48 CFR 2845.105 - Records of Government property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Records of Government... MANAGEMENT GOVERNMENT PROPERTY General 2845.105 Records of Government property. If departmental elements maintain the Government's official property management records, the contract records may be kept as a...

Trace elements contamination and human health risk assessment in drinking water from Shenzhen, China.

PubMed

Lu, Shao-You; Zhang, Hui-Min; Sojinu, Samuel O; Liu, Gui-Hua; Zhang, Jian-Qing; Ni, Hong-Gang

2015-01-01

The levels of seven essential trace elements (Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, and Mo) and six non-essential trace elements (Cr, As, Cd, Sb, Hg, and Pb) in a total of 89 drinking water samples collected in Shenzhen, China were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the present study. Both the essential and non-essential trace elements were frequently detectable in the different kinds of drinking waters assessed. Remarkable temporal and spatial variations were observed among most of the trace elements in the tap water collected from two tap water treatment plants. Meanwhile, potential human health risk from these non-essential trace elements in the drinking water for local residents was also assessed. The median values of cancer risks associated with exposure to carcinogenic metals via drinking water consumption were estimated to be 6.1 × 10(-7), 2.1 × 10(-8), and 2.5 × 10(-7) for As, Cd, and Cr, respectively; the median values of incremental lifetime for non-cancer risks were estimated to be 6.1 × 10(-6), 4.4 × 10(-5), and 2.2 × 10(-5) for Hg, Pb, and Sb, respectively. The median value of total incremental lifetime health risk induced by the six non-essential trace elements for the population was 3.5 × 10(-5), indicating that the potential health risks from non-carcinogenic trace elements in drinking water also require some attention. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the most important factor for health risk assessment should be the levels of heavy metal in drinking water.

41 CFR 105-62.103 - Access to GSA-originated materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Administration 62-DOCUMENT SECURITY AND DECLASSIFICATION 62.1-Classified Materials § 105-62.103 Access to GSA..., provided that: (1) A written determination is made by the Administrator of General Services that such... element having classification jurisdiction for such information or material makes a written determination...

10 CFR 25.9 - Communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Communications. 25.9 Section 25.9 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ACCESS AUTHORIZATION General Provisions § 25.9 Communications. Except where otherwise specified, communications and reports concerning the regulations in this part should be addressed to the...

10 CFR 25.9 - Communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Communications. 25.9 Section 25.9 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ACCESS AUTHORIZATION General Provisions § 25.9 Communications. Except where otherwise specified, communications and reports concerning the regulations in this part should be addressed to the...

20 CFR 632.259 - Vocational exploration program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Vocational exploration program. 632.259 Section 632.259 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR INDIAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS Summer Youth Employment and Training Programs § 632.259...

20 CFR 632.259 - Vocational exploration program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Vocational exploration program. 632.259 Section 632.259 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR INDIAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS Summer Youth Employment and Training Programs § 632.259...

20 CFR 632.259 - Vocational exploration program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Vocational exploration program. 632.259 Section 632.259 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR INDIAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS Summer Youth Employment and Training Programs § 632.259...

Function of RSKS-1-AAK-2-DAF-16 signaling cascade in enhancing toxicity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes can be suppressed by mir-259 activation in Caenorhabditis elegans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Ziheng; Li, Min; Liu, Hui; Luo, Libo; Gu, Weidong; Wu, Qiuli; Wang, Dayong

2016-08-01

Caenorhabditis elegans is an important non-mammalian alternative assay model for toxicological study. Previous study has indicated that exposure to multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) dysregulated the transcriptional expression of mir-259. In this study, we examined the molecular basis for mir-259 in regulating MWCNTs toxicity in nematodes. Mutation of mir-259 induced a susceptible property to MWCNTs toxicity, and MWCNTs exposure induced a significant increase in mir-259::GFP in pharyngeal/intestinal valve and reproductive tract, implying that mir-259 might mediate a protection mechanisms for nematodes against MWCNTs toxicity. RSKS-1, a putative ribosomal protein S6 kinase, acted as the target for mir-259 in regulating MWCNTs toxicity, and mutation of rsks-1 suppressed the susceptible property of mir-259 mutant to MWCNTs toxicity. Moreover, mir-259 functioned in pharynx-intestinal valve and RSKS-1 functioned in pharynx to regulate MWCNTs toxicity. Furthermore, RSKS-1 regulated MWCNTs toxicity by suppressing the function of AAK-2-DAF-16 signaling cascade. Our results will strengthen our understanding the microRNAs mediated protection mechanisms for animals against the toxicity from certain nanomaterials.

46 CFR 169.259 - Limitations of inspections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Limitations of inspections. 169.259 Section 169.259 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Inspection and Certification Inspections § 169.259 Limitations of inspections. The OCMI may require that a...

46 CFR 169.259 - Limitations of inspections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Limitations of inspections. 169.259 Section 169.259 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Inspection and Certification Inspections § 169.259 Limitations of inspections. The OCMI may require that a...

49 CFR 234.259 - Warning time.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 12 months and when the warning system is modified because of a change in train speeds. Electronic... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Warning time. 234.259 Section 234.259... EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Maintenance, Inspection, and Testing Inspections and Tests § 234.259 Warning...

49 CFR 234.259 - Warning time.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 12 months and when the warning system is modified because of a change in train speeds. Electronic... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Warning time. 234.259 Section 234.259... EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Maintenance, Inspection, and Testing Inspections and Tests § 234.259 Warning...

49 CFR 234.259 - Warning time.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... modified because of a change in train speeds. Electronic devices that accurately determine actual warning... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Warning time. 234.259 Section 234.259..., Inspection, and Testing Inspections and Tests § 234.259 Warning time. Each crossing warning system shall be...

49 CFR 234.259 - Warning time.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 12 months and when the warning system is modified because of a change in train speeds. Electronic... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Warning time. 234.259 Section 234.259... EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS Maintenance, Inspection, and Testing Inspections and Tests § 234.259 Warning...

49 CFR 234.259 - Warning time.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... modified because of a change in train speeds. Electronic devices that accurately determine actual warning... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Warning time. 234.259 Section 234.259..., Inspection, and Testing Inspections and Tests § 234.259 Warning time. Each crossing warning system shall be...

24 CFR 234.259 - Claim procedure-graduated payment mortgages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Claim procedure-graduated payment mortgages. 234.259 Section 234.259 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... § 234.259 Claim procedure—graduated payment mortgages. Section 203.436 of this chapter applies to...

24 CFR 234.259 - Claim procedure-graduated payment mortgages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Claim procedure-graduated payment mortgages. 234.259 Section 234.259 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... § 234.259 Claim procedure—graduated payment mortgages. Section 203.436 of this chapter applies to...

24 CFR 234.259 - Claim procedure-graduated payment mortgages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Claim procedure-graduated payment mortgages. 234.259 Section 234.259 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... § 234.259 Claim procedure—graduated payment mortgages. Section 203.436 of this chapter applies to...

24 CFR 234.259 - Claim procedure-graduated payment mortgages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Claim procedure-graduated payment mortgages. 234.259 Section 234.259 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... § 234.259 Claim procedure—graduated payment mortgages. Section 203.436 of this chapter applies to...

24 CFR 234.259 - Claim procedure-graduated payment mortgages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Claim procedure-graduated payment mortgages. 234.259 Section 234.259 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... § 234.259 Claim procedure—graduated payment mortgages. Section 203.436 of this chapter applies to...

5 CFR 532.259 - Special appropriated fund wage schedules for U.S. insular areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Special appropriated fund wage schedules for U.S. insular areas. 532.259 Section 532.259 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PREVAILING RATE SYSTEMS Prevailing Rate Determinations § 532.259 Special...

40 CFR 25.9 - Permit enforcement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Permit enforcement. 25.9 Section 25.9 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS UNDER THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT, THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT, AND THE CLEAN WATER ACT § 25.9 Permit...

40 CFR 25.9 - Permit enforcement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Permit enforcement. 25.9 Section 25.9 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS UNDER THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT, THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT, AND THE CLEAN WATER ACT § 25.9 Permit...

Sugar industry sponsorship of germ-free rodent studies linking sucrose to hyperlipidemia and cancer: An historical analysis of internal documents

PubMed Central

Kearns, Cristin E.; Apollonio, Dorie

2017-01-01

In 1965, the Sugar Research Foundation (SRF) secretly funded a review in the New England Journal of Medicine that discounted evidence linking sucrose consumption to blood lipid levels and hence coronary heart disease (CHD). SRF subsequently funded animal research to evaluate sucrose’s CHD risks. The objective of this study was to examine the planning, funding, and internal evaluation of an SRF-funded research project titled “Project 259: Dietary Carbohydrate and Blood Lipids in Germ-Free Rats,” led by Dr. W.F.R. Pover at the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom, between 1967 and 1971. A narrative case study method was used to assess SRF Project 259 from 1967 to 1971 based on sugar industry internal documents. Project 259 found a statistically significant decrease in serum triglycerides in germ-free rats fed a high sugar diet compared to conventional rats fed a basic PRM diet (a pelleted diet containing cereal meals, soybean meals, whitefish meal, and dried yeast, fortified with a balanced vitamin supplement and trace element mixture). The results suggested to SRF that gut microbiota have a causal role in carbohydrate-induced hypertriglyceridemia. A study comparing conventional rats fed a high-sugar diet to those fed a high-starch diet suggested that sucrose consumption might be associated with elevated levels of beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme previously associated with bladder cancer in humans. SRF terminated Project 259 without publishing the results. The sugar industry did not disclose evidence of harm from animal studies that would have (1) strengthened the case that the CHD risk of sucrose is greater than starch and (2) caused sucrose to be scrutinized as a potential carcinogen. The influence of the gut microbiota in the differential effects of sucrose and starch on blood lipids, as well as the influence of carbohydrate quality on beta-glucuronidase and cancer activity, deserve further scrutiny. PMID:29161267

Sugar industry sponsorship of germ-free rodent studies linking sucrose to hyperlipidemia and cancer: An historical analysis of internal documents.

PubMed

Kearns, Cristin E; Apollonio, Dorie; Glantz, Stanton A

2017-11-01

In 1965, the Sugar Research Foundation (SRF) secretly funded a review in the New England Journal of Medicine that discounted evidence linking sucrose consumption to blood lipid levels and hence coronary heart disease (CHD). SRF subsequently funded animal research to evaluate sucrose's CHD risks. The objective of this study was to examine the planning, funding, and internal evaluation of an SRF-funded research project titled "Project 259: Dietary Carbohydrate and Blood Lipids in Germ-Free Rats," led by Dr. W.F.R. Pover at the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom, between 1967 and 1971. A narrative case study method was used to assess SRF Project 259 from 1967 to 1971 based on sugar industry internal documents. Project 259 found a statistically significant decrease in serum triglycerides in germ-free rats fed a high sugar diet compared to conventional rats fed a basic PRM diet (a pelleted diet containing cereal meals, soybean meals, whitefish meal, and dried yeast, fortified with a balanced vitamin supplement and trace element mixture). The results suggested to SRF that gut microbiota have a causal role in carbohydrate-induced hypertriglyceridemia. A study comparing conventional rats fed a high-sugar diet to those fed a high-starch diet suggested that sucrose consumption might be associated with elevated levels of beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme previously associated with bladder cancer in humans. SRF terminated Project 259 without publishing the results. The sugar industry did not disclose evidence of harm from animal studies that would have (1) strengthened the case that the CHD risk of sucrose is greater than starch and (2) caused sucrose to be scrutinized as a potential carcinogen. The influence of the gut microbiota in the differential effects of sucrose and starch on blood lipids, as well as the influence of carbohydrate quality on beta-glucuronidase and cancer activity, deserve further scrutiny.

25 CFR 700.259 - Records subject to Privacy Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Records subject to Privacy Act. 700.259 Section 700.259 Indians THE OFFICE OF NAVAJO AND HOPI INDIAN RELOCATION COMMISSION OPERATIONS AND RELOCATION PROCEDURES Privacy Act § 700.259 Records subject to Privacy Act. The Privacy Act applies to all “records” as that...

25 CFR 700.259 - Records subject to Privacy Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Records subject to Privacy Act. 700.259 Section 700.259 Indians THE OFFICE OF NAVAJO AND HOPI INDIAN RELOCATION COMMISSION OPERATIONS AND RELOCATION PROCEDURES Privacy Act § 700.259 Records subject to Privacy Act. The Privacy Act applies to all “records” as that...

25 CFR 700.259 - Records subject to Privacy Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Records subject to Privacy Act. 700.259 Section 700.259 Indians THE OFFICE OF NAVAJO AND HOPI INDIAN RELOCATION COMMISSION OPERATIONS AND RELOCATION PROCEDURES Privacy Act § 700.259 Records subject to Privacy Act. The Privacy Act applies to all “records” as that...

25 CFR 700.259 - Records subject to Privacy Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Records subject to Privacy Act. 700.259 Section 700.259 Indians THE OFFICE OF NAVAJO AND HOPI INDIAN RELOCATION COMMISSION OPERATIONS AND RELOCATION PROCEDURES Privacy Act § 700.259 Records subject to Privacy Act. The Privacy Act applies to all “records” as that...

25 CFR 700.259 - Records subject to Privacy Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Records subject to Privacy Act. 700.259 Section 700.259 Indians THE OFFICE OF NAVAJO AND HOPI INDIAN RELOCATION COMMISSION OPERATIONS AND RELOCATION PROCEDURES Privacy Act § 700.259 Records subject to Privacy Act. The Privacy Act applies to all “records” as that...

Affective reactions differ between Chinese and American healthy young adults: a cross-cultural study using the international affective picture system.

PubMed

Huang, Jinwen; Xu, Dongrong; Peterson, Bradley S; Hu, Jianbo; Cao, Linfeng; Wei, Ning; Zhang, Yingran; Xu, Weijuan; Xu, Yi; Hu, Shaohua

2015-03-27

Several cross-cultural studies have suggested that emotions are influenced by the cultural background. Emotional reactions to International Affective Picture System (IAPS) images were compared between Chinese and American young adults. 120 Chinese undergraduates (53 females, 67 males; aged 18-25 years) were enrolled at Zhejiang University, China, and the valence and arousal components of their emotional responses to IAPS images were rated using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) system. Then, valence and arousal scores were compared to those of 100 American undergraduates (50 females, 50 males) of the same age group, enrolled at Florida University and surveyed by Prof. PJ Lang in 2001. Valence scores assigned to 259/816 (31.74%) pictures differed significantly between Chinese and American female participants, while those assigned to 165/816 (20.22%) pictures differed significantly between Chinese and American males (P < 6 × 10(-5)). Of the 816 pictures, the arousal scores assigned to 101/816 (12.38%) pictures differed significantly between Chinese and American female participants; these scores significantly differed in 130/816 (15.93%) pictures between Chinese and American males (P < 6 × 10(-5)). Valence scores for pictures in the Erotic category differed significantly between Chinese and American females (P < 6 × 10(-5)). There were no significant differences in valence scores for the remaining eight categories studied between participants from the two countries, whether female or male. The IAPS norms require a modification for their appropriate application in Asian cultures.

Effect of dissolved oxygen concentration on iron efficiency: Removal of three chloroacetic acids.

PubMed

Tang, Shun; Wang, Xiao-mao; Mao, Yu-qin; Zhao, Yu; Yang, Hong-wei; Xie, Yuefeng F

2015-04-15

The monochloroacetic, dichloroacetic and trichloroacetic acid (MCAA, DCAA and TCAA) removed by metallic iron under controlled dissolved oxygen conditions (0, 0.75, 1.52, 2.59, 3.47 or 7.09 mg/L DO) was investigated in well-mixed batch systems. The removal of CAAs increased first and then decreased with increasing DO concentration. Compared with anoxic condition, the reduction of MCAA and DCAA was substantially enhanced in the presence of O2, while TCAA reduction was significantly inhibited above 2.59 mg/L. The 1.52 mg/L DO was optimum for the formation of final product, acetic acid. Chlorine mass balances were 69-102%, and carbon mass balances were 92-105%. With sufficient mass transfer from bulk to the particle surface, the degradation of CAAs was limited by their reduction or migration rate within iron particles, which were dependent on the change of reducing agents and corrosion coatings. Under anoxic conditions, the reduction of CAAs was mainly inhibited by the available reducing agents in the conductive layer. Under low oxic conditions, the increasing reducing agents and thin lepidocrocite layer were favorable for CAA dechlorination. Under high oxic conditions, the redundant oxygen competing for reducing agents and significant lepidocrocite growth became the major restricting factors. Various CAA removal mechanisms could be potentially applied to explaining the effect of DO concentration on iron efficiency for contaminant reduction in water and wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Analysis of the mineral elements of Lactuca sativa under the condition of different spectral components].

PubMed

Chen, Xiao-Li; Guo, Wen-Zhong; Xue, Xu-Zhang; Wang, Li-Chun; Li, Liang; Chen, Fei

2013-08-01

Mineral elements absorption and content of Lactuca sativa under different spectral component conditions were studied by ICP-AES technology. The results showed that: (1) For Lactuca sativa, the average proportion for Ca : Mg : K : Na : P was 5.5 : 2.5 : 2.3 : 1.5 : 1.0, the average proportion for Fe : Mn : Zn : Cu : B was 25.9 : 5.9 : 2.8 : 1.1 : 1.0; (2) The absorptions for K, P, Ca, Mg and B are the largest under the LED treatment R/B = 1 : 2.75, red light from fluorescent lamps and LED can both promote the absorptions of Fe and Cu; (3)The LED treatments exhibiting relatively higher content of mineral elements are R/B = 1 : 2.75 and R/W = 1 : 1 while higher dry matter accumulations are R/B = 1 : 2.75 and B/W = 1 : 1.

Synthesis of rutherfordium isotopes in the 238U(26Mg, xn)264-xRf reaction and study of their decay properties

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

Gates, Jacklyn M; Gates, J.M.; Garcia, M.A.

2008-01-15

Isotopes of rutherfordium (258-261Rf) were produced in irradiations of 238U targets with 26Mg beams. Excitation functions were measured for the 4n, 5n and 6n exit channels. Production of 261Rf in the 3n exit channel with a cross section of 28+92-26 pb was observed. Alpha decay of 258Rf was observed for the first time with an alpha-particle energy of 9.05+-0.03 MeV and an alpha/total decay branching ratio of 0.31+-0.11. In 259Rf, the electron capture/total decay branching ratio was measured to be 0.15+-0.04. The measured half-lives for 258Rf, 259Rf and 260Rf were 14.7+1.2-1.0 ms, 2.5+0.4-0.3 s and 22.2+3.0-2.4 ms, respectively, in agreementmore » with literature data. The systematics of the alpha decay Q values and of the partial spontaneous fission half-lives were evaluated for even-even nuclides in the region of the N = 152, Z = 100 deformed shell. The influence of the N = 152 shell on the alpha decay Q values for rutherfordium was observed to be similar to that of the lighter elements (96<_ Z<_ 102). However, the N = 152 shell does not stabilize the rutherfordium isotopes against spontaneous fission, as it does in the lighter elements (96<_ Z<_102).« less

40 CFR 264.259 - Special requirements for hazardous wastes FO20, FO21, FO22, FO23, FO26, and FO27.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... wastes FO20, FO21, FO22, FO23, FO26, and FO27. 264.259 Section 264.259 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL FACILITIES Waste Piles § 264.259 Special requirements for...

40 CFR 264.259 - Special requirements for hazardous wastes FO20, FO21, FO22, FO23, FO26, and FO27.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... wastes FO20, FO21, FO22, FO23, FO26, and FO27. 264.259 Section 264.259 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL FACILITIES Waste Piles § 264.259 Special requirements for...

40 CFR 264.259 - Special requirements for hazardous wastes FO20, FO21, FO22, FO23, FO26, and FO27.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... wastes FO20, FO21, FO22, FO23, FO26, and FO27. 264.259 Section 264.259 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL FACILITIES Waste Piles § 264.259 Special requirements for...

Two Isoforms of Yersinia pestis Plasminogen Activator Pla: Intraspecies Distribution, Intrinsic Disorder Propensity, and Contribution to Virulence.

PubMed

Dentovskaya, Svetlana V; Platonov, Mikhail E; Svetoch, Tat'yana E; Kopylov, Pavel Kh; Kombarova, Tat'yana I; Ivanov, Sergey A; Shaikhutdinova, Rima Z; Kolombet, Lyubov' V; Chauhan, Sadhana; Ablamunits, Vitaly G; Motin, Vladimir L; Uversky, Vladimir N; Anisimov, Andrey P

2016-01-01

It has been shown previously that several endemic Y. pestis isolates with limited virulence contained the I259 isoform of the outer membrane protease Pla, while the epidemic highly virulent strains possessed only the T259 Pla isoform. Our sequence analysis of the pla gene from 118 Y. pestis subsp. microtus strains revealed that the I259 isoform was present exclusively in the endemic strains providing a convictive evidence of more ancestral origin of this isoform. Analysis of the effects of the I259T polymorphism on the intrinsic disorder propensity of Pla revealed that the I259T mutation slightly increases the intrinsic disorder propensity of the C-terminal tail of Pla and makes this protein slightly more prone for disorder-based protein-protein interactions, suggesting that the T259 Pla could be functionally more active than the I259 Pla. This assumption was proven experimentally by assessing the coagulase and fibrinolytic activities of the two Pla isoforms in human plasma, as well as in a direct fluorometric assay with the Pla peptide substrate. The virulence testing of Pla-negative or expressing the I259 and T259 Pla isoforms Y. pestis subsp. microtus and subsp. pestis strains did not reveal any significant difference in LD50 values and dose-dependent survival assays between them by using a subcutaneous route of challenge of mice and guinea pigs or intradermal challenge of mice. However, a significant decrease in time-to-death was observed in animals infected with the epidemic T259 Pla-producing strains as compared to the parent Pla-negative variants. Survival curves of the endemic I259 Pla+ strains fit between them, but significant difference in mean time to death post infection between the Pla-strains and their I259 Pla+ variants could be seen only in the isogenic set of subsp. pestis strains. These findings suggest an essential role for the outer membrane protease Pla evolution in Y. pestis bubonic infection exacerbation that is necessary for intensification of epidemic process from endemic natural focality with sporadic cases in men to rapidly expanding epizootics followed by human epidemic outbreaks, local epidemics or even pandemics.

Two Isoforms of Yersinia pestis Plasminogen Activator Pla: Intraspecies Distribution, Intrinsic Disorder Propensity, and Contribution to Virulence

PubMed Central

Dentovskaya, Svetlana V.; Platonov, Mikhail E.; Svetoch, Tat’yana E.; Kopylov, Pavel Kh.; Kombarova, Tat’yana I.; Ivanov, Sergey A.; Shaikhutdinova, Rima Z.; Kolombet, Lyubov’ V.; Chauhan, Sadhana; Ablamunits, Vitaly G.; Motin, Vladimir L.; Uversky, Vladimir N.

2016-01-01

It has been shown previously that several endemic Y. pestis isolates with limited virulence contained the I259 isoform of the outer membrane protease Pla, while the epidemic highly virulent strains possessed only the T259 Pla isoform. Our sequence analysis of the pla gene from 118 Y. pestis subsp. microtus strains revealed that the I259 isoform was present exclusively in the endemic strains providing a convictive evidence of more ancestral origin of this isoform. Analysis of the effects of the I259T polymorphism on the intrinsic disorder propensity of Pla revealed that the I259T mutation slightly increases the intrinsic disorder propensity of the C-terminal tail of Pla and makes this protein slightly more prone for disorder-based protein-protein interactions, suggesting that the T259 Pla could be functionally more active than the I259 Pla. This assumption was proven experimentally by assessing the coagulase and fibrinolytic activities of the two Pla isoforms in human plasma, as well as in a direct fluorometric assay with the Pla peptide substrate. The virulence testing of Pla-negative or expressing the I259 and T259 Pla isoforms Y. pestis subsp. microtus and subsp. pestis strains did not reveal any significant difference in LD50 values and dose-dependent survival assays between them by using a subcutaneous route of challenge of mice and guinea pigs or intradermal challenge of mice. However, a significant decrease in time-to-death was observed in animals infected with the epidemic T259 Pla-producing strains as compared to the parent Pla-negative variants. Survival curves of the endemic I259 Pla+ strains fit between them, but significant difference in mean time to death post infection between the Pla−strains and their I259 Pla+ variants could be seen only in the isogenic set of subsp. pestis strains. These findings suggest an essential role for the outer membrane protease Pla evolution in Y. pestis bubonic infection exacerbation that is necessary for intensification of epidemic process from endemic natural focality with sporadic cases in men to rapidly expanding epizootics followed by human epidemic outbreaks, local epidemics or even pandemics. PMID:27936190

STS-105 Crew Training in VR Lab

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-03-15

JSC2001-00751 (15 March 2001) --- Astronaut Scott J. Horowitz, STS-105 mission commander, uses the virtual reality lab at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) to train for his duties aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. This type of computer interface paired with virtual reality training hardware and software helps to prepare the entire team for dealing with International Space Station (ISS) elements.

STS-105 Crew Training in VR Lab

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-03-15

JSC2001-00758 (15 March 2001) --- Astronaut Frederick W. Sturckow, STS-105 pilot, uses the virtual reality lab at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) to train for his duties aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. This type of computer interface paired with virtual reality training hardware and software helps to prepare the entire team for dealing with International Space Station (ISS) elements.

Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of Li 1.05RE xCr yMn 2- x- yO 4 spinel as cathode material for rechargeable Li-battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Yanting; Yang, Rudong; Yan, Lan; Qi, Lu; Dai, Kehua; He, Ping

The spinel phases of Li 1.05RE xCr yMn 2- x- yO 4 (RE = Sc, Ce, Pr, Tb; 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05; 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.1) were prepared by a soft chemical method. The structural and electrochemical properties of Li 1.05RE xCr yMn 2- x- yO 4 were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and charge-discharge experiments. Rare earth element-Sc and transition metal-Cr as co-substituents stabilize the spinel framework and improve charge-discharge performance. For Li 1.05Sc 0.01Cr 0.03Mn 1.96O 4, the capacity of the cell maintained 95% of the initial capacity at the 80th cycle. The rare earth elements of the variable valent metals such as Ce 3+/4+, Pr 3+/4+, Tb 3+/4+ with transition metal Cr 3+ as co-substituent do not stable framework of spinel or improve the cycling performance. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) were measured to provide clues for the improved cycling performance of cathode electrodes.

Observation of a thermally enhanced magnetoresistance in NiFe

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

Cao, Y.; Feng, C., E-mail: fengchun@ustb.edu.cn, E-mail: ghyu@mater.ustb.edu.cn; Liu, D. X.

2016-04-15

A thermally enhanced magnetoresistance (ThMR) was designed and obtained by simultaneously applying charge and heat currents to a NiFe thin film. From the measurement we observed that the magnetoresistance value was as high as -22600% when the input charge current and applied temperature gradient was 0.966 μA and 2.5 °C/mm, respectively. This ThMR can be controllable by adjusting the relative values of the input charge and heat currents. On increasing the input charge current from 0.85 to 1.05 μA by fixing the temperature gradient at 2.5 °C/mm, the ThMR first increased from 9% to 183% and then decreased from -259%more » to -13%, at intervals of ∼0.96 μA. This can be explained by the spin-dependent transport phenomenon i.e., scattering induced sign difference between magnetoresistance and magnetothermopower in NiFe.« less

17 CFR 259.5s - Form U5S, for annual reports filed under section 5(c) of the Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Form U5S, for annual reports filed under section 5(c) of the Act. 259.5s Section 259.5s Commodity and Securities Exchanges SECURITIES... 1935 Forms for Registration and Annual Supplements § 259.5s Form U5S, for annual reports filed under...

50 CFR 259.32 - Conditional fisheries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Conditional fisheries. 259.32 Section 259.32 Wildlife and Fisheries NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AID TO FISHERIES CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION FUND Capital Construction Fund...

7 CFR 1924.259 - Handling dwelling construction complaints.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 12 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Handling dwelling construction complaints. 1924.259... OF AGRICULTURE PROGRAM REGULATIONS CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR Complaints and Compensation for Construction Defects § 1924.259 Handling dwelling construction complaints. This section describes the procedure...

Abdominal obesity and hyperglycemia mask the effect of a common APOC3 haplotype on the risk of myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Ruiz-Narváez, Edward A; Sacks, Frank M; Campos, Hannia

2008-06-01

Plasma apolipoprotein (apo) C-III strongly predicts myocardial infarction (MI) and directly activates atherogenic processes in vascular cells. Genetic variation in the insulin response element of the APOC3 promoter is associated with an increased risk of MI. The objective was to determine whether the APOC3 promoter variation affects plasma apo C-III concentrations and MI only when insulin sensitivity is normal. The APOC3*222 haplotype, defined by the minor alleles of the single nucleotide polymorphisms 3238C-->G, -455T-->C, and -482C-->T, was studied in 1703 matched nonfatal case-control pairs with MI in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. We used fasting hyperglycemia and abdominal obesity as surrogates for insulin sensitivity. The APOC3*222 haplotype was associated with higher apo C-III concentrations only in those with the lowest waist circumference or fasting glucose concentration. The association between the APOC3*222 haplotype and nonfatal MI, previously reported in this population, was strongly influenced by fasting hyperglycemia and abdominal obesity. The odds ratios for MI for the APOC3*222 haplotype were 1.72 (95% CI: 1.16, 2.54) and 1.84 (1.31, 2.59) in subjects in the lowest quintiles of abdominal obesity and fasting hyperglycemia, respectively, and were 0.75 (0.54, 1.05) and 1.16 (0.85, 1.59) in subjects in the highest quintiles, respectively (P for interaction <0.05). The results support the concept that mutations in the APOC3 promoter inhibit the down-regulation of APOC3 expression by insulin. This cardioprotective system becomes dysfunctional in abdominal obesity and hyperglycemia.

7 CFR 1944.259 - Participatory agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 13 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Participatory agreement. 1944.259 Section 1944.259... agreement. (a) Before actual acceptance into CHSP, potential participants must work with the PAC and the... participant, the participant must sign a participatory agreement governing the utilization of the plan's...

14 CFR 259.5 - Customer service plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Customer service plan. 259.5 Section 259.5 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC..., including during tarmac delays; (7) Meeting customers' essential needs during lengthy tarmac delays; (8...

50 CFR 259.31 - Acquisition, construction, or reconstruction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... reconstruction. 259.31 Section 259.31 Wildlife and Fisheries NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, NATIONAL OCEANIC... first commences, unless otherwise consented to by the Secretary. (d) Energy saving improvements. An improvement made to a vessel to conserve energy shall, regardless of cost, be treated as a reconstruction for...

17 CFR 230.259 - Withdrawal or abandonment of offering statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Withdrawal or abandonment of offering statements. 230.259 Section 230.259 Commodity and Securities Exchanges SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS, SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 Regulation A-Conditional Small Issues...

39 CFR 259.1 - Government.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Government. 259.1 Section 259.1 Postal Service....1 Government. (a) Policy. The Postal Service cooperates with Federal Agencies whenever the overall costs to Government will be reduced. Assistance in a number of special projects and programs is provided...

39 CFR 259.1 - Government.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Government. 259.1 Section 259.1 Postal Service....1 Government. (a) Policy. The Postal Service cooperates with Federal Agencies whenever the overall costs to Government will be reduced. Assistance in a number of special projects and programs is provided...

39 CFR 259.1 - Government.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Government. 259.1 Section 259.1 Postal Service....1 Government. (a) Policy. The Postal Service cooperates with Federal Agencies whenever the overall costs to Government will be reduced. Assistance in a number of special projects and programs is provided...

39 CFR 259.1 - Government.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Government. 259.1 Section 259.1 Postal Service....1 Government. (a) Policy. The Postal Service cooperates with Federal Agencies whenever the overall costs to Government will be reduced. Assistance in a number of special projects and programs is provided...

39 CFR 259.1 - Government.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Government. 259.1 Section 259.1 Postal Service....1 Government. (a) Policy. The Postal Service cooperates with Federal Agencies whenever the overall costs to Government will be reduced. Assistance in a number of special projects and programs is provided...

Extraction, characterization and antioxidant activities of Se-enriched tea polysaccharides.

PubMed

Wang, Yuanfeng; Li, Yongfu; Liu, Yangyang; Chen, Xueqing; Wei, Xinlin

2015-01-01

Se-polysaccharides from Se-enriched tea leaves were purified by DEAE-sepharose fast flow gel column (2.5×60cm) and three polysaccharide fractions (Se-TPS1, Se-TPS2, and Se-TPS3) were isolated and purified with yields of 6.5, 37.14, and 8.57%, respectively. The average sizes of Se-TPS1 and Se-TPS2 were determined by HPGPC system, with molecular weights of 1.1×10(5) and 2.4×10(5)Da, respectively. Se-TPS3 was a polysaccharide polymer with two peaks with molecular weights of 9.2×10(5) and 2.5×10(5)Da. Monosaccharide components analysis by ion chromatography revealed Se-polysaccharides were acidic polysaccharoses and different from each other in monosaccharide kinds and molar ratio. Elements of Se, C, H, N, S, and 14 kinds of mineral elements were analyzed by AFS, EA, and ICP-AES, respectively. Spectral analysis (IR and UV) indicated Se-polysaccharides were typical glycoproteins. Morphological analyses of the samples were determined by SEM and AFM. In addition, the DPPH and superoxide radicals scavenging activities were also discussed to assess antioxidant activities of the samples, and Se-polysaccharides showed higher antioxidant activities compared to the ordinary polysaccharides. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 107.259 - Crane inspection and testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Crane inspection and testing. 107.259 Section 107.259 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS....I.) Recommended Practice for Operation and Maintenance of Offshore Cranes, API RP 2D, First Edition...

46 CFR 107.259 - Crane inspection and testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Crane inspection and testing. 107.259 Section 107.259 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS....I.) Recommended Practice for Operation and Maintenance of Offshore Cranes, API RP 2D, First Edition...

46 CFR 107.259 - Crane inspection and testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Crane inspection and testing. 107.259 Section 107.259 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS....I.) Recommended Practice for Operation and Maintenance of Offshore Cranes, API RP 2D, First Edition...

46 CFR 107.259 - Crane inspection and testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Crane inspection and testing. 107.259 Section 107.259 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS....I.) Recommended Practice for Operation and Maintenance of Offshore Cranes, API RP 2D, First Edition...

46 CFR 107.259 - Crane inspection and testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Crane inspection and testing. 107.259 Section 107.259 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS....I.) Recommended Practice for Operation and Maintenance of Offshore Cranes, API RP 2D, First Edition...

14 CFR 259.7 - Response to consumer problems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS ENHANCED PROTECTIONS FOR AIRLINE PASSENGERS § 259.7 Response to consumer... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Response to consumer problems. 259.7... flights to cancel and which will be delayed the longest. (b) Informing consumers how to complain. Each...

38 CFR 3.258-3.259 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false [Reserved] 3.258-3.259 Section 3.258-3.259 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ADJUDICATION Pension, Compensation, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Dependency, Income and Estate §§ 3.258-3...

38 CFR 3.258-3.259 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false [Reserved] 3.258-3.259 Section 3.258-3.259 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ADJUDICATION Pension, Compensation, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Dependency, Income and Estate §§ 3.258-3...

38 CFR 3.258-3.259 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false [Reserved] 3.258-3.259 Section 3.258-3.259 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ADJUDICATION Pension, Compensation, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Dependency, Income and Estate §§ 3.258-3...

38 CFR 3.258-3.259 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false [Reserved] 3.258-3.259 Section 3.258-3.259 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ADJUDICATION Pension, Compensation, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Dependency, Income and Estate §§ 3.258-3...

38 CFR 3.258-3.259 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false [Reserved] 3.258-3.259 Section 3.258-3.259 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ADJUDICATION Pension, Compensation, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Dependency, Income and Estate §§ 3.258-3...

24 CFR 207.259 - Insurance benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Insurance benefits. 207.259 Section... Contract of Insurance § 207.259 Insurance benefits. (a) Method of payment. Upon either an assignment of the... of mortgage. If the mortgage is assigned to the Commissioner, the insurance benefits shall be paid in...

24 CFR 207.259 - Insurance benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Insurance benefits. 207.259 Section... Contract of Insurance § 207.259 Insurance benefits. (a) Method of payment. Upon either an assignment of the... of mortgage. If the mortgage is assigned to the Commissioner, the insurance benefits shall be paid in...

24 CFR 207.259 - Insurance benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Insurance benefits. 207.259 Section... Contract of Insurance § 207.259 Insurance benefits. (a) Method of payment. Upon either an assignment of the... of mortgage. If the mortgage is assigned to the Commissioner, the insurance benefits shall be paid in...

24 CFR 207.259 - Insurance benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Insurance benefits. 207.259 Section... Contract of Insurance § 207.259 Insurance benefits. (a) Method of payment. Upon either an assignment of the... of mortgage. If the mortgage is assigned to the Commissioner, the insurance benefits shall be paid in...

24 CFR 207.259 - Insurance benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Insurance benefits. 207.259 Section... Contract of Insurance § 207.259 Insurance benefits. (a) Method of payment. Upon either an assignment of the... of mortgage. If the mortgage is assigned to the Commissioner, the insurance benefits shall be paid in...

16 CFR 259.2 - Advertising disclosures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... ADVERTISING FOR NEW AUTOMOBILES § 259.2 Advertising disclosures. (a) No manufacturer or dealer shall make any express or implied representation in advertising concerning the fuel economy of any new automobile 1... “estimated highway mpg” of such new automobile, 2 must be disclosed; 2 For purposes of § 259.2(a), the...

16 CFR 259.2 - Advertising disclosures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... ADVERTISING FOR NEW AUTOMOBILES § 259.2 Advertising disclosures. (a) No manufacturer or dealer shall make any express or implied representation in advertising concerning the fuel economy of any new automobile 1... “estimated highway mpg” of such new automobile, 2 must be disclosed; 2 For purposes of § 259.2(a), the...

16 CFR 259.2 - Advertising disclosures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... ADVERTISING FOR NEW AUTOMOBILES § 259.2 Advertising disclosures. (a) No manufacturer or dealer shall make any express or implied representation in advertising concerning the fuel economy of any new automobile 1... “estimated highway mpg” of such new automobile, 2 must be disclosed; 2 For purposes of § 259.2(a), the...

16 CFR 259.2 - Advertising disclosures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... ADVERTISING FOR NEW AUTOMOBILES § 259.2 Advertising disclosures. (a) No manufacturer or dealer shall make any express or implied representation in advertising concerning the fuel economy of any new automobile 1... “estimated highway mpg” of such new automobile, 2 must be disclosed; 2 For purposes of § 259.2(a), the...

16 CFR 259.2 - Advertising disclosures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... ADVERTISING FOR NEW AUTOMOBILES § 259.2 Advertising disclosures. (a) No manufacturer or dealer shall make any express or implied representation in advertising concerning the fuel economy of any new automobile 1... “estimated highway mpg” of such new automobile, 2 must be disclosed; 2 For purposes of § 259.2(a), the...

30 CFR 250.259 - What sulphur operations information must accompany the DPP or DOCD?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What sulphur operations information must accompany the DPP or DOCD? 250.259 Section 250.259 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT... Information Contents of Development and Production Plans (dpp) and Development Operations Coordination...

17 CFR 259.0-1 - Availability of forms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... may inspect the forms at this address and at the Commission's regional and district offices. (See... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Availability of forms. 259.0-1 Section 259.0-1 Commodity and Securities Exchanges SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (CONTINUED) FORMS...

The transcobalamin codon 259 polymorphism influences the risk of human spontaneous abortion.

PubMed

Zetterberg, H; Regland, B; Palmér, M; Rymo, L; Zafiropoulos, A; Arvanitis, D A; Spandidos, D A; Blennow, K

2002-12-01

The remethylation cycle of methionine is folate and vitamin B(12) (cobalamin) dependent and appears to be crucial for embryonic development, probably through effects on synthesis of DNA, proteins and polyamines. Transcobalamin (TC) transports vitamin B(12) to the tissues. The objective of the present investigation was to explore the putative association between the major TC genetic polymorphism (Pro259Arg) and human spontaneous abortion. The prevalence of the TC Pro259Arg polymorphism was determined in DNA samples from embryos that had been spontaneously aborted between the 6th and 20th week after conception, and adult controls using solid-phase minisequencing technique. The 259-Pro allele was significantly less frequent in the spontaneous abortion group than in the control group (42.2 and 57.0% respectively; P = 0.005), while the frequency of 259-Arg was significantly increased. There was a lower prevalence of 259-Pro homozygotes in the spontaneous abortion group compared with the control group (9.1 and 32.2% respectively; P < 0.001). The 259-Pro allele seems to have beneficial influences during embryogenesis, conceivably through its positive effect on vitamin B(12) intracellular bioavailability. Our results warrant additional investigations addressing the question if vitamin B(12) supplementation in addition to folic acid supplementation may prevent spontaneous abortion in women planning a pregnancy.

Antitumor Activity Associated with Prolonged Persistence of Adoptively Transferred NY-ESO-1c259T cells in Synovial Sarcoma.

PubMed

D'Angelo, Sandra P; Melchiori, Luca; Merchant, Melinda S; Bernstein, Donna B; Glod, John; Kaplan, Rosandra N; Grupp, Stephan A; Tap, William D; Chagin, Karen; Binder, Gwendolyn K; Basu, Samik; Lowther, Daniel E; Wang, Ruoxi; Bath, Natalie; Tipping, Alex; Betts, Gareth; Ramachandran, Indu; Navenot, Jean-Marc; Zhang, Hua; Wells, Daniel K; Van Winkle, Erin; Kari, Gabor; Trivedi, Trupti; Holdich, Tom; Pandite, Lini N; Amado, Rafael; Mackall, Crystal L

2018-06-11

We evaluated safety and activity of autologous T cells expressing NY-ESO-1c259, an affinity-enhanced T cell receptor (TCR) recognizing an HLA-A2-restricted NY-ESO-1/LAGE-1a-derived peptide, in patients with metastatic synovial sarcoma (NY-ESO-1c259T cells). Confirmed antitumor responses occurred in 50% of patients (6/12) and were characterized by tumor shrinkage over several months. Circulating NY-ESO-1c259T cells were present post-infusion in all patients and persisted for at least 6 months in all responders. Most infused NY-ESO-1c259T cells exhibited an effector memory phenotype following the ex vivo expansion, but the persisting pools comprised largely central memory and stem cell memory subsets, which remained polyfunctional and showed no evidence for T cell exhaustion despite persistent tumor burdens. Next generation sequencing of endogenous TCRs in CD8+ NY-ESO-1c259T cells revealed clonal diversity without contraction over time. These data suggest that regenerative pools of NY-ESO-1c259T cells produced a continuing supply of effector cells to mediate sustained, clinically meaningful antitumor effects. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

Impact assessment of intermediate soil cover on landfill stabilization by characterizing landfilled municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Qi, Guangxia; Yue, Dongbei; Liu, Jianguo; Li, Rui; Shi, Xiaochong; He, Liang; Guo, Jingting; Miao, Haomei; Nie, Yongfeng

2013-10-15

Waste samples at different depths of a covered municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in Beijing, China, were excavated and characterized to investigate the impact of intermediate soil cover on waste stabilization. A comparatively high amount of unstable organic matter with 83.3 g kg(-1) dry weight (dw) total organic carbon was detected in the 6-year-old MSW, where toxic inorganic elements containing As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn of 10.1, 0.98, 85.49, 259.7, 530.4, 30.5, 84.0, and 981.7 mg kg(-1) dw, respectively, largely accumulated because of the barrier effect of intermediate soil cover. This accumulation resulted in decreased microbial activities. The intermediate soil cover also caused significant reduction in moisture in MSW under the soil layer, which was as low as 25.9%, and led to inefficient biodegradation of 8- and 10-year-old MSW. Therefore, intermediate soil cover with low permeability seems to act as a barrier that divides a landfill into two landfill cells with different degradation processes by restraining water flow and hazardous matter. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Requirement of Hsp105 in CoCl{sub 2}-induced HIF-1α accumulation and transcriptional activation

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

Mikami, Hiroki; Saito, Youhei, E-mail: ysaito@mb.kyoto-phu.ac.jp; Okamoto, Namiko

The mammalian stress protein Hsp105α protects cells from stress conditions. Several studies have indicated that Hsp105α is overexpressed in many types of solid tumors, which contain hypoxic microenvironments. However, the role of Hsp105α in hypoxic tumors remains largely unknown. We herein demonstrated the involvement of Hsp105α in HIF-1 functions induced by the hypoxia-mimetic agent CoCl{sub 2}. While Hsp105α is mainly localized in the cytoplasm under normal conditions, a treatment with CoCl{sub 2} induces the nuclear localization of Hsp105α, which correlated with HIF-1α expression levels. The overexpression of degradation-resistant HIF-1α enhances the nuclear localization of Hsp105α without the CoCl{sub 2} treatment.more » The CoCl{sub 2}-dependent transcriptional activation of HIF-1, which is measured using a reporter gene containing a HIF-responsive element, is reduced by the knockdown of Hsp105α. Furthermore, the CoCl{sub 2}-induced accumulation of HIF-1α is enhanced by heat shock, which results in the nuclear localization of Hsp105, and is suppressed by the knockdown of Hsp105. Hsp105 associates with HIF-1α in CoCl{sub 2}-treated cells. These results suggest that Hsp105α plays an important role in the functions of HIF-1 under hypoxic conditions, in which Hsp105α enhances the accumulation and transcriptional activity of HIF-1 through the HIF-1α-mediated nuclear localization of Hsp105α. - Highlights: • Hsp105α is required for the CoCl{sub 2}-induced transcriptional activation and accumulation of HIF-1. • Hsp105α localizes to the nucleus and interacts with HIF-1α in CoCl{sub 2}-treated cells. • Hsp105 enhances the CoCl{sub 2}-induced accumulation of HIF-1α under heat shock conditions.« less

24 CFR 203.259 - Method of payment of MIP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Method of payment of MIP. 203.259 Section 203.259 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development... Commissioner by the mortgagee either in cash or debentures at par plus accrued interest. [48 FR 28805, June 23...

24 CFR 203.259 - Method of payment of MIP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Method of payment of MIP. 203.259 Section 203.259 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development... Commissioner by the mortgagee either in cash or debentures at par plus accrued interest. [48 FR 28805, June 23...

24 CFR 203.259 - Method of payment of MIP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Method of payment of MIP. 203.259 Section 203.259 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development... Commissioner by the mortgagee either in cash or debentures at par plus accrued interest. [48 FR 28805, June 23...

7 CFR 2.59 - Deputy Under Secretaries for Natural Resources and Environment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Deputy Under Secretaries for Natural Resources and Environment. 2.59 Section 2.59 Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT Delegations of Authority by the...

7 CFR 2.59 - Deputy Under Secretaries for Natural Resources and Environment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Deputy Under Secretaries for Natural Resources and Environment. 2.59 Section 2.59 Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT Delegations of Authority by the...

7 CFR 2.59 - Deputy Under Secretaries for Natural Resources and Environment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Deputy Under Secretaries for Natural Resources and Environment. 2.59 Section 2.59 Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT Delegations of Authority by the...

7 CFR 2.59 - Deputy Under Secretaries for Natural Resources and Environment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Deputy Under Secretaries for Natural Resources and Environment. 2.59 Section 2.59 Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT Delegations of Authority by the...

7 CFR 2.59 - Deputy Under Secretaries for Natural Resources and Environment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Deputy Under Secretaries for Natural Resources and Environment. 2.59 Section 2.59 Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT Delegations of Authority by the...

30 CFR 250.259 - What sulphur operations information must accompany the DPP or DOCD?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What sulphur operations information must accompany the DPP or DOCD? 250.259 Section 250.259 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT... OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Plans and Information Contents of Development and Production Plans (dpp) and...

30 CFR 550.259 - What sulphur operations information must accompany the DPP or DOCD?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What sulphur operations information must accompany the DPP or DOCD? 550.259 Section 550.259 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT... toxic or thermal impacts on the environment caused by the discharge of bleedwater. (b) Subsidence. An...

30 CFR 550.259 - What sulphur operations information must accompany the DPP or DOCD?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What sulphur operations information must accompany the DPP or DOCD? 550.259 Section 550.259 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT... toxic or thermal impacts on the environment caused by the discharge of bleedwater. (b) Subsidence. An...

20 CFR 1002.259 - How does USERRA protect an employee's pension benefits?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 4 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false How does USERRA protect an employee's pension benefits? 1002.259 Section 1002.259 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR VETERANS... USERRA protect an employee's pension benefits? On reemployment, the employee is treated as not having a...

20 CFR 1002.259 - How does USERRA protect an employee's pension benefits?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 4 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false How does USERRA protect an employee's pension benefits? 1002.259 Section 1002.259 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR VETERANS... USERRA protect an employee's pension benefits? On reemployment, the employee is treated as not having a...

20 CFR 1002.259 - How does USERRA protect an employee's pension benefits?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false How does USERRA protect an employee's pension benefits? 1002.259 Section 1002.259 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR VETERANS... USERRA protect an employee's pension benefits? On reemployment, the employee is treated as not having a...

Dynamics Determine Signaling in a Multicomponent System Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Lindgren, Cecilia; Tyagi, Mohit; Viljanen, Johan; Toms, Johannes; Ge, Changrong; Zhang, Naru; Holmdahl, Rikard; Kihlberg, Jan; Linusson, Anna

2018-05-24

Strategies that target multiple components are usually required for treatment of diseases originating from complex biological systems. The multicomponent system consisting of the DR4 major histocompatibility complex type II molecule, the glycopeptide CII259-273 from type II collagen, and a T-cell receptor is associated with development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We introduced non-native amino acids and amide bond isosteres into CII259-273 and investigated the effect on binding to DR4 and the subsequent T-cell response. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that complexes between DR4 and derivatives of CII259-273 were highly dynamic. Signaling in the overall multicomponent system was found to depend on formation of an appropriate number of dynamic intramolecular hydrogen bonds between DR4 and CII259-273, together with the positioning of the galactose moiety of CII259-273 in the DR4 binding groove. Interestingly, the system tolerated modifications at several positions in CII259-273, indicating opportunities to use analogues to increase our understanding of how rheumatoid arthritis develops and for evaluation as vaccines to treat RA.

Transactions of the Conference of Army Mathematicians (23rd), held at U. S. Army Mobility Research and Development Laboratory, Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, 11-13 May 1977

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-02-01

Trans. ASME, Vol. 81, 1959, pp. 259- 264 . 112 0 C> 0 LJj 0 CD 0 D ~) . [") r "-’ . 1’ n -- 1 . 2 0 1 . lj 0 1. :iO 1 • 13 0 ? . (JO p;a...n ntout Compute determinant elements forb n, Comoute and write backsc~tter cross-section\\ (Figure 2.2-1) 264 J. BACKSCATTER CROSS-SECTION FOR A...Overrelaxation Iteration Methods," Report WAPD -TM-1038, Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 10

Evaluation of ADINA. Part I. Theory and Programing Descriptions.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-08

Problem," Numerical and Computer Methods in Structural Mechanics, S. J. Feaves, N. Pe-rone, J. Robinson and W.C. Schnobrich, eds., Academic Press, New...connectivity array N102 ’NDM*NlJME-ITW0 YL Element nodal coordinates N103 ---- NUME IELT Element number of nodes N104 NUME IPST Stress printing flag N105 NUME

Testing a Model of Diabetes Self-Care Management: A Causal Model Analysis with LISREL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nowacek, George A.; And Others

1990-01-01

A diabetes-management model is presented, which includes an attitudinal element and depicts relationships among causal elements. LISREL-VI was used to analyze data from 115 Type-I and 105 Type-II patients. The data did not closely fit the model. Results support the importance of the personal meaning of diabetes. (TJH)

Boiler-turbine life extension

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

Natzkov, S.; Nikolov, M.

1995-12-01

The design life of the main power equipment-boilers and turbines is about 105 working hours. The possibilities for life extension are after normatively regulated control tests. The diagnostics and methodology for Boilers and Turbines Elements Remaining Life Assessment using up to date computer programs, destructive and nondestructive control of metal of key elements of units equipment, metal creep and low cycle fatigue calculations. As well as data for most common damages and some technical decisions for elements life extension are presented.

A comparison of the structural strength between fiberglass and jute fiber in the Acehnese Traditional Boat Jalo Kayoh using finite element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akram; Hasanuddin, Iskandar; Nazaruddin; Syahril Anwar, M.; Zulfan; Ahmad, Norhafizan

2018-05-01

The Acehnese traditional boat, known as Jalo Kayoh, is a mean of transportation used by Acehnese fishermen. The main constituent of the boat is wood. However, due to the decline of high-quality wood supply and as a preventative measure of illegal logging, fiberglass and jute fiber are used instead of wood. This study compares the strength of the two materials using finite element method. The Jalo Kayoh model plan stands at 4m in length, 0.6 m in width, and 0.4 m in height. A 2500 N static load is applied to the surface, using a C3D10 quadratic tetrahedron 0.02 mesh. The result of the simulation to the fiberglass is a maximum displacement of 7.123 x 10-5m, while the jute fiber has a maximum displacement of 2.255 x 10-4 m. The maximum stress stands at 1.612 x 106 Pa for the fiberglass and 1.523 x 106 Pa for the jute fiber. The maximum strain occurs at 1.654 x 10-5 for the fiberglass and 4.581 x 10-5 for the jute fiber. To conclude, fiber glass has more stress 1.05 % and less strain 2.76 % than jute fiber and both the materials can sustain the load given.

Application of homology modeling to generate CYP1A1 mutants with enhanced activation of the cancer chemotherapeutic prodrug dacarbazine.

PubMed

Lewis, Benjamin C; Mackenzie, Peter I; Miners, John O

2011-11-01

The chemotherapeutic prodrug dacarbazine (DTIC) has limited efficacy in human malignancies and exhibits numerous adverse effects that arise from systemic exposure to the cytotoxic metabolite. DTIC is activated by CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 catalyzed N-demethylation. However, structural features of these enzymes that confer DTIC N-demethylation have not been characterized. A validated homology model of CYP1A1 was employed to elucidate structure-activity relationships and to engineer CYP1A1 enzymes with altered DTIC activation. In silico docking demonstrated that DTIC orientates proximally to Ser122, Phe123, Asp313, Ala317, Ile386, Tyr259, and Leu496 of human CYP1A1. The site of metabolism is positioned 5.6 Å from the heme iron at an angle of 105.3°. Binding in the active site is stabilized by H-bonding between Tyr259 and the N(2) position of the imidazole ring. Twenty-seven CYP1A1 mutants were generated and expressed in Escherichia coli in yields ranging from 9 to 225 pmol P450/mg. DTIC N-demethylation by the E161K, E256K, and I458V mutants exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with decreases in K(m) (183-249 μM) that doubled the catalytic efficiency (p < 0.05) relative to wild-type CYP1A1 (K(m), 408 ± 43 μM; V(max), 28 ± 4 pmol · min(-1) · pmol of P450(-1)). The generation of enzymes with catalytically enhanced DTIC activation highlights the potential use of mutant CYP1A1 proteins in P450-based gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy for the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with urinary tract infection in children

PubMed Central

Handoka, Nesrein Mosad; Amin, Rasha Emad

2016-01-01

Introduction In humans, vitamin D has been shown to play a role in infectious diseases, but its association with acquisition and a complicated course of febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs) has not been investigated. We aimed to investigate the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D3) levels and the risk of first time febrile UTI in children. Material and methods This prospective case-control study included 50 children with first febrile UTI, with no risk factors for UTI, and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy siblings as controls. White blood cell count, serum C-reactive protein, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and parathormone were measured in all studied children. Vitamin D status was determined by measuring plasma 25(OH)D3 level. Deficiency was defined as a plasma 25(OH)D3 level ≤ 25 nmol/l. Results Children with UTI had significantly lower mean serum levels of 25(OH)D3 (10.5 ±2.7 nmol/l) than those of controls (25.9 ±5.6 nmol/l) (p < 0.05). Patients with lower UTI had significantly higher serum levels of 25(OH)D3 compared to those with acute pyelonephritis (12.4 ±2.59 vs. 8.2 ±3.2 nmol/l; p < 0.001). Mean serum levels of 25(OH)D3 were significantly lower (p = 0.001) in the female patients compared with males, and this difference was not found within the control group. Multivariate analysis showed that a serum 25(OH)D3 level of ≤ 25 nmol/l is associated with UTI (OR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.61–2.82; p = 0.04). Conclusions Vitamin D deficiency (≤ 25 nmol/l) was an independent risk factor for UTI in children. PMID:29379541

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with urinary tract infection in children.

PubMed

Shalaby, Sherein Abdelhamid; Handoka, Nesrein Mosad; Amin, Rasha Emad

2018-01-01

In humans, vitamin D has been shown to play a role in infectious diseases, but its association with acquisition and a complicated course of febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs) has not been investigated. We aimed to investigate the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D 3 ) levels and the risk of first time febrile UTI in children. This prospective case-control study included 50 children with first febrile UTI, with no risk factors for UTI, and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy siblings as controls. White blood cell count, serum C-reactive protein, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and parathormone were measured in all studied children. Vitamin D status was determined by measuring plasma 25(OH)D 3 level. Deficiency was defined as a plasma 25(OH)D 3 level ≤ 25 nmol/l. Children with UTI had significantly lower mean serum levels of 25(OH)D 3 (10.5 ±2.7 nmol/l) than those of controls (25.9 ±5.6 nmol/l) ( p < 0.05). Patients with lower UTI had significantly higher serum levels of 25(OH)D 3 compared to those with acute pyelonephritis (12.4 ±2.59 vs. 8.2 ±3.2 nmol/l; p < 0.001). Mean serum levels of 25(OH)D 3 were significantly lower ( p = 0.001) in the female patients compared with males, and this difference was not found within the control group. Multivariate analysis showed that a serum 25(OH)D 3 level of ≤ 25 nmol/l is associated with UTI (OR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.61-2.82; p = 0.04). Vitamin D deficiency (≤ 25 nmol/l) was an independent risk factor for UTI in children.

The effect of raloxifene on left ventricular hypertrophy in postmenopausal women: A prospective, randomized, and controlled study

PubMed Central

Bal, Uğur Abbas; Atar, İlyas; Öktem, Mesut; B. Zeyneloğlu, Hulusi; Yıldırır, Aylin; Kuşcu, Esra; Müderrisoğlu, Haldun

2015-01-01

Objective: In healthy women, there is a progressive age-related increase in myocardial mass that is not seen in their male counterparts and occurs primarily in postmenopausal women. Raloxifene is a selective estrogen receptor modulator that has estrogenic actions on bone and the cardiovascular system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of raloxifene on myocardial hypertrophy in postmenopausal patients. Methods: A total of 22 postmenopausal osteoporotic women were included in this open-label, randomized, prospective, controlled study. Patients were randomized into two groups: 11 of the patients (group 1) were treated with raloxifene 60 mg/day, and the other 11 patients (group 2) were defined as the control group. Quantitative 2-dimensional and M-mode echocardiographic examination was performed in all patients at the beginning and repeated at the end of the 6-month follow-up period. Left ventricle mass (LVM) and left ventricle mass index (LVMI) were calculated for all patients. Results: The mean age of the patients was 57.2±3.9 years, and baseline clinical characteristics and echocardiographic parameters were similar between the two groups. After 6 months of raloxifene treatment, there was no difference in echocardiographic parameters of LVM and LVMI compared with the control group (201.2±25.9 gr vs. 169.7±46.2 gr, p=0.14 and 120.4±25.9 gr/m2 vs. 105.5±26.3 gr/m2, p=0.195, respectively). There was also no significant difference in LVM and LVMI in the within-group analysis of both groups. Conclusion: Raloxifene therapy does not affect myocardial hypertrophy in postmenopausal women after 6 months of treatment. PMID:25430415

Trace element geochemistry of volcanic gases and particles from 1983-1984 eruptive episodes of Kilauea Volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowe, Bruce M.; Finnegan, David L.; Zoller, William H.; Boynton, William V.

1987-12-01

Compositional data have been obtained for volcanic gases and particles collected from fume emitted at the Pu'u O'o vent on the east rift zone of Kilauea volcano. The samples were collected by pumping fume through a filter pack system consisting of a front stage particulate filter followed by four base-treated filters (7LiOH). Particles and condensed phases are trapped on the particulate filter, and acidic gases are collected on the treated filters. The filters are analyzed for 30 elements by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Fume samples were collected from the Pu'u O'o vent for two eruptive episodes: (1) 7 days after episode 11 (cooling vent samples) and (2) the waning stage of episode 13 (active vent samples). Additional samples were collected by aircraft from the gas plume released during the lava fountaining phase of episode 17 (aircraft samples). Element concentrations in the vent gases were > 104 μg m-3 for S, Cl, and F. Enrichment factors (EFs) for the volcanic fume versus the source magma were calculated using the volatile element Br as the reference element for normalization and the U.S. Geological Survey standard BHVO-1 as the magma standard. This removes the ash dilution effect obtained by using an ash constituent (Al, Sc, or Mg) as the reference element. Bromine-normalized EFs (× 105) range from 101 to 102 for Na, K, and Cu; 102 to 105 for Zn, W, Sb, In, Ir, Ag, F, and As; and > 105 for Au, Cd, Re, Cl, Se, and S. The highest enrichment factors are for aircraft samples collected during the most gas-rich phase of an eruption cycle. Metal and volatile-element data form two groups: (1) elements showing little or no variation in abundance ratios with sample type (group 1: Cl, Br, and Re) and (2) elements that show significant variation in abundance ratios by sample type (group 2: Zn, W, Sb, In, Ir, Au, and Cd). Bivariate plots of elements of the first group versus elements of the second group separate by sample type. The separation corresponds to samples collected during eruptive activity versus samples collected during repose periods. Monitoring trace metal ratios in volcanic fume could provide an additional tool for predicting volcanic eruptions. The F/Cl ratio of cooling vent samples is higher than those of active vent or aircraft samples, and the ratio is inversely correlated with EFs for most volatile metals.

24 CFR 213.259a - Premiums-mortgages insured pursuant to section 238(c) of the Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

.... All of the provisions of §§ 213.253 through 213.259 governing mortgage insurance premiums shall apply... mortgage insurance premiums due on such mortgages in accordance with §§ 213.253 through 213.259 shall be... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Premiums-mortgages insured pursuant...

24 CFR 213.259a - Premiums-mortgages insured pursuant to section 238(c) of the Act.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

.... All of the provisions of §§ 213.253 through 213.259 governing mortgage insurance premiums shall apply... mortgage insurance premiums due on such mortgages in accordance with §§ 213.253 through 213.259 shall be... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Premiums-mortgages insured pursuant...

The Use of Sparse Direct Solver in Vector Finite Element Modeling for Calculating Two Dimensional (2-D) Magnetotelluric Responses in Transverse Electric (TE) Mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yihaa Roodhiyah, Lisa’; Tjong, Tiffany; Nurhasan; Sutarno, D.

2018-04-01

The late research, linear matrices of vector finite element in two dimensional(2-D) magnetotelluric (MT) responses modeling was solved by non-sparse direct solver in TE mode. Nevertheless, there is some weakness which have to be improved especially accuracy in the low frequency (10-3 Hz-10-5 Hz) which is not achieved yet and high cost computation in dense mesh. In this work, the solver which is used is sparse direct solver instead of non-sparse direct solverto overcome the weaknesses of solving linear matrices of vector finite element metod using non-sparse direct solver. Sparse direct solver will be advantageous in solving linear matrices of vector finite element method because of the matrix properties which is symmetrical and sparse. The validation of sparse direct solver in solving linear matrices of vector finite element has been done for a homogen half-space model and vertical contact model by analytical solution. Thevalidation result of sparse direct solver in solving linear matrices of vector finite element shows that sparse direct solver is more stable than non-sparse direct solver in computing linear problem of vector finite element method especially in low frequency. In the end, the accuracy of 2D MT responses modelling in low frequency (10-3 Hz-10-5 Hz) has been reached out under the efficient allocation memory of array and less computational time consuming.

Capillary electrophoretic determination of selected phenolic compounds in humic substances of well waters and fertilizers.

PubMed

Chen, Mei-Ying; Chang, Yan-Zin; Lu, Fung-Jou; Chen, Jian-Lian

2010-01-01

Humic substances (HS) from well waters, fertilizers, and synthetic phenolic polymers were characterized by elemental and UV-VIS spectroscopic analyses. Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with UV absorption detection was used to analyze the lignin-derived phenolic distribution in the degradation residues after alkaline CuO oxidation of HS samples. Eleven phenols with p-acetyl, vanillyl and syringyl substituents were selected to optimize the CZE parameters. For well waters and fertilizers, the content of phenolic fragments was in agreement with the findings of the elemental and spectroscopic measurements. Additionally, parameters derived from the vanillic acid/vanilline, syringyl acid/syringaldehyde, p-hydroxyl/vanillyl and syringyl/vanillyl ratios matched analogous studies on dissolved organic matter from natural waters and on humic acids from terrestrial substances. The amount of phenolic monomer bonded within two synthetic HS polymers was found to be 25.9% protocatechuic acid and 71.3% gallic acid.

Corrigendum to "Chemical composition and acidity of size-fractionated inorganic aerosols of 2013-14 winter haze in Shanghai and associated health risk of toxic elements" [Atmos. Environ. (2015) 259-271

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behera, Sailesh N.; Cheng, Jinping; Huang, Xian; Zhu, Qiongyu; Liu, Ping; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar

2018-03-01

The authors regret that the sources from which the RfC (reference concentration) and the IUR (inhalation unit risk) values were obtained for estimation of RfD (reference dose, presented in Table 2) and SF (slope factor, presented in Table 3) were not clearly indicated in the published article due to an oversight. The revised tables with improved clarity are given below. a The Risk Assessment Information System (https://rais.ornl.gov/) b USEPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) (http://www.epa.gov/iris) c The California EPA, the office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) (https://www.oehha.gov.gov/) d Behera, S.N., Xian, H. and Balasubramanian, R., 2014. Human health risk associated with exposure to toxic elements in mainstream and sidestream cigarette smoke. Science of the Total Environment, 472, pp.947-956.

Interrater Reliability and Discriminative Validity of the Structural Elements of the Ayres Sensory Integration® Fidelity Measure©

PubMed Central

Roley, Susanne Smith; Mailloux, Zoe; Parham, L. Diane; Koomar, Jane; Schaaf, Roseann C.; Van Jaarsveld, Annamarie; Cohn, Ellen

2014-01-01

This study examined the reliability and validity of the structural section of the Ayres Sensory Integration® Fidelity Measure© (ASIFM), which provides a method for monitoring the extent to which an intervention was implemented as conceptualized in studies of occupational therapy using sensory integration intervention methods (OT–SI). We examined the structural elements of the measure, including content of assessment reports, availability of specific equipment and adequate space, safety monitoring, and integration of communication with parents and other team members, such as collaborative goal setting with parents or family and teacher education, into the intervention program. Analysis of self-report ratings by 259 occupational therapists from 185 different facilities indicated that the structural section of the ASIFM has acceptable interrater reliability (r ≥ .82) and significantly differentiates between settings in which therapists reportedly do and do not practice OT–SI (p < .001). PMID:25184462

Pstl repeat: a family of short interspersed nucleotide element (SINE)-like sequences in the genomes of cattle, goat, and buffalo.

PubMed

Sheikh, Faruk G; Mukhopadhyay, Sudit S; Gupta, Prabhakar

2002-02-01

The PstI family of elements are short, highly repetitive DNA sequences interspersed throughout the genome of the Bovidae. We have cloned and sequenced some members of the PstI family from cattle, goat, and buffalo. These elements are approximately 500 bp, have a copy number of 2 x 10(5) - 4 x 10(5), and comprise about 4% of the haploid genome. Studies of nucleotide sequence homology indicate that the buffalo and goat PstI repeats (type II) are similar types of short interspersed nucleotide element (SINE) sequences, but the cattle PstI repeat (type I) is considerably more divergent. Additionally, the goat PstI sequence showed significant sequence homology with bovine serine tRNA, and is therefore likely derived from serine tRNA. Interestingly, Southern hybridization suggests that both types of SINEs (I and II) are present in all the species of Bovidae. Dendrogram analysis indicates that cattle PstI SINE is similar to bovine Alu-like SINEs. Goat and buffalo SINEs formed a separate cluster, suggesting that these two types of SINEs evolved separately in the genome of the Bovidae.

Complete genome sequence of Flavobacterium psychrophilum strain CSF259-93 used to select rainbow trout for increased genetic resistance against bacterial cold water disease

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The genome sequence of Flavobacterium psychrophilum strain CSF259-93, isolated from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), consists of a single circular genome of 2,900,735 bp and 2,701 predicted open reading frames (ORFs). Strain CSF259-93 has been used to select a line of rainbow trout with increase...

New Fragment Separation Technology for Superheavy Element Research

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

Shaughnessy, D A; Moody, K J; Henderson, R A

2008-01-28

This project consisted of three major research areas: (1) development of a solid Pu ceramic target for the MASHA separator, (2) chemical separation of nuclear decay products, and (3) production of new isotopes and elements through nuclear reactions. There have been 16 publications as a result of this project, and this collection of papers summarizes our accomplishments in each of the three areas of research listed above. The MASHA (Mass Analyzer for Super-Heavy Atoms) separator is being constructed at the U400 Cyclotron at the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions in Dubna, Russia. The purpose of the separator is to physicallymore » separate the products from nuclear reactions based on their isotopic masses rather than their decay characteristics. The separator was designed to have a separation between isotopic masses of {+-}0.25 amu, which would enable the mass of element 114 isotopes to be measured with outstanding resolution, thereby confirming their discovery. In order to increase the production rate of element 114 nuclides produced via the {sup 244}Pu+{sup 48}Ca reaction, a new target technology was required. Instead of a traditional thin actinide target, the MASHA separator required a thick, ceramic-based Pu target that was thick enough to increase element 114 production while still being porous enough to allow reaction products to migrate out of the target and travel through the separator to the detector array located at the back end. In collaboration with UNLV, we began work on development of the Pu target for MASHA. Using waste-form synthesis technology, we began by creating zirconia-based matrices that would form a ceramic with plutonium oxide. We used samarium oxide as a surrogate for Pu and created ceramics that had varying amounts of the starting materials in order to establish trends in material density and porosity. The results from this work are described in more detail in Refs. [1,4,10]. Unfortunately, work on MASHA was delayed in Russia because it was found that the efficiency of transporting products from the target chamber to the detector array was much too low for applications in heavy element experiments where production rates are on the order of one atom per day or less. Work continues on the MASHA separator, and once the efficiency has been improved, we plan to continue our work on the Pu target for future element 114 experiments. Due to the delays of the MASHA separator, work on establishing the identity of heavy element species produced through nuclear reactions focused instead on chemical separations. In particular, element 115 decays through a series of alpha decays, terminating with an element 105 isotope with a long half-life ({approx} 1 day). By chemically separating the element 105 daughter and observing its subsequent fission decay, the identity of the original parent nucleus can be established through the genetic correlation of the initial series of alpha decays. Chemical separations of element 105 were developed in Switzerland, Russia, and at LLNL. Over the course of two experiments, reaction products from the {sup 243}Am+{sup 48}Ca reaction were collected in a copper block and subsequently processed for chemical separation of the Group Five elements [8,9,13,15]. The Group Five elements were initially separated from the Group Four species, and then the samples were sub-divided into tantalum and niobium fractions. All of the fission events were observed in the tantalum fractions, which implied that element 105 behaved more like tantalum under the chemical conditions of these experiments. These experiments were very successful, and not only demonstrated that chemical separation could be performed on single atoms of interest, but also lent proof to the identity of the parent nucleus as element 115. Subsequent analysis of the alpha spectra taken during the experiment further prove that the fission events observed during the two experiments came from element 105 as the decay daughter of element 115 and could not attributed to interference from other background species [16]. The final aspect of this project was the production of new isotopes and elements. All of the experiments were performed in Dubna at the U400 Cyclotron and the results are described in more detail in Refs. [2,3,5-8,11,12,14]. The first experiments were designed to establish the decay properties of isotopes of elements 112, 114, and 116 [5]. Because these isotopic signatures were established through these initial experiments, the discovery of element 118 [11] was possible, since the 118 nuclides decayed into these previously studied isotopes. This was the first successful report of the discovery of element 118, which was reported by the media to a large extent. The last experiment that was performed for this project was the production and detection of a new isotope of element 113 [14].« less

Clinical Trial of AC105 (Mg/PEG) for Treatment of Acute Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Phase 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

glycol with a molecular weight of 3350 Daltons ( PEG 3350 ), is manufactured by Dow Chemical Company and complies with NF, FCC and EurPh requirements...Mg/ PEG ) for Treatment of Acute Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Andrew Blight, PhD RECIPIENT: Acorda Therapeutics...of AC105 (Mg/ PEG ) for Treatment of Acute Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-12-2 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d

40 CFR 264.259 - Special requirements for hazardous wastes FO20, FO21, FO22, FO23, FO26, and FO27.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special requirements for hazardous wastes FO20, FO21, FO22, FO23, FO26, and FO27. 264.259 Section 264.259 Protection of Environment... through soil or to volatilize or escape into the atmosphere; (2) The attenuative properties of underlying...

Sonic Booms Produced by United States Air Force and United States Navy Aircraft: Measured Data

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

29791 . 0.1 -. 0097 259. 12:03:41 1.268 68028. 37. 29793. 0.1 -. 0276 259. 12:03:42 1.268 66713. 85 29794. 0.1 -. 0129 259. 12:03:43 1.268 65400. 134...3811. 29793. -0.1 0.1585 253. 10:49:25 1.270 62762. -3896. 29791 , -0.1 0.1404 253. 10:49:26 1.273 61452. -3981. 29788. -0.1 0.0582 253. 10:49:27

Theoretical predictions of properties and gas-phase chromatography behaviour of bromides of group-5 elements Nb, Ta, and element 105, Db.

PubMed

Pershina, V; Anton, J

2012-01-21

Fully relativistic, four-component density functional theory electronic structure calculations were performed for MBr(5), MOBr(3), MBr(6)(-), KMBr(6), and MBr(5)Cl(-) of group-5 elements Nb, Ta, and element 105, Db, with the aim to predict adsorption behaviour of the bromides in gas-phase chromatography experiments. It was shown that in the atmosphere of HBr/BBr(3), the pentabromides are rather stable, and their stability should increase in the row Nb < Db < Ta. Several mechanisms of adsorption were considered. In the case of adsorption by van der Waals forces, the sequence in volatility of the pentabromides should be Nb < Ta < Db, being in agreement with the sublimation enthalpies of the Nb and Ta pentabromides. In the case of adsorption by chemical forces (on a quartz surface modified with KBr∕KCl), formation of the MBr(5)L(-) (L = Cl, Br) complex should occur, so that the volatility should change in an opposite way, i.e., Nb > Ta > Db. This sequence is in agreement with the one observed in the "one-atom-at-a-time" chromatography experiments. Some other scenarios, such as surface oxide formation were also considered but found to be irrelevant. © 2012 American Institute of Physics

Finite element fatigue analysis of rectangular clutch spring of automatic slack adjuster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Chen-jie; Luo, Zai; Hu, Xiao-feng; Jiang, Wen-song

2015-02-01

The failure of rectangular clutch spring of automatic slack adjuster directly affects the work of automatic slack adjuster. We establish the structural mechanics model of automatic slack adjuster rectangular clutch spring based on its working principle and mechanical structure. In addition, we upload such structural mechanics model to ANSYS Workbench FEA system to predict the fatigue life of rectangular clutch spring. FEA results show that the fatigue life of rectangular clutch spring is 2.0403×105 cycle under the effect of braking loads. In the meantime, fatigue tests of 20 automatic slack adjusters are carried out on the fatigue test bench to verify the conclusion of the structural mechanics model. The experimental results show that the mean fatigue life of rectangular clutch spring is 1.9101×105, which meets the results based on the finite element analysis using ANSYS Workbench FEA system.

Identification and evaluation of the probiotic potential of Lactobacillus paraplantarum FT259, a bacteriocinogenic strain isolated from Brazilian semi-hard artisanal cheese.

PubMed

Tulini, Fabrício Luiz; Winkelströter, Lizziane Kretli; De Martinis, Elaine C P

2013-08-01

This study aimed to identify a bacteriocinogenic Lactobacillus isolate (FT259) obtained from Brazilian semi-hard Minas type cheese and to evaluate its probiotic and antimicrobial potentials. The strain was identified by biochemical tests (at genus level), and by 16S rDNA sequencing combined with recA gene amplification (for species). To determine the inhibitory spectrum towards food borne pathogens and lactic acid bacteria, the spot-on-the-lawn assay was carried out. Moreover, the proteinaceous nature of the antimicrobial compound produced was evaluated by susceptibility to degradation by proteolytic enzymes. The isolated strain was tested for survival in acidified culture media (pH 2.0, 2.5 and 3.5), in vitro tolerance to bile salts and viability under gastric conditions. Adhesion of Lactobacillus paraplantarum FT259 to Caco-2 cells was evaluated by surface plate count on De Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) agar and also by FISH method (fluorescent in situ hybridization) with the aid of Eub338 probe for fluorescence microscopy analysis. The isolate was identified as L. paraplantarum FT259 and it produced bacteriocins that inhibited the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria innocua and several lactic acid bacteria. It was also observed that L. paraplantarum FT259 tolerated exposure to pH 3.5, and bile salts 0.3% for up to 180 min. In experiments with simulated gastric juice, viable cells of L. paraplantarum FT259 decreased from 8.6 log CFU/mL to 3.5 log CFU/mL after 180 min. For the same strain, in studies with Caco-2 cells, 74% of adhesion was observed through plate count and FISH assays. It was also demonstrated isolated FT259 was susceptible to the majority the antibiotics tested. Overall, the results indicated L. paraplantarum FT259 is a potential probiotic and the production of bacteriocin may be an interesting feature for food applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Micromachining Techniques in Developing High-Frequency Piezoelectric Composite Ultrasonic Array Transducers

PubMed Central

Liu, Changgeng; Djuth, Frank T.; Zhou, Qifa; Shung, K. Kirk

2014-01-01

Several micromachining techniques for the fabrication of high-frequency piezoelectric composite ultrasonic array transducers are described in this paper. A variety of different techniques are used in patterning the active piezoelectric material, attaching backing material to the transducer, and assembling an electronic interconnection board for transmission and reception from the array. To establish the feasibility of the process flow, a hybrid test ultrasound array transducer consisting of a 2-D array having an 8 × 8 element pattern and a 5-element annular array was designed, fabricated, and assessed. The arrays are designed for a center frequency of ~60 MHz. The 2-D array elements are 105 × 105 μm in size with 5-μm kerfs between elements. The annular array surrounds the square 2-D array and provides the option of transmitting from the annular array and receiving with the 2-D array. Each annular array element has an area of 0.71 mm2 with a 16-μm kerf between elements. The active piezoelectric material is (1 − x) Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3−xPbTiO3 (PMN-PT)/epoxy 1–3 composite with a PMN-PT pillar lateral dimension of 8 μm and an average gap width of ~4 μm, which was produced by deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) dry etching techniques. A novel electric interconnection strategy for high-density, small-size array elements was proposed. After assembly, the array transducer was tested and characterized. The capacitance, pulse–echo responses, and crosstalk were measured for each array element. The desired center frequency of ~60 MHz was achieved and the −6-dB bandwidth of the received signal was ~50%. At the center frequency, the crosstalk between adjacent 2-D array elements was about −33 dB. The techniques described herein can be used to build larger arrays containing smaller elements. PMID:24297027

78 FR 58601 - Notice of Request for the Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-24

... (TEA-21), Public Law 105-85, as amended by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation.... These services are an important element of the U.S. transportation system. TEA-21 authorized FTA's OTRB...

24 CFR 203.259a - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... MORTGAGE AND LOAN INSURANCE PROGRAMS UNDER NATIONAL HOUSING ACT AND OTHER AUTHORITIES SINGLE FAMILY MORTGAGE INSURANCE Contract Rights and Obligations Mortgage Insurance Premiums-in General § 203.259a Scope... Insurance Premiums—Periodic Payment ...

24 CFR 203.259a - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... MORTGAGE AND LOAN INSURANCE PROGRAMS UNDER NATIONAL HOUSING ACT AND OTHER AUTHORITIES SINGLE FAMILY MORTGAGE INSURANCE Contract Rights and Obligations Mortgage Insurance Premiums-in General § 203.259a Scope... Insurance Premiums—Periodic Payment ...

Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 251–259 (odd)

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

Browne, E.; Tuli, J.K.

The evaluators present in this publication spectroscopic data and level schemes from radioactive decay and nuclear reaction studies for all known nuclei with mass numbers A = 251, 253, 255, 257, and 259.

Mutation profiling of 16 candidate genes in de novo acute myeloid leukemia patients.

PubMed

Zhang, Yang; Wang, Fang; Chen, Xue; Liu, Wenjing; Fang, Jiancheng; Wang, Mingyu; Teng, Wen; Cao, Panxiang; Liu, Hongxing

2018-05-26

This retrospective analysis aimed to investigate the mutation profile of 16 common mutated genes in de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. A total of 259 patients who were diagnosed of de novo AML were enrolled in this study. Mutation profiling of 16 candidate genes were performed in bone marrow samples by using Sanger sequencing.We identified at least 1 mutation in 199 of the 259 samples (76.8%), and 2 or more mutations in 31.7% of samples. FLT3-ITD was the most common mutated gene (16.2%, 42/259), followed by CEBPA (15.1%, 39/259), NRAS (14.7%, 38/259), and NPM1 (13.5%, 35/259). Concurrence was observed in 97.1% of the NPM1 mutated cases and in 29.6% of the double mutated CEBPA cases. Distinct patterns of co-occurrence were observed for different hotspot mutations within the IDH2 gene: R140 mutations were associated with NPM1 and/or FLT3-ITD mutations, whereas R172 mutations co-occurred with DNMT3A mutations only. Concurrence was also observed in 86.6% of epigenetic regulation genes, most of which co-occurred with NPM1 mutations. The results showed certain rules in the mutation profiling and concurrence of AML patients, which was related to the function classification of genes. Defining the mutation spectrum and mutation pattern of AML will contribute to the comprehensive assessment of patients and identification of new therapeutic targets.

Continued improvement in reduced-mode (REM) diodes enable 272 W from 105 μm 0.15 NA beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanskar, M.; Bao, L.; Chen, Z.; Dawson, D.; DeVito, M.; Dong, W.; Grimshaw, M.; Guan, X.; Hemenway, M.; Martinsen, R.; Urbanek, W.; Zhang, S.

2017-02-01

High-power, high-brightness diode lasers from 8xx nm to 9xx nm have been pursued in many applications including fiber laser pumping, materials processing, solid-state laser pumping, and consumer electronics manufacturing. In particular, 915 nm - 976 nm diodes are of interest as diode pumps for the kilowatt CW fiber lasers. Thus, there have been many technical efforts on driving the diode lasers to have both high power and high brightness to achieve high-performance and reduced manufacturing costs. This paper presents our continued progress in the development of high brightness fiber-coupled product platform, elementTM. In the past decade, the amount of power coupled into a single 105 μm and 0.15 NA fiber has increased by over a factor of ten through improved diode laser brilliance and the development of techniques for efficiently coupling multiple emitters into a single fiber. In this paper, we demonstrate the further brightness improvement and power-scaling enabled by both the rise in chip brightness/power and the increase in number of chips coupled into a given numerical aperture. We report a new x-REM design with brightness as high as 4.3 W/mm-mrad at a BPP of 3 mm-mrad. We also report the record 272W from a 2×9 elementTM with 105 μm/0.15 NA beam using x-REM diodes and a new product introduction at 200W output power from 105 μm/0.15 NA beam at 915 nm.

Improvement in reduced-mode (REM) diodes enable 315 W from 105-μm 0.15-NA fiber-coupled modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanskar, M.; Bao, L.; Chen, Z.; Dawson, D.; DeVito, M.; Dong, W.; Grimshaw, M.; Guan, X.; Hemenway, M.; Martinsen, R.; Urbanek, W.; Zhang, S.

2018-02-01

High-power, high-brightness diode lasers have been pursued for many applications including fiber laser pumping, materials processing, solid-state laser pumping, and consumer electronics manufacturing. In particular, 915 nm - and 976 nm diodes are of interest as diode pumps for the kilowatt CW fiber lasers. As a result, there have been many technical thrusts for driving the diode lasers to have both high power and high brightness to achieve high-performance and reduced manufacturing costs. This paper presents our continued progress in the development of high brightness fiber-coupled product platform, nLIGHT element®. In the past decade, the power coupled into a single 105 μm and 0.15 NA fiber has increased by over a factor of ten through improved diode laser brightness and the development of techniques for efficiently coupling multiple emitters. In this paper, we demonstrate further brightness improvement and power-scaling enabled by both the rise in chip brightness/power and the increase in number of chips coupled into a given numerical aperture. We report a new chip technology using x-REM design with brightness as high as 4.3 W/mm-mrad at a BPP of 3 mm-mrad. We also report record 315 W output from a 2×12 nLIGHT element with 105 μm diameter fiber using x-REM diodes and these diodes will allow next generation of fiber-coupled product capable of 250W output power from 105 μm/0.15 NA beam at 915 nm.

Differential Prescribing of Antimuscarinic Agents in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Vouri, Scott Martin; Schootman, Mario; Strope, Seth A; Birge, Stanley J; Olsen, Margaret A

2018-04-01

Oral oxybutynin has been associated with the development of cognitive impairment. The objective of this study was to describe the use of oral oxybutynin versus other antimuscarinics (e.g., tolterodine, darifenacin, solifenacin, trospium, fesoterodine, transdermal oxybutynin) in older adults with documented cognitive impairment. This is a population-based retrospective analysis of antimuscarinic new users aged ≥ 66 years from January 2008 to December 2011 (n = 42,886) using a 5% random sample of Medicare claims linked with Part D data. Cognitive impairment was defined as a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, dementia, use of antidementia medication, and memory loss/drug-induced cognitive conditions in the year prior to the initial antimuscarinic claim. We used multivariable generalized linear models to assess indicators of cognitive impairment associated with initiation of oral oxybutynin versus other antimuscarinics after adjusting for comorbid conditions. In total, 33% received oral oxybutynin as initial therapy. Cognitive impairment was documented in 10,259 (23.9%) patients prior to antimuscarinic therapy. Patients with cognitive impairment were 5% more likely to initiate another antimuscarinic versus oral oxybutynin (relative risk [RR] 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.06). The proportion of patients with cognitive impairment initiated on oral oxybutynin increased from 24.1% in 2008 to 41.1% in 2011. The total cost of oral oxybutynin, in $US, year 2011 values, decreased by 10.5%, whereas the total cost of other antimuscarinics increased by 50.3% from 2008 to 2011. Our findings suggest opportunities for quality improvement of antimuscarinic prescribing in older adults, but this may be hampered by cost and formulary restrictions.

Toward imaging the body at 10.5 tesla.

PubMed

Ertürk, M Arcan; Wu, Xiaoping; Eryaman, Yiğitcan; Van de Moortele, Pierre-François; Auerbach, Edward J; Lagore, Russell L; DelaBarre, Lance; Vaughan, J Thomas; Uğurbil, Kâmil; Adriany, Gregor; Metzger, Gregory J

2017-01-01

To explore the potential of performing body imaging at 10.5 Tesla (T) compared with 7.0T through evaluating the transmit/receive performance of similarly configured dipole antenna arrays. Fractionated dipole antenna elements for 10.5T body imaging were designed and evaluated using numerical simulations. Transmit performance of antenna arrays inside the prostate, kidneys and heart were investigated and compared with those at 7.0T using both phase-only radiofrequency (RF) shimming and multi-spoke pulses. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) comparisons were also performed. A 10-channel antenna array was constructed to image the abdomen of a swine at 10.5T. Numerical methods were validated with phantom studies at both field strengths. Similar power efficiencies were observed inside target organs with phase-only shimming, but RF nonuniformity was significantly higher at 10.5T. Spokes RF pulses allowed similar transmit performance with accompanying local specific absorption rate increases of 25-90% compared with 7.0T. Relative SNR gains inside the target anatomies were calculated to be >two-fold higher at 10.5T, and 2.2-fold SNR gain was measured in a phantom. Gradient echo and fast spin echo imaging demonstrated the feasibility of body imaging at 10.5T with the designed array. While comparable power efficiencies can be achieved using dipole antenna arrays with static shimming at 10.5T; increasing RF nonuniformities underscore the need for efficient, robust, and safe parallel transmission methods. Magn Reson Med 77:434-443, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

2. SOUTHWEST CORNER OF BUILDING 259 (NORTH SENTRY POST) IN ...

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

2. SOUTHWEST CORNER OF BUILDING 259 (NORTH SENTRY POST) IN STORAGE AREA. - Loring Air Force Base, Weapons Storage Area, Northeastern corner of base at northern end of Maine Road, Limestone, Aroostook County, ME

1. SOUTH ELEVATION OF BUILDING 259 (NORTH SENTRY POST) IN ...

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

1. SOUTH ELEVATION OF BUILDING 259 (NORTH SENTRY POST) IN STORAGE AREA. - Loring Air Force Base, Weapons Storage Area, Northeastern corner of base at northern end of Maine Road, Limestone, Aroostook County, ME

Publications - GMC 270 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

Spectrometry 191, 217, 218, and 259 fragmentograms, and Aromatic Gas Chromatography/Total Ion Current and 231 , 217, 218, and 259 fragmentograms, and Aromatic Gas Chromatography/Total Ion Current and 231

Finite-Element Modeling of 3C-SiC Membranes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeAnna, R. G.; Mitchell, J.; Zorman, C. A.; Mehregany, M.

2000-01-01

Finite-element modeling (FEM) of 3C-SiC thin-film membranes on Si substrates was used to determine the residual stress and center deflection with applied pressure. The anisotropic, three-dimensional model includes the entire 3C-SiC membrane and Si substrate with appropriate material properties and boundary conditions. Residual stress due to the thermal-expansion-coefficient mismatch between the3C-SiC film and Si substrate was included in the model. Both before-and after-etching, residual stresses were calculated. In-plane membrane stress and normal deflection with applied pressure were also calculated. FEM results predict a tensile residual stress fo 259 MPa in the 3C-SiC membrane before etching. This decreases to 247 MPa after etching the substrate below the membrane. The residual stress experimentally measured on sample made at Case Western Reserve University was 280 MPa on post-etched membranes. This is excellent agreement when an additional 30-40 MPa of residual stress to account for lattice mismatch is added to the FEM results.

Linking chemical elements in forest floor humus (Oh-horizon) in the Czech Republic to contamination sources.

PubMed

Sucharova, Julie; Suchara, Ivan; Hola, Marie; Reimann, Clemens; Boyd, Rognvald; Filzmoser, Peter; Englmaier, Peter

2011-05-01

While terrestrial moss and other plants are frequently used for environmental mapping and monitoring projects, data on the regional geochemistry of humus are scarce. Humus, however, has a much larger life span than any plant material. It can be seen as the "environmental memory" of an area for at least the last 60-100 years. Here concentrations of 39 elements determined by ICP-MS and ICP AES, pH and ash content are presented for 259 samples of forest floor humus collected at an average sample density of 1 site/300 km2 in the Czech Republic. The scale of anomalies linked to known contamination sources (e.g., lignite mining and burning, metallurgical industry, coal fired power plants, metal smelters) is documented and discussed versus natural processes influencing humus quality. Most maps indicate a local impact from individual contamination sources: often more detailed sampling than used here would be needed to differentiate between likely sources. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atomic weights of the elements 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coplen, T.B.

2001-01-01

The biennial review of atomic-weight, Ar(E), determinations and other cognate data have resulted in changes for the standard atomic weights of the following elements: from to nitrogen 14.006 74??0.000 07 14.0067??0.0002 sulfur 32.066??0.006 32.065??0.005 chlorine 35.4527??0.0009 35.453??0.002 germanium 72.61??0.02 72.64??0.01 xenon 131.29??0.02 131.293??0.006 erbium 167.26??0.03 167.259??0.003 uranium 238.0289??0.0001 238.028 91??0.000 03 Presented are updated tables of the standard atomic weights and their uncertainties estimated by combining experimental uncertainties and terrestrial variabilities. In addition, this report again contains an updated table of relative atomic mass values and half-lives of selected radioisotopes. Changes in the evaluated isotopic abundance values from those published in 1997 are so minor that an updated list will not be published for the year 1999. Many elements have a different isotopic composition in some nonterrestrial materials. Some recent data on parent nuclides that might affect isotopic abundances or atomic-weight values are included in this report for the information of the interested scientific community. ?? 2001 American Institute of Physics.

Carbon nanotubes based vacuum gauge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudyk, N. N.; Il'in, O. I.; Il'ina, M. V.; Fedotov, A. A.; Klimin, V. S.; Ageev, O. A.

2017-11-01

We have created an ionization type Vacuum gauge with sensor element based on an array of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. Obtained asymmetrical current-voltage characteristics at different voltage polarity on the electrode with the CNTs. It was found that when applying a negative potential on an electrode with the CNTs, the current in the gap is higher than at a positive potential. In the pressure range of 1 ÷ 103 Torr vacuum gauge sensitivity was 6 mV/Torr (at a current of 4.5·10-5 A) and in the range of 10-5 ÷ 1 Torr was 10 mV/Torr (at a current of 1.3·10-5 A). It is shown that the energy efficiency of vacuum gauge can be increased in the case where electrode with CNT operates as an emitter of electrons.

Structured optical vortices with broadband comb-like optical spectra in Yb:Y3Al5O12/YVO4 Raman microchip laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Jun; Wang, Xiaolei; Zhang, Mingming; Wang, Xiaojie; He, Hongsen

2018-04-01

Structured optical vortices with 4 phase singularities have been generated in a laser diode pumped continuous-wave Yb:Y3Al5O12/YVO4 (Yb:YAG/YVO4) Raman microchip laser. The broadband comb-like first order Stokes laser emitting spectrum including 30 longitudinal modes covers from 1072.49 nm to 1080.13 nm with a bandwidth of 7.64 nm, which is generated with the Raman shift 259 cm-1 of the c-cut YVO4 crystal converted from the fundamental laser around 1.05 μm. Pump power dependent optical vortex beams are attributed to overlap of the Stokes laser field with the fundamental laser field caused by dynamically changing the coupling losses of the fundamental laser field. The maximum output power is 1.16 W, and the optical-to-optical efficiency is 18.4%. This work provides a method for generating structured optical vortices with an optical frequency comb in solid-state Raman microchip lasers, which have potential applications in quantum computations, micro-machining, and information processing.

Curriculum Design Issues in Developing a Doctor of Philosophy Program in Aeronology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Jeffrey A.

1997-01-01

Aviation education institutions (75 of 105 surveyed) expressed their preferences for the elements of a Ph.D. program in aeronology (nonengineering aerospace/aeronautical sciences). A research/practitioner model, core curriculum, and second area of specialization were supported. (SK)

Digital PCR for Detection and Quantification of Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Legionella pneumophila.

PubMed

Hennebique, Aurélie; Bidart, Marie; Jarraud, Sophie; Beraud, Laëtitia; Schwebel, Carole; Maurin, Max; Boisset, Sandrine

2017-09-01

The emergence of fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant mutants of Legionella pneumophila in infected humans was previously reported using a next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) approach. This finding could explain part of the therapeutic failures observed in legionellosis patients treated with these antibiotics. The aim of this study was to develop digital PCR (dPCR) assays allowing rapid and accurate detection and quantification of these resistant mutants in respiratory samples, especially when the proportion of mutants in a wild-type background is low. We designed three dPCRgyrA assays to detect and differentiate the wild-type and one of the three gyrA mutations previously described as associated with FQ resistance in L. pneumophila : at positions 248C→T (T83I), 259G→A (D87N), and 259G→C (D87H). To assess the performance of these assays, mixtures of FQ-resistant and -susceptible strains of L. pneumophila were analyzed, and the results were compared with those obtained with Sanger DNA sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) technologies. The dPCRgyrA assays were able to detect mutated gyrA sequences in the presence of wild-type sequences at up to 1:1,000 resistant/susceptible allele ratios. By comparison, Sanger DNA sequencing and qPCR were less sensitive, allowing the detection of gyrA mutants at up to 1:1 and 1:10 ratios, respectively. When testing 38 respiratory samples from 23 legionellosis patients (69.6% treated with an FQ), dPCRgyrA detected small amounts of gyrA mutants in four (10.5%) samples from three (13.0%) patients. These results demonstrate that dPCR is a highly sensitive alternative to quantify FQ resistance in L. pneumophila , and it could be used in clinical practice to detect patients that could be at higher risk of therapeutic failure. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

The effect of melt composition on the partitioning of trace elements between titanite and silicate melt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prowatke, S.; Klemme, S.

2003-04-01

The aim of this study is to systematically investigate the influence of melt composition on the partitioning of trace elements between titanite and different silicate melts. Titanite was chosen because of its important role as an accessory mineral, particularly with regard to intermediate to silicic alkaline and calc-alkaline magmas [e.g. 1] and of its relative constant mineral composition over a wide range of bulk compositions. Experiments at atmospheric pressure were performed at temperatures between 1150°C and 1050°C. Bulk compositions were chosen to represent a basaltic andesite (SH3 - 53% SiO2), a dacite (SH2 - 65 SiO2) and a rhyolite (SH1 - 71% SiO2). Furthermore, two additional experimental series were conducted to investigate the effect of Al-Na and the Na-K ratio of melts on partitioning. Starting materials consisted of glasses that were doped with 23 trace elements including some selected rare earth elements (La, Ce, Pr, Sm, Gd, Lu), high field strength elements (Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta) and large ion lithophile elements (Cs, Rb, Ba) and Th and U. The experimental run products were analysed for trace elements using secondary ion mass spectrometry at Heidelberg University. Preliminary results indicate a strong effect of melt composition on trace element partition coefficients. Partition coefficients for rare-earth elements uniformly show a convex-upward shape [2, 3], since titanite accommodates the middle rare-earth elements more readily than the light rare-earth elements or the heavy rare-earth elements. Partition coefficients for the rare-earth elements follow a parabolic trend when plotted against ionic radius. The shape of the parabola is very similar for all studied bulk compositions, the position of the parabola, however, is strongly dependent on bulk composition. For example, isothermal rare-earth element partition coefficients (such as La) are incompatible (D<1) in alkali-rich silicate melts and strongly compatible (D>>1) in alkali-poor melt compositions. From our experimental data we present an model that combines the influence of the crystal lattice on partitioning with the effect of melt composition on trace element partition coefficients. [1] Nakada, S. (1991) Am. Mineral. 76: 548-560 [2] Green, T.H. and Pearson, N.J. (1986) Chem. Geol. 55: 105-119 [3] Tiepolo, M.; Oberti, R. and Vannucci, R. (2002) Chem. Geol. 191: 105-119

48 CFR 9.105-2 - Determinations and documentation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... a responsive small business lacks certain elements of responsibility, the contracting officer shall... business concern (see subpart 19.6), the contracting officer shall accept the Small Business Administration... integrity and business ethics; and (C) The Small Business Administration does not issue a Certificate of...

48 CFR 9.105-2 - Determinations and documentation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... a responsive small business lacks certain elements of responsibility, the contracting officer shall... business concern (see subpart 19.6), the contracting officer shall accept the Small Business Administration... integrity and business ethics; and (C) The Small Business Administration does not issue a Certificate of...

48 CFR 9.105-2 - Determinations and documentation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... a responsive small business lacks certain elements of responsibility, the contracting officer shall... business concern (see subpart 19.6), the contracting officer shall accept the Small Business Administration... integrity and business ethics; and (C) The Small Business Administration does not issue a Certificate of...

Technology and Social Media Use Among Patients Enrolled in Outpatient Addiction Treatment Programs: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

PubMed Central

Lynch, Kevin; Curtis, Brenda

2018-01-01

Background Substance use disorder research and practice have not yet taken advantage of emerging changes in communication patterns. While internet and social media use is widespread in the general population, little is known about how these mediums are used in substance use disorder treatment. Objective The aims of this paper were to provide data on patients' with substance use disorders mobile phone ownership rates, usage patterns on multiple digital platforms (social media, internet, computer, and mobile apps), and their interest in the use of these platforms to monitor personal recovery. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of patients in 4 intensive outpatient substance use disorder treatment facilities in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Logistic regressions were used to examine associations among variables. Results Survey participants (N=259) were mostly male (72.9%, 188/259), African American (62.9%, 163/259), with annual incomes less than US $10,000 (62.5%, 161/259), and averaged 39 (SD 12.24) years of age. The vast majority of participants (93.8%, 243/259) owned a mobile phone and about 64.1% (166/259) owned a mobile phone with app capabilities, of which 85.1% (207/243) accessed the internet mainly through their mobile phone. There were no significant differences in age, gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic status by computer usage, internet usage, number of times participants changed their phone, type of mobile phone contract, or whether participants had unlimited calling plans. The sample was grouped into 3 age groups (Millennials, Generation Xers, and Baby Boomers). The rates of having a social media account differed across these 3 age groups with significant differences between Baby Boomers and both Generation Xers and Millennials (P<.001 in each case). Among participants with a social media account (73.6%, 190/259), most (76.1%, 144/190) reported using it daily and nearly all (98.2%, 186/190) used Facebook. Nearly half of participants (47.4%, 90/190) reported viewing content on social media that triggered substance cravings and an equal percentage reported being exposed to recovery information on social media. There was a significant difference in rates of reporting viewing recovery information on social media across the 3 age groups with Baby Boomers reporting higher rates than Millennials (P<.001). The majority of respondents (70.1%, 181/259) said they would prefer to use a relapse prevention app on their phone or receive SMS (short message service) relapse prevention text messages (72.3%, 186/259), and nearly half (49.1%, 127/259) expressed an interest in receiving support by allowing social media accounts to be monitored as a relapse prevention technique. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first and largest study examining the online behavior and preferences regarding technology-based substance use disorder treatment interventions in a population of patients enrolled in community outpatient treatment programs. Patients were generally receptive to using relapse prevention apps and text messaging interventions and a substantial proportion supported social media surveillance tools. However, the design of technology-based interventions remains as many participants have monthly telephone plans which may limit continuity. PMID:29510968

Grid Effect on Spherical Shallow Water Jets Using Continuous and Discontinuous Galerkin Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

The high-order Legendre -Gauss-Lobatto (LGL) points are added to the linear grid by projecting the linear elements onto the auxiliary gnomonic space...mapping, the triangles are subdivided into smaller ones by a Lagrange polynomial of order nI . The number of quadrilateral elements and grid points of...of the acceleration of gravity and the vertical height of the fluid), ν∇2 is the artificial viscosity term of viscous coefficient ν = 1× 105 m2 s−1

The Composite 259-kb Plasmid of Martelella mediterranea DSM 17316T–A Natural Replicon with Functional RepABC Modules from Rhodobacteraceae and Rhizobiaceae

PubMed Central

Bartling, Pascal; Brinkmann, Henner; Bunk, Boyke; Overmann, Jörg; Göker, Markus; Petersen, Jörn

2017-01-01

A multipartite genome organization with a chromosome and many extrachromosomal replicons (ECRs) is characteristic for Alphaproteobacteria. The best investigated ECRs of terrestrial rhizobia are the symbiotic plasmids for legume root nodulation and the tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. RepABC plasmids represent the most abundant alphaproteobacterial replicon type. The currently known homologous replication modules of rhizobia and Rhodobacteraceae are phylogenetically distinct. In this study, we surveyed type-strain genomes from the One Thousand Microbial Genomes (KMG-I) project and identified a roseobacter-specific RepABC-type operon in the draft genome of the marine rhizobium Martelella mediterranea DSM 17316T. PacBio genome sequencing demonstrated the presence of three circular ECRs with sizes of 593, 259, and 170-kb. The rhodobacteral RepABC module is located together with a rhizobial equivalent on the intermediate sized plasmid pMM259, which likely originated in the fusion of a pre-existing rhizobial ECR with a conjugated roseobacter plasmid. Further evidence for horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is given by the presence of a roseobacter-specific type IV secretion system on the 259-kb plasmid and the rhodobacteracean origin of 62% of the genes on this plasmid. Functionality tests documented that the genuine rhizobial RepABC module from the Martelella 259-kb plasmid is only maintained in A. tumefaciens C58 (Rhizobiaceae) but not in Phaeobacter inhibens DSM 17395 (Rhodobacteraceae). Unexpectedly, the roseobacter-like replication system is functional and stably maintained in both host strains, thus providing evidence for a broader host range than previously proposed. In conclusion, pMM259 is the first example of a natural plasmid that likely mediates genetic exchange between roseobacters and rhizobia. PMID:28983283

A positive immunoselection method to isolate villous cytotrophoblast cells from first trimester and term placenta to high purity.

PubMed

Pötgens, A J G; Kataoka, H; Ferstl, S; Frank, H-G; Kaufmann, P

2003-04-01

We developed a method for isolating highly pure villous cytotrophoblast cells from first trimester and term placenta that excludes extravillous trophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast fragments. The method is based on positive immunoselection using an antibody (mAb C76/18) reacting with hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor 1, HAI-1, a membrane antigen on villous cytotrophoblast. As a comparison, we also immunopurified cells using an antibody against CD105, present on syncytiotrophoblast and some extravillous trophoblast cells. The isolates were characterized by flow cytometry. HAI-1-positive cells from first trimester and term placentae were highly pure (>98 per cent cytokeratin 7-positive) mononuclear trophoblast cells. These isolations were contaminated with only very small percentages of vimentin and CD45-positive cells. HAI-1-positive trophoblast cells lacked CD105 and also HLA class I, a marker for extravillous trophoblast. In culture HAI-1-positive cells adhered, displayed an epithelial morphology, and survived for more than three days. In contrast, CD105-positive cell fractions from first trimester placenta were a heterogeneous mixture of mononuclear and multinuclear elements consisting of syncytiotrophoblast fragments, extravillous trophoblast cells, as well as around 5 per cent non-trophoblastic contaminants. In conclusion, the positive immunoselection method using antibody C76/18 yielded highly pure villous cytotrophoblast cells devoid of elements derived from syncytiotrophoblast or extravillous trophoblast.

16 CFR 259.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... FOR NEW AUTOMOBILES § 259.1 Definitions. For the purposes of this part, the following definitions shall apply: (a) New automobile. Any passenger automobile or light truck for which a fuel economy label... manufacturing or assembling of new automobiles, including any person importing new automobiles for resale and...

16 CFR 259.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... FOR NEW AUTOMOBILES § 259.1 Definitions. For the purposes of this part, the following definitions shall apply: (a) New automobile. Any passenger automobile or light truck for which a fuel economy label... manufacturing or assembling of new automobiles, including any person importing new automobiles for resale and...

16 CFR 259.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... FOR NEW AUTOMOBILES § 259.1 Definitions. For the purposes of this part, the following definitions shall apply: (a) New automobile. Any passenger automobile or light truck for which a fuel economy label... manufacturing or assembling of new automobiles, including any person importing new automobiles for resale and...

16 CFR 259.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... FOR NEW AUTOMOBILES § 259.1 Definitions. For the purposes of this part, the following definitions shall apply: (a) New automobile. Any passenger automobile or light truck for which a fuel economy label... manufacturing or assembling of new automobiles, including any person importing new automobiles for resale and...

16 CFR 259.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... FOR NEW AUTOMOBILES § 259.1 Definitions. For the purposes of this part, the following definitions shall apply: (a) New automobile. Any passenger automobile or light truck for which a fuel economy label... manufacturing or assembling of new automobiles, including any person importing new automobiles for resale and...

3. CONTEXT VIEW LOOKING NORTHWEST OF BUILDING 259 (NORTH SENTRY ...

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

3. CONTEXT VIEW LOOKING NORTHWEST OF BUILDING 259 (NORTH SENTRY POST) IN STORAGE ARE WITH BUILDING 258 (STORAGE IGLOO) IN BACKGROUND. - Loring Air Force Base, Weapons Storage Area, Northeastern corner of base at northern end of Maine Road, Limestone, Aroostook County, ME

50 CFR 216.259 - Modifications to Letters of Authorization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MARINE MAMMALS REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE TAKING AND IMPORTING OF MARINE MAMMALS Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Conducting Precision Strike Weapon Missions in the Gulf of Mexico § 216.259 Modifications to Letters of Authorization. (a) Except as provided in...

33 CFR 127.1205 - Emergency shutdown.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) WATERFRONT FACILITIES WATERFRONT FACILITIES HANDLING LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS AND LIQUEFIED HAZARDOUS GAS Waterfront Facilities Handling Liquefied Hazardous Gas Equipment § 127.1205 Emergency shutdown. (a) Each... elements that melt at less than 105 °C (221 °F) and activate the emergency shutdown, or have a sensor that...

33 CFR 127.1205 - Emergency shutdown.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) WATERFRONT FACILITIES WATERFRONT FACILITIES HANDLING LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS AND LIQUEFIED HAZARDOUS GAS Waterfront Facilities Handling Liquefied Hazardous Gas Equipment § 127.1205 Emergency shutdown. (a) Each... elements that melt at less than 105 °C (221 °F) and activate the emergency shutdown, or have a sensor that...

31 CFR 215.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... OF THE TREASURY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICE WITHHOLDING OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, STATE, CITY AND....S.C. 105 and 102, respectively) and the United States Postal Service; and in addition, for city or county withholding purposes only, all elements of the judicial branch. (b) City means any unit of general...

31 CFR 215.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICE WITHHOLDING OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, STATE, CITY AND....S.C. 105 and 102, respectively) and the United States Postal Service; and in addition, for city or county withholding purposes only, all elements of the judicial branch. (b) City means any unit of general...

A Population-based Study Evaluating the Association between Surgery in Early Life and Child Development at Primary School Entry.

PubMed

O'Leary, James D; Janus, Magdalena; Duku, Eric; Wijeysundera, Duminda N; To, Teresa; Li, Ping; Maynes, Jason T; Crawford, Mark W

2016-08-01

It is unclear whether exposure to surgery in early life has long-term adverse effects on child development. The authors aimed to investigate whether surgery in early childhood is associated with adverse effects on child development measured at primary school entry. The authors conducted a population-based cohort study in Ontario, Canada, by linking provincial health administrative databases to children's developmental outcomes measured by the Early Development Instrument (EDI). From a cohort of 188,557 children, 28,366 children who underwent surgery before EDI completion (age 5 to 6 yr) were matched to 55,910 unexposed children. The primary outcome was early developmental vulnerability, defined as any domain of the EDI in the lowest tenth percentile of the population. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age at first surgery (less than 2 and greater than or equal to 2 yr) and frequency of surgery. Early developmental vulnerability was increased in the exposed group (7,259/28,366; 25.6%) compared with the unexposed group (13,957/55,910; 25.0%), adjusted odds ratio, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.08. Children aged greater than or equal to 2 yr at the time of first surgery had increased odds of early developmental vulnerability compared with unexposed children (odds ratio, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.10), but children aged less than 2 yr at the time of first exposure were not at increased risk (odds ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.98 to 1.10). There was no increase in odds of early developmental vulnerability with increasing frequency of exposure. Children who undergo surgery before primary school age are at increased risk of early developmental vulnerability, but the magnitude of the difference between exposed and unexposed children is small.

Paleomagnetic Secular Variation Constraints on the Rapid Eruption of the Emeishan Continental Flood Basalts in Southwestern China and Northern Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yingchao; Yang, Zhenyu; Tong, Ya-Bo; Jing, Xianqing

2018-04-01

Estimating the duration of magma eruptions using isotopic dating methods is difficult because of the intrinsic errors of the technique regarding the dated materials (such as zircon). However, the long-term variation of the geomagnetic field recorded by lava flows can be used to estimate the net duration of an eruption sequence. The Emeishan basalts at Dongchuan, with a thickness of 630 m, yielded a reliable characteristic remanent magnetization of normal polarity and which passed the fold test (Tauxe & Watson, 1994, https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821X(94)90006-X). Stratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic correlations of the Emeishan basalts in the Dongchuan section with other sections indicate that the eruption of the Emeishan basalts at Dongchuan spans the entire normal polarity zone in the early stage of the Emeishan large igneous province. A flow-by-flow analysis of geomagnetic directions of the Emeishan basalts at Dongchuan indicates that four directional groups and fifteen individual lava directions were recorded, with a net duration (excluding quiescent intervals) of no more than 3100 years. The averaged site directions from the Emeishan basalts with normal polarity conforming to a geocentric axial dipole direction indicate that this interval is longer than 104-105 years. In addition, a magnetostratigraphic study indicates that the normal polarity interval recorded by the Emeishan basalts was shorter than 2-20 × 104 years. Thus, the total duration of the normal polarity stage of the Emeishan large igneous province was roughly 105 years. There is a possible relationship between the rapid eruption and the Late Capitanian mass extinction (259.8 ± 0.4 Ma, Henderson et al., 2012).

Air pollution and diastolic function in elderly women - Results from the SALIA study cohort.

PubMed

Ohlwein, Simone; Klümper, Claudia; Vossoughi, Mohammad; Sugiri, Dorothea; Stolz, Sabine; Vierkötter, Andrea; Schikowski, Tamara; Kara, Kaffer; Germing, Alfried; Quass, Ulrich; Krämer, Ursula; Hoffmann, Barbara

2016-07-01

Studies linking particulate matter (PM) with heart failure (HF) show inconsistent results. However, the association of air pollution with diastolic function, an important determinant of heart failure, has not been studied yet and is addressed in the presented study. 402 women (69-79 years) of the clinical follow-up (2007-2010) of the ongoing population-based prospective SALIA (Study on the influence of Air pollution on Lung function, Inflammation and Ageing) cohort were examined using Doppler echocardiography: Of the 291 women with preserved ejection fraction, the ratio of peak early diastolic filling velocity and peak early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (E/E') was collected in 264 and left atrial volume index (LAVI) in 262 women. Residential long-term air pollution exposure (nitrogen oxides, size-fractioned PM) was modeled at baseline and at follow-up, applying land use regression models. We used linear regression to model the cross-sectional associations of air pollutants per interquartile range (IQR) with different measures of diastolic function, adjusting for personal risk factors. Median concentrations of annual NOx, NO2, PM2.5, and PM10 at follow-up were 37.7, 25.9, 17.4 and 26.4μg/m(3), respectively. In the fully adjusted models, LAVI was associated with an IQR increase in PM2.5 (1.05 [0.99; 1.12]) and NOx (1.04 [1.00; 1.09]) at follow-up, and with NOx and NO2 (both 1.05 [1.00; 1.11]) at baseline. None of the pollutants were clearly associated with E/E'. In this analysis of elderly women, we found suggestive evidence for an association of air pollution with impaired diastolic function. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Promotion of adipogenesis by an EP2 receptor agonist via stimulation of angiogenesis in pulmonary emphysema.

PubMed

Tsuji, Takao; Yamaguchi, Kazuhiro; Kikuchi, Ryota; Itoh, Masayuki; Nakamura, Hiroyuki; Nagai, Atsushi; Aoshiba, Kazutetsu

2014-08-01

Body weight loss is a common manifestation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly those with severe emphysema. Adipose angiogenesis is a key mediator of adipogenesis and use of pro-angiogenic agents may serve as a therapeutic option for lean COPD patients. Since angiogenesis is stimulated by PGE2, we examined whether ONO-AE1-259, a selective E-prostanoid (EP) 2 receptor agonist, might promote adipose angiogenesis and adipogenesis in a murine model of elastase-induced pulmonary emphysema (EIE mice). Mice were intratracheally instilled with elastase or saline, followed after 4 weeks by intraperitoneal administration of ONO-AE1-259 for 4 weeks. The subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) weight decreased in the EIE mice, whereas in the EIE mice treated with ONO-AE1-259, the SAT weight was largely restored, which was associated with significant increases in SAT adipogenesis, angiogenesis, and VEGF protein production. In contrast, ONO-AE1-259 administration induced no alteration in the weight of the visceral adipose tissue. These results suggest that in EIE mice, ONO-AE1-259 stimulated adipose angiogenesis possibly via VEGF production, and thence, adipogenesis. Our data pave the way for the development of therapeutic interventions for weight loss in emphysema patients, e.g., use of pro-angiogenic agents targeting the adipose tissue vascular component. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Air quality in urban parking garages (PM10, major and trace elements, PAHs): Instrumental measurements vs. active moss biomonitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vuković, Gordana; Aničić Urošević, Mira; Razumenić, Ivana; Kuzmanoski, Maja; Pergal, Miodrag; Škrivanj, Sandra; Popović, Aleksandar

2014-03-01

This study was performed in four parking garages in downtown of Belgrade with the aim to provide multi-pollutant assessment. Concentrations of 16 US EPA priority PAHs and Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn were determined in PM10 samples. The carcinogenic health risk of employees' occupational exposure to heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb) and PAHs (B[a]A, Cry, B[b]F, B[k]F, B[a]P and DB[ah]A) was estimated. A possibility of using Sphagnum girgensohnii moss bags for monitoring of trace element air pollution in semi-enclosed spaces was evaluated as well. The results showed that concentrations of PM10, Cd, Ni and B[a]P exceeded the EU Directive target values. Concentration of Zn, Ba and Cu were two orders of magnitude higher than those measured at different urban sites in European cities. Cumulative cancer risk obtained for heavy metals and PAHs was 4.51 × 10-5 and 3.75 × 10-5 in M and PP, respectively; upper limit of the acceptable US EPA range is 10-4. In the moss, higher post-exposure than pre-exposure (background) element concentrations was observed. In comparison with instrumental monitoring data, similar order of abundances of the most elements in PM10 and moss samples was found. However, using of the S. girgensohnii moss bag technique in indoor environments needs further justification.

76 FR 41323 - Over-the-Road Bus Accessibility Program Grants

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-13

..., authorized by Section 3038 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The OTRB... (TEA-21), Public Law 105-85 as amended by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation... bus services. These services are an important element of the U.S. transportation system. TEA-21...

24 CFR 960.259 - Family information and verification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Family information and verification... URBAN DEVELOPMENT ADMISSION TO, AND OCCUPANCY OF, PUBLIC HOUSING Rent and Reexamination § 960.259 Family information and verification. (a) Family obligation to supply information. (1) The family must supply any...

27 CFR 24.259 - Marks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

....259 Marks. (a) Required marks. Each container larger than four liters or each case used to remove wine... contents of each container larger than four liters or each case in wine gallons, or for containers larger than four liters or cases filled according to metric measure, the contents in liters. If wine is...

Comparative proteomic analysis of virulent and rifampicin attenuated Flavobacterium psychrophilum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavobacterium psychrophilum is the etiologic agent of bacterial coldwater disease and rainbow trout fry syndrome. In this study we compared a wild-type strain (CSF 259.93) with a rifampicin resistant and virulence attenuated strain of F. psychrophilum (CSF 259.93B.17). The attenuated strain harbour...

24 CFR 960.259 - Family information and verification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Family information and verification... URBAN DEVELOPMENT ADMISSION TO, AND OCCUPANCY OF, PUBLIC HOUSING Rent and Reexamination § 960.259 Family information and verification. (a) Family obligation to supply information. (1) The family must supply any...

17 CFR 232.311 - Documents submitted in paper under cover of Form SE.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Security Holders furnished by Public Utility Holding Companies as Exhibit A to Form U5S (§ 259.5s of this... (§ 259.5s of this chapter), shall be filed in paper under cover of Form SE. (e) Maps furnished by Public...

Technology and Social Media Use Among Patients Enrolled in Outpatient Addiction Treatment Programs: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

PubMed

Ashford, Robert D; Lynch, Kevin; Curtis, Brenda

2018-03-06

Substance use disorder research and practice have not yet taken advantage of emerging changes in communication patterns. While internet and social media use is widespread in the general population, little is known about how these mediums are used in substance use disorder treatment. The aims of this paper were to provide data on patients' with substance use disorders mobile phone ownership rates, usage patterns on multiple digital platforms (social media, internet, computer, and mobile apps), and their interest in the use of these platforms to monitor personal recovery. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of patients in 4 intensive outpatient substance use disorder treatment facilities in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Logistic regressions were used to examine associations among variables. Survey participants (N=259) were mostly male (72.9%, 188/259), African American (62.9%, 163/259), with annual incomes less than US $10,000 (62.5%, 161/259), and averaged 39 (SD 12.24) years of age. The vast majority of participants (93.8%, 243/259) owned a mobile phone and about 64.1% (166/259) owned a mobile phone with app capabilities, of which 85.1% (207/243) accessed the internet mainly through their mobile phone. There were no significant differences in age, gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic status by computer usage, internet usage, number of times participants changed their phone, type of mobile phone contract, or whether participants had unlimited calling plans. The sample was grouped into 3 age groups (Millennials, Generation Xers, and Baby Boomers). The rates of having a social media account differed across these 3 age groups with significant differences between Baby Boomers and both Generation Xers and Millennials (P<.001 in each case). Among participants with a social media account (73.6%, 190/259), most (76.1%, 144/190) reported using it daily and nearly all (98.2%, 186/190) used Facebook. Nearly half of participants (47.4%, 90/190) reported viewing content on social media that triggered substance cravings and an equal percentage reported being exposed to recovery information on social media. There was a significant difference in rates of reporting viewing recovery information on social media across the 3 age groups with Baby Boomers reporting higher rates than Millennials (P<.001). The majority of respondents (70.1%, 181/259) said they would prefer to use a relapse prevention app on their phone or receive SMS (short message service) relapse prevention text messages (72.3%, 186/259), and nearly half (49.1%, 127/259) expressed an interest in receiving support by allowing social media accounts to be monitored as a relapse prevention technique. To our knowledge, this is the first and largest study examining the online behavior and preferences regarding technology-based substance use disorder treatment interventions in a population of patients enrolled in community outpatient treatment programs. Patients were generally receptive to using relapse prevention apps and text messaging interventions and a substantial proportion supported social media surveillance tools. However, the design of technology-based interventions remains as many participants have monthly telephone plans which may limit continuity. ©Robert D Ashford, Kevin Lynch, Brenda Curtis. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 06.03.2018.

Atomic Weights of the Elements 1999

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coplen, T. B.

2001-05-01

The biennial review of atomic-weight, Ar(E), determinations and other cognate data have resulted in changes for the standard atomic weights of the following elements: from to nitrogen 14.006 74±0.000 07¯r 14.0067±0.0002¯ sulfur 32.066±0.006 32.065±0.005 chlorine 35.4527±0.0009 35.453±0.002 germanium 72.61±0.02 72.64±0.01 xenon 131.29±0.02 131.293±0.006 erbium 167.26±0.03 167.259±0.003 uranium 238.0289±0.0001 238.028 91±0.000 03 Presented are updated tables of the standard atomic weights and their uncertainties estimated by combining experimental uncertainties and terrestrial variabilities. In addition, this report again contains an updated table of relative atomic mass values and half-lives of selected radioisotopes. Changes in the evaluated isotopic abundance values from those published in 1997 are so minor that an updated list will not be published for the year 1999. Many elements have a different isotopic composition in some nonterrestrial materials. Some recent data on parent nuclides that might affect isotopic abundances or atomic-weight values are included in this report for the information of the interested scientific community.

Quality of poultry litter-derived granular activated carbon.

PubMed

Qiu, Guannan; Guo, Mingxin

2010-01-01

Utilization of poultry litter as a source material for generating activated carbon is a value-added and environmentally beneficial approach to recycling organic waste. In this study, the overall quality of poultry litter-derived granular activated carbon was systematically evaluated based on its various physical and chemical properties. Granular activated carbon generated from pelletized poultry litter following a typical steam-activation procedure possessed numerous micropores in the matrix. The product exhibited a mean particle diameter of 2.59 mm, an apparent density of 0.45 g cm(-3), a ball-pan hardness of 91.0, an iodine number of 454 mg g(-1), and a BET surface area of 403 m(2) g(-1). It contained high ash, nitrogen, phosphorus contents and the trace elements Cu, Zn, and As. Most of the nutrients and toxic elements were solidified and solution-unextractable. In general, poultry litter-based activated carbon demonstrated overall quality comparable to that of low-grade commercial activated carbon derived from coconut shell and bituminous coal. It is promising to use poultry litter as a feedstock to manufacture activated carbon for wastewater treatment.

259. Photocopy of drawing (1976 piping drawing by the Space ...

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

259. Photocopy of drawing (1976 piping drawing by the Space and Missile Test Center, VAFB, USAF) PLANS, SECTIONS, AND DETAILS OF THE DELUGE WATER SYSTEM FOR THE FLAME BUCKET, SHEET P-17 - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Pad 3 East, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

37 CFR 2.59 - Filing substitute specimen(s).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Filing substitute specimen(s..., DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE RULES OF PRACTICE IN TRADEMARK CASES Drawing § 2.59 Filing substitute specimen(s). (a... specimen(s), the applicant must: (1) For an amendment to allege use under § 2.76, verify by affidavit or...

14 CFR 259.4 - Contingency plan for lengthy tarmac delays.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS ENHANCED PROTECTIONS FOR AIRLINE PASSENGERS § 259.4 Contingency..., assurance that the air carrier will provide adequate food and potable water no later than two hours after... flights covered in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, and for the trigger point for food and water covered...

Comparison of Biomass and Lipid Production under Ambient Carbon Dioxide Vigorous Aeration and 3% Carbon Dioxide Condition Among the Lead Candidate Chlorella Strains Screened by Various Photobioreactor Scales

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

Kobayashi, Naoko; Barnes, Austin; Jensen, Travis

2015-09-01

Chlorella species from the UTEX collection, classified by rDNA-based phylogenetic analysis, were screened based on biomass and lipid production in different scales and modes of culture. Lead candidate strains of C. sorokiniana UTEX 1230 and C. vulgaris UTEX 395 and 259 were compared between conditions of vigorous aeration with filtered atmospheric air and 3% CO 2 shake-flask cultivation. We found that the biomass of UTEX 1230 produced 2 times higher at 652 mg L -1 dry weight under both ambient CO 2 vigorous aeration and 3% CO 2 conditions, while UTEX 395 and 259 under 3% CO 2 increased tomore » 3 times higher at 863 mg L -1 dry weight than ambient CO 2 vigorous aeration. The triacylglycerol contents of UTEX 395 and 259 increased more than 30 times to 30% dry weight with 3% CO 2, indicating that additional CO 2 is essential for both biomass and lipid accumulation in UTEX 395 and 259.« less

Long terminal repeat retrotransposons of Oryza sativa

PubMed Central

McCarthy, Eugene M; Liu, Jingdong; Lizhi, Gao; McDonald, John F

2002-01-01

Background Long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons constitute a major fraction of the genomes of higher plants. For example, retrotransposons comprise more than 50% of the maize genome and more than 90% of the wheat genome. LTR retrotransposons are believed to have contributed significantly to the evolution of genome structure and function. The genome sequencing of selected experimental and agriculturally important species is providing an unprecedented opportunity to view the patterns of variation existing among the entire complement of retrotransposons in complete genomes. Results Using a new data-mining program, LTR_STRUC, (LTR retrotransposon structure program), we have mined the GenBank rice (Oryza sativa) database as well as the more extensive (259 Mb) Monsanto rice dataset for LTR retrotransposons. Almost two-thirds (37) of the 59 families identified consist of copia-like elements, but gypsy-like elements outnumber copia-like elements by a ratio of approximately 2:1. At least 17% of the rice genome consists of LTR retrotransposons. In addition to the ubiquitous gypsy- and copia-like classes of LTR retrotransposons, the rice genome contains at least two novel families of unusually small, non-coding (non-autonomous) LTR retrotransposons. Conclusions Each of the major clades of rice LTR retrotransposons is more closely related to elements present in other species than to the other clades of rice elements, suggesting that horizontal transfer may have occurred over the evolutionary history of rice LTR retrotransposons. Like LTR retrotransposons in other species with relatively small genomes, many rice LTR retrotransposons are relatively young, indicating a high rate of turnover. PMID:12372141

Artificially evolved Synechococcus PCC6301 Rubisco variants exhibit improvements in folding and catalytic efficiency.

PubMed

Greene, Dina N; Whitney, Spencer M; Matsumura, Ichiro

2007-06-15

The photosynthetic CO2-fixing enzyme, Rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase), is responsible for most of the world's biomass, but is a slow non-specific catalyst. We seek to identify and overcome the chemical and biological constraints that limit the evolutionary potential of Rubisco in Nature. Recently, the horizontal transfer of Calvin cycle genes (rbcL, rbcS and prkA) from cyanobacteria (Synechococcus PCC6301) to gamma-proteobacteria (Escherichia coli) was emulated in the laboratory. Three unique Rubisco variants containing single (M259T) and double (M259T/A8S, M259T/F342S) amino acid substitutions in the L (large) subunit were identified after three rounds of random mutagenesis and selection in E. coli. Here we show that the M259T mutation did not increase steady-state levels of rbcL mRNA or L protein. It instead improved the yield of properly folded L subunit in E. coli 4-9-fold by decreasing its natural propensity to misfold in vivo and/or by enhancing its interaction with the GroES-GroEL chaperonins. The addition of osmolites to the growth media enhanced productive folding of the M259T L subunit relative to the wild-type L subunit, while overexpression of the trigger factor and DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE chaperones impeded Rubisco assembly. The evolved enzymes showed improvement in their kinetic properties with the M259T variant showing a 12% increase in carboxylation turnover rate (k(c)cat), a 15% improvement in its K(M) for CO2 and no change in its K(M) for ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate or its CO2/O2 selectivity. The results of the present study show that the directed evolution of the Synechococcus Rubisco in E. coli can elicit improvements in folding and catalytic efficiency.

[Working conditions in operating rooms].

PubMed

Kułagowska, Ewa

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to get acquainted with the opinions of the nursing staff on working conditions at their workplace. The study was carried out in a group of 398 nurses working in various kinds of operating rooms at 11 public hospitals. A questionnaire was used as a major tool of this study. The questionnaires were filled in by 259 operating room nurses (circulating nurses) and 139 nurse-anesthetists. The collected data show that working conditions in operating rooms do not ensure safety of the nursing staff at work. The main sources of problems are: work organization, technical factors, work equipment, work space, knowledge of hazards and strenuous factors among nurses, ways of preventing and/or limiting them. These elements are serious occupational risk factors influencing the work process and health status of nurses.

Apparatus to measure the vapor pressure of slowly decomposing compounds from 1 Pa to 105 Pa

PubMed Central

Berg, Robert F.

2016-01-01

This article describes an apparatus and method for measuring vapor pressures in the range from 1 Pa to 105 Pa. Its three distinctive elements are : (1) the static pressure measurements were made with only a small temperature difference between the vapor and the condensed phase, (2) the sample was degassed in situ, and (3) the temperature range extended up to 200 °C. The apparatus was designed to measure metal-organic precursors, which often are toxic, pyrophoric, or unstable. Vapor pressures are presented for naphthalene, ferrocene, diethyl phthalate, and TEMAH (tetrakisethylmethylaminohafnium). Also presented are data for the temperature-dependent decomposition rate of TEMAH. PMID:27274567

Recent advance to 3 × 10(-5) rad near diffraction-limited beam divergence of dye laser with transverse-discharge flash-lamp pumping.

PubMed

Trusov, K K

1994-02-20

A new experimental setup of a Rhodamine 6G dye laser with a transverse-discharge flash-lamp-pumping system is presented. It differs from a previous setup [Sov. J. Quantum Electron. 16, 468-471 (1989)] in that it has a larger laser beam aperture (32 mm) and higher pumping energy (1 kJ), which made it possible to test the scalability and reach near diffraction-limited laser beam divergence of 3 × 10(-5) rad FWHM at beam energy 1.4 J. The effect of spectral dispersion in the active medium and of other optical elements on the beam divergence is also discussed.

48 CFR 53.105 - Computer generation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Data Interchange or a format that can be translated into one of those standards. (b) The standards listed in paragraph (a)(2) of this section may also be used for submission of data set forth in other..., content, or sequence of the data elements, and the form carries the Standard or Optional Form number and...

48 CFR 53.105 - Computer generation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Data Interchange or a format that can be translated into one of those standards. (b) The standards listed in paragraph (a)(2) of this section may also be used for submission of data set forth in other..., content, or sequence of the data elements, and the form carries the Standard or Optional Form number and...

48 CFR 53.105 - Computer generation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Data Interchange or a format that can be translated into one of those standards. (b) The standards listed in paragraph (a)(2) of this section may also be used for submission of data set forth in other..., content, or sequence of the data elements, and the form carries the Standard or Optional Form number and...

HDL-cholesterol and the incidence of lung cancer in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study

PubMed Central

Kucharska-Newton, Anna M.; Rosamond, Wayne D.; Schroeder, Jane C.; McNeill, Ann Marie; Coresh, Josef; Folsom, Aaron R.

2008-01-01

Summary This study examined prospectively the association of baseline plasma HDL-cholesterol levels with incidence of lung cancer in 14, 547 members of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort. There were 259 cases of incident lung cancer identified during follow-up from 1987 through 2000. Results of this study indicated a relatively weak inverse association of HDL-cholesterol with lung cancer that was dependent on smoking status. The hazard ratio of lung cancer incidence in relation to low HDL-cholesterol, adjusted for race, gender, exercise, alcohol consumption, body mass index, triglycerides, age, and cigarette pack-years of smoking, was 1.45 (95% confidence interval 1.10, 1.92). This association was observed among former smokers (hazard ratio: 1.77, 95% confidence interval 1.05, 2.97), but not current smokers. The number of cases among never smokers in this study was too small (n=13) for meaningful interpretation of effect estimates. Excluding cases occurring within five years of baseline did not appreciably change the point estimates, suggesting lack of reverse causality. The modest association of low plasma HDL-cholesterol with greater incident lung cancer observed in this study is in agreement with existing case-control studies. PMID:18342390

Spectrophotometric determination of trazodone, amineptine and amitriptyline hydrochlorides through ion-pair formation with molybdenum and thiocyanate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, Gehad G.; Nour El-Dien, F. A.; Khalil, S. M.; Mohamed, Nehad A.

2006-12-01

Extraction spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of tricyclic drugs such as trazodone (TZH), amineptine (APH) and amitriptyline (ATPH) hydrochlorides in pure form and in the dosage forms coming from different Egyptian markets. The method based on the formation of ion-pairs between these drugs under investigation and inorganic complex of Mo(V)-thiocyanate followed by its extraction with methylene chloride. The optimum conditions for the ion-pairs formation are established. The method permits the determination of TZH, APH and ATPH over the concentration range of 2-28, 2-32 and 1-30 μg ml -1, respectively. The Sandell sensitivity ( S) is found to be 0.105, 0.138 and 0.118 g cm -2 for TZH, APH and ATPH, respectively. The SD is found to be 0.16-0.377, 0.12-0.259 and 0.091-0.286 and the R.S.D. are 0.14-0.55, 0.12-0.399 and 0.095-0.485 for TZH, APH and ATPH, respectively. The method is applicable for the assay of the investigated drugs in different dosage forms and the results are in good agreement with those obtained by the official method.

29 CFR 779.259 - What is included in annual gross volume.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... whole. The computation of the annual gross volume of sales or business of the enterprise is made... Coverage Annual Gross Volume of Sales Made Or Business Done § 779.259 What is included in annual gross volume. (a) The annual gross volume of sales made or business done of an enterprise consists of its gross...

29 CFR 779.259 - What is included in annual gross volume.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... whole. The computation of the annual gross volume of sales or business of the enterprise is made... Coverage Annual Gross Volume of Sales Made Or Business Done § 779.259 What is included in annual gross volume. (a) The annual gross volume of sales made or business done of an enterprise consists of its gross...

24 CFR 207.259a - Waiver of title objection; mortgages formerly Commissioner-held.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... UNDER NATIONAL HOUSING ACT AND OTHER AUTHORITIES MULTIFAMILY HOUSING MORTGAGE INSURANCE Contract Rights and Obligations Rights and Duties of Mortgagee Under the Contract of Insurance § 207.259a Waiver of... any lien or other adverse interest that was senior to the mortgage on the date of the original sale of...

47 CFR 25.259 - Time sharing between NOAA meteorological satellite systems and non-voice, non-geostationary...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... satellite systems and non-voice, non-geostationary satellite systems in the 137-138 MHz band. 25.259 Section... systems and non-voice, non-geostationary satellite systems in the 137-138 MHz band. (a) The space stations of a non-voice, non-geostationary Mobile-Satellite Service (NVNG MSS) system time-sharing downlink...

47 CFR 25.259 - Time sharing between NOAA meteorological satellite systems and non-voice, non-geostationary...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... satellite systems and non-voice, non-geostationary satellite systems in the 137-138 MHz band. 25.259 Section... systems and non-voice, non-geostationary satellite systems in the 137-138 MHz band. (a) The space stations of a non-voice, non-geostationary Mobile-Satellite Service (NVNG MSS) system time-sharing downlink...

17 CFR 259.604 - Form TH-Notification of reliance on temporary hardship exemption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Form TH-Notification of... OF 1935 Forms for Electronic Filing § 259.604 Form TH—Notification of reliance on temporary hardship exemption. Form TH shall be filed by any electronic filer who submits to the Commission, pursuant to a...

A Note on ;New Hierarchies of Integrable Lattice Equations and Associated Properties: Darboux Transformation Conservation Laws and Integrable Coupling; [Rep. Math. Phys. 67 (2011), 259

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xi-Xiang

2016-12-01

We prove that two new hierarchies of integrable lattice equations in [Rep. Math. Phys.67 (2011), 259] can be respectively changed into the famous relativistic Toda lattice hierarchies in the polynomial and the rational forms by means of a simple transformation.

Short Interspersed Nuclear Element (SINE) Sequences in the Genome of the Human Pathogenic Fungus Aspergillus fumigatus Af293

PubMed Central

Kanhayuwa, Lakkhana; Coutts, Robert H. A.

2016-01-01

Novel families of short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) sequences in the human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, clinical isolate Af293, were identified and categorised into tRNA-related and 5S rRNA-related SINEs. Eight predicted tRNA-related SINE families originating from different tRNAs, and nominated as AfuSINE2 sequences, contained target site duplications of short direct repeat sequences (4–14 bp) flanking the elements, an extended tRNA-unrelated region and typical features of RNA polymerase III promoter sequences. The elements ranged in size from 140–493 bp and were present in low copy number in the genome and five out of eight were actively transcribed. One putative tRNAArg-derived sequence, AfuSINE2-1a possessed a unique feature of repeated trinucleotide ACT residues at its 3’-terminus. This element was similar in sequence to the I-4_AO element found in A. oryzae and an I-1_AF long nuclear interspersed element-like sequence identified in A. fumigatus Af293. Families of 5S rRNA-related SINE sequences, nominated as AfuSINE3, were also identified and their 5'-5S rRNA-related regions show 50–65% and 60–75% similarity to respectively A. fumigatus 5S rRNAs and SINE3-1_AO found in A. oryzae. A. fumigatus Af293 contains five copies of AfuSINE3 sequences ranging in size from 259–343 bp and two out of five AfuSINE3 sequences were actively transcribed. Investigations on AfuSINE distribution in the fungal genome revealed that the elements are enriched in pericentromeric and subtelomeric regions and inserted within gene-rich regions. We also demonstrated that some, but not all, AfuSINE sequences are targeted by host RNA silencing mechanisms. Finally, we demonstrated that infection of the fungus with mycoviruses had no apparent effects on SINE activity. PMID:27736869

Short Interspersed Nuclear Element (SINE) Sequences in the Genome of the Human Pathogenic Fungus Aspergillus fumigatus Af293.

PubMed

Kanhayuwa, Lakkhana; Coutts, Robert H A

2016-01-01

Novel families of short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) sequences in the human pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, clinical isolate Af293, were identified and categorised into tRNA-related and 5S rRNA-related SINEs. Eight predicted tRNA-related SINE families originating from different tRNAs, and nominated as AfuSINE2 sequences, contained target site duplications of short direct repeat sequences (4-14 bp) flanking the elements, an extended tRNA-unrelated region and typical features of RNA polymerase III promoter sequences. The elements ranged in size from 140-493 bp and were present in low copy number in the genome and five out of eight were actively transcribed. One putative tRNAArg-derived sequence, AfuSINE2-1a possessed a unique feature of repeated trinucleotide ACT residues at its 3'-terminus. This element was similar in sequence to the I-4_AO element found in A. oryzae and an I-1_AF long nuclear interspersed element-like sequence identified in A. fumigatus Af293. Families of 5S rRNA-related SINE sequences, nominated as AfuSINE3, were also identified and their 5'-5S rRNA-related regions show 50-65% and 60-75% similarity to respectively A. fumigatus 5S rRNAs and SINE3-1_AO found in A. oryzae. A. fumigatus Af293 contains five copies of AfuSINE3 sequences ranging in size from 259-343 bp and two out of five AfuSINE3 sequences were actively transcribed. Investigations on AfuSINE distribution in the fungal genome revealed that the elements are enriched in pericentromeric and subtelomeric regions and inserted within gene-rich regions. We also demonstrated that some, but not all, AfuSINE sequences are targeted by host RNA silencing mechanisms. Finally, we demonstrated that infection of the fungus with mycoviruses had no apparent effects on SINE activity.

Effects of lead, molybdenum, rubidium, arsenic and organochlorines on spermatogenesis in fish: monitoring at Mekong Delta area and in vitro experiment.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Sonoko; Miura, Chiemi; Ito, Aki; Agusa, Tetsuro; Iwata, Hisato; Tanabe, Shinsuke; Tuyen, Bui Cach; Miura, Takeshi

2007-06-05

To estimate the influence of water contaminants on fish reproduction in the Mekong Delta area, we sampled cultivated male catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus), investigated testicular development, and measured persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and trace element levels in muscle and liver, respectively. Various testes sizes were observed although sampling took place during a short period. Histological analysis revealed that all developmental stages of germ cells were observed in catfish with large testis, whereas only necrotic spermatogonia but no other germ cells were observed in catfish with small testis. In small testis, furthermore, vacuolization and hypertrophy of Sertoli cells were observed. Measurement of POPs in muscle and trace elements in liver demonstrated that there were negative correlations between GSI and the concentrations of Pb, Mo, Rb and As. To clarify possible direct effects of Pb, Mo, Rb and As on spermatogenesis in fish, we investigated the effects of these trace elements on spermatogenesis using in vitro testicular organ culture of Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica). Treatment with each of the trace elements alone did not affect spermatogenesis. However, treatment with 10(-7)M of Pb, 10(-5) and 10(-4)M of Mo, 10(-5)-10(-3)M of Rb or 10(-5)M of As inhibited the spermatogenesis induced by 11-ketotestosterone (11KT). Furthermore, treatment with 10(-4)M of As in combination with 11KT caused necrosis of testicular fragments. Taken together, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that Pb, Mo, Rb and As can exert inhibitory effects on spermatogenesis in catfish inhabiting the Mekong Delta area.

Fabrication and Characterization of Single-Aperture 3.5-MHz BNT-Based Ultrasonic Transducer for Therapeutic Application.

PubMed

Taghaddos, Elaheh; Ma, T; Zhong, Hui; Zhou, Qifa; Wan, M X; Safari, Ahmad

2018-04-01

This paper discusses the fabrication and characterization of 3.5-MHz single-element transducers for therapeutic applications in which the active elements are made of hard lead-free BNT-based and hard commercial PZT (PZT-841) piezoceramics. Composition of (BiNa 0.88 K 0.08 Li 0.04 ) 0.5 (Ti 0.985 Mn 0.015 )O 3 (BNKLT88-1.5Mn) was used to develop lead-free piezoelectric ceramic. Mn-doped samples exhibited high mechanical quality factor ( ) of 970, thickness coupling coefficient ( ) of 0.48, a dielectric constant ( ) of 310 (at 1 kHz), depolarization temperature ( ) of 200 °C, and coercive field ( ) of 52.5 kV/cm. Two different unfocused single-element transducers using BNKLT88-1.5Mn and PZT-841 with the same center frequency of 3.5 MHz and similar aperture size of 10.7 and 10.5 mm were fabricated. Pulse-echo response, acoustic frequency spectrum, acoustic pressure field, and acoustic intensity field of transducers were characterized. The BNT-based transducer shows linear response up to the peak-to-peak voltage of 105 V in which the maximum rarefactional acoustic pressure of 1.1 MPa, and acoustic intensity of 43 W/cm 2 were achieved. Natural focal point of this transducer was at 60 mm from the surface of the transducer.

Thermodynamic stability of boron: the role of defects and zero point motion.

PubMed

van Setten, Michiel J; Uijttewaal, Matthé A; de Wijs, Gilles A; de Groot, Robert A

2007-03-07

Its low weight, high melting point, and large degree of hardness make elemental boron a technologically interesting material. The large number of allotropes, mostly containing over a hundred atoms in the unit cell, and their difficult characterization challenge both experimentalists and theoreticians. Even the ground state of this element is still under discussion. For over 30 years, scientists have attempted to determine the relative stability of alpha- and beta-rhombohedral boron. We use density functional calculations in the generalized gradient approximation to study a broad range of possible beta-rhombohedral structures containing interstitial atoms and partially occupied sites within a 105 atoms framework. The two most stable structures are practically degenerate in energy and semiconducting. One contains the experimental 320 atoms in the hexagonal unit cell, and the other contains 106 atoms in the triclinic unit cell. When populated with the experimental 320 electrons, the 106 atom structure exhibits a band gap of 1.4 eV and an in-gap hole trap at 0.35 eV above the valence band, consistent with known experiments. The total energy of these two structures is 23 meV/B lower than the original 105 atom framework, but it is still 1 meV/B above the alpha phase. Adding zero point energies finally makes the beta phase the ground state of elemental boron by 3 meV/B. At finite temperatures, the difference becomes even larger.

Mutations in SOX17 are associated with congenital anomalies of the kidney and the urinary tract.

PubMed

Gimelli, Stefania; Caridi, Gianluca; Beri, Silvana; McCracken, Kyle; Bocciardi, Renata; Zordan, Paola; Dagnino, Monica; Fiorio, Patrizia; Murer, Luisa; Benetti, Elisa; Zuffardi, Orsetta; Giorda, Roberto; Wells, James M; Gimelli, Giorgio; Ghiggeri, Gian Marco

2010-12-01

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and the urinary tract (CAKUT) represent a major source of morbidity and mortality in children. Several factors (PAX, SOX,WNT, RET, GDFN, and others) play critical roles during the differentiation process that leads to the formation of nephron epithelia. We have identified mutations in SOX17, an HMG-box transcription factor and Wnt signaling antagonist, in eight patients with CAKUT (seven vesico-ureteric reflux, one pelvic obstruction). One mutation, c.775T>A (p.Y259N), recurred in six patients. Four cases derived from two small families; renal scars with urinary infection represented the main symptom at presentation in all but two patients. Transfection studies indicated a 5-10-fold increase in the levels of the mutant protein relative to wild-type SOX17 in transfected kidney cells. Moreover we observed a corresponding increase in the ability of SOX17 p.Y259N to inhibit Wnt/β-catenin transcriptional activity, which is known to regulate multiple stages of kidney and urinary tract development. In conclusion, SOX17 p.Y259N mutation is recurrent in patients with CAKUT. Our data shows that this mutation correlates with an inappropriate accumulation of SOX17-p.Y259N protein and inhibition of the β-catenin/Wnt signaling pathway. These data indicate a role of SOX17 in human kidney and urinary tract development and implicate the SOX17-p.Y259N mutation as a causative factor in CAKUT. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Mutations in SOX17 are Associated with Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and the Urinary Tract

PubMed Central

Gimelli, Stefania; Caridi, Gianluca; Beri, Silvana; McCracken, Kyle; Bocciardi, Renata; Zordan, Paola; Dagnino, Monica; Fiorio, Patrizia; Murer, Luisa; Benetti, Elisa; Zuffardi, Orsetta; Giorda, Roberto; Wells, James M; Gimelli, Giorgio; Ghiggeri, Gian Marco

2010-01-01

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and the urinary tract (CAKUT) represent a major source of morbidity and mortality in children. Several factors (PAX, SOX,WNT, RET, GDFN, and others) play critical roles during the differentiation process that leads to the formation of nephron epithelia. We have identified mutations in SOX17, an HMG-box transcription factor and Wnt signaling antagonist, in eight patients with CAKUT (seven vesico-ureteric reflux, one pelvic obstruction). One mutation, c.775T>A (p.Y259N), recurred in six patients. Four cases derived from two small families; renal scars with urinary infection represented the main symptom at presentation in all but two patients. Transfection studies indicated a 5–10-fold increase in the levels of the mutant protein relative to wild-type SOX17 in transfected kidney cells. Moreover we observed a corresponding increase in the ability of SOX17 p.Y259N to inhibit Wnt/β-catenin transcriptional activity, which is known to regulate multiple stages of kidney and urinary tract development. In conclusion, SOX17 p.Y259N mutation is recurrent in patients with CAKUT. Our data shows that this mutation correlates with an inappropriate accumulation of SOX17-p.Y259N protein and inhibition of the β-catenin/Wnt signaling pathway. These data indicate a role of SOX17 in human kidney and urinary tract development and implicate the SOX17–p.Y259N mutation as a causative factor in CAKUT. Hum Mutat 31:1352–1359, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. PMID:20960469

The Attitudes of Israeli Arab and Jewish High School Students towards Extrinsic and Intrinsic Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Zehavit

2013-01-01

The aim of this research was to investigate the attitudes of Israeli Arab (n = 259) and Jewish (n = 259) high school students toward extrinsic and intrinsic values. A questionnaire, which consisted of eight value scales in two groups--extrinsic and intrinsic values--was administered. Participants were asked to state whether they agreed or…

47 CFR 25.259 - Time sharing between NOAA meteorological satellite systems and non-voice, non-geostationary...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... satellite systems and non-voice, non-geostationary satellite systems in the 137-138 MHz band. 25.259 Section... systems and non-voice, non-geostationary satellite systems in the 137-138 MHz band. (a) A non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service system licensee (“NVNG licensee”) time-sharing spectrum in the 137-138...

47 CFR 25.259 - Time sharing between NOAA meteorological satellite systems and non-voice, non-geostationary...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... satellite systems and non-voice, non-geostationary satellite systems in the 137-138 MHz band. 25.259 Section... systems and non-voice, non-geostationary satellite systems in the 137-138 MHz band. (a) A non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service system licensee (“NVNG licensee”) time-sharing spectrum in the 137-138...

47 CFR 25.259 - Time sharing between NOAA meteorological satellite systems and non-voice, non-geostationary...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... satellite systems and non-voice, non-geostationary satellite systems in the 137-138 MHz band. 25.259 Section... systems and non-voice, non-geostationary satellite systems in the 137-138 MHz band. (a) A non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service system licensee (“NVNG licensee”) time-sharing spectrum in the 137-138...

259. View of the stone curbing used at the Hefner ...

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

259. View of the stone curbing used at the Hefner Overlook. This is a common feature at all overlooks on the parkway. All stone on the parkway, except for the Linn Cove Viaduct was quarried from within fifty miles of where it was used. Looking north. - Blue Ridge Parkway, Between Shenandoah National Park & Great Smoky Mountains, Asheville, Buncombe County, NC

Impact of the addition of chicken litter on mercury speciation and emissions from coal combustion in a laboratory-scale fluidized bed combustor

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

Songgeng Li; Shuang Deng; Andy Wu

Co-combustion of chicken litter with coal was performed in a laboratory-scale fluidized bed combustor to investigate the effect of chicken litter addition on the partitioning behavior of mercury. Gaseous total and elemental mercury concentrations in the flue gas were measured online, and ash was analyzed for particle-bound mercury along with other elemental and surface properties. The mercury mass balance was between 85 and 105%. The experimental results show that co-combustion of chicken litter decreases the amount of elemental and total mercury in the gas phase. Mercury content in fly ash increases with an increasing chicken litter share. 22 refs., 6more » figs., 5 tabs.« less

41 CFR 105-62.202 - Review of classified materials for declassification purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... particularity or narrow the scope of the request, the element that received the request shall notify the... referral, it shall process the request in accordance with the requirements of this paragraph and, if so...) Based upon the outcome of the appeal, a reply shall be made to the person making the appeal that either...

A Summary Report on the NPH Evaluation of 105-L Disassembly Basin

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

Joshi, J.R.

2002-04-30

The L Area Disassembly Basin (LDB) is evaluated for the natural phenomena hazards (NPH) effects due to earthquake, wind, and tornado in accordance with DOE Order 420.1 and DOE-STD-1020. The deterministic analysis is performed for a Performance Category 3 (PC3) level of loads. Savannah River Site (SRS) specific NPH loads and design criteria are obtained from Engineering Standard 01060. It is demonstrated that the demand to capacity (D/C) ratios for primary and significant structural elements are acceptable (equal to or less than 1.0). Thus, 105-L Disassembly Basin building structure is qualified for the PC3 NPH effects in accordance with DOEmore » Order 420.1.« less

Far-infrared Line Spectra of Active Galaxies from the Herschel/PACS Spectrometer: The Complete Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Ontiveros, Juan Antonio; Spinoglio, Luigi; Pereira-Santaella, Miguel; Malkan, Matthew A.; Andreani, Paola; Dasyra, Kalliopi M.

2016-10-01

We present a coherent database of spectroscopic observations of far-IR fine-structure lines from the Herschel/Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer archive for a sample of 170 local active galactic nuclei (AGNs), plus a comparison sample of 20 starburst galaxies and 43 dwarf galaxies. Published Spitzer/IRS and Herschel/SPIRE line fluxes are included to extend our database to the full 10-600 μm spectral range. The observations are compared to a set of Cloudy photoionization models to estimate the above physical quantities through different diagnostic diagrams. We confirm the presence of a stratification of gas density in the emission regions of the galaxies, which increases with the ionization potential of the emission lines. The new [O IV]{}25.9μ {{m}}/[O III]{}88μ {{m}} versus [Ne III]{}15.6μ {{m}}/[Ne II]{}12.8μ {{m}} diagram is proposed as the best diagnostic to separate (1) AGN activity from any kind of star formation and (2) low-metallicity dwarf galaxies from starburst galaxies. Current stellar atmosphere models fail to reproduce the observed [O IV]{}25.9μ {{m}}/[O III]{}88μ {{m}} ratios, which are much higher when compared to the predicted values. Finally, the ([Ne III]{}15.6μ {{m}} + [Ne II]{}12.8μ {{m}})/([S IV]{}10.5μ {{m}} +[S III]{}18.7μ {{m}}) ratio is proposed as a promising metallicity tracer to be used in obscured objects, where optical lines fail to accurately measure the metallicity. The diagnostic power of mid- to far-infrared spectroscopy shown here for local galaxies will be of crucial importance to study galaxy evolution during the dust-obscured phase at the peak of the star formation and black hole accretion activity (1\\lt z\\lt 4). This study will be addressed by future deep spectroscopic surveys with present and forthcoming facilities such as the James Webb Space Telescope, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, and the Space Infrared telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics.

Gamma Spectroscopy by Artificial Neural Network Coupled with MCNP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahiner, Huseyin

While neutron activation analysis is widely used in many areas, sensitivity of the analysis depends on how the analysis is conducted. Even though the sensitivity of the techniques carries error, compared to chemical analysis, its range is in parts per million or sometimes billion. Due to this sensitivity, the use of neutron activation analysis becomes important when analyzing bio-samples. Artificial neural network is an attractive technique for complex systems. Although there are neural network applications on spectral analysis, training by simulated data to analyze experimental data has not been made. This study offers an improvement on spectral analysis and optimization on neural network for the purpose. The work considers five elements that are considered as trace elements for bio-samples. However, the system is not limited to five elements. The only limitation of the study comes from data library availability on MCNP. A perceptron network was employed to identify five elements from gamma spectra. In quantitative analysis, better results were obtained when the neural fitting tool in MATLAB was used. As a training function, Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm was used with 23 neurons in the hidden layer with 259 gamma spectra in the input. Because the interest of the study deals with five elements, five neurons representing peak counts of five isotopes in the input layer were used. Five output neurons revealed mass information of these elements from irradiated kidney stones. Results showing max error of 17.9% in APA, 24.9% in UA, 28.2% in COM, 27.9% in STRU type showed the success of neural network approach in analyzing gamma spectra. This high error was attributed to Zn that has a very long decay half-life compared to the other elements. The simulation and experiments were made under certain experimental setup (3 hours irradiation, 96 hours decay time, 8 hours counting time). Nevertheless, the approach is subject to be generalized for different setups.

Fabrication and properties of radially <001>C textured PMN-PT cylinders for transducer applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poterala, Stephen F.; Meyer, Richard J.; Messing, Gary L.

2012-07-01

<001>C Textured PMN-PT ceramics have electromechanical properties (d33 = 850-1050 pm/V, k33 = 0.79-0.83) between those of conventional PZT ceramics and relaxor PMN-PT crystals. In this work, we tailor crystallographic orientation in textured PMN-PT ceramics for transducer designs with non-planar poling surfaces. Specifically, omni-directional cylindrical transducer elements were fabricated using monolithic, radially <001>C textured and poled PMN-PT ceramic. Texture was produced by templated grain growth using NBT-PT templates, which were oriented radially by wrapping green ceramic tapes around a cylindrical mandrel. Finished transducer elements measure ˜5 cm in diameter by ˜2.5 cm in height and demonstrate scalability of textured ceramic fabrication techniques. The fabricated cylinders are ˜50 vol. % textured and show high 31-mode electromechanical properties compared to PZT ceramics (d31 = -259 pm/V, k31 = 0.43, ɛT33 = 3000, and Qm = 350). Frequency bandwidth is related to the square of the hoop mode coupling coefficient kh2, which is ˜60% higher in textured PMN-PT cylinders compared to PZT 5H. Finite element simulations show that this parameter may be further increased by improving texture quality to ≥90 vol. %. Radially textured PMN-PT may thus improve performance in omni-directional cylindrical transducers while avoiding the need for segmented single crystal designs.

A factor influence study of trace element bioaccumulation in moss bags.

PubMed

Cesa, M; Campisi, B; Bizzotto, A; Ferraro, C; Fumagalli, F; Nimis, P L

2008-10-01

Moss bags of Rhynchostegium riparioides were exposed to different water concentrations of 11 trace elements under laboratory conditions, according to a saturated fractional factorial design (67 treated combinations), with the aim of measuring (1) element uptake and (2) the main effects and first-order interactions of influent factors. Bioaccumulation was directly proportional to water concentration, but the uptake ratio (ranging from 10(2) to 10(5)) also depended on the concentration of other metals. The highest uptake ratios were observed for Al, Cu, Cr, Hg, and Pb. The multiple regression model showed that interactions among elements exist and induce both antagonism (Fe is the most frequent competitor) and synergism (Cr exerts a great influence on Pb and Zn uptake). Interactions might be relatively strong (as for As, Cr, and Pb) or weak (Cd and Hg). This evidence should be taken into consideration in biomonitoring surveys of industrial sites, where effluents release more than one contaminant.

Determination of sixteen elements and arsenic species in brown, polished and milled rice.

PubMed

Narukawa, Tomohiro; Matsumoto, Eri; Nishimura, Tsutomu; Hioki, Akiharu

2014-01-01

The concentrations of 16 elements in 10 rice flour samples and the distribution of the elements in the rice grains from which the flour were made were determined by ICP-MS and ICP-OES after microwave-assisted digestion of the samples. Arsenic speciation analysis was carried out by HPLC-ICP-MS following heat-assisted extraction of the sample. The concentrations of inorganic As (As(III) and As(V)), monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA) and their distribution in the rice grains were determined. Portions of the brown rice were polished/milled to different degrees to yield milled off samples and polished rice samples. All samples were powdered and analyzed for 16 elements and for As species. The recoveries and mass balances for all elements in all samples showed good agreements with the starting materials. As(III), As(V), MMAA and DMAA were detected, and the sums of the concentrations of all species in the extract were 86-105% of the total As concentration in each case.

Brief Report: Psychological Characteristics of Less Severe Forms of Eating Disorders: An Epidemiological Study among 259 Female Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotrufo, Paolo; Gnisci, Augusto; Caputo, Immacolata

2005-01-01

We screened a sample of 259 female students, aged 17-20 years old, by means of the Eating Disorder Inventory 2 (EDI 2) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Those students identified to be at risk for an eating disorder underwent a semi-structured interview to provide a diagnosis according to DSM-IV criteria. We also considered the…

Patents and Licenses Through 1994,

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-01

Chiang was employed at Honeywell Radiation Center, where she worked on mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) and gallium phosphide photoconductive...5,251,225 Gallium Indium Arsenide Phosphide 4,258,375; 4,372,791; 4,718,070;4,722,092 Gallium Indium Arsenide Phosphide /Indium Phosphide ...Indirect-Gap Semiconductor 3,636,471 Indium Arsenide 2,990,259 Indium Gallium Arsenide 4,746,620 Indium Phosphide 2,990,259; 4,376,285

Non-LTE analysis of extremely helium-rich stars. The hot sdO stars LSE 153, 259 and 263

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Husfeld, D.; Butler, K.; Heber, U.; Drilling, J. S.

1989-01-01

Results of a non-LTE fine analysis based mainly on high-resolution CASPEC spectra for three extremely helium-rich sdO stars are discussed in order to explain hydrogen deficiency in single stars. High temperature (Teff = 70,000 to 75,000 K) and a position in the log Teff - log g diagram were found close to the Eddington limit. Various abundance estimates are derived for hydrogen (upper limits only), carbon, nitrogen, and magnesium. Hydrogen is reduced to less than 10 percent by number in LSE 153 and LSE 263, and to less than 5 percent in LSE 259. The hydrogen deficiency is accompanied by nitrogen- and carbon-enrichment in LSE 153 and LSE 259 only. In LSE 263, carbon is depleted by about 1 dex. Stellar masses obtained by assuming that a core mass-luminosity relation holds for these stars, were found to be in the range 0.6-0.9 solar mass, yielding luminosities log L/L:solar = 3.7-4.5. Two of the program stars (LSE 153 and 259) appear to be possible successors of the R CrB and helium B stars, whereas the third star (LSE 263) displays a much lower carbon content in its photosphere making it an exceptional case among the known hydrogen deficient stars.

Opposing Effects of cAMP and T259 Phosphorylation on Plasma Membrane Diffusion of the Water Channel Aquaporin-5 in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Cells

PubMed Central

Koffman, Jennifer S.; Arnspang, Eva C.; Marlar, Saw; Nejsum, Lene N.

2015-01-01

Aquaporin-5 (AQP5) facilitates passive water transport in glandular epithelia in response to secretory stimuli via intracellular pathways involving calcium release, cAMP and protein kinase A (PKA). In epithelial plasma membranes, AQP5 may be acutely regulated to facilitate water transport in response to physiological stimuli by changes in protein modifications, interactions with proteins and lipids, nanoscale membrane domain organization, and turnover rates. Such regulatory mechanisms could potentially be associated with alteration of diffusion behavior, possibly resulting in a change in the plasma membrane diffusion coefficient of AQP5. We aimed to test the short-term regulatory effects of the above pathways, by measuring lateral diffusion of AQP5 and an AQP5 phospho-mutant, T259A, using k-space Image Correlation Spectroscopy of quantum dot- and EGFP-labeled AQP5. Elevated cAMP and PKA inhibition significantly decreased lateral diffusion of AQP5, whereas T259A mutation showed opposing effects; slowing diffusion without stimulation and increasing diffusion to basal levels after cAMP elevation. Thus, lateral diffusion of AQP5 is significantly regulated by cAMP, PKA, and T259 phosphorylation, which could be important for regulating water flow in glandular secretions. PMID:26218429

Determination of trace elements in automotive fuels by filter furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anselmi, Anna; Tittarelli, Paolo; Katskov, Dmitri A.

2002-03-01

The determination of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Ni was performed in gasoline and diesel fuel samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using the Transverse Heated Filter Atomizer (THFA). Thermal conditions were experimentally defined for the investigated elements. The elements were analyzed without addition of chemical modifiers, using organometallic standards for the calibration. Forty-microliter samples were injected into the THFA. Gasoline samples were analyzed directly, while diesel fuel samples were diluted 1:4 with n-heptane. The following characteristic masses were obtained: 0.8 pg Cd, 6.4 pg Cr, 12 pg Cu, 17 pg Pb and 27 pg Ni. The limits of determination for gasoline samples were 0.13 μg/kg Cd, 0.4 μg/kg Cr, 0.9 μg/kg Cu, 1.5 μg/kg Pb and 2.5 μg/kg Ni. The corresponding limit of determination for diesel fuel samples was approximately four times higher for all elements. The element recovery was performed using the addition of organometallic compounds to gasoline and diesel fuel samples and was between 85 and 105% for all elements investigated.

Cascaded c-cut Nd:YVO4 self-Raman laser operation with a single 259 cm-1 shift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Junhong; Zhu, Haiyong; Duan, Yanmin; Xu, Changwen; Ruan, Xiukai; Cui, Guihua; Yan, Lifen

2017-03-01

A cascaded c-cut Nd:YVO4 crystal self-Raman operation was demonstrated with a Raman shift of 259 cm-1. The Stokes oscillation with a primary Raman shift of 890 cm-1 was suppressed and a cascaded self-Raman with a single Raman shift of 259 cm-1 was realized based on suitable coating design. At an incident pump power of 13.3 W, the second Stokes at 1129 nm was obtained as the main output laser and the output power was about 0.81 W. As the incident pump power increased, dual Stokes at 1129 and 1163 nm were obtained. A maximum output power of up to 1.0 W with a conversion efficiency of 6.7% was achieved at an incident pump power of 14.9 W and a pulse repetition frequency of 15 kHz.

Mutagenicity evaluation of forty-one metal salts by the umu test.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Akiko; Kohyama, Yuko; Hanawa, Takao

2002-01-01

Metallic biomaterials implanted in a human body may corrode and wear, releasing metal ions and debris which may induce adverse reactions such as inflammation, allergy, neoplastic formation, developmental malformation, etc. Mutagenicity is a very fundamental and important toxicity related to carcinogenicity and reproductive/developmental toxicity because the damages to genes or DNA can be a cause of carcinogenesis and developmental abnormalities. However, available mutagenic data on metallic ions and compounds are restricted to the number of elements. Therefore, to obtain the systematic data necessary for metal ion mutagenicity, 41 metal salts encompassing 36 metals and 5 metallic elements tested with different valences, were evaluated on their mutagenicity by a microbial test, the umu test. As a result, K(2)Cr(2)O(7), RhCl(3), IrCl(4), and MgCl(2) are positive without metabolic activation. Concentrations having the maximum mutagenic effect (C(max)) are 9.65 x 10(-5), 1.00 x 10(-4), 3.11 x 10(-3), 4.12 x 10(-3) mol. L(-1), respectively. CuCl(2), VCl(3), CuCl, RhCl(3), K(2)Cr(2)O(7), and IrCl(4) are positive with metabolic activation by S-9 mix with C(max) of 1.60 x 10(-5), 3.91 x 10(-5), 1.57 x 10(-4), 2.00 x 10(-4), 3.86 x 10(-4), 1.56 x 10(-2) mol. L(-1), respectively. Thirty-five metal salts were negative for tests performed both with and without metabolic activation, whereas it was impossible to evaluate the mutagenicity of MoCl(5) and ZrCl(4) by the umu test because of their colorimetric reaction to testing reagents. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Transcriptional regulation of human papillomavirus type 18 P105 promoter by the co-activator CBP.

PubMed

Valencia-Hernández, Armando; Cuevas-Bennett, Christian; Garrido, Efraín

2007-01-01

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the etiological agents of cervical cancer, with HPV-16 and 18 being the representative types of the higher risk group. The expression of the viral genes with transforming activity (E6 and E7) is controlled by the upstream regulatory region (URR), a segment of the viral genome that contains elements recognized by several transcription factors. We have analyzed the participation of the cellular co-activator CBP on the transcriptional regulation of the HPV-18 URR. We generated mutants and 5' end deletion constructs derived from the HPV-18 URR and evaluated their transcriptional activity performing transient co-transfection assays on C-33A cells with a plasmid that over-expresses the co-activator CBP. We also performed quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation assays to analyze the participation of the co-activator CBP on the HPV-18 P105 promoter. Our results demonstrate that in C-33A cells CBP acts as a strong activator of the HPV-18 P105 promoter by a mechanism that depends on the integrity of the SP1-binding site, directly correlating with the acetylation of the histone H3 that is involved in nucleosomal stability. We propose a mechanism of regulation of the HPV-18 P105 promoter by the cellular co-activator CBP, recruited by the transcription factor SP1. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

Morbidity and mortality of women and men with intellectual and developmental disabilities newly initiating antipsychotic drugs

PubMed Central

Lunsky, Yona; Cobigo, Virginie; Wilton, Andrew S.; Somerton, Sarah; Seitz, Dallas P.

2016-01-01

Background While up to 45% of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have a comorbid psychiatric disorder, and antipsychotics are commonly prescribed, gender differences in the safety of antipsychotics have rarely been studied in this population. Aims To compare men and women with IDD on medical outcomes after antipsychotic initiation. Method Our population-based study in Ontario, Canada, compared 1457 women and 1951 men with IDD newly initiating antipsychotic medication on risk for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, venous thromboembolism, myocardial infarction, stroke and death, with up to 4 years of follow-up. Results Women were older and more medically complex at baseline. Women had higher risks for venous thromboembolism (HR 1.72, 95% CI 1.15–2.59) and death (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.02–2.10) in crude analyses; but only thromboembolism risk was greater for women after covariate adjustment (aHR 1.58, 95% CI 1.05–2.38). Conclusions Gender should be considered in decision-making around antipsychotic medications for individuals with IDD. Declaration of interest None. Copyright and usage © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2016. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) licence. PMID:27703773

Mutual information, perceptual independence, and holistic face perception.

PubMed

Fitousi, Daniel

2013-07-01

The concept of perceptual independence is ubiquitous in psychology. It addresses the question of whether two (or more) dimensions are perceived independently. Several authors have proposed perceptual independence (or its lack thereof) as a viable measure of holistic face perception (Loftus, Oberg, & Dillon, Psychological Review 111:835-863, 2004; Wenger & Ingvalson, Learning, Memory, and Cognition 28:872-892, 2002). According to this notion, the processing of facial features occurs in an interactive manner. Here, I examine this idea from the perspective of two theories of perceptual independence: the multivariate uncertainty analysis (MUA; Garner & Morton, Definitions, models, and experimental paradigms. Psychological Bulletin 72:233-259, 1969), and the general recognition theory (GRT; Ashby & Townsend, Psychological Review 93:154-179, 1986). The goals of the study were to (1) introduce the MUA, (2) examine various possible relations between MUA and GRT using numerical simulations, and (3) apply the MUA to two consensual markers of holistic face perception(-)recognition of facial features (Farah, Wilson, Drain, & Tanaka, Psychological Review 105:482-498, 1998) and the composite face effect (Young, Hellawell, & Hay, Perception 16:747-759, 1987). The results suggest that facial holism is generated by violations of several types of perceptual independence. They highlight the important theoretical role played by converging operations in the study of holistic face perception.

Design and efficacy of a single-use bioreactor for heart valve tissue engineering.

PubMed

Converse, Gabriel L; Buse, Eric E; Neill, Kari R; McFall, Christopher R; Lewis, Holley N; VeDepo, Mitchell C; Quinn, Rachael W; Hopkins, Richard A

2017-02-01

Heart valve tissue engineering offers the promise of improved treatments for congenital heart disorders; however, widespread clinical availability of a tissue engineered heart valve (TEHV) has been hindered by scientific and regulatory concerns, including the lack of a disposable, bioreactor system for nondestructive valve seeding and mechanical conditioning. Here we report the design for manufacture and the production of full scale, functional prototypes of such a system. To evaluate the efficacy of this bioreactor as a tool for seeding, ovine aortic valves were decellularized and subjected to seeding with human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC). The effects of pulsatile conditioning using cyclic waveforms tuned to various negative and positive chamber pressures were evaluated, with respect to the seeding of cells on the decellularized leaflet and the infiltration of seeded cells into the interstitium of the leaflet. Infiltration of hMSCs into the aortic valve leaflet was observed following 72 h of conditioning under negative chamber pressure. Additional conditioning under positive pressure improved cellular infiltration, while retaining gene expression within the MSC-valve interstitial cell phenotype lineage. This protocol resulted in a subsurface pilot population of cells, not full tissue recellularization. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 249-259, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Detection of L-phenylalanine using molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction and flow injection electrochemiluminescence.

PubMed

Lu, Juanjuan; Ge, Shenguang; Wan, Fuwei; Yu, Jinghua

2012-01-01

A novel flow injection electrochemiluminescence method combined with molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction was developed for the determination of L-phenylalanine, in which ${\\rm{Ru(bpy}})_3^{2 + }$ was used as the luminophor and indium tin oxide glass was modified as the working electrode. Molecularly imprinted polymers, synthesized by self-assembly with functional monomer and crossing linker, were used for the selective extraction of L-phenylalanine. In order to overcome the drawbacks of traditional electrochemiluminescence cells such as high IR drop, high over-potential and so on, a novel electrochemiluminescence cell was developed. The enhanced electrochemiluminescence intensity was linearly related with the concentration of L-phenylalanine in the range from 1.0×10(-7) to 5.0×10(-5) g/mL with a detection limit of 2.59×10(-8) g/mL. The relative standard deviation for the determination of 1.0×10(-6) g/mL L-phenylalanine was 1.2% (n=11). The method showed higher sensitivity and good repeatability, and was successfully applied for the determination of L-phenylalanine in egg white, chicken and serum samples. A possible mechanism for the enhanced electrochemiluminescence response on indium tin oxide glass is proposed. Copyright © 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Chemistry of the superheavy elements.

PubMed

Schädel, Matthias

2015-03-13

The quest for superheavy elements (SHEs) is driven by the desire to find and explore one of the extreme limits of existence of matter. These elements exist solely due to their nuclear shell stabilization. All 15 presently 'known' SHEs (11 are officially 'discovered' and named) up to element 118 are short-lived and are man-made atom-at-a-time in heavy ion induced nuclear reactions. They are identical to the transactinide elements located in the seventh period of the periodic table beginning with rutherfordium (element 104), dubnium (element 105) and seaborgium (element 106) in groups 4, 5 and 6, respectively. Their chemical properties are often surprising and unexpected from simple extrapolations. After hassium (element 108), chemistry has now reached copernicium (element 112) and flerovium (element 114). For the later ones, the focus is on questions of their metallic or possibly noble gas-like character originating from interplay of most pronounced relativistic effects and electron-shell effects. SHEs provide unique opportunities to get insights into the influence of strong relativistic effects on the atomic electrons and to probe 'relativistically' influenced chemical properties and the architecture of the periodic table at its farthest reach. In addition, they establish a test bench to challenge the validity and predictive power of modern fully relativistic quantum chemical models. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Studies on radiation dose due to radioactive elements present in ground water and soil samples around Mysore city, India.

PubMed

Chandrashekara, M S; Veda, S M; Paramesh, L

2012-04-01

A systematic study of the ground water and soil samples collected from different locations around Mysore city (12(°)N and 76(°)E) has been carried out. (226)Ra activity concentration in water samples varies from 0.28 to 189 mBq l(-1) with a geometric mean (GM) of 4.75 mBq l(-1) and (222)Rn concentration in ground water varies from 4.25 to 435 Bq l(-1) with a GM of 25.9 Bq l(-1). The GM of inhalation and ingestion doses due to (222)Rn in water is 65.2 and 5.43, µSv y(-1), respectively. The measured GM gamma dose rate in air is 85.4 nGy h(-1) and absorbed dose rate estimated from the measured activity of radionuclides is 92.6 nGy h(-1).

Is erythropoietin gene a modifier factor in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

PubMed

Ghezzi, Serena; Del Bo, Roberto; Scarlato, Marina; Nardini, Martina; Carlesi, Cecilia; Prelle, Alessandro; Corti, Stefania; Mancuso, Michelangelo; Briani, Chiara; Siciliano, Gabriele; Murri, Luigi; Bresolin, Nereo; Comi, Giacomo Pietro

2009-05-01

To investigate the role of erythropoietin (EPO) as genetic determinant in the susceptibility to sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS). We sequenced a 259-bp region spanning the 3'hypoxia-responsive element of the EPO gene in 222 Italian SALS patients and 204 healthy subjects, matched for age and ethnic origin. No potentially causative variation was detected in SALS subjects; in addition, two polymorphic variants (namely C3434T and G3544T) showed the same genotype and haplotype frequencies in patients and controls. Conversely, a weak but significant association between G3544T and age of disease onset was observed (p=0.04). Overall, our data argue against the hypothesis of EPO as a genetic risk factor for motor neuron dysfunction, at least in Italian population. However, further studies on larger cohort of patients are needed to confirm the evidence of EPO gene as modifier factor.

GaAs Computer Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-07

AD-A259 259 FASTC-ID FOREIGN AEROSPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER GaAs COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY (1) by Wang Qiao-yu 93-00999 Distrir bution t,,,Nm ted...FASTC- ID(RS)T-0310-92 HUMAN TRANSLATION FASTC-ID(RS)T-0310-92 7 January 1993 GaAs COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY (1) By: Wang Qiao-yu English pages: 6 Source...the best quality copy available. j C] " ------ GaAs Computer Technology (1) Wang Qiao-yu (Li-Shan Microelectronics Institute) Abstract: The paper

Development of a species-diagnostic marker and its application for population genetics studies of the stingless bee Trigona collina in Thailand.

PubMed

Theeraapisakkun, M; Klinbunga, S; Sittipraneed, S

2010-05-18

A molecular maker for authenticating species origin of the stingless bee (Trigona collina) was developed. Initially, amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis was made of 11 stingless bee species using 64 primer combinations. A 316-bp band found only in T. collina was cloned and sequenced. A primer pair (CUTc1-F/R) was designed and tested for species-specificity in 15 stingless bee species (239 nests). The expected 259-bp fragment was consistently amplified in all T. collina individuals (134/134 nests, 100%). Cross-species amplification was observed in T. pagdeni (43/51 nests; 84.3%), but not in other species. SSCP analysis of CUTc1 unambiguously differentiated T. collina from T. pagdeni. CUTc1 generated three genotypes in Thai T. collina (134 nests). An AA (259/259 bp) genotype was found in all stingless bees from the north (21 nests) and northeast (32 nests), and 23/28 nests from the Central region, whereas a BB (253/253 bp) genotype was observed in most samples from peninsular Thailand (42/53 nests). Heterozygotes exhibiting the AB (253/259 bp) genotype were observed in 5 of 28 nests from Prachuap Khiri Khan located slightly above the Kra ecotone and 11 of 53 nests originated further south of the Kra ecotone. Genotype distribution patterns of CUTc1 clearly indicated intraspecific population differentiation of Thai T. collina.

Determination of element levels in human serum: Total reflection X-ray fluorescence applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majewska, U.; Łyżwa, P.; Łyżwa, K.; Banaś, D.; Kubala-Kukuś, A.; Wudarczyk-Moćko, J.; Stabrawa, I.; Braziewicz, J.; Pajek, M.; Antczak, G.; Borkowska, B.; Góźdź, S.

2016-08-01

Deficiency or excess of elements could disrupt proper functioning of the human body and could lead to several disorders. Determination of their concentrations in different biological human fluids and tissues should become a routine practice in medical treatment. Therefore the knowledge about appropriate element concentrations in human organism is required. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration of several elements (P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Br, Rb, Pb) in human serum and to define the reference values of element concentration. Samples of serum were obtained from 105 normal presumably healthy volunteers (66 women aged between 15 and 78 years old; 39 men aged between 15 and 77 years old). Analysis has been done for the whole studied population and for subgroups by sex and age. It is probably first so a wide study of elemental composition of serum performed in the case of Świętokrzyskie region. Total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) method was used to perform the elemental analysis. Spectrometer S2 Picofox (Bruker AXS Microanalysis GmbH) was used to identify and measure elemental composition of serum samples. Finally, 1st and 3rd quartiles were accepted as minimum and maximum values of concentration reference range.

Comparison of methodological quality of positive versus negative comparative studies published in Indian medical journals: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Charan, Jaykaran; Chaudhari, Mayur; Jackson, Ryan; Mhaskar, Rahul; Reljic, Tea; Kumar, Ambuj

2015-01-01

Objectives Published negative studies should have the same rigour of methodological quality as studies with positive findings. However, the methodological quality of negative versus positive studies is not known. The objective was to assess the reported methodological quality of positive versus negative studies published in Indian medical journals. Design A systematic review (SR) was performed of all comparative studies published in Indian medical journals with a clinical science focus and impact factor >1 between 2011 and 2013. The methodological quality of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for observational studies. The results were considered positive if the primary outcome was statistically significant and negative otherwise. When the primary outcome was not specified, we used data on the first outcome reported in the history followed by the results section. Differences in various methodological quality domains between positive versus negative studies were assessed by Fisher's exact test. Results Seven journals with 259 comparative studies were included in this SR. 24% (63/259) were RCTs, 24% (63/259) cohort studies, and 49% (128/259) case–control studies. 53% (137/259) of studies explicitly reported the primary outcome. Five studies did not report sufficient data to enable us to determine if results were positive or negative. Statistical significance was determined by p value in 78.3% (199/254), CI in 2.8% (7/254), both p value and CI in 11.8% (30/254), and only descriptive in 6.3% (16/254) of studies. The overall methodological quality was poor and no statistically significant differences between reporting of methodological quality were detected between studies with positive versus negative findings. Conclusions There was no difference in the reported methodological quality of positive versus negative studies. However, the uneven reporting of positive versus negative studies (72% vs 28%) indicates a publication bias in Indian medical journals with an impact factor of >1. PMID:26109118

Novel multichannel surface plasmon resonance photonic crystal fiber biosensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hameed, Mohamed Farhat O.; Alrayk, Yassmin K. A.; Shaalan, A. A.; El Deeb, Walid S.; Obayya, S. S. A.

2016-04-01

In this paper, a novel design of highly sensitive biosensor based on photonic crystal fiber is presented and analyzed using full vectorial finite element method. The suggested design depends on using silver layer as a plasmonic active material coated by a gold layer to protect silver oxidation. The reported sensor is based on the detection using the quasi transverse electric (TE) and quasi transverse magnetic (TM) modes which offers the possibility of multi-channel/multi-analyte sensing. The sensor geometrical parameters are optimized to achieve high sensitivity for the two polarized modes. High refractive index sensitivity of about 4750 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) and 4300 nm/RIU with corresponding resolutions of 2.1×10-5 RIU, and 2.33×10-5 RIU can be obtained for the quasi TM and quasi TE modes, respectively.

Quartz-enhanced photoacoustic detection of ethylene using a 10.5 μm quantum cascade laser.

PubMed

Wang, Zhen; Li, Zhili; Ren, Wei

2016-02-22

A quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) sensor has been developed for the sensitive detection of ethylene (C2H4) at 10.5 µm using a continuous-wave distributed-feedback quantum cascade laser. At this long-wavelength infrared, the key acoustic elements of quartz tuning fork and micro-resonators were optimized to improve the detection signal-to-noise ratio by a factor of >4. The sensor calibration demonstrated an excellent linear response (R2>0.999) to C2H4 concentration at the selected operating pressure of 500 and 760 Torr. With a minimum detection limit of 50 parts per billion (ppb) achieved at an averaging time of 70 s, the sensor has been deployed for measuring the C2H4 efflux during the respiration of biological samples in an agronomic environment.

Studies on the synthesis and biological activitiy of 6-ethyl-4-aryl-5-methoxycarbonyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones.

PubMed

Saraç, Selma; Ciftçi, Murat; Zorkun, Inci Selin; Tunç, Ozgül; Erol, Kevser

2007-01-01

6-Ethyl-4-aryl-5-methoxycarbonyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one derivatives (1-10) were synthesized by condensing urea with methyl 3-oxopentanoate and aromatic aldehydes in absol. ethanol using HCl as a catalyst according to the Biginelli reaction. The structures of the compounds were confirmed by spectroscopic and elemental analysis. The calcium channel blocker activities of the compounds were determined by the tests performed on isolated rat ileum and lamb carotid artery. On the isolated rat ileum, compound 2 was found to be more effective at 10(-5) mol/L concentration than nicardipine (CAS 55985-32-5). On the lamb carotid artery compounds 5, 6 and 4, 5, 6 were significantly active at 10(-6) mol/L and 10(-5) mol/L concentrations, respectively.

Simultaneous analysis of 18 mineral elements in Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharide by ICP-AES.

PubMed

Xie, Jian-Hua; Shen, Ming-Yue; Nie, Shao-Ping; Liu, Xin; Yin, Jun-Yi; Huang, Dan-Fei; Zhang, Hui; Xie, Ming-Yong

2013-04-15

The contents of 18 kinds of mineral elements in Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharide samples were determined by ICP-AES. The limits of detection (LOD) of the method for 18 elements were in the range of 0.01-3.80 mg/kg. The average recoveries obtained by the standard addition method were found between 94.34% and 105.69% (RSD, 1.01-4.23%). The results showed that C. paliurus polysaccharides were abundant in major and trace elements which are healthy for human body. The contents of Ca, Al, Mg, K, Fe, Mn and P were very high, ranging from 274.5±10.3 to 5980.0±102.7 mg/kg, while the contents of Zn, Na, Se, Cr, Pb, Cu and As ranged from 0.9±0.1 to 37.1±4.2 mg/kg. Finally, the levels of Ni, Cd, V and Co were not detected in the samples. ICP-AES is a simple, precise and efficient method for the determination of many mineral elements in polysaccharide samples simultaneously. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Complete Genome Sequence of a Yersinia enterocolitica “Old World” (3/O:9) Strain and Comparison with the “New World” (1B/O:8) Strain▿†

PubMed Central

Wang, Xin; Li, Yang; Jing, Huaiqi; Ren, Yan; Zhou, Zhemin; Wang, Shaojing; Kan, Biao; Xu, Jianguo; Wang, Lei

2011-01-01

Yersinia enterocolitica is a heterogeneous bacterial species with a wide range of animal reservoirs through which human intestinal illness can be facilitated. In contrast to the epidemiological pattern observed in the United States, infections in China present a pattern similar to those in European countries and Japan, wherein “Old World” strains (biotypes 2 to 5) are prevalent. To gain insights into the evolution of Y. enterocolitica and pathogenic properties toward human hosts, we sequenced the genome of a biotype 3 strain, 105.5R(r) (O:9), obtained from a Chinese patient. Comparative genome sequence analysis with strain 8081 (1B/O:8) revealed new insights into Y. enterocolitica. Both strains have more than 14% specific genes. In strain 105.5R(r), putative virulence factors were found in strain-specific genomic pathogenicity islands that comprised a novel type III secretion system and rtx-like genes. Many of the loci representing ancestral clusters, which are believed to contribute to enteric survival and pathogenesis, are present in strain 105.5R(r) but lost in strain 8081. Insertion elements in 105.5R(r) have a pattern distinct from those in strain 8081 and were exclusively located in a strain-specific region. In summary, our comparative genome analysis indicates that these two strains may have attained their pathogenicity by completely separate evolutionary events, and the 105.5R(r) strain, a representative of the Old World biogroup, lies in a branch of Y. enterocolitica that is distinct from the “New World” 8081 strain. PMID:21325549

Risk assessment of soils contaminated by mercury mining, Northern Spain.

PubMed

Ordóñez, A; Alvarez, R; Charlesworth, S; De Miguel, E; Loredo, J

2011-01-01

Analytical results of soil samples taken in three different mercury mining sites in Northern Spain are studied to assess the potential adverse health effects of the exposure to trace elements associated with the mining process. Doses contacted through ingestion and inhalation and the dose absorbed through the skin were calculated using USEPA's exposure parameters and the US Department of Energy's toxicity values. The results of the risk assessment indicate that the highest risk is associated with ingestion of soil particles and that the trace element of major concern is arsenic, the exposure to which results in a high cancer risk value for all the sites ranging from 3.3 × 10(-5) to 3.6 × 10(-3), well above the 1 × 10(-5) probability level deemed unacceptable by most regulatory agencies. Regarding non-cancer effects, exposure to polluted soils yields an aggregate hazard index above the threshold value of 1 for all three sites, with As and Hg as the main contributors. Risk assessment has proven to be a very useful tool to identify the contaminants and exposure pathways of most concern in the soils from metal mining sites, as well as to categorize them in terms of action priority to ensure fitness for use.

Continued advances in high brightness fiber-coupled laser modules for efficient pumping of fiber and solid-state lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemenway, M.; Chen, Z.; Urbanek, W.; Dawson, D.; Bao, L.; Kanskar, M.; DeVito, M.; Martinsen, R.

2018-02-01

Both the fibber laser and diode-pumped solid-state laser market continue to drive advances in pump diode module brightness. We report on the continued progress by nLIGHT to develop and deliver the highest brightness diode-laser pumps using single-emitter technology. Continued advances in multimode laser diode technology [13] and fiber-coupling techniques have enabled higher emitter counts in the element packages, enabling us to demonstrate 305 W into 105 μm - 0.16 NA. This brightness improvement is achieved by leveraging our prior-reported package re-optimization, allowing an increase in the emitter count from two rows of nine emitters to two rows of twelve emitters. Leveraging the two rows off twelve emitter architecture,, product development has commenced on a 400 W into 200 μm - 00.16 NA package. Additionally, the advances in pump technology intended for CW Yb-doped fiber laser pumping has been leveraged to develop the highest brightness 793 nm pump modules for 2 μm Thulium fiber laser pumping, generating 150 W into 200 μm - 0.18 NA and 100 W into 105 μm - 0.15 NA. Lastly, renewed interest in direct diode materials processing led us to experiment with wavelength multiplexing our existing state of the art 200 W, 105 μm - 00.15 NA package into a combined output of 395 WW into 105 μm - 0.16 NA.

Reading Level and Length of Written Research Consent Forms

PubMed Central

Foe, Gabriella; Lally, Rachel

2015-01-01

Abstract In 100 Institutional Review Board approved consent forms (CFs), we assessed pages, reading levels, and whether they included essential elements. CF page numbers ranged from 3 to 28 (mean, 10.3) and readability ranged from grades 5.6 to 28.9 (mean, 11.6). The CF mean score for including essential elements was 90.8% (range: 63.5–100%). There were no significant differences by specialty in number of pages (p = 0.053), but surgical specialties had the highest readability (mean, 13.1), and pediatrics the lowest (10.5), p = 0.008. While approved CFs generally included the Office for Human Research Protections recommended essential elements, they were very long, and even pediatric forms, which had the lowest reading levels, were written on average at a tenth grade level. Researchers need guidance to resolve pressure between regulatory mandates and guidelines and “keeping it simple and clear.” PMID:25580939

Limitations of Current AHA Guidelines and Proposal of New Guidelines for the Preparticipation Examination of Athletes.

PubMed

Dunn, Tim P; Pickham, David; Aggarwal, Sonya; Saini, Divya; Kumar, Nikhil; Wheeler, Matthew T; Perez, Marco; Ashley, Euan; Froelicher, Victor F

2015-11-01

To examine the prevalence of athletes who screen positive with the preparticipation examination guidelines from the American Heart Association, the AHA 12-elements, in combination with 3 screening electrocardiogram (ECG) criteria. Observational cross-sectional study. Stanford University Sports Medicine Clinic. Total of 1596 participants, including 297 (167 male; mean age, 16.2 years) high school athletes, 1016 (541 male; mean age, 18.8 years) collegiate athletes, and 283 (mean age, 26.3 years) male professional athletes. Athletes were screened using the 8 personal and family history questions from the AHA 12-elements. Electrocardiograms were obtained for all participants and interpreted using Seattle criteria, Stanford criteria, and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recommendations. Approximately one-quarter of all athletes (23.8%) had at least 1 positive response to the AHA personal and family history elements. High school and college athletes had similar rates of having at least 1 positive response (25.9% vs 27.4%), whereas professional athletes had a significantly lower rate of having at least 1 positive response (8.8%, P < 0.05). Females reported more episodes of unexplained syncope (11.4% vs 7.5%, P = 0.017) and excessive exertional dyspnea with exercise (11.1% vs 6.1%, P = 0.001) than males. High school athletes had more positive responses to the family history elements when compared with college athletes (P < 0.05). The percentage of athletes who had an abnormal ECG varied between Seattle criteria (6.0%), Stanford criteria (8.8%), and ESC recommendations (26.8%). Many athletes screen positive under current screening recommendations, and ECG results vary widely by interpretation criteria. In a patient population without any adverse cardiovascular events, the currently recommended AHA 12-elements have an unacceptably high rate of false positives. Newer screening guidelines are needed, with fewer false positives and evidence-based updates.

Safety and immunogenicity of rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP Ebola vaccine in adults and children in Lambaréné, Gabon: A phase I randomised trial.

PubMed

Agnandji, Selidji T; Fernandes, José F; Bache, Emmanuel B; Obiang Mba, Régis M; Brosnahan, Jessica S; Kabwende, Lumeka; Pitzinger, Paul; Staarink, Pieter; Massinga-Loembe, Marguerite; Krähling, Verena; Biedenkopf, Nadine; Fehling, Sarah Katharina; Strecker, Thomas; Clark, David J; Staines, Henry M; Hooper, Jay W; Silvera, Peter; Moorthy, Vasee; Kieny, Marie-Paule; Adegnika, Akim A; Grobusch, Martin P; Becker, Stephan; Ramharter, Michael; Mordmüller, Benjamin; Lell, Bertrand; Krishna, Sanjeev; Kremsner, Peter G

2017-10-01

The rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP vaccine prevented Ebola virus disease when used at 2 × 107 plaque-forming units (PFU) in a trial in Guinea. This study provides further safety and immunogenicity data. A randomised, open-label phase I trial in Lambaréné, Gabon, studied 5 single intramuscular vaccine doses of 3 × 103, 3 × 104, 3 × 105, 3 × 106, or 2 × 107 PFU in 115 adults and a dose of 2 × 107 PFU in 20 adolescents and 20 children. The primary objective was safety and tolerability 28 days post-injection. Immunogenicity, viraemia, and shedding post-vaccination were evaluated as secondary objectives. In adults, mild-to-moderate adverse events were frequent, but there were no serious or severe adverse events related to vaccination. Before vaccination, Zaire Ebola virus (ZEBOV)-glycoprotein (GP)-specific and ZEBOV antibodies were detected in 11% and 27% of adults, respectively. In adults, 74%-100% of individuals who received a dose 3 × 104, 3 × 105, 3 × 106, or 2 × 107 PFU had a ≥4.0-fold increase in geometric mean titres (GMTs) of ZEBOV-GP-specific antibodies at day 28, reaching GMTs of 489 (95% CI: 264-908), 556 (95% CI: 280-1,101), 1,245 (95% CI: 899-1,724), and 1,503 (95% CI: 931-2,426), respectively. Twenty-two percent of adults had a ≥4-fold increase of ZEBOV antibodies, with GMTs at day 28 of 1,015 (647-1,591), 1,887 (1,154-3,085), 1,445 (1,013-2,062), and 3,958 (2,249-6,967) for the same doses, respectively. These antibodies persisted up to day 180 for doses ≥3 × 105 PFU. Adults with antibodies before vaccination had higher GMTs throughout. Neutralising antibodies were detected in more than 50% of participants at doses ≥3 × 105 PFU. As in adults, no serious or severe adverse events related to vaccine occurred in adolescents or children. At day 2, vaccine RNA titres were higher for adolescents and children than adults. At day 7, 78% of adolescents and 35% of children had recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus RNA detectable in saliva. The vaccine induced high GMTs of ZEBOV-GP-specific antibodies at day 28 in adolescents, 1,428 (95% CI: 1,025-1,989), and children, 1,620 (95% CI: 806-3,259), and in both groups antibody titres increased up to day 180. The absence of a control group, lack of stratification for baseline antibody status, and imbalances in male/female ratio are the main limitations of this study. Our data confirm the acceptable safety and immunogenicity profile of the 2 × 107 PFU dose in adults and support consideration of lower doses for paediatric populations and those who request boosting. Pan African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR201411000919191.

Comparison of methodological quality of positive versus negative comparative studies published in Indian medical journals: a systematic review.

PubMed

Charan, Jaykaran; Chaudhari, Mayur; Jackson, Ryan; Mhaskar, Rahul; Reljic, Tea; Kumar, Ambuj

2015-06-24

Published negative studies should have the same rigour of methodological quality as studies with positive findings. However, the methodological quality of negative versus positive studies is not known. The objective was to assess the reported methodological quality of positive versus negative studies published in Indian medical journals. A systematic review (SR) was performed of all comparative studies published in Indian medical journals with a clinical science focus and impact factor >1 between 2011 and 2013. The methodological quality of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for observational studies. The results were considered positive if the primary outcome was statistically significant and negative otherwise. When the primary outcome was not specified, we used data on the first outcome reported in the history followed by the results section. Differences in various methodological quality domains between positive versus negative studies were assessed by Fisher's exact test. Seven journals with 259 comparative studies were included in this SR. 24% (63/259) were RCTs, 24% (63/259) cohort studies, and 49% (128/259) case-control studies. 53% (137/259) of studies explicitly reported the primary outcome. Five studies did not report sufficient data to enable us to determine if results were positive or negative. Statistical significance was determined by p value in 78.3% (199/254), CI in 2.8% (7/254), both p value and CI in 11.8% (30/254), and only descriptive in 6.3% (16/254) of studies. The overall methodological quality was poor and no statistically significant differences between reporting of methodological quality were detected between studies with positive versus negative findings. There was no difference in the reported methodological quality of positive versus negative studies. However, the uneven reporting of positive versus negative studies (72% vs 28%) indicates a publication bias in Indian medical journals with an impact factor of >1. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Assessment of the short-term safety and tolerability of a quantified 80 % ethanol extract from the stem bark of Nauclea pobeguinii (PR 259 CT1) in healthy volunteers: a clinical phase I study.

PubMed

Mesia, Kahunu; Cimanga, Kanyanga; Tona, Lutete; Mampunza, Ma Miezi; Ntamabyaliro, Nsengi; Muanda, Tsobo; Muyembe, Tamfum; Totté, Jozef; Mets, Tony; Pieters, Luc; Vlietinck, Arnold

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term safety and tolerability of an antimalarial herbal medicinal product (PR 259 CT1) consisting of a quantified 80 % ethanol extract from the stem bark of Nauclea pobeguinii when given orally to healthy adult male volunteers. The amount of the major alkaloid strictosamide in the extract was determined by a validated HPLC method and was shown to be 5.6 %. The herbal preparation was formulated in a gelatine capsule form containing 500 mg of PCR 259 CT1. A sample of 15 healthy male volunteers, selected using the Lot Quality Assurance of Sampling (LQAS) method, was eligible for inclusion after fulfillment of the inclusion criteria and clinical examination by a physician. The volunteers were treated in an outpatient clinic with a drug regimen of two 500 mg capsules three times daily (each eight hours) for seven days, during meals. Safety and tolerability were monitored clinically, haematologically, biochemically and by electrocardiographic (ECG) examination at days 0, 1, 3, 7 and 14. Adverse effects were recorded by self-reporting of the participants or by detection of abnormalities in clinical examinations by a physician. The oral administration of PR 259 CT1 at high doses of 2 × 500 mg/capsule/day for 7 days was found to induce no significant changes in the concentration levels of all investigated haematological, biochemical, electrocardiogram and vital sign parameters and physical characteristics after 14 days of treatment compared to those seen in the baseline data. The concentration levels of all evaluated parameters were within the normal limits as reported in the literature. All adverse events noted were mild and self-resolving including increase of appetite (33 %), headache (20 %) and nausea (20 %). Other minor side effects were insomnia, somnolence and asthenia (7 %). Thus, PR 259 CT1 presented a significant safety and tolerability in healthy volunteers to allow its further development by starting a phase II clinical trial. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Effects of Polymorphisms in APOA4-APOA5-ZNF259-BUD13 Gene Cluster on Plasma Levels of Triglycerides and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in a Chinese Han Population

PubMed Central

Su, Li; Zhang, Mingjun; Wang, Long; Jing, Jinjin; Zhou, Li

2015-01-01

Background/Aim Recent genome-wide association studies have identified several loci influencing lipid levels. The present study focused on the triglycerides (TG)-associated locus, the APOA4-APOA5-ZNF259-BUD13 gene cluster on chromosome 11, to explore the role of genetic variants in this gene cluster in the development of increasing TG levels and coronary heart disease (CHD). Methodology/Principal Findings Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs4417316, rs651821, rs6589566, rs7396835, rs964184 and rs17119975, in the APOA4-APOA5-ZNF259-BUD13 gene cluster were selected and genotyped in 5374 healthy Chinese subjects. There were strong significant associations between the six SNPs and TG levels (P<1.0×10−8). Moreover, a weighted genotype score was found to be associated with TG levels (P = 3.28×10−13). The frequencies of three common haplotypes were observed to be significantly different between the high TG group and the low TG group (P<0.05). However, no significant effects were found for the SNPs regarding susceptibility to CHD in the Chinese case-control populations. Conclusions/Significance This study highlights the genotypes, genotype scores and haplotypes of the APOA4-APOA5-ZNF259-BUD13 gene cluster that were associated with TG levels in a Chinese population; however, the genetic variants in this gene cluster did not increase the risk of CHD in the Chinese population. PMID:26397108

Applications of LIBS for determination of ionic species (NaCl) in electrical cables for investigation of electrical breakdown

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gondal, M. A.; Shwehdi, M. H.; Khalil, A. A. I.

2011-12-01

The formation of water trees in high-voltage cables can wreak havoc to power systems. The water tree is produced within the high voltage cable insulator when impurities like sodium and magnesium present in the insulating material react with moist soil to form chlorides. This water tree causes electrical breakdown by short circuiting the metallic conductor and the earth. In this paper we use laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to detect the potentially dangerous elements that form the water tree in the insulating cable. The LIBS system used for this work consists of the fundamental (1064 nm) of a Nd:YAG laser, four spectrometer modules that cover the visible and near-UV spectral ranges and an ICCD camera with proper delay and gating sequence. With this arrangement we were able to measure the elemental concentrations of trace metals present in the insulating cable. The concentrations measured with our LIBS system were counter checked by a standard technique like inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emission spectrometry. The maximum concentrations for ionic species such as Ba (455.40 nm), Ca (393.36 nm), Cr (267.71 nm), Fe (259.94 nm), Cl (542.3 nm), Mg (516.7 nm), Mn (257.61 nm), Na (589.59 nm) and Ti (334.18 nm) are 20.6, 43.2, 1.6, 148.4, 24.2, 22.1, 4.2, 39.56 and 4.35 ppm, respectively. The relative accuracy of our LIBS system for various elements as compared with the ICP method is in the range of 0.03-0.6 at 2.5% error confidence.

Linear rheology and structure of molecular bottlebrushes with short side chains

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

López-Barrón, Carlos R., E-mail: carlos.r.lopez-barron@exxonmobil.com; Brant, Patrick; Crowther, Donna J.

We investigate the microstructure and linear viscoelasticity of model molecular bottlebrushes (BBs) using rheological and small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering measurements. Our polymers have short atactic polypropylene (aPP) side chains of molecular weight ranging from 119 g/mol to 259 g/mol and narrow molecular weight distribution (M{sub w}/M{sub n} 1.02–1.05). The side chain molecular weights are a small fraction of the entanglement molecular weight of the corresponding linear polymer (M{sub e,aPP}= 7.05 kg/mol), and as such, they are unentangled. The morphology of the aPP BBs is characterized as semiflexible thick chains with small side chain interdigitation. Their dynamic master curves, obtained by time-temperature superposition,more » reveal two sequential relaxation processes corresponding to the segmental relaxation and the relaxation of the BB backbone. Due to the short length of the side chains, their fast relaxation could not be distinguished from the glassy relaxation. The fractional free volume is an increasing function of the side chain length (N{sub SC}). Therefore, the glassy behavior of these polymers as well as their molecular friction and dynamic properties are influenced by their N{sub SC} values. The apparent flow activation energies are a decreasing function of N{sub SC}, and their values explain the differences in zero-shear viscosity measured at different temperatures.« less

Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti (Florida cottonmouth) Diet

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grajal-Puche, Alejandro; Josimovich, Jillian; Falk, Bryan; Reed, Robert

2016-01-01

Agkistrodon piscivorus is a generalist predator that feeds on a variety of prey, including snakes (Gloyd and Conant 1990. Snakes of the Agkistrodon Complex: A Monographic Review. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Oxford, Ohio. 614 pp.; Lillywhite et al. 2002. Herpetol. Rev. 33:259–260; Hill and Beaupre 2008. Copeia 2008:105–114). Cemophora coccinea (Scarletsnake) is not known as one of the 26 species of snakes consumed by A. piscivorus (Ernst and Ernst 2011. Venomous Reptiles of the United States, Canada, and Northern Mexico: Volume 1. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland. 193 pp.). On 16 June 2015, at 2210 h, we found a dead-on-road A. piscivorus (total length [TL] = 51.0 cm) in Everglades National Park on Main Park Road, 1.88 km S Pa-hay-okee, Miami-Dade Co., Florida, USA (25.414085°N, 80.78183146°W, WGS84; elev. 3 m). The snake had been killed by a vehicle and some internal organs were exposed. Visible stomach contents included a small (TL ca. 15 cm) C. coccinea. Photographic vouchers of the A. piscivorus (UF-Herpetology 177194) and C. coccinea (UF-Herpetology 177195) were deposited in the Division of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida. Despite the fact that these species are sympatric over large areas of the southeastern United States, this is the first known documented predation of C. coccinea by A. piscivorus.

Mutagenic and Cytotoxicity LQB 123 Profile: Safety and Tripanocidal Effect of a Phenyl-t-Butylnitrone Derivative

PubMed Central

Cupello, Mauricio Peixoto; Saraiva, Francis Monique; Ippolito, Pedro; Fernandes, Andréia da Silva; Costa, Debora de Sousa dos Santos; Paula, Jessica Isis Oliveira; Costa, Paulo Roberto Ribeiro; Dias, Ayres Guimarães

2017-01-01

The therapeutic options for Chagas disease are limited and its treatment presents a number of drawbacks including toxicity, drug resistance, and insufficient effectiveness against the chronic stage of the disease. Therefore, new therapeutical options are mandatory. In the present work, we evaluated the effect of a phenyl-tert-butylnitrone (PBN) derivate, LQB 123, against Trypanosoma cruzi forms. LQB 123 presented a trypanocidal effect against bloodstream trypomastigotes (IC50 = 259.4 ± 6.1 μM) and intracellular amastigotes infecting peritoneal macrophages (IC50 = 188.2 ± 47.5 μM), with no harmful effects upon the mammalian cells (CC50 values greater than 4 mM), resulting in a high selectivity index (CC50/IC50 > 20). Additionally, metacyclic trypomastigotes submitted to LQB 123 presented an IC50 of about 191.8 ± 10.5 μM and epimastigotes forms incubated with different concentrations of LQB 123 presented an inhibition of parasite growth with an IC50 of 255.1 ± 3.6 μM. Finally, we investigated the mutagenic potential of the nitrone by the Salmonella/microsome assay and observed no induction of mutagenicity even in concentrations as high as 33000 μM. Taken together, these results present a nonmutagenic compound, with trypanocidal activity against all relevant forms of T. cruzi, offering new insights into CD treatment suggesting additional in vivo tests. PMID:28316976

Mutagenic and Cytotoxicity LQB 123 Profile: Safety and Tripanocidal Effect of a Phenyl-t-Butylnitrone Derivative.

PubMed

Cupello, Mauricio Peixoto; Saraiva, Francis Monique; Ippolito, Pedro; Fernandes, Andréia da Silva; Menna-Barreto, Rubem Figueiredo Sadoko; Costa, Debora de Sousa Dos Santos; Paula, Jessica Isis Oliveira; Costa, Paulo Roberto Ribeiro; Nogueira, Natália Pereira; Felzenswalb, Israel; Dias, Ayres Guimarães; Paes, Marcia Cristina

2017-01-01

The therapeutic options for Chagas disease are limited and its treatment presents a number of drawbacks including toxicity, drug resistance, and insufficient effectiveness against the chronic stage of the disease. Therefore, new therapeutical options are mandatory. In the present work, we evaluated the effect of a phenyl- tert -butylnitrone (PBN) derivate, LQB 123, against Trypanosoma cruzi forms. LQB 123 presented a trypanocidal effect against bloodstream trypomastigotes (IC 50 = 259.4 ± 6.1  μ M) and intracellular amastigotes infecting peritoneal macrophages (IC 50 = 188.2 ± 47.5  μ M), with no harmful effects upon the mammalian cells (CC 50 values greater than 4 mM), resulting in a high selectivity index (CC 50 /IC 50 > 20). Additionally, metacyclic trypomastigotes submitted to LQB 123 presented an IC 50 of about 191.8 ± 10.5  μ M and epimastigotes forms incubated with different concentrations of LQB 123 presented an inhibition of parasite growth with an IC 50 of 255.1 ± 3.6  μ M. Finally, we investigated the mutagenic potential of the nitrone by the Salmonella /microsome assay and observed no induction of mutagenicity even in concentrations as high as 33000  μ M. Taken together, these results present a nonmutagenic compound, with trypanocidal activity against all relevant forms of T. cruzi , offering new insights into CD treatment suggesting additional in vivo tests.

Processing of semen by density gradient centrifugation selects spermatozoa with longer telomeres for assisted reproduction techniques.

PubMed

Yang, Qingling; Zhang, Nan; Zhao, Feifei; Zhao, Wanli; Dai, Shanjun; Liu, Jinhao; Bukhari, Ihtisham; Xin, Hang; Niu, Wenbing; Sun, Yingpu

2015-07-01

The ends of eukaryotic chromosomes contain specialized chromatin structures called telomeres, the length of which plays a key role in early human embryonic development. Although the effect of sperm preparation techniques on major sperm characteristics, such as concentration, motility and morphology have been previously documented, the possible status of telomere length and its relation with sperm preparation techniques is not well-known for humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of density gradient centrifugation in the selection of spermatozoa with longer telomeres for use in assisted reproduction techniques in 105 samples before and after sperm processing. After density gradient centrifugation, the average telomere length of the sperm was significantly longer (6.51 ± 2.54 versus 5.16 ± 2.29, P < 0.01), the average motile sperm rate was significantly higher (77.9 ± 11.8 versus 44.6 ± 11.2, P < 0.01), but average DNA fragmentation rate was significantly lower (11.1 ± 5.9 versus 25.9 ± 12.9, P < 0.01) compared with raw semen. Additionally, telomere length was positively correlated with semen sperm count (rs = 0.58; P < 0.01). In conclusion, density gradient centrifugation is a useful technique for selection of sperm with longer telomeres. Copyright © 2015 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prognostic impact of the level of nodal involvement: retrospective analysis of patients with advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Murakami, R; Nakayama, H; Semba, A; Hiraki, A; Nagata, M; Kawahara, K; Shiraishi, S; Hirai, T; Uozumi, H; Yamashita, Y

2017-01-01

We retrospectively evaluated the prognostic impact of the level of nodal involvement in patients with advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Between 2005 and 2010, 105 patients with clinical stage III or IV oral SCC had chemoradiotherapy preoperatively. Clinical (cN) and pathological nodal (pN) involvement was primarily at levels Ib and II. We defined nodal involvement at levels Ia and III-V as anterior and inferior extensions, respectively, and recorded such findings as extensive. With respect to pretreatment variables (age, clinical stage, clinical findings of the primary tumour, and nodal findings), univariate analysis showed that extensive cN was the only significant factor for overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 3.27; 95% CI 1.50 to 7.13; p=0.001). Univariate analysis showed that all pN findings, including the nodal classification (invaded nodes, multiple, and contralateral) and extensive involvement were significant, and multivariate analysis confirmed that extensive pN (HR 4.71; 95% CI 1.85 to 11.97; p=0.001) and multiple pN (HR 2.59; 95% CI 1.10 to 6.09; p=0.029) were independent predictors of overall survival. Assessment based on the level of invaded neck nodes may be a better predictor of survival than the current nodal classification. Copyright © 2016 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioaccumulation of Trace Elements in Ruditapes philippinarum from China: Public Health Risk Assessment Implications

PubMed Central

Yang, Feng; Zhao, Liqiang; Yan, Xiwu; Wang, Yuan

2013-01-01

The Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum is one of the most important commercial bivalve species consumed in China. Evaluated metal burden in bivalve molluscs can pose potential risks to public health as a result of their frequent consumption. In this study, concentrations of 10 trace elements (Cu, Zn, Mn, Se, Ni, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg and As) were determined in samples of the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum, collected from nine mariculture zones along the coast of China between November and December in 2010, in order to evaluate the status of elemental metal pollution in these areas. Also, a public health risk assessment was untaken to assess the potential risks associated with the consumption of clams. The ranges of concentrations found for Cu, Zn, Mn, Se, Ni, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg and As in R. philippinarum were 12.1–38.0, 49.5–168.3, 42.0–68.0, 4.19–8.71, 4.76–14.32, 0.41–1.11, 0.94–4.74, 0.32–2.59, 0.03–0.23 and 0.46–11.95 mg·kg−1 dry weight, respectively. Clear spatial variations were found for Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb, Hg and As, whereas Mn, Se, Ni, and Cd did not show significant spatial variation. Hotspots of trace element contamination in R. philippinarum can be found along the coast of China, from the north to the south, especially in the Bohai and Yellow Seas. Based on a 58.1 kg individual consuming 29 g of bivalve molluscs per day, the values of the estimated daily intake (EDI) of trace elements analyzed were significantly lower than the values of the accepted daily intake (ADI) established by Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JFAO/WHO) and the guidelines of the reference does (RfD) established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Additionally, the risk of trace elements to humans through R. philippinarum consumption was also assessed. The calculated hazard quotients (HQ) of all trace elements were less than 1. Consequently, there was no obvious public risk from the intake of these trace elements through R. philippinarum consumption. PMID:23549229

Endothelial ERK signaling controls lymphatic fate specification

PubMed Central

Deng, Yong; Atri, Deepak; Eichmann, Anne; Simons, Michael

2013-01-01

Lymphatic vessels are thought to arise from PROX1-positive endothelial cells (ECs) in the cardinal vein in response to induction of SOX18 expression; however, the molecular event responsible for increased SOX18 expression has not been established. We generated mice with endothelial-specific, inducible expression of an RAF1 gene with a gain-of-function mutation (RAF1S259A) that is associated with Noonan syndrome. Expression of mutant RAF1S259A in ECs activated ERK and induced SOX18 and PROX1 expression, leading to increased commitment of venous ECs to the lymphatic fate. Excessive production of lymphatic ECs resulted in lymphangiectasia that was highly reminiscent of abnormal lymphatics seen in Noonan syndrome and similar “RASopathies.” Inhibition of ERK signaling during development abrogated the lymphatic differentiation program and rescued the lymphatic phenotypes induced by expression of RAF1S259A. These data suggest that ERK activation plays a key role in lymphatic EC fate specification and that excessive ERK activation is the basis of lymphatic abnormalities seen in Noonan syndrome and related diseases. PMID:23391722

Design and Construction of an Experimental Filament Winding Machine

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-05-01

Mandrel to Heat Shield 102 H.3 Nusselt Geometric Analysis to Determine View Factor 104 H.4 Lamp Bank over Elemental Mandrel Area 105 J. 1 Mandrel inside...emissivity of the lamp bank Tj temperature of individual lamp in the lamp bank w, convective heat transfer coefficient N. Nusselt number Ro Reynolds...mandrel. The design intention was to allow cylinders to be formed by helical or hoop winding, or any variation in between. The type of winding is

An Oral DNA Vaccine Encoding Endoglin Eradicates Breast Tumors by Blocking Their Blood Supply

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

W81XWH-04-1-0489 TITLE: An Oral DNA Vaccine Encoding Endoglin Eradicates Breast Tumors by Blocking Their Blood Supply PRINCIPAL...Encoding Endoglin Eradicates Breast Tumors by Blocking Their Blood Supply 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-04-1-0489 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR...blocking renewal of blood vessel growth in the tumor bed, have been proposed as suitable antitumor strategies. Endoglin (CD105) is a suitable

The Discrimination of Graphical Elements

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-01-01

Swets, 1966; Macmillan and Creelman , 1991, Chapter 5). Thts approach to modellmg the dtscnmmatwn process has its on gins Ill the work of Thurstone...O, a neutral cntenon, wluch IS typ1cal m the 2AFC paradigm (Macmillan and Creelman , 1991) Copynght © 2001 John W1lcy & Sons, Ltd Appl Cogmt Psydtol...SW, Heath RA 1975 A sequenllal theory of psychologiCal dtscnmmatJOn Psychometnka 40 77-105 Macmtllan NA. Creelman CD. 1991 Detectron Theory A User’s

Differential lead retention in zircons: implications for nuclear waste containment.

PubMed

Gentry, R V; Sworski, T J; McKown, H S; Smith, D H; Eby, R E; Christie, W H

1982-04-16

An innovative ultrasensitive technique was used for lead isotopic analysis of individual zircons extracted from granite core samples at depths of 960, 2170, 2900, 3930, and 4310 meters. The results show that lead, a relatively mobile element compared to the nuclear waste-related actinides uranium and thorium, has been highly retained at elevated temperatures (105 degrees to 313 degrees C) under conditions relevant to the burial of synthetic rock waste containers in deep granite holes.

Genetic exchange between endogenous and exogenous LINE-1 repetitive elements in mouse cells.

PubMed Central

Belmaaza, A; Wallenburg, J C; Brouillette, S; Gusew, N; Chartrand, P

1990-01-01

The repetitive LINE (L1) elements of the mouse, which are present at about 10(5) copies per genome and share over 80% of sequence homology, were examined for their ability to undergo genetic exchange with exogenous L1 sequences. The exogenous L1 sequences, carried by a shuttle vector, consisted of an internal fragment from L1Md-A2, a previously described member of the L1 family of the mouse. Using an assay that does not require the reconstitution of a selectable marker we found that this vector, in either circular or linear form, acquired DNA sequences from endogenous L1 elements at a frequency of 10(-3) to 10(-4) per rescued vector. Physical analysis of the acquired L1 sequences revealed that distinct endogenous L1 elements acted as donors and that different subfamilies participated. These results demonstrate that L1 elements are readily capable of genetic exchange. Apart from gene conversion events, the acquisition of L1 sequences outside the region of homology suggested that a second mechanism was also involved in the genetic exchange. A model which accounts for this mechanism is presented and its potential implication on the rearrangement of L1 elements is discussed. Images PMID:1978749

Finite element modeling of drug distribution in the vitreous humor of the rabbit eye.

PubMed

Friedrich, S; Cheng, Y L; Saville, B

1997-01-01

Direct intravitreal injection of drug is a common method for treating diseases of the retina or vitreous. The stagnant nature of the vitreous humor and surrounding tissue barriers creates concentration gradients within the vitreous that must be accounted for when developing drug therapy. The objective of this research was to study drug distribution in the vitreous humor of the rabbit eye after an intravitreal injection, using a finite element model. Fluorescein and fluorescein glucuronide were selected as model compounds due to available experimental data. All required model parameters were known except for the permeability of these compounds through the retina, which was determined by fitting model predictions to experimental data. The location of the intravitreal injection in the experimental studies was not precisely known; therefore, several injection locations were considered, and best-fit retinal permeability was determined for each case. Retinal permeability of fluorescein and fluorescein glucuronide estimated by the model ranged from 1.94 x 10(-5) to 3.5 x 10(-5) cm s(-1) and from 0 to 7.62 x 10(-7) cm s(-1), respectively, depending on the assumed site of the injection. These permeability values were compared with values previously calculated from other models, and the limitations of the models are discussed. Intravitreal injection position was found to be an important variable that must be controlled in both experimental and clinical settings.

Correction: β-Amyrin synthase from Euphorbia tirucalli L. functional analyses of the highly conserved aromatic residues Phe413, Tyr259 and Trp257 disclose the importance of the appropriate steric bulk, and cation-π and CH-π interactions for the efficient catalytic action of the polyolefin cyclization cascade.

PubMed

Ito, Ryousuke; Nakada, Chika; Hoshino, Tsutomu

2017-01-18

Correction for 'β-Amyrin synthase from Euphorbia tirucalli L. functional analyses of the highly conserved aromatic residues Phe413, Tyr259 and Trp257 disclose the importance of the appropriate steric bulk, and cation-π and CH-π interactions for the efficient catalytic action of the polyolefin cyclization cascade' by Ryousuke Ito et al., Org. Biomol. Chem., 2017, 15, 177-188.

On the dispersion characteristics of metamaterial transmission lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sisó, G.; Gil, M.; Bonache, J.; Martín, F.

2007-10-01

In this paper, a detailed analysis of the dispersion characteristics of metamaterial transmission lines, based on the lumped element T-circuit model is carried out. One of the main relevant characteristics of these artificial lines is the possibility to tailor the phase response. This leads to unique properties which are of interest for microwave circuit design, such as bandwidth enhancement or multiband (dual-band) operation, among others. However, it is shown in this paper that, in spite of the larger number of circuit parameters (as compared to conventional lines), there exist intrinsic limitations that may limit the performance of such metamaterial transmission lines under certain conditions. In this paper these limitations are pointed out from an accurate analysis of the phase response and the Foster's reactance theorem [Bell Syst. Tech. 3, 259 (1924)]. From the results of this paper, important guidelines for the design of microwave components based on metamaterial transmission lines are inferred. The fabrication and characterization of different metamaterial transmission lines will corroborate the theoretical results.

Ionization fraction and the enhanced sulfur chemistry in Barnard 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuente, A.; Cernicharo, J.; Roueff, E.; Gerin, M.; Pety, J.; Marcelino, N.; Bachiller, R.; Lefloch, B.; Roncero, O.; Aguado, A.

2016-09-01

Context. Barnard B1b has been revealed as one of the most interesting globules from the chemical and dynamical point of view. It presents a rich molecular chemistry characterized by large abundances of deuterated and complex molecules. Furthermore, this globule hosts an extremely young Class 0 object and one candidate for the first hydrostatic core (FHSC) proving the youth of this star-forming region. Aims: Our aim is to determine the cosmic ray ionization rate, ζH2, and the depletion factors in this extremely young star-forming region. These parameters determine the dynamical evolution of the core. Methods: We carried out a spectral survey toward Barnard 1b as part of the IRAM large program "IRAM Chemical survey of sun-like star-forming regions" (ASAI) using the IRAM 30-m telescope at Pico Veleta (Spain). This provided a very complete inventory of neutral and ionic C-, N-, and S- bearing species with, from our knowledge, the first secure detections of the deuterated ions DCS+ and DOCO+. We use a state-of-the-art pseudo-time-dependent gas-phase chemical model that includes the ortho and para forms of H2, H, D, H, H2D+, D2H+, D2, and D to determine the local value of the cosmic ray ionization rate and the depletion factors. Results: Our model assumes n(H2) = 105 cm-3 and Tk = 12 K, as derived from our previous works. The observational data are well fitted with ζH2 between 3 × 10-17 s-1 and 10-16 s-1 and the elemental abundances O/H = 3 × 10-5, N/H = 6.4-8 × 10-5, C/H = 1.7 × 10-5, and S/H between 6.0 × 10-7 and 1.0 × 10-6. The large number of neutral/protonated species detected allows us to derive the elemental abundances and cosmic ray ionization rate simultaneously. Elemental depletions are estimated to be ~10 for C and O, ~1 for N, and ~25 for S. Conclusions: Barnard B1b presents similar depletions of C and O as those measured in prestellar cores. The depletion of sulfur is higher than that of C and O, but not as extreme as in cold cores. In fact, it is similar to the values found in some bipolar outflows, hot cores, and photon-dominated regions. Several scenarios are discussed to account for these peculiar abundances. We propose that it is the consequence of the initial conditions (important outflows and enhanced UV fields in the surroundings) and a rapid collapse (~0.1 Myr) that allows most S- and N-bearing species to remain in the gas phase to great optical depths. The interaction of the compact outflow associated with B1b-S with the surrounding material could enhance the abundances of S-bearing molecules, as well.

Thyroid Dose During Neurointerventional Procedures: Does Lead Shielding Reduce the Dose?

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

Shortt, C. P.; Fanning, N. F.; Malone, L.

2007-09-15

Purpose. To assess radiation dose to the thyroid in patients undergoing neurointerventional procedures and to evaluate dose reduction to the thyroid by lead shielding. Methods and Materials. A randomized patient study was undertaken to evaluate the dose reduction by thyroid lead shields and assess their practicality in a clinical setting. Sixty-five patients attending for endovascular treatment of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and aneurysms were randomized into one of 2 groups a) No Thyroid Shield and b) Thyroid Lead Shield. Two thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) were placed over the thyroid gland (1 on each side) at constant positions on each patient in bothmore » groups. A thyroid lead shield (Pb eq. 0.5 mm) was placed around the neck of patients in the thyroid lead shield group after the neurointerventional radiologist had obtained satisfactory working access above the neck. The total dose-area-product (DAP) value, number and type of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) runs and fluoroscopy time were recorded for all patients. Results. Of the 72 patients who initially attended for neurointerventional procedures, 7 were excluded due to failure to consent or because of procedures involving access to the external carotid circulation. Of the remaining 65 who were randomized, a further 9 were excluded due to; procedureabandonment, unfeasible shield placement or shield interference with the procedure. Patient demographics included mean age of 47.9 yrs (15-74), F:M=1.4:1. Mean fluoroscopy time was 25.9 min. Mean DAP value was 13,134.8 cGy.cm{sup 2} and mean number of DSA runs was 13.4. The mean relative thyroid doses were significantly different (p< 0.001) between the unshielded (7.23 mSv/cGy2 x 105) and shielded groups (3.77 mSv/cGy2 x 105). A mean thyroid dose reduction of 48% was seen in the shielded group versus the unshielded group. Conclusion. Considerable doses to the thyroid are incurred during neurointerventional procedures, highlighting the need for increased awareness of patient radiation protection. Thyroid lead shielding yields significant radiation protection, is inexpensive and when not obscuring the field of view, should be used routinely.« less

Effects of oestradiol for luteal phase support in fresh embryo transfer cycles: A retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Zhao, Wei; Liu, Yifeng; Xu, Peng; Wu, Yiqing; Chen, Kai; Guo, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Fan; Huang, Yun; Zhu, Linlin; Zhang, Runjv; Zhang, Dan

2018-05-12

Any benefit of oestradiol supplementation with progesterone for luteal support after fresh embryo transfer in in vitro fertilisation/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles remains controversial. In this study, we further addressed this question in cycles using gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist for ovarian stimulation. A retrospective cohort study in a tertiary teaching and research hospital. A total of 1602 patients were given oestradiol valerate (E) in addition to progesterone (P) as luteal support. One thousand six hundred and two patients receiving progesterone alone were selected as the control group. Live birth rate. Secondary measures included clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate and premature birth rate. Clinical pregnancy and live birth rates were similar for the P alone vs the P+E group. In cycles with oestradiol (E2) levels less than 5000 pmol/L on the day of hCG trigger, E supplementation resulted in a significantly higher live birth rate (23.44% vs 32.92%, OR = 1.60 [95% CI 1.05 to 2.46]). In cycles with oestradiol levels 5000 to 10 000 pmol/L on the day of hCG trigger, E supplementation did not increase the live birth rate (34.43% vs 35.42%, OR = 0.90 [95% CI 0.80 to 1.01]). In cycles with oestradiol levels over 10 000 pmol/L on the day of hCG trigger, the live birth rate was significantly lower (36.83% vs 31.37%, OR = 0.78 [95% CI 0.62 to 0.99]) and the premature birth rate was significantly higher (19.66% vs 28.73%,OR = 1.65 [95% CI 1.05 to 2.59]) in the E supplementation group. Any benefit of oestradiol supplementation for luteal phase support appears to correlate with the serum oestradiol level on the day of hCG trigger. Oestradiol supplementation is beneficial for improving live birth rate in cycles with oestradiol levels less than 5000 pmol/L, but is not recommended in cycles with oestradiol levels over 10 000 pmol/L. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Measurement of the Total Kinetic Energy Release (TKE) in 232 Th(n,f) with En = 2.59 - 87.31 MeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Jonathan; Yanez, Ricardo; Barrett, Jonathan; Loveland, Walter; Tovesson, Fredrik; Fotiades, Nick; Lee, Hye Young

2015-04-01

Experimental results for the Total Kinetic Energy Release (TKE) of 232 Th(n,f) with En = 2.59 - 87.31 MeV will be presented. The experiment was performed at the 15R beamline at the Weapons Neutron Research(WNR) facility at LANL-LANSCE. WNR provides a white spectrum of neutrons peaking at 2 MeV and reaching up to 800 MeV, with neutron energies being deduced from measurements of the neutron time of flight (TOF). A thin-backed 232 ThF4 target of 2 cm diameter with a thorium areal density of 178.9 μg/cm2 was placed between two arrays of Hammamatsu PIN diodes (active area 4 cm2 each). The beam was collimated to 1 cm diameter. The target was placed 45 degrees off of the beam axis, with the detectors at 60 degrees and 120 degrees from the beam axis. Over 25,000 fission fragment coincidence events were recorded, allowing for sixteen energy bins between 2.59 and 87.31 MeV. We believe that this will be the most comprehensive published measurement of the TKE for 232 Th(n,f) with En = 2.59 - 87.31 MeV. This work was supported in part by the Director, Office of Energy Research, Division of Nuclear Physics of the Office of High Energy and Nuclear Physics of the USDoE under Grant DE-FG06-97ER41026. This work has benefited from the use of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. This facility is funded by the USDoE under DOE Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25396.

Characterization of HIV Transmission in South-East Austria

PubMed Central

Kessler, Harald H.; Haas, Bernhard; Stelzl, Evelyn; Weninger, Karin; Little, Susan J.; Mehta, Sanjay R.

2016-01-01

To gain deeper insight into the epidemiology of HIV-1 transmission in South-East Austria we performed a retrospective analysis of 259 HIV-1 partial pol sequences obtained from unique individuals newly diagnosed with HIV infection in South-East Austria from 2008 through 2014. After quality filtering, putative transmission linkages were inferred when two sequences were ≤1.5% genetically different. Multiple linkages were resolved into putative transmission clusters. Further phylogenetic analyses were performed using BEAST v1.8.1. Finally, we investigated putative links between the 259 sequences from South-East Austria and all publicly available HIV polymerase sequences in the Los Alamos National Laboratory HIV sequence database. We found that 45.6% (118/259) of the sampled sequences were genetically linked with at least one other sequence from South-East Austria forming putative transmission clusters. Clustering individuals were more likely to be men who have sex with men (MSM; p<0.001), infected with subtype B (p<0.001) or subtype F (p = 0.02). Among clustered males who reported only heterosexual (HSX) sex as an HIV risk, 47% clustered closely with MSM (either as pairs or within larger MSM clusters). One hundred and seven of the 259 sequences (41.3%) from South-East Austria had at least one putative inferred linkage with sequences from a total of 69 other countries. In conclusion, analysis of HIV-1 sequences from newly diagnosed individuals residing in South-East Austria revealed a high degree of national and international clustering mainly within MSM. Interestingly, we found that a high number of heterosexual males clustered within MSM networks, suggesting either linkage between risk groups or misrepresentation of sexual risk behaviors by subjects. PMID:26967154

Characterization of HIV Transmission in South-East Austria.

PubMed

Hoenigl, Martin; Chaillon, Antoine; Kessler, Harald H; Haas, Bernhard; Stelzl, Evelyn; Weninger, Karin; Little, Susan J; Mehta, Sanjay R

2016-01-01

To gain deeper insight into the epidemiology of HIV-1 transmission in South-East Austria we performed a retrospective analysis of 259 HIV-1 partial pol sequences obtained from unique individuals newly diagnosed with HIV infection in South-East Austria from 2008 through 2014. After quality filtering, putative transmission linkages were inferred when two sequences were ≤1.5% genetically different. Multiple linkages were resolved into putative transmission clusters. Further phylogenetic analyses were performed using BEAST v1.8.1. Finally, we investigated putative links between the 259 sequences from South-East Austria and all publicly available HIV polymerase sequences in the Los Alamos National Laboratory HIV sequence database. We found that 45.6% (118/259) of the sampled sequences were genetically linked with at least one other sequence from South-East Austria forming putative transmission clusters. Clustering individuals were more likely to be men who have sex with men (MSM; p<0.001), infected with subtype B (p<0.001) or subtype F (p = 0.02). Among clustered males who reported only heterosexual (HSX) sex as an HIV risk, 47% clustered closely with MSM (either as pairs or within larger MSM clusters). One hundred and seven of the 259 sequences (41.3%) from South-East Austria had at least one putative inferred linkage with sequences from a total of 69 other countries. In conclusion, analysis of HIV-1 sequences from newly diagnosed individuals residing in South-East Austria revealed a high degree of national and international clustering mainly within MSM. Interestingly, we found that a high number of heterosexual males clustered within MSM networks, suggesting either linkage between risk groups or misrepresentation of sexual risk behaviors by subjects.

[Increasing incidence of community-acquired pneumonia caused by atypical microorganisms].

PubMed

Tazón-Varela, M A; Alonso-Valle, H; Muñoz-Cacho, P; Gallo-Terán, J; Piris-García, X; Pérez-Mier, L A

2017-09-01

Knowing the most common microorganisms in our environment can help us to make proper empirical treatment decisions. The aim is to identify those microorganisms causing community-acquired pneumonia. An observational, descriptive and prospective study was conducted, including patients over 14 years with a clinical and radiographic diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia during a 383 consecutive day period. A record was made of sociodemographic variables, personal history, prognostic severity scales, progress, and pathogenic agents. The aetiological diagnosis was made using blood cultures, detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila urinary antigens, sputum culture, influenza virus and Streptococcus pyogenes detection. Categorical variables are presented as absolute values and percentages, and continuous variables as their means and standard deviations. Of the 287 patients included in the study (42% women, mean age 66±22 years), 10.45% died and 70% required hospital admission. An aetiological diagnosis was achieved in 43 patients (14.98%), with 16 microorganisms found in 59 positive samples. The most frequently isolated pathogen was Streptococcus pneumonia (24/59, 41%), followed by gram-negative enteric bacilli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens and Enterobacter cloacae isolated in 20% of the samples (12/59), influenza virus (5/59, 9%), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (3/59, 5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2/59, 3%), Moraxella catarrhalis (2/59, 3%), Legionella pneumophila (2/59, 3%), and Haemophilus influenza (2/59, 3%). Polymicrobial infections accounted for 14% (8/59). A high percentage of atypical microorganisms causing community-acquired pneumonia were found. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The Human Element in Space: Lessons from Antarctica

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-10

misunderstandings and conflicts between space traveler and ground support personnel ( Kubis , 1972; Oberg, 1981). In the Antarctic, levels of depressive...biomedical opportunities in space. New Engl J Med 315: 1196-1200. 19 - .•__r• w • ,# •. • L • -- • l•- ••.- . •- 1 1111-1_114• • Kubis , J.F. (1972) isolation...325 Nardini, 3.E,, Herrmann, R.S., and Rasmussen, J.E, (1962) Navy psychiatric assessment in the Antarctic. Am 3 Psychiatry 119s 97-105. Natani, K

Development and Characterization of an Oro-Nasal Inhalation Plethysmography Mask Exposure System

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-30

209.3 ± 97.37 mL/min. Standardized tests were used to characterize the inhalation exposure system. The fractional leak rate was 4.17 x 10-5 min-1...chloride (Sigma-Aldrich Corp., St. Louis, MO) and W9-1, Ultra Trace Elemental Analysis Water , (Fisher Scientific, Pittsburgh, PA) and placed in the...cylindrical plethysmograph, with an internal volume of 34.9 L, was leak tested as previously described (Mokler and White, 1983). Nonhuman primates

Replies to the Questionnaire on the Theme of the 42nd ICE on Literacy Education = Responses au questionnaire sur le theme de la 42e CIE sur l'alphabetisation. IBE Documents Series, Number 2, December 1991.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Bureau of Education, Geneva (Switzerland).

This report represents elements of 105 replies received from UNESCO Member States to the International Bureau of Education (IBE) questionnaire. The report does not always reproduce the complete answers given, and the extracts presented are usually presented in the language used in the relevant answer. The report begins with a list of member…

Host Materials for Transition-Metal Ions

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

Spectra of 3d Transition Elements in KMgF3 Crystal, Soy. Phys. Solid State 19 (1977), 340. 21. H . Onuki , F. Sugawara, M. Hirano, and Y. Yamaguchi...on Cs2SnBr 6 .... h ............. 84 13.2 Crystal-Field Components, Anm, for Sn (Oh) Site .............. 814 13.3 Experimental Parameters...A.M VSg Kleef, Y. N. .3oshi, and R. P. Srivastava, Analysis of’ Cd V: I.--4Ida-id’ 5p Transitions, Physica 114IC (1982), 105. 15. H . Benschop, Y. N

Carbothermal shock synthesis of high-entropy-alloy nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Yonggang; Huang, Zhennan; Xie, Pengfei; Lacey, Steven D.; Jacob, Rohit Jiji; Xie, Hua; Chen, Fengjuan; Nie, Anmin; Pu, Tiancheng; Rehwoldt, Miles; Yu, Daiwei; Zachariah, Michael R.; Wang, Chao; Shahbazian-Yassar, Reza; Li, Ju; Hu, Liangbing

2018-03-01

The controllable incorporation of multiple immiscible elements into a single nanoparticle merits untold scientific and technological potential, yet remains a challenge using conventional synthetic techniques. We present a general route for alloying up to eight dissimilar elements into single-phase solid-solution nanoparticles, referred to as high-entropy-alloy nanoparticles (HEA-NPs), by thermally shocking precursor metal salt mixtures loaded onto carbon supports [temperature ~2000 kelvin (K), 55-millisecond duration, rate of ~105 K per second]. We synthesized a wide range of multicomponent nanoparticles with a desired chemistry (composition), size, and phase (solid solution, phase-separated) by controlling the carbothermal shock (CTS) parameters (substrate, temperature, shock duration, and heating/cooling rate). To prove utility, we synthesized quinary HEA-NPs as ammonia oxidation catalysts with ~100% conversion and >99% nitrogen oxide selectivity over prolonged operations.

Orbital Solutions and Absolute Elements of the Eclipsing Binary YY Ceti

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williamon, Richard M.; Sowell, James R.

2012-05-01

YY Cet is a 10.5 mag semidetached variable with a 19 hr orbital period. The Wilson-Devinney program is used to simultaneously solve two new sets of UBV light curves together with preexisting photometry and single-line radial velocity measurements . The system has the lower-mass component completely filling its Roche lobe. The resulting masses are M1 = 1.78 ± 0.19 M⊙ and M2 = 0.92 ± 0.10 M⊙, and the radii are R1 = 2.08 ± 0.08 R⊙ and R2 = 1.62 ± 0.06 R⊙. Its computed distance is 534 ± 28 pc. Light- and velocity-curve parameters, orbital elements, and absolute dimensions are presented. A study of published TOM observations indicates that the period changed around 1999.

In Vitro Selection of a Single-Stranded DNA Molecular Recognition Element against the Pesticide Fipronil and Sensitive Detection in River Water

PubMed Central

Sooter, Letha J.

2017-01-01

Fipronil is a commonly used insecticide that has been shown to have environmental and human health risks. The current standard methods of detection for fipronil and its metabolites, such as GC-MS, are time consuming and labor intensive. In this study, a variant of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX), was utilized to identify the first single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) molecular recognition element (MRE) that binds to fipronil with high affinity (Kd = 48 ± 8 nM). The selected MRE displayed low cross binding activity on various environmentally relevant, structurally unrelated herbicides and pesticides, in addition to broad-spectrum binding activity on major metabolites of fipronil and a structurally similar pesticide in prepared river samples. Additionally, a proof-of-principle fluorescent detection assay was developed by using the selected ssDNA MRE as a signal-reporting element, with a limit of detection of 105 nM in a prepared river water sample. PMID:29283416

Expanding the Analysis of Psychosocial Factors of Sexual Desire in Men.

PubMed

Nimbi, Filippo Maria; Tripodi, Francesca; Rossi, Roberta; Simonelli, Chiara

2018-02-01

The literature lacks studies of the male sex drive. Most existing studies have focused on hypoactive sexual desire disorder in coupled heterosexual men, highlighting some of the main related biological, psychological, and social factors. To evaluate the role of selected psychological and social variables affecting male sexual desire such as quality of life, sexual function, distress, satisfaction, psychological symptoms, emotions, alexithymia, couple adjustment, sexism, cognitive schemas activated in a sexual context, sexual dysfunctional beliefs, and different classes of cognitions triggered during sexual activity about failure anticipation, erection concerns, age- and body-related thoughts, erotic fantasies, and negative attitudes toward sexuality. A wide self-administered survey used snowball sampling to reach 298 heterosexual Italian men (age = 32.66 ± 11.52 years) from the general population. 13 questionnaires exploring psychological and social elements involved in sexual response were administrated: International Index of Erectile Function, Short Form 36 for Quality of Life, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Symptom Check List-90-Revised, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Premature Ejaculation Severity Index, Sexual Distress Scale, Sexual Satisfaction Scale, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, Sexual Modes Questionnaire, Sexual Dysfunctional Belief Questionnaire, and Questionnaire of Cognitive Schema Activation in Sexual Context. Results showed lack of erotic thoughts (β = -0.328), fear (β = -0.259) and desire to have a baby (β = -0.259) as the main predictors of the level of sexual desire in this group. Energy-fatigue, depression, premature ejaculation severity, sexual distress, compatibility, subjective sexual response, and sexual conservatism had a weaker effect on sexual desire. Sexual functioning (13.80%), emotional response (12.70%), dysfunctional sexual beliefs (12.10%), and negative automatic thoughts (12.00%) had more variable effects on sexual drive. Analyzed variables could represent important factors that should be considered in the assessment of desire concerns and discussed in therapy. The strength of this study is the analysis of novel psychological and social factors on male sexual desire. Recruitment and sample size do not allow generalization of the results, but some crucial points for future research and clinical practice are discussed. Our findings showed that male sexual desire could be affected by many psychological and social elements. Other factors remain to be explored, in their direct and interactive effects, aiming to better explain male sexual desire functioning. Nimbi FM, Tripodi F, Rossi R, Simonelli C. Expanding the Analysis of Psychosocial Factors of Sexual Desire in Men. J Sex Med 2018;15:230-244. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Science and Technology of Nanostructured Magnetic Materials: Proceedings of a NATO Advanced Study Institute Conference Held in Aghia Pelaghia, Crete, Greece on 24 June -6 July 1990. NATO ASI Series B: Physics. Volume 259

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-07-06

Tung in Silicon-Molecular Beam Epitaxy. vol. 11 eds. Erich Kasper and John C . Bean, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL (1988), or J. Derrien and F. Arnaud...mum~ J goS-MS AD- A24 6 363 ..T.. C .... Magnetbic Mean eiteral C dstibtio I Edliited.b Gary A . ....... MagntOc aeria Series B: Physics Vol. 259 ’o98...NATO Scientific Affairs Division A Life Sciences Plenum Publishing Corporation B Physics New York and London C Mathematical and Physical Sciences Kluwer

Nuclear structure studies in the seaborgium region at SHIP

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

Antalic, S., E-mail: Stanislav.Antalic@fmph.uniba.sk; Andel, B.; Heßberger, F. P.

2015-10-15

New decay data for the isotopes {sup 259}Sg and {sup 255}Rf were obtained at the velocity filter SHIP using an α-decay spectroscopy measurement. Both isotopes were produced and studied via a one neutron evaporation channel in the compound fusion reaction {sup 54}Cr+{sup 208}Pb. New isomeric states were observed and the single-particle level systematics for isotones with 151 and 153 neutrons were extended. A change of the ground-state configuration for the heaviest N = 151 isotones was observed. Detailed Monte-Carlo simulation for the α decay of {sup 259}Sg applying the GEANT4 toolkit was performed and compared with experimental data.

Prospective multicenter observational study of 260 infants born to 259 opiate-dependent mothers on methadone or high-dose buprenophine substitution.

PubMed

Lejeune, Claude; Simmat-Durand, Laurence; Gourarier, Laurent; Aubisson, Sandrine

2006-05-20

Specialized prenatal care and substitution programs improve the perinatal prognoses of pregnant drug-abusers and their infants. Although methadone is well documented, little is known about high-dose buprenorphine (HDB). This prospective, multicenter (n = 35) observational study included 259 women on maintenance during pregnancy: 39% on methadone and 61% on HDB. Major findings were: 46% of them received good prenatal care; 62% had peridural analgesia; 12.3% delivered prematurely (<37 weeks); mean gestational age, 38.6 weeks; mean birth weight, 2822g. Three-quarters of the newborns developed neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) beginning at a mean age of 40h, with the mean maximum Lipsitz score of 9.1 at 72 h; half of them were treated, mainly with morphine hydrochloride. No baby died. Newborns were discharged with their mothers (96%) or placed in foster care (4%). Comparing methadone with HDB, respectively, mean age at the maximum Lipsitz score was 81 h versus 66 h (P = 0.066). The perinatal medical and social prognoses for these 259 drug addicts and their infants appeared to be improved by specialized prenatal care and was similar for methadone or BHD substitution during pregnancy.

Safety and immunogenicity of rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP Ebola vaccine in adults and children in Lambaréné, Gabon: A phase I randomised trial

PubMed Central

Bache, Emmanuel B.; Obiang Mba, Régis M.; Brosnahan, Jessica S.; Kabwende, Lumeka; Pitzinger, Paul; Staarink, Pieter; Massinga-Loembe, Marguerite; Krähling, Verena; Biedenkopf, Nadine; Fehling, Sarah Katharina; Strecker, Thomas; Clark, David J.; Staines, Henry M.; Hooper, Jay W.; Silvera, Peter; Moorthy, Vasee; Kieny, Marie-Paule; Adegnika, Akim A.; Grobusch, Martin P.; Becker, Stephan; Ramharter, Michael; Mordmüller, Benjamin; Lell, Bertrand; Kremsner, Peter G.

2017-01-01

Background The rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP vaccine prevented Ebola virus disease when used at 2 × 107 plaque-forming units (PFU) in a trial in Guinea. This study provides further safety and immunogenicity data. Methods and findings A randomised, open-label phase I trial in Lambaréné, Gabon, studied 5 single intramuscular vaccine doses of 3 × 103, 3 × 104, 3 × 105, 3 × 106, or 2 × 107 PFU in 115 adults and a dose of 2 × 107 PFU in 20 adolescents and 20 children. The primary objective was safety and tolerability 28 days post-injection. Immunogenicity, viraemia, and shedding post-vaccination were evaluated as secondary objectives. In adults, mild-to-moderate adverse events were frequent, but there were no serious or severe adverse events related to vaccination. Before vaccination, Zaire Ebola virus (ZEBOV)–glycoprotein (GP)–specific and ZEBOV antibodies were detected in 11% and 27% of adults, respectively. In adults, 74%–100% of individuals who received a dose 3 × 104, 3 × 105, 3 × 106, or 2 × 107 PFU had a ≥4.0-fold increase in geometric mean titres (GMTs) of ZEBOV-GP-specific antibodies at day 28, reaching GMTs of 489 (95% CI: 264–908), 556 (95% CI: 280–1,101), 1,245 (95% CI: 899–1,724), and 1,503 (95% CI: 931–2,426), respectively. Twenty-two percent of adults had a ≥4-fold increase of ZEBOV antibodies, with GMTs at day 28 of 1,015 (647–1,591), 1,887 (1,154–3,085), 1,445 (1,013–2,062), and 3,958 (2,249–6,967) for the same doses, respectively. These antibodies persisted up to day 180 for doses ≥3 × 105 PFU. Adults with antibodies before vaccination had higher GMTs throughout. Neutralising antibodies were detected in more than 50% of participants at doses ≥3 × 105 PFU. As in adults, no serious or severe adverse events related to vaccine occurred in adolescents or children. At day 2, vaccine RNA titres were higher for adolescents and children than adults. At day 7, 78% of adolescents and 35% of children had recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus RNA detectable in saliva. The vaccine induced high GMTs of ZEBOV-GP-specific antibodies at day 28 in adolescents, 1,428 (95% CI: 1,025–1,989), and children, 1,620 (95% CI: 806–3,259), and in both groups antibody titres increased up to day 180. The absence of a control group, lack of stratification for baseline antibody status, and imbalances in male/female ratio are the main limitations of this study. Conclusions Our data confirm the acceptable safety and immunogenicity profile of the 2 × 107 PFU dose in adults and support consideration of lower doses for paediatric populations and those who request boosting. Trial registration Pan African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR201411000919191 PMID:28985239

Photonic crystal fiber-based plasmonic biosensor with external sensing approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rifat, Ahmmed A.; Hasan, Md. Rabiul; Ahmed, Rajib; Butt, Haider

2018-01-01

We propose a simple photonic crystal fiber (PCF) biosensor based on the surface plasmon resonance effect. The sensing properties are characterized using the finite element method. Chemically stable gold material is deposited on the outer surface of the PCF to realize the practical sensing approach. The performance of the modeled biosensor is investigated in terms of wavelength sensitivity, amplitude sensitivity, sensor resolution, and linearity of the resonant wavelength with the variation of structural parameters. In the sensing range of 1.33 to 1.37, maximum sensitivities of 4000 nm/RIU and 478 are achieved with the high sensor resolutions of 2.5×10-5 and 2.1×10-5 RIU using wavelength and amplitude interrogation methods, respectively. The designed biosensor will reduce fabrication complexity due to its simple and realistic hexagonal lattice structure. It is anticipated that the proposed biosensor may find possible applications for unknown biological and biochemical analyte detections with a high degree of accuracy.

Sharp burnout failure observed in high current-carrying double-walled carbon nanotube fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Li; Toth, Geza; Wei, Jinquan; Liu, Zheng; Gao, Wei; Ci, Lijie; Vajtai, Robert; Endo, Morinobu; Ajayan, Pulickel M.

2012-01-01

We report on the current-carrying capability and the high-current-induced thermal burnout failure modes of 5-20 µm diameter double-walled carbon nanotube (DWNT) fibers made by an improved dry-spinning method. It is found that the electrical conductivity and maximum current-carrying capability for these DWNT fibers can reach up to 5.9 × 105 S m - 1 and over 1 × 105 A cm - 2 in air. In comparison, we observed that standard carbon fiber tended to be oxidized and burnt out into cheese-like morphology when the maximum current was reached, while DWNT fiber showed a much slower breakdown behavior due to the gradual burnout in individual nanotubes. The electron microscopy observations further confirmed that the failure process of DWNT fibers occurs at localized positions, and while the individual nanotubes burn they also get aligned due to local high temperature and electrostatic field. In addition a finite element model was constructed to gain better understanding of the failure behavior of DWNT fibers.

Scanning Electron Microscope-Cathodoluminescence Analysis of Rare-Earth Elements in Magnets.

PubMed

Imashuku, Susumu; Wagatsuma, Kazuaki; Kawai, Jun

2016-02-01

Scanning electron microscope-cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL) analysis was performed for neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) and samarium-cobalt (Sm-Co) magnets to analyze the rare-earth elements present in the magnets. We examined the advantages of SEM-CL analysis over conventional analytical methods such as SEM-energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and SEM-wavelength-dispersive X-ray (WDX) spectroscopy for elemental analysis of rare-earth elements in NdFeB magnets. Luminescence spectra of chloride compounds of elements in the magnets were measured by the SEM-CL method. Chloride compounds were obtained by the dropwise addition of hydrochloric acid on the magnets followed by drying in vacuum. Neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, and dysprosium were separately detected in the NdFeB magnets, and samarium was detected in the Sm-Co magnet by the SEM-CL method. In contrast, it was difficult to distinguish terbium and dysprosium in the NdFeB magnet with a dysprosium concentration of 1.05 wt% by conventional SEM-EDX analysis. Terbium with a concentration of 0.02 wt% in an NdFeB magnet was detected by SEM-CL analysis, but not by conventional SEM-WDX analysis. SEM-CL analysis is advantageous over conventional SEM-EDX and SEM-WDX analyses for detecting trace rare-earth elements in NdFeB magnets, particularly dysprosium and terbium.

Molecular characterization of the short interspersed repetitive element SIRE in the six discrete typing units (DTUs) of Trypanosoma cruzi.

PubMed

Pavia, Paula X; Thomas, M Carmen; López, Manuel C; Puerta, Concepción J

2012-10-01

Repetitive sequences constitute an important proportion of the Trypanosoma cruzi genome; hence, they have been used as molecular markers and as amplification targets to identify the parasite presence via PCR. In this study, a molecular characterization of the SIRE repetitive element was performed in the six discrete typing units (DTUs) of T. cruzi. The results evidenced that this element, located in multiple chromosomes, was interspersed in the genome of all DTUs of the parasite. The presence of several motifs implicated in element insertion, duplication, and functionality suggests that SIRE could be an active element in the parasite genome. Of interest, there were SIRE specific Alu I fragments that allowed to discriminate DTU I from the others DTUs. Moreover, an UPGMA phenetic tree constructed from fragment sharing Southern blot data showed that T. cruzi I isolates conform a cluster separated from the T. cruzi II-VI isolates. When the relative number of SIRE copies was determined, a variation from 105 to 2,000 copies per haploid genome was observed among the different isolates without kept a DTU-relationship. In all, these findings suggest that SIRE sequence is a good target for parasite DNA amplification. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polymer monolithic capillary microextraction combined on-line with inductively coupled plasma MS for the determination of trace rare earth elements in biological samples.

PubMed

Zhang, Lin; Chen, Beibei; He, Man; Hu, Bin

2013-07-01

A rapid and sensitive method based on polymer monolithic capillary microextraction combined on-line with microconcentric nebulization inductively coupled plasma MS has been developed for the determination of trace/ultratrace rare earth elements in biological samples. For this purpose, the iminodiacetic acid modified poly(glycidyl methacrylate-trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate) monolithic capillary was prepared and characterized by SEM and FTIR spectroscopy. Factors affecting the extraction efficiency, such as sample pH, sample flow rate, sample/eluent volume, and coexisting ions were investigated in detail. Under the optimal conditions, the LODs for rare earth elements were in the range of 0.08 (Er) to 0.97 ng/L (Nd) with a sampling frequency of 8.5 h(-1), and the RSDs were between 1.5% (Sm) and 7.4% (Nd) (c = 20 ng/L, n = 7). The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of trace/ultratrace rare earth elements in human urine and serum samples, and the recoveries for the spiked samples were in the range of 82-105%. The developed method was simple, rapid, sensitive, and favorable for the analysis of trace/ultratrace rare earth elements in biological samples with limited sample volume. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for trace multi-element determination in vegetable oils, margarine and butter after stabilization with propan-1-ol and water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Souza, Roseli M.; Mathias, Bárbara M.; da Silveira, Carmem Lúcia P.; Aucélio, Ricardo Q.

2005-06-01

The quantitative evaluation of trace elements in foodstuffs is of considerable interest due to the potential toxicity of many elements, and because the presence of some metallic species might affect the overall quality (flavor and stability) of these products. In the present work, an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometric method has been developed for the determination of six elements (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Mn) in olive oil, soy oil, margarine and butter. Organic samples (oils and fats) were stabilized using propan-1-ol and water, which enabled long-time sample dispersion in the solution. This simple sample preparation procedure, together with an efficient sample introduction strategy (using a Meinhard K3 nebulizer and a twister cyclonic spray chamber), facilitated the overall analytical procedure, allowing quantification using calibration curves prepared with inorganic standards. Internal standardization (Sc) was used for correction of matrix effects and signal fluctuations. Good sensitivities with limits of detection in the ng g -1 range were achieved for all six elements. These sensitivities were appropriate for the intended application. The method was tested through the analysis of laboratory-fortified samples with good recoveries (between 91.3% and 105.5%).

Evaluation of the attenuating properties of selected Greek clays for toxic inorganic elements in landfill sites.

PubMed

Mimides, T; Perraki, T

2000-05-15

Heavy metal attenuation properties of selected clay material collected from miscellaneous Greek sites is investigated and tested in the laboratory for their suitability, either as liners in hydrologically unsafe sites or as earth covers for sanitary landfill sites. Eleven potentially hazardous elements (As, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, V, and Zn) generated by a co-disposal landfill leachate have been considered. Experimental column and static equilibrium methods for the determination of dispersion and adsorption are described. Molecular diffusion dominates the migration phenomena with a velocity range between 1.3 x 10(-5) and 3.5 x 10(-4) cm/s throughout the experiments. A simple way to evaluate dispersion coefficients from breakthrough curves gave values of between 3.90 x 10(-6) and 3.5 x 10(-4) cm2/s, with a mean value of 1.5 x 10(-5). Static adsorption equilibrium studies supported by column runs showed that Freundlich (F = kCn) isotherms express in a better way the assimilative capacities of the tested clays, with k and n values ranging from 0.06 to 1.99 and 0.55 to 1.48 correspondingly. Mathematical models involving non-linear parabolic equations are involved. The experimental data, together with finite difference techniques and some physical clay characteristics, produced trilinear textural diagrams and predictive flow transport convection-dispersion breakthrough curves for a quick estimation of the attenuating properties of clays for heavy metals.

Evaluation of some essential element levels in thalassemia major patients in Mosul district, Iraq.

PubMed

Al-Samarrai, Abdulmunaim H; Adaay, Mohaisen H; Al-Tikriti, Khudhair A; Al-Anzy, Muayed M

2008-01-01

To evaluate the levels of some essential elements in thalassemic patients in Mosul, Iraq. One hundred and five thalassemic blood transfusion dependent children, 2.5-18 years of age attending Ibn-Al-Atheer teaching hospital in Mosul City, Iraq, during 2005, were used in this study. Fifty-four healthy subjects served as a control group. Patients were allocated in a non-randomized prospective cross-sectional hospital based study. Essential elements levels were estimated. The mean, standard deviation, correlation coefficient, and z-test were used. P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Low serum zinc, and magnesium, and high serum copper, and potassium levels were found among the 105 thalassemic patients compared to the 54 controls. Levels of calcium, phosphate, and sodium were within normal limits. Fluctuations in the essential elements levels seem to be related to the different complications associated with the disease. Zinc deficiency may be attributed to hyperzincuria resulted from the release of Zn from hemolyzed red cells. Hypercupremia occurs in acute and chronic infections and hemochromatosis, which is a principal complication of thalassemia. Increased Na levels may be due to renal damage. Hypomagnesemia may occur due to hypoparathyroidism.

Qualitative and Quantitative Content Determination of Macro-Minor Elements in Bryonia Alba L. Roots using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Technique.

PubMed

Karpiuk, Uliana Vladimirovna; Al Azzam, Khaldun Mohammad; Abudayeh, Zead Helmi Mahmoud; Kislichenko, Viktoria; Naddaf, Ahmad; Cholak, Irina; Yemelianova, Oksana

2016-06-01

To determine the elements in Bryonia alba L. roots, collected from the Crimean Peninsula region in Ukraine. Dry ashing was used as a flexible method and all elements were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) equipped with flame and graphite furnace. The average concentrations of the determined elements, expressed as mg/100 g dry weight of the sample, were as follow: 13.000 for Fe, 78.000 for Si, 88.000 for P, 7.800 for Al, 0.130 for Mn, 105.000 for Mg, 0.030 for Pb, 0.052 for Ni, 0.030 for Mo, 210.000 for Ca, 0.130 for Cu, 5.200 for Zn, 13.000 for Na, 1170.000 for K, 0.780 for Sr, 0.030 for Co, 0.010 for Cd, 0.010 for As, and 0.010 for Hg. Toxic elements such as Cd and Pb were also found but at very low concentration. Among the analyzed elements, K was the most abundant followed by Ca, Mg, P, Si, Fe, Na, and Zn, whereas Hg, As, Cd, Co, Mo, and Pb were found in low concentration. The results suggest that the roots of Bryonia alba L. plant has potential medicinal property through their high element contents present. Moreover, it showed that the AAS method is a simple, fast, and reliable for the determination of elements in plant materials. The obtained results of the current study provide justification for the usage of such fruit in daily diet for nutrition and for medicinal usage in the treatment of various diseases.

Computational study on the influence of number of threads on the performance of single screw pump at high angular velocities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philip, Jaison; Suryan, Abhilash; Sanand, T. V.; Unnikrishnan Nair, P.; Sivakumar, S.

2017-02-01

Fluid flow in a screw pump which rotates at very high angular velocity is numerically analyzed. In the present study, fluid flow in screw pumps under high Reynolds number, of the order of 105, is considered. Screw pump has two major elements, a plain shroud which is a stationary element and a rotating hub with helical grooves contained within the shroud. In this paper, three variants of hubs with different number of thread starts numbering six, eight and twelve in combination with a plain shroud is studied. Each of the three possible combinations are analyzed on the basis of pressure rise developed, efficiency and shaft power. It was seen that pressure rise, efficiency and shaft power increases as the number of threads increases in the range of mass flow rates studied.

Mobile genetic elements of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from hydrotherapy facility and respiratory infections.

PubMed

Pereira, S G; Cardoso, O

2014-03-01

The content of mobile genetic elements in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates of a pristine natural mineral water system associated with healthcare was compared with clinical isolates from respiratory infections. One isolate, from the therapy pool circuit, presented a class 1 integron, with 100% similarity to a class 1 integron contained in plasmid p4800 of the Klebsiella pneumoniae Kp4800 strain, which is the first time it has been reported in P. aeruginosa. Class 1 integrons were found in 25.6% of the clinical isolates. PAGI1 orf3 was more prevalent in environmental isolates, while PAGI2 c105 and PAGI3 sg100 were more prevalent in clinical isolates. Plasmids were not observed in either population. © 2013 The Authors Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2013 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Non-operative management of blunt splenic injuries in a paediatric population: a 12-year experience.

PubMed

Kirkegård, Jakob; Avlund, Tue Højslev; Amanavicius, Nerijus; Mortensen, Frank Viborg; Kissmeyer-Nielsen, Peter

2015-02-01

Non-operative management (NOM) is now the primary treatment for blunt splenic injuries in children. Only one study has examined the use of NOM in a Scandinavian population. Thus, the purpose of this study is to report our experience in treating children with blunt splenic injuries with NOM at a Danish university hospital. We conducted a retrospective observational study of 34 consecutive children (aged 16 years or less) admitted to our level 1-trauma centre with blunt splenic injury in the 12-year period from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2012. Data on patients and procedures were obtained by review of all medical records and re-evaluation of all initial computed tomographies (CT). We included 34 children with a median age of 10.5 years (67.6% males) in this study. All patients were scheduled for NOM, and two (5.9%) patients underwent splenic artery embolisation (SAE). Two (5.9%) patients later needed surgical intervention. The NOM success rate was 88% (95% confidence interval (CI): 73-97%) without SAE and 94% (95% CI: 80-99%) with SAE. We found no difference in the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grade when comparing the initial CT evaluation (mean 2.59 ± 1.1) with the CT re-evaluation (mean 2.71 ± 0.94); p = 0.226. We demonstrated a high degree of success and safety of non-operative treatment in children with blunt splenic injury in a Scandinavian setting. Our results are comparable to international findings.

Investigation of respiratory and dermal symptoms associated with metal working fluids at an aircraft engine manufacturing facility.

PubMed

Meza, Francisco; Chen, Lilia; Hudson, Naomi

2013-12-01

Each year, 1.2 million metalworkers are exposed to metalworking fluids (MWFs), which can cause dermal and respiratory disease. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a health hazard evaluation of MWF exposures at an aircraft engine manufacturing facility. The objectives were to determine employee exposures to endotoxin and MWFs in the air, characterize symptoms experienced by employees working with MWFs, compare them to symptoms of employees unexposed to MWFs, and make recommendations for reducing exposures based on results. Four hundred seven workers were categorized as MWF exposed or MWF unexposed and completed questionnaires. Estimated prevalence ratios (PR) of dermatitis, asthma, and work-related asthma (WRA) symptoms were calculated. Airborne concentrations of MWF and endotoxin were measured, and work practices observed. MWF exposed workers had a significantly higher prevalence of dermatitis on wrists/forearms (PR 2.59; 95% CI 1.22, 5.46), asthma symptoms (PR 1.49; 95% CI 1.05, 2.13), and WRA symptoms (PR 2.10; 95% CI 1.22, 3.30) than unexposed workers. Airborne concentrations of MWF were below the NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) for MWF aerosols (thoracic particulate mass). Despite MWF exposures below the NIOSH REL, exposed workers had a higher prevalence of asthma, WRA, and dermatitis symptoms than unexposed workers. Recommendations to reduce exposure included configuring mist collectors to automatically turn on when the machine is in use, and enforcing enclosure use. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

IncC of broad-host-range plasmid RK2 modulates KorB transcriptional repressor activity In vivo and operator binding in vitro.

PubMed

Jagura-Burdzy, G; Kostelidou, K; Pole, J; Khare, D; Jones, A; Williams, D R; Thomas, C M

1999-05-01

The korAB operon of broad-host-range plasmid RK2 encodes five genes, two of which, incC and korB, belong to the parA and parB families, respectively, of genome partitioning functions. Both korB and a third gene, korA, are responsible for coordinate regulation of operons encoding replication, transfer, and stable inheritance functions. Overexpression of incC alone caused rapid displacement of RK2. Using two different reporter systems, we show that incC modulates the action of KorB. Using promoter fusions to the reporter gene xylE, we show that incC potentiates the repression of transcription by korB. This modulation of korB activity was only observed with incC1, which encodes the full-length IncC (364 amino acids [aa]), whereas no effect was observed with incC2, which encodes a polypeptide of 259 aa that lacks the N-terminal 105 aa. Using bacterial extracts with IncC1 and IncC2 or IncC1 purified through the use of a His6 tail and Ni-agarose chromatography, we showed that IncC1 potentiates the binding of KorB to DNA at representative KorB operators. The ability of IncC to stabilize KorB-DNA complexes suggests that these two proteins work together in the global regulation of many operons on the IncP-1 genomes, as well in plasmid partitioning.

Investigation of Respiratory and Dermal Symptoms Associated with Metal Working Fluids at an Aircraft Engine Manufacturing Facility

PubMed Central

Meza, Francisco; Chen, Lilia; Hudson, Naomi

2015-01-01

Background Each year, 1.2 million metalworkers are exposed to metalworking fluids (MWFs), which can cause dermal and respiratory disease. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a health hazard evaluation of MWF exposures at an aircraft engine manufacturing facility. The objectives were to determine employee exposures to endotoxin and MWFs in the air, characterize symptoms experienced by employees working with MWFs, compare them to symptoms of employees unexposed to MWFs, and make recommendations for reducing exposures based on results. Methods 407 workers were categorized as MWF exposed or MWF unexposed and completed questionnaires. Estimated prevalence ratios (PR) of dermatitis, asthma, and work-related asthma (WRA) symptoms were calculated. Airborne concentrations of MWF and endotoxin were measured, and work practices observed. Results MWF exposed workers had a significantly higher prevalence of dermatitis on wrists/forearms (PR 2.59; 95% CI 1.22, 5.46), asthma symptoms (PR 1.49; 95% CI 1.05, 2.13) and WRA symptoms (PR 2.10; 95% CI 1.22, 3.30) than unexposed workers. Airborne concentrations of MWF were below the NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) for MWF aerosols (thoracic particulate mass). Conclusions Despite MWF exposures below the NIOSH REL, exposed workers had a higher prevalence of asthma, WRA, and dermatitis symptoms than unexposed workers. Recommendations to reduce exposure included configuring mist collectors to automatically turn on when the machine is in use, and enforcing enclosure use. PMID:24122918

THE LOCALIZATION OF CHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY IN RAT CARDIAC MUSCLE BY ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

PubMed Central

Karnovsky, Morris J.

1964-01-01

A method has been developed for localizing sites of cholinesterase activity in rat cardiac muscle by electron microscopy. The method utilizes thiocholine esters as substrates, and is believed to be dependent on the reduction of ferricyanide to ferrocyanide by thiocholine released by enzymatic activity. The ferrocyanide thus formed is captured by copper to form fine, electron-opaque deposits of copper ferrocyanide, which sharply delineate sites of enzymatic activity at the ultrastructural level. Cholinesterase activity in formalin-fixed heart muscle was localized: (a) in longitudinal elements of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, but not in the T, or transverse, elements; and (b) in the A band, with virtually no activity noted in the M band, or in the H zone. The I band was also negative. No activity was detected in the sarcolemma, or in invaginations of the sarcolemma at the level of the Z band. The perinuclear element of the sarcoplasmic (endoplasmic) reticulum was frequently strongly positive. Activity at all sites was completely abolished by omitting the substrates, or by inhibition with eserine 10-4 M and diisopropylfluorophosphate 10-5 M. Eserine 10-5 M completely inhibited reaction in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and virtually abolished that in the A band. These observations, together with the use of the relatively specific substrates and suitable controls to eliminate non-enzymatic staining, indicate that cholinesterase activity was being demonstrated. The activity in rat heart against different substrates was that of non-specific cholinesterases, in accordance with biochemical data. The activity in the A band was considered to be probably due to myosincholinesterase. It is proposed that the localization of cholinesterases in myocardium at the ultrastructural level should be taken into account in considering the possible functions of these myocardial enzymes, and it is hoped that knowledge of their localization will open up new avenues of approach in considering their physiological role in myocardium, which at present is not definitely known. PMID:14222810

Further Insight into the Reaction FeO+ + H2 Yields Fe+ + H2O: Temperature Dependent Kinetics, Isotope Effects, and Statistical Modeling (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-31

a laminar flow tube via a Venturi inlet, where ∼104 to 105 collisions with a He buffer gas act to thermalize the ions and carry them downstream...ISOTOPE EFFECTS , AND STATISTICAL MODELING (POSTPRINT) Shaun G. Ard, et al. 31 July 2014 Journal Article AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY Space Vehicles...Kinetics, Isotope Effects , and Statistical Modeling (Postprint) 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 61102F 6

VizieR Online Data Catalog: CARMENES radial velocity curves of 7 M-dwarf (Trifonov+, 2018)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trifonov, T.; Kuerster, M.; Zechmeister, M.; Tal-Or, L.; Caballero, J. A.; Quirrenbach, A.; Amado, P. J.; Ribas, I.; Reiners, A.; Reffert, S.; Dreizler, S.; Hatzes, A. P.; Kaminski, A.; Launhardt, R.; Henning, T.; Montes, D.; Bejar, V. J. S.; Mundt, R.; Pavlov, A.; Schmitt, J. H. M. M.; Seifert, W.; Morales, J. C.; Nowak, G.; Jeffers, S. V.; Rodriguez-Lopez, C.; Del Burgo, C.; Anglada-Escude, G.; Lopez-Santiago, J.; Mathar, R. J.; Ammler-von Eiff, M.; Guenther, E. W.; Barrado, D.; Gonzalez Hernandez, J. I.; Mancini, L.; Stuermer, J.; Abril, M.; Aceituno, J.; Alonso-Floriano, F. J.; Antona, R.; Anwand-Heerwart, H.; Arroyo-Torres, B.; Azzaro, M.; Baroch, D.; Bauer, F. F.; Becerril, S.; Benitez, D.; Berdinas, Z. M.; Bergond, G.; Bluemcke, M.; Brinkmoeller, M.; Cano, J.; Cardenas Vazquez, M. C.; Casal, E.; Cifuentes, C.; Claret, A.; Colome, J.; Cortes-Contreras, M.; Czesla, S.; Diez-Alonso, E.; Feiz, C.; Fernandez, M.; Ferro, I. M.; Fuhrmeister, B.; Galadi-Enriquez, D.; Garcia-Piquer, A.; Garcia Vargas, M. L.; Gesa, L.; Gomez Galera, V.; Gonzalez-Peinado, R.; Groezinger, U.; Grohnert, S.; Guardia, J.; Guijarro, A.; de Guindos, E.; Gutierrez-Soto, J.; Hagen, H.-J.; Hauschildt, P. H.; Hedrosa, R. P.; Helmling, J.; Hermelo, I.; Hernandez Arabi, R.; Hernandez Castano, L.; Hernandez Hernando, F.; Herrero, E.; Huber, A.; Huke, P.; Johnson, E.; de Juan, E.; Kim, M.; Klein, R.; Klueter, J.; Klutsch, A.; Lafarga, M.; Lampon, M.; Lara, L. M.; Laun, W.; Lemke, U.; Lenzen, R.; Lopez Del Fresno, M.; Lopez-Gonzalez, J.; Lopez-Puertas, M.; Lopez Salas, J. F.; Luque, R.; Magan Madinabeitia, H.; Mall, U.; Mandel, H.; Marfil, E.; Marin Molina, J. A.; Maroto Fernandez, D.; Martin, E. L.; Martin-Ruiz, S.; Marvin, C. J.; Mirabet, E.; Moya, A.; Moreno-Raya, M. E.; Nagel, E.; Naranjo, V.; Nortmann, L.; Ofir, A.; Oreiro, R.; Palle, E.; Panduro, J.; Pascual, J.; Passegger, V. M.; Pedraz, S.; Perez-Calpena, A.; Perez Medialdea, D.; Perger, M.; Perryman, M. A. C.; Pluto, M.; Rabaza, O.; Ramon, A.; Rebolo, R.; Redondo, P.; Reinhardt, S.; Rhode, P.; Rix, H.-W.; Rodler, F.; Rodriguez, E.; Rodriguez Trinidad, A.; Rohlo, R.-R.; Rosich, A.; Sadegi, S.; Sanchez-Blanco, E.; Sanchez Carrasco, M. A.; Sanchez-Lopez, A.; Sanz-Forcada, J.; Sarkis, P.; Sarmiento, L. F.; Schaefer, S.; Schiller, J.; Schoefer, P.; Schweitzer, A.; Solano, E.; Stahl, O.; Strachan, J. B. P.; Suarez, J. C.; Tabernero, H. M.; Tala, M.; Tulloch, S. M.; Veredas, G.; Vico Linares, J. I.; Vilardel, F.; Wagner, K.; Winkler, J.; Woltho, V.; Xu, W.; Yan, F.; Zapatero Osorio, M. R.

2017-10-01

The two CARMENES spectrographs are grism cross-dispersed, white pupil, echelle spectrograph working in quasi-Littrow mode using a two-beam, two-slice image slicer. The visible spectrograph covers the wavelength range from 0.52um to 1.05um with 61 orders, a resolving power of R=94600, and a mean sampling of 2.8 pixels per resolution element. The data presented in this paper were taken during the early phase of operation of the CARMENES visible-light spectrograph. (8 data files).

Compilation of 1985 Annual Reports of the Navy ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) Communications System Ecological Monitoring Program. Volume 3. Tabs H-J.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

Stout, R. J., 1981. How abiotic factors affect the distri- bution of two species of tropical predaceous aquatic bugs. Ecology, 62:1170-1178. 105 Element...pumps were powered by a heavy duty marine battery which had to be exchanged and recharged daily. Two of these streams were constructed so that identical...integrate the habitats used by fish, fish-invertebrate interactions, and abiotic factors. The specific objectives are: 1) To establish a taxonomic base of

Cleanup Verification Package for the 118-F-1 Burial Ground

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

E. J. Farris and H. M. Sulloway

2008-01-10

This cleanup verification package documents completion of remedial action for the 118-F-1 Burial Ground on the Hanford Site. This burial ground is a combination of two locations formerly called Minor Construction Burial Ground No. 2 and Solid Waste Burial Ground No. 2. This waste site received radioactive equipment and other miscellaneous waste from 105-F Reactor operations, including dummy elements and irradiated process tubing; gun barrel tips, steel sleeves, and metal chips removed from the reactor; filter boxes containing reactor graphite chips; and miscellaneous construction solid waste.

ASRC RSS Data

DOE Data Explorer

Kiedron, Peter

2008-01-15

Once every minute between sunrise and sunset the Rotating Shadowband Spectroradiometer (RSS) measures simultaneously three irradiances: total horizontal, diffuse horizontal and direct normal in near ultraviolet, visible and near infrared range (approx. 370nm-1050nm) at 512 (RSS103) or 1024 (RSS102 and RSS105) adjacent spectral resolving elements (pixels). The resolution is pixel (wavelength) dependent and it differs from instrument to instrument. The reported irradiances are cosine response corrected. And their radiometric calibration is based on incandescent lamp calibrators that can be traced to the NIST irradiance scale. The units are W/m2/nm.

Report of the Secretary of Defense Caspar W. Weinberger to the Congress on the FY 1988/FY 1989 Budget and FY 1988-92 Defense Programs, January 12, 1987.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-01

enough to sustain one wartime station overseas as well as satisfy training and maintenance needs. Advanced TacticalAir Reconnaissance System ( ATARS ...The ATARS is an umbrella concept for a series of upgrades in tactical reconnaissance capabilities. Major elements of the program include the Tactical...Funding Funding Funding E-3A Modifkation Development: $ Millions 105.2 96.8 110.7 88.4 Procurement: Quantity - - - - $ Millions .9 33.5 27.7 40.7 ATARS

Antibiotic susceptibility of 259 Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from food, food-processing plants and human samples in Germany.

PubMed

Noll, Matthias; Kleta, Sylvia; Al Dahouk, Sascha

2017-12-26

The objective of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of 259 Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from food and food-processing environments and patient samples in Germany to 14 antibiotics widely used in veterinary and human medicine. L. monocytogenes strains were isolated mainly from milk and milk products and classified according to their molecular serotypes IIa (n=112), IIb (n=41), IIc (n=36), IVa (n=1), IVb (n=66), and IVb-v1 (n=3). Susceptibility tests were performed by using the automated 96-well based microdilution system Micronaut-S. Ampicillin, benzylpenicillin, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, daptomycin, erythromcyin, gentamicin, linezolid, meropenem, rifampicin, tetracycline, tigecycline, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and vancomycin were tested in at least five different concentrations. Among the 259 strains under study, 145 strains revealed multidrug-resistance (resistance to ≥3 antibiotics) and predominantly belonged to serotype IV (59%). Strains were mainly resistant to daptomycin, tigecycline, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, trimethropim/sulfamethoxazole and gentamicin. Antibiotic resistance in general and multidrug-resistance in particular were more prevalent in L. monocytogenes strains isolated in Germany compared to similar reference stocks from other European countries and the USA but similar to stocks from China. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation and resistance exercise significantly reduce abdominal adiposity in healthy elderly men.

PubMed

Stout, Jeffrey R; Fukuda, David H; Kendall, Kristina L; Smith-Ryan, Abbie E; Moon, Jordan R; Hoffman, Jay R

2015-04-01

The effects of 12-weeks of HMB ingestion and resistance training (RT) on abdominal adiposity were examined in 48 men (66-78 yrs). All participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: no-training placebo (NT-PL), HMB only (NT-HMB), RT with PL (RT-PL), or HMB with RT (RT-HMB). DXA was used to estimate abdominal fat mass (AFM) by placing the region of interest over the L1-L4 region of the spine. Outcomes were assessed by ANCOVA, with Bonferroni-corrected pairwise comparisons. Baseline AFM values were used as the covariate. The ANCOVA indicated a significant difference (p = 0.013) between group means for the adjusted posttest AFM values (mean (kg) ± SE: NT-PL = 2.59 ± 0.06; NT-HMB = 2.59 ± 0.61; RT-PL = 2.59 ± 0.62; RT-HMB = 2.34 ± 0.61). The pairwise comparisons indicated that AFM following the intervention period in the RT-HMB group was significantly less than NT-PL (p = 0.013), NT-HMB (p = 0.011), and RT-PL (p = 0.010). These data suggested that HMB in combination with 12 weeks of RT decreased AFM in elderly men. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Using snowball sampling method with nurses to understand medication administration errors.

PubMed

Sheu, Shuh-Jen; Wei, Ien-Lan; Chen, Ching-Huey; Yu, Shu; Tang, Fu-In

2009-02-01

We aimed to encourage nurses to release information about drug administration errors to increase understanding of error-related circumstances and to identify high-alert situations. Drug administration errors represent the majority of medication errors, but errors are underreported. Effective ways are lacking to encourage nurses to actively report errors. Snowball sampling was conducted to recruit participants. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to record types of error, hospital and nurse backgrounds, patient consequences, error discovery mechanisms and reporting rates. Eighty-five nurses participated, reporting 328 administration errors (259 actual, 69 near misses). Most errors occurred in medical surgical wards of teaching hospitals, during day shifts, committed by nurses working fewer than two years. Leading errors were wrong drugs and doses, each accounting for about one-third of total errors. Among 259 actual errors, 83.8% resulted in no adverse effects; among remaining 16.2%, 6.6% had mild consequences and 9.6% had serious consequences (severe reaction, coma, death). Actual errors and near misses were discovered mainly through double-check procedures by colleagues and nurses responsible for errors; reporting rates were 62.5% (162/259) vs. 50.7% (35/69) and only 3.5% (9/259) vs. 0% (0/69) were disclosed to patients and families. High-alert situations included administration of 15% KCl, insulin and Pitocin; using intravenous pumps; and implementation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Snowball sampling proved to be an effective way to encourage nurses to release details concerning medication errors. Using empirical data, we identified high-alert situations. Strategies for reducing drug administration errors by nurses are suggested. Survey results suggest that nurses should double check medication administration in known high-alert situations. Nursing management can use snowball sampling to gather error details from nurses in a non-reprimanding atmosphere, helping to establish standard operational procedures for known high-alert situations.

Copper, zinc, gallium and germanium distributions in taenite lamellae of iron meteorites and their importance for cooling rate estimations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braun-Dullaeus, Karl-Ulrich; Traxel, Kurt

1995-02-01

One method forestimating cooling rates of meteorite parent bodies is to model measured nickel distributions in taenite lamellae of iron meteorites. Goldstein and Ogilvie ( Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta29, 893, 1965) and Rasmussen ( Icarus45, 564, 1981) developed techniques based on this idea to examine the cooling history in the temperature range between ˜700 and ˜400°C. As a result of Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) Rasmussen et al. ( Meteoritics23, 105, 1988) postulated that some trace elements would also be good cooling rate indicators. They argued that elements with distinct diffusion behavior are sensitive to different temperature ranges. The new Heidelberg proton microprobe uses the method of Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) for elemental analysis. This microprobe is an appropriate instrument to measure distributions of trace elements with a spatial resolution of 2 μm. We demonstrated on the iron meteorites Cape York (Agpalilik), Toluca and Odessa that the elements copper, zinc, gallium and germanium imitate the profiles of nickel in taenite lamella. The interpretation of the Zn, Ga and Ge profiles leads to the conclusion that these elements undergo diffusion mechanisms comparable to those of Ni. The numerical simulation of Cu distributions with a simplified model points out that little new information can be obtained about the cooling history of the meteorites by modelling Cu profiles. To simulate Zn, Ga or Ge distributions, the use of ternary phase diagrams is necessary.

Precision Measurement of the Neutron Twist-3 Matrix Element dn2: Probing Color Forces

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

Posik, Matthew; Flay, David; Parno, Diana

2014-07-01

Double-spin asymmetries and absolute cross sections were measured at large Bjorken x (0.25 lte x lte 0.90), in both the deep-inelastic and resonance regions, by scattering longitudinally polarized electrons at beam energies of 4.7 and 5.9 GeV from a transversely and longitudinally polarized 3He target. In this dedicated experiment, the spin structure function g2 on 3He was determined with precision at large x, and the neutron twist-three matrix element dn2 was measured at ?Q2? of 3.21 and 4.32 GeV2/c2, with an absolute precision of about 10?5. Our results are found to be in agreement with lattice QCD calculations and resolvemore » the disagreement found with previous data at ?Q2?= 5 GeV2/c2. Combining dn2 and a newly extracted twist-four matrix element, fn2, the average neutron color electric and magnetic forces were extracted and found to be of opposite sign and about 60 MeV/fm in magnitude.« less

Molecular single-bond covalent radii for elements 1-118.

PubMed

Pyykkö, Pekka; Atsumi, Michiko

2009-01-01

A self-consistent system of additive covalent radii, R(AB)=r(A) + r(B), is set up for the entire periodic table, Groups 1-18, Z=1-118. The primary bond lengths, R, are taken from experimental or theoretical data corresponding to chosen group valencies. All r(E) values are obtained from the same fit. Both E-E, E-H, and E-CH(3) data are incorporated for most elements, E. Many E-E' data inside the same group are included. For the late main groups, the system is close to that of Pauling. For other elements it is close to the methyl-based one of Suresh and Koga [J. Phys. Chem. A 2001, 105, 5940] and its predecessors. For the diatomic alkalis MM' and halides XX', separate fits give a very high accuracy. These primary data are then absorbed with the rest. The most notable exclusion are the transition-metal halides and chalcogenides which are regarded as partial multiple bonds. Other anomalies include H(2) and F(2). The standard deviation for the 410 included data points is 2.8 pm.

Molecular characterization, genomic distribution and evolutionary dynamics of Short INterspersed Elements in the termite genome.

PubMed

Luchetti, Andrea; Mantovani, Barbara

2011-02-01

Short INterspersed Elements (SINEs) in invertebrates, and especially in animal inbred genomes such that of termites, are poorly known; in this paper we characterize three new SINE families (Talub, Taluc and Talud) through the analyses of 341 sequences, either isolated from the Reticulitermes lucifugus genome or drawn from EST Genbank collection. We further add new data to the only isopteran element known so far, Talua. These SINEs are tRNA-derived elements, with an average length ranging from 258 to 372 bp. The tails are made up by poly(A) or microsatellite motifs. Their copy number varies from 7.9 × 10(3) to 10(5) copies, well within the range observed for other metazoan genomes. Species distribution, age and target site duplication analysis indicate Talud as the oldest, possibly inactive SINE originated before the onset of Isoptera (~150 Myr ago). Taluc underwent to substantial sequence changes throughout the evolution of termites and data suggest it was silenced and then re-activated in the R. lucifugus lineage. Moreover, Taluc shares a conserved sequence block with other unrelated SINEs, as observed for some vertebrate and cephalopod elements. The study of genomic environment showed that insertions are mainly surrounded by microsatellites and other SINEs, indicating a biased accumulation within non-coding regions. The evolutionary dynamics of Talu~ elements is explained through selective mechanisms acting in an inbred genome; in this respect, the study of termites' SINEs activity may provide an interesting framework to address the (co)evolution of mobile elements and the host genome.

Simultaneous Evaporation of Cu and Sn from Liquid Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Sung-Hoon; Kang, Youn-Bae

2016-08-01

In order to understand evaporation refining of tramp elements in molten ferrous scrap, Cu and Sn, a series of experiments were carried out using liquid-gas reaction in a levitation melting equipment. Effect of S and C, which are abundant in hot metal from ironmaking process, was examined and analyzed by employing a comprehensive evaporation kinetic model developed by the present authors (Jung et al. in Metall Mater Trans B 46B:250-258, 2014; Jung et al. in Metall Mater Trans B 46B:259-266, 2014; Jung et al. in Metall Mater Trans B 46B:267-277, 2014; Jung and Kang in Metall Mater Trans B 10.1007/s11663-016-0601-5, 2016). Evaporation of Cu and Sn were treated by evaporation of individual species such as Cu(g), CuS(g), Sn(g), and SnS(g), along with CS2(g). Decrease of Cu and Sn content in liquid steel was in good agreement with the model prediction. Optimum conditions of steel composition for the rapid evaporation of Cu and Sn were proposed by utilizing the model predictions.

Characteristics of effective family medicine faculty development programs.

PubMed

Bland, C J; Stritter, F T

1988-01-01

Five federally funded family medicine faculty development programs were site visited from December 1985 to June 1986 to collect from experienced project directors, staff, and faculty their thoughts on training practices and future funding. The sites selected were the Faculty Development Center of Texas in Waco (McLennan County Medical Education and Research Foundation), the National Center for Faculty Development at the University of Miami, and programs at Michigan State University, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and Duke University. Since the late 1970s these programs have trained 259 fellows and 3,284 other participants. In total, $7,515,350 in federal dollars were spent. A variety of program formats and strategies were used to recruit faculty, and to prepare them in teaching, research, and other skill areas. Interviews (as well as phone conversations and letters) with key personnel at each site resulted in a summary of 30 critical elements identified for effective faculty development. Additionally, respondents made 11 specific recommendations to the Federal Faculty Development Grant Program that concern funding and future programs.

Isospin mixing reveals 30P(p, γ) 31S resonance influencing nova nucleosynthesis

DOE PAGES

Bennett, M. B.; Wrede, C.; Brown, B. A.; ...

2016-03-08

Here, the thermonuclear 30P(p, γ) 31S reaction rate is critical for modeling the final elemental and isotopic abundances of ONe nova nucleosynthesis, which affect the calibration of proposed nova thermometers and the identification of presolar nova grains, respectively. Unfortunately, the rate of this reaction is essentially unconstrained experimentally, because the strengths of key 31S proton capture resonance states are not known, largely due to uncertainties in their spins and parities. Using the β decay of 31Cl, we have observed the β-delayed γ decay of a 31S state at E x = 6390.2(7) keV, with a 30P(p, γ) 31S resonance energymore » of E r = 259.3(8) keV, in the middle of the 30P(p, γ) 31S Gamow window for peak nova temperatures. This state exhibits isospin mixing with the nearby isobaric analog state at E x = 6279.0(6) keV, giving it an unambiguous spin and parity of 3/2 + and making it an important l = 0 resonance for proton capture on 30P.« less

European Union Framework Programme 7 Building the Europe of Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akkaş, Nuri

In March 2000, the Lisbon European Council set the goal of becoming by 2010 "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion". This was called the Lisbon Strategy. The project of creating a European Research Area (ERA) was endorsed as a central element of the Lisbon Strategy to achieve this goal. However, EU still invests too little in R & D. In 2003, top 500 private R & D spenders in EU decreased their R & D investment by 2.0%. Top 500 private R & D spenders outside EU increased their R & D investment by 3.9%. Overall R &D investments are as follows: EU: 1.96%; US: 2.59%; S. Korea: 2.91%; Japan: 3.12%. ERA is implemented through so-called Framework Programmes (FP). FP7 is proposed on the basis of a doubling of funds and the duration is 7 years (2007-13). FP7 will fund R& D projects of immediate industrial relevance & needs of industry. Projects will include both public research institutions and private companies (PPP).

Elemental characterization of Mt. Sinabung volcanic ash, Indonesia by Neutron Activation Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusmartini, I.; Syahfitri, W. Y. N.; Kurniawati, S.; Lestiani, D. D.; Santoso, M.

2017-06-01

Mount Sinabung is a volcano located in North Sumatera, Indonesia which has been recorded not erupted since 1600. However in 2013 it has been erupted and cause of black thick smog, rain sand and volcanic ash. Volcanic ash containing trace elements material that can be utilized in various applications but still has potential danger of heavy metals. In order to obtain an elemental composition data of volcanic ash, the characterization of volcanic ash were carried out using Neutron Activation Analysis. The volcanic ash was taken from Mt. Sinabung eruption. Samples were irradiated at the rabbit system in the reactor G.A Siwabessy facilities with neutron flux ˜ 1013 n.cm-2.s-1 and then counted using HPGe detector. Method validation was carried out by SRM NIST Coal Fly Ash 1633b and NIST 2711a Montana II Soil with recovery values were in the range of 96-108% and 95-106% respectively. The results showed that major elements; Al, Na, Ca and Fe, concentrations were 8.7, 1.05, 2.98 and 7.44 %, respectively, minor elements K, Mg, Mn, Ti, V and Zn were 0.87%, 0.78%, 0.18%, 0.62%, 197.13 ppm and 109.35 ppm, respectively, heavy metals; As, Cr, Co and Sb, contents were 4.48, 11.75, 17.13 and 0.35 ppm, respectively while rare earth elements such as Ce, Eu, La, Nd, Sm, Yb were 45.33, 1.22, 19.63, 20.34, 3.86, and 2.57 ppm respectively. The results of the elemental contents of volcanic ash that has been obtained can be used as the scientific based data for volcanic material utilization by considering the economic potential of elements contained and also the danger of the heavy metals content.

Qualitative and Quantitative Content Determination of Macro-Minor Elements in Bryonia Alba L. Roots using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Technique

PubMed Central

Karpiuk, Uliana Vladimirovna; Al Azzam, Khaldun Mohammad; Abudayeh, Zead Helmi Mahmoud; Kislichenko, Viktoria; Naddaf, Ahmad; Cholak, Irina; Yemelianova, Oksana

2016-01-01

Purpose: To determine the elements in Bryonia alba L. roots, collected from the Crimean Peninsula region in Ukraine. Methods: Dry ashing was used as a flexible method and all elements were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) equipped with flame and graphite furnace. Results: The average concentrations of the determined elements, expressed as mg/100 g dry weight of the sample, were as follow: 13.000 for Fe, 78.000 for Si, 88.000 for P, 7.800 for Al, 0.130 for Mn, 105.000 for Mg, 0.030 for Pb, 0.052 for Ni, 0.030 for Mo, 210.000 for Ca, 0.130 for Cu, 5.200 for Zn, 13.000 for Na, 1170.000 for K, 0.780 for Sr, 0.030 for Co, 0.010 for Cd, 0.010 for As, and 0.010 for Hg. Toxic elements such as Cd and Pb were also found but at very low concentration. Among the analyzed elements, K was the most abundant followed by Ca, Mg, P, Si, Fe, Na, and Zn, whereas Hg, As, Cd, Co, Mo, and Pb were found in low concentration. Conclusion: The results suggest that the roots of Bryonia alba L. plant has potential medicinal property through their high element contents present. Moreover, it showed that the AAS method is a simple, fast, and reliable for the determination of elements in plant materials. The obtained results of the current study provide justification for the usage of such fruit in daily diet for nutrition and for medicinal usage in the treatment of various diseases. PMID:27478794

[Molecular marker mapping of the gene resistant to common bunt transferred from Aegilops cylindrica into bread wheat].

PubMed

Galaev, A V; Babaiants, L T; Sivolap, Iu M

2006-01-01

Introgression lines 5/55-91 and 378/2000 of bread wheat contain the gene of resistance to Tilletia caries (DC.) Tul. transferred from Aegilops cylindrica Host. Using bulked segregant analysis with ISSR and SSR PCR the lincage of microsatellite locus Xgwm 259 with the gene of common bunt resistance has been identified in F2 population of 378/2000 x Lutestens 23397. DNA mapping made it possible to localize this highly effective gene in the intercalary region of the long arm of wheat chromosome 1B at the distance of 7.6-8.5 cM of the microsatellite Xgwm 259 locus which thus can be used in wheat breeding for selection of genotype resistance to common bunt.

SOLVENT HOLD TANK SAMPLE RESULTS FOR MCU-14-259/260/261 AND MCU-14-315/316/317: APRIL AND MAY 2014 MONTHLY SAMPLES

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

Fondeur, F.; Taylor-Pashow, K.

2014-08-05

SRNL received two sets of SHT samples (MCU-14-259/260/261 in April 2014 and MCU-14- 315/316/317 in May 2014) for analysis. The samples were analyzed for composition. Both samples have similar chemical composition. As with the previous solvent sample results, these analyses indicate that the solvent does not require Isopar® L trimming at this time. Since an addition of TiDG and MaxCalix to the SHT was added in early July 2014, the solvent does not require TiDG addition at this time. The current TiDG level (1.5 mM) is above the minimum recommended operating level of 1 mM.

TandemPET-A High Resolution, Small Animal, Virtual Pinhole-Based PET Scanner: Initial Design Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raylman, Raymond R.; Stolin, Alexander V.; Martone, Peter F.; Smith, Mark F.

2016-02-01

Mice are the perhaps the most common species of rodents used in biomedical research, but many of the current generation of small animal PET scanners are non-optimal for imaging these small rodents due to their relatively low resolution. Consequently, a number of researchers have investigated the development of high-resolution scanners to address this need. In this investigation, the design of a novel, high-resolution system based on the dual-detector, virtual-pinhole PET concept was explored via Monte Carlo simulations. Specifically, this system, called TandemPET, consists of a 5 cm × 5 cm high-resolution detector made-up of a 90 × 90 array of 0.5 mm × 0.5 × 10 mm (pitch = 0.55 mm) LYSO detector elements in coincidence with a lower resolution detector consisting of a 68 × 68 array of 1.5 mm × 1.5 mm × 10 mm LYSO detector elements (total size = 10.5 cm × 10.5 cm). Analyses indicated that TandemPET's optimal geometry is to position the high-resolution detector 3 cm from the center-of-rotation, with the lower resolution detector positioned 9 cm from center. Measurements using modified NEMA NU4-2008-based protocols revealed that the spatial resolution of the system is 0.5 mm FWHM, after correction of positron range effects. Peak sensitivity is 2.1%, which is comparable to current small animal PET scanners. Images from a digital mouse brain phantom demonstrated the potential of the system for identifying important neurological structures.

Sodium aluminum-iron phosphate glass-ceramics for immobilization of lanthanide oxide wastes from pyrochemical reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanovsky, S. V.; Stefanovsky, O. I.; Kadyko, M. I.; Nikonov, B. S.

2018-03-01

Sodium aluminum (iron) phosphate glass ceramics containing of up to 20 wt.% rare earth (RE) oxides simulating pyroprocessing waste were produced by melting at 1250 °C followed by either quenching or slow cooling to room temperature. The iron-free glass-ceramics were composed of major glass and minor phosphotridymite and monazite. The iron-bearing glass-ceramics were composed of major glass and minor monazite and Na-Al-Fe orthophosphate at low waste loadings (5-10 wt.%) and major orthophosphate and minor monazite as well as interstitial glass at high waste loadings (15-20 wt.%). Slowly cooled samples contained higher amount of crystalline phases than quenched ones. Monazite is major phase for REs. Leach rates from the materials of major elements (Na, Al, Fe, P) are 10-5-10-7 g cm-2 d-1, RE elements - lower than 10-5 g cm-2 d-1.

Bottom-Water Conditions in a Marine Basin after the Cretaceous–Paleogene Impact Event: Timing the Recovery of Oxygen Levels and Productivity

PubMed Central

Sosa-Montes De Oca, Claudia; Martínez-Ruiz, Francisca; Rodríguez-Tovar, Francisco Javier

2013-01-01

An ultra-high-resolution analysis of major and trace element contents from the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary interval in the Caravaca section, southeast Spain, reveals a quick recovery of depositional conditions after the impact event. Enrichment/depletion profiles of redox sensitive elements indicate significant geochemical anomalies just within the boundary ejecta layer, supporting an instantaneous recovery –some 102 years– of pre-impact conditions in terms of oxygenation. Geochemical redox proxies point to oxygen levels comparable to those at the end of the Cretaceous shortly after impact, which is further evidenced by the contemporary macrobenthic colonization of opportunistic tracemakers. Recovery of the oxygen conditions was therefore several orders shorter than traditional proposals (104–105 years), suggesting a probable rapid recovery of deep-sea ecosystems at bottom and in intermediate waters. PMID:24349232

Experiment evaluation of speckle suppression efficiency of 2D quasi-spiral M-sequence-based diffractive optical element.

PubMed

Lapchuk, A; Pashkevich, G A; Prygun, O V; Yurlov, V; Borodin, Y; Kryuchyn, A; Korchovyi, A A; Shylo, S

2015-10-01

The quasi-spiral 2D diffractive optical element (DOE) based on M-sequence of length N=15 is designed and manufactured. The speckle suppression efficiency by the DOE rotation is measured. The speckle suppression coefficients of 10.5, 6, and 4 are obtained for green, violet, and red laser beams, respectively. The results of numerical simulation and experimental data show that the quasi-spiral binary DOE structure can be as effective in speckle reduction as a periodic 2D DOE structure. The numerical simulation and experimental results show that the speckle suppression efficiency of the 2D DOE structure decreases approximately twice at the boundaries of the visible range. It is shown that a replacement of this structure with the bilateral 1D DOE allows obtaining the maximum speckle suppression efficiency in the entire visible range of light.

Molecular characterization of Ambler class A to D β-lactamases, ISAba1, and integrons reveals multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp. isolates in northeastern China.

PubMed

Sun, Xiaoyu; Liu, Bin; Chen, Yan; Huang, Honglan; Wang, Guoqing; Li, Fan; Ni, Zhaohui

2016-12-01

The prevalence of various Ambler class A to D β-lactamases, ISAba1, and class 1 and 2 integrons as well as the clonal relatedness in 105 Acinetobacter spp. isolates found in northeastern China was investigated. All 105 Acinetobacter spp. isolates were determined to be multidrug resistant (MDR), and the resistance rates to carbapenem agents were approximately 50%. PER, IMP, AmpC, and OXA-23 were found to be dominant β-lactamases belonging to different classes, respectively. This is the first report of the coexistence of bla PER , bla IMP , bla AmpC , and bla OXA-23-like genes in Acinetobacter spp. isolates from northeastern China. ISAba1 was found upstream of the bla OXA-23-like gene in 87.8% (36/41) strains and upstream of the bla OXA-51-like gene in 26.5% (13/49) strains. ISAba3-like element was found upstream of the bla OXA-58-like gene in one bla OXA-58-like -positive strain. The presence of IntI1 was detected in 63.8% (67/105) of the isolates and the most prevalent gene cassettes were aacA4, aadA1, and catB8. The highly prevalent isolates belong to international clonal lineage (ICL)-II. These results indicate that the wide horizontal and clonal spread of MDR Acinetobacter spp. isolates harbouring multiple β-lactamase genes has become a serious problem in northeastern China.

Wide-aperture TeO₂ AOTF at low temperatures: operation and survival.

PubMed

Mantsevich, S N; Korablev, O I; Kalinnikov, Yu K; Ivanov, A Yu; Kiselev, A V

2015-05-01

The effect of temperature on the performance in a wide-angle paratellurite acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) is analyzed on the example of two different AOTF configurations. The present study is a by-product of the AOTF characterization for space-borne applications. The two AOTFs serve as dispersion elements in spectrometers for Moon and Mars space missions. The operation of the AO filters was tested in the range of -50° to+40°C; we have also demonstrated the survival of an AOTF device at -130°C. The phase matching ultrasound frequency varies with temperature within 2.5×10(-5) K(-1) and 6.6×10(-5) K(-1). We link this temperature shift to elastic characteristics of the TeO2, and demonstrate that it is mostly explained by the temperature modification of the slow acoustic wave velocity. We point out the best reference describing experimental results (Silvestrova et al., 1987). A generalization is made for all wide-angle acousto-optic tunable filters based on tellurium dioxide crystal. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of filtration on rolling-element-bearing life in contaminated lubricant environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loewenthal, S. H.; Moyer, D. W.; Sherlock, J. J.

1978-01-01

Fatigue tests were conducted on groups of 65 millimeter-bore ball bearings under four levels of filtration with and without a contaminated MIL-L-23699 lubricant. The baseline series used noncontaminated oil with 49 micron absolute filtration. In the remaining tests contaminants of the composition found in aircraft engine filters were injected into the filter's supply line at a constant rate of 125 milligrams per bearing-hour. The test filters had absolute particle removal ratings of 3, 30, 49, and 105 microns (0.45, 10, 30, and 70 microns nominal), respectively. Bearings were tested at 15,000 rpm under 4580 newtons radial load. Bearing life and running tract condition generally improved with finer filtration. The 3 and 30 micron filter bearings in a contaminated lubricant had statistically equivalent lives, approaching those from the baseline tests. The experimental lives of 49 micron bearings were approximately half the baseline bearing's lives. Bearings tested with the 105 micron filter experienced wear failures. The degree of surface distress, weight loss, and probable failure mode were found to be dependent on filtration level, with finer filtration being clearly beneficial.

Uncertainty of High Intensity Therapeutic Ultrasound (HITU) Field Characterization with Hydrophones: Effects of Nonlinearity, Spatial Averaging, and Complex Sensitivity

PubMed Central

Liu, Yunbo; Wear, Keith A.; Harris, Gerald R.

2017-01-01

Reliable acoustic characterization is fundamental for patient safety and clinical efficacy during high intensity therapeutic ultrasound (HITU) treatment. Technical challenges, such as measurement uncertainty and signal analysis still exist for HITU exposimetry using ultrasound hydrophones. In this work, four hydrophones were compared for pressure measurement: a robust needle hydrophone, a small PVDF capsule hydrophone and two different fiber-optic hydrophones. The focal waveform and beam distribution of a single element HITU transducer (1.05 MHz and 3.3 MHz) were evaluated. Complex deconvolution between the hydrophone voltage signal and frequency-dependent complex sensitivity was performed to obtain pressure waveform. Compressional pressure, rarefactional pressure, and focal beam distribution were compared up to 10.6/−6.0 MPa (p+ and p−) (1.05 MHz) and 20.65/−7.20 MPa (3.3 MHz). In particular, the effects of spatial averaging, local nonlinear distortion, complex deconvolution and hydrophone damage thresholds were investigated. This study showed an uncertainty of no better than 10–15% on hydrophone-based HITU pressure characterization. PMID:28735734

Screening the phytoremediation potential of desert broom (Baccharis sarothroides Gray) growing on mine tailings in Arizona, USA

PubMed Central

Haque, Nazmul; Peralta-Videa, Jose R.; Jones, Gary L.; Gill, Thomas E.; Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L.

2008-01-01

The metal concentrations in a copper mine tailings and Desert broom (Baccharis sarothroides Gray) plants were investigated. The metal concentrations in plants, soil cover, and tailings were determined using ICP-OES. The concentration of copper, lead, molybdenum, chromium, zinc, arsenic, nickel, and cobalt in tailings was 526.4, 207.4, 89.1, 84.5, 51.7, 49.6, 39.7, and 35.6 mg kg−1, respectively. The concentration of all elements in soil cover was 10~15% higher than that of the tailings, except for molybdenum. The concentration of copper, lead, molybdenum, chromium, zinc, arsenic, nickel, and cobalt in roots was 818.3, 151.9, 73.9, 57.1, 40.1, 44.6, 96.8, and 26.7 mg kg−1 and 1214.1, 107.3, 105.8, 105.5, 55.2, 36.9, 30.9, and 10.9 mg kg−1 for shoots, respectively. Considering the translocation factor, enrichment coefficient, and the accumulation factor, desert broom could be a potential hyperaccumulator of Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn, As, and Ni. PMID:17964035

Analysis of the lightning-attractive radius for wind turbines considering the developing process of positive attachment leader

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Ning; Zhang, Qilin; Hou, Wenhao; Wen, Ying

2017-03-01

In this paper, we have presented the upward leader propagation model, considering the transition of stream leader process by the finite element method and analyzing the inception and subsequent physical processes of upward leader and the attractive radius for large wind turbines. For validating our model, the comparison of simulated results with the optically high-speed video observation shows that the model can predict an accepted result of upward leader from a 163 m tall tower, the simulated upward leader velocity and length before final jump are 2.3 × 105 m/s and 187.67 m presented by Warner (2010), which are very similar to the observed results of 2.8 × 105 m/s and 184 m, respectively. At the same time, we find that the assumed constant speed ratio of downward/upward leader is improper and cannot accurately predict the attractive radius by lightning strike. Also, the simulated results are compared with the widely used EGM (electro geometric model), and it is found that the EGM has an obvious underestimation of attractive radius more than 50%.

Variation of High-Intensity Therapeutic Ultrasound (HITU) Pressure Field Characterization: Effects of Hydrophone Choice, Nonlinearity, Spatial Averaging and Complex Deconvolution.

PubMed

Liu, Yunbo; Wear, Keith A; Harris, Gerald R

2017-10-01

Reliable acoustic characterization is fundamental for patient safety and clinical efficacy during high-intensity therapeutic ultrasound (HITU) treatment. Technical challenges, such as measurement variation and signal analysis, still exist for HITU exposimetry using ultrasound hydrophones. In this work, four hydrophones were compared for pressure measurement: a robust needle hydrophone, a small polyvinylidene fluoride capsule hydrophone and two fiberoptic hydrophones. The focal waveform and beam distribution of a single-element HITU transducer (1.05 MHz and 3.3 MHz) were evaluated. Complex deconvolution between the hydrophone voltage signal and frequency-dependent complex sensitivity was performed to obtain pressure waveforms. Compressional pressure (p + ), rarefactional pressure (p - ) and focal beam distribution were compared up to 10.6/-6.0 MPa (p + /p - ) (1.05 MHz) and 20.65/-7.20 MPa (3.3 MHz). The effects of spatial averaging, local non-linear distortion, complex deconvolution and hydrophone damage thresholds were investigated. This study showed a variation of no better than 10%-15% among hydrophones during HITU pressure characterization. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Non-Redfield, nutrient synergy and flexible internal elemental stoichiometry in a marine bacterium

PubMed Central

Trautwein, Kathleen; Feenders, Christoph; Hulsch, Reiner; Ruppersberg, Hanna S.; Strijkstra, Annemieke; Kant, Mirjam; Vagts, Jannes; Wünsch, Daniel; Michalke, Bernhard; Maczka, Michael; Schulz, Stefan; Hillebrand, Helmut; Blasius, Bernd

2017-01-01

Abstract The stoichiometric constraints of algal growth are well understood, whereas there is less knowledge for heterotrophic bacterioplankton. Growth of the marine bacterium Phaeobacter inhibens DSM 17395, belonging to the globally distributed Roseobacter group, was studied across a wide concentration range of NH4+ and PO43−. The unique dataset covers 415 different concentration pairs, corresponding to 207 different molar N:P ratios (from 10−2 to 105). Maximal growth (by growth rate and biomass yield) was observed within a restricted concentration range at N:P ratios (∼50−120) markedly above Redfield. Experimentally determined growth parameters deviated to a large part from model predictions based on Liebig's law of the minimum, thus implicating synergistic co-limitation due to biochemical dependence of resources. Internal elemental ratios of P. inhibens varied with external nutrient supply within physiological constraints, thus adding to the growing evidence that aquatic bacteria can be flexible in their internal elemental composition. Taken together, the findings reported here revealed that P. inhibens is well adapted to fluctuating availability of inorganic N and P, expected to occur in its natural habitat (e.g. colonized algae, coastal areas). Moreover, this study suggests that elemental variability in bacterioplankton needs to be considered in the ecological stoichiometry of the oceans. PMID:28486660

Non-Redfield, nutrient synergy and flexible internal elemental stoichiometry in a marine bacterium.

PubMed

Trautwein, Kathleen; Feenders, Christoph; Hulsch, Reiner; Ruppersberg, Hanna S; Strijkstra, Annemieke; Kant, Mirjam; Vagts, Jannes; Wünsch, Daniel; Michalke, Bernhard; Maczka, Michael; Schulz, Stefan; Hillebrand, Helmut; Blasius, Bernd; Rabus, Ralf

2017-05-01

The stoichiometric constraints of algal growth are well understood, whereas there is less knowledge for heterotrophic bacterioplankton. Growth of the marine bacterium Phaeobacter inhibens DSM 17395, belonging to the globally distributed Roseobacter group, was studied across a wide concentration range of NH4+ and PO43-. The unique dataset covers 415 different concentration pairs, corresponding to 207 different molar N:P ratios (from 10-2 to 105). Maximal growth (by growth rate and biomass yield) was observed within a restricted concentration range at N:P ratios (∼50-120) markedly above Redfield. Experimentally determined growth parameters deviated to a large part from model predictions based on Liebig's law of the minimum, thus implicating synergistic co-limitation due to biochemical dependence of resources. Internal elemental ratios of P. inhibens varied with external nutrient supply within physiological constraints, thus adding to the growing evidence that aquatic bacteria can be flexible in their internal elemental composition. Taken together, the findings reported here revealed that P. inhibens is well adapted to fluctuating availability of inorganic N and P, expected to occur in its natural habitat (e.g. colonized algae, coastal areas). Moreover, this study suggests that elemental variability in bacterioplankton needs to be considered in the ecological stoichiometry of the oceans. © FEMS 2017.

Dielectric perturbations and Rayleigh scattering from an optical fiber near a superconducting resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voigt, Kristen; Hertzberg, Jared; Dutta, Sudeep; Budoyo, Rangga; Ballard, Cody; Lobb, Chris; Wellstood, Frederick

As part of an experiment to optically trap 87Rb atoms near a superconducting device, we have coupled an optical fiber to a translatable thin-film lumped-element superconducting Al microwave resonator that is cooled to 15 mK in a dilution refrigerator. The lumped-element resonator has a resonance frequency of 6.15 GHz, a quality factor of 8 x 105 at high powers, and is mounted inside a superconducting aluminum 3D cavity. The 60-µm-diameter optical fiber passes through small openings in the cavity and close to the lumped-element resonator. The 3D cavity is mounted on an x-z Attocube-translation stage that allows the lumped-element resonator and optical fiber to be moved relative to each other. When the resonator is brought near to the fiber, we observe a shift in resonance frequency, of up to 8 MHz, due to the presence of the fiber dielectric. When optical power is sent through the fiber, Rayleigh scattering in the fiber causes a position-dependent weak illumination of the thin-film resonator affecting its resonance frequency and Q. We model the optical response of the resonator by taking into account optical production, recombination, and diffusion of quasiparticles as well as the non-uniform position-dependent illumination of the resonator.

SOME CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS ON COWS FOLLOWING THE ADMINISTRATION OF RADIUM$sup 224$ AND CALCIUM$sup 4$$sup 5$

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

Sansom, B.F.; Garner, R.J.; West, L.C.

1964-01-01

In experiments designed to investigate the relative behavior of the alkaline earth elements in bovine metabolism, two pairs of lactating Ayrshire X Redpoll cows received doses of /sup 224/Ra and /sup 45/Ca. One pair (W258 and W259) received 24 mc /sup 224/Ra + 2 mc /sup 45/Ca administered intravenously, and the others (U45 and U402) received 2 mc /sup 224/Ra + /sup 45/Ca intravenously followed after 77 days by 5 mc /sup 224/Ra + 5 mc /sup 45/Ca orally. Four days after the oral dose, W258 and W259 were both off their feed and badly constipated, and their milk yieldmore » was down. They remained ill for 2 days but then showed steady improvement until, a week after the first symptoms, they were eating well and their milk yield was improving. Similar symptoms, but without constipation, were observed after the intravenous dose to these cows. Cows U45 and U402 showed no clinical symptoms after either the irtravenous or oral dose. In W258 and W259 the white cell counts made 4 days after oral dosing were within the normal range but on the 7th and 11th days there was a moderate leukopenia in both cows with minimum white cel1 counts of 2.82 and 1.56 x 10/sup 3//mm/sup 3/. The differential counts showed this to be due mainly to a fall in the number of neutrophils. By the 18th day the neutrophils had recovered to their normal proportion of about 30%, and only a slight leukopenia was apparent. Seven days after the intravenous dose, a moderate leukopenia was seen in both cows, with white cell counts of 2.2 x 10/sup 3/ and 1.8 x 10/sup 3//mm/sup 3/, mainly to neutropenia. In this instance recovery was slower, and the values were still very abnormal 14 days after the injection. Both doses also caused slight but progressive thrombocytopenia and anemia. No abnormalities in the blood picture of U45 and U402 were observed at any time after the irtravenous or oral doses. Although in man the most sensitive indication of radiation damage is a fall in the numbers of lymphocytes and platelets, the clearest reaction in cows to the feeding or injection of /sup 224/Ra and /sup 45/Ca was a transient neutropenia. Radiation doses were estimated, and it was shown that the threshold dose to produce changes in the blood picture of cows of sufficient magnitude to be recognized during routine hematological examination lies between 35 and 60 rem. For most mammalian species the threshold dose for significant effects on the hematopoietic system is approximates 100 r of gamma radiation. In a large animal this air dose would be roughly equivalent to an absorbed dose of 50 rem. (BBB)« less

Oregano (Lippia graveolens) essential oil added within pectin edible coatings prevents fungal decay and increases the antioxidant capacity of treated tomatoes.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Garcia, Isela; Cruz-Valenzuela, M Reynaldo; Silva-Espinoza, Brenda A; Gonzalez-Aguilar, Gustavo A; Moctezuma, Edgar; Gutierrez-Pacheco, M Melissa; Tapia-Rodriguez, Melvin R; Ortega-Ramirez, Luis A; Ayala-Zavala, J Fernando

2016-08-01

Tomato is a fruit widely consumed due to its flavor and nutritional value; however, it is susceptible to fungi contamination. Oregano essential oil (OEO) is a fungicide whose constituents are volatile; therefore, their incorporation within edible coatings can protect them and maintain their efficacy. In this context, this study evaluated the effect of OEO applied within pectin coatings on the inhibition of Alternaria alternata growth, antioxidant content and sensorial acceptability of tomatoes. The major volatile compounds of OEO were carvacrol (47.41%), p-cymene (26.44%) and thymol (3.02%). All the applied OEO concentrations (15.7, 25.9 and 36.1 g L(-1) ) inhibited the in vitro growth of A. alternata, whereas the in vivo effective concentrations were 25.9 and 36.1 g L(-1) . Additionally, there was an increment of total phenols and antioxidant activity in coated tomatoes compared to controls. Aroma acceptability of tomatoes was not affected by the pectin-OEO coating; additionally, the pectin, pectin-OEO 15.7 g L(-1) treatments and control tomatoes showed higher flavor acceptability than those coated with pectin-OEO 25.9 and 36.1 g L(-1) . Pectin-OEO coatings showed antifungal effect and increased the antioxidant activity without negative effects on the sensorial acceptability of tomatoes. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Factors Influencing Residency Program Selection by Medical Students Pursuing Obstetrics and Gynecology.

PubMed

Alston, Meredith J; Metz, Torri D; Fothergill, Russell; Meg Autry, Amy; Wagner, Sarah A; Allshouse, Amanda A; Stephenson-Famy, Alyssa

2017-02-01

Little is known about the factors that influence medical student selection of obstetrics and gynecology (ob-gyn) residency programs. We assessed the factors influencing residency program selection by fourth-year medical students pursuing ob-gyn training. A voluntary, anonymous, 19-question survey of residency selection factors was distributed to all fourth-year medical students interviewing at 1 of 5 academic ob-gyn departments for a residency position during the 2013-2014 interview season. Participants were surveyed about the relative importance (not important, somewhat important, important) of various residency selection factors, including operative experience, exposure to subspecialties, curricular experience, access to fellowships, and administrative aspects of residency, including adherence to duty hour restrictions. Of 322 potential respondents, 262 (81%) completed the survey. Surgical training and training in laparoscopic surgery were deemed "important" by nearly all respondents (98%, 258 of 262, and 97%, 253 of 262, respectively). Factors that were considered "not important" by a significant group of respondents included maternity/paternity leave policies (22%, 58 of 259); opportunity for international rotations/electives (20%, 51 of 259); exposure to quality and safety initiatives (13%, 34 of 259); and training in abortion (13%, 34 of 262). Fourth-year medical students identified surgical training as the most important factor in selecting an ob-gyn residency, a finding that is particularly relevant as decreasing and changing surgical volumes affect residency training in this specialty.

Light element production in the big bang and the synthesis of heavy elements in 3D MHD jets from core-collapse supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winteler, Christian

2014-02-01

In this dissertation we present the main features of a new nuclear reaction network evolution code. This new code allows nucleosynthesis calculations for large numbers of nuclides. The main results in this dissertation are all obtained using this new code. The strength of standard big bang nucleosynthesis is, that all primordial abundances are determined by only one free parameter, the baryon-to-photon ratio η. We perform self consistent nucleosynthesis calculations for the latest WMAP value η = (6.16±0.15)×10^-10 . We predict primordial light element abundances: D/H = (2.84 ± 0.23)×10^-5, 3He/H = (1.07 ± 0.09)×10^-5, Yp = 0.2490±0.0005 and 7Li/H = (4.57 ± 0.55)×10^-10, in agreement with current observations and other predictions. We investigate the influence of the main production rate on the 6 Li abundance, but find no significant increase of the predicted value, which is known to be orders of magnitude lower than the observed. The r-process is responsible for the formation of about half of the elements heavier than iron in our solar system. This neutron capture process requires explosive environments with large neutron densities. The exact astrophysical site where the r-process occurs has not yet been identified. We explore jets from magnetorotational core collapse supernovae (MHD jets) as possible r-process site. In a parametric study, assuming adiabatic expansion, we find good agreement with solar system abundances for a superposition of components with different electron fraction (Ye ), ranging from Ye = 0.1 to Ye = 0.3. Fission is found to be important only for Ye ≤ 0.17. The first postprocessing calculations with data from 3D MHD core collapse supernova simulations are performed for two different simulations. Calculations are based on two different methods to extract data from the simulation: tracer particles and a two dimensional, mass weighted histogram. Both results yield almost identical results. We find that both simulations can reproduce the global solar r-process abundance pattern. The ejected mass is found to be in agreement with galactic chemical evolution for a rare event rate of one MHD jet every hundredth to thousandth supernova.

Sabers, Lances, B-17s and F-105s: An Essay on the Human Element, Napoleonic Warfare, and Air Combat.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-01

AD~~AB8 SERS LAKCES 9-175 S F-1SSS: AN ESSAY ON TNE HUMAN 1/1 COMMANDAND STAFF COLL MAXWELL AFD AL. M K WELLS APR *? UNCLASSIFIED ACSC-B go69 F/0 15...available to any writer on this subject. This document is the property of the United States Government. It is available for distribution to the general...Air Command and Staff College." -- All reproduced copies must contain the name( s ) of the report’s author( s ). -- If format modification is necessary to

24 CFR 203.259 - Method of payment of MIP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... URBAN DEVELOPMENT MORTGAGE AND LOAN INSURANCE PROGRAMS UNDER NATIONAL HOUSING ACT AND OTHER AUTHORITIES SINGLE FAMILY MORTGAGE INSURANCE Contract Rights and Obligations Mortgage Insurance Premiums-in General...

24 CFR 203.259 - Method of payment of MIP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... URBAN DEVELOPMENT MORTGAGE AND LOAN INSURANCE PROGRAMS UNDER NATIONAL HOUSING ACT AND OTHER AUTHORITIES SINGLE FAMILY MORTGAGE INSURANCE Contract Rights and Obligations Mortgage Insurance Premiums-in General...

Optimizing finite element predictions of local subchondral bone structural stiffness using neural network-derived density-modulus relationships for proximal tibial subchondral cortical and trabecular bone.

PubMed

Nazemi, S Majid; Amini, Morteza; Kontulainen, Saija A; Milner, Jaques S; Holdsworth, David W; Masri, Bassam A; Wilson, David R; Johnston, James D

2017-01-01

Quantitative computed tomography based subject-specific finite element modeling has potential to clarify the role of subchondral bone alterations in knee osteoarthritis initiation, progression, and pain. However, it is unclear what density-modulus equation(s) should be applied with subchondral cortical and subchondral trabecular bone when constructing finite element models of the tibia. Using a novel approach applying neural networks, optimization, and back-calculation against in situ experimental testing results, the objective of this study was to identify subchondral-specific equations that optimized finite element predictions of local structural stiffness at the proximal tibial subchondral surface. Thirteen proximal tibial compartments were imaged via quantitative computed tomography. Imaged bone mineral density was converted to elastic moduli using multiple density-modulus equations (93 total variations) then mapped to corresponding finite element models. For each variation, root mean squared error was calculated between finite element prediction and in situ measured stiffness at 47 indentation sites. Resulting errors were used to train an artificial neural network, which provided an unlimited number of model variations, with corresponding error, for predicting stiffness at the subchondral bone surface. Nelder-Mead optimization was used to identify optimum density-modulus equations for predicting stiffness. Finite element modeling predicted 81% of experimental stiffness variance (with 10.5% error) using optimized equations for subchondral cortical and trabecular bone differentiated with a 0.5g/cm 3 density. In comparison with published density-modulus relationships, optimized equations offered improved predictions of local subchondral structural stiffness. Further research is needed with anisotropy inclusion, a smaller voxel size and de-blurring algorithms to improve predictions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomechanical Comparison of Fixation With a Single Screw Versus Two Kirschner Wires in Distal Chevron Osteotomies of the First Metatarsal: A Cadaver Study.

PubMed

Trost, Matthias; Bredow, Jan; Boese, Christoph Kolja; Loweg, Lennard; Schulte, Tobias Ludger; Scaal, Martin; Eysel, Peer; Oppermann, Johannes

Distal chevron osteotomy is a common procedure for surgical correction of hallux valgus. Osteosynthesis with 1 screw or 2 Kirschner wires has been commonly used. We compared the stability of the 2 techniques in distal chevron osteotomy. Sixteen first metatarsals from fresh-frozen human cadaver feet (9 different cadaveric specimens) were used. A standardized distal chevron osteotomy was performed. One first metatarsal from each pair was assigned to group 1 (3.5-mm cortical screw; n = 8) and one to group 2 (two 1.6-mm Kirschner wires; n = 8). Using a materials testing machine, the head of the first metatarsals was loaded in 2 different configurations (cantilever and physiologic) in succession. In the cantilever configuration, the relative stiffness of the osteosynthesis compared with intact bone was 59% ± 27% in group 1 and 68% ± 18% in group 2 (p = .50). In the physiologic configuration, it was 38% ± 25% in group 1 and 35% ± 7% in group 2 (p = .75). The failure strength in the cantilever configuration was 187 ± 105 N in group 1 and 259 ± 71 N in group 2 (p = .21). No statistically significant differences were found in stability between the 2 techniques. The use of 1 screw or 2 Kirschner wires had no significant differences in their biomechanical loading capacity for osteosynthesis in distal chevron osteotomies for treatment of hallux valgus. Copyright © 2017 The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gemcitabine treatment of rat soft tissue sarcoma with phosphatidyldiglycerol-based thermosensitive liposomes.

PubMed

Limmer, Simone; Hahn, Jasmin; Schmidt, Rebecca; Wachholz, Kirsten; Zengerle, Anja; Lechner, Katharina; Eibl, Hansjörg; Issels, Rolf D; Hossann, Martin; Lindner, Lars H

2014-09-01

The pyrimidine analogue gemcitabine (dFdC) is frequently used in the treatment of patients with solid tumors. However, after i.v. application dFdC is rapidly inactivated by metabolization. Here, the potential of thermosensitive liposomes based on 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphodiglycerol (DPPG2-TSL) were investigated as carrier and targeting system for delivery of dFdC in combination with local hyperthermia (HT). DPPG2-TSL were prepared by the lipid film hydration and extrusion method and characterized by dynamic light scattering, thin layer chromatography, phosphate assay and HPLC. In vivo experiments were performed in Brown Norway rats with a syngeneic soft tissue sarcoma. Local HT treatment was performed by light exposure. DPPG2-TSL were stable at 37°C in serum and showed a temperature dependent dFdC release >40°C. Plasma half-life of dFdC was strongly increased from 0.07 h (non-liposomal) to 0.53 h (liposomal, vesicle size 105 nm) or 2.59 h (liposomal, 129 nm). Therapy of BN175 tumors with dFdC encapsulated in DPPG2-TSL + HT showed significant improvement in tumor growth delay compared to non-liposomal dFdC without HT (p < 0.05), non-liposomal dFdC with HT (p < 0.01), and liposomal dFdC without HT (p < 0.05), respectively. Gemcitabine encapsulated in DPPG2-TSL in combination with local HT is a promising tool for the treatment of solid tumors. Therefore, these encouraging results ask for further investigation and evaluation.

A Predictive Score for Bronchopleural Fistula Established Using the French Database Epithor.

PubMed

Pforr, Arnaud; Pagès, Pierre-Benoit; Baste, Jean-Marc; Thomas, Pascal; Falcoz, Pierre-Emmanuel; Lepimpec Barthes, Francoise; Dahan, Marcel; Bernard, Alain

2016-01-01

Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) remains a rare but fatal complication of thoracic surgery. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a predictive model of BPF after pulmonary resection and to identify patients at high risk for BPF. From January 2005 to December 2012, 34,000 patients underwent major pulmonary resection (lobectomy, bilobectomy, or pneumonectomy) and were entered into the French National database Epithor. The primary outcome was the occurrence of postoperative BPF at 30 days. The logistic regression model was built using a backward stepwise variable selection. Bronchopleural fistula occurred in 318 patients (0.94%); its prevalence was 0.5% for lobectomy (n = 139), 2.2% for bilobectomy (n = 39), and 3% for pneumonectomy (n = 140). The mortality rate was 25.9% for lobectomy (n = 36), 16.7% for bilobectomy (n = 6), and 20% for pneumonectomy (n = 28). In the final model, nine variables were selected: sex, body mass index, dyspnea score, number of comorbidities per patient, bilobectomy, pneumonectomy, emergency surgery, sleeve resection, and the side of the resection. In the development data set, the C-index was 0.8 (95% confidence interval: 0.78 to 0.82). This model was well calibrated because the Hosmer-Lemeshow test was not significant (χ(2) = 10.5, p = 0.23). We then calculated the logistic regression coefficient to build the predictive score for BPF. This strong model could be easily used by surgeons to identify patient at high risk for BPF. This score needs to be confirmed prospectively in an independent cohort. Copyright © 2016 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Randomized study of low-dose versus standard-dose chemoradiotherapy for unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (JCOG0303)

PubMed Central

Shinoda, Masayuki; Ando, Nobutoshi; Kato, Ken; Ishikura, Satoshi; Kato, Hoichi; Tsubosa, Yasuhiro; Minashi, Keiko; Okabe, Hiroshi; Kimura, Yusuke; Kawano, Tatsuyuki; Kosugi, Shin-Ichi; Toh, Yasushi; Nakamura, Kenichi; Fukuda, Haruhiko

2015-01-01

Low-dose cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (LDPF) chemotherapy with daily radiotherapy (RT) is used as an alternative chemoradiotherapy regimen for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma. We evaluated whether RT plus LDPF chemotherapy had an advantage in terms of survival and/or toxicity over RT plus standard-dose cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (SDPF) chemotherapy in this study. This multicenter trial included esophageal cancer patients with clinical T4 disease and/or unresectable regional lymph node metastasis. Patients were randomly assigned to receive RT (2 Gy/fraction, total dose of 60 Gy) with SDPF (arm A) or LDPF (arm B) chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). A total of 142 patients (arm A/B, 71/71) from 41 institutions were enrolled between April 2004 and September 2009. The OS hazard ratio in arm B versus arm A was 1.05 (80% confidence interval, 0.78–1.41). There were no differences in toxicities in either arm. Arm B was judged as not promising for further evaluation in the phase III setting. Thus, the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee recommended that the study be terminated. In the updated analyses, median OS and 3-year OS were 13.1 months and 25.9%, respectively, for arm A and 14.4 months and 25.7%, respectively, for arm B. Daily RT plus LDPF chemotherapy did not qualify for further evaluation as a new treatment option for patients with locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer. This study was registered at the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry as UMIN000000861. PMID:25640628

Analysis of Zn, Cd, As, Cu, Pb, and Fe in snails as bioindicators and soil samples near traffic road by ICP-OES.

PubMed

Massadeh, Adnan M; Alomary, Ahmed A; Mir, Sayeeda; Momani, Fouad A; Haddad, Hazem I; Hadad, Yazen A

2016-07-01

Snails are used as biological indicators of the environment pollution for heavy metals. Living snail samples were collected from different sites at the city of Irbid-Jordan and classified according to their morphological features including Helix pelasga, Eobania vermiculata, Xeropicta derbentina, Oychilus, Xerocrassa seetzenii, Xerocrassa simulata, and Pila. Zn, Cd, As, Cu, Pb, and Fe levels were measured by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. Results indicated that metal concentrations in all snail shell samples were with an average and range for Zn 22.4 (6.5-105.5) μg g(-1), Cd 7.8 (0.4-48.1) μg g(-1), As 25.9 (0.7-248.5) μg g(-1), Cu 15.1 (1.6-69.0) μg g(-1), Pb 0.4 (0.2-1.7) μg g(-1), and Fe 119.6 (14.0-1102.0) μg g(-1), whereas, in soil samples, the average and range for Zn 204.0 (12.0-709.0) μg g(-1), Cd 5.7 (0.2-39.5) μg g(-1), As 3.2 (1.8-5.2) μg g(-1), Cu 22.1 (2.3-77.4) μg g(-1), Pb 0.2 (0.1-0.3) μg g(-1), and Fe 242.4 (25.0-680.0) μg g(-1).

Scaling-up public sector childhood diarrhea management program: Lessons from Indian states of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

PubMed

Kumar, Sanjeev; Roy, Rajashree; Dutta, Sucharita

2015-12-01

Diarrhea remains a leading cause of death among children under five in India. Public health sector is an important source for diarrhea treatment with oral rehydration salts (ORS) and zinc. In 2010, Micronutrient Initiative started a project to improve service delivery for childhood diarrhea management through public health sector in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar. This paper aims to highlight feasible strategies, experiences and lessons learned from scaling-up zinc and ORS for childhood diarrhea management in the public sector in three Indian states. The project was implemented in six districts of Gujarat, 12 districts of UP and 15 districts of Bihar, which includes 10.5 million children. Program strategies included capacity building of health care providers, expanding service delivery through community health workers (CHWs), providing supportive supervision to CHWs, ensuring supplies and conducting monitoring and evaluation. The lessons described in this paper are based on program data, government documents and studies that were used to generate evidence and inform program scale-up. 140 000 health personnel, including CHWs, were trained in childhood diarrhea management. During three years, CHWs had sustained knowledge and have treated and reported more than three million children aged 2-59 months having diarrhea, of which 84% were treated with both zinc and ORS. The successful strategies were scaled-up. It is feasible and viable to introduce and scale-up zinc and ORS for childhood diarrhea treatment through public sector. Community-based service delivery, timely and adequate supplies, trained staff and pro-active engagement with government were essential for program success.

Diagnostic evaluations of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in mammary duct ectasia and breast cancer

PubMed Central

Song, Lei; Li, Liang; Liu, Bin; Yu, Dexin; Sun, Fengguo; Guo, Mingming; Ruan, Zhengmin; Zhang, Feixue

2018-01-01

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of mammary duct ectasia (MDE) and breast cancer. This retrospective study was performed on 35 patients with MDE and 105 patients with breast cancer using US and MRI. Imaging features, semi-quantitative and quantitative parameters were analyzed to determine their diagnostic value for MDE and breast cancer. The average age of patients with breast cancer was increased compared with that of patients with MDE. There were no significant differences in local packages with or without tenderness ratio (P=0.259) and grade of color Doppler flow imaging (P=0.273) between the two groups. However, the morphological changes were significantly increased in breast cancer compared with MDE. In addition, there were significant diagnostic differences in US and MRI between breast cancer and MDE, including resistance index, US elastography, time-signal intensity curve, apparent diffusion coefficient, early-stage enhancement ratio, peak-of-enhancement ratio and Tpeak (P<0.05). However, there were no observable significant diagnostic differences between US, MRI and US with MRI for MDE and breast cancer (P=0.103, P=0.263 and P=0.403 respectively). Diagnosis of MDE and breast cancer requires full evaluation of multiple parameters and morphological changes of US and MRI to increase the diagnostic efficiency. US, MRI and US with MRI were all of diagnostic value for MDE and breast cancer, while US with MRI had the highest efficacy. PMID:29434865

Prevalence and etiological factors related to dental injuries amongst 18-22-year-olds in United Arab Emirates.

PubMed

Fakhruddin, Kausar Sadia; Kawas, Sausan Al

2010-10-01

Dental injuries in children and adolescents living across the globe are a serious public health problem. There are no data on dental injuries in United Arab Emirates (UAE). For the development of effective preventive measures, the present study was conducted to investigate the etiology and environment where dental injuries occurred, and to assess the relationship between traumatic dental injuries and socioeconomic status. This study was undertaken in different colleges of University of Sharjah, UAE. 412 participants aged 18-22 years were screened using Dental Trauma Index (DTI), following the questionnaire phase of the study. Prevalence of dental injury was 25.9%, mostly (46.9%) with restored teeth; followed by 42.3% of minor injury (untreated enamel fracture), affecting one upper central incisor (53%). The mean age at the time of dental injury was 10.5 years (SD = 1.52; range 8-13 years) in females vs 14 years (SD = 1.71; range 12-16 years) in males. Dental injuries among males mostly occurred at public places such as on streets (27%) with (19%) of injuries were related to motor bike/micro scooters followed by bicycles (17%) and traffic accidents (9%). Socioeconomic indicators chosen were not statistically significant with the exception of family income (P = 0.01). The findings of this study show that dental traumas are prevalent among middle and high socioeconomic groups. There is a need for potential interventions like educating parents, caretakers, and older siblings on how to reduce the risk factors related to dental injuries. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Effect of pulse frequency on microstructural, nanomechanical, and wear properties of electrodeposited Ni-TiN composite coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Fafeng; Tian, Jiyu; Ma, Chunyang; Potts, Matt; Guo, Xue

2014-12-01

The current paper reports successful syntheses of Ni-TiN composite coatings by pulse electrodeposition. The effect of pulse frequency on the microstructures, nanomechanical, and wear properties of the coatings was investigated using transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, nanoindenter, scanning electron microscopy, and wear test instrument. The results showed that the Ni-TiN composite coating prepared at the pulse frequency of 100 Hz showed the presence of a less number of TiN particles and some degrees of aggregation in micro-regions. By contrast, in the Ni-TiN coating deposited at the pulse frequency of 500 Hz, the TiN particles were large in number and dispersed homogeneously, thereby, offering the coating a uniform and fine structure. The average grain diameters of Ni and TiN in the coating prepared at 100 Hz were 154.7 and 44.8 nm, respectively, whereas those for the coating prepared at 500 Hz were 67.3 and 25.9 nm, respectively. The maximum TiN content in the Ni-TiN coating deposited at 800 Hz was approximately 10.5 wt. %. The maximum microhardness and the Young's modulus values for the Ni-TiN composite coatings deposited at 800 Hz were 35.7 GPa and 167.4 GPa, respectively. Furthermore, the Ni-TiN composite coating prepared at 100 Hz had more severe damages, whereas the morphologies of worn surface of the coatings deposited at 500 Hz and 800 Hz were smooth and only a few small pits appeared on the surface.

Sunburn and sun-protective behaviors among adults with and without previous nonmelanoma skin cancer: a population-based study

PubMed Central

Fischer, Alexander H.; Wang, Timothy S.; Yenokyan, Gayane; Kang, Sewon; Chien, Anna L.

2016-01-01

Background Individuals with previous nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) are at increased risk for subsequent skin cancer, and should therefore limit UV exposure. Objective To determine whether individuals with previous NMSC engage in better sun protection than those with no skin cancer history. Methods We pooled self-reported data (2005 and 2010 National Health Interview Surveys) from US non-Hispanic white adults (758 with and 34,161 without previous NMSC). We calculated adjusted prevalence odds ratios (aPOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), taking into account the complex survey design. Results Individuals with previous NMSC versus no history of NMSC had higher rates of frequent use of shade (44.3% versus 27.0%; aPOR=1.41; 1.16–1.71), long sleeves (20.5% versus 7.7%; aPOR=1.55; 1.21–1.98), a wide-brimmed hat (26.1% versus 10.5%; aPOR=1.52; 1.24–1.87), and sunscreen (53.7% versus 33.1%; aPOR=2.11; 95% CI=1.73–2.59), but did not have significantly lower odds of recent sunburn (29.7% versus 40.7%; aPOR=0.95; 0.77–1.17). Among subjects with previous NMSC, recent sunburn was inversely associated with age, sun avoidance, and shade but not sunscreen. Limitations Self-reported cross-sectional data and unavailable information quantifying regular sun exposure. Conclusion Physicians should emphasize sunburn prevention when counseling patients with previous NMSC, especially younger adults, focusing on shade and sun avoidance over sunscreen. PMID:27198078

The association between mood and anxiety disorders, and coronary heart disease in Brazil: a cross-sectional analysis on the Brazilian longitudinal study of adult health (ELSA-Brasil).

PubMed

Kemp, Andrew H; Brunoni, Andre R; Nunes, Maria A; Santos, Itamar S; Goulart, Alessandra C; Ribeiro, Antonio L; Benseñor, Isabela M; Lotufo, Paulo A

2015-01-01

Associations between major depressive disorder (MDD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) have been established, and these associations increase risk of future morbidity and mortality. Prior research has been carried out in high-income countries. Here we examine associations between the mood and anxiety disorders, and CHD in a large cohort at baseline from Brazil, a country facing a variety of challenges that may affect these associations. Participants included 15,105 civil servants aged 35 to 74 at baseline (2008-2010) from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). CHD (N = 721) included self-reported angina pectoris (n = 305), myocardial infarction (n = 259) and coronary revascularization (n = 239). Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate odds ratios and confidence intervals. Major findings indicate that comorbid MDD and anxiety disorders (n = 434) are associated with a threefold increase in CHD, MDD alone (n = 170) with a twofold increase in CHD, while generalized anxiety disorder alone (n = 1,394) and mixed anxiety and depression disorder (n = 1,844) - symptoms present, but diagnostic threshold not reached - are associated with a 1.5-fold increase in CHD, after full adjustment for covariates. The association with CHD is greatest in those with psychiatric comorbidity, while associations were also observed in MDD and generalized anxiety disorder without comorbidity. While findings are limited by the cross-sectional design of the study, given the known risks associated with comorbidity of the mood and anxiety disorders with CHD, findings reinforce the importance of comprehensive health assessment in Brazil.

Characteristics of venom allergic reactions in Turkish beekeepers and alternative treatment modalities.

PubMed

Çelıksoy, Mehmet Halil; Sancak, Recep; Söğüt, Ayhan; Güner, Sükrü Nail; Korkmaz, Ali

2014-07-01

The objective of this work was to determine the characteristics of allergic reactions that may occur after a bee sting and alternative treatment methods in Turkish beekeepers. A written questionnaire was administered to beekeepers from the Ordu, Samsun, Sinop, Amasya, and Çorum provinces located in the Central Black Sea Region of Turkey. The study included 301 beekeepers, 295 (98%) of whom were male. Their mean age was 48.2 ± 11.5 years. The mean beekeeping duration was 15.3 ± 10.5 years. A total of 270 participants (89.9%) had a history of bee stings in the previous 12 months. Systemic reactions, large local reactions, and local reactions were seen in 21 (6.9%), 193 (64.1%), and 12 (4.0%) beekeepers, respectively. The face was the most frequently stung body site, and swelling generally occurred in the eyelids. The size of the swellings decreased within 12 to 24 hours in 259 (86.1%) beekeepers. The size of the swellings was 1 × 2 cm in diameter in 157 (52.2%) beekeepers. Natural protection against bee stings had developed by 12 months in 140 (46.5%) beekeepers. In total, 61.5% of the beekeepers applied alternative treatments (eg, garlic, onion water, yogurt), whereas 14.0% (3/21) were admitted to a hospital with a systemic reaction. In total, 10.6% and 14.2% of beekeepers were aware of adrenaline auto-injector and venom immunotherapy, respectively. This study indicates insufficient knowledge and attitudes among Turkish beekeepers regarding bee sting reactions. © 2014 ARS-AAOA, LLC.

Development and validation of a weight-bearing finite element model for total knee replacement.

PubMed

Woiczinski, M; Steinbrück, A; Weber, P; Müller, P E; Jansson, V; Schröder, Ch

2016-01-01

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a successful procedure for osteoarthritis. However, some patients (19%) do have pain after surgery. A finite element model was developed based on boundary conditions of a knee rig. A 3D-model of an anatomical full leg was generated from magnetic resonance image data and a total knee prosthesis was implanted without patella resurfacing. In the finite element model, a restarting procedure was programmed in order to hold the ground reaction force constant with an adapted quadriceps muscle force during a squat from 20° to 105° of flexion. Knee rig experimental data were used to validate the numerical model in the patellofemoral and femorotibial joint. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses of Young's modulus of the patella cartilage, posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) stiffness, and patella tendon origin were performed. Pearson's correlations for retropatellar contact area, pressure, patella flexion, and femorotibial ap-movement were near to 1. Lowest root mean square error for retropatellar pressure, patella flexion, and femorotibial ap-movement were found for the baseline model setup with Young's modulus of 5 MPa for patella cartilage, a downscaled PCL stiffness of 25% compared to the literature given value and an anatomical origin of the patella tendon. The results of the conducted finite element model are comparable with the experimental results. Therefore, the finite element model developed in this study can be used for further clinical investigations and will help to better understand the clinical aspects after TKA with an unresurfaced patella.

Development of an accurate, sensitive, and robust isotope dilution laser ablation ICP-MS method for simultaneous multi-element analysis (chlorine, sulfur, and heavy metals) in coal samples.

PubMed

Boulyga, Sergei F; Heilmann, Jens; Prohaska, Thomas; Heumann, Klaus G

2007-10-01

A method for the direct multi-element determination of Cl, S, Hg, Pb, Cd, U, Br, Cr, Cu, Fe, and Zn in powdered coal samples has been developed by applying inductively coupled plasma isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ICP-IDMS) with laser-assisted introduction into the plasma. A sector-field ICP-MS with a mass resolution of 4,000 and a high-ablation rate laser ablation system provided significantly better sensitivity, detection limits, and accuracy compared to a conventional laser ablation system coupled with a quadrupole ICP-MS. The sensitivity ranges from about 590 cps for (35)Cl+ to more than 6 x 10(5) cps for (238)U+ for 1 microg of trace element per gram of coal sample. Detection limits vary from 450 ng g(-1) for chlorine and 18 ng g(-1) for sulfur to 9.5 pg g(-1) for mercury and 0.3 pg g(-1) for uranium. Analyses of minor and trace elements in four certified reference materials (BCR-180 Gas Coal, BCR-331 Steam Coal, SRM 1632c Trace Elements in Coal, SRM 1635 Trace Elements in Coal) yielded good agreement of usually not more than 5% deviation from the certified values and precisions of less than 10% relative standard deviation for most elements. Higher relative standard deviations were found for particular elements such as Hg and Cd caused by inhomogeneities due to associations of these elements within micro-inclusions in coal which was demonstrated for Hg in SRM 1635, SRM 1632c, and another standard reference material (SRM 2682b, Sulfur and Mercury in Coal). The developed LA-ICP-IDMS method with its simple sample pretreatment opens the possibility for accurate, fast, and highly sensitive determinations of environmentally critical contaminants in coal as well as of trace impurities in similar sample materials like graphite powder and activated charcoal on a routine basis.

14 CFR 259.7 - Response to consumer problems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... of receiving the complaint. A complaint is a specific written expression of dissatisfaction concerning a difficulty or problem which the person experienced when using or attempting to use an airline's...

The Reactivations of Main-Belt Comets 238P/READ, 259P/Garradd, and 288P/(300163) 2006 VW139

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsieh, Henry H.; Ishiguro, Masateru; Kim, Yoonyoung; Knight, Matthew M.; Lin, Zhong-Yi; Micheli, Marco; Moskovitz, Nicholas; Sheppard, Scott S.; Thirouin, Audrey; Trujillo, Chadwick

2017-10-01

We report on the confirmation and monitoring of recurrent activity for main-belt comets (MBCs) 238P/Read and 288P/(300163) 2006 VW139 in 2016 (cf. Agarwal et al. 2016, CBET 4306; Hsieh et al. 2016, CBET 4307), as well as the identification of activity for 288P in Sloan Digital Sky Survey images from November 2000. We will also report on the confirmation of recurrent activity in 2017 (Hsieh et al. 2017, CBET 4388) and the progress of the ongoing monitoring campaign (April 2017 through December 2017) that we are conducting for MBC 259P/Garradd. With these observations, 238P and 288P have now each been observed to be active on three separate orbit passages with intervening periods of inactivity and 259P has been observed to be active on two separate orbit passages, firmly establishing the cometary (i.e., sublimation-driven) nature of their activity. We are currently conducting a multi-facility observing campaign to monitor the photometric and morphological evolution of these objects, using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, the Gemini North and South telescopes (under a Gemini Large and Long Program), the Magellan telescopes, the Discovery Channel Telescope, and the Lulin One-meter Telescope. During their most recent perihelion encounters, 238P was observed to be active as early as 2016 July 8 at a true anomaly of 329 degrees, 288P was observed to be active as early as 2016 June 8 at a true anomaly of 318 degrees, and 259P was observed to be active as early at 2017 April 26 at a true anomaly of 315 degrees. We also report on the results of numerical modeling analyses of the morphological evolution of all three objects aimed at assessing both the properties of their current active episodes and changes in activity strength from one epoch to the next to help constrain the active lifetimes of MBCs, a key parameter for inferring the total number of MBCs in the asteroid belt from survey results. This work was supported by the NASA Solar System Observations program under Grant NNX16AD68G.

β-Adrenergic Stimulation Induces Histone Deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) Nuclear Accumulation in Cardiomyocytes by B55α-PP2A-Mediated Dephosphorylation.

PubMed

Weeks, Kate L; Ranieri, Antonella; Karaś, Agnieszka; Bernardo, Bianca C; Ashcroft, Alexandra S; Molenaar, Chris; McMullen, Julie R; Avkiran, Metin

2017-03-25

Class IIa histone deacetylase (HDAC) isoforms such as HDAC5 are critical signal-responsive repressors of maladaptive cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, through nuclear interactions with transcription factors including myocyte enhancer factor-2. β-Adrenoceptor (β-AR) stimulation, a signal of fundamental importance in regulating cardiac function, has been proposed to induce both phosphorylation-independent nuclear export and phosphorylation-dependent nuclear accumulation of cardiomyocyte HDAC5. The relative importance of phosphorylation at Ser259/Ser498 versus Ser279 in HDAC5 regulation is also controversial. We aimed to determine the impact of β-AR stimulation on the phosphorylation, localization, and function of cardiomyocyte HDAC5 and delineate underlying molecular mechanisms. A novel 3-dimensional confocal microscopy method that objectively quantifies the whole-cell nuclear/cytoplasmic distribution of green fluorescent protein tagged HDAC5 revealed the β-AR agonist isoproterenol to induce β 1 -AR-mediated and protein kinase A-dependent HDAC5 nuclear accumulation in adult rat cardiomyocytes, which was accompanied by dephosphorylation at Ser259/279/498. Mutation of Ser259/Ser498 to Ala promoted HDAC5 nuclear accumulation and myocyte enhancer factor-2 inhibition, whereas Ser279 ablation had no such effect and did not block isoproterenol-induced nuclear accumulation. Inhibition of the Ser/Thr phosphatase PP2A blocked isoproterenol-induced HDAC5 dephosphorylation. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed a specific interaction of HDAC5 with the PP2A targeting subunit B55α, as well as catalytic and scaffolding subunits, which increased >3-fold with isoproterenol. Knockdown of B55α in neonatal cardiomyocytes attenuated isoproterenol-induced HDAC5 dephosphorylation. β-AR stimulation induces HDAC5 nuclear accumulation in cardiomyocytes by a mechanism that is protein kinase A-dependent but requires B55α-PP2A-mediated dephosphorylation of Ser259/Ser498 rather than protein kinase A-mediated phosphorylation of Ser279. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Toxicity of PHOS-CHEK LC-95A and 259F fire retardants to ocean- and stream-type Chinook salmon and their potential to recover before seawater entry.

PubMed

Dietrich, Joseph P; Van Gaest, Ahna L; Strickland, Stacy A; Hutchinson, Greg P; Krupkin, Alex B; Arkoosh, Mary R

2014-08-15

Long-term fire retardants are used to prevent the spread of wildland fire, but have inadvertently entered aquatic habitats and resulted in fish kills. We examined the toxicity of two fire retardant products; PHOS-CHEK 259F and LC-95A, on Chinook salmon with two different life histories, ocean-type and stream-type, at different stages of their development. Ocean-type Chinook outmigrate to the ocean as subyearlings; while, stream-type salmon overwinter in freshwater and outmigrate as yearlings. Ocean-type and stream-type salmon were exposed to the fire retardants prior to their parr to smolt transition (presmolts) as subyearlings (stream-type and ocean-type) and yearlings (stream-type only), as well as during their transition (smolts). The salmon were exposed to eight concentrations of each retardant and a control for 96h to determine acute toxicity. Lethal concentration curves were modeled by logistic regression for each life history and life stage exposed to the two fire retardants. Among all life histories and life stages tested, PHOS-CHEK 259F was most toxic to stream-type salmon at smolt stage and PHOS-CHEK LC-95A was most toxic to ocean-type salmon at smolt stage. To determine the delayed effects of product exposures on fish health as well as for the potential of recovery, 24-hour seawater challenges were performed immediately after fire retardant exposure, as well as after a recovery period. Previous PHOS-CHEK exposure reduced survival during seawater challenge among salmon from both life histories undergoing the parr-smolt transition and was more pronounced after PHOS-CHEK LC-95A exposure. However, this delayed effect was not observed 34 or more days after either PHOS-CHEK exposure. We conclude that accidental PHOS-CHEK LC-95A or 259F drops during salmon outmigration would have adverse impacts that extend beyond the acute mortality that occurs within the immediate drop and dilution areas. Published by Elsevier B.V.

An extremely primitive star in the Galactic halo.

PubMed

Caffau, Elisabetta; Bonifacio, Piercarlo; François, Patrick; Sbordone, Luca; Monaco, Lorenzo; Spite, Monique; Spite, François; Ludwig, Hans-G; Cayrel, Roger; Zaggia, Simone; Hammer, François; Randich, Sofia; Molaro, Paolo; Hill, Vanessa

2011-08-31

The early Universe had a chemical composition consisting of hydrogen, helium and traces of lithium; almost all other elements were subsequently created in stars and supernovae. The mass fraction of elements more massive than helium, Z, is known as 'metallicity'. A number of very metal-poor stars has been found, some of which have a low iron abundance but are rich in carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. For theoretical reasons and because of an observed absence of stars with Z < 1.5 × 10(-5), it has been suggested that low-mass stars cannot form from the primitive interstellar medium until it has been enriched above a critical value of Z, estimated to lie in the range 1.5 × 10(-8) to 1.5 × 10(-6) (ref. 8), although competing theories claiming the contrary do exist. (We use 'low-mass' here to mean a stellar mass of less than 0.8 solar masses, the stars that survive to the present day.) Here we report the chemical composition of a star in the Galactic halo with a very low Z (≤ 6.9 × 10(-7), which is 4.5 × 10(-5) times that of the Sun) and a chemical pattern typical of classical extremely metal-poor stars--that is, without enrichment of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. This shows that low-mass stars can be formed at very low metallicity, that is, below the critical value of Z. Lithium is not detected, suggesting a low-metallicity extension of the previously observed trend in lithium depletion. Such lithium depletion implies that the stellar material must have experienced temperatures above two million kelvin in its history, given that this is necessary to destroy lithium.

As, Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb pressurized liquid extraction with acetic acid from marine sediment and soil samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreda-Piñeiro, Jorge; Alonso-Rodríguez, Elia; López-Mahía, Purificación; Muniategui-Lorenzo, Soledad; Prada-Rodríguez, Darío; Moreda-Piñeiro, Antonio; Bermejo-Barrera, Adela; Bermejo-Barrera, Pilar

2006-12-01

Rapid leaching procedures by Pressurized Liquid Extraction (PLE) have been developed for As, Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb leaching from environmental matrices (marine sediment and soil samples). The Pressurized Liquid Extraction is completed after 16 min. The released elements by acetic acid Pressurized Liquid Extraction have been evaluated by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. The optimum multi-element leaching conditions when using 5.0 ml stainless steel extraction cells, were: acetic acid concentration 8.0 M, extraction temperature 100 °C, pressure 1500 psi, static time 5 min, flush solvent 60%, two extraction steps and 0.50 g of diatomaceous earth as dispersing agent (diatomaceous earth mass/sample mass ratio of 2). Results have showed that high acetic acid concentrations and high extraction temperatures increase the metal leaching efficiency. Limits of detection (between 0.12 and 0.5 μg g - 1 ) and repeatability of the over-all procedure (around 6.0%) were assessed. Finally, accuracy was studied by analyzing PACS-2 (marine sediment), GBW-07409 (soil), IRANT-12-1-07 (cambisol soil) and IRANT-12-1-08 (luvisol soil) certified reference materials (CRMs). These certified reference materials offer certified concentrations ranges between 2.9 and 26.2 μg g - 1 for As, from 0.068 to 2.85 μg g - 1 for Cd, between 26.4 and 90.7 μg g - 1 for Cr, from 9.3 to 40.0 μg g - 1 for Ni and between 16.3 and 183.0 μg g - 1 for Pb. Recoveries after analysis were between 95.7 and 105.1% for As, 96.2% for Cd, 95.2 and 100.6% for Cr, 95.7 and 103% for Ni and 94.2 and 105.5% for Pb.

Enterococcus faecalis Gene Transfer under Natural Conditions in Municipal Sewage Water Treatment Plants†

PubMed Central

Marcinek, Herbert; Wirth, Reinhard; Muscholl-Silberhorn, Albrecht; Gauer, Matthias

1998-01-01

The ability of Enterococcus faecalis to transfer various genetic elements under natural conditions was tested in two municipal sewage water treatment plants. Experiments in activated sludge basins of the plants were performed in a microcosm which allowed us to work under sterile conditions; experiments in anoxic sludge digestors were performed in dialysis bags. We used the following naturally occurring genetic elements: pAD1 and pIP1017 (two so-called sex pheromone plasmids with restricted host ranges, which are transferred at high rates under laboratory conditions); pIP501 (a resistance plasmid possessing a broad host range for gram-positive bacteria, which is transferred at low rates under laboratory conditions); and Tn916 (a conjugative transposon which is transferred under laboratory conditions at low rates to gram-positive bacteria and at very low rates to gram-negative bacteria). The transfer rate between different strains of E. faecalis under natural conditions was, compared to that under laboratory conditions, at least 105-fold lower for the sex pheromone plasmids, at least 100-fold lower for pIP501, and at least 10-fold lower for Tn916. In no case was transfer from E. faecalis to another bacterial species detected. By determining the dependence of transfer rates for pIP1017 on bacterial concentration and extrapolating to actual concentrations in the sewage water treatment plant, we calculated that the maximum number of transfer events for the sex pheromone plasmids between different strains of E. faecalis in the municipal sewage water treatment plant of the city of Regensburg ranged from 105 to 108 events per 4 h, indicating that gene transfer should take place under natural conditions. PMID:9464401

Relationship of Indoor, Outdoor and Personal Air (RIOPA) study: study design, methods and quality assurance/control results.

PubMed

Weisel, Clifford P; Zhang, Junfeng; Turpin, Barbara J; Morandi, Maria T; Colome, Steven; Stock, Thomas H; Spektor, Dalia M; Korn, Leo; Winer, Arthur; Alimokhtari, Shahnaz; Kwon, Jaymin; Mohan, Krishnan; Harrington, Robert; Giovanetti, Robert; Cui, William; Afshar, Masoud; Maberti, Silvia; Shendell, Derek

2005-03-01

The Relationship of Indoor, Outdoor and Personal Air (RIOPA) Study was undertaken to evaluate the contribution of outdoor sources of air toxics, as defined in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, to indoor concentrations and personal exposures. The concentrations of 18 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 17 carbonyl compounds, and fine particulate matter mass (PM(2.5)) were measured using 48-h outdoor, indoor and personal air samples collected simultaneously. PM2.5 mass, as well as several component species (elemental carbon, organic carbon, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and elemental analysis) were also measured; only PM(2.5) mass is reported here. Questionnaires were administered to characterize homes, neighborhoods and personal activities that might affect exposures. The air exchange rate was also measured in each home. Homes in close proximity (<0.5 km) to sources of air toxics were preferentially (2:1) selected for sampling. Approximately 100 non-smoking households in each of Elizabeth, NJ, Houston, TX, and Los Angeles, CA were sampled (100, 105, and 105 respectively) with second visits performed at 84, 93, and 81 homes in each city, respectively. VOC samples were collected at all homes, carbonyls at 90% and PM(2.5) at 60% of the homes. Personal samples were collected from nonsmoking adults and a portion of children living in the target homes. This manuscript provides the RIOPA study design and quality control and assurance data. The results from the RIOPA study can potentially provide information on the influence of ambient sources on indoor air concentrations and exposure for many air toxics and will furnish an opportunity to evaluate exposure models for these compounds.

Seasonal Study of Mercury Species in the Antarctic Sea Ice Environment.

PubMed

Nerentorp Mastromonaco, Michelle G; Gårdfeldt, Katarina; Langer, Sarka; Dommergue, Aurélien

2016-12-06

Limited studies have been conducted on mercury concentrations in the polar cryosphere and the factors affecting the distribution of mercury within sea ice and snow are poorly understood. Here we present the first comprehensive seasonal study of elemental and total mercury concentrations in the Antarctic sea ice environment covering data from measurements in air, sea ice, seawater, snow, frost flowers, and brine. The average concentration of total mercury in sea ice decreased from winter (9.7 ng L -1 ) to spring (4.7 ng L -1 ) while the average elemental mercury concentration increased from winter (0.07 ng L -1 ) to summer (0.105 ng L -1 ). The opposite trends suggest potential photo- or dark oxidation/reduction processes within the ice and an eventual loss of mercury via brine drainage or gas evasion of elemental mercury. Our results indicate a seasonal variation of mercury species in the polar sea ice environment probably due to varying factors such as solar radiation, temperature, brine volume, and atmospheric deposition. This study shows that the sea ice environment is a significant interphase between the polar ocean and the atmosphere and should be accounted for when studying how climate change may affect the mercury cycle in polar regions.

Precision measurement of the neutron twist-3 matrix element d(2)(n): probing color forces.

PubMed

Posik, M; Flay, D; Parno, D S; Allada, K; Armstrong, W; Averett, T; Benmokhtar, F; Bertozzi, W; Camsonne, A; Canan, M; Cates, G D; Chen, C; Chen, J-P; Choi, S; Chudakov, E; Cusanno, F; Dalton, M M; Deconinck, W; de Jager, C W; Deng, X; Deur, A; Dutta, C; El Fassi, L; Franklin, G B; Friend, M; Gao, H; Garibaldi, F; Gilad, S; Gilman, R; Glamazdin, O; Golge, S; Gomez, J; Guo, L; Hansen, O; Higinbotham, D W; Holmstrom, T; Huang, J; Hyde, C; Ibrahim, H F; Jiang, X; Jin, G; Katich, J; Kelleher, A; Kolarkar, A; Korsch, W; Kumbartzki, G; LeRose, J J; Lindgren, R; Liyanage, N; Long, E; Lukhanin, A; Mamyan, V; McNulty, D; Meziani, Z-E; Michaels, R; Mihovilovič, M; Moffit, B; Muangma, N; Nanda, S; Narayan, A; Nelyubin, V; Norum, B; Nuruzzaman; Oh, Y; Peng, J C; Qian, X; Qiang, Y; Rakhman, A; Riordan, S; Saha, A; Sawatzky, B; Shabestari, M H; Shahinyan, A; Širca, S; Solvignon, P; Subedi, R; Sulkosky, V; Tobias, W A; Troth, W; Wang, D; Wang, Y; Wojtsekhowski, B; Yan, X; Yao, H; Ye, Y; Ye, Z; Yuan, L; Zhan, X; Zhang, Y; Zhang, Y-W; Zhao, B; Zheng, X

2014-07-11

Double-spin asymmetries and absolute cross sections were measured at large Bjorken x  (0.25≤x≤0.90), in both the deep-inelastic and resonance regions, by scattering longitudinally polarized electrons at beam energies of 4.7 and 5.9 GeV from a transversely and longitudinally polarized (3)He target. In this dedicated experiment, the spin structure function g(2)((3)He) was determined with precision at large x, and the neutron twist-3 matrix element d(2)(n) was measured at ⟨Q(2)⟩ of 3.21 and 4.32  GeV(2)/c(2), with an absolute precision of about 10(-5). Our results are found to be in agreement with lattice QCD calculations and resolve the disagreement found with previous data at ⟨Q(2)⟩=5  GeV(2)/c(2). Combining d(2)(n) and a newly extracted twist-4 matrix element f(2)(n), the average neutron color electric and magnetic forces were extracted and found to be of opposite sign and about 30  MeV/fm in magnitude.

Sulfur formation by steady-state continuous cultures of a sulfoxidizing consortium and Thiobacillus thioparus ATCC 23645.

PubMed

Alcántara, S; Velasco, A; Revah, S

2004-10-01

The elemental sulfur formation by the partial oxidation of thiosulfate by both a sulfoxidizing consortium and by Thiobacillus thioparus ATCC 23645 was studied under aerobic conditions in chemostat. Steady state was attained with essentially total conversion to sulfate when the dissolved oxygen concentration was 5 mgO2 l(-1) and below a dilution rate (D) of 3.0 d(-1)for the consortium and 0.9 d(-1) for T thioparus. The consortium formed elemental sulfur in steady state under oxygen limitation. Fifty percent of the theoretical elemental sulfur yield was obtained with a dissolved oxygen concentration of 0.2 mgO2 l(-1). Growth of T thioparus was negatively affected with a concentration below 1.9 mgO2 l(-1). Consortium yield from batch cultures was 2.1 g(-1) (protein) mol(-1) (thiosulfate), which was comparable with the values obtained in the chemostat at dilution rates of 0.4 d(-1) and 1.2 d(-1). The consortium showed a maximum degradation rate of 0.105 g(thiosulfate) g(-1) (protein) min(-1) and a saturation rate for S2O3(2-) of 1.9 mM.

Finite Element Analysis of the Effect of Epidural Adhesions.

PubMed

Lee, Nam; Ji, Gyu Yeul; Yi, Seong; Yoon, Do Heum; Shin, Dong Ah; Kim, Keung Nyun; Ha, Yoon; Oh, Chang Hyun

2016-07-01

It is well documented that epidural adhesion is associated with spinal pain. However, the underlying mechanism of spinal pain generation by epidural adhesion has not yet been elucidated. To elucidate the underlying mechanism of spinal pain generation by epidural adhesion using a two-dimensional (2D) non-linear finite element (FE) analysis. A finite element analysis. A two-dimensional nonlinear FE model of the herniated lumbar disc on L4/5 with epidural adhesion. A two-dimensional nonlinear FE model of the lumbar spine was developed, consisting of intervertebral discs, dura, spinal nerve, and lamina. The annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulpous were modeled as hyperelastic using the Mooney-Rivlin equation. The FE mesh was generated and analyzed using Abaqus (ABAQUS 6.13.; Hibbitt, Karlsson & Sorenson, Inc., Providence, RI, USA). Epidural adhesion was simulated as rough contact, in which no slip occurred once two surfaces were in contact, between the dura mater and posterior annulus fibrosus. The FE model of adhesion showed significant stress concentration in the spinal nerves, especially on the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). The stress concentration was caused by the lack of adaptive displacement between the dura mater and posterior annulus fibrosus. The peak von Mises stress was higher in the epidural adhesion model (Adhesion, 0.67 vs. Control, 0.46). In the control model, adaptive displacement was observed with decreased stress in the spinal nerve and DRG (with adhesion, 2.59 vs. without adhesion, 3.58, P < 0.00). This study used a 2D non-linear FE model, which simplifies the 3D nature of the human intervertebral disc. In addition, this 2D non-linear FE model has not yet been validated. The current study clearly demonstrated that epidural adhesion causes significantly increased stress in the spinal nerves, especially at the DRG. We believe that the increased stress on the spinal nerve might elicit more pain under similar magnitudes of lumbar disc protrusion.

Functional changes in neutrophils and psychoneuroendocrine responses during 105 days of confinement.

PubMed

Strewe, C; Muckenthaler, F; Feuerecker, M; Yi, B; Rykova, M; Kaufmann, I; Nichiporuk, I; Vassilieva, G; Hörl, M; Matzel, S; Schelling, G; Thiel, M; Morukov, B; Choukèr, A

2015-05-01

The innate immune system as one key element of immunity and a prerequisite for an adequate host defense is of emerging interest in space research to ensure crew health and thus mission success. In ground-based studies, spaceflight-associated specifics such as confinement caused altered immune functions paralleled by changes in stress hormone levels. In this study, six men were confined for 105 days to a space module of ~500 m(3) mimicking conditions of a long-term space mission. Psychic stress was surveyed by different questionnaires. Blood, saliva, and urine samples were taken before, during, and after confinement to determine quantitative and qualitative immune responses by analyzing enumerative assays and quantifying microbicide and phagocytic functions. Additionally, expression and shedding of L-selectin (CD62L) on granulocytes and different plasma cytokine levels were measured. Cortisol and catecholamine levels were analyzed in saliva and urine. Psychic stress or an activation of the psychoneuroendocrine system could not be testified. White blood cell counts were not significantly altered, but innate immune functions showed increased cytotoxic and reduced microbicide capabilities. Furthermore, a significantly enhanced shedding of CD62L might be a hint at increased migratory capabilities. However, this was observed in the absence of any acute inflammatory state, and no rise in plasma cytokine levels was detected. In summary, confinement for 105 days caused changes in innate immune functions. Whether these changes result from an alert immune state in preparation for further immune challenges or from a normal adaptive process during confinement remains to be clarified in future research. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

A mechanism of thrust enhancement on a heaving plate due to flexibility at moderately low Reynolds numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yung-Sheng; Tzeng, Yau-Ting; Chang, Chien-Cheng; Chu, Chin-Chou

2017-11-01

A numerical study is conducted to investigate the force mechanisms for a 3D heaving flexible plate from the perspective of a diagnostic force element analysis (Chang 1992). The problem is relevant to a simplified flapping fish-tail with the front edge held fixed in space. The flow is assumed to be laminar with the Reynolds numbers fixed at Re =200 or 500, and the Strouhal number St ranging from 0.1 to 0.6, and the flexure amplitude of the plate a0 for 0.1 to 0.25 (dimensionless). It is shown that heaving, whilst increasing thrust generation, also reduces the frictional drag, yet the flexibility promotes thrust generation at the expense of accruing more frictional drag. In the literature, the thrust exerted on the tail-mimicking plate is largely credited to the vortices in the wake. However, this study performs a regional force analysis to show that the vorticity in the wake region supplies approximately 20-30% of the total thrust, especially in the cases of strong thrust generation. Comparable contributions come also from the regions direct above and below the heaving plate (mainly including the attached vortices) as well as from the two side regions (mainly including the tip vortices) next to the flapping plate. In addition, the potential motion associated with the unsteady flapping and the contribution from the surface vorticity are non-negligible constituent force components. MOST, TAIWAN under Contacts NO. 105-2221-E-002-097-MY3 and NO. 105-2221-E-002 -105 -MY3.

CCD Times of Minima of Selected Eclipsing Binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zejda, Miloslav

2004-12-01

682 CCD minima observations of 259 eclipsing binaries made mainly by author are presented. The observed stars were chosen mainly from catalogue BRKA of observing programme of BRNO-Variable Star Section of CAS.

4 CFR 25.9 - Soliciting, vending, and debt collection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) Solicitation of labor organization membership or dues authorized by occupant agencies under the Civil Service... for cultural, educational, or recreational use under section 1 of Public Law 100-545, October 28, 1988...

39 CFR 259.2 - Red Cross.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

....2 Red Cross. (a) General. The Postal Service and the Red Cross cooperate to maintain communication... information will be used by the Red Cross only to locate individuals and families, to answer inquiries from...

10 CFR 25.9 - Communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... visiting the NRC's Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html; by e-mail to [email protected]gov; or by writing the Office of Information Services, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission...

10 CFR 25.9 - Communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... visiting the NRC's Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html; by e-mail to [email protected]gov; or by writing the Office of Information Services, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission...

41 CFR 105-74.105 - Does this part apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Does this part apply to me? 105-74.105 Section 105-74.105 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... § 105-74.105 Does this part apply to me? (a) Portions of this part apply to you if you are either— (1) A...

41 CFR 105-74.105 - Does this part apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Does this part apply to me? 105-74.105 Section 105-74.105 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... § 105-74.105 Does this part apply to me? (a) Portions of this part apply to you if you are either— (1) A...

41 CFR 105-74.105 - Does this part apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Does this part apply to me? 105-74.105 Section 105-74.105 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... § 105-74.105 Does this part apply to me? (a) Portions of this part apply to you if you are either— (1) A...

41 CFR 105-74.105 - Does this part apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Does this part apply to me? 105-74.105 Section 105-74.105 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... § 105-74.105 Does this part apply to me? (a) Portions of this part apply to you if you are either— (1) A...

Association of Fatigue With Sarcopenia and its Elements: A Secondary Analysis of SABE-Bogotá

PubMed Central

Patino-Hernandez, Daniela; David-Pardo, David Gabriel; Borda, Miguel Germán; Pérez-Zepeda, Mario Ulises; Cano-Gutiérrez, Carlos

2017-01-01

Objective: Sarcopenia, fatigue, and depression are associated with higher mortality rates and adverse outcomes in the aging population. Understanding the association among clinical variables, mainly symptoms, is important for screening and appropriately managing these conditions. The aim of this article is to evaluate the association among sarcopenia and its elements with depression and fatigue. Method: We used cross-sectional data from 2012 SABE (Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento)-Bogotá study, which included 2,000 participants of ages ≥60 years. Sarcopenia and its elements were taken as the dependent variable, while fatigue and depression were the main independent variables. We tested the association among these through multiple logistic regression models, which were fitted for each dependent variable and adjusted for confounding variables. Results: Our findings showed that gait speed was associated with fatigue (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.05, 1.90], p = .02) as well as abnormal handgrip strength (adjusted OR = 1.40, 95% CI = [1.02, 1.93], p = .04). No other associations were significant. Conclusion: While sarcopenia and fatigue are not associated, two of the sarcopenia-defining variables are associated with fatigue; this suggests that lack of sarcopenia does not exclude undesirable outcomes related to fatigue in aging adults. Also, the lack of association between sarcopenia-defining elements and depression demonstrates that depression and fatigue are different concepts. PMID:28474000

Relationships between soil and leaf mineral composition are element-specific, environment-dependent and geographically structured in the emerging model Arabidopsis halleri.

PubMed

Stein, Ricardo J; Höreth, Stephan; de Melo, J Romário F; Syllwasschy, Lara; Lee, Gwonjin; Garbin, Mário L; Clemens, Stephan; Krämer, Ute

2017-02-01

Leaf mineral composition, the leaf ionome, reflects the complex interaction between a plant and its environment including local soil composition, an influential factor that can limit species distribution and plant productivity. Here we addressed within-species variation in plant-soil interactions and edaphic adaptation using Arabidopsis halleri, a well-suited model species as a facultative metallophyte and metal hyperaccumulator. We conducted multi-element analysis of 1972 paired leaf and soil samples from 165 European populations of A. halleri, at individual resolution to accommodate soil heterogeneity. Results were further confirmed under standardized conditions upon cultivation of 105 field-collected genotypes on an artificially metal-contaminated soil in growth chamber experiments. Soil-independent between- and within-population variation set apart leaf accumulation of zinc, cadmium and lead from all other nutrient and nonessential elements, concurring with differential hypothesized ecological roles in either biotic interaction or nutrition. For these metals, soil-leaf relationships were element-specific, differed between metalliferous and nonmetalliferous soils and were geographically structured both in the field and under standardized growth conditions, implicating complex scenarios of recent ecological adaptation. Our study provides an example and a reference for future related work and will serve as a basis for the molecular-genetic dissection and ecological analysis of the observed phenotypic variation. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Reliability assessment of MVP-BURN and JENDL-4.0 related to nuclear transmutation of light platinum group elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terashima, Atsunori; Nilsson, Mikael; Ozawa, Masaki; Chiba, Satoshi

2017-09-01

The Aprés ORIENT research program, as a concept of advanced nuclear fuel cycle, was initiated in FY2011 aiming at creating stable, highly-valuable elements by nuclear transmutation from ↓ssion products. In order to simulate creation of such elements by (n, γ) reaction succeeded by β- decay in reactors, a continuous-energy Monte Carlo burnup calculation code MVP-BURN was employed. Then, it is one of the most important tasks to con↓rm the reliability of MVP-BURN code and evaluated neutron cross section library. In this study, both an experiment of neutron activation analysis in TRIGA Mark I reactor at University of California, Irvine and the corresponding burnup calculation using MVP-BURN code were performed for validation of the simulation on transmutation of light platinum group elements. Especially, some neutron capture reactions such as 102Ru(n, γ)103Ru, 104Ru(n, γ)105Ru, and 108Pd(n, γ)109Pd were dealt with in this study. From a comparison between the calculation (C) and the experiment (E) about 102Ru(n, γ)103Ru, the deviation (C/E-1) was signi↓cantly large. Then, it is strongly suspected that not MVP-BURN code but the neutron capture cross section of 102Ru belonging to JENDL-4.0 used in this simulation have made the big di↑erence as (C/E-1) >20%.

Design of highly sensitive multichannel bimetallic photonic crystal fiber biosensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hameed, Mohamed Farhat O.; Alrayk, Yassmin K. A.; Shaalan, Abdelhamid A.; El Deeb, Walid S.; Obayya, Salah S. A.

2016-10-01

A design of a highly sensitive multichannel biosensor based on photonic crystal fiber is proposed and analyzed. The suggested design has a silver layer as a plasmonic material coated by a gold layer to protect silver oxidation. The reported sensor is based on detection using the quasi transverse electric (TE) and quasi transverse magnetic (TM) modes, which offers the possibility of multichannel/multianalyte sensing. The numerical results are obtained using a finite element method with perfect matched layer boundary conditions. The sensor geometrical parameters are optimized to achieve high sensitivity for the two polarized modes. High-refractive index sensitivity of about 4750 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) and 4300 nm/RIU with corresponding resolutions of 2.1×10-5 RIU, and 2.33×10-5 RIU can be obtained according to the quasi TM and quasi TE modes of the proposed sensor, respectively. Further, the reported design can be used as a self-calibration biosensor within an unknown analyte refractive index ranging from 1.33 to 1.35 with high linearity and high accuracy. Moreover, the suggested biosensor has advantages in terms of compactness and better integration of microfluidics setup, waveguide, and metallic layers into a single structure.

CuTaS 3 : Intermetal d–d Transitions Enable High Solar Absorption

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

Heo, Jaeseok; Yu, Liping; Altschul, Emmeline

To realize the fundamental limits of photovoltaic device efficiency, solar absorbers must exhibit strong absorption and abrupt absorption onsets. Ideally, onsets to maximum absorption (a > 105 cm-1) occur over a few tenths of an electronvolt. First-principles calculations predict CuTaS3 represents a potentially new class of materials with such absorption characteristics. Narrow metallic d bands in both the initial and final states present high joint densities of states and, therefore, strong absorption. Specifically, a mixture of metal d (Cu1+, d10) and S p characterizes states near the valence band maximum, and metal d (Ta5+, d0) dominates near the conduction bandmore » minimum. Optical absorption measurements on thin films confirm the abrupt onset to strong absorption a > 105 cm-1 at Eg + 0.4 eV (Eg = 1.0 eV). Theoretical CuTaS3 solar cell efficiency is predicted to be 28% for a 300 nm film based on the metric of spectroscopic limited maximum efficiency, which exceeds that of CuInSe2. This sulfide may offer new opportunities to discover and develop a new class of mixed d-element solar absorbers.« less

Population genomic analysis suggests strong influence of river network on spatial distribution of genetic variation in invasive saltcedar across the southwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Soo-Rang; Jo, Yeong-Seok; Park, Chan-Ho; Friedman, Jonathan M.; Olson, Matthew S.

2018-01-01

Understanding the complex influences of landscape and anthropogenic elements that shape the population genetic structure of invasive species provides insight into patterns of colonization and spread. The application of landscape genomics techniques to these questions may offer detailed, previously undocumented insights into factors influencing species invasions. We investigated the spatial pattern of genetic variation and the influences of landscape factors on population similarity in an invasive riparian shrub, saltcedar (Tamarix L.) by analysing 1,997 genomewide SNP markers for 259 individuals from 25 populations collected throughout the southwestern United States. Our results revealed a broad-scale spatial genetic differentiation of saltcedar populations between the Colorado and Rio Grande river basins and identified potential barriers to population similarity along both river systems. River pathways most strongly contributed to population similarity. In contrast, low temperature and dams likely served as barriers to population similarity. We hypothesize that large-scale geographic patterns in genetic diversity resulted from a combination of early introductions from distinct populations, the subsequent influence of natural selection, dispersal barriers and founder effects during range expansion.

A Broadband Polyvinylidene Difluoride-Based Hydrophone with Integrated Readout Circuit for Intravascular Photoacoustic Imaging.

PubMed

Daeichin, Verya; Chen, Chao; Ding, Qing; Wu, Min; Beurskens, Robert; Springeling, Geert; Noothout, Emile; Verweij, Martin D; van Dongen, Koen W A; Bosch, Johan G; van der Steen, Antonius F W; de Jong, Nico; Pertijs, Michiel; van Soest, Gijs

2016-05-01

Intravascular photoacoustic (IVPA) imaging can visualize the coronary atherosclerotic plaque composition on the basis of the optical absorption contrast. Most of the photoacoustic (PA) energy of human coronary plaque lipids was found to lie in the frequency band between 2 and 15 MHz requiring a very broadband transducer, especially if a combination with intravascular ultrasound is desired. We have developed a broadband polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) transducer (0.6 × 0.6 mm, 52 μm thick) with integrated electronics to match the low capacitance of such a small polyvinylidene difluoride element (<5 pF/mm(2)) with the high capacitive load of the long cable (∼100 pF/m). The new readout circuit provides an output voltage with a sensitivity of about 3.8 μV/Pa at 2.25 MHz. Its response is flat within 10 dB in the range 2 to 15 MHz. The root mean square (rms) output noise level is 259 μV over the entire bandwidth (1-20 MHz), resulting in a minimum detectable pressure of 30 Pa at 2.25 MHz. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Discovery, synthesis and in combo studies of a tetrazole analogue of clofibric acid as a potent hypoglycemic agent.

PubMed

Navarrete-Vázquez, Gabriel; Alaniz-Palacios, Alfredo; Hidalgo-Figueroa, Sergio; González-Acevedo, Cristina; Ávila-Villarreal, Gabriela; Estrada-Soto, Samuel; Webster, Scott P; Medina-Franco, José L; López-Vallejo, Fabian; Guerrero-Álvarez, Jorge; Tlahuext, Hugo

2013-06-01

A tetrazole isosteric analogue of clofibric acid (1) was prepared using a short synthetic route and was characterized by elemental analysis, NMR ((1)H, (13)C) spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The in vitro inhibitory activity of 1 against 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) was evaluated, showing a moderate inhibitory enzyme activity (51.17% of inhibition at 10 μM), being more active than clofibrate and clofibric acid. The antidiabetic activity of compound 1 was determined at 50 mg/Kg single dose using a non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus rat model. The results indicated a significant decrease of plasma glucose levels, during the 7h post-administration. Additionally, we performed a molecular docking of 1 into the ligand binding pocket of one subunit of human 11β-HSD1. In this model, compound 1 binds into the catalytic site of 11β-HSD1 in two different orientations. Both of them, show important short contacts with the catalytic residues Ser 170, Tyr 183, Asp 259 and also with the nicotinamide ring of NADP(+). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Shaping Ge islands on Si(001) surfaces with misorientation angle.

PubMed

Persichetti, L; Sgarlata, A; Fanfoni, M; Balzarotti, A

2010-01-22

A complete description of Ge growth on vicinal Si(001) surfaces in the angular miscut range 0 degrees -8 degrees is presented. The key role of substrate vicinality is clarified from the very early stages of Ge deposition up to the nucleation of 3D islands. By a systematic scanning tunneling microscopy investigation we are able to explain the competition between step-flow growth and 2D nucleation and the progressive elongation of the 3D islands along the miscut direction [110]. Using finite element calculations, we find a strict correlation between the morphological evolution and the energetic factors which govern the {105} faceting at atomic scale.

Mechanically and optically reliable folding structure with a hyperelastic material for seamless foldable displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Hyuk-Jun; Shim, HongShik; Kim, Sunkook; Choi, Woong; Chun, Youngtea; Kee, InSeo; Lee, SangYoon

2011-04-01

We report a mechanically and optically robust folding structure to realize a foldable active matrix organic-light-emitting-diode (AMOLED) display without a visible crease at the junction. A nonlinear stress analysis, based on a finite element method, provided an optimized design. The folding-unfolding test on the structure exhibited negligible deterioration of the relative brightness at the junction of the individual panels up to 105 cycles at a folding radius of 1 mm, indicating highly reliable mechanical and optical tolerances. These results demonstrate the feasibility of seamless foldable AMOLED displays, with potentially important technical implications on fabricating large size flexible displays.

39 CFR 259.2 - Red Cross.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... those caused by enemy action. (b) Role of Postal Service. The Postal Service and the Red Cross will... information will be used by the Red Cross only to locate individuals and families, to answer inquiries from...

Publications - GMC 259 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

core (6,467-6,515.8') from the Exxon Corporation Thetis Island #1 well Authors: Unknown Publication ') from the Exxon Corporation Thetis Island #1 well: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2013

THOMAS, 113th Congress

Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI

2013-12-10

Senate - 12/11/2013 Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 259. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Mathematical simulation of convective-radiative heat transfer in a ventilated rectangular cavity with consideration of internal mass transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheremet, M. A.; Shishkin, N. I.

2012-07-01

Mathematical simulation of the nonstationary regimes of heat-and-mass transfer in a ventilated rectangular cavity with heat-conducting walls of finite thickness in the presence of a heat-generating element of constant temperature has been carried out with account for the radiative heat transfer in the Rosseland approximation. As mechanisms of energy transfer in this cavity, the combined convection and the thermal radiation in the gas space of the cavity and the heat conduction in the elements of its fencing solid shell were considered. The mathematical model formulated in the dimensionless stream function-vorticity vector-temperature-concentration variables was realized numerically with the use of the finite-difference method. The streamline, temperature-field, and concentration distributions reflecting the influence of the Rayleigh number (Ra = 104, 105, 106), the nonstationarity (0 < τ ≤ 1000), and the optical thickness of the medium (τλ = 50, 100, 200) on the regimes of the gas flow and the heat-and-mass transfer in the cavity have been obtained.

Element Cycling and Energy Flux Responses in Ecosystem Simulations Conducted at the Chinese Lunar Palace-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Chen; Fu, Yuming; Xie, Beizhen; Wang, Minjuan; Liu, Hong

2017-01-01

Bioregenerative life-support systems (BLSS) address interactions between organisms and their environment as an integrated system through the study of factors that regulate the pools and fluxes of materials and energy through ecological systems. As a simple model, using BLSS is very important in the investigation of element cycling and energy flux for sustainable development on Earth. A 105-day experiment with a high degree of closure was carried out in this system from February to May, 2014, with three volunteers. The results indicate that 247 g·d-1 carbon was imported into the system from stored food. Most hydrogen is circulated as water, and more than 99% H2O can be lost through leaf transpiration into the atmosphere. A total of 1.8 g·d-1 "unknown oxygen" emerged between the input and output of the plant growth module. For the urine processing module, 20.5% nitrogen was reused and 5.35 g·d-1 was put into the nutrient solution.

Hsp105 family proteins suppress staurosporine-induced apoptosis by inhibiting the translocation of Bax to mitochondria in HeLa cells

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

Yamagishi, Nobuyuki; Ishihara, Keiichi; Saito, Youhei

2006-10-15

Hsp105 (Hsp105{alpha} and Hsp105{beta}), major heat shock proteins in mammalian cells, belong to a subgroup of the HSP70 family, HSP105/110. Previously, we have shown that Hsp105{alpha} has completely different effects on stress-induced apoptosis depending on cell type. However, the molecular mechanisms by which Hsp105{alpha} regulates stress-induced apoptosis are not fully understood. Here, we established HeLa cells that overexpress either Hsp105{alpha} or Hsp105{beta} by removing doxycycline and examined how Hsp105 modifies staurosporine (STS)-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells. Apoptotic features such as the externalization of phosphatidylserine on the plasma membrane and nuclear morphological changes were induced by the treatment with STS, andmore » the STS-induced apoptosis was suppressed by overexpression of Hsp105{alpha} or Hsp105{beta}. In addition, we found that overexpression of Hsp105{alpha} or Hsp105{beta} suppressed the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 by preventing the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. Furthermore, the translocation of Bax to mitochondria, which results in the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria, was also suppressed by the overexpression of Hsp105{alpha} or Hsp105{beta}. Thus, it is suggested that Hsp105 suppresses the stress-induced apoptosis at its initial step, the translocation of Bax to mitochondria in HeLa cells.« less

41 CFR 105-68.105 - Does this part apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Does this part apply to me? 105-68.105 Section 105-68.105 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... apply to me? Portions of this part (see table at § 105-68.25(b)) apply to you if you are a(n)— (a...

41 CFR 105-68.105 - Does this part apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Does this part apply to me? 105-68.105 Section 105-68.105 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... apply to me? Portions of this part (see table at § 105-68.25(b)) apply to you if you are a(n)— (a...

41 CFR 105-68.105 - Does this part apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Does this part apply to me? 105-68.105 Section 105-68.105 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... apply to me? Portions of this part (see table at § 105-68.25(b)) apply to you if you are a(n)— (a...

41 CFR 105-68.105 - Does this part apply to me?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Does this part apply to me? 105-68.105 Section 105-68.105 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property... apply to me? Portions of this part (see table at § 105-68.25(b)) apply to you if you are a(n)— (a...

20 CFR 1002.259 - How does USERRA protect an employee's pension benefits?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... break in service with the employer or employers maintaining a pension plan, for purposes of participation, vesting and accrual of benefits, by reason of the period of absence from employment due to or...

Truth in Settlements Act of 2014

THOMAS, 113th Congress

Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA

2014-01-08

Senate - 09/18/2014 By Senator Carper from Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs filed written report. Report No. 113-259. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

7 CFR 3560.259 - Transferring rental assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... for a tenant who is moving due to displacement as a result of prepayment, liquidation, or a natural disaster. The tenant must begin using the rental assistance within 4 months of the transfer or the RA will...

7 CFR 3560.259 - Transferring rental assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... for a tenant who is moving due to displacement as a result of prepayment, liquidation, or a natural disaster. The tenant must begin using the rental assistance within 4 months of the transfer or the RA will...

7 CFR 3560.259 - Transferring rental assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... for a tenant who is moving due to displacement as a result of prepayment, liquidation, or a natural disaster. The tenant must begin using the rental assistance within 4 months of the transfer or the RA will...

76 FR 58562 - Additional Designations, Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-21

... RESTAURANTES, S.A. DE C.V., Martin L. Guzman 259-3, Colonia Villa de Cortes, Delegacion Benito Juarez, Mexico...); (ENTITY) [SDNTK]. 3. FLORBEL OPERADORA DE RESTAURANTES, S.A. DE C.V., Mexico City, Distrito Federal...

Mt. Everest

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-09-30

STS068-259-009 (30 September-11 October 1994) --- This south-looking, summer-time view of Mt. Everest (center) - with strong sense of three dimension because of reduced amount of snow - and neighboring peaks of the Himalayas. Clouds cover lower slopes in India.

Studies in the Epidemiology of Tinea Pedis. IX: Tinea Pedis and Erythrasma in New Patients at a Chiropody Clinic

PubMed Central

English, Mary P.; Turvey, J.

1968-01-01

The feet of 259 new patients at a chiropody clinic were examined for tinea pedis, onychomycosis, and erythrasma: 23% of men and 4% of women were infected by dermatophytes, and the nails of seven males were infected by non-dermatophytes. Of 200 patients examined under Wood's light 37% showed the coral-red fluorescence of erythrasma. Of the 259 patients, 9.7% were infected by Trichophyton interdigitale, 2.7% by T. rubrum, and 1.5% by Epidermophyton floccosum. Reasons are given, based on the method of selection of the patients, for supposing that T. interdigitale is still the dominant cause of tinea pedis in the population at large, despite figures from dermatological clinics suggesting the dominance of T. rubrum. The high incidence of infection in males compared with females corresponds with similar findings in school-children. PMID:4234612

Subpicosecond thin-disk laser oscillator with pulse energies of up to 25.9 microjoules by use of an active multipass geometry.

PubMed

Neuhaus, Joerg; Bauer, Dominik; Zhang, Jing; Killi, Alexander; Kleinbauer, Jochen; Kumkar, Malte; Weiler, Sascha; Guina, Mircea; Sutter, Dirk H; Dekorsy, Thomas

2008-12-08

The pulse shaping dynamics of a diode-pumped laser oscillator with active multipass cell was studied experimentally and numerically. We demonstrate the generation of high energy subpicosecond pulses with a pulse energy of up to 25.9 microJ at a pulse duration of 928 fs directly from a thin-disk laser oscillator. These results are achieved by employing a selfimaging active multipass geometry operated in ambient atmosphere. Stable single pulse operation has been obtained with an average output power in excess of 76 W and at a repetition rate of 2.93 MHz. Self starting passive mode locking was accomplished using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror. The experimental results are compared with numerical simulations, showing good agreement including the appearance of Kelly sidebands. Furthermore, a modified soliton-area theorem for approximating the pulse duration is presented. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America

34 CFR 105.34-105.39 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

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34 CFR 105.34-105.39 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

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34 CFR 105.12-105.19 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

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34 CFR 105.4-105.9 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

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34 CFR 105.12-105.19 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

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34 CFR 105.12-105.19 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

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34 CFR 105.21-105.29 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

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34 CFR 105.21-105.29 - [Reserved

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2014-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false [Reserved] 105.21-105.29 Section 105.21-105.29 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY...

34 CFR 105.4-105.9 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

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34 CFR 105.4-105.9 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false [Reserved] 105.4-105.9 Section 105.4-105.9 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY THE...

34 CFR 105.4-105.9 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false [Reserved] 105.4-105.9 Section 105.4-105.9 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY THE...

34 CFR 105.12-105.19 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false [Reserved] 105.12-105.19 Section 105.12-105.19 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY...

34 CFR 105.12-105.19 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

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34 CFR 105.4-105.9 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false [Reserved] 105.4-105.9 Section 105.4-105.9 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY THE...

34 CFR 105.34-105.39 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

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34 CFR 105.21-105.29 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false [Reserved] 105.21-105.29 Section 105.21-105.29 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY...

34 CFR 105.21-105.29 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false [Reserved] 105.21-105.29 Section 105.21-105.29 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY...

34 CFR 105.21-105.29 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false [Reserved] 105.21-105.29 Section 105.21-105.29 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY...

32 CFR 105.6 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Procedures. 105.6 Section 105.6 National Defense Department of Defense OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MILITARY AND CIVILIAN SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE PROGRAM PROCEDURES § 105.6 Procedures. See § 105.7 through § 105.16 of this part. ...

32 CFR 105.6 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Procedures. 105.6 Section 105.6 National Defense Department of Defense OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MILITARY AND CIVILIAN SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE PROGRAM PROCEDURES § 105.6 Procedures. See § 105.7 through § 105.16 of this part. ...

41 CFR 105-69.105 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... services in the private sector. (o) Recipient includes all contractors, subcontractors at any tier, and... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Definitions. 105-69.105... RESTRICTIONS ON LOBBYING General § 105-69.105 Definitions. For purposes of this part: (a) Agency, as defined in...

The application of surgical procedure manager (SPM): first experience with FESS.

PubMed

Feige, Katharina; Gollnick, Iris; Schmitz, Pia; Strauss, Gero

2017-09-01

In our hypothesis, the newly developed program SPM (surgical procedure manager) will ensure successful standardization and efficiency of the FESS (functional endoscopic sinus surgery) and therefore make a decisive contribution in terms of economization and improvement of intraoperative quality. Between 27th March 2015 and 8th October 2015, data from 259 FESS procedures were collected using the SPM. The study took place at the surgical desk, an operating room in the ACQUA clinic in Leipzig, Germany. 233 FESS (90%) of the total FESS (n = 259, 100%) were conducted entirely with SPM. 26 SPM terminations (10%) of 259 FESS remain, which are classified as actual SPM terminations-when the surgeon intentionally stops the SPM. The maximum time slot decreased clearly from 1 h 39 min (period A) to 1 h 10 min (period B). A time reduction can also be seen with the minimum duration of 13.5 min compared to 11 min. The variability of the time slot also decreases since the standard deviation is reduced by 4.5 min. On the basis of available recordings it can be postulated that the application of SPM is suitable for standardization for FESS. Standardization by means of SPM and minimal development can be recognized over a period of time. The SPM makes it possible to transfer the general advantages of mechanization on a concrete FESS and do not influence the medical processes nor even restrict the medical freedom. The users are still entirely free in the implementation of the respective procedure.

Meta-analysis of lipid-traits in Hispanics identifies novel loci, population-specific effects, and tissue-specific enrichment of eQTLs

PubMed Central

Below, Jennifer E.; Parra, Esteban J.; Gamazon, Eric R.; Torres, Jason; Krithika, S.; Candille, Sophie; Lu, Yingchang; Manichakul, Ani; Peralta-Romero, Jesus; Duan, Qing; Li, Yun; Morris, Andrew P.; Gottesman, Omri; Bottinger, Erwin; Wang, Xin-Qun; Taylor, Kent D.; Ida Chen, Y.-D.; Rotter, Jerome I.; Rich, Stephen S.; Loos, Ruth J. F.; Tang, Hua; Cox, Nancy J.; Cruz, Miguel; Hanis, Craig L.; Valladares-Salgado, Adan

2016-01-01

We performed genome-wide meta-analysis of lipid traits on three samples of Mexican and Mexican American ancestry comprising 4,383 individuals, and followed up significant and highly suggestive associations in three additional Hispanic samples comprising 7,876 individuals. Genome-wide significant signals were observed in or near CELSR2, ZNF259/APOA5, KANK2/DOCK6 and NCAN/MAU2 for total cholesterol, LPL, ABCA1, ZNF259/APOA5, LIPC and CETP for HDL cholesterol, CELSR2, APOB and NCAN/MAU2 for LDL cholesterol, and GCKR, TRIB1, ZNF259/APOA5 and NCAN/MAU2 for triglycerides. Linkage disequilibrium and conditional analyses indicate that signals observed at ABCA1 and LIPC for HDL cholesterol and NCAN/MAU2 for triglycerides are independent of previously reported lead SNP associations. Analyses of lead SNPs from the European Global Lipids Genetics Consortium (GLGC) dataset in our Hispanic samples show remarkable concordance of direction of effects as well as strong correlation in effect sizes. A meta-analysis of the European GLGC and our Hispanic datasets identified five novel regions reaching genome-wide significance: two for total cholesterol (FN1 and SAMM50), two for HDL cholesterol (LOC100996634 and COPB1) and one for LDL cholesterol (LINC00324/CTC1/PFAS). The top meta-analysis signals were found to be enriched for SNPs associated with gene expression in a tissue-specific fashion, suggesting an enrichment of tissue-specific function in lipid-associated loci. PMID:26780889

An In Vitro Model to Probe the Regulation of Adipocyte Differentiation under Hyperglycemia

PubMed Central

Shilpa, Kusampudi; Dinesh, Thangaraj

2013-01-01

Background The aim of this study was an in vitro investigation of the effect of high glucose concentration on adipogenesis, as prolonged hyperglycemia alters adipocyte differentiation. Methods 3T3-L1 preadipocytes differentiated in the presence of varying concentrations of glucose (25, 45, 65, 85, and 105 mM) were assessed for adipogenesis using AdipoRed (Lonza) assay. Cell viability and proliferation were measured using MTT reduction and [3H] thymidine incorporation assay. The extent of glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis were measured using radiolabelled 2-deoxy-D-[1-3H] glucose and [14C]-UDP-glucose. The gene level expression was evaluated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and protein expression was studied using Western blot analysis. Results Glucose at 105 mM concentration was observed to inhibit adipogenesis through inhibition of CCAAT-enhancer-binding proteins, sterol regulatory element-binding protein, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and adiponectin. High concentration of glucose induced stress by increasing levels of toll-like receptor 4, nuclear factor κB and tumor necrosis factor α thereby generating activated preadipocytes. These cells entered the state of hyperplasia through inhibition of p27 and proliferation was found to increase through activation of protein kinase B via phosphoinositide 3 kinase dependent pathway. This condition inhibited insulin signaling through decrease in insulin receptor β. Although the glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) protein remained unaltered with the glycogen synthesis inhibited, the cells were found to exhibit an increase in glucose uptake via GLUT1. Conclusion Adipogenesis in the presence of 105 mM glucose leads to an uncontrolled proliferation of activated preadipocytes providing an insight towards understanding obesity. PMID:23807920

Viscoelastic properties of cationic starch adsorbed on quartz studied by QCM-D.

PubMed

Tammelin, Tekla; Merta, Juha; Johansson, Leena-Sisko; Stenius, Per

2004-12-07

The adsorption and viscoelastic properties of layers of a cationic polyelectrolyte (cationic starch, CS, with 2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammoniumchloride as the substituent) adsorbed from aqueous solutions (pH 7.5, added NaCl 0, 1, 100, and 500 mM) on silica were studied with a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). Three different starches were investigated (weight-average molecular weights M(w) approximately 8.7 x 10(5) and 4.5 x 10(5) with degree of substitution DS = 0.75 and M(w) approximately 8.8 x 10(5) with DS = 0.2). At low ionic strength, the adsorbed layers are thin and rigid and the amount adsorbed can be calculated using the Sauerbrey equation. When the ionic strength is increased, significant changes take place in the amount of adsorbed CS and the viscoelasticity of the adsorbed layer. These changes were analyzed assuming that the layer can be described as a Voigt element on a rigid surface in contact with purely viscous solvent. It was found that CS with low charge density forms a thicker and more mobile layer with higher viscosity and elasticity than CS with high charge density. The polymers adsorbed on the silica even when the ionic strength was so high that electrostatic interactions were effectively screened. At this high ionic strength, it was possible to study the effect of molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of the CS on the properties of the adsorbed film. Increasing the molecular weight of CS resulted in a larger hydrodynamic thickness. CS with a narrow molecular weight distribution formed a more compact and rigid layer than broadly distributed CS, presumably due to the better packing of the molecules.

Angular dependence of Kβ/Kα intensity ratios of thick Ti and Cu pure elements from 10-25 keV electron bombardment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, B.; Kumar, S.; Prajapati, S.; Singh, B. K.; Llovet, X.; Shanker, R.

2018-02-01

Measurements yielding the first results on angular dependence of Kβ/Kα X-ray intensity ratios of thick Ti (Z = 22) and Cu (Z = 29) targets induced by 10-25 keV electrons are presented. The measurements were done by rotating the target surface around the electron beam direction in the angular detection range 105° ≤ θ ≤ 165° in the reflection mode using an energy dispersive Si PIN photodiode detector. The measured angular dependence of Kβ/Kα intensity ratios is shown to be almost isotropic for Ti and Cu targets for the range of detection angles, 105° ≤ θ ≤ 150°, while there is a very weak increase beyond 150° for both targets. No dependence of Kβ/Kα intensity ratios on impact energy is observed; while on average, the value of the Kβ/Kα X-ray intensity ratio for Cu is larger by about 8% than that for Ti, which indicates a weak Z-dependence of the target. The experimental results are compared with those obtained from PENELOPE MC calculations and from the Evaluated Atomic Data Library (EADL) ratios. These results on Kβ/Kα X-ray intensity ratios are found to be in reasonable agreement in the detection angle range 105° ≤ θ ≤ 150° to within uncertainties, whereas the simulation and experimental results show a very slight increase in the intensity ratio with θ as the latter attains higher values. The results presented in this work provide a direct check on the accuracy of PENELOPE at oblique incidence angles for which there has been a lack of measurements in the literature until now.

A new hydrogeologic model to predict anthropogenic uplift of Venice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teatini, P.; Castelletto, N.; Ferronato, M.; Gambolati, G.; Tosi, L.

2011-12-01

Recent numerical studies based on a simplified lithostratigraphy of the Venice subsurface suggest that the city may be raised by pumping seawater into deep aquifers through 12 wells located on a 10 km diameter circle. Using an updated 3-D reconstruction of the Quaternary deposits, developed very recently from about 1050 km of multichannel seismic profiles and eight exploration wells, along with a more accurate representation of the injection boreholes, novel finite-element predictions are performed. The new model simulates the lithostratigraphy of the lagoon subsurface and allows for a reliable assessment of the water volumes injected into the geologic formations based on the actual bottom hole overpressure that can vary both in space and time. Pumping occurs into two Pleistocene sequences that are originated from the Alps and Apennine sedimentation and terminate just south and north of Venice, respectively, and the shelf portion of a Pliocene sequence that is rather continuous below the central lagoon with arenite layers to depths as much as 1000 m below mean sea level. With a proper tuning of the injection pressure the new hydrogeologic model allows for a prediction of a quite uniform 25-30 cm uplift over 10 years after the inception of injection. The gradient of the vertical displacement ξz does not exceed 5 × 10-5 and 1 × 10-5 in the whole lagoon and Venice, respectively, i.e., well below the most conservative bound recommended for the safety of the structures. If ad hoc calibrated injection overpressures are implemented in each single well, ξz may be reduced to as much as 0.1 × 10-5 throughout the city.

Performance benefits and limitations of a camera network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Peter; Thomas, Paul J.; Hornsey, Richard

2005-06-01

Visual information is of vital significance to both animals and artificial systems. The majority of mammals rely on two images, each with a resolution of 107-108 'pixels' per image. At the other extreme are insect eyes where the field of view is segmented into 103-105 images, each comprising effectively one pixel/image. The great majority of artificial imaging systems lie nearer to the mammalian characteristics in this parameter space, although electronic compound eyes have been developed in this laboratory and elsewhere. If the definition of a vision system is expanded to include networks or swarms of sensor elements, then schools of fish, flocks of birds and ant or termite colonies occupy a region where the number of images and the pixels/image may be comparable. A useful system might then have 105 imagers, each with about 104-105 pixels. Artificial analogs to these situations include sensor webs, smart dust and co-ordinated robot clusters. As an extreme example, we might consider the collective vision system represented by the imminent existence of ~109 cellular telephones, each with a one-megapixel camera. Unoccupied regions in this resolution-segmentation parameter space suggest opportunities for innovative artificial sensor network systems. Essential for the full exploitation of these opportunities is the availability of custom CMOS image sensor chips whose characteristics can be tailored to the application. Key attributes of such a chip set might include integrated image processing and control, low cost, and low power. This paper compares selected experimentally determined system specifications for an inward-looking array of 12 cameras with the aid of a camera-network model developed to explore the tradeoff between camera resolution and the number of cameras.

Hsp105 reduces the protein aggregation and cytotoxicity by expanded-polyglutamine proteins through the induction of Hsp70

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

Yamagishi, Nobuyuki; Goto, Kazumasa; Nakagawa, Satomi

2010-09-10

Hsp105{alpha} and Hsp105{beta} are major heat shock proteins in mammalian cells and belong to the HSP105/110 family. Hsp105{alpha} is expressed constitutively in the cytoplasm of cells, while Hsp105{beta}, an alternatively spliced form of Hsp105{alpha}, is expressed specifically in the nucleus of cells during mild heat shock. Here, we show that not only Hsp105{beta} but also Hsp105{alpha} accumulated in the nucleus of cells following the expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein with a pathological length polyQ tract (EGFP-polyQ97) and suppressed the intranuclear aggregation of polyQ proteins and apoptosis induced by EGFP-polyQ97. Mutants of Hsp105{alpha} and Hsp105{beta} with changes in the nuclearmore » localization signal sequences, which localized exclusively in the cytoplasm with or without the expression of EGFP-polyQ97, did not suppress the intranuclear aggregation of polyQ proteins and apoptosis induced by EGFP-polyQ97. Furthermore, Hsp70 was induced by the co-expression of Hsp105{alpha} and EGFP-polyQ97, and the knockdown of Hsp70 reduced the inhibitory effect of Hsp105{alpha} and Hsp105{beta} on the intranuclear aggregation of polyQ proteins and apoptosis induced by EGFP-polyQ97. These observations suggested that Hsp105{alpha} and Hsp105{beta} suppressed the expanded polyQ tract-induced protein aggregation and apoptosis through the induction of Hsp70.« less

4 CFR 25.9 - Soliciting, vending, and debt collection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... apply to: (a) National or local drives for funds for welfare, health, or other purposes as authorized by...-191 (31 U.S.C. sec. 732(e)); (d) Occupants of space leased for commercial purposes, or made available...

4 CFR 25.9 - Soliciting, vending, and debt collection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... apply to: (a) National or local drives for funds for welfare, health, or other purposes as authorized by...-191 (31 U.S.C. sec. 732(e)); (d) Occupants of space leased for commercial purposes, or made available...

Personality Mechanisms of Alcohol-Related Violence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holcomb, William R.; Adams, Nicholas A.

1985-01-01

Personality variables involved in alcohol-related violence were studied by comparing Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scores of four different groups (N=259). Results are given for violent versus nonviolent groups and intoxicated versus sober men who commit murder. (Author/BL)

78 FR 12092 - John V. Scalera; Decision and Order

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-21

... from both Dr. C. and Dr. M. Tr. 259-64. According to Respondent, Dr. C. is an orthopedic surgeon who... professional practice or research.''). \\14\\ It is also noted that Respondent has not been convicted of an...

77 FR 55847 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-11

... Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; PAR09-259: Optimization of Small Molecule Probes For the Nervous System. Date: October 12, 2012. Time: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications...

Human-Centered Technology for Maintainability: Workshop Proceedings

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-01

INT E RNAL) POPLITEAL STATION-ANKLE JOINT-- -* A (LOCATOR) AFTANKLE .... -. REANKLE ANKLE JOINT HT., STANDING---... - , FOREFOOT AFTFOOT...to strike down missile containers in the weapons elevator nwd stack them within the confines of the magazine. 259 Mechanized support equipment models

259 E Ohio, April 2014, Lindsay Light Radiological Survey

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The count rates for the sidewalk ranged from 5,600 cpm to 16,800 cpm.There were two locations along Ontario St. with elevated count rates approaching thethreshold limit correlating to 7.1 pCi/g total thorium.

5. Double crib barn, main floor, 4th room from northeast, ...

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

5. Double crib barn, main floor, 4th room from northeast, southeast and southwest walls - Wilkins Farm, Barn, South side of Dove Hollow Road, 6000 feet east of State Route 259, Lost City, Hardy County, WV

UV irradiation-induced methionine oxidation in human skin keratins: Mass spectrometry-based non-invasive proteomic analysis.

PubMed

Lee, Seon Hwa; Matsushima, Keita; Miyamoto, Kohei; Oe, Tomoyuki

2016-02-05

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the major environmental factor that causes oxidative skin damage. Keratins are the main constituents of human skin and have been identified as oxidative target proteins. We have recently developed a mass spectrometry (MS)-based non-invasive proteomic methodology to screen oxidative modifications in human skin keratins. Using this methodology, UV effects on methionine (Met) oxidation in human skin keratins were investigated. The initial screening revealed that Met(259), Met(262), and Met(296) in K1 keratin were the most susceptible oxidation sites upon UVA (or UVB) irradiation of human tape-stripped skin. Subsequent liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-MS and tandem MS analyses confirmed amino acid sequences and oxidation sites of tryptic peptides D(290)VDGAYMTK(298) (P1) and N(258)MQDMVEDYR(267) (P2). The relative oxidation levels of P1 and P2 increased in a time-dependent manner upon UVA irradiation. Butylated hydroxytoluene was the most effective antioxidant for artifactual oxidation of Met residues. The relative oxidation levels of P1 and P2 after UVA irradiation for 48 h corresponded to treatment with 100mM hydrogen peroxide for 15 min. In addition, Met(259) was oxidized by only UVA irradiation. The Met sites identified in conjunction with the current proteomic methodology can be used to evaluate skin damage under various conditions of oxidative stress. We demonstrated that the relative Met oxidation levels in keratins directly reflected UV-induced damages to human tape-stripped skin. Human skin proteins isolated by tape stripping were analyzed by MS-based non-invasive proteomic methodology. Met(259), Met(262), and Met(296) in K1 keratin were the most susceptible oxidation sites upon UV irradiation. Met(259) was oxidized by only UVA irradiation. Quantitative LC/ESI-SRM/MS analyses confirmed a time-dependent increase in the relative oxidation of target peptides (P1 and P2) containing these Met residues, upon UVA irradiation of isolated human skin. The relative oxidation levels of P1 and P2 along with the current proteomic methodology could be applied to the assessment of oxidative stress levels in skin after exposure to sunlight. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Retrospective study for risk factors for febrile UTI in spinal cord injury patients with routine concomitant intermittent catheterization in outpatient settings.

PubMed

Mukai, S; Shigemura, K; Nomi, M; Sengoku, A; Yamamichi, F; Fujisawa, M; Arakawa, S

2016-01-01

Retrospective study. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical risk factors for febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) in spinal cord injury-associated neurogenic bladder (NB) patients who perform routine clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). Rehabilitation Hospital, Kobe, Japan. Over a 3-year period, we retrospectively assessed the clinical risk factors for febrile UTI in 259 spinal cord injury patients diagnosed as NB and performing routine CIC with regard to the factors such as gender, the presence of pyuria and bacteriuria, and the categories of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale. A total of 67 patients had febrile UTI in the follow-up period, with 57 cases of pyelonephritis, 11 cases of epididymitis and 2 cases of prostatitis, including the patients with plural infectious diseases. The causative bacteria were ranked as follows: Escherichia coli (74 cases), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (17 cases), Enterococcus faecalis (14 cases) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (12 cases). Antibiotic-resistant E. coli were seen, with 10.5% instances of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production and 23.8% of fluoroquinolone resistance. Multivariate analyses of clinical risk factors for febrile UTI showed that gender (male, P=0.0431), and ASIA impairment scale C or more severe (P=0.0266) were significantly associated with febrile UTI occurrence in NB patients with routine CIC. Our data demonstrated gender (male) and ASIA impairment scale C or more severe were significantly associated with febrile UTI occurrence in NB patients using routine CIC. Further prospective studies are necessary to define the full spectrum of possible risk factors for febrile UTI in these patients.

Prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease

PubMed Central

Mahdavinia, Mahboobeh; Bishehsari, Faraz; Hayat, Waqas; Codispoti, Christopher D.; Sarrafi, Shahram; Husain, Inna; Mehta, Arpita; Benhammuda, Mohamed; Tobin, Mary C.; Bandi, Sindhura; LoSavio, Philip S.; Jeffe, Jill S.; Palmisano, Erica L.; Schleimer, Robert P.; Batra, Pete S.

2017-01-01

Background An association between chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been previously reported; however, the underlying factors linking CRS and GERD remain to be elucidated. Objective To assess the association of GERD and CRS using prospective and retrospective approaches. Methods The retrospective study comprised a large cohort of CRS cases, whereas the prospective arm evaluated a series of CRS cases and controls. Results In the retrospective arm of the study, of the 1066 patients with CRS, 112 (10.5%) had GERD. Among patients with CRS, GERD was associated with higher body mass index, older age, and female sex. The odds ratios (ORs) for asthma and allergic rhinitis in the CRS group with GERD compared with the CRS group without GERD were 2.89 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.905–4.389) and 2.021 (95% CI, 1.035–3.947). Furthermore, GERD was associated with a greater duration of CRS. Ninety patients with CRS and 81 controls were enrolled in the prospective arm of the study. In the CRS group, GERD was associated with asthma (OR, 4.77; 95% CI, 1.27–18.01). Patients with CRS and GERD had a longer duration and a younger age at onset of CRS. In controls, no association was found between GERD and asthma (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.09–5.19) or allergic rhinitis (OR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.05–2.59). Conclusion Patients with CRS and GERD are more likely to have atopic conditions and asthma when compared with patients with CRS but without GERD. One of the potential explanations of this link is that comorbid GERD and atopic disease are potential risk factors for development of CRS. PMID:27283453

Investigating the binding mechanism of novel 6-aminonicotinate-based antagonists with P2Y12 by 3D-QSAR, docking and molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

Zhou, Shengfu; Fang, Danqing; Tan, Shepei; Lin, Weicong; Wu, Wenjuan; Zheng, Kangcheng

2017-10-01

P2Y 12 receptor is an attractive target for the anti-platelet therapies, treating various thrombotic diseases. In this work, a total of 107 6-aminonicotinate-based compounds as potent P2Y 12 antagonists were studies by a molecular modeling study combining three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR), molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to explore the decisive binding conformations of these antagonists with P2Y 12 and the structural features for the activity. The optimum CoMFA and CoMSIA models identified satisfactory robustness and good predictive ability, with R 2  = .983, q 2  = .805, [Formula: see text] = .881 for CoMFA model, and R 2  = .935, q 2  = .762, [Formula: see text] = .690 for CoMSIA model, respectively. The probable binding modes of compounds and key amino acid residues were revealed by molecular docking. MD simulations and MM/GBSA free energy calculations were further performed to validate the rationality of docking results and to compare the binding modes of several compound pairs with different activities, and the key residues (Val102, Tyr105, Tyr109, His187, Val190, Asn191, Phe252, His253, Arg256, Tyr259, Thr260, Val279, and Lys280) for the higher activity were pointed out. The binding energy decomposition indicated that the hydrophobic and hydrogen bond interactions play important roles for the binding of compounds to P2Y 12 . We hope these results could be helpful in design of potent and selective P2Y 12 antagonists.

Most probable mixing state of aerosols in Delhi NCR, northern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Parul; Dey, Sagnik; Srivastava, Atul Kumar; Singh, Sachchidanand; Tiwari, Suresh

2018-02-01

Unknown mixing state is one of the major sources of uncertainty in estimating aerosol direct radiative forcing (DRF). Aerosol DRF in India is usually reported for external mixing and any deviation from this would lead to high bias and error. Limited information on aerosol composition hinders in resolving this issue in India. Here we use two years of aerosol chemical composition data measured at megacity Delhi to examine the most probable aerosol mixing state by comparing the simulated clear-sky downward surface flux with the measured flux. We consider external, internal, and four combinations of core-shell (black carbon, BC over dust; water-soluble, WS over dust; WS over water-insoluble, WINS and BC over WINS) mixing. Our analysis reveals that choice of external mixing (usually considered in satellite retrievals and climate models) seems reasonable in Delhi only in the pre-monsoon (Mar-Jun) season. During the winter (Dec-Feb) and monsoon (Jul-Sep) seasons, 'WS coating over dust' externally mixed with BC and WINS appears to be the most probable mixing state; while 'WS coating over WINS' externally mixed with BC and dust seems to be the most probable mixing state in the post-monsoon (Oct-Nov) season. Mean seasonal TOA (surface) aerosol DRF for the most probable mixing states are 4.4 ± 3.9 (- 25.9 ± 3.9), - 16.3 ± 5.7 (- 42.4 ± 10.5), 13.6 ± 11.4 (- 76.6 ± 16.6) and - 5.4 ± 7.7 (- 80.0 ± 7.2) W m- 2 respectively in the pre-monsoon, monsoon, post-monsoon and winter seasons. Our results highlight the importance of realistic mixing state treatment in estimating aerosol DRF to aid in policy making to combat climate change.

Sexual development of dairy bulls in the Mexican tropics.

PubMed

Jiménez-Severiano, Hector

2002-09-01

Sexual development and pubertal traits were studied in Holstein Frisian (Ho) and Brown Swiss (BS) bulls born and maintained under tropical conditions. Characteristics evaluated every 2 weeks, from 27 to 63 weeks of age, included live weight, scrotal circumference, testicular diameter, semen quality and sexual behavior. Puberty was defined as the age at which a bull first produced an ejaculate containing at least 50 x 106 spermatozoa, with a minimum of 10% progressive motility. Testicular growth was linear in Ho bulls and quadratic in BS bulls. There was no breed difference in age at puberty (Ho, 333 +/- 15.8 days; BS, 311 +/- 10.5 days). However, at puberty, live weight and scrotal circumference tended to be greater in Ho (276 +/- 16.9 kg and 28.4 +/- 1 cm, respectively) than in BS bulls (233 +/- 11.3 kg and 25.9 +/- 0.7 cm, respectively), and testicular diameter was larger for Ho (5.5 +/- 0.24 cm) than for BS bulls (4.8 +/- 0.16 cm). Pooled data for all bulls for semen characteristics at puberty were: volume, 6.3 +/- 0.6 ml; progressive motility, 26.8 +/- 4.4%; sperm concentration, 58.5 +/- 13.9 x 10(6) spermatozoa/ml, and 351.5 +/- 91.2 x 10(6) spermatozoa/ejaculate. These values improved until at least 18 weeks after puberty. Eighty-five percent of bulls mounted heifers by 206 days of age, but only a few bulls had mounts with ejaculation during the study. It was concluded that reproductive development was similar between Ho and BS bulls, but slower than that reported for dairy bulls in temperate areas. Variation in some characteristics, such as scrotal circumference, was observed among bulls within each breed group, which might be of benefit for genetic selection.

Utilization of sewage sludge in the manufacture of lightweight aggregate.

PubMed

Franus, Małgorzata; Barnat-Hunek, Danuta; Wdowin, Magdalena

2016-01-01

This paper presents a comprehensive study on the possibility of sewage sludge management in a sintered ceramic material such as a lightweight aggregate. Made from clay and sludge lightweight aggregates were sintered at two temperatures: 1100 °C (name of sample LWA1) and 1150 °C (name of sample LWA2). Physical and mechanical properties indicate that the resulting expanded clay aggregate containing sludge meets the basic requirements for lightweight aggregates. The presence of sludge supports the swelling of the raw material, thereby causing an increase in the porosity of aggregates. The LWA2 has a lower value of bulk particle density (0.414 g/cm(3)), apparent particle density (0.87 g/cm(3)), and dry particle density (2.59 g/cm(3)) than it is in the case of LWA1 where these parameters were as follows: bulk particle density 0.685 g/cm(3), apparent particle density 1.05 g/cm(3), and dry particle density 2.69 g/cm(3). Water absorption and porosity of LWA1 (WA = 14.4 %, P = 60 %) are lower than the LWA2 (WA = 16.2 % and P = 66 %). This is due to the higher heating temperature of granules which make the waste gases, liberating them from the decomposition of organic sewage sludge. The compressive strength of LWA2 aggregate is 4.64 MPa and for LWA1 is 0.79 MPa. Results of leaching tests of heavy metals from examined aggregates have shown that insoluble metal compounds are placed in silicate and aluminosilicate structure of the starting materials (clays and sludges), whereas soluble substances formed crystalline skeleton of the aggregates. The thermal synthesis of lightweight aggregates from clay and sludge mixture is a waste-free method of their development.

Decreased Lamina Cribrosa Beam Thickness and Pore Diameter Relative to Distance From the Central Retinal Vessel Trunk

PubMed Central

Wang, Bo; Lucy, Katie A.; Schuman, Joel S.; Sigal, Ian A.; Bilonick, Richard A.; Kagemann, Larry; Kostanyan, Tigran; Lu, Chen; Liu, Jonathan; Grulkowski, Ireneusz; Fujimoto, James G.; Ishikawa, Hiroshi; Wollstein, Gadi

2016-01-01

Purpose To investigate how the lamina cribrosa (LC) microstructure changes with distance from the central retinal vessel trunk (CRVT), and to determine how this change differs in glaucoma. Methods One hundred nineteen eyes (40 healthy, 29 glaucoma suspect, and 50 glaucoma) of 105 subjects were imaged using swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT). The CRVT was manually delineated at the level of the anterior LC surface. A line was fit to the distribution of LC microstructural parameters and distance from CRVT to measure the gradient (change in LC microstructure per distance from the CRVT) and intercept (LC microstructure near the CRVT). A linear mixed-effects model was used to determine the effect of diagnosis on the gradient and intercept of the LC microstructure with distance from the CRVT. A Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was applied to determine the difference in distribution between the diagnostic categories. Results The percent of visible LC in all scans was 26 ± 7%. Beam thickness and pore diameter decreased with distance from the CRVT. Glaucoma eyes had a larger decrease in beam thickness (−1.132 ± 0.503 μm, P = 0.028) and pore diameter (−0.913 ± 0.259 μm, P = 0.001) compared with healthy controls per 100 μm from the CRVT. Glaucoma eyes showed increased variability in both beam thickness and pore diameter relative to the distance from the CRVT compared with healthy eyes (P < 0.05). Conclusions These findings results demonstrate the importance of considering the anatomical location of CRVT in the assessment of the LC, as there is a relationship between the distance from the CRVT and the LC microstructure, which differs between healthy and glaucoma eyes. PMID:27286366

Downsizing Treatment with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Patients with Advanced Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors Improved Resectability

PubMed Central

Sjölund, Katarina; Andersson, Anna; Nilsson, Erik; Nilsson, Ola; Ahlman, Håkan

2010-01-01

Background Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) express the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT. Most GISTs have mutations in the KIT or PDGFRA gene, causing activation of tyrosine kinase. Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), is the first-line palliative treatment for advanced GISTs. Sunitinib was introduced for patients with mutations not responsive to imatinib. The aim was to compare the survival of patients with high-risk resected GISTs treated with TKI prior to surgery with historical controls and to determine if organ-preserving surgery was facilitated. Methods Ten high-risk GIST-patients had downsizing/adjuvant TKI treatment: nine with imatinib and one with sunitinib. The patients were matched with historical controls (n = 89) treated with surgery alone, from our population-based series (n = 259). Mutational analysis of KIT and PDGFRA was performed in all cases. The progression-free survival was calculated. Results The primary tumors decreased in mean diameter from 20.4 cm to 10.5 cm on downsizing imatinib. Four patients with R0 resection and a period of adjuvant imatinib had no recurrences versus 67% in the historical control group. Four patients with residual liver metastases have stable disease on continuous imatinib treatment after surgery. One patient has undergone reoperation with liver resection. The downsizing treatment led to organ-preserving surgery in nine patients and improved preoperative nutritional status in one patient. Conclusions Downsizing TKI is recommended for patients with bulky tumors with invasion of adjacent organs. Sunitinib can be used for patients in case of imatinib resistance (e.g., wild-type GISTs), underlining the importance of mutational analysis for optimal surgical planning. PMID:20512492

Clinical and microbiological characteristics of bloodstream infections in a tertiary hospital in Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil.

PubMed

Tenório, Maria Tereza Freitas; Porfírio, Zenaldo; Lopes, Antonio Carlos; Cendon, Sonia

2010-01-01

We observed the clinical and microbiological characteristics of several stages of bloodstream infections (BSI), as well as the mortality attributed to it in a tertiary hospital in the northeast of Brazil (in the city of Maceió, Alagoas). A prospective cohort of 143 patients who had at least one positive blood culture was enrolled in the study. Their clinical evolution was followed up for 30 days from October 2005 to December 2006. The relation among the qualitative variables was verified through Chi-square test. The significance level was 5%. The statistical package adopted was SPSS 15.0 for Windows. Up to the thirtieth day, 30.1% of the patients presented bacteremia and 69.9% developed sepsis. Among these, 20.3% developed severe sepsis and 10.5% septic shock. The mortality attributed to it was 37.8%. In bacteremia, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock conditions, mortality rates were 9.3%, 50%, 65.5%, and 84.6%, respectively. Respiratory (32.2%) and urinary (14%) sources and the ones related to central venous catheter (14%) were prevalent. In the wards 55.12% of the cases developed sepsis, whereas in the intensive care units, the rate was 87.69% (p < 0.05). Chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus, and neuropathy were present in 21.7%, 26.6%, and 29.4% of the cases, respectively. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (25.9%), Staphylococcus aureus (21%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (14%) were the most present microorganism in the sample. The high morbidity and mortality rates in this study are attributed to the lack of knowledge on BSI characteristics and on instituted protocols for detection and treatment in early stages.

Perceived stress, reproductive hormones, and ovulatory function: a prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Schliep, Karen C.; Mumford, Sunni L.; Vladutiu, Catherine J.; Ahrens, Katherine A.; Perkins, Neil J.; Sjaarda, Lindsey A.; Kissell, Kerri A.; Prasad, Ankita; Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Schisterman, Enrique F.

2014-01-01

Background Stress has been shown to suppress ovulation in experimental models, but its effect on human reproduction at the population level is unclear. Methods Healthy women (n=259), aged 18–44 years from Western New York, were followed for two menstrual cycles (2005–2007). Women completed daily perceived stress assessments, a 4-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4) up to four times each cycle, and a 14-item PSS at baseline. Mixed model analyses were used to assess effects of stress on log reproductive hormone concentrations and sporadic anovulation. Results High versus low daily stress was associated with lower estradiol (-9.5%; 95% confidence interval (CI)= -15.6% to -3.0%), free estradiol (-10.4% [-16.5% to -3.9%]), and LH (-14.8% = [-21.3% to -7.7%]), and higher FSH (6.2% [2.0% to 10.5%]) after adjusting for age, race, percent body fat, depression score, and time-varying hormones and vigorous exercise. High versus low daily stress was also associated with lower luteal progesterone (-10.4% [-19.7% to -0.10%]) and higher odds of anovulation (adjusted OR = 2.2 [95% CI=1.0 to 4.7]). For each unit increase in daily stress level, women had a 70% higher odds of an anovulatory episode (OR=1.7 [1.1 to 2.4]). Similar but attenuated results were found for the association between the PSS-4 and reproductive hormones, while null findings were found for the baseline PSS. Conclusion Daily perceived stress does appear to interfere with menstrual cycle function among women with no known reproductive disorders, warranting further research to explore potential population-level impacts and causal biologic mechanisms. PMID:25643098

The burden of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy in Malaysian neonatal intensive care units.

PubMed

Boo, Nem-Yun; Cheah, Irene Guat-Sim

2016-08-01

This study aimed to determine the incidence of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) and predictors of HIE mortality in Malaysian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). This was a retrospective study of data from 37 NICUs in the Malaysian National Neonatal Registry in 2012. All newborns with gestational age ≥ 36 weeks, without major congenital malformations and fulfilling the criteria of HIE were included. There were 285,454 live births in these hospitals. HIE was reported in 919 newborns and 768 of them were inborn, with a HIE incidence of 2.59 per 1,000 live births/hospital (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.03, 3.14). A total of 144 (15.7%) affected newborns died. Logistic regression analysis showed that the significant predictors of death were: chest compression at birth (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.27, 95% CI 1.27, 4.05; p = 0.003), being outborn (adjusted OR 2.65, 95% CI 1.36, 5.13; p = 0.004), meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) (adjusted OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.05, 4.47; p = 0.038), persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) (adjusted OR 4.39, 95% CI 1.85, 10.43; p = 0.001), sepsis (adjusted OR 4.46, 95% CI 1.38, 14.40; p = 0.013), pneumothorax (adjusted OR 4.77, 95% CI 1.76, 12.95; p = 0.002) and severe HIE (adjusted OR 42.41, 95% CI 18.55, 96.96; p < 0.0001). The incidence of HIE in Malaysian NICUs was similar to that reported in developed countries. Affected newborns with severe grade of HIE, chest compression at birth, MAS, PPHN, sepsis or pneumothorax, and those who were outborn were more likely to die before discharge. Copyright: © Singapore Medical Association.

The burden of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy in Malaysian neonatal intensive care units

PubMed Central

Boo, Nem-Yun; Cheah, Irene Guat-Sim

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION This study aimed to determine the incidence of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) and predictors of HIE mortality in Malaysian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). METHODS This was a retrospective study of data from 37 NICUs in the Malaysian National Neonatal Registry in 2012. All newborns with gestational age ≥ 36 weeks, without major congenital malformations and fulfilling the criteria of HIE were included. RESULTS There were 285,454 live births in these hospitals. HIE was reported in 919 newborns and 768 of them were inborn, with a HIE incidence of 2.59 per 1,000 live births/hospital (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.03, 3.14). A total of 144 (15.7%) affected newborns died. Logistic regression analysis showed that the significant predictors of death were: chest compression at birth (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.27, 95% CI 1.27, 4.05; p = 0.003), being outborn (adjusted OR 2.65, 95% CI 1.36, 5.13; p = 0.004), meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) (adjusted OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.05, 4.47; p = 0.038), persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) (adjusted OR 4.39, 95% CI 1.85, 10.43; p = 0.001), sepsis (adjusted OR 4.46, 95% CI 1.38, 14.40; p = 0.013), pneumothorax (adjusted OR 4.77, 95% CI 1.76, 12.95; p = 0.002) and severe HIE (adjusted OR 42.41, 95% CI 18.55, 96.96; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION The incidence of HIE in Malaysian NICUs was similar to that reported in developed countries. Affected newborns with severe grade of HIE, chest compression at birth, MAS, PPHN, sepsis or pneumothorax, and those who were outborn were more likely to die before discharge. PMID:27549510

Detection of hepatitis A virus in seeded oyster digestive tissue by ricin A-linked magnetic separation combined with reverse transcription PCR.

PubMed

Ko, Sang-Mu; Vaidya, Bipin; Kwon, Joseph; Lee, Hee-Min; Oh, Myung-Joo; Shin, Tai-Sun; Cho, Se-Young; Kim, Duwoon

2015-05-01

Outbreaks of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections are most frequently associated with the consumption of contaminated oysters. A rapid and selective concentration method is necessary for the recovery of HAV from contaminated oysters prior to detection using PCR. In this study, ricin extracted from castor beans (Ricinus communis) was tested as an alternative to antibody used in immunomagnetic separation while concentrating HAV prior to its detection using reverse transcription PCR. Initially, the extracted proteins from castor beans were fractionated into 13 fractions by gel filtration chromatography. Pretreatment of different protein fractions showed a variation in binding of HAV viral protein (VP) 1 to oyster digestive tissue in the range of 25.9 to 63.9%. The protein fraction, which caused the highest reduction in binding of VP1 to the tissue, was identified as ricin A by quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Ricin A could significantly inhibit binding of VP1 to the tissue with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 4.5 μg/ml and a maximal inhibitory concentration of 105.2%. The result showed that the rate of inhibition of HAV binding to tissue was higher compared to the rate of ricin itself binding to HAV (slope: 0.0029 versus 0.00059). However, ricin A concentration showed a higher correlation to the relative binding of ricin itself to HAV than the inhibition of binding of HAV to the tissue (coefficient of determination, R(2): 0.9739 versus 0.6804). In conclusion, ricin A-linked magnetic bead separation combined with reverse transcription PCR can successfully detect HAV in artificially seeded oyster digestive tissue up to a 10(-4) dilution of the virus stock (titer: 10(4) 50% tissue culture infective dose per ml).

Prevalence and demographic factors associated with vitamin A deficiency in Colombian children aged 12-59 months.

PubMed

Martínez-Torres, Javier; Meneses-Echavéz, José F; Ramírez-Vélez, Robinson

2014-11-01

To examine the sociodemographic factors associated with subclinical vitamin A deficiency in a representative sample of Colombian children. Subjects and methods A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted of data from the 2010 National Nutrition Survey of Colombia (ENSIN 2010) on 4,279 children aged 12 to 59 months. Plasma vitamin A levels were measured using high resolution liquid chromatography (HRLC), and sociodemographic factors (sex, age, ethnicity, SISBEN score, and geographic region) were collected using a structured survey. Prevalence rates and associations were established using a multivariate regression model. Vitamin A levels ranged from 7.5-93.7 μg/dL (mean=26.2; 95% CI, 25.9 to 26.5μg/dL). Vitamin A levels less than 20 μg/dL (subclinical deficiency) were found in 24.3% of children. Children belonging to ethnic groups of African ascent, those living in the Orinoquia and Amazonia regions, and those aged 12-23 months had the greatest subclinical vitamin A deficiencies (29.5%, 31.1%, and 27.6% respectively. Regression models showed that age ranging from 12 and 23 months (OR 1.32; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.73), a SISBEN score 1 (OR 1.66; 95% CI, 1.18 to 2.34), an African ascent (OR 1.35; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.74), and living in the Orinoquia and Amazonia regions (OR 2.38; 95% CI, 1.62 to 3.51) were factors associated to subclinical vitamin A deficiency. The study population shows a high prevalence of subclinical vitamin A deficiency, and comprehensive interventions involving nutritional and educational components are therefore recommended. Copyright © 2014 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Intracellular Proliferation of Legionella pneumophila in Hartmannella vermiformis in Aquatic Biofilms Grown on Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride

PubMed Central

Kuiper, Melanie W.; Wullings, Bart A.; Akkermans, Antoon D. L.; Beumer, Rijkelt R.; van der Kooij, Dick

2004-01-01

The need for protozoa for the proliferation of Legionella pneumophila in aquatic habitats is still not fully understood and is even questioned by some investigators. This study shows the in vivo growth of L. pneumophila in protozoa in aquatic biofilms developing at high concentrations on plasticized polyvinyl chloride in a batch system with autoclaved tap water. The inoculum, a mixed microbial community including indigenous L. pneumophila originating from a tap water system, was added in an unfiltered as well as filtered (cellulose nitrate, 3.0-μm pore size) state. Both the attached and suspended biomasses were examined for their total amounts of ATP, for culturable L. pneumophila, and for their concentrations of protozoa. L. pneumophila grew to high numbers (6.3 log CFU/cm2) only in flasks with an unfiltered inoculum. Filtration obviously removed the growth-supporting factor, but it did not affect biofilm formation, as determined by measuring ATP. Cultivation, direct counting, and 18S ribosomal DNA-targeted PCR with subsequent sequencing revealed the presence of Hartmannella vermiformis in all flasks in which L. pneumophila multiplied and also when cycloheximide had been added. Fluorescent in situ hybridization clearly demonstrated the intracellular growth of L. pneumophila in trophozoites of H. vermiformis, with 25.9% ± 10.5% of the trophozoites containing L. pneumophila on day 10 and >90% containing L. pneumophila on day 14. Calculations confirmed that intracellular growth was most likely the only way for L. pneumophila to proliferate within the biofilm. Higher biofilm concentrations, measured as amounts of ATP, gave higher L. pneumophila concentrations, and therefore the growth of L. pneumophila within engineered water systems can be limited by controlling biofilm formation. PMID:15528550

Differential impact of anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorders on treatment outcome for psychotic depression in the STOP-PD study

PubMed Central

Davies, Simon J.C.; Mulsant, Benoit H.; Flint, Alastair J.; Rothschild, Anthony J.; Whyte, Ellen M.; Meyers, Barnett S.

2014-01-01

Background There are conflicting results on the impact of anxiety on depression outcomes. The impact of anxiety has not been studied in major depression with psychotic features (“psychotic depression”). Aims We assessed the impact of specific anxiety symptoms and disorders on the outcomes of psychotic depression. Methods We analyzed data from the Study of Pharmacotherapy for Psychotic Depression that randomized 259 younger and older participants to either olanzapine plus placebo or olanzapine plus sertraline. We assessed the impact of specific anxiety symptoms from the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (“tension”, “anxiety” and “somatic concerns” and a composite anxiety score) and diagnoses (panic disorder and GAD) on psychotic depression outcomes using linear or logistic regression. Age, gender, education and benzodiazepine use (at baseline and end) were included as covariates. Results Anxiety symptoms at baseline and anxiety disorder diagnoses differentially impacted outcomes. On adjusted linear regression there was an association between improvement in depressive symptoms and both baseline “tension” (coefficient = 0.784; 95% CI: 0.169–1.400; p = 0.013) and the composite anxiety score (regression coefficient = 0.348; 95% CI: 0.064–0.632; p = 0.017). There was an interaction between “tension” and treatment group, with better responses in those randomized to combination treatment if they had high baseline anxiety scores (coefficient = 1.309; 95% CI: 0.105–2.514; p = 0.033). In contrast, panic disorder was associated with worse clinical outcomes (coefficient = −3.858; 95% CI: –7.281 to −0.434; p = 0.027) regardless of treatment. Conclusions Our results suggest that analysis of the impact of anxiety on depression outcome needs to differentiate psychic and somatic symptoms. PMID:24656524

Effect of reading on blood flow changes in the posterior cerebral artery in early blind and sighted people--A transcranial Doppler study.

PubMed

Viski, Sandor; Orgovan, David; Szabo, Katalin; Rosengarten, Bernhard; Csiba, Laszlo; Olah, Laszlo

2016-04-15

Neuroimaging studies proved that Braille reading resulted in visual cortex activation in blind people, however, very few data are available about the measure of flow increase in these subjects. Therefore, we investigated the flow response in the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) of eleven early blind and ten sighted subjects induced by reading Braille and print, respectively. Two experimental protocols were used in both groups: PCA flow velocity during reading was compared to the resting phase and "NLC" phase (volunteers "read" non-lexical characters; e.g. .,-.:,-.:...,). The use of these experimental protocols allowed to investigate separately the effect of "light stimulus+print reading" versus "print reading alone" in sighted, and "hand/finger movement+Braille reading" versus "Braille reading alone" in blind subjects. The flow response in the PCA evoked by "Braille reading alone" in blind (10.5±4.5%) and "print reading alone" in sighted subjects (8.1±3.5%) was similar. The flow increase induced by "hand/finger movement+Braille reading" and by "Braille reading alone" did not differ in blind people, however, "light stimulus+print reading" in sighted subjects caused higher PCA flow increase (25.9±6.9%) than "print reading alone" (8.1±3.5%). The similar PCA flow response induced by Braille and print reading alone suggested a similar degree of occipital cortex activation in blind and sighted subjects. In sighted people, the 3-times higher flow velocity increase induced by "light stimulus+print reading" compared with "print reading alone" indicated that 2/3 of PCA flow increase during reading was due to the light stimulus and only 1/3 of flow response was caused by reading alone. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abdominal obesity and hyperglycemia mask the effect of a common APOC3 haplotype on the risk of myocardial infarction123

PubMed Central

Ruiz-Narváez, Edward A; Sacks, Frank M; Campos, Hannia

2013-01-01

Background Plasma apolipoprotein (apo) C-III strongly predicts myocardial infarction (MI) and directly activates atherogenic processes invascularcells.Geneticvariationintheinsulinresponseelementofthe APOC3 promoter is associated with an increased risk of MI. Objective The objective was to determine whether the APOC3 promoter variation affects plasma apo C-III concentrations and MI only when insulin sensitivity is normal. Design TheAPOC3*222haplotype,definedbytheminorallelesofthe single nucleotide polymorphisms 3238C→G, –455T→C, and –482C→T, was studied in 1703 matched nonfatal case-control pairs with MI in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. We used fasting hyper-glycemia and abdominal obesity as surrogates for insulin sensitivity. Results The APOC3*222 haplotype was associated with higher apo C-III concentrations only in those with the lowest waist circumference or fasting glucose concentration. The association between the APOC3*222 haplotype and nonfatal MI, previously reported in this population, was strongly influenced by fasting hyperglycemia and abdominal obesity. The odds ratios for MI for the APOC3*222 haplotype were 1.72 (95% CI: 1.16, 2.54) and 1.84 (1.31, 2.59) in subjects in the lowest quintiles of abdominal obesity and fasting hyperglycemia, respectively, and were 0.75 (0.54, 1.05) and 1.16 (0.85, 1.59) in subjects in the highest quintiles, respectively (P for interaction <0.05). Conclusion The results support the concept that mutations in the APOC3 promoter inhibit the down-regulation of APOC3 expression by insulin. This cardioprotective system becomes dysfunctional in abdominal obesity and hyperglycemia. PMID:18541587

Influence of childhood behaviour on the reporting of chronic widespread pain in adulthood: results from the 1958 British Birth Cohort Study.

PubMed

Pang, Dong; Jones, Gareth T; Power, Chris; Macfarlane, Gary J

2010-10-01

To determine whether childhood behaviour is associated with the likelihood of chronic widespread pain (CWP) in adulthood, and any such relationship is mediated through adult psychological distress, using a large population-based birth cohort. A prospective cohort study (the 1958 British Birth Cohort) was conducted. Participants were enrolled at birth in 1958, and followed up throughout childhood and adulthood. Data on childhood behaviour were collected from parents and teachers. Data regarding pain were collected at the age of 45 years by self-completion questionnaire. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs were estimated using Poisson regression, adjusting for gender, social class in childhood and adulthood, childhood common symptoms and adult psychological distress. CWP was slightly more common in adult females than males (12.9 vs 11.7%). There was an increased likelihood of reporting CWP at the age of 45 years with every unit increase in teacher-reported behaviour score at 16 (RR 1.04; 95% CI 1.02, 1.05), 11(RR 1.02; 95% CI 1.01, 1.03) and 7 years (RR 1.01; 95% CI 1.00, 1.02) of age. Those with scores indicating severe behaviour disturbances at 11 and 16 years of age had an increased likelihood of CWP in adulthood (RR 1.95; 95% CI 1.47, 2.59 and RR 1.69; 95% CI 1.18, 2.42, respectively). The strongest association was seen among those indicating persistent behaviour problems at 7, 11 and 16 years (RR 2.14; 95% CI 1.43, 3.21) of age, compared with those without at all three ages. Similar but slightly weaker associations were shown for parent-reported behaviour. Maladjusted (social) behaviour is associated with increased long-term CWP beyond childhood and adolescence.

All-cause and cardiovascular mortality in treated patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia: A long-term prospective registry study.

PubMed

Neil, H A W; Cooper, J; Betteridge, D J; Capps, N; McDowell, I F W; Durrington, P N; Seed, M; Mann, J I; Humphries, S E

2010-08-01

To examine all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia. 337 patients aged less than 80 years (47 with diabetes, 75 women) with a fasting triglyceride concentration on at least two occasions of >5.0mmol/l were registered by 21 lipid clinics in the United Kingdom and followed prospectively between 1980 and 2008 for 4353 person-years. The standardised mortality ratio (SMR) was calculated by comparison with the general population. The mean untreated total cholesterol concentration was 9.8 (SD 3.6)mmol/l for men and 11.9 (7.2)mmol/l for women and the corresponding geometric mean triglyceride concentration was 12.6 (inter-quartile range 7.3, 21.6) and 15.7 (8.2, 29.2)mmol/l. There were 70 deaths, including 35 from CHD and 7 from stroke. The SMR for CHD was raised at 327 (95% confidence intervals 228, 455; p<0.0001) and remained elevated after excluding patients with diabetes at registration (SMR=287, 95% CI 190, 419; p<0.0001), and after excluding patients with CHD at registration (SMR=259, 95% CI 158, 400; p=0.0003). The increased SMR was most marked in younger men aged 40-59 years (SMR=544, 95% CI 304, 897; p<0.0001). The SMR for stroke for patients aged 20-79 years was raised at 262 (95% CI 105, 540; p=0.04), as was all-cause mortality at 164 (95% CI 129, 208; p<0.001). Severe hypertriglyceridaemia is associated with a substantially increased mortality from cardiovascular disease, even in the absence of diabetes. In addition to lowering triglyceride concentrations to reduce the risk of pancreatitis, treatment should aim to reduce the overall cardiovascular risk. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disproportionately high risk of left ventricular hypertrophy in Indo-Asian women: a call for more studies.

PubMed

Jafary, Fahim H; Jafar, Tazeen H

2008-09-01

Indo-Asians have one of the highest rates of cardiovascular disease worldwide. Estimates and determinants of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in this population are not known. We sought to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for LVH in Karachi, Pakistan. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study on 320 randomly selected adults from the general population aged 40 years or above. LVH was defined as increased left ventricular mass index (LVMI) on echocardiogram (>115 g/m(2) in men and >95 g/m(2) in women) employing the adjusted Devereux equation. Multivariable models were built and logistic regression analysis was done for the primary outcome of LVH. Mean age of subjects was 52.7 (10.4) years, 50% were women. Mean LVMI (SD) was 72.0 (19.2) [median 71.1] g/m(2) in men and 75.7 (25.9) [median 72.9] g/m(2) in women. The overall prevalence of LVH was 21.9% in women and 2.5% in men (P < 0.001). The factors (odds ratio, 95% CI) independently associated with LVH were women versus men (11.35, 3.79-34.02), systolic blood pressure > versus

Multi-objective Calibration of DHSVM Based on Hydrologic Key Elements in Jinhua River Basin, East China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, S.; Liu, L.; Xu, Y. P.

2017-12-01

Abstract: In physically based distributed hydrological model, large number of parameters, representing spatial heterogeneity of watershed and various processes in hydrologic cycle, are involved. For lack of calibration module in Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model, this study developed a multi-objective calibration module using Epsilon-Dominance Non-Dominated Sorted Genetic Algorithm II (ɛ-NSGAII) and based on parallel computing of Linux cluster for DHSVM (ɛP-DHSVM). In this study, two hydrologic key elements (i.e., runoff and evapotranspiration) are used as objectives in multi-objective calibration of model. MODIS evapotranspiration obtained by SEBAL is adopted to fill the gap of lack of observation for evapotranspiration. The results show that good performance of runoff simulation in single objective calibration cannot ensure good simulation performance of other hydrologic key elements. Self-developed ɛP-DHSVM model can make multi-objective calibration more efficiently and effectively. The running speed can be increased by more than 20-30 times via applying ɛP-DHSVM. In addition, runoff and evapotranspiration can be simulated very well simultaneously by ɛP-DHSVM, with superior values for two efficiency coefficients (0.74 for NS of runoff and 0.79 for NS of evapotranspiration, -10.5% and -8.6% for PBIAS of runoff and evapotranspiration respectively).

Diffusion in Stellar Envelopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seaton, M. J.

Abundances in stellar atmospheres can depend on diffusive movements in much deeper layers of stellar envelopes. Diffusion in envelopes is also of interest in that it can lead to changes in opacities and hence to the structures of stars. For envelopes the radiative accelerations grad can be expressed in terms of quantities which depend only on temperatures, densities and chemical compositions. Computations have been made for the elements C, N, O, Ne, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ar, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe and Ni and tables are being made generally available through CDS (Strasbourg). Some results from those computations will be presented. The computed values of grad are used to study diffusion of iron-group elements in envelopes of HgMn stars. It is shown that one can define a value tau_0 of the Rosseland-mean optical depth tau such that diffusive movements for tau >= tau_0 do not depend on those for tau <= tau_0. For Cr and Mn we obtain solutions with tau_0 = 1 and are able to make some meaningful comparisons of abundances, as computed and as observed in atmospheres. For Fe we find that diffusive movements are slowed down in regions of T ~= 10^5 K where the dominant ionisation stages are near argon-like. Diffusion of Fe-group elements can produce substantial changes in opacities.

Gradient measurements of gaseous elemental mercury (Hg0) in the marine boundary layer of the northwest Sea of Japan (East Sea).

PubMed

Kalinchuk, Viktor; Lopatnikov, Evgeny; Astakhov, Anatoly

2018-06-01

Gaseous elemental mercury (Hg 0 ) is a prolific and persistent contaminant in the atmosphere. Atmospheric concentrations of Hg 0 were determined from 17 September to 7 October 2015 in the northwest Sea of Japan aboard the Russian research vessel Professor Gagarinsky. Simultaneous measurements of Hg 0 concentrations were performed 2 m and 20 m above the sea surface using automatic Hg 0 analysers RA-915M and RA-915+, respectively. Concentrations ranged from 0.3 to 25.9 ng/m 3 (n = 5207) and from 0.3 to 27.8 ng/m 3 (n = 4415), with medians of 1.7 and 1.6 ng/m 3 , respectively. Elevated Hg 0 was observed during three episodes from 19 to 22 September, likely caused by one or more of the following factors: 1) atmospheric transport of Hg 0 from the west and south-west (from N. Korea, China, and the Yellow Sea region); 2) Hg 0 emission from the sea due to pollution by water from the Tumannaya River; or 3) underwater geological activities. Increased Hg 0 concentration was observed during periods when air masses flowed from the south, and low concentrations were observed when air masses came from the north. A daytime increase of Hg 0 concentrations at a height of 2 m occurred simultaneously with decreasing Hg 0 at a height of 20 m. These diurnal variations suggest that two contrasting processes occur during the daytime in the marine boundary layer (MBL): Hg 0 emission from the sea surface and Hg 0 oxidation in the MBL by active halogens formed by photolysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Hygienic substantiation of application of functional dairy products in the prevention of macro- and micronutrient deficiency].

PubMed

Boyarskaya, L A; Vil’ms, E A; Turchaninov, D V; Bogdashin, I V; Erofeev, Yu V

Based on the study of actual nutrition and availability of macroelements there was found that adult population of the city of Omsk was established to refer to the group at risk for the development of micronutrient deficiency associated with low content of a set of essential elements (copper, zinc, calcium, selenium) in the ration, being prior for correction.There was executed the hygienic substantiation developed the fermented acid milk bioproduct of a functional purpose "Bifidin" enriched with micronutrients, prior for the population of the Omsk region. Introduction of this bio-product into the ration allows to effectively correct disorders of the mineral status, that was manifested in a decline in the proportion of patients with insufficiency of calcium (from 37.9 to 24.1%; p = 0.013), copper (from 51.7 to 25.9%; p = 0.004), selenium (from 96.6 to 84.5%; p = 0.026), zinc (from 58.6 to 48.3% of the subjects; p = 0.264). Upon the completion of the prophylactic course (intake "Bifidin" of 200 ml for 60 days), there was noted the gain in the concentration in hair: calcium (by 24.4%; p=0.441), zinc (by 8.0%; p=0.0008), copper (by 8.8%; p < 0.001), selenium (by 41.5%; p < 0.001). There was established the efficacy of the use of bio-product "Bifidin" enriched with micronutrients for the improvement of the structure of nutrition and element status of the adult population of the city of Omsk. There was justified the extensive use of dairy products enriched with micronutrients both for the reduction of the prevalence of microelementoses and the improvement of the nutritional status.

An Early Pleistocene 190 kyr pollen record from the ODP Site 976, Western Mediterranean region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joannin, Sebastien; Combourieu Nebout, Nathalie

2010-05-01

The Mid-Pleistocene Transition (1.200 to 0.500 Ma) corresponded to a period of increased cooling and the shift from "41 kyr world" to "100 kyr world". Climate cycles were 41 kyr long as a response of the climate system to the obliquity orbital parameter forcing, then the climate system responded to a combination of eccentricity and precession resulting in 100 kyr long cycles. The Mediterranean region offers the opportunity to study climate response to orbital forcing at this particular period. It is usually done on marine proxies that are preserved in continuous sediments with good age attributions but may be affected by calorific inertia of marine environments. We investigate continental palaeoenvironment changes inferred from pollen analyses through time on a short interval of the ODP Site 976 (259.50 to 230.42 mcd). In order to search for short climate oscillations, the chronology has been refined according to the comparison between the pollen ratio "mesothermic vs. Caryophyllaceae, Amaranthaceae-Chenopodiaceae and steppe elements" curve and Mediterranean and LR04 oxygen isotope curves. The time slice runs from ~1.090 Ma (MIS 31) to ~0.900 Ma (MIS 23). Pollen analyses provide a new record of the south western Mediterranean vegetation and climate changes at the beginning of the Mid-Pleistocene Transition. Vegetation successions are evidenced in pollen diagram with replacement of mesothermic elements by mid- and high-altitude trees, ended by strengthening of Caryophyllaceae, Amaranthaceae-Chenopodiaceae, and steppe vegetation. These vegetation successions reveal two overlapping rhythms that may be related to climate responses to both obliquity and precession orbital parameters, while wavelet analyses on pollen ratio only indicate the shift from precession to obliquity dominance. The comparison of these two approaches raised the question of their own limit.

Large improvement of the electrical impedance of imaging and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) phased arrays using multilayer piezoelectric ceramics coupled in lateral mode.

PubMed

Song, Junho; Lucht, Benjamin; Hynynen, Kullervo

2012-07-01

With a change in phased-array configuration from one dimension to two, the electrical impedance of the array elements is substantially increased because of their decreased width (w)-to-thickness (t) ratio. The most common way to compensate for this impedance increase is to employ electrical matching circuits at a high cost of fabrication complexity and effort. In this paper, we introduce a multilayer lateral-mode coupling method for phased-array construction. The direct comparison showed that the electrical impedance of a single-layer transducer driven in thickness mode is 1/(n²(1/(w/t))²) times that of an n-layer lateral mode transducer. A large reduction of the electrical impedance showed the impact and benefit of the lateral-mode coupling method. A one-dimensional linear 32-element 770-kHz imaging array and a 42-element 1.45-MHz high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) phased array were fabricated. The averaged electrical impedances of each element were measured to be 58 Ω at the maximum phase angle of -1.2° for the imaging array and 105 Ω at 0° for the HIFU array. The imaging array had a center frequency of 770 kHz with an averaged -6-dB bandwidth of approximately 52%. For the HIFU array, the averaged maximum surface acoustic intensity was measured to be 32.8 W/cm² before failure.

76 FR 76068 - Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-06

... Deutschland GmbH Helicopters AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed... GmbH Model BO-105A, BO-105C, BO-105LS A-1, BO- 105LS A-3, and BO-105S helicopters. This proposed AD... airworthy main rotor blade. Note 1: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. BO105...

In vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging of CD105 expression during tumor angiogenesis.

PubMed

Yang, Yunan; Zhang, Yin; Hong, Hao; Liu, Glenn; Leigh, Bryan R; Cai, Weibo

2011-11-01

Angiogenesis is an indispensable process during tumor development. The currently accepted standard method for quantifying tumor angiogenesis is to assess microvessel density (MVD) based on CD105 staining, which is an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with most solid tumor types. The goal of this study is to evaluate tumor angiogenesis in a mouse model by near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging of CD105 expression. TRC105, a human/murine chimeric anti-CD105 monoclonal antibody, was conjugated to an NIRF dye (IRDye 800CW; Ex: 778 nm; Em: 806 nm). FACS analysis and microscopy studies were performed to compare the CD105 binding affinity of TRC105 and 800CW-TRC105. In vivo/ex vivo NIRF imaging, blocking studies, and ex vivo histology were performed on 4T1 murine breast tumor-bearing mice to evaluate the ability of 800CW-TRC105 to target tumor angiogenesis. Another chimeric antibody, cetuximab, was used as an isotype-matched control. FACS analysis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) revealed no difference in CD105 binding affinity between TRC105 and 800CW-TRC105, which was further validated by fluorescence microscopy. 800CW conjugation of TRC105 was achieved in excellent yield (> 85%), with an average of 0.4 800CW molecules per TRC105. Serial NIRF imaging after intravenous injection of 800CW-TRC105 revealed that the 4T1 tumor could be clearly visualized as early as 30 min post-injection. Quantitative region of interest (ROI) analysis showed that the tumor uptake peaked at about 16 h post-injection. Based on ex vivo NIRF imaging at 48 h post-injection, tumor uptake of 800CW-TRC105 was higher than most organs, thus providing excellent tumor contrast. Blocking experiments, control studies with 800CW-cetuximab and 800CW, as well as ex vivo histology all confirmed the in vivo target specificity of 800CW-TRC105. This is the first successful NIRF imaging study of CD105 expression in vivo. Fast, prominent, persistent, and CD105-specific uptake of the probe during tumor angiogenesis was observed in a mouse model. 800CW-TRC105 may be used in the clinic for imaging tumor angiogenesis within the lesions close to the skin surface, tissues accessible by endoscopy, or during image-guided surgery.

Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health

MedlinePlus

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