following the shift. This was repeated for each DST shift. The number of accidents for a particular shift was also correlated with the year of the accidents.Results: There was a significant increase in accidents for the Monday immediately following the spring shift to DST (t=1.92, P=0.034). There was also a significant increase in number of accidents on the Sunday of the fall shift from DST (P<0.002). No significant changes were observed for the other days. A significant negative correlation with the year was found between the number of accidents on the Saturdays and Sundays but not Mondays.Conclusions: The sleep deprivation on the Monday following shift to DST in the spring results in a small increase in fatal accidents. The behavioral adaptation anticipating the longer day on Sunday of the shift from DST in the fall leads to an increased number of accidents suggesting an increase in late night (early Sunday morning) driving when traffic related fatalities are high possibly related to alcohol consumption and driving while sleepy. Public health educators should probably consider issuing warnings both about the effects of sleep loss in the spring shift and possible behaviors such as staying out later, particularly when consuming alcohol in the fall shift. Sleep clinicians should be aware that health consequences from forced changes in the circadian patterns resulting from DST come not only from physiological adjustments but also from behavioral responses to forced circadian changes.

The Marriage of Science and Spirit: Dynamic Systems Theory and the Development of Spirituality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cupit, C. Glenn

2007-01-01

The adherence of traditional developmental theories to a linear paradigm is incompatible with the nature of "spirit". Dynamic Systems Theory (DST), a recent contributor to understanding child development, offers an alternative which avoids these paradigmatic limitations. Concepts of agency, "top-down" causality, emergence and…

A correlative comparison of the ring current and auroral electrojects usig geomagnetic indices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cade, W. B., III; Sojka, J. J.; Zhu, L.

1995-01-01

From a study of the 21 largest geomagnetic storms during solar cycle 21, a strong correlation is established between the ring current index Dst and the time-weighted accumulation of the 1-hour auroral electrojets indices, AE and AL. The time-weighted accumulation corresponds to convolution of the auroral electrojet indices with an exponential weighting function with an e-folding time of 9.4 hours. The weighted indices AE(sub w) and AL(sub w) have correltation coefficients against Dst ranging between 0.8 and 0.95 for 20 of the 21 storms. Correlation over the entire solar cycle 21 database is also strong but not as strong as for an individual storm. A set of simple Dst prediction functions provide a first approximation of the inferred dependence, but the specific functional relationship of Dst (AL(sub w)) or Dst (AL(sub w)) varies from one storm to the next in a systematic way. This variation reveals a missing parametric dependence in the transfer function. However, our results indicate that auroral electroject indices are potentially useful for predicting storm time enhancements of ring current intensity with a few hours lead time.

Principles for identification of High Potency Category Chemicals for which the Dermal Sensitisation Threshold (DST) approach should not be applied.

PubMed

Roberts, David W; Api, Anne Marie; Safford, Robert J; Lalko, Jon F

2015-08-01

An essential step in ensuring the toxicological safety of chemicals used in consumer products is the evaluation of their skin sensitising potential. The sensitising potency, coupled with information on exposure levels, can be used in a Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) to determine an acceptable level of a given chemical in a given product. Where consumer skin exposure is low, a risk assessment can be conducted using the Dermal Sensitisation Threshold (DST) approach, avoiding the need to determine potency experimentally. Since skin sensitisation involves chemical reaction with skin proteins, the first step in the DST approach is to assess, on the basis of the chemical structure, whether the chemical is expected to be reactive or not. Our accompanying publication describes the probabilistic derivation of a DST of 64 μg/cm(2) for chemicals assessed as reactive. This would protect against 95% of chemicals assessed as reactive, but the remaining 5% would include chemicals with very high potency. Here we discuss the chemical properties and structural features of high potency sensitisers, and derive an approach whereby they can be identified and consequently excluded from application of the DST. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Numerical simulation of volume-controlled mechanical ventilated respiratory system with 2 different lungs.

PubMed

Shi, Yan; Zhang, Bolun; Cai, Maolin; Zhang, Xiaohua Douglas

2017-09-01

Mechanical ventilation is a key therapy for patients who cannot breathe adequately by themselves, and dynamics of mechanical ventilation system is of great significance for life support of patients. Recently, models of mechanical ventilated respiratory system with 1 lung are used to simulate the respiratory system of patients. However, humans have 2 lungs. When the respiratory characteristics of 2 lungs are different, a single-lung model cannot reflect real respiratory system. In this paper, to illustrate dynamic characteristics of mechanical ventilated respiratory system with 2 different lungs, we propose a mathematical model of mechanical ventilated respiratory system with 2 different lungs and conduct experiments to verify the model. Furthermore, we study the dynamics of mechanical ventilated respiratory system with 2 different lungs. This research study can be used for improving the efficiency and safety of volume-controlled mechanical ventilation system. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Decreasing Medication Turnaround Time with Digital Scanning Technology in a Canadian Health Region

PubMed Central

Neville, Heather; Nodwell, Lisa; Alsharif, Sahar

2014-01-01

Background: Reducing medication turnaround time can improve efficiency, patient safety, and quality of care in the hospital setting. Digital scanning technology (DST) can be used to electronically transmit scanned prescriber orders to a pharmacy computer queue for verification and processing, which may help to improve medication turnaround time. Objectives: To evaluate medication turnaround time before and after implementation of DST for all medications and for antibiotics only. Methods: Medication turnaround times were evaluated retrospectively for periods before (June 6–10, 2011) and after (September 26–30, 2011) implementation of DST at 2 hospital sites in 1 health region. Medication turnaround time was defined as the time from composition of a medication order by the prescriber to its verification by the pharmacy (phase 1) and the time from prescriber composition to administration to the patient by a nurse (total). Median turnaround times were analyzed with SPSS software using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results: In total, 304 and 244 medication orders were audited before and after DST implementation, respectively. Median phase 1 turnaround time for all medications declined significantly, from 2 h 23 min before DST implementation to 1 h 33 min after DST implementation (p < 0.001). Antibiotics were also processed significantly faster (1 h 51 min versus 1 h 9 min, p = 0.015). However, total turnaround time for all medications did not differ significantly (5 h 15 min versus 5 h 0 min, p = 0.42). Conclusions: Implementation of DST was associated with a 50-min decrease in medication turnaround time for the period from when an order was prescribed to the time it was processed by the pharmacy. Regular evaluation of medication turnaround times is recommended to compare with benchmarks, to ensure that hospital standards are being met, and to measure the effects of policy changes and implementation of new technology on medication-use processes. PMID:25548397

Decreasing medication turnaround time with digital scanning technology in a canadian health region.

PubMed

Neville, Heather; Nodwell, Lisa; Alsharif, Sahar

2014-11-01

Reducing medication turnaround time can improve efficiency, patient safety, and quality of care in the hospital setting. Digital scanning technology (DST) can be used to electronically transmit scanned prescriber orders to a pharmacy computer queue for verification and processing, which may help to improve medication turnaround time. To evaluate medication turnaround time before and after implementation of DST for all medications and for antibiotics only. Medication turnaround times were evaluated retrospectively for periods before (June 6-10, 2011) and after (September 26-30, 2011) implementation of DST at 2 hospital sites in 1 health region. Medication turnaround time was defined as the time from composition of a medication order by the prescriber to its verification by the pharmacy (phase 1) and the time from prescriber composition to administration to the patient by a nurse (total). Median turnaround times were analyzed with SPSS software using the Mann-Whitney U test. In total, 304 and 244 medication orders were audited before and after DST implementation, respectively. Median phase 1 turnaround time for all medications declined significantly, from 2 h 23 min before DST implementation to 1 h 33 min after DST implementation (p < 0.001). Antibiotics were also processed significantly faster (1 h 51 min versus 1 h 9 min, p = 0.015). However, total turnaround time for all medications did not differ significantly (5 h 15 min versus 5 h 0 min, p = 0.42). Implementation of DST was associated with a 50-min decrease in medication turnaround time for the period from when an order was prescribed to the time it was processed by the pharmacy. Regular evaluation of medication turnaround times is recommended to compare with benchmarks, to ensure that hospital standards are being met, and to measure the effects of policy changes and implementation of new technology on medication-use processes.

Miniature X-band GaAs MMIC analog and bi-phase modulators for spaceborne communications applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mysoor, Narayan R.; Ali, Fazal

1992-01-01

The design concepts, analyses, and the development of GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) linear-phase and digital modulators for the next generation of spaceborne communications systems are summarized. The design approach uses a very compact lumped-element, quadrature hybrid, and MESFET-varactors to provide low-loss and well-controlled phase performance for deep-space transponder (DST) applications. The measured results of the MESFET-diode show a capacitance range of 2:1 under reverse bias, and a Q of 38 at 10 GHz. Three cascaded sections of hybrid-coupled reflection phase shifters have been modeled and simulations performed to provide an X-band (8415 +/- 50 MHz) DST phase modulator with +/-2.5 radians of peak phase deviation.

Shear-induced organization of forces in dense suspensions: signatures of discontinuous shear thickening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Sumantra; Shatoff, Elan; Ramola, Kabir; Mari, Romain; Morris, Jeffrey; Chakraborty, Bulbul

2017-06-01

Dense suspensions can exhibit an abrupt change in their viscosity in response to increasing shear rate. The origin of this discontinuous shear thickening (DST) has been ascribed to the transformation of lubricated contacts to frictional, particle-on-particle contacts. Recent research on the flowing and jamming behavior of dense suspensions has explored the intersection of ideas from granular physics and Stokesian fluid dynamics to better understand this transition from lubricated to frictional rheology. DST is reminiscent of classical phase transitions, and a key question is how interactions between the microscopic constituents give rise to a macroscopic transition. In this paper, we extend a formalism that has proven to be successful in understanding shear jamming of dry grains to dense suspensions. Quantitative analysis of the collective evolution of the contactforce network accompanying the DST transition demonstrates clear changes in the distribution of microscopic variables, and leads to the identification of an "order parameter" characterizing DST.

Decision support tool for diagnosing the source of variation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masood, Ibrahim; Azrul Azhad Haizan, Mohamad; Norbaya Jumali, Siti; Ghazali, Farah Najihah Mohd; Razali, Hazlin Syafinaz Md; Shahir Yahya, Mohd; Azlan, Mohd Azwir bin

2017-08-01

Identifying the source of unnatural variation (SOV) in manufacturing process is essential for quality control. The Shewhart control chart patterns (CCPs) are commonly used to monitor the SOV. However, a proper interpretation of CCPs associated to its SOV requires a high skill industrial practitioner. Lack of knowledge in process engineering will lead to erroneous corrective action. The objective of this study is to design the operating procedures of computerized decision support tool (DST) for process diagnosis. The DST is an embedded tool in CCPs recognition scheme. Design methodology involves analysis of relationship between geometrical features, manufacturing process and CCPs. The DST contents information about CCPs and its possible root cause error and description on SOV phenomenon such as process deterioration in tool bluntness, offsetting tool, loading error, and changes in materials hardness. The DST will be useful for an industrial practitioner in making effective troubleshooting.

Design concepts and performance of NASA X-band transponder (DST) for deep space spacecraft applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mysoor, Narayan R.; Perret, Jonathan D.; Kermode, Arthur W.

1991-01-01

The design concepts and measured performance characteristics of an X band (7162 MHz/8415 MHz) breadboard deep space transponder (DST) for future spacecraft applications, with the first use scheduled for the Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby (CRAF) and Cassini missions in 1995 and 1996, respectively. The DST consists of a double conversion, superheterodyne, automatic phase tracking receiver, and an X band (8415 MHz) exciter to drive redundant downlink power amplifiers. The receiver acquires and coherently phase tracks the modulated or unmodulated X band (7162 MHz) uplink carrier signal. The exciter phase modulates the X band (8415 MHz) downlink signal with composite telemetry and ranging signals. The receiver measured tracking threshold, automatic gain control static phase error, and phase jitter characteristics of the breadboard DST are in good agreement with the expected performance. The measured results show a receiver tracking threshold of -158 dBm and a dynamic signal range of 88 dB.

Environmental modelling of use of treated organic waste on agricultural land: a comparison of existing models for life cycle assessment of waste systems.

PubMed

Hansen, Trine Lund; Christensen, Thomas Højlund; Schmidt, Sonia

2006-04-01

Modelling of environmental impacts from the application of treated organic municipal solid waste (MSW) in agriculture differs widely between different models for environmental assessment of waste systems. In this comparative study five models were examined concerning quantification and impact assessment of environmental effects from land application of treated organic MSW: DST (Decision Support Tool, USA), IWM (Integrated Waste Management, U.K.), THE IFEU PROJECT (Germany), ORWARE (ORganic WAste REsearch, Sweden) and EASEWASTE (Environmental Assessment of Solid Waste Systems and Technologies, Denmark). DST and IWM are life cycle inventory (LCI) models, thus not performing actual impact assessment. The DST model includes only one water emission (biological oxygen demand) from compost leaching in the results and IWM considers only air emissions from avoided production of commercial fertilizers. THE IFEU PROJECT, ORWARE and EASEWASTE are life cycle assessment (LCA) models containing more detailed land application modules. A case study estimating the environmental impacts from land application of 1 ton of composted source sorted organic household waste was performed to compare the results from the different models and investigate the origin of any difference in type or magnitude of the results. The contributions from the LCI models were limited and did not depend on waste composition or local agricultural conditions. The three LCA models use the same overall approach for quantifying the impacts of the system. However, due to slightly different assumptions, quantification methods and environmental impact assessment, the obtained results varied clearly between the models. Furthermore, local conditions (e.g. soil type, farm type, climate and legal regulation) and waste composition strongly influenced the results of the environmental assessment.

Soft System Analysis to Integrate Technology & Human in Controller Workstation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-10-16

Computer-based decision support tools (DST), : shared information, and other forms of automation : are increasingly being planned for use by controllers : and pilots to support Air Traffic Management (ATM) : and Air Traffic Control (ATC) in the Next ...

Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in Myanmar.

PubMed

Aung, Wah Wah; Ei, Phyu Win; Nyunt, Wint Wint; Swe, Thyn Lei; Lwin, Thandar; Htwe, Mi Mi; Kim, Kyung Jun; Lee, Jong Seok; Kim, Chang Ki; Cho, Sang Nae; Song, Sun Dae; Chang, Chulhun L

2015-09-01

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most serious health problems in Myanmar. Because TB drug resistance is associated with genetic mutation(s) relevant to responses to each drug, genotypic methods for detecting these mutations have been proposed to overcome the limitations of classic phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST). We explored the current estimates of drug-resistant TB and evaluated the usefulness of genotypic DST in Myanmar. We determined the drug susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from sputum smear-positive patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary TB at two main TB centers in Myanmar during 2013 by using conventional phenotypic DST and the GenoType MTBDRplus assay (Hain Lifescience, Germany). Discrepant results were confirmed by sequencing the genes relevant to each type of resistance (rpoB for rifampicin; katG and inhA for isoniazid). Of 191 isolates, phenotypic DST showed that 27.7% (n=53) were resistant to at least one first-line drug and 20.9% (n=40) were resistant to two or more, including 18.3% (n=35) multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) strains. Monoresistant strains accounted for 6.8% (n=13) of the samples. Genotypic assay of 189 isolates showed 17.5% (n=33) MDR-TB and 5.3% (n=10) isoniazid-monoresistant strains. Genotypic susceptibility results were 99.5% (n=188) concordant and agreed almost perfectly with phenotypic DST (kappa=0.99; 95% confidence interval 0.96-1.01). The results highlight the burden of TB drug resistance and prove the usefulness of the genotypic DST in Myanmar.

Impact of daylight saving time on road traffic collision risk: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Carey, Rachel N; Sarma, Kiran M

2017-01-01

Background Bills have been put forward in the UK and Republic of Ireland proposing a move to Central European Time (CET). Proponents argue that such a change will have benefits for road safety, with daylight being shifted from the morning, when collision risk is lower, to the evening, when risk is higher. Studies examining the impact of daylight saving time (DST) on road traffic collision risk can help inform the debate on the potential road safety benefits of a move to CET. The objective of this systematic review was to examine the impact of DST on collision risk. Methods Major electronic databases were searched, with no restrictions as to date of publication (the last search was performed in January 2017). Access to unpublished reports was requested through an international expert group. Studies that provided a quantitative analysis of the effect of DST on road safety-related outcomes were included. The primary outcomes of interest were road traffic collisions, injuries and fatalities. Findings Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Seventeen examined the short-term impact of transitions around DST and 12 examined long-term effects. Findings from the short-term studies were inconsistent. The long-term findings suggested a positive effect of DST. However, this cannot be attributed solely to DST, as a range of road collision risk factors vary over time. Interpretation The evidence from this review cannot support or refute the assertion that a permanent shift in light from morning to evening will have a road safety benefit. PMID:28674131

Prevalence of resistance to second-line tuberculosis drug among multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients in Viet Nam, 2011

PubMed Central

Tran, Huong Thi Giang; Bui, Quyen Thi Tu

2016-01-01

Introduction Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) represents an emerging public health problem worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 9.7% of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases are defined as XDR-TB globally. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of drug resistance to second-line TB drugs among MDR-TB cases detected in the Fourth National Anti-Tuberculosis Drug Resistance Survey in Viet Nam. Methods Eighty clusters of TB cases were selected using a probability-proportion-to-size approach. To identify MDR-TB cases, drug susceptibility testing (DST) was performed for the four major first-line TB drugs. DST of second-line drugs (ofloxacin, amikacin, kanamycin, capreomycin) was performed on isolates from MDR-TB cases to identify pre-XDR and XDR cases. Results A total of 1629 smear-positive TB cases were eligible for culture and DST. Of those, DST results for first-line drugs were available for 1312 cases, and 91 (6.9%) had MDR-TB. Second-line DST results were available for 84 of these cases. Of those, 15 cases (17.9%) had ofloxacin resistance and 6.0% were resistant to kanamycin and capreomycin. Five MDR-TB cases (6.0%) met the criteria of XDR-TB. Conclusion This survey provides the first estimates of the proportion of XDR-TB among MDR-TB cases in Viet Nam and provides important information for local policies regarding second-line DST. Local policies and programmes that are geared towards TB prevention, early diagnosis and treatment with effective regimens are of high importance. PMID:27508089

Prevalence of resistance to second-line tuberculosis drug among multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients in Viet Nam, 2011.

PubMed

Nguyen, Hoa Binh; Nguyen, Nhung Viet; Tran, Huong Thi Giang; Nguyen, Hai Viet; Bui, Quyen Thi Tu

2016-01-01

Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) represents an emerging public health problem worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 9.7% of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases are defined as XDR-TB globally. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of drug resistance to second-line TB drugs among MDR-TB cases detected in the Fourth National Anti-Tuberculosis Drug Resistance Survey in Viet Nam. Eighty clusters of TB cases were selected using a probability-proportion-to-size approach. To identify MDR-TB cases, drug susceptibility testing (DST) was performed for the four major first-line TB drugs. DST of second-line drugs (ofloxacin, amikacin, kanamycin, capreomycin) was performed on isolates from MDR-TB cases to identify pre-XDR and XDR cases. A total of 1629 smear-positive TB cases were eligible for culture and DST. Of those, DST results for first-line drugs were available for 1312 cases, and 91 (6.9%) had MDR-TB. Second-line DST results were available for 84 of these cases. Of those, 15 cases (17.9%) had ofloxacin resistance and 6.0% were resistant to kanamycin and capreomycin. Five MDR-TB cases (6.0%) met the criteria of XDR-TB. This survey provides the first estimates of the proportion of XDR-TB among MDR-TB cases in Viet Nam and provides important information for local policies regarding second-line DST. Local policies and programmes that are geared towards TB prevention, early diagnosis and treatment with effective regimens are of high importance.

Comparison between three algorithms for Dst predictions over the 2003 2005 period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amata, E.; Pallocchia, G.; Consolini, G.; Marcucci, M. F.; Bertello, I.

2008-02-01

We compare, over a two and half years period, the performance of a recent artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm for the Dst prediction called EDDA [Pallocchia, G., Amata, E., Consolini, G., Marcucci, M.F., Bertello, I., 2006. Geomagnetic Dst index forecast based on IMF data only. Annales Geophysicae 24, 989-999], based on IMF inputs only, with the performance of the ANN Lundstedt et al. [2002. Operational forecasts of the geomagnetic Dst index. Geophysical Research Letters 29, 341] algorithm and the Wang et al. [2003. Influence of the solar wind dynamic pressure on the decay and injection of the ring current. Journal of Geophysical Research 108, 51] algorithm based on differential equations, which both make use of both IMF and plasma inputs. We show that: (1) all three algorithms perform similarly for "small" and "moderate" storms; (2) the EDDA and Wang algorithms perform similarly and considerably better than the Lundstedt et al. [2002. Operational forecasts of the geomagnetic Dst index. Geophysical Research Letters 29, 341] algorithm for "intense" and for "severe" storms; (3) the EDDA algorithm has the clear advantage, for space weather operational applications, that it makes use of IMF inputs only. The advantage lies in the fact that plasma data are at times less reliable and display data gaps more often than IMF measurements, especially during large solar disturbances, i.e. during periods when space weather forecast are most important. Some considerations are developed on the reasons why EDDA may forecast the Dst index without making use of solar wind density and velocity data.

Implementation of the national tuberculosis guidelines on culture and drug sensitivity testing in Guatemala, 2013.

PubMed

Samayoa-Peláez, Maritza; Ayala, Nancy; Yadon, Zaida E; Heldal, Einar

2016-01-01

Objective To assess whether the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) guidelines for culture and drug sensitivity testing (DST) in Guatemala were successfully implemented, particularly in cases of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) or previously treated TB, by documenting notification rates by department (geographic area), disease type and category, and culture and DST results. Methods This was a cross-sectional, operational research study that merged and linked all patients registered by the NTP and the National Reference Laboratory in 2013, eliminating duplicates. The proportions with culture (for new smear negative pulmonary cases) and culture combined with DST (for previously treated patients) were estimated and analyzed by department. Data were analyzed using EpiData Analysis version 2.2. Results There were 3 074 patients registered with TB (all forms), for a case notification rate of 20/100 000 population. Of these, 2 842 had new TB, of which 2 167 (76%) were smear-positive pulmonary TB (PTB), 385 (14%) were smear-negative PTB, and 290 (10%) were extrapulmonary TB. There were 232 (8%) previously treated cases. Case notification rates (all forms) varied by department from 2-68 per 100 000 population, with the highest rates seen in the southwest and northeast part of Guatemala. Of new TB patients, 136 had a culture performed and 55 had DST of which the results were 33 fully sensitive, 9 monoresistant, 3 polyresistant, and 10 multidrug resistant TB (MDR-TB). Only 21 (5%) of new smear-negative PTB patients had cultures. Of 232 previously treated patients, 54 (23%) had a culture and 47 (20%) had DST, of which 29 were fully sensitive, 7 monoresistant, 2 polyresistant, and 9 MDR-TB. Of 22 departments (including the capital), culture and DST was performed in new smear-negative PTB in 7 departments (32%) and in previously treated TB in 13 departments (59%). Conclusions Despite national guidelines, only 5% of smear-negative PTB cases had a culture and only 20% of previously treated TB had a culture and DST. Several departments did not perform culture or DST. These short comings must be improved if Guatemala is to curtail the spread of drug resistant forms of TB, while striving to eliminate all TB.

The DESIRE Airborne gravity project in the Dead Sea Basin and 3D numerical gravity modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, S.; Goetze, H.; Meyer, U.; Group, D.

2008-12-01

This geo-scientific research focuses on the geological setting of the Dead Sea Transform (DST) and the Dead Sea Basin (DSB) and its resulting pull-apart basins. Since the late 1970s, crustal scale geophysical experiments have been carried out in this region. However, the nature of the crust underlying the eastern and western shoulders of the DSB and underneath the DST itself is still a hotly debated topic among researchers. To address one of the central questions of plate tectonics - How do large transform systems work and what are their typical features? - An international geoscientific Dead Sea Integrated Research project (DESIRE) is being conducted by colleagues from Germany, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan. In order to provide a high resolution gravity database that support 3D numerical modeling and hence a more comprehensive understanding of the nature and segmentation of the DST, an airborne gravity survey as a part of the DESIRE project has been carried out from February to March 2007. The airborne gravity survey covered the DST from Elat/Aqaba in the South to the northern rim of the Dead Sea. The low speed and terrain-following helicopter gravity flights were performed to acquire the highest possible data quality. In total, 32 north-south profiles and 16 west-east profiles crossing the DST have been measured. Most of the profiles concentrated in areas that lacked terrestrial gravity data coverage, e. g. over the shoulders of the DSB. The airborne gravity data are merged with existing conventional (terrestrial) data sets to provide a seamless gravity map of the area of interest. Using that combined gravity dataset and DESIRE wide angle refractions seismic interpretation we modified density structures in the DSB. As results we estimated that (1) the Moho depth varies from 26 km in the Israel side to 34 km in the Jordan side. (2) The maximum thickness of the Dead Sea sediment Basin is about 15 km. (3) The salt rock with an average thickness of about 5 km is present not only in the southern part of the DSB but also in northern part underlying the entire Dead Sea.

SY Tank Farm ventilation isolation option risk assessment report

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

Powers, T.B.; Morales, S.D.

The safety of the 241-SY Tank Farm ventilation system has been under extensive scrutiny due to safety concerns associated with tank 101-SY. Hydrogen and other gases are generated and trapped in the waste below the liquid surface. Periodically, these gases are released into the dome space and vented through the exhaust system. This attention to the ventilation system has resulted in the development of several alternative ventilation system designs. The ventilation system provides the primary means of mitigation of accidents associated with flammable gases. This report provides an assessment of various alternatives ventilation system designs.

Technology Solutions Case Study: Ventilation System Effectiveness and Tested Indoor Air Quality Impacts

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

A. Rudd and D. Bergey

Ventilation system effectiveness testing was conducted at two unoccupied, single-family, detached lab homes at the University of Texas - Tyler. Five ventilation system tests were conducted with various whole-building ventilation systems. Multizone fan pressurization testing characterized building and zone enclosure leakage. PFT testing showed multizone air change rates and interzonal airflow filtration. Indoor air recirculation by a central air distribution system can help improve the exhaust ventilation system by way of air mixing and filtration. In contrast, the supply and balanced ventilation systems showed that there is a significant benefit to drawing outside air from a known outside location, andmore » filtering and distributing that air. Compared to the Exhaust systems, the CFIS and ERV systems showed better ventilation air distribution and lower concentrations of particulates, formaldehyde and other VOCs.« less

Building America Case Study: Ventilation System Effectiveness and Tested Indoor Air Quality Impacts, Tyler, Texas

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

?Ventilation system effectiveness testing was conducted at two unoccupied, single-family, detached lab homes at the University of Texas - Tyler. Five ventilation system tests were conducted with various whole-building ventilation systems. Multizone fan pressurization testing characterized building and zone enclosure leakage. PFT testing showed multizone air change rates and interzonal airflow filtration. Indoor air recirculation by a central air distribution system can help improve the exhaust ventilation system by way of air mixing and filtration. In contrast, the supply and balanced ventilation systems showed that there is a significant benefit to drawing outside air from a known outside location, andmore » filtering and distributing that air. Compared to the Exhaust systems, the CFIS and ERV systems showed better ventilation air distribution and lower concentrations of particulates, formaldehyde and other VOCs. System improvement percentages were estimated based on four System Factor Categories: Balance, Distribution, Outside Air Source, and Recirculation Filtration. Recommended System Factors could be applied to reduce ventilation fan airflow rates relative to ASHRAE Standard 62.2 to save energy and reduce moisture control risk in humid climates. HVAC energy savings were predicted to be 8-10%, or $50-$75/year. Cumulative particle counts for six particle sizes, and formaldehyde and other Top 20 VOC concentrations were measured in multiple zones. The testing showed that single-point exhaust ventilation was inferior as a whole-house ventilation strategy.« less

Mobile communication devices causing interference in invasive and noninvasive ventilators.

PubMed

Dang, Bao P; Nel, Pierre R; Gjevre, John A

2007-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess if common mobile communication systems would cause significant interference on mechanical ventilation devices and at what distances would such interference occur. We tested all the invasive and noninvasive ventilatory devices used within our region. This consisted of 2 adult mechanical ventilators, 1 portable ventilator, 2 pediatric ventilators, and 2 noninvasive positive pressure ventilatory devices. We operated the mobile devices from the 2 cellular communication systems (digital) and 1 2-way radio system used in our province at varying distances from the ventilators and looked at any interference they created. We tested the 2-way radio system, which had a fixed operation power output of 3.0 watts, the Global Systems for Mobile Communication cellular system, which had a maximum power output of 2.0 watts and the Time Division Multiple Access cellular system, which had a maximum power output of 0.2 watts on our ventilators. The ventilators were ventilating a plastic lung at fixed settings. The mobile communication devices were tested at varying distances starting at zero meter from the ventilator and in all operation modes. The 2-way radio caused the most interference on some of the ventilators, but the maximum distance of interference was 1.0 m. The Global Systems for Mobile Communication system caused significant interference only at 0 m and minor interference at 0.5 m on only 1 ventilator. The Time Division Multiple Access system caused no interference at all. Significant interference consisted of a dramatic rise and fluctuation of the respiratory rate, pressure, and positive end-expiratory pressure of the ventilators with no normalization when the mobile device was removed. From our experiment on our ventilators with the communication systems used in our province, we conclude that mobile communication devices such as cellular phones and 2-way radios are safe and cause no interference unless operated at very close distances of less than 1 meter.

Direct state tomography using continuous variable measuring device

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

Zhu, Xuanmin, E-mail: zhuxuanmin@xidian.edu.cn; Wei, Qun

Compared with the conventional quantum state tomography (QST), the efficiency of the direct state tomography (DST) using weak value is very low. However, DST is easily manipulated in experiments. We modify the direct state tomography by using coupling-deformed observables. The modified direct state measurement is valid for arbitrarily large measurement strength. The optimal measurement strengths are obtained to attain the highest efficiency. The efficiency of DST is significantly improved in the modified strategy, and the reconstructed state has no inherent bias. The state reconstruction strategy investigated in this paper might be useful in actual experiments.

HPA axis hyperactivity as suicide predictor in elderly mood disorder inpatients.

PubMed

Jokinen, Jussi; Nordström, Peter

2008-11-01

Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function is associated with suicidal behaviour and age-associated alterations in HPA axis functioning may render elderly individuals more susceptible to HPA dysregulation related to mood disorders. Research on HPA axis function in suicide prediction in elderly mood disorder patients is sparse. The study sample consisted of 99 depressed elderly inpatients 65 years of age or older admitted to the department of Psychiatry at the Karolinska University Hospital between 1980 and 2000. The hypothesis was that elderly mood disorder inpatients who fail to suppress cortisol in the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) are at higher risk of suicide. The DST non-suppression distinguished between suicides and survivors in elderly depressed inpatients and the suicide attempt at the index episode was a strong predictor for suicide. Additionally, the DST non-suppression showed higher specificity and predictive value in the suicide attempter group. Due to age-associated alterations in HPA axis functioning, the optimal cut-off for DST non-suppression in suicide prediction may be higher in elderly mood disorder inpatients. These data demonstrate the importance of attempted suicide and DST non-suppression as predictors of suicide risk in late-life depression and suggest the use for neuroendocrine testing of HPA axis functioning as a complementary tool in suicide prevention.

Global differences between moderate and large storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valek, P. W.; Buzulukova, N.; Fok, M. C. H.; Goldstein, J.; Keesee, A. M.; McComas, D. J.; Perez, J. D.

2015-12-01

The current solar maximum has been relatively quiet compared to previous solar cycles. Whereas numerous moderate storms (Dst < -50 nT) have occurred, there have been only a small number of large (Dst < - 100 nT) and extreme (Dst < -200 nT) storms. Throughout this sequence of storms, the Two Wide-angle Imaging Neutral-atom Spectrometers (TWINS) mission has since 2008 observed the inner magnetosphere. TWINS consists of two ENA cameras flown aboard two separate spacecraft in Molniya orbits. TWINS images the ENA emissions from the inner magnetosphere across a broad range of energies (1 to 100 keV for H, 16 to 256 keV for O). This allows TWINS to observe the evolution in space and time of the trapped and precipitating particles most relevant for storm time dynamics on very high time scales (i.e., minutes). Here we will present the differences seen between moderate storms and the two large storms of 17 March 2015 (Dst < -223, St. Patrick's day storm) and 22 June 2015 (Dst < -195 nT). We will present composition-separated ENA observations of the inner magnetosphere covering the both the medium (1 to 30 keV) and high (30 to > 100 keV) energy ranges, and describe how the inner magnetosphere evolves during storm time.

Analysis of radon reduction and ventilation systems in uranium mines in China.

PubMed

Hu, Peng-hua; Li, Xian-jie

2012-09-01

Mine ventilation is the most important way of reducing radon in uranium mines. At present, the radon and radon progeny levels in Chinese uranium mines where the cut and fill stoping method is used are 3-5 times higher than those in foreign uranium mines, as there is not much difference in the investments for ventilation protection between Chinese uranium mines and international advanced uranium mines with compaction methodology. In this paper, through the analysis of radon reduction and ventilation systems in Chinese uranium mines and the comparison of advantages and disadvantages between a variety of ventilation systems in terms of radon control, the authors try to illustrate the reasons for the higher radon and radon progeny levels in Chinese uranium mines and put forward some problems in three areas, namely the theory of radon control and ventilation systems, radon reduction ventilation measures and ventilation management. For these problems, this paper puts forward some proposals regarding some aspects, such as strengthening scrutiny, verifying and monitoring the practical situation, making clear ventilation plans, strictly following the mining sequence, promoting training of ventilation staff, enhancing ventilation system management, developing radon reduction ventilation technology, purchasing ventilation equipment as soon as possible in the future, and so on.

Pressure Dynamic Characteristics of Pressure Controlled Ventilation System of a Lung Simulator

PubMed Central

Shi, Yan; Ren, Shuai; Cai, Maolin; Xu, Weiqing; Deng, Qiyou

2014-01-01

Mechanical ventilation is an important life support treatment of critically ill patients, and air pressure dynamics of human lung affect ventilation treatment effects. In this paper, in order to obtain the influences of seven key parameters of mechanical ventilation system on the pressure dynamics of human lung, firstly, mechanical ventilation system was considered as a pure pneumatic system, and then its mathematical model was set up. Furthermore, to verify the mathematical model, a prototype mechanical ventilation system of a lung simulator was proposed for experimental study. Last, simulation and experimental studies on the air flow dynamic of the mechanical ventilation system were done, and then the pressure dynamic characteristics of the mechanical system were obtained. The study can be referred to in the pulmonary diagnostics, treatment, and design of various medical devices or diagnostic systems. PMID:25197318

The DESIRE Airborne gravity project in the Dead Sea Basin and 3D numerical gravity modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Sungchan; Götze, Hans-Jürgen; Meyer, Uwe; Desire-Group

2010-05-01

This geo-scientific research focuses on the geological setting of the Dead Sea Transform (DST) and the Dead Sea Basin (DSB) and its resulting pull-apart basins. Since the late 1970s, crustal scale geophysical experiments have been carried out in this region. However, the nature of the crust underlying the eastern and western shoulders of the DSB and underneath the DST itself is still a hotly debated topic among researchers. To address one of the central questions of plate tectonics - How do large transform systems work and what are their typical features? - An international geoscientific Dead Sea Integrated Research project (DESIRE) is being conducted by colleagues from Germany, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan. In order to provide a high resolution gravity database that support 3D numerical modeling and hence a more comprehensive understanding of the nature and segmentation of the DST, an airborne gravity survey as a part of the DESIRE project has been carried out from February to March 2007. The airborne gravity survey covered the DST from Elat/Aqaba in the South to the northern rim of the Dead Sea. The low speed and terrain-following helicopter gravity flights were performed to acquire the highest possible data quality. In total, 32 north-south profiles and 16 west-east profiles crossing the DST have been measured. Most of the profiles concentrated in areas that lacked terrestrial gravity data coverage, e. g. over the shoulders of the DSB. The airborne gravity data are merged with existing conventional (terrestrial) data sets to provide a seamless gravity map of the area of interest. The results of the 3D gravity modelling based the GPS analysis, magnetic field characters, seismic researches and analysis of earthquake data allow us to propose that (1) the DSB is divided into two tectonic blocks by the region between the Lisan peninsula and the southern margin of the northern DSB and (2) the tectonic system in the DSB is defined as a counter-clockwise rotating pull apart basin due to the ‘Riedel flaking', by which the northern DSB is rotated counter-clockwise from the region and the southern DSB to the opposite direction. The salt diapir below the Dead Sea is suspected to be migrated from the Lisan peninsula to present region by the rotation of the northern DSB, while the Sedom diapir is extended to the SE direction. The Almacik flake along the North Anatolian fault, Turkey is probably another example of such basin.

Ventilation System Effectiveness and Tested Indoor Air Quality Impacts

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

Rudd, Armin; Bergey, Daniel

In this project, Building America research team Building Science Corporation tested the effectiveness of ventilation systems at two unoccupied, single-family, detached lab homes at the University of Texas - Tyler. Five ventilation system tests were conducted with various whole-building ventilation systems. Multizone fan pressurization testing characterized building and zone enclosure leakage. PFT testing showed multizone air change rates and interzonal airflow. Cumulative particle counts for six particle sizes, and formaldehyde and other Top 20 VOC concentrations were measured in multiple zones. The testing showed that single-point exhaust ventilation was inferior as a whole-house ventilation strategy. This was because the sourcemore » of outside air was not direct from outside, the ventilation air was not distributed, and no provision existed for air filtration. Indoor air recirculation by a central air distribution system can help improve the exhaust ventilation system by way of air mixing and filtration. In contrast, the supply and balanced ventilation systems showed that there is a significant benefit to drawing outside air from a known outside location, and filtering and distributing that air. Compared to the exhaust systems, the CFIS and ERV systems showed better ventilation air distribution and lower concentrations of particulates, formaldehyde and other VOCs. System improvement percentages were estimated based on four system factor categories: balance, distribution, outside air source, and recirculation filtration. Recommended system factors could be applied to reduce ventilation fan airflow rates relative to ASHRAE Standard 62.2 to save energy and reduce moisture control risk in humid climates. HVAC energy savings were predicted to be 8-10%, or $50-$75/year.« less

Ventilation System Effectiveness and Tested Indoor Air Quality Impacts

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

Rudd, Armin; Bergey, Daniel

Ventilation system effectiveness testing was conducted at two unoccupied, single-family, detached lab homes at the University of Texas - Tyler. Five ventilation system tests were conducted with various whole-building ventilation systems. Multizone fan pressurization testing characterized building and zone enclosure leakage. PFT testing showed multizone air change rates and interzonal airflow. Cumulative particle counts for six particle sizes, and formaldehyde and other Top 20 VOC concentrations were measured in multiple zones. The testing showed that single-point exhaust ventilation was inferior as a whole-house ventilation strategy. It was inferior because the source of outside air was not direct from outside, themore » ventilation air was not distributed, and no provision existed for air filtration. Indoor air recirculation by a central air distribution system can help improve the exhaust ventilation system by way of air mixing and filtration. In contrast, the supply and balanced ventilation systems showed that there is a significant benefit to drawing outside air from a known outside location, and filtering and distributing that air. Compared to the Exhaust systems, the CFIS and ERV systems showed better ventilation air distribution and lower concentrations of particulates, formaldehyde and other VOCs. System improvement percentages were estimated based on four System Factor Categories: Balance, Distribution, Outside Air Source, and Recirculation Filtration. Recommended System Factors could be applied to reduce ventilation fan airflow rates relative to ASHRAE Standard 62.2 to save energy and reduce moisture control risk in humid climates. HVAC energy savings were predicted to be 8-10%, or $50-$75/year.« less

Analysis of the systems of ventilation of residential houses of Ukraine and Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savchenko, Olena; Zhelykh, Vasyl; Voll, Hendrik

2017-12-01

The most common ventilation system in residential buildings in Ukraine is natural ventilation. In recent years, due to increased tightness of structures, an increase in the content of synthetic finishing materials in them, the quality of microclimate parameters deteriorated. One of the measures to improve the parameters of indoor air in residential buildings is the use of mechanical inflow and exhaust ventilation system. In this article the regulatory documents concerning the design of ventilation systems in Ukraine and Estonia and the requirements for air exchange in residential buildings are considered. It is established that the existing normative documents in Ukraine are analogous to European norms, which allow design the system of ventilation of residential buildings according to European standards. However, the basis for the design of ventilation systems in Ukraine is the national standards, in which mechanical ventilation, unfortunately, is provided only for the design of high-rise buildings. To maintain acceptable microclimate parameters in residential buildings, it is advisable for designers to apply the requirements for designing ventilation systems in accordance with European standards.

Second Language Developmental Dynamics: How Dynamic Systems Theory Accounts for Issues in Second Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosmawati

2014-01-01

Dynamic systems theory (DST) is presented in this article as a suitable approach to research the acquisition of second language (L2) because of its close alignment with the process of second language learning. Through a process of identifying and comparing the characteristics of a dynamic system with the process of L2 learning, this article…

Occupational exposure to nitrous oxide - the role of scavenging and ventilation systems in reducing the exposure level in operating rooms.

PubMed

Krajewski, Wojciech; Kucharska, Malgorzata; Wesolowski, Wiktor; Stetkiewicz, Jan; Wronska-Nofer, Teresa

2007-03-01

The aim of this study was to assess the level of occupational exposure to nitrous oxide (N(2)O) in operating rooms (ORs), as related to different ventilation and scavenging systems used to remove waste anaesthetic gases from the work environment. The monitoring of N(2)O in the air covered 35 ORs in 10 hospitals equipped with different systems for ventilation and anaesthetic scavenging. The examined systems included: natural ventilation with supplementary fresh air provided by a pressure ventilation system (up to 6 air changes/h); pressure and exhaust ventilation systems equipped with ventilation units supplying fresh air to and discharging contaminated air outside the working area (more than 10 air changes/h); complete air-conditioning system with laminar air flow (more than 15 air changes/h). The measurements were carried out during surgical procedures (general anaesthesia induced intravenously and maintained with inhaled N(2)O and sevofluran delivered through cuffed endotracheal tubes) with connected or disconnected air scavenging. Air was collected from the breathing zone of operating personnel continuously through the whole time of anaesthesia to Tedlar((R)) bags, and N(2)O concentrations in air samples were analyzed by adsorption gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. N(2)O levels in excess of the occupational exposure limit (OEL) value of 180mg/m(3) were registered in all ORs equipped with ventilation systems alone. The OEL value was exceeded several times in rooms with natural ventilation plus supplementary pressure ventilations and twice or less in those with pressure/exhaust ventilation systems or air conditioning. N(2)O levels below or within the OEL value were observed in rooms where the system of air conditioning or pressure/exhaust ventilation was combined with scavenging systems. Systems combining natural/pressure ventilation with scavenging were inadequate to maintain N(2)O concentration below the OEL value. Air conditioning and an efficient pressure/exhaust ventilation (above 12 air exchanges/h) together with efficient active scavenging systems are sufficient to sustain N(2)O exposure in ORs at levels below or within the OEL value of 180mg/m(3).

Incidence of myocardial infarction with shifts to and from daylight savings time.

PubMed

Jiddou, Monica R; Pica, Mark; Boura, Judy; Qu, Lihua; Franklin, Barry A

2013-03-01

Modulators of normal bodily functions such as the duration and quality of sleep might transiently influence cardiovascular risk. The transition to daylight savings time (DST) has been associated with a short-term increased incidence ratio (IR) of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The present retrospective study examined the IR of AMIs that presented to our hospitals the week after DST and after the autumn switch to standard time, October 2006 to April 2012, with specific reference to the AMI type. Our study population (n = 935 patients; 59% men, 41% women) was obtained from the electronic medical records of the Royal Oak and Troy campuses of the Beaumont Hospitals in Michigan. Overall, the frequency of AMI was similar in the spring and autumn, 463 (49.5%) and 472 (50.5%), respectively. The IR for the first week after the spring shift was 1.17 (95% confidence interval 1.00 to 1.36). After the transition from DST in the autumn, the IR for the same period was lower, but not significantly different, 0.99 (95% confidence interval 0.85 to 1.16). Nevertheless, the greatest increase in AMI occurred on the first day (Sunday) after the spring shift to DST (1.71, 95% confidence interval 1.09 to 2.02; p <0.05). Also, a significantly greater incidence was found of non-ST-segment myocardial infarction after the transition to DST in the study group compared with that in the control group (p = 0.022). In conclusion, these data suggest that shifts to and from DST might transiently affect the incidence and type of acute cardiac events, albeit modestly. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of daylight saving time on road traffic collision risk: a systematic review.

PubMed

Carey, Rachel N; Sarma, Kiran M

2017-07-02

Bills have been put forward in the UK and Republic of Ireland proposing a move to Central European Time (CET). Proponents argue that such a change will have benefits for road safety, with daylight being shifted from the morning, when collision risk is lower, to the evening, when risk is higher. Studies examining the impact of daylight saving time (DST) on road traffic collision risk can help inform the debate on the potential road safety benefits of a move to CET. The objective of this systematic review was to examine the impact of DST on collision risk. Major electronic databases were searched, with no restrictions as to date of publication (the last search was performed in January 2017). Access to unpublished reports was requested through an international expert group. Studies that provided a quantitative analysis of the effect of DST on road safety-related outcomes were included. The primary outcomes of interest were road traffic collisions, injuries and fatalities. Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Seventeen examined the short-term impact of transitions around DST and 12 examined long-term effects. Findings from the short-term studies were inconsistent. The long-term findings suggested a positive effect of DST. However, this cannot be attributed solely to DST, as a range of road collision risk factors vary over time. The evidence from this review cannot support or refute the assertion that a permanent shift in light from morning to evening will have a road safety benefit. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Assessing the validity of station location assumptions made in the calculation of the geomagnetic disturbance index, Dst

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gannon, Jennifer

2012-01-01

In this paper, the effects of the assumptions made in the calculation of the Dst index with regard to longitude sampling, hemisphere bias, and latitude correction are explored. The insights gained from this study will allow operational users to better understand the local implications of the Dst index and will lead to future index formulations that are more physically motivated. We recompute the index using 12 longitudinally spaced low-latitude stations, including the traditional 4 (in Honolulu, Kakioka, San Juan, and Hermanus), and compare it to the standard United States Geological Survey definitive Dst. We look at the hemisphere balance by comparing stations at equal geomagnetic latitudes in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. We further separate the 12-station time series into two hemispheric indices and find that there are measurable differences in the traditional Dst formulation due to the undersampling of the Southern Hemisphere in comparison with the Northern Hemisphere. To analyze the effect of latitude correction, we plot latitudinal variation in a disturbance observed during the year 2005 using two separate longitudinal observatory chains. We separate these by activity level and find that while the traditional cosine form fits the latitudinal distributions well for low levels of activity, at higher levels of disturbance the cosine form does not fit the observed variation. This suggests that the traditional latitude scaling is insufficient during active times. The effect of the Northern Hemisphere bias and the inadequate latitude scaling is such that the standard correction underestimates the true disturbance by 10–30 nT for storms of main phase magnitude deviation greater than 150 nT in the traditional Dst index.

Photoinhibition-like damage to the photosynthetic apparatus in plant leaves induced by submergence treatment in the dark.

PubMed

Fan, Xingli; Zhang, Zishan; Gao, Huiyuan; Yang, Cheng; Liu, Meijun; Li, Yuting; Li, Pengmin

2014-01-01

Submergence is a common type of environmental stress for plants. It hampers survival and decreases crop yield, mainly by inhibiting plant photosynthesis. The inhibition of photosynthesis and photochemical efficiency by submergence is primarily due to leaf senescence and excess excitation energy, caused by signals from hypoxic roots and inhibition of gas exchange, respectively. However, the influence of mere leaf-submergence on the photosynthetic apparatus is currently unknown. Therefore, we studied the photosynthetic apparatus in detached leaves from four plant species under dark-submergence treatment (DST), without influence from roots and light. Results showed that the donor and acceptor sides, the reaction center of photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI) in leaves were significantly damaged after 36 h of DST. This is a photoinhibition-like phenomenon similar to the photoinhibition induced by high light, as further indicated by the degradation of PsaA and D1, the core proteins of PSI and PSII. In contrast to previous research, the chlorophyll content remained unchanged and the H2O2 concentration did not increase in the leaves, implying that the damage to the photosynthetic apparatus was not caused by senescence or over-accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). DST-induced damage to the photosynthetic apparatus was aggravated by increasing treatment temperature. This type of damage also occurred in the anaerobic environment (N2) without water, and could be eliminated or restored by supplying air to the water during or after DST. Our results demonstrate that DST-induced damage was caused by the hypoxic environment. The mechanism by which DST induces the photoinhibition-like damage is discussed below.

Photoinhibition-Like Damage to the Photosynthetic Apparatus in Plant Leaves Induced by Submergence Treatment in the Dark

PubMed Central

Gao, Huiyuan; Yang, Cheng; Liu, Meijun; Li, Yuting; Li, Pengmin

2014-01-01

Submergence is a common type of environmental stress for plants. It hampers survival and decreases crop yield, mainly by inhibiting plant photosynthesis. The inhibition of photosynthesis and photochemical efficiency by submergence is primarily due to leaf senescence and excess excitation energy, caused by signals from hypoxic roots and inhibition of gas exchange, respectively. However, the influence of mere leaf-submergence on the photosynthetic apparatus is currently unknown. Therefore, we studied the photosynthetic apparatus in detached leaves from four plant species under dark-submergence treatment (DST), without influence from roots and light. Results showed that the donor and acceptor sides, the reaction center of photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI) in leaves were significantly damaged after 36 h of DST. This is a photoinhibition-like phenomenon similar to the photoinhibition induced by high light, as further indicated by the degradation of PsaA and D1, the core proteins of PSI and PSII. In contrast to previous research, the chlorophyll content remained unchanged and the H2O2 concentration did not increase in the leaves, implying that the damage to the photosynthetic apparatus was not caused by senescence or over-accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). DST-induced damage to the photosynthetic apparatus was aggravated by increasing treatment temperature. This type of damage also occurred in the anaerobic environment (N2) without water, and could be eliminated or restored by supplying air to the water during or after DST. Our results demonstrate that DST-induced damage was caused by the hypoxic environment. The mechanism by which DST induces the photoinhibition-like damage is discussed below. PMID:24586508

Dst Index in the 2008 GEM Modeling Challenge - Model Performance for Moderate and Strong Magnetic Storms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rastaetter, Lutz; Kuznetsova, Maria; Hesse, Michael; Chulaki, Anna; Pulkkinen, Antti; Ridley, Aaron J.; Gombosi, Tamas; Vapirev, Alexander; Raeder, Joachim; Wiltberger, Michael James;

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity is associated with decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor in female suicide attempters.

PubMed

Ambrus, Livia; Lindqvist, Daniel; Träskman-Bendz, Lil; Westrin, Åsa

2016-11-01

Both decreased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation may be involved in the pathophysiology of suicidal behaviour, as well as cognitive symptoms of depression. Pre-clinical and clinical studies have shown interactions between HPA-axis activity and BDNF, but this has not been studied in a clinical cohort of suicidal subjects. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to investigate associations between HPA-axis activity and BDNF in suicide attempters. Furthermore, this study examined the relationship between the HPA-axis, BDNF, and cognitive symptoms in suicidal patients. Since previous data indicate gender-related differences in BDNF and the HPA axis, males and females were examined separately. Seventy-five recent suicide attempters (n = 41 females; n = 34 males) were enrolled in the study. The Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST) was performed and BDNF in plasma were analysed. Patients were evaluated with the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) from which items 'Concentration difficulties' and 'Failing memory' were extracted. Only among females, DST non-suppressors had significantly lower BDNF compared to DST suppressors (p = 0.022), and there was a significant correlation between post-DST serum cortisol at 8 a.m. and BDNF (rs = -0.437, p = 0.003). Concentration difficulties correlated significantly with post-DST cortisol in all patients (rs = 0.256, p = 0.035), in females (rs = 0.396, p = 0.015), and with BDNF in females (rs = -0.372, p = 0.020). The findings suggest an inverse relationship between the HPA-axis and BDNF in female suicide attempters. Moreover, concentration difficulties may be associated with low BDNF and DST non-suppression in female suicide attempters.

A Continuous Long-Term Record of Magnetic-Storm Occurrence and Intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Love, J. J.

2007-05-01

Hourly magnetometer data have been produced by ground-based magnetic observatories for over a century. These data are used for a wide variety of applications, including many for space physics. In particular, hourly data from a longitudinal necklace of mid-latitude observatories can be used to construct a time series recording the storm-time disturbance index Dst, one of the most useful scalar summaries of magnetic storm intensity which is generally interpreted in terms of an equivalent equatorial magnetospheric ring current. Dst has been routinely calculated in a temporally piece-wise fashion since the IGY using a subset of the available observatories: four or five stations, typically including Honolulu (HON), San Juan (SJG), Kakioka Japan (KAK), Hermanus South Africa (HER), and Alibag India (ABG). In this presentation we discuss a single continuous Dst time series made using a denser and more uniform distribution of observatories than that which is standard: including, additionally, Watheroo Australia (WAT), Apia Samoa (API), and Vassouras Brazil (VSS). Starting first with the data from each individual observatory, we subtract the geomagnetic secular variation, caused primarily by the core dynamo, and the solar-quiet (Sq) variation, caused primarily by the ionospheric dynamo. The latter requires careful spectral analysis, and those intermediate results are, themselves, of scientific interest. Following this, we combine the disturbance residuals from each station to form the continuous Dst time series. Statistics deduced from this model allow us to quantify the likelihood of storm occurrence and intensity, both of which are modulated in time by the solar cycle. This analysis is accomplished using a 50 year Dst time series. The prospects for constructing a longer continuous Dst time series are discussed.

46 CFR 153.312 - Ventilation system standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Design and Equipment Cargo Handling Space Ventilation § 153.312 Ventilation system standards. A cargo handling space ventilation... (approx. 32.8 ft) from openings into or ventilation intakes for, accommodation or service spaces. (b) A...

46 CFR 153.312 - Ventilation system standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Design and Equipment Cargo Handling Space Ventilation § 153.312 Ventilation system standards. A cargo handling space ventilation... (approx. 32.8 ft) from openings into or ventilation intakes for, accommodation or service spaces. (b) A...

46 CFR 153.312 - Ventilation system standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Design and Equipment Cargo Handling Space Ventilation § 153.312 Ventilation system standards. A cargo handling space ventilation... (approx. 32.8 ft) from openings into or ventilation intakes for, accommodation or service spaces. (b) A...

46 CFR 153.312 - Ventilation system standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Design and Equipment Cargo Handling Space Ventilation § 153.312 Ventilation system standards. A cargo handling space ventilation... (approx. 32.8 ft) from openings into or ventilation intakes for, accommodation or service spaces. (b) A...

46 CFR 153.312 - Ventilation system standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Design and Equipment Cargo Handling Space Ventilation § 153.312 Ventilation system standards. A cargo handling space ventilation... (approx. 32.8 ft) from openings into or ventilation intakes for, accommodation or service spaces. (b) A...

Post-dexamethasone Cortisol, Self-inflicted Injury, and Suicidal Ideation among Depressed Adolescent Girls

PubMed Central

Beauchaine, Theodore P.; Crowell, Sheila E.; Hsiao, Ray C.

2014-01-01

Although the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) has limited use as a marker of depression given inadequate sensitivity and specificity, it marks prospective risk for suicide among adults. However, few studies have examined associations between the DST, suicidal ideation, and self-inflicted injury (SII) among adolescents, even though SII is the single best predictor of eventual suicide. We evaluated the DST as a correlate of suicidal ideation and retrospective reports of self-inflicted injury (SII) among adolescent girls, ages 13–17, with histories of depression (n=28) or depression/self-harm (n=29). Lower post-DST cortisol was associated with suicidal ideation and SII, over-and-above parent-reports and combined parent-/self-reports of internalizing and externalizing behavior. These findings are consistent with recent acquired capacity models of stress-related psychopathology in which hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis function is altered through epigenetic/allostatic mechanisms among vulnerable individuals who incur adversity early in life. PMID:25208812

Two types of geomagnetic storms and relationship between Dst and AE indexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shadrina, Lyudmila P.

2017-10-01

The study of the relationship between Dst and AE indices of the geomagnetic field and its manifestation in geomagnetic storms in the XXIII solar cycle was carried out. It is shown that geomagnetic storms are divided into two groups according to the ratio of the amplitude of Ds index decrease to the sum of the AE index during the main phase of the storm. For the first group it is characteristic that for small depressions of the Dst index, significant amounts of the AE index are observed. Most often these are storms with a gradual beginning and a long main phase associated with recurrent solar wind streams. Storms of the second group differ in large amplitudes of Dst index decrease, shorter duration of main phase and small amounts of AE-index. Usually these are sporadic geomagnetic storms with a sudden commencement caused by interplanetary disturbances of the CME type. The storms of these two types differ also in their geoeffects, including the effect on human health.

Using a Ventilation Controller to Optimize Residential Passive Ventilation For Energy and Indoor Air Quality

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

Turner, William; Walker, Iain

One way to reduce the energy impact of providing residential ventilation is to use passive and hybrid systems. However, these passive and hybrid (sometimes called mixed-mode) systems must still meet chronic and acute health standards for ventilation. This study uses a computer simulation approach to examine the energy and indoor air quality (IAQ) implications of passive and hybrid ventilation systems, in 16 California climate zones. Both uncontrolled and flow controlled passive stacks are assessed. A new hybrid ventilation system is outlined that uses an intelligent ventilation controller to minimise energy use, while ensuring chronic and acute IAQ standards are met.more » ASHRAE Standard 62.2-2010 – the United States standard for residential ventilation - is used as the chronic standard, and exposure limits for PM 2.5, formaldehyde and NO 2 are used as the acute standards.The results show that controlled passive ventilation and hybrid ventilation can be used in homes to provide equivalent IAQ to continuous mechanical ventilation, for less use of energy.« less

Comparison of (11)C-4'-thiothymidine, (11)C-methionine, and (18)F-FDG PET/CT for the detection of active lesions of multiple myeloma.

PubMed

Okasaki, Momoko; Kubota, Kazuo; Minamimoto, Ryogo; Miyata, Yoko; Morooka, Miyako; Ito, Kimiteru; Ishiwata, Kiichi; Toyohara, Jun; Inoue, Tomio; Hirai, Risen; Hagiwara, Shotaro; Miwa, Akiyoshi

2015-04-01

The aims of this study were to evaluate the possibility of using (11)C-methionine ((11)C-MET) and (11)C-4'-thiothymidine ((11)C-4DST) whole-body PET/CT for the imaging of amino acid metabolism and DNA synthesis, respectively, when searching for bone marrow involvement in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and to compare these findings with those for (18)F-FDG PET/CT and aspiration cytology. A total of 64 patients with MM, solitary plasmacytoma, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, or an unspecified diagnosis were prospectively enrolled. All the patients underwent three whole-body PET/CT examinations within a period of 1 week. First, the tracer accumulation was visually evaluated as positive, equivocal, or negative for 55 focal lytic lesions visualized using CT in 24 patients. Second, the percentages of marrow plasma cells as calculated using a bone marrow aspiration smear and tracer accumulation were evaluated in the posterior iliac crests of 36 patients. Among the 55 lytic lesions, the (11)C-MET and (11)C-4DST findings tended to reveal more positive findings than the (18)F-FDG findings. Based on the standard criteria for the diagnosis of active myeloma using the percentage of marrow plasma cells, significant differences were found between the (18)F-FDG and (11)C-MET findings and between the (18)F-FDG and (11)C-4DST findings, but no significant difference was observed between the (11)C-MET and (11)C-4DST findings. The addition of (11)C-MET and (11)C-4DST to (18)F-FDG when performing PET/CT enabled clearer evaluations of equivocal lesions. Based on cytological diagnostic criteria, (11)C-MET and (11)C-4DST were more sensitive than (18)F-FDG for the detection of active lesions. (11)C-MET and (11)C-4DST were more useful than (18)F-FDG for the detection of active lesions, especially during the early stage of disease.

Effects of cognitive-motor dual-task training combined with auditory motor synchronization training on cognitive functioning in individuals with chronic stroke: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Park, Myoung-Ok; Lee, Sang-Heon

2018-06-01

Preservation and enhancement of cognitive function are essential for the restoration of functional abilities and independence following stroke. While cognitive-motor dual-task training (CMDT) has been utilized in rehabilitation settings, many patients with stroke experience impairments in cognitive function that can interfere with dual-task performance. In the present study, we investigated the effects of CMDT combined with auditory motor synchronization training (AMST) utilizing rhythmic cues on cognitive function in patients with stroke. The present randomized controlled trial was conducted at a single rehabilitation hospital. Thirty patients with chronic stroke were randomly divided an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received 3 CMDT + AMST sessions per week for 6 weeks, whereas the control group received CMDT only 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Changes in cognitive function were evaluated using the trail making test (TMT), digit span test (DST), and stroop test (ST). Significant differences in TMT-A and B (P = .001, P = .001), DST-forward (P = .001, P = .001), DST-backward (P = .000, P = .001), ST-word (P = .001, P = .001), and ST-color (P = .002, P = .001) scores were observed in both the control and experimental groups, respectively. Significant differences in TMT-A (P = .001), DST-forward (P = .027), DST-backward (P = .002), and ST-word (P = .025) scores were observed between the 2 groups. Performance speed on the TMT-A was faster in the CMDT + AMST group than in the CMDT group. Moreover, DST-forward and DST-backward scores were higher in the CMDT + AMST group than in the CDMT group. Although ST-color results were similar in the 2 groups, ST-word scores were higher in the CMDT + AMST group than in the CMDT group. This finding indicates that the combined therapy CMDT and AMST can be used to increase attention, memory, and executive function for people with stroke.

Outcomes from patients with presumed drug resistant tuberculosis in five reference centers in Brazil.

PubMed

Ramalho, D M P; Miranda, P F C; Andrade, M K; Brígido, T; Dalcolmo, M P; Mesquita, E; Dias, C F; Gambirasio, A N; Ueleres Braga, J; Detjen, A; Phillips, P P J; Langley, I; Fujiwara, P I; Squire, S B; Oliveira, M M; Kritski, A L

2017-08-15

The implementation of rapid drug susceptibility testing (DST) is a current global priority for TB control. However, data are scarce on patient-relevant outcomes for presumptive diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis (pDR-TB) evaluated under field conditions in high burden countries. Observational study of pDR-TB patients referred by primary and secondary health units. TB reference centers addressing DR-TB in five cities in Brazil. Patients age 18 years and older were eligible if pDR-TB, culture positive results for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and, if no prior DST results from another laboratory were used by a physician to start anti-TB treatment. The outcome measures were median time from triage to initiating appropriate anti-TB treatment, empirical treatment and, the treatment outcomes. Between February,16th, 2011 and February, 15th, 2012, among 175 pDR TB cases, 110 (63.0%) confirmed TB cases with DST results were enrolled. Among study participants, 72 (65.5%) were male and 62 (56.4%) aged 26 to 45 years. At triage, empirical treatment was given to 106 (96.0%) subjects. Among those, 85 were treated with first line drugs and 21 with second line. Median time for DST results was 69.5 [interquartile - IQR: 35.7-111.0] days and, for initiating appropriate anti-TB treatment, the median time was 1.0 (IQR: 0-41.2) days. Among 95 patients that were followed-up during the first 6 month period, 24 (25.3%; IC: 17.5%-34.9%) changed or initiated the treatment after DST results: 16/29 MDRTB, 5/21 DR-TB and 3/45 DS-TB cases. Comparing the treatment outcome to DS-TB cases, MDRTB had higher proportions changing or initiating treatment after DST results (p = 0.01) and favorable outcomes (p = 0.07). This study shows a high rate of empirical treatment and long delay for DST results. Strategies to speed up the detection and early treatment of drug resistant TB should be prioritized.

Drift-Scale Coupled Processes (DST and THC Seepage) Models

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

P. Dixon

The purpose of this Model Report (REV02) is to document the unsaturated zone (UZ) models used to evaluate the potential effects of coupled thermal-hydrological-chemical (THC) processes on UZ flow and transport. This Model Report has been developed in accordance with the ''Technical Work Plan for: Performance Assessment Unsaturated Zone'' (Bechtel SAIC Company, LLC (BSC) 2002 [160819]). The technical work plan (TWP) describes planning information pertaining to the technical scope, content, and management of this Model Report in Section 1.12, Work Package AUZM08, ''Coupled Effects on Flow and Seepage''. The plan for validation of the models documented in this Model Reportmore » is given in Attachment I, Model Validation Plans, Section I-3-4, of the TWP. Except for variations in acceptance criteria (Section 4.2), there were no deviations from this TWP. This report was developed in accordance with AP-SIII.10Q, ''Models''. This Model Report documents the THC Seepage Model and the Drift Scale Test (DST) THC Model. The THC Seepage Model is a drift-scale process model for predicting the composition of gas and water that could enter waste emplacement drifts and the effects of mineral alteration on flow in rocks surrounding drifts. The DST THC model is a drift-scale process model relying on the same conceptual model and much of the same input data (i.e., physical, hydrological, thermodynamic, and kinetic) as the THC Seepage Model. The DST THC Model is the primary method for validating the THC Seepage Model. The DST THC Model compares predicted water and gas compositions, as well as mineral alteration patterns, with observed data from the DST. These models provide the framework to evaluate THC coupled processes at the drift scale, predict flow and transport behavior for specified thermal-loading conditions, and predict the evolution of mineral alteration and fluid chemistry around potential waste emplacement drifts. The DST THC Model is used solely for the validation of the THC Seepage Model and is not used for calibration to measured data.« less

Investigating dynamical complexity in the magnetosphere using various entropy measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balasis, Georgios; Daglis, Ioannis A.; Papadimitriou, Constantinos; Kalimeri, Maria; Anastasiadis, Anastasios; Eftaxias, Konstantinos

2009-09-01

The complex system of the Earth's magnetosphere corresponds to an open spatially extended nonequilibrium (input-output) dynamical system. The nonextensive Tsallis entropy has been recently introduced as an appropriate information measure to investigate dynamical complexity in the magnetosphere. The method has been employed for analyzing Dst time series and gave promising results, detecting the complexity dissimilarity among different physiological and pathological magnetospheric states (i.e., prestorm activity and intense magnetic storms, respectively). This paper explores the applicability and effectiveness of a variety of computable entropy measures (e.g., block entropy, Kolmogorov entropy, T complexity, and approximate entropy) to the investigation of dynamical complexity in the magnetosphere. We show that as the magnetic storm approaches there is clear evidence of significant lower complexity in the magnetosphere. The observed higher degree of organization of the system agrees with that inferred previously, from an independent linear fractal spectral analysis based on wavelet transforms. This convergence between nonlinear and linear analyses provides a more reliable detection of the transition from the quiet time to the storm time magnetosphere, thus showing evidence that the occurrence of an intense magnetic storm is imminent. More precisely, we claim that our results suggest an important principle: significant complexity decrease and accession of persistency in Dst time series can be confirmed as the magnetic storm approaches, which can be used as diagnostic tools for the magnetospheric injury (global instability). Overall, approximate entropy and Tsallis entropy yield superior results for detecting dynamical complexity changes in the magnetosphere in comparison to the other entropy measures presented herein. Ultimately, the analysis tools developed in the course of this study for the treatment of Dst index can provide convenience for space weather applications.

Correlation Study Of Diffenrential Skin Temperatures (DST) For Ovulation Detection Using Infra-Red Thermography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, K. H. S.; Shah, A. v.; Ruedi, B.

1982-11-01

The importance of ovulation time detection in the Practice of Natural Birth Control (NBC) as a contraceptive tool, and for natural/artificial insemination among women having the problem of in-fertility, is well known. The simple Basal Body Temperature (BBT) method of ovulation detection is so far unreliable. A newly proposed Differential Skin Temperature (DST) method may help minimize disturbing physiological effects and improve reliability. This paper explains preliminary results of a detailed correlative study on the DST method, using Infra-Red Thermography (IRT) imaging, and computer analysis techniques. Results obtained with five healthy, normally menstruating women volunteers will be given.

Daylight saving time can decrease the frequency of wildlife–vehicle collisions

PubMed Central

Ellis, William A.; FitzGibbon, Sean I.; Barth, Benjamin J.; Niehaus, Amanda C.; David, Gwendolyn K.; Taylor, Brendan D.; Matsushige, Helena; Melzer, Alistair; Bercovitch, Fred B.; Carrick, Frank; Jones, Darryl N.; Dexter, Cathryn; Gillett, Amber; Predavec, Martin; Lunney, Dan

2016-01-01

Daylight saving time (DST) could reduce collisions with wildlife by changing the timing of commuter traffic relative to the behaviour of nocturnal animals. To test this idea, we tracked wild koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in southeast Queensland, where koalas have declined by 80% in the last 20 years, and compared their movements with traffic patterns along roads where they are often killed. Using a simple model, we found that DST could decrease collisions with koalas by 8% on weekdays and 11% at weekends, simply by shifting the timing of traffic relative to darkness. Wildlife conservation and road safety should become part of the debate on DST. PMID:27881767

Application of fuzzy set and Dempster-Shafer theory to organic geochemistry interpretation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, C. S.; Isaksen, G. H.

1993-01-01

An application of fuzzy sets and Dempster Shafter Theory (DST) in modeling the interpretational process of organic geochemistry data for predicting the level of maturities of oil and source rock samples is presented. This was accomplished by (1) representing linguistic imprecision and imprecision associated with experience by a fuzzy set theory, (2) capturing the probabilistic nature of imperfect evidences by a DST, and (3) combining multiple evidences by utilizing John Yen's generalized Dempster-Shafter Theory (GDST), which allows DST to deal with fuzzy information. The current prototype provides collective beliefs on the predicted levels of maturity by combining multiple evidences through GDST's rule of combination.

Lexical Complexity Development from Dynamic Systems Theory Perspective: Lexical Density, Diversity, and Sophistication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalantari, Reza; Gholami, Javad

2017-01-01

This longitudinal case study explored Iranian EFL learners' lexical complexity (LC) through the lenses of Dynamic Systems Theory (DST). Fifty independent essays written by five intermediate to advanced female EFL learners in a TOEFL iBT preparation course over six months constituted the corpus of this study. Three Coh-Metrix indices (Graesser,…

qPCR-High resolution melt analysis for drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium leprae directly from clinical specimens of leprosy patients.

PubMed

Araujo, Sergio; Goulart, Luiz Ricardo; Truman, Richard W; Goulart, Isabela Maria B; Vissa, Varalakshmi; Li, Wei; Matsuoka, Masanori; Suffys, Philip; Fontes, Amanda B; Rosa, Patricia S; Scollard, David M; Williams, Diana L

2017-06-01

Real-Time PCR-High Resolution Melting (qPCR-HRM) analysis has been recently described for rapid drug susceptibility testing (DST) of Mycobacterium leprae. The purpose of the current study was to further evaluate the validity, reliability, and accuracy of this assay for M. leprae DST in clinical specimens. The specificity and sensitivity for determining the presence and susceptibility of M. leprae to dapsone based on the folP1 drug resistance determining region (DRDR), rifampin (rpoB DRDR) and ofloxacin (gyrA DRDR) was evaluated using 211 clinical specimens from leprosy patients, including 156 multibacillary (MB) and 55 paucibacillary (PB) cases. When comparing the results of qPCR-HRM DST and PCR/direct DNA sequencing, 100% concordance was obtained. The effects of in-house phenol/chloroform extraction versus column-based DNA purification protocols, and that of storage and fixation protocols of specimens for qPCR-HRM DST, were also evaluated. qPCR-HRM results for all DRDR gene assays (folP1, rpoB, and gyrA) were obtained from both MB (154/156; 98.7%) and PB (35/55; 63.3%) patients. All PCR negative specimens were from patients with low numbers of bacilli enumerated by an M. leprae-specific qPCR. We observed that frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues or archival Fite's stained slides were suitable for HRM analysis. Among 20 mycobacterial and other skin bacterial species tested, only M. lepromatosis, highly related to M. leprae, generated amplicons in the qPCR-HRM DST assay for folP1 and rpoB DRDR targets. Both DNA purification protocols tested were efficient in recovering DNA suitable for HRM analysis. However, 3% of clinical specimens purified using the phenol/chloroform DNA purification protocol gave false drug resistant data. DNA obtained from freshly frozen (n = 172), formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues (n = 36) or archival Fite's stained slides (n = 3) were suitable for qPCR-HRM DST analysis. The HRM-based assay was also able to identify mixed infections of susceptible and resistant M. leprae. However, to avoid false positives we recommend that clinical specimens be tested for the presence of the M. leprae using the qPCR-RLEP assay prior to being tested in the qPCR-HRM DST and that all specimens demonstrating drug resistant profiles in this assay be subjected to DNA sequencing. Taken together these results further demonstrate the utility of qPCR-HRM DST as an inexpensive screening tool for large-scale drug resistance surveillance in leprosy.

Development and Exploration of a Regional Stormwater BMP Performance Database to Parameterize an Integrated Decision Support Tool (i-DST)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, C.; Li, Y.; Lopez, E.; Hogue, T. S.

2017-12-01

Decision support tools that quantitatively estimate the cost and performance of infrastructure alternatives are valuable for urban planners. Such a tool is needed to aid in planning stormwater projects to meet diverse goals such as the regulation of stormwater runoff and its pollutants, minimization of economic costs, and maximization of environmental and social benefits in the communities served by the infrastructure. This work gives a brief overview of an integrated decision support tool, called i-DST, that is currently being developed to serve this need. This presentation focuses on the development of a default database for the i-DST that parameterizes water quality treatment efficiency of stormwater best management practices (BMPs) by region. Parameterizing the i-DST by region will allow the tool to perform accurate simulations in all parts of the United States. A national dataset of BMP performance is analyzed to determine which of a series of candidate regionalizations explains the most variance in the national dataset. The data used in the regionalization analysis comes from the International Stormwater BMP Database and data gleaned from an ongoing systematic review of peer-reviewed and gray literature. In addition to identifying a regionalization scheme for water quality performance parameters in the i-DST, our review process will also provide example methods and protocols for systematic reviews in the field of Earth Science.

Dobson space telescope: development of an optical payload of the next generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segert, Tom; Danziger, Björn; Gork, Daniel; Lieder, Matthias

2017-11-01

The Dobson Space Telescope (DST) is a research project of the Department of Astronautics at the TUBerlin. For Development and commercialisation there is a close cooperation with the network of the Berlin Space Industry (RIBB). Major Partner is the Astro- und Feinwerktechnik Adlershof GmbH a specialist for space structures and head of the industry consortia which built the DLR BIRD micro satellite. The aim of the project is to develop a new type of deployable telescope that can overcome the mass and volume limitations of small satellites. With the DST payload micro satellites of the 100kg class will be able to carry 50cm main mirror diameter optics (→ 1m GSD). Basis of this technology is the fact that a telescope is mainly empty space between the optical elements. To fold down the telescope during launch and to undfold it after the satellite reached its orbit can save 70% of payload volume and 50% of payload mass. Since these advantages continue along the value added chain DST is of highest priority for the next generation of commercial EO micro satellites. Since 2002 the key technologies for DST have been developed in test benches in Labs of TU-Berlin and were tested on board a ESA parabolic flight campaign in 2005. The development team at TU-Berlin currently prepares the foundation of a start-up company for further development and commercialisation of DST.

Operationalising United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 within the Australian Defence Force

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

Hutchinson Joint & Operations Analysis Division Defence Science and Technology Group DST- Group -GD-0909 ABSTRACT This literature...LIMITATION UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Published by Joint & Operations Analysis Division Defence Science and Technology Group 506 Lorimer St...This page intentionally blank UNCLASSIFIED DST- Group -GD-0909 UNCLASSIFIED Contents 1. INTRODUCTION

Telling Stories Digitally: An Experiment with Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kocaman-Karoglu, Aslihan

2015-01-01

With the emergence of the new technologies, twenty-first-century learning involves the application of new media in educational environments. Digital storytelling (DST) is a method that blends traditional storytelling with new technologies. This study was designed to compare the conceptual understanding of preschool students in DST classrooms with…

46 CFR 111.103-3 - Machinery space ventilation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Machinery space ventilation. 111.103-3 Section 111.103-3...-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Remote Stopping Systems § 111.103-3 Machinery space ventilation. (a) Each machinery space ventilation system must have two controls to stop the ventilation, one of which may be the supply...

46 CFR 111.103-3 - Machinery space ventilation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Machinery space ventilation. 111.103-3 Section 111.103-3...-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Remote Stopping Systems § 111.103-3 Machinery space ventilation. (a) Each machinery space ventilation system must have two controls to stop the ventilation, one of which may be the supply...

46 CFR 111.103-3 - Machinery space ventilation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Machinery space ventilation. 111.103-3 Section 111.103-3...-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Remote Stopping Systems § 111.103-3 Machinery space ventilation. (a) Each machinery space ventilation system must have two controls to stop the ventilation, one of which may be the supply...

46 CFR 111.103-3 - Machinery space ventilation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Machinery space ventilation. 111.103-3 Section 111.103-3...-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Remote Stopping Systems § 111.103-3 Machinery space ventilation. (a) Each machinery space ventilation system must have two controls to stop the ventilation, one of which may be the supply...

46 CFR 111.103-3 - Machinery space ventilation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Machinery space ventilation. 111.103-3 Section 111.103-3...-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Remote Stopping Systems § 111.103-3 Machinery space ventilation. (a) Each machinery space ventilation system must have two controls to stop the ventilation, one of which may be the supply...

High resolution solar observations from first principles to applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verdoni, Angelo P.

2009-10-01

The expression "high-resolution observations" in Solar Physics refers to the spatial, temporal and spectral domains in their entirety. High-resolution observations of solar fine structure are a necessity to answer many of the intriguing questions related to solar activity. However, a researcher building instruments for high-resolution observations has to cope with the fact that these three domains often have diametrically opposed boundary conditions. Many factors have to be considered in the design of a successful instrument. Modern post-focus instruments are more closely linked with the solar telescopes that they serve than in past. In principle, the quest for high-resolution observations already starts with the selection of the observatory site. The site survey of the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) under the stewardship of the National Solar Observatory (NSO) has identified Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) as one of the best sites for solar observations. In a first step, the seeing characteristics at BBSO based on the data collected for the ATST site survey are described. The analysis will aid in the scheduling of high-resolution observations at BBSO as well as provide useful information concerning the design and implementation of a thermal control system for the New Solar Telescope (NST). NST is an off-axis open-structure Gregorian-style telescope with a 1.6 m aperture. NST will be housed in a newly constructed 5/8-sphere ventilated dome. With optics exposed to the surrounding air, NST's open-structure design makes it particularly vulnerable to the effects of enclosure-related seeing. In an effort to mitigate these effects, the initial design of a thermal control system for the NST dome is presented. The goal is to remediate thermal related seeing effects present within the dome interior. The THermal Control System (THCS) is an essential component for the open-telescope design of NST to work. Following these tasks, a calibration routine for the polarization optics for the Visible-light Imaging Magnetograph (VIM) is presented. VIM uses a set of two Liquid Crystal Variable Retarders (LCVRs) as the main components of its Stokes analyzer. Calibration of these components is a crucial step in providing reliable polarimetric measurements of the Sun using VIM. On 2007 July 15, using the Dunn Solar Telescope (DST) at the National Solar Observatory at Sacramento Peak (NSO/SP), New Mexico, the first polarimetric measurements using VIM were made. As a final step, illustrating an application of high-resolution solar observations, the results of a two-dimensional time-series acquired on 2006 June 11, using the DST at NSOP is presented. The data is used in a study of upflow events that are observed to occur in the Halpha 656.3 nm and Na D2 589.0 nm chromospheric absorption lines.

Multicomponent DFT study of geometrical H/D isotope effect on hydrogen-bonded organic conductor, κ-H3(Cat EDT-ST)2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Kaichi; Kanematsu, Yusuke; Nagashima, Umpei; Ueda, Akira; Mori, Hatsumi; Tachikawa, Masanori

2017-04-01

We theoretically investigated a significant contraction of the hydrogen-bonding O⋯O distance upon H/D substitution in our recently developed purely organic crystals, κ-H3(Cat-EDT-ST)2 (H-ST) and its isotopologue κ-D3(Cat-EDT-ST)2 (D-ST), having π-electron systems coupled with hydrogen-bonding fluctuation. The origin of this geometrical H/D isotope effect was elucidated by using the multicomponent DFT method, which takes the H/D nuclear quantum effect into account. The optimized O⋯O distance in H-ST was found to be longer than that in D-ST due to the anharmonicity of the potential energy curve along the Osbnd H bond direction, which was in reasonable agreement with the experimental trend.

Daylight saving time can decrease the frequency of wildlife-vehicle collisions.

PubMed

Ellis, William A; FitzGibbon, Sean I; Barth, Benjamin J; Niehaus, Amanda C; David, Gwendolyn K; Taylor, Brendan D; Matsushige, Helena; Melzer, Alistair; Bercovitch, Fred B; Carrick, Frank; Jones, Darryl N; Dexter, Cathryn; Gillett, Amber; Predavec, Martin; Lunney, Dan; Wilson, Robbie S

2016-11-01

Daylight saving time (DST) could reduce collisions with wildlife by changing the timing of commuter traffic relative to the behaviour of nocturnal animals. To test this idea, we tracked wild koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in southeast Queensland, where koalas have declined by 80% in the last 20 years, and compared their movements with traffic patterns along roads where they are often killed. Using a simple model, we found that DST could decrease collisions with koalas by 8% on weekdays and 11% at weekends, simply by shifting the timing of traffic relative to darkness. Wildlife conservation and road safety should become part of the debate on DST. © 2016 The Author(s).

Influence of styryl dyes on blood erythrocytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nizomov, Negmat; Barakaeva, Mubaro; Kurtaliev, Eldar N.; Rahimov, Sherzod I.; Khakimova, Dilorom P.; Khodjayev, Gayrat; Yashchuk, Valeriy N.

2008-08-01

It was studied the influence of F, Sbt, Sil, Sbo monomer and homodimer Dst-5, Dst-10, Dbt-5, Dbt-10, Dil-10, Dbo-10 styryl dyes on blood erythrocytes of white rats. It was shown that the homodimer styryl dyes Dst-5, Dbt-5 and Dbo-10 decrease the erythrocytes quantity by 1.5-2 times more as compared with monomer dyes Sbt and Sbo. The main cause of dyes different action is the different oxidation degree of intracellular hemoglobin evoked by these dyes. It was established that the observed effects was connected with different penetration of these dyes through membrane of erythrocytes and with interaction of these dyes with albumin localized in membranes of cells.

VENTILATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of a project to develop a systems analysis of ventilation technology and provide a state-of-the-art assessment of ventilation and indoor air quality (IAQ) research needs. (NOTE: Ventilation technology is defined as the hardware necessary to bring outdoor ...

Digital Storytelling Teaching Robotics Basics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scandola, Michele; Fiorini, Paolo

2013-01-01

Digital Storytelling (DST) is a powerful tool for teaching complex concepts. DSTs are typically used in the humanities but several papers have shown that they are also a wonderful tool for the sciences because they are more involving, contextualized and can easily lead to deeper understanding. In the classical use of DST the story is the content,…

Detoxification of corn stover and corn starch pyrolysis liquors by Pseudomonas putida and Streptomyces setonii suspended cells and plastic compost support biofilms.

PubMed

Khiyami, Mohammad A; Pometto Iii, Anthony L; Brown, Robert C

2005-04-20

Plant biomass can be liquefied into fermentable sugars (levoglucosan then to glucose) for the production of ethanol, lactic acid, enzymes, and more by a process called pyrolysis. During the process microbial inhibitors are also generated. Pseudomonas putida (ATCC 17484) and Streptomyces setonii75Vi2 (ATCC 39116) were employed to degrade microbial inhibitors in diluted corn stover (Dcs) and diluted corn starch (Dst) pyrolysis liquors. The detoxification process evaluation included measuring total phenols and changes in UV spectra, a GC-MS analysis, and a bioassay, which employed Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamosus (ATCC 11443) growth as an indicator of detoxification. Suspended-cell cultures illustrated limited detoxification ability of Dcs and Dst. P. putida and S. setoniiplastic compost support (PCS) biofilm continuous-stirred-tank-reactor pure cultures detoxified 10 and 25% (v/v) Dcs and Dst, whereas PCS biofilm mixed culture also partially detoxified 50% (v/v) Dcs and Dst in repeated batch culture. Therefore, PCS biofilm mixed culture is the process of choice to detoxify diluted pyrolysis liquors.

Thoughts on a Design Framework for System Integration

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

System Integration: Isenor, Anthony W.; Lapinski, Anna-Liesa S.; DRDC Atlantic TM 2006-143; R & D pour la défense Canada – Atlantique; Novembre 2007...of the VOI. DRDC Atlantic TM 2006-143 13 How will the integrated system continue to be effective? – Increased bandwidth between...DONNA WOOD, DST C4ISR 4 DRDC Corporate 305 Rideau Street Ottawa 13 TOTAL LIST PART 2 33 TOTAL COPIES REQUIRED

Clinical implications of molecular drug resistance testing for Mycobacterium tuberculosis: a TBNET/RESIST-TB consensus statement.

PubMed

Domínguez, J; Boettger, E C; Cirillo, D; Cobelens, F; Eisenach, K D; Gagneux, S; Hillemann, D; Horsburgh, R; Molina-Moya, B; Niemann, S; Tortoli, E; Whitelaw, A; Lange, C

2016-01-01

The emergence of drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a challenge to global tuberculosis (TB) control. Although culture-based methods have been regarded as the gold standard for drug susceptibility testing (DST), molecular methods provide rapid information on mutations in the M. tuberculosis genome associated with resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs. We ascertained consensus on the use of the results of molecular DST for clinical treatment decisions in TB patients. This document has been developed by TBNET and RESIST-TB groups to reach a consensus about reporting standards in the clinical use of molecular DST results. Review of the available literature and the search for evidence included hand-searching journals and searching electronic databases. The panel identified single nucleotide mutations in genomic regions of M. tuberculosis coding for katG, inhA, rpoB, embB, rrs, rpsL and gyrA that are likely related to drug resistance in vivo. Identification of any of these mutations in clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis has implications for the management of TB patients, pending the results of in vitro DST. However, false-positive and false-negative results in detecting resistance-associated mutations in drugs for which there is poor or unproven correlation between phenotypic and clinical drug resistance complicate the interpretation. Reports of molecular DST results should therefore include specific information on the mutations identified and provide guidance for clinicians on interpretation and on the choice of the appropriate initial drug regimen.

Relative roles of emissions and meteorology in the diurnal pattern of urban PM10: analysis of the daylight saving time effect.

PubMed

Muñoz, Ricardo C

2012-06-01

Daylight saving time (DST) is a common practice in many countries, in which Official Time (OT) is abruptly shifted 1 hour with respect to solar time on two occasions every year (in fall and spring). All anthropogenic emitting processes tied to OT like job and school commuting traffic, abruptly change in this moment their timing with respect to solar time, inducing a sudden shift between emissions and the meteorological factors that control the dispersion and transport of air pollutants. Analyzing 13 years of hourly particulate matter (PM10) concentrations measured in Santiago, Chile, we demonstrate that the DST practice has observable non-trivial effects in the PM10 diurnal cycle. The clearest impact is in the morning peak of PM10 during the fall DST change, which occurs later and has on average a significant smaller magnitude in the days after the DST change as compared to the days before it. This decrease in magnitude is most remarkable because it occurs in a period of the year when overall PM10 concentrations increase due to generally worsening of the dispersion conditions. Results are shown for seven monitoring stations around the city, and for the fall and spring DST changes. They show clearly the interplay of emissions and meteorology in conditioning urban air pollution problems, highlighting the role of the morning and evening transitions of the atmospheric boundary layer in shaping the diurnal pattern of urban air pollutant concentrations.

Validation of a Dietary Screening Tool in a Middle-Aged Appalachian Population

PubMed Central

Ventura Marra, Melissa; Johnson, Elizabeth J.

2018-01-01

Proactive nutrition screening is an effective public health strategy for identifying and targeting individuals who could benefit from making dietary improvements for primary and secondary prevention of disease. The Dietary Screening Tool (DST) was developed and validated to assess nutritional risk among rural older adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility and validity of the DST to identify nutritional risk in middle-aged adults. This cross-sectional study in middle-aged adults (45–64 year olds, n = 87) who reside in Appalachia, examined nutritional status using an online health survey, biochemical measures, anthropometry, and three representative 24-h dietary recalls. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) was calculated to describe overall diet quality. Adults identified by the DST with a nutrition risk had lower HEI scores (50 vs. 64, p < 0.001) and were much more likely to also be considered at dietary risk by the HEI (OR 11.6; 3.2–42.6) when compared to those not at risk. Those at risk had higher energy-adjusted total fat, saturated fat, and added sugar intakes and lower intakes of dietary fiber, and several micronutrients than those classified as not at risk by the DST. Similarly, the at-risk group had significantly lower serum levels of α-carotene, β-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin but did not differ in retinol or methylmalonic acid compared with those not at risk. The DST is a valid tool to identify middle-aged adults with nutritional risk. PMID:29534543

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome causes a pseudo-Cushing's state in Japanese obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Tamada, Daisuke; Otsuki, Michio; Kashine, Susumu; Hirata, Ayumu; Onodera, Toshiharu; Kitamura, Tetsuhiro; Shimomura, Iichiro

2013-01-01

Activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis has been reported in some patients with the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). In current study, we investigated whether OSAS affect the screening test for subclinical Cushing's disease using 0.5 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in Japanese obese diabetic patients with OSAS. Among Japanese obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who had been hospitalized in our department, we selected 20 patients with moderate to severe untreated OSAS (apnea-hypoxia index, AHI, of ≥15 events/hour). All patients underwent 0.5 mg DST. The same test was repeated in patients with positive response of it within a few days after continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. We found that five patients showed positive response of DST (25%). Three of these patients continued to use CPAP, and they showed normal response of DST after CPAP therapy. Serum cortisol after 0.5 mg DST measured before CPAP therapy correlated significantly with fasting serum cortisol level (r=0.764, p<0.0001), but not with various clinical parameters, including AHI (p=0.784), body mass index (p=0.984), waist circumference (p=0.957), HbA1c (p=0.261), fasting plasma glucose (p=0.420) and HOMA-IR (p=0.500). Our study show that OSAS causes a pseudo-Cushing's syndrome in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, which phenomena can be reversed by CPAP therapy.

An empirical model for prediction of geomagnetic storms using initially observed CME parameters at the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, R.-S.; Cho, K.-S.; Moon, Y.-J.; Dryer, M.; Lee, J.; Yi, Y.; Kim, K.-H.; Wang, H.; Park, Y.-D.; Kim, Yong Ha

2010-12-01

In this study, we discuss the general behaviors of geomagnetic storm strength associated with observed parameters of coronal mass ejection (CME) such as speed (V) and earthward direction (D) of CMEs as well as the longitude (L) and magnetic field orientation (M) of overlaying potential fields of the CME source region, and we develop an empirical model to predict geomagnetic storm occurrence with its strength (gauged by the Dst index) in terms of these CME parameters. For this we select 66 halo or partial halo CMEs associated with M-class and X-class solar flares, which have clearly identifiable source regions, from 1997 to 2003. After examining how each of these CME parameters correlates with the geoeffectiveness of the CMEs, we find several properties as follows: (1) Parameter D best correlates with storm strength Dst; (2) the majority of geoeffective CMEs have been originated from solar longitude 15°W, and CMEs originated away from this longitude tend to produce weaker storms; (3) correlations between Dst and the CME parameters improve if CMEs are separated into two groups depending on whether their magnetic fields are oriented southward or northward in their source regions. Based on these observations, we present two empirical expressions for Dst in terms of L, V, and D for two groups of CMEs, respectively. This is a new attempt to predict not only the occurrence of geomagnetic storms, but also the storm strength (Dst) solely based on the CME parameters.

Adaptation of Dunn Solar Telescope for Jovian Doppler spectro imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Underwood, Thomas A.; Voelz, David; Schmider, François-Xavier; Jackiewicz, Jason; Dejonghe, Julien; Bresson, Yves; Hull, Robert; Goncalves, Ivan; Gualme, Patrick; Morand, Frédéric; Preis, Olivier

2017-09-01

This paper describes instrumentation used to adapt the Dunn Solar Telescope (DST) located on Sacramento Peak in Sunspot, NM for observations using the Doppler Spectro Imager (DSI). The DSI is based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and measures the Doppler shift of solar lines allowing for the study of atmospheric dynamics of giant planets and the detection of their acoustic oscillations. The instrumentation is being designed and built through a collaborative effort between a French team from the Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur (OCA) that designed the DSI and a US team at New Mexico State University (NMSU). There are four major components that couple the DSI to the DST: a guider/tracker, fast steering mirror (FSM), pupil stabilizer and transfer optics. The guider/tracker processes digital video to centroid-track the planet and outputs voltages to the DST's heliostat controls. The FSM removes wavefront tip/tilt components primarily due to turbulence and the pupil stabilizer removes any slow pupil "wander" introduced by the telescope's heliostat/turret arrangement. The light received at a science port of the DST is sent through the correction and stabilization components and into the DSI. The FSM and transfer optics designs are being provided by the OCA team and serve much the same functions as they do for other telescopes at which DSI observations have been conducted. The pupil stabilization and guider are new and are required to address characteristics of the DST.

Acute administration of alprazolam, a benzodiazepine activating GABA receptors, inhibits cortisol secretion in patients with subclinical but not overt Cushing's syndrome.

PubMed

Giordano, Roberta; Berardelli, Rita; Karamouzis, Ioannis; D'Angelo, Valentina; Picu, Andreea; Zichi, Clizia; Fussotto, Beatrice; Manzo, Maria; Mengozzi, Giulio; Ghigo, Ezio; Arvat, Emanuela

2013-09-01

The purpose of this study is to verify whether acute pre-treatment with alprazolam (ALP), a benzodiazepine that inhibits HPA secretion in normal subjects, could better characterize patients with subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SCS) than the 1-mg dexamethasone test (DST). In 22 patients with SCS, 10 with overt Cushing's syndrome (CS), 11 with non-functioning adrenal incidentalomas (NF) and 14 normal subjects (NS) we studied the effect of ALP (1 mg, p.o. at 2300 hours) on cortisol levels after 1-mg DST. Cortisol levels (mean ± SEM) after DST were lower (P = 0.012) in SCS (3.9 ± 0.3 μg/dl) than in overt CS (10.4 ± 1.9 μg/dl), while they were higher (P = 0.0005) than in NF (1.1 ± 0.1 μg/dl) and NS (1.5 ± 0.1 μg/dl). After ALP pre-treatment, cortisol levels further decreased (P = 0.004) in SCS (3.0 ± 0.3 μg/dl), but neither in CS (9.3 ± 1.3 μg/dl) nor in NF (1.3 ± 0.1 μg/dl) and in NS (1.3 ± 0.1 μg/dl). In SCS, cortisol levels after ALP + 1-mg DST persisted lower (P = 0.0005) than those in CS, but higher (P = 0.0005) than those in NF and NS. Considering individual cases, ALP pre-treatment reduced cortisol levels < 3 and < 1.8 μg/dl in 50 and 23 % of SCS patients, respectively. ALP amplifies the cortisol inhibition exerted by 1-mg DST in patients with SCS but not in those with CS. The clinical usefulness of ALP to increase the sensitivity of 1-mg DST to identify true autonomous cortisol release in patients with adrenal incidentalomas as well as to predict different clinical outcomes remains to be clarified.

Provider reported barriers and solutions to improve testing among tuberculosis patients ‘eligible for drug susceptibility test’: A qualitative study from programmatic setting in India

PubMed Central

Parmar, Malik; Verma, Manoj; Desikan, Prabha; Khan, Sheeba Naz; Kumar, Ajay M. V.

2018-01-01

Background In a study conducted in Bhopal district (a setting with facility for molecular drug susceptibility testing (DST)) located in central India in 2014–15, we found high levels of pre-diagnosis attrition among patients with presumptive multi drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB)–meaning TB patients who were eligible for DST, were not being tested. Objectives In this study, we explored the health care provider perspectives into barriers and suggested solutions for improving DST. Methods This was a descriptive qualitative study. One to one interviews (n = 10) and focus group discussions (n = 2) with experienced key informants involved in programmatic management of DR-TB were conducted in April 2017. Manual descriptive thematic analysis was performed. Results The key barriers reported were a) lack of or delay in identification of patients eligible for DST because of using treatment register as the source for identifying patients b) lack of assured specimen transport after patient identification and c) lack of tracking. Extra pulmonary TB patients were not getting identified as eligible for DST. Solutions suggested by the health care providers were i) generation of unique identifier at identification in designated microscopy center (DMC), immediate intimation of unique identifier to district and regular monitoring by senior TB laboratory and senior treatment supervisors of patients eligible for DST that were missed; ii) documentation of unique identifier at each step of cascade; iii) use of human carriers/couriers to transport specimen from DMCs especially in rural areas; and iv) routine entry of all presumptive extra-pulmonary TB specimen, as far as possible, in DMC laboratory register. Conclusion Lack of assured specimen transport and lack of accountability for tracking patient after identification and referral were the key barriers. The identification of patients eligible for DST among microbiologically confirmed TB at the time of diagnosis and among clinically confirmed TB at the time of treatment initiation is the key. Use of unique identifier at identification and its use to ensure cohort wise tracking has to be complemented with specimen transport support and prompt feedback to the DMC. The study has implications to improve detection of MDR-TB among diagnosed/notified TB patients. PMID:29677210

An empirical probability density distribution of planetary ionosphere storms with geomagnetic precursors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulyaeva, Tamara; Stanislawska, Iwona; Arikan, Feza; Arikan, Orhan

The probability of occurrence of the positive and negative planetary ionosphere storms is evaluated using the W index maps produced from Global Ionospheric Maps of Total Electron Content, GIM-TEC, provided by Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and transformed from geographic coordinates to magnetic coordinates frame. The auroral electrojet AE index and the equatorial disturbance storm time Dst index are investigated as precursors of the global ionosphere storm. The superposed epoch analysis is performed for 77 intense storms (Dst≤-100 nT) and 227 moderate storms (-100

qPCR-High resolution melt analysis for drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium leprae directly from clinical specimens of leprosy patients

PubMed Central

Goulart, Luiz Ricardo; Truman, Richard W.; Goulart, Isabela Maria B.; Vissa, Varalakshmi; Li, Wei; Matsuoka, Masanori; Suffys, Philip; Fontes, Amanda B.; Rosa, Patricia S.; Scollard, David M.; Williams, Diana L.

2017-01-01

Background Real-Time PCR-High Resolution Melting (qPCR-HRM) analysis has been recently described for rapid drug susceptibility testing (DST) of Mycobacterium leprae. The purpose of the current study was to further evaluate the validity, reliability, and accuracy of this assay for M. leprae DST in clinical specimens. Methodology/Principal findings The specificity and sensitivity for determining the presence and susceptibility of M. leprae to dapsone based on the folP1 drug resistance determining region (DRDR), rifampin (rpoB DRDR) and ofloxacin (gyrA DRDR) was evaluated using 211 clinical specimens from leprosy patients, including 156 multibacillary (MB) and 55 paucibacillary (PB) cases. When comparing the results of qPCR-HRM DST and PCR/direct DNA sequencing, 100% concordance was obtained. The effects of in-house phenol/chloroform extraction versus column-based DNA purification protocols, and that of storage and fixation protocols of specimens for qPCR-HRM DST, were also evaluated. qPCR-HRM results for all DRDR gene assays (folP1, rpoB, and gyrA) were obtained from both MB (154/156; 98.7%) and PB (35/55; 63.3%) patients. All PCR negative specimens were from patients with low numbers of bacilli enumerated by an M. leprae-specific qPCR. We observed that frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues or archival Fite’s stained slides were suitable for HRM analysis. Among 20 mycobacterial and other skin bacterial species tested, only M. lepromatosis, highly related to M. leprae, generated amplicons in the qPCR-HRM DST assay for folP1 and rpoB DRDR targets. Both DNA purification protocols tested were efficient in recovering DNA suitable for HRM analysis. However, 3% of clinical specimens purified using the phenol/chloroform DNA purification protocol gave false drug resistant data. DNA obtained from freshly frozen (n = 172), formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues (n = 36) or archival Fite’s stained slides (n = 3) were suitable for qPCR-HRM DST analysis. The HRM-based assay was also able to identify mixed infections of susceptible and resistant M. leprae. However, to avoid false positives we recommend that clinical specimens be tested for the presence of the M. leprae using the qPCR-RLEP assay prior to being tested in the qPCR-HRM DST and that all specimens demonstrating drug resistant profiles in this assay be subjected to DNA sequencing. Conclusion/Significance Taken together these results further demonstrate the utility of qPCR-HRM DST as an inexpensive screening tool for large-scale drug resistance surveillance in leprosy. PMID:28570560

Effects of types of ventilation system on indoor particle concentrations in residential buildings.

PubMed

Park, J S; Jee, N-Y; Jeong, J-W

2014-12-01

The objective of this study was to quantify the influence of ventilation systems on indoor particle concentrations in residential buildings. Fifteen occupied, single-family apartments were selected from three sites. The three sites have three different ventilation systems: unbalanced mechanical ventilation, balanced mechanical ventilation, and natural ventilation. Field measurements were conducted between April and June 2012, when outdoor air temperatures were comfortable. Number concentrations of particles, PM2.5 and CO2 , were continuously measured both outdoors and indoors. In the apartments with natural ventilation, I/O ratios of particle number concentrations ranged from 0.56 to 0.72 for submicron particles, and from 0.25 to 0.60 for particles larger than 1.0 μm. The daily average indoor particle concentration decreased to 50% below the outdoor level for submicron particles and 25% below the outdoor level for fine particles, when the apartments were mechanically ventilated. The two mechanical ventilation systems reduced the I/O ratios by 26% for submicron particles and 65% for fine particles compared with the natural ventilation. These results showed that mechanical ventilation can reduce exposure to outdoor particles in residential buildings. Results of this study confirm that mechanical ventilation with filtration can significantly reduce indoor particle levels compared with natural ventilation. The I/O ratios of particles substantially varied at the naturally ventilated apartments because of the influence of variable window opening conditions and unsteadiness of wind flow on the penetration of outdoor air particles. For better prediction of the exposure to outdoor particles in naturally ventilated residential buildings, it is important to understand the penetration of outdoor particles with variable window opening conditions. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Software Configuration Management Plan for the B-Plant Canyon Ventilation Control System

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

MCDANIEL, K.S.

1999-08-31

Project W-059 installed a new B Plant Canyon Ventilation System. Monitoring and control of the system is implemented by the Canyon Ventilation Control System (CVCS). This Software Configuration Management Plan provides instructions for change control of the CVCS.

Bridging Theory: Where Cultures Meet in Self and Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Lene Arnett

2012-01-01

In this chapter, I argue that Dialogical Self Theory (DST) represents a compelling answer to how to conceptualize the psychology of the self in today's world, when people increasingly are aware of more than one way to think, feel, and relate to others. DST envisions a self of plural voices. The chapters in this volume show intriguing applications…

LeRoy Doggett and Daylight Saving Time: A Reminiscence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartky, I. R.

1997-12-01

Daylight Saving Time (DST) has been a concern of Congress ever since its adoption in 1918. Yet, not until 1976 did Members of Congress have astronomical, geographic and demographic information in terms of the country's Standard Time zones. This information and various impact analyses were developed by the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) at the request of the House of Representatives, which was reviewing the effects of a two-year, DST experiment on the American public. The displays in the study gave legislators a way to consider alternate observance periods in a systematic manner. The leader of the DST study team will detail LeRoy Doggett's involvement during the hectic, three-month analysis period that culminated with NBS officials testifying before Congress.

Verification of short lead time forecast models: applied to Kp and Dst forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wintoft, Peter; Wik, Magnus

2016-04-01

In the ongoing EU/H2020 project PROGRESS models that predicts Kp, Dst, and AE from L1 solar wind data will be used as inputs to radiation belt models. The possible lead times from L1 measurements are shorter (10s of minutes to hours) than the typical duration of the physical phenomena that should be forecast. Under these circumstances several metrics fail to single out trivial cases, such as persistence. In this work we explore metrics and approaches for short lead time forecasts. We apply these to current Kp and Dst forecast models. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 637302.

Application of a New Integrated Decision Support Tool (i-DST) for Urban Water Infrastructure: Analyzing Water Quality Compliance Pathways for Three Los Angeles Watersheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallo, E. M.; Hogue, T. S.; Bell, C. D.; Spahr, K.; McCray, J. E.

2017-12-01

The water quality of receiving streams and waterbodies in urban watersheds are increasingly polluted from stormwater runoff. The implementation of Green Infrastructure (GI), which includes Low Impact Developments (LIDs) and Best Management Practices (BMPs), within a watershed aim to mitigate the effects of urbanization by reducing pollutant loads, runoff volume, and storm peak flow. Stormwater modeling is generally used to assess the impact of GIs implemented within a watershed. These modeling tools are useful for determining the optimal suite of GIs to maximize pollutant load reduction and minimize cost. However, stormwater management for most resource managers and communities also includes the implementation of grey and hybrid stormwater infrastructure. An integrated decision support tool, called i-DST, that allows for the optimization and comprehensive life-cycle cost assessment of grey, green, and hybrid stormwater infrastructure, is currently being developed. The i-DST tool will evaluate optimal stormwater runoff management by taking into account the diverse economic, environmental, and societal needs associated with watersheds across the United States. Three watersheds from southern California will act as a test site and assist in the development and initial application of the i-DST tool. The Ballona Creek, Dominguez Channel, and Los Angeles River Watersheds are located in highly urbanized Los Angeles County. The water quality of the river channels flowing through each are impaired by heavy metals, including copper, lead, and zinc. However, despite being adjacent to one another within the same county, modeling results, using EPA System for Urban Stormwater Treatment and Analysis INtegration (SUSTAIN), found that the optimal path to compliance in each watershed differs significantly. The differences include varied costs, suites of BMPs, and ancillary benefits. This research analyzes how the economic, physical, and hydrological differences between the three watersheds shape the optimal plan for stormwater management.

The Dst Recovery Near Substorm Onset Due to the Transformation of the Blocked Cross-Tail Current into the Substorm Current Wedge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McWilliams, K. A.; Sofko, G. J.; Hussey, G. C.; Reimer, A. S.

2016-12-01

During the growth phase the convex curvature of the lobe field lines permits eastward curvature current to dominate on those lobe lines, which blocks the westward cross-tail current (XTJ). The blocked XTJ (BXTJ) is diverted earthward through the tailward portion of the transition plasmasheet (TPS) region of predominantly dipole lines tailward of the plasmapause. The flow shear of the BXTJ in the TPS produces a downward meridional FAC that results in the pre-onset proton arc in the subauroral region. This ionospheric signature of the growth phase lasts for about an hour, ending about 15 minutes before onset, when the pre-onset electron arc appears. Ions in the outer radiation belt precipitate equatorward of the meridional FAC system, because they are on stretched field lines tailward of the ion trapping boundary. The ion precipitation causes the ionospheric conductivity to increases substantially, providing a new high-conductivity route in the ionosphere for the BXTJ. This diversion of the BXTJ forms the Substorm Current Wedge. During the pre-onset proton arc interval, the intensification of the ring current and the flow of the BXTJ cause the Dst index to fall. When the BXTJ is diverted into the ionosphere and forms the substorm current wedge, it produces a northward magnetic field that causes Dst to have a brief positive deflection of 15-20 nT, despite all indications that the ring current continues to grow. The positive Dst deflection is the result both of the loss of the BXTJ from the tailward portion of the TPS and of its new northward field generated by its new route along the SCW. Note that there are two disruptions of the XTJ, first the early growth phase lobe line blocking that diverts the BXTJ earthward into the TPS region, and second (over an hour later, near onset) by the transformation of the BXTJ into the SCW.

Anaesthesia ventilators.

PubMed

Jain, Rajnish K; Swaminathan, Srinivasan

2013-09-01

Anaesthesia ventilators are an integral part of all modern anaesthesia workstations. Automatic ventilators in the operating rooms, which were very simple with few modes of ventilation when introduced, have become very sophisticated with many advanced ventilation modes. Several systems of classification of anaesthesia ventilators exist based upon various parameters. Modern anaesthesia ventilators have either a double circuit, bellow design or a single circuit piston configuration. In the bellows ventilators, ascending bellows design is safer than descending bellows. Piston ventilators have the advantage of delivering accurate tidal volume. They work with electricity as their driving force and do not require a driving gas. To enable improved patient safety, several modifications were done in circle system with the different types of anaesthesia ventilators. Fresh gas decoupling is a modification done in piston ventilators and in descending bellows ventilator to reduce th incidence of ventilator induced volutrauma. In addition to the conventional volume control mode, modern anaesthesia ventilators also provide newer modes of ventilation such as synchronised intermittent mandatory ventilation, pressure-control ventilation and pressure-support ventilation (PSV). PSV mode is particularly useful for patients maintained on spontaneous respiration with laryngeal mask airway. Along with the innumerable benefits provided by these machines, there are various inherent hazards associated with the use of the ventilators in the operating room. To use these workstations safely, it is important for every Anaesthesiologist to have a basic understanding of the mechanics of these ventilators and breathing circuits.

46 CFR 111.106-15 - Ventilation of hazardous locations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... its operational controls outside the ventilated space, if the system is mechanical; and (3) Have a... opening. (c) The mechanical ventilation of enclosed flammable or combustible liquid cargo handling or.... The power ventilation system must be designed to remove vapors from the bottom of the space at points...

Geochemical characterisation of gases along the dead sea rift: Evidences of mantle-co2 degassing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inguaggiato, C.; Censi, P.; D'Alessandro, W.; Zuddas, P.

2016-06-01

The Dead Sea Transform (DST) fault system, where a lateral displacement between the African and Arabian plates occurs, is characterised by anomalous heat flux in the Israeli area close to the border with Syria and Jordan. The concentration of He and CO2, and isotopic composition of He and total dissolved inorganic carbon were studied in cold and thermal waters collected along the DST, in order to investigate the source of volatiles and their relationship with the tectonic framework of the DST. The waters with higher temperature (up to 57.2 °C) are characterised by higher amounts of CO2 and helium (up to 55.72 and 1.91 ∗ 10- 2 cc l- 1, respectively). Helium isotopic data (R/Ra from 0.11 to 2.14) and 4He/20Ne ratios (0.41-106.86) show the presence of deep-deriving fluids consisting of a variable mixture of mantle and crust end-members, with the former reaching up to 35%. Carbon isotope signature of total dissolved carbon from hot waters falls within the range of magmatic values, suggesting the delivery of deep-seated CO2. The geographical distribution of helium isotopic data and isotopic carbon (CO2) values coupled with (CO2/3He ratios) indicate a larger contribution of mantle-derived fluids affecting the northern part of the investigated area, where the waters reach the highest temperature. These evidences suggest the occurrence of a favourable tectonic framework, including a Moho discontinuity up-rise and/or the presence of a deep fault system coupled with the recent magmatic activity recognised in the northern part of Israel.

Treatment Outcomes of Patients With Multidrug-Resistant and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis According to Drug Susceptibility Testing to First- and Second-line Drugs: An Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Bastos, Mayara L.; Hussain, Hamidah; Weyer, Karin; Garcia-Garcia, Lourdes; Leimane, Vaira; Leung, Chi Chiu; Narita, Masahiro; Penã, Jose M.; Ponce-de-Leon, Alfredo; Seung, Kwonjune J.; Shean, Karen; Sifuentes-Osornio, José; Van der Walt, Martie; Van der Werf, Tjip S.; Yew, Wing Wai; Menzies, Dick; Ahuja, S.; Ashkin, D.; Avendaño, M.; Banerjee, R.; Bauer, M.; Becerra, M.; Benedetti, A.; Burgos, M.; Centis, R.; Chan, E.D.; Chiang, C.Y.; Cobelens, F.; Cox, H.; D'Ambrosio, L.; de Lange, W.C.M.; DeRiemer, K.; Enarson, D.; Falzon, D.; Flanagan, K.; Flood, J.; Gandhi, N.; Garcia-Garcia, L.; Granich, R.M.; Hollm-Delgado, M.G.; Holtz, T.H.; Hopewell, P.; Iseman, M.; Jarlsberg, L.G.; Keshavjee, S.; Kim, H.R.; Koh, W.J.; Lancaster, J.; Lange, C.; Leimane, V.; Leung, C.C.; Li, J.; Menzies, D.; Migliori, G.B.; Mitnick, C.M.; Narita, M.; Nathanson, E.; Odendaal, R.; O'Riordan, P.; Pai, M.; Palmero, D.; Park, S.K.; Pasvol, G.; Pena, J.; Pérez-Guzmán, C.; Ponce-de-Leon, A.; Quelapio, M.I.D.; Quy, H.T.; Riekstina, V.; Robert, J.; Royce, S.; Salim, M.; Schaaf, H.S.; Seung, K.J.; Shah, L.; Shean, K.; Shim, T.S.; Shin, S.S.; Shiraishi, Y.; Sifuentes-Osornio, J.; Sotgiu, G.; Strand, M.J.; Sung, S.W.; Tabarsi, P.; Tupasi, T.E.; Vargas, M.H.; van Altena, R.; van der Walt, M.; van der Werf, T.S.; Viiklepp, P.; Westenhouse, J.; Yew, W.W.; Yim, J.J.

2014-01-01

Background. Individualized treatment for multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis depends upon reliable and valid drug susceptibility testing (DST) for pyrazinamide, ethambutol, and second-line tuberculosis drugs. However, the reliability of these tests is uncertain, due to unresolved methodological issues. We estimated the association of DST results for pyrazinamide, ethambutol, and second-line drugs with treatment outcomes in patients with MDR tuberculosis and XDR tuberculosis. Methods. We conducted an analysis of individual patient data assembled from 31 previously published cohort studies of patients with MDR and XDR tuberculosis. We used data on patients' clinical characteristics including DST results, treatment received, outcomes, and laboratory methods in each center. Results. DST methods and treatment regimens used in different centers varied considerably. Among 8955 analyzed patients, in vitro susceptibility to individual drugs was consistently and significantly associated with higher odds of treatment success (compared with resistance to the drug), if that drug was used in the treatment regimen. Various adjusted and sensitivity analyses suggest that this was not explained by confounding. The adjusted odds of treatment success for ethambutol, pyrazinamide, and the group 4 drugs ranged from 1.7 to 2.3, whereas for second-line injectables and fluoroquinolones, odds ranged from 2.4 to 4.6. Conclusions. DST for ethambutol, pyrazinamide, and second-line tuberculosis drugs appears to provide clinically useful information to guide selection of treatment regimens for MDR and XDR tuberculosis. PMID:25097082

An assessment study of the wavelet-based index of magnetic storm activity (WISA) and its comparison to the Dst index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Z.; Zhu, L.; Sojka, J. J.; Kokoszka, P.; Jach, A.

2006-12-01

A wavelet-based index of storm activities (WISA) has been recently developed (Jach et al., 2006) to complement the traditional Dst index. The new index can be computed automatically using the wavelet-based statistical procedure without human intervention on the selection of quiet days and the removal of secular variations. In addition, the WISA is flexible on data stretch and has a higher temporal resolution (one minute), which can provide a better description of the dynamical variations of magnetic storms. In this work, we perform a systematic assessment study on the WISA index. First, we statistically compare the WISA to the Dst for various quiet and disturbing periods and analyze the differences of their spectrum features. Then we quantitatively assess the flexibility of the WISA on data stretch and study the effects of varying number of stations on the index. In addition, how well the WISA can handle the missing data is also quantitatively assessed. The assessment results show that the hourly-averaged WISA index can describe storm activities equally well as the Dst index, but its full automation, high flexibility on data stretch, easiness of using the data from varying number of stations, high temporal resolution, and high tolerance on missing data from individual station can be very valuable and essential for real-time monitoring of the dynamical variations of magnetic storm activities and space weather applications, thus significantly complementing the existing Dst index. Jach, A., P. Kokoszka, J. Sojka, and L. Zhu, Wavelet-based index of magnetic storm activity, J. Geophys. Res., in press, 2006.

Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Views on Designing and Developing Physics Digital Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kocakaya, Serhat; Kotluk, Nihat; Karakoyun, Ferit

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the pre-service physics teachers' views on the effect of designing and developing physics digital stories (DST) on improving their 21st century skills. The study is a qualitative research carried out with 13 pre-service physics teachers, who participated in the course of designing and developing DST, during 6…

Digital Storytelling in Adult Education and Family Literacy: A Case Study from Rural Ireland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prins, Esther

2017-01-01

Previous research on digital storytelling (DST) has focused chiefly on children and youth, but we know little about how it is used in non-formal adult education. This article analyzes a DST class in rural Ireland, which was organized by a family literacy program and offered for parents at an elementary school. Data sources included fieldnotes,…

φ(2)GFP10, a high-intensity fluorophage, enables detection and rapid drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis directly from sputum samples.

PubMed

Jain, Paras; Hartman, Travis E; Eisenberg, Nell; O'Donnell, Max R; Kriakov, Jordan; Govender, Karnishree; Makume, Mantha; Thaler, David S; Hatfull, Graham F; Sturm, A Willem; Larsen, Michelle H; Moodley, Preshnie; Jacobs, William R

2012-04-01

The difficulty of diagnosing active tuberculosis (TB) and lack of rapid drug susceptibility testing (DST) at the point of care remain critical obstacles to TB control. This report describes a high-intensity mycobacterium-specific-fluorophage (φ(2)GFP10) that for the first time allows direct visualization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical sputum samples. Engineered features distinguishing φ(2)GFP10 from previous reporter phages include an improved vector backbone with increased cloning capacity and superior expression of fluorescent reporter genes through use of an efficient phage promoter. φ(2)GFP10 produces a 100-fold increase in fluorescence per cell compared to existing reporter phages. DST for isoniazid and oxofloxacin, carried out in cultured samples, was complete within 36 h. Use of φ(2)GFP10 detected M. tuberculosis in clinical sputum samples collected from TB patients. DST for rifampin and kanamycin from sputum samples yielded results after 12 h of incubation with φ(2)GFP10. Fluorophage φ(2)GFP10 has potential for clinical development as a rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive point-of-care diagnostic tool for M. tuberculosis infection and for rapid DST.

Drift-Scale THC Seepage Model

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

C.R. Bryan

The purpose of this report (REV04) is to document the thermal-hydrologic-chemical (THC) seepage model, which simulates the composition of waters that could potentially seep into emplacement drifts, and the composition of the gas phase. The THC seepage model is processed and abstracted for use in the total system performance assessment (TSPA) for the license application (LA). This report has been developed in accordance with ''Technical Work Plan for: Near-Field Environment and Transport: Coupled Processes (Mountain-Scale TH/THC/THM, Drift-Scale THC Seepage, and Post-Processing Analysis for THC Seepage) Report Integration'' (BSC 2005 [DIRS 172761]). The technical work plan (TWP) describes planning information pertainingmore » to the technical scope, content, and management of this report. The plan for validation of the models documented in this report is given in Section 2.2.2, ''Model Validation for the DS THC Seepage Model,'' of the TWP. The TWP (Section 3.2.2) identifies Acceptance Criteria 1 to 4 for ''Quantity and Chemistry of Water Contacting Engineered Barriers and Waste Forms'' (NRC 2003 [DIRS 163274]) as being applicable to this report; however, in variance to the TWP, Acceptance Criterion 5 has also been determined to be applicable, and is addressed, along with the other Acceptance Criteria, in Section 4.2 of this report. Also, three FEPS not listed in the TWP (2.2.10.01.0A, 2.2.10.06.0A, and 2.2.11.02.0A) are partially addressed in this report, and have been added to the list of excluded FEPS in Table 6.1-2. This report has been developed in accordance with LP-SIII.10Q-BSC, ''Models''. This report documents the THC seepage model and a derivative used for validation, the Drift Scale Test (DST) THC submodel. The THC seepage model is a drift-scale process model for predicting the composition of gas and water that could enter waste emplacement drifts and the effects of mineral alteration on flow in rocks surrounding drifts. The DST THC submodel uses a drift-scale process model relying on the same conceptual model and many of the same input data (i.e., physical, hydrologic, thermodynamic, and kinetic) as the THC seepage model. The DST THC submodel is the primary means for validating the THC seepage model. The DST THC submodel compares predicted water and gas compositions, and mineral alteration patterns, with observed data from the DST. These models provide the framework to evaluate THC coupled processes at the drift scale, predict flow and transport behavior for specified thermal-loading conditions, and predict the evolution of mineral alteration and fluid chemistry around potential waste emplacement drifts. The DST THC submodel is used solely for the validation of the THC seepage model and is not used for calibration to measured data.« less

Anatomy of the dead sea transform from lithospheric to microscopic scale

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weber, M.; Abu-Ayyash, K.; Abueladas, A.; Agnon, A.; Alasonati-Tasarova, Z.; Al-Zubi, H.; Babeyko, A.; Bartov, Y.; Bauer, K.; Becken, M.; Bedrosian, P.A.; Ben-Avraham, Z.; Bock, G.; Bohnhoff, M.; Bribach, J.; Dulski, P.; Ebbing, J.; El-Kelani, R.; Forster, A.; Forster, H.-J.; Frieslander, U.; Garfunkel, Z.; Goetze, H.J.; Haak, V.; Haberland, C.; Hassouneh, M.; Helwig, S.; Hofstetter, A.; Hoffmann-Rotrie, A.; Jackel, K.H.; Janssen, C.; Jaser, D.; Kesten, D.; Khatib, M.; Kind, R.; Koch, O.; Koulakov, I.; Laske, Gabi; Maercklin, N.; Masarweh, R.; Masri, A.; Matar, A.; Mechie, J.; Meqbel, N.; Plessen, B.; Moller, P.; Mohsen, A.; Oberhansli, R.; Oreshin, S.; Petrunin, A.; Qabbani, I.; Rabba, I.; Ritter, O.; Romer, R.L.; Rumpker, G.; Rybakov, M.; Ryberg, T.; Saul, J.; Scherbaum, F.; Schmidt, S.; Schulze, A.; Sobolev, S.V.; Stiller, M.; Stromeyer, D.; Tarawneh, K.; Trela, C.; Weckmann, U.; Wetzel, U.; Wylegalla, K.

2009-01-01

Fault zones are the locations where motion of tectonic plates, often associated with earthquakes, is accommodated. Despite a rapid increase in the understanding of faults in the last decades, our knowledge of their geometry, petrophysical properties, and controlling processes remains incomplete. The central questions addressed here in our study of the Dead Sea Transform (DST) in the Middle East are as follows: (1) What are the structure and kinematics of a large fault zone? (2) What controls its structure and kinematics? (3) How does the DST compare to other plate boundary fault zones? The DST has accommodated a total of 105 km of leftlateral transform motion between the African and Arabian plates since early Miocene (???20 Ma). The DST segment between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea, called the Arava/ Araba Fault (AF), is studied here using a multidisciplinary and multiscale approach from the ??m to the plate tectonic scale. We observe that under the DST a narrow, subvertical zone cuts through crust and lithosphere. First, from west to east the crustal thickness increases smoothly from 26 to 39 km, and a subhorizontal lower crustal reflector is detected east of the AF. Second, several faults exist in the upper crust in a 40 km wide zone centered on the AF, but none have kilometer-size zones of decreased seismic velocities or zones of high electrical conductivities in the upper crust expected for large damage zones. Third, the AF is the main branch of the DST system, even though it has accommodated only a part (up to 60 km) of the overall 105 km of sinistral plate motion. Fourth, the AF acts as a barrier to fluids to a depth of 4 km, and the lithology changes abruptly across it. Fifth, in the top few hundred meters of the AF a locally transpressional regime is observed in a 100-300 m wide zone of deformed and displaced material, bordered by subparallel faults forming a positive flower structure. Other segments of the AF have a transtensional character with small pull-aparts along them. The damage zones of the individual faults are only 5-20 m wide at this depth range. Sixth, two areas on the AF show mesoscale to microscale faulting and veining in limestone sequences with faulting depths between 2 and 5 km. Seventh, fluids in the AF are carried downward into the fault zone. Only a minor fraction of fluids is derived from ascending hydrothermal fluids. However, we found that on the kilometer scale the AF does not act as an important fluid conduit. Most of these findings are corroborated using thermomechanical modeling where shear deformation in the upper crust is localized in one or two major faults; at larger depth, shear deformation occurs in a 20-40 km wide zone with a mechanically weak decoupling zone extending subvertically through the entire lithosphere. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.

46 CFR 153.310 - Ventilation system type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Design and Equipment Cargo Handling Space Ventilation § 153.310 Ventilation system type. A cargo handling space must have a permanent...

46 CFR 153.310 - Ventilation system type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Design and Equipment Cargo Handling Space Ventilation § 153.310 Ventilation system type. A cargo handling space must have a permanent...

46 CFR 153.310 - Ventilation system type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Design and Equipment Cargo Handling Space Ventilation § 153.310 Ventilation system type. A cargo handling space must have a permanent...

46 CFR 153.310 - Ventilation system type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Design and Equipment Cargo Handling Space Ventilation § 153.310 Ventilation system type. A cargo handling space must have a permanent...

46 CFR 153.310 - Ventilation system type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Design and Equipment Cargo Handling Space Ventilation § 153.310 Ventilation system type. A cargo handling space must have a permanent...

Improving indoor air quality through the use of continual multipoint monitoring of carbon dioxide and dew point.

PubMed

Bearg, D W

1998-09-01

This article summarizes an approach for improving the indoor air quality (IAQ) in a building by providing feedback on the performance of the ventilation system. The delivery of adequate quantities of ventilation to all building occupants is necessary for the achievement of good IAQ. Feedback on the performance includes information on the adequacy of ventilation provided, the effectiveness of the distribution of this air, the adequacy of the duration of operation of the ventilation system, and the identification of leakage into the return plenum, either of outdoor or supply air. Keeping track of ventilation system performance is important not only in terms of maintaining good IAQ, but also making sure that this system continues to perform as intended after changes in building use. Information on the performance of the ventilation system is achieved by means of an automated sampling system that draws air from multiple locations and delivers it to both a carbon dioxide monitor and dew point sensor. The use of single shared sensors facilitates calibration checks as well as helps to guarantee data integrity. This approach to monitoring a building's ventilation system offers the possibility of achieving sustainable performance of this important aspect of good IAQ.

Understanding the Strategic Decisions Women Make in Farming Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmar-Bowers, Quentin

2010-01-01

Decision-systems theory (DST) was developed from in-depth interviews with farming families and provides an interpretation of the processes farming families use in making strategic decisions in regard to the family members, the farm and the businesses the farming family run. Understanding the nature and justifications used for different decisions…

Summary of human responses to ventilation.

PubMed

Seppänen, O A; Fisk, W J

2004-01-01

It is known that ventilation is necessary to remove indoor-generated pollutants from indoor air or dilute their concentration to acceptable levels. But as the limit values of all pollutants are not known the exact determination of required ventilation rates based on pollutant concentrations is seldom possible. The selection of ventilation rates has to be based also on epidemiological research, laboratory and field experiments and experience. The existing literature indicates that ventilation has a significant impact on several important human outcomes including: (1) communicable respiratory illnesses; (2) sick building syndrome symptoms; (3) task performance and productivity, and (4) perceived air quality (PAQ) among occupants or sensory panels (5) respiratory allergies and asthma. In many studies, prevalence of sick building syndrome symptoms has also been associated with characteristics of HVAC-systems. Often the prevalence of SBS symptoms is higher in air-conditioned buildings than in naturally ventilated buildings. The evidence suggests that better hygiene, commissioning, operation and maintenance of air handling systems may be particularly important for reducing the negative effects of HVAC systems. Ventilation may also have harmful effects on indoor air quality and climate if not properly designed, installed, maintained and operated. Ventilation may bring indoors harmful substances or deteriorate indoor environment. Ventilation interacts also with the building envelope and may deteriorate the structures of the building. Ventilation changes the pressure differences across the structures of building and may cause or prevent infiltration of pollutants from structures or adjacent spaces. Ventilation is also in many cases used to control the thermal environment or humidity in buildings. The paper summarises the current knowledge on positive and negative effects of ventilation on health and other human responses. The focus is on office-type working environment and residential buildings. The review shows that ventilation has various positive impacts on health and productivity of building occupants. Ventilation reduces the prevalence of airborne infectious diseases and thus the number of sick leave days. In office environment a ventilation rate up to 20-25 L/s per person seem to decrease the prevalence of SBS-symptoms. Air conditioning systems may increase the prevalence of SBS-symptoms relative to natural ventilation if not clean. In residential buildings the air change rate in cold climates should not be below app. 0.5 ach. Ventilation systems may cause pressure differences over the building envelope and bring harmful pollutants indoors.

Superposed epoch analysis and storm statistics from 25 years of the global geomagnetic disturbance index, USGS-Dst

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gannon, J.L.

2012-01-01

Statistics on geomagnetic storms with minima below -50 nanoTesla are compiled using a 25-year span of the 1-minute resolution disturbance index, U.S. Geological Survey Dst. A sudden commencement, main phase minimum, and time between the two has a magnitude of 35 nanoTesla, -100 nanoTesla, and 12 hours, respectively, at the 50th percentile level. The cumulative distribution functions for each of these features are presented. Correlation between sudden commencement magnitude and main phase magnitude is shown to be low. Small, medium, and large storm templates at the 33rd, 50th, and 90th percentile are presented and compared to real examples. In addition, the relative occurrence of rates of change in Dst are presented.

Development of an Outdoor Temperature-Based Control Algorithm for Residential Mechanical Ventilation Control

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

Less, Brennan; Walker, Iain; Tang, Yihuan

2014-06-01

Smart ventilation systems use controls to ventilate more during those periods that provide either an energy or IAQ advantage (or both) and less during periods that provide a dis advantage. Using detailed building simulations, this study addresses one of the simplest and lowest cost types of smart controllers —outdoor temperature- based control. If the outdoor temperature falls below a certain cut- off, the fan is simply turned off. T he main principle of smart ventilation used in this study is to shift ventilation from time periods with large indoor -outdoor temperature differences, to periods where these differences are smaller, andmore » their energy impacts are expected to be less. Energy and IAQ performance are assessed relative to a base case of a continuously operated ventilation fan sized to comply with ASHRAE 62.2-2013 whole house ventilation requirements. In order to satisfy 62.2-2013, annual pollutant exposure must be equivalent between the temperature controlled and continuous fan cases. This requires ventilation to be greater than 62.2 requirements when the ventilation system operates. This is achieved by increasing the mechanical ventilation system air flow rates.« less

WASTE HANDLING BUILDING VENTILATION SYSTEM DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT

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

P.A. Kumar

2000-06-21

The Waste Handling Building Ventilation System provides heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) for the contaminated, potentially contaminated, and uncontaminated areas of the Monitored Geologic Repository's (MGR) Waste Handling Building (WHB). In the uncontaminated areas, the non-confinement area ventilation system maintains the proper environmental conditions for equipment operation and personnel comfort. In the contaminated and potentially contaminated areas, in addition to maintaining the proper environmental conditions for equipment operation and personnel comfort, the contamination confinement area ventilation system directs potentially contaminated air away from personnel in the WHB and confines the contamination within high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration units. Themore » contamination confinement areas ventilation system creates airflow paths and pressure zones to minimize the potential for spreading contamination within the building. The contamination confinement ventilation system also protects the environment and the public by limiting airborne releases of radioactive or other hazardous contaminants from the WHB. The Waste Handling Building Ventilation System is designed to perform its safety functions under accident conditions and other Design Basis Events (DBEs) (such as earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, and loss of the primary electric power). Additional system design features (such as compartmentalization with independent subsystems) limit the potential for cross-contamination within the WHB. The system provides status of important system parameters and equipment operation, and provides audible and/or visual indication of off-normal conditions and equipment failures. The Waste Handling Building Ventilation System confines the radioactive and hazardous material within the building such that the release rates comply with regulatory limits. The system design, operations, and maintenance activities incorporate ALARA (as low as is reasonably achievable) principles to maintain personnel radiation doses to all occupational workers below regulatory limits and as low as is reasonably achievable. The Waste Handling Building Ventilation System interfaces with the Waste Handling Building System by being located within the WHB and by maintaining specific pressures, temperatures, and humidity within the building. The system also depends on the WHB for water supply. The system interfaces with the Site Radiological Monitoring System for continuous monitoring of the exhaust air; the Waste Handling Building Fire Protection System for detection of fire and smoke; the Waste Handling Building Electrical System for normal, emergency, and standby power; and the Monitored Geologic Repository Operations Monitoring and Control System for monitoring and control of the system.« less

Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning Systems, Part of Indoor Air Quality Design Tools for Schools

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The main purposes of a Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning system are to help maintain good indoor air quality through adequate ventilation with filtration and provide thermal comfort. HVAC systems are among the largest energy consumers in schools.

14 CFR 252.9 - Ventilation systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Ventilation systems. 252.9 Section 252.9 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS SMOKING ABOARD AIRCRAFT § 252.9 Ventilation systems. Air carriers shall prohibit smoking whenever...

14 CFR 252.9 - Ventilation systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Ventilation systems. 252.9 Section 252.9 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS SMOKING ABOARD AIRCRAFT § 252.9 Ventilation systems. Air carriers shall prohibit smoking whenever...

14 CFR 252.9 - Ventilation systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Ventilation systems. 252.9 Section 252.9 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS SMOKING ABOARD AIRCRAFT § 252.9 Ventilation systems. Air carriers shall prohibit smoking whenever...

14 CFR 252.9 - Ventilation systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Ventilation systems. 252.9 Section 252.9 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS SMOKING ABOARD AIRCRAFT § 252.9 Ventilation systems. Air carriers shall prohibit smoking whenever...

14 CFR 252.9 - Ventilation systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Ventilation systems. 252.9 Section 252.9 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS SMOKING ABOARD AIRCRAFT § 252.9 Ventilation systems. Air carriers shall prohibit smoking whenever...

Crustal structure of the southern Dead Sea basin derived from project DESIRE wide-angle seismic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mechie, J.; Abu-Ayyash, K.; Ben-Avraham, Z.; El-Kelani, R.; Qabbani, I.; Weber, M.

2009-07-01

As part of the DEad Sea Integrated REsearch project (DESIRE) a 235 km long seismic wide-angle reflection/refraction (WRR) profile was completed in spring 2006 across the Dead Sea Transform (DST) in the region of the southern Dead Sea basin (DSB). The DST with a total of about 107 km multi-stage left-lateral shear since about 18 Ma ago, accommodates the movement between the Arabian and African plates. It connects the spreading centre in the Red Sea with the Taurus collision zone in Turkey over a length of about 1100 km. With a sedimentary infill of about 10 km in places, the southern DSB is the largest pull-apart basin along the DST and one of the largest pull-apart basins on Earth. The WRR measurements comprised 11 shots recorded by 200 three-component and 400 one-component instruments spaced 300 m to 1.2 km apart along the whole length of the E-W trending profile. Models of the P-wave velocity structure derived from the WRR data show that the sedimentary infill associated with the formation of the southern DSB is about 8.5 km thick beneath the profile. With around an additional 2 km of older sediments, the depth to the seismic basement beneath the southern DSB is about 11 km below sea level beneath the profile. Seismic refraction data from an earlier experiment suggest that the seismic basement continues to deepen to a maximum depth of about 14 km, about 10 km south of the DESIRE profile. In contrast, the interfaces below about 20 km depth, including the top of the lower crust and the Moho, probably show less than 3 km variation in depth beneath the profile as it crosses the southern DSB. Thus the Dead Sea pull-apart basin may be essentially an upper crustal feature with upper crustal extension associated with the left-lateral motion along the DST. The boundary between the upper and lower crust at about 20 km depth might act as a decoupling zone. Below this boundary the two plates move past each other in what is essentially a shearing motion. Thermo-mechanical modelling of the DSB supports such a scenario. As the DESIRE seismic profile crosses the DST about 100 km north of where the DESERT seismic profile crosses the DST, it has been possible to construct a crustal cross-section of the region before the 107 km left-lateral shear on the DST occurred.

Design and calibration of a high-frequency oscillatory ventilator.

PubMed

Simon, B A; Mitzner, W

1991-02-01

High-frequency ventilation (HFV) is a modality of mechanical ventilation which presents difficult technical demands to the clinical or laboratory investigator. The essential features of an ideal HFV system are described, including wide frequency range, control of tidal volume and mean airway pressure, minimal dead space, and high effective internal impedance. The design and performance of a high-frequency oscillatory ventilation system is described which approaches these requirements. The ventilator utilizes a linear motor regulated by a closed loop controller and driving a novel frictionless double-diaphragm piston pump. Finally, the ventilator performance is tested using the impedance model of Venegas [1].

Inspiratory capacity at inflation hold in ventilated newborns: a surrogate measure for static compliance of the respiratory system.

PubMed

Hentschel, Roland; Semar, Nicole; Guttmann, Josef

2012-09-01

To study appropriateness of respiratory system compliance calculation using an inflation hold and compare it with ventilator readouts of pressure and tidal volume as well as with measurement of compliance of the respiratory system with the single-breath-single-occlusion technique gained with a standard lung function measurement. Prospective clinical trial. Level III neonatal unit of a university hospital. Sixty-seven newborns, born prematurely or at term, ventilated for a variety of pathologic conditions. A standardized sigh maneuver with a predefined peak inspiratory pressure of 30 cm H2O, termed inspiratory capacity at inflation hold, was applied. Using tidal volume, exhaled from inspiratory pause down to ambient pressure, as displayed by the ventilator, and predefined peak inspiratory pressure, compliance at inspiratory capacity at inflation hold conditions could be calculated as well as ratio of tidal volume and ventilator pressure using tidal volume and differential pressure at baseline ventilator settings: peak inspiratory pressure minus positive end-expiratory pressure. For the whole cohort, the equation for the regression between tidal volume at inspiratory capacity at inflation hold and compliance of the respiratory system was: compliance of the respiratory system = 0.052 * tidal volume at inspiratory capacity at inflation hold - 0.113, and compliance at inspiratory capacity at inflation hold conditions was closely related to the standard lung function measurement method of compliance of the respiratory system (R = 0.958). In contrast, ratio of tidal volume and ventilator pressure per kilogram calculated from the ventilator readouts and displayed against compliance of the respiratory system per kilogram yielded a broad scatter throughout the whole range of compliance; both were only weakly correlated (R = 0.309) and also the regression line was significantly different from the line of identity (p < .05). Peak inspiratory pressure at study entry did not affect the correlation between compliance at inspiratory capacity at inflation hold conditions and compliance of the respiratory system. After a standard sigh maneuver, inspiratory capacity at inflation hold and the derived quantity compliance at inspiratory capacity at inflation hold conditions can be regarded as a valid, accurate, and reliable surrogate measure for standard compliance of the respiratory system in contrast to ratio of tidal volume and ventilator pressure calculated from the ventilator readouts during ongoing mechanical ventilation at respective ventilator settings.

Variable Discretisation for Anomaly Detection using Bayesian Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-01

UNCLASSIFIED DST- Group –TR–3328 1 Introduction Bayesian network implementations usually require each variable to take on a finite number of mutually...UNCLASSIFIED Variable Discretisation for Anomaly Detection using Bayesian Networks Jonathan Legg National Security and ISR Division Defence Science...and Technology Group DST- Group –TR–3328 ABSTRACT Anomaly detection is the process by which low probability events are automatically found against a

Reply to Comment on ``Effects of fast and slow solar wind on the correlations between interplanetary medium and geomagnetic activity'' by C. B. Wang and J. K. Chao

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballatore, Paola

2003-10-01

The paper [2002] (the paper commented) shows that the statistical significance of the correlations between the interplanetary parameters and the geomagnetic indices (Kp or Dst) is generally less significant during the fastest solar wind. On the other hand, at these fast solar wind periods, the significance of the Kp versus Dst correlation is equal to or higher than during slower solar wind. These results, together with further observations related to substorm periods and with previously published findings, are interpreted in terms of a difference in the interplanetary-magnetospheric coupling for solar wind faster or slower than a certain threshold (identified between about 500 and 600 km/s). Specifically, it is suggested that a possible linear approximation of the geomagnetic-interplanetary coupling is more appropriate during solar wind speed (Vsw) slower than this threshold, being nonlinear processes more dominant during the fastest speeds. This reply highlights that the correlation coefficients shown by [2003] are in agreement with these findings. In addition, Wang and Chao show that the statistical significance of the difference between the correlation coefficients for Vsw ≥ 550 km/s and those for Vsw < 550 km/s would indicate that the interplanetary-geomagnetic correlations during the fastest speeds are not significantly different from those at slower Vsw ranges. Here we give evidence of the fact that according to the common definition of this parameter, the calculation of the significance of the difference between two correlation coefficients made by Wang and Chao is wrong. Moreover, Wang and Chao recalculate the correlations between the interplanetary parameters and the ΔDst instead of Dst; in fact they note that the time derivative of this index (not the index itself) is driven by the interplanetary medium. Here we note that on the contrary, they show that the correlation coefficients between interplanetary parameters and Dst are larger than those obtained using ΔDst and we suggest a possible interpretation in terms of nonlinearity.

Ventilation planning at Energy West's Deer Creek mine

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

Tonc, L.; Prosser, B.; Gamble, G.

2009-08-15

In 2004 ventilation planning was initiated to exploit a remote area of Deer Creek mine's reserve (near Huntington, Utah), the Mill Fork Area, located under a mountain. A push-pull ventilation system was selected. This article details the design process of the ventilation system upgrade, the procurement process for the new fans, and the new fan startup testing. 5 figs., 1 photo.

Mine fire experiments and simulation with MFIRE

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

Laage, L.W.; Yang, Hang

1995-12-31

A major concern of mine fires is the heat generated ventilation disturbances which can move products of combustion (POC) through unexpected passageways. Fire emergency planning requires simulation of the interaction of the fire and ventilation system to predict the state of the ventilation system and the subsequent distribution of temperatures and POC. Several computer models were developed by the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) to perform this simulation. The most recent, MFIRE, simulates a mine`s ventilation system and its response to altered ventilation parameters such as the development of new mine workings or changes in ventilation control structures, external influencemore » such as varying outside temperatures, and internal influences such as fires. Extensive output allows quantitative analysis of the effects of the proposed alteration to die ventilation system. This paper describes recent USBM research to validate MFIRE`s calculation of temperature distribution in an airway due to a mine fire, as temperatures are the most significant source of ventilation disturbances. Fire tests were conducted at the Waldo Mine near Magdalena, NM. From these experiments, temperature profiles were developed as functions of time and distance from the fire and compared with simulations from MFIRE.« less

On the Use of Windcatchers in Schools: Climate Change, Occupancy Patterns, and Adaptation Strategies

PubMed Central

Mumovic, D.

2009-01-01

Advanced naturally ventilated systems based on integration of basic natural ventilation strategies such as cross-ventilation and stack effect have been considered to be a key element of sustainable design. In this respect, there is a pressing need to explore the potential of such systems to achieve the recommended occupant comfort targets throughout their lifetime without relying on mechanical means. This study focuses on use of a windcatcher system in typical classrooms which are usually characterized by high and intermittent internal heat gains. The aims of this paper are 3-fold. First, to describe a series of field measurements that investigated the ventilation rates, indoor air quality, and thermal comfort in a newly constructed school located at an urban site in London. Secondly, to investigate the effect of changing climate and occupancy patterns on thermal comfort in selected classrooms, while taking into account adaptive potential of this specific ventilation strategy. Thirdly, to assess performance of the ventilation system using the newly introduced performance-based ventilation standards for school buildings. The results suggest that satisfactory occupant comfort levels could be achieved until the 2050s by a combination of advanced ventilation control settings and informed occupant behavior. PMID:27110216

77 FR 58421 - Model Safety Evaluation for Plant-Specific Adoption of Technical Specifications Task Force...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-20

... Ventilation System Surveillance Requirements To Operate for 10 Hours per Month,'' Using the Consolidated Line... currently require operating the ventilation system for at least 10 continuous hours with the heaters... Technical Specifications (TSs) Task Force (TSTF) Traveler TSTF-522, Revision 0, ``Revise Ventilation System...

46 CFR 108.437 - Pipe sizes and discharge rates for enclosed ventilation systems for rotating electrical equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Pipe sizes and discharge rates for enclosed ventilation... Systems Fixed Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishing Systems § 108.437 Pipe sizes and discharge rates for enclosed ventilation systems for rotating electrical equipment. (a) The minimum pipe size for the initial...

Ionospheric redistribution during geomagnetic storms

PubMed Central

Immel, T J; Mannucci, A J

2013-01-01

[1]The abundance of plasma in the daytime ionosphere is often seen to grow greatly during geomagnetic storms. Recent reports suggest that the magnitude of the plasma density enhancement depends on the UT of storm onset. This possibility is investigated over a 7year period using global maps of ionospheric total electron content (TEC) produced at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The analysis confirms that the American sector exhibits, on average, larger storm time enhancement in ionospheric plasma content, up to 50% in the afternoon middle-latitude region and 30% in the vicinity of the high-latitude auroral cusp, with largest effect in the Southern Hemisphere. We investigate whether this effect is related to the magnitude of the causative magnetic storms. Using the same advanced Dst index employed to sort the TEC maps into quiet and active (Dst<−100 nT) sets, we find variation in storm strength that corresponds closely to the TEC variation but follows it by 3–6h. For this and other reasons detailed in this report, we conclude that the UT-dependent peak in storm time TEC is likely not related to the magnitude of external storm time forcing but more likely attributable to phenomena such as the low magnetic field in the South American region. The large Dst variation suggests a possible system-level effect of the observed variation in ionospheric storm response on the measured strength of the terrestrial ring current, possibly connected through UT-dependent modulation of ion outflow. PMID:26167429

An assessment study of the wavelet-based index of magnetic storm activity (WISA) and its comparison to the Dst index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zhonghua; Zhu, Lie; Sojka, Jan; Kokoszka, Piotr; Jach, Agnieszka

2008-08-01

A wavelet-based index of storm activity (WISA) has been recently developed [Jach, A., Kokoszka, P., Sojka, L., Zhu, L., 2006. Wavelet-based index of magnetic storm activity. Journal of Geophysical Research 111, A09215, doi:10.1029/2006JA011635] to complement the traditional Dst index. The new index can be computed automatically by using the wavelet-based statistical procedure without human intervention on the selection of quiet days and the removal of secular variations. In addition, the WISA is flexible on data stretch and has a higher temporal resolution (1 min), which can provide a better description of the dynamical variations of magnetic storms. In this work, we perform a systematic assessment study on the WISA index. First, we statistically compare the WISA to the Dst for various quiet and disturbed periods and analyze the differences of their spectral features. Then we quantitatively assess the flexibility of the WISA on data stretch and study the effects of varying number of stations on the index. In addition, the ability of the WISA for handling the missing data is also quantitatively assessed. The assessment results show that the hourly averaged WISA index can describe storm activities equally well as the Dst index, but its full automation, high flexibility on data stretch, easiness of using the data from varying number of stations, high temporal resolution, and high tolerance to missing data from individual station can be very valuable and essential for real-time monitoring of the dynamical variations of magnetic storm activities and space weather applications, thus significantly complementing the existing Dst index.

Comparison of Xpert MTB/RIF Assay and GenoType MTBDRplus DNA Probes for Detection of Mutations Associated with Rifampicin Resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PubMed

Rahman, Arfatur; Sahrin, Mahfuza; Afrin, Sadia; Earley, Keith; Ahmed, Shahriar; Rahman, S M Mazidur; Banu, Sayera

2016-01-01

GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) and Genotype MTBDRplus (DRplus) are two World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed probe based molecular drug susceptibility testing (DST) methods for rapid diagnosis of drug resistant tuberculosis. Both methods target the same 81 bp Rifampicin Resistance Determining Region (RRDR) of bacterial RNA polymerase β subunit (rpoB) for detection of Rifampicin (RIF) resistance associated mutations using DNA probes. So there is a correspondence of the probes of each other and expected similarity of probe binding. We analyzed 92 sputum specimens by Xpert, DRplus and LJ proportion method (LJ-DST). We compared molecular DSTs with gold standard LJ-DST. We wanted to see the agreement level of two molecular methods for detection of RIF resistance associated mutations. The 81bp RRDR region of rpoB gene of discrepant cases between the two molecular methods was sequenced by Sanger sequencing. The agreement of Xpert and DRplus with LJ-DST for detection of RIF susceptibility was found to be 93.5% and 92.4%, respectively. We also found 92.4% overall agreement of two molecular methods for the detection of RIF susceptibility. A total of 84 out of 92 samples (91.3%) had agreement on the molecular locus of RRDR mutation by DRplus and Xpert. Sanger sequencing of 81bp RRDR revealed that Xpert probes detected seven of eight discrepant cases correctly and DRplus was erroneous in all the eight cases. Although the overall concordance with LJ-DST was similar for both Xpert and DRplus assay, Xpert demonstrated more accuracy in the detection of RIF susceptibility for discrepant isolates compared with DRplus. This observation would be helpful for the improvement of probe based detection of drug resistance associated mutations especially rpoB mutation in M. tuberculosis.

CRCM + BATS-R-US two-way coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glocer, A.; Fok, M.; Meng, X.; Toth, G.; Buzulukova, N.; Chen, S.; Lin, K.

2013-04-01

We present the coupling methodology and validation of a fully coupled inner and global magnetosphere code using the infrastructure provided by the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF). In this model, the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) represents the inner magnetosphere, while the Block-Adaptive-Tree Solar-Wind Roe-Type Upwind Scheme (BATS-R-US) represents the global magnetosphere. The combined model is a global magnetospheric code with a realistic ring current and consistent electric and magnetic fields. The computational performance of the model was improved to surpass real-time execution by the use of the Message Passing Interface (MPI) to parallelize the CRCM. Initial simulations under steady driving found that the coupled model resulted in a higher pressure in the inner magnetosphere and an inflated closed field-line region as compared to simulations without inner-magnetosphere coupling. Our validation effort was split into two studies. The first study examined the ability of the model to reproduce Dst for a range of events from the Geospace Environment Modeling (GEM) Dst Challenge. It also investigated the possibility of a baseline shift and compared two approaches to calculating Dst from the model. We found that the model did a reasonable job predicting Dst and Sym-H according to our two metrics of prediction efficiency and predicted yield. The second study focused on the specific case of the 22 July 2009 moderate geomagnetic storm. In this study, we directly compare model predictions and observations for Dst, THEMIS energy spectragrams, TWINS ENA images, and GOES 11 and 12 magnetometer data. The model did an adequate job reproducing trends in the data. Moreover, we found that composition can have a large effect on the result.

Viscoelastic properties of soft gels: comparison of magnetic resonance elastography and dynamic shear testing in the shear wave regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okamoto, R. J.; Clayton, E. H.; Bayly, P. V.

2011-10-01

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is used to quantify the viscoelastic shear modulus, G*, of human and animal tissues. Previously, values of G* determined by MRE have been compared to values from mechanical tests performed at lower frequencies. In this study, a novel dynamic shear test (DST) was used to measure G* of a tissue-mimicking material at higher frequencies for direct comparison to MRE. A closed-form solution, including inertial effects, was used to extract G* values from DST data obtained between 20 and 200 Hz. MRE was performed using cylindrical 'phantoms' of the same material in an overlapping frequency range of 100-400 Hz. Axial vibrations of a central rod caused radially propagating shear waves in the phantom. Displacement fields were fit to a viscoelastic form of Navier's equation using a total least-squares approach to obtain local estimates of G*. DST estimates of the storage G' (Re[G*]) and loss modulus G'' (Im[G*]) for the tissue-mimicking material increased with frequency from 0.86 to 0.97 kPa (20-200 Hz, n = 16), while MRE estimates of G' increased from 1.06 to 1.15 kPa (100-400 Hz, n = 6). The loss factor (Im[G*]/Re[G*]) also increased with frequency for both test methods: 0.06-0.14 (20-200 Hz, DST) and 0.11-0.23 (100-400 Hz, MRE). Close agreement between MRE and DST results at overlapping frequencies indicates that G* can be locally estimated with MRE over a wide frequency range. Low signal-to-noise ratio, long shear wavelengths and boundary effects were found to increase residual fitting error, reinforcing the use of an error metric to assess confidence in local parameter estimates obtained by MRE.

Microbial sensor for drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PubMed

Zhang, Z-T; Wang, D-B; Li, C-Y; Deng, J-Y; Zhang, J-B; Bi, L-J; Zhang, X-E

2018-01-01

Drug susceptibility testing (DST) of clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is critical in treating tuberculosis. We demonstrate the possibility of using a microbial sensor to perform DST of M. tuberculosis and shorten the time required for DST. The sensor is made of an oxygen electrode with M. tuberculosis cells attached to its surface. This sensor monitors the residual oxygen consumption of M. tuberculosis cells after treatment with anti-TB drugs with glycerine as a carbon source. In principle, after drug pretreatment for 4-5 days, the response differences between the sensors made of drug-sensitive isolates are distinguishable from the sensors made of drug-resistant isolates. The susceptibility of the M. tuberculosis H37Ra strain, its mutants and 35 clinical isolates to six common anti-TB drugs: rifampicin, isoniazid, streptomycin, ethambutol, levofloxacin and para-aminosalicylic acid were tested using the proposed method. The results agreed well with the gold standard method (LJ) and were determined in significantly less time. The whole procedure takes approximately 11 days and therefore has the potential to inform clinical decisions. To our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrates the possible application of a dissolved oxygen electrode-based microbial sensor in M. tuberculosis drug resistance testing. This study used the microbial sensor to perform DST of M. tuberculosis and shorten the time required for DST. The overall detection result of the microbial sensor agreed well with that of the conventional LJ proportion method and takes less time than the existing phenotypic methods. In future studies, we will build an O 2 electrode array microbial sensor reactor to enable a high-throughput drug resistance analysis. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Viscoelastic properties of soft gels: comparison of magnetic resonance elastography and dynamic shear testing in the shear wave regime.

PubMed

Okamoto, R J; Clayton, E H; Bayly, P V

2011-10-07

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is used to quantify the viscoelastic shear modulus, G*, of human and animal tissues. Previously, values of G* determined by MRE have been compared to values from mechanical tests performed at lower frequencies. In this study, a novel dynamic shear test (DST) was used to measure G* of a tissue-mimicking material at higher frequencies for direct comparison to MRE. A closed-form solution, including inertial effects, was used to extract G* values from DST data obtained between 20 and 200 Hz. MRE was performed using cylindrical 'phantoms' of the same material in an overlapping frequency range of 100-400 Hz. Axial vibrations of a central rod caused radially propagating shear waves in the phantom. Displacement fields were fit to a viscoelastic form of Navier's equation using a total least-squares approach to obtain local estimates of G*. DST estimates of the storage G' (Re[G*]) and loss modulus G″ (Im[G*]) for the tissue-mimicking material increased with frequency from 0.86 to 0.97 kPa (20-200 Hz, n = 16), while MRE estimates of G' increased from 1.06 to 1.15 kPa (100-400 Hz, n = 6). The loss factor (Im[G*]/Re[G*]) also increased with frequency for both test methods: 0.06-0.14 (20-200 Hz, DST) and 0.11-0.23 (100-400 Hz, MRE). Close agreement between MRE and DST results at overlapping frequencies indicates that G* can be locally estimated with MRE over a wide frequency range. Low signal-to-noise ratio, long shear wavelengths and boundary effects were found to increase residual fitting error, reinforcing the use of an error metric to assess confidence in local parameter estimates obtained by MRE.

Numerical simulation and comparison of two ventilation methods for a restaurant - displacement vs mixed flow ventilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chitaru, George; Berville, Charles; Dogeanu, Angel

2018-02-01

This paper presents a comparison between a displacement ventilation method and a mixed flow ventilation method using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. The paper analyses different aspects of the two systems, like the draft effect in certain areas, the air temperatureand velocity distribution in the occupied zone. The results highlighted that the displacement ventilation system presents an advantage for the current scenario, due to the increased buoyancy driven flows caused by the interior heat sources. For the displacement ventilation case the draft effect was less prone to appear in the occupied zone but the high heat emissions from the interior sources have increased the temperature gradient in the occupied zone. Both systems have been studied in similar conditions, concentrating only on the flow patterns for each case.

Short-term airing by natural ventilation - modeling and control strategies.

PubMed

Perino, M; Heiselberg, P

2009-10-01

The need to improve the energy efficiency of buildings requires new and more efficient ventilation systems. It has been demonstrated that innovative operating concepts that make use of natural ventilation seem to be more appreciated by occupants. This kind of system frequently integrates traditional mechanical ventilation components with natural ventilation devices, such as motorized windows and louvers. Among the various ventilation strategies that are currently available, buoyancy driven single-sided natural ventilation has proved to be very effective and can provide high air change rates for temperature and IAQ control. However, in order to promote a wider applications of these systems, an improvement in the knowledge of their working principles and the availability of new design and simulation tools is necessary. In this context, the paper analyses and presents the results of a research that was aimed at developing and validating numerical models for the analysis of buoyancy driven single-sided natural ventilation systems. Once validated, these models can be used to optimize control strategies in order to achieve satisfactory indoor comfort conditions and IAQ. Practical Implications Numerical and experimental analyses have proved that short-term airing by intermittent ventilation is an effective measure to satisfactorily control IAQ. Different control strategies have been investigated to optimize the capabilities of the systems. The proposed zonal model has provided good performances and could be adopted as a design tool, while CFD simulations can be profitably used for detailed studies of the pollutant concentration distribution in a room and to address local discomfort problems.

Design and analysis of low-loss linear analog phase modulator for deep space spacecraft X-band transponder (DST) application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mysoor, Narayan R.; Mueller, Robert O.

1991-01-01

This paper summarizes the design concepts, analyses, and the development of an X-band transponder low-loss linear phase modulator for deep space spacecraft applications. A single section breadboard circulator-coupled reflection phase modulator has been analyzed, fabricated, and evaluated. Two- and three-cascaded sections have been modeled and simulations performed to provide an X-band DST phase modulator with +/- 2.5 radians of peak phase deviation to accommodate down-link signal modulation with composite telemetry data and ranging with a deviation linearity tolerance +/- 8 percent and insertion loss of less than 10 +/- 0.5 dB. A two-section phase modulator using constant gamma hyperabrupt varactors and an efficient modulator driver circuit was breadboarded. The measured results satisfy the DST phase modulator requirements, and excellent agreement with the predicted results.

Inhibition of forkhead boxO-specific transcription prevents mechanical ventilation-induced diaphragm dysfunction.

PubMed

Smuder, Ashley J; Sollanek, Kurt J; Min, Kisuk; Nelson, W Bradley; Powers, Scott K

2015-05-01

Mechanical ventilation is a lifesaving measure for patients with respiratory failure. However, prolonged mechanical ventilation results in diaphragm weakness, which contributes to problems in weaning from the ventilator. Therefore, identifying the signaling pathways responsible for mechanical ventilation-induced diaphragm weakness is essential to developing effective countermeasures to combat this important problem. In this regard, the forkhead boxO family of transcription factors is activated in the diaphragm during mechanical ventilation, and forkhead boxO-specific transcription can lead to enhanced proteolysis and muscle protein breakdown. Currently, the role that forkhead boxO activation plays in the development of mechanical ventilation-induced diaphragm weakness remains unknown. This study tested the hypothesis that mechanical ventilation-induced increases in forkhead boxO signaling contribute to ventilator-induced diaphragm weakness. University research laboratory. Young adult female Sprague-Dawley rats. Cause and effect was determined by inhibiting the activation of forkhead boxO in the rat diaphragm through the use of a dominant-negative forkhead boxO adeno-associated virus vector delivered directly to the diaphragm. Our results demonstrate that prolonged (12 hr) mechanical ventilation results in a significant decrease in both diaphragm muscle fiber size and diaphragm-specific force production. However, mechanically ventilated animals treated with dominant-negative forkhead boxO showed a significant attenuation of both diaphragm atrophy and contractile dysfunction. In addition, inhibiting forkhead boxO transcription attenuated the mechanical ventilation-induced activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, the autophagy/lysosomal system, and caspase-3. Forkhead boxO is necessary for the activation of key proteolytic systems essential for mechanical ventilation-induced diaphragm atrophy and contractile dysfunction. Collectively, these results suggest that targeting forkhead boxO transcription could be a key therapeutic target to combat ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction.

Conversion of DST Group Shape Optimisation Software for Increased Portability across Computing Platforms

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

reduction achieved is small due to the starting shape being near optimal. The general arrangement and x-y coordinate system are shown in Figure 23...Optimization, Vol. 28, pp. 55–68, 2004. [3] M Heller, J Calero, S Barter , RJ Wescott, J Choi. Fatigue life extension program for LAU-7 missile launcher

Smart ventilation energy and indoor air quality performance in residential buildings: A review

DOE PAGES

Guyot, Gaelle; Sherman, Max H.; Walker, Iain S.

2017-12-30

To better address energy and indoor air quality issues, ventilation needs to become smarter. A key smart ventilation concept is to use controls to ventilate more at times it provides either an energy or indoor air quality (IAQ) advantage (or both) and less when it provides a disadvantage. A favorable context exists in many countries to include some of the existing smart ventilation strategies in codes and standards. As a result, demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) systems are widely and easily available on the market, with more than 20 DCV systems approved and available in countries such as Belgium, France and themore » Netherlands. This paper provides a literature review on smart ventilation used in residential buildings, based on energy and indoor air quality performance. This meta-analysis includes 38 studies of various smart ventilation systems with control based on CO 2, humidity, combined CO 2 and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), occupancy, or outdoor temperature. In conclusion, these studies show that ventilation energy savings up to 60% can be obtained without compromising IAQ, even sometimes improving it. However, the meta-analysis included some less than favorable results, with 26% energy overconsumption in some cases.« less

Smart ventilation energy and indoor air quality performance in residential buildings: A review

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

Guyot, Gaelle; Sherman, Max H.; Walker, Iain S.

To better address energy and indoor air quality issues, ventilation needs to become smarter. A key smart ventilation concept is to use controls to ventilate more at times it provides either an energy or indoor air quality (IAQ) advantage (or both) and less when it provides a disadvantage. A favorable context exists in many countries to include some of the existing smart ventilation strategies in codes and standards. As a result, demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) systems are widely and easily available on the market, with more than 20 DCV systems approved and available in countries such as Belgium, France and themore » Netherlands. This paper provides a literature review on smart ventilation used in residential buildings, based on energy and indoor air quality performance. This meta-analysis includes 38 studies of various smart ventilation systems with control based on CO 2, humidity, combined CO 2 and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), occupancy, or outdoor temperature. In conclusion, these studies show that ventilation energy savings up to 60% can be obtained without compromising IAQ, even sometimes improving it. However, the meta-analysis included some less than favorable results, with 26% energy overconsumption in some cases.« less

Outcomes management of mechanically ventilated patients: utilizing informatics technology.

PubMed

Smith, K R

1998-11-01

This article examines an informatics system developed for outcomes management of the mechanically ventilated adult population, focusing on weaning the patient from mechanical ventilation. The link between medical informatics and outcomes management is discussed, along with the development of methods, tools, and data sets for outcomes management of the mechanically ventilated adult population at an acute care academic institution. Pros and cons of this system are identified, and specific areas for improvement of future health care outcomes medical informatics systems are discussed.

B-Plant Canyon Ventilation Control System Description

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

MCDANIEL, K.S.

1999-08-31

Project W-059 installed a new B Plant Canyon Ventilation System. Monitoring and control of the system is implemented by the Canyon Ventilation Control System (CVCS). This document describes the CVCS system components which include a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) coupled with an Operator Interface Unit (OIU) and application software. This document also includes an Alarm Index specifying the setpoints and technical basis for system analog and digital alarms.

[Cases and duration of mechanical ventilation in German hospitals : An analysis of DRG incentives and developments in respiratory medicine].

PubMed

Biermann, A; Geissler, A

2016-09-01

Diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) have been used to reimburse hospitals services in Germany since 2003/04. Like any other reimbursement system, DRGs offer specific incentives for hospitals that may lead to unintended consequences for patients. In the German context, specific procedures and their documentation are suspected to be primarily performed to increase hospital revenues. Mechanical ventilation of patients and particularly the duration of ventilation, which is an important variable for the DRG-classification, are often discussed to be among these procedures. The aim of this study was to examine incentives created by the German DRG-based payment system with regard to mechanical ventilation and to identify factors that explain the considerable increase of mechanically ventilated patients in recent years. Moreover, the assumption that hospitals perform mechanical ventilation in order to gain economic benefits was examined. In order to gain insights on the development of the number of mechanically ventilated patients, patient-level data provided by the German Federal Statistical Office and the German Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System were analyzed. The type of performed ventilation, the total number of ventilation hours, the age distribution, mortality and the DRG distribution for mechanical ventilation were calculated, using methods of descriptive and inferential statistics. Furthermore, changes in DRG-definitions and changes in respiratory medicine were compared for the years 2005-2012. Since the introduction of the DRG-based payment system in Germany, the hours of ventilation and the number of mechanically ventilated patients have substantially increased, while mortality has decreased. During the same period there has been a switch to less invasive ventilation methods. The age distribution has shifted to higher age-groups. A ventilation duration determined by DRG definitions could not be found. Due to advances in respiratory medicine, new ventilation methods have been introduced that are less prone to complications. This development has simultaneously improved survival rates. There was no evidence supporting the assumption that the duration of mechanical ventilation is influenced by the time intervals relevant for DRG grouping. However, presumably operational routines such as staff availability within early and late shifts of the hospital have a significant impact on the termination of mechanical ventilation.

The Distant Tail Behavior During High Speed Solar Wind Streams and Magnetic Storms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ho, C. M.; Tsurutani, B. T.

1996-01-01

We have examined the ISEE-3 distant tail data during three intense (Dst< -100(sub n)T) magnetic storms and have identified the tail response to high speed solar wind streams, interplanetary magnetic clouds, and near-Earth storms. The three storms have a peak Dst ranging from -150 to -220 nT, and occur on Jan. 9, Feb. 4, and Aug. 8, 1993.

Daylight savings time and myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Sandhu, Amneet; Seth, Milan; Gurm, Hitinder S

2014-01-01

Prior research has shown a transient increase in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after daylight savings time (DST) in the spring as well as a decrease in AMI after returning to standard time in the fall. These findings have not been verified in a broader population and if extant, may have significant public health and policy implications. We assessed changes in admissions for AMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium (BMC2) database for the weeks following the four spring and three fall DST changes between March 2010 and September 2013. A negative binomial regression model was used to adjust for trend and seasonal variation. There was no difference in the total weekly number of PCIs performed for AMI for either the fall or spring time changes in the time period analysed. After adjustment for trend and seasonal effects, the Monday following spring time changes was associated with a 24% increase in daily AMI counts (p=0.011), and the Tuesday following fall changes was conversely associated with a 21% reduction (p=0.044). No other weekdays in the weeks following DST changes demonstrated significant associations. In the week following the seasonal time change, DST impacts the timing of presentations for AMI but does not influence the overall incidence of this disease.

Screening for subclinical Cushing's syndrome in type 2 diabetes mellitus: low false-positive rates with nocturnal salivary cortisol.

PubMed

Gagliardi, L; Chapman, I M; O'Loughlin, P; Torpy, D J

2010-04-01

The diagnosis of subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SCS) is important, but its relative rarity amongst patients with common metabolic disorders requires a simple test with a low false-positive rate. Using nocturnal salivary cortisol (NSC), which we first validated in patients with suspected and proven Cushing's syndrome, we screened 106 overweight patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, a group at high risk of SCS and nontumoral hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis perturbations. Our hypothesis was that a lower false-positive rate with NSC was likely, compared with that reported with the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) (10-20%), currently the foundation of diagnosis of SCS. No participant had clinically apparent Cushing's syndrome. Three participants had an elevated NSC but further testing excluded SCS. In this study, NSC had a lower false-positive rate (3%) than previously reported for the DST. Given the reported excellent performance of NSC in detection of hypercortisolism, the low false-positive rate in SCS suggests NSC may be superior to the DST for SCS screening. The NSC and DST should be compared directly in metabolic disorder patients; although our data suggest the patient group will need to be substantially larger to definitively determine the optimal screening test. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart New York.

Summarized Data of Test Space Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Inspections from the Building Assessment Survey and Evaluation Study

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Information on the characteristics of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system(s) in the entire BASE building including types of ventilation, equipment configurations, and operation and maintenance issues

Operational specification and forecasting advances for Dst, LEO thermospheric densities, and aviation radiation dose and dose rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobiska, W. Kent

Space weather’s effects upon the near-Earth environment are due to dynamic changes in the energy transfer processes from the Sun’s photons, particles, and fields. Of the space environment domains that are affected by space weather, the magnetosphere, thermosphere, and even troposphere are key regions that are affected. Space Environment Technologies (SET) has developed and is producing innovative space weather applications. Key operational systems for providing timely information about the effects of space weather on these domains are SET’s Magnetosphere Alert and Prediction System (MAPS), LEO Alert and Prediction System (LAPS), and Automated Radiation Measurements for Aviation Safety (ARMAS) system. MAPS provides a forecast Dst index out to 6 days through the data-driven, redundant data stream Anemomilos algorithm. Anemomilos uses observational proxies for the magnitude, location, and velocity of solar ejecta events. This forecast index is used by satellite operations to characterize upcoming geomagnetic storms, for example. In addition, an ENLIL/Rice Dst prediction out to several days has also been developed and will be described. LAPS is the SET fully redundant operational system providing recent history, current epoch, and forecast solar and geomagnetic indices for use in operational versions of the JB2008 thermospheric density model. The thermospheric densities produced by that system, driven by the LAPS data, are forecast to 72-hours to provide the global mass densities for satellite operators. ARMAS is a project that has successfully demonstrated the operation of a micro dosimeter on aircraft to capture the real-time radiation environment due to Galactic Cosmic Rays and Solar Energetic Particles. The dose and dose-rates are captured on aircraft, downlinked in real-time via the Iridium satellites, processed on the ground, incorporated into the most recent NAIRAS global radiation climatology data runs, and made available to end users via the web and smart phone apps. ARMAS provides the “weather” of the radiation environment to improve air-crew and passenger safety. Many of the data products from MAPS, LAPS, and ARMAS are available on the SpaceWx smartphone app for iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Android professional users and public space weather education. We describe recent forecasting advances for moving the space weather information from these automated systems into operational, derivative products for communications, aviation, and satellite operations uses.

Field evaluation of ventilation system performance in enclosed parking garages

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

Ayari, A.M.; Grot, D.A.; Krarti, M.

2000-07-01

This paper summarizes the results of a field study to determine the ventilation requirements and the contaminant levels in existing enclosed parking garages. The testing was conducted in seven parking garages with different sizes, traffic flow patterns, vehicle types, and locations. In particular, the study compares the actual ventilation rates measured using the tracer gas technique with the ventilation requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62-1989. In addition, the field test evaluated the effectiveness of the existing ventilation systems in maintaining acceptable contaminant levels within enclosed parking garages.

Economic, Environmental and Health Implications of Enhanced Ventilation in Office Buildings.

PubMed

MacNaughton, Piers; Pegues, James; Satish, Usha; Santanam, Suresh; Spengler, John; Allen, Joseph

2015-11-18

Current building ventilation standards are based on acceptable minimums. Three decades of research demonstrates the human health benefits of increased ventilation above these minimums. Recent research also shows the benefits on human decision-making performance in office workers, which translates to increased productivity. However, adoption of enhanced ventilation strategies is lagging. We sought to evaluate two of the perceived potential barriers to more widespread adoption-Economic and environmental costs. We estimated the energy consumption and associated per building occupant costs for office buildings in seven U.S. cities, representing different climate zones for three ventilation scenarios (standard practice (20 cfm/person), 30% enhanced ventilation, and 40 cfm/person) and four different heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system strategies (Variable Air Volume (VAV) with reheat and a Fan Coil Unit (FCU), both with and without an energy recovery ventilator). We also estimated emissions of greenhouse gases associated with this increased energy usage, and, for comparison, converted this to the equivalent number of vehicles using greenhouse gas equivalencies. Lastly, we paired results from our previous research on cognitive function and ventilation with labor statistics to estimate the economic benefit of increased productivity associated with increasing ventilation rates. Doubling the ventilation rate from the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers minimum cost less than $40 per person per year in all climate zones investigated. Using an energy recovery ventilation system significantly reduced energy costs, and in some scenarios led to a net savings. At the highest ventilation rate, adding an ERV essentially neutralized the environmental impact of enhanced ventilation (0.03 additional cars on the road per building across all cities). The same change in ventilation improved the performance of workers by 8%, equivalent to a $6500 increase in employee productivity each year. Reduced absenteeism and improved health are also seen with enhanced ventilation. The health benefits associated with enhanced ventilation rates far exceed the per-person energy costs relative to salary costs. Environmental impacts can be mitigated at regional, building, and individual-level scales through the transition to renewable energy sources, adoption of energy efficient systems and ventilation strategies, and promotion of other sustainable policies.

Economic, Environmental and Health Implications of Enhanced Ventilation in Office Buildings

PubMed Central

MacNaughton, Piers; Pegues, James; Satish, Usha; Santanam, Suresh; Spengler, John; Allen, Joseph

2015-01-01

Introduction: Current building ventilation standards are based on acceptable minimums. Three decades of research demonstrates the human health benefits of increased ventilation above these minimums. Recent research also shows the benefits on human decision-making performance in office workers, which translates to increased productivity. However, adoption of enhanced ventilation strategies is lagging. We sought to evaluate two of the perceived potential barriers to more widespread adoption—Economic and environmental costs. Methods: We estimated the energy consumption and associated per building occupant costs for office buildings in seven U.S. cities, representing different climate zones for three ventilation scenarios (standard practice (20 cfm/person), 30% enhanced ventilation, and 40 cfm/person) and four different heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system strategies (Variable Air Volume (VAV) with reheat and a Fan Coil Unit (FCU), both with and without an energy recovery ventilator). We also estimated emissions of greenhouse gases associated with this increased energy usage, and, for comparison, converted this to the equivalent number of vehicles using greenhouse gas equivalencies. Lastly, we paired results from our previous research on cognitive function and ventilation with labor statistics to estimate the economic benefit of increased productivity associated with increasing ventilation rates. Results: Doubling the ventilation rate from the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers minimum cost less than $40 per person per year in all climate zones investigated. Using an energy recovery ventilation system significantly reduced energy costs, and in some scenarios led to a net savings. At the highest ventilation rate, adding an ERV essentially neutralized the environmental impact of enhanced ventilation (0.03 additional cars on the road per building across all cities). The same change in ventilation improved the performance of workers by 8%, equivalent to a $6500 increase in employee productivity each year. Reduced absenteeism and improved health are also seen with enhanced ventilation. Conclusions: The health benefits associated with enhanced ventilation rates far exceed the per-person energy costs relative to salary costs. Environmental impacts can be mitigated at regional, building, and individual-level scales through the transition to renewable energy sources, adoption of energy efficient systems and ventilation strategies, and promotion of other sustainable policies. PMID:26593933

Animal biocalorimeter and waste management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poppendiek, Heinz F. (Inventor); Trimailo, William R. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A biocalorimeter and waste management system is provided for making metabolic heat release measurements of animals or humans in a calorimeter (enclosure) using ambient air as a low velocity source of ventilating air through the enclosure. A shroud forces ventilating air to pass over the enclosure from an end open to ambient air at the end of the enclosure opposite its ventilating air inlet end and closed around the inlet end of the enclosure in order to obviate the need for regulating ambient air temperature. Psychrometers for measuring dry- and wet-bulb temperature of ventilating air make it possible to account for the sensible and latent heat additions to the ventilating air. A waste removal system momentarily recirculates high velocity air in a closed circuit through the calorimeter wherein a sudden rise in moisture is detected in the ventilating air from the outlet.

Contaminants in ventilated filling boxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolster, D. T.; Linden, P. F.

While energy efficiency is important, the adoption of energy-efficient ventilation systems still requires the provision of acceptable indoor air quality. Many low-energy systems, such as displacement or natural ventilation, rely on temperature stratification within the interior environment, always extracting the warmest air from the top of the room. Understanding buoyancy-driven convection in a confined ventilated space is key to understanding the flow that develops with many of these modern low-energy ventilation schemes. In this work we study the transport of an initially uniformly distributed passive contaminant in a displacement-ventilated space. Representing a heat source as an ideal sourced of buoyancy, analytical and numerical models are developed that allow us to compare the average efficiency of contaminant removal between traditional mixing and modern low-energy systems. A set of small-scale analogue laboratory experiments was also conducted to further validate our analytical and numerical solutions.We find that on average traditional and low-energy ventilation methods are similar with regard to pollutant flushing efficiency. This is because the concentration being extracted from the system at any given time is approximately the same for both systems. However, very different vertical concentration gradients exist. For the low-energy system, a peak in contaminant concentration occurs at the temperature interface that is established within the space. This interface is typically designed to sit at some intermediate height in the space. Since this peak does not coincide with the extraction point, displacement ventilation does not offer the same benefits for pollutant flushing as it does for buoyancy removal.

A novel chemotherapeutic sensitivity-testing system based on collagen gel droplet embedded 3D-culture methods for hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Hou, Jun; Hong, Zhixian; Feng, Fan; Chai, Yantao; Zhang, Yunkai; Jiang, Qiyu; Hu, Yan; Wu, Shunquan; Wu, Yingsong; Gao, Xunian; Chen, Qiong; Wan, Yong; Bi, Jingfeng; Zhang, Zheng

2017-11-08

Patients suffering from advanced stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often exhibit a poor prognosis or dismal clinical outcomes due to ineffective chemotherapy or a multi-drug resistance (MDR) process. Thus, it is urgent to develop a new chemotherapeutic sensitivity testing system for HCC treatment. The presence study investigated the potential application of a novel chemotherapeutic sensitivity-testing system based on a collagen gel droplet embedded 3D-culture system (CD-DST). Primary cells were separating from surgical resection specimens and then tested by CD-DST. To identify whether HCC cell lines or cells separating from clinical specimens contain MDR features, the cells were treated with an IC 50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) or IC max (maximal inhibitory concentration) concentration of antitumor agents, e.g., 5-furuolouracil (5-FU), paclitaxel (PAC), cisplatin (CDDP), epirubicin (EPI), or oxaliplatin (L-OHP), and the inhibitory rates (IRs) were calculated. HepG2 cells were sensitive to 5-FU, PAC, CDDP, EPI, or L-OHP; the IC 50 value is 0.83 ± 0.45 μg/ml, 0.03 ± 0.02 μg/ml, 1.15 ± 0.75 μg/ml, 0.09 ± 0.03 μg/ml, or 1.76 ± 0.44 μg/ml, respectively. Only eight (8/26), nine (9/26), or five (5/26) patients were sensitive to the IC max concentration of CDDP, EPI, or L-OHP; whereas only three (3/26), four (4/26), or two (2/26) patients were sensitive to the IC 50 concentration of CDDP, EPI, or L-OHP. No patients were sensitive to 5-FU or PAC. The in vitro drug sensitivity exanimation revealed the MDR features of HCC and examined the sensitivity of HCC cells from clinical specimens to anti-tumor agents. CD-DST may be a useful method to predict the potential clinical benefits of anticancer agents for HCC patients.

Applied patent RFID systems for building reacting HEPA air ventilation system in hospital operation rooms.

PubMed

Lin, Jesun; Pai, Jar-Yuan; Chen, Chih-Cheng

2012-12-01

RFID technology, an automatic identification and data capture technology to provide identification, tracing, security and so on, was widely applied to healthcare industry in these years. Employing HEPA ventilation system in hospital is a way to ensure healthful indoor air quality to protect patients and healthcare workers against hospital-acquired infections. However, the system consumes lots of electricity which cost a lot. This study aims to apply the RFID technology to offer a unique medical staff and patient identification, and reacting HEPA air ventilation system in order to reduce the cost, save energy and prevent the prevalence of hospital-acquired infection. The system, reacting HEPA air ventilation system, contains RFID tags (for medical staffs and patients), sensor, and reacting system which receives the information regarding the number of medical staff and the status of the surgery, and controls the air volume of the HEPA air ventilation system accordingly. A pilot program was carried out in a unit of operation rooms of a medical center with 1,500 beds located in central Taiwan from Jan to Aug 2010. The results found the air ventilation system was able to function much more efficiently with less energy consumed. Furthermore, the indoor air quality could still keep qualified and hospital-acquired infection or other occupational diseases could be prevented.

Space station ventilation study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colombo, G. V.; Allen, G. E.

1972-01-01

A ventilation system design and selection method which is applicable to any manned vehicle were developed. The method was used to generate design options for the NASA 33-foot diameter space station, all of which meet the ventilation system design requirements. System characteristics such as weight, volume, and power were normalized to dollar costs for each option. Total system costs for the various options ranged from a worst case $8 million to a group of four which were all approximately $2 million. A system design was then chosen from the $2 million group and is presented in detail. A ventilation system layout was designed for the MSFC space station mockup which provided comfortable, efficient ventilation of the mockup. A conditioned air distribution system design for the 14-foot diameter modular space station, using the same techniques, is also presented. The tradeoff study resulted in the selection of a system which costs $1.9 million, as compared to the alternate configuration which would have cost $2.6 million.

Mild hypothermia attenuates changes in respiratory system mechanics and modifies cytokine concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid during low lung volume ventilation.

PubMed

Dostál, P; Senkeřík, M; Pařízková, R; Bareš, D; Zivný, P; Zivná, H; Cerný, V

2010-01-01

Hypothermia was shown to attenuate ventilator-induced lung injury due to large tidal volumes. It is unclear if the protective effect of hypothermia is maintained under less injurious mechanical ventilation in animals without previous lung injury. Tracheostomized rats were randomly allocated to non-ventilated group (group C) or ventilated groups of normothermia (group N) and mild hypothermia (group H). After two hours of mechanical ventilation with inspiratory fraction of oxygen 1.0, respiratory rate 60 min(-1), tidal volume 10 ml x kg(-1), positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) 2 cm H2O or immediately after tracheostomy in non-ventilated animals inspiratory pressures were recorded, rats were sacrificed, pressure-volume (PV) curve of respiratory system constructed, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and aortic blood samples obtained. Group N animals exhibited a higher rise in peak inspiratory pressures in comparison to group H animals. Shift of the PV curve to right, higher total protein and interleukin-6 levels in BAL fluid were observed in normothermia animals in comparison with hypothermia animals and non-ventilated controls. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha was lower in the hypothermia group in comparison with normothermia and non-ventilated groups. Mild hypothermia attenuated changes in respiratory system mechanics and modified cytokine concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid during low lung volume ventilation in animals without previous lung injury.

Demand controlled ventilating systems: Sensor market survey. Energy conservation in buildings and community systems programme, annex 18, December 1991

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raatschen, W.; Sjoegren, M.

The subject of indoor and outdoor air quality has generated a great deal of attention in many countries. Areas of concern include outgassing of building materials as well as occupant-generated pollutants such as carbon dioxide, moisture, and odors. Progress has also been made towards addressing issues relating to the air tightness of the building envelope. Indoor air quality studies indicate that better control of supply flow rates as well as the air distribution pattern within buildings are necessary. One method of maintaining good indoor air quality without extensive energy consumption is to control the ventilation rate according to the needs and demands of the occupants, or to preserve the building envelope. This is accomplished through the use of demand controlled ventilating (DCV) systems. The specific objective of Annex 18 is to develop guidelines for demand controlled ventilating systems based on state of the art analyses, case studies on ventilation effectiveness, and proposed ventilation rates for different users in domestic, office, and school buildings.

Trust and Independence Aware Decision Fusion in Distributed Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

evidence in order to derive a unified belief where conflicting evidence exists. However, neither DST nor TBM deals with misbehaving data sources and...about the target. The problem is compounded by the misbehaving nodes who supply false data in the network. This work aims at enhancing the accuracy of...derive a unified belief where conflicting evidence exists. However, neither DST nor TBM deals with misbehaving data sources and dependence of fusion

Measuring Down: Evaluating Digital Storytelling as a Process for Narrative Health Promotion.

PubMed

Gubrium, Aline C; Fiddian-Green, Alice; Lowe, Sarah; DiFulvio, Gloria; Del Toro-Mejías, Lizbeth

2016-05-15

Digital storytelling (DST) engages participants in a group-based process to create and share narrative accounts of life events. We present key evaluation findings of a 2-year, mixed-methods study that focused on effects of participating in the DST process on young Puerto Rican Latina's self-esteem, social support, empowerment, and sexual attitudes and behaviors. Quantitative results did not show significant changes in the expected outcomes. However, in our qualitative findings we identified several ways in which the DST made positive, health-bearing effects. We argue for the importance of "measuring down" to reflect the locally grounded, felt experiences of participants who engage in the process, as current quantitative scales do not "measure up" to accurately capture these effects. We end by suggesting the need to develop mixed-methods, culturally relevant, and sensitive evaluation tools that prioritize process effects as they inform intervention and health promotion. © The Author(s) 2016.

Fuzzyics =CATEGORYICS =PRAGMATYICS (``Son of ``TRIZ''')/CATEGORY-SEMANTICS Cognition (fcp/csc) of Plato-Aristotle ``SQUARE-of-OPPOSITION''(SoO): Linguistics: Antonyms VS ``SYNONYMS'' VS Analogy/ Metaphor: Coarsest-Possible Topology: Shocks/High-Pressures Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siegel, Edward Plato Aristotle Archimedes Carl-Ludwig; Young, Frederic; Lewis, Thomas

2013-06-01

Siegel[MRS Fall-Mtgs,:Symp.Fractals(89)-5-papers!!!;Symp.Scaling(90)] FCP/CSC {aka SPD}(Tic-Tac-Toe-Matrix/Tabular List-Format) ``COMMON-FUNCTIONING-PRINCIPLE'' DI/TRI-CHOTOMY GENERIC ``INEVITABILITY_-WEB'' PURPOSEFUL PARSIMONY-of-DI/TRI-CHOTOMY STRATEGY REdiscovery of SoO automatically/optimality is in NON-list-format/matrix: DIMENSIONALITY-DOMINATION -INEVIT-ABILITY ROOT-CAUSE(RC) ULTIMATE-ORIGIN(UO): (level-0.-logic) DIMENSIONALITY (level-0. logic): [dst = ODD-Z] <->{Dst=FRACTAL-UNcertainty FLUCTUATIONS} <->(dst = EVEN-Z): CAUSES: (level- I.-logic): EXTENT/SCALE/RADIUS: (relative)-[LOCALITY] <-> (relative)-(...GLOBALITY...) & (level-II.-logic): POWER-SPECTRUM{noise ≅generalized-susceptibility}: [``l''/ω0-White] <->(...-``l''/ω 1 . 000 . . . - HYPERBOLICITY...) & (level-III.-logic) CRITICAL-EXPONENT:n =0 <->n = 1.000... ; BUT ALL 3 ALSO CAUSED BY ANOTHER INdependent RCUO (level-IV.-logic):

Where size does matter: foldable telescope design for microsat application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segert, Tom; Danziger, Björn; Lieder, Matthias

2017-11-01

The DOBSON SPACE TELESCOPE Project (DST) at the Technical University of Berlin (TUB) believes that micro satellites can be a challenging competitor in the high resolution remote sensing market. Using a micro satellite as basis for a remote sensing platform will dramatically reduce the cost for the end users thereby initiating the predicted remote sensing boom. The Challenging task is that an optic required for a GSD smaller than 1m is much bigger than the given room for secondary payload. In order to break the volume limits of hitchhiker payloads the DST team develops an optical telescope with deployable structures. The core piece of DST is a 20 inch modified Cassegrain optic. Stored during ascend the instrument fits in a box measuring 60 x 60 x 30cm (including telescope and optical plane assembly). After the satellite was released into free space the telescope unfolds and collimates automatically.

What time does the recovery phase of geomagnetic storms start: A superposed epoch analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, A.; Zhang, Y.; Ou, J.; Luo, H.

2015-12-01

It is well known that the recovery phase of the geomagnetic storms start during Dst reaches a minimum. This present paper is a discussion of recovery phase onset of a superposed epoch analysis of 247 storm events (-450 < Dst < -50 nT). The data of the solar wind parameters, the geomagnetic index AE and Dst are by means of 1 hour OMNI database. The energy budget for the driver and decay terms introduced by Burton et al. (1975) are checked. As might be expected, the recovery phase of geomagnetic storms starts when the decay term is greater than the driver term. The balance of the decay and driver terms is also dependent on the solar wind energy input during the initial phase. In general, at the onset of the recovery phase, EK-L decreases to 70% of a maximum of EK-L.

Solar generated quasi-biennial geomagnetic variation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sugiura, M.; Poros, D. J.

1977-01-01

The existence of highly correlated quasi-biennial variations in the geomagnetic field and in solar activity is demonstrated. The analysis uses a numerical filter technique applied to monthly averages of the geomagnetic horizontal component and of the Zurich relative sunspot number. Striking correlations are found between the quasi-biennial geomagnetic variations determined from several magnetic observatories located at widely different longitudes, indicating a worldwide nature of the obtained variation. The correlation coefficient between the filtered Dst index and the filtered relative sunspot number is found to be -0.79 at confidence level greater than 99% with a time-lag of 4 months, with solar activity preceding the Dst variation. The correlation between the unfiltered data of Dst and of the sunspot number is also high with a similar time-lag. Such a timelag has not been discussed in the literature, and a further study is required to establish the mode of sun-earth relationship that gives this time delay.

Incident Waste Decision Support Tool - Waste Materials ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report This is the technical documentation to the waste materials estimator module of I-WASTE. This document outlines the methodology and data used to develop the Waste Materials Estimator (WME) contained in the Incident Waste Decision Support Tool (I-WASTE DST). Specifically, this document reflects version 6.4 of the I-WASTE DST. The WME is one of four primary features of the I-WASTE DST. The WME is both a standalone calculator that generates waste estimates in terms of broad waste categories, and is also integrated into the Incident Planning and Response section of the tool where default inventories of specific waste items are provided in addition to the estimates for the broader waste categories. The WME can generate waste estimates for both common materials found in open spaces (soil, vegetation, concrete, and asphalt) and for a vast array of items and materials found in common structures.

An efficient motion-resistant method for wearable pulse oximeter.

PubMed

Yan, Yong-Sheng; Zhang, Yuan-Ting

2008-05-01

Reduction of motion artifact and power saving are crucial in designing a wearable pulse oximeter for long-term telemedicine application. In this paper, a novel algorithm, minimum correlation discrete saturation transform (MCDST) has been developed for the estimation of arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), based on an optical model derived from photon diffusion analysis. The simulation shows that the new algorithm MCDST is more robust under low SNRs than the clinically verified motion-resistant algorithm discrete saturation transform (DST). Further, the experiment with different severity of motions demonstrates that MCDST has a slightly better performance than DST algorithm. Moreover, MCDST is more computationally efficient than DST because the former uses linear algebra instead of the time-consuming adaptive filter used by latter, which indicates that MCDST can reduce the required power consumption and circuit complexity of the implementation. This is vital for wearable devices, where the physical size and long battery life are crucial.

The DST group ionospheric sounder replacement for JORN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, T. J.; Quinn, A. D.; Pederick, L. H.

2016-06-01

The Jindalee Over-the-horizon Radar Network (JORN) is an integral part of Australia's national defense capability. JORN uses a real-time ionospheric model as part of its operations. The primary source of data for this model is a set of 13 vertical-incidence sounders (VIS) scattered around the Australian coast and inland locations. These sounders are a mix of Lowell digisonde portable sounder (DPS)-1 and DPS-4. Both of these sounders, the DPS-1 in particular, are near the end of their maintainable life. A replacement for these aging sounders was required as part of the ongoing sustainment program for JORN. Over the last few years the High-Frequency Radar Branch (HFRB) of the Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group, Australian Department of Defence, has been developing its own sounders based on its successful radar hardware technology. The DST Group VIS solution known as PRIME (Portable Remote Ionospheric Monitoring Equipment) is a 100% duty cycle, continuous wave system that receives the returned ionospheric signal while it is still transmitting and operates the receiver in the near field of the transmitter. Of considerable importance to a successful VIS is the autoscaling software, which takes the ionogram data and produces an ionogram trace (group delay as a function of frequency), and from that produces a set of ionospheric parameters that represent the (bottomside) overhead electron density profile. HFRB has developed its own robust autoscaling software. The performance of DST Group's PRIME under a multitude of challenging ionospheric conditions has been studied. In December 2014, PRIME was trialed at a JORN VIS site collocated with the existing Lowell Digisonde DPS-1. This side-by-side testing determined that PRIME was fit for purpose. A summary of the results of this comparison and example PRIME output will be discussed. Note that this paper compares PRIME with the 25 year old Lowell Digisonde DPS-1, which is planned to be replaced. Our future plans include PRIME comparisons with the much newer Digisonde DPS-4D located at Learmonth in Western Australia.

Equation Discovery for Model Identification in Respiratory Mechanics of the Mechanically Ventilated Human Lung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganzert, Steven; Guttmann, Josef; Steinmann, Daniel; Kramer, Stefan

Lung protective ventilation strategies reduce the risk of ventilator associated lung injury. To develop such strategies, knowledge about mechanical properties of the mechanically ventilated human lung is essential. This study was designed to develop an equation discovery system to identify mathematical models of the respiratory system in time-series data obtained from mechanically ventilated patients. Two techniques were combined: (i) the usage of declarative bias to reduce search space complexity and inherently providing the processing of background knowledge. (ii) A newly developed heuristic for traversing the hypothesis space with a greedy, randomized strategy analogical to the GSAT algorithm. In 96.8% of all runs the applied equation discovery system was capable to detect the well-established equation of motion model of the respiratory system in the provided data. We see the potential of this semi-automatic approach to detect more complex mathematical descriptions of the respiratory system from respiratory data.

46 CFR 194.20-5 - Ventilation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH VESSELS HANDLING, USE, AND... Ventilation. (a) Chemical storerooms shall be equipped with a power ventilation system of exhaust type. The... based upon the volume of the compartment. (1) Power ventilation units shall have nonsparking impellers...

Protective garment ventilation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lang, R. (Inventor)

1970-01-01

A method and apparatus for ventilating a protective garment, space suit system, and/or pressure suits to maintain a comfortable and nontoxic atmosphere within is described. The direction of flow of a ventilating and purging gas in portions of the garment may be reversed in order to compensate for changes in environment and activity of the wearer. The entire flow of the ventilating gas can also be directed first to the helmet associated with the garment.

Carbon Dioxide Detection and Indoor Air Quality Control.

PubMed

Bonino, Steve

2016-04-01

When building ventilation is reduced, energy is saved because it is not necessary to heat or cool as much outside air. Reduced ventilation can result in higher levels of carbon dioxide, which may cause building occupants to experience symptoms. Heating or cooling for ventilation air can be enhanced by a DCV system, which can save energy while providing a comfortable environment. Carbon dioxide concentrations within a building are often used to indicate whether adequate fresh air is being supplied to the building. These DCV systems use carbon dioxide sensors in each space or in the return air and adjust the ventilation based on carbon dioxide concentration; the higher the concentration, the more people occupy the space relative to the ventilation rate. With a carbon dioxide sensor DCV system, the fresh air ventilation rate varies based on the number ofpeople in the space, saving energy while maintaining a safe and comfortable environment.

A new system for continuous and remote monitoring of patients receiving home mechanical ventilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battista, L.

2016-09-01

Home mechanical ventilation is the treatment of patients with respiratory failure or insufficiency by means of a mechanical ventilator at a patient's home. In order to allow remote patient monitoring, several tele-monitoring systems have been introduced in the last few years. However, most of them usually do not allow real-time services, as they have their own proprietary communication protocol implemented and some ventilation parameters are not always measured. Moreover, they monitor only some breaths during the whole day, despite the fact that a patient's respiratory state may change continuously during the day. In order to reduce the above drawbacks, this work reports the development of a novel remote monitoring system for long-term, home-based ventilation therapy; the proposed system allows for continuous monitoring of the main physical quantities involved during home-care ventilation (e.g., differential pressure, volume, and air flow rate) and is developed in order to allow observations of different remote therapy units located in different places of a city, region, or country. The developed remote patient monitoring system is able to detect various clinical events (e.g., events of tube disconnection and sleep apnea events) and has been successfully tested by means of experimental tests carried out with pulmonary ventilators typically used to support sick patients.

A new system for continuous and remote monitoring of patients receiving home mechanical ventilation.

PubMed

Battista, L

2016-09-01

Home mechanical ventilation is the treatment of patients with respiratory failure or insufficiency by means of a mechanical ventilator at a patient's home. In order to allow remote patient monitoring, several tele-monitoring systems have been introduced in the last few years. However, most of them usually do not allow real-time services, as they have their own proprietary communication protocol implemented and some ventilation parameters are not always measured. Moreover, they monitor only some breaths during the whole day, despite the fact that a patient's respiratory state may change continuously during the day. In order to reduce the above drawbacks, this work reports the development of a novel remote monitoring system for long-term, home-based ventilation therapy; the proposed system allows for continuous monitoring of the main physical quantities involved during home-care ventilation (e.g., differential pressure, volume, and air flow rate) and is developed in order to allow observations of different remote therapy units located in different places of a city, region, or country. The developed remote patient monitoring system is able to detect various clinical events (e.g., events of tube disconnection and sleep apnea events) and has been successfully tested by means of experimental tests carried out with pulmonary ventilators typically used to support sick patients.

The Development of Subordinate Clauses in German and Swedish as L2s: A Theoretical and Methodological Camparison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baten, Kristof; Håkansson, Gisela

2015-01-01

In this article, we aim to contribute to the debate about the use of subordination as a measure of language proficiency. We compare two theories of SLA--specifically, processability theory (PT; Pienemann, 1998) and dynamic systems theory (DST; de Bot, Lowie, & Verspoor, 2007)--and, more particularly, how they address the development of…

Shear-induced rigidity in athermal materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Bulbul; Sarkar, Sumantra

2014-03-01

In this talk, we present a minimal model of rigidity and plastic failure in solids whose rigidity emerges directly as a result of applied stresses. Examples include shear-jamming (SJ) in dry grains and discontinuous shear thickening (DST) of dense non-Brownian suspensions. Both SJ and DST states are examples of non-equilibrium, self-assembled structures that have evolved to support the load that created them. These are strongly-interacting systems where the interactions arise primarily from the strict constraints of force and torque balance at the local and global scales. Our model is based on a reciprocal-space picture that strictly enforces the local and global constraints, and is, therefore, best suited to capturing the strong correlations in these non-equilibrium systems. The reciprocal space is a tiling whose edges represent contact forces, and whose faces represent grains. A separation of scale between force fluctuations and displacements of grains is used to represent the positional disorder as quenched randomness on variables in the reciprocal space. Comparing theoretical results to experiments, we will argue that the packing fraction controls the strength of the quenched disorder. Sumantra Sarkar et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 068301 (2013)

Comfort parameters - Ventilation of a subway wagon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petr, Pavlíček; Ladislav, Tříska

2017-09-01

Research and development of a ventilation system is being carried out as a part of project TA04030774 of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic. Name of the project is "Research and Development of Mass-optimized Components for Rail Vehicles". Problems being solved are development and testing of a new concept for ventilation systems for public transport vehicles. The main improvements should be a reduction of the mass of the whole system, easy installation and reduction of the noise of the ventilation system. This article is focused on the comfort parameters in a subway wagon (measurement and evaluation carried out on a function sample in accordance with the regulations). The input to the project is a ventilator hybrid casing for a subway wagon, which was manufactured and tested during the Ministry of Industry and Trade project TIP FR-TI3/449.

Verification and Validation of NASA-Supported Enhancements to the Near Real Time Harmful Algal Blooms Observing System (HABSOS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spruce, Joseph P.; Hall, Calllie; McPherson, Terry; Spiering, Bruce; Brown, Richard; Estep, Lee; Lunde, Bruce; Guest, DeNeice; Navard, Andy; Pagnutti, Mary;

UFMulti: A new parallel processing software system for HEP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avery, Paul; White, Andrew

1989-12-01

UFMulti is a multiprocessing software package designed for general purpose high energy physics applications, including physics and detector simulation, data reduction and DST physics analysis. The system is particularly well suited for installations where several workstation or computers are connected through a local area network (LAN). The initial configuration of the software is currently running on VAX/VMS machines with a planned extension to ULTRIX, using the new RISC CPUs from Digital, in the near future.

40 CFR 98.323 - Calculating GHG emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... systems (metric tons CH4). CH4V = Quarterly CH4 liberated from each ventilation monitoring point (metric... vent holes are collected, you must calculate the quarterly CH4 liberated from the ventilation system... CH4 liberated from a ventilation monitoring point (metric tons CH4). V = Volumetric flow rate for the...

24 CFR 3280.710 - Venting, ventilation and combustion air.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Venting, ventilation and combustion... Fuel Burning Systems § 3280.710 Venting, ventilation and combustion air. (a) The venting as required by... appliance listing and the appliance manufacturer's instructions. (b) Venting and combustion air systems...

24 CFR 3280.710 - Venting, ventilation and combustion air.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Venting, ventilation and combustion... Fuel Burning Systems § 3280.710 Venting, ventilation and combustion air. (a) The venting as required by... appliance listing and the appliance manufacturer's instructions. (b) Venting and combustion air systems...

24 CFR 3280.710 - Venting, ventilation and combustion air.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Venting, ventilation and combustion... Fuel Burning Systems § 3280.710 Venting, ventilation and combustion air. (a) The venting as required by... appliance listing and the appliance manufacturer's instructions. (b) Venting and combustion air systems...

24 CFR 3280.710 - Venting, ventilation and combustion air.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Venting, ventilation and combustion... Fuel Burning Systems § 3280.710 Venting, ventilation and combustion air. (a) The venting as required by... appliance listing and the appliance manufacturer's instructions. (b) Venting and combustion air systems...

24 CFR 3280.710 - Venting, ventilation and combustion air.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Venting, ventilation and combustion... Fuel Burning Systems § 3280.710 Venting, ventilation and combustion air. (a) The venting as required by... appliance listing and the appliance manufacturer's instructions. (b) Venting and combustion air systems...

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and Treg Support are Critical for CTLA4Ig-Mediated Long-term Solid Organ Allograft Survival

PubMed Central

Sucher, Robert; Fischler, Klaus; Oberhuber, Rupert; Kronberger, Irmgard; Margreiter, Christian; Ollinger, Robert; Schneeberger, Stefan; Fuchs, Dietmar; Werner, Ernst R.; Watschinger, Katrin; Zelger, Bettina; Tellides, George; Pilat, Nina; Pratschke, Johann; Margreiter, Raimund; Wekerle, Thomas; Brandacher, Gerald

2011-01-01

Co-stimulatory blockade of CD28-B7 interaction with CTLA4Ig is a well-established strategy to induce transplantation tolerance. Although previous in vitro studies suggest that CTLA4Ig up-regulates expression of the immunoregulatory enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in dendritic cells, the relationship of CTLA4Ig and IDO in in vivo organ transplantation remains unclear. Here we studied if concerted immunomodulation in vivo by CTLA4Ig depends on IDO. C57BL/6 recipients receiving a fully MHC-mismatched BALB/c heart graft treated with CTLA4Ig + donor specific transfusion (DST) showed indefinite graft survival [>100 days] without signs of chronic rejection or donor specific antibody formation. Recipients with long-term surviving grafts had significantly higher systemic IDO activity as compared to rejectors, which markedly correlated with intragraft IDO and Foxp3 levels. IDO inhibition with 1-methyl-DL-tryptophan, either at transplant or at POD 50, abrogated CTLA4Ig+DST-induced long-term graft survival. Importantly, IDO1 knock-out recipients experienced acute rejection and graft survival comparable to controls. In addition, αCD25 mAb-mediated depletion of Tregs resulted in decreased IDO activity and again prevented CTLA4Ig+DST induced indefinite graft survival. Our results suggest that CTLA4Ig-induced tolerance to murine cardiac allografts is critically dependent on synergistic cross-linked interplay of IDO and Tregs. These results have important implications for the clinical development of this co-stimulatory blocker. PMID:22131334

The postsunset vertical plasma drift during geomagnetic storms and its effects on the generation of equatorial spread F

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, C.

2017-12-01

We will present two distinct phenomena related to the postsunset vertical plasma drift and equatorial spread F (ESF) observed by the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System satellite over six years. The first phenomenon is the behavior of the prereversal enhancement (PRE) of the vertical plasma drift during geomagnetic storms. Statistically, storm-time disturbance dynamo electric fields cause the PRE to decrease from 30 to 0 m/s when Dst changes from -60 to -100 nT, but the PRE does not show obvious variations when Dst varies from 0 to -60 nT. The observations show that the storm activities affect the evening equatorial ionosphere only for Dst < -60 nT and that the dynamo electric field becomes dominant during the storm recovery phase. The second phenomenon is the relationship between the PRE and the generation of ESF. It is found that the occurrence of large-amplitude ESF irregularities is well correlated with the PRE and that the occurrence of small-amplitude ESF irregularities does not show a clear pattern at low solar activity but is anti-correlated with large-amplitude irregularities and the PRE at moderate solar activity. That is, the months and longitudes with high occurrence probability of large-amplitude irregularities are exactly those with low occurrence probability of small-amplitude irregularities, and vice versa. The generation of large-amplitude ESF irregularities is controlled by the PRE, and the generation of small-amplitude ESF irregularities may be caused by gravity waves and other disturbances, rather than by the PRE.

Robust Transient Dynamics and Brain Functions

PubMed Central

Rabinovich, Mikhail I.; Varona, Pablo

2011-01-01

In the last few decades several concepts of dynamical systems theory (DST) have guided psychologists, cognitive scientists, and neuroscientists to rethink about sensory motor behavior and embodied cognition. A critical step in the progress of DST application to the brain (supported by modern methods of brain imaging and multi-electrode recording techniques) has been the transfer of its initial success in motor behavior to mental function, i.e., perception, emotion, and cognition. Open questions from research in genetics, ecology, brain sciences, etc., have changed DST itself and lead to the discovery of a new dynamical phenomenon, i.e., reproducible and robust transients that are at the same time sensitive to informational signals. The goal of this review is to describe a new mathematical framework – heteroclinic sequential dynamics – to understand self-organized activity in the brain that can explain certain aspects of robust itinerant behavior. Specifically, we discuss a hierarchy of coarse-grain models of mental dynamics in the form of kinetic equations of modes. These modes compete for resources at three levels: (i) within the same modality, (ii) among different modalities from the same family (like perception), and (iii) among modalities from different families (like emotion and cognition). The analysis of the conditions for robustness, i.e., the structural stability of transient (sequential) dynamics, give us the possibility to explain phenomena like the finite capacity of our sequential working memory – a vital cognitive function –, and to find specific dynamical signatures – different kinds of instabilities – of several brain functions and mental diseases. PMID:21716642

The Mechanical Metallurgy of Armour Steels

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

Group -TR-3305 UNCLASSIFIED 7 Figure 5: Linear relationship between quasi -static tensile yield stress and ballistic limit...te d Ba lli st ic L im it (m /s ) Experimental Ballistic Limit (m/s) UNCLASSIFIED DST- Group -TR-3305 UNCLASSIFIED 9 flow stress with strain...1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 Tr ue S tr es s (M Pa ) True Strain Quasi -static Dynamic RHA HHA UHHA UNCLASSIFIED DST- Group

Daylight savings time and myocardial infarction

PubMed Central

Sandhu, Amneet; Seth, Milan; Gurm, Hitinder S

2014-01-01

Background Prior research has shown a transient increase in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after daylight savings time (DST) in the spring as well as a decrease in AMI after returning to standard time in the fall. These findings have not been verified in a broader population and if extant, may have significant public health and policy implications. Methods We assessed changes in admissions for AMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium (BMC2) database for the weeks following the four spring and three fall DST changes between March 2010 and September 2013. A negative binomial regression model was used to adjust for trend and seasonal variation. Results There was no difference in the total weekly number of PCIs performed for AMI for either the fall or spring time changes in the time period analysed. After adjustment for trend and seasonal effects, the Monday following spring time changes was associated with a 24% increase in daily AMI counts (p=0.011), and the Tuesday following fall changes was conversely associated with a 21% reduction (p=0.044). No other weekdays in the weeks following DST changes demonstrated significant associations. Conclusions In the week following the seasonal time change, DST impacts the timing of presentations for AMI but does not influence the overall incidence of this disease. PMID:25332784

The thin-layer agar method for direct phenotypic detection of multi- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis.

PubMed

Ardizzoni, E; Mulders, W; Kotrikadze, T; Aspindzelashvili, R; Goginashvili, L; Pangtey, H; Varaine, F; Bastard, M; Rigouts, L; de Jong, B C

2015-12-01

Molecular techniques rapidly detect resistance to rifampicin (RMP) and isoniazid (INH), but do not eliminate the need for culture-based drug susceptibility testing (DST) against other drugs. The thin-layer agar (TLA) test, a non-commercial direct DST method, has demonstrated good performance for INH and RMP; however, evidence is still limited, and its applicability for DST of ofloxacin (OFX) and kanamycin (KM) is unknown. We compared 279 TLA DST results with those of MGIT for INH and RMP, and 280 results for OFX and KM with those of the 7H11 agar proportion method, obtained from 320 smear-positive samples from 165 Georgian TB patients. Discrepancies were solved by comparison with a composite reference standard. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) was 30 of 164 patients (18.3%), 2 (6.7%) of whom had extensively drug-resistant TB. TLA showed 94.7%, 98.2%, 100% and 78.9% sensitivity, respectively, for INH, RMP, OFX and KM, with 100% specificity. Average time to results was 7 days in TLA, 23 in MGIT and 49 for 7H11 agar. In low-resource settings, TLA can be applied for the rapid detection of resistance to INH, RMP and fluoroquinolones. Further studies are necessary to improve sensitivity to KM and further assess its performance for OFX and other drugs and its applicability in field conditions.

Evaluation of Mechanical Ventilator Use with Liquid Oxygen Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-22

patients using long-term liquid oxygen differ from those on traditional treatment with oxygen concentrators and/or compressed gas cylinders? A...AFRL-SA-WP-SR-2017-0006 Evaluation of Mechanical Ventilator Use with Liquid Oxygen Systems Thomas Blakeman, MSc, RRT; Dario...To) August 2014 – September 2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Evaluation of Mechanical Ventilator Use with Liquid Oxygen Systems 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER

Energy Use Consequences of Ventilating a Net-Zero Energy House

PubMed Central

Ng, Lisa C.; Payne, W. Vance

2016-01-01

A Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility (NZERTF) has been constructed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland to demonstrate that a home similar in size, aesthetics, and amenities to those in the surrounding communities can achieve net-zero energy use over the course of a year while meeting the average electricity and water use needs of a family of four in the United States. The facility incorporates renewable energy and energy efficient technologies, including an air-to-air heat pump system, a solar photovoltaic system, a solar thermal domestic hot water system, and a heat recovery ventilation system sized to meet American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 62.2-2010 ventilation requirements. The largest energy end use within the home was space conditioning, which included heat loss through the building envelope, ventilation air supplied by the heat recovery ventilator (HRV), and internal loads. While HRVs are often described as being able to save energy when compared to ventilating without heat recovery, there have been no studies using a full year of measured data that determine the thermal load and energy impacts of HRV-based ventilation on the central heating and cooling system. Over the course of a year, continuous operation of the HRV at the NZERTF resulted in an annual savings of 7 % in heat pump energy use compared with the hypothetical case of ventilating without heat recovery. The heat pump electrical use varied from an increase of 5 % in the cooling months to 36 % savings in the heating months compared with ventilation without heat recovery. The increase in the cooling months occurred when the outdoor temperature was lower than the indoor temperature, during which the availability of an economizer mode would have been beneficial. Nevertheless, the fan energy required to operate the selected HRV at the NZERTF paid for itself in the heat pump energy saved compared with ventilation without heat recovery. PMID:26903776

Energy Use Consequences of Ventilating a Net-Zero Energy House.

PubMed

Ng, Lisa C; Payne, W Vance

2016-03-05

A Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility (NZERTF) has been constructed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland to demonstrate that a home similar in size, aesthetics, and amenities to those in the surrounding communities can achieve net-zero energy use over the course of a year while meeting the average electricity and water use needs of a family of four in the United States. The facility incorporates renewable energy and energy efficient technologies, including an air-to-air heat pump system, a solar photovoltaic system, a solar thermal domestic hot water system, and a heat recovery ventilation system sized to meet American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 62.2-2010 ventilation requirements. The largest energy end use within the home was space conditioning, which included heat loss through the building envelope, ventilation air supplied by the heat recovery ventilator (HRV), and internal loads. While HRVs are often described as being able to save energy when compared to ventilating without heat recovery, there have been no studies using a full year of measured data that determine the thermal load and energy impacts of HRV-based ventilation on the central heating and cooling system. Over the course of a year, continuous operation of the HRV at the NZERTF resulted in an annual savings of 7 % in heat pump energy use compared with the hypothetical case of ventilating without heat recovery. The heat pump electrical use varied from an increase of 5 % in the cooling months to 36 % savings in the heating months compared with ventilation without heat recovery. The increase in the cooling months occurred when the outdoor temperature was lower than the indoor temperature, during which the availability of an economizer mode would have been beneficial. Nevertheless, the fan energy required to operate the selected HRV at the NZERTF paid for itself in the heat pump energy saved compared with ventilation without heat recovery.

46 CFR 127.260 - Ventilation for accommodations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Ventilation for accommodations. 127.260 Section 127.260... ARRANGEMENTS Particular Construction and Arrangements § 127.260 Ventilation for accommodations. (a) Each... vessel of 100 or more gross tons must be provided with a mechanical ventilation system unless the...

A perfluorochemical loss/restoration (L/R) system for tidal liquid ventilation.

PubMed

Libros, R; Philips, C M; Wolfson, M R; Shaffer, T H

2000-01-01

Tidal liquid ventilation is the transport of dissolved respiratory gases via volume exchange of perfluorochemical (PFC) liquid to and from the PFC-filled lung. All gas-liquid surface tension is eliminated, increasing compliance and providing lung protection due to lower inflation pressures. Tidal liquid ventilation is achieved by cycling fluid from a reservoir to and from the lung by a ventilator. Current approaches are microprocessor-based with feedback control. During inspiration, warmed oxygenated PFC liquid is pumped from a fluid reservoir/gas exchanger into the lung. PFC fluid is conserved by condensing (60-80% efficiency) vapor in the expired gas. A feedback-control system was developed to automatically replace PFC lost due to condenser inefficiency. This loss/restoration (L/R) system consists of a PFC-vapor thermal detector (+/- 2.5%), pneumatics, amplifiers, a gas flow detector (+/- 1%), a PFC pump (+/- 5%), and a controller. Gravimetric studies of perflubron loss from a flask due to evaporation were compared with experimental L/R results and found to be within +/- 1.4%. In addition, when L/R studies were conducted with a previously reported liquid ventilation system over a four-hour period, the L/R system maintained system perflubron volume to within +/- 1% of prime volume and 11.5% of replacement volume, and the difference between experimental PFC loss and that of the L/R system was 1.8 mL/hr. These studies suggest that the PFC L/R system may have significant economic (appropriate dosing for PFC loss) as well as physiologic (maintenance of PFC inventory in the lungs and liquid ventilator) impact on liquid ventilation procedures.

Variation of Magnetic Field (By , Bz) Polarity and Statistical Analysis of Solar Wind Parameters during the Magnetic Storm Period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moon, Ga-Hee

2011-06-01

It is generally believed that the occurrence of a magnetic storm depends upon the solar wind conditions, particularly the southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) component. To understand the relationship between solar wind parameters and magnetic storms, variations in magnetic field polarity and solar wind parameters during magnetic storms are examined. A total of 156 storms during the period of 1997~2003 are used. According to the interplanetary driver, magnetic storms are divided into three types, which are coronal mass ejection (CME)-driven storms, co-rotating interaction region (CIR)-driven storms, and complicated type storms. Complicated types were not included in this study. For this purpose, the manner in which the direction change of IMF By and Bz components (in geocentric solar magnetospheric coordinate system coordinate) during the main phase is related with the development of the storm is examined. The time-integrated solar wind parameters are compared with the time-integrated disturbance storm time (Dst) index during the main phase of each magnetic storm. The time lag with the storm size is also investigated. Some results are worth noting: CME-driven storms, under steady conditions of Bz < 0, represent more than half of the storms in number. That is, it is found that the average number of storms for negative sign of IMF Bz (T1~T4) is high, at 56.4%, 53.0%, and 63.7% in each storm category, respectively. However, for the CIR-driven storms, the percentage of moderate storms is only 29.2%, while the number of intense storms is more than half (60.0%) under the Bz < 0 condition. It is found that the correlation is highest between the time-integrated IMF Bz and the time-integrated Dst index for the CME-driven storms. On the other hand, for the CIR-driven storms, a high correlation is found, with the correlation coefficient being 0.93, between time-integrated Dst index and time-integrated solar wind speed, while a low correlation, 0.51, is found between timeintegrated Bz and time-integrated Dst index. The relationship between storm size and time lag in terms of hours from Bz minimum to Dst minimum values is investigated. For the CME-driven storms, time lag of 26% of moderate storms is one hour, whereas time lag of 33% of moderate storms is two hours for the CIR-driven storms. The average values of solar wind parameters for the CME and CIR-driven storms are also examined. The average values of |Dstmin| and |Bzmin| for the CME-driven storms are higher than those of CIR-driven storms, while the average value of temperature is lower.

Statistical modeling of Earth's plasmasphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veibell, Victoir

The behavior of plasma near Earth's geosynchronous orbit is of vital importance to both satellite operators and magnetosphere modelers because it also has a significant influence on energy transport, ion composition, and induced currents. The system is highly complex in both time and space, making the forecasting of extreme space weather events difficult. This dissertation examines the behavior and statistical properties of plasma mass density near geosynchronous orbit by using both linear and nonlinear models, as well as epoch analyses, in an attempt to better understand the physical processes that precipitates and drives its variations. It is shown that while equatorial mass density does vary significantly on an hourly timescale when a drop in the disturbance time scale index ( Dst) was observed, it does not vary significantly between the day of a Dst event onset and the day immediately following. It is also shown that increases in equatorial mass density were not, on average, preceded or followed by any significant change in the examined solar wind or geomagnetic variables, including Dst, despite prior results that considered a few selected events and found a notable influence. It is verified that equatorial mass density and and solar activity via the F10.7 index have a strong correlation, which is stronger over longer timescales such as 27 days than it is over an hourly timescale. It is then shown that this connection seems to affect the behavior of equatorial mass density most during periods of strong solar activity leading to large mass density reactions to Dst drops for high values of F10.7. It is also shown that equatorial mass density behaves differently before and after events based on the value of F10.7 at the onset of an equatorial mass density event or a Dst event, and that a southward interplanetary magnetic field at onset leads to slowed mass density growth after event onset. These behavioral differences provide insight into how solar and geomagnetic conditions impact mass density at geosynchronous orbit, enabling operators to better anticipate the response to space weather events and magnetosphere models to include mass density effects in magnetosphere simulations. It is shown that it is possible to classify an equatorial mass density event onset as being distinct from the three hours preceding it, indicating that there are distinguishing characteristics of solar wind and geomagnetic conditions surrounding an event. It is also been shown that given four days of solar and geomagnetic conditions, an event can be forecasted a day in advance with reasonable accuracy, but also with a number of false positives. These false positives have similarly distributed values as the true positives, though, indicating more data are needed to distinguish impending events.

Temperature of gas delivered from ventilators.

PubMed

Chikata, Yusuke; Onodera, Mutsuo; Imanaka, Hideaki; Nishimura, Masaji

2013-01-01

Although heated humidifiers (HHs) are the most efficient humidifying device for mechanical ventilation, some HHs do not provide sufficient humidification when the inlet temperature to the water chamber is high. Because portable and home-care ventilators use turbines, blowers, pistons, or compressors to inhale in ambient air, they may have higher gas temperature than ventilators with piping systems. We carried out a bench study to investigate the temperature of gas delivered from portable and home-care ventilators, including the effects of distance from ventilator outlet, fraction of inspiratory oxygen (FIO2), and minute volume (MV). We evaluated five ventilators equipped with turbine, blower, piston, or compressor system. Ambient air temperature was adjusted to 24°C ± 0.5°C, and ventilation was set at FIO2 0.21, 0.6, and 1.0, at MV 5 and 10 L/min. We analyzed gas temperature at 0, 40, 80, and 120 cm from ventilator outlet and altered ventilator settings. While temperature varied according to ventilators, the outlet gas temperature of ventilators became stable after, at the most, 5 h. Gas temperature was 34.3°C ± 3.9°C at the ventilator outlet, 29.5°C ± 2.2°C after 40 cm, 25.4°C ± 1.2°C after 80 cm and 25.1°C ± 1.2°C after 120 cm (P < 0.01). FIO2 and MV did not affect gas temperature. Gas delivered from portable and home-care ventilator was not too hot to induce heated humidifier malfunctioning. Gas soon declined when passing through the limb.

Supply Ventilation and Prevention of Carbon Monoxide (II) Ingress into Building Premises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litvinova, N. A.

2017-11-01

The article contains the relationships of carbon monoxide (II) concentration versus height-above-ground near buildings derived based on results of studies. The results of studies are crucial in preventing external pollutants ingress into a ventilation system. Being generated by external emission sources, such as motor vehicles and city heating plants, carbon monoxide (II) enters the premises during operation of a supply ventilation system. Fresh air nomographic charts were drawn to select the height of a fresh air intake into the ventilation system. Nomographic charts take into account external sources. The selected emission sources are located at various levels above ground relative to the building. The recommendations allow designing supply ventilation taking into account the quality of ambient air through the whole building height.

Mechanical ventilation in disaster situations: a new paradigm using the AGILITIES Score System.

PubMed

Wilkens, Eric P; Klein, Gary M

2010-01-01

The failure of life-critical systems such as mechanical ventilators in the wake of a pandemic or a disaster may result in death, and therefore, state and federal government agencies must have precautions in place to ensure availability, reliability, and predictability through comprehensive preparedness and response plans. All 50 state emergency preparedness response plans were extensively examined for the attention given to the critically injured and ill patient population during a pandemic or mass casualty event. Public health authorities of each state were contacted as well. Nine of 51 state plans (17.6 percent) included a plan or committee for mechanical ventilation triage and management in a pandemic influenza event. All 51 state plans relied on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Flu Surge 2.0 spreadsheet to provide estimates for their influenza planning. In the absence of more specific guidance, the authors have developed and provided guidelines recommended for ventilator triage and the implementation of the AGILITIES Score in the event of a pandemic, mass casualty event, or other catastrophic disaster. The authors present and describe the AGILITIES Score Ventilator Triage System and provide related guidelines to be adopted uniformly by government agencies and hospitals. This scoring system and the set ofguidelines are to be used iA disaster settings, such as Hurricane Katrina, and are based on three key factors: relative health, duration of time on mechanical ventilation, and patients' use of resources during a disaster. For any event requiring large numbers of ventilators for patients, the United States is woefully unprepared. The deficiencies in this aspect of preparedness include (1) lack of accountability for physical ventilators, (2) lack of understanding with which healthcare professionals can safely operate these ventilators, (3) lack of understanding from where additional ventilator resources exist, and (4) a triage strategy to provide ventilator support to those patients with the greatest chances of survival.

Change in the Content of Immunoproteasomes and Macrophages in Rat Liver At the Induction of Donor-Specific Tolerance.

PubMed

Karpova, Ya D; Ustichenko, V D; Alabedal'karim, N M; Stepanova, A A; Lyupina, Yu V; Boguslavski, K I; Bozhok, G A; Sharova, N P

2017-01-01

Induction of donor specific tolerance (DST) by the introduction of donor cells into a recipient's portal vein is one of the approaches used to solve the problem of transplant engraftment. However, the mechanism of DST development remains unclear to this moment. In the present work, we first studied the change in the content of immunoproteasomes and macrophages of the liver at early stages of the development of allospecific portal tolerance in rats by Western blotting and flow cytofluorimetry. On the basis of the data obtained, we can conclude that the induction of DST is an active process characterized by two phases during which the level of the proteasome immune subunits LMP2 and LMP7 in liver mononuclear cells, including Kupffer cells, and the number of Kupffer cells change. The first phase lasts up to 5 days after the beginning of DST induction; the second phase - from 5 to 14 days. In both phases, the level of the subunits LMP2 and LMP7 in the total pool of mononuclear cells and Kupffer cells increases, with maximum values on days 1 and 7. In addition, the total number of Kupffer cells increases in both phases with a shift in several days. The most noticeable changes take place in the second phase. The third day is characterized by a lower content of mononuclear cells expressing immunoproteasomes compared to the control value in native animals. Presumably, at this time point a "window of opportunity" appears for subsequent filling of an empty niche with cells of different subpopulations and, depending on this fact, the development of tolerance or rejection. The results obtained raise the new tasks of finding ways to influence the cellular composition in the liver and the expression of immunoproteasomes on the third day after the beginning of DST induction to block the development of rejection.

Decay of the Dst field of geomagnetic disturbance after substorm onset and its implication to storm-substorm relation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iyemori, T.; Rao, D. R. K.

1996-06-01

In order to investigate the causal relationship between magnetic storms and substorms, variations of the mid-latitude geomagnetic indices, ASY (asymmetric part) and SYM (symmetric part), at substorm onsets are examined. Substorm onsets are defined by three different phenomena; (1) a rapid increase in the mid-latitude asymmetric-disturbance indices, ASY-D and ASY-H, with a shape of so-called `mid-latitude positive bay\\'; (2) a sharp decrease in the AL index; (3) an onset of Pi2 geomagnetic pulsation. The positive bays are selected using eye inspection and a pattern-matching technique. The 1-min-resolution SYM-H index, which is essentially the same as the hourly Dst index except in terms of the time resolution, does not show any statistically significant development after the onset of substorms; it tends to decay after the onset rather than to develop. It is suggested by a simple model calculation that the decay of the magnetospheric tail current after substorm onset is responsible for the decay of the Dst field. The relation between the IMF southward turning and the development of the Dst field is re-examined. The results support the idea that the geomagnetic storms and substorms are independent processes; that is, the ring-current development is not the result of the frequent occurrence of substorms, but that of enhanced convection caused by the large southward IMF. A substorm is the process of energy dissipation in the magnetosphere, and its contribution to the storm-time ring-current formation seems to be negligible. The decay of the Dst field after a substorm onset is explained by a magnetospheric energy theorem. Acknowledgements. This study is supported in part by the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture in Japan, under a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Category B). Topical Editor D. Alcaydé thanks M. Lockwood and N. J. Fox for their help in evaluating this paper.-> Correspondence to: Y. Kamide->

POSTSURGICAL RECURRENT CUSHING DISEASE: CLINICAL BENEFIT OF EARLY INTERVENTION IN PATIENTS WITH NORMAL URINARY FREE CORTISOL.

PubMed

Carroll, Ty B; Javorsky, Bradley R; Findling, James W

2016-10-01

To assess the performance of biochemical markers in the detection of recurrent Cushing disease (CD), as well as the potential benefit of early intervention in recurrent CD patients with elevated late-night salivary cortisol (LNSC) and normal urinary free cortisol (UFC). The design was a single-center, retrospective chart review. Patients treated by the authors from 2008-2013 were included. Recurrence was defined by postsurgical remission of CD with subsequent abnormal LNSC, UFC, or dexamethasone suppression test (DST). We identified 15 patients with postsurgical recurrent CD after initial remission; all but one underwent testing with LNSC, DST, and UFC. Although 12 of 15 patients had normal UFC at time of recurrence, DST was abnormal in 11 of 15, and all 14 patients with LNSC results had ≥1 elevated measurement. Nine patients (7 with normal UFC) showed radiologic evidence of a pituitary tumor at time of recurrence. Among the 14 patients with available follow-up data, 12 have demonstrated significant improvement since receiving treatment. Five patients underwent repeat pituitary surgery and 4 achieved clinical and biochemical remission. Eight patients received mifepristone or cabergoline, and 6 showed clinical and/or biochemical improvement. Three patients (2 with prior mifepristone) underwent bilateral adrenalectomy and 2 demonstrated significant clinical improvements. LNSC is more sensitive than UFC or DST for detection of CD recurrence. Prompt intervention when LNSC is elevated, despite normal UFC, may yield significant clinical benefit for many patients with CD. Early treatment for patients with recurrent CD should be prospectively evaluated, utilizing LNSC elevation as an early biochemical marker. ACTH = adrenocorticotropic hormone CD = Cushing disease CS = Cushing syndrome CV = coefficient of variation DST = dexamethasone suppression test IPSS = inferior petrosal sinus sampling LNSC = late-night salivary cortisol QoL = quality of life TSS = transsphenoidal adenoma resection UFC = urinary free cortisol.

Occult Cushing's syndrome in type-2 diabetes.

PubMed

Catargi, Bogdan; Rigalleau, Vincent; Poussin, Agathe; Ronci-Chaix, Nathalie; Bex, Veronique; Vergnot, Vincent; Gin, Henri; Roger, Patrick; Tabarin, Antoine

2003-12-01

Subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SCS) caused by adrenal incidentalomas is frequently associated with overweight and insulin resistance. Metabolic syndrome X may therefore be a clue to the presence of CS. However, the incidence of CS in this situation remains unknown. We have conducted a prospective study to evaluate the prevalence of occult CS in overweight, type-2 diabetic patients devoided of specific clinical symptoms of CS. Two hundred overweight, type-2 diabetic patients, consecutively referred for poor metabolic control (HbA(1C) > 8%), were studied as inpatients. A first screening step was performed with the 1-mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test (DST) using a revised criterion for cortisol suppression (60 nmol/liter) to maximize the sensitivity of the procedure. A second confirmatory step of biochemical investigations (midnight plasma cortisol concentration, plasma cortisol circadian rhythm, morning plasma ACTH concentration, 24-h urinary free cortisol, and 4-mg i.v. DST) was performed in patients with impaired 1-mg DST. A third step of imaging studies was performed according to the results of second-step investigations. Fifty-two patients had impaired 1-mg DST. Among these, 47 were further evaluated. Thirty were considered as false positives of the 1-mg DST, whereas 17 displayed at least one additional biological abnormality of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Definitive occult CS was identified in four patients (2% of the whole series) with Cushing's disease (n = 3) and surgically proven adrenal adenoma (n = 1). Definitive diagnosis remains to be established in seven additional patients (3.5%) with mild occult CS associated with unsuppressed plasma ACTH concentrations and a unilateral adrenal tumor of 10-29 mm in size showing prevalent uptake at radiocholesterol scintigraphy. In conclusion, a relatively high prevalence of occult CS was found in our study. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of the cure of occult CS on obesity and diabetes mellitus in these patients. Such studies might provide a rationale for systematic screening of occult CS in this population.

Tunnel Ventilation Control Using Reinforcement Learning Methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Baeksuk; Kim, Dongnam; Hong, Daehie; Park, Jooyoung; Chung, Jin Taek; Kim, Tae-Hyung

The main purpose of tunnel ventilation system is to maintain CO pollutant concentration and VI (visibility index) under an adequate level to provide drivers with comfortable and safe driving environment. Moreover, it is necessary to minimize power consumption used to operate ventilation system. To achieve the objectives, the control algorithm used in this research is reinforcement learning (RL) method. RL is a goal-directed learning of a mapping from situations to actions without relying on exemplary supervision or complete models of the environment. The goal of RL is to maximize a reward which is an evaluative feedback from the environment. In the process of constructing the reward of the tunnel ventilation system, two objectives listed above are included, that is, maintaining an adequate level of pollutants and minimizing power consumption. RL algorithm based on actor-critic architecture and gradient-following algorithm is adopted to the tunnel ventilation system. The simulations results performed with real data collected from existing tunnel ventilation system and real experimental verification are provided in this paper. It is confirmed that with the suggested controller, the pollutant level inside the tunnel was well maintained under allowable limit and the performance of energy consumption was improved compared to conventional control scheme.

Buildings operations and ETS exposure.

PubMed Central

Spengler, J D

1999-01-01

Mechanical systems are used in buildings to provide conditioned air, dissipate thermal loads, dilute contaminants, and maintain pressure differences. The characteristics of these systems and their operations h implications for the exposures of workers to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and for the control of these exposures. This review describes the general features of building ventilation systems and the efficacy of ventilation for controlling contaminant concentrations. Ventilation can reduce the concentration of ETS through dilution, but central heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) can also move air throughout a building that has been contaminated by ETS. An understanding of HVAC systems is needed to develop models for exposures of workers to ETS. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 PMID:10375293

Bacterial burden in the operating room: impact of airflow systems.

PubMed

Hirsch, Tobias; Hubert, Helmine; Fischer, Sebastian; Lahmer, Armin; Lehnhardt, Marcus; Steinau, Hans-Ulrich; Steinstraesser, Lars; Seipp, Hans-Martin

2012-09-01

Wound infections present one of the most prevalent and frequent complications associated with surgical procedures. This study analyzes the impact of currently used ventilation systems in the operating room to reduce bacterial contamination during surgical procedures. Four ventilation systems (window-based ventilation, supported air nozzle canopy, low-turbulence displacement airflow, and low-turbulence displacement airflow with flow stabilizer) were analyzed. Two hundred seventy-seven surgical procedures in 6 operating rooms of 5 different hospitals were analyzed for this study. Window-based ventilation showed the highest intraoperative contamination (13.3 colony-forming units [CFU]/h) followed by supported air nozzle canopy (6.4 CFU/h; P = .001 vs window-based ventilation) and low-turbulence displacement airflow (3.4 and 0.8 CFU/h; P < .001 vs window-based ventilation and supported air nozzle canopy). The highest protection was provided by the low-turbulence displacement airflow with flow stabilizer (0.7 CFU/h), which showed a highly significant difference compared with the best supported air nozzle canopy theatre (3.9 CFU/h; P < .001). Furthermore, this system showed no increase of contamination in prolonged durations of surgical procedures. This study shows that intraoperative contamination can be significantly reduced by the use of adequate ventilation systems. Copyright © 2012 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 194.15-5 - Ventilation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

....15-5 Ventilation. (a) Operations, reactions or experiments which produce toxic, noxious or corrosive...) Ventilation of air conditioning systems serving the chemical laboratory shall be designed so that air cannot...

FiO2 delivered by a turbine portable ventilator with an oxygen concentrator in an Austere environment.

PubMed

Bordes, Julien; Erwan d'Aranda; Savoie, Pierre-Henry; Montcriol, Ambroise; Goutorbe, Philippe; Kaiser, Eric

2014-09-01

Management of critically ill patients in austere environments is a logistic challenge. Availability of oxygen cylinders for the mechanically ventilated patient may be difficult in such a context. A solution is to use a ventilator able to function with an oxygen concentrator. We tested the SeQual Integra™ (SeQual, San Diego, CA) 10-OM oxygen concentrator paired with the Pulmonetic System(®) LTV 1000 ventilator (Pulmonetic Systems, Minneapolis, MN) and evaluated the delivered fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) across a range of minute volumes and combinations of ventilator settings. Two LTV 1000 ventilators were tested. The ventilators were attached to a test lung and FiO2 was measured by a gas analyzer. Continuous-flow oxygen was generated by the OC from 0.5 L/min to 10 L/min and injected into the oxygen inlet port of the LTV 1000. Several combinations of ventilator settings were evaluated to determine the factors affecting the delivered FiO2. The LTV 1000 ventilator is a turbine ventilator that is able to deliver high FiO2 when functioning with an oxygen concentrator. However, modifications of the ventilator settings such as increase in minute ventilation affect delivered FiO2 even if oxygen flow is constant on the oxygen concentrator. The ability of an oxygen concentrator to deliver high FiO2 when used with a turbine ventilator makes this method of oxygen delivery a viable alternative to cylinders in austere environments when used with a turbine ventilator. However, FiO2 has to be monitored continuously because delivered FiO2 decreases when minute ventilation is increased. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Particulate matter in animal rooms housing mice in microisolation caging.

PubMed

Langham, Gregory L; Hoyt, Robert F; Johnson, Thomas E

2006-11-01

Reactions to allergens created by laboratory animals are among the most frequently encountered occupational illnesses associated with research animals. Personnel are exposed to these allergens through airborne particulate matter. Although the use of microisolation caging systems can reduce particulate matter concentrations in rooms housing mice, the operating parameters of ventilated caging systems vary extensively. We compared room air in mouse rooms containing 5 different types of caging: 1) individually ventilated caging under positive pressure with filtered intake air and exhaust air returned to the room (VCR+), 2) individually ventilated caging under negative pressure with exhaust air returned to the room (VCR-), 3) individually ventilated caging under positive pressure with exhaust air returned to the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, 4) individually ventilated caging under negative pressure with exhaust air returned to the HVAC system, and 5) static microisolation cages. We found that rooms under VCR conditions had fewer large particles than did those under other conditions, but the numbers of 0.3 microm particles did not differ significantly among systems. Static, positive or negative pressure applied to caging units as well as route of air exhaust were found to have little influence on the total number of particles in the atmosphere. Therefore, considering the heat load, odor, and overall particulate concentration in the room, placing individually ventilated caging under negative pressure with exhaust air returned to the HVAC system appears to be the optimal overall choice when using microisolation housing for rodents.

Particle transport in low-energy ventilation systems. Part 1: theory of steady states.

PubMed

Bolster, D T; Linden, P F

2009-04-01

Many modern low-energy ventilation schemes, such as displacement or natural ventilation, take advantage of temperature stratification in a space, extracting the warmest air from the top of the room. The adoption of these energy-efficient ventilation systems still requires the provision of acceptable indoor air quality. In this work we study the steady state transport of particulate contaminants in a displacement-ventilated space. Representing heat sources as ideal sources of buoyancy, analytical models are developed that allow us to compare the average efficiency of contaminant removal between traditional and modern low-energy systems. We found that on average traditional and low-energy systems are similar in overall pollutant removal efficiency, although quite different vertical distributions of contaminant can exist, thus affecting individual exposure. While the main focus of this work is on particles where the dominant mode of deposition is by gravitational settling, we also discuss additional deposition mechanisms and show that the qualitative observations we make carry over to cases where such mechanisms must be included. We illustrate that while average concentration of particles for traditional mixing systems and low energy displacement systems are similar, local concentrations can vary significantly with displacement systems. Depending on the source of the particles this can be better or worse in terms of occupant exposure and engineers should take due diligence accordingly when designing ventilation systems.

Characterization of natural ventilation in wastewater collection systems.

PubMed

Ward, Matthew; Corsi, Richard; Morton, Robert; Knapp, Tom; Apgar, Dirk; Quigley, Chris; Easter, Chris; Witherspoon, Jay; Pramanik, Amit; Parker, Wayne

2011-03-01

The purpose of the study was to characterize natural ventilation in full-scale gravity collection system components while measuring other parameters related to ventilation. Experiments were completed at four different locations in the wastewater collection systems of Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, Los Angeles, California, and the King County Wastewater Treatment District, Seattle, Washington. The subject components were concrete gravity pipes ranging in diameter from 0.8 to 2.4 m (33 to 96 in.). Air velocity was measured in each pipe using a carbon-monoxide pulse tracer method. Air velocity was measured entering or exiting the components at vents using a standpipe and hotwire anemometer arrangement. Ambient wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity; headspace temperature and relative humidity; and wastewater flow and temperature were measured. The field experiments resulted in a large database of measured ventilation and related parameters characterizing ventilation in full-scale gravity sewers. Measured ventilation rates ranged from 23 to 840 L/s. The experimental data was used to evaluate existing ventilation models. Three models that were based upon empirical extrapolation, computational fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics, respectively, were evaluated based on predictive accuracy compared to the measured data. Strengths and weaknesses in each model were found and these observations were used to propose a concept for an improved ventilation model.

Are we fully utilizing the functionalities of modern operating room ventilators?

PubMed

Liu, Shujie; Kacmarek, Robert M; Oto, Jun

2017-12-01

The modern operating room ventilators have become very sophisticated and many of their features are comparable with those of an ICU ventilator. To fully utilize the functionality of modern operating room ventilators, it is important for clinicians to understand in depth the working principle of these ventilators and their functionalities. Piston ventilators have the advantages of delivering accurate tidal volume and certain flow compensation functions. Turbine ventilators have great ability of flow compensation. Ventilation modes are mainly volume-based or pressure-based. Pressure-based ventilation modes provide better leak compensation than volume-based. The integration of advanced flow generation systems and ventilation modes of the modern operating room ventilators enables clinicians to provide both invasive and noninvasive ventilation in perioperative settings. Ventilator waveforms can be used for intraoperative neuromonitoring during cervical spine surgery. The increase in number of new features of modern operating room ventilators clearly creates the opportunity for clinicians to optimize ventilatory care. However, improving the quality of ventilator care relies on a complete understanding and correct use of these new features. VIDEO ABSTRACT: http://links.lww.com/COAN/A47.

EVALUATION OF FROST HEAVE ON WASTE TRANSFER LINES WITH SHALLOW DEPTHS IN DST (DOUBLE SHELL TANK) FARMS

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

HAQ MA

2009-05-12

The purpose of this document is to evaluate the effect of frost heave on waste transfer lines with shallow depths in DST farms. Because of the insulation, well compacted sandy material around waste transfer lines, the type of sandy and gravel soil, and relatively low precipitation at Hanford site, it is concluded that waste transfer lines with one foot of soil covers (sandy cushion material and insulation) are not expected to undergo frost heave damaging effects.

An AI Approach to Ground Station Autonomy for Deep Space Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, Forest; Estlin, Tara; Mutz, Darren; Paal, Leslie; Law, Emily; Stockett, Mike; Golshan, Nasser; Chien, Steve

1998-01-01

This paper describes an architecture for an autonomous deep space tracking station (DS-T). The architecture targets fully automated routine operations encompassing scheduling and resource allocation, antenna and receiver predict generation. track procedure generation from service requests, and closed loop control and error recovery for the station subsystems. This architecture has been validated by the construction of a prototype DS-T station, which has performed a series of demonstrations of autonomous ground station control for downlink services with NASA's Mars Global Surveyor (MGS).

Houses need to breathe--right?

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

Sherman, Max H.

2004-10-01

Houses need to breathe, but we can no longer leave the important functions associated with ventilation to be met accidentally. A designed ventilation system must be considered as much a part of a home as its heating system. Windows are a key part of that system because they allow a quick increase in ventilation for unusual events, but neither they nor a leaky building shell can be counted on to provide minimum levels.

Ventilating Air-Conditioner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dinh, Khanh

1994-01-01

Air-conditioner provides ventilation designed to be used alone or incorporated into cooling or heating system operates efficiently only by recirculating stale air within building. Energy needed to operate overall ventilating cooling or heating system slightly greater than operating nonventilating cooling or heating system. Helps to preserve energy efficiency while satisfying need for increased forced ventilation to prevent accumulation of undesired gases like radon and formaldehyde. Provides fresh treated air to variety of confined spaces: hospital surgeries, laboratories, clean rooms, and printing shops and other places where solvents used. In mobile homes and portable classrooms, eliminates irritant chemicals exuded by carpets, panels, and other materials, ensuring healthy indoor environment for occupants.

Assessing Respiratory System Mechanical Function.

PubMed

Restrepo, Ruben D; Serrato, Diana M; Adasme, Rodrigo

2016-12-01

The main goals of assessing respiratory system mechanical function are to evaluate the lung function through a variety of methods and to detect early signs of abnormalities that could affect the patient's outcomes. In ventilated patients, it has become increasingly important to recognize whether respiratory function has improved or deteriorated, whether the ventilator settings match the patient's demand, and whether the selection of ventilator parameters follows a lung-protective strategy. Ventilator graphics, esophageal pressure, intra-abdominal pressure, and electric impedance tomography are some of the best-known monitoring tools to obtain measurements and adequately evaluate the respiratory system mechanical function. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

78 FR 51749 - Proposed Information Collection; Ventilation Plan and Main Fan Maintenance Record (Pertains to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-21

... maintaining a safe and healthful working environment. A well planned mine ventilation system is necessary to assure a fresh air supply to miners at all working places, to control the amounts of harmful airborne... usually present harsh and hostile working environments. The ventilation system is the most vital life...

Clinical challenges in mechanical ventilation.

PubMed

Goligher, Ewan C; Ferguson, Niall D; Brochard, Laurent J

2016-04-30

Mechanical ventilation supports gas exchange and alleviates the work of breathing when the respiratory muscles are overwhelmed by an acute pulmonary or systemic insult. Although mechanical ventilation is not generally considered a treatment for acute respiratory failure per se, ventilator management warrants close attention because inappropriate ventilation can result in injury to the lungs or respiratory muscles and worsen morbidity and mortality. Key clinical challenges include averting intubation in patients with respiratory failure with non-invasive techniques for respiratory support; delivering lung-protective ventilation to prevent ventilator-induced lung injury; maintaining adequate gas exchange in severely hypoxaemic patients; avoiding the development of ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction; and diagnosing and treating the many pathophysiological mechanisms that impair liberation from mechanical ventilation. Personalisation of mechanical ventilation based on individual physiological characteristics and responses to therapy can further improve outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 58.01-45 - Machinery space, ventilation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Machinery space, ventilation. 58.01-45 Section 58.01-45... MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS General Requirements § 58.01-45 Machinery space, ventilation. Each machinery space must be ventilated to ensure that, when machinery or boilers are operating at full power in all...

46 CFR 58.01-45 - Machinery space, ventilation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Machinery space, ventilation. 58.01-45 Section 58.01-45... MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS General Requirements § 58.01-45 Machinery space, ventilation. Each machinery space must be ventilated to ensure that, when machinery or boilers are operating at full power in all...

46 CFR 58.01-45 - Machinery space, ventilation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Machinery space, ventilation. 58.01-45 Section 58.01-45... MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS General Requirements § 58.01-45 Machinery space, ventilation. Each machinery space must be ventilated to ensure that, when machinery or boilers are operating at full power in all...

46 CFR 58.01-45 - Machinery space, ventilation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Machinery space, ventilation. 58.01-45 Section 58.01-45... MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS General Requirements § 58.01-45 Machinery space, ventilation. Each machinery space must be ventilated to ensure that, when machinery or boilers are operating at full power in all...

46 CFR 58.01-45 - Machinery space, ventilation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Machinery space, ventilation. 58.01-45 Section 58.01-45... MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS General Requirements § 58.01-45 Machinery space, ventilation. Each machinery space must be ventilated to ensure that, when machinery or boilers are operating at full power in all...

46 CFR 177.600 - Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces... enclosed and partially enclosed spaces. (a) An enclosed or partially enclosed space within a vessel must be adequately ventilated in a manner suitable for the purpose of the space. (b) A power ventilation system must...

46 CFR 116.600 - Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces... spaces. (a) An enclosed or partially enclosed space within a vessel must be adequately ventilated in a manner suitable for the purpose of the space. (b) A power ventilation system must be capable of being...

46 CFR 116.600 - Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces... spaces. (a) An enclosed or partially enclosed space within a vessel must be adequately ventilated in a manner suitable for the purpose of the space. (b) A power ventilation system must be capable of being...

46 CFR 116.600 - Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces... spaces. (a) An enclosed or partially enclosed space within a vessel must be adequately ventilated in a manner suitable for the purpose of the space. (b) A power ventilation system must be capable of being...

46 CFR 177.600 - Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces... enclosed and partially enclosed spaces. (a) An enclosed or partially enclosed space within a vessel must be adequately ventilated in a manner suitable for the purpose of the space. (b) A power ventilation system must...

46 CFR 177.600 - Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces... enclosed and partially enclosed spaces. (a) An enclosed or partially enclosed space within a vessel must be adequately ventilated in a manner suitable for the purpose of the space. (b) A power ventilation system must...

46 CFR 116.600 - Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces... spaces. (a) An enclosed or partially enclosed space within a vessel must be adequately ventilated in a manner suitable for the purpose of the space. (b) A power ventilation system must be capable of being...

46 CFR 116.600 - Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces... spaces. (a) An enclosed or partially enclosed space within a vessel must be adequately ventilated in a manner suitable for the purpose of the space. (b) A power ventilation system must be capable of being...

46 CFR 177.600 - Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces... enclosed and partially enclosed spaces. (a) An enclosed or partially enclosed space within a vessel must be adequately ventilated in a manner suitable for the purpose of the space. (b) A power ventilation system must...

46 CFR 177.600 - Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Ventilation of enclosed and partially enclosed spaces... enclosed and partially enclosed spaces. (a) An enclosed or partially enclosed space within a vessel must be adequately ventilated in a manner suitable for the purpose of the space. (b) A power ventilation system must...

Limiting ventilator-induced lung injury through individual electronic medical record surveillance.

PubMed

Herasevich, Vitaly; Tsapenko, Mykola; Kojicic, Marija; Ahmed, Adil; Kashyap, Rachul; Venkata, Chakradhar; Shahjehan, Khurram; Thakur, Sweta J; Pickering, Brian W; Zhang, Jiajie; Hubmayr, Rolf D; Gajic, Ognjen

2011-01-01

To improve the safety of ventilator care and decrease the risk of ventilator-induced lung injury, we designed and tested an electronic algorithm that incorporates patient characteristics and ventilator settings, allowing near-real-time notification of bedside providers about potentially injurious ventilator settings. Electronic medical records of consecutive patients who received invasive ventilation were screened in three Mayo Clinic Rochester intensive care units. The computer system alerted bedside providers via the text paging notification about potentially injurious ventilator settings. Alert criteria included a Pao2/Fio2 ratio of <300 mm Hg, free text search for the words "edema" or "bilateral + infiltrates" on the chest radiograph report, a tidal volume of >8 mL/kg predicted body weight (based on patient gender and height), a plateau pressure of >30 cm H2O, and a peak airway pressure of >35 cm H2O. Respiratory therapists answered a brief online satisfaction survey. Ventilator-induced lung injury risk was compared before and after the introduction of ventilator-induced lung injury alert. The prevalence of acute lung injury was 42% (n = 490) among 1,159 patients receiving >24 hrs of invasive ventilation. The system sent 111 alerts for 80 patients, with a positive predictive value of 59%. The exposure to potentially injurious ventilation decreased after the intervention from 40.6 ± 74.6 hrs to 26.9 ± 77.3 hrs (p = .004). Electronic medical record surveillance of mechanically ventilated patients accurately detects potentially injurious ventilator settings and is able to influence bedside practice at moderate costs. Its implementation is associated with decreased patient exposure to potentially injurious mechanical ventilation settings.

Hygiene guideline for the planning, installation, and operation of ventilation and air-conditioning systems in health-care settings - Guideline of the German Society for Hospital Hygiene (DGKH).

PubMed

Külpmann, Rüdiger; Christiansen, Bärbel; Kramer, Axel; Lüderitz, Peter; Pitten, Frank-Albert; Wille, Frank; Zastrow, Klaus-Dieter; Lemm, Friederike; Sommer, Regina; Halabi, Milo

2016-01-01

Since the publication of the first "Hospital Hygiene Guideline for the implementation and operation of air conditioning systems (HVAC systems) in hospitals" (http://www.krankenhaushygiene.de/informationen/fachinformationen/leitlinien/12) in 2002, it was necessary due to the increase in knowledge, new regulations, improved air-conditioning systems and advanced test methods to revise the guideline. Based on the description of the basic features of ventilation concepts, its hygienic test and the usage-based requirements for ventilation, the DGKH section "Ventilation and air conditioning technology" attempts to provide answers for the major air quality issues in the planning, design and the hygienically safe operation of HVAC systems in rooms of health care.

The School Advanced Ventilation Engineering Software (SAVES)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The School Advanced Ventilation Engineering Software (SAVES) package is a tool to help school designers assess the potential financial payback and indoor humidity control benefits of Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) systems for school applications.

Respostas religiosas à aids no Brasil: impressões de pesquisa acerca da Pastoral de DST/Aids da Igreja Católica1

PubMed Central

Seffner, Fernando; Silva, Cristiane Gonçalves Meireles da; Maksud, Ívia; Garcia, Jonathan; Rios, Luís Felipe; Natividade, Marcelo; Borges, Priscila Rodrigues; Parker, Richard; Terto, Veriano

2009-01-01

O texto encontra-se estruturado em quatro partes. Na primeira delas, apresentamos um conjunto de considerações e informações acerca da situação da aids no Brasil, das relações entre religião, sexualidade, aids e estado laico, bem como uma descrição mais clara do Projeto Respostas Religiosas ao HIV/Aids no Brasil, do qual este texto apresenta algumas impressões de pesquisa preliminares. A seguir, dedicamos um item a apresentação da Pastoral de DST/Aids, sua história, estrutura e objetivos. No item seguinte problematizamos diversas questões em particular no âmbito das relações Estado e Igreja, relações entre agentes de pastoral e hierarquia da Igreja, e questões ligadas mais diretamente à sexualidade e aids, todas referenciadas ao trabalho da Pastoral de DST/Aids. Ao final, apresentamos a bibliografia e fontes consultadas. PMID:20442806

Roughness-dependent tribology effects on discontinuous shear thickening

PubMed Central

Hsu, Chiao-Peng; Ramakrishna, Shivaprakash N.; Zanini, Michele; Spencer, Nicholas D.

2018-01-01

Surface roughness affects many properties of colloids, from depletion and capillary interactions to their dispersibility and use as emulsion stabilizers. It also impacts particle–particle frictional contacts, which have recently emerged as being responsible for the discontinuous shear thickening (DST) of dense suspensions. Tribological properties of these contacts have been rarely experimentally accessed, especially for nonspherical particles. Here, we systematically tackle the effect of nanoscale surface roughness by producing a library of all-silica, raspberry-like colloids and linking their rheology to their tribology. Rougher surfaces lead to a significant anticipation of DST onset, in terms of both shear rate and solid loading. Strikingly, they also eliminate continuous thickening. DST is here due to the interlocking of asperities, which we have identified as “stick–slip” frictional contacts by measuring the sliding of the same particles via lateral force microscopy (LFM). Direct measurements of particle–particle friction therefore highlight the value of an engineering-tribology approach to tuning the thickening of suspensions. PMID:29717043

The radiation belts and ring current: the relationship between Dst and relativistic electron phase space density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grande, M.; Carter, M.; Perry, C. H.

2002-03-01

We briefly review the radiation belts, before moving on to a more detailed examination of the relationship between the Disturbance Storm Time Index (Dst) and relativistic electron flux. We show that there is a strong correlation between the growth phase of storms, as represented by Dst, and dropouts in electron flux. Recovery is accompanied by growth of the electron flux. We calculate Electron Phase Space Density (PSD) as a function of adiabatic invariants using electron particle mesurements from the Imaging Electron Sensor (IES) and the High Sensitivity Telescope (HIST) on the CEPPAD experiment onboard POLAR. We present the time history of the phase space density through the year 1998 as L-sorted plots and look in detail at the May 98 storm. Comparison with the Tsyganenko 96 magnetic field model prediction for the last closed field line suggests that the loss of electrons may be directly caused by the opening of drift shells.

Roughness-dependent tribology effects on discontinuous shear thickening.

PubMed

Hsu, Chiao-Peng; Ramakrishna, Shivaprakash N; Zanini, Michele; Spencer, Nicholas D; Isa, Lucio

2018-05-15

Surface roughness affects many properties of colloids, from depletion and capillary interactions to their dispersibility and use as emulsion stabilizers. It also impacts particle-particle frictional contacts, which have recently emerged as being responsible for the discontinuous shear thickening (DST) of dense suspensions. Tribological properties of these contacts have been rarely experimentally accessed, especially for nonspherical particles. Here, we systematically tackle the effect of nanoscale surface roughness by producing a library of all-silica, raspberry-like colloids and linking their rheology to their tribology. Rougher surfaces lead to a significant anticipation of DST onset, in terms of both shear rate and solid loading. Strikingly, they also eliminate continuous thickening. DST is here due to the interlocking of asperities, which we have identified as "stick-slip" frictional contacts by measuring the sliding of the same particles via lateral force microscopy (LFM). Direct measurements of particle-particle friction therefore highlight the value of an engineering-tribology approach to tuning the thickening of suspensions. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Digital Storytelling as a Narrative Health Promotion Process: Evaluation of a Pilot Study.

PubMed

DiFulvio, Gloria T; Gubrium, Aline C; Fiddian-Green, Alice; Lowe, Sarah E; Del Toro-Mejias, Lizbeth Marie

2016-04-01

Digital storytelling (DST) engages participants in a group-based process to create and share narrative accounts of life events. The process of individuals telling their own stories has not been well assessed as a mechanism of health behavior change. This study looks at outcomes associated with engaging in the DST process for vulnerable youth. The project focused on the experiences of Puerto Rican Latinas between the ages of 15 to 21. A total of 30 participants enrolled in a 4-day DST workshops, with 29 completing a 1 to 3-minute digital story. Self-reported data on several scales (self-esteem, social support, empowerment, and sexual attitudes and behaviors) were collected and analyzed. Participants showed an increase in positive social interactions from baseline to 3-month post workshop. Participants also demonstrated increases in optimism and control over the future immediately after the workshop, but this change was not sustained at 3 months. Analysis of qualitative results and implications are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

Effects of ventilation behaviour on indoor heat load based on test reference years.

PubMed

Rosenfelder, Madeleine; Koppe, Christina; Pfafferott, Jens; Matzarakis, Andreas

2016-02-01

Since 2003, most European countries established heat health warning systems to alert the population to heat load. Heat health warning systems are based on predicted meteorological conditions outdoors. But the majority of the European population spends a substantial amount of time indoors, and indoor thermal conditions can differ substantially from outdoor conditions. The German Meteorological Service (Deutscher Wetterdienst, DWD) extended the existing heat health warning system (HHWS) with a thermal building simulation model to consider heat load indoors. In this study, the thermal building simulation model is used to simulate a standardized building representing a modern nursing home, because elderly and sick people are most sensitive to heat stress. Different types of natural ventilation were simulated. Based on current and future test reference years, changes in the future heat load indoors were analyzed. Results show differences between the various ventilation options and the possibility to minimize the thermal heat stress during summer by using an appropriate ventilation method. Nighttime ventilation for indoor thermal comfort is most important. A fully opened window at nighttime and the 2-h ventilation in the morning and evening are more sufficient to avoid heat stress than a tilted window at nighttime and the 1-h ventilation in the morning and the evening. Especially the ventilation in the morning seems to be effective to keep the heat load indoors low. Comparing the results for the current and the future test reference years, an increase of heat stress on all ventilation types can be recognized.

Effects of ventilation behaviour on indoor heat load based on test reference years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenfelder, Madeleine; Koppe, Christina; Pfafferott, Jens; Matzarakis, Andreas

2016-02-01

Since 2003, most European countries established heat health warning systems to alert the population to heat load. Heat health warning systems are based on predicted meteorological conditions outdoors. But the majority of the European population spends a substantial amount of time indoors, and indoor thermal conditions can differ substantially from outdoor conditions. The German Meteorological Service (Deutscher Wetterdienst, DWD) extended the existing heat health warning system (HHWS) with a thermal building simulation model to consider heat load indoors. In this study, the thermal building simulation model is used to simulate a standardized building representing a modern nursing home, because elderly and sick people are most sensitive to heat stress. Different types of natural ventilation were simulated. Based on current and future test reference years, changes in the future heat load indoors were analyzed. Results show differences between the various ventilation options and the possibility to minimize the thermal heat stress during summer by using an appropriate ventilation method. Nighttime ventilation for indoor thermal comfort is most important. A fully opened window at nighttime and the 2-h ventilation in the morning and evening are more sufficient to avoid heat stress than a tilted window at nighttime and the 1-h ventilation in the morning and the evening. Especially the ventilation in the morning seems to be effective to keep the heat load indoors low. Comparing the results for the current and the future test reference years, an increase of heat stress on all ventilation types can be recognized.

Building Component Maintenance and Repair Data Base: Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

Building Component Maintenance and Repair Data Base: Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems by Edgar S. Neely Robert D. Neathammer...Repair Data Base: Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems RDTE dated 1980EIMB 1984 - 1989 6. AUTHOR(S) Edgar S. Neely, Robert D...Laboratory (USACERL). The Principal Investigators were Dr. Edgar Neely and Mr. Robert Neathammer (USACERL-FS). The primary contractor for much of the

Operating and maintaining your heat recovery ventilator (HRV) -- Revised edition. Home heating and cooling series, Number 8

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

NONE

Heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) differ from other mechanical ventilation devices by their ability to exchange heat between supply and exhaust air streams, which reduces the cost of heating or cooling fresh air. This booklet discusses the need for mechanical ventilation in conventional and energy-efficient homes, an explains the components of a HRV system, how to operate and maintain the system, and how to solve operating problems. A maintenance chart and schedule and a HRV troubleshooting guide are included.

Effect of universal MODS access on pulmonary tuberculosis treatment outcomes in new patients in Peru

PubMed Central

Alarcón, E.; Alarcón, V.; Bissell, K.; Castillo, E.; Sabogal, I.; Mora, J.; Moore, D.; Harries, A. D.

2012-01-01

Setting: Primary health care centres in Callao, Peru. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of universal access to the microscopic-observation drug susceptibility (MODS) assay on treatment outcomes in new and primary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients and on the process of drug susceptibility testing (DST). Design: Retrospective review of tuberculosis (TB) registers and clinical records before (2007) and after (2009) the introduction of MODS in 2008. Results: There were 281 patients in each cohort. Favourable treatment outcomes for 2007 (81%) and 2009 (77%) cohorts were similar. There was an increase in loss to follow-up (from 6% to 10%, P = 0.04) and a reduction in failure rates (from 4% to 0.4%, P = 0.01) in the 2009 compared with the 2007 cohort. In new MDR-TB cases (n = 22), a favourable treatment outcome was improved (from 46% to 82%, P = 0.183) in the 2009 cohort. DST coverage improved (from 24% to 74%, P < 0.001), and a significant reduction in time to diagnosis of drug-susceptible (from 118 to 33 days, P < 0.001) and MDR-TB (from 158 to 52 days, P = 0.003) was observed in the 2009 cohort. Conclusion: Universal access to MODS increased DST coverage, reduced the time required to obtain DST results and was associated with reduced failure rates. MODS can make an important contribution to TB management and control in Peru. PMID:24579063

Comparison of the characteristics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from sputum and lung lesions in chronic tuberculosis patients.

PubMed

Hong, M-S; Kim, Y; Cho, E-J; Lee, J-S; Kwak, H-K; Kim, J-H; Kim, C-T; Cho, J-S; Park, S-K; Jeon, D; Choi, Y-I; Lee, H; Eum, S-Y

2017-11-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in sputum originates from lung cavities in tuberculosis (TB) patients. But drug susceptibility testing (DST) of sputum Mtb can not be conducted the same as in the lung because mutagenesis of bacilli may be happening in the lung during treatment and result in the possibility of the presence of heterogeneous drug-resistant subpopulations in the different lung lesions. This could be one of the reasons for low cure rates for multi-drug resistant (MDR)-TB. We studied the resected lungs of nine surgery patients with chronic TB. The isolates isolated from the sputum and different lung lesions of each patient were tested for phenotypic DST and genotyped using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) typing method. Genetic analysis to resistance to first and second line drugs was also performed. Five of nine patients were MDR-TB and three XDR-TB. DST results for ten anti-TB drugs were in accordance among different lung lesions in eight patients. However, only three of these eight patients showed the concordance of DST with sputum. Even though the isolates were heteroresistant, genotyping them by RFLP showed the clonal population in each individual patient. Six of eight followed-up patients achieved successful cure. In conclusion, the heteroresistance between sputum and lung lesions and a clonal population without mixed infection might provide useful information in establishing treatment regimen and surgery decision for MDR- and XDR-TB.

Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae Isolated from Vegetables Imported from the Dominican Republic, India, Thailand, and Vietnam

PubMed Central

Zurfluh, Katrin; Nüesch-Inderbinen, Magdalena; Morach, Marina; Zihler Berner, Annina; Hächler, Herbert

2015-01-01

To examine to what extent fresh vegetables imported into Switzerland represent carriers of extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae, 169 samples of different types of fresh vegetables imported into Switzerland from the Dominican Republic, India, Thailand, and Vietnam were analyzed. Overall, 25.4% of the vegetable samples yielded one or more ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, 78.3% of which were multidrug resistant. Sixty isolates were obtained: Escherichia coli, 26; Klebsiella pneumoniae, 26; Enterobacter cloacae, 6; Enterobacter aerogenes, 1; and Cronobacter sakazakii, 1. We found 29 isolates producing CTX-M-15, 8 producing CTX-M-14, 7 producing CTX-M-55, 3 producing CTX-M-65, 1 each producing CTX-M-1, CTX-M-3, CTX-M-27, and CTX-M-63, 5 producing SHV-2, 3 producing SHV-12, and 1 producing SHV-2a. Four of the E. coli isolates belonged to epidemiologically important clones: CTX-M-15-producing B2:ST131 (1 isolate), D:ST405 (1 isolate), and D:ST38 (2 isolates). One of the D:ST38 isolates belonged to the extraintestinal enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) D:ST38 lineage. Two of the K. pneumoniae isolates belonged to the epidemic clones sequence type 15 (ST15) and ST147. The occurrence of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic and commensal Enterobacteriaceae in imported agricultural foodstuffs constitutes a source of ESBL genes and a concern for food safety. PMID:25724954

Electrosurgical Smoke: Ultrafine Particle Measurements and Work Environment Quality in Different Operating Theatres.

PubMed

Romano, Francesco; Gustén, Jan; De Antonellis, Stefano; Joppolo, Cesare M

2017-01-30

Air cleanliness in operating theatres (OTs) is an important factor for preserving the health of both the patient and the medical staff. Particle contamination in OTs depends mainly on the surgery process, ventilation principle, personnel clothing systems and working routines. In many open surgical operations, electrosurgical tools (ESTs) are used for tissue cauterization. ESTs generate a significant airborne contamination, as surgical smoke. Surgical smoke is a work environment quality problem. Ordinary surgical masks and OT ventilation systems are inadequate to control this problem. This research work is based on numerous monitoring campaigns of ultrafine particle concentrations in OTs, equipped with upward displacement ventilation or with a downward unidirectional airflow system. Measurements performed during ten real surgeries highlight that the use of ESTs generates a quite sharp and relevant increase of particle concentration in the surgical area as well within the entire OT area. The measured contamination level in the OTs are linked to surgical operation, ventilation principle, and ESTs used. A better knowledge of airborne contamination is crucial for limiting the personnel's exposure to surgical smoke. Research results highlight that downward unidirectional OTs can give better conditions for adequate ventilation and contaminant removal performances than OTs equipped with upward displacement ventilation systems.

Particle transport in low-energy ventilation systems. Part 2: Transients and experiments.

PubMed

Bolster, D T; Linden, P F

2009-04-01

Providing adequate indoor air quality while reducing energy consumption is a must for efficient ventilation system design. In this work, we study the transport of particulate contaminants in a displacement-ventilated space, using the idealized 'emptying filling box' model (P.F. Linden, G.F. Lane-serff and D.A. Smeed (1990) Emptying filling boxes: the fluid mechanics of natural ventilation, J. fluid Mech., 212, 309-335.). In this paper, we focused on transient contaminant transport by modeling three transient contamination scenarios, namely the so called 'step-up', 'step-down', and point source cases. Using analytical integral models and numerical models we studied the transient behavior of each of these three cases. We found that, on average, traditional and low-energy systems can be similar in overall pollutant removal efficiency, although quite different vertical gradients can exist. This plays an important role in estimating occupant exposure to contaminant. A series of laboratory experiments were conducted to validate the developed models. The results presented here illustrate that the source location plays a very important role in the distribution of contaminant concentration for spaces ventilated by low energy displacement-ventilation systems. With these results and the knowledge of typical contaminant sources for a given type of space practitioners can design or select more effective systems for the purpose at hand.

Procedures and Standards for Residential Ventilation System Commissioning: An Annotated Bibliography

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

Stratton, J. Chris; Wray, Craig P.

2013-04-01

Beginning with the 2008 version of Title 24, new homes in California must comply with ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.2-2007 requirements for residential ventilation. Where installed, the limited data available indicate that mechanical ventilation systems do not always perform optimally or even as many codes and forecasts predict. Commissioning such systems when they are installed or during subsequent building retrofits is a step towards eliminating deficiencies and optimizing the tradeoff between energy use and acceptable IAQ. Work funded by the California Energy Commission about a decade ago at Berkeley Lab documented procedures for residential commissioning, but did not focus on ventilation systems.more » Since then, standards and approaches for commissioning ventilation systems have been an active area of work in Europe. This report describes our efforts to collect new literature on commissioning procedures and to identify information that can be used to support the future development of residential-ventilation-specific procedures and standards. We recommend that a standardized commissioning process and a commissioning guide for practitioners be developed, along with a combined energy and IAQ benefit assessment standard and tool, and a diagnostic guide for estimating continuous pollutant emission rates of concern in residences (including a database that lists emission test data for commercially-available labeled products).« less

Effect of central ventilation and air conditioner system on the concentration and health risk from airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Lv, Jinze; Zhu, Lizhong

2013-03-01

Central ventilation and air conditioner systems are widely utilized nowadays in public places for air exchange and temperature control, which significantly influences the transfer of pollutants between indoors and outdoors. To study the effect of central ventilation and air conditioner systems on the concentration and health risk from airborne pollutants, a spatial and temporal survey was carried out using polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as agent pollutants. During the period when the central ventilation system operated without air conditioning (AC-off period), concentrations of 2-4 ring PAHs in the model supermarket were dominated by outdoor levels, due to the good linearity between indoor air and outdoor air (r(p) > 0.769, p < 0.05), and the slopes (1.2-4.54) indicated that ventilating like the model supermarket increased the potential health risks from low molecular weight PAHs. During the period when the central ventilation and air conditioner systems were working simultaneously (AC-on period), although the total levels of PAHs were increased, the concentrations and percentage of the particulate PAHs indoors declined significantly. The BaP equivalency (BaPeq) concentration indicated that utilization of air conditioning reduced the health risks from PAHs in the model supermarket.

Preoperational test report, recirculation ventilation systems

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

Clifton, F.T.

1997-11-11

This represents a preoperational test report for Recirculation Ventilation Systems, Project W-030. Project W-030 provides a ventilation upgrade for the four Aging Waste Facility tanks. The system provides vapor space cooling of tanks AY1O1, AY102, AZ1O1, AZ102 and supports the ability to exhaust air from each tank. Each system consists of a valved piping loop, a fan, condenser, and moisture separator; equipment is located inside each respective tank farm in its own hardened building. The tests verify correct system operation and correct indications displayed by the central Monitor and Control System.

Optimal ventilation of the anesthetized pediatric patient.

PubMed

Feldman, Jeffrey M

2015-01-01

Mechanical ventilation of the pediatric patient is challenging because small changes in delivered volume can be a significant fraction of the intended tidal volume. Anesthesia ventilators have traditionally been poorly suited to delivering small tidal volumes accurately, and pressure-controlled ventilation has become used commonly when caring for pediatric patients. Modern anesthesia ventilators are designed to deliver small volumes accurately to the patient's airway by compensating for the compliance of the breathing system and delivering tidal volume independent of fresh gas flow. These technology advances provide the opportunity to implement a lung-protective ventilation strategy in the operating room based upon control of tidal volume. This review will describe the capabilities of the modern anesthesia ventilator and the current understanding of lung-protective ventilation. An optimal approach to mechanical ventilation for the pediatric patient is described, emphasizing the importance of using bedside monitors to optimize the ventilation strategy for the individual patient.

A new prototype of an electronic jet-ventilator and its humidification system

PubMed Central

Kraincuk, Paul; Kepka, Anton; Ihra, Gerald; Schabernig, Christa; Aloy, Alexander

1999-01-01

Background: Adequate humidification in long-term jet ventilation is a critical aspect in terms of clinical safety. Aim: To assess a prototype of an electronic jet-ventilator and its humidification system. Methods: Forty patients with respiratory insufficiency were randomly allocated to one of four groups. The criterion for inclusion in this study was respiratory insufficiency exhibiting a Murray score above 2. The four groups of patients were ventilated with three different respirators and four different humidification systems. Patients in groups A and B received superimposed high-frequency jet ventilation (SHFJV) by an electronic jet-ventilator either with (group A) or without (group B) an additional humidification system. Patients in group C received high-frequency percussive ventilation (HFPV) by a pneumatic high-frequency respirator, using a hot water humidifier for warming and moistening the inspiration gas. Patients in group D received conventional mechanical ventilation using a standard intensive care unit respirator with a standard humidification system. SHFJV and HFPV were used for a period of 100 h (4days). Results: A significantly low inspiration gas temperature was noted in patients in group B, initially (27.2 ± 2.5°C) and after 2 days (28.0 ± 1.6°C) (P < 0.05). The percentage of relative humidity of the inspiration gas in patients in group B was also initially significantly low (69.8 ± 4.1%; P < 0.05) but rose to an average of 98 ± 2.8% after 2 h. The average percentage across all four groups amounted to 98 ± 0.4% after 2 h. Inflammation of the tracheal mucosa was found in patients in group B and the mucosal injury score (MIS) was significantly higher than in all the other groups. Patients in groups A, C and D showed no severe evidence of airway damage, exhibiting adequate values of relative humidity and temperature of the inspired gas. Conclusion: The problems of humidification associated with jet ventilation can be fully prevented by using this new jet-ventilator. These data were sustained by nondeteriorating MIS values at the end of the 4-day study period in groups A, C and D. PMID:11056732

Application of Dst Interpretation Results by Log - Log Method in the Pore Space Type Estimation for the Upper Jurassic Carbonate Reservoir Rocks of the Carpathian Foredeep Basement / Interpretacja Testów Wykonywanych Rurowymi Próbnikami Złoża - Rpz w Skałach Węglanowych Górnej Jury Podłoża Zapadliska Przedkarpackiego

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubiel, Stanisław; Zubrzycki, Adam; Rybicki, Czesław; Maruta, Michał

2012-11-01

In the south part of the Carpathian Foredeep basement, between Bochnia and Ropczyce, the Upper Jurassic (Oxfordian, Kimmeridian and Tithonian) carbonate complex plays important role as a hydrocarbon bearing formation. It consists of shallow marine carbonates deposited in environments of the outer carbonate ramp as reef limestones (dolomites), microbial - sponge or coral biostromes and marly or micrite limestones as well. The inner pore space system of these rocks was affected by different diagenetic processes as calcite cementation, dissolution, dolomitization and most probably by tectonic fracturing as well. These phenomena have modified pore space systems within limestone / dolomite series forming more or less developed reservoir zones (horizons). According to the interpretation of DST results (analysis of pressure build up curves by log - log method) for 11 intervals (marked out previously by well logging due to porosity increase readings) within the Upper Jurassic formation 3 types of pore/fracture space systems were distinguished: - type I - fracture - vuggy porosity system in which fractures connecting voids and vugs within organogenic carbonates are of great importance for medium flow; - type II - vuggy - fracture porosity system where a pore space consists of weak connected voids and intergranular/intercrystalline pores with minor influence of fractures; - type III - cavern porosity system in which a secondary porosity is developed due to dolomitization and cement/grain dissolution processes.

Enhancing Safety of Artificially Ventilated Patients Using Ambient Process Analysis.

PubMed

Lins, Christian; Gerka, Alexander; Lüpkes, Christian; Röhrig, Rainer; Hein, Andreas

2018-01-01

In this paper, we present an approach for enhancing the safety of artificially ventilated patients using ambient process analysis. We propose to use an analysis system consisting of low-cost ambient sensors such as power sensor, RGB-D sensor, passage detector, and matrix infrared temperature sensor to reduce risks for artificially ventilated patients in both home and clinical environments. We describe the system concept and our implementation and show how the system can contribute to patient safety.

Utilizing a Suited Manikin Test Apparatus and Spacesuit Ventilation Loop to Evaluate Carbon Dioxide Washout

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chullen, Cinda; Conger, Bruce; Korona, Adam; Kanne, Bryan; McMillin, Summer; Norcross, Jason; Jeng, Frank; Swickrath, Mike

2014-01-01

NASA is pursuing technology development of an Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AEMU) which is an integrated assembly made up of primarily a pressure garment system and a Portable Life Support System (PLSS). The PLSS is further composed of an oxygen subsystem, a ventilation subsystem, and a thermal subsystem. One of the key functions of the ventilation system is to remove and control the carbon dioxide delivered to the crewmember. Carbon dioxide washout is the mechanism by which CO2 levels are controlled within the spacesuit helmet to limit the concentration of CO2 inhaled by the crew member. CO2 washout performance is a critical parameter needed to ensure proper and robust designs that are insensitive to human variabilities in a spacesuit. A Suited Manikin Test Apparatus (SMTA) is being developed to augment testing of the PLSS ventilation loop in order to provide a lower cost and more controlled alternative to human testing. The CO2 removal function is performed by the regenerative Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) within the PLSS ventilation loop and its performance is evaluated within the integrated SMTA and Ventilation Loop test system. This paper will provide a detailed description of the schematics, test configurations, and hardware components of this integrated system. Results and analysis of testing performed with this integrated system will be presented within this paper.

Biological markers of melancholia and reclassification of depressive disorders.

PubMed

Greden, J F

1982-01-01

Pathophysiological markers of melancholia are being developed in four major areas: 1) neuroendocrine; 2) sleep; 3) psychomotor and 4) biochemical. Neuroendocrine markers include a failure of suppress plasma cortisol secretion in the dexamethasone suppression test (DST), diminished thyrotrophin (TSH) response to thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH stimulation test), and blunted growth hormone response to a variety of stimulating agents such as d-amphetamine, methylamphetamine, clonidine, L-dopa and insulin (growth hormone test). Of these, the DST is the best standardized. It is a highly specific laboratory marker with documented value in diagnosis, assessing prognosis and monitoring treatment progress. Sleep EEG abnormalities include reduced REM latency, increased REM density, reduction in delta sleep and impaired sleep efficiency. Sleep EEGs are pragmatically difficult, but results are quite specific. Elongated speech pause time (SPT) during "automatic speech" is a promising marker of psychomotor regulation. This simple, non-invasive measure may have special value in reducing clinical subjectivity and in monitoring treatment progress. Biochemical markers include: 1) platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity; 2) in vitro lithium RBC transport and 3) urinary MHPG levels. Standardizations of biochemical tests are still lacking. Most biological tests for melancholia operate by indirectly "marking" CNS limbic system dysfunction. For wide acceptance, a test must be safe, moderately sensitive, highly specific, practical, relatively inexpensive and not significantly altered by common anti-depressant treatments. The DST best meets these criteria at this time. Proper utilization of test results requires knowledge of baseline prevalence rates and of the concepts of sensitivity (true-positive rate), specificity (true negative rate) and positive and negative predictive values (diagnostic confidence). No single marker will meet all clinical needs. Combinations or serial use of tests will hopefully enhance their already considerable usefulness.

Variable versus conventional lung protective mechanical ventilation during open abdominal surgery: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Spieth, Peter M; Güldner, Andreas; Uhlig, Christopher; Bluth, Thomas; Kiss, Thomas; Schultz, Marcus J; Pelosi, Paolo; Koch, Thea; Gama de Abreu, Marcelo

2014-05-02

General anesthesia usually requires mechanical ventilation, which is traditionally accomplished with constant tidal volumes in volume- or pressure-controlled modes. Experimental studies suggest that the use of variable tidal volumes (variable ventilation) recruits lung tissue, improves pulmonary function and reduces systemic inflammatory response. However, it is currently not known whether patients undergoing open abdominal surgery might benefit from intraoperative variable ventilation. The PROtective VARiable ventilation trial ('PROVAR') is a single center, randomized controlled trial enrolling 50 patients who are planning for open abdominal surgery expected to last longer than 3 hours. PROVAR compares conventional (non-variable) lung protective ventilation (CV) with variable lung protective ventilation (VV) regarding pulmonary function and inflammatory response. The primary endpoint of the study is the forced vital capacity on the first postoperative day. Secondary endpoints include further lung function tests, plasma cytokine levels, spatial distribution of ventilation assessed by means of electrical impedance tomography and postoperative pulmonary complications. We hypothesize that VV improves lung function and reduces systemic inflammatory response compared to CV in patients receiving mechanical ventilation during general anesthesia for open abdominal surgery longer than 3 hours. PROVAR is the first randomized controlled trial aiming at intra- and postoperative effects of VV on lung function. This study may help to define the role of VV during general anesthesia requiring mechanical ventilation. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01683578 (registered on September 3 3012).

A GIS-based approach: Influence of the ventilation layout to the environmental conditions in an underground mine.

PubMed

Bascompta, Marc; Castañón, Ana María; Sanmiquel, Lluís; Oliva, Josep

2016-11-01

Gases such as CO, CO2 or NOx are constantly generated by the equipment in any underground mine and the ventilation layout can play an important role in keeping low concentrations in the working faces. Hence, a method able to control the workplace environment is crucial. This paper proposes a geographical information system (GIS) for such goal. The system created provides the necessary tools to manage and analyse an underground environment, connecting pollutants and temperatures with the ventilation characteristics over time. Data concerning the ventilation system, in a case study, has been taken every month since 2009 and integrated into the management system, which has quantified the gasses concentration throughout the mine due to the characteristics and evolution of the ventilation layout. Three different zones concerning CO, CO2, NOx and effective temperature have been found as well as some variations among workplaces within the same zone that suggest local airflow recirculations. The system proposed could be a useful tool to improve the workplace conditions and efficiency levels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HOW THE LEED VENTILATION CREDIT IMPACTS ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF GSHP SYSTEMS A CASE STUDY FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

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

Liu, Xiaobing

2011-01-01

This paper presents a study on the impacts of increased outdoor air (OA) ventilation on the performance of ground-source heat pump (GSHP) systems that heat and cool typical primary schools. Four locations Phoenix, Miami, Seattle, and Chicago are selected in this study to represent different climate zones in the United States. eQUEST, an integrated building and HVAC system energy analysis program, is used to simulate a typical primary school and the GSHP system at the four locations with minimum and 30% more than minimum OA ventilation. The simulation results show that, without an energy recovery ventilator, the 30% more OAmore » ventilation results in an 8.0 13.3% increase in total GSHP system energy consumption at the four locations. The peak heating and cooling loads increase by 20.2 30% and 14.9 18.4%, respectively, at the four locations. The load imbalance of the ground heat exchanger is increased in hot climates but reduced in mild and cold climates.« less

Overview of EPA tools for supporting local-, state- and regional-level decision makers addressing energy and environmental issues: NYC MARKAL Energy Systems Model and Municipal Solid Waste Decision Support Tool

EPA Science Inventory

A workshop will be conducted to demonstrate and focus on two decision support tools developed at EPA/ORD: 1. Community-scale MARKAL model: an energy-water technology evaluation tool and 2. Municipal Solid Waste Decision Support Tool (MSW DST). The Workshop will be part of Southea...

The Role of the Nurse Practitioner in Military Deployment

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-04-04

diarrheal and other infectious diseases. These disease entities were also described by Withers et al.(1994). 8. A Comparison of MEDREJE Practice...systems, and parasitic and infectious diseases (Defense Intelligence Agency, Medical Capabilities Study, Republic of Bolivia, 1988, DST-18 IOS-355-88...diarrhea, 44 vomiting, mononucleosis , colds and flu, and many small lacerations. If we could have used 2 or 3 more of anything, I think it would have

Ventilator-Related Adverse Events: A Taxonomy and Findings From 3 Incident Reporting Systems.

PubMed

Pham, Julius Cuong; Williams, Tamara L; Sparnon, Erin M; Cillie, Tam K; Scharen, Hilda F; Marella, William M

2016-05-01

In 2009, researchers from Johns Hopkins University's Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality; public agencies, including the FDA; and private partners, including the Emergency Care Research Institute and the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) Safety Intelligence Patient Safety Organization, sought to form a public-private partnership for the promotion of patient safety (P5S) to advance patient safety through voluntary partnerships. The study objective was to test the concept of the P5S to advance our understanding of safety issues related to ventilator events, to develop a common classification system for categorizing adverse events related to mechanical ventilators, and to perform a comparison of adverse events across different adverse event reporting systems. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of ventilator-related adverse events reported in 2012 from the following incident reporting systems: the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority's Patient Safety Reporting System, UHC's Safety Intelligence Patient Safety Organization database, and the FDA's Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience database. Once each organization had its dataset of ventilator-related adverse events, reviewers read the narrative descriptions of each event and classified it according to the developed common taxonomy. A Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, FDA, and UHC search provided 252, 274, and 700 relevant reports, respectively. The 3 event types most commonly reported to the UHC and the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority's Patient Safety Reporting System databases were airway/breathing circuit issue, human factor issues, and ventilator malfunction events. The top 3 event types reported to the FDA were ventilator malfunction, power source issue, and alarm failure. Overall, we found that (1) through the development of a common taxonomy, adverse events from 3 reporting systems can be evaluated, (2) the types of events reported in each database were related to the purpose of the database and the source of the reports, resulting in significant differences in reported event categories across the 3 systems, and (3) a public-private collaboration for investigating ventilator-related adverse events under the P5S model is feasible. Copyright © 2016 by Daedalus Enterprises.

A Method of Detections' Fusion for GNSS Anti-Spoofing.

PubMed

Tao, Huiqi; Li, Hong; Lu, Mingquan

2016-12-19

The spoofing attack is one of the security threats of systems depending on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). There have been many GNSS spoofing detection methods, and each of them focuses on a characteristic of the GNSS signal or a measurement that the receiver has obtained. The method based on a single detector is insufficient against spoofing attacks in some scenarios. How to fuse multiple detections together is a problem that concerns the performance of GNSS anti-spoofing. Scholars have put forward a model to fuse different detection results based on the Dempster-Shafer theory (DST) of evidence combination. However, there are some problems in the application. The main challenge is the valuation of the belief function, which is a key issue in DST. This paper proposes a practical method of detections' fusion based on an approach to assign the belief function for spoofing detections. The frame of discernment is simplified, and the hard decision of hypothesis testing is replaced by the soft decision; then, the belief functions for some detections can be evaluated. The method is discussed in detail, and a performance evaluation is provided, as well. Detections' fusion reduces false alarms of detection and makes the result more reliable. Experimental results based on public test datasets demonstrate the performance of the proposed method.

32 CFR 644.450 - Items excluded from usual restoration obligation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., ventilators, and metal ceilings. (8) Structural steel or iron. (9) Fire escapes. (10) Heating systems. (11) Plumbing systems. (12) Ventilating systems and air conditioning systems. (13) Power plants. (14) Electric wiring. (15) Lighting fixtures (or replacement). (16) Sprinkler systems. (f) Settling or subsidence. (g...

32 CFR 644.450 - Items excluded from usual restoration obligation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., ventilators, and metal ceilings. (8) Structural steel or iron. (9) Fire escapes. (10) Heating systems. (11) Plumbing systems. (12) Ventilating systems and air conditioning systems. (13) Power plants. (14) Electric wiring. (15) Lighting fixtures (or replacement). (16) Sprinkler systems. (f) Settling or subsidence. (g...

32 CFR 644.450 - Items excluded from usual restoration obligation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., ventilators, and metal ceilings. (8) Structural steel or iron. (9) Fire escapes. (10) Heating systems. (11) Plumbing systems. (12) Ventilating systems and air conditioning systems. (13) Power plants. (14) Electric wiring. (15) Lighting fixtures (or replacement). (16) Sprinkler systems. (f) Settling or subsidence. (g...

Solutions Network Formulation Report. Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite and Landsat Data Continuity Mission Simulated Data Products for the Great Lakes Basin Ecological Team

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estep, Leland

2007-01-01

The proposed solution would simulate VIIRS and LDCM sensor data for use in the USGS/USFWS GLBET DST. The VIIRS sensor possesses a spectral range that provides water-penetrating bands that could be used to assess water clarity on a regional spatial scale. The LDCM sensor possesses suitable spectral bands in a range of wavelengths that could be used to map water quality at finer spatial scales relative to VIIRS. Water quality, alongshore sediment transport and pollutant discharge tracking into the Great Lakes system are targeted as the primary products to be developed. A principal benefit of water quality monitoring via satellite imagery is its economy compared to field-data collection methods. Additionally, higher resolution satellite imagery provides a baseline dataset(s) against which later imagery can be overlaid in GIS-based DST programs. Further, information derived from higher resolution satellite imagery can be used to address public concerns and to confirm environmental compliance. The candidate solution supports the Public Health, Coastal Management, and Water Management National Applications.

MMIC linear-phase and digital modulators for deep space spacecraft X-band transponder applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mysoor, Narayan R.; Ali, Fazal

1991-01-01

The design concepts, analyses, and development of GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) linear-phase and digital modulators for the next generation of space-borne communications systems are summarized. The design approach uses a compact lumped element quadrature hybrid and Metal Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MESFET)-varactors to provide low loss and well-controlled phase performance for deep space transponder (DST) applications. The measured results of the MESFET-diode show a capacitance range of 2:1 under reverse bias, and a Q of 38 at 10 GHz. Three cascaded sections of hybrid-coupled reflection phase shifters were modeled and simulations performed to provide an X-band (8415 +/- 50 MHz) DST phase modulator with +/- 2.5 radians of peak phase deviation. The modulator will accommodate downlink signal modulation with composite telemetry and ranging data, with a deviation linearity tolerance of +/- 8 percent and insertion loss of less than 8 +/- 0.5 dB. The MMIC digital modulator is designed to provide greater than 10 Mb/s of bi-phase modulation at X-band.

Dynamical complexity detection in geomagnetic activity indices using wavelet transforms and Tsallis entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balasis, G.; Daglis, I. A.; Papadimitriou, C.; Kalimeri, M.; Anastasiadis, A.; Eftaxias, K.

2008-12-01

Dynamical complexity detection for output time series of complex systems is one of the foremost problems in physics, biology, engineering, and economic sciences. Especially in magnetospheric physics, accurate detection of the dissimilarity between normal and abnormal states (e.g. pre-storm activity and magnetic storms) can vastly improve space weather diagnosis and, consequently, the mitigation of space weather hazards. Herein, we examine the fractal spectral properties of the Dst data using a wavelet analysis technique. We show that distinct changes in associated scaling parameters occur (i.e., transition from anti- persistent to persistent behavior) as an intense magnetic storm approaches. We then analyze Dst time series by introducing the non-extensive Tsallis entropy, Sq, as an appropriate complexity measure. The Tsallis entropy sensitively shows the complexity dissimilarity among different "physiological" (normal) and "pathological" states (intense magnetic storms). The Tsallis entropy implies the emergence of two distinct patterns: (i) a pattern associated with the intense magnetic storms, which is characterized by a higher degree of organization, and (ii) a pattern associated with normal periods, which is characterized by a lower degree of organization.

Ventilation Transport Trade Study for Future Space Suit Life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kempf, Robert; Vogel, Matthew; Paul, Heather L.

2008-01-01

A new and advanced portable life support system (PLSS) for space suit surface exploration will require a durable, compact, and energy efficient system to transport the ventilation stream through the space suit. Current space suits used by NASA circulate the ventilation stream via a ball-bearing supported centrifugal fan. As NASA enters the design phase for the next generation PLSS, it is necessary to evaluate available technologies to determine what improvements can be made in mass, volume, power, and reliability for a ventilation transport system. Several air movement devices already designed for commercial, military, and space applications are optimized in these areas and could be adapted for EVA use. This paper summarizes the efforts to identify and compare the latest fan and bearing technologies to determine candidates for the next generation PLSS.

[Tuberculosis Laboratory Surveillance Network (TuLSA) study group. The first step for national tuberculosis laboratory surveillance: Ankara, 2011].

PubMed

Sezen, Figen; Albayrak, Nurhan; Özkara, Şeref; Karagöz, Alper; Alp, Alpaslan; Duyar Ağca, Filiz; İnan Süer, Asiye; Müderris, Tuba; Ceyhan, İsmail; Durmaz, Rıza; Ertek, Mustafa

2015-04-01

The most effective method for monitoring country-level drug resistance frequency and to implement the necessary control measures is the establishment of a laboratory-based surveillance system. The aim of this study was to summarize the follow up trend of the drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) cases, determine the load of resistance and evaluate the capacities of laboratories depending on laboratory quality assurance system for the installation work of National Tuberculosis Laboratory Surveillance Network (TuLSA) which has started in Ankara in 2011. TuLSA studies was carried out under the coordination of National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NRL) with the participation of TB laboratories and dispensaries. Specimens of TB patients, reported from health institutions, were followed in TB laboratories, and the epidemiological information was collected from the dispensaries. One isolate per patient with the drug susceptibility test (DST) results were sent to NRL from TB laboratories and in NRL the isolates were rechecked with the genotypical (MTBDRplus, Hain Lifescience, Germany) and phenotypical (MGIT 960, BD, USA) DST methods. Molecular epidemiological analysis were also performed by spoligotyping and MIRU/VNTR. Second-line DST was applied to the isolates resistant to rifampin. A total of 1276 patients were reported between January 1st to December 31th 2011, and 335 cases were defined as "pulmonary TB from Ankara province". The mean age of those patients was 43.4 ± 20 years, and 67.5% were male. Three hundred seventeen (94.6%) patients were identified as new cases. The average sample number obtained from pulmonary TB cases was 3.26 ± 2.88, and 229 (68.3%) of them was culture positive. DST was applied to all culture positive isolates; 90.4% (207/229) of cases were susceptible to the five drugs tested (ethambutol, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, rifampicin, streptomycin). Eight (3.5%) of the isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB), while no extensively drug-resistant strains were detected. MDR-TB is likely to occur in 63.3 times more among previously treated cases, and 73.3 times more in legal aliens. The achievement of therapy among pulmonary TB cases was 91.9%. Spoligotyping performed for 221 M.tuberculosis complex isolates, showed that all strains were clustered in nine groups. SIT 41 (105/221; 47.5%) was the most frequent spoligotype detected, and clustering rate based on MIRU-VNTR results were found as 16.3%. All of the clustered strains were sensitive while all of MDR-TB isolates showed specific MIRU-VNTR profiles. In conclusion, TuLSA studies started in Ankara in 2011 and the system is still expanding in the country. Our data obtained with TuLSA have been published as a regional surveillance data in the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2011, and as a national surveillance data in Global Tuberculosis Report 2012.

Ventilation and infiltration in high-rise apartment buildings

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

Diamond, R.C.; Feustel, H.E.; Dickerhoff, D.J.

1996-03-01

Air flow, air leakage measurements and numerical simulations were made on a 13-story apartment building to characterize the ventilation rates for the individual apartments. Parametric simulations were performed for specific conditions, e.g., height, orientation, outside temperature and wind speed. Our analysis of the air flow simulations suggest that the ventilation to the individual units varies considerably. With the mechanical ventilation system disabled and no wind, units at the lower level of the building have adequate ventilation only on days with high temperature differences, while units on higher floors have no ventilation at all. Units facing the windward side will bemore » over-ventilated when the building experiences wind directions between west and north. At the same time, leeward apartments did not experience any fresh air-because, in these cases, air flows enter the apartments from the corridor and exit through the exhaust shafts and the cracks in the facade. Even with the mechanical ventilation system operating, we found wide variation in the air flows to the individual apartments. In addition to the specific case presented here, these findings have more general implications for energy retrofits and health and comfort of occupants in high-rise apartment buildings.« less

Highlighting the importance of transitional ventilation regimes in the management of Mediterranean show caves (Nerja-Pintada system, southern Spain).

PubMed

Liñán, C; Del Rosal, Y; Carrasco, F; Vadillo, I; Benavente, J; Ojeda, L

2018-08-01

This study shows the utilization of the air CO 2 exhaled by a very high number of visitors in the Nerja Cave as both a tracer and an additional tool to precisely evaluate the air circulation through the entire karst system, which includes non-touristic passages, originally free of anthropogenic CO 2 . The analysis of the temporal - spatial evolution of the CO 2 content and other monitoring data measured from January 2015 to December 2016 in the Nerja-Pintada system, including air microbiological controls, has allowed us to define a new general ventilation model, of great interest for the conservation of the subterranean environment. During the annual cycle four different ventilation regimes and two ventilation modes (UAF-mode and DAF-mode) exist which determine the significance of the anthropogenic impact within the caves. During the winter regime, the strong ventilation regime and the airflow directions from the lowest to the highest entrance (UAF-mode) contribute to the rapid elimination of anthropogenic CO 2 , and this affects the whole karstic system. During the summer regime the DAF-mode ventilation (with airflows from the highest to the lowest entrances) is activated. Although the number of visitors is maximum and the natural ventilation of the karstic system is the lowest of the annual cycle, the anthropogenic impact only affects the Tourist Galleries. The transitional ventilation regimes -spring and autumn- are the most complex of the annual cycle, with changing air-flow directions (from UAF-mode to DAF-mode and vice versa) at diurnal and poly diurnal scale, which conditions the range of the anthropogenic impact in each sector of the karst system. The activation of the DAF-mode has been observed when the temperature difference between the external and air cave is higher than 5°C. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improving Patient Safety with X-Ray and Anesthesia Machine Ventilator Synchronization: A Medical Device Interoperability Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arney, David; Goldman, Julian M.; Whitehead, Susan F.; Lee, Insup

When a x-ray image is needed during surgery, clinicians may stop the anesthesia machine ventilator while the exposure is made. If the ventilator is not restarted promptly, the patient may experience severe complications. This paper explores the interconnection of a ventilator and simulated x-ray into a prototype plug-and-play medical device system. This work assists ongoing interoperability framework development standards efforts to develop functional and non-functional requirements and illustrates the potential patient safety benefits of interoperable medical device systems by implementing a solution to a clinical use case requiring interoperability.

Robotics On-Board Trainer (ROBoT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Genevieve; Alexander, Greg

2013-01-01

ROBoT is an on-orbit version of the ground-based Dynamics Skills Trainer (DST) that astronauts use for training on a frequent basis. This software consists of two primary software groups. The first series of components is responsible for displaying the graphical scenes. The remaining components are responsible for simulating the Mobile Servicing System (MSS), the Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS), and the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) Free Flyer Robotics Operations. The MSS simulation software includes: Robotic Workstation (RWS) simulation, a simulation of the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), a simulation of the ISS Command and Control System (CCS), and a portion of the Portable Computer System (PCS) software necessary for MSS operations. These components all run under the CentOS4.5 Linux operating system. The JEMRMS simulation software includes real-time, HIL, dynamics, manipulator multi-body dynamics, and a moving object contact model with Tricks discrete time scheduling. The JEMRMS DST will be used as a functional proficiency and skills trainer for flight crews. The HTV Free Flyer Robotics Operations simulation software adds a functional simulation of HTV vehicle controllers, sensors, and data to the MSS simulation software. These components are intended to support HTV ISS visiting vehicle analysis and training. The scene generation software will use DOUG (Dynamic On-orbit Ubiquitous Graphics) to render the graphical scenes. DOUG runs on a laptop running the CentOS4.5 Linux operating system. DOUG is an Open GL-based 3D computer graphics rendering package. It uses pre-built three-dimensional models of on-orbit ISS and space shuttle systems elements, and provides realtime views of various station and shuttle configurations.

TH-E-BRF-02: 4D-CT Ventilation Image-Based IMRT Plans Are Dosimetrically Comparable to SPECT Ventilation Image-Based Plans

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

Kida, S; University of Tokyo Hospital, Bunkyo, Tokyo; Bal, M

Purpose: An emerging lung ventilation imaging method based on 4D-CT can be used in radiotherapy to selectively avoid irradiating highly-functional lung regions, which may reduce pulmonary toxicity. Efforts to validate 4DCT ventilation imaging have been focused on comparison with other imaging modalities including SPECT and xenon CT. The purpose of this study was to compare 4D-CT ventilation image-based functional IMRT plans with SPECT ventilation image-based plans as reference. Methods: 4D-CT and SPECT ventilation scans were acquired for five thoracic cancer patients in an IRB-approved prospective clinical trial. The ventilation images were created by quantitative analysis of regional volume changes (amore » surrogate for ventilation) using deformable image registration of the 4D-CT images. A pair of 4D-CT ventilation and SPECT ventilation image-based IMRT plans was created for each patient. Regional ventilation information was incorporated into lung dose-volume objectives for IMRT optimization by assigning different weights on a voxel-by-voxel basis. The objectives and constraints of the other structures in the plan were kept identical. The differences in the dose-volume metrics have been evaluated and tested by a paired t-test. SPECT ventilation was used to calculate the lung functional dose-volume metrics (i.e., mean dose, V20 and effective dose) for both 4D-CT ventilation image-based and SPECT ventilation image-based plans. Results: Overall there were no statistically significant differences in any dose-volume metrics between the 4D-CT and SPECT ventilation imagebased plans. For example, the average functional mean lung dose of the 4D-CT plans was 26.1±9.15 (Gy), which was comparable to 25.2±8.60 (Gy) of the SPECT plans (p = 0.89). For other critical organs and PTV, nonsignificant differences were found as well. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that 4D-CT ventilation image-based functional IMRT plans are dosimetrically comparable to SPECT ventilation image-based plans, providing evidence to use 4D-CT ventilation imaging for clinical applications. Supported in part by Free to Breathe Young Investigator Research Grant and NIH/NCI R01 CA 093626. The authors thank Philips Radiation Oncology Systems for the Pinnacle3 treatment planning systems.« less

46 CFR 111.33-9 - Ventilation exhaust.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... REQUIREMENTS Power Semiconductor Rectifier Systems § 111.33-9 Ventilation exhaust. The exhaust of each forced-air semiconductor rectifier system must: (a) Terminate in a location other than a hazardous location...

Adaptive support ventilation: State of the art review

PubMed Central

Fernández, Jaime; Miguelena, Dayra; Mulett, Hernando; Godoy, Javier; Martinón-Torres, Federico

2013-01-01

Mechanical ventilation is one of the most commonly applied interventions in intensive care units. Despite its life-saving role, it can be a risky procedure for the patient if not applied appropriately. To decrease risks, new ventilator modes continue to be developed in an attempt to improve patient outcomes. Advances in ventilator modes include closed-loop systems that facilitate ventilator manipulation of variables based on measured respiratory parameters. Adaptive support ventilation (ASV) is a positive pressure mode of mechanical ventilation that is closed-loop controlled, and automatically adjust based on the patient's requirements. In order to deliver safe and appropriate patient care, clinicians need to achieve a thorough understanding of this mode, including its effects on underlying respiratory mechanics. This article will discuss ASV while emphasizing appropriate ventilator settings, their advantages and disadvantages, their particular effects on oxygenation and ventilation, and the monitoring priorities for clinicians. PMID:23833471

Assessment of the impact of dipped guideways on urban rail transit systems: Ventilation and safety requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The ventilation and fire safety requirements for subway tunnels with dipped profiles between stations as compared to subway tunnels with level profiles were evaluated. This evaluation is based upon computer simulations of a train fire emergency condition. Each of the tunnel configurations evaluated was developed from characteristics that are representative of modern transit systems. The results of the study indicate that: (1) The level tunnel system required about 10% more station cooling than dipped tunnel systems in order to meet design requirements; and (2) The emergency ventilation requirements are greater with dipped tunnel systems than with level tunnel systems.

Comparison of exogenous surfactant therapy, mechanical ventilation with high end-expiratory pressure and partial liquid ventilation in a model of acute lung injury.

PubMed

Hartog, A; Vazquez de Anda, G F; Gommers, D; Kaisers, U; Verbrugge, S J; Schnabel, R; Lachmann, B

1999-01-01

We have compared three treatment strategies, that aim to prevent repetitive alveolar collapse, for their effect on gas exchange, lung mechanics, lung injury, protein transfer into the alveoli and surfactant system, in a model of acute lung injury. In adult rats, the lungs were ventilated mechanically with 100% oxygen and a PEEP of 6 cm H2O, and acute lung injury was induced by repeated lung lavage to obtain a PaO2 value < 13 kPa. Animals were then allocated randomly (n = 12 in each group) to receive exogenous surfactant therapy, ventilation with high PEEP (18 cm H2O), partial liquid ventilation or ventilation with low PEEP (8 cm H2O) (ventilated controls). Blood-gas values were measured hourly. At the end of the 4-h study, in six animals per group, pressure-volume curves were constructed and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed, whereas in the remaining animals lung injury was assessed. In the ventilated control group, arterial oxygenation did not improve and protein concentration of BAL and conversion of active to non-active surfactant components increased significantly. In the three treatment groups, PaO2 increased rapidly to > 50 kPa and remained stable over the next 4 h. The protein concentration of BAL fluid increased significantly only in the partial liquid ventilation group. Conversion of active to non-active surfactant components increased significantly in the partial liquid ventilation group and in the group ventilated with high PEEP. In the surfactant group and partial liquid ventilation groups, less lung injury was found compared with the ventilated control group and the group ventilated with high PEEP. We conclude that although all three strategies improved PaO2 to > 50 kPa, the impact on protein transfer into the alveoli, surfactant system and lung injury differed markedly.

Passive continuous positive airway pressure ventilation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a randomized cross-over manikin simulation study.

PubMed

Winkler, Bernd E; Muellenbach, Ralf M; Wurmb, Thomas; Struck, Manuel F; Roewer, Norbert; Kranke, Peter

2017-02-01

While controlled ventilation is most frequently used during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the application of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and passive ventilation of the lung synchronously with chest compressions and decompressions might represent a promising alternative approach. One benefit of CPAP during CPR is the reduction of peak airway pressures and therefore a potential enhancement in haemodynamics. We therefore evaluated the tidal volumes and airway pressures achieved during CPAP-CPR. During CPR with the LUCAS™ 2 compression device, a manikin model was passively ventilated at CPAP levels of 5, 10, 20 and 30 hPa with the Boussignac tracheal tube and the ventilators Evita ® V500, Medumat ® Transport, Oxylator ® EMX, Oxylog ® 2000, Oxylog ® 3000, Primus ® and Servo ® -i as well as the Wenoll ® diver rescue system. Tidal volumes and airway pressures during CPAP-CPR were recorded and analyzed. Tidal volumes during CPAP-CPR were higher than during compression-only CPR without positive airway pressure. The passively generated tidal volumes increased with increasing CPAP levels and were significantly influenced by the ventilators used. During ventilation at 20 hPa CPAP via a tracheal tube, the mean tidal volumes ranged from 125 ml (Medumat ® ) to 309 ml (Wenoll ® ) and the peak airway pressures from 23 hPa (Primus ® ) to 49 hPa (Oxylog ® 3000). Transport ventilators generated lower tidal volumes than intensive care ventilators or closed-circuit systems. Peak airway pressures during CPAP-CPR were lower than those during controlled ventilation CPR reported in literature. High peak airway pressures are known to limit the applicability of ventilation via facemask or via supraglottic airway devices and may adversely affect haemodynamics. Hence, the application of ventilators generating high tidal volumes with low peak airway pressures appears desirable during CPAP-CPR. The limited CPAP-CPR capabilities of transport ventilators in our study might be prerequisite for future developments of transport ventilators.

[Disinfectants and main sanitary and preventive measures for protection of ventilation and air-conditioning systems from Legionella contamination].

PubMed

Gerasimov, V N; Golov, E A; Khramov, M V; Diatlov, I A

2008-01-01

The study was devoted to selection and assessment of disinfecting preparations for prevention of contamination by Legionella. Using system of criteria for quality assessment of disinfectants, seven newdomestic ones belonging to quaternary ammonium compounds class or to oxygen-containing preparations and designed for disinfecting of air-conditioning and ventilation systems were selected. Antibacterial and disinfecting activities of working solutions of disinfectants were tested in laboratory on the test-surfaces and test-objects of premises' air-conditioning and ventilation systems contaminated with Legionella. High antimicrobial and disinfecting activity of new preparations "Dezactiv-M", "ExtraDez", "Emital-Garant", "Aquasept Plus", "Samarovka", "Freesept", and "Ecobreeze Oxy" during their exposure on objects and materials contaminated with Legionella was shown. Main sanitary and preventive measures for defending of air-conditioning and ventilation systems from contamination by Legionella species were presented.

Methane emissions and airflow patterns along longwall faces and through bleeder ventilation systems

PubMed Central

Schatzel, Steven J.; Dougherty, Heather N.

2015-01-01

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted an investigation of longwall face and bleeder ventilation systems using tracer gas experiments and computer network ventilation. The condition of gateroad entries, along with the caved material’s permeability and porosity changes as the longwall face advances, determine the resistance of the airflow pathways within the longwall’s worked-out area of the bleeder system. A series of field evaluations were conducted on a four-panel longwall district. Tracer gas was released at the mouth of the longwall section or on the longwall face and sampled at various locations in the gateroads inby the shield line. Measurements of arrival times and concentrations defined airflow/gas movements for the active/completed panels and the bleeder system, providing real field data to delineate these pathways. Results showed a sustained ability of the bleeder system to ventilate the longwall tailgate corner as the panels retreated. PMID:26925166

Utilizing a Suited Manikin Test Apparatus and Space Suit Ventilation Loop to Evaluate Carbon Dioxide Washout

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chullen, Cinda; Conger, Bruce; Korona, Adam; Kanne, Bryan; McMillin, Summer; Paul, Thomas; Norcross, Jason; Alonso, Jesus Delgado; Swickrath, Mike

2015-01-01

NASA is pursuing technology development of an Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AEMU) which is an integrated assembly made up of primarily a pressure garment system and a portable life support subsystem (PLSS). The PLSS is further composed of an oxygen subsystem, a ventilation subsystem, and a thermal subsystem. One of the key functions of the ventilation system is to remove and control the carbon dioxide (CO2) delivered to the crewmember. Carbon dioxide washout is the mechanism by which CO2 levels are controlled within the space suit helmet to limit the concentration of CO2 inhaled by the crew member. CO2 washout performance is a critical parameter needed to ensure proper and robust designs that are insensitive to human variabilities in a space suit. A suited manikin test apparatus (SMTA) was developed to augment testing of the PLSS ventilation loop in order to provide a lower cost and more controlled alternative to human testing. The CO2 removal function is performed by the regenerative Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) within the PLSS ventilation loop and its performance is evaluated within the integrated SMTA and Ventilation Loop test system. This paper will provide a detailed description of the schematics, test configurations, and hardware components of this integrated system. Results and analysis of testing performed with this integrated system will be presented within this paper.

Are daylight saving time transitions associated with changes in myocardial infarction incidence? Results from the German MONICA/KORA Myocardial Infarction Registry.

PubMed

Kirchberger, Inge; Wolf, Kathrin; Heier, Margit; Kuch, Bernhard; von Scheidt, Wolfgang; Peters, Annette; Meisinger, Christa

2015-08-14

Some studies suggest that transitions to and from daylight saving time (DST) have an influence on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) incidence. However, the available publications have a number of limitations e.g. regarding sample size, exclusion of fatal AMI cases, precise assessment of AMI onset, and consideration of possible confounders, and they were conducted in countries with different geographical location. The objective of this study was to examine the association of DST transitions with AMI incidence recorded in the population-based German MONICA/KORA Myocardial Infarction Registry. The study sample consisted of 25,499 coronary deaths and non-fatal AMI cases aged 25-74 years. We used Poisson regression with indicator variables for the 3 days or the week after the spring and the autumn transition and adjusted for potential confounders to model the association between DST transitions and AMI incidence. In addition, we built an excess model by calculating observed over expected events per day. Overall, no significant changes of AMI risk during the first 3 days or 1 week after the transition to and from DST were found. However, subgroup analyses on the spring transition revealed significantly increased risks for men in the first 3 days after transition (RR 1.155, 95 % CI 1.000-1.334) and for persons who took angiotensine converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors prior to the AMI (3 days: RR 1.489, 95 % CI 1.151-1.927; 1 week: RR 1.297, 95 % CI 1.063-1.582). After the clock shift in autumn, patients with a prior infarction had an increased risk to have a re-infarction (3 days: RR 1.319, 95 % CI 1.029-1.691; 1 week: RR 1.270, 95 % CI 1.048-1.539). Specific subgroups such as men and persons with a history of AMI or prior treatment with ACE inhibitors, may have a higher risk for AMI during DST. Further studies which include data on chronotype and sleep duration are needed in order to confirm these results.

Creating potentiometric surfaces from combined water well and oil well data in the midcontinent of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gianoutsos, Nicholas J.; Nelson, Philip H.

2013-01-01

For years, hydrologists have defined potentiometric surfaces using measured hydraulic-head values in water wells from aquifers. Down-dip, the oil and gas industry is also interested in the formation pressures of many of the same geologic formations for the purpose of hydrocarbon recovery. In oil and gas exploration, drillstem tests (DSTs) provide the formation pressure for a given depth interval in a well. These DST measurements can be used to calculate hydraulic-head values in deep hydrocarbon-bearing formations in areas where water wells do not exist. Unlike hydraulic-head measurements in water wells, which have a low number of problematic data points (outliers), only a small subset of the DST data measure true formation pressures. Using 3D imaging capabilities to view and clean the data, we have developed a process to estimate potentiometric surfaces from erratic DST data sets of hydrocarbon-bearing formations in the midcontinent of the U.S. The analysis indicates that the potentiometric surface is more readily defined through human interpretation of the chaotic DST data sets rather than through the application of filtering and geostatistical analysis. The data are viewed as a series of narrow, 400-mile-long swaths and a 2D viewer is used to select a subset of hydraulic-head values that represent the potentiometric surface. The user-selected subsets for each swath are then combined into one data set for each formation. These data are then joined with the hydraulic-head values from water wells to define the 3D potentiometric surfaces. The final product is an interactive, 3D digital display containing: (1) the subsurface structure of the formation, (2) the cluster of DST-derived hydraulic head values, (3) the user-selected subset of hydraulic-head values that define the potentiometric surface, (4) the hydraulic-head measurements from the corresponding shallow aquifer, (5) the resulting potentiometric surface encompassing both oil and gas and water wells, and (6) the land surface elevation of the region. Examples from the midcontinent of the United States, specifically Kansas, Oklahoma, and parts of adjacent states illustrate the process.

Test Protocol for Room-to-Room Distribution of Outside Air by Residential Ventilation Systems

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

Barley, C. D.; Anderson, R.; Hendron, B.

2007-12-01

This test and analysis protocol has been developed as a practical approach for measuring outside air distribution in homes. It has been used successfully in field tests and has led to significant insights on ventilation design issues. Performance advantages of more sophisticated ventilation systems over simpler, less-costly designs have been verified, and specific problems, such as airflow short-circuiting, have been identified.

Electrosurgical Smoke: Ultrafine Particle Measurements and Work Environment Quality in Different Operating Theatres

PubMed Central

Romano, Francesco; Gustén, Jan; De Antonellis, Stefano; Joppolo, Cesare M.

2017-01-01

Air cleanliness in operating theatres (OTs) is an important factor for preserving the health of both the patient and the medical staff. Particle contamination in OTs depends mainly on the surgery process, ventilation principle, personnel clothing systems and working routines. In many open surgical operations, electrosurgical tools (ESTs) are used for tissue cauterization. ESTs generate a significant airborne contamination, as surgical smoke. Surgical smoke is a work environment quality problem. Ordinary surgical masks and OT ventilation systems are inadequate to control this problem. This research work is based on numerous monitoring campaigns of ultrafine particle concentrations in OTs, equipped with upward displacement ventilation or with a downward unidirectional airflow system. Measurements performed during ten real surgeries highlight that the use of ESTs generates a quite sharp and relevant increase of particle concentration in the surgical area as well within the entire OT area. The measured contamination level in the OTs are linked to surgical operation, ventilation principle, and ESTs used. A better knowledge of airborne contamination is crucial for limiting the personnel’s exposure to surgical smoke. Research results highlight that downward unidirectional OTs can give better conditions for adequate ventilation and contaminant removal performances than OTs equipped with upward displacement ventilation systems. PMID:28146089

VWPS: A Ventilator Weaning Prediction System with Artificial Intelligence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Austin H.; Chen, Guan-Ting

How to wean patients efficiently off mechanical ventilation continues to be a challenge for medical professionals. In this paper we have described a novel approach to the study of a ventilator weaning prediction system (VWPS). Firstly, we have developed and written three Artificial Neural Network (ANN) algorithms to predict a weaning successful rate based on the clinical data. Secondly, we have implemented two user-friendly weaning success rate prediction systems; the VWPS system and the BWAP system. Both systems could be used to help doctors objectively and effectively predict whether weaning is appropriate for patients based on the patients' clinical data. Our system utilizes the powerful processing abilities of MatLab. Thirdly, we have calculated the performance through measures such as sensitivity and accuracy for these three algorithms. The results show a very high sensitivity (around 80%) and accuracy (around 70%). To our knowledge, this is the first design approach of its kind to be used in the study of ventilator weaning success rate prediction.

The necessity of HVAC system for the registered architectural cultural heritage building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popovici, Cătălin George; Hudişteanu, Sebastian Valeriu; Cherecheş, Nelu-Cristian

2018-02-01

This study is intended to highlight the role of the ventilation and air conditioning system for a theatre. It was chosen as a case study the "Vasile Alecsandri" National Theatre of Jassy. The paper also sought to make a comparison in three distinct scenarios for HVAC Main Hall system - ventilation and air conditioning system of the Main Hall doesn't work; only the ventilation system of the Main Hall works and ventilation and air conditioning system of the Main Hall works. For analysing the comfort parameters, the ANSYS-Fluent software was used to build a 2D model of the building and simulation of HVAC system functionality during winter season, in all three scenarios. For the studied scenarios, the external conditions of Jassy and the indoor conditions of the theatre, when the entire spectacle hall is occupied were considered. The main aspects evaluated for each case were the air temperature, air velocity and relative humidity. The results are presented comparatively as plots and spectra of the interest parameters.

Burbank performs the scheduled extensive cleanup of ventilation systems

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-02-22

ISS030-E-093414 (22 Feb. 2012) --- NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, performs the scheduled extensive cleanup of ventilation systems in the Columbus laboratory of the International Space Station.

7. DETAIL, VENTILATION SYSTEM; EAST FRONT OF QUARANTINE GREENHOUSE #3 ...

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

7. DETAIL, VENTILATION SYSTEM; EAST FRONT OF QUARANTINE GREENHOUSE #3 (BUILDING 31) - U.S. Plant Introduction Station, Quarantine Headhouses & Greenhouses, 11601 Old Pond Road, Glenn Dale, Prince George's County, MD

A decision support tool for selecting the optimal sewage sludge treatment.

PubMed

Turunen, Ville; Sorvari, Jaana; Mikola, Anna

2018-02-01

Sewage sludge contains significant amounts of resources, such as nutrients and organic matter. At the same time, the organic contaminants (OC) found in sewage sludge are of growing concern. Consequently, in many European countries incineration is currently favored over recycling in agriculture. This study presents a Multi-Attribute Value Theory (MAVT)-based decision support tool (DST) for facilitating sludge treatment decisions. Essential decision criteria were recognized and prioritized, i.e., weighted, by experts from water utilities. Since the fate of organic contaminants was in focus, a simple scoring method was developed to take into account their environmental risks. The final DST assigns each sludge treatment method a preference score expressing its superiority compared to alternative methods. The DST was validated by testing it with data from two Finnish municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). The validation results of the first case study preferred sludge pyrolysis (preference score: 0.629) to other alternatives: composting and incineration (score 0.580, and 0.484 respectively). The preference scores were influenced by WWTP dependent factors, i.e., the operating environment and the weighting of the criteria. A lack of data emerged as the main practical limitation. Therefore, not all of the relevant criteria could be included in the value tree. More data are needed on the effects of treatment methods on the availability of nutrients, the quality of organic matter and sludge-borne OCs. Despite these shortcomings, the DST proved useful and adaptable in decision-making. It can also help achieve a more transparent, understandable and comprehensive decision-making process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Uncertainties in Electric Field Boundary Conditions for Ring Current Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Margaret W.; O'Brien, T. Paul; Lemon, Colby L.; Guild, Timothy B.

2018-01-01

Physics-based simulation results can vary widely depending on the applied boundary conditions. As a first step toward assessing the effect of boundary conditions on ring current simulations, we analyze the uncertainty of cross-polar cap potentials (CPCP) on electric field boundary conditions applied to the Rice Convection Model-Equilibrium (RCM-E). The empirical Weimer model of CPCP is chosen as the reference model and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program CPCP measurements as the reference data. Using temporal correlations from a statistical analysis of the "errors" between the reference model and data, we construct a Monte Carlo CPCP discrete time series model that can be generalized to other model boundary conditions. RCM-E simulations using electric field boundary conditions from the reference model and from 20 randomly generated Monte Carlo discrete time series of CPCP are performed for two large storms. During the 10 August 2000 storm main phase, the proton density at 10 RE at midnight was observed to be low (< 1.4 cm-3) and the observed disturbance Dst index is bounded by the simulated Dst values. In contrast, the simulated Dst values during the recovery phases of the 10 August 2000 and 31 August 2005 storms tend to underestimate systematically the observed late Dst recovery. This suggests a need to improve the accuracy of particle loss calculations in the RCM-E model. Application of this technique can aid modelers to make efficient choices on either investing more effort on improving specification of boundary conditions or on improving descriptions of physical processes.

Ring current-energy balance during intense magnetic storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clua de Gonzalez, A. L.; Gonzalez, W. D.

2013-12-01

The energy-rate balance that governs the storm-time ring current is analyzed in terms of the Burton-McPherron-Russell equation (Burton et al., 1975). This is a first order differential equation relating the time variation of the pressure corrected Dst index, with the energy input to the magnetosphere. Based on the Burton et al. equation, we have analyzed in detail the geomagnetic storm of February 11, 2004. The energy input is taken proportional to the interplanetary electric field, Q(t) = αBsV, where Bs is the southward component of the interplanetary magnetic field in GSM coordinates, V is the flow speed of the solar wind and α a constant. The equation is integrated using the OMNI-combined interplanetary data and, the value of the decay time is estimated from a best fit of the response to the observed curve. For this storm we also use a rectangular approximation for the energy input function, thus allowing an analytical solution of the Burton et al. equation. The results from this approximation are then compared to the numerical solution. The study is also extended to the geomagnetic storm of April 22, 2001. This analysis seems to indicate that the Burton et al. equation should contain also a corrective term proportional to the second time derivative of the Dst index. This corrective term might become important for intense storms, with an effect of counteracting the growth of |Dst| before the energy input from the interplanetary medium declines, such that the value of |Dst| starts to decrease instead of continuing to grow.

Uses of oral history and digital storytelling in public health research and practice.

PubMed

Tsui, E K; Starecheski, A

2018-01-01

Oral history (OH) and digital storytelling (DST) have been used in a range of ways in public health, including educating populations about health-protecting practices, advocating for improved clinical care and reflecting on public health efforts to combat infectious disease. Yet, these methods are rarely recognized for their potential to contribute to public health research and practice. The aim of this article is to assess how OH and DST have been used in the health fields and to provide examples of ways that these methods have contributed to work in several domains of public health. Narrative review. We conducted a narrative review of articles gathered from PubMed using the search terms 'oral history' and 'digital storytelling', which resulted in 102 articles relevant to public health. We then conducted a thematic analysis to create a typology of article topics and to examine cross-cutting themes. OH and DST have been used for both research and interventions in public health. Specifically, they have been used to 1) examine health risks and experiences; 2) engage and educate populations; 3) educate clinical professionals and organizations; and 4) inform public health practice. Despite the time, resources, and training required to do OH and DST well, we argue that these methods have substantial potential for supplementing public health activities, allowing the field to glean additional lessons from its experiences, to educate its practitioners further, and to better learn from the experiences of communities affected by public health problems. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Executive Function Skills of 6 to 8 Year Olds: Brain and Behavioral Evidence and Implications for School Achievement

PubMed Central

Molfese, Victoria J.; Molfese, Peter J.; Molfese, Dennis L.; Rudasill, Kathleen M.; Armstrong, Natalie; Starkey, Gillian

2010-01-01

Academic and social success in school has been linked to children’s self-regulation. This study investigated the assessment of the executive function (EF) component of self-regulation using a low-cost, easily administered measure to determine whether scores obtained from the behavioral task would agree with those obtained using a laboratory-based neuropsychological measure of EF skills. The sample included 74 children (37 females; M = 86.2 months) who participated in two assessments of working memory and inhibitory control: Knock-Tap (NEPSY: Korkman, Kirk, and Kemp, 1998), and participation in event-related potential (ERP) testing that included the Directional Stroop Test (Davidson, Cruess, Diamond, O’Craven, & Savoy, 1999). Three main findings emerged. First, children grouped as high versus low performing on the NEPSY Knock-Tap Task were found to performed differently on the more difficult conditions of the DST (the Incongruent and Mixed Conditions), suggesting that the Knock-Tap Task as a low-cost and easy to administer assessment of EF skills may be one way for teachers to identify students with poor inhibitory control skills. Second, children’s performance on the DST was strongly related to their ERP responses, adding to evidence that differences in behavioral performance on the DST as a measure of EF skills reflect corresponding differences in brain processing. Finally, differences in brain processing on the DST task also were found when the children were grouped based on Knock-Tap performance. Simple screening procedures can enable teachers to identify children whose distractibility, inattentiveness, or poor attention spans may interfere with classroom learning. PMID:20798857

The effect of closed system suction on airway pressures when using the Servo 300 ventilator.

PubMed

Frengley, R W; Closey, D N; Sleigh, J W; Torrance, J M

2001-12-01

To measure airway pressures during closed system suctioning with the ventilator set to three differing modes of ventilation. Closed system suctioning was conducted in 16 patients following cardiac surgery. Suctioning was performed using a 14 French catheter with a vacuum level of -500 cmH2O through an 8.0 mm internal diameter endotracheal tube. The lungs were mechanically ventilated with a Servo 300 ventilator set to one of three ventilation modes: volume-control, pressure-control or CPAP/pressure support. Airway pressures were measured via a 4 French electronic pressure transducer in both proximal and distal airways. Following insertion of the suction catheter, end-expiratory pressure increased significantly (p < 0.001) in both pressure-control and volume-control ventilation. This increase was greatest (p = 0.018) in volume-control mode (2.7 +/- 1.7 cmH2O). On performing a five second suction, airway pressure decreased in all modes, however the lowest airway pressure in volume-control mode (-4.9 +/- 4.0 cmH2O) was significantly (p = 0.001) less than the lowest airway pressure recorded in either pressure-control (0.8 +/- 1.9 cmH2O) or CPAP/pressure support (0.4 +/- 2.8 cmH2O) modes. In CPAP/pressure support mode, 13 of the 16 patients experienced a positive pressure 'breath' at the end of suctioning with airway pressures rising to 21 +/- 1.6 cmH2O. Closed system suctioning in volume control ventilation may result in elevations of end-expiratory pressure following catheter insertion and subatmospheric airway pressures during suctioning. Pressure control ventilation produces less elevation of end-expiratory pressure following catheter insertion and is less likely to be associated with subatmospheric airway pressures during suctioning. CPAP/pressure support has no effect on end-expiratory pressure following catheter insertion and subatmospheric airway pressures are largely avoided during suctioning.

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

Poppiti, James; Nelson, Roger; MacMillan, Walter J.

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a 655-meter deep mine near Carlsbad, New Mexico, used to dispose the nation’s defense transuranic waste. Limited airborne radioactivity was released from a container of radioactive waste in WIPP on 14 February, 2014. As designed, a mine ventilation filtration system prevented the large scale release of contamination from the underground. However, isolation dampers leaked, which allowed the release of low levels of contaminants after the event until they were sealed. None of the exposed individuals received any recordable dose. While surface contamination was limited, contamination in the ventilation system and portions of themore » underground was substantial. High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in the operating ventilation system ensure continued containment during recovery and resumption of disposal operations. However, ventilation flow is restricted since the incident, with all exhaust air directed through the filters. Decontamination and natural fixation by the hygroscopic nature of the salt host rock has reduced the likelihood of further contamination spread. Contamination control and ventilation system operability are crucial for resumption of operations. This article provides an operational assessment and evaluation of these two key areas.« less

Short-term airing by natural ventilation - implication on IAQ and thermal comfort.

PubMed

Heiselberg, P; Perino, M

2010-04-01

The need to improve the energy efficiency of buildings requires new and more efficient ventilation systems. It has been demonstrated that innovative operating concepts that make use of natural ventilation seem to be more appreciated by occupants. Among the available ventilation strategies that are currently available, buoyancy driven, single-sided natural ventilation has proved to be very effective and can provide high air change rates for temperature and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) control. However, to promote a wider distribution of these systems an improvement in the knowledge of their working principles is necessary. The present study analyses and presents the results of an experimental evaluation of airing performance in terms of ventilation characteristics, IAQ and thermal comfort. It includes investigations of the consequences of opening time, opening frequency, opening area and expected airflow rate, ventilation efficiency, thermal comfort and dynamic temperature conditions. A suitable laboratory test rig was developed to perform extensive experimental analyses of the phenomenon under controlled and repeatable conditions. The results showed that short-term window airing is very effective and can provide both acceptable IAQ and thermal comfort conditions in buildings. Practical Implications This study gives the necessary background and in-depth knowledge of the performance of window airing by single-sided natural ventilation necessary for the development of control strategies for window airing (length of opening period and opening frequency) for optimum IAQ and thermal comfort in naturally ventilated buildings.

Metacognitive evaluation in the avoidance of demand.

PubMed

Dunn, Timothy L; Lutes, David J C; Risko, Evan F

2016-09-01

In the current set of experiments our goal was to test the hypothesis that individuals avoid courses of action based on a kind of metacognitive evaluation of demand in a Demand Selection Task (DST). Individuals in Experiment 1 completed a DST utilizing visual stimuli known to yield a dissociation between performance and perceived demand. Patterns of demand avoidance followed that of perceived demand. Experiment 2 provided a replication of the aforementioned results, in addition to demonstrating a second dissociation between a peripheral physiological measure of demand (i.e., blink rates) and demand avoidance. Experiment 3 directly tested the assumption that individuals make use of a general metacognitive evaluation of task demand during selections. A DST was utilized in a forced-choice paradigm that required individuals to either select the most effortful, time demanding, or least accurate of 2 choices. Patterns of selections were similar across all rating dimensions, lending credit to this notion. Findings are discussed within a metacognitive framework of demand avoidance and contrasted to current theories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Detoxification of corn stover and corn starch pyrolysis liquors by ligninolytic enzymes of Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

PubMed

Khiyami, Mohammad A; Pometto, Anthony L; Brown, Robert C

2005-04-20

Phanerochaete chrysosporium (ATCC 24725) shake flask culture with 3 mM veratryl alcohol addition on day 3 was able to grow and detoxify different concentrations of diluted corn stover (Dcs) and diluted corn starch (Dst) pyrolysis liquors [10, 25, and 50% (v/v)] in defined media. GC-MS analysis of reaction products showed a decrease and change in some compounds. In addition, the total phenolic assay with Dcs samples demonstrated a decrease in the phenolic compounds. A bioassay employing Lactobacillus casei growth and lactic acid production was developed to confirm the removal of toxic compounds from 10 and 25% (v/v) Dcs and Dst by the lignolytic enzymes, but not from 50% (v/v) Dcs and Dst. The removal did not occur when sodium azide or cycloheximide was added to Ph. chrysosporium culture media, confirming the participation of lignolytic enzymes in the detoxification process. A concentrated enzyme preparation decreased the phenolic compounds in 10% (v/v) corn stover and corn starch pyrolysis liquors to the same extent as the fungal cultures.

Multifamily Individual Heating and Ventilation Systems, Lawrence, Massachusetts (Fact Sheet)

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

Not Available

The conversion of an older Massachusetts building into condominiums illustrates a safe, durable, and cost-effective solution for heating and ventilation systems that can potentially benefit millions of multifamily buildings. Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity (MVHfH) partnered with U.S. Department of Energy Building America team Building Science Corporation (BSC) to provide high performance affordable housing for 10 families in the retrofit of an existing mass masonry building (a former convent). The original ventilation design for the project was provided by a local engineer and consisted of a single large heat recovery ventilator (HRV) located in a mechanical room in the basementmore » with a centralized duct system providing supply air to the main living space and exhausting stale air from the single bathroom in each apartment. This design was deemed to be far too costly to install and operate for several reasons: the large central HRV was oversized and the specified flows to each apartment were much higher than the ASHRAE 62.2 rate; an extensive system of ductwork, smoke and fire dampers, and duct chases were specified; ductwork required a significant area of dropped ceilings; and the system lacked individual ventilation control in the apartments« less

Innovative ventilation system for animal anatomy laboratory

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

Lacey, D.R.; Smith, D.C.

1997-04-01

A unique ventilation system was designed and built to reduce formaldehyde fumes in the large animal anatomy lab at the Vet Medical Center at Cornell University. The laboratory includes four rooms totaling 5,500 ft{sup 2}. The main room has 2,300 ft{sup 2} and houses the laboratory where up to 60 students dissect as many as 12 horses at a time. Other rooms are a cold storage locker, an animal preparation room and a smaller lab for specialized instruction. The large animal anatomy laboratory has a history of air quality complaints despite a fairly high ventilation rate of over 10 airmore » changes/hour. The horses are embalmed, creating a voluminous source of formaldehyde and phenol vapors. Budget constraints and increasingly stringent exposure limits for formaldehyde presented a great challenge to design a ventilation system that yields acceptable air quality. The design solution included two innovative elements: air-to-air heat recovery, and focused ventilation.« less

Change-over natural and mechanical ventilation system energy consumption in single-family buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostka, Maria; Szulgowska-Zgrzywa, Małgorzata

2017-11-01

The parameters of the outside air in Poland cause that in winter it is reasonable to use a mechanical ventilation equipped with a heat recovery exchanger. The time of spring, autumn, summer evenings and nights are often characterized by the parameters of the air, which allow for a natural ventilation and reduce the electricity consumption. The article presents the possibilities of energy consumption reduction for three energy standards of buildings located in Poland, ventilated by a change-over hybrid system. The analysis was prepared on the assumption that the air-to-water heat pump is the heat source for the buildings.

Building Assessment Survey and Evaluation (BASE) Study: Summarized Data - Test Space HVAC Characteristics

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Information on the characteristics of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system(s) in the entire BASE building including types of ventilation, equipment configurations, and operation and maintenance issues

ACHP | News | ACHP Issues Program Comment for GSA on Select Repairs and

Science.gov Websites

to windows, lighting, roofing, and heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems within Upgrades Windows Lighting Roofing Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems Updated March

SUBSURFACE VOLATIZATION AND VENTILATION SYSTEM (SVVS) - INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This report summarizes the findings associated with a Demonstration Test of Environmental Improvement Technologies’ (EIT) Subsurface Volatilization and Ventilation System (SVVS) process. The technology was evaluated under the EPA Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) ...

Ventilation.

PubMed

Turner, W A; Bearg, D W; Brennan, T

1995-01-01

This chapter begins with an overview of the history of ventilation guidelines, which has led to the guidelines that are in effect today. Of particular interest is the most recent return in the past 5 years to ventilation rates that more closely reflect a mean or average of the range of guidelines that have existed over the past century. OSHA's and the EPA's recognition of the need to operate ventilation systems in buildings in an accountable manner is also of note. Of even more interest is the resurgence of the concept of minimum mixing and once-through ventilation air that has been pursued in parts of Northern Europe for the past 10 years, and in a school that is being designed with this concept in New Hampshire. In addition, the design concept of equipping office buildings with low pressure drop high efficiency particle filtration to remove fine particles from all of the air that is supplied to the occupants is being used increasingly in the U.S. This chapter also presents an overview of the various types of ventilation systems found in homes and commercial office buildings and the common indoor air quality problems that may be associated with them. It also offers an overview of common HVAC evaluation techniques that can be used to determine if a ventilation system is performing in a manner that makes sense for the use of the space and the needs of the occupants. Are the occupants receiving a reasonable supply of outdoor air? Is the air that they receive of reasonable quality? Are obvious pollutants being exhausted? Ventilation systems have become extremely complex and more difficult to run and maintain over the past 40 years. This trend will continue to drive the need for professionally maintained HVAC equipment that is serviced and run by individuals who are accountable for the quality of the air that the system delivers.

Tools for Detecting Causality in Space Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, J.; Wing, S.

2017-12-01

Complex systems such as the solar and magnetospheric envivonment often exhibit patterns of behavior that suggest underlying organizing principles. Causality is a key organizing principle that is particularly difficult to establish in strongly coupled nonlinear systems, but essential for understanding and modeling the behavior of systems. While traditional methods of time-series analysis can identify linear correlations, they do not adequately quantify the distinction between causal and coincidental dependence. We discuss tools for detecting causality including: granger causality, transfer entropy, conditional redundancy, and convergent cross maps. The tools are illustrated by applications to magnetospheric and solar physics including radiation belt, Dst (a magnetospheric state variable), substorm, and solar cycle dynamics.

46 CFR 154.1205 - Mechanical ventilation system: Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... operational controls outside the ventilated space. (g) No ventilation duct for a gas-dangerous space may pass... Section 154.1205 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) CERTAIN BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES SAFETY STANDARDS FOR SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS CARRYING BULK LIQUEFIED GASES Design, Construction and...

46 CFR 154.1205 - Mechanical ventilation system: Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... operational controls outside the ventilated space. (g) No ventilation duct for a gas-dangerous space may pass... Section 154.1205 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) CERTAIN BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES SAFETY STANDARDS FOR SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS CARRYING BULK LIQUEFIED GASES Design, Construction and...

46 CFR 154.1205 - Mechanical ventilation system: Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... operational controls outside the ventilated space. (g) No ventilation duct for a gas-dangerous space may pass... Section 154.1205 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) CERTAIN BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES SAFETY STANDARDS FOR SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS CARRYING BULK LIQUEFIED GASES Design, Construction and...

Respiratory mechanics in brain injury: A review.

PubMed

Koutsoukou, Antonia; Katsiari, Maria; Orfanos, Stylianos E; Kotanidou, Anastasia; Daganou, Maria; Kyriakopoulou, Magdalini; Koulouris, Nikolaos G; Rovina, Nikoletta

2016-02-04

Several clinical and experimental studies have shown that lung injury occurs shortly after brain damage. The responsible mechanisms involve neurogenic pulmonary edema, inflammation, the harmful action of neurotransmitters, or autonomic system dysfunction. Mechanical ventilation, an essential component of life support in brain-damaged patients (BD), may be an additional traumatic factor to the already injured or susceptible to injury lungs of these patients thus worsening lung injury, in case that non lung protective ventilator settings are applied. Measurement of respiratory mechanics in BD patients, as well as assessment of their evolution during mechanical ventilation, may lead to preclinical lung injury detection early enough, allowing thus the selection of the appropriate ventilator settings to avoid ventilator-induced lung injury. The aim of this review is to explore the mechanical properties of the respiratory system in BD patients along with the underlying mechanisms, and to translate the evidence of animal and clinical studies into therapeutic implications regarding the mechanical ventilation of these critically ill patients.

Effect of flashlight guidance on manual ventilation performance in cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A randomized controlled simulation study.

PubMed

Kim, Ji Hoon; Beom, Jin Ho; You, Je Sung; Cho, Junho; Min, In Kyung; Chung, Hyun Soo

2018-01-01

Several auditory-based feedback devices have been developed to improve the quality of ventilation performance during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but their effectiveness has not been proven in actual CPR situations. In the present study, we investigated the effectiveness of visual flashlight guidance in maintaining high-quality ventilation performance. We conducted a simulation-based, randomized, parallel trial including 121 senior medical students. All participants were randomized to perform ventilation during 2 minutes of CPR with or without flashlight guidance. For each participant, we measured mean ventilation rate as a primary outcome and ventilation volume, inspiration velocity, and ventilation interval as secondary outcomes using a computerized device system. Mean ventilation rate did not significantly differ between flashlight guidance and control groups (P = 0.159), but participants in the flashlight guidance group exhibited significantly less variation in ventilation rate than participants in the control group (P<0.001). Ventilation interval was also more regular among participants in the flashlight guidance group. Our results demonstrate that flashlight guidance is effective in maintaining a constant ventilation rate and interval. If confirmed by further studies in clinical practice, flashlight guidance could be expected to improve the quality of ventilation performed during CPR.

Experimental research on the indoor temperature and humidity fields in radiant ceiling air-conditioning system under natural ventilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Tao; Xiang, Yutong; Wang, Yonghong

2017-05-01

In this paper, the indoor temperature and humidity fields of the air in a metal ceiling radiant panel air conditioning system with fresh air under natural ventilation were researched. The temperature and humidity distributions at different height and different position were compared. Through the computation analysis of partial pressure of water vapor, the self-recovery characteristics of humidity after the natural ventilation was discussed.

Study of Alternate Material for Pedal Ventilator Kits.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

to fans with diameters of 36 inches or less, revealed that a shelter ventilation system of minimum cost would require three units with 36-inch...doorways, it was decided, with OCD approval, to develop pre-assembled one and two-operator bicycle ventilator kits utilizing a fan and ducting system of...polypropylene matrix. According to Ford Motor Company, an enthusiastic user, this material hybrid offers large potential savings in direct substitution for glass

Water spray ventilator system for continuous mining machines

DOEpatents

Page, Steven J.; Mal, Thomas

1995-01-01

The invention relates to a water spray ventilator system mounted on a continuous mining machine to streamline airflow and provide effective face ventilation of both respirable dust and methane in underground coal mines. This system has two side spray nozzles mounted one on each side of the mining machine and six spray nozzles disposed on a manifold mounted to the underside of the machine boom. The six spray nozzles are angularly and laterally oriented on the manifold so as to provide non-overlapping spray patterns along the length of the cutter drum.

International Space Station USOS Crew Quarters Ventilation and Acoustic Design Implementation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broyan, James Lee, Jr.

2009-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) United States Operational Segment (USOS) has four permanent rack sized ISS Crew Quarters (CQ) providing a private crewmember space. The CQ uses Node 2 cabin air for ventilation/thermal cooling, as opposed to conditioned ducted air from the ISS Temperature Humidity Control System or the ISS fluid cooling loop connections. Consequently, CQ can only increase the air flow rate to reduce the temperature delta between the cabin and the CQ interior. However, increasing airflow causes increased acoustic noise so efficient airflow distribution is an important design parameter. The CQ utilized a two fan push-pull configuration to ensure fresh air at the crewmember s head position and reduce acoustic exposure. The CQ interior needs to be below Noise Curve 40 (NC-40). The CQ ventilation ducts are open to the significantly louder Node 2 cabin aisle way which required significantly acoustic mitigation controls. The design implementation of the CQ ventilation system and acoustic mitigation are very inter-related and require consideration of crew comfort balanced with use of interior habitable volume, accommodation of fan failures, and possible crew uses that impact ventilation and acoustic performance. This paper illustrates the types of model analysis, assumptions, vehicle interactions, and trade-offs required for CQ ventilation and acoustics. Additionally, on-orbit ventilation system performance and initial crew feedback is presented. This approach is applicable to any private enclosed space that the crew will occupy.

Antibiotic therapy in ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis: a literature review.

PubMed

Alves, Abel Eduardo; Pereira, José Manuel

2018-03-01

The concept of ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis is controversial; its definition is not unanimously accepted and often overlaps with ventilator-associated pneumonia. Ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis has an incidence similar to that of ventilator-associated pneumonia, with a high prevalence of isolated multiresistant agents, resulting in an increase in the time of mechanical ventilation and hospitalization but without an impact on mortality. The performance of quantitative cultures may allow better diagnostic definition of tracheobronchitis associated with mechanical ventilation, possibly avoiding the overdiagnosis of this condition. One of the major difficulties in differentiating between ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis and ventilator-associated pneumonia is the exclusion of a pulmonary infiltrate by chest radiography; thoracic computed tomography, thoracic ultrasonography, or invasive specimen collection may also be required. The institution of systemic antibiotic therapy does not improve the clinical impact of ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis, particularly in reducing time of mechanical ventilation, hospitalization or mortality, despite the possible reduced progression to ventilator-associated pneumonia. However, there are doubts regarding the methodology used. Thus, considering the high prevalence of tracheobronchitis associated with mechanical ventilation, routine treatment of this condition would result in high antibiotic usage without clear benefits. However, we suggest the institution of antibiotic therapy in patients with tracheobronchitis associated with mechanical ventilation and septic shock and/or worsening of oxygenation, and other auxiliary diagnostic tests should be simultaneously performed to exclude ventilator-associated pneumonia. This review provides a better understanding of the differentiation between tracheobronchitis associated with mechanical ventilation and pneumonia associated with mechanical ventilation, which can significantly decrease the use of antibiotics in critically ventilated patients.

Surgical clothing systems in laminar airflow operating room: a numerical assessment.

PubMed

Sadrizadeh, Sasan; Holmberg, Sture

2014-01-01

This study compared two different laminar airflow distribution strategies - horizontal and vertical - and investigated the effectiveness of both ventilation systems in terms of reducing the sedimentation and distribution of bacteria-carrying particles. Three different staff clothing systems, which resulted in source strengths of 1.5, 4 and 5 CFU/s per person, were considered. The exploration was conducted numerically using a computational fluid dynamics technique. Active and passive air sampling methods were simulated in addition to recovery tests, and the results were compared. Model validation was performed through comparisons with measurement data from the published literature. The recovery test yielded a value of 8.1 min for the horizontal ventilation scenario and 11.9 min for the vertical ventilation system. Fewer particles were captured by the slit sampler and in sedimentation areas with the horizontal ventilation system. The simulated results revealed that under identical conditions in the examined operating room, the horizontal laminar ventilation system performed better than the vertical option. The internal constellation of lamps, the surgical team and objects could have a serious effect on the movement of infectious particles and therefore on postoperative surgical site infections. Copyright © 2014 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microclimate measuring and fluid‑dynamic simulation in an industrial broiler house: testing of an experimental ventilation system.

PubMed

Bianchi, Biagio; Giametta, Ferruccio; La Fianza, Giovanna; Gentile, Andrea; Catalano, Pasquale

2015-01-01

The environment in the broiler house is a combination of physical and biological factors generating a complex dynamic system of interactions between birds, husbandry system, light, temperature, and the aerial environment. Ventilation plays a key role in this scenario. It is pivotal to remove carbon dioxide and water vapor from the air of the hen house. Adequate ventilation rates provide the most effective method of controlling temperature within the hen house. They allow for controlling the relative humidity and can play a key role in alleviating the negative effects of high stocking density and of wet litter. In the present study the results of experimental tests performed in a breeding broiler farm are shown. In particular the efficiency of a semi transversal ventilation system was studied against the use of a pure transversal one. In order to verify the efficiency of the systems, fluid dynamic simulations were carried out using the software Comsol multiphysics. The results of this study show that a correct architectural and structural design of the building must be supported by a design of the ventilation system able to maintain the environmental parameters within the limits of the thermo‑neutral and welfare conditions and to achieve the highest levels of productivity.

Implementing the sine transform of fermionic modes as a tensor network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Epple, Hannes; Fries, Pascal; Hinrichsen, Haye

2017-09-01

Based on the algebraic theory of signal processing, we recursively decompose the discrete sine transform of the first kind (DST-I) into small orthogonal block operations. Using a diagrammatic language, we then second-quantize this decomposition to construct a tensor network implementing the DST-I for fermionic modes on a lattice. The complexity of the resulting network is shown to scale as 5/4 n logn (not considering swap gates), where n is the number of lattice sites. Our method provides a systematic approach of generalizing Ferris' spectral tensor network for nontrivial boundary conditions.

Rationale for Selection of Pesticides, Herbicides, and Related Compounds from the Hanford SST/DST Waste Considered for Analysis in Support of the Regulatory DQO (Privatization)

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

Wiemers, K.D.; Daling, P.; Meier, K.

1999-01-04

Regulated pesticides, herbicides, miticides, and fungicides were evaluated for their potential past and current use at the Hanford Site. The starting list of these compounds is based on regulatory analyte input lists discussed in the Regulatory DQO. Twelve pesticide, herbicide, miticide, and fungicide compounds are identified for analysis in the Hanford SST and DST waste in support of the Regulatory DQO. The compounds considered for additional analyses are non-detected, considered stable in the tank waste matrix, and of higher toxicity/carcinogenicity.

Using natural laboratories and modeling to decipher lithospheric rheology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobolev, Stephan

2013-04-01

Rheology is obviously important for geodynamic modeling but at the same time rheological parameters appear to be least constrained. Laboratory experiments give rather large ranges of rheological parameters and their scaling to nature is not entirely clear. Therefore finding rheological proxies in nature is very important. One way to do that is finding appropriate values of rheological parameter by fitting models to the lithospheric structure in the highly deformed regions where lithospheric structure and geologic evolution is well constrained. Here I will present two examples of such studies at plate boundaries. One case is the Dead Sea Transform (DST) that comprises a boundary between African and Arabian plates. During the last 15- 20 Myr more than 100 km of left lateral transform displacement has been accumulated on the DST and about 10 km thick Dead Sea Basin (DSB) was formed in the central part of the DST. Lithospheric structure and geological evolution of DST and DSB is rather well constrained by a number of interdisciplinary projects including DESERT and DESIRE projects leaded by the GFZ Potsdam. Detailed observations reveal apparently contradictory picture. From one hand widespread igneous activity, especially in the last 5 Myr, thin (60-80 km) lithosphere constrained from seismic data and absence of seismicity below the Moho, seem to be quite natural for this tectonically active plate boundary. However, surface heat flow of less than 50-60mW/m2 and deep seismicity in the lower crust ( deeper than 20 km) reported for this region are apparently inconsistent with the tectonic settings specific for an active continental plate boundary and with the crustal structure of the DSB. To address these inconsistencies which comprise what I call the "DST heat-flow paradox", a 3D numerical thermo-mechanical model was developed operating with non-linear elasto-visco-plastic rheology of the lithosphere. Results of the numerical experiments show that the entire set of observations for the DSB can be explained within the classical pull-apart model assuming that (1) the lithosphere has been thermally eroded at about 20 Ma, just before the active faulting at the DST, and (2) the uppermost mantle in the region have relatively weak rheology consistent with the experimental data for wet olivine or pyroxenite. Another example is modeling of the collision of India and Eurasia in Tibet. Our recent thermo-mechanical model (see abstract by Tympel et al) reproduce well many important features of this orogeny, including observed convergence and distance of underthrusting of Indian lithosphere beneath Tibet, if long-term friction at India-Eurasia interface is about 0.04- 0.05, which is typical for oceanic subduction zones, but is unexpected low for continental setting.

29 CFR 1926.62 - Lead.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... annually to reflect the current status of the program. (3) Mechanical ventilation. When ventilation is used... potentially harmful effects of exposure to lead. (vii)(A) The employer shall ensure that the containers of... remove lead from any surface unless the compressed air is used in conjunction with a ventilation system...

29 CFR 1926.62 - Lead.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... annually to reflect the current status of the program. (3) Mechanical ventilation. When ventilation is used... potentially harmful effects of exposure to lead. (vii)(A) The employer shall ensure that the containers of... remove lead from any surface unless the compressed air is used in conjunction with a ventilation system...

29 CFR 1926.62 - Lead.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... annually to reflect the current status of the program. (3) Mechanical ventilation. When ventilation is used... potentially harmful effects of exposure to lead. (vii) The employer shall assure that the containers of... remove lead from any surface unless the compressed air is used in conjunction with a ventilation system...

29 CFR 1926.62 - Lead.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... annually to reflect the current status of the program. (3) Mechanical ventilation. When ventilation is used... potentially harmful effects of exposure to lead. (vii)(A) The employer shall ensure that the containers of... remove lead from any surface unless the compressed air is used in conjunction with a ventilation system...

29 CFR 1926.62 - Lead.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... annually to reflect the current status of the program. (3) Mechanical ventilation. When ventilation is used... potentially harmful effects of exposure to lead. (vii) The employer shall assure that the containers of... remove lead from any surface unless the compressed air is used in conjunction with a ventilation system...

Assessment of Natural Ventilation System for a Typical Residential House in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antczak-Jarząbska, Romana; Krzaczek, Marek

2016-09-01

The paper presents the research results of field measurements campaign of natural ventilation performance and effectiveness in a residential building. The building is located in the microclimate whose parameters differ significantly in relation to a representative weather station. The measurement system recorded climate parameters and the physical variables characterizing the air flow in the rooms within 14 days of the winter season. The measurement results showed that in spite of proper design and construction of the ventilation system, unfavorable microclimatic conditions that differed from the predicted ones caused significant reduction in the efficiency of the ventilation system. Also, during some time periods, external climate conditions caused an opposite air flow direction in the vent inlets and outlets, leading to a significant deterioration of air quality and thermal comfort measured by CO2 concentration and PMV index in a residential area.

Regenerative Blower for EVA Suit Ventilation Fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Izenson, Michael G.; Chen, Weibo; Paul, Heather L.

2010-01-01

Portable life support systems in future space suits will include a ventilation subsystem driven by a dedicated fan. This ventilation fan must meet challenging requirements for pressure rise, flow rate, efficiency, size, safety, and reliability. This paper describes research and development that showed the feasibility of a regenerative blower that is uniquely suited to meet these requirements. We proved feasibility through component tests, blower tests, and design analysis. Based on the requirements for the Constellation Space Suit Element (CSSE) Portable Life Support System (PLSS) ventilation fan, we designed the critical elements of the blower. We measured the effects of key design parameters on blower performance using separate effects tests, and used the results of these tests to design a regenerative blower that will meet the ventilation fan requirements. We assembled a proof-of-concept blower and measured its performance at sub-atmospheric pressures that simulate a PLSS ventilation loop environment. Head/flow performance and maximum efficiency point data were used to specify the design and operating conditions for the ventilation fan. We identified materials for the blower that will enhance safety for operation in a lunar environment, and produced a solid model that illustrates the final design. The proof-of-concept blower produced the flow rate and pressure rise needed for the CSSE ventilation subsystem while running at 5400 rpm, consuming only 9 W of electric power using a non-optimized, commercial motor and controller and inefficient bearings. Scaling the test results to a complete design shows that a lightweight, compact, reliable, and low power regenerative blower can meet the performance requirements for future space suit life support systems.

Weaning from mechanical ventilation: why are we still looking for alternative methods?

PubMed

Frutos-Vivar, F; Esteban, A

2013-12-01

Most patients who require mechanical ventilation for longer than 24 hours, and who improve the condition leading to the indication of ventilatory support, can be weaned after passing a first spontaneous breathing test. The challenge is to improve the weaning of patients who fail that first test. We have methods that can be referred to as traditional, such as the T-tube, pressure support or synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV). In recent years, however, new applications of usual techniques as noninvasive ventilation, new ventilation methods such as automatic tube compensation (ATC), mandatory minute ventilation (MMV), adaptive support ventilation or automatic weaning systems based on pressure support have been described. Their possible role in weaning from mechanical ventilation among patients with difficult or prolonged weaning remains to be established. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. and SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Circuit compliance compensation in lung protective ventilation.

PubMed

Masselli, Grazia Maria Pia; Silvestri, Sergio; Sciuto, Salvatore Andrea; Cappa, Paolo

2006-01-01

Lung protective ventilation utilizes low tidal volumes to ventilate patients with severe lung pathologies. The compensation of breathing circuit effects, i.e. those induced by compressible volume of the circuit, results particularly critical in the calculation of the actual tidal volume delivered to patient's respiratory system which in turns is responsible of the level of permissive hypercapnia. The present work analyzes the applicability of the equation for circuit compressible volume compensation in the case of pressure and volume controlled lung protective ventilation. Experimental tests conducted in-vitro show that the actual tidal volume can be reliably estimated if the compliance of the breathing circuit is measured with the same parameters and ventilation technique that will be utilized in lung protective ventilation. Differences between volume and pressure controlled ventilation are also quantitatively assessed showing that pressure controlled ventilation allows a more reliable compensation of breathing circuit compressible volume.

No Sweat.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strickland, Gary

2001-01-01

Explains how changes in school design in the last 10 years have caused heating, ventilation, and cooling system (HVAC) designers to reexamine their choice of classroom unit ventilators (UV). The influence of indoor lighting systems, insulation, indoor air quality, energy code compliance, and HVAC system design on UV decision making are also…

Effect of mechanical ventilation on systemic oxygen extraction and lactic acidosis during early septic shock in rats.

PubMed

Griffel, M I; Astiz, M E; Rackow, E C; Weil, M H

1990-01-01

We studied the effect of mechanical ventilation on systemic oxygen extraction and lactic acidosis in peritonitis and shock in rats. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and perforation. After tracheostomy, rats were randomized to spontaneous breathing (S) or mechanical ventilation with paralysis (V). Five animals were studied in each group. The V animals were paralyzed with pancuronium bromide to eliminate respiratory effort. Mechanical ventilation consisted of controlled ventilation using a rodent respirator with periodic adjustment of minute ventilation to maintain PaCO2 and pH within normal range. Arterial and central venous blood gases and thermodilution cardiac output were measured at baseline before abdominal surgery, and sequentially at 0.5, 3.5, and 6 h after surgery. At 6 h, cardiac output was 193 +/- 30 ml/kg.min in S animals and 199 +/- 32 ml/kg.min in V animals (NS). The central venous oxygen saturation was 27.4 +/- 4.7% in S animals and 30.0 +/- 6.4% in V animals (NS). Systemic oxygen extraction was 70 +/- 5% in S animals and 67 +/- 6% in V animals (NS). Arterial lactate was 2.4 +/- 0.4 mmol/L in S animals and 2.2 +/- 0.5 mmol/L in V animals (NS). The S animals developed lethal hypotension at 6.6 +/- 0.4 h compared to 6.8 +/- 0.4 h in V animals (NS). These data suggest that mechanical ventilation does not decrease systemic oxygen extraction or ameliorate the development of lactic acidosis during septic shock.

Results from Carbon Dioxide Washout Testing Using a Suited Manikin Test Apparatus with a Space Suit Ventilation Test Loop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chullen, Cinda; Conger, Bruce; McMillin, Summer; Vonau, Walt; Kanne, Bryan; Korona, Adam; Swickrath, Mike

2016-01-01

NASA is developing an advanced portable life support system (PLSS) to meet the needs of a new NASA advanced space suit. The PLSS is one of the most critical aspects of the space suit providing the necessary oxygen, ventilation, and thermal protection for an astronaut performing a spacewalk. The ventilation subsystem in the PLSS must provide sufficient carbon dioxide (CO2) removal and ensure that the CO2 is washed away from the oronasal region of the astronaut. CO2 washout is a term used to describe the mechanism by which CO2 levels are controlled within the helmet to limit the concentration of CO2 inhaled by the astronaut. Accumulation of CO2 in the helmet or throughout the ventilation loop could cause the suited astronaut to experience hypercapnia (excessive carbon dioxide in the blood). A suited manikin test apparatus (SMTA) integrated with a space suit ventilation test loop was designed, developed, and assembled at NASA in order to experimentally validate adequate CO2 removal throughout the PLSS ventilation subsystem and to quantify CO2 washout performance under various conditions. The test results from this integrated system will be used to validate analytical models and augment human testing. This paper presents the system integration of the PLSS ventilation test loop with the SMTA including the newly developed regenerative Rapid Cycle Amine component used for CO2 removal and tidal breathing capability to emulate the human. The testing and analytical results of the integrated system are presented along with future work.

Measure Guideline: Ventilation Guidance for Residential High-Performance New Construction - Multifamily

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

Lstiburek, Joseph

2017-01-01

The measure guideline provides ventilation guidance for residential high performance multifamily construction that incorporates the requirements of the ASHRAE 62.2 ventilation and indoor air quality standard. The measure guideline focus is on the decision criteria for weighing cost and performance of various ventilation systems. The measure guideline is intended for contractors, builders, developers, designers and building code officials. The guide may also be helpful to building owners wishing to learn more about ventilation strategies available for their buildings. The measure guideline includes specific design and installation instructions for the most cost effective and performance effective solutions for ventilation in multifamilymore » units that satisfies the requirements of ASHRAE 62.2-2016.« less

Measure Guideline: Ventilation Guidance for Residential High-Performance New Construction - Multifamily

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

Lstiburek, Joseph

The measure guideline provides ventilation guidance for residential high performance multifamily construction that incorporates the requirements of the ASHRAE 62.2 ventilation and indoor air quality standard. The measure guideline focus is on the decision criteria for weighing cost and performance of various ventilation systems. The measure guideline is intended for contractors, builders, developers, designers and building code officials. The guide may also be helpful to building owners wishing to learn more about ventilation strategies available for their buildings. The measure guideline includes specific design and installation instructions for the most cost effective and performance effective solutions for ventilation in multifamilymore » units that satisfies the requirements of ASHRAE 62.2-2016.« less

Low-Flow Extracorporeal Carbon Dioxide Removal Using the Hemolung Respiratory Dialysis System® to Facilitate Lung-Protective Mechanical Ventilation in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

PubMed

Akkanti, Bindu; Rajagopal, Keshava; Patel, Kirti P; Aravind, Sangeeta; Nunez-Centanu, Emmanuel; Hussain, Rahat; Shabari, Farshad Raissi; Hofstetter, Wayne L; Vaporciyan, Ara A; Banjac, Igor S; Kar, Biswajit; Gregoric, Igor D; Loyalka, Pranav

2017-06-01

Extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO 2 R) permits reductions in alveolar ventilation requirements that the lungs would otherwise have to provide. This concept was applied to a case of hypercapnia refractory to high-level invasive mechanical ventilator support. We present a case of an 18-year-old man who developed post-pneumonectomy acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) after resection of a mediastinal germ cell tumor involving the left lung hilum. Hypercapnia and hypoxemia persisted despite ventilator support even at traumatic levels. ECCO 2 R using a miniaturized system was instituted and provided effective carbon dioxide elimination. This facilitated establishment of lung-protective ventilator settings and lung function recovery. Extracorporeal lung support increasingly is being applied to treat ARDS. However, conventional extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) generally involves using large cannulae capable of carrying high flow rates. A subset of patients with ARDS has mixed hypercapnia and hypoxemia despite high-level ventilator support. In the absence of profound hypoxemia, ECCO 2 R may be used to reduce ventilator support requirements to lung-protective levels, while avoiding risks associated with conventional ECMO.

The impact of particle filtration on indoor air quality in a classroom near a highway.

PubMed

van der Zee, S C; Strak, M; Dijkema, M B A; Brunekreef, B; Janssen, N A H

2017-03-01

A pilot study was performed to investigate whether the application of a new mechanical ventilation system with a fine F8 (MERV14) filter could improve indoor air quality in a high school near the Amsterdam ring road. PM10, PM2.5, and black carbon (BC) concentrations were measured continuously inside an occupied intervention classroom and outside the school during three sampling periods in the winter of 2013/2014. Initially, 3 weeks of baseline measurements were performed, with the existing ventilation system and normal ventilation habits. Next, an intervention study was performed. A new ventilation system was installed in the classroom, and measurements were performed during 8 school weeks, in alternating 2-week periods with and without the filter in the ventilation system under otherwise identical ventilation conditions. Indoor/outdoor ratios measured during the weeks with filter were compared with those measured without filter to evaluate the ability of the F8 filter to improve indoor air quality. During teaching hours, the filter reduced BC exposure by, on average, 36%. For PM10 and PM2.5, a reduction of 34% and 30% was found, respectively. This implies that application of a fine filter can reduce the exposure of schoolchildren to traffic exhaust at hot spot locations by about one-third. © 2016 The Authors. Indoor Air published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Monitorization of respiratory mechanics in the ventilated patient].

PubMed

García-Prieto, E; Amado-Rodríguez, L; Albaiceta, G M

2014-01-01

Monitoring during mechanical ventilation allows the measurement of different parameters of respiratory mechanics. Accurate interpretation of these data can be useful for characterizing the situation of the different components of the respiratory system, and for guiding ventilator settings. In this review, we describe the basic concepts of respiratory mechanics, their interpretation, and their potential use in fine-tuning mechanical ventilation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

The correlation of Acanthamoeba from the ventilation system with other environmental parameters in commercial buildings as possible indicator for indoor air quality.

PubMed

Ooi, Soo Shen; Mak, Joon Wah; Chen, Donald K F; Ambu, Stephen

2017-02-07

The free-living protozoan Acanthamoeba is an opportunistic pathogen that is ubiquitous in our environment. However, its role in affecting indoor air quality and ill-health of indoor occupants is relatively unknown. The present study investigated the presence of Acanthamoeba from the ventilation system and its correlation with other indoor air quality parameters, used in the industry code of practice and its potential as an indicator for indoor air quality. Indoor air quality assessments were carried out in nine commercial buildings with approval from the building management, and the parameters assessed were as recommended by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health. The presence of Acanthamoeba was determined through dust swabs from the ventilation system and indoor furniture. Logistic regression was performed to study the correlation between assessed parameters and occupants' complaints. A total of 107 sampling points were assessed and 40.2% of the supplying air diffuser and blowing fan and 15% of the furniture were positive for cysts. There was a significant correlation between Acanthamoeba detected from the ventilation system with ambient total fungus count (r=0.327; p=0.01) and respirable particulates (r=0.276; p=0.01). Occupants' sick building syndrome experience also correlated with the presence of Acanthamoeba in the ventilation system (r=0.361; p=0.01) and those detected on the furniture (r=0.290; p=0.01). Logistic regression showed that there was a five-fold probability of sick building syndrome among occupants when Acanthamoeba was detected in the ventilation system.

The correlation of Acanthamoeba from the ventilation system with other environmental parameters in commercial buildings as possible indicator for indoor air quality

PubMed Central

OOI, Soo Shen; MAK, Joon Wah; CHEN, Donald K.F.; AMBU, Stephen

2016-01-01

The free-living protozoan Acanthamoeba is an opportunistic pathogen that is ubiquitous in our environment. However, its role in affecting indoor air quality and ill-health of indoor occupants is relatively unknown. The present study investigated the presence of Acanthamoeba from the ventilation system and its correlation with other indoor air quality parameters, used in the industry code of practice and its potential as an indicator for indoor air quality. Indoor air quality assessments were carried out in nine commercial buildings with approval from the building management, and the parameters assessed were as recommended by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health. The presence of Acanthamoeba was determined through dust swabs from the ventilation system and indoor furniture. Logistic regression was performed to study the correlation between assessed parameters and occupants’ complaints. A total of 107 sampling points were assessed and 40.2% of the supplying air diffuser and blowing fan and 15% of the furniture were positive for cysts. There was a significant correlation between Acanthamoeba detected from the ventilation system with ambient total fungus count (r=0.327; p=0.01) and respirable particulates (r=0.276; p=0.01). Occupants’ sick building syndrome experience also correlated with the presence of Acanthamoeba in the ventilation system (r=0.361; p=0.01) and those detected on the furniture (r=0.290; p=0.01). Logistic regression showed that there was a five-fold probability of sick building syndrome among occupants when Acanthamoeba was detected in the ventilation system. PMID:27476379

Analysis on ventilation pressure of fire area in longitudinal ventilation of underground tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jiaxin; Li, Yanfeng; Feng, Xiao; Li, Junmei

2018-03-01

In order to solve the problem of ventilation pressure loss in the fire area under the fire condition, the wind pressure loss model of the fire area is established based on the thermodynamic equilibrium relation. The semi-empirical calculation formula is obtained by using the model experiment and CFD simulation. The validity of the formula is verified. The results show that the ventilation pressure loss in the fire zone is proportional to the convective heat release rate at the critical velocity, which is inversely proportional to the upstream ventilation velocity and the tunnel cross-sectional area. The proposed formula is consistent with the law of the tunnel fire test fitting formula that results are close, in contrast, the advantage lies in a clear theoretical basis and ventilation velocity values. The resistance of road tunnel ventilation system is calculated accurately and reliably, and then an effective emergency ventilation operation program is developed. It is necessary to consider the fire zone ventilation pressure loss. The proposed ventilation pressure loss formula can be used for design calculation after thorough verification.

Effects of light ingress through ventilation fan apertures on selected blood variables of male broilers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Increasing broiler house size and ventilation capacity have resulted in increased light ingress through ventilation system component apertures. The effective photoperiod for broilers may create local increases in light intensity, which may also impact broiler’ body homeostasis. The objective of this...

30 CFR 75.326 - Mean entry air velocity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... exhausting face ventilation systems, the mean entry air velocity shall be at least 60 feet per minute reaching each working face where coal is being cut, mined, drilled for blasting, or loaded, and to any... the inby end of the line curtain, ventilation tubing, or other face ventilation control devices. [61...

30 CFR 75.326 - Mean entry air velocity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... exhausting face ventilation systems, the mean entry air velocity shall be at least 60 feet per minute reaching each working face where coal is being cut, mined, drilled for blasting, or loaded, and to any... the inby end of the line curtain, ventilation tubing, or other face ventilation control devices. [61...

30 CFR 75.326 - Mean entry air velocity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... exhausting face ventilation systems, the mean entry air velocity shall be at least 60 feet per minute reaching each working face where coal is being cut, mined, drilled for blasting, or loaded, and to any... the inby end of the line curtain, ventilation tubing, or other face ventilation control devices. [61...

Effect of Ventilation Strategies on Residential Ozone Levels

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

Walker, Iain S.; Sherman, Max H.

Elevated outdoor ozone levels are associated with adverse health effects. Because people spend the vast majority of their time indoors, reduction in indoor levels of ozone of outdoor origin would lower population exposures and might also lead to a reduction in ozone-associated adverse health effects. In most buildings, indoor ozone levels are diminished with respect to outdoor levels to an extent that depends on surface reactions and on the degree to which ozone penetrates the building envelope. Ozone enters buildings from outdoors together with the airflows that are driven by natural and mechanical means, including deliberate ventilation used to reducemore » concentrations of indoor-generated pollutants. When assessing the effect of deliberate ventilation on occupant health one should consider not only the positive effects on removing pollutants of indoor origin but also the possibility that enhanced ventilation might increase indoor levels of pollutants originating outdoors. This study considers how changes in residential ventilation that are designed to comply with ASHRAE Standard 62.2 might influence indoor levels of ozone. Simulation results show that the building envelope can contribute significantly to filtration of ozone. Consequently, the use of exhaust ventilation systems is predicted to produce lower indoor ozone concentrations than would occur with balanced ventilation systems operating at the same air-­exchange rate. We also investigated a strategy for reducing exposure to ozone that would deliberately reduce ventilation rates during times of high outdoor ozone concentration while still meeting daily average ventilation requirements.« less

Energy and cost associated with ventilating office buildings in a tropical climate.

PubMed

Rim, Donghyun; Schiavon, Stefano; Nazaroff, William W

2015-01-01

Providing sufficient amounts of outdoor air to occupants is a critical building function for supporting occupant health, well-being and productivity. In tropical climates, high ventilation rates require substantial amounts of energy to cool and dehumidify supply air. This study evaluates the energy consumption and associated cost for thermally conditioning outdoor air provided for building ventilation in tropical climates, considering Singapore as an example locale. We investigated the influence on energy consumption and cost of the following factors: outdoor air temperature and humidity, ventilation rate (L/s per person), indoor air temperature and humidity, air conditioning system coefficient of performance (COP), and cost of electricity. Results show that dehumidification of outdoor air accounts for more than 80% of the energy needed for building ventilation in Singapore's tropical climate. Improved system performance and/or a small increase in the indoor temperature set point would permit relatively large ventilation rates (such as 25 L/s per person) at modest or no cost increment. Overall, even in a thermally demanding tropical climate, the energy cost associated with increasing ventilation rate up to 25 L/s per person is less than 1% of the wages of an office worker in an advanced economy like Singapore's. This result implies that the benefits of increasing outdoor air ventilation rate up to 25 L/s per person--which is suggested to provide for productivity increases, lower sick building syndrome symptom prevalence, and reduced sick leave--can be much larger than the incremental cost of ventilation.

Water supply rates for recirculating evaporative cooling systems in poultry housing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Evaporative cooling (EC) is an important tool to reduce heat stress in animal housing systems. Expansion of ventilation capacity in tunnel ventilated poultry facilities has resulted in increased water demand for EC systems. As water resources become more limited and costly, proper planning and des...

77 FR 16869 - Proposed Models for Plant-Specific Adoption of Technical Specifications Task Force Traveler TSTF...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-22

... Ventilation System Surveillance Requirements to Operate for 10 hours per Month.'' DATES: Comment period....1, which currently require operating the heaters in the respective systems for at least 10... Adoption of Technical Specifications Task Force Traveler TSTF-522, Revision 0, ``Revise Ventilation System...

[Formaldehyde-reducing efficiency of a newly developed dissection-table-connected local ventilation system in the gross anatomy laboratory room].

PubMed

Shinoda, Koh; Oba, Jun

2010-03-01

In compliance with health and safety management guidelines against harmful formaldehyde (FA) levels in the gross anatomy laboratory, we newly developed a dissection-table-connected local ventilation system in 2006. The system was composed of (1) a simple plenum-chambered dissection table with low-cost filters, (2) a transparent vinyl flexible duct for easy mounting and removal, which connects the table and the exhaust pipe laid above the ceiling, and (3) an intake creating a downward-flow of air, which was installed on the ceiling just above each table. The dissection table was also designed as a separate-component system, of which the upper plate and marginal suction inlets can be taken apart for cleaning after dissection, and equipped with opening/closing side-windows for picking up materials dropped during dissection and a container underneath the table to receive exudate from the cadaver through a waste-fluid pipe. The local ventilation system dramatically reduced FA levels to 0.01-0.03 ppm in the gross anatomy laboratory room, resulting in no discomforting FA smell and irritating sensation while preserving the student's view of room and line of flow as well as solving the problems of high maintenance cost, sanitation issues inside the table, and working-inconvenience during dissection practice. Switching ventilation methods or power-modes, the current local ventilation system was demonstrated to be more than ten times efficient in FA reduction compared to the whole-room ventilation system and suggested that 11 m3/min/table in exhaust volume should decrease FA levels in both A- and B-measurements to less than 0.1 ppm in 1000 m3 space containing thirty-one 3.5%-FA-fixed cadavers.

Human melanomas and ovarian cancers overexpressing mechanical barrier molecule genes lack immune signatures and have increased patient mortality risk

PubMed Central

Salerno, Elise P.; Bedognetti, Davide; Mauldin, Ileana S.; Deacon, Donna H.; Shea, Sofia M.; Obeid, Joseph M.; Coukos, George; Gajewski, Thomas F.; Marincola, Francesco M.; Slingluff, Craig L.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT We have identified eight genes whose expression in human melanoma metastases and ovarian cancers is associated with a lack of Th1 immune signatures. They encode molecules with mechanical barrier function in the skin and other normal tissues and include filaggrin (FLG), tumor-associated calcium signal transducer 2 (TACSTD2), and six desmosomal proteins (DST, DSC3, DSP, PPL, PKP3, and JUP). This association has been validated in an independent series of 114 melanoma metastases. In these, DST expression alone is sufficient to identify melanomas without immune signatures, while FLG and the other six putative barrier molecules are overexpressed in a different subset of melanomas lacking immune signatures. Similar associations have been identified in a set of 186 ovarian cancers. RNA-seq data from 471 melanomas and 307 ovarian cancers in the TCGA database further support these findings and also reveal that overexpression of barrier molecules is strongly associated with early patient mortality for melanoma (p = 0.0002) and for ovarian cancer (p < 0.01). Interestingly, this association persists for FLG for melanoma (p = 0.012) and ovarian cancer (p = 0.006), whereas DST overexpression is negatively associated with CD8+ gene expression, but not with patient survival. Thus, overexpression of FLG or DST identifies two distinct patient populations with low immune cell infiltration in these cancers, but with different prognostic implications for each. These data raise the possibility that molecules with mechanical barrier function in skin and other tissues may be used by cancer cells to protect them from immune cell infiltration and immune-mediated destruction. PMID:28123876

Predicting the neurobehavioral side effects of dexamethasone in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PubMed

Warris, Lidewij T; van den Akker, Erica L T; Aarsen, Femke K; Bierings, Marc B; van den Bos, Cor; Tissing, Wim J E; Sassen, Sebastiaan D T; Veening, Margreet A; Zwaan, Christian M; Pieters, Rob; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M

2016-10-01

Although dexamethasone is an effective treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), it can induce a variety of serious neurobehavioral side effects. We hypothesized that these side effects are influenced by glucocorticoid sensitivity at the tissue level. We therefore prospectively studied whether we could predict the occurrence of these side effects using the very low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (DST) or by measuring trough levels of dexamethasone. Fifty pediatric patients (3-16 years of age) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were initially included during the maintenance phase (with dexamethasone) of the Dutch ALL treatment protocol. As a marker of glucocorticoid sensitivity, the salivary very low-dose DST was used. A post-dexamethasone cortisol level <2.0nmol/L was considered a hypersensitive response. The neurobehavioral endpoints consisted of questionnaires regarding psychosocial and sleeping problems administered before and during the course of dexamethasone (6mg/m(2)), and dexamethasone trough levels were measured during dexamethasone treatment. Patients with a hypersensitive response to dexamethasone had more behavioral problems (N=11), sleeping problems, and/or somnolence (N=12) (P<0.05 for all three endpoints). The positive predictive values of the DST for psychosocial problems and sleeping problems were 50% and 30%, respectively. Dexamethasone levels were not associated with neurobehavioral side effects. We conclude that neither the very low-dose DST nor measuring dexamethasone trough levels can accurately predict dexamethasone-induced neurobehavioral side effects. However, patients with glucocorticoid hypersensitivity experienced significantly more symptoms associated with dexamethasone-induced depression. Future studies should elucidate further the mechanisms by which neurobehavioral side effects are influenced by glucocorticoid sensitivity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation between Genotypic and Phenotypic Testing for Resistance to Rifampin in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Clinical Isolates in Haiti: Investigation of Cases with Discrepant Susceptibility Results

PubMed Central

Ocheretina, Oksana; Escuyer, Vincent E.; Mabou, Marie-Marcelle; Royal-Mardi, Gertrude; Collins, Sean; Vilbrun, Stalz C.; Pape, Jean W.; Fitzgerald, Daniel W.

2014-01-01

The World Health Organization has recommended use of molecular-based tests MTBDRplus and GeneXpert MTB/RIF to diagnose multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in developing and high-burden countries. Both tests are based on detection of mutations in the Rifampin (RIF) Resistance-Determining Region of DNA-dependent RNA Polymerase gene (rpoB). Such mutations are found in 95–98% of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains determined to be RIF-resistant by the “gold standard” culture-based drug susceptibility testing (DST). We report the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of 153 consecutive clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains diagnosed as RIF-resistant by molecular tests in our laboratory in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. 133 isolates (86.9%) were resistant to both RIF and Isoniazid and 4 isolates (2.6%) were RIF mono-resistant in MGIT SIRE liquid culture-based DST. However the remaining 16 isolates (10.5%) tested RIF-sensitive by the assay. Five strains with discordant genotypic and phenotypic susceptibility results had RIF minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) close to the cut-off value of 1 µg/ml used in phenotypic susceptibility assays and were confirmed as resistant by DST on solid media. Nine strains had sub-critical RIF MICs ranging from 0.063 to 0.5 µg/ml. Finally two strains were pan-susceptible and harbored a silent rpoB mutation. Our data indicate that not only detection of the presence but also identification of the nature of rpoB mutation is needed to accurately diagnose resistance to RIF in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Observed clinical significance of low-level resistance to RIF supports the re-evaluation of the present critical concentration of the drug used in culture-based DST assays. PMID:24599230

Effects of dopamine D1 receptor blockade in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex or lateral dorsal striatum on frontostriatal function in Wistar and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

PubMed

Gauthier, Jamie M; Tassin, David H; Dwoskin, Linda P; Kantak, Kathleen M

2014-07-15

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with dysfunctional prefrontal and striatal circuitry and dysregulated dopamine neurotransmission. Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR), a heuristically useful animal model of ADHD, were evaluated against normotensive Wistar (WIS) controls to determine whether dopamine D1 receptor blockade of either prelimbic prefrontal cortex (plPFC) or lateral dorsal striatum (lDST) altered learning functions of both interconnected sites. A strategy set shifting task measured plPFC function (behavioral flexibility/executive function) and a reward devaluation task measured lDST function (habitual responding). Prior to tests, rats received bilateral infusions of SCH 23390 (1.0 μg/side) or vehicle into plPFC or lDST. Following vehicle, SHR exhibited longer lever press reaction times, more trial omissions, and fewer completed trials during the set shift test compared to WIS, indicating slower decision-making and attentional/motivational impairment in SHR. After reward devaluation, vehicle-treated SHR responded less than WIS, indicating relatively less habitual responding in SHR. After SCH 23390 infusions into plPFC, WIS expressed the same behavioral phenotype as vehicle-treated SHR during set shift and reward devaluation tests. In SHR, SCH 23390 infusions into plPFC exacerbated behavioral deficits in the set shift test and maintained the lower rate of responding in the reward devaluation test. SCH 23390 infusions into lDST did not modify set shifting in either strain, but produced lower rates of responding than vehicle infusions after reward devaluation in WIS. This research provides pharmacological evidence for unidirectional interactions between prefrontal and striatal brain regions, which has implications for the neurological basis of ADHD and its treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increased plasma levels of circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA in suicide attempters: associations with HPA-axis hyperactivity

PubMed Central

Lindqvist, D; Fernström, J; Grudet, C; Ljunggren, L; Träskman-Bendz, L; Ohlsson, L; Westrin, Å

2016-01-01

Preclinical data suggest that chronic stress may cause cellular damage and mitochondrial dysfunction, potentially leading to the release of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the bloodstream. Major depressive disorder has been associated with an increased amount of mtDNA in leukocytes from saliva samples and blood; however, no previous studies have measured plasma levels of free-circulating mtDNA in a clinical psychiatric sample. In this study, free circulating mtDNA was quantified in plasma samples from 37 suicide attempters, who had undergone a dexamethasone suppression test (DST), and 37 healthy controls. We hypothesized that free circulating mtDNA would be elevated in the suicide attempters and would be associated with hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA)-axis hyperactivity. Suicide attempters had significantly higher plasma levels of free-circulating mtDNA compared with healthy controls at different time points (pre- and post-DST; all P-values<2.98E−12, Cohen's d ranging from 2.55 to 4.01). Pre-DST plasma levels of mtDNA were positively correlated with post-DST cortisol levels (rho=0.49, P<0.003). Suicide attempters may have elevated plasma levels of free-circulating mtDNA, which are related to impaired HPA-axis negative feedback. This peripheral index is consistent with an increased cellular or mitochondrial damage. The specific cells and tissues contributing to plasma levels of free-circulating mtDNA are not known, as is the specificity of this finding for suicide attempters. Future studies are needed in order to better understand the relevance of increased free-circulating mtDNA in relation to the pathophysiology underlying suicidal behavior and depression. PMID:27922635

Characteristics of plasma ring, surrounding the Earth at geocentric distances ˜7-10RE, and magnetospheric current systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonova, E. E.; Kirpichev, I. P.; Vovchenko, V. V.; Stepanova, M. V.; Riazantseva, M. O.; Pulinets, M. S.; Ovchinnikov, I. L.; Znatkova, S. S.

2013-07-01

There are strong experimental evidences of the existence of plasma domain forming a closed plasma ring around the Earth at geocentric distances ∼7-10RE. In this work, we analyze the main properties of this ring, using the data of the THEMIS satellite mission, acquired between April 2007 and September 2011. We also analyze the contribution of this ring to the storm dynamics. In particular, it is shown that the distribution of plasma pressure at ∼7-10RE is nearly azimuthally symmetric. However, the daytime compression of the magnetic field lines and the shift of the minimal value of the magnetic field to higher latitudes lead to the spreading of the transverse current along field lines and splitting of the daytime integral transverse current into two branches in Z direction. The CRC is the high latitude continuation of the ordinary ring current (RC), generated by plasma pressure gradients, directed to the Earth. We evaluated the contribution of the azimuthally symmetric part of the plasma ring to the Dst index for strong geomagnetic storms using the AMPTE/CCE radial profiles of plasma pressure published before, and showed that the contribution of the ring current including both RC and CRC is sufficient to obtain the observed Dst variation without the necessity to include the tail current system.

A Systems Approach to High Performance Buildings: A Computational Systems Engineering R&D Program to Increase DoD Energy Efficiency

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-01

for Low Energy Building Ventilation and Space Conditioning Systems...Building Energy Models ................... 162 APPENDIX D: Reduced-Order Modeling and Control Design for Low Energy Building Systems .... 172 D.1...Design for Low Energy Building Ventilation and Space Conditioning Systems This section focuses on the modeling and control of airflow in buildings

46 CFR 105.25-7 - Ventilation systems for cargo tank or pumping system compartment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Ventilation systems for cargo tank or pumping system compartment. 105.25-7 Section 105.25-7 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) CARGO AND MISCELLANEOUS VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Additional Requirements-When Cargo Tanks Are Installed...

46 CFR 108.437 - Pipe sizes and discharge rates for enclosed ventilation systems for rotating electrical equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Pipe sizes and discharge rates for enclosed ventilation systems for rotating electrical equipment. 108.437 Section 108.437 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF... Systems Fixed Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishing Systems § 108.437 Pipe sizes and discharge rates for...

SITE TECHNOLOGY CAPSULE: SUBSURFACE VOLATILIZATION AND VENTILATION SYSTEM (SVVS)

EPA Science Inventory

The Subsurface Volatilization and Ventilation System is an integrated technology used for attacking all phases of volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination in soil and groundwater. The SVVS technology promotes insitu remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated with or-ga...

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Ventilation and Perfusion in the Lung

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prisk, Gordon Kim (Inventor); Hopkins, Susan Roberta (Inventor); Pereira De Sa, Rui Carlos (Inventor); Theilmann, Rebecca Jean (Inventor); Buxton, Richard Bruce (Inventor); Cronin, Matthew Vincent (Inventor)

2017-01-01

Methods, devices, and systems are disclosed for implementing a fully quantitative non-injectable contrast proton MRI technique to measure spatial ventilation-perfusion (VA/Q) matching and spatial distribution of ventilation and perfusion. In one aspect, a method using MRI to characterize ventilation and perfusion in a lung includes acquiring an MR image of the lung having MR data in a voxel and obtaining a breathing frequency parameter, determining a water density value, a specific ventilation value, and a perfusion value in at least one voxel of the MR image based on the MR data and using the water density value to determine an air content value, and determining a ventilation-perfusion ratio value that is the product of the specific ventilation value, the air content value, the inverse of the perfusion value, and the breathing frequency.

6. VIEW LOOKING SOUTHEAST AT VENTILATION EQUIPMENT IN SOUTH VENTILATION ...

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

6. VIEW LOOKING SOUTHEAST AT VENTILATION EQUIPMENT IN SOUTH VENTILATION HOUSE. THIS AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED BY PARKS-CRAMER COMPANY OF FITCHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS WHEN THE MILL WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1923-24. ONE AIR WASHER AND FAN ROOM EXTERIOR IS VISIBLE ON THE RIGHT. THE DUCTS FROM BOTH FAN ROOMS (CURVED METAL STRUCTURES AT CENTER AND LEFT OF PHOTO) ARE CONNECTED TO A COMMON AIR SHAFT. - Stark Mill, 117 Corinth Road, Hogansville, Troup County, GA

In-depth survey report: Assisting furniture strippers in reducing the risk from methylene chloride stripping formulations at Los Angeles Stripping and Refinishing Center, Los Angeles, California

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

Estill, C.F.; Kovein, R.J.; Jones, J.H.

1999-03-26

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is currently conducting research on ventilation controls to reduce furniture stripping exposures to methylene chloride to the OSHA PEL of 25 ppm. Low cost ventilation systems were designed by NIOSH researchers along with Benny Bixenman of Benco Sales, Inc. (Forney, TX). The controls were constructed and installed by Benco Sales. This report compares the methylene chloride levels of one worker stripping furniture using the recently installed ventilation controls and using the existing controls. During the survey, two different chemical stripping solutions (a standard formulation and a low methylene chloride content formulation)more » were used and compared. This survey tested three control combinations: (1) new ventilation, low methylene chloride stripper, (2) new ventilation, standard stripping solution, and (3) old ventilation, standard stripping solution. During each test, sorbent tube sampling and real-time sampling were employed. Sorbent tube, data collected in the worker's breathing zone, ranged from 300 to 387 ppm. Real-time data showed breathing zone exposures to range from 211 to 383 ppm while stripping and 164 to 230 ppm while rinsing. Data were inconclusive to determine which ventilation system or stripping solution produced the lowest exposures. Recommendations are made in the report to improve the newly installed ventilation controls.« less

Study of the impact of epidemiological factors on intelligence of rural children of 3 to 6 years age group belonging to low socio-economic status.

PubMed

Lahiri, S K; Mukhopadhyay, S P; Das, K K; Ray, S K; Biswas, D

1994-01-01

There are many factors which affect intelligence as well as physical growth of children, although genetic factor plays a prime role but social, environmental and psychological factors influence significantly the physical growth and intelligence of the child and the same can be improved through intervention. Community based studies are therefore useful to understand effect of these factors for future planning. The present study was therefore undertaken in Burdwan district of West Bengal with the objectives of studying level of intelligence of children of 3 to 6 years age group and impact of the factors related to the level of intelligence of these children. 72 children of 3 to 6 years age group were studied, of which 2/3 were either normal or having Grade-I undernutrition and the rest were either Grade-II or Grade-III. A significant positive association was found between DST IQ score (Bharat Raj) and the nutritional grade. Non-formal education also was found to have significant bearing on the IQ level. No significant relationship was however found between DST IQ score and the religion indicating culture independence of the scoring system.